January 1, 2009 - At the start of the new year, Midday presents some of 2008's most entertaining speeches. In this speech, author and humorist Garrison Keillor talked about poetry, writing and his own relationship with the library at the "Talk of the Stacks" series in November at the Hennepin County Library in downtown Minneapolis.
January 8, 2009 - MPR’s Tom Crann interviews R.T. Rybak, Mayor of Minneapolis about President-elect Obama economic speech. In his speech today, President-elect Obama also recognized the budget problems local governments are facing these days. Here in Minnesota, the Governor and the legislature are working to close a 4.8-billion-dollar budget shortfall. And, that has meant less aid money for cities and counties. The president-elect tried to offer local leaders some words of hope.
January 19, 2009 - MPR listeners and special guests discuss what it means on this MLK Day as Barack Obama, the the nation's first Black U.S. president, is to be inaugurated in the coming day.
February 12, 2009 - Interview excerpt with Penumbra Theatre’s Lou Bellamy on the organization’s budget cuts and plan to postpone its final production of the current season until the 2009-2010 season, while preserving its important programs.
February 12, 2009 - The Penumbra Theatre in St. Paul, the largest professional African American theater in the country, announced its trimming budget by almost a quarter and pushing a major production into next year as a result of the economic downturn. Penumbra recently completed a three-million-dollar fundraising campaign. Artistic director Lou Bellamy says the cuts are preventative measures to protect what the company has built in recent years.
February 13, 2009 - In what it calls a proactive move, St Paul's Penumbra Theatre has trimmed it's 3.8-million-dollar budget by almost a quarter.
February 13, 2009 - The Penumbra Theatre in St. Paul announced it is trimming its budget by almost a quarter and pushing a major production into next year.
March 10, 2009 - Penumbra's artistic director Lou Bellamy and actors join Midmorning to talk about Lorraine Hansberry's play, A Raisin in the Sun.
March 17, 2009 - Two senior statesmen reflect on public life and civic engagement. Former Vice President Walter Mondale and former U.S. Sen. Dave Durenberger discuss their experiences in public life and the need for civic engagement.
April 3, 2009 - Excerpt of Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak commenting on 2006 police shooting death. Rybak says city officials believe allegations of misconduct in the 2006 police shooting death of a 19-year-old man are false. Earlier this week, a lawyer representing the family of Fong Lee, filed affidavits which contradict police claims that Lee had a gun when Officer Jason Andersen shot and killed him. The documents also raise the possibility that the gun found next to Lee's body was planted by another police officer. Rybak urges people to be patient and let the legal process take its course.