1990 – 25 years ago
Thunder rumbled and lighting flashed as winter blew into southeastern Minnesota with seven inches of snow and high winds that caused whiteout conditions. The Minnesota Road Information Service has advised no travel.
• Lt. Ross Parker of the Rochester Fire Department indicated that sprinklers doused an early morning fire in Charter House on the 20th floor and possibly saved the top three floors of the building. Nearly 300 retirees live in the complex near downtown Rochester.
1965 – 50 years ago
• An $8 million, 50-store shopping center is being proposed for development along the present U.S. 14-52 Southwest Beltline. The 98-acre tract will be developed jointly by the Van Cuyk and Leach Realty of Rochester and Apace Corp. of Minneapolis. Construction may start in May 1966.
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• The congregation of the First Baptist Church of Rochester turned down an offer of $305,000 made by the Mayo Foundation for the purchase of the church and property at 402 2nd St. SW.
1940 – 75 years ago
• All Rochester city offices will be closed for the funeral of Julius J. Reiter. Reiter served five terms as mayor.
• The annual Zumbro Lutheran Church dinner and bazaar will be held. The price is 50 cents for adults and 30 cents for children. The menu includes roast pork and dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, cabbage stew, rutabagas, flatbro, lefsa and assorted Norwegian cakes.
1915 – 100 years ago
• Two more women have been arrested in Rochester in a police vice crusade. Mayor W.B. Richardson said, "We propose to clean this town of all disreputable characters if it takes all winter." Police Chief George McDermott said they will make every effort to nip vice in the bud before it had a chance to start.
From news services
Ten years ago: North Carolina inmate Kenneth Lee Boyd became the 1,000th person executed since the U.S. resumed capital punishment in 1977. Singapore executed a Vietnamese-born Australian heroin trafficker (Nguyen Tuong Van) despite a warning by Australian Prime Minister John Howard that the hanging would sour relations between the two countries.
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Five years ago: The House voted, 333-79, to censure Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., for financial and fundraising misconduct; it was only the 23rd time that the House had invoked its most serious punishment short of expulsion. LeBron James scored 38 points to lead the visiting Miami Heat to a 118-90 victory over the host Cleveland Cavaliers; it was James' first game back in the city where he had played for seven years before leaving via free agency. The tiny desert nation of Qatar beat out the United States as the 2022 World Cup host (however, questions have since been raised about the bidding process).
One year ago: Israel's divided government fell apart as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired two rebellious Cabinet ministers and called for a new election more than two years ahead of schedule. Islamic militants killed 36 quarry workers in northern Kenya who they believed were non-Muslims.
Today's birthdays: Former Attorney General Edwin Meese III is 84. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., is 76. Actress Cathy Lee Crosby is 71. Movie director Penelope Spheeris is 70. Actor Ron Raines is 66. Country singer John Wesley Ryles is 65. Actor Keith Szarabajka is 63. Actor Dan Butler is 61. Broadcast journalist Stone Phillips is 61. Actor Dennis Christopher is 60. Actor Steven Bauer is 59. Country singer Joe Henry is 55. Rock musician Rick Savage (Def Leppard) is 55. Actor Brendan Coyle (TV: "Downton Abbey") is 52. Rock musician Nate Mendel (Foo Fighters) is 47. Actress Suzy Nakamura is 47. Actress Rena Sofer is 47. Rock singer Jimi (cq) HaHa (Jimmie's Chicken Shack) is 47. Actress Lucy Liu (loo) is 47. Rapper Treach (Naughty By Nature) is 45. Actor Joe Lo Truglio is 45. Tennis player Monica Seles is 42. Singer Nelly Furtado is 37. Pop singer Britney Spears is 34. Actress-singer Jana Kramer is 32. Actress Daniela Ruah (roo-ah) is 32. NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers is 32. Actor Alfred Enoch is 27. Actresses Deanna and Daniella Canterman are 23.
