Monday, May 12

The tiny northwestern Minnesota town of Ada is in the midst of a medical crisis. The city lost its only clinic, hospital and nursing home to flooding last month. The facilities are doubly important because together they comprise the town's biggest employer. At first, Ada heard it would probably get enough federal funds to rebuild the hospital. But Minnesota Public Radio's Lorna Benson reports, the hospital's future is now in doubt.

When floods and fire wreaked havoc in Grand Forks..the city's only daily newspaper was among the victims. The Grand Forks Herald building first flooded..then burned.... losing all its files and photo archive. Amazingly, the Herald never missed an issue. The paper was delivered to shelters free. This week the Herald plans to resume home delivery to residents who remain in the Grand Forks area. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Gunderson reports.

In today's Odd Jobs, we feature the man who puts the "international" in Rochester International Airport. Wes Niemitalo is the sole U.S. Customs Agent at the aiport - paid for by the city and the Mayo Clinic. He spends most of his day waiting to check in well-to-do overseas travelers coming in their private or government aircraft to the clinic for medical treatment. Minnesota Public Radio's Brent Wolfe talked to a man who gets an inside look at the lives of some rich and famous patients.

Saint Cloud has become the first outstate Minnesota community to form a citizens review board to investigate complaints against the police department. The Saint Cloud chapter of the N-A-A-C-P led the call for the board, but it's reserving judgment on whether the board can effectively police the police. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.

Lobbyist Barry Tilly says with one week left to go, the legislature most likely won't be able to complete work on a stadium bill. But he says a general spirit of bipartisan cooperation should allow lawmakers to complete work on other important measures.

House Tax Committee chair Dee Long says by insisting that 500-million dollars be spent on a tax rebate, Governor Carlson is cutting the amount of money that will be spent on real property tax reform.

The stock market could make a run for another record this week. Mn Public Radio's Chris Farrell told Bob Potter that, like last week, stocks may take their cue from bonds.

And on Future Tense: If you use the World Wide Web, marketers are sending you cookies. Future tense trend watcher Bill Loving has an explanation.

Tuesday, May 13

The bid for a new publicly-financed Twins stadium is back to square one today following a severe setback at the capitol yesterday. Two committees soundly rejected ballpark plans...and it will take a Herculean effort to come up with a viable alternative before the legislature adjourns for the year next Monday. Still...stadium supporters say they'll try. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Wareham reports

The Minnesota House has passed a bill changing D-W-I rules in the state. The bill lowers the legal threshold for drunkenness. The House measure is stricter than a bill passed by the Senate Last month. Minnesota Public Radio's Karen-Louise Boothe reports.

About one-thousand Grand Forks residents packed a city council meeting last night to try to get some answers on the city's plans for their flooded homes. The city is considering building a massive dike along the Red River to protect the town from future floods, but it would leave several low-lying neighborhoods without levy protection. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum attended the meeting.

NSP and Wisconsin Power are still waiting for approval from state regulators to merge into a new power company. If the merger takes place, the new company will be called "Primergy" and it will become the latest in a growing number of companies that have tried to create a new image by coming up with a new name. Many of these new names, like Reliastar, Ceridian, Imation, are actually brand new words. The New York-based consulting firm Interbrand-Schecter, helps companies come up with new names. We talk with Melissa Kalish, a Managing Partner who helped 3M come up with the Imation name for its spin off division.

And on Future Tense: MR Net Internet Services in Minneapolis has set up an internet e-mail discussion list in response to the recent flooding in Minnesota, the Dakotas and Manitoba. MR Net product manager Mick Souder says the list is a place where people can offer to help with cleanup or donate materials, and a place for people to share stories about the 1997 floods.

Wednesday, May 14

As residents of Grand Forks clean up their flooded homes, many are having trouble finding electricians to repair damaged wiring. City officials are encouraging out-of-town contractors to come help meet the demand, but up to five-thousand homes remain without power. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.

Governor Arne Carlson is telling lawmakers to pass his proposal for 150 million dollars in income tax credits and deductions for education or else face the possibility of a special session. Carlson has called education tax credits his top legislative priority since last year but the idea was shot down by two subcommittees earlier this session. We talk to DFL Senator Larry Pogemiller, a chief negotiator on the conference committee working out an education funding bill.

James Lee Witt, the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is headed to Grand Forks today to get a first hand look how the flood recovery is progressing. We ask him how the cleanup is going and why such a small portion of people decided to invest in flood insurance.

There will be a series of ceremonies in Washington this week to honor Hmong veterans who fought in the Vietnam War. The Hmong people who lived in the hills of Laos were secretly trained by the CIA to fight against the North Vietnamese. Their contribution to the war effort has never been fully acknowledged because the fighting in Laos was a covert operation. We talk to Jane Hamilton-Merritt who covered the Vietnam War as a journalist and wrote a book detailing the Hmong involvement in the war.

Thursday, May 15

The presidential campaign ended only 6 months ago but the next campaign is already well underway. In Iowa, where the presidential race traditionally starts every four years, potential competitors are already moving into the state even though the Iowa caucuses are nearly 3 years away. Mark Moran has more from Des Moines.

Dave Parker, an electric utilities analyst for AG Edwards, says he was suprised by federal regulators' decision to delay the merger between NSP and Wisconsin Engergy because similar mergers have gotten the green light elsewhere around the country. He also doubts the companies will be willing to sell off plants to meet conditions set for the merger to procede.

Talks aimed at settling a lawsuit brought by 25 states against the tobacco industry appear to be faltering. So far negotiators have not been able to agree how cigarette companies should be held liable for the health claims of smokers. Negotiators from Minnesota think the other states are in too much of a rush to strike a deal with tobacco companies. In recent weeks, Minnesota hasn't been at the table but Attorney General Skip Humphrey says his office is closely monitoring the talks.

And on Future Tense: Legal experts say Digital Equipment Corp.'s patent infringement lawsuit against Intel Corp. is a risky and expensive assault likely to prompt a counterstrike from the world's biggest chip maker. Digital has filed suit in U.S. District Court claiming Intel's popular Pentium, Pentium Pro and Pentium II chips -- key component's in 85 percent of the world's personal computers -- had infringed on 10 Digital patents. We hear from Dean Mccarron who is following the issue for Phoenix-based Mercury Research.

Friday, May 16

Legislative leaders have given up trying to reach a compromise with Governor Carlson over education tax credits. Senate negotiators last night abandoned a plan known as "Common Schools of Excellence," which they had hoped would satisfy the Governor's desire to let families spend public dollars on private education. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste has the story.

A bill passed by the Minnesota House-- and expected to be voted on TODAY in the Senate -- will make it harder for under-age Minnesotans to buy cigarettes. Minnesota Public Radio's Karen-Louise Boothe reports.

As flooded homes and businesses are cleaned up and repaired..health officials say precautions should be taken to avoid potential health problems in the future from mold. St. Paul indoor air quality and mold consultant Mac Pearce is helping with cleanup in the Red River Valley. He talked with Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Gunderson about the potential problems caused by mold.

Meteorologist Mark Seeley says some warm temperatures and sunshine are finally in the forecast.

And on Future Tense: The head of Apple computer is trying to convince software developers not to abandon the company... promising that Apple's new operating system will make it cheaper and easier to com up with new applications for Macintoshes. Many developers have shied away from writing programs for Macs because of its financial problems and slipping market share. Local Apple representative Tom Moen says Apple is pursing a dual operating system strategy.

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