November 13, 2000 - MPR’s Elizabeth Stawicki reports on Native American convention held in St. Paul, where concerns of the new incoming U.S. presidential administration were expressed.
November 14, 2000 - MPR’s Maris Helms reports that more than 300 government officials and business leaders were in St. Cloud to give Governor Jesse Ventura feedback on budget proposals he will take before the legislature in January. One of the top issues was funding K-12 education.
November 15, 2000 - MPR's William Wilcoxen reports on Minnesotans for Major League Baseball and New Ballpark Incorporated, two local committees looking at various aspects of the long-running ballpark discussion. The groups expect to issue reports by the end of the year.
November 16, 2000 -
November 16, 2000 - MPR’s Laura McCallum reports on Governor Ventura's job with the XFL, a professional American football minor league, beginning in February 2001. XFL founder says Ventura was chosen because he is honest and opinionated. Legislators are not thrilled with the situation and are making their displeasure known.
November 17, 2000 - On his weekly radio show today, Governor Ventura defended his new job as a color commentator for the X-F-L football league. Ventura will work ten Saturday night games for the XFL's first season starting in February.
November 20, 2000 - In his new book "Postville" author Stephen Bloom examines the conflict that erupted when a group of Hasidic Jews from New York moved to a small Iowa town in the late 1980s and opened a kosher slaughterhouse. The relationship began on a friendly note, with the locals welcoming the Jews who were bringing hundreds of jobs to the economically depressed region. But soon the relationship soured and when the locals lobbied in favor of a referendum to annex the slaughterhouse, the Jews claimed anti-semitism was fueling the vote. For Bloom, the clash of cultures was particularly interesting since he too, is a Jewish man who traded in big city life for Iowa cornfields.
November 20, 2000 - After years of wrangling, the University of North Dakota is preparing to decide the future of the schools Fighting Sioux nickname. The Sioux name was chosen in 1930, and is a focus of school pride. Since the 1960s people have challenged the name, some charging it is offensive to Native Americans. A commission studying the use of the Sioux nickname held its final meeting today. Next month the U-N-D president will recommend keeping or changing the nickname. The states board of higher education will make the final decision. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Gunderson reports.
November 20, 2000 - MPR’s Lynette Nyman reports that the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis has launched a survey of several hundred Hmong business owners and households in St Paul. The Fed wants to know how well the banking system is meeting the needs of Hmong entrepreneurs. They hope the survey will illuminate the obstacles to Hmong people's access to capital.
November 21, 2000 - Adressing a sold-out crowd at the Minneapolis Hilton Monday, former South African president Nelson Mandela spoke of the need for people on opposite sides of debates to respect one another, and of the ability of the U.S. to influence attitudes on racism around the world. His message was above all a hopeful one that any society can acheive justice. Mandela declined to express an opinion on the U.S. presidential election, but spoke glowingly of President Clinton's efforts to reach out to African nations. Minnesota Public Radio's Amy Radil reports.