May 10, 2001 - One-third of the state's White Sucker minnow population end up at the dam north of Bemidji, where they are taken and stripped of their eggs. That is decreasing the population growth of the species in Minnesota.
May 10, 2001 - Saint Paul is welcoming fifteen hundred visitors who are in town to talk about the future of the Mississippi River and the communities along its banks. At the Millard Fillmore Conference today (Thurs) and tomorrow, people from several river towns will compare notes and share tips on waterfront revitalization in their communities. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen has more...
May 10, 2001 - Now that trees are budding and the ground is warming up, officials at the Carlos Avery Wildlife Management Area are assessing the damage from a large wildfire. About 6500 acres of state forest, grassland, and wetland went up in flames last October. The fire burned for eight days, and cost an estimated two million dollars. I visited the area with manager Dan Rhode. He says the fire was strong enough to cause a good amount of damage.
May 11, 2001 - More than a thousand people toasted Mississippi River revitalization at a banquet at Saint Paul's River Centre last night (Thurs). The dinner capped a day-long conference at which people involved in river development from Bemidji to Saint Louis traded advice and anecdotes about their efforts. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen reports...
May 14, 2001 - President Bush will unveil his energy policy next Thursday when he visits St. Paul. He'll highlight the efforts of the city's riverfront District Energy plant, which provides heating and cooling to many downtown businesses. The President is expected to encourage conservation and the development of more renewable energy sources. But as midwest gas prices hover around the two dollar mark, his primary focus will be increasing conventional energy supplies. Mayor Norm Coleman says the trip is a tremendous honor for St. Paul.
May 15, 2001 - A wet spring has put many farmers behind schedule planting their crops. In fact inclement weather in the northern part of North Dakota has put some farmers way behind schedule harvesting some of last year's sunflower crops. The wet spring is an unpleasant reminder of last summer when a early season storm moved through the Red River Valley and northwest Minnesota, dumping up to eight inches of rain in the area. The deluge caused millions of dollars in damage to homes and crops. Researchers at North Dakota State University not only lost last years harvest, but valuable time in developing new hybrid crops that farmers need to remain competitive. MainStreet Radio's Bob Reha reports. { For Al Schneiter, *Chair of the Plant Sciences department at North Dakota State University* the flood is just a bad memory. Something he can joke about now. Asked if theres anything positive that came out of last summers disaster he chuckles.
May 15, 2001 - The farmers had to start planting late because of flooded fields from melted snow and preciptation. It's not a bad thing because this is prime spouting time.
May 16, 2001 - Even as people are cleaning up from this year's spring flooding, the clean-up continues from flooding LAST year. Last June heavy rains and sewer back-up swamped the basement of the North Dakota State University library. The water damaged more than 20-thousand books, micro film, magazines,and computers. Now almost a year later the staff is still working to recover from the deluge. Mainstreet Radio's Bob Reha reports.
May 16, 2001 - A man made pond in Walker, Minnesota was drained, forcing birds to migrate. The DNR had to pull an illegal plug, which prohibited migration and animal population growth. The owner of the pond was not informed at all about the plans to pull the plug.
May 17, 2001 - The head of the United Nation's Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) should step up and help solve starvation and world hunger crises. What are the environmental and ethical issues involved? Charles Remenschneider, North American representative on the FAO, is interviewed.