Bloomington

City seeks community center volunteers

The city's Human Services Division is seeking volunteers for a variety of positions, including lunch servers, flower club helpers, walking club leaders and Fare for All food program workers. The positions are at Creekside Community Center, 9801 Penn Av. S. and have time commitments ranging from three hours once a month to two to four hours per week.

A volunteer application and criminal background check are required. To apply or for more information, call 952-563-4944 or e-mail humanser vices@ci.bloomington.mn.us.

Do you ache? Learn about arthritis

As part of Older Americans Month, Bloomington will host a seminar on arthritis with specialists from Abbott Northwestern Hospital and the Arthritis Foundation on Tuesday, May 13, from 1 to 3 p.m. at Creekside Community Center, 9801 Penn Av. S.

The free seminar will include presentations by a doctor and a Tai Chi instructor from Allina Health. Registration is required by calling 952-563-4944 or e-mailing reserva tions@ci.bloomington.mn.us.

EDEN PRAIRIE

Student commission applications due soon

Eden Prairie is accepting applications until May 23 from students who want to be part of the commissions program.

The 2014-15 program is open to any high school junior or senior who lives in Eden Prairie. It gives students an opportunity to learn about local government by serving on one of the five city commissions — the Conservation Commission, Flying Cloud Airport Advisory Commission, Heritage Preservation Commission, Human Rights and Diversity Commission and the Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Commission.

Students can apply for a four-month term or a combined eight-month term. Applications are available online at www.bit.ly/1lzeKkk or at Eden Prairie City Center.

Edina

Braemar task force seeks members

The city of Edina is looking for residents to serve on an advisory task force that will help develop a master plan for Braemar Golf Course.

The task force is a six- to eight-month project, starting in July. Members will help with the proposal/development process, the selection of a consultant, presentation of the master plan before the Park Board and City Council, and other duties.

Interested residents should apply online at www.edinamn.gov/jobs. For more information, contact Ann Kattreh at 952-826-0430 or akattreh@EdinaMN.gov.

EXCELSIOR

Historical Society seeks volunteers

The Excelsior-Lake Minnetonka Historical Society is seeking volunteers to help this summer.

Training will be provided by the museum; volunteers are needed from 3 to 6 p.m. on Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturdays and 12:30 to 3 p.m. on Saturdays. The museum opens June 7 and remains open into September. Contact Kathy Endres at 612-419-7296 or endreska@yahoo.com to volunteer.

More information is online at www.elmhs.org.

Golden Valley

Mental health program is Thursday

The Human Rights Commission will present a program about understanding mental illness in children on Thursday, May 8, at 6:30 p.m. in the City Council chambers at City Hall, 7800 Golden Valley Rd.

The session features a half-hour video by Twin Cities Public Television followed by a panel discussion and questions.

Panelists include Lauren Nietz, a licensed social worker with Washburn Center for Children; Renelle Nelson, coordinator of the Children's Mental Health and Emotional and Behavioral Disorders Project at PACER Center; and representatives from the Silver Ribbon Campaign, a student-led group from Minneapolis South High School that provides information, support, and stigma-busting regarding mental health issues.

Golden Valley/Minneapolis

Bottineau light rail hearings this week

The public is invited to two hearings and open houses this week on the Bottineau light-rail draft environmental impact statement.

Federal and state rules require that an environmental-impact statement be prepared for the proposed project. The statement discusses the purpose and need for the project and the alternatives being considered.

The proposed light-rail line would run 13 miles from Minneapolis through north Minneapolis to Golden Valley, Robbinsdale, Crystal and Brooklyn Park.

The meeting on Wednesday, May 7, is at 6 p.m. at Golden Valley City Hall, 7800 Golden Valley Rd. The Thursday, May 8, meeting begins at 4:30 p.m. at Urban Research and Outreach/Engagement Center, 2001 Plymouth Av. N., Minneapolis.

Hennepin County

Bike plan open house is today and Thursday

Hennepin County and Three Rivers Park District are updating a countywide bicycle plan that reflects the growing popularity of cycling in the region, and are inviting residents to learn more this week.

Work on the plan began last year. County and park district staff will discuss the plan on Wednesday, May 7, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Minnetonka Community Center, 14600 Minnetonka Blvd., and Thursday, May 8, in the Doty Board Room at Minneapolis Central Library, 300 Nicollet Mall.

For more information visit www.hennepin.us/bikeplan.

HOPKINS

Police and fire units host child safety event

The Hopkins fire and police departments will host a child safety event on Saturday, May 17.

The event will take place from 9 a.m. to noon at the Hopkins Fire Department, 101 17th Av. S. It will include child seat installation and inspection (call ahead for an appointment at 651-357-2798), water safety, bike safety (including bike helmets for $10), fire safety and Internet safety.

The Hopkins police and fire departments are organizing the event in partnership with Target, SafeKids Coalition, Cold Stone, Cabela's, Hopkins/Minnetonka Parks and Recreation and Regions Hospital.

MINNETRISTA/MOUND

Once-a-year cleanup day set for May 10

The once-a-year Special Cleanup Day for Minnetrista and Mound will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 10, at the city of Minnetrista administration office, 7701 County Rd. 110 W. Use this event to conveniently dispose of your spring-cleaning-related items.

There are small fees associated with recycling some items. The following items will be accepted: appliances ($10 each for most); batteries (no charge for household or car batteries); carpet ($1.25 per square yard); electronics ($5 to $20, depending on type and size); fluorescent bulbs (price based on size of bulbs); old furniture ($5 to $25 depending on type and size); scrap metal; used tires (price dependent on type and size), and household items.

Items not accepted are regular biweekly recycling items (newspaper, cans, cardboard, glass containers), yard waste, construction waste, hazardous waste (paint, oil thinners), insulation, wood and treated wood.

For more information, call 952-472-0603.

MINNEAPOLIS

Prostate cancer group will meet May 8

A University of Minnesota prostate cancer support group will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 8, at Hope Lodge, 2500 University Av. SE, Minneapolis.

Dr. Christopher Weight, a urologist from the university, will speak to the group, and a question and answer segment will follow. Wives, family and friends are welcome to attend. There is no charge, parking is free, and light refreshments will be served. For more information, call 612-388-3588.

MOUND

WeCAN celebrates 25 years of service

WeCAN invites the public to an open house celebrating 25 years of service in western Hennepin County.

It will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, May 16, at WeCAN, 5213 Shoreline Dr. The event will feature light appetizers, wine and punch, a wine cork pull and facility tours.

Donations will be welcome. All donations made by May 31 will be matched. See the www.wecan-help.org website for information.

WeCAN (Western Communities Action Network Inc.) is a nonprofit that provides basic human services to low-income individuals and families in Greenfield, Independence, Loretto, Maple Plain, Minnetonka Beach, Minnetrista, Mound, Rockford, Spring Park, St. Bonifacius, Tonka Bay and Orono.

PLYMOUTH

Hilde to host outdoor concert on June 6

Plymouth's Hilde Performance Center will host its first-ever paid outdoor concert next month.

The "Live at the Hilde" will take place 7:30 p.m. on Friday, June 6, and feature the Gear Daddies and Gary Louris and Karen Grotberg of the Jayhawks. The family-friendly, all-ages concert is being put on by Sue McLean & Associates. Doors open at 6 and the concert will take place rain or shine.

Tickets cost $37 for general admission, $52 for VIP and $77 for VIP Golden Circle tickets, plus fees. To purchase tickets, call 1-800-514-3849 or go to www.suemclean.com or www.etix.com; tickets are also sold at the Electric Fetus, 2000 4th Av. S., Minneapolis.

For more information, call 612-343-8662 or go to suemclean.com/hilde.

No-wake rule in effect on Medicine Lake

On May 2, the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office started enforcing a no-wake rule on Medicine Lake in Plymouth because of high water levels caused by recent heavy rains.

Signs will be posted at public access areas on the lake and the order will remain in effect until the water levels decrease and remain below an established high water mark of 889.4 feet for three consecutive days.

The cities of Plymouth and Medicine Lake adopted the slow/no-wake ordinance in 2001 to help protect the shoreline when water levels are unusually high.

WATERTOWN

Lutheran church celebrates Maifest

Dust off those Lederhosen! The fifth annual German Maifest will be held Sunday, May 18, at St. Peter Lutheran Church, 3030 Navajo Av., in rural Watertown.

The event will feature an alpenhorn and accordion church service and a schnitzel dinner served with spaetzle and red cabbage, grilled brats from Kramarczuk's served on Mackenthun's buns with Bavarian sauerkraut. Specialty beers also will be available.

There will be lots of children's activities and an eclectic market.

For more information or to order your schnitzel dinner tickets in advance, go to www.stpeterlc.org.

STAFF REPORTS