February 13, 1989 - Bill Frenzel, Third District Republican congressman and the ranking minority member of the House Budget Committee, speaking to meeting of the Minnesota International Center. Frenzel’s address was the topic "The Foreign Policy of the New Administration," which included talk on trade matters. Speech included After speech, Frenzel answered audience questions. Frenzel is considered an expert on trade matters and has been Congress' representative to the current round of talks on GATT, the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs.
March 1, 1989 - MPR’s John Biewen visits Melvin McCosh’s “House of Books.” The longtime Minnesota bookseller hosts a book sale twice a year at his 42-room home, which is literally rooms full of books for shoppers to peruse.
March 2, 1989 - Melvyn Copen, head of the Central American Institute for Business Administration, speaking at Minnesota Meeting. Copen’s address was titled "Making Central America a Partner: What U.S. Business Can Do." The topic was on the Central American economy and politics. INCAE is an internationally known post-graduate school of administration based in Central America. Dr. Copen was introduced by Tony Anderson, chair of the Minnesota Meeting. Minnesota Meeting is a non-profit corporation which hosts a wide range of public speakers. It is managed by the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota.
March 15, 1989 - MPR’s Dan Olson interviews former Pillsbury employees, who express their criticism of company during the Grand Met takeover.
March 28, 1989 - James Oberstar, Minnesota congressman and chairman of the House Aviation Subcommittee, discusses current air travel safety issues, including airport security, aging aircraft, and airplane maintenance. Oberstar also answers listener questions.
April 4, 1989 - Midday highlights the controversy surrounding an increase in the minimum wage. It's being debated in the individual states and in the Congress - the U.S. House recently voted to increase the minimum wage, and the Senate is expected to take up the issue this week. The Bush administration has threatened a veto if the bill is not to its liking. Program begins with an independently produced documentary called "Minimum Wage: Maximum Controversy". Documentary is followed with MPR’s Bob Potter talking with Ken Peterson, Minnesota's Labor and Industry Commissioner; and John Fossum, director of the Industrial Relations Center at the University of Minnesota. "Minimum Wage: Maximum Controversy" was written and produced by Carlos Davidson, an independent producer in California. The narrator was Charles Bloomer. Funding was provided by the Eastman Fund, The Funding Exchange, Nu Lambda Trust, the Skaggs Foundation and the Vanguard Foundation.
April 19, 1989 - MPR’s Stephen Smith and Tom Meersman present “Burning the Needles,” a documentary report on the issues of medical waste and the challenges in how to dispose of it.
May 9, 1989 - Mainstreet Radio’s Leif Enger reports on the concern over contaminants such as mercury, PCBs, and dioxin in northern Minnesota fish. Some are concerned that the contaminated fish might cause a decrease in fishing and tourism, but others said there are simply nothing to worry about.
May 10, 1989 - Michael Wright, CEO of Supervalu and chairman of the Minnesota Business Partnership and finance commissioner; and Tom Triplett, state finance commissioner of Minnesota, discuss state and local government spending and taxes. Topic of cap on state spending campaign is highlighted. Wright and Triplett also answer listener questions.
August 9, 1989 - MPR’s Kate Smith reports on Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium, also known as MECC, which is being placed up for sale by the state. The corporation has helped Minnesota schools with software at cost, but legislators are looking to sell the company.