NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
One day last fall, Mary Jo Lawless was out for a walk. She crossed paths with Brenda Ryan. The neighbors had waved to each other in the past, but did not really know one another. This time, instead of going their separate ways, they continued walking together and were soon talking about their shared appreciation of art as well as their neighborhood. It was from that conversation that the Shadow Falls Art Fair came to be. The first-ever event will be held from 9-3 p.m. Saturday, June 11, in the yard at 50 Exeter Place.
Todd Axtell’s tenure as Saint Paul police chief ends on June 1, but his legacy will live on through his efforts to build the public’s trust, diversify the police department, expand opportunities for law enforcement careers and lead through particularly challenging times.
It may be a while yet before Saint Thomas is able to ice the deal for a new hockey arena and softball and baseball fields, but it appears that the university is now focusing its efforts on the Highland Bridge development in Highland Park.
The Saint Paul City Council approved an application for a $942,020 federal grant on May 18 to raise and reconfigure the parking lot on the south end of Hidden Falls Regional Park in order to address longstanding flooding problems.
Time is running out for people to weigh in on how best to allocate
$1 million of Saint Paul’s 2023 Capital Improvement Budget (CIB). An online poll closes on June 3. A public hearing on the subject is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Monday, June 20, at City Hall.
Plans to demolish a West End warehouse and replace it with a one-story commercial building were rejected by the Saint Paul Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) on May 16. The plans called for replacing the 86-year-old warehouse and parking lot at 1324 W. Seventh St. and 671 S. Victoria St. with a new Dollar Tree store and unnamed restaurant.
Presbyterian Homes & Services and its affiliate, Senior Housing Partners, presented preliminary plans to the Highland District Council (HDC) Community Development Committee on May 17 for a four-story workforce apartment building in the southern end of the neighborhood.
Plans for reconstructing Grand Avenue between Snelling and Fairview avenues will be the topic of a virtual meeting from 5:30-7 p.m. Wednesday, June 1. Sign up for the meeting, take a survey and get information at tinyurl.com/2p8ffedj.
The Ramsey County Board approved almost $25 million for affordable housing in May, providing financial assistance for 18 new and existing apartment buildings. Many of the buildings are in Saint Paul, including several downtown and in Highland Park and Ramsey Hill.
Eliminating the required consent of local property owners for certain land use changes in Saint Paul has little opposition if a May 13 public hearing before the Saint Paul Planning Commission is any indication.
Flooding of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers this spring is expected to leave weeks of cleanup work in its wake. Users of boat launches and riverfront parks and trails should be alert to changing conditions.
ON THE TOWN
Guitarist Jeff Ray and harmonica player “Hurricane” Harold Tremblay met in 2009 when Ray was playing a solo gig at J.S. Bean Factory on Randolph Avenue.
SPORTS
Central junior Cole Spitzer might just be the best high school pitcher in the state few people have heard of. But like anything else, if you’re good enough you don’t stay unknown forever.
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Give us those nice bright colors
Wet Paint’s Chloe Knutson assisted young artists at a stenciling demonstration during the Chroma Zone Mural & Art Festival’s kickoff on May 21 on Bradford and Endicott streets in Saint Paul’s Creative Enterprise Zone. Mural-making, tours, artist-inspired events and other activities will follow throughout the summer.
Photo by Brad Stauffer
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May 25-June 7, 2022
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News
Boys’ volleyball vote fails despite spike in interest
The Wright Call By Dave Wright Adding boys’ volleyball as a high school varsity sport should be easy to do—at least in theory. There’s little dispute that volleyball has become a popular addition to boys’ athletics. In a relatively short
Central’s Cole Spitzer sizzles on mound
Central junior Cole Spitzer might just be the best high school pitcher in the state few people have heard of. But like anything else, if you’re good enough you don’t stay unknown forever. The 5-foot-10, 150-pound lefty has a fastball
Redhawks have been pleasant surprise in softball
Coach Meghan Thurow knew she was in the minority in her belief early on that the Minnehaha Academy softball team would be greatly improved this spring. So she might be justified if she’s inclined to muster up a little “I
On the Town Briefly, May 25-June 12
Theater Runestone! A Rock Musical, the larger-than-life story of a Minnesota farmer caught in the whirlwind of an ever growing myth, is playing through May 29 at History Theatre, 30 E. 10th St. The new play by Mark Jensen with
Composed during COVID: Jeff Ray & the Stakes release ‘In the Fire’
Guitarist Jeff Ray and harmonica player “Hurricane” Harold Tremblay met in 2009 when Ray was playing a solo gig at J.S. Bean Factory on Randolph Avenue. “I heard him and asked him to be on my show,” recalled Tremblay, host
District Councils May 25, 2022
Highland Park highlanddistrictcouncil.org • 651-695-4005 Garage Fest—Highland Park’s annual garage sale is back this spring. Garage Fest will take place from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday and Saturday, June 3-4. People can register their sale by May 26 to be included in
Billy’s seeks noise variances for summer events
Billy’s on Grand, 695 Grand Ave., is requesting noise variances in order to have amplified music during a handful of outdoor events this summer. The Summit Hill Association (SHA) will hold a virtual meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 24,
Rodriguez, Wiese to lead city’s parks, inspection departments
Two new city department heads have been named by Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter. Andy Rodriguez will lead the Department of Parks and Recreation, and Angie Wiese will take the helm at the Department of Safety and Inspections (DSI). Both
Public can get in-person look at plans for River Learning Center
Three proposed plans for a Mississippi River Learning Center will be unveiled at an in-person public meeting from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, June 9, at Watergate Marina, 2500 Crosby Farm Road. Three initial design concepts will be presented, along with a
City to lay out options for Summit Avenue regional trail
A virtual meeting to review options for the Summit Avenue Regional Trail Master Plan will be held from 7-8 p.m. Monday, June 6. Participants must sign up at tinyurl.com/22cbm4k4. The city is also taking comments at engagestpaul.org/summit. The city’s Department
Comments sought on rebuilding Grand from Snelling to Fairview
A virtual meeting will be held on June 1 regarding the city’s plans to reconstruct Grand Avenue from Snelling to Fairview avenues (shown in red above) in 2024 at a cost of around $6.9 million. Plans for reconstructing Grand Avenue
Support builds for easing development process in St. Paul
Eliminating the required consent of local property owners for certain land use changes in Saint Paul has little opposition if a May 13 public hearing before the Saint Paul Planning Commission is any indication. The proposal has been touted as
Letters to the Editor, May 25, 2022
A scholar coach to celebrate As the school year comes to a close, I’m writing to celebrate someone who has dedicated the last four years to supporting our students. As an AmeriCorps member with the Total Learning Classroom initiative of
Too many toys? Mom seemed to think so, so we improvised
Mom never liked toys. Despite a house full of children, our home was never cluttered with toys. No race cars or Tonka trucks splayed across the family room floor. No Barbie dolls or doll accessories lost in sofas. No board
Dollar Tree’s plan for West 7th St. site is rejected by zoning board
The facade of the proposed Dollar Tree store at 671 S. Victoria St. would front on a 36-space parking lot on Victoria. The back of the building along West Seventh Street would have featured several opaque windows. Plans to demolish
Saint Paul announces temporary road, park closures due to flooding
Flooding of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers this spring is expected to leave weeks of cleanup work in its wake. Users of boat launches and riverfront parks and trails should be alert to changing conditions. Flood waters were expected to
Council seeks $942K to keep Hidden Falls parking lot high and dry
Flooding at Hidden Falls Regional Park has been a problem for years. Photo by Anne Brandrud The Saint Paul City Council approved an application for a $942,020 federal grant on May 18 to raise and reconfigure the parking lot on
Local projects among 36 finalists competing for $1M in CIB funding
Groveland Park Elementary School’s PTO wants to improve crosswalk safety by adding a median at the busy intersection of Saint Clair Avenue and Kenneth Street. Time is running out for people to weigh in on how best to allocate $1
Workforce apartments proposed for Highland’s south end
The proposed site of Presbyterian Homes’ four-story workforce apartment building in Highland. Presbyterian Homes & Services and its affiliate, Senior Housing Partners, presented preliminary plans to the Highland District Council (HDC) Community Development Committee on May 17 for a four-story
County Board OKs $25M for 1,393 affordable housing units
The Ramsey County Board approved almost $25 million for affordable housing in May, providing financial assistance for 18 new and existing apartment buildings. Many of the buildings are in Saint Paul, including several downtown and in Highland Park and Ramsey
