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W W W . C I . B L A I N E . M N . U S
September/October 2010
Celebrate Cultures at the Third Annual Blaine World Fest on Sept. 25 Join the City of Blaine on Sept. 25 to celebrate cultures at the third annual Blaine World Fest. From 1–5 p.m. at Town Square Park, visitors can enjoy ethnic foods, cultural entertainment and informational learning booths. Last year, more than 1,200 visitors attended the family-friendly afternoon of celebration that brought Blaine’s many ethnic groups to the forefront to foster learning, awareness and, most of all, fun. For 2010, $5 gets fest-goers a set of tickets good for a hearty sample of ethnic food at Enjoy Cultural Entertainment by: • Appalachian Clog & Kumbalwae (by QC Dance Studio) • Aztec Dance Troupe • Butterfly Girls • Hotfoot Stompers Square Dance Club • Rene Dance & Music Studio (Latin Dance/Afro Caribbean) • Rince na Chroi School of Irish Dance • Unlimited Next Level Drill & Dance • Voice of Culture
each of the event’s many food vendors. All other activities and entertainment are free. The Parks and Recreation Department has also incorporated a diversity essay contest for Blaine youth. Details are on page 6. Bring the entire family to Town Square Park on a beautiful autumn afternoon and learn about different cultures through music, dance, cultural arts and food.
Sample Ethnic Foods Courtesy of: • Acapulco • Buca • Chili’s • China Inn • Dino’s, The Greek Place • Dosa King • Glockenspiel & Deutschland Meats • Jimmy John’s • Umbria Pizza
For more information about Blaine World Fest or to volunteer, contact Recreation Supervisor Tom Godfrey at 763-717-2723 .
Election information is available from the City Clerk’s office at 763-785-6122 or 763-785-6124. All election-related information is also available online at www.ci.blaine.mn.us/elections .
Informational Learning Booths Hosted by:
General Election on Nov. 2
• Anoka County Health (Child & Teen Check-up Program) • Anoka-Hennepin School District - ECFE • Best Buy - Diversity Group • Chinese Heritage Foundation • Cilongo Foundation • Emma B. Howe Family YMCA Diversity Committee • Eritrean Community of Blaine • Hmong Folk Art, Inc. • iAsianLanguage Institute • Phancy Face Painting, Airbrushing & Henna • Spring Lake Park - Foreign Exchange Student Program
Absentee voting for the General Election begins Sept. 17. Absentee voting applications and voter registration forms are available from the City Clerk’s Office at Blaine City Hall or online at www.ci.blaine.mn.us/elections. In-person absentee voting for Blaine residents may be done at the Anoka County Courthouse.
City to Host Informational Meetings for New Pavement Management Program The City of Blaine has a commitment to maintain more than 230 miles of city streets in a condition that provides for functional, safe and efficient travel in a cost efficient manner. To assist in fulfilling this commitment, the city is in the process of implementing a new Pavement Management Program. This program will extend the lifespan of city streets and minimize the costs of maintaining a viable road surface by tracking street conditions, planning a schedule of pavement maintenance and rehabilitation and identifying funding sources and assessment methods. Open house meetings will be held for residents to learn about the new Pavement Management Program. Residents are invited to attend any of the informational meetings.
Election Updates
Wednesday, Sept. 15 | 6 – 7:30 p.m. Mary Ann Young Senior Center 9150 Central Ave. Tuesday, Sept. 21 | 6 – 7:30 p.m. Fire Station #3 – Training Room 11920 Ulysses St. Tuesday, Sept. 28 | 6 – 7:30 p.m. Blaine City Hall – Cloverleaf Room 10801 Town Square Drive More information about the Pavement Management Program public meetings is available from the City of Blaine Engineering Department at 763-717-2688.
Voting Pre-Registration Residents who have changed addresses or changed names must re-register to vote. Residents who need to re-register or have never registered to vote can pre-register for the General Election by completing a registration form available at Blaine City Hall or on the city’s or Anoka County’s website. Registrations must be received by Anoka County Elections by the end of the business day on Oct. 12. Residents who miss pre-registration can register to vote on Election Day at their designated polling place. To properly complete Election Day registration, be sure to have an acceptable form of identification with current address.
Polling Place Locations All Blaine polling place locations can be found on page 5 of this newsletter. To determine your polling place, visit http://pollfinder.sos.state.mn.us .
Maps to polling places can be found at www.ci.blaine.mn.us/elections.