Pie Day will be celebrated with the sale of frozen take-and-bake homemade pies this Saturday from 9-to-11 a.m. – or until the pies are gone – at the Litchfield Opera House. There will be many varieties of 7-inch and 9-inch pies which will sell for $7 and $10, respectively.
Connie Lies says Pi Day is observed on March 14th as Pi is 3.14, but they have their sale of pies before that so that people will have pies to bake on March 14th. She says you can keep them frozen and save them for Easter dinner or another occasion as they will keep in the freezer for several months. Lies says proceeds from the pie sale will go to continuing preservation of the Litchfield Opera House.
Lies says they sold well over 100 pies last year, but they’ve made more this year, so will be selling about 150 pies. She says she specializes in apple, peach, cherry and strawberry-rhubarb.
Karen Urdahl says she has made blueberry pies, along with 4-berry which include strawberry, blueberry, raspberry and blackberry, and triple berry which is blueberry, raspberry and blackberry – and they are all homemade ingredients – not canned fillings. She says Thrivent has been a big help with this event.
Urdahl says you can keep the pies frozen and then follow the directions for baking them when you are ready and enjoy the smell of fresh-baked pie in your house. She says they’d like to thank everyone who supports them.
The Litchfield City Council approved of an airport hangar project last night for the municipal airport. Six planes would be able to rent space in the city-owned hangars.
City Engineer Chuck DeWolf says 95% of the funding for the $1.4-million project would come from federal funds and the city’s share would be $35,000. City Administrator David Czoik says, in light of federal budget cuts, they will make sure the federal funds are there before proceeding with the project.
The Council approved of spending $15,000 to rehabilitate the pickle ball courts. The resurfacing project should help prolong the life of the courts which were constructed in 2020. The Council approved of the Heritage Preservation Commission’s recommendation to deny a certificate of appropriateness for an outdoor staircase that Mike Corcoran wanted to construct at the rear of 100 North Sibley Avenue. The Council approved of a certificate of appropriateness application for Leah Mahlow for a “Healing Grace” sign at 207 North Sibley Avenue.
Also last night, the Litchfield City Council approved of a brew pub license application for Three Sons Seltzer LLC at 201 North Sibley Avenue; approved of hiring Hunter Ruschmeyer and Bryce Wendlandt for Public Works; and approved of hiring Abby Shoutz as an administrative/accounting technician.
The Songs of Summer Festival is scheduled for August 15th in Memorial Park on Lake Ripley. The gates will open at 4 p.m. and there will be music from 3 different acts beginning at 5 p.m.
Sarah Jones says the local band South 40 will get things started, and Michael Shynes will be returning, followed by the Fabulous Armadillos who will play until 11 p.m. She says they received a lot of great feedback about the event being in Memorial Park last year, despite the rain – with the handicapped parking, restrooms, playground and splash pad for the children and lots of great food vendors.
Jones says they accept freewill donations with the proceeds going to youth-related groups in the community. She says last year, funds went to the Litchfield Area Mentorship Program, the 4H Equestrian Club and St. Philip’s School.
Amanda Nelson says non-profit groups that benefit youth in the areas of health and wellness, mental health, safety and education have until June 1st to apply for a grant from this year’s festival. She says the event is made possible each year with the help of lots of great sponsors and there is already a long list of sponsors for this year’s Songs of Summer Festival.
Nelson says they’ve given out $15,000 in the past two years to youth-related non-profit organizations. She says any groups interested in applying for a grant may contact her at amandasosf@gmail.com.