Congratulations to Ward Halvorson who is one of the 16 individuals to be inducted to the Minnesota Softball Hall of Fame through the Minnesota Sports Federation.

This marks the 29th banquet to recognize those individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the sport of softball.  The banquet will be held on Oct. 29 at the Monterey Ballroom in Owatonna.  Tickets can be purchased for $45 from the Minnesota Softball Hall of Fame at 118 12 Ave. N. South St. Paul MN, 55075 or atwww.msf1.org/?p=11929. Call  952-405-6936.  The deadline for tickets is Friday, Oct.21.

Community garden

A reminder to our Community Garden patrons that you must clean out the produce and remove all fencing in your garden plot by Oct. 16.

We will be tiling the area the week of Oct. 17.  Thank you very much for gardening with us, see you in the spring.

Red Bike Program

With fall in progress we ask that all the Red Bike riders return the bikes to Rydjor Bike Shop at 219 N. Main St. so we can make any repairs and store them for the winter by Oct. 15.  We are in the process of planning for next summer’s Red Bike program with the slogan: “Ride, Respect, Return.”

Pickleball

We are offering something new starting Wednesday. Every Wednesday night through  Nov. 30 we will offer open gym from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Ellis Middle School for Pickleball.

We will use the auxiliary gym, which is located down the short hall next to the women’s locker room, enter the school through the east gym doors. The cost is $2 per time, per person and you can pay at the gym.

The address is 1700 Fourth Ave. SE. If you have questions, please call Jake Solberg at 507-433-1881 or email him atjakes@ci.austin.mn.us.

Playground equipment

You may have noticed that the play equipment in our low lying parks have caution tape around them from the flooding.  We will be in the process of sand replacement due to the flood water that covered those play areas. Again thank you for your help by staying out of these areas.

Riverside arena schedule

Public skate times: 4:45 to 6:15 p.m. Tuesday; 3 to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 22; 2:15 to 3:30 p.m. Oct. 23.  Cost is $4 to skate plus $1 if you need to rent skates.  Purchase a family membership for $70 (two people) and add other family members for $5 each. Expires March 31.

Stick time times: 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. Tuesdays (Oct. 4 and 11). The cost is $6 per person each event. Purchase a $25 punch card for five times and save $5.

Adult Open Hockey: Wednesday’s from 6:30 to 8 p.m., cost is $6 per person each event; must be 16 – goalies are free.

Halloween warm-up

Tickets are on sale for Halloween Warm-Up hosted at our very own Jay C. Hormel Nature Center. Tickets can be purchased at Super Fresh Produce Bakery and Garden Center.

This year’s Halloween Warm-Up takes place on Friday and Saturday. The first hike is at 6:50 p.m. and the last hike is at 9:10 p.m.

The cost is $6 per person which includes a cookie and apple cider.

2016  is the event’s 33rd year for the partnership with the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center and Matchbox Children’s Theatre.

This is an event you should not miss.

Youth basketball

Park and Recreation will offer youth basketball for those students Kindergarten through sixth grade beginning Oct. 25.

This program is not a traveling program and is geared toward those that would like to learn and try the game.

They will learn and practice skills with games being introduced throughout the course of the program.  They will play at Banfield Elementary school in the wood gym on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Kindergarten and first grade go from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m.; second and third grade, 6:20 to 7:05 p.m. and fourth to sixth grade from 7:10 to 7:55 p.m.

The cost is $20 and you must register by Oct.14.

Austin Bruins

Austin Bruin’s first home games will be against Bismarck, North Dakota, Friday and Saturday. Puck drops at 7:05 p.m. at Riverside Arena.