August 15, 2001 -
August 15, 2001 - Farmers are mulling over mixed news this week. They are use to battling the weather. But this year has been more of a struggle then most. Spring was marked by excessive rain, delaying planting for small grain crops like wheat and barley. The past few weeks extreme heat and humidity has hung over the Midwest. The weather is moderating now, but new national projections predict the price for some crops, notably corn and soybeans may rise as a result of the weather. Mainstreet Radio's Bob Reha reports.
August 20, 2001 - Pilots in ultra-light planes have led sucessful migrations of Canada geese, trumpeter swans and sandhill cranes. Now they're hoping to use the same technique to save an endangered species, the whooping crane. At a remote refuge in Wisconsin, pilots are training ten young whooping cranes for a twelve-hundred mile flight to Florida this fall. If all goes well, it will be a giant step toward taking the whooping crane off the endangered species list. Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Losure reports.
August 21, 2001 - Saint Paul business and political leaders broke ground today (Tues) on a new heat and power plant that will serve the downtown and some adjacent neighborhoods. Waste wood will be the primary fuel at the District Energy plant, which will be the largest of its kind in the country. The plant's neighbors are also applauding design modifications they say will help the facility fit in along a downtown riverfront that is becoming more pedestrian friendly. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen has more...
August 22, 2001 - Boise Cascade and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency are appealing a court ruling that requires an Environmental Impact Statement before Boise can expand its mill in International Falls. Forest industry officials say the ruling puts a cloud over the state's voluntary approach to forest management. Environmentalists say it points up deficiencies in that approach. Minnesota Public Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports.
August 22, 2001 - Bear hunting season in Minnesota begins today, and the Department of Natural Resources hopes it's a good year for hunters. The number of bears has increased in the state to about 30-thousand, and with it, the potential for more incidents with humans. To help hunters bring in a bigger harvest, the DNR is raising the bag limit for the first time from one bear to 2. Joining us on the line is Dave Garshelis (gar-SHELL-iss), a bear researcher with the DNR in Grand Rapids. That's Dave Garshelis (gar-SHELL-iss), a bear researcher with the DNR in Grand Rapids. Bear season begins today and ends on October 14th.
August 22, 2001 - E-P-A officials are outlining a plan to clean-up asbestos-contaminated property in Northeast Minneapolis at a neighborhood meeting tonight. The contamination was caused by asbestos fibers in vermiculite ore. The E-P-A expects to spend more than one-million dollars to complete the clean-up. The agency hasn't set a deadline for homeowners to request an assesment of their property... But neighborhood activist Kevin Reich is worried E-P-A officials will leave before all of the affected residents have had a chance to come forward:
August 24, 2001 - MPR’s Chris Julin reports on the public premiere of an underwater fishcam placed into the depths of Lake Superior. The camera provides a glimpse into the activity going on beneath the lake surface.
August 28, 2001 - The honking of a flight of geese is a common sound across the Great Lakes region, perhaps a bit too common. Later this fall, the U-S Fish and Wildlife Service plans to propose options for reducing the population of Giant Canada geese. A flock of the big birds can quickly cause thousands of dollars in damage to farm crops. The birds are also a big nuisance in urban areas because of the mess they leave behind. Biologists say it's critical the population be controlled.
August 28, 2001 - New reseach shows catnip offers an effective alternative to traditional mosquito repellents. Two researchers at Iowa State University found an oily substance in the plant is ten times more effective than DEET at keeping mosquitos away. Lead researcher Joel Coats tested the catnip oil on the yellow fever mosquito, a variety that isn't common in the midwest. But he says he's confident the oil will repel other types of mosquitos.