Wetland ecology tour planned at Cottage Grove park

Friends of the Mississippi River will work with partners Washington County, Washington Conservation District and the City of Cottage Grove on a wetland ecology tour in Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park, the group's newest restoration site.

Learn about wetland plant life, then use dip nets to get a closer look at macroinvertebrates living in the marsh. Learn how these plants and creatures play a role in water quality, and how the local restoration project at the park helps waters and wildlife as well.

The tour will be held from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, at the park. The tour is free but capacity is limited and advance registration is required. Dip nets will be provided.

Find out more at www.fmr.org/participate/events/tunnelvalley-2013-09-26. Or sign up with Friends of the Mississippi by registering with Lindsay Hefferan at lhefferan@fmr.org or 651-222-2193, Ext. 24.

Those who use private wells should test their water once a year for coliform bacteria, and at least once every other year for nitrates, and the Washington County Department of Public Health and Environment offers testing services.

The cost for the "basic" drinking water test, for nitrates and coliform bacteria, is $44. Tests are also available for hardness and other common minerals.

Residents can request a kit and collect the sample themselves. Drop-off times are 8-10 a.m. every Tuesday at the main Government Center in Stillwater, the Cottage Grove Service Center or the Headwaters Service Center in Forest Lake.

Anyone seeking a testing kit or who has questions can call the county at 651-430-6655. More information is also available online at: www.co.washington.mn.us/water.

Washington County license centers now accept Visa debit and credit card payments at the centers, in addition to MasterCard and Discover Card, personal checks and cash.

A full list of services can be found on the Washington County website at www.co.washington.mn.us.

Washington County has the following license centers: Forest Lake License Center, 19955 Forest Lake Road N., Forest Lake, 651-275-7333; Stillwater License Center, Valley Ridge Mall, 1520 West Frontage Road, Stillwater, 651-275-7000; and Woodbury License Center, 2150 Radio Drive, Woodbury, 651-275-8600.

A discussion of "Exploring with Julia: A Culinary Road Trip and the Future of Cooking" will be held Thursday, Sept. 26, from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Stillwater Public Library.

The event will include a book fair featuring local authors. Local chef Kristin Klemetsrud of Savories Bistro will be selling cookbooks from her personal collection.

The $30 admission includes treats and wine. Tickets can be purchased online at stillwaterpubliclibrary­foundation.org, by calling 651-275-4338, ext. 130, or e-mailing splfoundation@gmail.com. Reservations are required by Sept. 20.

R.H. Stafford Library again will be open seven days a week, even though for only four hours on Sundays, in a push to improve and expand library services countywide.

The library was closed on Sundays for the summer, from June through Labor Day, but as of Sept. 8 it is open from 1-5 p.m. for the rest of the school year.

After nearly four months of restoration work, Lake St. Croix Overlook has reopened to visitors.

The $650,000 project is part of the agency's $25 million environmental mitigation plan, Gutknecht said. A grand opening is slated for October.

Demolition of the former Northland Mall site is complete and it is ready for construction of the new Forest Lake public safety building and city hall, the city said last week.

The City Council now is obtaining bids for what will be called Forest Lake City Center.

Construction on the new complex is expected to begin the first week of October.

The Cottage Grove Fire Department will spread the word about the dangers of kitchen fires with a community open house on Oct. 12 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at Station 2, 8641 80th St. S. The theme of this year's celebration is "Prevent Kitchen Fires."

The school visits will take place Oct. 8-10 at six Cottage Grove elementary schools. Second-graders at those schools will be trained in ways to prevent kitchen fires and compete in a coloring contest to win a chance to ride to school in a fire truck.