WASHINGTON, March 5, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that people recovering from the impact of recent severe storms, flooding and straight-line winds may be eligible for food assistance through USDA’s Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP). Approximately 12,600 households in 14 counties in Kentucky are estimated to be eligible for this relief to help with grocery expenses.
Originally reported by the USDA.
Originally reported by the USDA.
Washington, D.C., Mar. 4, 2025 — Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins delivered remarks to hundreds of local leaders at the National Association of Counties. There, she previewed her vision for restoring rural prosperity to America. She discussed the importance of the President’s efforts to rein in out-of-control government spending and federal overreach to return more power to the people. She also addressed the wildfires in the Carolinas and provided an update on the Department’s distribution of economic and disaster aid passed by Congress in December.
Originally reported by the USDA.
Originally reported by the USDA.
The Meeker County Board has approved of an agreement with Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway to replace the crossing on County-State-Aid-Highway 1 – west of Litchfield. The 50-50 cost split will cost the county about $32,000.
County Administrator Andrew Letson told the Commissioners that Health & Human Services Director Paul Buchovich is retiring, and he recommended that Tina Schenk be named as his replacement, which the Board approved.
The Board moved to approve of an ordinance establishing a local housing trust fund and to authorize an application to Minnesota Housing for matching funds. The EDA is seeking $150,000 of state funds to match the local EDA contribution of $150,000. Economic Development Director Lisa Graphenteen spoke to the Board about the broad range of items for which the funds would be used.
The Commissioners approved of a quote from Marco Technologies for the purchase, installation and configuration of Dell Data Domain backup hardware and software for $47,280.66. The Board also heard an annual report from PACT for Families Executive Director Sarah Vonderharr, and received an update on hospital matters from Meeker Memorial Hospital CEO Mary Ellen Wells. Wells says Meeker Memorial has been named one of the top 100 critical access hospitals in the nation; and the hospital board is putting blueprints together for a future building project.
On this day in music, March 4, 1966, John Lennon stated in an interview published by London’s Evening Standard newspaper that The Beatles were “more popular than Jesus Christ.” In the UK, his words didn’t raise many eyebrows but when they were published in America later that year – just prior to The Beatles’ third tour of the country – they angered Christian communities, who protested by picketing concerts and publicly burning the Fab Four’s records. Lennon later apologized for his controversial comments, saying that he had been misunderstood.
In 2019, 49-year-old Keith Flint – best known as The Prodigy’s flamboyant frontman – took his own life. Born in London, he began as a dancer with The Prodigy before becoming their lead vocalist on their third album, 1997’s The Fat Of The Land, which featured the group’s iconic hit “Firestarter.” Away from The Prodigy, he led his own punk band, Flint, and also owned a motorcycle racing team called Team Traction Control, which won four Isle of Man TT races and participated in the British Superbike Championship.
In 1974, ABBA released “Waterloo,” the title track and first single from their second album. When it won the Eurovision Song Contest, it made the Swedish group a household name, topping the charts in nine countries across the world, including the UK where it was also the quartet’s first gold single.
In 2009, Britney Spears embarked on her first concert tour in five years. Dubbed “The Circus Tour,” the artist’s 97-date itinerary began in New Orleans and proved to be an extravagant spectacle that featured the singer, dressed as a ringmaster, sharing the stage with a troupe of acrobats, magicians, dancers, and jugglers.
In 1967, The Rolling Stones topped the Billboard Hot 100 for the fourth time with “Ruby Tuesday.” Though it didn’t appear on any of the group’s UK albums – where it was released as a non-album double A-side single with the controversial “Let’s Spend The Night Together” – it was featured on the band’s US-only LP, Between The Buttons.
In 1963, The Beach Boys released “Surfin’ U.S.A,” the title track of the band’s second album. Rock‘n’roll icon Chuck Berry noticed that the tune, attributed to Brian Wilson, was remarkably similar to his 1958 hit, “Sweet Little Sixteen,” and successfully pursued the band for a publishing credit. Although it stalled at No.2 on the Billboard Hot 100, “Surfin’ USA” spent 78 weeks on the chart and became the best-selling record of the year.
1944: Bobby Womack
1948: Shakin’ Stevens
1951: Chris Rea
1953: Emilio Estefan (Miami Sound Machine)
1955: Boon Gould (Level 42)
1963: Jason Newsted (Metallica)
1967: Evan Dando (The Lemonheads)
1968: Patsy Kensit (Eighth Wonder)
Pie Day will be celebrated with the sale of frozen take-and-bake homemade pies this Saturday from 9-to-11 a.m. – or until the pies are gone – at the Litchfield Opera House. There will be many varieties of 7-inch and 9-inch pies which will sell for $7 and $10, respectively.
Connie Lies says Pi Day is observed on March 14th as Pi is 3.14, but they have their sale of pies before that so that people will have pies to bake on March 14th. She says you can keep them frozen and save them for Easter dinner or another occasion as they will keep in the freezer for several months. Lies says proceeds from the pie sale will go to continuing preservation of the Litchfield Opera House.
Lies says they sold well over 100 pies last year, but they’ve made more this year, so will be selling about 150 pies. She says she specializes in apple, peach, cherry and strawberry-rhubarb.
Karen Urdahl says she has made blueberry pies, along with 4-berry which include strawberry, blueberry, raspberry and blackberry, and triple berry which is blueberry, raspberry and blackberry – and they are all homemade ingredients – not canned fillings. She says Thrivent has been a big help with this event.
Urdahl says you can keep the pies frozen and then follow the directions for baking them when you are ready and enjoy the smell of fresh-baked pie in your house. She says they’d like to thank everyone who supports them.
