April 29, 1998 - Four more candidates for Governor today promised not to take campaign money from tobacco interests. The anti-tobacco-money-pledge is sponsored by the American Heart Association, and most candidates have come to the conclusion that it's a political necessity. But there are still a couple of hold-outs, and even one of those taking the pledge has misgivings. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports.
April 29, 1998 - Should religion play a role in American public life? What does it mean to separate church and state? Is that possible? These are some of the challenging questions considered as part of the "Public Religion Symposium," a joint effort between MPR's Civic Journalism Initiative and the Public Religion Project headed by University of Chicago theologian Martin Marty. As part of the collaboration, yesterday 100 Minnesota leaders joined Marty in the Twin Cities to talk about the role of religion in public life. Mary Stucky reports the symposium revealed conflicting views on a subject - religion - that's still one of our most sensitive subjects.
April 30, 1998 - Chris Farrell, MPR's Senior Business and Economics Editor, and V.V. Chari, University of Minnesota Economics professor, examine the stock market and concern of a "the bubble economy." Farrell and Chari also answer listener questions. Program begins with a brief report on definition and example of a “bubble market.”
April 30, 1998 - Martin Sampson, University of Minnesota Political science professor; Ido Oren, an Israeli citizen and University of Minnesota International Relations professor; and Miriam Kluska, who is in Tel Aviv, discuss Israel’s 50th Anniversary. Program begins with a report by NPR’s Linda Gradstein on the celebration taking place in Israel.
May 1, 1998 - Representatives of the state of Minnesota, Hennepin County and the city of Minneapolis are looking into the possibility of working together to create a "community court" in Minneapolis . The court would be designed to deal so-called livability crimes like vandalism or prostitution. One of the models for such a court would be the Midtown Community Court which operates in New York City's Times Square. John Feinblatt is the Director of the Center for Court Inovation which started the Midtown court in 1993.
May 4, 1998 - MPR’s Perry Finnelli presents a public reponse call-in show on the Minnesota Citizens’ Forum about tax policy.
May 5, 1998 - On the day of the North Carolina public vote on baseball subsidies, MPR sports analyst Howard Sinker discusses it and the future of the Minnesota Twins. Sinker also answers listener questions. Programs begins with report from MPR's Martin Kaste in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
May 5, 1998 - MPR’s William Wilcoxen reports on RADIO REY, a Spanish-language radio service that broadcasts more than thirty hours a week from a grocery store on Concord Street in St. Paul’s West Side.
May 6, 1998 - St. Paul trial attorney Ron Rosenmbaum helps sort through the legal questions on whether the lawyers in the tobacco trial should settle the case, or let the jury decide. Rosenmbaum also answers listener questions. Program begins with MPR reporter Laura McCallum presenting latest from the federal courthouse.
May 7, 1998 - MPR’s Bob Kelleher reports on Lighthouse for the Blind, a Duluth plant that manufacturers a plain, white and rather sturdy roll of toilet tissue. But one of Duluth's most widely-distributed exports is in danger, as are the jobs of dozens of Minnesotans who are sight-impaired .