JULIE: I'M JULIE ZENNER, HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL SEE NEXT ON ALMANAC NORTH!

THE MIDWEST CLIMATE RESILIENCE CONFERENCE NEXT WEEK WILL HIGHLIGHT CLIMATE IMPACTS IN OUR REGION AND HOW CITIES ARE ADAPTING.

AS VIOLENCE CONTINUES IN ISRAEL, WE'LL TALK WITH AN EXPERT ON DIPLOMACY AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS TO BRING SOME PERSPECTIVE ON THE CONFLICT.

AND DULUTH'S RENOVATED LINCOLN PARK RE-OPENED THIS WEEK WITH A CEREMONY THAT HONORED LATE CITY COUNCILOR RENEE VAN NETT.

THOSE STORIES AND VOICES OF THE REGION, COMING UP NEXT ON ALMANAC NORTH!

HELLO AND WELCOME TO ALMANAC NORTH, THANKS FOR WATCHING.

FIRST, A QUICK UPDATE FOR MANY OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN WONDERING ABOUT THE ABSENCE OF DENNIS ANDERSON.

DENNY HAS BEEN BATTLING A PAINFUL NERVE PROBLEM THAT REQUIRED SURGERY.

BUT HE'S ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY AND PLANS TO BE BACK ON THE SHOW NEXT WEEK.

WE CAN'T WAIT TO HAVE YOU BACK DENNY!

YOUR OF HEADLINES.

MINNESOTA GOVERNOR TIM WALZ APPOINTED STEVE HANKEY AS THE NEW DISTRICT COURT JUDGE IN THE SIXTH DISTRICT, REPLACING RETIRED JUSTICE MIKE CUZZO.

HANKEY WILL BE CHAMBERED IN TWO HARBORS AND GRAND MARAIS, HANDLING CASES IN LAKE AND COOK COUNTY.

HE IS CURRENTLY AN ATTORNEY FOR THE CITY OF DULUTH, WHERE HE HANDLES CIVIL AND CRIMINAL CASES.

WISCONSIN GOVERNOR TONY EVERS THIS WEEK APPOINTED BLAKE GROSS TO BE THE ASHLAND COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY.

THE POSITION WAS VACANT DUE TO THE RESIGNATION OF FORMER DA DAVID MEANY.

GROSS'S ROOTS RUN DEEP IN ASHLAND, WHERE HE HAS A LAW PRACTICE AND IS A FORMER TRUSTEE WITH NORTHLAND COLLEGE.

AND TWO CLIMATE CONFERENCES WILL BE HELD BACK-TO-BACK NEXT WEEK IN DULUTH.

UMD'S “INSTITUTE ON THE ENVIRONMENT ” AND ITS “OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY ” ARE HOSTING THE “OUR CLIMATE FUTURES ” CONFERENCE NEXT MONDAY AND TUESDAY.

THAT CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD AT UMD'S KIRBY STUDENT CENTER AND IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

STARTING WEDNESDAY AT THE DECC, THE 3-DAY “MIDWEST CLIMATE RESILIENCE CONFERENCE ” WILL FOCUS ON KEY CLIMATE ISSUES IN THE REGION.

THE CONFERENCE BRINGS TOGETHER COMMUNITY AND TRIBAL LEADERS, SCIENTISTS AND MANY OTHER GROUPS TO DISCUSS CLIMATE CONCERNS.

HERE WITH MORE IS DR. NATHAN “NATE ” MEYER, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA CLIMATE ADAPTATION PARTNERSHIP.

AND MINDY GRANLEY IS THE SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF DULUTH.

WELCOME, THANKS TO BOTH OF YOU FOR BEING HERE.

NATE, LET'S START WITH YOU, CLIMATE RESILIENCE IS A TERM THAT MAY BE A LOT OF OUR VIEWERS HAVE NOT HEARD OR AR NOT -- ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH.

NATE: THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.

THE CLIMATE IS CHANGING IN MINNESOTA AND ALL OVER THE WORLD.

THERE ARE TWO WAYS WE NEED TO WORK ON DEALING WITH THAT PROBLEM.

ONE IS TO TRY TO REDUCE THE EMISSIONS OF THE KINDS OF GASES, GREENHOUSE GASES THAT CAUSE CLIMATE CHANGE SO WE CAN TRY TO LIMIT CLIMATE CHANGE.

THE OTHER IS PREPARING FOR THE CLIMATE CHANGE WE ARE ALREADY COMMITTED TO.

THAT IS WHAT CLIMATE RESILIENCE COMES DOWN TO.

IT IS ABOUT PLANNING AND BEING PREPARED NOW IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY MANAGE AND CONTINUE TO THRIVE AS OUR CLIMATE CHANGES.

JULIE: MINDY, YOU HAVE BEEN ON THE FRONT LINES OF THIS FOR THE PAST -- WELL A NUMBER OF YEARS.

WHAT ARE SOME TANGIBLE MEASURES BEING TAKEN IN DULUTH, AND MAYBE OTHER PARTS OF THE REGION TO ADAPT TO CLIMATE CHANGE, THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE MODELED IN OTHER COMMUNITIES?

MINDY: ONE OF THE THINGS THE CITIES -- CITY HAS TO WORRY ABOUT IS CHANGES IN OUR PRECIPITATION MATTERS, PLANNING FOR MORE PRECIPITATION EVENTS, MORE EXTREME RAIN EVENTS AND EVEN COASTAL STORMS.

A LOT OF THE PREPARATIONS WE CAN MAKE TO ADAPT TO THAT IS TO UP OUR INFRASTRUCTURE -- BEEF UP OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND ALSO ENCOURAGE BEST PRACTICES FOR OUR STORMWATER RUNOFF.

JULIE: ANY SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OF THINGS YOU CAN DO?

MINDY: ONE EXAMPLE THAT IS VISIBLE AND OFTEN TIMES PEOPLE TALK ABOUT IS THE LAKE ROCK IN DULUTH, AND HOW WE BUILD THAT TO HANDLE BIGGER STORMS IN THE FUTURE TO MAKE SURE WE CAN KEEP THAT AS A COMMUNITY ASSET.

JULIE: ARE THERE THINGS -- EITHER NATURALLY OR BECAUSE OF ACTIVE RESOLVE THAT MAKE OUR AREA MORE CLIMATE RESILIENT THAN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY?

MINDY: DULUTH IS LUCKY THAT WE WILL AVOID THE WORST OF CLIMATE CHANGE, AND WHAT WE CAN BRING.

WE WILL NOT HAVE HURRICANES OR RISING SEA LEVEL.

THE IMPACTS WE WILL DEAL WITH OUR WARMING WINTERS, LOSING SOME OF OUR WINTERS, MORE PRECIPITATION STORMS ALONG THE COAST.

EVEN AIR QUALITY FROM WILDFIRES, THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WILL HAVE TO ADOPT TO.

WE ARE LUCKY TO AVOID THE WORST OF IT.

WE ARE ALREADY SEEING CLIMATE IMPACTS.

NATE: I WANT TO ADD THAT, PREPARING AND PLANNING FOR CLIMATE CHANGE REQUIRES EVERYONE TO BE AT THE TABLE.

IT IS AN ALL HANDS ON DECK APPROACH.

I APPRECIATE THAT DULUTH HAS BEEN A MODEL FOR THE COUNTRY IN TERMS OF HAVING PEOPLE LIKE MINDY WORKING TO INTERCONNECT GOVERNMENT AND BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER.

WE HAVE CITIZENS CLIMATE ACTION PLAN IN DULUTH.

SO PEOPLE ARE REALLY ENGAGED IN THINKING ABOUT IT AND STAYING AHEAD OF THE GAME.

THAT IS WHAT THE MIDWEST CLIMATE RESILIENCE CONFERENCE IS ALL ABOUT, BRINGING TOGETHER PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE MIDWEST, AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND FROM THE WHITE HOUSE, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO CITY LEADERS LIKE MINDY TO REALLY TALK ABOUT CONNECT AND START TO WORK COLLECTIVELY IN PREPARING FOR THE CLIMATE CHANGE.

JULIE: WERE YOU SURPRISED AT THE RESPONSE TO THIS.

I UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR NUMBERS ARE BEYOND WHAT YOU EXPECT IT?

NATE: WE ARE SURPRISED BUT INCREDIBLY PLEASED IN AN EXCITED WAY.

WE WILL BURST THE DECK.

THE HARVARD SIDE BALLROOM NEXT WEEK.

WE HAD BEEN, BASED ON PAST CONFERENCES THAT WE HAVE DONE, PLANNING ON AROUND 250, TO 275 ATTENDEES.

FOR OUR EARLYBIRD DEADLINE, WE WERE ALREADY REACHING OUR MAXIMUM.

WE WILL HAVE OVER 400 PEOPLE WILL FROM ACROSS THE MIDWEST, AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY COMING TOGETHER.

WE'RE JUST REALLY PLEASED TO HAVE EVERYONE EXCITED TO COME JOIN US IN DULUTH FOR THIS.

MINDY: LOTS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OF PEOPLE TOO.

I GET TO TALK TO PEOPLE WHO DO MY JOB IN OTHER CITIES.

PRACTITIONERS.

THE PRIVATE SECTOR WILL BE THERE.

IT IS EXCITING TO HAVE DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND ALL THEIR ROLES WORKING TOGETHER ON CLIMATE.

NO ONE PERSON CAN DO IT ALONE.

JULIE: ARE THERE SPECIFIC SESSIONS AT THE CONFERENCE THAT YOU ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT MIGHT MAYBE GENERATE SOME NEWS?

NATE: THERE ARE A LOT OF GREAT SESSIONS WE WILL HAVE A RANGE OF THINGS HAPPENING FROM TRAINING, PEOPLE IN MINNESOTA TO USE OUR LATEST FUTURE CLIMATE PROJECTIONS.

ANYONE IN MINNESOTA WILL BEGIN TO LEARN TO USE VERY LOCALIZED COMMUNITY LEVEL, DATA TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE FUTURE CLIMATE HAS IN STORE FOR THEM.

WE HAVE PRESENTATIONS ON WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND HOW THAT CAN BE A PART OF BUILDING CLIMATE RESILIENCE.

WE HAVE A GREAT PANEL, ON MONDAY THAT WE WILL BRING TOGETHER, PEOPLE FROM CHAIRMAN DEPUE, FROM LAKE SUPERIOR CHIPPEWA, TO SOMEONE FROM THE WHITE HOUSE, BEATRICE WILL BE HERE FROM THE CITY OF TOLEDO.

ALL TALKING ABOUT HOW THEY INTERACT TO TACKLE CLIMATE RESILIENCE.

THERE WILL BE REALLY GREAT SESSIONS.

THURSDAY, SORRY.

JULIE: ANY THAT YOU ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT?

MINDY: PARTICIPATING ON A PANEL OF A LOT OF PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT CLIMATE SMART SURFACES, HOW WE CAN USE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, SOLAR PANELS, GREEN ROOFS, LOW CARBON CONCRETE, ALL THE DIFFERENT MATERIALS, AND THINGS THAT CITIES CAN TRY AND USE IN THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE AND BUILDINGS, TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

JULIE: THE GROUP HAS BEEN AGGRESSIVE WITH THAT, HELPING THEM NAVIGATE.

MINDY: WE WILL HAVE SOLID EXAMPLES TO SHARE ON THAT.

YOU WILL BE TALKING ABOUT ONE OF THOSE LATER ON IN YOUR SHOW TODAY IN LINKIN PARK.

JULIE: WHAT DO THE MOST CURRENT CLIMATE MODELS PREDICT FOR THE LAKE SUPERIOR REGION?

NATE: AS MINDY SAID, WARMER AND WETTER WITH SWINGS TO EXTREMES.

SO, WE ANTICIPATE THINGS WILL BE DIFFERENT IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS BUT GENERALLY,, WARMER WINTERS ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT,,, PRECIPITATION THIS SUMMER THAT CAN BE EXTREME, LIKE WE EXPERIENCED A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WITH A LOT OF RAINFALL AND THEY DOWN BURST, WITH DROUGHT IN BETWEEN.

SO, WARMER, WETTER GENERALLY BUT ALSO WITH MORE EXTREME SWINGS FROM WHAT, TO DRY, COLD TO HOT.

JULIE: DULUTH HAS RECEIVED SOME NATIONAL ATTENTION FOR BEING, SOMEWHAT CLIMATE PROOF.

IT SOUNDS LIKE IT IS NOT REALLY.

THERE WILL BE SOME EFFECTS?

MINDY: WE ARE ALREADY SEEING THOSE.

WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, AND HOW WE POWER OUR STREETS, AND RECORD SNOWY WINTERS.

WE ARE ALREADY SEEING THE IMPACT OF THAT.

WE ARE STARTING TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN USE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, HOW WE CAN UPSIZE OUR STORMWATER CONTROLS TO HANDLE THAT.

HOW WE MAKE SURE OUR WATER PLANT IS RESILIENT TO POWER OUTAGES FROM BIGGER STORMS OR WIND STORMS?

THOSE ARE THE THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON TO ADAPT AND GET READY.

JULIE: IS THERE EVEN A NEED TO THINK ABOUT HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE POTENTIAL INFLUX OF PEOPLE?

I'VE HEARD THEM CALL THE CLIMATE-GRINTS WHO MIGHT COME HERE BECAUSE THERE IS A CHANGE WHERE THE CLIMATE CHANGE IS NOT A SEVERE.

NATE: WE HAVE COLLEAGUES AT UMD WERE WORKING ON EVEN UNDERSTANDING THAT PROBLEM.

PART OF WHAT THEY LEARNED IS THAT THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF ATTENTION PAID TO THEM ON THE COASTS, WHERE THINGS LIKE RISING SEA LEVELS MAY CAUSE PEOPLE TO MOVE.

BUT WE DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE MIDWEST WHERE PEOPLE MAY BE MOVING.

EVEN UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM IN GETTING OUR HANDS ON HOW TO TACKLE IT IS AN ISSUE.

MINDY: AS FAR AS THE CITY GOES EVERYTHING WE ARE DOING TO MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE WILL HELP IF MORE PEOPLE MOVE HERE.

WE KNOW WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE ALREADY HERE.

LOOKING FORWARD EVERYTHING WE CAN DO TO ADAPT TO THE NEW CLIMATE WILL HELP US IN THE FUTURE.

JULIE: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

NATE: THANKS VERY MUCH.

JULIE: IT'S TIME NOW FOR VOICES OF THE REGION, WHEN WE HEAR FROM AN AREA JOURNALIST ABOUT STORIES MAKING NEWS.

OUR GUEST THIS WEEK IS AARON BROWN, AN AUTHOR, COLUMNIST AND COLLEGE INSTRUCTOR FROM RURAL ITASCA COUNTY.

>> ONE OF THE BIG STORIES IS THE RECENT APPROVAL OF $10 MILLION LOAN FROM THE REHABILITATION BOARD AGENCY TO A NEW COMPANY OR COMPANY CALLED HIGHWAY 35.

AND AS INTO SCRIPT AS THAT SOUNDS WHAT THEY DO IS THEY MAKE MARIJUANA, SPECIFICALLY COMMERCIAL GRADE CANNABIS.

THE PROPOSAL THAT THIS COMPANY HAS MADE WOULD INVOLVE, OCCUPYING FORMER GAINS WORTH PLANT IN GRAND RAPIDS WHICH IS THE TIMBER OF A WOOD PRODUCTS PLANT, AND WOULD INVOLVE NOW MAKING MARIJUANA PRODUCTS THERE IN THAT FACILITY.

THE COMPANY CLAIMS IT WILL CREATE 400 JOBS WHICH IS A LARGE NUMBER.

AND WOULD BEGIN PRODUCTION AS SOON WHEN HE FIVE, IF THE STATE PERMITS COME THROUGH.

STATE PERMITTING ON CANNABIS IS GOING THROUGH ITS FIRST RUN, SINCE THE LEGALIZATION BILL PASSED THIS YEAR.

SO, THAT IS AN EXCITING INTERESTING ITEM ON THE DOCKET OF IRON RANGE DIVERSIFICATION.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS WHAT EVERYONE HAD IN MIND BUT IT IS A TREND, WITH CANNABIS BEING A MAJOR PRODUCT.

ONE OF THE ARGUMENTS FOR THE BILL WAS THE IDEA THAT, YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO TAX CANNABIS, AND CREATE LEGITIMATE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY.

THAT IS WHAT THIS PROPOSAL WILL DO.

THE PLAN DOES NOT HAVE UNIVERSAL OR.

THE TRIPLE RB MEETING, WHICH IS MOSTLY STATE LAWMAKERS ELECTED FROM THE IRON RANGE, INCLUDED A ROBUST DISCUSSION AND ULTIMATELY A DIVIDED VOTE.

THEY WERE RECOMMENDING THE PROJECT.

THREE REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS, SENATORS EICHORN AND FARNSWORTH, REPRESENTATIVE DAVIS ALL VOTED AGAINST THE PLAN.

WE ALWAYS HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT CHINA IS DOING.

I READ WITH INTEREST THIS WEEK IS THAT CHINA IS EXPORTING STEEL AT A RATE THAT HAS NOT BEEN SEEN SINCE 2016.

THAT IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE GOING BACK THAT FAR YOU CAN LOOK AT SOME EVIDENCE OF THE EXPORTS AFFECTING THE ECONOMY IN THE STEEL INDUSTRY AROUND THE WORLD.

THE EU, THE EUROPEAN UNION ARE ENGAGED IN NEGOTIATIONS RIGHT NOW TO PERMANENTLY AND TARIFFS THAT WERE ENACTED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP IN LATE 2016 THAT WAS SUSPENDED LATER.

IF THE EU AND THE UNITED STATES TEAM UP TO IMPOSE TARIFFS ON CHINA, THAT WOULD SUGGEST THAT THOSE TWO POWERS ARE GOING AT THE GLOBAL STEEL INDUSTRY TOGETHER WITH A MIND TOWARDS PROTECTING THEMSELVES AGAINST CHEAPER CHINESE STEEL.

>> IF YOU ARE A DEER HUNTER, MANY OF US RECEIVED ONE OF THESE, A POSTCARD FROM THE MINNESOTA ARTMAN OF NATURAL RESOURCES INFORMING US THAT THE AREA WHERE WE HUNT IS ART OF A STUDY FOR CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE.

WHAT THIS MEANS IS PEOPLE IN THESE CERTAIN ZONES WILL HAVE TO BRING, IF THEY KILL A DEER ON THE FIRST WEEKEND WILL HAVE TO BRING THAT DEER TO A TESTING SITE.

THIS IS ALL PART OF AN EFFORT TO LIMIT THE SPREAD OF CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE, WHICH IS A HORRIBLE DISEASE THAT CAN KILL A VAST AMOUNT OF DEER INFECTED HERDS AND IMPACTED ECOLOGY OF THE WOODS.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO HOLD IN PLACE, THE MOST RECENT POSITIVE TEST CAME OUT OF THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS WHICH HAS ITS OWN DEAR.

GRAND RAPIDS AREA IS A BIG PART OF THE EPICENTER WHERE THEY ARE TESTING FOR CHRONIC WASTE DISEASE.

IT IS SOMETHING THAT WILL HELP THE DEER HERD IN THE LONG RUN.

IT HAS BEEN A BIG ART OF DEBATE, THE CLASSIC ARGUMENT OVER HOW MANY LOAVES SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO BE AROUND AND WHETHER WOLVES AND OTHER FACTORS ARE DRIVING LOWER HARVESTING NUMBERS FOR DEAR.

THERE IS A MULTITUDE OF FACTORS AND NATURALISTS .2 AS TO WHY THE DEER HERD HAS BEEN WEAKER.

CHIEF AMONG THEM CONDITIONS.

WITH A BETTER WINTER AHEAD, AT LEAST ONE PREDICT DID, PERHAPS WE SEE IMPROVEMENT IN THE DEER POPULATION NUMBERS OVER THE NEXT YEAR.

JULIE: THE ENTIRE WORLD IS WATCHING AS ATTACKS IN ISRAEL AND ON THE GAZA STRIP ROIL THE MIDDLE EAST.

PRESIDENT BIDDEN ADDRESSED THE NATION THURSDAY TO PLEDGE SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL AMID RISING CONCERNS OVER WORLD DESTABILIZATION.

HERE WITH HIS PERSPECTIVE IS DR. PAUL SHARP, A PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT UMD WHO IS AN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS SCHOLAR.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN.

REALLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING.

INTERESTING TIME BE TEACHING POLITICAL SCIENCE.

THAT HAS TO BE JUST FASCINATING IN YOUR CLASSES AS THE TOPICS ARE COMING FAST AND FURIOUS.

DR. SHARP: ABSOLUTELY.

INTERESTING TIMES IN POLITICS BOTH INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND WITH THE EXCITEMENT IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AT THE MOMENT.

IT IS FAIRLY CHAOTIC WITHIN THE COUNTRY.

[LAUGHTER] JULIE: THAT IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT SHOW.

LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE MIDDLE EAST RIGHT NOW.

MAYBE OFFER SOME PERSPECTIVE, THAT LONG AND COMPLICATED HISTORY BETWEEN ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE, THAT MAKE CONFLICT ALMOST INEVITABLE.

DR. SHARP: I HAD A COLLEAGUE AT THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY WHO REFERRED TO PALESTINE AS THE TWICE PROMISED LAND.

NOT JUST THE PROMISED LAND.

IT HAD BEEN PROMISED BY THE BRITISH TO THE ARABS, AND PROMISED TO THE JEWISH PEOPLE.

THEY MADE COMMITMENTS TO BOTH OF THEM TO HAVE INDEPENDENT, NOT NECESSARILY AN INDEPENDENT COUNTRY BUT THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES LIVING IN THE AREA.

THEN THE ZIONIST MOVEMENT, MOVED PEOPLE FROM, PRINCIPAL EUROPE INTO THE AREA, PARTICULARLY AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR AND HOLOCAUST.

THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY LIVING THERE SAW THEMSELVES AS THE MAJORITY.

THEY START TO FEEL THE PRESSURE, AND EVENTUALLY GET PUSHED OUT.

THEY HAVE BEEN ARGUING EVER SINCE, ABOUT THE TERMS OF A POLITICAL SETTLEMENT, WHO SHOULD GET WHAT, AND CAN THEY ACTUALLY LIVE TOGETHER?

JULIE: THERE HAVE BEEN MANY VIOLENT OUTBURSTS, OVER THE YEARS.

DOES THIS ONE FEEL DIFFERENT?

DR. SHARP: IT IS DIFFERENT IN THE SCALE OF IT.

IT IS ABOUT, DEPENDING ON HOW YOU COUNT THEM, THE THIRD OR FOURTH, VIOLENT EXCHANGE BETWEEN ISRAEL ON THE ONE HAND, AND GAZA.

THAT STRIP OF TERRITORY WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, AT THE MOMENT, WHICH THE ISRAELIS LEFT BEHIND IN 2005, AND SAID, OK, UP TO YOUR OWN, TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES.

BUT, THIS TIME, PARTICULARLY WITH THE ATTACK GOING ACROSS INTO ISRAEL THAT PRECIPITATED THIS ROUND, THEN THE COMMITMENT OF THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT, OF THE PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU, NOT TO PUNISH, BUT TO GET RID OF HAMAS, THAT IS A DIFFERENT SCALE OF THREAT THAT IS BEING OFFERED AT THIS POINT.

JULIE: PRESIDENT BIDEN TO THE NATION THIS WEEK.

YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE STAND AND THE TONE THAT THE U.S. IS TAKING RIGHT NOW?

DR. SHARP: THE AMERICANS, BIDEN, ARE KEEN TO SIGNAL COMMITMENT TO ISRAEL.

YOU SEE THAT AMONGST ALL THE WESTERN COUNTRIES, THEY OFTEN PRESENT THIS AS THE WHOLE WORLD.

BUT IN POINT OF FACT, THE IS NOT THAT STRAIGHTFORWARD TOWARDS THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT, IN THIS PARTICULAR CONFLICT.

PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS TRIED TO TIE TOGETHER THE WAR IN UKRAINE, AND WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE GAZA STRIP, AND SAYING TO US ALL, THIS IS AN ATTACK ON DEMOCRACY, AND FREEDOM, AND THE BASIC VALUES OF THE WESTERN WORLD.

AND, HE IS REALLY MAKING A VERY STRONG POINT OF THIS, TO MOBILIZE SUPPORT AMONGST THE AMERICAN ELECTORATE, AND TO MOBILIZE SUPPORT AMONGST THE UNITED STATES ALLIES.

HE SEES THIS AS A CHALLENGE.

YES TALKED ABOUT IT AS AN INFLECTION.

A TURNING POINT IN HISTORY.

NOW WHEN WE TEACH AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY, WE SAY YOU HAVE TO CELEBRATE WHAT THEY ARE ACTUALLY DOING FROM THE RHETORIC ABOUT HOW THEY TALK ABOUT IT.

I THINK, RIGHT NOW, HE HAS AND I ON SUPPORTING HIS OWN COUNTRY.

THE DIVISIONS IN THE U.S. ABOUT HOW MUCH SHOULD BE ENGAGED IN THE WIDER WORLD, HOW MUCH ALL OF THESE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS SPENT IN SOME ORDER OF OTHER COUNTRIES, WHEN THERE ARE TROUBLES AT HOME, THIS IS WHAT HE IS THINKING ABOUT.

HE IS ALSO INTERESTED IN THAT TOO.

JULIE: IT IS HARD TO IMAGINE ANY JUSTIFICATION FOR THE BRUTALITY OF HAMAS.

THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME SUPPORT FOR THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE AND FOR HAMAS ITSELF IN SOME PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, PARTICULARLY ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES DOES THAT SURPRISE YOU AT ALL?

>> NOT IN THE LEAST.

THE CAUSE OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE HAS BEEN HELD ONTO BY PROGRESSIVE STUDENT MOVEMENTS, AS ONE OF THOSE CAUSES WHERE WE CAN SEE IF THE WORLD IS NOT WORKING VERY CLEARLY.

TENSION HAS BEEN DRAWN TO THAT.

ALSO, THE PALESTINIAN MOVEMENT HAS PURSUED A VERY EFFECTIVE MEDIA PUBLIC DIPLOMACY, SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN, THAT CAPTURES PEOPLE'S INTEREST AND SUPPORT AT A CERTAIN LEVEL OF SOCIETY.

THIS DOES NOT SEEM TO HAVE GONE UP FURTHER.

HAMAS'S ATTACK, THE TIMING, WAS PROBABLY A RESULT OF THEM ARE LOSING INTEREST IN THE PALESTINIAN CAUSE, PARTICULARLY AT THE ELITE LEVEL.

COUNTRIES LIKE SAUDI ARABIA AND ISRAEL ARE TALKING TO EACH OTHER.

IRAN TALKING TO SAUDI ARABIA.

WHO WANTS JUST OLD, OLD ISSUE, DISRUPTING ALL OF THESE CONCERNS?

I THINK HAMAS SAID, WE ARE STILL A PROBLEM.

JULIE: DIPLOMACY IS YOUR SPECIALTY.

AS YOU LOOK AT THE CONFLICT NOW, IS THERE ROOM FOR DIPLOMACY?

DR. SHARP: THE DIPLOMACY AT THIS POINT IS TAKING PLACE WITHIN THE TWO TEAMS, AND NOT ACROSS THE ARGUMENT.

I'M USING PRESIDENT BIDEN'S WORDS ABOUT THE OTHER TEAM.

SO MOST OF THE DIPLOMACY IS ABOUT OLD ENOUGH AND SHOWING THE COMMITMENT ON BOTH SIDES.

IRAN, TURKEY, AND OTHER COUNTRIES SOUNDING SYMPATHETIC TOWARDS HAMAS.

MORE PARTICULARLY, THE HUMAN SUFFERING THAT IS TAKING PLACE.

IN THE UNITED STATES AND ITS ALLIES BUILDING UP THE POSITION THAT ISRAEL HAS THE RIGHT TO DEFEND ITSELF.

JULIE: DR. PAUL SHARP, THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR PERSPECTIVE LIVES.

DR. SHARP: THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

JULIE: DULUTH'S LINCOLN PARK, ONE OF THE LARGEST AND MOST USED PARKS IN THE CITY, REOPENED TO THE PUBLIC THIS WEEK AFTER BEING CLOSED FOR RENOVATION.

UPDATES AT THE PARK INCLUDE A NEW ACCESSIBLE PLAYGROUND AND BATHROOMS, UPDATED PARKING, AND A RESTORED PAVILION.

VIDEOGRAPHER A.J.

LARSON BRINGS US THIS STORY FROM THE REOPENING CELEBRATION: >> THIS IS A COMBINATION OF SIX OR SEVEN YEARS OF PLANTING AND IMPLEMENTATION CELEBRATING THE REOPENING OF LINKIN PARK.

PLANNING AND DESIGNING FOR SIX TO SEVEN YEARS DEPENDING ON WHEN YOU SAY THE START DATE IS BUT WE ARE SUPER PLEASED TO REOPEN THE PART.

THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN ENJOYING IT IMMENSELY.

WE ARE EXCITED FOR IT TO BE OPEN.

THE PLANNING PROCESS FOR THE SPARK BEGAN IN 2016.

WE SECURED OUR FUNDING FOR THE ARK IN 2017.

WE HAD TO LINE UP ADDITIONAL FUNDING.

THE PROJECT WENT THROUGH REDESIGNS.

THAT IS WHAT LED TO THE EXTENDED TIMELINE FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS.

>> FUNDING WAS MATCHED THROUGH A NUMBER OF GRANT SOURCES AT THE LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL.

THE TOTAL PROJECT COMES IN AT $4 MILLION.

BEHIND ME, YOU SEE A HUGE AMOUNT OF THEM MOVEMENT TO THE PART FROM LANDSCAPE TO PARK AMENITIES, TO UNIVERSAL DESIGN ACCESS.

>> FAVORITE PARKING AND JUST ON THE UPPER TERRACE, A NEW SPORT COURT.

>> LINCOLN PARK IS WE ENVISIONED AS A DESTINATION PARK.

IT IS A LARGE DESTINATION OPPORTUNITY.

BUT IT WAS TIRED.

IT WAS DILAPIDATED.

THE 2012 FLOOD DAMAGED THE PARK DRASTICALLY.

IT WAS ALSO IN NEED OF RENEWAL.

THAT SPARKED THE NEED TO DO SO.

BUT IT IS PART OF THE GEOGRAPHY THAT COVERS THE INITIATIVE.

THEREFORE, THAT UNLOCKED ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO INVEST IN THE PARK.

>> WE MADE A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF IMPROVEMENTS.

A BRAND-NEW PLAYGROUND ACCESSIBLE WITH THE RUBBER FALL ZONE, OUR FULL ACCESSIBLE PLAYGROUND IN THE PARK SYSTEM.

IT IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE RESERVE.

FINALLY, A LOT OF STORMWATER IMPROVEMENTS SO YOU CAN MANAGE STORMWATER AND HELP CREATE WHICH HAS BEEN IMPAIRED, BE HEALTHIER AND SUSTAIN THE TRAIL POPULATION.

WE ARE HERE TO DEDICATE THE HISTORIC PAVILION AND IN NAME AND HONOR OF OUR CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT WHO PASSED AWAY A YEAR AGO.

HER LEGACY WILL REMAIN AS THE FIRST INDIGENOUS CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT.

OF THAT AND ALL THE GREAT THING SHE DID FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

JULIE: WE ARE ON TIME YOU HAVE A JULIE: WE ARE ON TIME YOU HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT