March 9, 1999 - Many Minnesotans experienced a few white knuckle moments on the roads today, but imagine if driving was your work. Author Ellen Hawley spent five years as a twin cities cab driver. Her first novel, "Trip Sheets" is a fictional account of a young female cabbie loosely based on Hawley's life. Hawley says she's glad she didn't have to spend 9 hours on the roads today, but the cab driving life does offer some perks.
March 9, 1999 - MPR’s Lynette Nyman presents a series titled “This Is Home: The Hmong in Minnesota.” In this part, Nyman reports on the shift of power and leadership from the older to the younger generation in the Hmong community.
March 9, 1999 - Matt Davis, a forecaster with the National Weather Service, says March 8th snowstorm set a record. The storm blanketed much of the Midwest and dumped 16 inches of snow in the Twin Cities.
March 10, 1999 - MPR’s Lynette Nyman presents a series titled “This Is Home: The Hmong in Minnesota.” In this part, Nyman looks at how the centuries-old tradition of Hmong hand stitching is a practice becoming less useful as Hmong women create new lives in the U.S.
March 11, 1999 - Howard Sinker, MPR sports commentator; and Jay Weiner, MPR sports commentator, discuss the allegations of academic fraud in the University of Minnesota basketball program. MPR reporters William Wilcoxen and Tim Pugmire contribute reports. Basketball coach, Clem Haskins, discusses big-time athletics in the University setting.
March 11, 1999 - MPR’s Lynette Nyman presents a series titled “This Is Home: The Hmong in Minnesota.” In this part, Nyman reports on an increasing number of Hmong Americans returning to visit their homeland of Laos…or Thailand, where refugee camps became home for thousands after the war ended in 1975 and Laos became a communist country.
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.