July 20, 1998 - Lowell Pratt, President of the Builders Association of the Twin Cities; Ray Waldron, President of the Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council; and Harry Melander of the St. Paul Building Trades Council, discuss shortage of construction workers in the region and outlook for the construction trades. Group also answers listener calls. The program begins with a report from MPR’s Cara Hetland on the construction dilemma impacting Spencer, South Dakota and St. Peter, Minnesota, in the aftermath of tornados.
July 21, 1998 - Michael Cox, Vice President and Economic Advisor at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas discusses his new report, "Time Well Spent: The Declining Real Cost of Living in America." Cox explains study that states while prices have gone up over the years, the cost of living is more modest than in past. Cox also answers listener questions.
July 28, 1998 - Robert McGregor, the President of the Minnesota Center for Corporate Responsibility, discusses business ethics. Focus of discussion is "The Minnesota Principles Toward An Ethical Basis For Global Business" (aka - The Minnesota Principles). McGregor also answers listener questions. Robert McGregor, the President of the Minnesota Center for Corporate Responsibility, discusses business ethics. Focus of discussion is "The Minnesota Principles Toward An Ethical Basis For Global Business" (aka - The Minnesota Principles). McGregor also answers listener questions.
August 12, 1998 - Chris Farrell, MPR’s senior business and economic editor, and Art Rolnick of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, discuss decline on Wall Street and the economy --and the impact on Minnesota. Farrell and Rolnick also answer listener questions.
August 12, 1998 - Warren Hanson, president of the Greater Minnesota Housing Fund; and Charlie Warner, chairman of the Right to Housing Campaign, discuss the state of affordable housing in Minnesota. Topics include shortage of subsidized housing and increasing rents. Hanson and Warner also answer listener questions.
August 19, 1998 - With a US West strike underway, and a Northwest Airlines strike looming, Mario Bognanno, Professor of Industrial Relations at the Industrial Relations Center of the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management, discusses strikes, the impact of strikes, and the negotiations that led up to them.
August 20, 1998 - Tom Satre and Jim Silva, both from the Minnesota Office of Technology; and Jerry Podkopacz, co-chair of Leonard Street and Dienard law firm's Y2K team, discuss the upcoming Y2K problem. Topics include definition of problem, potential impacts, and what individuals should do. Guests also answer listener questions.
August 25, 1998 - Former state senator Gene Merriam and state senator John Hottinger, of Mankato, discuss public money for economic development and corporate welfare in Minnesota. Merriam and Hottinger also answers listener questions.
August 26, 1998 - James Oberstar, Minnesota congressman and Alfred Kahn, former Carter administration official and professor emeritus at Cornell University, discuss the threatened Northwest Airlines strike and changes in the airline industry. Kahn also answers listener questions. Alfred Kahn is often referred to as the "the father of airline deregulation.” Program begins with a brief report on status of pending strike.
August 26, 1998 - George Wosniak, travel agent and president of Hobbit Travel in the Twin Cities, sorts out consumer information in the event of a strike of Northwest Airlines pilots. Wosniak also answers listener questions.