North news briefs: Bike collection; music at Lyric Arts

Allina Health and Free Bikes 4 Kidz will be collecting donated bicycles from 9 to a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, at hospitals and at clinics across the metro. The bicycles will be distributed in December to kids in need, who also will receive free bicycle helmets and concussion prevention information.

Gently used or new bicycles are being sought. Donation locations in the north metro include: Cambridge Medical Center, 701 S Dellwood St, Cambridge; Mercy Hospital, 4050 Coon Rapids Blvd. NW, Coon Rapids; Unity Hospital, 550 Osborne Rd NE Fridley; Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute — Golden Valley, 3915 Golden Valley Rd,; and Allina Health clinics in Blaine (10705 Town Square Dr. NE); Brooklyn Park (9300 Noble Pkwy N.); Champlin (11269 Jefferson Hwy.); Coon Rapids (9055 Springbrook Dr. NW); Elk River (14181 Business Center Drive NW.); Maple Grove (7840 Vinewood Lane N.); North Branch (38986 14th Av.); Ramsey (7231 Sunwood Drive NW.); Shoreview (4194 Lexington Av. N).

For further information, including a full list of the 47 locations accepting bike donations on Saturday, go to http://allinahealth.org/

Sherwin Linton, a member of multiple music Halls of Fame, including Minnesota's, will bring The Story of Johnny Cash to the Lyric Arts Main Street stage at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15. Linton's appearance is part of Lyric Arts' Music in the 'Burbs series.

Tickets to the show range from $21 to $25 and can be bought by calling the Lyric Arts box office at 763-422-1838 or by going to www.lyricarts.org.

Lyric Arts is located at 420 E. Main St., Anoka.

The Spring Lake Park-Blaine-Mounds View Fire Department will hold an open house from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, at fire station 4, 10290 Lever St. NE, Blaine. Open houses have been held at the department's other three stations over the past two weeks.

• Fire Station 1, 1460 Egret Blvd. Station tours at 10:30, 11, and 11:30 a.m., and kitchen fire demonstrations at 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

• Fire Station 2, 1199 121st Av. NW. Station tours at 10:30, 11 and 11:30 a.m. and rollover simulator demonstrations (showing how seat belts save lives) at 10:15, 10:45, 11:15 and 11:45.

• Fire Station 3, 2831 113th Av. NW. Station tours at 10:30, 11, 11:30 a.m. North Memorial medical helicopter landing at 11 a.m. and fire extinguisher training throughout the morning.

All stations will have cookies, coffee, juice and balloons as well.

Golden Valley's Human Rights Commission will present a mental health awareness program on Thursday, Oct. 9, featuring Ken Barlow, KSTP-TV meteorologist.

Families with autism are invited to an open house on Saturday, Oct. 11, from 2 to 4 p.m., hosted by the Golden Valley police and fire departments and the Autism Society of Minnesota.

The event will be held at the Golden Valley Public Safety building, 7800 Golden Valley Road It will provide an opportunity for families to build relationships with local police officers, firefighters, paramedics and police K-9 units, as well as learning about community autism resources and safety information. For more information, contact the Golden Valley Police Department at 763-593-8079.

The Maple Grove Farmers Market has new hours in October. The market is open from 3-6 p.m. every Thursday afternoon through Oct. 23 at the Maple Grove Community Center, 12951 Weaver Lake Road For more information, go to maplegrovemn.gov or facebook.com/maplegrovefarmersmarket.

A Plymouth church is hosting a domestic abuse healing and memorial service on Thursday, Oct. 9, to honor the 38 victims who died in domestic violence homicides in Minnesota in 2013.

The event is put on by Allina Health and is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church, 12235 Old Rockford Road, in Plymouth.

For more information, call 763-559-2775.

Candidates for the Ramsey City Council will take part in a forum at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 13, at City Hall, 7550 Sunwood Drive NW. The moderator will ask written questions submitted by the audience.

The forum is hosted by the League of Women Voters ABC (Anoka, Blaine, Coon Rapids area). Two candidates are running for an at-large seat, one for First Ward and two for Third Ward, and the league says all five have accepted invitations to take part. The at-large candidates are Wayne Buchholz and Kristine Williams; the Third Ward candidates are Frank Howsmon V and Melody (Hesselgrave) Shryock, and Jill Johns is unopposed in First Ward. The general election is Nov. 4.

The League of Women Voters of Crystal, New Hope and East Plymouth will hold a public information session Wednesday, Oct. 8, on the two levy questions that Robbinsdale Area Schools is putting to voters on Election Day. The forum will take place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Education Service Center, 4148 Winnetka Av. N., New Hope.

The first question is a request to renew the current operating levy, providing about $20 million per year. Approval of this question would not increase current taxes. The second is a request to add a technology levy to increase technology access for students, as well as expand technology for teaching and learning, the district says. Approval of this question would result in a property tax increase of about $7 per month on a $195,000 home.

Further information about the Nov. 4 referendum can be obtained at www.rdale.org or by calling 763-504-8022 or sending an e-mail to referendum@rdale.org.

The University of Minnesota prostate cancer support group will meet from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 9, at Hope Lodge, 2500 University Av. SE., Minneapolis. Progress in prostate cancer research will be the discussion topic; Scott Dehm, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, will be the featured guest. Wives, family and friends are welcome. There is no charge, parking is free, and light refreshments will be served. For information, call 612-388-3588.