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Watch for Girl Scouts in the neighborhoodIt’s that time of year again when area Girl Scouts troops are out raising money for their projects by selling their famous cookies.This year there are no changes in the selection you will have to choose from:
Caramel Delights
Peanut butter patties
Thin Mints (No. 1)
Shortbread
Lemon Cream
Animal Treasures
Iced Berry PinatasThe cookies still cost $3.50 per box. If you don’t get called on, you can place your order at the Pizza Ranch and Lila will make sure a local Girl Scout places the order for you.The sale runs from Jan. 14 to Jan. 30, and the cookies will be delivered on March 4.Not too late to participate in the library’s annual winter reading programThe Rock County Library has started a winter reading program to help you chase away the winter doldrums. Those who sign up for the program have from now through March 31 to complete 12 books.If you turn in your reading log by the end of the program, you receive a free prize.The library offers lots of new books to keep you interested, so stop in and sign up.In other library news, the library recently added four new computers with flat screens for their patrons to use.Liquor StoreMunicipal liquor stores around the state posted record sales in 2003 for the eighth consecutive year.Gross sales totaled $249.2 million in 2003, an increase of $8.3 million over 2002.Transfers to other departments also increased as cities shifted their assets to help fund other city services.Cities transferred $15.4 million in 2003, compared to $14.1 million in 2002.Although overall municipal liquor store income was up, according to state auditor Pat Anderson, the number of municipal liquor stores losing money increased from 27 cities to 38 cities.Anderson also said that if "non-operating revenue" is factored out, (such things as a sale of an asset or interest earnings) a total of 54 cities lost operational income.That means 23.5 percent of the municipal liquor stores in the state lost money.In southwest Minnesota, Marshall was the shining star with gross sales of $3,011,203, and a net income of $515,000.Five southwest Minnesota cities, including Okabena, Belview, Cottonwood, Jasper and Round Lake, found themselves on the losing end of the balance sheet.Luverne’s municipal liquor store showed gross sales of $704,798 and $32,286 in net profit.The Legislature is back in sessionThe new Legislature went back to work last week to start the 2004-2005 biennium.Since this is the first year of the biennium, their time is traditionally reserved for consideration of the state budget.In the second year legislators usually work on bonding issues for state projects.However, since the Legislature couldn’t come to an agreement on the bonding issues they should have dealt with during the last legislative session, bonding bills may be considered during this session.Regardless of which issues they choose to deal with, legislators are required by the Minnesota constitution to complete their work by the first Monday after the third Saturday, or May 23.With the Republicans only holding a 2-vote majority, the two parties are going to have to be a little more conciliatory than they have been in the past if they want to get anything done.Steve Sviggum was reelected for the fourth time as Speaker, winning the seat by a 67-to-64 vote, with two Democrats and one Republican abstaining.The Senate was not up for reelection this year, so the DFL will maintain their 35-31 majority.Along with their primary obligation of adopting a two-year budget and trying to erase a $700 million deficit, the Senate will also be taking up the confirmation hearings for Gov. Pawlenty’s slate of candidates to lead various state agencies.Publisher Roger Tollefson can be reached by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com