Greetings, ghouls and boys: Some folks, like this house in the 800 block of Lakeview, clearly take Halloween seriously.
Join Us for Breakfast on Saturday
Homemade food, great company, and kids in Halloween costumes. It 's all guaranteed at District 10 's annual Pancake Breakfast this Saturday, Oct. 29. The family feast features pancakes, eggs, bacon, turkey sausage, and breakfast beverages. Plus, children get to field-test their Halloween disguises during a costume parade at 10 a.m.

Breakfast runs from 8:30-11:30 a.m. in the cafeteria of the Humphrey Job Corps Center, which is on Arlington Ave. between Snelling and Arona. All are welcome. Tickets are $7 for teens and adults; $4 for children ages 5-12; and free for youngsters 4 and under. You can purchase tickets at the door.
Photo: Better Homes & Gardens
Can't Disguise It: Halloween is Here
There are no official trick-or-treating hours in Saint Paul, so most people go door-to-door starting at dusk on the holiday itself, which is this Monday, Oct. 31. Before then, you've got all kinds of opportunities to sugar-coat your teeth or get your fill of pumpkins. A quick look at nearby Halloween events:
  • North Dale Recreation Center holds Hallow Fest (for children 12 or younger) tonight, Friday Oct. 28, from 5-7 p.m. Costumes are encouraged; admission is free. North Dale is at 1414 N. St. Albans.
  • Pumpkin Nights continue through Halloween in and around the DNR Building at the Fairgrounds. The festival features more than 3,000 pumpkins that are creatively carved and illuminated. Displays are open from 6:30 p.m.-midnight on Friday and Saturday, and from 6:30-10:30 p.m. on Sunday and Monday. Admission is $16-$23, depending on age.
  • The  Como Lake Pumpkin Patch is open outside of Dockside this Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m.-sunset. It features not just pumpkins, but games, inflatables, a hay ride and more. Admission is $5-$9, depending on age.
  • Trick-or-treating doesn't get much safer than at Como Friends' annual Zoo Boo. The Halloween festival for families and young children features more than 200 live, costumed characters who roam the Zoo and Conservatory determined to entertain children -- not give them nightmares. Plus, they hand out oodles of treats. Zoo Boo runs 4:30-7:30 p.m. this Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $7 at the gate. Shuttle parking is available at the Fairgrounds lot south of Come Ave.
  • Native storyteller Duke Addicks shares tales of hauntings he has experienced and investigated over the past 60 years up and down the Upper Mississippi. The free event, "Who Haunts Here in Saint Paul," is 2 p.m. this Sunday, Oct. 30, at the George Latimer Central Library, 90 W. 4th St.
  • North Dale hosts a Teen Halloween Hang Out on Monday, from 5-7 p.m. The event, for teens ages 13-17, is free; no registration is necessary. For information, call 651-558-2329.
Deal with Problem Properties Head On 
Struggling with a neglected property, absentee landlord, or problem tenant on your block? Then find out how to effectively minimize their impact during a District 10 community forum on problem properties. Our goal: get you the practical understanding and hands-on advice you need to report, track, and navigate city departments so you and your neighbors can effectively reduce the impact of properties that are a nuisance, threat, or detriment to our community.

The forum will feature Officer Erik Diskerud, of the Western District FORCE Unit of the Saint Paul Police; Inspector Joe Yannarelly, of the city 's Department of Safety and Inspections; and Andrew Johnson, a community member who has been dealing for years with problem properties. The free forum is Thursday Nov. 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the Como Park Streetcar Station.
This could be you.
One More Vacancy to Fill      
District 10 is seeking candidates to fill a vanct at-large seat on the Como Community Council board. Any District 10 resident at least 18 years of age is eligible to run; so are representatives from businesses or institutions in the neighborhood. The term expires in April 2017. To submit your name or to find out more, contact the District 10 office at 651-644-3889, or by email. 
Vote
Why Wait? You Can Vote Now   
Beginning Monday, Ramsey County has additional hours that make it even easier to vote absentee in person before the Nov. 8 elections. Just head down to the elections office, 90 W. Plato Blvd. Hours are 8 a.m.-7 p.m. this Monday-Thursday, Oct. 31-Nov. 3; 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. next Friday, Nov. 4; 8 a.m.-4 p.m. next Saturday, Nov. 5; 11 a.m.-3 p.m. next Sunday, Nov. 6; and 8 a.m.-5 p.m. the following Monday, Nov. 7. Get all the details online.
Driving Highway 36 Gets Tricky    
MnDOT is giving a final push to get work done on Highway 36 before -- bite your tongue -- snow starts flying. Closures started last night and continue into next week. Here 's what MnDOT tells us:
  • Westbound Highway 36 is restricted to a single lane between Dale and Hamline until it's not -- maybe just this weekend, maybe into next week.
  • All entrance and exit ramps at Hamline will close at 8 tonight, Friday Oct. 28, and remain closed through Saturday.
  • Eastbound Highway 36 will close entirely between Hamline and Dale for resurfacing from 9 tonight, Friday Oct. 28, until 5 a.m. this Monday, Oct. 31.
  • Lexington Ave. and all the entrance and exit ramps at Highway 36 will close at 6 a.m. this Monday, Oct. 31, and remain closed until 6 a.m. this Tuesday, Nov. 1.
  • Additional work and periodic closures will continue until mid-November.
But there 's good news in other updates:
  • The bicycle and pedestrian path connecting Lexington Parkway with Pierce Butler Route is now open.
  • The Highway 5 bridge over the Mississippi River, all surrounding ramps, and the bicycle and pedestrian trail are now open full time.
See our website for a much longer list of other street, bridge, and highway projects still in progress in and around Como. 
You Can Avoid This     
Saint Paul Public Works is continuing its fall street sweeping. But that is not a free pass to rake, blow, or dump your leaves into the street once the temporary no parking signs go up.  It is illegal, against the law, and just not neighborly to put your leaves into the street for someone else to take care of. Beyond being illegal, leaving leaves in the street means they will wash into storm drains and, from there, into Como Lake and nearby streams. When water and leaves mix, the water leaches things like phosphorus and nitrogen out of the leaves. That feeds algae blooms and degrades water quality in other ways. And given all the rain this year, the lake needs all the help it can get.  

You can learn more about how a little extra effort on your part can make a big difference for all of us: Check out the   Como Curb Cleanup initiative to learn more.
Maxfield Parrish drew "The Lantern Bearers" in 1908.
Lyngblomsten Gets Artistic on Tuesdays    
Two new classes start this Tuesday, Nov. 1, as part of the Artful Living series at Lyngblomsten. The classes are open to the entire community, which means you don 't have to live at Lyngblomsten to enjoy them.
  • "Exploring Art" features 20th Century American illustrator Maxfield Parrish. Those classes run Nov. 1 and 15 from 1-2:30 p.m. Registration is $15, which includes supplies.
  • "Mixed Media Art" runs 10-11:30 a.m. on Nov. 1, 8, and 15; visiting artists give participants an introduction to various media. Registration is $20, which includes supplies.
You must register for one or both classes by this Monday, Oct. 31. You can sign up by email or by calling 651-632-5330.
It's Your Final Opportunity
  • Today, Friday Oct. 28: Deadline to submit entries to join the City of Saint Paul's referral list for qualified artists to be included in public art projects. 
  • This Monday, Oct. 31: Deadline to submit preliminary applications for the Capitol Region Watershed District's Partner Grants, which provide from $2,000-$20,000 for water-themed education or outreach projects within the watershed district.
    Applications must be sent by 4 p.m.
  • This Tuesday, Nov. 1: District 10 Neighborhood Relations and Safety Committee, 7 p.m. Como Park Streetcar Station.
  • This Tuesday, Nov. 1: Candidate forum for the open seat on the Saint Paul School Board, 7-8:30 p.m. Candidates Jeannie Foster, Cindy Kerr, Eduardo Barrera, and Greg Copeland answer questions from the moderator and audience. Highland Park Senior High School, 1015 Snelling Ave. S.
  • This Wednesday, Nov. 2: District 10 Land Use Committee, 7 p.m. Como Park Streetcar Station. The monthly meeting moves from its usual day to avoid conflicts with the Halloween holiday.
  • This Thursday, Nov. 3: SPNN -- the Saint Paul Neighborhood Network -- premieres the documentary " Hmong Pioneers: Honoring the First Wave " with a free screening and discussion at 7 p.m. at its headquarters, 550 Vandalia, Suite 170. Reserve your spot
  •  Next Friday, Nov. 4: Deadline for graduate students or recent college graduates to apply for a five-month internship in Mayor Christopher Coleman 's office during the 2017 legislative session. Email a cover letter, resume, and three references to Katie Knutson by noon Nov. 4.
"Stand by Me" kicks of the Thursday movie series at Dockside.
Dockside Moves Outdoors to Indoors
This is the final weekend for free music at Como Dockside. All concerts start at 5 p.m.:
  • Tonight, Friday Oct. 28: Tom Aydan
  • Saturday, Oct. 29:
    The Steelhead Stringers
  • Sunday, Oct. 30: Brianna Lane
Beginning this Thursday, Nov. 3, Dockside turns back the clock 30 years to feature "almost all the greatest movies of 1986 and 1987" with a weekly movie night. The series kicks off with "Stand by Me." The free screening begins at 6 p.m. nearly every Thursday in the third-level banquet hall. For the full season schedule, see Dockside's online calendar.  
This Week's Crime Prevention Tip
Burglaries typically are a crime of opportunity. The Western District of the Saint Paul Police Department recommends you take these steps. Some will minimize the chances of someone randomly breaking into your place; some will make it easier to file reports or even get your stuff recovered:
  • Secure all windows and doors
  • Make your home appear occupied, even if you're not there
  • Install an alarm system (or get a dog)
  • Maintain an inventory of your valuables, including serial numbers
  • Photograph valuable such as jewelry, coins and memorabilia
  • Consider keeping valuables in a safe
 The Latest Crime Report for Our Neighborhood : Criminal activity is quieting  down, slowly.  
Happening at the Fairgrounds
  • Weapons Collectors Show and Sale: This Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 29-30, Warner Coliseum. Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday. Admission: Adults and teens, $5; children 12 and younger, free. All children 17 or younger must be accompanied by an adult.
  • Riders and Ribbons Horse Show: This Saturday, Oct. 30, AgStar Arena. Hours: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Spectators admitted free.
Just So You're Aware
The Fall Flower Show at the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory takes a one-week break beginning this Monday, Oct. 31. The Sunken Garden will close until Nov. 5 while the exhibit gets refreshed. The rest of the conservatory remains open. Which is a long way of saying: If you need a chrysanthemum fix, drop in before Halloween, or wait till next weekend.
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.