July 17, 2008 - We've been talking with Trisha Dillion, a healthcare consultant in Rochester, Minnesota, Steve Piragis, who owns an outfitter in Ely, Minnesota... and Jon Zitur, who works for a large local lumber company in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They are among a group of people we've selected from around Minnesota to give us a first-hand perspective on the effects of the economic slowdown. We'll be checking in with them periodically over the coming months.
August 5, 2008 - U.S. Senate candidates Norm Coleman and Al Franken gave similar views on key issues for rural voters on Tuesday, but offered different arguments for why they'd be better for the job. Coleman, the Republican incumbent, and Democrat Franken were joined at the annual FarmFest show by Independence Party candidates Dean Barkley and Steve Williams. All four talked up the importance of renewable fuel research and production on Minnesota's farms. Coleman and Franken, in their first joint appearance of the campaign, praised the recently passed farm bill, with both calling it a needed safety net for farmers. The forum's format didn't give candidates much chance to directly engage each other, putting the emphasis on discussion of issues.
August 27, 2008 - MPR’s Stephanie Hemphill visits Xcel Energy's nuclear power booth to find out what Minnesotans think about nuclear power as an energy option.
September 2, 2008 - College is a job for student, but many also have other part-time or full-time jobs to help pay for tuition. With funding for students their colleges are scarce in difficult financial economies, these side jobs become even more important for keeping students in college.
September 2, 2008 - Republican National Convention Day 2. Pres. George Bush addresses the RNC via satellite hookup.
September 15, 2008 - MPR’s Brandt Williams reports that the new Twins ballpark will be called Target Field. The team announced that the Minnesota-based retailer will have exclusive naming rights to its 40-thousand seat stadium and the adjacent outdoor plaza. The dollar amount on the 25-year deal is not public, but sports business experts speculate that the Target deal will mean many millions for the Twins.
September 17, 2008 - With Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, AIG, and other financial institutions in turmoil on Wall Street, an unemployment rate at 6.1 percent (a five-year high), and a housing market still slumping, experts Chris Farrell and Louis Johnston join Midday to discuss the current economic crisis.
October 1, 2008 - On this Midday, Marilyn Carlson Nelson, chairman and former CEO of Carlson, joins Midday to discuss her book How We Lead Matters: Reflections on a Life of Leadership. Nelson also answers listener questions.
October 11, 2008 - Special personal finance call-in show after Marketplace Money, after week of dropping stock market and world financial turmoil. Cathy Wurzer hosts and various guests answer questions about the markets and your money. Nate Winner, Financial Planning Assoc. of MN, Darryl Dalheimer, Lutheran Social Services.
November 24, 2008 - College investment officers are responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars in investments, which is money that colleges rely on to operate. How are they handling the financial crisis?