Como Lake reflects one of autumn's last bursts of brilliance.
Keep Using Those Blue Bins, But ...
Carve out this much space for your new recycling cart.
Big changes are coming to Saint Paul 's recycling program -- in 2017. So keep putting those blue bins curbside every Monday for the next two months. But here 's rundown of changes to expect in District 10:
  • Carts. Eureka Recycling will begin distributing full-size recycling carts (with wheels and lids!) after Thanksgiving. We don't know exact delivery dates for our neighborhood yet, but we are toward the end of the schedule, so it likely will be weeks before they roll out. The carts will be delivered free to your home. Everybody gets a 64-gallon cart to start with. Beginning next April, you'll be able to trade for a smaller or larger cart to more accurately fit your needs.
  • Pick-up. District 10's pick-up day will change to Friday, beginning on Jan. 20. And pick-up will switch to the alley (if you've got one). So, between now and then: blue bins at the curb. Beginning Jan. 20: wheeled carts in the alley.
  • Your bins. Keep your blue bin if you want to. After all, they make pretty handy totes. But if yours is beat up or you want to get rid of the bin, the city will set up drop-off sites in January where they can be collected and recycled.
  • Apartments. Recycling will be available to all apartments beginning Jan. 20. Not all will participate, but the option will be there.
 You can get more details, with flow charts and graphics and links, on the city 's All In website.
Adina Weseman and Maggie Zimmerman
Weseman, Zimmerman Elected
Congratulations to Adina Florea Weseman and Maggie Zimmerman, who were elected Nov. 15 to fill vacancies on the District 10 Como Community Council board. Weseman is newly elected as an At-Large member; Zimmerman was elected to represent Sub-District 2. Both of their terms expire in April 2017. Those who attended Tuesday night's special elections can attest to this fact: We've got some incredibly qualified candidates in this neighborhood. Thanks to all who ran and voted.
Photo: MinnPost
Police Test Body Cameras in Our Area
Saint Paul police officers now are testing body-worn cameras in the field. The tests are taking place in the Western District, which includes all of District 10. Here are things to know about the pilot project:
  • Cameras will be worn by officers on patrol, traffic enforcement, K9, and SWAT assignments. Cameras attach to officers' uniforms.
  • The cameras must be activated by officers; they do not run automatically.
  • Officers are not required to notify the public that the camera is recording.
  • City policy lists situations in which officers must activate the camera. These include traffic stops, vehicle pursuits, arrests, frisks and searches, and when facing resistance or aggression. Officers may activate the camera at other times, based on their discretion.
  • Officers are prohibited from activating the camera when confidential information is being exchanged, "at any location where a reasonable expectation of privacy exists," and in other defined situations.
  • Under some circumstances, victims or witnesses can request that officers turn the camera off.
  • Images, sound, and other information collected by the cameras is covered by State of Minnesota data laws. Individuals can get access to recordings in which they are involved; however, there are limits about when data and which data will be released.
  • All recordings will be maintained for at least 90 days. General interactions with citizens typically will be retained for at least one year. More serious interactions typically will be retained for at least six years.
You can read the full policy on the city 's website.
Who Deserves Extraordinary Thanks? 
District 10 is accepting nominations of local individuals or organizations to add to Saint Paul's Neighborhood Honor Roll. The annual, citywide award pays tribute to residents who improve the quality of life in Saint Paul. The award typically recognizes members of our community who make a sustained and lasting impact in the neighborhood and city.
 
To nominate someone: Email us no later than Monday Dec. 12. Give us a short description of their accomplishments or the reasons they should be honored for making Como a better place to live, work, or play. The District 10 Board will evaluate nominees at our Dec. 20 meeting. See our website for a list of previous honor roll recipients from District 10.
Photo: Nutrition Secrets 
Watching Our Waste      
Around here, if you haven 't noticed, we 're all into home composting, organics recycling, and all those practical steps to keep food scraps out of the waste stream. But our partners at Rethink Recycling wonder how much we 've thought about the first step: saving more money and reducing waste by reducing how much food we have to throw away, period.

One of the best things we can do is make sure we store food properly. Whether we use the fridge, freezer, or pantry -- how we clean and prepare food, how we store it, what we store it in, and where we store it all can make a big difference in how long it lasts and how little we 'll have to throw away. NRDC has an in-depth, well-organized and well-designed website to help us store food properly. Eureka Recycling has PDFs you can download for home use.
Photo: Massachusetts Academy of Sciences
Throwing Salt in Our Wounds       
The weather forecast suggests we should stop worrying so much about leaves and start worrying about snow. Which inevitably means salting. Which means another threat to the water quality of Como Lake and the Mississippi River. According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, it takes only one teaspoon of salt to permanently pollute five gallons of water. Once the salt 's in the water, you can 't get it out. No wonder Como Lake and 38 other bodies of water in the metro exceed chloride standards. Here 's advice from the PCA on reducing salt use on your sidewalk and driveway:
  • Shovel first: The more snow and ice you remove, the less salt you need and the more effective it can be.
  • Take it easy: More salt does not mean more melting. Salt takes time to work; give it a chance.
  • Watch the temperature: 15 degrees is too cold for typical rock salt to work. If it's colder than that, don't bother. Instead, use sand for traction.
  • Sweep up extra salt: If you can see salt or sand on dry pavement, it's no longer doing any good. Sweep up the excess and save it for the next snow, so it doesn't get washed away.
Get Snow Gear for Cheap
The Como Park Snowsports Booster Club holds a "Gear Up " winter equipment sale this Saturday, Nov. 19, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Ski Chalet, 1431 Lexington Parkway. Donated gear available for sale includes downhill and Nordic skis, snowboards, boots, poles, and clothing. For more information about the fund-raiser, see the group 's Facebook page.
Photo: Minnesota Public Radio
How Often Can Opportunity Knock? 
It 's lights out for the Minnesota Centennial Showboat docked at Harriet Island, but Saint Paul is looking for proposals to turn the riverboat into something new. Specifically, the city is looking for a managing partner to "creatively explore new programming and service opportunities " to turn the riverboat into "a forward thinking, year-round, multi-functional destination." You 've got to file all your paperwork and financial details by Dec. 30, but you can kick the tires on Nov. 29 or 30. Get all the details online.
For pedestrian safety, the newly configured McMurray Field area includes raised crosswalks. It also separates through traffic from parking lots.
Fresh Pavement!     
Here 's a list of road projects newly completed or scheduled to be finished within the next week:
  • Highway 36: The eastbound ramps to and from Lexington are supposed to open this Saturday, Nov. 19.
  • Highway 55 Mendota Bridge: MnDOT hopes to wrap up by Thanksgiving. Until then, the bridge remains a single lane in each direction, 24 hours a day.
  • Interstate 94: All lanes are supposed to open between downtown and Woodbury -- until next spring, when the obstacle course returns.
  • McMurray Field: Wynne, Beulah, Jessamine, and the new parking lots and trails are open. (That means you once again can get to our organics recycling drop-off site from the east and west!) Remember, in the new configuration, the intersection of Jessamine and Lexington is closed for good. Jessamine is a one-way drive heading south and west, but you can access it only from Wynne,  west of Lexington.
  • Raymond Ave.: Closed between Como and Standish; supposed to open this Wednesday, Nov. 23.
  • Robert Street Bridge: Currently one lane in each direction; supposed to get back to normal this weekend.
  • University Ave.: Now open between Robert St. and Interstate 35E.
See our website for a much longer recap of street, bridge, and highway projects still in progress in and around Como.  
Photo: twincities.com
On the Other End of the Parkway
The annual Holiday Lights in the Park opens in Phalen Park this Tuesday, Nov. 22. More than 60 illuminated displays get plugged in every night between 5 and 10 p.m. through New Year 's Day. Admission is $10 per carload (more for vans, limos, and buses). Discount tickets are available online. Proceeds benefit the Saint Paul Police Foundation.
A Communal Expression of Gratitude
Como Park Lutheran Church, Falcon Heights United Church of Christ, and New Life Presbyterian join forces for an ecumenical Thanksgiving service with a massed choir this Tuesday, Nov. 22, at 7:30 p.m. at Falcon Heights UCC, 1795 Holton St. Of course, there 's pie and ice cream afterwards.
Make Sure You Don ' t Miss Out
  • This Tuesday, Nov. 22: Public hearing on the order to repair or remove the building at 1062 Front Ave., 9 a.m., Room 330, Saint Paul City Hall, 15 Kellogg Blvd. W. Direct questions or comments to building code enforcement officer Steve Magner at 651-266-1928.
  • This Tuesday, Nov. 22: Women's History Lecture: "Ida B. Wells and Her Campaign Against Lynching: The First Black Lives Matter Movement," 7 p.m. Merriam Park Library, 1831 Marshall Ave. (at the intersection at Fairview). Free
  • Tuesday Nov. 29: Women's History Lecture: "The First Female President?: The Presidential Campaigns of Victoria Woodhull, Shirley Chisholm, and More," 7 p.m. Merriam Park Library, 1831 Marshall Ave. (at the intersection at Fairview). Free
  • Wednesday Nov. 30: Saint Paul Regional Water Services information session on drinking water quality and lead in drinking water, 7 p.m. Dayton's Bluff Recreation Center, 800 Conway St.
  • Thursday Dec. 1: Permit lottery for Saint Paul residents who want to reserve the Wigington Pavilion on Harriet Island in 2017. Lottery numbers will be issued from 6-6:59 a.m. at park district offices at 1100 N. Hamline.
  •  Monday Dec. 5: Public hearing before the Board of Zoning Appeals on a variance request by Burlington Apartments, 3 p.m., City Hall Room 330, 15 Kellogg Blvd. W. Apartment management wants to install a new, illuminated sign in front of the rental community at 1180 Cushing Circle. The proposed sign would be 8 feet high (a variance of 26 inches) and 70 square feet (a variance of 46 square feet).
  • Wednesday Dec. 7: Truth in Taxation Hearing, 6:30 p.m., Saint Paul City Council Chambers, 3rd Floor, 15 Kellogg Blvd. W
  • Wednesday Dec. 15: Wheelock Parkway construction open house, 5:30 p.m., Como Park Streetcar Station. Saint Paul's Public Works Department explains plans and answers questions about the  2017 reconstruction of Wheelock between Victoria/Maryland and Arlington/Western. Plans include another segment of the Saint Paul Grand Round bikeway.
School Seeks Community Member for Board Vacancy
Great River School, a public charter school in Energy Park, is seeking a community member to serve on its board. The successful candidate will fill the remaining 1-1/2 years of an existing term. Details and an application are available online.
This Week's Crime Prevention Tip
If someone rifles through your car, when you check for what 's missing, don 't forget to check for your garage door opener. If that 's missing, it means the thief is waiting for another time to come by, get into your garage, and liberate your valuables. This month, Saint Paul Police arrested a guy who had 20 garage door openers in his possession. It 's another reason to keep your car locked at all times.
 
The Latest Crime Report for Our Neighborhood    
Happening at the Fairgrounds
  • North Star Roller Girls open their season this Saturday, Nov. 19, at 7 p.m. at Warner Coliseum. Admission: $16 at the door, children 10 or younger free with a paying adult. Discounts available for groups and advance purchases.
  • University of Minnesota football parking: This Saturday, Nov. 19, Robin Lot south and east of Randall Ave. The Gophers play Northwestern at 2:30 p.m.
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.