January 22, 2002 - BENSON: The state Court of Appeals has upheld a lower court's temporary injunction forcing the Minnesota Twins to play at the Metrodome this year. The Metropolitan Sports Facility Commission sought and was granted the injunction shortly after baseball owners voted to eliminate two teams. The Twins are widely considered a top candidate for contraction. The commission is praising the decision, but attorneys for the team and the league say the fight isn't over yet. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo joins us now. Michael, what's the significance of today's ruling? KHOO: Lorna, in a nutshell it means the Twins -- as things stand now -- will have to play the 2002 season in the Metrodome. It lets the temporary injunction stand which effectively prevents the team and the league from eliminating the ballclub. Bill Lester is the executive director of the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission -- which owns and operates the 'Dome. Lester says the Appeals Court ruling makes it unlikely that the league can move forward with contraction this year.
January 16, 2002 - Redistricting is an intensely political process that will control the layout for the next ten years. Population shifts has made the state more GOP-friendly. The Republican plan would take things too far.
January 16, 2002 - The Stadium Task Force presents it’s recommendations to Minnesota Legislature, with panel voting 13-4 on option of financing two new sports stadiums, and public financing for new facilities, as opposed to funding. The loan would be repaid to the state through a variety of revenue services.
January 15, 2002 - A proposal for two new stadiums will be voted on this year, but there is concern that there is only a vague proposal about how the stadiums will be funded. MPR’s Michael Khoo reports on debate going on within Stadium Task Force.
January 15, 2002 - MPR’s Michael Khoo reports that Governor Ventura is inclined to run for governor again to continue his fight for “unicameralism.” The push to combining the two bodies of legislature into one has been a personal drive for the governor. He believes that if the two bodies are one, or unicameral, the government would run more efficiently.
January 14, 2002 -
January 11, 2002 - MPR’s Michael Khoo reports on Governor Ventura’s response to critics over his budget plan. According to governor, sacrifice needs to be made by all parts of the budget and he invites suggestions to improve it. Republicans debate higher tax on gasoline and tobacco, while Democrats want more money for education.
January 11, 2002 - MPR's Michael Khoo reports that a tri-partisan stadium task force has given its informal endorsement to a state role in building new stadiums for the Minnesota Twins, the Vikings, and the University of Minnesota Gophers. During a meeting in Mankato, the panel opted to support the concept of public financing for a stadium, while steering clear of direct subsidization. Sorting through the details is likely to remain a formidable task.
January 10, 2002 - MPR’s Michael Khoo gives a debrief on a tri-partisan task force that has endorsed the general principle of helping the Vikings and Twins construct new stadiums. If the teams finance rather than fund their stadiums, it would protect them. Funding comes from the government and financing comes from grants and loans from private companies.
January 10, 2002 -