August 22, 2007 - Minnesota and North Dakota transportation officials have closed a bridge over the Red River. The RobbinDrayton bridge carries Minnesota Highway 11 into North Dakota north of Grand Forks. It will be closed for at least a week. The bridge is the first to be closed since the 35W bridge collapse. It was scheduled for replacement in a couple of years. But, MinnDoT inspectors found damage on the span's approach. The inspection was part of the statewide bridge inspection program started after the 35W bridge collapse. To find out how the closure will impact the area around the bridge the Mayor of Drayton, North Dakota, Ardis Olson, is interviewed.
September 3, 2007 - Lake Superior is known for its pristine water, but one oil spill could ruin all that. U.S. Coast Guard cutters, like the Duluth-based Alder, carry first response equipment in case of a major oil spill. The Alder crew was practicing the system on the big lake and MPR's Bob Kelleher went along to see how it's done.
September 24, 2007 - If you've ever walked along the North Shore of Lake Superior, you might have wondered how the rugged scenery came to be. A geologist and a naturalist have teamed up to write a guidebook for hikers in the eight state parks along the North Shore. Minnesota Public Radio's Stephanie Hemphill visited Gooseberry Falls State Park with one of the book's authors.
September 27, 2007 - Many people dismiss the North Dakota plains as an uninspiring landscape. A Moorhead photographer uses words like comfortable and intimidating to describe the prairie. Wayne Gudmundson has spent 35 years photographing the prairie landscape. Gudmundson sees the prairie a place that represents a regional sense of identity. A retrospective of Gudmundson's work opens this week at the Plains Art Museum in Fargo. Minnesota Public Radios Dan Gunderson reports.
October 8, 2007 - A new report on the economy of northeastern Minnesota calls into question the value of mining jobs. The region is poised to add more than a thousand high-paying jobs in several new mining projects. But the report's author says the region should think hard about whether those jobs will fulfill the promises their backers are making. Minnesota Public Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports.
October 15, 2007 - This is the first full week of work on the new $234 million I 35W bridge. Flatiron/Manson is under contract to get the bridge up and carrying traffic by December 24th, 2008. But the cost and the challenges of building a new bridge don't end with concrete and steel. State, local and federal officials have to deal everything from lost parking spots to threats to the pearly eyed mussel. And almost everything affected by the bridge collapse and bridge reconstruction has a price tag. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports.
November 19, 2007 - Morning Edition’s Cathy Wurzer interviews nature photographer Craig Blacklock about his art and devotion to the pristine landscapes of Lake Superior. Blacklock is using his book "Minnesota's North Shore" to educate Minnesotans about development around Lake Superior. Blacklock says those landscapes could easily be ruined by irresponsible land development. The photographer says he's devoted to the area because the raw nature of the big lake captures his imagination.
November 26, 2007 - Audio excerpt of R. T. Rybak on subject of renewable energy.
December 5, 2007 - Polls show a majority of Americans are concerned about global warming. But it's not clear what we're willing to do about it. A task force is due to vote today (WED) on some measures we could take here in Minnesota, to reduce our carbon footprint. The group has been studying fifty possible approaches to the problem. It's planning to report to Governor Tim Pawlenty after the first of the year. Some of the ideas are the energy equivalent of castor oil. They may be good for us, but they're a little hard to swallow. Minnesota Public Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports.
January 17, 2008 - Governor Pawlenty wants to make low-interest loans available to small businesses and homeowners, to install renewable energy systems. The governor announced the initiative at a news conference today (THURS). He also set up a collaborative group to oversee research and development on clean energy. Minnesota Public Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports. {