August 4, 1999 - There are thousands of miles of multi-use trails in Minnesota. Their popularity is exploding among hikers, bikers, snowmobilers, skiers and skaters. These trails are often a boon to small towns, pulling in tourists year round. The Lake Wobegon Trail in central Minnesota is one of those popular destinations. The former rail line-turned path stretches thirty miles in Stearns County, from Avon to Sauke Centre. Trail supporters want to add another 9 mile stretch north to the town of Holdingford. But some landowners are opposed to the move, saying its violates their rights.
August 10, 1999 - Supporters of a new St. Paul ballpark plan to send area civic leaders on tours of several new retro-style ballparks hoping they'll come back ready to drum up enthusiasm for the local proposal. Mayor Norm Coleman's staff is considering trips to Jacob's Field in Cleveland, Camden Yards in Baltimore and Coors Field in Denver. The cheer leaders have their work cut out for them. Polls have consistently shown Minnesotans are overwhelmingly against building a new baseball stadium. Ed Schiappa, a professor of communication studies at the University of Minnesota, has written a book on the stadium debate in Minnesota. He says this lastest push isn't likely to fare much better than the last one.
August 13, 1999 - He's been on the job guarding the entrance of the Science Museum of Minnesota for 21-years. Now it's time for him to take some time off and do some sightseeing. Iggy, the 40-foot Iron Iguana, is being hoisted onto a flatbed truck next Wednesday. He's going to stop by the Gillette Children's Hospital, take a drive down the Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis , and eventually settle into his new home at the new science museum overlooking the Mississippi river in St. Paul. Nick Swearer is Iggy's creator. He started building the giant sculpture when he was just 15 years old. I asked Swearer where the inspiration for Iggy came from.
August 13, 1999 - Imagine Minnesota without a legal system. That was the case before 1849 when Minnesota, then a territory, had no judges, no courtrooms to settle disputes. But 150 years ago this month, that all changed as Minnesota's first justice Aaron Goodrich was sworn in near the banks of the Mississippi river in Stillwater. Goodrich's story and other accounts of the famous and infamous in Minnesota justice are chronicled in a new book, "For the Record: 150 years of law and lawyers in Minnesota". 250 legal enthusiasts dug into historical archives to piece together the history of Minnesota's legal profession.
August 16, 1999 - The Olympics are intended to embody the best a country has to offer. So it's not surprising the bribery scandal involving Salt Lake City has taken some of the luster off the upcoming summer games. But if that cynicism is left unchecked, 1972 Olympic swimmer John Naber, says the athletes will be the ones to suffer. In his new book, "Awakening the Olympian Within", Naber collected inspirational stories from 28 athletes who overcame odds to win Olympic gold or failed in their quest, but gained valuable life lessons. Nabor says the problem with this Olympics, is that no one wants to hear those stories just yet.
August 18, 1999 - Call it an obsession. This morning book afficionados in Duluth are lining up outside the doors of the downtown public library for what has become an institution as well as a library fund-raiser: the annual book sale. They are prepared to mow people down or elbow them aside, all in the interests of finding the perfect cheap summer reading.
August 19, 1999 - Some Minnesotans are giving their two-cents worth to a stadium fund -- and not a penny more. Governor Jesse Ventura suggested the fund as a way for stadium backers to contribute all or part of their state sales-tax rebate to the cause. So far the response has been fairly mixed with some contributors expressing scorn for a publicly-financed stadium.... but the fund is slowly building up. Finance Director for the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission Roger Simonson is opening the mail.
August 24, 1999 - MPR’s Lorna Benson interviews Janet Harvey of Elk River, who has submitted a “Jesse” quilt in the Fine Arts Competition at the Minneosta State Fair. Harvey explains her reason behind the full-size fabric portrait of Governor Ventura.
August 26, 1999 - Minneapolis Star Tribune business writer Jill Barshay, a native New Yorker, decribes her attempt at winning a Minnesota State Fair blue ribbon by submitting a fried sauerkraut dessert.
August 27, 1999 - It's ALL THINGS CONSIDERED on Minnesota Public Radio. I'm Lorna Benson. This Saturday night at 7:00 you'll notice a new sound on Minnesota Public Radio (music up) "The Jazz Image" hosted by Leigh Kamman will gradually leave its spot on the classical music stations of MPR and move to the news side. Tonight on All Things Considered, we wanted to introduce Kamman to our news audience, plus it's always good to have an excuse to talk with quite possibly the nicest man in the radio business. Kamman began his career in broadcasting almost sixty years ago. He's interviewed all the greats: Louis Armstrong, Billie Holliday, Count Basie you name it. He's broadcast from Harlem, San Francisco and even an Army Hospital during World War Two. Since 1973, he's been a fixture on Minnesota Public Radio.