• Minnesota Public Radio
  • Stations
      Cancel
    • NewsMPR News mprnews.org
    • The CurrentThe Current thecurrent.org
    • ClassicalClassical MPR classicalmpr.org
    • Minnesota Public Radiompr.org
  • MPR Information
    MPR Information
    Cancel
    • Give Now
    • Archive
    • Events
      • Tickets
      • Events Calendar
      • MPR Custom Travel
    • Shop
    • About us
      • Radio Heartland
      • Wonderground Radio
      • Company Information
      • Stations
      • Public Insight Journalism
      • Contact Info
      • Press Room
      • MPR People
      • Career Opportunities
      • Partners
      • Educational Sponsors
      • Minnesotans for MPR
      • Tapes & Transcripts
      • Tower Rental
    • Members
      • Member Benefits
      • Sustaining Membership
      • More Ways to Give
      • Contact Us
      • Become a Member
    • Give Now
Search MPR
Cancel
NewsCut

MPR News Reflections and observations on the news

By Bob Collins

Bob Collins
bcollins@mpr.org • @newscut

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.

Sports

Former No. 1 NHL draft pick is homeless

Bob CollinsBob Collins August 23, 2018, 2:27 PM Aug 23, 2018
6

In 1986, Joe Murphy was the first overall pick in the NHL draft, selected by the Detroit Red Wings after a career at Michigan State. It was the first time an NCAA collegiate player had been taken No. 1.
Read more →

Crime and Justice

In wake of Tibbetts slaying, people give in to their worst selves

Bob CollinsBob Collins August 23, 2018, 9:12 AM Aug 23, 2018
73

The killing of Molly Tibbetts, the Iowa college student who was abducted when she went out for a run, is a scary story, and not because of the liklihood we’ll be the victim of a similar crime.
Read more →

Politics

What trumps the big stories? Potholes

Bob CollinsBob Collins August 23, 2018, 8:25 AM Aug 23, 2018
32

Those of us in the news business tend to think the audience is preoccupied with the big stories we deem worth covering. Here’s the reality: most people aren’t. Read more →

Education

How to live forever

Bob CollinsBob Collins August 23, 2018, 7:15 AM Aug 23, 2018
6

People who didn’t have a complete formal education are often quicker to realize the value of one than those who did. Read more →

What’s on MPR News – 8/23/18

Bob CollinsBob Collins August 23, 2018, 5:49 AM Aug 23, 2018
2

Here are the stories, topics, and guests you’ll hear today on MPR News. Read more →

Crime and Justice

‘One of nation’s worst drunk drivers’ gets a break

Bob CollinsBob Collins August 22, 2018, 1:32 PM Aug 22, 2018
41

Nothing, not losing a license, not jail time, not even losing most of her kids to the state, is likely to keep Tasha Lynn Schleicher, 41, of New Hope, Minn., from driving drunk. Read more →

Sports · Weather

No respite from early-season cold for Twins fans in ’19

Bob CollinsBob Collins August 22, 2018, 12:09 PM Aug 22, 2018
12

The schedule-makers for Major League Baseball should come visit Minnesota. If they would, they might understand why some Minnesota Twins officials are shaking their heads after looking at the 2019 schedule, which was revealed to the rest of us today. Read more →

Politics

When voters elect a candidate who isn’t running

Bob CollinsBob Collins August 22, 2018, 9:41 AM Aug 22, 2018
18

Jeff Swenson, of St. Paul Park, is a different sort of Minnesota politician. He won an election in which he wasn’t running.
Read more →

Education

Duluth pushes the positivity on ‘move-in day’

Bob CollinsBob Collins August 22, 2018, 8:57 AM Aug 22, 2018
1

Last year on “move-in day,” the new students at the University of Minnesota Duluth had to run the gauntlet of testosterone and alcohol. It wasn’t pretty. Read more →

This or That

The running of the interns

Bob CollinsBob Collins August 22, 2018, 8:11 AM Aug 22, 2018
21

You have to really want to be a journalist to end up in journalism. And if you want to cover the federal courts of the low-tech United States, you have to be a track star. Read more →

Long ride ends for Minnesota Lynx

Bob CollinsBob Collins August 22, 2018, 7:01 AM Aug 22, 2018
10

The Minnesota Lynx lost last night in the absurd one-game playoff that constitutes the opening round of the WNBA, and it feels like the end of a good book. Read more →

What’s on MPR News – 8/22/18

Bob CollinsBob Collins August 22, 2018, 6:00 AM Aug 22, 2018
10

Here are the stories, topics, and guests you’ll hear today on MPR News. Read more →

This or That

Now you can munch on cage-free animal crackers

Bob CollinsBob Collins August 21, 2018, 2:18 PM Aug 21, 2018
20

Circuses are dead or dying. The company that makes Animal Crackers would rather not follow suit. Read more →

War

1,000 Words: The family reunion

Bob CollinsBob Collins August 21, 2018, 12:30 PM Aug 21, 2018
5

Someday, an alien civilization will land on a dusty planet and find a picture like this and conclude that the planet’s demise was likely due to the insane people who waged wars. Read more →

Crime and Justice · People are jerks

Privacy laws, scammers combine to bilk widow out of life savings

Bob CollinsBob Collins August 21, 2018, 9:20 AM Aug 21, 2018
16

Here’s a tip learned the hard way: Get your name on your elderly parents’ bank accounts. Read more →

‹ Older Previous 15 posts
Newer › Next 15 posts
  • Member Supported · Join Now ›
    “I love being part of such a gift to the community, free on their radio or computer, anytime!” —Shelly from Blaine, MN
  • Sponsor
  • Latest from MPR News Blogs
    • NewsCut

      Good night and good news

    • Capitol View® - MPR News

      Politics Friday: Should we stop trusting pre-election polling?

  • Sponsor
Sponsor
More MPR News
  • Listen Live
  • Audio help
  • MPR News on iOS
  • MPR News on Android
  • MPR News blogs
  • iOS Streaming app
  • Android Streaming app
  • Podcasts
  • RSS feeds
  • Program schedule
  • Station directory
  • About Minnesota Public Radio
  • Contact Us
  • Shop
  • Become a Member
  • Volunteer
  • Fundraising Credentials
  • Terms of use
  • Your privacy rights
  • Public Inspection Files

Minnesota Public Radio ©2022. All rights reserved.