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.
January 20, 1999 - The debate over how to spend Minnesota's six-point-one billion dollar tobacco settlement is heating up at the state Capitol. Legislative leaders are proposing that a chunk of the money be set aside for smoking prevention, and a coalition of consumer and health groups is calling for ALL of the money to be dedicated to health care.
January 20, 1999 - President Clinton pledged in his state of the union message to work with congress to build a farm safety net. It was a rare nod to farmers in the president's most important policy speech. Some Minnesota farmers say the presidents recognition of agricultural problems could be an important one.
January 21, 1999 - Governor Ventura named two more commissioners today. Sheryl Ramstad Hvass, a Minneapolis attorney and former Hennepin County judge will be the new head the Corrections department. Hvass lost a tight race for Hennepin County attorney in November. Michael O'Keefe will become the new commissioner of Human Services. O'Keefe had recently announced plans to step down from his position as chief executive of the McKnight Foundation. Through his foundation work, O'Keefe worked hard on welfare reform, something he'll now head up for the state.