👋 Good Morning, West County!

In today’s ⚡️West County Pulse newsletter:

🔄 Purple Recycling Bins Arrive
🏛️ A Potential County Charter Change
🏢 Graybar Moves to Chesterfield

Let’s jump into today’s newsletter!

— Jared Michel

Top Stories

🌎 New Glass Recycling Comes to STL

Seven distinctive purple recycling bins have appeared across the St. Louis region, offering a dedicated solution for glass recycling. Ripple Glass collected 140,000 pounds of glass in its first year of operation, and the company plans to add more bins throughout the area. The bin nearest to most of us is in Eureka. Check out the company’s website here.

🗳️ Council Seeks Power to Remove Leaders

The St. Louis County Council is considering a significant change to local government structure. A new proposal would allow council members to remove department heads and potentially the county executive from their positions. However, the measure needs voter approval on April 8 to modify the current county charter rules.

👮 Spring Police Academy Starts March 5

The West County Citizens Police Academy is accepting applications for its spring session beginning March 5th. Eight local police departments are collaborating to offer this nine-week program, where participants will learn about criminal investigations, traffic enforcement, and constitutional law. The program includes hands-on training at the firing range and role-play scenarios.

🚨 County Expands Mental Health Response Team

A significant expansion of mental health crisis services is underway in St. Louis County. The county police department received $1.5 million in state funding to add six more behavioral health liaisons, bringing the total to ten specialists. These professionals work alongside officers to provide follow-up care and connect residents with medical services.

Business

🏢 Graybar Moving to Chesterfield

Electrical distribution company Graybar has signed leases for two buildings in Chesterfield's Timberlake Corporate Center. The Fortune 500 company will relocate 700 employees from their Maryland Heights office to the former Centene space, while maintaining their Clayton headquarters. The move fills a significant portion of vacant office space within West County.

🍺 Eureka Brewery Closes Its Doors

Freestyle Brewing Co. in Eureka's Hilltop Village Center has closed its doors. The establishment, which transformed from Melvin Brewing in 2023 after a corporate acquisition, cited mounting operational costs as the reason for closure. The shutdown reflects broader challenges in the craft beer industry.

🏕️ Y's Summer Camp Offers Early Bird Savings

The YMCA is accepting registrations for its 2025 summer day camp program. The Traditional Camp program will offer daily activities and social opportunities for local children throughout the summer months. Families who register before January 31 can receive a 10% discount on program fees.

School District Highlights

🏫 Parkway Thanks Facilities Teams

At the end of last week Parkway SD issued a special thank you to their facilities and maintenance teams. The district recognized the crews for clearing snow and ice at 30 schools during recent winter weather.

🌟 Rockwood Applauds Storm Response Team

Joining Parkway in winter weather response, Rockwood SD also acknowledged their maintenance teams. The district highlighted their facilities, grounds, and custodial crews for tackling ice and snow removal at school properties. These staff members worked through the weekend to prepare schools for reopening.

Creve Coeur

❄️ Drone's Eye View: Snow Blankets Creve Coeur

Sergeant Wiginton of the Creve Coeur Police Department used a police drone last week to photograph the snow-covered cityscape. Check out the photos here.

Ellisville

🏛️ Ellisville Opens New Government Center

Ellisville's newest municipal building is ready for business. The Government Center at 1 Weis Ave will host its first City Council meeting tomorrow, January 15th, at 7pm, introducing residents to the new facility. Then, the city plans to celebrate the opening with a community event and ribbon cutting ceremony in March.

Eureka

🕰️ Photo Shows 1980s Hilltop Stores

The Eureka Historical Society recently shared an image showing how Hilltop Village Center looked when it first opened. The photo captures several businesses that once operated at the location, including Ponderosa Steakhouse, Rax Beef, and Eureka Bank. Today, these spaces house Popeyes, Miller Stilwell Law Firm, and other businesses:

Manchester

👋 Meet With Mayor Mike Wednesday

Manchester residents can meet with Mayor Mike Clement at the Justice Center for a community discussion. The meeting tomorrow (January 15th) will begin at 7:30am, giving citizens a chance to ask questions and learn about current city projects. These regular sessions help keep residents informed about Manchester's developments.

Wildwood

🌳 Wildwood's 30th Year Brings New Events

Wildwood's 30th anniversary celebration is underway throughout 2025. The city recently unveiled its commemorative logo (below), created by Michael Burgess from local business Capture Technologies. The anniversary celebration features the city’s 30-By-30 Challenge, which encourages residents to visit various locations including parks, restaurants, and community spots across Wildwood. Learn more here.

Upcoming Events

Will return for 2025 soonish 🥳 

THANKS!

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