Monday, January 14

Hundreds of people in Albert Lea are picking up their last unemployment checks. It's been six months since the town's Farmland Foods plant was destroyed by fire and put almost 500 people out of work. The town has waited for months to hear from company officials who are deciding whether or not to rebuild. There's been talk that Farmland would relocate in Iowa or not rebuild at all. Main Street Radio's Laurel Druley revisits Albert Lea, a city struggling to move on.

Governor Jesse Ventura will release details of his administration's bonding proposals at a press conference this morning. Unlike last week's budget plan which focused on cutting expenditures, the bonding bill is a list of capital projects for which the government will borrow money to build. Some legislators say the bonding bill is an opportunity to stimulate the state's economy. Joining us on the line with a primer on the bonding bill is Gene Merriam, a former DFL state senator, and long-time chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.

Eleven bays on waters in Voyageurs National Park have been closed to snowmobiling and other human activity for nearly a decade. The bays were closed to protect the gray wolf. Now the park wants to open them up again. They say a new study shows wolves are not harmed by snowmobile activity. Snowmobilers are happy about the possibility, but environmental groups say they'll sue the National Park Service if the bays are opened prematurely. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Robertson reports.

More on snowmobiling in Voyageurs with Jim Nepstad of the National Park Service. The Park Service will be taking public comment on the proposed wilderness designation for the Apostle Islands until February First.

MPR's Chris Farrell with a look at the economy.

Restructuring the city's development procedures and quicker snowplowing are among the issues addressed in Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak's 90-day plan. Rybak promised the plan so his administration could, in his words, hit the ground running. City Council members say the spirit of the plan is good, but will wait for details before signing on. Minnesota Public Radio's Art Hughes reports.

Just a couple of years ago, the bison industry was hot. Demand for breeding stock outpaced supply, and prices skyrocketed. Then, a few months ago, the bison market crashed, leaving ranchers with huge investments and little income. But few producers are giving up. They say the bison industry still has a bright future. Mainstreet Radios Dan Gunderson reports.

Many groups are disappointed with the governor's bonding proposal, including some arts organizations. Several groups, most notably the Guthrie Threatre, the Children's Threatre Company, and the Roy Wilkens Auditorium asked for millions of dollars for new or renovated buildings. None of them got any. Senate DFLer Dick Cohen has been a strong advocate of funding for the arts and he's on the line now.

Governor Jesse Ventura says the downturn in the state's economy has renewed his interest in the governorship -- and that he's currently leaning toward seeking another term as the state's chief executive. In an interview with Minnesota Public Radio, Ventura says he won't make a final determination until the legislative session is complete. But he hints those interested in making predictions should pay special attention to a particular issue this year: unicameralism. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo has more. FULL STORY

Women interested in public leadership are gathering at the College of St. Catherine Tuesday and Wednesday for a workshop about women in politics. The program, which was designed by women who have served or are currently serving in public office, is intended to help women identify their leadership skills and encourage them to pursue their interest in running for public positions. Sherry Butcher is heading up this effort. She says programs like this are important in part because women lead differently than men do.

Patients with advanced symptoms of Parkinson's disease - the uncontrollable shaking and tremors - could find some relief with a new device approved by the federal government. The so called "brain pacemaker" was developed by Minnesota-based Medtronic and it was approved for advanced Parkinson's treatment yesterday. Scott Ward, with Medtronic's neurological department, says the device is for patients who don't respond well to drug therapy.

US Bancorp is nearing the first anniversary of its merger with Firstar. The deal brought together two brothers in a bid to create a fast-growing regional bank. But one year on, the merger hasn't yet lived up to investors' expectations. Minnesota Public Radio's Andrew Haeg reports.

A tripartisan stadium task force is poised to recommend that the governor and the Legislature approve financing proposals this year for two new stadiums. One would house the Minnesota Twins; the other would be home to the Vikings and the University of Minnesota Gopher football team. The task force voted to prepare a draft report containing the recommendation and expanded the possible revenue sources to fund the plan. But some members argued the proposal remains too vague and offers policy-makers little guidance. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo reports. FULL STORY

Mee Moua of St. Paul is a step closer to becoming the first Hmong legislator in the country. Moua won a DFL primary for the District 67 state senate seat last night, beating state Representative Tim Mahoney and three other DFL candidates. The 32-year-old attorney will run in a special election on Jan. 29. She says the possibility of making history made last night's victory celebration even sweeter.

Members of Rochester's Muslim community have taught Islam courses for years. Over the last few months the classes have grown very popular. Since Sept. 11 Americans have had a growing fascination with Islam. Mainstreet Radio's Laurel Druley has this report. FULL STORY

Tonight at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis, conductor Yakov Kreizberg will lead the Minnesota Orchestra in the second part of the Bernstein Festival. The two-week event explores Leonard Bernstein's legacy as a conductor, composer, pianist and educator. Perhaps most famous for his Young People's Concerts, and his interpretations of various classical works, he wrote West Side Story, Candide, and On the Waterfront. Yakov Kreizberg told Minnesota Public Radio Music Host Mindy Ratner, Bernstein was important, and controversial, for many reasons.

City leaders in northern Minnesota are meeting in Duluth today to discuss how Governor Ventura's budget proposal would affect their budgets. The meeting has been organized by the League of Minnesota Cities, with prompting from Duluth Mayor Gary Doty, who has expressed concern about the proposal. Governor Ventura released his plans for closing a nearly $2 billion projected shortfall last week, and they included cuts in local government aid. Jim Miller is the executive director of the League of Minnesota Cities. He's on the line now.

Nurses from around Minnesota are meeting in St. Paul Thursday and Friday for a conference on terrorism. The meeting is designed to provide nurses and other health care workers with practical information about biological agents and the illnesses associated with them. Speakers will also present the latest local and regional plans for dealing with a terrorist disaster. Dianne O'Connor is a program director at the Minnesota Nurses Association, which is coordinating the conference. She's on the line now.

The parent company of Minnetonka-based Fingerhut says it is preparing to shut down the catalog retailer. Federated Department Stores says Fingerhut could stay open if a buyer can be found, but Federated doesn't expect to find anyone willing to buy the operation. Fingerhut has 4,700 employees in Minnesota. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin reports. FULL STORY

More than half of Fingerhut's Minnesota based employees work at the company's St. Cloud facility. Fingerhut is St. Cloud's largest employer with nearly 2,700 workers. Employees at the plant say they're surprised and dissapointed that Fingerhut's parent company plans to shut down the catalog business. City leaders in St. Cloud say the company's departure presents a huge economic challenge for the community. Mainstreet Radio's Tim Post reports.

St. Paul resident Sara Jane Olson and four other former members of the Symbionese Liberation Army were charged with murder yesterday. The charges stem from a 1975 bank robbery in Northern California in which a 42-year-old woman was shot and killed. They follow Olson's guilty plea last month to charges she helped plant bombs under two Los Angeles police cars in 1975. From our sister station KPCC in Los Angeles, Frank Stoltze reports.

There was no final decision last Wednesday night on the location for the new Minneapolis Central Library. A committee overseeing the project has two prime downtown locations to choose from, but postponed the decision to study each in more detail. The committee is giving the design firm, Cesar Pelli and Associates, four weeks to study the two locations in more detail. Committee members expect to meet for a final vote on the site next month. Construction on the building is slated for 2003. Minnesota Public Radio's Marisa Helms reports.

St. Paul-based Conseco Finance Corporation is losing money. Some analysts say the unit, which was called Green Tree Financial Corporation until Conseco bought it in 1998, could lead its parent company into bankruptcy. Indianapolis-based Conseco Inc. calls that conclusion "absurd." An article published today in the journal CityBusiness takes a look at the future of Conseco Finance. John Hoogesteger wrote the article. He say the unit is one of Conseco Inc's biggest concerns right now.

A new state survey indicates job openings in Minnesota have declined more than 40 percent in the past year. The report also says the job market in the St. Cloud area is weaker than the state as a whole. The survey was released a day after the parent company of Fingerhut announced it expects to eliminate 4,700 jobs in the state, more than half of them in St. Cloud. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin reports. FULL STORY

Mark Seeley joins us with a nostalgic look back for those of you pining for a fresh snowfall: next week marks the 20th anniversary of the snowiest week in Twin Cities history.

City and county leaders throughout the state have been complaining about Governor Ventura's budget deficit plan for about a week. Many worry the proposal cuts too much state aid to local governments. Some state nursing home workers may be without jobs, and the governor's plan cuts money that would go to rural road expansion and repairs. Mainstreet Radio's Laurel Druley has this report.

Sara Jane Olson will be sentenced later today for her role in an attempt to bomb two Los Angeles police cars in 1975. Olson plead guilty last year to possessing explosives as a member of the Symbionese Liberation Army. She will also be arraigned today on murder charges stemming from a 1975 bank robbery near Sacramento, Calif. which left a woman dead. Joining us on the line is Lori Levenson, law professor at Loyola University Law School in Los Angeles.

A Grand Rapids company thinks it has an answer to a predicted power shortage in Minnesota and nearby states. Rapids Energy is planning a new electrical generating plant that would burn wood waste and coal in a relatively efficient, low emission process. Cost efficiencies would come from sharing heat and electrical power with Grand Rapid's Blandin Paper plant. But it's not without concerns, coming from both area residents and regional environmental groups. Mainstreet Radio's Bob Kelleher reports.

Airlines are using new baggage screening techniques at the nation's airports starting today. A new law requires airlines to check bags for explosives or to make sure that each bag on a plane is matched to a passenger on that plane. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik is at the Twin Cities International Airport this morning to see how things are moving along and he joins us now.