Briefs: Cottage Grove baseball club again goes for longest game record

The Pitching Hitting Defense Baseball club will again try to shatter the world record for longest baseball game when its players take the field at Park High School in Cottage Grove on Aug. 1.

Last year, the group played 169 innings over 40 hours, 15 minutes and 26 seconds but called the game early over injury and fatigue concerns — falling short of the official Guinness World Record by nearly 20 hours. The current record is 62 hours, 32 minutes, 59 seconds.

This year, the PDH attempt will begin with a pregame ceremony at 7:15 a.m. at the high school's ninth-grade baseball field, 840 80th St. S. In all, 56 players (28 on each team) will participate to raise money for research on Lou Gehrig's disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS).

If everything goes according to plan, the record would be broken around 10 p.m. on Sunday Aug. 3.

The marathon game, held last year at the since-demolished Metrodome, was moved to Cottage Grove at the suggestion of Dan Harrison, the head baseball coach at Park High School.

"The idea originated as a way to get youth baseball players to give back to the community," Herb Gibson, director of business operations for PHD Baseball Charities, said in an online statement. "I happened to stumble across a video clip of the world record game and thought it was a neat way to accomplish both fundraising and kids playing baseball."

To make a donation, visit http://web.alsa.org/goto/wlbg.

The $1,000 fee was a violation of state law, organizers wrote on the festival's Facebook page. "As soon as we realized our error, we corrected it. Politicians will be charged the same rate as the other participants in the parade," the posting said. The fee is now $375.

Several people who responded to the posting objected to political campaigning in parades. Others, to the contrary, supported the idea of candidates meeting face to face the people they would represent in office.

Sunday, July 20, will be the final day of Log Jam, a more local festival compared with its predecessor, Lumberjack Days. Sunday's activities also include a fishing tournament, medallion hunt and lumberjack demonstrations. For further information see http://stillwaterlogjam.com/schedule_full.

The Washington County Board has selected Hagen, Christensen and McIllwain (HCM) of Minneapolis from four bidders to provide architectural services for design and construction of a new Public Works North Shop.

The firm proposed a fee of $928,000, which is less than the county's estimate, said Don Theisen, who manages the public works division.

Recent troubles at the 54-acre complex north of Stillwater included an electrical fire and a sewage backup.

The estimated $18 million construction will be funded with tax-exempt bonds the county will issue in 2015.

The Washington County Board has declared a state of emergency for flooding in the county that began June 11.

The July 15 resolution said severe storms with heavy rain affected cities and townships throughout Washington County and created potential for a significant amount of public and private property damage.

Closure of secondary roads, sandbagging operations and other emergency measures are sometimes necessary because of flooding, and government resources ensure immediate response to protect lives, the resolution said.

The County Board approved the agreement July 15 after approval by the Cottage Grove City Council. The project will include pedestrian ramps and right-turn lanes. The county's share of costs, $233,500, will be funded with state aid.

The city of Scandia is taking registrations for tennis camp for grades K-6. Classes include individual and group instruction designed to match a player's skill level. For younger players, simple drills and games will teach players to handle ground strokes and volley with partners. Older players will play in singles or doubles matches and work on consistency and strategies. Classes will be held at the Scandia Community Center tennis courts.

Registration deadline is July 28 for the Aug. 4-7 session. Cost is $30. Call Judi Negus at 651-433-2274 for more information or register at www.ci.scandia.mn.us.

The most iconic of North American butterflies, the monarch, will be discussed from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. July 31 at the Scandia Community Center. Once commonplace and taken for granted as the most abundant butterfly around, the monarch now is facing difficult odds.

A 56-minute film, "The Incredible Journey of the Butterflies," will be shown. The program will include a discussion of how people can attract butterflies in their gardens. A local resident will describe the Monarch Way Station she created in her back yard.

For more information, contact Janie O'Connor at 651-481-3152.

The Washington County Board has endorsed a proposed tax increment (TIF) district in Mahtomedi.

The district will be where the former Piccadilly Restaurant stood, on the corner of Mahtomedi Avenue and Stillwater Road. The restaurant has been closed since 2005.

Revenue from the district would help pay for construction of a 79-unit senior affordable housing development. The project is a partnership between the Washington County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) and Plymouth Housing Partners, LLC.

Tax-increment financing allows the city to "capture" increased property taxes generated from improved properties to help pay for the area's development.