With snow and temperatures falling, and winds expected to create blizzard-like conditions today and tomorrow, the City of Northfield, and 
the surrounding areas are taking precautionary measures in the interest of public safety.
School has been canceled today by the Northfield Area School District. Northfield Superintendent of Schools Dr. Matt Hillmann noted that this first snow day of the year is not an eLearning day, giving Northfield School kids one extra day of winter break.
School has also been canceled in Cannon Falls, Randolph, Farmington, Kenyon-Wanamingo, the Tri-City United district and Owatonna.
The city has also declared a snow emergency, meaning there is no parking on city streets until the street has been plowed from curb to curb.
City Hall and the Northfield Public Library will close at noon today and will remain closed tomorrow. Fifty North is closed today, and will be through the weekend. The Northfield Area YMCA are closed today as well, but they intend to reopen on Friday.
Federal grant to enable construction of a new drinking water plant
Northfield Mayor Rhonda Pownell and Public Works Manager Justin Wagner said yesterday that the City of Northfield has been marked for a $25
million grant from the federal government to build a new drinking water treatment plant.
Wagner said the new plant has been found to be necessary, after a study performed in 2020 on the Northfield drinking water supply showed levels of manganese found in three of the five city wells could be enough to cause developmental problems like attention deficit disorder in some of Northfield’s smallest children.
“Yeah, manganese is the biggest factor. Most of our wells have an elevated level, basically above 100 micrograms per liter, so parts per billion. So really, that elevated level of manganese can cause adverse effects to pregnant women or children under 12 months of age.”
The water study was accepted by the council this past spring, and the decision was made to build the new plant, but with a $33 million price tag, the question was how to pay for it.
There are avenues that are theoretically available from the state, like the state’s Drinking Water Revolving Fund, which can offer grants for a project such as this. But when the legislature failed to act on any sort of a bonding bill before the end of the session this year, state funding for a project like this was put into flux.
The city made appeals to the federal government through Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith as well as Representative Angie Craig, and it was their influence that pushed the grant through. Mayor Pownell expressed her gratitude to the three of them on a personal level as well as on behalf of the city.
“I just really want to take a moment to thank our US Representative Angie Craig and her office for really working with the city to ensure that this got included in the defense authorization bill. Our senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith for supporting this bill. They’ve been working hand in hand with our city staff.”
Wagner said the grant saves Northfielders an average of $15 each month tacked onto their water bill, which means $185 a year. It will also soften the water coming out of city taps. Wagner said, while the water will still not be technically “soft,” it can ease the burden of buying salt and putting that salt into a water softener.
Wagner said the project will take three years in the design and build phase before it comes online. The city is currently negotiating with Northfield Township about acquiring the land for the space. Assuming the bill is signed by President Biden by Friday afternoon, a reasonable assumption will be for the plant to be ready in 2026.
Christmas tradition at The Hideaway continues
On Sunday, The Hideaway Coffeehouse and Wine Bar will serve a free Christmas dinner to the community. 
For ten years now, Joan and Jim Spaulding have marshalled an army of volunteers that includes their six kids, along with assorted nephews, cousins, significant others and even some of the Hideaways regular customers to serve dinner to members of the community who find themselves alone on Christmas.
Joan said the tradition started when they realized there are quite a few people in Northfield who are alone on Christmas, and they were in a unique position to address that.
“We celebrate Christmas eve, and on Christmas Day we’d just be hanging around in our pajamas not doing much of anything. And we were sort of saying how fortunate we are that we have this family that can just hang around and play games and have dinner and everything like that. There’s a lot of people who don’t have families around. So really, it’s for anyone who’s by themselves and the whole idea is feeding the soul on Christmas.”
Over the years, as the Northfield Community has become more aware of the Spauldings’ generosity, the event has grown in size and scope. Joan said, in fact, the number of people they serve has more than doubled.
“Pre-Covid we did about 200, and then the first year of Covid it was all drive-through, and it was about 450 to go and then last year it was a combo of drive-through and sit down and we had just shy of 500 so I don’t know. I’m thinking maybe 400 this year but. Every year it’s different. Really, I don’t know. I give it up and I go ‘OK, it’s loaves and fishes times.’”
The menu will have all of the traditional holiday fare including turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberries, vegetables and Christmas cookies, and Joan said diners will have their choice of what they would like.
“Generally, you get both ham and Turkey. And then there’s some people who just prefer one or the other so when they come in, they actually order ham, Turkey, both or one or the other or vegetarian. And then they go sit down and we have the whole place set up family style, so nobody sits by themselves.”
During the pandemic, the Spauldings began the practice of offering meals to go, which is something they have continued to do. Those wishing to pick food up can drive right to the door. Spaulding said people don’t even need to come inside. The Hideaway phone number is posted on the window, so people can call inside, and food will be delivered to them in their cars. Those who wish to pick up the food to go will most likely find a line of cars ahead of them, but they are encouraged to get in line, because it tends to move relatively quickly.
The Spauldings have been honored over the years for their commitment to the community, but Joan said it really is the family’s honor to be able to serve. She said this is not about feeding those who are in need, although people without are certainly welcome. It really is more about enhancing the community.
“And our whole thing is that it’s not tied to money or finances. It’s really for people who are by themselves. Maybe they celebrate on Christmas Eve and then all their kids leave, and they’re by themselves. Or they the weather got bad, and they couldn’t go where they were supposed to go. And so, they didn’t plan Christmas dinner. And so, they come down. To our place and share it with other people.”
The Hideaway Coffeehouse and Wine Bar will be offering free Christmas dinner on Sunday from 1-5pm. No reservations are needed.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
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