South news briefs: Scotch tasting at LeDuc Historic Estate in Hastings

A Bottom of the Barrel Scotch Tasting will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. June 19 at the LeDuc Historic Estate, 1629 Vermillion St. in Hastings.

For $30 apiece, people will be able to sample five drams of scotch and nibble on food. Stories will be told about the history and distilling varieties. A bagpiper will play tunes, and the New Pearl Buttons, the LeDuc house band, will perform. Reservations are required and are expected to go quickly. Call 651-438-8480.

The Hastings Park and Recreation commission is planning to rename the East Rink at the Hastings Civic Arena and is open to suggestions from the public.

Those who submit a name should provide some context explaining why the name is fitting. The commission will ultimately forward the final recommendation to the City Council.

To submit a name, please send it to cjenkins@hastingsmn.gov or to Chris Jenkins at 920 W. 10th St., Hastings, MN 55033.

Have a garden quandary? A Dakota County master gardener will be available starting at 6 p.m. Tuesday to answer questions or identify samples of weeds, fruits, vegetables, trees, shrubs, turf or insects.

The "diagnostic clinic" will be at the Galaxie Library, 14950 Galaxie Av. in Apple Valley.

Burnsville residents with large or bulky items such as appliances and furniture to get rid of will have a chance to do just that this week by leaving them on the curb.

But first, they must call Buckingham Companies at 952-226-6441 by 2 p.m. the day before their weekly garbage collection to schedule pickup and arrange payment. Pickup will be on the same day as the regular weekly garbage collection.

Preschoolers and their parents are invited to a weekly "Thursday Rockin' Lunch Hour" from 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. starting this Thursday.

The performances, appropriate for preschool audiences, will run throughout the summer at Nicollet Commons Park, 12550 Nicollet Av. S. Before the music, which starts at noon, elementary school principals will read books to the children.

The series is sponsored by School District 191 and the city of Burnsville.

A hands-on workshop on Google Docs will be held from 6:15 to 8:15 p.m. Tuesday at the Burnhaven Library, 1101 W. County Road 42.

Google Docs offers documents, spreadsheets, forms, presentations and drawings, and allows for collaboration among users. Participants will learn to create, manipulate and manage documents. The only prerequisite is basic Internet knowledge.

The workshop is sponsored by Twin Cities Media Alliance. To register, go to Library Programs at www.co.dakota.mn.us/library.

Young people ages 12 to 18 are invited to join members of the Farmington Library's Teen Advisory Group on Monday for a teen-led discussion of books and reading.

The book discussion group will begin at 6 p.m. at the library, 508 3rd St.

At 7 p.m., a Teen Advisory Group meeting will be held for those interested in joining. The group recommends books and music, helps plan programs and participates in community events and projects.

The Friends of the Mississippi River organization will host a rain-barrel workshop on June 16 at the Dakota County Fairgrounds.

Participants will learn about how lawn and garden practices affect the local watershed and then convert a donated 55-gallon syrup container into a rain barrel. The cost is $40 for materials.

Early registration is encouraged. Go to www.fmr.org and check the listing of upcoming events.

Basic supplies will be provided for anybody who would like to learn to knit at an event at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Farmington Library, 508 3rd St.

Help will also be provided with UFOs — unfinished objects.

Rosemount Mayor Bill Droste and officials from the Dakota County Community Development Agency will give brief remarks at the groundbreaking for Cambrian Commons senior housing project from 3 to 4 p.m. Thursday.

The ceremony will be at the construction site at the intersection of S. Robert Trail and Lower 147th Street West.

Cambrian Commons, for adults 55 and older, will be a 60-unit building with a mix of one- and two-bedroom units and will be smoke-free. It will include a community room with kitchen, club room, exercise room, screened porch, laundry facilities, storage lockers, elevator, secured entrances and on-site caretaker.

For more information about the senior housing program visit www.dakotacda.org/seniorhousing_program.htm.

Pat Pheifer