Rebuild Repair Recycle | Midway Como Frogtown Monitor

Holding harvested marigold blossoms, farmer and educator Maddy Bartsch said, “We’re land stewards really, those of us who are working to develop our local fiber system.”

Three Rivers Fibershed connects people with local fiber

Marigolds, hollyhocks, cosmos, and black eyed Susans. These are just a few of the late-summer flowers bursting into bloom right now. While many are cutting them for bouquets, farmer Maddy Bartsch is … more

By Margie O’loughlin | 9/11/24

What can one person do to help birds avoid collisions with windows? Close your curtains at night, especially during the migration season, to reduce light spread. Make sure outdoor light is directed downward and use minimally. And consider using window markings.

Make the Twin Cities more bird-friendly

Cradling the Mississippi River on either side, the Twin Cities are a critical, yet hazardous, resting place for migrating birds. An estimated 40 million birds migrated through the Mississippi River … more

By Margie O’loughlin | 8/7/24

AI’S Environmental Challenges

Enjoying the summer? On balance we’ve had our share of sweltering heat, counterpointed by consistent downpours and bratty algae blooms. Last month saw the hottest day on earth ever recorded. … more

By Rennie Gaither | 8/7/24

Hamline Midway residents Jennifer Hadley, Zack Messenger and Kevin Sands (co-organizer of these events with Jen) gear up to clean the streets. (Photo submitted)

Clean streets lead to clean water

My obsession with picking up trash in the neighborhood began late 2019 with adopting five nearby drains with the Adopt A Drain (https://mn.adopt-a-drain.org/) that Rennie so nicely wrote about in the … more

By Jen Hadley | 8/7/24

Hamline-Midway has been hard hit by the Emerald Ash Borer in recent years. Fry Street shows a fairly typical smattering of newly planted trees, stumps awaiting grinding, and mature trees in the background that are still healthy (in this case, maples).

A new partnership means more trees for Saint Paul

A new partnership between the city and Green Cities Accord and City Forest Credits will result in more trees planted on streets and boulevards in Saint Paul, and better maintenance and protection of … more

By Margie O’loughlin | 7/10/24

Staying cool this summer? Thank a tree. Nature lover Gita Ghei shows us how. (Photo by Frogtown Green)

Can the heat, keep cool this summer

Do you remember how hot it was last summer? So far this year we have been enjoying cooler temperatures, but due to climate change, extreme heat events are on the rise. And very hot weather can … more

By Rennie Gaither | 7/10/24

Local historian and wildflower enthusiast Paul Nelson stands near prairie coneflowers, also known as ratibida. (Photo submitted)

The Bee Line: Forwarding a Vision

Imagine a roadside right-of-way that can increase native biodiversity, assist with carbon cycling and sequestration, help purify water, and reduce soil erosion. If you’ve ever traveled along … more

By Rennie Gaither, Frogtown Green | 6/12/24

Rennie Gaither doing his “adopt-a-drain” volunteering. (Photo submitted)

Clean up the neighborhood year round

Ah, spring! Many celebrated Earth Day this year by participating in the annual Citywide Spring Cleanup. Individuals, friends, families, even businesses and community organizations shed their winter … more

by Rennie Gaither, Frogtown Green | 5/8/24

Bike plan gets positive reception at council

An extensive update of the St. Paul Bicycle Plan won city council approval April 24, 2024, with support greatly outweighing opposition at council and planning commission public hearings. The … more

By Jane McClure | 5/8/24

Matt and Ashley Lloyd have purchased the family hardware store from Ashley’s dad, Kendall Crosby. They plan to continue offering free popcorn and friendly service. Plus, the beloved pets will be around, including Cleo the German shepherd, Lila the Rottweiler, Stanley the big black cat, and Makita the tortoiseshell cat.

From father to daughter

Kendall Crosby remembers being at a conference in Atlanta, Ga. and sharing the mission statement for his St. Paul hardware store: “To go above and beyond customer expectations.” The … more

By Tesha M. Christensen | 2/7/24

Could a new duplex, triplex or fourplex be coming to your neighborhood?

Ways to add housing density throughout St. Paul, without dramatically changing community character, are goals for zoning amendments going to the St. Paul City Council for a … more

By Jane McClure | 9/15/23

NeighborWorks home repair programs earn CIB funds

Home improvement work in neighborhoods along Green Line light rail and an array of city programs are among those recommended for funding in 2024-2025. New playground equipment at Hancock Recreation … more

By Jane McClure | 7/14/23

Development update

Project at former school building A Merriam Park development project, which hit some delays, is moving ahead. The St. Paul Planning Commission Jan. 6 approved a conditional use permit and variances … more

By Jane McClure | 1/16/23

A brown creeper is stunned after a collision with a window. Turning off as many night time lights as possible and making windows “visible” to birds during the day helps keep them alive. (Photo courtesy of Frogtown Green)

Save a bird: go dark ‘til Halloween

By Patricia OhmansFrogtown GreenAre you concerned about news of bird die-offs, and even extinctions? Turn off the lights! That’s one of two simple things you can do, according to experts at the … more

By Patricia Ohmans Frogtown Green | 10/12/22

A community pollinator garden is installed at the Orchard Rec Center, and cared for by community members. (Photo submitted)

Join the Saint Paullinator team

On April 14, 2022, Como Community Council was awarded the Lawns to Legume Demonstration Neighborhood Grant through the Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR). Funding is provided by the Environment … more

By SHEVEK McKEE Executive director district10@ district10comopark.org | 10/12/22

District 11: a place where your voice matters

What does a district council in St. Paul do? The answer is as varied as the people who live in district, Como resident Sarah O’Brien has discovered in the last year since she was hired to … more

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN | 9/18/22

There are easy woodland walks that don’t require heavy hiking. (Photo by Susan Schaefer)

From the ‘Hood to the Woods

Beach to beechWhen I arrived in Minnesota as an east coast transplant in the late 1980s, my summer visions were of expanses of New Jersey beaches rather than expansive views of blue beeches, the … more

By SUSAN SCHAEFER | 9/18/22

Young climate carnival-goers “voted” for their favorite step toward sustainability. (Photo courtesy of Frogtown Green)

LIFE IS A (CLIMATE) CARNIVAL

First the bad news: Frogtown, Saint Paul’s most diverse and vibrant neighborhood, will be hard hit by the coming climate crisis. Residents of our low-income neighborhood are already suffering … more

By Patricia Ohmans Frogtown Green | 9/18/22

New park opens at Highland Bridge development

On Aug. 9, 2022, the City of Saint Paul celebrated the opening of Uncií Makhá Park (2230 Montreal Ave.), a brand-new 6.4 acre park at the Highland Bridge development. The new park … more

9/18/22

Several large carp over two feet in length were tagged during the 2021 survey.

Common carp muddy the water at Como Lake

Capitol Region Watershed District (CRWD) is scheduled deployed four large box nets on Aug. 10 to catch and remove common carp over a period of 4-5 weeks in Como Lake. Common carp are an invasive fish … more

9/18/22