September 26, 2001 -
September 26, 2001 - Mainstreet Radio's Laurel Druley reports on the looming government workers strike. State agency officials say they have contingency plans in place to compensate for the void a strike could leave.
September 26, 2001 - President Bush will meet with airline workers in Chicago tomorrow, and is expected to reveal his plans for increasing airline security. Bush's proposal will likely include strengthened cockpit doors and sky marshals on board commercial jets. Minnesota's congressional delegation is also weighing in on how to keep our skies safe. Democratic Senator Mark Dayton wants to bring troops from the army national guard and army reserve into all major airports for the next 120 days. Meanwhile, Republican Representative Mark Kennedy sits on the House aviation subcommittee, which will craft a bill next week with its recommendations. Kennedy wants to use state troopers as sky marshals. He says the troopers would be the best way to get marshals on flights soon.
September 26, 2001 - INTRO: A group of cab drivers, who carry passengers to and from the Twin Cities International Airport, is asking the Metropolitan Airports Commission not to charge them a 24 hundred dollar airport use fee. They say their business has dropped significantly since the terrorist attacks on September 11th. Mahammed (Mah-HA-med) Ali (Ah-LEE) says he now averages just $2 dollars an hour, and works 18-to-20 hour days. Ali says the recent downturn in business is affecting a lot of people.
September 26, 2001 - Northwest Airlines has announced it will provide help to about 55-hundred employees who've lost their jobs in the recent round of job reductions. Meanwhile, lawmakers met today to discern the scope of the problems facing airlines based in the state to understand what, if any help, the state can provide. Minnesota Public Radio's Andrew Haeg joins us with details. LB: Minnesota Public Radio's Andrew Haeg is in the studio, Andrew what exactly is Northwest offering its workers?
September 27, 2001 - Talks resume today (Thursday) to try to avert a state employee strike scheduled to begin Monday. Nearly 30-thousand workers are ready to walk off the job over wages and health insurance, unless their two unions and state negotiators can reach an agreement in the next four days. The fallout from the terrorist attacks this month may put extra pressure on both sides to reach a deal. Minnesota Public Radio's Patty Marsicano reports:
September 27, 2001 - It will give thousands of recently laid off workers a relief package that includes severance pay. The move came on a day when the state legislature was considering aid for the state's embattled airline industry. Minnesota Public Radio's Andrew Haeg reports.
September 28, 2001 - FOR USE FRIDAY The terrorists attacks have disrupted the congressional schedule but at some point this fall the U.S. House plans to take up the question of farm subsidies as it debates a new farm bill. Minnesota farmers have collected about four and a half billion dollars in federal assistance the last five years, something many credit with saving thousands of farms. But farmers and others complain the federal money too often goes to undeserving recipients, raising the question why farm payments aren't limited to those who really need it. Mainstreet Radio's Mark Steil reports:
September 28, 2001 - MPR’s Mark Zdechlik reports that visitors to the Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport will soon see Minnesota National Guard troops helping with any number of security jobs. President Bush has called on the nation's governor's to deploy national guard troops at airports through the country.
September 28, 2001 - U.S Housing and Urban Development Secretary Mel Martinez traveled to the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport this morning to assure the public that air travel is safe in the United States. The visit was part of a broader effort by the Bush administration to publicize the President's recommendations for beefing up aviation security. One day after the President asked to have the National Guard assist in airport security measures, eight cabinet members boarded commercial airliners. The Bush Administration hopes the measure will get the American public flying again and bring some hope to the struggling airline industry. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...