Climate change, industry, parks, air and water quality are issues that are debated in congress, compete for funding and enpassion many Minnesotans.
October 1, 2002 - Wildlife officials say West Nile virus has been found in a Canada goose in South Dakota. It's the first time the virus has been detected in a game bird in that state. The goose and duck hunting seasons opened last weekend. But officials say hunters should not be afraid to eat water fowl. Mainstreet Radio's Mark Steil reports:
October 2, 2002 - Host intro: If you were asked to name a source of mercury pollution in your community, what would it be? It turns out dental offices are the largest source of mercury in most cities' sewage systems. Mercury is known to damage the nervous system and impair childrens' mental development. Now, dentists in Duluth are leading the way in reducing the amount of mercury going into the environment. Mainstreet Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports.
October 4, 2002 - Wildlife officials in Duluth are taking steps to deal with the city's resident bear population. The state Department of Natural Resources estimates between 12 and 20 bears live permanently in Duluth and surrounding towns. DNR wildlife manager Rich Staffon is considering options to destroy some of the most problematic bears. He says the animals are so tame they act like they're the neighborhood dog:
October 7, 2002 - An excerpt of Garrison Keillor speaking about his serious case of "Twins Fever" during during A Prairie Home Companion show.
October 7, 2002 - We've nearly paved over paradise in the Twin Cities with parking lots, homesites, roads and shopping centers. Less than 6 percent of the 7 county region's original habitat remains. All that's left of what the first residents saw are remnants of the prairie, the big woods, streams and other natural systems. There's a drive on to protect what remains. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson reports.
October 8, 2002 - A new book tells the story of the bygone life of a country doctor. For almost forty years, Dr. Roger MacDonald cared for people in the remote communities of northern Minnesota. His book is called A Country Doctor's Casebook. In style it's a lot like James Herriott's tales of a Yorkshire veterinarian. Roger MacDonald talked with Mainstreet Radio's Stephanie Hemphill.
October 11, 2002 - Making of the wettest year. Many communities, including the Twin Cities, have reported an unusually wet 2002. Currently MSP airport reports nearly 37 inches of precipitation for the year, a figure that would rank as the 6th wettest year in history even if it was bone dry for the rest of the year. Many other communities have reported similar values.
October 14, 2002 - The first wind-monitoring tower in the metro area was erected today at Wayzata High School. The suburban school district is considering installing a wind turbine to generate its electricity and will use the monitoring tower to gather data. The Spirit Lake Community School District in northwest Iowa has been powering its schools with wind energy since 1993 and now has two turbines on its property. The school district was the second in the nation to purchase a wind turbine and the first to use the wind as its primary energy source. School Superintendent Tim Grieves says the decision to install the first turbine was a natural one:
October 15, 2002 - Habitat for Humanity is trying something new. For years, Habitat has built individual homes using volunteer labor. The homes are sold below market rates to low income families. Now some Habitat chapters are working with commercial developers. In Duluth, Habitat is pairing with a private builder to create an entire development. The new neighborhood will be a mixture of Habitat homes and houses that'll be sold on the open market. Mainstreet Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports.
October 18, 2002 - The Sierra Club's National Executive Director is in Minnesota to draw attention to today's 30th anniversary of the Clean Water Act. Carl Pope says that 40 percent of America's lakes, rivers and streams still do not meet federal clean water standards and that more than 75% of the population lives within 10 miles of a polluted waterway. Pope is also in town to encourage voters to support candidates committed to protecting Minnesota's lakes, rivers and streams. He says the Clean Water Act was a milestone in the efforts to protect water in the United States: