Education Articles

Are 2024 E-Bikes Rule Changes Enough?
Hoping to feel some relief from the high speed bicycles on trails, sidewalks and streets?
Read this update and draw your own conclusion.

SeeClickFix
SeeClickFix.com Have you tried it?
“SeeClickFix … is a solution that empowers residents to report issues, identify repair needs, share feedback, and ask questions of their local government leaders. For local governments, it powers efficient and transparent workflows, fostering accountability and trust.

The Zone 4 Clover Lawn Experiment
Sometimes there are certain areas of the lawn that constantly cry for maintenance. Traditional bluegrass lawns demand food, water, temperate weather and are disease prone.
One local resident has researched alternatives and starting in the drought of 2023, is experimenting with perennial white mini-clover in a contained area.

See and Be Seen: Traffic Visibility
Chances are that you have encountered more than one Shorewood intersection, where the sight lines are drastically restricted.
There are a variety of reasons for this.
The inconsistent placement of stop signs: some are too far back.
Other impediments are brush, trees, boulders, retaining walls, fences, illegally placed commercial signs, and tall grasses that obscure visibility.

Beware! The Bradford Pear Tree
Images of the Bradford pear tree (sometimes referred to as “Callery” pear) may appear in nursery catalogs cloaked in a solid sheath of white blossoms. Local nurseries sell them.
But buyer beware: Bradford pears may be a “wolf in sheep’s’ clothing.

Confusion, Disconnect and a Moment of Silence
Here is a summary of the May 28th Shorewood City Council Meeting. This included a presentation regarding Freeman Park and consideration of several controversial proposals.

Freeman Park Woods – FUTURE PLAN
By Barry Brown – Freeman Park Advocate
On June 11th your voice counts! People often ask: What are the plans for Freeman Park wooded areas and trails now that most of the buckthorn has been cleared from 20 acres of woodland? To be blunt, the City of Shorewood had no plan when they cleared the buckthorn except to utilize a $50,000 grant from the DNR that was about to expire, and still, has no workable plan today.

Enforcement Alert: Drinking Water Systems to Address Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities
EPA Increases Enforcement Activities to Ensure Drinking Water Systems Address Cybersecurity Threats What is your city’s security plan? Source: United States Environmental Protection Agency This Enforcement Alert provides community water systems (CWSs) with information on immediate steps they can take

The Gift of Master Gardeners
This time of year, many of us are shopping for new plants for our gardens, planting our vegetable gardens, or cleaning out diseased trees or bushes. We are fortunate to have tremendous resources to support our beautiful gardens through the University of Minnesota.