Columbus
Northfield News
Raiders add purpose to pride with free thrift store at NHS
Lucy Menssen, a senior at Northfield High School, was excited to make the all-school announcement Monday that the student-run Raider Closet would be open during morning flex time. Menssen, a member of the Environmental Club, said 600 essential items, like clothing, were available for free to all NHS students in the new thrift-style shop. “Other high schools across the state have spaces like this,” said Menssen. “I think the one...
Raider earns JV state weightlifting championship
The sports of weightlifting and gymnastics may seem like two different worlds, but for one Northfield athlete, they’ve have been a perfect fit and resulted in an individual state title at the Minnesota High School Weightlifting League’s state championship on Saturday, March 11 in Cannon Falls. Kate Wiebe, an eighth grader at the Northfield Middle School and part of the middle/high school weightlifting team, who recently completed her season with the Northfield Gymnastics Club, claimed first place in the girls junior varsity 45 kg division...
Bullet holes yield charges against mother, care assistant
A personal care assistant allegedly left a loaded ghost gun in a 6-year-old’s room after he fired it multiple times at a neighboring property in Northfield. Khaliq Amir Jones, 26, was charged with four felonies and two gross misdemeanors Wednesday in Rice County District Court. Jones’ legal residence is listed as Eagan, but the charges say he is the live-in boyfriend of the mother of the girl to whom he was a care assistant. The girl’s mother, Pearla Antonia Briones, 28, was charged with four...
Man faces second stolen property charge
A Northfield man charged with possessing stolen antiques last month is now accused of having a stolen pickup. Met-Con employees reported a company pickup was stolen while it was left with the keys in the ignition at a gravel pit on Ames Trail just north of Faribault on Thursday afternoon, according to a court complaint. They employees reportedly saw a blue pickup with trailer leaving the scene. Thursday evening Met-Con...
Northfield council fast tracks Cedar Meadows development
Following an initial review process, the city of Northfield has opted to bypass the state requirement for an Environmental Impact Statement for the Cedar Meadows development, fast tracking a project that is set to provide more than 500 new units of housing. The City Council unanimously backed its Planning Commission’s recommendation Tuesday, allowing Cedar Meadows to proceed with just the Environmental Assessment Worksheet completed last fall through the PC and the city’s Environmental Quality Commission. ...
Northfield boys hockey heartbroken in OT state loss; season finished in consolation bracket
In an overtime thriller at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, the Northfield High School boys hockey team (23-6) lost a heartbreaking 2-1 decision against Orono (24-5) in the first round of the 2023 MSHSL Class A state tournament on Wednesday, March 8. With the score tied 1-1 at the end of regulation, Orono forward Avery Anderson connected on the game winner at 7:30 of the first OT session. Anderson deflected a shot from the blue line that got past Northfield senior net minder...
Man allegedly caught with nearly a pound of meth in Northfield
A man with multiple pending felony cases was charged Wednesday with two additional felonies after nearly a pound of methamphetamine allegedly was found in his Northfield hotel room. Apolinar Osvaldo Hernandez-Silva, 39, was charged Wednesday in Rice County District Court with first-degree drug sals and possession. Cannon River Drug and Violent Offender Task Force agents executed a search warrant Monday. They found nearly 435 grams of meth in his hotel...
Community land trusts explored in affordable housing discussion
A room filled with members of the Northfield Housing Advocacy Group and others concerned about the lack of affordable housing gathered on the afternoon of March 8 to learn about the benefits of community land trusts. Jeff Washburne, a representative from City of Lakes Community Land Trust, gave a PowerPoint presentation on how CLTs create community ownership that preserves affordability and inclusivity. “The Twin Cities Metro has the largest concentration...
Wanted: poetry that describes, celebrates iconic Northfield places
Way Park. The Northfield Depot. Bridge Square. Northfield Public Library. Central Park. The Carleton Arboretum. Oaklawn Cemetery. All of these site-specific locales conjure strong emotions and memories, which in turn can be funneled into evocative poetry. This type of poetry is called a topographical poem that describes and celebrates a specific place. Northfield Poet Laureate Rob Hardy is asking the public to submit their own uniquely crafted poems for this...
Public Safety Center months ahead of schedule, fence sparks discussion
Fencing for the Public Safety Center was discussed by county officials Tuesday, as they weighed the perception of fortification with the safety of inmates and staff in the event of an “uprising.” Construction of the project is about three months ahead of schedule, according to Rice County Commissioner Steve Underdahl. The decision to invest in a larger jail facility and Sheriff’s Office was largely at the behest of the Minnesota...
Minnesota Corn announces 2023 scholarship recipients
Minnesota Corn is excited to announce the recipients of its 2023 young adult scholarships: Nicole Koziolek, of Northfield; Meredith Taylor, of Randolph; Brynn Lozinski, of Clara City; and Charles Tesch, of Henderson. Each winner will receive $5,000 for their college educations. Koziolek is a junior at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities studying agricultural communication and marketing. She has been interested in a career in agriculture since joining her local FFA...
Middle school programs, transportation likely hardest hit by proposed budget cuts
During the public comments portion of last week’s meeting of the Northfield School Board, two seventh graders and three mothers with middle school students gave personal reports about the side effects the potential reduction of middle school after-school activities and athletics would have. “Middle school is not fun,” said Hazel, a seventh grader involved in Knowledge Bowl. “But structured after-school activities keep us out of trouble.” Zander, a seventh grader...
Reflective ecumenical worship service meets Sunday evenings
Anyone needing a calm, relaxing, meditative and spiritual experience at the end of a harried weekend or in advance of a hectic week, a new Sunday evening worship service held at First United Church of Christ in Northfield may be the answer. The ecumenical half-hour service is designed to spread calm, create peace, provide harmony, silence the noise and achieve balance. No, this isn’t yoga; this is a chance to “enjoy the gifts of sacred silence.” ...
"The Wisdom of Trauma" film and discussion coming to Northfield Middle School
Suicide claims close to 50,000 American lives a year and suicide the second most common cause of death for youth aged 15-24. One in five Americans are diagnosed with mental illness each year. Canadian physician and author Dr. Gabor Mate has spent his career trying to understand why western society is facing such a crisis of mental illness today. A film titled “Wisdom of Trauma: A Journey to the Root...
The Jesse James story comes to the stage as a musical
Any theater buffs who tapped their toes to the music of "Glensheen" should immediately reach for the credit card to buy tickets for the upcoming musical at the History Theatre in St. Paul by the same creative team of Jeffrey Hatcher and Chan Poling. "The Defeat of Jesse James" is the latest venture by the creative team often referred to as "Hatchling." The story was penned by Hatcher and music and lyrics by Poling. the musical ...
2 Raiders nab individual state titles in girls wrestling
Northfield High School continued its run of influence at the MSHSL Girls Wrestling championship in 2023 as a pair of Raiders won individual state titles at the tournament, which was held on March 4 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. For the second consecutive season, Northfield Ella Pagel placed first at the state meet in the 165-pound bracket and Caley Graber gained top honors in the 100-pound division for the Raiders. ...
NHS boys swim and dive finishes 6th at state
The Northfield High School boys swim and dive team capped two days of outstanding performances, which included 16 personal bests and two school records, to claim sixth place at the 2023 MSHSL Class A State meet held in Minneapolis on March 3-4. The Gators/Raiders charted 146 points at the state meet, while Breck won the meet with 408 points. St. Thomas Academy (204), Orono (167), Sauk Rapids-Rice (158) and Alexandria (148) completed the top five spots behind Breck. ...
High school, Bridgewater students connect through reading
Hundreds of 10th, 11th and 12th graders walked across Jefferson Parkway Thursday morning to spend a half hour reading one-on-one with Bridgewater Elementary students. The annual event coincided with National Education Association’s Read Across America day, said Bridgewater organizer Pamela Charlton, a first-grade teacher. Charlton works with Northfield High School teacher Kevin Dahle to coordinate the experience that both educators said benefits both the older and the younger students. ...
Green thumbs to gather again for Horticulture Education Day
After a three-year hiatus, Rice County Horticulture Education Day is returning in a larger setting and with more vendors. The event next Saturday features speakers on a variety of gardening topics, as well as a vendor fair. Education Day is a fundraiser for the Rice County Master Gardeners program. Lorrie Rugg, Rice County Master Gardener program coordinator, said the net proceeds from attendee admission, vendor fees and silent auction are...
Northfield News
2K+
Posts
989K+
Views
Northfield News has been serving Rice County, MN since 1876 and publishes Wednesdays and online at www.NorthfieldNews.com
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.