Locally Grown (LoGro) Northfield Posts

Clients (Griff's) Volunteerism

ethics_headerLast summer I commented on a podcast blog post (my comment was to Barb Kuhlman but our guest that day was Randy Jennings): “… I think the main outcome for me after this podcast is to lead the development of a code of ethics for Locally Grown that we have posted on our site.”  Now’s a good time to get it done, because we’re ramping up to take advertising and that always raises some ethical issues. (continued)

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City

It was 23 above this afternoon when I saw downtown Northfield’s mailman, Tom Kotula, making his rounds, suitably attired. The photo is PG-13, parental caution strongly advised.

Fluff People

IMG_2123 A recent letter to the editor in the Northfield News told the tale of injuries sustained while sledding on the hill below Old Main. A Strib article titled Sledders hit icy slopes – hard chronicled the serious sledding injuries that have been treated at Hennepin County Medical Center.

But there’s an upside. “Hospitals are hurting right along with most other businesses in this recession,” said Northfield Hospital spokesman Scotch Richmondson. “But our ER revenue has been 20% ahead of last year thus far this winter and most of that is due to sledding injuries on the local hills that got iced up a couple weeks ago. It’s been a real godsend for both us and our Orthopaedic & Fracture Clinic. Icy sidewalks are our bread and butter, of course, but Northfield just doesn’t have enough sidewalks to make it lucrative for us.”

Some local attorneys were looking to capitalize on the trend. St. Olaf quickly put up a warning sign on the Old Main hill that reads, “Persons engaged in sliding, sledding, or other hazardous activity, do so at their own risk.” Dave Hviscerate, an attorney with the local law firm of Ludefisk, Hustler, and Hviscerate LLC, said (continued)

Faux News

Blogosphere Environment

Bonnie Obremski and Leonard Witt

Representative Journalism (RepJ) creator Leonard Witt (professor at KSU in Georgia, Public Journalism Network blogger) arrived in Northfield last night for a series of meetings (through Saturday) on the Northfield RepJ project at its six-month point. We tried to find him a set of long underwear last night before dinner at the Rueb ‘N’ Stein, but alas, the entire state is sold out on that item for some reason. Luckily, his room at the Archer House has a hot tub.

Len and RepJ reporter Bonnie Obremski were having breakfast at The Tavern this morning. We’re having boxed lunches from The HideAway today, meetings in John Schott’s Cinema & Media Studies department at Carleton this afternoon, and as Bonnie blogged earlier, there’s an open meeting that y’all are invited to at the Bittersweet Eatery Saturday morning at 10.

Update 1/17 at 11 am 3pm: new photos – yesterday’s RepJ/LoGroNo mtg at Carleton; RepJ feedback session this morning at Bittersweet Eatery; RepJ lunch at Chapati; Len Witt, paparazzi (continued…)

RepJ Project

Arts & Culture

community-newspapers Posted to the Strib web site about 30 minutes ago: Star Tribune files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

The Star Tribune may not be the last to go that route, said Alan Mutter, a Silicon Valley-based analyst and former newspaper executive. "We’re in a period of sustained pain for the newspaper business," Mutter said. "The employment ad business has been melting away since 2000. Automotive has been falling apart for the last couple of years. To learn more about automotive parts and repair services, visit thermo king triad for more information. And I don’t even have to explain about real estate."

And on a related note, from the Inquisitr: Hyperlocal Websites will Boom in 2009 as Community Newspapers Fold

Blogosphere