Almanac North - August 20, 2021: Duluth Tourism Vote, Line 3, School Preps, Voices of the Region
JULIE: I'M JULIE ZENNER ALONG WITH DENNIS ANDERSON, HERE'S WHAT'S COMING UP ON ALMANAC NORTH! DENNY: WE WILL TALK WITH TWO DULUTH CITY COUNCILORS ABOUT A COUNCIL VOTE THIS WEEK TO HIRE A TWIN CITIES FIRM TO MARKET THE CITY TO TOURISTS. JULIE: WE'LL HAVE AN UPDATE ON THE ENBRIDGE PIPELINE PROJECT THROUGH MINNESOTA, AND SOME OF THE PROTESTS AGAINST LINE THREE. DENNY: AND THE LATEST FROM NORTHERN MINNESOTA SCHOOL LEADERS AS THEY PREPARE TO WELCOME STUDENTS BACK TO THE CLASSROOM. JULIE: THOSE STORIES AND VOICES OF THE REGION, COMING UP ON ALMANAC NORTH! JULIE: HELLO AND WELCOME TO ALMANAC NORTH, THANKS FOR WATCHING! ANOTHER HOT, DRY WEEK DENNY, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE RAIN IS ON THE WAY! DENNY: THANKS JULIE! PROTESTS AGAINST THE CONSTRUCTION OF ENBRIDGE'S LINE 3 PIPELINE REACHED DULUTH THIS WEEK. A FEW HUNDRED PROTESTERS MARCHED FROM DOWNTOWN DULUTH TO THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS OFFICE IN CANAL PARK, WHERE THEY HELD A RALLY AND HUNG A "STOP LINE 3" BANNER ON THE AERIAL BRIDGE.
WE'LL HAVE MORE ON THE PROTESTS AND ENBRIDGE'S PIPELINE PROJECT LATER IN THE SHOW. JULIE: GOVERNORS IN MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN THIS WEEK SAID THEY WOULD WORK WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO RESETTLE AFGHAN REFUGEES IN THEIR STATES. WISCONSIN'S FORT MCCOY COULD BE A DESTINATION FOR SOME AFGHANY REFUGEES. AND MINNESOTA GOVERNOR TIM WALZ SENT A LETTER TO PRESIDENT BIDEN OFFERING TO WELCOME FLEEING AFGHAN CITIZENS TO THE STATE.
DENNY: GOVERNOR WALZ THIS WEEK CALLED ON THE MINNESOTA NATIONAL GUARD TO HELP FIGHT WILDFIRES IN THE STATE. ALSO THIS WEEK, MORE BURNING RESTRICTIONS WERE ISSUED BY THE DNR. BURNING RESTRICTIONS NOW COVER 34 MINNESOTA COUNTIES WHERE DROUGHT HAS ELEVATED THE POTENTIAL FOR WILDFIRES.
JULIE: AND TWO HARBORS IS PREPARING TO CELEBRATE THE 125TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TUGBOAT "EDNA G". THE ICONIC VESSEL WAS BUILT IN 1896 FOR THE DULUTH AND IRON RANGE RAILROAD AND WAS THE LAST COAL-FIRED TUG ON THE GREAT LAKES. FESTIVITIES BEGIN NEXT FRIDAY IN TWO HARBORS WITH A FISH FRY AND LIVE MUSIC AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND. DENNY: THE DULUTH CITY COUNCIL THIS WEEK VOTED TO HIRE A TWIN CITIES FIRM TO MARKET DULUTH TO TOURISTS.
THE MOVE FOLLOWED MAYOR EMILY LARSON'S RECOMMENDATION TO END A CONTRACT WITH VISIT DULUTH, WHICH HAS HANDLED TOURISM PROMOTION FOR THE CITY FOR 85 YEARS. THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS RECEIVED PLENTY OF PUSHBACK FOR SENDING A NEARLY $2-MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT OUT OF THE CITY. JOINING US NOW TO TALK ABOUT THAT DECISION IS JOEL SIPRESS, A DULUTH CITY COUNCILOR REPRESENTING THE SECOND DISTRICT. AND ROZ RANDORF IS A COUNCILOR REPRESENTING DULUTH'S THIRD DISTRICT. WELCOME, THANKS FOR BEING HERE! THIS WASN'T EVEN CLOSE VOTE. WHY DID YOU VOTE FOR A CHANGE? >> AFTER DOING A LOT OF DISCOVERY, TALKING, IN THE END I SAW THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE ANOTHER OPTION.
LAST DECEMBER, THE MAYOR LET US KNOW SHE WAS SENDING OUT FOR RFPS. THEY WERE GOING TO LOSE ALL OF THEIR GOOD PEOPLE. I SAW IT AS THIS IS IT. THERE WAS NO WAY OUT. >> YOU ARE THE LOAN NO VOTE. WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO VOTE IN THAT DIRECTION? >> MY BIG CONCERN IS THAT WE ARE NOT JUST SHIFTING FROM ONE VENDOR TO ANOTHER, WE'RE GOING TO BE PURSUING A SWEEPING REORGANIZATION OF HOW WE PROMOTE TOURISM.
MOVING FROM A MODEL WHERE THIS IS -- CITY PARTNERS FROM AN ORGANIZATION LIKE VISIT DULUTH TO WHERE THE CITY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROMOTING TOURISM AND DIRECTLY CONTRACTS WITH A MARKETING FIRM. WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT THAT WAY, FINDING A FIRM IS ONE OF THE LEAST IMPORTANT DECISIONS. I DIDN'T SEE PLANNING IN PLACE TO GIVE ME CONFIDENCE THAT ANYTHING -- ENOUGH DETAILS HAD BEEN WORKED OUT FOR HOW THE CITY IS GOING TO BE TAKING RESPONSIBILITY. >> WHAT DID THE CITY DO TO LOSE CONFIDENCE? >> THEY SAY THAT THE MAYOR WAS NOT CLEAR.
THE MAYOR THOUGHT SHE WAS CLEAR IN HER DISSATISFACTION. OTHER CITY ADMINISTRATORS HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME SAYING THERE HAD BEEN YEARS OF DISSATISFACTION. IT'S HARD TO KNOW. IN THE END, THE CLEAR SIGNAL WAS ONE YEAR AGO IN DECEMBER WHEN SHE SAID WE ARE SENDING THIS OUT FOR RFPS. THAT WAS AS CLEAR AS IT CAN GET. JULIE: YOUR DISTRICT REPRESENTS DOWNTOWN AND CANAL PARK, SOME OF THE BIGGEST TOURISM AREAS.
WHAT HAVE YOU HEARD FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS? THERE IS BEEN PUSHBACK FROM BUSINESSES, PARTICULARLY THOSE IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY. >> THE BIGGEST CONTROVERSY IS THAT VISIT DULUTH'S GOOD PEOPLE AND THEY DO GOOD WORK. A LOT OF THEM IN MY DISTRICT EXCELLENT WORK. SOME OF THE AGENCIES THAT APPLY THAT DIDN'T GET IT WORK FOR LARGE FIRMS IN FLORIDA AND MAINE. A LOT OF THEM HAVE LARGE CONTRACTS.
THE BIGGEST STRUGGLE AROUND THIS WHOLE THING IS WHY VISIT DULUTH DIDN'T GET THE JOB. WHY ARE LOCAL AGENCIES DIDN'T GET IT IN THE RFP PROCESS AND AND WE GAVE IT TO A MINNEAPOLIS FIRM. THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING, IT'S ABOUT THE PROCESS AND WHERE ARE WE GOING WHEN WE GET THERE? >> WHEN DO YOU EXPECT -- WHAT DO YOU EXPECT BELMONT PARTNERS TO DO THAT VISIT DULUTH DIDN'T DO? >> WHAT I HAVE HEARD IS THAT ONE OF THE THINGS BELMONT IS ABLE TO DO THAT MADE THEM ATTRACTIVE TO THE PEOPLE IN THE ADMINISTRATION IS ITS A PUBLIC RELATIONS FIRM THAT HAS CONNECTIONS WITH THE NATIONAL MEDIA AND THEY WILL BEGIN TO PLACE IT WITH -- AND AWAY THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE. BE ON THAT, IT ISN'T CLEAR THAT THEY COULD DO IT IN A WAY THAT LOCAL ADVERTISING FIRMS WOULDN'T. ANOTHER CONCERN FOR ALL THE WORK THE CITY WILL HAVE TO DO TO DO THE DAY-TO-DAY WORK OF IMPLEMENTING THE MARKETING STRATEGY.
COORDINATING ALL THE PIECES OF THE LOCAL TOURISM EFFORT. ONE OF THE THINGS I AM MOST CONCERNED ABOUT AND I WILL BE LOOKING FOR IS FOR THEM TO QUICKLY FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THE REST OF THE WORK OUT. I'M SURE BELMONT WILL DO THEIR PIECE WELL. NEED TO MAKE SURE CITY HALL DOES THEIR PIECE WELL ALSO. >> HAVE YOU HEARD ANY INDICATION THAT BELMONT PLANS TO BRING AN OFFICE HERE? WOULD THEY HAVE A LOCAL PRESENCE SO THEY COULD GET INTO WITH THE COMMUNITY? SO THERE ISN'T THE LOSS OF JOBS? >> IN THE PRESENTATION, THEY INDICATED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BE USING LOCAL TALENT AND ARTIST. THEY DID NOT SAY THEY WOULD HAVE A BRICK-AND-MORTAR OFFICE.
THEY HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO THAT POINT YET. THAT IS SOME OF THE DETAIL WE WERE TALKING ABOUT. THERE ARE A LOT OF DETAILS ON THIS ENTIRE CONTRACT. >> THERE HAS BEEN UP FOR THE THOUSAND DOLLAR CONTRACT GIVEN OUT. WHAT WILL THEY DO FOR THAT MONEY? >> THEY HAVE BEEN OFFERED THE CONTRACT TO CONTINUE DOING CONVENTION SALES IN OTHER WORDS THE WORK TO BRING CONVENTIONS AND WORKING WITH THE VISITOR CENTER. IT APPEARS THAT THE $400,000 IS TOO LOW FOR THEM TO GET THAT WORK DONE, SO WE WILL PROBABLY LOOK AT AN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT THAT WILL NEED TO BE GIVEN TO VISIT DULUTH TO DO THAT.
>> THIS IS OUT ONE YEAR CONTRACT WITH BELMONT. IS THERE A POSSIBILITY IT WILL BE REVISITED ONE YEAR FROM NOW AND THAT VISIT DULUTH COULD COME BACK TO THE TABLE AND RECLAIM SOME OF THE WORK IT HAS BEEN DOING OVER THE DECADES? X THE WAY THE CONTRACT IS WRITTEN, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY FOR A SECOND YEAR AND THIRD YEAR RENEWAL. ONCE YOU DISMANTLE AN ORGANIZATION, IT IS HARD TO PUT IT BACK TOGETHER. I THINK THAT A DECISION IS MADE TO GO A DIFFERENT DIRECTION WITH HOW WE PROMOTE TOURISM AND DULUTH. >> IT ALMOST SOUNDS LIKE THIS WILL BE THE END OF THE LINE FOR VISIT DULUTH. >> I DON'T THINK THAT IS THE MAYOR'S INTENT.
THERE IS ANOTHER PIECE OF THE BUSINESS THAT IS MEMBERSHIP DRIVEN. VISIT DULUTH LIKE THE CHAMBER HAS MEMBERSHIP THAT THEY GATHER FEES FROM. IF THEY CAN DIVERSIFY THE REVENUE STREAM, I THINK THE CONCEPT IS THEY WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE THE $400,000 OR MORE THAT WE HAVE PLUS MEMBERSHIP DOLLARS AND OTHER RANTS AND WAYS THAT THEY CAN BUILD THEIR BUSINESS. >> ONE OF THE CRITICISMS HAS BEEN THAT VISIT DULUTH IS A MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION AND OTHER AREAS OF TOWN AND THE MEMBERSHIP HAVE NOT BEEN GETTING THE SUPPORT THEY NEEDED. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU FEEL HAS BEEN A PROBLEM? >> DESPITE MY NO VOTE, WHAT I CLEARLY SAID IS THAT WE NEED SOME CHANGE.
VISIT DULUTH TENDS TO REPRESENT THE OLDER OR ESTABLISHED MORE CANAL PARK PLACES. WHAT I HAVE HEARD IS FROM SOME OF THE MORE UP-AND-COMING NEIGHBORHOODS OR PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE CULTURE AND ARTS WHO FELT LIKE THEY WEREN'T BEING REPRESENTED IN OUR PROMOTIONAL EFFORTS. I THINK CHANGE WAS NEEDED.
THE QUESTION IS, IS THE BEST WAY TO BRING ABOUT THOSE CHANGES? >> HOW IMPORTANT WILL IT BE TO GET THAT ARTS AND CULTURE POSITION UP AND RUNNING AT CITY HALL? WHAT WILL YOU BE LOOKING FOR IN THAT PERSON? >> WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ORIGINAL RESOLUTION, WE BROKE IT INTO THREE PARTS. THAT IS PART OF THE PART B, THE TOURISM OR CONVENTION SALES PART. YOU NEED SOMEONE WHO IS GOING TO ANSWER THE PHONES AND MANAGE THE STAFF, MANAGE THE CONVENTIONS, COMMUNICATE THAT BACK TO THE AGENCY. AND MAKE THIS ENTIRE MACHINE WORK WITHOUT A LOT OF ENERGY AND TIME. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE DESIGN, THE STRATEGIC, THE GRAPHICS AND VIDEOS. IT'S ABOUT BOOTS ON THE STREET.
WHO IS ANSWERING THE PHONE, WHO IS GOING TO BRING IN THE CONVENTION. >> WITH THAT, WE HAVE TO END THE CONVERSATION. THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE. JULIE: IT'S TIME NOW FOR "VOICES OF THE REGION".
EACH WEEK WE HEAR FROM A JOURNALIST COVERING STORIES OF INTEREST IN THE NORTHLAND. THIS WEEK WISCONSON PUBLIC RADIO REPORTER DANIELLE KAEDING IS OUR GUEST: >> THE WATER LEVELS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW THE RECORD HIGHS THAT WE SAW BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THE WATER ISN'T STILL HIGH ON THE GREAT LAKES. ALL OF THE LAKES ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN ABOVE THE LONG-TERM AVERAGE. WE HAVE SEEN WATER LEVELS COME DOWN FROM 18 INCHES BELOW THE MONTHLY RECORD FROM JULY OF LAST YEAR.
ONE FOOT BELOW THE RECORD HIGH FOR THE MONTH THAT WAS SET IN 2019. WE ARE EXPECTED TO SEE THOSE LEVELS CONTINUE TO DROP BECAUSE WE TYPICALLY SEE THE SEASONAL CHANGES IN THE LAKES AROUND THIS TIME WHERE THE WATER LEVELS REACH THEIR PEAK IN THE LATE SPRING AND SUMMER. FOR LAKE MICHIGAN AND LAKE HURON, THEY REACH THEIR MONTHLY PEAK IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR WHICH IS ONLY HAPPENED THREE OTHER TIMES IN RECORDED HISTORY DATING BACK TO 1918.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE THOSE LEVELS ON THE GREAT LAKES. WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT THE NATURAL RESOURCES BOARD WOULD BECOME SO CONTROVERSIAL? IT DEFINITELY HAS BEEN IN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, PARTICULARLY WITH THE WOLF ARTIST -- HARVEST QUOTA THAT THEY SET OF 300 WOLVES FOR THE FALL HUNT. THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES HAD RECOMMENDED A QUOTA THAT WAS UNDER HALF THAT.
IN ORDER TO SUSTAIN THE POPULATION AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY STEMMING AROUND THE FEBRUARY WILL PUNT AND HOW THAT IMPACTED THE POPULATION. THE FEBRUARY WOLF HUNT STATE LICENSED HUNTERS KILLED 118 WOLVES IN LESS THAN 72 HOURS BLOWING PAST THE QUOTA. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS GETTING A LOT OF PUSHBACK FROM ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS AND ANIMAL-RIGHTS GROUPS AND SPECIFICALLY TRIBES WHO BLASTED THEM FOR THE DECISION SAYING IT WAS CLEARLY NOT BASED ON SCIENCE AND LOOKED TO UNDERMINE FEDERAL TRIBAL TREATY RIGHTS RELATED TO NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT WHICH THEY SHARE WITH THE STATE.
AND ALSO, NOBODY WAS HAPPY WITH THE QUOTA. HUNTERS AND FARMERS HAD HOPED TO SEE A HIGHER QUOTA THAT WOULD BRING THE POPULATION DOWN TO A LEVEL THAT WAS SET IN THE AGENCY'S OUTDATED WEALTH MANAGEMENT GOAL WHICH WAS 350 WOLVES. THAT GOAL SOMETHING THAT THE DNR SAID WAS ONLY USED TO TRIGGER MANAGEMENT SUCH AS A WOLF HUNT. OR OTHER OPTIONS RELATED TO THE POPULATION. FARMERS AND HUNTERS REALLY WANT TO SEE THE POPULATION BROUGHT DOWN TO THAT LEVEL BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY SEE AS INCREASING CONFLICTS WITH PETS AND LIVESTOCK SOME SUGGESTED QUOTAS AS HIGH AS 500 WOLVES. THIS CONCERT WAS HELD FROM NOON TO 10:00 ON WEDNESDAY.
SOME PEOPLE WANTED TO PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING IN THE FIRST PLACE BECAUSE OF THE CONFLICTS THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT HAVE HAD WITH PROTESTERS ALONG THE PIPELINE ROUTE ACROSS COMMUNITIES IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA. IT DID GO AHEAD, BUT IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHAT WILL COME OF THIS. SEEKING TO RAISE FUNDS FOR PIPELINE OPPONENTS WHO HAVE BEEN HOLDING PROTESTS ALL ALONG THE PIPELINE ROUTE THROUGHOUT MINNESOTA THE SUMMER AND CALLING ON PRESIDENT BIDEN AND HIS ADMINISTRATION TO SHUT DOWN THIS PIPELINE. THEY SAY THAT THIS PIPELINE IS AT ODDS WITH THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION CLIMATE CHANGE PLEDGES TO CURB EMISSIONS AND TRANSITION TO A CLEAN ENERGY ECONOMY. THE BYNUM ADMINISTRATION HAS NOT TAKEN ANY STEPS TO SHUT DOWN THE PIPELINE. IN FACT, THEY HAVE DEFENDED IT IN COURT IN TERMS OF THE PERMITS THAT WERE ISSUED BY THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS FOR THE PROJECT.
RIGHT ■NOW AS IT STANDS TODAY, THE PIPELINE IS 90% COMPLETE. ♪ DENNY: CONSTRUCTION ON ENBRIDGE'S LINE 3 REPLACEMENT PIPELINE THROUGH MINNESOTA IS NEARING COMPLETION. THE PROJECT HAS WITHSTOOD PROTESTORS AND LEGAL CHALLENGES AND A WORSENING DROUGHT TO GET TO THIS POINT. JOINING US NOW WITH AN UPDATE IS LORRAINE LITTLE, ENBRIDGE'S DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN THE UNITED STATES. THANKS FOR BEING HERE! CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE ON HOW THE PROJECT IS GOING AND IS IT YOUR COMPLETION? >> WE RECEIVED ALL OF OUR PERMITS TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION IN DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR. WE BEGAN IMMEDIATELY AT THE PEAK OF CONSTRUCTION.
WE HAD ABOUT 5000 PEOPLE WORKING ACROSS THE RIGHT-OF-WAY. CURRENTLY, WE STAND, WE ARE ALMOST COMPLETE. WE FINISHED A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE ON THE PROJECT. WE HAD 19 HORIZONTAL DIRECTIONAL DRILLS WHERE WE DRILL UNDER A WATER BODY AND IT PROTECTS THE WATER BODY ITSELF BECAUSE WE ARE UNDERNEATH IT.
WE FINISHED 19 OF THOSE ON TIME, SO WE ARE MAKING GREAT PROGRESS. >> HOW IMPORTANT IS THE PROJECT TO THE REGION AND TO THE COUNTRY? >> LINE THREE IS AN EXISTING PART OF OUR MAINLINE SYSTEM. OUR PIPELINE SYSTEM ACROSS NORTHERN MINNESOTA FEEDS THAT REFINERIES IN THE TWIN CITIES. HUNTER PERCENT OF THE SUPPLY IN WISCONSIN AND 70% AROUND THE GREAT LAKES. HAVING LINE 3 BE FULLY CAPABLE OF ITS FORMER CAPACITY, WE WILL BE ABLE TO RESUME BACK TO 760,000 PER DAY. THAT WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT SOURCE OF SUPPLY FOR THE REGION.
THE PROJECT ITSELF IS $4 BILLION PRIVATE ENERGY AND FOR STRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND THAT TURNS INTO SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC SPINOFFS INTO THOSE COMMUNITIES IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA THAT NEEDED IT MOST ESPECIALLY DURING COVID WHEN THEY HIT SO HARD. WHAT IMPACT HAVE THE PROTESTS HAD ON YOUR INDUSTRY? >> WE CERTAINLY HAVE SEEN PROTESTS ALONG THE RIGHT-OF-WAY THROUGHOUT CONSTRUCTION. WE ABSOLUTELY RESPECT PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO PROTEST PEACEFULLY AS LONG AS IT IS PEACEFUL AND SAFE.
A BIG PART OF THE TRAINING WE HAVE DONE FOR OUR WORKFORCE IS AROUND DE-ESCALATION AND WALKING AWAY AND MAKING SURE THEY ARE MOVING AWAY FROM THE SITUATION SO EVERYONE STAYS SAFE AS POSSIBLE. IN TOTAL, THERE HAVE BEEN TEMPORARY DISRUPTIONS AT WORK SITES, BUT WORK HAS LARGELY BEEN ABLE TO CONTINUE UNINTERRUPTED. >> YOU MENTIONED COVID. HAVE YOU HAD A LOT OF ISSUES RELATED TO EITHER HAVING SUPPLIES NOT ABLE TO GET THERE ON TIME OR NOT BEING ABLE TO FIND WORKFORCE? >> I THINK THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE WAS AROUND MANAGING A 5000 PERSON WORKFORCE SAFELY. AND HOW THE WORKERS WERE INTERACTING WITH EACH OTHER.
WE HAD SIGNIFICANT COVID PROTOCOLS IN PLACE INCLUDING TESTING ON DAY NUMBER ONE, DAY NUMBER SEVEN, THEN RANDOM TESTING WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING AND MASKING. WE WERE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY KEEP COVID CASES TO A MINIMUM. >> HOW SAFE OR DANGEROUS WOULD IT BE TO MOVE OIL THROUGH WILD RICE SHEDS LIKE AN MINNESOTA? >> OUR EXISTING PIPELINE SYSTEM HAS COEXISTED SAFELY WITH WILD RICE BEDS FOR 70 YEARS. WITH NEW LINE THREE WE ARE ON A DIFFERENT ROUTE. WE GO THROUGH A EXTENSIVE PERMITTING PROCESS WHERE AGENCIES LIKE THE DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL RESOURCES AND OTHERS EVALUATE THE EFFECT OF CONSTRUCTION ALONG THE ROUTE WORK OUT A PLAN OR MITIGATING THOSE EFFECTS. THAT PLAN HAS BEEN FOLLOWED THROUGHOUT CONSTRUCTION.
>> HAS THERE BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATION WITH THE TRIBAL LEADERSHIP TO MAKE SURE THEIR CONCERNS RELATED TO WILD RICE AND OTHER RESOURCES ARE PROTECTED? >> WE HAVE HAD ONGOING CONVERSATIONS WITH ALL OF THE TRIBES THAT ARE HOST TO THE ROUTE. WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH THEM THAT WE WOULD NOT PUT THREE ON THE RESERVATION. ALL OF THAT IS ABOUT HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE LEADERS. THE OTHER INTERESTING THING IS THAT AS PART OF OUR PERMIT CONDITIONS FROM THE STATE, WE HAVE $100 MILLION ECONOMIC COMMITMENT WHICH IS SPENDING WITH TRIBAL BUSINESSES AND CONDUCTING TRIBAL TRAINING.
I AM HAPPY TO SAY WE HAVE EXCEEDED THAT COMMITMENT. WE ARE AT $285 MILLION AND COUNTING. WE HAVE ALSO EMPLOYED MORE THAN 600 PEOPLE -- 600 TRIBAL MEMBERS WHO ARE OUT WORKING AND BUILDING THE PIPELINE. IT HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT EFFORT. DENNY: THE EMPLOYMENT OF THE TRIBAL MEMBERS HAS BEEN IMPORTANT TO THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT? >> YES IT HAS AND WE HAVE HAD A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH AN ORGANIZATION CALLED FIVE SKIES WHERE THEY DO TRAINING. THE UNIONS FOR TRAITS WHO ARE BUILDING THIS PROJECT ARE BUILDING WORKING WITH THE ORGANIZATION'S SO IF SOMEONE WANTS TO COME OUT OF IT A CAREER PATH THEY CAN DO THAT THEN RECEIVE A JOB ON THE PROJECT.
DENNY: THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JULIE: SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE REGION ARE MAKING PREPARATIONS TO WELCOME STUDENTS BACK TO THE CLASSROOM. DESPITE THE RISE OF THE DELTA VARIANT OF COVID-19, GETTING STUDENTS BACK IN THEIR DESKS FULL TIME HAS BEEN A PRIORITY. THIS WEEK, ITASCA COUNTY'S PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT HOSTED A ZOOM CALL TO FIND OUT HOW SCHOOL'S IN THE AREA ARE PREPARING: >> WE ARE GOING TO STRONGLY RECOMMEND MASKS FOR EVERYONE, BUT THEY WILL NOT BE REQUIRED. WE SAY THIS ALWAYS WITH THE CAVEAT THAT THINGS CAN CHANGE BUT THESE PLANS ARE FLUID. IT'S NICE TO GET BACK TO NORMAL SCHOOL ACTIVITIES. THERE GIRLS IN THE GYM PLAYING VOLLEYBALL AND A YEAR AGO, VOLLEYBALL AND FOOTBALL SEASONS WERE NOT HAVING -- HAPPENING, SO WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE THESE THINGS HAPPENING IN THE BUILDING.
>> MINNESOTA SCHOOLS FOUND OUT ON TUESDAY THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IS GOING TO SUPPORT SCHOOLS WITH TESTING. THAT INCLUDES SYMPTOMATIC TESTING IN WAYS THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE. ONE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES IS THROUGH RAPID TESTING. WE ARE STILL LEARNING MORE ABOUT WHAT IS GOING TO BE AVAILABLE TO US. IT LOOKS LIKE THERE MAY BE RAPID TESTS AVAILABLE FOR US TO DO AT SCHOOL WHICH WOULD ENABLE US TO RETURN A KID BACK TO CLASS IN 20 OR 30 MINUTES IF THE TEST IS NEGATIVE.
WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE TYPES OF RAPID TESTS FOR PARENTS. WHERE WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ASCERTAIN THE STUDENT IS POSITIVE, IF THEIR SYMPTOMS ARE RELATED TO COVID OR NOT. WE HAD MANY CASES LAST YEAR WHERE WE HAD STUDENTS COME TO SCHOOL WHO WERE SICK. THAT LED TO SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE FACED. IT IS JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN HAVE. NEED TO WORK TOGETHER AS PARTNERS.
IF STUDENTS ARE SICK, THEY NEED TO STAY HOME. WE'RE GOING TO PROMOTE TESTING SO WE KNOW IF THE SICKNESS OR ILLNESS IS RELATED TO COVID OR SOMETHING ELSE. WE NEED THAT PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS IN ORDER TO KEEP THE KIDS SAFE AND THE SCHOOLS HEALTHY.
>> DELTA IS DIFFERENT AND HOW IT PRESENTS. HEADACHE AND RUNNY NOSE VERSUS THE LOSS OF TASTE AND SMELL AND COUGH. IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW DEVELOPS A HEADACHE, SORE THROAT, OR RUNNY NOSE, CONSIDER BEING TESTED FOR COVID. >> SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFICIALS SAY ALL PLANS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AND NEW INFORMATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL.
THAT'S OUR TIME FOR THIS WEEK, BUT YOU CAN KEEP UP WITH OUR LATEST POSTS BY FOLLOWING ALMANAC NORTH ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. VISIT THE WDSE WEBSITE FOR PROGRAM UPDATES, UPCOMING EVENTS AND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE STATION. AND DOWNLOAD THE PBS VIDEO APP FOR ON- DEMAND VIEWING OF YOUR FAVORITE PBS PROGRAMS AND PAST EPISODES OF ALMANAC NORTH.
DENNY, IT SURE WOULD BE A RELIEF TO SEE SOME RAIN FALL ACROSS THE REGION THIS WEEKEND! >> ANY AMOUNT WOULD BE WELCOMED. >> THANKS TO OUR GUESTS AND THE CREW HERE IN THE STUDIO! WITH DENNIS ANDERSON, I'M JULIE ZENNER, WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME! ♪
2021-08-26 12:14
