Reviewing a new study about longevity, physical activity and obesity in the United States, the chief medical correspondent for NBC News quipped that the results could be summarized as “death by zip code.”

 

Dr. Nancy Snyderman said the new study by the University of Washington showed that in some places, particularly the South, people could expect to live about as long as those in some African countries.

 

But on the flip side, the rankings of good habits and good health, locations dominated by mountains time and again came out in the top 10.

Longest life expectancy? Fairfax County, Va., a suburb of Washington, D.C., was tops in nation for men, but followed closely by Gunnison County (Crested Butte) and Pitkin County (Aspen). Also in the top 10 were Colorado’s Eagle County (Vail) and Wyoming’s Teton County (Jackson Hole).

For women, Gunnison and Pitkin counties were again in the top 10.

 

In categories that suggest lifestyles that can yield longer lives, mountain counties were even more prominent. For physical activity for men, Teton County led the nation, but all the other top-10 counties had mountains and canyons. For women, Routt County (Steamboat Springs) led the nation, but most of the top-10 list were mountain places you’ve also probably heard of.

 

Obesity is also more unusual in the ski- and mountain-based counties. As measured by smallest percentage of obesity for men, mountain counties dominated. For women, mountain counties were even more dominant. The lists also had what might be surprises: San Francisco, New York City and District of Columbia all are places of thin physiques, or at least places low in the flab category.

 

In broad terms, physical activity increased in the United States from 2001-09, but so did the percentage of those who are obese. For the study, sufficient physical activity was defined as 150 total minutes of moderate activity per week or 75 minutes of vigorous activity.

 

Previous studies have also shown greater longevity for people living in the mountains. There’s some evidence that living in higher elevations has a salutary effect on longevity, as long as you don’t smoke, drink heavily or otherwise engage in risky behavior.

 

However, health statistics can be skewed. For example, many people have been moving to mountain towns in their 50s and 60s. They tend to be in robust health and most have higher incomes, enabling them to afford better health care. Conversely, many people in poor health leave mountain valleys for shorter winters and lower elevations.

 

SUMMIT COUNTY – The delegation representing Summit County in the U.S. Congress is sponsoring legislation that would allow sale of 40 acres of U.S. Forest Service land for affordable housing.

 

The parcel is being sought by Summit County’s government in partnership with the town of Frisco. It is bounded by Interstate 70 and Dillon Dam Road, on the current outskirts of Frisco. As a block of national forest, it has diminished values, say county officials, and local environmental groups seem to have no problem with the idea.

 

A preliminary plan by a Frisco town planner envisions 282 housing units on the property in a mix of duplexes, six-plexes and even a few single-family homes.

 

Summit County is seeking an act of Congress to authorize the sale, instead of the more conventional mechanisms for disposal of federal lands, because it wants to add an unusual twist, says Gary Martinez, county manager. The legislation would return whatever money paid for the land to local Forest Service operations in Summit County. The usual procedure is for revenues to be deposited in the U.S. general treasury.

 

Martinez hastened to add that Summit County has other ambitions for affordable housing that don’t involve purchase of federal lands. The county is also in conversations with Breckenridge about a site that could yield 40 to 60 units, among other initiatives.

 

A recent survey conducted on behalf of the local affordable housing authority found that 65 percent of households believe the lack of affordable housing for the workforce is serious or critical in Summit County.

 

FRASER – Voters in Fraser will decide whether to penalize use of single-use plastic shopping bags. The Sky-Hi News reports that the town trustees have agreed to send the issue to voters in November, but have not decided whether to propose a tax or a fee. If it’s a fee, the money must be used specifically in conjunction with the plastic-bag program. In case of a tax, there is no restriction.

 

Telluride led the way in Colorado in restricting throw-away shopping bags, but has since been followed by Aspen, Boulder and Carbondale. Breckenridge will adopt restrictions this fall, and Durango and Vail have been talking about it.

 

JACKSON, Wyo. – Real estate is becoming a stronger component of the news coming out of Jackson and Teton County.

 

The Jackson Hole News&Guide reports that a 24,000-square-foot house, which is believed to be the largest in the county, sold for $17.5 million. That price included a $1.75 million buyer’s fee.

 

Meanwhile, building of single-family homes is on the rise. The number of permits issued through June is double compared to the fall of 2011. Builders, however, are no more than cautiously optimistic.

 

“In the last three or four years (new construction) has been nonexistent,” said Dennis Clark, owner of a lumber store. “And then there’s a little spark and everybody gets excited. But how long will it last?”

 

Roger Strout, an architect, said that in general, houses are now smaller than those he was designing in 2008, before the recession.

 

JACKSON, Wyo. – A grizzly bear known as 587 got along with people just fine. Living in Grand Teton National Park and elsewhere in Jackson Hole, he showed no evidence of being aggressive toward people.

 

But somewhere during its young life, the young bear developed an appetite for livestock. He killed cattle and sheep in 2010, then more cattle in 2011. In what amounted to a long weekend this summer, he killed nine or 10 cattle.

 

That, decided state game officials, was enough. He was put down, as were two other grizzlies that had been killing livestock about 50 miles south of Jackson.

 

Wildlife officials told the Jackson Hole News&Guide that they didn’t want to kill the bear. “It’s the worst part of our job when we have to remove an animal from the population,” said Dan Thompson, with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. “This was what had to be done.”

 

WHITEFISH, Mont. – The lesson of this story is classes in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation could pay off. Whether it’s you or somebody else depends upon the luck of the draw.

 

Three people hiking in Glacier National Park recently were hit by lighting and knocked unconscious. Others in the vicinity found the three were not breathing and successfully administered CPR, authorities tell the Whitefish Pilot.

 

WHITEFISH, Mont. – Among the arts and sciences curriculum at schools in Whitefish is the tricky business of regulating students' hair styles. The school district currently has a policy that unnatural hair colors and styles distract from academics and aren’t allowed.

 

But what is unnatural? One of the school trustees, Shawn Watts, has a shaved head. That, he said, would be considered unnatural.

 

Other school board members are similarly worried that school administrators may be overreaching in specifying what constitutes natural hair. The Whitefish Pilot reports that the policy will likely be refined in coming weeks.

 

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS – Among mood-altering substances, marijuana seems to be a second-class citizen compared to alcohol.

 

That’s clearly the policy in Steamboat Springs, where elected officials agreed to allow stores selling marijuana for recreational purposes only in some commercial districts, but not the prominent ones near the base of the ski area or the original downtown.

 

That decision was not without dissent, however. The Steamboat Today notes that two of the council members, Cari Hermacinski and Sonja Macys, questioned why the same zoning that applies to dispensaries of beer, wine and liquor should not also be used for marijuana.

 

Framing the discussion in Steamboat was the experience in Glenwood Springs, where a bevy of dispensaries of medical marijuana can be found in the downtown area. That concerns some people, although they don’t seem to point to any particular impact to them or the community at large.

Interestingly, even people who voted for legalization of medical marijuana in Colorado draw the line differently when it comes to dispensaries in their own jurisdictions. That same issue is now paramount as municipalities decide whether and where to allow recreational marijuana.

 

The Aspen Daily News states that several of its traditionally liberal down-valley jurisdictions, including Carbondale, Basalt and New Castle, have moved to ban marijuana stores.

 

Meanwhile, Breckenridge will ask residents in November to approval a 5 percent excise tax on sales or recreational marijuana. This is in addition to 10-15 percent tax on all marijuana sales the state plans to levy as well as existing local and state sales taxes.

 

Town officials, according to the Summit Daily News, say that they need the tax revenues to cover administrative costs of overseeing marijuana retail operations. But just what that cost will be, nobody knows. If the tax is too much or too little, voters will be asked at a later election to adjust the rate.

 

A broader issue is whether taxes will drive sales back underground. Tim Gagen, the town manager, told the council that Breckenridge will have different buyers, most of them visitors, as compared to businesses in Denver. “The visitors don’t know that black market and I don’t think they’re going to go hunt for it,” he said.

 

Breckenridge already has several medical marijuana dispensaries and, as per the state law, they will have the first crack at licenses to sell recreational marijuana. The Daily News says many are expected to seize the opportunity.

 

REVELSTOKE, B.C. – Dana Larsen, a proponent of legalizing marijuana in British Columbia, was in Revelstoke recently to drum up enthusiasm among other like-minded proponents.

 

Larsen, who makes a living running medical marijuana dispensaries, said even conservative voters were polling in favor of legalization. Prohibition, he added, only hurts average people in B.C.

 

“The police and the Hells Angels both like marijuana prohibition, because they both profit off it,” he said. “It’s a great make-work project for the police. It gives them all kinds of extra powers and funding,” he told the Revelstoke Times Review.

 

“Certainly the Hells Angels and other illegal groups that grow marijuana also like the status quo as well, but regular British Columbians are the ones that get hurt, and that’s why it’s time to change,” he said.

 

– Allen Best www.mountaintownnews.net