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Northfield News
Area farmers cope with heavy rain; Cannon River flooding expected over weekend
The Cannon River in Rice County is forecasted to get within 0.1 inches of major flood levels Monday, and local agriculture might see some lower yields. Rice County Commissioner and fifth generation farmer Jim Purfeerst said his prayers were answered this year, since he's comfortably beyond the drought that plagued the area the last couple years. But it might be a bit more rain than he and other local farmers bargained for, and it isn't looking to let up this weekend. ...
Northfield Shares receives $2.1 million gift from the Peilen estates
Northfield Shares, a local nonprofit dedicated to establishing a long-range foundation of financial support for community vibrancy and vitality, announced the receipt of a $2.1 million gift from the Edith Peilen and Tom Peilen estates. The monies will seed the Peilen Fund, which will be managed by Northfield Shares and award annual grants to improve the lives of individuals and caregivers across the world who have been impacted by multiple sclerosis. The fund honors the vibrant life of Tom Peilen, son of Edith and Benjamin...
Northfield Shares receives $2.1 million gift from the Peilen estates
Northfield Shares, a local nonprofit dedicated to establishing a long-range foundation of financial support for community vibrancy and vitality, announced the receipt of a $2.1 million gift from the Edith Peilen and Tom Peilen estates. The monies will seed the Peilen Fund, which will be managed by Northfield Shares and award annual grants to improve the lives of individuals and caregivers across the world who have been impacted by multiple sclerosis. The fund honors the vibrant life of Tom Peilen, son of Edith and Benjamin...
Northfield native receives Fulbright to study in Norway
Julia Radtke of Northfield, who graduated from Augustana University in May, has received a Fulbright U.S. Student Program Award from the U.S. Department of State and Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board to conduct research in Norway for the 2024-25 academic year. Of the 50 students who applied, Radtke was one of just 13 to receive an open study/research award to study in Norway. The Northfield native, who double majored in environmental studies and biology with an emphasis in ecology and environmental science, is the first Augustana...
Rice County to use state funding for its portion of statewide settlement
Rice County will utilize state funding to compensate property owners who had their lands seized after a federal ruling last year made the payouts necessary. A Minnesota law from 1935 required counties that make any profit selling a property seized over unpaid taxes disperse those profits to schools, cities and the county. But the Supreme Court said that isn’t constitutional in May 2023. That decision led to additional litigation and a subsequent statewide settlement funded by the Minnesota Legislature, according to a summary by Goodhue...
Valley Grove to celebrate past and future weddings with June event
When Meg Otten and Randy Malecha were planning their wedding at Valley Grove Church, Otten’s siblings who lived in Connecticut, Texas and Utah thought they were coming to the North Pole. Perhaps they got that idea based on the wedding date: ten days before Christmas. Thus, the church was already beautifully decorated for Christmas with evergreen swags, trees and wreaths. “Winter is our preferred season,” said Otten, who married Malecha...
Starfish 2 project holds open house, ice cream social
In 2023, a group of concerned friends and neighbors in Northfield became concerned that some community members were being shut out of the housing market, unable to purchase their own homes. That group grew to over 100 hundred volunteers who put in 2,500 hours of labor over nine months to restore a home on the west side of town for a deserving family. Many not only donated labor, but also donated money and materials. ...
REVocity expands capital development team
REVocity, a Northfield-based real estate firm that focuses on smaller communities through impact investing, announced that it has expanded its team with the appointment of two directors of capital development, Patrick Hart, Jr. and Daniel Matajira. They will be responsible for raising equity and the capital raise strategies for REVocity community real estate funds and Rebound Partners real estate projects. They report to Lori Bonin, president of REVocity. “We are excited to expand our capital raise capabilities with the addition of Pat and Daniel to the REVocity team,” said Bonin, “With 12 active real estate funds across Minnesota and Iowa, and more than 300 investors, we are looking forward to expanding our real estate portfolio through the infusion of new equity investors.”
Northfield council continues focus on expanding multi-use trails, bike lanes with 2025 streets project
In advance of several important projects next year, Northfield’s City Council is focusing on making its growing network of multi-use trails and bike lanes more “complete, consistent and connected.” The package of projects set to go forward next year will include pavement reclamation along Washington Street, Laurel Court and Industrial Drive, plus mill and overlay work in the southwest part of town along adjacent sections of Maple Street, Lake Drive and Superior Drive. ...
Revamped Petalina Mercantile features locally sourced gifts, merchandise
Petalina Mercantile owners Derek Kruse and Ethan Solheid want their new store to be a destination gift shop. The 1,900-square-foot store at 313 Division St. S. is located in a historic building dating back to 1910. The space was previously home to the Scandinavian shop Petalina. When Petalina owners Dennis and Karen Vinar retired earlier this year, Kruse and Solheid purchased the store and have since completely revamped the space. ...
Tapper and Becker win 1st place in Northfield Stormwater Pollution Solutions contest
Liv Tapper (Grade 2-3) and Piper Becker (Grade 4-5) won first place in the 2024 Northfield Stormwater Pollution Solutions Poster Contest. Students from Spring Creek Elementary, Greenvale Park Elementary, Bridgewater Elementary, and Prairie Creek Community School submitted 50 posters for the contest. “We saw some really creative and unique posters this year. The students were able to ...
Northfield's truck driving academy moves drivers forward
On their very first day of school, students at Above and Beyond CDL Driving Academy get behind the wheel of an 18-wheeler, in order to overcome any intimidation they might have learning to drive a semi-truck. This introduction is part of the academy’s five-week class A course that mixes classroom time with behind the wheel instruction on late model tractors and 48-53-foot trailers. The goal is to ensure that students...
Ekern, Poole represent Northfield boys golf at state
The Northfield High School boys golf team finished its 2024 season by sending two golfers to the MSHSL Class AAA state tournament, which was held at Bunker Hills Golf Course in Minneapolis on June 11-12. Sophomore Elias Ekern led the Raiders with a two round score of 156 (75-81), which put him in a tie for 40th place on the state tournament leaderboard. Freshman teammate Miles Poole placed 58th at the tournament with a two day score of 160 (81-79). ...
Two Northfielders graduate with top honors from Carleton College
Two local Northfield graduates of 2020, recently graduated Summa Cum Laude from Carleton. Aydn Math and Jack Rizzo were two of eight Summa Cum Laude graduates from Carleton on June 8. Summa Cum Laude is the highest academic honor awarded by the college. It is awarded to students with a grade point average in the top two percent of their graduating class. This is quite an honor for these two young men with the hard work and dedication required for the past four years. This is also their first graduation celebration because they were the "COVID" graduating class from Northfield. Due to isolation and distancing at the time, their class did not have a graduation ceremony or any celebrations.
Dundas Women's Study Club celebrates 100 years of education, service
This month, the Dundas Women’s Study Club is celebrating what its 20 charter members wouldn’t have imagined: a centennial anniversary. When the club was formed on Sept. 16, 1924, the women established a name, a constitution and an objective: a focus on the literary and social culture of its members. For organizational purposes, they’ve adopted Robert’s Rules of Order and have a slate of four officers plus a historian. The club’s committees include program, social sunshine and centennial. ...
County approves controversial mine after 'inadequate' environmental review
After more than a month of organizing and researching complexities and concerns surrounding a possible gravel mine in northeast Rice County, many residents of Nerstrand were left disappointed. The Rice County Board of Commissioners approved the controversial interim-use permit to allow the mining operation and denied an Environmental Assessment Worksheet at the end of a four-hour meeting Tuesday morning. The decision left several members of the public feeling frustrated, especially after their coordinated effort to gather 100 signatures and petition for a third-party EAW. ...
City leaders mark transit hub development with groundbreaking ceremony
Holding golden shovel heads aloft, Northfield city leaders broke ground Wednesday afternoon on the new Northfield Transit Hub, which will be located just north of the restored Northfield Train Depot. State Rep. Kristi Pursell, Mayor Rhonda Pownell, City Administrator Ben Martig, City Engineer Dave Bennett, Chamber President Jane Bartho, and Save the Depot Director Alice Thomas tossed a shovel full of dirt in the air while more than 75 community members cheered them on. ...
Schulz Electric celebrates 50 years of lighting Northfield
Schulz Electric has been lighting up Northfield area businesses, farms, developments and residences since 1974. Over the years, Schulz has installed the lighting systems at Reunion, Redemption and Culver’s restaurants, Imminent Brewing, Northfield Public Library, the Laura Baker Campus and the streetlights along historic Division Street downtown. All of that electrical wiring was done by a family-owned company based on the city’s northside that has so far, only been passed...
Northfield girls track finishes up at state; Livingston, Beaham make podium
The Northfield High School girls track and field team capped its successful 2024 season with several solid performances at the recent MSHSL Class AA championship meet, which was held at St. Michael-Albertivlle High School on June 7-8. Tops on that list were two trips to the podium by Raider athletes in the 100 meter hurdles and the 300 meter hurdles. Sydney Livingston, a ninth grader, earned All-State honors with a seventh-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles at 15.80, and junior Emily Beaham placed seventh in...
Northfield boys compete at state track; Feig earns All-State honor
Stephen Feig led Northfield High School at the 2024 MSHSL Class AA boys track and field state championship with an eighth-place finish in the pole vault. In the meet, which was held at St. Michael-Albertville High School’s track complex June 7-8, Feig gained All-State status with a top vault of 13-6. Brian Schloeder of Rockford gained top honors in the event at 15-7, while Feig tied for eighth place along with Nathaniel Bear of Chicago Lakes at 13-6. ...
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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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