Kirkwood Weekly Happenings
City of Kirkwood
October 24, 2013
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| Greetings! |
HAPPY HALLOWEEN! The costumes worn during last week's Downtown Kirkwood Halloween Week displayed an unusual amount of creativity. Witnessed: A Boy in a Blue Bubble, Super Mario, an astronaut, a Dalmatian, Cookie Monster, Sgt. Pepper (all seemingly home-made), and this adorable little giraffe.
Here is what KMOV has to say about tonight's weather:
Trick Or Treat Weather: Near 60. A blustery evening and while rain is tapering off it may not end in time for your trick or treat plans. Stronger storms will have moved southeast of the St. Louis metro, but we will have some lingering showers and winds gusting 20-25 mph. For the metro, it may be a close call as rain is likely at 5pm, but the rain chance tapers off to 30% at 7pm and likely dry by 9pm. More likely dry west of the St. Louis metro, more likely in the rain for much of trick or treating east of the metro.
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SAFETY TIPS FOR HALLOWEEN
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SAFETY TIPS FOR TRICK-OR-TREATERS FROM THE KIRKWOOD POLICE:
For Kids:
*Cross only at corners. 
*Never cross between parked cars.
*Walk facing the oncoming traffic if there is no sidewalk.
*Always remove masks before crossing streets.
*Be aware of cars that may be turning into or backing out of driveways.
*Never go into a stranger's house.
For Parents:
*Know the route your children will be taking.
*Make sure children are accompanied by an adult.
*Know what other activities your child may be attending, such as parties.
*Set time limits on when your child should return home.
*Explain to your children the difference between tricks and vandalism.
*Instruct your children NOT to eat treats until they return home and you have had a chance to inspect those treats.
Costumes Should:
*Be made of flame retardant material.
*Be made of brightly colored material.
*Include a flashlight or reflective strips on the costume, so that children can be seen.
*Not include high heel shoes or long dangling pieces that a child may trip over.
Residents Should:
*Remove all obstacles from your lawns and steps to prevent children from
being injured.
*Have lights on, both inside and outside, of your house, to prevent vandalism and to prevent injuries to little ghosts and goblins.
Motorists Should:
*Drive cautiously on Halloween Evening
*Remember: Excited youngsters may forget some of these safety rules and dart out in front of your car
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THANK YOU
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BULLET-PROOF VEST COVERS PURCHASED THROUGH DONOR GENEROSITY!
 In September, a group of businesses and private individuals collectively purchased 20 vest covers for the Kirkwood Police Department. Some officers find the bullet-proof vests to be uncomfortable when worn under their uniform shirts. The vest covers, which are the same color as the shirts, allow these officers to wear their vests over their uniforms. If you look closely at the photograph, you can see how the officers pictured are wearing vests over their shirts rather than under. The generosity of our donors is greatly appreciated.
Pictured Left to Right, First Row: Lt. David DeGonia, Dave Endres, Dick Russell (Richards Roofing), Jim Suma (Suma Jewelers), Sgt. Steve Urbeck, Debbie Schmidt, Officer Drew Baker. Second Row: Officer Cliff Kierstead, Richard Ray (Richards Roofing), Walter Smith (Cornucopia), Dave Schmidt, Officer Jim Cox, Tom Endres (Tom's Service Center). Not pictured: Gig Gwin (Gwin's Travel). |
MODOT ANNOUNCES STATE-WIDE DRILL
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MoDOT WILL HOLD 2ND-ANNUAL STATE WIDE DRILL NOVEMBER 5
For the second year in a row, the Missouri Department of Transportation will test its readiness for the upcoming winter season with a statewide drill on Tuesday, November 5. The drill is one component of MoDOT's winter battle plan to make sure travelers can get back on Missouri roadways as quickly as possible after winter storms.
"Over 3,000 of MoDOT employees are involved in our winter operations, including every maintenance crew across the state," said State Maintenance Engineer Beth Wright. "The drill helps to make sure we all know our roles during a storm and we can do our jobs successfully."
During the drill, MoDOT employees will react to a simulated forecast of significant snow for the entire state. The department's emergency operations centers will activate and maintenance employees will be deployed to their trucks.
"One of the most valuable parts of the drill is to measure our snowplow circuit by driving every route we plow during a storm," said Wright. "This helps us anticipate our response times and reminds our operators of how long it takes to complete those circuits."
Motorists may notice increased numbers of MoDOT vehicles on state routes during the drill. In rural areas, crews will deploy after 8 a.m. In urban areas, the drill will not begin until after 9 a.m. Wright estimates that the exercise will take about six hours. The drill isn't the only element to MoDOT's winter weather operations. All maintenance employees complete an annual winter skills training that serves as a refresher course for plowing snow. The training assures that proper equipment operation, plowing techniques and safety measures are fresh on employees' minds as winter approaches. Every piece of equipment - every truck, motorgrader, snow blower, and tractor is inspected to ensure proper operation.
"Our ultimate goal is to handle the first snowfall like we've been plowing snow all year," said Wright. "Careful planning and preparation means our crews can mobilize when needed and our equipment will be ready."
The Missouri Department of Transportation annually spends about $42 million to keep roads clear in the winter and help ensure motorists get to their destinations safely and quickly. For information on road conditions across the state, safe traveling tips, and other winter weather information, visit www.modot.org.
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LETTERS FROM SANTA
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LETTERS FROM SANTA FROM KPL FRIENDS
Friends of the Kirkwood Public Library will again sponsor its "Letter from Santa" program  that raises money for the library, as well as helping Kris Kringle with his correspondence. The letters cost $7 each. The person ordering the letter answers a few basic questions about the intended recipient such as the child's favorite class in school and recent accomplishments. Santa then uses those answers to write a very personalized letter. Letters from Santa don't just go to children, however. College students, spouses, adult siblings, and seniors have all received letters, putting an extra smile on their faces during the holiday season.
Because this is all handled by mail, the requestor and the recipient can be anywhere. Every effort will be made to have the letter postmarked "North Pole," so the recipient knows it really came from Santa. The deadline for the North Pole postmark is December 2. Requests received after that date will have a local postmark. All requests must be received by December 16 to ensure delivery before Christmas.
NEW THIS YEAR: Letters from Santa can be ordered and paid for online. Go to kirkwoodpubliclibrary.org/santaletter. Forms can also be picked up at the library, 140 E. Jefferson. For further information, please call 314-821-5770, x1021, or email: KPLFriends@kirkwoodpubliclibrary.org. One of Santa's elves will respond as quick as a wink.
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SIGN UP FOR SKATING NOW!
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COME SKATE WITH US!
Public Skating Sessions: Held year-round. Call 822-5825 for session times or stop by the rink to pick up a monthly calendar. Admission Prices:
- Kirkwood resident adult or youth: $4.00
 - Kirkwood resident senior: $3.50
- Non-Resident adult or youth: $5.00
- Non-Resident Senior: $4.50
- Skate rental: $2.00
Learn to Skate: Kirkwood Ice Rink offers a range of lessons for ages 4 through adult, Monday through Saturday. Costs vary. Call now to register for the next session: 314-822-5255.
Let's Play Hockey! Basic and Power Hockey classes available, ages 6 to 15, 7 levels of basic and 2 levels of power skating for hockey. Call 822-5825 for details.
Andt there's more...
- Gateway Speedskating Club: For all ages. Practices held regularly on Wednesday nights and Thursday and Sunday afternoon. Visit GatewaySpeedSkating.org for more information.
- Kirkwood Youth Hockey Association: Ages 4-16. Learn to play through advanced levels. Visit KYHA.org for more information.
- Stick 'n Puck: Get on the ice with your own hockey stick and puck. HECC-approved helmet required (with cage if under 18). Fees: $5/residents, $6/nonresidents. Pick up a monthly calendar at the Rink for times.
- Freestyle: Freestyle sessions offer figure skaters a chance to work on jumps, spins, and more. Hourly admission fees are $5.00 for Kirkwood residents and $6.00 for nonresidents. Some sessions may be canceled; check monthly calendar for times.
The Kirkwood Ice Rink is located at 111 S. Geyer Road, in the Kirkwood Community Center. For more information or to register online, visit KirkwoodMO.org/Recreation.
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IT'S NEXT FRIDAY!!!
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GET AN EARLY, EASY START TO YOUR HOLIDAY SHOPPING:
VISIT THE HAPPY HOLIDAYS BOUTIQUE NEXT FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8
The third annual Happy Holidays Boutique, sponsored by the Kirkwood Des Peres Chamber of Commerce will be held on Friday, November 8, from 10:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.  at the Holiday Inn SW-Route 66, 10709 Watson Road, corner of Lindbergh. FREE and open to the public.
ONE-STOP HOLIDAY SHOPPING: More than 100 vendors will be on hand, offering jewelry, books, spa and skincare items, handmade items, kitchenware, purses, embroidery, bakery items, women's clothing and accessories, linens, candles, gourmet food items, home decor, and more! A special gift for the first 200 attendees after the doors open at 10:00 a.m.
BONUS: Special MEN'S HOUR from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., with personal shoppers to help men shop for gifts.
LADIES HAPPY HOUR: from 4:00-7:00 p.m., with free drinks and a gift for the first 100 attendees after 4:00 p.m.
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KIRKWOOD ELECTRIC RECEIVE STATE-WIDE AWARD
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KIRKWOOD ELECTRIC RECOGNIZED FOR THE THIRD TIME THIS YEAR!
In addition to the RP3 Reliability award that Kirkwood Electric has won from the American Public Power Association two years in a row, and the national Scattergood System Achievement Award that KE won earlier this year from the APPA, the City-owned utility has also been recognized by the Missouri Public Utility Alliance (MPUA)  for "exceptional quality of improvements in service to its customers." On October 25, Kirkwood Electric Director Mark Petty accepted this year's System Achievement Award from MPUA at it annual conference. (Mark is pictured, right, with Rodney Bourne, General Manager, Rolla Municipal Utilities, left, who presented for MPUA.) "Kirkwood Electric's recent achievements have been widely recognized in the municipal utilities field," said Duncan Kincheloe, CEO of MPUA, in a press release. "Its leadership has served as a model for the continued success of municipal utilities, across Missouri and nationwide." "Kirkwood Electric restructured its wholesale power purchase portfolio strategy, thereby protecting itself from price increases and placing itself in good financial standing," MPUA stated in its press release. "In doing this, Kirkwood Electric was able to end the practice of using reserve funds to stabilize operations and start rebuilding reserves. With these financial improvements in place, the utility funded upgrades to substations and portions of the distribution network and implemented mobile access to its GIS maps and SCADA system. They have also kept rates among the lowest in the country for their customer-owners."
CONGRATULATIONS to Mark Petty and to the Kirkwood City Council for being great stewards of public power in Kirkwood!
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SENIOR CORNER
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FROM OASIS - NOVEMBER CLASSES FOR 55+
(Various Locations)
~ Contemporary Issues: Peter H. Raven. Tuesday, November 5, 1:00-2:00 p.m., Clayton OASIS. Fee: $12. Peter Raven, one of the world's leading botanists and advocates of conservation and biodiversity, and for four decades the head of the Missouri Botanical Garden, will discuss contemporary botanical research and horticultural issues. Clayton OASIS 170.
~ African Art Tour: Peter L. Holtgrave, MA, MPH. St. Louis Art Museum, Friday, November 8, 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Fee: $10. Tour St. Louis Art Museum's African art collection with an art instructor and former Peace Corps volunteer who lived in Cameroon. SLAM 556.
~How the Afrfordable Care Act Will Affect You in 2014: Steve Lipstein, President of BJC Healthcare. Wednesday, November 13, 6:00-8:00 p.m., at the Clayton OASIS Center. Fee: $10. With the recent opening of enrollment for the ACA, many people are wondering what it will mean to them. If you are under 65 and need health insurance, there are new opetions through the Health Insurance Marketplace. Clayton OASIS 170.
For more details, including location, or to register, call 314-862-4859, ext. 24, or visit www.oasisnet.org/StL. |
FRIENDS OF MUSIC CONCERTS
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FRIENDS OF MUSIC CONCERTS: FREE CONCERT NOV 17 
FRIENDS OF MUSIC CONCERTS announces the second program in the 2013/2014 season of free concerts on Sunday, November 17, at 3:00 p.m. in the comfortable atmosphere and excellent acoustics of Eliot Unitarian Chapel at 100 South Taylor (at Argonne) in Kirkwood. The program will feature:
~ Max Reger, Serenade, Op. 141, for flute, violin and viola, performed by Paula Bernhardt, Tanya Couture and Anna Lackschewitz
~ Matt Assel, Psalm 1, a new composition for solo violin and electro-acoustic media with Katy Schaefer, violin
~ Peter Tchaikovsky, Piano Trio in A minor, Op. 50, for violin, cello and piano, performed by Lindsey Miller Jones, James Nacy and Diana Umali
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GARDENER'S CORNER
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GARDENING TIP OF THE WEEK, FROM THE KIRKWOOD GARDEN CLUB
Something a little different this week - a Halloween Tip!
Save any uncarved pumpkins you may have after Halloween. Store them in a cool dry place such as your basement or garage. They make great "vases" for Thanksgiving. Just remove the top and inner seeds. Place a small vase or jar full of fall flowers inside for an attractive center piece.
The Kirkwood Garden Club will periodically share a Gardening Tip of the Week with Weekly Happenings readers. For more information about the club, visit their Website at kirkwoodgardenclub.org. New members and guests - both men and women - are always welcome to attend their meetings and events. Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m., at the Kirkwood Community Center.
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CITIZEN OPINIONS SOUGHT
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CITY COUNCIL WANTS CITIZEN INPUT ON CAO SELECTION
THANK YOU to everyone who has already taken this very brief survey. The survey can be completed through the middle of December (if you have not already done so). The link can also be found on the City Website: KirkwoodMO.org.The Citizens of Kirkwood are invited to provide their opinions on the selection of the new  Chief Administrative Officer for the City. Mike Brown (right), the City's first and, to-date only, Chief Administrative Officer, has announced his retirement after more than 30 years at the helm. Finding the right person to take the job is very important to the Kirkwood City Council and to the community.
The Council is seeking the help of professionals who regularly recruit for such positions but would also like to solicit input from the public on the type of person you think would be best suited for the City's top spot. This online survey will run on the City's Website for several weeks, as well as in our publications. The results will be tabulated and shared with the Council and the recruitment professionals assisting them. Thank you for taking the time to share your opinions. Click here to take the survey. Thank you. |
FROM THE EDITOR: The Mini Blog
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IT'S GONNA BE A RAINY HALLOWEEN TONIGHT... The good news is the rain may lessen a bit by trick-or-treating time this evening. The bad news is most kids will want to go out even if it's pouring - so drivers beware! Halloween really is most kids' favorite holiday on the calendar, and they look forward to it all year long. My daughter used to start planning her costume in June. I remember her very first real trick-or-treating year (when she walked the route rather than being carried). She was four years old, and she wanted to be a ballerina. No, she wanted to be a witch. No, she wanted to be a fancy witch. So we settled on a ballerina witch, and the cape I made drug the ground by about six inches. And of course it rained. My husband tried to get me to cut off a foot of the cape, but I had worked for two  weeks on that cape and I was not going to see it ruined. Needless to say, after about an hour, it was soaked pretty much up to her neck, so we ended up carrying her anyway, sans cape, as we finished the route (but that cape got used for Halloweens and parties for years to come). I sincerely sympathize with all the parents who will be battling the elements tonight along with their offspring, but whatever you do, treasure the moment and take wonderful mental pictures. You will have a great story to tell in 20 years!
Wanna know a little bit about the history of Halloween? Click here for an interesting article from Earth Sky. They have a daily email you can sign up for if you enjoy reading about the stars and astronomy.
 ONE LAST THING: Don't forget to set your clocks back an hour this Saturday night before going to bed: FALL BACK an hour as we switch back to standard time. Of course, if you're like me and most of your clocks are electronic (computers, phones, atomic clocks), you don't have to do very much, but you will need to change your watches and stove-top clocks most likely. ALSO: It's a good time of year to change out the batteries in all your battery-operated smoke detectors!
Have a great weekend - and see you next Thursday!Beth von Behren, Editor/PIO
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City of Kirkwood
139 S. Kirkwood Road
Kirkwood, MO 63122
314-822-5894
www.kirkwoodmo.org
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