A series of three "Authors Sundays" is scheduled at the LeDuc Historic Estate, 1629 Vermillion St. in Hastings, starting next weekend.

The free events, scheduled for 1 p.m. on March 6, April 10 and May 15, will feature authors reading passages from their books and discussing their work.

The featured authors include:

• On March 6, Tim Spitzak, editor and publisher of the "St. Paul Voice" and author of "The Messenger," the story of a young journalist in a small town where "everyone has a story to tell."

Also on March 6, Bill Wittenbreer, public service librarian at Augsburg College and author of a chapter in "The State We're in: Reflections on Minnesota History," in which Wittenbreer details how people in early Minnesota made predictions about the future.

• On April 10, Gunda Davis, a resident of Bettendorf, Iowa, who tells her story in "Pumpkin Soup and Shrapnel -- Growing up Under the Third Reich," a book about the conditions that allowed Hitler to rise to power.

Also, Eric Dregni, assistant professor of English at Concordia University and author of "In Cod We Trust," a memoir about his family's yearlong "Norwegian experiment."

• On May 15, Cindy Thury Smith and Shirley Dalaska will discuss the research they did for their newly published book, "Civil War Veterans: Hastings, MN: A Documented List with Selected Biographies."

And David P. Page, chairman of the journalism department at Inver Hills Community College and co-author of "The St. Paul Stories of F. Scott Fitzgerald" and "F. Scott Fitzgerald in Minnesota," who will discuss Fitzgerald and the Civil War.

For more information on these events, go to www.dakotahistory.org or call 651-437-7055.

LAKEVILLE

Youth art on display at Arts CenterThe Lakeville Area Arts Center is celebrating Youth Art Month through March 15 with an exhibition of art created by Lakeville students in grades 1-12.

More than 100 works of art are on display in the arts center's galleries and can be viewed between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesdays.

The Arts Center is located at 20965 Holyoke Av. in Lakeville. For more information, call 952-985-4640.

ROSEMOUNT

Spring gardening expo March 12Get in the mood for some gardening with the "Let's Get Growing! Spring Expo" March 12, hosted by the University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardeners of Dakota County at the Rosemount Community Center.

The event, scheduled for 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., will feature keynote speaker Debbie Lonnee, a production coordinator at Bailey Nurseries and horticultural editor of Northern Gardener Magazine.

Admission to the expo is $35 and will include all classes and handouts, plus morning refreshments.

Space is limited and registration is required. Call 651-480-7700 or go to www.letsgetgrowing.net for more information. The Rosemount Community Center is located at 13885 S. Robert Trail.

STAFF REPORTS