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November 28 - December 2, 2005
[ Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday ]
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Monday, Nov. 28, 2005 |
The state of the strike
Three months after it began, some observers argue the Northwest Airlines mechanics strike is effectively over. Technically, the strike continues; most members of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association have not returned to work, and some travelers still refuse to cross the picket line. But since the strike began in August, Northwest has continued flying its schedule. And the company has filled all of its mechanics jobs with permanent replacements. Minnesota Public Radio's Jeff Horwich looks at the state of the strike.
Universities and federal government at odds over military recruiting
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on whether the government can withhold federal funds from colleges that bar military recruiters on campus. An association of law schools, including the University of Minnesota, is challenging the law on grounds that the military's 'don't ask-don't tell' policy discriminates against gays. The law schools say forcing them to accept military recruiting conflicts with their First Amendment message against discrimination. The military argues it is hypocritical for schools to bar recruiting and expect federal funding particularly when the nation is at war. Minnesota Public Radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports.
Financial markets with Chris Farrell
Minnesota Public Radio's Chief Economics Correspondent Chris Farrell discusses the latest economic news.
Vikings win four in a row
In sports news, the Minnesota Vikings have now won four games in a row. They beat the Cleveland Browns 24-12 yesterday at the Metrodome. The Vikings are now 6-5 on the season. The University of Minnesota men's basketball team hosts Garner-Webb tonight at Williams Arena. The Timberwolves take on the Clippers tomorrow night at Target Center. Joining us now with an update on the local sports scene is Morning Edition sports commentator Steve Rudolph.
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Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2005 |
Marine from St. Paul killed in Iraq
A Marine from St. Paul has been killed in Iraq. Master Sgt. Brett E. Angus was killed by a roadside bomb on Saturday. Angus joined the Marines in 1982. He was 40 years old and joined the Marines shortly after graduating from high school. He was on his second tour of duty in Iraq. His uncle David Angus says Brett was a gentle man.
Hennepin Co. reconsiders smoking ban
This afternoon, the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners will take up a proposal that would weaken the county's smoking ban ordinance. Some opponents of the county's current total ban on smoking in restaurants, bars and private clubs, say the law is responsible for lost revenues and a loss of over 2,000 jobs. However state unemployment numbers don't necessarily support that claim. Minnesota Public Radio's Brandt Williams reports.
Digging out from snow and ice in western Minnesota
People in western Minnesota are digging out after a winter storm hit the area. Minnesota Public Radio's Bob Reha joins us with more from Morehead.
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Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2005 |
Louis Jourdain pleads guilty to one charge in Red Lake shootings
The son of Red Lake Tribal Chairman Floyd Jourdain Jr. has pleaded guilty to one charge related to the shootings at Red Lake High School. Two other charges against 17-year-old Louis Jourdain have been dropped, including a charge of conspiracy to commit murder. Ten people were shot dead in the Red Lake reservation on that day last March. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Robertson reports.
Power out where storm knocks down poles in western Minnesota
Gov. Tim Pawlenty has activated the Minnesota National Guard to help out in Wilkin County near Fergus Falls where several communities are still without power. Monday's storm produced high winds, snow and ice which toppled hundreds of power poles. Wilkin County Sheriff Thomas Matejka says his office has been very busy the last few days helping people affected by the storm.
Forest Council to look again at roadless designation
The state's Forest Resources Council considers today whether roadless protections should be restored to more than 60,000 acres in Minnesota. In early 2001, the Clinton administration set aside tracts of land in the Superior and Chippewa National Forests to be "roadless." The areas became off-limits to motor vehicles, logging, and mining. But President Bush has reversed the Clinton rule. Now, it would take a petition from Gov. Tim Pawlenty to get the areas designated "roadless" once again. Minnesota Public Radio's Bob Kelleher reports people on both sides of the issue do not want that to happen.
Group brokers deals to save land from development
A couple of significant Minnesota land trust agreements were announced this week. Yesterday, the Potlatch Corporation signed a $3.6 million deal that will keep 5,000 acres in the Brainerd area from being developed. On Monday, 475 acres in Dakota County along the Vermillion River was purchased from a family for $2.5 million. That land will be turned over to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The Trust for Public Land helped put together both deals. Susan Schmidt, the director of that organization's Minnesota office, spoke with MPR's Cathy Wurzer.
Lech Walesa in Twin Cities talking about global economy
Lech Walesa, who was the leader of the trade-union Solidarity movement in Poland during communist rule, is in the Twin Cities talking about free markets. Walesa was one of the key figures in the collapse of communism in his country and is a Nobel Peace Prize winner. He delivered remarks yesterday at a dinner held in his honor in Minneapolis. In addition to talking about the benefits of free markets, he also called for a more equal distribution of the world's wealth. For some audience members, Walesa's global views are relevant to Minnesota businesses. Minnesota Public Radio's Annie Baxter has more.
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Thursday, Dec. 1, 2005 |
Economists detail factors in state budget surplus
Gov. Tim Pawlenty and other state officials are celebrating the first projected budget surplus in four years. The state Finance Department reported yesterday that the surplus is $701 million in the current budget cycle. Some lawmakers are calling it a billion dollar surplus, adding in some money left over from the last budget cycle. The report also said Minnesota's job growth is expected to lag behind the national average. Some economists say those numbers are a concern, while others say it is only one factor holding back the state's economy. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports.
Requesting money for basic maintenance
The state's projected budget surplus raises the hopes of officials with the two state-supported higher education systems who are making a list of of basic maintenance projects they hope to fund with state support. The University of Minnesota and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Systems are seeking a combined $485 million for building and repairs. Of that, nearly $200 million is for work on ventilation systems, sprinkler installations, and aging roofs. As Minnesota Public Radio's Art Hughes reports, officials with the institutions have had a hard time making the case for such low-profile projects.
Residents of Cass Lake worry about violence
Many people in Cass Lake in northern Minnesota worry that violence is getting worse in their community. Violence has long been a problem especially in Cass Lake's largest community, the Leech Lake Indian Reservation. In the past five years, there have been 16 murders in Cass County, which includes most of the reservation, with four happening in just the past two months. Tribal and community leaders are now trying to figure out what to do about it. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Robertson reports.
An architect of the Minnesota Miracle Gerald Christenson has died
Gerald Christenson, the former chancellor of the Minnesota State University System, has died. He was 75. Christenson's long career in public service included several crowning achievements. As chief of staff to former Gov. Wendell Anderson, Christenson was one of the architects of the Minnesota Miracle. The landmark agreement equalized spending for Minnesota's schools districts by shifting the bulk of the spending from property taxes to the state. Another achievement was Christenson's creation of a federal summer jobs program. Then Vice President Hubert Humphrey appointed him to the Washington, D.C. post in the early l960s when the country's largest cities were beset with riots fueled by out of work young African Americans. Christenson told Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson recently what happened when President Lyndon Johnson learned what Humphrey was creating.
Advice for taking kids to cultural events like theater
The holiday season is a time of year that many parents choose to introduce their children to the arts, but many wonder what is appropriate for a specific age group. St. Paul Pioneer Press theater critic Dominic Papatola gets asked about that. Each week at this time, Dominic is going stop by at this time to talk about the arts, and today he's here to offer his thoughts on kids and the arts.
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Friday, Dec. 2, 2005 |
Minneapolis plans extended homeless shelter hours
This morning, the Minneapolis City Council is expected to pass a measure that will allow homeless shelters to stay open 24 hours a day. Under current zoning codes, the shelters can open their doors starting at 5 p.m. allowing the homeless to sleep inside over night. But then the shelters have to empty out by 9 a.m. The extra hours that come with the change will not come with more money. But some are still calling the move an important step toward better treatment for the city's homeless. Minnesota Public Radio's Brandt Williams reports.
Hmong in Minnesota concerned about burial ground in Thailand
Human rights advocates in Minnesota are getting involved in the fight to stop graves from being dug up near a Buddhist temple in Thailand. Some of the thousands of Hmong refugees who used to live near the temple, but who have now resettled in Minnesota, say they have deceased relatives buried in the area. There have been claims that hundreds of bodies have been exhumed. Minnesota Public Radio's Toni Randolph reports.
Christmas shows starting earlier
Even though it is just December 2, Christmas theater, music, and dance productions are already in high gear. It did not used to be that way. But many arts organizations are taking their cue from retailers, who try to rev up holiday sales earlier and earlier in the year. The stage calendar of holiday productions is not only starting sooner, it is filling up with more shows. Minnesota Public Radio's Karl Geherke reports.
Climatologist Mark Seeley's weather comments
University of Minnesota Climatologist Mark Seeley makes his weather comments. This week, he discusses the climate summary for the month of November which averaged three to five degrees warmer than normal. He also tells us about the National Weather Service's plan to measure the wind speed with a device that uses sound waves instead of a mechanical instrument.
Garden Guru Deb Brown answers questions
Today is the first Friday in December and fans of Midmorning know that they can expect to hear the Garden Guru, Deb Brown. But Deb is taking a break from the hour-long call-ins during the winter months. Instead, she is delighted to answer a few questions that you have called-in or e-mailed to us here on Morning Edition.
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