December 2009 Volume 6 Number 12
• • • •
INSIDE: River Views.. ..................................... Page 4 News Briefs.. ..................................... Page 6 Sample St. Paul Event Guide.. ............ Page 8 Back in Time................................... Page 12
Jumping from a perfectly good airplane SSP couple earns award for dancing at 13,000 feet
Holidaze in South St. Paul
Mary Diedrick Hansen Staff Writer
“Dancing with the Stars” takes on a whole new meaning when referring to the South St. Paul husband and wife skydiving duo, Karl and Merriah Eakins. They recently performed a swirling, twirling gymnastic/ballet routine at 13,000 feet while competing in the 2009 United States Parachute Association National Skydiving Championships in Houston, Tex., where the nation’s most daring skydivers displayed their proficiency in parachuting. The Eakins’ highflying 45-second routine snagged them a firstplace gold medal in the championship freestyle event. Merriah pirouetted and did the splits while Karl, as cameraman, circled around her from top to bottom and side to side, filming the
Photo courtesy of Karl Eakins
Merriah Eakins leaps into the record books at the skydiving championships, held recently in Houston, Tex. performance while free- no wonder this parachut- calling her introduction falling at 160 feet per ing pair is tops in the na- to skydiving at age 18. “It took me seven tansecond. The couple was tion. dem jumps with my dad “I started hanging out judged on difficulty, execution, acrobatic impres- at drop zones when I was to feel comfortable.” Karl’s first tandem seven,” said Merriah, who sion and camera work. In 2005 they “danced” comes from a skydiving jump was in 1993, duracross the sky to their family. Both parents are ing his senior year in first gold. They also have skydivers and were own- high school. “I was excited because I seven silvers and a bronze ers of the Drop Zone in in their collection, after Hutchinson, Minn., un- had been wanting to do it for so long,” he said. “Of ten years of competition. til it closed in 2006. “I was petrified, hyper- course once you’re ready For Karl, with 5,200 absolutely jumps under his belt, and ventilating, Skydiving Champs / Merriah with 3,200, it’s panicked,” she said, rePage 3
Mary Diedrick Hansen Staff Writer
M
rs. South St. Paul, Savannah Leyde, is on a mission. She hopes to win the 2010 title of
The 11th Annual Holidaze in South St. Paul celebration will take place Dec. 4-5. From 5-7:30 p.m., Fri., Dec. 4, a variety of activities are offered along Marie Avenue, between 5th and 7th avenues, including pictures with Santa, carriage rides, story time, crafts for kids, free refreshments and more. At 7:15 p.m., the South St. Paul Male Chorus will lead community caroling as Mayor Beth Baumann and the South St. Paul Mayor’s Youth Task Force light the community Christmas tree. On Sat., Dec. 5, a holiday craft show is offered 9 a.m.-3 p.m., at Central Square Community Center, 100 7th Ave. N., featuring a wide variety of handcrafted items. Central Square Community Center will also offer free family swimming at the pool. The event is sponsored by the South St. Paul Business Association and the city of South St. Paul. For more information, call Christina Thury at 651-289-2152 or Dave Gerkovich at 651-451-8563.
Lions Club Breakfast with Santa
The South St. Paul Lions Club is hosting a pancake breakfast 9-11 a.m., Sat., Dec. 12, at the cafeteria at Lincoln Center Elementary, 357 9th Ave. N. Santa will be there handing out treats and visiting the children. Photos are offered for a small fee. Cost is $3. Children under age 6 eat free. The Southwest Lioness’ Santa Store will also be open for children to shop for gifts.
‘Christmas in the Stable’
Using her pain for a higher purpose Mrs. South St. Paul sets sights on earning new title to help grief-stricken parents
Holiday Events...
Mrs. Minnesota/America in June and use it as a springboard to talk about something very personal to her, the devastating grief that parents and families feel with the loss of a child due to miscarriage or stillbirth. Two years ago, Leyde was pregnant with Taylor, Taylored To You / Page 2
The Leyde Family
“Christmas in the Stable” is this year’s theme for the annual Christmas in South St. Paul Celebration, held Sun., Dec. 6, at Luther Memorial Church, 315 15th Ave. N. Shows are offered at 2 and 4:30 p.m., featuring holiday music performed by the South St. Paul Male Chorus, the South St. Paul Choralettes, the South St. Paul High School Varsity Singers and jazz band, and children from the community. Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for seniors and $3 for students, and are available at Central Square Community Center, Key Community Bank, Pro Pharmacy, Luther Memorial Church and Southview 66. For more information, call Kathy Petrie at 651457-7694.
P eople Taylored To You / from page 1 her second child. She lost him at 35 ½ weeks due to a complication that cut off the nutrients and oxygen Taylor needed to survive. He was stillborn. “My son Taylor was born silently at 8:29 p.m., weighing 4 lbs. 11.5 oz. He was 16 inches long and was nothing short of perfect and beautiful in every way,” said Leyde. “The loss of that magnitude, I can’t find the words to describe it. It’s almost like there is a piece of time missing. Yes it happened. The baby was moving, he existed for a year. I have a baby body. I’m filling with milk. The nursery is ready, but I have no child. I am filled with guilt that somehow I could have prevented my baby’s death.” As part of the healing process, Leyde is working to establish a nonprofit called, “Taylored To You,” which offers
Your community news and information source maternity portraits and templates for birth announcements free of charge to mothers who are expecting after a loss or experiencing a highrisk pregnancy. Leyde, who is a licensed day care provider operating South St. Paul’s Little People’s Day Care, also works as an amateur photographer, and believes that through the creation of beautiful images, an expecting mother will find faith, peace and joy with her pregnancy and with her new baby. “There’s apprehension at getting pregnant again,” explained Leyde. “Some women can’t because emotionally or physically they aren’t able. Then when pregnancy occurs, some women worry about getting attached to the baby for fear of losing it again. They feel guilty for loving it and forgetting about the baby that died.” Leyde knows this from first-hand experience.
Have a safe and happy holiday season and don't forget your neighbors.
She was grief-stricken over the loss of Taylor, yet four months later became pregnant with her third child, Jenna Lee. “Derek (her husband) and I were mixed with emotions. We were happy and elated to be expecting another baby, but still grieved for the loss of our son,” said Leyde. “But, it’s okay to have excitement. Grief should not override the new baby. It’s okay to love this baby, to love both of them.” Leyde described the first maternity photography sitting she had with an expecting mother as a healing session for both of them. “My first session of Maternity Portraits with one of my clients was nothing short of amazing,” she said. “We had similar, yet different experiences and I could see both pain and joy in her eyes as she struggled to overcome the sorrow of losing her daughter, while trying to embrace the gift of the new life growing inside
of her. She was so full of fear and love at the same time. It was like taking pictures of myself. By reaching out to others I am picking up the pieces of their broken heart. Seeing their smiles helps my broken heart, as well.” Leyde is contemplating beginning a nursery exchange for parents who have baby supplies for the child who never came home. If they have accessories for a girl’s room and then find they are pregnant with a boy, with her program they can exchange bedding sets. Strides are being made in society in dealing with the heartbreak that families feel when a baby is stillborn, she said. After Taylor was born, a photographer from Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep (NILMDTS.org) provided the Leyde family with portraits of them with their son. The photographs are priceless reminders to Leyde of her beautiful son. The family also spent
Photo by Jason Colvin
Mrs. South St. Paul Savannah Leyde time at Faith Lodge, a retreat center in Wisconsin for families grieving the loss of a child. It was established by parents in memory of their stillborn baby girl who died close to her due date. The Leydes also planted a tree on Mother’s Day in memory of Taylor and
placed a heart-shaped field stone with his name on it next to the tree. “It’s bittersweet. But Taylor’s death has inspired beautiful things,” said Leyde. She has written and illustrated a book titled, “My Brother….he’s an Angel,” which is set for
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The South St. Paul Voice is published monthly and distributed to 8,500 homes and high traffic businesses in South St. Paul. Publisher & Editor: Tim Spitzack Copy Editor: Leslie Martin Reporter: Mary Diedrick Hansen Contributors: Bill Knight, Lois Glewwe Masthead design by Nick Germano Advertising: Mario Polanco, Isaac Contreras Home Delivery: Independent Delivery Service Bulk Delivery: SC Distribution 651-285-1119
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Page 2 - South St. Paul Voice - December 2009
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P eople publication in March. In it, Leyde describes ideas that grieving families can do together to help heal, remember and move on. Sales from her book are intended to fund “Taylored To You.” Leyde isn’t shy about talking about having three beautiful children, two of whom, as she says, she has the privilege and blessing to raise, and one safe in the arms of Jesus. Because of her openness many people have opened up to her about losing babies. It’s all part of the healing process. Leyde believes attaining the title of Mrs. Minnesota will allow her to elevate her cause even more and publicize the availability of her restorative photography sessions. It’s her second time running. In 2005 she placed 6th without any pageant experience. Check out Leyde’s memorial to her son Taylor at www.taylorjeffreygeraldleydegonetoosoon.org
Your community news and information source Skydiving Champs / from page 1 to jump you’re thinking, why am I doing this?” He joined the St. Cloud State skydiving club while in college. Then, in 1998 he met Merriah at the Drop Zone. Two years later, dressed in traditional tuxedo and long flowing white wedding gown, the couple were wed on the Drop Zone tarmac. When not at their day jobs — Merriah teaches music and Karl works as an engineer doing architectural testing of windows and doors at a laboratory in St. Paul — the two are licensed instructors at Skydive Twin Cities in Baldwin, Wisc., where they also perfect their highfalutin skills and train for national championships. As instructors, they join first jump students, who must be at least age 18, in a tandem jump from 13,000 feet, in
which they are securely harnessed onto the student and assist in steering the parachute to the ground. Or they assist with an accelerated free fall, in which students, after four or five hours of intensive ground instruction, jump solo the first time out. They are by the side of the student and radio instructions to them, if needed, as they descend from 13,000 feet. Usually there is one minute of freefall and one or two minutes of canopy (parachuting). That’s when the exit is at 13,000 feet. The higher you go, the longer it takes to touch down. The Eakins had to use oxygen masks when they jumped from 22,000 feet in Arizona, their highest exit to date. “It’s windy and noisy, but there is no sensation of falling, not until right before you land,” explained Merriah. “We
don’t call it falling, we call it flying.” Added Karl, “the parachute is shaped like a wing if you look at it sideways.” The size of the parachute plays a major role. “A 230-square-foot canopy is very forgiving,” said Merriah. “Karl’s is 84-square-feet. He comes down fast and can maneuver better. It’s comparable to driving a station wagon versus a more responsive Porsche.” Karl puts his Porschelike parachute to the test when competing in canopy piloting (popularly known as “swooping”) when he swoops down along a body of water with his parachute wide open and maneuvers through a pre-arranged obstacle course. Merriah has clocked him coming in at 73 mph with his smaller chute. “Yes, we often get people asking, ‘why do you sky dive? You’re crazy!’”
said Merriah. “We own an acceptable level of risk. But, just as downhill skiing and bull-riding are risky, it translates the same into skydiving.” How about cost? When comparing the cost of good equipment, lift tickets and fees, the Eakins said skydiving is on a par with golfing and downhill skiing. The initial cost is $1000 $1500 to complete a seven-level student jump program. After 25 successful jumps, a license is acquired that enables access to drop zones across the country. To be fully outfitted, equipment can cost anywhere from $1,500 (used) to $5,000. The lift ticket to jump from an airplane at 13,000 feet is $25. As far as safety, Merriah said technology has come a long way. If for some reason you are unable to pull the rip cord of the chute, a computer
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that senses altitude is inside the rig and will deploy on its own at 750 feet. Wouldn’t it be easy to get caught up in the moment of doing freefall somersaults and forget to open the chute? Nope. Skydiving helmets are equipped with computers that beep at 5,000 feet alerting skydivers that acrobatic time is over. Merriah said there is nothing like seeing the faces of her student skydivers when they jump for the first time on their own. “It doesn’t matter how old you are either, (the oldest is 93) or your occupation,” she said. “You are never an expert. We are always learning and improving skills. We’re a close-knit group. Skydivers are my family.” For more information, call 715-684-3416 or visit www.skydivetwincities. com
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South St. Paul Voice - December 2009 - Page 3
R iver Views
Your community news and information source
When winter descends on the river valley Tim Spitzack Editor
A
snowflake gently drifts by and catches your attention from the corner of your eye. At first you dismiss it, thinking it’s simply a leaf or something else blowing on the wind. Yet before long its companions arrive. They come in bursts like locusts through the fields, and then en masse. They multiply in size and tumble and twirl as they float to the earth, where they gather in small mounds on open grassy areas. The temperature drops, the wind picks up velocity and the mounds of snow quickly turn into drifted banks. It is then that you realize that winter has descended upon the Mississippi River Valley. Winter in the river valley provides a scenic beauty unlike any other. After the autumnal splash of color disappears, early December is greeted with
a stark, brown landscape. And then the first snow storm arrives, which is typically filled with moist, heavy snow that coats the trees and bushes like frosting and unfolds a kingly white blanket over the earth. If winter is to be enjoyed, it is to be embraced. And to embrace it, you must get out into it. You must feel the sting of it on your cheeks, you must feel the wonder of it as you make footprints through it, and you must understand the joy that it produces within you when you come back indoors to get warm by sipping coffee or hot cocoa, or sitting by a fire. There are many ways to enjoy winter in the Mississippi River Valley. Here are but a few simple pleasures for you to consider. The first big snowfall – Sure, by March you’re going to be sick of the stuff, but in December,
it’s magical. When the first big snowfall comes, cast aside your busy schedule and get outside to enjoy it. Look upward and get dizzy from watching it assault your senses. Catch a flake on your tongue. Remember the feeling the first snowfall of the year produced within you as a child. Skiing – Whether you enjoy rushing down the slopes at break-neck speed or gliding through wooded trails on a pair of skinny skis, skiing is an excellent way to enjoy winter. There are many miles of cross-country ski trails in the greater St. Paul area, and many that offer excellent views of the Mississippi River. Check with your city’s Park and Recreation department for trails near you. The slopes at nearby Buck Hill, Afton Alps and Welch Village provide a convenient option for thrill-seekers.
Ice skating – Once the temperature cooperates, city crews start flooding outdoor ice rinks to create surfaces smooth as glass. Visit a local rink, strap on a pair of skates and enjoy the glide on a moonlit night or on a weekend afternoon. Read a good book – Winter is a time for planning and dreaming. Visit your local library or book store to find a title that will help you do one or the other. For a glimpse of the Mississippi River through the eyes of one of Minnesota’s most famous sons, pick up a copy of “Lindbergh Looks Back: A Boyhood Reminiscence,” by Charles Lindberg. This title, published by the Minnesota Historical Society Press, was previously published under the title of “Boyhood on the Upper Mississippi.” It is Lindbergh’s memoir of his boyhood days on his family’s farm
on the banks of the Mississippi River near Little Falls. St. Paul Winter Carnival – Of course there is no better way to celebrate the coldest season of the year than with the many events and activities of
the St. Paul Winter Carnival, held Jan. 21-31, 2010. From parades to snow and ice carving contests, to outdoor sports, the Carnival always lives up to its billing as “The Coolest Celebration on Earth.”
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N ews Briefs Back in Time / from page 12 men armed with rifles and bayonets and were an unstoppable force as they broke through the picket lines. Anticipating their arrival, some of the strikers showed up that morning wearing their full military uniforms from the war in hopes of embarrassing the Guardsmen sent to break the strike. Company “I” kept order on the site for a week.
Then the national union representatives agreed to a settlement in Chicago that earned workers a nine-cent an hour raise as opposed to the 20 cents they had requested. In addition to the small wage increase, workers were successful in obtaining extended vacation benefits and seniority rights. Health and insurance benefits were increased and compensation was increased for workers injured in the
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plants. Still, the 1948 strike affected South St. Paul in ways far beyond union concerns. Families and colleagues who lived and worked together without rancor for generations faced the consequences of being forced to take sides during the bitter 10-week strike. South St. Paul was never quite the same after that strike, according to many who lived through those days of drama.
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Hall rental & special packages available for fundraisers. South St. Paul Voice - December 2009 - Page 5
N ews Briefs Free workplace English classes
South Suburban Adult Basic Education (ABE) is offering workplace English classes to adults ages 18 and up who want to enter the workforce and need to improve English language and job search skills. The classes are free and open to residents of the school districts in South St. Paul, Inver Grove Heights and West St. Paul-Mendota HeightsEagan. The classes will help students improve
Your community news and information source their English fluency, expand workplace vocabulary, improve reading and writing skills, practice filling out employmentrelated forms, learn basic computer skills, conduct career research and practice interviewing skills. Students are able to attend classes at a variety of times and locations throughout the area. ABE, a program of Northern Dakota County TriDistrict Community Education, offers free GED preparation courses, basic literacy and
math classes and English classes for adults. For more information or to enroll in any ABE class, call 651-457-9441 or email abe@sspps.org.
Lessons and Carols at First Presbyterian
First Presbyterian Church of South St. Paul, 535 20th Ave. N., will have a Service of Lessons and Carols at 10 a.m., Dec. 20. The program will feature celebrated musicians and soloists from the Rose Ensemble, a nationally
award-winning choral group based in Minnesota, as well as the First Presbyterian Church Festival Choir under the direction of musician and composer Linda Kachelmeier. Included in the program are Shaker carols, American Shape Note songs, harp music, classic Christmas carols, and readings of scripture, poems and prose. The congregation is having its Christmas Eve services at 5 and 10 p.m., Dec. 24. For more infor-
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SSP Garden Club programs
The South St. Paul Garden Club will hold a meeting at 7 p.m., Jan. 4, 2010, at VFW Post #295, 111 S. Concord. Registration and signups begin at 6:45 p.m., and refreshments will be served. The speaker is nationally renowned gardener, speaker and author Don Engebretson of Deephaven, Minn. Engebretson is a field editor, writer and garden scout for Better Homes and Gardens magazine. He writes the perennials column for Northern Gardener magazine and is a contributor to Midwest Living, Garden Deck & Landscape, The Seattle Times, and numerous other publications. From 1999 to 2006 he was the garden editor and monthly columnist for MplsStPaul Magazine, a position he had to give up when his summer landscaping business morphed into a thriving business. Engebretson appeared on HGTV for four seasons as the gardening expert on “TIPical MaryEllen,” and has been the oncamera landscaping expert on PBS TV’s HOMETIME program. He is a featured speaker at home and garden shows across the United States. In addition to a 1999 Minnesota Newspaper Publishers Award and a 2000 Minnesota Magazine Publishers Silver Award, Engebretson is a six-time winner of the Garden Writers Association’s national Garden Globe Award for excellence in garden writing. He has published four books on gardening and landscape design and is a University of Minnesota Extension Service Master Gardener. He also operates Renegade Gardener Landscaping in Minneapolis, specializing in residential landscape renovation and custom stonework. Membership to the South St. Paul Garden Club is $10 per year
but meetings are open to non-members at no charge. For more information, call Lois Glewwe at 651-457-3403.
Library notes
For more information on South St. Paul library events, call 651554-3240 or visit www. southstpaul.org/library. Teen Book Club survey - Teens ages 12-18 are invited to visit the library to fill out a brief survey to judge interest in organizing a teen operated book club, which is expected to start in January. Introductory Internet class - A free class is offered at 6:30 p.m., Thurs., Dec. 3, for anyone who wants to learn more about the World Wide Web. Topics include search engines, web addresses, printing tips and more. Call the library to register. Book discussions - “A Green Journey,” by Jon Hassler, is the title discussed in Dec. Discussions are held at 1 p.m., Wed., Dec. 16, and 7 p.m., Thurs., Dec. 17, in the library meeting room. Information packets are available at the library and at www. southstpaul.org/library. Participants are asked to bring a non-perishable food item for Neighbors, Inc. Hot Reads for Cold Nights - Now in its tenth year, this program offers the chance to win gift certificates, books, calendars, mittens, ice scrapers and totes, in return for reading books of your choosing. Registration packets will be available at the library Mon., Jan. 4. This free program runs through February 27. December Food Drive - Library patrons are asked to bring nonperishable boxed or canned goods to the library during December. The items will be donated to the food shelf at Neighbors, Inc. Open House - The library is hosting its holiday open house 11 a.m.2 p.m., Mon., Dec. 21, featuring hot beverages, holiday cookies, harp
N ews Briefs music and a MardiGras-themed tree. Holiday hours - The library will be closed Dec. 24-25, and Jan. 1. The library will close at 5 p.m., Thurs., Dec. 31. Junior Book Club “Al Capone Does My Shirts” by Gennifer Choldenko is the title to be discussed at 4 p.m., Mon., Dec. 7. The event will include a tour of the South St. Paul Police station. Gingerbread House program – A free gingerbread house making and decorating program is offered at 6 p.m., Mon., Dec. 7. Space is limited so sign up early. Children under age 8 must be accompanied by an adult. Children’s story times – Story times for children ages birth through 6 are offered at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The events are filled with puppetry, props, poetry, music, learning and lots
Your community news and information source of great books. In December, the story times are offered only the first week of the month. Read to Lulu – Children are invited to come to the library 6:307:30 p.m., Mon., Dec. 14 and 28 to read to Lulu and her companion John McCaughtry. The duo is part of the Reading Education Assistance Dogs (READ) program. Lulu, a Rottweiler, has impressive credentials and a lovable personality. Book BINGO - Book BINGO is offered 2-3:30 p.m, Tues., Dec. 29. Everyone wins at least once.
Winter recreation
The South St. Paul Parks and Recreation department and Central Square Community Center will be mailing its winter brochure to all households in South St. Paul in mid-December. This publication highlights programs,
activities and events for all ages. Programs offered include gymnastics, karate, Target Center trips, fitness classes, swimming lessons and more. For more information, visit www. southstpaul.org or call 651-306-3690. South St. Paul’s outdoor skating rinks will open in late December, weather permitting. The winter brochure offers a list of rink locations, amenities and hours. This information is also available at www.southstpaul.org.
Walk to End Hunger
Neighbors, Inc. is looking for participants for the Walk to End Hunger, held Thanksgiving Day at 7 a.m., Thur., Nov. 26, at the Mall of America. The walk is part of an effort to end hunger in the Twin Cities. For more information, contact Dan Russell at 651-306-
2148, dan@neighborsmn.org, or visit www. walktoendhunger.org or www.neighborsmn.og.
Holiday mitten and hat drive
Join Mayor Beth Baumann and members of the South St. Paul Mayor’s Youth Task Force at 7 p.m., Fri., Dec. 4, for the official holiday tree lighting ceremony on Marie Avenue. This year, the task force is hosting a mitten and hat drive to decorate the tree. Instead of placing ornaments on the tree, the community is asked to bring hats and mittens to place on the tree. These items will be donated to Neighbors, Inc.
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S ample St. Paul Ordway Center for Performing Arts “Sisters Christmas Catechism: The Mystery of the Magi’s Gold” is presented through Dec. 27, at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts, located at 345 Washington St., St. Paul. In this latest addition to the “Late Nite Catechism” series, Sister employs techniques from her favorite TV show, “Forensic Files,” to discover the whereabouts of the Magi’s gold. Sister creates a living Nativity using audience members dressed as the Holy Family, magi, shepherds, sheep, cattle... and of course, an ass. The performance features audience interaction, musical highlights and wacky prizes. Tickets are $35. For more information, call the box office at 651224-4222. “Beauty and the Beast” is presented Dec. 15-Jan. 3, 2010. This Disney classic tells the tale of a hideous beast
that is transformed into an enchanted prince through the power of a young woman’s love. Experience the joy in an enchanted new production created just for the Ordway. See Belle and all your favorite characters come to life onstage. Tickets are $27-$72.
History Theatre
“Sisters of Swing” is presented through Dec. 20, at the History Theatre, 30 E. 10th St., St. Paul. Revisit the American experience during World War II through the finger-snapping, Big Band music of Minnesota’s own Andrew Sisters, including “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree,” “Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy,” “Rum and Coca Cola,” and many more. Tickets are $28-$32 for adults, $25-$30 for seniors, $15 for students and $10 for children. For more information, call the box office at 651292-4323.
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Minnesota Children’s Museum
“Trash Bash” is presented through Nov. 29. This exhibit encourages visitors to increase their knowledge, skills, attitudes, motivation and commitment toward sustaining a healthy environment. Children will use recycled and reused materials to create art, music and imaginative play activities. The exhibit features Trash Mountain, an interactive exhibit that includes a simulated collection of trash from a family of four for one year, a Tot Spot, an art studio with recycled materials, an interactive music instrument and more. “Out on a Limb” is presented through January 24, 2010. Visitors may explore the natural world in this original, interactive exhibition that encourages them to hear the sounds of the forest, use leaves to make art, and build big and little
Photo by Petronella Ytsma
“Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol” is presented Dec. 3-20 at Park Square Theatre in the Historic Hamm Building, 20 W. 7th Place, St. Paul structures from bark and limbs. The exhibits also provide practice with the physical skills of climbing and balancing. Tickets to the Minnesota Children’s Museum are $8.95. The museum is located at 10 W. Seventh St., St. Paul. For more information, call
651-225-6000.
Xcel Energy Center Disney On Ice Princess Classics is presented December 10-13, at the Xcel Center, 199 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul. This production features the popular Disney princesses in a kingdom
under the sea, a magical palace in France, an Arabian castle, a garden where pumpkins turn into coaches, and more. The musical score features memorable Disney songs such as “So This Is Love,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Part of Your World,” “Whole New
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Page 8 - South St. Paul Voice - December 2009
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‘Fezziwig’s Feast’ - A special adaptation of Charles Dickens’ “Christmas Carol” will be served up with a holiday feast in Wigington Hall on Harriet Island in St. Paul. World,” “Reflection,” “Once Upon a Dream,” and “Someday My Prince Will Come.” Tickets are $13-$72.
Park Square Theatre “Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol” is presented Dec. 3-20. This is not the same old Christmas Carol! Move over Scrooge, it’s time for Jacob Marley to tell his story. The flip side of a classic Christmas tale, Jacob Marley’s story begins in the afterlife, where Scrooge once again determines his future. Tickets are $15-$40. “Of Mice and Men” is presented through Dec. 18. A poignant story about the American Dream told through the friendship of two men: George, a shrewd, fasttalking man of the road, and Lennie, a man built like an ox but with the mind of a child. As they struggle to make a living as migrant workers, they dream of owning their own ranch. Before they get their wish, however, life’s harsh realities combine to test the limits of their friendship. Tickets are $15-$36.
For more information, call 651-291-7005.
Science Museum of Minnesota “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition” is presented at the Science Museum through January 3, 2010. This compelling exhibition takes visitors back in time to 1912 and tells a story of tremendous human drama. It brings to life the heroism and humanity of the passengers and crew through passenger stories, amazingly detailed room re-creations, and authentic artifacts recovered from the RMS Titanic, all in one of the largest exhibitions the Science Museum has ever hosted. Featured in the Omnitheater is “Titanica.” This giant-screen film allows you to take a journey to the bottom of the North Atlantic to explore the famous shipwreck. See stunning images of the Titanic as she now lies on the ocean floor, contrasted with exquisitely preserved archival photographs of the ship in all her splendor. Hear moving commentary from Eva Hart who, as a seven-year-old, survived the tragic night but lost her father.
Museum tickets are $23 for adults and $18 for seniors ages 60 and older and children ages 4-12, or $29 and $24 respectively with admission to “Titanica.” The Science Museum is located at 120 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul. For more information, visit www.smm.org, or call 651-221-9444.
Minnesota History Center “Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World” is presented through July 4, 2010, at the Minnesota History Center, 345 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul. You know about Benjamin Franklin’s famous experiment with a kite, a key and some lightning, but did you also know about his rebellious youth? That he pioneered wind surfing and invented swim fins? That he helped found the nation’s first hospital, was an environmentalist and charted the Gulf Stream to assist in ocean travel? In many ways Benjamin Franklin is the founding father nobody knows – misunderstood because of the sheer breadth and diversity of his accomplishments. Discover the many ways Franklin has
affected our world today in this new exhibit. “Minnesota’s Greatest Generation: The Depression, The War, The Boom” - This exhibit is the capstone of the Minnesota Historical Society’s Minnesota’s Greatest Generation project and features more than 6,000-square-feet of artifacts, interactive displays and innovative multimedia experiences that reveal the lives and stories of the men and women who came of age during the Depression and World War II, and who went on to create the phenomenal postwar boom. The exhibition features first-person narratives in recorded interviews, images, film and audio. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and college students, and $5 for children ages 6-17. The Center offers free admission on Tuesdays 5-8 p.m. For more information, call 651-2593000 or visit www.mnhs. org.
Artists’ Quarter
The Artists’ Quarter, located in the Historic Hamm Building at 7th Place and St. Peter in downtown St. Paul, offers live entertainment throughout the month, including jazz bands, poetry nights and the popular B-3 organ night, held at 9 p.m. every Tuesday. For a complete schedule of events, call 651-2921359 or visit www.artistsquarter.com.
‘Fezziwig’s Feast’
A special adaptation of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” will be served up with a holiday feast in Wigington Hall on Harriet Island in St. Paul. This beautifully renovated banquet hall will be transformed into Mr. Fezziwig’s Warehouse, with guests welcomed by a roaring fire, hot-spiced cider, Victorian carolers, a sevencourse gourmet feast
and a performance of Dickens’ beloved “Ghost Story for Christmas.” The premise of the new staging is that Fezziwig’s dear friend Charles Dickens has written a little Christmas ghost story and Fezziwig and his staff decide to act it out at Fezziwig’s annual Christmas party. Performances are offered Dec. 3-6, 1013 and 17-20. Tickets are $74.50 and can be purchased through TicketMaster at 800-982-2787 or TicketMaster.com. Reservations are strongly recommended.
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South St. Paul Voice - December 2009 - Page 9
C ommunity
Dear South St. Paul Mayor’s Youth Task Force
There are a lot of organizations and community members that do some really cool things for youth in South St. Paul. Is there any way that these individuals can be recognized? Mary and Peter 10 th grade Dear Mary and Peter, What a great question! We agree. There are a lot of businesses, organizations and individuals that do great things for youth in South St. Paul. The answer to your question is, yes. The South St. Paul Mayor’s Youth Task Force sponsors an award program called The Red Wagon Award. The Red Wagon Award program was started in 1999 by the South St. Paul Community of Promise Task Force
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to recognize outstanding projects, group efforts or individual accomplishments that benefit the youth of South St. Paul. The program is opened to all residents, businesses, schools and community organizations. Two awards are presented quarterly by the mayor at city council meetings. In 2008, the South St. Paul Mayor’s Youth Task Force took over facilitating this program. The Task Force solicits requests for recipients, reviews nomination forms and determines who will receive a Red Wagon Award. Think about it. Who better to decide who should receive a Red Wagon Award than a group of youth? Here’s a Who’s-Who list of some of the great organizations, business and individuals to receive the award: South St. Paul po-
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lice officer Steve Gravem, the South St. Paul Police Reserves, Mayor Beth Baumann, the South St. Paul Parks and Recreation Department, the South St. Paul Lion’s Club, Mizpah Lodge #191, the VVA #636, Kelly Casey Spavin, the South St. Paul High School Key Club, Emily Laliberte, Deb Griffith, Gallagher -Hansen VFW Post, Rainbow Readers, the Packer Pad, the Lincoln Center Playground Group, DARE, Chip Jansen and the South St. Paul Open. As you can see, this is a great list of recipients, and one that we should say thank you to again. If you know of someone or an organization that deserves a Red Wagon Award, please nominate that person or organization. The nomination form is available at www.southstpaul. org under the South St. Paul Mayor’s Youth Task Force, or by contacting Deb Griffith, community affairs liaison, at 651-554-3230 or deb. griffith@southstpaul.org. The Youth Task Force will review nomination forms at its January meeting and present the awards in February. P.S. Why a Red Wagon? The Little Red Wagon is a symbol of childhood. It can be filled with a child’s hopes and dreams or weighed down with burden. Children need our help to push or pull their wagon along. (General Colin Powell)
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Jennifer L. Gale, president Local business perspectives on the state of our economy
On Oct. 28, the River Heights Chamber of Commerce hosted a “Coffee with Your Legislators” listening session at Waterous Company in South St. Paul. This was an opportunity for local business members to share their successes and challenges with legislators before they enter into the 2010 session. Business owners and representatives from various industries attended to discuss topics such as employment, real estate, energy and taxes. Attendees were asked to share their experience on issues that are strongly affecting their business; and the legislators came prepared to listen. Here are some of the issues discussed: Employment – Employee COBRA insurance forms for laid-off workers are lengthy and overwhelming for both the employee and employer. Employers, such as Waterous Company, expressed the importance of streamlining the forms and procedures. Businesses expressed concerns with, and opposition to, the Paid Sick Leave Mandate being discussed at the Capitol. Employers asked that paid sick leave be left up to the individual company to determine what is most appropriate to
the employee and employer, or employer and union. Businesses owners said they did not want to designate specific “sick” time, as many businesses have personal time off for their employees. Health insurance benefits were also discussed. Rising health care costs of 10-30 percent a year are making it more difficult for businesses to cover health insurance plans. Employers said they would like more choice in their plans. Many said they pay 70-90 percent of their employees’ health insurance premiums, and that it is very difficult to pay for the large increases that result from one employee’s serious illness or medical condition, which spikes the entire company’s rate. Real Estate - ReMax specialist Kevin Kraus said that residential home prices are way down, but that the number of sales is increasing. However, there are not many sales above $200,000 in South St. Paul. Foreclosures and short sales (where a seller owes more on their home than what is it is worth) are still high, but the tax credit for first time home buyers has been a huge benefit for buyers. Realtors said they would like to see that tax credit opened up to everyone in the entire country. Dave
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Page 10 - South St. Paul Voice - December 2009
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Langer with Langer Real Estate Services addressed the need for less government involvement in the commercial market to help cut down the process time. Energy - Concerns were raised about how various policies would affect the energy industry and lead to higher fuel prices for consumers and businesses, including a proposed Low Carbon Fuel Standard and the current federal cap and trade bill, which disproportionately affects the Midwest. Meghan McDaniel, of Flint Hills Resources, noted that despite the challenging economy, Flint Hills has added to its 900-person workforce. Investments - Investment representatives, such as Steve Doody with Edward Jones, said investments have been conservative, that many are optimistic that the recession is slowly going away, that the unemployment rate is decelerating, and that we should let the market fix itself. Taxes - The consensus was unanimous that people can’t afford an increase in taxes if they are not getting an increase in wages. Businesses representatives said they do not want a hidden new energy tax. Thank you to State Senator James Metzen and state representatives Joe Atkins, Karla Bigham and Rick Hansen for attending, listening and giving your insight on our local business issues. For more details on the River Heights Chamber of Commerce, call 651451-2266 or visit www. riverheighs.com.
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Neighbors, Inc. I attended a conference recently that dealt largely with social media and its place in the non-profit world. I heard people talk about Twitter and Tweets, Facebook, Linked In, Bit. ly and Ping, and on and on with a whole bunch of names and acronyms that were Greek to me. I’m so confused. I still remember what a joy it was to go from a manual typewriter to electric! And then when they invented typewriters with built-in correction tape, why we thought we’d died and gone to heaven. The pace of technological change is way beyond my ability to comprehend. One of the speakers at this conference gave some statistics to illustrate how rapidly things change. She said it took 38 years for 50 million people to get a radio; 4 years for the same number of people to use the internet, and only 4 months for Facebook to reach 50 million users. Today, there are over 300 million users of Facebook. No wonder I’m confused! I chaired the Board of the Dakota County Regional Chamber of Commerce a dozen years ago and I remember a discussion with a very successful entrepreneur who owned a mid-size distribution business that had
By John Kemp Executive Director of Neighbors, Inc.
conducted business in several states. I remember him saying that he did not have a website, and saw no reason to ever have one. Well, obviously if a business doesn’t have a website today, and if it doesn’t actively work at keeping that website current, it won’t be in business very long. Nearly everyone has a web presence today, including that businessman who saw no reason to have one. There is a tremendous amount of daily business activity that occurs either on or because of the Web. Social media like Facebook, Twitter and Linked In are today’s version of this same change. If a business or organization doesn’t have a presence on these new social media outlets it will fall behind. I’m told that there are colleges and universities in the United States today that no longer give out email addresses for students because the students don’t use email anymore. They text or use Facebook, Twitter or MySpace (although I hear that MySpace is on its way out) to get and submit assignments to their professors, and carry on conversations with their
friends and acquaintances. It’s their primary form of communication. Email is already passé for this generation of students. So what’s the point of all this? We at Neighbors already have a presence on Facebook and Twitter, and by the time you read this, I hope we’ll also have a presence on Linked In. I seriously doubt that I, personally, will even know how to access these various social media, much less make practical use of them, but then I’m a Luddite and I know it. However, we have several people who work, volunteer or have a vested interest in our organization who use social media to communicate. We’ll use social media to let people know what we are doing as an organization, inform them of our meeting dates and events, and let them know what we need in the way of support, such as food, clothing or gifts for our Christmas programs. In order to do this, we need a special kind of volunteer who is conversant with the various social media, who knows how to use them and how to keep them fresh and interesting, and who is willing to lead our efforts. We think it will take a few hours a week at first and then a little less time once we’re up and running, and we hope they’ll commit to
at least a year so we can have some continuity as we get ourselves up the learning curve. If you are someone
who has this background and interest or if you know of someone who does, please let us know.
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South St. Paul Voice - December 2009 - Page 11
B ack in Time The 1948 Meatpackers Strike in South St. Paul Lois Glewwe Contributor
T
he arrival of the United Packing House Workers union to the South St. Paul stockyards in 1945 brought the benefits of the national organization to local packing plant employees with a series of dramatic changes. The meatpacking plants were now required to provide equipment like knives, steel, stones, clothes and safety equipment, rather than making workers provide their own. Production requirements had grown to extremes during World War II and those levels were now reduced to more manageable numbers. The war also changed the face of meatpacking. Hundreds of women were hired to fill jobs that were held by men who left to
join the Armed Services. Women were always paid less than the men they replaced, and when the war ended women were immediately told to return home, as jobs were given back to the veterans. In many ways, World War II also changed the expectations of laborers in America. Having fought side-by-side in the trenches and flown missions over war-torn Europe and Japan with men from elevated economic and social cultures, many were not willing to return to minimum pay jobs in an industry that promoted the upper class to management positions while keeping laborers at low-wage levels. The industry was primed for revolution and conflict as the post-war economy brought a huge financial boom to America. In 1946 and 1947,
strikes in the steel, coal and railroad industries brought massive changes to workers in those areas. South St. Paul in 1947 had more than 6,000 union meatpackers employed by Swift’s and Armour’s. They earned approximately $9 a day. A national strike by the United Packing House Workers was called on March 6, 1947, and within minutes South St. Paul workers with handlettered signs were walking picket lines outside the entrance to Swift’s at Grand and Concord. The biggest and most bitter strike to affect South St. Paul, however, was the United Packing House Workers walkout in March 1948. The national strike lasted 67 days and tensions rose steadily as unpaid plant workers formed picket lines each morning. Ray
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Federal agents inside the meatpacking plants took photos such as this one to identify individuals on the picket lines during the 1948 United Packing House Workers strike. Many South St. Paul families were torn in two over loyalty to the union and loyalty to the meatpacking plants. Violence broke out in the third month of the strike and the National Guard was called in to break the picket lines on May 15, 1948. Allen, who worked in the plants for years, provided the following memory of the 1948 strike for the South St. Paul Centennial history: “The spring snow, rain and cold seemed to go on forever. A soup kitchen was set up in a building on Pitt Street where I was in charge of tickets for soup or chili, whatever was available, and food for the needy. This food was donated. A committee was in charge of making the rounds every week to local merchants to do-
nate, which they freely gave, like canned goods. Hubert Humphrey, then mayor of Minneapolis, came over to see. He sat with the men around the fires along the railroad tracks and later came up to the Union Hall and donated $50 to the soup kitchen; that was a lot of money for time.” As the strike entered the third month, in May 1948, a group of strikers allegedly beat some of the guards, and rumors of vandalism at the Cudahy plant across the
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river spread throughout the crowd. In a dramatic and decisive action, Gov. Luther Youngdahl called up the National Guard on Fri., May 14, 1948, to break the strike lines in South St. Paul. Company “I” of Litchfield, Minn., formed a truck convoy the next morning and headed into the packinghouse area, with their tanks rolling down the Grand Avenue hill. The Guard had 400
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