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

WE WILL TALK TONIGHT WITH JUDGE SHAWN PEARSON ABOUT HIS JOURNEY AS THE FIRST BLACK JUDGE IN NORTHEASTERN MINNESOTA.

WE'LL HAVE A REPORT ON HOW MUHAMMAD ALI CONTINUES TO INFLUENCE BOXERS AROUND THE WORLD AND RIGHT HERE IN THE NORTHLAND AND LOCAL HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS.

TALK ABOUT THE DELTA VARIANT AND HOW IT IS CHANGING.

COVID LANDSCAPE THOSE STORIES AND VOICES OF THE REGION COMING UP ON ALMANAC NORTH HERE HELLO AND WELCOME TO ALMANAC NORTH.

THANKS FOR WATCHING AND IT'S BEEN NICE TO SEE SOME RAIN THIS WEEK DENNY.

WE REALLY NEEDED IT.

WE SURELY DID WE HAD SOME DESPERATELY NEEDED RAINED ALMOST ALL NIGHT.

NIGHT HERE IN DULUTH AT LEAST SO IT WAS GOOD CLEARED UP JUST IN TIME FOR THE WEEKEND IT DID.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH JULIA.

IN FACT THAT RAIN HAS ALLOWED THE MINNESOTA DNR NOW TO REMOVE BURNING RESTRICTIONS IN 14 COUNTIES BURNING RESTRICTIONS WERE LIFTED IN SAINT LOUIS ITASCA KUCHING AND SEVERAL OTHER COUNTIES IN OUR AREA BUT RESTRICTIONS REMAIN IN PLACE AT THE TIP OF THE ARROWHEAD IN LAKE AND COOK COUNTIES.

THE US ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY HAS REMOVED A HERMANTOWN SITE FROM THE FEDERAL SUPERFUND.

LIST REMOVAL OF THE OLD ARROWHEAD REFINERY SITE INDICATES CLEANUP HAS BEEN COMPLETED THE REFINERY DUMPED TOXIC WASTE INTO AN UNLINED LAGOON FOR AIDS AND THE SITE WAS ADDED TO THE SUPERFUND LIST BACK IN 1984 EARLY VOTING IS BEING ENCOURAGED FOR THE NOVEMBER 2ND GENERAL ELECTION IN DULUTH BORDERS CAN REQUEST AN ABSENTEE BALLOT BY CONTACTING THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE OR GOING TO MEN VOTES.ORG.

THAT'S MN.

VOTES.ORG VOTERS CAN ALSO VOTE.

PERSON AT CITY HALL ON ANY BUSINESS DAY.

NO APPOINTMENT IS NEEDED.

UW SUPERIOR STUDENTS WILL TAKE INTERNATIONAL BEACH CLEANUP ON WISCONSIN POINT SATURDAY STUDENTS ARE PARTNERING WITH THE CITY OF SUPERIOR ALLIANCE FOR THE GREAT LAKES AND FRIENDS OF LAKE SUPERIOR RESERVE FOR THE EVENT ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO HELP SHOULD MEET AT LOT NUMBER ONE ON WISCONSIN POINT AT 10 AM SATURDAY.

WELL THIS SUMMER HISTORY WAS MADE WITH MINNESOTA GOVERNOR TIM.

WALZ APPOINTED NORTHEASTERN MINNESOTA'S FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN JUDGE IN THE SIXTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT WALLS SAID HE BRINGS A WEALTH AND DEPTH OF EXPERIENCE AND STEADFAST LEADERSHIP TO THE BEN.

AND SO JOINING US NOW IS SEAN PEARSON DISTRICT COURT JUDGE SEATED HERE IN DULUTH.

WELCOME JUDGE.

NICE TO MEET YOU.

WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOU SPENDING SOME TIME WITH US TONIGHT.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

ABSOLUTELY.

YOU MADE HISTORY AS WE SAID HERE IN IN TOWN AND YOU'RE THE FIRST BLACK JUDGE NOW TO SERVE THE SIXTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT, PERHAPS, HOW CAN THAT MAKE SOME DIFFERENCE AND MAYBE SOME OF THE CASES?

YOU'RE ABOUT TO HEAR, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO THINK IT DOESN'T MAKE MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE TO ANY UM, BUT I IT DOES AND HERE'S WHY IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA AND IN MANY OF THE THE COUNTIES HERE.

THE DEFENDANTS WHO SIT IN THE JAILS LOOK MORE LIKE ME THAN PERHAPS LIKE YOU FOR THE FOR THE MOST UNDERSTANDABLE.

UM, THERE'S A THERE'S THERE'S A LARGE NUMBER OF MINORITY DEFENDANTS AND NOT A I'M THE ONLY EARLY ON THE BENCH TO THIS POINT.

AND I THINK IT I'VE ACTUALLY HAD I'LL SHARE WITH YOU AN EXPERIENCE.

I HAD THE OTHER DAY ACTUALLY ONE OF THE BAILIFFS WHO WAS PRESIDENT AT MY INVESTED.

CAME UP TO ME IN THE HALL AND HE HAD SOMETHING TO URGENTLY SHARE WITH ME IT SEEMED AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S WHAT WHAT'S GOING ON?

AND HE SAID I WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT I WAS UP AT THE JAIL THE OTHER DAY AND SOMEONE WHO WAS IN CUSTODY CAME UP TO HIM AND SAID THAT HE WANTED ME TO HEAR HIS CASE AND HE SAID WELL, WHY IS THAT HE SAID BECAUSE HE LOOKS LIKE ME.

AND I THOUGHT ABOUT IT FOR A MINUTE AND AND YOU KNOW, IT FEELS LIKE A REALLY SIMPLE THING.

UM, AND OBVIOUSLY THERE'S NO YOU KNOW ALLEGIANCE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT THAT WOULD PLAY INTO THAT BUT I THINK WHAT IT REALLY DOES IS IT IT STRENGTHENS?

THE TRUST IT'S STRENGTHENS THE PUBLIC TRUST.

HOPEFULLY IT'LL LEAD TO SOME SOME ADDITIONAL CIVIC ENGAGEMENT BECAUSE OF THAT TRUST AND AND REALLY AS AN OFFICER OF THE COURT WHAT WE REALLY OPERATE ON IS THE PUBLIC'S TRUST.

WERE HEARING CASES IN AN OBJECTIVE MANNER FOLLOWING THE LAW AND YOU KNOW BEING AN EXAMPLE TO THE COMMUNITY.

IS ENSURING ENSURING SOCIAL JUSTICE ALWAYS THE SAME THING.

WHOO, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK SO.

I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK SO.

I THINK THEY'RE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.

BECAUSE OF THE STRUCTURE AND AND THE SET UP THE STRUCTURE.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL NAVIGATING WITHIN THE LEGAL SYSTEM.

WE HAVE DRIVER'S LICENSES, RIGHT YOU HAVE TO GET A LICENSE TO DO CERTAIN.

THINGS YOU NEED A ALL THESE DIFFERENT REGULATIONS AND THOSE SYSTEMS WERE SET UP NOT.

WITH AN EYE TOWARDS SOCIAL JUSTICE, OF COURSE, AND IN FACT, YOU MIGHT SEE THEM AS ACTUALLY POLAR OPPOSITES AND IN CERTAIN RESPECTS, DEPENDING ON WHO YOU ASK.

MM-HMM FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH YOUR BACKGROUND JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND AND YOUR PATH TO THE BENCH SURE WELL, I'M THE FIRST LAWYER ON MY FAMILY.

EVER GROWING UP.

NO ONE EVER SUGGESTED THAT I SHOULD GO TO LAW SCHOOL, OR EVEN I FRANKLY I DON'T EVEN THINK I'D MET A LAWYER UNTIL I'D MET MY WIFE'S FAMILY.

THERE'S A NUMBER OF LAWYERS AND IN HER FAMILY MY FATHER-IN-LAW PRACTICED SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY FOR MANY YEARS JUST RETIRED.

BUT GROWING UP IN A SMALL TOWN IN OHIO.

I WAS SURROUNDED BY A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE PROFESSIONAL PROFESSIONALS.

MAINLY MEDICAL FOLKS BECAUSE MY MOM'S THE REGISTERED NURSE.

SHE STUDIED TO BECOME A NURSE WHEN I WAS IN GRADE SCHOOL REALLY BARELY SAW DURING THAT TIME PERIOD NIGHTS NIGHT NIGHT SCHOOL AND ALL THAT KIND OF THING AND I WAS RAISED A LOT BY MY GRANDPARENTS.

MY GRANDFATHER WAS A WORLD WAR TWO.

NAVY VETERAN WORKED IN A STEEL MILL AFTER THAT AND SOME OF THE THE REASONS WHY I FEEL LIKE IT'S IMPORTANT TO DO THIS JOB IS BECAUSE OF OF THEM.

YOU KNOW COMING BACK FROM WORLD WAR TWO GOING TO WORK FOR MANY MANY YEARS AND REALLY NOT NECESSARILY.

GETTING THE FULL BENEFIT OF THAT AMERICAN DREAM NECESSARILY.

I THINK WAS SOMETHING THAT I REALLY TOOK TO HEART AND WHEN I AFTER I GRADUATED COLLEGE AND I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT REALLY WHAT TO DO WITH MY WITH A DEGREE IN ANTHROPOLOGY, THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS.

I STARTED WORKING IN A PLAINTIFF SIDE ASBESTOS FIRM IN CHICAGO AND I GET TO TRAVEL AROUND TO DIFFERENT STATES TO INTERVIEW INDIVIDUALS WHO'D BEEN ENTERED BY ASBESTOS WHETHER THEY'RE PIPEFITTERS BOILERFITTERS STEAM FITTERS ELECTRICIANS.

YOU SOUND LIKE AN EMPATHETIC PERSON.

CAN YOU YOU LIKE PEOPLE IT SOUNDS LIKE I DIDN'T BRING EMPATHY TO THE BENCH.

I FEEL LIKE I DO I FEEL LIKE AND I I FEEL LIKE I TRY TO DO THAT EVERY DAY IT REALLY IS THAT CORE BELIEF THAT EVERYONE DESERVES A FAIR SHAKE ON A FAIR CHANCE IN THE EYES OF THE LAW.

THEY'RE REALLY BRINGS ME TO THIS POINT OVER THE YEARS AND LOOKING AT YOUR YOUR BIO YOU'VE VOLUNTEERED AS A MENTOR AS A COACH HOW IMPORTANT ARE POSITIVE ROLE MODELS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO MAYBE KEEP THEM FROM EVER HAVING TO APPEAR IN OUR ROOM YEAH, I THINK THE OF MENTORSHIP IS REALLY ONE OF THE HIGHEST THINGS THAT WE CAN DO AS INDIVIDUALS AND HAVE THE GREATEST IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITIES AND IT IS SO SIMPLE.

IT FEELS SO SIMPLE TO SIMPLY SHOW UP OR GIVE US SPEECH OR YOU KNOW, GO IN FRONT OF A GROUP OF KIDS AND SAY HEY, THIS IS WHAT I DO.

IS HOW I EARN A LIVING.

THIS IS WHY I LIKE DOING WHAT I'M DOING.

THIS IS HOW I'M HELPING PEOPLE AND THAT SEEMS LIKE A REALLY SIMPLE EASY THING TO DO THAT MANY OF US CAN DO BUT THE BENEFITS TO THAT JUST SIMPLY SEEING SOMEONE IN A POSITION AND PUTTING YOURSELF IN THEIR SHOES.

CAN HAVE A GREAT IMPACT ON A KID WHO MIGHT?

BE FACED WITH REALLY LIFE-ALTERING DECISIONS.

NOT REALLY EVEN KNOW IT.

I READ WHERE YOU GREW UP IN POVERTY JUDGE.

WELL THAT HAVE ANY EFFECT ON HOW YOU SIT ON THE BENCH AND HOW YOU OPERATE AS A JUDGE.

WE THINK IT WOULD OUR BACKGROUNDS ARE ALWAYS ALWAYS THERE ALWAYS THERE.

OF COURSE.

AND I THINK IT GIVES ME A SENSITIVITY TO SOME OF THE UNIQUE ISSUES.

WHEN I WAS REPRESENTING PARENTS AND CHILD PROTECTION CASES AND HAVING IN VIRGINIA.

NORTHERN MINNESOTA POVERTY WAS PAR FOR THE COURSE DRUG USE PAR FOR THE COURSE DOMESTIC ABUSE.

IN PLAY MANY TIMES TOO FREQUENTLY, AND THOSE ARE KIND OF OF THINGS THAT CAN REALLY DERAIL PEOPLE FROM REACHING THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.

I THINK THE GROWING UP AS A POOR KID AND IN SOUTHEAST, OHIO HAS GIVEN ME SOME OF THAT EMPATHY TO REALLY LISTEN TO PEOPLE BECAUSE SOMETIMES IF THE THE FOLKS THAT WE SEE PARTICULARLY THE FOLKS IN CUSTODY THE THAT I SEE AND UNFORTUNATELY THEY'RE ON VIDEO.

YEAH ON THESE DAYS BECAUSE OF ANOTHER ISSUES, BUT THEY'RE SCARED AS HELL AND THEY I ALWAYS TRY TO ASK INDIVIDUALS WHO APPEAR BEFORE ME WHO WERE.

ARE DON'T HAVE THEIR FULL FREEDOM.

YOU KNOW, WHAT IS YOUR PLAN?

YEAH, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?

YOU KNOW SURE IF JUDGE.

I WISH WE HAD MORE TIME TO UNVEIL THAT WE WERE OUT OF TIME RIGHT NOW.

SURE.

HOPE TO HAVE YOU BACK SOMEDAY.

THAT'S FOR SURE.

JUDGE SHAWN PEARSON DISTRICT COURT, JUDGE SIXTH DISTRICT HERE IN DULUTH.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YEAH PLEASURE HAVING HERE.

THANK YOU.

MUHAMMAD ALI A DOCUMENTARY BY KEN BURNS PREMIERES THIS SUNDAY ON PBS OUR PRODUCER RAMONA MOROSAS AND VIDEO.

FOR AJ LARSON, THAT WAS SOME LOCAL BOXERS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ALI'S LEGEND AND HIS IMPACT ON THE BOXING COMMUNITY.

HE SAID ZACH WALTERS HERE.

I AM THE HEAD COACH JIM OWNER OF JUNGLE GYM.

YOU GOT THE JUNGLE GYM BOXING ACADEMY.

IT'S A 24 HOURS BOXING GYM HERE.

WE'RE HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT MUHAMMAD ALI HIS INFLUENCES ON YOU KNOW MYSELF AS A BOXER AS A COACH HOW HOW THE SPIRIT OF A HOLIDAY IS KIND OF FLOATS THROUGH BOXING IN GENERAL.

I READ WHEN I WAS JUST A YOUNG BOXER.

I'M NOT GONNA BE EXACT.

BUT HE SAYS TO BE THE BEST YOU GOT TO BELIEVE THE IF YOU'RE NOT.

PRETEND YOU ARE THERE'S THOSE MOMENTS.

EVERYBODY HAS A LITTLE MOMENTS WITHOUT YOU KNOW, BUT HE ALWAYS JUST EXORBED THIS CONFIDENCE.

YOU KNOW, I WONDER HOW MUCH IS THAT WAS SHOWING AND HOW MUCH THAT WAS DID HE REALLY BELIEVE HIMSELF, YOU KNOW?

MY NAME IS ANDREW GRIGGS.

I'VE BEEN BOXING SINCE I WAS VERY LIKE LITTLE AT A YOUNG AGE USUALLY HIS QUOTES AND SAYS IN THE PAST INSPIRED ME A LOT.

HE SAID.

DON'T COUNT THE DAYS MAKE THE DAYS COUNT AND I JUST WANT TO BE LIKE THOSE NEXT PEOPLE BE OUT THERE AND BE ONE OF THE BEST PEOPLE OF COLOR TO STUFF IT IN THE RING.

USUALLY PEOPLE FIGHT ON THE WRONG WORLD, YOU KNOW DO OTHER THINGS AND LIKE BOXING KEPT ME OUT OF DOING ALL THAT STUFF.

SO I THEM IF THERE WAS PEOPLE OUT THERE LIKE LOOKING UP TO ME YOUNG AGES, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO LIKE LEAVE THEM DOWN THE RIGHT PATH.

I'M JESSE WALTERS OF THIS BORN IN NORTH DAKOTA, BUT I'VE LIVED IN DULUTH LIKE I DON'T LIKE 14 15 YEARS.

I TOLD YOU SURE ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS.

HE ALWAYS SAYS IS WHAT'S MY NAME AND ONE OF US ONE OF HIS FIGHTS BECAUSE THEY WERE CALLING THEM CASH AS CLAYSTONE.

HE HATED THAT NAME IT WAS.

GUY, THAT WOULD JUST KEEP CALLING HIM CRASHES CLAY AND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FIGHT WHEN HE KNOCKED HIM OUT.

HE JUST HE STOOD OVER HIM AND SAID, WHAT'S MY NAME?

WHAT'S MY NAME?

BECAUSE HE SAID MY NAME'S MUHAMMAD ALI NOW.

I AM SUE.

WELL, HOPEFULLY FAMILY SUE OUT AND THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT ME WHERE I FELT LIKE PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO SEE ME WIN.

PEOPLE WHERE I COME FROM ARE NOT ALWAYS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE.

SO WHEN I WIN IT FEELS LIKE I WENT FOR LIKE A LOT OF MORE PEOPLE THAN JUST MYSELF.

I LIKE HIS JOB.

I'LL ALWAYS LOVE THIS JOB.

HE ALWAYS HAD A GOOD DANCING AROUND AND HIS HEAD.

IT AND FOOTWORK, YOU KNOW, THAT'S GAVE ME LIKE MOTIVATION TO LIKE WANT TO MAKE ME WANT TO CAME UP TO HOW YOU CAN MOVE LIKE THAT?

I NEVER SEEN A HEAVYWEIGHT MOVE LIKE THAT.

HE'S QUICK.

I LOVE THE WAY HE TALKED.

GOSH, SOME OF THE FUNNEST THINGS ABOUT WATCHING MUHAMMAD.

ALI FOOTAGE IS WATCHING HIS INTERVIEWS THAT GUY KNEW HOW TO DEAL WITH.

HE WAS HERE.

JUST A CHARACTER.

HE'S A GOLD MEDALIST IN THE OLYMPICS AND HE DID IT WITH A FLUID FAST-HANDED STYLE.

THAT WAS SO UNIQUE THAT HE JUST BLEW THROUGH EVERYBODY.

THE RUSSIANS AND THE CUBANS HAVE ALWAYS HAD DOMINANT BOXERS AT THESE INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENTS AND MUHAMMAD.

ALI HAD A STYLE THAT NEITHER ONE OF THOSE GUYS COULD FIGURE OUT HIS --.

HE MADE IT LOOK EASY.

I WATCHED THOSE FIGHTS AND LIKE LOOKS MAKES IT LOOK EASY, BUT I SEE THE OLYMPIC BOXING.

I KNOW IT GOES INTO BOXING AT THAT LEVEL.

AND IT'S INCREDIBLE AND THE GUY MADE IT LOOK EASY.

I THINK WE'RE IN THE GOLD MEDAL DEFINITELY HUGE FOR HIS CAREER.

FIGHT WITH SUNNY LIST AND TAKING A STAND DURING THE VIETNAM WAR THERE'S ALL KINDS OF UP IN THE AIR THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN TO HIM.

I MEAN HE HAD CAN DO OUR PRISON FOR A WHILE, YOU KNOW THAT I MEAN THOSE MOMENTS WHERE HE TOOK A STAND AND FOUGHT THROUGH THINGS IN THE RING AND OUT OF THE RING.

HE'S A FIGHTER.

I MEAN, HE'S SUCH A FIGHTER, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THAT'S I THINK THAT'S OUR COURAGE COMES FROM YOU KNOW, THE COURAGE IS LIKE YOU FEEL THE FEAR, BUT YOU PUSH THROUGH IT THAT'S COURAGE.

I LIKE THAT LIKE HE STOOD UP FOR A LOT OF THINGS.

HE LIKE DON'T TAKE ANYTHING.

I SAY HE INSPIRED LIKE A LOT OF OTHER AFRICAN AMERICAN PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, HE WAS ALWAYS TAUGHT ABOUT HE WAS ALWAYS IN SOMEBODY'S MENTIONED WHEN THEY MENTION ACCENT AND IT IS MADE A LOT LIKE YOUNG AFRICAN-AMERICANS WANT TO LIKE BE JUST LIKE HIM, YOU KNOW FOLLOW HIS FOOTSTEPS.

HE UNLOCKED A LOT OF WAYS FOR OTHER PEOPLE TO COME INTO THE SPORT.

YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS LIKE THE UNDERDOGS OR NEVER SUPPOSED TO WIN, BUT WHEN THEY DO WIN IT'S LIKE THE BIGGEST UPSET AND IT LIKE HE SAID IT SHAKES THE WORLD WHEN PEOPLE AREN'T SUPPOSED TO WIN, BUT THEY DO WIN SO DEFINITELY UNLOCKED A LOT OF WAYS AND YOU KNOW IT'S ACCEPTABLE NOW FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE TO BE IN SPORT.

THERE'S HIM LIKE NOT GOING INTO THE ARMY AND STUFF LIKE THAT AND PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO SAY LIKE, OH HE HATES THIS COUNTRY.

ALL THIS AND ALL THAT BUT LIKE HE DIDN'T HATE THIS COUNTRY.

WE FELT LIKE HIS COUNTRY HATED HIM BECAUSE YOU KNOW, HE WAS APPARENTLY DOING SOMETHING WRONG JUST BECAUSE THE WAY HE WAS BORN A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT THE FACT THAT THERE WAS SO MUCH RACISM GOING ON BACK IN THE DAY AND HE USED HIS SPORT TO BE MORE THAN JUST A SPORT.

IT WAS A VOICE AND YOU KNOW MAKE A CHANGE IN THE WORLD.

IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO KNOW ABOUT MUHAMMAD ALI.

IT'S AN IMPORTANT THING FOR FOR KIDS TO SEE SUCCESS THAT LOOKS LIKE THEM DULUTH.

IT'S TOO IMPORTANT.

A VERY CULTURALLY DIVERSE PLACE AND SO BOXES IN THE GYM.

THEY NEED TO SEE SUCCESS THAT THERE ISN'T LIKE A ANOTHER WHITE GUY.

WELL, I LIKE EXPLORING DIFFERENT PLACES BOXING DIFFERENT PLACES DIFFERENT RINGS STEPPING ON DIFFERENT STAGES, YOU KNOW AND PERFORMING AT MY BEST ONE THING.

I LOVE ABOUT BOXING AS IT RELATES TO THE JOURNEY OF KIDS THAT TO THE GYM.

IS IS BOXING CAN GIVE THESE KIDS WINGS TO FLY TO GET OUTSIDE THEIR COMMUNITY TO SEE THAT THE WORLD.

A BIG PLACE AND THIS ISN'T ALL THERE IS THERE'S SO MUCH WORLD OUT THERE JUST BECAUSE WE'RE IN THE US AND WE'RE IN DULUTH DOESN'T MEAN IT'S THE SAME IN LIKE DALLAS, TEXAS OR SACRAMENTO OR YOU KNOW, ATLANTA OR BUFFALO NEW YORK, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING IS DIFFERENT.

YOU KNOW, THEY CAN'T BURN HIS DOCUMENTARIES.

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THING BECAUSE YOU KNOW THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF BAHAMA ALI IN AND OUT OF THE RANGE AND NEVER GOT I FEEL LIKE IT'S A GOOD, YOU KNOW LEARNING FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T KNOW ABOUT CULTURE AND BOXING THIS BECAUSE A LOT OF CULTURE AND BOXING HE'S LEADING PEOPLE AND SHUT GOING PEOPLE THAT THERE IS HOPE YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN DO THIS AND YOU KNOW, YOU CAN MAKE YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE, EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THE WINNER.

BEING A FIGHTER WAS MORE THAN JUST HIM FIGHTING WITH HIS FISTS.

TOOK THAT AND FOUGHT OTHER THINGS IN LIFE TO TO MAKE THINGS BETTER.

KEN BURNS ALI DOCUMENTARY FOCUSES ON ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE INDIVIDUALS OF THE 20TH CENTURY.

ALI WAS A THREE-TIME HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION WHO CAPTIVATED MILLIONS OF FANS.

HE INSISTED ON BEING HIMSELF AND BECAME A GLOBAL ICON.

INSPIRATION HERE'S A PREVIEW OF THE DOCUMENTARY.

THE WORLD THAT YOU CAN SAY YOURSELF AND GET RESPECT FROM THE WORLD.

HE'S 22 YEARS OLD AND HE'S STANDING UP TO THE WHOLE ESTABLISHMENT.

RIGHT?

DO YOU SEE MORE?

DECEMBER 19TH AT 8:7 CENTRAL ONLY ON PBS HERE 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, WISCONSIN PUBLIC REPORTER.

PROBABLY RADIO REPORTER.

DANIELLE KEATING IS OUR GUEST.

THE LATEST IS THAT YOU KNOW, WISCONSIN TRIBES AND NORTHERN WISCONSIN COMMUNITIES AND A GRASSROOTS CITIZENS GROUP CALLED LAKE SUPERIOR.

NOT FOR SALE ARE PUSHING BACK AGAINST DUL.

COMPANIES PROPOSAL TO BOTTLE AND SELL WATER FROM A WELL NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR DULUTH RESIDENT CRYSTAL MY SHACK WHO OWNS THE COMPANY CRYSTAL CLEAR SHE AND HER FATHER SAW A SPECIAL LAND USE PERMIT TO HARVEST WATER FROM AN ARTES.

ALL EARLIER THIS SPRING AND THEY WANT TO MOVE IT AND TANKER TRUCKS TO A BOTTLING FACILITY IN SUPERIOR AND OPPONENTS.

SAY THAT ALLOWING CRYSTAL CLEAR TO GO FORWARD WITH THIS WOULD EXPLOIT A LOOPHOLE IN A LANDMARK AGREEMENT THAT BARS WATER DIVERSIONS FROM THE GREAT LAKES, AND THAT'S KNOWN AS THE GREAT LAKES COMPACT AND YOU KNOW, THEY FEAR THAT THE PROPOSAL WOULD THREATEN WATER RESOURCES IN THE REGION AND THEY KNOW THAT THE AREA IS CURRENTLY WITNESSING DROUGHT CONDITIONS AND THAT THIS COMES AT A TIME WHEN WATER SCARCITY IS REALLY TOP OF MIND ESPECIALLY IN THE WESTERN US.

SO THE COMPANY'S CONSULTANT FOUND THAT THIS WELL FLOWS AT A RATE OF AROUND THREE AND A HALF GALLONS PER MINUTE ROUGHLY 5,000 GALLONS PER DAY.

AND APPEALS BOARD AND BAYFIELD COUNTY RECENTLY UPHELD THE DENIAL THAT SPECIAL LAND USE PERMIT AFTER THE COUNTY ZONING COMMITTEE REJECTED.

PROPOSAL THIS PAST SPRING AND SO MY CHECK'S ATTORNEY JACK PERRY WHO'S OUT OF MINNEAPOLIS SAYS THAT THEY PLAN TO APPEAL THE BOARD'S DECISION IN BAYFIELD COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT.

YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ARGUING THAT THE WISCONSIN DNR OR THOSE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES HAS SOLD PERMANENT AUTHORITY OVER GROUNDWATER WELLS AND THEY THINK THAT THE COUNTY COULD BE EXPOSED TO MORE THAN 250,000 IN DAMAGES AND LEGAL FEES FOR DENYING THE PROPOSAL BUT THE TOWN'S ATTORNEY MAX LINDSEY ARE WHO'S AT THE COUNTY IS JUST EXERCISING ITS AUTHORITY OVER LAND USE AND THEY NOTE THAT THE PROPOSAL REALLY DIDN'T FIT WITH HOW THAT AREA IS ZONE, WHICH IS FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AND ASSOCIATED.

RECREATIONAL USE THE FIRST TIME IN SEVEN YEARS AT WATER LEVELS ON LAKE SUPERIOR ARE ON PAR WITH THE LAKES LONG-TERM AVERAGE, YOU KNOW AFTER WE'VE WITNESSED A STRING OF RECORD HIGHS IN AUGUST THE AVERAGE WATER LEVELS ON LAKE SUPERIOR DROPPED LESS THAN AN INCH TO 602.17 FEET AND MATCHES THE LONG-TERM AVERAGE FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE APRIL 2014.

SO THE LAKE WAS NEARLY UP BELOW WATER LEVELS IN AUGUST OF LAST YEAR.

SO IT'S SO IT'S DECLINED ROUGHLY 11 INCHES, AND IT HAS CONTINUED TO EVEN THIS MONTH AND THAT DECLINE IS BASICALLY DRIVEN BY A NORMALLY DRY TO EXTREME DROUGHT CONDITIONS THAT WE'RE SEEING ACROSS THE LAKE SUPERIOR BASIN.

UM, WE'VE JUST SEEN, YOU KNOW, NOT VERY MUCH SNOW OR ICE COVER OVER THIS PAST WINTER AND REALLY NOT THAT RAINFALL IN THE EARLIER PART OF THE LESS THAN AVERAGE RAINFALL REALLY FOR THE ENTIRE LAKE SUPERIOR BASIN.

THIS IS ALL COMING OFF OF THE RECORD-SETTING RISE THAT WE SAW ON WATER LEVELS FROM BEGINNING AROUND THE EARLY PART OF 2013 WHERE LEVELS JUST SURGED ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES AND A ROAD SHORELINES AND CAUSE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND DAMAGE TO INFRASTRUCTURE ALONG COASTAL COMMUNITIES.

TOURISM OFFICIALS AND CITY LEADERS HAVE BEEN AT ODDS OVER THIS PROPOSAL TO CREATE A TOURISM COMMISSION IN SUPERIOR.

AND SO THIS THOSE ALL CAME BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL EARLIER THIS MONTH AND ON THIS WEEK.

THEY TOOK IT UP AGAIN IN THEIR COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING AND BEEN ESSENTIALLY CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS VOTED SEVEN TO THREE TO CREATE THE TOURISM COMMISSION AND IN A SEPARATE VOTE.

THEY APPROVED THAT COMMISSION USING 70% OF THE ROOM TAX DOLLARS AT THE CITY SHAKES AND FOR TOURISM PROMOTION AND DEVELOPMENT BEGINNING IN JANUARY OF NEXT YEAR.

AND YOU KNOW TRAVEL SUPERIOR IS THE CURRENT TOURISM ENTITY THAT CURRENTLY CONTRACTS RECEIVE THAT 70% OF THOSE ROOM TAX REVENUES.

AND SO WITH THE CREATION OF THIS COMMISSION THAT BODY COULD BASICALLY CONTRACT WITH NOT JUST TRAVEL SUPERIOR, BUT OTHER ENTITIES FROM OF THE CITY AND TRAVEL SUPERIOR AND SEVERAL CITY COUNCILORS, INCLUDING BRENT FENNESSY AND KEITH CURRAN OPPOSED THIS MOVE SAYING IT MAY NEGATIVELY IMPACT NOT JUST TRAVEL SUPERIOR, BUT THE TOURISM INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE KIND OF QUESTIONING THE SUSTAINABILITY OF FUNDING THAT SOME ORGANIZATIONS IN THE CITY RECEIVE BUT MAYOR JIM PAYNE SAYS THAT TOURISM COMMISSIONS ARE WIDELY BY LARGE CITIES ACROSS THE STATE AND THAT THEY'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THESE CHANGES FOR MONTHS AS PART OF A BROADER EFFORT TO LOOK AT CITY CONTRACTS.

AND REVIEW THEM AND COUNSELOR JENNY VAN SICKLE ARGUED THAT CREATING THE COMMISSION WILL CREATE COMPETITION AND UNLOCK OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CITY.

COVID-19 CASES IN THE REGION CONTINUE TO RISE AGAIN DESPITE THE AVAILABILITY OF VACCINES WHILE THE VACCINES HAVE BEEN HIGHLY EFFECTIVE THE CONTAGIOUSNESS OF THE DELTA VARIANT HAS LOCAL HEALTH OFFICIALS CONCERNED IN A VIDEO.

CONFERENCE THURSDAY ITASCA COUNTY HEALTH OFFICIALS AGREED FDA APPROVAL OF THE VACCINE FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN WILL BE A KEY STEP.

FOR THE AGES OF FIVE TO ELEVEN THAT WE EXPECT TO SEE AN FTA APPROVAL COMING WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS AND I KNOW THERE IS CERTAINLY INTEREST IN HAVING THIS VACCINE GROUP.

THIS GROUP IS POPULATION VACCINATED.

BECAUSE WE WANT TO KEEP OUR KIDS IN SCHOOL AND KEEP EVERYONE SAFE AND HEALTHY.

WHAT DO YOU NEED THINGS WE HAVE?

DELTA VARIANT IS WHEN ONE PERSON IN THE FAMILY GETS INFECTED WITH COVID.

WE ARE NOW SEEING THE ENTIRE FAMILY TEST POSITIVE AND SO IT IS IT IS VERY SPREADABLE AND IT'S FUELING OUR CONCERNS ABOUT ESPECIALLY THE SCHOOL AGE KIDS HAVING HAVING ENTIRE CLASSROOMS GET INFECTED AT AT A AT THE SAME TIME WITH THE AMOUNT OF COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.

I DO THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE, YOU KNOW, CAUTIOUS ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

HOW YOU'RE SPENDING YOUR TIME IF YOU KNOW ABOUT HOW THE DELTA VARIANT WORKS AND HOW MUCH MORE CONTAGIOUS IT IS THAN THE PREVIOUS TYPES OF COVID WE'VE SEEN IT'S PROBABLY A GOOD IDEA TO THINK ABOUT YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU'RE GOING AND YOU KNOW TRYING TO STAY OUTSIDE, ESPECIALLY NOW WHILE IT'S STILL NICE IF YOU'RE HAVING SOCIAL GATHERINGS THINGS LIKE THAT.

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 ANY I HOPE THAT YOU GET A CHANCE TO GET OUT AND ENJOY SOME NICE SUNNY WEATHER SHOULD BE A WONDERFUL BEAUTIFUL WEEKEND.

IT SHOULD INDEED THANKS TO OUR GUESTS THEN TO THE CREW HERE IN THE STUDIO WITH DENNIS ANDERSON.

I'M JULIE ZENNER.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.