Kirkwood Weekly Happenings City Logo B-W

City of Kirkwood
July 17, 2014

In This Issue

Thursday Night Concerts

Summer Concert Series

Commercial Development

Kirkwood Public Library

Oak Bend Library

Last Thoughts

Quick Links

City Website

City Blog

Kirkwood Public Library Website

Meeting Minutes - Kirkwood City Council

Meeting Minutes - Boards and Commissions

Calendar of Meetings and Events

MoDOT Website

PHOTO OF THE WEEK: The fencing is now up around the front of City Hall, for the demolition and construction that will begin over the next few days. Don't forget: During Phase One of the City Hall Enhancement Project, the front lawn will be unavailable for use during the Thursday night concerts at Station Plaza. The area directly to the north of City Hall, in the Memorial Plaza and Walkway, will be open and usable.

The scope of the project will involve removal and replacement of the walkways and paved areas between City Hall and Kirkwood Road on the east side (Phase One) and between City Hall and the parking lot on the west side (Phase Two), as well as landscaping on both sides.

Phase One begins the week of July 14, when temporary fencing is installed along the east perimeter of the building and grounds, facing Kirkwood Road. The fencing will make the sidewalk in front of City Hall, along Kirkwood Road, inaccessible. Pedestrians should plan to use the sidewalk on the other side of Kirkwood Road.

The temporary fencing will remain in place until the completion of Phase One. Phase One is estimated to be completed in September, barring any unforeseen complications or bad weather. Phase Two of the project will begin immediately after the completion of Phase One.

THURSDAY NIGHT CONCERT SERIES AT STATION PLAZA

THURSDAY NIGHT CONCERTS - JULY SCHEDULE

~ Thursday, July 17: Boyd Kasten Band. Sponsored by Downtown Kirkwood

~ Thursday, July 24: Emily Wallace. Sponsored by Bar Louie

~ Thursday, July 31: Erin Bode. Sponsored by Kaldi's Coffee and James Durbin Jewelry Design

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the construction at City Hall, beginning with the July 17 concert, the front lawn at City Hall will be fenced off and unavailable for use by anyone attending the concerts. The area by the fountain and the Memorial Walkway, however, will be open.

SUMMER CONCERT SERIES IN KIRKWOOD PARK

SATURDAY SUMMER "MAKING MUSIC" CONCERT SCHEDULE

The summer concert series in Kirkwood Park, continues through August.

~ July 26: One More Time: A Tribute to Johnny Cash. This is an era-driven Johnny Cash tribute band, offering an authentic look, sound, and feel of a Johnny Cash performance. They showcase all of his hits from the 1950s through the 1990s. A June Carter vocalist with a powerful stage performance will join the band to present Johnny and June duets. Food Trucks: My Big Fat Greek Truck, Shell's Coastal Cuisine, and Destination Desserts.

~ August 9: Samba Bom. This Midwest-based music ensemble plays authentic Brazilian music at schools, night clubs, wineries, festivals and private events. The group plays a unique mix of Brazilian popular music styles, including, Samba, Bossa Nova, Brazilian Jazz, Olodum, Forro, and Chorinho, among others. Food Trucks: Holy Crepe! And Steak Louie.

All Making Music concerts are held at the Lions' Amphitheatre in Kirkwood Park, starting at 7:00 p.m. These concerts are free and open to the public. Donations are encouraged.

Commercial Development Update

COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT UPDATE: SPRING / SUMMER 2014

Residents have requested that the City make available information on businesses that are opening or renovating, both recently approved and those still under review. The following information was compiled by City Planner Ryan Spencer:

Recent Approvals:

~ Bar Louie received a building permit for a new awning system and other outdoor dining improvements.

~ Chauvin Coffee received a building permit to modify and occupy the building at 310 S. Fillmore Avenue that was formerly occupied by Ashley Furniture Distribution

~ Jimmy Johns received City Council approval to operate a restaurant at 320 S. Kirkwood Rd., Ste. 103.

~ Sola Salon received a building permit to begin interior remodeling of a space located at 200 S. Kirkwood Rd.

~ Sammy's Soap received City Council approval to operate a natural soap manufacturing and retail store at 123 W. Argonne Ave.

~ Strange Donuts received City Council approval to operate a donut shop at 107 � E. Argonne Ave. (scheduled opening late summer).

Current Construction:

New St. Louis Bread Company Location on Manchester

Panera Bread, which received City Council approval in January to operate a restaurant with drive-thru, is currently under construction. Targeted completion is late August. (Photo, right)

Under Review:

~ CVS Pharmacy recently submitted a Site Plan Review application with the Planning and Zoning Commission. The proposed store will be located at 1085 N. Kirkwood Rd, between Manchester Rd. and Maple Ave, and will contain 13,225 square feet and have a drive-thru window.

~ Fresh Thyme Market (graphic below) submitted a re-zoning application and preliminary development plan in April. The proposed store, which is 27,977 square feet, will be located at 1018 N. Kirkwood Rd. Fresh Thyme is a specialty grocer and will offer organic, locally sourced fruits and vegetables, store-created sausages, premium coffee beans, and local craft beers.

Downtown Street Lighting

KIRKWOOD ELECTRIC INVITES THE PUBLIC TO A DESIGN CHARETTE

The public is invited to attend a street lighting Design Charette on Thursday, July 31, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., at Kirkwood City Hall, 139 S. Kirkwood Road.

The design firm of Ross & Baruzzini will briefly trace the history of artificial illumination in the historic Downtown Kirkwood area, present attractive options for the future, and solicit input from stakeholders. The public is encouraged to attend.

FOOD DRIVE TO HELP KIRKCARE

KIRKCARE FOOD DRIVE AT THE POOL AND ICE RINK ENDS SUNDAY

Please consider donating something from the following list to the KirkCare Food Drive, sponsored by Kirkwood Parks & Recreation, now through July 20.

You can drop off your items at the Pool or at the Aquatic Center.

~ Packaged, non-refrigerated items

~ Canned or packaged meat, stew, pasta, fruit, cereal, vegetables

~ NO refrigerated or frozen items, please

People go hungry year-round, but food pantries have a hard time filling their shelves during the summer months, when donations are typically much lower than during the holidays. Your donation will help.

Thank you!

HOTDOG DAYZ OF SUMMER

HOTDOG DAYZ OF SUMMER: ONLY TWO DATES REMAIN

The Kirkwood Police Department and the Kirkwood Parks & Recreation Department will team up again this year for some fun in the parks! All ages welcome. All Hotdog Dayz events run from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., subject to weather cancellation. Here's the schedule:

July 18: Loewnau Park, corner of Oakland and Sappington
July 25: Fillmore Park, corner of Fillmore and Clinton

ARTS PROGRAMMING IN KIRKWOOD

ART AT THE STATION

The Kirkwood Area Arts Council will feature the photography of Hal Moran August 4 through September 2. Please join us for his opening reception on Thursday, August 7 from 5:30-7:00pm at the Kirkwood Train Station located at the corner of Argonne & South Kirkwood Road. Exhibits and receptions are free & open to the public. Art may be viewed when the station is open for passengers. KAAC features the paper cutting work of Stephen Davis through the end of July.

If you have an arts event that you would like the Commission to consider for inclusion in its calendar, please send the information to: Arts@KirkwoodMO.org.

GARDENING TIP OF THE WEEK!

DON'T ASSUME FERTILIZER IS THE ANSWER

If your lawn and gardens are not performing to your expectations, don't assume fertilizer is the answer. Although annuals and veggies may benefit from fertilizer, that may not improve performance, especially if you use the wrong fertilizer. Lawns and perennials will generally have very specific needs if fertilizer is the answer. The only way to determine what is needed is by having a soil test. The test results will identify what is lacking in the soil and provide information on making corrections. Soil tests are offered at most garden centers and Missouri Botanical Gardens. Cost is around $20-25. Remember fertilizers are not a one-size-fits-all. Veggies will need something different than flowering annuals.

The Kirkwood Garden Club periodically shares a Gardening Tip of the Week with 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.

GREENTREE BOOK FAIR COLLECTION

DONATE BOOKS TO SUPPORT BAND/ORCHESTRA PROGRAMS:
Donations of books and other materials will be accepted beginning Saturday, June 14, for the annual Greentree Book Fair. Donations may be placed in the bins located at the Kirkwood Train Station. Tax-deductible letters will be located in envelopes inside each bin. Donations of the following are requested: Hard-cover and paperback fiction and non-fiction books, children's books, sheet music, videos, DVDs, and recorded music. PLEASE NO encyclopedias, textbooks, magazines, software, or Reader's Digest magazines. The Book Fair is sponsored by Kirkwood Band Boosters and the Kirkwood Orchestra Parent Association. Proceeds benefit students in the instrumental music programs in the Kirkwood School District. Typically, the collection continues through mid-July. Thank you.

FROM YOUR KIRKWOOD PUBLIC LIBRARY

JULY HAPPENINGS AT KPL:

FOR ADULTS:

The Elements of Comics. Thursday, July 24, 7:00 p.m.: A behind the scenes look at comic strips from a cartoonist's perspective. George Norman Lippert will talk about comics from the Post-Dispatch as well as other comics from years past. This is an adult program but older children are welcome. Receive a Comic Strip bookmark souvenir.

BOOK CLUBS:

~ Classics Revisited (Thursdays @ 7:00pm). Thursday, July 24, 7:00 pm. The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien. A classic work of American literature that has not stopped changing minds and lives since it burst onto the literary scene, The Things They Carried is a ground-breaking meditation on war, memory, imagination, and the redemptive power of storytelling.

FOR TEENS:
~ Dr. Who at the Library. One Saturday a Month (July 26) 3:00-5:00 p.m. Whovians unite to create fan fiction videos and writings and to discuss important Doctor Who topics.

~ Minecraft Night. Last Friday of the Month (July 25) 5:30-7:30 p.m. Play Minecraft in the library on our server. Sign Up Required.

~ Robot Building Contest. Saturday July 12, 1:00-3:00 p.m. Create your own Mr. Roboto at the library.

~ Boxfort Wars. Friday, July 18, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Nerf Guns, Boxes, and Fun at the Library. Sign Up Required.

~ Capsul Art. Tuesday July 22, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Create tiny art that will fit inside a vending machine capsule

FOR CHILDREN:

~ Storytimes: Weekly on Tuesdays, 10;00 a.m., June 3 - August 5.

~ Books for Babies: For babies 6-24 months. Thursdays, 9:30 a.m., June 5 - August 7.

~ 1st Steps: For young 2s, Thursdays, 10:30 a.m., June 5 - August 7.

~ KPL @ Farmer's Market, July 19, 9 am - noon
~ Reading Buddies, Mondays, June 9 - July 28. Session I: 1:30-2:15 p.m. Session II: 2:30-3:15p.m. Children entering 1st-4th grade partner with teen volunteers for one-on-one reading time. Children and teens must apply to participate. Applications are available at the library.

SUMMER SCIENCE CLUB:
Fun with science. Recommended for kids ages 6 and up.
~ July 17: Color Changing Craziness, 2:00 p.m.
~ July 24: Scientific Spies, 2:00 p.m.
~ July 26: Paper Helicopters, 10:30 a.m.

ART IN THE YARD:
Meet us in the front yard for some most likely messy art! July 31, 6:30 p.m.

WACKY WEDNESDAYS, 10:30 a.m.
~ July 23: The Wright Entertainment presents "Percussion." Explore the art and science of sound.
~ July 30: Babaloo. Shows at 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.

Kirkwood Public Library is located at 140 E. Jefferson Avenue in Downtown Kirkwood. For additional information, please visit their Website at www.kirkwoodpubliclibrary.org or call 821-5770.

OAK BEND LIBRARY HAPPENINGS

FOR TEENS:

~ Art @ Your Library: Name That Tune, Teen Edition. Friday, July 18, 6:00 p.m. Compete with other teens in a game show-like music trivia contest. Prizes awarded to the winners! Ages 12-18. Registration required.

~ Teen Summer Movie: "Back to the Future." Friday, July 25, 6:00 p.m. MPAA rating: PG. Running time: 115 min. Groups, please contact hosting branch for registration and to inquire about space availability for all summer programs.

~ Teen Book Club: Teens' Top Ten Nominees. Wednesday, July 30, 7:00 p.m. Do you like to read, eat snacks, and talk to people? Join our teen book club to share your favorite books and find out about new titles you may enjoy. Come just for the book talk or stay for Teen Advisory Group. Grades 6-12.

~ TAG. Wednesday, July 30, 7:30 p.m. Join the Oak Bend Teen Advisory Group and become involved in planning teen activities for the year. Lots of snacks will be provided! Grades 6-12. Registration requested.

FOR CHILDREN:

~ Discovery Club. Monday, July 21, 6:00 p.m. There's a whole world of wonder to explore. Through projects, experiments and activities, we will navigate through the sciences to figure out the whys and hows of this big, beautiful universe. Ages 6-11. Registration required.

~ Discovery Time: Ice Cream Social. Tuesday, July 22, 10:30 a.m. Join us as we explore the world of ice cream and create a tasty treat. Bring a pair of gloves to keep your hands toasty warm while making your own ice cream in a bag. Ages 3-6. Registration required.

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.

FROM THE EDITOR: The Mini Blog

What can you do to get the exercise you need? It can be hard to get the exercise we need, especially when we are very busy, which of course is the time when we need it the most. NPR ran a story this week about one doctor's efforts to help the children in his practice overcome weight issues. In one case, which you can read about here, all he did with one young woman was to suggest that she walk the last four blocks of her route to school. She ended up losing a lot of weight just from that one little change. The basic idea in the NPR piece was that we should try to find ways to be active in the routines we already have. I spoke with a customer service representative this week who was not only the very epitome of friendly and welcoming, she also mentioned her own exercise routine, which echoed the doctor's advice. Her evening commute takes her through Forest Park, so at least two or three evenings a week, she parks her car by the Grand Basin, and walks around it a couple of times. This week, with the wonderful weather we've had, that has been a very pleasant experience for her.

I have continued my lunch walks through Kirkwood at least two days per week, and to help with that effort, I finally found a smaller reusable water bottle - one that fits inside my fanny pack - to take with me. In addition to walking shoes and clothes, I also pack a sun visor and sun screen for the warmer days. My gym bag can get a little bulky on my walking days, but I am now up to three-mile walks, so it is totally worth it. On the days when I don't walk at lunch (and don't have an after-work meeting), my goal is to head to the gym after work, but when I'm tired or feeling stressed, that can be quite a challenge. On Monday of this week, which was a busy and exhausting work day, I dragged myself to the gym at 6:00 p.m., and by my fourth lap (running), I realized I was already feeling much better. Exercise is clearly a life saver in more ways than one.

Rich Rewards: Here at City Hall, about 50 employees just completed a "Get Moving" fitness challenge, which was the first leg of a Wellness Plan our Wellness Coordinator is developing. The Wellness Plan will complement the Safety Plan, implemented seven years ago, which has resulted in its own rich rewards. Under the leadership of Christian Dunman, the City's Safety Manager (pictured below at last week's City Council Work Session), the City's safety rating has dropped to .77. When it was .83, the City of Kirkwood had the lowest rating, which is the BEST rating, of any municipality in the State of Missouri. We may now be in the running for one of the best ratings in the country. Having a good safety rating results in lower insurance premiums, which means lower costs to residents in the long run. It's all connected, and it's all good.

The weather is predicted to continue on its mild trajectory for a few more days. Have a great week, and see you next Thursday!

Beth von Behren
Happenings Editor/Public Information Officer

City of Kirkwood
139 S. Kirkwood Road
Kirkwood, MO 63122
314-822-5894
www.kirkwoodmo.org