March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month Colorectal cancer can be a less than fun health risk to talk about, but getting the facts, and being screened can save lives. A slow-growing cancer, colorectal cancer can often be caught in time to be treatable and survivable.
Retractable leashes, useful tool or worst nightmare? Dog trainers often have a love-hate relationship with retractable leashes. They can be a useful tool or they can be your worst nightmare.
Let us know what is going on! Friday, March 24 Northland Food Network Day at Peace United Church of Christ from 9:30am - 5:00pm March 24-26 Mixed Bonspiel at TH Curling Club from March 24-26. “Diary of Anne Frank” by Lake Superior Community Theater at WK Auditorium at 7:00 p.m.
On the agenda for discussion and approval on Monday, March 20, the Silver Bay city council discussed and then tabled the amending of an ordinance that would allow short term rentals in the city. Currently no short term rentals, or vacation rentals, are allowed in Silver Bay, and the ordinance change was proposed to allow a maximum of six STRs only in FR (Forest Reserve) zoned areas.
paperwork, filing taxes can be a stressful time. Tammy Naples, a certified public accountant (CPA) and senior lecturer in the Master of Business Taxation program at the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management, shares her insights for tackling this year’s tax season. Q: What are some of the biggest challenges this tax season? Tammy Naples: One of the biggest challenges in the industry is the shortage of tax CPAs. This shortage has been growing for many years and was intensified when many accountants left the workforce during the pandemic. To practice as a CPA in Minnesota, it’s required to have 150 credit hours of education. The Minnesota Society of Certified Public Accountants recently proposed legislation to broaden the pathways to become a CPA, including reducing the credit hour requirement from 150 hours to 120 hours. For now, the shortage is still a factor, which means it may be harder to schedule an appointment with a CPA this year. Q: What is your best advice to make tax preparation go easier? Naples: Start to accumulate your documentation and paperwork early! Many people are accustomed to receiving all of their tax documents by mail, but more and more organizations today are going digital. That sometimes causes confusion because people don’t realize they need to log in to their employer’s or financial institution’s website to download their tax documents. Also, updating your bank routing information is important. Many refunds get delayed because people use the banking information from the previous year’s tax return, which may not be current. Q: Should I expect a big refund this year?
Library Receives Children’s Literacy Grant Exciting news – the Silver Bay Public Library recently added more than 110 new children's books to our collection! We would like to express gratitude to the Pilcrow Foundation, which awarded the library a grant through their Children's Book Project. Based in Oregon, the Pilcrow Foundation’s mission is to “provide new, quality, hardcover children’s books to rural public libraries across the United States.” The Pilcrow Foundation recognizes how rural public libraries serve as a center for community engagement and lifelong learning, and emphasizes the importance of children developing a love of reading early in life.
Sip Root Beer, explore Archives, and get a Tour of the Lighthouse next weekend “History in a Pint,” bringing people together at a bar or brewery to learn some history, is an idea gaining traction amongst several historical societies in Minnesota to expand winter programming. The Lake County Historical Society is at the end of its first year experimenting with “history in a pint,” and it’s going well, according to Lake County Historical Society Director Ellen Lynch.
I so appreciate people who are characters. For instance, Harold had a life that was dotted with crazy antics, stories, and wild adventures, one of which was his desire to plan a 40th birthday 'funeral' for himself, complete with a pre-written obituary, and invitations set to send from an imaginary posthumous state. He thought it would be fun to hear what people would say about him, before it was too late to really hear. There were many laughs and more than a few tears were shed. Be honest, don't we all crave, on some level to have an understanding of ‘how we're doing' in this lifetime and just maybe have the chance to press pause, change the disc, and reroute our destination if need be?
I got a snowshoe in yesterday in the hills around the Knife River out our back door. And let me tell you, there’s a bit of snow out in the woods. I have a few snow gauge stations along the route, those places where I poke my walking stick down to the frozen ground and get a rough measurement of snow depth. There were a few waist deep readings and that was before it started to snow in earnest only a few hours later. It’s a snowy year in the hills above the lake. There were no deer tracks along the route. None. Even in the balsam cut on a parcel of county land where there were plenty of deer before the snows added up. The deer in this neighborhood are living close to the road and closer to the lake. I did see a couple sets of wolf tracks, plenty of snowshoe hare sign and bobcat tracks. They didn’t seem big enough for lynx. A porcupine waddled along perhaps looking for a mate. It’s about this time when they leave their happy home munching high in the tree on cedar boughs over the winter. One day they’re up there eating the top of a tree and the next day they’re gone.
The Two Harbors Girls Basketball team wrapped up their season with a year-end banquet on Sunday, March 5th in the Two Harbors High School cafeteria. Players and their families along with the coaching staff enjoyed a potluck dinner, slide show, and program recognizing the seasons accomplishments.