Thanks to everyone who participated in the raffle and congratulations to our winner, Jeff Johnson. No, not NDDC Board member Jeff Johnson, the OTHER Jeff Johnson! Thanks most of all to our NDDC volunteers, Partnership Campaign donors, and Taste of Northfield sponsors. Great downtowns don’t just happen!

Here’s a little slideshow for posterity.

NDDC Partnership Celebration 2012 at the Grand

Friday, February 17th: NDDC Downtown Celebration, 7:00 – 11:00 p.m., Grand Event Center; 6th Annual Northfield Winter Stomp, 7:00 – 10:30 p.m., National Guard Armory; The Melvilles, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., Hogan Brothers; Arsenic and Old Lace, 7:30p.m., Northfield Arts Guild Theater; Dan Israel, 8:00 to 10:00 p.m., Contented Cow; Matthew Griswold, 8:00 to 11:30 p.m., Tavern Lounge; Martin Devaney, 11:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m., Contented Cow; and Karaoke, 9:00 p.m., Rueb’N'Stein.

Saturday, February 18th: Toaster Fork!, 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Contented Cow; Tim Fast, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., Hogan Brothers; Arsenic and Old Lace, 7:30 p.m., Northfield Arts Guild Theater; Farragut North, 7:30 p.m., Weitz Center for Creativity on the Carleton College downtown campus; Relativity, 8:00 to 11:30 p.m., Tavern Lounge; Optimum Trajectory, 8:00 to 11:00 p.m., Contented Cow; D. J. Music, 9:00 p.m., Rueb’N'Stein; and The Ted Pretzel Experience, 11:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m., Contented Cow.

Sunday, February 19th: Arsenic and Old Lace, 2:00 p.m., Northfield Arts Guild Theater; Politics and a Pint, 6:00 p.m., Contented Cow; and Quiz Night, 8:00 p.m., Contented Cow.

Friday, February 10th: Robin Hood, 7 p.m., Northfield Middle School Auditorium; Art Apprentice Exhibit Reception, 7:00 p.m., Dittmann Center on the St. Olaf College campus; Joel Cooper & Friends, 8:00 to 11:00 p.m., Contented Cow; Marv Gohman, 8:00 to 11:30 p.m., Tavern Lounge; Meredith Fierke and the McKinstrys with Chris Koza, 8:00 p.m., Northfield Arts Guild; Chiara Piano Quarter, 8:00 p.m., Concert hall on the Carleton College campus; Karaoke, 9:00 p.m., Rueb’N'Stein; and Mark Mraz at Froggy Bottoms.

Saturday, February 11th: Le Tour du Chocolat, 10:00 a.m., Downtown Northfield; Robin Hood, 1:00 p.m., Northfield Middle School Auditorium; Occasional Jazz, 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Contented Cow; The Last Known Whereabouts, 8:00 to 11:00 p.m., Contented Cow; Joe Meyer, 8:00 to 11:30 p.m., Tavern Lounge; and The Big Wu, 9:00 p.m., Rueb’N'Stein.

Sunday, February 12th: Politics and a Pint, 6:00 p.m., Contented Cow; and A Special VALENTINE’S Quiz Night, 8:00 p.m., Contented Cow.

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.