September2012

Citizens’ Police AcademyTh e Citizens’ Police Academy is a great way to get a behind-the-scenes look at how local law enforcement op-erates. Th e class, which is open to any adult who lives or works in New Hope or Crystal, will be held on Th ursday evenings, 6 to 9 p.m., from September 13 to October 18 at the New Hope and Crystal police stations. For more in-formation or an application form, con-tact Sergeant Brunner at 763-531-5170. Space is limited, so register today.

Register to voteElection Day is Tuesday, November 6. If you have moved, changed your name, or have not voted within the last four years, you will need to regis-ter. While it is possible to register on Election Day with a proper form of identifi cation, it will speed things up at the polls if you pre-register. Voter registration cards are available on the city’s website or at New Hope City Hall, 4401 Xylon Ave. N. Pre-registra-tion ends October 17. For more information about voter registration, absentee voting, voter eligibility, precinct boundaries and polling locations, visit the city’s web-site at www.ci.new-hope.mn.us/vote.

September/OctoberCity Council regular meetings: September 10 and 24, October 8 and 22, 7 p.m.

City Council work sessions: September 17 and October 15 - Council meal at 6, meeting at 6:30 p.m.

Citizen Advisory Commission meetings: September 11, October 9, 7 p.m.

Human Rights Commission meetings: September 4, October 1, 7 p.m.

Planning Commission meetings: September 4, October 2, 7 p.m.

Events: Labor Day - September 3, City offi ces closed Absentee voting for general election begins September 21

All activities are at City Hall, 4401 Xylon Ave. N. unless otherwise indicated. Agendas and minutes for meetings are available on the city’s website. Schedule

is subject to change. Call 763-531-5100 for more information.

West Metro Fire Open House is Sept. 8

West Metro Fire-Rescue District is holding an open house at its New Hope Fire Station, 4251 Xylon Ave. N. Th e event will be from 12 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, September 8.

Th e open house will include lots of fun and activities for the entire family. Come and meet the fi refi ght-ers who serve the communities of New Hope and Crystal, see all the fi re trucks and equipment, learn fi re prevention tips through interactive activities, and watch demonstrations.

Th ere will be demonstrations by the New Hope and Crystal police de-partments, the New Hope K-9 team, North Memorial, and more. And, the Salvation Army will provide free food and snacks.

Utility service line insurance caution

It has come to the city of New Hope’s attention that a company has been ag-gressively promoting exterior sewer line and water line insurance coverage to New Hope residents. Th e company appears to have targeted older resi-dents. Th e company correctly claims that repairs to the water and sewer line from a resident’s home to the city main in the street are the home-owner’s responsibility and note that replacement of those service lines can be expensive. What the company fails to explain is that it is extremely rare for a resident to need to replace an entire water service line (it’s only happened twice in 25 years in New Hope), and is also uncommon for sewer service lines to need complete replacement. If a resident is concerned about their sewer service line, many homeowner insurance providers have insurance riders available.

Saturday market continuesNew Hope’s popular Saturday Com-munity Farmers Market will continue through Saturday, October 13. After Labor Day, the market hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Th e market is held in the former Kmart parking lot, across the street from City Hall at 4300 Xylon Ave. N. Don’t miss the fun and some of the best fruit and veggies around! For details visit www.newhopemarket.org.

City services surveyWhat do you think about New Hope city services? City offi cials want to know! To take a quick online survey, follow the link on the city’s website at www. ci.new-hope.mn.us.

Fall golf specialTh e New Hope Village Golf Course is a great place to spend a leisurely couple of hours on a beautiful fall day! And, the city is off ering residents a special deal to make fall golf at New Hope’s par three course even more appealing. Simply bring this article to the clubhouse, 8130 Bass Lake Road, to enjoy two rounds of golf for $15. (Good through 12/31/12, original ad only, not valid for league play.)

Safety Tipof the Month

Recreation CornerRegister for fall session of gymnasticsNew Hope has gymnastics classes for beginners age 4 to advanced gymnasts. Classes are off ered on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Th ursday evenings and Sat-urdays. Th e fall session begins September 22-27. Fees range from $57 to $110 per class for New Hope residents. Nonresidents pay $7 more. Th e program is held at Sandburg School in Golden Valley. Call for details.

Get in shape at adult fi tness class New Hope off ers an adult fi tness class on Mondays and Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. Th e next session is scheduled from September 17 to December 3. Th e program provides a great total body workout for adults at every fi tness level. It packs loads of strength training and cardiovascular activity in each 50-minute session. Th e fee for the 12-week session is $58 for New Hope residents and $65 for nonresidents.

Kids’ garage sale is September 22Th e Kids’ garage sale is an awesome opportunity for kids ages 6 to 15 to sell toys, games books and sporting goods they no longer use. It’s also a great place for kids to fi nd new treasures. Th is year’s event will be from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, September 22 at the Crystal Community Center, 4800 Douglas Drive. Kids from New Hope, Crystal or Robbinsdale can rent a table for only $8 to dis-play their items. To reserve a table, call Crystal Recreation at 763-531-0052 by September 14. For kids who simply want to shop, there’s no admission charge.

Half Pint Safety CampNew Hope’s Half Pint Safety Camp is a one-day camp of safety learning on Oc-tober 18 (during the MEA break) for kids in Kindergarten and Grade 1. Topics will include electrical safety, home safety, fi re safety, and more. Lunch, snacks camp t-shirt and a graduation event are included. Camp will be in session from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at West Metro Fire Station in New Hope. Th e fee is $20 for residents and $27 for nonresidents.

For more information about these programs or to register, call the New Hope Parks and Recreation offi ce at 763-531-5151.

Th e beginning of the school year is a time when children are at increased risk of transportation-related inju-ries from pedestrian, school bus and motor vehicle crashes. It’s also a time for everyone to improve their traffi c safety practices. Th e following tips can help keep everyone safe:

Tips for Motorists❖ When a school bus or children are present, slow down and proceed with caution. Obey all traffi c laws and speed limits.

❖ Motorists must stop at least 20 feet away from a school bus that has its stop-signal arm extended and fl ash-ing red lights. Vehicles must remain stopped until the arm is retracted and the red lights are no longer fl ashing. Th e only exception to this rule is on a roadway where opposing lanes of traf-fi c are separated by an island or safety zone (not just a line). In that case, ve-hicles on the other side of the median from the bus are not required to stop.

❖ It is against the law to pass a school bus on the right-hand side when it is displaying fl ashing yellow lights.

❖ All three elementary schools in New Hope have school patrol members posted on street corners to help stu-dents cross the road safely. If you see a school patrol with their fl ags extended you must stop your vehicle and remain stopped until the fl ag is retracted and all students, including the patrol cross-ing guard, are out of the road.

For Students

❖ If you ride a school bus, learn and practice the safety rules for waiting at the bus stop, getting on and off the bus, and riding the bus.

❖ If you walk to school, learn and practice the safety rules for pedestri-ans. Always cross at crosswalks. Obey all traffi c signs, traffi c lights and safety patrol instructions.

For more school safety tips, visit www.nsc.org and search for “Back to School Safety,” or call Offi cer Nichole Korth at 763-531-5140.

Leave your leaves at yard waste site

Th e Maple Grove yard waste site is a great place to dispose of leaves, gar-den waste, branches, grass clippings and small quantities of sod or dirt.

Th e site, which is located at 14796 101st Ave. N., is free for residents of New Hope to use with proof of residency.

Th e site is for bulk waste only. Residents need to unload their own materials and take bags or containers home with them. Hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and noon to 7 p.m. on Sun-days, through November 30.

For more information about the yard waste site, including directions, listen to the recorded message at 763-420-4886, or visit the facility’s website at www.mgyardwaste.com.

Mayor’s Prayer BreakfastTickets will be available for the annual New Hope Community Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast beginning September 10. Th e event includes refl ections by leaders from many local faith communities and music. Th e theme of this year’s event, which is scheduled at 7 a.m. on Octo-ber 26, is “To Light the Community Lamp of Civility.” Th e breakfast will be held in the New Hope Community Gyms at Cooper High School. Single tickets are $10, or a table of eight is $80, which includes a continental breakfast. Call 763-531-5110 to reserve a spot.

Register for fall fun!New Hope Parks and Recreation is accepting registrations for fall pro-grams. You can register with a major credit card by calling 763-531-5151 or on the city website with Rec Express.