April 14, 1998 - The first of the much-anticipated tobacco company documents began trickling into Minnesota's tobacco trial today. Attorneys for the state and Blue Cross Blue Shield introduced several of the 39-thousand formerly-secret documents they obtained last week. Tobacco lawyers fought their release all the way to the U-S Supreme Court. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports... Over the objections of tobacco lawyers, lead plaintiff attorney Michael Ciresi introduced about a half-dozen formerly-privileged documents as part of his cross-examination of Brown and Williamson toxicologist Scott Appleton. One was Appleton's handwritten notes from a 1991 meeting at the Kansas City law firm of Shook, Hardy and Bacon. Appleton had just been hired by B
April 14, 1998 - A Federal District Court Judge has up held a National Park Service decision to BLOCK contruction of a 60 million dollar bridge across the St. Croix River just south of Stillwater. Opponents of the bridge say the ruling is a major victory and will help preserve the scenic lower St. Croix river. The Minnesota Department of Transportation says its proposed bridge offered the best solution to mounting traffic problems and is considering an appeal. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports...
April 15, 1998 - Saint Paul DFL lawmakers are urging Governor Carlson to expand the agenda of a special session if he calls one. They want to address more than a bill to help Warroad-based Marvin Windows. They want to take up measures to fund 56-million dollars in programs geared at families and children. Minnesota Public Radio's Karen-Louise Boothe reports: In the waning hours of the regular session, lawmakers failed to pass bills to establish a Minnesota Children's Endowment, and fund reforms to the state's child protection system. Governor Carlson vetoed a Family and Early Childhood Education Bill and an Economic Development and Housing Bill. Today, DFL lawmakers called on Carlson to add those items to the agenda of a special
April 15, 1998 - MPR’s Bob Potter discusses CODEFOR with Minneapolis Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton. Since Minneapolis began its CODEFOR policing strategy in February of 1998, violent crime in the city is down 16%, property offenses are down 18%, and crimes against persons are down 12%. Sayles Belton says one key is focusing on so-called nuisance crimes.
April 17, 1998 - Midday presents Governor Arne Carlson's speaking to the Minnesota Business Partnership and higher education groups about his ideas to improve Minnesota's public schools. Carlson highlights the definition of the “American Dream.” Following broadcast of speech, MPR’s Gary Eichten gets reaction from Joe Nathan, director of the Center for School Change at the University of Minnesota.
April 17, 1998 - National polling expert Peter Hart speaks on character, polls, and President Clinton. Hart’s speech is entitled, "Politics 1998: Public and Private Character in America” and given at 1998 Frank Premack Memorial Lecture at the Minnesota Journalism Center.
April 20, 1998 - U.S. Attorney David Lillehaug discusses his ideas to reduce crime in the highest-crime Minneapolis neighborhoods, including the Phillips neighborhood. Lillehaug also answers listener questions.
April 20, 1998 - On this Midday, a broadcast of Governor Arne Carlson speaking on media accountability, and a need for self-examination of profession. Carlson’s speech was given at the Minnesota Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
April 21, 1998 - A Mainstreet Radio special broadcast from Mille Lacs Indian Museum, highlighting Indian treaty rights and Native American sovereignty. Rachel Reabe interviews Henry Buffalo, a Minneapolis attorney, sovereignty expert, and member Red Cliff Band of Ojibwe; Chief Tribal Judge Mary Jo Brooks Hunter, of Ho chunk Tribe; and Jim Genia, solicitor general for the Mille Lacs band of Ojibwe. Discussion topic is tribal sovereignty and how the rules are different on the reservation.
April 22, 1998 - On this Midday program in observance of Earth Day, guest Peder Larson, commissioner of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, discusses environmental issues. Topics include agricultural feed lots and Koch refinery case. Larson also answers listener questions.