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⚡️ Fire Dept Jobs, New Pizza Spot, A $10M Hangar Project
Jared Michel
June 03, 2024
👋 Good Morning, West County!
In today’s ⚡️ West County Pulse newsletter:
🚒 Eureka FD Recruiting
🍕 Napoli Bros. Pizza Opens
🛩️ Luxury Hangar at Spirit Airport
Let’s jump into today’s newsletter!
— Jared Michel
THE DIGEST
🚨 Eureka FD Leads Charge in Recruitment Efforts
The Eureka Fire Department is taking a proactive approach to recruit the next generation of firefighters as many current first responders near retirement age. Assistant Chief Scott Barthelmass emphasized the opportunity for young people to have a meaningful career and impact their communities. Eureka FD is involved in outreach programs, such as workforce development and training initiatives connected to the St. Louis Fire Academy, to attract and prepare future firefighters in the face of nationwide vacancies and turnover. Read the full story here.
🦋 Rare Lemon Pansy Flutters into Butterfly House
The Butterfly House recently announced the return of the rare Lemon Pansy butterfly, last seen in their Tropical Conservatory in 2017. Native to Southeast Asia, these small beauties boast golden yellow and warm brown colors with stunning orange eyespots, characteristic of their wet season morph. Visitors are encouraged to keep a keen eye out for these rare butterflies during their next visit to the exhibit.
Source: Buttefly House
🎵 Free Summer Concerts Return to Faust Park!
The Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce's free summer concert series is back (tomorrow) at Faust Park, with Butch Wax & The Hollywoods kicking off the season on June 4. Attendees can enjoy a variety of food vendors, including Fallon's Irish Bar & Grill, Tacos 4 Life, Sugarfire Smoke House, and more. The Commerce Bank Kid Zone will feature balloon twisting, crafts, an obstacle course, and other fun activities for children. Checkout our full events calendar here to see all of the summer concerts happening across the area this summer.
Source: Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce
💦 Beat the Heat at St. Louis Splash Pads
Families looking to cool off this summer are in luck! Fox 2 has compiled an extensive list of free splash pads, wade pools, and spray poles across the St. Louis area. From simple spray poles to elaborate splash pads with multiple water features, there's something for everyone to enjoy. Most locations are conveniently situated within local parks and playgrounds.
📚 New Event Space Unveiled at County Library
The St. Louis County Library celebrated the opening of its new 8,100 sq ft Post Event Space on Saturday. The space, which can seat 800 people, is part of the new $31.8M Clark Family branch. The event kicked off with a sold-out appearance by musician-turned-author Darius Rucker. The library has spent $190M over the past decade renovating and replacing 18 branches.
BUSINESS
🛩️ Luxury Hangar Takes Flight at Spirit Airport
Two father-son duos are set to break ground on a new $10 million luxury hangar complex at the Spirit of St. Louis Airport in Chesterfield this Friday. The 100,000 sq ft Spirit Sky Club will feature 28 customizable units to house 50 planes and provide a gathering space for local aviators. The project, backed entirely by local St. Louisans and pilots, aims to address the hangar shortage and foster an aviation community in the region.
🍕 Napoli Bros. Pizza & Pasta Opens in Chesterfield
Napoli Bros. Pizza and Pasta has opened at The District in Chesterfield. The restaurant features a coal-fired pizza oven, the first of its kind in the region. It offers a casual atmosphere with affordable New Haven-style Neapolitan pizzas, pastas, salads, and more. Read STL Mag’s full profile on the new restaurant here.
🧪 Bayer Trims Local Jobs Amid Restructuring
Bayer, the German company that acquired Monsanto, has made staffing cuts in our area as part of a global restructuring effort. The company aims to reduce bureaucracy, debt, and address ongoing Roundup litigation through its new "dynamic shared ownership" model.
🏌️ Vantage Drives Support for Young Survivors
Vantage Credit Union employees recently volunteered at the 26th Annual Golf Tournament benefiting Friends of Kids With Cancer. This organization is dedicated to improving the lives of children currently undergoing cancer treatment and those who have survived the disease. The tournament aimed to raise funds and awareness for this important cause.
Source: Vantage CU
SCHOOL DISTRICT UPDATES
Rockwood
🗳️ Board Unanimously Appoints New Member
The Rockwood Board of Education unanimously appointed Dr. Mara Vorachek-Warren as a new board member in a special meeting on May 30. Dr. Vorachek-Warren, a longtime educator and dean at St. Charles Community College, will fill the seat vacated by Director Jessica Clark until the next annual school election in April 2025. The Board interviewed 10 candidates in an open session, ensuring a transparent selection process.
CITY HIGHLIGHTS
Ballwin
🏓 Ballwin Answers Call for More Pickleball Courts
Ballwin Parks and Recreation is responding to community demand by constructing additional pickleball courts at Holloway Park. The project, set to begin in the next 1-2 weeks, will result in a total of eight lighted, outdoor pickleball courts for Ballwin residents to enjoy. While this means the end of tennis at Holloway Park, tennis enthusiasts can look forward to the reopening of the recently repaired Vlasis Park Tennis Courts within the next week.
🚨 Ex-Ballwin Police Chief Misused Database
The St. Louis Post Dispatch has published a report stating former Ballwin Police Chief Doug Schaeffler was fired in December after an investigation found he misused the REJIS criminal database. According to an internal police report obtained by the Post Dispatch, Schaeffler ran over 1,000 names through REJIS in the past 4 years, many of which were deemed "very questionable" by other officers. The searched names included Ballwin residents, employees of local businesses, and people who complained about the city.
Chesterfield
🎲 Roll the Dice at Chesterfield's Bunco Days
The Chesterfield Parks, Recreation & Arts Department is inviting the community to participate in an exciting Bunco event this Tuesday at the Chesterfield Community Center from 1-2:30pm. Players of all skill levels are welcome to join the friendly competition. Pre-registration is required and can be done by emailing [email protected] or visiting the event website here.
Creve Coeur
🏒 Creve Coeur Ice Arena is Reopen
The Creve Coeur Ice Arena reopened on yesterday after a month-long closure for refrigeration system upgrades. While the entire project won't be completed until fall, a temporary chiller has been installed to allow skaters back on the ice sooner.
🍡 Pop Into Millenium Park for Cool Cop Chat
The Creve Coeur PD announced it’s inviting residents to Popsicles with the Police on June 14 from 11am-2pm at the newly renovated Millenium Park. This fun community event offers a chance to enjoy refreshing popsicles while meeting and interacting with local police officers in a relaxed setting.
Source: Creve Coeur PD
Des Peres
🏕️ Des Peres Park Campout: Family Fun June 22-23
The city of Des Peres announced it will be hosting its annual Campout at the Des Peres Park Pavilion on June 22-23. The event features a bonfire, s'mores, stargazing, family programming, and a continental breakfast. Participants are required to bring their own camping gear. Learn more / register here.
Ellisville
🚫 Kids Play Cancelled Monday Due to Maintenance
Ellisville Parks and Recreation has announced that Kids Play at The Edge Aquatic Center will not take place today due to scheduled maintenance. Kids Play normally occurs on Mondays and Thursdays from 10am to 11:15am.
Manchester
🎥 "Join or Die" Doc Screening This Thursday
The city of Manchester's rescheduled showing of the Join or Die documentary is happening this Thursday at 5:30pm. Head to the Manchester Justice Center to catch this exciting event that was previously postponed due to weather. Learn more here.
Source: City of Manchester
🗳️ Manchester Redraws Ward Lines After 2020 Census
The city of Manchester has redrawn its ward boundaries following the 2020 census. The Board of Aldermen voted to adopt a revised ward map on May 20, with the main change being the shift of Stonegate Apartments from Ward 2 to Ward 1 to balance population distribution. The new ward lines ensure roughly equal representation among the three wards and will not affect the results of the most recent election.
Town & Country
🚔 T&C Police Welcome Officer Rystrom to the Force
The Town & Country Police Department recently welcomed Officer Doug Rystrom to their team. Officer Rystrom brings an impressive 20 years of police work experience to his new role at the T&C Police Department.
Twin Oaks
🎸 Twin Oaks to Kick Off Summer Concert Series
The Twin Oaks Park Committee announced the start of their Summer Concert Series this coming Saturday. The event will feature the band Jukebox Heroes, who will be performing at the Twin Oaks Park Pavilion starting at 7:00pm. Attendees are encouraged to bring their favorite snacks and beverages to enjoy during the evening of great music and fun. More event details here.
Wildwood
📉 Wildwood Reduces Deer Density in Targeted Area
The city of Wildwood has successfully completed its first year of deer management, achieving the goal of culling 300 deer in the NE1 area, which had the highest deer population density. This marks the beginning of a multi-year program aimed at reducing the deer population from 73 to 40 deer per square mile. The city is now seeking feedback from residents to plan future management efforts. Residents can submit feedback here.
🌳 Vegetation Control Underway in West Wildwood
Ameren Missouri has started a several-week project to mow vegetation along high-transmission power line right-of-ways in western Wildwood. The work, which began near Tavern Creek and Bouquet Road, will proceed east to Melrose Road and Ossenfort Road. Ameren says this vegetation control is necessary to maintain a reliable power grid in the area.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Discover more events on our event calendar: westcounty.events. Also….don’t see an event you know of? Let me know by replying to this email!
Tuesday: Chesterfield Chamber Summer Concert @ Faust Park @ 7pm. Info here.
Wednesday:
Thursday: Ellisville Concert @ Bluebird Park @ 7pm. Info here.
Friday: Manchester Concert @ Schroeder Park @ 7pm. Info here.
Saturday - Sunday: Spirit of St. Louis Air Show & STEM Expo in Chesterfield. Info here.
Saturday:
Sunday: The Butterfly House’s Dads, Dogs, and Donuts Father’s Day event (10am-11:30am, 1pm-2:30pm). Info here.
Next Week
Tuesday June 11:
Thursday June 13:
THANKS!
Thanks for reading this edition of the ⚡️ West County Pulse newsletter. If you found something useful, please share it with a friend!
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