May 31, 1986 - MPR’s Mark Steil presents "Chanarambie Township: Sections 17, 18, 19, and 20," a documentary that explores how farmers in a four-square mile area of Murray County view the farm crisis...where land prices dropped, interest rates went up, and farmers were caught in the middle.
June 2, 1986 - On this cover story of MPR Journal, a look at possible end of the nine month Hormel strike in Austin, Minnesota. MPR reporter Mike Mulcahy provides details of Federal District Court Judge Edward Devitt’s injunction on United Food and Commercial Workers Union local P-9, effectively ending strike. Even with court decision, some strikers are determined to continue fight against Hormel officials.
June 16, 1986 - MPR’s Tom Meersman reports on graduation of Minnesota police candidates. Of the group, one is a Native American woman; another, the first Hmong police officer.
June 20, 1986 - An MPR broadcast of Loft event celebrating the writing accomplishments of A Prairie Home Companion’s Garrison Keillor. During event, Keillor reads from his work and performs music with accompaniment from Bill Hinkley and Judy Larson.
June 26, 1986 - MPR’s Beth Friend looks at Dinkytown in the late 1950s-early 1960s. It was a musically and literary rich community, which included The Scholar coffee shop, McCosh bookstore…and a certain Hibbing musician.
June 27, 1986 - MPR’s Jim Bickal reports on Minneapolis Police Band. Bickal interviews various members of the band, both former police officers and the general public.
June 27, 1986 - MPR’s Beth Friend profiles Ann Miller, a local romance writer. Miller details the varying types of the genre, from category romance writing to mainstream fiction. Miller’s novel, Notorious, is highlighted in Good Housekeeping magazine.
July 17, 1986 - MPR’s Mark Steil looks back to the month of July in 1936, when Minnesota suffered through an oppressive heat wave. Steil interviews residents in southern Minnesota that endured the extreme temperatures.
July 21, 1986 - On this Christine Sweet Reads episode, Patricia Hampl’s book A Romantic Education is highlighted.
July 30, 1986 - MPR’s Beth Friend reports on staging of John Olive's Short Stories and Tall Tales. The performers, Kevin Kling and James Lawless discuss the work.