October 7, 1998 - MPR’s Amy Radil reports on the gubernatorial candidates Skip Humphrey, Norm Coleman, and Jesse Ventura debating at Hibbing High School in the Iron Range. They tailored their messages to the audience by taking on subjects like tourism, recreation and education in northeast Minnesota and invoking the image of a favorite son.
October 8, 1998 - MPR’s Chris Roberts reports that representatives from several Hmong organizations met with policy makers and elected officials to discuss ways to respond to a wave of violence in the Hmong community. The group hopes to craft a series of legislative proposals to present to lawmakers in next year's session.
October 12, 1998 - Back in the mid-sixties, garage rock bands such as the Trashmen, the Castaways, the Del Counts, and the Gestures were churning out one hit after another. That era has been captured on a 2 CD set called "The Big Hits of Mid-America... The Soma Records Story," produced by Steve Wilson, local pop historian. MPR’s Chris Roberts interviews Wilson, as well as Trashmen guitarist Tony Andreason, to help us re-live the memories.
October 15, 1998 - Ten years ago, a young Harvard medical student published a book of short stories that became a national bestseller-it was Ethan Canin, whose collection Emperor of the Air earned him comparisons with writers Philip Roth and Robert Penn Warren. Since then, Canin has taken a leave from his medical career and turned to writing full time. He's now out with his second novel, For Kings and Planets, about two friends attending Columbia University in the seventies. The two are unlikely friends, one is an earnest Midwesterner, the other, a worldly, cynical risk-taker from the East Coast. Canin told Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Crann he's writing novels now instead of short stories because they're better for exploring complicated subjects.
October 21, 1998 -
October 22, 1998 - MPR’s Bob Kelleher reports on reaction in Hibbing towards hometown native Bob Dylan, and his October 22nd concert in Duluth. Segment includes commentary from local residents and visiting fans.
October 22, 1998 - MPR’s Mark Zdechlik reports Jesse Ventura's political opponents are criticizing the Reform Party candidate's suggestion that Minnesota should consider legalizing prostitution. Ventura claims some news organizations are misquoting him, saying he supports legalized prostitution and drugs.
October 26, 1998 - Today is the start of the last full week of campaigning before the November 3rd election. The polls show DFLer Skip Humphrey and Republican Norm Coleman are about neck-and-neck in the race for governor, with Reformer Jesse Ventura threatening to come up from behind. The three major-party candidates met for a televised debate over the weekend, and if that encounter is any indication, this campaign promises to get a lot more hotly contested and negative during the final days.
October 28, 1998 - MPR's Mark Zdechlik caught up with Ventura at a rally at the University of Minnesota. Reform party candidate Jesse Ventura announced plans for a statewide get out the vote blitz in the final days before the election. Zdechlik interviews numerous potential voters.
October 28, 1998 - On this edition of MPR’s Voices of Minnesota series, a profile of two long-time Minnesota political activists; Geri Joseph of the DFL and Republican Kathleen Ridder. The two women have played a major role in shaping politics in Minnesota.