Monday, February 4

Minnesota has always been a destination for African immigrants. However their numbers have greatly increased since 1990 when refugees from Somalia, Sudan and Liberia arrived here to escape civil wars in their home countries. The African presence offers both a positive and perplexing situation for the state's African American population. On one hand, by interacting with continental Africans, African Americans make connections which help them better understand their cultural heritage. At the same time these interactions sometimes serve to remind African Americans of how far removed they are from Africa. Minnesota Public Radio's Brandt Williams has the first installment in a series of reports on the relationship between Africans and African Americans. FULL STORY

Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone and other Midwest lawmakers are pushing for a provision in the new federal farm bill that would promote windpower and other forms of alternative energy. They spoke today at an alternative energy summit in St. Paul. Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Losure reports.

U.S. Education Secretary Rod Paige is praising his boss's commitment to parental choice in education. On the day President Bush released his budget proposal, Paige visited a St. Paul charter school to preview new education spending. He also praised the new school reforms signed into law last month. Some Minnesota Democrats say those new federal education policies will shortchange students. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.

The Minnesota Supreme Court has all but ended major league baseball's plans to eliminate two teams before this season. The court today refused to consider an appeal of an injunction that forces the Minnesota Twins to fulfill their Metrodome lease this year. The high court's action means an injunction issued by a Hennepin County judge in November will stand - barring intervention by the U.S. Supreme Court, which is unlikely. Twins President Jerry Bell says a cheer went up among Twins employees who can now look forward to the season. He told Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Wareham that it looks very likely that the league can't proceed with contraction. FULL STORY

Governor Ventura's proposal to raise some taxes to balance the budget got its first hearing in the House Tax Committee Monday. Lawyers, auto mechanics and newspaper publishers objected to the plan's impact on their bottom line. House and Senate leaders continue to say they won't raise taxes in the current two-year budget cycle, although a spokesman for the governor says legislators are simply avoiding the tough decisions. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports. FULL STORY

Minnesotans honored one of their most famous sons Monday at a ceremony marking Charles Lindbergh's 100th birthday. Officials at Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport dedicated a bronze bust of the renown aviator, which sits under a replica of the plane he flew in his historic solo flight across the Atlantic. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen has more.

There are more Somalis in Minnesota, than any other African immigrant group. Like nearly all newcomers to America, Somalis have faced racial and ethnic discrimination in their new surroundings. That reality comes as no surprise to African Americans who have experienced racism all their lives. But clashes between Somalis and African Americans caught both communities off guard and was particularly troubling to those who feel the two groups have much in common. Now, groups of Somalis and African Americans are coming together to bridge cultural differences. Minnesota Public Radio's Brandt Williams has the second report in our series on the relationship between Africans and African Americans. FULL STORY

The future of Minnetonka-based Fingerhut is still up in the air. Fingerhut's parent company announced three weeks ago it would sell or liquidate the catalogue retailer. But many Fingerhut workers are already out hunting for new places to work. In St. Cloud Tuesday, a student career fair opened its doors for the first time to the general public. It was an invitation to the 2,700 workers at Fingerhut's St. Cloud distribution center. Mainstreet Radio's Jeff Horwich reports some workers did make their way to campus, feeling out what may be a tough job market ahead.

Nearly a year after the Minnesota House voted to prohibit local governments from limiting the operation of gun ranges, the Senate author may be close to a compromise. An amendment was offered in a Senate committee Tuesday that would give local governments some control over shooting ranges. Some opponents, however, say the amendment is still overreaching. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports.

A Rochester man is coordinating health programs for Afghani refugees in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Frank Anderson, Jr. arrived in Pakistan less than a month ago to provide humanitarian work through Minnesota-based American Refugee Committee. He spent last week helping Afghani refugees in Kabul, Afghanistan. Anderson says that ever since Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl was kidnapped, he and other expatriates are feeling a little less safe.

Friends and family today remembered DFL state Representative Darlene Luther as a good friend and mother. The 54-year-old lawmaker died last week after a three-month battle with stomach cancer. Issues she championed include the Family Child Tax Credit which provides tax relief if one parent stays home. She also pushed to make organ donation easier. Luther is married to Sixth District Congressman Bill Luther.

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig announced today he's dropping plans to contract two major league teams this year. Yesterday, the Minnesota Supreme Court refused to consider an appeal of an injunction that forces the Twins to honor their Metrodome lease. Selig's announcement comes just nine days before the start of spring training. He is vowing to press forward with contraction for 2003. Baseball author and analyst Gary Gillette says Seligs announcement is no surprise.

This year, police in many Minnesota communities are tracking the race of every person they stop. A proposal to require race data collection was defeated in the last legislative session. Instead, police and sheriffs departments were offered incentives to volunteer for a pilot project. Participating agencies will get video cameras for squad cars. Sixty-five agencies have been gathering data for about a month. Mainstreet Radios Dan Gunderson reports.

When Africans immigrate to America they confront racism, perhaps for the first time. The longer they live in this country and become African Americans, they realize they are identified more by the color of their skin than by their nationality. In the last part of a series on the relationship between Africans and African Americans, Minnesota Public Radio's Brandt Williams looks at how race can complicate the process of assimilation for African immigrants. FULL STORY

Former Minneapolis City Councilmember Brian Herron was sentenced Wednesday in federal court to a year in prison for extortion. Federal investigators caught Herron on tape last year accepting $10,000 from a Twin Cities grocer in exchange for political influence. Judge Richard Kyle says the sentence reflects Herron's cooperation with authorities, but he must account for his breech of the public's trust. Minnesota Public Radio's Art Hughes reports.

Alabama businessman Donald Watkins was in Minneapolis Wednesday to assess potential ballpark sites. Watkins is exploring a possible purchase of the Minnesota Twins -- and has pledged to build a new stadium entirely with private dollars if he's able to acquire the team. Meanwhile, Governor Jesse Ventura says he hasn't changed his stance on a ballpark, despite a willingness to call a special session if lawmakers can't address the issue in the regular course of business. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo reports. FULL STORY

Sun Country Airlines announced Wednesday it will resume flying scheduled service to 11 destinations later this month. The financially strapped airline has been in discussions with potential investors since December, and officials say they expect to finalize a deal in the next week. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin reports.

A House committee today approved a bill that would prevent telemarketers from calling individuals who put their names on a state-sponsored "do not call" list. Supporters of the measure say telemarketers are inundating residents with too many calls and becoming a nuisance. Opponents argue the bill won't do anything to stop fraudulent telemarketers and will impede businesses that rely on telemarketing. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports. FULL STORY

Tan Dun says he got his start as a conductor and composer directing the farmers in his rural Chinese village in a make-shift orchestra that played ritual music and folk songs. His music gained a worldwide audience last March when he accepted an Oscar for composing the film score to the hit film, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Tan is in the Twin Cities to conduct the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra in two performances of the Crouching Tiger Concerto. He says he was 19 years old when he first heard western music.

Nachito Herrera is an unlikely transplant to the state of Minnesota. He's one of Cuba's hottest piano players and toured for years with the acclaimed band Cubanisimo. But as Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Stucky reports, Herrera has decided to settle down in Minnesota, at least for a while.

A local organization devoted to women's health is celebrating its 20th anniversary, but also losing its long time leader. Melpomene Institute was founded to provide motivation and education to female athletes. In the last two decades, Melpomene researchers have studied issues ranging from how physical activity affects pregnancy to the eating behaviors of young athletes. Now after leading the Institute for two decades co-founder and CEO Judy Lutter is retiring. She says the institute started taking shape when she began a regular exercise program.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers, labor unions and business leaders announced a plan today that would increase transportation funding $2.2 billion over the next five years. The proposal calls for using all of the taxes collected on new and used cars and an increase to the state's gasoline tax. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports. FULL STORY

House Republicans today unveiled their plan for addressing the state's nearly $2 billion projected budget deficit. Like the Senate DFL plan, the proposal does not raise taxes. But it cuts government spending more than twice as much as the Senate plan, and could result in state government layoffs. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports. FULL STORY

South Dakota has become the first battleground in a war of political superpowers. Political ads are already crowding local television news broadcasts. A conservative Washington group accuses Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle of blocking tax cuts. Political observers say the effort to demote Daschle to minority leader is being waged in his home state where another senate seat may be vulnerable. Mainstreet Radio's Cara Hetland reports. FULL STORY

A statewide program for troubled youth that's been operating for more than 20 years may be eliminated. Governor Ventura's budget has no funding for the youth intervention program. Law enforcement officials say the program has helped thousands of kids turn their lives around. Mainstreet Radios Dan Gunderson reports.

Charles Lindbergh's grandson is planning to replicate his grandfather's famous solo transatlantic flight. In 1927, Charles Lindbergh, who grew up in Little Falls, flew the single-engine "Spirit of St. Louis" from New York to Paris in 33.5 hours. Erik Lindbergh says he first came up with the idea for the flight several years ago, but abandoned it when he was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.

Governor Jesse Ventura Friday took aim at Republican and Democratic plans to correct the state's projected budget deficit. Ventura has called on lawmakers to address both the current biennium's deficit -- estimated at $2 billion -- as well as a future shortfall projected to reach $2.5 billion in fiscals years 2004 and 2005. The governor criticized legislators for not providing a long-term fix -- but House and Senate leaders say they're committed to a responsible solution. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo reports. FULL STORY

Minneapolis Police Chief Robert Olson endured a round of pointed questions during budget hearings Friday. The questioning came as city officials grapple with budget cuts of between $5 million and $15 million. Minnesota Public Radio's Art Hughes reports.

Officials at Federated Department Stores say they've received a formal offer for Fingerhut, and are reviewing it. Last month Federated said it would shut down its catalogue retailer and eliminate its 4,700 Minnesota jobs unless a buyer is found. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin reports.