The Kirkwood City Council has chosen Russell B. Hawes to be the next Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Kirkwood. Hawes, who will be only the second person to hold this position, will begin work on May 12. A welcome reception for Mr. Hawes will be held at City Hall on Wednesday, May 14, from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m., in Council Chambers. The public is invited.  

Mr. Hawes most recently was employed by the City of Simpsonville, South Carolina, as City Administrator. He has 20 years of experience in the public sector, including 10 years with Simpsonville, seven years with the City of Chester, South Carolina, as City Administrator, and seven years with York County, South Carolina, as a Transportation Planner.  He holds a Master of Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Bachelor of Arts in Geography, also from UNC-Chapel Hill. He is an AICP Certified Planner and a member of the International City/County Management Association, the American Planning Association, and the American Institute of Certified Planners. Mr. Hawes was born in New Hampshire and raised in the suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts. He is married and has two children.

Hawes was chosen from a field of more than 150 applicants in a recruitment process led by Affion Public, LLC. The City Council narrowed the list to five final candidates, who were interviewed over a two-day period.   Hawes will replace Michael G. Brown, who retired from Kirkwood on March 31, after 33 years with the City.  

NEW CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS SWORN IN

Newly elected Council Members Paul Ward, Bob Sears, and Tim Griffin were sworn in at an inaugural ceremony at City Hall on Wednesday, April 23.  They assumed their duties immediately, and their first Council meeting will be Thursday, May 1. 

April: Plant a rain garden

Do you have a spot in your yard that tends to collect water? Do your downspouts run off into your yard? If so, perhaps you could build a rain garden to capture some of that rainwater.  

Keeping the water on your property when it rains reduces the amount of water entering the sewer system, not to mention creating a beautiful, low-maintenance addition to your lawn. In part of the combined sewer area, this helps to prevent basement backups and sewer overflows, and in the separate sewer area, raingardens provide many of the same benefits to filter water and slow it down.

A rain garden is a shallow depression in your yard that contains plants that have deep roots and are designed to hold water. Rain gardens, which can be formal or informal, are growing in popularity because they are relatively low maintenance, help protect water quality, and provide food and shelter for many interesting birds, butterflies, and beneficial insects. Yes, beneficial insects! No need to worry about attracting mosquitoes because a properly designed rain garden drains water within 24 hours, well before the 14 days a mosquito larvae needs to turn into a mosquito.

Go native! When planting a rain garden, plant a variety of grasses, flowers, and shrubs that have deep roots and can handle the amount of rainwater anticipated. Native plants are a great choice because they are well suited to the soil and climatic conditions in our area.   Native plants and plants with deep roots can absorb significantly more rainwater than lawns and are drought resistant.

For more information, search the web using the key words "rain garden." You can also visit www.grownative.org. On the site, you will find many examples of rain gardens in Missouri and useful information on how to use them on your property.

BE AWARE OF FARMERS ON THE STATE'S HIGHWAYS 

With planting season in full swing, the Missouri Department of Transportation wants to remind motorists to pay extra attention for farm equipment using and crossing state  roadways. "Spring planting time is a busy time of the year for Missouri's farm families, and MoDOT wants to make it a safe time of year too," said MoDOT Director Dave Nichols.  "Tractors, trucks and other farm equipment are slow moving, and motorists may be surprised when they come up behind one on a Missouri highway."

Missouri's 33,000 miles of state roadway pass alongside the fields of more than 100,000 farms throughout the state.  Motorists are advised to slow down when approaching farm vehicles. Be patient as the farm vehicles travel to their field entrances. In passing zones, please wait until it is safe and pass at a safe distance and speed.

FRIENDS' BOOK FAIR CONTINUES TONIGHT THRU SUNDAY 

The Friends of the Kirkwood Public Library's Bookfair continues through Sunday.  This year, the sale is being held at 12309 Old Big Bend Boulevard, just east of the I-270 and Big Bend intersection (in the old McDonnell's Market building). The sale will offer fiction and nonfiction books at bargain prices in a wide variety of categories. Cash or checks will be accepted, but no credit or debit card.

Dates and hours:

~ Sunday, April 27, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Bag of Books Sale: As in the past, on Sunday, all the books you can fit into a bag (which will be provided) may be purchased for $5. Special thanks to A-Mrazek Moving Systems, for providing storage and transportation services, and to Art McDonnell, for providing the space for this sale.

Saturday, May 10:  Exploring the River's Edge, led by John Christensen, Webster Groves Nature Study Society, will also be held at Emmenegger Nature Park, on Saturday, May 10, from 10:00 a.m. until noon.   Come explore the hiking path next to the Meramec River in Emmenegger.  Learn how the plants have adapted to live along the river corridor and in the flood plain.  Wear hiking shoes and weather-appropriate gear, and bring a camera and notebook, if desired.   Meet at the trailhead kiosk by the creek.  This walk will be held rain or shine. The program is free and open to all ages.

Tomatoes come in two basic types - determinate and indeterminate.  Determinate varieties include Celebrity, Roma, Tiny Tim, and Mountain Gold.  Determinate varieties will all ripen within a two-week period.  This is great if you are planning to make lots of pasta sauce or salsa.  Once the tomatoes ripen there will be no more fruit.  Indeterminate tomatoes such as Beefsteak, Big Boy and Better Boy will continue to produce fruit until frost.  So choose the variety that best suits your needs.

Walgreens' Locations:

• 8571 Watson Road, corner of Elm, in Webster, 962-5545
• 9801 Manchester, corner of Kortwright, in Rock Hill, 963-3256 
• 13992 Manchester Road, corner of Weidman, in Manchester, 636-227-9228
• 1 Grasso Plaza (Gravois at S. Rock Hill) in Affton, 631-8800
• 3920 Hampton Avenue, corner of Chippewa, in South City, 351-2100
• 1001 Bowles Avenue, corner of 141, in Fenton, 636-343-0754 

APRIL HAPPENINGS AT OAK BEND LIBRARY  

For Kids and Families: 

~ Thursday, April 24, 10:00 a.m. Tech Talks @ OB: Windows 8.  Join library staff in the computer lab as we discuss new and interesting topics in computers and technology. This month we take a look at the Windows 8 operating system. Adults. Registration required.