November 15, 1999 - Dakota County authorities will investigate whether Republican Senator Rod Grams' son got special treatment from law enforcement during a July traffic stop. Grams had asked the Anoka County Sheriff to track down his 21-year-old son Morgan, who had failed to return a borrowed rental car. When deputies found Morgan Grams, they also discovered ten small bags of marijuana in the car. A juvenile was charged and later pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance. Grams was not charged and was escorted home. One of Senator Grams' DFL opponents says the case raises questions about equal justice under the law, but the chairman of the Minnesota Republican Party calls the story a political attack.
November 12, 1999 - Delegates to Minnesota's Reform Party convention this weekend will decide whether to take the fledgling, but stronger than average, third party into new directions. The agenda includes a speech from Governor Ventura and debate over whether to change the party's name. But the main purpose is revising the party platform. Proposed changes broaden the party's emphasis beyond fiscal responsibility and government reform - some of the more controversial planks support legalizing marijuana, providing health care to all and preserving the family farm. The party's state chairman fears an expanded platform will turn into an unwieldy litmus test for candidates - something Reformers have criticized the two OTHER major parties for creating.
November 3, 1999 - A report on teen prostitution released today says the state needs to spend more money on shelter beds and law enforcement to tackle the problem. The report was prompted by the August arrest of members of the Minneapolis -based Evans family for running a juvenile prostitution ring.
November 3, 1999 - Voters in St. Paul have rejected an attempt to eliminate about half the city's billboards. 53-percent of voters said no to a measure that would have removed billboards from city streets and prohibited new signs. The billboard industry says the result shows people don't want to get rid of a legal form of advertising, but billboard opponents say they're not giving up.
November 1, 1999 - Minnesota DFL leaders traveled around the state today to push the issue of consumer privacy protection. Democrats are planning to introduce a package of privacy initiatives in the upcoming legislative session, and appear to be positioning their party to be at the forefront of a growing citizen concern. Several Republicans say they too are interested in the issue, and they hope it doesn't turn into a partisan debate.
October 29, 1999 - A group of St. Paul legislators today announced their opposition to a stadium tax increase on Tuesday's ballot. The lawmakers cite a report from Senate researchers saying a deal to build a new Twins stadium in St. Paul puts city and state taxpayers at risk. Stadium supporters say the criticism is politically motivated, coming just days before the election.
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 13, 1999 - The field of DFL candidates is shaping up in the 2000 Senate campaign. Trial lawyer Michael Ciresi plans to enter the race to challenge Republican Senator Rod Grams today, while Senate Majority Leader Roger Moe and Congressman David Minge have decided not to jump in. D-F-L leaders are hoping to avoid a repeat of last year's gubernatorial race, when a six-way battle divided the party.
October 13, 1999 - Governor Jesse Ventura says he wants to see all Minnesota children covered by health insurance by the end of his term. The Governor highlighted the health care priorities included in his so-called Big Plan at a teen clinic in Minneapolis today.
October 6, 1999 - When Minnesota lawmakers created anti-smoking endowments with money from the state's tobacco settlement, they gave the health department an ambitious goal - cut teen smoking rates by thirty-percent in the next five years. Because the endowments won't generate interest money until January, so far all officials have been able to do is plan. Health officials are hoping to learn from states that HAVE successfully reduced youth smoking, and plan to involve teens every step of the way. In the last of our three-part tobacco series, Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.