West metro briefs: Lake Minnetonka Conservation District seeks interim director

The Lake Minnetonka Conservation District is accepting applications until March 31 for an interim executive director, who will start April 18 and replace longtime leader Greg Nybeck.

The Legislature created the conservation district for the Twin Cities' largest and most popular lake in 1967 to regulate its use on matters such as docks, speed limits and quiet water areas. Rules are enforced by the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office.

The conservation district, which has a budget this year of $570,366, is partly publicly funded by a levy of property taxes from the 14 cities on the lake.

Nybeck and the conservation district's board of directors approved a separation agreement in February. He will be on paid administrative leave from April 29 to Oct. 31.

The interim executive director will help with the search for a permanent replacement.

For more details, go to lmcd.org.

Kelly Smith

The Three Rivers Park District this month discussed the proposed $160,000 safety improvements to the Dell Road crossing, which will include a shorter crosswalk, a place for pedestrians to wait to cross in the middle of the four-lane road and better ways to alert drivers to pedestrians.

The construction work, which is expected to start in September or October, will realign the trail crossing to make it perpendicular to the road, expand the median, and install rapid flashing beacons and pedestrian-level lighting.

Half of the funding for the project is from a Hennepin County grant; the other half is split between the park district and the city of Eden Prairie.

The construction work is expected to wrap up by winter.

Kelly Smith

The General Educational Development test, or GED, is equivalent to a high school diploma. It consists of four tests: science, mathematical reasoning, social studies and reasoning through language arts.

Licensed teachers will help prepare a personalized study plan for each student.

The program is located in the Sandburg Learning Center, 2400 Sandburg Lane, Golden Valley.

For more information, call Theresa Zingery at 763-504-8301.

John Reinan

The program will begin at 9 a.m. in the theater at the Hopkins Center for the Arts.

The board's chair typically uses the address to lay out the county's achievements and map a course for the coming year.

Kelly Smith

An app created by Burnsville High School students has won U.S. Rep. John Kline's Congressional App Challenge, held earlier this month.

Junior Emma Hakanson and sophomore Fiona Chow built "Birdsong," an app intended to enhance the bird-watching experience with interactive information about a variety of Minnesota birds.

"Our students of today are tomorrow's innovators and it is encouraging to see what Minnesota's best and brightest have to offer."

The App Challenge was created to encourage science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills among students nationwide.

High school students compete within their congressional districts, and winners have their apps posted on the U.S. House of Representatives website and displayed at the U.S. Capitol.