Housing prices in the Minneapolis area took a record drop in October, one of six metro areas with the steepest declines that month. The other five metro areas with price declines similar to Minneapolis were Atlanta, Detroit, Washington, D.C., Charlotte, N.C. and Tampa, Fla.
Never known as a state with transparent state government, Florida lawmakers will give the public just four hours to sound off at a committee hearing before the legislature decides how to cut $2.3 billion from this year's state budget. Deeper cuts will come for the next fiscal year beginning July 1, 2009.
Public schools across the country, hurt by state and local budget cutbacks in a sinking economy, are turning to parents to buy many school supplies previously covered by school districts. A school fee law enacted by the Minnesota Legislature in the mid-70's restricts the practice, but there are widespread reports that many school districts are ignoring the law.
Some automobile body repair shops in the Duluth area report a near-record number of jobs in December. The increase is attributed to a snowy December and the poor condition of many streets and roadways as Duluth - in an attempt to balance the city's yawning budget deficit - cuts back on overtime for snow plow operators as a way to save money.
The Fox Television Network is expected to increase the number of network viewers beginning later this month when a new season begins for "American Idol." The number of judges will increase from three to four.
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Beginning this month, physicians voluntarily stopped accepting gifts from pharmaceutical companies which showered them with pens and other trinkets as a way to call attention to their medicines, Some folks in the medical community are deriding the ban as window-dressing.
Edited by Ralph Doty
