3 Join District 10's Honor Roll
Congratulations to Therese Hackenmueller, Dawn Lamm, and Jennifer Victor-Larsen! They are District 10's selections for the city's 2019 Neighborhood Honor Roll.

The Honor Roll is an annual tribute organized by the city's 17 district councils. It recognizes everyday residents and organizations who make a sustained and lasting impact in their neighborhood or the city. Those selected will be honored at a citywide celebration in early 2020, and be immortalized by having their names added to a plaque in City Hall.

The Como Community Council board selected Therese, Dawn, and Jennifer at the board's final meeting of 2019. They were chosen from among eight nominees suggested by District 10  residents. Read what supporters had to say about each honoree.
District 10 Office Closes for the Holidays
The Como Community Council office will close from Christmas Day, Wednesday Dec. 25, through New Year's Day, Wednesday Jan. 1. Depending on how we survive the holiday spirit, the office might close on Jan. 2 and 3, too. As a result, we don't plan to send a newsletter on Dec. 27 or Jan. 3. If anything major happens, we'll post it on our website.
However, Streetcar Station is Open Jan. 5
The Historic Streetcar Station in Como Park is open on Sunday Jan. 5 from noon-4 p.m. As a special enticement, we'll hand out complimentary passes to the Home and Remodeling Show at U.S. Bank Stadium Jan. 24-26. (Limit: 2 per person, while supplies last.)

In addition, you can do all the usual stuff: pick up organics recycling bags or kitchen starter kits, learn a little about the long-gone trolley system in the Twin Cities, learn about the history and visionaries behind Como and the city's overall park system, or just chat with a District 10 board member who is staffing the day. The Streetcar Station is at the northeast corner of Lexington and Horton.
Land Use will learn more about plans for 1349 Midway Parkway.
Then We Get Back to Reality
  • District 10's Land Use Committee has rescheduled its monthly meeting for Monday Jan. 6. Preliminary plans include a presentation by the new owners of 1349 Midway Parkway, who intend to open "The Lion House," a sober home for women. 
  • District 10's Neighborhood Relations Committee meets as usual on Tuesday Jan. 7. The meeting will start a discussion on re-activating the neighborhood's current laissez-faire block club network. If you consider yourself a block captain, or want to get a block (or building) club started where you live, this would be the place to be.
  • The week isn't over: District 10's Environment Committee meets as usual on Wednesday Jan. 8.
All the meetings begin 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. We'll post full agendas  as they become available; find them in the Board News section of our website.
Striping Plan is More Than Bike Lanes
Saint Paul plans to restripe East Como Blvd. between Nagasaki and the Maryland/Wheelock intersection. Work is scheduled for spring 2020. Among highlights, the proposal would:
  • Add 6-foot-wide bike lanes in each direction, to connect that two-block stretch with existing in-street lanes and the Wheelock trail.
  • Add designated turn lanes for northbound traffic at the Maryland/Wheelock intersection.
  • Designate one travel lane in each direction; this would conform with the existing lane configuration north and south of the two-block stretch.
  • Add a designated left-turn lane for school buses and other vehicles turning from southbound Como Blvd. onto eastbound Rose.
Head to our website to get more details or download a diagram of the proposal that's actually large enough to read. Have thoughts, ideas, or suggestions about the proposal? Email the District 10 office.
Keep Track of Them Reindeer
Reindeer Cam -- a 24/7 live stream of Mabel, Junebug, Abigail, and Forest (the four caribou at Como Park Zoo) -- is back for holiday bemusement and distraction. You can catch all their (in)activities and visitors now through Friday Jan. 3.
Don't Go Hungry During the Holidays
The Sheridan Story, which specializes in making sure schoolchildren have enough to eat, has a Winter Break program that provides a small bag of nonperishable food when school is out Dec. 21-Jan. 5. They've got recipes, too. Families can pick up food -- no questions asked -- at any Saint Paul YMCA (downtown on 6th St., on University Ave., or on Arcade St.) and dozens of other locations in the Twin Cities.
In Case It's Not Too Late
They call it tissue "paper." But unlike most other paper, you cannot recycle it in your blue cart. Same with wrapping "paper" that has foil treatment or glitter (really, why would you do that to people you like?). And while we're being Grinchy, let's make it clear: You can't recycle ribbons and bows, either. 

So, a couple of things to keep in mind.  When you buy wrapping paper, choose paper that is recyclable. Or choose wrap that is made from recycled paper. Better yet, if you actually want to reduce or eliminate the trash impact of decorating your presents, choose a low-waste or no-waste alternative. Instead of wrapping paper:
  • Put your gifts in a reusable fabric bag or paper gift bag.
  • Wrap your gift in colorful cloth, old maps, or the comics section of the newspaper. Or, flatten packing paper and let kids draw on the outside. (Give yourself permission to draw on it, too.)
  • For small items, pinch the end of toilet paper or paper towel tubes, then color them up.
You can watch a brief video of holiday do's and don'ts, courtesy of Ramsey County. (Do yourself a favor and mute the sound, though.)
Remember, Recycling is Rescheduled
Because of the Christmas and New Year's holidays, recycling pickup in District 10 is delayed one day the next two weeks. Instead of the usual Friday pickup, Eureka will empty the blue carts on Saturday Dec. 28 and on Saturday Jan. 4.

Trash, too: For residents east of Hamline who have Friday trash pickup, that also is delayed until Saturday. For residents west of Hamline who have Monday trash pickup, nothing changes (unless weather interferes).
Slap On Skis, Skates, or a Board
Unless this weekend's thaw softens things up disastrously:
  • Outdoor ice rinks are open at North Dale Recreation Center and other Saint Paul parks. Skating is free.
  • The Como Park Ski Center, 1431 N. Lexington, is open daily (except for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day). Hours through Jan. 3 typically are 10 a.m.-6 p.m., but the center is open later (until 10 p.m.) on Dec. 26 and Jan. 2 and 3. Regular season hours begin on Saturday Jan. 4. Cross-country skiing is free; tow passes for Mount Como are $15 a day for adults, $12 a day for children age 17 or younger. Ski and snowboard rentals are available.
  • Ski trails are open at five Ramsey County parks (a state ski pass is required for anyone age 16 or older; that's $10 a day or $25 for the year).
  • Ramsey County's Highland and Vadnais Heights arenas have open ice-skating sessions indoors most days during winter break. Admission is free; skate rental is $5.
And If There Is Not Enough Going On...
  • This Sunday, Dec. 22: Santa Brunch, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Spring Café, inside the Lakeside Pavilion, 1360 Lexington Parkway N. Buffet menus for children and adults: $17.95 for adults and children ages 11 and older; $15.95 for senior citizens (age 65 or older); $11.95 for children ages 5-10; $5.95 for children ages 3-5; free for children 2 years of age or younger. 
  • This Sunday Dec. 22: Messiah Sing, 3 p.m. Como Park Lutheran Church, 1376 W. Hoyt. Singing and listening are free. A small orchestra and soloists lead the way; you provide the chorus and audience. You can bring your own score, or get one at the door. An Advent dinner follows the sing, from 5-7 p.m. Meal tickets: $9 adults, $5 children, maximum $25 per family.
  • Wednesday Jan. 8: Design Your Library Neighborhood Forum, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Hamline-Midway Library, 1558 W. Minnehaha.
What to Do With That Needle Factory
As part of the city's trash contract, Saint Paul residents can dispose of one formerly live holiday tree for free from Jan. 2-15. Here's the catch: The tree must be less than 6 feet tall and weigh less than 20 pounds. If that describes your tree, just put it next to your regular trash. Those trees, like other trash collected in the city, are burned at the county's waste incinerator.

If your tree is bigger than that, you can treat is as a "bulky item." Depending on your level of service, that may be free, too. Call your hauler to arrange a pickup; you can find your hauler's phone number in the blue box on the bulky item web page.

Or, dispose of the tree (and wreaths and garland and spruce tips) in an environmentally suitable way yourself. One possibility: Take it to a Ramsey County yard waste site, where trees are mulched for use by District Energy. Or, just leave it in your yard for the winter, where it will provide shelter for wildlife.
Bus Schedules Shift for the Holidays
Metro Transit:
  • Runs reduced holiday schedules on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
  • Runs reduced schedules on Christmas Eve, this Tuesday, Dec. 24. Routes will follow their Saturday schedule and will charge weekend fares.
  • Offers free rides from 6 p.m. New Year's Eve until 3 a.m. New Year's Day.
Apparently, every piece of confetti will be captured on video.
Countdown Till, um, Daylight 
The party animals at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory will be at it again as they hoof it into 2020 with their annual Noon Year's Confetti Dance Party. The celebrations feature DJs, games, crafts, silly-selfie stations, special animal enrichment events, giveaways, contests, hats, noisemakers, and unleashing hundreds of thousands of pieces of colorful (biodegradable) confetti at noon.

The free festivities run from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on both New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Beyond the frivolity, the events also promote dropping off old cell phones, holiday lights, and unused handheld electronics, which will be recycled to benefit orangutan conservation worldwide.
Make Your Summer Plans Now
Saint Paul residents and businesses can get 2020 park reservation permits beginning Thursday Jan. 2 at the park district's maintenance office, 1100 N. Hamline. Find details online about what ID you need to supply and what kind of paperwork you need to fill out to reserve a picnic shelter, building, or other park facility. A quick rundown of the timeline:
  • Show up in person from 6:30-7 a.m. Jan. 2 -- and you'll get a lottery number. Permits will be distributed beginning at 7:01, based on lottery drawings. 
  • Show up after 7 a.m., and you can apply on a first-come, first-served basis -- after lottery customers are taken care of.
  • Beginning Friday Jan. 3, make a phone reservation by calling 651-266-6400. If you want to take care of your permit in person, go downtown to the City Hall Annex, 25 W. 4th St., Suite 400. You can do that weekdays from 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
  • Beginning Feb. 1, make a reservation online. Feb. 1 is also the first day people who don't live in Saint Paul can apply for permits regardless of how they do it: in person, on the phone, or online. 
Music Under Glass Returns Jan. 5
The Marjorie McNeely Conservatory's free Music Under Glass concerts are back beginning Sunday Jan. 5. The folk duo Fellow Pynins open the series, which runs almost every Sunday through March 1. Concerts are 4:30-6:30 p.m. in the Sunken Garden, but speakers pipe performances throughout the conservatory. You can buy beer, wine, and snacks. Here's the full lineup
Keeping Track of City Paperwork
New this week:
  • 883 Front: The Board of Zoning Appeals voted 7-0 on Dec. 17 to reject the property owner's variance requests to allow stronger exterior lighting than allowed by city code.
Still time to weigh in:
  • Carter's BP: The gas station license for the business at Como and Dale is up for renewal on Monday Dec. 29. Anyone who has concerns should contact the office of Ward 5 Councilmember Amy Brendmoen.
  • Best Western Plus Como Park Hotel: The liquor license and Sunday license are up for renewal on Friday Jan. 3. Anyone who has concerns should contact the office of Ward 4 Council Member Mitra Nelson.
  • Ted's: The liquor license, 2 a.m. closing license, Sunday license, and entertainment license for this bar on Larpenteur Ave. are up for renewal on Jan. 31. Anyone who has concerns should contact the office of Ward 5 Councilmember Amy Brendmoen.
2020 Census Schedules Job Fairs
The 2020 U.S. Census holds a job fair on Monday Jan. 6 from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at the state's Career Force center, 2266 2nd St. N in North Saint Paul. The Census offers a variety of temporary full-time and flexible part-time jobs, starting at $22 an hour. The job fair will repeat on Tuesday Jan. 14 from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., on Wednesday January 22 from 12:30-2:30 p.m., and on Thursday Jan. 30 from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m
Derby Kicks Off the Year at Fairgrounds
North Star Roller Derby : Saturday, Jan. 4, Warner Coliseum. 6-10 p.m. General admission: $14 (children age 10 or younger free with a paid adult). Group, premium, and season tickets also are available.
Be Careful What You Throw Away
Yes, recycling at home is a good thing. But there may be one exception: The cardboard packaging that we throw outside can advertise to burglars what goodies they might find inside. 

Again this season, we can get these clues off our property. Saint Paul Police and the city's All In recycling program have a special drop-off site exclusively for cardboard boxes from tools, TVs, computers, phones, electronics, and other goodies we buy for ourselves or as gifts. The bin is in the parking lot outside the Western District police station, 389 N. Hamline, until Friday Jan. 3. The service is free; to maximize space, please break down the cardboard before you deposit it.
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.