NewsNight Minnesota; 5023; NewsNight Minnesota Episode from 10/08/1997; SD-Base

NEWSNIGHT Minnesota is a production of Katy CA with the stations of Minnesota Public Television. Tonight on NEWSNIGHT after the fiasco that it's been fed Why is the FDA speeding up drug approval instead of slowing it down. Gangs. Why some local experts say the Justice Department report is often reliable and a real world look at the everyday life of clergy through a play at the Guthrie. We'll explain. It's NEWSNIGHT for Wednesday October 8. Tonight's broadcast of NEWSNIGHT Minnesota is presented in part by Norwest banks contributing to the growth of the Twin Cities do support and community service and by General Mills a manufacturer of healthy foods and snacks. Good evening and welcome to NEWSNIGHT. I'm Kathy words are lots of stuff just ahead but first Ken Stone in a summary of the day's news. Thanks Kathy Minnesota history in the making today as Governor Carlson appoints the state's

first female chief justice Kathleen Blatz was appointed to the High Court bench just last year. Now she'll become the new head of the state Supreme Court next year. Minneapolis attorney James Gilbert has also been named to the Supreme Court to take justice blacks his old spot. And both say they are ready for the challenges ahead. This court has developed a national reputation for sound legal reasoning in its cases and they're cited as authorities or other courts around the country. I hope that my experiences will complement the court and I will work hard to be a good justice in Cali. The judge's call to administer justice demands much more from us than just deciding cases. Governor CARLSON I know that much is expected of me. Thank you for the opportunity to be at the helm of one of the finest state court systems in our nation. I promise to serve you and the people of Minnesota our great state to the very best of my ability. The 43 year old Blatz replaces 69 year old Sandy Keith who is retiring

in January. Could they become the Hennepin County twins or maybe more appropriately the Hennepin County say Voyagers. Well maybe Mark Andrew Hennepin County commissioner says he wants the county to explore buying the team of all other local options go down the tube. And he's also requested staffers look into building a cheaper dome less ballpark and heating it with excess steam from the county garbage burner at the edge of downtown. I'm not kidding. Meanwhile the AFL lawmakers were caucus ing at the Capitol today behind closed doors but according to Senate majority leader Roger Moe there was no consensus on how to buy a new ballpark. A special session on the dome is scheduled for the week of October 20th. And by the way we tried to get Commissioner Andrew on NEWSNIGHT to talk about his ideas for the twins ownership but he's in China. Michael Sam takes a lot more than he gives at least here in Minnesota. The Harvard list of what states get the most from the federal government is out again and once again Minnesota is near the top in

terms of the discrepancy between what we give to the IRS and what Washington sends back. But we don't have it as bad as New Jersey or Connecticut the two states with the worst discrepancy $2000 per taxpayer are the best place to be if you want more for your federal money. New Mexico Mississippi or Virginia. There's a silver lining to that gray cloud that dumped too much hail in southwestern Minnesota back in June. The secretary of agriculture has declared farms damaged by the hail in Lyon and Lincoln counties disaster areas. That makes the farmers eligible for low interest loans there and farmers in neighboring counties whose crops were damaged by the severe weather can also apply for the aid it is a two debate day for St. Paul Norm Coleman that has DFL challenger State Sen. Sandy Pappas. The two are debating this evening at the downtown library and they started the day with the debate before the St. Paul area Chamber of Commerce. The two presented sharply differing views of the state of St. Paul's economy.

Saint Paul is busting at the seams over 8000 new jobs plummeting vacancy rates and most important hope has returned. The Star Tribune talked about pessimism being on retreat cut in half in four years. Help is returned because St. Paul citizens have seen their neighborhoods grow stronger in their downtown come alive. The pride is back. We're on the path of progress in partnership. Let's keep moving forward together building huge office towers and arenas have not proved to revitalize down Tom. We have to think of downtown like a European city and build on our strengths as our own consulting. Ken Greenberg that think of downtown is the European town with parked and gaping and landscaping build on our strengths renovate old buildings and bring more housing into downtown. Pappas also challenge Coleman to debate in front of a Labor audience called men did not respond and take a last look before it changes yes that is the Omni present. Spam can live a little bit of video buzz going on now get ready for the brand new look of spam. There it is the new packaging redone for

the first time since Austin based Hormel started making the food product back in 1937. The change might not be all that dramatic but why monkey around too much with success. After 60 60 years rather just about everybody needs a little bit of a facelift I think you can. Well on Monday the Justice Department released this study. It says that Minnesota has more gang members than all but nine other states more than 12000 gang bangers to be precise. And if you break that down per capita we were ranked number eight. Two problems the numbers are old. From 1995 and there is no stated definition of what a gang member is. When Minneapolis started using a Los Angeles method of ID gangsters they decrease the estimated number in that city by almost half. So for get the view from Washington what's the view from right here in the land of 10000 supposedly gang members. Sergeant Joe Molnar is with the St. Paul Police Department He's also president

of the state chapter of the Midwest. Gang Investigators Association. Welcome Sergeant. Thank you. When you first heard about this survey what was your initial reaction. Kathy I don't get up much in the numbers of the gang members and it's so hard to determine how many gang members you actually have. There are so many things that go into the facts of how they get those figures. What they're classifying as a gang member when they're classifying him. We've got people here in Minnesota that go to Wisconsin California and other parts of the country and they're always moving and they'll be ignored as maybe a gang member if you're stopped there and talk to they come back here now we've got them as a gang member here. Now how many places is that gay member been and been counted as a gang member at that point. So how many how many gang members do you think I you know estimating like me in Minnesota if you have any clue. I don't estimate 12000 500 all tonight so that lower I would have a hard time probably finding twelve thousand five hundred gang members in the state of Minnesota. How do you define gang membership you work with this all the time.

We have a we use the same type of system you just mentioned the California uses the ten point system and it's a matter of our people on the streets identifying these gang members by talking to and getting information from them identifying where they are at the time with who were there with asking them if they're in a gang and the people will say yes I'm a gang member with such and such gang and get that information and then that's a self admission. We have to have at least three points of the 10 that are listed from California before we can have gang membership in them. So people will actually admit that they're again sure there will be a lot of people. To them it's a matter of status it's a matter of importance to them and they're proud of the fact that they're in a gang in some cases. Well as a matter fact I'd like you to look at this this tape that we're going to roll here Katie see a producer John Whitehead has put together a documentary as a matter of fact on small town gang life and he went home to Appleton Wisconsin recently which is about the size of Rochester Minnesota Appleton for a long time tried to pretend gangs were not becoming a part of town life until there were too many homicides to ignore. Here's a clip where he tries to figure out why kids are attracted to

gang life. She had first mentioned to me that they were. He was obviously a first question as well. Are you out on the streets vandalizing or doing terrible things like this are associated with. So what attracted you to that. Let me get this in your. Ted some time. I mean as long as you know the people who are in it know they are not corrupted like the stereotype claims. Many of the kids I talk to are want to be. To me the term means more or perhaps less than want to be gangster like all kids. They want to be accepted. They want to be respected to be part of something bigger than themselves. In some cases they want to be black or they want to be white and they all want to be loved. Kids are searching in other areas for things that they don't find at home.

And if you don't have anything at home you know what. You don't have anything at all. And you are finding though it's having those needs met in a positive way they're going to be about the negative way they look to other people and it is actually they actually care about each other I mean now watch out they watch out for you in everything you watch out for them. Tell me a little bit about your your. Which are they really much to say. Basically I lived with my ma because she didn't want my dad around and I end up living in a group to gang has become their surrogate family. They're loyal they have rules if they break the rules worst punishment for those rules. It's not just a bunch of get it I just want to fight. It's not just a bunch of being taught its laws and its learning and it's using that learning to make yourself a better person. It isn't all about that they use you or anything. But in some cases it is.

And he assured me you know what it's just like a brotherhood someone to get together with and talk over their troubles. Just someone there to listen. You know are all gangs bad if you listen to that little clip there. Some of this seems to be almost like these kids are members of a club in a way that makes sense. They may refer to it as that and think about that but when you talk about gangs today I don't know of any good gangs that are operate on the street that we classify as a gang. They're into criminal activity in a number of different ways. And the reason is that those kids are there. They hit some of them in that strip that we just saw. But there are a number of reasons why kids join gangs today and it has to do with needs like they talked about. There are needs that kids have and maybe they're not being met at home they're not achieving so the self-esteem is low in school possibly And they're not achieving in other areas outside of school. So they look for other ways to meet those needs. Again for a short time stretch we'll meet some of those needs for them that they have

the needs aren't bad that they have. But the way that they where they look for the meet those needs is a problem area. You know I've talked to Sergeant other officers who say the thing that really hits them the hardest when they deal with gangs or seen the little kids in gangs is that true for you too. We see more and more I gave a talk at one of our St. Paul schools and had a teacher afterwards ask me about one of the eight year olds that showed up with some cigarette burns on his hand and she talked to me talked about the fact that his brother's friend was a gang member and he wanted to be associated with that activity and this was part of getting into the gang has some type of initiation activity. So we're seeing younger younger kids and of course we have recruiting going on the older ones want to bring young kids into it. They want more individuals in the gang the bigger the gang gets the more members it has the more power it has and power is a big thing on the street. How do you break this. I mean how do you steer a kid away from a gang. You find other ways to meet those needs that they have. There are programs out knowledge that are there. We've developed on here and we've developed other parts of the country that meet

some of those needs and look for ways to achieve Boys and Girls Club here has a program called getting out and that program it deals with the individual and you separate him from the gang activity in the group. Talk to him one on one. Deal with him or her one on one and look at where that person is in your life and look what's going on with that person's life. And it's not just a matter of replacing family. There's other things that need to be done. We have to look at where they are as far as their education is concerned and if they're not achieving. We have to help that in some way. This program such as getting out the sergeant only is is pluggable to what 35 40 kids at a time you have many many other kids that need help too that's right right now and it's in Minnesota we look at the fact that we need a three pronged approach at least when we come to gangs. We need that suppression aspect that the police take care of and that the governor is given the money for for this king state where again you know but we also have to look at it from the intervention prevention part. And if we just take and keep hitting at the suppression level they keep coming. The younger ones keep coming in and they move up the ranks as we take the top off from oppression start. So you

have to take it from the intervention try to get those kids out right now like you say we have 35 in that program. The reason we only have 35 is because we only have one caseworker. You can handle more than 35 cases at a time. We have kids on the list waiting to come into the program. We need more funding of course in order to do that. Prevention is the other part. All right. Sergeant thank you so much. Well what's your opinion on gang life in Minnesota the scourge of urban living a made for TV crisis maybe you've had some run ins with gangsters yourself. Let us know whatever you're thinking 6 1 2 2 2 9 14 30 is the number to our viewer comment line. E-mail us news at dot org. By the way that full documentary on small town gang life airs later this year. Next up medical news. It

is a sions prescription drugs and the FDA. Yesterday the Senate passed a resolution forcing the FDA to speed pharmaceuticals through the approval process more quickly. Odd timing since the far reaching consequences of two drugs collectively known as offense then are just becoming known. Why the FDA is easing up its approval process is just one of the topics for tonight's medical panel. Melissa Marks has used Fen-Phen though she does not have heart damage from using the combination. Dr. Jim Collier is an associate professor at the University of Minnesota Department of Family Practice and Dr. John stock works for prairie Medical Associates in Morris Minnesota. Well Dr. Collins start with you first. The FDA situation is speeding up the approval process going bad thing. Well it's both what the Senate and the House are trying to do is

and it's a fairly reasonable approach is to say in situations where two conditions exist and the first one being that we have no good approved conventional treatments and the condition is serious and urgent in the more serious and urgent the condition and the more or the worse the conventional treatments that we have. It is reasonable to speed up the FDA approval process. Do you agree with that doctor. All right and I must say as a patient what does that say to you. I'm not quite sure that I necessarily think speeding it up is a good thing because of the Fen-Phen issue. So I don't know I think there's a room for there's a lot of room for error. I would think it would be odd to son because of the Fen-Phen situations Melissa has brought up doctors that the FDA is considering speeding up this approval process and I'm wondering Would this make the latest drugs then more available quicker. And how

soon might we see something like this. The way I understand the legislation in some cases yes and in some cases no. What I was talking about before those two conditions having to exist before approval. I'm not sure you can apply the Fen-Phen. I mean Fen-Phen we do have other treatments for obesity and some of them are effective and some of them are not so effective. Obesity while it's a very serious problem is not necessarily an urgent problem. So since those two conditions don't really completely exist in the case of fen phen I think that would argue for a slower approval process. And I think this would be good news for some Minnesota based medical technology companies with this FDA speeding up approval particularly devices such as the implantable defibrillator that was available in Canada and Europe for several years before it was available here. Save lives. I'd like to move on as a matter of fact now to talk a little bit more about Fenton in and of itself is anyone still is prescribing this drug.

You know and anybody who hasn't read the paper recently is probably still prescribing it but no. OK not that I write him a lot so why did you get on. Why did you start taking Fen-Phen. Did it work for you. It worked great for me and I had no problems. I'm still on fire and I don't do the Fen-Phen but I do the fans. You know you just reach a point where you'll try just about anything. And I was there and I did a lot of research before I even went into the clinic. We got some things out the Internet and I read everything I could get my hands on at the. At that point it seemed like the smart thing to do until you heard about the ramifications of taking Fen-Phen what went through your mind. It wasn't so much of geez I could die it was gosh what if they take it off the market and that serious that was my first reaction it's you know this has been so good for me and I do feel fine I still feel fine. It was more. Please don't take it off the

market till I'm done. If you're into that with your patients to know I haven't that reaction. You know you did you bring an echocardiogram of tape here on these tapes and these are these actually this is this gives you an idea. These tapes this is these are these are not echocardiograms of Fen-Phen patients this is your idea of what the damage could be. Hard to image is that correct his characteristic lesions of fear and I believe one of these is possibly a film fan. We have Mike regurgitation of your dictation tricuspid insufficiency those are all valves in the heart the valve is noted to thicken. First get a plaque like buckling to the surface gelatinous waxy material makes the bell glisten and then it starts to melt function. Leakage of course becomes very serious. The most common presenting symptom would be shortness of breath.

Did doctors know about the potential using. These two drugs in combination that they could cause problems because of course the FDA had approved each drug individually but not in combination to doctors know or have any clue about this the problem. In Florida mean causing primary pulmonary hypertension the blood pressure in the long circuit being too high. Was there a theoretical basis from the very start because of the serious tone and the neurotransmitter the substance caused the blood pressure in the lungs to rise but it was thought to be reversible. There's a certain incidence of primary pulling hypertension in general population it's higher in people that are overweight so slight increase and that was felt to probably be acceptable. The lesion that occurred with combination however was not predicted. And just quickly Doctor this happens with other drugs correct in terms of using drugs for not there. Exactly. It's stated purpose but they seem to work well in other ways like it's huge that sort of thing.

That's right. Each of the Fens were indeed were approved for the FDA for. A different use that they were eventually used for in combination. I think the rationale for using them in combination was well intentioned. I wish we had more time to talk. I'm sorry but I so very much appreciate your time. I'm going to toss it over right now to Ken for more. Thanks Cathy. Hollywood is often criticized for perpetuating stereotypes the greedy businessman the crooked politician the evil stepmother. But perhaps the most stereotyped and misrepresented group could be the religious clergy that makes the latest play at the Guthrie Theater so interesting racing demon explores the personal and professional struggles of a group of Anglican priest. The Guthrie is held several after show discussions between local clergy and audience members and the reaction from the clergy was that the playwright got it right. Here's a peek at the play and a bit of the after show discussion. It's called lust.

There are as you might expect a number of religious jokes but most the bracing demon shows cleric says ordinary people who happen to be in an extraordinary profession. You can't beat it. Look you read mine. You've seen what we do. He's part I guess part. Sometimes when I go to a play or a concert. It can be so powerful that I don't want to applaud and that was something of what I felt with this play. It touched too much because in a real sense I identified with all of those clergy. He gave us people who had doubts and who had believed he gave us people who were struggling religiously. And he gave us people who had some insight into human suffering and human love and it all gets

melded into there at very ambiguous lives. The play revolves around the Reverend Lionel Espy and a young minister at his church. Tony Ferris Tony believes Lionel is no longer competent as a pastor and he wants to tell the bishop something that Lionel's friends want to avoid and there's a confrontation over drinks right. Why oh why oh why would you rather me. Why write when you don't know the play. Wrestles with the question. At what point should loyalty to a friend give way to what's best for the church. I've been in the church all my life and in many ways I love the church in other ways.

I hate the church and if it's shocking for me to say that I'm sorry but it's true. And this play and anything that's really good helps me to understand that and helps me to suggest that for any of us who are engaged with the reality of the faith community if we can't say that we love it. And yet at the same time that we hate it. We're not awake. Now this play for me is a wake up call. But this is not just a play about clerics struggling with their church. It's also about people struggling with their loved ones such as the singing between Lionel and his wife I thought. Come now it's too late. Anyway I don't know. When it

goes Caesar's obstruction everything seems real. This is what we believe. OK I'm going to let you drive on Sunday after being told there is a kind of authenticity I love these guys. The only thing is they're a little crisper in their expression than I am I was jealous a few times when they said think so. I wish I could talk like that. You still have time to judge for yourself racing demon is at the Guthrie through October 30th. Take it away. Well better race through this weather forecast shall we to get out on time rain ending in the northeast in the morning tomorrow but it will stay partly cloudy in the north country. Highs there in the mid 50s as he had solved the more likely you are to see sudden highs in the mid 60s as you get down by Iowa. Tomorrow night on NEWSNIGHT insider reports from the state capital the kind

of three way race for the many at the City Council and the debate over a pro boxer are his fists lethal weapons. Until then thanks for watching and good night. Minnesota is made possible by the contributor to the power of two campaigns program with major brands the London Foundation and the McKnight foundation. Tonight's broadcast of NEWSNIGHT Minnesota is presented in part by Norwest bank contributing to the growth of the Twin Cities through support and community service and by General Mills a manufacturer of healthy foods and snacks.