May 15, 1998 - U-N Secretary General Kofi Annan (KOH-fee ANN-nin) is the commencement speaker this Sunday at Macalester College. Annan came here from Ghana in 1959 and graduated from Macalester in 1961. He often speaks about freezing his ears off because he wouldn't wear earmuffs. Mike Shuster covers the United Nations for National Public Radio, and he spoke with Minnesota Public Radio's John Rabe about Annan and the job he's done at the U-N. National Public Radio's Mike Shuster, speaking with Minnesota Public Radio's John Rabe. Listen for Kofi Annan's speech at Macalester College Sunday at two on Minnesota Public Radio. Sun 28-MAY 11:09:03 MPR NewsPro Archive - Wed 04/11/2001
May 18, 1998 - MPR Political commentators Bob Meek and Tom Horner talk about the race for the governor's office, which is the first in decades where an incumbent is not running. Topics include upcoming Republican and Democratic primaries and conventions, tobacco settlement, sports stadium debate, and negative campaigning. Meek and Horner also answer listener questions.
May 18, 1998 - Some state legislators and business leaders predict the "Year 2000 Bug" could have dire effects on the state. A special panel of legislators met today (MON) to evaluate the state's preparations for the bug, which is the result of a calendar shorthand that tricks many computers into confusing the year 2000 with 1900. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports: The ad hoc panel of legislators is eager to make sure Minnesota business leaders are taking the Year 2000 Bug seriously -- to that end, it invited national expert David Hall to outline what he sees as the potentially catastrophic result of all those computer clocks cranking over to zero-zero. Hall estimates at least 400 million clock-based microprocessors will have unpredictable problems because of the bug, and will compromise everything from databases to prisons: ((State of CA almost released a violent felon who just last year
May 18, 1998 - Political foes of Minnesota Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Skip Humphrey say he should've disclosed all of the fees paid to attorneys in Minnesota's tobacco trial when he announced the settlement two weeks ago. The St. Paul Pioneer Press reported over the weekend the Robins Kaplan, Miller and Ciresi firm will receive at least 100-million-dollars more than Humphrey stated. Humphrey supporters say the fees are a non-issue because the tobacco companies agreed to pay them on top of the settlement. Minnesota public radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports: When Humphrey announced the tobacco settlement on June 8th, he proudly told supporters tobacco companies would pay attorneys fees *on top* of the 6 billion dollar settlement. He said tobacco companies would pay attorneys 440-million dollars or about seven percent of the settlement. But the Pioneer Press reported over the weekend that Humphrey was quoting only the fe
May 19, 1998 - A Mainstreet Radio special broadcast from the small community of Comfrey, Minnesota. Mark Steil takes a closer look at new laws governing the regulation of feedlots in Minnesota…laws which give more control over feedlots to local governments. Steil talks with State Legislators Steve Dille and Gary Kubly, as well as local officials.
May 19, 1998 - The reaction to news of a compromise on the BWCAW worked out between U.S. Representatives Jim Oberstar and Bruce Vento has been swift... and mixed. Oberstar's proposal to allow trucks on two wilderness portages has been entered into the transportation bill now under consideration by a Congressional Conference Committee. It has Vento's reluctant support after the addition of a provision removing some lakes from motor access.
May 20, 1998 - In observance of B-BOP Day, when commuters are encouraged to find a way to get to work without driving alone in a car, Gary Eichten talks with Bob McFarlin and John Lundell about highway congestion and what the future holds. McFarlin and Lundell also answer listener questions. Program begins with an interview with Trish Moga, Manager of Metro Commuter Services, about B-Bop Day.
May 20, 1998 - Professor Dwight King of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb IL, and Mahmood Zaidi, Director of International Programs at the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management discuss current events in Indonesia. King and Zaidi also answer listener questions. There is also an interview with Evelyn Lee, President of the Minnesota Indonesia Society. Programs begins with report on the status of civil unrest and demands for change in leadership in country.
May 20, 1998 - Steve Young, a former dean of the Hamline University law school says it's unethical for the Robins Kaplan Miller & Ciresi Law Firm to charge $560 Million dollars for its work on the state's recently-settled tobacco lawsuit. Young filed a complaint with the Lawyers' Professional Responsibility Board, alleging that the size of the fee violates professional rules.
May 20, 1998 - MPR’s Bob Kelleher reports that leading environmentalists are vowing to fight a proposal that would return trucks to two boat portages in Northern Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.