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City updates its climate action plan
Jake Spitzack Staff Writer
The City of St. Paul is methodically taking steps to reduce single occupancy vehicle commuters by 40% by 2040 and reach carbon neutrality in city operations by 2030 and citywide by 2050. Currently underway is the creation of a Downtown Streets and Sidewalks plan, which will establish a 20-year vision for a transportation network downtown that promotes walkability and reduces automobile dependency. An online survey garnering community feedback about the current network and how people travel downtown was recently wrapped up, and additional opportunities for community feedback will be given before the plan’s expected completion next year. The primary study area is between I-94/I-35E, Highway 52, Shepard Road and Kellogg Boulevard. Improving safety for drivers, transit users and pedestrians is also a primary goal.
Additionally, the City is updating its Climate Action and Resilience Plan, which was adopted in 2019. A draft is expected to be completed by the end of May, including the first in a series of action plans that can be implemented in 5-year increments. According to the 2019 plan, the biggest culprits of carbon emissions in the city are from build-
Climate plan / Page 8
Downtown St. Paul
Pumping up the Parks
New amenities coming soon to downtown parks
Construction continues on the $7.5 million Pedro Park project. The playground was installed last fall, and the large pavilion is expected to wrap up soon.
Jake
Spitzack
Staff Writer
Thewinter melt has given way to green grass, warm breezes and soft sunshine, sparking new life in parks across the city. Green spaces are important to urban areas because they help absorb traffic noise, cool neighborhoods, increase property values, improve mental health and provide room for recreation. Several improvements are now underway at parks in the St. Paul Voice distribution area, and many are funded fully or in part by the Common Cent Sales Tax, which St. Paul voters approved in 2023 and took effect last year. Here are the projects underway.
Pedro Park - St. Paul’s newest downtown park is set to be complete by the end of summer, with a grand opening celebration tentatively slated for August. The park will feature an open lawn area, fencedin pet zone with synthetic turf, 420-foot mural on a retaining wall, large pavilion with space for live music, and concrete sidewalks, including one arcing diagonally through the site from Robert to 10th Street. A playground, gardens and seating areas, drinking fountain, bike racks, irrigation and security cameras will also be added. Work has been underway since the Public Safety annex was demolished two years ago to make way for the new
Parks / Page 2
‘Parks
& People’ book commemorates St. Paul parks
Jake Spitzack Staff Writer
Nineteen of St. Paul’s city parks have been memorialized in a new coloring book, set to be published by the Ramsey County Historical Society and the St. Paul Parks Conservancy on May 9. It’s not just for kids. It has detailed sections that can take even the most artistic people hours to fill in. It also highlights the history and environmental “treasures” within the parks, so people can have a deeper appreciation for them the next time they visit.
“Parks & People: A Colorful History of Saint Paul Parks,” features illustrations by Jeanne Kosfeld and informative narratives written by Kathy Berdan. Two launch events are slated for May, and each provides the opportunity to meet the contributors. Book & Brew is held 2-5 p.m., Saturday, May 10, at Waldmann Brewery, 445 Smith Ave. N. Visitors can enjoy live music and get a free beer with each book purchased, as well as join a walking tour to Irvine Park at 2:30 or 3:30 p.m. Parks Giving Day will be held noon-1 p.m., Friday, May 16, at Irvine Park. The event will feature music and food trucks, and also celebrate the 176th birthday of St. Paul’s park system. The book is $20 and proceeds support the Historical Society and the Conservancy.
The Conservancy is also hosting The Great Park Walk 2025: Around the Parks in 80 Days, in partnership
Coloring book / Page 3
West Side Cinco de Mayo fiesta returns May 2-3
Jake Spitzack Staff Writer
Clear your calendar and call your friends – the West Side Cinco de Mayo fiesta is back, and this time for two days. Cesar Chavez Street between Robert and Ada will be transformed into a colorful block party filled with lively music, mouth-watering eats and a host of family-friendly activities. Festivities take
place 5-9 p.m., May 2, and 10 a.m.-6 p.m., May 3, and about 20,000 people are expected to attend. This is the second year the community-based Westside Fiestas committee has worked with the Westside Boosters to produce the regionally renowned and community favorite event, which dates to 1985. Formerly, it was organized by the St. Paul Festival and Heritage Foundation, which cancelled the
event in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic and chose not to revive it.
Julián Córdova won this year’s button competition and buttons can be purchased by contacting the Westside Cinco de Mayo committee at info@westsidecincodemayo.com. However, a button is not required for admission to the fiesta. Proceeds from the fiesta support the Westside Boosters Youth Sports League, a non-
profit youth sports organization that provides athletic opportunities for youth of all abilities and financial statuses. The following events were accurate as of press time but are subject to change. Car show - A fleet of finetuned and freshly polished lowriders, hot rods, motorcycles and other custom cars will once again line the festival streets for the annual
Cinco de Mayo / Page 5
Sample St. Paul Page 6
.87-acre oasis. The nonprofit St. Paul Parks Conservancy helped raise money for the project and recruited 22 volunteers to regularly maintain the gardens and other landscaping in the park.
“There’s a lot of folks downtown who are new to gardening and want to be involved,” said St. Paul Parks Conservancy executive director Michael-jon Pease. “We were able to build in these opportunities for annual plantings where we can get creative, and also then have wonderful [perennial] beds that can be maintained…. You’ve got people who retired downtown from their house and big gardens in the suburbs or other parts of the city, and then you’ve
got folks in their very first apartment who have window pots and they want to learn how to do things in a garden. We’re really looking forward to the mentoring opportunities that will happen.”
Several master gardeners from the St. Paul Garden Club will assist with large scale spring and fall plantings and cleanup events, which will be open to all. They will also help the designated volunteers, five of whom previously worked plots on the land when it was a half-acre community flower garden from 20172022.
“It’s an extensive planting plan with many different varieties of species that will come in at different times of the year,” said Carlos Fernandez, president of Aune Fernandez Landscape Archi-
tects. “It [the design] was not about a community garden in the food or produce sense. It was very much about the activity of gardening – get your hands on the soil and the benefits that come from that – and it was embraced as the ethos of this park. It is a community garden by the community.”
Aune Fernandez Landscape Architects and Global Specialty Contractors are completing the buildout for the $7.5 million project. The playground was installed last fall, and the large pavilion is expected to wrap up soon.
Most of the plants in the park will be native to Minnesota but there are a few nonnative perennials that are pollinator friendly. Overall, the site will have five distinct garden areas, each providing unique splashes of color. Annual beds will have seasonal
displays, and an upper garden will have prairie-inspired plants such as narrow leaf coneflower, blazingstar and prairie smoke. Planters in the sidewalk arcing through the site will have mounding shrubs and perennials such as wild blue indigo and threadleaf bluestar. A woodland garden will support shade-tolerant perennials and ferns like foamflower, bloodroot and meadowrue, and a texture garden will have sedges and other low standing foliage like bowman’s root and trout lilies. Trees include honey locust, which have small leaves and provide a dappled light effect versus heavy shade, as well as birch and serviceberry.
The 420-foot painted mural will range from 10-20 feet in height at different areas of the retaining wall and is being created by Daniela
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Bianchini and Pablo Kalaka of Daka Studio. Dubbed, “Pedro Bloom,” it will depict images of flowers, plants and garden creatures, with a set of hands representing people coming together to plant gardens and care for them. Shiny mosaic tiles will be incorporated in the design.
When complete, the site will be fully accessible and is intended to blend into the commercial and residential space around it. Seating areas and other amenities have been added along the street sides and park edges to gently welcome people into the inner layers.
“This has been envisioned for well over a decade, and for our office…to be able to have the funding to do this is amazing,” said St. Paul Parks and Recreation Pedro Park Project Manager Bryan Murphy. “This area of downtown has been kind of a desert with park space and having Pedro Park open for all the residents in the area, from the Penfield to the Rossmore to the Pointe, is going to let them congregate and activate. It’s really exciting to be on the cusp of opening up a new park.”
Pease added that hundreds of people provided community feedback over the past decade regarding the park, and some have even put on garage sales to raise funds to help make the park a reality. A full block park in this neighborhood has been called for since 2006 when the city adopted the Fitzgerald Park Precinct Plan.
“Every park development project is so different, and
the community has really hung in there all this time,” said Pease. “We always strive at the Conservancy to have some skin in the game, some funds from neighbors…. That means people are going to be in this park all the time and taking care of it and loving it.”
Helping to ensure funding for future work is Friends of Pedro Park, a nonprofit that operates under the umbrella of the Conservancy. Other downtown parks have similar support groups, including Rice and Mears parks. Parking at Pedro is available on the western side, and on nearby streets. For updates, visit stpaul.gov.
Sam Morgan Trail
Work is underway on the Sam Morgan Regional Trail between Lower Landing Park and Highway 61. It includes reconstructing the trail, erosion control, and tree removals and plantings. Trail nodes will also be made at Lower Landing Park, with benches, bike racks, lighting and trash cans. A temporary detour route has been posted, directing pedestrians and cyclists along Mounds Boulevard. Work is expected to be completed by the end of October and is being funded with federal and local match dollars.
Osborn Plaza
The small urban park nestled at the base of the Osborn370 building in downtown St. Paul is slated to be reconstructed this summer to encourage more people to use it and improve overall ac-
ommunity
cess and flow. Feedback was gathered on three concept plans, and a preferred plan is expected to be brought forward by the city at the end of May. Work calls for creating an oval-shaped plaza with seating, a pergola or other shade structure, street parking area for food trucks, a drinking fountain, trees and a pet relief area. The existing large sculpture onsite will be moved closer to the street, and another area may
receive a new piece of public art. Construction is expected to begin in July and be completed in spring 2026. The site, formerly known as Ecolab Plaza and Capital Centre Plaza, has been owned by the City of St. Paul since 1979.
Chestnut Plaza
Located in Upper Landing Park along Shepard Road in downtown St. Paul, Chestnut Plaza will get some improvements this sum -
Coloring book
with Great River Passage Conservancy. The summerlong event challenges people to visit every park in the coloring book. Prizes are awarded for visiting the parks, or by getting friends to sponsor your “walk.” A Finish Line Celebration is slated for August 4, at either Raspberry Island or Harriet Island.
The drawing of Pedro Park is the only one that doesn’t match the site as it appears today, because the park is still being built. The illustration had to be done from a conceptual rendering. Pedro Park is expected to be completed in late summer, fit with a large shelter, pet area, playground, lawn space and more. It has been called for since 2006 when the city adopted the Fitzgerald Park Precinct Plan.
Kosfeld is a former newspaper cartoonist and director of the design department
at the University of Alaska, and for the past 18 years has been creative director at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. She paints and does a variety of other jobs in her spare time, including board game design and creating public sculptures. She also did illustrations for two other coloring books: “Irvine Park Saint Paul: Neighborhood Architecture” and “Finding RONDO: Saint Paul.” Berdan is a Minnesota native and retired journalist who worked throughout the Midwest including in St. Paul. Since leaving the newsroom she has done freelance writing for various organizations, including Minnesota Monthly and the Walker Art Center.
Overall, St. Paul’s parks system is the result of countless people who dedicated their lives to ensuring residents can enjoy green space
mer. First and foremost, a water pump will be moved to a higher elevation so the fountain feature can operate when the river is in flood stage. The lower fountain area may also be reconstructed to include more seating and an interpretive sign or artwork. Cost to fix the water feature is about $400,000 and plaza enhancements are estimated to be $250,000$515,000.
for decades to come, and it’s continually evolving. Two years ago St. Paul residents voted to increase the city’s sales tax by one percent to raise $738 million for street improvements and $246 million for parks and recreation facility improvements for the next 20 years. Aside from costly repairs to many existing parks facilities, the park funds will support the creation of a multipurpose community center on the city’s East Side, river-focused environmental learning space and National Park Service headquarters at Crosby Farm Regional Park, and a 1.5-mile River Balcony promenade along the downtown bluff.
The St. Paul Parks Conservancy was founded in 2008 to help generate support from private individuals, corporations and foundations for park enhancements, programs and facilities. The McKnight Foundation donated seed money to the City of St. Paul to get it off
Downtown Riverwalk
The City of St. Paul is working on an ambitious multi-year initiative to create the River Balcony, a 1.5-mile promenade along downtown’s river bluff, between the Union Depot and the Science Museum. It’s designed to connect public spaces, civic landmarks and river connections, and boost economic development
the ground, and the nonprofit has since raised $4 million for park projects and programming. Today, Mears Park, Rice Park and Pedro Park have specific philanthropic arms under the Conservancy’s umbrella to help garner funding and maintain the sites.
Parks featured in the book include: Rice Park, Mears Park, Como Regional Park, Summit Overlook Park, Harriet Island Regional Park, Phalen Regional Park, Newell Park, Cochran Park, Boyd Park, Swede Hollow Park, Lilydale Regional Park, Raspberry Island Regional Park, Upper Landing Park, Speak Takraw Courts, Frogtown Community Center and General Vang Pao Fields, Unčí Makhá Park, Pedro Park, Indian Mounds Regional Park and Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary. To order the book, visit ramseycounty-historical-society. square.site.
while being an enjoyable amenity for residents and visitors. Several major developments have been proposed to be part of the project but are pending funding and final designs. This summer, the city is officially establishing the Downtown Riverwalk, a two-mile loop along the proposed site’s perimeter, with signage, interpretive graphics, artwork and places to rest. Staff said they’re still
in the planning stages and expect it to open in August or September.
Mountain bike track St. Paul recently applied for a $200,000 grant from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to build a track for mountain biking at Lower Landing Park and improve the Lower Afton intersection along Point Douglas Regional Trail.
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Contributors: Leonor Villasuso Rustad Peter Majerle
William Gustavo Franklin Torres
José William Castellanos
Roger Fuller
Carrie Classon
Joe Atkins
Dawn Wambeke
‘Midnight Reverie’
Prose and photo by Jared Arvin
The night carries the weight of silence and motion. Below, Highway 94 twists through the city like a river of light, its wet asphalt shimmering under the fleeting glow of passing cars. In the distance, the Capitol stands, its dome glowing faintly against the black, like a lighthouse for the restless.
The city feels different at midnight. The cold wraps around you, sharp and unapologetic, while the streets open up like pages from a book you’ve read before but never fully understood. St. Paul is big enough to disappear into, yet small enough to feel the breath of its history with every step.
You stop on the overpass. Beneath you, the highway hums like a machine that never stops, its rhythm steady and hypnotic. The cars below are like whispers in the dark –each carrying its own secrets, its own weight. You don’t know their stories, but you feel them. A fleeting glimpse of taillights, and they’re gone.
The Capitol looms quietly ahead, its light casting soft shadows over the empty streets. It’s more than a building – it’s a sentinel, watching over the city with an indifference
St. Paul Art Crawl
St. Paul’s Spring Art Crawl continues in May at the following venues. For more information, visit stpaulartcollective.org.
ArT @ 967 Payne, 967 Payne Ave.; May 2, 5-9 p.m.,
that feels strangely comforting. You feel its presence, solid and eternal, even as the world around it moves and changes.
The cold air bites at your skin, but you stay, drawn to the way the city transforms at this hour. The quiet beauty of it. The way the light dances on wet pavement. The way the shadows stretch and fold into the night. It’s not loud here. It’s never loud. St. Paul speaks in whispers – soft, steady, and laced with the echoes of everything that came before.
The night feels alive, yet hollow. The streets seem endless, yet intimate. There’s something freeing about being here, alone but not lonely, surrounded by the quiet hum of a city that never truly sleeps.
This is what the Saints by Night know – the beauty in stillness, the freedom in solitude, the strange comfort of being one small part of something larger. The cold doesn’t bother you anymore. It’s part of the night, part of the city, part of this moment.
You take one last look at the Capitol, its light unwavering, before stepping back into the shadows. The highway hums below, the city breathes around you, and the night moves on, carrying you with it.
and May 3, noon-8 p.m.
Twenty artists will display paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, photographs, jewelry, ceramics and more from artist studios and wall displays. Opening reception for gallery exhibit “Our World We Live In” is May 2. Artist question and answer panel on Friday and Saturday, and live performances expected throughout the weekend. Food trucks may be on site. Free parking in the back lot or on street.
Urban Roots, 1110 Payne Ave., May 3, 1-5 p.m. Three
artists will display mixed media, handmade paper, basket weaving, handmade journals, printmaking and baked goods, from a gallery and outdoors, weather permitting. Music and crafts onsite.
E&L Bindery Building, 708 Vandalia St.; May 9, 6-10 p.m., and May 10, noon-8 p.m. Ten artists will display paintings, drawings, photography, bookbindings and stone carvings. E & L Bindery will be open on the first floor with artists, and open studios will be on the
third floor. Snacks and beverages available, and a tarot card reader onsite. Park in the lot or on Vandalia Street and enter next to the loading dock.
DOW Gallery, 2242 University Ave. W.; May 9, 5-9 p.m., and May 10, noon-8 p.m. Forty artists will showcase painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media, wood working, notecards and jewelry. Complimentary refreshments. Free parking on the street and in the Wright Building lot. Not handicapped accessible.
House of heART 2, 763 Holly Ave.; May 9, 4-9 p.m.; May 10, noon-8 p.m.; and May 11, noon-5 p.m. Find 28 artists displaying paintings, photography, ceramics and mixed media across three floors of an Airbnb home, and outside, weather permitting. Complimentary refreshments and solo music performances throughout the weekend.
Midway Clay, 1708 University Ave. W.; May 9, 4-8 p.m.; May 10, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; and May 11, noon-5 p.m. More than a dozen artists will showcase ceramics as well as some 2D art from a gallery and studio space. Light refreshments available. Street parking.
Open Art Space, 2147 University Ave. W.; May 9, 6-9 p.m.; May 10, noon-8 p.m.; and May 11, noon-5 p.m. Ten artists in gallery, hallway and studio spaces will showcase wax paintings, photography, collage and mixed media, ceramics, pastel drawing, greeting cards and more. Light refreshments available and a family friendly art activity will be held Saturday and Sunday. Parking in the lot behind the building.
Spatial Effects, 1759 Selby Ave.; May 9, 4-6 p.m.; May 10, noon-6 p.m.; and May 11, noon-5 p.m. Nearly 30 artists in two gallery spaces will display paintings, drawings, photography, stone and metal sculpture, ceramics, glass paintings, mixed media, carved gourds and more. Also showing furniture by Third Street Studios. Refreshments available all days and live music by the Joel Shapira Jazz Trio 2-4 p.m., Saturday.
Springboard for the Arts, 262 University Ave. W.; May 10, noon-4 p.m. More than 40 artists with prints and printmaking art in the first floor community hall and on the front lawn. OG Za Za Pizza Trailer will be onsite and interactive artist led
activities from Street Corner Letterpress will take place. Free street parking. St. Paul Neighborhood Network, 550 Vandalia St.; May 9, 6-8 p.m.; May 10, noon-4 p.m.; and May 11, 1-5 p.m. Short documentary screening from first-time filmmakers on Friday, with food available. Photography, art and storytelling exhibits, including works by 10 youth, on Saturday and Sunday. Park in the lot. University of Minnesota Goldstein Museum of Design, level 2 of McNeal Hall (room #241), 1985 Buford Ave.; May 9-10, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and May 11, noon- 5 p.m. An exhibit featuring historical and contemporary letterpress prints, advertising posters, wood type artifacts and graphic design pieces created using traditional printing techniques. Includes an interactive 2-color block printing installation Virginia St. Church, 170 Virginia St., May 9-11. More than 20 artists will exhibit paintings, mosaics, quilting, ceramics, art glass, collages and drawings. Live music by Blues Stratum and other bands, and Liz Zini will play waltzes and tangoes – and the chicken dance – on her accordion. Food available.
Cinco de Mayo
from page 1
car show. It’s held 6 p.m., May 2, at 179 E. Robie St. A hop/bounce contest will take place, and prizes will be awarded to entrants in various categories.
Parade
The iconic parade kicks off at 10 a.m., May 3, at the intersection of Wabasha and Cesar Chavez, and travels down Cesar Chavez to Ada. Colorful floats, folkloric dancers, bands and members of the community will participate. Longtime West Side Boosters volunteer and coach Danny Franco will lead the way as this year’s grand marshal.
Music and entertainment
Three stages will be on the fiesta grounds on May 3. The R&B Stage at Robert and Cesar Chavez features Twin River, noon; The Santana Project, 1 p.m.; High and Mighty, 3 p.m.; and Pepe Márquez with special guest DJ Dime, 5 p.m. The Tex-Mex Stage at State and
George will feature performances by Ricardo Castillón y la Diferenzia, Mambito y los Champs, Los Rebeldes and more. The Cultural Performances Stage at Parque de Castillo will feature local performers and groups. Additionally, a Family Zone will be set up in Parque Castillo featuring crafts and activities, and an artisan market and many food vendors.
Live pro wrestling
“Cinco Chaos at Boca Chica!” is held noon-3 p.m., May 3, at Boca Chica. It features live pro wrestling by Midwest All-Star Wrestling. General admission is free, but limited ringside tickets are $20.
Softball tournament
An adult softball tournament will take place at Gilbert de la O Field behind the Wellstone Center. Games are held on Saturday, May 3. The tournament has been organized by the Boosters since 1988.
History and background
The celebration, always held the weekend around May 5, once attracted more than 100,000 attendees over a full weekend of events and had been called one of the top 10 largest Cinco de Mayo fiestas in the nation. It was first organized by the Riverview Economic Development Association and grew from a small community festival to a regional attraction. However, it became too much for the small nonprofit to manage and in 2009 the event was transferred to the St. Paul Festival & Heritage Foundation, which also organizes the St. Paul Winter Carnival. The foundation eventually reduced the festival to one day then stopped organizing it after cancelling for two years because of the pandemic. In 2022, a small Cinco de Mayo event was organized on the West Side by Reis Romero, a former volunteer with the traditional Cinco de Mayo West Side St. Paul. The West Side Boosters, established in 1970, plans to help organize the event for the foreseeable future and would like to see
it return to a similar scale as it once was. The nonprofit can provide significant help because of a $1.4 million grant it received from the state’s Explore Minnesota Department in summer 2023 to fund cultural events. In addition to making sure Cinco keeps thriving, it uses some of the funds for its annual Football Fiesta in September in conjunction with Mexican Independence Day. Cinco de Mayo (May 5) commemorates the unlikely victory at the Battle of Puebla, in Mexico’s state of Puebla, of a struggling
Mexican army over Napoleon III’s massive French army in 1862. This was the first time the French Army had been defeated in decades. Although the French regrouped and overtook Mexico City, the Puebla battle is remembered for the euphoria it created, as well as the hope and patriotism, not just in Mexico but among Mexicans living in California at the time.
To volunteer at the fiesta, call Ana at 651-230-9195. For more information, visit stpaulwestsidefiestas.com.
Photo courtesy of West Side Fiestas
Children’s
Museum
10 7th St. W. St. Paul
651-225-6000
mcm.org
“Dinosaurs: Land of Fire and Ice,” through May 11. Travel back in time and discover what life was like when dinosaurs roamed the earth. Dig for fossils, explore a swampy bog and oozing volcano, climb through icy terrain and more.
Exhibits and activities include “The Scramble,” “The Studio,” “Creativity Jam,” “Sprouts,” “Our World,” “Forces at Play,” “Shipwreck Adventures” and “Imaginopolis.” Tickets are $17 on weekdays and $19 on weekends. Admission is free the first Sunday of each month; reservations are required, and tickets are limited. The next free date is May 4.
History Center
345 W. Kellogg Blvd. St. Paul 651-259-3000 mnhs.org
“Girlhood (It’s Complicated),” through June 1.
This exhibit from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History features more than 100 objects that explore how young women have influenced politics, education, work, health and fashion.
“Reframing our Stories” is featured through October. The exhibit was created from a decades-old box of photographs simply labeled “Indians.” Inside the box were dozens of pictures of Native community members, organizations, activities, and events that are relevant today.
“Our Home: Native Minnesota” features historic
and contemporary photographs, maps and artifacts that show how Minnesota’s native communities have retained cultural practices, teachings and values.
Other exhibits include “Minnesota’s Greatest Generation,” “Then Now Wow,” “Grainland” and “Weather Permitting.” Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and college students, and $8 for children ages five to 17. Admission and parking are free on Thursdays, 4-8 p.m.
History Theatre
30 E. 10th St. St. Paul 651-292-4323
Historytheatre.com
“Whoa, Nellie!” May 17June 8. The whirlwind tale of a fake detective (and former child performer), whose countless criminal exploits
and penchant for male attire made her a Minnesota media sensation in the late 1800s.
From $59.
Landmark Center
75 5th St. W. St. Paul 651-292-3225
landmarkcenter.org
Schubert Club KidsJam: Making Art–A Storytelling Experience, May 1-3. Hours are noon-1 p.m. Thursday; 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Three powerhouse percussive dance companies will unite in May at Park Square Theatre for the presentation of “Time Piece.”
Sample St. Paul
Friday; 10-11 a.m. Saturday; and 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Sunday. Free.
Courtroom Concerts: Elkina Piano Duo, noon-1 p.m., Thursday, May 1; PaviElle French, noon-1 p.m., Thursday, May 8. Free.
St. Paul Civic Symphony’s Mother’s Day Concert, 1-3 p.m., Sunday, May 11. Free.
Urban Expedition: Ethiopia, 1-3 p.m., Sunday, May 4. Authentic music, food, dance performances and crafts. Free.
Woodturning demonstration, 1-4 p.m., Sunday, May 18 in the AAW Gallery of Wood Art. Free.
Public Building Tour , 12:30 p.m.-1:15 p.m., every Sunday. Learn about the building’s history, gangster connections and restoration. Free.
MN Museum of American Art
350 Robert St. N. St. Paul 651-797-2571
mmaa.org
“Here, Now” features 150 artworks across media from historically significant and notable new artists. All are in the M’s permanent collection. The museum is open
10 a.m.-4 p.m. ThursdaySunday. Admission is free.
Ordway Center
345 Washington St. St. Paul 651-224-4222
ordway.org
St. Paul Chamber Orchestra concerts: Steven Copes plays Prokofiev’s First Violin Sonata, 7 p.m., May 2-3. Coleman’s Sandbox Premiere with William Eddin, May 16-18. Both from $16. Minnesota Opera presents “The Barber of Seville,” May 3-18. From $46.
“Girls Night: The Musical,” 7 p.m., Saturday, May 10. Follow five friends as they visit their past, celebrate their present and look to the future on a wild and hilarious night out. From $54.
Schubert Club presents Accordo with Silent Film: Women in Early Cinema, 7:30 p.m., Tues., May 13. Features six movies from the collection “Cinema’s First Nasty Women” with original live music by Accordo. From $31.
The Flint Hills Family Festival, May 30-31. Headliner performances are NOOMA, an opera for babies; Japanese taiko drummers GOCOO; 2025 Gram-
my winners Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band; 360 All Stars and Ada Twist, Scientist. All outdoor activities at the festival are free. Indoor performances start at $8 per person. Tickets for Lucky Diaz start at $15.
Park Square Theatre
20 W. 7th Place St. Paul 651-291-7005
parksquaretheatre.org
“Between Riverside and Crazy,” May 14-June 8. Ex-cop and recent widower Walter “Pops” Washington and his recently paroled son fight to keep their rent-controlled apartment in New York City, navigating old wounds, unexpected guests and life’s unpredictable challenges. From $25.
“Time Piece” - Three powerhouse percussive dance companies will unite in May, with performances at 7:30 p.m., May 8-10 and May 15-17 and 2 p.m. May 11 and 18. Tickets are $30.
Flying Foot Forum will present “Dandelions or How to Love Your Life,” a romantic, poetic, musical and meditative extravaganza that follows life’s seasons, and “Footfall,” a soaring and
stomping assortment of soulful modern folk dances set to a Nordic, Celtic, and Eastern European folk soundtrack.
Zorongo Flamenco Dance Theatre will premiere “Amor de Dios,” a thought-provoking dance theater performance about Spain’s “Bebes Robados,” when newborn babies were taken and given up for adoption without the birth parents’ knowledge.
Katha Dance Theatre will present “Rhythms of the Sol: A Kathak Odyssey,” which celebrates the art of Kathak, a classical Indian dance form.
RiverCentre
175 W. Kellogg Blvd. St. Paul 651- 265-4800 rivercentre.org
Minnesota Bridal and Wedding Expo , 1 p.m., Sunday, May 5. A wide selection of wedding professionals ready to help you find the perfect gown, reception venue, invitations, photographer, music, food, honeymoon destinations
and more. Free with online registration or $10 at the door.
Science Museum of Minnesota
120 W. Kellogg Blvd. St. Paul 651-221-9444 smm.org
“Butterfly Odyssey” through September 1. An interactive, maze-based exhibit that allows you to experience the fascinating behaviors and inspiring resilience of wild and farmed butterflies. The exhibit also examines how tropical butterfly farming can support the local community, impact the environment and protect ecosystems around the world.
Virtual Reality Transporter, through December 2026. Use the VRT to hurtle through the cosmos at fantastic speeds, scuba dive into prehistoric seas, and join the astronauts of Apollo 11 as they moonwalk for the first time. $9.95.
Museum Nights , 5-8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Explore museum galleries,
check out special Science Live performances, enjoy food and drink, then catch an Omnitheater show.
“National Parks Adventure” Omnitheater show, through May 30. Travel back in time with President Theodore Roosevelt and conservationist John Muir as they imagine a vast national parks system.
“Stellar Tours: A Star is Born” Omnitheater show, Wednesday-Sunday. Follow the life cycle of a star through this live digital telescope show.
Tickets are $34.95 for adults and $24.95 for ages 4-17 and include an Omnitheatre show.
Xcel Center
199 W. Kellogg Blvd. St. Paul 651-726-8240
xcelenergycenter.com
“Rock Stars on Ice,” 7 p.m., Wednesday, May 21. Timeless rock classics fused with the athleticism and artistry of world-class figure skating. From $41.
Climate plan
from page 1
ing energy use (61%) and transportation (30%). If no action is taken, emissions are anticipated to increase 50% by 2050, contributing to the significant warming being documented across the planet. Notably, Xcel Energy is working to provide 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050, which will get St. Paul buildings about 40% of the way toward carbon neutrality. This allows the city to focus more on reducing emissions from travel and natural gas. Ultimately, both will need to be decreased by 3% annually to meet the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.
Volunteer
In
Your Community
Lutheran Social Service of MN is seeks volunteers age 55 or over in your area to provide companionship to older adults or mentor school-age children. Volunteers commit to regular weekly hours for a tax-free stipend and mileage reimbursement. Contact us at 888 205 3770, or AmericorpsSeniors@ lssmn.org for more information and to make an impact in your community.
A major piece of the two complementary plans is determining how to make low-emission travel a legitimate choice for the general public, especially for trips of less than three miles. Creating more sidewalk and trail connections with pleasant landscaping and other amenities is expected to promote walking and biking, which in turn have mental health benefits for individuals. Providing additional light rail and bus transit options, as well as electric car-share and electric bikes and scooters, could also curb single occupancy commuters. The city’s bike plan, adopted last year,
has paved the way for up to 163 miles of new off-street bike lanes to be created in the city by 2040, bringing the network to a total of 335 bike lane miles. Notably, the next segment of the Capital City Bikeway will be constructed this summer along the north side of Kellogg Boulevard, from St. Peter Street to West 7th Street. Getting more people out on the streets will also help boost economic development, another top priority for the City. A year ago, the
City adopted a Downtown Investment Strategy, outlining population growth goals, which include adding 20,000 residents, 20,000 workers for a total of 75,000, and increasing the number of annual visitors by 20% to 10 million. The report identified three ways that the public and private sectors can work together to reach the goals: convert office space into housing, invest in pedestrian-oriented streetscape improvements and advance downtown St.
Paul’s most strategic redevelopment opportunities. Last fall, 10 office buildings were identified as candidates for conversion into residential units: 375 Jackson Street’s first building, Alliance Bank Building, Empire Building, First National Bank building, Gallery Professional building, Great Northern building, InterContinental building, Park Square Court, Town Square UBS Tower and U.S. Bank Center. Construction is underway on the former Ecolab University
and Landmark Tower buildings. Regarding strategic development opportunities, a developer has been selected for the redevelopment of the light rail Central Station block. They are proposing to build a 20-story apartment tower and a 6-story building connected by a skyway over the Metro Green Line. The $130-million project features 300 apartment units and 10,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space on the vacant site adjacent to the Green Line’s Central Station. A purchase agreement is tentatively slated for the end of 2026, with construction starting shortly after. Likewise, Ramsey County is working on schematic plans for the Park at RiversEdge, a 9-acre park on the Mississippi bluff between Union Depot and the Science Museum that is expected to feature gathering space for public events, expanded public access to the river and more. It’s the first section of the proposed River Balcony, which calls for a slew of ambitious development opportunities.
P ostscript
The tornado
My friend Wally and I have a fractious relationship. This is no secret.
Wally has said he thinks optimistic people like me are self-deluded, always looking for reasons to be happy when there is a lot to worry about and not much to celebrate.
Wally used the metaphor of a tornado. He said people like me would be down in the storm shelter right beside him but would ignore the destruction the tornado left behind.
“Do perpetually positive people even hear themselves?” he asked. “How
Carrie Classon CarrieClasson.com
nice that must be! To see the world in ways it might or should be while ignoring how it is. To look for the rainbow while ignoring the flood!”
Wally got me so irritated that I wrote a whole book about a character he inspired. Since I didn’t figure I could ever change Wally’s mind, I wanted to create someone just like Wally who believed he had the world’s worst luck and that looking for things to be grateful for was an act of willful ignorance.
I wrote the book and shared it with him and, to his credit and my astonishment, he wasn’t angry with my depiction of him at all. He was tickled that something he’d said inspired me.
Wally keeps on inspiring me. He has some interesting observations about life and thoughts about how optimism might fall short. It’s taken me much longer than it should have to realize that
{ THE FULLER FILES }
Skyway access at the Alliance Bank Center is limited to one point due to the now vacant building being in foreclosure. The only remaining skyway access is from the Interstate Parking ramp connected to Osborn370 and the Treasure Island building. The building became vacant in March after its owner Madison Equities stopped paying for utilities, security and maintenance. In March, all tenants were forced to move quickly. The City of St. Paul is providing security and basic management services until a new owner is found. Global Storage Partners of Carlsbad, Calif. has purchased four floors of the Custom House annex at 275 N. Sibley St. and is converting 82,000 square feet into 800 self-storage units, ranging from 5-by-5 feet to 10by-30 feet. The company bought floors two through
five for the project, which is expected to be completed this summer.
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has named Charlene Bradley director of St. Paul operations. A St. Paul native, Bradley previously held senior leadership roles at Target Corporation and Thomson Reuters. Since 2000, the Knight Foundation has invested more than $50 million in St. Paul, focusing on downtown revitalization and supporting local entrepreneurship. Recent investments include $1 million in ReConnect Rondo to revitalize the historic Rondo community; the Great River Passage Conservancy’s plan to activate and reconnect the Mississippi waterfront with downtown; and the St. Paul Downtown Alliance to establish a downtown development corporation.
Subtext Books, 6 W. 5th
Wally makes some very good points.
Optimism can be clumsy. It can be ham-fisted. Disappointment, grief, setbacks, bad news and failures are all very real, and the optimist’s impulse is to sweep them under the rug in record time.
“Where is the upside? What is the lesson? How can I learn from all this?” the optimist asks. Wally finds this annoying, perhaps with good reason because somewhere between the time the tornado strikes and the optimist goes looking for the rainbow, maybe there’s a moment that optimists tend to forget.
We forget to say we’re sorry.
Wally is worried about his future and the future of his children and grandchildren. When I tell him all this worrying isn’t getting much done he gets angry and, really, I don’t blame him. Because I skipped a step. I skipped the step between the tornado and the rainbow.
Today, for a change, I remembered.
“Oh, Wally,” I said, “you always seem to think I’m scolding you when I try to cheer you and encourage you. I care about you. Do you not get that? I worry about you and want you to be happy.”
“Thank you,” Wally said. “Thank you so much.”
And I realized that he really didn’t know this.
I get impatient with Wally’s ruminating and doomsaying and daily dose of gloom. I want to remind him of all the things he has to be grateful for. But I forget to tell him that I care. I forget to say I’m sorry he is troubled. I don’t acknowledge how he feels. I jump right from the tornado to the rainbow.
I’m pretty sure Wally will continue to regularly irritate me, and I will do the same for him. I’ll continue to remind him that things might not be as bad as he assumes and he’ll remind me, in my endless quest for sunshine, that it’s important to recognize the hurt and fear that come with the tornado. Till next time.
by Roger Fuller
St., will present Kent Nerburn, author of “Lone Dog Road” at 7 p.m., Tuesday, May 20.
Camp Bar and Cabaret, 490 Robert St., will present the following comedians: Jay Hollingsworth, May 2-3; Tim Sullivan, May 9-10; David Harris, May 16-17; Caleb Elliott, May 23-24 and Tommy Ryman, May 30-31.
Burl Art Gallery, 308 Prince St., is presenting its Kaleidoscope exhibit through May, featuring about 85 works of art.
PAK Properties and the Halverson and Blaiser Group have purchased the Commerce Building at 10 E. 4th St. from CommonBond Communities. The centuryold building has 100-units of affordable housing.
Ramsey County Historical Society History Revealed program will feature Hmongfellows 6-8 p.m.,
Thursday, May 22 at Landmark Center, 75 W. 5th St. Penumbra Theatre , 370 Kent St., is presenting “When We Are Found” through May 18.
Books and Bars will present a discussion of “Ministry of Time” by Kaliane Bradley at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 27 at Urban Growler, 2325 Endicott St.
The St. Paul Farmers Market will hold a Mother’s Day event on Sunday, May 11. Children will be given a pot to paint, with a flower already placed in the pot.
The Minnesota Historical Society will present a
collection of items pertaining to “The Great Gatsby” and its author St. Paul native F. Scott Fitzgerald through May in the Gale Family Library at the Minnesota History Center, 345 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul. Entry is free. The display is part of a series of programs this year marking the 100th anniversary of the classic novel’s publication. Set in the Jazz Age of the 1920s, the novel explores ideas about class and society, materialism and the American Dream.
The skyway walking group meets at 9 a.m. on
Tuesdays at US Bank skyway level, 101 5th St. E. The group travels a mile and a half through the skyways at a casual pace.
“Framing Film: Painting Cinema’s Shadows,” through May 31 at Lost Fox, 213 4th St., St. Paul. Lowertown artist Richard Abraham presents paintings that interpret film frames from the 1940s and ’50s in oil paint, capturing the shadowy allure of the silver screen. Exhibit highlights include Humphrey Bogart’s weary cynicism and Bette Davis’ piercing gaze. Free.
TPAC
Unless noted, all activities take place at Thompson Park Activity Center, 1200 Stassen Lane, West St. Paul. Events are for ages 55 and older. To register, call 651403-8300.
Healthy Aging Expo, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Wednesday, May 14. Get expert advice from senior service providers. Music, giveaways and prizes. Free.
Hearing Health Including Aids, 10-11 a.m., Thursday, May 1. $3.
Bocce Ball, 9:45-10:45 a.m., Mondays, May 5-19. $5.
Card Creations , 9:30 a.m.-noon, Monday, May 5. Create three handmade
greeting cards. $25, includes supplies.
Constitution Stress Test, 9:30-11 a.m., Tuesday, May
6. Explore challenges facing the U.S. Constitution. $9. Tai Chi Chih For Health, 9:15-10 a.m., Wednesdays, May 7-June 25. $56.
Semiquincentennial on July 4, 2026 - 250 Years!, 10 a.m.-noon, Thursday, May 8. A brief summary of
Community CALENDAR
our history and a discussion on how we can commemorate the nation’s Semiquincentennial in Dakota County. $5.
Write Your Own Living Will or Healthcare Directive , 9:30-10:30 a.m., Thursday, May 15. $5. Registration required.
Spring Birding, 9-10:30 a.m., Tues., May 20. Join fellow bird enthusiasts on a guided hike at Thompson Park. $10.
Author Marcie Rendon: Reading and Q&A , 11 a.m.-noon, May 20. Rendon, a member of the White Earth Nation and author of several notable works, will share insights from her literary journey, discuss the importance of representation in storytelling, and explore the intersection of culture and
creativity. $9. Registration required.
Muffins with the Mayor, 10-11 a.m., Tuesday, May 27. Join a lively chat with West St. Paul Mayor David Napier. $3. Registration required.
(Grand)Parents with Littles: Your Tech Safety Toolbox, noon-1 p.m., Tuesday, May 27. Tips for managing technology use, protecting privacy and fostering a safe digital environment for young children. $29. Registration required.
Discover Your Roots: A Family Tree & Ancestry Workshop, 1-3 p.m., Tuesday, May 27. $9. Registration required.
Experience the Adventure: Joe Schmidt’s LifeChanging Trip to Uganda, 1-2 p.m., Wednesday, May
28. Local sports broadcaster Joe Schmidt will share the unforgettable story of his family’s African safari adventure. $9. Registration required.
“37 Postcards” production at DayTrippers Dinner Theatre, 10:45 a.m.-4 p.m., Thursday, May 29. $92, includes play and buffet. Register by May 1.
Watercolor Painting , 9:30-11:30 a.m., Tuesdays, May-August. Paint with other artists while enjoying music and conversation. Registration required.
Create with Colored Pencils Group , 1-3 p.m., first and third Wednesday, May-August. All levels welcome, from novice to skilled. Foot Care, second and third Thursday. Experienced nurses provide a foot assess-
ment, trim toenails, thin overgrown nails, file corns/ calluses, and care of fungal toenails. Appointments required. $65. Cribbage , 1-3 p.m., Wednesdays, May-August. $15.
Hand & Foot, 9:30 a.m.12:15 p.m., Wednesdays, May-August. $15.
Union Depot
The following events are held at Union Depot, 214 4th St. E. For more information, visit uniondepot.org/ event-calendar.
Station Sounds, 6-8 p.m., Thursday, May 8 and 22. Live music at 1881 Eating House.
Red Cross blood drive, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Thursday, May 15.
Free yoga classes are offered 5:30-6:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, and 9-10 a.m., Saturdays. Games galore, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. each Wednesday. Giant-size games are available or bring your own. Free. Public tour of Union Depot, 1-2 p.m., Wednesday, May 31.
DOWNTOWN
Church of St. Louis, King of France 506 Cedar St. 651-224-3379 stlouiskingoffrance.org
• Church of the Assumption 51 W. Seventh St. 651-224-7536 assumptionsp.org
• Central Presbyterian 500 Cedar St. 651-224-4728 centralforgood.org
• First Baptist 499 Wacouta St. 651-222-0718 firstbaptiststpaul.org
• Church of St. Mary 267 8th St. E., #100 651-222-2619 stmarystpaul.org
WEST SIDE
Cherokee Park United 371 Baker St W 651-227-4275 cherokeeparkunited.org
• La Puerta Abierta UMC 690 Livingston Ave. 651-558-1896
• Our Lady of Guadalupe 401 Concord St 651-228-0506 www.olgcatholic.org
• St. Elizabeth Orthodox 125 Congress St E 651-424-0814 seocc.org
St. Matthew Catholic 490 Hall Avenue 651-224-9793 st-matts.org
• St. Paul Mennonite Fellowship 371 Baker St. W saintpaulmennonite.org
WEST ST. PAUL
Augustana Lutheran 1400 Robert St. S. 651-457-3373 augustana.com
• Community Christ the Redeemer 110 Crusader Ave. W. 651-451-6123 ccredeemer.org
• Crown of Life Lutheran Church & School 115 Crusader Ave. W. 651-451-3832 colwsp.org
• Faith United Methodist 1530 Oakdale Ave. 651-457-5686 faithumcmn.com
• Restoration Hope Church 121 Butler Ave. W. (Heritage Middle School) West St. Paul, 612-254-480 restorationhopechurch.com
Riverview Baptist 14 Moreland Ave. E. 651-457-3831 riverviewbaptist.net
Salem Lutheran 11 Bernard St 651-457-6661 salemluth.org
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.” Hebrews 10: 24-25
St. George Antiochian Orthodox 1250 Oakdale Ave. 651-457-0854 saintgeorge-church.org
• St. James Lutheran 460 Annapolis St. W. 651-457-9232 saintjameslutheran.com
• St. Joseph’s Catholic 1154 Seminole Ave 651-457-2781 churchofstjoseph.org
• St. Stephen’s Lutheran 1575 Charlton St. 651-457-6541 ststephenswsp.org
SOUTH
ST. PAUL
Luther Memorial Church 315 15th Ave N 651-451-2400 luther-memorial.com
• St Augustine’s Catholic Church 408 3rd St N 651-455-1302 holytrinitysspmn.org
• First Presbyterian 535 20th Ave. N. 651-451-6223 fpcssp.org
• Woodbury Lutheran Wakota Ridge Campus 255 W. Douglas St. 651-739-5144 woodburylutheran.org
South St. Paul Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist 140 6th Ave N 651-455-0777
Grace Lutheran Church
155 8th Ave S 651-451-1035 grace-ssp.org
• Holy Trinity
Catholic Church
Catholic church 749 6th Ave S 651-455-1302 holytrinitysspmn.org
• Clark Grace United Church 779 15th Ave N 651-451-7278 clarkgraceucc.org
• St. Sava Serbian Orthodox church 357 2nd Ave. S. 651-451-0775 stsavamn.org
• Saint John Vianney Catholic Church 789 17th Ave. N. 651-451-1863 info@sjvssp.org
• Sf. Stefan Romanian Orthodox Church
350 5th Ave N 651-451-3462 sfantulstefan.org
• St Mary ’s Coptic
Orthodox Church
501 6th Ave S 651-455-8947 stmarymn.org
