March 28, 2002 - Minnesota lawmakers are heading home today for the beginning of the Easter-Passover holiday. They won't return to work until Tuesday. House and Senate leaders had actually hoped to finish their work by yesterday afternoon, but now say it will be a struggle to wrap up anytime soon. They have yet to agree on some major bills, including the budget, bonding, and transportation funding packages. We called two local editorial page writers for their perspectives on developments the capitol... Steve Dornfeld from the Pioneer Press and Lori Sturdevant (STURR-dah-vint) from the Star Tribune. Sturdevant says that while the session began at a fast pace, lawmakers have now returned to a more normal speed.
March 22, 2002 - To: The MPR Morning Edition Crew From: Mark Seeley, University of Minnesota Department of Soil, Water, and Climate Topic: Snow in Abundance Marquette, MI has recorded an exceptionally snowy winter. With 60 inches of snowfall so far in March, their winter total is now over 277 inches, breaking the record for seasonal snowfall of 272 inches set in 1996-1997. A warmer than normal Lake Superior has fueled this abundant snow
March 14, 2002 - The Senate stadium bill includes an access fee which would be paid by the media to broadcast or cover games at the stadium. The stadium bill that the House is considering includes a special sales tax on newspapers and magazines. Lucy Dalglish is a former Pioneer Press reporter and Executive Director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press in Washington, DC. She says taxes and fees that target the media have consistently been found to be unconstitutional. That's Lucy Dalglish with the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press in Washington, DC.
March 13, 2002 - The Minnesota State Girl's basketball tournament got underway last night. The games are being played at the University of Minnesota and other sites in the Twin Cities. State tournaments can be big money makers for the cities that host them, some bringing in thousands of fans. Most of the tournaments are held in Minneapolis or St. Paul. But officials are thinking about moving several tournaments to other parts of the state. Dave Stead (STED-- rhymes with HEAD) is the executive director of the Minnesota State High School League. He says the current venues are great, but other communities should have a chance to host as well.
March 5, 2002 -
March 1, 2002 - MPR's Morning Edition, March 1, 2002 Topic: Preliminary Climate Summary for February All observers around the state reported a warmer than normal February. Temperature extremes ranged from 65 degrees F at Worthington on the 24th to -28 degrees F at Tower on the 4th.
February 28, 2002 - Joining us now for more analysis is Steven Schier, professor of Political Science at Carleton College. --who do you think benefits most politically from the way this budget battle played out? --how will the battle affect Ventura's popularity with the public? --who is likely to be politically wounded by how it happened? --we could see Pawlenty, Moe, and Ventura running for Governor this fall... how does that affect the way this budget situation played out? -- Moving on to the US Senate race-- incumbent Paul Wellstone has announced he has Multple Sclerosis. How could either of the candidates use that to their advantage? -- President Bush is a Coleman supporter... what kind of influence could he have? -- How might Wellstone use the President's support for Coleman against Coleman?
February 26, 2002 - Discarded computers and electronic waste are creating toxic waste for Asia.
February 25, 2002 - Charges against three suspects in the kidnapping and murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl have been delayed while police continue looking for his body. U-S officials announced Pearl's death late last week after evidence showed up at the U-S embassy in Pakistan. Pearl disappeared last month while working on a story. Commentator Linda Cullen, who lives in Minnesota, was in Pakistan when Daniel Pearl was abducted. Cullen is a freelance photographer, and was working in an Afghani refugee camp outside of Peshawar, Pakistan. She says Pearl's death had a large impact on her, and her work.
February 19, 2002 - MPR’s Cathy Wurzer interviews author Paul Nelson about his book "Fredrick L. McGee: A Life on the Color Line."