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 22, 2004 - Renowned Minnesotan science writer William Souder is out with a new book on a man who made important contributions, not only to the world of ornithology, but also the world of art: John James Audubon. In "Under a Wild Sky," Souder paints the picture of a deeply complex and conflicted Audubon, who failed at a number of endeavors before stumbling upon the career that made him famous.Guests: William Souder's previous book was called "A Plague of Frogs."
November 23, 2004 - The federal government weighs in this week on the environmental and economic impact posed by two proposals to deal with congestion along the Twin Cities' Central Corridor. Gov. Tim Pawlenty has appointed a panel to make a recommendation soon on whether the 11-mile stretch of University Avenue connecting Minneapolis and St. Paul should get a bus rapid transit lane or a light rail line. With a million more people expected in the metro area over the next 25 years, what's the best long-term solution? Peter Bell, chair of the Metropolitan Council joins to discuss.
November 23, 2004 - Morning Edition’s Cathy Wurzer talks with Bob Kelleher about hunter shootings in Wisconsin. A probable cause hearing is expected in Hayward Wisconsin for 36-year-old Chai Vang, the St. Paul resident accused of opening fire on a party of hunters from Rice Lake, Wisconsin on November 21st, 2004. Six people are now dead and two are recovering from their wounds.
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.
November 29, 2004 - Chuck Quirmbach of Wisconsin Public Radio reports that formal charges may come for the St. Paul man accused of killing six hunters and wounding two others in Wisconsin. In Milwaukee, Chai Vang's defense lawyers talked about their hope for a fair trial in Wisconsin's Northwoods. They also brought forward Vang's eldest daughter to talk about her father.
November 29, 2004 - On November 21, 2004 in the Wisconsin woods, eight hunter were shot; six died. Chai Vang has told police he shot the hunters after one of them first shot at him. Vang, a Hmong immigrant, also reportedly claims the hunters surrounded him and hurled slurs at him.