New Crime Prevention Advice - Alerts

Please be aware that there have been numerous reports of theft from vehicles at 3 or more gas stations in the District 1 area where people have had wallets, purses, credit cards, cash, etc. stolen from their cars while pumping their gas. Yes, they were right there at the gas pump attending their vehicle when someone opened a door on the other side of the car and took the items. None of the victims ever saw or realized what had happened until they got into their car, and sometimes not even until they got home. Moral of the story: always lock your vehicle, even when you are pumping gas, be aware of what is happening around you, and when exiting the car be sure to put your wallet/purse in a safe place.

Police are aware of this situation and I have requested that an officer speak with the owners of the gas stations to ask that their security cameras be positioned to record what is happening at the pumps.

In the past 2-3 weeks there have been burglaries of garages where snowblowers and other things have been taken. Please take care to  keep your garage as well as your home locked, and when you are working in your garage, or removing snow on your property, be sure you keep the overhead garage doors closed so people cannot see what you have to offer from your garage.

Remember as recycling day approaches to break down boxes and bundle them so the writing on the boxes is not visible, especially for those electronic Christmas gifts. These show what you have in your home. Thieves watch for this to see what is available on your property.

Submitted by Pam McCreary, D1 Crime Prevention Specialist

Energy Efficiency Workshops Return!

This fall we had great success helping neighbors save money by doing simple home energy fixes. Folks attended a workshop and signed up for very low cost home visits by the Home Energy Squads.

Well the workshops are returning in 2011 with the same great opportunity to save money and energy.

Eastside workshops are taking place on -

• Wednesday, February 16 at 6:30p - Arlington Presbyterian Church, 1275 E. Magnolia Ave.
• Tuesday, March 22 at 6:30p - Dayton's Bluff Rec Center, 800 Conway St.

Sign up by calling Carl at 612.278.7123 (or you can just show up)... we had over 70 households from District 1 take advantage of this opportunity already - so sign up and start saving! (You need to attend the workshop to get the low cost fixes from the Home Energy Squads...)

Affordable Food for Everyone...

Fare For All also has a Traditional Option...

Fare For All is a program that helps individuals and families get healthy food at an affordable price. Through group purchasing, folks can save from 30-50% on their food bills.

And there are two sites in our area where you can easily participate.

Hazel Park Congregational Church, 1831 E. Minnehaha, has the Fare For All Express program that does not require pre-ordering. In 2011 the following dates are set for this "cash"-and-carry program: January 5, February 2, March 2, April 6, May 4 and June 1 - all from 4-6p. You can pick up fruits, vegetables and meat packages at this location.

Grace Lutheran Church, 1730 Old Hudson, participates in the Traditional Fare For All program that involves pre-ordering and pre-paying. The dates for delivery are January 22, February 19, March 19, April 23, May 21, June 18, July 23, August 20, September 17, October 22, November 19, and December 17, at 8-9a. You must order at least 5 business days before delivery, but you can pre-order the next month when you pick up the current month's order. The phone number to call is 763.450.3880.

For both these programs you can pay with cash, check, credit/debit or EBT cards. There is no income limit to participate. Check out the website for food packages and prices. And because the dates are staggered for each program, you can participate in both if you need to spread out your purchases.

Spread the word on these important, healthy opportunities!

Winter Fire Safety Tips

• Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater;
• Have a three-foot "kid-free zone" around open fires, space heaters and the kitchen stove;
• Never use your oven to heat your home;
• Have a qualified professional install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters, or central heating equipment according to local codes and manufacturers' instructions;
• Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional;
• Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed;
• Always use the right kind of fuel, specified by the manufacturer, for fuel burning space heaters;
• Make sure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room. Ashes should be cool before putting them in a metal container for disposal. Keep the container a safe distance away from your home;
• Be sure to have an operable smoke detector outside and INSIDE of each room used for sleeping. Test smoke alarms monthly and change the battery annually. Hardwired smoke detectors that get their power from the home's electrical system are the most reliable;
• Install a carbon monoxide detector within 10 feet of the doorway of all bedrooms;
• Consider installing residential fire sprinklers in your home, especially if you're building a new house. Fire sprinklers are 97% effective in controlling fires and are the best fire protection available.

And consider this opportunity:

Saint Paul homeowners have a unique opportunity to join the Saint Paul Fire Department's Project Safe Haven program. The fire department will send you a valuable safety checklist for you to do a safety survey of your home. When that's completed, you can have a fire crew come out to review your safety survey with you, install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors for you if you need them, install a stovetop fire extinguisher, and help you put together a fire exit plan for your home. To join the Project Safe Haven, start by calling the Saint Paul Fire Department at 651.228.6273. Help the Saint Paul Dire Department "Put a Freeze on Winter Fires" this year!!

Submitted by the Saint Paul Fire Department.

News about the CP Rail Noise...

As you may recall, the Federal Rail Authority (FRA) was out testing noise levels from November 1-5.

Council President Kathy Lantry had a conference call with the FRA and Janet Nelson (of Senator Franken's office) on December 3, 2010. There were a number of delays in having this conversation due to a variety of emergencies that came up with the FRA.

The FRA would normally test noise on couplers for the types of requests that we made, but because they had done this testing before, they decided to broaden the scope of items to noise test.

The FRA conducted noise tests at 11 different locations on the following things: Coupler noise, retarder noise, moving train noise and moving locomotive noise.

Each one of the items measured has different limits on the decibel level allowed. There are tons of factors that are associated with each of the items that range from frequency to wind speed to train speed and for simplification purposes, I have used the most basic information shared in the conference call.

Coupler Noise
limit is 92 dB
highest measured was 66 dB

Retarder Noise
limit is 83 dB
highest measured was 80 dB (measured at corner of Lower Afton and Point Douglas Rd)
highest measured from a residence was 69 dB

Moving Train Noise
limit is 88-93 dB
highest measured from a residence was 69 dB

Moving Locomotive Noise
limit is 96 dB
highest measured was 88 dB

All this information will be sent to Senator Franken's office within the next week or so and Janet will forward this to Kathy Lantry who will forward it to District 1.

So what happens next? Obviously the numbers show they are in compliance. The FRA has been out here 3 years in a row with pretty much the same results each time. Kathy Lantry told them perhaps it had something to do with the time of the year. Each time they have showed up in November.

The FRA did have a contact name for someone within CP Rail and they have passed that along to Janet. Janet is going to wait until she gets the report from the FRA and then she is going to contact the person at CP to chat with him about the concerns of the neighborhood. After she does this, she is going to let Kathy Lantry know what she thinks our best approach with CP might be.

Kathy Lantry wants to be sure and acknowledge the work of Janet Nelson from Senator Franken's office. She has been able to get more done in a faster fashion than anyone else. Kathy also feels as if she is advocating for our neighborhood in a strong and consistent fashion. She suggested talking to the new contact at CP in hopes that the weight of the Senator's office will help to yield results. Having Janet on board has been a fabulous addition.

Updates to follow.

Submitted by Kathy Lantry, City Council President and Ward 7 representative.

December Safety Tips

We often hear about cars being stolen or items being stolen from someone's vehicle. But there are so many issues around the topic of vehicles, I want to touch on some of them.

Pedestrians. What do pedestrians have to do with your vehicle? If you have a vehicle or drive at any time, and if you walk anywhere, pedestrians and vehicles are something you should be concerned about. We have probably all heard about the relatively new law that requires cars to stop for pedestrians. While I think this is a good law and even borders on being an act of kindness when you stop to let a pedestrian cross the street, especially at this time of year with the snow and cold weather, it is sometimes dangerous. I make a habit of checking behind and beside me before I stop for a pedestrian. Too many times drivers try to pass on the shoulder to get by a stopped vehicle. Are you one of the drivers who does this?? If so, take a few seconds to see what it is that the car in front of you is stopping for. It seems like there have been an unusual number of pedestrian accidents and even deaths over the past few months - let's all take extra precautions to not be on either end of the next tragedy involving a pedestrian and a vehicle.

How about the Right Turn on Red law?? Please remember that this law requires the vehicle to come to the red light and to STOP before making the turn. Also, it is not required that vehicles turn on red -- it is an option. If you decide not to turn on red or you are behind a vehicle that makes that choice, just wait for the green light to proceed. Too often I see cars roll through the red light, not even attempting to slow down before turning. Again, I urge you to slow down and watch for pedestrians, bikes, or other vehicles. You may take the few seconds to look around and not see another car approaching the intersection, but what about other forms of transportation? I see and know of people who ride their bike year round, and as in the tragic accident that happened in Saint Paul recently, not everyone is of a height that they can be seen crossing the street without the extra time to stop and look. Right turns on Red? Not such a fan, only because the majority of people don't do the first part of the red light requirement - stopping.

Have a safe and happy holiday season!

Submitted by Pam McCreary, D1 Crime Prevention Coordinator

Crime and Safety Committee

Do you have concerns, information, or ideas for crime prevention efforts in District 1 you would like to share with the D1 Crime Prevention Coordinator? We welcome input from the community and would like to hear form you. At this time, we have a Safety Task Force and we are anxious to hear what the community is concerned about. Please call Pam McCreary at 651.578.7400 if you would like to join this group, or if you would like to share ideas for this group to address.

Think about proactive ways to prevent crime!!

Submitted by Pam McCreary, D1 Crime Prevention Coordinator

Toys for Tots at Anytime Fitness!

Anytime Fitness at 1682 Suburban Avenue is a drop-off location for the Toys for Tots program. To participate, just stop by with your unwrapped new toy and receive a FREE Anytime Fitness 14-day pass including a session with one of their trainers, or no payments until next year with a new member package.

"The goal of this event is to compound the amount of toys by rewarding members for participating and incent people of the community who want to help out and donate," said Joe Wittwer, Personal Trainer at Anytime Fitness and organizer of the event. "By involving not just our members, but also the community, we show our united concern for the community that supports us. The importance of giving back is vital, and it is rewarding to make a difference for those faced with difficult times."

The facility at Anytime Fitness is co-ed, available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and located conveniently in our neighborhood.

Support Toys for Tots!! (The District 1 Community Council is donating 6 kids bicycle helmets - we challenge you to make a donation, too!!)

Submitted by Anytime Fitness, 1682 Suburban Ave.