March 6, 1998 - A new light rail system for the Twin Cities is very close to becoming a reality -- perhaps closer than it's ever been. The State Senate yesterday (THURS) approved $49 Million dollars for a line linking downtown Minneapolis to the airport and the Mall of America... and today (FRI) key House members indicated they'll probably do the same. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports on how the LRT project got this far -- and what obstacles remain: So far, supporters of the Hiawatha corridor light rail project seem to have played all their cards right at the state capitol. They were careful to link the project with money to study other rail projects for the suburbs, which helped build support from non-urban legislators and even some Republicans -- who generally favor spending as little money this year as possible. St Louis Park Republican Jim Rhodes says this project crosses all kinds of boundaries:
March 6, 1998 - When the nation's largest red meat processor shuts down a packing plant in southwest Minnesota later this week it will hurt more than the employees. Farmers who sell cattle to the IBP plant in Luverne are worried too. Some say the situation underscores complaints that the few remaining meatpackers are too powerful. Mark Steil of Mainstreet Radio reports: Slaughtering plants shutdowns are becoming a common experience in southwest Minnesota and across the border in Iowa and South Dakota. Last year a Campbell Soup chicken plant in Worthington and a hog processor in Huron South Dakota closed.
March 11, 1998 - Some state lawmakers say Northwest Airlines misled the Legislature last year when it asked for a change in a Minnesota law. The change could save the Airline from paying out millions of dollars in a lawsuit. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports: Joseph O'Donnell, a bankruptcy trustee in Portland, Maine, says Northwest Airlines misled the Minnesota Legislature last year to defend itself from a $30-million dollar lawsuit in Maine. He says Northwest convinced the Legislature to change a Minnesota law in a way that would make it easier for the airline to defend itself -- but the airline never told legislators about the lawsuit... even when they made a point of asking. O'Donnell says the airline used the state legislature: ((30:43 What I object to, is Northwest's attemp
March 17, 1998 - When you think of Minnesota tourist spots, you probably don't think of Owatonna. But that may change when Cabela's, one of the nation's biggest sellers of sporting goods, opens a retail entertainment complex on I 35. Cabela's ships out 60 million catalogs every year, and a couple of million of the company's customers could bring changes to Owatonna. Minnesota Public Radio's Lynette Nyman reports.
March 17, 1998 - A Senate committee today (TUES) voted to change a law beneficial to Northwest Airlines after some legislators charge the airline duped them into passing the law. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports: One week ago, legislators discovered that an apparently technical change they made to the state's franchise law last year was actually of great potential benefit to Northwest Airlines. The change, which was retroactive, gave Northwest a defense against a $30-million-dollar lawsuit filed against it by two small airlines in Maine. Senator Allan Spear says he was shocked to discover that he and his colleagues had inadvertently meddled in an ongoing court case: ((We have a long, admirable tradition in this Legislature that we don't pass legislation that affects pending lawsuits! And that's what
March 18, 1998 - Tom Peters, best-selling author and management guru, discusses his latest book The Circle of Innovation: You Can't Shrink Your Way to Greatness. Peters talks of risks of technology and realities of business economy. He also answers listener questions.
March 18, 1998 - This MPR special report, titled The World Turned Upside Down: An End to Inflation, examines the potential end of a long period of inflation and the growing focus and concerns of possible deflation. Program includes various interviews and commentary and is hosted by Chris Farrell, MPR's senior economics and business editor.
March 18, 1998 - MPR’s Chris Farrell and economist Arthur Rolnick discuss the potential concerns of deflation and answer listener questions.
March 18, 1998 - What's in a name? Millions of dollars according to a legal battle between North America's second largest railroad and a former engineer from South St. Paul who owns the copyright to the company's name. But the engineer, William Purdy, would say this is just the latest battle in a drawn out legal war with his former employer, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad. It's a war he says is about workplace safety and free speech, but the company claims is about fraudulant use if its name and harrassment on the internet. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Roberts reports
March 19, 1998 - When most of us get ill, we expect a doctor to be able to figure out what's making us sick. But in some rare cases, doctors are baffled. It's especially troubling when someone gets seriously ill or dies. Since 1995, the Minnesota Department of Health has catalogued 22 cases where people got critically ill or died for no known reason. As Minnesota Public Radio's Brent Wolfe reports, scientists hope studying the cases will help them prepare to fight new diseases before they have a chance to spread. RUSTY LEE HAGAN AND IM EIGHT YEARS OLD (he