West metro briefs: Minnetonka police chief to retire in May

Sebenaler, 53, began his law enforcement career in 1984 in Thief River Falls. He has been with the Minnetonka Police Department since 1990 as an officer, sergeant and captain, and was appointed chief in June 2014.

City officials have yet to determine the process for finding a replacement. The police chief oversees the department, which has 56 officers and an annual budget of $9.4 million.

KELLY SMITH

Preliminary station designs for the Southwest light-rail system have been unveiled by the Metropolitan Council.

The proposed line includes five stations in Minneapolis, three each in St. Louis Park and Hopkins, one in Minnetonka and three in Eden Prairie.

The design for each station is intended to reflect the community in which it's located. For example, materials and colors at the downtown Hopkins station — such as a weathered, steel-like edged canopy — are meant as a nod to the city's industrial past.

To view renderings of all the stations, go to metrocouncil.org/swlrt/stations/.

An open house will be held Monday to discuss road construction slated to begin in April on Interstate 494.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation will be repairing pavement on northbound I-494 between I-394 and I-94/694, and add a third lane on northbound I-494 between Hwy. 55 and I-94/694. It also will build noise walls.

The work is expected to continue through late fall.

MnDOT officials will hold the open house from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Plymouth Library, 15700 36th Av. N. For more details about detours and the project, go to mndot.gov/metro/projects/i494plymouth, or call 1-877-219-4940.

KELLY SMITH

The aim of the project is to expand Vicksburg from two to four lanes between Schmidt Lake Road to County Road 47.

That stretch of Vicksburg will be closed starting Monday to build two bridges: a new pedestrian bridge for the Northwest Greenway and a bridge over the Canadian Pacific Railroad.

For more details, go to plymouthmn.gov/vicksburg/.

KELLY SMITH

Jeff Baill was given the inaugural Volunteer Exceptional Service Award by the U.S. Tennis Association for contributions to local tennis.

Baill is a past president of the association's Northern Section, and also chaired the group's Presidents Committee.

JOHN REINAN

The historic steamboat Minnehaha, a restored early-20th-century boat that annually sails on Lake Minnetonka and serves as a living museum of the lake, is looking for volunteers to help with events on and off the vessel.

The Museum of Lake Minnetonka will host a volunteer fair at 6:30 p.m. on April 7, 37 Water St., Excelsior, to enlist volunteers to work as captains, craftsmen, engineers and event managers.

The nonprofit museum owns and operates the boat, which was originally built in 1906.

The boat, an extension of the former Twin Cities streetcar line, was deemed obsolete in 1926 and purposely sunk near Big Island. But crews discovered and resurrected it in 1980, and after restoration it began offering cruises in 1996. It now draws nearly 10,000 visitors a year.

For more information about volunteering, go to steamboatminnehaha.org/.

KELLY SMITH