Mendota Heights Patch Week in Review March 20-March 26

Here's what you may have missed last week on Mendota Heights Patch:

Students at Convent of the Visitation School are planning a to raise money for children in Kenya infected with HIV/AIDS. The group will travel to Kenya over the summer to work with the Sisters of Mercy charities that their money will support.

Data from the released last month indicates that drug and alcohol use by family members may be the most disturbing trend facing students in District 197.

Updates to a Minnesota River Greenway plan just east of downtown Mendota. While the improvements don't have funding, county planners say road construction on Sibley Memorial Highway could be the opportunity they need.

The construction will be completed in three phases, and is designed to improve drainage along Sibley Memorial Highway. However, some residents of Lilydale have started a petition to prevent at the intersections at Interstate 35E.

Lent is underway for Christians around the world, which usually means Friday fish frys for church kitchen attendees. Holy Family Maronite Church in Mendota Heights is putting a unique spin on the meatless meal by offering .

Thursday's Viewfinder featured the banks of the shortly after a snow and sleet storm hit the Twin Cities.  Lilydale Regional Park is one of the first metro areas to be covered by rising water in the spring.

Mendota Heights Patch columnist Lindsey Walder, a registered dietician and nutrition instructor at , teamed up with local weight loss blogger for a Q&A on Friday.

Book lovers and writers may want to check out Saturday's feature on , who published his first novel recently. Lambert talked with contributor Michelle Leon about his first venture into fiction writing and the state of the local publishing scene.