Monday, April 5, 1999

Food, Farms and Foreclosures

Tonight, we've decided to devote the lion's share of NewsNight to an analysis of the state's farm economy. First, Fred de Sam Lazaro takes a look at the recent hog crisis as he chronicles one family's attempts to keep their heads above water as pork market prices bottom out.

Viewers call in or chat live!

Following Fred's story, we'll have a panel consisting of Tom Rothman of the MN Farm Network, Agriculture Commissioner Gene Hugoson, the U of M's Madge Alberts and Kent Thiesse of the Association of Minnesota Counties. They'll discuss the current status of agriculture in the state and will field live phone calls from you, the viewer. You can also email newsnight@ktca.org, or join the live chat.

Plus...

Headlines, local corporations in the Fortune 500, the latest on Red River flooding, multiple monies for children's health, our blink-and-you'll-miss-it weather forecast and more!

Tuesday, April 6, 1999

Capitol Recap

Today was an interesting day, to say the least, at the capitol. A new senator was introduced to the legislature and there was more talk about tax rebates, but those were nothing compared to the arrival of the Grim Reaper. Political reporter Mary Lahammer will bring us a live recap of the day's events from NewsNight's perch at the Capitol.

Just What Separates Church and State?

Common Cause, the governmental watchdog organization that last week criticized the financing of Governor Ventura's transition and inaugural expenses, has now voiced concerns about recent political endorsements coming from the pulpit of a local church. Minnesota Secretary of State Mary Kiffinger will join us this evening to discuss this constitutional issue.

NewsNight Fires Up the Spotlight

Tonight, our Spotlight segment features a live performance from Finnish-flavored local singer/songwriter Diane Jarvi.

Plus...

Headlines, the Iron Mining Association's new ad campaign, updates on local business and sports, our inimitable weather forecast and more!

NewsNight - the show that supplies your daily requirement of news, arts and information

Wednesday, April 7, 1999

Methinks Thou Dost Protest...

Opponents of the Highway 55 re-route chained themselves to trees, cream pie assaults have increased, U of M laboratories have been trashed and even the Grim Reaper yesterday showed up at the State Capitol to bemoan legislative inactivity regarding the Minnesota Twins. These days, public protests have moved beyond small groups of activists with signs to become media-savvy events that can sometimes overshadow the issues they're meant to illuminate. Tonight, we'll be featuring a live discussion on modern methods of protest, featuring some veterans like Native American activist Vernon Bellecourt, the Animal Liberation League's Freeman Wickland and Sister of St. Joseph Rita Steinhagen.

Is NWA Hearing Footsteps?

We'll be joined this evening by Tom Schmidt, Senior Vice-President of Operations for Sun Country Airlines to talk about his company's relations with the Metropolitan Airports Commission, the disposition of the Humphrey Terminal and Sun Country's future as it prepares to go head-to-head with Northwest Airlines.

A New League of Their Own

NewsNight's sports guy, Justin Maiman, recently visited with the Minnesota Lynx, the state's new WNBA team and snagged an interview with Kristin Folkl, the team's first and (some would say) most valuable member.

Plus...

Headlines, an update on the destruction at the 'U', the racial balance suit against Capitol Hill school, the stocking of Red Lake, Mary Lahammer's report on the snowmobile stud debate at the Capitol, our trademark weather forecast and more!

NewsNight - still the only place you'll find stuff like this.

Thursday, April 8

Recognition for One of Our Own

American Women in Radio and Television (AWRT) annually presents its' Gracie Allen Awards to recognize outstanding programs by, for and about women. Previous winners include Jane Pauley, Oprah Winfrey and Rosie O'Donnell. This year we're proud to announce that KTCA's Siobhan Cleary has been awarded a Gracie for her work on KTCA's national production, "Health Diary." Tonight, Ms. Cleary will join us on the set to discuss her show, the award and an upcoming segment focusing on women's health issues.

Another One Rides the Bus

To draw attention to the imperiled funding for his dream project of a light rail system, Governor Ventura today took a ride on an MTC bus to observe traffic levels around the metro area. While the Governor wasn't mingling with the public on this trip, he was joined by legislative types and members of the press including our very own Mary Lahammer, who'll present her report on being taken for a ride by the Governor.

A Preview of Some of This Weekend's Entertainment

Just to prove there's no limit to modern musical cross-pollination, we'll be joined this evening by the alternative-country band Accident Clearinghouse who'll give us a few licks before their appearance at the Turf Club this Saturday.

Plus...

Headlines, the INS goes bilingual, the Republican K - 12 plan, U of M's dismal graduation rate, fun at the circus, our bite-sized weather forecast and more!

NewsNight - who says there's nothing good on TV?

Monday, April 12

Beyond the Twin Cities

Because we really are a statewide newscast, we often feature a semi-regular panel of newspaper editors from Greater Minnesota, and tonight is one such occasion. Guests Bill Hanna (Mesabi Daily News), Fran Edstrom (Winona Post) and Pia Lopez (St. Cloud Times) will touch on such diverse topics as layoffs at EVTAC, Tom Rukavina's run for the senate, the IRRRB, treaty rights and falling dairy prices.

Spotlight on Opera

Now, wait a minute. Don't be scared of that word 'opera'. Opera can be fun, exciting, enthralling, soothing and lots of other things that are just like life. Now that your interest is piqued, don't miss tonight's Spotlight segment featuring a performance by cast members of Minnesota Opera's production of 'Turn of the Screw'.

Plus...

Headlines, Jim Neumann's look at the famed Olcott Gardens in Virginia, MN, the state's Air National Guard heads for Kosovo, the USDA targets Cargill, the latest on the Gopher scandal, viewer calls, our funky little weather forecast and more!

NewsNight - if we don't bring it to you, who will?

Tuesday, April 13

All Jesse, All the Time

Well, not really. But, Mary Lahammer does have a few things to report about our Governor after his first 100 days. In addition to her usual legislative updates from the Capitol, she'll also be looking at his current approval rating and his 'Just Say No' attitude toward a special session. Later in the show, she'll bring us excerpts from this morning's one-on-one with our state's Chief Executive.

How Low Can You Go?

This crazy economy just keeps getting better. Unemployment in Minnesota has reached 2.2% - the lowest rate in history. To talk about this milestone and its' impact, we've invited economic consultant Paul Anton, president of Anton & Associates, and State Economist Tom Stinson to join Lou on the set for a live discussion.

'Prairie Home' Finalist to Perform Live

16 year old singer/guitarist Nikki Matteson is a finalist in 'Prairie Home Companion's "Talent From Towns Under 2000" contest and, before she flies to Peoria, IL to appear on this Saturday's show, she'll be stopping by tonight to give us a sample of the talent that enchanted contest judges.

Plus...

Headlines, business, labor and technology updates, the latest in the ongoing taconite labor troubles, our itsy-bitsy weather forecast and more!

NewsNight - television that doesn't make you feel stupid for watching.

Wednesday, April 14

The Ethics of Modern Medicine

As if there aren't enough everyday reasons for us to hold one of our bio-ethics discussions, yesterday's 10 to 25-year sentence of Dr. Kervorkian has certainly made it timely. Tonight, Jeff Kahn of the Center for Bioethics and College of St. Catherine's Carol Tauer will join Ken for a discussion of euthanasia, artificial insemination, clinical treatment trials and other 'grey area' topics.

Hey - Can I Get One of Those?

There are currently a quarter-million disabled parking permits issued in Minnesota. For a state with a total population of 4.5 million and a driving population of significantly less, that struck us a number worth investigating, so we've invited Margot Imdieke Cross of the State Council on Disability to sit down with Lou to talk about just who's getting all these 'free parking' passes and public misperceptions about them.

Gotta Dance

As a special treat in our Spotlight segment this evening, we'll be offering up a live performance by a troupe of traditional dancers from the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux community.

Plus...

Headlines, special election results, Mary Lahammer's recap of the day's events at the Capitol, the findings of the Duluth News Tribune poll on wolves, our little weather forecast that could and more!

NewsNight - your news, our way.

Thursday, April 15

An Old Fashioned Newspaper War

In an era of merging publications and declining numbers of newspapers, Austin, MN this week became a two-paper town. On Monday, Rochester's Post-Bulletin introduced a new Austin edition that's four times the size and sells for the same price as the established Austin Herald. Some speculate that the new paper's larger staff and greater resources will signal the end of the Herald. Ken Stone was in Austin this week and tonight brings us a report on the new kid on the block's attempt to become the dominant voice in this town.

Amnesty Chair One-on-One

The crisis in Kosovo will no doubt be high on the list of topics at this weekend's Amnesty International conference in Minneapolis, but to find out what else might be on the docket, we've invited Paul Hoffman, Chair of the organization's Board of Directors to join us on the set this evening.

It's Festival Time Again!

Tomorrow's gala opening of the 17th annual Minneapolis/St. Paul International Film Festival prompted us to bring tonight's viewers an interview with festival director and curator Al Milgrom.

Plus...

Headlines, Amazon v. Amazon, Mike Hatch on the IRRRB, Larry Fitzgerald on the Vikings' draft, our bite-sized weather forecast and more!

NewsNight - your television'll love you for it.

Monday, April 19

Everything is Politics

A gaggle of local capitol reporters join us live in Studio B. Our very own capital reporter, Mary Lahammer, hosts the discussion featuring Kerri Miller, KARE-11, John Sundvore, Fargo Forum and Martin Kaste, MPR. Topics will include the tax omnibus bill, Governor Ventura's first 100 days, farm relief and much, much more.

Plus...

Vocal legend Debbie Duncan joins us live tonight to promote the Minnesota Music Awards which take place this Wednesday, April 21... headlines from around the state... local singer - guitarist Nikki Matteson makes Lakefield proud... and the weather forecast in a flash. NewsNight MN... please join us.

Tuesday, April 20

A Different Kind of Student Union

Last Friday, ballots were mailed to over 4,000 U of M graduate assistants and they'll have until May 10 to cast their votes for a proposal to unionize themselves. There isn't unanimous support for the plan, so we've invited representatives from the pro-union Graduate Student Union Congress (GradSOC) and the opposition, Graduate Students Against Unionization (GSAU) to discuss their respective positions on the proposition.

Blues Legends Live

From Dylan to NewsNight, these guys - Spider John Koerner, Dave "Snaker" Ray and Tony "Little Son" Glover - play only with the best. Join us tonight as they treat us to a live performance of what becomes a legend most. Cedar Cultural Center info: (612) 338-2674

Plus...

Headlines, light rail gets back on track, a green light for ramp meter studies, the farm bill is approved, highlights from this morning's teleconference at Lucille's Kitchen, our inimitable weather forecast and more!

NewsNight - this ain't your father's newscast.

Wednesday, April 21

Up the River

As part of his plan to familiarize himself with the operations of state institutions, Governor Ventura today toured the St. Cloud Correctional Facility, marking that prison's first gubernatorial visit in over 100 years. Mary Lahammer was there and will bring us her report on the Governor's reactions to the facility as well as his thoughts on statewide crime issues and yesterday's tragic shootings in Denver.

One County's Efforts to Stop the Violence

The shooting rampage in a Colorado school has underlined the problems of intolerance, violence and racism in our children. Minnesota's Renville County schools have, for the last ten years, instituted the "Bully Program", an effort to teach kids that being the school bully carries consequences beyond a teacher's reprimand. Lou Harvin was recently in Renville and has put together a look at this 10-year-old program. Following that, we'll have a live discussion featuring Central Senior High School principal Mary Mackbee about options for educators in these difficult days.

Tonight, the NewsNight Spotlight Shines On...

...folk guitarist extraordinaire Adam Granger. Join us as he offers up a live sample of his work to help us close out this evening' show.

Plus...

Headlines, St. Paul schools reverse their decision on condom distribution, the latest news from around the state, our one-and-only weather forecast and more!

NewsNight - the news, arts and information source for thoughtful Minnesotans.

Thursday, April 22

29 Years and Still Going Strong

It's Earth Day once again, a time for Americans to consider how we can preserve and restore our natural resources and ecosystems. Governor Ventura got into the spirit today, holding a press conference and joining a celebration at the Mall of America. Tonight, we'll air comments from the Governor as well as a live discussion with Kim Carlson, CEO of Cities Management, Inc. - one of the few people known to have actually recycled a building (you'll just have to tune in to find out about that...).

A Living Legend

Legendary artist Charles Biederman is the subject of a current exhibit at the Weisman Art Museum and arts producers Patty Hegman and Stephanie Mosher met with the 92-year-old painter to discuss his life in Red Wing, MN, his lengthy career and the lasting value of his art.

Spotlight on Strings

Tonight's Spotlight segment features Cleveland's Cavani String Quartet offering up a live performance prior to their appearance as part of the Music in the Park series.

Plus...

Headlines; Jim Neumann's profile of 'Dear Finder', a U of M/Duluth production headed for the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.; Governor Ventura retracts his concealed weapons argument; a look inside the normally closed CODEFOR meetings; Minnesota's surprising teen pregnancy rate; a new Dayton's for St. Paul; our quick-as-a-wink weather and more!

NewsNight - redefining news, a half-hour at a time.

Happy Birthday to Us!

What the heck, we're not proud - this evening marks NewsNight Minnesota's fifth anniversary, and we wanted to make sure y'all knew. In addition to our usual mix of news, discussion, arts and stuff, tonight we'll be featuring snippets from previous shows that demonstrate why live TV can be so much fun to watch.

Taking Matters Into Their Own Hands

Ken Stone was on assignment last week, looking into the new tribal police force on the White Earth reservation. These cops can arrest both tribal and non-tribal members found in violation and, for some county sheriffs, this has created a jurisdictional nightmare. Ken's report will tell us how the new force is working and just what the opposition has to say about it.

NewsNight's Weather Guy

Granted, weather has never really been our strong suit, but when we do want to talk about it we always call on Bruce Watson. Bruce has definitely been one of our favorite guests and, being our anniversary, we decided it just wouldn't be a party without one of his astonishingly accurate long-range forecasts. Tune in and be amazed...

A Choir of Angels?

Well, not really, but tonight's Spotlight segment will feature a live performance by a choir of students from the St. Paul Public Schools prior to their participation in the Ordway's 8th Annual Honors Concert and Art Exhibit.

Plus...

Headlines, Czech President Vaclav Havel speaks at Macalester, Mary Lahammer's report on the K-12 education bill, Cohasset's loss becomes Le Seuer's gain, the first volleys of an air fare battle and more!

NewsNight - beginning our sixth year as Minnesota's most uncommon newscast.

Tuesday, April 27

Your Friendly Neighborhood Bank...

...sounds rather like an oxymoron, doesn't it? Well, customers of Minneapolis' Franklin National Bank can actually say that about their financial institution and mean it. Ken Stone brings us a story about a bank that knows its customers by name, invests heavily in its neighborhood and is carving out an image for itself that's somewhat different than the usual stereotype of the cold, heartless moneychanger.

Affordable Affordability

The mayors of both Minneapolis and St. Paul today held a joint press conference to announce City Living, a new program to offer a 5.99% interest rate for area home loans. Lou Harvin was there and his report will take a look at this ambitious plan that requires no special conditions or personal finance limits.

NewsNight Fires Up the Spotlight

Tonight's Spotlight segment features a live performance from the singer/guitarist duo of Kevin Bowe and Tim Mahoney. Join us for this preview of their upcoming appearance with Patty Larkin at the Hopkins Center for the Arts.

Plus...

Headlines, Mary Lahammer's recap of the day's events at the Capitol, the Minnesota Safe School Survey, a new challenger for Rod Grams' Senate seat, a talk with Administration Commissioner David Fisher about the state's long-range plans for new technologies and its Y2K readiness, our feisty little weather forecast and more!

NewsNight - 5 years and still going strong.

Wednesday, April 28

Where the Chips Will Fall

Much has been written about Governor Ventura's budget proposals that have targeted the handicapped and other marginalized members of the community. Tonight, Lou Harvin takes a look at one organization waiting for the axe to fall - a project known as Search, designed to offer assistance, housing and support for persons with Epilepsy.

The Results Are In

Now that the long-awaited results from the Basic Standards Test have been released, we thought it would be a good idea to look beyond just the numbers, so we'll be having a live discussion this evening with education professionals, including Minneapolis Public Schools Superintendent Carol Johnson.

The Most Anticipated Spotlight Ever

When people found out about tonight's musical guests, we started getting e-mails from literally around the country telling us how excited folks are to get a chance to watch this band live. Those NewsNight fans in Michigan, Virginia and North Carolina can see Great Big Sea live on the Real Video link on our website, but lucky Minnesotans have only to turn on their TVs to get a taste of this Newfoundland group's music.

Related Links:
Great Big Sea Official Site

Plus...

Headlines, Mary Lahammer's report on Gov. Ventura's visit to Camp Ripley, Northern Minnesota's scenic byways, a police officer is charged, Schwan's loses another executive, the latest on the Gopher scandal, our short 'n snappy weather forecast and more!

Related Links:
Edge of the Wilderness Scenic Byway

NewsNight - one of the nicer things about living here in Minnesota.

Thursday, April 29

Who Polices the Police?

In the last year, area police officers have been involved in the deaths of several citizens during automobile chases, the Holidazzle parade and while running a stop sign, to name a few instances. Tonight, we've invited St. Paul City Attorney Clayton Robinson and civil attorney Marshall Tanick to be part of a live discussion of punishment and payment when police find themselves on the other side of the courtroom.

Plus...

Headlines, Ken Stone's report on 'Chip' Wadena's latest run for office, the incredible true story of one concentration camp survivor and the secret he kept for decades, Minnesota's Attorney General calls for an investigation of Northwest Airlines, the latest from the Capitol, a zebra mussel update, a special look at Minneapolis' annual May Day parade, our one-of-a-kind weather forecast and more!

NewsNight - you'll love what it does for your TV.

NewsNight Minnesota is a TPT production.

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