Nominations are due today for the Northfield Area Chamber of Commerce Chamber Business and Chamber Business Person of the year.
Each year, the Chamber recognizes the accomplishments of local businesses and business people and the contributions they make to the community. Those with an interest are encouraged to nominate someone or a business they feel is deserving of these honors. Self-nominations are encouraged.
Nominations are due by 5pm. All nominations will be reviewed by the Chamber’s Selection Committees. Winners will be recognized at the Annual Meeting and Business Recognition Banquet which will be held January 25th at Armory Square. The statement said more information about the banquet will be sent out soon.
Northfield Area Chamber of Commerce President Jane Bartho said that only current members of the Chamber will be considered for the award. Non-members who are nominated will be disqualified.
Nominations may be emailed to Bartho at Janeb@northfieldchamber.com, they may be dropped off at the Chamber Office at 19 Bridge Square during regular hours of operation, or a nomination form can be found on the Chamber website at northfieldchamber.com.
Northfield PD working with Philadelphia PD for Drug Recognition training
With the legalization of marijuana now having taken effect in the State of Minnesota, the Northfield Police Department has had to find ways to recognize those that are driving under the influence of THC.
One of the main objections by members of the law enforcement community regarding the legalization laws that have been passed over the last two years has been the inability to test for THC impairment without the use of a blood test. Blood alcohol levels can be measured by a breath test, but not for someone who has been using marijuana.
Northfield Chief of Police Mark Elliott said there are techniques that have been developed over the years, and Northfield Police Officers are now beginning to undergo the training to recognize marijuana impairment.
“We have two officers that have gone through additional training and are now drug recognition evaluators, and we plan to add more. The state has some funding for this, so we’re going to take advantage of that where we can and try to get a few more folks out there so that so that we can snare the impaired no matter what substance may be impairing them.”
Elliott said the training involves classroom and video work. The officers are trained to recognize signs that include physical observations like pupil size and eye movements, vital signs, and some behavioral indicators. They are then given the opportunity to work with people who have been using in a clinical setting. After that, he said, they are receiving practical training in a very real setting by working through a joint program being run through the State of Minnesota and the State of Pennsylvania working with police officers in
“And then they also do some hands-on training as well. Right now, the State of Minnesota is working with the State of Pennsylvania. The state pays for our officers to go out there and work with police officers in the Philadelphia area to do some testing on folks that have been using. They’re getting some real-world experience for what that looks like.”
Elliott said he sees this becoming standard training for the officers in his department. He expects the number of people driving under the influence of marijuana, and really just anyone doing anything under the influence, to increase, and it will become more and more important for them to be able to evaluate things using these criteria.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Northfield Chief of Police Mark Elliott can be heard here
AI could be ‘next revolution’ in education
Artificial intelligence, or AI, emerged as one of the most fascinating, and perhaps emotionally charged, topics of conversation in 2023. Questions of “where” or “if” it should be used are already essentially moot points, because its applications have been shown to be so useful in nearly any situation.
Questions remain, regardless, and for good reason. For example, what are the best uses of AI in the world of education? How is it best used as a tool for educators? How is it best used as a tool for students?
Northfield Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Matt Hillman, addressed the potential impact of AI on education and how it will find its way into Northfield classrooms.
Hillmann put AI into historical context as an innovation and through its integration into society. Emphasizing the gradual shift that the Western World generally takes in adopting technology, Hillman noted the staggering pace at which Chat GPT has been accepted.
“I think many people would consider the telephone to be one of the greatest innovations in human history. It took 75 years for there to be 100 million users of the telephone. Facebook, which is something upon which reasonable people can debate its usefulness, took four-and-a-half years to reach 100 million users. The World Wide Web took seven years to reach 100 million users. Chat GPT took 2 months.”
Pointing to tools like Spell Check, Grammarly, and even SIRI on Apple devices, Hillmann said the practical applications of AI have been used in academia and general society for many years, even before most people ever realized what it was. But even as it has seamlessly worked its way into everyday life, Dr. Hillmann noted that Artificial Intelligence is nothing more than a tool. Stressing the importance of human connection in education, he said he does not believe AI could ever replace that type of interaction. While, he said, it can provide some instant feedback on student writing, or allow for a self-grading quiz, there are still too many questions about AI’s accuracy to supplant a teacher in a classroom
He also acknowledged the importance of regulating AI usage to harness its benefits while mitigating risks. Drawing on historical perspectives, he said there has always been a need for ethical discussions about innovation. And this is no different.
“Like any other tool, the danger lies in how a human being uses it. Without going down the road off all the tools that humans have used for real success over time, or the ways that we’ve misused them that have irrevocably damaged humanity, this tool is like anything else. This is an existential human question. Will we use what we’ve been given for good or not good?”
The question is, of course, how can a school prevent a student from using a site like Chat GPT to cheat. Put simply, he said, it’s not possible to prevent something like that. But students have been cheating since education systems were developed, and schools will adapt and find ways to combat those issues, just as they always have.
In the meantime, he said, the Northfield School District has some educators who have been early adopters of Artificial Intelligence, while others have been happy to observe for the time being. For now, he said, both approaches are acceptable. But there is no doubt AI could be the next major revolution in the world of education.
Our full conversation with Dr. Matt Hillmann can be heard here
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
