Town briefs

Annual tree sale The city has 500 trees ready for sale to combat the pesky shrub buckthorn. If you're a Burnsville resident, head to the annual tree sale on Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., or until all trees are sold. The sale will be at the former maintenance facility at 75 Civic Center Pkwy. across the street from City Hall. Residents are limited to two per household. The sale is for residents with identification only.

Sixteen varieties will be offered, including: autumn blaze ash, patmore ash, river birch, whitespire birch, American sentry linden, royal red maple, autumn blaze maple, sienna maple, sugar green mountain maple, mountain ash, spring snow crab, red oak, elm accolade, lilac ivory silk, hackberrry, and swamp white oak. Prices are from $25 to $40 per tree.

JOY POWELL

Bank is recruiting for MS fundraiser Anchor Bank is signing up people for the Christopher & Banks Twin Cities Walk for Multiple Sclerosis at 8 a.m. May 4. Anchor Bank, which sponsors the walk, contributes $25 for each person who signs up and hopes to raise $75,000 this year, said Kristin DeCoster, a bank spokeswoman and MS team captain.

Last year, Anchor, which has 17 metro locations, raised more than $50,000 for MS programs and research. That made the Anchor team of 631 walkers the largest in Minnesota history.

The 6.5-mile walk begins at 8 a.m. Minnehaha Park, 5001 Minnehaha Av. in Minneapolis. A shorter walk begins at 10 a.m. at the same location. Contact the MS Society's Minnesota Chapter at 612-335-7900 to join any team, or go to www.themswalk.org. To join the Anchor team, call DeCoster at Anchor's Apple Valley office, 952-808-8042.

JOY POWELL

New council member will replace Erickson Apple Valley's newest City Council member, Sharon LaComb, will take the oath of office at a City Council meeting Thursday night. The council chose LaComb, 59, to replace Bob Erickson, who died of lung cancer in February.

LaComb, vice president of Dakota County Technical College, was picked over eight other candidates for the job, including Erickson's wife, Ruth.

LaComb, whose appointment lasts until the November election, plans to run to serve the rest of Erickson's term, which goes through 2010.

Construction of liquor store is underway The city broke ground last week on its third municipal liquor store, at the corner of 157th Street and Pilot Knob Road, near the SuperTarget at Cobblestone Lake. The store, budgeted to cost $4.9 million, should be done for the 2008 holiday season.

SARAH LEMAGIE