September 5, 2001 - The church needs to provide health resources to African Americans in order to help bring illnesses and unplanned pregnancies down.
September 7, 2001 - New board members for both Allina's Hospitals and Clinics and the Medica HMO say they're shocked at the spending practices of the companies' out-going management. Attorney General Mike Hatch has released another portion of his audit of Allina, this part covering travel and entertainment expenses. Hatch has been investigating the company since last year and says executives spent millions of dollars unrelated to health care. However, some former board members say many of the health care expenditures were warranted. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
September 11, 2001 - The state of Minnesota will resume contract negotiations with two of its unions on Thursday in hopes of averting a strike. The Minnesota Association of Professional Employees and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Council 6 say they'll strike next Monday (SEPT 17th) if a contract agreement cannot be reached. Lead negotiators say the major unresolved issues include pay raises and health benefits. Health economists and labor experts say health care costs are becoming a major issue in labor negotiations as insurance premiums continue to rise at double digit rates. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
September 19, 2001 - Medtronic officials have advised their 26-thousand employees to curtail nonessential air travel until further notice. Fridley-based Medtronic spends about 50 million dollars a year on airfares and books an average of 37-hundred employee flights a month. CEO Art Collins says he decided to limit travel after many of his employees were stranded in New York and Washington during last week's terrorist attack.
September 20, 2001 -
September 21, 2001 - President Bush is urging Americans to keep making donations in support of the victims of last week's terrorist attacks. Hundreds of millions of dollars have already poured into several large national charities. Officials with Minnesota charitable organizations say they've been amazed by the level of giving, but they're also concerned about their ability to meet ongoing, local needs. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.
September 24, 2001 - Dr. John Christianson is the director of the Carlson School's Center for the Study of Healthcare Management. Dr. Christianson says he doubts the changes brought by the Attorney General's audit will have much of an effect on the costs of health care. He says there are bigger factors influencing the growth of consumer health care costs.
September 25, 2001 - A North Dakota State University veternarian is going to Russia to learn about anthrax. Dr. Charlie Stoltenow leaves Fargo on Saturday as part of seven-member research team funded by the U-S Department of Defense. The team will spend two weeks visiting Russian laboatories. Dr. Stoltenow says there are two main goals for the trip.
September 26, 2001 - Poseidon Drowning Detection System comes from Paris and St. Cloud School District has the first one in the country to have one.
September 27, 2001 - Talks resume today (Thursday) to try to avert a state employee strike scheduled to begin Monday. Nearly 30-thousand workers are ready to walk off the job over wages and health insurance, unless their two unions and state negotiators can reach an agreement in the next four days. The fallout from the terrorist attacks this month may put extra pressure on both sides to reach a deal. Minnesota Public Radio's Patty Marsicano reports: