May 12, 2006 - MPR’s Chris Roberts profiles Twin Cities rapper Omaur Bliss. Roberts interviews Bliss about the optimism in his music and on growing up in East St. Paul. Segment also includes comments from Steve McPherson, music editor of Pulse.
May 17, 2006 - In the weeks following Hurricane Katrina, President Bush acknowledged that the disaster laid bare the persistent racial inequalities in America, but Bush strongly rejected the idea that the federal government's response to Katrina was somehow racist. Social critic Michael Eric Dyson was not convinced. Michael Eric Dyson: Professor of humanities at the University of Pennsylvania, in the keynote address of The Blake School's annual Diversity Symposium on May 3 in Minneapolis. Dyson's latest book is "Come Hell or High Water: Hurricane Katrina and the Color of Disaster."
May 18, 2006 - MPR’s Sea Stachura interviews numerous individuals taking part in the “sport” of Mechwars, a competition that pits homemade robots against other bot creations. Everything from Barbie dolls to gnomes are utilized as weaponry.
May 18, 2006 - A new group of riders is discovering the Twin Cities bike trail system. They are students at the Wellstone International High School in Minneapolis. The school is designed for high-school-age students who are new to the country. For the last two years, the school has sponsored a bike club where students learn how to ride and get a chance to explore the area. Morning Edition's Jim Bickal reports.
May 19, 2006 - State lawmakers will be back at the Capitol today working on getting the major issues resolved before Monday's constitutional deadline to adjourn. Late last night, Governor Pawlenty and legislative leaders agreed on a spending plan. They hope the deal sets the course for a smooth ending to the legislative session. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports..
May 22, 2006 - Duluth city councilors consider adding Bob Dylan's name to a few blocks of London Road. MPR's Stephanie Hemphill reports on the numerous perspectives on naming area of road after the famous musician born in Duluth.
May 22, 2006 - MPR’s Stephanie Hemphill reports on Duluth city council preparing vote on naming part of a city street in honor of Bob Dylan.
May 22, 2006 - MPR’s Brandt Williams reports that there's much to do before the new Twins stadium becomes a reality. Hennepin County commissioners must still approve the tax increase...and the county must begin the process of examining the environmental impact of the downtown ballpark.
May 22, 2006 - MPR's Tom Scheck examines why the Minnesota Twins were finally successful in getting a new ballpark, after being told no so many times. The legislation authorizes public financing for most of the half-billion dollar cost of the stadium in downtown Minneapolis. The House and Senate passed the bill and Pawlenty says he intends to sign it.
May 30, 2006 - Finding the time and money to go to the theater can be hard. If you're living below the poverty line, the obstacles to attending theater are far greater. But several organizations argue that seeing great theater is sometimes as important as food and shelter. In this first installment of a three part series on providing theater for the poor, Minnesota Public Radio's Marianne Combs takes a look at how Project Success is helping to make Twin Cities theaters more accessible to everyone. To learn more about Project Success or to see other stories in our ongoing Poverty series, visit our Web site at minnesota public radio-dot-org. Tomorrow Marianne Combs continues our series with a look at Ten Thousand Things Theater company, which takes performances on the road to homeless shelters, church basements, public housing and prisons.