April 9, 1998 - Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin, who also chairs the Seven County Rail Authority; and Art Leahy, general manager of the Metropolitan Council Transit Operations, discuss legislative passage of light rail project in the Twin Cities. McLaughlin and Leahy also answer listener questions.
April 9, 1998 - America is in the midst of an explosion of matters spiritual -- with best selling books on the care of the soul, the growth of non-demonimational mega churches, psychics on the television and Asian and Middle Eastern religions gaining American converts. All this month, in a series of reports and commentaries, Minnesota Public Radio will explore relgious issues in everyday life. Today, in the first report in our series, Reporter Mary Stucky says today's search for spiritual meaning reflects the nature of American life in the 1990s. BACKANNOUNCE FOR MORNING EDITION: (use as much as there is time for...) Tune in for our Mid Morning broadcast at 9am today, for an hour's discussion of faith and spirituality in everyday American life. Claire Wolfteich,(WOLF-tyk) Assistant Professor of Practical Theology and Spiritual Formation at Boston University School of Theology will join John Rabe from 9 to 10am. BACKANNOUNCE FOR MIDMORNING: (place this anywhere in the ho
April 9, 1998 - Tom Gravelin, a cafe owner in St. Peter, shares his experience during and after a tornado hit the Minnesota town.
April 9, 1998 - The House and Senate will likely take up the proposed bonding bill tonight. The bill totals 999-million-dollars, the largest in state history. The Minneapolis Convention Center is the largest single project in the legislation, at 87-million dollars. Second on the list is money for a new arena in St. Paul, at 65-million dollars. Late-night talks between legislative leaders and Governor Carlson resulted in the 65 million dollar, no-interest loan to St. Paul for a hockey arena in the city. In return, the Governor agreed not to reject the entire bonding bill. Carlson threatened to veto the legislation if lawmakers did not approve money for the new arena. Dick Cohen, chairman of the Senate State Government Finance Committee and one of five senate conferees on the Bonding Conference Committee, says the plan solves several problems surrounding the funding of the arena. | D-CART ITEM: 2414
April 9, 1998 - MPR’s Hope Deutscher reports on eight wrestlers at the University of Minnesota-Morris that are gaining international recognition. They are not only overcoming an opponent, but also stereotypes as they train for the future…even a potential Olympics.
April 9, 1998 - The Governor and top legislators have a hand-shake agreement to resolve the impasse over the St Paul hockey arena. The all-encompassing, late-night deal also settles how much tax relief Minnesotans can expect, and it guarantees extra financial help for the state's schools. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports: ((Up polka music)) The ten members of the Bonding Conference Committee played polka tapes to pass the time last night. They were supposed to be the ones resolving the stubborn St Paul hockey arena issue, but the REAL negotiations were taking somewhere else, between Senate Majority Roger Moe, House Sp
April 9, 1998 - Minnesota's House of Representatives has rejected a health and human services spending bill because it doesn't include a ban on a prodedure sometimes referred to as a "partial birth" abortion. The issue could be one of the last resolved on what's supposed to be the last day of the state legislature. As Minnesota Public Radio's Eric Jansen reports... A majority of House members was upset the Health and Human Services bill did not ban a procedure commonly called partial birth abortion. So, as they pledged to several weeks ago, they refused to adopt the bill yesterday and sent it back
April 9, 1998 - SOME POLITICAL ACTIVISTS SAY THE INTERNET MAKES AVERAGE CITIZENS MORE POWERFUL BECAUSE ELECTRONIC MAIL CAN BE A DIRECT PIPELINE TO ELECTED OFFICIALS. HOWEVER, SOME LAWMAKERS SAY THE ELECTRONIC VOICE OF THE PEOPLE IS JUST ANOTHER VOICE TO IGNORE. MINNESOTA PUBLIC RADIO'S JON GORDON REPORTS. AMERICAN DEMOCRACY IS BUILT AROUND CITIZEN PARTICIPATION, THROUGH VOTING, TOWN MEETINGS, CAUCUSES AND GENERAL DISCUSSION OF THE ISSUES. POLITICAL SCIENTISTS ARE CONCERNED THAT FEWER PEOPLE ARE GETING INVOLVED, BELIEVING THEIR VOICE DOES NOT MATTER. BUT SOME POLITICAL ACTIVISIST SAY THE INTERNET HAS THE POTENTIAL TO RE-INVIGORATE DEMOCRACY. THE WORLDWIDE WEB IS A CHEAP PLATFORM TO PUBLISH POLITICAL VIEWS. DISCUSSION LISTS GENERATE HEALTHY POLITCAL DEBATE. AND E-MAIL IS A CHEAP, EFFECTIVE WAY TO CO
April 10, 1998 - State lawmakers passed a health and human services spending bill early this morning after a compromise on abortion. The bill funds millions of dollars worth of health care and social service programs. Minnesota Public Radio's Eric Jansen reports from the capitol: The impasse over the Health and Human Services bill broke when abortion opponents dropped their demand that the bill include a ban on partial-birth abortions. Jackie Schweitz, of Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life says she realized the Senate, led by Roger Moe, would not approve the ban, so her group settled for stronger abortion reporting
April 10, 1998 - The Minnesota Legislature wrapped things up late last night in a spirit of cordiality -- at least between DFLers and Republican Governor Arne Carlson. House Republicans were less pleased with the session's outcome, and they're promising to take their complaints to the voters this fall. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports: Governor Carlson wasn't able to stick around the capitol long enough to hear the final gavel of the legislative session -- he had to turn in early, to catch an early-morning flight for New Orleans. But he did take time to look in on both the House and Senate... and he assured lawmakers that he was finishing his last legislative session as Governor with no hard feelings: ((I know there are time when