BROOKLYN PARK

Rasmussen College will host a free Career and Networking Fair on Thursday for area residents. Companies from a variety of industries will be present and looking to fill positions with qualified candidates. Featured businesses include Augustana Healthcare, Avon, TCF Bank, Emerging Business Systems and the Crystal Police Department, among others.

In addition, Rasmussen representatives will be on hand to provide information about degree programs offered through the local campus and the college's Partner Network of schools, as well as career opportunities within the Rasmussen College system.

The fair will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. at Rasmussen College Brooklyn Park, 8301 93rd Av. N. It is part of a national event that will be held at all 17 of the college's campuses and online. For additional information about the Rasmussen College campus in Brooklyn Park, visit www.rasmussen.edu

BLAINE

Two local authors will speak this month as part of the Anoka County Library's annual winter reading program for adults.

The Saturday events will be held at 2 p.m. at the Northtown Library, 711 County Road 10 NE., Blaine. Julie Kramer will speak this Saturday and MaryJanice Davidson on Feb 27. Kramer is an award-winning former investigative producer for WCCO-TV. She won the 2009 Minnesota Book Award for Fiction.

The free events are co-sponsored by Metropolitan Library Service Association. For more information call 763-717-3267 or visit the library website at www.anoka.lib.mn.us.

The Metro North Home and Garden Show will be held Feb. 27 in Blaine.

The free event will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Schwan Center at the National Sports Center, 1750 105th Av.

COON RAPIDS

A costumed actor dressed as a fur trade clerk will speak at a Coon Rapids library Saturday about the life of fur traders and voyageurs in the 1800s. The performance will be at 10:30 a.m. at the Crooked Lake Branch Library, 11440 Crooked Lake Blvd., Coon Rapids.

The actor will portray George Nelson, a fur trade clerk who was born in 1786, discussing Nelson's career and life in the Great Lakes region and the importance of wild rice to the fur trade.

The Minnesota Historical Society History Players used Nelson's daily journals to create the 50-minute program. It's designed especially for students in Grades 1 to 8, but everyone is welcome to attend. The event is sponsored by the Metropolitan Library Service Association and the Anoka County Library.

Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids will hold a Women's Heart Health event on Feb. 27 to help participants learn about cardiovascular disease and ways to keep a heart healthy.

Among the offerings is a cardiovascular screening. Participants will receive a fasting full-lipid profile and blood sugar, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI) and ankle brachial index (ABI). They'll be able to review their results immediately with a health care professional. In addition, they will receive a personalized health improvement plan and educational materials.

The event will run from 7-11 a.m. that Saturday at the Mercy Heart & Vascular Center, 4050 Coon Rapids Blvd., in the lower-level conference room. Cost is $30 and participation is by appointment only. Appointments last about 30 minutes.

For more information, call 763-236-8041. To register, call 1-866-904-9962 or register online at www.allina.com.

ELK RIVER

John Kuester, who served on the Elk River school board from 2005-08, will return to the board to replace Laurie Kerr, who resigned for health reasons. Kuester was selected by the board. A retired community developer, he has said he will not run for election in November.

Four candidates initially applied for the seat when Kerr announced that she was resigning. Board chairwoman Sue Farber said Kuester was selected because of his background in school finance "and deep understanding of our communities" at a time when budget concerns are paramount.

FRIDLEY/HOPKINS

Two high school students from the Twin Cities recently were on the winning team in a national video production contest that featured recording star Usher.

Naja McComb, a junior at Fridley High School, and Jack Anderson, a Hopkins High senior, were on the winning team for the Body by Milk Got Noise program.

The program gave teens nationwide a chance to create a music video for Usher.

Anderson and McComb were among 20 teens selected from more than 5,000 applicants. The 20 students traveled to Los Angeles in December and divided into two teams, each one creating a video for Usher's new song, "More."

Last month, the videos were posted on the Internet, and viewers were invited to vote for their favorite.

The video that Anderson and McComb helped make received 54.8 percent of 214,413 votes cast, according to contest organizers. The winning team received Apple computers, production software and tickets to an upcoming Usher concert.

HENNEPIN COUNTY

Hennepin County libraries are holding business and career workshops throughout February. Among them:

• Test Drive Your Business Idea. 2-5 p.m. Tuesday , Brookdale Library, 6125 Shingle Creek Pkwy., Brooklyn Center. One-on-one counseling to help develop sales and other financial projections. In collaboration with the Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers.

• Job Search Assistance, 1-4:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Feb. 24, Central Library, 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis. A job search representative will work with participants, who will receive one-on-one help looking for a job, assistance in filling out applications and advice on writing résumés.

MOUNDS VIEW

Citizenship Award nominations are open for Mounds View residents, business owners or landowners who in their leadership exemplify the values of courage, initiative, time commitment, effectiveness and unselfishness. Nomination forms, available at www.ci.mounds-view.mn.us, are due by 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 24. Please direct questions to Desaree Crane at desaree.crane@ci.mounds-view.mn.us or 763-717-4016.

NEW BRIGHTON

The city of New Brighton is hosting a series of neighborhood meetings to discuss updates on the 2010 budget and the Northwest Quadrant and sewer backup/maintenance.

All meetings begin at 6:30 p.m.

• Feb. 18 at Sunny Square Park

• Feb. 25 at Hansen Park

• March 18 at Totem Pole Park

• March 25 at Freedom Park

SHOREVIEW

Learn about landscape features such as rain gardens and cisterns as well as how to select native plants for your yard during a class at 7 o'clock tonight at City Hall, 4600 Victoria St N., Shoreview. Maintenance measures such as buckthorn removal also will be covered. For more information, go to www.shoreviewmn.gov .

NORTH METRO

At the Minnesota State Dance Team tournament at Target Center this past weekend, several area schools earned high marks.

In the High Kick category, Maple Grove won the Class 3A championship after a runner-up finish last year, while Elk River placed sixth.

In Class 2A High Kick, Totino-Grace earned a third-place finish.

In the Class 3A Jazz category, Maple Grove finished second, while Spring Lake Park and Blaine finished fourth and sixth, respectively.

Totino-Grace took third in Class 2A Jazz.

CIRCLE PINES

The city and YMCA will celebrate winter from 9:30 a.m. to noon Saturday at Baldwin Park. Register for a 5K run at 9:15 a.m.; the run starts at 10. Other activities include skating, a bonfire and a kids' activity area. Call 651-795-9622 for details.

JIM ADAMS, MARIA ELENA BACA, NORMAN DRAPER AND PAUL LEVY