The selected photos are now part of an exhibition called Frames of Engagement that runs through Sept. 25 in the White Spaces at the Weitz Center for Creativity which opens to the Northfield community today with an open house, 3-6 pm.
This exhibition highlights civic engagement between Carleton, the Northfield community, and beyond. Situated in Northfield’s former middle school, this exhibition demonstrates Carleton’s desire to preserve and commemorate elements of the community’s past while also offering it a vast arena for future collaboration and connection.
I submitted six photos and when I visited the exhibition last night, was delighted to find out that they were all on display. I’ve added the originals to this album of photos of the walls of the exhibit.
See the large slideshow (recommended) or SLOW CLICK this small slideshow:
The kids bike races at last weekend’s Cuyuna Lakes Mountain Bike Festival in Crosby, MN were a huge hit: lots of kids participating, lots of people watching and cheering with big smiles.
The kids were grouped into four age categories (something like ages 1-3, 4-5, 6-8, 9-10) and they rode one loop on the grass around the edge of Crosby Memorial Park, adjacent to the bandstand and cook shack. The top three finishers in the two youngest classes then ran a second race, as well as the top three finishers in the two oldest classes. The parents of those 12 kids then raced each other, competing on their kids’ bikes. Hilarious.
Could one of the local bicycle shops take on the organization of the event, or maybe some other non-profit or association? It could be held close to downtown, eg, Ames Park, Central Park, Riverside Park, or Babcock Park.
Hans is a god, even in my world of motorcycle trials, so I was thrilled to be invited to join him and some other mountain bike industry guys for dinner and beers. In the photo, L to R: Gary Sjoquist, Advocacy Director for QBP; Hans Rey; John Gaddo, Inside Sales rep at QBP; and Jeff Verink, sales rep with GT Bicycles and the talented master of ceremonies for the Cuyuna Lakes Mountain Bike Festival.
While chatting with John Gaddo, I learned that he grew up in Northfield. Many locals might know his dad, long-time general manager at the former WCAL-FM. John mentioned that he was also a trials bicycle rider but I had no idea the level of his skills until he teamed up with Hans for the bicycle trials exhibition on Saturday night.
I think Northfield should feature a bicycle trials exhibition by John Gaddo, right on Bridge Square, during the Milltown Cycles 4th of July criterium. How about it, Ben Witt?
Former Northfielders (and country singer-songwriters) Johnny Western and Marilyn Sellars came back to their hometown last Sunday night to join the community in a celebration of Maggie Lee’s 90th birthday.
Scott Richardson composed the words to "The Ballad of Maggie Lee," (sung to the tune of Rawhide):
Rolling, Rolling, Rolling Keep those presses rolling Keep those presses rolling Maggie
News and information Your readers are waiting Hungry for what you’ve got to say.
City Council’s steaming School board is dreaming Opinion is what is you try to sway.
Get the news, make it sing, type it up, paste it up Turn the press, hit the street, Maggie Eat a bite, check the mail, pet the cat, get some sleep Back to work Back to work, Maggie
Clicken, clicken, clicken Keep those keyboards clicken Keep those keyboards clicken, Maggie
Always deadlines loomin’ No time for snoozin’ PMTs are still an hour away
That waxer is cloggin’ Photon lens is foggin’ Why can’t those writers make some hay!
Get the news, make it sing, type it up, paste it up Turn the press, hit the street, Maggie Eat a bite, check the mail, pet the cat, get some sleep Back to work Back to work, Maggie
Strolling, Strolling, Strolling Division she is strolling Division she is strolling, Maggie
Broomball shoes protect her The cart is her collector Gathering news and goods she finds on sale.
Shops and keepers need her Her stories they are feeders She never tires of telling Northfield’s tales
Get the news, make it sing, type it up, paste it up Turn the press, hit the street, Maggie Eat a bite, check the mail, pet the cat, get some sleep Back to work Back to work, Maggie
Purple, purple, purple What’s the deal with purple? Why’s it always purple, Maggie
First a fashion respite, Now her fans expect it. Regal in every swish and sway.
Accessorizin’s easy Oft’ a wee bit cheesy Now you know the secret so they say.
Get the news, make it sing, type it up, paste it up Turn the press, hit the street, Maggie Eat a bite, check the mail, pet the cat, get some sleep Back to work Back to work, Maggie
As you tell by the smiles on the faces of Mark Murphy, Barbara Burke, Paul Krause, Bill McGrath, and Dean Kjerland, people were pretty pleased with the weather for today’s 2011 opening of Riverwalk Market Fair.
We’ve had so few sunny days this spring that it’s been tough to get my allotment of colorful photos around downtown. Here are six. I hope to get more. The days start getting shorter in less than a month.
The threat of rain chased the Prairie Creek Group indoors last Saturday during the 2011 Mayfly Festival at the Contented Cow. Members: Alisa Leonard, lead vocals; Dave Drentlaw, drums; Peter Diggins, guitar and vocals; Bo Aylin guitar and vocals; Joel Cooper, bass and backup vocals; Peter Diggins’ daughter, piggyback.
Perkins Specialized Transportation road tested its big truck trailer rig last night on Riverview Drive and Cannon Road. I blogged about the rig a few weeks ago but the rumors about it being used to transport a cask of spent nuclear fuel rods may not be accurate. More to come on that. But the rig will be disassembled and trucked to California where it make one or more trips to Utah.
You can view the photos in normal slideshow fashion, or for a larger view, you can right-click on any of them and view them in a new tab or window.
After getting several copies of this via email and tweets last week during our miserable wet cold spell, I went in search of spring in the Upper Arb Sunday morning, our first sunny day in a looooooooooooong time. I didn’t find much. Alas, the forecast calls for more cold rain and slushy snow mid-week. Sigh.
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I took a run out to Knecht’s Nurseries & Landscaping this morning to see if last night’s snowfall made for any interesting photos. I was not disappointed. I occasionally huddled inside one of the greenhouses to warm up and added 3 photos of things blooming.
The Cannon River has receded to where the trail at the site of the spooky old tree is now passable without getting your feet wet, as long as you’re willing to do the balance beam on the logs.
Steve Albers alerted me yesterday to these ice formations under the new Highway 3 bridge over the Cannon River, just north of the Rice County Steam and Gas Engines property. It seems insufficient to say the weird formations were caused by high water. And why on one supporting pier and not the other?
What about the ice formations on the picnic table in Ames Park and the bird feeder rack in front of The Crossing? Was all of that from high water lapping against the structures or was some from snow melt? And why the weird formations, instead of just pointed icicles like on the Hwy 3 bridge?
The Archibald Mill in Dundas is currently dressed up with some ice formations. I took these photos yesterday, both inside the ruins of the 1930s mill and from the site of the 1857 mill on the island.
The below-freezing temps and receding high water on the Cannon River created some interesting ice formations this week in downtown Northfield, both above the Ames Mill dam and north of the 2nd St. bridge.
Most of the photos are macro shots, with the ones above among my favorites that show something of Northfield in the background.
Yesterday afternoon, local business owners, St. Olaf students, and miscellaneous other volunteers filled hundreds of sandbags on downtown’s west side behind Larson’s Printing.
Alas, I didn’t make to the dress rehearsals this week for Northfield High School’s Rock ‘n Roll Revival show, "Reelin’ and Rockin’." Shows are March 11, 12, 13, 17, 18 and 19 and there are a few tickets still available according to Tom McKown. See:
Nfld Patch has an 8-part video series on the show. See part 1 here, with links to the others in the right sidebar.
This spring, St. Dominic parish will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone of their church. Nearly forgotten is the old church and the tumultuous debate that preceded its ultimate demolition in the Fall of 1985. Tradition-minded parishioners joined with preservationists in the community to try to save the old church building. The contest attracted letters to the editor of the Northfield News from around the country, and newspaper articles in the Faribault Daily News and the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
With the help of Hayes Scriven and the Northfield Historical Society, I have assembled a handful of photos that perhaps explain why so many were so attached to the lovely old red-brick building. More photos and analysis of the episode available on my blog.
George Kinney: As someone who has cracked a helmet when pushed off the street by a driver with issues (in Green Bay, not here) I do think wearing a helmet is a very good idea. So — get your bike club to be the coolest thing going, and helmet...
Patrick Enders: Griff, I grew up well before bike helmets became the norm, and still, when I went to high school, almost no one rode a bike, because driving a car was already seen as “the only socially acceptable form of local...
Gabe Meerts: By the way, Griff. I think you do a great job promoting biking (even if I disagree with this particular post).
Gabe Meerts: You must have added the wrong link because the PRI story quotes: “There’s no question that wearing a helmet is a good idea.” There’s a big leap from promoting bike helmets to mandatory helmet laws. I...
Barry Cipra: Hayes, thanks (I think). Just to be clear, I penned (actually keyboarded) those lines in all due affection, not to mention affectation.
Hayes Scriven: Where is the like button! Griff you know I love ya!!
Barry Cipra: With apologies to poetic sensibilities everywhere (and partial blame ascribed to Paul Zorn for his scholarly consultations): A blockheaded blogger named Griff With cement twixt his ears caused a tiff. He showed himself shallow By...
john george: Rob- I guess it doesn’t take much to get Griff agregated.
john george: Griff- Are you sure you don’t have me mixed up with someone else?
Peter Seebach (Seebs): WOO! Go Betsey! As the Ward 2 rep, she has indeed worked for exactly these sorts of things, and was extremely helpful when I was trying to get a bit of paperwork untangled. So, yeah, looks like my vote is clear.
Griff Wigley: Councilor Betsey Buckheit just filed to run for mayor. She sent out this email: Good morning, media folks! I just returned from City Hall where I filed to run for Mayor. Here’s a little information, but there’s much more...
Tom Kotula: Despite rumors you may have heard to the contrary, I have not thrown my hat into the ring.
Sean Hayford Oleary: I was glad to hear Erica Zweifel is running again. She’s done an excellent job and has advocated well for her ward. I’m eager to see some filings for mayor.
Griff Wigley: Today’s Strib: A sobering era for municipal booze The forces that create winner and loser cities in the metro are complex, and they involve clashes with other “muni” cities as well as private operators. Farmington,...
kiffi summa: Curt: obviously I thought there was more in the article that was less than fully informative: see above… But as far as the city paying overtime etc, i.e., all the issues you mention above.. the question is why the city was doing...
Curt Benson: Kiffi, I agree that the $75/hour ambulance time section was incomplete and confusing. However, I wouldn’t negate the whole article because of one weak section. What do you think about the city paying overtime for rescue squad...
kiffi summa: Griff: here’s why I used the word “vendetta”: there has been discord between the firefighters since the Dept of Public Safety was created with one Dept Head, i.e. Police Chief Taylor. That’s close to two years...
kiffi summa: Curt: Once again the NFNews article has left a confusion instead of a clarification, because it says that Elko paid $75 dollars an hour to have a rescue squad presence (and that seems very low to me), and then it says the city was...
Curt Benson: Griff and Kiffi–is this a reasonable recap? The city was paying city employees overtime to be on site at Elko’s events, using the Rescue Squad’s truck. Elko didn’t reimburse the city for it’s overtime...
Kathie Galotti: I’m glad the kids will have this for this summer. I recognize it’s not ideal. Unfortunately, there seems to be NO ideal place.
rob hardy: The PRAB met on Thursday, and the subcommittee on siting a permanent skatepark was on the agenda. Does anyone know what was discussed, and whether the process is moving forward in a timely manner?
Brenton Balvin: Wish I could attend this and listen to the tunes Blowing in the Wind. Unfortunately I’ll be dealing with a Hurricane of issues at work.
john george: Peter- I’ll be glad to do that, if I can figure out how. I’m technologically challenged, to say the least.
Peter Seebach (Seebs): John, that sounds lovely. I will try to remember to call. If I don’t, ping me (email is usually good for reaching me) to remind me, because I have a really bad memory for things I was going to do.
john george: Peter- I was just thinking that I would enjoy a cup of coffee with you sometime. You can ask Grifff- I don’t bite! My days off are Monday & Tuesday. I’ve bee a little tied up recently with new grandchildren being born...
Peter Seebach (Seebs): I think we are probably pretty close to agreement on that one. One of my hobbies is nudging things along to get people out of some of the various poverty loops. It is amazing how little money it takes to move someone from...
Peter Seebach (Seebs): A clarifying note: Consequences of Gay Marriage. No one is proposing making homosexuality a civil right. Marriage is already a civil right, and gays are already a protected class for discrimination purposes in most cases....
Curt Benson: Hvistendahl’s strange request for omerta from the Rescue Squad’s auditors doesn’t seem so strange today, after Suzy Rook’s NFN article: http://www.southernminn.com/no rthfield_news/news/article_...
Griff Wigley: Props to the newspaper and Suzy Rook for mentioning LoGro twice in the story: Fire Department officials, including Fire Chief Gerry Franek, did not respond to several requests from the News for association financial records or...
Griff Wigley: Posted to Northfield News at 1pm: Ethical questions arise over Northfield Fire Relief Association expenses Donations made to Northfield Fire Relief Association aren’t public dollars, but that hasn’t extinguished city...
Griff Wigley: Curt/Robert, There’s a summary of the Rescue Squad on Page 21 of the 2009 NFD report to the City. It doesn’t mention that there’s a Rescue Squad Association. The last paragraph states: The Northfield Rescue Squad is...
Robert Palmquist: If Hvistendahl’s motivation was to keep the financials from getting known, his submitting a memo like that just really backfired. I agree, why would these financials be such a secret??? And why did the NRSA hire a lawyer to...
Griff Wigley: Good turnout last night for the Cannon Valley Mountain Bike Team meeting at the high school. I’ve blogged a summary with the ppt presentations.
Griff Wigley: Jordan Osterman, the new Sports Editor for the Northfield News, scooped me on Saturday. I’m glad! Northfield high school mountain bike team forming As a club sport, mountain biking would have no official affiliation with either...
Griff Wigley: Good suggestion, Curt. I’ll do that for next week’s blurb. I have been verbally emphasizing the importance of having girls on the team, especially since their points on race days count more than boys’ points. Other...
john george: Living where we do, it is only a few blocks walk to North Street and a grand view of the sunsets. Also, with our neighbors’ mature white pines & spruce, our covered deck affords outdoor enjoyment with a fair amount of...
Jim Haas: Happens to me a lot. So much that my lovely wife had to coin a term for it: she says I have datelexia.
norman butler: Since coming to my adopted country 16 years ago I have observed, amongst other things, that not putting the day with the date is both common and peculiar to Northfield (MN? USA?).
John Thomas: Just a reminder, advance tickets for Girls Night Out 2012 can be purchased on The Grand’s website at http://www.thegrandnorthfield. com/public-events. Your tickets will then be available at a special “Will Call” at...
Liz Reppe: This is a great place to buy plants! Jeni is very knowledgeable and they are both really helpful. You get great service and plant expertise, but the prices are not higher than other places in town.
bill metz: While most of how Jake is being remembered revolves around, and rightly so, his great and wonderful talent as an artist and teacher and the works of sculpture he has left for our and the next generations enjoyment, I have had the...
kiffi summa: Come on, Griff… you say you’re “more than a little clueless about about investments” but you “just happened to notice”… and from what you said, were reading analytically, etc etc… Once...
Griff Wigley: I’m more than a little clueless about investments but I noticed on page 14 in the April 24 Council packet that the Fire Relief Association has 85% of its pension portfolio in stocks. Isn’t that a bit risky/aggressive for...
Griff Wigley: Has there been any media reporting on the intergovernmental meeting in Bridgewater Township that was held on April 25 re: the Rural Fire Protection District and the City of Northfield?
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