April 21, 1997 All Things Considered (entire program)

ISRAEL FOLO NPR's Eric Weiner reports that Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu seems to have survived a critical challenge-- allegations that Netanyahu and two of his aides were involved in an influence-trading scandal. Israel's Attorney General has decided there's not enough evidence to prosecute Netanyahu. Opposition parties say they're not giving up, and will appeal to the Israel's Supreme Court. (3:15)

DANIEL SCHORR on ISRAEL -- Senior news analyst Daniel Schorr says that the Netanyahu scandal has strengthened the hard-line political right wing in Israel and is already taking its toll on the peace process. (2:30)

POTATO GLUT -- Ray talks with Dave Beesley, a potato farmer and the president of the Idaho Potato Farmers Association. They discuss the current plight of potato farmers in Idaho...there is currently a glut of potatoes on the market, and the farmers are having a hard time selling their crops. In some cases, whole fields are being plowed up and turned under because it's almost impossible to recoup the cost of the crop on the market...and storage of the potatoes is expensive and difficult. (4:00)

DRUG PROGRAMS A decade of research into how to keep young people from starting abuse of drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes is finally beginning to pay off. Two national research organizations have now issued reports which detail which programs work, and which ones don't. In the first of a series of stories on school based drug prevention, NPR's Michelle Trudeau reports that the programs tend to have some things in common, such as helping kids to develop social skills that will allow them to turn down that offer of a drag or a swig from the captain of the football team and still save face. (8:45)

ROAD RAGE -- Ray talks with Dr. Arnold Nerenberg is a psychologist who has developed the "10-Step Compassion Program" for overcoming the anger that many people experience while they're behind the wheel of a car. The American Automobile Association's Foundation for Traffic Safety is releasing a study showing a 51 percent jump in road violence from 1990 to 1995. Dr.Nerenberg talks about the situations that seem to make the calmest people explode with rage while they're driving.
NOTE: a copy of the results of this survey can be accessed over the Internet, at http://aaafts.org/aaa

DIRECTOR RETHINKS BROADWAY -- A director the Washington Post calls a "wonder boy" moves from his own small theatre in Arlington, Virginia, to direct "Sunday in the Park With George" at the Capitol's Arena Stage. We profile Eric Schaeffer. Composer Stephen Sondheim is a fan. Playwright-director James Lapine is too. And Kander and Ebb, the men who wrote the musical "Cabaret." NPR's Susan Stamberg visits the young man who could be the next "toast of Broadway." (8:00) ((STEREO))

NORTH DAKOTA FLOODS -- Linda talks with Dan Gunderson of Minnesota Public Radio about the devastation in the Northern Plains from this spring's historic floods in that region. Today, emergency officials warned that further disaster could occur after the floodwaters recede. President Clinton plans to visit the area Tuesday for a tour and to visit with officials and residents. Authorities have widened the mandatory evacuation zone to cover 90 percent of the approximately 50,000 residents of Grand Forks, North Dakota. (5:00)

NEWSPAPER MAN-- Ray talks with Mike Maidenberg, the publisher of the Grand Forks Herald Newspaper. The newspaper is still publishing, even though their offices were flooded and then caught fire. Maidenberg talks about the archived materials that were lost, and how they are managing to continue with their staff linked by telephone and computer from various temporary locations. (3:00)

FLORIDA'S CHAIR-- Linda talks with NPR's Cheryl Devall about news today that Florida's Supreme Court has lifted a stay, barring use of that state's electric chair. The stay was prompted by an execution last month, when flames shot from an inmate's head as he was being executed. The court said that the state's death penalty does not amount to cruel and unusual punishment. (3:30)

NEW Prime Minister IN INDIA -- Edmund Roy reports that India's new prime minister is in place and promising to push ahead with all-important economic reforms and peace talks with Pakistan. India's 12th prime minister since independence in 1947 was chosen over the weekend, apparently ending the political crisis that brought down the previous government after only 10 months in power. (3:30)

CHIRAC WANTS EARLY ELECTIONS -- Sarah Chayes (CHASE) reports from Paris on French President Jacques Chirac's decision to call parliamentary elections 10 months earlier than planned. Chirac's government is faced with imposing austerity measures on the budget in order to join the European single currency. Analysts believe Chirac wants the vote now to keep his conservative coalition in power because there's little chance the conservatives would be elected AFTER the budget-cutting measures take effect. (3:30)

HUBBELL TROUBLE -- News reports today say two of President Clinton's lawyers had more contact than had previously been known with former Justice Department official Webster Hubbell. Reports today say Mr Clinton's Whitewater attorney David Kendall was at a White House meeting the day before Hubbell resigned as Associate Attorney General. Hubbell later was convicted of fraudulent billing at his law practice. Another report says deputy White House Counsel Bruce Lindsay had repeated phone contacts with Hubbell after his resignation, which could raise new questions about whether the White House pressured him not to tell the Whitewater independent counsel anything detrimental to the president. NPR's Mara Liasson reports. (3:00)

CHEMICAL WEAPONS -- Ray talks with Ian Kenyon, the executive secretary for the United Nations' Preparatory Commission for the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. They discuss the process of ratification for the Chemical Weapons Convention, which is heading into its last phase this week. The United States has signed but not yet ratified this Convention, which is seeking to limit the production and accumulation of chemical warfare agents. (5:00)

BOSTON MARATHON -- Linda talks with sports reporter Craig Masback about today's running of the Boston Marathon. In the men's division, Lameck Aguta (LAMM-eck uh-GOO-tah) of Kenya was the winner; in the women's division, Fatuma Roba of Ethiopia logged the fastest time. They discuss the races that make up the Marathon...including the surprise defeat of favorite Jean Driscoll in the women's wheelchair division. (4:15)

GUITAR REPAIRMAN TO THE STARS -- NPR's Virginia Biggar visits with a well-known acoustic guitar repairman, Larry Brown. Brown's workshop in Los Angeles, California, has been providing service to famous as well as unknown guitar players for the last thirty years. (7:30)