May 18, 2005 - MPR’s Tim Pugmire reports on how globalization has brought an increasing diversity to places like the St. Paul School District. Now officials are trying to spice up their lunch menu to satisfy the tastes of students from all over the world.
May 20, 2005 - Governor Pawlenty today (FRIDAY) proposed that the state collect an additional 75-cents a pack on cigarettes. He's calling the new money a "health impact fee," and says the money would be used to pay for state health care costs. Pawlenty insists his proposal is a fee, not a tax. The distinction is critical because a budget deal could hinge on Pawlenty's ability to come away from negotiations saying he's standing by his pledge to not raise taxes. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports...
July 19, 2005 - Kasit Piromya, Thailand's ambassador to the United States, visited with St. Paul mayor Randy Kelly and Twin Cities area business groups to talk about health care and the medical device industry. Ambassador Piromya says Minnesota medical products can help Thailand achieve some long-term goals.
July 20, 2005 - Dr. Jon Hallberg is a physician in family practice at the University of Minnesota. His article "11 books that might make a difference," appears in the July edition of Minnesota Medicine. Y
August 4, 2005 - Dr. Andrew Portis, a Twin Cities physician, is trying to figure out why the Hmong patients he sees appear to be more prone to kidney stones than his patients who are not Hmong. Portis also is hoping his research will shed light on why many Hmong patients refuse treatment until they have reached a crisis.
August 29, 2005 - MPR’s Tom Scheck reports on political repercussions of Hennepin County smoking ban. The Hennepin County smoking ban is becoming a big issue in the race for Minneapolis mayor. Bar and restaurant owners who feel the ban is hurting their business have helped convince Peter McLaughlin, Hennepin County Commissioner, to reconsider his support for the ban. McLaughlin is running against Mayor R.T. Rybak. Rybak says campaign contributions from the bar owners appear to have helped change McLaughlin's mind.
September 8, 2005 - All Things Considered’s Tom Crann interviews Mary Harbeck, a nurse serving with the Minnesota Disaster Medical Assistance Team in Biloxi, Mississippi. The team is providing medical care in the hurricane-affected region amidst aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
September 20, 2005 - State supreme court justices, attorneys, and social workers from across the country convene in Bloomington for a national summit on how to improve America's child protection systems. Why are the systems perceived to be broken, and how might they be fixed?
October 10, 2005 - As part of the series “Polluted Waters - Costly Cleanup,” MPR’s Dan Gunderson reports on federal Clean Water Act and the pressure for Minnesota to fulfill those testing and clean up requirements.
October 11, 2005 - As part of the series “Polluted Waters - Costly Cleanup,” MPR’s Tim Post reports on upcoming Minnesota Pollution Control Agency draft list of the state's polluted waters in the next few weeks and the needs to address cleanup.