South metro news briefs: Scott County casinos have 150 job openings

More than 150 jobs are open at two casinos in Scott County, and a job fair for candidates is coming up soon.

The full- and part-time jobs are at Mystic Lake Casino and the nearby Little Six Casino, both run by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community.

The job fair is Nov. 11 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Dakota Development Complex, 2680 154th St. NW. in Prior Lake.

Jobs available include hotel, environmental services, food and beverage, and information technology.

Employee benefits include free access to health clinics and pharmacy, child care and discounted gym membership. The tribe reports that the average worker sticks around for eight years.

Openings are detailed at www.mysticlake.com/employ ment, or call 952-496-6919.

The tribe employs 4,200 people, making it the largest employer in Scott County.

The goal is to widen the number of people who could quickly save and sustain lives in a neighborhood amid a disaster, natural or man-made.

Bloomington, Richfield and Burnsville are the three cities involved.

The training, for persons 16 and up, takes place on a Friday through Sunday: Nov. 15 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., Nov. 16 from 8 to 5 p.m., and Nov. 17 from 8 to 5 p.m.

The site is Bloomington Fire Station No. 1, 10 W. 95th St. It's free for residents of the three cities.

Participants will learn how to prepare ahead of time, how to use a fire extinguisher, how to give disaster-related medical attention, and how to assist first responders.

Cities south of the river are not among the leaders in new homes this year, as 2013 draws to a close.

Data compiled by the Keystone Report for the Builders Association of the Twin Cities shows that places like Maple Grove and Plymouth top the list for new units, while traditional leaders such as Shakopee and Lakeville trail behind.

Metrowide for October, the number of permits for single-family homes was up nearly 40 percent metro-wide over the same month in 2012.

As is becoming routine, Minneapolis leads in units for the year so far, with nearly 2,600, benefiting from a strong market in apartments.

Among suburbs, the top cities include Maple Grove (561 units), Plymouth, Woodbury and Blaine.

Residents of three Dakota County suburbs are invited to recycle old shoes rather than throw them away.

Folks in Burnsville, Apple Valley and Eagan have a one week window for free recycling, coordinated by Dakota Valley Recycling.

Drop-offs will take place from Nov. 11-17 in each community. Shoes can be of any type and in any condition.

They are collected by a firm called USAgain LLC and either reused or turned into new products.

Last year, the program helped keep 11,000 pounds of shoes out of landfills.

• Burnsville Ice Center, 251 Civic Center Pkwy., Burnsville (a container inside the building): Monday to Sunday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

• Apple Valley Community Center, 14603 Hayes Drive, (a container outside).

• Eagan Civic Arena, 3870 Pilot Knob Road (a container inside): Monday to Sunday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

To learn more, call 952-895-4511 or visit www.DakotaVal leyRecycling.org.

Free yoga is being offered this fall at Club Prior, Prior Lake's activity center. Registration is required at www.priorlakerecreation.com.

All levels of expertise are fine, though it's just for ages 18 and over.

The website will ask for a credit-card number, but no charges will be placed on it.

To get more information or register via phone, call 952-447-9820 weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.