April 30, 2004 - Federal law enforcement officials are investigating several recent violent incidents involving members of the Twin Cities Hmong community. The most recent event was a suspicious fire that burned down the home of the son of a prominent Hmong leader. While the authorities search for suspects, some in the Hmong community say the recent violence highlights old divisions and wounds that have yet to heal.
May 3, 2004 - MPR’s Dan Gunderson profiles Coya Knutson, the first woman elected to Congress from Minnesota. In May 1954, Coya Knutson stepped to a podium in Moorhead to announce she was running for Congress. Then, in November 1954, Knutson became the first woman elected to Congress from Minnesota. Congresswoman Knutson made a splash in Washington with her plainspoken politics and persuasive personality. But she also challenged the leadership of the newly formed Minnesota DFL party.
May 4, 2004 - St. Paul residents got a chance to interview the city's five candidates for police chief last night Helms reports.
May 13, 2004 - Governor Tim Pawlenty says he's taking the next step on the issue of drug reimportation. A plan Pawlenty announced today (Thurs) would allow Minnesota's 120 thousand state employees to get certain drugs at no cost to them if they buy from a Canadian internet pharmacy. He says the employees and the state will save a significant amount of money on drug costs. Minnesota is the first state in the nation to take such action. But critics say the action is illegal and will have a short shelf life. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports....
May 14, 2004 - Midday continues to broadcast live from the State Capitol. Host Gary Eichten and MPR's political editor Mike Mulcahy talk with key lawmakers at the MPR broadcast table. Guests include Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson, DFL-Willmar; Governor Pawlenty's chief of staff, Dan McElroy; Senator Dick Cohen, DFL-St. Paul; Representative Jim Knoblach, R-St. Cloud; Representative Doug Stang, R-Cold Spring; and Senator Stevey Kelley, DFL-Hopkins.
May 14, 2004 - Mainstreet Radio's Tom Roberston reports that the floodwaters are starting to recede in the northwestern Minnesota town of Roseau. The Roseau River crested on May 14th at 25.3 feet, but then went down several inches from that level. That's welcome news for a town that was devastated by floodwaters just two years ago. Lessons learned from that flood helped keep the town mostly dry this time around.
May 14, 2004 - Midday broadcasts live from the Capitol rotunda on one of the last regular days of business for the state legislators. By law, the state legislature must adjourn in three days. Key legislators stop by the MPR broadcast table, including House Speaker Steve Sviggum, R-Kenyon; Senator Larry Pogemiller, DFL-Minneapolis; Representative Phil Krinkie, R-St. Paul; Senator Keith Langseth, DFL-Glyndon; House Minority Leader Matt Entenza, DFL-St. Paul; and Representative Alice Seagren, R-Bloomington.
May 18, 2004 -
May 18, 2004 -
May 20, 2004 - Everyone's talking about marriage these days. The debate rages from pulpits to the legislature. Most of the discussion centers on who can get married - whether gays and lesbians should have that right. We wanted to back up a step and ask, What is marriage? MPR's Chris Julin presents a discussion among several gay and straight couples about the meaning of marriage.