July 14, 1999 - A new poll commissioned by Minnesota Public Radio, KARE-11 T-V, and the St. Paul Pioneer Press shows Governor Jesse Ventura's approval rating holding steady. A clear majority of respondents say the governor is doing a good or excellent job in office. But as Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo reports, a growing number are concerned about Ventura's extracurricular activities.
July 13, 1999 - First there was Governor Jesse Ventura's radio program, "Lunch with the Governor." Now, St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman is getting into the act. Coleman will begin hosting a three-hour talk show this Saturday on KSTP AM during which the mayor might discuss everything from ballparks to what movies he's recently seen.
July 12, 1999 - Authorities say alcohol and excessive speed contributed to a deadly boating accident on the St. Croix River just over a week ago. Five men died after their two powerboats collided over the Fourth of July weekend. The accident is the deadliest ever on the St. Croix and has re-focused attention on safe boating.
July 2, 1999 - Later today, Mayor Norm Coleman will submit more than 10-thousand signatures to place his proposal for a St. Paul ballpark on the ballot this fall. That strategy is likely to coincide with a public relations campaign to keep the Twins in Minneapolis . And if those two proposals aren't confusing enough, the Minnesota Vikings are voicing stadium ambitions of their own.
July 2, 1999 - The Fourth of July is a mere four days away -- that means small-town parades, back-yard barbeques, and, yes, fireworks. Fireworks have been illegal in the state since 1941, but each year Minnesotans flock to Wisconsin and return with bottle rockets, sparklers, and firecrackers. Governor Jesse Ventura says they should be able to make those same purchases here at home. But others warn legalizing fireworks will only lead to more accidents and injuries.
July 1, 1999 - A new poll commissioned by Minnesota Public Radio, the St. Paul Pioneer Press, and KARE-TV shows significant opposition to ballpark plans in both Minneapolis and St. Paul. Roughly two-thirds of respondents in both cities object to current proposals to use tax dollars to finance a new ballpark for the Minnesota Twins. Stadium supporters on both sides of the river say they are not surprised by the findings, but they still believe a stadium package could be crafted in the public interest.
June 28, 1999 - Organizers of a petition drive in St. Paul say they have more than twice as many signatures as necessary to put a new ballpark funding question on the ballot this fall. But many questions still surround the subject -- including the finances of Major League Baseball and the viability of small market teams like the Minnesota Twins. Mayor Norm Coleman, who is spearheading the stadium push in St. Paul, says without some reform in professional baseball, building a ballpark doesn't make sense.
June 22, 1999 - The debate continues over building a new baseball stadium in downtown St. Paul. Last night, Mayor Norm Coleman hosted his second community forum on bringing the Minnesota Twins across the river. The event was more orderly than the mayor's first attempt at presenting his ballpark proposal. That discussion -- late last week -- was disrupted when opponents interrupted several speakers. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo reports this time the process may have been more civil, but the two sides are as far apart as ever.
June 21, 1999 - The arrest last week of a St. Paul woman accused of being a former member of the Symbionese Liberation Army is generating intense public debate. Law enforcement authorities say Sara Jane Olson is actually fugitive Kathleen Soliah who is wanted in California for conspiring to murder police officers in the mid-'70s. Olson's friends and associates, however, are stunned, and some question the wisdom of pursuing the charges.
June 17, 1999 - Tonight, St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman will host the first in a series of community meetings to present his vision of a new downtown stadium for the Minnesota Twins. Organizers are promoting the forum as a chance to gauge public interest and receive community input -- but opponents of the Mayor's ballpark initiative remain skeptical.