October 2, 1998 -
September 29, 1998 - The Assassination Records Review Board which has spent the past four years pouring through classified documents on the assassination of President Kennedy, will present its final report to President Clinton tomorrow. The Board's main goal was to find and release as much information on the case as possible, to help restore Americans' trust in government following years of conspiracy and coverup rumors. U.S. District Judge John Tunheim of Minneapolis served as Chairman of the review board. He says the panelists succeeded in releasing more than 4 million pages on the assassination and learned a lot in the process.
September 23, 1998 - South African president Nelson Mandela received the Congressional Gold Medal today, becoming the first African awarded the honor. Lawmakers cited Mandela for having dedicated his entire life to the abolition of apartheid and said he sacrificed his own personal freedom for the good of everyone. Mandela spent 27 years in prison before becoming president. A South African play set on the eve of Mandela's release from prison opens in Minneapolis tomorrow night. "Playland" by Athol Fugard explores the difficulties for blacks and whites of coming to terms with apartheid. The production is being staged by Pangea World Theater at the Hennepin Center for the Arts.
September 21, 1998 - There is still no official cause of death for gold medal sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner. Although she did have a history of as yet unexplained heart problems. Her death, while surprising, is possibly part of a sad reality for many African Americans. Cardiovascular disease is a serious problem among blacks. Fifty percent will die from heart disease complications or stroke. Rates of high blood pressure among African Americans are also 50-percent higher than many other ethnic groups. CEO of the Association of Black Cardiologists, Waine Kong, says while researchers still do not understand the full reason why African Americans have higher rates of heart disease, they do know that cutting back on high fat foods and smoking helps reduce deaths. Kong says for now, prevention is the best medicine doctors can offer: | D-CART ITEM: 0525
September 17, 1998 - The small family farm is a dying breed, even in Minnesota. But it remains important in our consciousness as a haven from the ills of society and a refuge to raise strong, wonderful children. In a way, there's some truth in that ... at least for author Kent Meyers.
September 15, 1998 - Farm groups met with President Clinton today to urge quick action on what they're calling a crisis in the country's farm economy. Farm income is falling due to low prices as well as losses from drought, storms and plant diseases. Lawmakers want to provide a bail-out but have been unable to agree on how much to spend or how to distribute it. The House did vote today to use the budget surplus for farm aid rather than requiring politically impossible cuts in other government programs. Minnesota Farmers Union President Dave Frederickson flew to Washington today to urge the president and lawmakers to free up more money for loans: Minnesota Farmers Union President Dave Frederickso
September 10, 1998 - (old for morning. Just duping for archive purposes!) The striking Northwest pilots are reportedly considering a contract proprosal that could end the 13 day old strike. The Star-Tribune newspaper is reporting the PILOT'S UNION MASTER EXECUTIVE COUNCIL could vote on the package WITHIN A FEW DAYS. There's still a news blackout on the talks going on now at a Plymouth hotel. Northwest's regional partner, Mesaba, is resisting a Department of Transportation order to resume flights despite a lawsuit filed by the D-O-T in federal court yesterday. Today Northwest filed an emergency motion to stay the order. Mesaba spokesman Warren Wilkinson says the commuter airline can't justify renewing service for the small number of customers expected to use it while Northwest pilots are still on strike.
September 7, 1998 - Labor Day marks the end of the Minnesota State Fair. If you got a chance to walk around Machinery Hill this year, you probably noticed lawmowers have replaced many of the tractors. Farm equipment that might have been state of the art at past fairs is now on display at the Old Iron Show, a farm antique show. MPR’s Lorna Benson takes a stroll through Machinery Hill with Michael Dregni, editor of "This Old Tractor."
August 28, 1998 - Clinton Administration officials speaking on condition of anonymity say the President is unlikely to intervene if Northwest Airlines pilots go on strike at 11:01 tonight. Underlying the administration's reasoning is a belief that after more than 10 days of mediated talks, there's a good chance the pilots and the company will settle their remaining issues. Under the Railway Labor Act, the president, acting on the recommendation of the National Mediation Board, can avert a strike with a 60-day "cooling off" period if he finds "a substantial economic threat" would deprive a region of a "central transportation service." Associate Professor of Political Science at Gustavus Adolophus College, Chris Gilbert says a Northwest strike would undoubtedly have a negative economic impact on the region, but in the national scheme, it's not considered a big enough problem for the President to intervene right away:
August 27, 1998 - U.S. Stocks plunged today on word the economic crisis in Russia is deepening. The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 357 points, its third biggest point loss in history. In the broader market, declining issues swamped advances three to one on heavy volume of 940 million shares on the New York Stock Exchange. Wall Street took its direction from overseas stocks, which woke up to find that Russia's financial crisis took on a more political bent as pressure mounted for President Boris Yeltsin to quit. Ruble trading was also suspended for the second successive day. The Russian market plunged 20 percent, and the selling spilled over to other markets. Pete Anderson with American Express Financial Advisors in Minneapolis says events in Russia compound an already bad situation internationally, but he also says he considers today's activity a correction, and not the beginning of a bear market: | D-CART ITEM: 8987