Downtown St. Paul
Summer of Sparky Page 4
Sample St. Paul Page 6
Volume 28 | Number 7
Your Community News & Information Source
July 2022
New 55-plus venue opens Tim Spitzack Editor
A
new entertainment venue catering to people aged 55 and older is opening in late June in the U.S. Bank Center. Located in a 1,200-square-foot space near the Robert Street skyway, the Homestead features two “living room” areas, several tables with chairs, reading nooks, rocking chairs and a foosball table. The centerpiece of the space is a tree emerging from a picket fence; its branches strung with multi-colored lights. The work of local artists adorns the walls, and the artwork is for sale. The Homestead is a “member supported organization” that requires a $5 entrance fee ($4 with a multi-day pass). Members must show a valid ID, sign-in and adhere to a basic dress code. There is no formal programming but that may change in the future. For now, it is intended to be a place where members can relax, socialize, play games, host book clubs, and more. Complimentary tea and coffee are served, and members may bring their own food. The Homestead is owned by Bill Hosko, who has operated Hosko Gallery and Picture Framing in downtown St. Paul for nearly three decades. He also owns the Music Forest Café, which shares the street level space with Hosko Gallery at 151 E. 7th St. Music Forest Café is reopening in late June after being temporarily Homestead / Page 10
Tina Gassman
St. Paul BOMA names new president Jake Spitzack Staff Writer
W
Housing report
How our local housing market compares to the Twin Cities region Jake Spitzack Staff Writer
F
ewer homes in the Twin Cities saw new owners last year – about 9% – compared to the two unusually strong years prior, but numbers are still above the pre-COVID statistics and market trends are expected to continue. Inventory in the Twin Cities has plummeted more than 57% in the last three years, according to the St. Paul Area Association of Realtors and Minneapolis Area Realtors, leaving metro buyers facing a stiff shortage. The shortage is sure to keep prices record-high, time on the market short and multiple of-
fers commonplace. The median sale price for a home in the Twin Cities rose 10% from last year, to $370,000, a record-high. Mortgage rates also climbed from 2.96% to 5.78%. Here’s how the downtown market has changed over the past year. Data is through May 2022. The median sales price dropped 3.1%, from $191,500 to $185,600. Closed sales decreased 19.8%, from 81 to 65, however homes sold 15.1% faster with days on the market decreasing from 126 to 107. New listings decreased 7.5%, from 134 to 124.
Housing / Page 2
hen Joe Spartz announced last year that he was retiring in early June as president of St. Paul Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA), the board acted quickly to find his successor. On June 9, Tina Gassman became the fifth president in the organization’s 51-year history. She comes to BOMA from The Harrington Company, which provides professional management and consultation services to state, regional, national, and international associations, societies and foundations. Since 1996, she worked in a variety of leadership roles with that company. Gassman has a bachelor’s degree in journalism with a minor in public relations from the University of WisconsinMadison and completed a mini master of business administration program for nonprofits at the University of St. Thomas. BOMA works to provide leadership for the commercial real estate BOMA / Page 3
Longtime artistic director takes final bow Jake Spitzack Staff Writer
C
Ron Peluso
hoosing stories from Minnesota’s most colorful characters and events and bringing them to life to teach and entertain the masses is a craft that Ron Peluso has fine-tuned in his 27 years as artistic director at the Minnesota History Theatre. During his tenure he has championed nearly
100 new plays, quadrupled the theater’s budget and expanded opportunities for actors. On January 1, he will retire and pass the torch to the theater’s next leader. When Peluso joined the theater as artistic director in 1995 it was operating with a small budget and staff. “We only had about $500,000 a year and, like, four staff members,” he said. “We had some financial
struggles trying to get started once the founders left, but now our company has grown to a budget of over $2 million a year and has 12 fulltime staff members and one part-timer. When I turn the keys over, I’m hoping that we [the theater] still have a full tank of gas, the radio works and the tires are filled up. We’re looking forward to a new generation of history theater makers who can
come forward and build on what we’ve done over the years and bring a fresh insight as to how history is presented here.” Peluso worked diligently to carry out the theater’s vision of connecting people with Minnesota’s history. This included planning the 8-month season, overseeing the budget, hiring
Peluso / Page 3
H ousing Housing from page 1
Market trends and inventory In the Twin Cities, buyers are sometimes paying about 50% more for the same home compared to a year ago, which diminishes buy-
Volunteer In Your Community
Lutheran Social Service of MN is seeking volunteers age 55+ in your area to provide companionship to older adults or mentor school-age children. Volunteers serve 10 or more hours per week for tax-free stipend and mileage reimbursement. Please contact Jacqueline James at 651.310.9455, or Jacqueline.James@lssmn. org for more information and to make an impact in your community.
Your community news and information source ing power, especially when taking into account higher down payment costs, closing costs and the fact that inflation is at a 40-year high. Many people – especially first time buyers – are feeling the sting and are being forced to postpone their homebuying plans. Isaac Contreras, realtor with Keller Williams Realty, said that millennial buyers are in the hottest competition right now. “They are in their prime home-buying years and are the biggest segment of the first-time home buyers. With the historically low inventory, you are finding buyers who may have explored the single family home market first but found themselves moving over to townhomes and condos so they can put monthly housing payments towards building equity versus rising rent payments.” He added that the increasing trend of sales of luxury properties is primarily due to out-of-state buyers who are relocating and getting a bigger bang for their buck in Minnesota compared to higher-cost markets like in San Jose, Calif., Seattle,
homes decreased 10.2%, sales of condos decreased .6%, sales of townhouses decreased 7.1% and sales of luxury properties ($1M+) rose 16.6%. • The median price for newly built single-family homes is $493,900; for previously owned single family homes $365,000; for condos $195,000; and townhouses $272,000.
Wash., and others. He said that this influx of newcomers has been accentuated because many people are now able to work from home and don’t need to stay in those high cost markets. Economists aren’t overly concerned about a crash in the housing market because of the high demand for houses among millennials and most lenders giving mortgages only to the most qualified borrowers. Currently, the Twin Cities has
AND
HOLMES WATSON By Jeffrey Hatcher
Directed by Michael Evan Haney
Sherlock Holmes is dead...or is he?
JULY 12 – AUG 21
about three weeks’ supply of inventory; a balanced market would have four to six months’ worth. Inventory of existing properties has decreased 6% while inventory of new construction has increased a whopping 50.7%. Here’s how inventory and sales have changed metrowide in the past year: • There are 11.7% more single-family homes, 4.6% more townhomes and 22.2% fewer condos available. • Sales of single-family
Multifamily and affordable housing Rent for apartments has stayed relatively consistent since last year. Median rent for 1-bedroom units stayed at $1,000; 2-bedroom units decreased 3%, to $1,300; and 3-bedroom units increased 8%, to $1,669. In May, Ramsey County approved 18 affordable housing development projects, which will add roughly 450 new affordable housing units, with nearly half designated as “deeply affordable” units at 30% area medium income (AMI). The county is working toward its goal of adding 15,000 more affordable housing units. Two projects are on the West Side. Dunedin Homes, a
$1.3 million project by St. Paul Public Housing Authority, will add four units. Stryker Senior Housing, a $750,000 project by Neighborhood Development Alliance that’s expected to open this fall, will have 57 units, 43 deemed affordable. Buhl Investors, an Edinabased developer, plans to replace vacant warehouses along Water Street and Plato Boulevard on the West Side with at least two new residential buildings. The project, dubbed Farwell Yards, would include buildings that together offer 221 marketrate units, 56-70 affordable units and a mixed-use building. Schafer Richardson, a Minneapolis-based developer, plans to replace the American Red Cross office building at Plato Boulevard and South Robert Street with a 5-story apartment building that has 174 affordable apartments and about 10,000 square feet of commercial and community space. Rents for the 1- to 4-bedroom units would be no more than 60% AMI and may include some that are as low as 30% AMI.
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P eople Peluso from page 1
playwrights, directors and actors, and working in marketing and administration when necessary. The theater’s board of directors is working with Minneapolis-based Orion Search Group to find Peluso’s successor and expects to have that person on board this fall. The new artistic director will be assisted by Richard Thompson, who recently started as a producing and directing associate. The main challenge his successor will face, Peluso said, is retaining talent and taking precautions for evershifting pandemic protocols. As one example, he said, stage managers have in recent years been seen as a commodity due to their skill sets, and corporations have been able to recruit them away from theaters
BOMA from page 1
industry through advocacy, education, research and professional networking. It was founded in 1971 and today has more than 300 members. Approximately 80% of its members own office space and the remainder own other commercial real estate, such as hotels and event centers. Spartz led the organization for nearly 10 years, with the last two particularly challenging. “It was just a crazy four or five months trying to navigate through the fog after the pandemic began,” said Spartz. “There was no procedure building owners could look to so everybody had to scramble to figure out what to do…. As of now, nobody knows for sure exactly what’s
Your community news and information source for high paying management positions. In addition, he said, younger people are reevaluating theater as a career choice because of the long hours and relatively low pay. Another challenge is the ongoing risk of canceled performances related to COVID-19. Guaranteeing healthy performers for when the show does go on has necessitated the hiring of an understudy for nearly every role – and sometimes even an understudy for the understudies – as opposed to one or two understudies for the entire show in prepandemic days. Peluso is a Pennsylvania native who earned a bachelor’s in speech and theater from Slippery Rock State University and a master’s in fine arts and directing from the University of Minnesota. After teaching theater arts in Pennsylvania, he was stage manager and director
of Mixed Blood Theatre and artistic director at the now closed Minnesota Festival Theatre in Albert Lea. This December, his career will come full circle when he once again directs the first play he directed when he joined the Minnesota History Theatre in 1989, six years before becoming its artistic director. “I was freelancing here and just by fate the director for ‘A Servant Christmas’ took ill,” said Peluso. “I happened to be in the building watching a play and a staff member recognized me and asked if I’d be willing to meet with Lynn Lohr, one of the founders. Two minutes later we talked and she hired me on the spot.” He was hired to direct once or twice a year for the next eight years before he became artistic director. “My recommendation for young directors is to take every job you can because you never
know where it leads to.” Peluso said he’s most proud of giving new and veteran writers the opportunity to have their work memorialized on stage, and of the countless “History Theatre” moments that often occur after performances. For instance, he recounted a time following a play that highlighted Hmong immigration after the Vietnam War. An audience member asked one of the Hmong actors which refugee camp he had been in and discovered that she’d worked as a nurse at the same camp at the same time. Peluso added that he’s also proud of helping the theater negotiate a union contract that gives actors access to health care. “I credit our board over the years because we’ve had, like any nonprofit, our ups and downs financially and could have closed the doors multiple times, but they
going to happen but I think it’s safe to say that it won’t be the same as it was prepandemic. Hybrid is here to stay.” As president, Gassman will spend her first few months getting to know BOMA’s members and its key stakeholders, which include the St. Paul Port Authority, St. Paul Downtown Alliance and city and county leaders. It’s a challenge Spartz understands well. “It feels like you’re drinking from the firehose the first four or five months,” he said, “but you just have to be patient, hang in there, and hammer away it until you learn the culture and nature of how BOMA operates.” Gassman appears to be up to the challenge. “What I love about associations is the sense of community they build among
those with common interests and challenges,” said Gassman. “I am eager to learn how commercial real estate will evolve and what I can offer to its success in greater St. Paul. My longterm goals involve exploring
partnerships with community and peer organizations to further common goals, as well as investigating creative new streams of revenue for the continued health of the organization.”
loved the mission and fought for it,” said Peluso. “I think it’s crucial to have a dedicated board who trust and believe in the mission and that’s why we’re still standing after 44 years.” The theater was founded in 1978 by Lynn Lohr and Lance Belville. Future success of the theater relies on continuing to find interesting stories. Peluso recounted that when he took over as artistic director, the former director said, “Good luck kid, I’ve used up all the good stories.” However, Peluso found that there are a wealth of stories about Minnesota and said his successor shouldn’t have a problem developing new plays with the help of the community. People pitch new ideas to him nearly every day, he said. Peluso is considering several pursuits for his retire-
Music on the Cortile Mother Banjo June 29 Amanda Grace July 13
Taste of St. Mary's
Trio Bossa Nova July 27
JULY 17 • 11:30 AM-3:00 PM
Join us for a variety of ethnic foods; including, enchiladas, egg rolls & rice, lasagna, tacos, hotdogs & chips and much more.
Mass at 10:30 am • Lawn Festival Kids/Adult Games • Bake Sale Flea Market • Raffles • Free Parking
CHURCH OF SAINT MARY
(handicapped accessible)
ment, including teaching at the University of Minnesota, starting a basketball camp for seniors or just kicking back and relaxing at the theater — on the other side of the curtain. “I walked right into the dream job,” he said. “I’ve loved every minute of the journey, even the ups and downs of the nonprofit financials. I think the biggest thing I’ve tried to do is open the door to as many new writers and voices as I could. The joyful part is being in the rehearsal room and giving new and veteran writers opportunities and seeing them blossom. It’s been an honor to be able to be a part of the decision-making about whose story is getting memorialized on stage, and I think we’ve tried to make it as diverse story programming as we could about Minnesota.”
Wednesdays | 12-1 pm | Free Lunchtime concerts at Landmark Center. Details at landmarkcenter.org or call 651.292.3063.
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Villager - June 16 - MOTC.indd 1
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Downtown St. Paul Voice - July 2022 - Page 3
N ews Briefs
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{ THE FULLER FILES } Black Sheep Pizza in the Rossmor building at Tenth and Robert has closed. Those who crave its wood-fired pizza may visit its other location in the North Loop of Minneapolis. Madison Restaurant Group is opening Noyes and Cutler on the first floor of the Park Square Court Building, 400 Sibley Street. Located in the space that formerly housed Public Kitchen, the restaurant will feature steaks, pork chops, fish and pizza. The remodeled space will feature a larger kitchen and new tables and chairs. It will open at 3 p.m. for a midday menu and 5 p.m. for dinner. The restaurant is named after the original name of the building. Red’s Savoy restaurant in the Treasure Island Center is open for lunch. The restaurant opened in 2020 but was closed most of the time due to the pandemic. Mayor Melvin Carter has named Jeremy Ellison as temporary police chief to succeed Todd Axtell, who retired on June 1. Ellison joined the police depart-
ment in 1999 as a park ranger and became an officer in 2000. He served as senior commander of the Central District, which includes downtown, before becoming deputy chief in charge of the department’s support services division. The St. Paul City Council appointed 35 people to serve on a committee to help determine the next chief. The committee will review applications, conduct interviews and lead community engagement. It will recommend five candidates to Mayor Melvin Carter, who will make the decision. Angie Weise has been named director of the St. Paul Department of Safety and Inspections. She has a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from Purdue University and a master’s in public administration from Hamline University. St. Paul and Minneapolis have started an all-electric car sharing network. Hour Car nonprofit is managing the network of 171 vehicles and 70 car-charging stations. The $12.75 million project
by Roger Fuller
received support from both cities, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the U.S. Department of Energy and the Metropolitan Council. For more information, visit EVSpotNetwork.org. Metro Transit is looking for a new location for the northern terminus of the 15mile Purple Line bus rapid transit route, which was to have run from St. Paul to White Bear Lake. The White Bear Lake City Council voted 3-2 to keep the line from entering the city. Sites under consideration include land near County Road E between U.S. 61 and I-35, and the Maplewood Mall transit center. A proposed recreation center serving the North End received a $2.4 million grant from the Department of the Interior. The city has requested $16 million in state funding and $9 million has been allocated from city bonding for design and construction. The project would include a 25,000-squarefoot building with a gym, study room, dance and fitness rooms, and outdoor
plaza. It would be located at 1025 Rice St. near the Rice
Summer
Street Library and Wellstone Elementary School. Little Mekong Night Market Festival, held in July, has been canceled. The promoter, the Asian Economic Development Association, cited high security costs, which jumped from about $20,000 to $75,000. The City of St. Paul has a new policy requiring festivals to hire uniformed police officers at overtime rates and use concrete intersection barriers instead of A-frame wooden barriers. Other events canceled this year include Grand Old Day, Cinco de Mayo, Dragon Festival at Phalen Park and the Festival of Nations. The White Bear Avenue Parade, usually held in St. Paul, will begin in Maplewood and travel to the Ramsey County fairgrounds. Subtext Book Store, 6 W. 5th St., will present poet Jhani Randhawa at 7 p.m., Thursday, July 7. Authors Caryn Rose and Andrea Swensson will discuss “Why Patti Smith Matters” on Saturday, July 9. Emi Watanabe will appear Tuesday, July 12, and Dianna Anderson and Chris Sedman will discuss “In Transit” on Tuesday, July 19.
of
Sparky
Sea lions are invading the Twin Cities this summer and you’ll find them at the Science Museum of Minnesota, Minnesota Children’s Museum, CHS Field, Rice Park, Harriet Island and other places. Local artists are decorating 20 sea lion statues as part of the Summer of Sparky celebration, which commemorates the return of the beloved Sparky the Sea Lion shows at Como Zoo’s Como Harbor, a new seal and sea lion habitat. From images of puffins and otters to creatures of the deep, each artist has each created a unique design for their vibrant and colorfully painted 6-foot tall, 300-pound statue. Each statue features a message promoting ocean conservation.
Days of Yore: Fireworks in St. Paul In the July 4, 1884, edition of the St. Paul Daily Globe, a writer lamented that St. Paul “has never been famous for general Fourth of July celebrations…this year is to be no exception.” Events that year included a boat club regatta, music, picnic on the bluff and sporting events, including games by the Dayton Avenue Lawn Tennis Club. The writer reminded the public to behave
The Saint Paul Saints will present a fireworks display following the July 2 game at CHS Field. Other promotions include a Monster Food Truck on July 2 and 3, Marvel Movie Night on July 14 and Dog Days on July 17.
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Page 4 - Downtown St. Paul Voice - July 2022
with fireworks and firearms, saying “persons firing guns and pistol on the public streets today will be run in by the coppers,” and “don’t leave any horses unhitched today.” An article elsewhere in the paper revealed that proper hitching didn’t always solve the problem. It read, “A horse that was hitched on Wabashaw (sic) street, about 11 o’clock last night, was frightened by firecrackers
Visit us at spnn.org or 550 Vandalia St Suite 170 Saint Paul, MN 55114
and ran down the street at a rapid pace, but was stopped just before he reached the bridge by a man named James McDonnaugh. It was a brave act and he received quite an ovation.” No mention was made of who owned the horse, or what that person – or McDonnaugh and the crowd for that matter – was doing downtown at 11 p.m. on a Thursday night.
N ews Briefs
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Free fitness program at the farmers’ market ZE MOVES is offering free outdoor Pilates classes at the St. Paul Farmers’ Market 10:15-11 a.m. each Saturday through August. Participants should bring water, sun protection and a mat. The group meets on the side near the entrance to CHS Field. For more information, visit zemoves.com.
City names new leaders
Open Arms gives 10 millionth free meal On June 7, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter III delivered Open Arms’ honorary 10 millionth free meal to Franco Adano-Benguerra, who lives in the Renaissance Apartment Building in downtown St. Paul. Open Arms is a Bloomington-based nonprofit that was founded 36 years ago and delivers meals to people who are ill, impoverished or otherwise under-cared for. This fall, the organization will open a new distribution center on the West Side that will support meals delivered statewide. Construction is underway on the $6.8 million project, located near Holman Field at 380 E. Lafayette Frontage Rd.
The City of St. Paul has new leadership in Parks and Recreation and the Department of Safety and Inspections (DSI). Both newly appointed directors participated in the City’s Emerging Leaders program in 2015. Andy Rodriguez is the new Parks director. He joined the department 17 years ago and has served in a variety of roles. In 2019,
he was named recreation services manager, overseeing the city’s 26 recreation centers. As director, he will provide strategic leadership and management for the city’s Parks and Recreation system. Rodriguez grew up in St. Paul and participated in the city’s Parks and Rec programs. After graduating from St. Paul Central High School, he earned a bachelor’s in metro urban studies from Augsburg University. Angie Wiese, the new DSI director, has also worked for the city for 17 years. She’s served as interim director, fire safety manager and fire protection engineer. She
joined DSI in 2005. She also served as president of the Fire Marshals Association of Minnesota for eight years and as a board member of the International Code Council since 2018. She has a master’s in public administration from Hamline University and a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from Purdue University. As director of DSI, Wiese will direct and manage activities concerning health and sanitation, animal control, housing safety and code compliance, license and permit administration and environmental issues.
Senator Sandy Pappas urges you to
VOTE EARLY IN THE AUG. 9 DFL PRIMARY Voting starts June 24 - Aug. 8
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Take a train trip through history. If you love Saint Paul, trains, or history, you won’t want to miss your chance to see the Land to Legacy: Union Depot Through Time photo exhibit. This fun and free exhibit highlights interesting and compelling photos documenting 150 years of Saint Paul and Union Depot history. Take it all in while it’s on display in the Head House at Union Depot June 3 - November 13.
uniondepot.org/landtolegacy @uniondepot UNIONDEPOT.ORG
I
214 4TH STREET EAST, ST. PAUL, MN 55101
Downtown St. Paul Voice - July 2022 - Page 5
S ample St. Paul
Fitzgerald Theatre
10 Exchange St. E. St. Paul 612-338-8388 first-avenue.com
XV Latvian Song and Dance Festival USA is held 3:30 p.m., Friday, July 1. This performance features a folk dance choreography show. Tickets start at $35.
History Theatre 30 10th St. E. St. Paul 651-292-4323 historytheatre.com
“Glensheen” is presented at 7:30 p.m., Thursday-Saturday, and 2 p.m. on Sundays July 9-24. This dark musical unravels the mystery behind the Congdon family murders, which made headlines across Minnesota in 1977. Tickets start at $45, with discounts for seniors,
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those under age 30, and students.
History Center 345 W. Kellogg Blvd. St. Paul 651-259-3000 mnhs.org
“Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and World War II” is on display through July 3. It looks at immigration, prejudice, civil rights, heroism and what it means to be an American. “Art Speaks” is on display through July. It presents more than 150 paintings, sculptures and photos collected over the past 15 years and invites Minnesotans to explore the intersection of art and the history of the state. “Our Home: Native Minnesota” is an exhibit about how Minnesota’s native communities have retained
cultural practices, teachings and values, and an essential connection to home. Other exhibits include “Minnesota’s Greatest Generation,” “Then Now Wow,” “Grainland” and “Weather Permitting.” “Then Now Wow” is closed until July 5, and “Minnesota’s Greatest Generation” and “Weather Permitting” will be closed July 5-29, while light fixtures are updated. The Center is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m., ThursdaySunday. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and college students and $8 for children ages five to 17.
Landmark Center 75 5th St. W. St. Paul 651-292-3225 landmarkcenter.org
Andrew Young, Landmark Center’s current artist-in-
The Latvian Song and Dance Festival is held at several downtown venues June 29-July 4. Music ranges from rock to chamber and symphonic. residence, will create several interactive art exhibits this summer exploring what’s beyond the five senses. All events are free. “CARE: Falls at Landmark,” 7-9 p.m., Thursday, July 21. An indoor installation of a waterfall created with fabric will cascade from the top of the cortile to the ground floor. Participants can create shadow puppets on the waterfall and add to a
collaborative sculpture. Music on the Cortile performances include Amanda Grace, noon-1 p.m., Wednesday, July 13 and Trio Bossa Nova, noon1 p.m., Wednesday, July 27. Both events are free. XV Latvian Song and Dance Festival art exhibition will be in the North Gallery until 5 p.m. Sunday, July 3. This exhibition encompasses the idea of “place”
within various mediums of art created by American Latvian artists. The Landmark Center offers free guided walking tours at 10 a.m. on Wednesdays through August. Reservations are required. • It Happened Right Here: St. Paul’s Origins tour explores downtown and provides stories about the city’s first settlers. The tour is held the first Wednesday of each
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Page 6 - Downtown St. Paul Voice - July 2022
Saint Paul College, A member of Minnesota State
100% Locally Grown Since 1854 Visit your local market and get in on the deliciousness! Downtown St. Paul Saturday & Sunday Mornings 290 5th Street East South St Paul Wednesday Afternoons Southview & 12th Avenue West St Paul - Signal Hills Friday Mornings 1225 S Robert Street
S ample St. Paul month, departing from the Kellogg and Robert Street entrance to Kellogg Park. • The Rice Park tour circles one of St. Paul’s most iconic parks and observes the surrounding buildings that gave the park its central role in city events and celebrations. The tour is held the second Wednesday of each month. It departs from the Landmark Center at 75 5th St. W. • The Great River tour travels along the Mississippi, highlighting buildings and locations that helped make St. Paul the city it is today. This tour is held the third Wednesday of each month, departing from Upper Landing Park at Shephard Road and Chestnut Street.
MN Children’s Museum 10 7th St. W. St. Paul 651-225-6000 mcm.org
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The Studio, Creativity Jam, Sprouts, Backyard, Our World, Forces at Play, Super Awesome Adventures, Imaginopolis and the Tip Top Terrace. The museum is open 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday. Tickets are $14.95. Admission is free the first Sunday of each month; reservations are required. The next free date is July 3.
MN Museum of American Art 350 Robert St. N. St. Paul 651-797-2571 mmaa.org
“Honors Visual Art Exhibition,” displays large vinyl reproductions of the work of St. Paul Public School students. The exhibition can be seen in the M’s 4th St. exterior windows through July 24.
Ordway Center 345 Washington St. St. Paul 651-224-4222 ordway.org
“Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep: Shear Genius!” is featured through Aug. 28. Blast off in WalXV Latvian Song and lace’s rocket, test some wild Dance Festival USA contraptions with Gromit, presents a chamber and climb around the barn with symphonic music concert at Shaun and engage in prob- 1 and 7 p.m., Friday, July 1, lem solving activities. and a grand choir concert “Shipwreck Adventures,” at 3 p.m., Sunday, July 3. a new permanent exhibit, in- Tickets for the chamber and cludes a sunken pilot house symphonic music concert and 20-foot-long decaying are $40 for adults and $30 ship hull based on a real for ages under 21. Tickets sunken ship, a diver train- for the grand choir concert ing area and interpretation are $55 for adults, $45 for of the natural landscape of youth under 21 and $15 for Lake Superior’s north shore. children under 11. Other exhibits and activiSPV-FLJuly2022V-Eng.qxp_Layout 1 ties include The Scramble,
“GLORIOUS!” – Star Tribune
Palace Theatre 17 7th Place West St. Paul 612-338-8388 first-avenue.com
XV Latvian Song and Dance Festival USA is held 9 p.m., Friday, July 2. This performance is a rock concert with Akacis, Astro’n’out and DJ Ai-Va. Tickets start at $55.
Park Square Theatre
20 W. 7th Place St. Paul 651-291-7005 parksquaretheatre.org
“Holmes and Watson” is presented July 12-Aug. 21. Dr. Watson receives a telegram from a mental asylum stating that three patients are claiming to be Sherlock Holmes and he must investigate who the imposters are and if Sherlock Holmes faked his own death. Tickets start at $16.
the beauty and extremes of space, as well as the science that brings people there. “Journey to Space” is on display through September 5. Learn about the extraordinary conditions of space travel and the challenges and rewards of life on the International Space Station. See relics from past decades of space exploration, including Neil Armstrong’s gloves from Apollo 11. Omnitheater films - “A Beautiful Planet” is presented through September 8. See the beauty of earth and the evidence of climate change through the eyes of astronauts aboard the International Space Station. “Into America’s Wild” is presented through October 14. Explore fantastical wild
RiverCentre
175 W. Kellogg Boulevard St. Paul 651- 265-4800 rivercentre.org
“Show Me Reptile Show” is held 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Saturday, July 30. Tickets start at $10; free for children age 12 and under.
places and the human conRod Stewart with special nection we all share with the guest Cheap Trick, 7:30 natural world. Theater tick- p.m., Friday, July 8. Tickets ets are $9.95. start at $25. “Science Superheroes” is Shawn Mendes with spea temporary exhibit on dis- cial guest Dermot Kennedy, play until September. Learn 7 p.m., Saturday, July 9. about the science museum’s Tickets start at $25. scientists, see projects they’re Alanis Morissette with working on, and get a sneak special guest Garbage, peek at items from the mu- 7 p.m., Sunday, July 24. seum’s collection. Tickets start at $55. w/$20 min. order, after 4 pm Museum tickets are Machine Gun Kelly with $19.95. special guests Avril Lavigne and Willow, 7:30 p.m., Prices good through 7/31/22 Thursday, July 28. Tickets Xcel Center Any bottle of start at $25. 199 W. Kellogg Blvd. white or rosé Alan Jackson, 7 p.m., St. Paul Friday, July 29. Tickets 651-726-8240 Customers who order food from GRUBHUB orstart at $36. xcelenergycenter.com UBEREATS can get beer, wine & spirits from us. Brandi Carlile with speLatvian 262 Grand thFolk E. 4 St., St. Paul | 651-222-3661 Dance performance, 4 p.m., cial guests Lake Street Dive Saturday, July 2. Tickets start and Celisse, 6:30 p.m., Satwww.Lowertownwine.com at $51, with discounts for urday, July 30. Tickets start at $30. youth.
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Science Museum of Minnesota 120 W. Kellogg Blvd. St. Paul 651-221-9444 smm.org
“Summer of Space” features exhibits, movies and experiences showing
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Downtown St. Paul Voice - July 2022 - Page 7 DV - June 17 - CARE.indd 1
6/17/2022 2:30:46 PM
S ample St. Paul
Your community news and information source
Summer is short. Make the most of it!
Music & Movies St. Paul’s Parks and Recreation department will present free outdoor movies at several parks. Movies begin 15 minutes after sunset, and some have pre-show activities. Children ages 10 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Participants are encouraged to bring food and a blanket or lawn chair. “Jumanji: The Next Level,” July 21 at the Highland Pool House; “Up,” July 28 at the West Minnehaha Recreation Center; “Encanto,” July 29 at El Rio Vista Recreation Center. For more information, visit www.stpaul.gov or call 651-292-6508. Music at Mears Park begins at noon. The lineup includes: “29:11:00,” July 6; Granger Moonshine, July 12; Legendary Percolators, July 19; to be determined, July 20; Steven’s Family
Band, July 26; Sonic Love Child, July 27; Saint Suburbia, Aug. 2; to be determined, Aug. 3; Capital Wind Ensemble, Aug. 9; and 99er’s, Aug. 10. Lowertown Sounds will present free outdoor concerts 6-9:30 p.m., Thursdays, in Mears Park through Aug. 25 (no events on July 7). Performing in July are: Heiruspecs, Longshot and Lazerbeak on July 14; Jillian Rae and Farewell Milwaukee on July 21; We are the Willows and Folios on July 28. Food and beverages will be available for purchase – benefiting the St. Paul Yellow Ribbon Network. Guests are invited to bring blankets and chairs. For more information, visit www.lowertownsounds.com. Bands on the Boulevard is a free, outdoor concert series featuring Minnesota mu-
sicians at the Minnesota History Center, 345 W. Kellogg Blvd. Concerts will be held 6:30-8 p.m. every Tuesday in July. Ellis Delaney and the OK Factor, July 5; Roe Family Singers, July 12; Nur-D, July 19; Mariachi Mi Tierra, July 26. Food and activities begin at 6 p.m. Visitors may bring a lawn chair and a picnic. For more information, visit www.mnhs.org or call 651-259-3000. Groovin’ in the Garden free concerts are held 6-8 p.m. every Wednesday through July 27 at Como Park Zoo & Conservatory, 1225 Estabrook Dr. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Guests are invited to bring blankets and chairs. Free concerts also take place at the Como Lakeside Pavilion. To view the schedule, visit www. stpaul.gov.
Photo courtesy of Lowertown Blues & Funk Fest
Selwyn Birchwood will perform at the Lowertown Blues & Funk Fest. Union Depot is hosting drive-in movies in Lot D, located near Kellogg boulevard, select Fridays through August. “Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark,” begins at 9:30 p.m., July 8, and “Encanto,” at 9 p.m., Aug. 5. Each event features a chance to win a prize basket. Concessions will be available. Tickets are $15 per vehicle. To purchase
tickets or for more information, visit uniondepot.org/ depotdrivein. Lowertown Blues & Funk Fest will host free concerts 2-10 p.m., Saturday, July 16, at Dual Citizen Brewing, 725 Raymond Ave. The Crow Band, 2:30 p.m.; The Lamont Cranston Band with Bruce McCabe, 4:30 p.m.; Selwyn Birchwood,
6:30 p.m.; and four-time Grammy nominee Shemekia Copeland, 8:30 p.m. Erik Christenson will perform at 4, 6 and 8 p.m. on the Juke Joint Stage. For more information, visit www.lowertownbluesfestival.com. Minnesota Sinfonia will present concerts at Como Park Pavilion at 7 p.m., July 13, 22 and 28.
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Contact BankCherokee today! BankCherokee.com 651.227.7071 *1.908% Introductory Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is available for Home Equity Lines of Credit (HELOC) up to 80% LTV (loan to value). The interest rate will be at 1.908% APR during the 9 month introductory period. Offer is available for applications submitted from June 6, 2022 - August 31, 2022. After the 9 month introductory period, the APR is variable and is based upon an index plus a margin. The APR will vary with the Prime Rate (the index) as published in the Wall Street Journal. As of June 3, 2022, the variable rate for Home Equity Lines of Credit was 4.00% APR. The rate will not vary above 21.75% APR or below 4.00% APR, the minimum floor rate. Minimum loan amount increase on an existing HELOC is $10,000. Closing costs generally range from $350-$1,300. Loans are subject to credit approval and program guidelines. BankCherokee checking account required for automatic payment. Property insurance is required and must be owner occupied. Consult your tax advisor regarding the deductibility of interest paid. Other restrictions may apply. Member FDIC
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Postscript
Friends Like Angel This time of year still hits me hard. It’s the anniversary of the death of my best girlfriend, Angel, who died too young and left an Angel-shaped hole in my life. “Can it be six years?” I ask my husband, Peter, in disbelief. Angel died at age 50 six years ago. In the years since, I’ve tried to fill the spot she occupied without success. I expect new friends to be like Angel, and this is, of course, unfair. I expect them to be
Carrie Classon CarrieClasson.com
willing to listen to whatever mad idea has entered my head at any hour of the day. I expect them to type as fast as they speak and keep up three
conversations at once with people on different sides of the globe. While I considered Angel my best girlfriend, I had no illusions that she felt the same about me. Angel was rich in friends. There was no limit to her ability to support and encourage and cajole and occasionally berate her legions of friends into being more hopeful, less gloomy and better able to face the particular challenges of their lives. Angel floated into and over so many lives. I was simply lucky to be one of them. Of course, she was no angel. I remember when her boyfriend, Alain, discovered that she had thawed all the ba-
guettes he’d been saving in the freezer. He was enraged and at a loss for words. “She is not perfect!” he finally exploded. This wasn’t news to anyone who knew her. But we didn’t seek her out because she was perfect. We sought her out because she was so unbelievably real. There was no experience she would dismiss out of hand, no passion she didn’t think was worth exploring, no body of knowledge she felt was beyond her depth. Art, cooking, politics, string theory, Disney movies, bad ’80s rock ’n’ roll, fashion, trashy novels and whatever else the person she happened to be talking with was interested in – Angel
was interested too. She tried everything. She was the first to admit she was wrong, and she frequently was. But it never discouraged her from experiencing one more thing or learning a bit more. Today, I felt a little wicked. I spoke the truth to a friend. I told him he had hurt me and that I didn’t want to put up with his nonsense anymore. It’s the sort of thing I don’t often do. Usually, I tell myself how lucky I am and how much easier things are for me than for some, and how I should just forget about the slight. This time I didn’t. I felt a little guilty, I confess. Then I heard Angel laughing. She would have chided me
Homestead from page 1
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closed due to the pandemic. The Homestead is currently open on Mondays,
The stage is set for primaries in the Downtown St. Paul Voice distribution area. Early voting began June 24 and runs through August 8. The primary election for state and county offices is Aug. 9. The general election is Nov. 8. For information on elections and voter registration, call the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office at 651-215-1440 or visit www. sos.state.mn.us/electionsvoting. Here’s a brief look at who’s on the ballot in local races. We provided websites if one was available.
Support Your Community Newspaper! A tribe is defined as a group of people having a common character or interest. In today’s day and age it has also come to mean supporters and we invite you to be one of ours. Since 1966, we’ve proudly and effectively covered the issues most important to our community. We ask our loyal readers to consider donating a small amount to help us continue publishing community news that informs, entertains and inspires. Could you send $10 a year...or more? Every dollar helps. To contribute, mail your check to St. Paul Publishing Co., 1643 S. Robert St., Suite 60B, West St. Paul, MNSt. 55118, or call us at 651-457-1177 with|your credit card number. Mailed subscriptions Paul Publishing Company www.stpaulpublishing.com | 651-457-1177 are available for $21.50 per year. Thanks for your support!
Page 10 - Downtown St. Paul Voice - July 2022
future, and possibly the weekends as well. Hosko is a busy man. He is also running for the District 5 seat on the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners.
Voting season is underway
Join our Tribe... St. Paul Voice • Downtown St. Paul Voice South St. Paul Voice • La Voz Latina
10 a.m.-3 p.m., but Hosko plans to expand to Monday through Friday in the near
for being so anxious, so careful, so worried about things – things that were never worth worrying about in the long run. She was all about speaking her truth and getting her needs met without shame or embarrassment. She’s been gone for six years and is still teaching me. She was bigger, freer and more lively than any person I’ve known, which is why it is so hard to accept that she’s no longer alive. I don’t need another friend like Angel because there are no other friends like Angel. Besides, the goal was never to replicate her. The goal was to try – in my cautious, nervous, high-strung way – to become a bit more like her. Till next time.
MN Senate District 65 Due to redistricting, Minnesota Senate District 65 and House District 65B now includes the northern portion of West St. Paul, in addition to the West Side, downtown and other parts of St. Paul. Candidates are incumbent Sandy Pappas, DFL, sandypappas.com; Sheigh Freeberg, DFL, sheighfreeberg. org; Zuki Ellis, DFL, zukiellis.com; Paul Holmgren, Republican, citizenstoelectpaulholmgren.com. MN House District 65B - Incumbent Carlos Mariani is not seeking re-election.
Candidates are Kevin Fjelsted, Republican; Anna Botz, DFL, annaforhouse.com; María Isa Pérez-Hedges, DFL, www.peopleformariaisa.org. Ramsey County District 5 - Incumbent Rafael Ortega, commissionerrafaelortega.wordpress.com; Bill Hosko www.billhosko.com; Charles Barklind. Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher, www.Fletcherforsheriff.com. Ramsey County Attorney - John Choi, www. johnchoi.org.
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FREE Local Shuttle and Same Day Service on Most Repairs! Downtown St. Paul Voice - July 2022 - Page 11
FREE CONCERT Tuesday, June 28, 6:30 p.m. Black Hawk Middle School in Eagan 1540 Deerwood Dr.
Cantus reprises its My Journey Yours program – the ensemble’s critically acclaimed program on migration – that weaves in stories from local Latino teens from Esperanza United This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
RAMAS Y RAÍCES: SONGS FROM LATIN AMERICA July 20-23
Hear Cantus in a new way as the ensemble partners with jazz superstar Ignacio “Nachito” Herrera for Ramas y Raíces: Songs from Latin America, an unforgettable collaboration featuring music of Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, and Mexico. Available in person in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and online. Visit cantussings.org for more information.
Page 12 - Downtown St. Paul Voice - July 2022