North news briefs: Anoka license centers to close early Dec. 24

All Anoka County license centers will close early, at noon, on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, and be closed on Christmas Day, Dec. 25. The county says long lines are expected on Friday, Dec. 26, so it urges people to plan ahead.

In addition, the Anoka County Household Hazardous Waste Facility will be closed on Christmas Eve. The facility is at 3230 101st Av. NE in Blaine, off Radisson Road.

Normal hours from November through March are Wednesday from 2-8 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m.-3 p.m. The facility will be open during its regular hours on Saturday, Dec. 20, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; on Saturday, Dec. 27, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. and on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2-8 p.m. For more information, call Anoka County Integrated Waste Management at 763-323-5730 or visit AnokaCounty.us/recycle.

The city's outdoor skating rinks were scheduled to open by the end of this week, if it's cold enough. You can call the city's skating hot line at 763-717-2709 for updates.

Brooklyn Park is seeking community volunteers to help plan the city's 2015 Tater Daze celebration. The annual festival will take place June 18-21, and volunteers are needed for such committees as programs and entertainment, parade, sports areas and site operations, among others.

General committee meetings will be held the first Tuesday of the month from 7:30-8:30 p.m. at City Hall. Volunteers must be able to work the weekend of the festival.

A volunteer open house is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Jan. 6 in the Brooklyn Township Room at City Hall, 5200 85th Av. No. For further information, call 763-493-8013 or e-mail taterdaze@gmail.com.

In November, Columbia Heights voters approved issuing $7 million in bonds to help pay for the $8.5 million library. The current library is at 820 40th Av. NE., about five or six blocks away from the new site, which the City Council selected at its Dec. 8 meeting.

The city says a "very preliminary" schedule has construction beginning in the fall of 2015 and finishing in the summer of 2016.

A Library Design Task Force is being formed as part of the design process. People interested in serving on it can apply until 4:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19. For an application, go to http://tinyurl.com/kvg7mzk or call the city at (763) 706-3600.

Coon Rapids is seeking volunteers for its first fix-it clinic to be held in January.

Residents will bring in broken lamps, toasters and other household items for repair by a team of skilled volunteers. The clinic will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Jan. 31 at City Hall, 11155 Robinson Dr. in Coon Rapids.

Contact Colleen Sinclair at csinslair@coonrapidsmn.gov or 763-767-6485 with questions or to volunteer.

The Maple Grove Indoor Farmers Market will be extended into the new year this year.

The market will be open Dec. 18 and then, because of customers' interest and more vendors being able to extend the produce season, the market will go into 2015, taking place Jan. 15, Feb. 19 and March 19 at the Maple Grove Community Center. All markets are held from 3-6 p.m. on Thursdays. For more information, go to www.maplegrovefarmersmarket.com or www.facebook.com/maplegrovefarmersmarket.

Health and fitness exhibitors will be on hand for next months' 10th annual Health and Fitness Expo at the New Brighton Community Center. The event is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 10.

Admission is free, and free access to the fitness center will offered that day for people age 18 and over. More than 40 vendors will be present. Activities for kids, door prizes and mini-seminars also will be featured.

New Hope Parks and Recreation is offering a baby-sitters training course for 11- to 15-year-olds Friday, Jan. 2. The course is developed by the American Red Cross and includes activities, videos, role-playing and discussions. Participants will learn how to care for kids and infants, be a good leader and role model, handle emergencies and more.

The class will run from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at New Hope City Hall, 4401 Xylon Av. N. The fee is $75 for New Hope residents and $82 for nonresidents. To register or get more information, call the Parks and Recreation Office at 763-531-5151.