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.

Reports say 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.