October 12, 2006 - Minnesota's Republican and Democratic U.S. Senate candidates are sharply divided on issues surrounding taxes and economic growth. DFL-er Amy Klobuchar says rolling back tax cuts for the wealthiest of Americans would generate tens of billions of dollars that could be used to balance the budget and fund new programs. Republican Congressman Mark Kennedy insists those tax cuts are responsible for economic growth and the creation of millions of jobs. As part of our look at the issues in this year's U.S. Senate race, MPR's Mark Zdechlik reports on candidate’s view on taxes.
November 3, 2006 - MPR’s Chris Roberts reports on "Vestibular Sense," the Mixed Blood Theatre play that peaks into the life of a young man with autism in its latest production. The play raises questions about what autism is and whether it's a deficit or an attribute for someone who has it.
November 13, 2006 - African Americans and Native Americans have the highest fetal and infant mortality rates in Minnesota and the United States. The Minnesota Department of Health has been working with those families and the numbers of fetal and infant deaths have begun to decline. But now the focus is turning to Minnesota's growing Latino population where, it appears fetal deaths are increasing. Unlike African Americans and Native Americans, Latina women face special obstacles, in part because of language and immigration status. Minnesota Public Radio's Ambar Espinoza reports.
November 15, 2006 - Governor Pawlenty says he wants to extend health insurance coverage to all Minnesota children. He made the announcement yesterday during a speech to a group of health care and policy experts in Minneapolis. Pawlenty's remarks come just one week after he narrowly won re-election and now faces a Legislature that is controlled by Democrats. Several groups were surprised by the announcement. While they applaud the move, they want to hear more specifics before signing on. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports.
December 1, 2006 - On this World AIDS Day, Morning Edition’s Cathy Wurzer talks with Andy Ansell, a health education coordinator with the Minnesota AIDS Project. Andy's been living with HIV for 19 years and shares his experience.
January 2, 2007 - In two days Democrat Amy Klobuchar will be sworn into the Senate and fellow DFL-er Mark Dayton will return to private life. Six years ago Dayton spent nearly $12 million of his own fortune to get elected to the Senate, where he had hoped he could improve life for regular Americans. But he leaves Washington frustrated and disappointed. MPR's Mark Zdechlik reports on Dayton’s tenure.
January 4, 2007 - As three new members of the House from Minnesotan are to be sworn into office, MPR’s Mark Zdechlik presents this profile on them. The three will bring diverse backgrounds and political ideologies to Congress…but Keith Ellison, Tim Walz, and Michelle Bachman all say they'll keep the interests of Minnesotans in the forefront as they begin their careers in Congress.
January 11, 2007 - A day after Senate Democrats touted their plan to cover to more uninsured Minnesotans, Governor Pawlenty unveiled his health care agenda for the session. Like the Democrats, the Governor proposes covering more uninsured people. But Pawlenty's approach to the problem is quite different. Minnesota Public Radio's Lorna Benson reports.
January 17, 2007 - All Things Considered’s Tom Crann interviews Dr. Jon Hallberg, a physician in family medicine at the University of Minnesota, about health issues found in orchestral musicians. Hallberg travels with The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra as the tour physician on their European tour.
January 23, 2007 - Later tonight, we'll bring you live coverage of President Bush's seventh State of the Union Address. In the speech, the President is expected to highlight a healthcare plan that would provide Americans with a tax deduction to help cover insurance costs. Some Democrats are already saying the President's plan doesn't do enough to help the nation's 47 million uninsured. Health economists like the University of Minnesota's Steve Parente have been talking about this plan for a while now. We asked him to help explain the anticipated proposal. Parente Directs the Medical Industry Leadership Institute at the Carlson School of Management.