Palace holds first of monthly movies
The first of what will become a series of monthly movies at the Palace started this past weekend with ET.
According to BMAT board chairman, Ben VanderKooi, approximately 150 tickets were sold for the three events, shown Friday and Saturday night as well as a Sunday matinee.
One of the models being used for the Palace is a similar theatre in Fergus Falls. According to VanderKooi, that theatre typically averages 25 to 50 patrons per show, so the 150 for the three shows is encouraging.
If you have any suggestions, as to what movies you would like to see at the Palace, call the Carnegie Cultural Center to leave your ideas, or you can e-mail them to info@rockartsrock.com.
Fitness Center’s new equipment arrives
The much anticipated new exercise equipment for the city owned fitness center has arrived in town.
City crews spent all day Tuesday and Wednesday assembling and installing the new equipment, with the first patrons giving it a test run on Wednesday night.
The According to Darrell Huiskes, Luverne Public Works Director, the eleven new stations are all state of the art equipment.
The total bill for the fitness center upgrade is approximately $30,000 according to Huiskes.
Although the new equipment is available for use immediately, an open house is scheduled for Jan. 21, which will also coincide with the grand opening of the ladies only fitness room.
With Christmas over, can the Winter Carnival be far behind?
Of course not. This year the Luverne Music Booster’s Winter Carnival, will be on Saturday, Jan. 25.
The Winter Carnival is a primary fund raising event for the Music Boosters to help pay for such projects as Music Camps, band and choir trips and scholarships.
The event runs from 5 to 9 p.m. in the Luverne High School Gymnasium and all of your favorite events, such as the cake walk, Bingo, games, booths and raffle drawings will be held.
Historical Society to hold annual meeting
If you like history, particularly Rock County’s, you should try to attend the first of the tri-annual meetings of the Rock County Historical Society.
The meeting will be held at the Hinkly House at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18, 2003 .
Since their most recent project was moving the Fitzer Century barn to a foundation at the Rock County Fairgrounds, the program will include a talk on historic barns.
The barn is now sitting south of the 4-H building on Freeman street if you want to drive by and check it out.
The Historical Society plans to use the barn as a farm related museum with items that pertain to rural life in Rock County.
Dayton pushes for funding promises
Senator Mark Dayton announced he would be introducing legislation to require the federal government to fully fund its long-promised 40 percent share of special education costs.
The legislation would provide an additional $250 million in additional funds for Minnesota schools this year to educate special needs students.
Dayton’s goal is to get the government to increase from its current 16 percent program cost to 40 percent beginning in fiscal year 2004.
Currently, schools are absorbing the shortfalls with other school funds, according to Dayton.
What this means in Luverne is that roughly $250,000 in special education funding comes out of the district’s general fund, when it should be coming from the federal government.
Publisher Roger Tollefson can be contacted by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com