September 25, 2001 - Last summer's special session of the legislature changed the way Minnesotans pay for public schools. The state will now pay almost 80% of the basic public schools costs. The money will come from a new statewide property tax on businesses and cabins as well as from income and sales taxes. The reform was designed to ease the local property tax burden. But many rural school officials say they still aren't getting enough money from the state, and they plan to ask voters to approve additional property taxes to bridge the gap. Minnesota Public Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports. { Superintendents say they're glad the state is increasing its spending on schools, but they say it's not enough. Most districts will cut budgets, or ask local voters to approve excess levies, or both.
September 26, 2001 -
September 26, 2001 - Minneapolis School Board had to cut $25 million from their budget and lost another $5 million in school integration.
September 26, 2001 - Poseidon Drowning Detection System comes from Paris and St. Cloud School District has the first one in the country to have one.
October 2, 2001 - 91% of the 3,700 employees of the MnSCU schools decided to strike. Classes will continue.
October 2, 2001 - Scientists from around the world are at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter this week for the 37th Nobel Conference. The conference got underway today with presentations by Nobel laureates and other scholars, who are discussing the contributions science has made over the past century... and what's left to be discovered in the next. They're also celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Nobel Prize. Conference director Tim Robinson says there are five nobel laureates on hand to explain their work.
October 5, 2001 - The Minnesota Gopher men's hockey team is in Grand Forks this evening to play arch rival the University of North Dakota. The game may be overshadowed a bit by the venue. Tonight marks the opening of the ornate and controversial Ralph Engelstad Arena, which some see as a hockey palace. Others see it as a shrine to racism. Mainstreet Radio's Dan Gunderson reports.
October 5, 2001 - Mainstreet Radio’s Jeff Horwich reports on a new grant awarded in central Minnesota that will be a small first step to put more violins, violas, and cellos in the hands of children in smaller school districts.
October 10, 2001 - FBI agents wearing white moon suits and gas masks scoured the newspaper offices of two men whose exposure to anthrax has prompted heightened fear of bioterrorism across the country. The search turned up no further sign of anthrax in Robert Stevens' Florida office since traces were discovered on his computer keyboard. Stevens, a photo editor with the Sun tabloid newspaper, died last week of inhaled anthrax, a rare, particularly lethal form of the disease. Anthrax cases are rare in humans. The disease is much more commonly found in animals. Today, the University of Minnesota's Center for Animal Health and Food Safety is sponsering a teach-in on bio and agro-terrorism. Dr. Will Hueston (Houston) is the director of the Center. He says his veterinary students could play a key role in the fight against terrorism.
October 10, 2001 - Hundreds of striking state employees rallied at the state Capitol this morning (WEDNESDAY), one day before contract talks resume between the state and its two largest employee unions. Neither side is publicly showing any sign of movement - striking workers say they'll walk the picket line as long as it takes to get a better contract, while Governor Ventura says the state is standing by its final offer. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports...