ANOKA COUNTY

The Anoka County Parks and Recreation Department recently did a controlled burn in Bunker Hills Regional Park in Andover as part of an ongoing prairie restoration project. The county said such controlled actions help reduce non-native and undesirable trees, shrubs and other grasses, and remove the buildup of dead vegetation.

"Prescribed burns like this are an important management tool for improving and maintaining habitat," said Anoka County Commissioner Jim Kordiak, who chairs the county's Parks Committee.

The burn was carried out by Anoka County Parks and Recreation staff, Prairie Restoration, Inc., and the Minnesota Conservation Corp.

With federally required changes that took effect Sunday , the Anoka County License Centers are no longer processing applications for U.S. passports, and birth and death certificates at the same location.

The Columbia Heights and Coon Rapids centers will continue to process applications for birth and death certificates and first-time driver's licenses, driver instructional permits, and state ID cards. They will not accept applications for U.S. passports.

The Blaine, Ham Lake and Ramsey locations will continue to accept U.S. passport applications, but not applications for birth/death certificates or first-time driver's licenses, first-time driver instructional permits, and first-time state ID cards.

Birth and death records will also be available at the Vital Statistics Office on the first floor of the Anoka County Government Center.

All five license center locations will continue to assist with applications for renewal of Minnesota driver's licenses, instructional permits and state ID cards. More information is available at www.anokacounty.us/license.

The Anoka County Historical Society will present its annual Mother/Daughter Tea on Thursday and Saturday this week and next.

The teas, with an early 20th century setting, will include a brief lesson on etiquette of the era, a chance to create a spring hat and table-setting, and then the tea and treats themselves.

They will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. this Thursday and on May 12, and at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. this Saturday and on May 14. Cost is $10 for adults and $7 for children. The teas will be held at the Anoka County History Center and Library, 2135 3rd Av. N. in Anoka.

For more information or to register, call the History Center at 763-421-0600 or go to www.ac-hs.org.

The Ghosts of Anoka tour, a walking tour through downtown Anoka that includes stories of "odd happenings and eerie encounters," will return for the season on Thursday. The Historical Society will offer the tours on the first and third Thursdays and first and third Saturdays of each month through October.

They will begin and end at the History Center at 2135 3rd Av. N. in Anoka. Each tour will start at 7:30 p.m. and last about an hour and a half. Tours are limited to 24 people.

Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for children. They're available in advance at the History Center or by calling 763-421-0600.

Groups of 15 or more may book a special tour by contacting ACHS at 763-421-0600. Further information is available at that number and at the society's website, www.ac-hs.org.

COON RAPIDS

Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids will offer stroke screening on May 21. The event is meant to help people determine their stroke risk and learn how to help prevent strokes.

The screening will be done from 7 to 8:45 a.m. and will include a health questionnaire, cholesterol and glucose blood test, body mass index, blood pressure and pulse check. Participants will review their results with a health professional.

In addition, at 9 a.m., Dr. Moeen Masood of the Minneapolis Clinic of Neurology will describe the various kinds of stroke warning signs and the importance of early treatment.

Cost of the event is $15, and pre-registration is necessary. Call 1-866-904-9962 or register online at www.allina.com/classes.

COLUMBIA HEIGHTS

Coupons that will translate into donations to the Columbia Heights Public Library Foundation will be accepted May 6-9 at Linder's Greenhouses, Garden Centers and Flower Marts.

When a patron presents the coupon, the foundation will receive 15 percent of the pre-tax purchase total.

The foundation is raising money toward building a new library in the city.

Coupons are available at the Columbia Heights Library, 820 40th Av. NE., and from Cliff Shedlov, 612-251-9557, and Marlaine Szurek, 763-788-4506.

FOREST LAKE

A Forest Lake charter school will begin offering a Mandarin Chinese immersion program next year.

Lakes International Language Academy has traditionally offered only full Spanish immersion classes for its 600 students. But its founders kept the school name as a "language academy" for the opportunity to expand.

The Chinese program will be offered to kindergartners next school year, the board of directors decided recently.

The school will host an information session for interested families next Wednesday from 9-10:30 a.m. For more information, visit www.lakesinternational.org or call 651-464-0771.

FRIDLEY

"StarGazers 2011," an annual gala to support Fridley drama and arts through the Fridley Foundation, will be held on Saturday. The theme this year is "TV Sitcoms: Fridley Style," and the evening will include musical acts, comedy routines, singing and dancing, among other features.

An Italian bistro dinner is set for 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Fridley Middle School Cafe, 6100 Moore Lake Drive, followed by the StarGazers show at 7:30 in the Fridley District Auditorium, 6000 Moore Lake Drive.

Tickets for dinner and show are $20 each, or $150 for a table of eight. Dinner-only tickets are $10. For show-only reserved seats, the cost is $10; for show-only general seating, it's $5, You can order tickets by e-mailing stargazers6100@gmail.com or calling 763-502-5077.