August 7, 2007 - Designers and builders face a Wednesday morning deadline to show they're qualified to bid on the 35W bridge replacement project. State transportation officials have put the project on a fast track. They plan to award contracts next month, with the goal of having a new bridge standing at the end of 2008. Bob McFarlin, assistant to state transportation commissioner Carol Molnau, says the design of a new bridge has not yet been determined. But he says advanced engineering and technology will be included.
August 7, 2007 - A consultant's report last summer warned the Minnesota Department of Transportation that the areas of the Interstate 35W bridge that were hardest to see were considered most susceptible to fatigue cracking. The consultant told state officials that if a crack did occur from some unusual causes it wasn't likely that it would be discovered quickly. Bob McFarlin, assistant to transportation commissioner Carol Molnau, does not dispute the report's warning. But he told MPR that the National Transportation Safety Board will look at all inspection reports as part of its investigation.
August 6, 2007 - Twin Cities motorists appear to be adapting to the loss of a section of major freeway, which was closed by the 35W bridge collapse. State officials say the Monday morning commute went better than expected, with drivers using alternate routes and new detours. Bus ridership also appeared to get a boost. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.
December 8, 2006 - “The McCarthy Tapes” takes the listener back to the 1968 campaign through audio recordings of the Eugene McCarthy archive, which documents a turbulent time in America's history. McCarthy’s political legacy will forever be defined by 1968, when McCarthy turned his opposition to the Vietnam War into a crusade for the presidency.
September 22, 2006 - The three candidates for congress in Minnesota's 6th district are offering distinctly different views on health care, taxes and the war in Iraq. Republican Michele Bachmann, Democrat Patty Wetterling and John Binkowski of the Independence Party covered a wide range of issues last night during a debate held in Woodbury. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.
May 25, 2006 - A new report from Minnesota's legislative auditor says the overall economic impact of immigrants in Minnesota is positive, but the study also says the cost of illegal immigrants to state taxpayers is largely unknown. That finding runs counter to a report issued last year by Governor Pawlenty that pegged the annual cost to the state at $188 million. The Office of the Legislative Auditor examined several existing studies on the economic impact of immigrants, and released its analysis today at the state Capitol. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.
May 9, 2006 - The DFL-controlled Minnesota Senate has side-stepped a showdown on abortion by stripping several measures out of its budget bill. Lawmakers passed a $127 million supplemental spending measure last night on a vote of 64 to 3. The original bill involved much more state spending. But with several abortion-related amendments looming, DFL leaders pulled out nearly $80 million dollars worth of health and human services provisions. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.
March 23, 2006 - MPR’s Tim Pugmire reports on a "People of Faith” rally at the Minnesota State Capital, where opponents of a proposed constitutional amendment to define marriage as between one man and one woman gathered at the state Capitol.
March 8, 2006 - The list of immigration reform ideas at the state Capitol is growing longer. DFL Senators unveiled a package of proposals today that focuses on education and workforce issues. The plan contrasts with Governor Pawlenty's immigration agenda, which includes initiatives to crack down on illegal immigrants. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.
December 12, 2005 - One of Minnesota's most famous sons slipped away Saturday morning. Eugene McCarthy, the Minnesota senator whose 1968 presidential campaign energized the anti-Vietnam War movement, is no longer with us, but his friends and admirers will never forget him.