RRCC’s Cassandra Cochrane (17) fires a shot high last Friday against Vermont in the first round of the ACHA Division II women’s national championship at the Schwan’s Super Rink in Blaine, Minn.

While the Irish are doing everything up green in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, the Finnish have their own celebration on March 16 — St. Urho’s Day.
The legend of Saint Urho's says the saint drove the grasshoppers out of ancient Finland, saving the grape crops and rescuing Finland’s precious wine industry.
That’s why many Finns still celebrate St. Urho's Day, gathering to enjoy hearty fish and beef stews in commemoration of the saint's extermination efforts. A tiny Minnesota town is gaining fame around the nation for its annual hearty celebration of St. Urho’s Day. This is when Finnish people, and other Scandinavians from all around the state, head halfway up Lake Superior's North Shore to Finland, Minn., for parades, parties and food in honor of the Finnish legend.
This historical photo, above, courtesy of Arlene Ysen of International Falls, shows local recognition of St. Urho’s Day inside the paper mill years ago. Ysen’s father, the late Stanley Christensen, was a rigger at the mill for 39 years and is shown in the photo. The image appears to have been taken during the workers’ coffee break when a St. Urho cake honoring Tauno Lehto was served. Many of these men have since passed away (marked with asterisks).

Pictured, left to right, front row: Bruno Toninato, Mick Kuryla, Tauno Lehto, Julius Urban, Gus Holm*. Back row, left to right: Mel Balcolm*, Bob Toninato, Lowell Hart*, Reno Toninato*, Frank Eisenzoph*, Stanley Christensen*, Walt Gaines*, Pat Cullen*, and Willy Krzoska.

With closed eyes, it sounded like a summer day off the shores of Sand Bay, Rainy Lake Monday where dozens of herring gulls took flight as they seemed to caw, “We’re back, we’re back.” Gulls, one the welcome signs of the changing season in Borderland, were sighted as early as last week, some people reported. Staff photo by Faye Whitbeck

Indus kindergartners in Sara Wendt’s classroom have been studying shapes and geometric solids in their math lessons. After a SmartBoard lesson recently, students identified all the shapes around them and talked about the differences in them. Then, they talked about how many points and lines make up various shapes, and finally, they worked to make those shapes into solids. The kindergartners used marshmallows and toothpicks to create shapes, then solids. “I was very impressed with their abilities to see how the solids are formed!” expressed Wendt. Contributed photo

John Harris got this photo Wednesday as he was coming back from up the lake. “I stopped to take its picture and there were two!

With the official start of spring a week off, some Borderland residents are still enjoying the melting snow. Grady Olson gets some air while sledding down the hill near the Ranier Rink. Staff photo

An eagle perches on a tree near Loman. Staff photo by Mark Showers

International Falls sophomore Alex Henningsen performs one of his three dives Saturday during the finals of the Class A swimming and diving meet at the U of M Aquatic Center.

Marsha Shuff’s jaunt in the woods Feb. 15 resulted in this photograph of a very alert ruffed grouse sitting in the snow. Note the raised comb of feathers.

Science Museum of Minnesota outreach teacher Sam Horak demonstrated the bubbling characteristics of dry ice, hot water and a package of grape Kool-Aid mix to a Falls Elementary School group.