June 2, 1998 - The Who's Song "My Generation" spoke for many baby boomers in the sixties, who couldn't envision the day when they'd be their parents' age. Thirty years on.... it's happened. According to the American Association of Retired People, one person every eight seconds turns 50 in the United States. Over time, the impact of baby boomer numbers has changed schools, the workplace and family life. And now, officials in Minnesota and throughout the country are trying to anticipate what kind of impact they'll have on the greying of America. Minnesota Public Radio's Gretchen Lehmann reports.
June 2, 1998 - The March tornadoes in southwestern Minnesota forced many farmers to ask some very tough questions about their future. Rebuilding a farm operation broken apart by a tornado is difficult.... and this year's recovery is complicated by low grain, livestock and milk prices. Mainstreet Radio's Mark Steil reports: The tornado tore a good chunk of the roof off the dairy barn on the Ron and Penny Mohr farm near New Ulm. It also ruined a couple of feed silos, toppling concrete blocks from one into the barn. Ron Mohr says within a few hours of the storm he knew he might have to sell his milk cows: :17 (There was guy came here at ten o'clock at night to help
June 2, 1998 - MPR’s William Wilcoxen visits St. Paul’s Highland Park neighborhood, where the clean up along the Highland Parkway is taking place after a windstorm downed much of the tree canopy in area. Along with trees, homes and cars were left damaged or destroyed.
June 2, 1998 - Stress is taking a toll on residents of Newport who are still without power. The town of four thousand people is eight miles south of St. Paul on the Mississippi river. About half of Newport's residents are still without power. The Saturday night storm hit the town hard, felling hundreds of old trees and causing extensive property damage. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson has more. audio . . .ambience Newport has the feel of a village. Modest homes, some only a stones throw from the Mississippi are shaded by state
June 3, 1998 - Thousands of Twin Cities area residents are still waiting for the lights to come back on after last Saturday's storm. As of this afternoon, Northern States Power reports 41-thousand-200 customers without power. That's down from a total of 434-thousand Saturday night. But the utility says it could be Friday before all service is restored. Utility crews are working non-stop, but some customers are losing patience. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports... (Sound of crew) On a stretch of rural road in Afton, utility workers prepare an auger to drill fresh holes in a ditch cluttered with broken tree branches. They'll erect new wooden poles and replace the power line neede
June 3, 1998 - There's change taking place in Saint Peter. Since the tornado hit March 29th, businesses and homes are slowly rebuilding. It seems the storm effected everything and everyone. And for some people reinvention rather than replication from the rubble heals best. In the past few weeks we've been following the recovery through the eyes of two Saint Peter residents. Today Minnesota Public Radio's Lynette Nyman talks again with resident Nancy Jordet. Nancy Jordet has been very busy reconstructing her life. But there's a sense of calm and purpose in her face that was missing those first few days after the storm. She is back at work running her graphic design business, but the common problems of balancing business and family
June 9, 1998 - U-S Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman visited Minnesota and North Dakota Monday offering emotional support and announcing changes to farm programs in hopes of helping struggling upper Midwestern farmers. Glickman visited individual farms, and then spoke to two thousand farmers at a forum. Minnesota Public Radio's Hope Deutscher reports... (walking through field) As about a dozen reporters and Congressional delegates tagged along, East Grand Forks farmer John Driscoll told Secretary Glickman farmers are suffering. There's been years of bad weather, low prices and a succession of blig
June 12, 1998 - This weekend a music festival touted as the nation's largest outdoor vocal music concert makes its premiere in Central Minnesota. BIG SING U.S.A. is a two-day celebration of a capella music featuring national headliners including "The Bobs" and "Rockapella". Minnesota Public Radio's Gretchen Lehmann talked to two local groups showcasing their talent at the festival. The words "a capella" typically conjure images of barbershop quartets or four guys on a street corner, harmonizing 50's hits. But the style has moved far beyond its early roots. 90's Acapella groups blend ethnic rhythms, jazz harmonies and vocal percussion to create a decided
June 22, 1998 - Rich Naistat of the National Weather Service in Chanhassen talks about the weather. Topics include summer, long days, dew points, global temperatures, and severe weather. Naistat also answers listener questions.
June 29, 1998 - MPR’s Laura McCallum reports on another round of June thunderstorms pounding the Twin Cities. Storms rumbled through the state on June 27th and 28th, damaging homes, trees, and power lines. The Saturday storm brought down trees in St. Paul’s historic Summit neighborhood.