July 22, 1997 - Inflation? What Inflation? Midday features a special report by Senior Business and Economics Editor Chris Farrell, and a discussion about falling prices and possible deflation with Chris Farrell and Larry Wipf, Regional Economist at Norwest.
July 23, 1997 - Midday discusses the Twin Cities International Airport, including capacity, hubs, airport noise, parking, runways, air traffic control with guest Jeff Hamiel, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Airports Commission. Listeners call in with questions.
July 23, 1997 - The Minnesota Twins opened the door a crack to a multi-use stadium today after seeing plans for a next-generation baseball and football facility. But officials from the team -- who have asked the state to pay for a baseball-only park -- remain highly skeptical a dual purpose stadium could generate the revenue they say they need. The push for a multi-use facility is coming from the Minnesota Vikings...who say they can't survive financially as the sole tenant in the Metrodome. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Wareham reports: Officials from the Twins...Vikings...and Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission met for over two hours behind closed doors with an architect from HOK...a firm that's designed several stadiums around the country. R
July 24, 1997 - The current and future condition of the real estate market is the focus of this Midday. Studio guests are Glenn Dorfman of the Minnesota Association of Realtors and Dean Flackey, President of the Builders Association of the Twin Cities and Owner of Life Style Homes.
July 24, 1997 - A new record label in Minneapolis is hoping to become the home of traditional Scandanavian music in North America. Founders of Northside records say the traditional folk music and fiddle tunes of Sweden, Norway and Finland are becoming the hottest thing going in world music circles. The resurgence is being fueled by young Scandanavian musicians. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Roberts reports.
July 25, 1997 - Cable television subscribers in Winona will soon have a choice of cable providers if the Winona City Council approves a franchise agreement with a local company on Monday. Once the new company lays cable around the city, Winona will become one of the few small cities in the nation with competing cable providers. But it may be part of a growing trend as cable, telephone, and internet companies vie with each other for direct access to people's homes through fiber optic cables. Minnesota Public Radios Brent Wolfe reports on how competition will affect subscribers and why it developed in Winona.
July 25, 1997 - Police say six years ago, there were eight so-called saunas and health clubs operating illegally in St. Paul. Lee Lenore's was the last one. But in Minneapolis, some neighborhood saunas are still up and running, in addition to legal strip joints and dirty book and video stores. Such businesses are intentionally confined to the Warehouse district downtown. The city council is considering new laws designed to address both the illegal and the legal sex industry. Minneapolis City Councilmember Joe Biernat and the commander of Saint Paul's vice unit, Lieutenant Richard Iffert, explain exactly what goes on in these places.
July 28, 1997 - Midday examines the growth in popularity of organic food and locally-produced food with guests Edward Brown, produce manager at the Wedge Co-Op in Minneapolis, and Greg Reynolds, who owns and operates Riverbend Farm in Delano. Listeners call in with questions.
August 7, 1997 - Midday rebroadcasts a Minnesota Public Radio documentary produced by MPR’s Mark Heistad. The Strike is On! is an oral history of the early labor movement in Minnesota, with emphasis on the struggle to organize Iron Range workers, Austin’s Hormel strike, the Minneapolis truckers strike of 1934, and more.
August 18, 1997 - The ELCA's failure to approve a closer relationship with the Episcopal Church comes as no surprise to the 820,000 ELCA Lutherans in Minnesota. In fact, as Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports, many Minnesota Lutherans wonder why the proposed "concordat" with Episcopalians got as far as it did.