This issue highlights upcoming weekend events including the Mendota Heights Trailhead open house, volunteer opportuntieis, movie in the ....





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Mendota Heights, Minneosta




*FRIDAY NEWS | September 16, 2022*






THE LATEST?
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Mendota Heights Trailhead Opening
Trailhead Open House [ [link removed] ]________________________________________________________________________

Volunteer Opportunity - Planting Rain Gardens

*This Saturday, September 17th, 8:30a - 12:30p (approximately)*

To participate, please [email protected].?

Master Gardeners and the City are going to be planting seven curb-cut raingardens throughout the Ivy Falls East neighborhood with native plants as part of the City?s Road Improvement project. Master gardeners, staff, and homeowners will also be participating. The project will treat stormwater from the roads and other impervious surfaces, reducing runoff and pollution to Ivy Creek and the Mississippi River, as well as providing pollinator and wildlife habitat, and beautifying the neighborhood!?

Please bring a clean hand trowel, work gloves, closed-toe shoes, and it would probably be a good idea to wear a hat and sunblock as well.

Master Gardeners and other volunteers will meet at 8:30am at the cul-de-sac at Winston Circle.? ?Staff will hand out assigned garden locations with planting map and plant list to our volunteers, who will then travel to individual gardens to meet homeowners.?

Sign up for future volunteer opportunities HERE [ [link removed] ]

Raingarden [ [link removed] ]________________________________________________________________________

St. Thomas Academy Fireworks

Tonight is St. Thomas Academy Homecoming football game and the school has a fireworks permit for tonight (Friday September 16, 2022)during their football game. Nearby residents may hear the fireworks and should be aware.?

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Makers Market
Makers Market [ [link removed] ]________________________________________________________________________

Volunteer Opportunity
Volunteer [ [link removed] ]

Are you looking for ways to connect with your neighbors? The Mendota Heights Volunteer program is the place to look! Sign up on the city website and get connected to upcoming events and activities that need volunteers. More information on the city website:?

Sign up HERE [ [link removed] ]for the following opportunities:


* *Event volunteers* are needed for fall park events
* *Natural Resources* volunteers are needed for fall invasive and restoration projects
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Lawns to Legumes Grants
lawns to legumes [ [link removed] ]

Help protect pollinators in your yard by planting a pollinator-friendly landscape feature. You can help protect the MN State Rusty Patched Bumble Bee, Monarchs, and other at-risk and endangered pollinator species by installing pollinator habitat such as a native pollinator garden, trees, and shrubs. Lawns 2 Legumes is now offering cost-share grants to private landowners to help cover the costs of installing a pollinator project. Lawns 2 Legumes is taking applications for grants now through *January 18, 2023*. Click HERE [ [link removed] ] for to apply and for more information.

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2022 Mayor/City Council Candidates

The following city council/ mayor candidates?have filed to be?on the ballot (in the order that they filed with the City):

*For Mayor -* Stephanie Levine John Maczko ? *For City Council (two positions open) -* John Mazzitello Sally Lorberbaum Jeff Nath More information on the 2022 general election HERE [ [link removed] ] ________________________________________________________________________

Weekly Construction Update

*Centre Pointe Street Improvements*

The contractor completed the first lift of paving this week in the Centre Pointe Business Park, and Waters Drive.? Curbing was installed on Carmen Lane and the contractor is preparing the base for paving.? The contractor also completed the base work on Dakota Drive to repair soft areas.? ?The contractor will be paving Dakota Drive and Carmen Lane next week.? Please also see updates on the city website at www.mendotaheightsmn.gov/projects [ [link removed] ]

*Reminder southbound I-35E closing this weekend for bridge painting*

If your plans include traveling on I-35E near Mendota Heights/Eagan this weekend you can expect a detour between I-494 and Hwy 77/Cedar Ave. as crews paint the Hwy 55 bridge over I-35E.? ?

Beginning 9 p.m. Fri, Sept. 16, southbound I-35E will be closed between I-494 and Hwy 77/Cedar Ave. In addition, the I-494 ramps to and from southbound I-35E will be closed approximately one hour before the road closes.

Please follow the signed detour using westbound I-494 and southbound Hwy 77/Cedar Ave. to bypass the closure.

All lanes and ramps are expected to reopen by 5 a.m. Mon, Sept. 19.

You will still encounter lane closures in both directions of Hwy 55 as well as off-peak weekend lane and ramp closures on I-494 and I-35E near Eagan and Mendota Heights, as crews finish up their work.

When possible, motorists should avoid cutting through neighborhoods and help keep the community safe by using posted detour routes.

Construction is expected to be complete by October.

"All traffic impacts are tentative and weather dependent."

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"More information on current construction projects at the city website: HERE [ [link removed] ]"

construction [ [link removed] ]
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RECYCLING

*Upcoming recycling events*

Dakota County Fix It Clinics [ [link removed] ]

* September 17, 12-3pm : Wescott Library

Recent highlights:

* The South St. Paul Compost Site is open and accepts grass clippings, sod, leaves and other yard waste. Visit their website [ [link removed] ] for information on hours of operation, type of yard waste accepted, and costs. Note that hours/days of operation may change based on weather conditions.? ??
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NATURAL RESOURCES

Are your garden plants looking worse for the wear this year?

A great solution is to plant drought tolerant native plants! They will thrive when most of our other landscape plants are struggling. Here are just a few natives that will make your landscape shine during a drought:


* *?Wild Petunia (Ruellia humilis)* blooms profusely in the heat- June- August, likes sunny dry sandy soils, and does well in difficult areas like along the edge of a sidewalk or driveway.
* *Whorled Milkweed (Asclepias verticillata)* grows in full sun and is a host plant for Monarchs.
* *False Sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides)* is a tall native with a cheery yellow daisy like flower for a part shade to full sun that blooms July-September.
* *Bee balm (Monarda fistulosa)* is an important food source & favorite of many native bumblebees, deer resistant, & blooms in full sun June-August. The endangered Rusty Patch Bumblebee was found on this plant in MH again this year!
* Native grasses such as Little Bluestem, Prairie Dropseed and many native sedges not only add texture to your landscape but also food for birds.

There are also many natives to choose for shady landscapes too! Drought tolerant native plants will reduce your water bill, provide beauty, and much needed food for our pollinators and birds. Many more native plants are needed to help our pollinators and birds so why not try beautiful and low maintenance native plants in your landscape?

Native Plants

Above: Wild Petunia, Whorled Milkweed, Little Bluestem, Heliopsis and Monarda

Weed of the Month ? Red Hailstone (Thladiantha dubia)
weed of the month

Be on the lookout for Red Hailstone, a herbaceous vine that has started to show invasive tendencies in Minnesota, growing up to 18 feet in a year and smothering vegetation, much like Kudzu. It gets its name from the red fruit produced by the male plant. Red Hailstone has a single, bell-shaped, yellow flower that blooms from July to September. Leaves are alternate, toothed, and heart-shaped, growing up to 2 ? inches long. Red Hailstone grows quickly, and attaches itself easily to surrounding vegetation using its many downy-hooked hairs. It has been spotted smothering woodland edge vegetation and habitat, as well as invading farm fields. Red Hailstone has been found in surrounding counties, and has been found in southern Dakota County.

*Control methods for Red Hailstone*:


* Red Hailstone is a new invasive species to Minnesota, and best control methods may not yet be known. Red Hailstone is rhizomatous; so while chemical treatment may be used for control, the best method is removal of the tubers below the soil?s surface.
*

To see current distribution and report a siting, refer to EDDMapS [ [link removed] ]. For more information contact: Krista Spreiter, Natural Resources Coordinator at: 651-255-1123 or by Email: [email protected].

Recent highlights [ [link removed] ] [ [link removed] ]

* Learn how to identify, control, and prevent the spread of the invasive species garlic mustard. [ [link removed] ]
* Learn more about the Adopt a River program and access planning tools for your cleanup event through the Freshwater Society. [ [link removed] ]?
* The?Lower Minnesota River Watershed District (LMRWD) is seeking volunteers to serve on its Citizen Advisory Committee. [ [link removed] ]??
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Create a beautiful garden to benefit pollinators, improve water quality, or stabilize your shoreline with the Landscaping for Clean Water program. Learn more about their Introductory, Design, and Maintenance classes -- get started today. [ [link removed] ]


* I'm planning a project near a surface water. Do I need a permit? [ [link removed] ]
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POLICE DEPARTMENT NEWS

pd logo med
Weekly Crime Report

Incident reports?9/9/2022-9/15/2022 [ [link removed] ]
Previous "Weekly Crime Report/Just the Facts"?publications are available in the Laserfiche archive system on the City's website [ [link removed] ].?

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Sign up for emergency alerts

The Emergency Alert Program is available through the Dakota Communications Center (DCC) at?dakota911mn.gov [ [link removed] ].

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Stay in touch through Nextdoor

The MHPD has expanded their social media channels to include Nextdoor. Learn more and sign up at?nextdoor.com [ [link removed] ].?

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For immediate public safety response and non-emergency police assistance call 9-1-1

The Police Department will also continue to process requests for police reports, gun permits, etc. Link to the forms under Public Resources at mendotaheightsmn.gov/police [ [link removed] ]. Completed forms and general questions can be submitted via email to [email protected].


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PARKS & RECREATION

Movie in the Park

*Saturday, September 17?? 7:30pm - Two Rivers High School*

Movie in the Park is back at Two Rivers High School. Bring a lawn chair or a blanket and get ready to enjoy The Lego Movie underneath the stars. In the event of inclement weather check social media and the city website for updates. All children under the age of 10 must be accompanied by an adult.? FREE

movie in the park




COMMUNITY CALENDAR

City Business Hours

*City Hall:*?Monday - Thursday, 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | Friday 7-11:30 a.m.

*Police Department:* Monday - Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

*Public Works Building*: Monday - Friday, 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

*City Hall Contact Information [ [link removed] ]*

*Public Meetings*

Meeting changes or cancellations are noted on the City's website mendotaheightsmn.gov/calendar [ [link removed] ]. Meetings take place at City Hall unless otherwise noted.?Meeting attendees should adhere to the posted City Hall safety guidelines.

Watch regular meetings online at townsquare.tv/webstreaming [ [link removed] ]?(available live or for replay) or on cable television:


* City Council: Channel 18/798 HD
* Planning Commission: Channel 18/798 HD
* Parks and Recreation Commission: Channel 15/859 HD
* Airport Relations Commission (select meetings are broadcast): Channel 15/859 HD
* Natural Resources Commission: Channel 15/859 HD

"Occasionally broadcasted channels may change; check Town Square Television's listings [ [link removed] ] for updates."

Upcoming Meeting Schedule

* *City Council Work Session??**| September 20, *4:00 p.m.
* *City Council Meeting?**?**| September 20,?*6:00 p.m.
* *Airport Relations Commission Meeting?**?**| September 21,?*6:00 p.m.
* *Planning Commission Meeting?**?**| September 28, *7:00?p.m.





*Official Website of the City of Mendota Heights, Minnesota [ [link removed] ]*
1101 Victoria Curve Mendota Heights, MN 55118
Phone: 651-452-1850








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