Kirkwood Weekly Happenings
City of Kirkwood
March 28, 2013
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| Greetings! |
 PHOTO OF THE WEEK:
Kirkwood's Emmenegger Nature Park, after Sunday's snowfall. Photo by Pete Laufersweiler, Kirkwood's Horticulturist. See below (in the mini blog) for additional photos, taken by Kirkwood residents!
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DOWNED TREES SLOW PLOWING EFFORTS
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Kirkwood's Snow Plowing Crews were hampered in their efforts on Sunday and  Monday by a total of 12 downed trees in the City. This one, on Greening, along with the 11 others, had to be cleared before the streets could be plowed. ORDER OF PLOWING. Just a reminder: We focus first on the main roads (e.g., Kirkwood, Geyer, Essex, Woodlawn, Woodbine, Couch) so that emergency vehicles can get through. During this first stage, we also work on hills and bridges. Then we work to get to the secondary streets (e.g., Taylor, Fillmore, Dickson, Quan, Rose Hill, Clay, Lindeman, Harrison, Peeke, Ann), and finally to the subdivision streets. Whenever possible, we pre-treat (or pre-salt), but this week, because the snow was preceded by rain, that was not possible (the rain just washes away the salt). |
NEWS FROM MODOT
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MoDOT WILL CLOSE I-64 THIS WEEKEND IN THE CITY - AROUND FOREST PARK:
The Missouri Department of Transportation and its contractor, Fred Weber Inc., will close all lanes and ramps of Interstate 64 in both directions downtown between Hampton and Forest Park Parkway at 8 p.m. Friday, March 29. The closure is weather permitting.
While the interstate is closed, crews will relocate several utilities under the roadway, as part of a project to construct a new interchange at Tower Grove and Boyle and replace four bridges over the interstate. The ramps from McCausland/Skinker, Hampton and Kingshighway to eastbound I-64 will be closed during this time. In addition, the ramps from Pine, Jefferson, Market and Grand to westbound I-64 will be closed during this time. Crews will reopen the interstate and all ramps by 3 a.m. Monday, April 1.
The detour for westbound I-64 will be to get off the interstate at the Forest Park Avenue exit (exit 38A) and follow Forest Park Avenue to Kingshighway. After turning left onto Kingshighway, drivers will follow Kingshighway back to the interstate. The detour for eastbound I-64 will be to get off the interstate at the Hampton Avenue exit (exit 34B), turn right on Hampton and follow it to eastbound Interstate 44. Drivers can then take I-44 to the Poplar Street Bridge. Detour maps are available here. Washington University in St. Louis and BJC HealthCare have partnered with the department on the project. Construction is expected to continue until July 2014.
BLASTING DURING CLOSURE: MoDOT will have several early morning blasts on Saturday as part of this weekend's closure of Interstate 64 for utility work. Crews will be constructing a trench to carry utilities under the interstate. Since that trench will be going through bedrock, workers will need to blast as part of construction. The blasting is currently scheduled between 7:00 and 8:00 a.m., Saturday, March 30.
MISSOURI LAUNCHES ENHANCED POTHOLE PATROL The Missouri Department of Transportation will kick off an enhanced pothole repair initiative next week. Maintenance crews will commit to repairing a pothole with asphalt within 24 hours of it being reported on weekdays. MoDOT's goal is to aggressively tackle potholes to keep highways smooth and safe for St. Louis motorists. When a pothole is reported to MoDOT, it will be filled within 24 hours on a weekday. Crews aim to tackle potholes early and get the asphalt mix filled in the hole while it is still small, benefiting both the department and motorists. MoDOT urges motorists to report potholes by calling 1-888 ASK MoDOT. |
BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS!!
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ANNUAL BOOK FAIR RETURNS APRIL 24-28
The Friends of the Kirkwood Public Library will hold its annual Book Fair April 24 to 28. They will once again offer fiction and nonfiction books, CDs, DVDs, and audio books at bargain prices in a wide variety of categories. All proceeds benefit the Kirkwood Public Library. Cash or checks will be accepted, but no credit or debit cards.
New Location: The Book Fair will be held at 12145 Manchester Road in Des Peres, which is the former Michael's store, in the Olympic Oaks Shopping Center, on the following dates:
~ Wednesday, April 24, 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. ($5 entry fee this day only)
~ Thursday, April 25, 9 a.m. to 8: p.m.
~ Friday, April 26, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
~ Saturday, April 27, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
~ Sunday, April 28, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Sunday, you can buy a bag of books - all you can fit into a provided bag - for just $5.
Special thanks to A-Mrazek Moving Systems who provided storage and transportation services for this sale. For further information, call 314-821-5770, x1023.
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| FROM THE KIRKWOOD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | |
GRAND MARKETPLACE EXPO NEXT TUESDAY, APRIL 2
The Kirkwood-Des Peres Area Chamber of Commerce will host its 25th annual Expo next Tuesday, April 2, from 4:00 to 7:30 p.m., at the Holiday Inn on the corner of Lindbergh and Watson (parking and entrance on the north side). The Expo features exhibits from more than 80 companies and organizations, including home and garden ideas, senior lifestyle information, health screenings, and more. Sample free food from local restaurants, and play the "Premier Prize Wheel" for great prizes. It's all FREE.
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FROM SAINT LOUIS COUNTY
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NEXT WEEK'S OUTDOOR WARNING SIRENS WILL BE DIFFERENT
Saint Louis County installed two new outdoor warning sirens last week, bringing the total to 199 sirens in the network. One of the new sirens was installed in Kirkwood, at Fire Station #2 on Big Bend. The other was installed in Bridgeton. The two new units will be tested along with all other sirens during the scheduled monthly test at 11:00 a.m., on April 1 (weather permitting). The County has also made a change to the monthly siren test. The duration of the monthly outdoor warning siren tests will be reduced from three minutes to one minute, effective April 1. Improvements in the technology and design of the siren network allow for the reduction in testing time without impact to operational readiness.
Please Note: Although the sirens will only sound for one minute during the monthly tests, during an actual tornado, the warning will still be signaled by activating the sirens for the full three minutes.
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THIS WEEK'S SPRING NATURE HIKE (RAIN OR SHINE!)
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Saturday March 30, 10:00 a.m. Geology Hike. Meramec Highlands Quarry at Dee Koestering Park, 1703 Marshall Road. Spend an hour or more learning about the local geology of Missouri at Meramec Highlands Quarry at Dee Koestering Park. The historic Quarry is listed in the National Register of Historic Places for its geological discoveries. Many of the large quarry stones and spoils are still on site and provide a view of the unique geology and fossils of the area. An experienced geologist will guide us. Bring weather-appropriate gear, a magnifying glass, and a notebook, if desired. Meet in the Parking Lot.
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ART AT THE STATION
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CURRENTLY AT THE STATION: The work of cartoonist Phil Berwick will be on display through April 1.
IN APRIL AT THE STATION: Kirkwood High School's Advanced Placement Art Students will display their work in April. Please join us Thursday, April 4, from 5:30-7:00 p.m., for the opening reception to introduce the students. Their multi-media exhibit will run through April 29.
IN MAY AT THE STATION: Our May exhibit will feature transportation photography by local artists. If you have work you would like to submit for consideration please contact Linda Epp 821-2250 or lindaepp@peoplepc.com.
The Kirkwood Train Station is located at 110 W. Argonne at the corner of Kirkwood Road in Downtown Kirkwood. Art may be viewed when the station is open for passengers.
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FREE ELECTRONICS RECYCLING DRIVE
|  Celebrate Earth Day by recycling those old toasters and VHS recorders! This FREE electronics recycling drive is hosted by Kirkwood Sanitation at the Public Works Building, 345 S. Fillmore, on Saturday, April 20, 2013, 8:00 a.m., until noon. The drop-off will be in the front parking lot area. The event is co-sponsored by RNA WORLDWIDE. They will accept the following equipment: Computers, network, medical/lab, telecommunications, audio-visual, electronic-operated, battery-operated, and accessories. They will also accept: LCD displays (no fee), LCD display-laptops, hard drives, disk drives, zip drives, CD drives, CDRW and DVD Drives, Scanners, Printers, speakers, battery back-ups, adding & answering machines, phones (Cell, Cord, Cordless), pagers, pocket PCs, cartridges, PC and digital cameras, batteries, power cords, cables and wire, appliances, and all scrap metal. For additional information, contact RNA at 314-338-6048 or visit their Website at www.rnaworld.com. |
AT ST LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE - MERAMEC
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INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL AND BANQUET
You are invited to participate in the Meramec International Festival. Feel free to wear ethnic clothing, celebrating your native land. Sponsored by Meramec's International Club and Campus Life. Details:
~ Saturday, April 6. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. Buffet served at 6:30 p.m.
~ Student Center Commons on the STLCC-Meramec campus
~ Featuring an International Variety Show and entertainment by Fanfare.
~ Cost: $5 for STLCC students and staff, $10 for general public, $5 for children 4 to 12.
Tickets must be purchased by April 1. For tickets, call 314-984-7741.
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KIRKWOOD PUBLIC LIBRARY HAPPENINGS IN MARCH
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STORY TIMES:
~ Weekly Story Times. Stories, songs and crafts, 10:00 a.m., Tuesdays and Wednesdays
~ Books for Babies. For babies up to 24 months & their caregivers. Stories, songs and fingerplays. Thursdays, 9:30 a.m.
~ First Steps Story Times. Stories, songs and crafts for young 2s. Thursdays, 10:00 a.m.
The Library will be CLOSED on Sunday, March 31, for Easter.
Kirkwood Public Library is located at 140 E. Jefferson in Downtown Kirkwood. For more information or to register for an event or program, please call 314-921-5770.
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FROM OAK BEND LIBRARY
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FOR TEENS: ~ Friday, March 29, 6:00 p.m. Laser Tag @ Your Library. Don't miss your chance to team up with other teens and play laser tag among the library stacks. Space is limited, so reserve your spot soon. Grades 6-12. Registration required.FOR FAMILIES:~ Thursday, March 28, 6:00 p.m. Tech Talks: Language and Multicultural Databases. Join us on the last Thursday of every month as we discuss and explore new and interesting topics in computers and technology. Adults. Registration requested. The library will be closed on Sunday, March 31, in observance of Easter.
Oak Bend Library is part of the St. Louis County Library system and is located at 842 S. Holmes Avenue. For more information or to register for a program, call 314-994-3300. Note: The City provides the Oak Bend Library listings in Friday Happenings for the benefit of Kirkwood residents who live near Oak Bend Library. Not all Kirkwood residents live within the Kirkwood Public Library (KPL) District. However, ALL Kirkwood residents are encouraged to obtain a FREE Kirkwood library card, check out materials from KPL, and attend KPL programs and events.
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FROM THE EDITOR: The Mini Blog
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WELCOME TO SPRING, Part Two?
Just what we needed - a beautiful SPRING SNOW. Turns out it was a recordbreaker in several ways: Seventh heaviest snow ever in St. Louis. Heaviest snow ever in March in St. Louis. Heaviest snow since the
 | | Photo taken in Emmenegger Nature Park by Gwyn Wahlmann |
Blizzard of 1982. The good news is - we got some great photos out of it, including Pete Laufersweiler's (above) and these two from Kirkwood residents (plus a whole bunch by Bill Burckhalter and me that have been posted on the City's Facebook page).  | |
Photo by Ted Herschi
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And it doesn't look like Winter is done with us yet. I've heard predictions of snow for early next week. The good news (GREAT NEWS) is that the Kirkwood Farmers' Market opens NEXT FRIDAY, April 5!!! The weekend is supposed to be wet, but not too cold. Happy Easter! Stay warm, have a great weekend, and see you next Thursday! Beth von Behren
Happenings Editor/Public Information Officer
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City of Kirkwood
139 S. Kirkwood Road
Kirkwood, MO 63122
314-822-5894
www.kirkwoodmo.org
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