Mary Turck, Editor
Mary Turck (editor@tcdailyplanet.net) is the editor of the TC Daily Planet, a title that encompasses tasks ranging from reporting on legislative hearings to bringing snacks for citizen journalist and community media partner meetings.
Mary is the former editor of the award-winning Connection to the Americas and AMERICAS.ORG. She is also a recovering attorney and the author of many books for young people (and a few for adults), mostly focusing on historical and social issues. Her career in journalism began when she was in high school, writing a weekly column for the Litchfield Independent Review. The column began with a multi-part investigative journalism series on the county school system, which she still considers among her best work.
Mary enjoys teaching and has taught various subjects in venues ranging from elementary schools to colleges to prisons. She currently teaches workshops on citizen journalism and immigration.
Mary lives in St. Paul with her husband, Ron Salzberger, their two daughters and two dogs.
In addition to articles listed below, see Mary’s blog, Keeping the Faith.
Unemployment up / Latest student test scores / General Mills: How do they do it? / Excel Dairy still making people sick / more
Happy Fourth of July! I will be publishing some other articles on my blog, but no News Day over the holiday weekend. Keep reading the Daily Planet, come visit the blog, and News Day will return on Monday.
Unemployment up – slightly June unemployment (seasonally adjusted) rose to 9.5 percent, up from 9.4 percent in May in the official figure. The U-6 figure, which includes discouraged workers and those who are working part-time because they cannot find full-time jobs, rose from 16.4 percent to 16.5 percent. MORE
• And the tests show – not much Newest round of MCA test results for MN students
• General Mills puzzle How can profits almost double, when sales go up only five percent?
• Excel Dairy – still making people sick Despite lawsuits and MPCA orders, more hydrogen sulfide in the air
• War Reports | July 2, 2009 | Afghanistan Biggest ground offensive since Vietnam MORE »
NEWS DAY | War Reports | July 2, 2009 | Afghanistan
Afghanistan The U.S. has launched a major offensive in the Helmand Valley, sending 4,000 marines and 650 Afghan troops, with NATO air support, in what they called “the biggest ground offensive since Vietnam.” According to the New York Times: MORE »
NEWS DAY | Excel Dairy - still making people sick
Despite lawsuits that closed the dairy farm last year, Excel Dairy manure pits still continue to sicken people near its Thief River Falls location. MPR reports: MORE »
NEWS DAY | General Mills puzzle
The Strib reports that General Mills profits increased 94 percent in its fourth quarter, which ended May 31. That means 94 percent higher profits, compared to the quarter that ended May 31, 2008. Sounds great – and the report attributes increased profits to “more people baking, buying flour and eating at home to save money.” Sounds reasonable, but then comes the kicker. Profits are up 94 percent, but sales increased by only five percent. MORE »
NEWS DAY | And the tests show -- not much
The latest math and reading scores from MCA tests were released yesterday by the Minnesota Department of Education, and the bottom line is that they didn’t reveal much news. Statewide, scores barely moved, with math proficiency going from 62 percent last year to 64 percent this year, and reading proficiency rising a single point from 71 percent to 72 percent. The achievement gap betweeen students of color and white students is still unconscionably large. MORE »
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