May 31, 1997 - A new carousel rolled to life in Minnesota this weekend. Twenty hand-carved animals dip and bob to kalliope music at Lark Toys in the small town of Kellogg along the Mississippi River. It's the first carousel carved of Minnesota wood by Minnesotans and features many native animals.
May 31, 1997 - Minnesota education officials say the results of a basic skills writing test offer no statewide insights because so few students participated. The Department of Children, Families and Learning today released scored from the voluntary practice test. Despite its lack of meanigful statistics, educators say the test was an important exercise in the move toward statewide education standards.
June 2, 1997 - School officials in Grand Forks and East Grand Forks are trying to clean up, dry out and repair their school buildings in time for the start of classes in the fall. The school year abruptly ended in April for both districts when the flooding Red River forced residents to evacuate. Flood damage to schools is estimated at more than 40-million dollars in Grand Forks and at least 10-million dollars in East Grand Forks. Some of the schools might never reopen. Minnesota Public Radios Tim Pugmire reports... (Sound)
June 2, 1997 - (FOR AIR MONDAY, JUNE 2, 1997) Even before the snow melted this spring... the harsh winter was expected to cause problems for farmers in the Red River Valley. Now, following the widespread flooding farmers are getting back into the fields... and many are finding they are actually on schedule. However as Minnesota Public Radio's Hope Deutscher reports... some farmers say they will still take a beating... (sound of tractor tilling away) North of Moorhead, a few miles from the Red River...Curt Brendemuhl is working
June 2, 1997 - As part of the “Voices of Minnesota" series, this program features two health related interviews. MPR’s John Biewen speaks with Dr. Ron Cranford of the Hennepin County Medical Center. Cranford is an ethicist and end-of-life specialist. Infertility specialist. MPR’s Stephanie Curtis speaks with Dr. Robert Jansen, author of Overcoming Infertiity: A Compassionate Resource for Getting Pregnant.
June 3, 1997 - MPR’s Chris Roberts profiles Minneapolis band The Hang Ups. Roberts interviews vocalist and guitarist Brian Tighe about the band and CD "So We Go."
June 3, 1997 - Governor Carlson has vetoed his 200-th bill of his tenure as Governor. He pulled out his well-inked pen and killed the K-12 Education Funding Bill Today (tues) Minnesota Public Radio's Karen-Louise Boothe reports: It's no secret...Governor Carlson holds the record for the number of vetoes issued by any governor in state history. He is an ardent supporter of the power of the veto, saying it not only ensures that no single partisan agenda dominates...but also ensures greater bi-partisan cooperation among lawmakers and an active Governor willing to delve deep into the legislative process. Carlson was up-front about what he wanted from the K-1
June 4, 1997 - Midday examines the future of the Minneapolis Public School system with guests Bill Green, chairman of the Minneapolis School Board; and Gary Sudduth, president of the Minneapolis Urban League. Green and Sudduth discuss Public Strategies Group termination, test scores, superintendent search, concerns on infrastructure of school district, and answer listener call-in questions.
June 4, 1997 - House and Senate Republicans have wrapped up final details on legislation providing five-and-a-half billion dollars worth of disaster relief. But Republicans did keep provisions that have sparked veto threats from the Clinton administration. Democratic Congressman Collin Peterson, who represents the flooded areas of the Red River Valley, says today's progress will result in more delays: Minnesota 7th District Democratic Congressman Collin Peterson. Sun 28-MAY 19:13:13 MPR NewsPro Archive - Wed 04/11/2001
June 4, 1997 - Farm drainage ditches help keep thousands of acres of Minnesota cropland dry enough to produce crops each year. Some say the ditches do their job too well and are such efficient water movers they contribute to downstream flooding. During this year's floods one county engineer said ditches became "raging rivers", with their own distinct flood plains. Economic gain versus environmental damage....that's the arguement behind a dispute between two southwest Minnesota counties over the reconstruction of a farm drainage ditch. Mark Steil of Mainstreet Radio reports: The farmland water Yellow Medicine and Lyon