Reading the Highland Villager #242

[A Villager protrudes from a fence gate.]

[Basically the problem is that the best source of Saint Paul streets & sidewalks news is the Highland Villager, a very fine and historical newspaper. This wouldn't be a problem, except that its not available online. You basically have to live in or frequent Saint Paul to read it. Until this newspaper goes online, sidewalk information must be set free. See also: Three Reasons Why I Re-Blog the Highland Villager.]


Headline: St. Paul's debate over trash enters the political arena [Why couldn't they have said "trash debate"?]
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: Thanks to a petition and a ruling by a judge, the city's organized trash policy will be on the ballot. Mayor Cater says that if the referendum fails and people vote "no", the city will probably pay for the trash anyway. [You can keep your trash and eat it too. "Let them eat trash!," said the Mayor from the palace balcony, when asked about the starving Highlanders.] Article includes some fo the legal arguments. Some people running for City Council are using the trash question as a campaign issue. Article quotes people who like and don't like the new trash system. [This whole debate is certainly garbage.] 


Headline: Little council that could: Lex-Ham celebrates 50 years
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: [I grew up in Lex-Ham.] A neighborhood group is old. Article describes what life was like in the late 1960s.


Headline: Neighbors appeal parking variance for new Highland Montessori
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: Neighbors are concerned about traffic and parking, and whether an daycare place will have to build a larger parking lot or not, or change how they have their parking arranged. Parents sometimes drop off or pick up their kids by driving in an alley and speeding. Neighbors would like to have parents drive on Ford Parkway instead.



Headline: Concerns raised over charging $5 daily fee for popular rec programs
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: The city is now going to charge for some things like crafts and games and homework time, the Parks and Rec department has to make cuts and this is one of the cuts. [He said for the 100th time, why not charge for parking at Como Park / Zoo / Conservatory, which is 100% free to use but should not be free to park at. The city Parks and Rec department are leaving both money and climate action on the table right there, and for what? Certainly it's better than charging needy kids to do their homework.] 


Headline: Chief says cutting police force would mean even longer wait for service
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: The police chief wants more police. The Mayor does not. Article talks about crime trends and police reform.


Headline: Study focuses on traffic impacts of development on the Ford site; study suggests ways to manage expected increase in traffic
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: As part of the development of an abandoned truck factory, the developer did a study of how traffic might be impacted twenty years from now. [In twenty years, I can only pray that we are not driving everywhere in our private fossil fueled cars any more.] There was a meeting to present the study's report. [The study assumes that vehicle traffic will be growing between now and then overall in the city. Meanwhile, the city's draft and soon-to-be-adopted Climate Action and Resilience Plan calls for reductions in vehicle traffic citywide of 2.5% per year.] Article includes some numbers of predicted vehicles per day and how intersections might work. The report says that the city could widen streets and add turn lanes to make traffic flow better. [That would also make it harder to walk or bike around, of course, making streets wider and more dangerous. So it's kind of counter-productive. This study is very 1995 in its approach.]  


Headline: GABA's finances under scrutiny following fest that almost wasn't; Federal investigation comes at time when association is working to restructure itself
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: A business association for a commercial street is being investigated for "possible financial mismanagement." Nobody really knows what is going on. Lots of board members have resigned int he last few years. There is a police report. $3K was spent visiting the Mystic Lake casino in 2016. [Your friendly reminder that this group spent over $50K to hire a right-wing group to do PR and disinformation in opposition to the city's proposal to install parking meters, resulting in a meeting where an angry mob booed people talking about doing something to prevent climate change.] 


Headline: Midway Walmart set to close
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: The Walmart is closing. It opened in 2004. [That is not a long time for a big box store.] They cannot sell enough groceries because of their lease. 


Headline: Local projects earn STAR funds
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: The city gives out grants for things like benches and security cameras.