Metro briefs: Archivist joins Anoka County Historical Society

The Anoka County Historical Society has hired a new archivist to oversee its collection, despite the pandemic temporarily closing its museum's doors.

The Historical Society lost its sole archivist two months ago, and the board of directors briefly considered not filling the position to save money for 2021, said Executive Director Rebecca Ebnet-Desens. But she said larger, long-term exhibits and collections, such as those on the late Anoka artist Jon Arfstrom and Federal Cartridge, the old Anoka-based ammunition maker, need a full-time archivist.

Erin McBrien, a recent Syracuse University graduate, is bringing the Historical Society back to full-strength staffing as the new archivist. Ebnet-Desens and volunteer coordinator Sara Given are the only other full-time employees in addition to several part-timers, which is why McBrien's hire was so critical.

Ebnet-Desens said although in-person programming and events have been canceled or scaled back, the organization has shifted to digitizing much of its work to reach an online audience, and McBrien will help carry out that process.

Kim Hyatt

Longtime Plymouth public safety director and Police Chief Mike Goldstein is retiring after more than 30 years with the department; his last day on the job will be Jan. 29.

Goldstein joined the Ply­mouth Police Explorers in 1984 while he was in high school and the program was just beginning, according to a Plymouth news release.

He was promoted to sergeant in 1994, to chief in 2004 and became the public safety director in 2015 when the fire and police departments combined, the release said.

Goldstein's motto for policing is posted throughout the department: "If it is not illegal, immoral, unethical or against policy: Make it happen."

Erin Adler

Maple Grove Transit's shared ride-by-reservation service is now taking passengers to more places outside the city's borders.

Users of My Ride can now make trips to Target's Brooklyn Park campus and the park-and-rides at 63rd Avenue/Bottineau Boulevard and Noble Avenue at Hwy. 610 in Brooklyn Park. Buses also will pick up and drop off at the Plymouth Transit Center on Hwy. 55 and the Brooklyn Center and Robbinsdale transit centers.

Previously, besides being able to book trips within Maple Grove, riders were only able to travel to the neighboring city of Osseo and three destinations in Brooklyn Park: Hennepin Technical College, North Hennepin Community College and the Starlite transit center.

Trips on My Ride must originate or end in Maple Grove. The service operates from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. To schedule a trip, call 763-493-2200.