One person is reportedly dead from injuries suffered in a motor vehicle crash in Greenvale Township that occurred 
at approximately 2:35pm yesterday.
The Dakota County Sheriff’s Department reported on social media that the crash involved a Fed Ex semi-truck and an SUV. Footage of the scene taken by the Twin Cities FOX affiliate’s helicopter showed a FedEx truck partially in a ditch and a badly damaged SUV on Foliage Avenue near 307th street. The two vehicles had obviously collided.
According to reports from police scanners, the driver of the SUV was completely trapped inside the SUV with no pulse when deputies arrived on the scene.
The Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of the Minnesota State Patrol, is investigating the crash. Foliage Avenue was closed and will remain so for as long as it takes the two agencies to complete the reconstruction of the accident.
The Dakota County Sheriff’s office has not released any more information. This remains a developing story. KYMN News will bring you more information as we receive it.
New film of original re-enactment available on DJJD website
A film of the very first re-enactment of the failed James-Younger Gang raid on the First National Bank of Northfield
has been discovered and will soon be made available to the public.
Tim Freeland, who, among several different responsibilities, is the unofficial historian of the Defeat of Jesse James Days celebration, said the film was discovered in the archives of the Minnesota Historical Society. He said he has been working with the Historical Society for months and will be able to share it with the community for this year’s celebration.
Freeland said the idea happened upon him by chance. While working with former St. Olaf archivist Jeff Suave, the two began discussing pictures hanging in his office of the first re-enactment in 1948.
At that time, Northfield’s annual celebration was called The Fall Festival. The decision was made in 1948 to hold a Jesse James Day during the festival and include a staged performance of exactly how the raid happened.
“I said to Jeff, ‘Boy, wouldn’t it be cool if somebody had filmed this,’” said Freeland. “And Jeff said, ‘The Minnesota Historical Society might have something.’”
Curious, Freeland contacted the Historical Society, and to his surprise and delight, there actually was a film of the original re-enactment.
“KSTP had come down and used a Kinescope to film the re-enactment and the Grand Parade,” he said.
A Kinescope was a camera generally used to record something being broadcast on television, which would take short snippets of film that would then be stitched together.
Freeland was able to verify that it was indeed the 1948 re-enactment based on the fact that many people in the film can be seen wearing the 1948 button, and the scene exactly matches the very pictures taken that year by Northfield photographer Fran Hall that Freeland has on his wall.
“There were all these people that I had seen from those pictures [and they were] in motion,” he said. “I couldn’t believe it.”
Freeland then began the process of obtaining permission from the Minnesota Historical Society to use the film during this year’s celebration. He said the process was complicated, and also included a licensing fee. The Historical Society has placed strict parameters on how the film may be used.
Freeland said the two-and-a-half-minute film, made up of 10-15 second loops will look a little archaic to 21st century eyes, but the fact that the film even exists is a big surprise.
“They had it processed. And actually imaged and put into place, which is I guess a pretty costly process, very labor intensive. We don’t know who ordered it or who paid for it, but it was there, and it was ready. Maybe Hayes Scriven, the former director of the Northfield Historical Society, had been working with them on something. We don’t know. But somebody had either requested it or paid for it. I’m not totally sure, but we now have permission to present that to the public.”
The film is available to watch now at djjd.org.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Tim Freeland can be heard here
Council discusses details of 5th & Water Street project
Last night the Northfield City Council approved the selection of The Lander Group as the preferred developer of
what is now being called the 5th and Water Street project.
Earlier this year, the City of Northfield announced that the properties at 411 Water Street and at 115 5th Street West had been purchased with the intent to redevelop the area to for multi-use purposes, including housing, retail space and especially a new municipal liquor store.
Michael Lander, the president and founder of The Lander Group, said that while his organization is small by design, they are able to create “livable, thriving places for people through integrated implementation that connects community values to development projects.” He said his company specializes in re-development of areas.
“We haven’t worked in a green field site in many years,” he said. “This is what we do.”
Lander said there are five goals for this project: increase the Downtown Northfield residential population while continuing to improve and expand downtown commercial offerings, create frontages with clear and logical connections, demonstrate a mix of viable parking strategies, all with a focus on riverfront enhancements.
The council asked Lander about the project itself. Councilor Sean Allen asked about the prospects of affordable housing within the development. Lander said his company was open to the idea, if the city wants it, and now is the time to make those decisions. Councilor George Zuccolotto took Allen’s suggestion a step farther by pointing out the rent for apartments in the 411 Water Street building ranges from $650-$750 a month and asked that the development keep some of the rents at that level.
Other questions about the development could not be answered as the project is still in the very early design stages.
“We’re at least a year away from even being ready to dig a hole,” he said.
The council approved The Lander Group unanimously.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
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