A ride in the park: April Downs and her daughter, Harlow, zip around Cafesjian's Carousel. 
Lexington to Get New Stripes
Ramsey County and Saint Paul have agreed to restripe Lexington Parkway between Orchard and the Horton/Como intersection. The decision follows months of prodding from District 10 to come up with lane configurations that make more sense.

The most noticeable changes will be northbound: 
  • First, the two lanes coming north fromEnergy Park Drive/Front Ave. will merge into one lane before reaching the railroad bridge. That will eliminate the "weave" after the bridge; steer traffic toward the center of the bridge (which should reduce the number of small trucks hitting the bridge); and give pedestrians on the east side of Lexington more elbow room under the bridge.
  • At the Horton/Como intersection, three other modifications kick in. A longer turn lane will be painted for traffic turning left onto Como; this will accommodate backups that now occur during busy days. The "center" lane will be painted with a straight arrow, for traffic continuing north into the park. The existing right lane will be designated as right-turn only onto Horton.
No word yet on when new stripes hit the pavement. 
The festival features tuj lub and other sports competitions.
Hmong Festival Visits for the Weekend
The 38th Annual Hmong International Freedom Festival is this weekend, June 30-July 1, in Como Park. The event takes over the McMurray Field and pool areas of the park. Activities run 6 a.m.-9 p.m. each day.
The festival includes cultural exhibitions, music, food, vendors, and sports competition. Admission is $7 (free for those 42 inches or shorter, or age 65 or older.) Shuttle buses run from the State Fairgrounds, where parking is $5.

See District 10's website for details on where access in the park is limited, and for a map of neighborhood streets where parking is restricted.
Enjoy the Holiday ... We're Doing the Same
District 10's office will close this week, from July 2-6, as we take a lo-o-o-o-ng holiday weekend. However, the Streetcar Station will continue to be open Sunday afternoons from noon-4 p.m. on July 1 and July 8.

Because of the holiday, this newsletter will not publish next Friday, July 6. Think of it this way: That will be one less item to clear out of your Inbox. 
Join D10's Ice Cream Social July 13
After the holiday week, and before we know it, it's Friday the 13th, which means -- District 10's annual Ice Cream Social! It's a night to enjoy free ice cream (or non-dairy options); music from the She Shells; meet-and-greets with neighborhood organizations; and giant bubbles, face-painting, outdoor games, and plenty of lawn for young ones to run, jump, roll, and dive across. Also, Classic Actors Ensemble treats us to Shakespeare in the Park: an outdoor staging of "Romeo and Juliet."

Details: Friday July 13, 5:30-8 p.m., in and around the Como Park Streetcar Station, which is at the northeast corner of Lexington and Horton. Because parking is limited, we encourage you to walk, bike, roll, car-pool, or take public transportation. We'll have extra bike racks available to help out. 

Wanna be a chauffeur? If you've got a large passenger van and would be willing to shuttle neighborhood seniors to and from the Ice Cream Social, contact us. We'd like to see if we can work something out. 
Make Your ComoFest Plans Now
District 10's Ice Cream Social is the first event in ComoFest 2018, which again offers affordable neighborhood fun the last three weekends of July. You can get full details about each event at www.comofest.org. A quick look at the rest of the ComoFest lineup:
  • Friday July 13: North Dale Movie Night, 9 p.m., featuring "Coco."
  • Friday July 20: Lyngblomsten Mid-Summer Festival, 2-8 p.m.
  • Saturday July 21: ComoFest 5K Walk/Run for Everyone (benefiting Como Park Falcon Heights Living at Home Block Nurse Program), 8-10 a.m., Como Lakeside Pavilion.
  • Sunday July 22: ComoFest Art Fair, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Como Lakeside Pavilion.
  • Friday July 27: Northwest Como Movie Night and Campout, beginning at 6:45 p.m., featuring "Beauty and the Beast" (2017 version).
  • Saturday July 28: TopLine Federal Credit Union Community Appreciation Picnic, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. The picnic ends with Como's shortest marathon, which takes you across the street to ...
  • Saturday July 28: Gabe's Mini Mingle, 1-5 p.m.
Instead of Fireworks ...
There are no city-sponsored fireworks. Groovin' in the Garden takes the week off. But if you need to get out of the house on the 4th of July, you still can soak in Fourth in the Park, the traditional celebration in Saint Anthony Park.  The 71st version of the community festival features a parade (complete with fire trucks, classic cars, and lawn mowers) at 11 a.m. on Como Ave., on our side of the construction barricades. The parade ends at Langford Park, where you'll find food trucks, speeches, music, pony rides, volleyball, horseshoes, bags, tennis, races and more. It's free, except for the end-of-the-day happy hour, which runs 4-6 p.m. in the Sunrise Bank parking lot; that will cost adults $15.

Other Independence Day options include Fort Snelling and the James J. Hill House.
Zorongo Flamenco performs twice on Saturday June 30.
There's Music and More at the Pavilion
This music (and the views) are free:
  • Today, Friday June 29: Happy Hour with Kid's Silent Disco, 5 p.m.; Erik Brandt and the Urban Hillbilly Quartet, 7 p.m.
  • This Saturday, June 30: Zorongo Flamenco presents: TORO (a puppet show), 4 p.m., and "Café Flamenco," 7 p.m.
  • This Sunday, July 1: Brunch with Matt Jennings, 11 a.m.; Richfield Symphonic Band, 3 p.m.; Brooklyn Community Band, 7 p.m.
  • This Monday, July 2: Dale Dahlquist Trio, 7 p.m.
  • This Tuesday, July 3: Roseville Big Band, 7:30 p.m.
  • This Wednesday, July 4: Como Pops, 3 p.m.; Daddy Squeeze, 6 p.m.
  • This Thursday, July 5: Beer Choir, 7 p.m.
  • Sunday July 8: Stan Bann's Big Bone Band, 7 p.m.
  • Monday July 9: Fridley City Band, 7 p.m.
  • Tuesday July 10: North Star Chorus: Massed Chorus Sing
  • Wednesday July 11: Minnesota Sinfonia: "On the Lighter Side"
The rest of the July lineup
'State Fair' Arrives Early
Rosetown Playhouse presents the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical " State Fair" at the Como Lakeside Pavilion the next two weekends. Performances are Friday July 6, Saturday July 7, Thursday July 12, Friday July 13 and Saturday July 14 at 7 p.m.; plus 1 p.m. matinees on Sundays July 8 and 15.  Admission is $15; $12 for students and senior citizens; and $10 for children 5 or younger.
In the Near Future at the Fairgrounds
  • Today-Saturday, June 29-30: Print Matters Book Fair, Progress Center. Hours: Friday, 3-8 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission: Friday, $7; Saturday, $5; children 10 or younger, free.
  • Tanbark Cavalcade of Roses (horse show): Through this Saturday, June 30, Warner Coliseum. Shows: Today, 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, 10:30 a.m., 6 p.m.
  • American Simmental Association Junior Nationals (cattle show): This Monday-next Saturday, July 2-7, Warner Coliseum.
  • The Color Run: Next Sunday, July 8, beginning outside the DNR Building. First race: 9 a.m. Entry fees begin at $30.
  • MAQHA Corporate Challenge (horse show): July 11-15, Warner Coliseum.
Heads up: Street Machine Nationals: July 20-22.
Looking Ahead in July
  • Thursday July 12: Trash Talk: Saint Paul's Organized Trash Collection, 6-7:30 p.m. Hayden Heights Library, Bear's Den Room, 1456 White Bear Ave. Get up to speed and get your questions answered on how we got here, why, and where the city is going with trash. Hosted by League of Women Voters St. Paul.
  • Monday July 16: District 10 Parking Pressure Meeting (West): 6:30-8 p.m. Mount Olive Lutheran Church Fireside Room, Almond and Pascal. Focuses on resident and business concerns in the existing State Fair Overlay District, primarily Snelling east to Hamline, and Hoyt south to Wynne. 
  • Wednesday July 18: Ward 4 Special Election Candidate Forum, 7-8:30 p.m., University of Saint Thomas, McNeely Hall Room 100, southwest corner of Summit and Cleveland. Featuring Shirley Erstad, David Martinez, and Mitra Jalali Nelson. Hosted by Saint Thomas and Macalester-Groveland Community Council.
  • Thursday July 19: Community book discussion of "Brown Girl Dreaming" by Jacqueline Woodson, 6-7:30 p.m. Como Park Lutheran Church, 1376 Hoyt.
  • Tuesday Aug. 7: Deadline to comment on the Metropolitan Council's Transportation Improvement Program, which proposes highway, transit, bicycle, and pedestrian projects for federal funding in the next four years.
Guidelines for Leaving Kids Alone (Or Not)
With most school-age children on summer break, not all of us can be around (or have someone else around) to keep an eye on them all the time. Here is how long you generally can leave kids alone before child protective services gets concerned:
  • Age 7 or younger: Never leave them alone for any period of time.
  • Ages 8-10: Can be left alone for up to 3 hours.
  • Ages 11-13: Can be left alone for up to 12 hours.
  • Ages 14-15: Can be left alone for up to 24 hours.
  • Ages 16-17: Can be left alone for more than 24 hours if it's clear they know what to do in an emergency. 

Register for National Night Out (Tuesday Aug. 7): Will your party be one of the three co-hosted by Sgt. Fuzz?

 

This week's Como Neighborhood Crime Update: Thieves are having a feast with autos

We Can Help with Your Party    
District 10 has street barricades and portable recycling containers that community members can use for block parties, neighborhood, or family events. 

The street barricades are required by the city when you block off your street or alley -- but ours are a more-affordable option than getting them from Public Works.  Barricades require a $50 deposit. We return $40 when you return the barricades.  Reservations are first-come, first-served. ( To borrow our barricades, you must have an event permit from the city.)

You can borrow the recycling containers for free; there are two kinds:
  • For cans, bottles and other items you can include in your weekly recycling.
  • For food scraps and other compostable organics.
To reserve any of this equipment, call our office at 651-644-3889, or send us an email.
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.