March 9, 2001 - President Bush is in Sioux Falls, South Dakota this morning to promote his one-point-three trillion dollar tax plan. Nearly twelve thousand people turned out in Fargo, North Dakota yesterday to hear Bush speak. Minnesota Public Radio's Cara Hetland is in Sioux Falls, where President Bush is scheduled to speak at the National Guard Armory later this morning.
March 12, 2001 - A state task force has recommended that Minnesota shift its reliance on nursing homes toward less costly assisted living alternatives. Forty-thousand Minnesotans now live in nursing homes even though state officials say many could be living on their own with some assistance. This legislative session, Governor Ventura and the Legislature are working on ways to prepare the long-term care system for the state's retiring baby-boomers. Over the next three days, we'll examine Minnesota's long-term care system in our series "A Question of Dignity." Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports on the state's existing options...
March 12, 2001 -
March 13, 2001 - The state's five largest HMO's say they will offer all the same standard treatments and prevention efforts for 50 common ailments like breast cancer and diabetes. The agreement marks the first time all of the major health plans in a state will endorse a set of guidelines to make patient care better and more cost effective. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
March 13, 2001 - Despite exploding consumer demand, the state's Department of Agriculture plans to slash funding to organic and sustainable programs under a budget proposal currently awaiting legislative approval. Under the 2002-2003 budget, money will be redirected to new initiatives designed to attract a broader range of farmers. The state's agriculture commissioner says his department needs to invest money in more market friendly programs, despite numbers from the Organic Trade Association indicating US sales of organic produce has jumped more than 122-percent since 1996. Mainstreet's Erin Galbally reports the first of two stories on the state's shifting marketing philosophy when it comes to agriculture.
March 13, 2001 - Every year, Minnesota spends 850 million dollars caring for the state's elderly in nursing homes. As baby-boomers approach retirement, long-term care experts worry that unless changes occur those costs could skyrocket. A tri-partisan task-force studied the issue last summer and wants the state to meet consumer demand by creating a better system of home and community based care. But the transformation will not be cheap. The task-force, the governor and the industry all expect the state to spend over a 100 million dollars in the 2 year budget to start this system. In the second part in our three-part series on long-term care "A Question of Dignity" Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck examines the legislative proposals.
March 13, 2001 - Minnesota could become the first state in the country to subsidize parental leave. A bill introduced yesterday in the Senate outlines a plan that allows employers to volunteer to pay 1/3 of a new parent's wages, with the state and the employee picking up the remaining two thirds. Current law requires employers to offer unpaid leave for up to 12 weeks. St. Paul Senator Ellen Anderson is the author of the bill. She says the plan benefits employees AND employers:
March 14, 2001 - A prayer service this morning (Wednesday) at the Cathedral of Saint Paul marked the beginning of extensive rehabililitation work on the structure. Workers will replace the Cathedral's 60-thousand square foot roof and refinish the buildings exterior. Church officials say the $35 million renovation will bring about some significant changes to the 85-year old structure. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
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.