June 14, 2001 - Several dozen scholars, attorneys, policymakers, and law enforcement personnel put their heads together at the University of Minnesota today (Thurs) to take a closer look at the issue of racial bias in Minnesota's criminal justice system. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen reports...
June 18, 2001 - Census 2000 reports there are almost six-hundred-thousand Minnesotans over the age of 65 . More than half of them live outside the seven county metro area. Of the 85-thousand people over age 85 in the state, 60 percent live in rural counties. Today we begin a weeklong series from our Mainstreet reporting team, "Aging Gracefully". As the region's population makeup shifts, more Minnesotans are choosing to retire to the the rural towns of their childhood. Retirees see the towns as quiet and affordable destinations, where they're closer to relatives and old friends. But as Tim Post reports, this trend may put pressure on rural communities.
June 21, 2001 - Demographers and state planners are worrying about dramatic shifts in Minnesota's population, with younger workers moving to the Twin Cities metro area and older people concentrating in rural areas. Are small towns ready for an aging population? Will there be enough young people to take care of the older people? Scenic Cook County, along the North Shore of Lake Superior, has only about 5000 year-round residents. Nearly a thousand of them are older than 65. And many summer visitors are moving there to retire. As part of our "Aging Gracefully" Series Mainstreet Radio's Stephanie Hemphill visited Grand Marais recently and found people are coming up with creative ways of meeting the needs of older residents.
June 21, 2001 - St. Paul based Lawson Software is preparing to go public, despite a dramatic decline in initial stock offerings of late. The privately held software company outlined its plans in a regulatory filing. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin reports.
June 22, 2001 - This week Mainstreet Radio has been examining the challenges facing rural areas as the population ages. Healthcare is a major issue, and in many rural areas the care available through the Veterans Administration is a mainstay. When the men and women who were called to serve joined the armed services they were promised medical care for life. But as veterans age and medical costs skyrocket, how that promise is fulfilled is changing. Mainstreet Radios Bob Reha reports. {
June 26, 2001 - The Minnesota Department of Human Services is sending out notices to people who receive state health care benefits informing them that payments for some services will be delayed if the government shuts down. That means people who receive Minnesota Care, Medical Assistance, or General Assistance Medical Care could find their doctors won't be paid by the state. Lawmakers are still meeting at the capitol, but have lots of work to do in order to reach a budget agreement in time to prevent a shutdown. Michael O'Keefe is the Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Human Services. He's on the line now.
June 26, 2001 -
June 26, 2001 - Thirteen hundred and fifty nurses at two Fairview hospitals in the Twin Cities are headed back to work after ratifying a new contract yesterday. (MONDAY) While the Twin Cities nurses' strike lasted 23 days, a group of nurses in Alexandria has been on strike for nearly two years. 23 licensed practical nurses walked off the job at the Alexandria Clinic in September of 1999, they are still on strike and their labor dispute could continue for years. Mainstreet Radio's Tim Post reports.
June 27, 2001 - Patient groups, right to life advocates and researchers at the University of Minnesota and the Mayo Clinic are anxiously waiting for a decision by President Bush regarding the public funding of embryonic stem cell research. The controversial procedure has been hailed by scientists as a way of curing diseases like diabetes and parkinsons. Opponents say the procedure is immoral and unethical because scientists need to destroy a fertilized egg to isolate the precious cells. They say a similar procedure taking similar cells from adults will be just as useful. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
June 27, 2001 - A White House spokesman says President Bush is ready to compromise but wants some limits on the right of patients to sue. President Bush is meeting with House Republicans this afternoon. South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle says the Senate's version of the Patient Bill of Rights is five years of compromise and he's determined to pass the legislation before adjourning for summer recess. Daschle is using his new authority as Senate majority leader to acknowledge his home state roots, while adding an intense layer of political arm twisting to his national constituency. Minnesota Public Radio's Cara Hetland attended a round table discussion between South Dakota doctors and the state's most powerful leader.