June 17, 1997 - A solar-powered car using the same amount of power as a hair-dryer, but capable of breaking the speed limit on the open highway, is ready to hit the road. "Aurora 3" is the solar car built by University of Minnesota students to compete against solar cars from other schools in Sunrace '97, the cross-country contest which begins in Indianapolis tomorrow. Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr went along to watch preparations before the team left Minnesota.
June 13, 1997 - In Arundhati Roy's best-selling first novel "The God of Small Things" a family is torn about by the turbulent forces at work in India in the late 1960's, not least of which was the caste system. The book has recieved rapturous reviews since its publication in America, and it has been touted as a strong candidiate for the Booker Prize. Roy, who has had her own run-ins with India's system of class, told Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr the caste system is simply another form of racism, and is still hugely prevalent in her homeland.
June 9, 1997 - MPR’s Euan Kerr talks with guitarist Steve Tibbetts about his recent work. Tibbetts, whose work is primarily instrumental, is trying something new…but also very old, with his latest album "Cho." He adds music to a 900-year-old acapella song cycle performed by Buddhist nuns in Nepal.
June 4, 1997 - Painting nudes, and in particular female nudes, has been a staple of the art world for centuries. Artists interpret the unclothed human form both as an exercise and as an end itself. But in recent years the artform has come in for increasing criticism for objectifying women. The debate is central to a new novel by Iowa writer Robert Schultz entitled "The Madhouse Nudes." On it's surface the novel is a who-dunnit about a painter in small-town Iowa who finds himself the chief suspect when one of his models is attacked. But Schultz told Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr his book is really about the sensibilities of small towns, the art world, and the relationships between men and women.
May 8, 1997 - As flood clean-up continues in Grand Forks, a group of specialists has moved in to try to save part of area history. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Gunderson reports. Sun 28-MAY 19:40:15 MPR NewsPro Archive - Wed 04/11/2001
May 5, 1997 - For the last few weeks we have been hearing from the Reverend Craig Hanson from his home on the banks of the Red River in Fargo. He told us of the struggle to build the dikes... and the 24 hour-a-day watches to guard against leaks. He spoke of the ewxcitement as it appeared the river was going down, and then the distress as the Red began to rise again. The houses along his street were eventually ring-diked. Now the water is receding and the Fargo clean-up is in full swing. In the last of his floood diaries Craig Hanson looks back over all that happened. The Reverend Craig Hanson lives by the Red River in Fargo. We would like to thank him for sharing his story with us over the past month. Sun 28-MAY 19:41:27 MPR NewsPro Archive - Wed 04/11/2001
April 28, 1997 - Last month archaeologists unearthed several foundations which were once part of St. Paul's red light district. In particular, excitement and controversy surrounded the revelation that the bordello of Nina Clifford, an infamous St. Paul madame, was among the findings. The excavation provides the oportunity for legends of hidden diamonds and rumors of a secret tunnel leading to the upper-crust Minnesota Club to finally be proven or put to rest. Charles Maynes has followed the dig and found that the dustbins of St. Paul history offer more treasured trash than trashy treasure.
April 23, 1997 - The plight of the people in Grand Forks and East Grand forks has held media attention rivited for the last week. The struggles faced by the people upriver in Fargo have melted from the tv screens.... but the stuggles still go on. The Reverend Craig Hanson has been sharing his thoughts with us from his home on the banks of the Red River. Here is the latest installment of his flood diary. Reverend Craig Hanson lives on the banks of the Red River in Fargo. One hopeful note we should add.... Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Gunderson reports that as he was leaving from the Hanson's today.... a duck was spotted standing atop the neighbor's shed. Sun 28-MAY 19:47:29 MPR NewsPro Archive - Wed 04/11/2001
April 18, 1997 - In this edition of his flood diary, Reverend Craig Hanson says he is feeling mixed emotions as flooding continues in the Red River Valley.
April 18, 1997 - Fargo officials say they may cut off part of the city if dikes on the southern end of the city cannot hold. Late this afternoon Mayor Bruce Furness announced work will begin in shortly on a dyke stretching across Fargo, just north of threatened areas of the city. Fargo Mayor Bruce Furness speaks at city hall.