November 12, 1998 - Governor Carlson says the recent governor's campaign shows it's time for Minnesota to re-think its election system. Carlson says the September primary should be moved up to May -- and he says the state should add a SECOND primary in the fall to narrow down the field of candidates. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports: Governor Carlson says the fact that Jesse Ventura won the governor's race with only 37 percent of the vote is evidence that Minnesota is moving away from the traditional two-party-system. In a Veterans' Day speech to the Bloomington Rotaryt club, he said he was worried that MN elections will become more and more fractious: ((If we're going to have 8 people and several dif pol parties -- we now have 4 major parties, with add of taxpayers' party -- we
November 12, 1998 - The day after telling students at his old High school he didn't apply himself much to his studies... Minnesota Governor-elect Jesse Ventura is back at school. Every two years, a few weeks after the November vote, the National Governor's Association puts on "Governors school" for first-time governors --- a few days in specialized seminars and private consulations with experienced governors currently on the job. Nancy Marshall reports from this years Governors school in Wilmington Delaware. SFXX 1: Welcome to the 1998 Governor's session. . . TRXX 1: Governor Thomas Carper of Delaware is the host -- and a professor -- at this year's National Governor's Association
November 12, 1998 - Governor-Elect Ventura's victory shocked Minnesota's political establishment, but not Joram Manka , a Ventura supporter in Duluth. Manka, a student at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, won a contest on a political website by correctly guessing the outcome on nearly every race on the Minnesota ballot: University of Minnesota Duluth student Joram Manka won the checks and balances-dot com website contest by correctly guessing the outcome of the governor's race and many other contests last Tuesday. He'll be presented with the John Spanish Prognosticator Award December 3rd in St. Paul. Governor-elect Ventura has been invited as the keynote speaker. (find music)
November 13, 1998 - Minneapolis city employees packed council chambers last night to protest the city's residency rule, which requires those hired since 1993 to live within city limits. Minnesota Public Radio's Eric Jansen reports: The St. Anthony West Neighborhood Association's chairman was in the minority last night. Michael Rainville says most neighborhood groups believe Minneapolis city employees should be required to live in the city. 2:42 "Noone's holidng a gun to anyone's head. If you don't want the job, because you don't want to live here, if you view that as a penalty, then perhaps you're not cut out to be a city of Minneapolis employee." :11
November 13, 1998 - The firearms deer hunting season in northern Minnesota is getting mixed reviews by hunters and observers. Anecdotal information points to a smaller harvest in areas where the deer population was hard hit by the devastating winters of 1996 and 1997. There are some game registration stations reporting a better than expected hunt, But regardless of their success, many hunters are elated over the overwhelming support Minnesota voters gave the constitutional ammendment protecting hunting and fishing rights. In fact, its hard to find any opposition to the measure among hunters. Mainstreet Radio's Tom Robertson reports from Bemidji...
November 16, 1998 - Joan Growe, outgoing Minnesota Secretary of State, talks about election reform proposals, including run-off elections, earlier primaries, the party nomination process and Governor Arne Carlson's run-off proposal. Growe also discusses ideas of MPR listeners.
November 16, 1998 - Minnesota House Republicans met over the weekend for the first time since gaining the majority in this month's election. Caucus members selected Steve Sviggum (SWIG-um) of Kenyon as their candidate for House Speaker, and chose Tim Pawlenty (puh-LEN-tee) of Eagan as their new Majority Leader. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports... It took twelve years, but Republicans finally regained control of the House, and they're celebrating... (cheering) At their first caucus meeting since the election, House
November 17, 1998 - Some well-known political figures signed up as volunteer advisers to Governor-elect Jesse Ventura today (TUES). The eight-person advisory committee includes outgoing Lieutenant Governor Joanne Benson, Republican state representative Charlie Weaver and former Congressman Tim Penny. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste has this report on Ventura's growing circle of advisers -- and their role in the future administration. Jesse Ventura's new advisers come from a variety of political backgrounds, but as far as the Governor-elect is concerned, they have a common pragmatic approach to politics: ((VENTURA: committee members were chosen for their independent thinking, and their ability to work in a non-partisan manner.))
November 18, 1998 - As part of the Our State, Our Forests series, a Mainstreet Radio special broadcast from MPR studios in Duluth, highlighting the Minnesota Northwoods. In this hour, MPR’s Rachel Reabe presents stories by reporters Leif Enger and Mary Losure which portray the timber industry past and present and describe its impact on the environment and economy of Northern Minnesota.
November 18, 1998 - As Ventura prepares to take office, he is sure to remember the political experts and lobbyists who gave him little respect before the election. Now some of those same people are flocking to his office asking for jobs. Morning Show humorist Dale Connelly imagined how those ‘career politicians’ are feeling about now with the song creation "Governor Body"...(with apologies to Leonard Bernstein and his "Officer Krupky" from West Side Story).