The fifth “On the Edge” film festival will be in just over a week. We have selected a fun group of family films to show beginning at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 29. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to come and check out these independent films. The first half of the evening will be nine short films, followed by a brief intermission and then a feature film and one last short.
We all want the best for our children, to provide them with the best opportunities to succeed in life. Research has shown that parents should talk, sing, read, play and write with their children from birth to give them the best start.
Several studies have shown that the best students in the early years of school have heard 30 million more words by the age of 4. That isn’t 30 million unique words, but number of words more spoken to the child in their first four years of life. So talk, sing, read, play and write with all the young children you know.
Share language with them in many ways to provide them with the best start possible. The library can help. Come to storytime, participate in our Reading Ready program and ask if you have further questions about what you can do to prepare your child for the rest of their lives.
Here are some great new picture books to share with the young children you know. A new title that I have had a lot of fun with is “The Book with No Pictures” by B.J. Novak is a silly book that kids will have you reading over and over. For a sweet book about friendship try “Over There” by Steve Pilcher, in which a young shrew goes on an adventure to find a friend.
Wordless books are a great opportunity for kids to practice telling stories. They can describe what is happening and predict what will happen next. “Flashlight” by Lizi Boyd combines cool cut outs and the great concept of only seeing what is lit by a flashlight for a great book. “The Farmer and the Clown” by Marla Frazee is beautiful and full of incredible details in a sparse tale of lost and found.
Kids love ‘seek and find’ books. They can also be great chance to name objects. You can go through the book looking for the items they want you to find, but it can also be a chance to name things. We have a new series of Disney Look and Find books including “Disney Adventures” and “Monsters University.” You can talk about colors, shapes, objects, numbers and more all throughout the books.
A classic title that we loved to use with our kids was Peggy Rathmann’s “Ten Minutes Till Bedtime.” We’d read the story then pick a number and find that hamster on each page of the book, talking about what they were doing, what we thought they’d do on the next page and how hard they were to find.
Lindsi
Barnhart
January is Cervical Health Awareness Month as designated by the United States Congress.
The cervix is the organ at the junction of the uterus and the vagina.
Cervical cancer is the third most common type of cancer in women worldwide. It is not as common in the United States due to screenings which can detect changes in cervical cells, but many women do not get screened as often as they should, or ever.
The National Cervical Cancer Coalition website states that 50 percent of women diagnosed with cervical cancer have never had a Pap test, and 10 percent of women diagnosed with cervical cancer have not had a Pap test in five years.
Cervical cancer tends to be a cancer that grows slowly over time and may not fully develop or produce symptoms for years. That is why Pap tests are so important: they can detect when the cervical cells start to change so treatment can occur long before cancer has developed. It is recommended that women get their first Pap test (or Pap smear) starting at age 21 and follow up every three years after that.
Human Papillomavirus is the most common sexually transmitted infection and is the cause of most cervical cancer. Most people have contact with the virus at some point and their bodies are able to suppress it or eliminate it within a year or two. HPV tests are available and can let people know if they have the virus.
HPV does not always lead to an active infection or symptoms. There are many different strains, or varieties, of HPV. Some cause cervical cancer, some cause genital warts, and some do not ever cause problems. HPV can lie dormant for years, so a recent diagnosis does not necessarily implicate one’s current or most recent sexual partner.
HPV can be passed from skin to skin whether sexual intercourse happens or not, and can affect both men and women. It can lead to other cancers in addition to cervical cancer, as well as genital warts. A person may not know they have HPV and can spread it to their sexual partner(s).
Sexual abstinence or monogamy are the surest ways to protect against HPV and its subsequent health problems. Condoms can protect somewhat by covering some skin, but they are imperfect barriers.
There are vaccines available that can protect against certain cancer-causing strains of HPV if a person is vaccinated before becoming sexually active. That is why these vaccines tend to be for young people (usually ages 9-26).
Talk with your healthcare provider to see if these vaccines are appropriate for you or for your children.
If you are a woman who is now or has ever been sexually active, talk with your healthcare provider about a Pap test. It may notice cell changes early enough that this cancer never fully develops, or, if it does, it can be caught and treated early.
25 YEARS AGO
Led by the first places of 125-pounder Kevin Crandall and 160-pound Mark Gagnier, the Bronco wrestlers took fourth place Saturday in the 16-team Superior Invitational.
The following International Falls students were placed on the director’s list from Thief River Falls Technical College: John Yost, aviation maintenance technology; and Barb Scholler, cosmetology.
40 YEARS AGO
Dave Menefee and Debbi Ellison of Falls High School varsity debate team took second place honors at last Saturday’s tournament at Duluth Central.
Arnold M. Johnson was re-elected president, and Ivan H. Stewart was named chairman of the board, of International State Bank at the bank’s annual stockholders meeting this week.
Sister Maria Volk, O.S.B., has joined the ministry team at St. Thomas Parish, it was announced today.
50 YEARS AGO
Open house will be held Sunday afternoon from 2:30 until 5 o’clock at the home of Clarence Mannausau in honor of Adolph Lindquist’s 80th birthday.
MacNeil Chapter, Order of DeMolay, conferred the DeMolay degree on candidates Jon Adleff, Kim Reuter, William Behrenbrinker, Richard Miggins, Steve Hams and Frank Pavek.
60 YEARS AGO
An achievement citation earned while he was enrolled in a commercial course at Dunwoody Institute, Minneapolis, has been presented to Marvin Pearson, Falls baker. Pearson was selected as the most outstanding student in the bread and rolls course for 1954.
Try Biondi’s Italian Foods — Pizza pie — anchovies or anti pasto — with Italian spaghetti. Homemade noodles. Served daily from 6 to 11 p.m. Regular meals and steaks during the day. Biiondi’s Cafe, Second Avenue.
Brownie Troop 141 entertained mothers last week at a party celebrating the troop’s first birthday. New officers elected are Diane Turenne, president; Gwendolyn Westberg, vice president; Nancy Fisher, treasurer; Jean Swanson, scribe.
A daughter was born today at Falls Memorial Hospital to Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Helgeson, 1112 10th St.; weight, 7 pounds, 12 ounces.
70 YEARS AGO
Mrs. Sever Kjelsness arrived this morning from the West Coast where she has been living for some time, and will make her home here.
Eighteen little friends helped Mary Burk, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Erick Burk, celebrate her ninth birthday Saturday afternoon. The group attended the movie together and then enjoyed a luncheon at the Burk home, 519 Eighth St.
Carl McEldowney celebrated his seventh birthday at a party at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred McEldowney, of Holler. Games were played with prizes going to Dennis Vance, Shirley Grimboldy, Chester Tomczak, Dennis Averill, Catherine Grimboldy, David Servis and Arlene Averill.
Sgt. William D. Skwarok, Mando employee serving with a tank battalion, has been reported missing in Luxembourg since Dec. 19.
Pet of the Week
Help me, please. My name is “Henry,” but you can call me whatever you want as long as you take me home and love me. I have been at the Borderland Humane Society for too long and I want more than ever to have a human of my very own. Is there someone out there for me? I am a patient cat and will continue to wait, but it is getting hard. Please rescue me and I promise to rescue you right back. Thank you in advance, Henry
For more information, visit the website at www.borderlandhumanesociety.org or call 283-9276.
