Monday, April 20

Angry residents along Park Avenue in Minneapolis' Phillips want city officials to roust drug users from a neighborhood apartment building. Residents believe drug users took an elderly resident of the building hostage last week and killed her. The tragedy has demoralized many residents who see it as a continuation of the crime that has afflicted the city's poorest neighborhood for years. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson has more.

Moms and dads with their children...old Volvo wagons stuffed with lamps and boxes....it was like the beginning of a new school year on the campus of Gustavus Adolphus College Sunday. Three weeks after the tornado hit Saint Peter, hundreds of students returned to the campus. For many, it was their first time back since they departed for spring break before the storm. Minnesota Public Radio's Lynette Nyman has this report.

On Future Tense: Harris Miller, the head of the Information Technology Association of America, talked with Jon Gordon about the high tech worker shortage.

The fastest growing churches in the country today are affiliated not by denomination, but by size. So called, "Mega Churches" describe congregations numbering in the thousands. Some are housed in huge complexes that resemble business centers more than churces. These congregations are largely evangelical and suburban without many of the trappings of tradition and liturgy. Critics call them "shopping mall" churches but even some mainline denominations are taking note, wondering what they can learn from the mega church movement. Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Stucky reports.

Last week, a group of international journalists traveled across the United States visiting Indian Reservations. The trip was sponsered by the National Inter-tribal Network. It was arranged to show the Indian perspective on issues of tribal sovereignty. One of the stops was the Prairie Island Community near Red Wing, Minnesota. BBC reporter Richard Lister went on the tour. He talked to MPR's Bob Potter about why he wanted to go.

Author Paul Gruchow is one the winners in this year's Minnesota Book Awards. Gruchow won the top honor, known as the Flanagan Prize, for his book of essays entitled Boundary Waters: The Grace of the Wild. Twenty-one prizes were handed out Friday night. This is the second award that Gruchow has won. He joins us now by phone.

The stock market opens for trading in about 40 minutes with the Dow Industrials at another record level. The most widely watched stock index gained 173 points last week, to 9167. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Farrell continues to be amazed by the market's stellar performance. He spoke with Bob Potter.

Tuesday, April 21

Minnesota is short on workers in many parts of the state. State officials say the shortage is most apparant among low and high skill job classes, with the information technology industry hit hardest. "I-T" Companies report they are turning down business for lack of computer software and hardware engineers. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin has more.

The special legislative session is over, as far as the Minnesota Senate is concerned. Yesterday, the Senate approved legislation meant to help the Marvin Windows company win a lawsuit, as well as legislation allocating $12 Million dollars in extra spending on social programs. Members of the Minnesota House, on the other hand, are stuck at the state capitol for at least another day -- maybe two. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste explains why.

Farmers across the region are getting their machinery lined up for an early start on spring planting this year, but in northwestern Minnesota and Eastern North Dakota hundreds of farmers are lining equipment up to be sold at auction. Low wheat prices and five years of crop disease is pushing many farmers off the land. Some are angry..but many are relieved. Mainstreet Radio's Dan Gunderson reports.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources plans to set fire to Itasca State Park this week. The fire will burn about 35-hundred acres making it the largest controlled fire in the park's history. It's intended to clear the area of undergrowth and reduce the risk of wildfires in the future. Fire planes, helicopters and about 90 firefighters will monitor the burn. Jean Bergerson is with the Interagency Fire Center. She joins me now from Brainerd.

The Minnesota Twins lost to the Oakland A's last night by a score of 3-2. It was their fifth loss in row. But off the field, the forces trying to keep the Twins from moving to another state won a victory. Ramsey County District Judge Margaret Marrinan ruled that Minnesota Attorney General Skip Humphrey can proceed with his investigation of Major League Baseball. Humphrey is trying to prove whether or not the baseball owners have conspired to force cities to build new stadiums. The judge rejected the argument that the baseball owners do not have to answer Humphrey's questions because of the sport's federal anti-trust exemption. MPR Sports Commentator Jay Weiner has come by the studio to help us sort through the implications of this decision.

Yesterday, a Chicago jury ruled that two of the nation's most militant anti-abortion groups violated anti-racketeering laws by staging protests that used fear and violence to shut down two abortion clinics. Last weekend in the Twin Cities, protesters staged a violent demonstration in order to prevent a group of neo-Nazis from holding a press conference. The nature of political protests have changed over the past 30 years according to Jeffrey Broadbent, a professor of sociology at the University of Minnesota. He says compared to the 1960's, today's protests are considered a more legitimate way of participating in democracy...but they also carry a greater potential for violence.

Wednesday, April 22

Faculty at Minnesota's seven state university campuses will vote Monday on whether to strike. Union leaders say the action is unprecedented. They say they've grown increasingly frustrated over stalled contract talks with no settlement in sight. Officials with the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system are trying to lure the faculty union back into negotitions with a new contract offer. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.

State's attorneys in Minnesota's tobacco trial introduced memos that show Philip Morris identified a cancer-causing chemical in cigarette smoke during the 1960's but didn't try to remove it until 20 years later. Attorneys for the State and Blue Cross introduced the memos during cross examination of a Philip Morris senior scientist--Clifton Lilly. Minnesota Public Radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports.

In most public buildings, the lost and found center consists of a cardboard box with a few mittens and scarves in it. But that's not the case at the Treaty Site History Center in St. Peter. Since the tornado last month, the history center has become the drop-off point for personal belongings lost in the tornado. It has boxes...each one with a paper stuck to its front reading "baby pictures, travel pictures, or old sepia pictures." There's a wedding dress marked "Jenny." For many people who are rebuilding their lives, the found items are important links to their past. Minnesota Pubilc Radio's Lynette Nyman has this report.

On Future Tense: Web work pays well, according to a new study by the American Electronics Association. The A-E-A says average salaries for Web-related jobs range from about $40,000 to $120,000 a year That's for positions such as electronic commerce manager, web publisher and graphic artist. Paula Silva is a Vice President for the A-E-A.

This summer, US West will begin competing head-to-head with a cable TV company in Phoenix. On Monday, US West announced it would begin delivering about 120 TV channels, high-speed internet access and regular phone service to some 400-thousand homes in Phoenix using regular phone lines. The main cable company in Phoenix has already begun offering high-speed modems and phone service in some areas. Don Niles is an attorney with the firm Doherty, Rumble and Butler in Minneapolis. He says the 1996 Telecommunications Act allows US West to move into new markets...and Phoenix was a natural choice.

Today's the last day of a special legislative session at the state capitol -- at least, that's the hope of most House members. The Senate wrapped up its special session work and went home two days ago, but the House has been caught up in a three-day partisan squabble over a $12-million-dollar social programs bill. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste joins us from the capitol bureau.

Top government scientists certified earlier this week that needle exchange programs don't encourage drug abuse and can help reduce the spread of the H-I-V virus. The federal government, however, will not fund any such program. The Minnesota AIDS project has privately funded a free syringe exchange for many years and starting July first, I-V drug users in the Twin Cities will have a new place to get fresh syringes...they can buy them at the corner drug store. Bob Tracy is the Public Affairs Director for the Minnesota AIDS project, a group which helped get the new law passed.

Thursday, April 23 The Marvin Windows and Doors company got what it wanted from the state legislature yesterday. The Minnesota House voted 99-to-30 to change the wording of a state law to help Marvin win a multi-million-dollar lawsuit against one of its suppliers. The Senate passed the same law change on Monday, and the Governor has already promised to sign it. But the Marvin Windows bill did NOT sail through the legislature without opposition. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports.

A former C-E-O of the nation's largest cigarette maker testified in Minnesota's tobacco trial Philip Morris never targeted its advertising at non-smokers or people under 18. James Morgan, a long-time Philip Morris marketing executive who rose to C-E-O told jurors smoking is a risky decision only adults should make. Minnesota Public Radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports.

News headlines in recent years have declared a crisis at many churches. The problem? -- more than 50% of teenagers stop going to church. According to some religious scholars, these findings aren't new, they follow a pattern in church attendance since the 1940s. All this month, in a series of reports and commentaries, Minnesota Public Radio is exploring religious issues in everyday life. Today, Reporter Gretchen Lehmann takes a look at teen involvement in religious life.

On Future Tense: Northern States Power is expanding into telecommunications - and it could be great news for Internet users in St. Cloud. In it's first foray outside the energy business, NSP will offer a package that includes cable T-V, telephone service and super-fast Internet access. All of it will flow through a cable that resembles your cable tv. NSP subsidiary Seren Innovations will try the St. Cloud market first, with a planned launch in 1999. Seren's president and CEO Glynnis Hinschberger says St. Cloud is a good place to start the new service.

The Minnesota legislature's passage the Marvin Windows bill is provoking an angry response in Pennsylvania, the home state of PPG Industries. On Tuesday, the Pennsylvania Legislature approved a resolution opposing retroactive changes to the law, saying such action "would represent unprecedented, unjust and prejudicial intervention in ongoing litigation." Republican State Senator Melissa Hart of Pittsburgh introduced the resolution. She says she's disappointed by the bill passed in Minnesota.

U-S Attorney General Janet Reno has awarded the 1998 Crime Victims Service award to the University of Minnesota's Program Against Sexual Violence. The mainly volunteer-run service aids victims of rape in their day-to-day life as they recover from the attack. Suzanna Short is the assistant director of the program.

The National Basketball Association plans to locate a new women's professional team in the Twin Cities beginning in June, 1999. The WNBA, which begins its second season in June, also announced a new team for Orlando, Florida. The league owns the teams, but local NBA franchises are in charge of running them. Roger Griffith is the Minnesota Timberwolves chief financial officer. He told MPR's John Bischoff the Timberwolves staff will handle the promotion and management of the team.

Friday, April 24

A few days ago some unknown poet, stuck a piece of paper to an old cottonwood tree in St. Peter. The words are a testement to the tremendous loss the town has faced since the tornado. "This is torture! Everywhere I go, all my favorite trees gone! But here you stand! What a monument to survival. Where in the storm's path is another living thing so massive yet standing?" The old cottonwood came down yesterday. A crowd of people stood and watched...waiting for the fall. Minnesota Public Radio's Lynette Nyman has this report.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are in Seattle today preparing for tonight's playoff opener against the Sonics. While no one expects the Wolves to win the championship this year, optimism about the team is at an all-time high. The franchise has come a long way in the last two seasons. Before that, the Timberwolves were a fixture near the bottom of the standings and nearly moved to New Orleans. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen has this report on the team's turnaround.

On Future Tense: Environmental "right to know" laws are supposed to make information about pollution available to the public. But pollution data is hard to come by, and understand. Now the Environmental Defense Fund has come up with an easy way to publicize polluters. David Roe is one the the brains behind the web site scorecard-dot-org.

For years, ecologists interested in seeing wildlife in a contained, small environment have visited Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior. Dr. Rolf Peterson has been tracking the Island's famed wolf pack since 1970. When he visited the park last year, Dr. Peterson was pleased with what he saw. He found not only healthy adults, but spotted ten pups. When he returned to the Isle Royale this year, Dr. Peterson was surprised.

Mark Seeley on the weather.

Chris Hogwood on leaving the SPCO.

Many people in American seem to be searching for spiritual meaning...even at a time when church attendance is on the decline. As part of our continuing series on religion in everyday life...Minnesota Public Radio has asked individuals to to reflect on what faith means to them...and the role it plays in their lives. Emily Nerland lives in Moorhead where she is an elementary school teacher and attends Trinity Lutheran Church.

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