March 14, 2001 - A new bill at the legislature would end the reciprocity agreements between Minnesota and neighboring states. The agreements allow students from Minnesota, to attend colleges in Wisconsin and the Dakotas and still pay in-state tuition. Students from those states can also come here and pay in-state tuition too. State senator Joe Opatz (OH-pats), a D-F-L'er from St. Cloud, says that, despite a labor shortage here, we're sending more students to neighboring states under the agreements. He says that we're also sending more than 10 million dollars a year to those states to subsidize those student's tution. Joining us on the line is Phil Lewenstein (LOO-in-stine), legislative and outreach director for the Higher Education Services Office that administers the reciprocity agreements. A new bill at the legislature would end the reciprocity agreements between Minnesota and neighboring states. The agreements allow students from Minnesota, to attend colleges in Wisconsin and the Dakotas and still pay in-state tuition. Students from those states can also come here and pay in-state tuition too. Representative Joe Opatz (OH-pats), a D-F-L'er from St. Cloud, says that despite a labor shortage here, we're sending more students to neighboring states under the agreements. He says that we're also sending more than 10 million dollars a year to those states to subsidize those student's tuition. Phil Lewenstein (LOO-in-stine) is the legislative and outreach director for the Higher Education Services Office that administers the reciprocity agreements.
March 15, 2001 - Over-the-road truckers are famous communicators. A couple decades ago they made the C-B radio an everyday item. But across the country, thousands of truckers are better known for their letter writing. A group called "Trucker Buddy, International" pairs up drivers and elementary school classes as pen pals. Trucker Buddies send the kids letters and post-cards from the road, and the students get an inside view of life in a Big Rig. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Julin reports.
March 15, 2001 - Two state legislators are calling for a criminal investigation into alleged grant money mismanagement in the Department of Children, Families and Learning. The lawmakers also want a joint House-Senate panel formed to hold public hearings on the allegations. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports...
March 15, 2001 - Hundreds of Twin Cities parents are scrambling to find child care for their kids after finding out yesterday that Children's Home Society will shut down four of its sites. The news is just the latest in a growing list of daycare closings. According to The Children's Home Society, thirty childcare sites in Minnesota have shut their doors from July 1999 to June 2000. Ann Kaner-Roth (CAIN-er Roth) is the Director of Childcare Works, a non profit statewide coalition of daycare advocates. She says an employee shortage is pushing many centers out of business:
March 21, 2001 - Shannon Miller has been the coach of the UMD women's hockey team since its inception in 1999. She's busy preparing the team for their game on Friday, and she joins us now.
March 21, 2001 - Governor Jesse Ventura said he's strongly considering asking the Legislature to change state law to bar teachers from striking. At an education forum in St. Louis Park, Ventura suggested putting teachers in the category of Essential State Employees, same as policemen and firefighters.
March 22, 2001 - Minnesota Author Evelyn Fairbanks has died at the age of 72. Fairbanks wrote "Days of Rondo," a memoir about growing up in St. Paul's largest black neighborhood in the 1930's and '40's. The Rondo neighborhood was razed in the 1960's to make way for interstate 94. Fairbank's book was published in 1990 and is now in its fourth printing. In 1991, Fairbanks gave up city life and moved to the outskirts of tiny Onamia, Minnesota, where she operated a 20 acre tree farm. In a 1995 interview with Minnesota Public Radio's Beth Friend, Fairbanks described why she was drawn to the country:
March 22, 2001 - The simmering controversy over the University of North Dakota's Fighting Sioux came to the fore at a daylong conference in St. Cloud Wednesday. Hundreds of Native Americans, college students and faculty attended as St. Cloud State University played host to a summit on American Indian Mascots. Mainstreet Radio's Tim Post reports. =============
March 22, 2001 - Parents, students, and other home schooling advocates filled the Capitol Wednesday calling for lawmakers to preserve their educational freedom. Members of the Senate Education Policy Committee were listening and rejected a proposal to place new requirements on Minnesota home schools. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports...
March 26, 2001 - FOR MONDAY MORNING The U-S census bureau will release the first set of data for Minnesota this week. The census is expected to reflect significant increases in many minority populations. States bordering Minnesota and many others report substantial gains among Hispanics and Asians. Many groups in Minnesota are encouraged by the efforts to count minority populations, but they say the process has a long way to go. Minnesota Public Radio's Art Hughes reports. (scene: music, noise)