Air Care called for Hwy 3 crash
A vehicle trailering a tractor and another car crashed this morning on Hwy 3 and Dahle Avenue around 8 o’clock. Two people were transported to Northfield Hospital by ambulance and one was airlifted to HCMC. Northfield, Rice County and the State Patrol responded. The State Patrol is investigating the crash and has not released any further information.
RBT scenarios include “free travelers”
Following police into a building at night with possible burglary suspects is more tense than you’d think. That is if you’re simply a reporter with no law enforcement experience. That was another scenario given to Northfield, Lonsdale and Rice County officers as they went through Reality-based training this week. As instructors, Rice County Deputies Jason Witt and Josh Malecha spend months putting together these plots they take from their own experience, those of local officers and departments across the country. They’re always picking up new scenarios to try. Northfield officers Steve Klostermeyer and Bart Wiese were actors while Deputy Chief Dukatz performed in the set-ups. Witt and Malecha stressed how the actors must be able to feed off what the officers doing. They need to think on their feet as officers approaches differ. Other scenarios included bar disturbances, domestics and someone who claimed our laws don’t apply to them and continued to challenge the officers. Witt said this is becoming more prevalent every day. These people call themselves “free travelers” and are, essentially, against government of any type. I’ll have pictures and more stories as we continue our series on reality-based training.
Streetscape enhancement approval turns to color
Central Valley Co-op will get $2300 from the City for cost sharing in their streetscape enhancement project. That’s half the cost for planting 50 Viking Chokeberry shrubs to provide some screening and beautification along their property on Hwy 3. Councilor Pownell used the opportunity to talk about the different color of fences for businesses like Napa, Witt Bros and Eco Gardens who also received funding from the, now deactivated, Streetscape Task Force. She wanted to know who decides what colors fences should be as it’s not designated by theTask Force. Community Development Director Chris Heineman said that Council could require specific colors but at the same time the applicant is trying to match landscaping,building and branding. He pointed to Napa and their blue color. Pownell removed the funding for Central Valley Co-op from the consent agenda to specifically question who might have authority to create color guidelines. She wanted to know what who the appropriate entity would be to decide on colors. Peterson White, who owns a downtown business, commented on CakeWalk’s new pink cupcake bench on Division saying she’d like a balance of a cohesion and a business’s unique character. She would not want to create a standard that would prevent creativity. This item will be on a future work session.
Surgery Center Open House today
It’s a big day for Northfield Hospital and Clinics as they invite the public to this afternoon’s Open House of their new Surgery Center. President and CEO Steve Underdahl said this addition is a much more logical and efficient way for patients and families to move through the process. Most surgeries are now same day and the update works to that advantage. There’s a dedicated space where the physician can come out and talk to the family privately. Underdahl says the flow for nurses and doctors is also more efficient allowing them to care for more patients in the same amount of time. The Open House is from 4 to 6pm, refreshments will be served. The Surgery Center opens for business on Monday.
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The post Today’s news update – Air Care called for Hwy 3 crash; RBT scenarios include “free travelers”; Streetscape enhancement approval turns to color talk; Surgery Center Open House today appeared first on KYMN Radio - Northfield, MN.