June 29, 2001 -
July 2, 2001 - The Minnesota Legislature wrapped up a new two-year budget early this morning hours before a partial government shutdown would have begun. Lawmakers approved the final three spending bills and a bonding bill for long-term investments. Later today (SATURDAY), Governor Jesse Ventura is scheduled to sign the various spending items along with a tax bill passed earlier in the week. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo reports.
July 2, 2001 -
July 2, 2001 -
July 2, 2001 - One of the most contentious issues of this legislative session was the debate over how much to spend for public colleges and universities. Governor Ventura said the state couldn't afford to give everyone all the money they wanted. Some lawmakers say the governor made a big mistake and the lean budget will take a tollon the state's economic development engine. Minnesota Public Radio's Patty Marsicano reports:
July 4, 2001 - MPR’s Mary Losure reports that after massive storm in BWCA, which many considered a catastrophe, is providing a rare opportunity for scientists to study how a wilderness recovers from a massive natural disturbance. Losure interviews Alan Heine, forestry Professr at University of Wisconsin; and Lee Frelich forest ecologist at University of Minnesota.
July 5, 2001 - Mainstreet Radio's Chris Julin visits Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center in Ashland, Wisconsin. The center turns tourists and school groups into voyageurs for a day, and takes them out on Superior in a huge, Montreal canoe.
July 6, 2001 - More than a million tiny weed-eating beetles have been released in endangered wetlands around the state by the Department of Agriculture. Since the early 90's beetles have been used as natures foil to purple loosestrife, a noxious, invasive weed that has crowded native plants out of more than 50-thousand Minnesota acres. Now a group of Red Wing High School students plan to build on the beetle's success, by introducing them to a new loosestrife-ridden site. But first, as Mainstreet Radio's Erin Galbally reports, they have to catch some. Carloads of Fish and Wildlife students bunch out along the edge of a Frontenac State Park waterway not far from their Red Wing school. Armed with small plastic bottles, students in waders and tennis shoes like Trent Nolton, examine tall purple-flowered reeds for galerucella beetles.
July 9, 2001 - A new poll shows Minnesotans are disappointed it took the state Legislature extra time to complete a new, 27 billion dollar budget. The survey, commissioned by Minnesota Public Radio and the St. Paul Pioneer Press, indicates two-thirds of respondents rate the Legislature's performance either poor or only fair. The poll does show support for sweeping property tax cuts, but more than half of respondents felt too little was spent on K-12 education. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo has more.
July 9, 2001 - Where can you hear works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Darius Milhaud, (me-YOH) and Bernstein's (BURN-stine) "West Side Story" performed on the same Wednesday evening? In Duluth, of course. The Lake Superior Chamber Orchestra's adventurous artistic director and conductor Warren Friesen, says he programs concerts the way he fixes dinner -- tossing together a tasty variety of interesting flavors and textures. Minnesota Public Radio's Stephanie Hemphill samples a few courses.