By Logan Wells, News Director | Logan@kymnradio.net
Editors Note: As 2024 comes to an end, the news cycle begins to slow down. However, this is also a time to sit back on the news this year and the moments that defined Northfield. Instead of the regular newscasts for today, December 27th, 30th, and 31st, we will be taking a look back at the headlines from 2024; the moments, the people, and the events that defined Northfield this year.
I wish you all the best time this holiday season.
See you in the new year,
– Logan
Krin Finger
The Rare Pair in Downtown Northfield. Pictures provided by the Rare Pair.
Krin Finger, the longtime owner of the Rare Pare located on the corner of 4th Street and Division Street, announced this past summer that she was selling the store to employees Beret Froehle and Krissy Neuger. Finger owned the Rare Pair for 33 years, the store is a favorite among Northfield and out-of-towners shoppers, looking for top quality shoes and apparel.
Finger said she had been thinking about retiring for a while, but the conversation picked up in December. She came to an agreement with Froehle and Neuger and will retire at the end of the summer. Finger said she has great confidence in the new ownership team. In retirement, she said, she plans to spend more time with her grandchildren and hopes to do some traveling.
Froehle and Neuger were classmates at St. Olaf College, both graduating in 1999, before they actually met and became close friends. Froehle worked at the store while she was a student at St. Olaf. Both women got married and lived on the East Coast before settling back in Northfield. Froehle said as her husband was finishing his graduate work in Massachusetts, he asked her what she would like to do, to which she responded that she wanted to live in Northfield and work at the Rare Pair.
Froehle and Neuger do not intend to make any drastic changes right away. Finger has run the store extremely well for a long time, Neuger said, and for the time being the blueprint she has created will work just fine.
Pam Thompson
Although relatively new to Northfield, she has quickly become appreciated by many, the Editor of the Northfield News Pam Thompson, retired last week. Thompson had a storied career working as the editor and reporter for several different outlets.
The story of how Thompson came to Northfield almost seemed like fate made it happen:
“And I had just driven through Northfield, went to Content, bought a puzzle, had lunch at Hideaway, walked through the library. And I got back to Eau Claire and there was an ad in the paper. No Kidding for the editor of the Northfield News. I seriously applied that night.” – Former Associate Editor of the Northfield News Pam Thompson on the KYMN Morning Show
Thompson described her role as “writing everything but sports.” and that the feature stories about community members were here “bread and butter.”
“And so I just have learned to cover news by putting people in the center of the story. And that is really something I’ve been doing since Graduate School, and I just think that is a cool way for the community to get to know each other.” – Former Associate Editor of the Northfield News Pam Thompson on the KYMN Morning Show
Thompson is set to retire with her husband to Portugal in the new year.
Noel Stratmoen
(left) Noel and Lois Stratmoen in the KYMN Studios (right) Superintendent of Schools Dr. Matt Hillmann with Noel and Lois at the last school board meeting of 2024, presenting the two with a certificate of appreciation, noting December 10th as Noel and Lois Stratmoen Day on the Northfield School District. KYMN file Photos
After 44 years of service to the Northfield Public Schools, Noel Stratmoen retired from his seat on the Northfield School Board. Stratmoen has served 12 terms on Northfield’s Board of Education and currently owns the longest continuous tenure of any school board member in the State of Minnesota. He has been instrumental in any number of initiatives over that time including the building of at least three schools and major renovation projects involving virtually every other school district property, the decision to assign iPads to each student in the district, major curriculum overhauls, and of course every budget the district has had over the last 44 years.
Dr. Matt Hillmann said that Stratmoen cannot be “replaced,” and his presence on the board will be missed for many years to come. And he offered his deep gratitude to both Noel and his wife Lois Stratmoen.
Many members of the community have shared heartful messages and thanks for Stratmoen, but one of the most meaningful is from fellow board member Rob Hardey at the final school board meeting of the year:
“Each year new words are added to the dictionary and definitions change with Changing Times but you have remained the definition of service of Duty and humility if there is a word for the greatness that comes of raising others above self that word must be Noel.” – Rob Hardy about Noel Stratmoen at the 12/9/2024 Northfield School Board Meeting
Thank you Noel and Lois for your commitment to the Northfield Public Schools.
And That’s It Folks…
2024 is in the books!
Thank you for supporting KYMN Radio this past year; we greatly appreciate each and every one of you.
KYMN is special for many reasons, but more than anything else, it’s part of this great community we call home. While I was reading all the stories from this past year, I was reminded of how many great people, events, and institutions here in Northfield.
Lastly thank you to everyone that has helped in the last few months as news directors, I appreciate all the words of thanks and advice.
See you in the new year!
