Monday, July 24

The rising cost of prescription drugs has become a prominent issue this election year, pushed by growing ranks of seniors whose prescriptions aren't covered by Medicare. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck looks at the problem in the first of part of our series, Prescription for Change.

Between 150 and 200 protesters marched around downtown Minneapolis late last evening to voice their opposition to the International Animal Genetics Conference, which started over the weekend. The march was noisy and protracted, and while there was a heavy police presence, there were no arrests. The police say there were fewer protesters than they'd expected, but the demonstrators say they will regroup later today, and do it all again. Minnesota Public Radio's Brandt Williams reports.

Minnesota Public Radio's Chief Economics Correspondent Chris Farrell joins us now for a look at the markets.

The Minnesota Vikings have opened their training camp for the new season. Last year, the eventual Superbowl Champion St. Louis Rams ended the Vikings season in the second round of the playoffs. The team heads into this year with a new players at on both sides of the ball, and new offensive and defensive coordinators. Joining us on the line is StarTribune sports reporter Kevin Seibert, who's in Mankato for the camp.

The high cost of prescription drugs has become one of the top political issues this year: candidate after candidate has expressed outrage over senior citizens forced to choose between buying food and buying medicine. It's a key issue In Minnesota's United States Senate race, with all of the major DFL candidates and Republican Senator Rod Grams calling for changes to make prescription drugs more affordable for seniors. In part two of our series Prescription for Change, Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum looks at the Senate candidates' proposals, and whether they're more than just election year rhetoric.

Hundreds of Minneapolis police will be in the vicinity of the Hyatt Regency again today following the arrests of about 80 demonstrators outside a conference of scientists who specialize in animal genetics. Authorities are also investigating whether protesters are connected to suspicious canisters found around the city, including one that contained traces of cyanide. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen has this report.

News cameras and reporters covered the protest demonstrations extensively. Joining us now is Professor Bill Babcock, director of the Silha Center for the Study of Media Ethics and Law at the University of Minnesota.

Does a new casino help or hurt a community? Last night, supporters and opponents of a casino proposed for Hudson, Wisconsin argued both sides at a hearing on the possible environmental effects of the project. Three Wisconsin Chippewa bands and the Florida owner of a dog track in Hudson are pushing for the off-reservation casino. They say it would allow the bands, which are all located some distance from the Twin Cities, access to metro area gamblers, and draw more customers to the struggling track. Their proposal was rejected by the Department of the Interior in 1995, but now the department is reconsidering. Opposition to the project comes from Minnesota tribes with casinos who worry about the competition, and the Concerned Citizens of Hudson, who worry about negative effects on their community. Nancy Bieragle is a member of the Concerned Citizens of Hudson; she's on the line now.

Joining us now is Mark Goff, a spokesman for a group that supports the casino.

Minorities make up about a quarter of the country's population, but own only a tenth of all businesses. In part, that's because many minority-owned companies lack the capital and social networks that are critical to the success of any business. With that in mind, Governor Jesse Ventura convened a working group of business people and academics to identify the special obstacles facing minority entrepreneurs, and ways to overcome them. The group will present a report to the governor next month. Minnesota Public Radio's Andrew Haeg reports.

Some residents and business owners in Detroit Lakes are angry about increased water patrols this summer. They say DNR enforcement officers are harassing boaters in the area and scaring away tourists. Minnesota Public Radios Dan Gunderson reports.

The Minneapolis school board has approved a district-wide attendance policy that requires students to show up for classes 95 percent of the time. Those who don't could face tough consequences. School officials say getting students to show up regularly is the key to improving test scores. They also say it will take at least another year to fully implement the new rules. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.

The International Society for Animal Genetics conference in Minneapolis ends today and officials hope the city remains calm. On Monday, Minneapolis Police arrested 81 protesters after they clashed with police in downtown Minneapolis. Last night, the mayor, police chief and city council president held a news conference to defend the police action on Monday. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports.

The University of Minnesota has joined with three other research institutions to work on animal genetics research. One of the University's partners will be the Roslin Institute in Scotland, which is known for producing Dolly, the lamb cloned from the tissue of an adult sheep. The group has agreed to transfer the commercial rights of their discoveries to a private company called AniGenics, Inc. AniGenics will pay licensing fees to the institutions, and researchers will still be able to use their work for further studies. Sue Petto is a senior licensing associate with Patents and Technology Marketing at the University of Minnesota, and she's on the line now.

Sunrise in Granite Falls this morning revealed a tornado-shattered neighborhood on the west side of that southwest Minnesota city. The storm last evening killed one person, injured more than a dozen others and damaged or destroyed several hundred homes. The tornado is the latest disaster for a city which has seen floods and job losses in the last few years. Mainstreet Radio's Mark Steil reports.

There are some pretty happy pigs living in East Central Minnesota. A hog farmer in Cedar feeds his animals "designer slops" as part of a recycling contract with the Mall of America. Each day, he transports almost eight tons of food waste from some very fancy restaurants. Mainstreet Radio's Marisa Helms visited the farm to see how this slop swap works.

Minnesotans with disabilities are marking the tenth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. In South Minneapolis yesterday, nearly 1,000 people visited the Anne Sullivan School to take part in a day long celebration of the signing of the legislation. Disability rights activists say the ADA literally opened doors and businesses to millions of Americans. But they say more needs to be done. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports.

The four major DFL candidates for U.S. Senate faced off last night during a citizens' forum debate. State Senator Jerry Janezich, the party's endorsed candidate, joined trial attorney Mike Ciresi, Minneapolis businesswoman Rebecca Yanisch, and former state auditor Mark Dayton. As Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo reports, the candidates found themselves struggling to differentiate themselves to voters.

A Viking ship from Iceland has arrived in L'Anse Aux Meadows, Newfoundland where 1,000 years ago, famed Viking explorer Leif Ericsson became the first known European to land in North America. Celebrations are being held at the historic site this week to mark Ericsson's arrival to the New World. From there, other Viking ships from the United States and Europe will soon set sail, en masse, to New York, in time for America's official Leif Ericsson Day festivities on October 9. The Viking ship replica, Islendingur, left Iceland on June 17, retracing Ericsson's epic journey to Greenland and then to Canada. Its eight-member crew is led by Captain Gunnar Marel Eggertsson, a descendant of Leif Ericsson. I talked to him on his boat during a recent visit to Iceland.

The Great Lakes Aquarium opens to the public Saturday on Duluth's waterfront. The $33.8 million facility becomes the nation's first all-fresh water aquarium with displays of fish and turtles, birds and other wild creatures. Supporters have high hopes they can overcome attendance stagnation that's hit other Minnesota Aquariums. Minnesota Public Radio's Bob Kelleher reports.

Some residents in Eagan are fighting Northern States Power and its plans to clear trees that are growing underneath a corridor of regional transmission lines that send electricity to thousands of people across the state. After a town meeting with NSP, many have accepted what appears imminent, but a few still hope they can keep their trees. Minnesota Public Radio's Lynette Nyman reports.

Mark Seeley joins us once again to talk about Minnesota's wild weather.