December 3, 2001 - Governor Ventura has announced the formation of a tri-partisan task force to study rising health care costs and the quality of care. Ventura says the state's double-digit health insurance increases and a floundering economy could lead to higher uninsurance rates. However, he says the task force will not make recommendations until after next year's gubernatorial election. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports.
December 3, 2001 - When Minnesota's latest revenue forecast comes out tomorrow, many legislators expect it to show a budget deficit of at least a billion dollars. Some say it could be as high as 1.3-billion dollars. The size of the shortfall has prompted some finance experts to say Governor Ventura should call a special session soon to deal with the problem. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports..
December 5, 2001 - Legislative leaders have started highlighting their proposals to fix the state's nearly 2-billion dollar budget shortfall announced yesterday. Caucus leaders spoke today at the Association of Minnesota Counties' Annual Conference in St. Paul. They say they will wait for Governor Ventura to outline a plan that could help balance the budget, but started making recommendations which include raising taxes and cutting services. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports.
December 5, 2001 - State Finance Commissioner Pam Wheelock told nonprofit organizations today they aren't being singled out for budget cuts. Wheelock discussed the state's nearly two-billion dollar shortfall to a frustrated group of nonprofit representatives. Many feel they're at the front of the line for cuts, after Wheelock's decision to temporarily freeze all new state grants. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.
December 6, 2001 - The fight to save the Minnesota Twins moves to Capitol Hill today. The House Judiciary Committee will open hearings on baseball's protection from federal antitrust laws, which critics say allows the league to operate as a cartel. Governor Jesse Ventura will offer testimony along with baseball commissioner Bud Selig. But observers say not to expect a quick resolution. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo reports.
December 10, 2001 - Building the budget for the state that is strong and that will benefit the infrastructure of the citizens.
December 11, 2001 - With chances that Major League Baseball could delay plans for a year to eliminate the Minnesota Twins and Montreal Expos, Morning Edition’s Cathy Wurzer talks with Minnesota State Representative Harry Mares about what Minnesota legislators will need to accomplish this session regarding a ballpark discussion in order to save the Twins team.
December 11, 2001 - An additional property tax levy to fund a popular neighborhood program will be a key topic when the Minneapolis City Council begins honing budget details today (Tuesday). Speakers at a public hearing on the budget last night listed the accomplishments of the Neighborhood Revitalization Program and pleaded for its future. Minnesota Public Radio's Art Hughes reports.
December 11, 2001 - A Defense Department study shows Gulf War veterans are nearly twice as likely to develop Lou Gehrigs Disease- or ALS- as other military personnel. Department of Veterans affairs continue research on the connection between other illnesses and the Gulf War and increase research into ALS in search of a cause, treatment and cure. Moorhead native Kevin Shores believes he is suffering from a gulf war illness. He says The new research, which included nearly 2.5 million military personnel, is one of the largest epidemiological studies ever conducted and offers the most conclusive evidence to date linking Gulf War veterans to a disease. Still, researchers don't know why these veterans were more likely to get sick. Kevin Shores has gulf war sydrome
December 11, 2001 - A Massachussets congressman is proposing legislation that would crack down on Web sites that sell cigarettes to minors. This is Future Tense for December 11th, I'm Jon Gordon. The bill would require companies to verify a buyer's age on Web sites and again when the cigarettes are delivered. A new study by the School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina counts more than 88 companies in 23 states using the Web to sell discount cigarettes online. Kurt Pribisl is the study's author. ((q/a)) Tobacoo control policy expert Kurt Pribisl of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A companion study, co-authored by Pribisl, found that 2 percent of 17,000 California high schoolers surveyed have attempted to by cigarettes over the Internet.