Monday, May 8

State Representative Betty McCollum of North St. Paul won the endorsement this weekend for the Fourth Congressional District race against Republican State Senator Linda Runbeck. But the DFL campaign to replace retiring Congressman Bruce Vento is just beginning. Three other DFLers are considering running against McCollum in a September primary. McCollum will try to persuade the other candidates to drop their bids against her in the name of party unity. But even if she were to succeed, the Fourth District race is shaping up to be a tough, expensive fight. Minnesota Public Radio's Amy Radil reports.

A conference committee trying to work out details of a tax cut agreement is expected to reconvene today after failing to finalize a deal over the weekend. Conference committees are also still working on bonding, government finance and education finance. It looks like funding for light rail transit will not be eliminated as part of a transportation financing package agreement over the weekend. That deal appropriates $500 million for road and bridge projects. Minnesota Public Radio's Political Editior Mike Mulcahy joins us now, with the latest.

St. Thomas University and a Cuban baseball team from Havana will play a game at the Metrodome later today, minus one Cuban player. Mario Miguel Chaoui slipped into a waiting car on Saturday after getting off the plane from Cuba. He surfaced in Miami, Florida yesterday. Chaoui says he will apply for asylum in hopes of playing professional baseball in the United States. St. Thomas President, the Reverend Dennis Dease talked to reporters yesterday after hearing the news.

Joining us on the line is Ben Casper, an immigration attorney at Centro Legal in St. Paul.

The legislative blocks began falling into place last night as most conference committees completed their work at the state Capitol. Taxes and Transportation were the first to finish, even though they contained some of the more contentious issues. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo has more.

Weary House and Senate negotiators have reached a tenatative agreement on a K-12 education funding bill. Talks dragged on at the Capitol through the weekend, all day Monday and into this morning on the plan that invests $187 million in public schools. But the biggest education question of the session remains unanswered: What to do with the Profile of Learning? Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.

Officials are urging visitors to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area wilderness to prepare differently for their trip this year. They're worried that fallen timber from last year's wind storm could cause bigger-than-normal wildfires. Jo Barnier is the Gunflint District Ranger. She says visitors should be ready to camp without camp-fires.

Minnesotans are hitting the sporting-goods shops this week, gearing up for Saturday's walleye opener. Among the most common fishing accouterments is the humble sinker: a tiny weight used to lower the hook into the fish's purview. For many anglers, going fishing without lead sinkers, makes as much sense as going out without hooks. But as Mainstreet Radio's Leif Enger reports, hundreds of Minnesota's favorite birds, loons and bald eagles, are turning up with lead poisoning, and researchers say sinkers are part of the reason.

It was a long day and night at the Minnesota Legislature yesterday and today could be even more hectic as lawmakers try to finish up their business. Minnesota Public Radio Political Editor Mike Mulcahy is gearing up for a big day and he's on the line now with a preview.

Minnesota lawmakers finished their business just minutes before a 7 a.m. self-imposed deadline after reaching a deal on the Profile of Learning. Joining us now from the Capitol is MPR's Michael Khoo.

As Michael just told us, House and Senate leaders worked through the night trying to resolve their differences over the Profile of Learning and finally reached a deal less than an hour before their deadline to adjourn. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.

Three men are in custody and have reportedly confessed to shooting Tony Basta as the 17-year old was riding his bike on River Boulevard in St. Paul two weeks ago. Police say the three men had planned to shoot someone and had been approaching people on that road for the three or four days before they killed Basta. The boy's parents and grandparents say they are grief-stricken at losing a gifted and loved young man. Minnsota Public Radio's Amy Radil reports.

Over 100 artists gathered in St. Paul last night to hear about a chance to decorate Snoopy statues. St. Paul wants to place 50 of the fiberglass statues throughout the city to honor Peanuts creator Charles Schulz. Schulz grew up in St. Paul and died of colon cancer last February. His family has approved the plan, which was inspired by Chicago's popular cow exhibit. That exhibit featured hundreds of fiberglass cows scattered throughout Chicago. Artists can submit ideas for the Snoopy statues, and sponsors will be able to pick designs that they would like to fund. Teresa Cox was one of the artists at the meeting last night, and she joins us now.

The Legislature finished up most of its business for the year just as most Minnesotans were getting up for breakfast yesterday morning. Lawmakers approved a transportation package, a K-12 education funding bill and a bill including tax cuts, license-tab fee reductions and a sales tax rebate before recessing. Governor Ventura must sort through it all in the next few days. Lawmakers will reconvene next Wednesday to act on any vetoes and to consider one last piece of legislation: a deal on changes to the Profile of Learning graduation standards. Yesterday, after returning from Washington, Ventura offered his thoughts on the final day of lawmaking. Mark Zdechlik reports.

Education officials say they are encouraged by the number of seniors who passed the latest round of basic-skills tests. Data released by the Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning today indicates that fewer than 1.5 percent of Minnesota public high school seniors have yet to pass the basic-skills-test. That means 841 of the roughly 67,000 Minnesota seniors still need to pass either the math or reading tests in order to graduate. Minnesota Public Radio's Brandt Williams reports.

Women are a small portion of this country's prison population. But their growth as a percent of prison inmates outpaces men due in large measure to the war on drugs. Advocates for the women say they commit mostly low level drug offenses but end up serving more time than dealers. And many mothers sentenced to federal prison permanently lose their parental rights. This morning there's a protest in front of the Minneapolis federal building by former federal inmates and others critical of the treatment of women in prison. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson reports.

Imagine plunging from a thirty-story building...for fun. That's the chance that's drawing crowds to Valley Fair in Shokopee. The amusement park opened last weekend with a new ride called Power Tower, which drops riders more than 250 feet in three seconds flat. The ride may sound crazy, but early visitors seem to be enjoying it.

First there was the fish-cam, then the bear-cam: now visitors to the world wide web can see "Lake Superior Cam." A team of inventors have dropped a gadget into 30 feet of Lake Superior water just off Duluth. It will show anyone who's interested what's happening down there, 24 hours a day. Minnesota Public Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports.

President Clinton is due back in Minnesota today to promote permanently normalizing trade relations with China. Congress is expected to vote on Clinton's trade proposal later this month. The President will visit a farm in Shakopee to talk about how farmers, currently struggling with low prices, could benefit from increased trade with China. The visit will also have political overtones that go beyond the trade issue. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports.

President Clinton is due back in Minnesota today to promote permanently normalizing trade relations with China. Congress is expected to vote on Clinton's trade proposal later this month. The President will visit a farm in Shakopee to talk about how farmers, currently struggling with low prices, could benefit from increased trade with China. The visit will also have political overtones that go beyond the trade issue. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports.

Kevin Paap farms 600 acres of corn and soybeans in Blue Earth county Minnesota. He is also vice president of the Minnesota Farm Bureau. Like many farmers, Paap is excited about the prospect of normalized trade relations with China.

As some Minnesota farmers prepare today to listen to President Clinton talk about normalized trade relations with China. Others are finishing up field work at one of the busiest times of year. Recent rain has given tender new crops a boost for now. While it isn't enough to replenish sub-soil moisture, it is enough to help seeds germinate and get midwest corn and soybeans off to a good start. Last year many farmers planted with gloom because of low prices. This year there's more hope because prices are slowly rising and a government bail-out kept many farmers in business. Minnesota Public Radio's Cara Hetland reports.

A wide-ranging collection of mostly minority groups is organizing a vigil in St. Paul on Mothers Day. Organizers want to call attention to the victims of a horrific crime that was discovered in Rochester last fall. They say public attention and the police investigation have languished because the victims aren't white. Minnesota Public Radio's Art Hughes reports.

Al's Breakfast is celebrating its 50th birthday this Sunday. The Minneapolis diner is notorious for size: it's only 12 feet wide and has just 14 stools. Customers sometimes wait over an hour to perch on those uncomfortable stools. And there's not a smudge of elbow room. We stopped out at Al's to see just why so many people go and found many who consider it well worth the trouble.

Al's Breakfast is celebrating its 50th birthday this Sunday. The Minneapolis diner is notorious for size: it's only 12 feet wide and has just 14 stools. Customers sometimes wait over an hour to perch on those uncomfortable stools. And there's not a smudge of elbow room. We stopped out at Al's to see just why so many people go and found many who consider it well worth the trouble.