My winter journey to yesteryear with dear ones

“Kasanova” trots from the barn on this chilly winter day, guided by the mistress he adores, Carolyn Mastin.

With the assistance of her husband John, and son Garrett, she gently backs the handsome Moriesian gelding into the antique rig. The relic is festooned with its original sleigh bells that ring ting tingle in muted and elegant melody.

Local providers say the system doesn’t accurately reflect quality of care

Rating systems help people decide which restaurants to go to or hotels to stay at. So why not something similar from the federal government for the nation’s 16,000 nursing homes?

Such a simple rating for so complex a task as caring for the elderly is leading to much anxiety in the nursing home industry. Home operators worry about the ramifications for their business if they get one or two stars — when five is the best.

Beginning Jan. 5, visitors to Voyageurs National Park who have a Minnesota permit to carry will be able to bring a concealed firearm into the park.

The change in the law applies to all national parks and wildlife refuges and visitors must have a permit to carry in the state where the national park or refuge is located, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Three national parks, located in Wisconsin and Illinois, are excluded from the law because permits to carry are not issued in those states.

Voyageurs National Park staff checked ice conditions south of Ash River on Friday and throughout the weekend. Ice thickness continues to be less than adequate for staking and opening the green trail south from Ash River to Crane Lake, according to Jim Hummel, VNP chief of operations.

Heavy snow layers are producing extremely inconsistent ice thickness and significant slush in the bays.
Downed trees will be removed along the Black Bay ski trail and the deep snow will be packed in preparation for grooming the ski trail this week.

The Falls began a series of games against Class 3A schools on a tough note Monday as the Hibbing Bluejackets used a 29-0 run in the first half to power themselves past the Broncos 70-33 at the Falls High Gym.

“We have been starting better lately,” said Broncos head coach Shawn Gilbert. “But there depth wore us down in the first half after we took the early lead.”

That with Monday’s 14-0 loss, the Bronco girls hockey team fell to 0-18 all-time against Warroad. The Broncos return to action Dec. 29 in the Rochester Tournament. No details from Monday’s game were available.

James Jorgenson, son of Maryvon and James “Scratch” Jorgenson of International Falls, was honored with a Board of Directors award for distinguished leadership by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.

AbitibiBowater Inc. announced Monday it has accepted a proposal for the sale of its equity interest in ACH Limited Partnership to a major industrial energy producer.

ACH Limited Partnership was established to hold hydro-electric generating assets in Ontario by the company's Abitibi-Consolidated Company of Canada subsidiary in April 2007. The Company owns a 75 percent equity interest in ACH Limited Partnership.

By KATHY ELLSWORTH

Cody Servis is a 9-year-old boy who is very smart and well spoken.

His parents are Scott and Cindy Servis, and he has a older sister Mandy.

Cody was born with a weakness in his left eye. His vision is 20/200 in the left eye and 20/20 in his right eye. He wore a patch over his good eye when he was younger, in effort to make his left eye more dominant, and stronger. He has had corrective surgery for his eye and wears glasses now.

To the editor,
We are so fortunate in this community to have such great snow removal crews.
There is none that get the job done better or quicker any place. Up in the early morning hours to do their jobs and after our recent storm, I was amazed at the clean streets.
Let’s not take them for granted. They deserve a huge vote of thanks.
Marian O’Brien
International Falls, MN