Locally Grown (LoGro) Northfield

Published March 7, 2009 by Griff Wigley

Whither the humanities in an economic downturn?

As a philosophy major (C- GPA!), I found this Feb. NY Times article to be interesting: In Tough Times, the Humanities Must Justify Their Worth.

I think my BA helped prepare me for life in some significant ways. OTOH, I think my alma mater, St. Thomas, failed to make explicit how, both when it came to a career and my life as a citizen. It wasn’t until I read What Color is Your Parachute? in 1972 that I came to understand that I was well-equipped to create meaningful and satisfying jobs and careers for myself throughout my life. And it wasn’t until I went to work for Utne Reader in 1990 that I realized I was well-equipped to contribute as a citizen. (continued)

Colleges Featured

humanities

Published March 6, 2009 by Griff Wigley

ADVERTISEMENT – Two new non-profit advertisers debut on LG: Cannon River Watershed Partnership and Rice-Le Sueur Red Cross

We have our first two non-profit advertisers on Locally Grown, sharing the banner ad space on the upper left sidebar. Lisa Carey, Community Membership and Outreach Coordinator for the Cannon…

Advertisers

Always Family Center Cannon River Watershed Partnership Chapati Contented Cow Knecht’s Nurseries and Landscaping Rice Le Sueur Red Cross

Published March 6, 2009 by Griff Wigley

A cheaper way to shop local: AhaDiscounts and the City Discount Card

Last week I met with St. Olaf grad Phong Nguyen about his new company, AhaDiscounts. He hosts local businesses’ promotional discounts on his website. People who carry his City Discount…

Businesses

Jerry Bilek Monkey See Monkey Read Phong Nguyen

Published March 6, 2009 by Griff Wigley

It’s enrollment lottery time for Northfield area Charter Schools; Legislative threats loom

Caroline Jones, Director of Prairie Creek Community School, will be our podcast guest next Wed. PCCS is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year (a K-6 Charter school since 2002). Their enrollment lottery is March 16. The Northfield School of Arts and Technology (ARTech) is a 6-12 Charter School that opened in 2003. Their lottery is April 6. Both PCCS and ARTech are sponsored by the Northfield School District. A new K-8 Charter, the Cannon River STEM School (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) opens this fall, sponsored by the Audubon Center of the North Woods. It holds its enrollment lottery on March 14. While all seems healthy for local Charters, there are some ominous changes being considered by the Legislature. (continued)

Featured K-12

ARTech Cannon River STEM School Charter schools Northfield School of Arts and Technology PCCS Prairie Creek Community School

Published March 5, 2009 by Griff Wigley

Strib joins Locally Grown to lower editorial decency standards

I detect a trend. A couple weeks ago, I blogged how Target had lowered its community decency standards to match LoGroNo. Then yesterday, the StarTribune’s editorial page ran a delightfully…

Fluff Media

StarTribune

Published March 5, 2009 by Ross Currier

Promoting Local Business AND Building Our Community

Reflecting back on “Retail and Business Promotions that Really Work” on my plane flight back from Chicago, I was suddenly struck by a thought. It seems that the line between promoting local businesses and building our community is beginning to disappear.

The presenter, Kathy LaPlante of the Main Street Center, quickly moved through 100 examples of business promotions from communities all around the United States. They ranged from “Earlier than the Bird” in Livermore, California, through “Let’s Wine about Winter” in Libertyville, Illinois, to “Shop Your Ath Off” in Athens, Georgia. The creativity generated by all of these grass roots efforts was quite impressive. (continued)

Businesses Featured

Published March 5, 2009 by Griff Wigley

The evolution of car fish emblems

I spotted this St. Olaf Alum’s minivan in downtown Northfield on Tuesday. It had a science fish emblem on the back with a bumper sticker saying: “Evolution: Fact, Theory, Science,…

Fluff

Flying Spaghetti Monster Pastafarians

Published March 5, 2009 by Griff Wigley

Podcast: The Triumvirate on Main Street 2.0

It was just us co-hosts yesterday, primarily doing a post-mortem on Ross’ trip to Chicago for the National Mainstreets Conference with its 2009 technology-related theme, Becoming Main Street 2.0. (And what is Web 2.0? ) See the live-blogging organizers did during the conference. Ross has posted to his NDDC blog about the conference here, here, and here and on LG here and here.

Click play to listen. 30 minutes. You can also download the MP3 or subscribe to the podcast feed, or subscribe directly with iTunes.

Blogosphere Civic Orgs Featured Podcasts Technology

Mainstreet 2.0 NDDC

Published March 4, 2009 by Griff Wigley

Men’s and women’s magazines: the influence of Cosmo and Maxim and their ilk

I was doing a little research last week on where to find the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue in Northfield (I’m thinking of applying for a grant now that stimulus money is flowing). I thought it interesting that the St. Olaf Bookstore and Carleton Bookstore (as does Target) not only carry it but also Cosmo and Maxim. (Notice how I’m not linking to any of the magazine publishers.) These magazines and others similar to them have their critics. (continued)

Arts & Culture

bookstores magazines

Locally Grown (LoGro) Northfield Posts