May 23, 2003 - People living around Shell Lake in northwest Wisconsin are getting frustrated. The town has always been a popular vacation area, and now many people are turning their cabins into year-round homes. But the lake has flooded. Several families have been forced to move. Others are depending on sandbags and pumps to protect them from the high water. A drainage system that's supposed to solve the problem, doesn't work. And there's no solution in sight. Mainstreet Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports. {
May 26, 2003 - The Memorial Day weekend is the traditional start for the summer tourist season. Tourism contributes nearly $10 billion to Minnesota's economy. Resorts and other tourist-oriented businesses are hoping for a summer season that will compensate for several years of struggle. Mainstreet Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports. Back Announce:
June 2, 2003 - People in Silver Bay, on Lake Superior's North Shore, are producing a new kind of iron. They're trying out a new technology to produce a very pure form of iron, called iron nuggets. If the experiment shows the nuggets can be produced profitably, it could offer a new future for the struggling Iron Range. Mainstreet Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports. {
June 4, 2003 - The U.S. Forest Service is planning to change how it manages the national forests in the northern part of Minnesota. The federal agency has designed a new plan, and it's asking the public for reaction. The plan calls for a greater diversity of tree types and ages, and habitats for a wider variety of native animals. But critics say it emphasizes motorized recreation and logging at the expense of the wilderness. Mainstreet Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports. Host outro: For details on the plan, and information about upcoming public meetings, visit MPR's web site at Minnesota Public Radio - dot - org.
June 5, 2003 - Archaeologists in La Crosse say they've discovered evidence of a rare exchange between two ancient cultures. They say the discovery of pottery, jewelry and bones from a site near La Crosse could solve the puzzle of the origins of the people who lived here a thousand years ago. But not everyone agrees. The find has launched two archaeologists in a fierce academic debate. Minnesota Public Radio's Rob Schmitz reports.
June 17, 2003 - Duluth is tearing down its only public housing project. The Harborview neighborhood was built in 1951. In those days, housing for low-income people was separated from everyone else. That's changing now, and most residents are pleased. Mainstreet Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports.
June 24, 2003 - A new law makes it easier to build larger feedlots in Minnesota. People who oppose such facilities and their large manure lagoons say the law strips citizens' right to have a say in the future of their community. Supporters say it will save the government time and money. Mainstreet Radio's Rob Schmitz reports. Prior to the new law, neighbors could challenge any proposed feedlot that had more than 1000 hogs or 214 dairy cows.
June 25, 2003 - MPR’s Marisa Helms reports from Buffalo Lake, a small town about 75 miles southwest of the Twin Cities, where an F2 tornado struck on June 24th. Helms speaks with residents as they start picking up the pieces from extensive damage left behind.
June 25, 2003 - Residents are assessing the damage and beginning the clean up in Buffalo Lake Minnesota. Tuesday night a tornado ripped through the small west central Minnesota town, damaging or destroying several businesses and homes. Governor Tim Pawlenty surveyed the damage early today. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports...
July 1, 2003 - MPR’s Stephanie Hemphill reports that people in Two Harbors are debating a painful choice. A developer wants to build a motel, shops, and condos on a key piece of real estate. Many local residents want to preserve their a favorite place for a quiet walk along Lake Superior, while others are questioning whether the city can afford what it'll take to keep the land, known as Lighthouse Point, as a park.