October 19, 2000 - Records highs were shattered across the state this afternoon. At least 20 Minnesota cities have new high temperatures for this date. We check in with National Weather Service Meteorologist Tony Zaleski to find out what's going on.
October 19, 2000 - The technology heavy NASDAQ stock index rose almost 250 points today, and the Dow ended up 168 points. The rise came one day after the Dow had BRIEFLY dropped more than 400 points. Such high volatility in financial markets both RESULTS from and is FEEDING concern that the nation's economy may finally be slowing down. Minnesota companies have traditionally fared relatively well in times of recession, as the state's diversified economy blunts at least some of the impact. Sung Won Sohn is executive vice president and cheif economist of Wells Fargo banks. He says the fact that the state doesn't have many dot-com companies is a blessing in the current market:
October 18, 2000 - The latest round of ads in Minnesota's anti-tobacco campaign take a new approach to smoking cessation: they target people who don't smoke. The state-wide television advertising campaign hopes to convince non-smokers to take action to ensure the air around them is clean. Studies show secondhand smoke can cause health problems ranging from mild asthma to lung cancer. Dr. Stuart Hanson is a pulmonologist and the Vice Chair of the Minnesota Partnership for Action Against Tobacco. He says there are lots of things non-smokers can do to clear the air around them.
October 9, 2000 - Sports fans across the nation will get a chance to watch rookie quarterback Dante Culpepper and the rest of the Minnesota Vikings in prime time when they take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Metrodome on Monday Night Football. The unbeaten Vikings are hoping to extend their 4 and O record. The Buccaneers are 3 and 2. Bill Brown is a former Vikings rusher who played from 1962 to 1974. He played in 3 Super Bowls and understands the pressure this year's team is facing after getting so close to the Super Bowl in 1998. He says he likes what he's seen so far this season:
October 6, 2000 - MPR’s Annie Feidt reports on the University of Minnesota's newest varsity team is preparing for its first competition: the women's rowing team.
October 4, 2000 - The Census Bureau wants to shorten its title for the Twin Cities area, at the expense of the capitol city. Currently the Census bureau identifies the area as Minneapolis/ St. Paul, but federal officials want to condense the title to just Minneapolis. St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman doesn't like the idea:
October 4, 2000 - With winter-like temperatures descending upon us, the rising cost of heating oil will be showing up in your monthly utility bills. The Clinton administration is hoping that tapping the government's strategic oil reserves will lower energy costs. But increasing the supply of oil is just one part of the solution. Hunter Lovins is the co-founder of Rocky Mountain Insititute, a non-profit resource policy center based in Snowmass, Colorado. Her organization helps governments and companies around the world decrease their demand for energy. She spoke in the Twin Cities today at a conference sponsored by the Green Institute. Lovins says Americans are more resourceful than we think:
October 2, 2000 - Some of Saint Paul's Snoopys have new homes today and the city couldn't be happier. Yesterday's auction of 40 fiberglass Snoopys brought in $823-thousand dollars, far exceeding even the most optomistic predictions. The money will help pay for a permanent sculpture honoring Charles Schulz as well as cartooning scholarships and an endowed professorship. Mayor Norm Coleman says the outpouring of affection for Schulz and his characters has been amazing.
September 28, 2000 - Two polls released today agree on one thing, DFLer Mark Dayton is leading Republican Rod Grams in Minnesota's US senate race. But the polls don't agree on how wide Dayton's lead is. The Pioneer Press/Minnesota Public Radio poll shows Dayton with 46% of the vote compared to 41% for Grams, while a Star Tribune poll widen's Dayton's lead to 14 percentage points with 49 percent of the vote compared with 35 percent for Grams. Steve Frank is a former political science professor and co-director of the St Cloud State University Survey, a telephone polling firm that did not produce either of these polls. He says the results are more similar than they look:
September 27, 2000 - The United States has failed to win a medal on the 3-meter springboard for just the third time since it became an Olympic sport in 1908. American Mark Ruiz was expected to carry on the legacy left by Greg Louganis. But instead China's Xiong Ni joined Louganis as the only men's diver to defend his title in the event, winning gold yesterday. One man who was watching the action with heightened interest is Minnesota's only Olympic medalist in the sport. Craig Lincoln won a bronze medal on the three meter spring board at the 1972 Olympics in Munich, Germany.