Hello!  I’m Shannon Howard, and this is NOCO, my online magazine about the people, places and events of North St. Louis County, offering fresh, original content 3-4 days every week. I created NOCO as a way to promote all of the positive things that are happening in North County and to hopefully change some minds about what this area really has to offer. I also aim to inspire readers to consider new ideas for our community and to find creative solutions for the challenges we face.

I grew up in and around Florissant, moved to Los Angeles after college, and never expected to return to St. Louis, much less North County. But after filling up with sunshine in California and then fresh mountain air (and moonshine) in Knoxville, Tennessee, I surprised everyone, myself included, by not only buying a house in Ferguson but also getting deeply involved in the local community.

In 2003, with the help of my husband, Keith, and many others, I founded the Old Ferguson West neighborhood association, representing 850 households. In 2005 (again with lots of help), I launched the Northern Arts Council to support and promote North County artists. And from 2005-07, I served as executive director of the Ferguson Special Business District, guiding the Ferguson Farmers Market to “best of” awards in both the state and the St. Louis metro area.

An accomplished journalist, I’ve authored two books on architecture and interior design and have spent the past 14 years as a writer and field editor, nine of those for magazines like Better Homes and Gardens and Midwest Living. I’ve also put my marketing, event planning and graphic design skills to good use, working with dozens of small businesses and nonprofit organizations in the St. Louis area and beyond.

In creating NOCO, my goal is really pretty simple: I love North County. I believe in North County’s future. And I want to tell my story of this beautiful, vibrant, diverse place, in the hope that other progressive, creative people will embrace this community and make it their home.

I don’t pretend to be a full-service news source. I’m just one person. But I do hope to spur some productive discussion about local issues and to paint an engaging picture of the fun, interesting North County that I know.

If you have any comments or story ideas, or if you’d like to send me press releases or event information, feel free to drop me an email: shannon at NOCOstl.com. And if you’d like to place a NOCO link on your site, feel free to use the graphic below. Thank you for visiting!

Please note: Unless credited otherwise, all photos and text are copyright Shannon Howard.