| Proper installation key to HVAC operation |
Getting the most out of a new heating, ventilating and air-conditioning system starts with choosing the one that's right for your home and making sure it's installed properly.
Monday, August 30, 2010 |
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| Light the night |
As the days grow shorter, outdoor lighting can extend your enjoyment of fall evenings and can brighten the view even after the snow falls.
Monday, August 30, 2010 |
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| Finding the right home for growing families |
While that beautiful bungalow made perfect sense back when you bought it, for a growing family, it's important to find a home that can expand with you. The good news is that this may actually be a great time to move up.
Monday, August 30, 2010 |
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| Ways to find more space without moving |
What with the double-whammy to housing values and the economy, that bigger house may not still be in your future.
Monday, August 30, 2010 |
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| Bulletin Board published Aug. 29, 2010 |
| Sunday, August 29, 2010 |
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| Friends in need |
| Sunday, August 29, 2010 |
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| Keeping it contained |
Containers are booming at garden centers around the area, as gardeners discover their benefits.
Some have moved to townhouses or condos where they don't have access to tillable ground. Others prefer something up off the ground, easier to reach and with less tendency to be invaded by weeds.
Sunday, August 29, 2010 |
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| Helping Hand |
| Sunday, August 29, 2010 |
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| Helping Hand |
| Tuesday, August 24, 2010 |
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| The trip of a lifetime |
Every revolution of the tires on Tom Yuska's royal blue bike pushes him a little closer to an impressive goal: biking coast-to-coast across America.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010 |
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| Minnesota State Fair to start this week |
We've all been waiting for it, and after months of anticipation, the start date of the Minnesota State Fair is just around the corner. With more than 450 different foods, more than 100 entertainment acts, tons of exhibits and scores of rides for both children and adults, there is something for everyone at the Minnesota State Fair.
Sunday, August 22, 2010 |
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| Working to end book famine in Africa |
Picture the excitement of children who never had a toy when they finally receive one. That's similar to what kids in rural Africa feel when given a book, said Seth Eggessa of Roseville.
Monday, August 16, 2010 |
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| Bulletin Board published Aug. 15, 2010 |
| Sunday, August 15, 2010 |
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| Horsing around on Mackinac Island |
Clip clop, clip clop, jingle. Clop, clop.
These are the sounds of horsing around on Mackinac Island. Missing are the squeal of brakes, the booming of car radios and the smell of diesel exhaust. Instead, there's the mild smell of horses, and when I was there recently, the fragrance of lilacs.
Friday, August 13, 2010 |
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| Local act proves they've got talent |
"This is what is known as a poor life choice," announced St. Paul resident Caleb McEwen. A moment later, he stepped into a volley of murderously sharp knives being thrown between local performers Jason LeMay and Mick Lunzer. Despite the danger, Caleb remained unscathed.
Sunday, August 08, 2010 |
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| Flugtag, featuring fun flights of fancy |
Not since Amelia Earhart crossed the Atlantic has there been this much enthusiasm for a flying machine.
On July 24, a local team of amateur aviators (and one real pilot) shattered the Red Bull Flugtag world record for flying a homemade flying machine during competition on Harriet Island in St. Paul.
Sunday, August 01, 2010 |
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| It's off to the circus school for one teen |
Spinning down from the ceiling while clutching only a thin cloth rope may not be for the faint of heart, but for 16-year-old Anna Hamer of Mendota Heights, it has a unique appeal.
Sunday, July 25, 2010 |
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| A life of sawdust |
Since AJ Moses started his hobby of woodworking several years ago, his wife, Ann Ribbens, has come to know him as "Mr. Busy."
Moses' repertoire includes knickknacks such as spinning tops and kaleidoscopes and practical but intricate collections of wooden bowls, bottle stoppers and travel mugs. Need a handmade baseball bat? AJ Moses can make one.
Sunday, July 18, 2010 |
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| Milwaukee on the water |
Milwaukee grew up on the water and celebrates water. It was water - the confluence of three rivers - the Kinnickinnic and the Menomonee joining the Milwaukee before flowing into Lake Michigan - that drew native people there. When French missionaries and fur traders came through, it became an active fur trading area.
Monday, July 12, 2010 |
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| Running, gawking and relaxing |
It might seem that nearly 15,000 people traveling hours, and in some cases days, to run in one of the hilliest cities in America is a bit odd.
Until you experience Grandma's Marathon weekend in Duluth, you probably will still continue to think that.
Thursday, July 01, 2010 |
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| Dancing with crawfish |
Two red-shelled crawfish danced on the table at Boutin's Restaurant, "A Cajun Music & Dining Experience" in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The larger one stood on its back legs and waved its front legs in the air. The smaller one rolled onto its back and waved all legs. Then they met their fate in a pot of boiling water.
Sunday, June 20, 2010 |
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| Cave paintings on canvas |
Lorelei Drukula's art classroom at Christ Lutheran School in North St. Paul was overtaken with the splatters, strokes and spotting of her sixth-grade students working on a project to create their own cave painting during a project last month.
Tuesday, June 08, 2010 |
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| Local band looking to bring some "zing" to performances |
On certain evenings, the smooth melodic sounds of guitars, bass and drums can be heard floating out of a house on the East Side. Those euphonious tunes are produced during practice sessions by a local band called the Zingrays.
Sunday, June 06, 2010 |
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| Bierstube tent party will rock on |
The motorcycle gangs might be on their way, but Oakdale officials are OK with that.
JW Bierstube's annual tent party, featuring performances by Dokken, Skid Row, Uncle Chuck and Ultimate Ozzy this year, received a special outdoor liquor license from the Oakdale City Council last week.
Wednesday, June 02, 2010 |
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| Majority of people 'feel' appeal of a house |
If you're like most people, you figure -- or at least tell friends and co-workers -- that practical factors, such as the size of the kitchen or the number of bedrooms, are most critical when buying a home.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010 |
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| Don't let spring cleaning dirty the environment |
When walking through the cleaning aisle of a grocery or discount store, most people are looking for products that will keep their home clean - but have they thought about products that can help keep their home "green?"
Wednesday, May 26, 2010 |
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| Tips for clearing the clutter at home |
Getting organized to cut clutter in your home can be easier than you might think-and the benefits of being organized could extend beyond a tidy house.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010 |
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| Children and garage door safety |
Teaching young children how to spell the word "door" may offer an additional lesson about garage door safety.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010 |
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| City selects 2010 sidewalk poems |
St. Paul Public Works officials recently announced the winners of the 2010 Sidewalk Poetry Contest. This year's poems were selected by a panel of poet judges including Saint Paul Poet Laureate Carol Connolly.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010 |
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| Up the garden path |
Inspiring photos of a variety of gardens, from natural to formal, family-friendly to mixed-use.
Sunday, May 23, 2010 |
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| Catfish diaries on the Mississippi River |
Catfish po' boy in hand, I've got sauce dripping down my wrist. Zydeco rhythms are dancing around the room and the smell of swamp hangs damply in the air. When Gary and I traveled to Louisiana for our first vacation together, we felt as though we had traveled to a foreign country, rich with sounds and tastes and experiences so different than those in the upper Midwest.
Friday, May 21, 2010 |
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| If you die unexpectedly |
When a 71-pound Siberian husky recently attacked an 11-day old baby, the Hennepin County medical examiner's office was called to determine the dog's attack was the cause of the baby's death.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010 |
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| Daring to dream |
Best-selling author Kao Kalia Yang, a petite, dark-haired young woman with a soft voice brought many in her audience to the verge of tears as she spoke of her parents and grandmother and their escape from Laos, her early childhood in a refugee camp and then the difficulties of starting a new life in St. Paul.
Sunday, May 16, 2010 |
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| Seeding knowledge: 'hybrid' and 'open-pollinated' |
It's a distinction that can trip up even the well-informed.
"I don't know what I did wrong," said a perplexed biology teacher. She'd taken some tomato seeds -- right out of the tomato -- to her class during their unit on seeds. The group planted them, watered them, and got nothing. Not a tendril, not a hint of green, from what's well-known to be one of the easiest types of plants to raise from seed.
Thursday, May 13, 2010 |
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| Timing is everything for crabgrass control |
In Minnesota, both large and smooth crabgrass are the two species that invade our lawns. Both species are annuals and grow most vigorously following germination in the late spring through mid-summer.
Thursday, May 13, 2010 |
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| Plant a container veggie garden from seed |
Growing your own food isn't just for people with big back yards. By planting in containers, you can grow an abundant and nutritious harvest right on your porch or deck, all from a few inexpensive packets of seeds.
Thursday, May 13, 2010 |
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| A Goldilocks approach to lawn care |
If this were a normal Minnesota May, we would just now be emerging from winter hibernation, still living in fear of one last spring snowstorm. This year, however, we may as well be in South Carolina. To look at our lawns, you would think it was June, and most people in my neighborhood have already mowed at least once.
Thursday, May 13, 2010 |
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| Diet is about what you do eat, not what you don't |
Tipping the weight management scales in your favor isn't just a matter of changing eating habits; it's a matter of using your head.
Thursday, May 06, 2010 |
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| Computing more comfort |
According to a recent study, the average person spends approximately six hours per day on the computer. Many users try to make their space more comfortable with a well-chosen chair or a properly adjusted desk in their workspace, but one industry leader is taking the concept of comfort a step further-with a computer setup that's been designed for ergonomic satisfaction.
Thursday, May 06, 2010 |
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| What goes into a Lab? |
If little girls are made of sugar and spice, Labrador retrievers might be said to be comprised of a wider-ranging list of components, including tennis balls, socks, assorted trash and anything they can knock off a kitchen counter.
Tuesday, May 04, 2010 |
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| A complete renovation |
A work injury a few years ago put Maplewood resident Mike Wilke in continual pain that he is gradually learning to manage.
Although he now uses a cane and a wheelchair when he has long distances to travel, he doesn't allow his disability to hold him back. He continues to volunteer at his son's school and perform magic tricks.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010 |
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| Art gallery honoring Gordon Parks planned for Metropolitan State University |
Metropolitan State University will soon house The Gordon Parks Gallery, an art gallery honoring the life and artistic legacy of past St. Paul resident Gordon Parks. A prolific photojournalist, writer, filmmaker and composer, Parks was best known for his photos illuminating poverty and powerlessness, including "American Gothic," an image of an African-American cleaning woman.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010 |
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| Casting Crowns sound the battle cry at Xcel |
Sunday April 11 saw the return of Christian rock superstars Casting Crowns to St. Paul's Xcel Energy Center. They are touring in support of their fourth studio album, "Until the Whole World Hears," another compelling entry in their musical catalogue.
Monday, April 26, 2010 |
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| "We're Gonna Win, Twins" brings fans back, and into present |
While growing up in the mid-to-late 1990s my dad bought a pair of Minnesota Twins season tickets for $100 where we had free rein to pick nearly any upper deck seat in the Metrodome.
Saturday, April 24, 2010 |
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| Take me out to the ballgame - Clyde Doepner: living his dream |
Everyone yearns for what they consider a "dream job;" a lucky few find it.
A well-known local man has stumbled onto such a situation.
Clyde Doepner, a North High 1962 grad and a member of the school's 1961 state champion baseball team, smiled broadly and said, "I can't believe I'm doing this and getting paid!"
Monday, April 19, 2010 |
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| Factoring in 'green' with flooring choices |
Don't let anyone tell you it's not easy being green. When it comes to floor covering, making a "green" choice is easier than ever.
Friday, April 16, 2010 |
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| Movin' on up - without moving at all |
There are plenty of reasons people are staying put in their homes longer than they intended.
The real-estate market, of course, is the reason for some. Others, though, may have found a neighborhood where people feel like family.
Friday, April 16, 2010 |
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| The Brew Master is calling you |
Anyone who has lived on the East Side never called 3M by that name. It was always referred as "da Mining".
There were two or three main sources of employment on the side of St. Paul that was east of the north-south railroad tracks.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010 |
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| A place for peace and prayer |
St. Paul's Monastery has been a fixture of faith in three different metro locations for more than half a century, and the Benedictine sister's new home, right behind the old monastery adjacent to Hill-Murray High School, will be open for tours April 11, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Wednesday, April 07, 2010 |
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| Quick jobs that can make a difference when selling |
Whether you're looking to sell your home or simply make improvements, chances are finances are a big consideration before you can go forward with any project.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 |
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| Spring cleaning surface guide |
Every surface in and around the home requires special attention. Before reaching for the all-purpose cleaner, consider each surface and which product formulations will best clean, protect and prolong its life.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 |
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| Grow gardens the easy way -- from seed |
Seeds are nature's miracles -- they're little packets of energy just waiting for you to plant them. Once they're planted, they quickly transform from rock-hard little nuggets into lush, green plants exploding with life.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 |
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| How to set a home-improvement budget |
When it comes to projects addressing a home's interior, homeowners know full well the bottom line plays a big role. For the unprepared homeowner tackling a first do-it-yourself project, costs can quickly escalate out of control.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 |
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| Ask a genealogist |
The Minnesota Genealogical Society is hosting an upcoming family history fair in South St. Paul, giving East Side Review editor Scott Nichols the opportunity to find out just who MGS president and Battle Creek resident J.H. Fonkert thinks he really is.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010 |
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| Easter egg coloring:
colorful memory-making |
It's this time of year, right before Easter, when Review staffers receive a little reminder of the season at their desks.
It's not Easter candy, festive baskets or bunny decorations.
But it does set the office abuzz as people unwrap and compare the beautiful, marbleized eggs left by the Easter Bunny.
Monday, March 29, 2010 |
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| Good old days |
Did you know Neumann's Bar, the oldest continually-operating bar in Minnesota, was actually one of three such establishments in North St. Paul at one time? Or that the giant snowman on the corner of Highway 36 and Margaret Street actually used to be made out of snow? Local historian Paul Anderson does.
Thursday, March 25, 2010 |
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| Q and A with stained-glass artist Josie Geiger |
Beech Street stained-glass artist Josie Geiger, aka owner of Josephine A. Geiger Studio, pulled herself away from her work to talk with East Side Review editor Scott Nichols about the joys and challenges of creating her biggest commission yet: 32 stained glass panels for a new courthouse in Middleton, Wis., using as inspiration images she has of the nearby Pheasant Branch Conservancy.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010 |
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| Extreme GREEN kicks off |
What could be better to take home from an inspiring landscaping seminar than $500 worth of plants and landscaping supplies to get started?
How about a $15,000 professional yard makeover?
Friday, March 12, 2010 |
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| Chance landing helps local artist into Smithsonian |
A few years ago Stephen Nesser and his daughter Hannah, now 16, went on a classic father-daughter road trip that eventually led them to Washington D.C. and its long roster of museums.
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 |
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| Tastes like carp |
I recently had the opportunity to try carp, and surprisingly it was quite delicious. The Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District and University of Minnesota have a project underway to study common carp living in the Lake Phalen chain of lakes.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 |
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| In living watercolor |
For Julie Schroeder, creating a piece of artwork starts with paints, paper and a bucket of water."And you're ready to go," she says.
From her signature watercolor piece, "The Visitor" featuring a hummingbird flitting toward a flower, to abstract works and encaustic creations using colored wax, Schroeder has dabbled in many painting mediums.
Tuesday, February 09, 2010 |
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| Wild Ones spring conference will focus on life above and below ground |
I woke up one morning and found a wet spot on my pillow. Assuming I had been drooling in my sleep, I was unworried until my eye noticed something strange. Lying next to me on my pillow just inches from my face was the biggest, blackest slug I had ever seen.
Friday, February 05, 2010 |
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| A wise old owl once told me ... |
Isn't it funny how an animal encounter can stay with you for years and years?
About six years ago, I attended a workshop down at Whitewater State Park in the middle of January. It was one of those weekends with temperatures down to 20 below zero at night and not much warmer during the day.
Monday, January 25, 2010 |
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| The yearly gathering has become a 'Do Not Miss' Reunion |
A trip to the Windy City is always a fun adventure, full of new things to see and do.
So when the annual gathering of the 90th Field Artillery Battalion Association was scheduled for Chicago, my wife, Donna, and I knew we would be there. Actually, the battalion reunions have become something of a tradition that we nurture and cherish.
Tuesday, January 05, 2010 |
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| The first hurdle: remembering medication |
We forget things every day: names, keys or whether we locked the front door.
When it comes to taking your medicines, though, it's important not to let your memory fail you. Taking medicines the right way could mean the difference between life and death.
Monday, January 04, 2010 |
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| Don't know much. . . about meat safety? |
A new poll found some interesting facts to chew on regarding the public's knowledge of meat and poultry handling, cooking and safety.
Monday, January 04, 2010 |
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| Loss, not theft great threat to jewelry |
When you were first married, perhaps you insured that diamond ring. But perhaps you didn't.
Monday, January 04, 2010 |
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| A very full house |
Claire Braun knew she wanted to have children, but she could not have foreseen herself acting as a mother to more than 80 children.
Monday, December 21, 2009 |
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| Holiday stress |
How to have fun and remain sane
As Teresa Mark of Roseville begins wondering how she is going to fit her four children, her parents, her six brothers and one sister, and all of their children and their children's children into her home for the family's annual Christmas celebration, she takes a step back.
Monday, December 21, 2009 |
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| The Holidays: Time for remembrance of stories disastrous and triumphant |
Christmas trees falling over, forgetting to give a gift to your mother and wiener dogs running amok are all events few expect to take place on Christmas.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009 |
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| Bulletin Board published Dec. 7, 2009 |
| Monday, December 07, 2009 |
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| Local author shines spotlight on Minnesota legend |
Baseball is a sport where its history is as much a part of its popularity as is its present.
Aficionados of the sport relate stats, scores and feats on the baseball diamond on a game-by-game and play-by-play basis to past records and the players who made them.
Wednesday, December 02, 2009 |
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| Boy Scouts help soldiers keep in touch |
A group of local Boy Scouts are helping deployed service members feel a little closer to home.
Using paint, Spin Art and scrapbook materials, Cub Scout Pack 461, which meets at the Church of the Presentation of Blessed Virgin Mary in Maplewood, created greeting cards at their Nov 19th meeting.
Monday, November 30, 2009 |
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| Graphic novels have their own champions |
Don't call a graphic novel a "comic book" in front of Henry Sibley High School media specialist Heidi Hammond. She'll be quick to point out that they are not the same.
Sunday, November 29, 2009 |
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| Landscape Ecology Awards Program (LEAP) recognizes innovative water quality projects |
Since 2002, the Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District's Landscape Ecology Awards Program (LEAP) awards have recognized innovative approaches to improving water quality and reducing stormwater runoff.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009 |
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