July 12, 1999 - The Guthrie Theater's 1998-99 season broke attendence and subscription records, drawing 360-thousand people last year. With nearly 28-thousand subscribers, it's got one of the largest subscription bases of any non-profit theater in the country. Following the Guthrie's annual meeting today, Artistic Director Joe Dowling told Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Roberts the success reflects the community's investment in the Guthrie.
July 12, 1999 - The Minnesota Twins' pledge to deal with St. Paul only hasn't stopped Minneapolis leaders from working on plans to build the baseball team a new stadium in their city. They claim their plan is much more likely to win state approval, if they can get local constituents -- and their council colleagues -- to buy it.
July 12, 1999 - The St. Paul Companies announced it's getting out of the personal insurance business and cutting hundreds of jobs at its downtown headquarters. The insurance giant is selling its personal insurance divisions to Metlife because it thinks it can make more money focusing on commercial insurance products. 17 hundred people work in the company's personal insurance operation -- 500 in Minnesota. . Metlife says it will retain all of them through the end of the year and that after that it will keep as many as possible.
July 12, 1999 - Governor Ventura plans to climb back into the wrestling ring next month. The World Wrestling Federation today announced it has recruited Ventura for a pay-per-view "extravaganza" in August -- but the WWF and the Governor are being secretive about what his appearance will entail.
July 12, 1999 - MPR’s Amy Radil reports on Governor Jesse Ventura viewing storm damage in northeast Minnesota. Includes excerpts of Ventura speaking and comments from residents.
July 12, 1999 - MPR’s Sasha Aslanian interviews 8th District Democratic Congressman Jim Oberstar regarding aid for Boundary Waters disaster. Oberstar flew over the Boundary Waters to view the damage from blowdown, then returned to Washington D.C. to seek federal aid for the area, meeting with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
July 12, 1999 - Authorities say alcohol and excessive speed contributed to a deadly boating accident on the St. Croix River just over a week ago. Five men died after their two powerboats collided over the Fourth of July weekend. The accident is the deadliest ever on the St. Croix and has re-focused attention on safe boating.
July 13, 1999 - One of the nation's most expensive -and dramatic - storage facilities for rare books is now under construction at the University of Minnesota. One collection making the move to the new facilitiy is the Kerlan Collection of children's literature, which must leave the beautiful room it's occupied for years.
July 13, 1999 - Mayor Norm Coleman says the loss of hundreds of St. Paul company jobs hurts, but he also says the cuts come while the city is on the upswing. The St. Paul companies announced yesterday it will cut 500 to 600 jobs as a result of selling its home and automobile insurance businesses to MetLife of Rhode Island. The deal also may jeopardize an additional 530 Minnesota jobs which are being transferred to MetLife Auto and Home.
July 13, 1999 - The Minnesota Department of Finance today revised its estimate of the revenues collected by the state during the last fiscal year -- increasing it by almost $300 Million dollars. That means slightly bigger sales tax rebate checks for Minnesotans later this summer... with money left over for next year. That left over money has Governor Ventura and legislative leaders already jockeying over NEXT year's tax relief package.