June 12, 1997 - During this springs flooding in the Red River Valley, dotted through the coverage of the human drama were stories of deer and rabbits marooned on islands in the rising waters. Squirrels and raccoons were stranded in the treetops as the flood swirled around them. Its going to cost millions and take month if not years to rebuild the towns and the farms....but the flood is not expected to make a significant dent in wildlife populations. Most species are well adapted to survive natural disasters--- although human caused changes are another matter. Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Losure reports.
June 12, 1997 - SPECIAL INTRO FOR MORNING EDITION As anyone in the Red River Valley can tell you, floodwaters dredge up an awful lot of junk you might never expect. And though the flooding wasn't as severe, when the waters of the Mississippi through the Twin Cities receded, tons of garbage was left along the banks. Dozens of volunteers boarded the Harriet Bishop Riverboat yesterday (THU) to help clean up some of that trash. Minnesota Public Radio's John Rabe was on the banks in Saint Paul riverboat stopped to drop off bags of garbage. That report from Minnesota Public Radio's John Rabe. Sun 28-MAY 19:10:01 MPR NewsPro Archive - Wed 04/11
June 13, 1997 - When President Clinton declared major portions of Minnesota and North Dakota disaster areas two months ago, hundreds of federal disaster assistance employees poured into the flood stricken areas from all over the country. Their job was to help the thousands of flood victims with everything from temporary housing to unemployment to small business loans. Almost a quarter of a billion dollars of federal assistance has already been funneled to flood relief in Minnesota and North Dakota. In addition to writing the checks, disaster assistance employees have served up reassurance and compassion to people who feel like they've lost everything. Rachel Reabe of our Mainstreet Radio team prepared this profile of a federal worker assigned to the flood relief effort in East Grand Forks.
June 14, 1997 - MPR’s Greta Cunningham interviews Phil Gotsch and Scott Wolter, two ‘rockhounds’ who discuss their fascination with Lake Superior agates, which are among the oldest and most colorful agates in the world.
July 3, 1997 - MPR’s Bill Wareham reports that local officials expect cleanup from the July 1st storm to last weeks, as several of the city's schools sustained heavy damage. One of the most damaged was Edison High School in Northeast community of Minneapolis.
July 9, 1997 - self-contained In the early 1800's, folk historians swept through the Finnish hinterland. What they collected ended up in the epic Kalevala (KAH-lay-vah-luh). It includes the story of a young girl who evades marriage to a 9-hundred year old magician by turning herself into a salmon. MUSIC UP
July 15, 1997 - It's been nearly three months since the swollen Red River gushed over the dike protecting the Lincoln Drive neighborhood in Grand Forks; yet the lives of neighborhood residents are still in flux. They've learned that flood recovery is agonizingly slow, and continues long after the nation's attention has moved on to another disaster. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum has been following the recovery progress with three families who live in the Lincoln Drive neighborhood, and has this report...
July 17, 1997 - capitol Members of a Senate K-12 Budget commitee heard testimony today from school officials representing flood-stricken communities who said their school must be re-built soon if students are to succeed. Minnesota Public Radio's Karen-Louise Boothe reports: In small and medium sized communities...civic life revolves around the schools. And for communities like, ADA, the loss of a school building because of the Spring flooding and subsequent storms...the loss is about MUCh more than simply a BUILDING. School Superintendent Don Vallenga told committee members, the estimated cost of a new school is about 11-million dollars. The FEDS will pay about nin-million of it, but he's asking the state for the rest Vallenga says loca
July 18, 1997 - Midday discussion about Minnesota’s other state bird…mosquitos. Studio guests are Dave Noetzel, professor emeritus and extension entomologist at the University of Minnesota; and Jim Stark, public affair coordinator for the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District. Listeners call in with questions about the pest.
July 31, 1997 - MPR’s Perry Finelli talks with Becky Rom, of the Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness; and Mike Forsman, St. Louis County Commissioner about BWCA legislation in Congress and the mediation process.