November 30, 1998 - MPR’s Dan Olson reports on the varied opinions on the war on drugs…no where is the difference more striking than on the front lines. There's a rising tide of voices saying we're not winning the war on drugs so we should legalize all or most of them.
November 30, 1998 - Governor-elect Jesse Ventura told Minnesota farmers today his wife - who raises horses - will be a voice for agriculture. Ventura addressed the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation's annual meeting, and although he was short on specifics, he got an enthusiastic response. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports... Ventura told farmers his wife Terry - who grew up in rural Minnesota and now breeds show horses on their 32-acre farm in Maple Grove - will be receptive to their concerns... ("She will probably be the best ear you have!" applause "Because one of her main focuses will be the farm industry as the firs
November 30, 1998 - The United States Supreme Court has declined to hear a dispute over where to store highly radioactive waste from the nation's nuclear power plants. Spent nuclear fuel is building up at power plants across the nation, including Nothern State's Power's Prairie Island nuclear plant. Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Losure reports. Utilities including NSP had hoped the case would force the Federal Department of Energy to meet a 1998 deadline to accept the spent nuclear fuel. The Supreme Court's decision lets stand a lower court ruling that said the DOE does not have to take the waste until the agency has a place to put it. The DOE's permanent storage site at Yucca Mountain, Nevada won't be ready un
November 30, 1998 - The manager of the Minnesota World Trade Center at 7th and Cedar in downtown St. Paul says he thinks he and his building staff aren't much different from many of their building's corporate tenants. Harp music relaxes the workers in the morning after a tense drive to work.
November 30, 1998 - MPR’s Lynette Nyman reports that Khoua Her, a St. Paul woman accused of killing her six children, changed her original plea to guilty of six counts of second degree murder. Her now faces a fifty-year prison term.
December 1, 1998 - In about a year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service is expected to take gray wolves in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan off the endangered species list. The return of the wolf is seen by some as a high profile success for the Endangered Species Act. The purpose of the Endangered Species Act is to protect endangered animals and plants until their populations recover and they can be taken off the endangered species list.
December 1, 1998 - If the great symphonies and orchestras of the world are worried about where their future audience will come from, jazz musicians and aficionadoes are doubly concerned. Many people don't come in contact with jazz until adulthood, and by that time can easily be intimidated by its complexity and sophistication. Which is why Baby Boom Records in Minneapolis has released a jazz c.d. for kids called "Jazz-a-ma-tazz," featuring childrens' songs interpreted by jazz musicians. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Roberts spoke with the producer of the album and has this report.
December 1, 1998 - MPR’s Karen Louise Boothe reports that Governor Arne Carlson has presented a plan to spend another $51 million on three "quality of life" initiatives. the proposal calls for aid for homeless children, more funding for the arts, and money to clean up and maintain Minnesota lakes.
December 1, 1998 - A Federal Reserve Bank official says threats to the U.S. economy because of overseas financial troubles are exaggerated. And he says Minnesota's economy remains especially strong. Minnesota Public Radio's Eric Jansen reports: --------------------------------------------------------- | D-CART ITEM: 1516 | TIME: 2:23 | OUTCUE: "...SOC --------------------------------------------------------- Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank vice president and chief researcher Arthur Rolnick describes as 'short-sighted' news media accounts predicting that economic problems in Asia will adversely affect the U.S. economy. Rolnick says the U.S. economy is strong and resilient, and that business with Asian countries is only a small part of it. He says Minnesota's economy mirrors the national economy. Some businesses are having problems, he says, but overall, it's diverse enough to take the strain:
December 1, 1998 - Craig Edwards, meteorologist in charge of the Chanhassen office of the National Weather Service, talks about mild winter weather and record breaking temperatures. It reached 68 degrees at the Twin Cities airport this afternoon, breaking the old high of 57 set in 1962.