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

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

DENNIS: A U.M.D.

PROFESSOR'S SPECIAL ROBOTS ARE MAKING THE JUMP FROM THE LAB TO ASSISTING THE ELDERLY IN NURSING HOMES.

WE'LL TELL YOU MORE TONIGHT.

JULIE: WHAT'S IT LIKE TO BE A REFUGEE FORCED TO FLEE YOUR COUNTRY?

FIND OUT IN OUR "REFUGEE FOR 50 MINUTES" EVENT AT U.W.S.

NEXT WEEK.

DENNIS: AND WE'LL HAVE A VIDEO REPORT FROM THE "TOPPING OUT" CEREMONY AT THE NEW ESSENTIA HOSPITAL UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN DULUTH.

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

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

DENNY, MOST FOLKS IN THE REGION SAW AT LEAST A LITTLE SNOW THIS WEEK, IT'S THAT TIME!

DENNY:HERE IN DULUTH WE SAW MOSTLY FLURRIES, COMING DOWN PRETTY GOOD AT TIMES.

TO THE NORTH, THEY HAD SNOW ON THE GROUND.

IT'S HERE.

JULIE: LET'S GET STARTED WITH THE HEADLINES.

DENNIS: THANKS JULIE!

A RELEASE FROM THE DULUTH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT THIS WEEK HAD SOME GOOD NEWS AND SOME BAD NEWS.

AIRPORT OFFICIALS SAY TRAVEL THROUGH DULUTH HAS SEEN A COMEBACK OVER THE PANDEMIC-REDUCED NUMBERS OF 2020.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, UNITED AIRLINES HAS CUT THE NUMBER OF DAILY FLIGHTS BETWEEN DULUTH AND CHICAGO BECAUSE OF A PILOT SHORTAGE.

JULIE: THE WISCONSIN D.N.R.

REPORTED THIS WEEK RECORD-HIGH RECYCLING VALUES FOR PAPER AND PLASTICS.

BOX MANUFACTURERS ARE FUELING DEMAND AS THEY REQUIRE MORE BOXES FOR SHIPPING E-COMMERCE PURCHASES.

MIXED PAPER, WHICH HAD NO VALUE IN 2019, NOW SELLS FOR $100 DOLLARS PER TON, AND THE NUMBER TWO PLASTIC THAT MILK JUGS ARE MADE OF SELLS FOR A RECORD $2 THOUSAND DOLLARS PER TON.

DENNY: THE LAKE SUPERIOR MARINE MUSEUM ASSOCIATION'S ANNUAL "GALES OF NOVEMBER" PROGRAM THIS WEEKEND HAS GONE VIRTUAL.

THE PROGRAM WRAPS UP ON SATURDAY WITH PRESENTATIONS ON GREAT LAKES SHIPWRECKS AND ANOTHER FOR THE "BOAT NERD" IN THE FAMILY.

TO SEE THE FREE PRESENTATIONS, POINT YOUR BROWSER TO THE ASSOCIATION'S WEBSITE: LSMMA.COM.

JULIE: AND READY OR NOT, THE HOLIDAY SEASON KICKS OFF WITH A BANG NEXT WEEK IN DULUTH.

THE ANNUAL "CHRISTMAS CITY OF THE NORTH" PARADE STARTS THE FESTIVITIES NEXT FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19TH THROUGH DOWNTOWN DULUTH.

THEN NEXT SATURDAY NIGHT THE BENTLEYVILLE LIGHT DISPLAY OPENS FOR THE SEASON AT BAYFRONT PARK.

BOTH EVENTS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

DENNIS: A REPORT RELEASED TODAY BY ASSOCIATIONS REPRESENTING NURSING AND ASSISTED LIVING HOMES HAS SOME STARTLING NUMBERS.

SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN, THESE HOMES HAVE SEEN A LOSS OF 220,000 JOBS, ABOUT FRIEND% OF THEIR EMPLOYEES.

A U.M.D.

PROFESSOR'S WORK WITH ROBOTS THAT CAN AUGMENT CARE WILL SOON HELP FILL THAT GAP, THANKS TO A RECENT AGREEMENT WITH A NURSING HOME COMPANY.

JOINING US NOW IS ARSHIA KHAN, A PROFESSOR OF COMPUTER SCIENCE AT U.M.D.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US TONIGHT.

THIS IS A FASCINATING SUBJECT.

HOW BIG IS THE WORLD OF ROBOTICS AND IS IT SPREADING AT A FAST CLIP?

GUEST: IT IS GROWING PRETTY FAST, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.

PEOPLE ARE REALIZING HOW USEFUL THE ROBOTS CAN BE, WHEN HUMAN BEINGS AREN'T ABLE TO DO CERTAIN THINGS, GO CERTAIN PLACES, THE ROBOTS CAN DO THEIR JOB.

JULIE:SOME OF THE WORK YOU'RE DOING IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WAYS ROBOTS WITH HELP PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA.

GIVE SOME EXAMPLES OF THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT MAYBE ROBOTS COULD DO THAT PEOPLE MIGHT NOT THINK ABOUT?

GUEST: WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ROBOTS ASSISTING THE ELDERLY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AUGMENTING CARE, NOT REPLACING CARE.

HOW CAN WE AUGMENT CARE?

THEY CAN TAKE UP JOBS THAT HUMAN BEINGS FIND BORING, FOR INSTANCE, THINGS THAT ARE REPETITIVE.

IF THEY ARE SITTING AND HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH SOMEBODY WITH DEMENTIA, THE REPETITION CAN BE ANNOYING AFTER A WHILE, REPEATING THE SAME THING.

A HUMAN'S TONE WOULD CHANGE BUT THE ROBOT'S CHANGE WOULD NEVER CHANGE.

THE ROBOT'S INTERACTION WITH THE HUMAN WOULD STILL ALWAYS BE THE SAME REGARDLESS OF HOW OFTEN IT REPEATS SOMETHING.

MY ROBOTS OFFER REMINISCENCE THERAPY, TALKING ABOUT THE PAST AND SHARING THINGS ABOUT THEIR PAST AND DISCUSSING BRINGING UP THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST.

IF THEY ARE REPEATING THAT MULTIPLE TIMES, THEIR TONE IS NEVER GOING TO CHANGE.

THEY CAN CONTINUOUSLY KEEP REMINDING AND TALKING AND INTERACTING WITH THE HUMAN.

WHEREAS THE HUMAN BEINGS CAN GET TIRED OF IT.

AND THAT HUMAN BEING CAN BE FREE TO DO SOMETHING MORE IMPORTANT FOR THE PERSON WITH DEMENTIA.

DENNY: DO SOME PEOPLE FEAR ROBOTS MAY TAKE OVER LIFE?

GUEST: ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY.

ALL THE SCIENCE FICTION SCARES THE PEOPLE, UNFORTUNATELY.

AND SO ONE THING THAT PEOPLE NEED TO REALIZE IS ROBOTS WON'T DO ANYTHING WE DON'T TELL THEM TO DO IT SO ESSENTIALLY WE ARE PROGRAMMING THEM TO DO WHATEVER WE WANT THEM TO DO SO THEY WILL NEVER TAKE OVER THE WORLD, AT LEAST NOT FOR ANOTHER COUPLE OF CENTURIES.

WE ARE NOT THERE YET.

DENNY: NOT AS WE SEE IT IN THE MOVIES?

GUEST: DEFINITELY NOT.

JULIE: WE HAVE VIDEOS OF THE ROBOTS YOU'RE WORKING WITH.

GUEST: THIS ROBOT WAS BUILT IN JAPAN AND SHIPPED TO THE U.S. AND WE PURCHASE IT FROM A COMPANY THAT'S BASICALLY SELLING IT TO UNITED STATES AND WE PROGRAM THEM TO DO THINGS FOR THE ELDERLY.

SO, LIKE, THE ROBOTS TELL JOKES, FOR INSTANCE.

HAVE SMALL CONVERSATIONS, YOU KNOW.

SO IT'S SORT OF ENGAGING THE PERSON, TRYING TO IMPROVE THEIR SOCIAL LIFE.

DENNY: EVENTUALLY DO YOU THINK SOME PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO BUY ROBOTS EITHER FOR COMPANIONSHIP OR HELP WORK AROUND THE HOUSE?

GUEST: ABSOLUTELY.

WE WILL SEE THAT DAY HOPEFULLY SOON, YEAH.

BUT ONE THING IS VERY CLEAR, THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO HURT PEOPLE UNLESS IT FALLS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

IT ONLY CAN DO WHAT WE PROGRAM IT TO DO.

IT CANNOT DO ANYTHING BEYOND THAT.

IT DOESN'T HAVE A MIND OF ITS OWN.

JULIE: IT SOUNDS LIKE WHAT YOU'RE WORKING TOWARD WITH SOME OF THESE PATIENTS IS AN EMOTIONAL CONNECTION WITH THE ROBOT.

GUEST: EXACTLY.

JULIE: YOU WORK WITH THESE ROBOTS EVERY DAY.

DO YOU HAVE AN EMOTIONAL CONNECTION TO THEM?

GUEST: I DO.

ESPECIALLY MY ROBOTS BECAUSE THEY DO FACIAL RECOGNITION AND WE RAN THOSE FACIAL RECOGNITION ALGORITHMS ON THEM AND THEY RECOGNIZE ME AND AS SOON AS THEY HEAR MY VOICE IN THE BACKGROUND, WE CAN MONITOR THEIR LOG AND YOU CAN SEE THEY SAY MY NAME AND YOU CAN SEE WHATEVER I'M SAYING, THEY'RE LISTENING TO THAT.

DENNY: IS THERE TRIAL AND ERROR WHEN YOU'RE PROGRAMMING ROBOTS?

GUEST: ABSOLUTELY.

THEY'RE NOT PERFECT.

THE TECHNOLOGY STILL NEEDS A LOT OF WORK SO THEY ARE, LIKE, WHEN WE ARE HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH THEM ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE WEARING A MASK, THE SOUND IS MUFFLED SO THEY DON'T HEAR SO CLEARLY.

THEY MISINTERPRET.

BUT THEY'RE VERY GOOD AT HAVING CONVERSATIONS.

WHATEVER WE PROGRAM THEM TO DO.

APPLY NATURAL LANGUAGE PROCESSING ALGORITHMS TO THEM AND THEY DO A GOOD JOB.

JULIE: IT SOUNDS LIKE AFTER FIRST OF THE YEAR THEY'LL BE IN SOME NURSING FACILITIES.

GUEST: COMING JANUARY 1, WE ARE GOING TO START DEPLOYING ROBOTS.

TWO ROBOTS AT EACH FACILITY AT EIGHT OF MONARCH'S FACILITIES.

DENNY: YOU SAY THAT ROBOTS CAN ADVANCE HUMANITY.

HOW?

GUEST: BECAUSE THEY'RE ABLE TO ASSIST US.

THEY'RE ABLE TO RELIEVE US OF THE MUNDANE TASKS SO WE CAN TEND TO MORE INTELLECTUAL TASKS.

JULIE: HOW DO YOUR STUDENTS FEEL ABOUT THIS?

IT FEELS LIKE THEY'RE REALLY HANDS-ON IN THIS PROJECT, INTERACTING.

ARE THEY HELPING WITH THE PROGRAMMING?

GUEST: YES, THEY ARE.

THEY FALL IN LOVE WITH THE ROBOTS LIKE I DO.

THEY ENJOY WORKING WITH THE ROBOTS AND WE SORT OF DEVELOP PERSONALITIES, ATTACH PERSONALITIES TO THESE ROBOTS SO WE BUILD A CONNECTION WITH THE ROBOTS.

WE HAVE NAMES FOR ALL THE ROBOTS.

DENNY: I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT PERSONALITY.

YOU HAVE SEVEN ROBOTS.

DO ALL SEVEN HAVE DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES?

GUEST: WE ATTRIBUTE PERSONALITIES TO THEM.

THEY ARE ALL THE SAME BUT WE DO THAT.

DENNY: YOU GIVE THEM THE PERSONALITY?

GUEST: WE DO, YES.

JULIE: WE WERE TALKING BEFORE THE SHOW THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ENGAGE YOUNG WOMEN IN ROBOTICS WITH YOUR PROGRAM.

GUEST: EXACTLY, EXACTLY.

THE TEAM THAT IS GOING TO BE WORKING ON THIS IS MAJORITY WOMEN.

SO WE ARE BRINGING IN FIVE FEMALE STUDENTS JUST TO HELP WITH THIS TASK IN ADDITION TO THE STUDENTS THAT I ALREADY HAVE.3 DENNY: I WISH WE HAD MORE TIME.

WE DON'T AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE HERE TONIGHT.

FASCINATING SUBJECT.

ALL THE BEST.

GUEST: THANK YOU.

JULIE: 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 OUR REPORTER IS DANIELLE KAEDING WITH WISCONSIN PUBLIC RADIO.

♪.

DANIELLE: HUNTING AMISITION IS HARD TO -- AMMUNITION IS HARD TO FIND BECAUSE OF SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTIONS DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND SURGING DEMAND.

GUN DEALERS ARE SAYING THEY'RE STRUGGLING TO STOCK THE SHELVES AS GUN SALES HAVE CLIMBED IN THE LAST YEAR DUE TO THE UNEASE WE'VE SEEN STEMMING FROM THE PANDEMIC AND CIVIL UNREST WITH RACIAL INJUSTICE MOVEMENTS AND ALSO THE 2020 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

AND SO PAT KEUCHEL WHO OWNS SUPERIOR SHOOTER SUPPLY WAS SAYING OVER THE SUMMER THEY HAD A SHORTAGE OF SHOT SHELLS FOR TRAP SHOOTING AND NOW THAT WE'RE HEADING INTO RIFLE SEASON HERE IN WISCONSIN, THEY HAVEN'T HAD CERTAIN TYPES OF AMMO BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO BE DISAPPEARING IN A SINGLE DAY, IT SEEMS.

KEUCHEL HAS BEEN RATIONING AMMUNITION TO ONE BOX PER PERSON AND SHE'S BEEN TRYING TO KEEP A BOX ON HAND FOR EVERY GUN THAT THEY SELL AND THEY'RE SEEING DEMAND FOR GUNS ACROSS THE BOARD, SHOTGUNS, RIFLES, HANDGUNS.

THE NATIONAL SHOOTING SPORTS FOUNDATION ESTIMATES MORE THAN EIGHT MILLION PEOPLE BOUGHT A GUN FOR THE FIRST TIME LAST YEAR AND AS A SIGN RELATED TO THE UPTICK IN GUN SALES, THE WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE REPORTED THAT HANDGUN BACKGROUND CHECKS SURGED 175% LAST YEAR.

♪ >> THE BAYFIELD COUNTY BOARD UPDATED THEIR COUNTY ZONING ORDINANCE TO BAR BOTTLING PLANTS IN INDUSTRIAL ZONED AREAS OF THE COUNTY AS DULUTH RESIDENT WHO OWNS CRYSTAL CLEAR HAS PROPOSED HARVESTING AND SELLING WATER FROM AN ARTESIAN WELL AND BOTTLING THAT WATER AT A FACILITY IN SUPERIOR.

MISHAQ SOUGHT SPECIAL LAND USE PERMIT EARLIER THIS YEAR FOR AN IRRIGATION FACILITY IN AN AREA THAT WASN'T ZONED INDUSTRIAL, BUT ZONED FOR USE AS RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, RECREATIONAL BUSINESSES, AND THE COUNTY ZONING COMMITTEE REJECTED HER APPLICATION.

SHE APPEALED THAT DECISION BUT THE COUNTY BOARD OF APPEALS UPHELD THAT EARLIER DECISION.

SO MISHAQ IS STILL CHALLENGING THE COUNTY'S DENIAL OF THAT PERMIT IN COURT SO AFTER ALL OF THAT, THE COUNTY HAS DECIDED TO REMOVE THE POSSIBILITY OF ANY FUTURE APPLICANTS COMING FORWARD TO REQUEST AUTHORIZATION TO BUILD A WATER BOTTLING PLANT IN AN INDUSTRIAL AREA OF THE COUNTY.

THIS CHANGE WOULD NOT IMPACT THE CRYSTAL K.L.R.

PROPOSAL BECAUSE THAT HAPPENED PRIOR TO THIS ORDINANCE CHANGE.

MISHAQ HAS FILED LITIGATION TO CHALLENGE THE COUNTY'S DECISIONS RELATED TO THE DENIAL OF HER APPLICATION AND IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHETHER OR NOT THAT CHALLENGE WILL MOVE FORWARD.

♪ >> RECENTLY, THE WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION UNVEILED THE FIRST DUAL LANGUAGE SIGN IN BAITLIF COUNTY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE INDIGENOUS TRIBE AND THE COUNTY IS WORKING ON UPDATING SIGNS TO DISPLAY THE ENGLISH AND NATIVE WORDS FOR THE TRIBE'S NAMES.

THE SIGN AT REDCLIFF NOW DISPLAYS THE TRIBAL NAME INCLUDING THEIR SEAL AND POPULATION.

SO TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY THOMPSON SAID THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT THESE DUAL LANGUAGE SIGNS, IT SIGNIFIES A SENSE OF PLACE FOR REDCLIFF AND OTHER TRIBES AND REDCLIFF TRIBAL CHAIRMAN SAID THEY'RE HONORED TO BE THE FIRST TRIBE TO ROLL THIS OUT AND SHOW VISITORS THEY'RE ENTERING THE BOUNDARIES OF THE RESERVATION.

AS FAR AS I KNOW, THE NAME MEANS "THE PLACE WHERE THERE IS RED ROCK CLIFFS."

THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE ADMINISTRATION SIGNALING THEY RECOGNIZE TRIBAL SOVEREIGNTY AND THAT THEY ARE COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH TRIBES TO HIGHLIGHT THAT AS THEY MOVE FORWARD IN DISCUSSIONS RELATED TO STATE TRIBAL RELATIONS.

♪ DENNIS: RECENTLY, THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES FROM AFGHANISTAN FLED TO AMERICA AND OTHER COUNTRIES AFTER THE UNITED STATES WITHDREW ITS MILITARY FROM THE COUNTRY.

SO, WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BECOME A REFUGEE?

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SUPERIOR PROFESSOR HAJI DOKHANCHI IS HERE TO TALK ABOUT "A REFUGEE FOR 50 MINUTES" EXPERIENCE HE HAS ORGANIZED AT U.W.S.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

WHAT'S THE IDEA BEHIND REFUGEE FOR 50 MINUTES?

HAJI: THE IDEA IS TO TEACH PEOPLE WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A REFUGEE.

YOU CAN FRY -- TRY TO ENGAGE PEOPLE BY READING BOOKS BUT THAT'S TOO EXTENSIVE SO I WANTED TO TRY SOMETHING TO ALLOW STUDENTS TO ENGAGE COLLEAGUES, PEERS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND BECOME TEACHERS.

THE FIRST BENEFIT IS FOR MY STUDENTS SO THEY CAN TEACH ABOUT THIS BUT THE OTHER THING IS TO HAVE SOMETHING MANAGEABLE, 50-MINUTE EXPERIENCE, WHERE YOU CAN TELL PEOPLE, WHAT IS A REFUGEE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW FOR EXAMPLE WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS BETWEEN A REFUGEE VERSUS A MIGRANT.

THIS ALLOWS STUDENTS TO BE EXPERTS IN THE FIELD AND THEY READ BOOKS ON THE SUBJECT BUT THEY CAN ALWAYS GET EXAMS FOR THIS BUT THIS WAY THEY'RE TEACHING WHAT THEY LEARN IN THE BOOKS.

JULIE: WHAT DOES THE EXPERIENCE LOOK LIKE FOR PEOPLE WHO SHOW UP AND PARTICIPATE?

WALK US THROUGH THAT 50-MINUTE JOURNEY AND WHERE THAT TAKES THEM?

HAJI: THAT WAS ONE OF THE DIFFICULT PARTS.

THE IDEA IS THAT THERE'S NO SINGLE JOURNEY.

EVERY EXPERIENCE IS DIFFERENT.

I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS THE OTHER DAY.

EVERY YEAR ABOUT 4,000 REFUGEES DIE IN MEDITERRANEAN SEA TRYING TO GO TO EUROPE.

THEIR JOURNEY ENDS THERE AND I THINK PEOPLE HAVE A NOTION THAT THERE'S A BEGINNING POINT AND AN END POINT AND THIS IS NOT A HOLLYWOOD STORY.

THERE IS A BEGINNING POINT BUT THEN THERE IS ALL SORTS OF VARIATIONS DEPENDING ON THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN, DEPENDING ON HOW MANY COUNTRIES YOU GO TO AND TIME PERIOD.

ONE OF THE THINGS I DO, WE ROLL DICE.

IF YOU COME IN, WE START WITH AFGHANISTAN, AND THE DICE DETERMINES WHAT HAPPENS NEXT, WHETHER YOU STAY IN THAT COUNTRY OR STEP ON A LANDMINE AND DIE OR YOU GO TO IRAN AND THE SAME THING WITH THE NEXT COUNTR SO WE GO FROM COUNTRY TO COUNTRY AND AS YOU CHANGE YOUR STATUS -- FOR EXAMPLE, AS YOU MOVE FROM AFGHANISTAN, LET'S SAY YOU MOVE TO ANOTHER PART OF AFGHANISTAN, YOU BECOME INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONAL.

IF YOU CROSS THE BORDER, YOU'RE A REFUGEE.

DENNY: WHAT'S THE DEFINITION OF A REFUGEE?

HAJI: THE 1951 INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON REFUGEES SPECIFICALLY STATES YOU ARE A REFUGEE IF YOU HAVE A WELL FOUNDED FEAR OF PERSECUTION BASED ON RACE, NATIONALITY, RELIGION -- IN ANY COUNTRY, YES.

JULIE: IN YOUR EXPERIENCE, WHAT ARE THE REASONS THAT MOST PEOPLE, THEN, LEAVE THEIR COUNTRY TO GO FIND LIFE SOMEWHERE ELSE?

HAJI: THERE IS VARIETY.

MOST PREDOMINANT ONE IS WAR AND OUTRIGHT PERSECUTION.

I THINK IT WOULD BE HARD FOR US TO FATHOM THAT COUNTRIES WOULD DO THIS BUT FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU ARE, LET'S SAY, IN MYANMAR AND HAPPEN TO BE MUSLIM, THEY DECLARED THE SEGMENT OF THE MUSLIM AS NON-CITIZENS SO THAT'S A FORM OF PERSECUTION.

THE PROBLEM IS THAT THESE THINGS CONTINUE TO HAPPEN EVEN IN 2021.

SO WAR AND PERSECUTION TENDS TO BE THE NUMBER ONE AND TWO REASONS FOR THE DISPLACEMENT.

DENNY: HOW OPEN IS THE UNITED STATES INTO ALLOWING NEW REFUGEES TO COME HERE?

HAJI: IT HAS CHANGED FROM PRESIDENT TO PRESIDENT.

OVER THE LAST 40 YEARS WE HAVE HAD ROUGHLY ABOUT 80,000 TO 120,000 PEOPLE COMING IN ANNUALLY.

IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS THE NUMBERS HAVE PLUMMETED BUT NOW PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS PROMISED TO BRING THE NUMBER UP TO I THINK 125,000.

JULIE: WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT YOU THINK PEOPLE DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND ABOUT REFUGEES, THAT THEY SHOULD KNOW ABOUT AND CONSIDER IN THEIR CONVERSATIONS AND HOW THEY THINK ABOUT IT?

HAJI: ULTIMATELY IS THEIR HUMANITY.

THE NUMBERS -- ALSO THERE'S A LOT OF FEAR MONGERING, I'M AFRAID, SO IT CREATES THIS NOTION THAT THERE ARE HORDES OF PEOPLE COMING IN TO INVADE.

I THINK THE NUMBERS ARE OVERWHELMING SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT 80 MILLION DISPLACED PEOPLE.

THAT'S LARGER THAN GERMANY OR FRANCE SO PEOPLE GET CAUTION ABOUT THIS BUT YOU'RE ROUGHLY TALKING ABOUT 1.4 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE ENTIRE GLOBE THAT ARE ACTUALLY IN NEED OF RESETTLEMENT SO THAT NUMBER IS MUCH MORE MANAGEABLE AND IF YOU LOOK, FOR EXAMPLE, AT MINNESOTA, THEY HAVE PLACED 40,000 REFUGEES OVER THE LAST 40 YEARS SO YOU CAN TALK ABOUT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE HMONG EXPERIENCE IN WISCONSIN OR MINNESOTA, THE SOMALI EXPERIENCE IN MINNESOTA.

ONE OF THE THINGS I USE IN MY CLASS IS THAT I ASK MY STUDENTS HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE TRAVELED IN THE MINNEAPOLIS AIRPORT.

IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TRAVEL IN MINNEAPOLIS AIRPORT WITHOUT COMING ACROSS A SOMALI, MOST LIKELY A REFUGEE OR MIGRANT, BEARING A HIJAB.

DENNY: DO WE HAVE MANY REFUGEES COMING TO LIVE IN THE NORTH LAND?

HAJI: NOT HERE SPECIFICALLY BUT THERE ARE 12,000 REFUGEES AT FORT MCCOY.

THEY ARE ONLY IN A MILITARY BASE UNTIL THEY'RE PROCESSED AND THEN THEY'LL BE RESETTLED.

JULIE: THE VOYAGE IS ACTUALLY JUST THE BEGINNING OF THE TRIP BECAUSE ONCE THEY GET TO A PLACE, THE RESETTLEMENT ITSELF, I IMAGINE, IS QUITE A JOURNEY.

HAJI: THERE IS AN ENTIRE SET OF BOOKS ABOUT THE KIND OF ISSUES, THERE IS LEGAL, RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION OR EVEN JUST, FOR EXAMPLE, THINGS WE DON'T RECOGNIZE.

THE THINGS WE TAKE FOR GRANTED USING THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

GETTING A DRIVER'S LICENSE.

THESE ARE THINGS ARE NOT SOMETHING THAT REFUGEES ARE AWARE OF SO THERE IS A LOT OF NEED TO HELP THEM.

DENNY: WITH THAT WE HAVE TO END THE CONVERSATION.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US.

THANK YOU.

JULIE: THANK YOU.

ESSENTIA HOSPITAL $900 MILLION HOSPITAL PROJECT REACHED A MILESTONE THIS WEEK.

A TOPPING OUT CEREMONY WAS HELD AS THE FINAL BEAM WAS PLACED AT THE TOP OF THE MASSIVE STRUCTURE.

WDSE VIDEOGRAPHER STEVE ASH COVERED THE EVENT AND BRINGS US THIS STORY.

>> THE LAST TIME WE GATHERED HERE TO CELEBRATE THIS PROJECT WAS SEPTEMBER 2019.

IT WAS A GOOD KICKOFF FOR THE PROJECT AND WE KNEW IT WOULD BE A CHALLENGING PROJECT.

LITTLE DID WE KNOW WHAT CHALLENGES WOULD LIE FORWARD IN THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS AS WE BUILT THIS BUILDING.

THIS MORNING, I WAS THINKING BACK ALL THE WAY TO MARCH 25, 2020, WHEN THE GOVERNOR DECLARED A STOP TO ALL NON-VITAL WORK AND I REMEMBER STANDING IN MY OFFICE AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT, DOES THIS MEAN THIS PROJECT.

SO I SENT A NOTE TO THE CHIEF OF STAFF AND HE SAID LET ME GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT.

THE ONLY MEDICAL ANALOGY I CAN GIVE TO THAT IS WHEN A BABY IS BORN AND YOU'RE WAITING FOR THAT FIRST BREATH.

AND WE WAITED ABOUT 10 MINUTES, HE SAID, NO, IT'S VITAL WORK.

SO I DIDN'T REQUIRE RESUSCITATION AND THE PROJECT DIDN'T REQUIRE RESUSCITATION AND WE'VE MOVED FORWARD.

>> ESSENTIA HOSPITAL IS MAKING THE LARGEST PRIVATE INVESTMENT IN DLUTH'S -- DULUTH'S HISTORY AND AS WE TRANSFORM THE DOWNTOWN CAMPUS, THE $900 MILLION BEING SPENT IS ABOUT HOW ESSENTIA HOSPITAL WILL TAKE CARE OF ITS PATIENTS AND MATCH ITS FACILITIES INTO HOW MEDICINE IS PRACTICED NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE.

HEALTHCARE HAS DRAMATICALLY CHANGED SINCE ST. MARY'S MEDICAL CENTER WAS FOUNDED BY THE BENEDICTINE SISTERS IN 1888.

>> PLANNING AN EVENT IN DULUTH IN NOVEMBER OUTSIDE, WHAT COULD GO WRONG?

BUT NOTHING.

WE WERE PROUD TO HELP ESSENTIA THROUGH THIS TIME WITH FUNDING IN WASHINGTON, WITH HELP WITH PELLA HEALTH AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THAT HELP IN ANY WAY.

BUT YOU SHOULD BE SO PROUD OF THIS NEW SPACE.

942,000 SQUARE FEET BUT WHO'S COUNTING.

FOR PERSPECTIVE, THAT'S MORE SQUARE FEET THAN 16 FOOTBALL FIELDS.

>> WE HAVEN'T YET SAID THIS BUT ESSENTIA HEALTH HAS OVERACHIEVED THEIR GOAL OF WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT THAT THE CITY ASKED OF THEM AND IT IS TREMENDOUS TO KNOW THAT I THINK IT'S ABOUT 14% OF HOURS ON THIS PROJECT HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED BY PEOPLE WHO ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR, WOMEN, AND UNDEREMPLOYED PEOPLE INTO THE CONSTRUCTION WORK FORCE.

THAT IS SIGNIFICANT, THAT IS BIG, AND BOLD, AND I'M DEEPLY, DEEPLY, DEEPLY GRATEFUL.

I THINK IN CLOSING I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I THINK THE COMMUNITY IS REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT AND THE REASON I KNOW IS BECAUSE I DO NOT GET ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THESE ROAD CLOSURES.

AND I'M USED TO GETTING A FEW STREET COMPLAINTS.

>> I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO REFLECT ON EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE HERE TO CELEBRATE, IN ADDITION TO EVERYTHING THAT'S ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED, AND THAT IS TO UNIQUELY HONOR THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE ESSENTIAL CONSTRUCTION CREWS.

TO DATE, OVER 2,140 SKILLED MEN AND WOMEN DEDICATED TO THEIR CRAFT HAVE WORKED SAFELY AND DILIGENTLY TO HELP US REACH THIS MILESTONE SO MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE'RE HERE TO CELEBRATE AN IMPECCABLE SAFETY RECORD.

OVER A MILLION HOURS WORKED, ONLY ONE LOSS TIME ACCIDENT AND I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT THAT INDIVIDUAL IS ACTIVELY BACK TO WORK WITHOUT RESTRICTIONS.

>> TODAY IS VERY SPECIAL AS WE MOVE FROM THE GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY OF SEPTEMBER OF 2019 TO THE TOPPING OFF CEREMONY OF TODAY.

IT'S ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT STEP FORWARD AS WE MOVE TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT.

I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM ALL KINDS OF SOURCES ON THIS PROJECT.

AS IT HAS BEEN SAID MANY TIMES, IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO MAKE GOOD THINGS HAPPEN.

THANK YOU.

[APPLAUSE] JULIE: THAT'S OUR TIME THIS WEEK.

YOU CAN KEEP UP WITH OUR LATEST POSTS BY FOLLOWING "ALMANAC NORTH" ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.

CHECK OUT THE WDSE WEBSITE FOR PROGRAM UPDATES, NEWS ABOUT THE STATION AND UPCOMING EVENTS AND DOWNLOAD THE PBS VIDEO APP TO WATCH YOUR FAVORITE PBS PROGRAMS ANY TIME YOU PLEASE.

DENNY, I GUESS COLD AND SNOW WILL BE THE NEW REALITY FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS?

DENNY: IT'S ALMOST MID NOVEMBER SO IT'S HERE.

ANY TIME NOW.

JULIE: GETTING CLOSE TO WINTER.

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

WITH DENNIS ANDERSON, I'M ZULS.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

JULIE ZENNER.

♪