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January 10 - 14, 2005
[ Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday ]
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Monday, Jan. 10, 2005 |
Vikings upset Packers in NFL playoff game
The Minnesota Vikings beat the Green Bay Packers 31-17 in the first playoff meeting between the border rivals. The Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper passed for four touchdowns, two to wide receiver Randy Moss. The Vikings defense intercepted Packer's quarterback Brett Favre four times. MPR's Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Sean Jensen, who covers the Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
Fans jubilant with Vikings win
The Minnesota Vikings pulled off an improbable win against the Green Bay Packers yesterday in Green Bay in the first round of the NFL playoffs 31-17. Viking fans were down after the team lost its regular season finale last week, finishing the season at 8-8 and backing into the playoffs. The Vikings lost both regular season games against the Packers. But Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper threw four touchdown passes -- two to wide receiver Randy Moss. The Vikings fans at the bar Gabe's by the Park in St. Paul were celebrating the win. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen reports.
Stiffer fines suggested for ATV violators
Fines for offenses involving all terrain vehicles have been in effect for little more than a year, but environmentalists say there are already signs that the penalties aren't a deterrent for reckless drivers. A coalition of nine environmental groups says it will ask lawmakers this session to substantially raise fines for ATV and other off-highway vehicle driving violations and to seize vehicles from repeat offenders. Minnesota Public Radio's Lorna Benson reports.
The week ahead at the State Capitol
Minnesota lawmakers will be back at the Capitol this morning for the first full week of the 2005 legislative session. There's been a lot of talk among lawmakers about finding common ground this year, after taking criticism for accomplishing very little last session. MPR's Cathy Wurzer spoke with Laura McCallum, Minnesota Public Radio's Capitol Bureau Chief about the coming week at the Capitol.
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Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2005 |
Minnesota soldier killed in Iraq
People on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation are mourning the loss of a Minnesota soldier killed in Iraq. 20 year-old Army Specialist Dwayne James McFarlane, Jr. grew up in Cass Lake. McFarlane died Sunday when an improvised bomb exploded near him while he was on foot patrol just outside Baghdad. Friends and family members remember McFarlane as an ambitious and caring young man who was proud of his American Indian heritage. Mainstreet Radio's Tom Robertson reports.
Path appears smooth for education nominee
A Minnesota Senate panel is taking early action this session on Gov. Tim Pawlenty's second choice for education commissioner. Former State Rep. Alice Seagren is scheduled to appear this afternoon before the Senate Education Committee. Her confirmation hearing is expected to be much smoother than her predecessor's confirmation. Last year, the Senate fired Cheri Pierson Yecke after she had run the Department of Education for more than a year. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.
State House clerk says goodbye
The Minnesota House of Representatives yesterday said goodbye to a longtime public servant. Chief Clerk Ed Burdick retired this year after serving 38 years as the body's top administrator and unofficial referee. He first came to the chamber in 1941 as a page and over the years built up a nationally-recognized expertise in parliamentary procedure. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo has this report.
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Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2005 |
Lawmakers scrutinize new airport plan
State lawmakers turned a critical eye yesterday on a major plan to expand Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The so-called "2020 Vision" was announced this fall by Northwest Airlines and Gov. Tim Pawlenty. Members of the Senate Transportation Committee heard from some who say the plan has moved too fast and too quietly. Minnesota Public Radio's Jeff Horwich reports.
Public defenders expect funding soon
Legislative leaders say they will move quickly to pass legislation funding the state's public defenders and its gang strike task force through the end of June. MPR's Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer spoke with John Stuart, the state public defender.
Sceptic systems vulnerable to freezing
The latest weather forecast says an arctic blast is expected to sweep across Minnesota tonight and then linger around the state for the next few days. That could put many septic systems in the region at risk of freezing up, especially those with barely any snow covering them. MPR's Cathy Wurzer spoke with Valerie Prax, who is with the University of Minnesota extension service's Onsite Sewage Treatment Program.
Blandin Paper looking to increase production
Blandin Paper is considering a big expansion in Grand Rapids. The company is considering a new paper machine that would boost Blandin's paper output and nearly double its need for pulp wood. Some people worry about the effect of an increased timber harvest on Minnesota's forests. But others believe the state's woodlands can easily handle the increase. Mainstreet Radio's Bob Kelleher reports.
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Thursday, Jan. 13, 2005 |
Senate bill would restore MinnesotaCare cutbacks
A Minnesota Senate committee considers a bill Thursday that would restore some health care benefits for MinnesotaCare, the state's subsidized health insurance program. Two years ago, lawmakers put a $5,000 cap on outpatient services for some adults without children. Some DFL lawmakers say the cap is forcing some low-income Minnesotans to forego needed health care. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.
Hatch says Centerpoint refuses to provide heat to some families
As Minnesota plunges into another deep freeze, hundreds of families may be without heat over the next few days. Attorney General Mike Hatch says Minneapolis-based CenterPoint Energy has inappropriately refused to reconnect delinquent gas customers despite cold weather rules meant to protect customers during the winter. CenterPoint officials say they're working to resolve complaints and have acted responsibly in helping struggling families find assistance and make payments. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo has more.
New documentary examines how government tracks Americans
After Sept. 11, the U.S. government promised aggressive steps to find terrorists lurking on American soil. It joined with the swelling data industry, which has spent the past decade compiling personal information about virtually everyone in the country. More than just names, addresses and social security numbers, these records include business and real estate histories, even travel habits and personal associations. A new documentary from American RadioWorks called "No Place to Hide" explores how government has embraced information technologies to track and profile Americans.
Minneapolis singer songwriter inspired by former home
Minneapolis singer songwriter Stephanie Winter doesn't sound like a Minnesotan, even though she's called the Twin Cities home for well over two decades. Winter, founder of the group "Stephanie Says," spent her formative years in England. The band's new CD, "Sex, Socialism, and the Seaside," was inspired in part by Winter's longing for her former country. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Roberts reports.
U.S. Supreme Court rules on Somali deportation
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled against a Twin Cities Somali man fighting deportation. Since completing a Minnesota jail sentence in 2000, Somali immigrant Keyse Jama has been held in U.S. custody, fighting deportation. His lawyers have argued that Jama and other Somalis should not be deported because Somalia has no functioning government, due to a civil war there. A district judge in Seattle agreed, but that decision was later overturned and now, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in a 5-4 vote the United States does not need the consent of a foreign country before deporting an immigrant to that country. Kevin Magnuson is one of Jama's attorneys. He spoke with Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer.
Minneapolis to swear in first female fire chief
The first female fire chief in Minneapolis will be sworn in later today. Bonnie Bleskachek is a 15-year veteran of the Minneapolis Fire Department and was among the first women in the department. She'll oversee about 450 employees and manage a budget of more than $40 million. Bleskachek spoke with Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer.
NCAA issues tougher rules for academic achievement
Some University of Minnesota athletic teams will have to improve their graduation rates or risk losing scholarships under new NCAA rules. The NCAA approved the first phase of an academic accountability reform package earlier this week. The new regulations set what's called an Academic Progress Rate that teams in every sport will have to reach. It's based roughly on a 50-percent graduation rate over a five-year period. The new rules could have an effect on the U of M, which recently ranked last in Big Ten graduation rates. Joel Maturi is the Gophers athletic director. He spoke with Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer.
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Friday, Jan. 14, 2005 |
Governor's education budget pushes changes in teacher pay
Gov. Pawlenty Thursday outlined a plan to increase spending on K-12 education over the next two years by roughly $352 million. The proposal would boost the per pupil funding formula, give school boards the authority to raise more local tax money and reward school districts willing to restructure teacher pay. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.
Panel asks major Lutheran denomination to maintain gay stands
A long-anticipated report from a task force of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is recommending no change to the church's policy on gays and lesbians. Gay and lesbian advocates say they had hoped for a more far-reaching policy of inclusiveness. The task force members felt a go-slow approach would do more to foster unity in the church. Minnesota Public Radio's Marisa Helms reports.
Weather with Mark Seeley
University of Minnesota meteorologist Mark Seeley explains the cold weather and looks ahead to the weekend forecast.
Wells Fargo growing in Minnesota, despite California headquarters
Wells Fargo keeps growing in Minnesota, even though its headquarters is now in California. The company employs just over 19,000 people here. In 1998, Minneapolis-based Norwest Bank announced it would acquire Wells Fargo and take the San Francisco bank's name and headquarters, leading to concern that the company's economic presence in Minnesota would fade. Nicole Garrison-Sprenger covered the story for this week's edition of The Business Journal. She spoke with Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer.
"Visions from America" on display in Rochester
When you say the word America it can conjure an image. It's something photographers know all too well. This weekend the Rochester Art Center begins showing images of America. It's a survey from American photography drawn from the collection of the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. Minnesota Public Radio's Erin Galbally reports.
Many say Maurer's departure from MIA will leave void
This week Minneapolis Institute of Arts Director Evan Maurer announced he will step down from his position for health reasons. Maurer has led the MIA for the last 16 years. Observers in and outside the Twin Cities say Maurer's departure will leave a huge void in the Minnesota art scene. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Roberts reports.
St. Cloud looking for ways to save money
Cities across Minnesota are trying to save money in all sorts of ways. In St. Cloud this morning, city leaders will discuss some serious measures to improve efficiency. The ideas range from sharing fire and police service with surrounding towns, to creating a new county for the St. Cloud metro area, to merging the metro area into one big city. Mainstreet Radio's Tim Post reports.
Cold has man busy chopping wood to heat home
An arctic air mass has settled over Minnesota, and that has Eric Bergerson of Fertile, Minnesota really busy. He has his hands full chopping enough wood to heat two homes. MPR Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Eric Bergerson.
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