North metro town briefs

Recycle your tree at Bunker Hills The Bunker Hills Compost Site, at 13285 Hanson Blvd. NW. in Coon Rapids, will be open for the first two weekends of January to receive Christmas trees and evergreen garland -- free of tinsel, ornaments and wire -- as well as other types of yard and tree waste. There is a $1.50 charge per Christmas tree.

The compost site will be open from 9 a.m. through sunset Saturdays Jan. 3 and Jan. 10, and from noon through sunset Sundays Jan. 4 and Jan. 11.

For more information about fees and materials accepted, go the county website at www.anokacounty.us/v2_dept/iwm/SpecialTopic-ChristmasTrees.aspx.

Library to host music, dances of Indonesia An evening of Indonesian music and dances will be hosted by the Columbia Heights Public Library on Jan. 12.

The 7 p.m. class will be led by a Javan woman who will explain the intricacies of and perform Indonesian dances. Master dancer Tri Sutrisno will teach hand gestures and footwork involved in telling Indonesian tales through dances such as the "Dance of a Thousand Hands" and the "Rabbit Dance." Native music will be provided by an ensemble from the Indonesian Performing Arts Association of Minnesota.

The hourlong class is free and open to children and adults, but limited to 30 people. To register, call 763-706-3690. The library is a block west of Central Avenue at 820 40th Av. NE.

Four firefighters get national recognition Four members of the Hugo Fire Department recently received national recognition for "exemplary performance" after last May's deadly tornado.

The four honorees are: Chief Jim Compton Sr., Deputy Chief Jadon Ollila, Training/Safety Officer Kevin Colvard, and Assistant Chief Marty Schwartz.

The rest of the firefighters also were commended for their heroic work, and they received special certificates signed by Hugo Mayor Fran Miron.

"It was a way to bring some closure to this. It's been seven months," said City Administrator Mike Ericson. "We've thanked them, but we haven't ever shaken their hands and given them that public recognition for the work they did on that very important day on May 25."

Programs, workshops for job seekers The Hennepin County Library is holding several programs and workshops for those seeking jobs, including "Job Interviewing Strategies" from 10 a.m. to noon on Jan. 7 at Brookdale Library, 6125 Shingle Creek Pkwy., Brooklyn Center. Registration is required at 952-847-5600.

Teen rugby club seeks new recruits The North Suburban Rugby Club is looking for new recruits as the season approaches. The club will hold its pre-season parent/player meeting at 7 p.m. on Jan. 15 at Mounds View High School, 1900 Lake Valentine Road, Arden Hills.

Metro benefactors aid northern food shelves Corporations and individuals raised about $40,000 for struggling food shelves in northern Minnesota, said Colleen Moriarty, executive director of Hunger Solutions Minnesota.

"These sponsors will provide much-needed resources for our food shelves that are under pressure to increase their capacity to meet the unusual demand for food assistance from middle-class families," she said.

Visits to food shelves in the Arrowhead/Northland region increased 22 percent this year, according to Hunger Solutions figures. Forty percent of food distributed by food banks in Duluth and Crookston feeds children.

Minnesota had 9.5 percent of residents living in households that struggled with hunger last year, up 1.5 percent from 2006, Moriarty said.

Como's New Year's party is 12 hours early Get a head start on celebrating the new year at the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory.

For more information, go to www.comozooconservatory .org.