December 19, 2003 - MPR’s Cathy Wurzer interviews Barbara Johnson, Minneapolis city council member about prospective candidates for new Minneapolis police chief. Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak has officially narrowed his list of candidates for the next police chief to Charles Moose, the former chief in Maryland's Montgomery County, and William McManus, Dayton, Ohio police chief. The decision cut from consideration two respected deputy chiefs currently in the department, Lucy Gerold and Sharon Lubinski. While the mayor has supporters for the finalists, there are signals that the outsiders will be a tough and divisive sell. Johnson, who represents the city's 4th Ward, says she's disappointed that Gerold and Lubinski did not make the final cut.
December 18, 2003 - Morning Edition’s Cathy Wurzer interviews Mee Moua, a Minnesota state senator, about the potential of new Hmong refugees to the Twin Cities. The U.S. State Department has reached an agreement with the government of Thailand which could bring thousands of new Hmong refugees to the United States. 14,000 Hmong people are living in the last refugee camp of its kind in Thailand.
December 10, 2003 - MPR’s Cathy Wurzer interviews Tony Bouza, former Minneapolis police chief, on his thoughts about the hiring of a new police chief. According to Mayor Rybak's PR people, the mayor will release names of finalists for the job of police chief in Minneapolis. They anticipate six or seven finalists. Tony Bouza discusses the process, including benefits of hiring outside the department. He also speaks of hiring a black or female police chief.
November 26, 2003 - Minnesota DNR conservation officers are investigating a possible suspect in a tree top caper, that's devestated a state-owned black spruce plantation. Officials say the tops of ten to twenty thousand spruce trees were lopped-off recently, in a remote area north of Nashwauk on the Iron Range. It's thought the tree tops are on their way to other cities where they will be sold as small Christmas trees. Brian Buria is with the DNR's Bigfork office. He says a commercial first tippped him off to the theft.
September 25, 2003 - MPR’s Cathy Wurzer interviews Susan Crumb, a community prosecutor in Brooklyn Park. The Hennepin County Attorney's Office hosting a two-day national meeting on Thursday-Friday, September 25-26, with focus on "community prosecution." In 1999, Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar initiated this new approach to crime-fighting. This approach is based on a closer working relationship between prosecutors and the local neighborhoods and communities where crime is occurring. Prosecutors are assigned to work with police, local residents, businesses and others in a specific geographic area to develop strategies for preventing and prosecuting crime, as well as to identify appropriate consequences for those who break the law.
September 24, 2003 - The Minnesota Twins clinched the Central Division title and made the MLB playoffs for second straight year. The Twins 4-1 victory over Cleveland at the Metrodome, coupled with losses by Kansas City and Chicago, clinched the division title. After the Twins game ended, fans watched the end of the other games on the Metrodome scoreboard and then celebrated the title. LaVelle Neal, who covers the Twins for the Star Tribune, was there and joins Morning Edition’s Cathy Wurzer to describe the scene.
September 4, 2003 - The Minnesota Twins find themselves in a tie for first place in the American League Central this morning after a remarkable victory at the Metrodome. The Twins beat the Anaheim Angels 6-5 on the strength of a wild play in the bottom of the ninth inning. MPR's Jim Bickal was at the game and he's in studio to recollect on memorable moment.
August 21, 2003 - The Minnesota Twins are just a 1/2 game behind the first place Kansas City Royals in the American League Central Division. Morning Edition’s Cathy Wurzer talks with Star Tribune’s LaVelle Neal about the chances that the Twins can take the lead.
August 20, 2003 - California Governor Gray Davis was on statewide TV last night in his political fight for survival. Challenger Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of the first candidates running television ads, and a judge today may rule on whether to delay the recall effort. Two Minnesotans, well known in political circles, are helping California gubnatorial candidate Arianna Huffington. Dean Barkely is her campaign manager, and Bill Hillsman is heading up the ad campaign. Hillsman is known for his creative ads for the late Senator Paul Wellstone and former Governor Jesse Ventura. Hillsman says the biggest reason he's working for Huffington is that they are friends.
August 20, 2003 - While the old stand-bys like pork chops on a stick, carnival games, and big concerts draw more than a million people, all of those oldies but goodies had to get their start somewhere along the 144 year history of the fair. Jerry Hammer, executive vice president of the Minnesota State Fair talks about what's new for 2003.