South news briefs: Nature Fest Saturday at McColl Pond

Nature Fest 2015, sponsored by Savage Parks and Recreation, will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at McColl Pond Environmental Learning and Event Center, 13550 Dakota Av. S.

Activities include outdoor yoga, a nature scavenger hunt, birdhouse building, nature presentations and canoeing. The event also will include refreshments and a free sapling for those bringing a nonperishable food item to be donated to the local food shelf.

A workshop on "Maintaining Your Native Prairie" will be held from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Scott County Conservation Center (fairgrounds) in Jordan.

The workshop will answer questions such as, "How do you maintain your native prairie?" and "When and why should you burn native prairie?"

After the workshop, there will be a field trip to a nearby prairie for a burn. The event is sponsored by the Scott Soil and Water Conservation District, Scott Watershed Management Organization, Shooting Star Native Seed, Applied Ecological Services, Minnesota Native Landscapes, Prairie Land Management Professionals and Zumbro Valley Native Landscapes.

To register, go to www.scottswcd.org/workshops or call 952-492-5425.

Volunteer attorneys will be available to talk to people with general questions about Family Court from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday at the Scott County Law Library, 200 4th Av. W. in Shakopee.

Clinics are held the second Monday of every month, except holidays.

The Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota will talk about the most recent scams targeting seniors, tips on protecting yourself and your loved ones, and resources for where to report scams at an event from 10 to 11 a.m. today at Club Prior, 16210 Eagle Creek Av. SE.

Thirty-five percent of all fraud victims are seniors, the BBB said. The agency said it wants to help seniors maintain their financial independence through knowledge of how to identify and avoid common scams. Such scams include grandparent scams, romance scams, lottery and sweepstakes scams, and financial and investment scams. The program is free; no registration is required.

Teachers from two Spanish immersion programs will read stories in Spanish from 7 to 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Prior Lake Library, 16210 Eagle Creek Av. SE. The event is free and open to all ages of children and their parents or guardians. No registration is required.

Forest conservation issues will be the topics of Monday's presentation at the Three Rivers Environmental Education for Seniors (TREES) program at Cleary Lake Regional Park, 18106 Texas Av. in Prior Lake.

Learn to use a stand-up paddleboard at a class to be held from 5 to 7 p.m. May 22 at Cleary Lake Regional Park, 18106 Texas Av. in Prior Lake.

Equipment will be provided. Reservations are required. The park's website cautions that the paddleboards available at Three Rivers Park District have a manufacturer's recommended weight limit of 220 to 250 pounds. Beginners at or above that weight may have trouble standing or balancing on the boards. The cost is $35 to $36. Register at http://tinyurl.com/q4p9j6l.

The Elko New Market Friends of the Library will hold its spring book sale May 15-16 at the library, 110 J. Roberts Way.

The sale will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 15 and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 16. Fiction, nonfiction, young adult, junior fiction, children's books, audio books, videos and DVDs will be available. If you have items to donate to the same, bring them to the library through May 13.