January 29, 1999 - One of the losers in Governor Ventura's budget proposal is public broadcasting. Ventura says he wants to gradually eliminate state subsidies for public radio and public television stations in Minnesota. The stations, some of which are in rural areas, say its money they can't afford to lose.
January 29, 1999 - A coalition of African American ministers and other community leaders today denounced Governor Jesse Ventura for failing to include any African Americans among his appointees. The group is demanding a meeting with the governor. But Governor Ventura is standing by his hiring decisions.
January 29, 1999 - The St. Paul companies today reported its profits for 1998 declined 93 percent compared to the year before. The company's bottom line was victim to fierce industry competition and heavy losses from catastrophic storm damage.
January 29, 1999 - A new report by the state legislative auditor finds "numerous weaknesses" in the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's feedlot program. They include outdated rules, inadequate inspections, and inconsistent enforcement.
January 29, 1999 - Even though Sunday's Superbowl game will be Viking-less , it will still be a special day for residents of International Falls. The town's favorite son, legendary football great Bronko Nagurski, will be named to sports commentator John Madden's All-Millenium Football Team. Nagurski played for the Chicago Bears in the 1930s and 40s and is considered one of the best to ever play the game. But as Tom Robertson reports from Bemidji, Nagurski never forgot his small town roots.
February 1, 1999 - Playwright, actor, and director, Lillian Garrett-Groag just had a unique experience at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis . Not only is she one of the few living writers to see her work performed on the Guthrie stage... her play depicts her own life-story. Garrett-Groag told Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr "The Magic Fire" is a fictionalized account of her childhood in Argentina, as the daughter of European immigrants.
February 1, 1999 - The House Tax committee today backed a one-billion dollar income tax rebate, tossing out Governor Ventura's sales tax rebate plan. D-F-L'ers on the committee argued a sales tax rebate would benefit more Minnesotans, but Republicans say the bulk of the state's budget surplus came from income taxes, so the rebate should go back to income taxpayers.
February 1, 1999 - DFL leaders say many of their proposals came directly from farmers who attended ag rallies in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Sioux City, Iowa in recent weeks. Representative Doug Peterson says Minnesota is working in concert with four other Midwest states to implement many of the farmers recommendations which also include loosening loan restrictions and providing state support for farmer-owned processing and marketing facilities. But Peterson say reforming the pricing system will be the main push this session. In particular, he says the DFL wants to require processors to disclose the "real" worth of the contracts they sign with farmers.
February 1, 1999 - The new farm crisis was expected to be a major topic in the legislature this year but you wouldn't know it from Governor Ventura's budget proposal. Scores of Red River valley farmers have left the business and hog producers are suffering one of their worst price slumps ever. Ventura though only made a couple of suggestions to help farmers and those ideas aren't finding much support.
February 1, 1999 - Agriculture is taking a more prominent role in the congressional arena, with even a mention in the state of the union address. The attention underscores the seriousness of what some are calling a new crisis - worse than the 1980's. The Justice and Commerce departments are also addressing agricultural issues, and while farmers are pleased with all the attention they say action speaks louder than words.