March 18, 2002 - St. Paul Mayor Randy Kelly convened a conference today designed to find out what the city can do to facilitate better cultural relations. The Mayor's Summit on Cultural Relations brought people who live in St. Paul together with city and state officials to discuss issues like economic development, education, public safety and health care. Kelly says the summit is a first step toward making the city a place where people of diverse backgrounds can live together in unity.
March 19, 2002 - Longtime DFL State Senator Doug Johnson is retiring after more than 30 years in the legislaure. Johnson made his announcement yesterday, one day before a court-appointed panel was to issue a redistricting plan. Johnson is one of the state's most powerful lawmakers, having chaired the Senate Tax Committee for 21 years and more recently headed the Senate Finance Committee. Political observer Wy Spano has been watching Senator Johnson for many of those years. Spano is the Editor of Politics in Minnesota, and he's on the line now. That's Wy Spano, the co-editor of "Politics in Minnesota." For more information on Doug Johnson's retirement go to our web site, MinnesotaPublicRadio.org. That's also the place to look for the details of the redistricting plan when it comes out at 1:00 today.
March 19, 2002 - Governor Jesse Ventura is coming back from Germany later today. His trip was intended to promote tourism in Minnesota and to build relationships that could result in more trade. On his trip, he made several speeches, and he met with the U.S. Ambassador to Germany, and with a number of business groups. Joining us on the line is Anneliese (ANN-uh-leese) Sullivan, president of the American German Business Club in Berlin. That's Anneliese (ANN-uh-leese) Sullivan, president of the American German Business Club in Berlin.
March 19, 2002 - For the latest on what's happening at the Capitol, go to the Session 2002 page on our web site, MinnesotaPublicRadio.org. Minnesota will get a new political map this afternoon. A five-judge panel will release new congressional and legislative district boundaries. The boundaries will reflect changes in population in the 2000 census, and could have a significant effect on this fall's elections. The panel of judges is determining the boundaries because Democratic, Republican, and Independence Party officials could not agree on a plan. We spoke with Mike Erlandson, who is the chair of the Minnesota DFL party, and Bill Walsh who oversees redistricting for the state Republican party. Walsh says he's hoping for a long-overdue correction in the district boundaries.
March 20, 2002 -
March 20, 2002 - The legislative redistricting map released by the court yesterday (TUESDAY) pits 52 incumbents - more than a fourth of the Legislature - against one another in the 2002 election. The plan also reflects the growing political clout of the suburbs. Under the plan, rural Minnesota and the inner cities lose some legislative seats, while suburban areas gain seats. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports...
March 20, 2002 - Second District Republican Representative Mark Kennedy said today he'll announce on Friday which congressional district he plans to run in. The redistricting map released yesterday has him paired with Democratic Congressman Bill Luther in the sixth District. Bob Webber is a professor of political science at St. John's University. He says Kennedy has a tough decision to make:
March 21, 2002 - Some Minnesota lawmakers are making tough decisions about their political futures, after a new redistricing plan was released earlier this week. The court-drawn maps redesign congressional and legislative boundaries based on population information in the 2000 census. Under the new plan, 52 incumbents are pitted against one another in this fall's elections-- forcing them to decide whether to take on another seated lawmaker. DFL representatives Alice Hausman from St. Paul and Mary Jo McGuire from Falcon Heights are now in the same district. They both join us on the line now. That's DFL representative Alice Hausman from St. Paul. We also spoke with Representative Mary Jo McGuire from Falcon Heights.
March 21, 2002 -
March 21, 2002 - MPR’s Cara Hetland interviews conductor Leonard Slatkin about National Symphony Orchestra’s residency in South Dakota. In ten days, orchestra members performed more than 100 times. Slatkin explains the lessons on the value of music that the efforts offer, especially for children.