July 2012

Volume 9

Number 7

Visit www.stpaulpublishing.com for expanded area coverage!

Photo by James Ramsay, jamesramsayphotography.com

Larry Danich of Metzen Realty & Appraisals Inc. shows off the formal dining room of a house for sale at 356 Third Avenue South in South St. Paul. The house was built in 1912.

Mary Diedrick HansenStaff Writer

Are we finally seeing the bottom of the hous-

ing calamity? Real estate forecasters are being very cautious in reporting that 2011 leading indicators are setting the stage for a bet-ter future. Since a housing

recovery is dependent on the state of the economy, forecasters are noting that layoffs have slowed down and the unemployment rate is holding steady. That looks promising. However, the statistics on homelessness paint another picture. First: housing.

The rising demand for

homes seems to be focused on foreclosed or distressed properties, which have been flooding the market. Their lowered prices have dragged home values down to lower levels in recent years. Re-cent information from the St. Paul Area Association of Realtors shows that across the Twin Cities metro it

appears the highest foreclo-sure rates have moved from the urban center to the out-er-ring metro areas. Recent statistics show that fewer homes in financial distress are entering the market. Low mortgage rates have

On the MarketA look at the ups and downs of the local housing scene

Housing market / Page 2

Mary Diedrick HansenStaff Writer

Although Dakota County was the last county in the state to complete a homelessness initiative plan, it

doesn’t mean that homelessness is not an issue of grow-ing concern.

“Homelessness is no less of an issue in Dakota Coun-ty,” said John Kemp, director of South St. Paul’s Neigh-bors Inc. He is also co-chair of the Dakota County Af-fordable Housing Coalition, which two years ago took the bull by the horns and got the “Heading Home Dakota” homelessness plan formulated. It took a joint effort of county and city government, nonprofits, faith communities, the business community and residents to put it together. The initiative calls for an end to home-lessness within 10 years.

Kemp pointed out that Dakota County Research Analyst Mary Jackson played a critical role in formu-lating the plan by providing statistical information. The committee gathered information from community fo-rums, faith communities, businesses and health care and homeless shelter providers. The plan is designed to pro-vide information about the nature and extent of home-lessness in Dakota County, identify service program and funding gaps, develop a strategic approach with corre-sponding progress assessments, and encourage stronger collaboration and partnerships.

The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development defines chronic homelessness as lacking a permanent place to live continuously for one year or more, or lacking a permanent place to live at least four times in the past three years.

In January 2011, a “point in time count” was done, which means information used for the report was gath-ered from a one night count of homeless individuals in Dakota County. The count revealed that 841 individuals were living in shelters and 429 were precariously housed in self-pay motels or doubled up in homes. Estimates are that on any given night in Dakota County, 1,000

Coalition completes new plan to battlehomelessness

Homeless initiative / Page 3

John E. AhlstromStaff Writer

On Monday, July 23, the 2012 version of the

South St. Paul Open golf tournament will be contest-ed at the Southview Coun-try Club in West St. Paul.

Since its inception in 1974, the event — sustained al-most exclusively by the gen-erosity and goodwill of the community — has generat-ed more than $500,000 for athletics and other student activities at South St. Paul High School.

Earlier this year, the South St. Paul Open took another major step when it completed the process of becoming an official Inter-nal Revenue Service-rec-ognized foundation. It was volunteers, including Jodee Paape and Ken Rohlf, who

dedicated their time and expertise to help with the tedious work required to get the job done. As an of-ficially registered nonprofit, the organization is now able to receive donations from numerous new sources,

including wills and legacy funds.

The early yearsPete Veldman served

as the athletic director at South St. Paul High School from 1964 to 1993. He was

at the helm when the school district’s student population peaked at about 6,000 in the late 1960s.

“In those days, most of the kids who lived south of Annapolis Street in St. Paul

Community shows its Packer Pride at annual golf tournament

SSP Open / Page 4

Page 2 - South St. Paul Voice - July 2012

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 MartinReporter: Mary Diedrick Hansen Contributors: Bill Knight, Lois GlewweAdvertising: Mona Toft, John Ahlstrom Home Delivery: Independent Delivery Service Bulk Delivery: SC Distribution 651-285-1119

The South St. Paul Voice assumes no responsibility for the opinions expressed by contribu-tors and for the validity of claims or items reported. Copyright South St. Paul Voice 2012. All rights reserved in compliance of Federal Copyright Act of 1978.

St. Paul Publishing Co.1643 So. Robert St., West St. Paul, MN 55118

Phone: (651) 457-1177 sppc@stpaulpublishing.comwww.stpaulpublishing.com

homebuyers on the lookout for new homes but those interested in lower priced homes are seeing fewer on the market from which to choose. The theory of sup-ply and demand would suggest that stabilization in housing prices and the be-ginning of a turnaround in home values should follow next.

South St. Paul seems to be following these metro trends. According to the St. Paul Association of Real-tors, in 2011 the total num-ber of foreclosures for the year was 149. From January through April of 2012 the number is 44.

Pending foreclosure no-tices totaled 196 in 2011. Through April of this year, there are 79.

Keep in mind that a pend-ing notice doesn’t mean the house will end up in fore-closure. Many homeowners work out a deal with their banks to prevent this from happening.

2011 statistics • Total Closed Sales: 269• Change from 2010: +6.7% • Percent new construc-tion: 1.5% • Percent sale of town/condo: 4.8% • Percent sale of distressed (foreclosed) property: 57.6% • Days on the market: 124 • Received of asking price: 90.3%These numbers mean that while sales were up from 2010, more than half were distressed properties, which affects the median sale price for homes in the city.

Median values2007: $182,0002008: $158,0002009: $130,0002010: $131,0002011: $114,000• Percent change from 2010: -12.6• Percent change from 2007: -36.8

When sales figures for

traditional homes are com-puted separately they show that the 2010-2011 average median sales price of tradi-tional single family homes was $126,250.

South St. Paul is an older community with ag-ing housing stock. Areas zoned for housing are filled, so there is little room for new construction. Existing property is being rehabbed, remodeled or having ad-ditions constructed. These constraints on construction keep housing prices lower in South St. Paul, but also more affordable for first-time homebuyers.

Affordable housing

Affordable housing is es-sential for stable families, vibrant neighborhoods, a strong economy and a healthy region. Durable and well-maintained property is important to a community’s tax base, livability and busi-ness climate, as well as to the health of the region as a whole. Housing is afford-able when a family with a moderate or low income

pays no more than 30 to 40 percent of its monthly in-come for rent or mortgage, taxes, utilities and fees. The recession and housing bust have led to more Twin Cit-ies area working families seeing their monthly hous-ing costs rising above the recommended percentage mark. Layoffs, cuts in work hours, rising deductibles for insurance and wage freezes all lead to housing instabil-ity.

According to the Dakota County Community De-velopment Agency (CDA), the percentage of cost-bur-dened mortgaged house-holds in Dakota County almost doubled between 2000 and 2009, to 32 per-cent. Approximately 45 percent of Dakota County renters are cost-burdened. In recent years, Dakota County’s Supportive Hous-ing Unit has annually re-ceived roughly 6,000 refer-rals and calls for assistance from individuals experienc-ing housing instability or homelessness.

RentalThe Dakota County

CDA reports that it takes an annual income of about $49,160 to afford an aver-age three-bedroom apart-ment in the county. This requires an hourly rate of about $24, which is sig-

nificantly higher than many county residents and work-ers earn. Rental vacancy rates were at just 3.4 percent in 2011, a ten-year low. Job loss a year ago in June 2011 was 6.7 percent.

Average rents: • Efficiency: $523• 1 bedroom: $640• 2 bedroom: $796• 3 bedroom: $1,176

Vacancy rates are down from 8 percent in 2011 to 4.4 percent so far this year. The highest vacancy is for three-bedroom apartments, which rose from 10 percent in 2011 to 15.38 percent in 2012.

The demand for rental units continues to increase as people move, enter the rental market for the first time, have homes in fore-closure or are unable to purchase a home because of tightened mortgage lending standards.

Section 8 is a federal voucher program that al-lows eligible households to pay 30 to 40 percent of their incomes for rent and the voucher program takes care of the remainder. South St. Paul is the only city in Dakota County that issues its own Section 8 vouchers.

Tara Grover, with South St. Paul Housing and Rede-velopment Agency (HRA), said the city can issue up

to 302 vouchers each year. Since 2005, they had not accepted new applicants, but in February 2011 they accepted applicants, and in three days received 4,500 requests. HRA sent out 4,500 applications and 1,600 came back. There is now a 10-year waiting list for Section 8 housing assis-tance in South St. Paul.

With an aging popula-tion, the city and county are taking steps to ensure the elderly in the communi-ty have affordable and safe places to live.

The city of South St. Paul operates two public housing highrises for people age 50 and older: the John Car-roll building at 300 Grand Ave. and the Nan McKay building at 200 Marie Ave. Together, they number 296 one-bedroom apartments. Rents are charged at 30 per-cent of a tenant’s monthly adjusted income, with a maximum of $580 per month. Heat, water, sewer and trash are included with rent.

The CDA manages four assisted living sites in South St. Paul: Dakota Heights (56 units), HealthEast Resi-dence of South St. Paul (44 units), RiverHeights Ter-race (40 units) and Thomp-son Heights, which just opened last year (60 units).

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individuals are homeless. Of great concern is that the number of days they remain homeless is increasing.

The county’s latest fig-ures show that 46 percent of the homeless population are women and children, 46 percent are adult males age 22 and older, and 2 percent are unaccompanied youth age 18-22. In Da-kota County the numbers are higher for females and families because most of its shelters are geared toward that population. Ramsey County offers more shelters for men.

Barriers to housing as re-ported by people who are homeless include:• Lack of income - 51 percent• Lack of affordable hous-ing - 43 percent• Criminal record - 16 percent• Credit problems - 16 percent• Court eviction or bad rental history - 9 percent

“In Dakota County we see more problems with families dealing with the repercussions of job loss or of being released from pris-on or moving out of foster care without a safety net of support,” said Kemp. “It’s a serious issue from teenagers to seniors.”

About 74 percent of those who are homeless are suffering from some type of mental or physical impair-ment or a combination of both. Studies have shown that getting them into a shelter where they have ac-cess to healthcare and social service providers can actu-ally save taxpayers millions of dollars. When living on the street some go off their medications and land in emergency rooms or detox centers. Some end up in prison. Homeless shelters shift the cost away from emergency rooms, jails and institutions to preventive and routine health care and community based support. According to the Dakota

County Supportive Hous-ing Unit, the cost to taxpay-ers to house an adult for one night in a homeless shelter is $28. That cost jumps to $80 for a night in jail, $218 for county detox and $618 for a regional mental health facility.

“Now we are looking at the different ways of imple-mentation,” said Kemp. “Resources play a big part. Are there finances to hire staff or do you resort to us-ing volunteers? One thing about being the last (to for-mulate the plan) is that we get to learn from the other counties.”

GoalsThe following six goals

form the strategic base of the plan and are comparable to goals in existing Heading Home Plans across Min-nesota. Each goal includes specific strategies, existing resources and anticipated 10-year outcomes.

• Prevent homelessness: Prevention strategies focus on an accurate and timely needs assessment for people experiencing a housing cri-

sis. This includes enhanc-ing services and resources to keep people in their homes and helping ensure that people don’t exit insti-tutional settings into home-lessness.

• Ensure adequate sup-ply of housing: Afford-able housing is a key aspect of preventing and ending homelessness. New funding and partnership resources for housing will be explored to meet community needs.

In Dakota County the percentage of cost-bur-dened mortgaged house-holds almost doubled be-tween 2000 and 2009 to 32 percent. Cost burdened households contribute 30 percent or more of their gross monthly income to housing, which includes rent, mortgage, taxes, utili-ties and fees.

About 45 percent of Da-kota County renters are cost-burdened. Accord-ing to the Dakota County Community Development Agency (CDA) it takes an annual income of about $50,000 to afford an aver-age three bedroom apart-ment in Dakota County,

or an hourly rate of about $24. Making matters worse, the latest figures from CDA show the lowest rental va-cancy rate in 10 years at just 3.4 percent in the county.

The Metropolitan Coun-cil evaluates affordable housing stock in commu-nities and projects future needs based on population growth and other trends. Throughout the county more than 7,600 affordable housing units will be need-ed by 2020.

• More outreach is need-ed to people experiencing homelessness to help them navigate county and non-profit systems so they get the help they need.

• Improve Service Deliv-ery: For many residents in Dakota County, support-ive services are essential to maintaining stable housing over the long-term. The strategies proposed include streamlining screening and program enrollment pro-cesses. This also addresses providing additional train-ing opportunities to build life skills for stable indepen-dent living.

• Engage the commu-

nity in ending homeless-ness: Building community awareness of homelessness is a first step toward actively engaging the community as a resource, partner and ad-vocate.

• Improve systems for addressing homelessness: Strategies for improv-ing “systems” will enable communication and col-laboration that cut across geographic, community, institutional, cultural and program boundaries.

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attended South St. Paul schools,” Veldman recalled. “Much of what is now West St. Paul and Inver Grove Heights was farmland in those days and nearly all of the middle school students in those communities at-tended South St. Paul High School.”

By the 1970s, a combi-nation of events had con-verged to send South St. Paul student enrollment spiraling downward. West St. Paul and Inver Grove Heights had built new high schools, parents were having fewer children and there was very little land left within the city boundaries for housing development.

“We closed three elemen-tary schools, teachers were laid off in large numbers and our enrollment even-tually dwindled to about 3,500,” said Veldman. “As you can imagine, budgets – especially for extracurric-

ular activities – were tight-ened significantly.”

In 1974, a group of school and community leaders, including Veldman, Dave Metzen, Al Belde and Doug Woog, met in an ef-fort to devise a way to in-volve the community in raising funds to lessen the financial burden facing the school’s athletic programs. Later that year, the inau-gural South St. Paul Open commenced at Southview Country Club.

“Community leaders and businesses pitched in and the event was a rousing suc-cess,” said Veldman.

The distribution of the tournament’s proceeds evolved over the years.

“Initially, the money generated was used almost exclusively for the boys’ ath-letic programs,” said cur-rent Board chairman Steve Doody. “Before long, funds were made available to the girls’ teams, and eventually all extracurricular activities sponsored by the school be-came eligible.”

Doody, a 1980 South St. Paul High School gradu-ate, has been on the South St. Paul Open Board of Di-rectors for 12 years. From 2001 to 2004, he led the sponsorship sub committee.

While attracting a full field of golfers serves the dual purpose of adding to the bottom line and fuel-ing the community spirit and camaraderie that make the South St. Paul Open a special event, there is noth-ing more vital for raising money than the acquisition of tournament sponsors.

“We have been very for-tunate,” said Doody. “There is a deep-rooted loyalty in this city toward the high school and the programs it supports, and the commu-nity has always responded.”

Community support

The “Title Sponsor” for the tournament for the past dozen years has been City Auto Glass, with an annual donation of $5,000. More

than 50 other businesses and individuals continue to support the cause with donations totaling about $20,000 per year.

There is a definitive ap-plication process to ac-cess foundation resources. Coaches and school activ-ity supervisors are required to submit written applica-tions to the activities direc-tor. The paperwork is then brought before the South St. Paul Open Foundation’s Board of Directors for final review and ultimately the distribution of funds.

John Laliberte is 2012 honoree

In 1984, on the tenth anniversary of the first golf tournament, the organiza-tion instituted the annual tradition of honoring an individual whose contribu-tions have left an indelible imprint on the community, the students and the citizens of South St. Paul. The first honoree was Sam Ettinger, for whom the football field

is named. Ettinger served as the South St. Paul High School athletic director from 1922 to 1964. Re-markably, as his immediate successor Veldman pointed out, there were just two athletic directors between 1922 and 1993, a span of 71 years,

The 2012 South St. Paul Open honoree is John Lalib-erte, a longtime educator and coach in South St. Paul. He is a 1970 graduate of Robbins-dale High School and played football under legendary coach John Gagliardi at St. John’s University. Laliberte was hired to teach psychol-ogy at South St. Paul High School in 1977.

Like numerous teachers during that era, Laliberte was laid off three times, but eventually rehired each time. He was the dean of students at the high school from 1983 to 1994 and principal at Kaposia Educa-tion Center from 1998 un-til his retirement in 2010. Over the course of his ca-reer, he coached football,

basketball and softball. He was the head softball coach from 1989 to 1994 and served on the South St. Paul Fastpitch Softball Commu-nity Board from 1996 to 2005. He continues to stay close to the game he loves by umpiring South St. Paul youth softball games.

Laliberte moved to South St. Paul on July 4, 1984. He raised his family here and has grown very fond of the place he now calls home.

“There is something spe-cial about the community and the people,” he said.

An avowed history buff, he pointed out that South St. Paul is one of three cities in the state where the boundar-ies of the city and the school district are identical.

“It is why we like to say that South St. Paul is where the school and the city are one,” he said.

To register for the event or for more information, visit www.sspopenfounda-tion.com.

SSP Openfrom page 1

South St. Paul Voice - July 2012 - Page 5

Your community news and information sourceN ews Briefs

LIBRARY

EVENTS

Call 651-554-3240 or visit www.southstpaul.org/library

• Book discussions - “The Plague of Doves” by local author Louise Erdrich is the title being discussed in July. In Pluto, N.D., at the turn of the century, a farm-ing family is murdered and three Native Americans are wrongfully blamed for the crime. Over the years, in-termarriage between whites and the tribe blurs the past, until the truth comes to light. Discussions are held at 1 p.m., Wednesday, July 11, and 7 p.m., Thursday, July 12, in the library’s meeting room. Author information packets are available at the library and at www.southst-paul.org/library under adult

book discussions. • eBook Basics - Infor-

mation sessions are offered July 10 to learn more about downloading free library eBooks onto an eReader. Session 1: iPad, 1:30-2:15 p.m.; Session 2: Kindle, 2:15-3 p.m.; Session 3: Nook, Kobo, Sony and oth-ers, 3-3:45 p.m. If you are unsure about which session is right for you, call Honora at 651-554-3243.

• Sleepytime Movie Fest - 6:30-7:30 p.m., Monday, July 2. Enjoy book-based animated movies and pop-corn.

• Music & Movement - 10:15 and 11 a.m., July

6, 13, 20, 27. Parents and children age birth through five are invited to explore music, dance and books. Registration for all four ses-sions is required.

• Pajama Storytime - 6:30 p.m., July 9, 16, 23, 30. This 30-minute pro-gram will feature night-themed stories, songs, rhymes and more. Pajamas welcome.

• Ninja Challenge - 1-2:30 p.m., Tuesday, July 10. Kids age 6-12 are in-vited to test their stealthy ninja skills like balance, bravery and creativity in several activities. Registra-tion is required.

• Monster Mash with MN Textile Center - 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Monday, July 16. Kids ages 6-9 will learn to create a squishy monster friend using tex-tiles. Registration is re-quired.

• Summer Playhouse - 10:30 a.m., July 11, 18, 25. Free  entertainment  pre-sented by the South St. Paul Parks and Recreation department’s Summer Play-house.

• Owls & Raptors with Dodge Nature Center - 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, July 17. Naturalists from Dodge Nature Center will talk about owls and other crea-tures of the night and sky.

• Angry Birds - 10:30 a.m., Thursday, July 19. Children age 6-12 will play a live version of the popular game by stacking up card-board boxes and knocking them down, and other ac-tivities. Registration is re-quired.

• Space, Star Wars, Rockets, Oh My! - 3-4:30

p.m., Tuesday, July 24. Lots of outer space fun for chil-dren age 6-12. Registration is required.

• Teen Writing Club - 3:30 p.m., July 11 and 25. Teens age 12-18 are invited to join this group to prac-tice their writing skills, learn new techniques, read what other teen writers are working on and hear help-ful comments on their writ-ing. 

• Glee! with Stepping-stone Theater - 1-2:30 p.m., Thursday, July 12. Teens age 13-17 will ex-

plore songs and dances from the popular TV show, Glee! Registration is required.

• Teen Angry Birds - 1:30 p.m., Thursday, July 19. Teens age 12-18 will play a live version of the popular game and do other activities. Registration is required.

• Comedy Improv with Steppingstone Theater - 1-2:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 25. Teens age 13-17 will learn the basics of com-edy improvisation, slapstick movement and joke telling. Registration is required.

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Page 6 - South St. Paul Voice - July 2012

Your community news and information sourceS ample St. Paul

On the TownArtists’ Quarter408 St. Peter St., St. Paul651-292-1359www.artistsquarter.com

The Artists’ Quarter offers live entertainment throughout the month, including jazz bands and poetry nights.

Black Dog Café308 Prince St., St. Paul651-228-9274www.blackdogstpaul.com

Black Dog Café will present a program of American Blues with Nikki Matteson and Rich Rue on Saturday, July 7.

George Cartwright will present a jazz concert Monday, July 9. Carl Franzen will sing and play the piano on Tues-day, July 24.

Children’s Museum10 W. Seventh St.St. Paul651-225-6000www.mcm.org

“Curious George: Let’s Get Curious!” is presented through Octo-ber 7. This exhibit allows visitors to explore famil-iar buildings and locales from the Curious George

book series and televi-sion show while learning concepts in science, math and engineering. Tickets are $9.50. Explore the museum free of charge 9 a.m.-5 p.m. the third Sunday of each month.

History Center345 W. Kellogg Blvd.St. Paul651-259-3000www.mnhs.org

“We The People: The First Official Printing of the U.S. Constitution” is presented through July 4. This new exhibit fea-tures a rare, early pub-lished version of the U.S. Constitution and an even

more rare draft of the Bill of Rights, along with the original editions of the two state of Minnesota Constitutions.

“1934: A New Deal for Artists” is present-

ed through September 30. In 1934, against the backdrop of the Great Depression, the U.S. gov-ernment created the Pub-lic Works of Art Project — the first federal gov-ernment program to sup-port the arts nationally. A selection of 56 paintings will be on view in the ex-hibit, organized by the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

“The U.S.-Dakota War of 1862” - This exhibit features documents, im-ages and artifacts relating to the war.

Ongoing exhibits - “Minnesota’s Greatest Generation: The De-pression, The War, The Boom,” “Open House: If These Walls Could Talk,” “Weather Permitting,” “Grainland,” and “Home Place Minnesota.” Mu-seum tickets are $11 for adults, $9 for seniors and college students, and $6 for children ages 6-17. The center offers free ad-

mission on Tuesdays, 5-8 p.m.

Nine Nights of Music - Free concerts are held 6:30-8 p.m. every Tues-day in July and August at the Minnesota His-tory Center Plaza. Per-formances include: July 3, Southside Aces, New Orleans jazz; July 10, Zydeco, Blues, Swamp Pop; July 17, Surf Dawgs with Zip Kaplan, clas-sic surf; July 24, Moon-light Serenaders with Lee Engele, swing; July 31, Tropical Zone Orches-tra, Brazilian; August 7, Voices of Sepharad, Jew-ish music of the Mediter-ranean; August 14, Paul Metsa and Cats Under the Stars, rock ’n’ roll, New Orleans, country and blues; August 21, Ross Sutter and Friends, Swedish; August 28, The Barley Jacks with Brian Wicklund, blue-grass. In case of rain, performances will be held indoors in the 3M Auditorium. For more

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“Laughter on the 23rd Floor,” a Neil Simon comedy, is presented through July 8 at Park Square Theatre.

South St. Paul Voice - July 2012 - Page 7

Your community news and information sourceS ample St. Paulinformation, visit www.minnesotahistorycenter.org/events-programs/nine-nights-of-music or call 651-259-3000.

Landmark Center75 W. 5th St., St. Paul651-292-3225www.landmarkcenter.org

“Expressions of Faith” exhibit - The work of lo-cal artist Kari Wagner will be displayed in the North Gallery of Landmark Center noon-3 p.m., Wednesday through Sun-day, July 5-29. Wagner is known for her water col-or and acrylic paintings of landscapes, seascapes and flowers. Because of her cerebral palsy, she is unable to hold a paint brush in her hand. In-stead, she creates her art-work through the use of an adaptive headgear that holds her brush and al-lows her head movements to dictate her brush-strokes. With the assis-tance of art therapists, Wagner has explored a variety of art mediums

to express her feelings and her faith. She will be at Landmark Center noon-3 p.m., July 6, 7, 8 and 21. For more infor-mation about her work, visit: www.kariwagner-artwork.com.

The Music in the Café concert series features the following noontime concerts in July inside the Landmark Center:

July 11 – Lee Engele, jazz  vocalist; July 18 – Nikki & The RueMates, country-blues and folk-rock, including originals; July 25 – Martin Dev-aney, a classically trained musician with a jazz sax background. For more information, visit www.landmarkcenter.org/mu-sic.html or contact Jen at jhernandez@landmark-center.org, 651-292-3276.

Dean Magraw and Marcus Wise will per-form at 5 p.m., Sun., July 8 at PipJazz Sundays. The event is hosted by singer Pippi Ardennia. Tickets

are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. For more information, visit www.pipjazz.com.

Park Square Theatre20 W. 7th Place, St. Paul651-291-7005www.parksquaretheatre.org

“Laughter on the 23rd Floor,” a Neil Simon comedy, is presented through July 8. Chaos is king backstage at the Max Prince Show, a popular 1950s comedy-variety TV series. The stress of slipping ratings is eating Max alive, but his staff hurls nonstop zingers at each other and everyone within earshot. Tickets are $38-$58.

“Into the Woods” by Mu Performing Arts is presented July 20-Aug. 5. A baker and his wife seek to break a witch’s evil curse, sending them on a raucous journey through the woods where they cross paths with Cinder-

ella, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, and Jack and his beanstalk. But in this story, happily ever after is not always what it seems. Tickets are $30-$40 with discounts for seniors and students.

Science Museum of Minnesota120 W. Kellogg Blvd.St. Paul651-221-9444www.smm.org

“Real Pirates: The Un-told Story of the Whyd-ah from Slave Ship to Pirate Ship” is presented through September 3. Don your pirate hat and climb aboard a recreation of a pirate ship. Learn to tie knots and hoist a pi-rate flag. Explore what life was like on a real pirate ship and see more than 200 artifacts from North America’s only au-thenticated pirate ship-wreck. Tickets are $29 for adults and $26 for children and seniors.

“Under the Sea” Om-nitheatre film is pre-sented through Sept. 27 - Take a giant screen journey to some of the most exotic and isolated undersea locations on Earth, including South Australia, the Great Bar-rier Reef and the Coral Triangle islands of Papua New Guinea and Indo-nesia. You’ll come face-to-face with some of the most mysterious and stunning creatures of the sea.

“The Living Sea” Om-nitheatre film is present-ed through September. The film is narrated by Meryl Streep and features the music of Sting. View-ers will discover how ocean waters are connect-ed by currents, tides and water cycles. They will see humpback whales, jellyfish and other mys-terious ocean inhabitants and experience an unfor-gettable Coast Guard res-cue training mission.

Museum tickets are $11 for adults and $8.50

for children and seniors. Omnitheater tickets are $8 and $7 respectively.

Ramsey County Fair

The 99th Annual Ramsey County Fair will be held July 11-15 at the fairgrounds, 2020 White Bear Ave., Maplewood. The free admission fair offers opportunities for youth and adults to win ribbons and prize money for exhibitions in horti-culture, arts and crafts, clothing, food, photog-raphy, home furnish-ings and more. Popular events include the talent show, opening night pa-rade, farmer-for-the-day, children’s petting zoo, carnival rides, bands, fireworks, and the many food choices. Discounted carnival ride tickets are available before the fair starts. For more informa-tion, call 651-770-2626 or visit www.ramsey-countyfair.com.

Page 8 - South St. Paul Voice - July 2012

Your community news and information sourceN ews BriefsLions Club hosts fundraiser

The South St. Paul Lions Club will host a golf tour-nament at noon, Monday, Aug. 6 at River Oaks Coun-try Club in Cottage Grove. Registration begins at 10:30 a.m. The format is shotgun start, 4-person scramble. Cost is $90 for golf, cart, bucket of range balls, door prizes and dinner. A silent auction and social hour be-gins at 5 p.m., followed by dinner at 6 p.m. and a pro-gram at 6:45 p.m. For more information, call Greg Nie-derkorn at 651-451-1333 or ngkiederkorn@msn.com or richgraner@gmail.com.

Fare for All Express

Fare for All Express will be held 4-6 p.m., Tues., July 10, at Central Square Community Center, 100 7th Ave. N. Fare for All Express is a program of the Emergency Foodshelf Network that partners with organizations around the Twin Cities metro area. It is a cooperative food buying program that buys food in

bulk directly from whole-salers and passes the sav-ings on to participants. The program can result in a 40 percent savings on monthly groceries by purchasing “ex-press packages.” No advance payment or pre-registration is needed to purchase pack-ages and there is no limit to the number of packages that can be purchased each month. Fare For All is open to everyone. There are no income-based requirements for participation. Participa-tion does not affect eligi-bility to receive assistance from a food shelf. For more information, call 651-306-3690 or visit www.southst-paul.org.

Cerenity Senior Care – South St. Paul offers respite care

Cerenity Senior Care – South St. Paul, an assisted living community located at 744 – 19th Ave. N., now offers respite care. Ceren-ity provides temporary care for people who need medical attention or super-vised care for as long as one

month. Services include a private, furnished apart-ment, 24-hour onsite staff, daily checks, an emergency pendant system, three meals daily, scheduled activities and weekly housekeeping, laundry and linen services. Medication management and resident assistant visits for non-skilled care is also available for additional fees. For more information, call 651-326-6502.

Dementia support group

A support group for fam-ily members and caregivers of adults with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia meets the third Wednesday of each month at Ceren-ity Senior Care – South St, Paul, 744 – 19th Ave. N. The next meeting is July 18. For more information, call 651-326-6502.

Highground Memorial fundraiser

Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 639 of South St. Paul is seeking cash and merchandise do-

nations for its fundraiser, which will be held 2-5:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 13, at Buggs’ Place, 925 N. Con-cord Exchange. The event will feature food, games, a bake sale and silent auction, door prizes, pull tabs and more. Proceeds will benefit the Highground Memorial, which honors veterans of all wars.

The chapter is also host-ing a 140-mile Poker Run Ride through the St. Croix Valley to raise funds for the memorial. The ride begins at noon, Aug. 25 at Buggs’ Place. The event will feature three stops, poker, raffles and other specials. For more information on either event, contact John Lynch at 651-459-1310 or lynch0319@gmail.com.

Kaposia fourth graders win math contest

A fourth grade class at Kaposia Education Center ranked among the world’s best in math, placing first in Minnesota, eighth in the United States and 39th in the world in the age 8-10

bracket in the recent World Math Day competition. The students competed against more than 1.5 million stu-dents from more than 200 countries in a 48-hour real-time format. The students progressed through five levels of difficulty, complet-ing 50 timed challenges in arithmetic and mental com-putation.

Traveling Playhouse

Actors, puppets and in-teractive play are all part of the Summer Playhouse entertainment, which is of-fered:

• 11 a.m., Tuesday, July 10, 17, 24 and 31 at Mira-cle Center, 125 21st Ave. S., and 1:30 p.m. at Veterans Field, Third Street and 13th Avenue North.

• 10:30 a.m., Wednes-days, July 11, 18, 25 and Aug. 1 at South St. Paul Library, Marie Avenue and Third Avenue South, 1 p.m. at Lorraine Park, Third Av-enue and Seventh Street South, and 2:30 p.m. at Ka-posia Center, First Avenue South and Dale Street.

• 9:30 a.m., Thursday,  July 12, 19, 26 and Aug. 2 at Lincoln Center, Fourth Street parking lot; 1 p.m. at Summit Park, 15th Avenue North and Pleasant Avenue; and 2:30 p.m. at Northview Park, 19th Avenue North and Thompson Avenue.

Passes on sale for disc golf and outdoor pools

The Kaposia Park Disc Golf Course at Kaposia Park operates on a pay-to-play format.  Users must purchase a $5 daily pass or an annual pass, which costs $30 for residents and $40 for non-residents. There is no charge for students age 14 and under with a student ID. Passes are sold on-site during the disc golf season and also at the Parks and Recreation office, 100 7th Ave. N., South St. Paul.

Summer season passes are on sale for South St. Paul’s two outdoor pools: Splash Pool at Lorraine Park and Northview Pool. The pools will be open through Aug. 19. Cost for residents is $35 for the first pass in a house-

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South St. Paul Voice - July 2012 - Page 9

Your community news and information sourceN ews Briefshold and $25 for each ad-ditional pass. Non-resident fees are $45, and $35 for additional passes within the household. Daily admission is $3.50. Annual passes and daily admission coupon books are available at the Parks and Recreation office at Central Square Com-munity Center, 100 7th Ave. N., South St. Paul. For more information, call 651-306-3690 or visit www.southstpaul.org.

South St. Paul Public Schools golf tourney

The South St. Paul Pub-lic Schools Custodial-Maintenance-Technology Departments will host the 16th Annual “CMT” Golf Tournament Fundraiser at noon, Monday, July 30 at the Cannon Falls Golf Club. Registration begins at 11 a.m. The tournament is a shotgun start, best ball format. Cost is $70 per golfer and includes golfing, cart, food and beverages. There will also be a silent auction, raffle drawing and door prizes. Proceeds will

be used for scholarships in the amount of $3,000 that are awarded annually to two South St. Paul High School graduating seniors. To register or make a dona-tion, call Linda at 651-457-9409.

Student NotesAlexander Koich of South

St. Paul graduated from St. John’s University.

Brianna Conrad of South St. Paul graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stout Wisconsin’s Polytech-nic University.

Jake Jensen of South St. Paul was named to the dean’s list at the College of St. Scholastica.

Youth volleyball camps

The South St. Paul Parks and Recreation office is offering youth volleyball camps July 9-12 and July 16-18 at the South St. Paul High School competition gym. South St. Paul High School coaching staff will teach skills for all levels. Cost is $50-$65. For more information, contact Jane

Cornell  at 651-552-3077, 651-451-8162 or jcornell@sspps.org.

Youth football registration

The South St. Paul Parks and Recreation Depart-ment is accepting registra-tions through July 18 for the 2012 youth football league. Boys and girls enter-ing grades 1-6 may register for flag; grades 3-6 for tack-le. Register at the Parks and Rec. office at 100-7th Ave. N., South St. Paul. Fees are $55 per player for flag; $75 per player for tackle.  Late registrations will incur a $15 fee. The league will feature a skills week that is included with the sign-up. All youth will participate the first week and receive instruction from South St. Paul High School varsity coach Chad Sexauer and his staff.  For more informa-tion, call 651-306-3690, or register at www.southst-paul.org.

Soccer champsThe South St. Paul Girls U11 Traveling Soccer team won the St. Croix Cup Tournament on June 3. The team scored in the final minute of the semi-final game to beat the River Falls Wildcats 3-2 and advance to the finals. It beat the NSSA Blue Explosion in the championship game 3-0. Team members are (front row, left to right) Alivia Hays, Lillie Kirch-ner, Clair Lehmann, Lindsay Montanez, Hannah Boelke, (back row) Liz Kirchner, Gary Rademacher (assistant coach), Anna Watt, Lucia Radem-acher, Beata Benson, Karli Darrow, Chris Lehmann (coach) and Paige Goaley.

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Page 10 - South St. Paul Voice - July 2012

Your community news and information sourceC ommunity

As I walked through our lobby the other day I was greet-ed by a man who was completing an intake form. It turned out he was a man who has been a donor for Neighbors, Inc. in the past. Now he was here seeking assistance from the food shelf.

As we talked, he told me how difficult it was for him to make the decision to ask for help. I assured him that he had done the right thing; that’s why we are here, to help those in need. He said he felt particularly bad because he was used to giving help, not asking for it. I told him we ap-preciated that and that I knew that when his his situation improved he would be back as a donor. But until then, we are here because he and thousands of others like him make it possible for us to be here and provide help when it is needed.

Unfortunately, this experience has become quite com-mon over the last few years. People who have been solidly middle class lose their jobs and are unable to find new ones. After they spend their entire savings and sometimes their pension funds and exhaust their unemployment benefits they often have no place else to turn. Others get knocked for a loop by a serious medical or health issue and spend weeks on medical leave. When they get back to work they face a mountain of medical bills that messes up their finan-cial situation for months if not years to come. And that’s as-suming they can even go back to work. Those whose illness or injury is so severe that they are never able to work again on a regular basis are even worse off.

One of the things we at Neighbors have been reminded of many times during the last few years is how quickly life can change for all of us. One day we’re solidly employed — “Living the Dream,” as a friend of mine likes to say — and the next day we’re facing a major illness, or a family mem-ber has been involved in a serious accident, or we’ve lost our job or our hours have been reduced, affecting our income. In the proverbial “blink of an eye,” life has changed com-pletely and perhaps forever.

Financial experts tell us that we should have enough money saved to pay six months of expenses. That’s a great idea, but how many of us have actually been able to put away that kind of money, over and above our kids’ educa-tion fund, our retirement fund, etc.? When trouble hits, whatever we have been able to put away disappears and we

dip into those other long-term funds. Before long, that’s gone as well.

I saw data the other day that said that the average person who lost their job during this mega-recession and is now reemployed is making 47 percent of what they had been earning. I shudder to think of the implications of this down the road. Think about it. If tomorrow you found out that your income was being cut in half would you be in a finan-cial position to withstand this change and continue to be self-sufficient?

In essence, we’re a long way from being out of the woods, Yes, employment statistics are beginning to creep back up, albeit very slowly. Unemployment statistics are beginning to creep back down, although it’s difficult to tell if it’s be-cause people are reemployed or if they have given up seek-ing employment and are no longer being counted.

But all the information that is not being published — like average wages for those newly employed versus their original employment, or the percentage of the last four college graduating glasses that are still underemployed or unemployed — suggests that it will be many years, if ever, before we see the number of people seeking assistance go-ing back to the levels they were prior to 2008.

Thanks to the people of this community, we have been able to keep up with the growth in need in our community for the last 40 years. With your continued commitment and support we’ll be here for the next 40 years and beyond, if that is what is needed.

By John Kemp Executive Director of

Neighbors, Inc.

Neighbors, Inc.

Jennifer L. Gale, president

Chambers of commerce and business community joins forces on Highway 52 corridor development

Over the past two years business and political leaders in Dakota and Olmsted counties have cultivated a partner-ship to better understand each community’s strengths and to learn how the communities can partner to grow Minne-sota’s economy along the Highway 52 corridor.

Having seen first-hand how Rochester works collectively with the city, county, chamber of commerce, and the state’s largest private employer, the Mayo Clinic, on a recent visit, we thought it extremely important to host a contingent

from Rochester in Dakota County.   This expanding partnership took another step forward on

Tuesday, June 5 as the Dakota County Regional and River Heights chambers of commerce hosted more than a dozen Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce members and Ol-msted County elected officials for a tour of Dakota County, including stops at Waterous Company, Thompson Reuters, UMore Park and the Minnesota Zoo.

“Our Dakota County business community is committed to growth and we know that we have a great opportunity to further develop the Highway 52 corridor in partnership with Rochester,” said Ruthe Batulis of the Dakota County Regional Chamber of Commerce.

“It was a great day for this partnership and the future economic growth of the Highway 52 corridor,” added John Wade of the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce.

Each stop on the tour included presentations about the business as well as exciting opportunities in each commu-nity. A main focus of discussion was the perseverance and determination needed to see important projects through to completion, such as the Wakota Bridge. The determination shown by the Wakota Bridge Coalition over its 20-year ef-fort to replace the Interstate 494 bridge connecting Wash-ington and Dakota counties is a shining example for the Southeast Minnesota Alliance and its efforts to build Zip Rail, the high-speed rail line between Rochester and the Twin Cities.

“Neither local government units nor communities can afford to exist in isolation,” said Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem. “They must reach out to their neighbors to enhance their strengths and minimize their weaknesses. The close relationship that has been cultivated between the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce and chambers lo-cated in Dakota County is extremely positive and sets the stage for a wide variety of economic development opportu-nities moving forward.  I am honored to have participated in this important initiative.”

The Dakota County tour marked the fifth time in the last two years members of the Dakota County Regional, River Heights and Rochester chambers of commerce have gath-ered to discuss economic development opportunities be-tween their communities. This gathering marked the first time three of Minnesota’s most storied and innovative busi-nesses — Mayo Clinic, Waterous Company and Thompson Reuters — were involved. The three companies employ more than 40,000 Minnesotans and have deep roots with more than 400 combined years of operation in Minnesota. All three have bright futures and a strong commitment to the growth of the Highway 52 corridor.

“The synergy exhibited by the community leaders of the Highway 52 corridor is exciting and the economic growth potential from their collaboration seems limitless,” said State Rep. Mike Benson.

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South St. Paul Voice - July 2012 - Page 11

Your community news and information sourceC ommunityAre you looking for something to do this summer? Here

are a few suggestions from the South St. Paul Mayor’s Youth Task Force.

• Swimming Under the Stars Pool Parties - The task force is hosting Swimming under the Stars pool parties 8-10 p.m., each Wednesday during the summer (except July 4) at Northview Pool, 635 – 18th Ave. N. The events feature music, games, prizes and lots of fun. Entrance fee is a suggested donation of $2 per person (parents are free). Seasonal pool passes are not valid for these private parties.

• Sounds of South St. Paul - Bringing Music Back to the Square - Join the task force for music concerts 6:30-7:30 p.m., Wednesdays at Central Square. Toes will be tap-ping as artists share their heritage through song and dance. These performances will showcase the ethnic cultures of South St. Paul – past and present. For more information, visit www.southstpaul.org and click on the Community Events calendar.

• Fill the Backpack Campaign - The task force will be filling backpacks on Aug. 7 during South St. Paul’s Night to Unite, and then weekly after that, for students in need at the elementary and secondary schools in South St. Paul.

Each year the task force fills over 200 backpacks. Watch for more information in our August column. A big thank you goes to the Mizpah Lodge #191 for its donation of $1,500 to purchase backpacks and supplies. In April, the Mizpah Lodge hosted a taco feed and raised over $750. This contri-bution was matched by the Minnesota Masonic Charities. Thank you!

• Other events - We are also bringing back Kelly’s Green mini golf course, filming another episode of FYI – For Youth Information — and are planning a few new events, including a Water Balloon Dodge Ball Tournament. We are still working out the details, but that event will take place in August. Watch the city’s website for more information.

The South St. Paul Mayor’s Youth Task Force is made up of students in grades 5-12 grade.  Our mission is to find things to do in South St. Paul to help prevent underage drinking in our community. To join the task force, or for more information on our activities, events and volunteer opportunities, contact Deb Griffith, community affairs li-aison, at 651-554-3230, deb.griffith@southstpaul.org or, or visit www.southstpaul.org, click on Mayor’s Youth Task Force.

LETTER TO THE EDITORPacker parent thanks teachers

Since 2002, when my oldest child entered the scary world of high school, to now, as my youngest is about to walk across Ettinger Field to receive her diploma, I have been a Packer parent. I feel privileged for over 10 years of meet-ing the many talented teachers, administrators, and staff at

South St. Paul Secondary that have influenced, educated, mentored and advocated for my three children. I thank you for all your hard work.

As a Packer parent, I sought information long before “SchoolView,” survived the switch from semesters to tri-mesters, and knew the schedule before zero-hour existed. I have attended countless conferences, awards breakfasts, academic honors banquets, and watched many students recite the National Honor Society speech. I have gone to plays, watched many sporting events (alas, watching

does not count as exercising) and discussed the “theory of knowledge” around our dinner table.

To all the talented teachers, administrators and staff at South St. Paul Schools, your mentoring of the students who pass through your doors goes well beyond the kids themselves. The Packer parents of those students appreciate your time, attention and involvement in our lives. Thank you!

Sue LavigneProud Packer Parent

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Page 12 - South St. Paul Voice - July 2012

Your community news and information sourceB ack in Time

The Vietnam Wall replica came to town in 1987Lois Glewwe

Contributor

On Saturday, Aug. 8, 1987, South St. Paul

residents and visitors de-scended on the South St. Paul High School football field to attend the opening ceremonies for the exhibit of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial replica. V.F.W. Post #295 Commander Mike Keenan was emcee for the event, representing the local Post and Auxiliary, which brought the memori-al to the community as part of the city’s Centennial year commemoration.

The Rev. Raymond Zweber of St. Augustine’s Catholic Church offered the prayer of dedication. Speaking at the event were Mayor Bruce Baumann, Robert Hansen, past na-tional commander-in-chief of the V.F.W., and Daniel Sandstrom of the Vietnam Veterans of America, Post #62. The South St. Paul Male Chorus and the South St. Paul High School Band provided music. The Twin

Cities Chapter of the Viet-nam Veterans of America Color Guard, the 4th Ma-rine Division with bugler Ella Gustavson, and Staff Sergeant Jim Corder of the U.S. Army Recruiting Sta-tion in West St. Paul also participated. Helicopters of the 47th Aviation Brigade flew over the football field where the exhibit was pre-sented 10 a.m. to dusk for seven days.

The 250-foot traveling replica, which is still in use today, is half the size of the actual Vietnam Memo-rial in Washington, D.C. It consists of 70 separate silk-screened panels. The replica debuted at Tyler, Texas, in October 1984. Currently, there are three replica me-morials that are available for exhibit in communities across the nation at a cost of $2,500, plus traveling expenses for operations and security staff who accom-pany the exhibit. Two of the replicas are constantly traveling and one is held in reserve in case of problems. The replica is now officially

called the Moving Wall.Artist Maya Ying Lin de-

signed the Vietnam Wall Memorial in Washington, D.C., which was dedicated on Nov. 13, 1982. Origi-nally, there were 58,132 names on the wall, which is constructed of black granite from Bangalore, India. An additional 238 names have been added since 1982. There are eight women’s names on the wall — seven Army and one Navy nurse. An additional 59 civilian women were casualties of the Vietnam War. They were with organizations such as the Red Cross, the CIA and various missionary and news entities.

One of the memorable moments of the 1987 cer-emony in South St. Paul was the placing of a memo-rial wreath at the wall by Clarence and Nena Chris-tophersen of South St. Paul, parents of Keith Allen Christophersen who was then still classified as Miss-ing in Action. Keith’s name now appears on the official list of Vietnam War casual-

ties from Minnesota.South St. Paul is the

hometown listed for the fol-lowing men whose names are inscribed on both the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. and on the Moving Wall:

• Bruce Christensen, Oct. 15, 1947-Feb. 9, 1971; Ma-rine Corps

• Keith Christophersen, Oct. 22, 1946-Jan. 21, 1973; Navy

• Philip Gene DesLauri-ers, Aug. 16, 1944-Aug. 9, 1969; Marine Corps

• Dennis Groth, Jan. 21, 1949-Oct. 19, 1968; Army

• Richard Johnson, Dec. 29, 1946-Oct. 25, 1967; Marine Corps

• Theodore Leyde, Sept. 8, 1949-May 6, 1968; Army

• Robert Mariz, July 9, 1930-Jan. 30, 1968; Marine Corps

• James Mega, Nov. 21, 1947-June 24, 1968; Army

• Stephen Thuet, June 1, 1942-Feb. 20, 1968; Ma-rine Corps

A memorial at South St. Paul High School honors those on the list who are South St. Paul graduates; other names are document-ed in the State of Minne-sota Vietnam War casualty records.

Significant events in South St. Paul since 1987

• Feb. 26, 1993 – The first City Entrance monu-ment meeting was held. This group successfully obtained and installed the welcome signs that greet visitors to South St. Paul.

• June 1, 1995 – Sally Patrick, the city’s former South St. Paul recycling coordinator, involved citi-zens in a city-wide project of sewer stenciling, inform-ing residents of where it was safe to dispose of water

from lawns, car washes, etc.• Feb. 17, 1996 – South

St. Paul City Council passed a resolution in opposition to Alter Corporation’s plan to build an automobile metal shredder on the northern border with St. Paul.

• April 20, 1996 – A ground-breaking ceremo-nies was held for the South St. Paul portion of the Da-kota County Regional Trail.

• July 1, 1997 – Duane and Martha Hubbs’ plan for the Exchange Building renovation was approved by the City Council and the Castle Hotel (subsequently Valentino’s) was created.

In August 1987, more than 7,000 people vis-ited the Vietnam Wall replica in South St. Paul. Hundreds of memorials, photographs, note-cards and personal tributes were left at the exhibit, just as they are each day in Washing-ton, D.C. at the site of the original monument.

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