September 10, 1997 - FOR M.E. WEDS 9-10-97 Today we begin a three part series on bank fees. Consumer groups have blasted banks for excessive fees in an era of record profits. One of the most lucrative service charges is the bounced check fee. In the first report of our series, Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin reports that banks have figured out the bounced check fee can turn rubber into gold. Tune in at 5:30 tonight for more about bounced check fees, including a banking practice that can make customers bounce more checks
September 10, 1997 - FOR ATC WEDS 9-10-97 Today we begin a three part series on bank fees. Consumer groups have blasted banks for excessive fees in an era of record profits. Much of the recent criticism has focused on Automated Teller Machine fees. But the amount banks collect in bounced check fees dwarfs their income from the new ATM surcharge. In the first of our series, Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin reports that banks have figured out the bounced check fee can turn rubber into gold. | D-CART ITEM: PLAYLIST #7329 | TIME: PART ONE (7327) 7:42 | OUTCUE: "... is enormous." | TIME: PART TWO: (7328) 6:57 | OUTCUE: SOC note: story includes a promo for next day's story just prior to SOC.
September 10, 1997 - Browning Ferris Industries, the nation's second largest waste hauler, plans to open methane- to-energy plants at more than half the 110 landfills it operates across the country. Methane is one of the products of garbage decomposition, and up until recent years it has gone unused. BFI held an open house to celebrate the first year and a half of operation of a methane to electricity plant at the Pine Bend Landfill in Inver Grove Heights. The event also celebrated improved relations between BFI and its neighbors. Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Losure reports.
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 .