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January 13 - 17, 2003
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Monday, Jan. 13, 2003 |
Budget is on state lawmakers minds
Minnesota lawmakers will gather at the Capitol today for the first full week of the 2003 legislative session. The budget is likely to be a big focus in upcoming days. Gov. Tim Pawlenty is expected to release his plan for dealing with the first phase of the budget deficit, a $356 million projected shortfall for the current fiscal year, which ends in June. Laura McCallum is Minnesota Public Radio's Capitol Bureau Chief.
Sen. Norm Coleman begins new job
Republican Norm Coleman begins his first full week as a U.S. Senator today. Coleman was sworn into office last week. The former St. Paul mayor campaigned for Senate on a get-it-done theme, telling Minnesotans they should expect politicians to work together, regardless of party affiliation. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik has this look at some of the opportunities and challenges facing Coleman as he tries to keep that promise in Washington.
Different candidates vie for Minneapolis City Council
The two candidates seeking the vacant Minneapolis third ward city council seat represent the diversity of neighborhoods divided by the Mississippi river. Olin Moore is white and lives in the predominantly white, east side of the river known as northeast. Don Samuels is an African American who lives in the predominantly black section of the ward - the northside - immediately west of the river. Both men say they have experiences that make them qualified to represent the entire ward. Minnesota Public Radio's Brandt Williams reports.
Gopher women's basketball team having great season
The University of Minnesota women's basketball team is 14-1 after crushing the Iowa Hawkeyes 94 - 65 yesterday afternoon at Williams Arena. The game was never in doubt as the Gophers started the game by jumping to a 30 - 6 lead. The team's only loss this season came last week on the road at Penn State. Joining us now is Pam Schmid, who covers the team for the Star Tribune.
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Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2003 |
Pawlenty's plan for short-term deficit due
Gov. Tim Pawlenty will release his plan today for closing the shortfall in the current two-year budget. The state faces a projected $356 million deficit in the budget cycle that ends in June, and a much larger shortfall of more than $4 billion in the next biennium. Pawlenty's plan for the current budget cycle will be a combination of one-time money and permanent spending cuts. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.
Former finance commissioner on balancing budgets
Gov. Tim Pawlenty is expected to announce a plan today on how to close a short-term $356 million budget deficit through this June. The plan is expected to include no new taxes. Instead, it is expected to rely on one-time cuts, and permanent cuts which could also apply to a much larger deficit forecast for the two-year budget that begins after June. And the state's fiscal situation could get worse before it gets better. Some observers are whispering about a budget deficit that could top $5 billion. Joining us on the line is John Gunyou, who was Finance Commissioner during Minnesota's last budget crisis in the early '90's.
Officials say Holmquist case resolved
Investigators say they are confident a man who committed suicide last summer is responsible for the death of 16 year old Julie Holmquist. Holmquist was in-line skating near the northwest Minnesota town of Hallock in July of 1998 when she disappeared. Her body was found about three weeks later. Mainstreet Radio's Dan Gunderson reports.
Minneapolis City Hall rotunda is renovated
Sagging stained-glass windows and discolored marble are two of the problems Minneapolis officials hope to fix as they refurbish the main entrance to the century old city hall. Workers have erected scaffolding inside the grand, five-story rotunda to facilitate the restoration over the next eleven months. Minnesota Public Radio's Art Hughes reports.
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Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2003 |
Gov. Pawlenty's plan for state's short-term deficit
Gov. Tim Pawlenty released his budget fix for the current fiscal year yesterday. He wants to use one-time money, and cuts to state agencies, programs and higher education to eliminate a projected $356 million projected deficit. Legislative leaders say they will act quickly on Pawlenty's plan, although Democrats disagree with some of the details. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports
Groups respond to Pawlenty's budget plan
Gov. Tim Pawlenty's plan to bridge the state's current $356 million deficit has touched off a chorus of protest from some corners of the Capitol. One of the larger items on the chopping block is the state's subsidy to ethanol producers, which is slated for complete elimination for the remainder of the biennium. Higher education, state agencies, and a business tax break would also suffer. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo has more.
Former commissioner analyzes Human Services cuts
State agencies and the people they serve are bracing themselves for the impact of proposed budget cuts. Gov. Tim Pawlenty sent his proposed cuts to the legislature yesterday. His plan slices $468 million out of the budget, more than enough to close a short-term budget shortfall for the current fiscal year which ends in June. Among the cuts, the Department of Human Services, which spends about one-third of the state budget, is expected to see about $30 million less for operations and grants. Joining us on the line is Michael O'Keefe, former commissioner of Human Services during the Ventura administration.
Gov. Pawlenty visits Blandin Paper plant
People in Grand Rapids are wondering what will happen to their town with the sudden layoff of 300 workers at the Blandin Paper plant last week. Gov. Tim Pawlenty went to Grand Rapids yesterday to talk with workers and company representatives, and he held a community meeting. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Julin has this report.
Foreigners drivers' license plan passes House panel
On a 20-3 vote, a Minnesota House committee has approved a proposal requiring that state drivers' licenses indicate an immigrant's visa status. Supporters say the measure, which passed yesterday, is a tool for law enforcement to maintain public safety. Critics say it makes scapegoats of foreigners and is a form of racial profiling. Minnesota Public Radio's Marisa Helms reports.
Saudi man in Winona may be deported
Winona resident Wadie Al-Saeed is waiting to hear if he will have to go back to Saudi Arabia. His deportation hearing will start tomorrow. The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) turned down Al-Saeed's request for permanent residence because he checked the wrong box on a job application more than ten years ago. Al-Saeed and his family are worried that recent changes within the INS are increasing the likelihood of his deportation. Minnesota Public Radio's Rob Schmitz reports.
U of M near fundraising goal to save three sports
The University of Minnesota has almost raised enough money to save three sports next year. Men's and women's golf and men's gymnastics had been in slated for elimination if the university was unable to find $2.7 million by February first. Last week, an anonymous donor pledged to match new dollars on money raised before the deadline, and Athletic Director Joel Maturi said he was confident they would reach their goal. Mr. Maturi is on the line now.
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Thursday, Jan. 16, 2003 |
Lawmakers begin scrutiny of budget
Minnesota lawmakers have begun scrutinizing Gov. Pawlenty's budget fix. The governor wants to cut higher education, state agencies, programs and grants and use one-time money to plug a projected $356 million gap in the current budget. Some lawmakers object to certain cuts, but the Pawlenty administration warns these cuts are just the tip of the iceberg. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.
Ethanol producers protest proposed budget cuts
Minnesota ethanol producers are heading to the state Capitol today to make their case for preserving state subsidies for the industry. Gov. Tim Pawlenty has proposed eliminating $27 million in payments through the end of the year to help balance the two-year budget that ends in June. But producers and some state lawmakers say the cut could prove fatal to some plants. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo reports.
Audit of HealthPartners turns up extravagant spending
Minnesota Attorney General Mike Hatch says an audit of HealthPartners shows the non-profit HMO spent millions of dollars in frivolous travel, entertainment expenses and consulting contracts. Mike Hatch also alleges the company's board has provided insufficient oversight of executive compensation. Company officials say Hatch's audit provides them with an opportunity to improve. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports.
Officials brace for cuts to Local Government Aid program
Another place where cuts are being proposed is in the Local Government Aid program. That aid is how some rural cities pay for basic services, like fire and police protection. As state lawmakers prepare to whittle down a multi-billion dollar deficit, out-state officials prepare to plead their case. Mainstreet Radio's Bob Reha reports.
Metropolitan Council prepares to make cuts
Many state agencies are looking for ways to trim their budgets in light of Gov. Pawlenty's proposal for fixing the $356 million shortfall this fiscal year. One of those agencies is the Metropolitan Council, which takes a $2.6 million cut in the governor's plan. The Met Council is the planning agency for the seven-county metro area. It plans to make most of its cuts to Metro Transit bus service. Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer talked with Peter Bell, the new chair of the Met Council. Listen.
Eagle Center considers its future
The National Eagle Center in Wabasha is one of the many organizations losing money under the Pawlenty Administration's budget-balancing proposal. Tuesday, the governor cut $500,000 allocated towards the center's $1.5 million expansion project. Minnesota Public Radio's Rob Schmitz reports.
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Friday, Jan. 17, 2003 |
Federal official named education commissioner
Gov. Tim Pawlenty has named the former secretary of education for the state of Virginia as Minnesota's next education commissioner. Cheri Pierson Yecke is currently the director of teacher quality and public school choice with the U.S. Department of Education. She describes herself as a supporter of local control. Pawlenty says she will effectively guide his school reform agenda. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.
Pawlenty likely to tap Gene Merriam to head DNR
Gov. Tim Pawlenty is expected to select former DLF Senator Gene Merriam to head the Department of Natural Resources. Merriam is an outdoors enthusiast and a former chair of the Senate Environment and Natural Resources committee. Republican Dennis Ozment is the chair of the House Environment and Natural Resources Finance Committee. He says he's pleased with Pawlenty's selection.
Lawmakers moving quickly to slash budget
Budget work continues at a fast pace at the state Capitol. Lawmakers hope to finish work in the next week or two on plans for covering the projected $356 million deficit for the fiscal year that ends in June. Gov. Tim Pawlenty has proposed a combination of cuts and one-time money to cover the gap. Several special interest groups told House members yesterday that Pawlenty's proposals will have a dramatic impact on the poor. Meanwhile, a key lawmaker in the Senate Health, Family Security and Corrections Budget division proposed an alternative to Pawlenty's plan. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports.
Twin Cities peace activists head to Washington, D.C.
Around ten busloads of Twin Cities peace activists are leaving this morning for a march in Washington, D.C. They're part of what they say is a growing movement in Minnesota and the nation. Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Losure reports.
Why Minneapolis has $55 million budget problem
In Minneapolis, a faltering economy, high insurance costs, and a reluctance to raise taxes all play into the city's projected shortfall of $55 million over the next five years. The city council is expected to vote this month on plans to, among other things, trim the police department by more than $12 million over five years and limit all employee pay raises to two percent a year. Minnesota Public Radio's Art Hughes looks at the factors that got the state's biggest city into such a jam.
In the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr.
Arguably the most famous march on Washington was the crusade for civil rights. In 1963, more than 100 people saw Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. deliver his "I have a Dream" speech. Dr. King is the topic of a new exhibit at The Weisman Art Museum at the University of Minnesota. It's a traveling exhibit from the Smithsonian Institution, and it opens on Sunday, the day before the Martin Luther King holiday. MPR's Eugene Cha visited the exhibit while it was being setup and met with Colleen Sheehy, the Weisman's director of education. Sheehy says the exhibit includes over a hundred pieces of art.
U of M medical students carrying record-high student loans
Students graduating from the University of Minnesota medical school this year are expected to carry a record-high amount of student loan debt. That's due in part to rising tuition, which went up 15 percent two years ago, and another 14 percent last year. Scott Smith covered the story for today's edition of "The Business Journal." He says there's been a pretty big increase in the average student debt load.
Meteorologist Mark Seeley takes a look at the weather
University of Minnesota Meteorologist Mark Seeley discusses Minnesota weather history, answers listener questions, and looks ahead to the weekend forecast.
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