South news briefs: Genealogy workshop in Shakopee

How to investigate those ancestorsGenealogy 101 is the name of a workshop aimed at those who want to learn more about family history but haven't a clue where to start.

Genealogist Betty Dols will introduce you to census schedules; records to be found in courthouses and churches; naturalization records that often identify an ancestral village, and going online to do research.

The $15 class takes place Saturday, Jan. 19, from 10 a.m. to noon. Call 952-445-0378 or e-mail info@scottcountyhistory.org to learn more.

The Scott County Historical Society is located at 235 Fuller St. S. in Shakopee.

Advice for farmers on using manureLunch will be provided to anyone wishing to attend a meeting next Tuesday at Hillcrest Cafe in Norwood devoted to the use of manure.

Speakers will address how placement of nutrients used for commercial fertilizers can be adapted for manure. Fertilizer prices are rising, and experts say that switching to manure can help when it comes to nutrient runoff getting into bodies of water.

Registration starts at 9:30 a.m. and the free workshop is at 10.

To register or learn more, call the University of Minnesota's Sibley County Extension Office 507-237-4100 or e-mail schu0944@umn.edu

Tribe gives historic group a $50,000 grantIn the latest sign of a thaw between the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community and its neighbors to its west, the tribe has given the Scott County Historical Society a $50,000 gift.

The society said it expects to use the money to create a new exhibit and archival and storage space, as well as to redesign its entryway, among other things.

In a written statement, the society's leaders said they are "grateful for this generous grant and look forward to working with the [tribe] to preserve and share the history and cultural heritage of Scott County."

Christmas tree pickups: $5.50Residents of Shakopee can have Christmas trees picked up on their trash day through the middle of January if they call ahead.

Call 952-469-5161 to make arrangements. Strip off decorations, the city advises, and don't Christmas trees out in a bag.

Fresh interest shown in historic depotSeveral prospects are interested in the Depot space downtown, the former train depot that has been converted into a coffee shop and wine bar.

Two tenants have tried in recent years to make something work within the historic space, but have been troubled by various issues, most recently road construction that diminished access from Hwy. 13.

A property broker working with the city may attend an informal work session with council members Jan. 22, after the regular meeting, to recommend a tenant for the space, according to a city memo.

'Large, unique' playground envisionedSavage's parks commission favors a "large, unique playground" for kids ages 5 to 12 at Community Park as the city continues to mull possible uses for its gift from the Shakopee tribe.

The tribe has said that it prefers capital projects -- building or buying something solid and lasting -- versus putting the money into a checking account to cover routine operating expenses.

Savage's parks group "also discussed using the proceeds to complete trails and pavilions on the 16-acre parcel north of the [same] park," according to a memo to City Council members.