January 5, 2004 - Governor Pawlenty is proposing more legislative initiatives aimed at improving Minnesota's public schools. The Republican governor unveiled another wish list today (Monday) that includes plans for restructuring low-performing school districts, expanding the number of charter schools and reducing disparities among regions in Internet availability. DFL lawmakers claim the proposals are rehashed ideas that will bring little improvement. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports...
January 6, 2004 - A profile report of former Major League Baseball player Paul Molitor, upon the announcement of his induction to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Molitor was born in St. Paul, Minnesota and graduated from Cretin High School.
January 7, 2004 -
January 7, 2004 - Mayor R.T. Rybak's pick for police chief, William McManus, met with residents at a south Minneapolis community center last night. The mayor's office organized the meeting in anticipation of two key council actions today. With the full council vote a week and a half away, Rybak is applying pressure on those council members who are still not supporting McManus.
January 8, 2004 - Governor Pawlenty is proposing to keep the state's most dangerous sex offenders in jail for life without a chance for parole. In a crime package released today (Thurs), the governor also calls for tougher sentences for sex crimes in general, increased monitoring for sex offenders who have been released from jail and more money to add prison space. Pawlenty is also asking the state Legislature to require the attorney general's office to work with county attorneys and the Corrections Department to seek civil commitments of any level three offenders who are scheduled for release. The governor says his proposal will strengthen the state's laws against sex offenders but others argue it doesn't get to the immediate problem. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports
January 9, 2004 -
January 9, 2004 - A Macalester College professor who wrote a book about a 17th Century King in India is now worried about his collegues there who are being harrassed for helping him write the book. Professor Jim Laine wrote about an Indian King named Shivaji who established a Hindu Kingdom in the city of Pune in 1674. The Kingdom was located between two Muslim Kingdoms and Shivaji became a symbol of Hindu independence. Earlier this week, Hindu extremists in Pune rioted at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute where Laine did much of his research and some of those he acknowledged in the book for helping him have been subject to personal attacks. Joining us on the line is Macalester professor Jim Laine.
January 12, 2004 -
January 13, 2004 -
January 14, 2004 - Governor Pawlenty today (WEDNESDAY) released a bonding package totaling 760-million dollars. The size of the proposal surprised some House Republicans who favor a leaner package of public works projects, while some Senate DFLers called it skimpy. The bill would fund construction at colleges, universities and state buildings, prison expansion, roads, rail and environmental projects. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports...