March 5, 1998 - Minnesota's state senate has approved nearly a billion dollars in cash payments for parks, roads, college buildings and other capital investment projects. Todays passage of a capital budget bill puts the Senate in direct opposition with the House and Governor Arne Carlson, who say bonds should pay for long-term projects: Minnesotas Senate has passed a $954-million-dollar capital budget bill, following a lengthy argument over whether to pay for major projects with cash or on credit.
March 5, 1998 - The citizen's watchdog group "Common Cause" says the state legislature should require more specific reporting about lobbying efforts and accompanying campaign contributions. The group released a report today (Thursday) outlining lobby efforts by the tobacco industry...efforts "Common Cause" says helped to sway lawmakers into supporting tobacco-friendly legislation. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports...
March 6, 1998 - Minnesota State Representative Gene Pelowski, advanced placement social studies teacher at Winona Senior High School, and Bob Wedl, commissioner of the Department of Children, discuss the new "Profile of Learning" standards requirement. Pelowski and Wedl also answer listener questions.
March 6, 1998 - A new light rail system for the Twin Cities is very close to becoming a reality -- perhaps closer than it's ever been. The State Senate yesterday (THURS) approved $49 Million dollars for a line linking downtown Minneapolis to the airport and the Mall of America... and today (FRI) key House members indicated they'll probably do the same. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports on how the LRT project got this far -- and what obstacles remain: So far, supporters of the Hiawatha corridor light rail project seem to have played all their cards right at the state capitol. They were careful to link the project with money to study other rail projects for the suburbs, which helped build support from non-urban legislators and even some Republicans -- who generally favor spending as little money this year as possible. St Louis Park Republican Jim Rhodes says this project crosses all kinds of boundaries:
March 13, 1998 - National Public Radio's Ray Suarez, host of "Talk of the Nation,” is interviewed via satellite from Washington DC. Topics include Lewinsky scandal, state of journalism, and talk radio. Suarez also answers listener questions.
March 16, 1998 - Bernie Omann, Governor Carlson's chief of staff, visits the MPR studios to talk about the Governor's priorities for the final weeks of the legislative session. Topics include hockey arena, light-rail transit, taxes, and university funding. Omann also answers listener questions.
March 17, 1998 - Steven Schier, political science professor at Carleton College, discusses poll taken in Minnesota which showed that not many people know who their U.S. Senators are. Does this matter? Why does it happen? Schier also answers listener questions.
March 17, 1998 - Debate over a proposed ban on certain abortions has been put on hold by the Minnesota Senate. Abortion opponents say the Senate majority leader squelched debate because he didnt have enough votes today to defeat the ban on so-called "partial birth" abortions. From the capitol, Minnesota Public Radio's Eric Jansen reports: The state senate ended its session abruptly in the heat of a controversy over late-term abortions. Senators had been considering a bill that would have allowed doctors, welfare case workers and others to report women who drink alcohol while pregnant. Northfield Senator Tom Neuville attached an amendment to that bill to ban what are called partial birth abortions.
March 17, 1998 - ****NOTE: USE THIS VERSION OF STORY. DO NOT USE DCART #4501**** At first glance it would seem like a school boards' dream come true: a small school district filled with luxury homes whose owners pay hefty property tax bills. But it is a major problem in Pequot Lakes, north of Brainerd. Rachel Reabe of our Mainstreet Radio team has the story: If you flew over Pequot Lakes just north of Brainerd, you would see as much water as land. This is the heart of Minnesota's vacation country where summer cabins outnumber year round homes two to one. In the middle of all this pricey lakeshore, is Pequot Lakes a modest, mostly low income community.
March 17, 1998 - Resort owners in the Northwest Angle of Minnesota are fed up with Canadian fishing regulations and the U-S's lack of response to their concerns. So fed up, in fact, that they're threatening to secede from the United States and join Canada. The Northwest Angle is that little notch of territory on the top of Minnesota. Thanks to a surveyor's error in 1775, the Angle is part of the United States, even though it's attached to Canada on one side, and otherwise surrounded by Lake of the Woods. The problem, say resort owners, is Canada won't allow people staying in Northwest Angle resorts to keep fish caught in Canadian waters. That's bad for businesses that depend on anglers. The one hundred or so residents of the Northwest Angle have one powerful ally in their quest for fishing justice... Minnesota 7th District Democratic Congressman Collin Peterson. Peterson's planning to introduce a bill in the next couple days that would allow the Northwest Angle to secede: