August 10, 2000 - ANNOUNCER TAG: If you're interested in finding out more about Irish arts and culture, check out the Irish Fair of Minnesota this weekend at the University of Saint Thomas in Saint Paul.
August 10, 2000 - The child poverty rate in Minnesota has shot up by 85-percent since 1979, according to a new report from the National Center for Children in Poverty. That's 122-thousand more kids, despite an unprecedented economic boom throughout most of the nineties. Diane Benjamin is an advocate for children and the Executive Director of the Children's Defense Fund-Minnesota. She thinks that the Center's numbers exaggerate the problem:
August 14, 2000 - Over the past year Minnesota based Hutchinson Technology International has cut more than three thousand jobs -- 40 percent of its workforce. HTI as the company's known has been battered by changes in technology that cut demand for its main product, a key component of computer disk drives..... But the firm's fortunes are improving, and that's good news for the small towns where the company is one of the biggest employers around. Minnesota Public Radio's Cara Hetland reports:
August 16, 2000 - While coverage of the Democratic National Convention focuses on the nightly speeches, as much if not more of the action is occurring off-stage. Last night , Minnesota delegates attended a private reception at the Santa Monica Beach Club -- just one of dozens of sideshows to the prime time events. And as Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo reports, some observers are concerned the sponsors of the extra-curricular activities are buying influence.
August 16, 2000 - Natural gas prices are on the rise, and some Minnesotans are already getting bigger bills. Customers on Minnegasco's budget plan are seeing increased rates this month. The budget plan lets people spread winter heating costs throughout the year. Minnegasco officials say that on average, budget plan customers can expect to pay about twenty dollars more a month than last year. Linda Taylor is an assistant commissioner at the Minnesota Department of Commerce and is in charge of the Energy Division. She joins us now.
August 16, 2000 - Canadian grain farmers may grow the same varieties of wheat and barley as their US neighbors, but the countries market their crop in different ways. Canada's grain growers are required to sell their crop through a government-sponsored Wheat Board - a system that agriculture officials in North Dakota have been considering. While North Dakota contemplates a voluntary version of Canada's Wheat Board, farmers across the boarder are itching for its abolishment. Minnesota Public Radio's Erin Galbally has this Mainstreet report. {Art Anse still has a few neighbors along his packed dirt road miles from the nearest town - farms in southern Manitoba are becoming increasingly rare. In 1936 half of Canada's population made their living off of the land. Today, that number has dwindled to fewer than 3%. Surrounded by fields of wheat, beans and yellow canola, Anse wonders how much longer his neighbors will stay on the farm. He argues the problem is the Canadian Wheat Board, a government agency started during World War II which he believes has lost its purpose. Swatting misquotes away, Anse says the board stifles innovation forcing more and more farmers to leave their fields behind.
August 17, 2000 - The location of a proposed Hiawatha light rail station in Minneapolis' Cedar-Riverside neighborhood has placed business owners at odds with residents, and public housing dwellers at odds with their neighbors. Originally the station would have been located some distance from Cedar Avenue, farther from businesses and bus connections. A new redesign places the station closer to pedestrians and commerce, but residents of a nearby public housing complex say the station would be right in their front yard. Wednesday's public hearing gave residents a chance to try and influence the final choice. Minnesota Public Radio's Amy Radil reports.
August 17, 2000 - Canadian grain farmers may grow the same varieties of wheat and barley as their US neighbors, but the countries market their crop in different ways. Canada's grain growers are required to sell their crop through a government-sponsored Wheat Board - a system that agriculture officials in North Dakota have been considering. While North Dakota contemplates a voluntary version of Canada's Wheat Board, farmers across the boarder are itching for its abolishment. Minnesota Public Radio's Erin Galbally has this Mainstreet report. {Art Anse still has a few neighbors along his packed dirt road miles from the nearest town - farms in southern Manitoba are becoming increasingly rare. In 1936 half of Canada's population made their living off of the land. Today, that number has dwindled to fewer than 3%. Surrounded by fields of wheat, beans and yellow canola, Anse wonders how much longer his neighbors will stay on the farm. He argues the problem is the Canadian Wheat Board, a government agency started during World War II which he believes has lost its purpose. Swatting misquotes away, Anse says the board stifles innovation forcing more and more farmers to leave their fields behind.
August 17, 2000 - Northern States Power Company's merger with Denver-based New Century Energies is about to be finalized. Today the Securities and Exchange Commission gave its approval to the merger that will create a new company valued at nearly nine BILLION dollars. Company officials say they will close the deal tomorrow . Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports...
August 17, 2000 -