South metro town briefs

Fire chief retires Fire Chief Keith Wassmund has retired after nine years on the job.

Wassmund, 63, started as a volunteer firefighter and was with the Apple Valley Fire Department for 29 years. He and his wife plan to move into their home by Lake Andrew in New London, Minn.

This will be Wassmund's second retirement; he was a lead mechanic at Northwest Airlines for 33 years.

Firefighters' fundraiser The Apple Valley Firefighters' Relief Association's secret "Booya" will be steaming in cauldrons and doled out to hungry participants at the 30th annual "Booya" fundraiser Sept. 20. The event will feature carnival-type kids' games, games of chance, a silent auction and homemade baked goods for sale. The fundraiser begins at 11 a.m. at Fire Station No. 1, County Road 42 and Hayes Road.

Ames is Fire Muster grand marshal The grand marshal of this year's Burnsville Fire Muster Fire Truck Parade on Saturday is Dick Ames, who has been a supporter of the event and others in Burnsville. Instead of riding in the traditional fire truck, Ames will ride on a wagon pulled by eight Percheron draft horses. Ames is the owner of Ames Construction Inc., which is based in Burnsville. The Ames Percheron Farm is located in Jordan. For more information about the Fire Muster, which begins today, go to www.burnsvillefiremuster.com.

'Downtown Dash' is coming The Downtown Lakeville Business Association will hold its third annual "Downtown Dash - Lakeville 5K" at 9 a.m. Sept. 20. The approximately 3.1-mile run through downtown neighborhoods will begin and end at Pioneer Park Plaza, Holyoke Avenue and 208th Street. Proceeds will go to support the Lakeville Rotary Strive Program, which provides scholarships to students as incentives to finish high school.

The sixth annual Lakeville Art Festival begins at 10 a.m. that day in the Lakeville Area Arts Center.

Harvest Festival A petting farm and a reptile and amphibian zoo are just a couple of the attractions to celebrate Lakeville's annual Harvest Festival Sept. 17. The event, sponsored by the Downtown Lakeville Business Association, will begin at 3:30 p.m. at Pioneer Park Plaza, Holyoke Avenue and 208th Street.

For more information, go to www.downtown lakeville.com or call the office at 952-985-0517.

Jesse James Bike Tour The tour on Saturday touts itself as a bike ride -- not a race -- for both leisurely and serious riders, offering a 10-mile route through city parks and challenging routes of 30, 45, 60 and 100 miles. Riders under 18 are free when they are with an adult. The ride starts at the Northfield Middle School; those taking part in the group start should be there by 8:30 a.m. Information about the tour is available at: jjbiketour.org.

Voting location changes Voters in three Prior Lake precincts for the Sept. 9 primary and Nov. 4 general elections are being reminded that voting locations have recently changed.

Precinct 1, along the southern shore of Prior Lake, north of Highway 13, votes at City Hall.

Precinct 7, an L-shaped area that includes the northern and western borders of the city, votes at Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran.

For maps, go to www.cityofpriorlake.com/election.

Kickball for Heart Association A charity kickball tournament at Erickson Park, organized by a teenager whose father died of a heart attack, raised funds for the American Heart Association. Michael Pelikan, 17, the starting kicker on the Cretin-Derham Hall football team, organized the event, which fielded up to 20 teams, with his sister, Britanee, and their mom, Rose, in memory of Joe Pelikan, 49, who died over Memorial Day weekend. The proceeds, which are still being tallied, will be earmarked for heart awareness.

Express bus changes Express bus service to downtown Minneapolis from the Savage Park & Ride is changing as of Monday.

The number of trips on Route 464 will increase in the evening from five to seven, while Route 460N -- many of whose buses ran at similar times to the 464 -- will no longer serve Savage.

The Savage Park & Ride is at County Road 42 and Huntington Avenue, behind McDonald's. New schedules are at www.mvta.com or are available by calling 952-882-7500.

Agreement with tribe The Scott County board and the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community have agreed on a new four-year deal in which the tribe makes voluntary payments to the county in lieu of taxes.

The agreement calls for annual contributions of $280,000 per year.

The last formal agreement of this kind expired five years ago, officials say, and the last payment -- $225,000 -- arrived in December 2004. Since then, the county has dropped a threat to challenge the tribe's desire to expand its federal trust lands and resolved upon a "new day" in its relationship with the Indian community.

The money will go to road maintenance and administration as well as the sheriff and county attorney for law enforcement costs.

The drive-it-yourself tour aims to remind urbanites of the continued importance of farming and the rural character of Scott County. It includes demonstrations, hands-on activities and educational displays, and this year is centered on the Jordan/Belle Plaine area.

The cost is $12 per car. For more information, call 952-492-5410. For a brochure and map, go to www.extension.umn.edu, follow the link for "Minnesota regional and county offices," and choose Scott County.