Monday, April 10

The Minnesota Senior Federation says six state attorneys general will file "friends of the court" briefs in support of Minnesota's lawsuit against the federal government. Last November Attorney General Mike Hatch filed a lawsuit challenging how the federal government distributes Medicare funding. And as Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports, advocates are encouraged as other states support the suit.

The longest expansion in U.S. history has changed the economic landscape and altered the lives of millions - mostly for the better. More than nine years of uninterrupted growth have raised workers' earnings to an all-time high. The number of families owning their own homes and investing in the stock market is at the highest level ever. The unemployment rate is at a thirty-year low. Yet the boom is far from an unalloyed benefit. Many are stuck in low paying jobs or unable to find affordable housing. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Farrell launches our week-long series - the Long Boom - with a look at the forces driving the record expansion.

As the weeks go by, the pressure to pass tax and spending bills goes up at the Capitol. The legislature also finds itself wrangled by abortion politics. The House has passed a so-called "woman's right to know" bill. Governor Ventura has made conflicting statements about his support of that legislation. Joining us from the Capitol is Mike Mulcahy, Minnesota Public Radio's political editor.

MPR's Chris Farrell previews the week's activity on Wall Street.

Despite record low unemployment in Minnesota and nationally, corporations are laying off substantial numbers of workers. Many turn to the state for help in getting new job skills, but that option may not be available much longer. Minnesota Public Radio's Andrew Haeg reports.

The Minnesota Senate voted 37 - 30 yesterday in favor of so-called "women's right to know" legislation. The bill establishes a 24-hour waiting period for women seeking an abortion. The measure has already passed the House and now heads to Governor Jesse Ventura's desk. But administration officials remain silent on whether Ventura will sign the bill. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo reports.

Marriage licenses in Minnesota may get cheaper if couples are willing to go to pre-marriage counseling. That's because the governor has on his desk a bill which would give a discount to those couples. The goal is to get issues between the couple out in the open, before the wedding. Joining us on the line is William Doherty, Professor at the Family and Social Sciences department at the University of Minnesota. He also helped the legislature write the bill.

With each passing day, the U.S. economy sets a record for the longest economic expansion. Mark your calendar. These are the good old days. Unemployment is down. Wealth is up. But even as the digital revolution mints new millionaires daily, some see warning signs for the middle class. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin has the next report in our series, the long boom.

The University of Minnesota has announced a new set of self-imposed sanctions for academic fraud uncovered last year in the men's basketball program. School officials hope their self-punishment appeases the NCAA which has yet to decide its own discipline. Minnesota Public Radio's Patty Marsicano reports.

The academic fraud in the men's athletic program was first brought to light by an investigative report in the St. Paul Pioneer Press newspaper. Yesterday, the lead reporter in that investigation was awarded print journalism's highest honor. Minnesota Public Radio's Brandt Williams reports.

The sub-continent of Africa is a growing market for U.S. companies, and ten ambassadors from countries in that region will be in Minnesota later today to promote trade. U.S. exports to the region grew 37 percent during the 90's, to almost $4 billion. The ten ambassadors are members of the Southern African Development Community and include countries like South Africa, Mozambique, and Namibia. Joining us on the line is South African Ambassador to the U.S., Sheila Sisulu.

We're into the tenth year of the nation's longest economic expansion with no end in sight. Minnesota is experiencing the lowest unemployment in a generation and at least its share of stock market driven wealth. Many people are enjoying the best times of their lives. But many others remain mired in poverty. Minnesota Public Radio's Carl Goldstein has the next report in our series, the Long Boom.

Hmong veterans, who served in special forces in Laos, may get what they've wanted for two decades: an exemption from the English language requirement for U.S. citizenship. A bill waiving English language skills for Hmong veterans is headed for the House floor in Congress and is in committee in the Senate. Minnesota Public Radio's Lynette Nyman reports.

About 200 teachers turned out for a St. Paul School Board meeting last night to show their displeasure with the way Superintendent Pat Harvey is proceeding with reform proposals. Harvey has placed 11 schools on academic probation. The district is now determining what kind of reforms to put in place at those schools. Ian Keith is the president of the St. Paul Teachers Federation. He says the proposed reforms are quite comprehensive.

Nature photographers and duck hunters joined forces at the Capitol yesterday to push measures to provide funding for clean water, habitat protection and other Department of Natural Resources initiatives. Legislators have brought forward a number of conservation-related proposals but some are stalled in the legislative process. Those attending the rally said they want to make sure the funding isn't lost in the shuffle. Minnesota Public Radio's Amy Radil reports.

The office of Governor Jesse Ventura is receiving thousands of phone calls from people who want to voice their opinions about a bill that would require a 24-hour waiting period before a woman could have an abortion. The governor has said he will sign or veto the bill tomorrow. Yesterday, he was in Washington D.C. to meet with Vice President Al Gore. Before that meeting, he spoke with National Public Radio's Robert Siegel about the abortion bill.

For more than a century Duluth's economy has swung with the fortunes of logging and mining. Since a devastating recession in the early 1980's, city officials have worked hard to develop new industries to broaden the city's job base and lessen Duluth's dependence on timber and taconite. New employers are creating an impressive number of jobs, aided by the longest economic expansion in our nation's history. But economists say there's still a long way to go before new startups rival the business muscle of taconite and timber. Minnesota Public radio's Bob Kelleher has the next report in our series, the Long Boom.

A new report reveals a serious problem of homelessness in Minneapolis and Hennepin County among single adults and teens. The task force that issued the report recommends aggressively alleviating the shortage of affordable housing. Minnesota Public Radio's Patty Marsicano Reports.

The St. Paul City Council voted 5-2 last night to link the Ayd Mill Road with interstate highways 94 and 35E, but the controversy over the future of the Ayd Mill is far from over. Opponents of the city's plan say they will continue their fight in the courts. Minnesota Public Radio's Brandt Williams reports.

Governor Jesse Ventura is in Washington D.C. this morning after meeting with Vice President Al Gore and Health Secretary Donna Shalala yesterday. As the country's most visible independent governor, Ventura is using his position to influence the administration. Many political analysts say he appealed to centrist voters two years before John McCain did in the Republican presidential primary. And that gives Minnesota's governor some clout in this year's presidential race. Joining us on the line is former Minnesota Republican congressman Vin Weber.

An old-fashioned carousel has found a new home in St. Paul's Como Park. The carousel is considered a community treasure by some Minnesotans. It ran at the State Fair for 75 years. The old merry-go-round was set to be auctioned off in pieces in 1989, until local outcry landed it in St. Paul's Town Square. Now it's been restored, and will re-open this weekend for the public to ride. Peter Boehm is the president of Our Fair Carousel, the nonprofit organization that fought to save the carousel. He's on the line now.

Duluth's lakefront is a magnet for tourists and the Marine Museum in Canal Park is the keystone attraction. Pat Labadie has been the museum's director for all of its 27 years. His retirement this month marks the end of an era. Minnesota Public Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports.

Meteorologist Mark Seeley discusses the prospects for a winter storm in northern Minnesota.

You'd be hard-pressed to argue the current economic boom is a bad thing. But it has a downside. We're working harder, seeing our families less, and coping with busier airports, freeways and retail stores. One researcher has given a name to the stress that good economic times can produce: Boom fatigue. Minnesota Public Radio's Jon Gordon reports that fatigue is evident in the epicenter of the boom, San Francisco and Silicon Valley.

The city of Minneapolis and Hennepin County held an informational meeting last night to discuss recently discovered asbestos problems at two sites in Northeast Minneapolis. Officials with the Minnesota Department of Health, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state pollution control board tried to address the concerns of the community, but as Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports, many of those questions went unanswered.

Five hundred and fifty workers will lose their jobs when Quebecor Printing closes its St. Paul plant this Sunday. Some of those workers will be able to find other jobs in the printing industry. But other workers, especially older ones, face retraining and an uncertain future. Minnesota Public Radio's Andrew Haeg reports.

MPR's Chris Roberts talks to a Pipa player and more on the Word of Mouth Arts round up.