Monday, November 8

Much of northern Minnesota is struggling under the weight of the depressed farm economy. But the town of Warroad, located near the state's northern tip, has long been buoyed by the presence of Marvin Windows and Doors. Now Marvin is struggling to overcome a product liability dispute that nearly dragged the company into bankruptcy.. The success of this effort matters a lot to Warroad's Mainstreet businesses, for their vitality is directly tied to the success of the Marvin family. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Gunderson reports.

Governor Ventura visited a model Tokyo High School early this morning and, as usual, he was a big hit with the kids. His philosophy of smaller class sizes was also popular among the students, who say Japan might have something to learn from the U.S. when it comes to giving children individualized attention. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports.

Minnesota Public Radio's chief economics correspondent Chris Farrell stopped by the studio for a look at the market.

If you went to bed last night at halftime, you might be surprised to learn that the Minnesota Vikings rallied after trailing 17-0 to beat the Dallas Cowboys 27-17 at the Metrodome. Wide Receiver Cris Carter caught nine passes and Randy Moss scored two touchdowns to lead the Vikings. Don Banks covers the Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press and he joins us now.

More record setting warm weather is expected today, a day after virtually every reporting station in the state set a record high temperature. In the Twin Cities the high yesterday was 77 degrees. This unusually warm weather is delighting humans and confusing plants and animals. Kathy Heidel is a naturalist for Hennepin Parks, and she's on the line now.

One of the largest Window and Door makers in the world is located in the small town of Warroad in Northern Minnesota. Marvin Windows provides about 3,000 jobs, many to farmers who have left the land or need a second income. A growing number of the workers are Laotians, attracted to Warroad by relatively good paying jobs and small town life. Minnesota Public Radios Dan Gunderson reports.

Plans to build a new Minnesota Twins ballpark in downtown St. Paul collapsed last week when capital city voters overwhelmingly rejected the idea. Rather than settle the issue, however, the ballot verdict raises questions about the future of the Twins. Many opponents of publicly-subsidized sports facilities argue the team should follow the lead of the San Francisco Giants and build a new ballpark with private money. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo has more.

The past decade has seen the rise of enormous chain bookstores in the malls and on the web, and the resulting demise of many small independent book-sellers. But the big shadows of Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble haven't blotted out small, independent publishers, and in some cases the large operations have been an asset. In Duluth's tightly knit publishing community, small presses are using technology and marketing savvy to carve out their own niches. They say it's a good time to be in the business, or at least as good as it ever gets doing business on a shoestring. Minnesota Public Radio's Amy Radil reports.

In a few hours, it will be Wednesday morning in Japan, the day Governor Ventura returns to Minnesota. Ventura spent the last day and half finishing up business in Tokyo, then riding the Bullet Train to the industrial city of Osaka for an overnight visit on his way home. As Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports, the Governor seems to be very satisfied with the way his Japan trip has gone.

A Former North Dakota Governor is starting an organization to protect people who's rights are violated by organized religion. George Sinner says he's concerned some religious bodies are willing to sacrifice individual rights to protect their own power and interests. The Council for the Rights of Church Members holds its first meeting tonight in Fargo. Minnesota Public Radios Dan Gunderson reports.

Fire experts are recommending controlled burns as soon as possible within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness to avoid a large, uncontrolled fire later. U.S. Forest Service officials held a briefing Wednesday on controlling fire danger in the region, where large numbers of trees were blown down in July 4th storms. They said evacuation plans for the wilderness and developed areas need to be in place soon, and recommended closing hiking trails next summer when fire danger is high. Minnesota Public Radio's Amy Radil reports.

Today, in a special Veterans Day program at Fort Snelling, University of Michigan History Professor Gerald Linderman will speak about combat and moral responsibility. A new book about a Minnesota man deals with that subject as well. Reflections of Courage on D-Day and the Days that Followed is the story of Charles "Ace" Parker of the elite infantry unit known as the Rangers. The book was put together by Parker's nieces, Marcia Moen and Margo Heinen. Moen says she knew virtually nothing about her uncle's war experiences until she started working on the book. Charles Parker lives in Anoka now. As part of the Rangers Fifth Battalion he fought in many battles in World War II. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions on D-Day and the days that followed. He spoke with Minnesota Public Radio's Jim Bickal about what it was like the night before the D-Day invasion.

A committee of University of Minnesota students and faculty has suggested administrative changes aimed at preventing athletic scandals of the sort now plaguing the men's basketball program. The committee approved its recommendations yesterday after hearing from speakers including men's athletic director Mark Dienhart. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen reports.

Delegates to Minnesota's Reform Party convention this weekend will decide whether to take the fledgling, but stronger than average, third party into new directions. The agenda includes a speech from Governor Ventura and debate over whether to change the party's name. But the main purpose is revising the party platform. Proposed changes broaden the party's emphasis beyond fiscal responsibility and government reform - some of the more controversial planks support legalizing marijuana, providing health care to all and preserving the family farm. The party's state chairman fears an expanded platform will turn into an unwieldy litmus test for candidates - something Reformers have criticized the two other major parties for creating. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.

Concordia college in Moorhead is going into the coffee business in a big way. The college hopes to sell seven tons of African coffee beans to help support a girls' school in Tanzania. Minnesota Public Radios Dan Gunderson reports.

Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Roberts provided this week's roundup, a guide to Minnesota arts.

Mark Seeley stopped by the studio for a look at this week's weather news.