Eureka Recycling's Antione Williams makes the usual Monday rounds on Simon Ave.
Last year, Williams collected 3,278 tons of recycled materials in St. Paul -- one bin at a time.
Beyond Puppy Love
Photo: 7-Themes.com
It may not be as effective as roses, Shakespeare, or Barry White -- but for a different take on romance this Valentine's weekend, check out " Woo at the Zoo." You can learn about animal attraction, the wild life of pollinating plants, and the secrets of chocolate. The free events run this Saturday-Monday, Feb. 13-15, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Como Zoo and Conservatory. Each day's activities include a talk on "love at the zoo" at 11 a.m., a talk about nookie among the plants at 1 p.m., and Valentine-themed activities throughout.
"Public Works 101" opens our Sunday Series Feb. 21. Photo: twincities.com
So, You Think You're Street Smart       
District 10's annual Sunday Series opens on Feb. 21 with "Public Works 101." Kathy Lantry, head of Saint Paul's Department of Public Works, and Cy Kosel, natural resources manager for St. Paul Parks, will lead a discussion (and answer questions) about our streets and alleys, as well as most of the things on them, under them, above them, and next to them. The free session begins at 1 p.m. at the Como Park Streetcar Station, on the northwest corner of Lexington and Horton.
Here is the rest of the District 10 Sunday Series schedule. All events are free; you can find more details about each presentation on our website.
  • Gardening for the Birds and the Bees: Sunday Feb. 28, 1 p.m.
  • The Como Park You Never Knew: Sunday March 6, 1 p.m. Co-sponsored by Como Dockside.
  • What the Birds Are Telling Us: Sunday March 13, 1 p.m. Co-sponsored by Como Park Zoo and Conservatory.
  • Building a Rain Garden: Sunday March 20, 1 p.m.
  • The Truth About St. Paul's Bike Plan: Sunday April 10, 1 p.m.
  • Garbage 101: Sunday April 17, 1 p.m.
Free Meters Help You Find Lost Energy 
Slow winter days are a great time to find out if you're leaking energy -- and money -- from your home. The Ramsey County public library can help. In addition to checking out a book or movie, you can also check out:
  • A "Draft Check" kit, which uses a thermal leak detector to help you measure temperature variations along areas such as windows, doors, attics, basements, electrical outlets, light switches, walls, moldings, and baseboards.
  • A "Power Check" electricity consumption meter, which can help you find "energy vampires." Those are appliances and electronics that suck energy even when you think they're turned off. The kit includes money-saving tips -- including worksheets that help you determine how much money you'd save if you actually replaced old devices with more energy-efficient new ones.
The kits are made available by Xcel Energy. You can get them at Ramsey County library circulation desks. (The "Power Check" meters are also available at some St. Paul city library branches.)
Join Us at Our Monthly Meeting    
The District 10 Como Community Council holds its monthly meeting this Tuesday, Feb. 16. All community residents, businesses, and organizations are welcome. Agenda items include:
  • Discussion of fiscal sponsorship of a Como Lake clean-up project
  • Consideration of an entertainment license for the Como Park Pavilion
  • An update on the Como Woodlands Outdoor Classroom
The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the Como Park Streetcar Station, at the northeast corner of Lexington and Horton.
Photo: CBS Minnesota
Your Phone Will Pay for That  
Another week, another smartphone app from St. Paul's Department of Public Works. This one will let you plug parking meters downtown without having to fumble for cash or your credit card. Instead, the Passport Parking app lets you pay through the app, by phone, by text, or through an online mobile site. You can download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
Want to Be More Than an Observer?     
District 10 will have elections this April for nine seats on the Como Community Council. We'll need representatives from every subdistrict, plus from the district at-large. You can get all the details of how to become a candidate, what kind of commitment you're making, and more info on our website.
Want board training? If you want to learn about what it takes to be an effective nonprofit board member, free training is available through the Board Repair network. The sessions:
  • Wednesday Feb. 24. Learn about neighborhood organizations in St. Paul and the role they play.
  • Wednesday March 16. A "boot camp" on the basics of being a nonprofit board member.
You can register here; preference is given to people of color. All sessions run 6-8 p.m. and include a light supper. Locations will be determined.
Scouts Aren't the Only Ones Selling Things  
The annual tree sale is now underway for Friends of the Parks and Trails of St. Paul and Ramsey County. You can buy a tree, rosebush or shrub for yourself, or buy a tree to donate to a local park. The deadline to order online is Friday April 22. You can pick up your order on Saturday May 7.
Help Your Storm Drain Make a Statement  
Want to make a visible impact on the water quality of our nearby lakes, creeks, and river? Then help the Friends of the Mississippi River stencil storm drains. The stencils proclaim: "Keep 'em Clean: Drains to River!" (or Lake or Creek, as the case may be). It's a 90-minute project for groups of 20 to 200. Stenciling takes place in May and June, but sign-up is available now. If you can't round up that many folks, you can check out individual stencil kits for up to two weeks.  
Keep Your Calendar Up to Date
  • This Sunday, Feb. 14: Organ concert, featuring Dean Billmeyer, from the University of Minnesota. 4 p.m., Como Park Lutheran Church, 1376 W. Hoyt Ave. Free.
  • This Tuesday, Feb. 16: Como Park High School Parent and Community Council. 6-7:30 p.m., High School Career Resource Center, 740 W. Rose Ave. Agenda items include conversation about next year's scheduling.  
  • This Wednesday, Feb. 17: Public hearing on reconstruction of Wheelock Parkway between Rice and Edgerton, 5:30 p.m., City Council chambers, City Hall, 15 W. Kellogg Blvd.
  • This Thursday, Feb. 18: Legislative Town Hall, with Sen. John Marty, Rep. Alice Hausman, and Rep. John Lesch. 7-8:30 p.m., Ramsey County Library, 2180 N. Hamline Ave., Roseville.
  • Monday, Feb. 22: Como Park High School Booster Club. 6:30 p.m., Athletic Offices, 740 W. Rose Ave.
  • Monday Feb. 28: Deadline to apply for the city's Right Track summer job and internship program for qualifying youth ages 14-21.
Crime Prevention Tip of the Week
This Thursday, Feb. 18, is the deadline to voice your opinion on what you expect out of the next St. Paul police chief. Take the city's online survey.
 
At the Fairgrounds      
Before you're even springing out of bed, young gymnasts at the Gina Morri Memorial Meet will be in full action this Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 13-14, at the Warner Coliseum. Activities run 7:45 a.m.-9:30 p.m. each day.
Spread the Word
District 10 is one of Saint Paul's 17 citizen participation districts. The  District 10 Como Community Council is a nonprofit organization, governed by a Board of Directors who are elected by members of the community. The Council's mission is to inform, educate, and connect the neighborhood to increase community pride and confidence. 

You are receiving this email because you have expressed an interest in District 10 activities.