October 6, 1998 - Rod Grams, Minnesota Republican U.S. Senator, discusses his plan for phasing out social security with IRA style personal retirement accounts and welfare style federal safety net. The proposed bill is called “The Personal Security and Wealth and Retirement Act.” Grams also answers listener questions. Toward end of program, Virginia Reno, Director of Research for National Academy of Social Insurance, shares details on subject of Social Security reform.
October 7, 1998 -
October 7, 1998 - Chinese officials are opening a new trade office in St. Paul tomorrow. Commissioner of Trade and Economic Development, Jay Novak, says the Chinese are hoping the office will help them INCREASE EXPORTS to Minnesota. Novak says so far China's economy has weathered the Asian financial crisis fairly well. And he says Minnesota officials hope that means China will soon be willing to IMPORT more Minnesota goods as well.
November 18, 1998 - As part of the Our State, Our Forests series, a Mainstreet Radio special broadcast from MPR studios in Duluth, highlighting the Minnesota Northwoods. In this hour, MPR’s Rachel Reabe presents stories by reporters Leif Enger and Mary Losure which portray the timber industry past and present and describe its impact on the environment and economy of Northern Minnesota.
November 18, 1998 - As part of the Our State, Our Forests series, a Mainstreet Radio special broadcast from MPR studios in Duluth, highlighting the Minnesota Northwoods. Rachel Reabe hosts a discussion/debate on forestry in Minnesota with Jim Sanders, forest supervisor for the Superior National Forest; Betsy Daub, forest program director for the Minnesota office of the National Audubon Society; and Wayne Brandt, executive vice-president for Forest Industries.
November 30, 1998 - Representative Ron Abrams of Minnetonka, new chairman of the House Tax Committee, and Representative Dave Bishop of Rochester, new chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, talk about plans for taxing and spending in the next session of the legislature. Abrams and Bishop also answer listener questions.
December 31, 1998 - An MPR Special report, presenting the big Minnesota news stories of 1998. Highlights include Governor election, Comfrey and St. Peter tornado, farm crisis, mergers, the Northwest strike and the big tobacco trial. Program ends with brief remembrance segments on various individuals that made news in the year.
January 11, 1999 - MPR's Mark Zdechlik interviews John Dasburg, Northwest Airline's CEO, who looks back on the company's labor problems in 1998 and looks ahead to some of the issues facing the airline in the future. After Dasburg interview, Jon Austin, NWA spokesman, talks with MPR’s Gary Eichten on issues affecting NWA, and answers listener questions.
January 11, 1999 - Poor crop yields and poor prices are forcing some farmers off the land and into new careers. For a few there's a stop-off in the classroom....two programs -- one in northwestern Minnesota and another in northeastern North Dakota are helping retrain farmers for new jobs.
January 19, 1999 -