December 16, 1999 - Vending machines have come a long way from the old clunkers that shake, rattle and then sometimes steal your money without delivering the goods. The new generation whirs and purrs and almost always delivers the product. A little known St. Paul business is a world leader in vending machine technology. The family-owned Automatic Products International company is celebrating fifty years of business.
December 10, 1999 - Metro Transit wants to revamp bus service for a large portion of Minneapolis , St. Paul and several northeastern Twin Cities suburbs including Roseville. Planners say the changes won't cost more money or raise fares, but will mean extra service and less confusing schedules. The plan is part of a realignment of bus service for the entire region in the next four years.
December 7, 1999 - There's a plan afoot to expand Twin Cities bus service. The Metropolitan Council wants money to build two exclusive bus lanes and to buy the vehicles to run on them. The goal is to double ridership. Planners say expanded transit service is needed to cope with congestion on the region's roads. The first of six public meetings on the plan is set for Fridley City Hall at 4:30 this afternoon.
November 24, 1999 - Minneapolis officials are going back to the drawing board to try find another way to help the Guthrie Theatre build a new facility. The city council today voted down an elaborate proposal that includes asking the city's park board to relocate it's highly valued Parade Stadium baseball field for the new Guthrie Theatre.
November 15, 1999 - People interested in the design of proposed light rail stations in downtown Minneapolis have a chance tonight to add their two cents to the conversation. Participants at the Minneapolis Central Library meeting will also see how the three stations planned for South Fifth Street will change one of downtown's busiest thoroughfares.
November 5, 1999 - Police are still searching for the killer of Matthew Nimine. The immigrant businessman from Liberia was shot Sunday in his West Broadway Avenue clothing store on Minneapolis ' near north side. His funeral is tomorrow at nearby Ascension Church. In the year Matthew Nimine was on the avenue he made a positive impression on his friends and neighbors.
November 1, 1999 - Two St. Paul City council members running for re-election tomorrow, Dan Bostrom and Jay Benanav, can apparently put the finishing touches on their victory statements. They are running unopposed in their Fourth and Sixth Ward races. But for all the other St. Paul council candidates it's nail-biting time.
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 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 15, 1999 - Cleaning up crime starts with picking up the trash. That's one of the motivations behind a work day tomorrow in three north Minneapolis neighborhoods. Residents say they're making progress in their years-long fight against crime and housing decay. They'll celebrate their achievements Saturday at Farview Park in the Hawthorne neighborhood which is where some of the most dramatic improvements have been made.