Reflections on 2025 and Words of Wisdom from Northfielders 

By Logan Wells, News Director | Logan@kymnradio.net

“It’s been a challenging year for everyone, I think, this year. There are a lot of things happening in the world and stresses we don’t have much control over. So I have just really appreciated the grace that Northfielders have shown in stepping up for their neighbors and their community. I’m proud to be a member of the Northfield community.”

– Erica Zweifel, Northfield Mayor, KYMN News Interview. 

And while we think back on this past year and the high’s and lows, Schools Superintendent Dr. Matt Hillmann encourages everyone to think of the small moments, the ones we don’t talk about as much: 

“And you think of all of the other things that happened during the school year, The successes: the concerts, the plays, are really successful athletic programs, In my mind, there’s always so many more positive things that happen for a school district over the course of a year, but we tend to mostly think about some of those bigger challenges instead.”

– Dr. Matt Hillmann, Superintendent of Schools, KYMN News Interview

It’s often difficult to be optimistic. It was a challenging year pretty much everywhere, but Northfielder and CEO of the Star Tribune, Steve Grove, spoke about the hope for local work and actions: 

“Don’t give in to this cynical, pessimistic view that we’re somehow all divided in this country, that there’s no hope of collaboration. I think anybody who’s worked at the local level knows that’s a bunch of beeswax. That’s a national narrative that the national media would have you believe. But when you go local, there’s a lot of hope. And so I hope people see that.” 

– Steve Grove on his new book: How I Found Myself in the Midwest.
KYMN News Interview

That said, while you’re engaging in politics, Rev. Pam Fickenscher of St. John’s reminds you not to forget your neighbor and that everyone is human: 

“And so I just think from a human perspective, can we not see one another as human beings who are worthy of love and of dignity and step away from the debate for a moment just to focus on the well-being of the humans in our community.”

– Rev. Pam Fickenscher of St. John’s Lutheran Church, KYMN News Interview

This next word of wisdom is a little more practical and less philosophical. Here’s our Fire Chief, Tom Nelson, and his reminder about smoke alarms:

“Do that little inventory, it’s like, where did that one that we got for Christmas 11 years ago go? Because those will go off at 10 years, and they will let you know, and it will be at 2:00 in the morning and then you’ll be awake and mad. And if you can’t find it, we’ll call up and have to come help you.”

– Fire Chief Tom Nelson on the KYMN Morning Show

And we may have just heard this soundbite, this month in the news, but It seems important to state again, here’s Don Povak of the Rice County Salvation Army

“It’s a wonderful experience, I always say volunteering is not a job it’s a reward.”

– Don Pavek, Coordinator of the Rice County Salvation Army on KYMN In The Morning

For this last part, I’m not really sure if it’s advice or a challenge. Now I have something to admit, despite the fact that I am a townie and I love history. The first time I saw a DJJD Bank Raid Reenactment was last year. Since then, I have attended  7 of them. It is worth it to help understand our town’s history. But don’t just take my word for it:

“Go watch a bank raid reenactment. Don’t watch just one. Watch as many as you can. Because every single raid, you’re going to learn something new.”

– Sandy Vesledahl of the DJJD Committee

“I run into a lot of townies and I ask them one question. I say, hey, you know, you’ve been here forever. Have you been to one of the raid reenactments lately? And they all I don’t know if they’re being truthful, but they all say, Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. But I was from Bridge Square, so I kind of… this is the canned answer I get a lot. And it tells me they did not get a front row seat or on the bleachers or in position to actually see the defender, to hear the story.”

– Tim Freeland of the DJJD Committee 

“My hot tip, whenever I talk to people who’ve never attended the celebration or say, oh, the crowds are too big on Saturday and Sunday, I can’t do the reenactment, come Friday night.”

– Becca Peterson of the DJJD Committee

“Of course, the focus will always be our bank grade reenactment. The bank raid is what it’s all about, and it shows our courage and bravery. That will always be our focus, and that’s what I would always encourage, and to visit the historical museum and get the real story”

– Julie Eddy of the DJJD Committee

That was Sandy Vesledahl, Tim Freeland, Becca Peterson, and Julie Eddy all of the DJJD Committee, with our last little word of wisdom. 

Nine years ago, when I first sat down with then-KYMN owner Jeff Johnson, I never imagined this journey. It started with a few questions about radios for a school project—never expecting it would become a job or such a big part of my life. KYMN has been my constant through high school, college, a pandemic, and more. I began behind the scenes in Sports, launched Have Yourself A Classic Christmas, created three Election Guides, and spent the last year and a half as News Director. To Jeff Johnson and Teri Knight, thank you for much of that time serving as incredible mentors to me. You are both some of the kindest, most thoughtful, and most respectful people. 

I feel so incredibly privileged and honored to have been trusted by this community to bring you the news each morning. To every nice email, note, or random stranger on the street who told me that they listen to news, Thank you, it is truly such a high praise to be trusted by you. Everytime I have sat in front of this mic to record the news I know how important it is to get right. And to that end, I want to thank anyone who has ever shared their story with me, whether it was sitting in this studio or out in the field recording, if you have taken time out of your day for an interview with me, thank you, for trusting me to help tell your story. I won’t thank all of you individually, because that number is in the hundreds of people, truly it has been amazing to meet all of you. 

Thank you to those who have been along with me for this journey. 

One last word of advice from my favorite conversation, I had at this station, a few words of wisdom that I needed to hear in the right moment, here’s CC Linstroth:

“When given the choice between being kind and being right, always choose being kind.”

– CC Linstroth, KYMN News Interview 

For the last time, reporting for KYMN News, this is Logan Wells, signing off. 

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