North/East metro briefs: New psychiatric hospital opens in Brooklyn Park

The city of Fridley's third residential recycling event on Saturday, Oct. 3, is a great chance for residents to clean out their garages and storage spaces before winter. ¶ It offers free paper shredding and hard-drive erasure, and accepts appliances, electronics, carpet, mattresses, batteries, fluorescent lights, scrap metal and tires. ¶ There is a small fee for some large items. ¶ The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Fridley Public Works, 400 71st Av. ¶ To learn more, call 763-572-3594 or go to www.fridleymn.gov/recycling.

STAFF REPORT

The city of Coon Rapids invites all pet lovers to attend the city's first Love My Pet Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, in the newly renovated Riverview Park, 2420 105th Av.

Events will include smart pet tricks, a pet lookalike contest, a dog parade, police K9 demonstrations, tours of the Anoka County pet disaster relief trailer, vendors and more.

The event is free.

And, oh — well-behaved pets on a leash are invited too, the city says.

STAFF REPORT

Officials are studying rapid busway and rail options, and narrowing down specific routes.

Maps and other information will be shown, and reactions invited, at these sessions:

• Sept. 22 from 5 to 7 p.m. at a Washington County facility, 19955 Forest Road N., Forest Lake.

• Sept. 29 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Maplewood Community Center, 2100 White Bear Av.

• Sept. 30 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Arlington Hills Community Center, 1200 Payne Ave., St. Paul.

STAFF REPORT

Lighted trails at Lake Elmo Park Reserve will be switched on from dusk until 9:30 p.m. for hikers starting Tuesday, Sept. 8, through Thanksgiving weekend on Nov. 29. During two weekends of deer hunts, trails will close to night hiking and the lights will be turned off Nov. 2 to Nov 15.

Night hiking will end as soon as snow hits the trails, Washington County officials said. All winter hikers and walkers will then be directed to the Big Bluestem multiuse trail, which doesn't have lights and is open until sunset.

The deer hunt, planned to reduce a larger herd than the park can sustain, is planned for the weekends of Nov. 7-8 and Nov. 14-15.

Kevin Giles

Patrick A. and Jane M. Thiele challenged the library foundation to pay half of the $18,000 cost and then contributed the other $9,000, said Library Director Lynne Bertalmio.

In 2011, the Thieles also paid for some Sundays, she said. The Stillwater library is one of two city-managed libraries in Washington County.

Kevin Giles

Lightning prediction technology is making people safer at two heavily used recreational areas in Woodbury: Eagle Valley Golf Course and Bielenberg Sports Center.

Between the two sites, eight 8-foot poles with sirens are functioning: detection of high levels of static electricity sets them off.

When conditions improve, three blasts are sounded.

The cost of the technology was $54,857. A federal grant paid for 80 percent of that.

STAFF REPORT

Ramsey will hold its 17th annual Happy Days event on Saturday, Sept. 12, across from the Ramsey Municipal Center on Sunwood Drive.

The festival is an all-day community celebration that includes food vendors, live music, a parade, activities for kids and fireworks.