Public Affairs
Change of venue granted in Scannell case
Joe Friedrichs-Cook County Attorney Tim Scannell appeared in court this morning in Grand Marais for a Rule 8 hearing, after being indicted on Thursday, October 31, on two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual cond
Golf course, pipeline ceremonies mark beginning of two major Lutsen projects
Joe Friedrichs-Two major projects broke ground in Lutsen Tuesday afternoon. WTIP’s Kelly Schoenfelder has this report from the events.
Government shutdown commentary by U of MN political science expert
-Bob Carter spoke Oct. 4 with Prof. Kathryn Pearson of the U of MN political science department to get her take on the government shutdown, possible strategies of the various players, how it might be resolved, and much more.
Community change expert Rich Harwood on moving forward after tragedy
-In the wake of the Navy Yard shootings in Washington, D.C., Buck spoke Sept. 27 with Rich Harwood, founder and president of the D.C.-based Harwood Institute for Public Innovation, and a nationally recognized expert in the fields of community change and crisis. Rich talked about what happens to communities in the aftermath of a crisis, and ways to start and help the healing process.
Heart of the Continent Partnership works to promote Canadian-American border lakes region
-St. Louis County Commissioner Frank Jewell spoke with Ann Possis Sept. 20 about the Heart of the Continent Partnership (HOCP), an American/Canadian coalition of land managers and local stakeholders working together on cross-border projects. Their next meeting is at Camp Menogyn, off the Gunflint Trail, Oct. 3 & 4. For more information on the HOCP, or to sign up to attend the meeting, click here.
Mel Duncan of Nonviolent Peaceforce, on peaceful civilian response to conflict around the world
-Dick spoke Sept. 13 with Mel Duncan, co-founder and director of advocacy & research of Nonviolent Peaceforce.
Cook County GO Team presents draft economic vision to community
-WTIP’s Kelly Schoenfelder attended last night’s GO Team meeting at St. John's Catholic Church in Grand Marais.
Marking the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs & Freedom
-Aug. 28 is the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King delivered his historic "I Have a Dream" speech. But many other important figures spoke that day as well. Dr. Catherine Squires, professor of commmunications studies at the University of Minnesota, joined Buck recently to talk about the march, including people and messages from the event that are often overlooked.
Warren, Minn. patrol car incident still a mystery...could it have met a UFO?
-In 1979, a mysterious incident involving a bright light and a Warren patrol car left unexplained damage to the car, a deputy (Val Johnson) with strange injuries but no memory of the event, and no plausible explanation. Marshall County Historical Society vice president Mike Johnson spoke with Buck Aug. 16 about the incident. Thirty-four years later, the car is still the most popular exhibit at the historical society's museum in Warren.
Should we treat drug use as a crime or a public health issue?
-Naya Arbiter, vice president of the Amity Foundation, a nonprofit that provides drug treatment services, and Sarah Gordon, HIV counseling coordinator with the MN Dept. of Health, joined Dick Swanson Aug. 2 to discuss the possibility that approaching drug use as a public health issue rather than a crime would save money and lives. The conversation was prompted by a recent documentary film. "Breaking the Taboo." You can watch the 52-minute film at hulu.com. See a brief trailer here.