Sunday News Clips: 5/23

With summer weather on its way, it’s not surprising that we had a few hot stories in NoCo this week…

• More than 130 local residents showed up at Bridgeton’s May 19 public hearing to express their views on the city’s proposed Walmart Supercenter. In fact, so many people wanted to speak that the city council has postponed the hearing until 7pm on June 2 and moved it to a larger setting at the Bridgeton Community Center, 4201 Fee Fee Road. As you may know already, the developer of the Supercenter is seeking up to $8 million in tax increment financing (TIF) and is asking Bridgeton to use eminent domain to acquire a portion of the Garden Ridge parking lot. Plans also call for closing the existing Walmart across from Northwest Plaza.

• In other hotly debated development news, St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley recently came out against the proposed Riverview Casino near Columbia Bottom Conservation Area in Spanish Lake. In a letter to the Missouri Gaming Commission, he cited “environmental concerns” with the project, essentially adding another roadblock to the developer’s bid to secure the state’s 13th and final gaming license. Still, the attorney for North County Development LLC, which hopes to build the 377-acre casino, says he is pressing on.

• Over in Florissant, the fate of another local gem, Little Creek Nature Area, will be discussed at an open executive session Monday, May 24, at 7:30pm. The city would like to annex the property at 2295 Dunn Road, which is currently owned by the Ferguson-Florissant School District and sits within unincorporated St. Louis County. All are welcome at the meeting.

Sydney Secours

• A huge NoCo hat tip to Sydney Secours, a senior at Hazelwood Central High School who will graduate on May 26 following 13 years of perfect attendance!! Since she first started kindergarten at Walker Elementary, Sydney, the daughter of a teacher at Hazelwood Central Middle School, has never missed a single day of class! This fall, she will attend St. Louis University to study pre-medicine and biology, with a goal of becoming either a pediatrician or a gynecologist. Hooray for you, Sydney!

• In other school news, the Ferguson-Florissant School District has decided to ask voters to approve a $25 million bond issue in the August 3 election. If approved, the bond issue will not increase tax rates or cost district residents any additional money, nor will it go toward funding salaries, utilities, textbooks or employee benefits. What it will do is allow the district to invest in capital improvements like technology and energy efficiency, complementing the $15 million in cost-cutting measures that district administrators have already implemented this year.

Hazelwood's historic Knobbe house

• Congratulations to the city of Hazelwood, which just won the St. Louis County Historic Buildings Commission’s 2010 Adaptive Reuse Award for its work in preserving the circa-1870 Knobbe house. Originally located on the north side of 270, near Village Square, the Victorian-style home was moved across the highway and placed in Brookes Park along with two other historic structures. After the city restored it and made it handicap-accessible, the house was opened to the public for meetings and social events. For more info about renting the property, call (314) 513-5080.

• North County Incorporated held its 33rd annual awards breakfast last week, honoring the St. Louis County Economic Council for its work in securing two significant local developments: the Express Scripts distribution center in NorthPark and the National Archives & Records Administration (NARA) building near 270 and Bellefontaine Road. Bringing $74 million in investment to North County, the Express Scripts project is expected to create 270 jobs. The NARA facility involves a $112 million investment and will keep 800 jobs in the area. It’s also anticipated to have a $430 million impact on the local economy. Bring it on!

• North County is all smiles this week for Dr. Sam Cigno, a local dentist who recently gave free dental care to 37 teenagers from Covenant House, an organization that works with homeless and at-risk youth. For many of the kids, it was their first ever visit to a dentist, inspiring Dr. Cigno and his staff to devote an entire day to cleaning and repairing the teens’ teeth, calming their fears, and educating them about proper oral hygiene. Bravo!

Dr. Sam Cigno works on one of 37 teen patients from Covenant House.

• If you’re a music buff, don’t miss the RFT’s very interesting write-up on the Welders, an all-girl punk band that came out of Florissant in the 1970s! Some of the members have gone on to play with big-name musicians like Courtney Love and Beck, and all have fond memories of growing up in NoCo. Very cool. You can also look here for pics of Ferguson’s own guitar maestro Jeff Thomas, whose fantastic circus punk marching band from Chicago, Mucca Pazza, rocked the house at the Firebird last night!

• Just in case you missed my post on the Ferguson Food & Fun Raffle, I’m happy to announce that we’re still adding some awesome prizes to the mix! To help Team Ferguson meet its goal of raising $10,000 to attend the All-America City Award competition in June, Ferguson Style & Spa has just donated a full day of spa services! Buy a ticket for $10 and you could win a complete pampering package, including a massage, facial, manicure and pedicure! Thanks, Sherry!

• Finally, a hearty welcome to my newest NOCO sponsor, Esse Health! A network of 75 independent physicians, including Dr. Mark Pelikan, who just opened a practice in Florissant, Esse Health is focused on keeping patients healthy through wellness, education and prevention. If you’re looking for a quality health care provider, check out this great organization!

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