Monday, November 20

The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis has launched a survey of several hundred Hmong business owners and households in St. Paul. The Fed wants to know how well the banking system is meeting the needs of Hmong entrepreneurs. Minnesota Public Radio's Lynette Nyman reports.

Striking workers at a Frigidaire Freezer plant in St. Cloud are back at work today. They walked out three weeks ago claiming a contract contained insurance premiums three times higher than a proposed wage hike. This weekend the workers rejected a new contract, but voted to end the strike, which means they return to work under the contract they voted down. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Post has this report.

The dot-com boom seemed too good to be true, and in some ways it was. The tech-heavy NASDAQ is down 35 percent from its high last March. Nationally, 22,000 employees of Internet companies have been laid off, and scores of dot-coms have closed their doors. In the Twin Cities, once high-flying Internet firms, including Net Perceptions and Techies.com, have laid off hundreds of staffers. Minnesota Public Radio's Andrew Haeg reports on how the national Internet shakeout is affecting the Twin Cities' high tech business scene.

The Minnesota Vikings took another step towards the playoffs with a 31-17 win over the Carolina Panthers. The Vikes are 9-2 on the season, and in first place in the Central Division by two games over the Detroit Lions. Quarterback Daunte Culpepper had his best passing day of the year against Carolina with 357 yards in the air, and three touchdowns. The defense had five sacks, and two interceptions, the first in six weeks. Joining us to talk about the game is Sean Jensen, who covers the Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

A group searching for a way to privately finance a new Minnesota Twins ballpark is looking at some new ideas. Later tonight the group New Ballpark Inc. will release an outline of their plan to finance the project. They want any developer of the ballpark who would put up cash to make the project a reality to get development rights to other parts of Minneapolis. Joining us on the line is Jay Wiener, a reporter with the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Minnesota's State Canvassing Board will meet later this morning to certify results of this month's election. After the results are certified, Minnesota's Second Congressional District may be in for a recount. Four-term Democratic Congressman David Minge says he'll seek a recount because he lost to Republican Mark Kennedy by only 150 votes. Alana Christenson is managing the recount effort for Congressman Minge, and she's on the line now.

After months of consideration, a committee looking into alternatives for a privately financed Minnesota Twins ballpark has come up with a funding proposal. While the group, called New Ballpark Inc., says Twins owner Carl Pohlad has to contribute heavily to a new stadium, members of the committee say developers and investment groups could conceivably come up with $140 million to build the park. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports.

Addressing a sold-out crowd at the Minneapolis Hilton Monday, former South African President Nelson Mandela spoke of the need for people on opposite sides of debates to respect one another, and of the ability of the U.S. to influence attitudes on racism around the world. His message was above all a hopeful one that any society can achieve justice. Mandela declined to express an opinion on the U.S. presidential election, but spoke glowingly of President Clinton's efforts to reach out to African nations. Minnesota Public Radio's Amy Radil reports.

A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order against the union representing Northwest Airlines' almost 10,000 mechanics and other workers. The district court judge issued the order at the request of Northwest lawyers, who alleged the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association is conducting an illegal slowdown during the runup to the busy holiday travelling season. Minnesota Public Radio's Andrew Haeg reports.

The University of Minnesota's Women's Athletic Department turns 25 years old this year. Where once women had to raise money for their sports by selling balloons at Homecoming. The creation of their own athletic department in 1975 meant a new era in sports funding and support. Minnesota Public Radio's Patty Marsicano reports:

On Future Tense, librarians lending their research and book knowledge on the internet.

Internationally renowned flutist James Galway conducts the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra this weekend. He'll also perform with the orchestra, playing flute concertos by Mozart and David Heath. James Galway, known as "the man with the golden flute" because he literally uses instruments made of 14 karat gold, is recognized for both his classical repertoire and his international hits such as his rendition of "Annie's Song". Galway had to work hard for his reputation. Early on in his career he was Principal Flutist with the Berlin Philharmonic, under the stern eye and baton of Herbert von Karajan. James Galway told Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Crann the Berlin experience was sound training for his solo career.

The priests and monks of St John's Abbey will start the process today of electing a new leader. The Abbot is considered the CEO of the University, St John's Prep School and St John's Abbey. Mainstreet Radio's Tim Post reports the two-day election process has remained relatively unchanged for nearly 150 years.

The civil war in Sudan, Africa's largest country, is the world's deadliest and most brutal conflict. Two million people have been killed in 15 years of fighting. Famine stalks the land, fanned by drought, but also brought on by warring sides diverting food. The Muslim-led government arrests, tortures and kills those, including other Muslims, who are critics. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson reports on a Sudanese family who ran afoul of the government and has found refuge in Minnesota where they are celebrating their first Thanksgiving.

Many Minnesota families will gather for Thanksgiving dinner today. Most of them will be eating turkey with their mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie, but not all of them. For vegetarians, it can be a challenge to come up with a Thanksgiving dinner. Steven Meads is a chef at Mud Pie, a vegetarian restaurant in Minneapolis. Cathy Wurzer went over to the restaurant to find out what he suggests for folks who might want to make a quick, low fat vegetarian dish for today's feast.

How big is your holiday gift budget? A retail industry group expects consumers to spend about 6 percent more than last year. But the U.S. economy and retail sales are slowing. As Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin reports, the trends may favor shoppers over shareholders this holiday season.

Wide receiver Randy Moss caught seven passes, including two for touchdowns to lead the Vikings to a 27 to 15 win over the Cowboys yesterday in Dallas. Quarterback Duante Culpepper completed 15 of 22 passes as the Vikings improved their record to ten and two. Joining us now from Dallas is Sean Jensen who covers the Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press.