Digitization made possible by the State of Minnesota Legacy Amendment’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, approved by voters in 2008.
February 4, 1998 - The second witness in Minnesota's tobacco trial testified today some cigarettes sold in the U.S. were made from genetically-altered tobacco plants with higher nicotine levels. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports today's testimony offered more evidence about what's really in cigarettes.
February 4, 1998 - Governor Carlson made a case to legislators today to upgrade the state's colleges and universities, and build boarding schools for troubled youth. The Republican Governor devoted a large part of his final state of the state address to education issues. Carlson also reflected on his education accomplishments of past seven years, warning lawmakers not to tinker with the reforms. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports... Governor Carlson used the state of the state speech to push for the multi-million dollar request for higher education in the state bonding bill. He wants 252-million dollars for the University of Minnesota and 167-million dollars for the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
February 4, 1998 - On the Governor's State of the State agenda are the USS Des Moines project in Duluth, the higher education and job training, and improvements for state parks. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports on the governor's priorities for 1998, and how he picked them.
February 5, 1998 - Millions of Americans are infertile, and many are willing to spend tens of thousands of dollars on new, high tech treatments to help them have babies. New clinics are opening around the country to tap into that market. Some doctors and medical ethicists fear competition among the clinics is turning doctors into hucksters, and that some will take medical risks to try to raise their clinical pregnancy rates. Still, many patients are pleased to be able to shop around for a clinic that offers them a baby at a discount price. In the next installment of our series, "The Fertility Race," Minnesota PUblic Radio's Catherine Winter reports on the explosive growth of the fertility industry.
February 5, 1998 - The debate over the U.S.S. Des Moines Veterans' Park in Duluth shows a city in transition. In the past few decades, the city has staged a metamorphosis from an industrial center to the state's biggest tourist town. But residents are still ambivalent about Duluth's direction and the Des Moines proposal brought many of those tensions to the surface. Minnesota Public Radio's Amy Radil reports.
February 5, 1998 - Soprano Dame Joan Sutherland ruled the opera world for almost 40 years. She left her native Australia for London in 1951, where she worked her way up to become one of the most acclaimed sopranos of this century. Sutherland retired in 1990. Through journals and diaries she and her husband, conductor Richard Bonynge, kept track of her performances and travels in painstaking detail. Those details are the basis of her new autobiography, "A Prima Donna's Progress." Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Crann spoke with Joan Sutherland about her career, her influences, and her favorite operatic role.
February 5, 1998 - An expert witness in Minnesota's tobacco trial told jurors at least one cigarette company genetically altered tobacco plants so they'd produce twice the amount of nicotine. Minnesota public radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports.
February 5, 1998 - One former and one current employee of the Koch refinery in Rosemount charge the company continues to pollute soil and groundwater, despite public declarations it is fixing its environmental problems. The two men have filed suit against the company, saying it retaliated against them after they reported environmental violations to the state. The refinery is now under investigation by state officials. Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Losure reports.
February 5, 1998 - The economic crisis in Asia probably seems remote to many Minnesotans, but in many ways, Minnesota and Asia are joined at the wallet. According to rough estimates, Minnesota agricultural exports to Asia in 1996, amounted to hundreds of millions of dollars. Minnesota manufacturers exported more than 2.6 Billion dollars worth of goods to Japan, China and other Asian countries. The exports go to countries now in the midst of economic turmoil from slowing economies, business bankruptcies and unemployment. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin has this look at the symptoms of the Asian economic Flu in Minnesota.
February 6, 1998 - MPR’s news director, Bill Buzenberg, moved to the Twin Cities from the East Coast just before Christmas. Weather-wise, he says, this was not what he was expecting. Frankly, he’s disappointed with the ‘tundra.”