Briefs: Deadline nears for old schoolhouse near Hastings

Denmark Township Historical Society members are closing on a deadline as they attempt to raise funds to restore one of the oldest one-room schoolhouses in Minnesota.

Volunteers who run the nonprofit organization are inviting former students, teachers as well as anyone who is interested in rural schoolhouses to help with the restoration of the Valley School near Hastings.

The group is trying to raise $80,000 to buy the old schoolhouse on the St. Croix Trail in the southern tip of Washington County, plus another $45,000 to restore it, said Mavis Voigt, a spokeswoman for the nonprofit Historical Society.

The group needs to raise $40,000 by May 1 to buy the school. Members have so far collected $7,000 in cash and another $5,000 in pledges. They plan to raise the second $40,000 by May 1, 2013.

"We're very optimistic that we'll make it," Voigt said.

For more information on the Historical Society and its project, contact Jean and Wayne Boyd at 651-436-8031, or send an email to jeanmboyd@msn.com. Or, contact Sharon Lewandowski at 651-436-5664, lewan009@umn.edu.

Donations can be sent to the Denmark Township Historical Society in care of treasurer Lauren Cran, 7777 Quadrant Av. S., Hastings, MN 55033.

The Krewe of DADs is a Twin Cities nonprofit organization, modeled after New Orleans carnival clubs, that brought many national touring bands to the Twin Cities in the past 20 years.

Bremer is a native Minnesotan, muckraking journalist and music writer, former brewmeister/owner of St. Croix Brewing Company, political activist and co-author of the book "The Madness of Michele Bachmann."

A lineup of Twin Cities and New Orleans musicians will play at the benefit.

Wilebski's is just south of the intersection of Rice Street and Larpenteur Avenue. Admission will be $25. Tickets are available at door or for advance tickets contact: tabaker1@msn.com. For more information, see www.kreweofdads.com

Hospital is lauded for patient safetyLakeview Hospital in Stillwater has earned a Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA) Patient Safety Excellence Award for its work on preventing surgical accidents. This award also signals the completion of all five MHA safety campaigns -- Safe from Falls, Safe Skin, Safe Site, Safe Count, and Safe Account -- for Lakeview Hospital. Lakeview is one of 46 hospitals in Minnesota to have completed all five campaigns.

Lakeview appoints new board memberLakeview Hospital has appointed Janel Krueger to its board of directors. She is an insurance consultant with J.A. Counter & Associates in New Richmond, Wis., where she specializes in individual, family and Medicare health plans. She also works with life, disability and long-term care insurance. Krueger has a business management degree from Rasmussen Business College of St. Cloud and a bachelor's degree in psychology from Kaplan University.

Erosion projects earn state excellence awardCottage Grove was recently honored for excellence by the Minnesota Erosion Control Association, which includes contractors, suppliers, engineers and government agencies.

One recent erosion problem concerned a pond just south of the East Central Ravine Park area. To stabilize eroded segments, city officials worked with the South Washington Watershed District and Americorps to put in improvements.

At a second pond, within Pine Tree Valley Park, the project reduced sediments and pollutants, including phosphorus, to downstream wetlands and beyond to the Mississippi River, officials said.

"It is very rewarding," Mayor Myron Bailey said, "that the city of Cottage Grove has been designated as the example of excellence in 2012 by a statewide organization that has been in place for 24 years to advance effective stormwater management and erosion-control practices."

Free legal workshops include 'court basics'Because of the popularity of its series of public workshops that teach participants where to find free legal resources online, the Washington County Law Library will present six of the most requested workshops from last year, starting Tuesday.

The workshop, "Conciliation Court Basics," will be presented from 2-4 p.m. Tuesday at the Stillwater Public Library, 224 Third St. N.

The workshop will be presented by a volunteer lawyer and laptop computers will be available. Workshops are free and open to everyone. Tuesday's workshop and others that follow are sponsored by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Minnesota Department of Education, and Washington County.

Complaints cause city to tighten leash lawPeople who take pets for a walk on public property must now keep them on a leash or physically restrained in some fashion.

Previously, the city ordinance allowed pet owners to use voice commands to control their animals. That language was eliminated from the ordinance after the city received several complaints from residents. The change is effective immediately.

Women's night offers fashion, fitness tipsBaglio's of Afton will be the primary host for a Women's Expo with demonstrations and discussion on topics ranging from light therapy to Zumba dance for cardio exercise, to temporary hair tinsel. Afton's Girls Night Out is on the third Thursday of every month, from 5 to 8 p.m. (Men are allowed, too, of course). The Afton Area Business Association has more information at tinyurl.com/7y2ufde or by calling the Afton House Inn, 651-436-8883.

Register for workshops at 651-275-8510 or 651-430-6330.