June 8, 1998 - It had none of the hype and fanfare of the D-F-L state convention, but Minnesota's third major party quietly held its state convention over the weekend. Reform Party delegates met in Brooklyn Park to endorse three candidates for statewide office - Jesse Ventura for Governor, Alan Shilepsky (shih-LEP-skee) for Secretary of State and Jim Dunlop for Treasurer. They also tackled the hotly-debated issue of whether to unite with supporters of former Presidential candidate H. Ross Perot. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports... (nat - buzz of delegates)
June 8, 1998 - Saint Paul: 1992 was dubbed the "Year of the Woman" in national politics, with more women winning congressional seats than ever before. But when the 103rd Congress convened, women only made up ELEVEN percent of the House and SEVEN percent of the Senate. THIS election year pundits say it's the "Year of the Woman" in Minnesota politics. Women dominate the slate of DFL endorsed Candidates for statewide office following this weekend's state party convention in St. Cloud. But as Minnesota Public Radio's Karen-Louise Boothe reports, women STILL have yet to gain a spot at the TOP of the DFL party ticket:
June 9, 1998 - Midday presents a Mainstreet Radio special broadcast on what's being called the "New Midwestern Farm Crisis." The program contains reports on farming issues, including insurance, scab plant disease, government programs, global markets, and Freedom to Farm Act.
June 9, 1998 - Norman Ornstein, Resident Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and respected political analyst, addresses Minnesota Meeting. Ornstein’s speech was titled, " Getting Big Money Out of U.S. Politics: What We Can Do Now." Speech is followed by a question and answer period. Minnesota Meeting is a non-profit corporation which hosts a wide range of public speakers. It is managed by the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota.
June 9, 1998 - With President Clinton's signature now affixed to the massive transportation bill, two Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness portages become mechanized. Motor vehicles such as trucks will be allowed to pull boats across the narrow forest paths between fishing lakes. Now the US Forest Service will have to determine just how to allow trucks back on the portages and who will get to operate them.
June 9, 1998 - St. Paul Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman edged out State Attorney General Skip Humphrey in a straw poll of Minnesota AFL-CIO members. But the results may indicate big labor won't rally around a single candidate until after the September primary. Minnesota Public Radio's Karen-Louise Boothe reports.
June 10, 1998 - Scott County and the city of Savage have abandoned their plan to extend a highway through a rare wetland known as the Savage Fen. The proposed road was blocked by the state Department of Natural Resources in order to protect the wetland and its rare and threatened plants. Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Losure reports. SFX bird sound The Savage wetland is what scientists call a
June 10, 1998 - Tribal elections were held on the White Earth Reservation yesterday, despite efforts by a group of band members to put a stop to the voting. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Robertson reports from Bemidji.... Two days ago it looked doubtful that the scheduled election would take place on White Earth. A group of protesters took control of tribal headquarters Sunday, vowing that they would use any means necessary to stop the election. The group contends that three tribal council members have been holding office illegally since 1996. Those officials, with about 70 supporters, entered and reclaimed control of the building just before sunrise Tuesday.
June 11, 1998 - Kate Trewick of the Department of Children, Families, and Learning, and Joe Nathan, Director of the Center for School Change discuss Third and Fifth grade basic skills test results and the implications. Trewick and Nathan also answer listener questions. Among the topics is levels in tests, public vs private, and role of parents.
June 11, 1998 - Harry Browne, 1996 Libertarian Party Presidential candidate, speaking at 1998 Libertarian Party of Minnesota State Convention.