Good morning, West St. Louis County!

In today’s West County Pulse ⚡️ newsletter:

• Parkway Honors Teachers and Staff

• Economic Achievements in St. Louis County

• STL County Library Celebrates Women's History Month

Let’s get going!

— Jared Michel

THE DIGEST

✨ Exceptional Parkway Teachers and Staff Recognized

The Parkway School District recently handed out its annual Albert and Light of Parkway awards, honoring exceptional teachers and operations staff. Three teachers received the Albert Award, which goes to new Parkway educators for their energy, enthusiasm and innovative teaching practices. The Light of Parkway award was given to extraordinary non-teaching staff members who help create a positive environment. Congrats to all the deserving winners! Click here & here to read the full press releases.

❕ St. Louis County Report Highlights Economic Wins

Last week the St. Louis County government released its annual report for 2023, highlighting major milestones like economic development wins, public health initiatives, workforce programs, and more. Five of the biggest highlights are noted below. To check out the full report and see what the county has been up to, click here.

• Boeing plans to invest $1.8 billion into their campus and create 500 new jobs - this expansion is expected to fundamentally change the region’s place in aerospace.

• Construction began on Gateway Studios across from the County airport - this multimillion dollar music rehearsal complex is expected to bring major artists and economic activity when it opens in 2024.

• The county health department reported an 11% decline in overdose deaths thanks to distribution of 5,000+ Narcan kits and other prevention efforts.

• A public-private workforce development program with Washington University trained nearly 300 residents to become medical assistants last year.

• The county secured $28.4 million in transportation grants that will help fund improvements to roads, bridges, EV charging infrastructure, and more.

📚️ Special Library Events Honor Women's History

The St. Louis County Library has a packed schedule of events in March to honor Women's History Month. From films and trivia nights to arts programs and story times, there is something for all ages. Make sure to check out the listings here and note: many events require pre-registration so be sure to register for events that catch your interest.

🚒💨 Rockwood’s Eureka High Evacuated Due to Smoky HVAC

Eureka High School was temporarily evacuated on Friday. It turns out an HVAC motor caused smoke to fill the band room. The building was evacuated for 30 minutes while fire officials investigated. No one was injured but the band room remained closed the rest of the day. Click here to read the full story.

LOCAL BUSINESS

🥖 Circle of Concern Pantry Gets a Fresh New Look

The Circle of Concern food pantry recently got a makeover thanks to the efforts of several volunteers. New commercial shelving was installed to improve safety and allow the pantry to serve more people. Pantry Coordinator Becky Pool expressed gratitude to Building and Grounds Chair Brian Boeglin and Director of Nutrition Virginia Pearson for leading the project. Volunteers helped move existing equipment, install the new shelving, and reset the pantry. The end result is a brighter, more organized space ready to keep helping local families in need. Click here to see pictures of the finished pantry.

🍩 The Donut Dynasty Expands

The long-awaited second location of Donut Palace had its soft opening this weekend in Sunset Hills. Same fantastic flavors and friendly faces, now with more piping-hot donuts to go around! They shared the exciting news on Facebook, saying the new space still needed some tweaks after the first test run but are excited for the expansion nonetheless. The second donut shop is located at 3751 S. Lindbergh in Sunset Hills.

HAPPENING THIS WEEK

Wednesday March 6:

• Rockwood’s Marquette HS is set to host its 2nd Annual Festival of Nations from 5pm to 8pm in the MHS commons featuring booths and performances that highlight the food, culture, clothing, and history of nearly 30 countries, organized by the Marquette Student Belonging and Equity Club. The event, which is free for those under 18 and has a small admission fee for adults, aims to celebrate diversity and educate attendees on various global cultures through interactive experiences, including food tastings and dance performances. More details are available here.

• Wednesday is the final day to register to vote in April’s municipal election. Registration is easy and can be done online here.

Thursday March 7:

• Ellisville is hosting an electronics recycling day at Bluebird Park from 12pm to 5pm. Most items may be dropped off, but there are small fees on certain items as well as a few restrictions. Note: cash will be the only acceptable form of payment. For more details click here.

Saturday March 9:

• The 17th Annual Eureka Chamber of Commerce Garage Sale & Swap Meet takes over the Six Flags St. Louis parking lot this Saturday from 7am - 3PM, rain or shine. With over 500 vendors, shoppers are sure to find great deals on an abundance of treasures. Food will be available for purchase onsite to fuel your shopping, and vendors are ready to make some awesome deals. Proceeds from the event support the Chamber's scholarship program and promotion of local businesses. Click here to learn more about this can't-miss weekend shopping extravaganza!

CITY NEWS

Ellisville

• The City of Ellisville posted on social media a reminder that yard waste pickup resumes this month

Wildwood

• The City of Wildwood sent out a reminder that the city maintains a directory of businesses as a convenience for the public to find reputable service providers.

WEATHER

Monday

🌡️ H: 78° L: 55° | 🌤️ 7% chance of rain | 💨 S 14 mph

Tuesday

🌡️ H: 62° L: 40° | 🌧️ 60% chance of rain | 💨 N 8 mph

THANKS!

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