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The Two Harbors Anderson-Claffy American Legion Post 109 will be hosting an open house on Wednesday, March 29th, from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. This is a community event open to the public, all veterans, and their family members. A free light lunch and non-alcoholic beverage will be provided for Vietnam War-era veterans and one significant other. The Post is located at 614 First Avenue. There will be country maps, displays, informational tables, and a DJ providing background music from the era. Everyone is invited to attend. March 29th is a fitting choice for a day honoring Vietnam veterans. It was chosen to be observed in perpetuity as March 29, 1973, was the day the United States Military Assistance Command, Vietnam was disestablished and also the day the last U.S. combat troops departed Vietnam. In addition, on and around this same day Hanoi released the last of its acknowledged prisoners of war. The 2008 National Defense Authorization Act (Public Law 110-181 § 598) empowers the Secretary of Defense to conduct a program on behalf of the Nation that commemorates the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, of the Americans who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces during the period of the Vietnam War, approximately 7 million are living in America and abroad today.

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.

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?

One of the Lake County Press’s loyal readers shared a really neat moment with us on a phone call today while she set up her one-year subscription renewal. Picture this: Mary Lou Anderson, originally from Two Harbors and now a resident of Proctor, found an “extra” Lake County Press in her mailbox a few weeks back. Noticing that the two papers were sort of stuck together, Mary Lou found the address of a person she once knew in Two Harbors on one of them.

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.

Four citizens, in addition to supervisors Eric Hart, Craig Seliskar and Rod Gruba, attended Fall Lake Township’s annual meeting. They patiently waited as the four election judges, with the help of supervisors, broke down the election booths and rolled them away.