Christmas At the Palace and a 'Cat in the Hat'December will be a busy month at the Palace Theatre.Two of the most note worthy are the Christmas at the Palace event and the showing of the movie, "Cat in the Hat."Christmas at the Palace in one of the most popular events of the year for Luverne's historic theatre.The event is co-sponsored by the Luverne Chamber of Commerce, and the Blue Mound Area Theatre as a fund-raiser for the Palace Theatre and the Rock County Emergency Food Shelf.The event is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 12, at 7:30 p.m.Admission for the concert is $5, but no food donations should be brought to the Palace.Tickets will go on sale Dec. 8 at the Chamber of Commerce office, now located in the Brandenburg Gallery.The concert will involve choir groups from area churches, as well as individuals who may choose to participate.To learn more about the event, or about participating, contact the Chamber office at 283-4061.Looking ahead, if you?re thinking about taking your kids to the new movie, "Brother Bear," you can hold off until it comes to Luverne.The new animated movie will be coming to the Palace Theatre in about five to six weeks.Thanksgiving seatbelt enforcement beginsThe state?s Safe & Sober campaign will focus on seatbelt use from now through December, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety and local law enforcement.The statewide effort will include more than 400 law enforcement agencies including local police departments, county sheriffs? offices and the State Patrol.The Minnesota Department of Public Safety is coordinating the campaign.According to the Department of Public Safety 80 percent of Minnesotans buckle up, but unbelted motorist represent 62 percent of the state?s 544 vehicle occupant traffic fatalities in 2002.According to Deputy Evan Verbrugge, Rock County spokesman for the Safe & Sober program, rollovers accounted for 36 percent of all Minnesota vehicle occupant traffic fatalities in 2002.Among the 196 occupant fatalities that resulted from rollovers, almost 80 percent were not belted, and more than half were effected from the vehicle.Family Dollar won?t be here anytime soonAs you may have figured out, there won?t be a Dollar General Store opening up in Luverne in the near future,.According to Florence Stanley from the Dollar Store?s home office, the developer on the project was unable to provide Family Dollar with the building it was planning to rent from the developer.Lee Construction, Alexandria Minnesota was the General contractor on the project.I have been playing phone tag with Lee Construction for the past week. When I find out what their plans for the property are, I?ll let you know.Publisher Roger Tollefson can be reached by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com
