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March 25 - 29, 2002
[ Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday ]
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Monday, March 25, 2002 |
Minnesota ethics rule to be challenged before U.S. Supreme Court
Golden Valley lawyer Greg Wersel gets his day before the highest court in the land Tuesday. The U.S. Supreme Court will take up Wersal's challenge to a Minnesota ethics rule that bars judicial candidates from announcing their views on political and legal issues likely to come before the court. The case has drawn widespread attention since at least 39 states restrict judicial speech to some degree. Minnesota Public Radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports.
Met Council meeting to review bus cuts
Some bus riders around the metro area may need to find new ways to get around if proposed cuts in the bus system are adopted. Officials at the Metropolitan Council are meeting today to review the cuts. If they approve them, the plan will move to the full council for review, and the public will have a chance to comment. The cuts are necessary because state lawmakers cut $2.7 million from the Metro Transit budget, as part of the budget balancing bill it passed last month. Ted Mondale is chairman of the Met Council. He's on the line now.
Legislators still have plenty to do
Minnesota lawmakers are coming up against their self-determined deadline for finishing the session. Legislators have said they want to complete their work and adjourn by Easter. But they still have plenty to do, including agreeing on a plan to close a $440 million gap in the state budget. Minnesota Public Radio's Capitol Bureau Chief Laura McCallum is following developments at the legislature, and she's on the line now.
New charter school has Latino focus
One of Minnesota's newest charter schools is using Latino culture, bilingual instruction and rigorous academics to help students who've had limited success in other schools. The founders of Academia Cesar Chavez in St. Paul say their school provides families with an important educational option and could also lead to improvements in the larger public school system. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.
An update on the markets
Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Farrell joins us with an update on the markets.
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Tuesday, March 26, 2002 |
Housing market tight for Bosnian immigrants
There's another wave of immigration in Rochester. Two decades ago, a couple thousand Southeast Asians came to the city, and more recently Rochester became home to the second-largest Somali population in Rochester. This time it's Bosnians, and housing is tight. For immigrants it's especially difficult to get a mortgage. In Bosnia housing is completely different: there's no such thing as a real estate agent. But many have recently found their way through the system and have bought homes. Mainstreet Radio's Laurel Druley has this report.
Elementary students travel south on civil rights field trip
Tuesday morning, 20 elementary school students and their teachers from the Southside Family School in Minneapolis leave on an extensive field trip to the southern United States. The 10-day bus tour will take the group to cities where some of the most significant events in the Civil Rights Movement took place. The students won't just be there to snap photos and visit museums. They will act as reporters and will gather information directly from people who participated in the movement. MPR's Brandt Williams reports.
House approves ballpark finance plan
The Minnesota Twins have taken a major step towards realizing their ballpark dreams. The Minnesota House voted 80-52 Monday night in favor of stadium legislation that requires little direct funding from the state, but could raise taxes in local communities to help pay for a new ballpark. The plan must now be reconciled with a Senate version passed earlier this month before being sent to Governor Jesse Ventura. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo reports.
Sports Commentator Jay Weiner
Joining us now is MPR Sports Commentator Jay Weiner. He is also the author of the book Stadium Games: Fifty Years of Big League Greed and Bush League Boondoggles.
Senate gives preliminary approval to budget-balancing bill
The Senate has given preliminary approval to a budget-balancing bill that erases the state's debt for the current biennium and tackles a portion of the debt in the next two-year budget. The bill uses accounting shifts and several tax increases to cover the projected $439 million remaining in the deficit. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports.
Kennedy will run in 6th district
Second District congressman Republican Mark Kennedy has decided to run for re-election in the Sixth District. His decision is the result of a new congressional map revealed last week that put his home in the Sixth District. Kennedy's old second congressional district used to cover the southwestern quadrant of the state, but is now mainly a suburban area just south of the Twin Cities. Kennedy's decision leaves the race for the Second District seat wide open. Joining us on the line is Chris Gerlach, a GOP State Representative from Apple Valley, and Mike Erlandson, chair of the state DFL Party.
UMD women win another NCAA hockey championship
The University of Minnesota-Duluth women's hockey team is back in Minnesota after winning their second consecutive NCAA championship. The Bulldogs have returned from the East Coast, where they defeated Brown University 3-2 in a fast-paced Championship game. Joining us on the line is Shannon Miller, head coach for the Bulldogs.
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Wednesday, March 27, 2002 |
Minnesotan doctors travel to India to help children
A team of doctors from Minnesota is wrapping up a two week trip to Bangalor, India where they helped about 30 children with heart disease. Children's Heartlink, a charitable organization based in Edina, assembled the group to perform surgery on the children, and to teach local doctors how to treat kids with heart problems. One of the members of the team is Doctor Rajarao Dwarkanath, an anesthesiologist at Abbot Northwestern. Doctor Dwarkanath spoke with us from Bangalor, which is also his home town. He described the city as extremely crowded.
End of commissions changes travel agency industry
Last week, the six largest U.S. airlines, including Twin Cities-based Northwest Airlines decided to stop paying most commissions to travel agents who sell their tickets. Airline industry analysts say the commissions are an unnecessary expense at a time when carriers are struggling to restore their financial health following September 11. But the decision to end commissions has major implications for travel agencies throughout the nation. Minnesota travel agents say the airlines' decision is forcing them to revamp their businesses, and to charge consumers higher fees for booking airline tickets. Minnesota Public Radio's Andrew Haeg reports.
Appeals court upholds cities' right to regulate adult businesses
The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals has reaffirmed that cities do have legal authority to restrict adult businesses. In the case between Jake's Bar and the City of Coates, the court ruled in favor of the city. It's a case that may influence decisions in other cities where the location of strip clubs is an issue. Minnesota Public Radio's Laurel Druley has this report.
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Thursday, March 28, 2002 |
Wolf population increase worries farmers
Wolves continue to thrive in Minnesota. While that is good news for the species, it will present new wolf management problems. Near Thief River Falls in the northwestern corner of the state, new research showing wolves are little threat to livestock is worrying some farmers. Mainstreet Radio's Bob Reha reports.
Exhibit highlights work of University grad student artists
Each year the Nash Gallery on the University of Minnesota Minneapolis campus shows the works of students in its Master of Fine Arts program. The MFA exhibition represents the culmination of these students' work over the past three years. While these artists are not yet out of school, often their creations are just as good, if not better, than what's hanging in many private galleries. Minnesota Public Radio's Marianne Combs reports.
Northwest Airlines calls 500 back to work
Northwest Airlines is recalling about 500 ground workers to permanent jobs. This is the second permanent recall since the Eagan-based carrier slashed its schedule and work force after the September terror attacks. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin reports.
Legislators leave for holiday without agreement
Minnesota lawmakers are heading home today for the beginning of the Easter-Passover holiday. They won't return to work until Tuesday. House and Senate leaders had actually hoped to finish their work by yesterday afternoon, but now say it will be a struggle to wrap up anytime soon. They have yet to agree on some major bills, including the budget, bonding, and transportation funding packages. We called two local editorial page writers for their perspectives on developments at the Capitol: Steve Dornfeld from the Pioneer Press and Lori Sturdevant from the Star Tribune. Sturdevant says that while the session began at a fast pace, lawmakers have now returned to a more normal speed.
Timberwolves in a slump
The Minnesota Timberwolves are in a slump. The team has lost 8 of their past 10 games. The latest loss was to the lowly Golden State Warriors who had came to the Target Center earlier this week with a 10-game losing streak of their own. The Wolves have just 12 games left in the regular season, and will probably still make the playoffs - maybe. Joining us on the line is Brit Robson, who writes for the City Pages.
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Friday, March 29, 2002 |
Ventura threatens veto
Governor Ventura has renewed his threats to veto any proposed tax increases by the Legislature and hinted he may call lawmakers back for a special session. Ventura said he was unhappy that only a few lawmakers are negotiating their budget balancing, transportation, and bonding proposals behind closed doors. Senate DFLers and House Republicans have dramatically different plans and have scheduled open conference committee hearings to resolve their differences for Monday. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports.
Federated to lay off 3,300
Federated Department Stores says it will lay off 3,300 Fingerhut employees -- mostly in Minnesota -- and start exploring the sale of the catalog retailer in parts. Federated says negotiations will continue with the Business Development Group of Wayzata, which has been pursuing a deal to buy the company as a going concern. But Federated says after five weeks, it's time to open the process to other interested parties. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin reports.
Last year was bad for large Minnesota companies
2001 was a difficult year for the 100 biggest publicly traded companies in Minnesota. The slumping financial performance of those companies is the subject of a series of articles published in today's edition of CityBusiness. The stories are based on the statistics that researchers at CityBusiness compiled by combing through annual reports and Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Reporter Sam Black wrote the lead story, and he says the numbers from last year don't look good.
Weekly weather update
Craig Edwards, chief meteorogist at the National Weather Service office in Chanhassen, sits in for Mark Seeley for our weekly weather update.
MnDOT announces construction information phone service
The Minnesota Department of Transportation is rolling out a new three-digit phone number for travel information. 511 service will begin just in time for the summer road construction season. MnDOT announced Thursday that this summer will be the biggest road construction year ever. Drivers will see almost 250 projects across the state costing $1 billion. All those projects could catch drivers off guard, and cause delays, so the department is offering motorists the new 511 number to call for road information. Ginny Crowson is traveler information coordinator for MnDOT. She says the number works with most cell phones, and callers will be able to get a variety of information from 511.
Students will share their ideas with Minneapolis mayor
A group of students from South High School in Minneapolis wants to solve the social problems they see around them, and they'll get a chance to share their ideas with mayor R.T. Rybak this morning. The students were asked what they'd like to change about their community. Ryan Peterson and Nora Williams are two students who will meet with the mayor. Peterson says the students first identified the issues that affected their community the most.
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