August 30, 2004 - Mainstreet Radio's Tom Robertson reports that Minnesota court records show Native Americans living in some northern counties are arrested at a rate far higher than any other race. That's got the attention of the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota.
August 31, 2004 - MPR’s Stephanie Hemphill reports that Duluth Mayor Herb Bergson is supporting the city's annual gay pride festival in a proclamation thanking those in the LGBTQ community for their contributions to city.
September 23, 2004 - MPR’s Toni Randoplh looks into a Minnesota Public Radio-Pioneer Press poll that shows many state residents believe that the cost of helping immigrants get established here outweighs their contribution.
November 1, 2004 - With Election Day approaching, MPR’s Tim Pugmire looks at the basic rules for voting. While experienced voters know where to go and what to do, others will enter the voting booth for the first time and may be unsure about what it takes to exercise their democratic right.
November 2, 2004 - On the eve of election, MPR’s Dan Olson reports on how challenges to voters will work in the state. While most Minnesotan's will vote without a hitch, it's almost certain that hundreds will be challenged on their right to cast a ballot.
November 22, 2004 - Each day thousands of Minnesotans go hungry because they can't afford to buy food. There is no stereotype…they can be young or old; poor or middle class. For many, charitable organizations have helped. But the job of feeding those in need, is getting harder. Mainstreet Radio's Bob Reha talks with some involved in food shelfs and the ongoing support of them.
November 23, 2004 - MPR’s Marisa Helms reports that Chai Vang remains a bit of a mystery to many in the Hmong community…and even to his neighbors. They say they've never met Vang, and rarely even spoke to him or saw him. Some wonder if the shootings could have been prevented if they had reached out more to Vang and his family.
November 23, 2004 - MPR’s Brandt Williams reports that court documents filed show the suspect in the six killings in Wisconsin, a 36-year-old Hmong immigrant, told authorities he was called racial slurs and fired upon before he says shot back. Hmong leaders in the Twin Cities gathered today to condemn the shootings and express sympathy for the victims. But some say racial tension between white and Hmong hunters is common.
November 23, 2004 - MPR’s Stephanie Hemphill reports on the concerns of some in Wisconsin after the killing of six hunters by Chai Vang. There is a fear that in the aftermath of the shooting, Hmong hunters may face racism in the state.
November 25, 2004 - The shooting deaths of six hunters in northwestern Wisconsin has prompted a complex set of reactions - perhaps nowhere more than in the Twin Cities Hmong community. The alleged shooter, Chai Vang, is a Hmong immigrant who lives in St. Paul. When the first reports of the incident came out, local Hmong leaders cautioned against making Vang's ethnicity an issue.