covid

Itasca County Public Health Warns Residents Are ‘Not Out of the Woods’ Just Yet

GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. – New COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Itasca County continue to decline, but public health officials warn residents they’re not out of the woods just yet. Kelly Chandler, Division Manager with Itasca County Public Health, says with the spread of the Omicron variant, the county has experienced difficult fall and winter months. Just over 62 percent of…

DECC Covid Site Ready for Increased Testing Ahead of Christmas

DULUTH, Minn. — As the Christmas weekend approaches,  health experts are encouraging everybody to get tested beforehand at places like the DECC. More people have been testing at that site this week. The even bigger push from local health officials is to get vaccinated, especially for vulnerable adults because they say the omicron variant is a growing problem. With hospital…

Lakeside Elementary Students Provide Holiday Cheer

DULUTH, Minn. –Lester Park Elementary students provided some holiday cheer for residents at Ecumen Lakeshore Senior Living on Tuesday. K through 5th graders raised nearly $3,000 to buy several trees, decorate them and then pass them out to residents. In its 19th year, now more than ever these residents need some Christmas cheer after isolation caused by the pandemic. “We…

Lake Superior College Opens In-Person Registration for Fall Semester

LSC will continue to enforce social distancing and mask wearing next semester.

DULUTH, Minn. — Lake Superior College has announced that school will resume all in-person courses for the upcoming fall semester. Current students began registering for courses on Monday while incoming students can get their first crack at registering Wednesday. Faculty at the campus say, students have been excited to get back on campus, especially for the courses that deal with…

Rural Wisconsin Town Welcomes Two New Businesses

Owners say their goal is to have the coffee and cones portion of the business open by March 1st.

WASCOTT, Wisc. –  “I just like people. I like to be around people,” Wascott Coffee, Cones and Cuts Co-Owner, Lynn Anderson says. She has 27 years of experience in the cosmetology industry. “Doing hair makes people feel good,” she says. Anderson saw a need to open a salon with other options being a thirty minute commute. “I thought it would…

Students Make Snow Sculptures for Health Care Center Residents

Do you want to build a snowman? National Honor Society students at Cloquet High School have said yes to the challenge.

CLOQUET, Minn. – Do you want to build a snowman? National Honor Society students at Cloquet High School have said yes to the challenge. After a wild 2020, staff at the Sunnyside healthcare center in Cloquet were looking for a little pick-me-up for all the people living there. “Just trying to think of something to help put a smiles on…

Red Cross Seeking Blood Donors, Anticipate Drop in Winter Donations

With their added push for blood donations in this critical time period, the Red Cross is also testing blood for Covid-19 antibodies.

DULUTH, Minn- It’s National Blood Donor Month and the Red Cross is continuing to look for extra support as they typically see a drop in donations around the winter months. With their added push for blood donations in this critical time period, the Red Cross is also testing blood for Covid-19 antibodies. They started doing this back in June and…

Wisconsin Health Leaders Explain Vaccine Distribution as State Gets First Shipment

Meanwhile, the spread of the virus isn't slowing down in the state. 

MADISON, Wis.- Wisconsin received 10,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine Monday, with about 35,000 more doses expected by the end of the week. The first rounds are going to frontline healthcare workers and to nursing home residents in a couple weeks. The general public will not have access to the vaccine for months as the state deploys this historic rollout…

Essentia Doctor Details COVID Reality in the Northland, Vaccine Progress

Dr. Melissa Simonson Encourages All Northland Residents to Receive the COVID Vaccine When Available

DULUTH, Minn.  – At Essentia Health in Duluth, capacity is stretched thin with both COVID patients and the normal patient population. Dr. Melissa Simonson, section chair of hospitalist services at Essentia Health, says over the last two weeks they have seen a slight improvement in the number of COVID patients. Right now,  20-25 percent of regular medical patients are COVID…

UK Officials Authorize COVID-19 Vaccine for Emergency Use

Vaccinations Expected to Begin Next Week in United Kingdom

LONDON (AP) – British officials have authorized a COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, greenlighting the world’s first shot against the virus that’s backed by rigorous science and taking a major step toward eventually ending the pandemic. The go-ahead Wednesday for the vaccine developed by American drugmaker Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech comes as the virus surges again in the United States…

Itasca County Doctor: Hospitals At Capacity, Residents Urged to Follow Guidelines

Itasca County Public Health Officials Ask Residents to Wear Masks, Social Distance, Avoid Gatherings

GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. – Health officials in Itasca County are pleading with residents to do their part to help limit the spread of COVID-19. This plea comes as 241 new COVID-19 cases have been reported in the county within the past seven days. “Unfortunately, we know that not everyone is helping us minimize the spread, and keeping out healthcare resources…

2020 Golf Season Winding Down

Nemadji golf course will stay open as long as weather permits.

SUPERIOR, Wisc. – The golf course season is winding down in the Northland and people are itching to get one more crack out on the links. In a season where golfers have seen constant changes in how the courses are played, management at Nemadji Golf Course says that despite these obstacles, it has been a solid season because of a…