April 8, 1977 - Midday presents an MPR Special report on the Minnesota Supreme Court's unanimous decision that Reserve Mining Company be allowed to use the "Milepost 7" site for its taconite tailings on-land disposal. Program includes various reports, interviews and commentary from both sides of the court fight.
November 30, 1976 - An MPR Special, titled “Power Line Dispute,” looks into the controversy over high voltage power lines planned in numerous rural counties in order to bring additional electrical power to Minnesota and the Twin Cities.
November 15, 1976 - An exploration of the American burial ritual, including conversations with writers, funeral directors, ministers, sociologists, and anthropologists. Topics include problematic dichotomy of funeral industry as a business vs. providing a social service and the ceremonial nature behind burial or cremation.
July 4, 1976 - This special MPR program takes a look at various communities throughout Minnesota and shows how they celebrate the 4th of July, especially during the bicentennial year. Program includes interviews, performances, and commentary.
October 11, 1975 - John Milhone, Minnesota Energy Agency director, is skeptical of the president?s energy proposal including a subsidy for crash construction of synthetic fuels by 1976. He says while there?s a need for additional capital for the development of energy sources we?ve learned that programs announced with a with a fanfare and big dollar tag are not necessarily effective. This reminds him of Project Independence, a plan to have the nation energy independent by 1980. That?s impossible and it will be difficult to be even partially independent by 1985. Splashy big investment programs are not a good substitute for a more realistic look at energy use and supply. We need to look at more effective conservation programs, such as a need to get better efficiency out of automobiles. We should spend funds on alternative transportation methods and mass transit programs. The railroads don?t get support they need. With retrofitting insulation in homes, business and industry for less money you could get more energy savings. It?s possible to consider conservation programs as economic investments in fuel. With limited public funds in the energy area more could be achieved by conservation than new supply development projects.
October 2, 1975 - Organic farmer Earl Cunningham equates natural soil "with the Creator" and chemically treated soil as "prostituted." He takes John Gostivitch, an agricultural economist from the University of Minnesota; and Charles Reinhardt, a citizen member of the state's pesticide task force, on a tour of his crops.
October 1, 1975 - MPR’s Greg Barron visits Earl Cunningham’s farm in Sleepy Eye, which has been organic since 1964. Tours come to see this revolutionary way of farming for the 20th Century. Barron interviews Cunningham, who is passionate about organic practices and talks about how it's done.
July 16, 1975 - An audio clip of Betty Howard, director of Women's Division of Minnesota Department of Human Rights, on the disparity in coverage and access to insurance between women and men.
July 16, 1975 - MPR’s Greg Barron reports on differences between men and women in insurance industry policies. Betty Howard, director of Women's Division of Minnesota Department of Human Rights, discusses the disparity between women and men in terms of obtaining insurance, particulary in the case of the newly divorced.
June 5, 1975 - Small alternative K-6 school for difficult students (truant, personal problems) designed for close individual attention. Students are referred, close parent teacher relationship, parents provide support services including teaching courses. Relied on funding through Model Cities program, now this funding ends June 30, unlikely to get funding through public school system, school faces cutbacks. Steve Youngeward, school director; Diane brausberger, parent; Mike Rowan, Mpls Public Schools; Mary Kay Parron, Teacher Alternative education for bad kids, loss of funding.