February 3, 1998 - Geneva Smitherman of Michigan State University, John Rickford of Stanford, and Barbara Shin of the Minneapolis School system discuss the place of Ebonics in American education.
February 3, 1998 - Jo Ann Shroyer discusses her book Secret Mesa about the Los Alamos National Laboratory.
February 2, 1998 - MPR reporter Martin Kaste previews the week ahead at the Capitol.
January 30, 1998 - If you're thinking about pyramids and marching elephants right now, you've probably seen one too many productions of the opera "Aida." But the Minnesota Opera's new production includes few of the familiar trappings associated with the work. At a cost approaching one million dollars, "Aida" is the Minnesota Opera's most expensive production ever. It's still the same story, but Artistic Director Dale Johnson told MPR's Bob Potter that the Minnesota Opera tried to breathe new life into the production by going back to the written page.
January 28, 1998 - MPR’s Bob Potter talks with Robert Lavenda, anthropologist at Saint Cloud State University and an expert on town festivals in Minnesota, about the origins of the carnival legend.
January 27, 1998 - The Minnesota Department of Transportation has finished testing an automated system for detecting and photographing traffic violations. Minnesota-DOT posted cameras at several intersections in St. Paul, Minneapolis and Bloomington, and used them to track red light runners. The system was also used to monitor the incidence of speeding in work zones and driving around railroad crossing gate arms. We talk with Bob Weinholzer, assistant commissioner at Minnesota-DOT, who prepared the report.
January 26, 1998 - Governor Carlson turned up the heat today in the controversy surrounding the USS Des Moines. Carlson wants to set up the decommissioned Navy cruiser as part of a new war memorial park in Duluth, but many -- if not most -- Duluthians oppose the project. Caught in the middle are Duluth's legislators, who are trying not to anger either side. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports.
January 9, 1998 - Author Ron Handberg talks about his latest book, Malice Intended.
December 12, 1997 - One hundred and fifty-seven collisions occurred at railroad crossings last year in Minnesota. That's the seventh worst record in the country. The Minnesota Department of Transportation and 3M are collaborating on a system intended to prevent crashes between trains and other vehicles. It's a warning device that can be installed in a car, bus or truck and is triggered by a radio signal from a transmitter located at the crossing. The system is being tested on school busses in Glencoe. We talk about it with Lynn Ihlenfeldt of 3M, one of the project managers.
December 12, 1997 - At the beginning of the month, the FBI began testing out a DNA registry designed to catch sex offenders by matching their genetic profiles to DNA found at crime scenes. The National DNA Index System already contains the genetic profiles of 75-thousand convicted felons and it's being tried out first in Minnesota and seven other states. 36 states already have their own DNA registries, but the national system is intended to help catch offenders who cross state lines. But some concerns remain about the fallibility of DNA matching. We talk to John Sheehy, a defense attorney and partner with Meshbesher and Spence, and prosecutor Steve Redding, Assistant Hennepin County Attorney.