West metro news briefs: Ridgeway to speak to GOP Seniors

Paul Ridgeway, host of "On the Way with Ridgeway" on Salem Media's AM 980, will be the featured speaker at Republican Seniors of Minnesota's luncheon Aug. 4.

The event begins at 10 a.m. at Poor Richard's Commonhouse, 8301 Normandale Blvd., in Bloomington. It will include Ridgeway discussing "How (and Why) a Moderate Democrat Changed to a Conservative Republican," followed by Frank Mendez, president of the Minnesota Hispanic Republican Assembly, on "What Hispanics Really Think About Border Security, Sanctuary Cities and Donald Trump."

The lunch costs $6-$11 per person; participants can attend just for the speakers for $3.

The city is seeking residents to fill a vacant seat on the Parks Commission, serving a term until Dec. 31, 2016.

The commission is a volunteer recommending body to the City Council. It has seven members and meets the fourth Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Church by the River.

Applications are available at City Hall or online at cityofcarver.com. The deadline for applications is Aug 14.

Applicant interviews with the City Council are scheduled for the evening of Sept. 8. For additional information, contact Kristy Mock at 952-448-5353.

To earn the accreditation, which lasts for five years, the center completed a self-study process, measuring the program and its services against 10 early childhood program standards and more than 400 related accreditation criteria.

For more information on the center, go to OurSaviorSchool.org.

The Minnetrista City Council recently recommended that the city pursue plans for a decentralized water treatment system estimated to cost about $17 million.

Preliminary plans for the project, which would include two water treatment plants, a water-main connection, wells and a water tower were developed by Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc.(S.E.H.), a St. Paul engineering firm hired earlier this as a consultant for the project.

S.E.H. will work with city staff on a final plan for the council to consider. Representatives of the firm told the council that construction of the two plants could begin this November and be completed in December 2016.

"Despite our great schools, too many kids in our community are not meeting educational benchmarks that position them for success in school and in life," said LaDonna Hoy, Executive Director at IOCP. "These are our kids. They are great kids, from hardworking families. The Wayzata and Orono school districts are great school districts, eager to work with our community to ensure that each and every child is provided a strong start and opportunities to succeed in school all along the way."

A light lunch will be served. The event is free, but attendees are asked to register at www.iocp.ejoinme.org/GE2015.

Blue Water Theatre Company of Wayzata will present the musical "Big Fish" on July 30, July 31 and Aug. 1.

The shows will take place at Wayzata Central Middle School at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 30, and Friday, July 31, and 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 1.

Tickets cost $11 for students and $16 for adults and are available at the door starting one hour before each performance or in advance at bluewatertheatre.com/buy-tickets/.

Meetings will take place at 11:45 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 1, at the Edina Library, Linden Hills Park in Minneapolis and Immanuel Lutheran Church in Eden Prairie. Meetings also will be held from 6-8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 3, at the Wayzata Library and from 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4, at the Maple Grove Library.

All of the meetings will feature a national conference call with Sam Daley-Harris, the CEO of the Center for Citizen Empowerment and Transformation. For a list of other Minnesota meetings and locations, go to citizensclimatelobby-mn.org.