May 14, 2003 -
May 14, 2003 - At the end of the month a record number of Minnesotan's will be able to qualify to carry a concealed weapon. The recently passed law has become a controversial and emotionally charged issue around the state. Mainstreet Radio's Erin Galbally reports on how people in Olmsted County are preparing for when the law goes into effect.
May 14, 2003 - Governor Pawlenty says he'll call state lawmakers back for a special session immediately if they don't reach agreement on a state budget by next Monday. Pawlenty and House Speaker Steve Sviggum say they're concerned that there won't be enough time to finish all of their work even if an overall budget framework is agreed upon soon. They say they need to give conference committees ample time to negotiate their differences and for the revisors office to process paperwork. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
May 14, 2003 - MPR’s Nikki Tundel speaks with Erich Mische, the state director for U.S. Senator Norm Coleman, about a St. Paul high school student facing deportation. Tchisou Tho was scheduled for deportation just 22 days before he would have become the first in his family to graduate from high school, but won a delay that will allow him to graduate with his classmates in June.
May 15, 2003 - Negotiations on an overall budget agreement are continuing at the state Capitol today but legislative leaders say it's unlikely that they'll finish their work on time. Lawmakers are facing a Monday deadline and are still more than one (B) dollars apart on a budget deal. They remain optimistic that the two sides can agree on an overall budget deal, but still remain divided on tax increases. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
May 15, 2003 - Legislative leaders are still trying to negotiate an overall budget deal. They're saying it's unlikely they'll finish by next Monday's deadline and believe they'll need at least a short special session to complete their work. One of the major differences between Senate DFLers and House Republicans is on the health and human services budget. The two sides are hundreds of millions of dollars apart and differ on several policy issues. The House is proposing cuts to state subsidized health insurance programs and childcare assistance to help balance the budget. Senate DFLers are proposing a cigarette tax increase to offset the proposed cuts. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports..
May 15, 2003 - If you want to become a State Patrol trooper in Minnesota, there's only one way. Every recruit goes through intense training at Camp Ripley north of Little Falls. The State Patrol's training academy lasts 16 weeks and is followed by months of extra on the job training. The State Patrol wants to train more recruits to fill open trooper positions. But in these tight budget times, that's not likely to happen. Mainstreet Radio's Tim Post reports.
May 16, 2003 -
May 16, 2003 - Legislative leaders emerged from talks around midnight saying they're close to reaching an agreement on an overall budget. House Republicans and Senate DFLers say they hope to finalize the deal today and have conference committees negotiate over the weekend. They say they probably don't have time to pass all of the budget bills before the Monday night deadline. They hope, however, that they'll have enough time to finish several of them. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
May 19, 2003 - Minnesota lawmakers are just hours away from the end of the legislative session - but their work is far from completed. They have yet to send any budget bills to the governor, and several major conference committees are on hold. Legislative leaders say they hope to finish work on the budget by the end of the week. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports...