September 5, 1997 - Cowles Media Company, the parent company of the Star Tribune, is considering selling Minnesota's largest newspaper. The decision came at the request of members of the Cowles family, who control more than 56-percent of the company's voting stock. While analysts agree it's a seller's market for family-owned newspapers, others are concerned by huge corporate interests gobbling up the nation's remaining independent newspapers. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Roberts reports.
September 4, 1997 - For years the Nautilus Music Theater in Minneapolis, formerly known as The New Music Theater Ensemble, produced and performed only new works perched on the precarious boundary between musicals and opera. Some of the pieces were quite ambitious and experimental, and performers often played to less than a full house. This year, the organization has a new name and an expanded mission, to produce the old, or relatively old, as well as the new. Nautilus has chosen "Into the Woods," a Stephen Sondheim production to inaugurate what it hopes will be a new era in twin cities music theater. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Roberts reports.
August 29, 1997 - A coalition of black leaders in Minneapolis spoke out today on the latest developments in the police shooting of a Minneapolis teenager. Fifteen -year-old Lawrence Miles Jr. was seriously wounded by police on August 16th when an officer thought the boy was aiming a gun at his partner. The weapon turned out to be a pellet gun. The Minneapolis Police Department originally reported the boy had been shot in the chest, but the Minneapolis Fire Department contradicted that report, saying the boy was shot in the upper back. Today a group of black leaders called for an independent investigator and prosecutor to be appointed to the case, and brought in its own forensic pathologist to examine the boy. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Roberts reports.
August 28, 1997 - The Minneapolis Police Department is continuing its investigation into the August 16th police shooting of a fifteen-year-old Minneapolis boy. The officer who wounded the boy contends the teenager aimed a weapon, which later turned out to be a pellet gun, at his partner. The department originally said the boy was shot in the chest, but a Minneapolis Fire Department report indicates a single shotgun blast entered the boy's upper back. Unfortunately, few people with any information on the case are coming forward and the boy's family is refusing to let him be examined by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's office. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Roberts traveled to the south Minneapolis neighborhood where the shooting took place and spoke with residents about how the incident has affected them and their relationship with the police.
August 18, 1997 - A Midday call-in program about ecumenism in religion and other trends in organized religion with studio guest Clark Morphew, St. Paul Pioneer Press religion writer and nationally syndicated columnist.
July 24, 1997 - A new record label in Minneapolis is hoping to become the home of traditional Scandanavian music in North America. Founders of Northside records say the traditional folk music and fiddle tunes of Sweden, Norway and Finland are becoming the hottest thing going in world music circles. The resurgence is being fueled by young Scandanavian musicians. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Roberts reports.
July 18, 1997 - Art crawlers hungry for some new work may consider stopping by an abandoned soap factory in Minneapolis this weekend. The Teen Art Council at the Walker Art Center has put together what it calls "a teen curated teen art show" containing the work of more than than 70 young artists from around the metro area. The show's curators say visitors who tend to dismiss teen artists might be in for a surprise. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Roberts has more.
July 14, 1997 - The 1980s' was a decade known for trends, and one of the hottest was stand-up comedy. In the Twin Cities and around the country, comedy clubs were popping up everywhere and packing in people. Familiar names such as Louie Anderson, Tom Arnold, and Scott Hansen launched their stand-up careers here. But eventually, greed and mediocrity killed off a lot of comedy clubs, and the craze flickered out. Today, comedy clubs are attempting to make a comeback, and at many, the emphasis is not on cashing in, but on building for the future. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen and Chris Roberts found two local comedians who reflect the new spirit of comedy.
July 14, 1997 - The 1980s' was a decade known for trends, and one of the hottest was stand-up comedy. In the Twin Cities and around the country, comedy clubs were popping up everywhere and packing in people. Familiar names such as Louie Anderson, Tom Arnold, and Scott Hansen launched their stand-up careers here. But eventually, greed and mediocrity killed off a lot of comedy clubs, and the craze flickered out. Today, comedy clubs are attempting to make a comeback, and at many, the emphasis is not on cashing in, but on building for the future. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen and Chris Roberts found two local comedians who reflect the new spirit of comedy. Here's an excerpt from their report.
July 2, 1997 - Murals have always been among the more popular forms of public art. They can spruce up a city block or give restless teenagers a way to express themselves. They're usually associated with urban renewal projects, but every now and then, murals are commissioned by organizations or businesses trying to enliven their own image. Such is the case with a new mural going up along I-94 in St. Paul, which celebrates the state's most famous mascot and the serene beauty of the prairie in the heart of the city. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Roberts reports.