Related Link:
The Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs

How Ya Gonna Keep 'Em Down on the Farm?

It's no secret that, for some years now, family farms have been having a hard time of it. NewsNight's Mike Trosman and Fred de Sam Lazaro took a look at one such family in northwestern Minnesota and brought back an intimate story of struggle, loss and self-reinvention.

Johnson Applies for the Job

As part of the continuing partnership between NewsNight and the Star Tribune, gubernatorial candidates have been participating in 'job interviews' at the State Fair. Tonight's focus is Sen. Doug Johnson (DFL - Tower) as he fields questions from citizens.

Wolff at our Door

Hugh Wolff, music director of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, joins us live in the studio to discuss the opening of the SPCO's fall season and upcoming plans to celebrate their 40th anniversary.

Plus...

Fairgoers speaking their minds, falling gas prices, new developments at the 'U', how the Northwest strike is impacting Duluth and, as always, the Twin Cities' teeny-weeny weather forecast (fits easily in pocket or purse). NewsNight - it's not your usual evening newscast...

Thursday, September 3, 1998

"I Have South Africa on the Line..."

Thanks to the joint efforts of the Star Tribune, KTCA-TV, KMOJ radio and Minnesota Public Radio, Lucille's Kitchen last week played host to a Minnesota/Johannesburg video conference featuring scholars and journalists from both sides of the Atlantic. NewsNight's Fred de Sam Lazaro was in South Africa for the event and tonight brings us a closer look at this historic conference.

The Battle Heats Up in District 1

The race for Rep. Gil Gutknecht's Congressional seat has begun. The Republican incumbent is rumored to have been targeted for defeat by the national Democratic campaign and that would mean a costly and hard-fought effort from both sides. Tonight, we'll have both Rep. Gutknecht and his DFL challenger Sen. Tracy Beckman live on the set to give us a preview of what promises to be one of the year's highest-profile races.

Plus...

A live one-on-one with HB Fuller's new CEO, the latest on the Northwest strike, higher wages from the Mille Lacs band, the start of the new school year and our one-of-a-kind weather forecast. NewsNight - it's not your father's newscast.

Wednesday, September 9, 1998

Dayton Applies for the Job

As the next in our continuing series of gubernatorial "job interviews", we feature candidate Mark Dayton's appearance at the State fair last week.

The Return of Bruce Watson!

NewsNight may have the shortest weather forecast on the air, but that doesn't mean we aren't interested in the subject. In fact, one of our very favorite guests is meteorologist Bruce Watson, who'll be gracing us with his presence this evening to discuss global warming, among other topics.

Preview a New PBS Series

"Health Diary", a new, locally-produced PBS series will have a sneak preview on tonight's show, followed by a one-on-one with the show's host, Siobhan Cleary.

Plus...

Headlines, a new strike in St. Cloud, a $1.5 million grant for Walker Art Center and a live, in-studio performance by the St. Anthony Performing Arts Guild. NewsNight - how many more reasons do you need?

Thursday, September 10, 1998

Coleman Tells Us Why He Should Be the One

During this year's State Fair, the major gubernatorial candidates participated in "job interviews", fielding questions from citizens. So far we've aired excerpts from Skip Humphrey, Mike Freeman, Doug Johnson and Mark Dayton - tonight it's Norm Coleman's turn.

Now That Starr's Report is Out....

...how will his findings affect local politics? The primaries are next week and fallout from Clinton's crippled presidency is bound to affect them. For insight and analysis, we've invited two political science professors - St. Olaf College's Jo Beld and Steve Smith from the University of Minnesota - to join us this evening for an in-studio discussion.

Hotbed Heats Up NewsNight

In celebration of the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden's 10th anniversary, Savage Aural Hotbed is in town, and we'll have a live performance from them, to close out our show.

Related Links:
Savage Aural Hotbed
Walker Art Center

Plus...

Headlines, the latest from Duluth, Watertown and Gustavus Adolphus and our one-of-a-kind weather forecast. NewsNight - the news, arts and information source for uncommon viewers like you.

Primarily Speaking

Outgoing Minnesota Secretary of State Joan Growe joins us live in the studio to share her thoughts on both today's primary and her own political career.

P.O.V.: Family Name

NewsNight's Ken Stone recently sat down with filmmaker Mackay Alston to discuss his three-year odyssey of familial discovery entitled "Family Name". Premiering tomorrow evening on PBS, "Family Name" traces Alston's family history of white slave-owners, and looks at the African-American families that share his name.

Martin Simpson Live!

Before his upcoming gig at the Cedar Cultural Center, acclaimed acoustical guitarist Martin Simpson stops by the studio this evening for a live performance.

Plus...

Headlines, Duluth's drought, an offer for the Twins and our famed mini weather forecast. NewsNight - your news, our way.

Wednesday, September 16, 1998

Primary Recap

Last night, NewsNight's Mary Lahammer was at DFL election central and will be bringing us reports both on election night excitement and today's opening salvos in the battle between Humphrey and Coleman. Later, Mary will be joined by KARE-11's Kerri Miller and Bill Wareham of the Associated Press for a free-wheeling political discussion.

After the Strike is Over....

Certainly, the Northwest strike inconvenienced Twin Citians, but, in Greater Minnesota, the impact ranged from terrible to devastating. Tonight, Ken Stone looks at how Duluth managed to hang on through the worst of it.

Plus...

Headlines, a sneak preview of "Painting the Journey", the KTCA-produced documentary about West Side muralist John Acosta, taconite industry layoffs, bulldozers arrive for the new Highway 55, a live performance by flautist Bettina and, as ever, our one-of-a-kind weather forecast. NewsNight - the newscast that broke the mold.

Thursday, September 17, 1998

Northwest Still Rules the Roost

In the wake of the recent strike, many are complaining about Northwest's virtual monopoly on commercial air traffic in and out of the Twin Cities. Tonight, we welcome Jeff Hamiel, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Airports Commission, to tell us his organization's attitude toward opening the airport to wider competition.

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes

They've been a ubiquitous part of the American landscape for decades. Call them eyesores, call them visual pollution, tobacco billboards are inescapable in Minnesota - for now. Come October 23rd, they'll be disappearing from the state's roadways as part of the tobacco lawsuit settlement. NewsNight's Lou Harvin hit the streets recently and has brought back a story that looks at the last gasps of an American advertising institution.

The Latest From Greater Minnesota

It's time, once again, for a visit from our panel of outstate newspaper editors - Pia Lopez of the St. Cloud Times, the Winona Post's Fran Edstrom and Bill Hanna from the Mesabi Daily News - to give us a feel for life outside the Twin Cities.

Plus...

Headlines, the inventor of K Rations, the Federal Reserve bank merger hearings begin, a Millenial Film Festival at the Walker and our long-as-it-needs-to-be weather forecast. NewsNight - if you haven't tried it, you don't know what you're missing.

Monday, September 21, 1998

Whither the Family Farm?

For three years, filmmaker David Sutherland was permitted extraordinary access to the lives of family farmers Juanita and Darrel Buschkoetter. Sutherland's camera captured this young couple's struggles with bank loans, crop damage, family tensions and day jobs in town as they try their best to keep their farm and family intact. "The Farmer's Wife" premieres tonight at 8PM on 'Frontline', but first, we'll bring you a preview of this remarkable production.
Related Link:
Frontline: The Farmer's Wife

'Tis the Seasons....

Grouse and gray partridge last weekend, bear since the first of the month, duck, goose and wild turkey next month - hunting 1998 has begun, and we've invited outdoors editor Chris Niskanen of the St. Paul Pioneer Press and outdoors writer Dick Myers of the Warroad Pioneer to give us the lowdown on this year's hunting seasons.

Greazy Meal Live!

You've read their ads, you've seen their billboards, now see Greazy Meal, the Twin Cities hottest funk band, perform live, right here on NewsNight.
Related Link:
Greazy Meal

Plus...

Remembering Muriel Humphrey, a live discussion with Minneapolis Police Chief Robert Olson on the controversial CODEFOR program, Northwest gets back up to speed, as well as our usual mix of headlines, arts, information and our inimitable weather forecast. NewsNight - you'll love what it does for your TV set.

Tuesday, September 22, 1998

St. Peter Rises From the Ashes

Last March, severe storms devastated the town of St. Peter, MN and there was, at the time, some talk that the one-time state capitol was unsalvageable. Now, six months later, Ken Stone has revisited St. Peter and brings us a story of one long-time businessman who refuses to give up.

The Media v. Clinton v. Starr v. Lewinski v. the Public v...

Sure has gotten ugly, eh? Well, if haven't yet had your fill, tune in tonight for our media panel consisting of Brian Lambert of the St. Paul Pioneer Press and University of St. Thomas' Karen Boros as they give their thoughts on the media's handling of this heavily-covered story

Harriet Island Gets a Facelift

This morning, Harriet Island hosted a groundbreaking/rededication ceremony to celebrate the life and contributions of pioneering black architect Clarence Wigington, designer of the island's picnic pavillion. NewsNight's Lou Harvin was there and he'll tell us how this relatively unfamiliar architect helped shape the look of the Twin Cities.

Plus...

A live on-on-one with dancer Bill T. Jones, the U.S.S. Des Moines still searching for a home, $7.1 billion in farm aid, headlines and our ever-popular mini weather forecast. NewsNight - Minnesota's most unique newscast.

Wednesday, September 23, 1998

The Future of Family Farms

This week, PBS has been airing "The Farmer's Wife", an extraordinary 3-part documentary presenting the struggles of one farm family. To elaborate on this story, and offer further insight into such families, we're presenting a discussion panel consisting of Madge Alberts and Sharon Danes, both of the University of Minnesota, and Dan Hunz from the Minnesota Farmer Advocate Program.

A Life on the Trail

The daughter of a banker who was wiped out in the depression, Justine Kerfoot came to the Gunflint Trail in 1927, spent 42 years as a columnist and runs the Gunflint Lodge up near the Canadian border. NewsNight producer Jim Neumann met with Justine and brought back a the story of this woman's remarkable life up North.

Kent DuChaine Live!

"You haven't lived if you haven't had the blues, says blues guitarist Kent DuChaine, "I'm just relating what people feel." The energetic, exuberant and philosophical DuChaine will be joining us this evening (along with 'Leadbessie', his prized steel slide guitar) for a live performance.

Plus...

Humphrey leads the polls, a record year for tornadoes and honors for Lou Nanni, as well as our usual mix of headlines, information and our one-of-a-kind weather forecast. NewsNight - the newscast for thoughtful Minnesotans

Thursday, September 24, 1998

A Swarm of Stories

Saying goodbye to Muriel Humphrey Brown, an interview with a steelworker on the jobs saved at Minntac, flight attendants protesting, new $20 bills on the streets, the power of the wind, a sneak peek at Medelia, tech talk, live music from Dee Carstensen and, as ever, our one-of-a-kind weather forecast. NewsNight - it's all this and more.

Monday, September 28, 1998

A Bridge Too Far?

The Stillwater Bridge Advisory Group held its' final meeting this morning to hear the recommendations of mediator Dick Braun. Lou Harvin was there, and he'll have the highlights of the meeting followed by a discussion with a five-member panel including the Mayors of Stillwater and Oak Park Heights as well as representatives from MnDOT, the Sierra Club and the National Park Service.

Jerry Bell One-on-One

Ken Stone sits down with Twins President Jerry Bell for a conversation about the past, present and somewhat cloudy future of the Minnesota Twins ball club.

The Greening of Germany

German Chancellor Helmut Kohl was voted out of office over the weekend and Gerhard Schroeder, his successor, has expressed the possibility of forming an alliance with the environmentally conscious Green Party. Mary Lahammer will bring us a look at what local Green Party members have to say about this development and what impact it may have in the upcoming U.S. elections.

Plus...

Headlines, Minnesota's billionaires, Paul Molitor and our itsy-bitsy, teen-weeny weather forecast. NewsNight - the best thing to happen to your TV since the remote control.

Tuesday, September 29, 1998

Northwest Turbulence

OK, now that the pilots' strike is over, we can all breathe easier, right? Well, maybe not - there are other contracts to be settled over at NWA, including the machinists' and flight attendants' unions. Are we gonna go through it again? Tune in tonight as Ken Stone chats with a couple of industry experts to find out just how precarious things could be out at Twin Cities International.

St. Peter Rises Again

After devastating storms and tornadoes ripped through St. Peter, MN last spring, some wondered if the former state capitol could even continue to exist as a community. Now, six months later, Ken Stone brings us part two of his report on the impressive rebuilding efforts in this once-ravaged town.

No Strings Attached

Tomorrow night, the Walker begins a nine-month series entitled "Adventures in New Puppetry." Tonight, opening artist Ping Chong will join us to talk about 'Kwaidan', his performance of three Japanese ghost stories.

Plus...

Headlines, public money for private schools, the Neighborhood Housing Service loses some federal money, the Ordway doesn't lose as much money as it thought and a weather forecast that's right on the money. NewsNight - tune us in and buck the trend.

Wednesday, September 30, 1998

How To Be a Successful Activist

Recent television and newspaper coverage of Highway 55 protests prominently featured images of activists in trees, chained to the ground and the like. Today, NewsNight's Ken Stone visited a workshop for aspiring protesters that features information and tips on similar aggressive activism techniques.

Ming in Minneapolis

The recent multi-million dollar renovation at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts features a spectacular exhibition of Ming-era Chinese art and furniture. But, as producer Fred de Sam Lazaro discovered, finding a proper setting for the collection became a two-year, cross-cultural adventure.

A Musical Interlude...

As regular NewsNight viewers know, from time to time we like to present live music to help close out our show. Tonight is no exception as we welcome folk artist Susan Werner to perform for us.

Plus...

Tony Kozlowski talks about Kosovo, Medica loses ground, a strike in Fergus Falls, headlines and our short 'n snappy weather forecast. NewsNight - just because "Mpls/St.Paul" magazine skipped us, doesn't mean you have to.

NewsNight Minnesota is a TPT production.

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