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The ongoing shutdown is creating an urgent need for assistance in Dakota County. 10,000 of our neighbors may lose SNAP benefits in November, and over 1,000 federal workers are without pay. Emergency food requests are already rising.

The Open Door, Dakota County's local hunger relief organization, is responding with immediate action, and we need your help:

Volunteer – We need volunteers for our emergency, "Shutdown Support" food distributions (Nov 1, 8, 15, & 22). Sign up here.

Host a To-Go Bag Packing Party – Help assemble emergency food bags. Requests have tripled, and we need your help to meet the demand. Get instructions.

Donate Funds – Financial gifts allow us to act fast and address the most pressing needs. Donate here.

Thank you for showing up for your community. Together, we'll keep the door open for every neighbor who needs us.

We hear you! We’ll work on getting this started.

The MCPA (Minnesota Pollution Control Agency)filed a lawsuit against the owners of Burnsville’s Freeway Dump just hours before the city approved plans for Big Hits at the Gateway, a $50 million entertainment complex on the same site. The state says the owners refused to cooperate with cleanup efforts, while developers claim they’ve been working toward a fix. The project now heads to the City Council for final approval later this year.

👻 New Horizon Academy Trick-or-Treat (Rosemount at 6:15pm)
🆓 Your little ones can trick-or-treat through classrooms with games at every stop, plus dancing and snacks in the Great Room (costumes required, cuteness guaranteed).

🐾 The Urban Edge Trunk or Treat (Eagan at 3pm)
🆓 Kids get candy from decorated trunks, dogs get their own treats, and you get exclusive in-store sales at this pet-friendly Halloween party.

📖 Raising Readers at Diamond Path Elementary (Apple Valley at noon)
🆓 District 196 families can learn about the research-backed changes to how reading is taught and get practical tips for supporting literacy at home (no boring jargon, just helpful info).

🍬 Valley Ridge Trick-or-Treat (Burnsville at 3pm)
🆓 Bring your costumed kiddos to brighten seniors' day while scoring treats (it's the kind of trick-or-treating that hits different in the best way).

🎸 Bald Man Brewing Halloween Party with 8LivesDown (Eagan at 7pm)
🆓 Get your costume ready for this 21+ rockin' Halloween party with live music from 8LivesDown, themed cocktails like the Monster Mash apple cider mule, and prizes in multiple costume categories.

🍭 Prior Lake Candy Crawl (10am)
🆓 Prior Lake's littlest trick-or-treaters can hit up City Hall and downtown businesses during the day (because not everyone wants to wait until dark for candy).

💀 Monster Mash Halloween Bash at 2nd Street Depot (Hastings at 9pm)
🆓 It's a graveyard smash dance party with Coors Light specials and a midnight costume contest with cash prizes for the top three costumes.

📚 Farmington Library Halloween Parade (10:15am)
🆓 Wear your costume for a lively parade around the library with trick-or-treating stops along the way (cute factor off the charts).

🏁 Drift Bash at Elko Speedway (Elko at 12pm from Oct 31st to Nov 2nd)
💲The wildest drift event of the season features a Friday trunk-or-treat on the infield with drift cars handing out candy, plus a 3K drift competition Saturday with serious prize money.

🎃 Trick Shift Band Halloween at Babe's Lakeville (at 9pm)
🆓 Show up in costume for live music until 1am, $4 jello shots, and a shot at $1,000 in prize money during the costume contest after the second set.

🤘 Wicked Garden Halloween Bash at Bogart's (Lakeville at 6pm)
💲 Wicked Garden brings 90s grunge and alt-rock energy to this 21+ Halloween party with a costume contest offering up to $250 in Bogart's gift cards.

🎨 Rosemount High School Art & Craft Fair (9am)
🆓 The south metro's biggest holiday shopping kickoff is happening at Rosemount High School with six hours to find those perfect handmade gifts before anyone else does.

🎃 Car Club Halloween Car Show at Truplayerz (Rosemount at 4pm)
🆓 MN's hottest supercars, JDM builds, and classic muscle are taking over TruPlayerz for a Halloween bash with trick-or-treating for kids, low car limbo, trophies, candy, and beer (basically the perfect way to close out car show season).

🥂 Sip 'N Shop at Buck Hill (Burnsville at 10am)
🆓 Mimosas, bloody marys, and handcrafted treasures from local makers make this the shopping experience you actually want to go to, plus free live music from Preston Gunderson to cap off your day.

🎷 Steeling Dan at Brianno's Chart House (Lakeville at 7pm)
💲 This 13-piece powerhouse band nails Steely Dan's complex jazz-rock fusion with precision harmonies and a four-piece horn section (perfect for die-hard fans and curious newcomers alike).

Planning an event? Have exciting news to share? We want to hear from you!

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Whether it's a grand opening, community gathering, or local achievement - we're here to help spread the word.

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Stay tuned for our next newsletter going out every Monday & Friday morning.

— Brady Greenbush
Publisher & Editor