Metro briefs: Hennepin County earmarks $1M for laptops for youth, seniors, unemployed

The Hennepin County Board is spending $1 million to buy Chromebooks and other laptops for senior citizens, youth and other people affected by COVID-19.

The funding comes out of the $212 million Hennepin County received this spring from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which it can use for expenditures arising from the pandemic.

County officials identified three groups to get laptops: K-12 students in districts that don't provide computers to everyone enrolled, senior citizens who don't have access to a device, and unemployed people who need a laptop to look for housing, jobs or social supports. The laptops can be long-term loans or given to nonprofits to distribute.

Erin Adler

One longtime mayor will see a challenger and another will face a political rival for the third time, as Washington County cities and towns prepare for mayoral races this fall.

Some mayors will run uncontested, according to filings at the Minnesota Secretary of State's office. But longtime Marine on St. Croix Mayor Glen Mills faces a challenge this year from Kevin Nyenhuis. In Scandia, Mayor Christine Maefsky will face former Mayor Randall Simonson, who has lost to Maefsky in the past two elections.

Other contested races will be held in Birchwood Village, Grant, Lake Elmo, Lake St. Croix Beach, Lakeland, Landfall, Newport, Oak Park Heights and Pine Springs,

Matt McKinney

The League of Minnesota Cities has named Columbia Heights as its 2020 Sustainable City for expanding its yard waste and organic pickup program.

With more than 1,000 households participating in the city's program, expanded two years ago to include food scraps and food-soiled paper, Columbia Heights reduced trash disposal by 500 tons, amounting to $37,500 in savings.

Columbia Heights offers curbside pickup for organics and yard waste year-round for a $7.55 quarterly fee.

The League, serving over 830 cities across the state, annually recognizes a city involved in the Minnesota GreenStep Cities, a free program helping cities meeting environmental sustainability goals.

Kim Hyatt

Dakota County has won an achievement award from the National Association of Counties for its two-year restoration of Thompson Lake, the 7-acre lake that forms the centerpiece of Thompson County Park in West St. Paul.

The county, city and Lower Mississippi River Watershed Management Organization this year completed the $2.6 million project to restore the lake. The project removed contamination, installed a system to clean stormwater before it got into the lake, restored wetland plants and improved the trail and boardwalk circling the lake.

Dakota County also won recognition for its expanding volunteer program, for smoke-free public housing and for helping people with disabilities get to work.

KEVIN DUCHSCHERE