September 17, 2002 - Was Germany a U.S. ally during World War II? Why was the Civil War fought? These may sound like easy questions, but studies show many kids don't know the answers. Today is the 215th anniversary of the signing of the constitution and President Bush took the occasion to unveil a plan to improve history lessons. We find out how students are doing and discuss plans to improve history instruction. Guest: Charlie Skemp, K-12 social studies specialist for the Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning. Former Minnesota Governor Al Quie, former chair of the National History Standards Review.
September 18, 2002 - Republican Norm Coleman and DFL Senator Paul Wellstone are both claiming victory with the most recent polls showing Minnesota's US Senate race remains very tight. A Minnesota Public Radio-St. Paul Pioneer Press poll shows Wellstone with 47 percent support, Coleman with 44 percent. Because that falls within the three percentage point margin of error, the race is a statistical tie. Wellstone backers say they're pleased months of what they call negative attacks have not eroded the incumbent's support. Coleman's camp claims the Republican is in good shape because he's been able to keep up with Wellstone even though Wellstone has outspent him.
September 18, 2002 - A new Minnesota Public Radio- St. Paul Pioneer Press poll indicates the US Senate race remains very tight. Despite millions of dollars in campaign spending, DFL Senator Paul Wellstone and Republican Challenger Norm Coleman are locked in a statistical dead heat. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports...
September 19, 2002 - MPR’s Cathy Wurzer interviews Jock Olson, director of golf at Interlachen Country Club, on Solheim Cup being hosted in Edina, Minnesota. Olson breaks down the various golfers attending the event and the course itself.
September 20, 2002 - A new round of ads may have made it more difficult to figure out just what Minnesota's two leading U.S. Senate candidates have in mind for the Social Security system. The campaigns of DFL Senator Paul Wellstone and Republican challenger Norm Colemanare airing Social Security ads criticizing each other's positons. But none of the ads does much to explain just what the candidates would do for the keeping the system solvent. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports...
September 20, 2002 - New York Times foreign affairs columnist Thomas Friedman's Twin Cities speech The World After September 11th. He spoke at Temple Israel in Minneapolis Thursday night.
September 23, 2002 - MPR's "Meet the Candidates" series with Paul Wellstone, U.S. Senator discussing re-election campaign issues.
September 25, 2002 - Governor Jesse Ventura is en route to Cuba today. Ventura will spend the next three days participating in the U.S. Food & Agribusiness Exhibition in Havana. The governor and leaders from several prominent Minnesota companies say the island nation presents a new market for the state's farmers -- but Ventura's visit has drawn criticisms from Bush administration officials who say he's only lending legitimacy to Fidel Castro's government. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo is traveling with Ventura. He prepared this report.
September 25, 2002 - Mainstreet Radio's Tim Post profiles Jane Gray Swisshelm, a St. Cloud newspaper editor of the 1850s-1860s with strong opinions. She used her position to fight against slavery and for advancement of women's rights…but while she wrote articles advocating more freedom for some, she also pushed horribly racist views toward Native Americans, such as the complete extermination of the state's Dakota Indian population.
September 25, 2002 - Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times reporter Judith Miller, author of the best-selling book, Germs: Biological Weapons and America's Secret War" and Michael Osterholm, director of the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. He is author of "Living Terrors: What America Needs to Know to Survive the Coming Bio-Terrorist Catastrophe." They participated in the "Great Conversations" series sponsored by the U of M College of Continuing Education.