PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) -- Providence has selected the city Christmas tree -- right from the yard of two of its residents.
The city put out a call for nominations for the "perfect" tree and got 15 submissions from around Rhode Island. City spokesman David Ortiz says the winner is a Colorado blue spruce about 35 feet tall. It belongs to 82-year-old Robert Mink, a retired city firefighter, and his wife, Marie, of the Silver Lake neighborhood.
The Minks' daughter says she urged them to donate it because it had gotten too big for their property. She estimates her father planted it 45 years ago. She says her parents are thrilled their tree was selected.
Ortiz says some of nominated trees weren't seriously considered. He describes some of them as "Charlie Brown tree submissions."