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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Where are all the outdoor skating rinks in Northfield?
By Griff Wigley, on November 19, 2008, 7:42 am
 Carleton put up two hockey rinks on the bald spot last week.
Where will the other outdoor hockey rinks be this year?
How about the location of the other recreational (non-hockey) skating rinks?
Is there a page on the City of Northfield’s web site where its rinks are listed? I couldn’t find it.
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Carleton put up two hockey rinks on the bald spot last week.
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...
There’s a rink at Way Park which gets LOTS of use as soon as it is flooded and freezes, all winter, day and night. Although it is designated on the city’s plan as a neighborhood park, the rink clearly is a draw for skaters of all ages from beyond the neighborhood, as cars parked along 1st street indicate. I don’t think there is another one on the west side.
I love the Way Park skating rink, Jane. There’s another one like it at Washington Park, adjacent to City Hall. Both have well-maintained warming houses, too… and I think, a no-hockey rule.
Are there others?
Jane –
There is a ice skating rink at Greenvale school. I am not sure if the city or the school district is in charge of it but there is a warming house there too.
I believe there will be one again this year down by Babcock Park, I’m looking out my window right now and I see boards up, so I assume this will be where it is going to be again this year (they moved it from the city land by the movie theater turned Culvers a few years ago). This one allows/encourages hockey as I believe the Northfield Hockey Association helps maintain it.
I love getting out and skating and shooting the puck around with friends. I normally go up to Carleton to do this, but too often we get kicked off the ice for Carleton’s broomball leagues. Normally Carleton keeps a decent sheet of ice though and I’ve seen casual skaters out there along with people shooting pucks around.
Of course if you go up to Lakeville or Eagan you will find way better outdoor ice…these cities are really dedicated to having quality outdoor ice and warming house facilities as they have multiple sheets of ice next to each other and a lot of the time they even have city staff on-site watching and asking how the ice is.
I wish Northfield could be like this and have the quality of ice that we haven’t seen in this town since Coach John McNamara was here and produced great outdoor ice at the High School and had the High School Hockey players maintain the ice. As a former player, it sure did suck dragging out the hose and flooding the rink a few nights a week, but it was worth it as it was a great sheet of ice to go out and play/practice on.
Well, they aren’t official rinks, but the shallow ponds at Prairie and Jefferson Parkway are lovely in winter. Parents around the ponds usually keep them shoveled, and it’s wonderful to watch them out there teaching their little ones how to stay upright on the ice.
Matt –
As I read your post I envisioned Ames Park having two rinks with boards that are used for pick-up hockey and broomball games and one giant open sheet of ice for skaters of all levels.
I might even buy a pair of skates in order to learn to skate myself!
I wonder if the city and/or park board has ever considered this as an option. Perhaps it is too late for this year but it should be on the list for consideration next year.
Maybe one or two of the many civic or fraternal organizations in town could take this project on as a service project. They could be in charge of doing the flooding of the rink etc. I know the city has a tractor with a sweeper in it that they could use to keep the ice clear of snow.
A group such as the skateboard coalition could run a concession stand in the evenings and on weekends selling hot cocoa (marshmallows a must), hot cider, tea and hot dogs as a fundraiser for their organization.
I can already picture the Norman Rockwell scene in my head — friends, family and townsfolk alike gathered for a night of skating on a rink encircled by rows of white Christmas lights. A gentle snow fallig down on a crisp clear winter night.
Arlen,
That’s a pretty good idea and it would be nice to have the rink(s) visible again! And even though I’m a hockey guy I like the idea of the open area reserved for the casual skater.
It might be tough to find volunteers/organizations to make it a service project…maintaining the outdoor rinks isn’t easy, but if several people/organizations stepped up you could divide it up and have each be responsible for one of the 2-3 rinks.
I’d also like to see the current High School Coach do what John McNamara did and have his team maintain a rink, it’s good team-building, you and 3-4 other guys go out there on nights and shovel the rink, flood it, clean up the warming house, etc…
Unfortunately I don’t even know if the players now would even know how to shovel the rink.
I would love to see Ames park used for a winter rec park including skating, hockey, broomball and maybe some snow sculptures. I have heard rumblings of this sort of project before and would love to see it move forward.