Like to eat?  Like volunteering?  The Fare For All food-buying club has just begun distributing pre-ordered pre-paid groceries one Saturday morning each month, right in the lobby of Founder’s Hall at Metropolitan State University on East Seventh Street.  This non-profit program is open to everyone in the surrounding community.  There are no financial guidelines and no forms to fill out. 
   With Fare For All, (formerly Fare Share), a variety of food packages are available.  The primary monthly package contains 3 to 5 frozen meats, and a harvest of fresh fruits and vegetables.  That package costs $15 plus a minimal transportation fee.  It is considered to have a value of $28-35. 
   Each participant needs to contribute two hours of volunteer service in the community each month.  Time spent helping with this newspaper, donating blood, shoveling a neighbor’s sidewalk, singing in the choir or helping at a school or nursing home can fill the volunteer requirement. 
   Distribution dates for 2002 are: March 23, April 27, May 18, June 29, July 27, Aug 24, Sept 28, Oct 26, Nov 23 and Dec 14.
   For information on placing a food order at this new Metro State Host Site, or any other Fare For All Midwest location, call the Fare for All offices at 612 331-6870 or toll free at 1 800 582-4291.

East Side Has a New Police Commander

  John Vomastek is replacing Tim Leslie as Commander of the Eastern District.  Leslie was transferred to the lead position in Internal Affairs.  “We wish Tim the best in his new position and look forward to working with John as the Eastern District Commander,” said Karin DuPaul Community Resource Coordinator for the Dayton’s Bluff Community Council.  Vomastek has 24 years experience with the Saint Paul Police Department and is looking forward working with the community to continue to improve the quality of life on the East Side. 

Gardening  Dayton’s Bluff

   This year the Dayton’s Bluff Community Council is starting a new initiative: Greening Dayton’s Bluff, which will focus on neighborhood beautification.  Greening Dayton’s Bluff will work with Up-Front Gardeners (a program that highlights gardeners who have gardens in the front yard and/or boulevard), greening at local parks, community gardens, Buckthorn removal, greening and gardening workshops, and so on.  This program is designed to organize interested neighbors, Block Clubs, and neighborhoods around beautification.
  Participants will receive discounts on plants and gardening materials from local greenhouses and nurseries.  There will be gardening workshops and other events.  Another benefit is that organized Block Clubs, neighbors, and neighborhoods are proactive and safer.  For more information on this initiative call Karin at 651-772-2075. 

Parkway Little League Prepares for 48th Season
By Roy Johnson

   Play Ball!  These familiar words will be ringing in the ears of young ballplayers as Parkway Little League gets ready to begin its forty-eighth season of youth summer baseball.
   Parkway Little League had its early beginnings on the evening of March 6th, 1955 when Mr. Harold Dahlquist, Mr. Robert Wylie and a small number of community visionaries met in the Wylie home on Johnson Parkway.  During this meeting and a number of meetings to follow, these men determined that the East Side had a need for a summer youth baseball program.  In early spring of 1955, application was made to the National Headquarters for Little League Baseball and soon after Parkway received its charter to begin play.  Much work lay ahead for the board members as they anticipated the first game to be played in early June.  At this point in time Parkway didn’t have a budget, a playing field, equipment or uniforms. 
   After a great deal of planning, the Board determined a budget of $2500. A loan of the use of a tract of property was secured from a local businessman.  This parcel of land would eventually be the home of Kroger’s Foods, Country Club Foods, and presently the Electrical Industry Building/IEW Local 110 just southwest of Third and Etna Sts. The initial monies needed to put the program together were raised through a variety of methods.  With permission from the City of St. Paul, a door to door donation campaign was organized and implemented. A letter writing campaign to businesses was started and even local churches donated funds to help initiate the first season. The finance campaign was a success and Parkway was one step closer to playing its first game.  Late in spring of 1955, the field was laid out and the property was graded.  Pipe was sunk and chicken wire was stretched to serve as a backstop.  Snow fencing was borrowed from the city as field barriers and the 7-Up Bottling Company donated a scoreboard. 
   At this point the Board put out a call to the community.  Would there be young athletes interested in playing baseball in a summer youth league?  The response was overwhelming.  Over three hundred young people signed up to participate in a program, which was initially intended for two hundred participants.  After many early spring practices and planning, Parkway Little League and Pony Leagues played their first game on the evening of June 6, 1955. At the end of the season, the league had raised over $3700 and had spent all but $600.  As luck would have it, the owner of the property informed the Board that he was going to commercially develop the property and Parkway would need to look for a new field.  It was time for a permanent home. 
   After a long search, Mr. Dahlquist narrowed the site locations down to two tracts of land.  One of which was located on the present site of Parkway.  This site was originally three separate parcels of land.  The first two were purchased through a city auction for $420 and $425 respectively, but the last piece of land was a much more desirable piece of property and after a small bidding war was secured for $1725.  The entire cost of the land was $2570.
   The Commissioner of Finance for the City of St. Paul allowed Mr. Dahlquist on behalf of Parkway Little League to pay down 10% of the total cost with the balance to be paid over the next ten years. 
   Again, the Board’s work was only beginning.  The parcel of land that had been purchased had it’s own unique characteristics.  At it’s highest point in the west, the land was fifteen feet above Third St. At it’s lowest point on the eastern edge, the land sloped to thirty feet below Third St. into a sink hole that was then known as “Riffle Lake”.  At this point Mr. Dahlquist approached Mr. Bill Bennett of 3M Co., Inc. and inquired about financial support.  True to its form as a good neighbor, 3M not only provided financial assistance but sent a team of engineers to study the possibilities and solutions needed to solve the challenges of the layout of the land.  Also, at Mr. Bennett and 3M’s invitation, the corporate dining room was made available for Parkway Little League’s use for promotional meetings and business dinners at no cost.
   In early 1956, at Mr. Dahlquist’s request, a dinner meeting was held at 3M’s corporate dining room.  In attendance at this meeting were over twenty-five local businessmen, Father Ryan of St. Pascal’s Catholic Church and Pastor Hasskamp of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church.   Mr. Dahlquist appealed to the businessmen and their sense of community for donations to Parkway to begin work on the field.  Without hesitation the local businessmen stepped forward to assist with the project.  Mr. Nobles of Nobles Engineering donated the cost of the annual land payments and any interest charges.  Other businesses donated large amounts of money so that not only was there enough money to grade the land and finish the playing fields, but to begin and complete construction of the present concession building.  On June 6, 1956 Parkway Little League and Pony League was ready to play their first games in its new permanent home.  The local VFW donated a new American flag and flagpole and the flag was raised by the Air National Guard color guard from Wold Chamberlain Field. 
   The rest is history.  Through the years Parkway has had numerous additions including team dugouts, chain link fencing, batting cages and even an additional field in 1993.  At present Parkway has four different programs for young people interested in playing ball, Tee-Ball for boys and girls ages 5-7, Minor League baseball for boys and girls ages 8-10, Little League baseball for boys and girls ages 11-12, and the Challengers Program for boys and girls youth through young adult for who are mentally challenged. 
   Parkway is a unique program in that it is a totally self-supporting non-profit organization that receives no monetary funding from state or federal sources.  Funding for the program comes only from registration fees, business donations, charitable gaming donations, business advertising on outfield fences, and proceeds from the concession stand.  All staff positions from the Board of Directors to the umpires and coaches are performed on a voluntary basis. 
   The cost of registration fees is $65 per year.  For this fee, young boys and girls will receive a Major League Baseball Team replicated hat, shirt, playing pants, stirrup type socks, insurance, use of bats, balls, playing facilities, playing in 20 to 25 games (depending on tournaments and playoff games), friends and memories that will last a lifetime. 
   Parkway’s registration will be held on four days:
      Saturday – March 9th, 10 A.M. – 2 P.M.
      Tuesday – March 12th, 6 P.M. – 8 P.M.
      Thursday – March 14th, 6 P.M. – 8 P.M.
      Saturday – March 16th, 10 A.M. – 2 P.M.
   Come early to registration because the team rosters fill quickly.  Parkway Little League field is located at 1130 E. Third St. (651-774-8113).

Portage for Youth Markets Portage Pals Doll
by Raeann Ruth

   A new handmade, soft-body doll with distinctly Asian features is carrying big expectations as she is introduced to the public this month.
   The new doll, with the Hmong name “Lia,” is the brainchild of a Saint Paul nonprofit organization called The Portage for Youth.  Lia came into this world last year when The Portage for Youth designed a soft fabric doll that reflected the Asian features of the girls who come to the program for after school and summer activities each day.

Lia was an instant hit with the girls.  When girls weren’t “sneaking out” the one-of-a-kind doll for private playtime, Lia generated a lot of discussion among the girls and program staff about how dolls differ between the Southeast Asian and American cultures and the absence of “play” dolls for children of different cultures.    Many traditional immigrant families have dolls only for decoration or display of traditional dress.  There were no dolls available to hold and dress and play with.  The play dolls that were available where starkly “mainstream American” in features and dress.  “Every girls need a soft, cuddly doll they can relate to,” said Portage founder and executive director Raeann Ruth.  “There are Groovy Girl™ or Lilly™ dolls on the market but they’re not quite right for kids from Asian immigrant or refugee families.  We’ve done a lot of research and found that there are no similar dolls available.  We believe Lia is a first.” The Portage for Youth is a nonprofit after-school and summer arts, education and enrichment program for girls and young women ages 8 to 15 living in the Dayton’s Bluff neighborhood of Saint Paul.

   The organization hopes to make the dolls available for purchase by Asian families and parents with children adopted from Asian countries.  Sales of the dolls will also help generate revenue to support The Portage’s programs.
   “With the often uncertain fundraising environment, we were looking for ways to be less dependent on donors,” Ruth said.  “If the doll sales catch on, it could make The Portage more self-sufficient financially”
   Another unique feature of the project is that the dolls themselves are being handmade by sewers from immigrant families living in the Dayton’s Bluff area.  “The first batch of dolls is actually being made by mothers of girls who participate in our programs,” Ruth said.  “We supply the materials and patterns and the women are able to do the work from home earning as much or more than they can outside the home.”
   The doll itself sells for $29.95 with 50 percent of the price going to support Portage for Youth programs.  One-third of the purchase price is paid to the sewers who manufacture the dolls.
   Lia is the first of what Ruth hopes will be several “Portage Pal” dolls.  Additional dolls for African and Latino girls are already in the discussion stages.  Portage Pal dolls are currently being marketed only through the organization’s website at http://www.theportage.org/dolls where buyers can order and pay for their purchase over the Internet.  “We’ve secured patent and trademark rights to the design and will be trying to develop other outlets for the doll,” said Ruth.  “We have a quantity discount in hopes that local retailers catering to Hmong and other Asian immigrant and refugee families will stock the doll.  We’re also pitching the product to specialty catalogers.”
   For more information about The Portage for Youth or the “Lia” Portage Pal Doll, visit the website at http://www.theportage.org or call or write The Portage at 965 Fremont Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55106, (651) 772-8674 phone, (651) 772-4669 fax or email Raeann@theportage.com.

New Housing Organizer
By Ilean Lee
 

Left to right: Karin DuPaul, Lyman Dayton, Maria Bates Dayton and Ilean Lee, the new Dayton's Bluff Housing Organizer. Photo by Greg Cosimini

   My name is Ilean Lee. I’m the new Housing Organizer for the Children’s Stability Housing Project at the Dayton’s Bluff Community Council. This project is designed to help the parents and children at Dayton’s Bluff Elementary School and also the neighborhood with:
1. Assistance with finding a place to live in the Dayton’s Bluff area.
2. Tenant training in order to improve their ability to stay in stable housing.
3. Assistance with problem solving so they can remain where they are living currently. 
4. Access to trained volunteer mediators to help them settle housing related disputes.
5. Access to homebuyer training and home buying opportunities.
   Before coming to Dayton’s Bluff I was working at Lao Family West Metro Office in Minneapolis. My position was a Housing Counselor and I worked with families who were on Minneapolis Public Housing Authority waiting lists and residents in Public Housing. 
  I would find housing for them in the Seven Counties Metro area, working with a diversity of clients and landlords and dealing with landlords to accept Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers. I also tried to move these people from concentrations areas and place them in non-concentrations areas.  I also did credit checks, solved problems between tenants and landlords, and calculated their income for 40% and 30% to be eligible for Section 8. 

Tenant Training Class Starting Soon
   We also have a Tenant Training Class on March 11 thru 14, 2002. There is no cost, but space is limited to 20 people. It’s free and there is childcare and food.  Please register early to ensure your place.
When:     Monday thru Thursday
                March 11, 12, 13, and 14 
                4:00 PM – 8:00 PM.
Where:    Dayton’s Bluff Achievement Plus Elementary School
                262 Bates Ave.
                In the Staff lunch room.
If you take the class:
1. You’ll improve your ability to find and to stay stable in housing.
2. You’ll learn about your rights and responsibilities as a tenant.
3. You’ll receive a free credit report.
4. We will help you find housing in the Dayton’s Bluff area, if you wish.
5. And, you will also receive one free paid landlord application fee.
For more information please call Ilean Lee at the Dayton’s Bluff Community Council, 651-774-3437

Bluffing with Science
Ghost Bluffers, Part 4: Ghost Photos?
by Greg Cosimini 

   For the last three months I've been talking about how to detect ghosts using various types of equipment such as cameras.  Shown below are some photos I recently took at the Mounds Theater while it is being renovated. Do they show ghosts?  Study the pictures for a bit and then read the discussion that follows. 
 

   All of the above photos were taken with a digital camera using a flash.  There was no heat in the theater so the temperature was below freezing. The three pictures on the left were the only ones out of about 40 taken on two different days that showed any "ghosts".  My purpose in taking the pictures was to document the renovation so I did not have any other ghost hunting equipment set up.
   I suspected that the white clouds might be my breath rather then ghostly ectoplasm.  To test this hypothesis I returned to the theater on two other days and purposely blew my breath in front of the camera as I snapped the photos.  About half of the pictures displayed some sort of cloud. Three of the best are shown on the right. While the clouds in both sets of photos share certainly similarities, they are also different in some ways. 
   So do the photos on the left show ghosts and the ones on the right show condensed water vapor?  Or area they all water vapor, or ghosts? There really isn't enough information to make such a determination. I took many photos in the theater with the same camera during warmer weather and never got any clouds, only a few orbs. On the other hand, I've been told that any ghosts in the theater would be more active once the renovation began because they would be disturbed by all the commotion. 
   I've already been assured by some people that I have real ghost pictures. Being a skeptic, I need a lot more proof, even if I did take the photos with my own camera.  As usual, there are no easy answers. 
   To view similar sorts of photos, visit these websites: http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Rampart/9114/mound.html This site shows a ghost at Mounds Park. 
http://www.artbell.com/ghosts21.html This is Art Bell's web site. It is lot of fun to wander through if you keep a very skeptical outlook. 
--------------------------------------------------- 
Bluffing with Science will appear at random times in the Forum.  It will attempt to relate topics in science and engineering to life in Dayton’s Bluff. That is the goal, not a guarantee.  Please send questions, comments or suggestions for future columns to the Dayton’s Bluff District Forum, Attention: Greg Cosimini, 798 E. 7th. St., St. Paul, MN 55106 or email me at greg_the_skeptic@angelfire.com. 

Dayton's Bluff Home Tour 2002

    The 2002 Dayton’s Bluff Home Tour is being held on Saturday, May 4 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday, May 5 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The tour is once again being run in conjunction with the Minneapolis-St. Paul Home Tour. This year the Dayton’s Bluff tour includes beautiful Victorian homes, a Mounds Park bungalow, a Victorian mixed use building that is being renovated, and a house that was designed by architect Cass Gilbert (who designed our state capital). 
   The Home Tour is an excellent opportunity to relive the history of Dayton’s Bluff while learning about the community that exists there today and getting a glimpse of what it will be like in the future.  We need people to help with the Home Tour. If you can help call Karin at 651-772-2075.  Keep checking  the Dayton’s Bluff website for updates on the tour homes.

Here are the homes tentatively scheduled to be on this year's Dayton's Bluff Home Tour: 

Jeff & Kelly Wallis 
629 Greenbrier

Nick Duncan 
1044 Wilson

Tom & Laura Dobbs 
734 East 3rd Street

Dave & Becky Holm 
382 Maple

Steve Garetez 
700 East 3rd Street

Sean & Jennifer Dunn 
338 Maple

Bob Parker
935 Hudson Road

Upper Swede Hollow Neighborhoods Association
800 East 3rd Street

Contact  Karin at 651-772-2075 for more information.

Letters to the Editor

Thanks from Mee Moua

Dear Editor,
   I am writing to say thanks to the hardworking people of St. Paul’s East Side for electing me as their state senator.  I look forward to representing you at the State Capitol.
   This legislative session I plan to continue in the tradition of Randy Kelly and Bruce Vento.  This means ensuring that the East Side has good paying jobs, prosperous businesses and quality education opportunities.  I am especially excited about helping Metro State University secure funding for a new library and continuing the efforts to finish the Phalen Corridor.
   As the legislative session proceeds, if you have any questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to stop by my office, write me at 323 Capitol, 75 Constitution Ave, St. Paul, MN 55155, call me at 651-296-5285 or email me at sen.mee.moua@senate.leg.state.mn.us  I am your voice at the State Capitol. Do not hesitate to use it!
Sincerely,
State Senator Mee Moua

Prairie Plantings Unnatural for Mounds Park

Dear Editor,
   I am responding to Julia Archer's comments in the December issue. [Editor's note: see below]  I live across the street from these plantings and do not enjoy them at all. I have been here for 30 years and remember better uses of the Park.  I was very, very sorry to see the green turf go.  I don't even know who made this happen.
   I prefer turf to facilitate human, recreational activities.  I like seeing people in a public inter-city park.  Much more needed than this ugliness called a prairie which it is not and never can be.  This is city not country.  The alleged 'natural' plantings are not.  Natural means spontaneous, unfettered.  What has happened in Mounds Park is manipulated, forced and anything but 'natural'. Again this is city not country.
   I am certain there are ample flowering areas in Mounds Park to support benign wildlife.  I don't know why anyone would want to cultivate a habitat for fox, hedgehogs, skunk, raccoon, rodents and other nuisance animals.
   I prefer the green turf for its wide, visual expanse; for providing a safe and open space for all sorts of activities in all seasons.
  Yes, Ms Archer, we do need beauty, vitality and diversity in these trouble times for PEOPLE.

Cordially, 
Helen Morgan

[Editor's note: The following letter was published in the December Fourm.]
Native Prairie is a Natural for Mounds Park

Dear Editor, 
   Recently I received a survey seeking my opinion: do I or do I not enjoy the Native Prairie Grass plantings in Mounds Park? This topic is so close to my heart that I wanted to take the opportunity to answer the survey in a public forum. YES, I do enjoy the native planting. In fact, I would enjoy seeing more public park space restored to its original Minnesota wild flowers and grasses. Here are three reasons why:
1. Biodiversity and Wildlife Habitat. 
   We city humans can buy our imported foods from the grocery store. Our homes contain materials from all over the world but our urban wildlife neighbors must find 100% of their food and shelter in our neighborhoods. Too much green turf and our wildlife cannot find sufficient resources to survive and thrive. Besides us humans, here are a few examples of our wild neighbors who must have biodiversity to survive: bumblebees, butterflies, birds, bats and bunnies. All of these creatures are remarkably beneficial to us in some way, and that’s only one letter of the alphabet.
2. A Healthier Environment.
   Green turf is a high maintenance ground cover. For example, it must be cut regularly. The mega- mowers we use burn gas, spew toxic exhaust and create very high noise levels. Natural planting and landscaping is low maintenance. After all, native plants are ideally suited for our climate. And let’s remember, it needs far less water and no pesticides whatsoever to remain healthy! Our embattled environment is already very stressed. I believe responsible citizens must encourage every possible restorative action, especially a relatively simple action such as encouraging native plant growth.
3. Beauty!
   Minnesotans seem to have a great fondness for the rich colors, smells and textures of nature. I’m very fond of the changing seasons. Since the Mounds Park planting sprouted 2 years ago, I’ve watched the flowers move through spring, summer, fall and winter. Yes, I also enjoy the brown stalks of fall and winter. I’m reminded that we are all part of the same cycle of life. I know that the dying plants carry the seeds of new life. By comparison, acres of green turf seem dull and monotonous. And oh, how we all need beauty and vitality and diversity in these troubled times! So I say again: YES! Let those native areas prosper! Please voice YOUR opinion. You can email the Mounds Park Association at moundspark@earthlink.net or this paper.
Sincerely, 
Julia Archer
Mounds Park

Moundstock 2002 is Coming in June

Moundstock 2002 will be held on June 22, 2002 at Indian Mounds Park.

Join the Fun:
Any food, arts or crafts vendors interested in participating in Moundstock 2002 should contact Raeann Ruth as soon possible at raeann@theportage.com or 651-772-8674 for more information. Volunteers are needed both before and during Moundstock 2002. Additional sponsors are always welcomed. 

Didn't attend Moundstock 2001?  See what you missed!

What: The Portage for Youth invites you to a free outdoor concert.
           This is the second year of a signature community event for
           Saint Paul's East Side with local blues bands,  art and crafts vendors,
           entertainment for the whole family, food and much more.

Where: Beautiful Indian Mounds Park 

When: Saturday, June 22, 2002
             11:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Why: It's a fundraiser for the Mounds Theatre Renovation Project.
          Once completed, this old 1920's movie theater, will become a 
          performing arts center and will provide a new music venue for 
          Twin Cities Artists and Musicians.
         "IT TAKES A WHOLE COMMUNITY TO RAISE ONE THEATER"

Cost: FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE

Keep checking the Portage for Youth website for updated  information.

Recycling Days for Dayton's Bluff

   Recycling bins and lawn signs are available at 798 E. 7th St. If you have a neighbor who does not recycle, talk to them about it. 
   Recycling can reduce your trash by at least 40%.  We are working to increase recycling in Dayton's Bluff.
   All recycling days in Dayton's Bluff are on Tuesday.  Recycling should be on the curb by 7:00 a.m. If you have any questions call 651-772-2075.
   The remaining recycling dates for 2002 are:
March: 12, 26
April: 9, 23
May: 7, 21
June: 4, 18
July: 2, 16, 30
August: 13, 27
September: 10, 24
October: 8, 22
November: 5, 19
December: 3, 17, 31

The Ides of March

Hey Amber,
   Saw your column in the last Forum and thought I would write in and ask a question.  What in the world is the ”Ides of March”?
   S.J.

Dear S.J.
   I had to look this one up as I wasn’t sure myself what the “Ides of March” was.  This is what I found out.  Now we BOTH know.
  Amber.

    The soothsayer’s warning to Julius Caesar, “Beware the Ides of March,” has forever imbued that date with a sense of foreboding.  But in Roman times the expression “Ides of March” did not necessarily evoke a dark mood — it was simply the standard way of saying “March 15.”  Surely such a fanciful expression must signify something more than merely another day of the year?  Not so.  Even in Shakespeare’s time, sixteen centuries later, audiences attending his play “Julius Caesar” wouldn’t have blinked twice upon hearing the date called the Ides.
    The term Ides comes from the earliest Roman calendar, which is said to have been devised by Romulus, the mythical founder of Rome.  Whether it was Romulus or not, the inventor of this calendar had a penchant for complexity.  The Roman calendar organized its month around three days, each of which served as a reference point for counting the other days:
   Kalends (1st day of the month);
   Nones (the 7th day in March, May, July and October; the 5th in the other months); and
   Ides (the 15th day in March, May, July, and October; the 13th in the other months) 
    The remaining, unnamed days of the month were identified by counting backwards from the Kalends, Nones, or the ides.  For example, March 3 would be V Nones—5 days before the Nones (the Roman method of counting days was inclusive; in other words, the Nones would be counted as on of the 5 days). 
   Thus the first seven days in March were: March 1 - Kalends; March 2 - VI Nones; March 3 - V Nones; March 4 - IV Nones; March 5 - III Nones; March 6 - Pridie Nones (Latin for “on the day before”) and March 7 - Nones.
    Used in the first Roman calendar as well as in the Julian calendar (established by Julius Caesar in 45 B.C.E.) the confusing system of Kalends, Nones and Ides continued to be used to varying degrees throughout the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance.
    So the Ides of March is just one of a dozen Ides that occur every month of the year.  Kalends, the word from which calendar is derived, is another exotic-sounding term with a mundane meaning.  Kalendrium means account book in Latin: Kalend, the first of the month, was in Roman times as it is now, the date on which bills are due.
    And there you have it. 

 If you have a question that you would like answered, please write me at: 

Dayton’s Bluff District Forum 
Attn. Ask Amber 
798 East 7th Street 
Saint Paul, MN 55106 
Or e-mail your question to: askamber1@hotmail.com
———————————— 
All answers given herein are solely the opinion of the writer and not the Dayton's Bluff District Forum nor the writers or advertisers or the people and businesses included in the column.  Amber's answers will be researched in depth and are accurate as opinion, but not neccessarily fact.

Trinity Catholic School Science Fair
 

Some of the students who won ribbons in the Trinity Catholic School Science Fair.

   On Tuesday, February 12th, the eighth grade class at Trinity Catholic School held a Science Fair. Members of the class are: Nick Andren, Mario Calliguire, Mai Chang, Jimmy Cusick, Tasya Day, Tim Gaetke, Chris Husnick, Andy Johnson, Nicole Kapaun, Tai Kong, Mike Krieglmeier, Franchelle Ly, Luis Maya, Rachel Moris, James Mueller, Eva Ochoa, Erik Olson, James Rodgers, Adam Thompson, Kyle Wynn and Julian Yang.
   The following students won ribbons as follows: First Place: Eva Ochoa; Second Place: Andy Johnson; Third Place: Luis Maya; and Honorable Mention: Kyle Wynn. The first and second place winners, Eva Ochoa and Andy Johnson, respectively, will be attending the Regional Science Fair on March 8-9, at the University of Minnesota campus. Their parents are Mr. And Mrs. Amador Ochoa and Ms. Carol Johnson. Their science teacher is Mrs. Dianne Erickson.

Metro State Hosts Free Concert 

   Metropolitan State University presents “The Great Winter Festival III:  Songs Without Words” as the third of a four-concert series of the Minnesota Sinfonia conducted by Jay Fishman, on Friday, March 15, at 7 p.m. in the University’s Auditorium, 700 E. Seventh St., St. Paul.  The concert is free and open to the public.
   Music performed will include a Sinfonia-commissioned world premier of Joel Mandelbaum, “Variations on a Shaker Melody” from Appalachian Spring by Aaron Copland, and Death and the Maiden by Franz Schubert.  The concert will feature the Sinfonia Young Artist senior competition winner.
   Although the concert is free, tickets are required.  For ticket information, call Deb Kramasz office manager, University Advancement, at 651-772-7642.  For special accommodations call Disability and Special Services at 651-772-7819 (voice) or 651-772-7687 (TTY).

Violence Prevention Program
By Moira Lynch, Partners for Violence Prevention 

   Partners for Violence Prevention (PVP) has been providing violence prevention education and awareness in the West Seventh community of St. Paul for the last five years.  During this time, we’ve received dozens of phone calls from East Side residents and businesses looking for violence prevention support and resources for their neighborhood.  In response to these requests, PVP applied for some grants to help lead a one-year violence prevention planning process in the Dayton’s Bluff neighborhood and recently, we received funds to do so.
   Representatives from various groups in the community, including schools, faith organizations, recreation centers, law enforcement, health care organizations, violence prevention groups, family and community centers, victim advocacy organizations, other neighborhood organizations and community members, have been invited to participate in this one-year planning process. 
   The violence prevention planning process will include the following components: an assessment of community needs, the identification of a priority issue or issues, and the determination of an action plan.   The next meeting will take place on Tuesday, March 26th.  If you are interested in attending or have questions about the one-year violence prevention planning process, please call Partners for Violence Prevention at (651) 290-2480. 

Learning Center Celebrates Anniversary
By Stacy Carlson
 

Judy Bakula, School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) volunteer tutor, helps student at the East Side Learning Center at 740 York Ave. Photo by Bill Bartlett

   The East Side Learning Center, located inside Johnson Elementary School, is one of those rare places that practically glows with positive energy.  And it is no wonder. The enthusiastic first through fourth graders practically run inside after school to meet with their tutors and the Center itself is filled with hundreds of books and games designed to help young readers succeed.
   The East Side Learning Center is the result of the School Sisters of Notre Dame responding to the educational needs of students on the east side of St. Paul. The School Sisters’ primary ministry is to educate and empower those who are poor, especially women and youth. Thus, East Side leaders approached them four years ago when they began brainstorming on ways to improve the educational system of the area. High population turnover, low socioeconomic base and high immigrant populations have characterized the East Side of St. Paul. The families in the area are not able to afford the tutoring many of their children desperately need. 
   The close match of the need on the East Side with the School Sisters’ mission statement was the beginning of a very active center, and now there are over thirty-five students who are tutored weekly and sometimes biweekly by twenty-eight Sisters, retired teachers and community volunteers. “Our generous volunteers are so important to the Center,” says director Sister Audrey Lindenfelser.  “I don’t know what we would do without them.”
  For more information call 651-793-7300.

Meet with Police

   The Eastern District Police host a monthly meeting with community members to listen to and address people’s concerns about crime and other issues on the East Side. 
 The community meetings are held at the Eastern District police office at 722 Payne on the corner of  Payne and Minnehaha Avenues.
   Please join your neighbors and the police at either meeting. The next meetings are on Thursday, March 14 at 6:30 pm and on Friday, March 15th at 9:30 am.

Why People Litter

  According to Keep America Beautiful, people litter for three primary reasons: 
· They feel no sense of ownership, even though areas such as parks, highways and lakes are public property,
· They believe someone else - a city or state maintenance worker - will pick up after them, 
· Litter has already accumulated - people will litter where litter is already present! 
Let all do our put and make Dayton’s Bluff beautiful.  Reminder: Littering is illegal & shameful. 
PLEASE DON’T LITTER

From Whence the Rubbish?
A fable by Greg Cosimini

   Once upon a time, high on the bluffs of the saintly city by the great river, the Eastparters who lived there were caught up in a profound debate.  It was the time of spring.  The winter’s snows were melting and once again a large amount of rubbish and refuse was appearing all over their fine neighborhood. The Eastparters argued long and loudly about from whence it came and what to do about it. 
   They were divided into two groups concerning its origin. The first group believed in the spontaneous generation of trash.  This group was split into two camps. Some of them thought the trash appeared through magic; possibly evil demons cursed the streets and caused rubbish to appear.  The more scientifically inclined amongst them believed trash grew from omnipresent but very tiny trash spores that germinated under the snow.
   The other major theory postulated that rubbish came from perfectly natural sources, namely, dolts, louts, hooligans and dullards who threw trash wherever they pleased.  Sometimes there ensued a secondary debate concerning the precise definitions of dolts, louts, hooligans and dullards and the differences between them, for some Eastparters had a hard time staying focused on the main issue.
   But what to do with the dolts, and of course also the louts, hooligans and dullards that were making trash of the neighborhood?  That is assuming it could be proven within a more or less reasonable shadow of a doubt that they were indeed the generators of the rubbish. One common suggestion was to throttle them to within an inch of their lives. Another was to draw and quarter them, although most likely this would produce even more trash.  These options were also considered risky because certain laws of God and man would probably be violated in the process. 
   A third solution was to let the local constabulary deal with these evildoers although they showed little inclination to do so.  Besides, these dastardly trashmongers were probably tricky and hard to catch, well beyond the abilities of the sworn protectors of the law.  A fourth idea was that if their places of domicile were discovered, they would be dispatched strongly worded letters telling them they should amend their evil ways.  Others just wanted to deposit the trash upon the culprits’ own streets and greenspaces and let them try to deduce from whence it came.
   No matter the source of the rubbish, almost all Eastparters agreed that it was of the utmost importance to pick it up from where it lay and dispose of it in proper receptacles of waste. There was one fact everyone observed to be true.  Wherever trash lay, it soon went forth and multiplied. 
   Of course there were a few people who thought the trash should be left where it was found.  They reasoned that it was wrong to disturb the natural, or possibly supernatural, order of things.  Most other Eastparters believed these folks to be lazy oafs who didn’t want to get off their massive bottomsides long enough to help clean up their own neighborhood.
   These were indeed complex issues with no easy solutions.  But the Easterparters who lived high on the bluffs could not dwell on them for too long. They were soon to be faced with their next conundrum: from whence comes the rubbish of summer?
                                                                 The End.
Any similarity between this fable and real life is purely intentional.

Don't Become A Victim!

   Thefts from vehicles have dramatically increased throughout Saint Paul. This is especially true in parking lots at local parks, shopping centers and apartment buildings. It takes only a minute for thieves to ‘break into your vehicle to steal your property!
-Please take the following precautions to protect your property:
-Leave all property of value at home or stored in your trunk. Conceal it before you leave home.
-Be aware of people in the parking lot and their location.
-Park in well-lit and easy to observe locations.
-Keep windows rolled up.
-Lock your doors while driving and when parked.
-Don’t hide extra keys under the hood or on the frame.
Help The Police
   Please don’t leave valuables in your vehicle. Property most often
stolen from vehicles includes:
gym bags, laptop computers, spare change, cell phones, cameras, purses / billfolds, power tools & tool boxes, briefcases, checkbooks, car batteries, cassettes / CDs, cassette / disk players.
And shatever catches the eye of a thief!

Buckthorn: Have you seen this plant?
By Sarah Ryan
 

Buckthorn is a shrub native to Eurasia that was brought to North America from Europe in the late 1700s as a hedging material. First planted in Wisconsin as early as 1849, exotic buckthorn species have established themselves as a nuisance and earned a place on Minnesota’s noxious weed list. Some varieties of this invasive woody shrub have thorns; all varieties have poison berries and leaves that stay green and cling to the bushes late into the season, after other plants are bare.     City dwellers may first encounter the ill effects of this plant in the form the mess left by birds around these bushes. The berries have a severe laxative effect on songbirds, which feed on buckthorn fruit and spread the seeds wherever they leave their droppings. Buckthorn seedlings sprout and rapidly take over untended areas, crowding out native flowers, grasses, and trees.  And because buckthorn acts as a host for oat crown rust and soybean aphids, significant damage to two of Minnesota’s major crops is another

 problem associated with this plant.
   There are actually three buckthorn species that grow throughout Minnesota. Rhamnus alnifolia, known as dwarf alder, is native to Minnesota as far south as the Twin Cities. It’s a small shrub that grows in tamarack swamp and wet meadows, and is not considered invasive within its natural range. But residents of St. Paul and Minneapolis are more likely to encounter the exotic relatives of the dwarf alder, which are Rhamnus cathartica, known as common or European buckthorn, and Rhamnus frangula, which is known as glossy buckthorn. These two non-native varieties have historically been used for hedges in our neighborhoods.
   As the problems with non-native buckthorn have become evident, local nurseries have responded. Common buckthorn has not been sold in nurseries since the 1930s, and more recently, several Twin Cities nurseries have voluntarily stopped selling the glossy varieties. If you suspect that you have buckthorn growing on your property, local nurseries, the University of Minnesota Extension Service, and the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture and Natural Resources all provide materials that can help you identify buckthorn, plan for its removal, and select replacement plants. 
   Buckthorn growing on private urban property can be a problem for homeowners because once established, a buckthorn hedge is dangerous to remove and difficult to replace. Removal of buckthorn stands from larger publicly or privately held areas poses still more difficulty. Recent community buckthorn removal efforts in St. Paul organized by local groups such as Friends of Swede Hollow and Great River Greening have had some success at eliminating buckthorn bushes from private and public properties on the East Side and in other Twin Cities neighborhoods. These initiatives have provided safer, more attractive and useable park area. 
   But the ability of this plant to reproduce so rapidly from seed implies that sustained and coordinated removal and control efforts will be necessary to eradicate buckthorn from our river bluff location. Public agencies, including the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, are currently researching the possibility of using insects as predators to control buckthorn, as well as the effectiveness of chemical pesticides to control crop damage. 
   Coordinated identification and removal efforts can help local residents eliminate buckthorn from their yards and our parks. Other St. Paul neighborhoods are currently discussing buckthorn at neighborhood meetings. The Mississippi River Boulevard Preservation Association is opposing a planned buckthorn burn along a five-mile stretch of river bluff near the Merriam Park and Macalester-Groveland neighborhoods in favor of continued study and more neighborhood involvement. 
   The Dayton’s Bluff Greenspace, Arts and Culture Committee, and the Mounds Park Association are also interested in discussing buckthorn removal with neighborhood residents, and working cooperatively to evaluate and address the problems associated with this plant. For more information about Greenspace, Arts and Culture Committee meetings, contact Sarah at 651-772-0408.
   For more information about Buckthorn, visit thiese websites: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fish_and_wildlife/exotics/buck.html
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/information_and_education/publications/volunteer/articles/buckthorn.html
http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/esadocs/franalnu.html

Five Important Reasons Why We Should Recycle

   Saves Natural Resources - By making products from recycled materials instead of virgin materials, we conserve land and reduce the need to drill for oil and dig for minerals.
   Saves Energy - It usually takes less energy to make recycled products; recycled aluminum, for example, takes 95% less energy than new aluminum from bauxite ore.
   Saves Clean Air and Water - In most cases, making products from recycled materials creates less air pollution and water pollution than making products from virgin materials.
   Saves Landfill Space - When the materials that you recycle go into new products, they don’t go into landfills or incinerators, so landfill space is conserved.
   Saves Money and Creates Jobs - The recycling process creates far more jobs than landfills or incinerators, and recycling can frequently be the least expensive waste management method for cities and towns.
   If you would like to start recycling, come and get a blue recycling bin at 798 East 7th Street.  Call before you come 651-772-2075.

Pavilion May Be Repaired In 2003

   For nearly a decade, the Mounds Park pavilion has been officially closed to the public due to structural deficiencies in both the floor and roof. Multiple efforts by the Division of Parks and Recreation to secure the funding to repair these problems have failed to pass the City’s Capital Improvement Budget (CIB) process.
   This past fall, the Division entered this project into the Capital Maintenance Budget process where it fared well enough to be considered for work in the 2002 construction season. Due to some projects Parks and Recreation deemed more important, the pavilion was moved to the 2003 construction season. The full CIB committee passed the list of recommendations on to the City Council where it awaits their approval.
   When the project moves forward, the entire roof and floor will be removed and new ones constructed to create a structure that may again be safely used. No specific end use has been designated though one idea is to add provisions to assist the sound and light operations for performances during such events as Moundstock and the Minnesota Folk Festival, which promise to continue as Mounds Park festivals in the years to come.

Bluff Memories and Musings
By Steve Trimble

60 Years Ago on the Bluff 
   While the December 1941 issues of the Dayton’s Bluff Booster barely mentioned World War II’s outbreak, things changed in the New Year. Local men who had joined the armed forces were heading off for camps and returning on furlough. The January 9th paper said George Carbone was ”another of our Bluff soldiers to spend a few days at home recently.” Another, Delmar Horrisberger, stationed with the Air Corps at Atlantic City, came home for the holidays.
   The Bluff Booster was mailed to any local servicemen who requested it. Art E. Garner wrote from army camp “I like the Army fine,” he stated. “We have drills and K. P., but we have to take the bad with the good wherever we go. Hoping to read one of your papers again soon. “
   Paul Buber wrote: “Sorry I can’t tell you any news, but you realize how things are now, so ‘mums the word.’ Oh yes, as you may see by this letter, I am now a Sergeant. P. S. Get lots of good old Hamms here, so we do have some good things in Missouri.”
   Not everything was war news. Normal community activities continued. The Dayton’s Bluff Commercial Club had its annual on January 16th.  A. R. Brustman was elected president. Other officers included Walter E. Otto, E. J. Heger, Varl L. Larson and H. C. Nonnenacher.
   Starting in January each issue of the paper had cute photos of a dozen or more “Dayton’s Bluff babies.”  They would now be in their early sixties.  Let us know if you recognize any of the names: Darlyne Swenson, 726 Wilson; Sharon Rasmussen, 258 Bates; Marie Slachowick, 929 E. 6th; Richard Flaschin, 942 Conway; Sandra Jean Westphoe, 1223 Reaney; Curtis Wahlberg, 1039 Fauquier; John Beisang, 1042 McLean; Sharon Ann Zimmerman,  1099 E. Minnehaha; Johnny Burnside, 1247 E. 5th; Mary Ann Deinnger, 864 Margaret. 
   Remember the movie “Saving Private Ryan?” There may be another interesting story from our community. February 27, 1942: Bluff resident Art Horrisberger told the press that he had four brothers in the war. Does anyone know them? Did any families top this?
   The same issue of the paper had a large editorial that took community and country to task for continuing politics as usual, squabbling over minor issues and people not being willing to make sacrifices. The last few lines contained the following advice:
“The thing for all of us to remember and recognize right now above all else is that self is secondary. We have a tough war to win. 
Let’s be the kind of Americans that we know we are.
Let’s fight with everything we’ve got.
Let’s quit trying to see who’s going to dominate who.
Let’s not let the boys on the fighting fronts shed all the blood sweat and tears.
Let’s get into a system and stay there.
Let’s win this war.
Let’s get together.”

A Hundred years ago on the Bluff:
   The 1902 society columns of the Pioneer Press and the Globe are a great source for Dayton’s Bluff life a century ago. I continue to be amazed by the number and variety of clubs and their activities. Without television or radio and before the times of autos and even movies, people had to devise their own forms of local entertainment. 
   Jan. 5, 1902:  The Animato Dancing Club announced a party at the Elks Club on Friday; Mrs. Beatrice King of McLean Street had entertained on New Years eve; Mr. and Mrs. Gebhard C. Bohn (he ran a manufacturing concern near today’s 3M) returned from a visit to Chicago.
   The New Century Club was going to meet Thursday afternoon at the home of Mrs. W. Rotegrass. Say, we recently entered a new century or our own. Why doesn’t someone start a New Century Club for today? We’ll give you plenty of notice in the Forum.
   Jan, 20, 1902: The Twentieth Century Mission Band was entertained by Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Northrup on Friday afternoon.” (No, I’m not calling for the creation of a Twenty-First Century Mission band). A chorus under the direction of Mrs. Katherine Gray “will render music at the Bates Ave. M. E. Church Sunday evenings beginning next Sunday.”
   Later in January: The Edelweiss Needle Art Club will be entertained next Tuesday by Miss Lulu Blasing of Maria Avenue; “Teutonic Lodge #129, Auxiliary to the Ancient Order of United Workmen held its installation Tuesday afternoon at Odd Fellows Hall, on East Seventh.” Where do they get some of these names? “The Octavia Cinch Club was meeting in two weeks at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Miesen of East Fifth Street.” Will someone please tell me what a cinch club does?
   Apparently someone didn’t feel there were already enough clubs. An early February paper said “the young people of the Bluff have organized a bowling club, which meets every Monday evening at the YMCA rooms.” A number of women on the Bluff met at the home of Mrs. Frank van Duyne of East Third and organized a “thimble bee,” which was planning to meet every two weeks.

Cooking in The Bluff 
  By Shiela Johnstone

Slow Cooker Lasagna
3/4 lb. bulk Italian sausage
1 medium onion chopped (1/2 cup)
2 cans (15 oz. each) Italian-style tomato sauce
2 tsp. dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (12 oz.)
1 container part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 uncooked lasagna noodles (12 oz.)

Directions:
1) Cook sausage and onion in 10-inch skillet over medium heat 6-8 min, stirring occasionally until sausage is no longer pink, then drain and stir in tomato sauce, basil and salt.
2) Mix 2 cups of the mozzarella cheese, ricotta and Parmesan cheeses.
3) Spoon one-fourth of the sausage mixture into 3 1/2 to 5-quart slow cooker; top with half of 4 noodles broken into pieces to fit. Top with half the cheese mixture and one-fourth of the sausage mixture. Top with remaining 4 noodles broken to fit and remaining sausage mixture.
4) Cover and cook on low heat 6-8 hrs or until noodles are tender.
5) Sprinkle top of lasagna with remaining 1cup mozzarella cheese. Cover and let stand 10 minutes or until cheese melts. Cut into pieces.

Nutrition at a glance
Calories: 350
Fat: 16.0 g
Cholesterol: 78.0 mg
Sodium: 775 mg
Carbohydrates: 27 g
Fiber: 2.00 g
Protein: 24.0 g

Cinnamon-Apple Breakfast Quesadilla
 2 - 6" flour tortillas
1/2 cup chunky applesauce — divided
1 tablespoon cinnamon-sugar — divided
1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese — shredded
2 tablespoons vanilla yogurt — optional

Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F.
1) Place one tortilla on an ungreased baking sheet.
2) Spread half of applesauce over tortilla; reserve half for garnish.
3) Sprinkle half of cinnamon-sugar over applesauce. 
4) Top with cheese and second tortilla.
5) Sprinkle remaining cinnamon-sugar on top.

Bake at 400°F for 6 to 8 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 2 minutes.
Cut into quarters and serve with reserved applesauce and vanilla yogurt.

Nutrition at a glance
Calories 357 
Protein 10g 
Total Fat 23g 
Sodium 323mg 
Cholesterol 196mg 
Carbohydrates 29g 
Fiber 2g 

Fat-Lowering Tips
1) Use yogurt cheese in recipes calling for cream cheese.
2) Try light or nonfat sour cream, yogurts, cream cheese, and cottage cheese in recipes calling for them.

   I hope you enjoy these two fabulous recipes.
   If you have comments, suggestions, a special recipe that you would like to share, or you are looking for a special recipe, feel free to contact me through the Dayton’s Bluff District Forum.
Write to:
Shiela Johnstone
Dayton’s Bluff District Forum
P.O. Box 600511
St. Paul, MN 55106
Email:  shiela@qwest.net

Mounds Theater Renovation Begins
 

The long-awaited renovation of the Mounds Theater at 1029 Hudson Road began on December 26, 2001 with the demolition of the building’s huge chimney. The chimney, which was once needed for the old coal heated boiler, won’t be necessary when modern heating and cooling units are installed on the roof. Likewise, the small building behind the theater that housed the original air conditioning equipment was torn down a few days later.

The New Year saw the roofing portion of the project get underway. Several old roofs had to be removed before a new membrane roof could be installed on top of the theater’s original four-inch thick concrete and steel roof.  This winter’s mild weather let that work proceed much faster and easier than expected. After the roof was completed, brandywine colored flashing and downspouts were added to the theater’s exterior.    Interior demolition work took place concurrent with the exterior work. Many of the lobby, auditorium, balcony and restroom walls were removed in preparation for reconstruction. The auditorium ceiling was also taken down. The remodeled theater will have an open ceiling.    The auditorium walls were stripped of the acoustic tile that had covered them since the 1930s.  This revealed tantalizing portions of the original theater décor.  The original interior will be restored as much as possible if information can be found regarding its design.    The last major demolition project will be the removal of parts of the concrete floor. As soon as that is completed, installation of the new electrical, plumbing and heating systems will begin. Then the floor will be repaired and interior construction will commence.

   At the conclusion of this phase of the renovation, now scheduled for summer 2002, the Mounds Theater will be a fully functional community center.  Future phases will concentrate on the front exterior of the theater, the expansion of the stage, new seating and other interior refinements. A theater organ and updated motion picture equipment will be installed eventually, the timing depending on fundraising efforts.
   The Mounds Theater has been getting more media attention now that the renovation is actually underway.  The Saint Paul Pioneer Press ran a story about it on January 1 and WCCO-TV featured it on their 5, 6 and 10 p.m. news on February 2.  There were also items in the Pioneer Press Bulletin Board section on January 7 and February 10.
   The general contractor for the project is Bob Raddatz of Raddatz and Sons Construction.  The architects are Cornel Bandelin and Matt Dean of Dean Architects. Funding comes from a variety of sources, including a $200,000 matching grant from the Saint Paul STAR program and grants from the Saint Paul, Bigelow, Mardag, Marbrook, 3M and, the Jay and Rose Phillips Family Foundations as well as many private donors.  George Hardenbergh, who owned the building for over 30 years, donated the theater to the Portage for Youth.  Approximately $250,000 is still needed to complete the entire first phase of the renovation.
   For more information about the theater project visit the Portage for Youth website at www.theportage.org and check out the Mounds Theater page.  There are pictures of the renovation in progress and a regularly updated listing of renovation activities.  Anyone who would like to donate to the project or has photos, drawings or even recollections of the theater from the period of 1922 to1950 should contact Raeann Ruth at Raeann@theportage.com or call her at 651-772-8674.

Where Did All the Funding Go?
By Raeann Ruth

   If you are working in a nonprofit organization you are probably wondering the same question as we are at the Portage for Youth, “Where Did All the Funding Go?”
    It began, after the September 11th disaster.  Funding for local nonprofits began “drying up”.  Even during the Christmas season there were no monetary gifts filling the mailboxes of organizations that desperately needed funding.
   As we all know, there was an unprecedented outpouring of money for the victims of the World Trade Center disaster.  The reasons for that are many and understandable.  It is now clear however — despite the persistence of certain fund-raising efforts — that more than enough money has been collected to help all of these people.
   Indeed, the problem is very much in the other direction — how to distribute this largesse effectively and equitably.  Too much of anything, including too much charity, can stress the system.
   Meanwhile, the other systems are feeling the other kind of stress — too little money.  This year there is compassion fatigue.  Hell, this year there is every kind of fatigue; we are all weary and angry and confused and poor.  We gave at the office, we gave at the telethon, and we gave while we wept. 
   So this year, we all have another challenge.  We have to find out where we are needed.
We have to think locally, very locally.  The smallest groups will be the first to go under and a lot of them were just hanging on until New Year’s in the hope of one of those holiday miracles, which didn’t happen.
   These are groups that are largely below the media’s radar.  These are groups that do not have people on every street corner at Christmas ringing a bell, or the backing of celebrities, or 20-page color brochures that you find in your mailbox on a daily basis.  Actually one of these glossy, 20-page brochures costs more to print and distribute than most of the smaller organizations have for a yearly budget.... amazing.
   So, we all need to do some research, right in our own neighborhoods. Look for the small fundraising notices, the causes that involve blankets and shoes for one group of people, or habitat restoration of a small piece of land, or possibly a community theater, or volunteers to help with at-risk kids, or people to bring meals to shut-ins, or after-school programming for children — whatever touches your heart. Find out what needs doing.
   If you don’t, organizations will just vanish.  They will declare bankruptcy. But when these organizations are gone, will you be asking yourselves: “Who will take their place?”  The answer is: “No one.”
   You could prevent this.  The needs of these smaller groups are relatively modest. The money you can afford to give would be important, might be vital, and could be the difference between survival and death.
    The legislators who are now meeting at the State Capitol will make decisions that will affect our children, our programs and our community.  You can help our children by calling our legislators.  Please call our legislators and ask them to support the Prevention and Intervention Programs, especially the After-School Enrichment Programs.  Tell them, “We need help”.  We need them to support and NOT CUT, After-school Enrichment Programs. 
Who do you call?  For the East Side:
     Representative Tim Mahoney (67A) - 651-296-427
     Representative Sheldon Johnson (67B) - 651-296-4201
     Senator Mee Moua (67) - 651-296-5285

Dayton's Bluff Historic District
 

The Dayton's Bluff Historic District is the largest historic district in Saint Paul.  Many Dayton's Bluff residents worked very hard to get the district.  In August of 1992  the Saint Paul City Council passed the resolution that created the Dayton's Bluff Historic District.  The map shows the bounders of the district.

General Information

Take a Hike 
     Dayton's Bluff Take a Hike on the first Saturday of every month meet at 10:30 AM in Indian Mounds Park at Earl Street and Mounds Blvd. We will hike from Mounds Park through Swede Hollow Park and then walk the length of the Bruce Vento Recreational Trail (formerly the Phalen Creek Recreational Trail) to its end, near Phalen Park. Along the way we will share stories and learn some local history of the area. The hike is about 6 miles with some moderately rough terrain. Near Johnson Parkway and Maryland, transportation will be available to return to Mounds Park or you may hike back if you wish. 
     Join recreational trail supporters and explore this recreational trail. The paved trail runs from East 7th Street and Payne Avenue through Swede Hollow to Phalen Park. Dayton's Bluff Take a Hike started in December of 1990 and over the years hundreds of people have attended these events. For more information, call 776-0550. 

Free Acting Classes for Adults 
Dayton's Bluff Recreation Center 
800 Conway Street 
651-793-3885 
Tuesday nights at 6:00 p.m.
Join us. It's fun!