September 6, 1999 - The end of the state fair can't come fast enough for the fish on display at the DNR booth. About a third of the fish in the four-foot-deep outdoor cement pond have developed sores on their bodies caused by fungus. Muskies, northern pike and brown trout seem to be the most afflicted. Steve Oie is a fishery specialist with the DNR metro region who runs the DNR fish exhibit. He says the fish become susceptible to fungus after being transported from a nearby pond.
September 1, 1999 - Back to school is an expensive time of year. For some families hard hit by the farm crisis, even buying new sneakers for kids is a stretch. In the Moorhead area, 11 year old Britta Thomas noticed a friend had to sit out of gym class because she didn't have tennis shoes. Britta started a charity through 4H called "Happy Feet" that buys shoes for kids whose families can't afford them. Britta's mother, Noreen Thomas says Britta and 20 other kids supplied 550 pairs of shoes for back to school.
September 1, 1999 - John Sonsteng used to prosecute cases as a Dakota County Attorney. He now teaches constitutional criminal procedure at William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul. Sonsteng says the law is quite clear about a suspect's right to an attorney.
August 31, 1999 - School starts tomorrow for most Minnesota school districts. Governor Ventura spoke at a rally today for the St. Paul public schools--a district which starts next week after the state fair closes. Ventura told the crowd of teachers that his own contribution to education is the time he devotes to voluteering as a conditioning coach at Champlin Park High School.
August 31, 1999 - Back in St. Paul, volunteers are collecting money for Olson's legal defense fund. Mary Sutton is an old friend who's serving on the committee. She says they've raised 22-thousand dollars so far.
August 30, 1999 - Rural Minnesota still lags behind the metro area when it comes to internet access. According to a new Minnesota Public Radio/Pioneer Press poll, 61-percent of metro residents compared with 47-percent of greater Minnesotans have access to the internet. Overall, 55-percent of state residents use the information super highway, a rate slightly higher than the national average. Bill Bomash, Information Technology Leader for the University of Minnesota's Extension Service has been trying to close the gap between Minnesota's metro and rural areas. He says cost is becoming less of a barrier.
August 30, 1999 - Coach Ventura returned to the football field today. The governor is beginning his fifth year volunteering as the conditioning coach for the Champlin Park Rebels. Last season, Ventura managed to keep up his duties, even as he campaigned for governor. The Rebels made it to the Class 5-A championship game, where they lost to Woodbury. Tim Herman is Champlin Park's head football coach. He says he was surprised Governor Ventura could set aside the time to come back this year.
August 27, 1999 - It's ALL THINGS CONSIDERED on Minnesota Public Radio. I'm Lorna Benson. This Saturday night at 7:00 you'll notice a new sound on Minnesota Public Radio (music up) "The Jazz Image" hosted by Leigh Kamman will gradually leave its spot on the classical music stations of MPR and move to the news side. Tonight on All Things Considered, we wanted to introduce Kamman to our news audience, plus it's always good to have an excuse to talk with quite possibly the nicest man in the radio business. Kamman began his career in broadcasting almost sixty years ago. He's interviewed all the greats: Louis Armstrong, Billie Holliday, Count Basie you name it. He's broadcast from Harlem, San Francisco and even an Army Hospital during World War Two. Since 1973, he's been a fixture on Minnesota Public Radio.
August 26, 1999 - The organization Missing Children of Minnesota spent thousands of hours trying to find Jessica Swanson. Carol Watson is the executive director.
August 26, 1999 - Minneapolis Star Tribune business writer Jill Barshay, a native New Yorker, decribes her attempt at winning a Minnesota State Fair blue ribbon by submitting a fried sauerkraut dessert.