West news briefs: Nominations open for Caring Youth award

Nominations open for Caring Youth awardNominations are being accepted for the annual 2013 Caring Youth Award, with the deadline Feb. 1.

Each year the cities of Minnetonka, Hopkins and Golden Valley, along with the Hopkins and Minnetonka school districts and the Glen Lake Optimists, host a Caring Youth Recognition event to honor the contributions of young people. This year's event will take place at 7 p.m. March 21 at the Minnetonka Community Center.

To qualify for the award, a seventh- through 12th-grader must live in Minnetonka, Hopkins or Golden Valley or attend school in the Hopkins or Minnetonka districts or volunteer, unpaid and not as a requirement for a class or co-curricular program, in Minnetonka, Hopkins or Golden Valley. Young people may only be nominated by the organization they are serving.

To nominate a seventh- through 12th-grade student who demonstrates awareness of others through volunteering or other activities, go to www.eminnetonka.com for guidelines and applications or contact Minnetonka Community Relations Manager Jacque Larson at 952-939-8207. Nominations are due by 4:30 p.m. Feb. 1.

Ruth Bachman speaks to women's groupThe Women's Club of Hopkins is hosting a program Tuesday by Ruth Bachman, an author, educator, cancer advocate and inspirational speaker.

The lunch will be served at noon and the program begins at 1 p.m. at Faith Presbyterian Church, 12007 Excelsior Blvd. in Minnetonka. The lunch and program are $10.

If you attend the program only, please bring a donation for the local food shelf. To make a reservation, contact Linda by Thursday at 763-420-8607.

Each winter the Fire Department estimates that more than 50 percent of the city's hydrants are buried under snow. Residents are asked to clear a three-foot circle around the hydrants throughout the winter so firefighters can access them in an emergency.

So far this year, 561 families have adopted their neighborhood hydrants through the department's Adopt-a-Hydrant program. To register, go to www.plymouthmn.gov.

Center hosts workshop on 'picky eaters'The St. David's Center for Child & Family Development will host a workshop on "Picky Eaters vs. Problem Feeders" on Jan. 24.

The workshop for parents and professionals will discuss more about how and when children develop skills for feeding, key developmental times children "get stuck" in feeding patterns, and when to get help with feeding issues.

The event will take place from 7-8:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public at the center, located at 3395 Plymouth Road in Minnetonka. To register, go to www.stdavidscenter.org/ces by Jan. 18. Child care is available but must be requested at registration.

Bill is battling melanoma and Jodi is fighting acute myeloid leukemia. They have two children -- Cassie, a high school sophomore, and Blake, a sixth-grader.

The afternoon event includes a silent auction, live music provided by Memphis Trax, light appetizers and a cash bar. Tickets for the event are $10 per adult, $5 per child 12 and under, with a maximum of $25 per family. For more information and tickets, go to www.heymanwarriors.org.

In addition, a fund has been set up for the family at Wells Fargo Bank to assist with medical and living expenses. Checks may be made out to Bill and Jodi Heyman and sent to Wells Fargo Advisors, Attn: Bob Warrick, 601 Carlson Parkway, Suite 190, Minnetonka, MN 55305.

MLK Day film and lunch sessionIn honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the city of Bloomington is sponsoring a Monday presentation by Don Bartlette, who will share his experience of growing up with poverty and racism as a Native American.

Bartlette will show his film, "Macaroni at Midnight," and stay for a question-and-answer session.

Free showings of the film will be at 9:30 a.m. today and at 1 p.m. Friday.

Lakes at Lyndale connections to be airedOn Tuesday the city of Richfield will have an open house for residents to preview a master plan laying out trail connections, signs and enhanced transit in the area around Lyndale Av. S. and 66th St.

The goal is to make it easier for pedestrians and bicyclists to find and get to amenities in the area around Richfield Lake and Wood Lake Nature Center.

The Lakes at Lyndale area is considered Richfield's downtown and has many new and planned developments. It is bordered on the north by Crosstown Hwy. 62, on the south by 68th Street, on the west by Lake Shore Drive and on the east by the area around Nicollet Avenue.

The open house runs from 4 to 7 p.m. at the nature center, 6710 Lake Shore Drive. For more information, call 612-861-9760 or go to www.startribune.com/a1980.

From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., skilled volunteers will show residents how to take apart and fix broken items.

Wine-tasting benefit to aid abused childrenCASA Minnesota, a nonprofit group that helps recruit, train and support volunteer advocates for abused and neglected children in the court system, is holding a wine-tasting and silent auction on Thursday from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at St. Mary's Greek Orthodox Church, 3450 Irving Av. S.

Wine experts from South Lyndale Liquors will present samples of more than 15 wines, along with musical entertainment and desserts.

Tickets are $20 per person or $30 per couple and are available by calling 612-728-5930. To learn more about CASA Minnesota, go to www.casamn.org.