July 27, 1985 - Weekend’s Paula Drake interviews Clarence Young, who spent time at the Split Rock Lighthouse in the early 1900s. His father, Orren "Pete" Young, was the lighthouse's first head keeper from 1910 to 1928. Clarence recalls the experience of travel to lighthouse, playing there as a child, and weather along Lake Superior.
August 28, 1985 - Jerry Cassidy examines issues of Indian hunting and fishing rights in his documentary "American Indians in the 1980s: New Struggles for Old Rights." Program includes numerous interviews and commentary on treaty rights.
October 17, 1985 - MPR’s Kate Moos reports on fundamentalism churches. Moos interviews advocates, followed by critics on the doctrine of these churches, including Fundamentalists Anonymous.
July 17, 1987 - MPR’s Jerry Cassidy reports on the ongoing concerns and efforts to address pollution of Lake Superior waters. A growing culprit is coming from the toxic airborne sources.
October 1, 1987 - MPR’s John Biewen produced the very first report of Mainstreet Radio. Biewen visits the southern Minnesota town of Good Thunder, where artist Ta-coumba Aiken was commissioned to create a massive mural along the grain elevator in town. The hope is it will help in keeping Good Thunder on the map.
October 12, 1987 - Mainstreet Radio’s Rachel Reabe visits Winnebego, Minnesota and reports on the Minnesota Community Improvement Program that the town is taking part in. Reabe interviews residents and officials about the incentives of MCIP.
November 6, 1987 - Mainstreet Radio’s Rachel Reabe reports on the big business behind deer hunting in Minnesota. Reabe interviews various businesses, local officials, and traveling hunters in Brainerd, Minnesota.
November 13, 1987 - Mainstreet Radio’s John Biewen shares account of his of first deer hunting trip. With the help of hunter Don Wig, Biewen’s weekend includes a cabin, stories, cards…and a long solitary wait in a tree stand in the woods near Emily, Minnesota.
April 22, 1988 - MPR’s Jim Neumann reports on scientific conference being held in Duluth to discuss researching water quality of Lake Superior. Neumann interviews two scientists that are attending conference.
April 22, 1988 - MPR’s Jim Neumann reports on wolf and moose research on Isle Royale. While scientific observations of wolves on the large Lake Superior island has taken place for years, for the first time scientists will physically study wolf health conditions in an effort to figure out if wolf population on island is sustainable.