JULIE: I'M JULIE ZENNER ALONG WITH DENNIS ANDERSON.

HERE'S WHAT'S COMING UP ON ALMANAC NORTH.

DENNIS: WELL IS SEXUAL ASSAULT , APRIL AWARENESS MONTH, A TIME TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP PREVENT SEXUAL VIOLENCE.

JULIE: WE'LL RETURN TO DULUTH'S SISTER CITY IN SWEDEN TO FIND OUT HOW ITS WASTE TREATMENT PLANT CLEANS UP LAKES AND POWER'S CITY BUSES.

DENNIS: AND DULUTH'S ECOLIBRIUM3 IS WORKING TOWARD A RENEWABLE, SUSTAINABLE FUTURE IN ENERGY AND TRANSPORTATION.

JULIE: THOSE STORIES AND VOICES OF THE REGION, COMING UP NEXT ON "ALMANAC NORTH."

♪ HELLO AND WELCOME TO ALMANAC NORTH.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

AND DENNY, IS IT POSSIBLE JUST TO IGNORE THIS WEEK'S WEATHER AND PRETEND IT DIDN'T HAPPEN?

DENNIS: WINTER STARTED TO GET LONG, DID NOT IT?

JULIE: IT DID.

DENNIS: ANOTHER ROUND.

HOPEFULLY THAT IS IT.

JULIE: I HAVE A BIT WE WILL HAVE SNOW JUNE 1.

DENNIS: DON'T SAY IT.

THANK YOU.

JULIE: LET'S BEGIN WITH THE HEADLINES.

DENNIS: THANKS JULIE.

FOLKS IN OUR REGION MIGHT BE TIRED OF THE SNOW, BUT AT LEAST WE HAVE SOMETHING TO SHOW FOR IT, A NEW ALL-TIME RECORD SNOWFALL TOTAL.

DULUTH SURPASSED THE RECORD THURSDAY AND WAS UP TO 139 INCHES THIS MORNING, BREAKING THE OLD RECORD SET IN 1996.

THESE ROBINS LOOKING FOR A MEAL TODAY MIGHT BE WONDERING WHY THEY RETURNED TO THE REGION SO SOON.

JULIE: WISCONSIN GOVERNOR TONY EVERS ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK THE STATE PLANTED NEARLY 13 MILLION TREES IN 2022.

THE MASSIVE TREE PLANTING EFFORT IS PART OF THE GLOBAL TRILLION TREE PLEDGE.

WISCONSIN HAS COMITTED TO PLANT 75 MILLION TREES BY 2030 TO STORE CARBON DIOXIDE, IMPROVE AIR QUALITY, AND COMBAT THE CLIMATE CRISIS.

JULIE: -- DENNIS: DULUTH-BASED CIRRUS AIRCRAFT UNVEILED ITS 9000 LIMITED EDITION AIRCRAFT SERIES THIS WEEK TO COMMEMORATE ITS 9000TH S.R.

AIRCRAFT DELIVERY.

CIRRUS DELIVERED ITS FIRST PLANE AT ITS DULUTH FACTORY BACK IN 1999 AND HAS BECOME A LEADER IN THE PERSONAL AVIATION FIELD.

THE NEW LIMITED S.R.

SERIES PLANES FEATURE A THEMATIC 9 INSIGNIA AND A DESTINATION-BASED COLOR SCHEME.

JULIE: THE CARLTON SCHOOL BOARD MEETING MONDAY WAS DOMINATED BY PUBLIC COMMENT AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS SPOKE OUT ABOUT AN INCIDENT AT CARLTON HIGH SCHOOL.

A WHITE MALE STUDENT HELD A KNIFE TO THE THROAT OF A FEMALE NATIVE AMERICAN STUDENT, THE MALE STUDENT ONLY RECEIVED A PARTIAL DAY SUSPENSION, DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE CARLTON SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS NO STANDARDIZED POLICIES ON HOW TO HANDLE VIOLENCE AGAINST STUDENTS.

MEMBERS OF THE FOND DU LAC TRIBAL COMMUNITY AND CONCERNED CITIZENS SPOKE UP AT THE BOARD MEETING, ADVOCATING POLICY CHANGE TO PROTECT STUDENTS FROM ACTS OF VIOLENCE.

WE'LL HAVE MORE ON THIS STORY IN THE COMING WEEKS.

DENNIS: EARLIER THIS MONTH, PAVSA, THE PROGRAM FOR AID TO VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, ANNOUNCED A PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN HIGHLITING IMPROVEMENTS TO HOW SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES ARE HANDLED.

THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DULUTH POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE ST. LOUIS COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE CREATES REFORMS AND SAFEGUARDS TO THE SYSTEM THAT HANDLES THESE CASES.

HERE TO TELL US MORE ABOUT THE A STEP FORWARD CAMPAIGN AND SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH IS SARA NIEMI, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PAVSA.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.

FOR THOSE NOT FAMILIAR WITH IT, WHAT IS ITS MISSION?

>> TO SUPPORT PEOPLE AND EDUCATE A COMMUNITY AROUND ISSUES THAT INTERSECT AROUND SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND ADVOCATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES THAT IMPACT PEOPLE IMPACTED BY SEXUAL VIOLENCE.

JULIE: SEXUAL VIOLENCE CAN TAKE MANY DIFFERENT FORMS.

SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT.

WHAT IS INCLUDED UNDER THAT UMBRELLA?

SARA: SEXUAL VIOLENCE CAN INCLUDE ANY SORT OF SEXUAL ACTION THAT HAS NOT BEEN CONSENTED TO OR SOMETHING THAT HAS HAPPENED AND THERE IS NOT CONTINUAL CONSENT FOUR.

SEXUAL VIOLENCE CAN INCLUDE SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND UNWANTED SHARING OF IMAGES, OF DIFFERENT COMMUNICATIONS WITH SOMEONE, BASICALLY ANYTHING SEXUAL IN NATURE THAT YOU DID NOT GET CONSENT FOR CAN BE EXPLAINED AS SEXUAL VIOLENCE.

DENNIS: HOW COMMON IS SEXUAL VIOLENCE?

SARA: IT IS HARD TO ANSWER THAT BY EXEC STATISTICS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT SEXUAL VIOLENCE IS ONE OF THE MORE UNDERREPORTED CRIMES AND THAT SURVIVORS FACE OFTEN SIGNIFICANT BARRIERS IN REPORTING BECAUSE IT IS HARD TO TELL HOW FREQUENT IT IS IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT NATIONAL STATISTICS GENERALLY, THEY SAY THAT ONE IN FOUR WOMEN AND ONE IN SIX MEN HAVE EXPERIENCED SEXUAL VIOLENCE WITHIN THEIR LIFETIME, SO STATISTICALLY SPEAKING, WE ALL KNOW OR HAVE SOMEONE IN OUR LIVES WHO HAS EXPERIENCED SEXUAL VIOLENCE, WHETHER OR NOT WE KNOW IS A DIFFERENT STORY, AND I THINK WE ALSO KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME GROUPS THAT ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY SEXUAL VIOLENCE, LIKE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND PEOPLE FROM THE LGBTQA+ COMMUNITY, INDIGENOUS, AFRICAN-AMERICAN SURVIVORS, THEY ARE MORE HEAVILY IMPACTED BY THIS ISSUE THAN OTHERS, BUT IN GENERAL, WE SEE SURVIVORS THAT SPAN ACROSS ALL GENDERS, AGES, RACES, SOCIOECONOMIC STATUSES, SO IT IMPACTS A HUGE VARIETY OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

JULIE: HAS SOCIETY CHANGED IN RECENT YEARS, IN THE PAST THERE WAS ALWAYS A STIGMA ASSOCIATED WITH SEXUAL ASSAULT, SEXUAL VIOLENCE, AND PEOPLE HESITATED TO COME FORWARD BECAUSE THERE WAS A CULTURE OF VICTIM BLAMING.

IS THAT STILL PERVASIVE IN OUR SOCIETY?

SARA: I THINK WE HAVE MADE A LOT OF HEADWAY IN THAT AND THERE ARE STILL THINGS THAT REMAIN.

DEFINITELY, THERE IS BLAMING THAT GOES ON WHETHER IT IS NOT OUTWARD OR QUESTIONING IN NATURE, WHETHER THAT IS NOT NOT FULLY SUPPORTING SOMEONE AND WHAT THEIR DECISIONS ARE AROUND AFTER THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED SEXUAL VIOLENCE IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE.

THAT IS WHY AT PAVSA, WHERE WE RECOGNIZE AWARENESS AS AN IMPORTANT THING AND WE ARE COMFORTABLE TALKING ABOUT SEXUAL VIOLENCE, BUT THAT IS NOT COMMON IN THE COMMUNITY, SO THE MORE WE CAN TALK OPENLY ABOUT HOW THIS HARMS OUR COMMUNITY WITH THE MORE PEOPLE COMING FORWARD OR COMING FORWARD OR KNOWING WHO IS A SAFE PERSON IN THEIR LIVES TO DISCLOSE OR TALK TO ABOUT THIS.

DENNIS: IT LONG-TERM COUNSELING NECESSARY?

SARA: I THINK IT IS NECESSARY.

WE FEATURE FREE SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM COUNSELING BY PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS FREE OF CHARGE AT PAVSA AND WE SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ACCESS OUR SERVICES FOR MENTAL HEALTH THERAPY SHORTLY AFTER AN ASSAULT, YEARS LATER AFTER AN ASSAULT, OR WE SEE FAMILY MEMBERS OR SUPPORT PEOPLE WHO ALSO SEEK OUT COUNSELING TO PROCESS THROUGH WHAT IS HAPPENING AND HOW THEY CAN BEST SUPPORT PEOPLE IN THEIR LIVES.

JULIE: WE ONLY HAVE ABOUT 30 SECONDS LEFT, BUT WE MENTIONED THIS NEW STEP FORWARD PARTNERSHIP THAT YOU HAVE, THAT THERE HAVE BEEN REFORMS AND SAFEGUARDS TO TAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE VICTIMS HAVE THE HELP THEY NEED AS THEY GO THROUGH THE SYSTEM.

DO YOU SEE THAT AS MAKING SOME PROGRESS?

SARA: YEAH, I THINK WE HAVE REALLY TRIED TO COME TO GATHER WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND SHARE WITH PEOPLE THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE, CAP HANDLING, CAP PROGRESS, TRAUMA-INFORM TRAINING AND PARTNERSHIPS TO HAVE A BETTER RESPONSE AND SHARE WITH VICTIMS THAT THEY DO HAVE RIGHTS SURROUNDING THEIR CASES AND THAT WE BELIEVE THEM AND WANT TO SUPPORT THEM.

DENNIS: SURE.

SARA: SO THIS IS A PIECE OF TRYING TO REBUILD THE TRUST.

DENNIS: SARA NIEMI, DIRECTOR FOR PAVSA, THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.

SARA: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

♪ JULIE: EARTH DAY IS A TIME TO CELEBRATE THE NATURAL GIFTS WE HAVE ON OUR PLANET AND TO WORK TOWARDS EFFORTS TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE THAT BEAUTY.

IN HONOR OF EARTH DAY PRODUCER MEGAN MCGARVEY BRINGS US BACK TO VAXJO SWEDEN FOR A TOUR OF THE CITY'S WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT AND THE PIVOTAL ROLE IT HAD IN RESTORING THEIR POLLUTED LAKES.

MEGAN: IN THE EARLY 1920'S, THE LAKES WERE POLLUTED BY UNTREATED WASTEWATER AND THIS CREATED PHOSPHORUS EMITTING SEDIMENTS THAT CAUSED ALGAE THAT WOULD BREAK DOWN AND LARGE QUANTITIES OF OXYGEN WOULD BE TAKEN UP AND BECAUSE THE DEATH OF MANY FISH.

THEY WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT WAS INAUGURATED IN 1994 AND HAS BEEN RENOVATED IN STAGES AFTERWARDS.

THE SISTER CITY DELEGATION FROM DULUTH-SUPERIOR WERE GIVEN A LOOK INTO HOW THE PLANT WAS RUN.

>> OK. SHOULD WE MOVE INTO THE INTAKE?

>> YES.

>> GREAT.

YES.

MEGAN: IT IS DIVIDED INTO SIX PROCESS TREATMENT STAGES.

FIRST, IT ENTERS THE FACILITY FROM LARGE PUMP STATIONS AND OBJECTS AND PARTICLES ARE FILTERED IN A SAND TRAP.

ONCE FILTERED IN A PRIMARY CLARIFIER THE CHEMICALS ARE ADDED THAT BIND TOGETHER PHOSPHATES MAKING A SLUDGE THAT BREAKS DOWN THE POLLUTANTS.

>> UNIVERSITIES THAT YOU WORK WITH WHO ARE ACTUALLY RESEARCH ALL OF THIS, ARE YOU CONSULTING WITH THEM?

>> YEAH, WE HAVE A FEW UNIVERSITIES DOING THAT.

WE ALSO HAVE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENTS.

IN HOUSE.

THAT IS WE ARE FROM THE PRODUCTION SIDE, WE ARE ASKING THEM TO HELP US TO INVESTIGATE AND SEE WHAT IS THE BEST TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE AND THE BEST WAY TO DO THIS.

IS THERE ANOTHER WAY WE CAN DO THIS?

HOW CAN WE ACHIEVE BETTER CLEANING?

>> LIKE YOUR UNSCIENTIFIC TEAM?

>> YEAH, THEY TAKE A LOOK AND INVESTIGATE THAT WHILE WE FOCUS ON KEEPING IT RUNNING.

AND THEN OF COURSE WE HAVE A CLOSE COOPERATION TOGETHER TO SEE WE GET WHAT WE WANT IN THE END, BUT WE TRIED TO ALWAYS IMPROVE SOMETHING EVERY MONTH.

AS I DID WITH -- WHEN WE GET TO THE TANK, IT LOOKS LIKE A SPA, BUT PLEASE DO NOT TRY TO GO SWIMMING.

[LAUGHTER] BECAUSE OF THE AIR, THERE IS NOT ENOUGH SURFACE TENSION, SO YOU WILL SINK LIKE A ROCK.

SO AROUND THIS IS A WIRE, SO IF FOR SOME REASON YOU FALL INTO THE TANK, REACH THIS WIRE, BECAUSE YOU WILL HARDLY BE ABLE TO SWIM.

WHEN WE LOOK AT FROM THE BEGINNING WHERE THE WATER COMES IN TO US WE GO THROUGH THE DIFFERENT STAGES, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE CLEAN WATER COMING OUT.

MEGAN: THE SLUDGE IS GATHERED IN TANKS WERE BACTERIA BREAKS DOWN THE ORGANIC POLLUTANTS AND TURNS THEM INTO METHANE GAS MADE INTO BIOFUEL FOR CITY BUSES.

>> AT THE MOMENT, 50 BUSES ARE ON THE BIOFUEL.

WE ARE SUPPLYING 80% OF THAT FUEL OURSELVES, BUT BECAUSE THAT SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO DO MAINTENANCE AND HAVE DOWNTIME AND SO ON, WE BUY FROM OTHER PRODUCERS, SO WE ARE NOW UPGRADING OUR CLEANING FACILITY AND UPGRADING THE GAS SYSTEM OVER ALSO THAT WE WILL TRY TO MAKE EVEN MORE GAS THAT WE CAN SUPPLY ALL THE GUESTS FOR ALL THE BUSES.

WE HAVE A SYSTEM WHERE WE RECYCLE THIS, IN THIS WASTE GOES TO THE RECYCLING PLANT AND THEY PREPARE IT FOR US AND IT COMES HERE AND WE PUT IT IN THE TANKS AND WE MAKE GAS FROM IT.

EACH OF THESE PAPER BAGS FILLED WITH FOOD WILL TAKE A CAR A PROXIMALLY THREE U.S.

MILES.

>> HOW CLEAN IS BIOFUEL COMPARED TO PETROL?

>> BECAUSE YOU REUSE SOMETHING THAT SHOULD OTHERWISE GO TO THE ENVIRONMENT, YOU REUSE IT, I WOULD SAY IT'S MUCH MORE CLEAN.

SURE YOU TAKE IT FROM THE GROUND AND PURIFY IT, THAT IS ALSO FROM THE GROUND COME UP BUT IT IS NOT REUSING IT IN THE SAME MANNER, BECAUSE IT TAKES MANY YEARS FOR THE MAKING OF THE ANIMALS TO BECOME OIL, BUT THIS BIOGAS YOU CAN JUST TAKE WHATEVER FOOD COMES IN TODAY AND IN THREE WEEKS WILL BE GAS TO DRIVE THE BUS, SO I WOULD SAY PERSONALLY THAT I THINK IT IS MUCH MUCH MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY BECAUSE YOU REALLY REUSE, RECYCLE, A LOOP OF EVERYTHING GOING AROUND, BUT YOU STILL HAVE OMISSIONS FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE.

WE CANNOT SAY IT IS PERFECTLY CLEAN, BUT I BELIEVE WE REUSE WHAT WE GET FROM THE ENVIRONMENT FROM THE CITY AND WE MAKE FUEL WITH THAT, SO I THINK IT IS MUCH, MUCH BETTER.

♪ ♪ JULIE: AS PART OF EARTH WEEK, DULUTH NONPROFIT ECOLIBRIUM3 HAS HOSTED A SERIES OF COMMUNITY LEARNING SESSIONS.

A SESSION TODAY FEATURED THE NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LAB PRESENTING ON RENEWABLE ENERGY, ELECTRIFICATION AND TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH THEY ARE DOING IN DULUTH.

HERE WITH MORE IS JODI SLICK, CEO OF ECOLIBRIUM3.

THANK YOU FOR COMING IN TONIGHT.

TALK ABOUT WHY IT WAS IMPORTANT TO GET THOSE NATIONAL VOICES IN ON THE LOCAL CONVERSATION.

JODI: WE ARE IN A PARTNERSHIP WITH DULUTH THAT RECEIVED A TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GRANT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY TO REALLY LOOK AT WHAT DOES IT MEAN AT A COMMUNITY SCALE TO MOVE TOWARDS THIS CLEAN ENERGY ENVIRONMENT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT , SO GENERALLY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THAT, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ELECTRIFYING EVERYTHING AND TAKING THE CARBON OUT OF ELECTRICITY.

IF YOU THINK ABOUT HOW WE HEAT OUR HOMES AND POWER OUR VEHICLES, THERE IS A LOT OF WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, SO WE GET SOME FREE RENT OF THE BRAINS OF REALLY SMART PEOPLE TO HELP US WITH RESEARCH AND BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW WE NEED TO DO THAT AS A COMMUNITY.

JULIE: WHAT WERE SOME OF THE KEY POINTS THEY MADE IN THE PRESENTATION?

JODI: THREE AREAS.

ONE WAS TRANSPORTATION, AND BECAUSE THIS PROJECT IS CENTERED DOES LINCOLN PARK IS THE PILOT AREA, WAS LOOKING AT THE UPCOMING REDO OF WEST SUPERIOR STREET AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO REALLY CREATE THAT STREET THAT IS GOING TO BE FLEXIBLE AS WE GO THROUGH LOTS OF THESE CHANGES FROM EV'S TWO INTELLIGENT VEHICLES AND AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES, WHICH IS FASCINATING.

THE OTHER TWO SECTIONS IS A LOT OF MODELING GOING ON ON OUR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS AND RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS, AND WHAT ARE THE BEST WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN MAKE THOSE TRANSITIONS HAPPEN.

DENNIS: HOW IS THE COMMUNITY IMPACTED BY EQUILIBRIUM?

JODI: THIS WEEK HAS BEEN A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE WORK ECOLIBRIUM3 HAS BEEN DOING.

TOMORROW IS ECO-FEST FROM 11:00 TO 3:00 WITH 200 PEOPLE HELPING US CLEAN THE COMMUNITY IN THE MORNING.

THIS WEEK IS FEATURING THE CONVERSATION ON THINGS LIKE RENEWABLE ENERGY.

WE ACTUALLY DO ENERGY AUDITS FOR HOUSEHOLDS AND HAVE TAKEN THE LEAD IN HELPING ESPECIALLY LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS BECOME MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE WHAT I THOUGHT WAS AMAZING AN OPEN HOUSE AT THE EC O3 FARM THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT AT LAKE SUPERIOR COLLEGE, WHERE ECOLIBRIUM3 IS ADMINISTERING IT AND HOLDING IT SO WE CAN HAVE DIFFERENT COMMUNITY PARTNERS GROW FOOD AND SEEDLINGS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

JULIE: ARE THERE SOME LARGE-SCALE THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE BY THE COMMUNITY IN SMALL THINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN DO IN THEIR HOME BUSINESSES?

TALK ABOUT THOSE NO COST, LOW COST IMPROVEMENTS PEOPLE CAN MAKE IN THEIR HOMES AND BUSINESSES OR DAILY LIVES THAT BILLY WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE IF EVERYBODY WAS DOING THEM.

JODI: YEAH, LOW COST, NO COST, WE ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE IN BUSINESS IS A GOOD ADVICE IS TO START WITH AN ENERGY AUDIT, BECAUSE YOU WILL IDENTIFY THOSE THINGS THAT WILL HAVE THE BEST RATE OF RETURN.

IN ADDITION, OFTEN ENERGY AUDITS WILL INCLUDE THE INSTALLATION OF MATERIALS, SO GETTING AN AUDIT MEANS SAVING MONEY.

WHAT IS INTERESTING NOW IS WITH THE PASSING OF THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT, THERE IS MONEY TO DO THOSE THINGS THAT WOULD BE MUCH MORE OF A STRETCH LIKE UPGRADING THEIR ELECTRIC SYSTEM, DOING WINDOW AND DOOR INSTALLATION, WHICH WOULD NORMALLY BE MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE, AND ALSO REALLY HELPING TO PAY FOR THINGS LIKE SOLAR, EV, NOT JUST NEW EVS, BUT TAX CREDITS IF YOU'RE BUYING A USED EV NOW.

DENNIS: LINCOLN PARK HAS EVOLVED INTO A THRIVING AND UNIQUE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?

JODI: EVERYBODY WORKING TOGETHER IS THE SECRET SAUCE IN LINCOLN PARK.

YOU HAD NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS LIKE ECOLIBRIUM3, BUSINESSES, ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO CREATE AN ECOSYSTEM WHERE YOU WANT TO GO INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD BUT BECAUSE IT IS NOT JUST ONE BUSINESS, IT IS THE CROSS-POLLINATION.

YOU CAN HAVE AN AMAZING SOMETHING TO EAT AND THEN YOU CAN ENJOY THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM WITH YOUR FAMILY, ETC., SO IT HAS BEEN THIS COOPERATIVE, WORKING TOGETHER, AND NOW WITH BEING ABLE TO THINK ABOUT SOME BIG THINGS LIKE REDOING THE STREET AND CONTINUED HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, ETC., WE THINK IT WILL ONLY GET BETTER.

JULIE: YOU MENTIONED ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND THE TAX CREDITS AVAILABLE.

JODI: YEP.

JULIE: WHAT ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR IT?

ARE THERE CHARGING STATIONS IN CONVENIENT PLACES THAT PEOPLE CAN ACCESS THAT WOULD SUPPORT THAT, IF PEOPLE DO GO OUT AND INVEST, BECAUSE IT IS AN INVESTMENT?

JODI: THERE ARE DIFFERENT CHARGES.

WHAT WE LEARNED EARLIER TODAY IS 80% OF THE CHARGING HAPPENS AT HOME.

YOU PLUG IN OVERNIGHT AND IT TRICKLES IN AND YOU'RE READY IN THE MORNING.

RIGHT NOW, ABSOLUTELY, WE HAVE ENOUGH CHARGERS, BUT WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO BE LOOKING FOR IS THE FACT THAT IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS OR SO, 50% TO 60% OF NEW VEHICLES THAT WILL BE SOLD, SOMETHING I LEARNED TODAY, WILL BE ELECTRIC VEHICLES, SO FOR THE WEST SUPERIOR STREET REBUILD, ONE OF THE THINGS THEY ARE DOING IS HELPING US LOOK AT WHAT THE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS TO BE, NOT FOR TODAY, BUT FIVE, 10, 15 YEARS FROM NOW BECAUSE ONCE YOU REBUILD THE STREET YOU ARE HARD CODING WHAT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE FUTURE, AND WE HAD A TWO PLANNING SESSION LAST NIGHT IN A MEETING TODAY SO IT HAS BEEN FASCINATING THINKING ABOUT THAT.

JULIE: JODI SLICK WITH ECOLIBRIUM3, HAVE A GOOD EARTH DAY.

JODI: YOU TO.

DENNIS: THANK YOU.

NEXT, IT'S TIME FOR VOICES OF THE REGION, EACH WEEK FEATURING AREA JOURNALISTS AND THE STORIES THEY ARE COVERING.

OUR GUEST THIS TIME IS HEIDI HOLTAN WITH KAXE COMMUNITY RADIO IN GRAND RAPIDS.

HEIDI: ONE OF OUR BIG TOPICS THIS MONTH HAS BEEN ABOUT FASHION.

SHE IS THE CREATOR AND HER DAUGHTERS OF A FASHION LINE AND THEY ARE COLLABORATING AT FASHION WEEK MINNESOTA.

THIS YEAR'S SHOW IS TUESDAY, APRIL 25 AT THE MACHINE SHOP IN MINNEAPOLIS AND WILL FEATURE STUDENT DESIGNERS, A DESIGNER FROM ALASKA AND HER OLDEST DAUGHTER PEERED THIS CONNECTION TO TRADITION AND FASHION AND POWWOWS RUNS DEEP IN THEIR FAMILY.

>> EVER SINCE I WAS A BABY, BY THE TIME I COULD WALK, I STARTED WALKING AT NINE MONTHS OLD I WAS A DANCER AND MY MOM MADE SURE SHE SHOWED ME THAT WAY OF LIFE, SO I HAVE BEEN DANCING SINCE I WAS A BABY.

I SEE THAT IN MY OWN CHILDREN.

WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO BE PROUD AND BE HAPPY AND CONFIDENT WITH WHO THEY ARE.

OUR CHILDREN ALL HAVE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR OUTFITS AS WELL WHEN THEY ARE DANCING AND ALONG WITH THAT THEY MIGHT WIN SOME PRIZE MONEY AND WE ALWAYS TELL THEM, WELL, YOU NEED TO INVEST BACK INTO YOURSELF AND PUT A LITTLE OF THAT MONEY BACK INTO YOUR OUTFIT BECAUSE IT IS ALSO BRINGING YOU A GOOD WAY OF LIFE.

♪ HEIDI: THE IRON RANGE EARTH FEST IS COMING UP, SPONSORED BY THE IRON RANGE PARTNERSHIP.

THIS YEAR, THEY ARE FOCUSING ON CHILDREN.

THERE WILL BE LOTS OF KIDS ACTIVITIES AND A KEYNOTE SPEAKER TALKING ABOUT HOW TO TALK TO YOUR KIDS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE.

ANOTHER PART OF THE VENT IS ELECTRONICS WASTE RECYCLING LIKE CELL PHONES, COMPUTERS, AND OTHER ELECTRONICS THAT SIT AROUND IN OUR BASEMENTS ARE AT THE LANDFILL.

THE COORDINATOR OF EARTH FEST IRON RANGE 2023 TOLD US MORE ABOUT RECYCLING ELECTRONICS AT THE EVENT FBI AND TRAIL MOTORS EVENT CENTER IN VIRGINIA THIS SATURDAY.

>> WE HOPE TO EXPAND THAT.

THERE IS A GROUP WORKING ON LEGISLATION TO OVERHAUL MINNESOTA'S LAWS RELATED TO RECYCLING.

THE EUROPEAN UNION IS ABOUT SIX YEARS TO SEVEN YEARS AHEAD OF US, IN SWITZERLAND FOR EXAMPLE RECYCLES 95% OF ITS ELECTRONIC WASTE.

OUR WASTE GOES INTO LANDFILLS AND LEECHES TOXIC STUFF, AND RIGHT NOW, EVEN THE THINGS THAT WE DO RECYCLE ARE DISMANTLED IN MINNESOTA BUT MOST OF THE SHREDDING TAKES PLACE OUT OF STATE, AND ALL OTHER EXTRACTION OF PRECIOUS METALS TAKES PLACE IN JAPAN AND KOREA, SO WE HAVE A LOT OF PARTS OF THAT PROCESS THAT WE CAN BRING BACK HOME TO NORTHERN MINNESOTA.

IT MEANS JOBS.

♪ HEIDI: AND FINALLY, IF YOU LIVE IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA, SPRING DOES NOT FEEL LIKE IT HAS SPRUNG, BUT MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE 52 GALLONS OF SAP YESTERDAY.

THE OTHER GOOD NEWS WE SEEM TO FORGET EVERY SINGLE YEAR AS THAT SPRING WILL EVENTUALLY GET HERE.

OUR STUDENT NATURE PROGRAM FOCUSES ON KIDS ALL ACROSS THE STATE, BUT IT IS THE KIDS IN NORTHFIELD AT THE PRAIRIE CREEK COMMUNITY SCHOOL THAT GAVE US THE MOST HOPE THIS WEEK.

>> HELLO, FOLKS.

THIS IS -- AND THIS IS MOLLY FROM PRAIRIE CREEK COMMUNITY SCHOOL >> IN NORTHFIELD, MINNESOTA.

>>>> IT HAS BEEN A WEEK.

THINGS ARE BURSTING OUT ALL OVER THE PLACE.

OUR CRABAPPLE HAS LEAPT.

>> DANDELIONS, CROCUSES, AND DAFFODILS ARE BLOOMING.

>> OTHERS ARE BLOOMING.

>> AND OUR MAGNOLIA INS ARE SET THE BLOOM ON FRIDAY, MAGNOLIA APRIL 14.

NEXT, WE MOVE ON TO ANNUALS.

>> THERE IS NO YUCK IN NATURE.

>> REALLY, A SILVER FISH?

>> FAIRPOINT.

HE SAYS, 14.

>>>> I LOVE TOADS.

♪ HEIDI: -- JULIE: WE ARE OUT OF TIME BUT YOU CAN KEEP UP WITH ALMANAC NORTH BY FOLLOWING US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.

KEEP AN EYE ON THE PBS NORTH WEBSITE FOR PROGRAM UPDATES, NEWS ABOUT THE STATION AND OUR UPCOMING EVENTS.

AND DON'T FORGET TO DOWNLOAD THE PBS VIDEO APP TO WATCH YOUR FAVORITE PBS PROGRAMS ON DEMAND.

AND DENNY, I THINK WE'RE FORGETTING THAT APRIL IS OFTEN A SNOWY MONTH, THERE ARE BETTER DAYS AHEAD.

DENNIS: YEP.

THIS TOO SHALL END.

JULIE: JUST LIKE THIS SHOW.

FOR DENNIS ANDERSON AND THE CREW AT ALMANAC NORTH, I'M JULIE ZENNER.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

♪