August 12, 2003 - Herb Brooks, former men's hockey coach at the University of Minnesota and US Olympic coach in 1980 and 2002, died yesterday (Mon). The Minnesota State Patrol says Brooks was thrown from his car during a one-car rollover just north of the Twin Cities. They say they believe the 66-year-old Brooks overcorrected his steering while driving on Interstate 35. The St. Paul native is known throughout hockey circles as an innovator who could get the most out of his players. He's best known for using those motivational techniques in the famous "Miracle on Ice" game in 1980, in which the U.S. team defeated a stronger and faster Soviet Union team. The win put the U.S. in the gold medal game against Finland in Lake Placid, which the Americans won. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports.
August 5, 2003 - Massachusetts Senator and Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry paid a visit to Minnesota today to speak out against the U.S. Labor Department's proposed changes to the nation's overtime rules. He also lobbied Minnesotans at a fundraiser in Minneapolis. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
August 4, 2003 - Dentists who serve lower income adults say they expect a new law to make things difficult for them. The law, which takes effect in October, will cap state-subsidized payments for adult dental services. The change was part of the Legislature's efforts to balance the state's budget. Dentists say they're worried the law will present an ethical dilemma and could prompt many to decide against treating lower income individuals altogether. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports.
July 28, 2003 - The Minnesota Health Department says health care costs increased 16 percent in 2002 for people enrolled in private health insurance plans. It's the largest increase since the Health Department started collecting the data in the mid-nineties. The report also says employee premiums increased 10 percent, the fourth straight year of double digit increases. Business leaders say the increases are causing them headaches and are encouraging the Legislature to make changes to the system. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
July 17, 2003 - About 25-hundred people attended the funeral yesterday (Weds) of former Archbishop John Roach. Roach, who retired in 1995, died last Friday from heart failure at the Little Sisters of the Poor in St. Paul at the age of 81. He's the first Minnesota native to serve as archbishop of the Minneapolis and St. Paul Archdiocese. He's best remembered for his work on interfaith relations, social justice and his ability to reconcile different viewpoints in the Catholic church. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
July 11, 2003 - The first Minnesota native to head the Archdiocese of Minneapolis and St. Paul died today of heart failure in St. Paul. Retired Archbishop John Roach was 81 years old and had been in failing health. He was ordained in 1946 and Pope Paul the Sixth appointed him archbishop in 1975. He served in that role until 1995. Father Kevin McDonough is the Vicar General of the Archdiocese. He says Roach was a person of action.
July 1, 2003 - The Minnesota Health Department reports today that the number of abortions performed in 2002 was the lowest since the department started collecting yearly comprehensive data in 1998. The report comes on the same day that a new law that requires women to wait 24 hours before receiving an abortion goes into effect. As of today, abortion providers and family planning clinics are also required to provide women seeking an abortion with specific information about the potential risks and complications of the procedure. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
June 23, 2003 - A portion of the health and human services bill passed into law earlier this month changes the way the state provides grants to Minnesota counties. Instead of providing grants to counties for specific services, county officials will receive larger block grants. Supporters of the new provision say counties will be able to prioritize spending based on their unique needs. But several special interest groups say counties may deliver money to services that have the most political clout instead of services that need the help the most. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
June 11, 2003 - The head of the Minnesota Gang Strike Force says he'll ask the Legislature to fully fund his organization when lawmakers return next year. Last month, the Legislature reduced funding to the strike force from $3.7 million over two years to $140 thousand in the upcoming budget. Supporters of the strike force say local law enforcement will have difficulty tracking and arresting gang members involved in illegal activity if the funding isn't restored. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
June 10, 2003 - About 47-hundred Minnesota families with disabled children have until July 1st to decide whether to continue participating in a state-sponsored supplemental insurance plan. The Department of Human Services is sending out letters to families notifying them that rates could go up as high as a thousand percent as a result of state budget cuts. Proponents of the new law say the fees are based on a family's ability to pay. But several families say they can't afford the increase. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...