Briefs: Hanifl Family Wild Woods nature play area opens at Minnesota Zoo

The grand opening is Sunday for the Minnesota Zoo's Hanifl Family Wild Woods, a 30,000-square-foot nature-based play area adjacent to the zoo's Conservation Carousel.

The play area is free with a paid admission to the zoo. It includes a boulder climbs, a climbing horse, log pile climbs, mazes, slides, treetop towers with bridges and other features.

A workshop for small business owners and prospective owners who want to find out how to raise or borrow money will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Galaxie Library, 14950 Galaxie Av.

Representatives from local banks and other financial institutions and the U.S. Small Business Administration will talk about lending opportunities, followed by a question-and-answer and consultation period.

Registration is required. Go to www.co.dakota.mn.us/library and click on the events calendar.

A workshop for people interested in building a website using open-source software such as WordPress will be held at 6 p.m. Aug. 3 at the Galaxie Library, 14950 Galaxie Av.

The website could be used for a personal blog, a small business, a community organization or a nonprofit group. Web developers will explain how to set up a site and navigate settings and share tips on how to generate traffic.

Registration is required. Go to www.co.dakota.mn.us/library and click on the events calendar.

The city of Burnsville plans to remove 120 ash trees this year and treat another 928 to protect them from the emerald ash borer, which is destroying swaths of trees throughout Minnesota, including in the metro area.

Residents also can take advantage of the city's contract prices to treat ash trees on their property, the city said. They should contact Rainbow Treecare at 952-767-6920 for pricing and schedules. The contract prices are good through the end of 2015. The city is also encouraging residents to volunteer to pay for the treatment of other ash trees in their neighborhoods.

The emerald ash borer has not been found in Burnsville yet, but it was confirmed to be in Lebanon Hills Regional Park in December. Because of that, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture has added Dakota County to its list of quarantined counties, restricting the movement of ash trees and all hardwood firewood to non-quarantined counties.

Burnsville is working with the agriculture department to monitor traps in the city's parks and to inspect any suspicious ash trees that die. The purple traps use Manuka oil, which has a scent similar to a distressed ash tree, to attract the insects.

Night to Unite is Aug. 4. Neighbors turn on their lights, lock their doors and go outside to get to know the people who live nearby. The city said the block parties help heighten awareness of crime, drug and violence prevention, strengthen police-community partnerships and send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.

To register a party, go to the city's website at www.burnsvillemn.gov or call 952-895-4575.

A workshop on how to download Overdrive, 3M and OneClick Digital apps and check out library e-books for free on your iPad will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Burnhaven Library, 1101 W. County Road 42.

People should bring their library card, PIN number and Apple ID to download the apps. Bring your own iPad or use one available at the library.

Registration is required. Go to www.co.dakota.mn.us/library and click on the events calendar.

Sonora Cafe will perform from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., with La Clave from 6 to 8 p.m. Dances will include salsa, samba, bossa nova and merengue.

Market Fest is held each week at Central Park, 1501 Central Pkwy.

Kids can get an introduction to pet ownership Tuesday at the Heritage Library, 20085 Heritage Dr.

The session for children ages 4 to 12 will cover pet training and the responsibilities of pet ownership. Participants will also have a chance to meet a therapy dog. The activity starts at 6:30 p.m.

Nobody has applied for a license to open a craft brewery or a micro distillery yet in the city of Rosemount, but the City Council is ready when they do.

Businesses permitted include brew pubs, which are restaurants that operate their own brewery; taprooms, in which a brewery can sell its own beer; cocktail rooms, which are tied to micro distilleries; brew on-premise stores, which are other retailers that operate breweries, and wineries on farms.

The Pleasant Hill Library is offering a story time for children and their teddy bears and a sleepover for the bears starting at 6 p.m. Aug. 3.

Children ages 4 to 10 and their teddy bears will have a special story time, crafts and songs, then tuck their stuffed animals in for a sleepover. The teddy bears can be picked up the next afternoon.

Participants are asked to arrive at least fie minutes early or possibly lose their spot.

Registration is required. Go to www.co.dakota.mn.us/library and click on the events calendar.