Monday, May 19

State lawmakers are facing a midnight deadline tonight to finish their work of the session. Two big bills are headed to the Governor's desk where they face all but certain VETOES. Minnesota Public Radio's Karen-Louise Boothe reports.

Spearfishing opponents say tribal spearing in Minnesota could destroy the state's walleye population and seriously damage fishing-related tourism. Many Wisconsin residents had those same concerns more than a decade ago when northern Wisconsin's largest band of Ojibwe-the Lac Du Flambeau began aggressively exercizing its right to spear. As Minnesota Public Radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports, confrontations on boatlandings are a thing of the past.

Studies show that watching an aquarium full of fish calms a person. An increasing number of waiting rooms now feature aquariums, but few places want the chore of keeping them clean. In today's odd-jobs segment Kathleen Hallinan tags along with a Robbinsdale man who designs large salt-water tanks and-maintains them-for customers, in this case, Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis.

Today is the last day of the Legislative session, or is it? Two expected vetoes from Governor Carslon could send this session into overtime. Karen Louise Boothe has been following the activity at the Capitol all session long and she gives us an update.

Lobbyist Judy Cook says if the logjam at the capitol over education tax credits forces the legislature into a special session, it'll probably happen only when an agreement is finally worked out, and that other topics such as flooding or even the stadium could be taken up again, as well.

Over the weekend House and Senate conferees worked out the details of the long-awaited property tax reform package. Home owners will get a one time rebate and the tax rates for commercial property will be reduced. The package should be voted on today. Governor Carlson has said he will veto the tax bill unless he gets the tax credit provisions he wants in the education financing bill. We get the numbers from Dan Salamone, Exectutive Director of the Minnesota Taxpayers Association.

All eyes in the financial markets are on the Federal Reserve, which meets tomorrow to decide its policy on short term interest rates. The markets have been whipsawed by uncertainty over the direction of interest rates. Minnesota Public Radio's Bob Potter and senior business and economics editor Chris Farrell discuss what might happen.

And on Future Tense: The popular local web site, Channel 4000, is teaming up with the Internet's largest directory, Yahoo!. Channel 4000 is providing news to Yahoo's new Yahoo! Twin Cities site, at www.minn.yahoo.com. Channel 4000 has also announced partnerships with local media companies for health, sports and employment sites. Channel 4000 publisher R.T. Ryback describes what the partnership with Yahoo means.

Tuesday, May 20

State Lawmakers ended their 1996-97 regular session at the stroke of midnight last night, a constitutionally mandated deadline. But Governor Carlson says he'll call legislators back to St Paul for a special session because they didn't pass his education tax credits proposal. Minnesota Public RAdio's Martin Kaste reports.

Lawmakers do have a number of accomplishments to point to in the 1997 session. As Minnesota Public Radio's Karen-Louise Boothe reports, this was a budget year session that established key policies and spending priorities for the biennium with the benefit of a two-billion dollar surplus.

The Minnesota legislature adjourned without funding a new Twins ballpark. Instead, legislative leaders plan to assemble a stadium study group, and if it reaches a consensus on financing, the full legislature may reconvene in a special session to act on a ballpark plan later this year. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Wareham reports.

New York Mills is gearing up again for the town's most popular annual event, The Great American Think-Off. Next month, four finalists will debate whether the death penalty is ethical in a civilized society, two of them arguing in favor and two against. Steve Schulz, station manager of KPRW Radio in Perham, Minnesota, will be one of the contestants opposing the death penalty. He developed his argument in an essay that recounts a family tragedy - the murder of his father.

And on Future Tense: There's now another world wide web guide for the Twin Cities. This one is from the folks at Yahoo!, which rules over the net's largest directories. We hear from Lithane Van Duyne, Yahoo's regional online producer.

Wednesday, May 21

Today is Minnesota's seventh annual B-BOP Day. Commuters are being encouraged to ride a bike, use a car pool, take the bus or use any other form of alternative transportation. One man who is hoping that more people ride the bus not just today but everyday is Art Leahy. He is the new General Manager of Metropolitan Transit Operations. He says ridership is holding steady although improvements in bus service are needed.

The 15th Annual Strictly Business Computer and Digital Media Expo gets underway today in Minneapolis. It's billed as the largest computer show in the country for business customers. Represenatatives from thirty computer and software companies are here to discuss trends in the industry and show off the newest marvels of computer technology. Dr. Sam Fuller is Chief Scientist and Vice President of Digital Equipment Corporation. He says the Internet is driving big changes in the industry.

The design of the Target office tower being constructed on Nicollett Mall was unveiled yesterday. While Minneapolis' downtown has many high rises, the area to be occupied by the new offices is made up of much smaller buildings. The feel of the mall is sure to change. Star Tribune columnist Barbara Flanagan has been watching and writing about downtown Minneapolis for thirty years. She talks about the changes - both good and bad - that she's seen.

And on Future Tense: The University of Minnesota Extension Service's mission is to spread knowledge from the university to the entire state - about the weather, gardening, healthy living and more. That's the kind of thing the World Wide Web seems designed for - and the extension service is indeed putting the web to good use. We hear from Bob Rubinyi, computer systems specialist for the extension service.

Thursday, May 22

Hundreds of camper trailers are moving into communities along the Red River as temporary shelter for flood victims.

Most of the trailers are being set up in peoples' yards while they repair their houses. Outside Grand Forks, North Dakota, a community of refugees have taken over a small campground. Some campers expect a short stay, but others say it could be several months before they have a permanent home again. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.

The Senate is hoping to finish work today on a deal that would balance the federal bugdet by 2002. It would also cut taxes by 85 billion dollars and reduce Medicare spending by 115 billion. The House approved the agreement yesterday. While it meets the goal of balancing the budget for the first time since 1969, many lawmakers are skeptical of the details which will have to be worked out in future bills. Democrat David Minge represents Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District.

Mike Davis is Mississippi River biologist for the Minnesota DNR based in Lake City. He recently took Bob Potter on a tour of the Mississippi to look at both the subtle and obvious ways the flood has affected the river's environment.

And on Future Tense: PC operating systems, such as Windows 95 and Mac OS, would not be around long if there weren't nice software packages you can run on them. There are plenty of applications for both, but many of the folks who create software are unsure about the future of Apple, which created the Mac OS and is developing a new operating system called "Rhapsody," due out next year. Apple has been trying to convince the developers that they can make money by writing programs for "Rhapsody." so far at least, developers are listening. I asked Houston Chronicle technology reporter Dwight Silverman about whether "Rhapsody" is bringing a little stability for the often-troubled PC maker.

Friday, May 23

Moorhead may become the first city in Minnesota to offer residents a chance to pay more for electricity, . and some consumers are eager to sign up. This week the city started work on a project that will allow consumers to choose if they want energy generated by wind instead of coal. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Gunderson reports.

Federal and city inspectors have begun condemning flood-damaged houses in Grand Forks. Demolition of the unsafe structures is expected to start within a week. One neighborhood along the bank of the Red River is nearly a total loss, and the line of a proposed new dike would prevent any rebuilding there. As the housing loses mount, Grand Forks city officials are looking for ways to provide affordable replacements. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.

One month ago, President Clinton told Grand Forks flood evacuees their hardest days were still ahead, as the reality of the devastation sinks in. In that crowd were three residents of the Lincoln Drive area - one of the first neighborhoods to flood. Before the President's speech they talked to MPR about their experiences, and we wanted to check in with them again. Since the president's visit, two neighbors have begun the messy clean-up process; the third knows her home will likely be condemned, because Lincoln Drive will probably be on the wrong side of a proposed new dike. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.

St. Paul Pioneer Press media columnist Brian Lambert says the settlement between Colleen Needles and WCCO over her sexual harassment complaint came earlier than he expected. Needles resigned her position as anchor and dropped charges. WCCO apologized for her treatment but didn't concede her complaint had any legal merit.

Ralph Wittcoff, first manager of the New Riverside Cafe, talks about its early days as a center for community organizing and communal living. The cafe holds a wake today to commemorate it's 27 years of operation. It's going out of business because of long-term financial problems.

And on Future Tense: Apple Computer is setting up a separate company to develop and sell its Newton handheld computers. The company also wants to focus on its Macintosh computers and its next-generation Operating System, called Rhapsody, which is due next year. Apple computer co-founder Steve Wozniak this week criticized his old company, saying it's making machines that emphasize raw power over ease of use. Houston Chronicle technology reporter Dwight Silverman talks about whether he thinks Wozniak is right.

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