JULIE: I'M JULIE ZENNER ALONG WITH DENNIS ANDERSON, HERE'S WHAT'S COMING UP ON ALMANAC NORTH.

DENNY: HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE CONCERNED AS THE DELTA VARIANT HAS COVID CASES IS SPIKING LOCALLY JUST AS STUDENTS RETURN TO THE CLASSROOM.

JULIE: A LECTURE SERIES SPONSORED BY ST. SCHOLASTICA AND UMD WILL ASK THE QUESTION -- IS THE UNITED STATES STILL A WORLD LEADER?

DENNY: AND MARSHALL HELMBERGER FROM THE TIMBERJAY NEWS IN TOWER IS OUR GUEST ON "VOICES OF THE REGION."

JULIE: THOSE STORIES AND MORE, COMING UP ON ALMANAC NORTH.

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

DENNY, THIS MIGHT BE THE BEST WEEKEND OF THE YEAR TO GET OUT AND SEE THE FALL COLORS.

DENNY: THE TREES ARE ABLAZE RIGHT NOW.

JULIE: JUST BEAUTIFUL, BUT STILL ENOUGH GREEN SO THERE IS A NICE CONTRAST.

YOU GET A NICE POP OF RED.

DENNY: THANKS JULIE.

THERE WAS A CHANGE AT THE TOP OF THE ST. LOUIS COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

MARK RUBIN RETIRED THIS WEEK, PASSING THE TORCH TO NEW COUNTY ATTORNEY KIMBERLY MAKI AT A WEDNESDAY SWEARING IN CEREMONY.

RUBIN SPENT MORE THAN 40 YEARS IN THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THE LAST 11 AS THE ELECTED HEAD OF THAT DEPARTMENT.

JULIE: ENBRIDGE ANNOUNCED THAT THE CONTROVERSIAL LINE 3 PIPELINE REPLACEMENT PROJECT IS "SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE" AND PUT THE NEW LINE INTO SERVICE TODAY.

LINE 3 HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF NUMEROUS PROTESTS AND LEGAL ACTION, WITH SOME SUITS STILL PENDING IN COURT.

ENBRIDGE SAYS THE NEW LINE CAN PUMP UP TO 760,000 BARRELS OF OIL A DAY, AND SPENT $4 BILLION BUILDING THE U.S.

SECTION OF THE PIPELINE.

DENNY: ANOTHER PROJECT HAS BEGUN TO CLEAN UP CONTAMINATED SEDIMENT IN THE DULUTH-SUPERIOR HARBOR.

THE MINNESOTA POLLUTION CONTROL AGENCY AND THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY BEGAN WORK ON A $16 MILLION CLEAN UP OF THE POND BEHIND ERIE PIER.

IT'S THE LATEST PROJECT TO CLEAN CONTAMINANTS FROM THE ST. LOUIS RIVER AREA OF CONCERN.

JULIE: AND HUNDREDS OF DIGITAL STORY TELLERS ARRIVED IN DULUTH THIS WEEK TO TAKE PART IN THE CATALYST CONTENT FESTIVAL.

THE FESTIVAL DRAWS PARTICIPANTS FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES AND ABROAD TO SHOWCASE THEIR DIGITAL PROJECTS AND MAKE CONNECTIONS THAT COULD ADVANCE THOSE PROJECTS.

DULUTH IS THE PERMANENT HOME OF THE FESTIVAL AND ITS PARENT ORGANIZATION, THE CATALYST STORY INSTITUTE.

DENNY: WHEN VACCINES BECAME AVAILABLE TO FIGHT THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC LATE LAST YEAR, MANY BELIEVED THE DISEASE WOULD SOON BE UNDER CONTROL.

BUT THE RISE OF THE DELTA VARIANT HAS HOSPITALS ONCE AGAIN FULL OF PEOPLE SICK WITH COVID, AND HEALTH OFFICIALS CONCERNED.

THIS WEEK, THE LEADER OF ST. LOUIS COUNTY'S HEALTH DEPARTMENT RELEASED A PUBLIC LETTER, URGING RESIDENTS TO CONTINUE TO FOLLOW COVID PROTOCOLS SUCH AS MASKING AND SOCIAL DISTANCING TO HELP GET THE PANDEMIC UNDER CONTROL.

JOINING US NOW IS AMY WESTBROOK, ST. LOUIS COUNTY'S PUBLIC HEALTH DIVISION DIRECTOR.

AMY, THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

WHAT IS THE COVID SITUATION LIKE RIGHT NOW IN ST. LOUIS COUNTY?

IS IT STILL GAINING GROUND?

AMY: YES, WE ARE STILL SEEING OUR NUMBERS INCREASE.

WE ARE STILL SEEING HOSPITALIZATIONS INCREASE, SO IT IS CONCERNING RIGHT NOW.

DENNY: ARE MOST OF THE HOSPITALS CLOSE TO BEING FILLED WITH COVID PATIENTS?

AMY: YES, OUR HOSPITALS ARE AT CAPACITY.

THERE IS A LOT OF DIVERTING PATIENTS.

WE ARE SEEING A LOT OF CASES REPORTED AND HOSPITALS FULL, WHICH IS CONCERNING.

JULIE: THERE HAS BEEN A HUGE PUSH TO GET PEOPLE VACCINATED.

HOW EFFECTIVE HAS THAT BEEN AS YOU LOOK AT THE COUNTY?

AMY: IN TOTAL, ABOUT 60% OF OUR POPULATION HAS BEEN VACCINATED OUT OF OUR TOTAL POPULATION.

PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO GET VACCINATED, THAT IS ABOUT 40% -- WELL, 60% OF OUR TOTAL POPULATION AND 69% OF OUR ELIGIBLE POPULATION.

SO WE STILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PEOPLE NOT VACCINATED, AND THAT INCLUDES CHILDREN WHO ARE NOT YET ELIGIBLE TO GET VACCINATED.

DENNY: WHICH BEGS THE QUESTION, HOW EFFECTIVE IS THE COVID VACCINE?

AMY: IT IS VERY EFFECTIVE AT PREVENTING SEVERE ILLNESS AND DEATH.WITH THE DELTA VARIANT, -- AND DEATH.

WITH THE DELTA VARIANT, PEOPLE CAN STILL TRANSMIT THE VIRUS EVEN IF THEY ARE VACCINATED, BUT AGAINST SEVERE HOSPITALIZATION AND DEATH IT IS STILL EFFECTIVE.

IT IS THE BEST STRATEGY WE HAVE, THE BEST TOOL IN OUR TOOLKIT TO PREVENT SEVERE ILLNESS AND TRANSMISSION.

JULIE: YOU MENTIONED THE BREAKTHROUGH CASES ARE THERE AND ARE FAIRLY COMMON.

I HEAR PEOPLE SAYING, WELL, HOW DOES MY VACCINE PROTECT OTHER PEOPLE?

IF I CAN STILL GET COVID, I CAN STILL SPREAD COVID, WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE TO YOU IF I AM VACCINATED?

AMY: IT'S STILL MUCH MORE COMMON TO BE HOSPITALIZED OR NEED HOSPITALIZATION IF YOU ARE UNVACCINATED.

IF YOU ARE VACCINATED, THERE IS STILL PROTECTION PROVIDED BY THE VACCINE, EVEN AGAINST THE DELTA VARIANT.

IT'S MORE LIKELY YOU WOULD NEED HOSPITALIZATION IF YOU ARE UNVACCINATED.

THERE IS STILL A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF PROTECTION YOU RECEIVE FROM THE VACCINE, EVEN WITH THE DELTA VARIANT.

JULIE: ARE YOU LESS LIKELY TO SPREAD COVID IF YOU ARE VACCINATED?

AMY: YOU CAN STILL SPREAD THE DELTA VARIANT IF YOU ARE VACCINATED.

THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT, WHY WE ARE BACK TO MASKING.

WE THOUGHT WE WERE DONE WITH MASKING LATE IN THE SPRING AND THE SUMMER, BUT BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN STILL TRANSMIT THE VIRUS EVEN WITH VACCINATION AND EVEN AS ASYMPTOMATIC, THERE IS STILL A RISK OF SPREADING THE VIRUS.

OUR MASKS ARE IMPORTANT TOOLS RIGHT NOW.

DENNY: WHAT IS THE SITUATION WITH YOUNG CHILDREN?

SHOULD THEY GET VACCINATED, AND AT WHAT AGE?

AMY: THEY CAN START GETTING VACCINATED AT AGE 12.

WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO BE VACCINATED.

IT IS A SAFE VACCINE.

IT IS PROTECTIVE.

WE KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF CHILDREN IN SCHOOL RIGHT NOW WHO ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO GET VACCINATED.

ANYONE WHO CAN GET VACCINATED, WE REALLY ENCOURAGE ANYBODY TO GET VACCINATED.

DENNY: DO YOU SEE THAT AGE COMING DOWN TO FIVE OR SIX?

AMY: IT IS IN THE WORKS RIGHT NOW.

WE ARE HOPING NOT TOO FAR IN THE DISTANT FUTURE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO VACCINATE CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS FIVE YEARS OLD, THEN BEYOND THAT, WE WILL SEE.

WE HAVE A LOT OF KIDS WHO ARE NOT ELIGIBLE YET TO GET THE VACCINE.

JULIE: WHAT ABOUT BOOSTER SHOTS?

ARE YOU STARTING TO SEE PEOPLE COME IN FOR BOOSTERS?

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

WHO SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT THAT AT THIS POINT?

AMY: BOOSTERS ARE AVAILABLE NOW.

PEOPLE SHOULD NOT FEEL THE NEED TO RUSH OUT AND GET THEM.

IT IS TO BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM.

YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM MAY BE WANING A BIT, BUT IT'S NOT LIKE YOU ARE NOT PROTECTED AT ALL FROM THE VIRUS.

SO ANYONE OVER THE AGE OF 65 IS RECOMMENDED FOR A BOOSTER, AND INDIVIDUALS 18+ WHO HAVE UNDERLYING HEALTH CONDITIONS CAN ALSO BE VACCINATED.

JULIE: ARE THERE STILL INCENTIVES AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE TO GET VACCINATED?

I KNOW THEY WERE GIVING OUT $100 GIFT CARDS FOR A WHILE.

[LAUGHTER] IS THAT SOMETHING PEOPLE GET IF THEY GO IN FOR THEIR FIRST SHOT?

AMY: IN ST. LOUIS COUNTY AND STATEWIDE, THERE CURRENTLY AREN'T ANY INCENTIVE PROGRAMS.

THAT COULD CHANGE.

ONE GROUP I DID NOT MENTION THAT IS ELIGIBLE FOR A BOOSTER DOSE IS GROUPS WHO ARE AT RISK BY THE NATURE OF THEIR OCCUPATION.

SO INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE IN CONTACT WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE THROUGH THEIR JOB.

DENNY: AMY, IS IT DANGEROUS TO MIX VACCINES?

SAY YOU GOT PFIZER TO BEGIN WITH BUT YOU WANT ANOTHER ONE AS SOON AS IT IS AVAILABLE AND MODERNA I S AVAILABLE.

IS THAT RECOMMENDED?

AMY: IT IS NOT.

THE FDA AND CDC APPROVE THE VACCINE BASED ON CLINICAL TRIALS.

THEY KNOW THE SAFETY OF HOW IT'S STUDIED IN CLINICAL TRIALS.

THERE HAS NOT BEEN ENOUGH STUDY TO INDICATE THAT VACCINES CAN BE MIXED.

JULIE: WHAT ABOUT TESTING?

IS THAT STILL READILY AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE?

AMY: THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION.

WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF TESTING DEMAND OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.

WE ARE REALLY ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO SEEK OUT COMMUNITY TESTING SITES.

OUR HOSPITAL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS ARE NOT THE APPROPRIATE PLACE TO GET A TEST UNLESS INDIVIDUALS FEEL LIKE THEY NEED MEDICAL CARE.

THE DECK, THE STATE HAS ANNOUNCED THAT THE DECK, A COMMUNITY TESTING SITE, IS EXPANDING THEIR DAYS, WHICH IS GREAT.

WE ARE HOSTING A FEW DAYS A WEEK FREE TESTING SITE IN VIRGINIA.

DENNY: CAN A WOMAN GET A VACCINE IF SHE IS PREGNANT AND MAYBE BREAST-FEEDING?

AMY: YES.

IT IS SAFE FOR PREGNANT WOMEN.

I WOULD ENCOURAGE PREGNANT WOMEN TO TALK TO THEIR DOCTORS AND DISCUSS THAT WITH THEIR PHYSICIAN.

JULIE: STILL A LOT OF MISTRUST, SOME DIRECTED AT POLITICAL OFFICIALS, SOME AT HEALTH OFFICIALS, SOME AT THE MEDIA.

WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THE FOLKS SITTING ON THE SKYLINES -- ON THE SIDELINES WHO ARE SKEPTICAL ABOUT THE VACCINE AND WHETHER THEY SHOULD BE TAKING IT?

AMY: THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION, BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF MISINFORMATION AND SKEPTICISM.

THERE IS EVEN A LOT OF MISINFORMATION ABOUT CLOTH MASKS, WHICH SEEM LIKE A SIMPLE SOLUTION.

SEEK OUT CREDIBLE SOURCES.

ESPECIALLY WITH VACCINE, TALK TO YOUR MEDICAL PROVIDER, A TRUSTED HEALTH PROFESSIONAL, BUT THERE IS A LOT OF MISINFORMATION.

BUT GOOD INFORMATION TOO.

DENNY: IF A PERSON HAS OR HAD COVID, SHOULD THEY STILL GET VACCINATED?

AMY: YES.

WE STILL RECOMMEND VACCINATION EVEN IF PEOPLE WERE DIAGNOSED WITH COVID OR THINK THEY HAD COVID.

IT IS AN IMPORTANT MEASURE TO GET VACCINATED.

DENNY: THE ST. LOUIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH DIVISION DIRECTOR, THANKS FOR BEING WITH US.

AMY: THANK YOU.

♪ 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, TIMBERJAY NEWS PUBLISHER MARSHALL HELMBERGER OF TOWER IS OUR GUEST.

♪ >> WE COVERED THAT AREA FOR THE MOST PART NORTH OF THE RANGE.

THERE ARE NOT TOO MANY CITIES UP HERE.

THEY ARE PRETTY SMALL.

THEY ALL SAW DECLINES AGAIN IN THIS LATEST DECADE.

JUST A FEW EXAMPLES, TOWER DROPPED FROM 500 RESIDENTS IN 2010 TO 430 IN THE MOST RECENT CENSUS.

THAT IS A 14% DECLINE.

OR, THE SMALLEST CITY THAT WE COVER, THEY SAW A 25% SLIDE IN THEIR POPULATION, FROM 280 RESIDENTS TO JUST 211.

COOK DROPPING 7% FROM A POPULATION OF 574 10 YEARS AGO TO 534 TODAY.

ELY SAW ABOUT A 5.5% DECLINE.

THEIR POPULATION IN 2010 WAS 3 460.

NOW THEIR SIGN WILL HAVE TO CHANGE TO READ 3268.

THERE ARE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ACCURACY OF THESE NUMBERS.

THERE IS REASON TO BELIEVE SOME OF THE ANTIGOVERNMENT SUSPICIONS AND ATTITUDES MAY HAVE IMPACTED THE RESULTS IN SOME PARTS OF OUR REGION.

THE CENSUS REPORTED JUST OVER A QUARTER OF THE HOUSES IN TOWER ARE VACANT, WHICH WOULD COME AS A SURPRISE TO MOST FOLKS THAT LIVE HERE.

I HAVE BEEN WALKING THROUGH THE STREETS AND I CAN'T FIND THAT MANY VACANT HOUSES.

THESE ARE THE NUMBERS WE HAVE TO LIVE WITH.

THEY WILL AFFECT FUNDING FOR COMMUNITIES, THE MAKEUP OF OUR LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS.

WE DIDN'T LOSE A CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT THIS YEAR BY JUST 26 PEOPLE.

THAT IS HUGE.

IT IS A LITTLE BIT SCARY THINKING ABOUT NEXT TIME, IF SOME OF THESE TRENDS CONTINUE.

♪ WE LOOKED AT SOME OF THE LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS IN OUR AREA.

THEY ALL LOST GROUND TO THE METRO.

AS OF 2010, EACH OF THE STATE'S 67 SENATE DISTRICTS WERE SUPPOSED INCLUDE AROUND 79,000 RESIDENT.

NOW GIVEN THE STATE'S 400,000 INCREASE IN THE OVERALL POPULATION, THE SENATE DISTRICT NOW WILL NEED ABOUT 85,000 RESIDENTS.

WITH MOST OF OUR SENATE DISTRICTS, IF ANYTHING, LOSING NUMBERS, THEY WILL NEED TO EXPAND GEOGRAPHICALLY TO GET THERE.

THE PROBLEM IS ALL OF THEIR NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS WILL NEED TO EXPAND GEOGRAPHICALLY AS WELL TO GET THEIR NUMBERS.

THERE WILL POTENTIALLY BE SOME SIGNIFICANT REALIGNMENTS IN THE LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS UP HERE.

THERE WILL PROBABLY BE AT LEAST FOUR NEW METRO AREA LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS.

THOSE WOULD BE SENATE DISTRICTS.

CLEARLY IN THE 2022 -- AFTER THE 2022 ELECTION, THERE WILL BE MORE REPRESENTATION FROM THE METRO AND FEWER SENATORS AND HOUSE MEMBERS FROM GREATER MINNESOTA.

♪ PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO AFTER HOURS EMERGENCY CARE, THERE ARE A FAIR NUMBER OF THAT CLINICS -- VET CLINICS.

ONE IN ELY IS A WELL STAFFED CLINIC.

THEY HAVE FIVE FULL-TIME VETS THERE.

THERE IS ONE IN COOK AND ONE IN VIRGINIA.

OTHER THAN THAT, IT IS RELATIVELY SHORT UP HERE.

THE PROBLEM IS THERE IS NOT A LOT OF AFTER-HOURS CARE AVAILABLE.

RIGHT NOW THE ELY CLINIC IS THE ONLY ONE DOING REGULAR AFTER-HOURS EMERGENCY CARE.

THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY INUNDATED.

IF IT'S NOT AVAILABLE ELSEWHERE, PEOPLE ARE DRIVING.

THEY ARE GETTING PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER NORTHERN MINNESOTA.

I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT.

I AM A PET OWNER MYSELF AND UNDERSTAND PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DRIVE.

THE PROBLEM IS THE ELY VET CLINIC IS INUNDATED.

EVEN WITH FIVE FULL-TIME VETS, THEY SAY THEY CAN DEAL WITH IT ANYMORE.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME BALANCE IN YOUR LIFE AND WORK.

THEY SAY IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE GIVEN THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS THEY ARE HAVING TO SEE ON A WEEKLY BASIS AFTER-HOURS.

REMEMBER, THIS IS ALREADY AFTER THEY PUT IN THEIR REGULAR TIME, THEY HAVE TO DO THIS ADDITIONAL WORK.

IT TAKES UP WEEKENDS.

VETS IN GENERAL ARE VERY COMMITTED.

THEY IN MOST CASES -- THEY LOVE ANIMALS AND HATE TO SEE THEM SUFFER.

AT SOME POINT, YOU HAVE TO SAY ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

IF ELY CAN'T DO IT -- AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T HAVE PEOPLE ON STAFF OR ON CALL, THE ONLY OTHER CLINIC IN THE AREA THAT REGULARLY WILL PROVIDE AFTER-HOURS CARE ARE DOWN INTO LIVE.

-- DOWN IN DULUTH.

THEY ARE NOT ALWAYS AVAILABLE EITHER.

THAT MEANS THE NEXT STOP IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR EMERGENCY CARE IS MINNEAPOLIS.

♪ DENNY: IS THE UNITED STATES STILL CONSIDERED A WORLD LEADER IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY?

THAT QUESTION WILL BE EXPLORED IN A SERIES OF LECTURES SPONSORED BY THE COLLEGE OF ST. SCHOLASTICA AND THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA-DULUTH.

THE ALWORTH INSTITUTE AT UMD AND THE ALWORTH CENTER AT CSS ARE COLLABORATING ON THIS YEAR-LONG SERIES.

HERE TO TELL US MORE IS TOM MORGAN, DIRECTOR OF THE ALWORTH CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF PEACE AND JUSTICE AT CSS.

AND CINDY CHRISTIAN IS THE INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES AT UMD.

THANKS TO BOTH OF YOU FOR BEING HERE.

HOW IS THE UNITED STATES VIEWED BY THE REST OF THE WORLD?

ARE WE IN GOOD STANDING?

TOM: THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE.

[LAUGHTER] DENNY: I WANT TO GET TO THE NITTY-GRITTY.

TOM: IT IS ALL OVER THE MAP, I THINK.

THAT REALLY ISN'T THE QUESTION THAT THIS SERIES IS ADDRESSING NECESSARILY.

THE QUESTION -- WHAT I HOPE THIS SERIES IS ADDRESSING IS HOW DO AMERICANS UNDERSTAND THEIR PLACE IN THE WORLD?

IN OTHER WORDS, SOME YEARS AGO, I THINK 9098 TOWARD THE END OF THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION -- 1998 TOWARDS THE END OF THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION, MADELEINE ALBRIGHT SAID THE UNITED STATES IS THE INDISPENSABLE NATION, POWERFUL ECONOMY, POWERFUL MILITARY, WE ARE EVERYWHERE.

WELL, ARE WE?

ARE WE REALLY THE INDISPENSABLE NATION?

PERHAPS WE WERE AT THE COLLAPSE OF THE SOVIET UNION IN THE EARLY DAYS OF A UNIPOLAR WORLD, BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT WE ARE ANYMORE, OR EVEN SHOULD BE NECESSARILY.

DENNY: DO WE PUT OUR NOSE WHERE IT DOES NOT BELONG SOMETIMES?

TOM: MAYBE.

THE REAL QUESTION THAT INTERESTS ME -- YOU ARE PROBING IN THAT AREA WHICH IS A LEGITIMATE TOPIC, BUT THE REAL QUESTION I FIND INTERESTING IS ARE WE AMERICANS -- WE ARE 4% OF THE WORLD'S POPULATION.

WE SEE THE WORLD IN A CERTAIN WAY, AS MADELEINE ALBRIGHT TAUGHT US, WE ARE THE INDISPENSABLE NATION.

96% OF THE REST OF THE WORLD, MANY OF THEM DON'T LOOK LIKE US, DON'T THINK LIKE US, HAVE DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW.

I'M NOT SURE, THESE DAYS IN PARTICULAR, THAT AMERICANS ARE SEEING IT FROM THE OTHER POINT OF VIEW.

I'M NOT SAYING WE SHOULD DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT, BUT AT LEAST UNDERSTAND HOW OTHER PEOPLE SEE US.

THEN I CAN GET THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION.

JULIE: CINDY, WHY IS IT IMPORTANT IN TODAY'S WORLD FOR AMERICANS IN GENERAL TO REALLY LOOK AND THINK BEYOND OUR BORDERS?

CINDY: PART OF THAT IS GETTING BACK TO THE QUESTION OF WHERE WE ARE IN THE WORLD.

I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT U.S. EXCEPTIONALISM AND THE NOTION OF OURSELVES BEING THIS NATION THAT IS THERE FOR EVERYONE.

I THINK PEOPLE ACROSS THE WORLD ARE STARTING TO QUESTION THAT.

THE U.S.

SORT OF STEPPED BACK A BIT FROM LEADERSHIP WITH THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.

IT HAS NOT REALLY CHANGED YET IN A WAY.

WE ARE IN A UNILATERAL POSITION IN A WORLD THAT MAY NOT BE UNILATERAL, MAY NOT HAVE THE PROPENSITY FOR THAT.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT GOES ON IN OTHER NATIONS, WHAT THEIR GOVERNMENT'S AMBITIONS ARE, HOW PEOPLE SEE THEIR PLACE IN THE WORLD, AND HOW WE ARE CONNECTED.

UNLESS WE UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SOLVE THOSE ISSUES LIKE CLIMATE CHANGE, IMMIGRATION, COVID.

THE NEED FOR COOPERATION IS THERE, BUT YOU HAVE COUNTRIES THAT COMPETE.

IT IS UP TO US AS INDIVIDUALS TO START TO UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER.

JULIE: IS THE PERCEPTION OF U.S. EXCEPTIONALISM CHANGING ON CAMPUSES, LIKE THE ONES WE HAVE HERE IN TOWN?

TOM: IF IT IS, I DON'T SEE IT, BUT MAYBE IT IS.

I WOULD DIFFER TO CINDY -- DEFER TO CINDY, BECAUSE SHE COMES FROM A BIGGER CAMPUS.

TOM: [LAUGHTER] LUCKY ME.

I SEE A DESIRE FROM YOUNGER PEOPLE TO BE OPEN TO DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY.

I THINK THERE IS STILL A STRONG PORTION OF THE POPULATION, THIS IS THE UNITED STATES AND OUR DEMOCRACY IS A MODEL FOR THE WORLD.

THERE ARE SOME POSITIVE THINGS THERE.

THE STUDENTS I HAVE ARE MORE OPEN TO DIFFERENT POSSIBILITIES, PARTIALLY BECAUSE THEY SEE SOME INEQUALITY IN OUR COUNTRY, THEY SEE CHANCES OF BUILDING THEIR LIVES CHANGING.

I THINK THEY HAVE THAT INTEREST IN LOOKING OUT WHILE STILL BEING PROUD OF WHAT THEY CAN BE WITHIN THE U.S. DENNY: WHAT CAN PEOPLE EXPECT TO LEARN WHO ATTEND THE PEACE AND JUSTICE SERIES?

TOM: I HOPE THEY CAN LEARN A VARIETY OF POINTS OF VIEW.

THE FIRST ONE WILL BE ABOUT RUSSIA, BUT THIS WHOLE SERIES IS NOT EXCLUSIVELY ABOUT RUSSIA, BUT HOW THE WORLD LOOKS THROUGH RUSSIAN EYES, HOW THEY SEE THE WORLD.

IN THE CASE OF RUSSIA, EXPLAINING THE PUTIN PHENOMENON, TO WHAT EXTENT WE CONTRIBUTE TO THE RISE OF PUTIN, AND HOW THEY UNDERSTAND THE WORLD.

WE ARE GOING AROUND THE GLOBE.

CINDY AND I DIVIDED UP THE WORLD AMONG US.

[LAUGHTER] I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW THE WORLD LOOKS THROUGH BRAZILIAN EYES OR RUSSIAN EYES, YOU NAME IT.

JULIE: HOW DID YOU GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS, OF DIVIDING UP THE WORLD AND DECIDING WHAT THOSE TOPICS WERE THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IN A SERIES LIKE THIS?

TOM: THAT IS REALLY HARD.

FIRST OF ALL, I KIND OF CAME UP WITH THIS IDEA MORE THAN A YEAR AND A HALF AGO AND REALIZED IT WAS TOO BIG OF AN IDEA FOR ONE SERIES OF LECTURES.

UMD, WE NEEDED REINFORCEMENTS.

AND STILL WE'VE ONLY GOT A LECTURES.

THAT IS NOT ENOUGH.

-- EIGHT LECTURES.

WE LOOKED, FRANKLY, AT THE MAJOR CENTERS OF POWER AND THE MAJOR REGIONS AND TRIED TO BOIL THAT DOWN INTO SEVEN LECTURES.

THE EIGHTH ONE WILL BE ABOUT THE AMERICAN RESPONSE TO THIS.

DENNY: HOW DO PEOPLE PLUG IN TO ATTENDING THE SERIES?

TOM: I WILL SPEAK FOR SCHOLASTICA AND LET CHINDY TALK ABOUT -- CINDY TALK ABOUT UMD.

FOR SCHOLASTICA, THE LECTURES WILL BE HELD AT THE METRO AUDITORIUM AT ST. SCHOLASTICA.

NO CHARGE, BUT WEAR YOUR MASK.

THE FIRST PERSON THAT WILL SPEAK IS AN AUTHORITY ON RUSSIA AND FOREIGN POLICY ADVISOR TO NATO.

SHE IS STAYING IN WASHINGTON DC BECAUSE OF COVID, SO SHE WILL BE ON A BIG SCREEN.

WE CAN COMMUNICATE WITH HER, OR YOU CAN SIGN ON TO ZOOM.

WE ARE PLAYING EACH ONE AS IT GOES.

I THINK THE NEXT ONE AT SCHOLASTICA WILL BE IN THE AUDITORIUM, BUT ZOOMING AS WELL.

CINDY: WE ARE PLANNING HAVING THESE IN PERSON.

THE FIRST IS OCTOBER 21, WHICH IS ABOUT CHINA.

THAT WILL BE IN THE MUSIC HALL.

WE WILL ALSO BE LIVE STREAMING IT.

THE OTHERS, NOT SURE IF THEY WILL BE IN THAT EXACT LOCATION.

IT MAY BE IN THE BALLROOM AT UMD.

WE WILL EITHER DO ZOOM OR SOME LIVESTREAM.

DENNY: SOUNDS LIKE AN EXCITING SERIES.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.

JULIE: OUR TIME IS UP THIS WEEK, BUT YOU CAN KEEP UP WITH OUR LATEST POSTS BY FOLLOWING ALMANAC NORTH ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.

VISIT THE WDSE WEBSITE FOR THE LATEST PROGRAM UPDATES AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE STATION.

AND DOWNLOAD THE PBS VIDEO APP FOR ON-DEMAND VIEWING OF YOUR FAVORITE PBS PROGRAMS, INCLUDING EPISODES OF ALMANAC NORTH.

DENNY, IT'S APPLE FEST WEEKEND IN BAYFIELD, ALWAYS A GOOD TIME AND THE WEATHER LOOKS GREAT.

DENNY: THIS IS A GOOD TIME OF YEAR TO GET OUT THERE, SO MANY EVENTS GOING ON.

BAYFIELD IS A LOT OF FUN.

JULIE: THANKS TO OUR GUESTS AND THE CREW HERE IN THE STUDIO.

WITH DENNIS ANDERSON, I'M JULIE ZENNER.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

♪