Digitization made possible by the State of Minnesota Legacy Amendment’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, approved by voters in 2008.
January 28, 1998 - The first witness in Minnesota's tobacco trial says nicotine is an addictive drug, and a cigarette is the most efficient way to deliver nicotine to smokers. Doctor Richard Hurt's testimony is key to the state's contention that tobacco companies manipulated nicotine content to make cigarettes more addictive, and suppressed information about the health risks of smoking. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports...
January 28, 1998 - A Minnesota house committee has delayed action on a bill to restrict automatic teller machine surcharges. The bill authored by house banking chair Irv Anderson would ban surcharging by banks that own more than 2 ATMs, but it places no restrictions on surcharges by convenience stores and other retailers that own ATMs. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin has more. The ATM surcharge came in for lots of criticism at the house financial institutions and insurance committee hearing. The fees have provoked a number of bills to reign them in.
January 28, 1998 - President Clinton tried to lay controversy aside last night as he delivered his State of the Union Address in the face of swirling allegations he had an affair with a White House intern. The president's speech was greeted cordially if not warmly by Democrats and Republicans on both sides of the aisle in Minnesota's Congressional delegation. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Roberts reports.
January 28, 1998 - Several metro area black community leaders are rallying support for a march they're planning next week to call attention problems with "hate" crimes. Last night, about 200 people gathered at a church in St.Paul. There were repeated calls for more aggressive prosecution of perpatrators of "bias" motivated crimes. The meeting was response to the alleged racially motivated beatings of two black women in St. Paul on Martin Luther King Day. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports.
January 28, 1998 - Mass transit trains for the Twin Cities will be in the spotlight today (WED) at the state capitol. Committees in both the House and Senate plan to consider light rail and commuter rail projects, and a coalition of interest groups are announcing their support for a bill to raise the gas tax and put some of the money into mass transit -- possibly, RAIL mass transit. Urban lawmakers say they think this may the year for rail transit at the Capitol... but as Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports, they've been optimistic before: The Twin Cities have been on the verge of building a rail system for YEARS... in 1988, then-Hennepin County Commissioner John Derus was SURE a Minneapolis light rail system was just around the corner:
January 28, 1998 - The first day of testimony begins today in Minnesota's tobacco trial. The State will call a Mayo clinic researcher as its first witness. Dr Richard Hurt is expected to testify about nicotine and addiction. Minnesota public radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports.
January 29, 1998 - At the Capitol this afternoon the Senate Agriculture Committee will hear public testimony on what may be the most divisive issue in rural Minnesota: the future of large livestock operations and the environmental problems they cause. The Legislature will consider whether to impose a moratorium on these 'factory farms'. The next feedlot might be just south of St. Peter, in Nicollet County. Many area residents oppose construction of the dairy feedlot, a place for feeding and holding livestock. Farmers and non-farmers alike are fighting the state's potential approval of it. Supporters counter that big dairy is the only way to save Minnesota's dairy tradition. Minnesota Public Radio's Lynette Nyman has this report.
January 29, 1998 - Dave Moore, one of Minnesota's best known television news anchors, has died. Moore, who spent nearly his entire career at WCCO-TV in his hometown of Minneapolis, had heart surgery last year and had been seriously ill for six months. Moore's friends and former colleagues say he lasted a long time in TV news because of his credibility with viewers. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson prepared this report.
January 29, 1998 - MPR's Mary Stucky reports on folks at the Science Museum of Minnesota hoping to broaden public understanding of what Mozart called the "king of instruments." They'll do this through a special organ festival of concerts, exhibits, and tours sponsored in part by Minnesota Public Radio.
January 29, 1998 - President Clinton spoke at rallies in Champaign, Illinois and La Crosse, Wisconsin yesterday in an effort to focus the nation on the agenda he laid out in his State of the Union speech. Rather than unveiling new initiatives or giving more detail on his plans, the President used the rallies to reiterate his proposals and try to build enthusiasm for them. He recieved a rousing welcome in La Crosse. Minnesota Public Radios Brent Wolfe reports.