[chesterfield]
Now, with Town & Country in the rearview mirror, it’s on to Chesterfield. The new Missouri River crossing into St. Charles County (pictured above) has been partly open since the end of June, but those who haven’t had a chance to drive the smooth, brand-spanking new eastbound span of the Daniel Boone Bridge should be suitably impressed. One of the most gratifying features is the bicycle/pedestrian lane, built as part of the project, which is scheduled to connect the Monarch Levee trail to the Katy trail early next year. (Meanwhile, the trail remains closed for about 1,000 feet on either side of the bridge.) But work continues day and night on the westbound span (which used to be eastbound), and is slated for completion by year-end. The original two spans, with the familiar green girder framework above the road surface, were built in the 1930s. The narrower one is carrying traffic for the time being, and the three lanes where there once were two can be a bit dicey for some drivers. (Well, for me, at least.)
Photo Courtesy of Alberici
[ballwin]
After many years on the bench, the late Hon. John J. McAtee came to believe that subjects with mental illness deserved appropriate treatment, not automatic incarceration. Two officers from Ballwin were among 49 in the metro who recently received an award named after McAtee. On separate occasions, the officers defused life-threatening situations when suicidal young men barricaded themselves in a room and warned they also would do harm to anyone who tried to intervene. In one case, Sgt. Dan Hawk assisted two officers under his command in convincing a combative 18-year-old to come out of his room peacefully. Via cellphone, Hawk established a rapport and calmly encouraged the disturbed man to put down the knives he had taken in with him. This fellow had a history of suicide attempts and assaulting law enforcement. He settled down and was taken to a psychiatric facility. In the other case, patrolman Leo Bergin persuaded a troubled juvenile to slide his knife under the door and come out, which he did without incident. No one was hurt in either case. With these two incidents as a backdrop, it is important to note that the majority of the men and women in blue act in volatile circumstances according to their training; i.e., most officers behave calmly, objectively and professionally. In the case of these two McAtee Award honorees, they displayed patience and an uncanny sensitivity to people who were dangerous, but mentally ill. We salute them.
Pictured above: Leo Bergin, Sgt. Dan Hawk
[kirkwood]
Crime reports in some municipalities are nothing if not painstakingly detailed. In the fair city of Kirkwood recently, someone broke into a car and stole an iPhone and one other item. Guess what it was. More electronic goodies that could yield cash on the street? In this case, not a chance. Drugs? Guns? Nope. The other item was … a pair of pants. (Doesn’t anybody rip off clotheslines anymore? In any case, geez—sure hope they don’t fit.) To the east, off I-44 a piece, a resident or residents are going to be twiddling their thumbs until they find other ways to waste their time. Someone entered a home through a rear door—‘unsecured’, natch—and stole the following: cash and three wristwatches plus (count ’em) an Apple laptop computer, Nintendo gaming system, PlayStation system, Microsoft game system, Sony game system, Xbox I Kinect sensor, Apple tablet and an Apple iPad. OMG. Read a book!
[richmond heights]
Fabletics is a new store bound for the Galleria that’s the brainchild of Kate Hudson, famous actress and daughter of Goldie Hawn. Well, at least she’s the co-founder, and her buff bod is all over the website. One of only five that are going into malls at this point, the stores are expanding to bricks and mortar from a formerly online-only presence. Think Athleta, the fashion-fitness boutique at Plaza Frontenac, with a subscription twist. Here we go again with a kinda-sorta business model based on Columbia Record Club, or book clubs that sent you a selection every month whether you wanted it or not. Outfits are sent to subscribers based on personal preferences, and the first outfit is $25. (Free shipping and exchanges! VIP members get their gear at half price!) The store is slated to open in the Galleria by October, if you can possibly wait until then. But, are you feeling more flab-letic these days? Get a trainer. Please don’t wear this stuff unless you’re fit enough to carry it off, and are actually exercising. Just sayin.’ Meanwhile, I write this as I suck in my belly. Then let it out, and suck it back in. Ten repetitions every other week. Hey—that counts as exercise, doesn’t it?
[sunset hills]
Do you love vintage vehicles that are two-tone, with or without tail fins? Well, if you missed the Great American Race a few weeks ago that started at the Kirkwood train station, whereupon drivers then got their kicks on Route 66 all the way to the Pacific, there’s another chance next month to ogle classic cars. The sixth annual Crestwood-Sunset Hills Route 66 Car Cruise is set for the weekend of Aug. 8, with an outdoor showing of the delightful animated flick Cars kicking it off that Friday (Aug. 7). Alas, there’s no drive-in theater down there anymore, but at least you don’t have to think about how many kids you can cram in the trunk to avoid admission charges. The flick, and activities during the rest of the weekend, are free. It will be shown outside in the lot at Creve Coeur Camera and Video, 9560 Watson Road, at 7 p.m. An automotive parade revs up at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Justin Martyr Catholic Church, 11910 Eddie & Park Road. A car-avan of Detroit’s finest (probably no Toyotas or Hondas here) will come to rest, parking at Pole Position Raceway, 8800 Watson Road, for a 1 p.m. car show and subsequent fun day of activities for all ages. Kids will have all day to decorate their bikes … at least from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m … in preparation for their own contest. Meanwhile, there will be arts and crafts. Did we mention this is free? Yep, It’s free. No charge. Gratis. But if you do get hungry or thirsty and feel like spending money, there are plenty of restaurants within walking distance. Or, baby, you can drive your car.
[st. louis]
The ‘grand’ South Grand neighborhood of restaurants, services and boutiques suffered greatly from a riot south of Arsenal last fall following the grand-jury decision not to indict the Ferguson cop who shot and killed Michael Brown. Windows were smashed for blocks. But plywood immediately replaced the missing glass, and art and hopeful messages appeared the next day. Today, the neighborhood is as good as new, and continues to recover emotionally. Now, colorful awnings that complement one another embellish storefronts in the 3100 block, from Baida Moroccan Restaurant to Rocket Century boutique and Basil Spice Thai in between. Though not many of these businesses were as badly affected as, say, Rooster farther north, the awnings seem to say, ‘We’re not going away,’ and make a visible commitment to the neighborhood. Basil Spice, for one, benefited greatly from the face-lift. The new awning replaced a tired blue one that made the place look, well, temporary. The food has always been too fine for that seemingly makeshift treatment.
[town & country]
Barrel Bob, the orange and white roadside mascot that MoDOT uses to indicate construction zones, is alerting motorists to the highway work going on around Route 141 and farther west on and adjacent to I-64. Widening is part of the project, as are retaining walls to prevent sliding hillsides. Traffic moves smoothly through the area a good deal of the time, except during the evening rush hour, way too slow for those habitual grumblers impatient for the improvements to be completed. MoDOT gives grumblers and praisers alike an opportunity to rate the construction zone on the Internet. OK, westward ho!
