FHS
Berta Hagen was able to located the ring’s owner by the initials “JMR” engraved on the ring.
After more than three decades, a missing Falls High School class ring has been returned to its owner.
The ring design is the oldest class ring tradition in the United States and is easy for a FHS alumni to spot. When an FHS ring was turned into the lost and found at Rainy River Community College last week, Berta Hagen, class of 1983, easily tracked down who it belonged to.
“The women’s locker room was being renovated and two gentlemen turned in a 1982 ring,” the RRCC employee told The Journal. “I looked at the initials engraved on the back and realized it belonged to Jill Ronning who is now Jill Bixby.”
At first, Hagen thought the ring may have been lost recently, but after finding out no events had happened in the RRCC gym around the time the ring was found, she said she realized it might have been several years since the ring was on its owner’s finger.
“Jill hasn’t lived in town for years,” Hagen said, noting the two women were neighbors growing up. “That’s when I realized (the ring) has probably been there awhile.”
Hagen reached out to a close friend of Bixby’s who informed Hagen she recalled Bixby losing the ring while she was still in high school.
“I started getting really excited,” Hagen said. “Jill’s sister-in-law works at Super One, so I got a hold of her and Jill called me the next day.”
Although Bixby couldn’t be reached in time for this story, Hagen said Bixby was thrilled to hear the news her ring was recovered.
“I think I was just as excited as her,” Hagen said with a laugh. “Our class ring is amazing.”
Hagen mailed Bixby the ring and it was back in its owner’s possession in time for Christmas.
From the left, Falls High School All Class Reunion tri-chairs Gordy Dault, Diane Edens, Bob Anderson and treasurer Mary Bigler meet to discuss the event during the planning stages.
Diane Edens is planning a party and she’s inviting 13,000 people.
Along with Gordy Dault and Bob Anderson, and members of the Falls Education Foundation, Edens is organizing the fourth Falls High School All Class Reunion scheduled for Aug. 11-13, 2016.
“We always start planning about two years ahead of time,” Edens said. “It takes a lot of time to get all the invitations out and get everything in place...Invitations will probably go out a year ahead of time.”
Edens is a veteran organizer for such a big event. She helped chair the previous all class reunion held in 2007. She said it was time for some to “step forward and do it,” so she decided to take on the challenge.
“We have a great start-up committee,” she said. “Everyone is working really hard to make this the best all class reunion ever.”
The local all class reunion has come a long way since its infancy in 1995. Back then, the organizers used their own funds to establish the event. Now, however, Edens said enough money has been generated to have an all class reunion account.
“After all the bills were paid, $5,000 was set aside for the following all class reunion,” she said. “In 2007, Gordy Dault headed up a committee to review remaining funds...It was decided at that time, to save $10,000 off the top.”
Edens said the committee is fortunate to have start-up money and members are busy planning where the event will be held, what bands will play, what floats will be featured in the parade and other activities that will be available during the weekend-long reunion.
“We’re not at a point to announce anything yet,” she said.
There is still room on the committee for anyone who would like to become involved with the planning stages. At 7 p.m. Feb. 26, a meeting at the Elks Lodge No. 1599 is open to anyone and everyone looking to become involved. Edens said there are still areas in need of a chairperson and the help is “greatly appreciated.”
“We hope to have a great turnout with all those willing to volunteer and help any way they can,” she said. “The all class reunion is for all alumni. We don’t want just a small committee making all the decisions.”
In addition to all alumni gathering together Aug. 11-13, 2016, Edens said individual classes are encouraged to plan their own reunions or multi-class reunions during the weekend.
Cody Christensen of International Falls pleaded guilty and was fined $3,000 for failing to report acquisition of a game carcass.
A news release from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources said Justice of the Peace Pat Clysdale-Cornell heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Fort Frances, on Dec. 19.
“Court heard that in 2013, Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry conservation officers received information that Christensen and a Fort Frances resident had unlawfully hunted a bull moose near Graves Road, north of Fort Frances,” said the release.
A joint investigation with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Customs and Border Protection ensued.
The investigation revealed that on Oct. 10, 2012, the Fort Frances resident arranged for another individual to export the moose to a taxidermist in International Falls, said the release. Neither Christensen nor the taxidermist reported the acquisition of the moose carcass to the ministry as required. The mounted moose head was later seized from Christensen’s residence and forfeited to the Crown. The Fort Frances resident pleaded guilty to related charges in a case heard in October.
