People

If you get a minute, stop by Monkey See Monkey Read and visit with owner Jerry Bilek. He's not just a nice guy, but he's one of the bright spots in downtown. And now others are taking notice. Jerry was just featured in a profile in the industry publication Shelf Awareness.

Jerry is running a great store, which is amazing in a time when independent booksellers are an endangered species. He's not just waiting for people to walk in the door, though he's unfailingly helpful when they do. He also spends all his free time running a thriving Internet business, seeking out bargains and rare finds that let him beat some of the big sellers on price. 

And he listens to customers. He recently told me that when a couple of teens came in asking about Japanese anime publications, he only had two titles -- and very little understanding of the genre. Instead of blowing off the young customers, he talked to them and asked them for recommendations. He ordered their choices, they told their friends and now he has the broadest selection in the area -- and a new customer base. 

We recieved an email tip from Kyle Johnson about a student-made documentary on YouTube featuring Carleton College cross-country coach Bill Huyck.  Wanting to learn more, we contacted the maker, Carleton student Mikael Brucker (pictured here), and this is what he told us...

"For a little background, I am a distance runner on the cross country and track team at Carleton. The team is somewhat consumed in lore and legends.  Coach Huyck, the man who basically started the track program at Carleton and undoubtedly the keeper of rare historical anecdotes, today is still around Carleton coaching track as an assistant.

The 'Sphere is back!  In this week's edition: The MN state smoking ban, coal smoke, reducing your pollution, and cub scouts.  Cub scouts?

Tom Neuville leads us off this week with a lengthy explanation of this opposition to the proposed MN state smoking ban...

I grew up in a home with 6 children, and parents who smoked. None of the children in our family smoke today, or have suffered any adverse health impact because our parents smoked. I have tried to discourage my own children and others from smoking. Perhaps in this partisan climate, anyone who opposes more government regulation of smoking, feels the need to make an “up-front” disclaimer. So, I just did. I am no apologist for tobacco.

There's something in the air tonight, baby, and it's the forums!  (Previous link contains bad language in the comments, which is too bad because it's mind-bendingly awesome.)

Bright Spencer hands out "Bright's Downtown Shop Award":

Bright Spencer:  

Today I went to Anna's.  IF the lady with the dark black medium length hair is Anna, I am talking about her.  She was marvelous, waiting on 3-4 people at once, and saying all the right things without being saccharin or phoney.  Now there is a lady who knows her business, seems to like what she is doing, is welcoming, polite, funny, and really helpful.

A memorial service for former Carleton College Associate Dean of the College and mathematics professor Steven Galovich will be held Monday, Feb. 26 at 5:30 p.m. in Carleton’s Skinner Memorial Chapel.

Galovich, 61, died in December in Lake Forest, Ill. He was a professor of mathematics at Lake Forest College as well as a former provost and Dean of the Faculty at that institution. He had worked at Lake Forest College since 1994; he was a member of the Carleton College faculty from 1974 to 1994.

Galovich is survived by daughters Alex and Anna and grandson Max. There will be opportunities to share brief remembrances of Galovich during the service and the post-service reception. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to the Steve Galovich Memorial Fund at Carleton or to Lake Forest College or the American Heart Association.

For more information, contact the Carleton chaplain’s office at 507-646-4003.

Singer, Fritz elected to lead CSA
By Kyle Kramer ‘10
With a voter turnout of over 60 percent, Carleton students elected Tim Singer ’08 and Peter Fritz ’08 as Carleton Student Association President and Vice-President, respectively. Becca Bartram ’09 was elected secretary, unopposed. Singer, who ran on a platform of campus sustainability, beat challenger Cherise Jones by 20 votes.

Civil rights leader Minnijean Brown Trickey delivers convocation
By Evan Sander ‘10
One of the nine African-American students to desegregated Little Rock Central High, Trickey spoke of the harassment and personal safety risks in going to school in 1959. “It made no sense for me to blame my fellow white students for the terror that they were demonstrating towards us, but to look deeply at the whole institution which incited that and made it possible,” Trickey said. Trickey is currently a civil rights activist and worked during the Clinton Administration as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Department of the Interior.

Valentine's Day has come and gone again, so one last Valentine's haiku for you, my love:

I post this for you
type type type type type type type
type type type type.  There!

I have also arranged a special solo performance, mon ami.  And now, to the forums! 

The New/Old/Possible City Liquor store sparked some interest this week:

John Thomas wrote:

A bigger store will have a large debt service, as well as an increased labor cost to staff and stock it. If the store is only making several hundred thousand dollars a year, it will take quite a while to pay back the note on a new building.

It just seems like there are more important things for the City Council to be working on. Selling more booze for profit is not going to save this community, or pay for its parks and pools.

Yes, we have come of age. We have lot of visitors, a growing number of people contributing stories and photos. And now we have our first intern.

That's Northfield Citizens Online board member Adam Gurno, pictured giving St. Olaf student Lauren Fischer a few tips about using Northfield.org during last week's board meeting. Rather than bore you with a lot of details about what she'll be doing (just about everything), we've asked Lauren to talk a little about herself:  

With family scattered throughout Northfield, this community has always been a second home to me.  I grew up sledding down Old Main hill, showing off my moves in highliner camp, and proudly sporting a cowgirl outfit during Jesse James days.

Editor's note: This story first ran last week, but I'm reposting it for those who might have missed it -- and as a reminder for those planning to attend.

Beginning in February, of The Center for Sustainable Living will be hosting montly Sustainability Discussion evenings that will be free and open to the public. Meet your neighbors, bring ideas, questions, information, or just an open mind, as we discuss and share ways to be more sustainable in our daily lives.

Please join in on the first Sustainability Discussion evening! Thursday, February 15, 7:30 - 9p.m. at Northfield Public Library Community Room For more information, contact Scott Schumacher, Board Chair, The Center for Sustainable Living, at info@centerforsustainableliving.org. For accessibility information contact the Northfield Public Library at 507-645-6606.

Scott Schumacher is a Board Member of The Center for Sustainable Living.

Let's add our congratulations to those of everyone else at the news that Hayes Scriven has gone from interim to permanent executive director of the Northfield Historical Society. You can read the details here, and add your best wishes in comments below.

Hayes has been a great asset to NHS and I'm excited that his contributions are being rewarded. Great job! 

Welcome to the first edition of This Week in the Northfield Forums, where we shall look back on the happenings in the Northfield.org Web Cafe Forums.  Joining the forums is free, fast, and fun.  Well, joining isn't fun per se, but you dig, right?

Topic: What would bring you downtown?  It's a discussion about what sorts of businesses that people think the downtown is lacking...

Brendon Etter:

I'd like to see men's clothes somewhere, anywhere.  Not necessarily high-fashion mind you, just sensible clothes.  (And I'm definitely not talking about more 9,000 dollar Nordic sweaters.  If it's a choice between a Nordic sweater and a 500 GB external hard drive, I'll stick with the hard drive any day, and I'll buy it online.)

Cynthia Child:

Debra Liang-Fenton, executive director of the U.S. Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, will present a convocation entitled “The Challenge of Human Rights in North Korea” at 10:50 a.m. Friday, Feb. 9 at Carleton College’s Skinner Memorial Chapel. The event is free and open to the public.

"Bienvendios. ¿Les gusta el frio? Welcome, are you enjoying the cold?” Father Dennis Dempsey asks the gathered Hispanic community Sunday evening at seven, where the families of St. Dominic's gather to celebrate Mass in their native tongue.

The Minnesota winter is a far cry from most of their native climates, but many parishioners respond positively to the question, seeming to enjoy the challenge presented by their new environment.

Father Dempsey, himself, is preparing to escape the winter snows and head south on Thursday to continue efforts to establish a sister parish relationship between St. Dominic and San Pedro Apostol in Maltrata Mexico. The Hispanic community gave their enthusiastic support of the project last Sunday, sending their heartfelt blessing with the three representatives who will be in Mexico until February 9.  The parish proudly displayed a gift from their potential sister in front of the altar throughout the Mass (see image).

Northfield community members of all ages who enjoy playing tennis are invited to attend the Northfield Tennis Association meeting on Monday, February 5, 2007.  The meeting will be held from 7:00-8:30 p.m. in room SS106 of the Northfield Community Resource Center (1651 Jefferson Parkway).

The meeting is open to those of all ages and tennis ability levels.  Topics discussed will include upcoming junior programs, plans for adult and junior spring/summer play, and indoor court needs.

For more information, contact Eric Lundin (663-7705, lundin@rconnect.com) or Zach Pruitt (612-578-5984, zpruitt@carleton.edu).

Zach Pruitt is a volunteer with the Northfield Tennis Association.

Save the Date! Keep Friday, February 23, wide open because you won't want to miss The Northfield Winter Stomp! This is a community contra dance featuring the music of Contratopia ...

Grab the February issue of the Northfield Entertainment Guide for more details ... and watch for future posts with all the details!