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
November 17, 1998 - After more than twenty years, the public face of Menards is going off the air ... for a while at least. The septugenarian Ray Szmanda (zih-MAN-duh) is known for his grey hair, his glasses, his crooked smile, and his LOUD delivery. Back in the 1970s, Menards was looking for another Pat Summerall, and picked the broadcast veteran as its pitchman. Since then, he's done an estimated 35-hundred spots seen tens of thousands of times in nine states. Szmanda, who lives in rural Wisconsin, is taking at least six-months off for health reasons. He's mystified by all the attention, which he says has really taken off in the last five years or so.
November 17, 1998 - It's been nearly six months since a tornado destroyed the town of Spencer, South Dakota. Before the storm Spencer was a town struggling for survival. Now some say the outlook is completely different. New construction will rebuild the town's basics... a watertower, apartments and a community center. There's hope that longtime residents will return and new families will find the town. Spencer residents are hopeful but skeptical. Mainstreet Radio's Cara Hetland reports: Spencer. a town settled before the turn of the century looks like a new housing development. Three days after a blizzard every street is plowed to reveal a 14 square block area. The streets are clear...
November 17, 1998 - Minnesota farmers faced with their worst financial outlook in a decade received some good news the past month. Congress approved emergency federal aid for agriculture and farmers finished harvesting a record corn and soybean crop. The extra dollars from the government and the extra bushels in the bins helps improve the economic outlook but falls far short of returning profit to agriculture for most farmers. Mainstreet Radio's Mark Steil reports: Driving through southwest Minnesota on a cloudy fall day it's easy to spot a new color brightening the autumn landscape. Look for a grain elevator, then next to it, a splash of gold, glowing like neo
November 17, 1998 - The University of Minnesota and the federal government have reached a thirty-two million dollar settlement of a lawsuit over the organ transplant drug ALG. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo report.