Monday, July 10

Congress debates a bill today that will address how to pay for treating the growing numbers of veterans with Hepatitis C. The Centers for Disease Control says Hepatitis C afflicts 2 percent of the American population. But the incidence of Hepatitis C among veterans is at least two times higher. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports.

Sara Jane Olson celebrated the judge's removal of her gag order Sunday, appearing at a benefit concert for her legal defense fund in Minneapolis. She blasted the conspiracy charge against her as an attempt by prosecutors to "rig" her trial, and said the 25-year-old allegations amount to settling an old score. Attendance was light for the benefit, which organizers blamed in part on the city forcing them to change locations on short notice. Minnesota Public Radio's Amy Radil reports.

The possibility that American Airlines might buy Northwest Airlines has raised questions about the future level of air service for the Twin Cities. A merger would leave American with three hubs in the Great Lakes region. When news of merger talks between Northwest and American came out last month, many observers assumed the Minneapolis-St. Paul hub might have to go. But experts point to a number of factors suggesting the Twin Cities' would remain a hub and keep high levels of nonstop and frequent service. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin reports.

A national school-improvement organization is praising Minnesota's efforts to help students become good citizens. The Education Commission of the States, a nonprofit group that provides assistance to state education policy makers, is highlighting the so-called "service learning" movement during its national forum this week in Minneapolis. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.

At a seminar today the education forum will address holding students and schools, accountable for their performances. It will include a discussion of high-stakes tests. Margaret Goertz will participate in that seminar. She's a professor of education policy at the University of Pennsylvanian's Graduate School of Education, and is on the line now.

MPR's Chief Economics Correspondent Chris Farrell previews what we can expect this week on Wall Street.

Record-breaking floods have divided downtown Austin. Heavy rains over the weekend caused the Cedar River, Dobbins Creek, and Turtle Creek to overflow into basements and roadways. Minnesota Public Radio's Erin Galbally reports water levels this week surpass the record set in 1978; but despite the all-time high, damage may be less.

Heavy rains over the weekend also caused flooding in Eagan, where about 200 homes sustained serious water damage. The city got nearly 15 inches of rain in two days, overwhelming its storm sewer system. Eagan Mayor Pat Awada says damage estimates could reach the $8 million mark, and most of that damage is to homes and other private property. Much of that property was not insured against flooding. Mark Kulda is the spokesman for the Insurance Federation of Minnesota. He's on the line now.

With nine weeks to go until the September primary, DFL voters are still undecided and divided about the U.S. Senate race. That's according to a poll conducted last week for Minnesota Public Radio, the St. Paul Pioneer Press and KARE-11 TV. None of the four major DFL candidates captures more than a fourth of the likely Democratic voters polled. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.

A growing number of states are using detailed report cards to compare public schools, and a key Minnesota legislator wants to do the same. The impact of such school rankings is among the issues school policy makers are tackling this week in Minneapolis during the annual meeting of the Education Commission of the States. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.

The president of Minnesota Brewing says newly installed equipment has reduced the odor from ethanol production at the St. Paul plant, and further steps may eliminate the odor complaints that have plagued the West Seventh neighborhood for the last two months. But residents attending a community meeting last night insisted the stench remains a problem. Some say the smell is causing health problems and they hope to stop ethanol production at the plant. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen has more.

The public and the press will be excluded from some proceedings in the Donald Blom kidnapping and murder trial. The jury is due to hear opening statements today. Minnesota Public Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports.

The lasting heat and humidity is making some electricity providers sweat. Power company officials are on the lookout for so-called "peak alerts" when the demand for power exceeds what's readily available. Some places around the country expect short blackouts at times of high demand. In Rochester, the municipal utility company is sending a more potent message. It's warning residents that their electric bills could spike from a normal of $3 a day to as much as $100 if they don't conserve energy. Minnesota Public Radio's Art Hughes explains.

A new poll suggests Texas Governor George W. Bush could be the first Republican presidential candidate to carry Minnesota since Richard Nixon's 1972 victory. A survey conducted for Minnesota Public Radio, the St. Paul Pioneer Press, and KARE-11 TV shows Bush and Vice President Al Gore in a statistical dead heat among likely Minnesota voters. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo has more.

Joining us with his take on the poll results is Steven Schier, chair of the political science department at Carleton College.

According to a report in today's Washington Post, merger discussions between American Airlines and Northwest Airlines have picked up significantly in recent days. American has reportedly offered to pay Northwest $3.7 billion, or $44 a share to take over the airline. Northwest is reportedly asking for at least $65 a share. The deal would also include Delta Airlines who would buy Northwest's 14 percent share of Continental Airlines. Ernest Arvai is an airline analyst with the Arvai Group.

St. Paul will provide financial help for a new retail, office, and parking development in the heart of the city's most successful shopping district. City council members last night approved a compromise agreement forged with a private developer and neighborhood groups in the area of Grand and Victoria Avenues. Under the deal, the developer scaled back the size of the new building in response to neighborhood concerns. The city provides a tax break and a loan to help cover the expense of underground parking. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen reports.

For several years farmers have been planting herbicide-tolerant soybeans and corn. The bio engineered plants allow farmers to spray a herbicide that kills all but the tolerant plant. Now a seed company says it's developed the first strain of herbicide-resistant wheat, and is also creating disease-resistant wheat. Minnesota Public Radios Dan Gunderson reports.

Governor Jesse Ventura says he is going to get more involved in the possible sale of Northwest Airlines to American Airlines. American has offered $3.7 billion for Northwest, but the Minnesota-based airline has asked for more than double that amount, as negotiations over price continue. The Ventura administration issued a statement yesterday saying the Governor will be more active in representing the interests of the state. Joining us on the line is the governor's communications director, John Wodele.

Minnesotans are giving Governor Jesse Ventura high marks for the recently concluded legislative session. A poll conducted for Minnesota Public Radio, the St. Paul Pioneer Press, and KARE-11 TV shows more respondents approve of the governor's performance than of the Legislature's. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo reports.

DFL Senate candidate Mark Dayton has started his advertising blitz, spending more than $300,000 on television ads running statewide this week. Dayton is the third Democrat to buy up large chunks of airtime before the September primary. Attorney Michael Ciresi has had ads on the air for months, and DFLer Rebecca Yanisch just finished a big television ad buy. In the latest in our series of Ad Watches, Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum talks with analyst Dean Alger about the Dayton and Yanisch ads.

The strike at the Pepsi bottling plant in Burnsville has entered its second month, and there's no end in sight. About 450 workers who bottle and deliver Pepsi products in the Twin Cities area walked off the job in mid-June. They say the company's last offer fell short on several issues, including retirement and health care benefits. Kelly McAndrew is a spokeswoman at Pepsi Bottling Group's headquarters in New York. She's on the line now.

Larry Yoswa heads Teamsters Local 792; he agrees that negotiations are at a standstill.

The University of Minnesota's Diabetes Institute will be one of 10 centers throughout the world to participate in clinical trials to see if a procedure done by Canadian researchers will help diabetes patients. Last month, a New England Journal of Medicine study showed that the procedure in Canada had tremendous success. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports.

When the Georgia Pacific hardboard manufacturing plant closed its doors on the southeast shore of Lake Bemidji last year, it meant the loss of about 70 jobs. But the closing also created what's being called a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the Bemidji community to redevelop prime lakeshore property dominated for years by industrial activity. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Robertson has this Mainstreet report.

Meterologist Mark Seeley usually joins us at this time, but he's on vacation this week. Instead, we'll talk to another skywatcher: a professor at Macalester college who studies faraway stars. Astronomer Kim Venn has won a grant for nearly $400,000 from the National Science Foundation to continue her research. She uses high tech computers and huge telescopes in Hawaii and Chile to analyze the light from stars and learn more about how galaxies are formed. Venn says she got started in her field a little bit differently than most astronomers do.

A new poll shows most Minnesotans worry Social Security won't be there for them when they retire, and many want to use the federal budget surplus to shore up the program. The poll conducted for Minnesota Public Radio, the St. Paul Pioneer Press and KARE-11 TV also finds many of those polled want to let workers put some of their Social Security money into the stock market. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.

A University of Minnesota graduate has discovered that many of the people who built the United States Capitol and the White House were black slaves. Edward Hotaling is a journalist and historian in Washington DC. While doing research on the 200th anniversary of the construction of those buildings, he discovered Department of Treasury pay slips which indicated that slave labor was used.

General Mills got its start in 1866 when Cadwallader Washburn built his first flour mill on the banks of the Mississippi. Three years later Charles Pillsbury arrived in Minnesota and bought a mill himself. David Wiggins is a historian at the Minnesota Historical Society. He's come by the studio this morning.

The Minneapolis Aquatenniel begins today, and events continue throughout the city for the next 10 days. Joining us to talk about this years events is Wendell Willis, chairman of the Aquatenniel's community relations committee.