March 26, 1998 - Residents of the southeastern Minnesota community of Spring Valley are trying to make sense of the news that one of the boys accused of shooting and killing five people in a Jonesboro, Arkansas school yard comes from their town. Residents find themselves dodging televisions crews and reporters while trying to understand how someone they knew could be involved in such a grisly incident. Minnesota Public Radios Brent Wolfe reports. Mitchell Johnson went to school at Kingsland Elementary school and belonged to a cub scout pack with Debbie Biers son.
March 31, 1998 - The Minnesota House narrowly voted for a constitutional amendment setting up a permanent trust fund to benefit the state's youngest children. The Senate has passed a similar bill, and if the two houses can negotiate a compromise version, voters will see the proposal on the ballot in November. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports: The Legislators behind the Children's endowment live by that familiar bumper sticker slogan, "Kids can't vote, but you can." They argue the Legislature can't be trusted to look out for babies and pre-school-aged kids, because they don't have the kind of clout that business, teachers' unions and other special interest groups do. The measure's chief author in the House, Maplewood DFLer Nora Slawik, says the endowment is especially needed now, as the state's population ages and fe
March 31, 1998 - (For Monday 3/30 M.E.) Saint Paul school district officials turn to the public this week for help in their search for a new superintendent. An advisory committee will host three meetings to give district residents and employees a chance to share their opinions about the district's future leader. Superintendent Curman Gaines announced in January his plans to step down June 30 after eight years on the job. School board members want his successor in place by fall, but they have a lot of work left to find the right candidate. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports... Compared to last year's superintendent search in Minneapolis, the Saint Paul school board is moving at a snail's pace. The Minneapolis
April 1, 1998 - DFL Senator Larry Pogemiller and Republican Representative Alice Seagren discuss education funding and issues. “Profile of Learning” standard is part of discussion. Pogemiller and Seagren also answer listener questions.
April 1, 1998 - MPR’s Gretchen Lehmann profiles the historical impact of the “Willmar 8” and how it will be remembered by future generations. Lehmann interviews a member of the “Willmar 8” and two academics.
April 3, 1998 - As the cleanup in Comfrey continues, teachers and students are struggling with how to complete the school year. Comfrey's K-12 building was heavily damaged by Sunday's twister. The plan is to move school to a building in the town of Sanborn. Books, computers, lab equipment and other material will be transferred and its hoped classes can resume April 13th. Mainstreet Radio's Mark Steil reports the longer term outlook for the school is not so certain. The school on the west side of town was among the first buildings to feel the mile wide tornado's 200 mile per hour winds: SOUND OF TARP FLAPPING
April 7, 1998 - Ken Morris, president of the State Board of Education, discusses education and state's "Profile of Learning" graduation standards. Morris also answers listener questions.
April 8, 1998 - Governor Arne Carlson has backed off his threat to veto a billion-dollar tax relief bill... for now. Carlson and legislative leaders reached a tentative deal last night (TUESDAY), but the truce is shaky. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports: DFL leaders are trying to win Carlson's support for the tax relief plan by making a ten-percent increase in a program he likes -- one-time rebates for property taxpayers -- and by cutting out a few tax breaks he thinks are unnecessary, like a $20-million credit for higher education expenses. The Governor said those changes might be enough to earn the bill his signature... but he warned DFLers not to go through with a plan to earmark FUTURE state budget surplus monies to building pr
April 8, 1998 - Elementary grade students are back in school this week in Saint Peter. That's a small but important step on a long road to recovery for the tornado damaged school district. Middle school and high school students go back to classes next week, sharing the elementary buildings for the rest of the school year. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports... (Sound of classroom chatter) At North Intermediate School in Saint Peter, sixth grade students are dissecting matter regurgitated by owls, looking for the small skeletons of rodents. The class is studying predators and scavangers in the animal world. The unsavory aspects of picking through the remains of an owl's meal is lost on these children, who've spent the past week picking through their scatt
April 9, 1998 - America is in the midst of an explosion of matters spiritual -- with best selling books on the care of the soul, the growth of non-demonimational mega churches, psychics on the television and Asian and Middle Eastern religions gaining American converts. All this month, in a series of reports and commentaries, Minnesota Public Radio will explore relgious issues in everyday life. Today, in the first report in our series, Reporter Mary Stucky says today's search for spiritual meaning reflects the nature of American life in the 1990s. BACKANNOUNCE FOR MORNING EDITION: (use as much as there is time for...) Tune in for our Mid Morning broadcast at 9am today, for an hour's discussion of faith and spirituality in everyday American life. Claire Wolfteich,(WOLF-tyk) Assistant Professor of Practical Theology and Spiritual Formation at Boston University School of Theology will join John Rabe from 9 to 10am. BACKANNOUNCE FOR MIDMORNING: (place this anywhere in the ho