Fare For All At Hazel Park Church

The Fare for All Express is a co-operative food-buying program that offers 30-50% savings on healthy foods to EVERYONE. There are no income restrictions, and no need to order ahead of delivery. They have fruit and vegetable packages, frozen meat packages and you can buy as many packages as you would like. Pay by cash, credit/debit, EBT cards.

The next delivery is at Hazel Park Congregational United Church of Christ, 1831 Minnehaha East, Wednesday, July 7 from 4 - 6p.

Check it out!!

Bike Lanes on Burns

We are seeking input/reactions from folks about a proposal by the city to put in new bike lanes along Burns between Ruth and McKnight when they resurface the road this summer. These lanes will tie into the new lanes going in on Ruth Street between Upper Afton and Minnehaha. Putting in bike lanes is a proven way to slow traffic. They will also be restricting parking to the northside of the street. These two changes will narrow the traffic lanes and calm the traffic.

If you would like to comment on this proposal, call us at 651.578.7600 or email us at district1council@aol.com. We need to hear from you by July 1...

Canadian Pacific Proposal

Last week the St. Paul Planning Commission okayed a request for a variance on steep slopes and for a conditional use permit for building in the floodplain. This proposal was put forth by Canadian Pacific Rail to expand parking lot and office building on their property at 1000 Shop Road.

The District Council opposed this proposal for a variety of reasons, including that their written submission said they were requesting these things in anticipation of future, unspecified projects - one of which, we suspect, is a resubmission of a proposal by Marathon Oil to store hazardous materials in tank cars on CP property. The proposal would create more impermeable surface in the 100 year floodplain, and could release toxic materials buried at the old Pigs Eye dump site - a Superfund site...

We are considering an appeal of this ruling, but will need donations by residents to cover the $450 filing fee. We will be talking to neighbors about this project, and others, at our Monday, June 28 board meeting - 6:30p at Boys' Totem Town (398 Totem Rd. - Lower Level Conference Room). We hope you will attend and let us know what you think.

River News

The Friends of the Mississippi River have some updates that may be of interest to those of you with environmental concerns.

First of all, the Mississippi River Critical Area designations have been under review for a while. The draft plan is being presented for comment. This affects the Highwood Hills and a portion of the Battle Creek neighborhoods. For more information, check out this site.

Also, FMR did some comparisons between the BP gulf oil spill and what is flushed into the gulf from runoff in the Mississippi River basin. You can read more about the findings here.

Burns and Suburban Developments

The City is in the process of putting in the streetlights on Burns between Ruth and Suburban. This is a project that was funded through the competitive Capital Improvement Budget (CIB) process last year. It came about because of requests from residents in the apartment complexes along Ruth and Burns.

Next year is the next cycle of the CIB process, so if you have street improvements you would like us to propose, let us know (district1council@aol.com).

Also happening in this area is the planting of the planters on Suburban Avenue. This project should start on Thursday, June 17 and is a partnership between the Community Design Center (a youth development program that focuses on gardening and environmental projects), the district council and City Council President, Kathy Lantry's office. Young people from the Design Center will be planting and tending the planters all this summer. The plants are donated by the City of St. Paul, Department of Parks and Recreation.

Summer Meals Update

So our earlier blog post was incomplete and somewhat inaccurate... Here are the sites in the area that are offering free meals to children (under 19) and for handicapped persons (regardless of age) who participate in special education programs. This program begins June 20 and ends August 26...

• Battle Creek Elementary School - 60 S. Ruth Street - both breakfast and lunch are available - times are not yet set but are either 7:30a or 8:30a for breakfast and around 11a for lunch;
• Battle Creek Middle School - 2121 North Park Drive - both breakfast (8:30a) and lunch (11:30a);
• Highwood Hills Elementary School - 2188 Londin Ln. - both breakfast and lunch are available - times are not yet set but are either 7:30a or 8:30a for breakfast and around 11a for lunch;
• Eastern Heights Elementary School - 2001 Margaret St. - both breakfast and lunch are available - times are not yet set but are either 7:30a or 8:30a for breakfast and around 11a for lunch;
• Sheridan Elementary School - 525 White Bear Ave. - I am a bit confused about this site since the school is supposed to be closed as of the end of June, however - both breakfast and lunch are available - times are not yet set but are either 7:30a or 8:30a for breakfast and around 11a for lunch;
• Conway Rec Center - 2090 Conway St. - lunch from 12:30 - 2:30p and another meal from 4:30-5:30p;
• Eastview Rec Center - 1675 E. 5th St. - lunch from 12:30 - 4:30p

Campfire and BBQ Safety

Here are some safety tips to keep outdoor fires from turning deadly.

For Barbecue Fires:

• keep BBQ fires on a deck or balcony at least 10 feet away from your home or apartment - the fire department actually urges landlords to prohibit barbecuing on balconies in the leases;
• when using a propane grille, always check the connections for leaks before turning it on;
• never use gasoline to light a charcoal grille; use charcoal lighter fluid but be careful not to add fluid to an already lit fire (there is danger of flashback which can burn you!). The safest way to light a grille is with an electric charcoal starter;
• never barbecue in an enclosed area; deadly carbon monoxide is produced;
• do not wear loose clothing while cooking at a barbecue;
• keep all matches and lighters away from children. Teach your children to report any loose matches or lighters to an adult immediately. Always supervise children around outdoor grilles;
• dispose of hot coals properly - douse them with plenty of water and stir them to ensure that the fire is out. Never place them in plastic, paper, or wooden containers. The improper disposal of hot coals is the leading cause of barbecue related fires in Saint Paul!

For outdoor campfires:

• Recreational fires are legal within St. Paul without a permit as long as you follow these requirements. Open burning for disposal requires a permit from the Department of Safety and Inspections (DSI) - call 651.266.8989;
• recreational fires cannot be more than 3 feet wide and 2 feet high and you can only burn sawn wood; they cannot be used for disposal of construction debris or other such materials - or trash;
• recreational fires on the ground cannot be less than 25 feet from a building or combustibles. If the fire is in an approved container such as a barbecue grille or an outdoor fireplace, the fire cannot be less than 15 feet from a building or combustible material;
• always remain in attendance at any outdoor fire and have the means to extinguish it if necessary;
• wind speed should not be more than 10 miles per hour. If the smoke is creating a nuisance to others, the fire must be put out. Smoke is the leading cause of complaints about recreational fires in Saint Paul.

Remember - no outdoor burning of trash allowed!!

Submitted by the Saint Paul Fire Marshal, Steve Zaccard

Schools Closing and Moving

So the final vote of the school board was that Hazel Park Middle School co-locate with Battle Creek Middle School and that Sheridan and Ames Elementary Schools co-locate at the vacated Hazel Park Middle School. This arrangement will be in effect for at least 3 years.

Although this is good news in the sense that all eastside neighborhood schools remain on the eastside, it means that the various eastside neighborhoods are in danger of losing their identity and their assets - again. This is better than the original school board proposal, but not the best solution for District 1 neighborhoods.

There was a THIRD proposal to create two K-8 schools, one in the Hazel Park area (co-locating Ames and Hazel Park Middle), and one in the Battle Creek neighborhood (co-locating Sheridan - or other D1 elementary schools - and Battle Creek Middle School). But this didn't fly.

Again, I ask the question -- what makes a good, healthy neighborhood?? Are neighborhood assets, such as schools and libraries, parks and local businesses important? How is the health of the community affected as we lose local parks and schools?

Free Shredding of Personal Documents

US Bank at 2751 Shepard Road is holding a free shredding event on Saturday, June 19 from 9a to 1p. Although this is outside our neighborhood, it is just down Warner Road to Shepard Road and on to their Riverbank Business Center.

This is a good way to safely dispose of your old confidential files, bank statements, cancelled checks and so one. Help prevent identity theft!

Cintas Document Management is partnering with US Bank to hold this event.

Litter Clean Up in Rainy Battle Creek

On Tuesday, June 8 -- you know, the really rainy day?? -- 100 Woodbury High School students picked up litter along McKnight, Suburban, Lower and Upper Afton. As Angela Mens-Eastman, Recreation Services Supervisor for Ramsey County Parks said, "If they had already graduated we would not have had the perfect attendance that we did. But nonetheless they were troopers!! They were disappointed when I told them they could not use their garbage bags for ponchos, though!!"

Thanks to Ramsey County Parks and especially to the Woodbury students for help in cleaning up our city.

BUT - what can each of us do to PREVENT THE LITTER in the first place??

Summer Meal Program for Kids

The Saint Paul Public Schools and the Parks and Rec Department are working together this summer to provide free meals for kids at local parks and school buildings. I am still waiting to hear what times each location will be open, but the following D1 locations are food hosts:

• Battle Creek Rec Center - 75 S. Winthrop
• Battle Creek Elementary School - 60 S. Ruth
• Battle Creek Middle School - 2121 North Park Drive
• Conway Rec Center - 2090 Conway St.
• Eastview Rec Center - 1675 E. 5th St.

As soon as I hear about times, I will update...

Healthy Neighborhoods??

What makes a healthy neighborhood? Come join the discussion on the District 1 Community Council Facebook group. Go to www.facebook.com and search on District 1 Community Council. There is a place to discuss this important topic on the discussion page and on the wall.

So why are we asking?? Because you are the expert of life in your neighborhood. You know what is happening there and what you would like to see happening there. If you have ideas, we can find a way to make them happen.

Join the discussion...

Energy Efficiency Workshops

Although we have energy workshops scheduled for July 22 and 27 (if you haven't signed up, contact us at district1council@aol.com), there are a variety of workshops available around the city. The full list of workshops can be found at the Minnesota Clean Energy Resource Teams website.

But the Twin Cities Daily Planet has some info about the program, too, and its outreach to neighborhoods. Check it out at the Daily Planet site.

Submitted by Carl Samuelson of MN CERTS.

Community Garden in at Conway

Neighbors have put in the garden at Conway Rec Center, next to the tennis courts. Support for this garden is coming from a lot of directions - the police (who see it as a great crime deterrent), neighbors, scout troops, and the Parks Department.

The garden has been named "The Garden of Feed'em" and this year will be donating the vegetables to the local food shelf. In future years, the garden will be opened up for individual plots.

Plant donations have come from Bailey's Nursery and seeds were donated by the Minnesota Horticultural Society.

For more information on community gardens and their benefits, check out the Gardening Matters website.

News on the Traffic Front...

After our Battle Creek Board Meeting where traffic on Ruth Street came up again, Kathy Lantry had a talk with the City's Public Works Department. It turns out they did a speed study on Ruth Street in 2006 and found that, at certain times of the day, the average traffic speed was 5 to 10 miles per hour over the speed limit (which is 30 mph, by the way!!).

There are several things that they are going to do about this:

1. put the street in the queue for getting one of the electric speed indicator signs (there has been one on Minnehaha lately - these show people how fast they are going and tends to slow those people down who just don't realize that they are over the limit...)
2. adding the bike lanes on Ruth Street that we lobbied for last year - striping these lanes in narrows the street and has been proven again and again to slow people down (a public meeting about these lanes will be coming up soon...)
3. putting in turn lanes at the freeway entrance - this will also clarify how many lanes there are on the street and keep traffic moving, but not too fast.

The main thing to remember about traffic anywhere in the neighborhood is that WE are the ones who set the example, set the pace, and let people know we live here. Having people out walking on the sidewalks slows people down, too, but if you don't want other people to speed, make sure you drive the limit, too!!

P.S. If you are interested in committing to drive the speed limit or less in this neighborhood and every other neighborhood, pick up a PACE CAR bumper sticker at the district council office.

UPDATE: June 8 - the city CAN'T put in a digital speed reader on the northbound lane - there is no room and no electricity. We are looking into other options.

Neighborhood Church in the News

In the June 1 edition of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, there is a nice article about a project started at Holy Apostles Episcopal Church on Minnehaha. This Hmong congregation is creating the first Hmong Common Prayer Book for Episcopal church services.

Nice to see the eastside get some GOOD PRESS!!

Check out the article at this link - Star Tribune Hmong article.