Almanac Producer's Blog

Almanac Highlights February 27, 2009

The Monologue
Who thinks about time travel these days?  Cartoonist David Gillette, that's who.

A Decent-Sized Snowstorm
Thursday's burst of snow brought the Twin Cities up to the average total of snowfall for this time of year.  What does the rest of the winter hold in store?  Paul Douglas from WeatherNation is here for his monthly chat.   

Local Government VS the Governor
Local cities, fire and public safety groups are quarreling with Governor Pawlenty about levels of state aid.  Our Mary Lahammer has the latest from the capitol. 

Refugees from Bhutan
On Saturday February 28, 2009 about a hundred or so members of Minnesota's Bhutanese community will hold its first cultural festival.  We find out more about the latest immigrant group to our state with guest Mangala Sharma from the Nirvana Center. 

Pinocchio Opera Live!
Find out about Minnesota Opera's American Premiere of the Opera Pinocchio.  Composer Jonathon Dove will be our guest and then we'll be treated to Ben Wager's singing.

Remembering Bill Holm
Minneota, Minnesota's resident poet and essayist Bill Holm died this week of pnuemonia at age 65.  We hear Holm in his own words from the 1990 tpt production "Not Quite American: Bill Holm."

Unemployment Spikes in Minnesota
On Thursday of this week new state jobless rate figures were released.  And the new rate of 7.6 matches the federal number.  DEED Commissioner Dan McElroy stops by to talk about his take on the slumping economy.

The Political Scientist Panel
Larry Jacobs, Steven Schier and Kathryn Pearson discuss Obama and his budget, the Senate trial and early rumblings about the next Governor's race. 

The Wrapup
Who got sick in Minneapolis in 1907?  What what was 12 year old Harold Conrad's claim to fame in 1963?  After we dispense of these questions, we'll play a tune by the Wolvernines and Shirley Witherspoon from 1981. 

Almanac Highlights February 20, 2009

The Week's Monologue
Jim Ragsdale pays homage to the bus ride. 

RNC Charges Dropped
On Friday St. Paul City Attorney John Choi dropped charges against more than 300 protesters arrested on the last day of the Republican National Convention.  He joins us to tell us why. 

Congressman John Kline
Minnesota's longest-serving Republican member of Congress gives us his take on actions out of Washington. 

King in Minnesota:  The Lost 1959 Broadcast
We show you a clip of a priceless 1959 KTCA interview with Martin Luther King Jr.  Long lost, the interview will air Sunday night February 22 at 7, 8 and 9 pm on the statewide digital Minnesota Channel.  King's interviewer is L. Howard Bennett, Minnesota's first African-American judge.

Live Music From Romantica
Call them Americana, folk, alt-country, pop...  you make up your own mind.  Romantica will be playing the Cedar Cultural Center Saturday February 21 at 7 pm but first the group joins us live in Studio B.  

Sports with Larry Fitzgerald
Larry Sr. stops by for his monthly sports chatter.  Larry writes for the Spokesman Recorder newspaper and does radio work for the National Programming Network.

Citizens Talk Budget
Our Mary Lahammer spent Friday in Albert Lea at one of the many citizen public hearings held around the state this month.  Here's her report.

The Week's Political Panel
Tonight's version includes Republicans Sarah Janecek and Andy Brehm and Democrats Mike Hatch and Andy Dawkins.  The State Budget, the Federal Stimulus Package and the Senate Trial are good bets for topics.

The Wrapup
What was the Silver Bay record-setting parade attempt?  And what famed American got violently ill in the Twin Cities in June of 1907?  Then we end the show with another tune by Romantica.

Almanac Highlights February 13, 2009

The Week's Monologue
Sheletta Brundidge opines on motherhood.

Minnesota Taxes
A Governor-appointed tax reform commission issued recommendations Friday that would cut business taxes in our state and extend the sales tax to more goods and services.  We hear from Commission Chair Mike Vekich and from Dane Smith with the group Growth & Justice. 

National Guard Troops Deploy
Our guest is General Larry Shellito with the Minnesota National Guard.  He talks about the Guard's unusual deployment to Iraq.

Red Bull Families
This year on Almanac we will be following the stories of National Guard members in Iraq... and keeping an eye on their families back here in Minnesota.  We introduce you to some of the people you will get to know during the next twelve months. 

Digital TV Transition
It's coming next week to some Minnesota PBS viewers.  Our Mary Lahammer gives you the lowdown on station plans and where to get more information.

Cameras in Court
Find out about a new trial program that will allow TV cameras in our state's courtrooms. 

The Legislative Week That Was
Mary Lahammer covers the wide range of issues debated this week at the State Capitol.  On the docket:  booster seats, medical marijuana and gay marriage.

Former Lawmakers Panel
We talk taxes, voting reforms and big deficits.  Former DFL lawmakers Ember Reichgott Junge and Wes Skoglund have some give and take with ex-GOP legislators Dan Dorman and John Berns. 

The Wrapup
Last week's Index File question is answered and we introduce you to Jolly Mr. Taconite.  Show-ending music courtesy of the late Blossom Dearie who performed on KTCA in 1981. 

Almanac Highlights February 6, 2009

The Monologue
Dominic Papatola has been thinking about politics.  Perhaps a bit too much. 

The Digital TV Transition
Are you confused by this week's Congressional action to delay the digital switchover?  Hopefully Jim Du Bois with the Minnesota Broadcasters Association might be able to help. 

Freezing Pay of Government Workers
Some Republicans at the capitol want to freeze the pay of public workers to help plug the state budget gap.  We bring you a debate with Senator Dave Hann and Eliot Seide from AFSCME. 

Did You Know?
That a Senate committee this week had a little fun with an old quote by Governor Pawlenty?

Pond Hockey
We show you a clip from a documentary that will air Feb 10 on tpt2.  Producer J. T. Haines also chats about the program. 

Foundation Heads Talk About the Economy
How are our state's two leading community foundations dealing with the economic downturn?  Sandra Vargas, head of the Minneapolis Foundation sits down with Carleen Rhodes, head of the Saint Paul Foundation. 

The Senate Trial
Lots of Senate news this week in St. Paul.  Our Mary Lahammer has the latest.

Senate Trial Reporters
We check in with three reporters covering the Senate trial:  Rachel Stassen-Berger with the Pioneer Press, Pat Doyle with the Star Tribune and Jay Weiner with MinnPost.

The Wrapup
Last week's tricky Index File question... this week's query about the performers who were at the St. Paul Auditorium on May 15, 1954... and a tune from the archives by Rhonda Vincent.