Will you sponsor a chair?Dale Nelson, Luverne’s senior band director, is looking for some sponsors.The goal is to raise enough money to purchase 100 musician chairs.The special posture chairs enable the band members to "sit in a standing position".It sounds a little bit like an oxymoron, but according to Nelson it enhances their ability to perform. Luverne is one of the few schools in the area that does not have the special chairs.The goal of the fund-raiser is to get 100 sponsors to purchase 100 chairs at $68 per chair. He hopes to raise enough money to outfit the band room by the end of the year.If you would like to know more about the sponsorships, you can contact Dale Nelson at 283-4491 or 283-4803.If you would like to make a contribution, you can make your check out to the Music Boosters and send it to their treasurer, Dan Nath, 510 Brandenburg Street, Luverne.Minnesota ranks No.1 in high school graduationMinnesota received some much appreciated attention this week when the United States Census Bureau announced that Minnesota is now the No. 1 state in the nation with the highest percentage of residents with high school diplomas.The magic number was 92.3 percent.Neighboring states, Iowa and South Dakota, came in 9th at 89.9 percent and 23rd at 87.5 percent respectively.Although we weren’t number one in the college graduation ranking, Minnesota fared well in 9th place. 32.5 percent of Minnesotans have college degrees.Our neighbors in South Dakota came in 27th with 25.5 percent. Iowa was ranked 37th with 24.3 percent.Spring weight restrictions are now in effectIt’s that time of the year when the frost is out of the ground and the roads are soft.So it’s time for County Engineer Mark Sehr to put spring weight road restrictions in place.The restrictions are based on the weather and roadway strength.The exact date for the removal of all restrictions is a judgment call, so when the county engineer lifts them, we will let you know.If you purchased daffodils …You were part of a group of Minnesotans that purchased more than 89,000 bunches of the flowers and raised more that 1.1 million in Minnesota for the American Cancer Society.That campaign, which ran from March 7-11, also delivered "Gifts of Hope" anonymous daffodil bouquets to 6,200 cancer patients.In Minnesota, 14 researchers are currently receiving grants from the American Cancer Society, along with nearly 800 American Cancer Society-funded scientists across the nation.The American Cancer Society has also been advocating for public policy changes to reduce cancer in our society.In Minnesota, American Cancer Society volunteers and a wide range of partners worked to help pass county smoke-free ordinances.Effective March 31, 2005, more than one-third of the state’s population will live in areas governed by smoke-free ordinances.Publisher Roger Tollefson can be reached by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com
