Propane barbecue grills will be allowed in some townhouses, after a change in city laws last week.
The new ordinance allows propane barbecue grills on the patios and balconies of side-by-side units in which each unit extends from the foundation to the roof.
Propane grills are not allowed in stacked units, where the apartments are on top of one another, and charcoal grills are forbidden in all multifamily housing units.

JOHN REINAN

PLYMOUTH

City holds family event for New Year's

Plymouth will hold a family-friendly New Year's Eve event on Dec. 31. It will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Plymouth Ice Center and Life Time Fitness and will include swimming, food, an open gym, music, inflatables, skating and entertainment.

The cost is $10 per person if you preregister by Dec. 31, or $13 at the door; the price includes a meal of pizza or hot dogs and a beverage. Children age 2 and younger will be admitted at no charge.

To preregister, call 763-509-5200 or go to plymouthmn.gov.

Luce Line trail hosts candlelight hike

Minnesota state parks and trails will host 35 candlelight events this winter, including one in Plymouth on Jan. 1.

The event, which will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. on the Luce Line State Trail in Plymouth, includes a 1-mile trail lit by candles or luminarias, a bonfire and hot beverages. For more information, call 651-259-5875 or go to mndnr.gov.

WAYZATA

Lake Effect meeting to be held Jan. 12

Wayzata will host a community meeting Jan. 12 to discuss design ideas for its lakefront improvement project.

The meeting, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Wayzata City Hall, will feature discussion of design principles and alternative design ideas for the project. It's being led by Civitas, a Denver-based landscape architecture and urban design firm.

The Lake Effect project, which was approved in March 2014, is a 10-year concept plan for revitalizing Wayzata's lakefront on Lake Minnetonka. The city's downtown is cut off from the Twin Cities' busiest lake by BNSF railroad tracks, so it's working to make the area more accessible and safer for boaters, bikers and other visitors, hoping to boost revenue and tourism.

For more information, go to wayzatalakeeffect.com.

WEST METRO

Cities to host annual Arctic Fever festival

Arctic Fever, the free winter festival hosted by the cities of Shorewood, Tonka Bay and Excelsior, will take place Jan. 15-17.

The annual festival, which began in 2006, includes events each day in each of the three cities, including human bowling on the ice, dog sled rides, ice skating and bonfires. For a schedule of events and details, go to arcticfever.net.

Police report more garage, car break-ins

Several west metro police departments have issued warnings about increases in break-ins of unlocked cars and garages.

Earlier this month, Plymouth police said four thefts of garage door openers from cars had been reported, with thieves opening or attempting to open garage doors to steal items in three of the cases.

Police warned residents not to leave garage door openers in plain sight in a car and to keep car windows and doors locked.

Orono police issued a similar warning at the end of November after police received nine reports of thefts of valuable items from unlocked cars in Mound. Police also reminded residents not to leave items inside cars, and to lock vehicles.

The same happened in Eden Prairie last summer and fall, with police getting reports of nearly 40 car break-ins and garage burglaries.

Hopkins

Jazz musicians to visit Hopkins High School

New Orleans-style jazz musicians are coming to Hopkins High School's BOOST community speaker series in January to talk about the music industry — one part of an ongoing program that gets students thinking about future careers.

Tony Balluff and Charlie DeVore are both local performers — Balluff is a clarinet player with the Minneapolis-based Southside Aces and DeVore is a cornet player with local group Hall Brothers Band.

They'll talk about the music industry and jazz history on Jan. 7. A performance by the Southside Aces will follow their presentation.

BOOST is funded by the Hopkins Education Foundation. Previous speakers have included U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen, Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon and Hennepin County Medical Center Emergency Physician Stephen Dunlop.

The presentations run from 9:09 to 9:49 a.m. during high schoolers' advisory time.

STAFF REPORTS