May 8, 2002 - The long-time publisher of the Daily Globe in Worthington, James Vance died yesterday. Considered an industry innovator, He left his mark on the paper as reporter, photographer and later publisher. In the early sixties, Vance introduced a new form of publishing. "Cold type" was the precursor to today's computer typesetting. Vance hired a young photographer named Jim Brandenburg. Brandenburg later went on to become an award-winning National Geographic photographer. Brandenburg was head of the photography department at the Globe for many years. He says Vance left a profound impression on him.
February 19, 2002 - St. Paul is celebrating the legacy of the state's first black architect. Mayor Randy Kelly proclaimed today Cap Wigington Day. Wigington is best known for his work in the City Architect's office as a draftsman and architect from the twenties to the forties. Wigington designed public schools and other municipal buildings that continue to define the city's landscape. But some of his most creative work was designing ice castles for the St. Paul Winter Carnival. The Minnesota Historical Society has just published a new book about his contributions to St. Paul. Paul Larson is the co-author of "Cap Wigington: An Architectural Legacy in Ice and Stone." Larson says when Wigington moved to St. Paul in 1914, African American architects were very rare.
December 18, 2001 - MPR’s Tasya Rosenfeld talks with David Fey about affordable housing in Minneapolis. Mayor-elect R.T. Rybak today introduced his 90-day plan to increase affordable housing in Minneapolis. Rybak says he wants to change development codes and regulations to encourage renovation. He also hopes to use four million dollars of Neighborhood Redevelopment funds to pay for more housing. Rybak has chosen David Fey, a long-time affordable housing advocate to be his deputy mayor. Fey was the vice chairman of a task force which recommended in 1999 that the city council spend fifty million dollars to create more affordable housing. Fey says one of Rybak's approaches to the housing crisis is to reduce the existing sea of red tape.
November 22, 2001 - Henry Bosse was hired by the Army Corps of Engineers to photograph the Upper Mississippi River at the turn of the century. His photographs of the Mississippi from St. Anthony Falls to Grafton, Ilinois show the transformation of the river from an untamed wilderness to the busy commercial corridor of the industrial era. Bosse printed his river photos using iron salts to produce a misty blue image. The photos were first displayed at the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago. Because they were government property the army sold copies for a mere 40 cents. Today the prints are worth twenty-five thousand dollars. University of St. Thomas Journalism professor Mark Neuzil has compiled Bosse's photos in "Views on the Mississippi: The Photographs of Henry Peter Bosse."
February 28, 2001 - The last day of February means anglers have to take their ice houses off Minnesota lakes. But with so much snow on the ground, skiing and snowmobiling enthusiasts are still living it up. And for some Minnesotans, another winter activity could start any day -- maple sugaring. The season is unpredictable -- requiring warm days and cold nights. Author Susan Carol Hauser writes about maple sugaring and is preparing to tap the trees near her Bemidji-area home. She says according to folklore a wet winterlike the one we've had means more sap.