Briefs: Former Vikings chaplain headlines prayer breakfast

Former Minnesota Vikings chaplain Keith Johnson will be the keynote speaker at the 2011 Woodbury Prayer Breakfast on May 3 at the Prom Center in Oakdale. He will speak on "Tackling Fear with Faith."

Johnson was selected as one of 40 chaplains from around the world to serve the international community of athletes at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. He has spent more than two decades in full-time ministry and is the founder of Biblical Foundations Academy in Minneapolis. He also has traveled the world speaking to people of many faiths.

Woodbury Mayor Mary Giuliani Stephens will greet attendees and give the opening remarks at the 7 a.m. event.

Lisa Barry of local Christian radio station KTIS (www.thebarryagency.com) will serve as emcee for the breakfast, which will include inspirational music, readings and testimonials from area leaders and dignitaries.

Business or event sponsorships start at $700. Table sponsorships start at $400, and individual or event sponsorships start at $100, which includes one $20 ticket.

Individual tickets are available for $20, or $180 for a table of nine. For more information about becoming a sponsor or to purchase tickets online, go to www.woodburypb.org.

Library seeks books, videos, volunteersThe R.H. Stafford Library is accepting donations of books, books on tape, videos, DVDs, CDs and children's materials that are in good condition for its used book sale April 15-17. Items can be brought to the library's information desk during regular library hours at 8595 Central Park Place.

The library also is looking for volunteers to work a shift or more during the sale. To sign up call 651-731-1320.

A look at 'Minnesota's Own Civil War'Stephen Osman, retired senior historian at the Minnesota Historical Society, will be the featured speaker at the Washington County Historical Society's annual meeting and dinner Thursday at Boutwell's Landing, 5600 Norwich Pkwy.

In his presentation, "Minnesota's Own Civil War," Osman will talk about the causes, battlefields and legacy of the Dakota War of 1862.

The evening will begin with a social hour at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 for society members and $25 for nonmembers. Call 651-439-5956.

Townships elect board membersThree Washington County townships held elections March 8 for town board members.

In Baytown Township, incumbent Robert Kroening was reelected with 134 votes, outpolling Chris Addington, who received 66, and Richard Weyrauch, who had 9.

In West Lakeland Township, unopposed incumbent Steve Ebner received 54 votes.

In May Township, incumbent John Adams won with a write-in effort, getting 91 votes even though he did not file for reelection. Kim Dietz received 33 votes, and Monty Moreno had 31.

Town Treasurer Cheryl Bennett also was reelected with 145 votes.

Living Healthy launches websiteResidents of Washington County now can access online tools to fight obesity, stop smoking, eat right and get active.

The county's Department of Public Health and Environment has launched a new resource to connect residents with local resources at www.livinghealthywc.org. The site contains recommendations for nutrition, wellness, physical activity and other healthy behaviors. It tells how to build more physical activity into your day, become involved in community gardening or find a smoking-cessation class.

Leiser joins water advisory committeeCraig Leiser of Grant has been appointed to the Washington County Groundwater Advisory Committee. The committee advises the County Board on matters relating to the county's groundwater management plan.

There's still time to buy Girl Scout cookiesProcrastinators who have not bought Girl Scout cookies are in luck. The sales campaign has been extended through March 27, the Girls Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin River Valleys Council announced last week.

The sale was to end Sunday, but Girl Scouts said they wanted to continue selling to help reduce inventory and meet individual troop goals, officials said.

This was the first year troops have taken cookies door-to-door for on-the-spot sales, rather than take advance orders. With the change in the program, the sales period was reduced from 10 weeks to six, until the one-week extension was granted. To find a sale in your community, go to www.girlscoutsrv.org.

'Old-time medicine' is topic of presentationLocal historian Ken Martens will present "A History of Old Time Country Medicine" at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Afton Historical Museum, 3165 St. Croix Trail S., Afton.

Martens will discuss the primitive medical practices formerly used by country physicians, doctors and surgeons. He will take a forensic look into the success and failures of historic techniques, treatments and medicines, examining illnesses that were at one time fatal but which are commonly cured today.

TIM HARLOW, JIM ANDERSON AND Kevin Giles