May 5, 2008 - MPR’s Dan Olson presents the documentary “From 35th Street to Wall Street: Anatomy of a foreclosure,” which looks at subprime mortgage loans and the impact on individuals finding themselves a part of a foreclosure crisis.
May 7, 2008 - Morning Edition’s Cathy Wurzer talks with Hmong author Kao Kalia Yang about her book “The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir.” Yang also describes her family life experience and transition to living in the United States.
May 12, 2008 - MPR’s Bob Kelleher reports that Lake Superior's low water in 2007’ revealed something disturbing…gaping rusted holes in much of the underwater steel in the Duluth-Superior harbor. The aggressive corrosion, discovered just a couple of years ago, has caused extensive damage below the water line. The cause is still a mystery, but studies have begun to identify some leading suspects.
May 12, 2008 - Writer Bill Holm is celebrating a little. Today the McKnight Foundation named him its 2008 Distinguished Artist. The award carries a fifty-thousand dollar stipend. Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr called Holm to talk about the news and found him looking both forward and back.
May 15, 2008 - MPR’s Mark Zdechlik reports that former Governor Jesse Ventura said he's serious about a possible run for U.S. Senate, and he had harsh words for some of the other candidates already in the race. Comments were made when Ventura broke his boycott of the Minnesota broadcast media, appearing on Minnesota Public Radio's Midday program to talk about his latest book.
May 16, 2008 - MPR’s Chris Roberts profiles St. Paul new age musician Steven C. Anderson, who is trying to distinguish himself from thousands of other contemporary piano artists with his new CD, “Signature.”
May 26, 2008 - MPR’s William Wilcoxen reports from Hugo, where a severe storm struck the city on May 25th. Wilcoxen interviews residents on what they saw and experienced as intense wind and hail battered their homes.
May 26, 2008 - After a severe storm system traversed over the metro on May 25th, MPR’s Tom Crann discusses tornado science with meteorologist Paul Huttner, who explains the importance in distinguishing between straight line winds and a tornadic storm for climatology analysis.
May 28, 2008 - University Avenue, the proposed route of the Central Corridor light rail line, has a colorful past that is still evolving. Four MPR reporters look at the past and the future of Minneapolis-St. Paul’s University Avenue. Story titles include “The view from Prospect Park,” “The Car Culture,” “An Entertainment Destination,” and “Immigrants Always Welcome.”
May 28, 2008 - As stimulus checks are scheduled to show up in mailboxes soon, consumer confidence is at its lowest point in 16 years. Minnesota Public Radio's chief economics correspondent Chris Farrell joins Midday to discuss how the still slumping housing market, inflation and consumer concern are affecting the overall state of the economy.