September 3, 2013 - The Obama administration trying to line up support on Capitol Hill for some sort of military action against Syria. In the House of Representatives, leaders from both parties now say they support U.S. action, but rank-and-file members of Congress are less sure.
September 6, 2013 - With votes on authorizing military strikes against Syria on the possible horizon, members of Congress are getting a lot of pressure from many directions. MPR’s Mark Zdechlik reports that during a public lunch meeting, DFL 1st District Congressman Tim Walz got an earful from more than 100 of his constituents in St. Peter.
September 9, 2013 - What $1-million dollar investment would make St Paul great? A hub for local food housed within an event center. That's the the winning proposal in the Forever Saint Paul Challenge. Today, the St Paul Foundation and the Minnesota Idea Open announced that Tracy Sides's plan for an Urban Oasis received more than half of the 16-thousand votes split among three finalists. Joining us in-studio is the winner of the $1-million dollar Forever Saint Paul Challenge, Tracy Sides.
September 12, 2013 - MPR’s Tim Post reports on a longtime teacher at a Catholic school in Fridley who says she was fired after she told other teachers she's in a same-sex relationship. It's the second high profile departure from Totino-Grace High School in recent months. The school's president resigned this summer after announcing he was in a same-sex relationship.
September 13, 2013 - In 2012, electronic pulltabs debuted in Minnesota, to much promise. They failed. MPR’s Tim Nelson takes a look back at what went wrong, and what's next.
September 18, 2013 - Former Minnesota Governor and congressman Al Quie is celebrating a milestone today. The republican and thirty-fifth governor of the state turns 90 years old. Quie served in Congress for over 20 years, then in 1978, he was elected Governor and served one term. Al Quie joins us now tot alk about his career, and the state of things today.
September 23, 2013 - Curtis Wehmeyer, a St. Paul priest, is serving a five year prison sentence for sexually abusing two children and possessing child pornography. When he was sentenced, the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis expressed regret, but assured the public that it had acted immediately. An MPR News investigation has found that top leaders knew of the priest's sexual behavior for nearly a decade before he pleaded guilty and didn't tell parishioners.
September 30, 2013 - MPR’s Elizabeth Dunbar reports about the rise of water demands and potential options in the metro area. Water conservation/restrictions, utilizing St. Paul water for other cities, and pumping water from the Mississippi River are among the ideas and efforts being discussed.
October 3, 2013 - The top deputy of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis resigned that post Thursday amid growing concerns about the church's approach to clergy sex abuse cases. The Rev. Peter Laird explained his sudden departure as vicar general in a statement posted on the archdiocese's website Thursday afternoon. "Over the last few years, this Archdiocese has made significant progress in many areas, including how we have strengthened policies and practices regarding clergy misconduct," Laird said in the statement. "I am hopeful my decision to step aside at this time, along with the formation of a new task force can help repair the trust of many, especially the victims of abuse." Archdiocese leaders, staff and priests, he added, "are sincerely committed to proactively addressing these difficult issues." Laird was featured in a Sept. 23 MPR News story detailing how the archdiocese knew of the sexual misbehavior of a priest, Fr. Curtis Wehmeyer, yet kept him in the ministry. The story reported Laird received a key 2011 memo on the allegations against Wehmeyer, who later pleaded guilty to sexually abusing two boys, ages 12 and 14, and possessing child pornography. A judge sentenced the priest to five years in prison.
October 18, 2013 - Richard Moe, Minnesota native and former chief of staff to Vice President Walter Mondale, brings readers into the world of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in his latest book, "Roosevelt's Second Act." Moe explores the year 1940, what he deems a pivotal year of American history, through Roosevelt's complex character of actions and motivations as he considered pursuing a third term. Moe argues that Roosevelt's third term greatly changed d America's foreign policy and changed the way people perceived the presidency.