May 8, 1998 - Midday presents an MPR special on the tobacco settlement. Program includes report from MPR’s Elizabeth Stawicki, followed by speeches and interviews from Skip Humphrey, Minnesota attorney general; Michael Ciresi, state's lead attorney; jurors, and others. A key component to settlement was the banning of tobacco marketing to children.
May 11, 1998 - Michael Ciresi, Minnesota’s lead state attorney for the tobacco trial, discusses the tobacco settlement, in which the tobacco industry will pay the State of Minnesota 6.1 billion dollars, and Blue Cross/Blue Shield 500 million dollars. Topics include banning of tobacco marketing to children, collaboration with Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and litigation choices made. Ciresi also answers listener questions.
May 11, 1998 - Stephanie Coontz, Professor at Evergreen State College in Washington, speaking at the University Center in Rochester as part of the Visiting Scholar Series. Coontz speech is on challenges of family and work. She is the author of the popular books The Way We Really Are: Coming to Terms with America's Changing Families and The Way we Never Were: American Families and the Nostalgia Trap
May 12, 1998 - Kate Trewick, assistant commissioner of the Department of Children, Families and Learning; and State Senator Larry Pogemiller, chair of the Senate K-12 Budget Committee, discuss the newly approved graduation standards called "Profile of Learning." Trewick and Pogemiller also answer listener questions.
May 14, 1998 - Midday presents a broadcast of Donna Lopiano, executive director of the Women's Sports Foundation, speaking at College of St. Catherine Forum on Women in Leadership. Lopiano’s speech is titled The Changing World of Women and Sport.
May 14, 1998 - MPR’s Tim Pugmire reports on the testing challenges of public schools in Minneapolis and St. Paul see more immigrants and refugees each year…with few speaking English. That makes passing exams, including the 8th grade basic skills tests in reading and math, extremely difficult. The state provides money to educate these students, but in many cases the immigration is outpacing the funding.
May 15, 1998 - Ray Suarez, NPR's Talk of the Nation host, critiques the media at a recent Twin Cities seminar sponsored by the Twin Cities chapter of the Association of Women in Communications. Suarez’s speech was titled "The Media's Role in Defining Reality."
May 19, 1998 - A Mainstreet Radio special broadcast from the small community of Comfrey, Minnesota. Following the destructive March tornadoes that struck the area, Mark Steil talks with residents and local officials about recovery, rebuilding, and remembering. The topic of small towns in general and their economic health is also discussed.
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.