Monday, December 6

The Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board has a history stretching back more than half a century. It's predecessor was created to revive a region flattened physically and economically by overlogging, mining, and the Great Depression. Formed as a state department in 1941, the agency has worked ever since to revitalize the region's mining and forestry, and to create an economic base less dependent on iron mining. In the years since, the agency has enjoyed massive successes and huge failures. It's always been the center of controversy. In the first story in a three part series on the IRRRB: Past and Present, Mainstreet Radio's Bob Kelleher reviews the first six decades of the agency.

The Immigration and Naturalization Service has issued an order of deportation to a Minneapolis business-owner who pioneered neighborhood revitalization efforts on Minneapolis' East Lake Street. Because of her work there, community organizers, church leaders and business owners are asking the Immigration Board to reverse its decision. If the deportation order is not rescinded, she and her family have to leave the country by tomorrow, or face arrest. Minnesota Public Radio's Shirley Idelson reports.

A group of St. Paul veterans who fired America's first shots in World War II will be honored today, one day before the 58th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Some of the crew members of the U.S.S. Ward will be on hand for the unveiling of a plaque in St. Paul's City Hall. Russell Reetz is one of those veterans. He was on duty on the U.S.S. Ward on the morning of December 7, 1941.

MPR's Chris Farrell on the jubilant mood on Wall Street.

The Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board is either Minnesota's least effective state agency, or it's least understood. With an average budget of $37 million a year over the last decade, the agency takes credit for thousands of new jobs in Northeastern Minnesota through investments in communities and businesses. But the IRRRB suffers from a tarnished reputation, based largely on a some high profile bad investments in the 1980's and recurring criticism from the media and politicians. Mainstreet Radio's Bob Kelleher reports in this second of a three part series, looking at the IRRRB.

There's a plan afoot to expand Twin Cities bus service. The Metropolitan Council wants money to build two exclusive bus lanes and to buy the vehicles to run on them. The goal is to double ridership. Planners say expanded transit service is needed to cope with congestion on the region's roads. The first of six public meetings on the plan is set for Fridley City Hall at 4:30 this afternoon. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson reports.

The Minnesota State Board of Education officially dissolves at the end of the month after 80 years of shaping public school policies. The nine-member citizen panel holds its final regular meeting today, and as Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports the board is not leaving quietly.

Passenger train service between the Twin Cities and Duluth may be making a comeback. The last Amtrak passenger train left Duluth in 1985. The service was shut down because it did not pay for itself. Now Duluth city officials are discussing the feasibility of re-establishing a line. State Senator Sam Solon represents the Duluth area. He joins us now.

Minneapolis Attorney Tom Moe has accepted the job as interim men's athletic director at the University of Minnesota. Moe will replace Mark Dienhart, who resigned after being told that his contract would not be renewed. Moe is taking a leave of absence from his job as chairman of the law firm Dorsey & Whitney to run a program struggling to recover from an academic fraud scandal. Tom Moe joins us now by phone.

The Minnesota Vikings turned the ball over four times and only scored three points in the second half last night, losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by a score of 24-17. The loss breaks the team's five game losing streak and is the first loss for the team since Jeff George became the starting quarterback. The Vikings are now 7-5, tied for second place in the NFC Central. Don Banks covers the Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press. He says the Vikings offense was outplayed by the Tampa Bay defense.

Personalized weather forecasts are coming soon to people in the Twin Cities area. A company called Digital Cyclone wants to give you accurate for your particular neighborhood or workplace. It's called My-cast and it will be available on the Internet starting next spring. Paul Douglas is the founder of Digital Cyclone and the chief meteorolgist for WCCO-TV. He told MPR's Bob Potter that the idea was born out of frustration.

It's a busy season for shoppers and also for companies that fulfill gift orders. Minnesota-based Fingerhut is one of those companies. Fingerhut is so busy it doesn't have enough workers to meet the demand this holiday season, so it's asking its managers and secretaries to leave their desks and help pack boxes. CEO Will Lansing will be in St. Cloud today doing his share of the work. He joins us now.

Minnesota experienced one of the driest falls on record this year, and the lack of precipitation has some concerned about the health of this year's Christmas tree harvest. But experts say the drought had little affect on the trees, and those being sold for the holiday season are in good shape. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Robertson reports from Bemidji.

DFL State Senator Jerry Janezich is formally entering the race for U.S. Senate today. Janezich plans to make the announcement in his home town of Chisholm, emphasizing his strong base among organized labor and especially steelworkers. The Iron Ranger's entry brings the number of Democrats in the race to six, with two more likely to join them in January. Some Democratic strategists think that's too many and there's already talk of another divisive, expensive primary fight. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports.

The Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board was created in the 1970's to insure life after taconite in northeast Minnesota, a purpose many Rangers say they support. But in recent years the agency's reputation has been more linked to political turmoil and failed investments. Local business owners say the IRRRB has rarely sought their advice or responded to their needs. They're holding out hope for change, though, thanks to new people onboard and a potential resurgence in the industry that started it all: mining. Minnesota Public Radio's Amy Radil reports.

This week we're taking a close look at the past and present of the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board. The IRRRB was created to diversify the economy of the Iron Range using funds gathered through a taconite tax. It's always been controversial, especially after it lost millions of dollars supporting risky projects during the 1980's. It's also been seen by some as a hotbed of political infighting. Now, with a new commissioner, it's looking to repair a damaged reputation. Joining us now is former state legislator Jim Ulland. He is President of Ulland Investment Advisors.

Despite a rocky start, Duluth's Technology Village could be finding its feet. The project's been the center of controversy: Downtown businesses were displaced, and old buildings demolished to make room, with citizens protesting a lack of public input. The Technology Village president resigned in June. Then the project became a hot topic in November's mayoral and city council elections, with critics calling the building a city-subsidized failure. But the tide may be turning, with the arrival of new tenants for the building. Minnesota Public Radio's Amy Radil reports.

IBM officials have announced layoffs at their U.S. plants including nearly 150 workers at the company's Rochester plant. Nation-wide about three percent of workers in IBM's business computer section have been laid off. Company officials say the cutbacks are at the low end in terms of expected numbers. Minnesota Public Radio's Art Hughes reports.

The 2000 election is eleven months away, yet campaign ads have already begun hitting the airwaves. DFL Senate candidate Mike Ciresi has been running radio spots on the Iron Range, the Republican Party has countered with an attack ad, and the first of what promises to be an explosion of so-called "issue ads" challenges Congressman Bill Luther. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports in the first of our series of Ad Watches scrutinizing campaign 2000.

The Minnesota Gophers football team will play in a bowl game for the first time in nearly fifteen years and University officials are hoping fans are making their plans to go watch. The Gophers are scheduled to play in the Sun Bowl on New Years Eve Day in El Paso, Texas. It's their first bowl game since 1986. George Wazniak is the President of Hobbit Travel in St. Paul. He's on the line now.

A Rice Lake, Wisconsin man has been convicted of carrying out several burglaries at northwoods cabins over the past two years. 23-year-old John Dale admitted involvement in an estimated 100 burglaries. Burglaries at remote cabins in Minnesota and Wisconsin have been on the increase in recent years. Mike Bitney is the district attorney for Washburn County. He's on the line now.

The state patrol says it will soon clear out protesters camped in the path the Highway 55 reroute in south Minneapolis. But authorities say the impending raid will be much different than the pre dawn sweep they made the last time they cleared the camp, last December. Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Losure reports.

One year ago tomorrow, a massive blast resulted in four deaths, about a dozen injuries and the displacement of several downtown St. Cloud businesses. Ground zero of the explosion quickly became an empty square piece of land in the heart of the city's downtown business district. All year, that parcel of 11,000 square feet has sat empty. A big vacant box of dirt. But as Mainstreet Radio's Marisa Helms reports, plans for developing that site are only just now getting underway.

The Science Museum of Minnesota is opening its doors in a new location on the Mississippi River in St. Paul. Since the museum closed three months ago, nearly two million artifacts have been moved to the new museum which has twice as much exhibit space as the old building. This week, Perry Finelli got a chance to tour the museum as last minute construction took place to get it ready for the grand-opening tomorrow. Our tour guide is Mike Day, director of the museum's Omni theater.

Metro Transit wants to expand bus service for a large portion of Minneapolis, St. Paul and several northeastern Twin Cities suburbs including Roseville. The plan is part of a realignment of bus service for the entire region in the next four years. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson reports.

Meteorologist Mark Seeley discusses the frequency of a "brown Christmas" and what to buy the weather nut in your life for Christmas.

Euan Kerr and Heather McElhatton tell us what's going in the world of art in Minnesota this week.