April 3, 1998 - State attorneys in Minnesota's tobacco trial showed industry memos that suggest companies knew low-tar cigarettes could be as dangerous as full-flavored cigarettes but never told the public. Attorneys introduced the memos during cross-examination of defense witness--David Townsend. Townsend is vice president of product development at the nation's second largest cigarette maker--R-J Reynolds. Minnesota Public Radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports: A 1990 RJR memo said low-tar cigarettes aren't what they claim to be; and advertising ultra low-tar is misleading. It said smokers tend to smoke until they reach their individual requirement for nicotine by inhaling low tar cigarettes more deeply or subconsciously blocking vents on filters with their fingers or mouth.
April 3, 1998 - Koch Refining Company will pay a 6.9 million dollar fine for environmental violations at its oil refinery just south of Saint Paul. Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Losure reports. Most of the penalty against Koch is for improper handling of the refinery's contaminated wastewater. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Commisioner Peder Larson says the water was supposed to be piped to the refinery's treatment plant.
April 6, 1998 - Environmentalists today claimed a small victory in their effort to protect a raptor called the "Goshawk" in Northern Minnesota. The Forester in charge of the Chippewa National Forest has agreed to ban logging for two years in areas known as Goshawk habitat. While the situation is not as contentious as the fight over the spotted owl in the northwest, environmentalists say its a battle worth fighting. Brigit Hust prepared the case for the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy and the National Audubon Society. Brigit Hust prepared the Goshawk case for the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy and the National Audubon Society. The Goshawks habitat in Chippewa National Forest won't be logged for two years. Sun 28-MAY 11:47:53 MPR NewsPro Archive -
April 6, 1998 - The mayor who led Grand Forks through last years flooding offered sympathy and encouragement to tornado victims in St. Peter Sunday. Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Losure reports. and vividly described the disaster that struck HER community almost year ago, when the dikes protecting GRand Forks began to give way.
April 6, 1998 - Gustavus Adolphus College alumni and students spent the weekend cleaning up the destruction from last week's tornado. The tornado damaged many of the college's buildings and has forced an extension of the college's spring break. But it didn't keep people from breaking out the "gustie spirit" to help the college begin the process of recovery. Minnesota Public Radio's Lynette Nyman has this report. 31:00 ambience of crowd
April 7, 1998 - MPR's Mary Losure talked to kids at an afterschool daycare program for a child's eye view of the severe storm and tornado that hit St. Peter, Minnesota.
April 13, 1998 - Farmers around Comfrey and LeCenter are asking for volunteers to help clear their fields of tornado debris so they can begin their spring planting. Bill Free-DELL of Lutheran Social Service says the weather delayed an immediate clean-up: Bill Fredell is with Lutheran Social Services. There are buses providing round-trips from the Twin Cities. Sun 28-MAY 11:37:29 MPR NewsPro Archive - Wed 04/11/2001
April 13, 1998 - Ojibwa Indians are gillnetting and spearing this spring, under rights first granted in 1837. After a long court battle, the Mille Lacs and other tribes were given authority to regulate their own hunting and fishing in a large section of east-central Minnesota -- including Lake Mille Lacs, the state's most popular walleye lake. It is a historic spring for the tribes -- and a dark one for treaty opponents, who still hope the Supreme Court will take up their cause. Leif Enger retraces the eight-year dispute. The 161-year-old treaty is a short, simple document -- you could read it twice before this story's over. In plain language, the Ojibwa yield t
April 13, 1998 - It will be another week before students at Gustavus Adolphus College in Saint Peter return to classes on their tornado-ravaged campus. Officials had hoped to reopen the college today, but delays in debris cleanup and restoring power pushed that back a week. The small Lutheran college faces a long and expensive rebuilding process. But the money's pouring in and administrators are confident they'll emerge from the debris even better than before. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports... (Sound of bobcat) In a parking lot at Gustavus Adolphus College, workers take a break from hauling debris to unload a semi-trailer full of donated trees. The tornado stripped the campus almost bare of its large mature trees. Campus Gardener Bil
April 14, 1998 - A decade ago in Wisconsin, angry racial confrontations became everyday news when Indians began spearfishing under restored treaty rights. The same rights have been upheld in Minnesota. This spring members of the Mille Lacs and seven other Ojibwa bands are spearing and gillnetting walleye on waters in east-central Minnesota, including Lake Mille Lacs. Some worry the same kinds of confrontations could happen here. But as Leif Enger reports, the long battle over treaty rights has already strained relations between Indians and whites.