July 20, 1979 - MPR’s Rich Dietman interviews Dr. Frank Busta, member of the Food Science Department at the University of Minnesota. Busta discusses controversy that has arisen in a related sorbate study and about whose side food scientists are on...consumers or big business?
July 21, 1979 - On this special Spectrum/Home for the Weekend broadcast, MPR’s Rich Dietman presents a group discussion and live call-in program on Minnesota Public Radio's programming decisions, its technical operations, and funding of the network.
July 23, 1979 - Mark Seetin, Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner, discusses the state of agriculture in Minnesota. Topics include economic health, end of drought, gasohol, beef prices, and American Agriculture Movement. Seetin also answers listener and reporter questions.
July 25, 1979 - MPR’s Lee Axdahl provides a report on pollution concerns of PCBs (aka - polychlorinated biphenyls) in the Great Lakes. Axdahl tours the Environmental Protection Agency's research ship Crockett as it traverses Lake Superior. Scientists on the vessel are examining the health of the water.
July 26, 1979 - Kenneth Young, Director of the Department of Court Services, Hennepin County; Cindy Turnure, Director of Research for the Crime Commission Planning Board; and Ray Cummings, Director of Planning and Evaluation for Court Services talks with MPR’s Dan Olson about crime in Minnesota. Topics include FBI study noting 17% increase in national crime statistics.
July 30, 1979 - MPR reporter John Ydstie presents sound portrait of a powwow celebration. Ydstie went to the White Earth Indian Reservation in Northern Minnesota and recorded various interviews and performances from the Ojibwe cultural event.
August 8, 1979 - KCCM reporters Brigid Shea and John Ydstie present a sound portrait on the National High School Rodeo finals in West Fargo, North Dakota. The report includes various interviews and highlights of the week-long competition with some of the best young cowboys and cowgirls in the world.
August 8, 1979 - Michael Fedo, author, talks with Claudia Hampsten, talks with author Michael Fedo about his book They Was Just Niggers about the the Duluth lynching of three Black men in 1920. Fedo describes how it affected the community and attitudes long after the murders of the young men. [Content Warning: some content, language, and statements used in this story may be triggering to listeners]
August 11, 1979 - On this regional public affairs program, C. Donald Peterson, Minnesota State Supreme Court justice; John Finnegan, executive editor at St. Paul Pioneer Press-Dispatch; and Marshall Tannick, Minneapolis attorney and former journalist, discuss a number of 1979 court decisions affecting first amendment press rights including freedom of the press, the right to privacy, and the people's right to know.
August 11, 1979 - MPR’s Dale Connelly visits Metropolitan Stadium during a Minnesota Twins ballgame to get fan reactions to the idea of seeing MLB baseball in the future dome stadium. Like the strike zone, opinions are all over the place.