July 13, 1999 - The Minnesota Department of Finance today revised its estimate of the revenues collected by the state during the last fiscal year -- increasing it by almost $300 Million dollars. That means slightly bigger sales tax rebate checks for Minnesotans later this summer... with money left over for next year. That left over money has Governor Ventura and legislative leaders already jockeying over NEXT year's tax relief package.
July 12, 1999 - Governor Ventura plans to climb back into the wrestling ring next month. The World Wrestling Federation today announced it has recruited Ventura for a pay-per-view "extravaganza" in August -- but the WWF and the Governor are being secretive about what his appearance will entail.
July 2, 1999 - First Lady Terry Ventura took over as host of Governor Ventura's weekly radio show today. The talk radio rookie dedicated about half of her debut to discussing stress-management with an chiroprator, then moved on to the farm crisis.
June 30, 1999 - Governor Ventura wants the Reform Party to distance itself from its founder, Texas billionaire Ross Perot... and Ventura is weighing in on internal party politics to help make that happen.
June 28, 1999 - Three Twin-Cities-based charities have received donations from "Ventura for Minnesota, Inc.," the private non-profit that collects royalties and licensing fees for official Jesse Ventura merchandise. "V.M.I." says the $15 thousand dollars it donated today is just the first installment of its contributions to local causes, and it says it will keep donating money as long as people are willing to buy Ventura souvenirs.
June 25, 1999 - Governor Ventura is showing increasing irritation at what he perceives as unfair criticism of the way he does his job. He's especially annoyed at his Republican critics, and on his weekly radio show today, Ventura lashed out with a personal attack on the leader of a conservative anti-tax group.
June 18, 1999 - Governor Ventura today invited people who support public financing for a new Twins stadium to donate their own money to the effort. On his weekly radio show today, Ventura said he intends to set up a state-run gift fund for new sports stadiums. Some state leaders have dismissed the surprise proposal as a joke, but the donation fund may undermine the current effort by Minneapolis and St Paul officials to build a new stadium with tax dollars.
June 17, 1999 - Talk of Governor Ventura's presidential qualities was in the air at the state capitol yesterday after the San Francisco Chronicle ran a story claiming more Californians knew and like Ventura than their own governor. It turns out the newspaper story over-stated the case a little, but it forced Governor Ventura to explain once more that he has no intention of running for president in 2000.
June 14, 1999 - Delegates to the Minnesota Reform Party's annual convention elected Mankato businessman Rick McCluhan as their new party chairman on Saturday. McCluhan says the insurgent third party is at a turning point in its history, and has to prove to voters that it's more than a "one-trick pony," as he puts it.
June 11, 1999 - Governor Ventura says his new radio show "Lunch with the Governor" is his chance to "correct the media." The weekly, hour-long show premiered today on commercial radio stations around the state, and Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste has the story.