October 11, 1975 - John Milhone, Minnesota Energy Agency director, is skeptical of the president?s energy proposal including a subsidy for crash construction of synthetic fuels by 1976. He says while there?s a need for additional capital for the development of energy sources we?ve learned that programs announced with a with a fanfare and big dollar tag are not necessarily effective. This reminds him of Project Independence, a plan to have the nation energy independent by 1980. That?s impossible and it will be difficult to be even partially independent by 1985. Splashy big investment programs are not a good substitute for a more realistic look at energy use and supply. We need to look at more effective conservation programs, such as a need to get better efficiency out of automobiles. We should spend funds on alternative transportation methods and mass transit programs. The railroads don?t get support they need. With retrofitting insulation in homes, business and industry for less money you could get more energy savings. It?s possible to consider conservation programs as economic investments in fuel. With limited public funds in the energy area more could be achieved by conservation than new supply development projects.
October 13, 1975 - Senator John Milton says Michigan people, particularly key legislators, regard the nursing home industry as a public utility because the amount of money from public funds going into the industry is enormous, and the taxpaying public has an interest greater than with normal commercial ventures. Another reason is a lot of old people who need protection, a responsibility and concern of state in terms of public health and safety. In many cases the homes are being bought through use of public funds and federally guaranteed mortgage money, with fees put on the reimbursement system. Dues paid to associations who hire lobbyists for the industry are being passed on to the public.
October 13, 1975 - Reporter summarizes findings of Senate subcommittee on nursing homes trip to Michigan to look at how nursing homes are regulated there. Among their ideas were that state's variable reimbursement favoring smaller businesses over larger chains that are primarily real estate ventures. Sen. John Milton talks about what the committee discovered,
October 15, 1975 - MPR’s Dick Daly interviews U.S. Representative Jim Oberstar about his proposed idea to expand the Boundary Waters Canoe Area that would comprise both a wilderness and a national recreation area by act of Congress.
October 16, 1975 - MPR’s Tom Steward reports on Minnesota Congressman Jim Oberstar's proposed bill prohibiting the removal of natural resources in BWCA, including logging. It also states no snowmobiling except in designated areas. A similar bill was submitted by Representative Doug Johnson.
October 16, 1975 - A presidential primary bill passed the House but did not receive a hearing in the Senate. It would have set April 6 as a primary date. Rick Scott (title unknown) says a primary comes too early, but the caucus system works well. Senator Skip Humphrey offered a bill to create a "regional" primary, grouping Minnesota with WI, the Dakotas and Iowa. Also in capitol news, a bill was passed restricting commercial development in the BWCA.
October 16, 1975 - A presidential primary bill passed the House but did not receive a hearing in the Senate. It would have set April 6 as a primary date. Rick Scott says a primary comes too early, but the caucus system works well. Senator Skip Humphrey offered a bill to create a "regional" primary, grouping Minnesota with WI, the Dakotas and Iowa. Also in capitol news, a bill was passed restricting commercial development in the BWCA.
October 17, 1975 - Cases of nine people convicted for roles they played in Wounded Knee occupation come before appeals court. The appeal is a consolidated one, with two lines of attack: one on US jurisdiction (the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty guarantees sovereign rights of Lakota people), the other, government misconduct (the FBI paid informant Doug Durham to infiltrate AIM). The appeals court many not act on treaty issues, so the case may be sent to the Supreme Court. Lawyer Vine DeLoria says for too many years the government has treated Indian tribes as sovereign some of the time and wards of the state at other times. She wants an unambigious ruling on what the relationship is, which has implications for Pine Ridge Reservation. A ruling expected in two and a half months. Martin Bunzl and Bob Potter report.
October 17, 1975 - Minnesota Senator Robert North says a domed stadium is "out of the question." Citizens do not want to be "held up" for the building cost of $60 million. Instead, he proposes improvements be made to Met Stadium and Memorial Stadium.
October 17, 1975 - An unknown speaker, who appears to be a representative for a Minnesota longterm care organization, says legislators need to visit nursing homes and talk to staff before instituting state laws. Presently, some laws impinge on residents' rights. Steven's Square administrator, Karen Stuvey, who appears to be speaking at a long term care conference, gave some examples of laws that don't work, like state inspectors going through residents' drawers and closets without permission.