Over time, the total number of articles and opinion pieces regarding the three commercial development issues (Southgate Mall: 1974-76, rezoning referendum: 1986, and Target development: 1998-99) per issue of the Northfield News constantly rose.  This trend may suggest that since the 1970's, the Northfield community has become increasingly more interested in or concerned about commercial development issues.  As the rise in publicity is largely a result of an influx of letters to the editor, perhaps this suggests that residents are also becoming more vocal about these issues, and more frequently utilizing the Northfield News as a means of communicating with neighbors.  The higher averages in 1986 and 1998-99 may also be, in part, due to the fact that the rezoning and Target issues both came down to public votes, whereas the Southgate development did not.