Membership Sideblog
- The Marcus Welby of law, by Lance Heisler | Lampe Law Group
July 31, 2010 | 7:45 pmGrowing up in North Dakota during the 50s and 60s, I was privileged to experience something that's all too rare now - the old-fashioned family doctor. "Doc" delivered babies, set broken bones, treated pneumonia, and helped Grandpa with his newfangled hearing aid. Doc knew the community, the families, and the individuals whose basic medical needs he treated from birth through the end of life. Some of you who grew up in that time, and perhaps in smaller communities, may remember a Doc of your own. . . . → Read More: The Marcus Welby of law, by Lance Heisler | Lampe Law Group
- Kitty Mania at the Prairie’s Edge Humane Society, by Sandy Vesledahl
July 28, 2010 | 10:51 pm
Let’s talk about cats, cats and more cats! Why?? Because Prairie’s Edge Humane Society is full of cats and we have many more arriving daily. As of today, there are 44 cats on the adoption floor with more awaiting their surgeries so they are ready for adoption. There are cats in every corner of the shelter who need homes! We are in desperate need of homes for these cats. We cannot emphasize this enough. So we are having a cat sale and we are calling it Kitty Mania ! Kitty Mania is this weekend, beginning Thursday, July . . . → Read More: Kitty Mania at the Prairie’s Edge Humane Society, by Sandy Vesledahl
- On Watermelons and Widgets, by Tom Swift
July 12, 2010 | 11:50 am
The free market does many things well, but we know it does not do everything. Even market fundamentalists concede that the public must build roads, put out fires, police streets, and provide national defense. Most people, at least those to the left of the Tea Party edge of political spectrum, accept that the government must also be involved in education, disaster relief, and health care. That is, certain services must be rendered — necessary services, universal services — whether or not those services are financially profitable. If your house is on fire, you do not have time to . . . → Read More: On Watermelons and Widgets, by Tom Swift
- Vintage Band Festival Contra Dance, by Dan Bergeson
July 12, 2010 | 10:56 am
Okay, so most of the news about the Vintage Band Festival so far has been about the bands. But there’s a number of other events during the weekend. Like the VBF Contra Dance, for instance. The Vintage Band Festival Contra Dance will feature music by The Dodworth Saxhorn Band of Ann Arbor, Michigan and will be led by dance instructor/caller Robin Nelson. Dancing will begin at 8:30 p.m. with a “Grand March” led by 60 costumed members of the 1st Wisconsin Infantry Brigade, followed by a variety of period dances including polkas, contra dances, schottisches, reels and waltzes. . . . → Read More: Vintage Band Festival Contra Dance, by Dan Bergeson
- The Animal-Cruelty Syndrome, by Tom Swift
June 27, 2010 | 8:00 am
Even before I read the first word of this article I had a visceral reaction to it. The accompanying photographs — my eyes tend to skip over photographs in magazines — affected me in a manner that is difficult to articulate. I knew, immediately I knew, I was not going to like what I was about to read. In fact, for that reason I put the piece aside. Not now, I thought. Maybe tomorrow, I said to myself. But, then, I couldn’t not read it, either. If you have not done so already, I hope you will read . . . → Read More: The Animal-Cruelty Syndrome, by Tom Swift
- Puppies! Puppies! Puppies! by Kathy Jasnoch
June 27, 2010 | 7:54 am
June may be Adopt A Cat month here at Prairie’s Edge Humane Society and we have lots of wonderful cats, but we also have PUPPIES! We have a male Newfoundland mix named Chong who is 6 months old, he was a stray so we don’t know a lot about him. He loves to play! We also have three Australian Cattle Dog mixes who are two months old. Marcia, Bobby and Cindy were born at the shelter and spent some time in one of our fabulous foster homes. They are now back at the shelter and ready to find . . . → Read More: Puppies! Puppies! Puppies! by Kathy Jasnoch
- Relay for Life of Rice County, August 6th, Rice County Fairgrounds. By Sandy Vesledahl
June 23, 2010 | 9:35 pm
The American Cancer Society Relay for Life is a life-changing event that gives everyone in communities across the globe a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease. At Relay for Life, teams of people camp out at local parks or fairgrounds and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Because cancer never sleeps, Relays are overnight events. Relay for Life of Rice . . . → Read More: Relay for Life of Rice County, August 6th, Rice County Fairgrounds. By Sandy Vesledahl
- Critter Cam live from Prairie’s Edge Humane Society, by Sandy Vesledahl
June 16, 2010 | 9:04 amNow Showing! Live Kittens playing! You can now watch our adoptable animals at Prairie’s Edge Humane Society (PEHS) live 24/7 on the new Critter Cam installed in conjunction with KYMN Radio. Thanks to the fine folks at KYMN radio we now have a live feed of our adoptable animals showing on our website and KYMN’s website, Tim and Jeff are AWESOME! Currently the Critter Cam is featuring kittens available for adoption. Watch them play, sleep, eat, and everything else they do 24 hours a day 7 days a week! It’s better than anything you can see on TV! . . . → Read More: Critter Cam live from Prairie’s Edge Humane Society, by Sandy Vesledahl
- Save the Northfield Depot: fundraising help needed. By Lynn Vincent
June 11, 2010 | 11:34 am
A BIG Thanks to all of you who came to last Monday’s Volunteer Organization Meeting, and to those who contacted us saying you wanted to help but could not make the meeting. We have pretty full support for Communications and Design and Build sub-committees, and we got a web graphic designer to help with the site. Alice Thomas is facilitating the Communications group, and Steve Edwins is facilitating the Design and Build group. What we are missing and really need are Fund Raising people. We have two grant writiers, but we need folks who are committed to the . . . → Read More: Save the Northfield Depot: fundraising help needed. By Lynn Vincent
- Photo albums: 2010 Prairie’s Edge Humane Society Walk for the Animals, by Bridgette Hallcock Photography
June 11, 2010 | 8:09 am
Thank you to all of those who came to Alexander Park on a beautiful Saturday morning in May to help support Prairie’s Edge Humane Society! I have placed all of the fun photographs on my Bridgette Hallcock Photography Facebook page so that everyone can see how much fun we had! See the two 2010 Walk for the Animals albums here and here. If you would like a print, please contact me, as the proceeds will benefit the animals at PEHS.
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Quantifying Quality: Why Apple Valley Kicks Northfield’s Butt
By Tracy Davis, on July 20, 2007, 1:52 pm
 
Money magazine recently released its annual “Best Places To Live”, and our suburban neighbor to the north, Apple Valley, ranks 28th of the Top 100. Just goes to show what happens when you base your criteria primarily on mathematical formula or ratios. Good thing the math geeks at CNN/Money didn’t actually visit these places.
By Money’s criteria, Northfield doesn’t even rank. (And this was before the our community “heroin epidemic” hit the news.)
Let’s not argue with them.
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but I’d have a hard time during the sabbatical not paying attention to see if that was actually the case. I think the more places in Northfield...
The NF Public Library has a service area with approx 30,400 patrons actively using the library.
Could that be considered a base number that would certainly come to Northfield to eat at a charming , independent restaurant?
Wherever you reside, if you like to eat at “chain” restaurants, obviously you will go to the one closest to you.
Since this thread is seems to be about ‘quality of life’ in Northfield, I will add a couple comments from the perspective of a new resident, from my completely personal pov.
Positives (not much new here I suppose): The educational, cultural and recreational opportunities available. The friendliness of the citizens. The amount of community involvement displayed by the citizens. The river area. The progressive political environment.
Neutral: Main Street. (It is attractive …but so are plenty of other rural downtowns.) Architecture (ok, but basically uninteresting…both the old and the new). Neighborhoods. (Am I missing something…does the whole town look kind of the same?)
Negative: Lack of a good local restaurant. A seeming lack of diversity among the powers (commercial and political) that be. The malt o’ meal smell (ok…it’s not that bad…sort of sweet and cerealy…but I guess I prefer just a plain old natural smell). Smugness about how ‘special’ it is here.
Overall…A real nice small town close to a great urban area…but subtract the colleges…New Prague.
Interesting thought – Northfield, New Prague with colleges. If that is true, does that make Northfield better, worse, or just different?
Bill, what a guy! Name a date and place and the drinks are on me!
This is a nice town, but there are a lot of nice towns. Being competitive doesn’t mean other towns have to be worse, but that we have to have something that sets us apart, makes us interesting. People don’t need us to be the best at everything, any more they need to rank their kids in order of importance.
If people here can name some towns they think are in our league, or might be models, I’d be happy to split up the list, take my share and do some research and road trips and report back. It’s time to quit talking about what might work here and see what does work somewhere else (and how we can put our own twist on it.)
Shall we start with New Prague, Hastings, Red Wing, somewhere else? I’ll take the first one.
First of all, there are many differing criteria used to evaluate
towns, as many as there are writers. Some use the number of facilities, like Curves and other exercise shops for women, as a
criteria, or the number of playgrounds, churches, or ice cream shops.
AV is not better than Northfield, they are simply very different places. Apple Valley is larger scale, big stores and developments.
While some don’t care for cookie cutter housing, some people do
very much enjoy anonymity in their choice of living quarters.
Many people simply do not wish to mow lawn and maintain shrubs and bushes.
I enjoy the Barnes and Noble in AV, Bylerly’s, Bachmans’, Burlington’s, and a lot of B things…not you, Brendon.
I don’t like the Bakers’ Square there, although I have liked that restaurant in other locations…not all chain stores are alike…they are run by individual people and each one shows it’s particular manager’s and staff’s competency. I don’t go to Krispy Kreme or Kohls, or any other K place. I usually buy art supplies at Michael’s and that rocks.
Except in rare instances, the people of AV have been friendly and helpful, the prices are good.
The reason I like the big stores is because I can walk around and explore mostly unnoticed (I ignore any camera eyes in this) and I can sit and look at a book or envision how some fabric may look without that ever present eye I feel in smaller stores. Plus, there is simply more to peruse. You can easily spend an hour
in a big store just casually looking around. That, plus I have heard that people actually get their daily exercise in the big stores.
I go to Northfield for a particular item, like the special dark rye bread at Just Foods, and maybe some talc free powder for a friend’s
birthday present. And while I will buy some beads at one of the
big chain stores, the specialized beads will be purchased in Northfield. When I want music cds, I head for Target or Amazon.com…there is little in the way of cds here…Ive already got the St. Olaf Choir cds at RCB.
As a result, I think the area is great, Northfield is limited,
but easily balanced out by surrounding areas, and if it ain’t
broke, don’t fix it. There’s plenty for every taste and temperament.
20 to 30 minutes away, or online is perfect for me… If I need it that bad, I can order it, or pick it up on a weekend. Target has enough “Made In China” stuff to saturate all our citizens ten times over.
Personally, I have no problem with NOT having a Chipolte, or a Red Lobster, or another Burger King, or a Starbucks in our wonderful town. Most of this food is probably grown in China as well.
Northfield is about the character, not about the cookie cutter amenities of AV. They can keep that in AV or Lakeville.
I would much rather jump on my bike, or walk down the path or sidewalk, and shop locally. The “imports” I want to buy is meat from Nerstrand, and sweet corn from the outlying farms.
I do have to confess that I am in the “commuter” group though. I do attempt to telecommute, and would love to see some sort of facility where you could have some cubes, a conference room, and multiple IP phones and a video conference facility, with administrative support such as copiers and printers. (of course, this would be high bandwidth) Users could pay a daily fee, and have a “remote office” in which to telecommute from. This would be nice close to downtown, or near one of the campuses. It would be nice to telecommute from a place that was far enough away from the house so that it is not a distraction, while still not having to make the 38 mile trip.
I do however, try to make the commute as low impact as possible. I vanpool with 9 others on a daily basis. It is much better in terms of comfort, the environment, and my wallet.
If anyone has any question why Northfield smokes AV on any given day, I invite them to go stand on the corner of HWY 77 and County Road 42. That will chang your mind in a heck of a hurry.
Money Magazine can keep touting AV all it wants. I know what Northfield is about… thats why I moved here.
Regards,
-John
Design is more than making something pretty or making it look old, as several posts in this thread state or imply. In some respects, the “prettiness” of a building or space is less important than the way things work. In looking at Tracy’s two photos, some people see pretty buildings vs. ugly buildings. Some people see expensive to maintain buildings vs. affordable buildings.
If you look past these pairings to how the buildings are arranged – Can you find your way around? Is there an organizational pattern that is readily understood? Can you get around without a car or only by car? What type of space is defined by the buildings – an outdoor room or randomness? Are multiple uses allowed or encouraged or discouraged?
I am providing a link to a report which is a compiliation of many studies that show that good design matters, and in fact can be counted statistically. I found it to be not only interesting, but confirming of my own professional biases
http://www.cabe.org.uk/default.aspx?contentitemid=483&field=sitesearch&term=the%20value%20of%20good%20design&type=0
Steve:
…are human interactions facilitated or limited?
Thanks for the link,
Ross
I just read this about MN in Publisher’s Weekly:
“With a healthy economy, excellent educational system and generous support for the arts from both residents and government funding, it’s no surprise Minnesota always ranks first or second on research publisher Morgan Quitno’s annual “Most Livable State” lists. With approximately 250 retail outlets selling books to its five million residents, the nation’s 21st most populous state scores a solid #13 on PW’s bookselling health index.”
Mn has 1 bookstore for every 20,700 residents. Northfield has 5 independent bookstores for fewer than 20,000 residents. not bad. Apple Valley has 2 bookstores, pop?
Jerry:
Apple Valley Population -
Population (year 2000): 45,527.
Estimated population in July 2006: 50,109 (+10.1% change)
From City-Data.com
Don’t just take my word for it, how about the authoritative opinion of one of America’s leading businessmen:
“Good architecture is great business. A lot of people talk about ‘location, location, location’. I disagree. It’s just one element. Architecture is, in many cases, more important than location”. – Donald Trump in the Chicago Tribune, October 31, 2004
I think we can agree that when Donald says good architecture, he means good design, and that it doesn’t stop at the property line or the curb, it is your whole experience.