Last chance: A lone skier navigates a back stretch of the Como Park Golf Course, just days before the park's ski trails closed. Trails are shut down for at least three weeks while the city removes 150 diseased ash trees and 15 other dead trees from the course. (The ski hill and ski center remain open, weather permitting.)
Looking for Relief from State Fair Pressure
The Como Community Council is launching a wide-ranging review of possible changes to parking, traffic, and city enforcement activities during the Minnesota State Fair.

The District 10 board approved six areas of action at its Jan. 16 meeting. The initiatives are intended to study and, if possible, limit the impact of State Fair traffic and activities on the neighborhood. The initiatives are in response to steadily rising Fair attendance, which is causing increasing parking and traffic pressure on an increasingly larger part of the neighborhood. Read all the details on our website. In short, District 10 is looking at:
  • Expanding the use of off-street parking, especially during Fair weekends
  • Expanding the number of streets on which parking is restricted to one side during the Fair
  • Expanding the parking overlay district
  • Getting the city to implement more traffic-calming measures
  • Getting the city to implement consistent, universal enforcement of peddling, parking, traffic, and other violations
  • Clarifying what kinds of signs and promotion residents, businesses, and institutions are allowed to use in promoting off-street parking and other services
Board Supports 4 of 5 Projects
The District 10 board also voted Jan. 16 to support four of the five infrastructure projects that Saint Paul is proposing for the intersection of Como, Front, and Dale. The board did  not  support a plan to eliminate the dedicated right-turn lane from southbound Como to westbound Front. It did support:
  • Painting higher-visibility crosswalks in all current locations, and painting stop bars ahead of the crosswalks, in hopes of discouraging drivers from encroaching on the crosswalks
  • Painting green lane extensions across the intersection to designate the location of the Como Ave. bike lanes
  • Installing landscaping
  • Moving the Route 65 bus stop on northbound Dale to the south side of the intersection (in other words, from in front of the strip mall to in front of John's Pizza CafĂ©)
You can get more details on the District 10 website -- including a summary and full results of the online survey that received more than 525 responses from residents.
Staying a Step Ahead of Crime
District 10 hosts a community crime meeting this Thursday, Jan. 25, at 6:30 p.m. at North Dale Recreation Center, 1414 N. St. Albans. Patty Lammers, crime prevention specialist for the Saint Paul Police Western District, will lead the discussion. 

Anyone is welcome, but the focus is on Grids 8 and 28 -- roughly the neighborhood between Dale, Maryland, Victoria, and Larpenteur. The emphasis will be on connecting neighbors in that area to prevent a repeat in 2018 of the types of incidents that occurred last summer and fall. 
Want to Trade In Your Recycling Cart?
It's been a year since the city switched its recycling program from bins to wheeled carts. Now that we've got experience, it's easier to tell if we need a bigger or smaller cart. 

Everybody's current cart is 64 gallons; it measures 22 inches wide, 44 inches tall and 26.5 inches deep. But y ou can get a larger, 95-gallon cart, which is 23 inches wide, 46 inches tall, and 31.5 inches deep. Or you can get a smaller, 32-gallon cart, which is 19 inches wide, 36.75 inches tall, and 26 inches deep. (The smaller cart holds roughly the same amount as two of the old curbside bins.)

To swap your current cart for a different size, call Eureka at 651-222-7678. It takes a few weeks for the switch to happen. 
Watching Our Waste: The 4S Approach
Want to minimize the risk of chloride pollution when you deal with snow and ice on your property? The Mississippi Water Management Organization recommends this 4S approach:
  • Shovel: Clear pavement before snow turns to ice.
  • Select: Regular salt doesn't melt ice when it's colder than 15 degrees F. Use sand for traction when it's too cold, or use a different deicer.
  • Scatter: Use salt only when it's needed. And don't overdo it: Spreading salt crystals 3 inches apart works fine.
  • Sweep: If there's salt or sand left over after the pavement clears, sweep it up and use it next time, rather than letting it wash into storm drains. 
There's Dancing Under Glass, Too
The Marjorie McNeely Conservatory's Music Under Glass series continues this Sunday, Jan. 21. Bring your dancing shoes as Siama's Congo World Quartet takes control from 4:30-6:30 p.m. The music is free; there's a cash bar for beer, wine, soft drinks, and snacks. (This is the last Music Under Glass until after the Super Bowl; see what's in store in February and March.)
Libraries are More than Books
The Saint Paul Public Library keeps adding free events aimed at children in kindergarten or younger.  In the near future:
  • 3rd Saturday Matinee: This Saturday, Jan. 20, 1-3 p.m. at Rondo. The feature film is the PG-rated "Despicable Me 3."
  • Birdhouse Making: Next Friday, Jan. 26, 4-5 p.m. at Saint Anthony Park.
  • Walking and Talking Books: Next Saturday, Jan. 27, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Dayton's Bluff.
Those events are on top of:
  • Story times that happen Tuesdays-Saturdays in a variety of languages at a variety of locations.
  • Saturday Live presentations at 11:15 a.m. at the George Latimer Central Library. (This Saturday, Jan. 20, it's Bruce the Bug Guy.)
Just in Case
That longtime Winter Carnival obsession -- The Pioneer Press Treasure Hunt -- starts this Sunday, Jan. 21. As we all know, Como Park is a frequent location for stashing the medallion. So don't get too alarmed if you see people staggering around with flashlights, shovels, and rakes. (Pitchforks and torches? Then you can worry.)
The View is Definitely Worth It
In honor of their 25th anniversary, Friends of the Mississippi River are designating 25 river views that need to be preserved. See what's been nominated so far -- or add your own nomination.
What? Construction in Winter?
The left lane on eastbound Interstate 94 between Snelling and Dale is closed every weeknight from 6:00 until 7:00 the next morning. Crews are repairing a storm water tunnel. Work will last well into February. 
Write It in Ink, not Pencil
  • Next Saturday, Jan. 27: Ramsey County Fix-It Clinic, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Roseville library, 2180 N. Hamline. 
  • Sunday Feb. 25: District 10 Sunday Series: State Fair History, Part 2, 1-2:30 p.m. Newman-Benson Chapel at Lyngblomsten, 1415 Almond Ave.
  • Sunday March 18: District 10 Sunday Series: The Next Step in Pedestrian Safety, 1-2:30 p.m. 
  • Sunday April 15: District 10 Sunday Series: Crime Prevention through Landscape Design, 1-2:30 p.m. 
At the Fairgrounds
  • Legacy Luau Invitational Gymnastics Meet: Today-Sunday, Jan. 19-21, Warner Coliseum. Hours: Friday, 3-10 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
  • The Kidway lot (between Underwood and Cooper south of Wright Ave.) and surrounding streets remain closed. When it's cold enough, they're making snow for upcoming Winter Carnival events, which begin next Friday, Jan. 26.
Sergeants Talk about Use of Force
Policies and laws surrounding use of force by police will be discussed at a free event this Tuesday, Jan. 23. The session is part of a seven-part series called "Bridging the Divides: Policing that Works for Everyone." Tuesday's session runs 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 1636 W. Van Buren (which is one block west of Snelling and south of Minnehaha). It features Sgt. Troy Greene, who is training director for the Saint Paul Police, and Sgt. Sean Zauhar.

Also: This Wednesday, Jan. 24, it's " Coffee with a Cop." Drop in at Groundswell, 1340 Thomas Ave., to meet Western District command staff. They'll be there from 3-4:30 p.m. It's not clear who's buying.
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.