Winner of the Minnesota Society of Professional Journalists’ 2012 Best Issue Award St. Anthony Park Park Falcon Heights Lauderdale Como Park Noah’s Art Some Lauderdale Buglewww.parkbugle.org February 2014 Lutherans will spend February on a frozen lake making art in an ice shanty. Bakken oil and us The highly flammable sweet crude from North Dakota’s Bakken oil fields is likely transported by train Page 3 through St. Anthony Park and Como Park, but how much and when remains unknown to the public. By Judy Woodward economic success stories of the last The U.S. Department of Administration urged emergency few years. Thanks to the hydraulic Transportation, in a safety alert issued responders to remember that “light, Volatile crude oil shipments, which fracturing (“fracking”) oil-extraction in January, warned that oil produced sweet crude, such as that coming have been implicated in a number of process, North Dakota is now the from the region might be more from the Bakken region … [typically rail disasters in recent years, may be second largest oil-producing state in flammable than heavier, more sulfur- has a flashpoint] below 73 degrees F.” traveling on the train tracks that run the U.S., with a daily output of laden products produced elsewhere Oil, no matter how it is along Energy Park Drive, slicing nearly 900,000 barrels per day in by older drilling methods. In the extracted, must be transported to through St. Anthony Park and 2013, up from 81,000 barrels a alert, the DOT’s Pipeline and bordering Como Park. decade ago. Hazardous Materials Safety Bakken oil to 9 BNSF Railroad, which is the major Class I rail line dominating Minnesota rail transport, declines to make public the exact freight routes and schedules of its oil transports. Frightful or delightful? “Since 9/11, we have worked with The weather has been a bit of both and these two photos federal officials on improving public of area snow sculptures display those sentiments. The security,” said BNSF spokesperson child-eating monster at right was found on Albert Street in Amy McBeth, “and as a result, do not Como Park and the sunny couple and dog below keep a make public information such as bright watch on Doswell Avenue in St. Anthony Park. what hazardous materials move on Photos by Roger Bergerson and Kristal Leebrick what routes on our network.” Some local observers are more outspoken. “There are about four or five oil trains heading east every day,” according to former St. Anthony Park resident Jack Sheldon, who has been a rail enthusiast for many years and is the co-manager of the Jackson Street Roundhouse, a railroad museum located at 193 E. Page 4 Pennsylvania Ave. in St. Paul, directly south of the BNSF railroad tracks. The Roundhouse, he said, offers a great vantage point to observe rail traffic, including the distinctive all- tank-car “unit trains” of 100 cars or more that transport oil and ethanol. A tank car unit train, pulled by a BNSF locomotive, was spotted traveling east near the Raymond Avenue overpass on a recent Saturday afternoon. A man on the tracks, who declined to give his name but did admit to being a “railroad worker,” acknowledged that the train was “probably” carrying North Dakota Coliseum closure leaves local crude oil. Crude oil from North Dakota has been at the heart of several rail hockey teams scrambling for ice accidents recently. Last July, 47 people died at Lac-Mégantic, By Libor Jany and livestock shows and other special “High schools are going to need Quebec, when a train laden with The Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum events. ice and colleges are going to need ice. Bakken oil exploded. In November, a ice rink will close for good in The move has left some local It’s going to chew up ice time,” said 75 years North Dakota oil train derailed and February after Minnesota State Fair hockey teams scrambling to find a Scott Hamilton, an administrator From its humble exploded in Alabama, and on Dec. officials deemed it too costly to home for next season. and former coach with the Langford beginnings in a 30, the entire town of Casselton, continue operating, leaving several A Ramsey County Parks and Park Hockey program. N.D., was evacuated when a mile- local hockey teams out in the cold. Recreation spokeswoman said the Hamilton termed the rink’s basement on Carter long BNSF oil train collided with The rink, which served as home county is working closely with several closure a major “concern” for the rec Avenue, the Church another BNSF freight train and ice for amateur teams ranging from of these programs to find them ice center’s youth teams and said coaches of Corpus Christi exploded, releasing a fireball of local rec centers to Hamline time, primarily at Aldrich Arena in would have to get creative in marks 75 years. potentially toxic vapors. University, was also drawing fewer Maplewood. Some teams have scheduling ice time. In the upcoming Light sweet crude, the low- and fewer visitors, officials said, expressed concern about having to season, teams will have to lean more sulfur oil found in the Bakken sealing its fate. The 62-year-old travel across town or practice at on Aldrich and Oscar Johnson Page 10-11 formation of North Dakota and building in which the rink is housed inconvenient times, but the arenas, which are already in high eastern Montana, has been the will remain open year-round, officials spokeswoman says that's just how demand. foundation of one of the great said, while continuing to host horse things will be from now on. Coliseum to 15 2 PARK BUGLE n FEBRUARY 2014 CITY FILES Como Park Neighborhood Honor Roll Bike Rodeo and other community St. Anthony Park Community Gardens is but one building events, and District 10 example. The District 10 Como Community Each year, the District 10 Como The District 12 Community Council board member. Bolstad has served on They were instrumental in Council meets at 7 p.m. on the third Community Council recognizes meets on the second Thursday of each Tuesday of the month at the Historic three deserving neighbors who have the council's Neighborhood month at 7 p.m. at South St. Anthony efforts resulting in District 12 Streetcar Station, 1224 N. Lexington shown a sustained commitment to Relations and Safety committees and Recreation Center (SSA), 890 Cromwell purchasing the garden site, and have Parkway. making the Como Park on the Como Regional Park Ave. The district’s Land Use Committee spearheaded the planting and neighborhood a better place with a Advisory Committee. meets on the first Thursday of the month maintenance of the prairie garden The Birdman of Lauderdale kicks place on the City of St. Paul’s As the district faced the at 7 p.m. at SSA. The Energy Resilience next to the Community Gardens. off Como Sunday Series Neighborhood Honor Roll. challenge of expanding to represent Group generally meets at 7 p.m. on the They have written grants, letters and From loons to eagles to cardinals to Honor Roll recipients will be the South Como neighborhood, third Thursday of the month. Email met with many people to obtain indigo buntings, we live among an recognized by Mayor Chris Coleman Bolstad helped guide an inclusive [email protected] to find out the location support and money for other amazing variety of birds. Hear local at a citywide event to be held on process that adjusted subdistrict and date each month. The Environment community endeavors as well. author Clay Christensen’s witty tales Friday, Jan. 31. This year's Honor boundaries and revised bylaws to Committee meets at 7 p.m. on the fourth Eagles has long worked on city Wednesday of the month at SSA. The about the many birds that visit our Roll recipients and a description of provide fair representation while and district committees to seek the their activities are listed below: maintaining a proven framework for Transportation Committee meets the first best and most enlightened directions backyards and Como Park on Monday of the month at SSA. Sunday, Feb. 23, 1-2:30 p.m. at successful governance. for environmental and traffic Hubert Humphrey Job Corps Center programs in our community and in Lyngblomsten Chapel, 1415 Community Council will vote on Almond Ave. For more than 30 years, the Hubert broader St. Paul. He has been an H. Humphrey Job Corps Center has Falcon Heights creating student seats on Feb. 13 early leader in sustainable food efforts The talk is free, but donations To ensure all interests and opinions are welcome. The Como Sunday been a part of the Como Park The Falcon Heights City Council meets and a longtime diligent moderator of neighborhood. Unlike many large the second and fourth Wednesdays of each in the neighborhood are adequately the neighborhood email group. Series is presented by the District 10 represented, the St. Anthony Park Como Community Council. institutions that just happen to be month at 7 p.m. at Falcon Heights City Connor and Eagles are located in a neighborhood, the center Hall, 2077 W. Larpenteur Ave. Community Council will vote to community treasures who have change its bylaws at its February Weekly Como walkabout and its students have become an benefited all in St. Anthony Park. We important part of the fabric of our Rebuilding Together offers home meeting to create two permanent are thankful for their lives and their The District 10 Como Community seats for high school or college Council invites you to join your neighborhood.