South news briefs: Firearms training offered

Free instruction for young people in firearms and archery is being offered this summer by the Dakota County Gun Club.

Youth shoots will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. the first Saturday of July and August.

Classes are free for youth up to age 16 seeking instruction on .22 rifles, archery and 20-gauge shotguns.

Equipment and ammunition are provided, with one-on-one instruction from certified firearm-safety instructors.

An event for women, "Ladies Day at the Range," is Aug. 16 from noon to 7 p.m. Women get to shoot a variety of firearms, including handguns, rifles, muzzleloading rifles and shotguns. A $10 fee covers equipment, ammunition, hamburgers, hot dogs and beverages.

Another event, "Becoming an Outdoor Woman," will take place Sept. 13 from 1 to 5 p.m. The program will give women a chance to learn about and participate in upland bird hunting.

More information is available at www.dakotacountygunclub.org.

The group performed June 6 at nursing homes and assisted-living facilities in New Prague, Jordan, Belle Plaine, Elko New Market and Shakopee. At each stop it shared the current production, "Some Enchanted Evening — The Songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein." The show includes songs from "The Sound of Music," "Oklahoma!," "Cinderella," "The King and I," "South Pacific" and other musicals.

"The songs brought movement and smiles to residents, and tears to our actors at every stop," said Elise Lundeen, director. "It truly was an amazing day."

For the rest of us, show dates are June 20 at 7:30 p.m., June 21 at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and June 22 at 2 p.m. at New Prague Middle School, 721 Central Av.

Tickets are available at www.generationstheatre.org.

The Shakopee Police Department is inviting everyone to take part in its 11th annual Torch Run next week.

Participants must buy a shirt ($10-$20), with all proceeds going to Special Olympics.

For more information or to buy a shirt in advance, e-mail Sgt. John Buetow at jbuetow@ShakopeeMN.gov.

Shakopee police will take part in a Global Police Tweet-a-thon that gives folks a peek at a police beat on June 27. It's a "virtual ride-along," following police via Twitter (#SPDtweetalong) as they respond to calls. A staffer tweets from a squad car from 4 p.m. to midnight. It's a twice-a-year event involving departments around the world. Shakopee doesn't allow ride-alongs in person.