Archive - Jul 18, 2008

Falls City Council
International Falls City Council is scheduled to fill a vacant seat on the council when it meets Monday.
The Falls City Council meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. in the council chambers at the Municipal Building.
The council is expected to appoint someone to fill the West Ward council position from people who have submitted letters of interest in the seat. Letters were received from Clarence “Swede” Sundberg, Cynthia Jaksa, and Edward Bernath.

The Littlefork-Big Falls School Board Wednesday approved the hiring of three people for the district for the 2008-2009 school year.
Sara Kennedy was approved as Spanish instructor, a position at 33 percent of the full-time equivalent. Jeri Nordlund was approved as home economics instructor at half of the FTE and the student services coordinator will be Angie Williams, a 0.2 FTE position.
Various general areas of the school, including the playground and art room were discussed, and application for Attachment 99 regarding health and safety was approved.

The 19th Annual Up North Advanced Players Volleyball Camp handed out its awards Thursday afternoon at the Rainy River Community College gym.
Over 40 girls from International Falls and the surrounding area participated in the camp that was for girls going into grades eight through 12. Girls from the Falls, Fort Frances, Littlefork-Big Falls, Big Fork, Lake of the Woods, Indus and Virginia school districts attended the camp.

After a year hiatus due to a lack of interest, the Top Of the Nation Men’s Softball Tournament is back. This year’s tournament will be No. 28 and will kick off Saturday morning at 10 a.m. at Kerry Park.
Nine teams are in the running for the $1,000 top prize including the defending champions, Team Christopher Realty of Bemidji.
Round robin play will take place on Saturday with a skills competition to follow at 5 p.m. The championship round will begin on Sunday at 10 a.m. with the championship game scheduled to start at 3 p.m.

Move expected to have no impact on Minnesota’s harvest season

As of July 1, recreational anglers are prohibited from keeping any lake sturgeon they catch in Ontario, according to the Ontario Ministry of Nature Resources.
Evidence shows that over harvesting is a major factor in putting the species at risk. As a result, only catch and release of this species will be allowed, according to the MNR.

By Outdoor News

LAKE OF THE WOODS
A jig and minnow continues to produce walleyes in 32 to 34 feet around the Morris Point Gap up toward Long Point. The east and west sides of Garden Island also have provided steady walleye action. The Silver Creek area on the Rainy River is producing walleyes in 14 to 17 feet. At the Northwest Angle, dark-colored jigs and minnows are the ticket for walleyes and northern pike around Oak Island.

LEECH LAKE AREA

A noxious weed called wild parsnip has been spotting growing in Borderland.
According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, people should avoid skin contact with the toxic sap of the plant tissue by wearing gloves, long sleeves and long pants.
The juice of wild parsnip in contact with skin in the presence of sunlight can cause a rash and blistering and discoloration of the skin (phytophotodermatitis), according to the DNR.

As oil and fuel prices skyrocket, new technology is needed to help the United States wean itself from outside sources.
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar is right when she says we need homegrown energy that will create new jobs and fuel in our future. Klobuchar is a part of that effort as she helped secure funding for a plasma gasification facility proposed for Koochiching County. Her work, and the work of many others, is appreciated on this front.

10 YEARS AGO
“Dancin” Dale LaBelle of Fort Frances took top honors in the Masster Basster bass fishing tournament held Saturday in Ranier.
Tom O’Connell is the newly hired Falls Country Club golf pro.

25 YEARS AGO
There was an open house July 16 in honor of the 25th wedding anniversary of David and Marlene Farmer.
Steve Hobbin, 23, has joined The Daily Journal as a staff reporter.

40 YEARS AGO

Gov. Tim Pawlenty recently announced the appointment of an International Falls man to the Rural Health Advisory Committee.
Dr. Jeffrey Hardwig was appointed to the committee, along with Jode Freyholtz, and Minnesota Sen. Yvonne Prettner-Solon. Pawlenty also announced the reappointment of Dr. Raymond Christensen, Thomas Crowley, Diane Muckenhirn, Nancy Stratmand, and Sen. Betsy Wergin to the committee. With the exception of Solon, who is filling an unscheduled vacancy, all are appointed to four-year terms that expire Jan. 2, 2012.