October 30, 2004 - Tomorrow is Halloween--the perfect time to curl up with a new spooky story. A man being swallowed alive by an Irish bog is the first scene in Minnesota author Erin Hart's new novel "Lake of Sorrows."
September 25, 2004 - The groundbreaking for a living memorial to Senator Paul Wellstone and his wife Sheila takes place tomorrow on the West Side of St. Paul. A new community building named for the couple will be constructed for the El Rio Vista Recreation Center and Neighborhood House. A St Paul synagogue founded Neighborhood House over 100 years ago to help Jewish settlers. It now serves mainly immigrants from Somalia, Mexico and Laos. Paul and Shelia Wellstone's son Mark joins me now.
September 18, 2003 - MPR's Stephanie Curtis reports that the Minnesota Orchestra is celebrating its centennial year with its new music director, Osmo Vänskä , finally in place. He is the orchestra's tenth music director and like others, he will be compared with his predecessors. Some critics say they hope the orchestra doesn't repeat mistakes made when it appointed Eiji Oue as music director.
August 27, 2003 - At the Creative Arts building, you'll spot some carousels of glass display cases. Every year, they house the winners of the State Fair postcard collection contest. MPR’s Stephanie Curtis interviews a Fair judge about the cards.
August 8, 2003 - Say the name Peter Foda to most people and they think "Easy Rider." Fonda played the laid back, wrap-around-shades-wearing Captain America. That's been a problem for Fonda. In 1971 he directed "The Hired Hand." It's a western about a man who returns home to his wife after seven years of drifting. The critics loved it, but the audiences wanted Captain America and stayed away. Now, the movie's been restored and Fonda has come to Minneapolis to introduce a special screening. He told Minnesota Public Radio's Stephanie Curtis that he wasn't looking to direct a film when he found the script to "The Hired Hand".
July 10, 2003 - In 1991, during the first Gulf War, all journalists were required to travel in a pool, following the military's orders. A few bucked the system and headed out into the battle zone alone. One journalist who ventured away was caught and held incommunicado by the U-S Marines for 24 hours. The incident sparked the imagination of playwright Vincent Delaney. His play, Kuwait, based on the event opens at the Illusion Theater in Minneapolis tonight. Minnesota Public Radio's Stephanie Curtis talked to Delaney and to a Twin Cities journalist just back from the war: {Vincent Delaney, like most Americans spent a lot of time trolling television, radio, newspapers and the web during the most recent Gulf conflict. He says the media struck him as a touch gung ho:
May 23, 2002 - An All Things Considered/Mainstreet Radio profile of author and poet BIll Holm, his small home town Minneota, and literary history of nearby Marshall. Program includes interview with Holm, various readings performed by MPR staff, and musical elements.
October 12, 2001 - Tom Kelly was the manager of the Minnesota Twins when they won the World Series in 1987 and 1991. He is now retiring.
October 11, 2001 - The Wilder Research Center in St. Paul has found that most of Minnesota's homeless teens have been involved with social services agencies, yet still ended up leaving home. The finding is contained in a report released today on homeless youth. Rich Wayman helped with the study. He's the collaborative director of Streetworks, a group that provides outreach services to homeless youth. Wayman says young people are becoming homeless at a younger age:
October 9, 2001 - A bill introduced would cost $1.6 billion for all 50 states. This bill is an answer to the terrorist attacks.