Monday, February 10, 1997

Master potter Richard Bresnahan wages a one-man campaign from his central Minnesota studio to tout the beauty and usefulness of clay pottery. Today in our Odd Jobs segment, we talk to the Collegeville potter who designed and built the nation's largest wood-fired kiln at Saint John's University, and the pottery studio on the edge of campus. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.

Minneapolis officials are considering opening up the city's private trash hauling contract to competitive bids for the first time in 25 years. At least one councilmember thinks the city could save several million dollars a year by seeking other bidders. The consortium of haulers that now handles the waste admits the city might be able to save some money -- but contends small haulers would likely go out of business in the process. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Wareham reports.

Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life is planning a rally tomorrow at the state capitol to protest a medical procedure sometimes referred to as "partial-birth abortions." Banning the relatively rare abortion procedure is an MCCL priority this year... but some lawmakers say they're not as concerned about MCCL's priorities as they used to be. MCCL lost a powerful ally when House Speaker Irv Anderson was toppled last month, and that's translated into a loss of clout at the capitol. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports.

Chris Farrell discusses what we can expect to see happen on Wall Street this week.

Lobbyist Bob Renner looks ahead to this week at the Legislature and discusses how he had to drop both the Twin and tobacco companies as clients when the two issues came into conflict over the new stadium. He also talks about how lobbying has changed since the passage of the gift ban two years ago.

Commercial real estate developer Whitney Peyton discusses a report that shows there is a glut of retail space in the Twin Cities right now and what is happening to that space.

February 11, 1997

A company based in northeastern Minnesota is making a product that can turn a four wheel drive pick-up truck into an all-terrain vehicle. Mark Zdechlik reports.

As of last month, the U-S government no longer views drug addiction or alcoholism as disabilities for purposes of government assistance. Congress passed a law last year that cut off disability benefits for more than 200-thousand chemically dependent people. The payments came under attack after reports that some recipients used government checks to buy drugs and alcohol. But some social service workers say ending the disability payments will make many former recipients homeless. Minnesota Public Radio's John Biewen reports.

Minneapolis Schools Superintendent Peter Hutchinson reacts to news that the Legislature is on the verge of passing a statewide testing bill. He says it's a good idea if the information helps parents and teachers learn better.

Macalester labor historian Peter Rachleff discusses today's union vote by University of Minnesota professors.

Wednesday, February 12, 1997

The Minnesota Court of Appeals has upheld a law requiring children judged as sex offenders to register with police. An 11-year-old girl and 17-year-old boy challenged the mandatory registration law because they said it imposes an adult punishment on children who don't have the same rights to a jury trial as adults do. Minnesota Public Radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports.

A glimpse of the spring flood potential will be available this Friday when the national weather service issues its first flood forecast of the season. There's a chance this years' deep snows are only "part one" of a weather disaster. Mainstreet Radio's Mark Steil reports.

As state officials wrestle with various ways to reduce the number of snowmobile injuries and fatalities in Minnesota, some residents of one local community are taking matters into their own hands. The Brooklyn Park Safety Snow Patrol, which is made up of volunteers from the Minneapolis suburb, observed it's 25th anniversary last year...making it the oldest existing snowmobile safety group in the country. Minnesota Public Radio's Perry Finelli reports.

Director of the Minneapolis Planetarium Bob Bob Bonadurer talks about comet Halle Bop which is now visible early in the morning in the eastern sky.

NWA spokesman Jon Austin discusses what NWA might do if pilots for American Airlines go on strike this weekend.

An official for Northern States Power discusses abnormally high gas prices for January that have since dropped. Price swings are more common now than they used to be.

Thursday, February 13

With this week's legislative agreement to hammer out a plan for statewide testing of students, many Minnesotans are asking what will be done with the test results. One suggestion a conference committee will consider is proposed by a central Minnesota lawmaker. D-F-L'er Joe Opatz wants the tests to be used to gauge whether students' scores improve at each school, reward schools that show improvement, and provide help and possibly punish those that don't. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.

The University of Minnesota is one of the state's largest landowners and, thus, a big neighbor. Some residents of a Minneapolis neighborhood would like the U to be a better neighbor and agree to sell some of its surplus Minneapolis campus property to homeowners. The residents want a mix of housing to try create what some call an urban village environment. They are concerned the U will sell to the highest bidder which in this case may be a developer who wants to tear down the houses. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson has more.

AS STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS AROUND THE COUNTRY STRUGGLE TO COMPREHEND THE COMPLEXITY OF WELFARE REFORM THEY'RE WATCHING EACH OTHERS EFFORTS TO SEE WHAT CAN BE LEARNED. NORTH DAKOTA IS OUT FRONT IN ONE AREA..A NEW SYSTEM TO HANDLE WHAT USED TO BE AID TO FAMILIES WITH DEPENDENT CHILDREN..OR A-F-D-C MINNESOTA PUBLIC RADIOS DAN GUNDERSON REPORTS.

University of Minnesota Physics professor and chairman of the pro-union campaign Tom Walsh discusses the vote in which professors narrowly defeated an attempt to form a faculty union.

Friday, February 14 Information not available at this time.

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