April 10, 2001 - Minnesotans in several areas of the state are fighting to keep their homes and cities dry today. State safety officials say water levels are quickly meeting levels last seen during the major floods of 1997. The main trouble areas are in the Red River Valley. In Breckenridge the river could reach 19 feet, which is 9 feet above flood stage. The situation is improving in Crookston, where the Red Lake River has crested at just over 26 feet and is dropping. Communities along the Minnesota River are expecting crests later this week. In Montevideo, Mayor Jim Curtiss has put out a call for volunteers to help fill 25-thousand sandbags. He says so far, the response has been only fair.
April 9, 2001 -
April 9, 2001 - There's a new revolution on the island nation of Cuba --- this time in the production of food. The collapse of the Soviet Union forced Cuba to turn to small-scale organic farming and urban gardens. This dramatic agricultural transformation is unparalleled in the world today. And American agricultural experts, including some Minnesotans, are taking notice. In the first of a series of reports on Cuban agriculture, Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Stucky takes a close look at Cuba's new urban gardens.
April 5, 2001 - The ACC Craft show gets underway in St. Paul tomorrow. The show features over 250 artists from around the country, many of whom are nationally known for their work. Glenn Elvig is one of several local artists who will be at the show. He designs unusual, sometimes cartoon-like furniture and home accessories. He now works primarily with wood and aluminum... but says he started with clay.
March 27, 2001 - Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life supports the bill to create a "Choose Life" license plate for vehicles. Money from the plates would assist women who made an adoption plan. Catholic charities and New Horizons have helped back this concept. The idea came from Florida.
March 20, 2001 - At 7:31 this morning we mark the passing of the vernal equinox, one of two times each year when the amount of daylight and darkness are equal. Though it would be hard to tell by our still snow-covered landscape, the vernal equinox marks the official beginning of spring. I visited the Lowry Nature Center and took a hike through the woods with Interpretive Naturalist Dianne Rowse, to see if we could find any signs of spring. She says LAST year, those signs came early.
March 15, 2001 - INTRO-- The St. Paul Area Synod, which oversees Lutheran churches in the St. Paul area, will meet later this afternoon and will consider whether to suspend one of its churches. St. Paul-Reformation Lutheran Church is on the hot seat because it has decided to ordain Anita Hill. Hill is a lesbian woman in a committed relationship. That puts her church out of line with the ELCA, the governing body of about ten thousand lutheran churches across the country. Hill initially decided not to pursue a divinity degree because of the church's position. Then, in 1983, she joined St. Paul Reformation-- and says she found support for her wish to be ordained.
March 14, 2001 - Construction, which is the general contractor for the project. He says reroofing the dome is definitely the toughest part of the job.
March 9, 2001 - President Bush is in Sioux Falls, South Dakota this morning to promote his one-point-three trillion dollar tax plan. Nearly twelve thousand people turned out in Fargo, North Dakota yesterday to hear Bush speak. Minnesota Public Radio's Cara Hetland is in Sioux Falls, where President Bush is scheduled to speak at the National Guard Armory later this morning.
March 9, 2001 - INTRO-- Tigers will be in the spotlight at the Minnesota Zoo this weekend. The zoo has organized a weekend of speakers, films, kids' games, and other activities-- all to educate the public about tiger conservation. The Minnesota Zoo has five Amur tigers of its own-- and it's also considered a leader in international tiger conservation efforts. Dr. Ron Tilson is the director of conservation at the zoo. He's just returned from Indonesia, where the zoo is involved in an ongoing study of wild Sumatran tigers. He says tigers are in big trouble.