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In the Pipeline - 02 February 2020Over February/March City Council regular meetings: February 10 and 24, March 9 and 23 at 7 p.m. City Council work sessions: February 18, March 16 at 6:30 p.m. Citizen Advisory Commission meetings: February 11, March 10 at 7 p.m. Human Rights Commission meetings: February 3, March 2 at 7 p.m. Planning Commission meetings: February 4, March 4 at 7 p.m. Events: State of the City presentation-February 12 at 7:30 a.m. City offices closed for Presidents’ Day-February 17. 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. Properly dispose of problem waste items Hennepin County operates a drop-off facility at 8100 Jefferson Highway in Brooklyn Park to manage the disposal of household hazardous waste and problem materials. These are common household items that may be toxic and could pollute the air, land and water if disposed of improperly. The Hennepin County Recycling Cen- ter and Transfer Station accepts house- hold hazardous waste including paints and solvents; auto fluids, filters and bat- teries; cleaning products; flammables including gasoline; garden chemicals; and miscellaneous other chemicals. Problem materials accepted include fluorescent lamps, rechargeable/cord- less appliances, household batteries, CDs, DVDs, and one-pound propane/ gas cylinders. The site also accepts recyclable items and organic waste. Electronics, tires, appliances, mattresses and propane appliances are accepted for a fee. For a complete list of materials accept- ed at the Brooklyn Park Transfer Station and hours of operation, visit hennepin. us and search for “drop-off facility,” or call 612.348.3777. State of the City The City Council and city staff invite members of the local business com- munity and residents to attend the 2020 State of the City at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 12. The presenta- tion will highlight city of New Hope projects and activities during 2019 and look ahead to 2020. The event, which will be held at New Hope City Hall, is sponsored by the Twin West Chamber of Commerce. Pet licenses required All dogs, cats and fer- rets must be licensed in the city of New Hope. Pet owners must provide a copy of an animal’s rabies vaccination certificate to receive a new license. An animal’s license runs concurrently with its rabies vaccination (up to three years). When a pet gets a rabies vaccination the pet’s owner will need to renew its animal license. The fee for an animal license is $15 for a spayed or neutered pet or $30 for an unaltered animal. Animal licenses for indoor-only cats and ferrets are free. If a cat is found at large or impounded it will no longer be considered indoor- only and license fees will be required. Animal license applications are avail- able at newhopemn.gov/pets. Pet owners can complete the licensing process by mail or in person at the New Hope Police Station. Police of- fices are located at 4401 Xylon Ave. N. For more information, call 763.531.5170. Senior Outreach and Caregiver Ser- vices, a program of Senior Community Services, provides support to friends, spouses and other family members who help an older adult remain in their home. The staff helps caregivers connect with needed services and re- sources for their loved ones and gives support to the caregivers as well. The program’s licensed social workers can provide consultation, caregiver sup- port groups, family meeting facilitation and coaching to caregivers. For more information or to request service, call 952.767.7888. Help for caregivers Other programs available to New Hope residents through Senior Community Services are: • CareNextion.org website • Household and Outside Maintenance (HOME) • Senior Partners Care The city of New Hope is a funding partner of Senior Community Services. Recreation Corner Safety Tip of the Month Develop Youth Athletic Skills New Hope is offering soccer and basketball classes through Revolutionary Sports that focus on skill development and fun. Revolutionary Sports Soccer will meet on Sunday evenings from March 8 - April 19. There are separate ses- sions for kids ages 5 to 7 and youth ages 8 to 11. Revolutionary Sports Basket- ball will meet on Tuesday evenings from March 3 - April 7 (no class 3/24). There are three sessions for kids ages 5-7, 6-9, and 9-12. The resident fee for either of the six-week sessions is $54. Call for details. Adult Softball Registration Registration begins February 10 for new teams to sign up for New Hope’s slow-pitch softball leagues. New Hope offers Men’s Upper D leagues on Thursdays, Men’s Lower D and E leagues on Mondays or Wednesdays, and Co-Rec D leagues on Sundays or Friday. League play begins in late April or early May. Call for details. Create a cork keychain Adults can create a cork keychain or batik bandana in these fun classes. Cork keychains will use a variety of charms and beads to create custom pieces. The class will be held on Saturday, February 22 from 10-11 a.m. Fee: $12. Or try your hand at batik, a technique of wax-resist dyeing applied to cloth. This class will be held on Saturday, March 7 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Fee: $29. Both programs will be held at the Crystal Community Center. Family Fun Night is March 6 Families with kids ages 4 and older are invited to Family Fun Night, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Friday, March 6. Everyone can bounce, jump, joust and bungee run on bouncers provided by Bounce on Air. Plus, you can play bingo for prizes. Con- cessions available. One adult can supervise up to five kids. The event will be at Crystal Community Center, 4800 Douglas Drive. Advance tickets are $7 per person (until 3/1), or $10 at the door. For more information about these programs or to register, call the New Hope Parks and Recreation office at 763.531.5151. 2020 election dates to know It’s no secret that 2020 is an election year. While General Election Day isn’t coming until Nov. 3, there are impor-tant dates for New Hope residents to know starting in January. The city will have the mayor position and two city council seats on the ballot in 2020. January 17 Vote for the Presidential Primary by mail or in person Jan. 17 through March 2. February 11 Register to vote in advance by Feb. 11 for the Presidential Primary. February 25 Precinct caucuses March 3 Presidential Primary May 19 Candidate filings for city council open June 2 Candidate filings for city council close June 26 Vote by mail or in person for the Min-nesota Primary June 26 through Aug. 10. July 21 Register in advance by July 21 for the Minnesota Primary. August 11 Minnesota Primary Election September 18 Vote by mail or in person September 18 through Nov. 2 October 13 Register in advance by Oct. 13 to save time on General Election Day November 3 General Election Day For more info go to mnvotes.org. Distracted driving Distracted driving is any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving. There are three main types of distraction: visual - taking your eyes off the road; manual - taking your hands off the wheel; and cognitive - taking your mind off what you are doing. A variety of activities are common driv- ing distractions, including: texting, cell phone use, eating, drinking, grooming, talking to passengers, reading, look- ing at maps or navigation systems, and audio devices. All distractions endanger driver, passenger and bystander safety. Perhaps the best way to reduce dis- tracted driving is to learn about the dangers. Below are some key facts about distracted driving from the Na- tional Highway Traffic Safety Admin- istration. ✲ In 2016, 3,450 people were killed on U.S. roads. An estimated 391,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver. ✲ During daylight hours, approxi- mately 481,000 drivers are using cell phones while driving. That creates enormous potential for deaths and injuries on U.S. roads. ✲ 40 percent of American teens say they have been a passenger in a car while the driver used a cell phone. In Minnesota, new drivers with a pro- visional license are banned from all cell phone use – whether handheld or hands-free. ✲ Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that is equivalent to driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed. ✲ Text messaging creates a crash risk 23 times worse than driving while not distracted. In Minnesota, all drivers, regardless of age or license status, are prohibited from texting while driving. For more information about distracted driving, visit the website Distraction.gov.