WE WILL TALK WITH A SENATOR ABOUT HER DECISION NOT TO RUN FOR REELECTION.

A REPORT ON EFFORTS TO PROMOTE AN INCLUSIVE, DIVERSE, EQUITABLE PROGRAM IN THE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING.

MARSHALL HAMBURGER FROM THE TIMBER J NEWS.

THESE STORIES AND MORE COMING UP ON ALMANAC NORTH.

♪ HELLO AND WELCOME TO ALMANAC NORTH, THANKS FOR WATCHING.

DENNY WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEK AS OUR EXTRA COVID PRECAUTIONS WIND DOWN.

THE DULUTH MAYOR ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK THAT THE CITY'S COVID MASK MANDATE WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE AT 5:00 ON SATURDAY.

SHE IMPOSED THE MANDATE IN JANUARY AVCO -- AS COVID CASES SPIKED DUE TO THE OMICRON VARIANT.

IS THIS IS CAN NOW MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS ON MASKING.

THE MAYOR SAYS MASKS WILL BE REQUIRED AT CITY HALL.

FORMER DULUTH AND SUPERIOR MAYOR HERB BERGSON DIED THIS WEEK AT THE AGE OF 65.

HE DIED FROM COMPLICATIONS RELATED TO CANCER SURGERY ACCORDING TO A SOCIAL MEDIA POST BY HIS BROTHER.

HE WAS A SUPERIOR POLICE OFFICER BEFORE SERVING AS MAYOR FROM 1987 TO 1995.

BERGSON LATER SERVED ON THE DULUTH CITY COUNCIL AND AS MAYOR OF DULUTH FROM 2004 TO 2008.

THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ANNOUNCED GRANTS THIS WEEK FOR TWO NORTHERN MINNESOTA INDUSTRIAL PARKS.

GRAND RAPIDS RECEIVED 250 THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR AN INDUSTRIAL AREA EXPECTED TO CREATE 355 JOBS.

NEARLY ONE MONTH -- $1 MILLION WAS AWARDED TO EXPAND ITS EXISTING INDUSTRIAL PARK.

THE CLEVELAND CLIPS ANNOUNCED THIS MORNING IT WILL IDLE ITS NORTH SHORE MINING OPERATIONS THIS SPRING, PUTTING NEARLY 600 OF -- BOYS OUT OF WORK.

THEY BLAMED ABSURDLY HIGH ROYALTY FEES.

NO SURE OPERATIONS INCLUDE THE SILVER BAY PELLET PLANT AND THE BABBITT MINE PIT.

A LONG JOURNEY FROM BAYFIELD COUNTY TO THE STATE CAPITAL IN MADISON YET OUR NEXT GUEST HAS BEEN MAKING THAT TRIP REGULARLY FOR 12 YEARS DURING HER TIME IN THE ASSEMBLY AND NOW THE STATE SENATE.

SHE ANNOUNCED PLANS TO RETIRE AT THE END OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

JOINING US NOW IS JANET BEWLEY, THE SENATE MINORITY LEADER.

WELCOME.

>> THANK YOU.

IT'S GREAT TO BE BACK HERE AGAIN.

JULIE: ALWAYS NICE TO HAVE YOU ON THE SET.

WHY IS THIS THE RIGHT TIME FOR YOU TO RETIRE?

>> IT'S RIGHT BECAUSE AS AN INDIVIDUAL AND IN SPEAKING WITH MY HUSBAND, WE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS A WHILE AGO.

WE THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT WOULD BE A REASONABLE ARC OF TIME.

IT COULD HAVE BEEN FOUR YEARS AGO BUT I DECIDED TO RUN THEN.

FOUR YEARS AGO WAS WHEN MY HUSBAND RETIRED.

BUT NOW, AFTER FOUR YEARS OF HAVING HIM BE RETIRED AND ME NOT, I STARTED TO THINK THAT PERHAPS I COULD POSSIBLY NOT RUN FOR REELECTION.

WHEN I LOOKED AROUND AND I REALIZED THAT I'VE HAD A CAREER ALWAYS IN A MINORITY, I REALIZE THAT I COULD USE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO GO AND HAVE PEOPLE FEEL REGRET FOR ME.

SERVING IN THE MINORITY HAS TAUGHT ME A LOT.

AND I'M GRATEFUL TO HAVE SERVED THE PEOPLE.

I HAVE NO REGRET THAT IT WAS IN THE MINORITY.

I WISH I WAS IN THE MAJORITY BUT I DON'T REGRET IT.

I'VE LEARNED A LOT.

IT IS TIME.

IF I HAD SERVED ONE MORE TERM, I WOULD HAVE BEEN 75 WHEN I LEFT.

THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME.

JULIE: ARE THERE POLITICAL CONCERNS AS WELL WITH THE DISTRICT BECOMING MORE CONSERVATIVE?

IT DID GO TO PRESIDENT TRUMP IN THE LAST COUPLE OF ELECTIONS.

>> WE FOUND THAT A LOT OF DISTRICTS WENT TO TRUMP THAT TYPICALLY WOULD NOT HAVE.

THEY HAVE A STRONGER DEMOCRATIC BASE.

I THINK WE ARE GOING TO SEE THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE RETURNING TO EITHER THEIR NONPOLITICAL OR DEMOCRATIC VOTING PATTERNS.

WE DON'T HAVE OUR MAPS YET IN OUR STATE.

THE MAPS COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE , MAKE IT MORE RED OR MORE BLUE.

I'M NOT LEAVING BECAUSE OF THE POLITICAL MAKEUP OF MY DISTRICT.

I WOULDN'T WANT MY DISTRICT ANY OTHER WAY.

THE 25TH HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY DIVERSE.

IT CERTAINLY GIVES YOU A LOT OF MATERIAL FOR PUTTING THINGS TOGETHER AND FINDING SOLUTIONS.

BUT I'M PROUD OF THE DIVERSITY.

IT'S NOT BECAUSE OF THE POLITICAL MAKEUP THAT I'M LEAVING.

JULIE: YOU'VE RISEN TO THE SENATE MINORITY LEADER.

ARE YOU CONCERNED THAT YOUR DEPARTURE IS GOING TO COST THE REGION SOME CLOUT?

>> RIGHT NOW, PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR, IN GENERAL, NEW FACES, NEW VOICES.

I KNOW THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THIS POSITION THAT WANT TO RUN FOR THIS JOB.

I DON'T NECESSARILY -- I'M NOT GOING TO ANOINT ANYONE OR DECLARE.

I DO KNOW THAT THE PEOPLE THAT I KNOW ARE INTERESTED WILL SERVE VERY WELL.

AND I'M IN OFFICE UNTIL THAT PERSON GETS SWORN IN IN JANUARY OF 23.

SO I'M GOING TO WORK VERY HARD ON BEHALF OF ALL DEMOCRATS, PARTICULARLY ALL SENATE DEMOCRATS, TO GET REELECTED OR TO TAKE A REPUBLICAN C. I'M GOING TO WORK HARD FOR OUR GOVERNOR AS WELL.

JULIE: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SESSION.

WISCONSIN HAS A SIGNIFICANT BUDGET SURPLUS, $3.8 BILLION.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO WITH THAT?

>> THE GOVERNOR CAME OUT WITH A VERY GOOD PLAN.

NUMBER ONE, UP AGAINST MANY DEMANDS FOR TAX CUTS BECAUSE OF THE SURPLUS.

HE'S DOING A REBATE WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT SCOTT WALKER DID.

THAT WILL GET MONEY INTO THE POCKETS OF PEOPLE WHO REALLY NEED IT.

AN INTERESTING THING IS THAT WE HAVE FOUND THAT THE MONEY THAT HAS GONE TO FAMILIES DURING COVID IS NOT BEING SPENT ON JEWELRY.

IT IS BUYING THINGS THAT THEY DESPERATELY HAVE NEEDED.

ANY DURABLE GOOD, SOMETHING LIKE A REFRIGERATOR THAT WAS BROKEN OR FOOD.

THE AMOUNT OF CLOTHING AND THINGS THAT PEOPLE WOULD ALWAYS WANT TO BUY BUT COULDN'T.

THAT'S WHERE THE MONEY WENT.

BILLS ARE BEING PAID.

PEOPLE ARE STAYING CURRENT.

I THINK THAT ABILITY TO HAVE PEOPLE STAY OK. THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT PEOPLE WANT.

THEY DON'T WANT ANYTHING BIG.

THEY JUST WANT TO KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE OK.

THE GOVERNOR IS ALSO GOING TO PUT MORE MONEY INTO DAYCARE.

BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT DAYCARE IS A PROBLEM FOR MANY FOR RETURNING FOR WORK.

WE DON'T HAVE A HUGE POPULATION THAT'S NOT WORKING.

THE ONES THAT DO, IT'S ABOUT DAYCARE.

THEY CAN'T GET IT.

HE'S GOING TO BE PUTTING MORE MONEY INTO THE SCHOOLS.

I THINK THOSE ARE PERFECT THINGS TO DO.

JULIE: WHAT DO YOU THINK THE STATE CAN OR SHOULD DO TO HELP RELIEVE THE RISING COSTS OF GOODS AND SERVICES RIGHT NOW IN THE STATE?

AS YOU MENTIONED, THERE ARE FAMILIES THAT ARE REALLY STRUGGLING WITH INFLATION.

>> THE INFLATION PART OF IT IS A FEDERAL CONCERN.

I KNOW THAT THE GOVERNORS ARE GETTING TOGETHER AND HAVE GOTTEN TOGETHER LAST MONTH TO TALK ABOUT THAT VERY THING.

THAT'S TYPICALLY UP TO THE FED TO DETERMINE WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO ABOUT THE USUAL TOOLS FOR CURBING INFLATION.

ON THE STATE LEVEL, THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO ARE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE FORGETTING GOODS FROM A TO B IS IN GOOD SHAPE.

THAT OUR ROADS ARE GOOD.

THAT WE'VE GOT THE INTERNET WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO TRACK SHIPMENTS.

THAT WE HAVE EVERYTHING IN PLACE SO THAT PEOPLE CAN GET THINGS DELIVERED.

WHEN IT COMES TO THE PRICES, I EXPECT THAT THEY ARE GOING TO STAY A LITTLE HIGH FOR A BIT.

I DO EXPECT THAT THEY ARE GOING TO GO DOWN.

AGAIN, IT'S GET CASH IN THE POCKETS OF PEOPLE THROUGH THE SURPLUS FUNDS SO THAT WE CAN JUST HOLD ON UNTIL WE SEE THAT RATE GO BACK DOWN AGAIN.

I REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT IT WILL.

>> -- JULIE: THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PASSED IN A NORMA'S INFRASTRUCTURE BILL.

HOW WILL WISCONSIN BENEFIT FROM THAT?

WILL SOME OF THOSE TYPES OF PROJECTS THAT YOU MENTIONED ACTUALLY BE ADDRESSED THROUGH THAT?

>> WE HAVE AN INFRASTRUCTURE NEED ALL THE WAY FROM THE BIG ZOO INTERCHANGE IN MILWAUKEE THAT HAS BEEN OVER OUR HEADS FOR A DECADE AND ALL THE WAY DOWN TO TOWN ROADS AND CULVERTS THAT NEED TO BE FIXED.

THE GOVERNOR WANTS TO DISTRIBUTE THAT MONEY IN A VERY REASONABLE WAY.

SO THAT THE THINGS THAT WE'VE WAITED TO FIX CAN FINALLY GET FIXED.

INSTEAD OF JUST REPLACING A CULVERT, BUILD A BETTER BRIDGE.

FOR SOME OF OUR PORT CITIES, AND WE'VE GOT QUITE A FEW, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THE DRENCHING, THAT THEY ARE STRONG, THAT WE REPAIR THEM.

SUPERIOR HAS A LOT OF GOOD -- WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP THEM IN GOOD REPAIR.

WE ALWAYS HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE IN THE BEST CONDITION THAT THEY CAN BE.

SO THAT GOODS ARE GOING TO COME THIS WAY.

RAILROADS.

WE HAVE A POSSIBILITY OF GETTING THE RAILROAD IN THE MIDDLE OF WISCONSIN ALL THE WAY BACK UP TO ASHLAND.

IT WOULD BE A GAME CHANGER IF WE COULD DO THAT.

I KNOW OUR STATE IS IN COMMUNICATION WITH MINNESOTA.

WITH AMTRAK ON THE NORTHERN LIGHTS EXPRESS WHICH I THINK WOULD BE, AGAIN, A WONDERFUL ASSET FOR BOTH MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN.

JULIE: AS WE LOOK AHEAD TO THE REST OF THE SESSION, ARE THERE ONE OR TWO THINGS THAT YOU REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE GET DONE SO THAT YOU CAN LEAVE AND REALLY FEEL GOOD ABOUT YOUR TIME THERE?

>> I DO.

THERE ARE SOME BILLS.

AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, IT'S CALLED SILLY SEASON.

WE TYPICALLY JUST PACK -- PAST DOG AND CAT BILLS.

EVERYBODY'S GOING TO GO RUNNING FOR ELECTION.

THEY DON'T WANT TO SAY ANYTHING THAT COULD HURT THAT.

I WANT TO END THE SESSION IN A WAY THAT I CAN DELIVER A MESSAGE TO THE PEOPLE OF WISCONSIN.

I WANT TO SEE THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF CYNICISM.

I WANT TO DEMONSTRATE -- I CAN DEMONSTRATE, WITH MY REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES, THAT WE CAN DISAGREE ON HOW WE SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS AND REMAIN TRUE TO OUR OWN VALUES, AND DISAGREE ON THOSE THINGS.

WE CAN DO IT CIVILLY.

I HAVE FOUND THAT THE MAJORITY LEADER IN THE SENATE DEVON LEMMA HUGH, WE HAVE DISCOVERED THAT WE CAN DO IT.

I WANT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT IF WE CAN DO IT, SO CAN THE REST OF THEM.

JULIE: ON THAT NOTE, A POSITIVE ONE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN.

>> MY PLEASURE.

♪ JULIE: THE SWANSON COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING LAUNCH THE SWENSON GENDER EQUITY TEAM THIS YEAR TO FIGHT GENDER INEQUITIES IN STEM FIELDS ON CAMPUS.

THE PRODUCER SPOKE TO MEMBERS OF THE TEAM TO LEARN WHY IT'S NEEDED AND ABOUT OTHER MEASURES TO WORK TOWARD AN EQUITABLE ENVIRONMENT ON CAMPUS.

♪ >> THE GENDER EQUITY TEAM, A GROUP OF FACULTY WHO ARE REALLY COMMITTED TO EVALUATING INEQUITIES AND ADDRESSING THOSE.

ONE OF OUR BIG GOALS ON THE TEAM IS REALLY ADDRESSING PERVASIVE BIAS THAT EXISTS.

IT EXISTS ALL THROUGHOUT ACADEMIA, ESPECIALLY IN STEM FIELDS.

WE HAVE IN OUR SOCIETY A BIAS TOWARDS SEEING MEN DOING STEM WORK AS OPPOSED TO WOMEN.

THAT MANIFESTS IN SMALL AND LARGE WAYS IN THE WAY THAT WE DO OUR JOBS EVERY DAY.

SO ONE OF OUR GOALS IS TO ADDRESS THE POTENTIAL ISOLATION THAT WOMEN FEEL IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING.

>> THE ADVISORY BOARD IS WOMEN FACULTY AND THEN THIS THEY ADVOCATES WHICH ARE FIVE MALE FACULTY.

WE TAKE OUR GUIDANCE FROM THE ADVISORY BOARD.

THE BOARD REACHES OUT TO THE FACULTY.

THEY TAKE IN ALL THOSE INPUTS AND THEN WE TAKE OUR GUIDANCE FROM THEM AS TO WHAT IT IS WE SHOULD BE DOING, WHAT WE SHOULD BE ADDRESSING, IF WE ARE PLANNING EVENTS AND ALL THAT.

DOES THIS SOUND LIKE A GOOD IDEA?

>> WE WANT TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE UNDERLYING BIAS THAT EXISTS.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THINGS LIKE TEACHING ASSIGNMENTS AND WORKLOADS ARE DONE EQUITABLY.

SO THERE'S AN EFFORT TO BUILD THIS COMMUNITY ON AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL.

THERE IS ALSO AN EFFORT TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE STRUCTURAL INEQUALITIES THAT EXIST.

>> I HAVE IMPLICIT BIASES.

YOU GROW UP WITH THEM.

IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO NOT IMBIBE SOME OF THAT.

IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO UNCOVER THESE OR LEARN THESE TRUTHS ABOUT YOURSELF.

IT'S IMPORTANT THAT MEN TAKE THE INITIATIVE, THAT WE SAY THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE ENJOYING THESE PRIVILEGES AND SO IT SHOULD BE UP TO US.

NOT UP TO WOMEN TO THEN SAY, YOU ARE ENJOYING THESE PRIVILEGES OR TO EDUCATE US.

IT SHOULD BE UP TO US TO EFFECT THE CHANGE.

>> WE ARE CALLED THE GENDER EQUITY TEAM.

WE REALLY FEEL THAT THESE ISSUES OF INEQUITIES ARE PERVASIVE THROUGHOUT ALL KINDS OF IDENTITIES.

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO A KNOWLEDGE THAT MY EXPERIENCE AS ASSIST WHITE WOMEN IS GOING TO BE VERY DIFFERENT FROM SOMEONE'S EXPERIENCE WHO IDENTIFIES AS LGBTQ OR IS A WOMAN OF COLOR.

I THINK WE WANT TO BE INCLUSIVE OF ALL THOSE IDENTITIES, ACKNOWLEDGE THE INTERSECTIONALITY OF HOW DIFFERENT PEOPLE'S IDENTITIES COME TOGETHER AND SHAPE THEIR EXPERIENCE, AND JUST WORK TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND SUPPORT PEOPLE AS INDIVIDUALS.

>> IF WE HAVE A DIVERSE CAMPUS, THAT ALREADY MAXIMIZES PRODUCTIVITY.

THE EFFECTS ARE MORE BROAD REACHING.

THEY WILL EXTEND TO EVERYONE ON CAMPUS, TO STUDENTS THROUGH THESE OUTREACH EFFORTS.

THEY WILL ALSO EXTEND TO THE BROADER COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE SERVING.

>> WE HAVE RESEARCH SHOWING THAT A RESUME THAT'S THE EXACT SAME RESUME, IF IT HAS A MAN'S NAME ON IT VERSUS A WOMAN'S NAME ON IT, PEOPLE TEND TO RATE THE RESUME THAT'S EXACTLY THE SAME WITH THE MAN'S NAME HIGHER, MORE COMPETENT.

EVEN THOUGH THERE'S NO DIFFERENCE IN THE QUALITY.

>> FOR ALL THE FACULTY POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE, WE'VE ASKED APPLICANTS TO PROVIDE THEIR MATERIALS IN A WAY THAT WE CAN'T TELL WHAT UNIVERSITY THEY CAME FROM, WHO THEY WORKED WITH.

WE ARE REALLY ABLE TO FOCUS IN ON THE IMPORTANT PARTS OF WHAT THEY VALUE IN THEIR TEACHING, WHAT EXPERIENCES THEY'VE HAD WITH TEACHING DIVERSE STUDENTS AND STUDENTS IN STEM FIELDS.

SO STEM HISTORICALLY -- WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH WOMEN.

WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE FROM MARGINALIZED GROUPS.

WE KNOW THE FUTURE HOLDS HUGE CHALLENGES AND WE HAVEN'T TAPPED ALL OF THE DIVERSE EXPERIENCES THAT WE HAVE.

WE NEED THEM TO ANSWER THESE GRAND CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE IN THE REGION, IN THE COUNTRY.

WE ARE REALLY FACING SOME BIG CHALLENGES IN STEM.

WE NEED A WORKFORCE THAT IS WELL PREPARED FOR IT.

I THINK THE ANONYMOUS SEARCH REALLY TELLS PEOPLE THAT WERE SERIOUS ABOUT IT HERE AND WE ARE MAKING SYSTEMIC CHANGES IN THE WAY WE DO THINGS.

THE WAY WE DO OUR WORK TO CREATE ENVIRONMENTS THAT ARE EQUITABLE.

♪ JULIE: THE FIRST ANONYMOUS SEARCH FOR THE SWENSON COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING STARTED WITH FIVE FACULTY SEARCHES.

THEY WILL BE SENDING SURVEYS OUTS TO CANDIDATES FOR FEEDBACK THAT THEY WILL USE TO FIND TUNE THE METHOD.

♪ IT'S TIME NOW FOR VOICES OF THE REGION.

WE HEAR FROM A JOURNALIST COVERING STORIES OF INTEREST IN THE NORTH LAND.

OUR REPORTER IS FROM THE TIMBER NEWS.

♪ >> WE CHECKED IN RECENTLY WITH THE STATE SENATOR TO FIND OUT AMONG OTHER THINGS WHETHER HE PLANS TO SEEK REELECTION THIS YEAR.

WITH REDISTRICTING WHICH IS HAPPENING NOW, ALL THE 67 SENATE SEATS WILL BE UP FOR GRABS.

HIS SITUATION IS A BIT UNCERTAIN , GIVEN HIS DECISION FOLLOWING THE LAST ELECTION TO QUIT THE DFL AND BECOME AN INDEPENDENT.

HE WILL LIKELY FACE A DFL OPPONENT.

IT REMAINS UNCLEAR IF HE WILL FACE A REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER AS WELL.

HE SAID HE'S BEEN WORKING ON THAT ISSUE WHICH MEANS HE'S BEEN HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH REPUBLICAN LEADERS IN THE SENATE IN HOPES THAT HE CAN MAYBE DISSUADE THEM FROM PUTTING UP A CANDIDAE IN HIS DISTRICT THIS YEAR.

THE POSSIBILITY OF A THREE-WAY RACE COMBINED WITH THE UNCERTAINTY OF REDISTRICTING CERTAINLY MAKES HIS POSITION AS UNCERTAIN AS IT HAS BEEN SINCE HE WAS FIRST ELECTED TO THE LEGISLATURE BACK IN 1994.

ADDING TO THE UNCERTAINTY IS THE SITUATION WITH DAVID THOMAS HE WAS RECENTLY DIAGNOSED WITH ALS.

HE'S ALREADY EXPERIENCING SOME OF THE SYMPTOMS OF THAT FATAL DISEASE WHICH CERTAINLY RAISES DOUBTS ABOUT WHETHER HE WILL SEEK ANOTHER TERM.

BOCK POINTED OUT THAT THE IRON RANGE HAS BENEFITED SIGNIFICANTLY IN RECENT YEARS FROM ITS CONSIDERABLE SENIORITY IN THE SENATE.

PRIMARILY GIVEN BOTH THEIR LONG 10 YEARS THERE.

BOCK WORRIES THAT THE REGION WILL LOSE CONSIDERABLE INFLUENCE IF THEY WERE TO LEAVE THIS YEAR.

HE SAYS HE STILL HAS THINGS HE WANTS TO COMPLETE.

THE BUILDOUT OF THE LAKE VERMILION STATE PARK WHICH HE HELPED TO CREATE ALONG WITH THE FORMER GOVERNOR.

AS CHAIR OF THE CAPITAL AND SENATE CAPITAL INVESTMENTS COMMITTEE, HE'S IN A KEY POSITION WHEN IT COMES TO SPENDING ON STATE FACILITIES SUCH AS THE STATE PARK.

THAT'S PROBABLY ONE REASON THAT THE GOVERNOR INCLUDED THE $12 MILLION FOR THE VERMILLION STATE PARK.

I SUSPECT HE WILL BE PUSHING FOR THAT ON THE SENATE SIDE AS WELL.

WE ARE ALSO FOLLOWING UP ON THE BLACKWOOD'S BLIZZARD TOUR, A FOUR DAY SNOWMOBILE RIDE THAT RAISES MONEY FOR HERMANTOWN BASED ALS RESEARCH AND SUPPORT GROUP KNOWN AS NEVER SURRENDER.

IT WAS THE 23RD SUCH TOUR AND THIS YEAR, THE 250 RIDERS IN THE EVENT RAISED A TOTAL OF $1.6 MILLION WHICH IS REALLY AMAZING.

A CASINO ON LAKE VERMILION PLAYS HOST TO THE EVENT ON ONE OF THE OVERNIGHTS ON THE TOUR.

WE'VE REPORTED ON THEM BEFORE.

THIS YEAR, THERE WAS ANOTHER LOCAL CONNECTION AS I MENTIONED EARLIER.

DAVID THOMAS ONLY WAS REALLY DIAGNOSED WITH ALS.

THAT PROMPTED SOME MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY TO TAKE PART IN THIS YEAR'S BLIZZARD TOUR.

THOMAS SONY'S DAUGHTER-IN-LAW TIFFANY WAS THE TAURUS ROOKIE OF THE YEAR SINGLE-HANDEDLY RAISING OVER $11,000.

ACTIVISTS SAY THEY ARE MORE HOPEFUL THAN EVER OF FINDING A CURE AFTER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AUTHORIZED $100 MILLION PER YEAR FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS FOR ALS RESEARCH.

THAT COMPARES TO FUNDING LEVELS OF ABOUT $5 MILLION PER YEAR AS RECENTLY THREE YEARS AGO.

♪ WE ARE REPORTING ON THE WINTER FESTIVAL WHICH BEGAN FEBRUARY 3 AND RUNS THROUGH SUNDAY.

IT'S THE BIGGEST WINTERTIME EVENT AND IT'S LARGELY BACK TO NORMAL AFTER A SCALED-BACK EVENT LAST YEAR DUE TO COVID.

THE SNOW SCULPTURES IN THE PARK ARE ALWAYS A BIG ATTRACTION WITH WORKS FROM BOTH AMATEUR AND PROFESSIONAL SCULPTURES.

IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THERE BEFORE, IT'S STEPHANIE WORTH THE TRIP.

WHILE YOU ARE IN TOWN, YOU WILL WANT TO TAKE THE ART WALK WHICH FEATURES DOZENS OF LOCAL ARTISTS WHOSE WORKS ARE DISPLAYED IN THE WINDOWS OF AREA BUSINESSES.

THERE ARE ALSO SOME INDOOR DISPLAYS.

YOU WILL CERTAINLY WANT TO CHECK OUT SOME OF THE BUSINESSES IF ONLY TO WARM UP.

IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE CHILLY THIS WEEKEND.

THAT WOULD BE A GOOD REASON TO CHECK OUT SOME OF THE GREAT PLACES TO EAT WHILE YOU ARE THERE.

♪ JULIE: AS WE TOUCHED ON EARLIER IN THE SHOW, COVID CASES IN THE REGION ARE DECLINING AFTER SPIKING TO THEIR HIGHEST LEVELS LAST MONTH.

LOCAL HOSPITALS AND SCHOOLS ARE EXPERIENCING SOME RELIEF WHILE REMAINING VIGILANT.

OFFICIALS TALKED ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE SEEING IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

>> JUST TO GIVE YOU A QUICK SNAPSHOT IN TIME.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE SIX COVID POSITIVE PATIENTS OUT OF 18 HERE.

FIVE POSITIVES OUT OF 13 TOTAL ACUTE CARE PATIENTS.

THESE NUMBERS CHANGED BY THE HOUR BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A SNAPSHOT IN TIME .

WE ARE STILL EXPERIENCING POCKETS OF CAPACITY CRISIS WHICH MEANS WE ARE STRUGGLING AT TIMES TO TRANSFER PATIENTS OUT OF OUR HOSPITALS TO A HIGHER LEVEL OF CARE.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE FOUR BORDERS AND OUR EMERGENCY ROOM, THREE OF WHICH ARE RATING FOR MENTAL HEALTH BEDS.

ONE WAITING FOR AN ICU BED.

THIS WEEK, WE'VE SEEN SOME BEDS OPENING UP OUT THERE AT THOSE NEXT LEVEL FACILITIES IN DULUTH AND THE METRO WHICH HAS ALLOWED US TO GET SOME PATIENTS OUT TO SPECIALIST FASTER.

>> KIDS ARE BACK AT THE CENTER OF THIS.

WE TALK ABOUT THIS ALL THE TIME, ABOUT THE GOAL BEING THE OVERALL HEALTH OF A STUDENT VERSUS JUST A VIRUS.

SOME SCHOOLS HAVE SHIFTED TO A PHILOSOPHY OF, TRYING TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THE KIDS, WHICH MEANS WE NEED TO KEEP OUR KIDS IN SCHOOL.

THAT'S OUR PRIMARY FOCUS.

WE KNOW IT'S THE BEST PLACE FOR THEM.

THAT'S BEEN OUR PRIMARY GOAL.

WE GET THERE IN DIFFERENT WAYS, EACH OF OUR SCHOOLS GETS THERE IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

ULTIMATELY, WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP OUR KIDS IN SCHOOL AND NOT GIVE THEM REASONS NOT TO GO TO SCHOOL.

>> THE STRESS AND BURNOUT OF OUR FRONT-LINE WORKERS IS REAL AND WE ARE HOPING TO SEE A PROLONGED DECREASE SO WE CAN GET STAFF SOME RELIEF.

IN TIME TO FOCUS ON RESTORING THEIR ENERGY AND THEIR PASSION FOR HEALTH CARE WHICH, AS YOU CAN HEAR ON THE NEWS, IS DIPPING FOR A LOT OF FOLKS IN OUR INDUSTRY.

OUR EMPLOYEES REALLY ARE OUR GREATEST ASSET AND WE NEED THEM.

COMMUNITY NEEDS THEM.

JULIE: WE ARE OUT OF TIME BUT YOU CAN KEEP UP WITH OUR SHOW BY FOLLOWING ALMANAC NORTH ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.

CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE FOR PROGRAM UPDATES, NEWS ABOUT THE STATION, AND UPCOMING EVENTS.

DOWNLOAD THE PBS VIDEO APP TO WATCH YOUR FAVORITE PROGRAMS ANYTIME YOU'D LIKE.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WANT TO KEEP UP WITH THE MINNESOTA LEGISLATURE, TUNE INTO THE MINNESOTA CHANNEL FOR GAVEL-TO-GAVEL COVERAGE OF FLOOR SESSIONS AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS.

THANKS TO OUR GUESTS AND TO THE CREW IN THE STUDIO.

WE WILL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

♪