MPR News Features are news segments created for various long-form programming, including Morning Edition and All Things Considered, amongst others. Features run the gambit of interviews, reports, profiles, and coverage.
January 13, 1997 - Governor Carlson's allies today floated the idea of increasing the state's cigarette tax to pay for a new Twins Stadium. Senate Republican leader Dean Johnson says the Governor is interested in adding ten cents to the price of a pack of cigarettes... But as Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports, the idea isn't going over very well at the Capitol: The cigarette tax for the Twins is the very definition of a political trial balloon. Nobody has actually to endorsed the idea, but the Governor's staff says Carlson does find the idea "intriguing," Senate Republican leader Dean Johnson was the one who brought the subject up. He says the Legislature should consider the idea -- although he stopped short of actually proposing it.
January 14, 1997 - note special outcue instructions THIS IS FUTURE TENSE FOR TUESDAY, JANUARY 14TH. I'M JON GORDON. TODAY, DWIGHT SILVERMAN ON THE DUBIOUS TECHNOLOGY TRENDS AND PRODUCTS OF 1996.
January 14, 1997 - A new report by the state Department of Economic Security sheds a positive light on job prospects for welfare Recipients who'll SOON be required to seek work. Minnesota Public Radio's Karen-Louise Boothe reports: The report says Minnesota's favorable economy will benefit those on A-F-D-C, because as they move from welfare to WORK under new guidelines of federal reform, they'll find more OPEN doors than closed ones. The report says the influx of some 15 thousand welfare recipients into the job market this year ALONE, will have minimal affect on the job opportunities for other job seekers or on the level of COMPETITION for jobs.
January 14, 1997 - As part of a series on poverty, MPR’s John Biewen looks at the "rent-to-own" industry and issues regarding interest rates.
January 15, 1997 - Saint Paul loses another small community hospital today (WEDNESDAY). After 70 years, Midway Hospital is shutting down. HealthEast, which owns Midway, decided to close it and open a new facility in a more populated suburban area. The decision came as no surprise to many employees who knew Midway Hospital was financially vulnerable. But as they told Minnesota Public Radio's Lorna Benson, the Midway closing could signal the end of a unique era in hospital care.
January 15, 1997 - MPR’s Tim Pugmire reports on the debate over potential removal of the children’s book series “Goosebumps” in some Minnesota school libraries, including titles such as “The Horror at Camp Jellyjam.” The Goosebumps debate began last Spring at Johnsville Elementary School in Blaine.
January 15, 1997 - THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION HAS SUED NEW YORK STATE TO BLOCK A STATE LAW THAT PROHIBITS THE DISSEMINATION OF INDECENT MATERIALS OVER THE INTERNET. THE ACLU ALLEGED IN THE LAWSUIT FILED IN FEDERAL COURT IN MANHATTAN THAT THE NEW YORK LAW WAS AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL RESTRICTION OF FREE SPEECH THAT WOULD REDUCE ADULT COMMUNICATIONS TO LEVELS ACCEPTABLE FOR A 6-YEAR-OLD. THE ACLU SAYS THE NEW YORK LAW WAS SIMILAR TO THE U.S. COMMUNICATIONS DECENCY ACT, WHICH HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE UNCONSTITUTIONAL BY FED
January 15, 1997 - UPDATES WITH NEW LEAD FOR MIDDAY State officials will announce a plan for financing a new Twins stadium this afternoon at a 3 o'clock press conference at the capitol. The proposal announced last week by the Twins calls for a public contribution of more than $200-million dollars to the project. The governor and other stadium supporters reportedly favor financing that contribution with an increase in the cigarette tax. Also today...the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission holds its last scheduled meeting on new stadium proposals. Commissioners will discuss will hear from a stadium architect on the viability of a multipurpose stadium to house both the Twins and Vikings. Yesterday Minneapolis stockbroker Ed Villaume presented commissioners with what he claims is a better plan for building a new Twins stadium than the one team and state officials made public last week. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Wareham reports: | D-CART ITEM: 1128 | TIME: 4:02
January 15, 1997 - As part of a series on poverty, MPR’s Stephen Smith reports on low-income housing.
January 15, 1997 - The Minnesota Pollution Agency says its investigation of deformed frogs has become too big to handle. Deformed frogs have been reported across Minnesota, in neighboring states, and as far away as Vermont. The MPCA plans to turn much of the research over to federal agencies better equipped to handle the deepening mystery. Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Losure reports. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency first began looking into the problem in the summer of 1995, when a group of schoolchildren on a fei