Como Zoo and Conservatory's wildly popular Blooming Butterflies is back for a second and final year. In this short video Como Horticulture Manager Tina Dombrowski talks about the exhibit. [Watch the Video...]

Jump Aboard the New Como Shuttle!
Weekend service begins Memorial Day Weekend

'Get Closer' to Como Park Zoo & Conservatory’s plants, animals and now the front door with the introduction of the new Como Shuttle. The Como Shuttle is a quick, convenient and free bus service to the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory beginning Memorial Day weekend.

Every Saturday and Sunday, beginning May 23 through September, visitors can hop aboard shuttle busses originating from parking lots at the Minnesota State Fair Grounds or the Saint Paul Public School District Service Facility, both on Como Ave., conveniently located near the Como campus.

As one of the premier attractions in the state of Minnesota with over 1.9 million annual visitors, Como Park Zoo and Conservatory offers this new free service as a way to ease traffic congestion in and around the park, improve safety, mitigate vehicle emissions improving air quality and ease the frustration of circling the parking lot in hopes of nabbing one of the rare open parking spots. In the summer of 2008 a survey was conducted and found that out of the 92% of visitors who drive to Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, 68% would likely utilize the shuttle bus service.

In an effort to improve service, quality, and reduce greenhouse gasses, three low-emission diesel shuttle buses purchased by the City of Saint Paul leveraged by a $1.6 million dollar Federal Grant, along with support of rented shuttle buses, will be in continuous operation weekends through September from 9:30am – 6:30pm, with the exception of Independence Day weekend. These busses are wheelchair and stroller accessible. The shuttle bus would allow passengers to board at the staffed off-site parking lot location and within a few minutes be dropped off at the front door of the Visitor Center.

Como Park Zoo and Conservatory Background
For over 100 years, Marjorie McNeely Conservatory and Como Zoo in Saint Paul, Minnesota has charmed, educated and entertained millions of children and adults while fostering an appreciation of the natural world, helping to make Saint Paul the Most Livable City in America. The Como Park Zoo and Conservatory is open 365 days; 10am-6pm from April 1-October 1 and 10am-4pm from October 2-March 31. Admission to both the Como Zoo and Marjorie McNeely Conservatory is always free and a voluntary donation is appreciated. For more information, visit www.comozooconservatory.org

July 30, 5 - 7p, Fire Station 4, 505 Payne Ave. Come join us for free blood pressure checks, glucose and cholesterol screenings, chair massages, get a free pedometer, learn the signs of a heart attack, prizes, fitness fun, and healthy snacks. CHILDREN MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT.

The careless use of legal fireworks leaves two families homeless after their house burns See WCCO News Report

Enjoy a backyard campfire safely and without bothering your neighbors [Additional info...]

Join Mayor Chris Coleman and Chief Tim Butler as they recognize the promotion of five senior officers to the rank of District Chief. [Watch the video...]

On March 6, 2009, John Coulter and Mike Carter called 911 and performed CPR on a cardiac arrest victim at a bus stop, keeping the 54 year old man alive until paramedics could arrive. [Additional info...]

Did you know that you can go to any Saint Paul Fire Station to get your blood pressure taken? Stop by between the hours of 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. Let's keep Saint Paul residents healthy!

Information moves at the speed of light, but an aging technology infrastructure is preventing the city from responding timely to such information.

And such delays are costing Saint Paul millions of dollars annually.

Mayor Chris Coleman and city leaders want to change that with a new enterprise resource planning system that will upgrade and improve the city’s business operations. Called COMET – City Operations Modernization and Enterprise Transformation Program – the new system will replace decades-old finance and accounting systems and start generating more than $4 million in savings in its first year after implementation.

“COMET is a top-to-bottom reform of the way the city does business,” Mayor Chris Coleman said. “We have a 1985 platform for our computer system that runs a $500 million budget and 2,700 employees. COMET is an investment in our future and a system that will help the city run like a successful business with an eye on what’s best for our residents.”

Currently, city departments use a hodge-podge of 35 differing computing programs to track labor and spending, and most of those programs do not talk to each other. The computing breakdown prevents directors, councilmembers, and staff from making decisions with real-time information and also eats up thousands of hours of staff time annually that could be more strategically deployed elsewhere.

The inefficiencies in the city computing infrastructure are costing the city an estimated $5.5 million annually. A recent breakdown in the aging system cost the city more than $40,000 in just one week.

COMET will help Saint Paul accurately track city-wide spending and personnel as well as reduce waste by streamlining core business processes. The program will improve city services by freeing staff to be more strategically deployed to improve service delivery to residents.

“We have asked staff to do more with less, but we can not longer afford to continue down this path when demands for services are greater and revenues are smaller,” Council President Kathy Lantry said. “When we have looked for savings throughout the city, it is time we now find smarter, more efficient ways to do business and save money.”

The COMET Program will cost approximately $14 million dollars to implement, with the city using bonds to pay for the project. By 2012, COMET is projected to save Saint Paul more than $5 million annually in its operations by conservative estimates. Saint Paul-based Lawson Software was chosen as the software vendor for the COMET Program.

“We know that sometimes it takes investment to make money in the long run,” Mayor Coleman said.

COMET continues Mayor Coleman’s efforts to reform and improve the way the city operates and does business. In 2006, the city reorganized licensing and inspections services into the Department of Safety and Inspections, bringing savings and improvements to licensing, inspection, and enforcement services. In 2008, the city also consolidated divisions focused on serving minority- and women-owned contractors and vendors into the Department of Human Rights and Equal Employment Opportunities, reducing redundancies through many city departments. The city has also used audits and best practice assessments of the Fire and Police departments to improve service, plan investments, and save money.

“All of our departments and all the services we provide must be examined to figure out how we can do it more cost effectively and how we can do it more efficiently,” Mayor Coleman said. “Especially in these hard economic times, COMET makes common sense – in dollars and cents. It is smart business and it is the right thing to do.”

The City of Saint Paul is hosting a series of Community Days events in neighborhoods around Saint Paul. City staff will be on hand to fill you in on the wide range of services the City has to offer. [Watch this short video to find out more...]

Hey friends,



I'm taking a couple days to celebrate my anniversary so I wanted to get this
out early. What a week we have this week in the City of Saint Paul. Two huge offerings in
downtown: Taste of Minnesota and Cirque du Soleil get underway this
weekend. In addition to that there are some huge concerts, great theater,
and a Norman Rockwell painting will come to life on Independence Day.



so on with it...



Taste of Minnesota
on Harriet Island - Thursday through Sunday

This event has such a rich history and its built on a great concept:
offer a little taste of different things as a way to bring all Minnesotans
together. This year, you may have heard the Taste has some new owners,
and they are trying out some new things. They are recommitting themselves
to making this a great event for everyone. I, for one, could pass on the
Whitesnake and Judas Priest evening, but am thrilled about Elvis
Costello. Elvis Costello folks, isn't that great?! After the
show, check out Bulldog and Barrio on Mears Park; Go out dancing at Senor Wong’s, or
Rumours; Catch some Jazz at Il Vesco
Vino or the Artists Quarter; or just grab a cocktail at POP or Meritage for the
full Saint Paul experience!

http://tasteofmn.com/

Cirque du Soleil opens Kooza in
Lowertown (Broadway/Kellogg) - Friday

Of course, last week I mentioned
the tent raising (which is huge by the way), and they are opening this exciting
show this week on Friday. The show is setting up in lowertown after a run
on Randalls Island
in New York earning this review from the NY
Times: "Cirque du Soleil, the juggernaut from Montreal, consistently delivers the most
stunning big-top stagecraft and talented acrobats on earth"

http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/kooza/show/big-top.aspx

Sample Night Live delivers
another fantastic Sampler at History Theater - Wednesday

Every first Wednesday of the
month, when you hear the Fire Sirens being tested, be reminded that later that
evening is one of the best evenings of art for the month. This month
is one of the strongest line ups they've had with Christine Rosholt, Comedy
Sports, Eclectic Edge Ensemble, Burlesque and you can meet Cirque du Soleil up
close with their Whoosa Kooza crew. Truth be told, the best part of the
show may be the MC, Miss Foxy Tann!

http://www.samplenightlive.com/shows/17.html

Cafe Accordian Orchestra at the
History Center - Tuesday

The warm old-timey sounds you might
associate with a Hot Club from Paris will be
washing over people on the beautiful patio of the History Center
next week. Come out and see one of the under appreciated gems in of
our state. There may be some dancing, there should be some wine, hopefully
there will be good weather, and there will definitely be great music.
This is one of the best nights in this series!

http://www.myspace.com/71812495

Theater Mu production of Drum
Song at the Ordway - through July 12

Mu Performing Arts is one of those
local arts organizations that is nationally acclaimed and right under our
noses. In their newest production has gotten great reviews for an
interesting revival. In Tony Award-winner David Henry Hwang’s new adaptation
of the Rogers and Hammerstein classic, Mei-Li
flees communist China and
finds herself in San Francisco’s Chinatown. This naïve young refugee is befriended by
Wang, who is struggling to keep the Chinese opera tradition alive despite his
son’s determination to turn the old opera house into a swingin’ Western-style
nightclub.

http://muperformingarts.org/

No Doubt at the X - Sunday

I just want to thank the
architects of the our local hockey arena, for building the single best concert
arena in the country. This weekend, it brings Gwen Stephanie and company
into our lovely city. Between No Doubt, Cirque du Soleil, Elvis Costello,
and Taste of Minnesota, plan to come early, pay for parking, get a couple drinks,
and stay late for a cocktail - traffic might be a bit snarly

http://www.xcelenergycenter.com/events/detail.jsp?EVENT_ID=699

Saint Anthony Park Independence Day Parade and
Picnic - Saturday

You feel like you walked on to the
set of a movie when you show up for the Saint Anthony Park parade and picnic
this weekend. The last time I was there the boy scouts pulled their
giant-lashed-together-catapult down the street, the Saint Anthony Park BAnd
played an all John Philips Sousa-all-the-time set, people waived American
Flags along the picturesque streets, and there was an oratory contest in the
park based on the theme of something like "What America Means to Me." This
is the feel-good kid-friendly event of the week!

http://sapcc.org/july4

Thanks for taking the time to read
my missive. Let me know if you'd like to be added to my list. If
you once sent me a request, and nothing happened, try me again. Of course
do the same if you want off of my list. Happy Holiday
and have a great week!

Joe

Hello friends,

What a great week it's been! Phenomenal Music, packed
bars, packed parks, celebrity sightings, and hot summer nights. It's
gonna roll like this all summer! If you missed the Jazz Fest check out
the article from last week (http://www.twincities.com/ci_12625093?IADID=Search-www.twincities.com-www.twincities.com).

The fun keeps on rolling this week with some phenomenal
shows.

Lets get to it...

Messersmith and more play the Osgood Dogood benefit party
for Springboard for the Arts - Friday

It all started last June with a farewell bash for Chris
Osgood, longtime Springboard for the Arts Program Director and passionate
champion of artists everywhere, to honor him for his work and to thank him as
he moved to his next adventure. Now the event is back and here to
stay! This will certainly be a fabulous party, featuring performances
by Springboard performing artists, including Jeremy Messersmith; a juried art
show and sale featuring Springboard visual artists (who will split the sale
proceeds with Springboard); delicious food and drinks. I've been asked to
play a small role in the event, and I will tell you that I am couldn't feel
more honored to be a part of this event. Don't miss it!

http://www.springboardforthearts.org/AboutUs/DoGood.asp

Beer Festival at Midway Stadium

As a hobbyist home-brewer I'm pretty excited about the
first annual Saint Paul Summer Beer Fest will take place on Sunday in the
Midway Stadium Parking Lot. Beer and Brewers from all over the country
will be on site for this brand new celebration of craft beer in Minnesota’s capital
city. This outdoor festival will feature unlimited beer samples, a
commemorative glass, live music all day (including the Como Avenue Jug Band),
food vendors from the Saints games, and a whole lot of fun to be had.

http://www.stpaulsummerbeerfest.com/

Irv Williams plays Il Vesco Vino every Saturday Night!

On Friday night last week, Joanne and I were down at the
Jazz Festival and got to see local legend, Irv Williams on his 90th
Birthday. He is truly one of the best artists in our community, and his
show was amazing. I was embarrassed that I wasn't aware of a regular gig
he has in Saint Paul.
Every Saturday night, he plays at Il Vesco Vino in their new location on 7th Street by the
X. If you find yourself out and about looking for a place to eat or have
a drink, go to Il Vesco Vino just for Irv.

http://ilvescovino.com/calendar.php

Cirque du Soleil Tent Raising - Friday Afternoon

I'm sure most of you knew that for the balance of the
summer, Saint Paul
will be home to Cirque du Soleil and their production of Kooza. On Friday
afternoon, they are going to raise up their gigantic tent with a bit of
fanfare. If you're excited about coming to see Cirque while they're here,
I'll link to a special ticket offer. What a nice addition
for the thriving lowertown neighborhood which seems to have a full head of
steam lately. http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/CirqueDuSoleil/en/special/koozapromo/SaintPaul_Allied.htm

Ellis and Urban Hillbilly Quartet at Ginkgo - Thursday

Tonight features one of the hardest working musicians in our
community. Ellis seems to be constantly touring nationally playing 130
shows in the last year. Its great to see an artist who doesn't forget
where she's from, because she frequently comes back to play shows at the Ginkgo
Coffeehouse. This inspiring DIY musician has a great and completely
honest sound. Then tomorrow night, the Urban Hillbilly Quartet will be
binging their award-winning eclectic mix of musical styles, blending fiddle,
electric guitar, accordion, bass and other toys. What started as a jam
session in late fall 1995 in a now burnt-out St. Paul hole-in-the-wall bar has become an
international curiosity.

http://www.myspace.com/ellismusic

http://urbanhillbillyquartet.com/

Friday Night Movies at the Library

Last week it seems I missed the opening of the Friday Night
Film series tucked in behind the Saint Paul Central Library. This Friday
night event typically has a pretty good draw for movies that are universally
loved. This week is no different with Breakfast at Tiffany's.
Truman Capote's novel about a flamboyant New
York party girl named Holly Golightly was filmed in
1961 by director Blake Edwards and starred Audrey Hepburn in what many consider
her defining role. The book's prose style prompted Norman Mailer to call Capote
"the most perfect writer of my generation."

http://thefriends.org/calendar.htm#films

CD Release Party for Gospel Gossip with Lookbook at
the Turf - Saturday

Several weeks ago I sang the praises of Lookbook, so I don't
need to repeat myself about my enthusiasm for that band. They're playing
a bunch this summer so mark your calendars. They're the supporting act
for the Gospel Gossip CD release concert this weekend at the Turf Club.
Pitchfork reviewed the preview single by saying "....a searing new single
that finds the band firmly in command. The feedback is denser, angrier, but
it's the drumming-- a blunt weapon as opposed to mere ballast-- that really
makes the difference."

http://www.myspace.com/gospelgossip

I've been writing and you been reading for a while by now,
so I'll just quickly mention. Local lowertown enthusiast, Pippi Ardennia
is top of the bill for Music in Mears this evening. And look for next
week's Music in Mears to feature John Munson and Matt Wilson in the Twilight
Hours. 9 Nights of Music gets underway at the History Center
with Salsa del Soul on Tuesday. The Showboat Theater on Harriet Island
is underway with a Moliere adaptation called Is There a Doctor in the
House? And the Landmark Center celebrates the new Depp film Public Enemies
with a series of activities to celebrate the curiosities of Saint Paul's connections to the gangster era.

http://musicinmears.com/schedule.php

http://www.mnhs.org/historycenter/programs/9nights/

http://showboat.umn.edu/

http://landmarkcenter.org/events.html

OK, that's enough... you get the picture. There's a
ton going on again this week in Saint
Paul. Thanks for taking the time to read my
thoughts about this week's calendar. If you have thoughts about shows
that are not to be missed in the coming weeks, please share. If you would
like to be added or subtracted to my list, just drop me a line.

Have a great week!

Joe

Mayor Chris Coleman today named Katherine “Kit” Hadley as director of Saint Paul Public Library.

Hadley, who will be replacing Melanie Huggins, is the former director of the Minneapolis Public Library and most recently has been the executive director of Heading Home Minnesota, a statewide initiative to end homelessness and an umbrella organization for 12 state, regional, and county/city initiatives.

“Kit brings a wealth of experience in library management, capital fundraising, and community leadership to this important position,” Mayor Coleman said. “As a Saint Paul resident, she understands the needs and vision for our families and communities and the significant roles our libraries play in the city – from education to workforce development. She is no stranger to the economic climate and state cuts that are challenging our libraries. Kit’s talents and experience will help us overcome those challenges.”

Hadley directed the Minneapolis Public Library from 2003 to 2007, taking over a system when the state enacted cuts to local government aid (LGA) that significantly impacted the library system. In response to the cuts, she worked with the Library Board to create a strategic plan to guide budget discussions, helped strengthen a capital campaign, and worked with a business advisory group to evaluate options for continued construction of the new Central Library.

“The Saint Paul Public Library is so fortunate to have Kit Hadley for its next leader,” said Peter Pearson, president of the Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library. “As the director of the Minneapolis Public Library, Kit stepped into a very difficult fiscal situation. Not only did she craft a brilliant plan for the Minneapolis Public Library, but she had the universal respect of everyone with whom she worked in making some very painful decisions. Her fiscal skills, her interpersonal skills and her visionary leadership are exactly what the Saint Paul Public Library needs at this time. The Friends looks forward to developing a strong and effective partnership with Kit.”

Before directing the Minneapolis Public Library, Hadley was commissioner of the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, a position to which she was appointed by two different governors. At MHFA, she also served as deputy commissioner and director of government affairs. She began her career as a staff attorney, first with Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services and then with the Legal Services Advocacy Project. She earned her law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School and has a bachelor of arts in urban studies from Hampshire College in Amherst, Mass.

“Kit will be a great asset for the library,” said Councilmember Pat Harris, chair of the board of directors for the library agency. “She has the tools Saint Paul needs to provide a top quality library system for our community.”

“The Saint Paul Public Library plays such a vital role in the lives of our children and families. I am excited to join the staff in the library and return to an institution whose mission and purpose I believe in so strongly,” Hadley said. “Our libraries face significant challenges, but Mayor Coleman’s strong commitment and vision for the Saint Paul Public Library will allow us to overcome those challenges and continue creating a strong system befitting of the most livable city in America.”

Hadley will start her duties August 3.

In an effort to address summer crime prevention and reduction, Mayor Chris Coleman authorized more than $300,000 in funding for police overtime. Money will come from savings the police department has recorded since the first of the year.

“Public safety is the top priority for my administration, and I am constantly working with the police chief to ensure Saint Paul is a safe place to work, live and play,” Mayor Coleman said. “These funds will give the department needed resources for targeted summer projects that improve public safety in our community.”

“Our focus today is to do everything we can do to suppress and prevent crime before it becomes a problem,” Police Chief John Harrington said. “I am confident we can use this funding to target problem areas to make our safe city even safer.”

Months ago, based upon concern about the loss of local government aid, Mayor Coleman worked with all city department directors to cut budgets while maintaining essential city services. The budget cuts included the implementation of a hiring freeze and stringent efforts to manage all costs, especially overtime.

The funds being released are a result of the budget saving measures the police department undertook. Over the past 4 years, the mayor and city council made public safety a significant priority, raising the sworn ranks of the police department to 630 officers. Based on retirements and normal attrition, the police department is currently 42 officers below its authorized strength. In addition, since the beginning of the year, the police department has slashed nearly $250,000 in budgeted overtime.

The authorized funding will provide for more than 3,000 hours of overtime that will encompass a range of crime prevention and intervention efforts. Because the department is currently 40 officers below full strength, the first and essential priority is to maintain the department’s ability to provide efficient and effective response to neighborhood calls for service. In addition, the funding will support increased public safety efforts, including:
• Gang Unit overtime for intensified enforcement and prevention activities;
• Registered sex offender and predatory offender tracking;
• Youth curfew enforcement;
• Targeted auto theft investigations;
• DWI and traffic enforcement;
• Organized identity theft and forgery related crimes investigations; and,
• Narcotics investigations and drug trafficking interdiction.

The city is pursuing federal money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to hire additional officers. Preliminary plans are being made to have a police academy in the fall to move the department closer to their budgeted strength.

Information moves at the speed of light, but an aging technology infrastructure is preventing the city from responding timely to such information.

And such delays are costing Saint Paul millions of dollars annually.

Mayor Chris Coleman and city leaders want to change that with a new enterprise resource planning system that will upgrade and improve the city’s business operations. Called COMET – City Operations Modernization and Enterprise Transformation Program – the new system will replace decades-old finance and accounting systems and start generating more than $4 million in savings in its first year after implementation.

“COMET is a top-to-bottom reform of the way the city does business,” Mayor Chris Coleman said. “We have a 1985 platform for our computer system that runs a $500 million budget and 2,700 employees. COMET is an investment in our future and a system that will help the city run like a successful business with an eye on what’s best for our residents.”

Currently, city departments use a hodge-podge of 35 differing computing programs to track labor and spending, and most of those programs do not talk to each other. The computing breakdown prevents directors, councilmembers, and staff from making decisions with real-time information and also eats up thousands of hours of staff time annually that could be more strategically deployed elsewhere.

The inefficiencies in the city computing infrastructure are costing the city an estimated $5.5 million annually. A recent breakdown in the aging system cost the city more than $40,000 in just one week.

COMET will help Saint Paul accurately track city-wide spending and personnel as well as reduce waste by streamlining core business processes. The program will improve city services by freeing staff to be more strategically deployed to improve service delivery to residents.

“We have asked staff to do more with less, but we can not longer afford to continue down this path when demands for services are greater and revenues are smaller,” Council President Kathy Lantry said. “When we have looked for savings throughout the city, it is time we now find smarter, more efficient ways to do business and save money.”

The COMET Program will cost approximately $14 million dollars to implement, with the city using bonds to pay for the project. By 2012, COMET is projected to save Saint Paul more than $5 million annually in its operations by conservative estimates. Saint Paul-based Lawson Software was chosen as the software vendor for the COMET Program.

“We know that sometimes it takes investment to make money in the long run,” Mayor Coleman said.

COMET continues Mayor Coleman’s efforts to reform and improve the way the city operates and does business. In 2006, the city reorganized licensing and inspections services into the Department of Safety and Inspections, bringing savings and improvements to licensing, inspection, and enforcement services. In 2008, the city also consolidated divisions focused on serving minority- and women-owned contractors and vendors into the Department of Human Rights and Equal Employment Opportunities, reducing redundancies through many city departments. The city has also used audits and best practice assessments of the Fire and Police departments to improve service, plan investments, and save money.

“All of our departments and all the services we provide must be examined to figure out how we can do it more cost effectively and how we can do it more efficiently,” Mayor Coleman said. “Especially in these hard economic times, COMET makes common sense – in dollars and cents. It is smart business and it is the right thing to do.”

The City commenced June 30 two separate lawsuits against the East Side Boys and the Selby Siders, two local gangs that have a long history of violent criminal conduct, including a recent murder and numerous recent confrontations involving gunfire.

“As we have clearly stated – criminal gangs are not welcome in our community. The public has a right to be free from criminal gang violence and intimidation, and as the home of some of the most prominent community festivals in the country like Rondo Days, we are doing everything we can to protect our community from gang activity. Saint Paul is a safe city, and these injunctions are an innovative tool to send a clear message to gangs that we will not tolerate any violence in our community,” Mayor Chris Coleman said.

“These civil injunctions have proven to be worthwhile tools, as they specifically focus on those gangs who have repeatedly demonstrated purpose and action that tears at the safety and fabric of the community events like Rondo,” Saint Paul Police Chief John Harrington said. “In addition to the benefits of enforceability, these injunctions speak to Saint Paul's historical standards of community safety.”

The civil legal actions are intended to help prevent criminal gang activity from occurring during the Rondo Days festival on July 18. City Attorney John Choi said the two civil actions are a part of an important law enforcement strategy to proactively disrupt criminal gang activity in Saint Paul’s neighborhoods.

“We had great public safety results because of the civil gang injunction against the Sureño 13 earlier this year, and we have every expectation that this proactive effort will work again with the Selby Siders and East Side Boys,” Choi said.

The Civil Gang Injunction Statute (Minn. Stat. §§ 617.91 – 617.97) authorizes a city attorney, county attorney or the attorney general to commence a civil action against criminal gangs to enjoin criminal gang activity. The civil lawsuit filed by Choi seeks injunctive relief pursuant to the Civil Gang Injunction Statute that was developed by the Community Prosecution Unit of the Saint Paul City Attorney’s Office and passed by the Minnesota Legislature in 2007.

In May, the Ramsey County District Court issued Minnesota’s first civil gang injunction against a criminal gang in City of Saint Paul v. Sureño 13, Ramsey County District Court Case Number 62-CV-09-3113. The use of civil gang injunctions has been upheld by the California Supreme Court and Appellate Courts in Texas.

When a court issues a civil gang injunction order, the court finds that the criminal gang’s past activities are a public nuisance and restrict their ability to carry on future gang activities in a designated area. A violation of the court’s order is a misdemeanor crime. Among other things, the City of Saint Paul is seeking a court order prohibiting the known leaders of the East Side Boys and Selby Siders from associating with known gang members anywhere near the Rondo Days Festival. Two court hearings on the city’s motion for a temporary injunction has been scheduled for Wednesday, July 15, in Ramsey County District Court (9 a.m. Selby Siders / 1:30 p.m. East Side Boys).

Cities across the United States have utilized civil gang injunction actions effectively as a public safety tool. In California and Texas, officials have credited civil gang injunctions with significantly impacting gang violence and activities. A comprehensive study of injunctions in Los Angeles, relying on eight years of data, found that the civil legal action helped reduce violent crime 5 to 10 percent per neighborhood where applied. When applied with neighborhood initiatives such as afterschool programming, community policing and vacant property abatement, authorities say the impact on gang activities can be even greater.

“From our city attorney’s office to our police department to our Second Shift initiative, much of what we do in Saint Paul is about public safety and improving the lives of our residents,” Mayor Coleman said. “The civil lawsuits filed demonstrate the proactive approach Saint Paul is taking to prevent gangs from taking root in Saint Paul.”

With hundreds of patients, families, employees, and supporters standing through the covered driveway of a new patient tower, Regions Hospital opened the doors Friday to its $179 million expansion featuring five floors of private patient rooms, state-of-the-art surgical suites, and an expanded emergency room that will serve an estimated 20,000 additional patients.

Mayor Chris Coleman joined Regions’ CEO and president Brock Nelson and Mary Brainerd, president and CEO of Health Partners, operator of Regions, in celebrating the grand opening.

“Saint Paul’s health care sector is the anchor of our local economy, representing hundreds of millions of dollars in construction investment, thousands of well-paying jobs, and hundreds of more jobs on the horizon. At the heart of that growth is Regions Hospital,” Mayor Coleman said. “For generations of families, Regions has met the demand and changing needs of patients with award-winning care. This expansion and new tower will provide access to more of the region’s residents and continue Saint Paul’s evolution as a center for care excellence in the Upper Midwest.”

The opening of Region’s new 10-story tower and expansion is the second major hospital expansion to open in the past year, part of nearly $400 million in hospital construction occurring in Saint Paul. In October, Saint Paul welcomed the opening of the $90 million de Paul Tower at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Also under construction are an expansion of United Hospital’s emergency department and the largest expansion in the history of the Saint Paul campus of Children’s Hospital and Clinics of Minnesota. Additionally, United Family Medicine recently celebrated the opening of its $15 million clinic on West 7th Street.

The City provided conduit bonding through the Housing and Redevelopment Authority for the projects.

Highlights of Regions expansion include:
• a new 10-story, 385,000-square-foot, T-shaped tower located on the current south parking lot, near I-94;
• 36 private patient beds on each of the top five floors of the new tower, with three of floors opened now and two other ready for opening as demand increases;
• a new surgical services area with 20 new operating rooms;
• a new reprocessing area to support the operating rooms, on-call rooms for physicians and shelled space for future development;
• expansion and renovation of the emergency department, as well as a new main entrance and lobby that connects to the existing atrium;
• two levels of parking (approximately 450 parking spaces) located underneath the new tower, providing patients and visitors with convenient access to the building.
• a new 900-space employee parking ramp on University Avenue between Jackson and Robert streets, which allows employees to park near the hospital campus; and
• renovation of approximately 62,000 square feet of space.

Demand for inpatient services at Regions is expected to increase 26 percent by 2013 due to the aging population and increased demand for health care. Statewide, hospital utilization is expected to grow 56 percent by 2030, according to a 2003 report by the Minnesota Department of Health.

Regions is the only Level I Trauma Center serving the east metro and western Wisconsin. The trauma program is supported by coverage for specialties like burn care, orthopaedics, cardiology, neurosurgery, radiology, critical care intensivists and emergency medicine. Having these specialties on site, not just on call, means Regions is prepared to care for patients with any injury at any time, especially critically injured patients. Facility investments in these specialty areas is a key element of the project and will allow the hospital to continue to provide health care to those in need.

The hospital is one of St. Paul’s largest employers, currently employing more than 4,100 people. More than 1,700 Regions employees reside in Ramsey County, including 980 St. Paul residents. It is estimated that the project will add 250 new positions.

Trader Joe’s first urban store in the Saint Paul-Minneapolis region held its grand opening in traditional style Friday morning – cutting leis before welcoming a long line of anxious customers who had waited more than just the morning to shop at the new store.

After nearly two years of work – including the past year of construction – with residents, city staff, Mayor Chris Coleman, and Councilmember Pat Harris, the grocery store known for its tropical theme, exotic foods, and cheap wine finally opened its doors in Saint Paul. It is the fourth store to open in the region, but the first in either Saint Paul or Minneapolis.

“After years of Saint Paul residents driving to the suburbs to shop at Trader Joe’s, we finally have a store that people in the suburbs will drive to Saint Paul to shop at,” Mayor Coleman said. “The opening of Trader Joe’s does more than bring a new grocery store to residents. It is a sign that despite the hard economic times, people are investing in Saint Paul and opportunities exist for more growth.”

In 2007, Told Development brought the idea of placing the much popular grocery store at the corner of Lexington Parkway and Randolph Avenue. The development that includes a set of other storefronts on the property replaced an abandoned and dilapidated gas station.

Working through a community-based process with residents and city staff to address traffic and landscaping concerns, Told received City Council approval in January 2008 to allow the privately-financed commercial development. In addition to the 14,000-square-foot store, the developers designed underground parking on the site and also paid to improve the intersection to accommodate the extra traffic Trader Joe’s will attract.

The grocery side of the store will be open from 9 a.m to 9 p.m. daily. The wine shop is open Monday-Thursday from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. and until 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays The new store features a festive décor mixing traditional Trader Joe’s cedar covered walls, Hawaiian-inspired elements throughout the store combined with a local flare including art that celebrates the neighborhood. Specifically, there are several hand painted murals that feature the beautiful Saint Paul city skyline including the capitol building, the cathedral, the Robert Street Bridge, the First National Bank building and the Mississippi River. The murals will also highlight the historic Summit Avenue, the Highland Park Water Tower, the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory and the Carrousel. In addition, the wine room highlights the history of Saint Paul throughout the artwork.

Cub Foods and its parent company, SUPERVALU, recently announced that its new grocery store on Saint Paul’s East Side is the first for the company– and the third grocery store in the nation – to achieve LEED-Gold status for its environmentally sustainable design.

LEED – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – is designated by the U.S. Green Building Council to identify the world’s greenest, most energy-efficient and high-performing buildings. Gold certification is the second highest certification that can be achieved.

“Economic development and environmental stewardship are not mutually exclusive ideas. Savings achieved through sustainable design show that doing the right thing by the environment is also doing the smart thing,” Mayor Chris Coleman said. “It’s exciting that a grocery store that adds so much value to the Payne-Phalen neighborhood is also setting new standards for how such a store can be sustainably developed in an urban core.”

“Cub Foods has a vested interest in supporting the communities where we do business, and contributing to the redevelopment of Saint Paul’s East Side was a natural fit for us,” said Brian Huff, president of Cub Foods. “Choosing to build a LEED Gold certified building was another example of Cub’s dedication to preserving the environment for future generations.”

The Phalen Cub joins more than 20 other LEED certified or registered buildings in Saint Paul, including two City-owned properties. The Western District Police Station is the first police station in Minnesota to earn LEED-Gold certification, and the new fire department headquarters on West 7th Street that is currently being built to LEED standards. Additionally, Saint Paul recently celebrated the completion of The Winnipeg, a mixed-use, public-private development in the city’s North End that includes the first residential green roof.

On May 19 Mayor Coleman joined volunteers and families to raise walls on Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity’s first LEED townhome project. Last year, the Wilder Foundation also opened its new home on the corner of Lexington and University avenues with a center that meets LEED guidelines.

Certification is a rigorous process, assigning points for each green feature incorporated into the building. LEED Gold Certification is based on a number of green design and construction features that positively impact the project and the broader community. These features include:
• 44 skylights that illuminate 75 percent of regularly occupied spaces using a solar powered GPS system that tracks and redirects sunlight as needed.
• The first commercial parking lot in Minnesota to be illuminated using just LED lights that only need to be replaced every 40 years and provide 50 percent energy savings.
• Half of the waste from buildings torn down on the construction site has been reused in the construction of the new building or recycled.
• 35 percent savings in lighting costs compared to typical Cub stores.
• A maintenance-free floor eliminating the need for chemicals during the cleaning process.
• A landscape irrigation system that uses 50 percent less water than typical systems.
• 75 percent of the building construction waste will not end up in landfills. Instead, it will be recycled and turned into other useful materials.

“Cub Foods submitted 41 points to the USGBC for LEED Gold consideration,” said Scott Reinke, senior project manager, SUPERVALU. “To have all 41 points approved is exceptional in the industry of green building development.”

In April, the city awarded the new Cub Foods store a Sustainable Saint Paul Award for Retail Green Building Design.

Saint Paul is seeing increased interest in LEED as more developers and property owners see the value in building energy efficient buildings that have improved indoor air quality and reduced environmental impact.

“The marketplace is changing. Business owners, consumers, renters, and homeowners are more conscious of the impact we have on the environment. What we are doing locally is making a difference globally, and it is showing Saint Paul as a leader in sustainability and environmental stewardship,” Mayor Coleman said.

For more information regarding Sustainable Saint Paul, visit www.stpaul.gov/sustainability.

The first shovel-ready project in the nation launched with the assistance of federal brownfield stimulus money is the Saint Paul Port Authority’s $6 million redevelopment of the former Minnehaha Lanes complex, a federal official confirmed June 23.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provided the Port a $200,000 stimulus clean-up grant for the project at Pierce Butler Road and Chatsworth Street. In total, the EPA granted the Port $1.6 million in brownfield stimulus money out of $37 million it awarded nationally this year.

“In a time of tightening budgets for development in cities across America, this support from the federal government is invaluable,” Saint Paul Mayor Chris Coleman said Tuesday. “Investment in projects like this will be a catalyst for economic growth in Saint Paul and across America.”

The Port took the phrase “shovel-ready” literally by becoming the first EPA stimulus grantee in the country to actually begin spending the grant. The Port has used the money to raze the 50,000-square-foot Minnehaha Lanes complex, and is now preparing it for redevelopment for a business that could bring up to 100 competitive-paying jobs to the Frogtown community.

“The Saint Paul Port Authority is recognized as national leader in sustainable brownfields redevelopment and job creation,” said Keary Cragan, an EPA Region 5 environmental engineer. “The Minnehaha Lanes project may be the first Recovery Act-funded brownfields clean up in the country, but it is simply the latest of a long list of successful brownfields redevelopment projects that the Port has completed.

“The brownfields loan and clean-up grants for the Minnehaha Lanes redevelopment project achieve the EPA Brownfields Program's goal to reduce threats to human health and the environment while attracting investment to Saint Paul neighborhoods."

“The Port Authority is really proud we were able to match stimulus money for this very important clean-up project,” Port President Louis Jambois said. “This grant enables us to further our redevelopment efforts in Frogtown.”

The Port has been in the business of cleaning up brownfields and helping to revitalize inner-city communities since 1932. It has carved out 19 business and jobs centers from polluted and abandoned inner-city land. Left untended, brownfields debilitate surrounding neighborhoods.

(Saint Paul)- The City of Saint Paul Parks and Recreation Department has partnered with Saint Paul Public Schools to provide free summer meals for Saint Paul youth 18 years of age and under, and persons over 18 with a mental or physical disability who participate in a public or non-profit private school program. The meals will be served at various times and convenient recreation center locations beginning June 15 and running through August 28.

Saint Paul youth interested in receiving free meals can visit a participating recreation center location during scheduled serving times. Pre-registration is not required, and most sites are open Monday – Friday. For complete meal times and location details, please visit www.stpaul.gov/parks (complete list also shown below) or call 651-292-6508. For information about serving times at other sites throughout the city, call the Saint Paul Public School’s Nutrition Services Department at (651) 603-4950 or visit www.sppscafe.org.

Arlington
651-298-5701
Breakfast 2:30-3:30pm
Supper 6:30-7:30pm

Baker
651-292-7244
Lunch 11:30am-12:30pm
Breakfast 3-3:30pm

Battle Creek
651-501-6347
Breakfast 3-4pm

Conway
651-501-6343
Lunch 4-5pm

Dayton’s Bluff
651-793-3885
Lunch 12-1pm
Snack 3-4pm

Duluth & Case
651-298-5709
Breakfast 3-4pm
Supper 6:30-7:30pm (No Fri)

Edgcumbe
651-695-3711
Lunch 12-1pm

El Rio Vista
651-789-2500
Snack 1:30-2:00pm
Supper 4:30-5:30pm

Griggs
651-298-5755
Lunch 1:30-2:30pm (No Fri)

Groveland
651-695-3714
Breakfast 8:30-9:30am (No Tues)

Hancock
651-298-4393
Supper 4-5pm

Hazel Park
651-501-6350
Supper 4:30-5:30pm

Hillcrest
651-695-3706
Breakfast 8:30-9:30am

Jimmy Lee
651-642-0650
Lunch 12:30-1:30pm
Breakfast 4-4:30pm

Langford
651-298-5765
Breakfast 10:30-11:30am
Breakfast end July 24

Linwood
651-298-5660
Breakfast 8:30-9:30am

Margaret
651-298-5719
Breakfast 3-4pm
Supper 6:30-7:30pm (No Fri)

MLK
651-290-8695
Lunch 12-1pm
Breakfast 3:30-4:30pm

McDonough
651-558-2171
Breakfast 12:30-1:30pm
Supper 4:30-5:30pm

Merriam Park
651-298-5766
Breakfast 4:30-5:30pm

North Dale
651-558-2329
Breakfast 8-9am
Lunch 12-1pm

NW Como
651-298-5813
Breakfast 8:30-9:30am
Supper 5-6pm

Palace
651-298-5677
Lunch 2-3pm

Phalen
651-793-6600
Lunch 12-1pm

Prosperity
651-298-5722
Supper 4-5pm

Rice
651-558-2392
Breakfast 1:30-2:30pm
Supper 4:30-5:30pm

Scheffer
651-298-5820
Breakfast 1:15-2:15pm
Supper 4:15-5:15pm

Sylvan
651-298-5821
Lunch 3:30-4:30pm
Breakfast 6:30-7:30pm (No Fri)

W. Minnehaha
651-298-5823
Lunch 1:30-2:30pm
Breakfast 5-5:30pm (No Fri)

Wilder
651-298-5727
Lunch 2-3pm
Breakfast 5-6 pm

(Saint Paul)- Golf in the city of Saint Paul will become a little more budget friendly this summer, thanks to a new program called “Saturday Night Nine for Nine”. Golfers can now enjoy nine holes of golf for $9, as well as discounted beer and wine at the Highland Nine Hole Course on Saturday evenings.

Tee times will be available from 4-7 p.m., and half off beer and wine will be available from 5 – 8 p.m. beginning June 27.

Golf Saint Paul’s par 35 Highland Nine Hole Course provides a challenge for all levels of golfers. This regulation course features large rolling greens, lush fairways and challenging roughs flanked by mature trees. Whether new to the game or a seasoned veteran, the Highland Nine Hole Course is sure to impress.

Golf Saint Paul is committed to offering private golf course quality at a public golf course price.

For more information or to book a tee time visit www.golfstpaul.org or call 651-695-3708
[Additional info...]

Como Zoo and Conservatory's wildly popular Blooming Butterflies is back for a second and final year. In this short video Como Horticulture Manager Tina Dombrowski talks about the exhibit. [Watch the Video...]

Jump Aboard the New Como Shuttle!
Weekend service begins Memorial Day Weekend

'Get Closer' to Como Park Zoo & Conservatory’s plants, animals and now the front door with the introduction of the new Como Shuttle. The Como Shuttle is a quick, convenient and free bus service to the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory beginning Memorial Day weekend.

Every Saturday and Sunday, beginning May 23 through September, visitors can hop aboard shuttle busses originating from parking lots at the Minnesota State Fair Grounds or the Saint Paul Public School District Service Facility, both on Como Ave., conveniently located near the Como campus.

As one of the premier attractions in the state of Minnesota with over 1.9 million annual visitors, Como Park Zoo and Conservatory offers this new free service as a way to ease traffic congestion in and around the park, improve safety, mitigate vehicle emissions improving air quality and ease the frustration of circling the parking lot in hopes of nabbing one of the rare open parking spots. In the summer of 2008 a survey was conducted and found that out of the 92% of visitors who drive to Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, 68% would likely utilize the shuttle bus service.

In an effort to improve service, quality, and reduce greenhouse gasses, three low-emission diesel shuttle buses purchased by the City of Saint Paul leveraged by a $1.6 million dollar Federal Grant, along with support of rented shuttle buses, will be in continuous operation weekends through September from 9:30am – 6:30pm, with the exception of Independence Day weekend. These busses are wheelchair and stroller accessible. The shuttle bus would allow passengers to board at the staffed off-site parking lot location and within a few minutes be dropped off at the front door of the Visitor Center.

Como Park Zoo and Conservatory Background
For over 100 years, Marjorie McNeely Conservatory and Como Zoo in Saint Paul, Minnesota has charmed, educated and entertained millions of children and adults while fostering an appreciation of the natural world, helping to make Saint Paul the Most Livable City in America. The Como Park Zoo and Conservatory is open 365 days; 10am-6pm from April 1-October 1 and 10am-4pm from October 2-March 31. Admission to both the Como Zoo and Marjorie McNeely Conservatory is always free and a voluntary donation is appreciated. For more information, visit www.comozooconservatory.org
[Watch the Video...]

The Saint Paul Department of Parks and Recreation, Saint Paul Garden Club and the Ramsey County Master Gardeners are now accepting nominations for the 2009 Golden Bloom Awards. The Golden Bloom Awards recognize beautiful gardens located within Saint Paul city limits. The awards encourage and celebrate gardening and beautification efforts by Saint Paul residents and businesses.

In 2008, more than 190 awards were given out to residents, businesses and organizations whose yard or public space gardens were nominated by fellow Saint Paul residents. Nominations are judged by the Ramsey County Master Gardeners, and within each category judges award a Golden Bloom, Silver Bloom, Bronze Bloom or Good Gardener award.

The Golden Bloom Awards are sponsored by the Saint Paul Pioneer Press. All nominations must be received by July 8, 2009. Nomination forms can be found online at the Golden Bloom Awards Website or by contacting the Blooming Saint Paul Coordinator

[Additional info...]

The Recovery Act called for a new temporary program - America's Recovery Capital (ARC). ARC loans are designed to provide some temporary relief for viable small businesses with immediate financial hardship. SBA will not be ready to accept loan packages from lenders until June 15.

[Additional info...]

Call today for FREE counseling to learn about the steps necessary to keep your home. [Additional info...]

The 47th Annual Saint Paul Police Memorial Day Service was held on May 13, 2009 in the Grand Ballroom at 180 East 5th Street. Speakers included Chief John Harrington, Mayor Chris Coleman, Chaplain Willie Hudson. Keynote address by US Marshal Michael McGinn. Sgt. Gerald Vick posthumously received a record third Medal of Valor. Watch the video...