January 28, 2003 -
December 6, 2002 - Work crews in St. Paul braved the cold Thursday to erect two giant steel oak leaves that tower over a set of colorful public benches. Sponsors of the sculpture say it's the first artist-designed bus shelter in the city, and they hope it'll be inspiration for more public art on a notoriously bland commercial strip. Minnesota Public Radio's Art Hughes reports.
December 6, 2002 - The U.S. Census Bureau today (FRIDAY) released controversial new figures for the 2000 Census. The numbers were mathematically adjusted to rectify counting errors. The numbers indicate Minnesota had the most accurate count compared to other states. Still, the numbers suggest some 14-thousand people---all minorities---weren't counted, confirming a complaint by many critics of the process. Minnesota Public Radio's Art Hughes reports.
November 8, 2002 - The stage at the Pantages Theater in downtown Minneapolis will light up again tonight for the first show since the historic theater went dark in 1984. Backed by the city of Minneapolis, theater investors have restored much of the elaborate plaster detail of the building's original 1916 decor. Supporters say it's a hopeful step toward establishing a vibrant theater district on Hennepin Avenue.
November 6, 2002 - Minnesota Governor-Elect Tim Pawlenty met with reporters today and talked with outgoing Governor Jesse Ventura about making the transition into office. Pawlenty says the election means Republican ideals will have a much smoother time at the Capitol than in the past. Minnesota Public Radio's Art Hughes reports.
October 18, 2002 - The deadline for Webcasters looms. This is Future Tense for Friday October 18, I'm Art Hughes filling in for Jon Gordon. Web radio sites will have to begin paying royalties to the record industry starting Sunday. Congress failed to reach agreement on a compromise bill this week to switch from per-song payments to payments based on revenues. But either way most small webcasters see the negotiated agreement as the death knell for their service. Hundreds of webcasters have already pulled the plug. Deb Proctor, general manager of classical music station WCPE in Raleigh, NC. She says her station won't be able to comply with the agreement between certain Web entities and the recording industry. Deb Proctor with WCPE in Raleigh. Stations like Proctor's say the inability of the Senate to pass the compromise bill is a mixed blessing. They're still stuck with paying the royalties retroactive to 1997.
September 25, 2002 - MPR’s Art Hughes and Brandt Williams report on the tenth anniversary Jerry Haaf murder. The thirty-year police veteran died on the floor of the Pizza Shack restaurant in south Minneapolis after being shot in the back during his morning coffee break. The execution-style shooting remains one of the most shocking acts of violence against an officer in Minneapolis history.
September 25, 2002 - MPR’s Art Hughes reports that rankings by the U.S. Census Bureau show members of some immigrant groups in Minnesota remain mired in poverty. While all minorities improved economically during the 1990s, Minnesota has one of the highest percentages of Asians in poverty when compared to other states. The ranking also confirms the widely held belief that there are more Somalis in Minnesota than anywhere else in the US.
September 17, 2002 - MPR’s Art Hughes reports on data from the U.S. Census that show the state's Asian population is economically well-off compared to other minority populations in the state. While the 90's were a prosperous time for Minnesota as a whole, the numbers show many minority groups did not prosper as much as their white neighbors.
August 15, 2002 - The Minnsota State Capitol has a new address. After months of discussions and six public hearings the St. Paul City Council decided the best place to name a street for Dr. Martin Luther King Junior is what is now Constitution Avenue. Minnesota Public Radio's Art Hughes reports.