January 6, 1999 - Experts say farm chemicals are the big source of Mississippi River pollution. But farmers point the finger right back at urban areas and say city dwellers need to do more to clean up their act. Tens of millions of dollars are being spent to upgrade the Twin Cities sewage treatment system to do just that. The goal is to remove phosphorous from sewage. Environmentalists applaud the action as a step in the right direction. But they say the Mississippi's health will improve only when more far reaching steps are taken to restore the river's ecology.
January 6, 1999 - Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura made a flurry of appointments today as he tries to fill dozens of vacancies in his new administration.
January 6, 1999 - As the state legislative session begins, many interest groups are still waiting to see what stands Governor Jesse Ventura will take on specific issues but supporters of industrial hemp already know exactly how the governor stands on their issue. During his campaign, Ventura spoke out clearly in favor of legalizing industrial hemp, and he's reaffirmed his position since then. Hemp promoters now see new hope for what they call a promising and environmentally friendly alternative crop.
January 6, 1999 - While the US Senate is focussing most of its attention on preparing for the impeachment trial of President Clinton, there are some other things going on. A group of farm state Democratic Senators held a hearing in Washington yesterday to discuss what can be done for hog farmers who are struggling because of record low prices.
January 7, 1999 - Minnesota's senators reflect the partisan split heading into the senate trial of President Clinton beginning today. The senators will take their oath as jurors later today. A full trial could take as long as six months. Some senators have proposed a limited trial, followed by a test-vote to see if there are the votes needed to remove the president from office. Democrats like Paul Wellstone say there's no way Republicans have the 67 votes needed to convict the president. Wellstone says the senate should limit the process to a two-week period.
January 7, 1999 - The St. Paul companies this week announced it has filled its number two job. James Gustafson takes over as president and chief operating officer of the largest private employer in downtown St. Paul. He arrives after a tough year for the state's oldest corporation. The large property and liability insurer has been buffeted by bad weather and brutal competition in the insurance industry.
January 7, 1999 - President Clinton's senate trial began today when senators took their oaths as jurors. They'll meet behind closed doors tomorrow morning to work out the impeachment trial ground rules. As with the House several weeks ago, the Senate is receiving an unusually high volume of constituent e-mails. The senate computer server is handling seven times the usual number of messages. Republican Rod Grams' office is getting about a thousand constituent comments per day--that includes phone calls, e-mails and letters. Grams' press secretary says constituent feedback is running 2-to-1 against the President, and most people also oppose censure. Democrat Paul Wellstone's office didn't have exact numbers, but said the Minnesota office got fewer calls than expected, and constituents were evenly split on removing the president from office.
January 7, 1999 - House Republicans have attached specific dollar amounts to the rebates they plan to send to state taxpayers. They and the Ventura Administration agree the state should return as much of the surplus as possible directly to taxpayers... but so far, neither side knows for sure how to keep FEDERAL tax collectors from taking a chunk out of those rebate checks.
January 7, 1999 - Scientists who meeting at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency said they're encouraged by the progress being made in determining the cause of deformities in frogs found in Minnesota and other states since 1995. Researchers say several different avenues of the investigation are providing information that could lead them closer to finding the reason many frogs have missing limbs, extra limbs, missing eyes and other deformities.
January 7, 1999 - Cities and counties are concerned about their futures under Minnesota's new tri-partisan state government. Many say there are opportunities with a Republican-dominated House, a DFL-controlled Senate, and a Reform Party governor -- but they worry funding for local services may be threatened in the rush to cut taxes.