By Rich Larson, News Director
Northfield Hospital and Clinic announced yesterday that their Covid-19 vaccination waiting list is now open to everybody age 12 and up. 
The FDA approved use of the Pfizer vaccine for kids ages 12-15 on Monday, and yesterday the Centers for Disease Control added their recommendation for the Pfizer vaccine. Additional guidance from the Minnesota Department of Health is expected in the next few days.
NH&C is now setting up processes and clinic dates to serve the newly approved age group. When all the details are in place, they will begin to contact the people on the waitlist. They are asking that people not call the hospital to make an appointment for 12-15 year olds at this time, as this puts undue stress on the schedulers. If your child is on the waiting list, you will be contacted via phone call or text message.
Currently NH&C is vaccinating people ages 16 and up. If you are in this age group and have not been vaccinated, then you are encouraged to call 507-646-8019 and set up an appointment.
NH+C’s stated goal is to vaccinate people in and around the Northfield community as broadly and efficiently as possible with the resources available to them, following FDA and MDH guidance. A link to the NH&C website can be found on our website at kymnradio.net, additionally, a link to the state’s Vaccine Connector website can be found on our Facebook page.
Council receives initial timeline for Riverside Enhancement plan
On Tuesday night during a work session, the Northfield City Council heard a presentation on the Riverside Enhancement Action Plan. City Administrator Ben Martig said the project’s long-term goal is to make more use of the park land along the Cannon River and take more advantage of one of the city’s best assets.
The plan has been two years in the making and on Tuesday night, the council got their first look at the timeline for all the various projects laid out. A Sequence Chart, which will eventually be posted to the city’s website showed plans for Ames, Babcock, Riverside and Sechler Parks, as well as other areas along the river. Administrator Martig noted the ambition of the plan, pointing out that it is a 5-10 year project. And he said the first thing that needs to happen is to put the area in position to take advantage of all possible funding options.
“We’re seeking a regional park designation through the Greater Minnesota Trails & Parks Organization. That regional designation would open us up to legacy grant funds to greater Minnesota, that would allow us to get some grants for leveraging our local dollars. And so, we’re working on getting an application out this July, seeing if we can meet that timeline to get that application in so that we can be included on that list.”
One project the city would be able to move on sooner than later is a possible expansion of Bridge Square. In 2014 concept plans were drawn up for improvements and alterations to the area. The council had a thorough discussion about the options that could possibly include permanently closing the area of Water Street that is currently blocked off and building parkland over it to connect the square to the riverfront.
Another option that Administrator Martig mentioned is the possible improvement and expansion of the Riverwalk. Martig said they have received federal funds to do a flood study along the area to examine what can be done.
As this was a work session, no immediate action was taken. These projects will be brought to the council in future meetings as the city staff looks for direction in establishing priorities.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with City Administrator Ben Martig can be heard here
School Board sees changes made to ‘preferred’ mascot option
And on Monday night, the Northfield School Board was presented with a more refined version of the potential new mascot for the Northfield Raiders
In March of last year, members of the Northfield High School Student Council approached the board and asked if they would consider a new mascot for the high school. The feeling was that the current mascot, which was adopted in the mid-1950’s, was outdated and no longer represented the full High School student body. Last December a committee was formed to look into refreshing the new mascot, receiving twenty different submissions.
Two weeks ago, the Mascot Refresh Committee presented the board with three different finalist options, including one designated as preferred, to replace the current mascot. Among the criteria that the committee had asked for when taking submissions was that the new design be race and gender neutral and that it honor the people of Northfield who stood up to and repelled the James-Younger Gang in 1876.
Northfield School Superintendent Dr. Matt Hillmann acknowledged that those restrictions made any workable design “a tall order.” He said the Board seemed to favor the committee’s preferred option, but even that design needed a little more work.
“We went back to our partners with Neuger with that preferred option and asked them to make some additional iterations of it. So, in the new iterations you’ll see the neckerchief is below the chin. That’s really the piece intended to be not the raiders themselves, but the townspeople. And then you’ll notice that it’s a little bit smaller than the original draft.”
Hillmann said the school board will vote on the new mascot at their next meeting on May 24th.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Superintendent Dr. Matt Hillmann can be heard here
