Climate change, industry, parks, air and water quality are issues that are debated in congress, compete for funding and enpassion many Minnesotans.
March 15, 2002 - As weather observers get out and do some measuring there are some new snowfall totals to pass along and these could be updated later this morning. The golden shovel award is shared this morning by folks in St.Cloud and Willmar. Both cities report 17 and a half inches of snow. Jeff Horwich is at Minnesota Public Radio Station, KNSR in Collegeville, just outside of St. Cloud. He says the storm was very intense at times.
March 15, 2002 - Iron Range Steelworkers are pushing Congress to help the Steel industry provide promised health and pension benefits. This week a U.S. Senate Committee heard the latest plea from steel companies for a bailout of what's called legacy costs - the costs of providing health insurance to a retired work force. Thousands of older Northeast Minnesotans are losing those benefits in the aftermath of LTV Steel's bankruptcy. Thousands more wonder if they might be next. Mainstreet Radio's Bob Kelleher reports:
March 15, 2002 - DRIVING WON'T BE EASY TODAY. MNDOT SAYS ROAD CONDITIONS IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA ARE HAZARDOUS DUE TO ALL THE SNOW THAT HAS FALLEN....UP TO 18 INCHES IN SOME AREAS. IN PLACES LIKE TRAVERSE, STEVENS, SWIFT AND POPE COUNTIES....TRAVEL CONDITIONS ARE DIFFICULT DUE TO PACKED SNOW AND DRIFTS....AND AROUND ROCEHSTER..IT'S THE ICY GLAZE AND SLUSH ON ROADS THAT HAS MNDOT WARNING DRIVERS TO BE CAREFUL.
March 20, 2002 - One popular prediction before the release of the redistricting plan was the political powerhouse of Northern Minnesota would lose a lot of clout. With population shifts, political leaders were expecting the plan to eliminate some northern seats in the state legislature. But Mainstreet Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports the new lines turned out to be less traumatic for northern politicians than many expected:
March 21, 2002 - Even though spring has officially arrived - these recent temperatures and windchills are more typical of mid-winter. After a very mild January and February, March may be recorded as the coldest month of the year. Assistant State Climatologist Pete Boulay says the noticable drop in temperatures is statistically significant.
March 21, 2002 - Northern Minnesota is better known for iron mines and wilderness areas than for cutting edge industry. But one start-up company in Duluth is out in front in an important field - water quality monitoring. Apprise technologies products help protect water supplies all over the world. Mainstreet Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports. {
March 22, 2002 - To: The MPR Morning Edition Crew From: Mark Seeley, University of Minnesota Department of Soil, Water, and Climate Topic: Snow in Abundance Marquette, MI has recorded an exceptionally snowy winter. With 60 inches of snowfall so far in March, their winter total is now over 277 inches, breaking the record for seasonal snowfall of 272 inches set in 1996-1997. A warmer than normal Lake Superior has fueled this abundant snow
March 26, 2002 - Habitat for Humanity chapters around the country are building a new kind of volunteer crew. Women make up half of Habitat's volunteer force, but they do a lot of behind-the-scenes work like fundraising and public relations. Not many of them pound nails or fire up a saw. On the construction crews, only about one in seven is a woman. A new program called Women Build helps women develop construction skills, and gets more homes built for people in need. Two Women Build homes are under construction in Duluth. Mainstreet Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports. {
April 1, 2002 - An April snowstorm is snarling road and air traffic in the state. More than 100 vehicle crashes have been reported including one that killed two people. And, Northwest Airlines has had to cancel nearly 100 flights out of the Twin Cities. A spokesperson for the airline expects operations to be back to normal tomorrow. Craig Edwards is a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Chanhassen. He says after a mild winter, Minnesotan's are finally getting a dose of reality:
April 2, 2002 - Wisconsin could become the first state in the country to force electric utilities to reduce the amount of mercury they put into the air. Coal-burning power plants are the largest single source of airborne mercury pollution. Mercury can cause brain damage and reproductive problems in fish, animals, and people. Mercury that lands in the water can build up in the food chain. People take in mercury when they eat fish. Wisconsin, Minnesota, and other Great Lakes states have fish advisories. They warn people not to eat too much fish caught in the region's lakes and rivers. Mainstreet Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports.