East metro briefs: Tree Trust work crews upgrade county parks

Teens and young adults earned paychecks and the county's parks got upgrades under a 36-year-old program that addresses dual suburban problems: tree devastation due to disease and joblessness.

The summer program employed 625 workers throughout the metro ages 14-21, training them to plant trees and reforest communities in the Twin Cities. The workers are from suburban Hennepin County, Dakota County, St. Paul and Minneapolis, in addition to Washington County.

The Tree Trust works through the Washington County Workforce Center to provide summer work at parks throughout the county. Three crews, with 48 young people, worked in Washington County for minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, said Kim Lawler, director of development and community relations for the local program.

In Washington County's Square Lake Park, the crews installed timbers, which will provide handicapped access to the fishing pier and access to the lake for scuba divers. They also replaced worn timbers in a walkway to the lake that the Tree Trust built many years earlier, Lawler said.

The workers were also busy at Shawnee Park in Woodbury, building a modular block wall, and regrading and backfilling the newly installed wall this summer. At Shawnee, Evergreen West and Colby Lake parks, the crews cleaned, scraped and painted ice rinks. At Woodbury's Bielenberg Sports Center, they mulched more than 2,500 trees and chipped wood.

In Cottage Grove's Lamar Park, they leveled and installed more than 1,800 pavers in a pad between bocce ball courts.

Nominate a volunteer for good worksDo you know of an exceptional volunteer? Oakdale is asking that you nominate those who have made contributions to the city by going online to www.ci.oakdale.mn or by contacting Sue Barry at City Hall at 651-730-2704. Nominations are due by Nov. 1.

Motorists can expect to see the arrows in operation at the Interstate 35 ramp intersections, 12th Street, Eighth Street and Fourth Street. During periods of light traffic, the arrows will allow motorists to make left turns off Broadway Avenue after yielding to opposing traffic, which will help reduce delay and keep drivers moving, the county said.

Motorists will see the flashing yellow arrow or steady green arrow at all times depending on traffic flow.

Hazardous waste collection on SaturdayThe next "remote" household hazardous waste collection in Washington County is planned for 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in Forest Lake. The collection will be at 19955 Forest Road N. Participants should enter at Headwaters Parkway.

The Washington County Environmental Center, located at 4039 Cottage Grove Drive in Woodbury, also provides residents with free disposal for household hazardous waste, electronics and recyclables year-round.

Woodbury Days names Taste, parade winnersThe Woodbury Days committee has announced the winners in its Taste of Woodbury and award winners of its Grande Parade.

The parade winners were: most entertaining, Ultimate Martial Arts; most outrageous, Merrill Community Arts Center; best business representation: ReMax Results; spirit of Woodbury, Girl Scouts Woodbury Service Unit; best royalty, Cottage Grove Strawberry Fest Ambassadors; and judges choice, Excel Lifeforce Martial Arts.

Council passes social host ordinanceThe St. Paul Park City Council approved a Social Host Ordinance. Anyone who knowingly hosts events where those under age 21 possess or consume alcohol can be held criminally responsible.