Monday, August 7

Environmental questions are seldom simple. A little-publicized fight over hydroelectric power in Manitoba is a classic example. Dams built over the last three decades have caused irrevocable change to the Manitoba landscape and destroyed the traditional lifestyle of Cree Indians living in the area. Now the demand for electricity is increasing, and one of Manitoba Hydro's biggest customers Northern States Power is considering a new contract. There's a possibility of new dams. Some of the Cree people are campaigning for the removal of hydro power and have enlisted Minnesota activists to help; but as Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Stucky reports, they are opposed by members of their own tribe, who say the future lies in embracing the new projects.

Merger talks between Northwest Airlines and American airlines have apparently stalled, with the two sides far apart on the issue of price. Talks occurred after United Airlines announced its plan to buy US Airways. If they're unable to agree on a deal, some analysts think Northwest and American may consider a marketing alliance instead. Minnesota Pubic Radio's Bill Catlin reports.

About 600 state legislators from across the Midwest will be in Minneapolis this week to talk about issues that concern them all. They're in town for an annual meeting of the Midwestern Legislative Conference. The bipartisan group will discuss issues like education and the future of farming, in an attempt to improve state government and cooperation between states. Minnesota state senator John Hottinger is the chair of the MLC. He's on the line now.

Minnesota has never elected a woman to the United States Senate, but that will change this year if Rebecca Yanisch has her way. The Minneapolis DFLer is the only female major party candidate seeking to challenge incumbent Republican Rod Grams. Although she's never held elected office, Yanisch is counting on her experiences growing up in the Red River Valley and her time as Minneapolis' top development official to propel her through the DFL primary to a match-up with Grams in November. In the second in our series of candidate profiles, Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo takes a look at Rebecca Yanisch.

Minnesota Vikings star wide receiver Randy Moss was injured during Saturday's exhibition game against the New Orleans Saints. MRIs have revealed that Moss has no broken bones, only a bruised shoulder and ribs. The injury occurred at the end of a 55-yard pass reception from quarterback Daunte Culpepper. The 25-24 loss to the Saints was the first chance many fans had to see Culpepper in action. Joining us on the line is Sean Jensen, who covers the Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

What's in store for Wall Street this week? We'll check in with Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Farrell for the answer.

The Kenwood area of Minneapolis is not an area immediately identified with the city's large urban Native American population. But the owner of a new Kenwood store, Birchbark Books, Herbs, and Gifts hopes it may become a place which will reach out to both native and non-native people. That owner is author Louise Erdrich, internationally known for her fiction describing the Native American experience. Minnesota Public Radio's Lynette Nyman reports.

The Twin Cities has been the site of major sporting events such as the Super Bowl and the World Series. But to some Twin Citians, a far more important event is now underway: the 2000 U.S. open of chess. This week, over 500 chess players from around the world, will be competing for a $5,000 grand prize. What does it take to be a champion chess player? Minnesota Public Radio's Brandt Williams gets a lesson from an expert.

Some tired Minnesotans are returning to the state after helping fight wildfires in the Western U.S. The National Fire Information Center says over 60 major fires are burning from Washington state to Arizona. The Minnesota firefighters have just finished a two week tour in Idaho, where they battled a blaze in Payette National Forest. But there's no rest for the weary. After arriving in Duluth last night, they were asked if they could go back after two days of rest. Joining us on the line is Dwaye Hanson with the Minnesota Interagency Fire Center.

The St. Paul School Board voted unanimously Monday to terminate its sponsorship of the Right Step Academy charter school. The board says because of its financial mismanagement the school lacks the means to implement its own improvement plan. Academy officials asked the board to keep its doors open, and teachers and students testified the school has succeeded with hard-to-serve students. But board members say with school just weeks away, they lack confidence the school could repair its problems in time. Minnesota Public Radio's Amy Radil reports.

Joining us now is Becky Montgomery, the chairwoman of the St. Paul School Board.

Later this week, University of Minnesota officials, including president Mark Yudof will appear before the NCAA's infraction committee, which is looking into the academic fraud scandal in the men's basketball program. They will try to convince the committee that investigative and punitive steps already taken by the school are adequate and that further action by the NCAA is not necessary. Minnesota Public Radio's Brandt Williams reports.

Grassland songbird populations are declining more rapidly than any other North American species, mainly because most prairie grasslands have been turned into farmland. Some of the prime nesting sites for the remaining birds are in eastern North Dakota and northwest Minnesota. Researchers there are combining old fashioned legwork and high tech equipment in hopes of learning ways to stabilize the population of prairie songbirds. Minnesota Public Radios Dan Gunderson reports.

Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura has been selected to serve on a U.S. Surgeon General's committee to eliminate the disparities in racial and ethnic health. While Minnesota is one of the healthiest states in the country, Ventura says there's a huge difference between the health care of white Minnesotans and people of color in the state. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports.

When University of Minnesota meteorologist and climatologist Mark Seeley isn't in our studios talking about the weather, he's off doing research. In the course of that research, he's discovered that Minnesota has become more humid over the last half century. Seeley says he discovered the trend by examining hourly reports of the dew point.

Computers and the Internet are changing the way we live and work. Technology has added new words and phrases to our language. But there's also unnecessary hype and a new style of tech-speak that's more likely to mystify than enlighten. Jon Gordon reports on the nearly impenetrable language of technology.

Donald Blom took the stand in his own defense and told the jury he was at home in bed when Katie Poirier was abducted and killed late on the night of May 26, 1999. His nearly four hours on the stand Wednesday provided another dramatic day in the fourth week of testimony in his kidnapping and murder trial. Minnesota Public Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports.

It now looks like there could be two Reform Party conventions getting underway today in Long Beach, California. Shouting matches erupted again yesterday between supporters of Pat Buchanan and backers of Ross Perot. The two factions are struggling for control of the party. At stake is not only the party's nomination for president, but also the $12.5 million in federal matching funds that the winner will get. Dave Racer is the chair of the Reform Party in Minnesota. He's out in Long Beach, and he joins us now from there.

The University of Minnesota's organ transplant team has published an article examining a new transplant procedure. Researchers at the U of M created a protocol allowing strangers to donate one of their two kidneys to a transplant patient. In the current issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers discuss the ethical and medical implications of such a procedure. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports.

Families affected by the scoring errors on thousands of basic skills tests will get a chance to learn all about class action lawsuits in a seminar to be held later today. Minneapolis lawyer Michael Fay has taken ads in local newspapers to have those families call his firm and come to the seminar to ask questions about their legal rights. National Computer Systems revealed almost two weeks ago that it made scoring errors in the state's basic skills tests in math. About 8,000 students were told they failed the test, when they actually passed. Joining us on the line now is Michael Fay.

Sun Country airlines is out with a new incentives program, called Smile Awards. It's designed to compete with the frequent flier programs offered by many major airlines. The program allows customers to stack up points for free flights by using a credit card. George Wozniak is the president of Hobbit Travel in Minneapolis. His agency books about 20 percent of Sun Country's seats, and he joins us now.

An international academic journal that comes out today is devoting a whole issue to Minnesota. Daedalus is popular among university researchers, Supreme Court Justices other academics. The magazine has devoted past issues to topics such as bioethics and the environment, but this is the first time it will focus on a single U.S. state. Daedalus editor Stephen Graubard says he got the idea for the issue while in Europe about five years ago.

St. Paul residents testified Tuesday about their perceptions of racial profiling, describing traffic stops and other police actions they perceived to be racially motivated, and last night Minneapolis residents had their turn. The public hearings were held by the Twin Cities chapters of the Urban League and the NAACP, as a law enforcement task force develops a legislative proposal to study racial profiling statewide. Those conducting the hearings say they hope residents' voices will play a role in shaping the legislation, and say they may also play a role in potential lawsuits. Minnesota Public Radio's Amy Radil reports.

Mark Seeley talks about rising humidity in Minnesota and the devastating fires out west.

Heavy flash flooding this summer and in recent years has prompted a handful of southeastern Minnesota towns to seek long-term solutions. They're starting the long and expensive process to stop the streams and rivers that run through their towns from becoming torrents that destroy property and endanger lives. Mainstreet Radio's Art Hughes reports.

The town of Darwin is a tiny dot on the central Minnesota map. Many of its 250 residents say that dot got there because of one man's obsession. For 29 years, Francis Johnson created what became the largest twine ball ever rolled by one person. Tomorrow, Darwin residents hold their ninth annual Twineball celebration to pay homage to the man and his mission. Mainstreet Radio's Marisa Helms reports.