Our very own KLFD News Director, Tim Bergstrom and Brent Schacherer from the Litchfield Rail received the “Paul Harris Fellow” awards at the Rotary Spring Fling last night at the Litchfield Eagles. Also pictured from the Rotary Club are Andrew Letson and Janaye Prieve.
“Annie Jr.” opens this Thursday in the Bernie Aaker Auditorium in Litchfield and continues through Sunday. The production can be seen April 10th, 11th and 12th at 7 p.m. and on April 13th at 2 p.m. Tickets are available in advance at litchfieldcommunitytheatre.com, at Litchfield Community Education, and will also be sold at the door.
Assistant Director Mila Hanson says there is a great cast and they’ve been rehearsing since February, so they are all ready to perform. She says the musical begins in an orphanage, but it is a feel-good show.
Hanson says “Annie Jr.” is pretty much like “Annie” just a little shorter. She says some of her more recent theater experiences have included being one of the narrators last summer for Litchfield Community Theatre’s production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” and as the vocal director for ACGC’s “Little House on the Prairie” last fall.
Lauran Arndt says she is in the role of the apple seller in “Annie Jr.”
Arndt says it’s been fun being in “Annie Jr.” and she encourages everyone to come and see it. She says she was recently in the one act play at ACGC about the Willmar 8, and she was in “Little House on the Prairie” last fall at ACGC.
Kylie Anderson says she’s in the role of Miss Hannigan who runs the orphanage in “Annie Jr.”
Anderson says she’s been in several plays including “Charlotte’s Web,” “Shrek” and “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.”
The Litchfield School Board has approved of the revised 2024-2025 budget. The Board also approved of a motion to rescind a resolution from the March 10th meeting which related to the nonrenewal of a probationary teacher contract.
Among the budget cuts from that March 10th meeting was the contract with Savannah Stafford at Lake Ripley Elementary School, but due to a resignation of another teacher the nonrenewal resolution was rescinded. Business Manager Jesse Johnson went over the revised budget numbers last night and said revenues are projected to increase by $555,684 and expenses are projected to increase by $462,866 with revenues projected to be $29,267,051 and expenses projected to be $31,423,891; and the general fund unassigned balance projected to be $2.7-million.
The Litchfield School Board approved of a leave of absence for 7th grade social studies teacher Bill King for 2025-26 and 2026-27. King will continue coaching track & field during that time. The Board approved of an activities admission price increase for adults from $7 to $8 and an increase for adult season passes from $70 to $80. The Board tabled action on strategic planning.
The Litchfield School Board began its meeting last night with a visit from members of Mr. Loge’s Boys Swimming Team, and Mrs. McGraw’s Knowledge Bowl Team.
The Litchfield City Council has approved of job descriptions for two new positions – Litchfield Area Recreation Center Facility Director, and Communication Manager/Assistant City Clerk. The administration was authorized to begin the hiring process.
The Council approved of stop signs being installed at the Ramsey Avenue/Weisel Street intersection. City Engineer Chuck DeWolf says the stops signs are needed due to the erection of the new apartment complex in that area to improve safety. He says the stops signs will be installed northbound and southbound on Ramsey Avenue.
Also last night, the Litchfield City Council approved of certificates of appropriateness for a sign at the new Mexican grocery store at 207 North Sibley Avenue for Miguel Gonzalez, and for an outdoor staircase for Mike Corcoran behind 100 North Sibley Avenue.
Historical Events
1766 – 1st fire escape patented, wicker basket on a pulley and chain
1869 – American Museum of Natural History opens in New York City
1979 – 205th and final episode of “All in the Family”; followed by “Archie Bunker’s Place” for 4 seasons
1993 – Indians’ Carlos Baerga is 1st to switch hit HRs in same inn (vs Yanks)
2000 – 153rd Grand National: Irish 10/1 shot Papillon, ridden by jockey Ruby Walsh and trained by his father Ted Walsh wins by 1¼ lengths from Mely Moss
2016 – 31st Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees: Chicago, Cheap Trick, Deep Purple, Steve Miller, and N.W.A
Famous Birthdays
1756 – Joseph Gehot, Belgian composer, born in Brussels, Belgium (d. 1820)
1865 – Ted Wainwright, English cricket all-rounder (5 Tests; Yorkshire CCC), born in Sheffield, England (d. 1919)
1893 – Grace Cunard, American silent screen actress (Untamed, Resurrection), born in Columbus, Ohio (d. 1967)
1905 – George Baxter, French actor (Flying Saucer, Lili, Caged), born in Paris, France (d. 1976)
1955 – Barbara Kingsolver, American novelist (The Poisonwood Bible), born in Annapolis, Maryland
1972 – Katrina Powell, Australian field hockey striker (252 caps; Olympic gold 1996, 2000; World Cup gold 1998; Champions Trophy gold 1997, 99, 2003) and coach (Australia women), born in Canberra Australia
Famous Deaths
1931 – Eric Axel Karlfeldt, Swedish poet (Nobel Prize for Literature 1931), dies at 66
1969 – Arthur Walter Kramer, American composer, dies at 78
1981 – Omar Bradley, American WWII General (Invasion of Normandy) and 1st Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1949-53), dies of cardiac arrhythmia at 88
1982 – Katherine Rawls, American diver (Olympic silver 3m springboard 1932, 36) and swimmer (Olympic bronze 4×100m freestyle 1936), dies from cancer at 64
1992 – Daniel Bovet, Swiss-Italian pharmacologist (1957 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, discovered chemotherapeutic agents including antihistamines0, dies at 85
1993 – Arleen Whelan, American film actress (Kidnapped), dies of a stroke at 78