West metro town briefs: Bloomington seeks input on trail, pedestrian plan

Bloomington is seeking community input on its Alternative Transportation Plan, which covers bike, pedestrian and trail networks in the city. Last summer, the city collected comments from residents via an online survey, stakeholder meetings and resident open houses. The draft plan from that effort is now available for review at BloomingtonMN.gov, keywords "ATP Update."

The city will hold an open house on the plan from 6:30-8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, in the City Council Chambers at the Bloomington Civic Plaza, 1800 W. Old Shakopee Road. Comments also can be made by e-mail to ATPComments@BloomingtonMN.gov.

The Theatre 301 at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in Excelsior will present "Fiddler on the Roof" from Feb. 13 to 22.

The musical will take place at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13, 14, 20 and 21, as well as at 3 p.m. Feb. 15 and Feb. 22. Theatre 301, a ministry of Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, is located at 301 County Rd. 19. Tickets are available online at mountcalvary.org or by calling 952-474-8893, ext. 301.

The Excelsior-Lake Minnetonka Historical Society's next "Tapping History" will take place at 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 9.

The program will discuss teen life in Excelsior in the 1960s, featuring author Daniel Gabriel, at the Excelsior Brewery, 421 3rd St. The event is free and open to the public, part of the historical society's "Tapping History: Pints and Reflections on Lake Minnetonka's Past," a series featuring a history expert each month.

For more information about this event, contact info@elmhs.org or 952-221-4766.

The event will take place from 3-5 p.m. in the Four Seasons ballroom at Rush Creek, 7550 Ranier Lane N., in Maple Grove. Based on BBC's popular TV series "Downton Abbey," guests will spend the afternoon like early 20th century British aristocrats, with a three-course tea and hors d'oeuvres, entertainment and free valet parking all served by staff in period costumes. Guests are also encouraged to dress the part. Themed gift baskets will be available to buy.

Admission is $100, with all proceeds going directly to Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners' programs; the Plymouth nonprofit provides emergency and long-term assistance to residents in eight communities in western Hennepin County. For more information, go to iocp.org/events/downton-abbey-tea.

Richfield Public Safety is looking for new or experienced amateur radio operators for its Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). Richfield CERT is forming a designated communications team and needs ham radio operators to help with city communications in emergencies.

The police are also assisting with efforts to reinvigorate the Richfield Amateur Radio Club, which has been a source of ham radio volunteers. The city is upgrading its communications equipment and will begin holding regularly scheduled nets this month. For more information, contact Charlie O'Brien at CERT@ci.richfield.mn.us.

An event Feb. 27 will support Light of Hope, which provides shelter, education and counseling for lost and homeless girls in Kenya.

For more information, go to lightofhopekenya.org.

The Andrews Sisters will come back to life on Friday, Feb. 13, in the Minnesota History Theater's "Sisters of Swing" presentation at the Gillespie Center in Mound. Dinner will be served at 5:30, followed by the entertainment.

The show is sponsored by the Westonka Historical Museum, 5341 Maywood Rd., Mound. Tickets are $25, available at the museum from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays, or at the Gillespie Center, 2590 Commerce Blvd., from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

For more information, go to www.westonkahistoricalsociety.org/.

Plymouth Metrolink recently launched a free mobile app to help bus riders track buses in real time.

Metrolink, a bus service operated by Plymouth, provides express commuter and reverse commuter service between Plymouth and downtown Minneapolis and shuttle service to major city business centers. To download the free app, go to Google Play, the iTunes Store or the Windows Marketplace. For more information, go to plymouthmn.gov/metrolinkapp.

Plymouth will hold its 26th annual "Fire & Ice" winter festival on Feb. 7.

The free family event will take place from 3 to 7 p.m. at Parkers Lake Park, off County Road 6 and Niagara Lane. It includes recycling bin races, a youth ice fishing contest, a goofy hat contest, hayrides, pony and sled-dog rides, miniature golf on the ice, snow bowling, recreational skating, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. A performance by entertainers Mr. & Mrs. Magic will be held from 5 to 5:45 p.m. followed by fire dancers from Funtime Funktions from 5:45 to 6:30 p.m. and fireworks about 6:30 p.m.

For information or for shuttle service hours, go to plymouthmn.gov. Sponsors include the city of Plymouth, Plymouth Civic League, Channel 12 and Step By Step Montessori and Kinderberry Hill Child Center.

The 31st annual "Chilly Open" will be held on Lake Minnetonka on Saturday, Feb. 7.

The event also features ice skating, live music from Hitchville, all-you-can-eat chili from more than 10 local restaurants who are competing for the best chili recipe and a free showing of the Disney movie, "Frozen" on a jumbo screen Feb. 6. The Chilly Open, which raises money for the local Chamber of Commerce, costs $40 per person. To preregister or get more information, go to WayzataChillyOpen.com.

The Citizens' Climate Lobby will hold meetings across the west metro area this weekend.

The meetings Feb. 7 will feature a presentation, via a conference call, by Keya Chatterjee, the executive director of the U.S. Climate Action Network, updating what's being done by a climate action organizations.

The meetings will start at 11:45 a.m. at the Maple Grove Library located at 8001 Main St. N., Eden Prairie's Immanuel Lutheran Church located at 16515 Luther Way, Wayzata Library located at 620 Rice St., the Edina Library located at 5280 Grandview Square and at Minneapolis' Linden Hills Park Building located at 43rd and Xerxes. They are among meetings held across Minnesota on Feb. 7. For more information or locations of other meetings, go to citizensclimatelobby-mn.org.