Governor Tim Walz will be in Northfield this morning to preside over a small business roundtable discussion 
The federal government has approved Minnesota for up to $97 million in small business financing support, which will allow the state Department of Employment and Economic Development to provide guarantees to enrolled lenders for up to 80% of principal on loans to eligible businesses. Minnesota will receive funds in three disbursements over several years; the initial disbursement from the US Treasury is approximately $29.5 million.
“Small businesses are at the heart of communities across the state and drive our economic growth,” said Governor Walz. “These new federal funding streams are critical to bolstering small businesses and helping Minnesota’s economy grow and thrive.”
The Governor will be joined at the meeting by DEED Commissioner Steve Grove and Mayor Rhonda Pownell.
Hillmann says student test scores are important, as is social/emotional development
When Northfield Superintendent of Schools Dr. Matt Hillmann was named Superintendent of the year for 2023 by
Northfield Superintendent of Public Schools Dr. Matt Hillmann
“The district’s Grade 3 students have been continuously improving proficiency in reading,” the statement read. And despite a regression during the pandemic, the Northfeld School District has continued to maintain that strong commitment to reading.
Indeed, the commitment remains apparent in the students’ overall standardized test scores. While the test scores are down, Northfield students have fared better than most of the other students around the state.
Hillmann said that while students have regressed in every standardized evaluation during the last two years, that regression makes complete sense due to some rather obvious extenuating circumstances.
“We have been through the most significant global health emergency in 100 years, so there are a lot of people who were worried about a lot of other things in terms of just how the pandemic impacted people in a whole variety of ways. We use that as the context, but we own our results.”
Indeed, those results could be much worse. Hillmann said in the latest round of 8th grade assessments, Northfield students scored in the top 15% in reading and the top 10% in math.
“State context is important,” he said, “but we have a new reality. We have a new baseline. We can wallow in the tragedy, or we can say ‘What’s next?’ and move forward.”
During the current election season, test scores have become a political football, with Republicans and Democrats pointing fingers at each other, blaming the other side for falling scores. Hillmann said the district has very clear data on where the students are academically, and the district staff and faculty know how to bring the students back to where they should be. What they are still trying to evaluate is where the students are socially and emotionally.
“People have experienced all sorts of loss,” he said. “So, what are the supports we need to put in place? We have to support the whole child, with a focus on how to continue to accelerate academic progress.”
Finally, Hillmann said that while scores were down in most areas, the average ACT score held firm, at 22, which is not typical around the state.
There are signs and reasons to be optimistic, but vigilance, he said, is still necessary.
“We still do not know the full impact of the pandemic,” he said, “and we won’t know for quite some time. But we’re going to take this baseline data, and we’re going to continue to do good things for our kids every day.”
Winter Market will help support Northfield creative endeavors during the holidays
The organizers of the Riverwalk Market Fair have announced a winter edition of the popular Saturday morning 
market. Beginning November 5th, the Winter Market will be held on Saturday mornings at 115 West 5th Street, which is the former Northfield News building.
Teresa Jensen, the chair of the Riverwalk Market Fair Board, said the idea came from the special markets that have been put together for Winter Walk in the last few years.
“Our vendors kept asking for more time and more days,” she said. “So, when the city bought the Northfield News building, it just seemed like a wonderful opportunity.”
Jensen said, in fact, if it were not for the City and the Economic Development Authority both being so supportive of the Winter market, it most likely would not be happening.
“They’ve been great to work with,” Jensen said. “And they have rented us the building at a very reasonable rate.”
Obviously, the space is not as big as Bridge Square, which is the market’s summer home. Jensen said there is enough space for 27 vendors each week. However, there is a list of 45 vendors who would like to participate, so some will be in the market every week, and others will rotate in and out.
Jensen said this year is an experiment to see what can work and what doesn’t. But she is sure the community will respond well to the new setting, and the vendors will find real success each week.
“This is what we do. We support entrepreneurs in Northfield and in the surrounding area. I can’t imagine that it won’t be successful. But it really is all about the vendors and their interest in continuing to sell during the winter.”
The plan will be to hold a Winter Market each year, moving forward, although most likely the Northfield News building will be occupied as a temporary Municipal Liquor Store in 2024 as the 5th and Water Streets project gets underway. So, another space will most likely have to be found again next year.
Mayor Rhonda Pownell put her full support behind the project.
“I think it’s an excellent opportunity. There are so many creative people in Northfield. This is a wonderful way to support them.”
The Winter Market will run Saturdays from 10am until 2pm from November 5th through December 17th, with a special market during the December 8th Winter Walk from 5-9pm. The plans are to hold markets after that on th first Saturday of the month at least through March.
For more information, visit riverwalkmarketfair.org
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
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