Businesses

By now, you’ve heard the sad, sad, unbelievably sad news. I would have written sooner but it’s taken me a few days to get up the strength to reach the machine. Talk about a punch to the midsection.

I must clarify that I’m not any more connected to the behind-the-scenes decision making process than you are. But even just based on the news that has been shared publicly, I certainly can’t blame the powers that be for making this call. Carleton College opened River City Books as a service and benefit to the community. The economic climate — generally and especially within the book trade — is much different today than it was in 2002, as many larger, more established bookstores in many cities across the country have fallen in recent years. RCB was not intended as a money-making venture; it was about helping downtown, which sorely needed a bookstore, and the college went above and beyond to create and sustain a fine store that provided, among other things, quality culture and good jobs. In fact, despite the decision, the mission’s intent still makes me appreciative.

Even if the news still hurts!

A day or so before I got word, I received my copy of the Jan. 5 New Yorker. I can’t believe that cover. Of all weeks! That’s a bit how I feel. RCB has been not just a source of income but more than that it’s been, at least for me, a connection to community. I’ll always have many fond memories of time spent there, talking to people about books (is there anything better?) … Hey, before I get teary, before I take a long walk down Memory Lane, I’ll cut myself off and just say that I’m going keep pounding these letters until they take the keyboard away. So I’ll have time to reflect in the coming weeks and months.

In the meantime, the sale ends Jan. 9. Still many great deals to be had!

Wed 1/14, 6:00 - 9:00pm

Depot Ice Rink, 225 Third Avenue South, Minneapolis

Hosted by Carleton Alumni Affairs & Northfield Skating School


Join the Northfield Skating School, Carleton community, and friends for a private night of skating at The Depot Ice Rink in downtown Minneapolis.

The Depot has been named one of the top 10 best places to skate by USA Today and MSNBC. Enjoy an exclusive night of open skating with lights and music, free informal lessons, and demonstrations by Northfield Skating School staff and skaters. Everyone is welcome - alumni, skaters, family, community members, friends, etc

Price: $15 for adults, $12 for kids under 18; includes three hours of skating and skate rental if needed. You may also bring your own skates. Concessions will be available. Please note: this is the same cost as skating at the depot during a public session, but we will have the rink to ourselves.

Please make your reservation before January 12th by contacting the Carleton Alumni Affairs office at 507-222-4205 or alumni-office@carleton.edu. Feel free to contact Carey Tinkelenberg (’05), Event Coordinator, with additional questions

January Music and Events

Sundays

• Politics & A Pint  6pm
• Northern Roots Session  7:30pm
• Quiz Night  8pm

Tuesdays

• Blue Grass & Old Time Jam  7:30pm

Sat. Jan 3rd  Jerry Johnson, Inga Johnson & Joel Cooper

Fri . Jan 9th  Roger Anderson Trio

Sat. Jan 10th Last Known Whereabouts

Thurs. Jan 15th  Bobby Bomba

Fri. Jan 16th  Occasional Jazz  5pm;  New Moon Trio  8pm

Sat. Jan 17th  Carol Lynn

Fri. Jan 23rd  Carey Langer

Sat. Jan 24th  Spruce Top Review

Fri. Jan 30th  TBA

Sat. Jan 31st  Marty Anderson & The Goods

The Northfield Entertainment Guide and LocallyGrown are once again holding their “Vote for the Best!” contest. Directions and a ballot are available in the January edition of the Northfield Entertainment Guide (available in the vestibule of Just Food Co-op.) From page 34:

“Go to locallygrownnorthfield.org and fill out their online survey. Or, fill out the one to the right, tear it out and drop it at our office at 17 Bridge Square or in one of the ballot boxes at participating establishments around Northfield. Deadline for casting your ballot is Wednesday, Jan. 21.“

We’re working on getting a ballot box in the vestibule of Just Food for your convenience. Your vote matters! Make sure that you vote by January 21.

When: 6:30-7:45pm, Tuesday 1/6 (meeting 6:30-7:30, brief volunteer orientation to follow)

Where: Emmaus Church, 712 N Linden St. Northfield.

What: For new parents and returning parents. Directors and coaches will go over finding and fitting proper equipment, new policies and programs, Q & A, and more. We will also distribute Parent and Skater Handbooks. We feel strongly that this type of communication is important before beginning lessons with NSS and we have found that staying informed by attending the meeting contributes to skating families’ overall experience. Coffee will be provided and NSS gear will be available for purchase.

See you there!

When: 3:30pm -5:30pm Sunday, 1/4/09. Please arrive early to check in and receive your group assignment

Where: Norhfield Ice Arena, 1280 Bollenbacher Drive

What: On the ice, girls will participate in a skating lesson geared toward their age and ability (beginners and adults welcome!), have free time, and play games. Off the ice, we will view different types of performances, learn about types of skating sports, skating safety and attire, taking care of our bodies and equipment, and what you can get out skating. An arts and crafts project will end our off-ice activities. Snacks will be provided and all girls will earn a badge for their participation. To register please contact Steph Helkenn at the Girl Scout office

Please Note: Skaters must provide their own skates

As we close out the year 2008 I will leave you with a photo of the rural Northfield house we are constructing. The snowy landscape and tarped up roof full of snow sum up winter in Minnesota!

I wish everyone a pleasant and safe New Year’s Eve and a prosperous and healthy 2009.

Thanks Just Food supporters- we’ve met our goal of 50 new owners! Welcome to all new Co-op owners, and thank you for investing in Just Food. If you are a Co-op shopper but aren’t an owner yet, we want to thank you for choosing to support Just Food by spending your food dollars here. We wouldn’t be here without you. Happy New Year!

I don’t know about you, but 2008 was a rough year. Seemed like every time I picked up the newspaper there was more bad news and I know every time I picked up my retirement account statements there was. But, thank goodness, we’re putting this one to bed right quick.

Before I ring it in, I thought I would phone it in. Er, um, I mean, send this important note about River City Books’ New Year’s hours. They’ll be there till 6 p.m. tonight (closing two hours early; can hardly blame them) and will be shut down all of the first day of 2009. Note, though, that at 10 a.m. on Friday the big sale resumes!

I hope you have a happy and safe celebration.

Our carpenters have been busy at the Apple Valley Senior Center we are working on. We’ve had lots of cold weather and snow to deal with, but the building is slowly getting enclosed. Our major task for the past few weeks has been installing the roof. Today the workers were finishing up the last areas of roof decking. Having machines to help lift materials to the roof areas is a huge help!

The building has a fairly detailed soffit and fascia system to it. We will move on to that work as soon as the roof decking is completed. We’ve closed up the window openings in the building and heat is being blown into the facility to start thawing things out.

Like most projects with truss rafters, these rafters make quite a pattern when the light filters through them.

A signed hardcover copy of a book written by a Minnesota author who has a National Book Award on his mantle … for $12.99? Plus they’ll take another 20 percent off that? The Star Tribune says of this Pete Hautman book: “Besides being a hilarious, fast-moving read. … Mrs. Million is a first-rate adventure yarn.” And for that price, I fancy that I’ll enjoy it even more.

That book is just one of the many bargains — books and otherwise — I have been scooping up since River City Books started its after-Christmas sale. And I am hardly the only one who is taking advantage. I’ve seen people with tall stacks of books. Others with a full compliment of calendars (wall, page-a-day, engagement) and more than a few were saving dough on DVDs. And as I zipped about I heard a number of remarks from fellow shoppers (not that I was eavesdropping; people just like to tell me things) including a few of the obscenity-free ones I took down verbatim:

“That book is only four dollars and ninety-eight cents! Are half of the pages missing or something?”

“I just bought my wife that Louise Erdrich novel she’s been wanting to read for a year and the cutest puppy calendar I’ve seen since the Labs of 2002, plus that great Feist album, and I only paid $25.76. I’ll say mushaboom to that! My only worry is that she’ll find out. Do you think they’ll tell her at the beauty parlor? They know everything at that place.”

“Wait a minute. Someone told me you could get a bagel around here.”

“Saving 20 percent on bargain books is so November. I brought the blue bag my secret Santa gave me and now I save 25.”

As you can see, some of the deals are simply hard to believe. Get ‘em while they’re still available. When they are gone, they are, as they say, no longer here.

I picked up this book 8 years ago.  The topic fascinated me.  The book has been staring me down for almost a decade.  I decided it was finally time to read it.  

Roff Smith decided to chuck his job at Time magazine and ride his bike around the continent of Australia.  The journey took 9 months and he rode 10,000 miles.  Smith writes with ease.  This is armchair travel at its best.  The most enjoyable parts of this book are reading about some of the people Smith meets along the way.  A group of men offer Smith a beer.  This leads to a week long fishing expedition into terrain that sounds like paradise. 

Smith conquers miles of desert and Australian outback. Riding this terrain is brutal.  Outposts are often 100 miles apart and Smith has to ration his water to make it to the next stop.

Toward the end of the journey Smith rolls through Australian wine country. This part of the journey sounds amazing.  Every cyclists dream, rolling hills, beautiful terrain and wineries along the way.

Cold Beer and Crocodiles is one of the most enjoyable books I have read in some time.  Nothing heavy, certainly inspiring, and an adventure I’ll probably never conquer myself.

Our last two “Holiday Dinner and Dancing” Events are Saturday January 10th The Killer Hayseeds  will be performing, and Saturday January 17th Jack Knife  & The Sharps will be performing.  For both nights the dinner portion of the evening begins at 6:00, please call for reservations.  Doors open for the “dance only” at 9:00 with a $5.00 cover.

Just Food Co-op’s fall owner drive began 11 weeks ago, and we are now only 5 2! new owners away from meeting our goal of 50! We are hoping to meet our goal by the end of the year (only 4 days left and counting)- and we need your help to do it.

Investing in Co-op ownership is very easy- just fill out a short form while waiting for your cashier to ring your groceries, and make your $125 one-time investment then. Your ownership investment benefits Just Food (it helps us to pay down our debts and build up our equity), and it benefits you too (case discounts, owner-only monthly sale items, and more).

Non-owners are, of course, always welcome to shop at Just Food Co-op. But if you aren’t a Co-op owner yet, and you value the benefits that Just Food brings to your family and the community, we hope you will consider investing in Co-op ownership today.

If you are already an owner, we hope that you’ll talk to your friends and neighbors about why you invested in the Co-op, and encourage them to do the same. And as always, thank you for your support of Just Food Co-op!

“Regardless of how much money is raised to fight disease, any disease, the war will never be won attacking an enemy that doesn’t exist.”

I know it’s crazy but all of the Christmas books in our kids room are half price.  This sale will last until the books are gone or I regain my sanity.

My sources have confirmed that River City Books will be engaged in a substantial after-Christmas Sale, beginning at 9 a.m. today. This sale will include, I am told, savings that many shoppers typically find agreeable. Savings such as:

• 50 percent off all calendars already in stock

• 30 percent off all holiday books

• 20 percent off the already low price of all bargain books, including those in the store’s swanky bargain basement

• 20 percent off select CDs and DVDs

Disclaimers: These discounts are available while supplies last. The only limits are the self-imposed variety.

I hope this news is of use. The scoop may be arriving the morning after Christmas but, as your humble servant, I’m always on the job. Except when I’m eating.

I can’t tell you where I got this quote because I don’t remember.  I share it as one of my favorites for it inspires in me a desire for truth.  Truth is not influenced by power, money nor can it be ignored; it is incorruptible and as such needs not be defended. As this relates to health care, I have compassion for so many who are seriously ill and desperately searching for help only to find confusion.  What it takes to regain health can not be found outside ourselves, it can’t be found in powerful pharmaceutical marketing, it won’t be found in fancy surgical procedures, it is where it has always been, in the innate wisdom that from our conception needed only to be nourished.

So you’re down to the wire and you have no idea what to give the hardest person in the world to shop for. But you just know it can’t be another gift card because you’ve given this person a gift card every year for umpteen years. Here’s one area where you can almost certainly not go wrong: food. Glorious food. Hey, we all gotta eat, right? Most of us even have to (or want to?) make it for ourselves. Especially these days, people are getting back to basics, making meals at home, eating in comfortable settings with those they know and love. So here’s the pretty good idea: Pick up a great book from River City Books’ cooking section — they are not all strictly recipe books — and pair it with, say, a gift certificate from the local food co-op. The book provides the plan. The certificate provides the tools. Many books in the cooking section help us eat healthfully while still inspiring meals that warm the tummy, which is important to many of us. It is important to me, too. Or will be. Right after the holidays.

Note that RCB will be closed tomorrow, Dec. 25. Happy holidays to all!