By Rich Larson, News Director
Northfield Hospital +Clinics is encouraging anyone 12 years of age or older who has not received a Covid-19 vaccination to contact them for an
appointment. The hospital recently administered its 20,000th dose of vaccine, and CEO and President Steve Underdahl said they have made vaccinating the community the top priority.
One of the challenges they are facing is the amount of misinformation about vaccines that is being handed to the public. Rumors and conjecture continue to make their way through social media and word of mouth. The rumors tend from the reasonable, like the vaccines were rushed and may not be safe, to the absurd, like the vaccines will make a person magnetic.
Underahl called all these rumors a barrier that keeps people from making good decisions about their health, and the problem, he said can compound itself because of the way society consumes information today.
“Even reading some of those stories two days ago, now my phone thinks I’m interested in those stories, so it gives me more of those stories. And so, if I’m somebody that really is consuming that kind of information, my phones and my tablets and my computers give me more of it.”
The truth is, the vaccines are safe and are the biggest reason the pandemic is subsiding in most areas of the country, including Minnesota. In an effort to offer legitimate information about the vaccines, Northfield Hospital + Clinics has put together a series of videos, each no more than two minutes long, that offer the perspective of hospital staff and health care workers on their experiences with the vaccine, that have posted to the hospital website. The website also offers informational videos about how the vaccines work, and a Q&A article with pediatrician Dr. Ben Flannery addressing concerns some might have with having their children vaccinated.
For more information about the Covid-19 vaccines, visit northfieldhospital.org/news. To schedule a vaccination appointment at Northfield Hospital, call 507-646-8019.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Steve Underdahl can be heard here
NDDC is preparing for a busy summer
As the country continues to come out of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Northfield Downtown Development Council has wasted no time in announcing programs that look to bring the community back to Downtown Northfield.
The NDDC, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, is a non-profit organization put together to promote and advocate for Downtown Northfield. The organization focuses on economic vitality, design, promotion and organization to keep the downtown area healthy and energized.
NDDC Executive Director Greg Siems and Board Chair Kathleen Holmes said that, not surprisingly, 2020 was a tough year for the NDDC, and they are eager to put their new programs in motion.
The first one begins on Thursday with the first in a series of Bridge Square Block Parties. Holmes said it’s an opportunity for some casual fun that will happen every third Thursday of the month through September. Families are invited to Bridge Square from 5-7pm to enjoy food from local vendors, and entertainment provided by Louis and Dan and the Invisible Band. The NDDC is partnering with local organizations for each of the events. Thursday’s is co-sponsored by Northfield Schools Community Education.
The Taste of Northfield is an event familiar to many Northfield residents. After being canceled due to the pandemic last year, and being rained out the year before, the decision was made to re-invent the experience, so they have created the Taste Tour Passport. The coupon books, which will sell for $20 will offer deals and discounts from a variety of downtown restaurants and businesses.
And, Siems said, there is still more to come.
‘It’s the third year of our Artists on Mainstreet program to do different creative placemaking projects downtown. You might remember Selfie Shark, for example that popped up in Ames Park a couple years ago, that was an Artist on Mainstreet Project. We were able to secure a grant from the Minnesota State Arts board, and so we have selected the projects, and we will be announcing them next week some time.”
For more information on the NDDC and all its programs, visit downtownnorthfield.org
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Greg Siems and Kathleen Holmes can be heard here
City Council has a varied agenda for tonight’s meeting
And the Northfield City Council will meet tonight at 6pm in the Council Chambers at City Hall. 
Among the items on the agenda this evening the council will hear a presentation asking for support of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. The council will most likely adopt the new Strategic Plan this evening, which is an item on the consent agenda, and will have further conversation regarding the values statement that will accompany the new plan. There will be a public hearing on a proposed amendment to the City Charter regarding membership on the hospital board, and they will further consider authorizing a cable franchise for MetroNet in Northfield. One piece of new business on the agenda tonight is the consideration of acquiring the land at 510 Woodley Street currently owned and occupied by the Minnesota Department of Transportation, for possible development of affordable housing.
In all matters, the council is always looking for opinions and feedback from the public. The easiest way to offer that, aside from directly contacting your city councilor, is through the eComment button on the City Council section of the city website. That page can be found by clicking here.
