Monday, February 8

The owners of Canterbury Park Race Track in Shakopee are trying to revive a plan for casino gambling. A year-and-a-half ago lawmakers rejected a casino proposal that was linked to a new Twins stadium. This time backers are not talking about a stadium. Instead they say most of the revenue could be used for anything from reducing taxes to increasing spending on education. The governor says he's open to the idea. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports.

The technology stocks tumbled last week. Now, Wall Street will be watching to see if they bounce back or dive further. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Farrell and Bob Potter discuss what we can expect this week.

A traveling exhibit celebrating the history and diversity of Africa is now open at the Science Museum of Minnesota in St. Paul. "Africa: One Continent, Many Worlds" is designed as an introduction to the religions, cultures and politics of the continent. Minnesota Public Radio's Jim Bickal toured the exhibit with the Science Museum's Paul Morbacher. Vivian Jenkins Nelson, President of Inter-Race, is on a panel of Minnesota advisors for the exhibit. She says the exhibit should help break down some stereotypes about Africa.

A White Bear Lake dairy packaging firm that recalled more than 300,000 gallons of milk and cream is struggling to keep up with consumer questions about the recall. Kohler mix specialties recalled the dairy products because they may contain bacteria that cause the disease listeriosis . But the state health department has not found any cases of the disease. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen has more.

Meanwhile, the Minnesota department of transportation has temporarily halted an archeological survey of land in the path of the proposed Highway 55 reroute in Minneapolis. A crew was scheduled to begin survey work yesterday, but left the site at the request of highway opponents. Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Losure reports.

When 911 operators received the call last December of a natural gas explosion in St. Cloud, they immediately called the Gold Cross ambulance dispatch - in Rochester. Late last year, ambulance dispatch services in St. Cloud were closed and operators at the Mayo Emergency Communications Center, which owns Gold Cross, took over. The push to integrate the state's emergency services has gained momentum over the past few years as companies try to consolidate resources and equipment. Minnesota Public Radio's Kathryn Herzog has this Mainstreet report.

The DFL-controlled Minnesota Senate has passed a $1 billion version of Governor Ventura's sales tax rebate plan. Senate Republicans tried to defeat the sales tax rebate approach, which they call unfair to the state's wealthier taxpayers. The Republican alternative - rebates based on income taxes - has already passed in the House, which means Senate and House negotiators now have to find a way to reconcile the two plans. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports.

A new report finds 12,000 Ramsey County families on a waiting list for subsidized child care, an all-time high. Ramsey County officials are calling for more state funding for child care, arguing the issue not only affects the working poor, but businesses competing for workers in a tight labor market. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.

Later this morning Minnesota Public Radio will broadcast a conversation between residents of north Minneapolis and Crookston. You might think a small rural Minnesota community and inner city Minneapolis would be much more different than alike. But folks in the northwestern community of Crookston and people in North Minneapolis say they've found common ground. Minnesota Public Radios Dan Gunderson reports.

On a bi-partisan vote, the House Education Policy Committee has approved legislation to repeal the controversial Profile of Learning. The bill scraps a ten-year-old, multi-million dollar plan for ensuring Minnesota high school graduates can apply the knowledge they've gained in the classroom. It also creates a new back-to-basics approach that lets local districts decide how to teach students. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.

The unpaid medical bill at Minnesota's largest public hospital is growing. Hennepin County Medical Center is treating a growing number of patients who have no health coverage. Hennepin County officials says filling the funding gap shouldn't be the responsibility of county taxpayers alone. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson reports.

High school students from Minneapolis and St. Paul are getting a crash course in African-American musical history this week at the Ordway Music Theater. About 100 teenagers who are probably more familiar with rap and hip hop spent a day learning about spirituals, civil rights songs, rhythm and blues, and singing songs that have played a central role in African-American experience. Minnesota Public Radio's John Bischoff reports.

The House Health and Human Services Finance Division will talk today about how to spend Minnesota's tobacco settlement money. Governor Jesse Ventura favors using the money to create an endowment for medical research. But one House proposal would use ongoing payments from the settlement to eliminate a 2 percent tax on health care providers imposed in 1992. That tax funds MinnesotaCare, the state's health care program for children and the working poor. Champlin Republican Bill Hass is sponsoring the bill.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield, a co-plaintiff in Minnesota's tobacco lawsuit, wants to spend some of the tobacco settlement money on anti-smoking education. That would include public service messages produced by Blue Cross Blue Shield and the Minnesota Broadcasters Association.

Cheryl Perry is a professor at the University of Minnesota's school of public health. She studies the effectiveness of anti-smoking campaigns aimed at young people and told MPR's Bob Potter that such efforts can be effective even when targeted even at very young children.

Minnesota Republican Party chairman Bill Cooper has announced he'll step down in June after completing his two-year term. Cooper is also chairman and CEO of TCF Financial Corporation. As party chair, he helped the GOP raise a record $5.3 million for last year's elections and also led Republicans to win a majority in the Minnesota House for the first time since 1984.

The impeachment trial of President Clinton is nearly over, and by next week it could be back to other business for members of Congress. But senators and representatives will be assessing the political fallout from the trial for months to come. Polls show that Republicans have lost popularity due to their role in the trial and Minnesota's Republican Senator, Rod Grams, may be one of the Senate's most vulnerable members. But Grams is busy looking past impeachment, and is taking the lead on a key issue the Republican party hopes will resonate strongly with voters and bring support back into the fold. From Washington, Emily Harris reports.

University of Minnesota officials say they need state help to head off a funding crisis in medical education and to improve physician training. They say cuts in federal support and smaller profits from patient care are threatening the future of the Academic Health Center. The U asked for $37 million to overhaul its curriculum and an annual $60 million boost from a state endowment to fund medical education and research. Governor Ventura provided the money in his budget. But his plan hinges on putting the state's tobacco settlement money in the bank, a plan many legislators oppose.

When the Minnesota Timberwolves take on the LA Lakers tonight, some amazing athletes will take the floor, but they won't be playing the game; they'll be the half-time entertainment. The FM Acro Team, that's FM as in Fargo-Moorhead, regularly draws standing ovations in arenas around the country for its show gymnastics performances. Minnesota Public Radios Dan Gunderson reports.

A Senate Committee is thinking of watering down a five-year-old law that bans lawmakers from accepting any gifts from lobbyists, even if it's just a cup of coffee. An amendment by Republican state Senator Mark Ourada of Buffalo would allow lawmakers to take up to $5 in coffee or refreshments from lobbyists and up to $40 in food and beverages at family events such as weddings and graduations. Committee Chairman DFLer John Marty says those and other proposed changes would "gut" the gift ban.

Federated Department Stores of Cincinnati says it has agreed to buy Minneapolis-based direct-mail retailer Fingerhut. The $1.7 billion deal will expand Federated's use of catalogs and electronic commerce. Fingerhut will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Federated, and its headquarters will remain in Minneapolis. Fingerhut employs about 10,000 people.

A new study says a computer keyboard designed with "springy" keys can significantly reduce hand pain such as that associated with carpal tunnel syndrome. The report's author is David Rempel, director the ergonomics program run by the University of California-Berkeley and the University of California-San Francisco. Rempel says pain from keyboarding is a serious and widespread problem.

Bird watchers have reported American Robins in record numbers for this time of year, sometimes in flocks of 20 or more. Minnesotans looking for hopeful portents have therefore raised the question: Is an early spring imminent? Or have the robins been here all along? Leif Enger of Mainstreet Radio sought answers.

The Minnesota House has voted to scrap the controversial Profile of Learning. On a 92-to-35 vote, Representatives replaced the massive restructuring of public education with a new locally-driven plan to improve student achievement. But the measure has little chance of passing in the Senate, where the Profile has wider support. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.

Having taken Minnesota voters by storm during the election, the Jesse Ventura Action figure is now out to conquer the toy world. The figure is making its debut at the International Toy Fair in New York this week, and its creators are predicting big sales. But some toy analysts say while the doll may strike a chord with Minnesotans, its likely to leave the rest of the country underwhelmed. Carole Zimmer reports from New York.

The Jungle Theater in Minneapolis is opening in its new space tonight with a revival of another classic: Shakespeare's Macbeth. Last night, we sent a couple of teachers from St. Paul Academy, who have taught and studied Shakespeare, to see a preview of the production. Naomi Kelly and Dutton Foster are in the studio this morning to tell us what they thought.

The Metropolitan Airports Commission is refusing to give United Airlines an extra gate at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. A report in the Minneapolis Star Tribune says federal Transportation officials supported United's request as a way of increasing competition at the airport. But MAC officials say they're not convinced United would use the gate for that purpose. Jeff Hamiel is the commission's executive director.

Today at the Capitol the House Crime Prevention Committee looks at a bill barring sex offenders from becoming teachers. Yesterday, the full House voted to repeal the controversial Profile of Learning graduation standards. Joining us now with a recap of the week at the Capitol is MPR Capitol reporter Martin Kaste.

Climatologist Mark Seeley says this week's Februrary thunderstorms were indeed a rarity, and from here on out, February will probably get back to normal.