June 13, 2003 - Pine County might become the only county in Minnesota to have no functioning courtrooms. The Pine County Board has been bickering for years over where to build a new justice center. The chief district judge says he's tired of waiting. He's thinking about moving Pine County court proceedings to another county if the board can't make up its mind. Chris Julin has this Mainstreet Radio report.
June 5, 2003 - Many cities and towns across Minnesota will be getting less money from the state in coming years. The Legislature cut aid to cities to help balance the state budget. But cities on the Iron Range say they're getting a double dose of cuts from the Legislature -- just when the Range is facing more mine closures. But the lawmakers and the Pawlenty administration says the Iron Range has been getting more aid than it deserves for years. Chris Julin has this Mainstreet Radio report.
May 13, 2003 - Minnesota's Iron Range is expecting more bad news this week. Hundreds of workers at the EvTac mine in Eveleth will probably be out of work tomorrow (Wednesday). They'll follow in the footsteps of workers at the LTV Steel mine near Hoyt Lakes. More than a thousand people lost their jobs at LTV two-and-a-half years ago. And many of them are still looking for work. Chris Julin has this Mainstreet Radio report. This story contains some grapic language.
May 6, 2003 - Mainstreet Radio’s Chris Julin went listening for frogs with a couple of volunteers. The two are amongst dozens of volunteers across Minnesota driving backroads, looking for puddles and ponds, and listening for frog music.
May 1, 2003 - The Two Harbors rooster is back, but it's in rough shape. Last week, somebody stole the larger-than-life statue of a rooster from its perch next to the highway. The bird is a landmark on the drive up the north shore of Lake Superior. The thieves threw the rooster off a bridge. It looked like the statue would never be the same. But airline mechanics in Duluth have volunteered to put it back together again. Chris Julin has this Mainstreet Radio report.
April 29, 2003 - The Minnesota Legislature is talking about picking up the pace on the state's highways. Rural lawmakers are pushing a bill that would increase the daytime speed limit to 65 miles per hour on many two-lane highways. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Julin reports from Duluth.
April 22, 2003 - The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says hunters in Minnesota should be able to use dogs to pursue black bears. The Legislature's considering it. There's an amendment to a bill in the House that would allow bear hunters to use dogs. The proposal has friends and foes. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Julin has this report.
April 17, 2003 - Black bears have wandered into Duluth looking for food every since the city was founded. Now, bears have taken up residence inside the city. The Department of Natural Resources says about ten bears live full-time in town. And some of those bears are making people anxious. But there's lots of disagreement over what to do. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris has this report from Duluth.
April 1, 2003 - Duluth is just like other cities. All over town there are signs that say, "no war." There are also signs everywhere declaring support for the troops. And one of those signs in a restaurant has divided people in Duluth over something that might have happened to a man in uniform. Or maybe it was several men in uniform. Or maybe it didn't happen at all. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Julin has this report from Duluth.
March 24, 2003 - Mainstreet Radio’s Chris Julin takes a ride with the crew of the Coast Guard cutter Sundew. The vessel is carving a path through the ice of Lake Superior in Duluth harbor so the ships can leave.