Bob Collins
Had we known that it would be her last interview on public radio, maybe we could have dived deeper into the richness of Carrie Fisher’s life than her role as Princess Leia when it aired on NPR’s Fresh Air last month. Read more →
MPR News Reflections and observations on the news
By Bob Collins
Bob Collins retired from Minnesota Public Radio in 2019 after 12 years of writing NewsCut and pointing out to complainants that posts weren’t news stories. A son of Massachusetts, he was a news editor 1992-1998, created the MPR News regional website in 1999, invented the popular Select A Candidate, started several blogs, and every day lamented that his Minnesota Fantasy Legislature project never caught on.
Let there be no further debate — if there was still any at all — that Minnesota is the state of hockey.
The latest proof comes from Duluth native Cory Fechner of Minneapolis, who had a pond, Google earth, and some GPS mapping knowledge. Oh, and some time on his hands. Read more →
The fire, on Third Avenue, forced four families to find new places to live. And a burglar broke in after the fire and stole the presents under the tree in one apartment. Read more →
We don’t know yet how many people who identify as environmentalist voted in last November’s election, but if recent data is a guide, a lot of them stayed home. Read more →
The Associated Press is reporting that the decision by the University of Minnesota football team to end its “boycott” to protest the suspension of 10 players alleged to have sexually assaulted a woman, was not as final as first reported. Read more →
When defensive players of the Minnesota Vikings decided on their own to ignore the game plan drawn up by their coach, it put Mike Zimmer’s job in jeopardy. Coaches with players won’t listen to them don’t coach very long in the NFL.
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My goal for 2017 is to be more like Daniel Alvarez, and write about more people like him . Read more →
Duluth photographer Levi Drevlow is getting plenty of attention after his Instagram video of sea smoke on Lake Superior last week stormed the Intertubes. Read more →
‘It’s compelling and powerful to watch a black woman stare down the barrel of violent racism and say, ‘I forgive you,” a reporter who covers race says.
What if she hadn’t? Read more →
No more entries, please. We have our champion in the contest for Most Canada Thing Ever.
How could it anything but this, eh? Read more →
When it was revealed that Cindy Stowell had died, weeks after taping an appearance on Jeopardy, we had no idea how well she did on the show, a lifelong dream, apparently.
Now we do.
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It’s fair to say that Pioneer Press columnist Joe Soucheray is hardly liberal.
So when he wrote today about the scandal at the University of Minnesota football program, and the head coach who oversees the student athletes, it’s going to be harder for the few still on the ‘what’s the big deal?’ bandwagon to hold on. Read more →
Being a Catholic, Cecilia Latorre, of Edmonton knows it’s sacrilegious of her to set up a little nativity scene in her home featuring Prince. ‘But it’s important to me,’ she tells the CBC.
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Here’s a video to remember the next time you look in your rear-view mirror and see a semi that’s pulled up within a few feet of your rear bumper while you’re barreling down the highway. Read more →