SP Library Series Explores MN's Own Civil War

Saint Paul Public Library will host a series of free events for the sesquicentennial of the U.S.–Dakota Conflict of 1862.

 

The series begins on Saturday, September 8, at 1 p.m. at Sun Ray Library, 2105 Wilson Avenue, Saint Paul, 55119. Historian and author John LaBatte, who has both Dakota and white ancestors who were involved in the war, will examine the causes of the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, including why some Dakota supported war while others opposed it.

 

Curtis Dahlin, historian and author of "The Dakota Uprising, A Pictorial History", will discuss the people and places involved in the Dakota Uprising of 1862 on Saturday, September 15, at 1 p.m. at Hayden Heights Library, 1456 White Bear Avenue, Saint Paul, 55106.

 

A Dakota history bus tour will leave from Rice Street Library, 1011 Rice Street, Saint Paul, 55117, on Sunday, September 23, at 1 p.m. Historian Dave Riehle will lead the tour to visit several Dakota historical sites in Saint Paul, some buried beneath modern roads and landscapes. Space is limited, so please call Rice Street Library at 651-558-2223 to reserve your seat on the bus.

 

The series concludes on Sunday, September 30, at 2 p.m. at Saint Paul Central Library, 90 Fourth Street West, Saint Paul, 55102. Historian John Koblas will present a historical program on the Dakota War Uprising from his book "Let Them Eat Grass: The Dakota War of 1862."

 

For more information on these and other programs at the library, please call 651-266-7000 or visit www.sppl.org.

Children's Brain Development Exhibit

I am just back from a visit at the Science Museum downtown where they have an on-going exhibit about how kids' brains develop - "Wonder Years". This is an exciting exhibit that explores the science of brain development and it has lots of tips for parents for nurturing our children.

This is a great resource for parents and ANYONE in the community. I encourage you to visit.

As a part of this exhibit, the Museum is sponsoring a series of Citizen Conferences - half day sessions to discuss society's responsibility for children from birth to 5 years old. If you are interested in participating, contact Joanne Jones-Rizzi at jrizzi@smm.org

Curbside Composting? More Plastics Recycled?

If you would like to see composting and adding more plastics recycling in the Mayor's Budget for 2013, read on...

Saint Paul has a new plan to recycle and compost 75% of all our waste. That's a 30% increase over what we recycle now.

This plan includes curbside composting collection, the addition of more types of plastics to the recycling program, prevention education and more.

Why should Saint Paul include the plan this year?

Ramsey County has already told the City that it will require the City to collect composting in 2015. But why wait?? Saint Paul citizens have been asking for this program since the Saint Paul Environmental Roundtable in 2005.

By adding food waste to the recycling program now, we can make other changes at the same time that allow us to start picking up some of those pesky plastics that plague us!

How? We can make all these changes at once by changing to a simpler single sorting system for recycling. This makes it possible to replace the aging recycling fleet (with cleaner-fueled trucks) to collect both recycling and composting on the same truck in two separate compartments, so we don't have to add more trucks to the streets to collect more. This reduces emissions, saves wear and tear on the roads and saves everyone money.

What does it cost? Good question. The plan will cost $1.90 per household per month, significantly less than other programs in the U.S. But the great news is that after you reduce your garbage and your garbage service level, you can actually save money. Families can save an average of $2.50 per month. That's really a savings of $7.20 per year (($2.50 - $1.90) x 12).

By extending its contract with Eureka, the City of Saint Paul can add these materials and save money! By using its ability to provide contract extensions, as it's done before for Eureka and its other partners/vendors, the City taps Eureka's capacity to finance the capital investment needed for this program (such as carts and equipment) so the City doesn't have to. This saves the city millions of dollars. This plan would extend Eureka's contract just 8 years, from 2016 to 2024.

Through its partnership with community-based nonprofit Eureka, the City has received over $3.3 million from the sales of recyclables, works with the only non-governmental recycler in the state that has union recycling drivers, and benefits from the reinvestment of all of Eureka's proceeds in the community.

Saint Paul Mayor Coleman needs to know you support this plan... before he releases his draft budget on Monday August 13. You can call the Mayor's office at 651.266.8510 or send an email to him

Submitted by Eureka Recycling...

Deepest Sympathies

Our deepest sympathies go out to the families of those involved in the accident at Harding High School last week, and to the Harding High School community. Special heartfelt sympathies to the family of Clarisse Grimes.

Everyone, please remember that the safety and well-being of EVERYONE in the community should be first and foremost in our minds as we drive on our public streets.

More trees...

You may have read last week that there was an attempted hijacking of a delivery truck at Londin Lane and Burlington. Well, in addition to everything else, the truck hit and uprooted a tree. Neighbors, Mary Butler Levine, Larry Bresina, and Paul and Jean Wulterkens took it upon themselves to try to save the tree. They pulled it upright, staked and tied to adjacent trees and watered it heavily.

We hope their efforts will be successful.

Nominate a Tree... yes, really...

NOMINATE A REMARKABLE TREE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD!

The City of Saint Paul is rich in history, culture, and natural resources. With over 500,000 trees, the urban forest of Saint Paul consists of some trees that have endured since the city’s inception. Since then, these trees have continued to provide multiple environmental, physical, social, and economic benefits that have been instrumental in shaping our communities.

The Landmark Tree program was created to locate, document, and compile a record of

remarkable trees within the City of Saint Paul. Inducted trees will be recognized on the City’s forestry webpage containing interesting and unique facts about the tree. The Landmark Tree program encourages any person, organization, or agency to nominate a special tree on public or private property within Saint Paul city limits. Saint Paul’s Department of Parks and Recreation will accept nominations for the 2012 Landmark Tree Program through August 1st, 2012. Visit the Forestry website at http://www.stpaul.gov/index.aspx?nid=4205 for more information.