South news briefs: Winter Fest is coming to Lions Park in Shakopee

Winter Fest is coming to Lions ParkShakopee is borrowing the name from Savage for a new cold-weather event.

While Savage's Winterfest is more of a holiday event downtown, Shakopee's Winter Fest, two words, will have more of a parks focus.

The city's parks department is sponsoring the free event from 4 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 10, at Lions Park and the Youth Building, 1101 Adams St. S.

Activities include recreational skating, skate races, music, horse-drawn wagon rides, a bonfire and treats.

City seeks applicants for various boardsResidents of Shakopee may apply for openings on several city boards and commissions. Openings include:

Planning Commission (one seat); Park and Rec (two seats); Public Utilities (two); Police Civil Service (one); Environmental (two); Telecommunications (two); Historic Preservation (one); Transit (two), and Economic Development (three).

Applications are available online and at City Hall. They are due by Jan. 30. A panel will meet with each applicant, and the City Council will make appointments Feb. 19. Newly appointed members will start in March.

Mental health class offered for familiesScott County's chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness will offer a free class again this winter for people whose friends and family suffer from depression and other disorders.

The 12-week offering is aimed at family members, partners and friends of people who are bipolar, have schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, borderline personality disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder. It's taught by a team of volunteers who know what it is like.

Classes take place at the Savage library, 13090 Alabama Av. S., from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesdays starting Feb. 13. Registration is required; there's a limit of 25.

To register, call 952-890-1669.

Street reconstruction plans outlined in videoBurnsville has posted a pair of videos online about its street reconstruction plans and practices.

Another covers 2013 street projects and is called "Extreme Makeover: Street Edition" at youtu.be/68xJhmYUz M8.

To learn more or to sign up for e-mail updates, go to www.burnsville.org/streetre con.

Workshops for owners of small farm acreagesThe University of Minnesota is offering workshops for owners of small farms and acreage lots or folks who dream of being in that situation.

The Living on the Land Workshop Series is an eight-week course addressing soil, plant, water and animal basics.

It covers topics such as protecting water quality, what to do about weeds, and lawn and pasture maintenance. It includes a farm tour.

• Gaylord, at the Sibley County Service Center, Monday evenings from Feb. 4 to March 25;

• Northfield, at the Northfield Community Resource Center, Thursday evenings from March 7 to April 25.

Both are scheduled from 6 to 9 p.m., with light meals provided. Early registration is $175 until Jan. 28 for the Gaylord location and until Feb. 28 for Northfield. After that it's $200.

Each registration is valid for up to two people representing a single farm who will share materials. It also entitles you to soil tests and a site visit from an expert.

To learn more about the Gaylord series, call 507-237-4100 or e-mail schu0944@umn.edu. For the Northfield series, call 507-332-6109 or e-mail donne099@umn.edu.

Courses set for EMTs, first respondersThe Shakopee tribe is offering six courses starting next month for emergency services personnel and the general public.

Classes are in the training room of the tribe's fire station across from Mystic Lake Casino.

Three Emergency Medical Technician refresher courses will be offered at a cost of $275. Classes are from late February to late March.

Three first responder refresher courses are scheduled for $176 during the same time frame.

For details, call 952-233-1077 or visit mdfire.org/education/class-registration.