Wellness dog joins Burnsville police department

The Burnsville Police Department recently welcomed 14-week-old Doc, a soft-coated wheaten terrier and poodle mix that will become the department's first wellness dog.

The dog, named after a doctor who wrote a book about emotional wellness for police officers, will comfort department members as they face the stresses of the job, a news release said.

When not at the police station, Doc will live with Detective Andrea Newton at her home, the release said. Newton called getting the pup "definitely the highlight of my 23-year career."

The dog came from Heart of America Whoodles, where owner April Durham, a Marine Corps widow, breeds the dogs and donates them as future therapy animals for veterans.

The idea of having a wellness dog in the Burnsville police department started in 2019, when Police Chief Tanya Schwartz saw therapy dogs being adopted by other police departments. The Burnsville department has seen officers leave the job early due to stress, and "recruitment and retention are more important than ever," the release said.

The department also has a new wellness app for officers, a peer support program and a wellness program, Schwartz said in the release.

ERIN ADLER

No interest in Richfield-owned lots near 494

Richfield's community development department hoped two lots near the junction of Interstate 494 and Hwy. 77 would draw something exciting to the southeast corner of the city. In a request for proposals seeking a developer for the land, officials said the city was seeking a "regional destination." Think: a brewery, conference center and hotel, food hall or business incubator.

But nearly six months after the request went live, a city spokeswoman said there have not been any proposals submitted for what would be one of the largest plots of land in Richfield.

But city officials are holding out hope. Once work is done on the tunnel under Hwy. 77 connecting E. 77th Street to 77th Street near the airport and 24th Avenue in Bloomington's South Loop district, officials hope more developers will be interested in the site's potential.

And if Bloomington's bid for the World Expo — which centers on the South Loop — is successful, it could generate even more interest in the site.

JOSIE ALBERTSON-GROVE

Robbinsdale youth and family duathlon set for Aug. 5

Like many cities, Robbinsdale doesn't have a large budget to offer arts programming for kids. To fill the gap, the city will put on is first "Du for the Arts," a duathlon for youth and families.

The event Aug. 5 at Lakeview Terrace Park will feature a course consisting of a half-mile run and a 2-mile bike ride for kids in 2nd and 3rd grades. Students in fourth through eighth grades will participate in a longer course, which includes a three-quarter-mile run and a 3-mile bike ride. The entry fee is $45 and medals will be awarded to finishers in each category.

There also will be a noncompetitive family division costing $30 per household. Participants who register by July 1 will receive a T-shirt. No same-day registrations will be allowed, and the event will be capped at 250 participants.

"As a city, we look to work with local artists to bring in arts programs, but the hurdle is being able to pay artists for their time," said Matt Bazyk, community outreach coordinator for the city's parks department.

The money raised will be used to offer free monthly activities such as sidewalk chalk drawing, collage making, mural painting and other take-home projects for the city's youngest residents, Bazyk said.

For more information, call 763-537-4534.

TIM HARLOW