>> "ALMANAC" IS A PRODUCTION OF TWIN CITIES PBS FOR THE STATIONS OF MINNESOTA PUBLIC TELEVISION ASSOCIATION.

>> ERIC: IN THE NEXT HOUR, WE'LL TALK ABOUT RELAXING COVID RESTRICTIONS IN MINNESOTA, TWO LITTLE-KNOWN CHARTER AMENDMENTS LIKELY ON THE BALLOT IN MINNEAPOLIS THIS FALL, AND KEVIN KLING WILL STOP BY WITH A MOTHER'S DAY ESSAY.

PLUS MARY LAHAMMER WILL CHECK IN ON LAWMAKERS FACING A DEADLINE.

>> Mary: WITH JUST OVER A WEEK LEFT IN THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, GOVERNOR WALZ ANNOUNCES HOW MINNESOTA WILL BEGIN TO RETURN TO NORMAL.

>> IT'S BEEN A LONG JOURNEY, BUT WE DID THE THINGS THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE.

>> Mary: THAT'S COMING UP ON "ALMANAC."

♪♪♪ >> "ALMANAC" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY MEMBERS OF THIS PUBLIC TELEVISION STATION.

SUPPORT IS ALSO PROVIDED BY· GREAT RIVER ENERGY: PROVIDING ELECTRICITY AND RELATED SERVICES TO 28 CO-OPS IN MINNESOTA.

A TOUCHSTONE ENERGY COOPERATIVE.

DELTA DENTAL OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION: MAKING DENTAL CARE POSSIBLE FOR MINNESOTANS IN NEED.

DELTADENTALMN.ORG/TPT.

THE SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY: A TRIBAL NATION FOCUSED ON COMMUNITY AND COLLABORATION - ESPECIALLY IN TIMES LIKE TODAY.

ENBRIDGE: CONNECTING MINNESOTANS WITH ENERGY FOR OVER 70 YEARS.

MORE AT ENBRIDGE.COM/LINETHREEUS.

AND EDUCATION MINNESOTA: THE VOICE FOR PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

MORE AT EDUCATIONMINNESOTA.ORG.

>> ERIC: IN A FEW MINUTES WE'LL HEAR ABOUT POSSIBLE RENT CONTROL CHARTER AMENDMENTS IN MINNEAPOLIS AND CHECK IN WITH POLITICAL REPORTERS COVERING THE ANNUAL LEGISLATIVE LOGJAM.

>> CATHY: BUT WE START THE HOUR WITH THE BIG NEWS THURSDAY THAT MINNESOTA WILL SOON DROP ITS MANDATORY MASK MANDATE.

>> I THINK FAMILIES NEED TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS, AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PUT OUT RECOMMENDATIONS.

I WOULD ASSUME THAT THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH WILL HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FOR MASKING EVEN WHEN THE MANDATE IS GONE, THAT WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO THIS.

>> CATHY: HERE TO TALK ABOUT CHANGING COVID RULES AMID A GLOBAL SURGE OF CASES, MICHAEL OSTERHOLM.

THE HEAD OF U OF M'S CENTER FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASE HAS BEEN MAKING MONTHLY "ALMANAC" VISITS FOR THE PAST YEAR.

GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU, THANK YOU.

>> Cathy: LAST YOU WERE HERE, YOU MADE A PREDICTION THERE WOULD BE A HUGE SURGE OF CASES IN THE COUNTRY.

THERE WAS A HUGE SURGE IN INDIA.

I'M CURIOUS, HOW DID THE UNITED STATES DODGE THIS ONCOMING TRAIN?

>> ACTUALLY, THERE WERE SEVERAL THINGS THAT HAPPENED.

AS YOU KNOW, LAST TIME WHEN I WAS HERE, MICHIGAN AND MINNESOTA WERE BOTH STARTING TO SUDDENLY RISE IN CASES.

WE HAD MUCH LESS VACCINE IN THE POPULATION THEN THAN WE DO NOW.

AND IT SURELY LOOKED AS IF THE CASES WHERE THERE WAS A RELATIVE VACCINE COULD TAKE OFF.

TODAY THERE ARE 15 STATES THAT HAVE LESS OF THE 50% OF THE POPULATION WITH ONE DOSE.

THIS IS THE PART OF THE PANDEMIC THAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT FOR SOME TIME WHERE ONE REALLY NEEDS A MAJOR DOSE OF HUMILITY.

REMEMBER A YEAR AGO WE WERE TALKING, IT WAS VERY QUIET IN THIS COUNTRY.

AND THEN BY THE FIRST WEEK OF JULY, WE WERE UP TO 70,000 CASES A DAY.

SO THE VIRUS HAS GONE UP AND DOWN, IN PART, ALL BY ITSELF AND WE DON'T ALWAYS UNDERSTAND AND KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON THAT WAY.

I STILL THINK THAT THE CHANCE FOR SOME OF THESE STATES THAT HAVE LOWER LEVELS OF VACCINATION, LOWER THAN MICHIGAN HAD WHEN THEY WENT ON THEIR MAJOR SURGE, STILL COULD LIGHT UP.

NO ONE HAS AN EXPLANATION FOR WHY DID MICHIGAN GET HIT SO HARD, THE KIND OF THING WE ANTICIPATE CAN HAPPEN IN OTHER STATES AND DIDN'T.

WE JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY.

>> Eric: IS HERD IMMUNITY A PIPE DREAM?

IF SO, IS THAT GOOD OR BAD?

>> WELL, IT IS A PIPE DREAM IN THE SENSE WITH THIS VIRUS, I THINK THAT IT'S NOT LIKELY ACHIEVABLE, AND THERE'S SEVERAL REASONS WHY.

FIRST OF ALL, HERD IMMUNITY IS THE CONCEPT WHERE IF ENOUGH PEOPLE ARE IMMUNE IN THE POPULATION, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH SUSCEPTIBLE PEOPLE FOR SOMEONE WHO IS INFECTED TO TRANSMIT THE VIRUS TO ANDHBLES KEEP IT GOING.

AND ONCE YOU GET BELOW ONE REPLACEMENT PER CASE, MEANING ONE PERSON INFECTS ONE PERSON, THAT'S A STATIC SITUATION, IF ONE PERSON INFECTS TWO PEOPLE, THEN IT'S GROWING OR DOUBLING.

IF IT'S LESS THAN ONE, THEN IT SLOWLY BURNS OUT, KIND OF LIKE THE PILOT SAYING TO YOU ON YOUR AIRPLANE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ABOUT TO DESCEND INTO MINNEAPOLIS/St.

PAUL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND YOU'RE STILL 30 MINUTES OUT, YET, YOU'RE DROPPING THE WHOLE TIME.

THE REASON WHY I THINK THIS CONCEPT OF HERD IMMUNITY IS A PROBLEM HERE IS THAT BASED ON WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW WITH THE VIRUS, WE SEE THIS B.1.1.7, MUCH MORE INFECTIOUS VIRUS, FRANKLY, IT HAS SOME OF THE KINDS OF CONSIDERATIONS YOU THINK OF WITH MEASLES VIRUS WHERE YOU'RE UP TO 90% OR MORE NEED TO BE VACCINATED TO HAVE THAT KIND OF PROTECTION.

AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW IS, AGAIN, IN MINNESOTA, YOU KNOW, WE ONLY HAVE 47% OF OUR POPULATION HAS ONE DOSE.

36% HAVE TWO DOSES.

WE STILL HAVE LARGE POCKETS IN OUR STATE OF UNVACCINATED INDIVIDUALS THAT SURELY COULD GET INFECTED WITH THIS.

AND THE SECOND THING IS IS THAT WE KNOW THE VACCINE'S NOT 100% EFFECTIVE.

MAYBE IT'S IN THE LOW 90s, HIGH 80s, EVERYDAY USE.

YOU COMBINE THAT WITH A HIGHLY INFECTIOUS VIRUS, I JUST DON'T THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET TO HERD IMMUNITY.

THE MORE VACCINATION WE GET, THE MORE WE'RE GOING TO KNOCK IT DOWN AND THAT'S IMPORTANT.

BUT I DON'T SEE IT GOING AWAY.

>> Cathy: ERIC TOPEL, THE WELL-NOTED GENETICIST, WE'VE GOT TO TALK ABOUT CONTAINMENT.

HE DOESN'T FEEL THAT THIS IS CONTAINED AT THIS POINT, AND YOU WOULD AGREE WITH THAT, IN THIS COUNTRY?

>> I ABSOLUTELY AGREE.

I THINK THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP MINDFUL OF, WE DON'T UNDERSTAND A NUMBER OF THESE ISSUES ABOUT THIS.

AS I SAID, YOU KNOW, WHY DIDN'T WE SEE A BIG SURGE IN CASES AS IT WAS SEEN IN EUROPE.

ACTUALLY, AS IT'S BEEN SEEN IN INDIA.

JUST IN THE LAST TWO DAYS, WE'VE UNCOVERED A NEW VARIANT, ONE OF THE MUTATED VIRUS IN INDIA, THAT LOOKS TO BE THE WORST OF ALL OF THE ONES THAT WE'VE SEEN TO DATE IN TERMS OF HOW INFECTIOUS IT IS AND THE KIND OF ILLNESS THAT IT CAUSES.

THAT ALREADY IS GOING TO BE TRANSMITTED AROUND THE WORLD.

SO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF SURPRISES YET WITH THIS DISEASE THAT WE'RE NOT DONE WITH.

I KNOW NO ONE WANTS TO HEAR THAT BUT THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN OVER THE COURSE OF THE WEEKS.

WE COULD STAY QUIET OR WE COULD SEE IN A NUMBER OF AREAS OF THIS COUNTRY CASES COMING BACK.

ON A GLOBAL LEVEL, WE ARE AT THE WORST AND DARKEST DAYS OF THE PANDEMIC.

LAST TWO WEEKS HAVE BEEN THE MOST NUMBER OF CASES REPORTED TO THE W.H.O.

SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC AND THOSE NUMBERS ARE ONLY INCREASING AS WE SEE OTHER HOT SPOTS AROUND THE WORLD BESIDES INDIA.

MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE, THE HOTTEST SPOTS IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW IS NOT INDIA, IT'S ACTUALLY LATIN AMERICA, SOUTH AMERICA, URUGUAY, PAIR GUY, PERU, CHILE, THOSE ARE THE COUNTRIES ACTUALLY HAVING RATES OF DISEASE EVEN HIGHER IN INDIA BUT THE MEDIA IS JUST NOT COVERING IT.

>> Cathy: YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, MINNESOTA'S GOING TO OPEN, AS YOU KNOW, AND OTHER STATES ARE DOING THE SAME THING.

JAN MALCOLM, STATE HEALTH COMMISSIONER, IN THAT NEWS CONFERENCE EARLIER THIS WEEK SAID MOST INDICATORS ARE ABOVE THE CAUTION THRESHOLD.

NOW, THAT WOULD -- YOU LOOK AT THAT, HEAR THAT, THINK, WAIT A MINUTE, WHY ARE WE RE-OPENING THEN?

>> YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE CAUTION THRESHOLD.

I HAVE TO GIVE THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH GREAT CREDIT FOR THE KIND OF WORK THEY'RE DOING TO ACTUALLY MEASURE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITIES WITH THIS VIRUS.

AND ONE OF THE INDICATORS IS THE PERCENT POSITIVE OF THOSE PEOPLE TESTING.

AND ANY TIME THEY'RE ABOVE 5%, YOU'RE CONCERNED.

AND WITH THE SURGE OF ACTIVITY WE HAD IN APRIL, WE GOT UP TO MID 7% LEVEL AND THEN IT STARTED TO DROP, AND PEOPLE WERE FEELING QUITE GOOD ABOUT THAT.

WELL, IT'S ACTUALLY STAGNATED AND STARTED TO GO UP AGAIN.

RIGHT HERE NOW.

AND I THINK ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE, WE'VE ALSO SEEN A SUBSTANTIAL DROP IN VACCINATION, NEW VACCINATIONS, I SHOULD SAY, IN TERMS OF GETTING VACCINES.

AND WITH THE LEVELS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE RIGHT NOW, 47% WITH ONE DOSE, 36% TOTALLY PROTECTED, WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE TO GET INFECTED YET.

AND, SO, WE WANT TO BE CAREFUL HERE.

I KNOW THE PUBLIC DOESN'T WANT TO HEAR THIS, THEY'RE TIRED OF IT.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?

YOU DON'T WANT TO BE TIRED OF IT WHEN THE CONSEQUENCES ARE SO SEVERE.

SATURDAY NIGHT I HAD A WOMAN, I TALKED TO, WHOSE HUSBAND IS IN INTENSIVE CARE IN CRITICAL CONDITION WITH THIS, 51 YEARS OLD, SHE SAID TO ME, SHE SAID, I DON'T KNOW WHY WE DIDN'T TAKE THIS MORE SERIOUSLY.

WE JUST THOUGHT IT WAS OVER WITH.

NOW THAT'S THE CONSEQUENCES HER FAMILY IS DEALING WITH.

>> Eric: THERE WERE A PAIR OF STUDIES THIS WEEK THAT SAID THE PFIZER VACCINE WORKS WELL ON THE VARIANTS.

I'M WONDERING HOW SIGNIFICANT THAT IS AS PFIZER STARTS TO WORK ON 1 TO 15-YEAR-OLD -- 12 TO 15-YEAR-OLD VACCINATIONS?

>> THE PFIZER AND MODERNA VACCINES, THEY'RE REALLY EXCEPTIONAL VACCINES.

THEY'RE AND WORKING REALLY WELL ON THE B.1.1.7 VARIANT.

THE DATA WOULD SHOW THEY HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON SOME OF THE OTHER VARIANTS.

WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, VARIANTS ARE SPITTING OUT OF THE COUNTRIES WHERE TRANSMISSION IS REALLY ON FIRE.

AND AS LONG AS THAT'S HAPPENING, WE'RE GOING TO KEEP SEEING THE NEW VARIANTS.

AND EACH ONE MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT MODE OF ACTION FOR HOW IT'S GOING TO INTERACT WITH THE VIRUS ITSELF AND HOW IT MAY IMPACT ON OUR VACCINATION.

SO JUST BECAUSE THE VACCINE WORKS ON ONE OR TWO OR THREE VARIANTS DOESN'T MEAN IT'S GOING TO WORK ON THE NEXT VARIANT NEARLY AS EFFECTIVELY.

SO THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO TRACK VERY VERY CAREFULLY.

AS I JUST POINTED OUT, WE HAVE JUST DISCOVERED A NEW VARIANT IN INDIA WHICH WE THINK MAY ACTUALLY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SOME OF THE HYPERACTIVITY WE'RE SEEING IN INDIA RIGHT NOW.

THAT WAS A VARIANT THAT IF YOU'D ASKED ME A MONTH AGO, I WOULD SAY, WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

>> Cathy: HOW CONCERNED ARE YOU ABOUT MINNESOTA RE-OPENING?

>> YOU KNOW, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT SEVERAL THINGS.

I'M CONCERNED ABOUT MINNESOTA RE-OPENING, NOT JUST FROM AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE STANDPOINT BUT HOW DO WE TRY TO GET BACK TO A NEW NORMAL?

YOU KNOW, THE ANGER, THE ANGST, THE CONCERNS PEOPLE HAVE, PEOPLE WHO ARE CONCERNED TO GO GO BACK OUT INTO THE PUBLIC WHEN THEY'RE FULL ANY VACCINATED.

I HAVE PEOPLE SAY THEY STILL DON'T WANT TO GET TOGETHER WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE FULLY VACCINATED, INCLUDING OTHERS WHO ARE VACCINATED.

WE ALMOST NEED TO HAVE A RE-ENTRY PROGRAM TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW YOU NAVIGATE THIS.

THAT'S ONE THING.

THE SECOND THING IS, WE'RE NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET.

I DON'T WANT TO SAY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SURGE LIKE THEY'VE HAD IN IBD I CAN'T -- INDIA.

I WAS QUOTED YESTERDAY IN "THE NEW YORK TIMES," IECHG WE'VE GONE AROUND THE CORNER NOW, IN TELLS OF HAVING A BIG NATIONAL SURGE.

WHAT HAPPENED IN MICHIGAN CAN STILL HAPPEN IN A NUMBER OF LOCATIONS IN THIS COUNTRY.

AND IF YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT, JUST GO LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED THERE LAST MONTH WHERE THEIR ICUs IN MUCH OF THE STATE WERE OVERRUN WITH CASES.

THAT, TO ME, IS WHAT WE STILL HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT.

AND THE MORE WE OPEN UP, THE MORE PEOPLE WHO HAVE UNFETTERED CONTACT, WHICH WE ALL WANT, WE ALL WANT, THE CHANCE OF TRANSMITTING THIS VIRUS JUST CONTINUE TO GO UP.

>> Eric: ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH SOMETHING CALLED THE VACCINE OF AVERSE REPORTING SYSTEM?

>> YES, I AM.

>> Eric: WHAT IS IT?

>> IT'S A SYSTEM PUT TOGETHER BY THE FDA AND CDC WHERE PHYSICIANS, IF THEY THINK THAT THERE MAY BE SOME REACTION TO THE VACCINE, REPORT THAT REACTION.

IT MONITORS TO SEE ARE THERE COMMON OTHER KINDS OF REACTIONS OCCURRING THAT MIGHT SIGNAL FOR SOMETHING -- THERE'S SOMETHING THERE.

IN FACT, WE HAD CASES, REPORTED CASES OF THE BLOOD CLOTS WITH THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON VACCINE.

THIS IS SOMETHING WE USE ALL THE TIME FOR ALL THE VACCINES.

AND IT'S A GOOD SYSTEM.

>> Eric: THANKS FOR JOINING US TONIGHT, AS ALWAYS, APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Eric: GOOD STUFF.

THANKS.

>> ERIC: THIS WEEK INDIA HAS RECORDED HALF OF ALL THE WORLD'S NEW COVID CASES.

THE COUNTRY'S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM HAS BEEN OVERWHELMED BY THE CRISIS.

THE MEDICAL TRAGEDY HAS HIT HOME HERE IN THE U.S. WHERE THERE ARE 80,000 DOCTORS OF INDIAN ORIGIN.

PBS "NEWSHOUR" SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT FRED DE SAM LAZARO REPORTED THIS WEEK ON ONE MAYO CLINIC DOCTOR WHO IS AMONG MANY PHYSICIANS TRYING TO LEND ASSISTANCE FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE.

FRED WILL JOIN US IN A MINUTE, BUT FIRST A BIT OF HIS THURSDAY "NEWSHOUR" STORY.

>> SO, THIS IS MY TWITTER FEED.

I DECIDED TO OPEN UP MY DIRECT MESSAGES.

AND NOW IT'S MAYBE 15 TO 20 A DAY.

>> SO BUSY AS THIS TELEMEDICINE ROUTINE HAS COME, SHE HAS TAKEN A LEAVE OF ABSENCE FROM HER JOB AS AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE PHYSICIAN AT THE MAYO CLINIC.

>> RANDOM STRANGERS.

>> RANDOM STRANGERS READ TWITTER.

I'M SAYING, OKAY, ADJUST THE OXYGEN, TURN THE CAMERA ON SO I CAN SEE THE CONS TRAITOR.

LET ME HELP YOU.

IS WHAT I'M DOING.

>> IS SHE LYING-HER STOMACH?

>> THAT'S FINE.

SHE JUST NEEDS TO DO IT.

>> GETTING ADVICE ON THIS CALL , SHE WAS CARING FOR AN ELDERLY AUNT.

>> I FOUND IT EXTREMELY EXTREMELY USEFUL.

IT WAS BECOMING EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO GET TO A DOCTOR.

WE WEREN'T GETTING ANY CLARITY ON HOW MUCH HE'D IMPROVED AND IF WE WERE ON THE RIGHT TRACK.

AND THE DOs AND DON'Ts FOR THE PATIENT.

>> THAT ASSISTANCE OFTEN EXTENDS BEYOND MEDICAL ADVICE.

>> WE CALLED OUR FRIEND AND ASKED HIM TO SEND THE OXYGEN CYLINDER.

DID SHE GET IT?

>> THE DOCTOR USED CONNECTIONS TO LOCATE AN OXYGEN CYLINDER FOR THIS COUPLE SHE MET ON TWITTER.

THEY LIVE IN THE U.S. AND ARE TRYING TO KEEP HIS COVID POSITIVE MOTHER, WHO LIVES IN INDIA'S CAPITAL, DELI, ALIVE.

DELHI.

>> RIGHT NOW THERE'S NO HOSPITAL IN THE HOT SPOTS THAT IS NOT COMPLETELY OVERWHELMED.

>> ERIC: JOINING US, FRED DE SAM LAZARO FROM THE PBS "NEWSHOUR."

FRED, THIS IS TELEMEDICINE ON STEROIDS, BUT I'M GUESSING IT'S JUST A DROP IN THE BUCKET OF WHAT'S NEEDED, HUH?

>> IT IS GROWING, ERIC.

THERE ARE, BY NOW, HUNDREDS OF DOCTORS IN SEVERAL SITES THAT HAVE ARRANGED FOR VIRTUAL CLINIC FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN MAKE THEIR APPOINTMENTS ONLINE AND AT LEAST GET INFORMATION, INFORMATION, GOOD MEDICAL INFORMATION IS AS SCARCE AS EQUIPMENT AND OXYGEN HAVE BEEN IN THIS PANDEMIC IN INDIA.

AND, SO, THEY ARE HAVING AN IMPACT, BUT IT IS A RELATIVE DROP IN THE BUCKET.

IT'S AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE, MOSTLY URBAN, WHO HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET.

AND CAN GET ON SITES LIKE THIS.

WHAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT AND MUST WORRY ABOUT IS WHAT'S HAPPENING BEYOND THAT AND THE VAST NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE ACCESS, WHO ARE OUTSIDE OF THE CITIES, AND ARE GETTING ALMOST NO SERVICE.

>> Cathy: THE IRONY HERE, TOO, OF COURSE, FRED, IS THAT INDIA IS A GREAT EXPORTER OF MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY AND PHYSICIANS, YET, THE MEDICAL SYSTEM IN INDIA IS NOT GREAT, RIGHT?

>> IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS YOU HAVE THAT -- THE MIGRATORY PUSH BECAUSE THE ATTRACTION OF BEING ABLE TO BE WORK IN A SYSTEM THAT PROVIDES YOU ALL THE AMENITIES TO DO YOUR JOB AS IT SHOULD BE DONE IS AVAILABLE HERE AND IT'S LESS AVAILABLE THERE.

WE IN THE UNITED STATES HAVE A SHORTAGE OF DOCTORS AND, SO, THERE'S THAT KIND OF SYMBIOSIS.

IT IS IRONIC THAT THERE ARE SO MANY DOCTORS, BUT THE SYSTEM, IF THEY WERE THERE, WOULD NOT IMPROVE THE OUTCOMES IN MANY CASES BECAUSE THE RESOURCES ARE JUST NOT THERE OR JUST NOT DISTRIBUTED EQUITABLY.

>> Eric: HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?

HOW DID IT GET OUT OF CONTROL?

>> YOU MEAN EPIDEMIOLOGICALLY?

>> Eric: POLITICALLY, EPIDEMIOLOGICALLY, WHATEVER YOU GOT.

>> I SUSPECT THAT IT'S A COMBINATION OF A NUMBER OF THESE FACTORS.

YOU JUST HAD Dr. OSTERHOLM ON TELLING YOU HOW UNPREDICTABLE THIS VIRUS WAS.

IT SEEMED UNDER CONTROL.

THIS IS A COUNTRY THAT'S A MAJOR PRODUCER OF VACCINES, IT'S THE PHARMACY OF THE WORLD, THE PRIME MINISTER SAID.

AND IT SEEMED UNDER CONTROL ENOUGH THAT THE COUNTRY WAS EXPORTING VACCINES AS RECENTLY AS FEBRUARY.

AND, SO, THE VACCINE JUST SURGED IN WAYS THAT, YOU KNOW, I CERTAINLY DON'T UNDERSTAND, HAVEN'T HEARD ANYBODY ELSE TELL US IN ANY WAY THAT THEY UNDERSTAND HOW IT SURGED IN THE WAY IT DID.

BUT, OF COURSE, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF SUPER SURGE EVENTS THAT HAPPENED.

POLITICAL CAMPAIGN RALLIES, YOU SAW RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS THAT BROUGHT MILLIONS OF PEOPLE CONGREGATED IN TIGHT SPACES, THAT WAS A FACTOR.

AND COMPLACENCY, FRANKLY.

THAT MIGHT BE COMPARED TO THE COMPLACENCY WE HAD IN THE SUMMER IN OUR PART OF THE WORLD, WHERE WE LET OUR GUARD DOWN AND THINGS STARTED TO SURGE A LITTLE BIT.

SO A LOT OF FACTORS, I SUSPECT, YOU KNOW, CONVERGED IN A PERFECT STORM TO CAUSE WHAT WE'RE WITNESSING NOW.

>> Cathy: FRED, ARE YOUR SOURCES SAYING, OR THE INDIVIDUALS YOU SPOKE TO IN INDIA, IS THE SITUATION WORSE THAN THE PICTURES SHOW?

>> YES.

THE ANECDOTAL STORIES THAT YOU HEAR ARE JUST HORRIFIC, THE STORIES YOU HEAR OF PEOPLE BEING STOPPED IN THE STREET, THEIR OXYGEN CYLINDERS CONFISCATED FROM THEM.

THERE ARE IMAGES THAT MOST OF US DON'T SEE OF PEOPLE GASPING AND COLLAPSING.

AND THERE'S A LOT THAT YOU DON'T SEE THAT'S OUTSIDE OF THE URBAN AREAS, AND THAT'S THE BIG WORRY.

SO I TALKED TO A PERSON YESTERDAY WHO SAID THE PICTURES THAT YOU'RE SEEING, IT'S MUCH WORSE.

>> Eric: INTERNATIONAL HELP AVAILABLE AND CAN IT BE EFFECTIVE?

>> GOOD QUESTION.

I THINK ONE OF THE KEY ISSUES AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BRINGING MILITARY ASSETS INTO PLAY, IT'S GETTING STUFF TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.

I REMEMBER BEING IN THE PHILIPPINES AFTER THE TYPHOON A FEW YEARS AGO, HAD JUST WIPED OUT THIS LARGE, VAST SWATH OF TERRITORY, AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST PLAYERS IN THAT SITUATION WAS UPS, FOR EXAMPLE, BECAUSE THEY KNEW LOGISTICS AND THAT COMPANY HAD PROVIDED A LOT.

AND, SO, I THINK SO MUCH OF IT WILL HAVE TO DO WITH JUST HAVING GOOD LOGISTICS AND ARRANGEMENTS.

I'M NOT EXPERT ENOUGH TO KNOW, BUT IT'S NOT SO MUCH GETTING RESOURCES -- IT'S NOT SO MUCH FINDING RESOURCES BUT GETTING THEM TO WHERE IT IS NEEDED.

>> Cathy: I UNDERSTAND THAT ABOUT 18% OF THE PHYSICIANS AT MAYO CLINIC ARE OF INDIAN ORIGIN.

AND THEY'RE TRYING TO BE HELPFUL.

IT MUST BE VERY STRESSFUL FOR THEM.

WHAT'S IT LIKE FOR THEM EMOTIONALLY?

>> IT'S VERY VERY TAXING.

AND IT'S PHYSICALLY EXHAUSTING BECAUSE -- PARDON ME -- THE TIME DIFFERENCE FROM MINNESOTA TO INDIA IS 11 AND A HALF HOURS.

AND, SO, OBVIOUSLY THE CLOCK IS UPSIDE DOWN, YOU DO YOUR DAY JOB AND THEN YOU START FIELDING CALLS.

SOME PEOPLE HAVE MADE THEMSELVES, AS YOU SAW THE DOCTOR, AVAILABLE 24/7.

A NUMBER OF PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD TO DO THAT.

AND, SO, THEY DO THEIR DAY JOBS AND THEN AT NIGHT, YOU'RE HEARING FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND THERE JUST SEEMS NO END IN SIGHT.

SO IT IS EXHAUSTING AT MANY LEVELS.

>> Eric: GREAT REPORTING AS USUAL.

>> THANKS.

>> Cathy: THANK YOU.

>> MY WIFE AND I MOVED INTO A HOUSE THAT HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY THE CHILDHOOD HOME OF A WALTER MONDALE.

HE'S A FAIRLY FAMOUS HUMAN BEING IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.

>> YEAH.

>> I'M A HISTORY TEACHER AS WELL.

I THOUGHT THAT WAS PRETTY AWESOME, YOU KNOW, KNOWING THAT HE ACTUALLY ANNOUNCED HIS CANDIDACY FOR PRESIDENT BACK IN THE 1980s FROM MY BACK PORCH.

YOU KNOW, HE MEANT A LOT TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.

HE MEANT A LOT TO SOMEONE FROM ELMORE, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT SIDE OF THE AISLE YOU'RE ON, THE FACT THAT HE WAS HERE FOR MINNESOTA, HE WAS FOR MINNESOTANS AND HIS NUMBER ONE GOAL, REGARDLESS OF WHAT SIDE OF THE AISLE YOU'RE ON, YOU CAN'T ARGUE THAT HE WAS ABSOLUTELY FOR PEOPLE.

THAT'S WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK INTO AND SAY, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE DOING, IS IT FOR PEOPLE?

BECAUSE IF IT IS, WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.

♪♪♪ >> CATHY: MINNEAPOLIS, LIKE MANY AMERICAN CITIES IN THE LAST CENTURY, HAD A RUNDOWN SECTION OF DOWNTOWN KNOWN AS SKID ROW.

NEXT MONDAY TWIN CITIES PBS HAS A DOCUMENTARY THAT EXPLORES THIS AREA'S HISTORY.

"RETURN TO SKID ROW" TAKES AN UNNERVING LOOK AT POVERTY, CHEMICAL ADDICTION, AND RACISM AT A MOMENT IN TIME WHEN MINNEAPOLIS WAS TRYING TO REFINE ITS PUBLIC IMAGE.

CITY PLANNERS CALLED IT "URBAN RENEWAL."

HERE'S A CLIP FROM THE DOCUMENTARY "RETURN TO SKID ROW."

STEVE SPENCER IS THE PRODUCER.

>> AT ONE TIME, ALMOST EVERY MAJOR AMERICAN CITY HAD AN AREA CALLED SKID ROW.

IN MINNEAPOLIS, IT WAS OVER 20 SQUARE BLOCKS OF BARS, FLOP HOUSES AND MISSIONS, CENTERED AROUND GATEWAY PARK AND WASHINGTON AVENUE.

IN 1952, THE CITY COUNTED 62 LIQUOR STORES, BARS, BEER PARLORS, WITHIN THIS 20-BLOCK AREA.

MOST MAJOR CITIES HAD A SKID ROW.

THEY TENDED TO BE AROUND THE RAILROAD STATION, AND THEY TENDED TO BE THE OLDEST PART OF TOWN, CHEAPEST REAL ESTATE, CHEAPEST LODGING HOUSES.

THESE WERE THE PLACES WHERE THERE WAS A TRANSIENT LABOR MARKET.

MILWAUKEE DEPOT AND THE GREAT NORTHERN DEPOT WERE KIND OF BRACKETED THE OLD GATEWAY DISTRICT.

IT WAS ALSO CALLED LOWER LOOP.

THE OLDEST PART OF MINNEAPOLIS.

BUILT IN THE 19th CENTURY, BY THE 1950s, IT WAS REALLY KIND OF SEEDY.

YOU'D SEE KIND OF A CRUMBLING CITY CENTER, A LOT OF SECONDHAND SHOPS, BARS, LIQUOR STORES.

PROBABLY YOUR EYE WOULD BE IMMEDIATELY DRAWN TO JUST THE CLAMOR ON THE SIDEWALKS.

OLDER MEN JOSTLING, DRINKING, SLEEPING, FIGHTING, WHISTLING AT YOU, BEGGING, PANHANDLING.

IT WAS NOTORIOUS.

EVERYBODY KNEW.

AND THEY WOULD SAY, THIS WAS A PLACE WHERE THEIR PARENTS WOULD TAKE THEM DOWNTOWN, DRIVE THROUGH, WASHINGTON AVENUE, WITH THE HOARDS OF GUYS CAUSING TROUBLE OR LAYIN' ABOUT ON THE SIDEWALK.

IF YOU DON'T STAY IN SCHOOL, THIS IS WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO END UP.

THIS IS THE HUMAN EXISTENCE F YOU DON'T BEHAVE YOURSELF, STUDY HARD, THIS IS YOUR FUTURE.

YOU HAD TO BE BRAVE.

YOU HAD TO BE BRAVE TO GO INTO THOSE KINDS OF SPACES.

THESE MEN AND THESE WOMEN RELIED ON SECRECY, ON THAT KIND OF GENERAL AURA OF DISRUPTABLENESS THAT THE GATEWAY HAD, THAT SKID ROW HAD.

IF YOU WERE THERE, YOU WERE EITHER CHANGING STREETCAR LINES, BECAUSE, OF COURSE, THEY WERE STILL ALL INTERCHANGING THERE.

SO THERE WAS SOME RESPECTABLE REASON TO BE THERE, AT LEAST UNTIL THE STREETCARS WERE DISCONTINUED.

BUT, IN GENERAL, IF YOU WERE DOWN THERE, YOU WERE PROBABLY UP TO NO GOOD.

AND THE GENERAL UNDERSTANDING WAS, WE'RE GOING TO LET THEM BE UP TO NO GOOD, BUT WE'RE ONLY GOING TO LET THEM DO IT THERE.

>> FROM 1955 TO 1961, JOHN FILMED LIFE ON THE STREETS OUTSIDE HIS WASHINGTON AVENUE BAR.

DOCUMENTING THE LAST YEARS DOWN ON SKID ROW.

>> DIFFERENT WAY OF LIFE FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

PEOPLE LIVE IN EDINA, PEOPLE LIVE IN SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON ON SKID ROW.

WELL, MAYBE THEY SEE HOW SOME OTHER PEOPLE LIVE.

♪♪♪ ONCE IN A WHILE, YOU'D SEE THE RICH AND THE FAMOUS, MAYBE YOU OUGHT TO SEE THE POOR AND THE ALCOHOLICS.

>> CATHY: TWIN CITIES VIEWERS CAN WATCH "RETURN TO SKID ROW" ON TPT MONDAY NIGHT AT 8:00.

VIEWERS EVERYWHERE CAN ALSO SEE THE DOCUMENTARY ONLINE BY GOING TO TPT.ORG.

UP NEXT, THE PROSPECT FOR RENT CONTROL IN MINNEAPOLIS.

>> ERIC: MINNEAPOLIS HAS GOTTEN A LOT OF ATTENTION FOR ITS PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT DEALING WITH POLICE REFORM.

THAT ISSUE WILL MOST LIKELY BE ON THE BALLOT THIS NOVEMBER.

TWO OTHER AMENDMENTS, BOTH RELATED TO RENT CONTROL, COULD ALSO BE UP FOR VOTER APPROVAL.

THIS WAS THE TOPIC OF A STORY THIS WEEK IN THE ONLINE NEWS SITE MINNPOST.COM.

HERE TO HELP US UNDERSTAND THESE RENT CONTROL AMENDMENTS AND WHAT IT COULD MEAN FOR THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNPOST REPORTER SOLOMON GUSTAVO.

SOLOMON, THE CITY AMENDMENT PROCESS IS VERY COMPLICATED, AND I THINK THIS WOULD JUST ALLOW THE CITY COUNCIL TO TALK ABOUT REGULATION.

WHY DO ADVOCATES THINK RENT CONTROL'S A GOOD IDEA?

>> WELL, ALTHOUGH RESEARCH SHOWS THAT RENT -- RESEARCH FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA COMMISSIONED BY THE CITY SHOWS THAT RENT HAS INCREASED OVER THE LAST DECADE AND CHANGED BY ABOUT 3%, OVERALL, THERE ARE SEGMENTS OF THE RENTAL MARKET, MOST NOTABLY NEAR THE BOTTOM, THE ENTRY-LEVEL AREA, WHERE RENT HAS GONE UP BY AS MUCH AS 9%, AND THOSE RENT INCREASES TEND TO HAPPEN RATHER RAPIDLY.

JUST A SUDDEN INCREASE OF $600, $800, PEOPLE ARE HEARING -- EXCUSE ME -- COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE HEARING REPORTED.

AND FAMILIES THEN HAVE TO LEAVE, YOU KNOW, THE MIDDLE OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, IN THE MIDDLE OF WHATEVER'S GOING ON IN THEIR LIVES.

SUDDENLY THEIR HOUSING IS IN FLUX.

AND ADVOCATES BELIEVE THAT CONTROLLING OR REGULATING THE RENTAL MARKET AND RENT WILL EASE THAT.

>> Eric: YET ANOTHER MINNEAPOLIS CASE OF BLACK FAMILIES BEING LEFT BEHIND ON THIS?

>> WELL, THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA RESEARCH DID SHOW THAT OF THOSE THAT -- OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DEALING WITH HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING INSECURITY AND ARE BEING EVICTED FROM THEIR HOMES IN MINNEAPOLIS, IT IS HAPPENING MOST TO PEOPLE OF COLOR, AND MOST PARTICULARLY TO BLACK HOUSEHOLDS.

>> Cathy: LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SPECIFICS HERE.

WHAT WILL THESE AMENDMENTS DO SPECIFICALLY?

>> SO THERE IS A STATE LAW THAT BARS ALL CITIES IN MINNESOTA FROM IMPLEMENTING RENT CONTROL POLICY, FROM SAYING HOW MUCH A LANDLORD CAN INCREASE RENT, AND THE TWO CHARTER AMENDMENTS ARE APPEASING THE EXCEPTION FOR THAT STATE LAW.

SO ONE WOULD MAKE IT -- GIVE THE CITY THE POWER TO HAVE RENT CONTROL POLICY THAT IS ENACTED THROUGH ORDINANCE, THROUGH THE PETITION PROCESS AND INITIATIVES THAT ARE PUT ON THE BALLOT.

AND THE OTHER CHARTER AMENDMENT WOULD GIVE THE CITY THE POWER FOR RENT CONTROL THROUGH CITY COUNCIL LEGISLATION.

>> Eric: SO IF THIS GOT TO THE CITY COUNCIL, FOR INSTANCE, THIS JUST ALLOWS THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER IT.

WHAT KIND OF PUSHBACK ARE THEY GOING TO HEAR FROM, SAY, LANDLORDS OR OTHERS?

>> RIGHT.

THAT'S THE KEY HERE.

THESE AMENDMENTS WOULD JUST SIMPLY GIVE THE CITY THE POWER TO HAVE RENT CONTROL.

WHAT THOSE EXACT POLICIES THAT WOULD BE BROUGHT FORTH FROM THE ADVOCACY -- FROM ADVOCATES OR FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO SAY, EITHER GROUP HASN'T REALLY TIPPED THEIR HAND MUCH.

THEY BOTH SAY, PARTICULARLY COUNCIL MEMBERS, ARE SAYING THAT THEY'RE RESEARCHING RENT CONTROL IN OTHER PLACES, LIKE OREGON AND NEW YORK, AND PUTTING POLICY TOGETHER.

BUT IN GENERAL, MANY LANDOWNERS, REAL ESTATE BROKERS, PROPERTY OWNERS, THEY ARE AGAINST RENT CONTROL, GENERALLY, ENTIRELY.

THEY FEEL LIKE THAT IS GOING -- IT'S THE WRONG FIX FOR WHAT IS THE REAL ISSUE IN THE RENTAL MARKET, WHICH THEY SEE IS A SUPPLY ISSUE.

AND IF THERE IS RENT CONTROL, THEN OPPONENTS BELIEVE THAT IT MIGHT DAMPEN THE SPIRIT OF DEVELOPMENT.

THERE MIGHT NOT BE THE PEOPLE THERE WILLING TO ACTUALLY BUILD MORE UNITS, WHEN THEY SAY THE RENTAL MARKET NEEDS.

>> Cathy: ARE THERE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES TO SOMETHING LIKE THIS?

MUCH AS YOU JUST OUTLINED.

>> YOU KNOW, RENT CONTROL IS THE KIND OF THING WHEN YOU, YOU KNOW, CHECK THE TOP OF ACADEMIA, IT'S HEAVILY QUALIFIED AND PEOPLE ARE VERY CAREFUL TO SAY HOW IT SHOULD BE APPLIED IN SPECIFIC MARKETS.

THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT EXPERTS SAY THAT POLICY MAKERS SHOULD TREAD LIGHTLY BECAUSE OF PITFALLS SEEN IN PLACES LIKE NEW YORK WHERE THERE ARE THESE STRANGE QUIRKS WHERE LANDLORDS STILL FIND WAYS TO NICKEL AND DIME PEOPLE OR TENANTS, YOU KNOW, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FIXED RATES AND DON'T GIVE UP THEIR UNITS.

>> Cathy: FINALLY QUESTION FOR YOU.

ANY -- FINAL QUESTION FOR YOU.

ANY IDEA FROM THE FOLKS YOU TALKED TO CHANCES OF THIS PASSING AT ALL?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, IT NEEDS TO GO THROUGH THE CHARTER COMMISSION.

THEY'RE STILL LOOKING IT OVER.

THEN IT GOES TO THE CITY COUNCIL, AND THEY CAN SEND IT ON TO THE BALLOT WITH OR WITHOUT THE CHARTER COMMISSION'S APPROVAL.

AND THE COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY FORWARDED IT TO THE CHARTER COMMISSION.

SO I THINK RIGHT NOW THE LIKELIHOOD IS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL WOULD APPROVE IT UNDER THE GUISE THAT, HEY, WE'RE JUST SEEING -- WE'RE JUST GIVING US THE ABILITY TO DO THIS, NOW LET'S DISCUSS WHAT -- WHAT KIND OF POLICY WE'D LIKE.

BUT WHAT HANGS OVER ALL THIS IS THE VETO OF MAYOR JACOB FREY WHO CAN VETO AND HIS VETO CAN BE OVERRIDDEN BY THE COUNCIL.

SO, YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO SAY, IT'S FAIR TO ANTICIPATE IF YOU'RE A VOTER IN MINNEAPOLIS THAT THESE TWO AMENDMENTS WILL BE ON THE BALLOT.

>> Cathy: ALL RIGHT.

GOOD REPORTING, MINNPOST.COM.

SOLOMON, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> Eric: THANKS, SOLOMON.

>> THANK YOU.

♪♪♪ >> MOTHER'S DAY BRINGS UP A WIDE RANGE OF EMOTIONS AND EXPERIENCES.

WHEN I WAS A KID, LIKE EVERY FAMILY, WE WENT THROUGH HARD TIMES, BUT MY MOM SOMEHOW HELD US TOGETHER.

IT SEEMED LIKE SHE COULD'VE RULED A COUNTRY BUT SHE PICKED OUR FAMILY INSTEAD.

MOM KEPT US PRETTY DOWN TO EARTH.

I'VE NOTICED SOME MOMS TAKE GREAT, AND OFTEN UNSUBSTANTIATED, PRIDE IN THEIR KIDS.

THEY SEE THEM LIKE STATES VIEW THEIR MOTTOS.

I REMEMBER READING PICASSO'S MOTHER SAID IF HE WOULD'VE GONE INTO RELIGION, HE WOULD'VE BEEN POPE, BUT HE WAS AN ARTIST SO HE BECAME PICASSO.

THAT SAYS MORE ABOUT HIS MOM.

LIKE MY FRIEND STEVE'S MOM.

ACCORDING TO HER "HE COULD'VE BEEN POPE, BUT HE WENT INTO WASTE WATER TREATMENT SO HE BECAME STEVE."

SO TAKING MATTERS INTO ACCOUNT HERE'S MY VERSION OF A MOTHER'S DAY CARD.

IT'S CALLED THE "MOTHER'S ROLL CALL."

WE HAVE MOTHER NATURE AND MOTHER GOOSE MOMS ON COOKIE BOXES AND ON TATTOOS MAMAS CASS AND MOMMA MIA MOMMIES DEAREST LIKE MEDEA WE HAVE MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS PILLARS OF SALT THAT MARRIED LOTS MOSES' MOM AND MARY TODD MOMS OF SAMPSON AND ICHIBOD TV'S BRADY, PARTRIDGE, AND CLEAVER THE ALIEN THAT TRIED TO EAT SIGOURNEY WEAVER JACKIE O AND MAYA ANGELOU A MOTHER WHO LIVED INSIDE A SHOE MOTHERS OF NECESSITY AND INVENTION OEDIPUS' MOTHER, WHO WE MAYBE SHOULDN'T MENTION MOTHER'S COURAGE, JONES, AND MAY I, HUBBARD AND WHISTLER AND LADY DI, ELEANOR ROOSEVELT, MICHELLE OBAMA FERNANDO AND THE DAHLI WHO HAD MOMMAS OF LAMAS, DEMETER MOTHER OF PERSEPHONE MOTHER THERESA, MOTHER MARY MA BARKER, MOMS MABLEY GRENDAL'S MOM AND MA RAINEY WE HAVE MOMS OF DUMBO, RAMBO BAMBI, NEFERTITI, INDIRA GHANDI, HUNON, MOTHER OF GENGIS KAHN MARGE SIMPSON AND THE QUEEN MUM CLEAR BACK TO EVE WHO STARTED ALL THIS SO, MOM, I'M ADDING YOUR NAME TO THE LIST, SENDING A KISS AND ADDING A SWEET AND THEN THE ROLL CALL WILL BE COMPLETE.

♪♪♪ >> Eric: KEVIN KLING IS A STATE TREASURE.

LEGISLATIVE LEADERS ARE TRYING TO AGREE TO BUDGET SPENDING TARGETS TO FINISH THE SESSION ON TIME IN TEN DAYS.

THERE ARE A LOT OF DETAILS STILL TO WORK OUT ON COVID RESPONSE, POLICE REFORM AND MORE.

MARY LAHAMMER HAS A LOOK AT THE REMAINING WORK AHEAD.

>> Mary: WITH MINNESOTA LEADING THE NATION IN VACCINES, GOVERNOR WALZ ANNOUNCED THE END OF THE OUTDOOR MASK MANDATE AND NEAR RETURN TO NORMAL BY JULY 1st.

>> WE RANK THEY ARE -- WE RANK NEAR THE TOP AS FAR AS TESTING, AS FAR AS CASES THAT WE HAVE, IN THE LOWEST, THE ONE THAT MATTERS THE MOST IS, THE FEWEST DEATHS.

AND HERE'S THE ONE THAT I'M MOST PROUD OF.

SOME OF YOU HAVE SEEN THIS MAP.

WHEN THEY GO OUT AND ASK FOLKS, ARE YOU LIKELY TO GET THE VACCINE, THE PURPLE COLOR MEANS THE HIGHEST AMOUNT RANGING ABOVE 90%.

MINNESOTA HAS THE HIGHEST DESIRE TO GET THIS.

>> THE BIG VACCINE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE IN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS HAS HELPED US TO AVERT WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A TRULY TERRIBLE CRISIS.

>> A NEW ERA, PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, FOR BUSINESSES, WORKERS AND CUSTOMERS IS GOING TO TAKE CENTER STAGE AND THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY IS, OF COURSE, AS WE'VE SAID MANY TIMES TODAY, TO GET VACCINATED.

>> Mary: REPUBLICANS STILL SAY MINNESOTA IS MOVING SLOWER THAN OTHER STATES WHEN IT COMES TO RE-OPENING, AND THEY WANT THE GOVERNOR'S EMERGENCY POWERS TO END IMMEDIATELY.

>> I HAD A NUMBER OF CONVERSATIONS WITH THE GOVERNOR, BUT, FRANKLY, NOT ONE THING THAT I RECOMMENDED WAS ADOPTED.

>> I HAD TO RESPOND TO THIS THROUGH THE LENS OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND, AS I SAID, I RECOGNIZE MANY OF THESE DECISIONS ARE VERY UNPOPULAR, BUT I THINK IN THE END WHEN PEOPLE LOOK BACK AND START TO SEE SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS, THEY WERE SUCCESSFUL.

>> WE ARE GOING TO LEAD.

AND WE ARE GOING TO ALLOW EVERYBODY TO BE BACK ON THE SENATE FLOOR IN YOUR NORMAL SEAT IF YOU WANT TO.

>> Mary: AT THE CAPITOL, CONFERENCE COMMITTEES ARE MEETING, AS A HANDFUL OF HOUSE AND SENATE MEMBERS WORK OUT THEIR DIFFERENCES ON BUDGET ISSUES AND POLICE REFORMS.

>> YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD NOT TO NOTICE THAT BOTH BILLS ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT, HOUSE BILL IS A LITTLE BIT BIGGER THAN THE SENATE BILL.

AND, ACTUALLY, IT'S ABOUT FOUR TIMES LARGER.

>> THE SENATE, FROM THE HOUSE PERSPECTIVE, HAS A VERY THIN BILL.

AND, QUITE FRANKLY, I'M CONCERNED THAT THE THINNESS OF THAT BILL FAILS TO ADDRESS SOME VITALLY IMPORTANT REALITIES THAT ARE QUITE TIMELY RIGHT NOW FOR MINNESOTANS.

>> I PERSONALLY DON'T WANT TO VILLIANIZE ALL POLICE OFFICERS DUE TO RECENT EVENTS, HOWEVER, I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT RECENT EVENTS RECOGNIZE WHAT WE WOULD CALL THE BAD APPLES.

>> THE HOUSE BELIEVES THAT WE PUT TOGETHER AN ANTI-BAD APPLE BILL.

WE PUT TOGETHER A BILL THAT IS ANTI-BAD COP, AND WE FULLY INVITE THE SENATE TO JOIN US TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT SYSTEMS DON'T ENCOURAGE THE KIND OF BEHAVIOR THAT WE SAW THAT LED TO THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD.

>> HE TOLD US THAT HE WAS STOPPED BECAUSE HE HAD AIR FRESHENERS HANGING FROM HIS REARVIEW MIRROR.

THAT STOP RESULTED IN DAUNTE'S DEATH ONLY MINUTES LATER.

THAT NO PERSON SHOULD EVER HAVE TO DIE OVER SOMETHING SO SMALL.

>> I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE HOUSE LANGUAGE MOVING FORWARD TO GIVE US BETTER WAYS OF HANDLING THESE MINOR TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS.

>> I HAVE TWO NEPHEWS THAT ACTUALLY WENT INTO LAW ENFORCEMENT.

I'D LIKE TO THINK THAT I MADE THAT -- MADE AN INFLUENCE ON THEM WANTING TO GO INTO THAT.

YOU'RE JUST NOT GOING TO HAVE THAT ANYMORE.

>> THESE HAVE TO BE A PRIORITY.

AS THE GOVERNOR JUST SAID, THE LONGER WE WAIT, AND SPECIFICALLY IT SAYS, EIGHT TO 12 MONTHS, POLICE OFFICER KILLS SOMEONE IN THIS STATE.

THAT BORE OUT WITH DAUNTE WRIGHT, AND I WANT TO SEE THAT STOP HAPPENING.

AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE BILLS IN THIS MEASURE THAT CAN PREVENT THOSE THINGS FROM HAPPENING.

AND I STAND VERY CLEAR, VERY FIRM THAT I WANT TO SEE THOSE BILLS MOVE FORWARD AS A PRIORITY.

>> Mary: THE ADULT-USE CANNABIS BILL IS MOVING ALONG THROUGH A DOZEN HEARINGS WITH BIPARTISAN SUPPORT IN THE HOUSE.

>> IT NEEDS TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE DEEP RACIAL INEQUITIES IN OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN THE WAY THAT WE HAVE POLICED CANNABIS IN THE PAST.

MINNESOTANS STRONGLY SUPPORT LEGALIZATION.

>> Mary: IN THE FINAL DAYS AT THE CAPITOL, THE HOUSE DFL HAS LANGUAGE LIMITING ELECTRONIC PULL TABS, A MOVE THAT OUTRAGED REPUBLICANS.

>> IT JUST BLOWS MY MIND SOMETIMES WHEN I THINK ABOUT HOW THIS LEGISLATION WAS KIND OF SHOVED IN AFTER DEADLINE AND THE IMPACT THAT IT'S GOING TO HAVE STATEWIDE.

ONCE AGAIN, ON THESE CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS.

IT'S MIND BOGGLING HOW WE COULD NOT FOLLOW THE PROCESS.

>> OUR BARS AND RESTAURANTS ARE LOCALLY FAMILY OWNED, BARS AND RESTAURANTS, HAVE HAD A REALLY REALLY ROUGH YEAR.

AND TAKING AWAY THEIR ELECTRONIC PULL TABS IS LIKE KICKING THEM WHEN THEY'RE DOWN.

IT'S ABSOLUTELY WRONG.

♪♪♪ >> CATHY: WITH DIVIDED GOVERNMENT IN RECENT YEARS, MINNESOTANS HAVE PLENTY OF PRACTICE WHEN IT COMES TO COMBATIVE LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS GOING DOWN TO THE WIRE.

HERE WITH THEIR TAKE ON LIKELY WHEELING AND DEALING IN THE NEXT TEN DAYS, TWO CAPITOL REPORTERS.

BRIANA BIERSCHBACH WORKS FOR THE "STAR TRIBUNE."

RICARDO LOPEZ IS A POLITICAL REPORTER FOR THE "MINNESOTA REFORMER."

GOOD TO SEE BOTH OF YOU.

BRIANA, IF I'M NOT INCORRECT HERE, I THOUGHT FINAL TARGETS, FINAL BUDGET TARGETS WERE DUE BY TODAY.

THAT DID SEEM KIND OF LIKE A DOUBTFUL DEADLINE.

WHAT HAPPENED?

>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN REALLY PRIVATE THESE NEGOTIATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING DOWN.

YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A PRESS CONFERENCE EARLIER IN THE WEEK WHERE REPUBLICANS KIND OF SHOWED THEIR FIRST OFFER, WHICH WAS NO TAX INCREASES AND SOME OTHER, YOU KNOW, PRIORITIES OF THEIRS.

BUT SINCE THEN, WE'VE HEARD ALMOST NOTHING, REALLY, FROM LEADERSHIP.

YOU KNOW, WE DID TALK WITH LEADERS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE SOME OF THE MAIN ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN THERE ALL ALONG, AND WE ALWAYS KNEW WERE GOING TO BE THE MAIN ISSUES, ARE STILL STICKING POINTS.

TAX INCREASES THAT DEMOCRATS ARE PUSHING FOR IN THEIR BUDGET.

REPUBLICANS ARE DRAWING THE LINE IN THE SAND ON THAT.

THEY SAID THEY WILL NOT RAISE TAXES.

ALSO THERE'S SEVERAL -- [ Indiscernible ] THAT IS COMING INTO PLAY.

WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN GUIDANCE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ABOUT HOW THAT CAN BE USED.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF TENSION OVER WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN ALL THAT MONEY COMES FLOWING IN AND QUESTIONS THERE.

AND ALSO THERE'S SOME OF THE POLICY QUESTIONS, EMERGENCY POWERS, YOU KNOW, POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES ARE, AS THEY ALWAYS DO COMPLICATING BUDGET MATTERS AS WELL.

>> Cathy: LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT THAT.

IS A GLOBAL AGREEMENT HINGING ON THE EMERGENCY POWERS VERSUS POLICE REFORM?

>> I THINK THAT THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE IN THE MIX HERE.

YOU'VE GOT THE EMERGENCY POWERS, THE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY.

REPUBLICANS ARE ALSO MAKING ISSUES OF OTHER THINGS LIKE THE CLEAN CAR EMISSIONS STANDARDS THAT HAVE BEEN PUSHED THROUGH BY THE MINNESOTA POLLUTION CONTROL AGENCY.

AND THERE'S SO MANY ISSUES, AND AS BRIANA POINTED OUT, THERE'S BEEN A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY THIS WEEK IN TERMS OF WHAT OFFERS ARE BEING TRADED.

SO, YOU KNOW, AS OPPOSED TO PREVIOUS NONCOVID YEARS, BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE DARK HERE IN TERMS OF WHAT'S BEING NEGOTIATED BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE CONVERSATIONS ARE HAPPENING, YOU KNOW, BY PHONE OR BY ZOOM.

>> Eric: BRIANA, THE SENATE CONFEREES ARE THREATENING TO HOLD UP THE ENTIRE NATURAL RESOURCE POLLUTION CONTROL AGENCY BUDGET OVER VEHICLE EMISSION STANDARDS.

CAN YOU FLESH THAT OUT FOR US A LITTLE BIT?

>> YEAH.

THIS WAS A RULE, YOU KNOW, ENACTED THROUGH THE MINNESOTA POLLUTION CONTROL AGENCY, SO THERE'S SOME AUTHORITY ON THE EXECUTIVE SIDE TO DO SOME RULEMAKING, YOU KNOW, REPUBLICANS ARE SAYING, WE DON'T ACCEPT THAT.

AND THEY'RE USING THIS BUDGET AS LEVERAGE.

AND, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, IT IS PRETTY GOOD LEVERAGE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WANTING TO GET BACK OUT AGAIN THIS SUMMER.

YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN PEOPLE HAVE BEEN GOING TO PARKS THIS WHOLE TIME, BUT PEOPLE REALLY WANT TO BE OUT IN FORCE I THINK THIS SUMMER.

SO THAT'S GETTING A LOT OF ATTENTION.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO REMEMBER, THOUGH, THAT WE ARE ROUGHLY A WEEK OUT.

THIS HAPPENED EARLIER IN THE WEEK.

AND THIS KIND OF -- THESE KIND OF THINGS HAPPEN, RIGHT?

THESE KIND OF DEALS ARE DANGLED OUT THERE OR THESE KIND OF NEGOTIATING POINTS THAT TRY TO HELP TO MOVE THINGS FORWARD.

YOU KNOW, WALZ WAS PRETTY FLABBERGASTED BY THAT THIS WEEK.

IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S NOT SOMETHING HE WANTS TO BACK DOWN ON.

SO WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WHERE THAT GOES.

I WOULD IMAGINE, THOUGH, IT DEFINITELY IS A CRITICAL PIECE IN THAT ENVIRONMENTAL BUDGET AND I IMAGINE IN THE BROADER BUDGET TALKS AS WELL.

>> I WILL POINT OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF WHETHER THAT POSITION COULD BE TENABLE FOR REPUBLICANS TO HOLD UP THE DNR BILL, WHICH OBVIOUSLY THAT'S FUNDING FOR STATE PARKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, HEADED INTO SUMMER WITH SO MANY MINNESOTANS INTERESTED AND EAGER TO PLAN SUMMER VACATIONS, WHETHER CAMPING OR HIKING, THAT COULD BE AN INTERESTING POSITION TO TRY TO HOLD ONTO.

>> Cathy: I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE REACTION TO THE COVID ROLLBACK PLAN THAT THE GOVERNOR UNVEILED THIS WEEK.

WHAT WAS THE POLITICAL REACTION TO THAT?

RICARDO?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE, IT WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD, WHICH WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, NOT SOON ENOUGH AND NOT ENOUGH, BASICALLY.

YOU KNOW?

AND IT'S AN INTERESTING REACTION WHEN YOU CONSIDER THAT THEY HAVE BEEN CALLING FOR, YOU KNOW, METRICS FOR TIMELINE FOR SO MANY MONTHS AND HAVE REPEATEDLY VOTED ON ENDING HIS EMERGENCY POWERS.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S IF IT WERE UP TO SENATE REPUBLICANS THEY'D BE ENDING ALL THE RESTRICTIONS.

SENATOR PAUL GAZELKA SAID IN THE SENATE CHAMBER, MEMBERS WILL BE ALLOWED TO RETURN TO THEIR SEAT IF THEY WANT TO AND THAT MASK WEARING WILL BE OPTIONAL, HE COUCHED IT AS THE SENATE LEADING ON THAT.

[ OVERLAPPING CONVERSATION ] >> ONE OF THE CHALLENGES HERE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS THIS BROADER EMERGENCY POWERS, RIGHT?

I THINK WALZ HAS BEEN FRUSTRATED THAT THE EMERGENCY POWERS, WHICH IS THIS KIND OF DECLARATION THAT ALLOWS THE GOVERNOR TO ISSUE THESE EXECUTIVE ORDERS WITHIN IT ARE BEING COMPLETED WITH THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS WITHIN IT.

NOW, HE'S SAYING I ROLLED BACK THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS WITHIN THE POWERS BUT I STILL NEED THE POWERS TO ROLL OUT VACCINES, CONTINUE TESTING AND TO GET FEDERAL FUNDS.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING.

I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY -- HOW THEY RECONCILE THAT WHEN WALZ IS SAYING HE NEEDS THESE TO REALLY GET THE STATE VACCINATED, FULLY VACCINATED.

>> Eric: BUT IF HE RE-UPS HIS EMERGENCY POWERS, DOESN'T THAT TRIGGER A SPECIAL SESSION?

I SUPPOSE IN JUNE SOMETIME, HUH?

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS YEAR.

LAWMAKERS -- WALZ SAID THIS WEEK, EXPECT TO DO THAT NEXT WEEK FOR ANOTHER 30 DAYS.

SO THAT AUTOMATICALLY TRIGGERS, LIKE THEY DID ALL LAST YEAR, A SPECIAL SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE.

THEY KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE BACK IN MID MAY.

AND LEGISLATORS TEND TO, WHEN THERE'S ANOTHER OPTION OR ANOTHER DEADLINE, LOOK TO THAT NEXT DEADLINE.

SO THEY'RE TALKING LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO GET A DEAL, YOU KNOW, BEFORE THE MAY 17th DEADLINE, BUT I THINK THAT KNOWING THEY'RE GOING TO BE BACK IN MID JUNE MIGHT TAKE SOME OF THAT PRESSURE OFF.

>> Cathy: ERIC AND I WERE TALKING -- GO AHEAD, RICARDO.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY, ONE CAPITOL OBSERVER TOLD ME AS MUCH, YOU KNOW, ESSENTIALLY IT'S BECOME PART OF THE LEGISLATURE TO WORK WITHOUT HAVING SUCH A FIRM DEADLINE, IN SPECIAL -- AND SPECIAL SESSIONS TEND TO DO THAT, YOU KNOW, TO REACH THEM YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE GOVERNOR AGREE TO CALL THEM AND LEGISLATORS DON'T TYPICALLY WANT TO KEEP THOSE GOING FOR -- FOREVER AND EVER.

YOU KNOW, LEGISLATORS SEEM TO NOT BE ABLE TO WORK WITHOUT HAVING A FIRM DEADLINE.

>> Cathy: I LOVE HAVING A DEADLINE.

LET ME ASK YOU BOTH.

ERIC AND WERE TALKING OFF AIR BEFORE THE SHOW STARTED ABOUT THE ADULT-USE MARIJUANA BILL.

AND THE FACT THAT THIS BILL HAD 12 HEARINGS, WE COULDN'T REMEMBER WHEN WE'VE SEEN A BILL LIKE THIS, HAVE 12 HEARINGS.

ALL BY DESIGN, BRIANA?

I MEAN, TALK ABOUT THE POLITICS OF THIS.

>> YEAH.

THIS NEVER HAPPENS, AS FAR AS I CAN TELL.

I'VE ASKED AROUND.

I'VE LOOKED.

I MEAN, I DON'T THINK LAST YEAR -- OR IN THE LAST CYCLE IT GOT ANY HEARINGS IN THE HOUSE.

IT GOT ONE HEARING IN THE SENATE.

BUT THAT WAS IN A REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE AND IT WAS OF SORT OF DESIGNED TO SQUASH THE PROPOSAL.

IT WAS AN INFORMATIONAL HEARING.

SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS PRETTY STUNNING IN THAT SENSE.

AND IT'S EXPECTED TO GO FOR A FLOOR VOTE BEFORE THE REGULAR SESSION ENDS, WHICH WILL BE A HISTORIC MOMENT.

NOW, DEMOCRATS HAVE REASON TO MAKE A VERY BIG PUBLIC EFFORT ON SHOWING THEY SUPPORT MARIJUANA, LEGALIZING MARIJUANA BECAUSE IN THE LAST ELECTION, THEY HAD A NUMBER OF MARIJUANA PARTY CANDIDATES RUN AGAINST THEM IN CRITICAL LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS AND SOME OF THEM -- SOME OF THE VOTES THEY TOOK FROM DEMOCRATS FOR THE LOSSES IN KEY RACES THAT COST THEM, FOR EXAMPLE, CONTROL OF THE SENATE AND NARROWED SOME OF THEIR MARGINS IN THE HOUSE.

>> Eric: HEY, RICARDO, THIS IS REALLY A TITANIC LOBBYING BATTLE SHAPING UP BETWEEN THE TRIBES AND THE BAR OWNERS ON e-PULL TABS.

HOW IS THAT GOING TO TURN OUT?

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A DECISION THAT'S GOING TO BE MADE AT THE VERY SORT OF HIGH LEADERSHIP LEVEL.

I THINK WHAT WAS STRIKING THIS WEEK, WE DIDN'T SEE, YOU KNOW, REACHED OUT HIS SPOKESWOMAN BUT HE DIDN'T SEE WHERE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER PAUL GAZELKA STOOD ON THIS ISSUE.

YOU SAW KARIN HOUSLEY AND STATE REPRESENTATIVE KEITH FRANKE HOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE T TO BE LEFT ALONE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THE TRIBES HAVE SAID THAT THE WAY THAT THESE ELECTRONIC PULL TAB GAMES ARE FORMULATED, THEY TOO CLOSELY RESEMBLE SLOT MACHINES, WHICH UNDER, YOU KNOW, AN AGREEMENT THAT WAS STRUCK WITH THEM IN 2012, THEY WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO LOOK THAT WAY.

BUT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE A BIG SOURCE OF REVENUE FOR BARS AND CHARITIES.

SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY THAT COULD BE LOST IF THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, FORCED TO CHANGE.

>> Eric: BRIANA, THERE WAS A SEA OF RED ON THE CAPITOL MALL THIS WEEK.

YOU DID SOME REPORTING ON THIS.

IT'S A PLAN FOR A COMMISSION ON MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT?

>> YEAH.

THIS COMES DIRECTLY OUT OF A TASK FORCE ON MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN THAT SPENT ABOUT TWO YEARS LOOKING INTO WHY NATIVE WOMEN, GIRLS, AND MEN AND BOYS GO MISSING AT STAGGERING RATES COMPARED TO OTHER RACES, PARTICULARLY WHITE WOMEN AND GIRLS.

AND THIS IS ONE OF THE DIRECT RECOMMENDATIONS OUT OF THAT GROUP.

THEY WANT TO CREATE AN OFFICE OF MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS RELATIVES, WHICH WILL NOT ONLY LOBBY LEGISLATORS TO CONTINUE DOING SOME OF THE OTHER -- THERE WERE 20 RECOMMENDATIONS IN THAT REPORT, THEY'RE SAYING, THIS OFFICE WILL CONTINUE PUSHING FOR THOSE, BUT THEY WILL ALSO HELP, YOU KNOW, LAW ENFORCEMENT DURING ACTIVE COLD CASE INVESTIGATIONS.

THEY WILL LINK UP WITH SOME FEDERAL EFFORTS TO INVESTIGATE THESE ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND THEY WILL COLLECT THE IMPORTANT DATA, WHICH IS REALLY MISSING IN THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE THE MURDERS AND MISSING PERSONS CASES FOR NATIVE WOMEN AND GIRLS ARE NOT TRACKED AT THE STATE LEVEL IN A COMPREHENSIVE WAY.

THE DATA IS SITTING IN ALL THESE DIFFERENT STATE AGENCIES AND NEED TO BE PULLED TOGETHER.

AND THIS OFFICE WOULD DO THAT AND USE THAT TO LOOK AT CASES THAT HAVE BEEN COLD OR PEOPLE HAVE BEEN MISSING FOR DECADES.

>> Cathy: WELL, WE WISH YOU BOTH WELL THE NEXT TEN DAYS.

GOOD LUCK.

>> Eric: YEAH, THANKS.

GREAT JOB TONIGHT, THANKS.

>> ERIC: IT'S THE TIME OF THE SHOW WHEN WE TEST YOUR WITS ABOUT MINNESOTA HISTORY.

HERE'S OUR QUESTION FROM LAST TIME.

IT CONCERNED THIS PLACE, THE OLD MINNEAPOLIS AUDITORIUM.

WE TOLD YOU IN OCTOBER OF 1908, A FAMED AMERICAN CAME TO THE AUDITORIUM TO PERFORM WHAT WAS CALLED A "RADIO PLAY" OR "ACTING PICTURES."

THE PERFORMANCE WAS TOURING THE COUNTRY AT THE TIME.

THE "CHICAGO TRIBUNE" CALLED THE PRODUCTION "EXTRAORDINARLY BEAUTIFUL."

THE "GRAND RAPIDS PRESS" SAID IT "APPEALS IRRESISTABLY TO CHILDREN AND GROWNUPS."

THE RADIO PLAY HAD THREE DAYS OF PERFORMANCES IN MINNEAPOLIS.

WHAT FAMED AMERICAN PUT ON A "RADIO PLAY" AT THE MINNEAPOLIS AUDITORIUM IN 1908?

HOUSING MAY BE IN SHORT SUPPLY.

TWINS VICTORIES TOO.

BUT ONE THING WE ALWAYS HAVE PLENTY OF - WRONG INDEX FILE ANSWERS.

TAKE A LISTEN.

>> Eric: THANKS FOR CALLING IN, ROSA.

IT WAS NOT THE GREAT RADIO AND FILM STAR, ORSON WELLS.

SO WHAT PERFORMER WERE WE SEEKING?

WILLARD KNEW.

>> ERIC: MAKING ALL BASEMENT DWELLERS EVERYWHERE PROUD.

THANKS, WILLARD.

YES, AUTHOR L. FRANK BAUM OF WIZARD OF OZ FAME WAS ALSO AN ACTOR.

AND HE TOURED THE COUNTRY IN 1908 AS THE NARRATOR OF A MULTIMEDIA PRESENTATION BASED ON HIS OZ STORIES.

IT WAS A COMBINATION OF FILM, LIVE ACTION AND PHOTOGRAPHY.

DO YOU HAVE A MINNESOTA HISTORY QUESTION THAT YOU THINK WE MAY NOT HAVE ASKED?

CALL US AT 651-229-1430 OR EMAIL US AT ALMANAC@TPT.ORG.

AND WHILE YOU ARE IT, HOP ONLINE AND FILL OUT OUR ANNUAL "ALMANAC" VIEWER SURVEY.

LAST YEAR MORE THAN 1,000 OF YOU COMPLETED THE SURVEY.

IT'S A GREAT CHANCE TO LET US KNOW HOW WE ARE DOING.

WE'VE ADDED SOME NEW QUESTIONS THIS YEAR.

FOR EXAMPLE, WE ASK ABOUT THE DATA REPORTING BEING DONE BY KYELAND JACKSON.

POINT YOUR BROWSER TO TPT.ORG/SURVEYS AND YOU WILL BE OFFICE TO THE RACES.

THE "ALMANAC" STAFF READ EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE COMMENTS AND WE USE THE FEEDBACK IN OUR WORK.

YOU CAN FIND THE SURVEY BY GOING TO TPT.ORG/SURVEYS.

>>> AND REMEMBER, AS THE LEGISLATURE WINDS DOWN, YOU CAN WATCH ALL THE HEARINGS AND FLOOR SESSIONS BY WATCHING THE STATEWIDE MINNESOTA CHANNEL, AVAILABLE ON EVERY PBS STATION IN THE STATE.

>>> FOR SHOW-CLOSING MUSIC, IT WAS THIS WEEK ABOUT A DECADE AGO THAT JEREMY MESSERSMITH STOPPED BY OUR STUDIOS TO SING A PLAYFUL SONG ABOUT LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT.

LET'S LISTEN TO JEREMY AS WE ROLL THE CREDITS.

JOIN US NEXT WEEK AS LEGISLATIVE LEADERS APPEAR ON OUR SHOW TALKING ABOUT THE FINAL HOURS OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

IT'S AN "ALAMANAC" TRADITION.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

BE CAREFUL.

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