July 4, 2003 - Tropical Storm Bill emerged from the Gulf of Mexico earlier this week, drenching several southeastern Gulf states. It also produced many severe thunderstorms and over 30 tornadoes. This brought the number of tornadoes reported across the nation this year close to 1000, a record setting pace for so early in the summer. The record number of annual tornadoes is 1424 set in 1998.
July 4, 2003 - A group of midwest farmers has filed a class action lawsuit over the sale of their corn-processing plant to the agribusiness giant Archer Daniels Midland. The lawsuit claims ADM paid the corn plant's CEO and other executives millions of dollars in return for a deal that short-changed farmers. Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Losure reports.
July 7, 2003 - The debate over the use of natural resources plays out in the national forests and other public lands. A new book by the head of the U.S. Forest Service in the Clinton administration advances that debate with some new ideas. Michael Dombeck has just published "From Conquest to Conservation: Our Public Lands Legacy." Mainstreet Radio's Stephanie Hemphill spoke with him. {
July 9, 2003 - Supporters of the Springbrook Nature Center in Fridley are coming out in force this week. They're holding meetings and rallys to get the attention of city leaders who have proposed closing the Nature Center. The city says state cuts to local governments put Fridley's budget in tough shape... so they proposed eliminating the 300-thousand dollars spent on the Center every year. Joining us on the line is Malcolm Mitchell.... one of the leaders of the movement to save the Springbrook Nature Center. That is Malcolm Mitchell, one of the leaders of the movement to save the Springbrook Nature Center.
July 11, 2003 - Severe thunderstorms in Nebraska back on June 22nd may have produced a new record size hailstone for the United States. With cloud tops as high as 71,000 feet, massive thunderstorm complexes passed over Hamilton County, Nebraska on that Sunday night. Hail began to fall, producing 10 to 12 inch diameter impact craters in the soil surface. Most of the hailstones broke up on impact, some falling through the roof of several homes. Two of the hailstones from Aurora, NE were collected and preserved for National Weather Service inspection and measurement. One measured 6.5 inches in diameter and 17.3 inches in circumference, while the other measured 7 inches in diameter and 18.75 inches in circumference. The recognized record hailstone size in the United States is from a thunderstorm over Coffeyville, KS on September 3, 1970 that produced a stone 5.7 inches in diameter and 17.5 inches in circumference. Staff from the National Center for Atmospheric Research will soon determine whether or not one of the Aurora, NE hailstones represents a new record.
July 15, 2003 - All over Minnesota this summer, people are bringing old fishing tackle back to the store. Two state agencies are teaming up with conservation groups to offer free lead tackle exchanges. There's growing evidence that lead tackle is poisoning loons and eagles. Mainstreet Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports. {
July 15, 2003 - People in Ashland, Wisconsin are frustrated about how long it's taking to clean up pollution on their Lake Superior waterfront. The city wants to expand a marina and try to draw more tourists to town. But the shoreline is full of dangerous wastes from an old gas plant. Mainstreet Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports. {
July 21, 2003 - The Minnesota Department of Agriculture predicts a good summer for the state's grains, corn, and soybean growers. State Agricultural Statistician Michael Hunst hunt st says the recent weather has been good for crops.
July 22, 2003 - Golfers fear it, and experts say it can add five strokes to a players game. We're talking about the "yips." As Mainstreet Radio's Rob Schmitz reports, Rochester's Mayo Clinic is trying to find the cause. For many golfers it's an everyday nightmare. You're on the green of the tenth hole and you're shooting for a birdie. All you have to do is sink a simple, two-foot putt. The last thing that goes through your mind is: "Anyone can make this putt." But you don't. You either freeze up and barely hit the ball, or your wrist makes a jerking motion that sends the ball sailing past the hole. You probably should've taken a gimmee, but you've just yipped it. And golfer Alan Ferguson knows exactly how you feel.
July 23, 2003 - A new monitoring program has revealed what may be a chronic problem for Duluth beaches nasty germs. Two beaches were posted yesterday Tuesday for unsafe levels of bacteria in the water. So far, Duluth beaches have been posted seven times this summer. It's not certain where the bacteria is coming from - but a spate of large sewage spills is one possible source. Mainstreet Radio's Bob Kelleher reports