Monday, February 19

After Katie Poirier was abducted from a Moose Lake convenience store and murdered in May of 1999, many gas stations around the state upgraded their security systems. Some stores decided to close at night. The federal government doesn't require safety measures to protect convenience store workers, but the Minnesota Legislature is considering new requirements. Last year a similar measure stalled, but advocates are trying again. Minnesota Public Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports a new version will be introduced today.

There's a crisis looming in the nation's health care industry. Experts warn medical services will be harder to find because there aren't enough nurses to staff the nation's hospitals, nursing homes and doctor's offices. Senators Paul Wellstone and Mark Dayton will hold the first in a series of Minnesota hearings on the nurse shortage in Duluth today. Minnesota Public Radio's Bob Kelleher reports.

The University of Minnesota was founded seven years before the territory of Minnesota became a state. The U of M is now in its 150th year. Through it's evolution from a preparatory school to a leading land grant, doctoral and research institution, the university has been an enduring fixture throughout Minnesota's history. All this week Minnesota Public Radio marks the sesquicentennial of the University of Minnesota with a series of reports called the Universal U. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire has the first of our ten reports.

Until 1943 taconite was considered a waste product of Minnesota iron mining. Then University of Minnesota engineer Edward W. Davis developed the process to refine the low-grade ore into the iron pellets that would mean jobs for thousands of Minnesotans. As part of our series Universal U, Minnesota Public Radio's Steven John reports on taconite and the university's link to the Iron Range.

Despite the abrupt national economic slowdown, Minnesotans remain fairly upbeat about their personal circumstances. A Minnesota Public Radio and the St. Paul Pioneer Press poll indicates more than 80 percent of state residents feel their household financial situation will be the same or better a year from now. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin reports.

In Roseau, Minnesota they joke, hockey isn't a matter of life and death, its more important than that. The Roseau High School Rams have a long history of success in the sport. Six state titles, over 20 appearances at the boys state tournament. Another chapter to the Rams history opened this year when Maghan Grahn took the ice - the first Minnesota girl to start in Goal for a powerhouse boy's team. Minnesota Public Radios Bob Reha reports.

Tonight a key legislative committee will recommend a slate of people to serve on the University of Minnesota Board of Regents. There are five open slots on the 12-member board. While the the political tension over regents selection has ebbed, debate still remains about whether the process is still too politically charged. Minnesota Public Radio's Patty Marsicano reports.

The University of Minnesota has been under pressure to serve as an engine for Minnesota's economy: an idea factory that will generate new high tech products, industries and jobs. University officials are eager to show they're building stronger connections to business and industry and are working harder to commercialize innovations born at the U of M. But these efforts occur amid a raging national debate on whether academia and industry are getting too close. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin has the next report in our series, Universal U.

Northwest Airlines CEO John Dasburg is stepping down after ten years. The airline has named Richard Anderson, who's currently chief operating officer, as its new CEO. The change in leadership comes as the airline faces strike threats from its mechanics union. The new chief executive must also choose a strategy for confronting proposed mergers among rival airlines. Anderson is pledging to improve employee relations and customer service. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports.

The radio tracking collar is a vital tool in the study of wildlife. Developed by researchers at the University of Minnesota, telemetry collars help biologists track wolves, bears and virtually any species in their natural habitats. As our series Universal U continues, Minnesota Public Radio's Steven John reports on radio telemetry and the unique place it was developed.

Chris Farrell joins us to preview the week ahead on Wall Street.

University of Minnesota Regent Michael O'Keefe has cleared a key hurdle to being re-elected, despite some political reluctance to his candidacy. Last night, a House-Senate education committee recommended him and four other candidates for the U of M's governing board. Minnesota Public Radio's Patty Marsicano reports.

Good snow conditions in Minnesota this winter are a boon to winter tourism and snowmobile dealers. But more sleds on the snow also means more accidents. Snowmobile related deaths in Minnesota this winter are on pace to reach a record level. In the first of a two-part series Minnesota Public Radios Dan Gunderson examines the causes of snowmobile crashes and what's being done to improve safety.

Think Holstein and you should think University of Minnesota. As a part of our week long series on the University of Minnesota, Universal U, Minnesota Public Radio's Steven John reports on the U of M's role in the evolution of the ubiquitous black and white dairy cow.

As state financial support for the University of Minnesota declines as a proportion of its total budget, the U of M is increasingly turning to other sources of income. One promising area of growth is licensing university patents to the private sector. But critics fear the drive for patent income unfairly subsidizes corporations and detracts from the university's larger research mission. As a part of our weeklong series, Universal U, Minnesota Public Radio's Patty Marsicano looks at the economics of university patents.

Many families in Minneapolis who are thinking about sending their children to suburban schools will meet today with a panel of high school students who've already gone through the experience. The families are thinking about "The Choice Is Yours" program which was part of a legal settlement between the NAACP and the state. Under the program, eligible families in Minneapolis can send 500 kids to suburban high schools. So far, almost 400 of the slots are full, and the program is still taking applications. One of the high school panelists at the meeting at Sabathani Community Center will be Andre Thompson, a senior at Edina High School. Thompson made the transition to Edina through a similar program called "A Better Chance." Joining us on the line is Andre Thompson.

You probably haven't heard his name, but the work of James J. Ryan is found in all modern cars and trucks and in commercial aircraft. The U of M researcher developed the retractable seat belt and the flight recorder. As a part of our weeklong series, Universal U, Minnesota Public Radio's Steven John reports on the researcher known to some as "Crash" Ryan.

A Hennepin county judge has ordered Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Minnesota to turn over some of its client records to the State Attorney General's office. The action stems from a lawsuit Mike Hatch filed last October that accused the insurance carrier of illegally and systematically denying mental health coverage for children and young adults and shifting millions of dollars in costs to the government. Minnesota Public Radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports.

If you ride a snowmobile in Minnesota, you're supposed to keep your speed under 50 miles per hour. But anyone who's been on a trail or a frozen lake can tell you many snowmobilers break that law, and most of them go unpunished. Nearly everyone agrees there would be less speeding, and less drunk driving, if snowmobilers saw more officers on the trail. But there just aren't enough officers to go around. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Julin has the second of our reports on snowmobile safety.

The University of Minnesota runs on vision, money and influence. It's a monolith of intellectual energy. But figuring out who controls the U of M can be difficult--no one tames it yet many think they can. As part of our series on the University's 150th anniversary, Minnesota Public Radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports on who governs the University from the inside and out.

Northwest Airlines' departing CEO and president John Dasburg says he's leaving the airline after more than a decade because a number of important personal and professional factors came together. In an interview with Minnesota Public Radio, Dasburg also outlined his conviction that Northwest does not have to merge with another carrier to thrive in a consolidating industry. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin reports.

Untangling the Crosstown Highway 62 and I-35W in south Minneapolis has been high on the state Department of Transportation's agenda since the early '90s. But the project is only getting close public scrutiny now that construction dates have been set. Commuters, residents, and local business owners worry about the certain hassles to come and the length of the project, now set at five years. In an effort to allay concerns, MnDOT held an open house last night at Richfield City Hall for area business owners. Most people present at the meeting seemed resigned to the project. Minnesota Public Radio's Marisa Helms reports.

The Minnesota State High School Quiz Bowl championship takes place later tonight in Burnsville. This year, 31 high schools from across the state fielded teams, and the final four will meet tonight to determine who are the champs at trivia. So, put your thinking caps on with me here as we welcome Quyen Tran, the director of the state High School Quiz Bowl, who joins us on the line now.

The Minnesota girls' state high school hockey tournament gets underway today at the State Fair Coliseum Ice Arena. Eight teams will battle for the championship, none of whom have ever won the title. This is the seventh year of the tournament. Doug Johnson is the publisher of Lets Play Hockey, a magazine based in Minneapolis. He's on the line now.

Spring training moves into high-gear for the Minnesota Twins, as the position players have to report by tomorrow. The pitchers and catchers have been working out at the Twins training camp in Fort Myers, Florida for about a week. While the players are busy getting ready for opening day in March, the Twins' front office has been busy signing their best young players, which has the team thinking about reaching the 500 mark this year. Joining us on the line from Fort Myers is LaVelle Neal, who covers the Twins for the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

The task of filling five seats on the University of Minnesota's Board of Regents may fall to Governor Jesse Ventura rather than to legislators. Yesterday, House Republicans declined to authorize a joint meeting of the House and Senate scheduled to name new regents next week. GOP leaders say DFLers have unnecessarily politicized the appointments. But Democrats say it's Republicans who are disrupting the process. If no decision is reached by the end of the session, the governor fills vacancies on the board. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo reports.

Mark Seely joins us to talk about the possibility of severe winter weather this coming weekend.

One of the original land grant missions of the University of Minnesota was to bring education and its benefits to all residents of the state, whether they attended the school or not. The U of M's extension service was created to implement that mission. Originally set up to serve mainly farmers, the extension has evolved along with changes in the state's population. As a part of our series, Universal U, Mainstreet Radio's Mark Steil reports the extension now serves both rural and urban areas and reaches out to some of the newest population groups in the state.

In a state that is home to such noble creatures as the eagle, the loon and the black bear, it's a fair question to ask: How did the gopher become the mascot of the University of Minnesota? As a part of our series Universal U, Minnesota Public Radio's Steven John reports on the origins of Goldy Gopher.

A new report estimates homelessness in Minnesota has more than doubled in the last decade.The Wilder Research Center finds an estimated 21,000 people in the state are without permanent and stable housing on any given night. That's up from 6,300 in 1991. The report points to many reasons for increase. At the top of the list is a lack of affordable housing for low-wage earners. Minnesota Public Radio's Lynette Nyman reports.

A dispute over moving costs is threatening to delay construction on the Hiawatha light rail line. Qwest Communications has put the brakes on plans to move their underground utilities in downtown Minneapolis until there is agreement on who will pay the bill. Light Rail Transit officials have run into a similar problem with Xcel Energy, which is suing to avoid paying their moving costs. Some construction on the downtown line has already begun. Joining us now is the commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Elwyn Tinklenberg.

Bryce Hallowell is a spokesman for Quest Communications.