Saint Paul's Peanut Gallery: Voices from the Notorious East Side

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

2009-07-14T22:39:00.002-05:00

Today, it's all good.

Saving the life of a stray cat, Women's History Walk in lower Dayton's Bluff and dinner at The Strip Club, finished with a piece of peach bread pudding. Is this not happiness?

Dayton's Bluff Gets Level 3 Sex Offender!

2009-07-01T10:08:00.007-05:00

Shutter the windows; barricade the doors! Dayton's Bluff is scheduled to host a Level 3 Sex Offender. Sadly, anyone in Dayton's Bluff can define Level 3 designation as a sex criminal who is most likely to reoffend. Most likely to commit another sex crime. Most likely to violently molest or rape again. "They have to live somewhere," neighbors hear time and time again. "It's better that they have an address so we can follow up," Police say. But do they all have to live in a single neighborhood? Unlike the Most Likely to Succeed award from high school, Level 3 designation is a very real threat to a community that already carries an enormous burden for the City of Saint Paul.

What burden? An uncanny amount of rental property, for one--many of which don't carry the Certificate of Occupancy required for any rental unit (a protection for tenants, landlords and communities that general standards of health and safety are being implemented and also revenue to the City of Saint Paul). You want sex offenders? We got sex offenders. A recent one, whose crime was against children, found a comfy little apartment directly across from the Margaret Rec Center. We've also got a steady flow of immigrant populations into the neighborhood, just as it's been since the birth of Dayton's Bluff. The challenge is forming community when everyone maintains their mother tongue. We're also burdened with the perception that our standards of quality are lower--that we don't mind a little rough-around-the-edges je ne sais quoi. Funny how none of my friends or neighbors in Dayton's Bluff fit this perception.

So where's it coming from?

When the place gets trashy, pick up the trash

2009-06-29T21:30:00.003-05:00

In the wake of yesterday's homicide, the missus and I did the only thing we could think of that would make an immediate impact: clean up garbage. Four bags worth in an alley on the block where the shooting occurred. Highlights: a toy pirate head (eye patch, bandanna, knife in mouth--classic), 5 marbles, the lack of smell from the decomposing, headless raccoon.

Today, we took on the Margaret Rec Center grounds with the help of many neighbors. Seven bags filled with trash, from a bevy of broken bottles to dog poop and dirty diapers. Nothing like landing in dog poop when you come flying off a swing. The people were amazing; the neighborhood was amazing.

We recover; we heal. We won't, however, let this crime go gentle into that good night.

Another Murder Less Than 2 Blocks from Rec Center

2009-06-28T13:41:00.003-05:00

In the early morning hours of June 28, the humidity broke, the breeze through the windows grew cool and gunshots woke up neighbors near the 1200 block of Beech Street. A young man was gunned down as he pulled into a driveway. His passenger was unharmed. In the police press release issued at 10 AM, there is no quote from Chief Harrington about the impact of violence on communities. I have yet to see any comments issued from the Mayor's office about the equal value of life across his fair city. Neighbors without leaders collect on the sidewalk and share firsthand knowledge about the incident. We're left alone to ponder another death in the shadow of the Margaret Rec Center.

Equal Outrage Regardless of Socioeconomic Status, Please

2009-06-25T20:50:00.003-05:00

I hope this is a new citywide trend and not just protocol for when crimes happen in other neighborhoods:

“As our Homicide Unit works to develop the evidence to get the person or persons responsible for this murder in custody and a case ready for charging, I have directed the department’s Gang Unit to mount increased pressure on these active rival gang members and their associates with the hope that it will quell escalating violence,” said St. Paul Police Chief John Harrington. “This shooting occurred in a residential neighborhood, less than one block from a recreation center, highlighting how important addressing gang violence is to community safety,” he added.

[Quoted from SPPD press release following the murder of Dionte Ramone Montantes, a young man who was gunned down while walking near the Jimmy Lee Rec Center in the Summit-University neighborhood of Saint Paul, Minnesota.]

As neighbors can no doubt recall, Dayton's Bluff has had many incidents of or near this magnitude--a shooting over a girl across the street from the Margaret Rec Center that the police were reluctant to write up, a murder over drugs a block from the Margaret Rec Center, drugs and prostitution all around the Margaret Rec Center and an enormous amount of gang vandalism on the Margaret Rec Center proper. Plus, a youth volunteer was gunned down last year after leaving Dayton's Bluff Rec Center with a former gang member who was actively pursuing a life outside the gang. If we get press for these incidents, we don't get commentary from the Chief of Police or the Mayor about how reprehensible violence is and how it degrades the community. And they certainly don't show up at vigils to express concern and solidarity. That's why I hope this example is a new trend citywide and not just because the violence has sullied other neighborhoods.

The Crossing Wire

2009-03-24T07:40:00.007-05:00

District 17 has great plans for the Fitzgerald Park area of downtown St. Paul: namely, the development of an actual park on the land bordered by Minnesota and Robert and 9th and 10th streets (block 10). The adopted plan by the City Council (8/16/2006) states somewhat noncommittally:

For planning purposes only, the preferred future land use on Block 10 is a full-block City park.

Until such time as the City is able to take the necessary actions to assemble land and build a park, parcels on the block may be used for any legal use permitted under their current zoning classification, provided that the proposed use meets all applicable conditions and/or standards. Any future use may not be denied exclusively on the basis that the vision for the block is of a public park.

At the CIB (Capital Improvement Budget) Task Force meeting last night, some District 17 folks were there requesting one million dollars to aid in the construction of the park on block 10. They believe that the development of the park in the immediate future is critical to the development of the entire area, especially in attracting outside investment. Both the Penfield and Lund's have expressed interest in developing in the Fitzgerald Park area, but according to the folks last night, that development hinges on the construction of the park land, which in turn hinges on removing the existing buildings from block 10. One building is the Pedro Luggage building, currently unoccupied and up for sale. Two others are occupied: one by Union Gospel Mission and the other--the Public Safety Annex--by the St. Paul Police. The presenters expressly said that only the Union Gospel Mission had any plans to remain on the site for the next 10 years, but even they were planning to find a new location after 10 years.

Rewind 40 minutes in the meeting. A representative from the St. Paul Police was presenting on the 6 CIB projects that the police had submitted. The first three were requesting 3.1 million dollars for repairs to the Public Safety Annex, money to replace the roofs and HVAC system, install a new elevator and create a new ADA compliant entrance to the building. The repairs to the roof are urgent; the fourth floor is unusable due to severe leaks, and I imagine the present or soon-to-be growth of mold. The building currently houses about 60 staff members, a radio repair shop for the department and (most critically) the only indoor firing range operated by the St. Paul Police. Replacing the firing range by building a new facility or retrofitting an existing building would cost far more than repairing the annex. The officer did not sound like the police were planning on vacating the building, although several of the task force members suggested that it would be wiser to build new.

How did these two organizations both working for the betterment of the city come to this point--wires crossed, fighting for the same piece of land?

Who can replace 3M?

2009-03-23T22:13:00.003-05:00

Hopefully Eastsiders can! The community has spoken, a blog has been created, and a taskforce has been formed. Redesign principles have been meticulously outlined to guide the process.

3M has been a vital entity to a working class community. It's jobs, along with Seeger and Hamm's brewery, built and sustained this community for decades. But now, 3M is the last of the three to leave us. There is a temptation to turn belly up and moan about all that was and may never be again.

But East Siders have more grit and gumption than that. We see a great opportunity for our future in this redevelopment process. We are salivating over what used to be and could be once again. I have heard stories about strolling up and down 7th street in the old days and bumping into friends and neighbors out doing the same. Apparently there were several exceptional diners along the way where one could stop for homemade chili (hot or cold) and the best beef sandwiches of anywhere around. I've heard tales of times when jobs were plenty and secure. I've also heard about a time when double lots abounded, green space was abundant and the community had space to stretch and breathe.

I think many East Siders dream of seeing these things return. I've heard them say it over and over again at various meetings. So the task force has a huge job ahead of them. They fight the battles of job creation vs. community building and historic preservation vs. returns on investment. The struggle may be long and difficult. If you meet one of these East Side warriors, pat them on the back and encourage them with the story of your dream for our future. Who can replace 3M? East Siders can!

When the city can't afford a Rec Center...

2009-03-23T21:42:00.003-05:00

Everywhere you turn you can hear someone saying "I just can't afford it right now." It may be a home, a car, the monthly cable bill, or even a Dilly bar that they can't afford. But I have heard it said that what people can or cannot afford is really a matter of priority. For instance, if you were to have the meager funds in my bank account it is quite possible that you would choose to spend it differently than I do. But what happens when the city "can't afford it"? Right now the city maintains it cannot afford 3 of the rec centers on the East Side. I would argue that they can. I think we would be able to afford the rec centers if the city bank account were mine to spend. And that's the rub isn't it? Technically the city bank account is mine to spend-through my representative. Unfortunately my representative and I disagree on what we can afford and the representative holds the pen to sign the check, not me. So, now the city is about to become the newest landlord on the block. They can't afford their property anymore so they will rent it out. The questions remain: Will they screen their tenants well? Will they adequately maintain the property? Will they respond to concerns or complaints? Or will they be neglectful like many of the other absentee landlords on the East Side? Stay tuned as the peanuts keep you up to date about the newest neighborhood landlord and their tenants.

East Side Signs of Spring

2009-03-23T21:20:00.004-05:00

I have not always lived on the East Side. I will confess that I migrated here from the other side of the river. It is hard not to compare the two sides of the river. In many ways I find the people and places quite similar. However, St. Paul does have it's own uniqueness's - one of those being her harbingers of spring. On the other side of the river they must keep a watchful eye for the first red breast hopping around the backyard to know that spring has officially arrived. On the East Side my ears let me know when it is truly spring. It happened about two weeks ago now. In fact I was typing away at this very keyboard when I heard it...Vrooommazooomzooom! The first motorcycle of spring! I know, you're thinking "Motorcycles are signs of spring??". On the East Side they are! I've never seen anything like it anywhere else. Bikers will ride as late in the fall as they can without freezing off their fingers and nose and they pull those bikes back out again on the very first warm day. Not being a biker myself, I did at one time find this a slightly frustrating habit. It might not have helped that I had a bike addicted neighbor who loved to rev up at 1 a.m.! But over time I have learned that Vroomazoomzoom! means that the bikers have emerged from their winter cocoons and spring has arrived! So now each spring, here on the East Side, we wait for that first Vroomazoomzoom and when we hear it we shout "Yeah! Spring is finally here!" Is it spring yet in your neighborhood?

Letter to the Mayor, Council President, and Park and Rec Director

2009-02-13T21:48:00.005-06:00

Dear Mayor Coleman, City Council President Lantry, and Parks and Rec Director Michael Hahm,

I have serious concerns about the choices that are being made about where to spend and where to cut dollars in regards to Parks and Rec.

It is a despicable choice to cut $3.8 million for the Park and Rec Department as a whole while planning to spend almost $8 million to rebuild the Como Pool. This situation is disturbingly familiar. I watched as millions were poured into the Jimmy Lee Recreation Center while other centers were closed, center budgets slashed, and staffing and programming were dramatically cut at remaining Rec Centers. The current situation with Como Pool reeks of the same inequity. Why do some neighborhoods get priority over others in the City of St. Paul budget? Some have said the Como Pool gets priority because it is a revenue stream for the city. When did Parks and Rec become about profit rather than service to the community?

I do not understand what benefit to the community is provided by Como Pool that can off-set the damage other communities will sustain as a result of closed or crippled Rec Centers. It has already been admitted that crime will increase as a result of the stress of these difficult times. What has failed to be admitted is the additional increase in crime as a result of closed Rec Centers. Block clubs are already fighting a daily battle against gangs and graffiti. They work tirelessly with police in these efforts but already find the SPPD ability to help limited due to lack of officers. When rec centers close, our youth will have nowhere to go to avoid being solicited by gangs. We might as well post gang sign-up sheets on the doors of the closed buildings! Oh yes, and now there will be even fewer officers to respond to the crimes committed by the growing gangs. Also, the proposed Park and Rec budget reductions will result in the loss of several jobs. Will those job losses be off-set by employment opportunities at the Como Pool? I'd venture to guess not. At this difficult time, why would the city lay off these people for the sake of pool construction? Please remind me how the investment in the Como Pool is benefiting me and my community.

Our community also has some recent experience with the CIB process which leads me to question the Como Pool funding process. A local block club just submitted a CIB proposal to initiate a study of the Margaret Rec Center facility so that a determination can be made about whether to resolve the long list of facility issues by renovation or rebuilding. The proposal must undergo months of review and if approved funds will not be available until 2010 or 2011. It would then take a year or two for the study process and resubmission of a proposal for the recommended renovation or construction costs. It is estimated that it will take 5+ years before any action would occur. However, when Como Pool closed at the end of last summer there hadn't even been a determination about whether to repair or rebuild the pool. Yet, they have already been granted $200,000 for conversations about what to do and another $7.2 million is already set aside for construction to be completed before summer of 2010. Why does Como Pool enjoy less scrutiny and a much more rapid process than our East Side rec center? Again, why are some neighborhoods and facilities given more priority than others? I am deeply disturbed about the inequities across the city.

As a voting constituent of the city I charge you to re-examine the proposed cuts and expenditures in the Park and Rec portion of the city budget. Council President Lantry, I challenge you not to vote to approve any budget which does not share expenditures and cuts evenly across all neighborhoods in St. Paul. Let it be said of the City of St. Paul that this is a place where leaders care equally for all citizens and truly strive to serve all citizens - even, and maybe especially, during hard times.

Mayor's Proposed Budget Means Big Losses for the Eastside

2009-02-13T21:22:00.003-06:00

Mayor Coleman has unveiled his weakly veiled budget proposal today. One could say it has been slashed with a hatchet. I am still wondering if we are playing a game of political posturing. Are citizens being set up like pawns to try to create a checkmate for the Governor? Is Coleman threatening these things while casting the blame on the governor in an attempt to raise public ire toward the Governor and deflect it from himself? (He is currently running for re-election after all) Later Coleman could swoop in, reduce the terrible cuts, and come out like a hero. He won't be a hero in my book - a back stabber never could be.

The proposal calls for gross cuts to police, fire, public works, libraries, and rec centers. The East Side is already suffering with the services at their current levels. The cuts will be devastating! Let's just take the rec centers for an example: During the last round of cuts the East Side lost 2 of it's 12 rec centers. The new proposed cuts would remove 3 more rec centers leaving only 7 of the original 12! And this plan comes from a guy who has appeared countless times at community events all over the East Side only to boast about his passion for youth and his commitment to providing off-school hours programming for them. Instead, fewer rec centers means more youth out on the streets, joining gangs, and doing crimes. How will our reduced police force deal with that!?! Mayor Coleman the buck stops with you and any City Council members who vote to pass your back-stabbing budget!

The Dirty Half-Dozen

2009-02-05T20:34:00.002-06:00

Be on the lookout for egg-throwing punks in the eastern part of Dayton's Bluff. At least four garages were served a late breakfast, and we suspect it was by the graffiti tagging troupe. Hash browns are extra.

What happened to 662 Duluth?

2009-02-01T17:57:00.008-06:00

662 Duluth, the location of the first homicide of 2009 in St. Paul , is one of the oldest homes on this side of the Bluff; the land was platted in 1883 and the green Cape Cod style home was built in 1884. The structure sits upon what used to be a (nearly) double lot that slopes pretty severely to the west and slightly to the south. This map from the Ramsey County archives shows the home in 2003. Note the garage on the northwest corner of the property (on what is now 664 Duluth).

I can't speak to the condition of the house at this time, but the house has some historic value in the neighborhood and the large lot would have made it attractive for buyers looking to have a decent-sized yard in a crowded city. According to the Star Tribune's information on real estate transactions over the past ten years, the property last sold on 12/17/1999 for $75,000. I don't know if it was owner occupied after that purchase or rented out. Regardless, the property still had value as a single-family home with a garage and large lot.

On 1/26/2005, the St. Paul City Council approved that the lot could be split, clearly for the purposes of building a new home. Here are the entries for 662 Duluth on the St. Paul Property Information web site:

It's the first entry (later in date) that troubles me. First, both 662 Duluth and the new home at 664 Duluth needed variances in order to fit on the two lots. In an area that often has many homes crammed together, I think that granting a variance for smaller lots would not be showing good stewardship of the neighborhood. I say "would" because according to these records, the variances were never actually granted: the request expired. I may be misreading these records, and I'll try and do some further research to see what actually happened.

So, with the two lots and the need to put in a new home, the garage was torn down and two concrete slabs were put down in its place to provided parking for the new homes. Here's a satellite view after the home was built:

(image from Google Maps)

As you can see, the two homes are abutting each other with little space between. Even worse, neither home has a garage and they share a driveway. Both properties have now lost significant appeal as single-family homes. 662 Duluth has almost no usable yard; what's left are the portions that are downward sloping. They both seem doomed to a life as rental properties (in no way meant to be a knock against rental properties, but the East Side had a glut of them in 2005 and did not need two more).

Four years after the decision to turn a neighborhood asset into cramped living space, we have drug dealing; we have a murder. Are they connected? Maybe. But certainly, our community lost some value to the gain of a developer.

Here are some street views of the property:

View Larger Map

View Larger Map

A little bit of justice

2009-01-31T17:52:00.008-06:00

I'm posting this a bit late, but I'm sure everyone has read the details at the end of this story (at least as far as the media is concerned).

St. Paul / Suspect charged in fatal shooting during drug deal gone bad

Incident a drug deal gone bad, police say; second suspect released for now

By Mara H. Gottfried
mgottfried@pioneerpress.com

Updated: 01/21/2009 11:17:01 PM CST

After a marijuana deal at a St. Paul home, a man told a friend he was going to shoot the seller in the face but instead shot him in the back, according to a murder charge filed Wednesday.

Vernon Douglas Cafle, 43, was killed in his Dayton's Bluff house Sunday night. The Ramsey County attorney's office charged Jabaris Curt Boldman, 24, of St. Paul, with second-degree murder. It was St. Paul's first homicide of the year.

Cafle's fiancee, Kattie Alexander, said she would like to ask Boldman, "Why did you do that to him?"

Cafle had three adult children and seven grandchildren and was "a family man," Alexander said.

The criminal complaint explained the case this way:

Police were called to 662 Duluth St. at 10:43 p.m. Sunday and found Cafle shot on the porch. Alexander told police that Cafle had been talking to someone on his cell phone, went to meet a man and was shot. She said she gave him CPR.

A cousin of Cafle's who had been visiting told police that Cafle walked to the door and met a man, later identified as Boldman. Soon after, the cousin "heard arguing and then 'three pops' and heard Vernon Cafle call out his name," the complaint said.

Cafle's cousin ran to the porch, saw Cafle lying on the floor and the shooter running toward a vehicle parked in front of the house. Paramedics pronounced Cafle dead at the scene. He was shot in the back of the head and the lower back, an autopsy found.

With cell phone records, police determined Cafle's niece had called him earlier in the evening. The niece, identified in the complaint as F.K.N., told police that Boldman had called her and wanted to buy a pound of marijuana.

"F.K.N. said that she didn't have that much so she called Vernon Cafle to see how much he had, and he said he only had 2 ounces to sell," the complaint said. Boldman told F.K.N. he would buy the 2 ounces, and she gave him Cafle's address.

Police learned a man identified in the complaint as A.M.P. had driven Boldman to Cafle's house. Officers arrested Anthony Mathew Pearson, 27, on Monday night on suspicion of homicide. He has been released pending further investigation, the county attorney's office said.

After A.M.P. turned himself in to police, he told them he had stayed in the car after driving Boldman to buy marijuana, the complaint said. He "looked near the back door and saw a guy charging toward Jabaris Boldman and then saw Boldman shoot the guy," the complaint said. "When Boldman got back into A.M.P.'s car, Boldman told A.M.P. that he was going to shoot the guy in the face but instead he shot him in the back. Boldman also said to A.M.P., 'You didn't see me and I didn't see you.' "

A.M.P. told police he believed it had been a drug rip-off.

About 10 a.m. Monday, Boldman called police and said he would talk to investigators and that he had done nothing wrong.

Boldman didn't go to the Police Department, but an officer spotted him while on patrol at 6 p.m. Monday. When police approached Boldman, he said, "I'm the guy you're after. Take me down. Let's get this over with," the complaint said.

Boldman told police he had been with the mother of his child from 2:30 p.m. Sunday to 12:30 a.m. Monday.

He said he had been trying to set up a deal for a pound of marijuana for a third person and he would get a quarter-ounce for arranging the transaction. Boldman said he called F.K.N., who said "she would set up the deal to purchase a pound of weed with her dope guy and told Boldman where he lived," the complaint said.

But Boldman said the man he was trying to get the drugs for never showed up, and he didn't have a ride. He said he wasn't involved in Cafle's killing.

Police contacted the woman whom Boldman said he had been with. She told police Boldman had been at her house for 15 or 20 minutes Sunday, and she thought it was about 11 or 11:15 p.m.

Boldman remained jailed Wednesday in lieu of $500,000 bail.

Boldman was last released from prison in November, when his sentence expired for two crack-cocaine possession convictions and a felony domestic-assault conviction in 2007.

Cafle had a minor criminal history; it did not include drug offenses.

Cafle was originally from Mississippi and had lived in Minnesota since their 23-year-old daughter was born, Alexander said. He did roofing and enjoyed fishing, she said.

"He was a very loving, kind-hearted person," Alexander said. "If anyone needed help, he would help them."

Mara H. Gottfried can be reached at 651-228-5262.

If You Go

A candlelight vigil is planned for Vernon Cafle at 5 p.m. today outside his home at 662 Duluth St. in St. Paul. The group then will walk to 1311 Conway St. for a 6 p.m. vigil for a 19-year-old man who was shot and critically injured in an unrelated case Saturday.

No one deserves to die at another's hand, regardless of his or her crime. I applaud Reverend Dotson who organized the vigil and Mara Gottfried for being able to see the tragedy of the loss of a life amidst the stain of the circumstances of the death, but the impact on the neighborhood cannot be ignored. Mr. Cafle was engaging in an illegal act--drug dealing--and surely one of just many deals. His actions brought those destitute souls looking for drugs to our neighborhood. His actions brought gun-wielding criminals to our streets. His actions put me in danger and all those around me in danger. Whatever he was--a family man, a good friend--he was not a good neighbor. Endangering those around you for your own gain and the countless outdoor parties he hosted, pulsing with cursing and yelling and loud music, are not the hallmarks of a good neighbor. Mr. Cafle did not deserve the fate that befell him, but neither did we.

Three great views from the Bluff

2009-01-31T16:58:00.004-06:00

1) In the dusty light of dawn, from the intersection of 6th and Arcade, looking north down Arcade. There is a magical history that is present.

2) At dusk in winter, at 6th and Maria, looking west over downtown St. Paul. The city appears to radiate a purple-orange light and the buildings look like pure shadow.

3) Heading west down Mounds Blvd. at night, looking over downtown and the lights-a-plenty. I love this town.

Where and when will the ax fall?

2009-01-30T20:53:00.002-06:00

The Governor has proposed a budget with deep cuts which include a cut in government aid payments to cities. Mayor Coleman was immediately critical of the cut and warned that police and fire, rec centers and libraries would all experience cuts. Governor Pawlenty responded that the cuts could easily be absorbed by freezing the salaries of local government employees. I think Mayor Coleman said he has already done that (and then threatened to cut fire, police, rec centers and libraries). It is very difficult to keep up with the back and forth banter and to sort out all of the numbers. I suspect that is on purpose. We can't sort out the facts so we make voting decisions based on emotion. Coleman is hoping that he can blame Pawlenty for the terrible cuts to things so dear to our hearts. He thinks he is appearing sympathetic to our concerns and attempts to paint Pawlenty as the Big Bad Wolf. News flash to both: I'll blame you both and vote against both of you!

Bottom line: there are going to be cuts and probably closings. I don't know if the numbers really justify them and I don't have the time to try to sort it out. I'm just waiting to see where and when the ax falls. The CIB proposals (see post: CIB Proposals) are now being reviewed. Many East Side Rec Centers submitted CIB proposals. How many will still be around to actually receive funding?? Only time will tell.

Stay tuned!

East Side Treasure

2009-01-30T20:16:00.002-06:00

All eyes were focused on the East Side this week and they were all in search of treasure! The Pioneer Press hid the Winter Carnival Medallion in our very own Swede Hollow park. People from around the metro area snuck into the notorious East Side to search for the little coin. Weren't they apprehensive about coming here? Didn't they fear for their personal safety? Apparently all worries were forgotten in the frenzy of the treasure hunt. There have been no reports of treasure hunters encountering gang members, drug dealers, or other unsavory characters during their visits here. Maybe the gun-toting thugs were intimidated by the shovel and pitchfork carrying crowds. Or maybe things aren't always as they are portrayed by the mainstream media...

I wonder if the treasure hunters even realized the treasure that was all around them? The Pioneer Press made them privy to an East Side secret - beautiful Swede Hollow! The Hollow is the true gem and all the East Siders know it. Did the treasure hunters notice? Did they soak in the beauty? Did they breathe in the tranquility? (Yes, there really is tranquility on the East Side!) Will they come back in spring to see the little stream run again? Will they return to the red/orange glory of the Hollow in fall? Or did they miss the true treasure in their quest for a coin bearing a lipsticked bulldog?

The East Side has many other treasures to offer those willing to embark on a further explore. Behold the historic homes of the Dayton's, Pearson's, Seegers', and more. Architechtural beauties all. Listen to the music of voices speaking the many languages of the diverse community here. Taste, oh yes, taste the many authentic ethnic foods made by cultural natives. And meet the people....the hardworking people, who fiercely fight for justice and eagerly lend a helping hand.

The East Side is full of treasure but the "clues" in the newspaper won't help you find it. So we invite you: Come and explore. Taste and see for yourself all the treasure that is the East Side!

A pound of pot

2009-01-21T18:22:00.003-06:00

More details on the Duluth St. homocide were released today, reported by the local television stations (but strangly not the Pioneer Press). This house did not look like it was the center of some (apparently) large drug operation. A lesson to keep our eyes even wider.

http://wcco.com/crime/st.paul.homicide.2.914214.html

Charges: St. Paul Homicide Was Over Drug Deal

ST. PAUL (WCCO) ―

A man arrested in connection with St. Paul's first homicide in 2009 was charged with one felony count of second-degree murder.

According to the charges, Jabaris Curt Boldman, 24, allegedly shot and killed 43-year-old Vernon Cafle in the back at his house in the Dayton's Bluff neighborhood on Sunday evening.

According to the charges, Boldman and Cafle had agreed over the phone to meet that evening so that Boldman could purchase a pound of marijuana from Cafle.

A witness told police that he drove Boldman to the house and saw Boldman shoot Cafle.

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner confirmed Cafle died of exsanguination due to a gunshot wound to Cafle's back. The charges also stated Cafle sustained a bullet wound to the back of his head.

A second person taken into custody by police on Tuesday was released.

Graffiti taggers caught - redeux

2009-01-20T18:54:00.004-06:00

It turns out that the graffiti vandals were not arrested and therefore are not going to court in the immediate future. The groundwork is laid for a case against them, but we have to be patient again. I thought I would share the Community Impact Statement I wrote for this case for when it finally does go to court. Note that there is not an actual Judge X working for Ramsey County, but if there were, that would be totally sweet because everyone would fear the X.

Dear Honorable Judge X,

The past year has been long and draining on myself, my family and my neighborhood. The staggering amount of graffiti vandalism that has blighted our homes and public buildings has quickly eroded our sense of safety and pride in our community. Even after abatement, the scars of this act of urban terrorism remain as off-color patches and still legible gang tags just under the skin of fresh paint. My neighbors are often confiding in me their frustration at being victimized and their helplessness in not being able to see the perpetrators brought to justice. It amazes me at how quickly the work of only a handful of criminals cracked the stately foundation of our neighborhood. My hope is that they have not driven away potential home buyers, families that would be quality additions to this normally quiet spot on the East Side.

My family was the target of tagging just before Christmas; on that bitterly cold night, we stood with some of our neighbors, unable to keep warm, surveying the damage. Six garages—stucco, wood, steel—defaced, our property and community violated and our hands frozen through in the hours spent abating. Sadly, this was merely a fraction of the vandalism that has plagued my neighborhood this year. Since the night of February 4^th,, 2008, I have recorded over 300 occurrences of graffiti within a large section of Dayton's Bluff. I am saddened that the time I spend tracking criminal behavior means I'm not spending time working on our community garden or tutoring our youth.

Honorable Judge, I ask that you consider not only the direct damage caused by these individuals but also the indirect damage. Their tagging can be easily linked to retaliatory tagging by rival gangs and its spread has been cancerous. Ensure that their punishment befits their crime. In addition to financial restitution, I ask that they be sentenced to community service—cleaning up the neighborhood or abating the very graffiti they have helped spread.

Homocides in the 'hood

2009-01-20T18:23:00.005-06:00

These bad dudes firing their weapons way too close to home. Two shootings in the past few days, one resulting in a homocide. I was out with neighbors watching over the scene as the police collected evidence in the wee hours of Monday, my feet growing numb and my heart growing sad. Way too close to home. The newspapers and television stations waited until the press release from the police (about 15 hours later) to report on the incident.

(http://www.twincities.com/allheadlines/ci_11491630?nclick_check=1)

Man fatally shot is year's first homicide in St. Paul

By Mara H. Gottfried
mgottfried@pioneerpress.com

Updated: 01/19/2009 03:40:01 PM CST

St. Paul police are investigating the first homicide of the year, a 43-year-old man fatally shot Sunday night.

Vernon Douglas Cafle was killed in the Dayton's Bluff neighborhood, police said today.

Police and paramedics were called to 662 Duluth St. about gunshots fired. They found Cafle, shot an unknown number of times, lying on the floor of the rear porch, police said. Paramedics tried to stabilize Cafle, but he died.

Police said a motive for the killing hadn't been determined, but it wasn't believed to be random.

On Saturday, less than a mile away, a 19-year-old man was shot in an apartment building at 1311 Conway St. He is in critical condition and police said today that they are seeking a suspect. Police also said that shooting wasn't believed to be random.

Anyone with information about Cafle's killing is asked to call police at 651-291-1111 or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.

Excellent. Just what the neighborhood image needs, the infamy of hosting the first homocide of the year. We lived with a day and a half of not knowing who committed the crime or why, with the killer(s) loose in the metro. Today, they have two suspects in custody.

(http://www.twincities.com/news/ci_11500591?source=topixheadlines)

2 men arrested in St. Paul slaying

By Mara H. Gottfried
mgottfried@pioneerpress.com

Updated: 01/20/2009 02:45:12 PM CST

Police have arrested two people in Sunday's slaying of a man in his St. Paul home.

Jabaris Curt Boldman, 24, and Anthony Mathew Pearson, 27, both of St. Paul, were booked into the Ramsey County jail Monday night on suspicion of homicide, according to a jail log.

The men, who both list their home addresses at the same apartment in the 1000 block of York Avenue, have not been charged.

Police have said the fatal shooting of Vernon Douglas Cafle, 43, was not random, but detectives are still trying to determine a motive. Cafle was shot at 10:35 p.m. Sunday and died on the rear porch of his home at 662 Duluth St., in the Dayton's Bluff neighborhood.

Boldman turned himself in at police headquarters. Officers spotted Pearson walking in the area of White Bear and Ross avenues, and he was arrested, police said.

Anyone with information about the suspects or who may have seen the shooting is asked to call police at 651-291-1111 or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS. Calls can be made anonymously, police said.

Here's hoping that this is an isolated incident at this address. We'll certainly be keeping a very close eye on it.

Speaking of CIB Proposals...

2009-01-11T18:53:00.007-06:00

Now that the CIB proposal for Margaret Rec Center is submitted, I'm trying to grasp the full history of not only the current building, but also the original rec center and playground. Most of what I know is undocumented, culled from the memories of long-time residents and city employees.

Here's what she looks like now.

http://www.stpaul.gov/facilities.asp?pagenum=5&RID=136&Page=detail

She's a beaut, aint she? I think what I love most about that picture is not the architectural beauty of the entrance, but the two bikes lying on the ground, blocking the front doors.

This building was constructed in 1982, in the wake of the oil crisis of the 1970s. The architects intended it to be trendsetter in environmentally-friendly design--a building with a small energy footprint. Those plans went horribly wrong at some point, and we're trying to figure out how and why. We'll keep you updated.

In the years before our beloved bunker was erected, the park site was home to the original Margaret Recreation Center--a fine-looking and sturdy building--and the Sibley School.

Here's the old rec center as seen in the Minnesota Historical Society's archives:

Hmmm. Just looking at that makes me want to demolish it and rebuild it into a hill.

In case your depression wasn't low enough yet, here are a few shots of the Sibley School:

Sibley School on Frank and Margaret, St. Paul

Photograph Collection ca. 1900

1966, different view of Sibley School

We'll be trying to track what happened in the years between these pictures. Keep your rabbit-ears-hooked-up-to-an-HD-converter-box-that-you-got-30-bucks-off-of-from-the-feds tuned in.

Neighbors in Fear

2009-01-10T20:04:00.000-06:00

Not only are local gangs raising a crop of graffiti perpetrators, apparently they are also threatening neighbors and their babies! These neighbors are reluctant to contact police so are just hiding in their homes. I just heard reports of this and am waiting for clarification of details and confirmation of actual events. However, the report, even if it is only a rumor, is devastating! The East Side is a wonderful place full of wonderful people (gangsters being the exception!) Fear is a powerful thing and utterly terrible when it isolates us from each other. Only cowards use fear as a manipulative tool.

I am also deeply saddened that while we are on the verge of witnessing the inauguration of Barack Obama we still live in a country divided by race. These Latino neighbors don't trust their non-Latino neighbors or the Police to come around them and protect them. I can't blame them - they have been betrayed too many times and the risk is too great to try again. How is trust rebuilt? How are cultural and language barriers overcome so healing can begin? Where does one start?

CIB Proposals

2009-01-10T19:51:00.000-06:00

"What is CIB?" you ask. CIB stands for Capital Improvement Budget. This is the money the City of St. Paul uses to build new or improve existing infrastructure. Rumor has it that at least 3 East Side Rec Centers are submitting proposals for CIB funding: Duluth and Case, Margaret, and Conway. We've all heard the message loud and clear from the Feds, the State, and the City: "there's no money for anything!" so one wonders what will even be available for CIB funds. Apparently the process to be added to whatever there may be of the CIB budget is quite lengthy and the funds we are talking about would be for the 2010 or 2011 budget. Patience is a virtue my friend. Rumors also abound that Rec Centers will be closed and Directors moved. Could these cuts effect any of the 3 CIB applicants? We won't know that until after the city budget is announced January 20th. Stay tuned to found out who falls under the ax, who stays in the running for CIB funding and updates about the proposal process. Will the East Side have a big winner?? This could be more dramatic than most reality TV!

Graffiti Taggers Caught!

2009-01-10T19:10:00.001-06:00

For the last year our neighborhood has been hit hard with graffiti. The incidents are frequent and multiple homes and other structures are tagged each time. The tags are usually symbols of the Surreno 13 or 18th Street gangs. While the police have been great partners in trying to catch the perps they have also warned us that these are some of the hardest criminals to catch - the crime of graffiti is just too fast and often happens in the dead of night when nobody is around. We understand the grim reality but we also refuse to let gangs have more control of our community than good citizens. Creativity and dedication are the key.

One neighbor in particular took the situation head on - I'll call him Good Graffiti Guy. He began to methodically document and report every incident of graffiti. He created a website of photos of each tag and a Google map with each incident marked. The police were linked to these online documents which they could use to recognize patterns which might help catch the criminals. It is frustrating that a citizen has to create and maintain such a system. One can't help but wonder why St. Paul doesn't take more advantage of technology in these ways. The city should also take note that the community quickly adapted to reporting graffiti directly to Good Graffiti Guy rather than DSI. I don't know why others did it that way but I did it because I knew Good Graffiti Guy would document it and track the abatement. There was an immediate response from him and follow up. Reporting directly to DSI feels like sending information into a black hole.

Good Graffiti Guy also keeps track of the abatement. It was frustrating at first to see how slowly tags were abated by the city. But we let the city know we were frustrated and even made some suggestions about how they could improve their service. We have seen improvement. Neighbors have also gotten quite proactive and abate tags as soon as they are reported. Sadly, Qwest has not been responsive to the reports of tags on their utility boxes. Rumor has it that some renegade neighbors had to abate it themselves.

In recent months neighbors started noticing some patterns which led them to believe that the perpetrators lived in two nearby rental properties. The neighbors tried to build positive connections with the youth but were rebuffed. Neighbors also tried to connect with responsible adults in the homes but these adults didn't intervene with the perpetrators. Neighbors contacted the city to see if homeowners could be "persuaded" to evict the problem tenants. Not only was this not successful but one owner sold the property to the renters! The police were put on notice about the two properties and their possible connection to gangs and graffiti. The graffiti continued and the community and the city grew more and more discouraged.

Apparently one neighbor had enough and installed some secret cameras. As luck would have it the perps chose to tag the property in direct view of the cameras! With video evidence in had the police arrested two youth, raided two homes and collected some valuable evidence! Success!!!! (Sort of...)

The next discouraging part of this struggle is that juveniles usually receive only a slap on the wrist from a judge. After all this time and effort on the part of the community and the city and they are basically just told "Don't do that again!" and released! Nope, not our perpetrators. Not if we have anything to say about it - and it turns out we do! Neighbors are drawing up impact statements to submit to the judge before sentencing. These statements reiterate all of the trauma from the tagging and the investment which has been made in catching the perps and ask that sentencing be as harsh as possible. Judges are often supportive so we await the outcome of this case.

In the meantime...We celebrate success and rejoice about a New Years reprieve from documenting, reporting and abating!

Special Appreciation goes out to Good Graffiti Guy for all his efforts - you rock!!

Share those plows!

2009-01-05T19:18:00.000-06:00

It has been widely reported by the media that St. Paul is taking a new "salt less, plow more" approach to snow removal this winter. I applaud the effort to both save money and protect the environment from excessive salt runoff. However, I have been a victim of both the salt less and plow more efforts. My van became sandwich filling between a fire hydrant and a Suburban at a slippery intersection, a consequence of salt less. I am also suffering sleep depravation from being awoken by snow plows the last two nights! I live on a Snow Emergency Route which apparently receives some of the "plow more" attention. Saturday night we only got a dusting of snow which was easily being beaten off my street by the traffic - no plowing needed thanks! Last night we didn't even have any new snow yet the plows rumbled me awake at 2:30 AM. Uuuggghh! Today I noticed that many side streets (less trafficked, non-emergency routes) are quite snow packed and rough to drive. The plows also paid me another visit this afternoon. I have a little advice for St. Paul Public Works: Share the plows!! My neighbors on the sidestreet would welcome the heralding rumble of your services and I would appreciate the efforts to prevent another sandwich experience!