Almanac Producer's Blog

Almanac Highlights July 31, 2009

Jim Ragsdale Tweets
... in this week's monologue.

Cash for Clunkers This Weekend?
It appears the program will be up and operating thanks to House action on Friday.  Scott Lambert with the Minnesota Auto Dealers Association explains.

Transit Update
There's a new light rail line in the works... a proposed heavy rail line... more disagreement about the Central Corridor line.  Peter Bell with the Met Council stops by for a transit progress report.

Red Bull Father and Son
Meet the son of a pastor who is a serving as an assistant chaplain in the National Guard in Iraq. 

Zebra Mussel Mess
It's been a  bad year for zebra mussels in our state.  Luke Skinner from the Minnesota DNR brings us up to date on the invasive species. 

Brainstorming in Brainerd
A collection of state lawmakers gathered in Brainerd this week to reflect on the legislative session just ended.  Mary Lahammer has put together a report.

Kevin Diaz Hooks Up From DC
The Star Tribune political reporter joins us for a web chat from Washington DC.  Kevin covers the Minnesota congressional delegation day in and day out.

A Political Science Panel
We cover the big stories out of Washington and St. Paul with four noted political scientists:  Larry Jacobs (U of M), David Schultz (Hamline U), Stacey Hunter Hecht (Bethel U) and Kathryn Pearson (U of M).

The Wrapup
Minnesota history and a great clip from the tpt archives of violinist Mathew Trusler.

Almanac Highlights July 24, 2009

The Monologue
Roy Finden has something to say about accordions.

Falling Crime Rates
What's behind the news of falling crime rates in Minneapolis and elsewhere?  Chris Uggen is a sociologist at the U of M who studies crime.

Bill Green Steps Down
The Minneapolis Schools Superintendent announced this week he won't seek reappointment when his term expires next year.  He joins us to tell us why.

Minnesota County Fairs
It's a new book of photographs from dozens of county fairs from around the state.  Susan Lambert Miller snapped the photos and she was kind enough to sit down with us to say why she did it. 

Steve Kaul and the Brass Kings Live!
Steve and his band will be performing Saturday August 1 at the Hobgoblin Music Outdoor Stage in Red Wing.  It's all part of the Red House Record "Blues at the Barn" event.  Steve's band is using Almanac as a warm up.

Tough News From Iraq
On Friday the first of three Minnesota soldiers killed last week in Iraq was laid to rest.  Mary Lahammer speaks by satellite with Chaplain John Morris with the Minnesota National Guard's Red Bull unit.

Remembering Frank McCourt
The great Irish-American writer Frank McCourt died this week of cancer at age 78.  McCourt appeared a few years back on tpt's national series LIFE (Part 2).  We culled some classic clips from that tpt studio appearance.

This Week's Political Panel
The Obama Health care proposal is one of the topics for this week's group. Republicans David Strom and Andy Brehm match wits with Democrats Ember Reichgott Junge and Judy Carter Grundstrom. 

The Wrapup
Your weekly dose of Minnesota history questions along with another live tune by Steve Kaul and his band mates.

Almanac Highlights July 17, 2009

This Week's Monologue
David Gillette gives us a glimpse of his summertime travels, which seem to coincide with his friends' wedding schedules.

Metro Gang Strike Force
The interim gang fighting unit has been permanently shutdown after Hennepin County withdrew from it today. Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek joins us.

Civics 101
A national convention of Secretaries of State and a National Civic Summit all in one week. Sean Kershaw from the Citizens League and Secretary of State Mark Ritchie are our guests.

Personal Finance
Our personal finance guru Nathan Duggan joins us to wrap up our summertime personal finance series.

Sports with Fitzy
The Twins return to action after the All Star break and Brett Favre could be in a purple jersey by month's end. Larry Fitzgerald is here for his monthly sports round-up. 

Walker Arts Center
The Walker Arts Center begins their summertime Music and Movies series on Monday night. Philip Bither stops by to give us the lowdown. 

The Panel
This week's version of the political panel helps us update our Governor's race scorecard: Who's in, who's out, who's running for other offices? Republicans Fritz Knaak and Gregg Peppin square off against Democrats Denise Cardinal and Javier Morillo-Alicea.

It's A Wrap!
Last week's Index File Answer, this week's Index File Question, a found look back at last week's Minnesota Hospital episode and Dan Zanes music to send us home.

Almanac July 10, 2009

The Week's Monologue
Sheletta Brundidge is the one standing next to the monitor this week.   And yes, she's wearing a choir robe. 

A New Plan for Parks
How can the Twin Cities acquire new park land in this tough economy?  Jane Johnson from the Regional Parks Foundation of the Twin Cities is our guest.

A Dry Summer
Paul Douglas stops by for his monthly chat.  The topic?  Our cool, dry summer.  Paul works for WeatherNation and writes daily weather columns for MinnPost.com. 

Radio Legends Boone and Erickson
Charlie Boone and Roger Erickson are celebrating 50 years of working together with special shows at the Old Log Theater on July 13 and 14.  We all get a live sneak preview. 

Saving for Retirement
Nathan Dungan is back for another in his summertime series of stories on personal finance.  In this report he meets up with a Twin Cities company that requires its workers to take a retirement savings course.

"Mr. Environment:  The Willard Munger Story"
Mark Munger has written a biography of his famous uncle.  Willard Munger was the longest-serving State Rep in Minnesota history and was famed for his passion for the environment. 

This Week's Political Panel
We chew the fat on politics both local and national with Democrats Mike Hatch and Ember Reichgott Junge and Republicans Sarah Janecek and Phil Krinkie. 

The Wrapup
We present you our weekly Minnesota history questions along with a classic from the tpt musical archives:  a 1998 violin performance by Gil Shaham.