January 19, 1999 -
January 19, 1999 - St. Paul civic and business leaders have unveiled plans for a business-oriented charter high school to open in downtown St. Paul next year. Former Lieutenant Governor Joanne Benson will be its top administrator.
January 19, 1999 - Minnesota's Commissioner of Natural Resources resigned today -- one week after Governor Ventura appointed him. Al Horner resigned after two DNR officials quit to protest what they regarded as his dismissive attitude toward the work of conservation officers.
January 19, 1999 - The House Tax Committee got its first chance to examine Governor Ventura's sales tax rebate today. Republicans - who would prefer an income tax rebate - are poking holes in the plan. DFL'ers on the committee like the idea.
January 19, 1999 - Department of Natural Resources employees are back to wondering who their new boss will be, after Alan Horner resigned earlier today. Horner was the come-out-of-nowhere DNR commissioner named by Governor Jesse Ventura, a successful businessman and former Navy Seal; he quit after it was revealed he'd been cited for breaking game and fish laws.
January 19, 1999 - Second District Representative David Minge wants to see changes in the nation's anti-trust laws to slow the growing tide of corporate mega-mergers. He held a forum Monday on the consolidation of one of the Minnesota's major industries, agriculture.
January 19, 1999 - The contrast of good times and a burgeoning population of homeless people doesn't jibe. How is it that with the economy chugging along nicely the homeless population is increasing? Many assume some of the homeless choose their existence. But people who work with them scoff at the assumption. They cite poverty, a housing shortage and untreated mental illness as the real reasons people become homeless. A small Minneapolis program called Spectrum helps the most vulnerable homeless people - the mentally ill who live outside in the winter.
January 19, 1999 - Northwest airlines closed its books on 1998 today posting a net loss for the year approaching 300 MILLION dollars. The loss stems largely from labor troubles last year which began with a work slow down and culminated with a more than two week pilots' strike. Northwest was also hurt by continued weakness in Asia, a market from which it traditionally derives nearly a third of its revenue.
January 20, 1999 - Federal investigators reviewing last December's Holidazzle accident have found no evidence of mechinical problems with the police van that accelerated into a crowd of parade watchers, killing two people. Their report is part of a state investigation is still underway. An attorney representing families of the victims says criminal charges should be filed against the officier who was driving the van.
January 20, 1999 - State lawmakers have started the debate over a proposed overhaul of Minnesota's high school graduation standards. The House Education Committee is considering a bill to scale back the controversial Profile of Learning, which is being introduced in the schools this year. Some legislators say the bill would hurt the state's education reform efforts. Others say they'd rather slash the entire Profile system.