June 5, 1998 - About three thousand loyal Democrats are gathering in St. Cloud today (FRI) to kick off their state convention. Over the next three days, delegates will pick their favorite candidates for this fall's state-wide races, from the governor on down to state auditor. But with five of the six gubernatorial candidates saying they'll stay in the race with or without the party's endorsement, this year's state convention is in danger of becoming irrelevant. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports: Volunteers for the ]gubernatorial candidates engaged in a "lawn sign war" in St. Cloud yesterday, getting ready for this year's DFL convention. The Humphrey and Freeman camps were especially competitive, jockeying for the best sight lines in and around the St. Cloud State University hockey arena. John Youngdahl runs the Mike Freeman campaign:
June 5, 1998 - Millions of pounds of toasted oat cererals made by Malt-O-Meal at its Northfield plant are being recalled. The cereal is linked, but not positively identified, as the source of nationwide salmonella poisonings that have put 40 people in the hospital. State officials say over 100 Minnesotans have called the Health Department complaining of poisoning symptoms. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson reports. People in twelve states have complained they contracted the flu like symptoms of salmonella poisoning - vomiting, diaherra, high fever and severe headache - and one of the links among all of them is one of Malt-O-Meal's toasted oat products. Minnesota Department of Health
June 5, 1998 - St. Paul will kick off the summer party season this Sunday with the annual Grand Old Day. The street festival is the largest one-day festival in the upper midwest and includes a parade, a race, multiple concert stages and all the food booths one could wish for. The event started 25 years ago when some Grand Avenue merchants came up with the idea of hosting a party to bring more people to their stores. Billie Young was a shopkeeper at the time. She's since sold the store and written a book about the street called "Grand Avenue: The Renaissance of an Urban Street." Young says the event had a modest beginning: Billie Young is the author of "Grand Avenue: The Renaissance of an
June 8, 1998 - MPR's Senior Business and Economics Editor Chris Farrell talks about the banking industry's latest merger, Norwest Corporation of Mpls, and Wells Fargo of San Francisco. It's a 34-billion-dollar deal and follows on the heels of the First Bank-US BankCorp takeover. Farrell also answers listener questions.
June 8, 1998 - intro: The Mille Lacs 1837 Treaty case will get its day in the US Supreme Court. Minnesota Public Radio's Leif Enger reports. tape runs :58 The 1837 Treaty preserving the hunting and fishing rights of 8 chippewa bands was upheld through seven years of lower court decisions and appeals; it was described as an epic losing streak for the state. But with the Supreme Court's decision to review, one of the landowners' attorneys challenging the treaty says the momentum has turned. Randy Thompson is encouraged by what he calls a string of recent court setbacks for Indian tribes, including one announced today making it harder for tribes to avoid taxation on re-purchased reservation land. Randy: "I think it's a trend in which the courts are saying, We're gonna take a very hard look at these Indian law cases and decide them on the issues we think are presented."
June 8, 1998 - As the DFL Convention at St. Cloud State's National hockey Center wound down Sunday morning, Mike Freeman and Ruth Johnson ... on the heels of thei
June 8, 1998 - It had none of the hype and fanfare of the D-F-L state convention, but Minnesota's third major party quietly held its state convention over the weekend. Reform Party delegates met in Brooklyn Park to endorse three candidates for statewide office - Jesse Ventura for Governor, Alan Shilepsky (shih-LEP-skee) for Secretary of State and Jim Dunlop for Treasurer. They also tackled the hotly-debated issue of whether to unite with supporters of former Presidential candidate H. Ross Perot. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports... (nat - buzz of delegates)
June 8, 1998 - This spring has been a once in a lifetime experience for Minnesota farmers. The weather has been almost perfect. Crops were planted so early the old rhyme "knee high by the fourth of July" could be a huge understatement. But the good news from the fields is not matched at the market place. In fact U.S. Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman will be in Minnesota and North Dakota today (monday 6/8) to talk with farmers about their economic problems. The price farmers receive for their corn, soybeans, and wheat are low and headed lower. American farmers are producing more than this nation or the world can use. The problems come as a historic change in the federal government's role in agriculture is about to take place. Two years ago congress passed landmark legislation known as "freedom to farm." It will end most federal farm support payments after 2002. With the current downturn, farmers wonder if the disappearance of the federal safety net will cause a wave of farm consolidations and bankruptcies during the next decade. In the first of a series of reports on what some are calling the new midwestern farm crisis, Mainstreet Radio's Mark Steil reports on concerns raised by "freedom to farm:"
June 8, 1998 - Minneapolis based Norwest corporation announced today it is merging with San Francisco based Wells Fargo and Company, and moving the headquarters to California. The 34 billion dollar deal creates the nation's 7th largest banking company. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin reports. In recent months many observers have expected a Minneapolis bank to announce a merger with Wells Fargo, but most speculation focused on Norwest's neighbor, US Bancorp. Norwest officials have been saying they felt no pressure to be part of a big merger, despite a wave of mega-deals this year in the banking and financial services industries. Still more surprising was the decision to put the new company's headquarters in San Francisco. The new Wells
June 8, 1998 - Saint Paul: 1992 was dubbed the "Year of the Woman" in national politics, with more women winning congressional seats than ever before. But when the 103rd Congress convened, women only made up ELEVEN percent of the House and SEVEN percent of the Senate. THIS election year pundits say it's the "Year of the Woman" in Minnesota politics. Women dominate the slate of DFL endorsed Candidates for statewide office following this weekend's state party convention in St. Cloud. But as Minnesota Public Radio's Karen-Louise Boothe reports, women STILL have yet to gain a spot at the TOP of the DFL party ticket: