January 24, 2003 - Hotels in Minneapolis are getting a major face-lift. The opening of new downtown hotels is pushing the older ones to keep up with multi-million dollar renovations. The trend to upgrade is the topic of an article in this week's edition of "The Business Journal." Reporter Andrew Tellijohn says there are several hotels that are making major changes.
January 27, 2003 - The Saint Paul Companies today (Mon) reported a fourth quarter profit of 244 million dollars. The business insurer reported a LOSS more than triple that amount in the same period the year before. Company officials say efforts to cut costs and get out of unprofitable businesses appear to be paying off. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin reports.
January 28, 2003 -
January 28, 2003 - Six retail chains, including Minnesota-based Best Buy, plan to provide consumers with a way to download digital tunes. In response to the popularity of CD burners and online music services, the stores formed a joint venture called Echo. Specifics of the plan aren't available, but a Best Buy spokesperson says the store will probably offer digital downloading at in-store Internet kiosks. Matt Kleinschmit is a director at the Minneapolis office of the market research firm Ipsos-Reid. He says this new approach to digital music could help the music industry.
January 29, 2003 - MPR's Elizabeth Stawicki reports that three Twin Cities-based news organizations are asking the Minnesota Court of Appeals to keep open the option for access to documents filed as part of the lawsuit to keep the Minnesota Twins in the Metrodome.
January 30, 2003 - Job vacancies in Minnesota continued to decline in the last 3 months of last year. The number of job openings fell by almost one third from the end of 2001. Two years ago, before the recession, the survey found there were more jobs than people looking for work in Minnesota. Now there are twice as many job hunters as jobs. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin reports.
January 31, 2003 - A group called the Air Cargo Development committee wants to stop the loss of international air freight business to Chicago. The group wants to develop a major freight operation near the Twin Cities International airport... and is teaming up with the Metropolitan Airports Commission and the Minnesota Transportation Department to lobby the state for help. They want 3 million dollars from the legislature to pay for a study of the idea... which they're calling "The Minnesota Gateway Project." The story is the topic of an article in today's edition of "The Business Journal." Reporter Andrew Tellijohn wrote the story and says putting the Gateway Project in a central location would be an important start.
February 3, 2003 - When Governor Tim Pawlenty outlined his plans for erasing a $356 million deficit projected between now and the end of June, affected interest groups converged on St. Paul to beg a reprieve. Producers of the corn-based fuel ethanol were among the most visible -- and not surprisingly, they've seen the most success at preserving their funding. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo examines the lobbying war at the Capitol.
February 4, 2003 - Dairy farmers say the past year has been a tough one. Farmers are have been getting paid between 9 and 11 dollars for 100 pounds of milk for over a year. That's less than it costs farmers to to produce the milk. Dairy experts don't think relief will come for months. Analysts say the low prices are caused by a supply and demand problem. There's too much milk on the market, and not enough consumer demand. Whatever the reason, the low prices have forced farmers to become smarter business owners. Mainstreet Radio's Tim Post reports.
February 5, 2003 -