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Dec 6, 2006 7:25 am US/Central
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Waite Park Nativity Scene An Anomaly
Waite Park, Minn. (AP) ―
While many cities have gotten into hot water with civil liberties groups for displaying overtly religious symbols during the Christmas season, the Nativity scene in this small central Minnesota city has been an anomaly.
"It's almost become a trademark of the city; it's been in the community a long time," said City Administrator Shaunna Johnson.
"It's one of those things that was donated many, many years ago, and they put it back up each year," Waite Park Mayor Carla Schaefer said. "Nobody has every complained about it."
She said the city has not spent any money to buy religious displays, although it does store and put up the manger scene every year, along with the city's other nonreligious decorations.
Nearby Sartell won't put up any similar displays anytime soon.
"We're not a religious entity, so of course we're going to look at holiday decorations that are appropriate for the locations in which they would be placed," said Anita Rasmussen, Sartell's community development director.
(© 2006 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)