February 24, 2003 - (EMBARGOED UNTIL MONDAY 2/24/03 A.M.) A new poll shows most Minnesotans are ready to accept the level of spending reductions outlined in Governor Tim Pawlenty's budget plan. Last week, Pawlenty released a deficit-reduction package that pruned back planned spending by almost $3 billion dollars and offered no new tax increases. But the survey, conducted for Minnesota Public Radio and the St. Paul Pioneer Press, also shows that majorities of respondents expect the cutbacks to fall hard on some Minnesotans. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo has more.
February 24, 2003 - MPR’s Brandt Williams reports on local storyteller Nothando Zulu, and her work during Black History Month. February is the month when all Americans are encouraged to learn more about the culture and history of African Americans. Schools, libraries and other organizations ask African American scholars, artists and professionals to be part of their Black History Month events. Nothando Zulu, hasn't had a day off all month.
February 25, 2003 - MPR’s Brandt Williams reports on Minneapolis budget cuts. Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak says proposed cuts in Local Government Aid will cost the city nearly forty-five million dollars over the next two years. Rybak offered a preliminary estimate of how much each department will have to cut from in order to balance the city's budget. The cuts will be deepest in the city departments with the largest budgets: police, fire and public works. Some city officials say they fear these cuts will make it harder for police and fire departments to protect the people of Minneapolis.
February 26, 2003 - A new Minnesota Public Radio-St. Paul Pioneer Press poll finds nearly half of those polled think Governor Pawlenty is doing a good or excellent job. It's the first poll to ask about the governor's job performance since he was elected in November. Pawlenty supporters say the numbers are surprisingly high, coming after the governor released a budget that makes major spending cuts in a number of areas. Political observers say his approval rating could drop after the full impact of those cuts is known. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports...
February 27, 2003 - Midday’s Gary Eichten talks with former Major League Baseball pitcher Bert Blyleven about the potential success for the Minnesota Twins in the 2003 MLB season. Program also includes call-in from listeners.
March 3, 2003 - The recent release of hundreds of pages of National Transportation Safety Board documents still leaves many unanswered questions about what happened to the flight that killed Paul Wellstone and seven others last October. It will likely be months before the NTSB issues a final report on the crash. Although no clear cause has yet emerged, several areas stand out as possible factors. They include weather, pilot incompetence and problems with navigational equipment at the Eveleth- Virginia Airport. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports.
March 6, 2003 - MPR’s Laura McCallum reports on more than a thousand gay and lesbian Minnesotans appearing at the Minnesota State Capitol to protest a proposal to remove sexual orientation from the state's human rights law. They called the bill mean-spirited. The bill's author says he wants to prevent homosexuality from being taught in the schools.
March 6, 2003 - MPR’s Jeff Horwich reports on an old business with a new owner. The Renville Locker butchered meat under the same family ownership for 38 years in southwestern Minnesota. Over that time the population of the region has changed, and more change is on the way. There may be no better symbol of the shift than the new face behind the meat market counter.
March 7, 2003 - The state of Minnesota is expected to lose hundreds of millions of dollars in federal matching funds... if the legislature passes Governor Tim Pawlenty's proposed cuts to health care programs in the state's budget. Missing out on the federal dollars is the topic of an article in this week's edition of "The Business Journal." Scott Smith is the reporter who wrote the story. He says state health officials are trying to calculate how much federal money the state will lose.
March 10, 2003 - County commissioners and other local leaders, are looking for ways to cope with the funding cuts in Governor Tim Pawlenty's budget. The governor's spending plan calls for cuts in many programs to fill a $4.2 billion shortfall. As debate over the proposal heats up, some officials are questioning the long term affects, especially in social programs. Mainstreet Radio's Bob Reha reports. <