Slick: City parks worker Kathy Brelje tops off the ice surface on one of McMurray Field's broomball courts. 
Blue Bins Head into the Sunset
This is the final week for curbside recycling with our reliable blue bins. Here's a quick look at how the city's new system will affect residents in District 10:
  • The last curbside pickup in District 10 is this Monday, Jan. 9. There is no curbside pickup on Monday Jan. 16.
  • Everyone is expected to get a new, wheeled cart delivered this week.
  • Once we start using the new carts, collection day switches from Monday to Friday.
  • In District 10, the first collection day using the new carts is Friday Jan. 20. That means we'll have to store recyclables in the new cart for a few weeks.
  • For most residents, collection switches to the alley. However, wherever crews deliver your new cart, that is where you should put your recycling.
  • Everyone will start with a 64-gallon cart. Beginning in April, we'll be able to trade for a smaller cart (32 gallons) or larger cart (96 gallons) if a different size more accurately fit our needs.
  • Once we start using the carts, we'll be able to throw a few more items into the weekly recycling. Acceptable items will now include the cardboard rolls from paper towels and toilet paper; cardboard food containers; and refrigerated boxes.
What about those blue bins?  We can keep our current bins if we want to and use them for other purposes. If you don't want to keep your bin, Saint Paul will collect them (and, yes, recycle them) beginning this Monday, Jan. 9, through Jan. 27. You can drop yours off at Arlington Hills Community Center, 1200 Payne Ave. (which is a straight shot down Maryland), or at the Palace Community Center, 781 Palace Ave. (which is just south of Jefferson, about ¾ of a mile east of Lexington).
Going Beyond Recycling
District 10's Environment Committee hosts a free community discussion about waste reduction on Wednesday Jan. 25. Eureka Recycling will lead the discussion and presentation, show a video on how recycling works in Saint Paul, collect feedback on the city's new collection system, and answer questions and provide resources about reducing waste on the front end, too. (Residents also can also drop off unwanted blue recycling bins that night.)

The event begins at 6 p.m. Jan. 25 at the Como Park Streetcar Station, which is at the northeast corner of Lexington and Horton. Food will be served. The District 10 Environment Committee's monthly meeting follows. As always, the meeting is open to all community members. 
Watching Our Waste: Holiday Greens
If you are still hanging onto your Christmas tree, Boy Scout wreath, or spruce tops, it's not too late to dispose of them for free at Ramsey County's Pierce Butler yard waste site. From there, it will be ground into mulch and most likely shipped to District Energy to power downtown Saint Paul. The site is open this Saturday, Jan. 7, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and this Sunday, Jan. 8, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Or, you can take your greenery over to Great River School, which will give it to their goats as a snack. If you are interested, email Tami to arrange a drop-off time. Great River School is at 1326 Energy Park Drive.
A feature movie helped make "The Girl on the Train" popular in several formats.
What Everyone Else is Reading
The Saint Paul Public Library now lists its lists of the most popular books and other items that users checked out in 2016. You can read the full Top 10 list in each category online. The Top 3 are:
  • Fiction books: "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr; "Extreme Prey" by John Sandford; "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins
  • Nonfiction books: "Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates; "When Breath Becomes Air" by Paul Kalanithi; "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" by Marie Kondo
  • Ebooks: "The Martian" by Andy Weir; "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins; "A Murder in Time" by Julie McElwain
  • Audio books: "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins; "Yes Please" by Amy Poehler; "Outlander" by Diana Gabaldon
  • Juvenile books: "Hard Luck" by Jeff Kinney; "Cabin Fever" by Jeff Kinney; "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" by Jeff Kinney
  • DVDs: "The Martian"; "Star Wars: The Force Awakens"; "The Revenant"
  • Music: "25" by Adele; "Hamilton: Original Broadway Cast"; "Blackstar" by David Bowie
Photo: Wayne Moran
What Do You Want Your City to Be?
Saint Paul staff are sketching out big-picture priorities today for how the city works over the next 25 years. Last year, they collected residents' ideas. This year, they hope more residents -- that's you! -- speak up about those earlier ideas and whether they should be part of the city's next Comprehensive Plan (or Comp Plan).

The ideas are grouped into nine themes. You can get the summary, then give your feedback online about those themes -- or about what you think is missing. The deadline for all this is Sunday Jan. 29; after that, city staff draft more-specific policies. We'll get to comment on those policies by the end of the year.
Teague Alexy
A Tropical Escape
The Marjorie McNeeley Conservatory's 2017 Music Under Glass series got here just in time. Nearly every Sunday for the next two months, you can enjoy local music while surrounded by the warmth and lushness of the conservatory's gardens. This Sunday, it's Americana from the Teague Alexy Band (Teague is a former Hobo Nephew of Uncle Frank). 

Musicians play from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Admission is free; you can buy beer, wine, soft drinks, and light snacks. Check out the full season schedule .
Cue the Theme Music Now
Como Dockside's Thursday movie series continues Jan. 12 with "Jaws: The Revenge" (rated PG-13). Trivia begins at 6:15 p.m.; the free movie begins at 6:45 in the third-level banquet hall of the lakeside pavilion. For the full season schedule of "almost all the greatest movies" from 30 years ago , see Dockside's online calendar .  

Don't forget: Every Wednesday is "neighborhood night" at Dockside, with happy hour drink and food specials from 3-9 p.m., and classic board games galore. And -- Saturday brunch includes a free Louisiana-flavored concert from noon-2 p.m. This week, Jan. 7, it's Daddy Squeeze & Elizabeth. 
Don't Forget to Rely on Our Website
Whenever you need it, we 've got details on:
Report a Pothole or Snow Problem
The quickest way to file a snow plowing or pothole complaint with City of Saint Paul's Public Works department is to send details to these email addresses. (It's pretty easy to figure out which address is for which problem.)
Mixing Business and Pleasure
  • This Sunday, Jan. 8: Lyngblomsten's monthly "Second Sunday Concert" features singer/guitarist Mike Michel from the MacPhail Center for Music, 2-3 p.m. Newman-Benson Chapel, 1415 Almond Ave. Free.
  • This Sunday, Jan. 8: Last day to participate in a City of Saint Paul survey about residential parking permits.
  • This Monday, Jan. 9: District 10 Land Use Committee, 7 p.m. Como Park Streetcar Station, which is at the northeast corner of Lexington and Horton. (Because of the holidays, the meeting is rescheduled to this day.) As always, community members are welcome to attend and participate.
  • This Wednesday, Jan. 11: Saint Paul School Board holds a community meeting to get resident feedback on its search for a new superintendent, 5:30-8 p.m. Central High School, 275 Lexington Parkway N.
  • Wednesday Jan. 18: Public hearing on a proposed zoning change to allow more outdoor commercial uses in traditional neighborhood and business zoning districts, 5:30 p.m. City Council chambers, third floor, 15 W. Kellogg Blvd.
  • Thursday Jan. 19: Department of Safety and Inspections holds public discussion on a potential "to go" sustainable packaging ordinance for Saint Paul, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
  • Thursday Jan. 19: Department of Safety and Inspections holds public discussion on a potential ordinance for Saint Paul regulating "short term rentals" such as Airbnb and VRBO, 7:40-8:45 p.m.
  • Tuesday Jan. 24: Ramsey County holds a public hearing on waste designation for 2018, 9 a.m. 3rd floor council chambers, city hall, 15 Kellogg Blvd. W ("Waste designation" determines where trash goes after it is picked up from your home, business, or a transfer station.)
Mount Como Reopens
After the rains of Christmas weekend trashed the snow, this week's frigid cold has allowed city crews to make artificial snow and rebuild the base on Mount Como. So ski and snowboard lessons are scheduled to resume this Saturday, Jan. 7. 
Poisoning the Neighborhood?
If you spend any time on social media, you 've seen what seems to be an epidemic of reports that someone is throwing bread into yards. The bread appears to be poisoned and appears to be targeting dogs. Saint Paul Police urge: If this happens to you, file a report by calling 651-291-1111. If you can, use a plastic bag to recover the bread and turn it over to police, who can have it tested and use it as evidence if necessary.
 
This Weekend at the Fairgrounds
North Star Roller Girls: This Saturday, Jan. 7, 7 p.m., Warner Coliseum. Admission: $13 in advance, $16 at the door, $10 each for groups of 10 or more, children 10 and younger free with paid adult admission.
Get Your Starter Kit This Sunday
The Como Park Streetcar Station is open this Sunday, Jan. 8, from noon-4 p.m. It's an opportunity to pick up a kitchen bin and organics recycling starter kit, pick up replacement compostable bags, learn a little bit about the history of Como Park, or just share comments and suggestions with a District 10 board member. The Streetcar Station is at the northeast corner of Lexington and Horton. The next time it is open is Sunday Feb. 5.
We Could Call it Overflowing with Success
We continue trying to get the organics recycling drop-off site in Como Park back to normal (more or less). Thanks to those of you who have been patient during this rugged week. The deplorable conditions resulted because the site's private-sector hauler failed to do its job, failed to live up to its contract, and failed to empty the bins as required on Dec. 30. A full week later, as this newsletter hits cyberspace, the contractor still has not emptied the bins or cleaned up the overflowing mess left behind. That's the result of bins not being emptied for two weeks. The contractor has delivered an additional bin -- which means users can drop their organics into a bin instead of on the ground -- but that's only a temporary solution.

District 10, which oversees the site, and Ramsey County, which contracts with the hauler, are working several channels to get things straightened out for good. In the meantime, we have one request: If bins are overflowing, please avoid dumping your bags on the ground. Instead, take advantage of winter: Hang onto your organics in your garage or in another place at home where they can stay frozen until space at the drop-off site on Beulah Lane opens up. 
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.