September 7, 2001 - On Tuesday, primary voters in Minneapolis and St. Paul will narrow a large field of mayoral candidates to two in each city. Here on Morning Edition we've been giving you a chance to hear from the candidates for mayor of Minneapolis. Today, an interview with Bill McGaughey (Ma-GOY). McGaughey is a landlord and a self-publisher. He lives in the Harrison neighborhood of North Minneapolis, and has been in the city for over 12 years. He says affordable housing is the biggest issue facing the city, and the solution is to let the free market work.
September 7, 2001 - Cathy Wurzer visits St. Andrew's Lutheran Church in Mahtomedi, which is installing a 1927 Casavant pipe organ, one of the largest of its kind in the upper Midwest. The instrument was restored by Schantz Organ Company in Ohio. It has more than 7,000 original and restored pipes, the smallest the size of a pencil...the largest 32-feet high weighing over 1,000 pounds.
September 6, 2001 - Later this morning on Midday, you can hear last night's debate with the four leading candidates for mayor of Minneapolis. But when voters go to the polls for the September 11th primary, they'll see many other names on the ballot. Here on Morning Edition, we've been giving you a chance to hear from those other candidates. Today, an interview with Larry Leininger (LINE en ger), who belongs to the White Working Man's party. He is a custodian at the University of Minnesota, and has lived in Minneapolis for most of his life. He says his platform is based on race.
September 5, 2001 - A Minnesota man who survived the Holocaust is headed to Berlin, Germany today (Wednesday) for the opening of a museum that documents two thousand years of German-Jewish history. 80-year-old Henry Oertelt (or TELT) was invited to the opening because he donated several documents to the museum. The documents are related to the Holocaust and his time in Flossenbuerg Concentration Camp. Oertelt was in the camp when it was liberated at the end of the war, and he clearly remembers the final days before liberation.
September 3, 2001 - On September 11th, primary voters in Minneapolis and St. Paul will narrow a large field of mayoral candidates to two in each city. Here on Morning Edition we've been giving you a chance to hear from the candidates for mayor of Minneapolis who will not be included in our debate with the leading candidates on September 5th. Mahamoud Wardere (Mah ha MOOD War DARE aye -- like bay--) was born in Somalia, where he worked as an air traffic controller at Mogadishu International airport. Wardere came to Minneapolis in 1993 to escape civil war. He is currently a social studies teacher for English as a Second Language students at Washburn High School. He says he brings a unique kind of experience to the job of mayor.
August 30, 2001 - On September 11th, Twin Cities voters will narrow the list of candidates for mayor of Minneapolis and St. Paul from 38 to 4. MPR is sponsoring debates with the LEADING candidates on September 4th and 5th. And between now and the primary, you can hear the OTHER candidates for mayor of St. Paul in the afternoon on All Things Considered. The candidates for Minneapolis mayor can be heard right here, on Morning Edition. One of those candidates is Rodney Johari (joe-HAWR-ee). Johari has lived in Minneapolis for over 30 years, and currently lives in the Hawthorne neighborhood of North Minneapolis. He is a Republican, and while he has a background in law and financial services, he's now a writer trying to publish his first book. Johari (joe-HAWR-ee) says there's a void of leadership in Minneapolis, and he'd be more like the current mayor of St. Paul.
August 28, 2001 - In fact, MPR is sponsoring a debate with the six leading candidates for mayor of St. Paul, on September 4th. On September 5th we'll have a debate with the four leading candidates for mayor of Minneapolis. In each city, there are quite a few other candidates on the ballot. Over the next two weeks, we'll be hearing from those candidates. The people running in St. Paul can be heard on All Things Considered in the afternoon. On Morning Edition, you'll hear from the Minneapolis candidates for mayor. Marcus Harcus is 23 years old, and lives in the Near North area of Minneapolis. He quit his job in order to run for mayor. He belongs to the People's Party, a party he helped create. Harcus told Minnesota Public Radio's Eugene Cha his message is based on one phrase.
August 20, 2001 - It will be five years this week from the time Congress passed the Federal Welfare Reform Act which encourages self sufficiency and puts a five-year limit on benefits. Over the past few weeks, we've talked with several women who are on welfare and could lose some of their benefits next summer. In Minnesota, 38 percent of those facing the deadline are white, 36 percent are black, and 12 percent are Asian. Most of them have between two and three children. Some have had several jobs; many have never worked in their lives. Jan Mueller is with Lifetrack Resources, a social service agency in the Twin Cities that runs a job training program. We asked Jan to tell us how what we've heard over the past few weeks compares to what she sees every day. Jan says it's still not clear exactly who will or won't get an extension of their benefits.
August 13, 2001 - Over the last few weeks, we've talked with a series of people on welfare. All of them could lose some of their benefits next July as part of a Federal Welfare Reform Act that puts a five-year limit on benefits. Some of the people we've talked with could get a benefit extension under a new state law. Others probably won't qualify. Today we'll hear from Mary Brown. Mary is in her forties, and has been on welfare for about 20 years. She has had a felony conviction in her past, which is keeping her from getting jobs she really wants. Of all the woman we've spoken with, Mary is the least likely to get an extension. She admits she has been noncompliant with welfare regulations. Mary has three kids; one is in college, one is studying computers, and the third is 10 years old. To get an extension, Mary needs to get a job and start working at least 25 hours a week. Mary describes what her life has been like,so far:
August 10, 2001 - MPR's Morning Edition, Friday, Aug 10, 2001 Topic A sultry week of weather Heat and humidity dominated the weather headlines this week as the eastern half of the United States baked under a strong high pressure ridge.