September 12, 1997 - Consumer groups argue bank fees are gouging customers at a time of record profits in the industry. In Minnesota and nationally, banks have increased service charges and added new ones. The fees add up to a lot of money. According to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Minnesota commercial banks collected more than $800, 000 a day in service charges last year, a total of $293 million. Complaints about fees have reached the Minnesota Legislature, where proposals to reign in bank fees are pending. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin has the third in our series of reports on bank fees.
September 12, 1997 - Consumer groups argue bank fees are gouging customers at a time of record profits in the industry. In Minnesota and nationally, banks have increased service charges and added new ones. The fees add up to a lot of money. According to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Minnesota commercial banks collected more than 800 thousand dollars a day in service charges last year, a total of 293 million dollars. Complaints about fees have reached the Minnesota legislature, where proposals to reign in bank fees are pending. Here is an exerpt from the third of Bill Catlin's reports on bank fees.
September 16, 1997 - Mainstreet Radio’s Mark Steil reports on workers at Oak Hills Living Center, a New Ulm nursing home in southwest Minnesota, who unionized several years ago and currently are locked in a bitter strike with management. They want higher pay, but government Medicaid policies and other regulations make that a difficult goal to reach.
September 17, 1997 - Most of us would be stumped if asked to quickly outline the borders of the 9th Federal Reserve District.... but not Aldo Moroni. He has just finished a huge clay model of the entire 9th district to hang in the lobby of the new Federal Reserve Building in Minneapolis. He told Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr he wanted to create more than a map of the area... but something of the spirit of the upper Midwest. (Sound up and under... continue under entire piece) Think about it too much and the convolutions of scale of Aldo Moroni's sculpture "This River, This Place" can become mind-twisting. First of all there's the big stuff... it weighs 5,000 pounds
September 22, 1997 - Next time you drive over a bridge, say a word of thanks to underwater welders. They are the hardy souls who brave the cold and muck of lakes and rivers to build bridges, repair dams and all other manner of wet construction work. In this week's Odd Jobs segment, Minnesota Public Radio's Gretchen Lehmann uncovers the world below with Minnesota School of Diving instructor Mark Owens and his student Garrett Silvernail as they practice underwater welding in a water tank in Brainerd.
September 24, 1997 - It's no longer surprising to hear most of the day-to-day functions of any business are conducted using a computer, and computers and laptops are fast becoming standard in the home too. But now this technology is being put to a new use in Minnesota. It's a concept known as "community networks." These networks use the Internet, chatrooms and e-mail to connect people not from across the world, but from across the street. Minnesota Public Radio's Gretchen Lehmann reports.
September 24, 1997 - Anchor Intro For the first time ever, an artist has received an award from the national organization that represents public works employees, the folks that bring you streets, bridges and sewers. Not surprizingly, that artist -- William Cochran -- produces public art murals...the most recent of which adorns a bridge in Frederick, Maryland. While in the Twin Cities recently to receive his award, Cochran and his wife Theresa wanted to see the work of local public art muralists. Jack Becker of Forecast public artworks, based in st paul, gave them a tour and mpr's mary stucky went along. The tour started at Mark Balma's fresco on the ceiling of the University of St Thomas building in downtown minneapolis .
September 25, 1997 - Minneapolis officials are relieved the city's murder rate is down. But people in the city's most crime infested neighborhoods are taking little comfort. The protesters at the mayoral debate earlier this week where tempers flared and the mayor's police security guard fired at a man suspected of assault are from the Phillips neighborhood. Some Phillips residents say the streets are still open drug markets with sellers and buyers doing a brisk business. Residents complain gunfire is rampant and police don't show up fast enough when residents call 911 to report drug dealing. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson reports.
September 25, 1997 - MPR’s Chris Roberts interviews Bob Hest and Steve Kramer, two ex-members of the experimental group The Wallets. Hest and Kramer discuss their new career of merging music into advertising campaigns.
September 25, 1997 - The Stroh Brewery Company told 365 workers this afternoon it's shutting down its St. Paul brewery November 24th. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports.