July 4, 2001 - The official announcement hasn't yet come, but the merger between United Airlines and US Airways appears to be off. The companies confirmed earlier this week they were talking about terminating the deal. The acquisition would have made United much bigger than any of its competitors. Now it seems United doesn't think it can get permission for the deal from the Department of Justice, where anti-trust regulators fear it would stifle competition and lead to worse service for millions of airline passengers. Congressman Jim Oberstar is former chair of the House Aviation Subcommittee and senior democrat on the House Transportation Committee. He's on the line now.
July 5, 2001 -
July 5, 2001 - The US Department of Commerce is holding hearings in Virginia, Minnesota today to hear from Iron Rangers on how cheap steel imports have affected their industry. It's part of an investigation to determine whether the imports harmed national security, which would allow President Bush to protect the domestic steel industry. Samatha Grippe lives in Biwabik. Her father was recently laid off from LTV Steel Mining company, and she'll testify before the Commerce Department later today.
July 5, 2001 - The Twin Cities Light Rail Transit line is scheduled to start running a litte more than two years from now. Supporters say the 675 million dollar system will spur a huge amount of commercial development along the line, which runs 11 miles from downtown Minneapolis to the Mall of America in Bloomington. Already some adventurous property developers are buying properties around the future stations. Community leaders hope light rail development will help transform their neighborhoods. Minnesota Public Radio's Andrew Haeg reports.
July 6, 2001 - Residents of Saint Paul's West Seventh Street area may eventually mark this week as the time when the neighborhood gained its long sought independence from the stink. Officials with Gopher State Ethanol say newly installed equipment has dramatically reduced emissions from the plant and, at least so far, has eliminated neighborhood complaints about odors. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen has more...
July 6, 2001 -
July 6, 2001 - MPR’s Laurel Druley reports on how state farmers are now trying to predict their crop yields. Typically farmers like to see corn hip-high by the fourth of July. But 2001 was not a typical year, with massive flood waters in the spring. At the start of July, Minnesota corn height averaged 21 inches. That's a foot shorter than the year before.
July 9, 2001 - Firefighters from around southeast Minnesota continue to battle a fire that ignited at the Farmland Foods plant last night in Albert Lea. The ninety-year-old meat packaging facility is the second largest employer in town. As fire crews struggle to control the scene, Farmland employees and city leaders wonder what this will mean for the future.
July 9, 2001 - There was a time when small communities throughout the Great Plains flourished. But now a host of powerful forces including farm consolidation and low prices are sparking an exodus from farm country. Critics say federal agricultural subsidies and other policies intended to bolster family farms and the communities they support may actually be hastening their decline. That's the backdrop for an intensifying debate in Washington and throughout the Great Plains .... over how to stem the decline. Minnesota Public Radio's Andrew Haeg has the first of two reports.
July 10, 2001 - The national convention of the Communications Workers of America wrapped up today in Minneapolis. The union's 2,300 delegates heard AFL-CIO president John Sweeney and others talk about the importance of expanding union membership in Minnesota and nationwide.