The City will hold a public meeting to share findings on the Jefferson Parkway and Trunk Highway 246 Intersection Study. The meeting will be held December 21, 2016 from 6 p.m to 8 p.m. at Northfield City Hall Council Chambers 801 Washington Street. A presentation will begin at 6 p.m. with an open house format to follow. If you cannot attend the meeting, but would like to receive input on the study please call the Northfield Engineering office at (507) 645-3020.

Northfield High School senior Ruthie Nelson will lead the procession Friday, Dec. 9, at the 41st annual Lucia Fest sponsored by the Northfield Swedish Club.

Area residents of Swedish descent, or those interested in Swedish customs, are invited to join the festivities beginning at 6 p.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 500 Third St. West in Northfield. The celebration includes a potluck supper, a Lucia processional and pageant, live fiddle music, the singing of Swedish carols, and folk dancing.

The 2016 Lucia attendants are Synneva Bratland, Grace Casson, Claire Casson, Tegan Chadwick, Annika Fredrickson, Lucy Graham, Brooke Green, Teagan Green, Erin Gunn, Annika Korynta, Rose Mibus, Addie Nelson, Elsa Nystrom, Leah Olson, Charlotte Otterblad, Ruby Otterblad, Erin Runningen and Astrid Peterson White. The star boys are Max Casson, Jim Graham and Bjorn Olson.

Save the Northfield Depot is pleased with the 2016 progress — successful move of the depot and completion of initial repairs — but more work needs to be done for which funding is needed.

The group is announcing an opportunity to permanently show support of the depot project through its “Paving Our Way from the Past to the Future” engraved paver sale, which begins in December and will extend through 2017.

Next summer, the pavers will be placed in the sculpture garden and pathways. The sculpture garden plan, a pro bono effort of a landscape planner, will include plantings, two sculptures donated by private individuals and a water feature centered in the garden patio (see illustration).

Over 100 citizen members annually provide valuable leadership to the City through their participation on these groups and special study committees.

Rose Roach, Executive Director, of the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) will lead a discussion on the political issues with Minnesota healthcare reform.  The discussion takes place at St. Olaf Dec. 6th, 5:30pm in Buntrock Commons Black Ballroom.  The event is hosted by St. Olaf College’s Political Awareness Committee (PAC), a branch of the Student Government Association.

Ms. Roach was a strong voice in the recent nurses’ strike with Allina Health and has ongoing participation on the Governor’s Health Care Financing Task Force.  A passionate advocate for healthcare justice, Rose is a national speaker on single payer healthcare as a means to achieve healthcare as a human right.

Be a part of Northfield's vibrant literary community in 2017!

The Northfield Poet Laureate invites writers of all ages to submit poetry or short prose selections for inclusion in the first in a new series of WRITERS’ NIGHT programs to be held at the Northfield Public Library. The theme of the first Writers’ Night is “A Sense of Place.”

All submissions will be judged anonymously. Writers whose work has been selected will be invited to read their work at Writers’ Night at the Northfield Public Library at 7pm on Thursday, January 19, 2017.

The Details

Submit no more than 750 words of prose or three pages of poetry. Acceptable formats include .docx, .doc, and .rtf, or the text may be included in the body of an email.

Send submissions by email to Rob Hardy at poet.laureate@ci.northfield.mn.us

It will soon begin to look a lot like Christmas, and when it does, be sure to bring the entire family to the Northfield Arts Guild’s Center for the Arts, 304 Division Street, during Northfield’s Winter Walk celebration on Thursday, December 8th. 

The A+ artists and volunteers with A+ Marketplace, part of the Autism and the Arts programming at the Northfield Arts Guild, will be selling their cards and ceramic works on the first floor of the Northfield Arts Guild’s Center for the Arts, 304 Division Street South, during Winter Walk from 5:00 to 9:00 pm.

Purple Door Youth Theater presents A Christmas Carol by Rochelle Norbert.  This classic and beloved tale plays for two weekends:  Friday, December 2 through Sunday, December 11. Friday and Saturday performances are at 7:30pm and Sunday matinees are at 2:00pm.  The Northfield Arts Guild Theater is located at 411 West Third Street in Northfield.

Nineteenth century London comes to life as Ebenezer Scrooge embarks on a wondrous journey through Christmas Past, Present, and Future.   This holiday season witness Ebenezer Scrooge’s miraculous Christmas Eve transformation.  A greedy businessman, with no time for kindness, compassion, or charity, Scrooge is visited by four spirits warning him to change his ways.  Appropriate for all members of the family, this rendition of Dickens’ tale of hope and redemption reminds us all of what’s really worth celebrating.   

Marilyn Sellars and Steven C (aka Steven C. Anderson) team up for a special musical afternoon Sunday, Nov. 20, at 4pm at St. John's Lutheran Church in Northfield as a benefit for Ruth's House, a nonprofit providing transitional shelter and support for homeless women, children and families in Faribault. Sellars is a Northfield High graduate whose 1974 song "One Day at a Time" topped Elvis Presley on the charts. She was enshrined in the Minnesota Rock and Country Hall of Fame in 2004.  Joining her will be talented pianist and composer Steven C who has sold well over two million copies of his own recordings, with millions of online streams of his piano pieces. He has performed with Mannheim Steamroller and recorded with the London Symphony Strings, among many other credits.  Admission is free, with a free will offering encouraged for Ruth's House.

With Thanksgiving approaching, this is a good time for the Northfield area to consider those in the community who have served generously in the area of Human Rights.  Each year, the Northfield Human Rights Commission gives an award to an individual, group, or organization that has contributed to the advancement of human rights.  The award is presented during the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Community Celebration held in January.

The Northfield Human Rights Commission is actively soliciting nominees for this award. Community members are encouraged to think about those in the area who have contributed locally to the cause of human rights.  A diverse slate of nominees is sought. The Northfield Human Rights Commission will evaluate all nominees, and is ultimately responsible for choosing the award recipient.

The Northfield Rotary Turkey Trot has become Northfield’s unofficial homecoming event for the 1000-plus runners and walkers who participate each year.  

Now in its 16th year, the 5K run/walk is a Thanksgiving tradition for many Northfield households, a “must-do” for those who want to connect with old friends and neighbors and be reminded that Northfield is always home.

Rob Bierman, chair of Rotary’s Turkey Trot Committee, said this event has become one of the community’s signature events.

“The Turkey Trot gives Northfielders an opportunity to touch base with one another and reflect on their shared experience here in Northfield,” said Bierman. “You’ll see lots of hugs and hear a lot of catching up before and during the run/walk. There is always a lot of positive energy here.”

Effective immediately, the YMCA in partnership with the Veterans Administration is providing a $0 Joiners fee for Veteran and their families.  At the Y, we understand the dedication and personal sacrifice that veterans and their families make to protect and serve our nation. As a small token of gratitude for your military service, we’re waiving the joiner fee for veterans and their families at every Y across Minnesota (monthly membership costs still apply).

“As a U.S. Marine Corp veteran, I could not be more proud of this partnership with the VA.  I look forward to finding more ways to support not only those who have served our country but also their families.” Virginia Kaczmarek, Northfield Area Family YMCA, CEO.

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