Digitization made possible by the State of Minnesota Legacy Amendment’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, approved by voters in 2008.
February 16, 1998 - 3:28 + LEAD Suggested host intro: This weekend, Triad voters got their first look at a campaign to win public funding for major league baseball in North Carolina. Those who want a franchise in the state realize the first step is building a stadium in the region. A spring referendum is designed to gauge public support for such an effort. It's the latest twist in the ongoing debatre over whether the Minnesota Twins will move south. From Winston Salem North Carolina, Michelle Johnson reports. SFX: crowd, cheering, clapping 2751 - because this is the future, this is what it's all about. . . in voting yes you'll be voting for our young people . . . 2810
February 16, 1998 - A bill to spend a half million dollars for more research on Minnesota's deformed frogs is before the state legislature. The money would allow scientists to continue long-running field studies, as well as expand the investigation. Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Losure reports.
February 16, 1998 - It's the stuff of woodsy nightmares; a product meant to protect wilderness trekkers from ravenous beasts that turns out to attract them. An Alaskan researcher says bears in that state love pepper spray. The canned sprays are intended as a deterrent to charging bears. But some people use the product to spray a pepper residue on tents and packs, intending to keep bears away. And that, he says, might just draw the bears in. Minnesota Public Radio's Bob Kelleher reports.
February 16, 1998 - Minnesota short track speed skater, Amy Peterson, will compete in her fourth Olympics tomorrow in Nagano. Peterson is not considered a favorite for gold even though she has 3 Olympic medals from past games, including a silver and two bronze. Part of the reason Peterson is not a favorite could be due to her long bout with illness that began 18 months ago with mononucleosis. Since then, her doctors say she has been battling chronic fatigue syndrome. But Peterson says she has recovered and her skating is now better than ever. She says she expects great things in Nagano this week.
February 17, 1998 - Minneapolis' new policing strategy called CODEFOR is exacerbating a long-standing problem: there's no more room in the jail to hold people arrested by police. A new jail called the Public Safety Facility is going to be built downtown next to Minneapolis City Hall. Hennepin County officials say it will help solve the space crunch but it won't be ready until 2001. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson reports.
February 17, 1998 - Minnesota's tobacco trial heads into its fourth week with testimony from a former high-ranking Philip Morris research official, Thomas Osdene. Tobacco attorneys fought hard to keep out Osdene's videotape saying it would prejudice the jury. Minnesota Public Radio's Elizabeth Stawicki looks at what's ahead at the trial.
February 17, 1998 - Republicans are accusing state DFLers of backsliding on welfare reform. They say the state legislature's majority party is "eroding" key provisions of last year's welfare reform package. DFLers say they're just trying to make reasonable adjustments in the laws. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports.
February 17, 1998 - Jurors in Minnesota's tobacco trial watched a controversial video-taped deposition today. In it the former research director for Phillip Morris refuses to answer questions about the company's smoking and health research. Some attorneys worry the jury will think the former industry insider has something to hide. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.
February 18, 1998 - Ranchers and hunters are at odds in South Dakota over wildlife and property rights. Some landowners are threatening to blockade hunters from using their land unless lawmakers come up with a plan to compensate them for deer killed on their land. Hunters want more public land so they don't have to compete to hunt on private land. Minnesota Public Radio's Cara Hetland reports the issue is intensifying in a state where hunting is a big part of the economy.
February 18, 1998 - Jurors in Minnesota's tobacco trial today watched videotaped testimony of former Philip Morris researchers answering the state's questions about the company's internal research and documents. This comes a day after the company's former research chief refused to answer questions about his work at Philip Morris. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.