Hot fun in the summer time? 103 degrees

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Updated 6/8/2011: The last few days have been (with apologies to Sly and the Family Stone) more hot than fun. On June 7, Twin Cities temps reached 103 degrees, hotter than it has been since 1988, according to MPR. With official voices are warning of dangerous heat and poor air quality in early June, what’s next? Back in the day, strategies for beating the heat included riding around with the car windows open, sleeping on the screen porch, and hanging out in air-conditioned movie theaters. Here’s a round-up of heat-related news, advice and predictions—and an invitation to share your advice, recipes, and complaints. Continue Reading

Kids, children and a Crawl

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Here’s a sample of the stories that I wish I had time to cover, from goats to infant mortality to the St. Paul Art Crawl. Goats come first, under the heading of “wish I had written that story.” Madeleine Baran covered the Minneapolis City Council decision to bar goats from inside the city limits, and the eloquent (albeit completely wrong-headed) statement by council member Meg Tuthill:

“I do not want hoofed animals next door to me,” said Council member Meg Tuthill. “I’m fine with bees, and I’m fine with chickens, but I spent enough time on farms as a kid picking cucumbers for pickle factories, cleaning barns, slopping the pigs, the whole shooting match. I’ve chosen not to have that lifestyle. And for those of you that are unfamiliar with that lifestyle, when the wind blows the right way, it can be very fragrant in our homes.” Continue Reading

BEHIND THE STORY | Covering the KDWB protest

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Pretty much my favorite articles to write are the ones that cover protests.  It doesn’t even really matter what the protest is about.  I love the energy and the passion that fuels these gatherings- it is far more dramatic and alive than any play or movie. 

So I was excited to cover the April 14 protest over at KDWB studios in response to the racist parody song that the station aired and their subsequent non-apology.  The problem? It started at 7 in the morning.  Continue Reading