Health

Paid Sick And Safe Task Force Steps Closer To Closing Deal

Referendum To Be Presented To City Council

Duluth, Minn. The Duluth City Council is working to adopt a sensible paid sick time policy. Tonight it seems as if some progress has been made. Duluth’s earn sick and safe time task force plans to present a final draft of the referendum to the Duluth City Council to approve or not approve. If approved employees that currently don’t receive…

CASDA Hosts Golf Fundraiser Friday

At 'Socks for Survivors' Golfers are Encouraged to Wear Their Loudest Socks

SUPERIOR, Wis. – The Center Against Sexual and Domestic Abuse is looking for golfers with a strong short game and a strong sock game. Friday CASDA hosts its 5th annual ‘Socks for Survivors’ golf tournament at Nemadji Golf Club. Golfers are encouraged to wear their wildest socks for a day on the links while raising money to help CASDA support…

Purchase a Blizzard – Help Children’s Miracle Network

Miracle Treat Day Benefits Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare

DULUTH, Minn. – Today you can enjoy a sweet treat all while supporting Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare. It’s all for Dairy Queen’s Annual “Miracle Treat Day” fundraiser. Gillette has clinics throughout Minnesota including a Duluth site in the Lakewalk Center on London Road. Donations collected on Miracle Treat Day will directly help Gillette fund vital treatments, equipment and support for…

Red Lake Reservation Struggling with Drug Epidemic

RED LAKE, Minn. (AP) – Tribal leaders of a northern Minnesota reservation have declared its heroin and opioid epidemic a public health emergency. The Star Tribune reports that Red Lake Indian Reservation tribal leaders are seeking outside help to deal with the crisis and are considering banishing tribal members who are involved with dealing drugs. They’ll discuss the option at…

Pence Breaks Tie, Senate Takes Up Health Bill

WASHINGTON (AP) –  The Senate has voted to move ahead on health care legislation aimed at dismantling the Obama health law. The vote was 51-50 on Tuesday, a victory for Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and President Donald Trump. Last week, McConnell was forced to postpone the vote, lacking the support of conservatives and moderates. Vice President Mike Pence cast the…

St. Louis River Alliance Celebrates

Millions Of State and Federal Bonds For River Clean Up

Duluth, Minn. The St. Louis River alliance celebrated Thursday after last months state bonding bill that passed and included millions of dollars for the estuary restoration project. The 25.4 million in funding also activates another 47.2 million in federal funds made available through the great lakes restoration initiative. With the money, the goal will be to accelerate the cleanup efforts…

Community Forum Raises Opioid Awareness In St. Louis County

Some Call It An Epidemic

Hibbing, Minn. The Hibbing community is doing their part to combat the opioid and meth problem in St. Louis County. Hundreds came out to hear from multiple agencies that deal with the problem head on. A panel consisting of representatives from St. Louis county public health, local law enforcement, attorney’s and even addiction survivors were on hand tonight. The panel…

Scottish Rite Clinic Shows Off New Place

Inviting Patients Back After Years Being Away

Duluth, Minn. The Scottish Rite Clinic in Duluth has seen their fair share of building changes over the last 27 years. The clinic has found a new home and wanted to show it off to former patients. The Scottish Rite staff has seen parents and kids alike grow up through construction and multiple building changes over the last 27 years….

BCA Collects DNA For Data Base

Hopes To Match DNA With Unidentified Remains

Across the U.S. there are thousands of unidentified humane remains that have yet to be identified. That’s why the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has teamed up with Duluth PD to encourage anyone who knows of a missing family member to give samples of DNA to investigators. The DNA would then go into a missing person data base for comparison. “Back…

‘Let Obamacare Fail,’ Trump Says After GOP Plan Collapses

(AP Photo/Evan Vucci) WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump declared Tuesday it’s time to “let Obamacare fail” after the latest GOP health care plan crashed and burned in the Senate, a stunning failure for the president, Republican leader Mitch McConnell and a party that has vowed for years to abolish the law. In a head-spinning series of developments, rank-and-file Republican…

British Doctors Discover 27 Contact Lenses in Woman’s Eye Before Surgery

The first 17 lenses doctors discovered. (Courtesy British Medical Journal) (FOX NEWS) – Scientists discovered 27 contact lenses in a woman’s eye last November before she underwent eye surgery, according to an entry in the British Medical Journal (BMJ). The woman was being prepared for cataracts surgery at Britain’s Solihull Hospital when scientists discovered the lenses, according to the Washington Post….

Health department temporarily funding suicide hotline

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – The Minnesota Department of Health will provide temporary funding to maintain a suicide prevention hotline that was expected to shut down. The department will provide $139,000 to keep the hotline open at least until September 29. The hotline is operated by the nonprofit Canvas Health of Oakdale. It announced earlier this month that it would…

Local Doctor Speaks on Benefits of Physical Therapy

Active Adventures: In Motion Therapy

DULUTH, Minn. – Through many different instances, one can become injured. A local doctor is looking to educate those injured about proper healing methods. For some, an injury could be so serious they require surgery, but according to Annita Winkels, DPT, for others, physical therapy is the answer. Dr. Winkels, Founder of In Motion Therapy says the goal is to…

Lincoln Park Program Helping Kids Make Healthier Choices

The Power of Produce club gives $2 to kids who visit the Lincoln Park Farmers' Market

DULUTH, Minn. – A new program started today over in West Duluth that’s aimed at helping kids making healthier choices when deciding what food to eat. The Power of Produce (PoP) club gives $2 to kids who visit the Lincoln Park Farmers’ Market to spend on fresh, locally grown fruit and vegetables. Community Action Duluth joined together with the St….

Minnesota Nabs $8M in Health Care Fraud in National Sweep

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Several Minnesota residents are facing charges of defrauding the state of millions of dollars in health care money as part of a national crackdown. Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson filed a lawsuit Thursday against a Brooklyn Center woman and her daughter for allegedly claiming more fraudulent personal care assistant expenses. The lawsuit says Juanita Swain…

New Measles Case Confirmed in Minnesota Outbreak, Up to 79 Total

(KMSP) – After several weeks with no new cases, the Minnesota Department of Health confirmed an additional case of measles associated with the outbreak that started in March. There are now 79 total cases of measles across four different counties in Minnesota. Seventy-one of those cases are in unvaccinated patients. The majority of cases are in children. The newest case…

Panel Calls on FDA to Review Safety of Opioid Painkillers

(AP) – An expert panel of scientists says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration should review the safety and effectiveness of all opioids, and consider the real-world impacts the powerful painkillers have, not only on patients, but also on families, crime, and the demand for heroin. In a sweeping report Thursday, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine pushed…

Women’s Care Center in Duluth Receives a Huge Blessing

DULUTH, Minn. — The Women’s Care Center in downtown Duluth received a huge blessing earlier today; it was a literal blessing, as Bishop Paul Sirba prays over a brand new ultrasound machine. A coalition of regional chapters from the Knights of Columbus made this donation happen. The Women’s Care Center offers pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, prenatal care, and pregnancy counseling. And…

Miller Hill Subaru Donates Blankets to Cancer Center

The car dealership also donated a dozen craft kits for pediatric cancer patients

DULUTH, Minn. – Cancer patients at Essentia Health were given a special gift today. The staff at Miller Hill Subaru delivered 80 blankets to the Cancer Center, as well as some hand written notes from some of their customers. The blankets will help provide warmth to patients, especially those undergoing treatment. Charlene Buescher was given just two weeks to live…

Minnesota Mental Health Crisis Line to Shut Down

The Service Will Be Shut Down Friday, July 14th for Financial Reasons

MINNESOTA – A Minnesota mental health crisis hot line will be shutting down at the end of the week. It’s a service that took 50,000 calls last year alone, connecting people with local psychiatrists and counselors, as well as first-responders and emergency rooms. The Crisis Connection hot line was seeing an increase in calls this year, but will have to…

Fewer Marketplace Insured Equates to State Rebate Savings

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Fewer enrollees in Minnesota’s individual health insurance marketplace will result in millions of dollars in savings in state-funded discounts. State lawmakers in January passed a $310 million discount package offering a 25 percent rebate for people who buy insurance on the individual marketplace. Earlier estimates anticipated about 120,000 people might be eligible for the discounts….

‘Freedom Fest’ Tourney Honors Friend Killed In Car Accident

2017 LT Freedom Fest Memorial Tournament

Duluth, Minn. A high-speed crash six years ago took the life of one person, while seriously injuring three others. The life taken was that of Tim Stephenson, a caring person whose favorite thing to do was playing ultimate Frisbee. Every year since his death, Tim’s teammates and friends remember him by hosting a ultimate Frisbee tournament in his honor. Tim…

New Deal: Blue Cross Blue Shield to Keep Children’s Minnesota In-Network

(KMSP) – Children’s Minnesota and major health insurance company Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota have reached an agreement that would keep Children’s Minnesota as an in-network provider for Blue Cross patients. Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson helped broker the new deal between the two parties. According to her office, she acted as the mediator after Children’s and Blue Cross failed to meet the…

One STD is Becoming ‘Smarter’ and Harder to Treat, according to WHO

Gonorrhea Bacteria (CNN) – Gonorrhea is becoming hard and in some cases impossible to treat with antibiotics, the World Health Organization said. “The bacteria that cause gonorrhea are particularly smart. Every time we use a new class of antibiotics to treat the infection, the bacteria evolve to resist them,” said Teodora Wi, a human reproduction specialist at WHO, in a…

Summer Camps Beginning at Spirit Mountain

DULUTH, Minn. – Several parents throughout the Northland are looking for ways to keep their kids busy while they’re off from school for the summer. Spirit Mountain in Duluth is hosting several camps to encourage kids to stay moving and try new activities. The following is a sample of the camp programs offered in July at Spirit Mountain, based on…

FDA Approves First New Drug in 20 Years for Sickle Cell

(AP) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first drug in nearly 20 years for sickle cell, an inherited disease in which abnormally shaped red blood cells can’t properly carry oxygen throughout the body, which can cause severe pain and organ damage. About 100,000 people in the U.S., mostly blacks, have the disorder and about 275,000 babies…

MNsure Assistance Offered at Duluth Public Library

Every Thursday, a MNsure Navigator Answers Questions and Helps Fill Out Applications

DULUTH, Minn. – Anybody with questions about MNsure can get some help at the Duluth Public Library. A certified MNsure navigator is stationed on the Downtown Library’s second floor every Thursday from 10:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. for anyone with questions about health coverage, or who needs assistance filling out a MNsure application. “People don’t think about or have insurance until…

Bird Tests Positive for West Nile Virus in Washburn County

WASHBURN COUNTY, Wis. – A dead raven has tested positive for West Nile Virus in Washburn County, according to the Washburn County Health Department. West Nile virus is spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito, which acquire the virus by feeding on infected birds. “Finding the virus in birds indicates that West Nile virus may be present…

Minneapolis Leaders May Restrict Menthol Sales

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The sale of menthol cigarettes in Minneapolis may soon be restricted to adult-only tobacco shops. The Star Tribune reports that the city has an ordinance that limits other flavored tobacco products to adult-only tobacco shops. Council Member Cam Gordon says restricting menthols is the next step. Anti-smoking advocates say a mint-flavored compound in the cigarettes creates a…

Wisconsin Medicaid Budget Will Close with Balance

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Wisconsin health officials say the state’s Medicaid budget will finish the 2015-17 biennium $325 million in the black. The Department of Health Services sent a letter June 30 to leaders of the Legislature’s finance committee saying the budget is expected to finish fiscal year 2017 with a balance of $325 million. That’s about $5 million less…

Wisconsin Scientists Improve Protein-Based Drug Stability

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Scientists at the a Wisconsin university have created a mineral coating that mimics bone and keeps protein-based drugs more stable. The Wisconsin State Journal reports protein-based drugs are used to treat bone disorders, kidney disease, wounds, arthritis, and cancer, but frequently degrade, which limits their therapeutic potential. University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists were inspired by a 2010…

Children’s Minnesota Now Out-of-Network for Blue Cross Patients

FOX 9 - KMSP

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) – Children’s Minnesota and major health insurance company Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota have failed to meet a deadline for a new contract, which could spike rates of an estimated 66,000 patients. With the July 5 deadline now passed, Children’s Minnesota is now an out-of-network provider for Blue Cross patients. Patients could still go to Children’s…

St. Luke’s Doctor Speaks on Staying Safe in the Sun

Sun and Heat Safety for Summer Months

DULUTH, Minn. – Summer is offically here and with the holiday weekend coming up several folks will be spending time in the sun. This morning, Dr. Chris Delp of St. Luke’s Regional Trauma Center stopped by FOX 21 to talk about sun and heat safety. Dr. Delp says it’s important to always wear sunscreen, because research shows just one bad…

New Personal Training Studio Opens Downtown Duluth

Eric Franklin opened up the studio to give people a way to get fit without having to go to a public gym

DULUTH, Minn. – A new personal training studio is now open in downtown Duluth. XMT–3 Training is owned and operated by personal trainer Eric Franklin. The studio will be used for personal training, small group classes of 3 to 4 people, and group training sessions of up to 8. Franklin previously trained out of his own home giving 1–on–1 instruction…

Making a Shake with Cold Fusion

Cooking Connection: Cold Fusion and Fit Lab

DULUTH, Minn. – A local nutrition club is keeping folks healthy downtown. The owner of Cold Fusion, Annie Call, tells us the goal of the business is to bring a healthy, active lifestyle to the community. Call described the business as “healthy fast food.” While there customers get a shot of aloe to help with disgestion, a 16 oz. energy…

Essentia Promotes Healthy Life Style

Eating Healthy And Getting Outside

Duluth, Minn. Healthy food free bike helmets and lots of fun activities were on hand today at the Heritage Center. It was Essentia Health’s way of promoting a healthy life style and keeping kids active during the summer. “We’re committed to a healthy community and giving back to the community and this is one way that we’re able to do…

Senate GOP Leaders Delay Health Care Vote

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a bruising setback, Senate Republican leaders are delaying a vote on their prized health care bill until after the July 4 recess, forced to retreat by a GOP rebellion that left them lacking enough votes to even begin debating the legislation. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., delivered the message to GOP senators Tuesday at a…

Superior Spring Trail Racer Cause of Death, Cardiac Arrest

UPDATE 6-27: The cause of death for Jon Mathson, 41, of Eagan, has been confirmed by the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office, according to the Cook County Sheriff’s Office. According to the report, Mathson died from a natural cardiac arrest during exertion due to atherosclerotic coronary artery disease, which is the hardening of the arteries and can create life-threatening blockages, as…

Audit Says Senate Healthcare Bill Would Leave 22 Million Uninsured

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate health care bill would result in 22 million more uninsured Americans over the next decade compared to current law. That’s according to an analysis Monday from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. The figure may further complicate Senate GOP leaders’ plans to pass their bill this week. It’s barely an improvement upon the health care bill…

Roadside Delivery Made in Western Wisconsin

FOX 9 - KMSP

Janelle Peterson and her son TJ pose with one of the paramedics who helped her during her roadside birth. Photo Courtesy: Amanda Gustafson ST. CROIX COUNTY, Wis. (KMSP) – A little baby boy made quite an entrance into the world with a roadside delivery in western Wisconsin. Mom and baby are doing well, all thanks to the cool response from…

New Breast Cancer Detection Technology at St. Luke’s

St. Luke's unveiled its new 3d mammogram

DULUTH, Minn. – St. Luke’s unveiled new technology to help better detect breast cancer. The St. Luke’s Breast Center cut the ribbon for their brand new 3D mammogram machines on Thursday. Previously doctors only had 2 images to look at, now they can see 15 different images. Radiologists can now detect even smaller signs of breast cancer. “We know that cancers that…

New Clinic Coming to Ashland

ASHLAND, Wis. – Earlier this week, St. Luke’s celebrated the start of construction on its new Chequamegon Clinic in Ashland. The 22,000 square-foot facility on the shores of Lake Superior along the northside of Highway 2 . The current clinic there, has been serving patients since 1975. The clinic is expected to open in March of 2018. Categories: Health, News,…