September 1, 2000 - Governor Jesse Ventura made what he says will be his only visit to this year's State Fair, in contrast to his nonstop campaigning there during the governor's race in 1998. But in addition to extolling the virtues of footlong hotdogs and lemonade, Ventura does some campaigning for his party in endorsing U.S. senate candidate Jim Gibson, and uses his “Lunch With the Governor" radio show to lay out his upcoming political agenda and to poke fun at the other politicians glad-handing at the fair.
September 1, 2000 - Two of Minnesota's biggest companies, Best Buy and Target Corporation, said yesterday sales had been slower than expected. Target also said its third quarter profits would drop as a result. The share price of both companies took a hit because of the news. The August sales figures for many of the nation's biggest retailers were disappointing. Dr. Sung Won Sohn is chief economist and senior Vice President for Wells-Fargo. He's on the line now.
September 1, 2000 - California lawmakers have sent a bill to Governor Gray Davis that's aimed at collecting state sales tax on purchases made over the Internet. The measure applies only to California consumers and only to companies that have both physical stores in California that collect the sales tax AND an Internet affiliate that may not require customers to pay the tax, for example Barnes and Noble, which has stores and an ecommerce site. Assemblywoman Carole Migden of San Francisco authored the bill.
September 6, 2000 - Money problems have delayed today's (Weds) expected announcement from the Metropolitan Council that it has awarded a major contract for light rail construction. Officials expect to make the announcement next week, but in the meantime planners are recommending the Metropolitan Airports Commission increase it's contribution to the project as a way to help cover a higher-than-expected bid for the light line tunnel at the airport. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson reports. {Last week project managers said they were ready to recommend that the Metropolitan Council award the three hundred million Hiawatha Avenue light rail line construction contract to California-based Granite Construction Company and Minnesota-based C. S. McCrossan Company. But Tuesday, Metropolitan Council officials said a final vote on the award is delayed so planners can try find a way to cover a twenty five million dollar gap that appeared at the end of August. That's when officials learned the low bid for building the mile and half long light rail tunnel under the Twin Cities airport is one hundred ten million dollars compared to the eighty five million alloted for the project. The Metropolitan Airports Commission is managing tunnel construction. The MAC's Nigel Finney says the airport commission may need to contribute more to the project. audio . . . .we've been talking previously about a contribution of seventy million dollars. We'll be recommending at least as a staff to the commission they increase that level of participation to help offset the costs. (what might be increase?) I'd say on the order of sixteen to eighteen million dollars.
September 6, 2000 - As the US economy and stock market have boomed, so has charitable giving. But philanthropy is changing, especially among corporate programs. The shift reflects companies' changing priorities AND the reshaping of Minnesota's business landscape after a series of mergers and acquisitions. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin has the first report in a 3 part series, The Changing Face of Philanthropy.
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September 8, 2000 - Gunhus=GUN us An affadavit released by the Anoka County attorneys office shows what may be a link between Republican Senator Rod Grams' reelection campain and some e-mails critical of one of his D-F-L rivals, Michael Ciresi. The affadavit says the e-mail account used to send the e-mails was used in the home of one of Grams' campaign advisors, Christine Gunhus. Last weekend Grams emphatically denied that his campaign was involved in creating the e-mails, in which the sender posed as a D-F-L activist. Minnesota Public Radio's Amy Radil reports.
September 8, 2000 - Often when people talk about charitable giving and business, the emphasis is on large corporate-funded foundations. But the vast majority of businesses in Minnesota, as around the country, are SMALL companies. Research suggests, employee-for-employee, small companies are much more generous than their larger counterparts. Small businesses will often pay for projects that benefit the community AND boost their standing with neighbors and customers. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik has the last report in our series, The Changing Face of Philanthropy...
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September 11, 2000 - Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper threw for 355 yards as the Vikings defeated the Miami Dolphins 13 to 7 yesterday at the Metrodome. Culpepper connected with Cris Carter nine times and threw the first touchdown pass of his career to Randy Moss. Culpepper was also intercepted three times. Joining us now is Sean Jenson who covers the Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press.