On June 6, 1933, the first drive-in movie theater opened, in Camden, New Jersey.
In 1960, Tony Williams left The Platters for a solo career. Williams was the lead singer on The Platters’ hits “Only You,” “The Great Pretender” and “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.”
In 1962, The Beatles auditioned for producer George Martin at EMI Records in London. He signed them to a contract the following month.
In 1968, the Rolling Stones recorded the song “Sympathy for the Devil.”
In 1969, Rod Stewart signed a solo recording contract with Mercury Records. He had previously sung for the Jeff Beck Group.
In 1971, the “Ed Sullivan Show” was canceled after 23 years. It was TV’s longest-running variety show.
In 1977, Stevie Wonder delivered an unannounced lecture to a class at UCLA studying the record industry.
In 1990, a federal judge in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, declared that 2 Live Crew’s “As Nasty As They Wanna Be” was obscene. Two days later, a record store owner was charged for selling the hit rap album.
Today’s Birthdays: Singer-songwriter Gary “U.S.” Bonds is 84. Country singer Joe Stampley is 80. Jazz pianist Monty Alexander is 79. Actor Robert Englund (Freddie Krueger) is 76. Singer Dwight Twilley is 72. Playwright-actor Harvey Fierstein is 71. Actor-comedian Sandra Bernhard is 68. Record producer and musician Jimmy Jam (The Time) is 64. Actor Amanda Pays is 64. Comedian Colin Quinn is 64. Guitarist Steve Vai (VY) is 63. Singer-bassist Tom Araya of Slayer is 62. Actor Jason Isaacs (“Harry Potter” films) is 60. Bassist Sean Ysealt (White Zombie) is 57. Actor Max Casella (“Analyze This,” ″Doogie Howser, M.D.”) is 56. Actor Paul Giamatti is 56. Singer Damion Hall of Guy is 55. Guitarist James “Munky” Shaffer of Korn is 54. Country singer Lisa Brokop is 50. Singer Uncle Kracker is 49. Actor Sonya Walger (“Lost”) is 49. Actor Staci Keanan (“Step By Step,” ″My Two Dads”) is 48. Jazz singer Somi is 47. Actor Aubrey Anderson-Emmons (“Modern Family”) is 16.
The Litchfield City Council covered numerous items last night while working through its agenda and the housing issue surfaced a couple of times. The Council approved of a housing and comp plan proposal from WSB for $21,398.
The Council was also approached again by developer Dave Tysk who would like to use tax increment financing for a housing development and wondered why the City has just been sitting on his application. After a great deal of discussion, the Council approved of a resolution authorizing up to $8,000 in an escrow payment from Tysk for Ehlers to study the TIF application and move the matter toward a public hearing.
Meeker County Emergency Management Director Stephanie Johnson spoke to the Council last night about a hazard mitigation plan. She says an updated plan is required every 5 years, mainly to outline the steps to take to lessen the loss of life and property in the event of a natural disaster.
State Representative Dean Urdahl presented a review of the 2023 Legislative Session. He says the capital investment bill includes $5-million for First District Association’s wastewater pretreatment project; $2-million for façade improvements in Litchfield’s historic downtown district; and an additional $1-million for the Litchfield Area Recreation Center (LARC).
On the LARC topic, Pat Overom from ICS presented an update and says the City’s funding for the project is coming together. He says City and School officials will continue to work together on the project and the next step will be the approval of a joint powers agreement – probably in July.
The Council approved of certificates of appropriateness last night for a repointing project on the south and west facades of DeAnn’s Country Village Shoppe at 115 North Sibley Avenue; and for concrete replacement and a rear door replacement at the Natural Food Co-op at 230 North Sibley Avenue.
Also last night, the Litchfield City Council approved of an airport maintenance and operation grant agreement; had some discussion about what to expect when recreational marijuana becomes legal; and had some discussion about a possible food truck ordinance, and will gauge public interest in having portable food vendors operating in Litchfield.
On Sunday morning at 1:32 a.m., the Stearns County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call reporting a crash in the 43000 block of County Road 17 in Sauk Centre Township – about 2 miles northwest of Sauk Centre. The caller reported a vehicle in the ditch and a man laying in the middle of the roadway.
Sauk Centre Officers, followed by Stearns County Deputies, arrived on the scene and located an unconscious male laying in the roadway. In the southwest ditch of Co. Rd. 17 was a 2012 GMC Terrain that was significantly damaged and appeared to have rolled over several times. The driver, identified as 24-year-old Collin James Flynn of Detroit Lakes, was transported to the hospital where he was later pronounced dead. A review of the crash scene indicated that Flynn was traveling southeast on Co. Rd. 17 towards the City of Sauk Centre. The GMC Terrain went off the road to the right, struck a filed approach, vaulted, and subsequently rolled several times. The cause of the crash remains under investigation and alcohol is suspected as a factor. The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Sauk Centre Police Department and Sauk Centre Ambulance Service.
Thriving Thursdays will begin on June 8th with the Watercade Brat Feed from 5:30-to-7 in Litchfield’s Central Park. The Litchfield Early Childhood programs will serve pie and ice cream, and music will be by the ’57 Chevy Band from 6-to-8 p.m.
Larry Gwost is the drummer for the ’57 Chevy Band and he says they are a 3-piece band that plays mostly rockabilly and 50s music.
Gwost says the band formed back in 1991, and he joined in 2007, quit in 2011, and rejoined the group in 2018. He says they mostly play in the 5-state area, and perform all year-long, but are busiest in the summer months. He encourages people to bring their lawn chairs and enjoy the music on Thursday evening in Litchfield’s Central Park.
June is Dairy Month and members of the Meeker County American Dairy Association are busy promoting their products. The public is welcome to Dinner on the Dairy on Friday, June 16th from 5-to-8 p.m. at Ru-Be Dairy – south of Grove City.
Elizabeth Krienke is the herdman for Ru-Be Dairy. She says they will be serving grilled cheese sandwiches, chips, milk and cookies, and there will be self-guided tours of the farm.
Krienke says she grew up on a dairy farm by Lester Prairie and is a former McLeod County dairy princess. Paige Frenchick is a junior Meeker County dairy princess and lives on a farm just outside of Eden Valley. She says she and her fellow princesses and ambassadors stay busy talking to children about the dairy industry and serving ice cream at various community events.
Frenchick says they have a story time event coming up on Thursday in Litchfield. She says there will be kids activities during Dinner on the Dairy on June 16th – from 5-to-8 p.m. at Ru-Be Dairy – south of Grove City.