International Falls Daily Journal - Education News - Comments

I remember a time years ago

Thomas L. Johnson — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 10:50:40 -0500

I remember a time years ago when my brother was trying to figure out where in Northern Minnesota to set up a dental practice. Probably the single greatest factor for the twenty-something guy he was then was the physical locale and the town itself. Bemidji is built on a lakeshore. It has always been an attractive town that knew from day one that it was in the business of attracting tourists. [Unlike our small town, it didn't have a huge factory in the middle spewing out sulphuric gases and it didn't have its beaches and golf courses hidden away on small county roads]. It had a big college of fairly mediocre reputation but with a nice campus and a huge service area. And no competition for about 100 miles in any direction.

Bemidji is still dwarflike in relation to Plymouth or Maple Grove, but it has allowed itself to become a regional center. When that happens, you get a Target, a Lowes, a strip that looks like urban strips anywhere in America -- franchises elbow to elbow. This adds something to the quality of life and also takes something away.

There seem to be stages to growth -- I would call them thresholds. Twelve thousand seems to be one sort of threshold. Once you get to 12,000, you can easily reach 15,000 because you pick up accelerators like convention-type hotels and better restaurants. [Bemidji has moved from 12,000 to 13,500 in this decade; International Falls has lost 8.7% of its population in the same period, falling to just over 6,000]

Bemidji has some real limits to its growth, largest of which is probably the lack of an easy or direct route to the Twin Cities. International Falls will likely see a rapid decline after it goes below 6,000 as it will lose its community college and retail diversity, getting down to one grocery store, one drug store, one fast food restaurant. . . . The irony is that a widened Highway 53 may well become the Road to Nowhere . . .

In a place like Bemidji, you don't get a lot of community because of the transient nature of college students and tourists, but you learn to live in a more fluid environment.

In International Falls, you focus on community even if it counters growth. I felt at the time and said as much that the community call to get rid of football at RRCC would be a death knell for the school. I did understand that the problems raised by football were huge, particularly in a largely homogeneous community like IF. But the problems created by killing a program rather than trying to redirect it will be even larger if the CC closes down completely.

Anyway, good question, kay.

Losing RRCC would be a

ILOVERAINY — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 10:37:22 -0500

Losing RRCC would be a dismal deathblow to the Falls. It already gets increasingly depressing each time we former Falls residents visit, as the community shrinks and the economy seems so unhealthy there compared even to other Minnesota towns. It's the most beautiful place on earth--truly. So why does it struggle so? As a child who moved there part way through elementary school and stayed until I was 19, I can say "outsiders" don't ever feel totally welcome, even after years. The families that have been there for generations are clannish and distrustful of outsiders. Some may deny this, but I know that I am not the only one who has left for this reason over the years--there are many. And I don't say this as someone who is scarred by it or something. I say it as constructive criticism--I say it to help you, give you, as a community, something you could work on a little. I don't want to see the town continue to deteriorate. It's just that it has always seemed as if you have only 3 choices if you move to I. Falls from somewhere else: 1) have a very strong skin and try to ignore the "anti-outsider" attitudes and fear of anything unfamiliar or new, 2) leave for greener pastures, or 3) become and alcoholic and spend most of your time in a darkhouse on Rainy spearing northerns--the only thing an outsider can do to actually earn acceptance. Tourists visit for the lake--and there is nothing else like being in a boat on Rainy Lake--that smell, that great air and the fantastic storms that can whip up on the lake. And, of course, the best walleye fishing on the planet. But people come to live there needing more than just natural beauty. They need to make a living, raise a family, have things to do on a Friday night, both for adults and young people. Hockey, yes, and other sports--but there has to be more than that to get people to come and stay. RRCC was always a beacon and I remember it when it contained some of the best in fine arts, opportunities and instructors that you could find anywhere. It has given people the chance to take a class, meet others--many people have "found themselves" there via a new career or a class that opened minds and doors or introduced them to a person who made all the difference. There aren't other venues for these kind of things in town. You all would do yourself a favor by fighting tooth and nail to make sure it doesn't fall into the drink, like so many other things have that used to be there for the Falls residents. It's definitely worth fighting for, guys.

Its no wonder why Bemidji

kay — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 12:01:31 -0500

Its no wonder why Bemidji has the amount of students it has. College students want part time jobs, places to shop and things to do. We just don't have what they need. We just lost the Thrifty White Drug and the Miller Mcdonald office is closing. How many people did these two businesses employ? It is getting worse and worse as each day passes. Pretty soon it won't make a difference if the main highway bypasses town since there won't be any reason for someone to stop. Bemidji is expanding and growing by leaps and bounds. WHY?

.

yayasister — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 10:35:57 -0500

Ok, guys and girls, this is

viperboy — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 22:16:47 -0500

Ok, guys and girls, this is what we have all been asking for in the last week and you know the saying, ask and you shall recieve, we got it now lets run with it and get some kind of change going on here, I'm looking for answers on why everything took so long... and with a little bit of luck i just might get them now... someone is listening to us for once.

According to Raboin this

six-shooter — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 11:16:02 -0600

According to Raboin this person could be charged with felony terrorist threats if so was the FBI called in or did our officials think they were better trained? This was handled like one big circle you know what. If any one should be shamed it is the supervision who handled this so ineptly right from 7:30 WEdnesday a.m.

The Duluth News also stated

maclean_ron — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 11:02:13 -0600

The Duluth News also stated and correct me if I'm wrong that both threats were bomb threats which I don't believe was the case. The first call that was placed and left for school officials was a direct threat of violence (which they never went into detail or specifics about) but gave the idea that the caller would do something to endanger the student body. The second call the caller made we were told that they stated that there was a bomb on the school premises that would go off at 11am yesterday. Why officials are holding back what the caller stated in their first message I don't get; but yet it's okay to tell us about the second message they left. I just hope they catch whoever it was!

Duluth News reported that

Icesicle — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 10:08:25 -0600

Duluth News reported that Wednesday's threat was to" kill everyone in the building ". How can that be misconstrued? In my mind that is a direct threat, is how young the caller sounded really a factor? Why do we have to wait and hear such important content from a news source outside of town? I listened to Langan explaining this situation twice on the radio yesterday and was more confused ( regarding the evacuation ) each time I listened. Langan did state in the interview that Wednesdays threat would require a physical presence in the school. He did not elaborate on what the threat had been.
I thank the Duluth News for making clear exactly what the threat was. The children are safe. How the handling of the situation went, I'm sure will be discussed thoroughly. I would hope that School officials here in I.S.D. 361 research how many incidents of school shootings (and other violent acts) in recent years that have occurred inside schools, by a member of the student body who may be emotionally disturbed , or angry. A threat to kill everyone is just that. A direct threat. I would take it very seriously no matter what age the caller sounded. I do not consider this threat "a prank". Everyone is safe, but until the caller is caught I won't stop worrying.

Isn't it a little odd that a

lesleyk — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 00:06:33 -0600

Isn't it a little odd that a threat came a week after the Fort had their explosion at the school??? I don't think I read the whole story on what caused the Fort explosion, but maybe it gave some kid an idea to pull a stupid prank to get out of school??? Just wondering if anyone else had thought that.

TLJ, Thank you!! But, the

roj2000 — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 21:53:26 -0600

TLJ,

Thank you!! But, the promotions were well before the "weight loss"! The weight loss and walking/training were the result of a) barely being able to make it through a "nuclear" cardiac stress test, "alive" and b) having decided that is was the right time in my life to start training for my life long dream of walking the 2,175 miles of the Appalachian Trail (not all at once that is). This spring will be the first stage of the trek. I felt if an "old coot" (just kidding) like Anton, could bike hundreds of miles, then I needed to get off my rear!! As for you, I would tend to believe you ran across some food that was rather "rich" in content, but sure tasted good, which I found makes it rather hard to keep the weight off. Six days in the Falls this Sept, made me gain 5 1/5 lbs. But, they did have a gun to my head while I ate nacho's, onion rings and a cheeseburger at Sha Sha, and similar fare at Thunderbird. Took 45 days to get it back off, "unbelievable"! Yes, you and Anton are a "formidable" and "good" team, when you take me on! But, I like a challenge, as long as in the "final analysis" it has good intentions! Glad to have you back "safely" in Minnesota, for the "Holidays". May I say "Merry Christmas" to You and Anton, the "team of 65"! Or to be safe, Froehliche Weihnachten, or "God Jul" - Anton!!

And roj, both of us from the

Thomas L. Johnson — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 13:17:52 -0600

And roj, both of us from the clique of 65 appreciate being called a team. Team we can live with. And congratulations on that promotion; it's probably because of the 25 pound weight loss. I'm back in Minnesota for a few days, stepped on the scale and I was the same as when I left. So walking up five hundred steps to the castle at least once a day instead of taking a taxi yields nothing. And now it's Christmastime to boot. Such is life for the aging.

You have to be kidding, he

Doorsman 54 — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 21:10:20 -0600

You have to be kidding, he did about as good a snow job at the journal as he did at the county, he s-----. The most laziest auditor we ever had, other than the one before him.

Assistant Accounting Dept

roj2000 — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 20:09:50 -0600

Assistant Accounting Dept Manager, "Professor" Jay,

Thank You for your "left handed" JABS, but you are a little behind the times (promotion wise), when you try to denegrate me, in a "round-a-bout fashion. Since you do not take pride in "President of 65" or "Professor", then I will stick with "TLJ" from now on!!!! As long as you cannot manage to get "titles" correct, then, I will not attempt to "assuage" you with giving you credit for your long and hard studies!! Nuff said! TLJ, a "flaming Right Winger" backing capitalism to the hilt!! LOVE IT!! Sorry, about the "right wing" ALL CAPS!! Can't help myself! As far as the grammar and homophone errors, I will credit them to our "older" brains, not being able to keep up with our fingers! But, the team of "TLJ/Anton" have it right, once again!! The journal is one of the remaining Falls Institutions left, and I hope it is the last to go! I would hope, that the Knowledge Bowl Coach can clear up this matter, by letting us know what input on the kids she gave to the Journal. But, Anton, does have a valid point, in that, they "the Journal" have the final "say so" on the content of each and every article printed, and therefore, have a vicarious liability to ensure fairness in ALL sports or school function reporting. But, I give the Journal a little slack, because they are still providing a great service to the community, and I'm sure they are not biased towards any specific school function!

It is a nice little paper,

Anton1965 — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 16:04:30 -0600

It is a nice little paper, and it is all we have even if we do not think so. I am appreciative in the space given us here, on this site, to both voice my opinions and to work at my mis-spelling. I was able to visit the old paper and see the old presses and I own a pail full of lead printing pieces from the old paper. I think, this being our only paper and visable means to reach the community with our local news, it is important for the paper to hold itself responsible to not only the logical and illogical viewpoints of adults but to the "chidrens news" events also. Lots of news is important to many readers but what is more important to a young adult then the news concerning that young adult!! Who will speak for that young adult, if it is not a parent or the paper. Again "Thanks" to the "Daily Journal", for the opportunity to become a part of the editorial process even if I am not trained or qualified to do so.

This is classic "biting the

Thomas L. Johnson — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 15:02:40 -0600

This is classic "biting the hand" stuff, if you ask me. This is "our" newspaper only in the most sentimental meanings of that idea; it is a business that continues to serve a dwindling population in a tremendous fashion, cranking out real news and commentary five days a week. As a business, it makes judgments as to levels of coverage of all stories and in a sports-crazed era like ours, hockey and football are what people want to see in the newspaper they BUY, that is filled with advertisements that a dwindling number of businesses PURCHASE. On this issue I become a flaming right winger, using capital letters for emphasis.

When I open up the journal, I read the obits first, just to see if I'm still alive, then the local sports, then the lead local story and, lately, the blog selection to see how many words I or roj or Mama or Anton, especially Anton, have misspelled. And I wince when some assistant maintenance manager calls me a professor, especially when I have made a sophomore-level homophone error. But when the journal disappears as a daily and then as a newspaper altogether, we will remember Laurel and her crew as the good old days. Joe Gust and Jim Dziuk, who later went to the Pioneer Press, worked in a growing town back in the 60's. And that same newspaper, hardly changed, is here long after many of our local monuments have disappeared. Remember Timbertennial, the 100 piece marching band, the three-year unbeaten streak, three guys from the same team [1954] making the CFL or NFL? A local gas station operator flipping the coin for the Super Bowl? The journal was there then and it's still here and those days are as unlikely to return as the Rex Hotel is to rise from the ashes. And it's still printed on the nicest newsprint you'll see anywhere. And this is a darn nice service too.