Community Thanksgiving Meal

Once again this year, Our Saviour Lutheran Church, 674 Johnson Parkway, is holding its East Side Community Thanksgiving Day Meal.  This meal is for families in need, is free, and space can be reserved by calling 651.774.2396. Of  course, it is held this year on Thursday, November 22 and will be from noon to 1p.

This is the sixth year this event has been going on, allowing us all to be thankful that we have institutions in our area committed to building community among ALL our residents!!

Fall Street Sweeping

Saint Paul Public Works will sweep all 871 miles of city streets. Watch for the NO PARKING signs and be sure to move your car. It is NOT okay to rake your leaves into the street. More info at 651 266-9700. Visit stpaul.gov/sweep to find out when your street will be swept. Click here to sign up to receive notifications about new videos and other city updates:https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/STPAUL/subscriber/new?

Here is a link to a video explaining the process...

Street Sweep video


Every year we have people sweeping their leaves into the street -- this INCREASES YOUR TAXES because it requires more trips to the dump for city workers, and it takes longer to get the sweeping done.

In addition, it is BAD for the environment to have those leaves getting into the sewer and that way to the river...

Clean Up Follow-up

Not all the news is bad... (Please continue to contact the Mayor and Kathy Lantry about Conway, though...)

Mary and Joe help out from the cmty gardens

TVs need to be recycled

Last weekend we had 189 loads of stuff come through the Grace Lutheran Church parking lot as families disposed of things they no longer needed. We served 30 seniors who needed help bringing their stuff to the site. Bridging was there again to collect reusable items for women and families in transition, the Center for Victims of Torture was there collecting bikes for their clients - and they collected kids' bikes to donate to the "Bikes for Kids" event that Allina was holding that day, and representatives from Totem Town Community Garden and the Garden of Feed'em were there to collect reusable garden equipment. At the end of the (gray and rainy) day, reusable items were also taken to Goodwill.

Youth help out their community

We had help from youth from Boys Totem Town, who always do a great job unloading cars. And we had many wonderful volunteers from the community, including several young people working with their folks.

We don't have totals on the amount of stuff that was collected, but we had a dumpster+ full of metals, a dumpster+ full of mattresses, a dumpster of electronics plus a carload of computers, several mowers, 16 baby carseats, a dumpster full of cardboard, lots of appliances and tires, and a partial load of clean wood. All of this stuff is recycled.

There was also plenty of garbage.

Remember that next year District 1 residents will be able to attend TWO clean ups, one in early June, and another in September. We hope that this increases participation and decreases the amount of stuff you have to put up with, cluttering your life and home.



Thanks to all our wonderful volunteers! And thanks to Grace Lutheran Church for hosting!!

Decision to Privatize Conway

We have heard, and it has been confirmed that the Mayor plans to privatize Conway Rec Center. In his budget there are two rec centers that are scheduled to be handed over to private entities - they are Conway and McDonough... This means that there would be no city staff at the rec center. The fields would still be used for sports, but the plans are for a private soccer group to take over the building - who knows what that means for access to the fields. The group being courted for this takeover is the Tony Sanneh Soccer Foundation. The senior activities would continue... 

We find this privatization absolutely unacceptable. We have already had two rec centers in our area privatized - we have made our sacrifice. We should not be asked to do so again. We have already experienced the problems that come when there is no one supervising the grounds around these centers. With the new splash pad going in at Conway, this means additional people coming to this site and it will need someone monitoring activities. Although we understand that the city is facing yet another budget crisis, it is time for another part of the city to take on some of the sacrifice. How many staffed rec centers does Saint Anthony Park have with its 9000 residents? How many staffed centers does Hamline Midway have with its 11,500 residents? We have over 20,000 residents in District 1 and will be left with one staffed rec center - Battle Creek - which, despite its relatively recent construction, is not capable of meeting the needs of over 20,000 people - it just isn't that big. 

We just held a community event at Conway that drew over 500 people. These are folks that come from the immediate vicinity - many from the apartments, many of whom have limited access to transportation (or funds for private sports clubs...). The City will argue that Battle Creek is close by, and that there are two private fitness centers nearby - Blast and Anytime FItness. 1) Not everyone can afford to belong to these; 2) they are oriented to adults; and 3) Blast seems to be struggling for membership. Closing rec centers is done primarily to decrease the number of employees the city has... most of the City's cost comes through its people on staff. The little bit of rent and utilities that the private entities pay won't even cover maintenance costs... Penny-wise, pound-foolish. Not to mention what is lost by having a community center go away - we have so few community gathering places in District 1 as it is.

We need you to start contacting both the Mayor and Kathy Lantry to say this privatization is unacceptable. You can reach them via email at mayor@ci.stpaul.mn.us and Kathy.Lantry@ci.stpaul.mn.us. Step up, people, and do the right thing by your neighborhood. If you want to write to them, they are both on the third floor of City Hall - 15 W. Kellogg Blvd, St. Paul, MN 55102

I will also note that in the 6 1/2 years I have been on this job, there have been six different directors at Conway - Dave, Luke, Jody, Bill, Randy and Mike. Mike was moved in as he prepares to retire - I suspect because they had no plans to replace him when he did (He is doing a fabulous job, by the way...). We had two Parks staff people at our August meeting and they did not mention this decision. In June, a decision was made to add a mural to Conway - something we had been pushing for and seeking funding for for several years. Parks did not inform us they were proposing to do this mural through a summer youth activity based out of HAZEL PARK REC CENTER. They only met with us when we were informed by Conway staff that this was happening. Despite assurances that they would keep us informed and a part of the process, we have heard nothing from them since that initial meeting. We have no idea where the mural project stands at this point.

All of this shows a lack of transparency on the part of Parks, an unwillingness to communicate with the community, and what appears to be a cynical, if not deceitful, practice of planning and decision-making on their part. We need this to stop. We need the community to be involved FROM THE BEGINNING when something as drastic as closing community centers is proposed.

Betsy Leach, Executive Director

Gateway Corridor has a Chosen Alternative

After reviewing numerous options to improve transit connectivity of the east metro to downtowns St. Paul and Minneapolis, the Gateway Corridor Commission identified a dedicated Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line along Hudson Road from St Paul to Woodbury as the best option for the region. The Hudson road decision was the best option after extensive analysis and public involvement campaign spanning nearly two years.

BRT along Hudson Road was determined to best meets the Commission’s established goals of improving mobility, providing a cost-effective economically viable solution that promotes economic development, protects the natural environment, and preserves community quality of life and overall safety.

“The commission’s charge was to determine if the east metro could build a cost-effective, economically viable transit option that improved mobility and supports future economic development,” said Washington County Commissioner Lisa Weik, chair of the Gateway Corridor Commission. “The corridor’s population is projected to grow by 30 percent by 2030, creating a dedicated transit line along Hudson Road allows for the greatest access to the increasing population and job base in the east metro.”

The line will provide a fast, reliable and convenient trip for travelers into downtown St. Paul and on to Minneapolis and other regional destinations.  The 10 proposed station stops will provide connections to key destinations throughout the Corridor including Union Depot, Metro State University, SunRay Shopping Center, 3M and multiple commercial and job centers in the eastern suburbs.

“The decision to recommend the Hudson Road route was a result of numerous community meetings,” said Ramsey County Commissioner Rafael Ortega. “Residents and business owners wanted a transit line that met the goals of mobility, economic development and preserving the quality of life. Hudson Road is that option the community can rally around and support.”

 “Connecting the east metro to downtown St. Paul and the region’s transit system is great for business,” said Matt Kramer, president of the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce.  “Transit in the Gateway Corridor will provide new opportunities for economic development and a critical link for employees commuting to their workplace.”  

The public is encouraged to provide additional comments on the narrowing of alternatives by visiting the Gateway Corridor website at www.thegatewaycorridor.com.  The Gateway Corridor Commission will also be releasing a draft of the Alternatives Analysis Final Report for public comment by the end of October.  Once all comments are received the report will be revised as necessary.  The Commission is scheduled to approve the final report at its December 13 meeting.

The next phase of the study, preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), is expected to start in early 2013. The Commission advanced the BRT Option along Hudson Road as well as the second highest ranked option, LRT (Light Rail Transit) along Hudson Road.  LRT ranked second due to its higher capital costs for generating the same amount of riders as BRT.  Both options have the same route, station stops and similar service plans.  Advancing an LRT option forward as well provides an opportunity for a more detailed side-by-side comparison of the two transit technologies.

Multicultural Celebration - Oct 26

Our neighbors at the Somali Adult Literacy Tutoring group (SALT) on McKnight are joining with other organizations to hold a celebration of the Feast of the Sacrifice (Eid al Ahab) that will include a festival at Harriet Island. After prayer services, groups from the Somali, Hmong, Spanish and Karen cultures will be showcasing crafts and dancing starting at 2:30p.

For a $10 fee per family, folks can enjoy the cultural displays and also participate in face painting, games, sports, bounce castles, rock climbing, drawing, sack races, and much more. There will be snacks available, too.

The Feast of the Sacrifice celebrates the story of Abraham and Isaac - a story of faith shared among Muslims, Christians and Jews.

What a perfect chance to celebrate both our commonalities and our distinctiveness!

Join the festivities, Friday, October 26 starting at 2:30p at Harriet Island.

Fire Safety Week

The Saint Paul Fire Department will host educational and fun-filled open houses at three of its fire stations on Saturday, October 13 from noon until 3p as part of our Fire Prevention Week program. The open houses will include tours of the fire station and fire trucks, meet the real firefighters and paramedics that serve you and sign up for our popular Project Safe Haven.  There will be live-fire demonstrations of kitchen fire safety (weather permitting) and how to prevent the leading cause of building fires in Minnesota.  You’ll really feel the heat!

Project Safe Haven is a voluntary self-inspection of your home that includes a visit from your nearby fire station to go over your inspection and provide you with FREE smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, and stovetop fire extinguishers.  We’ve visited over 600 homes so far.

WHAT:            Fire Station Open Houses for National Fire Prevention Week

WHERE:            -   Station #1, 1000 W. 7^th St.  (cooking safety demonstration at 12:30)

-   Station #4, 505 Payne Ave.  (cooking safety demonstration at 1:30)

                        -   Station #22, 225 Front Ave.  (cooking safety demonstration at 2:30)

WHEN:            12:00 noon until 3:00p

WHY:                        National Fire Prevention Week theme:  “Have 2 Ways Out”

This year’s Fire Prevention Week theme of “Have 2 Ways Out” points out the need to have at least two ways out of each room in case of a fire, especially rooms used for sleeping.  One way out is the door; the other way out can be a window, if it’s large enough and you can open it.  In the past three years, seven people have been able to escape or be rescued by the fire department from fires in their Saint Paul homes or apartments.  These seven people would all have died if not for having 2 ways out.  The most important thing to do when there’s a fire is to get out of the building and then call 9-1-1.

Come and join the proud members of the Saint Paul Fire Department during National Fire Week.

Health Info - Herniated Discs

In an on-going effort to provide neighbors with information to help them maintain their health, the following article has been submitted by Dr. Joshua Kary of HealthSource Chiropractic on Old Hudson Rd. (near White Bear Ave.)

What is a Herniated disc?

A Herniated disc: Rupturing of the tissue that separates the vertebral bones of the spinal column.

Symptoms Can include: Pain with Lifting, Coughing, Sneezing, radiating pain or numbness down the leg or arms

Common causes for Herniation: Spinal Misaliagnment, improper lifting, Muscle weakness, Repetitive motion, increase in Body Weight

Forms of Treatment: Chiropractic Adjustments to decrease pressure on the disc and nerves, Physical Rehabitation to strengthen the muscles and ligaments around the disc,  Spinal Decompression which targets the affected disc and releases pressure on the disc, and proper nutrition all aid in the recovery of Disc Herniations.

Chances of recurrence/Prognosis: If following a care plan of the above listed treatments, chances of recurrence are very low. As in all health related concerns, a great deal depends on what you are able and willing to do outside of the office as well. With bad habits of diet and improper exercise and poor spinal health, your chances of recurrence may increase.

 To your health and happiness,

Dr. Joshua Kary

HealthSource Chiropractic of St. Paul

651-731-1880

Healthsourceofstpaulsuburban.com

Open House for Street Repair Art Projects

Please join Marcus Young, City Artist in Residence, and his team of artists, Lisa Elias and Brad Kaspari, as they unveil their designs for the City’s Residential Street Vitality Program (RSVP) projects. The project neighborhoods include South East District 1 (Battle Creek/Upper Afton), District 3 West Side (Page/Woodbury), District 11 Hamline Midway (Hewitt/Tatum and Blair/Griggs) and District 14 Macalester Groveland (Davern/Jefferson I and II, and Prior/Goodrich).

The artists will display their designs and talk with neighborhood residents at an informal Open House, Thursday, November 1, 2012 from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm at The Wellstone Center at Neighborhood House in the Ecolab Fireside Room just off the lobby. 

Neighborhood House is located at 179 Robie Street East, Saint Paul, MN 55107.

The artists set the goal to re-imagine streetscape elements in residential neighborhoods – to give them a visual purpose without losing their important function – and to reveal a place for beauty. The Open House follows up on a series of listening sessions the artists held with neighborhood residents earlier this year to gather inspiration for their work. All residents are encouraged to participate in this public open house, even if they did not attend the listening sessions. Please share this invitation with your neighbors.

The RSVP program’s art is made possible through the City of Saint Paul’s 2009 Public Art Ordinance which dedicates one percent of the cost of eligible projects on City property to public art. The Ordinance embraces the belief that aesthetic and social values should be given equal weight with a project’s functional and economic values, and that public art strengthens public places and promotes Saint Paul’s identity as a livable and creative city and a desirable place to live, work and visit.

Marcus Young, City Artist in Residence, and Regina Flanagan, Public Art Ordinance Administrator, are funded by Public Art Saint Paul, a private non-profit organization.

Envisioning the Metro Region

Join Metropolitan Council members and staff for an opportunity to help create the vision for the Twin Cities metropolitan region over the next 30 years. Two Listening Sessions are planned in October for local officials, community leaders and the general public to provide their feedback on what our region needs to thrive. Attend whichever meeting is convenient to your schedule and encourage other members of the community to attend, as well. 

Please RSVP to Council public information if you’re planning to attend: 651-602-1140 or public.info@metc.state.mn.us. 

For more information about the Thrive MSP 2040 effort, visit thrivemsp.org.

Minneapolis

Monday, Oct. 8, 6 to 8 p.m.

University of Minnesota, Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center (UROC)

2001 Plymouth Ave. N., Room 105

St. Paul

Tuesday, Oct. 9, 6 to 8 p.m.

Metropolitan Council Offices

390 N. Robert St., Lower Level, Room LLA

Public Hearing on Street Assessments

A public hearing to consider proposed assessment rates and service levels for the 2013 Right-of-Way Maintenance Program and the 2013 Above-Standard Lighting Operation and Maintenance Program is scheduled for Wednesday, November 7, 2012. The Hearing will be held in the City Council Chambers, 3rd Floor City Hall-Court House, at 5:30 p.m.

If you have any questions regarding the assessment, please contact Real Estate/Assessments at 651-266-8858.

Food Waste Prevention Tools - Save food and $$

According to the US EPA, 33 million tons of food waste was discarded in 2010 in this country, making it the single largest component of solid waste reaching landfills and incinerators. The waste of food has economic and social impacts as well as environmental ones. Among other consequences is the generation of methane, a significant green house gas, which occurs when food decomposes in landfills.

A new report by the Natural Resources Defense Council titled “Wasted: How America is Losing Up to 40 Percent of Its Food from Farm” asserts that the equivalent of 20 lbs. per person per month of uneaten food is discarded in the US. In addition to the food loss itself, there are huge amounts of chemicals, energy, water, land, and money ($165 billion/year) used in the production, processing, and distribution of this food that are consequently lost if the food is not consumed. And while composting helps to reduce the final waste stream, it does not decrease these “upstream” resource inputs.

With the help of an MPCA Environmental Assistance grant, Eureka Recycling has developed informative new online tools to help consumers minimize or prevent food waste. The resources, available at www.makedirtnotwaste.org/prevent-wasted-food, include food storage tips for a wide variety of food types (including produce, meat, oils, herbs, and nuts, among others). Practical and instructional meal planning information specifically designed to counteract food wastage (and indirectly save time and money!) is included as well.

Another tool developed by the West Coast Climate and Materials Management Forum, an EPA-led partnership of western cities and states, serves as a resource for state and local governments and/or community groups and is currently undergoing nationwide piloting. Designed as a community-based social marketing campaign, the Food: Too Good to Waste pilot toolkit includes an implementation guide, behavior change tools (including a workshop presentation, shopping template, and poster), measurement tools, and a research report. Plans are to revise the toolkit based on pilot results.

Local governments and community organizations in Minnesota with an interest in participating in the pilot phase of the toolkit can contact Madalyn Cioci, MPCA, Madalyn.Cioci@state.mn.us, for more information.