JULIE: I'M JULIE ZENNER ALONG WITH MIKE CREGER.

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

MIKE: THE DULUTH AREA CHAMBER FOUNDATION RELEASED A SURVEY OF DULUTHIANS THIS WEEK.

WE'LL FIND OUT WHAT SOME OF THEIR TOP CONCERNS ARE.

JULIE: THE MINNESOTA OVARIAN CANCER ALLIANCE WILL HOST ITS 10TH ANNUAL LIGHT DULUTH TEAL GALA.

WE'LL FIND OUT HOW THAT ORGANIZATION IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE.

MIKE: AND THE MINNESOTA DNR RELEASED HUNDREDS OF YOUNG STURGEON INTO THE ST. LOUIS RIVER THIS WEEK.

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

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

MIKE CREGER IS IN FOR DENNY THIS WEEK.

WELCOME, MIKE.

TELL OUR VIEWERS A LITTLE ABOUT YOU.

MIKE: I AM A LONGTIME PRINT JOURNALIST IN THE DULUTH AREA.

NOT MUCH EXPERIENCE WITH TV.

BUT WE WILL GIVE IT A SHOT HERE.

WE WILL SEE HOW IT GOES.

YOU ON BOARD.

MIKE: THANK YOU.

JULIE: LET'S BEGIN NOW WITH THE HEADLINES.

MIKE: SURE.

MEMBERS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN BOARD OF REGENTS VISITED THE UW-SUPERIOR CAMPUS THIS WEEK.

EIGHT MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS TOURED THE CAMPUS WITH CHANCELLOR RENEE WACHTER.

THE REGENTS ALSO LEARNED ABOUT THE SUPERIOR PLAN, WHICH WOULD BUILD NEW ATHLETIC AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES TO IMPROVE THE CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY.

JULIE: THE BATTLE OVER FUTURE ELECTIONS IN WISCONSIN CONTINUED THIS WEEK AT THE STATE CAPITOL IN MADISON.

REPUBLICAN SENATORS VOTED TO FIRE WISCONSIN'S ELECTION COMMISSION ADMINISTRATOR, BUT DEMOCRATS SAY THE VOTE IS INVALID.

MEANWHILE, REPUBLICANS IN THE HOUSE PROPOSED A NEW REDISTRICTING PLAN, BUT DEMOCRATS SAY IT WOULD STILL RESULT IN BIASED DISTRICT MAPS.

MIKE: BOW HUNTERS IN MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN ARE GEARING UP FOR THE ARCHERY DEER HUNT SEASON, WHICH BEGINS SATURDAY IN BOTH STATES.

NEW THIS SEASON IN MINNESOTA, ANY LICENSED ARCHERY HUNTER CAN USE A CROSSBOW TO HARVEST A DEER.

IN PAST ARCHERY SEASONS, HUNTERS HAD TO RECEIVE A SPECIAL DISABILITY WAVER OR BE OVER 60 YEARS OLD TO HUNT WITH A CROSSBOW.

JULIE: AND MEMORIAL BLOOD CENTERS ANNOUNCED A BLOOD EMERGENCY TODAY AS THE SUPPLY OF BLOOD PRODUCTS IS AT A CRITICALLY LOW LEVEL.

MEMORIAL BLOOD CENTERS DISTRIBUTE BLOOD TO MEDICAL FACILITIES ACROSS THE REGION.

IF YOU ARE ABLE TO DONATE, MEMORIAL BLOOD DONOR CENTERS ARE LOCATED IN DULUTH, SUPERIOR, VIRGINIA AND HIBBING.

YOU CAN GO TO MBC.ORG TO SCHEDULE A DONATION.

MIKE: LAST MONTH, THE DULUTH AREA CHAMBER FOUNDATION COMMISSIONED A CITY-WIDE SURVEY OF DULUTHIANS.

THE SURVEY IDENTIFIED THE TOP CONCERNS OF CITIZENS ABOUT THEIR COMMUNITY.

THE CHAMBER FOUNDATION INTENDS TO USE THIS INFORMATION TO HELP PRIORITIZE ITS AREAS OF FOCUS.

HERE TO TELL US MORE IS DANIEL FANNING, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE DULUTH AREA CHAMBER FOUNDATION.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

DANIEL: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

MIKE: LET'S START OUT WITH WHAT YOU FOUND OUT WITH A SURVEY.

I KNOW YOU HAVE SAID THERE IS NOT A LOT OF SURPRISES.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE TOP ISSUES, AND HOW DOES THE CHAMBER GO ABOUT REACTING TO THOSE?

DANIEL: WE TOOK A SURVEY OF THE ENTIRE CITY, NOT JUST CHAMBER MEMBERS OR BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE DONE THAT IN THE PAST AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

THIS WAS ACE COUSINS SURVEY.

WE KNOW THE TOP ISSUES ARE STREETS AND PUBLIC SAFETY, HOUSES.

THE SURVEY HELPED REAFFIRM THE WORK WE ARE STARTING TO DO AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO.

IT IS SOMETHING WE WANT TO START SETTING THAT BASE FOR, MAKE SURE WE ARE WORKING ON THE THINGS WE KNOW CITIZENS CARE MOST ABOUT.

WE WANT TO MONITOR THAT PROGRESS IN THE YEARS TO COME.

THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT SOME POLITICAL RACE, THIS IS ABOUT HOLISTIC COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC, KNOWING THAT LIKE MANY COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, DULUTH IS MEETING ITS FULL POTENTIAL.

WE ARE SEEING PROGRESS BUT WE KNOW THERE IS MORE WORK WE CAN DO.

REALLY MAKING SURE AS A CHAMBER AND A NEWLY LAUNCHED CHAMBER, THAT WE ARE ADJUSTING THE ISSUES THAT PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED MOST ABOUT.

.

WE HAPPEN TO AGREE WITH THOSE, BASED ON WHAT WE HEAR FROM OUR MEMBERS AND CITYWIDE COMMUNITIES.

THERE IS NO MAJOR SURPRISES.

BUT THERE IS VALUE IN GETTING THE INFORMATION FROM CITIZENS TO MAKE SURE WE ARE NOT JUST LISTENING TO A COUPLE PEOPLE THAT HAVE STRONG OPINIONS.

BUT THIS IS PRETTY UNIVERSAL ACROSS EVERY POLL WE HAVE HAD, MOST CONVERSATIONS WE HAVE HAD.

NO SURPRISES.

IT IS GOOD TO IDENTIFY THOSE KEY ISSUES.

JULIE: WERE YOU SURPRISED ABOUT HOW THOSE ISSUES LINED UP IN TERMS OF THE PRIORITIES?

YOU MAY HAVE ANTICIPATED WHAT THE PRIORITIES WERE, BUT HOW ABOUT HOW THEY ALIGNED AND HOW THEY WERE WEIGHTED IN TERMS OF RESPONDENTS?

DANIEL: THERE HAS BEEN SOME SHIFTING OVER THE LAST YEAR OR TWO.

THERE WAS NOT NECESSARILY SCIENTIFIC POLLING, WHICH IS WHY WE WANT TO START THAT PROCESS.

I HAVE BEEN ON THIS JOB FOR ABOUT A YEAR.

OUR CHAMBER PRESIDENT HAS BEEN AT HIS JOB FOR TWO AND HALF YEARS NOW.

WE BOTH GET TO COME IN AS NEW PEOPLE AND HAVE THAT FOR GOING AROUND AND HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

I CAN TELL YOU WHEN I STARTED, WE HEARD MORE ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY, AND THAT DID RANK HIGH IN THE SURVEY RESULTS, BUT IT WAS NOT AS HIGH AS I ANTICIPATED IT MIGHT BE.

I ATTRIBUTE THAT TO WE HAVE SEEN SOME PROGRESS DOWNTOWN, STILL A LONG WAY TO GO.

BUT I FEEL LIKE IN THE PAST YEAR OR SO, WE HAVE SEEN DOWNTOWN COME MORE TO LIFE.

THERE IS STILL ISSUES THERE.

I WAS A PRIZE THAT DID NOT RANK HIGHER.

THE HOUSING ISSUE WE KNEW WOULD BE HIGH, AND IT WAS HIGHER THAN WE ANTICIPATED.

THAT IS NOT ONLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, IT WAS ALSO THAT WE KNOW WE NEED HOUSING OF ALL TYPES.

EVERYTHING FROM AFFORDABLE HOUSING AROUND THE HOMELESSNESS ISSUE, ALSO AS THEY TALK TO OUR MEMBERS, SOME OF THE LARGER EMPLOYERS IN TOWN ARE TELLING US THAT IS A MAJOR WORKFORCE ISSUE.

THEY NEED TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN TALENTS.

HOUSING AND CHILDCARE AND ALL OF THESE ISSUES WERE IDENTIFIED AND ARE A BIG PART OF THAT.

IT IS PART OF OUR ECONOMIC ISSUE.

IT IS PART OF US AS A COMMUNITY GROWING AND RECOVERING FROM THE PANDEMIC.

THE GOAL OF THIS IS TO IDENTIFY THOSE THINGS THAT WE ALREADY KIND OF KNEW, TO REAFFIRM THAT, AND NOW TO DOUBLE DOWN ON THOSE EFFORTS AND MAKE PROGRESS.

MIKE: YOUR JOB AND THE CHAMBER'S JOB IS TO REACH OUTSIDE OF DULUTH TO BRING PEOPLE TO COME IN AND INVEST.

AND WORK WITH SOME OF THESE ISSUES.

WHAT DO YOU TELL -- YOU HAVE THE SURVEY, NOW YOU KNOW WHAT THEY WANT.

OR WHAT THEY SEE AS SOME OF THE ISSUES.

WHAT IS YOUR ELEVATOR SPEECH FOR SOMEONE FROM DULUTH?

DANIEL: THE HONEST ANSWER IS IT IS TIME TO INVEST IN DULUTH NOW.

.

THERE ARE POSITIVE GAINS WE HAVE SEEN.

THE MOST OBVIOUS IS THE NEARLY $1 MILLION INVESTMENT IN OUR TOWN TOWN.

WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR ASCENSION, ALL OF THESE COUNTRY -- ALL OF THESE COMPANIES THAT ARE INVESTING IN DULUTH.

THAT IS A POSITIVE SIGN.

THAT IS WHAT ENCOURAGES OTHER DEVELOPERS, LOCAL AND FROM OUTSIDE, TO COME INTO DULUTH AND SAY, THERE IS SOMETHING GOING ON THERE AND THAT IS POSITIVE.

OUR GOAL ISN'T NOT TO -- IS NOT TO EXAGGERATE THE NEGATIVE, BUT TO POINT OUT THINGS LIKE SEEING PROGRESS.

BUT IN ORDER FOR US TO SUSTAIN THAT AND BUILD ON THAT MOMENTUM, WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.

WE HAVE TO MAKE IT EASIER TO BUILD IN DULUTH.

WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE FEEL SAFE, FIX THE STREETS.

I KNOW PEOPLE ARE WORKING ON THAT.

IT BEGINS AND ENDS WITH HOUSING AND CHILDCARE AND PUBLIC SAFETY AND STREETS.

THOSE ARE THE ISSUES WE ARE ALREADY WORKING ON IS A CHAMBER.

PART OF OUR JOB IS TO HELP THOSE DEVELOPERS MAKE PROGRESS AND RECRUIT ADDITIONAL DEVELOPERS.

WE DO HAVE GREAT DEVELOPERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

SOMETIMES IT IS NOT ALWAYS THE ELEVATOR PITCHES AT THE OUTSIDE STUFF THAT WE DO.

ALTHOUGH WE DO PART OF THAT.

SOMETIMES IT IS MORE BEHIND THE SCENES WHERE PEOPLE DON'T SEE, WHERE DEVELOPERS TRY TO GET A PERMIT THROUGH THE PROCESS.

IT IS TAKING LONGER THAN HE OR SHE THINKS IT SHOULD.

WE REACH OUT TO OUR PARTNERS AT THE CITY AND COUNTY.

.

WE HAVE SEEN GOOD PROGRESS.

THAT IS WHERE WE ARE SEEING MORE GROUNDBREAKING, OPEN HOUSES, THINGS LIKE THAT.

THINGS ARE MOVING ALONG.

ESPECIALLY NOW WITH ESSENTIA DOWN, WE KNOW WE WANT TO USE THAT AS A CATALYST AND SEE PROGRESS.

NOT ONLY DOWNTOWN BUT THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.

THIS GIVES US THE ABILITY.

JULIE: BEING SO HIGH ON THE LIST OF PRIORITIES FOR CITIZENS, AND AS YOU LOOK AT HOW DOWNTOWN AND ITS USAGE HAS CHANGED SINCE THE PANDEMIC, ARE THERE THINGS THAT THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND THE CHAMBER CAN DO TO MAYBE MERGE THOSE TWO THINGS?

?

WHERE THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP HOUSING DOWNTOWN.

AND THAT THERE IS SPACE FOR IT?

DANIEL: THAT IS EXACTLY WHERE WE HAVE SEEN SOME OF THAT MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION.

I CAN THINK OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD THREE OR FOUR DEVELOPERS THAT ARE WORKING DOWNTOWN, OR ARE AT LEAST WORKING AROUND HOUSING AND POSSIBLY SOME COMMERCIAL INVESTMENT.

IS OUR JOB AND TASK.

THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE SURVEY AND LONG BEFORE THE SURVEY.

MAYBE THERE IS NOT A DIRECT CORRELATION, BUT THERE IS AN INDIRECT CORRELATION.

DOWNTOWN TASK FORCE THAT THE MAYOR CAN IDENTIFY THIS AS WELL.

WE HAVE SEEN THIS THROUGH OUR COMMUNITIES.

WHEN THERE IS MORE ACTIVITY DOWNTOWN, PEOPLE FEEL SAFER, AND SOME OF THE OTHER STUFF STARTS TO GO AWAY IN THE SENSE THAT PEOPLE FEEL MORE SAFE, THERE IS MORE TO VIDEO, THAT IS WHAT WE WANT TO SEE.

IF WE CAN ENCOURAGE THESE DEVELOPERS TO DEVELOP HOUSING AND WORK WITH THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATORS TO GET ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR SERVICES THAT WE CAN OFFER, INDIVIDUALS WHO NEEDED, ALL OF THAT TOGETHER, THERE'S NOT ONE SILVER LIT IT IS A COMPLICATED ISSUE.

WE WANT TO HELP CONTRIBUTE TO THE SOLUTION.

JULIE: -- MIKE: THE FOUNDATION CREATED TO BECOME A FUNDING MECHANISM, BECAUSE HE CAN'T ALWAYS GET GRANTS, ONE YEAR IN.

HOW HAS IT BEEN GOING?

DANIEL: YOU NAILED IT.

IT LITERALLY WAS CREATED LESS THAN A YEAR AGO.

IT TAKES A WHILE TO GET A HEN RUNNING.

WE GOT OUR TAX DEDUCTIBLE STATUS A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.

.

INFANCY STAGES.

WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS.

THE CHAMBERS, LONG BEFORE I GOT THERE, THE CHAMBERS HAD A HISTORY OF BEING INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY, LEADING THE CHARGE IN THE LEGISLATIVE STUFF.

WITH MATT'S LEADERSHIP AND OUR GREAT BOARD'S LEADERSHIP, AND KNOWING OUR MEMBERS ARE HUNGRY FOR THIS GROWTH, WE ARE SEEING THE ROLE OF THE FOUNDATION THAT CAN BE TO ACQUIRE THE FUNDING THAT OTHERWISE THOUGH CORPORATE CHAMBER WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO.

WE CAN GET STATE AND FEDERAL GRANTS, APPLY FOR THOSE AS A 501(C)(3), PRIVATE DONATIONS, IT HELPS US BE MORE PROACTIVE AND ADDRESS THE CORE ISSUES.

TO CORPORATE CHANGE OR -- THE CORPORATE CHANMBER CAN DOUBLE DOWN ON THE ACTIVITY, ADVOCACY, POLICY WORK, AND THAT HAS TO BE FUNDED.

WE ARE HOPING PEOPLE WILL STEP UP AND HELP WITH FINANCIALS.

WE ALSO NEED THEIR INPUT.

WE NEED THEM TO TAKE THE SURVEYS.

WE WANT THEM INVOLVED.

COLLECTIVELY, WE CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS.

JULIE: THE CHAMBER COHOSTED A SERIES OF CANDIDATE FORUMS THIS WEEK.

WE ONLY HAVE ABOUT 30 SECONDS.

SPEAK TO THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CHAMBER'S INVOLVEMENT IN GETTING THOSE BUSINESS ISSUES OUT FRONT AND CENTER.

DANIEL: THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.

A GREAT PARTNERSHIP.

MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE MAKING SURE THESE CANDIDATES ARE ADDRESSING THE ISSUES RAISED IN THE SURVEY.

HOUSING, CHILDCARE, STREETS AND POTHOLES.

THOSE ARE ISSUES THE CHAMBER IS WORKING ON.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT AND OTHERS -- AND OTHER ISSUES, LIKE THE 148 FIRE AWAY.

THERE IS SO MANY WORK WE ARE INVOLVED WITH.

MIKE: AND KNOW YOU ARE BUSY TONIGHT.

DANIEL: WE ARE HEADED DOWN TO THE MILITARY BALL AFTER THIS.

WE WILL KEEP ADVOCATING FOR THE 148.

MIKE: THANK YOU FOR COMING IN.

DANIEL: MY PLEASURE.

GLAD TO BE YOUR FIRST POST.

CONGRATULATIONS.

FIRST GUEST, I SHOULD SAY.

♪ MIKE: IT'S TIME FOR VOICES OF THE REGION, OUR WEEKLY REVIEW OF STORIES BEING COVERED BY AREA JOURNALISTS.

OUR GUEST THIS TIME IS DANIELLE KAEDING, A REPORTER WITH WISCONSIN PUBLIC RADIO.

♪ DANIELLE: SOME WAS COUNSEL AND LIBRARIES ARE RECEIVING REQUESTS TO REMOVE BOOKS THAT SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS SAY ARE INAPPROPRIATE OR PROMOTE CERTAIN GENDER IDEOLOGIES.

THE REQUESTS COME AS LIBRARIES NATIONWIDE HAVE FACED RECORD DEMANDS TO BAN BOOKS.

RECENTLY IN AUGUST, A GROUP OF ANONYMOUS RESIDENTS IN THE TOWN OF IRON RIVER SAY THEY WANT TO REMOVE BOOKS THAT REFER TO TRANSGENDER OR LGBTQ PLUS ISSUES FROM THEIR PUBLIC LIBRARY.

THE LIBRARY'S DIRECTOR SAID THEIR BOARD RECENTLY VOTED TO KEEP THE BOOK "LET'S TALK ABOUT IT," AFTER IT WAS CHALLENGE.

IT CONTAINS CARTOON DRAWINGS THAT SERVE AS A GUIDE FOR ALL SEXUAL ORIENTATIONS, AND THAT SOME OF THEM CAN BE PRETTY EXPLICIT.

AS WE HAVE SEEN NATIONWIDE, THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION HAS DOCUMENTED A RECORD 1269 DEMANDS TO CENSOR BOOKS AND RESOURCES LAST YEAR.

MOST OF THOSE BOOKS WERE WRITTEN BY OR ABOUT THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY, OR PEOPLE OF COLOR.

♪ NO ONE IS ENTIRELY PLEASED WITH PROPOSED CHANGES TO HARVEST REGULATIONS AS THE STATE IS PREPARING TO FINALIZE ITS FIRST MAJOR UPDATE OF THAT PLAN IN DECADES.

THE WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES IS PROPOSING A RULE THAT INCORPORATES RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THAT PLAN, WHICH IF YOU RECALL, IT WAS FIRST WRITTEN IN 1999.

EIGHT OR REVISED IN 2007.

-- LATER REVISED IN 2007.

IT SUCH A GOAL IN WISCONSIN.

AT A TIME WHEN THERE WAS ONLY A COUPLE HUNDRED WOLVES IN THE STATE.

SINCE THEN, IT HAS GROWN FOUR TIMES THAT AMOUNT TO ROUGHLY AROUND 1000 WOLVES ACCORDING TO THE DNR.

NOW AS PART OF THIS PLAN, THEY ARE INCORPORATING SOME RECOMMENDATIONS INTO THESE HARVEST REGULATIONS.

SOME OF THEM WOULD BE TO PROMOTE FASTER KYL REGISTRATIONS.

HUNTERS WOULD HAVE TO REGISTER THEIR KILLS WITH -- WITHIN EIGHT HOURS AS OPPOSED TO 5:00 P.M.

THE NEXT DAY.

IT WOULD PROVIDE PROTECTIONS FOR BOTH DENS, MAKING IT ILLEGAL FOR PEOPLE TO HARASS OR DESTROY A WOLF DEN.

THERE ARE A FEW OTHER CHANGES.

THAT ESSENTIALLY, IT DREW MIXED REACTION, BOTH PLAN AND THESE REGULATIONS, DURING A PUBLIC HEARING THIS WEEK.

♪ THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS SAYS LAKES MICHIGAN AND SUPERIOR ROLES LESS THAN ONE INCH OVER THE SUMMER MONTHS, AND THAT IS RARE FOR LAKE SUPERIOR IN PARTICULAR.

BECAUSE WHAT THEY SAY IS THAT IT TYPICALLY RISES AN AVERAGE OF SEVEN INCHES THROUGH AUGUST.

IT ROSE LESS THAN HALF AN INCH.

THEY SAY THAT IS A RESULT OF DRIER CONDITIONS IN THE BASIN, THE SAME TOO FOR LAKE MICHIGAN AS WELL.

TYPICALLY LEVELS ON THAT LAKE RISE AROUND FOUR INCHES ON THE LAKE FROM MAY TO JULY.

OVER THE PAST YEAR, WE HAVE SEEN LESS THAN AVERAGE RAINFALL RECORDED IN THE GREAT LAKES BASIN, FOR THE LAKE SUPERIOR BASIN, IT HAS BEEN FIVE INCHES LESS RAIN THAN AVERAGE.

DURING ROUGHLY 120 YEAR PERIOD WHERE THEY HAVE RECORDED THAT.

LAKE MICHIGAN HAS SEEN ABOUT 3.5 INCHES OR SO LESS OF RAINFALL THAN AVERAGE.

AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE STILL SEEING DRY CONDITIONS IN THE REGION.

THE LATEST U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR SHOWS 96% OF WISCONSIN IS ABNORMALLY DRY.

THE LAKE MICHIGAN SHORELINE HAS SEEN PRETTY MODERAE DROUGHT CONDITIONS.

HERE ALONG LAKE SUPERIOR SOUTH SHORE, WE ARE SEEING SEVERE TO EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT CONDITIONS IN SOME AREAS.

♪ JULIE: IN JUST OVER A WEEK, THE MINNESOTA OVARIAN CANCER ALLIANCE WILL HOLD ITS 10TH ANNUAL LIGHT DULUTH TEAL GALA AT THE DECC.

THE EVENT RAISES AWARENESS OF A DISEASE THAT IMPACTS 20,000 WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES EACH YEAR AND CELEBRATES OVARIAN CANCER SURVIVORS.

HERE TO TELL US MORE IS KRISTINE GREER, THE LIGHT DULUTH TEAL GALA CHAIR WHO IS AN OVARIAN CANCER SURVIVOR.

WELCOME BACK.

YOU HAVE BEEN HERE A NUMBER OF TIMES OVER THOSE 10 YEARS.

FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH IT, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE IN THE COMMUNITY?

KRISTINE: IT IS A WONDERFUL GALA.

WE ARE THERE TO SUPPORT AND OFFER HOPE AND INSPIRATION TO WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH OVARIAN CANCER, AS WELL AS THEIR FAMILIES.

WE HAVE A WONDERFUL EVENT PLANNED FOR NEXT SATURDAY.

IT STARTS AT 5:30.

WE HAVE A COCKTAIL RECEPTION, FOLLOWED BY DINNER, A VERY INSPIRATIONAL PROGRAM, LIVE AND SILENT AUCTIONS, GAINS -- GAMES, A LIVE SINGER.

JUST A LOT OF INSPIRATION.

JULIE: YOU ACTUALLY DO LIGHT DULUTH TEAL.

KRISTINE: WE DO.

THIS YEAR, WE ARE LIGHTING 10 STRUCTURES TEAL IN AN EFFORT TO RAISE OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS.

10, BECAUSE IT IS A DECADE.

MIKE: SOME EXAMPLES OF THOSE WOULD BE THE TOWER AND PIER B?

KRISTINE: YES.

PEACE CHURCH, RADISSON, THE LIST GOES ON.

MIKE: I RECALL WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED WITH THE FOUNDATION, GETTING AWARENESS IN DULUTH WITH LIGHTING THE LIFT BRIDGE BACK IN 2013.

DID YOU EVER THINK 10 YEARS LATER YOU WOULD BE AT THIS LEVEL?

KRISTINE: MIKE: NO -- KRISTINE: NO, I REALLY DIDN'T.

EACH YEAR, I WAS SO FOCUSED ON RAISING AWARENESS AND TRYING TO SAVE LIVES IN THIS COMMUNITY.

I LOVE THE NORTH LAND.

I GREW UP IN DULUTH.

10 YEARS AGO, I JUST WANTED TO SUPPORT THE WOMEN IN THIS AREA.

THERE WAS NOT A LOT OF SUPPORT AT THAT TIME.

BUT WE ARE HERE IN THE NORTH LAND.

WE HAVE SUPPORT GROUPS HERE.

WE ARE HERE FOR WOMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES.

JULIE: WHAT PROGRESS HAVE YOU SEEN IN EITHER THE TREATMENT OR THE SCREENING OR BOTH IN OVARIAN CANCER OVER THIS PAST DECADE?

KRISTINE: THE SCREENING HAS NOT IMPROVED.

WE STILL NEED AN EARLY DETECTION TEST.

THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS I AM SO PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS BECAUSE.

.

I WAS SHOCKED TO LEARN THERE IS NO EARLY DETECTION TEST.

I THOUGHT, I NEED TO GET ON THE BANDWAGON HERE.

AS FAR AS PROGRESS, WE HAVE SEEN BETTER TREATMENTS AND BETTER DEVELOPMENTS OVER THE PAST DECADE.

PROBABLY THE BIGGEST DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN THE USE OF A DRUG CALLED A PART INHIBITOR.

LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT.

IT IS KIND OF A COMPLICATED DRUG.

BUT IT GOES AFTER -- WE TRY TO PREVENT THE CANCER CELLS FROM PROTECTING -- I WOULD SAY PROTECTING, WHATEVER WORD, THE DAMAGED TUMOR DNA.

IT TRIES TO STOP THAT CANCER CELL FROM REPRODUCING.

WE HAVE ANOTHER CLASS OF DRUGS, ONE WAS JUST DEVELOPED.

AND ON THE MARKET NOW.

THAT IS CALLED AN ADC.

THAT STANDS FOR ANTIBODY DRUG CONJUGATE.

THAT TARGETS THE CANCER CELLS VULNERABILITIES.

THERE IS PROMISE.

THERE IS A LOT OF PROMISE.

MIKE: I UNDERSTAND THAT SHORT-TERM RIGHT NOW, THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF DRUGS?

KRISTINE: YES.

FOR THE FIRST TIME -- THESE PAST EIGHT MONTHS, WE HAVE SEEN THE FIRST -- THE WORST CHEMOTHERAPY SHORTAGE IN THE U.S. HISTORY.

IT IS VERY CONCERNING.

NO ONE WITH OVARIAN CANCER SHOULD HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT GETTING A LIFE-SAVING TREATMENT.

CANCER CENTERS ARE WORKING HARD TO MANAGE THEIR SUPPLY.

BUT THEY ARE BEING TOLD TO MAYBE TWEAK THE DOSAGES, AS WELL AS THE FREQUENCY.

AND THAT IS CONCERNING.

THAT IS VERY CONCERNING.

IT IS A VERY COMPLICATED ISSUE.

THERE ARE MANUFACTURERS ALL OVER THE WORLD THAT WILL WANT A PER TICK -- AND ONE IN PARTICULAR IN INDIA WAS SHUT DOWN FOR QUALITY ISSUES.

THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASED DEMAND SPIKE.

THERE ARE ISSUES WITH SOME OF THE INGREDIENTS.

IT IS VERY CONCERNING.

WE ARE WORKING HARD WITH OUR NATIONAL PARTNERS AS WELL AS LEGISLATIVE LEADERS TO WORK ON THIS SUPPLY AND TRY TO MAKE -- TRY TO HELP.

IT IS A TOUGH ONE.

JULIE: YOU MENTIONED THE LACK OF AN EARLY SCREENING SYSTEM.

IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO CATCH ANY CANCER EARLY ON.

ARE THERE SYMPTOMS IN THE EARLY STAGES OF OVARIAN CANCER THAT PEOPLE COULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR, THAT MIGHT MAKE IT MORE LIKELY THAT THEY WOULD CATCH IT?

JULIE: -- KRISTINE: THERE ARE.

WE ARE FINDING WOMEN HAVE SYMPTOMS THEY ARE OFTEN NOT COT BECAUSE THEY ARE SO VAGUE, THEY ARE DISMISSED.

FOR EXAMPLE, BLOATING.

THAT IS PRETTY COMMON.

AND DIFFICULTY EATING OR FEELING FULL QUICKLY, PAIN IN THE ABDOMEN AS WELL AS URINARY ISSUES.

WE TELL WOMEN IF THEY HAVE ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS THAT ARE PROGRESSING OR THEY HAVE IT FOR TWO WEEKS OR MORE, THAT IS NOT NORMAL.

THEY SHOULD GO TO THEIR DOCTOR AND DISCUSS.

IF OVARIAN CANCER IS SUSPECTED, THEY NEED TREATMENT BY A GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGIST.

IT IS SO IMPORTANT AND IT WILL INCREASE ODDS OF SURVIVAL.

JULIE: ARE THERE THINGS PEOPLE CAN DO TO REDUCE THEIR RISK?

KRISTINE: THERE ARE SOME THINGS THEY CAN DO, LIKE HAVING TUBES OVARIES REMOVED, BIRTH CONTROL, WE LIST MORE ON OUR WEBSITE.

THERE ARE SOME.

WOMEN JUST REALLY NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THEIR BODIES.

IF THEY FEEL THEY ARE NOT BEING HEARD, GO TO ANOTHER DOCTOR.

I WAS STAGE III, AND I REALLY HAD NO SYMPTOMS.

IT WAS KIND OF DISCOVERED DURING AN ANNUAL EXAM.

IT IS A VERY SNEAKY CANCER.

WE TELL WOMEN, LISTEN TO YOUR BODIES.

GO TO THE DOCTOR, IF YOU DON'T THINK SOMETHING IS RIGHT.

SOMETIMES, THEY ARE TOLD THESE ARE G.I.

ISSUES, OR YOU ARE CONSTIPATED OR WHATEVER.

JUST KEEP PURSUING.

BE PERSISTENT.

THIS IS YOUR BODY AND YOUR HEALTH.

JULIE: STILL TICKETS AVAILABLE?

KRISTINE: TICKETS ARE STILL AVAILABLE ONLINE THROUGH SUNDAY.

NEXT WEDNESDAY, THE 20TH, WE WILL OPEN OUR AUCTION ONLINE.

EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO BID.

AND HELP US RAISE MONEY FOR VITAL RESEARCH.

JULIE: THANK YOU FOR COMING IN.

GOOD LUCK.

KRISTINE: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

MIKE: FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2000, THE MINNESOTA DNR IS STOCKING LAKE STURGEON IN THE ST. LOUIS RIVER.

THE PRE-HISTORIC LOOKING STURGEON ARE A NATIVE FISH SPECIES THAT WERE ONCE ABUNDANT HERE BUT DECLINED IN THE 1900'S DUE TO OVER-FISHING, HABITAT DESTRUCTION AND POLLUTION.

STURGEON CAN LIVE 100 YEARS OR MORE, AND WEIGH OVER 100 POUNDS.

HERE'S MORE FROM A LOCAL DNR OFFICIAL.

>> THE FEMALE LAKE STURGEON CAN TAKE OVER 25 YEARS TO REACH SEXUAL MATURITY.

WHEN THEY DO, THEY ONLY SPOHN OVER FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS, RESULTING IN VERY SLOW NATURAL REPRODUCTION.

THE 375 LAKE STURGEON WE STOCKED TODAY ARE ALL ABOUT FOUR MONTHS OLD.

.

EACH FISH HAS A UNIQUE TAG EMBEDDED INSIDE OF IT, THAT BIOLOGISTS NOW, AND DECADES INTO THE FUTURE, CAN MONITOR FURTHER GROWTH INTO THE RECOVERY OF LAKE STURGEON IN THE SAME LEWIS RIVER.

MIKE: THE ST. LOUIS RIVER IS THE LARGEST FRESHWATER ESTUARY IN NORTH AMERICA, AND WAS DESIGNATED A FEDERAL AREA OF CONCERN IN 1987 DUE TO LEGACY CONTAMINATION.

STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES AND OTHER PARTNERS HAVE BEEN WORKING TO CLEAN UP AND RESTORE THE ESTUARY, HOPING TO HAVE IT DE-LISTED BY 2035.

JULIE: WE'RE OUT OF TIME, BUT YOU CAN KEEP UP WITH ALMANAC NORTH BY FOLLOWING US ON FACEBOOK AND X, FORMERLY KNOWN AS 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.

MIKE, THANKS FOR HOLDING DOWN THE CO-HOST CHAIR THIS WEEK.

REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.

ARE YOU CONVERTED TO A TV GUIDE NOW?

MIKE: I AM STILL IN AN INK STAINED WRETCH.

PRINT JOURNALISM ALL THE WAY.

BUT THIS WAS AN INTERESTING EXPERIENCE AND I APPRECIATE HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY.

JULIE: I THINK YOU HAVE GREAT POTENTIAL AND WE HOPE TO SEE YOU BACK IN THE CHAIR AGAIN.

FOR MIKE CREGER AND THE CREW AT ALMANAC NORTH, I'M JULIE ZENNER.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND, WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

♪