On this day in music, January 9, 1976, Queen began a nine-week run at the top of the UK pop chart with their nearly six-minute-long operatic hit, “Bohemian Rhapsody.” The single would go on to sell more than one million copies by the end of the month and was later named the UK’s third best-selling single of all time. After frontman Freddie Mercury’s death, the song re-entered the chart – and topped it for five weeks. One year later, in the US, “Bohemian Rhapsody” topped the Billboard Hot 100, thanks to its use in the blockbuster film, Wayne’s World.
In 1997, David Bowie performed a star-studded 50th birthday benefit concert (one day after his birthday) at Madison Square Garden. Joining him on stage was a who’s who of alternative rockers, including the Pixies’ Frank Black, Sonic Youth, The Cure’s Robert Smith, Lou Reed, Dave Grohl, Billy Corgan, and Placebo. Proceeds from the event benefitted Save The Children.
In 2016, heavy metal hero Lemmy Kilmister was laid to rest in Los Angeles’ Forrest Hills Cemetary. The biggest names in rock and metal came out to pay their respects to the Motörhead frontman, including his bandmate, Mikkey Dee, Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl, Guns N’ Roses’ Slash, Robert Trujillo, and Lars Ulrich from Metallica, Judas Priest’s Rob Halford, and Anthrax frontman Scott Ian, all of whom spoke at the service.
In 1988, Whitney Houston scored her sixth consecutive No.1 hit in the US with “So Emotional.” The song was penned by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, the duo behind chart-topping hits by Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Heart, and The Bangles.
In 1963, drummer Charlie Watts left Blues Incorporated and his job as a graphic designer to join The Rolling Stones. While friends and family members might have questioned the young man’s choices, no one could have predicted the unprecedented job security that laid ahead.
BORN ON JANUARY 9
1941: Joan Baez
1943: Scott Walker
1944: Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin)
1950: David Johansen (NY Dolls)
1951: Crystal Gayle
1963: Eric Erlandson (Hole)
1978: AJ McLean (Backstreet Boys)
The Meeker County Sheriff’s Office has launched RAVE alerts, a new mass notification system designed to deliver timely and reliable emergency information to residents, businesses, and visitors. RAVE Alerts allows public safety officials to quickly send emergency notifications and other critical information via text message, phone call, and email.
Meeker County Sheriff Brian Cruze says residents are encouraged to sign up for RAVE Alerts to receive these important notifications. He says registration takes only a few minutes and can make a significant difference in an emergency.
Sheriff Cruze says you can just text “Meeker” to 78015 from your cell phone to begin the registration process. He says the system will be used for relaying relevant information.
Sheriff Cruze says if you don’t want to register right from your phone, you can go to the Meeker County Sheriff’s Office website and click on Register Now under the RAVE information or click on the shared link on the Meeker County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page. He says if you have questions or are having difficulties, contact Stephanie Johnson at Meeker County Emergency Management at 320-693-5420.
Sheriff Cruze also wants the public to know that a couple of new laws kicked in as of January 1st including one that allows for an order for protection to prevent financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult. He says the “shotgun zone” is also no longer in effect and the Meeker County Board is holding a public hearing about that on February 17th at 6 p.m. in the Board Room of the Government Center at 114 North Holcombe Avenue in Litchfield.
The Cokato Historical Society has a unique event coming up on Sunday. The annual New Year’s Open House in the Centennial Room in Cokato will be taking place that day from 1-to-4 p.m. – and the Finnish custom of melting tin will be demonstrated.
The melting tin demonstration involves people melting a piece of tin and then tossing it into a cold pail of water. The resulting shape is supposed to foretell what kind of year you will have. It’s a free event, but there is a small fee if you decide to keep your tin shape and there will be people there helping to interpret what the shape foretells.
The custom was brought to America by Finnish immigrants in the 1800s and it gave them an excuse to get together with neighbors to socialize and give them a break from the long, dark winter months. Also on January 11th, artist Lavona Keskey will be at the Centennial Room in Cokato to answer questions about her new exhibit at the Cokato Museum. For more details, call 320-286-2427 or go to cokatomuseum.org.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has presented its Watershed District of the Year award to the Middle Fork Crow River Watershed District. DNR Conservation Assistance and Regulation Section Manager Randall Doneen presented the award at the Minnesota Watersheds annual conference in December.
Doneen says the Middle Fork Crow River Watershed District has been instrumental in the rock arch rapids project at Lake Calhoun – east of Spicer. He says without them, the work to modify two aging structures that control the water levels of Lake Calhoun and Green Lake might not have been possible.
The watershed district worked with the DNR, contractors and others on modifications including a modern bridge with a pedestrian walkway — enhancing safety, connectivity and habitat quality along the Middle Fork of the Crow River.
The rock arch rapids will maintain necessary court-ordered water elevations while reestablishing ecological connectivity between the lakes, benefiting fish passage and habitat quality. A rock arch rapids uses stone or boulders in descending rows similar to natural river conditions.
The project is supported by $2 million in secured funding from multiple sources. This includes $1.425 million from the DNR’s Get Out MORE (Modernize Outdoor Recreation Experiences) initiative and almost $600,000 in additional state bonding funds. Doneen also noted the importance of the work done by watershed districts across the state and the value of their ongoing collaboration with the DNR and many others.
