'Falcon Heights Will Never Be the Same'
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Your award-winning, Park nonprofit community resource St. Anthony Park / Falcon Heights www.parkbugle.org Lauderdale / Como Park July 2017 Spirit of the Park Bugle Rick Beeson named this year’s recipient. Page 3 ‘Falcon Heights will never be the same’ One year after Castile shooting, residents and mayor reflect on the aftermath and the future. By Kristal Leebrick Philando Castile. Twelve months ago, most Falcon Heights residents had never heard the name. That changed July 6, 2016, when Castile, a 32-year-old black man from Robbinsdale, was shot and killed by St. Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez during a traffic stop on Larpenteur Avenue. Now, the man whose mother said “never talked much here” is “making a lot of noise.” Those words of Valerie Castile are etched into a wooden pillar erected at the makeshift memorial site next to where her son was killed, and Philando Castile’s legacy is shaping public policy in this small St. Paul suburb. Valerie Castile’s words “struck home with me,” said Falcon Heights Mayor Peter Lindstrom. “Philando Castile was not a member of our community, did not live in our community, but what happened to him was transformational for our community and hopefully far beyond. People are talking now, and The memorial site for Philando Castile on Larpenteur Avenue serves as a daily reminder to Falcon Heights residents that “The Nation Is Watching.” we have been since July 6.” Photo by Kristal Leebrick Yanez, 29, was charged with second-degree manslaughter in the things are written, it favors the “Falcon Heights will never be the trial and its aftermath. shooting and two counts of police.” the same,” Leehy said, “but I’ve got Surprise! dangerous discharge of a firearm for “My heart hurts for Philando’s to believe we are on the path to bring Center of the volcano endangering Castile’s passengers, family and friends,” said Paula about change that will be a lasting Mayor Lindstrom got the call from Gardens are full girlfriend Diamond Reynolds and Mielke, a Falcon Heights resident improvement on us as individuals the city administrator around 10 her 4-year-old daughter. of them. who is part of a group that pushed and as a collective called the city of p.m., less than an hour after Castile Prosecutors argued that when for police reform in the city after the Falcon Heights.” was shot last July. When the mayor Pages 12 & 13 Yanez stopped Castile for a shooting. “For their sake, we can’t As the green signs that dot lawns showed up at the scene just a quarter- nonworking brake light, Yanez failed stop pushing for changes in policing throughout the city say, the nation is mile from his home, he was told only to follow protocol when Castile told that so desperately need to happen. watching Falcon Heights as city that there had been an officer- Yanez he had a gun. Defense We have to continue to be loud for officials and residents continue to involved shooting. attorneys argued that though Castile Philando.” deal with this high-profile shooting, He’s not sure when he first saw volunteered he had a gun with him, Falcon Heights to 10 he did not disclose that he had a permit to carry it. When Castile reached for his pocket, Yanez claimed he believed Castile was reaching for Minneapolis’ Midtown Greenway his gun. Yanez was found not guilty on all counts on June 16. could get extension into St. Paul “This is not the verdict that we should have gotten,” said Melanie By Bill Lindeke Greenway and into St. Paul constructed in phases, with a Leehy shortly after the verdict was neighborhoods, such as St. Anthony nonprofit coalition raising funds and announced. Leehy served as co-chair Minneapolis’ Midtown Greenway is Park, Merriam Park and beyond. At coordinating city and other grants to of the Falcon Heights Task Force on a crown jewel of American urban a packed meeting this month, led by transform an abandoned railroad Policing and Inclusion, which came bicycling, an off-street trail along an the Union Park District Council, into today’s well-used urban space. together in December to help the city old railroad corridor used by dozens of people gathered to discuss One of its key features is that, develop new police policies and thousands every day. But it ends the hopes and hurdles for linking the because it has almost no at-grade 4th in the Park establish inclusive and welcoming abruptly at the old railroad bridge streets of St. Paul with the crossings, it allows cyclists, runners practices for all residents and guests over the Mississippi River, where a Minneapolis bike trail. and others to travel through the heart Here’s the complete in the city. sturdy chain fence keeps cyclists from For those who have not biked or of the city without interacting with schedule “This case was supposed to be connecting east to St. Paul. walked it, the Midtown Greenway is cars. That might change as a wide 10-mile, off-street trail According to St. Paul city Page 24 different,” she said. “This shows that we still need reform in police unions, neighbors, working with the city, running east and west, just north of engineer John Mascko, who spoke at in our judicial system. The way hope to make use of empty railroad Lake Street to Lake Calhoun and runs along the Minneapolis then to the Mississippi. It was Bikes to 6 2 PARK BUGLE n J U L Y 2 0 1 7 C I T Y F I L E S Como Park railroad right-of-way. about the history of Como Park, or market on Facebook at Lauderdale will be sold for games and food. The District 10 Como Community Hmong College Prep Academy just share comments and suggestions Farmers Market. Proceeds will benefit the city’s Parks Council meets at 7 p.m. on the third opened in 2004 and now has 1,300 with us. The Streetcar Station is at and Recreation Dept. Tuesday of each month at the Historic students in kindergarten through the northeast corner of Lexington Grade 12. With the expansion, it Parkway and Horton Avenue. Falcon Heights Streetcar Station, 1224 N. Lexington St. Anthony Park Parkway. Here’s how to connect: 651- expects enrollment to rise to 2,200. The Falcon Heights City Council meets 644-3889, district10comopark.org or Major construction, which Upcoming District 10 meetings the second and fourth Wednesdays of The District 12 Community Council District 10 Community Council on began in April, will be carried out in • Como Community Coun- each month at 7 p.m. in Falcon meets on the second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at Jennings Commu- Facebook. two phases in 2017 and 2018. The cil June meeting: Tuesday, June 20 Heights City Hall, 2077 W. Larpen- expansion plans include: • Environment Committee: teur Ave. Contact information: 651- nity Learning Center, 2455 University • A 98,500-square-foot addi- Wednesday, June 28 792-7600 or falconheights.org. Ave. The council offices are located at Ice Cream Social set for July 14 2395 University Ave., Suite 300E. It doesn’t get any better than this: A tion of classroom, office and gym- • Land Use Committee: nasium space west of the existing Wednesday, July 5 University Grove street work may Contact information: 651-649-5992 night to enjoy free ice cream, lawn or www.sapcc.org. games, live music and the best building, on what is now a school • Neighborhood Relations be completed by mid-July parking lot. The expansion will and Safety Committee: Tuesday, The City of Falcon Heights and the neighbors in the city. It’s District 10’s New staff at District 12 annual Ice Cream Social. serve primarily as the elementary July 11 St. Paul Regional Water Service are school. • Como Community Coun- working together on a water-main- The St. Anthony Park Community Come for the ice cream and Council welcomes two new staff colorful toppings. Stay for music • 441 off-street parking spaces cil July meeting: Tuesday, July 18 replacement and street-repaving for cars and buses, including a two- Community members are project in the University Grove members: incoming operations and from District 10’s Paul Seeba, visits outreach coordinator Sarah from St. Paul police officers and level parking deck hugging the always welcome to attend and neighborhood. Snelling service road south of Brew- participate. All meetings begin at 7 City engineer Jesse Freihammer Goodspeed and summer intern firefighters, meet-and-greets from Arleigh Truesdale. neighborhood organizations and ster. p.m. at the Historic Streetcar Station. said the project is scheduled for • An 85,000-square-foot sports completion by Aug. 18, but will Goodspeed has a long giant bubbles, face-painting, outdoor background in community work, games and plenty of lawn for the dome, locker rooms, and athletic probably be done by mid-July. field north of the railroad right-of- Lauderdale advocating for environmental young ones to run, jump, roll and policies with local nonprofits and dive across. way. The 75-foot-high dome is ex- The Lauderdale City Council meets on Mark July 20 on your calendar pected to be inflated about half the the second and fourth Tuesday of each Falcon Heights’ annual ice cream helping communities navigate Details: Friday, July 14, 5:30-8 government processes with various p.m. at the Historic Streetcar Station, year. month at 7:30 p.m. in Lauderdale social will be held Thursday, July 20, City Hall, 1891 Walnut St. Contact state and local agencies.