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Northfield News
Collaboration increases publicly accessible lands and restores habitat
As Minnesotans, one of our most valued, culturally important resources is our natural public lands. Whether you enjoy strolling along an urban floodplain forest or turkey hunting at a favorite wildlife management area (WMA), people across the state find diverse ways to cherish these spaces. Realizing the importance of natural public lands, communities across Minnesota have supported funding to improve and expand these landscapes. These protected and restored natural public lands provide valuable habitat for wildlife. They also offer quality outdoor experiences such as hiking,...
5th-generation Northfielder receives Heywood Distinguished Service Award
As the recipient of the 2023 Joseph Lee Heywood Distinguished Service Award this year, Eugene “Gene” Lyman will be attending the Heywood banquet in September, as more than a family member and a friend. After decades of watching friends receive the top honor bestowed by the Defeat of Jesse James Days Committee, Lyman will become the 40th recipient of the prestigious award. As a lifelong “townie,” he said he has...
Youth Prevention Champions named
A Somali youth coordinator, school resource officer, school guidance counselor and school social worker are this year’s Rice County Chemical and Mental Health Coalition Prevention Champions. The Prevention Champions are recognized for their contributions in reducing risk factors for alcohol and drug abuse, supporting recovery, promoting mental health and well-being, or building assets for our youth and other community members. The 2023 honorees are: Harun Abdi, program manager and youth...
A well-lived life: Marion Hvistendahl
My mother, Marion Hvistendahl, lived life to the fullest during her 100 years. When she passed away on March 20 of this year, she left a hole in the hearts of family and friends alike. Education was important to both my parents. When they moved to Northfield in 1990, my father, J.K. (Jake) Hvistendahl, had been a journalism professor at South Dakota State and Iowa State University and my mother an English professor at South Dakota State and Grand View College in Des Moines. They...
Rare, endangered flower in bloom
Once the snow melts away from the ground each year, a small white wildflower sprouts from the dirt of three southeastern Minnesota counties. Then, in just a few weeks, it disappears. The Minnesota dwarf trout lily is found nowhere else in the world other than Rice, Goodhue and Steele counties, along the Cannon and Straight rivers. The flower's slow reproduction method is one reason why it is federally endangered. It's...
3rd Thursday Night Market coming soon to downtown Northfield
All it takes is one good idea to start the ball rolling. That’s true of a new monthly evening event, Third Thursday Night Market, that debuts May 18 and will end September 21 in Northfield. The Night Market will take over one block of downtown from 5-8 p.m. Other summer dates are June 15, July 20, and Aug. 17. Bringing the night market concept to Northfield — Rochester hosts a...
Internationally acclaimed opera singer returns for May 21 concert
When Malin Fritz Walrod and Cathy Rodland were roommates at St. Olaf College in the 1980s, during sophomore year spring break, they attended a performance of the smash Broadway musical “Cats.” Nearly 40 years later, the two musicians will be performing “Memory,” the breakout hit song composed by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and sung by Grizabella in the feline fantasy, during an upcoming concert back in Northfield. Walrod, now an...
Raider junior reinvests profits from startup into mowing business
Before Northfield High School junior Ty Frank could tackle mowing Rosann Brawley’s 2.5-acre lawn, he first had to learn how to operate a riding mower. That was three years ago. Today, Frank has taken that lesson of learning every aspect of operating his own business to heart, as well as to the bank. After picking...
Northfield baseball picks up 4 wins
In a showdown between Cannon River Valley rivals, the Northfield High School baseball team posted an 8-0 win at Faribault’s Bell Field on Monday, May 8. The victory extended the Raiders’ current winning streak to five games and improved their 2023 season record to 8-4, 7-2 Big 9. Northfield pitcher Grant Hutton was brilliant against the Falcons as he allowed just two hits in the game and had eight strikeouts on the way to the victory. ...
Northfield council approves depot site exterior design
Northfield’s long awaited regional transit hub is now one step closer to completion, following the City Council’s approval of an exterior design intended to complement and enhance the historic jewel that is the city’s 1888 depot. More than a decade in the making, the regional transit hub project was born out of a desire to save the historic depot, which once served customers of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad. Long one of three depots in Northfield, it is the only one still surviving. ...
New musical at Guild Theatre celebrates mothers
After the Northfield Arts Guild Theater staff shifted around the dates and the titles of its musicals and “Mom! The Musical” replaced “Sweet Charity” as the May production, first-time director Alissa Jorgensen stepped in at the last minute. “I read the script and I was hooked,” said Jorgensen. “I knew I needed to do this.” The musical is a comedy mixed with drama about motherhood’s twists, turns, ups and downs...
Cast of 'Defeat of Jesse James' musical visits Northfield
When cast members starring in the new musical of “The Defeat of Jesse James” walked in the Northfield Historical Society gift shop Friday morning, they were immediately drawn to the revolving postcard rack featuring some of their character’s actual faces. Sean Allen, NHS interim director, gave each actor a free postcard, which thrilled the visitors. “James was a looker,” joked actor James Ramlet. “No wonder he got in trouble.” ...
Lifelong film fans spread their love of movies
She likes romantic comedies and musicals. He likes inspirational dramas. She likes old movies. He generally doesn’t like movies filmed before 1960. Despite their differences regarding film genres and release date preferences, Diane Gehler and Bob Sullivan find common ground in their unquestionable love of movies. Both admit to being lifelong movie buffs and to sharing an unshakable devotion to actor/director/producer Tom Hanks. Together, Gehler and Sullivan form the dynamic...
Local photographer receives SEMAC grant, plans upcoming exhibit
After local photographer Kent McInnis received grant money from the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council, SEMAC, he had barely deposited the check before blowing it all on a new camera. McInnis bought a fully shutterless, mirrorless Nikon Z-9 that takes 120 photos per second. This was a dream camera. Especially good for capturing activities, like high action sports, as well as low light landscapes. Perfect for the high-performance dance photography McInnis...
Upcoming fundraiser to benefit school girls in Togo has deep Northfield connections
Nalongue “Virginie” Cogan’s personal journey from Togo in West Africa to Northfield had a happy outcome, thanks to her good fortune of receiving an education at College Monfant. In gratitude, Cogan has worked tirelessly to start Friends of College Monfant, a nonprofit organization based here that raises funds to support scholarships and other projects at the Catholic school located in the Savannah region of Togo in the city of Dapaong. ...
Northfield baseball takes down Century
The Northfield High School baseball team moved its season record to 4-4 and 3-2 in the Big 9 conference, thanks to a solid 6-3 win at Rochester Century on Thursday, April 27. Down 2-0 after the first inning, Northfield rallied with a run in the top of the third inning and added four more runs in the top of the fifth to take a 5-2 lead. The Raiders then iced the contest with one more run in the sixth inning to make the final 6-3. ...
Ice arena and transportation budget discussed at Northfield School Board meeting
At last week’s meeting of the Northfield School Board, discussion topics included leasing costs for a city-owned ice arena, graduation rates, child nutrition and community education budgets. School District Superintendent Matt Hillmann updated board members about the ice dilemma and ongoing discussions between the school district and the city regarding a new ice arena that would be located in a different location other than the current arena at Highway 3 and Jefferson Road. ...
Ice arena, transportation budget, graduation rates discussed at Northfield School Board
At last week’s meeting of the Northfield School Board, discussion topics included leasing costs for a city-owned ice arena, graduation rates, child nutrition and community education budgets. School District Superintendent Matt Hillmann updated board members about the ice dilemma and ongoing discussions between the school district and the city regarding a new ice arena that would be located in a different location other than the current arena at Highway 3 and Jefferson Road. ...
Black bear seen roaming around Northfield
According to the Northfield Police Department, an adult black bear was spotted several times in and near Northfield Friday night. The bear was first seen by a resident in the 10900 block of Farrel Avenue around 11 p.m.. Then it was seen again in the 1600 block of South Highway 3, this time spotted by Northfield police officers at 2:30 a.m. The MN DNR was contacted. The DNR advises to leave the bear alone and not approach it. Minimizing food sources will encourage the bear to go back to its natural habitat. Bringing bird feeders and garbage cans inside for the next week will help in this effort, as the bear has been seen rooting through these in residential yards. More information on living with bears in Minnesota can be found on the MN DNR website. Residents can report sightings at 507-645-4477.
Thousands of plants distributed on Arbor Day
More than 20,000 trees and shrubs found their way to their new home on Friday, Arbor Day. The plants came from two groups: the Rice County Master Gardeners and the Rice County Soil and Water Conservation District. While the Master Gardeners were giving away a variety of plant species, the RCSWCD sold theirs as a fundraiser. From 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., members of the RCSWCD handed out 20,000 trees...
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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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