May 24, 1999 - In Martell, Wisconsin, residents are organizing to stop a new dairy farm planned near one of the best trout streams in the midwest--- the Rush River, about an hour's drive east of the Twin Cities. Opponents say a manure spill from the farm's storage lagoons could wipe out the trout in the Rush River for years to come. Defenders of the project say such fears are based on emotion, not science, and that large scale dairy operations are the way of the future in Wisconsin.
May 25, 1999 - St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman is floating an idea for a new outdoor ballpark for the Minnesota Twins. The mayor argues a stadium in St. Paul would help revitalize the city's downtown core. He hasn't offered any specifics yet, but already the proposal is drawing some criticism.
May 26, 1999 - A Mainstreet Radio special broadcast from Lake Benton. Rachel Reabe hosts a discussion about Minnesota's wind farm on Buffalo Ridge and the greater wind-power industry with guests Marlin Thompson, Lake Benton mayor; Jim Nichols, a former agriculture commissioner who now heads economic development efforts for the area; and Audrey Zibelman, director of Energy Marketing for Northern States Power.
May 26, 1999 - A Mainstreet Radio special broadcast from Lake Benton. Rachel Reabe hosts a discussion about deregulation of the electric industry with guests Steve Minn, Minnesota Public Service commissioner; Jim Nichols, Arlene Lesewski, Republican state senator from Marshall; Michael Noble, executive director of Minnesotans for an Energy-Efficient Economy; and Rick Lemonds, general manager of Lyon-Lincoln Electric Cooperative.
May 26, 1999 - More Minneapolis public school graduates will get a chance to attend college thanks to a major donor. Retired Medtronic executive Winston Wallin and his wife Maxine announced they are expanding their scholarship program from one high school to all of them. Wallin graduated from South High, and began offering scholarships to students there eight years ago. He says his earlier experience with the students who have already benefited from the program led him to expand it. Now more than 200 graduates will receive an average of ten thousand dollars to attend the Minnesota college or university of their choice
May 26, 1999 - The merger between US West and Global Crossing announced last week has met with skepticism from investors and questions about whether the deal might even fall through. Shares of both companies have posted significant declines since the largest phone service provider in Minnestota announced its marriage to a high flying telecommunications upstart. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin reports. The merger combines US West's local telephone business with Global Crossing's under-sea fiber optic cable business. Another piece of the deal involves the national long distance and data transmission operations of Frontier corporation of Rochester New York, which is also merging with Global Crossing. Diane Wells with the Minnesota PUb
May 26, 1999 - Saint Paul School District officials say they're preparing for their largest ever summer school program. More than 15-thousand students in kindergarten through 12th grade are expected to enroll in the remedial sessions. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports... This is the second year in Saint Paul for mandatory summer school for students who have net yet passed the state basic standards tests. It's the first year summer school is required for any third grader who's fallen behind in reading. School officials were caught off guard last summer when more students than expected showed up for summer classes. Assistant Superintendent Cy Yusten says that won't happen again...
May 26, 1999 - Before leaving for California to promote his autobiography, Governor Ventura closed the books on the 1999 legislative session by vetoing almost $110 MILLION dollars worth of state spending and borrowing. He cut most of the money with line-item vetoes in larger bills, affecting a wide range of programs and projects. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports.
May 26, 1999 - Legislators and special interests spent the day picking through the 37 vetoes Governor Ventura dropped on them last night . The vetoes are far-ranging, and they cancel about $140 Million dollars of state spending and borrowing, depending on how you count them. The beneficiaries of specific projects are up in arms over the vetoes... but legislative leaders are not so upset, now that they've had a few hours to look them over. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports: Measured by sheer dollar amount, Winona State University lost the most from Ventura's flurry of vetoes. The University's physical plant manager, Dick Lande (LAND-ee), says the school was counting on $6 Million dollars in state bonding money to pay for three new boilers in the heating system. Ventura vetoed that money, and now Landee has to worry about possible structural damage if the old boilers fail before the Legislature can draw up a new bonding bill next year:
May 26, 1999 - MPR’s Mary Losure reports that Governor Jesse Ventura has vetoed a bill that would have loosened the Minnesota Pollution Control's regulation of animal feedlots. The bill would have exempted livestock farmers from state air quality standards when they were spreading manure on farm fields. It also would have eliminated a new set of rules that govern which feedlots are subject to environmental review.