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What I Know 5-15-13

Wed, 15 May 2013 17:45:33 +0100

The big news for every community in Minnesota this has to be the passage and signing of the bill legalizing same-sex marriage. I was celebrating with neighbors last night who had just gotten married on Mother’s Day – fittingly, as they are both mothers – and it struck me how much like New Year’s Eve it seemed as we waited for the Guv to sign the bill. It felt like there should be a countdown and a ball dropping behind him.

It certainly is a new era here in Minnesota as we have redressed an inequality that should have been taken care of long ago but which paradoxically surprised nearly everyone with the speed of its resolution. I read an interesting article about the strategy behind the campaign waged by Minnesotans United to take advantage of the momentum generated by the defeat of the Marriage Amendment last fall. In the face of even DFL legislators telling them to wait, they jumped in, buoyed by data that suggested the support was there and by research that gave them a deeper understanding of how best to change minds on the issue.

Apparently, the research told them people responded positively to one-on-one or small group conversations highlighting the commitment to the institution of marriage shared by gay (and the more inclusive term, GLBTQIA Gay/Lesbian/Bi/ Trans/Questioning/Intersex/Asexual) and straight couples. Rather than making it strictly about civil rights, this approach resonated with many conservatives who, surprise, just like the general population, have family members who are gay and loved.

To me, the success of this approach shows the way toward rebuilding trust between our polarized political and religious communities by identifying those foundational values (like saving the planet?) we all share and reaching out to each other to find ways to work together to support them. I can’t think of many people of any demographic who would disagree with a phrase used frequently to describe yesterday’s events: Love is the law. Hallelujah and amen.

D12 – Speaking of saving the planet, the Transition Town efforts continue to move forward. Members of the Solar group met with the SPPS folks to talk about the possibility of solar panels on public school flat roofs. The response from the school district was very positive to using one of our D12 schools to develop a prototype that could be used district-wide to reduce energy costs and fossil fuel use. The legislature has a solar component attached to the omnibus bill that would help communities and school districts put together entities to support solar. That bill has yet to be finalized and passed, but it looks like everyone is more or less happy with it, so we should know in a week or so exactly how much help it will provide…Spring brings the usual reminder from the St. Paul Police and D12 E.D. Amy Sparks to lock your bikes, garages, doors and windows. Unfortunately, warm weather brings about an increase in crimes of opportunity, so use common sense and protect your valuables. Also, write down the serial numbers of your bikes. Often they are stolen for mere transportation and found by police, but they can’t be returned to the rightful owner if they don’t have a serial number to go on.

SCHOOLS – Teams from both StAP Elementary and Murray are set to travel to Knoxville, Tennesee next week for the global Destination Imagination finals. We wish them well…I read an interesting perspective on Minnesota’s achievement gap. Recent NAEP exam results seem to indicate that black children in Minnesota generally outperform their counterparts in other states. Because students take the same NAEP tests at the same time these exams are one of the few tools that can be used to compare students across the country. State-level exams and graduation rates are less reliable for comparisons since states and districts design their own state-level exams and even the definition of "graduation rate." While it is true that the test-score gap between white and black students is larger in Minnesota than the national average test score gap, white students in Minnesota generally score well above the national average for white students so that helps to explain some of the gap’s size. So, in comparison to the national average, we have higher performing white students and above average scoring black students. That certainly should not be cause for relaxing our efforts to reduce our achievement gap but does offer some context for our efforts.

LISTSERV - Volunteers are needed for the Midway Local Food Hub distribution event this Saturday. Shifts are 8-10am, 9:45-12:15, and 10-2 at the parking lot behind Gordon Parks High School. Help with seedlings, surveys,
sign-in and more. Email mallory@gardeningmatters.org to sign up…Vienna Community Arts, a nonprofit music studio in the Hampden Park co-op building, is looking for singers to join their new community Heritage choir. The choir is directed by Herbert Engelmayer, a master pianist at Vienna Community Arts and also director of the Volksfest Singers. The Heritage choir meets at Peace Lutheran Church in Lauderdale, the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month. They perform at community events and celebrations…neighbors were talking about a recent increase in low flying airplanes. It seems to be temporary and I’ve always thought it happens due to weather conditions that make approach easier over our part of the metro. Here’s a link to the Flight Tracker website where you can find out more about where the flights are going…Susan Dean from the St. Anthony Park Library Association put out the word they are once again seeking donations for their annual book sale held during the Arts Festival on Saturday, June 1. They're looking for books, CDs, and DVDs in good condition. (Sorry, no textbooks, magazines, cassette tapes, or VHS tapes.) You may leave donations on the book cart in the lower level of the library (outside the auditorium). Please don't put your donated items in the library's book return. If you have any questions or would like to volunteer to help with the sale, please e-mail Susan at smdean16@gmail.com.

StAPnotes – The 4^th of July Stuffing Party is scheduled for Tuesday, May 28th from 6:30-7:30 pm at the Langford Rec Center. This is the night the info for neighbors is put into envelopes for mailing. It’s okay to bring kids, but 20 adults can usually do it in an hour, so let’s show up in force and get it done. It’s a big help for the volunteers that make St. Anthony Park’s signature celebration happen…the little wine shoppe is celebrating our eclectic weather with an eclectic group of wines for tomorrow’s wine-tasting from 4:30–7:30pm. Portugal, France and California grapes are all well-represented, so stop by and say hi…I have from time to time suggested St. Paul could be more organized and welcoming in their approach to the business community, so I am happy to note some kudos from an online media article about how hard they are working to attract restaurants and how smooth they have made the process for licensing, etc. They are definitely sending the message that St. Paul is supportive of small business enterprises. Way to go, Mayor Coleman, who by the way rocked out on guitar during the big celebration in downtown St. Paul yesterday. There are some perks to the job.

That’s all for now. Take care of yourself and be a good neighbor.

What I Know 5-8-13

Wed, 08 May 2013 21:54:37 +0100

It is so hot and sticky…sorry, just wanted to be able to say that after the recent ice age manifestation. It is nice to see the kids walk by in shorts and t-shirts after watching the parkas of just last week. Happy Summer!

Spent the morning listening to requests for STAR grant money. For new readers, this money comes from a city-wide tax and is meant to support capitol projects that benefit St. Paul, usually by creating jobs or business opportunities. There were two applications so far from people in our neck of the woods, Gremlin Theater and Urban Growler Brewery.

Gremlin is looking for help to move their theater from University Avenue SW of Raymond to just off University Ave NE of Raymond in the Anodyne Gallery building. The property is owned by PLACE, a company that helps develop space for artists, and they have plans to go up a few stories with housing for the disabled artists that use the gallery and facility. Gremlin is talking about providing theater space for Anodyne to expand their artistic offerings so it would be a great partnership.

Urban Growler is setting up shop in Update’s old Roundhouse building just south of the RR tracks across the Raymond Ave bridge next to Bang Brewery. They hope to be serving beer by this August and have an 80-seat beer garden planned as well. Hurry up, I say. The owners hope to get produce locally to use in their unique varietals. I wish both of these ventures luck on their grant awards. As usual, there are many good ones and not enough money to go around.

One very interesting joint venture is happening over at the old Hamm’s Brewery on the East Side. There’s a brewery, a hydroponic garden and a distillery that all are planning to locate there and share waste products in a very synergistic recycling operation. Big ideas. Also small ones, like a nail shop on Rice Street or a handicap accessible addition to a restaurant or a new floor for a coffee shop/community center. It’s always fun to see what’s happening around the city, but I still wish there was a way to be more methodical about creating capacity in communities and supporting a larger vision for sustainable businesses. Ah well…

Big news from the city was 1^st Ward Councilman, Melvin Carter’s impending move to a State job in education. Melvin has been a friend of our community, often spending the 4^th of July with us and various combinations of his family members (including his darling daughters.) Hope he will continue to come around and also that he can use his considerable talents and energy to promote better education strategies for our kids state-wide. An interim council member will be appointed in his place until the fall election.

D12 – I had a really good discussion with Nina Axelson, our former D12 community organizer and current Director of Public Relations for Ever-Green Energy, about the state of solar energy in the metro. She was involved in putting an array of solar panels on the roof of the River Centre which, if I’m not mistaken, is still the largest solar thermal project in the Midwest. Lots of good insight and suggestions for our community solar approach…it looks like the Hampden Park project is going to gain approval for CIB money to make it nicer, safer and greener. It will be done in conjunction with a storm water sewer project.

SCHOOLS – These are the hardest days of the whole school year. I remember staring outside at the emerging greenery, feeling the warm breezes rustle through the classroom, the teacher’s voice reduced to a barely audible hum as I planned after-school activities and summer outings. I don’t imagine it’s changed much, but maybe the kids are more focused these days than I was. In any event, the next four weeks are going to be long ones. Which doesn’t mean there isn’t fun to be had! The Elementary School spring carnival was a big success, thanks in no small part to Beth Commers and her uncanny ability to move people into positions of service. Then there is the school picnic, the Plant Sale today and tomorrow from 8-4pm. Veggies, plants and flowers are on sale to support the school. Go get ‘em!...Murray meanwhile is getting ready for its annual talent show on May 9 and then the annual spring concert on May 23 at 7pm. They also have a spring newsletter that is chock full of info about everything going on there, so check that out here…Como High is proud to announce 5 juniors who met requirements to enter the 2014 National Merit Scholarship Program: Jacob Cohen, Jasmine Hyder, Zach Lee, Elliot Moormann and Stryker Thompson. Congrats, students, that is quite an honor! Spring also means graduation and grad parties. We got our first invite of that season yesterday. Exciting to see those kids ready to go off on new adventures.

LISTSERV – the Great River Gathering this year is focusing on Placemaking and is hosting a plethora of chats and talks about it all over St. Paul. Here’s a link to find out more.

StAPnotes – Neighbor PJ Pofahl was honored by the Neighborhood House as their Volunteer of the Year. PJ is a passionate tutor, board member and effective fundraiser for this great organization based in the Wellstone Center in West St. Paul…meanwhile, her husband, Charlie Nauen was in court delivering a victory for Ramsey County Sheriff, Matt Bostrom, in a case involving disgruntled former county employees. Nauen’s successful team included neighbor Brian Clark…I had a great time visiting with one of the featured potters at this year’s art festival, Guillermo Cuellar, at his home and studio near Marine St. Croix. What lovely pottery and what a great guy. I am getting very excited for June 1. Ken Chin-Purcell and Martha Russell of the Art Festival steering committee organized the visit. Visit the festival website to see some of the other wonderful art and activities planned for the annual community artstravaganza. Then put it on your calendar!

That's all for now. Take care of yourself and be a good neighbor.

What I Know 5-2-13

Thu, 02 May 2013 20:11:24 +0100

It’s grants time for the Foundation and this year’s awards were made considerably more difficult due to the record number of requests that came in. Our usual total is around $40,000 or so, but this year the requests topped $70,000. Our Available to Grant money (which comes from our endowed funds that many have donated to so generously) was around $32,000. So, our Grants Committee members and board needed to really dig down to understand how these different organizations and initiatives would benefit the greatest number of D12 residents.

As always, considerable attention was paid to our schools with money going for essential environmental, music and arts programs. Unfortunately, school budgets have decreasing abilities to pay for this curriculum so money from outside sources is necessary to ensure the participation of all our students. Also in the area of youth support is the grant given to Joy of the People Soccer housed in the SSA Rec Center. This fast-growing organization’s success has been recognized by the National Soccer Association with a grant of $80,000 towards construction of a year-round athletic field. JOTP has added on to that plan with a vision of additional recreational fields and equipment. The grant will help them develop a strategy for raising the rest of the money needed to complete the project.

The Foundation also granted money to the Bugle for a community mailing list and St. Anthony Park Area Seniors to help provide services and support for our aging neighbors, D12’s ongoing Transition Town initiative, local treasure Music in the Park Series, and one of our newest arts groups, the exciting TU Dance company.

Finally, the Foundation found money to replace trees in Langford Park and helped secure an additional $47,000 to support the new environmental science class created by Murray Jr. High science teacher Tim Chase in partnership with Wolfridge Environmental Learning Center. This innovative opportunity to get talented students onto the AP science track could provide a template for producing the next generation of scientists we desperately need to deal with the environmental challenges we face.

These last two, along with money raised from charitable events, are indicative of ways the Foundation’s fundraising is evolving. The community response to our annual general campaign has remained healthy but fairly static over the past few years, while contributions to designated funds (Endowment, Environmental Education and music) have increased significantly. Obviously, the Foundation welcomes all contributions. The general funds are critical to pay for staff time and programming. The designated contributions fund our grants and help encourage new solutions to neighborhood needs. Thanks to all for your donations of dollars, time and talent, this community would not be the same without it.

D12 – the annual Kasota Pond clean-up will be this Saturday from 9-11am. It was rescheduled due to snow two weeks ago. We shouldn’t have to negotiate that this weekend, so c’mon down, you’ll see the crew just west of 280 in a parking lot off Energy Park Drive….the Creative Enterprise Zone task force is honing its focus a year out from the actual first train running on light rail. Everything planned for preparation and celebration of that significant date in the district’s life needs to get under way soon as things are starting to percolate along the avenue: the Gremlin Theater is hoping to have found a new home within blocks of its old one, the new owners of the Anodyne Theater & Gallery are talking about a housing development on their site which would feature various energy technologies, the C&E apartments are filling up and there are rumblings about other projects and tenants interested in the area. I don’t think I would say the CEZ is on fire just yet, but things are definitely heating up…D12 moved their elections from April to November to try to encourage more participation. Makes sense to me.

SCHOOLS – Last week I mentioned that two teams from StAP Elementary School are going to the Global Destination Imagination competition in Tennessee at the end of the month. I was immediately alerted to the fact that two Murray teams are going as well. Much fundraising to be done, but a great honor and tribute to our schools and kids…the elementary school principal, Ann Johnson, made good on her promise to milk a goat last week. She had vowed to loosen up her fingers if the kids read over 270,000 minutes of books during their spring read-a-thon and they did, raising over $12,000 for the school library. She succeeded in getting some milk into a pail, can’t wait to see what she comes up with for next year.

StAPnotes - Chanson Voice and Music Academy, a professional music school with voice as its primary focus has moved into a storefront on Raymond Avenue near University Avenue. Director Diana Grasselli, has an extensive background in singing all over the country and training top talents. You can read more here. In early June the library will close for repairs and move its summer reading events to the United Methodist Church. Reopening is planned for Aug.1…the Shanghai Quartet elicited smiles and appreciation for their appearances at the Senior Home and the schools. Thanks to Julie Himmelstrup and the Schubert Club for coordinating the event with financial support from the Foundation.

That’s all for now. Take care of yourself and be a good neighbor.

What I Know 4-24-13

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 20:21:18 +0100

Summer is in the air…soon we’ll be able to leave the snowmobile suit at home when we attend a Twins game.

I attended the annual meeting of the Central Corridor Funding Collaborative this morning. For those who aren’t aware, the CCFC was formed by a group of local foundations that pooled a relatively large amount of money (millions) to leverage the impact of light rail along the central corridor. In the past few years, they have funded hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of projects to either maintain or develop neighborhoods, businesses and planning along University Avenue. They have promoted community-building art and placemaking initiatives – for instance, partnering with the Saint Anthony Park Community Foundation to support the visioning process for the Creative Enterprise Zone.

Their impact along the corridor has been substantial and they have done their best to engage and encourage neighbor participation in all affected communities. Many members of those communities were on hand this morning to update attendees on their progress. There were stories of hard work, of challenge, but ultimately of success by the various cultures and communities represented. Little Mekong, Rondo, Midway, Lowertown, the Creative Enterprise Zone…all were mentioned as areas where community organization and energy are making a difference.

Much to celebrate and look forward to, but the true test will come when the Collaborative shuts down and the ongoing health of these communities is determined by feet in the street. Is the economic soil rich enough to produce sustainable crops? Will the farmer/entrepreneurs be able to grow their fields and find interested buyers for their products? I am an optimist and feel light rail is a critical piece of infrastructure for the future of our metro, but I also am a little nervous about the lack of coordination I sometimes see between all of the players. I hope St. Paul finds the funding to hire someone to be a transit development czar and that they can find someone with credibility in all sectors who has the ear of the Mayor and City Council. There is so much at stake, this is no time to be pennywise and pound foolish.

D12 – The Creative Enterprise Zone is official! The City Council approved adding language to the city's comprehensive plan identifying our southern district as a hub for light industry and artists. What does that mean? Well, it doesn’t mean we’ll be getting tax credits, special zoning or design standards for creative businesses setting up shop near or along University Avenue anytime soon, but it does mean there is a possibility of those types of incentives coming down the line. Most importantly, it means the city recognizes the enormous amount of community building that has been going on down there for the past few years to create an identity that supports the important intersection of business and creativity that makes the area unique. Kudos to D12, CEZ chair Catherine Day, and to the StAP Community Foundation for understanding the importance of working to bring consensus around a vision for the future.

I was a part of a conversation facilitated by Lauren Fulner-Erickson, our D12 Community Organizer, about solutions for the challenging traffic situation on Como Avenue near the elementary school. Our city councilman, Russ Stark, his legislative aide, Samantha Henningson, and Beth & Jon Commers, nearby neighbors and parents of elementary school students, were on hand to look at ideas brought forward by the city to alleviate the high speeds and blind corners that endanger pedestrians on the Commonwealth to Cleveland strip of road. While no final decision was reached, it does seem as if moving the crosswalk at Commonwealth and putting up a median or something to slow traffic down around the school zone is the agreed on approach. Whatever is decided will happen next year in conjunction with resurfacing that stretch.

SCHOOLS – In what is becoming a longstanding tradition, seven St. Anthony Park Elementary School teams competed at the Destination Imagination State Tournament last weekend. Two of the teams were invited to compete in the Global Finals in Knoxville, Tenn. on May 22-25. DI is an annual competition where teams create projects and presentations around selected themes. Don’t be surprised if a team member knocks on your door to see if you need any help with spring chores, they’ll need to raise some money to pay for transportation, food and lodging. Way to go, kids!...there’s a meeting tonight at 5pm at the elementary school to talk about the replacement trees donated by neighbors to replace those lost to the ash borer infestation. The Foundation coordinated the fundraising effort and has received a list of future losses in our parks from the city. More fundraising will be announced soon to cover the cost of those replacements…the St. Anthony Park-Murray Transition Committee held an event last night at Murray to talk about athletic opportunities for the incoming 6^th graders next year. If you couldn’t make it you can call Principal Tim Williams directly at 651-293-8740 or online. There are a number of links to info about Murray for interested parents and students, here are a few: Murray Spring Newsletter, Murray FAQ, Transition Info, Bussing Info.

Como Park HS is hosting a Spaghetti Dinner on Fri, April 26 from 4:30-8 pm, sponsored by the Booster Club and hosted by Como Park Lutheran Church. It’s a fundraiser for the arts, clubs and athletics programs at Como. The jazz choir will be singing and there will be prize drawings.

LISTSERV – The Schubert Club is bringing internationally acclaimed Soprano Jessye Norman to the Ordway next Tuesday, April 30. She is the real deal, tickets still available at 651-224-4222…St. Paul Farmer’s Market is kicking off the season on May 4. 7am-1pm Sat. and 8am-1pm Sun. until November…Two homes in our neighborhood will be on the Minneapolis/St. Paul Home Tour this weekend: 2286 Doswell (Flo McNerney); and 1384 Raymond Ave (David Burke). Times are 10-5 Saturday and 1-5 Sunday. For more information, look for the flyer at the local library or here…The St. Anthony Park's Boy Scout Troop 17 is holding a Spaghetti Feed Fundraiser this Tues., April 30th, at 6:00 PM to send troop members to the National Boy Scout Jamboree in West Virginia this July. The event is at the SAP United Church of Christ (Corner of Chelmsford and Commonwealth.) Cost is $10/person or $25/family.

StAPnotes –The Schubert Club/Music in the Park Series will bring the Shanghai String Quartet to the St. Anthony Park Home on Saturday, April 27, at 10:30 A.M. They will be at StAP Elementary School on Monday, April 29 at 9 AM. (These programs are funded in part by the Arts Midwest Touring Fund and the Saint Anthony Park Community Foundation). The chamber music concert on Sunday at SAP UCC will feature music by Schubert, Bartok, Beethoven and Zhou Long…St. Anthony Park Neighborhood Sings! Is coming up on May 6 at 7pm. Local musicians, Dan Chouinard & Ann Reed will lead attendees in great American songs and requests. Lyrics will be provided. Social & gathering time starts at 6:30 at the Luther Seminary Olson Student Center, 1490 Fulham, 2nd level. Event is free, but they’ll pass the hat for the musicians. Co-sponsored by St. Anthony Park Community Council…Spring brings car break-ins. Don’t leave any valuables in your cars!

That’s all for now. Take good care of yourself and be a good neighbor.

What I Know 4-17-13

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 22:33:05 +0100

Spring is a time for new possibilities. Even if we can’t see much of that reflected in nature yet, that energy is certainly evident around the Foundation with the arrival of our annual grant cycle. This year we have our largest grant request total in our 13 years of awards, $68,000 from 23 applications. Those requests have come from well-known non-profits like our schools, D12, St. Anthony Park Area Seniors, Music in the Park Series, etc. They have come from larger, established orgs like Big Brothers & Sisters, Store-to-Door and Keystone. They have also come from smaller non-profits you may not have heard about like Urban Boat Builders, a charter school that teaches high school kids the crafts necessary to build canoes and kayaks.

What does the volume of requests mean? It certainly means the level of need is high. It also means this period of annual government budget cuts has spawned more and more groups trying to provide the services no longer covered by the state and city. I’d also think it reflects the concern, creativity and energy that scores of neighbors are bringing to the problems we see all around us. That all makes deciding who gets grant awards a very difficult task.

The Foundation Grants Committee spent time last week winnowing the large group down to a smaller group of especially deserving projects and initiatives, balancing the needs of big ideas with those of smaller but still critical initiatives. Their recommendations will now go to the full board next week for final approval. That means a representative group of 23 neighbors (24 including me,) with their diverse skills, varied interests and unique perspectives, will have considered all of the requests and done their best to support the ones that will have the most important impact on our area. Stay tuned…

D12 – This Saturday is Earth Day and to help celebrate you can stroll over to the Kasota Ponds to help with the annual clean-up (donuts, coffee and juice will be provided) from 9-11am. Then grab some lunch and head to the StAP Lutheran Church for the big Transition Towns event from 1-4pm. There are kids activities, music and info, lots of it, on ways we can become involved in using less energy.

SCHOOLS - Organizers at StAP Elementary School are still looking for about 90 volunteers to help with this year's Spring Carnival on May 3. This is a big fundraiser and lots of fun. Email Beth Commers…Also, their annual Flower Sale is Wed. May 8, and Thurs. May 9, 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Support the school while sprucing up your garden. If you want to volunteer, please contact Cristy Gaffney…I got chance to meet some of the students and their parents from the Murray-Wolfridge Environmental class last Saturday. They were finding out about what their 2-week stay at Wolfridge this summer was going to be like. Lots of research and lots of fun, they were told by the staff. As part of their scholarships, each student was given contact info for senior services in their neighborhood by Mary Hayes, head of the St. Anthony Park Area Seniors, so they can find out how to give back. The Foundation is really excited to be a part of this innovative program….at Como Park HS the Booster Club is hosting a Spaghetti dinner on Fri, April 26 from 4:30-8:00 pm at Como Park Lutheran Church. The Booster Club supports the arts, sports programs and club activities. For more info, contact Jill Kottke.

LISTSERV – The UMC Nursery School will continue to collect your old laptops/notebooks and cell phones, ipods and digital cameras (in working order or not – they do NOT need the chargers), ink jet printer cartridges, and any gold, silver and platinum jewelry through April 21. You can drop them off at 2200 Hillside Avenue. The large purple bin in front of the Saint Anthony Park United Methodist Church office doors remains for collections…there will be a Neighborhood Sing on Mon. May 6 from 7-8:30pm at Luther Seminary’s Olson Student Center, 1490 Fulham, 2nd level. The event is free; a hat will be passed for guest musicians, Dan Chouinard & Ann Reed who will lead the singing of great American songs and requests. No experience or trained voice needed. Co-sponsored by St. Anthony Park Community Council.

StAPNOTES – Gremlin Theater on University Avenue in the CEZ (Creative Enterprise Zone) has found a potential space in the area to move their award-winning organization. Artistic Director, Peter Hansen, showed me some preliminary drawings for a location within a few blocks of their current space. It isn’t final yet, but keeping this wonderful theater in our neighborhood would be a coup. I’ll keep you posted…I had a chance to chat with Tanya Bell last week. Tanya has been an important part of the Wellington Management Company for a number of years and has recently decided to move out on her own as a consultant. She still offices part-time out of Wellington’s HQ and will continue to work on projects with them. She is a really gifted person and has been very helpful in the CEZ. Having Tanya continue to work in the area and provide her perspective is a big plus for our neighborhood and the city…Just saw a segment on KARE-TV about the Emily Program “Taking the Pledge” with recycling. They shot the piece at their Como Avenue offices. Way to go, Emily’s!

What I Know 4-10-13

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:46:03 +0100

Looks like winter has finally arrived – wait a sec…it’s April. Had a little seasonal confusion there. But this weather will pass – say what? Another couple weeks?! Okay, let’s hunker down and get through this…

There’s a big Transition Towns informational event Saturday, April 20 at the StAP Lutheran Church from 1-4pm. Games, music and each of the groups tackling a different category of fossil fuel impact will be presenting their progress and ideas. It will be a really good way to see this important and interesting process for yourselves. The key word buzzing around all of these groups is “action.” Their ideas do not concern theoretical “what ifs” or “a few years down the road” approaches. They want to identify ways we can start lowering our carbon footprint yesterday. I think that’s what has driven the healthy participation in our neighborhood. C’mon down, it’s free.

I am serving on the Solar group and we have met with several people who have expertise in the area of community solar -a community organizer and a lawyer who as worked extensively with both wind and solar community start-ups. We are all very excited about the potential but there’s much to do. I’ll keep you informed. If you want to know more about all the groups, here’s a link.

My STAR board meeting this morning featured Cecile Bedor, the head of St. Paul PED. We had a good conversation about coordinating both resources and vision to leverage light rail’s potential to spur development and prosperity. Toward that end, she reported that they are considering the creation of a new position that would facilitate Transit Oriented Development in the city. That sounds like a great idea, especially if that person could coordinate the strategies of the city and its agencies to make an easier handshake for businesses with an interest in locating or expanding along the corridor. Here’s hoping they find the money and get someone good on board quick. Times a’wastin’.

I had a nice conversation with Bill Frame, the interim COO of Luther Seminary. Rick Beeson from Sunrise Banks was on hand as well. The Seminary is definitely going through a difficult passage right now as they try to get their financial house in order. Bill led Augsburg College from 1997-2006, building very successfully on his predecessor (and StAP neighbor) Charles Anderson’s vision for a diverse “college of the city.” He has also been a banker and COO at Pacific Lutheran and Tonka Toys, so he brings an impressive resume to the task. As the Sem rethinks its strategy for a sustainable future, they are very mindful of their important place in our community and are committed to seeking feedback for their thoughts and plans. That engagement with our community is a wonderful legacy from former president, Rick Bliese and his COO, Don Lewis. There will certainly be more changes on the way, but it’s reassuring to hear that the community’s interests are a top priority in their planning.

D12 – Streetcars on Raymond Avenue? The city is conducting a feasibility study to see if St. Paul and light rail would benefit from streetcars on some north-south streets and Raymond Ave is one of the key corridors they’re thinking about. Find out more at the Transportation Committee meeting next Monday, April 15 from 6:30pm - 8:00pm at the SSA Rec Center…found a couple other interesting developments at the Land Use meeting last week. Another brewery, Urban Growler, is set to sign a lease on a space right next to the new Bang Brewery (which should be serving soon) just south of the RR tracks in SSA. They are planning an 80 seat tap room and beer garden and plan to start serving this fall…the vacant lot next to the Dunn Bros on University Avenue might see a 6 story apt. complex in the future. Plans were presented for mostly market rate with some affordable apts to be built in the next year…The lot next to the Hampden Co-op has sold and will become the new offices of neighbor Marty Ruddy’s Terra Firma construction company. Don’t know when the construction will begin, but there’s an old saying, “the shoemaker’s children are the last to be shod.” As you can imagine, with my name, I heard that a lot growing up. We always had shoes, but my Dad was a pastor. Hopefully, Marty can take a break from his home remodeling projects to get it done. By the way, one of Marty’s carpenters, Andrew Bussey, has been a big help on the Transition Town Solar group. He presented our group’s progress to the D12 Land Use committee last week…the Creative Enterprise Zone continues to percolate with event planning and community building. The amendment to the District 12 Plan incorporating language recognizing the Creative Enterprise Zone passed through the Planning Commission and is going next for approval to City Council. Yay! Visit their website to find out more.

SCHOOLS – StAP Elementary will be getting some new trees soon to replace the ash trees recently cut down due to the increasing ash borer infestation. A group of neighbors stepped forward with the money to cover the cost of the trees. The city doesn’t have the dough to replace all the ash trees in the city as they come down, so they are looking to local groups to help with financing. We're getting an inventory of our park ashes and will need to do some additional fundraising to replace them all. Stay tuned. Thanks to school parents, Anne Aarness and Beth Commers for organizing the effort...Beth is also looking for volunteers to help with the school’s spring festival on May 3. Always a fun event, call Beth at 651-247-7009 to help…I’m looking forward to accompanying Murray’s environmental class as they do some research in Como Park next week. There’s a parent meeting for this innovative class this Saturday where we’ll get a chance to know each other a little better. I’m told it’s a great group…here’s a forward thinking program, Como High School offers an Academy of Finance which connects students with the world of financial services, offering a curriculum that covers Principles of Finance, Banking and Credit, Accounting, Global Business, and Entrepreneurship. They also work closely with the Cougar Branch of the Saint Paul Federal Credit Union. Students in the Academy, share 3 courses together including one of the above business courses and 2 core content courses required for graduation. In addition, students have the opportunity to participate in work experiences, internships in Fortune 500 Companies, as well as receive college credit for taking CIS and AP courses at Como Park Senior High School. Sounds great.

LISTSERV – an interesting conversation about making light rail free during off hours got some input over the past few days. Costs of policing vs benefits of use came up and, of course, other concerns/ideas were voiced about impact on the other line and the fact that the U is never off peak, etc. What do you think?...Sat. April 23, 2,000 bales of straw will be for sale at the north parking lot of the fairgrounds. Apparently, straw bale gardening is the new thing. Google it and see.

StAPnotes – Music in the Park Series family concerts (supported by the Foundation) are happening this Friday at 6:15 & 7:30 at St. Matthew's. It's the Lau Hawaiian Collective, titled "Water Music", with songs, stories, the hula, all on the theme of fresh water for all ages. More info here. Limited availability at 6:15, tickets still available for 7:30 P.M. Speaking of the Schubert Club, they are celebrating their 130 anniversary with a concert by international vocal giant, Jessye Norman on April 30 at 7:30 pm at the Ordway. You can get $5 off with this promo code “5jessye” She really is an incredible artist, so go if you can.

That’s all for now. Take care of yourself and be a good neighbor.

What I Know 4-3-13

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 18:12:32 +0100

I just got back from a tour and informational exchange of ideas with MayKao Hang, the Executive Director of the Wilder Foundation. MayKao is a St. Paul native (her family immigrated from SE Asia when she was 7) who has spent time at Wilder and Ramsey County, so she has a very good understanding of our city’s needs and opportunities. I visited there with neighbor and StAP Foundation board member, Eric Nicholson, and we were both very impressed by the depth of Wilder’s community-wide programming and the detailed knowledge and expertise MayKao brings to the table. We are very lucky to have her as involved as she is in our city affairs.

Wilder is one of those places that seems to have their name attached to many city-wide initiatives but, depending on whether you’ve used their services or not, you might not know exactly how to put your finger on their main mission. I don’t know if MayKao would agree with this but they seem to be an organizing institution for much of the service provided to people who have no other place to go. That includes family & child mental health, early childhood education, leadership training, older adult and caregiver support, housing…the list goes on, as does Wilder’s connection to the city, other foundations and the multitude of service organizations that constitute our East Metro safety net.

They also have an amazing research center – MN Compass – that regularly churns out data for a variety of organizations detailing demographics, needs and trends in our metro area. A small but helpful service they provide to all neighborhoods is a detailed demographic breakdown by district which is available on the D12 website here. Wilder is also a major player in the Promise Neighborhoods Initiative that is promoting academic achievement through a program of comprehensive community support. Wilder is a great organization with great leadership. If you’re interested in finding out more, here’s a link to their website.

D12 – the All Saint Anthony Park Transition Festival – “Smaller footprint. Stronger community” is happening Saturday, April 20 from 1-4pm at SAP Lutheran, 2323 Como Ave. Learn about and join an action group to make change while enjoying local music, crafts, kids activities, films and more.
Hosted by the Energy Resilience Group.

April’s Green on the Screen offering is Passive House—A Building Revolution which looks at how houses can be comfortable and use less energy. It will be shown Saturday, April 6, at 1 p.m. at the Methodist Church…The City will be conducting smoke tests of the sewer system from April to mid-June. An informational meeting will be held on April 10 from 4-7PM at the St. Anthony Park Library. For questions, call 612-219-4231…Spring really is coming and if during your annual clean and toss you find you have usable household items that you no longer need, post them on the Twin Cities Free Market. This program is part of Eureka Recycling's zero waste mission, and helps keep items out of the waste stream.

SCHOOLS – StAP Elementary School will be getting some new trees in the park nearby soon. 8 trees were removed due to the ash borer and the city doesn’t have the resources to replace them what with the city wide epidemic, so the Foundation made some private solicitations and came up with the money to cover it. Thanks to those anonymous friends of the park and school who came through….the school was mentioned in a Strib article this morning about the new choice lottery in the St. Paul Public Schools. StAP Elementary was singled out as a “perennial favorite…with a long waiting list.”…Como High student Marshal Landrum was a recipient of the 2013 Excel Award given to juniors who excel both academically and athletically. He is one of 32 statewide that received this award AND the only one from St. Paul or Minneapolis. Nate Schermerhorn, Ellen Purdy, Isabella Ensz, and Ritchie Gulner placed in the state's top 30 in the Minnesota Brain Bee this year. Way to go Como!

Listserv – Joy of the People soccer club is continuing to think big. They scored an $80,000 grant from the Naitonal Soccer Association to help build a synthetic soccer field over at the SSA Rec Center and now are pushing a bigger vision of play grounds, sand courts and walking paths for the greenspace. Find out more here…neighbors report our turkeys are beginning to get down and boogie as they dance to attract a mate. Show caution when observing, they take that mating thing pretty seriously…a neighbor sent this link to an article about Luther Seminary’s recent struggles. There have been some belt-tightening and lay-offs over there as they wrestle with the fallout from a tough economy and declining enrollment. This is a nationwide trend and the people in place at Luther who are dealing with a very difficult set of issues are the best…the Goldstein Museum of Design is rolling out a spring event called, "Fashion Redefined: A Day to Celebrate Eco Fashion!" on Sat. April 6 form 10-4pm on the St. Paul Campus. Advance registration is required.

StAPnotes – Anders Himmelstrup, neighbor and artist supreme, is hosting a book signing tonight at Micawbers at 7pm. It’s a collection of some of his favorite paintings from over the years and it is a lovely chronicle of a very talented colorist. Stop by and have him sign a book…Sandra Weise, the new owner of the Bistro has already revised the menu and is looking forward to other changes and innovations in the future. She is an energetic addition to our retail district, it’s great to have her back…caught sight of Rick Beeson, the newly appointed Government Affairs Director for Sunrise Banks (heard about the name change?) at the dedication of the new Gopher baseball stadium. (Actually, I’m not sure that’s his real title but they haven’t posted it on the website yet, so it’s a good guess.) He was making an appearance in his role as U of M Regent, I’m sure, but is a dedicated gopher fan. Enough with the baseball, Rick, now get us a good basketball coach.

That’s all for now. Take care of yourself and be a good neighbor.

What I Know 3-28-13

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 18:39:18 +0100

Sorry for the delay, I was down in Orlando at Disney World wearing my other hat as a meeting planner. It was interesting with all our recent conversations around planned communities to spend time in a hyper planned community. While one can argue about the impact to children’s imaginations and health (and parents sanity, especially during spring break madness) the infrastructure set up is really amazing. Granted, Disney was starting from scratch and had free rein to do whatever Walt wanted, but they devised ways to move people around that are incredibly efficient.

I ran into a neighbor down there who was attending a medical conference and brought the family. He was particularly impressed by the concept of the Fastpass. For those who haven’t been to Disney amusement parks, it’s a system that allows guests to reserve a time for the popular rides so you don’t have to wait in the long lines. It allows Disney to aggregate the riders more evenly throughout the day. My friend was going to take that idea back to his medical clinic to see if it might help them avoid “rush hours.”

Then there are the constant circulator buses taking people to all of the amusement parks, taxis to area amenities (paid for with vouchers as part of packages or courtesy arrangements,) bikes, pedal surreys for four, motorized carts for the disabled and wide endless walkways. Ways to get around and access for all ages and abilities.

While much of this is made possible by the large volumes of people involved and not specifically applicable to our community, I think it reminds us that even if we aren’t starting with a blank slate like Disney, it is sometimes freeing and necessary to think of the larger goals we hope/need to accomplish and work backwards. Too often, potential solutions are stopped in their tracks by limiting our thinking to what currently exists or the way we do things now. Think Galileo, the internet and something as everyday as the watch on most of our wrists or electronic devices. All time-keeping devices used to be mechanical. The Seiko company that led the time-piece revolution didn’t ask how to make mechanicals better, they asked how to keep time better.

So, what do we want to do better? Housing, energy use, transportation. For the most part we all can agree on the goals and I think we can also agree that what we’re doing now isn’t working very well. New systems wanted, apply now. What seems currently impossible, inconvenient or impractical might become very possible and necessary in just a few years as resources and circumstance change.

D12 – The Transition Town groups have been paying particular attention to the energy bills moving through our state legislature. There are several bills, a couple introduced by John Marty and Alice Hausman, that would encourage energy reduction solutions on a community level. Sounds like they are working to consolidate the different bills into one comprehensive one. There are also bonding bills that would provide money for area business ventures and improvements…Nice interview on the D12 website with neighbor Christina Morrison who used to be a St. Paul City planner and now works for Metro Transit. Among other things, including her interest in genealogy and love of StAP, she talks about transportation needs in the urban core.

SCHOOLS – Timberwolf, Greg Stiemsma, visited the StAP Elementary School as a reward for the 5^th graders reading over 1,000 pages as part of the Read to Achieve program…16 Como students moved on to the State level of the History Day Competition which will be held at the U of M on May 4^th…the Como choir performed in concert at Carnegie Hall in NYC recently.

LISTSERV – the St. Paul $1M Challenge is still seeking ideas until April 3. Submit an idea that could help transform St. Paul for the better and you might win the money to get it accomplished. Check it out…more reports of a coyote or several seen around College Park. I haven’t noticed as many rabbits this winter, but that might be a coincidence. I have seen a large hawk that might be competing with the coyotes. I don’t think it’s a red tail but it sure is big…The D12’s Green on the Screen series is presenting a look at the Keystone pipeline entitled White Water Black Gold on Tues. April 2 at 7pm at the Methodist Church…also on film at the Grandview theater tonight at 7pm is the Price of Sand about fracking and its impact.

ST.APnotes – Our branch library will be closed for remodeling for about 6 weeks starting in May. Exact scheduling is still being determined, but there will be user-friendly improvements to several areas. The lower level will still be open for the summer programming events…finally, I don’t always make mention of the passing of our residents even though many have lived interesting lives and are dearly missed. I’m going to make an exception in the case of Paul O’Connor, who recently died at the age of 92. There’s a nice obit in the Strib this morning that describes a pretty special guy. Involved early on in the Manhattan project developing nuclear capabilities, he quickly understood the potential for destruction and opposed its use for both weapons and energy. He then dedicated himself to making science more available to students of all ages which led the family to live in India for several years where Paul helped upgrade that country’s system of higher education. Health issues eventually forced another change of focus and he spent the remainder of his life becoming a significant weaver nationally known for his abilities with difficult stitching techniques. He was quiet but intensely devoted to his art and family. Sympathies to his family, especially son Mike & his wife Marcie and their sons, Robert and Richard, who have been longtime St.AP neighbors.

That’s all for now. Take care of yourself and be a good neighbor.

What I Know 3-20-13

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 18:04:15 +0100

Let me join the ironic refrain du jour: Happy First day of Spring! I personally am trying to make the transition to a more open expectation of weather systems in this new age of climate change. That philosophy can be characterized in four simple words that encapsulate all of the vagaries inherent in predicting our evolving weather patterns: Get used to it.

Abnormal is the new normal. The calendar announcing the first day of any of our seasons is based on a rapidly receding weather past. My fear is that the next major calendar iteration will need to arrange itself around natural disasters like: First Day of Flooding, First Day of Tornados, First Day of Forest Fires, etc. I wish I was exaggerating for comedic effect, but even if we do something radical to counteract the warming trend causing these disturbances, we won’t see an impact for decades. All the more reason to start getting very serious, now.

D12 – The Transition Towns movement continues apace. Ideas are being advanced for home and community energy initiatives, trash & recycling alternatives, snow-free sidewalks, group transportation options and a variety of creative ways both large and small to improve our community’s ability to lower our carbon footprint. Smaller groups arranged by categories are setting up informational websites and exchanging links to solutions from around the globe. There will be a Transition Towns festival on April 20 from 1-4pm at the StAP Lutheran Church so you can see what it’s all wrought so far. Visit the D12 website to find out more about TT and other spring happenings.

SCHOOLS – I’m going to use this space to talk about the Foundation grant cycle as we have a number of education related applicants this year. The deadline for applications was last Friday and the requests will far outstrip our Available to Grant total. For context, thanks to the generosity of our neighbors we have around $30,000 to give out annually. The request total this year is just shy of $70,000. And they are very good requests for very important programs, many that would help our kids in interesting and effective ways, like artists–in-residency, gardening, boat-building and film-making programs. Support for band tours, environmental camps, and even in-school dental hygiene presentations. Just the education-related requests alone would eat up our funding amounts and then some.

That would leave no money for senior care, community development, local food shelves and other service oriented needs. That the needs this year have increased so much is a little surprising given the stock market recovery and generally optimistic economic forecasts for our country. I think we are seeing the results of four years of belt-tightening. There seems to be a lot of money in the business sector but a cautious approach to hiring and a concern for health care costs is making all of us nervous about our futures. My hope is that the upcoming state budget bill will begin to address our major education and health needs in ways that will decrease the reliance on the non-profit sector to keep filling theses growing gaps in our critical public institutions. In the meantime, know that the Foundation will do its best to be good stewards of the funds you have all made available to support our most important assets.

LISTSERV – Reports of a wily coyote perhaps looking to thin the turkey flock have been posted by at least a couple of neighbors in the Eustis woods area. There are those who suggest it may be a grey fox, but the reporters seem pretty certain. Has anyone heard coyotes howling at night? That’s something I don’t think fox do. If you have a small pet and an unfenced yard, you may want to take some extra precautions…The U of M is offering “Classes Without Quizzes” for alumni and friends. There are some very interesting topics being presented such as biomimicry, plant genetics, robotics and something called “Beer & Hops in the Midwest.” Check it out here…the community is still awaiting some solutions for Como Ave traffic calming around our elementary school. Councilman Stark is meeting with the city to discuss options to increase safety from Commonwealth to Scudder.

StAPnotes – The Muffuletta is offering a spring dinner and wine-tasting next Tuesday, March 26. Combine prawn, arctic char, Cornish hen and braised beef cheeks with some Grgich wines from Napa and you’ve got the makings of a spring celebration indoors where the temps are more springlike. Call 644-9116 for info...to get your palates ready, head over to the little wine shoppe tomorrow afternoon for a Free In Store Wine Tasting from 4:30 - 7:30PM…Then head over to the Coffee Grounds Coffeehouse, a half block north of Hoyt & Hamline for music from 7-9pm featuring the Park’s own, Phil Carlson, at 7:00 pm, followed at 8:00 pm by John Whitehead, Steve Caspers and George Domstrand doing old-timey material…a week from tomorrow, March 28, from 7-9pm Thursday, The Price of Sand, a St. Paul documentary by local filmmaker Jim Tittle about the mining of silica sand to be used in hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") will be shown at the Grandview Theatre. The movie tells stories of some of the effects this mining boom is having on the rural communities near the mines…Pilates will be offered for another session from March 21-May 23 at the Langford Park Recreation Center. To register call the Rec center at 651 298-5765.

That’s all for now. Take care of yourself and be a good neighbor.

What I Know 3-13-13

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 18:05:33 +0100

The Transition Towns initiative to lower our neighborhood’s carbon footprint is gaining steam. After two well-attended large group meetings, smaller action groups have been meeting around specific areas of energy conservation such as transportation, alternative energy, housing, etc. I am part of both the transportation (meeting this week) and alternative energy conversations, with solar options emerging as our primary focus in the latter.

Our process coincides with the St. Paul Million Dollar Challenge, which is a competition to identify great ideas to improve our city. There was an informational/brainstorming meeting held at our library last Monday and there were at least two ideas submitted from Transition Town committees. One of the ideas grew out of the solar group and that was to find a community space for a solar array and a way to set up a private entity to manage the harvesting and/or work with existing entities. An early location suggested was our elementary school.

While the solar group is still hammering out a mission statement, the school idea would accomplish some of the proposed goals such as replication (could be used across the district,) inclusivity (neighbors could invest in a panel,) education (science classes could be tied in,) and viability (the larger site could generate significant savings for the school or income through a lease.) It’s a start, and it’s the kind of proposal that could become actionable sooner rather than later, which is one of the larger group goals. Stay tuned.

D12 – aside from sponsoring the Transition Towns process and hosting the Creative Enterprise Zone mixer tonight at 5:30 at the Triangle building on University Ave just off 280, the council continues to be involved in the sidewalk plan for the CEZ area, trying to find a new space for the Gremlin Theater and dealing with issues related to property acquisition in advance of light rail. Some of the buildings in the CEZ are being quietly or publicly bought up with an eye toward the future. For the most part these properties are controlled by neighbors within the zone who are active participants in the conversation on shared vision. Others, not so much, so it’s difficult to tell exactly how their interests will play out. In the world of development, transparency is not always seen as a positive and there are some understandable reasons for that. There is a difference, however, between being in the game and holding your cards close to your vest, and not even taking a seat at the table. We’ll see how it all turns out, but the D12 Council and the Foundation are doing our best to stay connected to all players so there are fewer surprises…Speaking of players, Amy Sparks, Lauren Fulner-Erickson and I met with Amy McBeth from the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad Foundation this week. They recently donated $10,000 to help rebuild the Monkey Island playground on Branston. It was a very helpful conversation giving all of us a chance to share perspectives and activity updates. Ms. McBeth was particularly interested in fostering closer relations with our neighborhood through better communication, and encouraged us to reach out early and often when questions or potential conflicts arise. The RR is a huge player in the D12 area and will continue to be, as more and more freight and people are moved on our rail lines.

SCHOOLS – great story in MinnPost about St. Paul’s successful efforts to find common ground between the school district and the teacher’s unions to improve teaching situations. Perhaps they have provided a template for other districts to follow. Ultimately, it’s about what’s best for the kids. We need to find ways to train & support great teachers and then let them teach.

LISTSERV – On March 12, 7-8:30pm at the SAP United Methodist Church, the Green on the Screen film series is featuring Climate Refugees. Here’s the blurb, “The collision of over-consumption, over-population, lack of resources, and climate disruption are causing migrations due to climate.” Sponsored by the Energy Resilience Group…over in Prospect Park, the Gray Panthers and Pratt Community Education are offering an interactive workshop about the challenges of aging and ageism in health care on Monday, March 18th from 6:30-8:00 p.m. at the Pratt School (66 Malcolm Ave.). To register call 612-668-1100 or email jan.thurn@mpls.k12.mn.us. This event is free…the Western District Police Station is holding its monthly community meeting next Tuesday March 19 at 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. at the station 389 N. Hamline Ave. If you have any questions or concerns, it’s the place to be heard…The Saint Anthony Park United Methodist Church Community Nursery School is fundraising by becoming a drop-off site for pretty much all old electronics and some jewelry. Bring your collected items to the big purple collection bin near the Church office doors at 2200 Hillside
Avenue…the Raptor center has a reminder that this is the time of year when baby birds fall out of nests. If you find a baby raptor beneath a tree, don’t move it, contact the Raptor center 612-624-4745 or email raptor@umn.edu.

STAPnotes – I attended MetroIBA’s annual meeting last night at the Intelligent Nutrients building on East Hennepin and I35. This local org of independent businesses is growing fast under the able leadership of Mary Hamel, a former neighbor and Foundation board member. The keynote speaker was Horst Rechelbacher, who owns the building and the business. He built Aveda organic products into a multi-million dollar empire before selling the company and is continuing to research plant science for the benefit of healthy living and the planet. I shared a moving herbal oxygenation moment with local web entrepreneur, Josh Becerra and I believe we are both the better for it…Bang Brewery is getting closer to offering their first craft beer from their SSA location by the RR tracks. Just jumping through some final hoops, but we should be able to quaff a lovely ale very soon.

That’s all for now. Take care of yourself and be a good neighbor.