March 25, 2002 - Minnesota lawmakers are coming up against their self-determined deadline for finishing the session. Leglislators have said they want to complete their work and adjourn by Easter. But they still have plenty to do, including agreeing on a plan to close a $440 million gap in the state budget. Morning Edition’s Cathy Wurzer gets developments from MPR's Capitol Bureau Chief Laura McCallum.
March 25, 2002 - **For Monday 3/25 M.E.** Golden Valley lawyer Greg Wersel gets his day before the highest court in the land tomorrow (Tuesday). The U.S. Supreme Court will take up Wersal's challenge to a Minnesota ethics rule that bars judicial candidates from announcing their views on political and legal issues likely to come before the court. The case has drawn widespread attention since at least 39 states restrict judicial speech to some degree. Minnesota Public Radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports.
March 25, 2002 - Minnesota-based American Refugee Committee is allowing relief worker Frank Anderson, Jr to continue his work in Pakistan. Last week, the U.S. State Department ordered embassy dependents and nonessential staff in Pakistan to leave. State Department officials also issued a global warning, saying they continue to receive credible reports that extremists are plannin terrorist acts against Americans worldwide. Anderson says he's following the Embassy's advice about ways to protect himself:
March 25, 2002 - MPR’s Lorna Benson talks with capitol reporter Michael Khoo about Minnesota House expected to vote on a ballpark financing plan first proposed by Governor Jesse Ventura's administration.
March 25, 2002 - The mayor of Minneapolis joined state lawmakers and mental health advocates at the Capitol today to support a bill to make it easier for police officers to commit someone having a mental health crisis. They say the bill will help prevent tragedies. Two weeks ago, an apparently delusional Minneapolis man was shot and killed after confronting police with a machete. But some in the mental health field say with funds dwindling, there's no place to bring people in crisis. MPR’s Art Hughes presents this report on gathering.
March 26, 2002 -
March 26, 2002 - The U-S Supreme Court also heard arguments today in a Minnesota case that could affect judicial elections across the country. The case centers on what limits a state can set on campaign activities for judges. Nine states, including Minnesota, prohibit judicial candidates from announcing their views on disputed legal or political issues. Minnesota Republicans sued in 1998 along with Greg Wersal, who ran unsuccessfully for the state Supreme Court. Wersal claims he was unconstitutionally silenced when he wanted to tell Minnesota voters how, as a justice, he would be tough on criminals. Star Tribune reporter Kevin Diaz attended today's Supreme Court arguments. He says he could tell this was a tough issue for the justices.
March 26, 2002 - Second congressional district congressman Republican Mark Kennedy has decided to run for re-election in the SIXTH congressional district. His decision is a result of a new congressional map revealed last week that put his home in the sixth district. Kennedy's old second congressional district used to covered the southwestern quadrant of the state, but is now mainly a suburban area just south of the Twin Cities. Kennedy's decision leaves the race for the second district seat wide open. Joining us on the line to is Chris Gerlach (ger-LOCK), a GOP State Representative from Apple Valley and Mike Erlandson, chair of the state DFL party. That's DFL Party Chair Mike Erlandson. We also spoke with Republican State Representative Chris Gerlach (ger-LOCK).
March 26, 2002 - Andrew Zimbalist, a professor of economics at Smith College and the author of a book called Baseball and Billions, comments on local stadium actions. Fifty St. Paul business owners started a campaign against a proposed food, beverage, and lodging tax to fund a Twins stadium, while Minnesota House approved a bill for a $330 million open-air stadium that allows the host city to levy the tax to help repay bonds.
March 26, 2002 - The Senate has given preliminary approval to a budget balancing bill that erases the state's debt for the current biennium and tackles a portion of the debt in the next two-year budget. The bill uses accounting shifts and several tax increases to cover the projected $439 million remaining in the deficit. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...