March 14, 2001 - Norm Coleman used his final State of the City speech to take an imaginary journey through Saint Paul in the year 2004. The technique allowed Coleman - who is not seeking a third term as mayor - to count as successes a number of projects still in the works and some that are not even that far along, including three new professional sports facilities. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen reports...
March 14, 2001 - A new bill at the legislature would end the reciprocity agreements between Minnesota and neighboring states. The agreements allow students from Minnesota, to attend colleges in Wisconsin and the Dakotas and still pay in-state tuition. Students from those states can also come here and pay in-state tuition too. State senator Joe Opatz (OH-pats), a D-F-L'er from St. Cloud, says that, despite a labor shortage here, we're sending more students to neighboring states under the agreements. He says that we're also sending more than 10 million dollars a year to those states to subsidize those student's tution. Joining us on the line is Phil Lewenstein (LOO-in-stine), legislative and outreach director for the Higher Education Services Office that administers the reciprocity agreements. A new bill at the legislature would end the reciprocity agreements between Minnesota and neighboring states. The agreements allow students from Minnesota, to attend colleges in Wisconsin and the Dakotas and still pay in-state tuition. Students from those states can also come here and pay in-state tuition too. Representative Joe Opatz (OH-pats), a D-F-L'er from St. Cloud, says that despite a labor shortage here, we're sending more students to neighboring states under the agreements. He says that we're also sending more than 10 million dollars a year to those states to subsidize those student's tuition. Phil Lewenstein (LOO-in-stine) is the legislative and outreach director for the Higher Education Services Office that administers the reciprocity agreements.
March 14, 2001 - Should internet voting be an option? There are many reasons why it should never be.
March 14, 2001 - Koochiching County officials in northern Minnesota are sponsoring a snowmobile radar run this weekend in Voyageurs National Park, despite warnings from park officials that the event is against federal regulations. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Robertson reports... For the past 18 years, Voyageurs National Park has allowed an International Falls area snowmobile club to conduct a radar run on Lake Kabetogama within park boundaries. Snow sleds would race one at a time across the frozen surface competing for the fastest speeds. But this year, park officials denied the request. That irked the Koochiching County Board enough to prompt them to host their own radar run. Commissioner Wade Pavleck...
March 14, 2001 - A bill that would let cities use cameras to catch drivers running red lights has passed the Senate Transportation Committee. The cameras would be mounted at intersections and would most likely snap a picture of the rear license plate of any car that went through a red light. The photo would be considered proof of a violation. Fourteen states and the district of Columbia already have similar camera systems. Republican Senator Roy Terwilliger is sponsoring the bill in the Minnesota Senate, and he's on the line now.
March 15, 2001 - INTRO-- The St. Paul Area Synod, which oversees Lutheran churches in the St. Paul area, will meet later this afternoon and will consider whether to suspend one of its churches. St. Paul-Reformation Lutheran Church is on the hot seat because it has decided to ordain Anita Hill. Hill is a lesbian woman in a committed relationship. That puts her church out of line with the ELCA, the governing body of about ten thousand lutheran churches across the country. Hill initially decided not to pursue a divinity degree because of the church's position. Then, in 1983, she joined St. Paul Reformation-- and says she found support for her wish to be ordained.
March 19, 2001 - MPR’s Laura McCallum reports on Minnesota's eldest former Governor Elmer L. Andersen address to the Senate, one of only two times in recent memory a former statesman has been invited to speak on the Senate floor.
March 19, 2001 - The Minnesota House is expected to pass a budget resolution this week. It will be one of the first concrete indications of the House's spending priorities for the session. The legislature is about halfway through its five-month session, in which its main job is to come up with a two-year budget. Joining us now for a look at the week ahead is Minnesota Public Radio's Capitol Bureau Chief, Laura McCallum.
March 20, 2001 - The Senate Health and Family Security Committee last night voted 6-to-3 in favor of a bill that would force drug manufacturers to offer Minnesotans the same discounts they offer HMO's, the state and other bulk purchasers. Consumer rights groups, seniors and advocates for low income Minnesotans say the bill would provide a great benefit for those who need discounts but others say the bill is unconstitutional. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
March 20, 2001 - When the Minnesota Twins last made a major push for a new ballpark, team officials argued they needed the facility to make them financially competitive with the rest of the league. In the four years since that effort failed at the Legislature, player salaries have risen so high that the team now concedes that revenue from a new ballpark alone won't balance their books.