Membership Sideblog
- Northfield Historical Society Annual Meeting and Membership Ball by Hayes Scriven
March 17, 2010 | 5:02 pm
On Saturday March 20, the Northfield Historical Society (NHS) will be having its Annual Meeting and Membership Ball at Great Hall on the Carleton College Campus. The party starts at 7:00 p.m. There will be a short meeting at about 8:00 and right after that, Christina Schweitz and Sweet Jazz will play the [...]
- ‘Family Hair’ of Northfield turns two; $5 haircuts this week through KYMN by Tim Freeland
March 16, 2010 | 10:57 am
Congrats to Kristie and Meagan, owners of Family Hair for 2 years in business! (They share the parking lot with Just Foods, right there on the corner of 5th and Water. )
This week only, you can get a certificate from KYMN for $5 hair cuts! Just click the link on my blog post [...]
- It’s spring and the litters are coming! by Bridgette Hallcock
March 12, 2010 | 3:40 pm
Do you love animals, but simply cannot bring any more home? Try fostering a litter with the Prairie’s Edge Humane Society.
I had the wonderful opportunity to foster Valerie and her 5 kittens for 6 weeks. It was so much fun! We got to see their eyes open and ears pop up. It was so sweet [...]
- Prairie’s Edge Humane Society: new officers, new name, new blogsite by Kathy Jasnoch
March 8, 2010 | 11:26 am
The Prairie’s Edge Humane Society, formerly the Rice County Humane Society, held its annual meeting on February 13th. New officers elected are: President, Kathy Jasnoch (that’s me!); Vice President/Treasurer Denise Budd; Secretary Priscilla Paton. Dr. Terri Derr will continue to serve as chief operating officer and LeeAnn Bestland is our newly minted Chief Executive Officer. [...]
- Prelude to the Vintage Band Festival by Tim Freeland
February 23, 2010 | 11:22 am
Tune into KYMN on Sunday mornings at 10:30 for Prelude to the Vintage Band Festival, with Paul Niemisto.
It’s a program of music and information about the bands coming to Northfield for Vintage Band Festival 2010.
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By Griff Wigley, on March 19, 2010, 12:51 pm
By Tracy Davis, on March 18, 2010, 3:22 pm
 This Saturday, March 20, from 9a to noon, Carleton College is sponsoring a home electronics equipment recycling day. Items accepted include TVs, printers, fax machines, computer monitors, microwaves, stereo equipment, VCR’s, DVD players, electronic games, laptop computers, calculators, portable audio players, cordless phones, cell phones, keyboards, etc.
Depending upon the nature of the item, a variable small fee will be charged to defray the costs of recycling. (This opportunity is offered to individuals/households only, not businesses.)
For more information about what’s involved in manufacturing these items, why you should recycle them, and some heinous human rights abuses in this industry, see the Materials Processing Corporation blog:
E-waste sent overseas for processing to places like Guiyu has very detrimental effects on the health of the e-waste workers, and even the residents of the towns where this processing takes place: “According to reports from nearby Shantou University, Guiyu has the highest level of cancer-causing dioxins in the world and an elevated rate of miscarriages.”
Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to recycle electronics with firms that have promised to process everything they take in here in the United States. A list of these recyclers, which includes Materials Processing Corporation, can be found here.
For more information, dropoff location, and details on the fees, please see the Carleton website.
By Griff Wigley, on March 18, 2010, 10:56 am
By Griff Wigley, on March 18, 2010, 10:13 am
 
The Northfield Anytime Fitness health club, currently in Heritage Square on S. Hwy 3, is moving to the middle portion of the Phoenix Building at Division St and 7th next month. I spoke with Phoenix Building co-owner Randy Lutz of Construction Consulting Partners earlier today.
By Griff Wigley, on March 18, 2010, 8:32 am
 Chip DeMann is the new retail store manager for the Northfield Historical Society. I heard him on Wayne Eddy’s KYMN radio show yesterday say that the NHS retail space currently occupied by The Garage and Anthologie will be available at the end of the month.
Dan Iverson has a post on his Anthologie blog saying “As of March 17, 2010, Anthologie will no longer be based out of our offices and gallery at 18 Bridge Square in Northfield. We’re moving 20 miles north to make it easier than before to meet face to face with our clients.”
Nothing yet posted to Nick Sinclair’s Art of Fuel / The Garage blog. Last weekend, Nick held a fundraiser for the HOPE Center at the Faribault Harley-Davidson store. See his blog post on Northfield.org.
By Griff Wigley, on March 18, 2010, 7:45 am
  Perkins is a Northfield-based trucking company that specializes in “long distance highway transportation and rigging services for heavy, oversize and time-critical shipments and projects.” I noticed yesterday that they’re putting on a big addition to their warehouse.
Their headquarters and a warehouse are located at the end of Riverview Drive, a few blocks behind that other Perkins.
By Griff Wigley, on March 17, 2010, 7:54 am
 Local landscaper Leif Knecht, former mayor Keith Covey  and I spoke at open mic at last night’s Northfield City Council meeting, asking the Council to find a way to incorporate new trees on both sides of 4th St. between Washington and Division for this summer’s 4th St. reconstruction. (See the video of last night’s meeting in this KYMN blog post.)
Knecht said that there are varieties of trees that can do reasonably well in an environment where buildings block the sun and bedrock limits root growth. I distributed a printout of the above photo from 2008, showing that the current trees, although tilted and stunted in some cases, still did a reasonably good job for 30 years.
Councilor Rhonda Pownell made a motion to rescind her vote on last week’s Council decision to accept Streetscape Option 1 (“Small planters along 4th Street curb line, provision for hanging baskets on decorative light poles, no bump-outs or large-scale planters” – Page 27 of packet PDF) since it didn’t include trees. Jim Pokorney seconded.
I was impressed with the subsequent Council discussion. Some councilors were reluctant to rescind because it could delay the whole project. Others were understandably reluctant to get involved in this level of detail. They considered the pros and cons of sending the design to the Streetscape Task Force. Several times, they asked for input from City Engineer Katy Gehler and City Attorney Chris Hood. Mayor Mary Rossing did a masterful job of keeping the discussion on track, helping with the language of various motions, and making sure to get input from everyone.
In the end, they voted unanimously to accept the 4th St. plan but they then followed it by passing another motion, again unanimously, directing city staff to incorporate as many trees as possible into the sidewalk areas.
Nice work, Councilors!
Update 3/18, 10:30 PM:
By Griff Wigley, on March 16, 2010, 8:48 am
   
I saw a guy wading hip deep across the floodwaters at the footbridge below the Hwy 19 Lyman Lakes dam yesterday afternoon. Alas, I didn’t get there in time to take his photo. The ‘lake’ is covering most of Laird Field.
For a comparison of this year’s high water on the Cannon River, see the June 2004 floodwaters album, the large slideshow, or this small slideshow:
Continue reading
By Griff Wigley, on March 16, 2010, 7:04 am
 In today’s Pioneer Press: Northfield teacher charged in St. Paul ear-biting attack:
A Northfield, Minn., middle school teacher faces a felony assault charge after prosecutors say she bit off part of a man’s ear during a drunken altercation in a St. Paul greasy spoon early Sunday. Susan Mukuhi Mwarabu, 30, of Rochester, Minn., was charged Monday with third-degree assault — inflicting substantial bodily harm — after the 4 a.m. incident at the Uptowner Cafe at Grand Avenue and Lexington Parkway.
The news is all over the media but nothing’s available online from the District’s web site, neither from Northfield Superintendent Chris Richardson nor from Middle School Principal Jeff Pesta. I’m on the Key Communicator email list. Nothing yet.
The District’s options are limited when it comes to its employees’ behavior when they’re not on-duty. But it sure would help to have Richardson and Pesta making some statements to let taxpayers and parents know how they’re approaching this problem.
By Griff Wigley, on March 15, 2010, 6:51 am
There’s a semi-secret open house today, 6 pm at City Hall (see mtg PDF) on the big 4th Street East reconstruction project (see the Division to Nevada corridor map PDF).
  
I was surprised that the recommendation is to remove the eleven trees currently growing on both sides of 4th St. between Division and Washington and instead of planting new trees, replace them with hanging baskets and planters (PDF).
The 4-page concept PDF shows ‘existing photos’ of the trees on page 3 but they show the trees in winter time, not exactly a fair visual representation of what would be lost. So I dug up some 4th St. photos from my archives.
It seems to me that eleven trees make for a lot of greenery that can’t be made up by hanging baskets and pots.
See the Sat. Nfld News: Council to vote on Fourth Street plans.
Brian Hilgardner, an engineer with Bolton & Menk Engineers & Surveyors working on the project, said arborists evaluated the street and recommended removing several. He said some trees were in poor health and said the lack of space both below the surface and against the buildings didn’t allow for proper growth. Because of the buildings, the trees weren’t getting adequate light.
By Griff Wigley, on March 14, 2010, 9:06 pm
By Griff Wigley, on March 13, 2010, 6:30 am
 I drove past Northfield’s Municipal Liquor Store this morning and notice that their window display has snowmen, Xmas trees, presents under the trees, and snowflake wallpaper.
I’m guessing that in these days of budget cuts, the Happy Holidays ‘green’ is being repurposed for St. Patrick’s Day ‘green’ as a cost-saving measure.
By Griff Wigley, on March 12, 2010, 9:35 pm
Peter Seebach and my wife both alerted me to a massive ice jam on the Cannon River today. It apparently extended from the 5th St. bridge back to the Hwy 3 bridge by Babcock Park. But by the time I got there at 5 pm  to take a photo, it had broken up and mostly cleared.
Fortunately, Carlson Capital Management’s Tim Jackson (who also has his own web design company, Computer Titan) captured the breakup with a photo and some video.
Continue reading
By Griff Wigley, on March 12, 2010, 7:39 am
 Despite the efforts of one of her bodyguards, I  managed to get a photo this week of the 2010 St. Patrick’s Day Celebration grand marshal, Emily Monaghan.
The screenshot on the right is from the ad in the March Northfield Entertainment Guide.
See this 20-second video of the Folding Chair Precision Marching Unit from the 2007 parage which included Northfield City Councilors Jim Pokorney and Noah Cashman. I’m not sure if this will be in this year’s parade:
Continue reading
By Griff Wigley, on March 11, 2010, 8:52 am
  I noticed a ‘Riverwalk Market Fair’ sign on the door of Dean Kjerland’s Art On Water Gallery on Water Street, now home to the Riverwalk Arts Quarter (RAQ).
A Google search on the phrase ‘Riverwalk Market Fair’ brings up a single result, this week’s March 9 City Council packet:
The City has received a request from Riverwalk Market Fair to use public spaces between 2nd and 5th Street (Bridge Square and Riverwalk area) for a summer market. The event is proposed for Saturday’s 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. from May through October. The proposed market would feature local fine arts, fine crafts, cut flowers, local produce, artisan foods and other products as well as musicians and street performers. The Riverwalk Market Fair has filed to become a Minnesota nonprofit organization.
The RAQ web site and RAQ Facebook group make no mention of this exciting development. Anyone have details?
By Griff Wigley, on March 11, 2010, 7:31 am
 Gail Moll and Ed Kuhlman stopped by my corner office at the  GBM this week.
They each had flyers about the Sarah Henson benefit concert on Friday night at the Grand Event Center. Sarah, mother of 4 teens, has a grade four glioblastoma brain tumor.
 Back in Nov. 2008, friends, family and the Northfield community held a big ‘house party’ for Sarah and enough money was raised to help pay her mortgage for a year. See the blog post with photo albums from the fundraiser. The photo on the left, with Sarah at the center doing a ‘thumbs up’,’ was from that event.
Continue reading
By Griff Wigley, on March 10, 2010, 7:10 am
 Sandy Vesledahl and Kathy Jasnoch met me at  my morning GBM office early one morning last week to tell me about the American Cancer Society Relay for Life pancake breakfast fundraiser they’re hosting on Sunday morning, March 14, at the Eagles Club. (The actual relay, 2010 Relay For Life of Rice County, will be held on August 6, 2010 at the Rice County Fairgrounds.)
They each have their own Relay for Life web page with their personal fundraising goals where they explain their personal reasons for why they Relay:
Continue reading
By Griff Wigley, on March 9, 2010, 7:25 am
 Our guest this week, Steve Engler, currently Vice President of the City of Northfield Economic Development Authority (EDA).
The conversation primarily dealt with the recent debate on the EDA about the role of the Economic Development Director, Jody Gunderson.
I’ve turned off comments here. Continue the discussion on the blog post titled EDA struggles with its by-laws, process, effectiveness, election of officers.
Continue reading
By Griff Wigley, on March 8, 2010, 11:51 pm
The ‘Save the Depot’ committee held a public meeting last Monday, March 1 at the NCRC. Members include Steve Edwins, Lynn Vincent, Rob Martin, Pat Allen, Chip DeMann, Alice Thomas and Clark Webster.
I’ve turned off comments on this blog post. Continue the discussion that’s attached to the Oct. 8 blog post titled Is Northfield’s train depot worth saving?
See the album of 12 photos, the large slideshow, or this small slideshow:
By Griff Wigley, on March 8, 2010, 3:51 pm
 I happened to drive by Northfield Photo and Memories on 111 West 6th St today and was surprised to see that they had closed. When did this happen?
I don’t see any mention of the closing on their still-alive website, nor on the sites for the Nfld News or KYMN or Northfield.org or…
The building is for sale, listed with Wendy Thorpe at Edina Realty.
By Tracy Davis, on March 8, 2010, 8:38 am
 The “Friday Memo,” written by Northfield City Administrator Joel Walinski and various department heads and other City staff, summarizes the staff and department activities for the week. The Friday memos are published and archived in PDF form at the bottom of the City Administrator’s web page.
This week’s memo contains the usual department reports, plus Joel’s thoughts on his long-range goals, and a link to the Minnesota State Auditor’s 2008 Analysis of Municipal Liquor Stores.
Since it’s the first week of the month, we also have the monthly Boards & Commissions report. I was amused to find that my contribution had been censored (or edited, depending upon your point of view). My original phrase describing the Planning Commission’s weekly meetings as “grueling” and “brain-sucking” was, um, amended to “arduous”.
You can find both documents here on the memo web page for the week.
There is a City Council work session this week. You can view all upcoming City meetings on the City calendar.
By Griff Wigley, on March 8, 2010, 7:48 am
We received this email from Nathan Yaffe, Carleton College student:
 As part of my Environmental Economics and Policy class, we’re conducting research on the different stakeholders relevant to the annexation issue.
Our end product will be a public poster presentation on Monday, March 15 from 8:30-11 in the Great Hall at Carleton… My group is conducting a survey to determine public attitudes about the annexation.
 Our questions came from a Ward 3 exit poll conducted by Erica Zweifel, who graciously agreed to share her poll results with us, but we’re hoping to collect more data.
Ultimately, the hope is for this to benefit the community, because our presentation will be attended by individuals involved in the decision-making process concerning this annexation.
Take the Prawer-Gill annexation straw poll.
By Griff Wigley, on March 8, 2010, 6:44 am
By Griff Wigley, on March 8, 2010, 6:29 am
 I noticed this sign in front of the CarTime Auto Center at the intersection Hwy 3 and Hester St. in Dundas.
It’s a little known fact that General Manager Jared Hubers is a member of the Ketchup Advisory Council (Facebook group).
By Griff Wigley, on March 7, 2010, 11:13 pm
  Sisters Ugly, the contemporary clothing shop owned by the mother-daughter team, Diane Sinclair and Jenny Sinclair, is moving to the Nutting Block building at 3rd and Division, recently vacated by Sweet Pea’s Loft.
I blogged the Sisters Ugly Feb. 2007 grand opening party.
By Griff Wigley, on March 6, 2010, 8:45 am
 Today, Faribault’s Sage Electrochromics was cited in the Strib for winning “a $72 million federal loan guarantee for a major expansion of its manufacturing facility, where the company has developed ‘smart’ glass for windows and skylights that reduce energy use.”
Two weeks ago, Faribault’s McQuay plant was cited in the Strib for “using $1.3 million in new federal tax credits to revamp a manufacturing plant to make more energy efficient air-conditioners.”
In January, Northfield’s Cardinal Glass was cited in the Strib for receiving “$7.7 million of new federal funds to convert its residential-glass factory into a solar glass-coating plant.” (A tip of the blogger hat to Larry DeBoer for alerting me to it.)
I don’t know to what extent the people involved with Northfield’s economic development ecosystem (see organizations below) are pursuing green collar manufacturing jobs. I found a few mentions:
Continue reading
By Griff Wigley, on March 6, 2010, 12:46 am
A multi-course, pay-to-play, disc golf complex called Castle Rock Disc Sports will open this spring in Castle Rock, about 10 minutes north of Northfield on Hwy 3. It will
 offer 72 holes, all designed in 9 hole loops, so a player can pick and choose which layout to play. Two of the 9 hole loops comprise one of the longest, hardest courses in the world, playing a “true par 72”. All the loops consist of rolling terrain with woods and open areas. Castle Rock will have camping on site with a full on pro shop.
 The president of Castle Rock Disc Sports is Timmy Gill, professional disc golfer (profile here) and disc course designer (Par72DiscGolf). See the article in the 2004 issue of Forbes magazine that features him titled Spin Cup.
There is a Southern Minnesota Disc Golf Association social networking site (Ning platform) where Gill is discussing the development of the complex. He’s just started posting to Twitter, too.
By Griff Wigley, on March 5, 2010, 7:57 am
 Christopher Sawyer, President of College City Beverage, stopped by my morning office at Goodbye Blue Monday earlier this week to seek our help with finding a photo of their 1982-87 warehouse/headquarters. I then paid a visit to their current HQ in Dundas to see the photos they have of their other buildings.
Christopher later emailed me this:
We are looking for a picture of the building we moved into on the corner of Hwy 3 and 19 where the Movie Gallery, Caribou, Subway, Taco Bell and Country Inn are located. We moved into that building in 1982 and moved out in 1987. We are putting together a showcase of all of the warehouses that CCB has been located and this is the only one we cannot find a picture of. Thus far, we have talked with the City of Northfield, Northfield Library, Northfield Historical Society, the lending bank, realtor, and Rice County Historical Society.
Here are my photos of the photos that they do have:
  
 
Above: my photos of the CCB warehouse photos
  
Above: my photos of CCB’s plaques of Tom Blaisdell and ‘The course called Life’
  
Above: my photos of (left) CCB’s location at 1720 Cannon Road, 1988-2006 (currently Upper Lakes Foods); (center) CCB’s current location at 700 Railway St S, in Dundas; (right) Christopher’s dad, Jim Sawyer, at the 2006 Chamber holiday party.
Christopher also emailed me this history of the company:
Continue reading
By Griff Wigley, on March 4, 2010, 10:54 am
 In mid-January, Northfielder Mary Lewis Grow authored a commentary in the Star Tribune titled Security alert: Gun show loopholes. (Mary Lewis is co-founder and board member for Citizens for a Safer Minnesota.)
In today’s Strib, there’s an article titled Effort to tighten Minnesota’s gun law getting folks riled up.
[St. Paul Rep. Michael Paymar] said the proposal addresses a significant loophole: While many gun show dealers have federal licenses, which require them to run background checks on purchasers, nothing requires someone who simply shows up at a gun show to sell a gun to do the same. Gun shows, according to one gun control group, are "Tupperware parties for criminals."
I’m a middle-of-the-roader when it comes to gun control. So it seems like a good time to learn more.
By Griff Wigley, on March 4, 2010, 10:28 am
 Hodge-Podge que’, the antiques and collectibles store at the corner of 5th and Division, closed on Monday. Owner Jerry Nord told me everything’s packed up and ready to be taken to an auction which will be held at the end of the month.
I’ll get some details later today when I get a haircut from Jerry at Fashionette Concepts.
By Griff Wigley, on March 3, 2010, 7:19 am
  I attended the Northfield Raider Wrestling team’s pancake fundraiser at the Eagles Club on Sunday. The team heads to the 2010 State Wrestling Tournament today for the first time. That’s coach Cliff Casteel in the right photo with Joe Hargis.
 More info – Nfld News: State wrestling preview: Wrestle for each other; Star Tribune: Northfield: On to the X mat
Posted to the Northfield High School’s activities web site today:
All students, staffs and parents are invited to attend the State Tournament Recognition program. This event will start at 8:30 am sharp and is open to the public. We are honoring all State Participants this winter and those who have qualified for State.
By Griff Wigley, on March 2, 2010, 10:20 pm
 Northfield Ward 1 City Councilor Jim Pokorney was our guest this week, talking about A) the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day parade on March 13; and B) what else, City Council communications.
I neglected to take a photo of him so I’ve recycled one from a previous podcast, plus another of him in his St. Patrick’s Day hat and electric sweater.
Click play to listen. 40 minutes: You can also download the MP3 or subscribe to the podcast feed, or subscribe directly with iTunes. Our radio show/podcast, Locally Grown, usually airs Mondays at 6:00 PM and Sundays at 10 AM on KYMN 1080 AM.
By Griff Wigley, on March 1, 2010, 9:14 am
 At the Northfield High School last Thursday night, Paul Krause previewed his new documentary of Ray ‘Jake’ Jacobson’s Harvest sculpture.
 Among the attendees: Wes Jones, president of Casting Creations of Minnesota, the art foundry in Howard Lake, MN where the bronze casting of Harvest was done. Wes has a future in comedy.
See my album of 9 photos, the large slideshow, or this small slideshow:
Continue reading
By Griff Wigley, on March 1, 2010, 6:55 am
  
Robert Palmquist, CEO of Speechgear here in Northfield, has been in Vancouver for the Olympics the past two weeks, volunteering as a course worker for the women’s ski events and “supporting the Olympics by providing speech translation systems” (see press release).
He has four albums of Olympics photos in his Facebook photo gallery including the ones above where he wrote:
After a LOT of work on the course and VERY early and long days, we pulled it off and ran the woman’s downhill. Lindsey Vonn won the gold, Julia Mancuso the silver. Afterwards I went to the medal awards ceremony with the Vonn family, and later that evening joined them for a small celebration party with Lindsey and Julia.
I spent some time with Robert at Speechgear’s HQ before he left. More on that visit soon.
By Tracy Davis, on February 28, 2010, 11:49 am
The “Friday Memo,” written by Northfield City Administrator Joel Walinski and various department heads and other City staff, summarizes the staff and department activities for the week. The Friday memos are published and archived in PDF form at the bottom of the City Administrator’s web page. This is the memo page for the week.
This week’s memo consisted mostly of business as usual (ongoing projects, etc.) Engineering gave a heads-up about construction at the intersection of 4th and Division which will take place this spring.
There is a special closed meeting for review of the City Administrator will start at 6:00p, with a regular City Council meeting to follow. You can view all upcoming City meetings on the City calendar.
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