May 10, 2001 - Investing in a value-added company doesn't guarantee that you will gain and you might actually lose everything.
May 10, 2001 - The St. Paul Pioneer Press has told employees there will be significant jobs cuts at the paper as part of an effort by its parent company Knight Ridder to maintain profitability in a slowing economy. Pioneer Press managers say they plan to trim roughly ten percent of the work force. They hope to achieve most of the cuts through attrition and voluntary job buy outs, but union leaders are bracing for layoffs. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports...
May 10, 2001 - Ford Motor Company executives and shareholders are in St. Paul for the company's annual meeting. CEO Jac and Chairman William Ford addressed a range of challenges facing the company, from improving environmental standards to raising the fuel efficiency of Ford vehicles. They also reiterated a commitment not to close the company's St. Paul facility in the next few years. Minnesota Public Radio's Andrew Haeg reports.
May 10, 2001 - In local business news-- the Saint Paul Pioneer Press plans to cut about ten percent of the newspaper's full-time jobs. The cutbacks will be made through eliminating open positions, early retirements, buyouts and possibly layoffs. John Morton is a newpaper analyst in Maryland, and president of Morton Research. He says this is an industry-wide trend.
May 11, 2001 - Matt Hoy, Twins vice president for Operations, discusses new security measures being put in place at the Metrodome after unwanted activity during a game by fans in the previous week. The team will distribute a "Fan Code of Conduct" card to fans as they enter. It states: “The Minnesota Twins are committed to creating a safe, comfortable and enjoyable ballpark experience."
May 11, 2001 - Minnesota Twins' unexpected success on the field is helping persuade in a new Minnesota House stadium proposal. In it, citizen contributions are stripped from the proposal and state government would contribute only by waiving the tax on construction supplies.
May 14, 2001 - The agency that manages the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis presented a report which concludes the public favors a new ballpark for the Twins…but the Vikings can make do in the Metrodome if it's renovated. Consultant John Himle, who distilled the comments into the report, says they show the public feels an urgency to deal with the Twins stadium issue. He also says the comments are not related to the teams current success on the field.
May 14, 2001 - MPR's Michael Khoo reports on a House committee approving a package that removes most of the public subsidies from the ballpark plan. The Twins say it's doubtful they would support such a deal, but they say they were encouraged by the suggestion they study the financing plan used for the Minnesota Wild hockey arena.
May 15, 2001 - A wet spring has put many farmers behind schedule planting their crops. In fact inclement weather in the northern part of North Dakota has put some farmers way behind schedule harvesting some of last year's sunflower crops. The wet spring is an unpleasant reminder of last summer when a early season storm moved through the Red River Valley and northwest Minnesota, dumping up to eight inches of rain in the area. The deluge caused millions of dollars in damage to homes and crops. Researchers at North Dakota State University not only lost last years harvest, but valuable time in developing new hybrid crops that farmers need to remain competitive. MainStreet Radio's Bob Reha reports. { For Al Schneiter, *Chair of the Plant Sciences department at North Dakota State University* the flood is just a bad memory. Something he can joke about now. Asked if theres anything positive that came out of last summers disaster he chuckles.
May 15, 2001 - Life is tough for cyber squatters. They seem to be losing challenges to the ownership of internet domain names.