On this day in music, May 20, 2016, the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) announced that UK artists accounted for one in every six albums sold worldwide. The announcement followed the success of acts like Ed Sheeran, One Direction, Sam Smith, and Adele, whose third album, 25, sold 17.4 million copies in just six weeks and broke numerous records around the globe.
In 1998, a star-studded funeral was held for legendary singer Frank Sinatra in Beverly Hills. Among the attendees were Tony Bennett, Liza Minnelli, Sophia Loren, Jack Nicholson, and Sinatra’s former wife, Mia Farrow.
In 2007, Rihanna began a consecutive ten-week run at the top of the UK pop charts with “Umbrella” ft. Jay-Z. The song, which broke British records for the decade, propelled the Barbadian singer to international superstardom. Across the Atlantic, “Umbrella” held the No.1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven consecutive weeks.
In 2012, 62-year-old singer, songwriter, and Bee Gees co-founder, Robin Gibb, lost his battle with cancer. Along with his brothers, Gibb rose to fame in the late 60s with hits like “To Love Somebody” and “Massachusetts,” while the following decade, the Bee Gees helped to make disco music a global phenomenon with their Saturday Night Fever soundtrack.
In 2013, classic rock fans mourned the death of 74-year-old keyboardist, Ray Manzarek. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer co-founded The Doors in 1965, alongside Jim Morrison, Robbie Krieger, and John Densmore. In addition to his work with the influential LA group, Manzarek co-founded Nite City and later formed Manzarek-Krieger with his former bandmate.
In 2007, with their heavy metal anthem, “Hallelujah,” Lordi became the first Finnish act to win the Eurovision Song Contest.
In 1967, Beatles fans in the UK were given a sneak preview of the band’s new album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, when Kenny Everet premiered nearly every track on his radio show, Where It’s At. The track “A Day in the Life” was banned by BBC Light due to its perceived promotion of drug use.
BORN ON MAY 20
1944: Joe Cocker
1946: Cher
1958: Jane Wieldin (The Go-Go’s)
1959: Israel “IZ” Ka‘ano‘i Kamakawiwo‘ole
1960: Sue Cowsill (The Cowsills)
1961: Nick Heyward (Haircut 100)
1961: Dan Wilson (Semisonic)
1972: Busta Rhymes
1981: Rachel Platten
This week is EMS Week and the Litchfield Rescue Squad will have on open house on Wednesday evening at the Rescue Hall – under the Litchfield Water Tower – from 5:30-to-7:30 p.m. There will be demonstrations of the various equipment used by the Litchfield Rescue Squad, refreshments, door prizes and some of the other related departments will be there.
Mike Massingham, who’s been on the Litchfield Rescue Squad for 29 years, says there will be representatives there from the Sheriff’s Office, Meeker Memorial Hospital and Public Health, and there may be a helicopter as well. He says emergency personnel include more than just rescue, fire and ambulance crews.
Massingham says the Litchfield Rescue Squad responds to medicals and car accidents, but also does storm-spotting and is present at high school sports events. He says they like to have 30 members so that there’s always a good bunch available to respond to each call. Massingham says there is a theme for each day of EMS week, and he’d especially like to remind people to wear helmets, seat belts, life jackets and sunscreen.
Litchfield Rescue Squad Chief Blake Tangen says he’s been on the Squad for 15 years and got involved because he had been a 911 dispatcher while he was in college in South Dakota and when he moved back to Litchfield, wanted to give back to the community. He says the Sheriff’s Office will demonstrate its drone equipment during Wednesday’s open house which can be very useful to the Rescue Squad in search and rescue situations.
Tangen says they are always looking for new members and applications are available at City Hall or on the City of Litchfield’s website. He says they can train you if you have no experience as they have lots of training sessions.
Brian Valdez joined the Litchfield Rescue Squad about a year and a half ago. He says a firefighter friend encouraged him to join the Squad.
Valdez says responding to calls for each member varies on their employers’ requirements and their work schedule. Valdez was one of 4 Litchfield Rescue Squad members honored recently for responding to 300 or more calls in 2024 along with Candace Bollman, Scott Steuck and Jenny Welte. Joanna Mackereth was named Litchfield Rescue Squad member of the year for 2024. The Litchfield Rescue Squad responded to 588 calls in 2024.
The Litchfield City Council heard an update last night from Golden Fleece Lodge #89 Charitable Foundation President Greg Langmo on the proposal for building a picnic shelter at South Park. The Lodge is hoping to build the structure with trees from the local area.
Langmo says they would also like the structure to have electricity and possibly a restroom. The Council directed the City staff to work with the Golden Fleece Lodge on the next steps in the process of developing the shelter.
The Council approved of a variance request for John & Leslie Mueller at 408 North Gorman Avenue to tear down a detached garage and to construct a new 2-stall, detached garage. The council approved of appointing Owen Boerma as the Litchfield Area Recreation Center Director.
A bid was approved for the siding project at the Litchfield Civic Arena with RAM Buildings, Inc. for $168,474. A bid was also approved for 8 additional basketball hoops at the LARC with H2I Group for $82,510 on a 4-to-2 vote with Darlene Kotelnicki and Bob Powers opposed. $20,000 has already been donated to the basketball hoop project by local basketball groups. The T hangar project bid at the municipal airport was approved from Everstrong Construction for $1,149,547. City Engineer Chuck DeWolf says the bid won’t be awarded until August to make sure that the 95% reimbursement from the federal government goes through.
A waiver of subdivision review for the pretreatment facility land purchase at the wastewater treatment plant for First District Association was approved. A public hearing was set for June 16th at 5:30 p.m. to consider that sale of public property.
Following a closed session at the May 4th Council meeting, a resolution was approved last night accepting an investigation regarding a complaint in the law enforcement department on a 5-to-1 vote with Kotelnicki opposed.
With the resignation of Sara Miller from the Litchfield City Council earlier this spring, some of the committee assignments were reassigned last night. Betty Allen will take Miller’s spot at the Chamber and on the Personnel Committee. The new Ward 5 Council Member Bob Powers will serve on the Finance & Infrastructure Committee. Also last night, the Litchfield City Council heard the annual audit report from Justin McGraw of Conway, Deuth & Schmiesing.
Historical Events
1217 – Second Battle of Lincoln fought near Lincoln, England, resulting in the defeat of Prince Louis of France by William Marshal, 2nd Earl of Pembroke
1498 – Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama arrives at Calicut, India becoming the first European to reach India by sea
1868 – Republican National Convention, meets in Chicago, nominates Grant
1959 – Japanese-Americans regain their citizenship
1972 – “Hard Job Being God” closes at Edison Theater NYC after 6 performances
Famous Birthdays
1822 – Emile Erckmann [co-wrote with Alexandre Chatrian using penname Erckmann-Chatrian], French writer (Waterloo), born in Meurthe, France (d. 1899)
1917 – Richard Cobb, British historian, born in Frinton-on-Sea (d. 1996)
1925 – D. French Slaughter Jr, American politician (Rep-R-VA, 1985-91), born in Culpeper, Virginia (d. 1998)
1943 – Iain Vallance [Baron Vallance of Tummel], CEO of British Telecom and member of the House of Lords (2004-20), born in Kent, England
1984 – Kenny Vasoli, American rock singer-songwriter, and musician (Vacationer), born in Abington, Pennsylvania
Famous Deaths
1923 – Hans Goldschmidt, German chemist, dies
1925 – Elias Ammons, American politician (Governor of Colorado, 1913-15), who sent the National Guard to settle coalminer strikes, precipitating the Ludlow Massacre, die at 64
1939 – Joe Carr, American Pro Football HOF contributor (NFL President 1921-39), dies from a heart attack at 59
1996 – Julius Marmur, American biochemist and geneticist (DNA research), dies at 70
2007 – Stanley Miller, American chemist (created ‘primordial soup’ experiment to show how life might have originated on earth), dies at 77
