Friday, February 3rd: New Moon Trio, 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Contented Cow; One Act Plays, 7:00 to 10:00 p.m., Northfield High School Auditorium; Winter (’50s) Dance Party, 7:00 p.m., Contented Cow; Ben Aaron, 8:00 to 11:30 p.m., Tavern Lounge; and Karaoke, 9:00 p.m., Rueb’N'Stein.

Saturday, February 4th: One Act Plays, 7:00 to 10:00 p.m., Northfield High School Auditorium; Jon Larson’s Neil Diamond Tribute, 8:00 to 11:30 p.m., Contented Cow; Lonesome Dan Kase, 8:00 to 11:30 p.m., Tavern Lounge; and D J Music, 9:00 p.m., Rueb’N'Stein.

Sunday, February 5th: Politics and a Pint, 6:00 p.m., Contented Cow; Quiz Night, 8:00 p.m., Contented Cow; and Super Bowl Sunday at the Frog, kick-off 6:30 p.m. ET, Froggy Bottoms.

This is the second in a series of three open house events for the public. The first session focused on the seven Gateway Corridor Areas identified for study. These Areas were the western portion of Highway 19, the eastern portion of Highway 19, the southern portion of Highway 3, the northern portion of Highway 3, Highway 246 at the south of town, Highway 23 at the northwest of town, and County Road 78 at the west of town. Initial concept drawings can be viewed and downloaded from the City’s website:

At this session, the project’s design team will present some of their initial ideas. These ideas include landscape plantings, streetscape treatments, pedestrian walkways, trail links, and bike routes and lanes throughout the project areas as well as at major intersections along the corridors.

The objective is to create a “sense of arrival” for people coming to our town and as they move through and/or into our community. The project will also identify priority needs and opportunities for multi-modal circulation and safety, as well as strengthening the connections between different neighborhoods or sides of our community.

Northfield’s elected officials and professional staff, including the project’s consultant (Bonestroo, now Stantec), as well as members of the Streetscape Task Force, want to hear your thoughts, concerns, and ideas. So please join us, Monday, January 30th, 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., at the Archer House.

Thursday, January 26th: Midnight Collision, 8:00 to 11:00, Contented Cow; Lyric Theater: Transformations, 8:00 p.m., Urness Recital Hall on the St. Olaf College campus; Marv Gohman, 8:30 to 11:00 p.m., Tavern Lounge; and Prom Queef, 11:59 p.m. to 1:00 a.m., Contented Cow.

Friday, January 27th: Max Nygren, 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Contented Cow; One Act Plays, 7:00 to 10:00 p.m., Northfield High School Auditorium; Lyric Theater: Transformations, 8:00 p.m., Urness Recital Hall on the St. Olaf College campus; Kinda Kinky, 8:00 p.m. 12:00 a.m., Contented Cow; Mike Pattinson, 8:00 to 11:30 p.m., Tavern Lounge; Karaoke, 9:00 p.m., Rueb’N'Stein, and Whiskey Trick, 9:30 p.m., Froggy Bottoms.

Saturday, January 28th: Dime Store Watch, 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Contented Cow; One Act Plays, 7:00 to 10:00 p.m., Northfield High School Auditorium, The River, 7:00 p.m., Weitz Center Cinema on the Carleton College downtown campus; The RCAs, 8:00 to 11:00 p.m., Contented Cow; Jeff Ray, 8:00 to 11:30 p.m., Tavern Lounge; D J Music, 9:00 p.m., Rueb’N'Stein; and Fristad Jazz Combo, 11:30 p.m. to 1:00 a.m., Contented Cow.

Sunday, January 29th: Politics and a Pint, 6:00 p.m., and Quiz Night, 8:00 p.m., both at the Cow.

Friday, January 13th: Occasional Jazz, 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Contented Cow; Arts for Martin, 7:00 p.m., ARTech; Exhibit Opening Reception: Surfacing and One Stroke at a Time, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., Northfield Arts Guild; The Melvilles, 7:00 p.m., Hogan Brothers; The Beguine Brothers, 8:00 to 11:00, Contented Cow; Matthew Griswold, 8:00 to 11:30 p.m., Tavern Lounge; The 8th Street Band, 9:00 p.m., Rueb’N'Stein; and Mark Mraz, 9:00 p.m., Froggy Bottoms.

Saturday, January 14th: Winter Scream, 12:00 to 2:00 p.m., Bridge Square; New Moon Trio, 5:00 to 7:30 p.m., Contented Cow; Harlow’s Edge, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., Hogan Brothers; Relativity, 8:00 to 11:30 p.m., Tavern Lounge; Spruce Top Review, 8:00 to 10:30 p.m., Contented Cow; D J Music, 9:00 p.m., Rueb’N'Stein, Whiskey Trick, 9:30 p.m., Froggy Bottoms; and Dirty Petrov and the Gentillionaires, 11:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m., Contented Cow.

Sunday, January 15th: Politics and a Pint, 6:00 p.m., Northern Roots Session, 7:00 p.m., and Quiz Night, 8:00 p.m., all at the Contented Cow.

The Cannon River Modeling and subsequent projects are the result of work by the NDDC’s College-Community Collaboration Committee.  Formed in 2010 in response to comments made by St. Olaf President David Anderson and Carleton President Steven Poskanzer, the committee initially focused on mutual-marketing leverage and cross-promotional efforts.  In 2011, it added alumni recruitment as another strategy.  One of the key tactics in this work will be to engage undergraduates in meaningful community projects.

Three dozen professors at the two colleges have already contributed their ideas to this initiative.  Over sixty potential projects have been identified, organized by four broad categories: Enhancing College-Community Collaboration/Communication, Strengthening Our Sense of Place, Growing the Knowledge-Worker Economy, and Securing Resources/ Building Sustainability.

St. Olaf professors Matt Richey and Paul Roback, and their students, are beginning the Cannon River Modeling during the January 2012 Interim.  Pictured are St. Olaf Math Majors, Ben Simmons, Lauren Snyder, Matthew Kamrath, and Evan Doucet.  Also working on the river modeling project is Laurel Ohm, who was away at a conference.

The initial work will focus on researching and reviewing existing river models to study key issues identified by former Carleton student Ana Vang.  These models include built environment, bank stability, channel changes, flood potential, sediment toxicity, sediment transport, riparian response, existing wildlife, and invasive species.

Carleton College, St. Olaf College, and the NDDC are committed to clear communication, process transparency, and openness to input.  An early project team will create a project website to promote sharing of information and assurance of continuity.

Thursday, January 5th: Matt Arthur & the Bratlanders, 8:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m., Contented Cow; and Mark Mraz, 8:30 to 11:00 p.m., Tavern Lounge.

Friday, January 6th: Fred the Bear, 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., Contented Cow; Gabe Keller, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., Hogan Brothers; Michael Perry and the Long Beds featuring Andy Dee, 7:30 p.m., Grand Event Center; Stuart Pimsler Dance & Theater Co., 7:30 p.m., Weitz Center on the Carleton College downtown campus; Ben Aaron, 8:00 to 11:30 p.m., Tavern Lounge; Karaoke, 9:00 p.m., Rueb’N'Stein; and Midnight Collision, 11:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m., Contented Cow.

Saturday, January 7th: Megan & Lady Anne, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., Hogan Brothers; Paula Mann and Penelope French, 7:30 p.m., Weitz Center on Carleton College downtown campus; Top Shelf, 8:00 to 11:00 p.m., Contented Cow; Steve Howard, 8:00 to 11:30 p.m., Tavern Lounge; D J Music, 9:00 p.m., Rueb’N'Stein, and Alluvion, 11:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m., Contented Cow.

Sunday, January 8th: Politics and a Pint, 6:00 p.m., Northern Roots Session, 7:00 p.m., and Quiz Night, 8:00 p.m., all at the Contented Cow.

The owner of the News, Huckle Publishing, Inc. / Mainstream Publications, LLC, employs about 150 people in Minnesota.  There are 15 to 20 people in the Northfield downtown office and 40 to 60 people at the Northfield uptown printing plant; there are a total of 10 to 15 full-time employees in Northfield.

Sam, on a personal level, is very satisfied with Northfield.  The company has papers in Faribault, Owatonna, Waseca, Kenyon, Lonsdale, St. Peter, Le Sueur, and Le Center.  He says Northfield is the regional standard for civic aspiration and that most of the people in other towns are envious of our vitality.  He loves the location and loves being downtown.

As for the problems he and his business face in Northfield, he laughingly notes that historic buildings require substantial on-going maintenance.  In terms of the community, he argues that the growing population of commuters is more of a challenge to engage.  He thinks it’s important for our civic, economic, and social well-being to get these residents to identify with the town.

Sam has clear thoughts on how the NDDC could better serve his business.  He names supporting events, getting people engaged, advocating for business, supporting recruitment efforts, and removing obstacles to business expansion.  He suggests that there should be more analysis of the impact of government regulations on business.  Some protections are essential, he argues, but it is important to find the right balance.

Finally, Sam offered some ideas on increasing the quality of life for workers in Northfield.  He recommends expanding the richness of offerings of activities for kids and families and increasing the safety of mobility of kids and families to the downtown.

Thursday, December 15th: A Trashy Little Xmas, 6:00 p.m., Grand Event Center; High School and Middle School Orchestra Concert, 7:00 to 10:00 p.m., Middle School Auditorium; Celtic Cat and Prairie Dog, 8:00 to 10:00 p.m., Contented Cow; Mark Mraz, 8:30 to 11:00 p.m., Tavern Lounge; Rice County Roosters, 11:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m., Contented Cow; and D J Karaoke, 9:00 p.m., Froggy Bottoms.

Friday, December 16th: Carey Langer, 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Contented Cow; Opening Reception: Here and Then, 7:00 p.m., Northfield Arts Guild; Beatle Juice, 8:00 to 10:00 p.m., Contented Cow; Opera: Amahl and the Night Visitors, 8:00 p.m., First United Church of Christ; Matthew Griswold, 8:00 to 11:30 p.m., Tavern Lounge; and Karaoke, 9:00 p.m., Rueb’N'Stein.

Saturday, December 17th: Fine Craft Collective Open House, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., 310 Division Street South; High School Choir Concert, 4:00 to 9:00 p.m., Skinner Memorial Chapel on the Carleton College campus; Rosewood, 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Contented Cow; South on Natchez, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., Contented Cow; Opera: Amahl and the Night Visitors, 8:00 p.m., First United Church of Christ; Lonesome Dan Kase, 8:00 to 11:30 p.m., Tavern Lounge; Fred the Bear, 9:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m., Contented Cow; and D J Music, 9:00 p.m., Rueb’N'Stein.

Sunday, December 18th: Opera: Amahl and the Night Visitors, 10:00 a.m., First United Church of Christ; Politics and a Pint, 6:00 p.m., Northern Roots Session, 7:00 p.m., and Quiz Night, 8:00 p.m., all at the Contented Cow.

This year offers a particularly full schedule of entertainment.  It includes performances by the Northfield Middle School Choirs, Reindeer Sleigh Rides, Horse-Drawn Wagon Rides, Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the Magic of Model Trains, the Northfield High School Instrumental Ensemble, the Bethel Lutheran Church Adult Choir, I Cantanti, Reading of Holiday Stories, Pictures with Santa, the Artech Middle School Choir, the Northfield Senior Center Choir, the Northfield Dance Academy, Pictures with the James-Younger Gang, the Madrigal Singers, and the St. Olaf Trombones.  Additional entertainment (and treats) will be offered within the individual establishments.

So come on down(town) and enjoy Winter Walk.  Take a seasonal  stroll through downtown Northfield’s mix of one-of-a-kind shops specializing in quality merchandise, wide variety of restaurants and coffee shops featuring artisan food, and a full range of services offering personalized attention

…and celebrate your community.

Carl says we’re fortunate to have such a vibrant downtown.  With a relatively wide offering of products and services, there are good traffic levels to the store; people combine errands and destinations, such as the hardware store, car repair, the pharmacy, dry cleaning and the grocery store.

He says the Northfield store has a particularly loyal customer base.  He believes that downtown Northfield has a reputation for good service that builds our brand regionally.

On the challenges, Carl sees a balancing act between attracting tourists and servicing residents.  He notes that DJJD is scheduled at the same time that the college students are setting up for the new academic year; on that weekend, Econofoods, and the rest of downtown, is difficult to access.  On a related topic, he says we need additional public parking in downtown.

As for how the NDDC could better serve his business, Carl encouraged us to advocate on key issues.  He mentioned commercial property taxes and signage as important to his business.  The Northfield store is looking at expansion and these issues impact their decision-making.

Carl believes that Northfield has an exceptional quality of life.  He believes that we should build on it, particularly in the areas of multi-modal transportation and diverse cultural offerings.  Carl also praised Northfield citizens’ community involvement; he really enjoys doing Econofoods’ “bagging for bucks” program with the various youth groups.