Get them while you can: David Laden (front) and David Harris are among the "holy rollers" making 300 lefse for Como Park Lutheran Church's Fall Bazaar this Saturday, Oct. 14. The bazaar opens at 9 a.m.; organizers say lefse will be sold out by 10. Congregational members have been making the potato pastry for 75 of the church's 90 years; this crew has been at it about 15 years. Just don't get them started about what are acceptable fillings: butter, white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, or something even more exotic.
A Special Election is Just the Start
The District 10 Como Community Council holds a special election this Tuesday, Oct. 17, to fill a board vacancy from South Como/Energy Park. The election is at 7 p.m. at the Como Park Streetcar Station, which is on the northeast corner of Lexington and Horton.
Complete information is on the D10 website.
Voting: Any Sub-District 4 resident at least 18 years of age is eligible to vote; so are representatives from businesses or institutions based in the Sub-District. The boundaries for Sub-District 4 are Dale on the east, Snelling on the west, and the two sets of BNSF railroad tracks on the north and south.
Candidates: James Sadkovich, of Como Ave., is the only candidate who filed in time to get on the ballot. Under District 10's by-laws, nominations will be taken from the floor on Tuesday for write-in candidates.
Wait, there's more: Tuesday's meeting will include:
An update on city efforts to improve rail safety communication and protocols.
A presentation on a Parks and Recreation proposal to extend the management contract for Como Golf.
Appointments to the Como Dockside evaluation committee and Como Park wayfinding work group.
It depends how you look at it: Crime in Como so far in 2017 is up slightly from last year. But overall crime is down from where it was two years ago. Drug busts are up. Confirmed cases of gunshots are up. Commercial burglaries are up. But statistics also show auto thefts are way down, "crimes against persons" are flat, "crimes against property" are down, and "quality of life" calls are down. Of course, where you live in the neighborhood also makes a difference.
That's some of the analysis District 10 presented at a community crime meeting Oct. 10 that more than 40 residents attended. Get more
charts and details of crime patterns on our website. Plus, you can download highlights of crime prevention tips from Patty Lammers, crime prevention coordinator for the Western District of the Saint Paul Police.
So. that's what these signs are about...
Get in the Gutter with Gusto
This weekend is the official launch of the
Como Curb Cleanup campaign. If each one of us puts in a little extra effort, the neighborhood-wide commitment makes a huge impact on water quality.
Our role is simple: When we're raking our lawn,
rake leaves out of the gutter and out of the alley, too. The payoff: We keep an astounding level of nutrients from seeping down storm drains and degrading local lakes or the Mississippi River. Leaves in the gutter are like a tea bag: Phosphorus and nitrogen leech out when the leaves get wet. But if we get to the leaves first, shazam!
More than 100 community members are committed as demonstration houses for the campaign. Join them -- officially or unofficially.
Find out more from the Como Active Citizen Network.
Like Giving Out Money?
Saint Paul's Neighborhood STAR program is looking for a board member from
Ward 5. That includes the part of District 10 north of Front and east of Lexington, plus the northwest corner of the neighborhood that's west of Lexington and east of Hamline.
In short, Neighborhood STAR uses part of sales tax revenue to fund loans and grants for local capital projects.
Find out more here. If you want to know more about serving,
look up the basics here. If you want to apply,
fill out the online application. The sooner the better.
Some of the compostable products you can order.
Watching our Waste: Buying Co-Op Opens
Eureka Recycling's
Zero Waste Buying Co-op is now taking orders for recycled paper and compostable products of all sorts.
Office and printer paper must be ordered by this Thursday, Oct. 19. Options include white and colored paper, available in three sizes and in cartons or individual reams. You can also order cardstock and recyclable binders.
Compostable products must be ordered by Thursday Nov. 9. One of the best options: a roll of 25 compostable bags for only $2. This is a perfect back-up if you use our community organics recycling site, but never seem to be there when bags are available. Other BPI-certified compostable products include plates, bowls, napkins, hot and cold cups, utensils -- even lids and straws.
Learn the Truth About Credit Scores
District 10 hosts a free financial workshop focused on how individuals can improve their credit score. The workshop is organized and presented by TopLine Federal Credit Union and LSS Financial Counseling.
The workshop covers topics such as the rules and myths of credit scoring, how to spot errors on credit reports, and exercising rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
The workshop is this Wednesday Oct. 18, from 6-7:30 p.m., at the Como Park Streetcar Station, which is on the northeast corner of Lexington and Horton. The workshop is free, but you must
register in advanceonline or by calling TopLine at 763-391-9494.
The Como Park Bulletin Board
Free Music at Dockside: Dan Kase Duo, tonight, Friday Oct. 13, 5:30 p.m.
Breakthrough for Brain Tumors 5K: This Saturday, Oct. 14, 9 a.m. Run, walk, and other events start at the main picnic pavilion at Como Ave. and Midway Parkway. Teens and adults, $35; children 6-12, $20. (A shuttle bus runs from the State Fair parking lot south of Como Ave.)
Pumpkin Patch: This Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 14-15, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., outside the Lakeside Pavilion. Pumpkins, games, inflatables, hay rides, and more. Children 3 or younger, $3; children ages 4-17, $7; adults, $3. Repeats Oct. 21-22, 28-29.
Pumpkin Nights takes holiday creativity to a new extreme.
Fall Festivities at the Fairgrounds
Pumpkin Nights: Today, Friday Oct. 13, through Sunday Oct. 29, DNR Park. Hours: Fridays-Saturdays, 6:30 p.m.-midnight; Sundays-Thursdays, 6:30-10:30 p.m. Tickets: $20 teens and adults, $16 for adults 60 or older and children ages 4-12, free for children 3 or younger. Family and weeknight discounts available.
Twin Cities Book Festival: This Saturday, Oct. 14, Progress Center and Fine Arts Center. Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free.
Tailgate parking for Minnesota Gophers football game: This Saturday, Oct. 14, Robin Lot south and east of Randall. Game time is 7 p.m. vs. Michigan State. $10
Roadsters Swap Meet: This Sunday, Oct. 15, parking lots north of Hoyt Ave. Hours: 6 a.m.-4 p.m. $5
Minnesota Beef Expo: This Thursday-next Sunday, Oct. 19-22, Warner Coliseum.
Don't Miss These Neighborhood Events
Today, Friday Oct. 13: Welcome Bonfire, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Northwest Como Recreation Center, 1550 Hamline Ave.
This Saturday, Oct. 14: Watch artist Gustavo Lira install a first-of-its-kind mural to bring attention to the health of Como Lake, 10 a.m. Parking lot on the east side of the lake, where Lakeview Ave. dead ends into East Como Lake Drive. (If it rains, Lira will try again the following Saturday, Oct. 21.)
This Saturday, Oct. 14: Como Park Lutheran Church's Meatloaf Dinner to benefit the Como Park Falcon Heights Living at Home Block Nurse Program, 4:30-6:30 p.m. 1376 W. Hoyt Ave.
This Tuesday, Oct. 17: Final mayoral candidate forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters Saint Paul, 7-8:30 p.m. A roundtable discussion at the Minnesota Humanities Center, 987 E. Ivy Ave.
Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 21-22 and Oct. 28-29: The 30th and final year of Como Friends' ZooBoo, 4:30-7:30 p.m. Tickets: $6 in advance, $7 after it opens.
Saturday Oct. 21: Creative Frogtown Arts Fest II, 2-9 p.m., 815 University Ave.
Friday Oct. 27: Deadline to apply for a 2018 Partner Grant from the Capitol Region Watershed District.
Tuesday Oct. 31: Deadline to nominate individuals, groups, programs, and projects for the Capitol Region Watershed District's 2017 Watershed Steward Awards.
Getting in the Final Push
Forget about heading north on
Interstate 35E this weekend. MnDOT is shutting down all lanes from I-694 north to the merge with 35W in Columbus. Lanes will close from 10 p.m. today, Friday Oct. 13, until 5 a.m. this Monday, Oct. 16. They'll repeat the whole thing again next weekend, Oct. 20-23. Meanwhile, construction season makes its final stand:
Bridges: These bridges over the Mississippi are out of commission or have restricted travel while they undergo repairs: Ford Parkway Bridge, Marshall Ave./Lake St. Bridge, Smith Ave. High Bridge.
Trails: These roadways and trails are closed because of nearby bridge projects: Mississippi River Boulevard under the Ford Parkway Bridge; Samuel Morgan Trail under the High Bridge.
Como Ave.: Resurfacing is causing travel restrictions between Dale St. and Marion; expect work to continue through October. Complete reconstruction continues to shut down Como from Knapp west to Commonwealth; that work is expected to last into November.
Grotto St.: It's not paved, but is passable most days, at the intersection with Wheelock Parkway.
Lexington Parkway: All lanes are now open south of Interstate 94, though crews will continue "corrective" work to crosswalks for a few more weeks.
Marshall Ave.: Restriping between Snelling and the river should wrap up today.
Minnehaha Ave.: Expect travel restrictions as resurfacing begins from Como Ave. west to Arundel and from Dale St. west to the Pierce Butler Route junction.
Pierce Butler Route: Resurfacing is causing travel restrictions from the Minnehaha junction west to Snelling; expect work to continue through October.
Victoria St.: Progress! The street is now fully paved and open at the intersection with Wheelock Parkway, Maryland Ave., and E. Como Lake Drive.
Wheelock Parkway: Closed to through traffic between Victoria and Dale until November. Intersections at north-south streets close on a daily, as-needed basis. Here's the progress report: Sewer and water main installation is complete. Curbs and the base layer of asphalt are in place between Victoria and St. Albans. Crews have installed the sidewalk and bicycle path between Victoria and Grotto, and continue to work east from there. Crews also expect to start laying sod any day now, again heading east from Victoria.
Police Meetings are This Tuesday
The Western District's
monthly community meetings are this Tuesday, Oct. 17, at district headquarters, 389 N. Hamline. The open meetings are at 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. If you go, you'll meet command staff, hear about the latest crime trends in the city and district, be able to
raise your individual concerns, and be able to pick up crime prevention fliers.
We know plenty of you are taking pictures of the people, places and things that make our neighborhood unique. We'd like to give you more exposure. This newsletter is happy to highlight the best of what local photographers send us about life in Como. It's easy: Just email us your top image from the past seven days or so.
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.
