July 15, 1998 - Jim Koppel, executive director of the Children's Defense Fund of Minnesota, and Lynn Reed, research director for the Minnesota Taxpayers Association, discuss a new report on the effect of federal and state tax policies on families. Premise of study notes increase in taxes on families vs individuals, the causes, and potential solutions. Koppel and Reed also answer listener questions.
July 17, 1998 - A Mainstreet Radio special broadcast from Ely, Minnesota. Program highlights the northern Minnesota town and the BWCA, twenty years after major Congressional legislation in 1978…a controversial Act that banned mining, logging and most motor use. In this first hour of program, MPR’s Rachel Reabe interviews Mark Van Every and Barb Soderberg, representatives from the National Forest Service; and canoe outfitters John Waters and Gary Gotchnik about the various aspects of the BWCA.
July 17, 1998 - A Mainstreet Radio special broadcast from Ely, Minnesota. Program highlights the northern Minnesota town and the BWCA, twenty years after major Congressional legislation in 1978…a controversial Act that banned mining, logging and most motor use. In this second hour of program, MPR’s Rachel Reabe interviews Mike Hillman, a local historian, and Jim Krile, Director of the Blandin Community Leadership Program.
July 17, 1998 - MPR’s Leif Enger takes a look at the BWCA twenty years after legislation to protect it, and the divide in viewpoints on the land that have existed throughout the 20th century. Segment includes various interviews and commentary.
July 17, 1998 - A reading of an excerpt from Sigurd Olson’s “Wilderness Days.”
July 20, 1998 - Lowell Pratt, President of the Builders Association of the Twin Cities; Ray Waldron, President of the Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council; and Harry Melander of the St. Paul Building Trades Council, discuss shortage of construction workers in the region and outlook for the construction trades. Group also answers listener calls. The program begins with a report from MPR’s Cara Hetland on the construction dilemma impacting Spencer, South Dakota and St. Peter, Minnesota, in the aftermath of tornados.
July 20, 1998 - A severe thunderstorm moved through St. Peter July 20th, 1998, downing trees and damaging roofs, with winds of 60 miles an hour. MPR’s Lynette Nyman interviewed Tom Gravelin on the impact this has on his life and how he plans to rebuild.
July 21, 1998 - Michael Cox, Vice President and Economic Advisor at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas discusses his new report, "Time Well Spent: The Declining Real Cost of Living in America." Cox explains study that states while prices have gone up over the years, the cost of living is more modest than in past. Cox also answers listener questions.
July 22, 1998 - Steve Correll and Vicki Tobin, representatives of the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, discuss how criminal background checks are done, and their effectiveness. Main topic is on checks done during a hiring process. Correll and Tobin also answer listener questions.
July 23, 1998 - Will Alexander, Community Notification Coordinator of the Department of Corrections, discusses the process in providing information to the public as it applies to Sex Offender Notification Law. Alexander has participated in 50 public meetings held to notified neighbors that a convicted sex offender will be living in their neighborhood. He shares his experiences of those meetings, and answers listener questions.