Briefs: Train whistles will stop at Cottage Grove crossing

Residents near Belden Boulevard crossing in Cottage Grove are closer to finally having the area become a "quiet zone" that will stop trains from sounding their whistles as they pass through several times a day.

In June, the city used a $60,000 Federal Aid Safety Improvement grant to build concrete medians in the middle of a new roadway section at the crossing, which is near the Holiday Station at Hadley Avenue and 80th Street S. This safety improvement will prevent motorists from driving around a railroad crossing arm while it is down, officials said.

The whistles are expected to stop at that crossing in August or September, said city officials.

Canadian Pacific Railway owns and operates the railroad corridor, but has yet to hear from the Federal Railroad Administration about the quiet zone, said railway spokesman Andy Cummings. Once that happens, Canadian Pacific will set the rules for all trains that use the tracks.

Last call coming for Safety Camp sign-up The city's 18th annual safety camp for kids is Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at Hamlet Park.

Children ages 8-11 can learn about fire prevention and safety involving bicycles, water, kitchens, electricity and shopping malls, along with how 911 works. The $55 cost includes 30 safety presentations, a 2012 safety DVD, t-shirt, team-colored hat, lunches, snacks, water bottle, an all-sport helmet and a graduation medal.

Classes run from 7:45 a,m. to 4:30 p.m. Register online at tinyurl.com/6u4npx9 or in person on Monday at the Parks and Recreation Department at the Ice Arena, 8020 80th St. S.

Volunteers can help greet guests as they arrive at the park, assist vendors, help with the parade, staff an information booth and other tasks. Volunteers will get a Woodbury Days t-shirt and a packet of gift certificates and goodies from several area businesses, according to the Woodbury Days Council.

Go to www.woodburydays .com and click on the volunteering tab to learn more and sign up.

Watering restrictions in effect, city says Woodbury is reminding residents and business owners that its lawn watering policy is based on an odd/even schedule and is enforced all year.

If your home or business address ends in an odd number, you can water your lawn on odd-numbered calendar days. The same holds true for even number addresses, with watering allowed on even days. Lawn sprinkling is permitted only before noon and after 5 p.m.

Public forum set for taxes, public policy A community forum is being organized by Kelly DeBrine, a blogger and public affairs student at the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota.

"When the government shut down last summer, all I could think of was that this little word shuttered the operation of an entire state," she said.

The forum will be from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on July 31 at Central Park, Valley Creek Room, 8595 Central Park Place, Woodbury. South Washington County residents are invited and are asked to RSVP to kdebrine@comcast.net or call 651-402-2193.

MSA hires new leader Robert Kreischer is the new executive director of Math and Science Academy. He will take over Aug. 1 for Paul Simone, who stepped down earlier this year.

Kreischer founded Mounds Park Academy in 1981 and served as its director for 20 years. For the past eight years, he has served as principal at Nova Classical Academy in St. Paul, St. Croix Preparatory Academy in Stillwater and New Spirit School in St. Paul. He also was a director at Breck School in Golden Valley.

Kreischer holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from Macalester College in St. Paul and a master's of science in education administration from Dominican College in San Rafael, Calif.

Talent show coming at Historic Courthouse An evening of family fun will be presented at the 12th annual "Ice Cream Social and Amateur Talent Show" from 4:30 p.m. to dusk Wednesday at the Washington County Historic Courthouse in Stillwater. Activities include a Fantasy Corral petting zoo and food vendors. The talent show begins at 6 p.m.

In the event of rain, the show will be held indoors in the Historic Courthouse courtroom.

Music Together will provide a free children's activity before the talent show and the Adapted Cheer Squad from Valley Dance and Fitness will provide entertainment while talent show scores are being tallied.

This event, formerly called the Kickoff to Lumberjack Days, is sponsored by the Washington County Historic Courthouse. For more information, call 651-275-7075.

Food shelf seeking anti-hunger grant The Valley Outreach Food Shelf is seeking an Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless $100,000 challenge grant. All money donated to the food shelf in July will generate grants to help hungry residents in the St. Croix Valley.

With school-age children in Stillwater schools not eligible for free and reduced school lunches during summer months, families face difficulties feeding kids, said Cara McLain, food shelf director.

"While hunger doesn't recognize seasons, summer is hard on families with school-age children that use our food shelf," McLain said. "The Open Your Heart Grant Challenge is a wonderful opportunity for us to raise additional dollars, which we use to purchase food for our clients. For each dollar donated, we can purchase $10 worth of food."

Donations can be made to Valley Outreach online at www.valleyoutreachmn.org/donate, or mailed to Valley Outreach, 1911 Curve Crest Blvd. West, Stillwater, MN 55082. Or, they can be dropped off at the food shelf.

Donation hours are 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday and 5-8 p.m. Monday and Thursday.