May 11, 1999 - Governor Jesse Ventura talks about the closing days of the legislative session, and answer questions from MPR listeners.
May 19, 1999 - On this Midday, a look ahead to light rail transit in the Twin Cities. With the legislature having approved funding, what will we see, and when? Guests Peter McLaughlin, the chair of the Metropolitan LRT Joint Powers Board; and John Byrd, assistant general manager for Rail Operations at Metro Transit provide details on plans.
May 25, 1999 - St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman is floating an idea for a new outdoor ballpark for the Minnesota Twins. The mayor argues a stadium in St. Paul would help revitalize the city's downtown core. He hasn't offered any specifics yet, but already the proposal is drawing some criticism.
May 26, 1999 - A Mainstreet Radio special broadcast from Lake Benton. Rachel Reabe hosts a discussion about Minnesota's wind farm on Buffalo Ridge and the greater wind-power industry with guests Marlin Thompson, Lake Benton mayor; Jim Nichols, a former agriculture commissioner who now heads economic development efforts for the area; and Audrey Zibelman, director of Energy Marketing for Northern States Power.
May 26, 1999 - A Mainstreet Radio special broadcast from Lake Benton. Rachel Reabe hosts a discussion about deregulation of the electric industry with guests Steve Minn, Minnesota Public Service commissioner; Jim Nichols, Arlene Lesewski, Republican state senator from Marshall; Michael Noble, executive director of Minnesotans for an Energy-Efficient Economy; and Rick Lemonds, general manager of Lyon-Lincoln Electric Cooperative.
May 26, 1999 - Before leaving for California to promote his autobiography, Governor Ventura closed the books on the 1999 legislative session by vetoing almost $110 MILLION dollars worth of state spending and borrowing. He cut most of the money with line-item vetoes in larger bills, affecting a wide range of programs and projects. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports.
May 26, 1999 - Legislators and special interests spent the day picking through the 37 vetoes Governor Ventura dropped on them last night . The vetoes are far-ranging, and they cancel about $140 Million dollars of state spending and borrowing, depending on how you count them. The beneficiaries of specific projects are up in arms over the vetoes... but legislative leaders are not so upset, now that they've had a few hours to look them over. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports: Measured by sheer dollar amount, Winona State University lost the most from Ventura's flurry of vetoes. The University's physical plant manager, Dick Lande (LAND-ee), says the school was counting on $6 Million dollars in state bonding money to pay for three new boilers in the heating system. Ventura vetoed that money, and now Landee has to worry about possible structural damage if the old boilers fail before the Legislature can draw up a new bonding bill next year:
May 26, 1999 - MPR’s Mary Losure reports that Governor Jesse Ventura has vetoed a bill that would have loosened the Minnesota Pollution Control's regulation of animal feedlots. The bill would have exempted livestock farmers from state air quality standards when they were spreading manure on farm fields. It also would have eliminated a new set of rules that govern which feedlots are subject to environmental review.
May 27, 1999 - Scott Ritter, former UNSCOM Chief Weapons Inspector and author of Endgame, addresses the Minnesota Meeting. 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.
May 28, 1999 - Governor Jesse Ventura's speech to the Society of Professional Journalists meeting this week in Minneapolis. Following the speech, Gary Eichten talks to former Minnesota Governor Arne Carlson about how the media cover the governor and other important stories.