[Mpls] KBEM

[Svattheriver at aol.com]

KBEM is a great asset to Mpls. Public school students and is owned by  
Minneapolis Public Schools. The MDOT decision to no longer use KBEM hurts our  
ability to use this great resource.
I am concerned that the discussion so far is largely focused on what the  
School system should be doing or whether they should own a station.
 
I think we should focus on getting MDOT to continue to use KBEM as a way of  
keeping us from smacking into each other on the highway. The replacement of 
this  service by cell phone and computer links is outlandishly foolish.
 
Contact MDOT
Carol Molnau _commissioner at dot.state.mn.us_ 
(mailto:commissioner at dot.state.mn.us)    651-296-3000 
Marthland Nooklala traffic safety and technology 
_marthland.nooklal at dot.state/mn.us_ (mailto:marthland.nooklal at dot.state/mn.us)   651-296-1615
 
>From the website: 
Mn/DOT creates a transportation system to connect local, regional,  national 
and international markets. Decisions regarding priorities are made  jointly 
with citizens. Mn/DOT supports all forms of transportation services  statewide, 
while also respecting and supporting the state's economic, social  and 
environmental values. 
Minnesota Department of  Transportation 395 John Ireland Boulevard 
Mailstop 100 
Saint Paul,  Minnesota 55155-1899
>From the KBEM website
"Since 1970, KBEM has served the Twin Cities as the unique voice for  
Education, the Arts and Jazz, broadcasting at 88.5 FM. KBEM is licensed to the  
Minneapolis Public Schools Board of Education.

Nearly 150 students  are directly involved in the program during the academic 
year... in addition,  over 400 Minneapolis Public Schools students throughout 
the district are  involved in KBEM's School News Project. Nearly 40 
Minneapolis Public Schools  participate in the project. Minneapolis Public Schools 
Board meetings are  broadcast twice a month in their entirety on KBEM. Since 1989, 
KBEM has been  self-supporting as a listener supported independent public 
radio  station!

Annually, the station provides over $500,000 in airtime  value pro-bono to a 
wide range of Twin Cities arts, health and community  organizations in the 
form of psa's and community calendar  listings."


Thanks,
Scott Vreeland  Seward