Calendar
TODAY
Angel Tree application deadline.
International Falls-Koochiching County Airport Commission, 8 a.m., Commissioners’ Boardroom, Koochiching County Courthouse.
Recycling curbside collection, 8 a.m., north of 11th Street and west of Highway 53 (includes Terrace Lane).
Retired Boise Cascade Papermakers Local 159, 9 a.m., Lenard’s.
Walk-ercise group, 10-11 a.m., Backus Community Center gymnasium.
Littlefork Ambulance Thrift Shop open, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Northland Art Society open, various arts, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Backus, Room 114.
Wednesday Study Group, 10:15 a.m., Faith United Church of Christ.
Girl Guards, Sunbeams and Adventure Corps, 4:30-6 p.m., The Salvation Army.
Free At Last, 4:30-6:30 p.m., Forestland Annex, lower level conference room.
Northland Art Society open, various arts, 5:30-8 p.m., Backus, Room 114.
Narcotics Anonymous, 6 p.m., Alano Club.
Men’s Non-Violence Group, 6-8 p.m., Friends Against Abuse office.
Members and guests Elks Lodge 1599 Wednesday Meal, 6:30 p.m., Giovonni’s pizza and salad.
Little Lambs (3 years to kindergarten) and King’s Kids (1st-5th grades), Youth Group (6th grade-up), 6:30-7:30 p.m., Full Gospel Fellowship Church.
Koochiching Masonic Lodge No. 270, A.F. & A.M., 7 p.m., 416 Third St.
Alcoholics Anonymous, 7:30 p.m., Alano Club.
THURSDAY
Backus Community Center office closed.
International Falls Public Library closed.
The Salvation Army/Elks/Stewart’s SuperOne Thanksgiving Dinner, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Elks Club.
FRIDAY
Backus Community Center office closed.
Full The Ambulance, The Salvation Army fundraiser, 7 a.m.-2 p.m., Kmart.
Walk-ercise group, 10-11 a.m., Backus Community Center gymnasium.
Falls Hunger Coalition Food Shelf open, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., 1000 Fifth St.
Serenity Sisters, Women’s A.A., noon, Backus, Rational Alternatives, Room 101.
Cutest Holiday Pet Contest, 1:30 p.m., pet promenade, Main Street; 2, judging, Shannon Square; Old-Fashioned Wagon Rides, 3:30-6:30 p.m., repeating rides, Centennial Park, Main Street.
Members and guests Elks Lodge 1599 Friday Light Meal, 5:30 p.m., Holiday Parade Party – sloppy joes and hot dogs.
Narcotics Anonymous, 6 p.m., Alano Club.
For Those in Need, Addiction Recovery, 7 p.m., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 1340 Keenan Drive.
‘Twas the Lights Before Christmas Parade, 7 p.m., west on Fourth Street and east on Third Street.
Alcoholics Anonymous, 7:30 p.m., Alano Club, 410 Fifth Ave.
SATURDAY
No Open Gym at Backus Community Center.
Full The Ambulance, The Salvation Army fundraiser, 7 a.m.-2 p.m., Kmart.
Movies With Santa, 10 a.m.; doors open/visit with Santa, 9, Cine 5.
Holiday Shopping and Craft Festival, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; lunch, 11-2, Backus Community Center.
Bingo,1 p.m., Moose Lodge.
Alcoholics Anonymous, 7 p.m., Alano Club.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operation reminds travelers planning trips across the border into Minnesota or North Dakota to anticipate heavy traffic in the United States Nov. 27 during the observance of Thanksgiving and for Black Friday. Black Friday is one of the busiest shopping days of the year.
All travelers are reminded of a few simple steps they can employ to cross the border more efficiently.
Check out the new CBP informational website
The CBP site has been completely redesigned to help users quickly access the content they need. It also is optimized for access by smart phones and makes use of a new content delivery network that will improve access internationally.
Beat the border rush
Cross during off-peak times, such as before 6 a.m. or after 3 p.m. Most lines at the border start building in the morning and carry on into early afternoon.
Monitor wait times for the ports of International Falls and Pembina, N.D. Information is updated hourly and is useful in planning trips and identifying periods of light use/short waits.
Keep travel documents handy
Make sure each passenger has the correct travel document accessible and ready to give to the CBP officer.
If you are a frequent international traveler and have not already become a member of a trusted traveler program, sign up now. For more information, visit CBP’s Trusted Traveler site.
Know the contents of your vehicles and be prepared to declare all items
Travelers are required to declare all items being imported into the United States from Canada. If you are not sure about what to declare, do not hesitate to ask the CBP officer.
Know what food products can be imported
Many fruits, meats, dairy, and poultry products are prohibited from being imported into the United States from Canada. For more information, view Prohibited and Restricted Items.
Declare all firearms
Travelers are reminded that specific requirements must be met to import or export firearms and ammunition to/from the United States. For more information on the importation or exportation of firearms and ammunition visit ATF, State Deptartment and Commerce Department websites or contact CBP at 701-825-5800.
Our dual mission is to facilitate travel in the United States while we secure our borders, our people and our visitors from those that would do us harm like terrorists and terrorist weapons, criminals and contraband.
For more information on international traveling into the United States, visit CBP’s Travel site.
Q: I am an older woman, stick shift CRV and carry dogs in kennels in the back of my car. I find that quite a number of people tailgate when driving down the road and particularly at stop signs/lights. I am not a slow driver per my adult kids. It is particularly unnerving for me when the cars are trucks. I frequently put my blinker on and go to the side of the road and let them pass. Your opinion?
A: If you pull over and they go past you, and you were not stopped yet and the lane is clear, then technically, I suppose that you can signal and go back out into the lane. Be very careful and remember that generally, turn lanes and shoulders are not driving lanes. If you get in a crash, you could be charged with a few different things, including (but not limited to) unsafe change of course.
Drivers that follow too closely are dangerous drivers. They also are aggressive drivers. If you are being followed too closely, you basically have two options. First, slow down a bit and give that close-follower a chance to pass. If they don’t pass within a short or reasonable amount of time, then you need to just pull over and stop on the shoulder and let that aggressive driver pass you. Let the driver get ahead of you before coming back out onto the roadway, and don’t forget to look and signal before coming back into your lane of traffic.
If you are following another vehicle, the general rule taught nationwide is to allow at least three seconds minimum between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead. Add a second for each condition that exists that you can’t control.
LIBRARY HOURS
International Falls Public Library will be closed Thursday in observance of Thanksgiving. The library will be open regular hours Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and from 10 to 3 Saturday.
CHRISTMAS TEA
The public is welcome to a Christmas Tea planned for 6 p.m. Dec. 6 at Borderland Alano Club. Election of officers will be conducted. Music by Country Touch begins at 7.
NO OPEN GYM
There will be no Open Gym at Backus Community Center until further notice. Call Backus at 285-7225 for information.
Sunday’s Daily 3
5, 3, 4
Sunday’s Northstar Cash
8, 19, 20, 22, 31
Friday’s Gopher 5
3, 6, 31, 37, 45
Saturday’s Hot Lotto
11, 21, 27, 31, 45
Hot Ball
Friday’s Mega Millions
3, 12, 35, 37, 63
Mega Ball
Saturday’s Powerball
23, 49, 53, 54, 57
Powerball
Police Report
International Falls Fire Department
Chip line: Firefighters responded at 10:45 p.m. Sunday to a fire in the chip line at Boise Paper’s former Insulite building. A department official said firefighters extinguished the fire with water.
Smoking truck: Firefighters responded Saturday to sawdust smoldering inside the trailer of a Nagurski Transportation truck, where water was sprayed to extinguish the smoldering fire.
Koochiching County Sheriff’s Office
Burglary: A burglary reported Nov. 18 at a heated storage building at 3655 Highway 11 E, owned by David Fisher, remains under investigation. Items were taken from several units after access was gained through a crawl space and a portion of the floor was busted through.
