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Reflections from 5 Northfield poets collected into new volume
IF YOU GO The Northfield Public Library is hosting a hometown book launch for the poetry collection entitled “We Look West” on Thursday, May 16 at 7 p.m. 3cd8a099-b380-42c9-a605-4f58534d154b In the newly published volume, “We Look West,” local poet Julie A. Ryan’s same-name poem closes the collection one reviewer has titled “a bouquet of vintage memories.” The 115-page volume published by Shipwreckt Books in Winona invites readers to sample 16...
Northfield boys tennis surges to 3-1 start
The Northfield High School boys tennis team provided new head coach Erik Swenson with three Big 9 Conference victories and a 3-1 record to open the 2024 season. Swenson’s tenure as the Raiders’ coach opened on Tuesday, April 9 with a 6-1 win at Red Wing, which was followed by a close 4-3 loss to Rochester John Marshall in Northfield’s home opener on Thursday, April 11. To complete the week, Northfield posted a pair of 5-2 wins over Faribault and Rochester Century in a triangle...
'Attendance matters' conveyed at Northfield School Board meeting
At last week's Northfield School Board meeting, Hope Langston, director of institutional services, told board members that the Minnesota Department of Education's new goal was to have a 95% attendance rate. Langston said that while consistent attendance has long been a statewide priority, recent data shows that is students miss more than 17 days of a 172-day school year there are usually consequences. "Here in Northfield, we have 93% attendance...
Cannon Valley Makers celebrates 4 years of sharing skills
The community turned out on April 6 to celebrate the fourth anniversary of the Cannon Valley Makers. Guests visiting the warehouse space in Dundas were treated to tours, music by Tractorhead, treats, make-n-takes and demonstrations. After years of planning, Cannon Valley Makers (CVM) opened its doors in spring 2020. “It was a challenging time to open a maker space dedicated to bringing the community together,” said Dave Peterson, one of...
Northfield man charged with criminal sexual conduct
A Northfield man is accused of molesting a girl with whom he was acquainted. A girl who is under age 16 reported last week she was being sexually assaulted by Austin Tyler Andrae, 27, according to a court complaint. The girl reported the abuse had been happening for a few months. The girl said the last assault occurred on April 9 while she was trying to sleep and after Andrae had given her lingerie and told her not to tell her family. Andrae was charged with felony criminal sexual conduct Monday in Rice County District Court. He was arrested and released on $10,000 bail and an order not to have contact with the girl.
NHS jazz bands perform annual Swing Dance Saturday
The Northfield High School jazz bands will again be playing for multiple generations of dancers on Saturday, April 20, at their annual Swing Dance, continuing a tradition that goes back more than 20 years. Unique to Northfield, the swing dance will bring together parents, siblings, grandparents, swing dance enthusiasts, and community members for an evening of moving and listening to live music. The set list for the bands will draw...
Northfield council unsure on Post Office building acquisition, due to high cost
In an open-ended discussion of several downtown redevelopment projects in flux, the Northfield City Council expressed support for renting out the former Ameriprise Financial building on a short-term basis. The group, however, was less certain about proposals to acquire the Post Office building. Loon Liquors The discussion kicked off on an exciting note, with councilors...
Rice County heads toward limiting public marijuana use
Restrictions on marijuana use appear to be likely coming to parks and other public spaces in Rice County. Rice County commissioners said Tuesday they were in favor of enacting some public use restrictions on county property — primarily outside of city limits but also on the Rice County Fairgrounds in Faribault. County Environmental Services Director Julie Runkel asked commissioners if they wished to limit where the now-legalized drug can be...
A farce with a heart: Northfield theater to stage 'The Matchmaker'
When playwright Thornton Wilder’s brilliant, sage and witty farce “The Matchmaker” opened on Broadway on Dec. 5, 1955, it starred Ruth Gordon and was directed by Tyrone Guthrie. “The Matchmaker” ran for 486 performances, Wilder’s Broadway record, and closed on Feb. 2, 1957. What most theater enthusiasts remember is not only that the play won numerous Tony awards, but that it was later adapted into the musical “Hello, Dolly.” This...
Northfield Airbnbs enliven unique accommodations with history, personality
SEE THE LISTINGS To explore a full listing of Northfield’s expanding number of Airbnbs, go to the airbnb website: airbnb.com and search “Northfield, MN.” 0709d5fd-819b-4dc1-8948-7dd8901d7ac3 Not long ago, overnight options for visitors to Northfield were often limited to hotel availability spread out along Highway 3. Now, the list of accommodations has grown to include a host of unique Airbnb properties located in many of downtown’s historic buildings, as well as near the two colleges. ...
Northfield girls finish 1st at Faribault Invite
Northfield opened its season with a first-place finish at the Faribault COED Invitational on April 4. The Raiders compiled 277 points, which was well ahead of second-place Faribault (180) and third-place Tri-City United (127). Others at the meet included Austin (99), Albert Lea (60), West Lutheran (46) and the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf (4). In the 100 meters, Hubers placed second at 13.77 and Beaham added second place...
FiftyNorth Players return with radio variety theater
If You Go Performances of The FiftyNorth Players Radio Variety Show Theater are Thursday, April 11 at 7 p.m.; Friday, April 12 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, April 13 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door on on the website: www.fiftynorth.org fb02a6cf-3744-41c9-9000-83f184a2cd06 Remember “the good ol’ days” when families would sit around living room radio and listen to funny skits, commercials and musical numbers? ...
Volunteer homemaker and driver service celebrates 20 years in 2024
When Lisa Stevens, a retired forklift driver at Post Consumer Brands, signed up to be a homemaker for Aging Services for Communities a year ago, she had no idea how much the experience would deepen her insight into the needs of other less fortunate community members. Stevens, who lives in Dundas, said she contacted Aging Services, headquartered in Montgomery, after seeing an ad on Facebook looking for people who wanted to make “extra money and a difference for the aging and disabled.” ...
How We Die: Death midwife educates community about end of life choices
Editor’s Note: This is the third of a three-part series in the Northfield News exploring the subject of end-of-life planning. You don’t have to be alone when you die. In Northfield, there are several death midwives who assist the dying client in their journey toward a peaceful ending. Barbara Krause is one of those professionals,...
Strong Northfield boys golf team led by senior returner
The Northfield High School boys golf team finished the 2023 season just nine strokes away from the top of the highly competitive Section 1AAA leaderboard. Rochester Mayo won the Section last spring with a score of 601, while Northfield placed fifth with a tally of 609 behind Albert Lea (603), Rochester Century (606) and Farmington (608). The Raiders will face another tough challenge in the Big 9 Conference and in...
Northfield girls track & field captains have big aspirations with returning stars
The Northfield High School girls track and field team had seven athletes reach the podium at last year’s Section 1AAA championship, and all seven of those Raiders will be featured on the team’s roster in 2024. In addition to that core of talented returners, Northfield is also looking forward to its move to AA classification this spring. The change in MSHSL status means that the Raiders will be now competing at the section level against teams such as Winona, Faribault and Red Wing instead of...
Raider knowledge bowl team prepares for state tournament
April is an extremely busy time of year if you are a Raider. On Thursday afternoon, only half of the Northfield High School knowledge bowl squad was able to attend a practice session in preparation for the upcoming state meet. The reason? Robotics, tennis team competition and Model UN. Michelle Sonnega, Northfield High School English teacher and knowledge bowl coach, sat at her computer facing the students. Sonnega asked them...
Council approves master plan for improved Riverside Lions Park, but funding still needed
After years of diligent work and extensive consultation with the community, the Northfield City Council has adopted a specific master plan for Riverside Lions Veterans Memorial Park, guided by the Riverfront Enhancement Action Plan approved in 2020. While acknowledging that the improvements laid out in the plan are hardly imminent, with no funding source yet earmarked, consultant Bruce Jacobson said that by approving the master plan, the city has shifted the conversation from “what and where” to “how and when.” ...
Loon Liquor Distillery interested in buying former downtown News building
The Northfield City Council is contemplating the sale of the property at 115 5th Street W., better known as the former Northfield News building, to Loon Liquors. A public hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 23 in the City Hall Council Chambers. After the public hearing, the City Council will deliberate to consider action on the sale. There will be a discussion at the work session on Tuesday,...
Northfield trap shoot team hopes to 'dominate' in 2024
In 10 seasons of competition, the Northfield High School trap shooting team has firmly established itself as one of the state’s top programs. With a roster of 92 student-athletes, Northfield ranks among the biggest in the state and the Raiders will be looking to build upon its first-place finish at the Minnesota High School Skeet State Tournament in 2024. Under the direction of fifth-year head coach Pete Mergens, Northfield will...
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Northfield News has been serving Rice County, MN since 1876 and publishes Wednesdays and online at www.NorthfieldNews.com
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