April 22, 2002 - Maplewood-based 3M today reported its first quarter earnings dropped slightly, but they still surpassed Wall Street's estimates. Analysts say deep cost-cutting and a new management program implemented by CEO James McNerney have made the company a leaner, more efficient company. A little more than a year ago, McNerney became the first outsider ever to run the company. Now he's leading a transformation that's prompting cheers from investors but jitters from employees. Minnesota Public Radio's Andrew Haeg reports.
April 22, 2002 - Humans possess a certain essence within them when they are born. At birth, it is pure and undefiled. The competition on Saturnday night is at the Lanesboro community Center. John Davis thought of the Kids Philosophy slam as a fun, competitive way for kids to think about the world. He also started the Great American Think-Off too. INTRO: The nature of humankind is good. That's the conclusion of the winner of the 2002 Kids Philosophy Slam held in Lanesboro, Minnesota. Vineetha Joseph of Nutley, New Jersey: won with her thoughts on this year's question which was: "Is the nature of humankind good or evil?" More than 2000 kids from around the world participated.
April 23, 2002 - A disagreement between the Minnesota Attorney General's office and a non-profit anti-tobacco organization escalated today (TUESDAY). The two sides are fighting over how the non-profit distributes hundreds of millions of dollars for smoking cessati on and medical research. The Attorney General filed a lawsuit in Ramsey District Court last week saying the Minnesota Partnership for Action Against Tobacco is misusing its funds. Hatch wants someone else to oversee the money. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
April 24, 2002 - Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Kathleen Blatz says a statewide child protection reform project has been successful in its first year. The Children's Justice Initiative is designed to get abused and neglected kids into permanent homes faster. 12 Minnesota counties took part in the program this year... by 2006, all 87 counties in the state will be included. Justice Blatz says the state's child protection system needs a lot of work:
April 25, 2002 - Today is the tenth and final "Take Your Daughters to Work Day." Starting next year, organizers are planning to encourage parents to bring both girls AND boys to the workplace and to think in new ways about gender inequities at work. The Ms. Foundation for Women started the ORIGINAL program in 1993, and it caught-on nationwide as a way to introduce young girls to the workplace... and to improve their self-esteem. Another person concerned with the self-esteem of girls is Joe Kelly, Duluth resident and author of a new book called "Dads and Daughters: How to Inspire, Support and Understand Your Daughter When She's Growing Up So Fast." Kelly says raising a daughter presents different challenges for men than raising a son.
April 26, 2002 - Archbishops of the dioceses of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota talked about their thoughts about sexual abuse conducted by Catholic priests.
May 1, 2002 - Anti-abortion supporters are taking pictures of abortion clinic patients and putting them on the internet. Is it an invasion of privacy?
May 1, 2002 - A new study shows living in the outer suburbs may be more dangerous than most people think, at least relative to central cities. University of Virginia professor William Lucy found that when you combine statistics on traffic deaths and homicide by strangers, residents in eight fringe counties of the Twin Cities were at greater risk of death than residents of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Lucy says people who live in the outer suburbs are driving more and faster:
May 1, 2002 - A survey will be conducted to study competition between girls and boys aged 12-17. Boys want to win, but girls want to play fairly.
May 1, 2002 - Minnesota Attorney General Mike Hatch said today (Weds) he'll ask the Ramsey County District Court judge to switch control of a portion of the state's tobacco endowment to a panel that includes two former governors. Hatch recently filed a lawsuit to remove the $202 million dollar endowment from MPAAT to a five person panel. Hatch and MPAAT officials have been arguing over how the indpendent non-profit uses the money. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...