Briefs: Dakota County parks gear up for a new season of activities

The snow brings a change of recreation options at Dakota County parks.

The Lebanon Hills horse trails are now closed for the season and the archery trail and the model airfield at Spring Lake Park Reserve close on Nov. 30.

Cross country ski trails will open Dec. 1, as long as there is enough snow. County ski passes will be for sale online on that date. The passes -- $5 for a day or $20 for the season -- can also be purchased at pay boxes at the Schulze Lake trailhead and the Schaar's Bluff Gathering Center trailhead in Hastings, or at the Western Service Center in Apple Valley or the Lebanon Hills Visitor Center in Eagan.

Skip a meal so that others may eat Local nonprofits are encouraging residents to skip a meal on Wednesday and donate what they would spend to food shelves in honor of Hunger Awareness Day.

The day is meant to give residents pause to reflect on hunger in Dakota County. There has been a 91 percent increase in the past three years in the pounds of food distributed by food shelves across the county.

"The Thanksgiving holiday is a bountiful and food-centered gathering time full of tradition for most families. Yet many families in Dakota County go without food on many days," said Lisa Horn, co-chairwoman of the Nonprofit Network in Dakota County. "On the day before Thanksgiving, there is an opportunity to give more than just thanks. You will be giving food to your neighbors in need."

Horn said that a $10 donation can purchase 120 pounds of food. To make a donation, go to www.nndcmn.org and click on the donation link.

The next chat will be at 9 a.m. Wednesday at Emily's Bakery and Deli, 1212 Vermillion St., Hastings. Another session will be held at 8 a.m. Dec. 9 at Dunn Bros., 919 Vermillion St.

Swing Bridge still set to open next spring It may take until May or June of next year before work on the Rock Island Swing Bridge in Inver Grove Heights is completed.

During the winter, workers hope to repair damage caused by an accidental fire this month.

Contractors had been working on the $2.4 million project to convert the more than 100-year-old bridge into a recreational pier when spans of the original bridge caught fire Nov. 4.

Nobody was injured in the blaze, which may have been started by welding sparks.

A November opening already had been delayed until spring because of recent storms.

Recounts done in some council races Candidates have requested recounts for two close city council races. James Mueller asked for a recount in his 16-vote loss for a seat on the Inver Grove Heights City Council, and Tim Judy requested a recount in Rosemount.

In the general election in Inver Grove Heights, Mueller finished third with 4,671 votes, behind incumbents Rosemary Piekarski Krech, who received 5,175 votes, and Dennis Madden, who got 4,687 votes.

The recount was to take place Thursday, and the Canvassing Board will meet Tuesday to review any challenged ballots. The results will be published soon after.

In Rosemount, Judy finished behind incumbent Mark DeBettignies with a 26-vote gap. Judy garnered 3,410 votes, DeBettignies got 3,436 and Kim Shoe-Corrigan gpt 3,764.

State law allows city candidates as well as county or school district candidates to ask for a free recount if they lose by less than one-half of 1 percent of all votes cast for that office. Candidates have to pay for recounts in races with loss margins of a half percent or greater. In cases where 400 or fewer votes are cast, candidates losing by 10 votes or fewer can request a free recount.