20 YEARS AGO: NEWS FROM THE ISSUE OF JAN. 9, 2003
Five candidates have applied for the open Ward 4 seat on the Litchfield City Council, which was vacated when Jim Swenson was elected to the Meeker County Board in November. Candidates include Guy Anderson, Michael Cziok, Larry Dahl, Kevin Midtling and Sherron Reilley. The City Council will appoint one of the five after interviewing all of them at its next meeting.
Meeker County Public Health officials will receive smallpox vaccinations as part of the state’s preparations for the unlikely event of a terrorist attack involving the disease. Only doctors and health officials are being vaccinated in the first phase of the statewide plan, but Meeker County has access to enough of the vaccine for everyone in case of an attack. “We’re working on emergency plans,” Public Health Educator Laura Lindeman said. “We can never be 100 percent prepared, but we’re as prepared as we should be.” Lindeman, who specializes in the field of bioterrorism, is one of between 5,000 and 10,000 Minnesotans who will be vaccinated on a volunteer basis in the first phase.
First District Association ended its fiscal year in September 2002 with about $3.5 million in earning, less than half of the $7.6 million in earnings the cooperative experienced in 2001. “It was a very challenging year for dairy farmers, and so it was a challenging year for First District Association,” President and CEO Clint Falls said. “And yet we were able to end the year with respectable earnings in light of the dairy climate we’re in at this time.” Earnings from 2002 were the lowest since 1998, when earnings were about about $1.5 million.
John Carlson, a Litchfield High School senior who is verbally committed to Notre Dame, suited up for the West team in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, which featured 78 of the top high school football players in the country. The West fell to the East 47-3 at the Alamo Dome in San Antonio, Texas, in what Carlson called an “eye-opening” experience. “I wanted to try and evaluate myself against some of the best in the nation,” Carlson said. “I wanted to see what I needed to focus on most — my weaknesses. I felt like I held my own, OK, but to maybe dominate a little bit, I think I need to gain a little weight.”
Neil Denin retired Friday after 34 years and 12 days as an employee of the U.S. Postal Service in Litchfield. Although he received numerous congratulations during his last week of work, Denin doesn’t take much credit himself, pointing instead to the work ethics of his coworkers. “Some people think it’s a slack job that anyone could do, but the people who have done it realize it’s hard work,” he said. “The people who do it are hard working and honest. You can’t give them enough credit.”
75 YEARS AGO: NEWS FROM THE ISSUE OF JAN. 15, 1948
A building costing more than $200,000 will come to Litchfield for the price of a 200-square-foot lot. It was announced early this week by Ben Marshall, captain of the Litchfield National Guard unit, that the Litchfield armory is scheduled for a construction site next May if the city can provide a suitable lot. The letter stated that the Litchfield facility will be one of 14 to be built next year in the state. No strings are attached to the project with the exception that the city must provide a centrally located lot.
95 YEARS AGO: NEWS FROM THE ISSUE OF JAN. 13, 1928
According to A.H. Nelson, who recently visited the office of the state game and fish department in St. Paul, three Meeker County lakes are to be seined soon. Commercial fisherman will remove rough fish from lakes Minniebelle, Richardson and Dunn. Carp are known to exist in Minniebelle and no doubt are present in the other two lakes.
The bright red uniforms of the Willmar Cardinals girls basketball team apparently affected the vision of the referees in a game which Litchfield proved it can compete with any team in the state. Final score was 19-10 for Litchfield, despite the fact that 16 fouls were called against Litchfield and just two against Willmar.
The Litchfield Ice Co. is filling its icehouse. The ice is being taken from Lake Ripley and is of good quality and thickness. Ideal weather has been encountered for the job. Not quite so much ice will be stored this year as in former years.
145 YEARS AGO: NEWS FROM THE ISSUE OF JAN. 10, 1878
Last week John B. Akey’s team became frightened by the rail cars and tore up Sibley Avenue at a terrific rate. When they reached the residence of H.L. Wadsworth they struck his fence and made kindling wood out of a stretch of it. They then caromed to the old gentleman Branham’s fence and left the buggy there. Once of the horses fell down to finally stop the rampage.
There was a good old fashioned logging bee at Tim Dunn’s a few days ago — one just like they had in our grandfathers’ days — and they had a nice time. In the evening there was a dance with about 20 couples. There was a little difficulty between two young gents and as usual it involved a girl who walked home alone. Music was furnished by Buckeley’s band composed of the following gentlemen, P. McGowan, Mike Hacket and John Buckley.
