November 1, 1999 - MPR’s Euan Kerr interviews Minneapolis author Alexs Pate about his book “The Multicultiboho.” The book opens with an police officer entering a South Minneapolis apartment to find a dead body and a live African-American writer, named Ichabod Word.
November 1, 1999 - Three-time Pulitzer prize-winning playwright Edward Albee is in the Twin Cities tonight to discuss the state of American theater. Albee's "A Delicate Balance", "Seascape", and "Three Tall Women" all won Pulitzer prizes. He is also the author of the critically acclaimed and equally criticized "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf. Despite his own success and many honors, Albee has had a difficult time getting his plays on Broadway, something that hasn't stopped the playwright from staging his work elsewhere in the county and abroad.
November 2, 1999 - Governor Jesse Ventura's first year, and a look ahead. We hear from former Minnesota Governor Arne Carlson, Senate Majority Leader Roger Moe, Ventura campaign Media Chair Gerry Drewry, MPR listeners and more.
November 2, 1999 - MPR’s Lynette Nyman reports on the 5th National Hmong Conference being held in downtown Minneapolis, where social service advocates look to prevent violence by keeping Hmong kids out of gangs. They say parents are the key and want to them more involved in their kids lives. But for some Hmong teens, independence from families is the attraction of a gang --especially for girls.
November 3, 1999 - Frequently at this time, we bring you an interview with an author, many of whom are giving readings at the Hungry Mind bookstore in St. Paul. Soon you won't be hearing that name anymore. The bookstore, which also publishes a literary review and runs a small press, is selling its name to a new cyber-university based in San Francisco for an undisclosed amount.
November 3, 1999 - MPR’s Michael Khoo reports that St. Paul residents overwhelmingly rejected a sales tax increase to pay for a new Minnesota Twins ballpark in the city's downtown. After a summer of sometimes contentious debate, voters defeated the proposal 58% to 42%.
November 4, 1999 - The Consumer Federation of America is out today with a new study on consumer problems associated with Internet shopping. Guests include Jack Gillis of the Consumer Federation and Robert Ellis of the Center for the Study of Services, a non-profit consumer research organization in Washington DC.
November 4, 1999 - MPR’s Lorna Benson interviews gay poet Mark Doty about his book “Firebird: A Memoir.” Doty reads a selection from the book, recalling how the lyrics to Petula Clark's song "Downtown" gave him hope.
November 4, 1999 - Over 200 mandolin players from North America and Europe are in Minneapolis to attend annual convention of the Classical Mandolin Society of America. Jack El-Hai formed the Minnesota Mandolin Orchestra in 1991, and talks with MPR’s Bob Potter about mandolins.
November 8, 1999 - A Mainstreet Radio special broadcast from the VA Medical Center in St. Cloud for a pre-Veterans Day show. In this first hour of program, host Rachel Reabe and guests focus on the health care system and the increasing demands on the system as our vets grow older.