June 21, 2001 - Demographers and state planners are worrying about dramatic shifts in Minnesota's population, with younger workers moving to the Twin Cities metro area and older people concentrating in rural areas. Are small towns ready for an aging population? Will there be enough young people to take care of the older people? Scenic Cook County, along the North Shore of Lake Superior, has only about 5000 year-round residents. Nearly a thousand of them are older than 65. And many summer visitors are moving there to retire. As part of our "Aging Gracefully" Series Mainstreet Radio's Stephanie Hemphill visited Grand Marais recently and found people are coming up with creative ways of meeting the needs of older residents.
June 21, 2001 - That's Tim Smalley, boating safety specialist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. By the way Slow-no-wake restrictions are again in place on the entire Lower St. Croix (kroy) River. The rule was automatically reinstated today when the river rose above 683 feet at the U-S Army Corps of Engineers Stillwater gauge. That's eight feet above the normal river stage.
July 3, 2001 - Flooding this spring hit several Minnesota state parks. The damage was so severe in some areas, that a few of the parks only recently opened for business and still have areas off limits to visitors. After the third such bout of serious flooding in less than a decade, park officials are taking a look at long range plans, to determine how Minnesota's state parks can withstand future floods. Mainstreet Radio's Tim Post reports.
July 3, 2001 - The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reported 19 boating deaths during 2000 down three from 1999. So far this year, there have been eight boating deaths. According to the DNR, the state's boating death rate continues to be one of the lowest in the nation. Part of the reason is the work by county sheriff water safety patrols. Mainstreet Radio's Bob Reha reports from Ottertail County in northwestern Minnesota. }
July 3, 2001 - The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says air pollution levels in the Twin Cities last week jumped to the highest levels since the nineteen seventies. Temperatures in the nineties and hot, stagant air mixed with high levels of auto emissions increased the amount of ozone and other toxins causing a health alert for three days. David Thornton, a specialist with the agency's Policy and Planning Division says some areas of the Twin Cities reported worse levels than others:
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 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 - 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 10, 2001 - Dry conditions have prompted a number of Minnesota cities to enact water restrictions. Public Works Supervisor Doug Hartman. In Prior Lake, officials have issued an emergency ban on all outdoor watering. Hartman says new water emergency means Prior Lake's 15,000 residents face steeper fines for violations.
July 11, 2001 - In Duluth tonight, the Parks and Recreation Commission hears public comment on a controversial proposal to build a golf course and lodge on Spirit Mountain. The Commission approved the $24 million project last month, but people opposing it are still hoping the development can be stopped. Minnesota Public Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports.