June 12, 1998 - A grain elevator exploded in Plainview, Minnesota this morning, about 20 miles northeast of Rochester. No one was hurt but it knocked out power and phone service to the town's downtown. The Doane (DOAN) Grain Services Incorporated elevator burned for about two hours. Authorities aren't sure what caused the explosion. The Plainview explosion comes just days after a grain elevator explosion in Wichita, Kansas killed five people. One man is still missing. Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Administration manager and former grain elevator inspector Terry Mueller (Myoo-ler) says most explosions are caused by some sort of friction in the mechnics of the elevator which ignites the grain dust.
May 25, 1998 - With the unofficial start of summer comes the yearly onslaught of road construction projects across the state. The work on roadways has acutally been underway for several weeks, with many smaller projects expected to wrap up about halfway through summer. Another group of smaller projects will be completed in the second half of the summer. And of course, some projects tie up roads well into the fall. Dick Hathaway, an roadway construction engineer for the Minnesota Department of Transportation in the Twin Cities says the mild winter didn't help much with the summer construction season.
May 22, 1998 - Tobacco legislation in the U-S Senate faces a roadblock, as Senate members have signaled their opposition to limit the industry's liability from lawsuits to eight billion dollars a year. Meanwhile, Senate conservatives have attacked the bill's tax increases. The tobacco bill's chief author, Arizona Senator John McCain, says he will continue to push the legislation. Those price increases are the subject of current television ads sponsored by the tobacco industry. The ads feature portrayals of working people who smoke asking why Congress is singling them out for another tax. David Logan, law professor at Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, North Carolina says the ads are a smart strategy by the tobacco industry.
May 21, 1998 - Airline industry experts expect tomorrow to be the busiest day in aviation history. The experts say more than two-million people are expected to get on a plane at the start of the Memorial Day weekend. For the week ending next Tuesday, more than 12-point-five million people are expected to fly to their destination. The Air Transport Association, representing the biggest U-S carriers, says the proportion of seats filled on flights systemwide could be as high as 83 percent. Amy Rea (Ray) is a travel analyst with Schilling Travel in Minneapolis. She says the high numbers predicted by the industry surprise her. Amy Rea, a travel analyst with Minneapolis-based Schilling Travel.
May 21, 1998 - Last night's record Powerball drawing means the state will get a boost in revenue generated from the twice-weekly drawing. The state gets a portion of each dollar spent on the lottery in Minnsota. The state's Environmental Trust Fund will get about 2.5 million dollars from last night's drawing. John Velin (vuh-LEEN), a member of the Legislative Commission that oversees the trust fund, says the fund is used as an endowment, with the principle remaining stable and only the interest used for spending. John Velin of the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources.
May 7, 1998 - Gloria Naylor takes us to a familiar neighborhood in her new book THE MEN OF BREWSTER PLACE. There are still nutmeg arms leaning over windownsills. Crumbling plaster and the ravages of poverty scar the hallways. But this time it's the MEN who get to tell their stories. THE WOMEN OF BREWSTER PLACE, brought Naylor critical success and a 1983 National Book Award. (The book was also made into a television movie starring Oprah Winfrey.) Gloria Naylor told Minnesota Public Radio's Greta Cunningham the time is right for the men to be heard...
May 7, 1998 - Closing arguments began today in Minnesota's tobacco trial. Settlement talks have collapsed, and the chief executive of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota says chances of a settlement are "extremely slim." He said one problem was tobacco companies' demand that they be protected against lawsuits by Minnesota counties. Hennepin County commissioners are informally debating whether to sue the tobacco industry to recoup county costs for treating sick smokers. Commissioner Randy Johnson says the immunity issue is moot: Hennepin County Commissioner Randy Johnson.
May 7, 1998 - Speculation about how the jury might decide the tobacco trial has already started, even though it is still possible for the two sides to reach a settlement. George Annas is a Professor of Health Law at Boston University. He says a jury verdict for the state might not yield as much money as a settlement, but it would be impressive symbolically. Sun 28-MAY 11:20:20 MPR NewsPro Archive - Wed 04/11/2001
April 21, 1998 - The Minnesota Attorney General's office says the anti-trust investigation against the Minnesota Twins will continue. A Ramsey County judge ruled yesterday that the Twin must provide testimony and turn over business records. The A-G's office is looking into whether the Twins violated laws when they tried to force a new stadium by threatening to leave Minnesota. Lawyers for the team argued in March that Attorney General Humphrey could not file a lawsuit because baseball enjoys an exemption from antitrust laws. While acknowledging the exemption, the judge said it applies narrowly to player transactions and not to franchise moves. Gary Gillette is with Total sports, an internet and print sports publisher based in Raleigh , North Carolina. He says the ruling makes it more likely the Twins will stay in Minnesota. | D-CART ITEM: 4465 | TIME: 4:19
April 2, 1998 - Governor Carlson says he wants the legislature to approve by Monday some sort of financial assistance for tornado damaged southern Minnesota. He wants the state to spend 27.6 million dollars to fill the gaps left from insurance coverage and federal aid. Officials project the communities will receive 25 million dollars in federal aid for public infrastructure, and another two million dollars in federal money for individual assistance programs. As federal officials continue to work on damage estimates, residents and volunteers continue to clean-up St. Peter and Comfrey. Joanelle Dyrstad is helping to coordinate the volunteer effort in St. Peter. She says what they don't want people to do is simply show up wanting to work. | D-CART ITEM: 1199 | TIME: 2:52 | OUTCUE: "...around the community."