East metro briefs: 7,000 residents trained in CPR in Woodbury

The Woodbury Public Safety Department is holding a public celebration for reaching its goal of training 7,000 community members in hands-only CPR, a method of CPR that requires no mouth-to-mouth breathing.

A brief ceremony is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, March 28, in the Public Safety Education Room at the Public Safety Building, 2100 Radio Drive. The purpose is to recognize everyone who helped the city reach its goal of training 10 percent of the population so they are better prepared to act in case of a sudden cardiac emergency.

The Take Heart Woodbury initiative started in March of last year with two goals: to create awareness of sudden cardiac arrest and to empower citizens to take action when faced with an emergency situation.

If you are interested in attending the celebration or if you have questions, send an e-mail to CPR@ci.woodbury.mn.us.

Globe University is now offering a new 18-month degree in animal and equine science that will be taught only at Globe's campus in Woodbury.

The associate-in-applied-science degree will qualify students for a range of careers including feedlot manager, food safety inspector, animal behavior specialist, and animal exhibitor, trainer and breeder, Globe said.

"We designed this program to meet the ambitions of people who love horses and animals, but who did not want to pursue a traditional vet tech career path," said Brian Hoefs, program director for the new degree program. Students will learn to master horsemanship — including riding, managing and training — as well as horse care and the business and science of animal studies, he said.

Valley Outreach is joining several employers, schools and churches to collect nonperishable food collections for the food shelf in March. Items most needed include 100 percent juice, canned meat and fish, hearty soups, peanut butter and cereal.

"One in 10 residents of Washington County — families, children, the elderly — struggles with hunger," said Executive Director Christine Tubbs. "More folks are finding themselves making difficult choices: pay for food or pay for rent, pay for groceries or pay for medicine. We are asking the community to take action and get involved by combining efforts at your workplace, church or in your neighborhood."

Public collection sites include Stillwater and Bayport public libraries and city offices in Bayport, Lake Elmo and Stillwater. A list of sites can be found at www.valleyoutreachmn.org. Donations can be taken to Valley Outreach, 1911 Curve Crest Blvd. W. in Stillwater, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Valley Outreach serves 400 families monthly. The demand for food shelf services has increased 64 percent increase in recent years.

The second public meeting to discuss a proposed new city municipal building will be held April 2 from 7:15-8:15 p.m. at Forest Lake City Hall.

Some residents and the Lake Area Business Association oppose the project and want it to be put to a vote by the public.

The upcoming "Community Conversations" meeting is the second of three such public gatherings. The third meeting, an open house, is scheduled for May 20 at 7 p.m. at City Hall.

The city also is conducting an online survey on the issue. To respond, go to the City of Forest Lake website at www.ci.forest-lake.mn.us.

The St. Paul Diabetes Lions Club, which provides diabetes and medical supplies to uninsured residents in Washington and Ramsey counties, is joining with HealthEast for its fifth annual Waffle Breakfast and Easter Egg Hunt on Sunday, March 24, at the cafeteria of St. Joseph's Hospital, 45 10th St., St. Paul.

The breakfast runs from 9 a.m. to noon. Egg hunts will be at 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $7 for adults and $4 for children. For more information, call Kay Baker at 651-232-3035.

Washington County will be mailing 2013 tax statements by the end of March. However, property owners can read information on the new valuation of their property by visiting the county assessor Web page.

The link to access the new valuation information is washington.minnesotaassessors.com. Users should click on "Real Estate Search" and then search for property by entering a house number, street address, property identification number (PIN) or legal description.

The new valuation, set as of Jan. 2 and used for taxes payable in 2014, can be found by looking at the Year 2013 value information. The value information includes the value of the land, the structures and their total value.

A list of the 2013 appeals meeting schedule also can be found on the main page and can be referenced by selecting the link located under "Important News!" under the Minnesota state map.

For further information regarding the estimated market value or the appeals process, call the Department of Property Records and Taxpayer Services at 651-430-6175.

Johnson-Clark is a National Foundation for Credit Counseling certified educator who works with several financial literacy curriculums and money management topics.

This topic is of special interest as the deadline looms for federal and state income tax filings and everyone hopes for a refund, not an obligation to pay more money.

She will discuss how to best deal with the hoped-for tax refund and various options that you may want to consider for using that money. This class provides information on tips to creating a successful spending plan and sticking to it.

The program is being sponsored by Friends of Lake Elmo Library. For more information, see lakeelmopubliclibrary.org .