Martin Kaste
308 Collection Items
- Covenant marriage proposed by legislature
Two state legislators are reviving the idea of "covenant marriages", an optional form of marriage contract that would make it tougher to get divorced. Supporters say "covenant marriages" would strengthen families and reduce poverty and even crime rates, but some critics are worried about what they perceive as an attack on modern divorce laws. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports.
- Jesse's 1999...a look back at Ventura's busy year
- Was ventura a navy seal?
Governor Ventura's office confirmed today that Ventura was never a member of the elite Navy "SEALs" -- but he says he did train to be a SEAL, and that his membership in the Navy's Underwater Demolition Teams was practically the same as being a SEAL. But a former SEAL and journalist in San Diego says the UDT's were NOT the same as SEALs during Vietnam, and he says Ventura is taking credit for the valor of others.
- Morgan Grams and the police
A special investigation has found no evidence that Senator Rod Grams asked for special treatment for his son, Morgan, during an encounter with Anoka County sheriff's deputies last summer. The investigation does accuse the deputies of failing to arrest Morgan Grams when they should have, and it leaves unanswered the question of WHY that happened.
- Senate setup - lots of Democrats want to unseat Rod
DFL State Senator Jerry Janezich is formally entering the race for U.S. Senate today. Janezich plans to make the announcement in his home town of Chisholm, emphasizing his strong base among organized labor and especially steelworkers. The Iron Ranger's entry brings the number of Democrats in the race to six -- with two more likely to join them in January. Some Democratic strategists think that's too many -- and there's already talk of another divisive, expensive primary fight.
- Surplus setup - another state budget surplus
The Ventura Administration will announce the new state revenue forecast later this morning, and most state politicians are expecting news of yet another budget surplus. Some legislative leaders are predicting the state may be on course to collect a BILLION dollars more than it budgeted over the next year and a half -- and they're already scrambling to determine what to do with that extra money.
- Trink - beer hall restored in Capitol basement
A ninety-year-old beerhall, disguised as a more mundane cafeteria for most of the century, is about to reappear in the basement of the Minnesota State Capitol. A team of restoration experts has been working for a year and a half on the cafeteria, scraping away 20 layers of paint to reveal the room's original, German beerhall-style murals. The work has been arduous -- restorers spent the first six months chipping the paint off the ceilings with scalpels. Now the project is almost done, and Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste took a tour with the Romanian-born expert overseeing the project.
- Paul v. Jesse: Wellstone runs for senate
Will Paul Wellstone break his long-standing promise not to run for a third term in the U.S. Senate? In an interview published in the Mesabi Daily News over the weekend, Wellstone seemed to suggest he'd consider running a third time. Today he said those comments were just speculation, and he says he still intends to come back to Minnesota at the end of his second term. But Wellstone ALSO opened the door wider for a campaign for Governor in 2002.
- I like cars - battle over highway funding
State lawmakers are beginning to square off for what promises to be a major battle over highway funding this winter. Tomorrow morning, House Republicans will unveil a plan to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to repair roads and bridges -- AND add new lanes to the regions most congested highways. The new emphasis on cars and highways threatens to put the Republicans on a collision course with the Ventura Administration.
- Social Security - national ID?
When the Federal government started issuing Social Security cards five decades ago, some people worried the Social Security number would evolve into an all-purpose, national identification system. They were right. These days, the number tracks everything from college students to video-store customers, and it's virtually impossible to get by without one. Still, many Americans resist it, believing the number has the power to unlock personal information. Privacy experts say people are right to guard their Social Security numbers, but they also warn that keeping the number secret is no guarantee of privacy.
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