August 19, 1999 - Governor Jesse Ventura's speech on the state’s role in dealing with the farm crisis, held at the Minnesota Rural Summit in Duluth.
August 18, 1999 - The watchdog group Common Cause Minnesota today filed a complaint against Governor Jesse Ventura, alleging the Governor violated state conflict of interest laws by agreeing to guest referee a pay-per-view wrestling match. The law prohibits state employees from profiting from their positions. Some estimates say Ventura could make a million dollars in fees and royalties from the World Wrestling Federation event this weekend, which is raising eyebrows among many political leaders.
August 17, 1999 - Governor Jesse Ventura toured the state today to promote a plan to cut the size of the legislature from two houses to one. Ventura says a one house, or unicameral, system will make government more accessible to citizens by simplifying the legislative process. Opponents say the state needs two houses to maintain a system of checks and balances.
August 16, 1999 - The state is in the process of sending out almost 2 Million tax rebate checks, worth a total of $1-point-3 Billion dollars. Some Minnesotans recieved their money over the weekend, and Revenue Department officials say all checks should arrive by Labor Day.
August 6, 1999 - Governor Ventura spent about half an hour this afternoon listening to tax reform suggestions from everyday Minnesotans. The 17 people spent the week getting a crash course in how the state's tax system works, then putting together a package of modest reform suggestions. The process is a public-policy experiment called a "Citizens Jury," and it's run by a private research organization known as the "Jefferson Center". The Ventura administration says it plans to take the jury's verdict seriously.
July 29, 1999 - Before Jesse "The Body" Ventura even thought about flinging a boa around his neck and entering the wrestling ring, the notorious Baron Von Raschke was goose-stepping and plowing his way through opponents around the globe. Now an elder statesman of wrestling, Baron Von Raschke -- better known to friends and family as Jim Raschke -- lives in the tiny northern Minnesota hamlet of Lake George. He recently spoke with Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Robertson about his career; his disappointment with today's wrestling industry; and his thoughts on having a former colleague in the governor's mansion.
July 28, 1999 - Governor Ventura met today with a group of former state legislators who support cutting Minnesota's two-chamber legislature down to a single house. Ventura has said making the conversion to a single-house legislature is his top priority for his term in office, but so far he's done little to advance the cause... now the founders of the group calling itself "Minnesotans for a Single-House Legislature" say that's about to change.
July 23, 1999 - Governor Ventura is speaking tonight at the annual convention of the national Reform Party, in Dearborn, Michigan. This is the party's third annual convention, and many party activists are hoping this meeting will mark a turn-around for a political movement that's generally been in decline since Ross Perot's failed presidential bids in 1992 and 1996.
July 23, 1999 - A legislative audit of Governor Jesse Ventura's state-paid security for his book tour has touched a nerve with the governor and his wife. Ventura got a copy of the auditor's letter yesterday, and last night WCCO television played portions of a voicemail Terry Ventura left on Republican lawmaker Carol Molnau's answering machine suggesting the first family might cancel all of its security. Republican Representative Dan McElroy chairs the Legislative Auditor's commission. He says the first family is overreacting.
July 15, 1999 - Governor Ventura lost one of a member of his cabinet today. David Jennings, the commissioner of commerce, announced he's stepping down to take a job as president of the Greater Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce. Jennings who's a former Republican House Speaker says he wasn't disatisfied with working for Ventura. He just saw another opportunity that was too good to pass up.