August 28, 1997 - Most corporations give money to charities, and many support social service agencies that work in poor, inner-city neighborhoods. But few large companies are *located* in troubled urban areas. Two major employers in Minneapolis have resisted moving to the suburbs, and are stepping up their efforts to save the inner-city neighborhood that surrounds them. Minnesota Public Radio's John Biewen reports.
August 29, 1997 - School district officials in Grand Forks say the return of their students is an important step in the community's recovery from spring flooding. Grand Forks students returned to classes this week for the first time since April. The school year begins Tuesday across the river in East Grand Forks, Minnesota. This won't be a normal year for either school system. The flood damaged several schools beyond repair, work crews are still repairing other buildings and many students will spend the year in temporary structures. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports... (Sound of kids) First and second grade students at Belmont Elementary sit o
September 1, 1997 - Classes start tomorrow at Edison High School in Minneapolis. A summer flood did millions of dollars in damage to the northeast Minneapolis facility. But school officials say an around-the-clock repair effort and an outpouring of help from volunteers will allow the district to open the doors on schedule. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson has more. Volunteer Gloria Sat, an Edison graduate from the l980's, didn't wait to be told where to go or what to do. Finding no one at the volunteer desk, she walked until she found someone who needed help organizing a classroom. Sat says many neighborhood residents are Edison grads and have a good feeling about the school. tape . . . i live northeast, it's our school we're hear to help out.
September 17, 1997 - Most of us would be stumped if asked to quickly outline the borders of the 9th Federal Reserve District.... but not Aldo Moroni. He has just finished a huge clay model of the entire 9th district to hang in the lobby of the new Federal Reserve Building in Minneapolis. He told Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr he wanted to create more than a map of the area... but something of the spirit of the upper Midwest. (Sound up and under... continue under entire piece) Think about it too much and the convolutions of scale of Aldo Moroni's sculpture "This River, This Place" can become mind-twisting. First of all there's the big stuff... it weighs 5,000 pounds
September 18, 1997 - Just a few months after flooding irreversibly changed thousands of peoples' lives in the Red River Valley...some are telling their stories for posterity. MPR's Hope Deutscher spoke with two people who are gathering individual stories of struggle, despair and recovery...for very different reasons.
September 23, 1997 - The Fargodome has been flooded with hundreds of complaints about ticket scalping for its October 25th Elton John concert. Several national companies apparently hired people to stand in line and buy tickets when they went on sale, and then sent the tickets out of state for resale. The 29-thousand tickets at the Fargodome sold out in 59-minues Saturday morning, and a private ticket broker in Connecticut is now offering thirty-dollar tickets for 129-dollars. The broker's phone answering system says a substantial "service charge" has been added to the original price. Parrell (LIKE "PERIL") Grossman is North Dakota's Director of Consumer Protection says it's a dis-service charge. Parrell Grossman is North Dakota's Director of Consumer P
September 25, 1997 - When the flood of '97 forced the cities of Grand Forks and East Grand Forks to evacuate, the University of North Dakota closed its doors early for the school year and sent students home without a graduation. Now five months later, the campus is nearly back up to speed, with only a slight dip in enrollment. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports... Just months ago, the UND campus was an island in the midst o
September 26, 1997 - The Immigration and Naturalization Service is staying open til midnight Tuesday to accomodate the flood of illegal aliens trying to beat the deadline to apply for permanent residency. Illegal aliens with a current visa number must apply for permanent residency by the end of the month and pay a thousand dollar penalty. Otherwise, they must return to their home country, and apply through the U-S consulate there. Many of the people in this situation are in the country illegally, but are married to U-S citizens, or green card holders. Karen Ellingson is an attorney with Officino Legale, a non-profit legal office that serves the east metro area. She says she's been advising her clients to apply before the deadline and pay the thousand dollar penalty:
September 30, 1997 - Grand Forks and East Grand Forks residents who say buy-out offers from the federal government for their flood-wrecked homes are insufficient may get another chance. Today a class-action suit was filed on their behalf in federal courts in Minnesota and North Dakota. The suit aims to force local officials to use eminent domain to buy-out homeowners. The hope is that eminent domain--a legal concept that allows government buy property for the civic good--would offer homeowners a better deal: more money, relocation benefits, and a smoother process. Though few property owners are named on the suit, hundreds are eligible, and could join later. Cheryl Phelps is one East Grand Forks homeowner who's already on board:
October 2, 1997 - The accounts of torture and murder being heard by South Africa's Reconciliation Commision are a grim reminder of past life under the country's white minority government. The end of apartheit brings hope, but also a new set of problems. A South African singing group called "The Christian Explainers" is on a U.S. tour to call attention to the rise of drug violence that is afflicting the country. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson has more ANNCR TAG: The Christian Explainers' first Twin Cities performance is Thursday evening (tonight) in St. Paul at the Minnesota History Center auditorium. Eddie Jacobs is alternately hopeful and fearful about the future fo