South news briefs

Dracula salutes donors There's a Dracula-themed blood drive coming up in Shakopee.

In conjunction with performances of the play "Dracula," the River Valley Theater Company and the American Red Cross are inviting folks to Shakopee Junior High on Nov. 5 from 2:30 to 7:30 p.m. Donors will meet cast members, including Dracula himself.

The play is being presented at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and Nov. 4-6 and at 8 p.m. Sunday and Nov. 7, at the junior high. To learn more, call Mary Jorissen at 952-868-8832 or e-mail teachermaj@comcast.net .

TV treats on Halloween Savage Community TV is offering an evening of "oldie sci-fi and horror flicks to keep spines tingling on Halloween." The B-movie marathon starts at 6 p.m. Sunday and runs into the wee hours, and it will include the 1960 version of "The Little Shop of Horrors."

Thursday is Safety Day Safety tips of all kinds will be available at Dakota County's Northern Service Center on Thursday.

The Safety Day event, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the atrium, will include information about CPR and immunizations and opportunities to purchase radon kits. The Northern Service Center is at 1 W. Mendota Road, West St. Paul.

For more information, contact Lauren Baillargeon at 651-438-8361 or lauren.baillargeon@co.dakota.mn.us.

The volunteers are needed to help set up and light luminaries, tend campfires, assist with registration, make s'mores and other tasks.

For more information, contact Krista Jensen at 651-554-6534 or by e-mail at krista.jensen@co.dakota.mn.us.

Halting oak wilt Prior Lake is warning residents of the spread of oak wilt, a fatal tree disease, and offering an online video and a brochure.

The disease, its symptoms, how to protect your trees, and how to prevent further spread are all topics covered in a video that's being screened on local cable and can be found on the city website, www.cityofpriorlake.com. The brochure is at www.city ofpriorlake.com/documents/DiseasedTreeFlier.pdf.

Anyone seeing trees with symptoms should call 952-447-9892, and an inspector will check it out.

Haven't got a Clue? The Scott County Historical Society invites you to a Clue tournament on the afternoon of Nov. 6.

The event, which starts at 1 p.m., involves a small fee but includes beverages, snacks and prizes. It's in conjunction with the society's "Mysteries of Scott County" exhibit.

For more information, call 952-445-0378 or e-mail info@ scottcountyhistory.org. The society is located at 235 S. Fuller St., Shakopee.