Better get your passport up-to-dateIf the United States Department of State follows through with their Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, a lot more people will need to have current passports.If the new rules are enacted, U.S. citizens will be required to carry a passport for travel to and from countries that were previously exempt.The first phase would go into effect December 31 of this year, with a passport required for travel to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda and South America.On December 31, 2006, a passport would be required for all air, sea and land border crossings including Mexico and Canada.Generally, passports can take up to six weeks to get, and according to Sue Hoffman from Great Planes Travel, trips to Mexico and Canada are often booked at the last minute.‘Healing the Wounds’ video ready for saleA 10-minute documentary concerning the health problems of rescue workers involved in the 9/11 attacks. is now available.Diane Sherwood created the video after two different trips to New York, where she interviewed both the rescuers as well as the health care professionals involved in their care.The filming was completed in November of 2004.The taping was completed on Sherwood’s second trip to New York, where she hired both film crews as well as still photographers for the filming.The money raised from the tape will go to a medical facility to treat workers who breathed in the toxic dust during their rescue efforts.According to Sherwood, the film crews have enough footage to release a longer version of the documentary at a future date.If you would like a copy of the tape, they are available from Sherwood for $5, or for $8 she will ship one to you.You can get more information by contacting her at 283-4194, or e-mail her at infor@rememberrally.com.Buy your kids a life jacket — it’s the lawEffective May 6, children under the age of 10 will have to wear a life jacket while boating on Minnesota waters.The new law is called the Grant Allen Law, named after the child who drowned when he fell out of his father’s boat in 2003.The new law requires that a U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket be worn by children younger than age 10 in boats that are underway or otherwise not tied up to a dock or permanent mooring.There are a few exceptions to the law. Children are not required to wear a life jacket if they are in the boat’s enclosed cabin or below deck or on an anchored boat that is being used as a platform for swimming or diving.Also, children on board commercial or charter vessels with a licensed captain are exempt from the life jacket requirement.For the first year, boat owners will get a warning for the first offense and a petty misdemeanor for the second offense.After May 1, 2006, a violation will get you a petty misdemeanor on the first offense.Publisher Roger Tollefson can be reached by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com