October 17, 1997 - Midday examines the quality of new home construction in Minnesota, including how to determine good quality and how to deal with faulty construction with guests Dean Flackey, the president of the Builders Association of the Twin Cities and contractor with Lifestyle Homes; and Scott Borchert, of the State Commerce Department, which oversees building contractors. Listeners call in with questions.
October 30, 1997 - As part of a collection of profile reports on candidates for Minneapolis mayor, MPR’s Dan Olson looks at incumbent Minneapolis Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton and her political tenure in the city.
November 7, 1997 - Midday offers another program in the continuing "Voices of Minnesota" interview series, featuring conversations with Andre Lewis of the Honeywell Foundation; Win Wallin of Medtronic; and Dominique Serrand of Theatre de la Jeune Lune.
November 20, 1997 - MPR’s Chris Roberts profiles the Gay 90’s and the unanticipated consequences of non-gay crowd changing the scene at Minneapolis bar. Roberts interviews individuals about the reasons and its social impact to LGBTQ community.
January 14, 1998 - MPR’s Leif Enger reports on cold weather tourism on the Gun Flint Trail, and the debates of what exactly that should be. Report includes various interviews and commentary.
January 26, 1998 - Four years after Minnesota filed its lawsuit against the tobacco industry, opening statements in the trial begin this morning (Monday) at the federal courthouse in St. Paul. The state and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota are suing the major tobacco companies to recover the cost of treating smoking-related illnesses over the past two decades. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports...
January 26, 1998 - Rochester is the famed winter home for 30-thousand Canada geese. The wild birds stay mostly in the center of the city on Silver Lake, which does not freeze because of warm water from a nearby power plant. While the healthy flock is a source of some civic pride, their by-product is the bane of locals. One Rochester man, however, has found a use for the waste. Gary Blum (like plum) turns dried goose poop mixed with glue into art. He's found a niche creating pictures of geese, loons and even people. Minnesota Public Radio's spoke with Blum about his passion for goose poop art. Rochester artist Gary Blum talking with Minnesota Public Radio's Art Hughes.
January 26, 1998 - NORTHWEST AIRLINES TODAY ANNOUNCED AN ALLIANCE WITH CONTINENTAL AIRLINES. THE MOVE WILL BOOST REVENUES AND SOLIDIFY THE AIRLINE'S POSITION IN THE INDUSTRY. BUT IT MAY NOT REDUCE FARES. MINNESOTA PUBLIC RADIO'S BILL CATLIN REPORTS. THE ANNOUNCEMENT CAME AFTER WHAT APPEARED TO BE FRACTIOUS, ON-AGAIN OFF-AGAIN DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN CONTINENTAL, NORTHWEST AND THE NORTHWEST PILOTS UNION ... WHICH HAS VETO AUTHORITY OVER THE DEAL. TWO WEEKS AGO, THE PILOTS UNION DECIDED THE STRATEGIC ARRANGEMENT WITH CONTINETAL COULD BE PROFITABLE FOR NORTHWEST. HOWEVER, DELTA AIRLINES APPARANTLY LIKED THE IDEA AS WELL. C
January 27, 1998 - MPR's Cara Hetland reports from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where the Minnesota Twins are utilizing a caravan to hopefully draw crowds to ballpark as the team fights for a new stadium… while at the same time cutting team player payroll and dealing with talk of selling/moving team. Players admit it's tough to sell tickets for what may be a lame duck season.
January 28, 1998 - A new plan is afoot to relieve commuter congestion on Minnesota's busiest roadway. Transportation planners are proposing a commuter bus system for Interstate 35W through Minneapolis, Richfield and Bloomington. The bus plan is an alternative to the one billion dollar 35W re-design floated a few years ago to relieve car congestion. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson has more. audio . . . sfx 42nd street overpass It's 5pm on a Friday afternoon and the illuminated brakelights make the four lanes of 35W through south Minneapolis look as though they are carpeted in red. Traffic is barely moving - with one exception. audio . . . bus whoosh