April 7, 1998 - Ken Morris, president of the State Board of Education, discusses education and state's "Profile of Learning" graduation standards. Morris also answers listener questions.
April 8, 1998 - Governor Arne Carlson has backed off his threat to veto a billion-dollar tax relief bill... for now. Carlson and legislative leaders reached a tentative deal last night (TUESDAY), but the truce is shaky. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports: DFL leaders are trying to win Carlson's support for the tax relief plan by making a ten-percent increase in a program he likes -- one-time rebates for property taxpayers -- and by cutting out a few tax breaks he thinks are unnecessary, like a $20-million credit for higher education expenses. The Governor said those changes might be enough to earn the bill his signature... but he warned DFLers not to go through with a plan to earmark FUTURE state budget surplus monies to building pr
April 8, 1998 - Elementary grade students are back in school this week in Saint Peter. That's a small but important step on a long road to recovery for the tornado damaged school district. Middle school and high school students go back to classes next week, sharing the elementary buildings for the rest of the school year. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports... (Sound of classroom chatter) At North Intermediate School in Saint Peter, sixth grade students are dissecting matter regurgitated by owls, looking for the small skeletons of rodents. The class is studying predators and scavangers in the animal world. The unsavory aspects of picking through the remains of an owl's meal is lost on these children, who've spent the past week picking through their scatt
April 9, 1998 - America is in the midst of an explosion of matters spiritual -- with best selling books on the care of the soul, the growth of non-demonimational mega churches, psychics on the television and Asian and Middle Eastern religions gaining American converts. All this month, in a series of reports and commentaries, Minnesota Public Radio will explore relgious issues in everyday life. Today, in the first report in our series, Reporter Mary Stucky says today's search for spiritual meaning reflects the nature of American life in the 1990s. BACKANNOUNCE FOR MORNING EDITION: (use as much as there is time for...) Tune in for our Mid Morning broadcast at 9am today, for an hour's discussion of faith and spirituality in everyday American life. Claire Wolfteich,(WOLF-tyk) Assistant Professor of Practical Theology and Spiritual Formation at Boston University School of Theology will join John Rabe from 9 to 10am. BACKANNOUNCE FOR MIDMORNING: (place this anywhere in the ho
April 9, 1998 - MPR’s Hope Deutscher reports on eight wrestlers at the University of Minnesota-Morris that are gaining international recognition. They are not only overcoming an opponent, but also stereotypes as they train for the future…even a potential Olympics.
April 10, 1998 - Traditional mainline churches have lost a quarter of their members in the last 25 years -- in part, due to the defection of baby boomers, a generation dissatified with organized religion. But for the first time in decades, officials with the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis say enrollment in Catholic schools is on the rise. All this month, in a series of reports and commentaries, Minnesota Public Radio will explore relgious issues in everyday life. Today, in the second report in our series, Tim Pugmire reports in the Twin Cities, a new Catholic high school and two elementary schools are planned in fast-growing suburban communities. But enrollment is also booming for a few inner-city parochial schools.
April 10, 1998 - Students and faculty from the University of Minnesota's Chinese Language Program will meet with President Mark Yudof this morning to discuss the program's future. More than 20 students are in the third day of a hunger strike to protest understaffing of the program. University officials say a new professor will be hired next fall... but so far, that assurance hasn't been enough to end the strike. Minnesota Public Radio's John Bischoff reports: Sun 28-MAY 11:38:42 MPR NewsPro Archive - Wed 04/11/2001
April 10, 1998 - It's been a quiet week for weather in Saint Peter as residents continue to clean up tornado debris and rebuild their flattened community. But spring in Minnesota means storm season...and that could be a frightening experience, especially for children who recently lived through a tornado. Saint Peter schools are trying to plan for the next severe weather and how to keep kids from panicking. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports... (Sound of kids running and screaming) In the gymnasium at South Elementary School in Saint Peter, kindergarten students chase each other in a wild game of tag. Teachers and counselors at the school are hoping to avoid chaos in the classrooms the next time the
April 13, 1998 - The state Board of Education will vote tonight in northeast Minnesota. If approved, the school will be run by KidsPeace, a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit company. It will offer education and vocational training to troubled teenage boys. Some Iron Range legislators fought the project, but residents of Buhl are welcoming it with open arms. Minnesota Public Radio's Amy Radil reports. News of the proposed KidsPeace school first surfaced in some stormy sessions of the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board. Some board members opposed another juvenile facility in northeast Minnesota because they feared it
April 13, 1998 - Comfrey schools will reopen today (Monday, April 13th), two weeks and a day after a tornado swept through the southwest Minnesota community. The tornado heavily damaged the Comfrey elementary school and high school, so students will travel to Sanborn to resume classes. Mainstreet Radio's Mark Steil reports the startup of school is important for both towns: Comfrey students won't need to bring any supplies when they make the 20 mile bus trip to Sanborn. Standing in a third grade classroom, elementary school music teacher Laurie Fredin points out donated items neatly laid out on each desk: