November 13, 1998 - The Minnesota AIDS Project says millions of dollars will be needed to fight an epidemic of sexually transmitted diseases. But The state health department says, first, more research is needed to find out the extent of the problem. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Gunderson reports... Most people are well aware of the dangers of the most publicized sexually transmitted disease..AIDS. But public health officials say few people are aware of syphilis, chlamydia and the papilloma virus. The centers for disease control says its a national epidemic Jeremy Hanson public policy co-ordinator for the Minnesota
November 16, 1998 - Joan Growe, outgoing Minnesota Secretary of State, talks about election reform proposals, including run-off elections, earlier primaries, the party nomination process and Governor Arne Carlson's run-off proposal. Growe also discusses ideas of MPR listeners.
November 16, 1998 - As part of the “Our State, Our Forests” series, Mainstreet Radio’s Leif Enger presents a report on the history of the timber industry in Minnesota. Timber was far and away the biggest industry in the state…and it changed the very landscape we live in.
November 16, 1998 - Logging isn't the job it used to be. A century ago, 30-thousand loggers were at work in the Minnesota woods. Today there are fewer than a thousand, using high-tech machines to supply the state's multi-billion dollar wood-products industry. And technology is not the only big change in the woods since 1900; the economy and politics of logging are different too. In the first of a weeklong series of reports called, "OUR STATE, OUR FORESTS," Leif Enger has the story of one family that's seen those changes firsthand. Host backannounce: The series "Our State, Our Forests" continues
November 16, 1998 - THE MINNESOTA VIKINGS WILL BRING THE BEST RECORD IN THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE TO THEIR REMATCH WITH THE GREEN BAY PACKERS THIS SUNDAY. THE VIKINGS EARNED THEIR NINTH VICTORY IN TEN GAMES THIS SEASON WHEN THEY DEFEATED THE CINCINNATI BENGALS TWENTY-FOUR TO THREE YESTERDAY (SUNDAY). MINNESOTA PUBLIC RADIO'S WILLIAM WILCOXEN HAS THIS REPORT... MORE THAN SIXTY-FOUR THOUSAND FANS SQUEEZED INTO THE METRODOME, MAKING IT THE LARGEST CROWD EVER TO ATTEND A VIKINGS HOME GAME. THEY WATCHED A GAME IN WHICH THE VIKINGS COMMITED ELEVEN PENALTIES AND THREW THREE INTERCEPTIONS ... BUT WON HANDILY, NONETHELESS. THEIR THREE TOUCHDOWN LEAD EVEN ALLOWED THE VIKINGS TO REST SOME OF THEIR STAR PLA
November 16, 1998 - As the death toll from last month's Hurricane Mitch continues to climb, a number of businesses, humanitarian organizations, and individuals in Minnesota are contributing to global relief work. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo reports on regional efforts to assist Central American storm victims. NARRATION: Hurricane Mitch is already being billed as one of the deadliest natural disasters ever to hit Central America. And the final toll of life and property is still not known. Deb Brown of Church World Service says current tallies show losses are "catastrophic." BROWN: They're estimating it's going to take up to forty years to recover from this. In Honduras there are
November 16, 1998 - Minnesota House Republicans met over the weekend for the first time since gaining the majority in this month's election. Caucus members selected Steve Sviggum (SWIG-um) of Kenyon as their candidate for House Speaker, and chose Tim Pawlenty (puh-LEN-tee) of Eagan as their new Majority Leader. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports... It took twelve years, but Republicans finally regained control of the House, and they're celebrating... (cheering) At their first caucus meeting since the election, House
November 16, 1998 - Community groups say the city of Minneapolis is letting developers off the hook when it comes to creating living wage jobs. They say most developers who get city subsidies should pay their workers above the poverty level. But some councilmembers disagree. Minnesota Public Radio's Eric Jansen reports: A policy Minneapolis' city council passed early last year requires economic development projects receiving more than $100,000 dollars in city subsidies to create or retain living wage jobs. Those are defined as full-time jobs paying at least 10 percent more than the federal poverty level for a family of four. It works out to about $8.50 an hour -- about $17,000 a year. Jim Mangan of Progressive Minnesota, which pushed for th
November 16, 1998 - The U-S International Trade Commission has officially found evidence some overseas steel producers are selling below cost steel to U-S customers. The ruling opens the way for the Commerce Department to investigate charges of unfair trade against producers in Japan, Brazil and Russia. Minnesota's Iron Mining companies hope the investigation will lead to sanctions, which might prevent further cutbacks in Minnesota iron production and the potential of worker layoffs. Minnesota Public Radio's Bob Kelleher reports: The steel industry is a cyclical closely following the strength of the nation's economy. And both have been on a rip. Iron ore production has neared a 17-year high afte
November 17, 1998 - Though old-growth forests were long gone, Minnesota's timber industry revived in the 1980s when new technology made the ubiquitous aspen tree a desired commodity. For a decade Minnesota had the fastest-growing timber trade in the country. But even as pulp, paper, and chipboard mills continue to expand, questions have arisen about whether the forest is growing as fast the businesses it supports. Mainstreet Radio's Leif Enger has part two of our series, "OUR STATE, OUR FORESTS". When George Boorman was a young lumberjack in the 1920s and 1930s, the men used axes and crosscut saws and horses. And they cut big