Monday, September 25

Lieutenant Governor Mae Schunk is back in Minnesota after a trip to Croatia. Schunk spent six days in the country, touring schools, visiting war-torn towns, and meeting with local officials. She also visited her father's birthplace. Several educators were along on the trip, including a superintendent from Duluth and a principal from Minneapolis. The Lieutenant Governor is on the line now, to tell us about her trip.

The Minnesota Historical Society is in the first year of a four-year project to help people preserve their family heirlooms. The Society's chief conservator is traveling to towns across the state, and finding enthusiastic audiences. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Gunderson reports.

It's been a century since brewing in La Crosse, Wisconsin was at the top of its game. Since then, close to a dozen breweries have folded, and today only one remains. Minnesota Public Radio's Erin Galbally reports that sole survivor, City Brewery, finds itself in money trouble struggling to stay open.

U.S. sprinter Michael Johnson is the first repeat winner at the Olympics in the men's 400. He followed his Olympic-record performance in Atlanta with a second straight gold-medal performance today. Just before Johnson won, the 11,000 people in Stadium Australia saw Australian Cathy Freeman win the women's 400. MPR Sports Commentator Jay Weiner is in Sydney for the Olympics and he joins us now.

The Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization and epidemiologists throughout the world are calling for more prudent use of antibiotics. Ever since doctors started using penicillin to kill bacterial infections in the 1940's, researchers have worried some bacteria would become resistant to antibiotics. Their fears are now coming true as scientists discover antibiotic resistant germs They say so-called "superbugs" will leave doctors defenseless against some illnesses. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck has the first of three reports.

In the last half-hour of Morning Edition you heard the first of a three-part series on the problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. While bacteria adapt and become resistant to commonly-prescribed antibiotics, pharmaceutical researchers are adapting by coming up with new drugs. One promising new antibiotic called a ketolide could be widely available in the next few years to fight pneumonia and other respiratory diseases. Dr. William Craig, professor of medicine and pharmaceutics at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, helped develop the new drug.

Competition for Indian gaming dollars in northwest Minnesota is intensifying as two Chippewa Indian bands pump millions into their casino operations. The White Earth Reservation is adding a $31 million hotel and convention center to its Shooting Star Casino in Mahnomen, while, just 60 miles away, the Red Lake Band is spending $22 million to construct a hotel and a huge indoor water park at Seven Clans Casino near Thief River Falls. Both bands say there's enough business to go around, but as Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Robertson reports, some are not so sure.

A U.S. District Court judge has thrown out charges against the former University of Minnesota tutor who admitted doing coursework for basketball players. Jan Ganglehoff was expected to plea guilty yesterday to helping former Gopher Bobby Jackson fraudulently obtain a federal grant. In exchange for a light sentence, she was expected to testify against former coach Clem Haskins. MPR's Brandt Williams reports.

Public Safety Commissioner Charlie Weaver is cancelling the next state trooper training school and may cut further sessions because of a lack of money. The State Patrol currently has 26 fewer officers than its authorized strength of 550, and the number of vacancies could grow to 64 by the end of the year. Joining us now is Public Safety Commissioner Charlie Weaver.

The use of antibiotics in farm animals is coming under increasing criticism by those who believe the patients farmers are really treating are themselves and their fellow humans. Research has found using the drugs causes some dangerous animal-born bacteria to become resistant to even the most powerful antibiotics, creating untreatable "super bugs" which can infect humans. Farmers say antibiotics are a long-standing tool they need to raise livestock and poultry efficiently. Mainstreet Radio's Mark Steil reports.

A rare Siberian tiger has some residents of Hawley in northwestern Minnesota concerned and Clay County officials uncertain about how to respond. No laws prevent Elaine and Jerry Sweggberg from keeping the tiger, which is on the endangered species list, as a pet. Even if county commissioners do draft a dangerous animal ordinance, there's little promise it could put the Sweggberg's neighbors at ease. Minnesota Public Radios Bob Reha reports.

The United Way of Minneapolis Area is giving over $450,000 to launch a metro-wide affordable housing initiative. The money will be used to produce and maintain affordable housing units and to educate the public about the issue. The lack of affordable housing for people with low and moderate incomes has been an issue of growing concern in the metro area. Terri Barreiro is the senior director of community services at the United Way of Minneapolis Area.

The use of performance enhancing drugs is not only an issue at the Olympics. Steroids, and other such drugs, are also a concern at the collegiate and even high school level. Joining us now is Chris Hartman, the head U of M men's football team's strength and conditioning coach.

For years, scientists have warned the misuse and overuse of antibiotics is causing some bacteria to become resistant to antibiotics. Antibiotics are the first line of defense against sicknesses caused by bacteria. If the number of resistant strains of bacteria continues to grow, illnesses once easily treatable with antibiotics could become incurable. Bacteria can develop resistance in hospitals, and also on farms where animals are treated routinely with antibiotics. Now, resistant bacteria are starting to spread outward into the environment and into the nation's streams and rivers. Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Losure reports.

Sun Country Airlines is asking the Department of Transportation to get involved in the competition between it and Northwest Airlines. Sun Country helped pay for a recent study that says Northwest has behaved in predatory ways on the the routes that Sun Country flies. Northwest says they're just meeting the competition on those routes, and that the government shouldn't interfere with the marketplace. The Department of Transportation and the Department of Justice have the authority to regulate airline competition. Joining us on the line to talk about what those departments can do in response to the study's findings is Congressman Jim Oberstar, who is the senior Democrat on the House Transportation committee.

Rabbi Bernard Raskas has been wrestling with thorny questions of politics and faith for the past 50 years, as a rabbi at St. Paul's Temple of Aaron Congregation, and as a scholar and teacher. A new book entitled Seasons of the Mind brings together his collected writings from newspapers around the country. Next month Raskas will be designated "rabbi laureate" by his temple, as only the second rabbi in the country to serve a congregation for 50 years. Minnesota Public Radio's Amy Radil reports.

Representatives of more than 100 Native American tribes have been gathering in St. Paul this week to learn about ways to bring better phone service to their reservations. Federal Communications Commission officials, who are sponsoring the conference, say nearly half of all American Indians on reservations are without basic phone service, let alone access to the Internet. Minnesota Public Radio's Lynette Nyman reports.

A new poll shows DFL Senate candidate Mark Dayton with a narrow lead over incumbent Republican Rod Grams. Independence Party candidate James Gibson finished a distant third. The survey, commissioned by Minnesota Public Radio, the St. Paul Pioneer Press, and KARE-11 TV, is the first post-primary look at how the senate race is shaping up. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo has more.

The Minnesota Poll is also out today. It shows Dayton leading Grams 49-35 percent. In that poll, Independence Party candidate Jim Gibson is only supported by three percent of voters. Rick McCluhan, chair of Minnesota's Independence Party, says Gibson needs to distinguish himself from the other candidates.

Streamlined city budgets and the national trend toward fewer fire emergencies are among the reasons some Minnesota fire departments are adding more volunteers to their ranks. Mankato, Austin, and Winona are the most recent cities to move to what's called a "combination" department. And now the city of St. Cloud is considering that option with potential savings of $1 million a year in taxes. But critics say mixing volunteer and career firefighters could put St. Cloud residents at risk. Mainstreet Radio's Marisa Helms reports.

Dagny Melgren of Norway scored two goals, including the winning goal in overtime to lead Norway to a 3-2 victory over the United States in women's soccer today at the Olympics. The win earned Norway a gold medal. MPR Sports Commentator Jay Weiner is in Sydney covering the Olympics and was at today's game.

Southwest Minnesota has plenty of wind available for energy production, but as the interest in wind power has grown it turns out there aren't enough power lines to transmit the electricity to urban areas. Xcel Energy, formerly NSP, is building a new line to help address the problem but it's drawing criticism. A group of business owners in Pipestone want to force Xcel to take a different route throught the city. Mainstreet Radio's Mark Steil reports.

University of Minnesota Meteorologist and Climatologist Mark Seeley is here for his weekly weather chat.

A new poll on the presidential race in Minnesota shows Democrat Al Gore maintains a slight lead over Republican George W. Bush. The MPR/St. Paul Pioneer Press/KARE-TV poll found Gore with 47 percent support, Bush with 40 percent, and Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader supported by 4 percent of those polled. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.

Third-party presidential candidates held a debate in St. Paul Thursday night, although Ralph Nader and Pat Buchanan, the nation's highest profile third-party candidates, didn't attend. Governor Ventura welcomed the presidential candidates from the Natural Law, Libertarian and Constitution parties, thanking them for giving voters more options in November. Minnesota Public Radio's Amy Radil reports.

University of Minnesota President Mark Yudof says improving faculty salaries is among the keys to the institution's future success and the state's. Yudof has made faculty compensation the centerpiece of his 2001 legislative proposal. He outlined the plan and its potential impact Thursday during his annual state of the university address. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.

The Minnesota Wild will face the Anaheim Mighty Ducks tonight in a preseason match which will be the first hockey game ever played at the new Excel Energy Center in St. Paul. The Wild is gearing up for the start of the regular season next week. In addition to assembling players, coaches, and front-office personnel, the team has its own curator. He's been gathering hockey memorabilia from across the state which will be displayed throughout the new arena. Curator Roger Godin comes to the Wild from the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth, Minnesota, where he was a director. I met him in a small room where the memorabilia is stored right now. He says one of the displays will feature hockey trophies.

Colliding cultures and a collection of local artifacts come together in a unique collaboration between two artists in Minneapolis this weekend. One is a sculptor, the other a choreographer. However, they share an interest in using materials and techniques in ways for which they were not originally intended. Minnesota Public Radio's Brandt Williams reports.

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