Monday, October 27

The founder of a St. Paul company that trains chemically-dependent young men and women for the workforce plans to open a 24-hour facility in Blaine. Fred Myers says the 13-year-old Rebuild Resources has kept many of its graduates from ending up in prison, and the planned Rebuild Academy, which broke ground over the weekend, will expand that effort to include education and housing. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.

Minneapolis Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton says the current boom in downtown construction show's the city's development plans are working. Mayoral challenger Barbara Carlson, a former city council member, claims some credit for saving downtown. But Carlson also says city leaders have botched several big projects. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson has the next in our series of reports on issues in the Minneapolis mayors race.

If you don't count the Red River, North Dakota is about as land-locked as a state can get.... but that's not stopping a researcher in Carrington from getting into a new venture.... lobster farming. Minnesota Public Radio's Hope Deutscher reports.

More committee meetings are scheduled for today as Minnesota Legislators try to come up with some kind of legislation that will keep the Twins in Minnesota. The latest concept being considered is public ownership of the team. But like the other proposals that have been suggested, it is a long way from being passed. Minnesota is just the latest state to face this dilemma. Two years ago Wisconsin Legislators approved a sales tax increase to pay for a new stadium for the Milwaukee Brewers. A long and bitter battle led up to that vote. Wisconsin Republican Senator Brian Rude says Minnesota can learn a few lessons from Wisconsin's experience.

Did you know sumac berries can be used to make pink lemonade? Naturalist Kathy Heidel shares the secrets of what she considers one of the tastiest plants around.

MPR's Senior business editor Chris Farrell explains what led to the the turmoil shaking financial markets in Southeast Asia... and what the repurcussions may be for the world economy.

On Future Tense: The software giant Microsoft says it will not cave in to the Justice Department lawsuit charging it with violating antitrust laws. Executive vice president Steve Ballmer says Microsoft will fight the suit through the courts and eventually prevail. The government says Microsoft is breaking the law by requiring computer makers to include the browser. Future Tense news analyst Bill Loving discusses why the government has decided to take on Microsoft.

Tuesday, October 28

State lawmakers meet later this morning to vote on whether to help pay for a new Minnesota Twins baseball stadium. Legislative committees have been mulling over the stadium issue for nine months now, but this is the first time the full House and Senate will get to vote. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports.

Lobbyist John Knapp was a Legislative aide when the Metrodome was being debated in the 1970s. Now he works the halls of the Capitol as a lobbyist. He says the nature of politics has changed a lot in the last 20 years, making it more difficult for legislative leaders to negotiate an agreement to fund a new stadium.

Steve Luethold of Luethold and Anderson says the future of the stock market now depends upon whether average investors lose faith in the market or decide to keep their money where it is.

The notion that art is just something to look at is being challenged by a new exhibit at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Theater of Machines is a sculpture that is really a giant system of inter-connected contraptions. And the people who go to see the sculpture get to operate it. Theater of Machines is the creation of Irv Dell and Brad Casper. MPR's Bob Potter recently stopped by the museum to see how it all works.

It looks like it could be a long day at the Capitol today. Legislators are reconvening to debate a number of bills that deal with a new stadium for the Minnesota Twins. But there is still no consensus on how to pay for the stadium or even what kind of a stadium it should be. Senate Majority Leader Roger Moe says he's pushing for a conclusion to the debate today or tomorrow.

On Future Tense: Larry Rosen says people and technology mix like like oil and water. The California State University professor says we are all suffering from techno-overload. He calls it "Technostress," and has written a book of the same name.

Wednesday, October 29

The Minnesota Legislature has voted NOT to help pay for a new Twins stadium. Yesterday, lawmakers in both chambers defeated every proposed revenue source, ranging from cigarette taxes to slot machines. But as Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports, the Twins stadium issue isn't dead yet.

Incumbent Minneapolis mayor Sharon Sayles Belton and her challenger Barbara Carlson offer striking contrasts in their style and in their stand on issues. Tomorrow we'll have a profile of Sayles Belton. Today, Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson has a profile of independent Minneapolis mayoral candidate Barbara Carlson.

Republicans yanked a popular highway bill from the Senate Tuesday after failing to end a filibuster by Democrats, who wanted to attach a contentious campaign inance plan to the measure. Republican Leader Trent Lott said the six-year highway and mass transit legislation was "apparently dead for the year." He ruled out any short-term proposal to continue transit funding until Congress resumed work in late January. We talk with Minnesota Senator Rod Grams about the stalemate.

Following the lead of Wall Street yesterday, foreign markets are up today. The key index in Hong Kong rebounded sharply - up nearly 19 percent and the main index in London is up nearly 3 percent this morning. We hear from Chris Farrell, Minnesota Public Radio's senior business and economics editor.

Over the last two years, car thefts in Minnesota have jumped 23 percent... even as crime dropped in other categories. So far this year, the state has distributed more than a million dollars in grants to fund a variety of anti-car theft strategies. State Patrol Seargent Dennis Roske directs the state's Auto Theft Prevention Program which began last January. He says the program is helping several cities use global positioning satellites in order to catch car thieves.

On Future Tense: Larry Rosen is co-author of the new book "Technostress," about our inability to cope with the inundation of new technologies. The University of California professor says familes can get stressed out when parents get computers for their children.

Thursday, October 30

When a homicide occurs, most police departments focus on identifying suspects and charging them. The needs of families of homicide victims, in the immediate aftermath of a murder and in the weeks and months that follow, often get lost in the shuffle of trying to solve a case. For the last two years, a program run out of St. Paul Police headquarters has provided homicide survivors with information and support after a loved one has been killed. St. Paul police believe the program has helped them in numerous murder investigations. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Roberts reports.

Minneapolis mayor Sharon Sayles Belton says violent crime in the city is coming down, neighborhoods are stronger and downtown development is booming. She says those are reasons voters should re-elect her Tuesday. We've heard challenger Barbara Carlson and mayor Sayles Belton talk about the issues in reports the past two weeks. Yesterday we heard a profile of candidate Carlson. Today, in the final report of our series on the Minneapolis mayors race we hear from incumbent Sharon Sayles Belton. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson has more.

If the Legislature doesn't come up with a new stadium, it looks like the Twins will move. The Vikings are for sale and could be moving. State funding of a hockey arena for St. Paul's new NHL hockey team is in jeopardy. What does all this mean? It could mean that in a few years the St. Paul Saints will be the only professional sports team left in the Twin Cities. Saints owner Mike Veeck is in Charleston, West Virginia where he owns another minor league baseball team. He still thinks a stadium will be funded, but says the team could survive in the Dome with the right marketing strategy.

On Future Tense: America Online has come up with a way to make it easier to filter out unwanted e-mail. AOL says it's giving its 9 million subscribers more tools to block mail touting pornographic web sites, get rich schemes and alleged medical breakthroughs and other junk e-mail, or "spam." The new feature lets users decide whether they want to block or accept junk e-mail from specific Internet addresses. AOL spokeswoman Tricia Primrose explains how it works.

Friday, October 31

Hell House debuts in Minnesota this Halloween. Hell House is billed as a guided tour of hell, one with a Christian evangelical message. Tour guides lead visitors through scenes intended to shock, disturb and convert. Minnesota Public Radio's Amy Radil reports.

The number of Minnesota students eating breakfast at school has more than tripled over the past ten years. A new nationwide survey ranks Minnesota the eighth fastest growing state in breakfast participation. State education officials, school nutritionists and advocates for the poor credit the growth on awareness of the link between food and learning. But they say many children who should be eating breakfast at school still are not. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.

Minnesota Vikings President Roger Headrick says renovations to the Metrodome WON'T be enough to keep the team in the black. Headrick told the Pioneer Press that the Vikings need a new stadium, too... either one of their own, or a dual-purpose stadium to be shared with the Twins. Hedrick says the stadium issue won't necessarily force the team to leave Minnesota... but Vikings owners are currently looking to sell the team. Sen. Keith Langseth, co-chair of the legislatures stadium taskforce, says he thinks the Vikings will have to stay in the dome.

Professional sports owners are not the most popular group of people in Minnesota these days. But at least for the time being, there is one exception: Glen Taylor. That's because he is spending 125 million of his dollars to KEEP a popular sports attraction in town. That attraction, of course, is Kevin Garnett of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Tonight the Timberwolves play Golden State in their first game of the season. We talk about the team with Britt Robson, a writer for City Pages.

Mark Seeley visits for his weekly weather chat.

On Future Tense: Computers have been used in automobile manufacturing for quite a while now. Computer technology helps control your fuel, brakes, airbags, and more. Some say the next big trend in cars is GPS, or global positioning system. It uses satellites to help you find your way around. People are turning to the internet to research their cars - even buy them. now, CARS and trucks are increasingly being designed on computers. "PAPERLESS CARS" they're called.

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