January 3, 2001 - From Minnesota Public Radio this is Future Tense for January 3rd. I'm Jon Gordon. Selling your old stuff on the Internet auction site eBay is pretty common these days. But Vicki Richman can lay claim to having unloaded an unusual item. She sold a Minneapolis hotel on eBay for two and a half million dollars--avoiding a six-figure commission in the process. Richman, vice president of Minneapolis-based American Hospitality Management, says it all started after she decided to put the University Avenue Econo-Lodge on the market. ((richman q/a)) Vicki Richman of American Hospitality Management in Minneapolis. She's planning to list another hotel on eBay: a Holiday Inn Express in Florida. This is Future Tense...I'm Jon Gordon.
January 4, 2001 -
January 4, 2001 - The Federal Reserve's decision to reduce interest rates yesterday came as president-elect George W. Bush began an economic forum. Bush invited three dozen high-ranking business executives to Austin, Texas to discuss the state of the economy. One of those executives is from Minnesota-- Michael Wright, who is the Chairman and CEO of Supervalu. Wright says most of the business leaders in Austin yesterday expressed concern over a slowing economy.
January 4, 2001 - Reliant Energy Minnegasco is warning its customers to expect significantly higher gas bills over the next few months. The company says it EXPECTED rates to go up this winter, but the increases are even higher than they originally thought. Joining us on the line is Joe Klenken, regulatory specialist for Reliant.
January 4, 2001 - Natural gas prices have hit a record high. The Minnesota Commerce Department says the cost of natural gas climbed 58-percent between December and January. The spike in prices has prompted many Minnesotans to seek help in paying their heating bills. Kim Rezek is with the Department of Economic Security's Energy Assistance Program. She says there's been a dramatic increase in the number of people applying for energy assistance.
January 8, 2001 - Chris Farrell is MPR's Chief Economics Correspondent. He is reporting on economy and the collapse of capital spending plans.
January 8, 2001 - ONE OF THE BIG BUSINESS STORIES TODAY IS THE REPORTED TAKEOVER OF FINANCIALLY TROUBLED TWA BY AMERICAN AIRLINES. TWA IS CLOSE TO FILING CHAPTER 11 BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDINGS. YOU'LL REMEMBER MINNESOTA BASED NORTHWEST HELD TALKS, LAST SUMMER, WITH AMERICAN ON SOME SORT OF A POSSIBLE MERGER, BUT THOSE TALKS DIDN'T GO ANYWHERE. SO, WHAT HAPPENS TO NORTHWEST NOW? JOEL DENNY IS AN AIRLINE ANALYST FOR PIPER JAFFREY. HE SAYS FROM A COMPETITIVE STANDPOINT, THE ACQUISITION WON'T HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON NORTHWEST. Joel Denny is an airline analyst with U-S Bancorp Piper Jaffray.
January 8, 2001 -
January 9, 2001 - Starting on Sunday, Minnesotans will have to dial new area codes to reach some parts of the Twin Cities. As of that day, the optional grace period for using two new codes is over. That means in order to call parts of the northwestern Twin Cities as far north as Princeton and Cambridge, you'll have to dial 763 first. Calls to the southwest Metro as far south as New Prague will need the 952 area code. The additional codes have been introduced to accommodate an increasing demand for telephone numbers brought about by mobile phones, computer connections, and other communications equipment. Bryce Hallowell is a spokesman for Qwest Communications.
January 9, 2001 - Hundreds of dairy farmers gathered in Freeport today (Tuesday) to get an update on slumping prices in the dairy industry. Democratic Senator Mark Dayton and Representative Collin Peterson were there to gather input on a solution to low prices. Farmers in the crowd said whatever the answer might be, they need to see relief soon. Mainstreet Radio's Tim Post reports.