Local News

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On Saturday afternoon at 3:41, the Meeker County Sheriff’s Office took a report of a structure fire in the 61000 block of CSAH 18 in Greenleaf township.  Litchfield Fire Department responded along with five other fire departments: Cosmos, Grove City, Dassel, Lake Lillian, and Hutchinson.  Deputies arrived to find a shed, containing hay bales, fully engulfed in flames.  The fire is believed to be the result of a brush fire that worked its way to the shed.  Fire departments were on the scene for nearly 6 hours extinguishing the fire. The shed and its contents, owned by Kaping Farms, are a total loss.  No injuries were reported as a result of the fire.  Also assisting at the scene were Litchfield Rescue Squad and Mayo Ambulance.

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Litchfield Community Theatre will present “Annie Jr” April 10th, 11th and 12th at 7 p.m. and on April 13th at 2 p.m. in the Bernie Aaker Auditorium. Tickets are $10. For the Litchfield Visitors Bureau, this is a great event for attracting people to town.

“Annie Jr” director Heidi Pennertz says there are 34 kids in the cast and they come from four different school districts. She says it’s similar to the adult version of “Annie” – about an orphan in the 1930s who’s rescued by a millionaire – just a little shorter.

Pennertz says “Annie” was produced by Litchfield Community Theatre for its summer production 17 years ago. She says she last directed the Youth Theatre in 2019 for “Beauty and the Beast,” and she says this will be a fun show so people should get tickets which are available at Litchfield Community Education or at litchfieldcommunitytheatre.com.

Janaye Prieve from the Litchfield Visitors Bureau says you can purchase tickets at the door, but if you get your tickets in advance, you can sit where you want to sit. She says the Youth Theatre always puts on a great show.

Prieve says the Litchfield Visitors Bureau is also looking forward to the Parade of Bands on June 17th. For more information on any upcoming events in Litchfield, go to litchfieldmn.com or call the Chamber office at 693-8184.

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The Meeker County Gardener’s Gala is coming up this Thursday, starting at 5 p.m., at the Church of St. Philip in Litchfield. The annual event is coordinated by the Master Gardeners and Horticulture Society and admission at the door is $20.

The guest speakers this year will be Laura Irish-Hanson from the University of Minnesota Extension talking about climate-ready gardening and LeAnne Lund, a Meeker County cut flower grower. Lund sells cut flowers from her farm, south of Grove City, all over the nation; and Irish-Hanson is a horticulturist who has an office at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and will have tips for growing flexibility to adapt to our changing climate

The Gardener’s Gala will also include a quilt silent auction. There will be several vendors, and door prizes. It will be an evening of education and fellowship. For more information, call the Extension office at 693-5275.

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