August 6, 2007 - The wife of construction worker Greg Jolstad says she presumes her husband did not survive the fall of the Interstate 35W Bridge because she has not heard from him since the bridge collapsed last Wednesday. Lisa Jolstad says her husband was a homebody who loved gardening, sports and simple pleasures like grilling in the backyard with his family. Lisa Jolstad visited the Mississippi River accident site Saturday along with other victims' families. She says the visit helped her cope with the frustration of waiting for divers to recover his body. Minnesota Public Radio's Lorna Benson reports.
August 3, 2007 - Minneapolis's interstate bridge collapse has caught the attention of the world. Federal officials flew to the state yesterday (Thursday) to pledge financial and technical support for the recovery effort. Members of the news media from far and wide also flocked to the accident site. And over the next 24 hours, both President Bush and his wife Laura will make separate visits to the city.In stark contrast to all of the attention is the recovery effort itself. Very little progress has been made so far. The number of confirmed dead remains unchanged at four, with 20 to 30 people still reported missing. As Minnesota Public Radio's Lorna Benson reports, it's an indication of the enormous challenges facing the recovery workers.{
August 2, 2007 - At least seven people are confirmed dead (WATCH FOR UPDATES) and dozens are injured or missing after last night's collapse of a freeway bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. The Interstate-35 bridge spans some 500 feet of the river as it winds past downtown Minneapolis. The search for victims was called off as darkness fell. And rescue workers say they will continue what they're now calling a recovery operation today. Minnesota Public Radio's Lorna Benson reports.
April 25, 2007 - Minnesota has long prided itself on its high-achieving students. The state has the highest A-C-T scores in the nation and it historically has had one of the highest graduation rates too. But when you talk to employers about Minnesota's talent pool, you hear a lot of concern. They say there aren't enough workers with math and science backgrounds to fill many of the state's newly-created knowledge jobs. These careers, in engineering, technology and science, are expected to be an increasingly significant part of the state's economy in the future. The jobs-trend troubles employers, who are in turn driving the debate over whether high schools are obsolete. Minnesota Public Radio's Lorna Benson has the next installment in our series.
April 17, 2007 - MPR's Lorna Benson reports that public health officials have issued new fish consumption advisories after finding elevated levels of a 3M perfluorinated chemical in bluegills from a Minneapolis lake and in Mississippi River fish as far south as Winona.
January 11, 2007 - A day after Senate Democrats touted their plan to cover to more uninsured Minnesotans, Governor Pawlenty unveiled his health care agenda for the session. Like the Democrats, the Governor proposes covering more uninsured people. But Pawlenty's approach to the problem is quite different. Minnesota Public Radio's Lorna Benson reports.
August 11, 2006 - MPR’s Lorna Benson looks at the life of W. Harry Davis, Minneapolis civil rights activist and educator, who passed away on August 11th, 2006. Davis rose from humble beginnings in a poor, segregated north Minneapolis neighborhood to prominent business and civic leadership in the Twin Cities.
July 28, 2006 - What would it cost to cover Minnesota's approximately 383-thousand uninsured people? On the low end, about $663 million dollars a year, state officials say. On the high end, the bill could jump to more than $850 million. The estimates come from a new background paper issued by the Minnesota Department of Health. The Governor's Healthcare Cabinet requested the numbers as it considers ways to develop healthcare coverage in the state. Minnesota Public Radio's Lorna Benson reports.
August 4, 2005 - Dr. Andrew Portis, a Twin Cities physician, is trying to figure out why the Hmong patients he sees appear to be more prone to kidney stones than his patients who are not Hmong. Portis also is hoping his research will shed light on why many Hmong patients refuse treatment until they have reached a crisis.
December 16, 2004 - As part of the series A Mirror on Morality, MPR’s Lorna Benson talks with six parishioners from Macalester Plymouth United Church in St. Paul about the 2004 elections. Five are gay, the other a lesbian. Exit polls suggest that many Christians cast their ballots based on moral concerns, including strong opposition to gay marriage. The six discuss that "moral values" influenced their voting too - just in a different way.