MPR News editor-at-large and retired host Gary Eichten has worn many hats during his 40-plus-year career at Minnesota Public Radio, including news director, special events producer and station manager. He has served as host for Minnesota Public Radio's live, special events news coverage, and has hosted all of the major news programs on Minnesota Public Radio, including Midday, which he hosted for more than 20 years.
A graduate of St. John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota, Eichten began his career at Minnesota Public Radio as a student announcer at KSJR (Minnesota Public Radio's first station). Among the honors Eichten has received during his career is the Corporation for Public Broadcasting award for best local news program. He also assisted in the development of two Peabody award-winning documentaries. In 2007, he was inducted into the Pavek Museum of Broadcasting's Hall of Fame. Eichten has also been awarded the prestigious 2011 Graven Award by the Premack Public Affairs Journalism Awards Board for his contribution to excellence in the journalism profession.
January 11, 1994 - Curt Johnson, senior aide in Governor Carlson’s office, discusses a plan in front of State Board of Education on implementing school desegregation in metropolitan suburbs.
January 10, 1994 - MPR’s Gary Eichten interviews Bob Dayton, a downtown Minneapolis civic booster, about task force looking at economic health of downtown and how to best utilize Target Center and support major league sports in the city.
January 10, 1994 - Chris Georgacas, party chair of the state Independent Republican party, talks of the IR’s strength and endorsements. Early primaries and Governor Carlson are also discussed.
January 10, 1994 - With President Clinton traveling to Europe for the first time in his presidency, Midday invites historian Nick Hayes to provide a viewpoint on the important issues at hand for U.S.-European relation…including NATO, former Yugoslavia conflict, and Russia.
January 7, 1994 - MPR’s Gary Eichten talks with Todd Krause, forecaster at the National Weather Service, about the massive snowfall in Finland, Minnesota. The community is six miles inland from the North Shore and just northeast of Two Harbors.
January 5, 1994 - Mark Seeley, meteorologist at the University of Minnesota, discusses various terms and conditions of winter. Seeley also answers listener questions.
January 4, 1994 - Midday’s Gary Eichten talks with Jack Tunheim, an attorney in the Office of the State Attorney General of Minnesota, about Minnesota Supreme Court’s differing view with state legislature over use of DNA evidence in court proceedings.
January 3, 1994 - On this Midday program, coverage from the Minneapolis and St. Paul mayoral inaugurations. Program includes interviews, music clips, and speeches.
January 3, 1994 - MPR’s Tom Fudge provides a summary report on the inauguration of Sharon Sayles Belton as mayor of Minneapolis. Sayles Belton becomes the first African American and first woman to hold that position.
December 31, 1993 - Peter Rodosovich, Minnesota state representative from District 25B and chair of the House Higher Education Finance Division, comments on investigation into University of Minnesota’s Anti-Lympocyte Globulin Program.