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March 21 - 25, 2005
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Monday, March 21, 2005 |
Previewing the week at the Capitol
This should be a short, but busy week at the state Capitol. Lawmakers will begin the Easter Recess on Thursday. Both the House and Senate are expected to take up budget bills. Lawmakers are also expected to debate the bonding bill which borrows money for building projects around the state. And the session's first stadium bill may come up as well. MPR's Perry Finelli spoke with Minnesota Public Radio's Captitol Bureau Chief Laura McCallum.
Ethanol's energy equation
As the Minnesota Legislature debates whether to expand the use of ethanol in the state, old arguments against the fuel are resurfacing. One of the most contentious is this: it takes more energy to make the fuel than it produces. That analysis comes from Cornell University scientist David Pimentel. What may be less well known is that Pimentel says his negative energy equation is true for practically all forms of fuel. Mainstreet Radio's Mark Steil reports.
High school reform includes college classes
High school students are under growing pressure to work harder in their classes and avoid the temptation of coasting to a diploma. Gov. Tim Pawlenty is pressing the issue in his budget proposal. He wants students enrolled in rigorous classes that will provide them an early jump on their college education. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.
Gopher women faces Virginia in NCAA
The University of Minnesota Gopher women's basketball team faces the University of Virginia today in the second round of the NCAA tournament. MPR's Perry Finelli spoke with Star Tribune reporter Michael Rand about the Gopher women and their chances of advancing to the Sweet Sixteen.
B.B. King still touring, coming to Minnesota
Most people approaching their 80th birthday usually decide to ease off a little. Blues musician B.B. King is no different. He has eased off to only doing about 200 one night stands a year. Yes, you heard right, only 200. He just released a new album, and he is working on a new recording of duets with big name stars from around the world. And later in the year folks in Mississippi break ground for a new B.B. King Museum. King brings his famous bus to Minneapolis next week where he will play Orchestra Hall. Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr caught up with him on the road.
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Tuesday, March 22, 2005 |
Ten people dead in Red Lake shooting
Ten people are dead after a shooting rampage on the Red Lake Indian Reservation in northern Minnesota. At least 12 people were reportedly wounded in the shooting which happened yesterday afternoon. Tribal police closed the reservation to reporters late yesterday. Red Lake police and the FBI are working together to investigate the shootings. Mainstreet Radio's Dan Gunderson reports from Bemidji.
Red Lake shooting: The morning after
Authorities will spend Tuesday trying to understand why a 17-year-old boy killed ten people, including himself, yesterday on the Red Lake Indian Reservation in northern Minnesota. The boy apparently shot his grandfather and his grandfather's wife, then drove to the Red Lake high school where he opened fire, killing a security guard, a teacher, and five students before turning the gun on himself. At least 12 other students were injured. MPR host Perry Finelli spoke with MPR reporter Bob Reha.
Prison space harder to find
Corrections officials say it is getting harder to find space for prisoners in Minnesota. To alleviate the pressure on state prisons, the Department of Corrections already sends some inmates to a private facility in western Minnesota. But one state lawmaker says contracting with private prisons, like the Prairie Correctional Facility in Appleton, is not good use of state money. DFL Representative Debra Hilson from Brooklyn Center has introduced legislation that would prohibit the state from doing business with private prisons. Some fear the legislation would cut off an important option for housing prisoners. Mainstreet Radio's Tim Post has this report.
Bill George lead speaker at Minnesota Prayer Breakfast
The 45th annual Minnesota Prayer Breakfast will be held Wednesday at RiverCentre in dowtown St. Paul, and the lead speaker is former Medtronic CEO Bill George. What the audience will hear from George is a speech about how his religious beliefs steered his career and what role faith can play in creating ethical corporate cultures. Mr. George now teaches at Harvard Business School... and has written a book titled : "Authentic Leadership: Rediscovering the Secrets to Creating Lasting Value." George spoke with MPR's Perry Finelli who asked him to tell us more about the prayer breakfast.
Gopher women advance to Sweet 16 in NCAA tourney
The University of Minnesota women's basketball team beat the University of Virginia last night at Williams Arena by a score of 73 to 58. That means they will advance to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament. The Gophers won despite star center Janel McCarville's foul trouble that kept her on the bench much of the night. McCarville's absence apparently brought out the best in her teammates. Minnesota Public Radio's Brandt Williams reports.
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Wednesday, March 23, 2005 |
Red Lake: the day after
Red Lake High School administrators will meet today to discuss how and when to complete the school year. Yesterday, officials from the Red Lake Band, the FBI and a string of other agencies answered questions for the first time about the shooting at Red Lake High school on Monday. But authorities still do not know why 16-year-old Jeff Weise shot and killed ten people including himself on the Red Lake Indian Reservation. One day after the killings, people in nearby Bemidji gathered to comfort one another and pray. We have two reports, the from Mainstreet Radio's Dan Gunderson and Bob Reha.
Searching for reasons behind the school shootings
Monday's shootings on northern Minnesota's Red Lake reservation, experts say, fit a tragically familiar pattern. A young man described as a loner with behavior problems from a troubled family background gets a hold of guns and begins killing people. What caused 17-year-old Jeff Weise to turn to violence? Several experts say we will never know for sure, but they have ideas about factors which may have influenced his behavior. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson reports.
Studying American Indian youth and violence
The Red Lake school shooting has highlighted the work of researchers like Linda Bearinger, a University of Minnesota professor and director of its Center for Adolescent Nursing. Bearinger is the lead author on a recent study about violence among American Indian youth. She spoke with MPR's Perry Finelli.
School safety: where are we?
Education leaders throughout the state are looking again at school safety and security procedures after the shootings at Red Lake High School. Monday's attack was the second fatal shooting in a Minnesota school in 18 months. Two students were killed at Rocori High School in Cold Spring in September, 2003. State law demands every school district have plans for preventing, responding to, and recovering from such tragedies. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.
Red Lake members in Twin Cities grieve
The impact of Monday's shootings in Red Lake is being felt far away from that Indian Reservation. Many Red Lake band members live nearly 300 miles away in the Twin Cities. And a lot of them lost friends and family in Monday's shootings. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports.
Red Lake stirring up memories of Rocori shooting
The school shooting in Red Lake comes only a year and a half after another shooting killed two students at Rocori High School in Cold Spring. Yesterday, faculty and staff at the central Minnesota high school were ready to give students the help they needed. But school officials say they were surprised to find that students were more concerned about how to help those on the Red Lake Reservation. Mainstreet Radio's Tim Post reports.
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Thursday, March 24, 2005 |
Good news at Red Lake: wounded are recovering
Three victims of this week's shooting on the Red Lake Indian Reservation are showing strong signs of recovery and could be discharged from the hospital soon. Two are expected to offer, later today, their account of the violence that took ten lives, including the assailant's. Meanwhile, new details of the incident emerged from the family of another victim who remains in critical condition. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo has more.
Twin Cities Red Lake community going north
There will be wakes today for Michelle Sigana, Daryl Lussier and Chase Lussier, three of the victims of Monday's shootings. The tragedy at Red Lake has left many Twin Cities residents grieving for family and friends from 240 miles away. Many off-reservation Red Lake band members are anxious to return for services and ceremonies. But some cannot because they do not have ready access to a car or other means to make the trip. Several community leaders are organizing financial support to pay for gas or even drive some people to the reservation for services. Minnesota Public Radio's Art Hughes reports.
Counseling: what works best?
Community leaders, teachers, and friends are looking for ways to help survivors of this week's shooting spree in Red Lake, Minnesota. FBI officials say 16-year-old Jeffrey Weise killed nine people and wounded seven before killing himself. Counseling is often provided for survivors of such traumas, sometimes by a large number of outsiders who travel to offer their services. But there's controversy about what kind of counseling works, and Richard Gist is one of the critics of the way it is often done. He is an associate professor at the University of Missouri at Kansas City and an official of the Kansas City, Missouri Fire Department. He spoke with MPR's Cathy Wurzer.
Not much accomplished at Capitol by Easter
State lawmakers are back in their districts this morning to begin their five-day break for the Easter holiday. They left the Capitol with a lot of work still ahead of them. The DFL-controlled Senate yesterday approved legislation that would erase a projected deficit. But House Republicans and Governor Pawlenty have attacked the Senate plan as a political gimmick. The disagreement highlights how much work remains before lawmakers are constitutionally required to adjourn in two months. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports.
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Friday, March 25, 2005 |
Red Lake Tribal Chair Jourdain reflects on shootings
Red Lake Tribal Chairman Buck Jourdain met with reporters last night at tribal headquarters. He reflected on how the tragedy has affected Red Lake, and how it may change the community in the future. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Gunderson reports.
Student Cody Thunder's talks about shootings
Funeral preparations are underway for the victims of this week's shooting at the Red Lake Indian Reservation. Services for Daryl Lussier, Michelle Sigana, and Chase Lussier will be held tomorrow. Gov. Tim Pawlenty is among those expected to attend. For most of the survivors, their physical wounds appear to be mending, but the task of grappling with the emotional trauma remains. One of the wounded spoke to reporters for the first time yesterday to offer his account of the ordeal that ultimately took ten lives. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo reports.
Tragedy leads to weekend of funerals
The first funerals on the Red Lake Reservation begin Saturday. Services for victims of the school shooting at Red Lake High school will likely continue for several days. Tomorrow there are funerals scheduled are for Daryl Lussier, Michelle Sigana, and Chase Lussier at St Mary's Catholic Church in Red Lake. The mission church is one of several on the reservation that will be busy with funerals. For many people a funeral is a ritual for the living. A time to share grief. In Red Lake that ritual will take on added significance. Mainstreet Radio's Bob Reha reports.
Weise case highlights mental health services for kids
Several reports indicate the 16-year-old boy who killed nine people and himself earlier this week on the Red Lake Indian reservation was suffering from depression. One report in the Washington Post said Jeff Weise had been hospitalized in the past for suicidal tendencies. Nationwide an estimated 15 million kids grapple with some form of mental illness. But in Minnesota a severe shortage of child psychiatrists means patients typically wait months for treatment. Minnesota Public Radio's Erin Galbally reports.
Journalist restrictions point up Red Lake's sovereignty
The Red Lake Band of Chippewa have been able to restricted access for journalists and others to their reservation since Monday's shooting spree at the high school because they are a sovereign nation. MPR's Cathy Wurzer spoke with Robert Clinton, Foundation Professor of Law at Arizona State University College of Law, about the tribe's sovereignty.
St. Paul wants Target to build downtown store
St. Paul officials are in serious talks with Target Corporation to build a store downtown. The talks have been going on for about a year. City officials say a new downtown store will improve St. Paul's retail industry. MPR's Cathy Wurzer spoke with Sam Black, a reporter who's covering this story for The Business Journal.
Weather comments from Climatologist Mark Seeley
University of Minnesota Climatologist Mark Seeley tells us about "Classes Without Quizzes" an annual lecture series on Saturday, April 2nd, where topics like tornados and severe weather will be discussed. He also has some final comments on the March 18th blizzard that hit the region, and discusses a criticized technique used in warning people about Hurricanes.
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