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The Audrey Seiler Case
Police now say it was all a hoax. How does that happen? We ask former State Public Safety Commissioner and St. Paul Police Spokesperson Michael Jordan.

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Budget Battles
On Friday Senate Democrats released their budget. We'll contrast it with the House Republican budget. DFL Senator Larry Pogemiller will mix it up with Republican House member Erik Paulsen.

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The Mouldy Figs Live!
The traditional dixieland jazz legendary group drops by Studio B for a visit. The reason? The group will perform this weekend at the Twin Cities Jazz Society's 25th anniversary bash. Find out more about the group at this website: http://www.mouldyfigs.com

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Gopher Hoops Hoopla
We examine the media bandwagon carrying the U of M women's basketball team all the way to New Orleans this weekend. John Rash is with the Campbell Mithun ad agency. He also teaches at the U of M School of Journalism.

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Molnau-Yecke Hearings
Two of Tim Pawlenty's commissioners came under fire from Senate committees this week. Our Mary Lahammer gives you the low down.

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Somali Council
There's an interesting move to create an elected council of Somali leaders here in Minnesota. Dahir Jibreel is one of the Somali leaders who is behind this effort and he is our guest.

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Da Panel
Plenty of things for our political panel to chew on this week. Democrats Wy Spano and Blois Olson mix it up with Republicans Mary Krinkie and Fritz Knaak.

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The Wrapup
History... and a bit of song and dance. At least song.

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The Weekly Monolog
Dominic Papatola is bummed out --once again-- by the Pulitzer Prize voting.

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Senate Softens on Gaming
Our Mary Lahammer probes the Senate's shift on gambling options. It's part of a "Where do We Stand" legislative analysis.

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Governor Tim Pawlenty Live
The governor sits down on the Almanac table as we get his take on the week's big political news... including Senate leadership's shift on gambling.

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Sports with Fitzy
Larry Fitzgerald stops by for his monthly sports chat. Larry is the sports editor for the Minnesota Spokesman Recorder newspaper.

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Snapshots Theater
Our guest is Peter Brisons from the Children's Theatre Company.

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The Political Panel
It's a good week for it with all sorts of news headlines out of St. Paul and Washington. Republicans Sarah Janecek and John Himle debate Democrats Blois Olson and Ted Mondale.

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The Wrapup
Two Minnesota History questions, a bus strike song and a clip of Sunday's St. Paul Chamber Orchestra Concert on tpt 2.

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The Weekly Monolog
J.G. Preston was a bit bugged this week when the President pre-empted his Tuesday night TV viewing.

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Rich Stanek's Troubles
Our Mary Lahammer has a full report on the trouble arrising from Public Safety Commissioner Rich Stanek's admitted use of racial slurs.

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Key Lawmakers Speak
They actually speak a lot. With one month to go in the regular session, we get caught up on the top issues still at play. Republican House member Erik Paulsen and DFL Senator Don Betzold are our guests.

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Rethinking Genghis Khan
"Genghis Khan and the making of the Modern World" made the NY Times Best Sellers List this week. It's the work of Macalester College Anthropology Professor Jack Weatherford. Professor Weatherford joins us at the table for our own private lesson.

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The Singing Ranger
That would be Charlie Maguire of the National Parks Service. He's written some new tunes about sailing on the Great Lakes in prep for a concert next week --Thursday at 7:30 pm-- at the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis. Charlie sings for us live.

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Just Saying No
Freelance newspaper reporter Wally Wakefield is being fined 200 dollars a day for not revealing his sources for a story he wrote back in 1997. Find out why principle is so important to him.

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A Political Panel
Rich Stanek will be among the topics on our mind as we glean info from Democrats D. J. Leary and Wy Spano and Republicans Mary Krinkie and Fritz Knaak.

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The Wrapup
Two danged fine Minnesota History questions, your viewer comments and a show-ending tune recovered from the Almanac musical vaults.

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Rich Stanek
Last week he was forced to resign as state public safety commissioner because of racist comments he made. This week he's talking about it.

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Your Taxes
Taxes was the topic of debate on the floor of the state house on Friday. Our Mary Lahammer brings us the latest.

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Pfizer Phud?
What does Thursday's visit to St. Louis by Governor Pawlenty mean for the state's prescription drug website? And what is the solution to rising drug costs? Human Services Commissioner Kevin Goodno... Susan Bartlett Foote with the U of M School of Public Health... and Peter Wyckoff with the Senior Federation are our guests.

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Weather with Doug
The Tornado Awareness season started with shrill warnings Sunday night. Paul Douglas drops by for his monthly weather chat.

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Nine Months in America
Wing Young Huie is a noted photographer who toured our country looking for the interplay between American and Asia cultures. We give you a glimpse of his exhibit which is now running at St. Paul's American Museum of American Art.

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Political Panel
Two Democrats and Two Republicans give us their take on what's going on under the big white dome in St. Paul.

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20th Season Highlights

J.G. Preston gives us a guided tour to some awesome April moments in Almanac history.

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The Wrapup
Clip of a live Bobby Vee performance in our studios this week back in 1999.

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A Monologue
Mark DePaolis --Almanac's good monolog doctor-- is intrigued by the "Curves for Women" stores.

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Farmer's Market Opens
Folks who venture to St. Paul's Lowertown area this weekend will witness the return of the new and improved Farmer's Market.

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JG and Hy
J.G. Preston and Hy Berman have each been on Almanac for 19 years. J.G. has a little fun with Hy on the eve of his U of M retirement. Check it out!

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Hydrogen Fuel
The President keeps touting it --including during a trip to Minnesota on Monday-- but what promise does this new technology hold? Lanny Schmidt with the U of M and energy consultant David Morris are our guests.

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Professor Hy Retires

We just learned from J.G., legendary U of M History Professor Hy Berman is retiring after four decades of teaching in Minnesota. Hy moves over to the $

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The Lost Youth of Leech Lake
We'll hear more about the remarkable series in the Star Tribune this week. Reporter Larry Oakes --who grew up on the Leech Lake Reservation-- and Photographer Jerry Holt will be our guests. After you watch this, go to www.startribune.com/leech to read the series.

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Is the Capitol Work Ever Gonna Get Done?
That's the question that reporter Mary Lahammer asks this week.

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Da Panel
Politix of all sorts we'll discuss. Here to do that are Republicans Sarah Janecek and David Strom and DFLers Wy Spano and Erin Murphy.

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Tonight's Wrapup
Two especially fine Minnesota history questions... your thoughts about the appearance on Almanac last week by Rich Stanek... and very nice show-ending music by guitarist Dean Magraw who appeared on Almanac this week in 1998.

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Political Puppet Theatre
The theatre returns for another campaign season. Don't miss it.

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The latest from the Capitol
Mary Lahammer brings us up to speed on a week full of tension, stalemate and "no" votes at the legislature.

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A Tale of Two Neighborhoods
We get a sneak preview of an article in Sunday's Pioneer Press newspaper that compares the fate of St. Paul's Frogtown area with that of a Seattle neighborhood. Pioneer Press reporters Chuck Laszewski and Lisa Donovan join us.

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Don Shelby Returns...
...to the airwaves and he joins us at the Almanac table to talk about his recent health problems.

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A Nobel Peace Prize Winner
U of M grad --and 1970 Nobel Peace prize winner-- Norman Borlaug is giving the U of M Ag School commencement speech on Saturday. Borlaug drops by our studio to talk about the legacy of the Green Revolution. He's joined by Ag School Dean Charles Muscoplat.

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The First Termers Return
Our frosh lawmakers panel pays another visit to give us their take on a tense week at the State Capitol.

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The Index File section
Last week's answer... this week's question.. and a lovely historic Almanac musical moment from Prudence Johnson. Don't touch that dial until the show is over!

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The Monolog
Something musical got J.G. Preston's attention this week.

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Mary Lahammer Live from the Capitol
We don't think any one does a capitol live shot better. Mary fills us in on the news from the state capitol.

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Legislative Leaders Live!
Speaker of the House Steve Sviggum and Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson sit down on the Almanac couch. It's a "Last Friday of the Session" Almanac tradition.

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Meet Jeff Lin
Jeff is a Minnesotan who is among the 28 present-day characters who venture back in time to 1628 to play a role in the national PBS series "Colonial House." "Colonial House" can be seen starting Monday on a PBS station near you. And Jeff has a neat website journal to check out: www.jefflin.net/colonialhouse/journal_1.htm

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Mary and Geno Lahammer
Between father and daughter the Lahammers have covered the capitol for decades. But Mary gets her father to say he's never seen a session quite like this one.

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The Price of Government
It's a new book that says the federal deficit has a stranglehold on our country's future. What can we do about it? Former Minnesota Finance Commissioner Peter Hutchinson is the book's co-author and our live guest.

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Da Political Panel
A lot is at stake... so we've pulled out all the stops for this week's political panel. Republicans Sarah Janecek and Mary Krinkie line up against Ember Reichgott Junge and Wy Spano

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This Week's Monolog
Timothy Rose is in a singing mood.

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A Presidential Visit
Mexican President Vincente Fox will visit the Twin Cities in June. We talk to two people working on the visit.... Tony Lorusso with the Minnesota Trade Office and Jesse Bethke Gomez with the group CLUES.

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Yecke Yanked
Education Commissioner Cheri Pierson Yecke was denied confirmation in the wee hours of the legislative session. What's next for her? We'll ask.

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The Legislative Week that Was
Mary Lahammer fills us in on the wild final weekend of the 2004 regular session.

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Torture
We reflect on the prisoner abuse news stories out of Iraq with Doug Johnson with the Center for Victims of Torture in Minneapolis.

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Henry Hastings Sibley
Learn things they never taught you in school about our state's first governor. He's the focus of a new book published by the Minnesota Historical Society Press. Author Rhoda Gilman is our guest.

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Flap, Flap
The Bald Eagle will soon be de-listed as a threatened species in our country. Meet an eagle and Mary Beth Garrigan. Each hangs out at the National Eager Center in Wabasha.

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Former Lawmaker Panel
What better group to try to make sense of the thud that was the end of this year's Minnesota Legislature session. Former GOP lawmakers David Bishop and Linda Runbeck congenially sit down with DFL ex-lawmakers Dee Long and Ember Reichgott Junge. Plus Eric will be checking in from the state DFL convention in Duluth.

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The Wrapup
Frankly, we think we have two very fine Index File questions for you. Each answer will surprise you. Plus your comments about Dean Johnson and Steve Sviggum and show-ending music from the Duluth Central High School Jazz Band.

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A Monolog
Dominic takes aim at legislative inaction.

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Senator Dayton
In the first of a round of visits from our U.S. Senators, Mark Dayton pays a visit to the Almanac table.

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Get Out the Grill!
Memorial Day is the traditional start to the Minnesota grilling season. Chef Karl Benson from Cooks of Crocus Hill stops by to give us all some backyard tips. J.G. Preston helps, sort of.

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Where There's Smoke....
... there's a fight in St. Paul about banning smoking in city restaurants. You'll hear from both sides.

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A Moist Spring
Weather guy Paul Douglas stops by for his monthly Almanac visit.

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More Grilling with Chef Karl
Yup. Check out these Thai chicken recipes! You can read them online.

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Remembering World War Two
This Memorial Day weekend finds Bill Bowell thinking about the invasion of Normandy.

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Three Political Scientists and Two TV Hosts
...equal our political science panel discussion. The group tackles a most intense presidential race.

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The Wrapup
Who was the famed member of Wesley United Methodist Church? When Keith from Aitkin called in he wasn't horsing around. Plus we ask a spanking new history question for you... and then we end the show by revisiting a musical performance in our studio four years ago this week by Kathy Mattea.

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Political Puppet Theatre
George Bush and John Kerry battle it out again on the small stage.

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John Kerry Visits
And he's met by veterans both for and against his candidacy. Mary Lahammer reports.

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More Campaign Verbiage
We hear from supporters of Bush and Kerry as Minnesota truly becomes a battleground state.

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Bat Girl!
Who the heck is Bat Girl? She's quite the Twins fan with her own website... and now's she's visiting with J.G. Check out her amazing blog at www.bat-girl.com

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Sports with Fitzy
We check in with Larry Fitzgerald, the original. Larry is the sports editor of the Spokesman Recorder newspaper and he makes monthly visits to Almanac to chat up local sports.

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Hizzoner Randy Kelly
Smoking bans... a Vincente Fox visit... snoopy characters invading downtown... we check in with St. Paul Mayor Randy Kelly.

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Japanese Art
It's not everyday that a renowned Japanese artist stops by the studio. But Duluth-born Clifton Karhu drops in to tell us a bit about traditional Japanese woodblock prints.

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Sex Offender Mess
The special legislative hearings this week did nothing but reinforce that the issue of sex offenders in nursing homes is complex... and the answers elusive. We hear from two lawmakers with different ideas about what to do about it.

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The Wrapup
Two mighty fine Minnesota history questions... your thoughts about smoking bans... and details about Mary Lahammer's political memorabilia event at tpt on June 26 from 12-2. Call our voicemail system --651-229-1430-- for more info.

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Monolog
JG Preston stops by with a message for your dog.

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A Nation Mourns Reagan
Mary Lahammer takes a look back at the life and legacy of former President Ronald Reagan.

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Minnesota Remembers Reagan
A Minnesota memorial for President Reagan is scheduled for Saturday night. Chris Georgacas, former state Republican party chair, stops by for a visit.

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Meth use on the rise
It's a drug abuse often linked to rural areas but more Twin Cities area teens are abusing methamphetamines. Carol Falkowski from Hazelden and Sen. Julie Rosen from Fairmont outline the problem for us.

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Sold down the river
Dayton's became Marshall Fields and now it's been sold to May department stores of St. Louis. Will there still be a holiday display on the 8th floor?

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Mill City Mayor
Mayor R. T. Rybak stops by to chat about the proposed smoking ban in his city... the police chief... the Dayton's sale and more.

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Almost to the Presidency
Professor Hy Berman stops by for the beginning of a summertime historical series. Tune in for more information. And if you watch the entire summertime series you might receive a reward.

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The Panel
This week's version of the political panel takes a look back at the Reagan era.. and a look ahead to next fall's presidential election.

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It's a Wrap!
Last week's history answer... this week's history question... your viewer comments.. and of course a dose of music from the Almanac archives.

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A presidential visit
Mexican President Vicente Fox has spent the day in the Twin Cities. Mary Lahammer tells us about the visit.

Minnesota's Top Cop
Michael Campion has had the "acting" removed from his title. He joins us to talk about the challenges of being Minnesota's newest public safety commissioner.

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Barb Styles
JG is proud to say that his hair stylist is the only person he has ever met whose name is a sentence... that describes what she does! We'll see what she can do for JG's head of hair tonight.

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His Royal Highness
Prince is back in town for three concerts this week. Jon Bream has followed his entire career and joins us to talk about the "new old Prince."

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Those darn skeeters
It's been raining and raining and raining.. and the mosquitoes have been hatching and hatching and hatching...

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Ready to ride the rails?
Light rail reappears in the Twin Cities next weekend after a half-century hiatus. What can we expect?

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Barb Styles is back...
but she and JG are at our kitchen set?! She's a Pillsbury Bake-Off finalist and she's going to share her Cereal S'more Bars recipe with us.

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Hmong Immigrants
Next week the first of what is expected to be thousands of Hmong refugees will be arriving in Minnesota. We've gathered a group of folks to talk about the challenges facing these immigrants and the communities welcoming them. Our guests are Sen. Mee Moua from St. Paul, John Borden from the International Institute, Mo Chang from the St. Paul Public Schools and Dr. Patricia Walker from Regions Hospital.

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That's a Wrap!
Last week's history question and answer... this week's question... your viewer comments and of course this week's musical performance from the Almanac archives.

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This Week's Monolog
J.G. Preston looked at the week's news and now has something up his sleeve.

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Senator Norm Coleman
Minnesota's Junior Senator joins us at the Almanac table.

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Hit the Roadshow
That's what our Mary Lahammer is doing as the Antiques Roadshow sets up shop in St. Paul. Don't forget that if you have Minnesota political memorabilia that you can come down to the downtown St. Paul tpt studios for a free appraisal on Saturday June 26th between noon and 2.

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Back on the Mississippi
It's a quirky look at river towns along the Big River. Documentary maker Chuck Strinz introduces us to the show that will air this Sunday at 5pm on tpt-2. For more info check out www.backonthemississippi.com

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Chief John Harrington
We meet St. Paul's new chief of police.

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A Taste of Minnesota
It's back 4th of July weekend along with the big steamboats of the Grand Excursion. J.G. and Ron Maddox do some catching up.

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A Prez Panel
A trio of our state's leading political scientists give us their take on one of the fiercest presidential races in memory. Larry Jacobs, Guy Charles and Dan Hofrenning do the honors.

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The Wrapup
Two mighty fine Minnesota history questions, your comments, and a show-ending music clips from the Almanac archives.

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