West news briefs: Arboretum to present '10 Plants that Changed Minnesota'

Arboretum to present '10 Plants that Changed Minnesota'The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum will present "10 Plants that Changed Minnesota" in a lecture series beginning Thursday and continuing through Nov. 15.

This series is part of a University of Minnesota freshman seminar, Horticulture 190, but the public is invited to join in weekly discussions on each of the 10 plants that changed Minnesota.

The sessions will meet from 7-8:30 p.m. every Thursday and will provide an understanding of how these plants influenced our economy, culture, health and environment.

Here's a lineup of the speakers and the plants they will cover:

• Thursday: White pine and its ubiquitous use on construction, with professor Alan Ek.

• Sept. 20: Purple loosestrife, a garden ornamental that's become "the poster child for invasive plants," with associate professor Neil Anderson.

• Sept. 27: Wild rice, which determined early human settlement of Minnesota, with speakers Ervin Olke, an emeritus professor, and Beth Nelson, executive director of the Minnesota Cultivated Wild Rice Council.

• Oct. 11: Soybean, a relatively new crop that has many uses, with associate professor Seth Naeve.

• Oct. 18: Wheat, which built the city of Minneapolis, with professor James Anderson.

• Oct. 25: Corn, a food that has come to be used as a fuel, with professor Jeffrey Coulter.

• Nov. 1: Apples, from Wealthy to Haralson and Honeycrisp, with research scientist and apple breeder David Bedford.

• Nov. 8: Alfalfa, a major source of forage for dairy cows and sheep, with professor Craig Sheafer.

Admission to all 10 lectures is $65 for Arboretum members and $77 for non-members. Call 952-443-1422 or visit www.arboretum.umn. edu/gardening.aspx for more information or to register.

Finally, a name for your neighborhoodEdina residents are invited to the final community meeting on proposed neighborhood names and boundaries tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the Edina Senior Center, 5280 Grandview Square.

The proposed map is the culmination of months of work by a volunteer committee that took suggestions from residents about how to divide the city up into neighborhoods.

The project aims to increase communication between the city and residents by creating local contacts in small areas. Residents in those areas also could form neighborhood associations if they wanted to.

Residents who can't make it to the meeting can share feedback at www. SpeakUpEdina.org.

The sessions are from 9:45 to 11:30 a.m. on Thursday at the Edina Library and Saturday at Edina City Hall.

Panelists include retired Edina High School teacher Lonni Skrentner, Ann Higgins of the Minnesota League of Cities, Edina City Clerk Deb Mangen, Edina Southview Middle School teacher Claude Sigmund, and the league's Debby McNeil.

For more information, go to LWVEdina.org or contact LWVEdina@gmail.com.

Church hosts marriage amendment discussionA Crystal church is hosting a discussion Thursday about the state marriage amendment up for a vote Nov. 6.

First Lutheran Church of Crystal will host the "Respectful Conversation on the Marriage Amendment" from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at 7708 62nd Av. N. The program is sponsored by the Minnesota Council of Churches.

Cable shows have temporary place to goPublic access TV show producers now have a temporary place to tape and edit after the only southwest metro TV studio closed at the end of August.

The Eden Prairie studio was shut down after Comcast, which had run it, no longer wanted to do so. Comcast turned it over to the Southwest Suburban Cable Commission. The commission decided it had outdated 1990s equipment and produces far too few programs for its audience in Edina, Eden Prairie, Hopkins, Minnetonka and Richfield. In 2009, producers made 164 programs versus 954 programs that were pre-produced outside the studio.

Now the 11 producers who have done shows in the last year won't have to shut them down. The commission reached an agreement with the Lake Minnetonka Cable Commission to let the producers use the Lake Minnetonka public access studio space and editing equipment from Sept. 1 through Dec. 31.

The studio is located at 4071 Sunset Drive in Spring Park.

Grants to improve Bass Lake shorelineThe city of Plymouth is looking to partner with residents along Bass Lake to renovate the shoreline and improve the lake's water quality.

The effort comes after the city has done several other initiatives since 2008 including enhanced street sweeping and more rain gardens to reduce the amount of nutrients flowing into the lake. To learn more about the project, go to www.plymouthmn.gov/greenup or call 763-509-5527.

Fire department plans 5K and fun runThe Plymouth Fire Department will hold its 8th Annual 5K Run/Walk and Kids Fun Run on Sept. 29 as a benefit for the Plymouth Firefighters Relief Association.

The 5K will start at 9 a.m., with registration and check-in beginning at 7:30 a.m. The run begins at Plymouth Fire Station II, 12000 Old Rockford Rd., and follows neighborhood streets through 3.1 miles of gently rolling terrain.

Entry fee is $20 by Sept. 14; after that it is $25. Online registration is available through active.com, event No. 2024416.

The free Kids Fun Run begins at 10 a.m., with options for either a half or full mile.

Arboretum sponsors clean water summitThe 2012 Clean Water Summit will be held Thursday at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.

Conducted in cooperation with the Minnehaha Watershed District, the summit this year will emphasize the multiple benefits of soil and its role in clean water management.

The session, scheduled for 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., will assemble water resource managers, planners, designers, engineers, soil scientists and the public to learn how preserving healthy soil is critical for reducing stormwater runoff.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has rated that more than 1,774 bodies of water in the state as impaired, including 647 lakes and 388 rivers. Runoff from streets and yards is a major source of pollution, and the collective wisdom now is to let as much of that water as possible soak in where it falls, leaving it to the earth to screen out the pollutants.

To register or get more information, visit www.arboretum. umn.edu, call 952-443-1422 or e-mail ArbEdu@umn.edu. Registration fee is $50 for Arboretum members and $60 for non-members.

The Chaska Town Course will host the event. The double shotgun start times are 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Registration fee is $100 for 18 holes of golf, including a cart and a 1 p.m. lunch. You may also participate in only the lunch for $20.

Corporate sponsorships are available. For more information, contact Matt Podhradsky at 952-227-7523.

For more information about the Chaska Cares Golf Classic, call the Town Course at 952-443-3748, or to register online go to www.chaskatowncourse.com and go to the Golf-Tournament tab.

Senior co-op plans open house Sept. 22Valley View Cooperative of Eden Prairie will provide a look at what cooperative living is all about with an open house from 10 a.m.-noon Sept. 22.

Tours will be available of single-level living in one- and two-bedroom units with 12 different floor plans. Share prices start at $36,000 and include amenities such as a woodworking shop, library, exercise room, guest rooms and garden plots, as well as social gatherings and other activities.

Valley View Cooperative is located at 10785 Valley View Road in Eden Prairie.

Pancreatic cancer group hosts bike rideThe Twin Cities Affiliate of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is hosting an annual biking fundraiser this weekend, aiming to raise $350,000 for the national organization.

PurpleRide Twin Cities 2012 will take place Saturday at Elm Creek Regional Park, 12400 James Deane Parkway, Maple Grove.

Registration begins at 8 a.m. The 8-mile ride begins at 10 a.m. and a 25-mile ride begins at 8:30 a.m.; an 8-mile scenic challenge loop will be available during both routes. Following the races, there will be family activities, raffles and a closing ceremony. To register, go to www.purpleride.org.

The event was started seven years ago by Dave and Dan Breitenbucher, who rode their bikes from coast to coast to honor their mother who died from pancreatic cancer. It has since become an annual event. To learn more about the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, go to www.pancan.org.

The chorus performs two major concerts each year along with numerous outings. It has traveled and competed internationally at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in Llangollen, Wales, and at the Salzburg Music Competition in Salzburg, Austria.

For more information, call Carole Birch at 952-473-8029.

Aire Serv opens new west metro locationLocal resident Terrance Hanley recently opened an Aire Serv location in Minnetonka, joining one of more than 170 franchises for the heating and air conditioning company.

It's the fourth to open in the metro area and the seventh in Minnesota. The business opened Sept. 3.

TowerLight to open for seniors in NovemberThe senior housing market will get a new entry in November with TowerLight due to open in St. Louis Park, and guests are invited to a free social from 5-7 p.m. Thursday to get acquainted with the staff and the complex.

TowerLight offers both independent and assisted-living to residents, including 32 memory-care units, six care suites, and 75 independent living units, with optional home services for those who want to add additional care over time.

For additional information, go to www. towerlightsenior.com or call 952-881-6322.