June 20, 2007 - Minnesota has accepted thousands of refugees in the past few decades; between 1983 and 2006, Minnesota resettled over 63,000 refugees
June 28, 2007 - One of the votes president Bush hoped he could count on to support the immigration reform bill belonged to Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman. But Coleman was one of the 53 votes against the legislation today. Still, Coleman wasn't as dead-set against the bill as other Senators. Though he voted with the majority, he did not strike a victorious tone in a conference call today with reporters. If Coleman supported the immigration bill's path to citizenship, why would he vote against it? He said he was disappointed that several amendments didn't make it into the bill. One would have included funding for federally-mandated security upgrades to drivers licenses and ID cards. Another would have allowed all local police officers to question people about their immigration status.
July 9, 2007 - MPR's Tom Scheck reports on lead poisoning concerns in toys from China. Minnesota's Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar says the federal agency in charge of protecting consumers needs to get tougher on toy manufacturers. And to do that, it needs tougher laws and more money to hire inspectors. Klobuchar held a forum this morning in Minnetonka on unsafe toys imported from China.
August 2, 2007 - MPR Special Coverage of government and city officials giving morning news conference on day after I-35W bridge collapse. Speakers include R.T. Rybak, mayor of Minneapolis; Tim Pawlenty, governor of Minnesota; Amy Peters, U.S. secretary of transportation; Norm Coleman, U.S. senator; Amy Klobuchar, U.S. senator; Keith Ellison, U.S. representative, Tim Dolan, Minneapolis police chief; Jim Clack, Minneapolis fire chief; and Mark Rosenker, chairman of National Transportation Safety Board. Topics include the recovery efforts, first responders, government relief, initial local reaction, and investigations going forward. Speakers also answer reporter questions.
August 2, 2007 - Rep. Jim Oberstar press conference on bridge collapse and results of Today's meeting of the Transpotation and Infrastructure Committee.
August 2, 2007 - MPR Special Coverage of R.T. Rybak, mayor of Minneapolis; and Tim Pawlenty, governor of Minnesota, giving afternoon news conference on day after I-35W bridge collapse. Topics include the human loss, family privacy, first responders, road closures, and bridge inspections. Both Rybak and Pawlenty also answer reporter questions.
August 3, 2007 - Minneapolis's interstate bridge collapse has caught the attention of the world. Federal officials flew to the state yesterday (Thursday) to pledge financial and technical support for the recovery effort. Members of the news media from far and wide also flocked to the accident site. And over the next 24 hours, both President Bush and his wife Laura will make separate visits to the city.In stark contrast to all of the attention is the recovery effort itself. Very little progress has been made so far. The number of confirmed dead remains unchanged at four, with 20 to 30 people still reported missing. As Minnesota Public Radio's Lorna Benson reports, it's an indication of the enormous challenges facing the recovery workers.{
August 3, 2007 - *For Fri M.E.* Gov. Tim Pawlenty has ordered an immediate inspection of all Minnesota bridges that have a design like the one that collapsed. Federal officials have also alerted states to immediately inspect all bridges similar to the I-35W bridge. Meanwhile, National Transportation Safety Board investigators say they have a strong chance of determining why Minnesota's busiest bridge fell. Minnesota Public Radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports:
August 3, 2007 - Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck has the latest on the 35W bridge collapse
August 3, 2007 -