February 9, 1998 - House Republicans today (MON) announced they want to use the money generated by the state's tobacco lawsuit for state-wide tax relief. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin kaste reports the lawmakers aren't waiting to see how the trial ends to consider how to spend the money the state MIGHT win.
February 11, 1998 - Lieutenant Governor Joanne Benson today (WED) made official her intention to succeed Governor Carlson. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste has the story: The Joanne Benson campaign has been up and running for more than a year, but Benson saved the official announcement for a propitious moment. With St Paul Mayor Norm Coleman expected to announce on Sunday, that moment seems to have come -- ((I will seek and expect to win the endorsement of the republican party, and THEN seek the endorsement of the people of MN. (applause).)) -- Benson is hoping she's beat Coleman to the punch on more than just announcements. While the media has been fixated on Coleman's Hamlet act -- to run or not to run? -- the Benson campaign has been bus
February 11, 1998 - Governor Carlson's 12-million dollar bonding proposal to fund boarding schools gets another hearing at the capitol today. (wed) The schools would serve at-risk juveniles who have had no major criminal problems. The proposal for Minnesota may be modelled after the Milton-Hershey School in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Minnesota Public Radio's Karen-Louise Boothe travelled there to take a closer look. She reports on what SOME experts say is a new view of an old concept.
February 13, 1998 - State Representative Tim Pawlenty (pah-LEHN-tee) bowed out of the Governor's race today. The Republican Representative from Eagan says he's giving up in the face of the momentum of Lieutenant Governor Joanne Benson's campaign, combined with St Paul Mayor Norm Coleman's likely entry into the race. Coleman says he'll announce this Sunday whether he'll run for Governor. Political commentators Bob Meek, a Democrat, and Tom Horner, a Republican, say it's very likely he'll run. Horner says Coleman would join an already strong field of Republican candidates: Republican political commentator Tom Horner, and Democrat Bob Meek.
February 19, 1998 - MPR’s Martin Kaste reports on end of another stadium bill at State Capitol. The sponsors of the latest Twins stadium plan threw in the towel, as the bill's author, Harris DFLer Loren Jennings, announced he was withdrawing the plan from consideration, just hours before a crucial committee hearing.
February 23, 1998 - As part of the continuing MPR series Voices of Minnesota, a presentation of conversations with James Griffin, one of Minnesota's first Black police officers and first deputy police chief for St. Paul; and Hennepin County Judge Pamela Alexander, Minnesota's first Black female judge.
February 24, 1998 - Next Tuesday night, Republicans and Democrats hold precinct caucuses to elect delegates to this summer's party conventions. This week, Minnesota Public Radio is profiling the candidates vying for their endorsement for Governor. This year's race for Governor is already shaping up as the most wide-open in years. It's a race without any clear favorites -- a fact Joanne Benson is well aware of. Benson may be Arne Carlson's Lieutenant Governor, but she's hardly his heir apparent. Minnesota Public Radio's Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste has this profile of the candidates.
February 24, 1998 - Ted Mondale is currently running second to Skip Humphrey in a poll of likely Democratic primary voters. A Minnesota Public Radio/KARE 11/Pioneer Press/ poll finds 35-percent of likely voters favor Humphrey while Mondale has 11-percent, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman has nine-percent, Mark Dayton- seven, State Senator Doug Johnson --six, and State Senator John Marty --five. Twenty-seven percent of the voters are undecided. On the Republican side, 37-percent of likely primary voters favor St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman, 14-percent favor Lieutenant Governor Joanne Benson, eleven-percent back Allen Quist, and four-percent backed state Senator Roy Terwilliger who dropped out of the race today. Thirty-four percent of these voters are undecided. If the election were held today, Humphrey would edge out Coleman. The poll's margin of error is three-and-a-half percent. Democratic political consultant Pat Forciea says its a bit early to put much stock in the numbers.
February 25, 1998 - The first political advertisement in the governor's race aired today on Twin Cities television and radio stations. The thirty second spot by candidate Ted Mondale focuses on education.
February 26, 1998 - (Thursday 2/26 M.E.) A new era in statewide testing begins today at schools throughout Minnesota. Three weeks ago, all 8th grade students in public schools took the state's basic skills tests in reading and math. Now state officials are conducting first-time tests to see how well third and fifth grade students are doing. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports... State education officials say the new tests for third and fifth grade students, called the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments, should not be confused with the 8th grade basic skills tests. The 8th grade tests measure literacy and whether students have yet learned the min