The Northfield area received the first major snowstorm of the year yesterday, creating havoc on the roads and disrupting the 
Northfield Superintendent of Schools Dr. Matt Hillman said making those decisions is an intricate process, especially when it comes to deciding if a winter storm brings enough snow to cancel school for the day.
“We of course take student safety very seriously,” he said. “But we also know that anytime that we change the school schedule, that’s a significant challenge for parents in our community.”
Hillmann said he and other leaders in the district are always watching the weather reports. They work very closely with the National Weather Service, which has now started to offer webinars to school superintendents, giving them detailed information about the timing and severity of the storm and allowing for questions to be asked.
If snow falls overnight, Hillmann said he and John Benjamin, the owner of Benjamin Bus, which operates the buses that take Northfield students to and from school, will both drive around the area to see for themselves what the conditions are.
“Typically, we’ll drive the roads,” he said. “We go out early, around 4am. I drive about 6 miles or so of country roads.”
Hillmann has a direct line to the National Weather Service, so he will check with them one more time. In fact, he will consult with as many people as he can before making the final decision prior to the mandated deadline.
“We of course check in with the Weather Service. I actually have a number, so I can call the Weather Service. They’re incredibly helpful. Our policy says we have to make a decision by 5:30 AM, so we’re checking in with John. We’re checking in with school districts that are adjacent to us as appropriate in some circumstances. Over the years, we’ve talked with law enforcement or Rd crews, and then we make a call.”
He said, while snow days are a rite of passage for Minnesota kids, things aren’t quite like they used to be, particularly post-pandemic. The first snow day of the year is a day off from school, but it is now policy that every snow day after that is an e-learning day, meaning the students will attend school from home.
Minnesota Environmental Board taking statements on new housing development
Last week the Northfield City Council was briefed on the progress being made by Terrace Companies to build a yet-to-
be-named housing development in the far North section of Northfield. Specifically, the development is to be built on 62 acres of land at the northwest corner of Cedar Avenue/Eveleth Avenue and North Avenue/330th Street just to the east of the Northfield Hospital.
Community Development Director Jake Reilly said the project is now in the environmental assessment phase, and yesterday the City of Northfield announced that the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board will be taking public comments on the environmental assessment worksheet for the proposed development until 4 pm on December 30th. State law requires an environmental assessment worksheet for developments of over 250 unattached units or 375 attached units.
The development will be comprised of approximately 53 detached villas, 26 single-family units, 16 units (8 buildings) of twin homes or duplexes, 12 units (4 buildings) of triplexes, one 63 unit building of senior co-op living, and an area intended for development of apartment buildings, which will be completed after Terrace Companies identifies a partner for that section of the development. A section has been set aside for residential-serving commercial development, which will presumably be a grocery store. In addition, the necessary road infrastructure, a park, several wetland areas and buffers, and storm water ponds are part of this proposed project as well.
The environmental assessment worksheet can be viewed in person at Northfield City Hall, and the Northfield Public Library. Only written comments are being accepted. They can be mailed to Northfield City Planner Mikayla Schmidt, at the Northfield City Hall, 801 Washington Street or emailed to mikayla.schmidt@ci.northfield.mn.us.
RSV a growing concern for NH+C
A statement released last week by Northfield Hospitals + Clinics said the RSV virus is becoming widespread in 
Northfield and other communities in Southern Minnesota. NH+C pediatrician Ben Flannery said in the statement that children under the age of two are most at risk of serious illness.
“RSV infects the microscopic airways of the lungs. It’s especially hard on small lungs: Babies and kids under the age of 2 are at risk of severe inflammation in their lungs, so it’s hard to breathe. They can’t cough the mucus out of their lungs, which can lead to pneumonia.”
Since late October, the Minnesota Department of Health has reported hospitalizations are at nearly 200 children a week for RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) Most are under age 1.
“There’s no treatment for RSV,” said Flannery. “We can only support the patient with oxygen and IV fluids and wait for the illness to pass.”
Call your provider if a child under the age of 2 is breathing faster than more than 1 breath per second, if they are working hard to breathe in and the skin on the ribs or neck are sucking in with each breath, and/or they are not getting better after 5 days
Go to the Emergency Room if you have a baby under 2 months who is having difficulty breathing, or a fever, or trouble breathing at night.
RSV usually lasts 5-7 days for older kids and adults. For infants and kids under 2, it usually starts to get better after 7-10 days.
Dr. Flannery said the RSV outbreak will continue for a few more months as winter settles in. He also said the influenza virus is spreading, which is another highly contagious virus, and the same precautions taken to prevent RSV can be used to prevent influenza as well.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
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