By Teri Knight, News Director
Twenty five pounds of methamphetamine. One million dollar street value. The Cannon River Drug and Violent Offender Task Force (CRDVOTF) has been tracking a Minnesota couple suspected of trafficking in meth. On April 14th they pulled over 39 year old Lucas Madison of S. St. Paul and 32 year old Katherine Byrd Campbell of Rochester on Interstate 35 at mile post 53. Agents believe that Madison is a high level dealer who sells the pounds to other dealers who break them down for street level. Along with the meth, agents found $17,000
cash. Madison and Campbell are facing Controlled Substance Crimes in the 1st Degree with enhancements for aggravating factors and importing across state borders. Bail for Madison was set at $2 million without conditions. Campbell’s bail is $100,000 without conditions. Both are set to appear in court on April 28th.
Council split on another Nfld EV Charging Station
The Northfield Rotary Club has committed to Climate Change and was instrumental in getting two Electric Vehicle Charging Stations on Water St. at the corner of 5th St. by the River. While their usage is not yet at capacity, the Rotary tried to partner with businesses to install a second location, but they were not interested, so they are again offering $9,000 to the City for the installation of two more. Of five locations around the downtown area, with varying degrees of cost, the City’s Program Coordinator Beth Kallestad, recommended the 5th and Washington St. parking lot citing cost as a factor in terms of installation and, “proximity to some of the stores downtown and the new apartment complex that’s going to be going in and that really is not necessarily for the residents of the complex but more for their visitors”. The cost of the EV station is about $7915, the cost of installation at that particular spot is $4749. Kallestad explains why now, “really this is about building infrastructure. When the electric vehicle drivers are trying to figure out where they can go and how far their can go, the term Range Anxiety, is used to try to figure out, well can I get from here to there on a charge”. Based on data from the current EV station, it services about three cars a day for about 90 minutes per vehicle. There is a cost for daytime use. There is one person that charges their car overnight, that’s on the City’s dime. The eventual vote by council was 4 to 3 with the Mayor against the location. She was strongly in favor of placing it at 7th St. and Division by Family Fare where there is far less activity, keeping the municipal lot, which is highly used, for gas vehicles. Kallestad, commenting on the municipal lot, said, “and we thought it would be an incentive to electrical vehicle drivers to use that location and, I don’t know if you want to say thank them for the type of vehicle they’re driving, but to give them a little bonus for doing that”. The site at 7th and Division would also cost a few thousand dollars more. Councilors Ness and DeLong felt this was not the time to spend the money. He pointed at the fact that businesses weren’t interested in partnering on the EV stations, adding, “with our present station, increase capacity, we can still help decrease carbon emissions and we can use that money for something else”. He felt they were chasing free money. The yes voters were inclined to build the infrastructure. Right now there are about 10,000 electric cars, Minnesota’s goal is 200,000 by 2030. City Council Supplemental Agenda Background Memo for April 21, 2020 No. 1
NAFRS changes protocol amid covid
It’s a big change says NAFRS Chief Gerry Franek, as they adhere to the protocols from the MN Dept. of Health and the Fire Chiefs Association in light of Covid-19. They are minimizing unnecessary contact by assessing outside of a home if the person isn’t injured or in a life-threatening situation until medical professionals arrive. As for training, they’ve done some online classes and using distancing in their facilities. Of course, on the scene of a fire, it’s different. With two arson fires last month and a house fire, they often have twenty firefighters on scene. They’re 
riding in the trucks together as well. Franek noted that the DNR has cut down on burning permits to cut down the opportunity for out of control fires. Rice County has selected drop off sites for masks, the Northfield Fire Station is NOT one of them. There are locations in Faribault, Dundas, Lonsdale and Morristown.
