Chandelier to be returned to Minn. Capitol dome

A 1-ton, 6-foot-wide chandelier soon will be returned to its spot inside the Capitol dome, the Associated Press reports.

The ornate 92-bulb light with its 40,000 beads has been in a wooden box for more than two years as renovation crews made repairs to the leaky dome, the AP says. The fixture is traditionally lit once a year, on Statehood Day, May 17. But it will also be lit Jan. 17 during a special ceremony, the AP reports.

The opulent chandelier will be restored as Minnesota lawmakers return to the Capitol Jan. 8 to sort out solutions to an austere state budget. Forecasts call for a $1.1 billion budget shortfall over the next two years.

This year marks the first time since the 1990 session that one party has controlled both chambers and the governor's office at the same time.

The new House and Senate leaders amount to a political odd couple, MinnPost reported.