July 2, 2001 - One of the most contentious issues of this legislative session was the debate over how much to spend for public colleges and universities. Governor Ventura said the state couldn't afford to give everyone all the money they wanted. Some lawmakers say the governor made a big mistake and the lean budget will take a tollon the state's economic development engine. Minnesota Public Radio's Patty Marsicano reports:
July 4, 2001 - MPR’s Mary Losure reports that after massive storm in BWCA, which many considered a catastrophe, is providing a rare opportunity for scientists to study how a wilderness recovers from a massive natural disturbance. Losure interviews Alan Heine, forestry Professr at University of Wisconsin; and Lee Frelich forest ecologist at University of Minnesota.
July 5, 2001 - Mainstreet Radio's Chris Julin visits Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center in Ashland, Wisconsin. The center turns tourists and school groups into voyageurs for a day, and takes them out on Superior in a huge, Montreal canoe.
July 6, 2001 - More than a million tiny weed-eating beetles have been released in endangered wetlands around the state by the Department of Agriculture. Since the early 90's beetles have been used as natures foil to purple loosestrife, a noxious, invasive weed that has crowded native plants out of more than 50-thousand Minnesota acres. Now a group of Red Wing High School students plan to build on the beetle's success, by introducing them to a new loosestrife-ridden site. But first, as Mainstreet Radio's Erin Galbally reports, they have to catch some. Carloads of Fish and Wildlife students bunch out along the edge of a Frontenac State Park waterway not far from their Red Wing school. Armed with small plastic bottles, students in waders and tennis shoes like Trent Nolton, examine tall purple-flowered reeds for galerucella beetles.
July 9, 2001 - A new poll shows Minnesotans are disappointed it took the state Legislature extra time to complete a new, 27 billion dollar budget. The survey, commissioned by Minnesota Public Radio and the St. Paul Pioneer Press, indicates two-thirds of respondents rate the Legislature's performance either poor or only fair. The poll does show support for sweeping property tax cuts, but more than half of respondents felt too little was spent on K-12 education. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo has more.
July 9, 2001 - Where can you hear works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Darius Milhaud, (me-YOH) and Bernstein's (BURN-stine) "West Side Story" performed on the same Wednesday evening? In Duluth, of course. The Lake Superior Chamber Orchestra's adventurous artistic director and conductor Warren Friesen, says he programs concerts the way he fixes dinner -- tossing together a tasty variety of interesting flavors and textures. Minnesota Public Radio's Stephanie Hemphill samples a few courses.
July 13, 2001 - The University of Minnesota's Board of Regents approved a 13 percent tuition increase yesterday. While University president Mark Yudof and others on the board expressed regret at having to raise tuition, they also saw it as necessary if the school is to stay competitive in the face of what they call diminishing government subsidies.
July 13, 2001 - Many University of Minnesota students fear they will have to drop out of school because of the 13.3 percent tuition hike approved Thursday by the Board of Regents. The hike is expected to increase the demand for financial aid. Annually, the state awards one hundred million dollars. Bob Poch, Executive Director of Minnesota's Higher Education Services Office which distributes the grants, says the change in state tuition costs will affect the amount of aid available.
July 17, 2001 - Thousands of Minnesota students get another chance this week to pass one or more of the tests they need for graduation. Most of the students have spent their summer in hot classrooms, preparing for the Basic Standards Tests in reading, math or writing. But education researchers say these intense summer sessions alone cannot guarantee test success.
July 17, 2001 - When the MnSCU board meets tomorrow , it's expected to approve a ten percent increase in tuition for its largest school, St. Cloud State; an increase that only goes part-way toward balancing the books. Mainstreet Radio's Jeff Horwich has this look at the changes in store in St. Cloud.