February 17, 2003 - MPR’s Laura McCallum reports on bills that ratify contracts for state workers clearing legislative hurdles. The bills include pay and benefit provisions agreed to by state employee unions and the Ventura administration. But they're missing another provision -- health benefits for same-sex domestic partners. Gay and lesbian groups say removing the benefits is a slap in the face.
February 17, 2003 - Mainstreet Radio’s Dan Gunderson reports on pesticide misuse in Minnesota, and investigates how violations of the law are often not punished, and sometimes ignored.
February 18, 2003 - Minneapolis Star Tribune’s LaVelle Neal gives an assessment of the Minnesota Twins as the spring training begins. Unlike last year, when most players were talking about whether the Twins would be contracted, the team is optimistic about their chances this year. The team reacted to the threat of contraction by winning the American League Central Division Championship and coming within a few games of playing in the World Series.
February 18, 2003 - Governor Tim Pawlenty today (TUESDAY) will release his plan for erasing a $4.2 billion deficit projected over the next two years. The state's fiscal shortfall is one of the largest in recent memory. Bridging the gap will dominate discussion at the Capitol for the remainder of the session -- and is complicated by Pawlenty's pledge NOT to raise taxes to close the divide. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo has more.
February 19, 2003 -
February 20, 2003 - Governor Tim Pawlenty's plan to close a 4-point-2 billion dollar projected budget deficit doesn't just have financial impact across the state. It also has a political impact too. Pawlenty's budget makes cuts... or limits growth in health programs... higher education... and state employee pay. It also spends much of the tobacco endowments. But his budget also largely preserved funding for K-through-12 education... and included no new taxes. Joining us on the line to talk about the politics of the budget is Chris Gilbert... professor of political science at Gustavus Adolphus College.
February 20, 2003 - County sheriffs and other local jail administrators are criticizing Governor Pawlenty's proposal to shift short-term offenders from state prisons to county jails. As a budget savings measure, Pawlenty would like county jails to hold any prisoners sentenced to six months or less. Sheriffs say the proposal shifts costs from the state to the counties. They also argue that many county jails are near full capacity already. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports....
February 21, 2003 - MPR’s Chris Julin caught up with Haley Bonar in Duluth. The 19-year-old quit college to write songs and is preparing for CD release and national tour. Julin interviews Bonar about the dark subject matter of her songs. Bonar also performs during segment.
February 21, 2003 - Former Minnesota Governor Orville Freeman, who served as Agriculture Secretary under Presidents Kennedy andohnson, has died. He was 84. His family says Freeman died last night of complications from Alzheimer's disease. He had been living at Walker Methodist Health Center in south Minneapolis. Minnesota's 29th governor was a Minneapolis native. He was a University of Minnesota football star, a Marine during World War II and a close friend of Hubert Humphrey. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson reports.
February 21, 2003 - The National Transportation Safety Board report in the plane crash that killed Senator Paul Wellstone last October says the Chief pilot initially decided not to fly after receiving a weather briefing that morning. After talking to a scheduler for the Wellstone campaign, however, he reversed his decision and took off for Eveleth with Senator Wellstone and 7 others aboard. The hundreds of pages of investigatory information made public today seems to lessen the likelihood that airframe icing was a significant factor in the crash, and seems to increase the role an airport navigation beacon played.