Super 8 to reopen Sunday
The Super 8 Motel, which had been closed since a March 18 fire, will reopen this Sunday.
The fire began in the ceiling of the Magnolia Steak House, which is connected to the motel.
According to Salina Lee, motel manager, smoke caused most of the damage, along with some minor water damage.
Repair work consisted primarily of cleaning, new paint and some new carpeting.
Will fireworks be for sale in Rock County?
About 60 years ago, thanks in part to Rock County native Cedric Adams, the sale of fireworks in Minnesota became illegal.
If a bill that recently passed the Minnesota House becomes law, the prohibition would end.
The bill that passed 81 to 52 would repeal the 1941 law and allow the sale and use of personal fireworks in the state.
The new law would allow the sale of fireworks for personal use from May 1 to July 15 and from Dec. 1 to Jan. 2.
The fireworks could be used from July 1 to 7 and from Dec. 25 to Jan. 2.
The bill requires buyers to be 18 years old and that they will supervise and be responsible for the use of their fireworks.
Injuries reported to hospitals in the seven-county metro area have more than doubled since 1998.
Nationally the use of fireworks has risen dramatically from total sales of 29 million pounds in 1976 to more than 152 million pounds in 2000.
Rep. Mulder is one of eight sponsors of the bill.
Not all fireworks would be for sale. The federal government, under the Federal Hazardous Substance Act, prohibited the sale of most dangerous types of fireworks to consumers. They include reloadable mortar shells, cherry bombs, aerial bombs, M-80 salutes, larger firecrackers containing more than two grains of powder and mail order kits designed to build those fireworks.
The Senate did not look at the bill with the same enthusiasm as the House.
Late last week, the Senate decided to take up the issue with a conference committee rather than submit it to a floor vote in the Senate, which is less supportive of fireworks legalization.
Do not call, please
An attempt to eliminate or at least drastically reduce the telemarketing calls you receive is making its way through the Minnesota Legislature.
A bill, recently approved 126 to 8 by the House, would create a "do not call" list, which telemarketers would be required to buy.
The list would be maintained by the Minnesota Department of Commerce.
Telemarketers would be fined if they contact someone on the list.
There would be no charge to have your name put on the list.
More than 20 other states have similar laws.
Non-profit groups and, of course, politicians are exempt from the law.
Road load restrictions end
Rock County and the Minnesota Department of Transportation have both ended spring load restrictions.
The restrictions came off at 12:01 a.m. Monday, April 15.
Restrictions for northern Minnesota will remain in place until May 22.
How much do cigarettes really cost?
Recently I have heard some of my smoking friends complain about the high cost of their smokes. I hear they are up to more than $3.
But is that enough?
According to a recent government survey, each pack of cigarettes sold in the United States costs the nation $7 in medical care and lost productivity.
The study, which was conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, puts the nationÕs cost for smoking at an average of $3,391 per smoker per year.
That amounts to $157.7 billion. The previous estimate was $96 billion.
Americans purchase approximately 22 billion packs of cigarettes a year.
This is the first study to determine the cost per pack.
The cost breakdown is $3.45 for medical-related cost and $3.73 job productivity lost because of premature death from smoking, for a total of $7.18.
The CDC analyzed expenses, both personal and for the health care industry, and used national medical surveys to calculate the cost to the nation.
Publisher Roger Tollefson can be contacted by e-mail at
tolly@star-herald.com