January 13, 1999 - In the art world, what's fashionable one year is sometimes passe the next. American artist Thomas Hart Benton is a case in point. Benton was wildly popular in the 20s and 30s -- even making the cover of TIME magazine. But then... with the advent of abstraction.... Benton's realistic paintings of Americana plunged in popularity. Now.... Benton is back. An exhibit of his paintings and drawings is showing at the Minnesota Museum of American Art in St Paul. And Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Stucky toured the exhibit with Kris Wetterlund the museum's director of education.
December 22, 1998 - It is a big event when a church gets a new peal, or set, of bells. It may well be a unique occasion when two churches standing within a few hundred yards of each other nearby, install new peals, and ring them for the first time on the same day. But that is exactly what will happen On Christmas Eve, when the air around Loring Park in Minneapolis will be alive with the first chimes from enormous new church bells. Both St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral and the Basicalla of St. Mary installed bells this year where there had been none before.....and as Mary Stucky reports the intention is to bring an an ancient tradition into secular life.
December 10, 1998 - It has taken 7 years but a former pornographic bookshop in Minneapolis, is now a community theater..... opening it's first holiday show. Some of the actors now performing were once outside on the sidewalk protesting against the store. The Central City Theater-- on the corner of 4th and Lake was once known as the Lake Street Bookstore-- but it's now part of what the city hopes will be a turnaround of troubled Lake Street. Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Stucky reports.
December 4, 1998 - Every once in a while someone has an idea that is so crazy, it might just work. Take the case of Colin and Susan McAllister of St. Paul. This weekend they are mounting a small festival in St. Paul, gathering... what they hope will be hundreds if not thousands of people to celebrate LINCOLNSHIRE!!!! "Where? What?" you say... "Lincoln-who?" Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Stucky reports on the attempt to focus Minnesotan attention on what's known as England's "Forgotton County"..... Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Stucky reports.
December 2, 1998 - Tensions between US and Canadian farmers are risning rise again, and may erupt this weekend. Plans are being laid to repeat -- and expand -- September's border blockade of Canadian agricultural goods to market in the US. But Canada is not backing down saying such protests will do nothing to resolve longstanding conflicts between the US and Canada. Yesterday in Washington, the Canadian minister of Agriculture told farm representatives the border delays, and indeed much of US farmers' antagonism toward Canada are based on misperceptions. From Washington, Emily Harris reports. TRXX 1: Canadian Agriculture Minister Lyle Vanklief says US farmer complaints of Canadian trade obstacles are BASED ON RUMOUR not facts -- and are being MADE loudly now due to worldwide low prices for
December 2, 1998 - There is a slight sense of irony this year at the Walker Art Center's annual screening of the British Television Advertising Awards in that one of the most successful ads was done for the very non-commericial BBC. Awards co-ordinator Peter Bigg will introduce the show tonight (Wed) as it opens a run lasting through December 20th. He told Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr the BBC ad attempted to persuade people to pay their annual license fees by showing the many different kinds of music available through BBC television and radio. The fee is close to 150 dollars, and must be paid by anyone who watches TV. The commercial also tried to raise millions for childrens charities.... British Television Advertising Awards Co-ordinator Peter Bigg will introduce the first screening of this years Awards a
December 2, 1998 - A former giant of the exercise equipment industry passed from local control this week. NordicTrack, which sold millions of dollars-worth of cross country-ski machines since the mid-eighties, has fallen foul of changes in US exercise habits. Minnesota Public Radio Sports Commentator Jay Wiener has this analysis... Minnesota Public Radio Sports Commentator Jay Wiener is on leave from the Star Tribune Newspaper to write a book on the politics of sports stadiums. Sun 28-MAY 07:43:20 MPR NewsPro Archive - Wed 04/11/2001
November 27, 1998 - INTRO Just as this time of year is vital for retailers, the holiday season is hugely important for arts organizations. The flurry of ticket buying to holiday shows like A Christmas Carol and the Nutcracker, brings in a significant part of the year's operating budget for Twin Cities arts organizations. Its also a time when may young people get their initial exposure to the arts. Yet Despite an almost-guaranteed holiday audience for some shows, nationwide, audience numbers for cultural events are stagnant. And so, like any business, arts organizations are dreaming up creative new strategies to pack 'em in. Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Stucky has more.
November 23, 1998 - Things are seldom entirely what they seem in the short stories in Joseph Clark's new collection "Jungle Wedding." A paranoid father believes the government has bugged his house... not realising his family's really the subject of an elaborate and outrageous sociology experiment. A woman spends her time shopping in tears, feeling anonymous because her of her ex-husband's behavior, not knowing she the staff considers her an institution in her local mall. And a woman returns to her childhood home to prepare for her mothers funeral, but ends using the building as a massive but anonymous mausoleum. Clarke, who is currently living and working in Vermillion, South Dakota, told Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr he is so interested in the idea someone is always watching... that he writes with a camera in mind.
November 12, 1998 - The day after telling students at his old High school he didn't apply himself much to his studies... Minnesota Governor-elect Jesse Ventura is back at school. Every two years, a few weeks after the November vote, the National Governor's Association puts on "Governors school" for first-time governors --- a few days in specialized seminars and private consulations with experienced governors currently on the job. Nancy Marshall reports from this years Governors school in Wilmington Delaware. SFXX 1: Welcome to the 1998 Governor's session. . . TRXX 1: Governor Thomas Carper of Delaware is the host -- and a professor -- at this year's National Governor's Association