March 8, 2004 - It used to be that all a student needed to do to make the football squad or debate team was to pass a tryout. These days, it also takes cold hard cash. Because of budget cuts at many Minnesota schools, a growing number are requiring fees for extracurricular activities. And it's more than a few bucks. In the Anoka-Hennepin school district, for instance, hitting the gridiron runs $290, joining the debate team $230, and playing basketball a hefty $332. Anoka Hennepin found in a recent survey that the high price tags were actually driving students away.
February 24, 2004 - Gruchow made countless appearances on Minnesota Public Radio. In October of 1997, he was a guest on the Midmorning program. He spoke about how the natural environment impacted him as a person.
February 18, 2004 - The company set to supply new artificial turf for the Metrodome's playing surface has filed for bankruptcy. S-R-I Sports was chosen last fall to install a new playing surface at the Dome. The removal of the current surface and installation of the new spongier AstroPlay was to be completed before the Twins' season opener on April 5th. Steve Maki is the engineering director for the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission. He says the commission was surprised by the bankruptcy announcement.
January 23, 2004 - Just a few years ago, a "blog" was simply a typographical error. In 2004, blogs are the buzzword of the presidential campaign. Every major presidential candidate has a blog of his own; and the candidates are discussed and dismissed on the millions of blogs that exist in cyberspace. A blog -- short for web log-- is something of a cross between an online diary and cybermagazine. This Sunday, Minnesota Public Radio will host the first sustained blog conversation on network radio. Christopher Lydon is an NPR reporter, blogger and the host of "The Blogging of the President." He says blogs can help form new communities.
January 7, 2004 - US Agriculture officials said yesterday that the cow diagnosed with the first US case of Mad Cow Disease was born in Canada. The American beef industry has been reeling since the December 23 announcement of the case of mad cow, the nation's first since its discovery in Great Britain in the mid-80s. The spector of Mad Cow has raised concerns in among US consumers about the safety of the beef supply. Dr. Jon Hallberg is medical director of the Primary Care Center at the University of Minnesota. He says that, although the disease is extremely rare in humans, it is 100-percent fatal.
December 31, 2003 - Earlier this month, two advisory panels to the Food and Drug Administration recommended that a form of emergency contraception be available over-the-counter. The pill marketed as "Plan B" -- and widely known as the "morning after" pill -- is intended to reduce a woman's chance of pregnancy after having unprotected sex. It is currently available by prescription. Dr. Jon Hallberg is medical director of the Primary Care Center at the University of Minnesota. He says making the pills available over-the-counter would increase access to emergency contraception, especially on weekends and holidays when getting in to see a doctor is difficult.
December 26, 2003 - MPR’s David Molpus interviews Don Blyly about a peculiar Christmas Day surprise at his Minneapolis bookstore.
December 24, 2003 - Throughout the first part of December, Minnesota Public Radio has asked listeners to join in the spirit of the season by setting new lyrics to old holiday tunes. The entries were judged and winners have been chosen. In the "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing" category, Joe Muldoon of Minneapolis, was one of two winners. Here's a clip from his entry, recorded by the singing group "Dare to Breathe."
December 24, 2003 - Last week, the British equivalent of the FDA issued a warning about the over-use of antidepressants in children under 18. The agency said the benefits didn't outweigh the risks of drugs such as Paxil and Zoloft, which have been linked with suicidal thoughts. Prozac, which is in the same class as those other drugs, the so-called "selective seratonin re-uptake inhibitors," was excluded from the warning. Dr. Jon Hallberg is medical director of the Primary Care Center at the University of Minnesota. He says the advisory presents a real challenge for those who treat children.
December 23, 2003 - The holidays often trigger the brightest of memories and the happiest of emotions. But, as writer Nanci Olesen explains, those memories can also bring on emotions that clash with the tenor of the season.