Area Briefs

The market also will be open May 29 (Memorial Day weekend) and Sept. 4 (Labor Day weekend).

The Nisswa Chamber of Commerce has partnered with the Central Minnesota Farmers' Markets to develop an official farmers' market presence in Nisswa. The Nisswa chamber has lined up 11 producers who will sell products grown or made within a 10-county radius of Nisswa.

The Nisswa farmers' market is funded in part from the University of Minnesota Central Region Partnership, which helped buy signs.

Arthritis Foundation aquatic program offered in Crosby

CROSBY -- The Arthritis Foundation will offer an aquatic program 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, May 11 to June 10, at the Hallett Community Center, 470 Eighth St. N.E., Crosby.

Registration deadline is May 7. Cost is $25 for community center members per session and $35 for non-members per session. Scholarships are available.

Call Jenny Smith for registration forms at (218) 546-2616.

Classes are open to any adult with any type of arthritis. It is not necessary to know how to swim. People with severe joint programs or who have had joint surgery are encouraged to check with their doctors about the need for precautions.

Garden space available at Ag Center in Staples

STAPLES -- Limited garden space will be available at Central Lakes Agricultural Center, located near the airport in Staples.

A fee of $15 will be charged for a 10- by 20-foot garden spot, which will be available approximately May 15, depending on the weather. The fee will cover organic fertilizer, which will be applied, initial tillage and watering, which will be done by Ag Center staff during the growing season. If you plan to grow potatoes, keep in mind the challenges of the Colorado Beetle.

To reserve a spot call (218) 894-2497, or sign up in person at Staples Motley Community Education. Space is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Driver improvement course for seniors offered in Staples

STAPLES -- The four-hour Senior Driver Improvement refresher course will run 6 to 10 p.m. Tuesday at Staples Motley High School.

Fee is $18; pre-registration is suggested.

A Minnesota Highway Safety and Research Center certified instructor will teach driver safety, confidence and comfort by using the most up-to-date research in the field, including the latest visual scanning and steering techniques, anti-lock braking skills, airbag information, driver distraction, road rage and new vehicle technology.

People 55 and older who complete the course qualify for a 10 percent discount on their auto insurance premiums for three years. For more information, call 1-(888)-234-1294.