Park Bugle

Written by Mary Maguire Lerman

The St. Anthony Park Garden Club is sponsoring an invasive-species removal and cleanup of College Park Saturday, Oct. 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The last park cleanup was nearly 10 years ago. Residents are encouraged to help with the removal of buckthorn, mulberry, Amur maple, peashrubs, honeysuckle, burdock and garlic mustard. Garden club members will be on hand for an education program at the beginning of the event and will assist in the plant removal.

Youth groups, fraternities, sororities and families are encouraged to participate. Lunch and refreshments will be available. The event will move to Oct. 9 if weather is bad. It will still be held Oct. 2 if it’s lightly raining.

Neighborhood roundup planned

The garden club is also sponsoring a neighborhood roundup of woody invasive plants in late October in St. Anthony Park and University Grove. In early October, door hangers will be left at properties where invasive woody plants have been spotted. Property owners will be given information about how to participate in the roundup, which includes cutting and stacking the woody materials and paying a small fee for pickup by a licensed tree service. The St. Anthony Park Garden Club will cover some of the cost of the pickup.

Watch for more details in the October issue of the Bugle. If you have questions, contact Mary at 651-644-7388 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Rent-a-weed-wrench

Weed wrenches are available for free three-day rentals. Many woody invasives can be pulled from the ground using these tools, especially with the moist soils we are now experiencing. For more information, contact Mary at 651-644-7388 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

University Grove cleanup

University Grove in Falcon Heights will hold a clean up of invasive plants from the park just south of 1666 Coffman on Sept. 26 from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Contact Helen Foster at 651-649-1063 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information.

City chicks

Before you turn your backyard into a barnyard, read this

If you want some advice about raising chickens in St. Paul, 12-year-old Aaron Coggins is the go-to guy. He’s been raising chickens in his backy

ard for two-and-a-half years. Aaron was one of the speakers at the recent Backyard Talk “Urban Chickens,” sponsored by the St. Anthony Park Community Council, in August.

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NW Como are softball champs

Northwest Como 12U girls fastpitch softball team won the city championship this summer. Pictured here are coaches Kevin Huepenbecker, Eric Forsland and Beth Langevin and players Alayna Carrier, Gabrielle Huepenbecker, Lillian Langevin, Rachel Love, Angelika Martin, Kathryn McCarrick, Mary Miles, Nicole Nordman, Maddie Post, Karissa Rucinski, Ellie Smith, Alanna Vennemann, Kaitlyn Struckman, Taylor Locken and Emily LaCroax-Dalluhn. Only one team member had ever played fastpitch softball prior to this season.

Cub Scouts fire up

St. Anthony Park Cub Scout Pack 22 is holding its Fire Up event at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 13, at the Langford Park bandstand. Boys in first through fifth grades are invited to join. For more information contact Clay Helmer at 651-603-6987.

Hockey registration begins

Registration for the Langford Park hockey program is at 7 p.m. Sept. 21 at the Langford Park Rec Center. Teams are Mini-Mites, Mites, Squirts, PeeWees and Bantams. Contact Scott at 651-329-8609 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with any questions. Additional program information can be found at www.LangfordParkHockey.com.

Group seeks input in Central Corridor housing issues

The Affordable Housing Work Group (AHWG) meets the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Central Corridor Resource Center, 1080 University Ave. W., to discuss housing issues that will develop as a result of the light-rail project along University Avenue.

The AHWG is working on a plan to maintain and increase affordable housing along
and close to University Avenue and wants community input regarding (1) goals for new construction, (2) decisions on existing housing, (3) property-tax changes and (4) financing to build affordable housing.

Iraqi art show at St. Matthews

The opening reception for "Iraq: Reconciling Through Art" will be at noon Sunday, Sept. 19, at the Undercroft Gallery at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, 2136 Carter Ave. The show celebrates the work of artists living and working in Iraq. The artwork is brought into the United States by the nonprofit group Iraqi American Reconciliation Project and all proceeds from the sale of any paintings directly benefit the artists.

Holy Childhood celebrates Oktoberfest

A Taste of Como Oktoberfest will be held at Holy Childhood Church, 1435 Midway Parkway, 5-9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 10. The event will feature foods, beers and wines from local vendors and German music by Donna Byrne. Cost is $15 in advance, $20 at the door. For tickets, call Larry at 651-489-2428. This event is for adults 21 and older.

Cancer benefit at Coffee Grounds

An afternoon and evening of music, featuring Natural Babbitt, the Johnson Twins and student musicians will be held at the Coffee Grounds, 1579 Hamline Ave., from 4 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 4. “Music and Friends for Summer's End” is a benefit for Team El Camino, a group that will participate in the Light the Night Walk at Target Field Sept. 26 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Missional Church Consultation at Luther

Luther Seminary’s sixth annual Missional Church Consultation, Cultivating Sent Communities—Missional Spiritual Formation, will be held Nov. 12-13. Registration is now open. Additional information, can be found at www.luthersem.edu/missional_consult. Those registering prior to Sept. 15 receive a discounted rate.

Gopher football is back!

Here is the schedule of University of Minnesota’s home football games at TCF Bank Stadium.

· Sept. 11 at 11 a.m. against South Dakota

· Sept. 18 at 2:30 p.m. against Southern California

· Sept. 25 at 7:30 p.m. against Northern Illinois

· Oct. 2 at 110 a.m. against Northwestern (Homecoming)

· Oct. 23 at TBA against Penn State

· Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. against Ohio State

· Nov. 27 at TBA against Iowa

Homecoming week begins Sept. 24 with a parade and pep fest on Friday, Oct. 1, at 7 p.m. and the football game on Saturday, Oct. 2, at 11 a.m. against Northwestern.

Garden Club meets at Gibbs

The St. Anthony Park Garden Club will meet on Sept. 7 at Gibbs Museum, Larpenteur and Cleveland Ave. The business meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. and the program begins at 7:15 p.m. Ralph Thrane will talk about "Apples at Gibbs Farm." Call 651-649-0215 for more information.

Northwest Como boosters meet

Northwest Como Recreation Center, 1550 N. Hamline, is revitalizing its booster club. The group meets at 6:30 p.m. on the the second Tuesday of the month at the center. The next meeting is Sept. 14.

Girl’s leadership program open house

The Minnesota Women’s Initiative for Self Empowerment, Inc. will hold an open house for its Girls Getting Ahead in Leadership program Sept. 11 from 12 to 4 p.m. at the Griggs Midway Building, 1821 University Ave. W., Room S127. The college-prep program is for immigrant and refugee girls in their junior or senior years of high school. For more information see www.womenofwise.org.

Sacred Harp festival comes to SAP Lutheran Church

Written by Michelle Christianson

Nancy Koester calls shape-note singing "punk hymn singing" because of its raw, unpolished sound. Find out more about the Minnesota Sacred Harp Singing Convention here.