August 2, 2002 - MPR’s Brandt Williams reports on some of the best singers in the world heading to Minnesota, as the Twin Cities hosts the triennial World Choral Symposium. It's the first time the event has ever been held in the U.S. For a week, over a thousand singers, from more than 50 countries will attend workshops and perform numerous free concerts.
August 16, 2002 - On Word of Mouth, MPR’s Chris Roberts provides a radio guide to the local arts. This episode includes Chamber Music Society of MN, Roman Polanski retrospective, all things Finnish folk, Christ Church Lutheran, Blood Money, and an arts round-up..
August 28, 2002 - MPR’s Chris Julin reports on boat watchers in Duluth Harbor. At first glance it's hard to tell if a ship is carrying wheat to Taiwan, or corn to Algeria. A free newsletter on what all the ships in Duluth Harbor are carrying and where they're going helps “boat nerds” decipher what they are viewing.
August 29, 2002 - A live Mainstreet Radio special from the Minnesota State Fair. Dr. Val Farmer, a psychologist specializing in rural mental health, takes questions from fair-goers and MPR listeners about mental health and farming.
September 15, 2002 - On this American RadioWorks special radio report, “Nature's Revenge - Louisiana's Vanishing Wetlands” looks at a region of the United States that is crumbling and sinking into the sea. Scientists say it's causing one of the worst and least-publicized environmental disasters in America's history. As Daniel Zwerdling reports for NPR News and ARW, there's a moral to this story: when humans try to outwit nature, it can strike back with a vengeance.
September 26, 2002 - The Mainstreet Radio documentary “An Uncivil War” examines The US-Dakota War of 1862, a war fought in the Minnesota River valley back in 1862 that still leaves scars today. On one side were the Dakota Indians. On the other, settlers and the U.S. government. Hundreds of people died on both sides of the five-week long war. It lead to the largest mass execution in U.S. history, when 38 Dakota were hanged in Mankato.
November 6, 2002 - MPR’s Michael Khoo breaks down the numbers of 2002’ election results. Republican House Majority Leader Tim Pawlenty won his bid to be Minnesota's next governor. With 96% of precincts reporting, unofficial returns show Pawlenty leading DFL rival Roger Moe 45% to 36%. Independence Party candidate Tim Penny was trailing a distant third with 16% of the vote. The Green Party's Ken Pentel finished with just over 2%.
November 6, 2002 - Morning Edition’s Cathy Wurzer talks with political reporter Mark Zdechlik as voting results come in showing Minnesotans have apparently sent Republican Norm Coleman to the U.S. Senate, rejecting calls to honor Sen. Paul Wellstone's memory by putting Democrat Walter Mondale in his seat.
November 6, 2002 - Morning Edition’s Cathy Wurzer talks with Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer about dealing with absentee ballots and polling places being swamped by a higher than expected turnout.
November 6, 2002 - MPR's Mark Zdechlik reports on Republican Norm Coleman celebrating his election to the U.S. Senate. Coleman defeated former Vice President Walter Mondale, who entered the race less than a week prior, taking Senator Paul Wellstone's place on the ballot after Wellstone was killed in a plane crash.