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Northfield News
Heroes honored at graveside memorial service
Before the carnival rides, beard contest, bingo games and reenactments begin the annual Defeat of Jesse James Days festival, a somber memorial service kicks off the official start to the September historical commemoration. Each year, the 1876 deaths of local heroes Joseph Lee Heywood and Nicholaus Gustafson are solemnly remembered in a half-hour graveside service at Northfield Cemetery. Galen Malecha, the Defeat of Jesse James Days chairman, welcomed the crowd...
Blacksmith demonstrates craft at Dundas threshing show
One summer, while working at Fort Snelling in his early 20s, Martin Pansch spent his workdays in a historic blacksmith shop. Now, he’s been blacksmithing for longer than he hasn’t. “They only cared that you knew the history part of it,” he said. “They didn’t care if you knew how to make anything, so anyone could do it. … By the end of the summer, I was so hooked that I went out and bought my first forge and leg vice and anvil.” ...
Walk for the Animals fundraiser for Prairie's Edge Humane Society returns
Flounder, a 7-year old lab mix, and Winnipeg, a Beagle cross, had the run of the front room at Prairie's Edge Humane Society Wednesday afternoon, which terrified Felix, a resident cat cowering under a chair. The small Prairie's Edge Humane Society office space at 1500 Clinton Ln. functions mainly for those wishing to foster or adopt to meet and play with the cats and dogs. In order to continue operating,...
Improvement District presents plan to address Circle Lake water quality
It might seem strange to some that fish breathe oxygen, not water. But this prerequisite knowledge to understand why Circle Lake, southwest of Northfield, may see more fish die-offs than most. A low oxygen level is one four problems in Circle Lake, according to a presentation given Tuesday by the Circle Lake Improvement District Chair Dean Sunderlin to the Rice County Board of Commissioners, who established the district in 2019. Those issues won’t be cheap or quick to fix, Sunderlin said during the workshop meeting. ...
Northfield dominates Faribault in rivalry game
The Cannon River Cannon Trophy will stay in Northfield for another year as the Northfield High School football team scored a 39-0 win over Faribault on Friday, Sept. 8 at Memorial Field in Northfield. The Raiders dominated the first half as they opened the game’s scoring at 6:40 of the first quarter with a 20-yard field goal by Stephen Kallestad. Northfield then extended its first quarter lead to 10-0 with a 25-yard touchdown strike from quarterback Seth Thompson to receiver Kam Kaiser with 1:57 left...
Posse tour guide program revived at Northfield Historical Society
A tour posse awaits visitors at the Northfield Historical Society Museum. Rylie Schock, a ninth grader at Northfield High School, said she's found her passion giving tours at the museum. "In this day and age with screens everywhere it's hard to learn," she said. Tom Bergeson is an adult tour guide who has been retired...
Tractorhead performs 'happy hour' concerts around town
A little over two years ago, the Tractorhead bandmates — Jake Morton, Mike Braucher and Page Nelson — didn’t know each other. Now, the group, which specializes in playing bluegrass, Americana, old country, honky tonk and folk cover songs from the 1930s to today, enjoys hanging out together in Northfield. Whether they are practicing together in the studio at Hot Spot Music or having a beer together at Imminent Brewing,...
Painting of Al Quie as DJJD reenactor on display but not for sale
In 2010, Al Quie played a James Gang raider in the Sunday raid reenactment. Marsha Kolstad Morrill Kitchel — who was exhibiting her paintings at Northfield Arts Guild’s outdoor, riverside venue that weekend — ran to the corner of Fourth and Division streets with her camera and encountered a scene of men on horseback waiting to make their entrance. “I immediately recognized Al Quie, and when he looked straight at me, I snapped a photo,” said Kitchel. “I was in the right place at the...
Northfield girls swim and dive team wants to make a splash
The Northfield High School girls swim and dive team will be another one of the Raider athletic teams making the move to a smaller MSHSL classification this year and it has both coaches and student-athletes looking forward to the new opportunities and challenges provided by the move. After placing fourth at the Section 1AA championships in 2022, the Raiders will now compete in Section 1A and potentially at the MSHSL Class A championships in 2023. The move to Class A along with a large group...
Melanie Valencia remembered in ceremony at Spring Creek Soccer Park
Por siempre en nuestra familia futbolera. That’s the Spanish phrase engraved on the yellow plaque attached to a red bench dedicated to Melanie Valencia, who died in a fatal car-bike collision blocks from the Spring Creek Park Soccer Complex a year ago. The statement translates to: Forever in our football family. A ceremony to honor Melanie’s memory and dedicate the memorial bench was held last Tuesday at 5:30 p.m., just...
Starfish House celebrates completion with potluck fiesta
A whole community of volunteers came together for a potluck fiesta on Aug. 25 to celebrate the completion of the Starfish House. The house at First Street W. in Northfield will soon be home to a family of five. Starfish House has been a labor of love for Northfield’s Bob Thacker and Karen Cherewatuk. The couple purchased the house over a year ago and began working on restoring it with the help of a hundred community volunteers, some from the Northfield Rotary Club, some from St. Olaf College, and others just interested in giving back. The potluck featured tamales, lemonade, beer and wine. Attendees were asked to bring appetisers, salads, side dishes and deserts. A blessing was given by local clergy members.
Design winner for Northfield Hispanic Heritage banners celebrates corn connections near and far
Once the western-themed Defeat of Jesse James banners are removed from downtown street poles, a new set of vibrantly colorful banners will debut to mark National Hispanic Heritage month. The festive banners depicting global corn connections were designed by Constanza Ocampo-Raeder, associate professor of Anthropology and Sociology at Carleton College. Ocampo-Raeder said the corn graphics were inspired by sons, Emiliano Eguren and Joaquin Eguren and by her own native Mexican culture. ...
Horseshoe found in new Dundas dog park
The 2023 horseshoe has been found by a two-person team in the new Dundas Dog Park, at the start of the East River Trail on Everett and First streets. Congrats to Mark Glor and Bev Eiler. They win the full $2,075. Mark and Bev told me they’ve hunted every single year since 1999. This is their first win. The excitement showed! Mark and Bev work together at Sheldahl and hunt together. I could feel years of anticipation and hope showing itself as Mark held the...
UPDATE: Horseshoe found | ORIGINAL: DJJD Horseshoe Hunt: Clue No. 5
Updated 9:55 a.m. Sept. 3: The 2023 DJJD horseshoe was found at the start of the East River Trail on Everett and First Street. Story to come. ------- Buttons need to be registered before the start of the hunt to receive the full $2,075 — the 75th anniversary grand prize. If you did not register...
UPDATE: Horseshoe found | ORIGINAL: DJJD Horseshoe Hunt: Clue No. 5
Updated 9:55 a.m. Sept. 3: The 2023 DJJD horseshoe was found at the start of the East River Trail on Everett and First Street. Story to come. ------- Buttons need to be registered before the start of the hunt to receive the full $2,075 — the 75th anniversary grand prize. If you did not register...
Local performers headline Northfield Shares fundraiser
On Sept. 16, a group of talented Northfield performers are on tap to entertain at a charity function for Northfield Shares, our community foundation. The unique event will literally fill a local barn with music, dance and comedy. This year, Northfield Shares: an Evening of Entertainment Live promises to be in person, not online. Carrie Carroll, executive director of Northfield Shares, said the signature event will celebrate community, all while...
DJJD Horseshoe Hunt: Clue No. 4
Buttons need to be registered before the start of the hunt to receive the full $2,075 — the 75th anniversary grand prize. If you did not register and do find the horseshoe, the payout is $1,075. The horseshoe will be located on public property within Northfield or Dundas and will not be buried. No digging will be needed in the retrieval of the horseshoe, and it will not require the...
Spruce Court neighbors pose bike trail questions at city's public feedback meeting
While Northfield has been known as a city of recreational bikers, the ongoing debate over how and where to connect the trails continues to raise questions and interest from residents. And a new plan for an added sidewalk and trail connection at Spruce Court in 2024 is an example of the increased scrutiny these projects are under. Related to a separate project, a lawsuit was recently served to the city by a frustrated group of residents who disagree with the city’s decision to deny their...
Northfield fire and rescue responds to structure fire
At about 4 a.m. Friday, Sept. 1, Northfield police officers along with Northfield Area Fire and Rescue Service firefighters responded to a house fire in the 1200 block of Woodley Street E. It was reported that a visible fire was seen in the back deck area of one of the three units in the building. Northfield Area Fire and Rescue extinguished the fire, which had quickly spread to the neighboring unit in the townhome. There were several residents at home at the time the fire was reported. All residents were able to get out of the townhomes safely and there were no reported injuries. As a result of the fire, all three units have damage. The cause is under investigation by the State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Northfield Police Department. There is no further information at this time.
Honor flight to nation's capital includes Korean War veteran, physician and guardians from area
On Sept. 11, when Jean Stassen accompanies her almost 90-year old father Lauris “Andy” Nesvik on the Honor Flight to and from Washington, D.C., they will be traveling with 80 veterans and 90 guardians and medical personnel. The Faribault residents are being honored with an all-expenses-paid trip to the nation’s capital by the nonprofit Honor Flight Twin Cities. The last time Stassen and Nesvik were in Washington, D.C. was more...
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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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