Monday, October 16

Voters in Minnesota's sprawling Seventh District will choose from a political veteran and a newcomer in this fall's election. Five term DFL congressman Collin Peterson faces Republican Glen Menze, a Starbuck area farmer. As Mainstreet Radio's Tim Post reports, the Seventh District is tough for a first time candidate to win.

Minnesota's three major U.S. Senate candidates held a debate in Duluth Sunday, answering questions posed by an audience at the College of St. Scholastica. In the first debate outside the Twin Cities, Republican incumbent Rod Grams, DFL candidate Mark Dayton, and Independence Party candidate James Gibson squared off on issues that haven't gotten much attention in the campaign, dealing with the environment and the use of federal lands. Minnesota Public Radio's Amy Radil reports.

Two-term North Dakota Governor Ed Schafer's surprise announcement he was not seeking re-election set the stage for a tight race this fall. Republican John Hoeven, the former head of the state-owned bank of North Dakota wants to keep the office in the hands of the GOP. Democrat Heidi Heitkamp is hoping voters will make history by electing her North Dakota's first female governor. The polls show the result is likely to be close, with gender, and Heitkamp's recent stuggles with cancer likely to be important issues. Minnesota Public Radio's Bob Reha Reports.

Consumers fed up with 1-800 customer service telephone numbers are turning to the Internet to communicate with merchants. Many companies, seeing a chance to save money, are starting to take e-mail seriously. Other firms seem to bungle their Internet communications. Minnesota Public Radio's Jon Gordon reports on the latest trends for customer service in the digital age.

Third, fourth and fifth-party candidates for U.S. Senate had their say in a half-hour debate Monday on Twin Cities Public Television. Senate candidates from the Grassroots, Socialist workers, Independence, Constitution and Libertarian parties took audience questions and probed one anothers' views. Issues ranged from eliminating the federal income tax to forming a "workers' government" and cutting back corporate welfare. On the international front, the candidates showed greater unity in wanting the U.S. out of most foreign affairs. Minnesota Public Radio's Amy Radil reports.

A growing number of people in the region are reporting that their homes are being invaded by swarms of insects that look a lot like the common ladybug. They're actually a relative of the ladybug known as the multi-colored Asian lady beetle. Their numbers have been growing in Minnesota recently and this time of year the beetles go into houses in search of a warm place to spend the winter. Jeff Hahn is an entomologist with the University of Minnesota Extension Service and he joins us now.

The final debate between presidential candidates Governor George W Bush, and Vice President Al Gore is scheduled to take place later tonight in St. Louis, but it could be postponed because of the death of Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan. The race is close in nation-wide polls, and many battleground states are being inundated with political ads. In Minnesota, the national Republican Party recently began spending money on ads for Bush, and ads on behalf of Rod Grams in the Minnesota U.S. Senate race. The Minnesota GOP won't say how much money is being spent, only that it is "substantial." Joining us to talk politics is Steven Schier, chair of the political science department at Carleton College.

More than 2,000 gray wolves live in Minnesota. That's by far the largest wolf population south of Alaska, but the number of wolves is growing in several states. A few hundred wolves now live in Michigan and Wisconsin, and a few hundred more in Western states. In response, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposes taking wolves off the endangered species list across most of the country. Federal wildlife managers will gather public testimony on the proposal at a public meeting tonight in Duluth. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Julin has the story.

Now that the debates are over, the presidential race enters its final stretch. Recent polls show Bush has gained ground here in Minnesota after his performance in the debates, and state campaign leaders are gearing up for a tight race. Tony Sutton is the executive director of the Minnesota Republican Party, and Buck Humphrey is the state director of the Minnesota Gore-Liberman 2000 campaign. Both are on the line now.

In northeastern Minnesota, voters in the Eighth District have returned Jim Oberstar to his House seat 13 times. This year he faces two opponents because of a battle during the Republican endorsement process that prompted the loser to run as an Independent. Minnesota Public Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports.

Reform Party Presidential candidate Pat Buchanan is in Minnesota today. He is scheduled to speak at the University of Minnesota Law School this afternoon and will make some media appearances. Buchanan has run for president in previous elections as a Republican. He moved to the Reform Party last October, and won the presidential nomination after a fight between two party factions. Mr. Buchanan is on the line now.

From Bob Dylan to Prince to the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Minnnesota has a long and varied musical tradition. An exhibit opening this weekend at the Minnesota Historical Society in St. Paul takes a look at that tradition. The exhibit, Sounds Good to Me, is designed to tell stories about Minnesotans and their connections to music. Benjamin Filene heads the team that spent nearly three years planning and designing the show. He says there was an enormous amount of material to work with.

Minnesota's three major U.S. Senate candidates tackled social and fiscal issues as well as their own campaign spending and attack ads Wednesday, in their first televised debate. NBC's Tim Russert helped moderate the debate, which took place in Minneapolis before an audience convened by the Minnesota Meeting organization. DFLer Mark Dayton and Independence Party candidate James Gibson were often in agreement on social issues, while Dayton and Republican Rod Grams were predictably at odds, particularly when debating one another's campaign tactics. Minnesota Public Radio's Amy Radil reports.

Many St. Paul residents are getting more vocal in their complaints about the odor emanating from the Gohper State Ethanol plant on the city's West End. Last night the City Council held a public hearing in a school near the plant. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen reports council members heard plenty of anger from citizens living with the smell.

An Olmsted County District Court judge is scheduled to hear from all sides in a high-profile defamation case today. After two years of legal wrangling, a prominent Rochester developer, ABC television, and a Twin Cities lawyer will ask a judge to rule on how the case should proceed. Minnesota Public Radio's Erin Galbally reports.

The Gopher football team will face Indiana on the road this weekend. The Gophers are 3-1 in the Big Ten. They've surprised fans with their performance this year, even upsetting no. 6 ranked Ohio State in Columbus last weekend. Minnesota broadcast legend Ray Christensen called that game, as he has Gopher games for the past fifty years.

Meteorologist Mark Seeley joins us for a look at the dry weather and warm temperatures.

Governor Jesse Ventura embarks tomorrow on his second major foreign trade mission. Ventura will lead a delegation to Mexico where he'll promote Minnesota exports. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports.

Candidates in the Fourth Congressional District took the stage at the College of St. Catherine's in St. Paul Thursday to debate domestic issues from higher education to the dealth penalty. DFLer Betty McCollum, Republican Linda Runbeck and Independence Party candidate Tom Foley are running to replace Congressman Bruce Vento in an unpredictable three-way race that has attracted national attention. Despite the high stakes, the tone of the debate was polite, with the candidates only rarely questioning one another on their respective records. Minnesota Public Radio's Amy Radil reports.

A large brush fire continues to burn out of control just north of the Twin Cities, around Stacy, Minn. Over 4,000 acres have already burned and crews are preparing to send up six planes that will begin dropping water on this fire. Up to 15,000 residents in Stacy were evacuated late last night as the fire began spreading toward the small town, just off of I-35. The fire began in the Carlos Avery Wildlife area. We just got off the phone with Jean Sheppy of the National Park Service and she's at the fire command center in the wildlife area; she says crews are working hard to fight these fires.

Reporter Mark Zdechlik joins us with an update on the wild fires.