February 24, 1999 - A Minneapolis judge has taken the rare step of ordering juror names to remain secret in a gang-related murder trial. It's the second time in state history a judge has decided there's a risk to jurors if their identities are known. The case involves 25 year old Keith Henderson of Minneapolis who's accused of killing a man who informed on fellow members of the Chicago-based Mickey Cobras gang. The state's first case with an anonymous jury was the Haaf murder trial in 1993. In that case, four gang members were convicted in connection with the murder of Minneapolis police officer Jerry Haaf. Arthur Martinez represented one of the defendants, Mwati "Pepi" McKenzie who was convicted of conspiracy and acquitted of murder. Martinez says there's no doubt having an anonymous jury affected his client's trial.
February 24, 1999 - The Dayton Hudson Corporation is facing a minor setback in its plans to build a new Target headquarters in downtown Minneapolis . Yesterday, the city's Zoning and Planning Committee recommended the city council rescind a 1997 zoning decision that had cleared the way for the development.
February 24, 1999 - The recent discovery of human bones and artifacts on the campus of St. Cloud State University has caused excitement and curiosity in Minnesota. The findings promise to reveal a great deal about the state's early settlers. But cases like this also raise unsettling questions about how we treat the remains, and whether we are willing to delay 'progress' to learn from history.
February 25, 1999 -
February 25, 1999 - Governor Ventura offered an apology of sorts today for joking on national television that drunken Irishmen laid out the streets in St.Paul -- but he also accused the media of blowing the situation out of proportion. At the same time, some of Ventura's aides are hinting that other politicians are trying to use Ventura's gaffe for political gain.
February 25, 1999 - A bill repealing a residency requirements for city employees is on its way to Governor Ventura. The senate joined the house this morning in eliminating the power of cities to require new employees to live in the city where they work. St. Paul's residency requirement affected only 40 people, Minneapolis ' significantly more. Minneapolis City council president Jackie Cherryhomes says she's disappointed lawmakers have done away with the residency requirement, and Minneapolis will still try to provide incentives for employees to choose to live in the city.
February 25, 1999 - The hearing into fraud allegations against Piper Jaffray took up some of the central charges in a Minneapolis courtroom yesterday. The Securities and Exchange Commission is accusing Piper and several employees of artificially propping up the price of a fund whose value was sinking because of derivative securities.
February 25, 1999 - Minnesotans contributed more than thirty thousand dollars last year to help pay President Clinton's lawyers. Minnesota Public Radio's Jon Gordon has a look at who chipped in, and why.
February 25, 1999 - What is your work worth? Well, if you're a CEO - a chief executive officer - for one of America's biggest companies you can expect to earn tens, even hundreds of millions in pay and other benefits. Minnesota Congressman Martin Sabo says the pay gap between executives and workers is unhealthy. Once again, he's proposing legislation to limit the tax deduction companies can claim for executive pay.
February 25, 1999 - The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources today released a wolf management proposal that would allow livestock owners to shoot wolves in some circumstances. No other public hunting or trapping of wolves would be considered for the first five years after wolves are removed from the federal endangered species list. The DNR's plan echoes recommendations made by a citizen's roundtable last year. But DNR officials and others make clear the debate over public hunting of wolves is far from over.