Monday, October 22

How well has the media done covering the news since the events of Sept. 11? That will be the topic of a discussion tonight at the University of Minnesota when a group of journalists and academics will evaluate the performance of the media. Jane Kirtley is the Silha Professor of Media Ethics and Law at the University of Minnesota and will be a panelist tonight. She joins us now.

The Mall of America is a widely recognized symbol of American consumerism. In recent weeks, the mall has also moved onto the list of potential targets for terrorism. But despite increasing concern about safety at the mall, shoppers have not stayed away. Minnesota Public Radio's Andrew Haeg reports.

More than half of the school districts in Minnesota are asking local taxpayers for additional financial support this fall, the most ever. Those requests come in the form of excess tax levy referendums on the Nov. 6 ballot. In a normal year, no more than a fifth of the school districts hold levy votes. But educators statewide say this has been far from a normal year when it comes to school funding. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.

The Minnesota Vikings surprised just about everyone with the way they dominated the Green Bay Packers 35-13 yesterday at the Metrodome. The Vikings came into the game struggling with a 2-3 record while the Packers were 4-1 and playing well. But tough defense by Minnesota, combined with an improved running game helped the Vikings upset the Packers. Sean Jensen covers the Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press and he joins us now.

Key lawmakers in Washington are calling for a government inquiry into why intelligence officials did not anticipate or prevent the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. One area of possible scrutiny might be immigration policy and enforcement. Steven Thal is an immigration attorney in Minnetonka and joins us on the line.

The Local Chapter of the Society for Professional Journalists brought together some Twin Cities media executives Monday night in a forum at the University of Minnesota. They discussed the challenges of covering the Sept. 11 attacks and the war on terrorism. Minnesota Public Radio's Marisa Helms reports.

The Federal Trade Commission could rule as early as today on whether to allow General Mills to buy Pillsbury for $10.5 billion. Approval would end a review process that has lasted much longer than either company originally expected. The merger would place General Mills among the top five food manufacturers in the world and anti-trust concerns have slowed the approval process. University of Minnesota economics professor Jean Kinsey joins us on the line.

Violent crime rates are going down across the country, but not in Minnesota. According to the FBI, violent crime rates statewide, were up last year by nearly 6 percent, even though violent crime in the state's largest city, Minneapolis, was down. Candace Kruttschnitt is a University of Minnesota sociologist. She says to be cautious when looking at these figures.

The architect I.M. Pei once said that if it weren't tucked away in rural Minnesota, the St. John's Abbey Church in Collegeville would be one of the 20th century's most famous pieces of architecture. Today the church turns 40. Four decades after its dedication, the controversial design still leaves visitors both awed and repelled. But Mainstreet Radio's Jeff Horwich finds the church just as loved as ever by those who brought it here.

State and national education experts say standardized testing often wastes valuable classroom time. They also say the test scores provide them little valuable information. Representatives of teachers, superintendents and principals have a new proposal for improving the approach to testing in Minnesota and throughout the nation. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.

St. Paul is often called a city of neighborhoods. The candidates in this year's mayoral race represent parts of the city that illustrate the strength and range of its neighborhoods. Randy Kelly represents the East Side in the state Senate; City Council member Jay Benanav represents the Fourth Ward, an area that includes Merriam Park and other western neighborhoods. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen has this look at the home districts of the mayoral candidates.

Since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Americans have expressed their patriotism in different ways. One of those is a move in some states, including New York, Wisconsin, and now Minnesota, to require elementary school children to recite the Pledge of Allegiance at school. St. Paul School Board Member Tom Conlon wants to make the Pledge mandatory in all of the district's 70 schools. Tuesday night, residents had a chance to voice their opinions both for and against the measure. Minnesota Public Radio's Marisa Helms reports.

The American media gets mixed reviews on coverage of the terrorist attacks and their aftermath from three foreign journalists who are completing fellowships at the World Press Institute. The WPI is based at Macalester College, and hosts a group of journalists who spend much of their time traveling around the U.S. learning about the American media. This year, the group has seen up-close the media's handling of an all-consuming news story. Three of them joined us in the studio. Elena Nikleva is from Bulgaria. Ashok Malik is from India, and Masooda Bano is from Pakistan. Bano says she's impressed with the in-depth coverage she's seen in the print media.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Tim Pawlenty is proposing a new funding source to jumpstart road and bridge construction. Pawlenty, who serves as House Majority Leader, wants to sell the state's claim to 25 years' worth of tobacco settlement claims for an up-front price of $1.5 billion. He says the proceeds would accelerate transportation projects statewide. But critics say the move would divert funds from other state needs. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo reports.

Minnesota's dairy industry is losing ground to other states. Some farmers worry the decline is permanent.

Today a Minnesota company will announce plans for a new cheese plant in South Dakota. Some farmers say the move is another blow to Minnesota's dairy farmers. Mainstreet Radio's Mark Steil reports.

Leaders on the White Earth Indian Reservation later this month will host the launching of a national initiative to reduce alcohol and drug abuse on reservations.

The Healing of the Nations conference is expected to draw hundreds of native and non-native people from across the country. Mainstreet Radio's Dan Gunderson reports.Read more.