September 30, 1997 - The small campus of Macalester College in St. Paul is reeling from an alleged racist incident and its aftermath. A couple of weekends ago, a black female student reported that someone wrote on her dorm room door's message board: "We hate you, we hate you. Hugs and kisses. The KKK." A nearby poster of Tiger Woods was similarly defaced. In response, there were dorm meetings, a letter to all students from the college president condemning the attack, and a convocation yesterday attended by 450 students. Roberto Ifell is special assistant for Diversity and Campus Community at Macalester.
September 30, 1997 - EVERY YEAR THOUSANDS OF MINNESOTA'S WILDFLOWERS ARE TURNED INTO LANDFILL DURING DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS AND ROAD CONSTRUCTION. NO ONE KEEPS TRACK OF THE LOST PLANTS WHICH OFTEN INCLUDE MEMBERS OF THE HALF-DOZEN SPECIES OF PROTECTED WILDFLOWERS...LIKE ORCHIDS AND LILIES. PEOPLE WHO WANT TO RESCUE THE PLANTS MUST RECEIVE PERMISSION FROM THE LANDOWNER AND SECURE A PERMIT FROM THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. THIS SALVAGE HAS PROVOKED A QUIET DEBATE OVER WHETHER THESE PLANTS SHOULD BE RELOCATED. MINNESOTA PUBLIC RADIO'S KATHLEEN HALLINAN REPORTS. (SOUND OF PULLING/BRAD...) BRAD MRZLAK IS PULLING NATIVE CALLALILIES AND STASHING THEM IN A PLASTIC TRAY. HE GENTLY GRABS THE PLANTS AT THE BASE AND EASES THEIR ROOTS TO THE SURFACE. HE'S STANDING IN A PEAT BOG--WITH WATER MIDWAY UP HIS SHINS.
October 1, 1997 - In his new novel "Floating Kingdom", Minneapolis writer George Rabasa tells the story of a family living on a tiny island in the middle of the Rio Grande, smack in the middle of the border between the U.S. and Mexico. The patriarch Seguila makes his living guiding illegal immigrants across the border; his son-in-law makes his living robbing those same people. One day Seguilo and his grandson come across the battered form of a teenager from north of the border, who has run afoul of bandits. "Floating Kingdom" is about a family on the edge, on the edge of two nations, and the edge of survival.
October 2, 1997 - The accounts of torture and murder being heard by South Africa's Reconciliation Commision are a grim reminder of past life under the country's white minority government. The end of apartheit brings hope, but also a new set of problems. A South African singing group called "The Christian Explainers" is on a U.S. tour to call attention to the rise of drug violence that is afflicting the country. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson has more ANNCR TAG: The Christian Explainers' first Twin Cities performance is Thursday evening (tonight) in St. Paul at the Minnesota History Center auditorium. Eddie Jacobs is alternately hopeful and fearful about the future fo
October 2, 1997 - The Timberwolves players are presenting a united front today, after the long-awaited announcement about Garnett's historic contract, but at least one onlooker says it has great potential to divide the ranks. Andrew Zimbalist is a professor of economics at Smith College. His latest book, "Sports, Jobs and Taxes" is due out next week. Zimbalist explains that, first, there are only twelve guys on a basketball team, compared to 25 for baseball and 45 for football, meaning you can spend more on each one. The second is an end-run around the salary cap called the Larry Bird exception.
October 2, 1997 - MPR’s Chris Roberts presents a report on The Jayhawks, who have decided to stay together and embark down a new musical path with album, "Sound of Lies." Roberts interviews band members Gary Louris and Marc Perlman about that new musical journey.
October 3, 1997 - A ruling by the state Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board may pave the way for a big wave of spending by candidates for governor in Minnesota over the next year. Minnesota Public Radio's Karen-Louise Boothe reports.
October 3, 1997 - Saturday kicks off the two-week moose hunting season in northeast Minnesota, and hunters aren't exaggerating when they call it a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Since 1993, the highly sought after moose permits have been awarded by lottery, and there's a lifetime limit of one license per hunter. Minnesota Public Radio's Amy Radil reports from Duluth.
October 3, 1997 - An October edition of our "Voices of Minnesota" series, featuring two Minnesota stars in the music world, singer and Broadway performer Linda Eder; and violinist and jazz musician Clifford Brunzell.
October 6, 1997 - Mainstreet Radio’s Mark Steil revisits the southern Minnesota town of Good Thunder and takes a look at the continuing economic development struggles on Main Street. With the state’s economic boom in the 1990s, officials would love to bring some of those jobs to their town, but that just hasn't happened.