December 12, 1996 - MPR’s Elizabeth Stawicki reports on Minnesota Supreme Court decision that State can commit convicted sex offender Dennis Linehan to a state hospital. The Court had to decide whether the government can lock up a person based on what the person may commit in the future. The ruling upholds Minnesota's Sexually Dangerous Person's law, a law that incarcerates sexual predators who've served their prison terms but who the court considers too dangerous to set free.
December 13, 1996 - Midday airs the Governor's "State of the Arts" address", given Thursday at the Children's Theater in Minneapolis. Guest is State Senator Dick Cohen (DFL-St. Paul), chairman of the State Government Finance Committee which will oversee the budget of the State Arts Board.
December 16, 1996 - Hour 2 of Midmorning, featuring a "double header" of Voices of Minnesota with playwright Barbara Fields, best known for her adaptation of Dicken's "A Christmas Carol" for the Guthrie Theatre. Also hear from Mike Nelson, the host of the TV show, "Mystery Science Theatre 3000." Arne Fogel discusses a new 2 cd set, "Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters: The Complete Recordings" on the MCA label.
December 16, 1996 - Last week, Governor Carlson unveiled a plan that could nearly double the state's spending on the arts. In an effort to underscore how the arts have become a billion-dollar industry in Minnesota Carlson proposed a 12-million dollar initiative. But commentator Randall Davidson says the Governor is interested in boosting a different industry ... one that currently plays under the Metrodome. He says the Governor's pitch is really about two things: the proposed new Twins stadium and a finesse of public arts policy that will have profound impact in the short- and long-term.
December 16, 1996 - Clearing snow and ice covered roads is a routine part of Minnesota winters. Snowplow operators who clean the state's roads say the job is often thankless, especially when they hear more complaints from drivers than appreciation. Road crews with the Minnesota Department of Transportation call themselves snowfighters. They say they take pride in their committment to clearing ice and snow, and their efforts to develop efficient, tax-dollar saving, ways to clean roads.
December 16, 1996 - A Texas based company will plead guilty to charges it polluted the Blue Earth River with improperly treated wastewater from a rendering plant. Rendering plants convert dead animal carcasses and byproducts from slaughterhouses into animal feed and other products. The company has also admitted to falsifying water test results so regulators would not learn about the illegal discharges, which took place in 1991 and 1992.
December 16, 1996 - Mainstreet Radio’s Catherine Winter reports from a Grand Rapids food bank. While some charities around Minnesota are doing well during the holiday season, many food shelves in rural Minnesota and North Dakota are struggling to feed all the hungry people asking for help.
December 18, 1996 - George Latimer, a Democrat and former St. Paul mayor, shares his positive views on Norm Coleman, St. Paul’s mayor since 1994. Coleman changed parties (from Democrat to Republican) after being elected.
December 19, 1996 - MPR’s Chris Farrell talks about the controversy over adjusting the Consumer Price Index and the economic, political, and personal finance implications of these changes. Dale Jorgenson, professor of economics department at Harvard University and a member of the Commission which concluded that the CPI overstates inflation; and Judith Brown, former president of AARP, join Farrell to discuss CPI.
December 23, 1996 - On this Voices of Minnesota feature, an interview with St. Paul jazz vocalist Roberta Davis. Subjects of racism, family and the complexity of jazz are discussed.