City forestry worker Ed Perkins takes out one of the 19 Norway maples being cut down on the west side of Victoria because of the trees' deteriorating condition.
Soundset Festival Coming to Fairgrounds
Lizzo is one of the local hip-hop stars featured at Soundset.
Star Tribune photo
Minnesota's biggest hip-hop music festival, Soundset, moves to the State Fairgrounds on Sunday May 29. The one-day festival features more than 40 local and national performers, including The Roots (from the "Tonight" show), Atmosphere, Common, Doomtree, and Lizzo. The festival includes skateboard and open mic competition and a custom car show that is nothing like Back to the 50s.

Gates open at 11 a.m.; the festival runs till 9:30 p.m. A hotline for neighborhood inquiries will be staffed from 9 a.m.-11 p.m. on the day of the show. The hotline: 651-288-4500. Soundset, now in its ninth year, was created by Minneapolis-based Rhymesayers Entertainment. It has expanded from a Minneapolis warehouse to First Ave., to the Metrodome parking lot and, most recently, Canterbury Park.  
The Garage Sale is Here!
The Como Neighborhood Garage Sale rolls out this weekend with nearly 50 households offering a feast for bargain-hunters and scavengers. Most of the action is Saturday, May 14, but some folks are peddling their wares today or Sunday, too. You can download a map and list of where to find what.
Another Chance to Vote on May 17
Special elections for two vacancies on the District 10 board take place this Tuesday, May 17. Voting begins at 7 p.m., during the regular monthly meeting of the Como Community Council. The meeting is at the Streetcar Station, at the northeast corner of Lexington and Horton. The candidates: 
  • Secretary (vote for 1): Laura Jo Busian, Tim Post
  • Sub-District 3 (vote for 1): Mike Ireland
All registered community members will be able to vote for Secretary. Only residents living in Sub-District 3 will be able to cast ballots in that election. (Sub-District 3 is the part of the neighborhood bounded by Victoria on the west, Larpenteur on the north, Dale on the east, and the BNSF tracks south of Jessamine on the south.) Candidate statements and complete information about voting are available in District 10's Special Election Guide.
After the Elections
The community portion of the monthly District 10 meeting features two guest speakers:
  • Sgt. Chris Byrne, from the Traffic and Parking Enforcement Unit of the St. Paul Police, will talk about how we can cut down on the amount of speeding and careless driving on our neighborhood streets.
  • William Coleman II, the new director of the Humphrey Job Corps Center, will talk about plans for the campus.
Their presentations are expected to begin about 7:30 p.m. this Tuesday, May 17, at the Streetcar Station.
Speaking of Careless Driving...
District 10 holds its first "Stop for Me" pedestrian safety event this Thursday, May 19, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the intersection of Lexington Parkway and E. Como Lake Drive. Want to participate? Email us and we'll get you all the details.

This intersection -- where park paths cross north of the Pavilion -- is the second-most-dangerous intersection for pedestrians in our neighborhood, according to a survey of community residents. During the event, trained volunteers will walk the crosswalks to emphasize that state law requires drivers to stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk -- every corner, every turn, every time. St. Paul Police will ticket drivers who don't stop.
Time to Spread Some Dirt
The Como Seed and Seedling Share is only a week away. The free event is next Saturday, May 21, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Como Park Streetcar Station.
Because there are only two of them, organizers Alison Goetzman and Dawn Lamm are looking for additional volunteers to help manage the distribution tables or to clean up. Volunteers who sign up online will get bonus tickets to swap for plants.
  • Guest speaker is Cris Cantin, who is steward of the Hay River Seed Library in Wisconsin. She speaks at 11 a.m. on "The Seed Saver's Garden," answers questions afterward, then holds a drawing for a "Sowing and Saving" kit with heirloom tomato seeds. The actual seed-swapping takes place from noon-2 p.m.

For more information, email the organizers or look up them up on Facebook . 
D10 Hosts Rental Workshops
District 10 is partnering with HOME Line to offer Tenant and Landlord workshops in June. The workshops are free, but registration is required.
  • The Tenant Workshop will focus on the three biggest sources of renter complaints: repairs, evictions, and security deposits.  It takes place on Thursday June 2 from 5-6:30 p.m.
  • The Landlord Workshop is designed for property owners and managers, whether they rent out a single-family home or multiple units. Topics include the tenant application process, discrimination and fair housing issues, repairs, bedbugs, evictions, and requirements about when a landlord can or cannot enter the living space. The landlord workshop takes place on Tuesday June 7 from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Both workshops will leave plenty of time for specific questions. Both workshops are at the Como Park Streetcar Station.
Map: St. Paul Almanac
Building Better Block Clubs
District 10 is partnering with the Como Park Falcon Heights Living at Home Block Nurse Program to revitalize block clubs in our neighborhood.  To do that, we need your opinions. Please take our survey. Do you have an active block club? Wish you had one? Have opinions about what a block club should do? Tell us your priorities so we all can do a better job of connecting with our neighbors and looking out for one another.
Local Schools Have Fun with Fund-Raising
Chelsea Heights borrows a principle from the St. Paul Saints and urges you to "vote for fun" this election year at the elementary school's Spring Carnival. The carnival is next Friday, May 20, from 5-8 p.m. at the school, 1557 Huron. It includes games, prizes, food trucks, raffles, inflatables, a climbing wall, and other activities for as little as 50 cents each. Questions? Contact the Carnival Committee by email.

On Saturday May 21, Great River School holds its Spring Festival from 2-5 p.m. at the school, 1326 Energy Park Drive. Great River's event includes food, an art exhibit, and outdoor carnival games (including a faculty dunk tank). At 2:30 p.m., an indoor concert features students featuring one-hit wonders (the musical variety, not the Minnesota Twins). Concert tickets are $10; other prices vary.
Know a Teen Who Needs Someone to Lean On?
St. Timothy Lutheran Church will host a free community conversation on how to support teens through times of crisis or loss. Guest speaker is Shannon Himango. The event is this Wednesday, May 18, from 7-8:30 p.m. at the church, 1465 Victoria.
Pick Up a Recycling Bin This Sunday
The Como Park Streetcar Station is open from noon-4 p.m. every Sunday between now and the end of September. It's your best opportunity to pick up a blue recycling bin, organics composting bag, or just share comments and suggestions with a District 10 board member. The Streetcar Station is at the northeast corner of Lexington and Horton.
Don't Say You Didn't Know       
  • This Saturday May 14: The city holds a " Saint Paul for All" brainstorming session, gearing up for the city's next comprehensive plan. The session wants us to ask -- and answer -- such questions as: What makes Saint Paul special? How do we make Saint Paul more welcoming to people of all backgrounds and abilities? How do we modernize St. Paul without eliminating its historic charm? How can we improve our neighborhoods? You can share ideas -- crazy or not -- from 10:30 a.m.-noon at the Como Park Streetcar Station.
  • This Monday, May 16: District 10's Neighborhood Relations and Safety Committee has rescheduled its monthly meeting. 6:30-8 p.m., Como Park Streetcar Station. The agenda includes the July 15 Ice Cream Social. Community members are always welcome to attend.
  • This Tuesday, May 17: Grand Round Community Advisory Committee. 6-7:30 p.m., North Dale Community Center. This final meeting looks at the Final Design and Implementation Plan. You can get a sneak peek online.
  • This Wednesday, May 18: Public hearing on draft rules for the state's proposed Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area. 5:30 p.m., City Council Chambers, 15 W. Kellogg Blvd.
  • Friday May 27: Public hearing on Saint Paul Street Design Manual and Complete Streets Action Plan. 8:30 a.m., City Hall Room 40, 15 W. Kellogg Blvd.
  • Wednesday, June 1: Public hearing on a request to have the City of St. Paul vacate Aldine St. and adjacent property at 1694 Como Ave. so the International Institute can expand. District 10 supports the request, which is on our western border. 5:30 p.m., City Council Chambers, 15 W. Kellogg Blvd.
  • Friday June 10: The Planning Commission holds a public hearing on the proposed Snelling-Midway master plan and soccer stadium site plan. 8:30 a.m., City Hall Room 40, 15 W. Kellogg Blvd.
  • Saturday June 11: A Line bus service begins on Snelling Ave.
  • Tuesday Aug. 2: National Night Out
Our Weekly List of Places to Avoid
  • Chatsworth Ave.: Closed between Front and Horton through July.
  • Cretin Ave. bridge over I-94: Closed through June 6.
  • Highway 5: Bridge over Mississippi River down to a single lane in both directions until November. Ramps at Edgecumbe Road, Highway 55, Mississippi River Blvd., and Shepard Road closed.
  • Highway 36 at Lexington: Eastbound ramps closed through October.
  • Highway 280: Closed between Broadway and Interstate 35W. Single lane between Broadway and Como. Entrance ramps from Larpenteur closed. Northbound entrance ramp from Como Ave. closed.
  • Interstate 35E: Ongoing work, with nightly lane closings, between Maryland Ave. and I-94. Occasional work takes place as far north as Highway 36. Lane and ramp closings continue on Pennsylvania Ave./Phalen Blvd.
  • Larpenteur Ave.: Resurfacing between Snelling and Oxford continues; traffic is down to one lane.
  • Prior Ave. bridge over I-94: Closed through Aug 15.
  • Lexington Ave. bridge over I-94: Supposed to reopen today, May 13.
  • Victoria St.: Closed beginning this Monday, May 16, from County Road B north to Lovell Ave. in Roseville. Resurfacing is expected to take two weeks.
Crime Prevention Tip of the Week
Are you seeing suspicious activity at the former Shalom Home site or another abandoned building in our neighborhood? Absolutely call St. Paul Police at 911.
But don't forget to contact the city's Department of Safety and Inspections. They're the ones who enforce code violations for vacant buildings -- including not keeping the property secure from trespassers. In Como, contact Matt Dornfeld at 651-266-1902 or text him at 651-248-4316. Whenever reporting a potential crime, give as much specific information as possible, including:
  • Descriptions of the individuals and activities
  • Date and time of day (or night) when activities are taking place
  • License plate numbers
  • Color and make of vehicles
The Latest Crime Report for Our Neighborhood
Photo courtesy of The Textiles
What You'll Be Hearing at Como Dockside
This week's Music in the Parks schedule at the Pavilion:
All presentations are free. For the entire summer lineup, go to the Calendar section at Dockside's website.
This Week in the Park
  • Food Allergy Awareness 5K Walk and Fun Run. This Saturday, May 14, 8:45 a.m., East Picnic Grounds. Entertainment includes Klondike Kate, Mudonna, a robotics demonstration, and more. Registration: $50. Details online.
This Week at the Fairgrounds
A comic book convention is one of the events this week at the Fairgrounds.
  • YMCA Widji/du Nord Garage Sale: Through Saturday, May 14, Merchandise Mart. Until 7:00 Friday night; 9 a.m.-noon Saturday. Free admission.
  • Northstar Watercolor Society Artists' Market: Today and Saturday, May 13-14. Fine Arts Building. Until 8:00 Friday night; 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday. Free admission.
  • MN in May BBQ Competition: Today and Saturday, May 13-14, Areas north of Randall and Hoyt, including Little Farm Hands and Home Depot buildings. Until 11:00 Friday night, 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday. Free spectator admission.
  • Comic Book Convention: This Saturday and Sunday, May 14-15, Grandstand. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission: $14 (age 10 or older); free children 9 or younger.
  • First Fifty Auto Parts Sale and Swap Meet: This Sunday, May 15, parking lots north of Hoyt Ave. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission: $5 teens and adults; free children 12 or younger.
  • Riders and Ribbons Horse Show: This Sunday, May 15, AgStar Arena. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free spectator admission.
  • Bicycle road races: This Tuesday, May 17. Expect roads between Dan Patch and Hoyt to close from 4:30-8:30 p.m.
  • Appliance Liquidation: Next Friday, May 20, Education Building. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. daily through June 5.
Accumulating Too Much Junk?
St. Paul has scheduled four cleanup days where residents can dispose of the stuff they can't put in the trash: appliances, furniture, tires, demolition materials, and more. City residents may go to any or all of the drop-off sites.  Look for fees and other details in the mail later this month.  
  • June 11: Washington Technology Magnet High School, 1495 Rice St.
  • June 25: Harding High School, 1540 E. 6th St.
  • Sept. 24: Shepard Road (between Davern and Alton)
  • Oct. 8: Fairgrounds
In addition, there will be an electronics drop-off event on Saturday June 18 at Dunning Field.  
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 expressed interest in District 10 activities.