Archive - May 13, 2008

I'm heading out in a few minutes and am aware that the big agenda item at our house these days is the American Idol final three. Call me an elitist professor if you like, but I get sucked in every year and have my opinions: I would rank them from top to bottom -- David Cook; Syesha Mercado; Young Perry Como kak David Archuleta. The first two have found their voice and seem confident with that voice -- alternative rocker, broadway diva.

Master of Ceremonies Paul Nevanen said he was running out of adjectives to describe the talent as one performance after another elicited roaring applause and whistles from a capacity-filled Backus Auditorium Friday evening at United Way’s annual “Hooked on Talent” local singing competition.
With smooth introductions and not one technical interruption, 24 acts entertained a crowd of at least 900. They contributed over $14,000 to local charities supported by United Way in Koochiching County.

Quilts up for bid
Two quilts made by the Whispering Pines Quilt Guild are up for bid in the Quilt Pink Auction, which benefits the Susan G. Komen for the Cure campaign.
The quilts can be bid on until Saturday at the Web site www.auctionwire.com/quiltpink. The quilts are numbers 56649 and 56659 on the Web site.

Click It or Ticket
The Koochiching County Sheriff’s Office is ramping up patrols May 19-June 1 for a seat belt enforcement sweep.
The sweep is part of the statewide Department of Public Safety Safe and Sober “Click It or Ticket” enforcement.

LITTLEFORK — After a disappointing week last week when the Littlefork-Big Falls Vikings baseball team went 1-5, the team opened play this week with an 8-1 home loss to the Cherry Tigers.
“We have to come ready to play whether it is Monday or not and we didn’t do that today,” Vikings head coach Todd Sether said.
Rain forced school officials to change the location of the game from the new ball field behind the high school to the old ball field at Lofgren Park.

The Falls High Broncos girls’ track and field team competed in the Lynae Morrow meet in Hibbing on Friday. The meet featured many of the teams that will be competing in today’s Iron Range Conference Meet.
“With all of the teams at the meet, it was like a preview for sections,” pole vaulter Alicia Hendrickson said.
Hendrickson took second place in the pole vault for the Broncos.
“I went out there and did what I could,” Hendrickson said. “I’m happy with what I did, but next time I’m going to be ready for more.”

The Littlefork-Big Falls Vikings softball team improved to 12-3 with an 11-0 victory over the Chisholm Bluestreaks on Monday afternoon in Chisholm.
The team has plated double-digit runs in their last four games and has shut out their last two opponents.
“We have won five in a row and we hope that good things will continue to happen,” Vikings head coach Mike Imhof said.
Kelly Hams picked up the five-inning victory on the mound for the Vikings giving up just one hit, walking two and striking out nine.

To the editor,
National Nursing Home Week, which is scheduled to begin on Mother’s Day May 11 and end May 18, is a special week, where residents, caregivers, families, staff and volunteers honor and celebrate nursing-facility life.
Good Samaritan Society - International Falls will be holding fund events and projects throughout the week that tie into the theme, “Love is Ageless,” one of which is called Love Lanes.

A campaign intended to lure more anglers to rivers and lakes in the state is probably a necessary effort to maintain funding for resource management. However, the costs of such a campaign must be reasonable.
Nationally, and across the state, people are less and less connected to and interested in nature, according to studies and surveys. In Minnesota, a smaller share of Minnesotans is buying fishing licenses and that translates into less money for natural resources management.
Fees generated by licenses and taxes on equipment provides money for fisheries management.

A Boise Safety Milestone Award was recently presented to Good Samaritan Society-International Falls on behalf of Boise employees and local merchants that participate in the Boise Safety Milestones program.
The award came from the Boise Safety Awareness and Rewards Committee, which is responsible for receiving charity requests and making allocation. Good Samaritan Society sought a safety award grant to cover the cost of printing 500 "Safety In Your Home and Advance Directives" brochures.

Now in its third year under new management, the owners of Dragon China Buffet at 1901 Valley Pine Circle, say it was an unexpected opportunity that let them begin building their American dream in International Falls.
After working a year for the previous owner, Chen Yan said she was given to opportunity to buy the restaurant from her ailing uncle. Together with her father Chen Ming Hai, and mother Zheng Xiu Fang, they have run the restaurant daily ever since.