April 6, 1999 - MPR’s William Wilcoxen reports the Minnesota Twins roster for 1999 season feature several unproven players who are new to Major League Baseball…the consequence of owner Carl Pohlad’s decision to slash the Twins' payroll over the winter. The move puts Twins management in the position of trying to raise interest in the team amid low expectations.
April 6, 1999 - If you step into a bookstore these days, chances are you'll encounter the Sunday morning talk shows in book form...former Clinton advisor George Stephanopolos is out with his tell-all about being a close Clinton aide. Newsweek's Michael Isikoff has written about his role as a reporter hot on the trail of the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal, and of course, Monica Lewinsky's book made quite a splash when it came out earlier this year. Washington Post book critic and columnist Jonathan Yardley is in Minneapolis for some speaking engagements. I asked him what he thinks of the latest round of inside-the-beltway books.
April 6, 1999 - The Saint Paul school board will let its high schools decide individually whether to provide birth control directly to students. Board members met until early this morning debating the controversial proposal to allow health clinics in those schools to distribute contraceptives. In a hastily concieved compromise, parents, teachers and students at each school will now vote on the issue.
April 7, 1999 - Minnesota's U.S. Senators Paul Wellstone and Rod Grams, give the annual Frank Premack Lecture sponsored by the University of Minnesota School of Journalism and Mass Communication and the Minnesota Journalism Center.
April 7, 1999 - The Minnesota Twins opened their 1999 season with a win, defeating the Toronto Blue Jays 6-1 at the Metrodome. The victory comes amid low expectations for this year's team which includes a large number of rookies. 10 of the 25 names on team roster are new to Major League Baseball. MPR's Michael Khoo reports the lack of star power hasn't dampened fan enthusiasm.
April 8, 1999 - This afternoon President Clinton and Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji signed an aviation pact that'll significantly increase passenger and cargo flights between the two countries. Among the biggest beneficiaries of the trade agreement will be Twin Cities based Northwest Airlines.
April 12, 1999 - Voters in the Pipestone-Jasper School District in far southwestern Minnesota, decide tomorrow if they'll replace an 82 year old high school. The building violates the state fire code and is beginning to crumble from the ground up. Opponents don't want to spend 22 million dollars on a new school but would prefer to renovate the old. Pipestone is not alone in this decision. Many communities with aging schools will hold similar bond referendums in the next several years as turn-of-the-century schools need updating. The state isn't staying neutral - holding out financial assistance as an incentive to force new construction.
April 12, 1999 - It's nail biting time for Twin Cities rail boosters. Federal officials reviewing Minnesota's request for money for the Hiawatha Avenue light rail line assume the state will share the cost. But Last week, members of a key Minnesota House committee approved a transporation bill which does NOT include the $60 million the governor and other rail supporters seek. A version of the bill still alive in the Senate includes the money. Light rail supporters worry that failure to win state money will push Minnesota to the back of the funding line.
April 13, 1999 - The time between snowmelt and spring growth is Minnesota's most dangerous fire season. Every year thousands of acres burn, and tens of thousands of dollars are spent controlling the flames. But this year, an agreement between three midwest states and two Canadian provinces could mean better firefighting for all and a strange new sight on Minnesota lakes.
April 13, 1999 - MPR’s Eric Jansen reports on community complaints regarding Minneapolis Police Department’s CODEFOR program. Minneapolis’ mayor and police chief say CODEFOR has dramatically reduced crime in the city. Critics and civil rights groups claim the computer-assisted program that targets neighborhoods based on crime patterns encourages police harassment and makes some residents feel like prisoners in their own homes.