May 1, 2001 - MPR’s Lorna Benson visits the Metrodome during a Minnesota Twins practice to chat with players, including Doug Mientkiewicz, who joined the Twins in 1999. Mientkiewicz was sent back down to the minors after a disappointing season, but has since come back strong. In the early 2001 season, He has a 13 game hitting streak and leads the Twins in key offensive categories: .380 average, six home runs, and 21 RBIs.
April 26, 2001 - Food aficionados: this is your weekend. The greatest names in gastronomy are descending on the Twin Cities for the 29th annual International Association of Culinary Professionals conference at the Minneapolis Convention Center. Chef Walter Potenza owns an Italian restaurant in Providence, Rhode Island and he works with Bloomington-based Freshetta Frozen Pizza. He believes in preserving traditional cooking styles:
April 23, 2001 - President Bush will travel to Sweden this summer for a summit meeting between the United States and the European Union. Sweden is a new member to the E.U. and will preside over the organization this year. As Swedish Ambassador to the U.S., it's Jan Elliasson's (ehl-ee-EHS-sun) job to promote his country's interests and those of the European Union. During a two-day visit to Minnesota last week, Elliasson talked about his country's hopes for the upcoming conference. He says summit organizers don't want the conference to bog down over banana tariffs and hormone-enhanced beef at the expense of more serious and long-term issues.
April 19, 2001 - Israel came to a standstill today to remember the victims of the Nazi Holocaust. Sirens wailed for two minutes across the Jewish state to commemorate the six million Jews killed during World War Two. In the United States, President Bush spoke at ceremony in the Capitol rotunda where he described the Holocaust as one of history's great crimes. The word holocaust is never mentioned in N.M. Kelby's new novel "In the Company of Angels," but the horrific event is clearly the backdrop her young jewish character, Marie Claire, is trying to escape.
April 18, 2001 - All Things Considered’s Lorna Benson interviews State Patrol Chief Anne Beers about overtime being offered in fulfilling security of the governor. Some of Jesse Ventura's State Patrol security officers are earning nearly as much per year as the governor.
April 16, 2001 - The Minnesota Twins are off to their best start ever. They're sitting at the top of the major league standings with a 9 and 2 record. Tonight, they take on the Kansas City Royals -- the only team that's beaten Minnesota this season. La Velle Neal covers the Twins for the Star Tribune. He says it's been a long time since he's seen a start like this.
April 13, 2001 - Many Granite Falls residents will take time off from the sandbag lines this weekend to celebrate the Easter holiday. Bruce Kenzel is the Pastor of Granite Falls Lutheran Church. He says his congregation will be ready for the break after a long bittersweet week:
April 12, 2001 - MPR’s Lorna Benson interviews Winona resident Calvin Fremling, who shares memories of 1965 flood that threatened the town.
April 11, 2001 - Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Gunderson. The heaviest rain is yet to come. Meteorologist Greg Gust is with the National Weather Service in Grand Forks. He says most of the heavy rain is centered in Nebraska but it is moving into the region.
April 9, 2001 - MPR’s Lorna Benson interviews author and Minnesota Twins fan Mick Cochrane, who grew up watching team during one of the their winning streaks in the late 1960's. His love for the team inspired his latest novel, Sport. In the book, 13-year-old Harlan uses the regular rhythm of baseball and his beloved Twins to anchor his increasingly chaotic life.