Metro briefs: Animal Humane Society gets $6M gift

Humane society gets $6M gift

The Animal Humane Society recently received a $6 million gift from the estate of longtime volunteers Steve Nordberg and Betsy McDonald — the largest donation in the organization's 144-year history.

"Steve and Betsy were cat people at heart and knew that love comes in all sizes," said Humane Society President and CEO Janelle Dixon. "Their dedication to our mission, and to animals in our community, will live on through their inspiring gift."

Between 2014 and 2019, Nordberg and McDonald devoted 2,225 hours as "bottle baby" foster volunteers, providing critical round-the-clock care to dozens of orphaned kittens. Nordberg died in 2020 and McDonald in 2021.

The Humane Society will use about $5 million to build a first-of-its-kind adoption and animal care campus in St. Paul. The remaining $1 million will go into the organization's strategic reserve fund.

Tim Harlow

New city, new administrator

Credit River, which gained city status in June 2021, has appointed its first city administrator.

Mark McNeill, who retired from the city administrator role in Mendota Heights last fall, is now serving as interim city administrator in Credit River, according to a news release.

McNeill has worked in city administration throughout his career, including in Savage and Shakopee. He said it is a "rare opportunity" to get to organize a new city, the release said.

McNeill will stay with Credit River for at least a year to ensure "best practices and procedures" are put in place, Mayor Chris Kostik said in the release.

Erin Adler

Northbound lane to open

Crews rebuilding Lexington Avenue through a busy shopping district in the northern suburbs plan to reopen a northbound lane on July 11.

Dependent on weather and coordination with the railroad, the reopened lane would restore travel in both directions until construction is complete this fall.

Ramsey County is spending $12.5 million to reconstruct Lexington Avenue from County Road E to I-694 in Arden Hills and Shoreview to improve traffic flow and safety.

Lexington Avenue, typically a busy four-lane business corridor that includes Target, Cub Foods, Trader Joe's and the YMCA of the North, has been reduced to one southbound lane from 694 to County Road E. All northbound lanes have been closed.

The project has caused backups, with motorists stuck in a two-hour traffic jam on June 15.

Shannon Prather

County asks: Is this a good spot for a compost dump?

Washington County wants to build a compost dump near the county fairgrounds for grass clippings, leaves, garden waste, food scraps, brush and tree debris — but first it wants to know what locals think.

Anyone who wants to share their thoughts can attend an open house from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 27, at the Baytown Township Community Building, 4020 McDonald Drive N. The project team will be there to answer questions and listen to comments. The county has an online site open until July 29 for those who can't make the open house: co.washington.mn.us/CentralYardWasteSite.

The need for the site was prompted by the closure of public and private yard waste sites, according to a county statement.

Matt McKinney