July 24, 2003 - MPR’s Greta Cunningham interviews Andrew Litton, the new director of The Minnesota Orchestra. Litton says he's honored to be leading Sommerfest into the future and says it's a great time for people and players to have fun. The Minnesota Orchestra has dropped the Viennese and added video screens to its Sommerfest.
July 24, 2003 - The prosecutor in a high-profile Duluth murder case 26 years ago says tests of DNA on an old envelope confirm the prosecution's case. From the beginning, authorities suspected Roger and Marjorie Caldwell of entering Glensheen mansion and killing Duluth heiress Elisabeth Congdon and her night nurse Velma Pietila. As Elisabeth's adopted daughter, Marjorie Caldwell, stood to inherit a substantial sum from Congdon's 8 million dollar estate. Roger Caldwell was convicted of the murder and Marjorie was aquitted. She was later convicted of arson in an Arizona case and is still serving time. Caldwell committed suicide in 1988, but maintained innocence in his suicide note. John de Santo, one of the prosecutors in the murder case, has just co-authored a book called "Will to Murder." He says new evidence proves the couple's guilt.
July 25, 2003 - Governor Tim Pawlenty's relationship to a pay phone company may get a closer look from the state's top campaign finance officials. The chairman of the Minnesota DFL party today filed a complaint against Pawlenty with the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board. The complaint says Pawlenty may have knowingly falsified campaign finance information in order to hide his income from New Access Communications. Pawlenty has said he made an honest filing mistake, and there was nothing shady about his work for New Access. Minnesota Public Radio's Jeff Horwich reports.
July 28, 2003 - Bishops, clergy, and laity of the Episcopal Church will gather later this week in Minneapolis for a national convention, and they're expected to make some controversial decisions. The largest issue facing the church is whether to ratify the election of the church's first openly gay bishop... the Reverend Gene Robinson of New Hampshire. Some Episcopalian bishops are warning that confirming Robinson could cause deep division in the church. Reverend Dr. Sandy Wilson is the rector of the Historic Downtown Episcopal Church of Gethsemane in Minneapolis. She's on the line now. That is Rev. Dr. Sandye Wilson, the pastor of Historic Downtown Episcopal Church of Gethsemane in downtown Minneapolis. She will participate in the Episcopal USA Convention which starts on Wednesday in Minneapolis.
July 28, 2003 - Pipedreams Host Michael Barone talks about famed French organist Louis Vierne, whose life and work will be celebrated at a festival at the House of Hope in St. Paul.
July 28, 2003 - We discuss the history, attraction, and future of the Great Lakes. We'll cover the natural history of the lakes and the people who live there, as well as the forests along the water. Jerry Dennis, naturalist and author of "The Living Great Lakes: Searching for the Heart of the Inland Seas".
July 29, 2003 - All Things Considered’s Greta Cunningham talks with Lee Pao Xiong, a local leader in the Hmong community, about housing issues in Twin Cities. Xiong states housing is the foundation for everything.
July 30, 2003 - The American Episcopal Church is facing a political and theological battle over homosexuality. At issue is the confirmation of a gay bishop-elect of New Hampshire, and the blessing of same sex unions. The two issues are threatening to fracture the Episcopal church during its General Convention being held this week in Minneapolis. Minnesota Public Radio's Marisa Helms reports.
August 1, 2003 -
August 1, 2003 -