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UPDATE: 6 P.M. TUESDAY

Think country club for auto enthusiasts. Instead of greens and tees, there’s a road course. No golf bags or caddies here. In their place are expansive, well-appointed man caves to house those four-wheeled friends.

District 2 Rice County Commissioner Galen Malecha talks about this morning’s work session including the possibility of a very exciting new multi-million dollar economic development project. Galen Malecha 7-18-17

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Early in June, my son Elias made a list of movies he wanted to watch during summer vacation, and we've slowly been making our way through it. Included on the list have been classics like The Godfather and Citizen Kane, and more recent Oscar-winning and Oscar-nominated films like Moonlight and La La Land.

Exactly four weeks ago, on the night that I was close to finishing the draft of the last chapter of my book-in-progress, Finding My Musical Family, Elias decided he wanted to watch The Shawshank Redemption. He invited Steve and me to watch it with him, and even though I felt motivated to keep writing and finish the chapter, I didn't think I should turn down an invitation from my 16-year-old son, who actually wanted to watch a movie with his parents.

I sat down in the living room with my laptop in my lap, foolishly thinking I could multitask. But minutes into the movie, I put my laptop away and focused my full attention on the TV screen. I was sucked into the story.

I thought I had seen the movie before, and as it turned out, I hadn't (I know, I know—I've already been berated by several people for this travesty, plus, as my friend Laurie pointed out, it isn't like I haven't had the opportunity to see it, since the movie seems to play constantly on cable). I quickly learned why it has remained at or toward the top of many people's favorite lists: it's a wonderfully written and acted movie with a timeless message about hope and human decency.

It also occurred to me, toward the end of the movie, how appropriate it was for me to watch it as I was completing my book. And here I will pause for a moment, before I reveal a spoiler — if for some reason you haven't seen the movie yet, go watch it now and come back to my blog later.

Chapters of my book-in-progress. Finding My Musical FamilyOK. The reason it felt appropriate was because we learn in the movie that the main character, played by Tim Robbins, had been slowly digging a tunnel out of his prison cell for 20 years. Each day, he had used a small hand tool to carve away some of the rock, which he then put into his pants pockets and deposited outside in the prison yard; the tunnel entrance was hidden behind a poster on his wall. He kept at it every day, not knowing if it was ever going to pay off and get him anywhere. He kept at it despite all the challenges he faced. He overcame his fears and held out hope.

Fortunately, writing a book is nothing like being in prison, although it can be solitary work. But this practice of digging a tunnel, working a little day by day, hoping to see daylight at the end —well, you can see why the movie spoke to me.

The day after we watched The Shawshank Redemption, I took out my laptop and finished writing the last chapter, and last week, I finished writing a draft of my book proposal.

Me with G on the day I finished my last chapterIt has been quite a journey. The book project started in October 2006, when I first became curious about the life and career of my great-grandfather G. Oliver Riggs, a pioneering Minnesota band director. By October of 2014 I had settled on an outline of the book in its current memoir and history form (with a few chapter additions since then), and I had begun the slow and steady work of writing 27 chapters, plus a prologue and epilogue.

I am not yet on a beach in Mexico, but I have taken a few days off before I launch into the next stages of this adventure: revising my proposal and finding a publisher. These next steps seem daunting, if I think too hard about them. So I will try not to think too hard. Instead I will take it one day at a time, one tunnel at a time.

Volunteer to search for new aquatic invasive species Register for Starry Trek by July 28 to join the hunt for starry stonewort  Volunteers from across Minnesota are needed on Saturday, August 5 to participate in a statewide search for starry stonewort, a type of algae that is Minnesota’s newest aquatic invasive species. There will be more than a dozen

The post Search for Starry Stonewort – invasive species in Dakota County appeared first on KYMN Radio · Northfield, MN · AM 1080 & FM 95.1.

Dust off them boots and dig up that cowboy hat, the rodeo is coming to the Rice County Fair.

The significant spike in the number of children suspected of being neglected or abused locally and statewide is nothing short of alarming.

Hotel guests were evacuated after a call of a suicidal male with a gun. The Northfield Police Department received a call just after 12:30 Saturday morning of a possible suicidal male, in possession of multiple handguns.  Police Chief Monte Nelson said the man was staying at America’s Best Value Inn, not far from the police

The post Potentially dangerous situation ends safely; All’s well at Aldi’s; Peer helper program for Social/Emotional curriculum; Solar is on Council agenda appeared first on KYMN Radio · Northfield, MN · AM 1080 & FM 95.1.

The Contented Cow is bringing back all the right notes as it presents the two-day July Jazz Festival starting Friday night and going through Saturday.

Missing Children Minnesota’s Executive Director Teresa Lhotka and Carol Watson discuss the program, which assists families with navigating the search process from what to do right away to what to do until your child is found.   They also teach classes.  Teresa and Carol talk about the golf scramble tournament coming up at the Northfield

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Northfield Community Development Director, Chris Heineman, discusses City projects. Chris Heineman 7-18-17

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Whether it’s cheese curds or chocolate, there is something delicious for everyone at the Rice County Fair.

Underserved Rice County populations stand to benefit from state grant money intended to help young people acquire the skills and opportunities needed to gain employment.

Natasha DeVries, 19, is the daughter of Kim DeVries of Faribault and Connie DeVries of Medford.

After losing to Rep. Jason Lewis in the 2016 election, Angie Craig announced Monday she will make another run for Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District seat.

The American’s Best Value Inn on Riverview Drive was evacuated early Saturday morning, after Northfield police took a report of a man with a gun threatening to commit suicide.

All year round, curious individuals can get a taste of prior generations’ ways of living by visiting the Rice County Historical Society. But for one week every year, the past jumps out of black and white photographs, landing squarely on…

Townships want a piece of Fine Revenues, but it’s not that simple.  Rice County attorney John Fossum had to dig a little deeper for understanding where the requests were coming from.  Fossum said there was a recent presentation at a Township Association meeting by a Carver County Attorney who said that towships should receive the

The post Fine revenues aren’t free; Nfld to seek Roundabout funding from MnDot; Dundas small size can reap big benefits appeared first on KYMN Radio · Northfield, MN · AM 1080 & FM 95.1.

Wayne talks with new Northfield resident, Jon Kerr, who is Director of Interface Services to Latin America (ISLA), along with two friends, Cris Lumbi and Ena Huetez, from northern Nicaragua where ISLA provides medical and other services. Listen here: wayneeddy071717

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Everywhere you look it appears we live in an increasingly violent world: car bombs, random shootings in the US, bombings in Paris and Belgium. On today’s 15 with the Author, Teri Knight talks with renowned Harvard psychologist, Steven Pinker, about his novel, “THE BETTER ANGELS OF OUR NATURE – Why violence has declined”.  Pinker shows

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