Star Tribune from Minneapolis, Minnesota • Page A1

By Edward Harris and Kwasi Kpodo Associated Press MONROVIA, LIBERIA Government officials and rebels signed a peace accord Monday to end a three-year insurgency that devastated Liberia, left thousands dead and drove out warlord-president Charles Taylor. The accord, signed in Accra, Ghana, one week after flight into exile, calls for a two-year transition government to lead Liberia into elections and out of 14 years of warfare that left the nation in ruins. Calm settled into Monrovia as shopkeepers opened for the first time in a month, though many residents and refugees who crowded the capital had little money with which to buy desperately needed food. By Steve Alexander and Andrew Pritchard Star Tribune Staff Writers With the music industry taking the offensive against Internet services providing free music downloads and the people who use them, Best Buy has become the first major retailer to begin selling music downloads to consumers. The move underscores both the phenomenal popularity of downloading free music and Richfield- based Best need to adjust to the erosion of traditional CD sales.

It remains unclear whether people will pay for music downloads. But the attempt to penal- ize free downloading has become a controversial political issue. Internet users download more than 2.6 billion copyrighted files each month, costing billions of dollars in lost CD sales, the industry estimates. But, far from trying to court young people who do most of the free downloading from unauthor- ized services such as Kazaa, Mor- pheus and Grokster, Best Buy is using a publicity campaign featuring the Rolling Stones to aim its service at middle-aged customers who have less understanding of downloading and more money than time. NEWSPAPEROFTHETWINCITIES Tuesday AUGUST 19, 2003 www.startribune.com Metro Edition Tuesday, August 19, 2003 Copyright 2003 Star Tribune Volume 137.

5 sections NEWS INSIDE Stocks hit highest close in 14 months The Dow rose 90.76 to 9,412.45 Monday its highest close in 14 months. D3. Details emerging in Janklow crash Rep. Bill Janklow, apparently ran a stop sign before fatal crash. A3.

Gophers consider 2 Friday night games The Gophers may play two Friday night home football games if the Twins are in the playoffs. C1. Weather Low: High: Sunrise: 6:19 Sunset: 8:13 231st day; 134 until B8 A look at NFC North quarterbacks begins with Favre Sports CAMP WITH HEART Where kids with heart disease can be kids Variety A Magers deal: headed for L.A. State attracts diverse influx By David Peterson Star Tribune Staff Writer Immigrants continue to pour into Minnesota at increasing rates, despite a slowing economy and tighter security imposed as part of the campaign against terrorism. The number of legal immigrants coming to Minnesota has spiked upward over the last few years, more than doubling since 1999 with significant increases in each year since, the State office reported Monday.

The surge, experts said, is likely the result of changes in immigration laws that have eased entry requirements for Africans and the eagerness of high-tech firms to recruit workers from India. The number of Somalis and Asian Indians admitted to the United States in 2002 with Minnesota as their destination was more than double the average annual admission during the previous five years. For Ethiopians, the new arrivals were triple the annual average. Other immigrant groups also continue to grow rapidly. Recent reports showed that the number of Mexican children entering Minnesota schools since 2000 an indicator of both legal and illegal immigration is increasing at twice the rate recorded during the 1990s.

Many of the new arrivals from Africa are joining family members already living in Minnesota, said Barbara Ronningen, immigration specialist with the Minnesota State Demographic Center. Best Buy will give downloaded tunes a spin Retailer hopes users will pay to play Legal immigration more than doubled since 1999 Source: Immigration Statistics, Department of Homeland Security Ray Star Tribune 0 Ethiopia India Somalia 1,001 918 1,588 126 3 166 New Minnesotans With legal immigration to Minnesota on the rise, some groups have seen their numbers grow sharply in recent years. The longtime KARE anchor confirmed that going to the No. 2 market, which has been a launching pad for several network anchors. David Tribune Peter Murphy took a direct approach to keeping Jordan Haller, center, cool during football practice Monday afternoon at Breck School in Golden Valley.

The official high temperature in the Twin Cities was 96 degrees; some areas of Minnesota were even hotter. Roast, rinse, repeat: Trying to keep cool and safe on a steamy day. Hottest day of takes toll on all living things By Sharon Schmickle Star Tribune Staff Writer Nine firefighters were treated at a Shakopee hospital on Monday, high school athletes curbed training, suburbanites defied sprinkling bans, and farmers watched crops wilt as Minnesota sweated its hottest day of the year. The heat blast is due to break. After peaking at 96 degrees Monday at the Minneapolis St.

Paul International Airport, the high temperature should ease back to 92 today and then into the low 80s for the next few days, ac- cording to the National Weather Service. Throw a chance of thunderstorms into the forecast and the state could get real relief. But the cumulative effects of hot, dry weather will linger. Thus, experts worry that gradually dropping temperatures and a chance of rain will lull Minnesotans into thinking their shrubs and trees will be all right. They be out of danger even if the state gets the predicted thunderstorms.

EFFECTS OF THE HOT SPELL Schools altered sports practices. Football, soccer, track and volleyball practices were curtailed. Turn to C3. Some areas restricted sprinkling. Hand watering of parched trees and shrubs was recommended.

Hospitals geared up for heat-related illnesses. Nine firefighters were treated after battling a blaze, but few other cases were reported. Many people appeared to heed warnings that included slowing down, drinking water, eating moderately and dressing lightly. Glen Tribune John Nelson, standing, demonstrates the Rhapsody program to, from left, Will Soligny, Luke Slizewski and Matt Fellows, all 14, at a Best Buy store in Maple Grove. The store is testing the file-sharing program, to be offered by the retailer.

WEATHER continues onA6: Hundreds in Woodbury defy sprinkling bans. LIBERIA continues onA7 MUSIC continues onA6: Not everyone is buying into plan. IMMIGRATION continues onA6: Africans accounted for 70 percent of the increase from 2001 to 2002. Warring sides in Liberia sign peace accord By Deborah Caulfield Rybak and Neal Justin Star Tribune Staff Writers Paul Magers, the Twin enormously charismatic and top-rated TV news anchor, will move to a new anchor desk in Los Angeles, he confirmed Monday. His job change takes him from the 14th-largest television market in the United States to the No.

2 market. Magers, 49, has anchored the news at NBC affiliate KARE, Channel 11, since 1983 and generally has been credited as the reason for the No. 1 news ranking at 10 p.m. for the past decade. He will remain on the air in the Twin Cities un- til November or December, Magers said, and move later this year to KCBS as the anchor of several newscasts, including its 11 p.m.

program. KCBS has been one of the weakest links in the station group owned and operated by CBS parent corporation Viacom. there was a right time to explore these opportunities, now was the time to do it, with the ages of my children and my Magers said Monday in a phone interview. all very His Los Angeles-based agent, Mendes Napoli, indicated that the move might be a first step to an ultimate job with the network. MAGERS continues onA7 Paul Magers has been at KARE-TV, Channel 11, since 1983.

often credited as the reason for the top rating at 10 p.m. A two-year transition government is planned, leading up to elections. HIGH 96 THE RECORD 98 DAYS IN A ROW ABOVE 90 4 so far.