August 18, 1997 - Families who lost their homes in spring flooding hope to find permanent housing before cold weather arrives. Many are still living in trailers or other temporary shelter. In the Minnesota River valley in the southern part of the state, flood repairs continue. Some people though are finding few housing options available. Mark Steil of Mainstreet Radio reports: Pettijohn street in Montevideo is nearly deserted. Most of the houses will be torn down, after being soaked by (in) six feet of flood water. Some homes are swathed in yellow police tape, condemned to the wrecking ball. Behind one house, there are signs of life:
August 20, 1997 - capitol Lawmakers completed their work of the special session in one day...and sent three major pieces of legislation to the Governor. Minnesota Public Radio's Karen-Louise Boothe reports: Lawmakers in BOTH houses quickly passed the main bill BEHIND the special session...a 124-million dollar flood relief package that frees up money for home buyouts, flood prevention projects and economic development strategies aimed at keeping Minnesota businessness in the state. Governor Carlson calls the aid package, "unprecedented" while Republican Representative Tim Finseth says it gives flood victims a Hand UP not a hand OUT. BITE: green one Finseth, whose district in the northwestern corner of the state was hit h
August 20, 1997 - The New London City Council has declared a state of emergency over problems in the town's water system. For the last two weeks, the residents of the Central Minnesota town have had to boil their water. A coliform bacteria is alive and well in the water system and failure to boil the water could mean persistent stomach aches and diarrhea. The community's 1000 citizens get their water from a well and they are no strangers to orders to "boil the water", particularly in the summer. But this summer, numerous efforts to clean the well haven't worked, so community officials face a costly but necessary fate: they must build a new well. Minnesota Public Radio's Gretchen Lehmann reports.
August 21, 1997 - MPR’s John Biewen presents the first of two reports on how the Twin Cities are responding to black newcomers. Report includes commentary from residents, politicians, and academics.
August 24, 1997 - MPR’s Dan Olson visits Minnesota State Fair bee exhibit superintendent Winnie Johnson in the horticulture building to discuss bees in our state. Johnson raises bees in Anoka County.
August 25, 1997 - One of the newer animal exhibits at the Minnesota State Fair is The Butterfly House. David Bohlken, of St. Paul, has set up a big see-through, tent-like enclosure the size of a double garage, which originator Bolhken says is a great scientific study.
August 28, 1997 - Most corporations give money to charities, and many support social service agencies that work in poor, inner-city neighborhoods. But few large companies are *located* in troubled urban areas. Two major employers in Minneapolis have resisted moving to the suburbs, and are stepping up their efforts to save the inner-city neighborhood that surrounds them. Minnesota Public Radio's John Biewen reports.
August 29, 1997 - School district officials in Grand Forks say the return of their students is an important step in the community's recovery from spring flooding. Grand Forks students returned to classes this week for the first time since April. The school year begins Tuesday across the river in East Grand Forks, Minnesota. This won't be a normal year for either school system. The flood damaged several schools beyond repair, work crews are still repairing other buildings and many students will spend the year in temporary structures. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports... (Sound of kids) First and second grade students at Belmont Elementary sit o
September 1, 1997 - Classes start tomorrow at Edison High School in Minneapolis. A summer flood did millions of dollars in damage to the northeast Minneapolis facility. But school officials say an around-the-clock repair effort and an outpouring of help from volunteers will allow the district to open the doors on schedule. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson has more. Volunteer Gloria Sat, an Edison graduate from the l980's, didn't wait to be told where to go or what to do. Finding no one at the volunteer desk, she walked until she found someone who needed help organizing a classroom. Sat says many neighborhood residents are Edison grads and have a good feeling about the school. tape . . . i live northeast, it's our school we're hear to help out.
September 17, 1997 - Most of us would be stumped if asked to quickly outline the borders of the 9th Federal Reserve District.... but not Aldo Moroni. He has just finished a huge clay model of the entire 9th district to hang in the lobby of the new Federal Reserve Building in Minneapolis. He told Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr he wanted to create more than a map of the area... but something of the spirit of the upper Midwest. (Sound up and under... continue under entire piece) Think about it too much and the convolutions of scale of Aldo Moroni's sculpture "This River, This Place" can become mind-twisting. First of all there's the big stuff... it weighs 5,000 pounds