March 25, 1999 - Northern States Power Company today announced plans to merge with Denver-based New Century Energies. The deal would create a company with more than six and a half BILLION dollars in revenue and customers in 12 states and several foreign countries. Finalization of the merger will require the approval of numerous state and federal regulators.
March 29, 1999 - Wells Fargo and Company says it plans to cut its workforce of 92 thousand by about 46 hundred people as a result of last year's merger with Minneapolis -based Norwest Bank. Many of cuts will be handled through attrition, however bank executives indicate some lay offs are also likely.
April 5, 1999 - Sun Country Airlines and the Metropolitan Airports Commission have all but agreed to a package of short term improvements to the Hubert H. Humphrey Charter Terminal at the Minnesotaeaplis/ St. Paul airport. The agreement will significantly cut Sun Country's leasing expeneses, while enhancing the airline's facilities.
April 8, 1999 - This afternoon President Clinton and Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji signed an aviation pact that'll significantly increase passenger and cargo flights between the two countries. Among the biggest beneficiaries of the trade agreement will be Twin Cities based Northwest Airlines.
April 16, 1999 - This afternoon House and Senate negotiators signed off on an agreement to cut a farm-aid proposal free from the ongoing wrangling over tax rebates and send it to the Governor as soon as possible. The $70-million-dollar package is meant to help farmers through the agriculture crisis by giving them a $4-dollar-an-acre rebate on the property taxes. Many farmers say the aid is a nice gesture, but it's probably not going to save many farms.
April 16, 1999 - This weekend a top official from the US Department of Justice will be in the Twin Cities to hear from farmers concerned about dropping prices and growing consolidation in agri-business. Many farmers struggling to get by, suspect one reason the prices they're being offered for their crops and livestock are so low is because there are fewer companies competing for their business.
April 20, 1999 - Northwest Airlines is reporting it lost money during the first three months of the year. But the first quarter results weren't as bad as Wall Street analysts had expected.
April 27, 1999 - Minnesota's new welfare system has been in place for a year and a half now. The program has helped welfare recipients wade through obstacles to finding jobs, medical care, transportation and child care, but for many families, it still falls short. The Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches is trying to fill that gap. The council has already recruited more than 2000 volunteers to serve as mentors to families on welfare. Many of the volunteers have been involved in a 30-week pilot program that ran this past year. The council will officially launch the program at a town meeting tonight and try to recruit three-thousand more mentors. Reverend Gary Ry-er-son, the president of the council says the volunteers provide a unique form of support to families moving off welfare.
April 30, 1999 - The Minnesota House has approved a tax relief package worth $3.3 Billion dollars over two years -- potentially the largest tax cut in state history. House Republicans say the bill is just a "down-payment" on the tax relief promises they made during the election -- but Senate Democrats say Republicans have gone too far.
May 1, 1999 - American RadioWorks presents the documentary “The Forgotten 14 Million,” which explores why both government and the free market are failing the most vulnerable young Americans.