Around the metro: Minnesota Orchestra to headline music event in Plymouth

Plymouth will host the Minnesota Orchestra on Wednesday, with the orchestra headlining the 43rd annual Music in Plymouth event.

The event will take place at 5:30 p.m. at the Hilde Performance Center, 3500 Plymouth Blvd. Other performers will include the band No Grass Limit, the Medicine Show Music Co., the band the Droppers, giant puppets from In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theater and fire dancers. The event will end with a fireworks show.

For a full schedule and more information, go to musicinplymouth.org.

KELLY SMITH

Don Luna, a longtime city employee and champion of the West Side, was chosen as the 23rd recipient of the Karl Neid Community Involvement Award.

The award, established in 1992, recognizes a St. Paul city employee who has a record of outstanding public service both at work and in their personal life. Luna, a graduate of Humboldt High School and a founding member of the school's Hall of Fame, has been active in the city's Parks and Recreation Department, as well as a longtime employee of the Police Department.

"Don's dedication to the city of St. Paul and his community is remarkable," said Mayor Chris Coleman. "Both through his work for the city and his volunteer service, he has helped to strengthen our city. There is no better reflection of his impact than this award given to Don by his peers."

James walsh

Signs past their time are hot items.

That's what the St. Louis Park Historical Society has found since it launched a fundraiser in which it gives away old St. Louis Park street signs in exchange for a $25 tax-deductible donation to the society ($20 for members).

The city gave the signs to the Historical Society because it's replacing them with reflective upgrades, as required by state law.

Inspired partly by the Golden Valley Historical Society's fundraising success with its old city signs, the St. Louis Park organization looked into the idea and found that the city was replacing 800 to 1,000 signs per year, sending them off to be recycled. The idea was taken to the city staff and approved by the City Council.

The society took delivery of a pallet of about 560 signs in May. An inventory was made, and on June 13, the list was posted at slphistory.org/purchase-a-slp-street-sign. Instructions for reserving a sign are on the site. Don't delay if you want one; the society says they're going fast.

Vintage signs are especially popular as cabin, basement and garage art. But hey, there's nothing to prevent you from putting one in your living room.

PAMELA MILLER

An open house in Shakopee on Tuesday will focus on the future of transportation in the Canterbury Road area, which provides access to entertainment destinations and an industrial district.

Planners are studying the road, also known as County Road 83, to identify upgrades needed to accommodate growth in the corridor between County Roads 101 and 16. Possibilities include improvements to nearby streets and the Hwy. 169 interchange.

The public can weigh in at the event from 5 to 7 p.m. on the third floor of the Triple Crown Club at Canterbury Park, 1100 Canterbury Road.

Staff Report