👋 Good Morning, West County!

In today’s ⚡️West County Pulse newsletter:

🚛 Burning Truck on I-64
👮 A Retail Theft Bust
🍔 Local Beef at the West County Mall

Let’s jump into today’s newsletter!

— Jared Michel

Top Stories

🔥 Burning Truck Stops I-64 Traffic Flow

A tractor-trailer fire disrupted Friday afternoon traffic on Interstate 64 in Chesterfield near the I-270 interchange. The refrigerated truck, which was carrying onions, caught fire around noon. Emergency responders closed both directions of the highway while addressing the situation.

🏪 Retail Theft Ring Caught in West County

Local stores can breathe easier after police arrested three suspects in connection with multiple retail thefts. Investigators say the group targeted Market by Macy's in Chesterfield along with several other area stores, stealing fragrances, clothing, and accessories in a series of incidents.

🎖️ County Names Special Day for Wesley Bell

Last week St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page officially proclaimed December 6th as Wesley Bell Day. The recognition honors Bell's service as the county's first African American prosecutor since 2019 and acknowledges his work implementing alternative programs for non-violent offenders before his upcoming transition to Congress.

🏛️ Nominee Begins Prosecutor Office Transition

Former federal prosecutor Cort VanOstran isn't waiting for legal questions to resolve before preparing for his potential role. Already meeting with current prosecutor Wesley Bell and his team, VanOstran plans to preserve successful programs while ensuring front-line attorneys have clear communication channels and autonomy in their work.

Business

🍔 Fresh Local Beef Comes to Mall

A St. Louis area cattle company is bringing local food directly to shoppers. Pierce Creek Cattle Company's new food truck at the West County Center's food court offers freshly prepared meals using locally raised beef. The temporary location will serve smash burgers and tallow fries made with regional ingredients until December 22nd.

🍔 Slider Restaurant Coming to Ellisville

A new burger restaurant chain is expanding into West County. Smalls Sliders has selected the former Burger King location on Manchester Road in Ellisville for one of its first Missouri restaurants. The chain, known for its bright orange shipping container buildings, serves a streamlined menu of cheeseburger sliders, milkshakes, and waffle fries.

✏️ KidSmart Helps 500 Teachers Stock Up

KidSmart and Ameren Missouri launched their annual supply distribution program last week. Five hundred teachers visited the facility to receive free classroom materials, marking the start of a week-long initiative to distribute $1 million in educational supplies. Students from the community welcomed teachers with candy canes and personal notes.

School District Highlights

🎓 Rockwood Honors 110+ Recipients

Rockwood recognized outstanding achievements at its annual Board of Education Awards ceremony last week. Over 110 students and staff members from elementary, middle, and high schools received honors at Eureka High School. The awards celebrated recipients who demonstrated exceptional performance in their schools.

🗳️ Parkway Board Filing Opens Dec 10

Parkway is preparing for upcoming Board of Education changes. Two positions will be available for three-year terms starting April 2025, replacing directors Robert Riti and Jeffrey Spector. Candidate filing opens tomorrow (December 10th) at the St. Louis County Board of Elections office and continues through December 31.

Ballwin

🗳️ Ballwin Opens Election Filing Period

Beginning tomorrow (December 10th), the Ballwin Government Center will accept candidacy declarations for mayor and aldermen positions through December 31st. Candidates must file in person at the Government Center during regular business hours, except for holiday closures.

📮 Write to Santa by December 16

Families have until December 16th to submit their letters to Santa. Letters can be dropped off at The Pointe or mailed to the Parks Department. For a response from Santa, include your child's full name and a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Chesterfield

🏗️ Major Downtown Project Gets Green Light

Chesterfield's city council has approved the development plans for its new downtown district. The project includes high-rise offices, hotels, retail spaces, and a 3.3-acre central park. Although, developers must still finalize designs for a 20-foot-wide grand staircase before receiving final building permits.

Creve Coeur

📊 Creve Coeur Survey Shows Strong Results

Creve Coeur's latest community survey highlights residents' strong connection to their city. The comprehensive study found that 97% of respondents praise the city's schools and consider it an excellent place to raise children. While most services received positive feedback, the survey identified property crime as a primary concern.

Eureka

🏆 Eureka Fire Chief Wins Regional Honor

Eureka Fire Protection District Chief Greg Brown has received the East-West Gateway's Lifetime Achievement Award in Public Service. Starting as a junior firefighter at age 16, Brown spent over 40 years serving the community. He led initiatives including a cancer support program for firefighters and will retire at the end of this year.

Manchester

📚 Manchester's Past Comes Alive for $10

A detailed historical account of Manchester and surrounding areas is now available at City Hall. The Moving Forces in the History of Old Bon Homme documents over 220 years of local development through photographs and stories. The book, written by R. Miriam Andre and illustrated by C.E. Biggs is just $10.

📬 Santa Letters Due December 18

Manchester Parks and Recreation has launched its annual Santa letter program. Young residents can mail their Christmas wishes to the department before December 18th, and Santa will write back to every child who includes a self-addressed stamped envelope with their letter.

Wildwood

🏛️ Wildwood Council Seats Up for Grabs

Candidate filing for the Wildwood City Council opens tomorrow (December 10th). Residents seeking election to the council in April 2025 must submit a nominating petition with 25 valid signatures from ward residents, complete a declaration of candidacy form, and pay a $10 filing fee at City Hall.

THANKS!

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