Press Publications 4779 Bloom Avenue White Bear Lake, MN 55110 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 9 CIRCLE PINES, MN
PROVIDING 50 YEARS OF SERVICE
• Nationwide Warranty • FREE loaner cars • Family owned 3rd generation Arden Hills
Roseville
1310 W County Rd. E 651-633-4100
2170 N. Dale St. 651-488-8800
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019
brausenauto.com
VOL. 45 NO. 2 www.shoreviewpress.com $1.00
FallHome Improvement See PAGES 10-15
Remembering Rice Street
Solid Ground: 30 years of bringing homeless home BY SARA MARIE MOORE EDITOR
There are about 37,000 rental units in the Twin Cities that are considered affordable to very low-income families, but 109,000 families who need them. Solid Ground, a supportive housing agency based in White Bear Lake, aims to decrease that gap. It works with homeless families referred to them in Washington and Ramsey counties. “All the families we serve have experienced homelessness or were at imminent risk,” said Trisha Cummins Kauffman, the organization’s executive director. Many, but not all, have experienced domestic violence. The nonprofit organization has two transitional housing sites — one near Century Avenue in White Bear Lake and another in Maplewood specifically for veteran families. It also has scattered-site transitional housing in Washington and Ramsey counties. Solid Ground provides a portion of the rent. It works with landlords across the area and tries to place families near where they were previously living so the children’s education is not disrupted. In 2018, Solid Ground housed 82 families (107 adults and 190 children) through its five programs, according to its annual report. In White Bear Lake at East Metro Place, it has 20 transitional housing units (for up to two years) and 14 permanent units, Kauffman said. All residents have leases; rent is 30 percent of income
BY NICOLA K. HYSER
“Discriminating against Section 8 is discriminating against poor families,” Kauffman noted. The families who go through their program are given tenant training and landlords shouldn’t be nervous — it’s a guarantee that rent will be paid.
You might not know it to look at it — that is, if you even dare to drive along it these days because of the Ramsey County Rice Street bridge construction project — but a lot of interesting history is buried along that stretch of road west of Vadnais Lake that runs south over I-694 directly into Little Canada and Shoreview. After Vadnais Heights was founded in the 1840s by French Canadian farming families along the east shore of Vadnais Lake (today’s Edgerton Street and Centerville Road intersection), other families followed, not only to farm around Vadnais Lake and nearby but also to create new businesses. One of those families — the Basil and Celine Ste. Marie family — ran a boarding house beginning in the 1880s on the east side of Rice Street. To be exact, the northeast corner of Rice Street and Country Drive in Little Canada, where Caribou Coffee now sits. The Ste. Marie family catered to railway workers and passengers at the Cardigan Junction Depot. The depot sat west of the boarding house and Rice Street along the Soo Line track (on North Owasso Boulevard, Shoreview). Today, a credit union and Burger King restaurant occupy the depot space.
SEE SOLID GROUND, PAGE 9
SEE RICE STREET, PAGE 5
SUBMITTED
Solid Ground clients have all experienced homelessness or been at imminent risk of homelessness. They often have young children.
and the rest is subsidized through Section 8. Still, Solid Ground wishes it could do more. In Washington County, there is a yearlong waiting list for a housing provider such as Solid Ground. The agency’s biggest challenge is finding developers or landlords that are willing to work with low-income families.
Hiking Vadnais Point BY SARA MARIE MOORE EDITOR
The view from Vadnais Point is worth the short hike off the main trail in Vadnais-Sucker Lakes Regional Park. At the point is a sweeping 180-degree view of lakeshore fi lled with trees. The only buildings to be seen are for the St. Paul Regional Water Services center. The lake is a water supply for St. Paul, thus its shore is protected from further development. To get to Vadnais Point, you can enter the park either at the gate off Edgerton Street just north of Vadnais Boulevard or at the corner of McMenemy Street and Koehler Road. There is a parking lot at Edgerton Street and Vadnais Boulevard.
SHOREVIEW
There is no parking lot at the northern entrance. From Edgerton Street, follow the gravel trail west about half a mile until it starts to curve to the north. You will see a wooded foot path to the west, that follows the lake to the south. Take the trail until you reach the end; you've reached Vadnais Point. You can return by following the trail on the north side of the point. Hug the lake to your north. The total hike is about 1.5 miles. If you enter at McMenemy Street and Koehler Road, you can begin on the trail on the north side of Vadnais Point. Take the gravel path south. The trail to Vadnais Point is just south of the wetland area off the gravel path. It SEE VADNAIS POINT, PAGE 21
SARA MARIE MOORE | PRESS PUBLICATIONS
You may encounter wildlife or their tracks on your hike, such as these deer prints.
Fantastic Auto Repair at Fantastic Prices! Complete Automotive Service Center All repairs backed by our 3 Year, 36,000 Mile Warranty
Service Center Hours M-F 7-8, Sat 8-4 Shoreview Exxon • 3854 Lexington Ave. • Shoreview • 651-483-1219 NEWS 651-407-1235 shoreviewnews@presspubs.com
ADVERTISING 651-407-1200 marketing@presspubs.com
CIRCULATION 651-407-1234 circ@presspubs.com
$1999 $3999 Free Tire + tax
+ tax
for Semi or Full Synthetic Synthetic Oil Changes
Repair
(includes an Oil Filter and (most cars and light trucks, tire must be repairable) up to 6qts of oil) expires 9/30/19 CLASSIFIED 651-407-1250 classified@presspubs.com
expires 9/30/19
PRODUCTION 651-407-1239 artmanager@presspubs.com