👋 Good Morning, West County!

In today’s ⚡️West County Pulse newsletter:

🎪 Faust Parks's Circus History
❄️ Winter Warriors
🐎 A Therapy Grant

Let’s jump into today’s newsletter!

— Jared Michel

Top Stories

🗺️ County Parks Reveals Circus History

The St. Louis County Parks and Recreation this week shared fascinating historical photos revealing Faust Park's role in circus history. The post highlighted how in 1987, Circus Flora began its journey there with Flora, a rescued Zimbabwe elephant. The Parks Department's throwback photos showcase the iconic red tent's first St. Louis home.

❄️ How StL County Keeps Winter Roads Safe

St. Louis County's winter road safety involves more planning than most residents might realize. Operating from five transportation centers, teams use a coordinated system of salt domes, plows, and two-way radios to keep roads clear. When drivers report "running water," it means salt treatments are successfully preventing ice formation. Learn more about how operations work in KSDK’s news article here.

🎧 New Podcast on County Housing Issues

This week's Arch City Report podcast examines a proposed solution for St. Louis County's vacant properties. Saint Louis University demographer Ness Sandoval discusses the potential creation of a land bank program.

🏀 Cops to Face Off in Friendly Court Battle

The St. Louis City and County police departments are hosting their annual community basketball game at Lutheran North High School. The 4th annual "Ballin' in the Lou" event will welcome families for a day of free activities on March 8th. The event will include complimentary food, prizes, and family-friendly activities starting at 11:30am.

Business

🐎 Local Horse Therapy Gets KFC Grant

Equine-Assisted Therapy in Wildwood recently received a $10,000 grant from the KFC Foundation. The nonprofit organization offers free therapy services using horses to help veterans, first responders, and foster children. The grant will enable them to purchase two new therapy horses to expand their services.

🍝 New Chef Joins Katie's Pizza Team

Katie's Pizza + Pasta has strengthened its kitchen leadership by hiring a former chef de cuisine from San Francisco's Michelin-recognized Flour + Water restaurant. The new addition joins the local restaurant group's existing culinary team and has already introduced specialty sandwiches and wood-fired fish dishes to the menu.

🐾 Free Pup Cups at Local Scooter's

Scooter's Coffee locations across the area are participating in a special one-day event for pets. Today (February 15th), customers can get a free Pup Cup featuring whipped cream and a heart-shaped dog treat when they visit any local Scooter's Coffee location with their four-legged companion.

📚 School Supply Drive Fills 4 Pallets

Local students will receive essential school supplies through a successful community initiative at Dierbergs. The store's partnership with KidSmart resulted in almost four pallets of educational materials being collected. Dierbergs enhanced the drive's impact by matching donations during their MLK Day campaign.

School District Highlights

🏗️ Parkway Updates Schools District-Wide

Parkway's $265 million renovation project is actively updating facilities across the district. The improvements include new classroom additions at River Bend Elementary and pool renovations at all four high schools, with North High's pool scheduled for completion this month. Additional projects will continue through 2028.

🏆 Rockwood Athletes Sign College Commitments

Twenty-nine student-athletes from Rockwood high schools recently signed their college commitments during winter ceremonies. The students will attend 24 different colleges and universities, bringing Rockwood's total athletic commitments to 75 this school year.

🏫 Rockwood Plans Future With Community Input

The final piece of Rockwood's five-year planning process brought community members to Marquette High this week. During the February 11th meeting, participants learned about the district's current safety protocols and multi-tiered support systems. Their feedback will help shape Rockwood's approach to student safety and care through 2030.

Ballwin

🏕️ Ballwin Summer Camp Sign-Ups Begin

Ballwin Parks and Recreation is preparing for their summer camp season. The department has already begun resident registration and will open spots for non-resident families starting today (February 15th). Multiple camp programs are available for children to participate in throughout the summer. Learn more / register here.

Upcoming Events

THANKS!

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