Monday, February 9

Four cigarette makers are asking a Minnesota judge for permission to release more than 33 million pages of internal documents. The formerly confidential material is being used by Minnesota in its lawsuit against the tobacco companies. State Attorney General Skip Humphrey says the documents are already being exposed in the trial. He calls the request a "public relations ploy." In any case, Minnesota's tobacco trial enters its third week today, with more questioning of a spokesman for the tobacco industry's trade association. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.

A small, gray, airplane took off recently from Duluth's airport. It was the first air test of a production model airplane equipped with a parachute. Not a passenger parachute; an aircraft parachute. Experts think Cirrus Designs' plane and its focus on safety could revolutionize the General Aviation Industry. Minnesota Public Radio's Bob Kelleher reports from Duluth.

At this moment, thousands of flesh-eating bugs are munching away on dozens of animal parts--in the basement of a neat looking brick home, in a quiet St. Paul neighborhood. The offerings come from taxidermists, veterinarians and museums. In today's odd-jobs segment, Kathleen Hallinan introduces you to a beetle rancher.

A committee of the Minnesota House today considers spending a half million dollars to restore the Herman Monument in New Ulm. To some, it's only a statue. But don't tell that to the people of New Ulm where "Herman the German" is a favorite son. Minnesota Public Radio's Lynette Lynam reports.

For decades, the rule was you couldn't win against big tobacco. The companies had deep pockets to wage legal battles. Juries and judges consistently blamed smokers for their own use of cigarettes and the harm they caused. Then, in 1994, a friend of Mississippi Attorney General Michael Moore came up with a new idea. If a state sued for money it paid out in medical bills for cigarette smokers, the companies might be found responsible. The tobacco companies could not claim that a state smoked a cigarette. In a new book about how the states took on the tobacco companies, The People Vs Big Tobacco, the authors follow both sides of the story that lead to the trial here in Minnesota. Co-author Adam Levy says its been difficult for individual smokers to make headway against tobacco companies.

A House committee today will consider a bill that would make it more difficult for Minnesota cities to use public subsidies to attract businesses. The bill would penalize communities that use tax breaks or other financial incentives to lure companies away from their neighbors. We talk to DFLer John Hottinger, Senate author of the bill.

The bull market has roared back to life on Wall Street. The market's reslience is a surprise to a lot of people, including MN Public Radio's Chris Farrell.

It's deadline week at the state capitol. Legislators have until Friday to get principal policy committees to pass their pet bills; legislation that doesn't make it through committee is effectively dead for the session. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste joins us from the capitol to take a look ahead at this week's action.

On Future Tense: From Cray to Control Data ... Minnesota was once the seat of power computing. Cray Research of Eagan has been swallowed by California-based Silicon Graphics... and it's still making supercomputers. Jon Gordon talks with Mark Goldman of Silicon Graphics/Cray Research about what today's supercomputers are being used for.

Tuesday, February 10

It's been six months since a suspected dumping of a toxic chemical wiped out 7800 trout in one of Minnesota's most popular trout streams. Authorities still don't know who is responsible. Even as the investigation continues, there are indications the stream is healing itself and will soon replenish the trout lost last August. Minnesota Public Radio's Mike Edgerly reports.

The head of the only tobacco company to publicly acknowlege smoking is addictive and causes health problems resumes his testimony today in Minnesota's tobacco trial. Liggett C-E-O Bennett Lebow testified Monday that it's absurd for the industry to argue otherwise. Liggett has settled out of court with the State but is still a defendant against Blue Cross Blue Shield. Minnesota Public Radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports.

The Minnesota River Valley could look different in a few years...and the river water may be much cleaner. What may be the most concentrated effort ever in Minnesota to clean a river is set to begin this spring..... assuming the U.S. Agriculture Department gives the go-ahead. Approval is expected this month. The goal is to reduce the amount of agricultural run-off entering the river. Mainstreet Radio's Mark Steil reports.

Local townships in Minnesota would be allowed to impose a temporary moratorium on large animal feedlots under a bill approved yesterday by a House committee. The moratorium would give the state time to study the feedlots' environmental and economic impacts before the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency issues more permits. The feedlots debate is one of the most controversial issues facing rural Minnesota. From the capitol, Minnesota Public Radio's Eric Jansen reports.

On Future Tense: Netscape Communications Chief Executive Jim Barksdale is urging employees to stay focused on their jobs amid takeover speculation. Netscape's stock jumped last week on speculation that Sun Microsystems (SUNW) or another company might buy it. In January, Netscape posted a $115.5 million loss for 1997, and announced plans to lay off 400 of its 3,200 workers. Netscape was once considered a possible Microsoft slayer, but the Pioneering Internet company is faltering lately. We hear from Dwigh Silverman, who writers about the computer industry for the Houston Chronicle.

Wednesday, February 11

A Senate committee has approved a plan to build a new Twins stadium with a combination of user fees, lotteries and a surcharge on game-day parking. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste has the story.

State's attorneys in the Minnesota tobacco trial say they'll have more ammunition against the industry following a special master's recommendation yesterday. The special master recommended the judge order the release of more files the tobacco companies said were protected under attorney/client privilege. Minnesota Public Radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports.

Members of the radical environmentalist group Earth First! appear to have conceded defeat in their struggle to save 6-thousand century-old red pines. The group held a demonstration near the Little Alfie logging site east of Orr Minnesota, but protesters say they will not block logging trucks. Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Losure reports from Orr.

Governor Carlson's 12-million dollar bonding proposal to fund boarding schools gets another hearing at the capitol today. The schools would serve at-risk juveniles who have had no major criminal problems. The proposal for Minnesota may be modelled after the Milton-Hershey School in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Minnesota Public Radio's Karen-Louise Boothe travelled there to take a closer look. She reports on what SOME experts say is a new view of an old concept.

When personal computers began infiltrating private homes, some soothsayers predicted one result would be the decline of public libraries. But it hasn't happened, at least not in the Twin Citites area, where libraries are booming: They are serving more patrons, buying more materials, renovating buildings, and exploring new ways to pay for it all. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen reports.

American athletes have begun winning gold in Nagano. American skier Picabo Street won the women's super giant slalom. And Jonny Moseley took a gold medal for the U-S in the freestyle moguls competition. Jay Weiner is a sports writer for the Star Tribune. He checks in from Nagano.

President Clinton is expected to commit to a tough tobacco settlement today. The proposal would impose a $1.50 tax-per-pack and give very little protection from further lawsuits to the industry. Doug Cogan is director of the Tobacco Information Service, which tracks the industry for investors. He says the debate will come down to how much legal immunity to grant the industry.

Future Tense: A new kind of software can be instructed to recognize a user's face. Bill Loving of the Star Tribune takes a look at so-called "Facial Recogition Software."

Thursday, February 12

A researcher on smoking and health resumes his testimony today that smoking is the chief cause of lung cancer. Johns Hopkins physician and researcher Jon Samet told jurors lung cancer deaths in Minnesota have increased ten-fold in the past 40 years. Minnesota Public Radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports.

A Minnesota House committee today considers whether to spend taxpayer money for convention centers in Minneapolis, Duluth and Fergus Falls. Governor Carlson has included several new and expanded convention centers in his state spending blueprint. Supporters say the facilities are key to economic growth in the cities and towns. Critics say they're an expensive way to buy a vote for a hockey arena in St. Paul. Minnesota Public Radio's Karen-Louise Boothe reports.

Later this month the U-S Supreme Court will hear arguments in a Minnesota case that will affect local governments and indian tribes nationwide. At issue is whether land owned by tribes can be taxed. Mainstreet Radios Dan Gunderson reports.

A moratorium on building large new feedlots is all but dead in the state legislature. The moratorium's defeat in a Senate committee last night hints at a coming showdown between the Senate and House over regulation of hog farms and other livestock facilities. Minnesota Public Radio's Eric Jansen reports from the capitol.

The Timberwolves lost their first game after returning from the All-Star break...falling last night to the Orlando Magic 96-89. The Wolves played without leading scorer Tom Gugliotta who is still suffering from an ankle injury after sitting out four games. We talk to Brit Robson who covers sports for City Pages.

On Future Tense: Laura Gurak, Assistant Professor of Rhetoric at the University of Minnesota, talks about one of the technological highlights of the Olympics, and what it says about modern modes of communication.

Friday, February 13

An Executive Order from Governor Carlson...which takes effect today...will create a new statewide victim services agency. Its purpose is to consolidate the funding for all of the state services for victims of crimes and domestic abuse into one agency. Some long-time workers in the area of victim services say the center could be the death-knell for local, grassroots crisis centers. And they're worried that a state center would leave many victims without the help they need. Minnesota Public Radio's Gretchen Lehmann reports.

Governor Carlson signed the first bill of the 1998 session yesterday... extending the winter ice fishing season by two weeks to March first. The extension aims to help resorters, some of whom have seen a 50 percent drop in winter business because of warm weather. Today is the make-or-break day for other issues at the Capitol. Bills have to make it through committee by today to stay alive for further debate. We get an update from John Knapp, a lobbyist at the state legislature.

Whatever the outcome of the Minnesota tobacco trial, the government is already tightening regulations on tobacco. After launching an investigation in 1994, the Food and Drug Administration decided smoking posed enough of a health threat - especially to teenagers - to warrant stricter regulation. Mitch Zellar is associate commissioner of the FDA. He says before the FDA could regulate nicotine, it had to show tobacco companies intended it to act like a drug.

The Minnesota History Center has new exhibit called "Our Gathering Places" which looks at the central role of barbershops and beauty salons in the black community. To prepare for that exhibit historians recorded many hours of oral history from black Minnesotans. This month on Morning Edition we'll hear some of that history beginning today with Charles Nichols. Nichols grew up in Duluth before moving to the Twin Cities. He remembers the barbershops as a place for conversation and information.

Mark Seeley says the warm temperatures will continue into next week.

On Future Tense: Minneosta's top trade technology trade groups are merging. One of the first joint efforts of the Minnesota Software Association and the High Technology Council is a campaign to lure highly sought after computer industry workers from the country's highest profile technology center, California's Silicon Valley. As Minnesota Public Radio's Todd Moe reports, the campaign is an effort to reverse a Minnesota brain drain.

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