Materials created/edited/published by Archive team as an assigned project during remote work period in 2020
December 22, 2003 - MPR’s David Molpus interviews a winner of Merry Happy Lyrics’ "Hark the Herald Angels Sing” category. The entry is by a cowboy poet who goes by the name of Wally Firesteel.
December 23, 2003 - Throughout the first part of December, Minnesota Public Radio has asked listeners to join in the spirit of the season by setting new lyrics to old holiday tunes. The entries were judged, and winners have been chosen. In the "Jingle Bells" category, open to young people, Michelle Boursier of Maple Grove, was the winner. Segment includes interview with Michelle and a clip from her entry, recorded by the singing group “Dare to Breathe."
December 23, 2003 - MPR’s Chris Roberts interviews musician Odell Brown, who has also struggled all his life with depression. The Richfield resident has created a Christmas CD as a way to work through that depression.
December 26, 2003 - MPR’s David Molpus interviews Don Blyly about a peculiar Christmas Day surprise at his Minneapolis bookstore.
January 2, 2004 - MPR’s Cathy Wurzer interviews Minneapolis Police Chief Robert Olson a day before he leaves his position. Minneapolis Police Chief Robert Olson's contract expires tomorrow, after a nine-year tenure. When he took over the police department, crime was high, and some people started calling the city Murderapolis. But Olson brought a new approach to crime fighting, including an initiative called CODEFOR, which uses computers to track problems around the city in “real time" and crime went down under his watch. More recently, the department finalized a mediation agreement with parts of the community that's expected to address allegations of police misconduct, use of deadly force and other issues. During his time, Olson even survived Mayor R.T. Rybak's attempt to buy out his contract two years early. Rybak has recently named Bill McManus, Police Chief in Dayton, Ohio, to take over for Olson later this month, if McManus gets the necessary votes on the city council. Chief Olson is going to stay on the job for a while to ensure a smooth transition. As his time as Minneapolis Police Chief ends, Olson says it's still a tough job.
January 7, 2004 - Mayor R.T. Rybak's pick for police chief, William McManus, met with residents at a south Minneapolis community center last night. The mayor's office organized the meeting in anticipation of two key council actions today. With the full council vote a week and a half away, Rybak is applying pressure on those council members who are still not supporting McManus.
January 16, 2004 - MPR’s Michael Khoo reports on stadium discussions in the Twin Cities. More than two dozen cities, counties, and private citizens have pitched their ballpark solutions to Governor Tim Pawlenty's Stadium Screening Committee. The governor solicited outside input to help him decide what role, if any, the state might play in financing new facilities for the Minnesota Twins and Vikings. The plans cover a range of sites sprinkled across the metropolitan area and offer funding options from local taxes to state dollars to casino revenues.
February 3, 2004 - MPR’s Chris Roberts reports on the state of the indie record store in the age of digital. After years of slumping CD sales and the illegal downloading of songs, the music retail industry is finally embracing the digital age. Online music sales through companies such as Apple Computer, Napster and even Walmart are growing, and several major record labels are converting their music catalogs to digital. Many industry observers say the shift to digital delivery of music spells doom for the independent record store. Yet, the few such stores that remain in the Twin Cities say reports of their impending death may be premature. Roberts interviews various people in the industry, including Steve Pearson, buyer at Electric Fetus; Ryan Cameron, owner of Let it Be Records; Paul Stark, co-founder of Twin/Tone Records; and Chris Wester, managing director of Down in the Valley.
February 24, 2004 - MPR’s Cathy Wurzer interviews Kevin Odegard, a Minneapolis musician involved in the South Minneapolis re-recording session of Bob Dylan’s “Blood on the Tracks” album. Odegard discusses the experience and book on the subject, titled “A Simple Twist of Fate.” Segment includes music clips.
March 15, 2004 - MPR’s Cathy Wurzer interviews Bill Banfield, St. Thomas music professor, about the induction of Prince Rogers Nelson into the Rock Hall of Fame. Banfield breaks down many of the elements that make Prince a musical genius in the composition and performance.