West news briefs: Eden Prairie police collecting unused medications

Plymouth will celebrate the opening of a new park, Fairway Greens, on Aug. 25.

The city's open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening will take place at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 25 at the park, 15455 55th Av. N. The new 6.33-acre park was part of the former Hampton Hills Golf Course fairway and now includes a playground, basketball half-court, shaded shelter with picnic tables, a putting green, gardens, green space and other park furnishings. The park also includes trails, which connect to adjacent neighborhoods and multiple city and regional trails.

To try to combat the spread of prescription painkiller abuse and heroin use, the Eden Prairie Police Department is offering free medication disposal bags for residents to dispose of unused medications.

The new program, sponsored by the Eden Prairie Crime Prevention Fund, will have medication disposal bags available for pickup Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the police department's front desk located at 8080 Mitchell Road.

The program was started because of the dramatic increase in heroin use in the Twin Cities over the past few years. People who become heroin addicts often start by taking prescribed painkillers. For more information, go to edenprairie.org.

The machines and the crowd will roar on Saturday, Aug. 23, when the Corcoran Lions Club presents the NTPA Championship tractor pull at the Corcoran Lions Park, at 20121 County Rd. The event, which begins at 7 p.m., will feature super farm tractors, pro farm tractors, pro stock semis, four-wheel-drive truck and other mighty machines. Admission is $15 for those 13 and over, $5 for children ages 5 to 12 and free to children under 4.

For more information, go to www.ntpapull.com.

The event will take place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 13 at Minnetonka Public Works at 11522 Minnetonka Boulevard. Bikes, carpet, fluorescent bulbs, furniture and other items will be accepted, some for a fee. For a full list of items and fees, go to eminnetonka.com. No garbage, household hazardous waste or electronics will be accepted. The city's next drop-off day isn't until June 2015.

Interested in helping restore the native prairie?

Join other volunteers from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 2, at the Elm Creek Park Reserve in Maple Grove or during the same time frame Saturday, Sept. 6, at Crow-Hassan Park Reserve in Rogers. The volunteers will help park staffers collect hundreds of pounds of wildflower seed for prairie restoration and enhancement projects. Training and collection bags will be provided.

Volunteers must be at least 16 years old or be accompanied by an adult. Groups are welcome, but each group must have at least one adult per eight youths. This program is for ages 12 and over. A permission form is needed for participation by minors. To register, call 763-559-6706.

For more information, go to www.threeriversparks.org/events/Groups/prairie-seed-collection.aspx.