November 18, 1997 - Much of what we know as Minnesota's fertile farmland would still be swamp had it not been drained. A hundred years ago it was common practice to dig ditches and dredge rivers, and today those ditches and rivers keep the land arable. But conservationists say increasingly, it's a practice out of sync with environmental biology; and a proposal for a major ditch overhaul in northwestern Minnesota has divided local residents.
November 20, 1997 - MPR’s Chris Roberts profiles the Gay 90’s and the unanticipated consequences of non-gay crowd changing the scene at Minneapolis bar. Roberts interviews individuals about the reasons and its social impact to LGBTQ community.
November 21, 1997 - Minnesota’s U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone joins Midday to talk about his completed "Poverty Tour" and his possible campaign for president. Wellstone also answer listener questions about issues before the U.S. Congress.
November 22, 1997 - This is National Children's book week. From HOP ON POP to WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE--children's books are the foundation for a life long love of literature. As the holidays approach many of us turn to critics to guide us towards good gift books. Jane Resh Thomas has reviewed books for the Star Tribune newspaper for the past 25 years. She's also written 11 children's books--including her latest book CELEBRATIONS. Resh Thomas says although the colorful illustrations in children's books are better than ever...things are not ROSY in the world of children's publishing.
November 27, 1997 - On this Midday call-in program, a focus on questions about charitable giving…Who we help and why we help? Does the help make a difference in people's lives? Studio guest Major Robert Thomson, the northern division secretary of the Salvation Army in Minnesota and North Dakota, answers these and other questions from listeners.
November 29, 1997 - Can you go home again--that's the question posed in Jonis Agee's new book "South of Resurrection". The story centers on Moline Bedwell--a tough-minded woman who returns to her hometown of Resurrection, Missouri after 20 years. "South of Resurrection" is Agee's third novel. Agee says her new book is a tale of modern rural life and is a tribute to her family's homestead. Agee's spending a lot of time these days thinking about "Home." She recently left her teaching position at St. Catherine's in St. Paul to teach in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
December 5, 1997 - Midday presents a special Voices of Minnesota, with Minnesota writer Bill Holm reading from his book Faces of Christmas Past, a collection of essays and reminiscences about Christmas in Iceland and Minnesota.
December 9, 1997 - MPR’s Elizabeth Stawicki reports on the disturbing history of Canton Insane Asylum…and of the dead from institution that are now buried in the middle of city's Hiawatha golf course.
December 12, 1997 - A Hennepin County judge denied a request from a Hmong woman who wanted to peform a traditional ceremony in the courtroom. Ilean Her, executive director of the Council on Asian-Pacific Minnesotans, talks about traditional acts in Hmong culture. Her says these ceremonies can take different forms, but often include drinking a ceremonial beverage.
December 13, 1997 - From "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" to Dicken's "A Christmas Carol" books help us get into the holiday spirit. The Minnesota team of Tom Hegg and Warren Hanson have found success in this corner of the book market. The two are collaborators on "A Cup of Christmas Tea" and "PEEF: The Christmas Bear". Warren Hanson is releasing a new book this holiday season. "The Next Place" deals with a topic not usually associated with the holiday season--death. "The Next Place" is an inspirational story about what Hanson hopes lies ahead for us after we die.