North metro briefs

Lyric Arts announces 2012-13 scheduleThe Lyric Arts Main Street Stage will open its 2012-13 theater season with a production of "Noises Off," scheduled for Sept. 7-23. That's one of 10 shows, including a couple of "Mainly for Kids" productions, that will range from musicals to comedies to dramas.

There's still one more production to come in the 2011-12 season: "Cabaret," which opens July 13 and runs through that weekend and Thursdays-Sundays through Aug. 5.

Lyric Arts' "Music in the 'Burbs" series also will be back, starting its 2012-13 season with Rocket Club on Sept. 9.

Single tickets for the theater season and concert series will go on sale Aug. 1. For further information, go to www.lyricarts.com

Maple Grove author sets book signingMaple Grove author Anastacia Hawkins will sign copies of her fantasy novel "Larkspur" from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Anoka Vendor and Craft Show, 2421 4th Av. in Anoka.

The novel is the story of dancers Taylor and Leslie, who "fall" during a performance into an enchanted land of beauty, arts and magic -- Larkspur. There they find they must perform a dance to help their dance instructor find her way home.

Adventures along the way include helping rid the land of evil tyrants and winning freedom for Larkspur's true king and queen.

Sheriff's deputies and officers from Anoka, Blaine, Centennial Lakes, Columbia Heights, Coon Rapids, Fridley, Lino Lakes, Ramsey, Spring Lake Park and St. Francis took part.

Minnesota's seat-belt law requires drivers and all passengers to be buckled up or seated in the correct child restraint.

Statewide, 12,639 motorists were cited by officers from 313 law enforcement agencies, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety's Office of Traffic Safety reported.

Expanded recycling includes more plasticsFridley's recycling service has begun accepting an expanded variety of plastics.

Plastic containers labeled Nos. 1 through 7 can be recycled, including caps and lids. Plastic caps can be left on the bottle; Styrofoam is still not accepted.

For more information, call Allied Waste North Metro at 952-941-5174 or go to www.star tribune.com/a1410.

Cancer support group meets June 27A prostate cancer support group will meet at 5:30 p.m. today at North Memorial Outpatient Center, 3435 W. Broadway, Robbinsdale.

Prostate cancer survivor Jack Bureau will speak, talking about his successful battle with the disease while shunning traditional surgery and radiation therapies. For further information, call 612-388-3588.

Openings available for summer activitiesSummer activities are underway, but the Champlin Parks and Recreation Department is still taking registrations for soccer, basketball and playground groups and for all of its August camps. For information on what programs are still available, go to www.ci.champlin.mn.us. You can also register online there.

One program that's up and running is Art in the Park, which meets at 7 p.m. Mondays at Andrews Park, 7200 117th Av. N. No pre-registration is required, but there is a $1.50 fee per project. Upcoming projects include tie-dye night, a picture-frame craft, velvet pencil holders and a bookmark.

STAFF REPORTS

2 students place sixth in history eventAmelia Heusinkveld and Cara Meyer of Robbinsdale Middle School earned sixth-place honors in the recent National History Day Contest at the University of Maryland.

About 70 junior student groups gave performances of events in history; Heusinkveld and Meyer's was titled "The Revolution of Silent Films to Talkies: How the movie 'The Jazz Singer' Revolutionized the Movie Industry."

The Robbinsdale pair performed on June 11 and then again after advancing to the final round of 14 teams.

"Since November, we'd been working to make our presentation the best it could be," Meyer said. "We revised it after each performance based upon feedback we got."