Washington County Sheriff Bill Hutton recently presented awards for exemplary service at a ceremony in Stillwater. Receiving letters of excellence were:

• Sgt. Andrew Ellickson and Matt Milder of Lakeview Hospital, for rolling out the Sheriff's Office naloxone program;

• Deputy Matt O'Hara, for developing policy for the Sheriff's Office's unmanned aerial systems, used for tracking suspects;

• Former Deputy Jessica Stiffarm, for her investigation into an abandoned vehicle that likely saved a woman's life;

• Deputies Donavon Bump and Mike Bonn, for making a welfare check on a 93-year-old man, likely saving his life;

• Deputies Tyler Martin and David Eichman, for their work leading to identifying a victim and suspect in a drive-by shooting;

• Reserve Deputy Sgt. Barry Davanzo, for implementing an online scheduling system for the Water, Parks and Trails Unit;

• Correctional Sgt. Nick Klinkner and correctional officers Rebecca Dyck, Anne Katchmark, Anthony De La Rosa, Stephen Papke, Anthony Jaring, Jake Miller and Georgene Wakefield, for saving an inmate who had crawled over a protective barrier in the county jail and threatened to jump from a ledge.

Lifesaving awards went to:

• Citizens Dan Hoisington and Sherrie Little, for saving a boater from drowning after he fell into the St. Croix River;

• Sgt. Keith Anderson and Deputies Brad Volk and Nick Bradt, for saving a woman suffering from a severe diabetic reaction;

• Sgt. Joel Legut and Woodbury Police Officer James Stoffel, for saving a woman who intentionally drove her car into a lake after a police pursuit;

• Deputies Bump and James Wick, for administering CPR to an Afton man who had collapsed while doing yard work;

• U.S. Marshal Steve Fischer and Deputies Lee Bloomquist and Joseph Zerwas, for treating a motorcycle crash victim who suffered a severed leg among other injuries;

• Deputy Mark Rindfleisch, for administering naloxone to save a life.

Kevin Giles

Feedback sought on routes for Gold Line

Washington County officials are seeking the public's advice on five possible routes for the proposed Gold Line busway as it reaches Oakdale and Woodbury.

The route selection process was tossed into the air earlier this year when Lake Elmo decided to opt out of the transitway plan. That eliminated previous options with stations in that city and the western part of Woodbury.

A public hearing will be held in November before final route decisions are made. In the meantime, planners are seeking reactions to several route options in two main categories:

• Four routes that would end at the Woodbury Theater park and ride lot after winding through Oakdale and stopping at proposed Tamarack Station, serving a commercial area in roughly the southwest quadrant of the Interstate 494/94 junction;

• One route that would end at an Inwood Avenue station in Oakdale.

A brochure showing the options can found online at http://tinyurl.com/ztgpqw9.

Comments should go to GatewayCorridor@co.washington.mn.us or by mail to Lyssa Leitner, Project Manager, Washington County Public Works, 11660 Myeron Road N., Stillwater, MN 55082. To leave a message, call 651-430-4300.

David Peterson

Cottage Grove

Town meeting aimed at plotting city's future

A town meeting in Cottage Grove this week is aimed at gathering ideas on what kind of community the Washington County suburb should become.

City officials are inviting ideas in some novel ways, such as by placing large chalkboards around town that seek residents' "one wish for Cottage Grove." The goal is a set of long-term goals and strategic plans for the city.

The first of two upcoming town meetings will go from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday at 8400 E. Point Douglas Road S. The second is from 7 to 9 p.m. on Dec. 1 at City Hall, 12800 Ravine Pkwy. S.

People may also use social media and answer weekly questions posted on the city's Facebook page every Friday through the end of November.

David Peterson

South St. Paul

Candidate accused of campaign sign violation

Tom Seaberg, a South St. Paul City Council member who is running for mayor, has been accused of failing to include a correctly formatted disclaimer on his campaign lawn signs.

James Clark, a South St. Paul resident, alleges that the disclaimer on Seaberg's signs — "Paid for by Seaberg for Mayor," and the candidate's address — is too small to be seen under state law. Clark says the address on the signs also differs from the one identified on Seaberg's campaign financial reports.

An administrative law judge concluded that the signs do appear to lack disclaimers. A probable-cause hearing took place last week. The judge's decision is expected by Tuesday.

Erin Adler