Woodbury’s new city administrator plans to lead with positivity and relationship building

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Before this year, Jeffrey Dahl was a Woodbury resident like any other, but now, in his new role as city administrator, he is serving the community to help it thrive, he said.

Jeffrey Dahl (Courtesy of the City of Woodbury)

“As soon as I saw the position, I was very attracted to it, and there was no question that I was going to apply,” Dahl said.

In July, Dahl was selected by the Woodbury City Council to fulfill the role of city administrator. The council spent months searching for the right fit, and Dahl, who beat out four other candidates, was someone who is personable, a strategic thinker and knows Woodbury well, Mayor Anne Burt said at his selection.

Being the city administrator is a tall task, Dahl said, with each day full of juggling tasks and managing projects. He compared the role to an executive director for a company’s board of directors: The board, being the city council, receives information and advice from the executive director, or city administrator. The council, however, is the one that ultimately sets the mission and directive. He and his team work to provide essential services and help the city of Woodbury reflect the vision of the council, he said.

“We’ve had really strong leadership at the council level, and that leadership takes stability and strength,” Dahl said. “We’ve had mayors and council members who really care about their community.”

Before Dahl, city administrator Clint Gridley served for 21 years. Dahl said the impact Gridley made on the city is invaluable, and his reputation is that of being an extremely effective and warm leader. Following in Gridley’s footsteps meant having big shoes to fill.

“I knew the shoes were big, but I’m ready for the challenge, and it’s just such a great community and organization,” Dahl said.

Coming full circle

Dahl has long held an interest in government and politics, he said. He received a bachelor’s degree in international relations and a master’s in political science from the University of Minnesota. Both degrees allowed him to understand internal government operations, the relationships with non-governmental organizations and how to foster stronger communities, he said.

“I’ve always been fascinated by the built environment of cities so that, really, kind of guided me in the community development realm of city government,” Dahl said.

Dahl previously served as a city administrator and development service director for the city of Osseo beginning in 2006. He then became an assistant city administrator in Chaska from 2012 to 2016 and was most recently the city manager of Wayzata.

He got his real start in city government, however, in his mid-20s, as a community development intern with the city of Woodbury.

“I learned that there’s a lot that goes into how a city ultimately evolves and develops … and it really gets down to what the community members and the community leaders’ mission, vision and values are for the community,” Dahl said.

Working for multiple Minnesota cities over the past decade, Dahl said he’s learned skills to help further community and economic development. On top of learning what it takes to build stronger communities, Dahl said he’s also learned who he is as a leader.

“Leadership to me is engaging, supporting and serving others for a common goal or direction,” Dahl said. “I don’t think it needs to be more complicated than that.”

Positivity, relationships

Dahl thinks of himself as having a warm demeanor and being easily approachable

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“I think that makes it easier for me to connect with people of all backgrounds,” Dahl said. “I’m naturally a curious person and I like differences, so I’ll sometimes kind of prefer to make connections with people that may not be the same as me.”

His personality allows him to lead with positivity, he said, and home in on building relationships with community members. Over the years, he feels that he’s developed the confidence to serve communities well, in a way that encourages people to positively contribute to their surroundings, he said.

“In my opinion, that’s how you create a premier organization and premier community,” Dahl said. “I think that existed here even before I came, with the previous administrator and the people that we have. I wanted to serve in that type of environment.”

Another important factor in his leadership is being able to listen well and validate the feelings of others, he said. He won’t be able to solve everyone’s individual problems, he said, but still feels it’s important that community members feel seen, heard and valued by him.

While Dahl is still early on in his role and getting to know the ins and outs of Woodbury government, his current focus is getting to know his neighbors and organizations well, he said. He is looking forward to being involved with the city’s major projects, like the re-opening of Central Park, a permanent water treatment plant and public safety building renovation.

After over a year of construction, Woodbury Central Park, which was initially set to reopen on Oct. 1, 2025, is set to reopen in phases throughout October, with a grand reopening celebration in early November. The updated facility features sustainable and accessible design elements, increased seating for community members and visitors, an updated indoor playground, expanded green space, event spaces and more. (Courtesy of the City of Woodbury)

“I’m really just focusing right now on the relationships and making sure that our very smart and strategic staff have the support and resources they need to fully implement some of the huge projects that we’re working on,” Dahl said.

A father, husband and lover of the outdoors

In his personal life, Dahl is a father of two and a husband to his wife, Christine. Christine is a sustainability project manager for a national construction firm, and the two of them make each other stronger both personally and in their professional careers, he said.

Dahl’s favorite things about Woodbury are its location, amenities and landscape, he said. Being located within the Twin Cities, Dahl said he enjoys the ease of accessibility the city provides to many regional attractions — although he finds he doesn’t often have to leave because everything he needs is within the city itself.

“From an aesthetic perspective, the landscape is beautiful,” Dahl said. “The hills are rolling, we’ve got all different types of pine forests, we’ve got lakes, we’ve got marshes. The natural landscape is absolutely gorgeous.”

He said he marvels at how well the city prioritizes infrastructure in parks and essential services like parks and trails that are easily accessible to people with varying abilities. Woodbury is also” family-friendly,” “wonderfully growing,” and “surprisingly diverse,” he said.

An open door and hot dog policy

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As new city administrator, Dahl prioritizes getting to know the residents and visitors of Woodbury and building strong relationships, he wants people to know that his door is always open to listening to their needs and concerns and offering support where he can.

He’s hoping residents’ doors might be open too …

“I love hot dogs,” Dahl said. “If they’re cooking hot dogs in their backyard, you know, I might smell them and might be curious.

“Aside from that, I’m here to serve them and I couldn’t be more thrilled. I really look forward to getting out in the community and meeting them.”

Five Weeknight Dishes: Quick and customizable burrito bowls and more

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I’ve written before about the modular meal, a “cook once, feed many” approach that leaves everyone satisfied, even — gasp! — happy. For this, as for many things, I am indebted to Julia Moskin, who years ago canonized this approach and its merits: “Dishes like this are adaptable to many life stages, like the children’s furniture systems that supposedly allow you to turn a crib into a bed, then into a desk, and finally into a pair of chic reading glasses.”

Grain bowls are the ne plus ultra of the modular meal, a style of dinner named after the vessel you use. If that’s not an invitation to customize, I don’t know what is. Our new recipe for burrito bowls is your friend here or try sesame salmon bowls or farro broccoli bowls.

1. Burrito Bowls

You can’t go wrong with rice, beans and gooey cheese swaddled in a warm flour tortilla. But this streamlined bowl version of the burrito delivers more texture and color in just a few steps. Cook rice and beans together in a skillet, then melt cheese on top. Spoon into bowls, then top with a big chunk of avocado and a quick corn salsa, which can be made with fresh or canned corn. If your fresh corn is sweet, use its kernels raw, or cook it by microwaving the cobs in their husks for three minutes before shucking. Feel free to add tomatoes, pico de gallo or radishes to the bowls as well.

By Ali Slagle

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup avocado or other neutral-tasting oil

1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped, divided

1 jalapeno, seeds removed if desired, coarsely chopped, divided

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 cup long-grain white rice

1 (15-ounce) can black or pinto beans

Kosher salt

3 cups corn kernels (from 3 cobs, or two drained 15-ounce cans, or frozen corn, thawed and shaken dry)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro, plus more leaves for garnish

1 lime

4 ounces grated Monterey Jack cheese (1 cup)

1 large avocado

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large skillet or Dutch oven with a lid, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium. Add half the red onion and half the jalapeno, along with the cumin, and cook until fragrant and softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the rice and beans (including the bean liquid). Fill the can with water and add that, too (1 3/4 cups). Season with 1 teaspoon salt. When boiling, cover, reduce heat to low and cook undisturbed until the rice is tender, 18 to 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together the remaining half red onion, half jalapeno and 2 tablespoons oil; the corn; cilantro; and juice from the lime. Season to taste with salt.

3. When the rice is ready, turn off the heat and sprinkle with cheese. Cover and let rest for 4 minutes. Spoon the rice and beans into bowls. Quarter the avocado and add a piece to each bowl, then top with the corn salsa and a few leaves of cilantro.

2. Salmon and Green Beans in Red Pepper Sauce

Salmon and Green Beans in Red Pepper Sauce. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne. (Rachel Vanni/The New York Times)

Resist the notion that fish should be paired with vegetables that keep their crunch in the cooking process. Rather, make these green beans, which hold their shape while they gently and endearingly collapse, contributing a generous texture to a roasted red pepper sauce. Crisp-skinned salmon is the star protein here and simmers alongside the beans in the sauce, which is balanced, rich and tasty with anchovies and miso. A sauce this good works with any protein that benefits from a gentle simmer.

By Yewande Komolafe

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 small red onion, peeled and chopped (about 1 cup)

1 (16-ounce) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained and chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 Scotch bonnet or habanero chile, seeds in or out

4 garlic cloves, peeled

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided

4 salmon fillets (about 6 ounces each), skin on or off

Salt and black pepper

8 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)

6 to 8 oil-packed anchovies

1 tablespoon white or red miso

1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh scallions

Rice, for serving

1 lemon, cut in wedges

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare the red pepper sauce: Using a food processor or blender, coarsely chop the onion, roasted red peppers, Scotch bonnet and garlic by pulsing them together.

2. Heat a large (10-inch) cast iron or nonstick skillet over high and add 2 tablespoons oil.

3. Place the salmon fillets in the hot oil, skin side down, season lightly with salt and pepper and cook without moving until the contact side is gently browned, about 5 minutes. Move the salmon to a plate, setting it skin side up, and set aside.

4. Turn the heat down to medium-high, add 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet, the green beans, anchovies and miso. Cook, stirring frequently, mashing the anchovies with the spatula until miso is broken up and anchovies are dissolved. Add 1/2 cup water to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Cook until green beans are just wrinkly, 4 to 6 minutes.

5. Reduce heat to medium, pour the red pepper sauce into the skillet. Stir in 1/2 cup water and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Simmer the sauce, stirring frequently until slightly reduced and the liquid and oil collect toward the center of the skillet, 5 to 6 minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust with additional salt and pepper if necessary.

6. Using a wooden spoon, create divots in the sauce and green beans. Nestle the fillets in the divots, skin side up. Cook until the fish is fork-tender, the sauce reduced and the green beans are softened, 6 to 8 minutes.

7. Garnish with scallions and serve fish, green beans and sauce immediately over rice, with lemon wedges for squeezing.

3. Chicken and Broccoli Raab Pasta

Chicken and Broccoli Rabe Pasta. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards. (Rachel Vanni/The New York Times)

The combination of pasta, garlic and olive oil has long been one of the best ways to feed many mouths with ease. Here, that garlicky pasta is joined by browned chunks of chicken, tender and bitter broccoli raab and spicy cherry peppers. Browning boneless, skinless chicken breast takes little effort if done right — the key is to not overcrowd the pan. The chicken cooks through quickly, so sauteing it in batches adds minimal time and maximum flavor to this recipe. Feel free to use broccolini instead of broccoli raab, sweet cherry peppers instead of spicy or even another short pasta instead of cavatelli — just don’t skip the freshly grated Parmesan on top.

By Dan Pelosi

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Total time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Salt and pepper

1 large bunch broccoli raab (about 1 1/4 pounds), tough stems removed, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 pound cavatelli or other short pasta

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more if desired

8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons chopped jarred hot cherry peppers

Grated Parmesan, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the broccoli raab to the boiling water, cooking until the broccoli raab is a vibrant green color, 60 to 90 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the broccoli raab to a bowl, then rinse with cold water and strain. Set aside. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, then drain.

2. Meanwhile, pat the chicken dry with paper towels, and then cut into 1-inch cubes and salt generously. Place a large pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil is shimmering add half of the chicken. Cook the chicken for 3 minutes, then flip over to cook for 3 minutes more, until chicken is browned on both sides. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Add another tablespoon of oil and cook the remaining chicken using the same method, then combine all of the chicken in the pan.

3. Add the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil to the pan along with the garlic and cherry peppers and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Add the broccoli raab and cooked pasta and stir to combine. Add more olive oil, as needed, to coat the pasta. Season to taste. Serve warm, topped with freshly grated Parmesan.

4. Crispy Beans and Juicy Tomatoes Over Tahini Yogurt

Crispy Beans and Juicy Tomatoes Over Tahini Yogurt. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff. (David Malosh/The New York Times.)

Pantry ingredients — canned beans, garlic and olive oil — turn into a satisfying plant-forward weeknight dinner thanks to the magic of a hot oven. Roasting beans transforms them from soft to shockingly crisp while cherry tomatoes, even out-of-season supermarket ones, morph into glistening, juicy pops of sweetness. While the oven works its charm, whip up a creamy tahini-yogurt sauce brightened by lemon and garlic. The cooling yogurt with warm tomatoes and crispy beans makes for a fun contrast of textures and temperatures. Top it off with arugula dressed with the sweet, garlicky tomato juices and scoop up everything with crusty bread. If you don’t have good yogurt, this meal is also excellent served over Whipped Tofu Ricotta. (

By Nisha Vora

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

5 fat garlic cloves

2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, divided

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper

2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes (about 22 ounces)

1 teaspoon organic cane sugar

1 large lemon

8 ounces creamy coconut yogurt (see Tip below)

3 tablespoons well-stirred tahini, plus more as desired

1/4 heaping teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper)

3 to 4 handfuls baby arugula (1 1/2 to 2 ounces)

Crusty bread or pita, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Arrange a rack in the top third of the oven and another on the lowest level. Heat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Slice 3 of the garlic cloves thinly but not paper thin; set aside the other 2 for the tahini yogurt.

3. Transfer the beans to a clean dish towel. Gently rub to remove as much moisture as you can without crushing them. On a rimmed sheet pan, gently toss the beans with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon oregano, 1 teaspoon salt and a generous amount of coarsely ground black pepper. Taste a bean and add more salt if needed for the beans to taste well-seasoned. Spread in a single layer.

4. In a 13-by-9-inch baking pan, combine the tomatoes, sugar (use only 1/2 teaspoon if the tomatoes are very sweet), the sliced garlic and remaining 1/2 teaspoon oregano. Drizzle with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, a heaping 1/2 teaspoon salt and a generous amount of coarsely ground black pepper. Toss well with your hands.

5. Roast the tomatoes on the top rack and the beans on the bottom for 25 minutes. If the tomatoes are wrinkly and starting to burst, they’re done. (Larger tomatoes may need another 5 minutes.) If the beans are golden, crispy and split open, they’re done. If not, shake the pan back and forth and roast for 5 minutes more.

6. While everything roasts, make the tahini yogurt: Into a bowl, finely grate the zest from the lemon, then halve the lemon and squeeze in 2 tablespoons juice. Grate the remaining 2 garlic cloves into the same bowl. Add the yogurt, tahini, coriander, Aleppo pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt and coarsely ground black pepper to taste. Stir to combine, then taste and add more salt, lemon juice for brightness, or more tahini for nutty richness. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 3 days.

7. When ready to serve, smear the tahini yogurt across a serving platter. Spoon the roasted tomatoes on top (keeping the juices for the arugula) and scatter the beans on top. Pile the arugula on top and drizzle with the tomato juices from the pan. Squeeze on a bit of lemon, add a pinch of salt or pepper (or both), and toss the arugula with your hands. Scoop up everything with bread.

Tips: The tahini yogurt sauce is best with a creamy, rich coconut yogurt, such as Culina or CocoJune. If your yogurt is on the sour side, stir in 1/2 teaspoon sugar.

5. Black Pepper Beef and Cabbage Stir-Fry

Black Pepper Beef and Cabbage Stir-Fry. Food Sylist: Barrett Washburne. (Andrew Purcell/The New York Times)

Coarsely crushed black peppercorns star in this quick weeknight dish, which is built primarily from pantry staples. Don’t be shy about adding the entire tablespoon of pepper, as it balances out the richness of the beef and adds a lightly spicy bite to the dish. A quick rub of garlic, brown sugar, salt, pepper and cornstarch seasons the beef; the cornstarch helps tenderize the beef and later imparts a silky texture to the sauce. Feel free to marinate the beef up to 8 hours ahead and cook when you’re ready. If leftovers remain, tuck them into a crunchy baguette or roll them into a wrap.

By Sue Li

Yield: 2 to 4 servings

Total time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns, coarsely crushed with the bottom of a cup or pan

3 garlic cloves, grated

2 teaspoons light brown sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Kosher salt

3/4 pound sirloin steak, thinly sliced crosswise

3 tablespoons sunflower oil or other neutral oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 head small green cabbage (about 8 ounces), thinly sliced

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, crushed with your fingertips

2 scallions, thinly sliced

Cooked rice, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Add peppercorns, garlic, brown sugar, cornstarch and 1 teaspoon salt to a medium bowl and stir to combine. Add sliced steak and toss to coat.

2. Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add steak and cook, stirring frequently, until some of the edges are lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Add soy sauce and toss beef to coat, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beef to a bowl or plate.

3. Add cabbage to skillet, spread in an even layer and let cook, undisturbed, for 1 minute so that some pieces caramelize in the pan. Toss and cook cabbage, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in vinegar and season with salt.

4. Add steak and any juices back to the skillet, and stir until well combined with the cabbage and warmed through, about 1 minute. Top with toasted sesame seeds and scallions; serve with rice.

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Dining Diary: Hit these two haunted St. Paul restaurants for spooky season

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One of the things I love best about the St. Paul dining scene is the number of historic restaurants.

Nothing makes me happier than visiting a building that’s been around for a century or more and is still bustling with activity.

For this week’s Dining Diary, I hit up two of my favorite old spaces (both of which, coincidentally, are rumored to be haunted) with friends and family.

Happy spooky season! Make your reservations for these fantastic restaurants soon!

The Lexington

This Grand Avenue restaurant, which just celebrated its 90th anniversary with a fun party for friends and neighbors, has long been rumored to be haunted.

A customer enters the front door at the Lexington Restaurant on Grand Avenue in St. Paul on Tuesday, May 2, 2017. (Ginger Pinson / Pioneer Press)

In fact, when I took a little behind-the-scenes tour recently with COO and General Manager Craig Ritacco, he offered stories about ghost children playing under the tables in the upstairs event space and feeling someone touch his shoulder in one of the underground storage rooms (of course, no one living was in the room with him at the time).

Anecdotes like this abound among workers at the restaurant, which was founded in 1935, replacing other businesses that had occupied the space since it was constructed in 1911.

I hadn’t dined at this iconic spot for a while, and since there’s a new guy in charge of the kitchen — welcome, chef Lawrence Kirkland! — I thought a visit was a great idea.

So did one of my oldest friends, so we hit up a corner booth in the gorgeous original dining room and shared some laughs, some tears, some wine and a couple of spectacular dishes.

My friend has a medical problem with gluten, as seems to be increasingly true among my friends and family, so this was also a good test for my gluten-free readers.

We started with the shrimp cocktail, which in the wrong hands means bland, cold shrimp and an uninspired dipping sauce. Kirkland’s version is pretty much the opposite of that. Perfectly springy shrimp, topped with flavorful cumin seeds, thinly sliced red onion and cilantro are served with a sweet/spicy cocktail sauce (called atomic sauce on the menu) that is positively slurpable on its own, but even better when paired with the roasted jalapeno slices it’s topped with.

Steak Diane at The Lexington in St. Paul, pictured in September of 2025. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)

I was in the mood for steak, and was happy to learn that the sauce with The Lex’s Steak Diane is gluten-free. It also happens to come from my favorite underrated cut of beef, the teres major, or petite tender. And the creamy, mustardy sauce and deep, dark mushrooms that it comes with are absolutely divine.

My friend ordered the scallops, and though they are not hard to cook — quick sear, flip, cook until done — they are often over-cooked and rubbery. Not here, though. Perfect, slightly crisp sear, melt-in-your-mouth tender. And the grapefruit butter they are bathed in? Genius.

In conclusion? Get yourself an October reservation and celebrate spooky season in style.

The Lexington: 1096 Grand Ave., St. Paul; 651-289-4990; thelexmn.com

Forepaugh’s

The burger at Forepaugh’s in St. Paul, pictured in September 2025. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)

I had been promising my youngest son, who is a huge fan of a cheffy burger, that we’d go to “the haunted mansion with the great burger” for many months, and I finally pulled the trigger.

Workers continue renovations to ready Forepaugh’s Restaurant in St. Paul for a planned early August reopening on Tuesday, July 23, 2024. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

He was fascinated by the history of this newly (and beautifully) renovated restaurant, in the mansion built by Joseph Forepaugh in 1870. I told him about Forepaugh’s rumored affair with Molly, one of his servants, who died in the mansion. Her spirit is said to roam the three floors of dining space, especially the third.

Ghost stories are nice and all, but how was dinner?

It was great! Both of my sons ordered the burger, a double-smash that consists of wagyu brisket and chuck patties that are crisp outside and juicy in. The restaurant now includes its excellent skinny fries with the $20 burger, which might seem expensive until you look at burger prices at some of the other high-end restaurants in the Twin Cities. I guess this is just the way of the world now.

Shellfish Rigatoni at Forepaugh’s in St. Paul, pictured in September 2025. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)

My husband’s shellfish rigatoni was black, just like the paint job on the mansion, made so by squid ink. The shrimp, calamari, clams and mussels were all fresh and cooked perfectly, and the spicy tomato sauce took things up a level.

I was in a comfort-food mood, so I went with the mafalde bolognese, which is long, curly-edged noodles topped with a creamy, meaty sauce that absolutely hit the spot.

If you’re an oenophile, you already know that the wine list here is excellent, as is the craft cocktail list, so if you’re looking for a cool bar to take a date or a friend, Forepaugh’s is great for that, too. And I hope you see Molly, or even Joseph himself, who has been said to roam the dining room in period garb.

Forepaugh’s: 276 S. Exchange St., St. Paul; 651-666-3636; forepaughs.com

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Today in History: October 9, Che Guevara executed

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Today is Thursday, Oct. 9, the 282nd day of 2025. There are 83 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Oct. 9, 1967, Marxist revolutionary guerrilla leader Che Guevara, 39, was executed by the Bolivian army a day after his capture.

Also on this date:

In 1910, a coal dust explosion at the Starkville Mine in Colorado left 56 miners dead.

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In 1962, Uganda won independence from British rule.

In 1963, a mega-tsunami triggered by a landside at Vajont Dam in northern Italy destroyed villages and caused approximately 2,000 deaths.

In 1985, Strawberry Fields in New York’s Central Park, a memorial to former Beatle John Lennon, was dedicated.

In 1992, the highly visible Peekskill Meteorite streaked through Earth’s atmosphere for hundreds of miles over the U.S. Northeast before a small chunk of it crashed into the trunk of a parked car in Peekskill, New York. The car, a bright red 1980 Chevrolet Malibu, later went on exhibition at several museums worldwide.

In 2009, President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize for what the Norwegian Nobel Committee called “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.”

In 2010, a drill broke through into an underground chamber where 33 Chilean miners had been trapped for more than two months.

In 2012, former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky was sentenced in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, to 30 to 60 years in prison following his conviction on 45 counts of sexual abuse of boys.

Today’s Birthdays:

Musician Nona Hendryx is 81.
Musician Jackson Browne is 77.
Actor Robert Wuhl is 74.
TV personality Sharon Osbourne is 73.
Actor Tony Shalhoub is 72.
Actor Scott Bakula is 71.
Actor-TV host John O’Hurley is 71.
Football Hall of Famer Mike Singletary is 67.
Jazz musician Kenny Garrett is 65.
Film director Guillermo del Toro is 61.
Singer PJ Harvey is 56.
Film director Steve McQueen (“12 Years a Slave”) is 56.
Golf Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam is 55.
Musician Sean Lennon is 50.
Actor Brandon Routh is 46.
Author-TV presenter Marie Kondo is 41.
Comedian Melissa Villasenor is 38.
Actor Tyler James Williams is 33.
NFL tight end George Kittle is 32.
Country singer Scotty McCreery (TV: “American Idol”) is 32.
Model Bella Hadid is 29.
Actor Jharrel Jerome is 28.
Tennis player Ben Shelton is 23.