Students from Great River School plant a variety of seedlings as part of a habitat restoration project along Hamline Ave. south of Como Ave. (Read details about the project below.)
Get Your Garmin Fired Up
The Como Neighborhood Garage Sale kicks off next weekend with nearly 50 households offering a feast for a bargain-hunters and scavangers. Most of the action is next Saturday, May 14, but some folks are in action Friday or Sunday, too. For a list and map of where to find what, check the District 10 website.
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.
Special Elections Set for May 17
Special elections for two vacancies on the District 10 board take place on Tuesday May 17. Voting begins at 7 p.m., during the regular monthly meeting of the Como Community Council. 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.
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.
Time to Spread Some Dirt
The Como Seed and Seedling Share happens in two weeks. Here are some ways to ramp up:
  • If you are donating plants, you can pick up free containers to carry them in. Container distribution happens this Monday, May 9, from 4-6:30 p.m. Contact the organizers by email to get the location.
  • Organizers Alison Goetzman and Dawn Lamm also are seeking volunteers to help manage distribution tables and to help clean up on the day of the event. Volunteers who sign up online will get bonus tickets to swap for plants.
The Seed and Seedling Share is Saturday May 21 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Como Park Streetcar Station. Guest speaker is Chris Cantin, who is steward of the Hay River Seed Library in Wisconsin and a lot more.
Spencer Willits and DSJ Biggs, both 11th-graders at Great River School, plant a seedling.  
A New Landscape in an Urban Forest
Volunteers from Great River School and Target planted more than 300 native trees and shrubs this week in a 30,000-square-foot area of Como Park along Hamline Ave. The restoration project essentially clear-cut the land south of Como Ave. the week before. That eliminated three dozen infested ash trees, which dated back decades, to when the area was a city tree nursery, says Sannon Montante, a natural resources technician with the parks department. Most of what was not ash was buckthorn, black locust, and other invasive species, which also were eliminated.

Volunteers then planted shrubs (such as cranberry, crab apple, pin cherry, June berry, and American plum), native trees (including basswood, white oak and white pine), and some test species that are not well established in St. Paul, but may do well in a warming climate, Montante says. The new plantings, she says, "will bring lots of color, lots of flowers, and be great wildlife habitat."
Photo_ bizjournals.com
Rail Safety Seeks a Push at the Legislature
The good news: Rail safety legislation has passed the transportation committees of both the Minnesota House and Senate. The caution flag: It's still far from a done deal. The opportunity: Make phone calls to key legislators to make sure the bills don't die.

The legislation would require railroads to inform local officials of their emergency plans, response times, and equipment and staffing capabilities to deal with accidents -- especially in populated areas like Como. Citizens Acting for Rail Safety is sponsoring a phone bank this Wednesday, May 11, from 6-8:30 p.m. at the Sierra Club, 2327 E. Franklin Ave., Minneapolis. If you can attend, contact Claire Ruebeck by email.
Get the Internet for Free
Once again, you can "borrow the Internet" with your library card. The Saint Paul Public Library has 100 mobile Wi-Fi hotspots, loaded with free Internet service, that city residents can check out for up to a week. It's a great way to get Internet access if you can't get it on your own.
You can check out a device from the circulation desks at the Rondo and Merriam Park branches, or have one held for you at a library of your choice. Get all the details, and conditions, at the library website: Search the catalog for "Borrow the Internet."
The St. Paul Ballet proves there's more to Music in the Parks.
Photo: Lori Gleason
It's Non-Stop at the Pavilion
Music in the Parks kicks into full gear at Como Dockside. This week's line-up (and a disclaimer: We claim no responsibility for the band names):
  • Friday May 6: The Fairlanes, 7-8 p.m.
  • Saturday May 7: Northeast Community Band, 3-5 p.m.; Flute Cocktail, 7-9 p.m.
  • Sunday May 8: First Things First, 3-5 p.m.; The Zuhrah Flames, 7-9 p.m.
  • Monday May 9: Mill City Five, 7-9 p.m.
  • Tuesday May 10: King Wilkie's Dream, 7-9 p.m.
  • Wednesday May 11: St. Paul Ballet, 7-9 p.m.
  • Thursday May 12: Fertile Ground, 7-9 p.m.
All presentations are free. For the entire summer lineup: Go to the Calendar section at Dockside's website.
Unleashing the Power of Music
Lyngblomsten has a fascinating new project underway: Music and Memories. The goal: Provide all 237 residents with an iPod player, loaded with their own personalized musical playlist. The hope: Use the therapeutic benefits of music to help residents feel more connected to their memories, their lives, and each other.

The project kicks off this Tuesday, May 10, with a free showing of "Alive Inside," a 70-minute film about music's capacity to reawaken our souls. The 6:30 p.m. showing is open to the entire community. If you can help the project by donating an iPod or an iTunes gift card, contact Lyngblomsten's Andrea Lewandoski by email or by phone at 651-632-5318.
Block Nurse Program Can Do Wonders
The Como Park Falcon Heights Living at Home Block Nurse Program provides crucial support so our aging neighbors can remain in their homes safely and with dignity. Free services include a home safety assessment, transportation to and from medical and dental appointments, home visits by nurses and volunteers, exercise support, and yard cleanup. Additional services are available for a fee. For details, call 651-642-1127, or visit the block nurse website.
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, electronics, tires, demolition materials, and more. City residents may go to any or all of the dropoff sites. Look for more 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
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. A District 10 board member will be on hand to distribute recycling bins, organics composting bags, or just take your comments and suggestions. The Streetcar Station is at the northeast corner of Lexington and Horton.
It Will Be Here Before You Know It        
  • Thursday May 10: District 10 Neighborhood Relations and Safety Committee. 6:30-8 p.m., Como Park Streetcar Station. Discussion includes planning for the July 15 Ice Cream Social. Community members are always welcome to attend. 
  • Saturday May 14: Saint Paul for All brainstorming session on the city's next  comprehensive plan. 10:30 a.m.-noon, Como Park Streetcar Station.
  • Tuesday May 17: Grand Round Community Advisory Committee. 6-7:30 p.m., North Dale Community Center.
  • Tuesday May 17: District 10 Como Community Council. 7-9 p.m., Como Park Streetcar Station.
  • Thursday May 19: Stop for Me Pedestrian Safety Event. 5:30-7:30 p.m., crosswalk at Lexington Parkway and E. Como Lake Drive. Want to take part? Email District 10.
  • Friday May 20: Chelsea Heights Elementary School Spring Carnival. 5-8 p.m.
  • 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.
  • 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 May 27.
  • 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.
  • Interstate 35E: Ongoing work continues, with nightly lane closings between Maryland Ave. and I-94. Occasional work takes place as far north as Highway 36. Lanes and ramps remain closed on Pennsylvania Ave./Phalen Blvd.
  • Larpenteur Ave.: Resurfacing between Snelling and Oxford begins this Wednesday, May 11.
  • Lexington Ave. bridge over I-94: Expected to reopen this Wednesday, May 11.
  • Prior Ave. bridge over I-94: Closed through Aug 15.
  • Western Ave.: Closed between Lawson and Hatch this Monday and Tuesday, May 9-10.
Fire Check-Up Makes Your Home Safer
St. Paul homeowners can sign up for Project Safe Haven, in which the St. Paul Fire Department will do a free fire safety inspection of your home, help you plan a family escape plan, and install smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, and stovetop fire suppressors as necessary. Did we mention it's all free?
 
The Latest Crime Report for Our Neighborhood
In the Park
At the Fairgrounds
  • Friends of the American Saddlehorse Spring Horse Show: English-style riding, through this Sunday, May 8, Warner Coliseum, AgStar Arena. Shows: 6:30 p.m. today, Friday; 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday; and 9:30 a.m. Sunday. Free admission.
  • Friends School of Minnesota Plant Sale: Through this Sunday, May 8, Grandstand. Till 8 p.m. today, Friday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday. Free admission.
  • St. Paul Craftstravaganza: This Saturday, May 7, Progress Center. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free admission.
  • Model Railroad and Hobby Sale: This Saturday, May 7, Education Building. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Admission: $6 (children 7 or younger, free).
  •  Bicycle road races: This Tuesday, May 10. Expect roads between Dan Patch and Hoyt to close from 4:30-8:30 p.m.
  • Urban Ag in the Classroom: This Wednesday, May 11, CHS Miracle of Birth Center, Warner Coliseum. 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
  • YMCA Widji/du Nord Garage Sale: Next Thursday-Saturday, May 12-14, Merchandise Mart. 9 a.m.-7 p.m. May 12-13; 9 a.m.-noon May 14. Free admission.
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.