Materials created/edited/published by Archive team as an assigned project during remote work period in 2020
November 7, 2001 - Minneapolis Mayor-elect R.T. Rybak got started on his move to City Hall, a day after trouncing incumbent Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton. Rybak announced the first two people who will head his administration's transition team, with an initial focus of affordable housing.
November 15, 2001 - MPR’s Brandt Williams conducts a 'rolling roundtable' discussion on the issue of "Driving While Black" with three Black men as they drive around the Twin Cities.
November 23, 2001 - MPR’s Kaomi Goetz interviews Mark Browning Milner, a local musician who has taken known works and created a new sound by dramatically slowing down the notes. The result is Bozo Adagio, an ambient sound to create a calming effect.
December 6, 2001 - MPR’s Lorna Benson interviews Minneapolis artist Aldo Moroni, who was selected to craft Minnesota's ornament for the Christmas tree in the White House. The resulting creation? An ice fishing house, of course.
December 13, 2001 - All over Sweden, Norway, and parts of the United States people welcome the beginning of the holiday season with Santa Lucia Day. The celebration has become an important family tradition for commentator Nanci Olesen.
December 18, 2001 - MPR’s Tasya Rosenfeld talks with David Fey about affordable housing in Minneapolis. Mayor-elect R.T. Rybak today introduced his 90-day plan to increase affordable housing in Minneapolis. Rybak says he wants to change development codes and regulations to encourage renovation. He also hopes to use four million dollars of Neighborhood Redevelopment funds to pay for more housing. Rybak has chosen David Fey, a long-time affordable housing advocate to be his deputy mayor. Fey was the vice chairman of a task force which recommended in 1999 that the city council spend fifty million dollars to create more affordable housing. Fey says one of Rybak's approaches to the housing crisis is to reduce the existing sea of red tape.
December 27, 2001 - MPR’s Cathy interviews Amy Klobuchar, Hennepin County Attorney, on fight against elder abuse. Klobuchar will announce the results of a program designed to prevent abuse of the elderly. The Senior Initiative is one year old. Its team of four attorneys, an investigator, and a victim advocate has worked on 43 cases so far this year. Klobuchar says they've seen a wide range of crimes.
December 28, 2001 - In just a few days R.T. Rybak becomes Mayor of the city of Minneapolis, replacing Sharon Sayles Belton after eight years in that office. In this audio excerpt, Sayles Belton formally said goodbye in remarks made to the city council and city staff in newly renovated Minneapolis City Council chambers.
December 28, 2001 - It's time for potica! Up on the Iron Range, the pastry called potica is a holiday treat. Eastern European grandmothers have made it for generations. But it's hard work, and not many people make it at home anymore. A few bakeries still make potica by hand, the way the grandmothers used to. Mainstreet Radio’ Chris Julin visited Andrej's European Pastry, one of those bakeries, in the town of Chisholm.
January 2, 2002 - MPR’s Art Hughes reports on R.T. Rybak taking oath as new Minneapolis Mayor. A Minneapolis City Hall ceremony installed the new mayor and a city council with more newcomers than veterans. Mayor Rybak promises an era of new openness and cooperation in city government. The day also included surprises as the council's elected its new leadership.