October 25, 1999 - Republican presidential candidate Pat Buchanan has scheduled a news conference this morning, and most political observers expect him to announce his conversion to the Reform Party. The national leaders of the Reform Party are welcoming Buchanan, saying he shares much of the party's fiscally conservative, anti-free trade philosophy. But Minnesota Reform Party leaders say Buchanan is too conservative on social issues, and may end up ripping the party apart.
October 25, 1999 - The big issue driving St. Paul voters to the polls next week may be the stadium, but there's another contentious measure on the ballot. Residents will vote on whether to ban about half the city's billboards - a proposal the outdoor advertising industry could end up spending half a million dollars to try to defeat.
October 25, 1999 - Housing advocates say the billion and a half dollar increase signed into law last week by President Clinton for the federal Department of Housing and Urban development is a big victory. It is the largest increase of affordable housing money in seven years. Minnesota's share is about $222 million - ten million more than last year - to help house poor people. However,the bigger picture is less encouraging. The country's supply of affordable housing is shrinking.
October 25, 1999 - The chair of a powerful House Transportation Committee called state transportation officials on the carpet today. She asked if they withheld information about higher costs for the proposed Hiawatha Avenue light rail transit line last session. But only one official, Commissioner Elwyn Tinklenburg, answered questions. He said no information was withheld.
October 26, 1999 - Indian tribes throughout the Upper Midwest are continuing a steady expansion of their gaming facilities. While some of the profits are being used to improve life on the reservations, millions of dollars are being pumped back into building bigger and better casinos, with plans for a number of off-reservation facilities.
October 26, 1999 - Los Angeles County Prosecutors plan to call Patty Heart Shaw as a witness in their pipe bombing conspiracy case against Sara Jane Olson, formerly Kathleen Soliah. The trial of the alleged former Symbionese Liberation Army Terrorist is set to begin in January. Olson's attorneys say she does NOT have enough money to pay for her defense. Today in Minneapolis Olson supporters are planning a news conference to talk about the case against her and her legal defense fund.
October 26, 1999 - Sara Olson is appealing for help with her legal expenses. Olson is accused of planting pipe bombs under Los Angele Police cars as a member of the Symbionese Liberation Army more than 20 years ago. Flanked by her supporters, Olson called the charges against her a witch hunt and she said she can't afford to defend herself.
October 27, 1999 - Governor Ventura is raising the possibility of a public private partnership to fund start-up high technology firms in Minnesota. Speaking at a venture capital conference in Minneapolis , Ventura also urged the University of Minnesota to speed up the transfer of promising technologies to the private sector.
October 27, 1999 - The two democratic front-runners in the Presidential race, vice president Al Gore and former New Jersey Senator Bill Bradley will hold their first debate tonight. The one hour "New Hampshire Town Meeting" will take place at Dartmouth College and audience members will get a chance to ask questions. You can hear the debate live on Minnesota Public Radio tonight, starting at 7. With a little more than a year to go before the election, politically active Minnesotans are starting align themselves with candidates. We invited two prominent democrats to tell us why their man should win. Senate Majority Leader Roger Moe is supporting Al Gore. Former St. Paul Mayor George Latimer favors Bill Bradley.
October 27, 1999 - Downtown St. Paul is buzzing with construction activity, as big office buildings and a new hockey arena go up. First to open will be the one hundred million dollar Lawson Commons. Some of the software company's eleven hundred headquarters staff have already started moving in to the new complex. Lawson's move comes as a reminder that Mayor Norm Coleman's proposal to raise the city sales tax to help pay for a new Twins stadium is not the FIRST time he has aroused controversy over the proper use of city funds.