North metro town briefs

ANOKA COUNTY

Unity Hospital in Fridley has received the Minnesota Hospital Association Patience Excellence Award for the first quarter of 2009.

The award is given to hospitals that participate in one of the MHA's safety campaigns and achieve 90 percent or more of the outlined steps to prevent adverse health events.

The Anoka County Parks and Recreation Department is celebrating Earth Day, Saturday, April 18, with a countywide service project and free information on earth-friendly practices and products.

The service projects will run from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Projects include cleaning up, planting and beautifying the Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Regional Park Reserve. Call 651-429-8007.

Proposed fares for the Northstar line, the commuter rail service set to open this fall, will be discussed at three public hearings in April.

The Metropolitan Council is proposing the following fares to downtown Minneapolis: $8 from Big Lake; $6 from Elk River; $4 from Anoka and Coon Rapids, and $3.25 from Fridley. The 40-mile trip from Big Lake to Minneapolis is expected to take 45 minutes.

The public hearings will be held:

• Noon-1 p.m. today, at the Minneapolis Central Library Doty Room

• 7-8 p.m. today, at the Sherburne County Government Center Board Room in Elk River

• 6:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, at the Anoka County Government Center Board Room in Anoka

Free assistance with tax forms is being offered in Anoka County for seniors, disabled adults, and people from low- to moderate-income households through April 15.

The service is provided by Anoka County RSVP and AARP volunteers who have received training and certification by the Internal Revenue Service and the Minnesota Department of Revenue.

The service is offered at:

• Anoka Senior Center, 1500 6th Av. S., Wednesdays, 1 to 4 p.m.

• Blaine Human Services Center, 1201 89th Av. NE., Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1 to 4 p.m.

• Columbia Heights Senior Center, 530 Mill St., Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to noon

• Coon Rapids Senior Center, 11155 Robinson Drive, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 8:30 a.m. to noon

• Epiphany School, 1913 111th Av. NW., Coon Rapids, Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to noon

• Fridley Community Center, 6085 7th St. NE., Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to noon

• Ham Lake Senior Center, 15444 Central Av. NE., Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to noon

• Spring Lake Park Community Center, 1301 81st Av. NE, Thursdays, 9 a.m. to noon

Those looking for assistance should bring all records and forms received to prepare this year's taxes. For more information, call 763-422-6923.

ANDOVER

The Andover Spring Recycling Day will be 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 25 at Andover Public Works, 1785 Crosstown Blvd. NW. Some acceptable items include antifreeze, appliances, batteries, bicycles (will be refurbished and given away), electronics, fluorescent lamps, rechargeable batteries, scrap metal, usable household items for donation, tires, and eyeglasses. Some items will incur a recycling fee. Document shredding will be available from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Any Anoka County resident can participate. For information, go to the city website, www.ci.andover.mn.us, or call 763-767-5175.

BLAINE

Registration opens Monday for the 13th Annual Blaine Safety Camp, an interactive two-day event to teach safety to Blaine fourth-graders. This year's camp will be July 14 and 15, at SBM Fire Station 3. Registration for nonresidents opens April 20.

COON RAPIDS

The Anoka-Ramsey Community College Jazz Band will perform at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Coon Rapids Civic Center, 11155 Robinson Drive. The concert is part of the 2009 Dessert and Coffee Concert Series. Tickets -- $7 for adults, and $5 for senior citizens and children 12 and younger -- include the performance, an art exhibit, dessert and beverage. Concerts are sponsored by the Coon Rapids Arts Commission. For information and advance ticket sales, call 763-767-6493.

FOREST LAKE

Garage salers, here's another opportunity. Children's and infant clothing, toys, books, baby equipment and maternity clothes will all be on sale at the ECFE Garage Sale from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 18, at the Forest Lake High School cafeteria.

The sale will benefit the Forest Lake Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) program, and is being held by the Family Center Parent Advisory Council. The high school is at 6101 Scandia Trail N., Forest Lake. Call 651-982-8300 for more information.

BROOKLYN PARK

Brooklyn Park will hold community meetings this week and next to explain how the city determines home values when calculating property taxes. The city assessor will attend and answer any questions.

The first meeting will be at 7 p.m. Thursday at Brooklyn Park City Hall, 5200 85th Av. N. The final meeting will be at the same time on April 16 at Zanewood Recreation Center, 7100 Zane Av. N. For more information, contact the Assessor's Office at bpassess@brooklynpark.org or call 763-493-8175.

Brooklyn Park is having a fundraiser at Sweet Taste of Italy on April 16 to support its annual Tater Daze festival and improve a city parade float.

The money will upgrade the float used by the Ambassadors youth volunteers to represent the city throughout the state at local festivals and community service projects.

If you eat at the Sweet Taste of Italy, 9576 Noble Pkwy., from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. that day and say you are supporting Tater Daze, 10 percent of your bill will be donated to that cause. If you bring a nonperishable food item for a community food shelf, $1 will be deducted from your bill.

METRO AREA

The Land of Lakes Choirboys, who tour internationally, have had many tall orders before. Now they face Shaquille O'Neal.

The Choirboys will sing the national anthem on Saturday at the Timberwolves' Fan Appreciation Night. The Wolves will then play the 7-foot O'Neal's Phoenix Suns. The game at Target Center begins 7:05 p.m.

NEW HOPE

Lisa Ledwidge, outreach director of the United States Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (IEER), will speak on "Prospects for a Nuclear Weapons-Free World" at 6:45 p.m. April 16 at the Parish Community of St. Joseph, 8701 36th Av. N., New Hope.

IEER is a nonprofit group that provides scientific information and analysis on environmental, energy and security issues to policymakers and the public.

The program, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by Northwest Neighbors for Peace.

Compiled by Jim Adams, Paul Levy, Maria Elena Baca, Kathleen Clonts and Mary Jane Smetanka.