Palace gets state grant from Historical SocietyThe Minnesota Historical Society informed the Blue Mound Area Theatre this week, that it was awarded a state grant through the State Capital Projects Grants-in-Aid Program in the amount of $35,000.The money will be used to for Phase I of the Palace’s restoration project.The project was recommended for funding by the Grants Review Committee on Oct. 2 and approved by the Society’s governing board on Oct. 28.The first aspect of the renovation is to get the roof fixed, according to BMAT president Ben Vander Kooi.The terms of the grant require at least a $35,000 match from BMAT.BMAT hopes to fix the roof next spring.In the meantime, live theater continues this weekend on the Palace stage.The Green Earth Players are in the middle of their run of “Steel Magnolias.”The play will be presented at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m on Sunday.Movies will again return to the Palace Theatre on Thanksgiving weekend, when “The Rundown” starring “The Rock” will be shown.Ebert and Roeper, who gave the movie two thumbs up, summarized it this way.“A man hires a Los Angeles bounty hunter named Beck (The Rock) to travel to the Amazon jungle to retrieve his smart-mouthed, dim-witted, double-dealing son, Travis (Seann William Scott), who's been leading a life of adventure in Brazil. But Travis is reluctant to leave, and when he tells Beck about hidden goldmines, the two join forces and head to Helldorado, where they encounter a mysterious woman (Rosario Dawson) and the town's half-crazed fortune-hunting leader (Christopher Walken).”The movie received a 6.7 out of ten rating from the Internet Movie Data Base.Unemployment up by highest number in almost four yearsThe unemployment rate for the State of Minnesota was 4.6 percent for the month of October, compared to 4.3 percent one year ago.Seasonally adjusted monthly employment increased by 8,500, the biggest jump since February 2000.Every major sector, except trade, transportation and utilities moved up in October.Brandenburg schedules book signing for Dec. 5If you’re thinking about buying Jim Brandenburg’s new book “Looking for Summer” for Christmas, you should mark Dec. 5 on your calendar.Jim will hold a book signing at the Brandenburg Gallery from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5. If that date doesn’t work for you, the Gallery will also have a limited number of signed copies of the book on hand for sale.If you have any questions about the book signing, contact Carrie Overgaard at 283-1884.Dollar General updateAs 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, the developer. Goodwill’s in townIf you want to clean out those closets to make room for your bulky winter clothes, Goodwill is willing to take some of them off your hands.They are also willing to take usable working small appliances, and household goods, sporting goods and toys.Furniture and large appliances cannot be accepted.All donations are to be placed as far to the front of the trailer as possible. The trailer will be located 2 blocks south of Glen’s Food Center and will be in town until Nov. 25.Publisher Roger Tollefson can be reached by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com
