[ballwin]
Ballwin’s city council has reversed course, somewhat, and has voted to ‘study’ the issue of body cameras for its police force. While one alderman argued that might be too late in case a few of the city’s officers were called in to help quell unrest in other parts of the metro, others insisted the purchase needs to be made judiciously in light of new technology that should be available early next year. The big deal? Body cams would be linked to the dash cams already in the city’s police cars if new software becomes available sooner rather than later. The issue will be moot for Shamed Dogan, the lone alderman who begged to differ. He will be sworn in as the new state rep in the 98th District in January.
[ellisville]
When sales for troubled big-box retailer Kmart continued to dip nationwide last spring, the company closed stores, including the one in the 15000 block of Manchester Road (at Clarkson) in Ellisville. Some had speculated that Walmart would make its move to take over the space, after having had its construction plans denied for the other side of Manchester. But at least three other retailers have announced plans to take over the complex, Ellisville Square, which also has been home to a Chinese restaurant and a gun shop. And there has been much rejoicing, especially among fans of the somewhat smaller, big-box retailers: Sports Authority, Michaels and Party City. The specialty stores—with footprints of 40,000 square feet, 19,000 square feet and 16,000 square feet, respectively—are anticipated to be up and running by next fall.
[kirkwood]
Well, this really takes the cake. Literally. There now are only 249 cake sculptures on public display throughout the Lou for its 250th anniversary because someone apparently swiped the one on the grounds of the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home near Ballas and Dougherty Ferry roads in Kirkwood. Be on the lookout for a big fake cake with one candle on top; it looks exactly like all the others except for being painted in pastel colors that likely would have horrified Wright, who had this thing for aesthetics vis-à-vis an architecture and its surroundings. Some cakes just can’t get no respect. I’d be surprised if none of the iconic stl250 celebratory birthday cakes hasn’t been ‘enhanced’ with graffiti by now. Meanwhile, the candle has disappeared off a cake in front of the Salvation Army’s regional headquarters on Hampton Avenue. Attention, knuckleheads (and you know who you are): Do not eat.
[ladue]
Congrats to Karielle Chambers (pictured) of Ladue; that is, Miss Ladue to you. She came in second (officially, she’s first runner-up) in the Miss Missouri 2015 competition held recently at Lindenwood University in St. Charles. Chambers is a Mizzou grad originally from Kansas City and is currently a Rams cheerleader. The Miss Missouri 2015 and Miss Missouri Teen 2015 pageants both were held Sunday, Nov. 10. (2015, already? Kind of like how the hot cars for the new model year show off their stuff the previous year, only these ‘models’ dazzled in evening gowns and swimsuits.) Rebecca Dunn, Miss Columbia, was crowned Miss Missouri, and Sydnee Stottlemyre, Miss Gateway St. Louis, was second runner-up. In one of the most amusing photos we’ve ever seen from a pageant, Stottlemyre seems to be giving the other two a, well, snarky look. But we’re told she was looking intently at the show’s emcee (who was outside the frame). And congrats go out to a Sedalia girl, Chelsea Stratton, who bested the field to win the title of Miss Missouri Teen 2015. Photo: Laurel Austin Studio
[st. charles]
Some drivers get especially crabby during highway construction. But it’s important to remember: it just takes awhile! Sometimes more than a generation, which is how long, officials say, the Page Avenue extension project took to complete. It was 45 years ago that a central corridor connecting St. Louis and St. Charles counties first was envisioned, St. Charles County exec Steve Ehlmann told the group present at a ribbon-cutting ceremony last month. This final phase, the third, completed the section from Mid Rivers Mall Drive in St. Peters to Interstate 64. Actual construction took 11 years, the first phase taking I-270 near Westport Plaza and crossing the Missouri River to west of Jungs Station Road in St. Charles County. As an aside, think a penny isn’t worth much? Well then, how worthless is a half-penny? Actually, they do add up: The half-cent sales tax in St. Charles County contributed $29.2 million of the $118.2-million cost to complete Phase 3!
[st. louis]
The news on Veterans Day was mixed. First, since vets are used to bad news, the not-so-good: A muchballyhooed, city-supported project to help homeless vets on the difficult road to self-sufficiency is reportedly itself facing financial challenges. Apartments in a building in the 3100 block of Cherokee Street were provided rent-free to some 50 homeless vets, in one day, as part of a ‘rapid rehousing’ project called Gateway 180. Several formerly homeless vets have found jobs through the program, which provides counseling and other services, along with rent. But there have been issues with utility bills, and some clients have had their power shut off. Here’s hoping the promising program finds its way through the local and federal red tape so that the people it serves can get on their feet—and stay there. Meanwhile, on Nov. 11, it was announced that the former Cass Bank building at 13th and Cass, vacant for years and suffering the ravages of time and vandals, will become a source of hope for vets who need anything from financial assistance to counseling. Veterans Landing is the name for a planned clearinghouse of veterans services that will be available to the approximately 250,000 vets throughout the greater metro, should planners get the additional backing needed. (Much of the funding is either committed or in place, but an ‘angel’ investor or two couldn’t hurt.) A resource center, not a shelter, the ‘Landing’ would pull together reps from various agencies under one roof, and plans include a coffeehouse/restaurant … plus mentoring services, even a business incubator. Upbeat planners say part of the projected $5 million enterprise could be operating by early next year.
[university city]
Phillip Goodwin might not be a familiar name to most readers. But the name Charlie Dooley should ring a bell. Our lame-duck county executive is Goodwin’s father. News last month that Goodwin, of U. City, had been arrested for more than a dozen gas-station robberies came too late to have any bearing on the vicious Democratic primary contest between Dooley and Steve Stenger, county council chairman who won the race in the general election Nov. 4 against Republican Rick Stream. Dooley has had scandals aplenty during his 11 years in office, but political message-benders would have had a field day with the news that Dooley’s son was a robber. Maybe, because of the different surnames, the muckrakers just didn’t rake deeply enough. Goodwin’s last alleged robbery was Oct. 8. He’d just been released from prison in the spring after doing his time for a previous robbery.
[webster groves]
Turkey Day—it’s not just another holiday and Black Friday Eve. It’s also the moniker of the legendary annual gridiron contest between the Statesmen of Webster Groves and the Pioneers of Kirkwood high schools. This is a game that has been played for more than a century. All we know about the game at this point is that whichever school wins on Thanksgiving will get to keep the Frisco Bell for a year. And we can assure you the coach of the other team will say something like, ‘We just didn’t execute.’ The night before the game is almost as exciting, and an opportunity to get your pre-feast gluttony game on, at the annual Webster’s Best Chili Fest, when chili concocters both pro and amateur go ladle to ladle in a competition that’s much hotter, at least in terms of temperature, than anything that happens on the field. The $8 admission fee ($5 for students) gets you all-you-cansample from 12 pinto-bean purveyors, plus the chance to vote for your favorite, from 5 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 26. Meanwhile, Kirkwood puts on its own fest, the Chili Bowl. Then, champ pro chili cookers from the Fest and Bowl will have a ‘taste off’… results to be announced at halftime the next day and winner to take home the Frisco Bowl trophy.
[wildwood]
Some have called it ‘Gategate.’ Well, maybe it was just me. At any rate, the brouhaha over whether subdivisions in Wildwood can have entry gates is over, and the national news media that descended on this hilly town can now all go home. (Well, maybe they never came.) In any case, there has been plenty of concern on both sides of the gated communities issue, which culminated in a bit of political drama over the past few weeks as the city council passed the measure, the mayor vetoed it, and an attempt to override the veto failed by two votes. Some residents believe the gates would provide an extra measure of security, which is a safe bet. But first responders were concerned that gates could present an obstacle in emergencies (a less-safe bet, so to speak).
