Briefs: Carver County names library director

Carver County has named Heidi Hoks as library director.

Hoks, 59, of Waconia, most recently served as Carver County branch manager, overseeing the Waconia, Norwood Young America and Watertown libraries.

Before joining the county's library system, she was youth service coordinator for the Great River Regional Library, a six-county regional library system headquartered in St. Cloud, and assistant library director at the Northwest Regional Library, a five-county regional library system headquartered in Thief River Falls.

She started her new job Aug. 18.

The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum will host "Nature," a play about the friendship of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau and their mutual love of nature. It is a production of TigerLion Arts, which presented an earlier version of the work in 2010 at the arboretum.

"Nature" is performed outdoors as a "walking play," with the cast taking the audience on a journey through the natural environment as scenes unfold around them. Bagpipes, ancient flutes, drums and rich choral arrangements are intricately woven into the script.

"Nature" will run from Sept. 12 to Oct. 12 on select Thursday and Friday evenings and weekends. Tickets are $25 for general admission, $20 for arboretum members and $15 for students. Children 12 and under will be admitted free. Tickets many be bought on site, online at http://arboretum.umn.edu/WalkingPlay.aspx or by calling 952-443-1411.

Fraser, Minnesota's largest provider of autism services, has opened a fifth clinical site in Eden Prairie.

The new 12,000-square-foot clinic, located at 6458 City West Pkwy., offers services for children with autism and other disabilities, along with mental health and pediatric therapy services. For more information, call 612-861-1688 or go to www.fraser.org.

Hennepin County and Excelsior city leaders will celebrate the opening of Hennepin County's new $5.6 million Excelsior library Sept. 13.

The ceremony will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., including a ribbon-cutting at 9 a.m. and music from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the new library, which is located at 337 Water St.

The event will include tours of the new 7,600-square-foot library and its outdoor reading area. It is sponsored by the Friends of the Excelsior Library.

Three Rivers Park District is offering new adaptive recreation programs.

A program that allows people to try adaptive mountain bikes, kayaks, archery equipment and geocaching will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday at French Regional Park in Plymouth. There also will be an opportunity to socialize and make s'mores by a campfire. The cost is $8, and reservations are required. Call 763-559-6700 to make a reservation and reference activity number #425001-00. This program is for all ages.

An adaptive kayak trip on the Crow River will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. Sept. 13 at the Lake Rebecca Park Reserve in Rockford. This trip is designed for intermediate paddlers. High-back kayak seats with side supports, along with all other equipment, are provided along with extra staff.

The cost is $25. Reservations are required. Call 763-559-6700 to make a reservation; reference activity number #423512-00. This program is for ages 14+. Scholarships are available.

Eden Prairie has closed Riverview Road between Parker Drive and Hennepin Town Road to replace a culvert.

The road is expected to reopen to traffic Sept. 29 with the project wrapping up by mid-October.

Schmidt Lake Road under Interstate 494, between Northwest Boulevard and Cheshire Parkway, has reopened after being closed Aug. 3 as part of the I-494 construction project.

The state Department of Transportation reopened the road, but construction work will continue on Schmidt Lake Road and I-494 as crews continue to widen the 494 bridge over the roadway.

For more information, go to www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/projects/i494plymouth.

The Church of the Epiphany in Plymouth will host a fall festival for families Sept. 13.

The event will include a bounce house for kids, games, prizes, face painting, henna, a live and silent auction and bingo.

For more information, go to www.epiphany-episcopal.org.

The Minnetonka Center for the Arts will host a faculty show Sept. 2 to 20, kicking off the fall session of visual arts classes.

The opening reception for the show will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11, at the center, 2240 North Shore Dr., Wayzata.

The event is free and open to the public. Those who attend can meet the instructors and view the art, which is available to buy.

For more information, go to www.minnetonkaarts.org/classes.