Northfield Chief of Police Mark Elliott said Rice County has received a $1 million grant from the United States Department of Justice, to 
fund two programs that will help keep people suffering from addiction out of jail and will get them the help that they need.
The Police-Assisted Recovery and Deflection Program and the Pre-Charge Adult Diversion Program are being set up across the county as a result of the grant. These programs have provisions for law-enforcement to help offenders by referring them to the County Attorney’s office as a candidate for pre-trial diversion and enter an addiction treatment program instead of being charged with a crime.
A common refrain among law enforcement officials is the idea that jail is not an ideal place for a person with mental health problems. Elliott said he and his officers have known for as long as they have been police that sending an addict to jail is not the best place for that person to get the help they need. But the Police-Assisted Recovery and Deflection Program will give officers the ability to send them to the right people.
“Sometimes our officers come across folks, whether it’s a disturbance or a mental health call, low level crimes, drug calls, things like that, and they’ve been able to talk with folks who are dealing with addiction. With this new program, if they want to go into treatment, then we’re going to be able to get them right into treatment.”
Earlier this year, Elliott and Faribault Police Chief John Sherwin approached County Attorney John Fossum about the program, who agreed that it was a good idea. Ashley Anderson of Healthy Community Initiative wrote the grant, and county law enforcement officials were notified that they had been selected in the fall.
Elliott said the county is already working with an organization that will be able to offer help immediately, and there are few obstacles to getting things running.
“We’ve got a partnership with a local provider that can provide some temporary housing until we can get those folks into treatment if they need that, as well as follow up care and those types of things.”
Chief Elliott said he hopes that the program will be in place sometime in March.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Northfield Chief of Police Mark Eliott can be heard here
Augmented Reality, Sewing Machines, much more available at the library
The Northfield Public Library, like many public libraries around the country, is evolving with the times. Libraries are no longer a place 
where a person goes to simply borrow a book, although that does remain one of the central functions of a library. Music and movies, of course, have been available at libraries for decades.
But what about a telescope? Or a sewing machine? Or a printing press? And of course, we have been checking out educational materials for our children since the first public library opened in 1833. But what about an iPad and a board that allows a child to play an interactive game with a friendly orange monster?
That is something now available at the Northfield Public Library.
Natalie Draper, Northfield’s Director of Library Services, likes to show people the items that she said come under the category of Cool Stuff That the Library Can Lend.
She said a public library is a place that provides an individual with the tools to better themselves. In 2022, that no longer just means books. Draper and the Northfield Public Library staff, in fact, are working to find as many of those tools as they can.
“It actually keeps me up at night,” she said, “thinking about what people are missing at the library.”
The library has been able to procure many of these things through a grant awarded to them by the State Department of Educaton and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. They are indeed checking out sewing machines. Two of them to be exact. They are also checking out Roku Boxes so people can watch Succession on HBO/Max or Ted Lasson on Apple TV.
“There are big cultural touchstones,” she said, “that many people never get to see because they can’t afford another streaming service, if they can afford one at all.”
The augmented reality kits are something she is very excited about. The kits offered at the library offer games, and interactive learning opportunities. They teach everything from reading to art to coding to how to design your own video game.
While the augmented reality kits are relatively expensive, Draper explained, they are also are something that kids might outgrow before too long. So instead of buying something that a child might only use for 6 months, she said, why not come to the library and check one out?
Defeat of Jesse James Days Committee makes Give Cancer the Boot donation
And on December 18, the Defeat of Jesse James Days committee presented a $6,000 donation to Northfield Hospital and Clinics, designated to 
the Northfield Hospital Breast Care Center and the Northfield Hospital Cancer Care & Infusion Center. The funds were raised as part of the Give Cancer the Boot campaign, which was started by members of the Defeat Days committee in 2013 to spread awareness and show their support for those in the Northfield community who are going through cancer treatment.
Funds are raised through a variety of DJJD events including the annual cornhole tournament, the Purse-and-Tool Bingo event, and Shop for a Cause Day – all sponsored by local area businesses.
According to a statement released by the DJJD Committee, the donation will help fund comfort items for patients undergoing breast surgery and patients starting cancer treatment including making weighted blankets available to patients during chemotherapy treatments and other amenities.
“DJJD serves as a fundraiser for many other non-profits in our community, as well as youth groups, and GCTB is just another way we seek to support our community,” said Rebecca Peterson, GCTB Chairperson,
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
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