October 16, 2002 - Three candidates for U-S Senate seat squared off in a televised debate last night in Moorhead. Incumbent DFL Senator Paul Wellstone and challengers Republican Norm Coleman and Independence Party's Jim Moore took questions from a media panel and audience members. Mainstreet Radios Dan Gunderson reports.
October 18, 2002 - President Bush was back in Minnesota today, rallying the GOP faithful to work hard over the next three weeks to elect Republicans in November's election. This afternoon's stop in Rochester marks the fourth time Bush has visited Minnesota since he persuaded former St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman to take on DFL Senator Paul Wellstone. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports.
October 21, 2002 - The four major party candidates for US Senate were back on the debate stage today. DFL Senator Paul Wellstone, Republican Norm Coleman, Independence Party candidate Jim moore and Ray Tricomo from the Green Party talked about business and economic issues at a forum in St. Cloud sponsored by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports.
November 14, 2002 -
November 21, 2002 - A University of Minnesota study shows older adults who exercise can significantly reduce their medical bills. Medicare patients 65 and older who exercised regularly spent almost five thousand dollars less on healthcare over a five year period than their healthy but sedentary peers. The people who exercised were hospitalized less and made fewer trips to the doctor. Study author Dr. Russel Luepker says it doesn't take much exercise to reduce costs:
November 25, 2002 -
November 25, 2002 - Minnesota's high-paying manufacturing sector created nearly 50 thousand jobs during the 1990's, but now most of them are gone. From 1991 to 2000, the number of manufacturing jobs in Minnesota grew 12 percent, and helped fuel a big jump in the state's prosperity. Nationally, manufacturing was virtually stagnant over the same period. But the recession and its aftermath have wiped 80 percent of the jobs Minnesota gained. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin reports.
December 11, 2002 - More and more people are choosing to buy organic food, but now some poor people are finding they don't have the option. The Women Infants and Children Program (WIC) helps low-income women feed their families better. The program covers nearly half the babies born in the U.S. every year. The people who run the program in Minnesota have told participants they can't use WIC vouchers to buy organic food anymore. They say it's too expensive. The Whole Foods Co-op in Duluth is trying to persuade the state Health Department to reverse the ruling. Mainstreet Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports. {
December 11, 2002 - Prescription drugs are expensive in the U.S. More and more Americans are getting around the high prices by going to Canada or Mexico for their medications. Now, some companies are helping people get drugs from Canada without having to travel. A small company in Duluth is hoping to cash in on the trend. Mainstreet Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports.
December 12, 2002 - In Rochester Governor-elect Tim Pawlenty today agreed to a genomics research partnership with the Mayo Clinic. The announcement comes a year after Mayo leaders said they'd be lobbying for more state funding. Mayo officials claim other nationally known medical centers already receive public funding and the clinic doesn't want to lose its position as a pre-eminent research institution. Mainstreet Radio's Laurel Druley reports. {Pawlenty would not talk specifically about how much money the state is willing to give to the research partnership. But last year Mayo Clinic said it needed $80 million over the next four years to become a leader in the rapidly developing field of genomics.