West metro town briefs

Federal stimulus funds to build trail bridges The Dakota Rail Regional Trail will get two new bridges this year over County Road 92 in Minnetrista and Hwy. 7 in St. Bonifacius to make the trail safer for users.

The crossing will be paid for with more than $2.7 million in federal stimulus funding. The Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Metropolitan Council have approved the allocation.

"These bridges will provide safe, convenient crossings of two very busy roads," said Three Rivers Park District Board Chairman Larry Blackstad in a news release.

Carver County also is slated to extend the trail this year to Lake Waconia and west to the city of Mayer. McLeod County plans to extend the trail eventually to Hutchinson. Work on both bridges is expected to begin this spring and to be substantially completed by the end of the year.

Free H1N1 shots offered this week Hennepin County is offering free flu shots this week. Vaccinations are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Parents or guardians must be with children and sign a consent form, and booster doses will be available to children 6 months through 9 years of age who received initial doses at least three weeks earlier.

Shots will be given from 10 a.m. to noon today at Plymouth Creek Center, 14800 34th Av. N.; from 2-5 p.m. today at the Crystal Community Center, 4800 Douglas Dr. N.; and from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. today in Hopkins at ResourceWest, 915 Mainstreet.

On Thursday, shots will be available at Mound's Gillespie Center, 2590 Commerce Blvd., from 1 to 3 p.m. and at Orono's Long Lake Fire Station, 340 Willow Dr., from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Mayor to discuss state of the city Edina Mayor James Hovland and Edina School District Superintendent Ric Dressen will present the "2010 State of the Community" next Wednesday at Edinborough Park, 7700 York Av. S.

Hovland will discuss property value and development trends and Dressen will talk about school successes, the budget and staffing plans.

The event is at 11:30 a.m. Registration begins at 11 a.m. Hovland and Dressen will speak at 11:45 a.m. and lunch will immediately follow. The event is open to the public at a cost of $25 per person. Speeches will later be broadcast on Edina Community Channel 16.

Reservations are required and prepayment is appreciated. For more information or to make a reservation, call 952-826-0403 or send an e-mail to showl@ci.edina.mn.us. Reservations with credit cards can also be made online at www.CityofEdina.com/Store.

Arboretum offers programs for kids The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum is offering a free "sampler" session of its popular "Peapods for Preschoolers" series so parents can check it out free of any obligation.

Feb. 16: Fabulous Flowers - Planting a Rainbow

Feb. 23: Tropical Getaway

March 2: Anyone Home?

March 9: Here's My Shoot, Where's My Root?

March 16: A Tree for Every Purpose

March 30: I Smell Something in the Kitchen!

April 6: Celebrate Spring Showers

Call 952-443-1422 for more information, or to register for the sampler or the series with an additional free session included.

A free yoga class to boost the spirit The Mother's Day Studio for Women, 521 Lake Dr., Chanhassen, will be hosting a Free Holy Yoga Class from 11 a.m. to noon on Thursday.

"Experiential worship" is the description used for this free-flow yoga class. It is set to Christian music with scripture woven in.

Mother's Day is a locally owned studio that offers small classes and events for women.

For more information, go to www.mothersdayinc.com. To register for an event, call 952-937-8200 or e-mail mothersday@usfamily.net.

Arboretum offers chef cooking classes Just in time for Valentine's Day, the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum is offering several culinary events with a love theme.

"Love in the Kitchen," part of the Arboretum's Dinner With a Chef series, will be offered from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at the arboretum, 3675 Arboretum Dr., Chanhassen. Participants will have a chance to indulge in an evening of French cooking with Chef Amalia Moreno-Damgaard. The menu will include shrimp cognac, steak Diane, glazed carrots, duchess potatoes and pears with port and chocolate. Wine tastings also will be available. Moreno-Damgaard is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu. Cost is $45 for arboretum members and $55 for nonmembers.

Then from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, the arboretum is offering a "Chocolate Lovers" event. Kris James will demonstrate several chocolate-rich recipes -- bon-bon pops, chocolate scones, even a cacao rub for meats -- in a "bake-and-take" class. Cost is $30 for members and $40 for nonmembers.

For more details or to register for any of these events, go to www.arboretum.umn.edu or call 952-443-1422.

Arboretum kicks off orchid exhibit The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum will kick off its Orchids Limited Exhibit with an "Orchid Affair" preview Thursday evening.

There are two events planned for the evening: Wine with a gourmet dinner will be served 5:30-7 p.m. at a cost of $65 per person. And a wine-and-dessert reception is scheduled for 7-8:30 p.m. at a cost of $30 per person.

Experts from Orchids Limited, sponsors of the orchid exhibit, will give guests the first look at this year's orchid collection. Silent auctions and orchid sales are scheduled for both events. Reservations are required; call Meric at 952-474-5302.

The orchid exhibit at the arboretum's visitor center will continue through March 14. It will feature displays of orchids grown by Jerry Fischer and Orchids Limited of Plymouth.

The site, located on the east side of the center on the second level next to Sears, initially will offer drop-in visual arts classes for ages 3-12 as well as some outreach programs for community organizations. It also plans to offer a small selection of artwork for sale.

Classes for adults and families will be added later this year.

The first drop-in class for kids at Ridgedale is free.

For more information, call 952-473-7361, ext. 16.

LAURIE BLAKE,

HERON MÁRQUEZ ESTRADA,

MARY JANE SMETANKA

Community theater to present 'Dreamcoat' The Chaska Valley Family Theatre, celebrating 15 years of productions, will present "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" beginning Thursday and continuing through Feb. 28 at the Chanhassen High School Theatre, 2200 Lyman Blvd., Chanhassen.

Shows are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and Feb. 25-27, and for 2 p.m. on Sunday and Feb. 28.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students 17 and under. All opening-night tickets are half-price.