November 3, 2000 - Minneapolis police officers are in Memphis this week, training to handle cases involving the mentally ill. The training is the first step towards developing a program similar to one that exists in Memphis, where 165 police officers make up a special crisis intervention team trained to de-escalate confrontations with mentally disturbed individuals. Earlier this week, police in Minneapolis shot and killed a man with serious mental illness after he reportedly sped toward police in a car. It was the third such incident this year. The Memphis police re-examined how they handled incidents involving the mentally ill after a man with a bi-polar disorder was shot to death by an officer in 1987. Public outcry prompted the creation of the Memphis Police Crisis Intervention Team, or CIT. Lt. Sam Cochran, coordinator of the program, says it's good for the police, the mentally ill and the city.
November 2, 2000 - Vice-presidential candidate Joe Lieberman is stumping for votes in Northern Minnesota this evening. Lieberman spoke in at a union rally in Chisolm at Iron World. He is scheduled to address a crowd in Duluth in the next hour. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Julin is in Chisolm and joins us on the line. Chris, describe the scene for us in Chisolm. What special message did Lieberman have for the Iron Rangers? A lot has been made in recent days of how Green Candidate Ralph Nader is eating into the Gore/Lieberman support in Northern Minnesota. How did the Senator address that this afternoon? How does today's event compare with yesterday's Republican Rally for George W. Bush in Duluth?
November 2, 2000 - Employers are bracing for another round of double digit increases in the cost of health care premiums. Next year's projected increase will mark the fourth year premium costs have swelled between 10 and 20 percent. Some companies are starting to pass the extra cost on to their employees. In St. Cloud, about 1600 fridgidare workers are on strike, in part because the raise management was offering didn't cover the extra cost employees were asked to pay in insurance premiums. Carolyn Jones is the director of health care and transportation policy at the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. She says there are two main reasons health care costs are climbing:
November 1, 2000 - Texas Governor George W. Bush has spent the rest of his afternoon in Duluth, where just moments ago he finished speaking to a huge crowd at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Julin is at the DECC and joins us on the line: Chris, what was the Governors message to Duluth? The MPR, Pioneer Press, Kare 11 poll today showed Al Gore may be losing support to Green Party Candidate Ralph Nader in Northern Minnesota. What references if any did Governor Bush make to that? How did the the Duluth Crowd react?
November 1, 2000 - Stump speeches and hand shaking are one way the Presidential candidates get their messages out to voters. But political campaigns are also turning to the internet to highlight their platforms and debate the issues. The website "web-white-blue-dot-com" is offering what it bills as the first online debate between the presidential campaigns. Minneapolis-based Steven Clift is the site's outreach coordinator and board chair of Minnesota e-democracy. I asked him how the debate works:
October 30, 2000 - As part of our election year coverage Minnesota Public Radio has invited all seven candidates for U-S Senate to present a four minute statement about their candidacy. Over the next week, all seven candidates will present their views on each of M-P-R's News programs. These candidate statements are unfiltered and unedited by MPR:
October 25, 2000 - The NBA has issued one of the stiffest penalties in league history against the Timberwolves for the team's secret salary agreement with Joe Smith. The team will have to pay 3.5 million dollars, will loose their next five first round draft picks and will have to void Smith's contract. The team says it is assessing the ruling and has no further comment at this time. Brit Robson, who covers the Timberwolves for City Pages, says the ruling is harsh, but rightfully so.
October 25, 2000 - Governor Ventura met with Mexico's President-elect Vicente Fox this morning. Fox won the presidency this July, ousting the political party that had controlled the government for 71 years. Ventura and Fox spoke of strengthening ties between Mexico and Minnesota. They also talked about their similiarities as politicians. Minnesota Public Radio's Andrew Haeg is in Mexico City with this report. What topics did Ventura and Fox discuss? First of all, the meeting was closed to the press. They met for a half an
October 24, 2000 - The University of Minnesota is holding a news conference at this hour to respond to today's sanctions imposed by the NCAA for widespread academic fraud in the men's basketball program. The NCAA sanctions include four years of probation, reduced scholarships and fewer official visits by players. We'll have more on this story in the next half hour of All Things Considered. Collegiate sports scandals are nothing new, but increasingly colleges and universities are questioning whether the NCAA can solve the problem. Last week, University of Michigan President Emeritus James Dude-er-stadt testified before the Knight commission which is looking at ways to clean up collegiate sports. He says universities have lost control of basketball and football to the entertainment industry.
October 23, 2000 - Governor Ventura met with outgoing Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo today at the Presidential Palace in Mexico City. Ventura also adressed the American Chamber of Commerce there. It was the first day of a week long trade mission to Mexico. Minnesota Public Radio's Andrew Haeg is in Mexico with the Governor and has an update.