November 21, 1989 - MPR’s Stephen Smith presents "Armed in America," an examination on gun ownership and gun control in the United States, and more specifically, in Minnesota. Program highlights topics of crime, protection and cultural impact of firearms.
October 23, 1989 - Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature, talks about our global environment, the damage already done, and the prospects for the future. MPR’s environmental reporter Tom Meersman joins the conversation.
September 18, 1989 - MPR’s Dan Olson presents an interview with August Wilson about his favorite play, The Coldest Day of the Year, and on his attempt to complete works for various decades of the African American experience.
September 18, 1989 - Pulitzer Prize-winning St. Paul playwright August Wilson visits the Midday studio. Wilson discusses his various work and answers listener questions.
May 8, 1989 - Amory Lovins, founder and research director of the Rocky Mountain Institute in Snowmass, Colorado, discusses his organization. Other topics include energy, environment concerns, and renewal. Lovins also answers listener questions.
April 19, 1989 - MPR’s Stephen Smith and Tom Meersman present “Burning the Needles,” a documentary report on the issues of medical waste and the challenges in how to dispose of it.
February 21, 1989 - On this pledge drive edition of Midday, a re-broadcast of the documentary, “August Wilson's Sacred Book.” Following piece, a call-in with Sheila Rose Bland, a New Orleans native, playwright, director and actor.
February 13, 1989 - Bill Frenzel, Third District Republican congressman and the ranking minority member of the House Budget Committee, speaking to meeting of the Minnesota International Center. Frenzel’s address was the topic "The Foreign Policy of the New Administration," which included talk on trade matters. Speech included After speech, Frenzel answered audience questions. Frenzel is considered an expert on trade matters and has been Congress' representative to the current round of talks on GATT, the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs.
January 31, 1989 - Fifteen years ago the federal government passed laws aimed at getting more handicapped children out of special, segregated schools and into their local public schools. Children with all kinds of disabilities began appearing more frequently in public school classrooms. Deaf children were among them. Government officials and public education officials firmly believed that the best way to educate deaf children for a life in the hearing world was to start them off in regular public schools. the term for this is mainstreaming. Many assert this has been handled poorly. Following is an opportunity for listeners to question Joe Nathan, an educator, and Paula Goldberg, a disabilities expert about the mainstreaming of children with disabilities.
November 29, 1988 - MPR’s Stephen Smith profiles those in Meeker County as they endure the extreme drought conditions. This part of the state was one hit hardest by the dry weather in 1988.