MPR News for Headlines, Weather, and Stories |
An Arkansas researcher is delving deep to uncover new information about how American Indians lived on the great plains hundreds of years agol, without turning a shovelful of dirt. Mainstreet Radios Dan Gunderson explains. It's been a long week in Siren, Wis. Hundreds of homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed a week ago when a tornado ripped through the town, killing three people and injuring 16. Though village residents put on a brave face, and are busy with recovery and cleanup crews, many realize they are just at the start of what promises to be years of rebuilding. Minnesota Public Radio's Marisa Helms reports. State lawmakers are back in session Monday, but they've made little progress in budget talks despite a compromise solution offered last week by Governor Jesse Ventura. If no deal is in hand by the end of the week, the state will face a shutdown of all non-critical services. House Republicans say they're ready to approve the tax reform piece of the governor's proposal, but they're asking for more flexibility on spending and policy issues. Senate Democrats and the administration, however, say the deal must be accepted in its entirety. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo reports. Striking nurses from Fairview Riverside in Minneapolis and Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina will vote on a proposed contract today. The Minnesota Nurses Association and the two hospitals reached a tentative contract agreement early Saturday morning after negotiating for 14 hours on Friday. The nurses have been striking for 23 days and hope the union reached a deal that will make them want to go back to work. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports. Well, we're down to about a week before the state government could shut-down if lawmakers at the Capitol can't agree on tax reform and a budget. Joining us on the line is MPR's Capitol Bureau Chief, Laura McCallum. Minnesota Public Radio's Chief Economics Correspondent Chris Farrell joins us with a look at how the early-summer economy is doing. Tuesday, June 26
Most Minnesotans know what the word Minnesota means. It means "sky-tinted water." It's a combination of the Dakota Indian words "mini," which means water, and "sota," which means somewhat clouded. But do you know how your city or town got its name, or that nearby lake or river? The Minnesota Historical Society recently published the third edition of the book, Minnesota Place Names, which explains how cities and other places got their names. Ann Regan is the managing editor of the Minnesota Historical Society Press. The Minnesota Nurses Association says the 1,350 nurses at Fairview Southdale in Edina and Fairview Riverside in Minneapolis will go back to work on Friday morning after ratifying a new contract Monday. The ratification vote ends a 23-day strike by the nurses and puts an end to bitter negotiations between the union and 13 Twin Cities hospitals. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports. House Republicans have backed off their initiative to create a 24-hour waiting period for women seeking abortions. They say the move is a major concession meant to move budget negotiations forward. But DFLers say additional policy and spending obstacles, including yet another anti-abortion measure, could prevent lawmakers from averting a partial government shutdown at the end of the month. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo reports. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has placed all of North Dakota's prairie churches on their list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. Historians, Politicians and Church members gathered Monday at the Goshen Moravian Church near Casselton, N. D., to draw attention to the issue of the vanishing prairie church. Mainstreet Radio's Bob Reha reports. Seven years after the state sold Anderson Windows 245 acres to encourage expansion near the company's Bayport headquarters, Anderson is looking to sell the undeveloped parcel at a profit. The land includes wetlands and a sacred Indian burial ground, prompting a long, public battle when the state first tried to sell the property. About 150 residents attended a public meeting Monday to find out more about what will happen to the property. Minnesota Public Radio's Marisa Helms reports. The Minnesota Department of Human Services is sending out notices to people who receive state health care benefits informing them that payments for some services will be delayed if the government shuts down. That means people who receive Minnesota Care, Medical Assistance, or General Assistance Medical Care could find their doctors won't be paid by the state. Lawmakers are still meeting at the capitol, but have lots of work to do in order to reach a budget agreement in time to prevent a shutdown. Michael O'Keefe is the commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Human Services. He's on the line now. Wednesday, June 27
Patient groups, right to life advocates, and researchers at the University of Minnesota and the Mayo Clinic are anxiously waiting for a decision by President Bush regarding the public funding of embryonic stem cell research. The controversial procedure has been hailed by scientists as a way of curing diseases like diabetes and Parkinson's. Opponents say the procedure is immoral and unethical because scientists need to destroy a fertilized egg to isolate the precious cells. They say a similar procedure taking similar cells from adults will be just as useful. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports. House and Senate negotiators have signed off on a major property tax reform bill that will produce double digit cuts for all property categories. The $760 million measure is set for a House vote Wednesday and could be up in the Senate in the evening or Thursday, although at least one Senate DFL'er says they may delay action on the bill until there's agreement on a K-12 education funding bill. The Ventura administration and GOP leaders are hailing the tax package as historic, but some Democrats say the changes may pinch homeowners down the road. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo reports. Thursday, June 28
This morning Minneapolis police officials will announce updates to their traffic stop and search policies to address allegations of racial profiling. The announcement comes on the heels of a racial profiling agreement presented last week in St. Paul. However, Minneapolis police officials say the policy update was in the works well before the St. Paul agreement was finalized. The changes mean city residents may notice some similarities between Minneapolis and St. Paul police procedures. Minnesota Public Radio's Brandt Williams reports. Minneapolis-based Lutheran Brotherhood has announced that it will merge with the Aid Association for Lutherans, based in Appleton Wisconsin. The merger brings together two of the nation's largest fraternal benefits societies and two Fortune 500 companies. Minnesota Public Radio's Andrew Haeg reports. With the clock still ticking toward a partial government shutdown, House and Senate negotiators reached agreement on an $8.7 billion funding bill for K-12 education early this morning. The bill would increase spending for schools by slightly more than the inflation rate for each of the next two years. It also contains a provision designed to ensure that school districts base their teacher contracts on the actual amount of money they receive from the state. Meanwhile, the House and Senate are scheduled to vote on a major property tax overhaul later today. But obstacles remain in other areas of the state's two-year budget. Lawmakers say it will take at least another day before they can complete their work. Administration officials say that brings the state uncomfortably close to a shutdown. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo reports. One of the people who has been closely been following negotiations up at the Capitol is longtime lobbyist John Knapp. Knapp represents a number of clients, including Koch Industries and the Minnesota Business Partnership. He's come by the studio this morning. For years, the federal Fish and Wildlife Service has been trying to take the wolf off the endangered species list. Now that effort has hit another snag. The delay will give Minnesota's thriving wolf population more time to expand across the state. Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Losure reports. Friday, June 29
La Crosse Footwear, a major employer for more than 100 years in western Wisconsin, will close today Friday. Just Wednesday, Trane Company announced it would lay off more than 70 employees when it closes its northside La Crosse compressor plant. The footwear plant has hit a financial slowdown and for the last few years has gradually moved production overseas. At one time, the La Crosse plant employed more than 1,500 people, putting out a sturdy line of boots, raincoats and shoes. Today the last 139 will clock out for the final time. MainStreet Radio's Laurel Druley has this report. State lawmakers worked into the early morning on budget legislation needed to avert a partial government shutdown. While their work still isn't complete, both the House and the Senate did pass a cornerstone of the budget Thursday -- a major overhaul of Minnesota's property tax system. The $760 million package offers double-digit property tax cuts for all categories of property, and significantly reforms the way schools are funded. Just past midnight, the House passed a funding bill for K-12 education. The Senate is expected to take up the K-12 bill later Friday. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo reports. With time running out to avoid a partial government shutdown, a House-Senate working group trying to put together a transportation funding bill broke off talks without an agreement at 4:30 this morning. The two sides plan to get back together later this morning after they accused each other of breaking earlier deals. Meanwhile, lawmakers working on the state government bill are negotiating behind closed doors and expect the full working group to take up the bill later today. Lawmakers did reach an agreement on another major bill funding health and human services. Both sides say they still hope to pass all the bills by the July 1 deadline and avoid the shutdown. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports. Hot enough for you? Though rougly half of the days in June registered below-normal temeratures, the average for the month will be about normal thanks to this week's heat wave. Mark Seeley joins us with more. Governor Jesse Ventura is expected to sign a $760 million tax-cut bill that includes a tax rebate of more than $700 million. The tax bill includes an average tax cut of 24 percent for apartments. According to the 2000 census, the Twin Cities rental vacancy rate is less than 3 percent, with apartment construction unable to keep up with increasing demand. Joining us on the line is Norm Bjorness, president of Oaks Properties which owns, manages, and develops apartment housing. |
Major funding for Minnesota Public Radio's regional Internet activities is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. |
||
© Copyright 2003 MPR | Terms of Use | Privacy |