November 24, 1998 - The Minnesota Supreme Court is considering a new rule that would let trial judges bar some people who represent themselves from suing. The high court held a public hearing on the proposed rule this afternoon. Minnesota Public Radio's Eric Jansen reports: An advisory commitee that (meets annually to) reviews courtroom rules says frivolous lawsuits often tie up precious court time. The committee is recommending a new rule to cut down on those suits. Under the proposal (ed) rule, litigants without lawyers could be barred if they have brought and lost three cases in the past five years. David Herr, a court reporter for the panel presented the recom
November 24, 1998 - St. Paul writer Patricia Hampl has received another big honor--She's won a Pushcart Prize for one of her short stories. Hampl is better known for her memoirs A Romantic Education and Virgin Time and her two volumes of poetry. In 1990 she received a McArthur Genius grant. The prize-winning story called "The Bill Collector's Vacation" originally appeared in the literary journal Ploughshares last fall. The Pushcart anthologies pull together the best stories, poems and essays published by small presses in a given year. Hampl says winning a Pushcart means a lot more people may actually read her story: Patricia Hampl's story "The Bill Collector's Vacation."
November 25, 1998 - Vin Weber, former Republican Minnesota Congressman, talks about how Congress behaves and how and why this incivility behavior evolved. Weber also answers listener questions.
November 25, 1998 - Mae Schunk, Lieutenant Governor-elect, talks about her ideas to improve education, and her plans as Minnesota's next Lieutenant Governor. Schunk also answers listener questions.
November 25, 1998 - Mainstreet Radio's Gretchen Lehmann profiles the Kensington Runestone…and the debate over the authenticity that has has waged on for one hundred years.
November 25, 1998 - A group of Twin Cities high school students is launching an advertising campaign designed to convince kids not to smoke. Students from Mounds Park Academy in St. Paul hope their message will get through to young people since it's coming from their peers. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports... A dozen or so students developed a poster in twelve different languages, a web site and a P-S-A for TV. In the video, children dressed in career clothes - a doctor, a construction worker, a dancer - are happily playing, until a pack of cigarettes crashes down in their midst... (nat - kids laughing, screech of cig pack, sound of heartbeat)
November 25, 1998 - The most recent Surgeon General's report find Native Americans have the highest adult smoking rates of any ethnic or minority group in the country. The report finds tobacco use among Native Americans has soared more than 40-percent at a time when it has levelled off among other racial groups. As a result, more Native Americans are dying of respiratory cancers than ever before. Health officials are alarmed but as Minnesota Public Radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports, anti-tobacco programs take on new complexities for many Native Americans who've long viewed tobacco as a sacred gift: To get a sense of tobacco's place in indian culture one needs to look no further than a traditional pow wow. (sound of leader talking about of tobacco/creation)
November 26, 1998 - Cuomo, former New York governor, speaking at Adath Jeshurun Congregation in Minnetonka about community involvement. After speech, program presents a report from MPR’s John Rabe on Eric Sevareid, CBS journalist and commentator on CBS Evening News. Sevareid was a North Dakota native and went to University of Minnesota. Program closes out with various individuals “giving thanks” for Thanksgiving.
November 26, 1998 - Starting Monday, anyone planning to purchase a gun - whether it's a handgun, rifle or shotgun - must go through a criminal background check. The new provision of the Brady Law is designed to keep guns out of the hands of criminals, drug addicts, illegal aliens, and the mentally ill. It's creating some confusion among gun buyers and some concern among gun dealers. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports... The new National Instant Criminal Background Check works almost like a credit card verification - stores will call a toll-free number and give the gun buyer's name and date of birth while the buyer waits. The F-B-I does a computer background check and tells the store whether the sale is approved, delayed or denied. This SHOULD only take a minute or so, but some think t
November 26, 1998 - The Saint Paul School District has begun testing all kindergarten and second grade students for possible inclusion in gifted and talented programs. The new system uses classroom observation, rather than a written test, to identify students. District officials say they hope the changes will bring more minority and low income children into the accelerated learning programs. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports... (Sound) In an algebra class at Saint Paul's Capitol Hill Magnet School, 6th and 5th grade students and their teacher are discussing how to use mean, median and mode to ananlyze statistics. These elementary students are already working on material designed for 8th and 9th graders, and they're devouring it. Sixth