October 10, 2003 - American Indians have the lowest level of educational attainment of any ethnic group in the country. But a growing movement to establish tribal colleges is having an impact. Just three decades ago, there wasn't a single tribal college in the country. Today there are 35, and the number is growing. While mainstream universities have struggled to attract and retain Indian students, tribal colleges are succeeding. In northern Minnesota, tribal colleges have become cornerstones of reservation life. And as Mainstreet Radio's Tom Robertson reports, larger universities are hoping to attract tribal college graduates. {
September 30, 2003 - Public defense lawyers across Minnesota are throwing up their arms in frustration. Public defenders say they're overburdened with huge caseloads. Budget cuts have forced lay-offs within their ranks. And more public defenders are quitting because of stress. Some say the crisis jeopardizes the legal rights of Minnesota's poor. As Mainstreet Radio's Tom Robertson reports, public defenders are turning to the Minnesota Supreme Court and the Legislature for help.
September 18, 2003 - A controversial pharmaceutical drug is destroying lives in northern Minnesota. OxyContin is a powerful narcotic painkiller that's been available since 1995. To cancer patients and chronic pain sufferers, OxyContin is a wonder drug that allows them to lead a more normal life. But OxyContin is highly addictive. And when it's snorted or injected, the drug produces a heroin-like and potentially lethal high. Some law enforcement officials in northern Minnesota say OxyContin abuse has become one of their biggest problems. And it's spreading. Mainstreet Radio's Tom Robertson reports... {
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August 20, 2003 - For more than a century, the Ojibwe language has been under assault. Generations of American Indians were forced into government or church-run boarding schools. Their native language and culture were forbidden. Today, only a few can speak Ojibwe fluently. But there are growing efforts to revive the language. Some say preserving it is essential to keeping the culture alive. And as Mainstreet Radio's Tom Robertson reports, language is also a vital link to the old spiritual ways. {
August 20, 2003 - On this Mainstreet Radio special report, MPR’s Cathy Wurzer presents “Rekindling the Spirit - The Rebirth of American Indian Spirituality.” Program includes various reports by MPR’s Dan Gunderson and Tom Robertson, and numerous interviews with Native Americans on spiritual beliefs and roots.
August 12, 2003 - A new round of soil testing is underway at the St. Regis Superfund site on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation. The former St. Regis wood treatment plant operated near downtown Cass Lake for about 30 years. The plant left behind cancer-causing chemicals in the soil and water. The federal government has been working to clean up the mess since the mid-1980s. But the site is still contaminated and poses a health risk to people living there. Mainstreet Radio's Tom Robertson reports...
July 28, 2003 - When Voyageurs National Park was created in 1975, there were still thousands of acres of private land within park boundaries. Voyaguers is in far nothern Minnesota nestled along some of the largest border lakes. The federal government immediately began buying up the privately held land. Home and cabin owners were forced to sell. But they were given a choice. Some sold their property outright. Many more purchased 25-year leases so they could stay longer. About 50 of those leases end this year. One of them is held by Norbert and Etta Jean Goulet. The elderly couple has been living alone on a small island on Rainy Lake for 40 years. Mainstreet Radio's Tom Robertson talked to the Goulets as they prepare to leave behind their pioneer island lifestyle.
July 11, 2003 - In this edition of Word of Mouth - Mainstreet Radio’s Tom Roberston profiles the writers of the Northwoods, including novelist Will Weaver; writer Kevin McColley; poet Susan Carol Hauser; and non-fiction writer Kent Nerburn / MPR’s Chris Roberts profiles Nathan Keeper’s “Fully Commited” comedy / St. Paul poet Paul Dickson reads a poem on highschool / Arts-round-up
June 16, 2003 - There are big changes ahead for ATV riders. This year, the Legislature passed Minnesota's first comprehensive plan regulating where people can ride off-road vehicles. Managing the sport has become one of the most divisive issues in years. The number of off-highway vehicles in the state has skyrocketed. They've caused major damage to the environment in some places. Some say the legislation didn't go far enough. But as Mainstreet Radio's Tom Robertson reports, for now, it seems, people on both sides of the issue have at least some reason to celebrate the new regulations... {