Monday, February 28

Governor Ventura met with President Clinton today and received an invitation from the Mexican Ambassador to the United States to visit Mexico. Ventura is in Washington D.C. for meetings of the National Governor's Association. The day also included release of a federal component of Ventura's so-called Big Plan blueprint for government. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports.

Just one day before he was scheduled to announce his candidacy, former DFL congressman Tim Penny did an about face today and said he will not run for U.S. Senate. Penny cited personal reasons for his decision, and the other DFL candidates hoping to run against incumbent Republican Rod Grams rushed to try to convince his supporters to join their camps. Minnesota Public Radio's Mike Mulcahy report.

Dania Hall, a Minneapolis landmark in the city's West Bank neighborhood near the University of Minnesota was destroyed today by fire. Minneapolis fire department officials say they're investigating the cause of the blaze. The 116-year-old red brick building was on the National Registry of Historic Buildings. Dania was being renovated, and the developer planned to reopen it this summer. For more than a century, Dania Hall was a gathering place for Scandinavian immigrants and college students. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson reports.

The first television ads for the U.S. Senate race and presidential campaign have begun airing in Minnesota. DFL Senate candidate Michael Ciresi is running statewide spots until the March DFL caucuses, and Democratic presidential hopeful Bill Bradley bought airtime in Minnesota earlier this month. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum asked two ad analysts to critique the spots, as part of our series of Ad Watches for the 2000 campaign.

The Department of Finance is predicting the state's budget surplus will grow by an additional $229 million before the end of the two-year budget cycle in June, 2001. That brings the total projected surplus to $1.8 billion. Despite Governor Ventura's insistence that most of the money be saved until next year, the news immediately touched off a round of legislative maneuvering over how to divide it between tax cuts and new spending initiatives. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo has more.

A coalition of education groups is urging the Minnesota Legislature to stick with the Profile of Learning graduation standards. Representatives of the organizations testified today before the House Education Policy Committee, offering ways to improve the show-what-you-know system. But some teachers and parents say they still want the whole system dumped. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.

Governor Jesse Ventura is on his way back to Minnesota after several days in Washington, D.C. for a National Governors Association meeting. This afternoon, before leaving the nation's Capitol, Ventura met with Minnesota's congressional delegation. He also lobbied a key member of Congress about a bill that would help Hmong veterans. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports.

Blue Cross Blue Shield got approval from the Minnesota Court of Appeals today to proceed with its spending plan for the $469 million it received in the 1998 tobacco settlement. The court reversed a decision by the state Commerce Department, saying the department was wrong to veto the plan. Minnesota Public Radio's Patty Marsicano reports.

The spring-like weather is tricking humans and plants alike. Northern Gardener editor Lynn Steiner says if your bulbs are starting to poke through, don't panic.

Minnesotans who know their boots may have heard of Buster Bartels. Since giving up his first love, cowboy work, Bartels has built a reputation as a custom bootmaker, with convinced buyers all over the country. Mainstreet Radio's Leif Enger reports.

Hundreds of farmers and small farm supporters rallied at the Capitol today to ask lawmakers to reform the current agriculture system. Rally participants say low commodity prices along with growing consolidation in agribusiness have made for tough times in rural Minnesota. After a prayer service at the cathedral, farmers marched to the Capitol. Minnesota Public Radio's Lynette Nyman was there.

The U.S. sugar beet industry is telling farmers not to plant genetically-modified seed this year, processors say they won't buy GM beets. Farmers could significantly cut costs by growing the herbicide resistant plants, but they won't be planted because of industry concerns about a consumer backlash. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Gunderson reports.

Governor Ventura says lawmakers with re-election on their minds need not fear if they side with him and put off any major permanent tax cut until next year. The governor is still at loggerheads with the Republican majority in the House and DFL majority in the Senate over what to do with the $1.8 billion projected budget surplus. While some at the Capitol say the impasse could delay the end of the legislative session, there are at least some signs that all sides are willing to deal. Minnesota Public Radio's Mike Mulcahy reports.

The Legislature picks up the debate tomorrow over the future of the state's timber wolves. Republican Senator Gary Laidig will present the Department of Natural Resources' latest plan before the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee, chaired by wolf hunting advocate Bob Lessard. The Legislature must pass a management plan for the wolf to be removed from the federal endangered species list. Minnesota Public Radio's Amy Radil reports.

As scientists race to map the human genome another race to patent the information is heating up. Many private companies are funding researchers in the hopes that they'll make huge profits from genetic therapies and drugs developed by using DNA codes. But who should own information about DNA? That question will be debated tomorrow at a University of Minnesota symposium called "Patenting Life: Genes, Private Property and Public Policy." Susan Wolf is a professor of Law and Medicine at the U of M and moderator of tomorrow's symposium. She says there are few issues as controversial as patenting DNA.

The Minnesota State Patrol is considering recording the race of every driver troopers pull over. The Patrol wants to make sure officers aren't making stops based on race. More than 100 other police agencies across the country have implemented similar plans over the last year in an effort to end so called "racial profiling." State Patrol Major Dennis Lazenberry is overseeing the project. He says the study is a precautionary measure.

It's official. Last month was one of the warmest Februarys on record, the fifth-warmest to be exact. The Twin Cities didn't see a single temperature below zero. Our unusually warm weather pattern is staying sandwiched between a cooler storm track over southern Canada and a warmer one to our south. Bill Togstad, a forecaster with the National Weather Sservice, says the current warming trend shows no signs of losing steam.

The unusually warm weather has welcomed some migratory birds back to the state a few weeks early. Steve Wilds is the Migratory Bird Coordinator with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.