April 18, 2002 - A Madison, Wisconsin, -based group plans to file a lawsuit against La Crosse for keeping a Ten Commandments monument in a public park. Members of the Freedom From Religion Foundation spoke last night at a public hearing in La Crosse. They say the monument violates the separation of church and state. After the hearing the La Crosse City Council voted by an overwhelming margin to let the statue remain in the city park. Minnesota Public Radio's Laurel Druley has this report.
April 15, 2002 - Nestled in the limestone bluffs of southeastern Minnesota is the Root River valley. As trout fishermen from all over the state made their pilgrimage to the Root River this past weekend for the opener, many stopped in the town of Lanesboro to see the wreckage. A fire earlier in the week destroyed three businesses and displaced four families. The townspeople are still in a state of shock. On Friday they learned that the Lanesboro police chief had confessed to starting the fire to impress an ex-girlfriend. Mainstreet Radio's Laurel Druley tells us how Lanesboro is recovering. About 15 shiny red and blue bicycles are parked in front of the heap of blackened bricks and wood. A charred mattress and a melted bike tire are a couple of the recognizable remains sitting behind the yellow do not cross tape.
April 9, 2002 - People who live along Highway 14 say it's the deadliest highway in Minnesota. From the South Dakota border to Rochester, residents and business owners say an expansion of the two-lane highway is way overdue. Some supporters of the project say metro road improvements have sapped state transportation funds, and they're worried about being ignored as the transportation debate focuses on the Twin Cities suburbs. As part of our series, "Are We There Yet?," Minnesota Public Radio's Laurel Druley tells us why.
March 27, 2002 - The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals has re-affirmed that cities do have legal authority to restrict adult businesses. In the case between Jake's Bar versus the city of Coates the court ruled in favor of the city. It's a case that may influence decisions in other cities where the locaiton of strip clubs is an issue. Minnesota Public Radio's Laurel Druley has this report.
March 26, 2002 - There's another wave of immigration in Rochester. Two decades ago a couple thousand southeast Asians came to the city and more recently Rochester became home to the second largest Somali population in Minnesota. This time it's Bosnians. Housing is tight and for immigrants it's especially difficult to get a mortgage. In Bosnia housing is completely different. There's no such thing as a real estate agent. But many have recently found their way through the system and have bought homes.
March 18, 2002 - In southeastern Minnesota there are 33 road construction projects slated to begin this year. The largest of these is the Highway 52 expansion. Even though the amount of state funding remains uncertain, the project preparation is underway. Minnesota Department of Transportation officials are in the process of buying property from business and home owners along Highway 52 in Rochester. Reconstructing the four-lane highway has been on the books for a decade. So moving should come as no surprise to property owners. But that doesn't make the process any easier. Mainstreet Radio's Laurel Druley has this report.
March 13, 2002 - A comprehensive study released today by the Mayo Clinic found Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, affects 7 and a half percent of school age children. Prior research has found widely varying percentages of students with ADHD, but Mayo researchers are confident they have an accurate number given the scope of the project. The research also found that ritalin and other stimulants used to treat ADHD were rarely prescribed to children without the disorder. Minnesota Public Radio's Laurel Druley has this report.
February 19, 2002 - Mainstreet Radio's Laurel Druley tagged along on a recent tour Grand Meadow's dome schools in southeastern Minnesota. The 96,000 square foot school is touted as the largest of its kind in the country and will serve about 365 students in preschool through 12th grade.
February 15, 2002 - Rochester's underground film scene heads to the mall this weekend. Local film-makers will screen their work over the next few days at the Happy Penguin Film Festival. For the first time in six years the festival will be shown on the big screen at a shopping mall theater. Mainstreet Radio's Laurel Druley reports.
February 11, 2002 - In the world of advertising branding is hot -- from the Nike swoosh to the Joy of Pepsi. Now, Mankato leaders want to brand their city. In hopes of attracting more tourists and business people they've hired an Iowa advertising firm to create a marketing campaign to promote Mankato. Branding a product is not a new concept but branding a city is. MainStreet Radio's Laurel Druley has this report on the latest advertising trend.