April 28, 1998 - A judge has thrown out a multi-million dollar class-action suit against Hennepin County. Residents and businesses were suing the county for allegedly overcharging for garbage fees. Hennepin County Board Chair Randy Johnson says today's dismissal of the suit ends the county's long legal battle over garbage: Hennepin County Board Chair Randy Johnson. Sun 28-MAY 11:24:35 MPR NewsPro Archive - Wed 04/11/2001
April 28, 1998 - Mental health experts say talking is the best way to recover emotionally from a disaster. And that's the advice the people of Comfrey and St. Peter are getting as they rebuild following last month's tornadoes. Talking about loss and suffering is especially important for children. Minnesota Public Radio's Cara Hetland reports. 12-year old Paul Honnerman was not home when the March 29th tornado heavily damaged his family's northern Nobles County farm. He and his 7 year old sister Jill were staying five miles away at their uncle's. Paul was outside flying his kite before the storms moved through. : (and right at the time the tornado was hitting at our place
April 28, 1998 - CHILD PSYCHOLOGISTS TELL US THAT EVEN VERY YOUNG CHILDREN ASK THE KIND OF QUESTONS THAT CAN ONLY BE CALLED SPIRITUAL.... WHO CREATED THE EARTH? WHY AM I HERE? HOW DO I KNOW WHAT'S RIGHT AND WRONG? SOME CHILDREN FIND ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS IN CHURCH.....OTHERS DEVELOP A MORAL SENSE COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM ORGANIZED RELIGION. ALL THIS MONTH, MINNESOTA PUBLIC RADIO IS EXPLORING THE ROLE RELIGION PLAYS IN EVERYDAY LIFE IN A SERIES OF STORIES, COMMENTARIES, AND SPECIAL PROGRAMMING. MARY STUCKY REPORTS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF MATTERS SPIRITUAL IN THE LIVES OF CHILDREN.
April 28, 1998 - STATE AND FEDERAL MONEY ALLOCATED FOR LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT HAS BROUGHT THE TWIN CITIES CLOSER TO A NEW TRANSPORTATION OPTION. BUT TRAVELLING AROUND TOWN ON RAILS IS NOT REALLY A NEW DEVELOPMENT, AT ALL. THERE WAS ONCE A TIME WHEN FIVE HUNDRED MILES OF RAILS CRISS-CROSSED THE TWIN CITES ... CARRYING ALL TYPES OF PEOPLE TO ALL SORTS OF PLACES. IN PART TWO OF OUR SERIES ON TRANSIT, MINNESOTA PUBLIC RADIO'S WILLIAM WILCOXEN HAS THIS LOOK BACK AT THE TWIN CITIES STREETCAR DAYS... JUST ABOUT ANY TWIN CITIES NATIVE OVER FIFTY REMEMBERS THEM. PAINTED BRIGHTLY ENOUGH TO BE NICKNAMED "BIG YELLOW BANANAS," THE STREETCARS TOOK PEOPLE LI
April 28, 1998 - The Department of Natural Resources and other agencies predicted a severe fire season in northeast Minnesota, and over the weekend they were proved right. Fire fighters finished "mop-up," or putting out remaining embers, on wildfires near the towns of Cotton and Grand Marais late Monday. And the continued dry weather is keeping the DNR and the Forest Service on alert for more. Minnesota Public Radio's Amy Radil reports from Duluth. Almost 1,500 wildfires have already been reported in Minnesota this year, with 37,000 acres of wilderness burned. Normally fire season does not even begin until late April; this year it started in mid-March. Jean Bergerson with the Interagency Fire Center in Grand Rapids says lack of moisture is the culprit. Bergerson: We went into winter with very little p
April 28, 1998 - The Saint Paul Saints may be the hottest ticket in town. In fact, the team has gone so far as to send out a press release saying it will not allow ticket buyers to line up at Midway Stadium until noon Thursday to buy single game tickets. They go on sale Saturday at 8 a.m. Eric Webster is with the Saints front office. He says the team did not want anxious fans to get hurt: Again, if you want to buy single tickets, DON'T show up until noon on Thursday, and bring your tent. Tickets go on sale Saturday morning
April 28, 1998 - The latest 8th grade test scores will not be released until Thursday, but school districts and state officials are already battling over what the results mean. An organization representing 24 metro-area school districts is accusing state officials of misusing and distorting the test scores to advance a political agenda. But state officials struck back today, defending their testing policies and their motives. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports... This was the third year of 8th grade testing in reading and math...but the first every school in the state had to participate. Last year, about one third of all students tested failed, prompting a public outcry...a
April 29, 1998 - As KSTP-TV celebrates 50 year anniversary, Stanley S. Hubbard, the chairman and CEO of Hubbard Broadcasting, visits Midday program to talk about the early days of television. Hubbard also answers listener questions.
April 29, 1998 - The lack of rain this spring is prompting more concern about fires in Minnesota. The Department of Natural Resources has now imposed buring restrictions on the northern two-thirds of the state extending as far south as Anoka County and parts of Washington County. Dave Schuller is with the Department of Natural Resources Forestry division. Sun 28-MAY 11:23:56 MPR NewsPro Archive
April 29, 1998 - The Minneapolis Institute of Arts is embroiled in a controversy that is sweeping museums across the country. Last night on ABC's "Nightline" program, a French family claimed one of the M.I.A.'s paintings was stolen by the Nazis' during World War II, and belongs to them. The Institute has launched its own investigation into the history of the painting, and believes it may have uncovered evidence that conflicts with the family's claim. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Roberts has more.