June 22, 2004 - MPR’s Toni Randolph reports on a Chong Thao and his family as they arrive to the Twin Cities. The family had been living at a refugee camp in Thailand for over a decade.
June 25, 2004 - MPR’s Toni Randolph reports that the Hmong refugees who arrived in the Twin Cities earlier in week have begun enrolling their children in school. Seven children were among the 11 refugees who arrived on Monday. Their father brought two of them to the student placement center for the St. Paul public schools to begin the process.
June 25, 2004 - Metro Transit officials expect a large turnout for tomorrow's launch of the Hiawatha Light Rail line in Minneapolis . Interest is high for the state's first commuter rail in 50 years. After the initial buzz dies down, the train will have to go about the unglamorous work of moving people from one place to another and trying to live up to its promise as a viable alternative to more blacktop and cars. Minnesota Public Radio's Art Hughes takes a behind-the-scenes look at the Hiawatha Rail Line and finds out what you need to take a ride.
June 28, 2004 - The thousands of Hmong refugees who are expected to arrive in Minnesota will face a major obstacle: learning English. But many English language learning classes are already full in the Twin Cities and have waiting lists. Educators say they're concerned an already stressed system could cause problems for the refugees.
June 29, 2004 - Ruminator Books, the nationally recognized independent bookstore on the Macalester College campus in St. Paul, is closing. After a series of financial problems and several attempts to find solutions, Macalester College has terminated the bookstore's lease. Booklovers say Minnesota is losing a piece of its literary history.
June 30, 2004 - The number of teacher layoffs in the Minneapolis school district has now grown to over 600. School board members approved an operating budget last night that included nearly 23 million dollars in spending cuts. Those cuts directly eliminated more than 200 teaching positions. The rest of the layoffs were due to the district's declining student numbers.
June 30, 2004 - A new Minnesota program that starts tomorrow is designed to help people find work before going on traditional welfare. The diversionary work program will require welfare applicants to look for work for four months. They won't get a welfare check, but they will get help with rent, food and utility bills. The Pawlenty administration calls the program the next phase in welfare reform, but some advocates for welfare recipients say it will hurt low-income Minnesotans.
July 2, 2004 - Minnesota's most revered nightclub, First Avenue in Minneapolis , is at a crossroads. Last week, owner Allan Fingerhut fired General Manager Steve McClellan. McClellan guided the club for more than 30-years. Many say his adventurous tastes and fiercely independent streak are what made First Avenue into a launchpad for regional artists and a nationally known music venue. McClellan's dismissal left many wondering whether the struggling club would close or be sold. Fingerhut is vowing to take aggressive steps to keep First Avenue open and independent.
July 5, 2004 - On this Fourth of July weekend, MPR listeners are asked to call in with their stories about coming to America. Caller comments are interspersed between an interview with guest Senator Mee Moua, the first Hmong American elected to State Legislator. She speaks of living in refugee camps in Laos and resettling in the U.S.
July 6, 2004 - MPR's Jeff Horwich looks at the employment scene awaiting the state's new job seekers. After the struggles in a refugee camp and a 8,000-mile trip from Thailand, this wave of Hmong refugees will find a tight job market and a challenging U.S. economy.