June 26, 2000 - The city of Saint Cloud is debating whether to join a federally organized coalition designed to force gun manufacturers to add safety features to their weapons. Earlier this year, the nation's oldest and biggest gunmaker Smith and Wesson created a shockwave by announcing it would settle 14 of the lawsuits against the company by agreeing to several restrictions and safety provisions for sale and distribution of Smith and Wesson guns. The U-S Department of Housing and Urban Development brokered that agreement and has stayed involved by creating the "Communities for Safer Guns Coalition." Now requests have gone out to local governments across the country, including Saint Cloud, asking them to join the Coalition. Mainstreet Radio's Marisa (Muh-REE-suh) Helms reports.
June 26, 2000 -
June 26, 2000 - Jim Gibson will formally launch his campaign as the Independence Party's endorsed candidate for U.S. Senate today at the state capitol, joining the sizeable group of challengers for Republican incumbant Senator Rod Grams. Gibson won his party's endorsement for U.S. Senate with ease, but faces a daunting race ahead. The Edina-based software developer faces at least two competitors in his party primary, and party officials are hinting others may still enter the race. Minnesota Public Radio's Amy Radil reports.
June 26, 2000 - A strike by Twin Cities hotel workers has spread to a seventh area hotel. Members of the hotel employees local 17 walked off the job this morning City officials say they hope to push the two sides into an agreement before Thursday, when 50 thousand people will come to town for an international Alcoholics Anonymous convention. Minnesota Public Radio's Andrew Haeg reports.
June 27, 2000 - Suzanna Sherry, University of Minnesota constitutional law expert, talks about the key rulings and trends at the U.S. Supreme Court.
June 27, 2000 - On this Voices of Minnesota program, MPR’s Dan Olson profiles two Minnesota musicians - Ann Heymann, gaelic harpist; and Jerry Mayeron, big band leader.
June 27, 2000 -
June 27, 2000 - MPR’s Lorna Benson talks with reporter Dan Gunderson about Governor Jesse Ventura’s fourth leg of Tour 2000. The Governor began his day in Moorhead and by tomorrow will visit 12 Northwestern Minnesota cities to talk about flood relief, the state of agriculture, and business development.
June 27, 2000 - For the 23 years that he's been head of non-game wildlife for Minnesota's Department of Natural Resources, Carol Henderson has been trying to save the species that don't interest hunters and anglers. Some of them have been a success--the bald eagle and the timberwolf, but many others haven't attracted the same kind of attention and level of funding. Now Henderson is hopeful that he's finally going to get some help from the Federal Government. The House has passed a bill that would take revenues from off-shore oil drilling and funnel it to state parks and recreation areas, and non-game wildlife. The bill is now going through the Senate, and Henderson says it could mean an extra 36 to 37 (M)million dollars annually for Minnesota's non-game species:
June 27, 2000 - The Federal Government released new guidelines today on smoking cessation. The recommendations urge health insurers to provide coverage for tobacco treatment just as they do for treating other chronic diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes. Dr. Richard Hurt is the Director of the Mayo Clinic Nicotine Dependence Center. He says health care professionals know what help people need to quit smoking, and they need the authority to act on it: