Online payments for subscriptions

Here's the link to visit the webpage where you can subscribe to the Bonanza Valley Voice through a secure Paypal website:
http://lifeinbonanzavalley.blogspot.com/2015/01/online-payment-for-subscriptions.html

Free skin cancer screening scheduled

A limited number of free skin cancer screenings by board-certified dermatologists will be offered Monday, May 4 and Tuesday, May 5 at CentraCare Clinic – Health Plaza, 1900 CentraCare Circle. Interested participants must call (320) 229-4924 for an appointment time. No walk-ins will be accepted. 

This 18th annual CentraCare Clinic screening coincides with National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month, sponsored by the American Academy of Dermatology and CentraCare Clinic. 

The American Academy of Dermatology is coordinating this national effort to raise awareness of skin cancer.

• Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States.

• Current estimates are that one in five Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime.

• Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, is the most common cancer for 25- to 29-year-olds.

The Academy’s national detection and prevention program is being launched May 4, which has been designated “Melanoma Monday,” to raise awareness of malignant melanoma and urge Americans to regularly examine their skin for signs of serious forms of skin cancer. 

Skin self-examinations consist of periodically looking over your body for any changes in the size, color, shape or texture of a mole, the development of a new mole or any other unusual changes in the skin.  Any of these signs should be reported to your doctor right away. 

“With melanoma, early detection is the key. Patients can watch their skin, and if there are visible changes they should be checked by their health care provider,” said Christina Anderson, M.D., dermatologist with CentraCare Clinic.

An interesting column in the Echo Press

Here's Echo Press sports editor Eric Morken talking about the laws regarding use of technology in hunting:
http://www.echopress.com/outdoors/3728740-teaching-moment-turkey-woods

Terrific Grand March!

Kinlee Swanson and Jordan Wosmek in a James Bond pose.

Here's a short video clip from the grand march:

A great-looking crew of Jaguar wrestlers shown after Grand March was complete.

It couldn't have been more perfect. A day after it rained and rained and rained (very needed rain), the B-B-E Prom Grand March was held under sunny skies, hardly a bit of wind and temperatures hovering around 55 degrees. Yeah, a bit on the chilly side, but we had no complaints in Jaguar Country! Besides, that's what the heater's for - whether prom couples showed up in trucks, cars, semi tractors or farm tractors!

(Video) Redhead Creamery

Here's Lucas Sjostrom giving a tour to customers and visitors at the Redhead Creamery on April 18 in rural Brooten:

Parenting 101

Here's a great read at Watchdog.org.

http://watchdog.org/213619/free-range-parents-rights

Hiring environment for teenagers picks up

Job prospects for Minnesota teenagers have improved considerably since the recession, with the average unemployment rate for young people ages 16 to 19 falling to 11.4 percent in 2014, according to figures from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).

While the teenage unemployment rate was well above the 4 percent unemployment rate for all age groups on average in the state in 2014, the new figures are an improvement from teen jobless rates that surged to more than 20 percent during the recession. The average unemployment rate for Minnesota teens was 16.7 percent as recently as 2013.

In 2014, about 122,000 teenagers were working and another 16,000 were actively seeking work in Minnesota, according to DEED figures.

“Prospects for teenagers finding jobs this summer are better than in recent years, primarily because of an improving economy and tighter labor market,” said Oriane Casale of DEED’s Labor Market Information Office. “With strong employment growth in both the retail and the accommodation and food service sectors in March, this might be a great summer for teens in Minnesota to get some work experience and earn their first paychecks.”

The 11.3 percent unemployment rate for Minnesota teens ranked sixth nationally, with only Montana, Utah, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska having lower unemployment rates for that age group.

Minnesota has the seventh-highest labor force participation rate in the country for teenagers at 48.5 percent. Nationally, the teen labor force participation rate is about 33 percent.

Based on the latest (2013) third quarter data – the time of year when teen employment is the highest – teens were most likely to work in accommodation and food services. About 35 percent of employed teenagers worked in that sector during the period.

Other major employment sectors for teens included retail trade (23 percent of teen jobs), health care and social assistance (7 percent), arts, entertainment and recreation (7 percent) and public administration (5 percent).

On average, teens earned $663 during the quarter at jobs that DEED tracks. Many employed teens worked in less formal jobs that DEED does not track, such as babysitting or lawn mowing.

Relative to the overall population, teen unemployment is still high. The teen jobless rate was more than triple the unemployment rate for any age group over 25 in the state in 2014.

DEED offers services and programs to help teens find work. The agency’s MinnesotaWorks.net job bank lists nearly 84,000 jobs, many of them suitable for teenagers. Job opportunities also are available through DEED’s youth employment, training and education programs.

DEED is the state’s principal economic development agency, promoting business recruitment, expansion and retention, workforce development, international trade and community development. For more details about the agency and our services, visit us at http://mn.gov/deed/ . Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/mndeed .

Farming "small"

This was very intriguing!

http://civileats.com/2015/04/21/earn-a-good-living-without-a-tractor-a-market-gardener-tells-you-how/

(Video) Padua Pub St. Patrick's Day parade

The video clip is a month old, but it's still quite entertaining:

Opening for the season!

A staple of the Brooten community, the Chuckwagon drive-in, will open for the season next Monday.

Cool!!!!

A good story on the "Local Food" movement

http://wcfcourier.com/news/opinion/columnists/local-food-means-real-rural-development/article_62c32760-8764-5205-b56e-dba9fffbd230.html

Technology article

I thought this was interesting and worth the time to read it:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2015-04-07/news-corp-s-1-billion-plan-to-overhaul-education-is-riddled-with-failures

Funeral announcement

Doris L. Knutson

January 1, 1921 – March 31, 2015

Doris L. Knutson, age 94 of Brooten, died Tuesday, March 31, 2015 at the Glacial Ridge Hospital in Glenwood.  Funeral services will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 4^th at South Lake Johanna Lutheran Church in rural Brooten with Pastor Bryant Kaden officiating.  Visitation will be held on Friday, from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home in Brooten and will continue one hour prior to the service at the church.  Interment will be in the South Lake Johanna Lutheran Cemetery.  Arrangements are with the Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Brooten,  

www.hoplinfuneralhome.com