March 12, 1999 - Tom Gillaspy, Minnesota state demographer; and Jane Graupman, of the International Institute of Minnesota, provide an update on immigrants in Minnesota, how many there are, where they are coming from now, where they have come from in the recent past and throughout history. Gillaspy and Graupman also answer listener questions.
March 12, 1999 - A lot is going on in the world of popular music this weekend. Minnesota Public Radio's Jim Bickal talked with James Deers, music critic for Sidewalk.com about some of the highlights.
March 12, 1999 - Midday presents a MPR documentary special by MPR’s Lynette Nyman about the Hmong people in Minnesota, called “This Is Home: The Hmong in Minnesota.” Program explores the ways members of St. Paul's Hmong community wrestle with issues of culture and identity, with maintaining ties to the past, and seeking to thrive in modern urban America.
March 15, 1999 - MPR’s Lynette Nyman profiles the play "Hmong! The C-I-A's Secret Army" being staged at the Great American History Theatre in St Paul. The play is based on a screen play written by Lee Vang, a Hmong American in Minnesota. The production tells the story of the ‘secret war’ in Laos through a real-life love story.
March 16, 1999 - Chris Farrell, MPR's senior business and economics editor, discusses big news on Wall Street…the first time in history the DOW went over 10,000. Farrell also answers listener questions.
March 17, 1999 - A profile of St. Paul composer Eric Stokes, who died in a car accident at the age of 68. Report includes a portion of Composer’s Voice 1993 interview with Stokes.
March 17, 1999 - Crop disease and low prices are taking a financial and emotional toll on farmers in the region. Many are struggling with depression. Lowell Nelson was a successful farmer near Moorhead for more than 30 years. At one time his net worth was more than a million dollars. Now, he's broke and for the first time in his life won't be working in the fields this spring. He's also getting treatment for his depression.
March 18, 1999 - Mark Yudof, University of Minnesota president, discusses the role of athletics at the University and the accusations of academic fraud in the Gopher men's basketball program. Yudof also answers listener questions.
March 18, 1999 - A "Talk of Minnesota" program, presenting the views of MPR listeners on the role of big time athletics at a university. Wendell Anderson, former Governor, University of Minnesota regent Gopher hockey player, joins the conversation.
March 18, 1999 - Mainstreet Radio’s Amy Radil reports on the U.S. Coast Guard's Mackinaw and the debate to replace it. The 55-year-old ship is the biggest icebreaker on the Great Lakes, and always greeted enthusiastically by commercial shippers and idle boat watchers alike. The U.S. House approved spending 130-million dollars to replace the Mackinaw, but its fans are nothing if not loyal, and are trying to keep it around.