May 18, 1998 - The clean up and development of polluted riverfront property in downtown Minneapolis is picking up steam. The area is part of the city's historic flour milling district. Developers are building apartments and townhomes for people they believe will be attracted by the central riverfront's scenery and location. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson reports. audio . . . sfx wrecking ball Right now the neighbors are a little noisy. But the wrecking crew tearing down the old General Mills grain silos will leave soon. Then, developer Peggy Lucas' customers can catch a glimpse of what they've bought - an unobstructed view of the Mississippi River. Lucas' company, Brighton Development, is building apartments in the historic North Star Blanket fa
May 18, 1998 - Political foes of Minnesota Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Skip Humphrey say he should've disclosed all of the fees paid to attorneys in Minnesota's tobacco trial when he announced the settlement two weeks ago. The St. Paul Pioneer Press reported over the weekend the Robins Kaplan, Miller and Ciresi firm will receive at least 100-million-dollars more than Humphrey stated. Humphrey supporters say the fees are a non-issue because the tobacco companies agreed to pay them on top of the settlement. Minnesota public radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports: When Humphrey announced the tobacco settlement on June 8th, he proudly told supporters tobacco companies would pay attorneys fees *on top* of the 6 billion dollar settlement. He said tobacco companies would pay attorneys 440-million dollars or about seven percent of the settlement. But the Pioneer Press reported over the weekend that Humphrey was quoting only the fe
May 18, 1998 - As many as 25,000 Twin Cities residents will be without power until tomorrow, four days after tornadoes and thunderstorms swept through the area. Northern States Power company says Friday's storms knocked out electricity to more than 400,000 customers in Minnesota and parts of the Dakotas. The utility says the storms affected more households than a l996 ice storm. Cleanup crews are hauling away debris and dealing with the thousands of downed trees caused by the storm. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson reports. The beads of perspiration popping from John Schotzsnyder's forehead gleam in the midday sun. He welcomes a chance to take a break from storm clean up to show a visitor the damage to his Shoreview home and the trees on his lot. Several damaged boughs hang precarious
May 18, 1998 - (note: we aired this before we learned the meeting was cancelled. Also, cuts from this q/a were in circulation Friday so it's a dead horse now). Tom Clancy's bid to buy the Minnesota Vikings is on the agenda when a committee of N-F-L team owners meets in Miami tonight. The committee will consider the financing of the 200-million dollar sale to Clancy and more than a dozen other investors ... but NFL owners are not expected to vote on the proposed sale this week. There's been speculation in recent weeks that Clancy's deal might be unraveling. The best-selling author is going through a costly divorce that makes it unclear how much cash he can put toward a Vikings purchase. And some of the Vikings current owners have worried that one of Clancy's investors - Houston businessman Les Alexander - might eventually try to move the team to Texas. Alexander reportedly has the right of first refusal, meaning he could buy the team should Clancy decide to sell it. Wheelock Whitney, one of the Vikings ten current owners, plans to re-invest with the Clancy group. Whitney says it's premature to worry Alexaner would move the team to Houston:
May 19, 1998 - A Mainstreet Radio special broadcast from the small community of Comfrey, Minnesota. Mark Steil takes a closer look at new laws governing the regulation of feedlots in Minnesota…laws which give more control over feedlots to local governments. Steil talks with State Legislators Steve Dille and Gary Kubly, as well as local officials.
May 19, 1998 - [note: Koch signed late Monday afternoon so this story is good for Tuesday m.e.] Officials for the Koch Refining Company will take their request for a new, flexible air quality permit before the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency citizens board today, for a second time. The permit could allow the company to expand operations at its Rosemount Refinery, at a time when it's under increasing fire for widespread contamination in Minnesota and in other states. Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Losure reports. Koch Refining Company's request for a new air quality permit first went to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency citizen
May 19, 1998 - The environmental safety of the Koch Refinery is in question again. Concerns about possible health risks from air emmissions from the refinery have delayed the company's request for a new air quality permit. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency citizens board plans to take a second look at a massive study that assured local citizens the air around Koch's Rosemount refinery was safe to breathe. Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Losure reports. Koch Refining Company's request for a new, flexible air quality permit had already been under intense scrutiny because of the company's poor environmental track record. The permit could allow Koch t
May 19, 1998 - The Minnesota Vikings sale could be back to square one if the offer from author Tom Clancy doesn't pick up some momentum soon. Clancy missed an important meeting with NFL owners in Miami yesterday. The league rejected his request for a one week delay and, instead, ordered him to have the deal firmed up by tomorrow. Jeff Agrest is an associate editor with Pro-Football Weekly in Chicago.
May 20, 1998 - Steve Young, a former dean of the Hamline University law school says it's unethical for the Robins Kaplan Miller & Ciresi Law Firm to charge $560 Million dollars for its work on the state's recently-settled tobacco lawsuit. Young filed a complaint with the Lawyers' Professional Responsibility Board, alleging that the size of the fee violates professional rules.
May 20, 1998 - MPR’s William Wilcoxen reports that Tom Clancy has dropped his bid to purchase the Minnesota Vikings. The best-selling author had emerged as the surprise top bidder for the Vikings, but the efforts fell apart. The result is an open question on who will be the new owner of team.