Change in Time for Fall Fun Night on 10/30

Invitations will be emailed/posted shortly but just a note that we've changed the time for our upcoming Fall Fun Night in Arbre Park. We will now begin at 3:30P with the kickball (adults vs. kids) game starting right at 4:00. Event is scheduled for Saturday, October 30th. Please email Julie Bixby if you're planning to bring chili or if you can volunteer to bring corn bread muffins. The events group will provide the chili fixings and some other fun snacks for everyone. We're trying to get a few lights set up so kids can still play in the park once the sun goes down (typically around 5 this time of year). If you have an outdoor fire pit, please let Julie know. It would be great to have for the adults. BYOB...we'll have lemonade and water, only. Any questions...email Julie (eventsbyjulie@gmail.com)

Proposed Racetrack 3 Miles From Victor Gardens

Sarah Gorvin, writing for The Citizen newspaper, reported today that a NASCAR-style racetrack was recently proposed to the Lino Lakes City Council.  The track would lie east of Interstate 35E along Hugo's western border about 3 miles north of the neighborhood. 

Read The Citizen for the rest of the story.

Grantaire Green Construction Begins Today

Goetz Landscape began construction this morning at Grantaire Green.  They began grading the site and finishing the irrigation system.  Plants, benches, and mulch will follow in the days ahead. 

Grantaire Green Plan

Local Businesses & Resources Guide

Updated March 2012
This blog entry has been changed into a comprehensive guide found on this page: 

http://blog.victorgardensnews.org/p/local-business-resources.html

Two Associations Transition to Homeowner Control. Board Welcomes New Directors and New Sub-Association.

Click to enlarge map.

Victor Gardens Community Association's Board welcomed two new Directors to the Board tonight. The South Village and the North Village sub-associations have transitioned from Rottlund Homes to homeowner control. The Master Board retains Todd Stutz, as representative of the new North West Village sub-association. Traci Bjorkman now represents the South Village, and Jim Flesher now represents the North Village on the Master Board and Master ARC. There are now eight Master Board Directors. Visit the Associations Info page and the individual sub-associations info pages for contact information and more details.

I-35E closures at County Road 14

Motorists will encounter congestion and delays when Interstate 35E and Anoka County Road 14 close next weekend for demolition of the old County Road 14 bridge spanning the interstate and construction of ramp connections to the newly built County Road 14 bridge.

Weekend closures begin at 9 a.m. Friday, Sept. 24 and culminate with full closure of the interstate and County Road 14 at 10 p.m. Friday. Closures include:

• The ramp from southbound I-35E to County Road 14 closes at 9 a.m.
• County Road 14 crossing I-35E will close at 7 p.m. along with the remaining ramps between County Road 14 and I-35E.
• Southbound I-35E closes at 10 p.m. between the junction of I-35 and County Road J.
• Northbound I-35E closes between County Road J and the junction of I-35.

Access will be maintained from northbound I-35E to County Road E, County Road 96 and County Road J, although traffic will not be able to reach the northbound interstate from those roads.

Motorists are advised to carefully watch for signs providing more details about lane and road closures and detours.

For real-time traveler information anywhere in Minnesota visit www.511mn.org or dial 5-1-1.

- MN DOT Press Release

Master Board Meeting Relocated to City Hall

Tonight's scheduled Master Board meeting has been relocated to Hugo City Hall's Oneka room at 6:00pm.

Save the Date...Fall Fun Night in Arbre Park on 10/30!

Invitation is coming shortly but please save the date for Saturday, October 30th. We will be having a fall fun night in Arbre Park starting at 5:30PM. Annual chili cook off and kids versus adults kickball game. Come for delicious chili, food and fun!

We are looking to award the annual chili apron (thanks again Squeaky Connors) and necklace to the champ this year. Residents in attendance will be the judges this year. Please make sure to bring your chili in a crockpot and bring a serving utensil for it. Please email Julie Bixby if you plan to bring chili. The events group will provide all the fixings (cheese, onions, sour cream, etc...). We'll also have popcorn, ice cream, lemonade, etc... for the non-chili eaters.

We'd also love it if a few people could volunteer to bring corn bread muffins to complement the chili. Please email Julie (eventsbyjulie@gmail.com) if you would be willing to bring a dozen or so muffins to the event.

Kids are welcome to wear their Halloween costumes if they'd like. Adults too, for that matter.

Kick ball game will start at 6P.

Please check this site the day of the event in case of bad weather. If weather is an issue the rain date will be the following Saturday, November 6th.

Hope to see you all there!! If you have questions, please email Julie.

As a side note, the Events group is planning an adults-only evening/outing for some time in February. More details will be available in the coming months on that event.

Wagner's Full Moon Festival Saturday, Sept. 25

Paint a pie pumpkin and take it home. Pony Rides 11am-2pm. Refreshments will be served.

Wagner's Greenhouse

4860 Frenchman Rd North (across from Lake Area Bank)

651-653-8863

http://wagners.biz/

Fall Family Canoe Trip at Wargo Nature Center Sept. 25

Sign-up to enjoy a leisurely family canoe outing led by a naturalist from the Wargo Nature Center. Check out local wildlife and take in the fall colors. It takes place on Saturday, September 25 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Wargo Nature Center in Hugo.

All ages are welcome and no experience is necessary. Limited canoe rental is available for $20 per canoe.

Pre-registration is required. The cost of the trip is $7 for adults or $5 for kids.

Click here to register.

Originally posted on forestlake-hugo.kstp.com

Submitted by Leslie Rolander

Thursday, September 9th,

Library Express Brings Library Service to Hugo City Hall

Washington County Library has brought a new community asset to the City of Hugo, as well as all Washington Library patrons, with the introduction of the Washington County Library Express. Library Director Patricia Conley called the Library Express an innovative new way to deliver services to areas where a full-service library may not be close by. She noted that this could also be an option for expanding library service in times of tight budgets and in diverse locations, such as transit centers. “Hugo is a community which is seeing substantial growth. We want to make sure access to library services is a cost-effective benefit which can contribute to that growth,” Conley said.

Located at the Hugo City Hall, 14669 Fitzgerald Ave. N. in Hugo, just off State Highway 61, the Library Express offers a place where patrons can order, pick up and return library materials, using a self-service kiosk, locker system and book return.

“This is a new system for us, the first in the state, and we’re excited about the possibilities,” Conley said. “We’re cooperating with Carver County Library, and applied for a federal grant together and will share what we learn. Carver County is installing an Express Library in the City of Victoria. We hope this will be seen as a model for local governments working together to provide service more efficiently.

“Once customers have a chance to give it a try and see how easy it is, I think they’ll be impressed by it,” Conley said. “We can see people stopping by the Library Express to pick up their books right along with the rest of their daily errands. It’s a fast process and will only take a few minutes to pick up the items they have put on hold. Because the Library Express is self-service and located outside Hugo City Hall, it will be open 24 hours a day. It can really be a convenient part of our customers’ daily lives,” Conley said. The computer kiosk, which is inside City Hall, will be available during normal City Hall hours, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

To request books, customers use their library card number and must have an e-mail address on file with Washington County Library. Library cards are available online or through any Washington County Library. Using either the Library Express kiosk or the Washington County website from their own computer at http://www.co.washington.mn.us/info_for_residents/library/ customers designate the Library Express (Hugo City Hall) as the pickup point. They will be informed via e-mail when their materials are available. The items will be available for 48 hours from the time of delivery to the library. Delivery schedules are currently being finalized. When they pick up the items, customers will enter the last four digits of their library card number onto a keypad. They will then be directed to the locker number where their checked out items are located.

The Washington County Library Express equipment was delivered and installed in early July. The equipment cost $44,000, plus installation costs. Service is now available. There will be a ribbon cutting at 1 p.m. Thursday, July 29, at Hugo City Hall.

This project is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services and administered by the Minnesota Department of Education, State Library Services.

-A news release from Washington County -- July 12, 2010

Thanks for a Great Movie Night!

Thanks to everyone who helped organize, set up, serve popcorn, and donated the projector. The starry night was perfect for watching movies with friends.