June 21, 2006 - The national debate on immigration policy has loomed large in media coverage in recent months. It turns out the way the media reports on those debates can sometimes be as contentious as the immigration policy in question. A forum sponsored by Minnesota Public Radio and the Minnesota News Council yesterday evening looked at the stakes of the media's representation of immigration issues. A couple dozen journalists from major local media outlets convened with activists from different sides of the immigration issue. The conversation prompted some audience members to reach new understandings-- and others to exchange barbs. Minnesota Public Radio's Annie Baxter has a closer look.
May 2, 2006 - About 1500 people huddled under umbrellas in Minneapolis's Powderhorn park for a pro immigration rally yesterday. The event was part of a nationwide effort called "A Day Without Immigrants." Around the country, immigrants stayed home from work and refused to spend money to underscore their contributions to the economy. Many people attending the Minneapolis event were hopeful their message would make a difference.Minnesota Public Radio's Annie Baxter has more.
May 1, 2006 - Several thousand immigrants, mostly Latino, gathered in Powderhorn Park today for the "A Day Without Immigrants" protests. MPR's Annie Baxter reports.
April 27, 2006 - MPR’s Annie Baxter reports on the struggles of mobile home residents. Advocates say a recent spate of mobile home park closings is displacing hundreds of low-income Minnesotans from their homes.
April 10, 2006 - Immigration issues took center stage in Minnesota over the weekend, as both supporters and opponents of more lenient immigration policy shouted their messages from the steps of the state Capitol. The rallies occurred in the wake of a failed attempt by Congress to pass a guest worker program that would make it easier for millions of illegal immigrants to work legally, and also smooth the way to citizenship for those who have already lived in the U.S. for several years. That proposal has energized immigration discussions in Minnesota and around the country. Minnesota Public Radio's Annie Baxter has more.
February 20, 2006 - The worldwide uproar over cartoons featuring the prophet Mohammed is being felt in the Twin Cities. Almost a thousand people rallied in Minneapolis yesterday to express indignation over the cartoons, which were first published in Denmark. But the local rally also aimed to send a message condemning violent reactions to the cartoons, which have shaken the Muslim World and even left some people dead. Minnesota Public Radio's Annie Baxter went to yesterday's rally in Minneapolis and has more.
February 1, 2006 - The skyrocketing costs of health care have been in the national spotlight a lot lately, but President Bush spent little time on the issue in his state of the union address last night. News reports leading up to the speech suggested the president would spotlight Health Savings Accounts or HSA's. They're tax free savings plans that accompany high deductible health care policies. Bush has trumpeted their merits in the past. But he only brushed over HSA's in his speech last night. And that left experts and business owners wanting more. Minnesota Public Radio's Annie Baxter has a closer look.
December 21, 2005 - Governor Tim Pawlenty and state lawmakers are pointing fingers at each other in the wake of a judges ruling that struck down a key tobacco fee. A Ramsey County Judge ruled yesterday that the 75 cent-a-pack fee violates a settlement reached with tobacco companies in 1998. That agreement brings in billions of dollars to the state from the tobacco industry to cover the costs of government health programs caused by smoking. The settlement also banned the state from making future claims on tobacco companies. Legislators approved the fee over the summer to help solve a state budget crisis, and the fee was projected to raise 400 million dollars over the current budget cycle. Governor Pawlenty is promising to appeal the decision. DFLer lawmakers say the governor's insistence that the measure be called a fee instead of a tax put it at legal risk. Minnesota Public Radio's Annie Baxter has more.
November 21, 2005 - Governor Pawlenty's recent trade mission to China concluded with talk of a possible Chinese delegation to Minnesota. Such a visit could give Chinese investors a better idea of what Minnesota has to offer. There's currently meager Chinese investment in the United States and most of it on the costs. But some say there's a lot about the Midwest regional business economy that could attract Chinese investors. Minnesota Public Radio's Annie Baxter has a closer look.{
October 24, 2005 - MPR’s Annie Baxter reports on the public image damage done to Minnesota Vikings football team after allegations that some Vikings players engaged in lewd behavior aboard charter boats on Lake Minnetonka. Baxter has a look at what the team's track record on and off the field is doing to its public image.