December 24, 1998 - While its members haven't been chaining themselves to trees, the largest grassroots environmental organization in the country hasn't been absent from the fight to stop the rerouting of highway 55. Local members of the Sierra Club have been using the courts to fight their battle. Jill Walker is a local Sierra Club volunteer. She says her organization can't condone the civil disobedience tactics protesters at the site have engaged in, but she does think their methods can be effective.
December 23, 1998 - Greg Lemond retired from the world of cycling four years ago, but his bike hasn't had a chance to get rusty. He spent two weeks last January riding from Hanoi to Ho Chi Min city on "The Vietnam Challege" organized by World Team Sports. The 12-hundred-mile ride was the first officially sanctioned event between the United States and Vietnam. It brought together veterans, many who were disabled, from both countries. Participants hoped to heal some of the wounds caused by the Vietnam war. Lemond went along to lend encouragement, help change flat tires and offer support. A new film, which will air on NBC Saturday afternoon, brings the 16-day adventure to life. Lemond says it was the most amazing ride of his life:
December 21, 1998 - The cold weather has settled in just in time for the official start of winter. The winter solstice is today, it marks the exact moment the earth starts to tilt back towards the sun. For those of us in the norhtern hemisphere, this means we'll begin to see longer hours of daylight. The Minneapolis Planetarium is marking the occasion with a special celebration tonight. Bob Bon-a-DUR is the Director of the planetarium. He says people have been celebrating the solstice for most of recorded history: Bob Bon-a-DUR is director of the planetarium. Tonight's celebration began at 5 o'clock. Shows will run every half hour until 8 p-m, with a fireworks display to mark the official moment of the solstice at 7:56.
December 17, 1998 - We also reached Congressman Martin Sabo in Washington earlier today. The fifth district Democrat also approves of the airstrikes, saying they're the logical conclusion to a long period of ineffective diplomatic relations with Iraq: 5th District Democratic Congressman Martin Sabo spoke to us from Washington earlier in the afternoon. Sun 28-MAY 07:29:07 MPR NewsPro Archive - Wed 04/11/2001
December 2, 1998 - For St. Paulites it's getting to be old hat, but Minneapolitans are just getting used to the idea of a new area code tentatively approved by state regulators. The Public Utilities Commission picked 9-5-2 as the new area code for Minneapolis, Richfield and the Fort Snelling area. The move comes a month before callers in St. Paul and other east Twin Cities area communities must begin using the 6-5-1 area code instead of 6-1-2.
November 16, 1998 - 15-hundred photographs of people from one small Lithuanian Village are on display in one of the most talked about exhibits at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D-C. Dr. Yaffa Eliach , one of the town's few survivors, created the exhibit and has spent the last 17 years documenting the history of Eishyshok (AISH-ih-SHOCK). Her research on the life that existed in the town before the holocaust led Eliach (ELL-ee-ock) to write "There Once Was A World." She says she wants readers to understand that the history of the Holocaust should include remembering what life was like BEFORE the war: Dr. Yaffa Eliach (YAFF-ah ELL-ee-ock) will speak about her
November 10, 1998 - "Jackpine Bob" Cary, an author and amateur sledder from Ely, talks about the experience of dog sledding as the state's mushers and sled dogs are gearing up for another season of racing. Cary published a book on sled dogs titled "Born to Pull," which is also discussed.