👋 Good Morning, West County!

In today’s ⚡️West County Pulse newsletter:

🌪️ $10M of Damage at Creve Coeur’s Soccer Complex
📱 Driving Citations Surge
🌮 New Peruvian-Mexican Cuisine Coming to Ballwin

Let’s jump into today’s newsletter!

— Jared Michel

General News

🌪️ Soccer Complex Faces $10M in Repairs

Last weekend’s tornado that tore through Creve Coeur Soccer Complex left a path of destruction that could cost up to $10 million to repair. Operations manager Mike Hayes discovered his office chair two fields away and personal photos scattered among the rubble. Local teams are now searching for alternative venues as they attempt to salvage their spring season.

🦅 Sanctuary's Famous Eagle Dad Gone at 33

A remarkable local bird has passed away. Murphy, the 33-year-old bald eagle at the World Bird Sanctuary who became known for incubating a rock before becoming a foster dad to eaglets, was found deceased in his aviary following recent storms. His parenting journey touched thousands of visitors who watched him raise two orphaned eaglets.

📱 300+ Citations for Phone Use While Driving

Missouri State Highway Patrol has issued over 300 tickets since January 1st when enforcement of the Siddens-Bening Hands-Free law became mandatory. St. Louis area's Troop C leads with 100+ tickets, while Kansas City and Springfield troops have issued 67 each. The law prohibits phone use while driving, with fines starting at $150 and increasing penalties for repeat offenses.

🏞️ Parks Dept Highlights Laumeier History

This week St. Louis County Parks and Recreation shared the historical origins of Laumeier Sculpture Park. The park began with a generous donation of a 72-acre estate by a local resident after her husband's death. In 1976, artist Ernest Trova contributed 40 artworks valued at $1 million, establishing the cultural space that today operates as a partnership between the county and a nonprofit organization.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scottish Games Returning to Manchester

The St. Louis Scottish Games will once again be held at Schroeder Park in Manchester on this year on Saturday, May 17th. This annual cultural festival showcases Highland competitions, Celtic music, traditional food, and clan gatherings. Early ticket purchases receive a $5 discount with code GAMES25 through May 2 on the event's website here.

🚧 Chesterfield Exit Closes Sunday Night

MoDOT will temporarily close the eastbound I-64 ramp to Chesterfield Airport Road overnight on Monday. The closure begins at 8pm Monday night and and will end at 5am on Tuesday.

Business

🌮 New Peruvian-Mexican Restaurant Coming to Ballwin

A vacant building on Manchester Road will soon have new life. Earlier this month, Ballwin's Board of Aldermen unanimously approved Inca Maya Restaurant to begin operations at the former Local Chef Kitchen site. The Peruvian-Mexican restaurant received special use exceptions for outdoor seating, alcohol sales, live music, and front yard parking.

🔧 Bowling Center Repairs Continue

Repair work at West County Lanes is moving forward with the completion of phase one. Construction teams have erected support towers and begun installing specialized steel "shoes" to create secure connections with the wooden beams. Currently, two brackets are in place with thirteen remaining, as contractors work toward a projected completion timeframe of 2-3 months.

⚾ The Hub STL Hosting Cardinals Opening Day Watch Event

The Hub STL is hosting an Opening Day Watch Party for the Cardinals' first game this coming Thursday (March 27th). The event starts before the 3:15pm game time and will feature the broadcast on big screens.

💼 Creve Coeur's Benson Hill Faces Change

Creve Coeur-based company Benson Hill announced Thursday it's seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The food tech business, which focuses on soybean innovation, plans to sell all or part of its assets while maintaining support for existing partners.

🐾 Pet Adoption Fair This Sunday

The Hub STL is hosting an adoption event featuring animals from multiple local shelters. This Sunday (March 23rd) from 2-4pm, residents can attend the free fair to meet pets looking for permanent homes. Visitors will also learn about various ways to support animal rescue organizations in the greater St. Louis area.

Ballwin

🎾 Ballwin Courts Getting Repairs

New Ballwin Park's tennis courts are finally receiving much-needed maintenance after 11 years. The $34,860 project will address cracked surfaces, replace leaning net posts, and add pickleball lines to the west court. The basketball courts will be relocated, and the pickleball courts will be repositioned to reduce sun glare issues that players have frequently reported.

🌩️ Ballwin Storm Cleanup Begins Monday

As a reminder, Ballwin is launching city-wide storm damage collection next week. Starting Monday (March 24th), Public Works crews will collect unbundled tree limbs under 12 inches in diameter placed at curbside. Residents must have all storm debris ready for pickup by Monday morning. The collection process may take several days as crews make a single pass through each ward.

Des Peres

🌳 Bradford Removal Continues in Des Peres

Des Peres is steadily reclaiming its landscape from non-native invaders. The city's ongoing Bradford Pear removal project, which began last year, will continue throughout 2025 with more trees scheduled for replacement. Homeowners across our entire area wanting to join the effort can still take advantage of the Missouri Department of Conservation's buyback program.

Ellisville

🏛️ Ellisville Cuts Ribbon on New City Hall

The official ribbon cutting marked the grand opening of Ellisville's new Government Center this week.

Eureka

🔥 Pet Crematorium Faces City Scrutiny

Black smoke from Trusted Journey Pet Memorial Services has become a serious concern for Eureka officials. The city recently held a public hearing where neighboring businesses described "unbearable" smoke regularly emitted from the pet crematorium. Management attributed problems to equipment issues and inadequate training, promising to install new monitoring devices or risk losing their business license.

💧 New Pipeline Serving Most of Eureka

Missouri American Water has completed a new 6-mile pipeline now serving 80% of customers in the area. The transition brings changes to water treatment methods, switching from free chlorine to chloramines to meet federal regulations. Remaining residents in the Viola and Arbors neighborhoods will join the pipeline during phase 3 which is currently underway.

Upcoming Events

THANKS!

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