July 11, 2000 - The College of Saint Benedict in Saint Joseph is collaborating with Graywolf Press to create the Upper Midwest's first ever Literary Arts Institute -- featuring programs for area writers, readers, actors and publishing enthusiasts. All week, the College and Graywolf are hosting a publishing workshop called "Inside Books" to inaugurate the new partnership.
July 12, 2000 - Minneapolis ad-man Bill Hillsman has agreed to run Presidential- hopeful Ralph Nader's media campaign. Hillsman gained reknown as the creator of popular television advertisements for Governor Jesse Ventura and Senator Paul Wellstone. Hillsman says the first phase of the campaign will be targeted at getting Nader included in the Presidential debates:
July 13, 2000 - Governor Jesse Ventura says he is going to get more involved in the possible sale of Northwest to American Airlines. American has offered 3-point-7 billion dollars for Northwest, but the Minnesota-based airline has asked for more than double that amount, as negotiations over price continue. The Ventura administration issued a statement yesterday saying the Governor will be more active in representing the interests of the state. Joining us on the line is the governor's communications director, John Wodele.
July 13, 2000 - MPR’s Lynette Nyman reports on a Minnesota visit of the The Lao Royal Family for several days hoping to garner support for democratic reform in Laos. Meetings are planned with local officials as well as the Lao and Hmong people.
July 14, 2000 - MPR’s Lorna Benson interviews Ojibwe activist and White Earth band member Winona LaDuke, who is running mate for Green Party presidential hopeful Ralph Nader. The two ran together on the Green Party ticket four years ago but weren't able to capture any electoral votes. LaDuke says this time around, she and Nader are planning a much more aggressive campaign.
July 26, 2000 - MPR’s Lorna Benson interviews WCCO meteorologist Paul Douglas, who says the massive storm system on July 25, 2000 was unusual in a number of ways. For one thing, it produced many more tornado warnings than usual in Minnesota.
July 26, 2000 - MPR’s Tim Post reports on how residents of Granite Falls spent the day cleaning up and assessing damage after a tornado ripped through town on Tuesday night. Hundreds of homes were pulverized on the westside of town. Post talked with homeowners as they were allowed back into damaged areas of town to collect personal items.
July 26, 2000 - Mainstreet Radio’s Mark Steil reports on tornado that struck Granite Falls, Minnesota. Steil gets firsthand accounts of the storm. The tornado is the latest disaster for a city which has seen floods and job losses in the last few years.
July 27, 2000 - MPR’s Tom Scheck reports on Minnesotans with disabilities are marking the 10th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. In South Minneapolis, nearly a thousand people visited the Anne Sullivan School to take part in a day long celebration of the signing of the legislation. Disability rights activists say the ADA literally opened doors and businesses to millions of Americans, but they say more needs to be done.
August 2, 2000 - Local officials from northeastern Minnesota sat down with Governor Ventura's staff today and shared ideas about how to grow the region's economy. It was the first time the Governor's cabinet has met outside St. Paul, and state officials say this trip was so successful, similar meetings around the state could become a regular feature of the Ventura Administration. Minnesota Public Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports. { During the election campaign Jesse Ventura didn't know what I-triple R B stood for, and he stumbled on the Tonight show with Jay Leno when asked to describe taconite. But no more. Ventura and the heads of twenty-four state agencies learned about mining and a lot more on a two-day tour of the Iron Range. Yesterday they toured Minntac, the state's largest iron ore mine and taconite plant. Today they heard from local officials about efforts to diversity the Range economy.