Kirkwood Happenings
City of Kirkwood, Missouri
In This Issue
Great Race
Cars System Down
News from MoDOT
Making Music Concerts
Thursday Night Concerts
Gardening Tip
Arts Happenings
Book Fair
Town Hall Meeting
More Community Days
Kirkwood Public Library
The Finish Line
Quick Links
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Welcome to the June 18 edition of the City of Kirkwood's
e-newsletter. 

THIS JUST IN - TONIGHT'S CONCERT IN STATION PLAZA HAS BEEN CANCELED DUE TO RAIN:  Tonight's Soulard Blues Band concert in Station Plaza, sponsored by Spencer's Grill and STL Real Estate, has been postponed due to the rain. We are working on an alternate date for the concert. There will be live music on the plaza this Saturday afternoon, sponsored by Bar Louie, during the Kirkwood Route 66 Festival.

Photo of the Week:  The first-ever Kirkwood Route 66 Festival in downtown Kirkwood opens at 8:00 a.m. this Saturday, June 20, and for this first year will feature the start of the Great Race.  See story below for full details and the map.  The Festival was planned this year by the following committee members, made up of community members, City staff, and local business owners (pictured below):  Seated, front row, L to R: City Public Information Officer Beth von Behren, Kirkwood Resident and Community Volunteer Kirk Hutchison, Mayor Art McDonnell, SBD Executive Director Donna Poe, City Chief Administrative Officer Russ Hawes. Back row, L to R: Police Chief Jack Plummer, Kirkwood-Des Peres Chamber President Jim Wright, Director of Visitor Services for the Magic House Paula Burdge, Kirkwood Public Library Director Sarah Erwin, Train Station Manager Bill Burckhalter, SBD Event Coordinator/Market Master Kori Thompson, N2 Publishing Area Director/Community Volunteer Jeff Fortune, Kirkwood Chamber Member/Hook Marketing Owner Jackie Duty, and Kirkwood Fire Marshal/Assistant Fire Chief Leo Meyer.  

Not pictured:  Kirkwood Police Department Community Services Officer Jim Cox, Kirkwood Police Officer Dan Andert, Kirkwood Public Library Assistant Director Lisa Henry, Kirkwood Resident Scott Barthelmass, ID Creative Owner David Shenberger. 

 


 

 

Great Race Is THIS Weekend!
First-Ever Route 66 Festival Features the Start of the Great Race this Saturday, June 20

 

The City of Kirkwood will hold its first-ever Route 66 Festival this Saturday, June 20, in downtown Kirkwood, in conjunction with the start of the Hemmings Motor News Great Race.

RACE:  The Great Race is a vintage-car rally that takes a different route each year, but this year starts in Kirkwood and ends eight days later in Santa Monica, California.

FESTIVAL:  Family-friendly festival activities include a giant, inflatable slide, face painting, live music, performances by "Frozen" characters, and hands-on activities for kids of all ages provided by The Magic House, Kirkwood Public Library, and the School of Rock. Live music and a "touch-a-vehicle" are also planned for Saturday. 

The race cars will line up along West Argonne Drive in downtown Kirkwood starting at 8:00 a.m., and the first car will cross the starting line at approximately 10:15 a.m., after the 9:45 a.m. opening ceremony.  The Family Area also opens at 8:00 a.m. in the Farmers' Market Greenway on East Argonne and at Ken Connor Park, corner of Argonne and Kirkwood Road.

Commemorative tee-shirts will be available for sale at $10 each at the Information Booth, at Kirkwood Farmers' Market, and other locations (cash only).  All downtown restaurants will be open, and several merchants will sell food and drink on the sidewalk in front of their establishments. 

STREET CLOSURES:
  • Kirkwood Road from Jefferson Avenue to Madison will be closed to vehicular traffic starting at 7:00 a.m. and continuing through approximately 3:00 p.m.
  • West Argonne from Clay Avenue east to Kirkwood Road will be closed from 7:00 a.m. to about 3:00 p.m.
  • The western-most section of East Argonne between S. Taylor and Kirkwood Road, will be closed to vehicular traffic from 7:00 a.m. to about 3:00 p.m. 

PARKING / TRAFFIC:  Upwards of 10,000 people are expected to be in attendance.  Parking will be at a premium, and traffic will be heavy.  The City strongly encourages and advises all residents who live close enough to walk or bike to downtown.  The race can also be viewed from all points on Kirkwood Road, starting at City Hall and continuing southward to Interstate 44.

 

Here is a map of Downtown Kirkwood showing where the Information Booth, parking, and restrooms will be.  You can download and print a large copy of this from the City Website or pick one up at the Information Booth, on the corner of Argonne and Kirkwood Road.


 


 

Credit Card System Down June 29
Fixing Credit Card System and Improving Security for Online Payments Requires Down Time
The City is working with its payments vendor to both improve security for residents who pay their utility bills online and fix current problems with the payment system when it is used in a Firefox or Chrome browser.  Therefore, credit card payments, both online and in-person, will be down for maintenance all day on Monday, June 29. This affects the following:
  • All online utility payments that you would normally pay with a debit or credit card.
  • All utility payments in-person at City Hall that you would normally pay by debit or credit card (checks and cash will be accepted all day).
  • Any payments for trash bags or yard waste bags (cash or check only).
  • Any payments for building permits of any kind (cash or check only).
Residents who must pay their utility bills on June 29 should be prepared to do so via check or cash.  If paying by check, you can use the drop-box in the parking lot at City Hall, but if paying by cash, please be prepared to come inside to the Finance window.  Thank you for your patience while we improve this very important service.  
News from MoDOT
Roads May Be Closed Due to Flash Flooding

With heavy rain forecast across the state over the next few days, the Missouri Department of Transportation cautions motorists that some state routes are expected to close due to flooding.  The recent heavy rains have also washed out culverts over smaller streams causing roads to be closed. The already saturated creeks and streams are expected to rise with flash flooding conditions across the state. Currently, more than 30 roads are closed across the state, and those numbers are expected to increase.

 

Current road closures are posted on the MoDOT's Traveler Information Map, located at www.modot.org. 
Making Music Concert Series in Kirkwood Park!
Summer Concert Series in Kirkwood Park Continues with Next Concert on Saturday, June 27

 

Gateway City Big Band has been coming to the Making Music concert series for years and never fails to entertain the crowds.  It's a 17-piece dance band with two vocalists who have been entertaining audiences in St. Louis and beyond since 1966.  For more information about the band, visit their Website at www.gatewaycitybigband.com.

 

Summer Concert Schedule:

~ July 11:  Samba Bon
~ July 25:  Funky Butt Brass Band
~ August 8:  Lucky Old Sons
~ August 22:  St. Louis Wind Symphony


The concerts begin at 7:00 p.m., in the Lions' Amphitheatre in Kirkwood Park.  The series is sponsored by the Kirkwood Arts Commission, with generous support from the Kirkwood Arts Foundation, and by Kirkwood Parks and Recreation. Concerts are free, but donations are welcome.

 

For a full description of each band scheduled to perform this summer, download the flyer on the City's Website at:  www.kirkwoodmo.org/arts.
Thursday Night Concerts
Thursday Evening Concert Series in Station Plaza (Weather Permitting)

All concerts start at 6:30 p.m. and run until approximately 9:00 p.m. For inclement weather information, call 822-0084, ext. 5.  Upcoming Concerts:


~ June 18:  Soulard Blues Band, sponsored by Spencer's Grill and STL Real Estate
~ June 25:  Fair Warning, Sponsored by the Haiti Orphan Project, an initiative of Keane Insurance Group
~ July 2:  Killer Whales, Tourism Night, sponsored by Amtrak's Missouri River Runner

Gardening Tip
Squirrels, Deer, and Rabbits, Oh My!

Most gardeners have had issues with animals damaging their plants, be they trees, shrubs, flowers, or veggies etc.  There are many products available to try and deter the animals.  Netting can be used for tomatoes and other veggies.  Generally it is effective for keeping birds away from the plants, but has little effect on squirrels, rabbits and deer.

 

Many repellent products are aimed at deterring animals.  Take great care when using these around veggies and herbs.  Read package directions carefully before using.  Some of these products are not safe for food crops or in areas where there are children or pets.  It is not unusual for a produced you've been using to become ineffective at some point.   The animals get used to the odor or taste and return to keep munching.  So change up the product you use for your particular situation.

 

The Kirkwood Garden Club writes a Gardening Tip for most editions of Happenings.  For more information about the club, check out their Website at KirkwoodGardenClub.org. New members and guests, both men and women, are welcome to attend their meetings and events.  Meetings are typically held on the first Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. at the Kirkwood Community Center.

Arts Happenings!
Arts News from the Kirkwood Arts Commission
  • Art at the Station:  In July, Art at the Station presents the oil and mixed media work of Margaret Sayers - July 29 through August 3. Opening reception is Thursday, July 2, 5:30 p.m., at the Train Station, located at the corner of Argonne and S. Kirkwood Road.  Exhibits and receptions are free and open to the public. Art may be viewed when the station is open for passengers. Donations are welcome.  Sponsored by Kirkwood Arts Commission, with generous support from the Kirkwood Arts Foundation.
  • Friends of Music Concerts:  The 2015 concert schedule has been completed. Save the date for: September 27 and October 18, 2015, and January 31, February 28, and April 3, 2016.  All concerts start at 3:00 p.m., and are held at Eliot Chapel. The opening concert will feature Lee Demertzis and Steven Cheng performing the Robert Schumann Sonata for Violin and Piano in A minor as well as the Sonatensatz, by Johannes Brahms.  For additional details, please visit their Website at www.fomcstl.org.
  • Stages presents "Smokey Joe's Cafe" through June 28 at the Reim Theatre, Kirkwood Community Center, 111 S. Geyer.  For more information, visit their Website at www.stagesstlouis.org.
  • Free Family Day at Laumeier Sculpture Park:  Sunday, June 21, 2:00-4:00 p.m., at the Kranzberg Education Lab in the park, 12580 Rott Road.  For more information, call 314-615-5278 or visit: www.Laumeier.org.
Greentree Book Fair
Books Now Being Accepted for Book Fair!
It's that time of year again.  Do you have used books you would like to clear out of the house?  The Greentree Book Fair will take them.  Collections will begin on June 13. 

The collection bins will be located at the Kirkwood Train Station, on the northwest corner.

What they are looking for:
  • Fiction
  • Nonfiction
  • Children's books
  • Sheet music
  • VHS tapes
  • DVDs
  • Audio books
  • Recorded music
Please no encyclopedias, textbooks, software, or magazines. 

The Book Fair will be held at Kirkwood Park during the annual Greentree Festival on September 18, 19, and 20. All proceeds benefit the Kirkwood School District Band and Orchestra Program.  Thank you. 
Town Hall Meeting
Representative Lavender Invites All to Attend
Please plan to attend a Town Hall Meeting with Missouri State Representative Deb Lavender at the Kirkwood Public Library, on Saturday, June 27, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.
More Community Days Ahead
First-Ever Community Day Was a Success!
SAVE THE DATE:  The first-ever Community Day at the Park was a great success.  Residents stopped by to meet their City staff and elected officials in a fun, informal morning gathering.  This was just the first of these events. Three more are scheduled.  They will run from 10:00 a.m. to noon, and light refreshments will be served.

Here are the dates:
  • July 18, Avery Park, 225 Avery Drive
  • August 125, Ella & Charles Monfort Memorial Park, 2036 Briargate Lane
  • October 10, Meacham Memorial Park, 340 New York Street
From Kirkwood Public Library

Kirkwood Public Library Programming for July

 

FOR ADULTS:

Special Events:

~ A Day Trip with William Clark. Wednesday, July 1, 7:00 p.m.  Rediscover the life and adventures of explorer and Indian Governor of Missouri, William Clark.  A visual presentation of sites connected with his fame will include those in the City of St. Louis, Wood River, Illinois, and St. Charles, Missouri.

~ No Ordinary Hero:  Neil Armstrong. Monday, July 20, 6:30-8:30 p.m.  Come celebrate the life of Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon.  Join us for a book discussion on "Neil Armstrong: a Life of Flight by Jay Barbreer."  We willthen discussour space program during the 1960s and watch a visual demonstration of this event.  We will listen to men who worked at McDonnell-Douglas and NASA during our space exploring time.   Come look through a telescope and listen to men talk about what it meant to work on this project.  Bring your whole family for an evening of adventure.   Out of this world refreshments!

~ The Real James Bond. Presented by Gary Jackson. Wednesday, July 22, 7:00 p.m.  The story of the real man who was the real spy that inspired Ian Fleming to create James Bond.  This is the true story of the man whose exploits made him a legend in British Intelligence.

~ Financial Literacy Program: College Planning Strategies. Saturday, July 18, 2:00 p.m.  Andrew Hall and Bernie Wrezinski from Foundation for Financial Education (F3E) will be discussing college financial-planning strategies.

~ Medicare Seminars. Tuesday, July 7, and Tuesday, July 21, 1:00 p.m.  Seminars presented by Senior Health Services Plus, INC.

 

BOOK CLUBS

~ Books on Tap. Wednesday, July 8, 7:00 p.m. Kirkwood Station Brewery. Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan.  After a layoff during the Great Recession sidelines his tech career, Clay Jannon takes a job at the titular bookstore in San Francisco, and soon realizes that the establishment is a facade for a strange secret.

~ Romance through the Ages Book Discussion.  Monday, July 6, 7:00 p.m.Author Eileen Dreyer - Book Talk.

~ Mystery Readers.  Wednesday, July 15, 2:00 p.m.The House of Wolfe: a Border Noir by James Carlos Blake.  Looking to increase his influence in a major cartel, Mexican gangster, El Galan, kidnaps a wedding party at the groom's family home and names a ransom of five million US dollars.  A bridesmaid in the ten-member party, Jessica Juliet Wolfe, has family members who are known outlaws in both Mexico and the United States.  Determined to rescue her because they fear El Galan will kill the wedding party, Jessie's family sets out on a wild chase trying to find her before it's too late.

 

FOR TEENS:

Superhero Craft Series. July 7, 3:00-5:00 p.m. Superhero Plush Pillows-Teens will make their own superhero pillow out of felt.

 

FOR CHILDREN:

Storytimes:

~ Weekly, Tuesdays, 10;00 a.m., June 2 - August 4

~ Books for Babies. For babies 6-24 months, Thursdays, 9:30 a.m., June 4 - August 6

~ First Steps.  For young 2's, Thursdays, 10:30 a.m., June 4 - August 6.

 

Book Clubs:

~ Family Book Club, Mondays, 7:00 p.m.  July 13: Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein

~ Family Book Club Junior, Mondays, 6:30 p.m.  July 6: Rump by Liesl Shurtliff

~ KPL @ Farmer's Market, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, July 18

~ CHAMP Reading Dogs, Sundays, 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. July 5

 

Summer Science Club:

Fun with science.  Recommended for kids ages 6 and up. Thursdays, 1:30 pm

~ July 2: Outdoor Science-Exploding Ziploc Bags & Bubbles

~ July 9: Crazy Kinetics! Color Kinetic Sand & Toy Carousel

~ July 16: Motion Magic presented by St. Louis Science Center

~ Saturday Science Club: 1:30 p.m., Saturday July 25: Solvents: Will It Dissolve?

 

Family Art:

Bring the family, indulge your inner artist and create a family project.

~ July 11. 10:00 a.m. Popped Bubble Art

~ July 14.  1:30 p.m. Fairy Garden

~ July 23.  6:30 p.m.  Fairy Garden

 

Special Events:

~ July 10, 7:00 p.m. Family Early Literacy Night.   Kirkwood Public Library invites babies, toddlers, and their families to the library to play, learn and grow with activities that focus on gaining early literacy skills, get information on early literacy development at home and take home a free book.

~ July 17, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.  Drive-In Movie Night for Kids.  Join us for an indoor drive-in party as we turn the library into a pretend drive-in movie theater. We supply the tools to create a cardboard car.  Enjoy a short movie in our homemade drive in theater.

~ July 18.  10:00 a.m.  Lego Car Races.  Rev up your engines and get ready for some racing.  Create your car using our Lego blocks and then watch 'em race!  Please sign up.

~ July 31. 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.  Percy Jackson Trivia Night.  Love The Lightning Thief?  Are you a Percy Jackson expert?  Challenge yourself with our Trivia Night!  Sign up please. 

 

Wacky Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m.:

~ July 1:  Dino O'Dell with musical fun for all! http://dinoodell.com/

~ July 8:  Abra-Kid-Abra presents Magical Adventures of Super Reader, https://www.abrakid.com/

~ July 15:  Juggling Jeff presents The Adventures of Cheddar & Mr. Train, http://www.jugglingjeffstl.com/

~ July 22:  Animal Tales presents Animal Avengers.  http://animaledzoocation.com/

~ July 29:  Babaloo - SHOWS AT 10 AM AND 11 AM www.babaloomusicandfun.com

 

The Finish Line...
Route 66 Festival Featuring the Great Race:
The Back Story... 
 
Greetings!  If you have been hearing a lot about the Great Race over the past few weeks, you may be wondering how this all came about.  Last Fall, Kirkwood resident and long-time Greentree Festival volunteer Kirk Hutchison came to the City with an idea.  His in-laws have been involved with the Hemmings Great Race for several years now, and they told him that the organizers of this cross-country vintage-car rally were interested in starting off the Race in St. Louis. However, Kirk's in-laws wanted the Race to start, more specifically, in Kirkwood.  So a team of City staff and volunteers from local businesses and organizations came together to work with Kirk on bringing the Great Race to Kirkwood. 

As time went on and more meetings were held, Chief Administrative Officer Russ Hawes, Mayor Art McDonnell, Downtown Business District Executive Director Donna Poe, and City staff became increasingly excited about the possibility of hosting a family-oriented festival in downtown Kirkwood, in conjunction with the Race. And voila!

Rain or shine (bring your umbrellas!), this Saturday 117 vintage cars will take off from downtown Kirkwood on a 2,400-mile race across the country.  Bring the whole family. There will be plenty to do for kids of all ages (see full story above), and all of Downtown Kirkwood's shops and restaurants will be open.  At this point, it looks like any rain we get will be in the morning, but the Family Area - in the Farmers' Market and Ken Connor Park - will be open into the afternoon.

Pictured below are some of the 40+ individuals who signed up to work a volunteer shift on Saturday and who attended a training session this week.  If you need assistance or have questions on Saturday, you can ask one of them - they will be wearing a red shirt and a yellow vest.  Thanks to all our volunteers!




HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Beth von Behren
PIO/Happenings Editor