Did You Hear?

Toddler and infant clothes and equipment are in need for SHAREThe drop off for SHARE this year will be at Sharkee’s Dec. 8 and 9, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.One item that the group is putting out a special request for is infant and toddler new and gently used clothes and equipment.In 2003, SHARE provided 148 families, consisting of 180 children and 187 adults with groceries, clothing and toys.If you would like to know more about the program, contact Nancy Kaczrowski at 283-9261.What should retailers expect for this Christmas season?Economic woes appear to be continuing into the Christmas season for many retailers.According to Myvesta, a non-profit group that tracks economic trends, Americans plan to spend 14.3 percent less this year than in 2003.Last year holiday spending was $834 per average American, compared with $716 this year.Nearly half of the American population, 48 percent, plan to spend less that $500.Here are some tips for smart shopping. Start shopping now. The more time you allow yourself, the better decisions you will make.Carry only two credit cards. Use one with a zero balance for purchases you will pay off in full. Use the other low-interest-rate card for purchases you will pay off over the next three to six months.Record all your purchases in your checkbook register. Even if you don’t write a check, subtract the amount of the purchase. That way, when the bill arrives, the money will be in your checking account to pay the bill in full.Avoid "buy now, pay later" offers. They encourage you to buy things you can’t afford.And most importantly, buy your Christmas gifts from Luverne retailers. Shopping in Sioux Falls may seem like a good idea, but when you factor in the high price of gas and the obligatory lunch you indulge in, you’re better off keeping your money local.Have you given blood in the last 56 days?That’s how often you can and should give, if you:
are 17 years of age
weigh at least 110 pounds
are considered to be in good health.A typical adult has 10-12 pints of blood, and 4.5 million patients need a blood transfusion every year.If you want to donate, the American Red Cross Bloodmobile will be in town from 1 to 7 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 22, at Grace Lutheran Church or from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 24, at Hills Beaver Creek High School.Absentee voting was also bigWe have reported the big voter turnout in recent editions, but it turns out that absentee voting was also big.According to Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer, the 2004 general election was the biggest absentee voter turnout in the history of Minnesota elections.Over 231,000 people, about 8.2 percent of the voters, cast their vote by absentee ballot. That number is more that twice the number of absentee votes two years ago.Going back to the last presidential election in 2000, which would be a fairer comparison, 164,000 voters, or 6.7 percent, chose the absentee version.As we reported two weeks ago, 77 percent of voters voted in this year’s general election in Minnesota, the highest in the nation for the third consecutive election.Publisher Roger Tollefson can be reached by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com