DULUTH, Minn. – It was a special Thanksgiving food distribution day at the American Indian Community Housing Organization (AICHO) in Duluth. Every two weeks on a Wednesday, AICHO gives out 200 bags of food to whoever needs it in the community. They moved this week’s distribution ahead a day to help with Thanksgiving preps for families. “It is certainly important…
Categories: Coffee Conversation, Community, Health Tags: christmas, community, Holiday Season, Local News, Mary Cherne, St. Luke’s, Thanksgiving
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – The number of Minnesota patients hospitalized with COVID-19 has surpassed 1,400 for the first time since last December, before vaccines became available. According to state health department statistics released Friday, Minnesota hospitals were caring for 1,414 patients with complications of the coronavirus, including 340 patients in intensive care. Only 2% of adult intensive care unit…
DULUTH, Minn.- The second week of St. Louis County’s vaccine clinic at the First United Methodist or Coppertop Church saw a boost in adults getting boosters after eligibility was expanded nationwide Friday. Initially, the clinic was started to provide 5 to 11-year-olds their COVID shot and adults their first and second. But officials say after the FDA and CDC both…
DULUTH/HERMANTOWN, Minn. — With Minnesota making recent headlines for being one of the states with the most new covid cases nationwide, local school districts are having to step back, making sure they are still doing what they can to keep everyone safe. Cases continue to rise in Minnesota, and as healthcare workers are tirelessly trying to slow the spread, so…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – Cases of COVID-19 have shut down a theatre production in Superior after just one live performance and weeks of rehearsals. In a story on FOX 21 last week, the cast and crew were excited about the all-alumni production of “The Octette Bridge Club” at UW-Superior Theatre. They got to perform opening night Friday, Nov. 19, but one…
WISCONSIN — On Wednesday, Wisconsin leaders had a virtual meeting to talk about how COVID is spreading in the state, which is seeing almost 3,000 new cases per day. You can see the daily new case total at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website. Even with all the residents who chose to get the shots in the arm, cases…
DULUTH, Minn. — Wednesday morning drew in some alarming news to Essentia hospitals across the Midwest. Even though Michigan is the leading state in new covid cases, Minnesota is right behind after holding the number one spot last week. This means added pressure on hospital systems like Essentia Health which saw 129 new positive covid cases on Wednesday morning across…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Gov. Tim Walz says the Department of Defense will send medical teams to two major Minnesota hospitals to relieve doctors and nurses who are swamped by a growing wave of COVID-19 patients. The teams, each comprising 22 people, will arrive at Hennepin County Medical Center and St. Cloud Hospital next week and begin treating patients immediately. Walz…
TWO HARBORS/ CLOQUET, Minn.- Hospitals in small rural towns are echoing more intensely the issues overwhelming larger city facilities — more COVID patients filling beds, and fatigue at battling a pandemic for close to 20 months — causing them to transfer patients far away when they pride themselves at providing local care. “The emotional strain that it puts on a…
DULUTH, Minn.- Local fundraising for Alzheimer’s treatment and research has reached nearly 170 thousand dollars just two months after several hundred people walked the Lakewalk in Duluth in support. This past September’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s has already raised $169,000 — $2,000 more than this year’s goal. Organizers say it warms their hearts to see more money being donated to…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Minnesota hospitals are scrambling to make room for patients as patients needing medical care for COVID-19 have hit a high for the year. Hospitals have delayed non-essential procedures, diverted less serious cases to outpatient clinics, and treated emergency room patients in hallways and ambulance bays that have been converted to urgent care centers, the St. Paul Pioneer…
SPOONER, Wis.- The Spooner Area School District announced Friday that in-person instruction will not resume at Spooner Middle School until they complete an investigation into an illness-causing odor which sent students and staff home Wednesday. Since the evacuation didn’t allow students to gather computers, materials, or other devices before leaving the building, families will be able to pick up materials…
DULUTH, Minn. — A special Veterans Day blood drive was held at Amsoil Arena, drawing in a lot of people who are looking to give back on such an important day. In a normal year, The Red Cross tends to see a spike in blood donations during the fall, this year they haven’t, especially since the pandemic. But a blood…
DULUTH, Minn.- Essentia Health, city and state officials celebrated a big milestone in the multimillion-dollar Vision Northland project — the end of structural construction. The “topping out” ceremony was held Tuesday. For the construction tradition, the beam is adorned with an American flag and a small tree.“They all symbolize positive things,” said Jeff Dzurik, Executive Vice President of McGough Construction….
DULUTH, Minn. – If you’re concerned about the risk of skin cancer, a free event on Thursday, Nov. 11 might help put your mind at ease. Essentia Health is hosting the event. Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers in the United States, with one in five Americans developing it by age 70. Health officials say the elderly…
DULUTH, Minn.- Today marks CHUM’S third week of Fresh Fridays, and so far, it has been a success for the Duluth food bank. “Fresh Fridays” is the food bank’s new program, where they give out fresh food items like produce, milk, and more. Every Monday and Wednesday, CHUM gives out non-perishable food boxes, and on Tuesdays, they deliver food boxes…
DULUTH, Minn.- Registration is open for vaccine appointments for 5 to 11-year-olds through St. Louis County Public Health. Starting next Saturday, November 13th, the county will offer Pfizer vaccines to kids at the First United Methodist Church in Duluth from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. and the Eveleth Auditorium on the Range from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Parents are…
DULUTH, Minn. – The city of Duluth will soon be requiring its employees to get vaccinated or get weekly COVID tests. A city spokesperson said the new requirement will start in December. This comes after President Joe Biden made an executive order in September telling employers with 100 or more people to require workers to get vaccinated or get weekly…
DULUTH, Minn. — The shortage for blood continues nationwide, and UMD did its part Thursday in holding a drive, and trying to help a local provider. The Memorial Blood Centers in Duluth is also experiencing this shortage, but were able to stop by and set up a pop-up blood donation spot at the Kirby Student Center at UMD. They had…
DULUTH, Minn. — While the FDA approved the Pfizer vaccine for kids ages 5 to 11 less than a week ago, they were waiting for the CDC to as well before giving healthcare facilities the green light. That happened today, and it’s big news for parents and children today as this age group can now be vaccinated against the coronavirus….
DULUTH, Minn.- Experts say mental health issues in kids and teens are rising, so one organization and brewery are teaming up to promote a new beer that raises money for mental health resources. Bell Bank’s Pay-It-Forward Launch Party at Bent Paddle Brewing this Thursday is raising funds for Amberwing, a Duluth-based center for youth and family wellbeing. In a survey…
(AP) — U.S. health officials on Tuesday gave the final signoff to Pfizer’s kid-size COVID-19 shot, a major expansion of the nation’s vaccination campaign. The Food and Drug Administration already authorized the shots for children ages 5 to 11 — doses just a third of the amount given to teens and adults. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention…
ST. PAUL, Minn.— Nov. 1 marks the beginning of MNsure’s open enrollment period. Open enrollment refers to the once-a-year opportunity when all Minnesotans can enroll in affordable, comprehensive health and dental coverage through MNsure, Minnesota’s health insurance marketplace. This year, Minnesota’s open enrollment will run from Nov. 1 until Jan. 15, 2022, with two important deadlines: Minnesotans must enroll by…
DULUTH, Minn.- UMD students hoped to connect some residents of the Steve O-Neil Apartments in Duluth with healthier food options at their Land Lab near Jean Duluth Road, for Healthy Lives Day. Growers from local farms joined families in touring the UMD farm. They hope to improve those families’ access to healthy food from local sources. Organizers say they hope…
SUPERIOR, Wis.- This week across the state of Wisconsin, community agencies are helping expecting and current mothers, and other legal guardians of kids under five sign up for the Women, Infants and Children, or “WIC”, assistance program. WIC provides info on health nutrition, breastfeeding, and more, as well as money for certain nutrient-rich foods. Eligibility and the amount of money…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The case of a rural Minnesota man who waited two days for an ICU bed and later died is among several examples that have frustrated officials in rural hospitals whose facilities are overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients. Bob Cameron spent two days in his hometown hospital in Hallock, Minnesota, where caregivers searched nonstop for space in a larger…
DULUTH, Minn. – The birthing center at St. Luke’s in Duluth is looking to remind grieving parents they are not alone during this Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. Statistics show 1 in 4 families will suffer this type of loss at some point in their pregnancy journey. St. Luke’s looks to help families grieve by offering memento boxes with…
DULUTH, Minn. – Many parents who are grieving the loss of an infant feel like they are alone and don’t have anyone who understands what they are going through. During the National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, St. Luke’s is reminding parents they’re ready and willing to help. Statistics show one in four families will suffer a pregnancy or…
ST. PAUL, Minn.- Governor Tim Walz just rolled out a new incentive program for Minnesota pre-teens and teens to get the COVID vaccine. The program is called “Kids Deserve a Shot.” Those between the ages of 12 to 17 can get a $200 VISA gift card if they get vaccinated. The Governor says with covid-19 cases surging in the state…
ROBBINSDALE, Minn. (AP) – Gov. Tim Walz says he’ll use the Minnesota National Guard to help alleviate staffing shortages at care facilities that are struggling with the surge in COVID-19 cases. The governor announced plans Friday at North Memorial Health Hospital in Robbinsdale for alleviating bottlenecks caused by staffing shortages that prevent hospitals from moving recovering patients to transitional and…
BAYFIELD CO., Wis. — Bayfield County said it’s concerned about the number of COVID cases it’s seen so far this week because it’s higher than usual. Since Monday, the county has had 38 new cases that have either been confirmed to be COVID, or are likely to be the virus. For a population of about 15,000 that means the county…
MOOSE LAKE, Minn. – St. Luke’s and Gateway Clinic have partnered up to create a new multi-million dollar surgery center in Moose Lake called Northern Lakes Surgery Center. It’s happening in the former Shopko building on County Road 10. Project officials say the new facility will allow people in the Moose Lake area to stay closer to home and still…
CARLTON, Minn. — Carlton County hosted a pop-up drive-thru clinic for both COVID and flu vaccines on Wednesday, that will run through Thursday. 70% of the county’s 12 and older population has gotten at least one COVID dose already. Carlton County has roughly 35,000 residents. 255 got the flu shot at the pop-up clinic in Carlton on Tuesday, while 10…
DULUTH, Minn.- St. Louis County continues to see an uptick of COVID-19 cases, while the country overall is seeing a dip. The surge is continuing to fatigue health systems according to experts, as they urge more to get vaccinated and mask up. “Now, while much of the country experiences a decrease in COVID transmission following the latest peak, there’s some…
TWO HARBORS, Minn.- Lake County Ambulance service, covering Two Harbors and Silver Bay is seeing higher demand for services. According to Executive Director Julia Shepersky, ambulance medical supplies PPE, and certain medications are all in high demand, making them harder to get at times. Right now, Shepersky said they’re not facing a critical shortage of workers, but losing even one…
DULUTH, Minn.- While there’s been much about pandemic-fueled stress on Minnesota hospitals, the state’s long-term care industry is now facing a workforce shortage like no other. Now schools like Lake Superior College are struggling to graduate students into more entry-level healthcare positions to fill the void. “There is a huge need locally, regionally, across the state as well as nationally…
DULUTH, Minn. – One Northland woman is using this Breast Cancer Awareness Month to reach out to others and share her story of survival, healing, and learning. In 2015, Natalie Zeleznikar was 48 when she was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer. She’s now 55 and continues to heal mentally, physically, and spiritually. “I had no breast cancer in my…
CARLTON, Minn. — Over 100 people gathered Saturday morning for the 13th annual Suicide Awareness Memorial Walk in Carlton, to remember those lost to, or touched by suicide, and raise awareness towards prevention as well. The Carlton County Suicide Prevention Task Force has hosted this event for the past 12 years. With this year being the 13th, it has grown…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – While much has been made about the stress that COVID-19 has placed on Minnesota hospitals, the state’s long-term care industry says it is facing its worst-ever workforce shortage. Leaders from senior living organizations throughout the state say they have about 23,000 job openings. That is about 20 percent of the workforce at full strength. Leaders…
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – Texas abortion clinics are canceling appointments they had booked during a 48-hour reprieve from the nation’s most restrictive abortion law. The White House on Saturday had no immediate comment after a federal appeals court reinstated the Texas law known as Senate Bill 8. The law bans abortions in Texas once cardiac activity is detected, usually around…
DULUTH, Minn. – Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re also approaching one of the most critical seasons for the health of Americans – flu season. Although COVID-19 safety measures, such as wearing a mask, staying home, social distancing, and handwashing contributed to a decline in 2020-2021 flu incidence, flu viruses are constantly changing and it’s not unusual for new flu viruses…
DULUTH, Minn. — Lake Superior College held their second annual flu shot clinic Tuesday morning. The organization Lead MN is partnered with Hennepin Healthcare to get students the flu vaccine at the college. Roughly 80-100 students had registered to receive the shot helping to minimize the hospital intake because of the virus. “And also help students who are going into…
DULUTH, Minn. — As Covid-19 cases continue to rise in the Northland public health officials are seeing a similar trend. “We are about where we were at the beginning of November last year before we had the vaccine and we were going into our peak,” St. Louis County Public Health Division Director, Amy Westbrook says. That’s why Minnesota Governor Tim…
DULUTH, Minn.- According to Northland health experts, the outlook for this year’s flu season is not good, as they prepare for a one-two punch of the flu and the ongoing COVID-19 surge. “A lot of people are back out doing their normal activities, we’re not in quarantine so those factors will play a role in what could be a severe…
DULUTH, Minn. – For the first time, the Duluth Police Department is joining the Pink Patch Project for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. During the month of October, officers will be wearing commemorative pink patches on their uniforms, along with other law enforcement agencies in the state. Police Chief Mike Tusken says it’s a way to raise awareness in conversation while…
DULUTH, Minn.- Pfizer booster shots have begun going into the arms of healthcare workers in the Northland, as eligible members of the public start getting those shots Tuesday. “I think it’s really a great step, it’s gonna help with everything that’s coming this winter and it’s just gonna help keep our community that much safer,” said Kelly Zapp, St. Luke’s…
DULUTH, Minn. – Team Hope is Huntington’s Disease Society of America’s (HDSA) largest national grassroots fundraising event. Thousands of families, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and communities walk together each year to support HDSA’s fight to improve the lives of people affected by HD and their families. This year’s walk is happening Saturday, Sept. 25 at 11 a.m. at Endion Park, located…
WASHINGTON (AP) – The White House says President Joe Biden will ease foreign travel restrictions into the U.S. beginning in November and allow foreign nationals into the country if they have proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test. The new rules replace a hodgepodge of restrictions that had barred non-citizens who had been in certain countries in the prior…
(Associated Press) – Pfizer says its COVID-19 vaccine works for children ages 5 to 11. The vaccine maker said Monday it plans to seek authorization for this age group soon in the U.S., Britain, and Europe. The vaccine made by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech already is available for anyone 12 and older. But many parents are anxiously awaiting…
