May 15, 2001 - George W Bush will be focusing on energy when he visits Saint Paul this week. The President is scheduled to make a speech on energy policy to an invitation-only audience of Twin Cities business leaders. President Bush will also tour the plant that heats and cools most of the buildings in downtown Saint Paul. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen went to see what the President will see...
May 14, 2001 - The University of Minnesota fired women's basketball coach Cheryl Littlejohn today (Mon) for violating NCAA rules. An investigation completed last week found Littlejohn gave cash and other gifts to players, interfered with a university investigation into the program, and broke the NCAA limits on practices. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen reports...
May 11, 2001 - More than a thousand people toasted Mississippi River revitalization at a banquet at Saint Paul's River Centre last night (Thurs). The dinner capped a day-long conference at which people involved in river development from Bemidji to Saint Louis traded advice and anecdotes about their efforts. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen reports...
May 10, 2001 - Saint Paul is welcoming fifteen hundred visitors who are in town to talk about the future of the Mississippi River and the communities along its banks. At the Millard Fillmore Conference today (Thurs) and tomorrow, people from several river towns will compare notes and share tips on waterfront revitalization in their communities. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen has more...
May 9, 2001 - The assembly line brought a dramatic change to Twentieth Century manufacturing by allowing products to be mass produced. At the start of a new century, technology is again changing manufacturing by allowing more products to be custom-made. In an age of computers and robots, even the job skills needed to work in manufacturing are becoming more specialized. The St. Paul Port Authority held a ceremony today (Wed) on the shop floor of a Midway neighbhorhood business that has benefitted from the port's "Customized Job Training" program. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen reports...
May 7, 2001 - Saint Paul is solidifying its plans for three summers from now, when a fleet of riverboats will come churning upstream bringing visitors to explore the Upper Mississippi. City officials today (Mon) released a list of thirty-seven projects that various neighborhood, business, and arts groups have commited to complete in time for the "Grand Excursion of 2004." Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen reports...
May 3, 2001 - Dozens of schoolbuses will be pulling up to downtown Saint Paul's convention center later this morning (Thurs) for the start of the Festival of Nations. For the sixty-ninth year the festival will showcase foods, dances, crafts, and cultural traditions from around the world. Additions to the program this year include a Moroccan cafe and a Russian dance troupe. But many of the traditions on display have been standbys at the festival for decades. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen caught up with the man who's organized the Festival's Italian boccie ball demonstration for 22 years and has this report...
May 2, 2001 - Saint Paul officials say the Charlie Brown hotline is one of the hottest lines in town. Many in the capital city are optimistic the follow-up to last summer's popular series of Snoopy statues will be even more successful. The promotion is part of the city's tribute to Saint Paul native Charles Schulz, the creator of the Peanuts comic strip. Organizers say dozens of Saint Paul businesses have lined up to sponsor the Charlie Browns. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen reports...
May 1, 2001 - The Minnesota Timberwolves' season ended last night (Mon) with a 97 to 84 loss to the San Antonio Spurs in game four of their first round playoff series. This was the fifth straight first-round elimination for the Timberwolves. Players acknowledged frustration over another early playoff exit ... but also took pride in having overcome adversity just to make it back into the post-season again this year. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen reports...
April 26, 2001 - Saint Paul officials are celebrating the return of housing to the Upper Landing. A ceremony at the Mississippi riverfront site today (Thursday) marked the start of pollution cleanup. That will be followed by construction of six hundred units of housing. Once the heart of Saint Paul's Italian community, floodwaters and industrial contaminants have prevented construction there in recent decades. But city boosters see the new project as a victory over those obstacles and a sign of the development momentum along the river. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen reports...