By Barry Brown, Freeman Park Advocate — 
 
Freeman Park has 30 acres of ball fields for baseball, soccer and a variety of events, but there’s also 30 wooded acres that until now, has been neglected for decades. Now that 20+ acres of buckthorn has been removed, what do we do with the wooded areas and walking trails? Many people have contributed to a vision for the wooded areas, but City officials would not allow me to share this vision with City Council. So, I am sharing it broadly with the SCA readers. Our modest vision for 2024 improvements is affordable and realistic.

A Citizen’s Guide to Becoming a Candidate
 
Running for local office requires dedication, effective communication, and a genuine commitment to serving the community. Running for local office involves a series of steps and considerations. Here’s a general overview of what is typically involved:

On May 13th Council approved the sign ordinance on a 4-1 vote.
 
This includes clear rules for placing campaign signs during the election season.

Some turf experts are warning about the downside of taking a crucial month off from lawn care for “No-Mow May.” The concept of No-Mow May spread widely in recent years.  The idea was to encourage people to stop cutting their grass for the month, to help the environment and boost pollinator habitat. An academic study supporting the theory that a month off from mowing helps bees was retracted in 2022. Some experts say the one-month mowing hiatus doesn’t help bees all that much. The Star Tribune recently reported that Rosemount, Roseville, New Brighton, and Columbia Heights now officially advocate for “Mow Less May.” Letting your lawn go for a month at a time of year

State Rep. Heather Edelson (Edina) defeated Marisa Simonetti in the special   election held May 14th to decide who finishes the term in a now-vacant District 6 seat on the Hennepin County Board. Read more here .  

It’s the Shorewood/Excelsior Lift Station L20 Project The narrow lanes on Hwy 19 entering Excelsior from the west, are the result of Metro Council constructing a new regional gravity sewer pipe between sewer lift stations (pumping stations) L19 and L20. Work will also include decommissioning the old lift station. Meanwhile, drive skillfully, or try to avoid the area completely. The final phase, now in progress, is along Oak Street going west to Beehrle Avenue and L19. Expectations are that the project will wrap up this spring. Landscape restorations will be completed in fall, 2024. For more information: info@excelsiorL20project.org or call 952.737.4681. For a deeper dive go to Excelsior Shorewood Lift Station project.

View the full meeting here. (Links to video of each discussion for a deeper dive.) There were 11 items on the Consent agenda-9 passed without verbal identification by the mayor, or discussion by the Council. Matters from the Floor included presentations on Requesting support for SoHi Community Park, Buckthorn project at Freeman Park, and Failure by the city to provide statutory notice for discussion of an ordinance revision and two-vote Council approval of “blanket” herbicide spraying on soccer fields. Presentation and approval of the Park Commission’s 2024 work plan. A variance was approved for new home construction at 25955 Wild Rose Lane. Northwest Asphalt was awarded the bid for mill and overlay and drainage improvement

Two massive volunteer clean-up efforts took place in April and May, making significant headway in the removal of the buckthorn debris. 60+ residents volunteered to remove buckthorn fragments left behind by the deforestation equipment. Volunteers worked primarily in Area 1 (see map) and completed approximately 90% debris cleanup. Members of Scout troops 409 and 424 were part of the team. City workers have been chipping the piles as the next phase of the project. Volunteer feedback will be shared with the Parks Commission.  Overall, feedback for the events was positive, but suggested there should be more focus on organization, instruction and community outreach for future projects.  “…it was good, well organized, etc. Maybe widen the

The Metropolitan Mosquito Control District (MMCD) oversees the “control” of the nuisances in the metro area.  MMCD is funded through a line item on our property tax bills.  We all pay for it. 
 
The Metropolitan Mosquito Control District (MMCD) has been conducting surveillance and treatment activities in your community to reduce the risk of disease and annoyance in an environmentally-sensitive manner.
 
Read the full article, including MMCD contact information for comments.

Update: They are here!  See the updated map as of May 3rd, 2024.  Reader RA, of Chaska, reported seeing a hummingbird looking for a feeder, in his yard, on April 14. Spring is here and so is news on some of our favorite–and possibly less favorite–natural neighbors. According to UpNorthNews, hummingbirds are on their way north, expected to reach Minnesota and Wisconsin in another week (approx. April 20), depending on warm southerly winds. As of April 12, they were seen as far north as Des Moines and Chicago. Hummingbird and nectar feeders should be put out by May 1st because they may be visited by warblers as well as early-returning hummingbirds and Baltimore orioles.  Learn