December 2, 2022 | Friday | | |
|
TOMORROW:
Como House History Training
| |
Saturday, December 3, 10-11am
Como Streetcar Station
Have you ever wondered about the history of your home? The Como Neighborhood History Project team will be holding a “HOUSE HISTORY” training from 10–11am Saturday, December 3, 2022 in person at the Streetcar Station (1224 Lexington Pkwy).
Please join us to learn some tips and techniques on doing your own research into the place that you live!
Treats will be provided from Abogados Café’.
| | |
2022 Como Holiday Decoration Showcase
Help us fill Como with holiday cheer! D10 Como Community Council is compiling a map of as many festive displays in the neighborhood as possible. So get those lights and inflatables out of the closet (or buy some new ones!) and get to work decorating your house, apartment, or business to be included in our map!
Register your decorations to be put on the map as soon as they’re ready. You can also share your favorite photos of your décor with district10@district10comopark.org to have them featured on our website. You will be able to view the submitted homes on the map through the end of January.
| |
2022 Como Curb Cleanup Reporting
Como Community Council partnered with Capitol Region Watershed District on this year's Como Curb Cleanup.
Thank you for participating in our 2022 curb-cleaning efforts. When it rains, leaves on streets release nutrients into the water that flows into storm drains and the lake. There it becomes food for invasive algae. Your efforts to reduce this nutrient flow has a huge impact!
Tracking results helps us a lot with supporting future efforts! Once we've collected the data we'll share the result in the D10 Newsletter a well on the D10 Como Park website.
| |
D10 Meeting Schedule Change Feedback
The D10 Como Community Council announced changes to our regular meeting schedule in July 2022 and implemented the change for a trial period from August thru December, with the intention of collecting community feedback to consider adjustments before finalizing our 2023 meeting schedule.
It's now December, we've learned a lot about running hybrid meetings and have enjoyed welcoming people in-person as well as on zoom for the past several months. We're looking forward to hearing what input community members may have about their experience at our meetings, and look forward to seeing you at a future meeting.
| |
|
Environment Committee Meeting - Wednesday, December 7, 6pm
The D10 Environment committee typically meets on the first Wednesday of every month. All D10 meetings are open to the public and have space for community members to bring topics for discussion.
| |
|
Neighborhood Relations Committee Meeting - Wednesday, December 7, 7:15pm
The D10 Neighborhood Relations committee typically meets on the first Tuesday of every month. All D10 meetings are open to the public and have space for community members to bring topics for discussion.
| |
Como Community Blood Drive
D10 Como Park is partnering with the American Red Cross and the Como Zoo & Conservatory to host another community blood drive at the Zoo.
The Red Cross just opened the online reservations for the Wednesday, December 7 drive from 9am to 3pm.
Please consider giving blood, with so many still working from home, workplace blood drives have all but vanished, these community drives make a huge impact!
The December event marks the one-year anniversary of this partnership with the Zoo, we've collected 172 units of blood that the Red Cross tells us helps over 500 people! You can see our past results and learn how to volunteer at future drives here on our website.
| |
Thanksgiving Meal Fundraiser: Thank You!
From the North End-South Como Block Nurse Program and D10 Como Community Council: Thank you so much to all the community members who donated money to provide Thanksgiving meals for seniors.
We appreciate the generosity and concern you share for neighbors in need. We were able to provide meals for 80 seniors during the Thanksgiving holiday.
Thank you also to those who volunteered to deliver the meals, your time is much appreciated!
The North End-South Como Block Nurse Program has more upcoming opportunities for volunteers who want to help seniors, including delivering holiday gift bags. If you are interested in volunteering with the Block Nurse Program, please email alaina@nescbnp.org.
| |
New D10 Board Members
At the November board meeting, three new board members were appointed to the Como Community Council board to fill recent vacancies.
Longtime Como resident and Como Neighborhood History Project extraordinaire Laura Oyen was appointed to the Sub-District 1 vacancy, at last accepting her destiny to join the board. Chad Hermes of Sub-District 4, who has been active in our Land Use committee for months, was appointed to an At-Large vacancy. Also from Sub-District 4, Lauren Erchul McCabe, who has been working with us in Neighborhood Relations committee and fundraising planning, was appointed to the other At-Large Vacancy.
We're excited to be heading into an ambitious 2023 with a full board of wonderful volunteer community members! Thanks to our new members for making this commitment with us!
All appointed board seats will be in the next annual election (April). If you're interested in joining the board you can fill out an application or, even better, start coming to the meetings and see if you think it'd be a fit for you!
|
|
December Lyngblomsten Volunteering
Lyngblomsten senior apartments and care center over off Midway Parkway has so many different fun ways to volunteer Here are a few of the options in December:
-
Donut Social Helper (Lyng Apts): Fridays 7:30am-9:30am.
-
Holiday Social (Lyng Apts): Tues., Dec 20th, 1:30-3:30pm.
-
The Gathering: 9:30am to 2:15pm at the Care Center Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Help participants with memory loss take part in brain-stimulating activities.
-
New Year's Party (Care Center): Fri., Dec 30th, 10am-12pm.
-
Big Bingo (Chapel): Fridays, Dec 9th and 23rd. Transport starts at 10am.
Other opportunities include various concert and performance transportation, group meetings, popcorn Thursdays, laundry folding, and paper shredding. There's something for everyone.
Contact Melanie (651-632-5499) or Jen (651-632-5406) to schedule time to volunteer.
Learn more about volunteering at Lyngblomsten here on their website.
| |
Music Under Glass Returns to Como
Go to the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory and beat the "winter-blahs" in the tropical gardens as live, local musicians play blues, bluegrass and ballads from 4:30-6:30pm. The concerts are free and beer and wine will be available to purchase. No reservations required. These concerts are standing room only. Because of fire code regulations, there are no chairs set-up.
Sunday, December 4 - Mary Cutrufello - Roots-rock singer-songwriter Mary Cutrufello has been a mainstay in the Americana scene here and in Texas for thirty years.
| |
Como Faith Organizations - Holiday Events | |
Como Regional Park Trail Master Plan
The City of Saint Paul's Parks and Recreation Department is engaging community members to inform and develop an updated Trail Master Plan for Como Regional Park. The master plan will emphasize improving the connection between the trails within the park to Saint Paul's Grand Round trail network. The process will prioritize connections around Como Lake, Picnic Pavilions, McMurray Fields and Outdoor Classroom areas over those within the Zoo, Conservatory, or Golf Course areas.
On the City's site you can:
-
Use the Map to drop pins, share photos and leave comments on areas of the park you'd like to see improved, or places you like the most.
-
Take the Survey to share how you use the park and how you would prioritize improvements to it.
-
Post Comments and photos to the community Ideas Board to get the conversation going with other Como Regional Park visitors.
| |
Como Parks & Rec Programming
Skiing and Snowboarding
Rentals are available for $12/day at Como Park Ski Center, Battle Creek Recreation Center, Highland National Golf Course and Tamarak Nature Center. Cross-country ski, downhill ski, and snowboard lessons are available at Como Park Ski Center Registration opened on November 21.
For more information, visit stpaul.gov/xcountryski.
North Dale Rec Center (1414 N. St. Albans)
Northwest Como Rec Center (1550 N. Hamline)
*Registration Required
St. Paul Parks & Rec Fee Assistance Program
The City of Saint Paul operates a special program that helps families pay for Parks & Recreation youth classes and activities. Fee Assistance can be requested by families who meet program requirements when registering for youth activities. To be eligible for the program, youth must live in Saint Paul, be 18 years old or younger, and qualify for free and reduced lunches.
Fee Assistance can be used toward most recreational sports or activities offered by Saint Paul Parks and Recreation. To view the online catalog of all available activities offered, click here.
| |
Neighborhood Notes
Upcoming Applications/Renewals
-
Ted's Recreation (1084 Larpenteur): Liquor Licenses are up for renewal Jan. 31. Anyone with input should email the Como Community Council or contact the office of Ward 5 Council Member Amy Brendmoen: ward5@ci.stpaul.mn.us.
-
Bole Ethiopian Cuisine (1341 Pascal Como): Liquor Licenses are up for renewal Jan. 7. Anyone with input should email the Como Community Council or contact the office of Ward 4 Council Member Mitra Jalali: ward4@ci.stpaul.mn.us.
*While license renewal dates serve as community reminders, feedback on a business license can be submitted at any time.
| |
St. Paul Snow Removal 101
You probably want to be reading this just as little as we wanted to be sharing it this week, but there's snow getting around it: shovel season has arrived.
Last year the city gave an informational presentation to city staff and select community partner groups who regularly answer community questions about the City’s winter operations. The presentation highlights the City’s Snow Emergency process and operations, including communications, ticketing, and towing.
You can view the presentation here on our website to learn more than enough to be a snow-it-all on your favorite facebook neighborhood group. The presentation is followed by a Q & A session. You can download a PDF copy of the presentation PowerPoint from the video in the link at the bottom of the page.
The City has scheduled a 2022 info session, we will post updated info if we discover anything that has significantly changed since last year.
| |
Holiday Lights
Starting to decorate for the holidays and finding string lights that no longer work?
String lights that do not have LED bulbs can be placed in the trash. However, LED string lights cannot go in the trash because they contain printed circuit boards and are considered hazardous. Bring LED string lights to a household hazardous waste collection site for free disposal. Never put any string lights in your household recycling bin.
Consider donating string lights in good, working condition to thrift stores.
Do you have a question about recycling and disposal and can’t find the answer in Ramsey County's A to Z Recycling & Disposal Guide? Call their Recycling & Disposal hotline at 651-633-3279 or send a message.
| |
Holiday Food Waste Reduction
Hosting for the holidays? Help reduce food waste by adding the following tips to your planning:
- Use Save The Food’s Guest-imator tool to plan out how much food you actually need to make to feed all of your guests.
- Leave potato skins and other veggie peels on when cooking. If you do have any food scraps, collect them in a BPI certified compostable bag and bring them to a Ramsey County food scraps collection site afterwards for free food scraps recycling.
- If you make a mistake with a dish, try to revive it before tossing it out.
- If you can’t use up all the leftovers within the next few days, freeze some of them for future meals that don’t require any prep work!
- Don’t let your guests leave empty-handed. Have them bring reusable containers and send them on their way with leftovers.
In addition to reducing your own food waste, consider the connection between wasted food and food insecurity. Ramsey County residents experience higher rates of food insecurity (12%) than the Minnesota state average (10%). Help others in your community who might not have a stable food supply by donating unused food to your local food shelf, volunteering your time and/or giving a monetary donation. Learn more about food justice.
Get help finding or affording food.
| |
|
Public Input on Xcel Energy Rate Increase Request
Xcel Energy has asked the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) to approve an increase to electric rates over a three-year period beginning January 2022. The MPUC may either approve or deny the requested changes and may approve a lesser or greater increase than was requested. The MPUC will likely make its decision in the second quarter of 2023.
The requested increase for 2022 is about 12.2 percent, with an additional 4.8 percent for 2023, and an additional 4.2 percent for 2024.
Public comments can be made in writing through January 6, 2023 at 4:30 PM.
Leave a Public Comment to the PUC Online
Or email: consumer.puc@state.mn.us
For this issue reference Docket #21-630
| |
Catalytic Converter: Catguard Program
Do you drive one of vehicles that are most targeted for catalytic converter theft? This summer the state of Minnesota launched the CatGuard program.
The program provides a CatGuard kits for the 15 most targeted vehicles or for cars that have had attempted thefts:
Chevrolet Express, Ford Econoline, Ford F250, Honda Accord, Honda CRV, Honda Element , Honda Odyssey, Hyundai Santa Fe, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Mitsubishi Eclipse, Mitsubishi Lancer, Mitsubishi Outlander, Toyota Prius, Toyota Tundra.
This kit provides you with a unique serial number for your vehicle that is registered with the state so it can be traced if stolen.
The kits are available for free at all St. Paul Police District Offices (East, West, and HQ) at the front desk. Please bring your license info, plate number, and VIN.
| |
What's going on at the Fairgrounds? | |
|
Horse Crazy Holiday Market
DESCRIPTION
The Horse Crazy Holiday Market is a two-day, equine-inspired, free-spirited marketplace filled with more than 100 vendors, artisans, makers and exhibitors featuring goods, gifts and services for horse lovers and those who love horse lovers.
LOCATION
Warner Coliseum
HOURS
Friday: 4-8 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
ADMISSION
Free public admission; $5 suggested donation
| |
Have something you'd like us to consider sharing in our newsletter? Email us at district10@district10comopark.org | |  |
|
Support Community Engagement
Do you appreciate the work D10 Como Park does in the community? Consider supporting D10's work by making a tax-deductible contribution. Thank you!
| | | | | |
