On August 24, 2025 at 3:05 a.m. the Meeker County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a vehicle crash at the intersection of Meeker County Road 6 and 746th Avenue in the Collinwood township. Meeker County Deputies, Wright County Deputies, MN State Patrol, Dassel Fire and Rescue, Cokato Fire, Rescue and Ambulance, Mayo Ambulance and Lifelink III responded to the scene. The vehicle was westbound on County Road 6 when it lost control and left the roadway, striking a telephone pole on the passenger side of the vehicle. Both occupants had to be extricated from the vehicle. The driver, Elijah Miller, 19, of Cokato, was airlifted to the Hennepin County Medical Center in critical condition with possible life-threatening injuries. The passenger, Nolan Henke, 19 of Dassel, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. The crash remains under investigation.
A Waconia man is dead after a car-semi crash near Brownton Sunday. The state patrol says it was reported at 7:56 a.m. Sunday on Highway 212 at Tagus Avenue, west of Brownton. A Honda Civic, driven by 60-year-old Wade Halvorson, was westbound on Highway 212 and a semi was eastbound when they collided. Halvorson was killed in the crash. The driver of the semi, 39-year-old Jarod Jakel of Sacred Heart was not injured, but a passenger, 5-year-old Mckinlee Jakel was taken to the Hutchinson Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
2024-2025 Miss Litchfield Addie Lundin was crowned as Queen of the Lakes at the conclusion of the Minneapolis Aquatennial on July 26th. The sophomore at NDSU will have a busy year of appearances throughout Minnesota and other locations around the country as an Aquatennial ambassador.
Lundin says she will be traveling as far as Pasadena, California and she and the other two ambassadors – who are from Dassel and Howard Lake – will be appearing in LaCrosse, Wisconsin next month. She says she will be able to handle her schedule at college, where she’s majoring in nursing, while serving as Queen of the Lakes.
Lundin says her week in Minneapolis prior to the coronation included 3 interviews and learning about community, leadership and volunteerism and one of her responsibilities is making people feel welcome to visit Minneapolis and to attend the Aquatennial in 2026. She says she is hoping to return to Litchfield in the future and help with the Watercade celebration.
Lundin says one of her questions on stage during the coronation in 2024 when she was running for Miss Litchfield prompted her to announce that she wanted to start a pickle ball tournament during Watercade as a royalty fundraiser, and she saw that goal come true with the first annual tournament last month, and as Queen of the Lakes, she’s hoping to promote alumni engagement – getting more of the royalty to come back and get involved in the celebration in the future.
Lundin says she will be on the stage at the Bernie Aaker Auditorium in Litchfield next July inviting Miss Litchfield Brooke Caron to attend the Minneapolis Aquatennial the third week of July – and she encourages everyone to attend what they call the “best days of summer.” She says she is the first Miss Litchfield to become Queen of the Lakes, but she will not be the last. The last time a Miss Litchfield was part of the Minneapolis Aquatennial royal court was 25 years ago with runner-up Dayna Cervin.
Besides teaching dogs to sit and stay, the 4-H Dog Project helps members build new skills and meet other like-minded youth. Participants can show in 4 categories – obedience, rally, showmanship and agility.
Each category teaches the handler and dog different techniques, allowing for members of all ages and levels to participate. Whether they have a great Dane or a Chihuahua, the possibilities are endless.
In 2025, a total of thirteen 4-H members competed in the Meeker County Dog Show. The 4-Hers are able to practice together throughout the spring and summer to prepare for the competition which usually takes place in mid-July. For those that qualify with a blue ribbon, 4-Hers can go on to compete at the Minnesota 4-H Dog Show which is being held September 20 and 21 at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.
The dog show is an excellent way for 4-H members to show off the skills they taught their dog, get experience in the show ring, and learn more about their canine companions. The Meeker County Dog Project is currently organized by Joe and Erin Yanish, Catherine Baumann, Cassidy Becker and Ruby Radunz. Extension educator Cassidy Martin says a special thanks is owed to these volunteers who help with the program. For more information about the dog project or Meeker County 4-H, call 693-5275 or go to extension.umn.edu.
On August 22, 1979, Led Zeppelin’s eighth studio album, In Through the Out Door, was released in the United States. Little did anyone know, it would be their final full-length recording together. A little over a year later, drummer John Bonham would tragically pass away, resulting in the group’s disbandment. Recorded over three weeks in November and December 1978 at ABBA’s Polar Studios in Stockholm, the album became a massive hit, thanks in part to such enduring favorites as “All My Love” and “Fool in the Rain.” In addition to topping the charts on both sides of the Atlantic, the album has since been certified 6x Platinum by the RIAA.
In 1969, The Beatles met at John Lennon’s Tittenhurst Park residence in England for their final photo session together. Shot by photographer Ethan Russell, photos from the session would be used for the front and back covers of the 1970 compilation album, Hey Jude. Also among the photos were images of Yoko Ono and a pregnant Linda McCartney, who would would give birth to daughter Mary just six days later.
In 1962, meanwhile, The Beatles made their very first TV appearance on the Manchester-based Granada TV. The broadcast featured the young band performing “Some Other Guy” during a lunchtime session at The Cavern Club in Liverpool. At the end, a fan could be heard shouting “We want Pete!” (referring to drummer Pete Best, who was ousted from the group a week earlier).
In 1978, former Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious made his final live appearance in London at the Electric Ballroom. The show also marked his debut as a frontman, performing alongside Rich Kids’ Steve New, The Damned’s Rat Scabies, and Nancy Spungen. The punk supergroup played under the name Vicious White Kids to a star-studded audience, including Elvis Costello, Blondie, Joan Jett, The Slits, and Captain Sensible.
In 1968, Ringo Starr quit The Beatles during The White Album sessions after becoming overwhelmed with the constant bickering and tension between band members. News of the departure was kept secret, and he later returned to the studio on September 3. During Ringo’s absence, the band recorded “Back In the USSR” with Paul on drums and John on bass.
In 1956, Elvis Presley began working on his first movie, Love Me Tender. The original title was The Reno Brothers, but it was later changed to take advantage of Presley’s song of the same name, which was recorded for the film.
In 2011, the music world lost two of its greatest songwriters: Jerry Leiber, who died at 78, and Nicholas Ashford, who died at 70. Leiber formed a highly-successful creative partnership with Mike Stoller. Together, they penned such hits as “Hound Dog” (made famous first by Big Mama Thornton, followed by Elvis Presley) “Jailhouse Rock” (Presley), “Poison Ivy” (The Coasters) and “Stand By Me,” written alongside singer Ben E. King. Ashford, meanwhile, was best known for his work alongside his former wife, Valerie Simpson. Together, they wrote such notable singles as “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing” (both made famous by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell), and “I’m Every Woman,” which Chaka Khan made her signature hit in 1978. The couple also enjoyed a successful recording career, scoring hits with “Found A Cure” (1979) and “Solid” (1984).
BORN ON AUGUST 22
1917: John Lee Hooker
1936: Dale Hawkins
1958: Ian Mitchell (Bay City Rollers)
1961: Debbie Peterson (The Bangles)
1961: Roland Orzabal (Tears for Fears)
1963: Tori Amos
1967: Layne Staley (Alice in Chains)
1973: Howie D (Backstreet Boys)
1995: Dua Lipa