How Much Is It Costing to Use My Credit Card?

The Federal Reserve has created an online calculator to help consumers "identify the true cost of credit cards." This service helps us understand how much it costs in interest and principal to carry a balance on our credit cards.

You enter your credit card balance and the interest rate on your cards, and the calculator determines the total amount of interest you pay and how long it takes to pay off IF YOU ONLY PAY THE MINIMUM the credit card company requires.

The calculator is available by following this link. The same service is available in English and Spanish via touchtone telephone (toll-free) at 888.445.4801.

from the Community Affairs Dept. of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minnesota

Good Neighbors - Pete and Jay

Pete Emeott (right) and Jay Sliwinski (left) have received this year's "Good Neighbor Award" from the District 1 Community Council. These fabulous volunteers have been running our pick-up service for seniors at our fall Community Clean-Up for years. They have assisted hundreds of seniors with clearing out unwanted stuff, and have made sure that the seniors are happy, feel connected to the neighborhood, and that the materials are recycled. It is a win-win-win situation! I can't tell you how many people have commented on the relief they feel at getting the clutter out of their homes, for a reasonable price, and with the help of such friendly folks.

Pete and Jay, the seniors thank you, the neighborhood thanks you, and the District Council thanks you for your great work and dedication.

And while I'm at it, let me remind everyone that the Clean-Up will be Saturday, October 10 this year, at Harding High School. We could use another couple of crews to help seniors this year, so if you have a truck or just want to help out, give the office a call at 651.501.6345.

School Supplies Donation Site

In collaboration with District 2 Community Council, District 1 Community Council is acting as a drop-off site for donations of school supplies for eastside school children. You can bring donations of notebooks, pencils, crayons, rulers, backpacks - you know, the usual stuff kids need for school - to our office and we will get the stuff to those doing the distribution. BUT CALL FIRST to make sure we will be around when you drop off things! We have limited hours, so I don't want people to make an unnecessary trip. If our office hours don't work for you, leave your contact information and we will figure out a way to pick up the donation.

Let's make sure every eastside child has the supplies he or she needs to be successful in school!

Thanks in advance for your donations. Our office is at the Conway Rec Center, 2090 Conway St. and our phone number is 651.501.6345

Community Meeting on Highwood Variance Requests

Please join members of the District 1 Community Council Land Use Committee on Wednesday August 5 at 6p at the Conway Rec Center (2090 Conway St.) to discuss two variance requests affecting properties at 2200 Hadley and 812 S. Winthrop. The first of these properties is requesting a variance for relocating a driveway to a newly built house (slopes involved...). The second is requesting a variance for property in the River Corridor, putting in a retaining wall in a steep slope.

Upcoming Hearings on Highwood Properties

There are two properties in Highwood asking for variances. One is asking for a variance for construction into a steep slope that is already underway and is in the River Corridor. The other is for extension of a driveway up a slope to a new construction on the former home site to make the new home more accessible.

We need to hear from neighbors about these proposals. There is a short timeline. The hearings are August 10 at 3p in the City Council Chambers, third floor of City Hall.

Contact Betsy for more information (district1council@aol.com or 651.501.6345). And if you want early notification of such zoning requests, follow this link to get signed up. Our district is DISTRICT 1 - signing up will keep you informed.

National Night Out is Just Around the Corner!

Remember August 4!! That's National Night Out this year and we are encouraging every neighborhood to celebrate. Every household should turn on its porch light for the night (not a bad idea for EVERY night!), and see if your neighbors want to get together for a potluck, a dessert and maybe games or a discussion. Contact Pam McCreary at 651.702.6770 and let her know what you're planning.

And there will be a community gathering at Faith Alliance Church, 520 N. Howard again this year. Announcement will be coming in the District 1 News - due at your doorstep next week (July 27 or so...).

The most effective way to keep our neighborhoods safe is to know your neighbors and spend time outside, watching the traffic, walking the block, playing in the front yard. AND its healthy for you, too!!

Public School Superintendent Search

The St. Paul Board of education is using consultants to guide their search for a new permanent superintendent. There will be an opportunity for community engagement in this search by 

1. providing input for the candidate profile (what would we be looking for?)
2. giving impressions of the finalists when they have been picked.

The Board is hoping to hire someone before the end of 2009, but at least by then. There is more information and updates about the search at the School Board's website.

Keep in mind that, although Sheridan School remains open for the 2009-2010 school year, the School Board will still need to close a school in the following year. If you have concerns, you better be ready with input!!

Why Everyone Should be an Environmentalist

Maybe you saw in the Star Tribune newspaper today the article about the link that researchers have found between air pollution and brain development of children... They looked at inner-city mothers-to-be and monitored their exposure to air pollution while they were pregnant. Then they tested the children's IQ at age 5 or 6 and found that kids who were exposed to higher air pollution levels in utero had significantly lower IQs than those exposed to less pollution. It was as if the kids had gotten lead poisoning - the effects were similar.

In addition, scientists are finding increasing evidence that when prescription drugs get flushed down the toilets, they are getting into the river water - which is often a source of drinking water in cities. These levels of drugs have a disruptive effect on hormones of living beings, including people... (Here is a link to how to properly dispose of these drugs.)

The way we live, design our communities, get to our jobs has an effect on ourselves, on our children, and on our children's children. There are things we can do about this - choices we can make. Getting involved in your community is one of those things.

Help for Food Shelves

"Fruits of the City" is a new project by the Minnesota Project that is looking to glean unused fresh fruit from trees in the city for donation to local food shelves. They are asking that if residents have apple, pear or plum trees on their home lots, which have excess fruit that tends to go to waste, those residents register the trees with this project. Then they will send out volunteers to pick the excess fruit. They are also looking for volunteer gleaners to help pick the fruit.

For more information, to register a tree, or to volunteer, call 651.789.3320 or email fruits@mnproject.org. Here is a link to their website .

Sheridan School to Remain Open...

At least for the coming year... The school board voted last night not to close Sheridan Elementary or to "repurpose" it. This affects the school district budget in a negative way so the school board will need to look at additional closings for the 2010-2011 school year. But for now, the neighborhood school is safe.

Receive Alerts Electronically

The St. Paul Police Department has launched a new Community Information Service designed to deliver important, relevant and timely information to residents using the latest technology.

This service, Nixle, delivers important neighborhood-level public safety and community event notifications that are instantly sent to you by cell phone text message, email and the web. There is NO advertising or Spam.

Nixle is free (although standard cell phone provider text message rates apply for those who chose to receive text alerts).

The service is simple to use, reliable, and the information Nixle delvers comes directly from the St. Paul Police Department.

We encourage you to register now and learn more by clicking HERE. After you've registered, invite your neighbors, co-workers, and friends to join us so they too can get important and timely information about issues that matter to them.

We are excited to have you join us in "Making Saint Paul the Most Liveable City in America."

For additional information about all the great events and services available in St. Paul, visit us at the city website.

Submitted by the SP Police Department Crime Prevention personnel

First-Time Home Buyers' Money Available

Within District 1, there are many homes waiting for a new owner. Prospective home buyers, especially in the 55106 zip code, should check out these resources...

St. Paul Home Buying Incentives

Assistance for the 55106 area only

Those of us who live and work here already, know what a great place this is!!

Disposing of Ash Wood

Here are the locations of our closest disposal sites for wood from ash trees that may be infested with Emerald Ash Borers...

• Metro Wood Recycling Inc - 555 Barge Channel Road (309-314-3050) - takes wood from commercial and residential locations
  
• Ramsey County Compost site - Frank and Sims location - from Ramsey County residents only
• Environmental Wood Supply - 2165 Pigs Eye Lake Road (651-772-4490) - takes wood from commercial locations only

Remember, it is illegal to transport ash wood outside the quarantined area (see blog from July 8).

Free Art Classes for Kids

On Tuesday July 14 and 21 at Conway Rec Center, and Tuesday July 28, August 4, 11, and 18 at Battle Creek Rec Center, the East Side Art's Council's Art Mobile is offering FREE ART CLASSES for kids. The projects are designed with ages 6-12 years in mind, but everyone is welcome. Classes run from 1-3p rain or shine. No sign up is needed.

Reminder - Community Meeting

There will be a community meeting on Tuesday July 21 at 6:30p at the Conway Rec Center about Vacant Housing and Crime Prevention. Please join us for this discussion.

Want to Assess the Neighborhood??

If you are interested in a summer project you can do with the kids, with elders or on your own, here are some resources for you. These links will take you to sites that have checklists for assessing how walkable and bike-able our area is.

Walking assessment for adults

Walking assessment for kids

Biking assessment

Why is this important?? Having a neighborhood that is built with walking and biking in mind helps to insure healthy and safe residents. With more people out and about, there is less crime, there is less pollution, and people just naturally get more exercise - reducing health problems and stress.

If you do any of these assessments, send a copy on to us. We'll use the information to convince city and county officials that we need public improvements... email us at district1council@aol.com or call - 651.501.6345.

Emerald Ash Borer Update

Here is the area that the state is monitoring for the emerald ash borer...

How to Get Neighborhood News

The District 1 Community Council has published the District 1 News since 1978, but like other newspapers, we have had to cut WAY back for financial reasons. Since we only publish 3 times a year now, it is hard to keep people updated. So we are using this blog, our events calendar on our website (www.district1council.org), and our social networking site (a link is on the home page of our website) to try to connect with neighbors.

But we also have a listserv that we use to send out 2 to 3 email newsletters per month. We try to give you a heads up on things that might interest neighbors within the next two weeks or so.

If you are interested in being added to this listserv, just email us at district1council@aol.com with "Email listserv" in the subject line, and we'll get you connected to timely news.

And if you have neighbors who are not connected to the internet, let them know that they can always call our office with questions and concerns -- 651.501.6345.