Do you want to represent our neighborhoods??

Several opportunities have come up for residents of our area to serve the community on a task force. Contact the District 1 office if you are interested in serving on any of the following groups by calling 651.501.6345 or by emailing district1council@aol.com:

1. The Downtown Airport Noise Commission - this group meets at least quarterly and is looking for someone to serve for two years. John Miersch has been our representative for the last two years but has stepped down. The group looks at issues related to noise from Holman Field.
2. Capital Improvement Program Citizens Advisory Committee for Ramsey County - helps plan for capital improvements and advise the County Board about setting priorites.
3. Food and Nutrition Commission (Joint City and County) - this is a forum for assessing how local food systems are serving residents and planning for increased access to safe, affordable and nutritious foods. The Commission is set to lay out a comprehensive vision for healthy food access in the county. The commission is looking for farmers, people associated with food banks and food shelves, community gardeners, grocers. restaurant owners, and consumers from areas lacking adequate food access, health professionals and so on. Seven positions are available.
4. Small Business Enterprise Advisory Committee - committee advises the county board on inclusiveness in contracting. Nine positions are available.
5. Community Corrections Advisory Board - this group helps formulate a comprehensive plan for the correctional programs in the county. Minorities and individuals with education backgrounds in corrections are encouraged to apply.

Submitted by Ramsey County

Environmental Restoration at Battle Creek Park

Ramsey County Parks is starting a major prairie, savannah, and oak woodland restoration in Battle Creek Regional Park. The project will total 200 acres in three project areas and is the largest restoration project in Ramsey County.

The work starts this fall with removal of invasive species. Next spring there will be a prescribed burn and seeding the prairies will be done in early summer, with the other zones in the fall. The project will continue in 2011 with weed control, selective mowing and additional burns.

The restored areas will provide a more diverse mixture of prairie and woodland grasses and wildflowers. The area will also provide increased habitat for wildlife, especially with birds. The restored habitat will tie into other restorations and natural habitats within the Mississippi corridor. Nancy Duncan, of the National Park Service Mississippi National River Recreation Area, stated, "The Battle Creek restoration is a crucial piece of the Mississippi habitat corridor."

Funding for this project comes from a grant from the Parks and Trails Fund of the Legacy Amendment.

Submitted by John Moriarty, Ramsey County Parks

Free Breakfast at local Schools

The St. Paul Public Schools, through the National School Lunch/Breakfast Program, is providing breakfast at no charge to students at many of its schools.

Included in this program are Sheridan Elementary, Eastern Heights Elementary, Highwood Hills Elementary, Battle Creek Environmental Magnet, Battle Creek Middle School, and Harding High School.

Submitted by St. Paul Public Schools

Stay Fire Smart

By following simple safety rules, you can "Stay Fire Smart! Don't Get Burned!"

• keep hot foods and liquids away from tables and counter edges so they cannot be pulled or knocked over.
• have a 3 foot "kid-free" zone around the stove.
• never hold a child in your arms while preparing hot food or drinking a hot beverage.
• be careful when using things that get hot such as curling irons, oven, irons, lamps, heaters.
• install tamper-resistant receptacles to prevent a child from sticking an object in an electrical outlet.
• never leave a child alone in a room with a lit candle, portable heater, lit fireplace or stove, or where a hot appliance is in use.
• wear short or close-fitting sleeves when cooking.
• set your hot water temperature no higher than 120 degrees (this saves on electrical or gas bills, too!)
• install anti-scald valves on shower heads and faucets.

The St. Paul Fire Department has developed a brand new program to help people be fire-safe in their homes. The program is called "Project Safe Haven." Firefighters will help you make your home a safe haven from fire. It's completely free and includes a smoke detector and a carbon monoxide detector. First you survey your home using a handy checklist. Once you have corrected any hazards on the checklist, firefighters come to your home to help you with a fire escape plan and install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors if needed. For more information on this project, contact Paula Peterson at paula.peterson@ci.stpaul.mn.us or by calling 651.228.6203.

Submitted by St. Paul Fire Marshal and the Fire Department

10 Things to Do For the River

1. Become a River Citizen in your community by spreading the word to friends, neighbors and elected officials that the Mississippi River is important to you.
2. Encourage your local community to take actions to protect the river (such as supporting wetlands protection, cleaning up old hazardous waste sites, restoring habitat).
3. Volunteer at a River Clean Up or with local conservation committees.
4. Reduce yard chemicals to reduce chemical pollution and protect habitat.
5. Buying organic produce to support sustainable farming practices.
6. Respect the Storm Sewers making sure only rain goes down the storm drains (not grass clippings or leaves).
7. Landscape with native plants and trees to support wildlife and natural systems of flood control.
8. Support river access such as river trails, boat launches, and parks.
9. Support sound land management to prevent erosion (and increase water infiltration - support the Highwood Development Plan and the River Corridor Standards).
10. Get to know your river.

Visit this site to become a River Citizen today.

Submitted by the St. Paul Riverfront Corporation.

A District 1 Success!!

During the Capital Improvement Budget process, when we were advocating for new playground equipment at Taylor Park, we made connections with folks in Dayton's Bluff. We didn't get money to finance improvements, but those connections paid off.

The photos here show before and after shots of the equipment that used to be there and what is there now. The other thing that is there now is A LOT MORE KIDS PLAYING!!

We want to thank the residents who advocated for the park, our friends in Dayton's Bluff, and the St. Paul Parks and Rec folks for making this improvement happen!

Highwood Hills makes the NY Times!

There is an interesting article about a couple who bought a foreclosed house in Highwood Hills in the NY Times. I love how it calls out the unique history of the neighborhood and the slide show really gives you a sense of the amazing possibilities of renovation. Who knew the New York Times was paying attention to the East Side of St. Paul??(Here is the NYTimes link)

As a part of the work of LiveMSP we have been soliciting written testimonials from residents who share in 50 words or less what they love about their neighborhoods. Something we would love to see are video versions of this, where residents show us their neighborhoods and talk about what makes it a special place to live.

We feel the East side is totally unknown to people who don't live there and it would be an exciting thing to showcase its assets, the amazing diversity of people and topography and what it's like to be an Eastsider. LiveMSP would be happy to partner and assist!!

Submitted by Mary Kay Bailey, LiveMSP.org