The Marcus Welby of law, by Lance Heisler | Lampe Law Group
July 31, 2010 | 7:45 pm
Growing 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 am
Now 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.
Archive for Membership Sideblog »

Policy and a Pint: it could work in Northfield

By Griff Wigley, on March 8, 2007, 10:01 pm

I do consulting work for the Citizens League but I’ve also been a member since 1989. (They also were the fiscal agent for the grant that started the Utne Reader Neighborhood Salon Association that I headed for many years and it was a Northfield salon at my house in 1991 that gave birth to Northfield Citizens Online, the non-profit parent of Northfield.org. But I digress.)

The Citizens League has teamed up with MPR’s The Current to host a series of public policy events called Policy and a Pint. It’s hugely successful, in part because it makes policy stuff fun. Food! Liquor! Socializing! Music! Civic discussion! Yeah, baby!

This week I attended their event called Health Care Handcuffs at the Varsity Theater in Dinkytown and I couldn’t help thinking that we should do a version of this in Northfield.

Look at the photos (click each to enlarge) and just imagine a similar version of it happening here in Northfield at the Grand Event Center. Who would do it? How about Locally Grown and KRLX? How about Nothfield.org and the Northfield News? How about KYMN and the League of Women Voters? Or other various combinations of the above?

6 comments to Policy and a Pint: it could work in Northfield

1

Alex Beeby says:

March 10, 2007 at 10:47 am

I agree. Let’s do it!
2

Bright Spencer says:

March 10, 2007 at 12:15 pm

Doesn’t anyone know how to have fun without a
glass of beer in their hands?
3

Margit Johnson says:

March 10, 2007 at 1:13 pm

I’ve forwarded this post to the current and president-elect of the Northfield League of Women Voters. Definitely right up LWV’s alley!
4

Griff Wigley says:

March 10, 2007 at 3:53 pm

Glad to hear, Margit.

Bright, I see people having fun all the time here in Northfield discussing issues without alcohol. Just a few examples: before and after NDDC and LWV forums; before and after council and committee meetings; and around tables in coffeehouses everyday.

This would be offering something unique: combining the conviviality of a pub/nightclub with stimulating conversation around civic-related issues. Unless you’re of the belief that alcohol use is bad/wrong per se, I don’t see what the problem is.
5

Bright Spencer says:

March 11, 2007 at 8:45 am

Alcohol puts a lid on clear thinking. It also removes inhibitions, and not always in a good and not always in a bad way. I am sensitive to alcohol, it makes me feel ill and fuzzy. Not fun for me. Yet, almost every event around here includes alcohol or coffee. Some of the people I saw at events either got all melancholy and self indulgent and confused, or starting chattering so fast about any ol thing, I thought my head would spin right off.

You may see it as fun, but I can so do without that sort of fun. Moreover, drinkers and non drinkers generally mix together like oil and water…with each
side tending to reject the other.

Fun for me would be some music from any source, live or spun, with optional dancing, a fresh spinach apple carrot beet celery juice drink, some nice lighting, a couple of good jokes, and some good, friendly, intelligent, clear give and take conversation…six to eight people at each table top.

Near the end of the evening, people submit their good ideas on the topic du jour, the Best Idea of the Night is voted in and the winner receives tickets to the next play or something else easily provided.

No liquor is required unless someone has some sort of
phobia associated with socializing. Then, maybe some other sort of help is indicated.

Oh, one more thing, when I was in high school, we girls used to have overnights and there I learned that if someone drank wine at night, the next morning that person could drink a glass of water and recirculate the wine. I did try it once so I know it’s way true.

I am not saying don’t ever have some events that include liquor, but I think it is relied upon way too much. The other 8 or 9 cities and towns I have lived in, don’t nearly depend on liquor for taxes, raising
money, or entertainment like Northfield does.

hth,

Bright
6

Griff Wigley says:

March 12, 2007 at 4:37 pm

Bright, I think the LWV’s 4th Monday series at the library and the NDDC’s downtown forums on the 2nd Tues at the Archer House are similar to what you’re after.

This would be an alternative.

Locally Grown: on sabbatical starting Aug. 1 (21)
- Griff Wigley: This is comment #35,085 made on the last of 2,976 blog posts, with 187 podcast episodes tossed in for good measure. Now shut down for August. The LoGroNo office at GBM is vacant. But you can follow Ross, Tracy, and I on our...
- Bright Spencer: Good bye and good luck to all!
- Griff Wigley: Jane/William, I’m pretty sure I’ve trained you both to behave 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...
Kathy and Sandy have a new Prairie’s Edge Humane Society segment on KYMN (6)
- Griff Wigley: Jeez, Ross. You adopted Chance? Now we’re going to have to add your new PEHS dog to our About page. No, we’re not changing from the Triumvirate to something four-related, ie, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
- Ross Currier: Yup, we adopted Chance.
- Sandy Vesledahl: Ross – Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!
What’s a college degree worth in the Great Recession? (34)
- Phil Poyner: Yes, but where would we put all the egos?
- Phil Poyner: Ray, I believe 11 states or so have full military pension exemption, but many others (including MN) have some sort of partial exemption or tax credit. But I know for many veterans taxes are not the number one factor when...
- Barry Cipra: Ray, here’s a thought that ties these threads together (and which I think will appeal to Paul): Let’s not tax the income of people with PhDs from accredited universities. When you don’t tax PhD income, you tend...
Where’s the public process on City’s budget cuts? (84)
- Ross Currier: Sorry Griff, but that article concludes with the inside-the-same-old-box type of ideas. I suppose that’s what you get when you ask people inside-the-municipal-box for solutions. Hopefully, there will be citizens,...
- Griff Wigley: Strib: Citizens try to solve cities’ budget woes http://www.startribune.com/pol itics/local/99519729.html
- kiffi summa: Norman and Ross… let me be so bold as to add an observation about this ‘opportunity’̷ 0; I find it so bizarre that mr. Walinski would come up with this staff consolidation plan as a ‘going away...
NHS recommends trees be removed in front of Scriver Building; Council agrees (14)
- Griff Wigley: Here’s a silent video of me walking the area around the Scriver Bldg. Note: * the cozy canopy that the trees provide * that there’s only one small tree nearby in Bridge Square * how nicely the two trees frame and...
- norman butler: Hayes: Many thanks for the ADA costs, almost $750,000. I assume that additional to this is the remodelling of the second floor etc, at a total cost of, say, $1,000,000 to make this wonderful, ancient, iconic, historic,...
- Griff Wigley: I’ve added a straw poll on the trees. See the upper left sidebar.
Let’s use a Border Collie to solve the geese problem now (26)
- Griff Wigley: Straw poll results: How should the City solve the geese poop problem along the Cannon River in downtown Northfield? * Harvest the geese for area food shelves (36%, 24 Votes) * Use border collies to chase the geese away (24%, 16...
- David Ludescher: Griff: It doesn’t make sense to me that we spent a half of million dollars on places where geese like to sh*t.
- Phil Poyner: Excerpt from “Development of a Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard Program at Langley AFB, Virginia.” Canada geese- In June 1999, more than 225 resident Canada geese were molting at Eaglewood golf course adjacent to the...
Anonymous comments on the Northfield News website (338)
- Michelle Hawkins: As far as Mr Denison and past records of those serving or wishing to serve in public office, I think the public is smart enough to judge for themselves rather than rely on only what they find in a newspaper, for their...
- Michelle Hawkins: If a person lives in a drug infested,alcoholic ridden apartment complex and also works on a one to one basis with such while at the same time receives threats as a result of that volunteer work and their work with battered...
- Patrick Enders: Carol, Jerry was a plaintiff in a lawsuit in California which Scott found interesting. Scott posted about it here on LGN, and Jerry (Jerold) answered about it here.
Northfield School Board election: Which seats are up? Who’s filing? Anyone? Anyone? (5)
- Griff Wigley: Nfld News: File for school board, Dundas council Aug. 3
Aug. 10 Northfield City Council primary election: what do we know about the candidates? (31)
- Griff Wigley: I’ve added photos I took at the League of Women Voters candidates forum on 7/29 to the blog post above.
- Griff Wigley: KYMN Radio video: 07/29/10 League of Women Voters Candidate Forum (Archived)
- Griff Wigley: Nfld News: Council candidates weigh in at forum During the first half of the forum, which focused on the Fourth Ward candidates, Gehring expressed his support for an aggressive plan laid out by Mayor Mary Rossing to hire a new...
Kitty Mania at the Prairie’s Edge Humane Society, by Sandy Vesledahl (1)
- Sandy Vesledahl: Don’t miss out on “Kitty Mania” today at Prairie’s Edge Humane Society. If you have been thinking about adopting a cat now is the perfect time to do so!
Using blogs and Twitter to leverage your influence as a Northfield community leader (12)
- Griff Wigley: Thanks, Tracy. I’ll look at that City Mgr blog in Ventura, CA. I’ll be interested to see if he’s better blogger than former Northfield City Administrator Scott Neal who’s been a blogger client of...
- David Ludescher: Amen, Jerry.
- Jerry Bilek: I look at all of this technology as a tool. it has the potential to do good things or is a huge time waster. some blogs are amazingly helpful while others just a way to kill time. For business use, it can be beneficial, but it...
Friday night’s thunderstorm did some damage (10)
- Griff Wigley: Nfld News editorial: Fix the poles, bill who’s responsible
- Griff Wigley: Nfld News: Corrosion may be behind light pole collapses
- Griff Wigley: Josh, use our Contact form. It has a file upload feature: http://locallygrownnorthfield. org/contact/
Who’s ready for some goose egg omelettes? (1)
- Robbie Wigley: So… where ARE those raccoons when you need them!
LoGroNo site cleanup (55)
- Bright Spencer: orange and yellows are the colors that draw people in, and stimulate intellectual inklings. But, like the sun, too much is not so good.
- Bright Spencer: orange and yellows are the colors that draw people in, like the sun, too much is off putting though
- Griff Wigley: Would there be a combination of colors that might make the site more agreeable to the eyes? Lots of gray and blue now. Tracy, want to take a whack at it?
Let’s Wiki a City Budget (43)
- norman butler: Tracy; the article you quoted above made mention of the city of Maywood’s services now being provided by a neighboring city: “…The [parking] ticket was issued by enforcement clerks for the neighboring city of...
- kiffi summa: If you look at the disbursements in the Council packets, you will see the janitorial work IS being contracted out; here’s some numbers from the July 6 disbursement list: 6/11/10 May City Hall Cleaning – 1282.50...
- Tracy Davis: From the Wall Street Journal, 7/19: Cities Rent Police, Janitors to Save Cash
Sand needed in brick paver crosswalks downtown: how to tell the city about it? (11)
- Griff Wigley: A competitor to SeeClickFix is CitySourced: http://www.citysourced.com/
- Griff Wigley: Phil, services like SeeClickFix take that into account, ie, people can weigh in to endorse what someone else has submitted. For example, see the service in action at this CT newspaper: http://www.journalinquirer.com / Click...
- Phil Poyner: I see a downside to what you’re saying. Theoretically it may make sense to have a single problem submitted just once. But my experience has been that until a group of people submit the same problem, the problem can be...
Cycle America’s cross-country tour: a day of rest in Northfield (2)
- Griff Wigley: Hey Don, great to hear from you… and that you’re still doing the outdoor thing. I’d never heard of water cycling.
- Don Haugo: Cycle America was started in 1988. In 1997 Greg Walsh took it over and has been running it since. I live in Bloomington, Minnesota and am about to start marketing a couple of new outdoor adventure events for next year, the...
Pedestrian signals with countdowns now up (30)
- Sean Hayford O'Leary: That’s a shame, Erica. But since we now know that a (brief) crossing period can be accommodated without interrupting traffic at that particular intersection (which has the shortest crossing distance and relatively...
- Erica Zweifel: It appears that the automatic crossing was temporary, this Saturday I had to push the button to get the pedestrian signal at 5th Street.
- Griff Wigley: Sean, I’ll try to capture the audio at a low traffic time so everyone can hear the loud beep-beep and the quiet messages. And I’ll check the 5th St. intersection but all the improvements there look to be the same as...
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- Griff Wigley: MPR’s Question of the day: Do you depend on sirens to alert you to severe weather?
- Griff Wigley: Jane/Josh, thanks for the reports. I’ve blogged your comments with some photos at: http://locallygrownnorthfield. org/post/18720/
- Josh Dale: I live on the north-east corner of St. Olaf property, off Highland Ave. The power went out shortly after 1am. No power=no warnings, other than a lightning strike, blown transformers or downed power lines…it was a good...
Crazy! Team Coldwell Banker South Metro hugs for the food shelf (2)
- Griff Wigley: You’re welcome, Jeanette. The slimy handshake was memorable!
- Jeanette Nelson: Hi Griff, Thanks so much for receiving so graciously, however reluctantly, a hug from a fellow Norwegian! Oh, and also for the wet slimy handshake.
Should Crazy Daze be two days? (3)
- Kathie Galotti: What Rob said–about Crazy Days. I kinda like the new layout of LoGroNo, though, myself.
- Rob Hardy: No. I LOVE downtown Northfield, but I prefer its charming everyday self, not the hyped-up crazy version. I grinchily observed Crazy Daze this year by riding my bike out to Target. Also: while I’m being a Grinch, I hate the...
- Bright Spencer: You mean have Crazy,Crazy Daze? Always have a plan B and maybe even C. C?
Podcast: Jane McWilliams on the proposed police and fire facilities (11)
- kiffi summa: Jane: you are correct about the randomness of the discussion that followed… in some ways that is understandable as someone (MNDOT) had just thrown a big wrench into the works of the Council’s fast moving train. I...
- Jane McWilliams: I was pleased to read that the council has decided against a November referendum, but I was dismayed at the randomness of the discussion which followed. It would serve them well to put the whole project on ice for a few...
- David Ludescher: Ray, It might happen now with a number of new Council members and a new City Administrator, especially if this Division Street site is a real, and not a fanciful, option. It sounds as if the City Council still doesn’t...
Relay for Life of Rice County, August 6th, Rice County Fairgrounds. By Sandy Vesledahl (3)
- Sandy Vesledahl: We will be selling luminaria’s on Bridge Square during Crazy Daze for Relay for Life of Rice County. If you would like to purchase one to be lit at this year’s event to honor a loved one who has been affected by...
Budget cuts: an opportunity for local government to deliver services WITH citizens. Social media can help. (40)
- kiffi summa: Forgot to mention that I believe this agenda item was titled specifically to avoid controversy. It is true that the position also entailed the Welcome Center duties , that may have been the majority of the job’s hours, but...
- kiffi summa: Was doing the Observing for the LWV… so yeah… Council voted 4-3 to table ’til the Aug 3 meeting. C. Pownell had asked C. Zweifel to table the issue (Zweifel had asked for the reconsideration) because C. Pownell...
- Tracy Davis: Funny, Griff, I posted this link on the wiki thread before I saw you put it here!
Fourth Street reconstruction Phase 1B way behind schedule; NDDC’s unskilled workforce to blame? (18)
- Griff Wigley: 4th St. between Division and Washington was paved and striped yesterday.
40 days and counting: a floating yellow barrier in the Cannon River with nothing to do (4)
- Griff Wigley: Thanks, Bart. FYI, 4th St. between Division and Washington was paved and striped yesterday.
Hwy 19 between Northfield and I-35 closed starting today, July 21 (1)
- Griff Wigley: The detour barricades at Old Dutch Road were being put up at 6 am.
Running without running shoes (41)
- Griff Wigley: NPR yesterday: For Humans, Slow And Steady Running Won The Race Be sure to watch the video: Running With And Without Shoes
On Watermelons and Widgets, by Tom Swift (6)
- David Henson: Tom, food prices have fallen for years and years (decades and decades) in the USA (free market). And the government in every country mentioned for riots has grown so your cause and effect seems either driven by an emotional...
- Griff Wigley: I forgot to tell Tom to link to his Writer’s Notebook blog: http://tom-swift.com/weblog/ I’ve added it to the bottom of his blog post above.
- Griff Wigley: Kaufman has a blog and he’s got the pdf of his Food Bubble article on it. His blog has links to other media that have covered the article.
Google to help get The Monkey off my back (9)
- Tom Swift: Here’s one response to those numbers, Griff: “If we use the ratio from the last quarter, it implies Amazon has sold around 22 million Kindle books so far this year. That’s just the equivalent of 6 percent of the...
- Griff Wigley: NY Times: E-Books Top Hardcovers at Amazon Amazon.com, one of the nation’s largest booksellers, announced Monday that for the last three months, sales of books for its e-reader, the Kindle, outnumbered sales of hardcover...
- Bright Spencer: Rob, I read about half and skimmed thru the other, I have never liked to read through the excess of words that are often set before us because people are getting paid by each word they write. I will give myself a chance to...
Community event in-kind grant program: What needs fixing? How to control costs? (14)
- Tracy Davis: I met with Rhonda Pownell yesterday on another issue and asked her about this. From her comments I wondered again whether the Council was given adequate and thorough enough information upon which to base their decision....
Photo album: thunderheads south of Northfield (2)
- Griff Wigley: Penny Hillemann has some thunderhead photos on her blog at: http://penelopedia.blogspot.co m/2010/07/southern-cloudmass.h tml
Photo album: downtown 4th of July fireworks by Mark Heiman (3)
- Jessica Paxton: Wow. These are stunning. Too bad the City didn’t consider looking in its own back yard and hire someone like Mark to produce its promotional video….

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Policy and a Pint: it could work in Northfield

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