March 2023 Cottage Grove Reports

Cottage Grove Reports

Important Public Works Dates

New K-9 Odin in Training

By Council Member Dave Thiede

Street Sweeping

Crews will begin sweeping streets the week of April 3, weather permitting. Please sweep sand from your boulevards onto the street before crews come through, and make sure to park your vehicles in your driveways.

Hydrant Flushing

Flushing will begin the week of April 10, weather permitting. Water may discolor briefly, but it is safe to drink. It may stain fabrics, so check for signs of discoloration before using the water to wash clothes. If your water is discolored, run cold water through all your taps until it’s clear. Questions? Call Public Works at 651-458-2808.

Buckthorn Pickup

If you’re trying to get rid of pesky buckthorn on your property, our Public Works teams will come by and pick it up for you (no brush though). Let us know by 3 p.m. on April 21, put the buckthorn on the curb and we’ll haul it away on April 24 or 25, weather permitting. Call 651-458-2808 to schedule a buckthorn pickup.

In early February, Officer Matt Sorgaard took possession of our newest K-9, Odin. The oneyear-old Belgian Malinois was imported out of Hungary by Police Service Dogs, Inc. This welcome addition to our police department is possible thanks to a generous donation from the Cottage Grove Public Safety Board paired with a grant by AKC Reunite and the United States Police Canine Association.

Officer Sorgaard and Odin will attend initial Patrol and Narcotics training through Washington County Sheriff’s Office. They are expected to be certified and finished with training in May. Odin will be trained in patrol duties (obedience, tracking, area/ building search, evidence recovery, suspect apprehension and handler protection) and narcotics detection (methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin).

Odin and Officer Sorgaard join Cottage Grove’s two other K-9s and their handlers. K-9 Gunnar (who will retire this year) and Sgt. Nils Torning have been working since 2016; they were joined around this time last year by K-9 Scout and Officer Brandyn Graff. You can see videos of our K-9s by searching “K9” at YouTube.com/CottageGroveMN.

The City’s Accessible Website

As Cottage Grove strives to become an even more inclusive community, we want to showcase some of the accessibility features on the city website. These tools can assist residents who have special needs get the information they need. It’s important that residents know that Cottage Grove is a city where everyone belongs.

When you visit CottageGroveMN.gov, you will notice a circle person icon in the lower right-hand corner of the page. When you click that icon, a menu pulls up with the website’s accessibility features. Some of those features include an extra-large cursor, text size and spacing, dyslexic font adjustments and a horizontal reader guide.

We are aware of the growing need to accommodate our residents who speak languages other than English. Web browsers have the ability to translate most web pages directly through the browser. On both Chrome and Edge, if you right-click on the page (not on images), you have the option to translate the page’s contents.

HERO Center Range & Gun Safety Courses

The HERO Center is located at 10125 85th St. S., just north of City Hall. This state-of-the-art facility is jointly operated by the cities of Cottage Grove and Woodbury and is mainly used by agencies like our public safety department and Rasmussen University law enforcement students, but it is also accessible to the public. The shooting range is open on weekends, and there are many firearm safety courses throughout the year.

The shooting range is open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. — 6 p.m. Ammunition is available for purchase with a lane reservation. Cottage Grove residents pay $18 per lane for one shooter or $30 per lane for two shooters. The HERO Center does not rent firearms. Learn more and book a lane at HEROCenterMN.org/ Shooting-Range.

You can also learn about firearm safety and basic life support/CPR courses at HEROCenterMN.org/ Civilian-Training-Academy.

Fire Safety: Lithium Batteries

Lithium-ion batteries supply power to many kinds of devices, including smart phones, laptops, e-bikes, smoke alarms, toys and even cars. If used incorrectly or damaged, these batteries can catch fire or explode. Follow these safety tips when dealing with lithium batteries and devices:

• Only use the battery or charging cords designed for the device.

• Do not charge a device under your pillow, on your bed or on a couch.

• Keep batteries at room temperature when possible.

• Store batteries away from anything that can catch fire.

• Stop using the battery if you notice odor, change in color, too much heat, change in shape, leaking or noises.

• In case of fire or emergency, call 911.

Fish Fry, Golf & More

A Friday night fish fry is a dinnertime staple for many this time of year, and River Oaks Bar & Grill is the place to get your fill. Make a reservation at RiverOaksMuniGolf.com.

River Oaks is also gearing up for another season of golf. Visit the website for memberships, leagues, lessons and more.

Need a place for a wedding, anniversary, or retirement party?

Look no further than the River Oaks Event Center. You can’t beat the views overlooking the Mississippi!

Do not put lithium-ion batteries in the trash. The Washington County Environmental Center (4039 Cottage Grove Drive in Woodbury) will accept batteries. Learn more at Co.Washington.MN.US/ Batteries or by calling 651-275-7475.

Energy Assistance

A house without energy during a Minnesota winter is no easy thing to endure. Everyone deserves affordable, safe utility services. If you encounter issues with energy, Community Action Partnership of Ramsey & Washington Counties can help. They provide bill payment assistance, home energy crisis intervention, and referrals to their energy conservation service and other community agencies.

Check if you qualify and review the application at caprw.org. You can also apply in-person at the Community Action Building or call 651-645-6470.

Talk to Your Children About Internet Safety

Earlier this month, the Cottage Grove Police Department posted on Facebook about the sensitive topics of sextortion and online safety that were reported in a recent KARE 11 article. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) says sextortion crimes, once considered the domain of sexual predators trying to obtain images or set up sexual encounters, have become all about blackmail.

This is something relevant to our community. Cottage Grove Detective Sergeant Mike McCormick advised that we have had many of these types of cases recently. “This isn’t just a national issue; it’s happening right here in Cottage Grove. It’s important for parents to talk to their kids about the risks of using the internet and educate them on the dangers posed by these predators.”

BCA Commissioner Drew Evans said those behind the schemes contact their victims, mostly young boys, on gaming sites or social media pretending to be young girls and ask them to send explicit images that include their faces. Once

Egg-stra! Egg-stra!

Dig out those baskets and hop into spring at the city’s annual egg hunt on April 9 at Woodridge Park. For $7, kids of all ages can collect 10 eggs and redeem a prize. Don’t forget your camera! Our friendly bunny will be hopping around for photos.

Pre-registration is required. There are several sessions available with 50 kids per session. More sessions may be added as times fill.

We are “egg-cited” to see you there! Visit CottageGroveMN.gov/ TicketSales to register.

received, the sextortionist threatens to publicly post the pictures unless a ransom is paid.

Evans said the BCA’s predatory crimes unit first began receiving tips about sextortion schemes a couple of years ago. Since then, the bureau has learned of hundreds of incidents involving Minnesota children.

If this happens to someone you know, call 911 to report the crime. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) has also outlined steps that parents and caregivers can take if their child falls victim to a sextortion scheme:

• Get help before deciding to pay. Cooperating with the demands rarely stops the extortion or harassment.

• Report the predator via the platform’s safety feature.

• Block the predator but do not delete the profile or messages — they could be useful to law enforcement later on.

• The NCMEC can help you get the images off the internet if they were posted.

ESL Group Tours the Police Facilities

The city’s public safety community engagement and case management teams provide monthly presentations to residents who are English as a Second Language Learners through SoWashCo Community Education. On Feb. 28, students from one of the classes toured the public safety facility and learned more about what the public safety teams do in the community every day.

Our officers love the opportunities to meet and educate residents!

Work Where You Live — Cottage Grove is Hiring

Get experience for the summer or find a career with the city: Cottage Grove is seeking dynamic, dedicated individuals for full-time positions and several part-time seasonal positions. Seasonal positions last three to six months and are available for several departments.

Applicants must be 18 years old. Learn more and apply for jobs with the city at CottageGroveMN.gov/ Employment.

CITY HALL

12800 Ravine Parkway South

Cottage Grove, MN 55016

CottageGroveMN.gov | 651-458-2800

Mayor Myron Bailey and Council Members

Steve Dennis, Tony Khambata, Justin Olsen and Dave Thiede

City Parks: Explore Camel’s Hump

The city has over 1,500 acres of park land and open space, and some of the best views can be had from the blufftop at Camel’s Hump Park.

This park is located at 7600 Burr Oak Cove S., with a few parking spaces at the end of the street. From this elevated space, you get spectaular views overlooking the Mississippi River Valley. This park is home to an ADA accessible trail where you can hear native bird calls on the way to two stunning overlooks.

The name Camel’s Hump refers to the gently rising and falling bluff, which from a distance resembles the back of a camel. This park is a great example of a variety of important habitat types packed into one site, such as native prairie and savanna vegetation, diverse oak forests, and meadows of spring wildflowers.

Find a full listing of Cottage Grove’s parks and trails at CottageGroveMN.gov/Parks-Trails.