West news briefs: Minibus to provide free rides to Carver County vets

The Carver County Veterans Council recently presented the County Board with a new minibus to be used by the Veterans' Services Transportation Program to provide veterans with free rides to the Minneapolis VA Medical Center and Shakopee VA Community Based Outreach Clinic.

The $67,000 vehicle was funded mostly by Chanhassen American Legion Post 580, with additional funding from area veterans' organizations and private donors.

The new Ford Diamond bus holds 15 passengers and has a state-of-the-art wheelchair lift. It replaces an older vehicle that seated fewer passengers and wheelchairs.

For more information on the Veterans' Services Transportation Program, or other veterans' benefits, contact Carver County Veterans' Services at 952-442-2323.

The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum will salute its neighbors on Chanhassen/Carver County Day, Aug. 14, when free gate admission will be extended all day to all county residents.

Visitors must show proof of Carver County residency at the gatehouse.

The event will begin with refreshments at 10 a.m. in the Great Hall of the Oswald Visitor Center. Gift bags will be handed out on a first-come, first-served basis.

There also are exhibits, including "Nature Connects: Art With Lego Bricks," 13 displays of nature-inspired sculptures created from Legos, and "Butterflies Plus," an exhibit of mounted rare butterflies and exotic bugs from all over the world, in the Café Gallery at the visitor center.

There's also an outdoor play area with kid-friendly plantings and natural play features at the Learning Center.

The event will feature free guided walking tours of the gardens, departing the Oswald Visitor Center at 10:30 a.m.

Residents are encouraged to vote for their favorite public sculptures at three locations in the city.

Sculptures are on display at 50th & France, Grandview Square Park and the Edina Promenade at Centennial Lakes.

Votes are being collected through the Edina mobile app, Edina To Go; or in person at the Edina Senior Center, Centennial Lakes Park, Edinborough Park or the Edina Art Center. Only one vote per voter will be counted.

The city of Edina is looking for volunteers for Partners in Energy, a joint program with Xcel Energy designed to support Edina as it develops and implements an energy plan to reach community-driven goals around energy.

Volunteers for the planning team will identify energy goals and create an energy action plan for consideration by the City Council.

Submit applications by Aug. 10 at www.EdinaMN.gov/energyteam_application.

National property development firm Oppidan Investment Company has moved into its new office space in Excelsior, located on the second floor of its Excelsior Marketplace development at Water and George Streets.

The sites have been developed with Steele Fitness, College Nannies + Tutors, SportClips, YogaFit, a new Kowalski's Market grocery store that opens this summer, Miyabi Japanese and Asian Bistro, M the Art of Hair salon and State Farm Insurance.

Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners is launching a new cradle-to-career school and community initiative called "Great Expectations" and will host a kickoff event Aug. 5.

The event takes place from noon-2 p.m. to discuss the program, designed to ensure school readiness and success for children.

The event is free; register at iocp.ejoinme.org/GE2015.

Plymouth's Parks and Recreation Department will present several free concerts and shows this month as part of its annual series, Entertainment in the Parks.

• A water ski show at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 5, at Parkers Lake.

• The Not Guilty Band at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6, at the Hilde Performance Center.

• The Greg Herriges New Whirled Band at 7 p.m. Aug. 11 at Parkers Lake.

• A naturalist visit with the Minnesota Zoomobile at 6:45 p.m. Aug. 12 at the Hilde Performance Center.

• The LaValle Jazz Cats at 7 p.m. Aug. 18 at Parkers Lake.

Entertainment in the Parks is sponsored by Abbott Northwestern-West Health and TCF Bank.

For more information, go to plymouthmn.gov.

University of Minnesota climatologist Mark Seeley and Patrick Hamilton, director of global change initiatives at the Science Museum of Minnesota, will lead a presentation on climate resilience.

The free public event is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11, at the St. Louis Park Rec Center, 3700 Monterey Drive.