 Back-to-School Safety
Help kids get a gold star in safety with these tips from Safe Kids Worldwide.
School Bus Safety
- Walk with kids to the bus stop and wait with them until it arrives.
- Tell kids to stand at least three giant steps back from the curb as the bus approaches.
- Teach kids to wait for the bus to come to a complete stop before getting off.
- To cross the street after getting off the bus, kids should take five giant steps in front of the bus (never walk in back of the bus), look both ways and and make eye contact with the bus driver before stepping into the road. See more tips for a safe bus ride http://bit.ly/1BbsLLC.
Carpooling/Riding to School
- Always buckle up and use child safety seats correctly every time you ride. Need age-specific child passenger safety help? Visit www.carseatsmadesimple.org.
- Never carry more passengers than there are safety belts in the vehicle.
- The back seat is the safest place for children of any age to ride.
- Check with the school about designated drop-off areas; make sure kids enter and leave the car on the curb side.
Walking to School
- Choose the safest route and walk it with kids.
- Have kids walk facing traffic, on sidewalks or paths. Walk as far to the left as possible if there are no sidewalks.
- Make sure kids look both ways before crossing the street, and cross at designated crosswalks or at corners.
- Don’t allow a child (typically under age 10) to cross streets alone. Every child is different, but developmentally, most kids are unable to judge the speed and distance of oncoming cars until age 10.
- Distraction among drivers is at an all-time high today, so remind kids to make eye contact with the driver in a stopped vehicle before stepping into the road.
- Remind kids to put down the phone and turn off volume in headphones when crossing the street. Visit http://bit.ly/2b07TAy for more safe walking tips.
Biking to School
- Make sure children have the right size helmet and wear it every time when riding. Take the helmet fit test http://bit.ly/2bMGOnt.
- Select a safe route and bike it with kids.
- Kids should ride on sidewalks (being alert for vehicles going in and out of driveways) or bike paths until around age 10.
- Kids should be able to show they know how to follow the rules of the road before cycling with traffic.
- Remind kids to stay alert to traffic and stop before crossing the street, entering a road or turning. See more safe biking tips at http://bit.ly/2bN7NOB.
For Drivers
- Follow the speed limit and slow down in school zones and near bus stops.
- Be alert to kids walking to or from school or the school bus.
- Slow down and stop if you're driving near a school bus that is flashing yellow or red lights. This means the bus is either preparing to stop (yellow) or already stopped (red) and children are getting on or off.
- Visit http://bit.ly/1FuehY1 for more back-to-school tips for drivers.
2018-19 Budget Public Hearings
Hearings for the proposed 2018-19 biennial budget will began Tuesday, August 14. Each of the county's service teams will present their 2018-19 proposed budget to the board of commissioners for review throughout August and September. Here is the schedule:
A public hearing on the maximum property tax levy for 2018 will be held September 12 at 1 p.m. at the Council Chambers. The board of commissioners will certify the maximum levy during their September 26 board meeting beginning at 9 a.m.
A public hearing for testimony on the entire proposed budget will be held November 27 at 6:30 p.m. at Ramsey County Library - Shoreview.
All service team hearings will take place in the Council Chambers on the third floor of Saint Paul City Hall - Ramsey County Courthouse unless otherwise specified.
View the full hearing schedule (PDF)
Public Comment Period for the Ramsey County Solid Waste Management Master Plan
Every six years, The Ramsey County Solid Waste Management Master Plan is updated to lay out how the County reduces waste by increasing recycling. This plan shows how the County works with residents, businesses, and stakeholder partners to abide by state and county goals.
The public comment period is open from August 10th to September 1st. Following, the County board will have a policy discussion on October 3rd, and move to adopt it on October 17.
The draft of this plan is online, as well as paper copies at Ramsey County libraries and Saint Paul Libraries. Email AskEH@ramseycounty.us or call 651-266-1199 to request a paper copy.
You may provide input here to be a part of this important process.
Source Reduction and Reuse are key in the reduction of waste going to landfills. This is a systemic change; the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s (MPCA) Metropolitan Solid Waste Management Policy Plan includes source reduction as a priority, and Ramsey County will include multiple strategies into its solid waste management master plan as directed by the MPCA.
Source Reduction and Reuse Initiatives Happening in Ramsey County
- Fix-It Clinics: residents can bring in items to be fixed to extend it’s life! These free clinics has resulted in 3,325 pounds diverted from becoming waste!
- Product Reuse Center: reusable household hazardous waste items can be brought to this center for free.
- Cleaning for Health: A reduction in the counties use of hazardous cleaning chemicals, improved use of environmentally preferable paper products, and product and process training to janitorial staff and building occupants.
https://www.ramseycounty.us/residents/recycling-waste/planning-future
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State Fair Fun!
The state fair runs from August 24th to September 4th this year.
There are many simple ways to get to the fair without paying too much for parking or transit. Throughout the region, there are free park and rides available to fair goers. They run from 8 a.m. to midnight each day and leave every twenty minutes.
If you live or work along the green line, you can take the light rail to the Snelling Avenue stop, then take the A Line bus to the fairgrounds. If you live along the blue line, you can ride to the 46th Street Station and catch the A line there.
Here is a Metro Transit guide to State Fair Bus Service.
You can download a map to the state fair here.
Upcoming Events Around District 2
Free Tick Identification
MMCD Offers Free Tick ID. Here’s How!
1. If your tick has potentially fed (contains blood) call 651-643-8384 for further instruction or place it into a hard container such as a film container or pill bottle before continuing to follow these directions.
2. Ensure the tick is killed prior to mailing — store tick in rubbing alcohol for approximately one day to make sure it’s dead.
3. Wrap the tick in some tissue or paper toweling and lightly soak the package in water or rubbing alcohol. We want the tick to arrive slightly damp.
4. Place your package in a re-sealable plastic bag such as a sandwich bag.
5. Enclose your name, address, and a daytime phone number.
6. Place in a padded envelope and either mail it or drop it off at our office.
We will try to phone you the same day we receive your sample.
Mail to:
Metropolitan Mosquito Control District
Attn: Tick Lab
2099 University Ave. West
St. Paul, MN 55104
Phone: 651-645-9149
Free Tick Identification
Metropolitan Mosquito Control District Offers Free Tick ID. Here’s How!
1. If your tick has potentially fed (contains blood) call 651-643-8384 for further instruction or place it into a hard container such as a film container or pill bottle before continuing to follow these directions.
2. Ensure the tick is killed prior to mailing — store tick in rubbing alcohol for approximately one day to make sure it’s dead.
3. Wrap the tick in some tissue or paper toweling and lightly soak the package in water or rubbing alcohol. We want the tick to arrive slightly damp.
4. Place your package in a re-sealable plastic bag such as a sandwich bag.
5. Enclose your name, address, and a daytime phone number.
6. Place in a padded envelope and either mail it or drop it off at our office.
We will try to phone you the same day we receive your sample.
Mail to:
Metropolitan Mosquito Control District
Attn: Tick Lab
2099 University Ave. West
St. Paul, MN 55104
Phone: 651-645-9149 |
