Metro briefs: North Memorial Health looks to expand Maple Grove Hospital

North Memorial Health is looking to expand the Maple Grove Hospital and turn it into a "medical destination campus."

"If you had to use the facility on a weekend, you can tell we need a bigger waiting room, we need a bigger campus, we need more rooms," said Kevin Croston, chief executive for Robbinsdale-based North Memorial Health, who gave an update on plans during a recent Maple Grove City Council meeting.

The $191 million expansion, which could break ground as soon as next year, would add about 40 beds and allow the hospital to conduct more complex surgeries and offer higher levels of interventional radiology, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular care, Croston said. The hospital, which opened in 2009, serves between 45,000 and 55,000 patients a year.

Future expansions could include a multi-specialty clinic, a cancer center and a parking ramp. The current expansion plan still needs approval from M Health Fairview, which has a 25% ownership stake in the hospital.

Tim Harlow

Starting Monday, Richfield is rolling out its new organized trash collection system, joining a growing number of cities in the metro coordinating collection of garbage, recycling and organics.

Three haulers — Waste Management, Republic and Aspen — will each get a number of Richfield households to serve that is equal to their market share. The city says this is to better coordinate collection and reduce the number of garbage trucks traveling on Richfield roads, which will improve air quality while reducing noise and pollution.

Residents can apply to opt out of the organized system, subject to approval by city staff.

Organized hauling has gained some popularity in the metro, but cities like St. Paul and Bloomington have had contentious debates over it. Bloomington went through a five-year legal battle over trash hauling, with voters approving the city-organized collection at the polls last November. In St. Paul, voters in 2019 overwhelmingly approved citywide garage pickup after opponents of the measure passed by the council took the issue to court.

In May, the Roseville City Council rejected a request to explore organized collection.

Kim Hyatt

Dakota County's Safety and Mental Health Alternative Response Training (SMART) Center in Inver Grove Heights is now open for training to first responders and police officers.

At a grand opening event Sept. 27, U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., touted the center as a victory for bipartisanship.

The center offers mental health crisis intervention training and provides space for the county's Drug Task Force and Electronic Crimes Unit.

"We provide cutting-edge training and a safe space for all," said Dakota County Sheriff Tim Leslie.

A local nonprofit vendor that conducts reality-based training using actors, the Minnesota Crisis Intervention Team, also calls the center home. Before the new center was built, there were regional training centers in Edina, Maple Grove, Jordan and Brooklyn Park but nothing on the east side of the metro.

The 35,000-square-foot facility was funded by the county and state at a cost of about $13 million.

Erin Adler