One of our most invisible government agencies -- the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District -- reveals how they fight our blood-sucking nemesis, what's in those fog machines, the agency's middle-of-the-night maneuvers, and even what those red triangles on storm grates mean. Find out everything you need to know about the agency's public-health mission and other goals during the next presentation in District 10's Sunday Series.
Details: Mosquitoes: The Showdown. This Sunday, April 28, 1-2:30 p.m. at the Como Park Streetcar Station, which is at the northeast corner of Lexington and Horton. Free. (This is rescheduled from the original date in March.) Future Sunday Series presentations:
Recycling Ain't What It Used to Be. Next Sunday, May 5. Things are shifting rapidly in the world of reduce, reuse, and recycling. Get up to speed on what it all means and what we can do about it -- including the Twin Cities' Recycle Smart campaign. 1-2:30 p.m., The Good Acre, 1790 W. Larpenteur.
Cozy's Pub, Spring Café Open This Weekend
Cozy's Pub, the seasonal restaurant with the great deck overlooking the Como golf course, opens with its full menu today, Friday April 26. Initial hours are 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays. (Closing times will get later as the weather gets warmer and the days get longer.)
New this year: Have you got menu items or specials you think Cozy's should add?
Email your suggestions. The restaurant will take the top 16 suggestions, then ask the community to vote -- tournament bracket style -- until its gets to the final four.
Also today, Friday April 26, Spring Café's new management, Lancer Hospitality, gives local residents a sample of the menu, catering options, and more during a
Neighborhood Social from 6-8 p.m. The restaurant opens for a dry run this Saturday-Sunday, April 27-28. Then it opens daily beginning this Wednesday, May 1. The Lakeside Treats concession window continues to be open Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Como Zoo's Erwin the Galapagos Tortoise welcomes you.
A Whirlwind Weekend at Zoo, Conservatory
In commemoration of Earth Day, Como Park Zoo and Conservatory hold their annual Party for the Planet this Saturday-Sunday, April 27-28. The focus is on the thousands of animal species at risk of extinction. A bunch of stuff is happening:
Special talks on gorillas, polar bears, and pollinators.
Xcel Energy displays its Tiny House, focusing on energy-efficiency improvements we all can make.
The Visitor Center collects old cell phones as part of the Eco-Cell recycling effort. The goal: preserve habitat for endangered orangutans by reducing the need to mine coltran.
Also this Saturday, April 27:
The rides, the daily foam parties, and the glee of tiny voices return as Como Town amusement park re-opens for the season (weather permitting).
The Summer Flower Show opens in the Sunken Garden. The 2019 version features the colors purple, lavander, and peach through an array of begonias, caladium, cuphea, foxglove, heliotrope, lemon verbena, lewisia, lilies, roses, and snapdragons.
This Sunday, April 28:
The lecture seriesComo: Making a Global Impact returns at 10:30 a.m., featuring a look at the Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary in Costa Rica. Free
Gabe's Seeks OK for Speakers on Patio
A request from Gabe's By The Park to amend its liquor license so it can install speakers on its patio will be among agenda items at this Wednesday's District 10
Land Use meeting. The committee meets May 1 at 7 p.m. at the Como Park Streetcar Station, which is at the northeast corner of Lexington and Horton. All renters, homeowners, and other community members are welcome to attend and participate.
A preliminary agenda will be posted as soon as it is available.
Don't Forget to Pick Up
Saint Paul's annual
Citywide Spring Cleanup is this Saturday, April 27, from 9-11:30 a.m. at Como Lakeside Pavilion (and a dozen other sites citywide). It's a chance to meet the #trashtag challenge as volunteers pick up trash, litter, and whatever else accumulated in our parks all winter. Supplies are provided; so are snacks (sponsored by Speedway).
Have We Got a Deal for You
Want a
backyard compost barrel for the ridiculously low price of $30? This is your chance. District 10 and Eureka Recycling are teaming up to make a limited number of barrels available.
Order your bin in advance (through our PayPal account), then pick it up during the May 5 Sunday Series presentation at The Good Acre, 1790 W. Larpenteur Ave.
There's Still 1 Seat Available
After all the shuffling of this month's annual elections, the District 10 Como Community Council board now has a vacancy for one At-Large position, with one year of service remaining (until April 2020). A special election will be held during the May 21 meeting. Any renter, homeowner, or other resident age 16 or older who lives in District 10 is eligible to run. So are authorized representatives from a business or nonprofit organization located in District 10. To get on the ballot,
fill out the online application by Tuesday May 14.
Plan Your Garage Sale Now
The 2019 Como Neighborhood Garage Sale is scheduled for the weekend of May 17. Typically, dozens of neighborhood residents hold garage, yard, and rummage sales that weekend, making it easier for bargain hunters to hit a lot of sales in a small area in a short amount of time. District 10 promotes the weekend, publishes a map of participating sales, and compiles lists of what you can find where.
It's easy to
register your sale online. The registration fee is $15 (collected through PayPal). Sales must register by Thursday May 9; after that, we can't guarantee your sale will be on the map.
Unload Your Burdens June 8
The annual Citywide Drop-Off at the State Fairgrounds is Saturday June 8 from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. The Drop-Off, organized by Saint Paul and District 10, is a great chance for Saint Paul and Falcon Heights residents to get rid of the junk they can't throw in the trash (and to get rid of it for a reasonable price).
Find out what you can bring to the Drop-Off and how much it will cost
Volunteers get a free bonus: Without volunteers, the event doesn't work. If you do volunteer to staff the event, you receive a voucher to get rid of one load of your junk for free. We'll also keep volunteers well-fed and hydrated. Volunteers work a 3.5-hour shift; you can
register here.
If you are a senior: District 10 will attempt to pick up items in advance for senior citizens in the neighborhood. You pay for what you are disposing, but the pick-up itself is free.
Email District 10 or call 651-644-3889 so we can get you on the schedule.
Gardens don't happen on their own.
Get Outdoors and Do Something Useful
Today, Friday April 26, there's a "
bio blitz" in the Como Woodland Outdoor Classroom. Meet at 5 p.m. at the Kilmer Fireplace (across from McMurray Field). Count spring ephemerals in the Woodland -- the first of five nature surveys this year. The free, informal walk and wildflower survey is led by Meghan Manhatton, a natural resources specialist with a deep knowledge of Minnesota's native plants and the Como Woodland area. (This is part of Saint Paul's participation in the
City Nature Challenge.)
Work the soil: Debby Smith, steward of some of the more visible public gardens around Como Lake, is scheduling a few mornings to spiff things up for the season, but she could use a few extra hands. This Thursday, May 2, she'll be working at the "gateway" gardens on either side of Nakasaki Drive at East Como Blvd. On Wednesday May 8, she'll work on the "lakeside" garden, which is the second garden north of the Pavilion. Then, on Saturday May 18, she'll be plant annuals delivered by the city.
Each day will start at 9 a.m.; work will never go past noon. To participate, call or text her at 612-799-3847.
Walk Side by Side with School Children
Chelsea Heights and Crossroads elementary schools are among a dozen public schools in Saint Paul holding formal
Walk to School Day events on Wednesday May 8. As part of the plan, buses will drop pupils off a few blocks from school, so they can walk the remaining distance.
If you can help out from 7:45-8:30 a.m. by helping pupils cross intersections safely, volunteer by contacting Carol Grady by email or by phone at 651-744-7834.
Street Sweepers are Back
Public Works crews are starting to sweep residential streets. Except for arterials and a small part of South Como, they haven't made it to D10 yet.
Check the interactive map to see when your block is scheduled. Or, just keep an eye out for the "no parking" signs that get pounded into the boulevard.
Saint Paul doesn't plow alleys.
Some people like it that way. Some people that should change. If you've got an opinion, Public Works wants to know. The University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute is running a
survey for them, to find out how residents really feel. Fill it out by next Friday, May 3.
The largest horse show of the year is at the Fairgrounds. Photo: Friesian Sporthorses.
A Hectic Time at the Fairgrounds
Minnesota Horse Expo: Today-Sunday, April 26-28, Warner Coliseum. Hours: Today-Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Sunday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission: Teens and adults, $13; children ages 6-12 and seniors age 62 or older, $9; children 5 or younger, free. Daily rodeo, $5-$15 extra.
Minnesota FFA Dairy Cattle and Livestock Judging: This Monday, April 29, Merchandise Mart, Warner Coliseum, Compeer Arena. Hours: 6:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Machinery Hill Criterium Race Series: This Tuesday, April 30, on roads north Dan Patch and south of Hoyt. 5:30-9 p.m. Bicycle races for beginners to experts. Entry fee: adults, $25; beginner women, $15; junior girls, $10.
Note: Because of the Horse Expo, there will be not be a park-and-ride shuttle from the Fairgrounds to the Minnesota United soccer match this Sunday, April 28.
Before We Turn the Page
Today-Sunday, April 26-28: Saint Paul Art Crawl, including multiple exhibits and demonstrations at Front Ave. Pottery and Tile, 895 Front. 5-10 p.m Friday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday.
Today, Friday April 26: A Century of Civic Engagement, 5-7 p.m., Landmark Center, 75 W. 5th St. This reception opens an exhibit honoring the 100th anniversary of the League of Women Voters of Minnesota. Free. (Exhibit runs through May 28.)
This Sunday, April 28: Lyngblomsten hosts the annual Husby Memorial Concert, featuring Summit Hill Brass Quintet, 3 p.m. Newman-Benson Chapel, 1415 Almond. Free
This Tuesday, April 30: Ramsey County holds a community meeting on plans for a 4-to-3 lane conversion on Larpenteur Ave. from Dale Street east to Interstate 35E, 5:30-7 p.m. Community School of Excellence, 270 W. Larpenteur.
Monday May 6: First of four community conversations about water quality in Saint Paul, 6-8 p.m. Capitol Region Watershed District, 595 Aldine St. Free. (Future conversations are May 13, May 30, and June 4.)
Saturday May 11: Cookie 5K benefit run, 8:30 a.m. Como Lake Pavilion. Registration: $35
Neighborhood Events You've Been Wondering About
Como Community Seed Library's "Seed Your Dreams." Saturday May 18.
Como Neighborhood Pollinator Garden Tour. Saturday July 13.
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.
