Verna Lundeen passed away Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008, at the age of 82 at the Big Fork Valley Communities. She is believed to have been the longest survivor of Progressive Supra Nuclear Palsey. Even through her struggles with (PSP), Verna lived each day with smile on her face.
Verna was born Sept. 22, 1926, to Albert and Annie Stuvland in Littlefork, Minn.

Marie Knudson, 95, of International Falls, Minn., passed away peacefully Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2008, at Falls Good Samaritan Care Center.
Marie was born Nov. 26, 1912, in International Falls. She was a lifelong resident of the Falls.
She graduated from Falls High School with the Class of 1931. Marie graduated from Carlton College in Northfield, Minn., and the Western Reserve in Cleveland.
She was a librarian at Falls Public Library from Sept. 28, 1948, until she retired Jan. 1, 1978.

Koochiching County’s schools met student performance goals

By BRIAN BAKST, Associated Press Writer

ST. PAUL (AP) — Minnesota’s schools neared a tipping point Tuesday as nearly half wound up on a state list for failing to meet student performance goals dictated by the federal No Child Left Behind law.

A metallic green insect smaller than a penny threatens to destroy Minnesota’s 867 million ash trees.
Local agencies are concerned after the emerald ash borer was found recently in Wisconsin and Missouri and have taken steps to delay its introduction to the state’s ash trees.
The insect, native to Asia, was found in Detroit in 2002 and has since spread to nine states and two Canadian provinces via the movement of ash firewood and other ash materials.

The Ranier City Council invited residents and stakeholders to take part in a community vision planning forum on Tuesday. The process begins an effort to develop a community plan that will guide future planning.
The meeting was officiated by staff from the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission of Duluth.
ARDC is a planning and development organization that assists northeast Minnesota communities including Koochiching County. The public forum will help develop a future community plan by building leadership to set goals and objectives that coincide with its vision.

Artists and collectors are invited to loan art works related to Ranier for display during the Ranier Centennial Festival on Aug. 16.
The works will be shown in the Ranier Community Building along with historical displays.
“For decades Ranier has been the inspiration for countless paintings, drawings, photos and art objects. The Centennial committee thought this would be a great opportunity for people to share some of those works with villagers and visitors,” said exhibit organizer Doug Skrief.

To the editor:
One of the greatest visionaries of all time, Jules Verne, tackled the greatest issue of all time in one of his novels: What to do about the threat of nuclear proliferation? Jules Verne's solution: Let it spread to all nations as a hedge against constant war. For what nation would dare to launch war against another if it meant nuclear retaliation and self destruction? So, the problem was not trying to stuff the nuclear genie back into the bottle but rather how to put the the genie to work in the cause of peace for a change. Thus does the problem become the solution.

To the editor,
I am writing in regard to Dianne Briggs.
I, myself, have been attending a number of functions that were organized by Diane. These functions were well attended by the children and adults who were involved in the Indian Education Program (at the Falls school district).
I saw how much they enjoyed the activities, food and all the hard work she put into it.
Our community will suffer because of the lack of judgment sown by the heads of School district 361.
Sharon Proctor
International Falls, MN

Thumbs up to Vikings
Thumbs up to the Minnesota Vikings organization for their involvement in Minnesota charities. The Vikings Children's Fund was established in 1978 and has since raised nearly $8 million to give back to those in need. Thumbs up, also, to the players and coaches who routinely get involved and pitch in to serve others in Minnesota.

Thumbs down to some fans

Senior Fish Fry, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 17, Kerry Park.