Metro briefs: Carver County to launch drug court next month

Carver County has received a $500,000 grant from the federal Bureau of Justice Assistance to launch a drug court next month.

The court will offer treatment to defendants with drug or alcohol addictions along with felony and gross misdemeanor charges. Participants will receive treatment and services for about 18 to 24 months, and their progress will be monitored by a team including the judge, prosecutor, defense attorney, law enforcement officer and probation agent.

The federal grant program was created in response to the annual increase in drug overdose deaths.

Hennepin County started the state's first drug court in 1997, and drug courts since have been established in other metro counties. Scott County started its drug court in 2016.

Katy Read

The Savage sports dome needs more city funding due to declining revenue from team rentals, officials said.

The city's annual contribution to the sports dome of $250,000 will rise to $350,000 in 2020 due to increased competition from other suburban sports domes, said City Administrator Brad Larson.

City officials have known since the dome was built in 2012 that it wouldn't make money, but Larson said they didn't anticipate that so many other communities would build sports domes. Lakeville has plans to build two new sports domes after passing a referendum in November that will cover part of the cost.

Larson said the Savage dome remains a "great community asset," providing space for special events, a sheltered place for seniors to walk and an indoor play space for kids.

Erin Adler

North Hennepin Community College is looking to build a new $85 million fine arts center with the help of four partners and bonding dollars from the state.

Brooklyn Park, Hennepin County, Metropolitan State University and Osseo Area Schools will team up with North Hennepin to develop the Center for Innovation and the Arts on the school's Brooklyn Park campus.

The partners, who have completed a feasibility study, will seek $7 million in state bonding in 2020 to cover design costs and $38 million in 2022 for construction. They will raise the remaining $40 million, said North Hennepin Vice President Stephen Kent. He said the center will provide a pathway in the arts from high school to higher education.

Kim Hyatt

Shoreview's contracted recycling hauler will pick up curbside residential recycling each week rather than every other week, starting at the end of December.

Citing increasing need, the City Council voted Monday to increase Eureka Recycling's pickup schedule. The added service will begin Dec. 30.

"It is of concern to both Eureka and city staff that some recyclable materials are being placed in trash carts when recycling carts become full," according to city documents.

The city recycling fee will increase from $48 to $70 per year to cover the additional cost. Pickup days will remain the same for all residents.

Shannon Prather