On Aug. 7, 1963, Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello’s first movie together, “Beach Party,” was released.
In 1970, “Soul Train” made its debut on a Chicago TV station.
In 1974, actor Faye Dunaway married singer Peter Wolf of the J. Geils Band. They divorced five years later.
In 1986, a judge in Los Angeles dismissed a lawsuit against Ozzy Osbourne. The lawsuit had been filed by the parents of a teenager who killed himself while listening to Osbourne’s “Suicide Solution.”
Also in 1986, actor Tom Selleck married Jillie Mack.
In 1991, charges of assault and property damage were filed against Axl Rose in connection with a riot during a Guns N’ Roses concert in the St. Louis area.
In 1995, rapper LL Cool J married Simone Johnson.
In 2011, singer Gavin DeGraw was attacked by a group of unknown assailants in New York. He suffered a concussion, a broken nose and black eyes.
Today’s Birthdays: Humorist Garrison Keillor is 82. Actor John Glover (“Smallville”) is 80. Actor David Rasche (“Sledge Hammer!”) is 80. Country singer Rodney Crowell is 74. Actor Caroline Aaron (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) is 72. Actor Wayne Knight (“Seinfeld”) is 69. Singer Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden is 66. Actor David Duchovny (“Californication,” ″The X-Files”) is 64. Actor Delane Matthews (“Dave’s World”) is 63. Actor Harold Perrineau (“Lost,” ″Oz”) is 61. Jazz pianist Marcus Roberts is 61. Country singer Raul Malo of The Mavericks is 59. Actor David Mann (“Madea” films) is 58. Actor Sydney Penny (“The Thorn Birds,” ″All My Children”) is 53. Actor Greg Serano (“Power”) is 52. Actor Michael Shannon (“George and Tammy,” “The Flash”) is 50. Actor Charlize Theron is 49. Drummer Barry Kerch of Shinedown is 48. Actor Eric Johnson (“Fifty Shades Darker,” ″Smallville”) is 45. Actor Liam James (TV’s “Psych,” film’s “The Way, Way Back”) is 28.
The City of Litchfield has some major projects on the horizon and the Litchfield City Council meeting on Monday evening was devoted to discussion about several of them. Updates to the wastewater treatment plant will require millions of dollars.
Mayor Ron Dingmann says the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has more stringent limits on phosphorus, nitrogen and other elements, combined with the expansion at First District Association and maintenance updates that will require millions of dollars in facility improvements. He says a facility plan needs to be approved in order to qualify for Public Finance Authority funding, and Paul Saffert from Bolton & Menk presented some plan options for the Council to consider on Monday night.
Mayor Dingmann says they have experts working on a solution to the wastewater issue. He says the MPCA also notified the City that it can’t store its salt outside, so the construction of a salt storage facility will be considered at the next meeting which will cost at least $350,000.
Mayor Dingmann says the Council has approved of a project to refurbish the Library building with stucco replacement and repairs to the roof, windows, masonry and the electrical system with a bid of $365,000 which was under the estimate of $512,000 and American Rescue Plan funds will be used for that project. He says the Council also approved of bids Monday evening for electric and water meters.
The Kandiyohi County Fair opens today in Willmar and continues through Saturday night. Today is Veterans Day, so a veteran and guest will be admitted free of charge from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and there’s a free veterans lunch.
The entertainment highlight tonight is bull riding. Bull riding is also featured tomorrow evening at 7:30. Thursday is Senior Day at the Kandiyohi County Fair. Jeff James will be performing Thursday from noon-to-2 and then free cookies and coffee will be served to seniors, and there’s a free sweet corn feed from 5-to-7 Thursday.
Friday’s grandstand show at the Kandiyohi County Fair is a semi, pick-up and tractor pull. Saturday is Kid’s Day and there will be a pedal tractor pull at 9:30 a.m. and a Lego building contest from 10-to-11:30. The grandstand show on Saturday will be the NTPA Tractor/Truck Pull. Gate admission to the Kandiyohi County Fair is $5 for adults and youth, free for children 5 and under, and $5 for vehicle parking on the fairgrounds. For more details, go to kandifair.com.
The Meeker County Board of Commissioner approved of a resolution Tuesday approving of the establishment of a tax increment financing (TIF) district for the City of Litchfield. The TIF district is for a multi-family housing development at 415 South Ramsey Avenue.
Jason Aarsvold from Ehlers says Midtown Lofts plans to construct a 60-unit, $11.9-million market rate rental complex and the TIF amount would be $688,888 for a 9-year period. He says the City of Litchfield approved of a preliminary planned unit development back on April 15th and will consider final approval at its August 19th meeting, and the TIF requires approval from both the County and School District.
The Board approved of an interim ordinance establishing a moratorium on the operation of cannabis businesses in Meeker County. The moratorium will give the County time to undertake a process to study and conduct hearings on amending or adopting official controls authorized by Minnesota statute relating to cannabis businesses.
The Commissioners approved of amendments to the Meeker County solar, wind and energy storage system ordinances on a 4-to-1 vote with Julie Bredeson opposed. The Board also approved of rescinding the interim ordinance that instituted a moratorium on large solar energy systems and wind energy conversion systems.
The Meeker County Commissioners approved of the appointment of Katherine Fenrich to the Public Health Advisory Board; approved of out-of-state travel/training for detectives Seth Louks and Josh Case in Deadwood, South Dakota; approved of hiring a health educator for opioid and suicide prevention with funding from a Minnesota Dept. of Health grant and from the opioid settlement; approved of hiring a social worker for the Community First Services & Supports and Community Access for Disability Inclusion Program with funding coming from those two programs; and approved of a $10,000 grant with the Minnesota Dept. of Veterans Affairs for the Meeker County Veterans Service Office.
A 2-vehicle crash occurred in Kingston Township in Meeker County on Tuesday afternoon at 12:06 at the intersection of Highway 15 and county road 21. According to the Minnesota State Patrol, a 2015 International Prostar semi was eastbound on 21 and collided with a 2018 Chevy Express which was southbound on 15. The 34-year-old driver of the Chevy – Andrew Donald Lanoye of Marshall – received non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to the St. Cloud Hospital. The semi driver – 78-year-old Tommie Lee Ellis of Bellwood, Illinois – was taken to Meeker Memorial Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.