December 28, 2006 - Now we'll get reaction to the events we've been hearing about from the Somalis here in Minnesota. Minnesota is home to the largest population of Somali immigrants in the U.S. The state demographer estimates at least 25,000 Somalis live in the state. Most of them live in Minneapolis and are keeping careful track of the Ethiopian military's advance into Somalia and the ensuing violence. This morning, I went to a coffee shop in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood of Minneapolis. I asked the Somalis I met there how they're keeping track of events in their homeland. I also got their opinions on the news.
November 14, 2006 -
November 8, 2006 - All Things Considered’s Tom Crann interviews Sam Hurd, a student at Mankato West High School West, who took a geography class with Tim Walz as his teacher. Hurd describes the experience, noting Walz as both ‘worldy’ and ‘normal guy.’
October 11, 2006 - MPR’s Tom Crann interviews poet Tess Gallagher and asks her to read selected poems.
October 2, 2006 - MPR’s Tom Crann talks with St. Paul poet Alex Lemon about his book collection of poems is called "Mosquito." Lemon reads from book.
September 4, 2006 - MPR’s Tom Crann talks with Minneapolis poet Leslie Ball about her experience watching and writing about the Minnesota State Fair.
September 4, 2006 - All Things Considered’s Tom Crann interview Pioneer Press reporter Alex Friedrich, who was assigned the task of visiting the State Fair for twelve days and only eating items that were on a stick. It was trickier than it seems.
August 2, 2006 - Somalia's interim government is backed by Europe and the US, but it is nearly powerless. And it continues to unravel. Four more government ministers resigned today, just the latest of dozens to resign in the past few weeks. They're protesting the government's reluctance to work with the Supreme Islamic Courts Union. That's the full name of the Islamists who control Somalia's capitol, Mogadishu. They took over from US-backed warlords there in June.
June 19, 2006 - The United Nations has warned that wider conflict is likely in Somalia after militia groups loyal to Islamic courts achieved military victories over secular warlords who are believed to be backed by the United States. The African Union and Western nations are pushing ahead with plans to send foreign peacekeepers to Somalia. But rulers in the Somali capital of Mogadishu strongly object to foreign troops entering the country. Ali Khalif Galaydh was prime minister of Somaila from late 2000 until the end of 2001. He is now a visiting professor the Humphrey Institute at the University of Minnesota. I spoke with him earlier this afternoon.
June 7, 2006 - After George Bush said that all new immigrants to the United States must speak English, the Minnesota literacy organization says it's a contradictory statement. The Bush administration has cut literacy funding by more than 56% in the last few years. Bush came under fire for the statement from Democrats as well as member of his own party.