August 28, 2000 - Minnesota farmers are getting ready to harvest what looks like another huge crop of corn and soybeans, something which seemed unlikely a few months ago. Drought concerns have disappeared and so have farmers hopes that dry weather and a poor harvest would boost rock bottom grain prices. That means many Minnesota farmers who gambled on drought have lost out. If predictions for a record harvest come true, grain prices will remain at the same depressed levels where they've been for the past three years. Tonight in the first of two stories looking toward harvest season, Mainstreet Radio's Mark Steil reports:
August 29, 2000 - Hearings continue today on the Minnesota portion of the proposed power line between Duluth and Wausau Wisconsin. Minnesota Public Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports on last night's opening session. { The evening hearing started noisily. But once those crowd got into the hearing room, the discussion was detailed and wide-ranging. Technically, the question in this week's hearings is, should the short 12 mile section of the project in Minnesota be exempt from the normal environmental revuew? But opponents are discussing much broader questions about how we should power our lives. Speakers last night raisedf concerns about possible health effects of electromagnetic fields, more mercury in the environment, and lower property values. Northern Manitoba's Cross Lake Cree were represented by William Osborne. He said flooding from the massive hydroelectric power plants that the new line will allow to be sold in Wisconsin and throughout the midwest have destroyed his peoples way of life.
September 1, 2000 - weather insights from Professor Seeley.
September 4, 2000 - As of Sunday, attendance was up by about 50,000 people over last year and organizers say the great Minnesota get-together has gone smoothly. In a festival that celebrates sameness and tradition, fairgoers gave thumbs up to some of this year's new, adventurous culinary offerings. Meanwhile, some merchants blamed this year's cool weather for throwing off sales of thirst-quenching treats. Minnesota Public Radio's Amy Radil has this report.
September 6, 2000 - The Nature Conservancy of Minnesota has nearly doubled its holdings with the purchase of 25,000 acres in Northern Minnesota. While it is now prairie, gravel and wetlands, the conservation group's new land once was completely underwater, part of the Lake Aggasiz lakebed. Aggasiz was huge, three times the size of Lake Superior. It covered parts of what is now Minnesota, the Dakotas and Canada. When it drained, the Aggasiz shoreline became wetlands and prairies. "Glacial Ridge," as the Nature Conservancy is calling its new purchase, was part of that former shoreline. Rob McKim, the State Director of the Minnesota Nature Conservancy, says that the area is important because it connects other wildlife management areas, and because Aggasiz left behind a unique topography.
September 11, 2000 - Two Republicans are vying for the chance to take on Democratic Congressman Jim Oberstar in Minnesota's 8th district, stretching from the Iron Range down to the northern Twin Cities suburbs. Oberstar has held the seat for 26 years. But so far, much of the Republican attempt to unseat him has centered more on an internal dispute on who should control the party. Minnesota Public Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports. { The dispute boils down to this. Bob Lemen, a Grand Rapids computer consultant, has the GOP party endorsement. Warren Nelson, an engineering consultant from Chisago County, says the endorsement should have gone to his friend Mike Darling. Darling's candidacy did get a vote of support, but party leaders say it happened at a meeting which was not meant to endorse anyone. Darling is now running as an independent.
September 15, 2000 - Mark Seeley's weather commentary
September 21, 2000 - Local governments in the Minnesota's seven-county metro region have worked together for years to plan for growth and coordinate transportation and other services. Now more and more communities in the rest of minnesota are dealing with issues that call for regional cooperation, but many local politicians are suspicious. A state law requiring regional cooperation in planning efforts is subject to a sunset clause, and will go off the books next summer. Planners are gathering in Duluth today to discuss regional issues and one of the items on the agenda is the effort to save the concept if not the law itself. Minnesota Public Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports. { The 1995 Community-Based Planning law set aside money for pilot regional planning efforts, primarly along the booming Twin Cities-St. Cloud corridor. Minnesota Planning's Steve Reckers says the law's chief benefit was it's requirement that local governments work together to deal with growth.
September 27, 2000 - I'm Art Hughes in Rochester. While the DM&E project raises significant questions for communities all along the route, Rochester has consistently been the epicenter of opposition. Most cities---large and small---along the tracks have signed agreements with the railroad. But Rochester has steadfastly refused to comprimise.
September 28, 2000 - The Boy Scouts recieved bad news from 2 places today: Medtronic decided to exclude the group from its United Way donation this year and the United Way of Duluth voted to pull its funding of the Voyaguers Area Council of the Scouts. This is the first United Way in Minnesota to decide against funding the group because of the recent Supreme Court ruling that the Boy Scouts can exclude homosexuals. Roger Engle is the Volunteer President of the Voyaguers Area Boy Scout Council He says he was dissapointed when he heard the decision: