December 4, 1996 - Teachers, school administrators, legislators and public policy watchers throughout Minnesota are waiting today to hear Governor Carlson's education proposals for the 1997 session. Carlson has vowed to make education his top priority during his remaining two years in office. The Governor is scheduled to unveil his plan this morning at an elementary school in Golden Valley.
December 4, 1996 - MPR’s Chris Roberts interviews Jane Anfinson, electric violinist and vocalist of Own, a Minneapolis art rock band that combines classical and jazz influences with traditional pop song structures. Anfinson discusses redefining instrumentation and abstract lyrics.
December 5, 1996 - Midday discusses the various changes being proposed for Minnesota's education system with guest Joe Nathan, the director of the Center for School Change at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute. Nathan also answers listener call-in questions.
December 5, 1996 - Novelist Umberto Eco's latest book "The Island of the Day Before" tells the strange tale of a 17th century Italian adventurer who is marooned on a ship straddling the international dateline. As with his other novels, "The Name of the Rose" and "Foucault Pendulum" Eco entwines an intricate story with musings on history philosophy and what he calls "lunatic science." Eco is in the Twin Cities to read from his book. Tomorrow he travels to the St John's University in Collegeville to speak, and to visit the monastic library. He told Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr he researched "The Island of the Day Before" for five years and even went to remote Pacific islands to experience life on the international dateline.
December 5, 1996 - Governor Carlson is calling for standardized zoning rules for hog farms and other livestock operations in Minnesota. Carlson says local governments' ability to pass ordinances blocking the construction of livestock farms is hurting the competitiveness of Minnesota's pork industry.
December 6, 1996 -
December 6, 1996 - Negotiations in the federal mediation of the Boundary Waters issue are taking some time off after 14 non-consecutive days of negotiations. After months of discussion it seems there are still large disagreements over basic issues. In fact, one of the participants, Bill Hansen, a second generation canoe outfitter, has proposed just sticking with the status quo.
December 6, 1996 - A new Minnesota museum honoring the late Senator and Vice-president Hubert Humphrey has opened in his adopted hometown of Waverly in Wright County. The fledgling museum hopes to compliment the state's other sources of Humphrey material - the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute and the Minnesota Historical Society. Organizers say they'll focus on Humphrey's rural roots, and try to educate young people about his place in history.
December 6, 1996 -
December 7, 1996 - This time of year makes many people think about family - their own family and the relationships within that define it. Commentator Gary Eustice thinks there are ways generations both weaken and stregthen us.