Squirrels force St. Paul park to scale back holiday lights

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Hungry squirrels are forcing a downtown St. Paul park to scale back its Christmas lights display. The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports the Friends of Mears Park had to reduce and reconfigure its display this year because a troop of squirrels chewed through the wires last year and the vendor refused to go through the ordeal again this year. The wires are coated with polylactic acid, a derivative of corn sugar, making them appealing appetizers for squirrels. In lieu of the lights, the group is using a projector to show a kaleidoscope of snowflakes and using base lights to bathe trees in green and blue hues.