January 24, 1997 - This week marked the 24th anniversary of Roe versus Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion in the U-S. The debate over abortion has taken an unusual turn in Saint Cloud, where the city council has rejected a contract with city workers because it included abortion coverage. Supporters of the move say taxpayer dollars should not be used to fund elective abortions, and some predict other communities will follow suit. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports...
December 6, 1996 - A new Minnesota museum honoring the late Senator and Vice-president Hubert Humphrey has opened in his adopted hometown of Waverly in Wright County. The fledgling museum hopes to compliment the state's other sources of Humphrey material - the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute and the Minnesota Historical Society. Organizers say they'll focus on Humphrey's rural roots, and try to educate young people about his place in history.
November 6, 1996 - Voters in the Seventh Congressional District, which stretches from Saint Cloud to the North Dakota border, have returned D-F-L'er Collin Peterson to Congress for a fourth term. The race for the Seventh District seat has been extremely close the previous two elections, but this time, about forty percentage points separated Peterson and Republican challenger Darrell McKigney.
October 11, 1996 - The dream of many writers is to be able to blast off a draft of a book, send it to a publisher, who decides to rush it into print backed by a huge publicity campaign. Of course, the reality is usually very different, with would-be authors having to develop a thick skin to handle repeated rejection. It's a story familiar to Megan Brown of St Cloud, who after a huge struggle is now awaiting the release of her second book. What is amazing about Megan is her age- she's just nine years old. This weekend Megan will be featured nationwide on the Nickelodeon Cable Channel's "Nick News".
October 8, 1996 - Midday presents a live broadcast from St. Cloud of the U.S. Senate debate sponsored by the League of Women Voters. The three major party candidates participate: DFL U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone, Republican Rudy Boschwitz, and Reform Party candidate Dean Barkley.
October 2, 1996 - A show billed as the world's first and only polka musical opens tomorrow night in Saint Cloud. The New Tradition Theatre Company will present the first Minnesota production of "Evelyn and the Polka King", by Minneapolis playwright John Olive.
August 22, 1996 - MPR’s Laura McCallum reports on the changing dynamics of the Minnesota State Fair, with more metro-centric visitors. The State Fair dates back to 1855, before Minnesota was a state, when organizers wanted to promote agriculture to entice people to settle in the area. Fair officials insist the focus on agriculture hasn't changed, although the presentation has.
August 14, 1996 - MPR’s Laura McCallum reports from Stearns County, the state's biggest dairy county and home to more feedlots than any other county. Stearns is now considering a county feedlot permitting process. It's a move the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency supports because of the high number of Stearns County feedlots without state permits and pollution concerns.
August 8, 1996 - MPR’s Laura McCallum reports on Gregorian chant workshop held at St. Johns in Collegeville. McCallum interviews various performers and instructors about program.
June 21, 1996 - A Saint Cloud theatre company is dedicating its entire next season to the works of Minnesota playwrights and composers, an idea that could prove risky if theatregoers are reluctant to try new or unknown plays, some never before performed. But the New Tradition Theatre Company has a ten-year history of tackling innovative projects. The theatre has survived leaking roofs, several moves, box-office bombs, and the departure of its two founders, somehow always managing to pay its talent as the only professional theatre in outstate Minnesota.