SHAKOPEE

Bye-bye old Met, hello Metrodome

A piece of the Metrodome is turning up this spring in Shakopee.

At the city's Schleper Stadium, seats from the demolished ballpark are replacing ones that were themselves repurposed from the dome's predecessor, the old Met Stadium. The latter arrived in the early 1980s.

Crews began installing the seats in late March. Officials say they discovered that the new ones are wider than the old, creating a need for a new bolt hole for each of the roughly 540 seats.

For the tradition inclined, the city will sell the Met Stadium versions, though it's not known how many seats will be available or what they'll cost.

Auditions coming up for Renaissance Fest

The Minnesota Renaissance Festival is holding auditions for its 2014 season.

They are held at an improv theater in south Minneapolis on May 3 and May 10 from 1-4 p.m. The address is 3037 Lyndale Av S., and the theater's website is www.hugetheater.com.

The festival is seeking musicians, ensembles, street performers, dancers, stage combat performers and actors. They need not have performance experience.

Interviews for street performers will include some "cold reading," off unfamiliar texts, and those accepted will learn the craft of interactive street performance at a workshop. Performers of all ages are invited.

For information, and to schedule a time, e-mail renfestmn@gmail.com. Everyone will need to bring a headshot and resume.

The festival's 44th season is Aug. 16-Sept. 28.

Confusion on the new hauler in Shakopee?

Shakopee is offering residents help on the transition to a new garbage and recycling hauler.

Beginning June 1, Republic Services (formerly Allied Waste) will take care of everyone in a city that now chooses just a single hauler for all.

All houses, duplexes, triplexes and townhouses in Shakopee with municipal water and sewer with individual carts are affected.

To find answers to questions, see www.ShakopeeMN.gov/haulertransition.

ROSEMOUNT

Cleanup day May 17

Rosemount residents can get rid of unwanted items not accepted by their trash hauler during the city's annual spring cleanup day, 8 a.m. to noon on May 17 in the east parking lot at Dakota County Technical College, 1300 E. 145th St. (County Road 42). Participants can enter the site off Audrey Avenue just south of the baseball field.

Items such as construction debris and car batteries can be dropped off for free; others will be accepted with a fee, such as $10 per computers or $15 per mattress. See http://tinyurl.com/m8gbnjv for a full list of accepted items, fees and instructions, or call 651-322-6005 with questions.

south metro

If you can avoid I-35, please do so for a bit

At presstime time for this section, the state was awaiting better weather to launch single-lane traffic in both directions on Interstate 35 between County Roads 70 and 50.

As part of the road work, the County Road 50 ramp to southbound I-35 was to close as well as the southbound I-35 ramp to County Road 60/185th Street.

Traffic is to be moved back to its regular side of the road and ramps are to reopen in mid-May, officials say, but there will be temporary lane closures during non-rush hours and weekends through early June.

All dates are subject to suitable weather.

Burnsville

Big gift aids in creating splash pad

Burnsville's Lions Club is giving the city $70,000 for a new splash pad play area at Cliff Fen Park.

It will be part of the Burnsville Lions Playground there, at 120 E. Cliff Road.

In 2013, the club gave $50,000 for work on what had been known as the Skyland Playground. Construction of the new addition should begin this fall. To learn more, see www.burnsville.org/lionsplayground.

Scott County

Spring tea for girls

The Scott County Historical Society's Girls' Spring Tea is on Saturday.

Girls will make Victorian headbands, sample tea and treats, and take tours of a 1908 historic home from 1:30-3 p.m.

Space is limited and reservations are required. There's also an $8 fee for supplies.

To learn more, call 952-445-0378 or e-mail sherrick@scottcountyhistory.org. The society is at 235 S. Fuller St., Shakopee.

Staff reports