news briefs

PLYMOUTH

Sale will benefit Angel Foundation, a support group for cancer patients

A sale to be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, through Wednesday, Oct. 16 will benefit the Angel Foundation, a nonprofit that provides financial aid and emotional support for adult cancer patients and their families. Admission to the sale is $3 on Saturday, free the rest of the days. Wednesday is half-price day on all items.

The sale will be held at the Four Seasons Mall, 4108 Lancaster Lane N. in Plymouth. Angel's Attic volunteers have been collecting items for it for the past year. They'll include furniture, antiques and collectibles, clothing, toys, household items, lawn and garden tools, linens, jewelry, art, music, building supplies, sporting goods, Christmas items and more. For more information, go to www.mnangel.org or call 612-237-9754.

Fire department open house set for Oct. 12

The Plymouth Fire Department will hold its annual open house from noon-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, at Fire Station III, 3300 Dunkirk Lane.

Visitors will be able to watch a live kitchen grease fire demonstration, view the State Patrol's rollover simulator, meet a police K-9, climb inside a fire truck, shoot a fire hose and see the North Memorial Air Care Helicopter land.

For more information, call the Plymouth Fire Department at 763-509-5120.

Police hold 'Home Alone' workshop

Plymouth Police will hold a "Home Alone" session for parents and guardians this month.

Participants will learn how to evaluate whether a child is able to be left home alone and how to prepare homes to be safe for children.

The event will take place from 7 to 8:15 p.m. Oct. 24 in the Plymouth Public Safety Building. The cost is $5 per adult. Class size is limited to 30 participants.

Register by calling 763-509-5198.

EDEN PRAIRIE

5K, 10K will raise money for foundation

The sixth annual Raksha Walk will take place Saturday, Oct. 12, to raise money for an Eden Prairie foundation that promotes awareness about the dangers of distracted driving.

The 5K and 10K walks will start at 10 a.m. at Purgatory Creek Park in Eden Prairie. They'll benefit the Shreya R. Dixit Memorial Foundation, started by her family after the 19-year-old was killed in a car crash caused by a distracted driver in 2007.

AT&T will bring distracted driving simulators for participants to test their driving behavior, and Minnesotans for Safe Driving will display a crashed car. Cost is $11. For more details and to register, go to www.shreyadixit.org.

Counseling center hosts event at EP barn

The RELATE Counseling Center, a Minnetonka mental health center, is hosting an event Saturday, Oct. 12, in Eden Prairie as part of National Mental Awareness Week.

The "Foods to Boost Your Mood" program will take place as part of the nonprofit's "Stars and Stripes STOMP for Mental Health" event from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday at Green Acres Event Center.

Sterling Catering will provide "mood foods," followed by a silent auction and other activities. Tickets cost $75 per person and include all food and beverages.

Tickets are available online or by calling 952-932-7277. For more information, go to www.relatemn.org.

RICHFIELD

Fall boutique table rentals are available

It's time to reserve a table for the Oct. 26 Fall Boutique, where craftspeople can sell their handmade goods.

Rentals cost $17 for a 3-foot-square card table, and sellers can reserve up to two tables. Manufactured items, used goods and food cannot be sold.

The boutique will be held at the Richfield Community Center, 7000 Nicollet Av. S., and will run from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, call 612-861-9363 or go to http://tinyurl.com/kzn3eoz.

CHANHASSEN

Movies, petting zoo, festival planned

The Garden by the Woods is planning fall events to take place in October, with a weekend of family activities scheduled Oct. 18-19 in addition to classes and weekend movies.

A petting zoo will open at 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18, followed by two spooky movies; "Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein" and "Shaun of the Dead" will begin at 7 p.m. On Saturday, Oct. 19, there'll be family activities throughout the day.

The Garden by the Woods is located at 78 W. 78th St. in Chanhassen, near the corner of Hwy. 101 and Hwy. 5. All events are free.

MAPLE GROVE

Farmers market goes through October

The Maple Grove Farmers Market wraps up this month with special events.

The market is open outside the Community Center from 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, Oct. 17 and Oct. 24. Special events include:

• Thursday: An information session, "It's All About the Soil," at 4 p.m. Hennepin County master gardeners will also be on site from 3 to 6 p.m.

• Oct. 17: Free pumpkins provided with donation of a fresh or canned item to the CROSS Food Shelf.

• Oct. 24: Pumpkin decorating contest 3 to 5 p.m. Prizes will be awarded for best carved pumpkins and best painted pumpkins. Winners get $10 in farmers market tokens.

Edina

Forums on trash collection this week

The League of Women Voters Edina is sponsoring sessions exploring the pros and cons of organized garbage hauling for the city on Thursday, Oct. 10, and Saturday, Oct. 12.

Edina homeowners are now responsible for hiring their own garbage hauler from a city-licensed list, but advocates of having the city hire for and organize trash collection say it reduces noise and pollution and saves on road repair.

Susan Naughton and Mary Yee of the League of Minnesota Cities and Edina Recycling Coordinator Solvei Wilmot will discuss the issue.

The Thursday meeting is at the Edina Library and the Saturday session is in the Edina City Hall's community room. Both meetings run from 9:45 to 11:30 a.m.

ST. LOUIS PARK

Free writing classes to be held in two parts

A free two-part class, "Story and Memory Writing," will be taught by award-winning fiction writer Alida Winternheimer in St. Louis Park this month.

The first class will be held at the St. Louis Park Library on Tuesday, Oct. 22, and the second will be held at the Lenox Center on Wednesday, Oct. 23. Both classes are scheduled from 1-3:30 p.m.

Registration deadline for the class is Oct. 16. For more information, go to www.slp communityed.com.

STAFF REPORTS