West metro town briefs

Absentee ballots are available as of Friday Hennepin County residents who need to cast an absentee ballot on Nov. 4 can get the ballot beginning Friday.

Absentee ballots can be used if illness, disability or religious observances prevent you from getting to a polling place or if you'll be away from home that day.

Applications and absentee ballots are available at city offices, and applications are on the Hennepin County website at www.hennepin.us/elections.

Absentee voters are urged to apply soon to have enough time to get the ballot and mail it back so it is received by 3 p.m. on Election Day. Ballots also can be dropped off at your city office no later than 5 p.m. on the evening before Election Day.

City offices also will be open especially for absentee voting on Nov. 1, the Saturday before Election Day.

For more voting information, call your local city clerk or the Hennepin County elections division at 612-348-5151.

Edina city liquor stores are holding food drive Edina's city-run liquor stores will run a food drive during October. Customers are asked to bring nonperishable canned goods or dry food donations to any one of Edina Liquor's three stores.

Customers who donate will receive a 10 percent discount on their purchases, excluding product specials or close-out items.

Library to show off work by disabled artists Art Abilities Gallery, an exhibit featuring the work of artists with physical or developmental disabilities, will open at noon Sunday at the Ridgedale Library, 12601 Ridgedale Dr., Minnetonka.

A preopening reception for the artists and their families as well as the public is scheduled for 11 a.m. to noon in the library's first-floor atrium.

The exhibit is a collaborative effort by the library and eight area nonprofit organizations that provide services for people with disabilities. The groups sought artwork from about 4,200 Minnesotans with disabilities with whom they work.

Hundreds of paintings and photographs were submitted, and about 40 pieces will be displayed during regular library hours.

• State House seats 42A and 42B, 7 p.m. Thursday, Eden Prairie City Hall, 8080 Mitchell Road.

• Candidates for State Districts 33A, 33B, 43A and 43B, and for Hennepin County commissioner, District 7, 7-9 p.m. Tuesday, Plymouth City Hall, 3400 Plymouth Blvd.

• Shorewood city candidates forum, 7-9 p.m. Oct. 8, South Shore Center, 5735 Country Club Road, Shorewood.

• Greenwood city candidates, 7-9 p.m. Oct. 14, City Hall, 20225 Cottagewood Road, Deephaven.

• Medina City Council candidates, 7-8:30 p.m. Oct. 16, Medina Community Center, 3200 Mill Drive, Medina.

The forums are open to the public, with questions to be submitted in writing by the audience. They also will be rebroadcast on community access cable TV. For more information on voting in your city, go to vote.lwvmn.org.

Gala Thursday aids breast cancer fight The Hope Chest for Breast Cancer will sponsor its sixth annual fall gala, "A Night of Denim & Diamonds," from 6 to 11 p.m. Thursday at the EPIC Event Center, 110 N. 5th St. in Minneapolis.

The event will feature a cocktail party, live music by the KGB band, and live and silent auctions.

For information on tickets, call 952-471-8700, ext. 17, or go to www.hopechest.us/currentEvents.

Cleanup targets buckthorn in park Carver County is seeking help from residents to remove buckthorn from 10 a.m. until noon on Saturday at Lake Minnewashta Regional Park, on Hwy. 41 between Hwy. 5 and Hwy. 7 in Chanhassen.

Participants should gather between 9:30 and 10 a.m. at the nature parking lot next to boat access No. 1 at Lake Minnewashta Regional Park.

For more information, call 952-466-5250.

Kline and Sarvi will be at forum on Oct. 13 The Greater Carver Country Chambers of Commerce will sponsor a 2nd Congressional District forum between candidates John Kline and Steve Sarvi at 1:30 p.m. Oct. 13 at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum's MacMillan Auditorium.

Reservations are suggested. Chamber members may attend for free; others will be charged $10 each.

Lake Minnetonka, creek are lecture's focus "Lake Minnetonka and Minnehaha Creek: A Story in Pictures" will be presented at 3 p.m. Sunday at the South Shore Community Center, 5735 Country Club Road, Shorewood.

West Lutheran High to hold dinner, auction West Lutheran High School is planning its annual dinner and auction on Oct. 11 at the school, 3350 Harbor Lane in Plymouth.

A silent auction will begin at 5 p.m., a buffet dinner at 6 p.m. and a live auction at 7 p.m. Funds raised will go into a tuition assistance fund and to upgrade classroom technology.