Monday, February 1

While the Reform Party is building for the future, the folks who work at the Capitol are still trying to figure out what Governor Ventura's budget proposal means for the present state of politics in Minnesota. John Knapp is a lobbyist. He represents the Minnesota Business Partnership and other business groups at the legislature. He's also an attorney at the St. Paul firm Winthrop and Weinstine.

Tonight at the Fitzgerald Theatre in St. Paul, Governor Jesse Ventura, Senate Majority Leader Roger Moe and House Speaker Steve Sviggum will discuss the Governor's budget proposal and take questions from the audience. Joining us now with a preview is Steven Schier, chair of the Political Science Department at Carleton College.

Republicans and DFLers aren't the only ones rethinking their strategies in the wake of Governor Jesse Ventura's upset victory last November. Thanks to Ventura's success, the Minnesota Reform Party is enjoying new visibility and hopes to capitalize on the governor's popularity. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo has this report.

Agriculture is taking a more prominent role in national politics. It was even mentioned in the state of the union address. The attention underscores the seriousness of what some are calling a new crisis - worse than the 1980's. The Justice and Commerce departments are also addressing agricultural issues, and while farmers are pleased with all the attention, they say action speaks louder than words. Minnesota Public Radio's Cara Hetland reports.

Tobacco isn't one of Wisconsin's better known agricultural products, but each year the town of Westby hosts a Tobacco Exposition in honor of the crop. It's sort of mini-County Fair for the local tobacco farmers. But this year's Expo, held over the weekend, may be the last because fewer farmers in the area are growing tobacco. Minnesota Public Radio's Brent Wolfe has this Mainstreet report.

The Federal Reserve has its first meeting of the New Year this week. And the interest-setting Board will be looking at some very strong economic numbers. Here's Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Farrell.

Hunters, fishers, environmentalists and others who follow state government are still trying to figure why Governor Jesse Ventura selected Allen Garber to be the new Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources. Unlike Alan Horner, who had to withdraw from consideration because of hunting and fishing violations, Garber is not an avid sportsman. He is the Chief of Police in Champlin and a former FBI agent. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Robertson reports on the reaction to the appointment.

State education officials say Minnesota kids are drinking less but smoking more. Results of the 1998 Minnesota Student Survey show a general decline in alcohol consumption in recent years, but tobacco and marijuana use are rising. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.

Governor Ventura and the leaders of the House and Senate have agreed to disagree on crucial points of the state budget. Last night, Senate Majority Leader Roger Moe and House Speaker Steve Sviggum joined the Governor at a public forum on the budget sponsored by MPR, and by the end of the evening, they showed little progress toward a consensus. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports.

The Ways and Means Committee in the Minnesota House debates the Republican income tax rebate proposal today. The full House is expected to vote on the bill Thursday. Yesterday, the House Tax Committee backed the income tax rebate, tossing out Governor Ventura's sales tax rebate plan. DFLers on the committee argued a sales tax rebate would benefit more Minnesotans, but Republicans say the bulk of the state's budget surplus came from income taxes, so the rebate should go back to income taxpayers. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.

Welfare reform is a year old in Minnesota, and counties are learning more about its effects. Under the new program, welfare recipients face sanctions: losing part or all of their benefits if they don't cooperate with the job search process. County agencies are trying to get a better understanding of why people don't cooperate, and what happens to sanctioned families. They're finding the effort involves a tricky balance between outreach and respect for privacy. Minnesota Public Radio's Amy Radil reports.

Jesse Ventura won last fall's gubernatorial election despite spending roughly a quarter as much money as his opponents. Reports filed with the state campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board show Ventura raised and spent about $620,000 compared to $2.2 million for DFLer Skip Humphrey and $2.4 million for Republican Norm Coleman. Ventura also refused contributions from lobbyists while Humphrey received about $68,000 and Coleman raised about $23,000.

After his first month in office, Governor Jesse Ventura now has most of his administration in place and a budget plan on the table outlining his priorities for the next two years. He's also gained more experience in handling controversy sparked by his personal and public decisions, from appointing unconventional commissioners to carrying a concealed weapon. Steve Bosacker is Governor Ventura's Chief of Staff.

The Minnesota Supreme Court today hears arguments on whether the Attorney General's office can investigate whether the Twins threat to move to North Carolina violated anti-trust laws. Attorneys for the Twins and Major League Baseball say the investigation is pointless because Baseball is exempt from anti-trust laws. Minnesota public radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports.

There have been many alarming scenarios discussed recently regarding possible computer malfunctions in the year 2000. Perhaps most dramatic is the chance of massive power failures leaving tens of millions of Americans in the dark. Power utilities and rural electric co-ops in Minnesota have been coordinating their efforts to prepare for possible Y2K problems. Power industry analysts say the chances of a widespread power failure due to Y2K are remote. Minnesota Public Radio's Kathryn Herzog has this Mainstreet report.

Two professors from New Jersey are visiting the Fargo-Moorhead area this week to drum up support for a new vision of the Great Plains. They propose creating a preserve called Buffalo Commons that would stretch across parts of ten states and aim to restore the natural environment of the Great Plains as it existed a century ago. Frank and Deborah Popper came up with the idea during the 1980s when the population of some western counties began dropping back to frontier-day levels. Frank Popper is a professor of urban planning at Rutgers University and he joins us now. Deborah Popper is a professor of geography at Rutgers University and she joins us now.

The Senate Tax Committee has approved a version of Governor Ventura's sales tax rebate plan, setting the stage for a confrontation with the Republican-controlled House. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports.

Governor Ventura and lawmakers from both parties say they want to eliminate the so-called "marriage tax penalty". Nearly everyone agrees taxing married couples at a higher rate than single people is unfair, but some lawmakers worry that lower-income taxpayers and single parents will pay the price. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.

Opponents of the reroute of Highway 55 in Minneapolis are building a new protest camp in the path of the proposed highway. They're determined to protect what they say are historic sites and places sacred to Native Americans. In December, more than 600 law enforcement officers leveled the protesters first encampment, but as the standoff continues, the protesters' claims appear to be gaining more credibility. Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Losure reports.

A stabbing last weekend at the Mall of America and an unrelated gunshot incident only weeks before have led to increased scrutiny of security at the suburban shopping center. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo reports.

Snowmobiling is big business in Minnesota. About 70 percent of the 200,000 snowmobiles sold last year were made in Minnesota. The sleds are sleek and fast with hi-tech suspension and built-in hand warmers. It's a long ways from the humble roots of the snowmobile industry. Thirty years ago snowmobiles were little more than a motorized metal sled. Those early machines are now in great demand. Collecting and restoring antique snowmobiles is becoming an industry all its own. Mainstreet Radios Dan Gunderson reports.

The Minnesota House has approved a Republican-sponsored plan to send $1.5 billion worth of rebates to Minnesota taxpayers. The plan bases the rebates primarily on a person's income level, an approach bitterly opposed by the Democrats. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports.

State epidemiologist Michael Osterholm is leaving that job after 24 years. He is starting a new company called Infection Control Advisory Network. It will develop programs to help hospitals and clinics control infections and reduce overuse of antibiotics. During his tenure with the state, Osterholm became a national leader in the battle against infectious diseases. Michael Osterholm joins us now.

Sam Costa is an arts instructor in the Minneapolis public schools and a dance choreographer. When his students learned he'd been diagnosed with terminal cancer, they wanted to do something to assist him. Last night, they organized a benefit dinner for Costa and invited a special guest. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo reports.

This week is also the 40-year-anniversary of the plane crash that took the lives of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper. The three last performed at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa; the plane went down in a snowstorm en route to Moorhead, where the next show was scheduled. Tomorrow the Surf will host a tribute concert to Holly, Valens, and Richardson. Among the performers: Bobby Vee, who as a teenager helped fill in at the Moorhead concert, and who found his career that night. Minnesota Public Radio's Leif Enger reports.

Meteorologist Mark Seeley on the increasing frequency of freezing rain.