Everyone who is accused of a crime should be considered innocent until proven guilty.

They deserve their day in court.

But it’s hard not to be disgusted by the accusations of abuse made in two separate incidents at nursing homes in Minnesota.

People in nursing homes are vulnerable and deserve to be protected from anyone who would disrespect them or cause them physical or mental harm.

The prospect of seeing the sites of New York City has band students at Falls High School working hard to earn money for the trip.

Twenty students from the Falls High School band are planning to join together with the band from the Ely school district for a trip to New York City.

With the trip being just a few months away, it’s “crunch time” for fund raising, FHS band teacher Donna Belanger said. The band is attempting to raise as much of the cost of the trip as they can, she said.

Band members are raising funds through service work rather than soliciting donations, she added.

The Falls School Board is expected to consider a revised contract for Superintendent Don Langan during its meeting Monday.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. in the Falls High School cafeteria.

The board tabled action on the contract at its November meeting to allow for more time to review the contract.

During administrative reports, Assistant to the Superintendent Kevin Grover is scheduled to discuss an assessment of the transition from Langan to himself as superintendent.

LITTLEFORK — Littlefork-Big Falls suffered another one-sided loss Thursday as Northland came to town and posted a 56-21 win.

The Vikings continue to struggle on offense, and the lack of a steady ball-handler is handcuffing L-BF’s strength in the post. Dubbed the “Four Trees,” Haylee Gates, Kari Imhof, Whitney Junker and Hannah Larson have yet to get on track as the Vikings still haven’t found a consistent way to run the offense.

Shoepack Lake and a couple of local retired guides were featured in the November-December of Minnesota Conservation Volunteer magazine.

Ed Town and Allen Burchell discussed with Michael A. Kallok, the author of “The Fish That Time Forgot,” earlier years when both men guided for muskie at Shoepack Lake.

Town told The Journal he hasn’t been into the lake, located in the interior of Voyageurs National Park, for a number of years.

As a guide, Town often walked the 3 1/2 miles into Shoepack with parties of two or three men to fish for muskie, he said from his Lake Kabetogama home.

Predicting deer seasons can be tricky, according to Frank Swendsen, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources area wildlife manager.

“This year, I expected a small decrease in harvest due to a somewhat lower deer population combined with the economy possibly keeping some people out of the woods,” he said. “The harvest decreased quite a bit more than I expected.”

IVSC Swap Meet Saturday
The International Voyageurs Snowmobile Club will conduct it’s Second Annual Winter Sports Swap Meet Saturday.
The event runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and set up starts at 8 a.m.
This indoor event will be located at the club’s heated groomer garage at 1502 4th Ave. W, next to the water tower.

RYC elects
2009 officers
Rendezvous Yacht Club recently elected new officers.
The new board includes commodore Colin Hewitt, vice commodore Peter Engberg, treasurer Tim Mack, and secretary Mary Bartlett.

VNP begins checking ice conditions

10 YEARS AGO
There will be a baby shower open house for Kaitlin Marie Stallard today, 10 a.m. to noon, at Faith United Church.
Falls junior Geoffrey Dowty was named Science/Math Student of the Month at Falls High School.

25 YEARS AGO
Martha G. Enzmann, Sherryl Lane Medin, Lisa Ruth McLinn and Stephen William Smerika participated in commencement ceremonies at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus
Loretta Bloom LeMoine, Kelly Jo Wegen and Kerrie Ellen Wegen have been recognized for scholastic achievement during fall quarter at St. Cloud State University.

40 YEARS AGO

International Falls Police Department
Collision: Vehicles driven by Jessica L. Zahn, 18, 707 Sixth St., and Mary E. Crawford, 56, 3487 County Road 2, collided at the intersection of Seventh Avenue and Eighth Street Wednesday, causing more than $1,000 in damages. The collision was due to icy road conditions.