The Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge Choir will be part of the 10 a.m. service at Litchfield United Methodist Church on September 13th. The non-profit, faith-based organization began in 1993 as a recovery program for teens and adults dealing with addiction. People in the program share music and testimonies as they perform in churches to get the word out about the organization.
Leanne Kess says everyone is welcome to the Methodist Church at 1000 South Sibley Avenue in Litchfield to see the group on September 13th. She says the Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge is for both men and women of all ages from all walks of life and they share their stories between their musical numbers. She says some of them may have come from homes where alcohol and drug use was prevalent, while others may have grown up in a supportive family, but fell in with the wrong crowd at some point.
Kess says some of the people in the program are there for a short term of 45-to-90 days and others are in it for a long term of 6-to-12 months and there are locations in Minneapolis, Duluth, Rochester, Mankato, Alexandria, Brainerd and Buffalo. She says when they’ve been helped with their addiction issues, they also receive help finding housing and with other things that will help them get back to normal living. If you would like more information or need help with addiction, call MN Adult & Teen Challenge at 612-373-3366 or check out their website.
On August 31, 1984, Prince fans across the UK rushed to cinemas to catch Purple Rain, which was causing plenty of buzz since its release a month earlier in America. Buoyed by a hit soundtrack—which featured the enduring singles “When Doves Cry,” “Let’s Go Crazy,” as well as the title track—the blockbuster film grossed over $72 million worldwide. Across the pond, Purple Rain won an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score, while in 2019, the Library of Congress selected it to be preserved in the United States National Film Registry.
In 1991, Metallica’s self-titled fifth studio album (commonly referred to as The Black Album) began a four-week run at the top of the Billboard 200. A stylistic turning point in their career, the LP featured some of their best-known songs, including the ballad “Nothing Else Matters” and the platinum-certified hit, “Enter Sandman.” In 1992, Metallica won a Grammy for Best Metal Performance, while the album has since been certified 16x Platinum by the RIAA.
In 1968, one of the Rolling Stones’ most political songs, “Street Fighting Man,” was released via Decca Records. Inspired by an anti-Vietnam war rally that Mick Jagger attended, the song was banned by many US radio stations, due to its seemingly subversive lyrics.
In 2007, Hilly Kristal, the founder of New York punk club CBGB, died at 75, following a battle with lung cancer. Founded on December 10, 1973 as “CBGB & OMFUG” (Country, Bluegrass, Blues, and Other Music for Uplifting Gormandizers), the club soon became an underground hub, launching the careers of seminal punk and new wave acts, including the Talking Heads, Television, and Blondie. Kristal was also credited with discovering the likes of Patti Smith and The Ramones.
In 2003, Elton John’s 1979 single, “Are You Ready For Love,” hit No. 1 on the UK singles chart after he performed it in an ad for Sky Sports’ new football season. The uplifting song was originally recorded in 1977 and later remixed, following the popular ad spot.
BORN ON AUGUST 31
1945: Van Morrison
1948: Rudolf Schenker (Scorpions)
1957: Gina Schock (The Go-Go’s)
1957: Glenn Tilbrook (Squeeze)
1967: Gerard Love (Teenage Fanclub)
1970: Debbie Gibson
1977: Del Marquis (Scissor Sisters)
A St. Cloud man is accused of embezzling more than $350,000 from a historic cemetery.
North Star Cemetery dates back to the mid 1800s. It’s operated by a nonprofit association that is suing its former president.
The civil complaint alleges Roger Robinson, 66, stole money from the association beginning in 2020, when he took on a supervisory role.
The complaint says Robinson removed other members as signatories from the association’s bank account, and opened other bank accounts under its name without other members’ knowledge. It says he transferred cemetery funds into personal accounts and a business account for a for-profit company he owns.
The complaint also says Robinson used money from the cemetery’s account for personal expenses including restaurants, retail purchases, gas and hotel stays.
In a court filing in the civil case earlier this month, Robinson’s attorney denied the claims. A court hearing is scheduled for Oct. 26.
Robinson was criminally charged in November in Stearns County District Court with one count of felony theft by swindle. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison and a $100,000 fine.
St. Cloud police began investigating in October 2024, after meeting with a North Star board member who suspected that Robinson was stealing money from the cemetery.
A law firm representing Robinson against the criminal charge declined to comment.
Many Americans are finding it harder to stretch their budgets — and wondering when they’ll feel some financial relief.
Inflation, higher gas prices and difficulty keeping up with bills and other payments — like buy now, pay later loans — are straining household budgets, while tariffs and changing trade relationships, including with Canada, raise concerns about additional costs.
Coming up at 9 a.m. on Monday, MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests talk about why so many people feel financially squeezed, what’s driving these pressures and what they reveal about the broader economy.
And we want to hear from you, too.
Have you been feeling a financial pinch? How’s the economy affecting how you choose to spend your money?
Call us during the 9 a.m. hour at 651-227-6000 or 800-242-2828.
Guests:
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Chris Farrell is the senior economics contributor for MPR News and Marketplace.
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Catherine Rampell is economics editor at The Bulwark, an independent media company. She is also an anchor at MS NOW, formerly MSNBC, and a contributor to Marketplace. She previously worked as an opinion columnist for The Washington Post and was an economics reporter for The New York Times.
Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.