January 11, 2002 - Today is the four-month anniversary of the terrorist attacks. If you were listening to this station on the morning of September 11th, the first eyewitness account you heard was from Melissa Creighton, who spoke to us on her cell phone from the streets of New York.
January 15, 2002 - University of Minnesota officials are apologizing today for a breach of patient confidentiality. University of Minnesota researchers mistakenly revealed the names of deceased organ donors to 410 patients who received kidneys. Organ donor names are supposed to be kept secret from the people who receive those organs. University officials say the donors were identified because of a glitch in a computer-generated letter sent to recipients participating in a long-term study. Jeffery Kahn is the director of the University of Minnesota Center for Bioethics. He says the names of donors are kept private to protect all of the individuals involved:
January 15, 2002 - There is a deadline for teacher contracts on January 15th every two years. However, this year it was suspended and as a result, 251 school districts still do not have a contract.
January 16, 2002 - The Minnesota History Center has kicked off a film series exploring the lives of women who live in Islamic countries. The documentary films explore a similiar theme--women struggling to find their place in a restrictive society. With one exception the films are directed by Islamic women. The History Center's Danielle Dart was in charge of choosing four films to screen from a catalog of 25. She says she picked films that highlighted a wide range of experiences.
January 16, 2002 - Members of Rochester's Muslim community have taught Islam courses for years. Over the last few months the classes have grown very popular. Since September 11th Americans have had a growing fascination with Islam. Mainstreet Radio's Laurel Druley has this report. {People in Rochester are filling up seats for a class with a simple name but a complicated task. Arzu Khalid and a small group of volunteers are teaching a class they call Know Your Muslim Neighbor. Over the last few months they have spent more than 300 hours explaining their Islamic beliefs and practices to church groups, schools and other community organizations.
January 18, 2002 - Christine Jax, the commissioner of Children, Families, and Learning, spoke to the Minnesota Association of School Administrators about how they should not make certain cuts. The cuts would answer Ventura's required budget cuts.
January 18, 2002 - Minnesota's climate is nothing if not extreme. The state seems to see it all including blizzards, floods, drought, and tornadoes. The new "Weather Permitting" exhibit at the Minnesota History Center explores how Minnesotans have experienced weather over the past decades. The exhibit is expected to be on display for five years and features artifacts, hands on activities and fun weather facts. I toured "Weather Permitting" with the exhibit's curator--Loris Sofia Gregory. She says the exhibit was a natural given Minnesota's diverse climate:
January 21, 2002 -
January 21, 2002 - * Note: Back announce** A painting on the wall of a high school gym is setting new ground in the national debate over Indian mascots. At Sioux Falls' Washington High School, an artist has changed the Indian caricature into a three dimensional portrait of a real person. The Washington Warriors are defending this change as a way to use the mascot debate as a teaching tool. Mainstreet Radio's Cara Hetland reports:
January 23, 2002 - Word of Mouth host Chris Roberts talks with members of the local band Kangaroo. The group boasts three teachers and one playwright in its ranks. They discuss the desire to create happiness in their music. Segment includes music clips.