December 26, 2003 - Despite high temperatures above freezing this week, St. Paul Winter Carnival officials say the ice on Lake Phalen should soon be thick enough for ice palace construction. Officials briefly considered hauling ice from the Detroit Lakes area, about 200 miles to the north, because the ice on Lake Phalen wasn't forming fast enough. The first of 27 thousand blocks need to be laid in early January for the palace to be ready by the January 20th deadline. Joining us on the line is Ice Palace co-chairman David Crary.
December 24, 2003 - Minnesota ranchers are bracing themselves for reaction to the discovery of Mad Cow disease in the U.S. A holstein cow in Washington state was found to have the disease. Countries like Russia, South Korea, and Japan are suspending imports of beef from the U.S. The cattle industry in Minnesota ranks 7th in production. At prices set before the announcement of the discovery yesterday, Minnesota had beef worth almost 2-billion dollars. Joining us on the line is Steve Brake, president of the Minnesota State Cattlemen's Association.
December 23, 2003 - Taconite pellets at the former EVTAC mining plant in Eveleth are rolling off the line for the first time in seven months. The plant has reopened under new ownership, United Taconite, which is calling back former EVTAC workers. The plant could eventually employ almost 400 people again. Joining us on the line is Mike Norton, United Taconite's manager of operations.
December 22, 2003 - MPR’s Cathy Wurzer interviews Eddie Roth, an editorial writer for the Dayton Daily News, about his take on Dayton Police Chief William McManus. At a committee meeting today, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak is expected to officially nominate Dayton, Ohio Police Chief William McManus as his pick to be the city's next police chief. McManus will need to be confirmed by the Minneapolis City Council. Eddie Roth discusses impact of McManus’s two year tenure in Dayton.
December 19, 2003 - MPR’s Cathy Wurzer interviews Barbara Johnson, Minneapolis city council member about prospective candidates for new Minneapolis police chief. Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak has officially narrowed his list of candidates for the next police chief to Charles Moose, the former chief in Maryland's Montgomery County, and William McManus, Dayton, Ohio police chief. The decision cut from consideration two respected deputy chiefs currently in the department, Lucy Gerold and Sharon Lubinski. While the mayor has supporters for the finalists, there are signals that the outsiders will be a tough and divisive sell. Johnson, who represents the city's 4th Ward, says she's disappointed that Gerold and Lubinski did not make the final cut.
December 18, 2003 - Morning Edition’s Cathy Wurzer interviews Mee Moua, a Minnesota state senator, about the potential of new Hmong refugees to the Twin Cities. The U.S. State Department has reached an agreement with the government of Thailand which could bring thousands of new Hmong refugees to the United States. 14,000 Hmong people are living in the last refugee camp of its kind in Thailand.
December 18, 2003 - The University of Minnesota women's volleyball team opens the NCAA Final Four later today with a match against the undefeated USC Trojans. The Gophers are hoping to continue a hot streak that's carried them along the road to the Final Four. Their last two wins include a surprising victory over highly ranked Pepperdine and a grueling win against the stubborn University of Washington. The Gophers are underdogs against the Trojans, who are number 1 in the country. Joining us on the line from Dallas, the site of this year's Final Four, is Pam Schmid, who's covering the team for the Star Tribune.
December 17, 2003 - Vice President and Senior Marketing Analyst of Alaron (AL-ah-ron) Trading Corporation in Chicago discusses the price of natural gas.
December 16, 2003 - The capture of former Iraqi president Saddaam Hussein was an important moment for the U.S. soldiers there, and their families here at home. Brenna Linn of Richmond, Minnesota, just west of St. Cloud, has a son in the Army Reserves who is in Iraq and she joins us on the line.
December 16, 2003 - The Minneapolis school district has reached a tentative contract agreement with its teachers. The agreement would increase the total cost of compensation by six-point-one percent over two years. It would also retroactively restore pay increases based on education and experience, which the district has withheld from teachers since the start of the school year. More than two-thirds of the state's school districts are still without a contract for this school year... and are working under last year's contracts. Joining us now are two guests... John Sylvester from the Minnesota School Boards Association, and Judy Schaubach (SHAH-buck) from Education Minnesota, a union that represents about 70-thousand educators throughout the state. That is John Sylvester from the Minnesota School Boards Association. We also spoke with Judy Schaubach (SHAH-buck) of Education Minnesota, a union that represents about 70-thousand educators throughout the state.