From USAToday:

Duluth, Minn.-Wisc.

> Pct. reporting heart attack: 6.2% (tied for 8th highest)
> Pct. obese: 26.9% (68th highest)
> Pct. who smoke: 19.6% (78th lowest)
> Median household income: $46,110

In many respects, people in Duluth were in better health than the country as a whole. For instance, the percentage of people with both high blood pressure and high cholesterol were below the national rate. However, nearly 27% of people surveyed were considered obese, higher than the 24.8% obesity rate across the country. Like most areas on this list, Duluth’s median household income was lower than the national median. In 2011, it was about $4,400 less than the U.S. median of $50,502. In addition, Duluth had a slightly higher poverty rate of 16.6% than the U.S. poverty rate of 15.9%.

I spent the better part of Monday with the Minnesota Council for Non-Profits.  I attended largely because of the work I do with Wildwoods, but also because I serve on the Board of the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council and have volunteered with Clayton Jackson McGhie, Inc.

Wildwoods updates of all sorts below (one funny, some happy, some sad, one quite terrible–read with caution):

This beautiful adult common loon was grounded in a yard down in the Cloquet area. After we checked the bird over and fed it some minnows (thanks to Chalstrom’s Bait Shop for their kind donations!), we released it into Lake Superior down beneath the Lakewalk. The loon was happy to be in the water again! Thanks to Trish for taking these pics, and and to Farzad, Kelly, and Trish for doing the release this evening!

Daily critter report from Wildwoods…