West news briefs: Wayzata High plans high tech scoreboard

Wayzata High plans high tech scoreboardWayzata High School last week received permission from the city of Plymouth to install a new electronic scoreboard on its football field that is five times taller than the current scoreboard and that will have a screen that can be changed to suit the sport being played on the field.

The city amended its zoning ordinance to permit a scoreboard that is 25 feet wide, 36.5 feet high and 10 feet off the ground for a total height of 46.5 feet. The current 17-year-old scoreboard is 8 feet tall, according to information in a city review.

With city permission for a larger scoreboard, discussions will begin with school district athletic boosters and the school board about what kind of sign to buy and when, said Jaime Sherwood, director of athletics and activities.

The current scoreboard is chiefly for football. New scoreboard technology "would allow us to personalize" the face of the scoreboard for soccer, track and lacrosse as well as football, Sherwood said. Not only is the old scoreboard dated for its single purpose, its lights also burn more electricity than the new boards, Sherwood said.

Minnetonka High also is planning to replace its scoreboard, which is 25 years old, with an electronic version in time for its first soccer game on Aug. 22, said activities director Ted Schultz. The board is being purchased with funds provided by booster donations and advertising revenues. "No taxpayer dollars are being spent," Schultz said.

The Minnetonka sign will be able to display still shots of players but will not have live video.

Social host ordinance approved by councilPlymouth last week adopted a "social host" ordinance which will make it a misdemeanor to provide a place for kids under the legal drinking age to consume alcohol.

The social host ordinance will allow police to hold adults accountable for knowingly providing a place for kids to drink.

"It's a good tool and one we should have as part of our repertoire," Goldstein said. "Over the years there have been some missed opportunities. We have gone into the homes and cited underage drinkers but didn't have the ability to hold someone accountable."

The ordinance is not solely focused on parents, he said.

"Many times at these parties it's not the parents who are aware or have procured the alcohol, it's the older siblings or friends."

Minnetonka adopted a social host ordinance in 2009, and Plymouth's is the same as Minnetonka's, word for word, Goldstein said. The City Council asked for a report back within a year on how the ordinance has been used.

Larson, who's been general manager of the business for seven years, has been instrumental in propelling it to a top-performer status year-over-year in the Brunswick Bowling Chain. The Brunswick Zone has 80 employees in the fall and 45 in the summer, including many first-time job applicants whom the business trains and mentors, the chamber said. It also noted Larson's community involvement in fundraisers and charity events.

Other nominees included Greg Albrecht from M&A Executive Search, Shane Burgeson and Ann Sangpan from Check Engine Express, Katherine Forrester Wirth with Northwestern Mutual Financial Network, Jon Kutsch of Auto Source and Todd Warner of Phoenix Technology.

Minnesota Jaycees win top honorsMinnesota Jaycees received the top honor in the nation for Best Overall Programming of the Year during the recent United States Jaycees National Convention in Lisle, Ill.

The Minnesota Jaycees were recognized as the state organization that provided the best opportunities for young people to build their skills as leaders.

The United States Jaycees is comprised of 42 state organizations with 812 chapters with more than 22,000 members.

Minnesota Jaycees also won two national elections: Hopkins Area Jaycee and former state president Travis Ahlquist was elected national president for 2012, and St. Paul Jaycee and former state president Laura Chesney-Gadd was elected national vice president for 2012.

For more information on the Minnesota Jaycees, go to www.mnjaycees.org.

Eco Yard and Garden Tour set for July 31The Edina Energy and Environment Commission (EEC) will sponsor an Eco Yard and Garden Tour from 1-5 p.m. on July 31.

The tour will showcase five examples of sustainable Edina yards and gardens that use drip irrigation, rain barrels, rainwater capture systems for watering, geo-exchange ground loop systems for heating and cooling homes, solar panels, composting and organic gardens.

Proceeds from the event will benefit Edina park projects. Advance tickets are $10 and can be bought at Edina City Hall, 4801 W. 50th St. On tour day, tickets will be $15 and can be purchased at the featured tour garden of Dan and Dianne Latham at 7013 Comanche Court.

Museum plans Green Energy Art GardenA new exhibit at the Bakken Museum merges art and science to form a "Green Energy Art Garden" showcasing green energy ideas.

The garden, which opens July 15, will feature four large, whimsical sculptures powered by renewable energy: sun, wind or water.

These interactive sculptures were developed especially for the garden by local artists working with scientists, inventors and engineers in the field of renewable energy.

The garden opening will kick off "The 10 Best Days of The Bakken" event July 15-24, part of the 2011 Minneapolis Aquatennial. Bakken admission is free during the event, and there will be special daily programming as well as extended hours from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, with evening hours until 8 p.m. on Fri., July 15 and Thu., July 21 until 8 p.m.

The Green Energy Art Garden will be on exhibit through Sept. 3 at the Bakken Museum, located at 3537 Zenith Av. S. in Minneapolis.

Creek cleanup set for SundayThe Minnehaha Creek Watershed District is hosting the 5th annual Minnehaha Creek Cleanup, beginning at Lake Hiawatha in Minneapolis at 9 a.m. Sunday. The goal this year is to collect two tons of trash, twice as much as last year, when more than 600 volunteers turned out.

The event will begin with a free bagel breakfast for the first 250 volunteers. Then volunteers will take buses to various locations along the creek to start collecting trash.

At noon they'll return to Lake Hiawatha, where the garbage will be weighed and volunteers will be treated to a barbeque picnic and beer for those 21 and older, provided by Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company.

There will be prizes for kids, including an award for the most candy wrappers collected, and prizes for adults, including a Leinenkugel's canoe.

The event is free and open to everyone, but an RSVP is required. For more information, go to www.minnehaha creek.org.

"Finnish And Jewish: Photographs By Dina Kantor" will continue through Sept. 22. An opening reception is planned from 6-8 p.m. July 14, with Kantor speaking at 7 p.m.

Kantor was born and raised in Minneapolis. She began photographing members of the small Jewish community in Finland in 2006, recording how the 1,500 Jews live, work and practice their religious traditions in a country of 5 million people and only two synagogues.

In conjunction with this exhibit, the Saana Ensemble, a vocal group of five native Finns who now live in the Twin Cities, will perform at 7 p.m. Aug. 7.

The Sabes JCC is located at 4330 S. Cedar Lake Road in St. Louis Park. Gallery hours are 7:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday. For more information, go to www.sabesjcc.org.