40 South News (http://40southnews.com/author/douglashminer/)
Maplewood City Council on Tuesday passed a resolution to authorize a special election for the vacant seat of Ward 2 Councilmember Eleanor Pardini, who resigned her post for personal reasons on Friday, April 9, 2021. Petitions are available at Maplewood City Hall, 7601 Manchester Rd. For questions please call Deputy City Clerk, Karen Scheidt at 646-3604 or by email at k-scheidt@cityofmaplewood.com.
The city of Maplewood announced Friday that Councilmember Eleanor Pardini (Ward 2) resigned her seat on the city council effective Friday, April 9. The city posted her letter of resignation. The beginning of Pardini’s letter explaining her decision:
Neighbors and friends,
I’m writing to let you know that I will be resigning from Maplewood City Council effective Friday, April 9, 2021. This has been an incredibly difficult decision to make. I have arrived at this place through much introspection and deliberation.
News sources reported that a Wildwood woman was killed in a collision Tuesday morning with a tractor-trailer on the eastbound I-64 Big Bend exit. Fox 2 — One dead after fiery accident with 18-wheeler on I-64
KMOV — Wildwood woman killed in fiery Tuesday morning crash on I-64 in Richmond Heights
KSDK — Driver killed in crash with tractor-trailer on I-64 in St. Louis County
St. Louis Post-Dispatch — O’Fallon, Mo., mayor prevails; Maplewood elects first Black mayor
St. Louis Post-Dispatch — Woman killed in crash on Highway 40 in Richmond Heights
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Nikylan Knapper has become the first African American in the history of Maplewood, MO, to be elected its mayor. With all polling places reporting, Knapper defeated incumbent mayor Barry Greenberg 822 to 588 votes, winning 58.3% of the vote, according the St. Louis County Election Board. Knapper posted on Facebook: “We made history tonight, I am honored and so excited to be the next Mayor of Maplewood! Tonight we celebrate, tomorrow we get to work!”
From various sources recently: the Kerry Cottage has closed in Maplewood after 33 years in business, an MRH junior golfer wins, and more. Fox 2 — Tim’s Travels: Cure your sweet tooth at Sweet Tooth Bakery in Maplewood
KMOV — Creve Coeur man fatally shot in University City; arrest made
Riverfront Times — St. Louis Restaurant Openings and Closings: March 2021
St. Louis Post-Dispatch — Maplewood’s Kolar grows back into his game, wins Bantle Memorial medalist title
St. Louis Post-Dispatch — Affton 10, Maplewood-Richmond Heights 1
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The following is an email sent to 40 South News editor Doug Miner, unsolicited, received March 24, from Kurt Becker, 4th District Vice President, IAFF (International Association of Fire Fighters) Local 2665. Mr. Miner,
On behalf of IAFF Local 2665 and the Professional Firefighters of Maplewood, can you please kindly publish the attached in response to the comments from Mayor Greenberg that you published yesterday? Yours,
Kurt Becker
4th District Vice President
IAFF Local 2665
Firefighters Set the Record Straight
March 24, 2021
By: Kurt Becker, District Vice-President – IAFF Local 2665
I was surprised and disappointed to read the missives Mr. Greenberg published in the South 40 News on March 23, 2021. His article, and his subsequent comments are full of misinformation, half-truths, and in some cases are outright duplicitous. Before I address that, however, let’s point out the accuracies in the Mayor’s diatribes:
First, it is absolutely true that the Maplewood Firefighters Association and IAFF Local 2665 have enthusiastically endorsed his opponent, Ms. Nikylan Knapper.
Maplewood resident and artist Bill Perry has opened a exhibit of life-size portraits of immigrant women living in St. Louis. The portraits celebrate the women’s “fortitude, ambition, dedication and resilience,” Perry says. It took him two years to complete the work. The exhibit runs through April 23 at the Intersect Arts Center, 3636 Texas Avenue, St.
According to niche.com, Richmond Heights was voted 9th best place to live in America and the best place to live in Missouri, KSDK reports. Also, the Post-Dispatch reports on MRH sports starting back up. Fox 2 — St. Louis area libraries plan to reopen in March
KSDK — Richmond Heights voted one of the best places to live in America
KSDK — 7 St. Louis-area businesses named finalists in competition for free rent in Richmond Heights
Riverfront Times — Boardwalk Waffles Launches Brunch Service This Weekend
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Maplewood Mayor Barry Greenberg, at the request of 40 South, described what he and the city council have gone through as they have tried to hire a new city manager. The city has been without a permanent city manager since 2019. Maplewood Public Works Director Anthony Traxler has also been acting city manager since then. The account below is from Mayor Greenberg. The selection of a City Manager is critical to the operation of the City.
Maplewood Mayor Barry Greenberg is running for a second term in the April 6 elections, facing off against MRH School Board member, Nikylan Knapper. Greenberg has information about his candidacy on his campaign website, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Greenberg listed his qualifications to be mayor of Maplewood on Instagram, mayorbarrygreenberg:
MY 8 MAYORAL QUALIFICATIONS! I have decades of experience serving as a leader in the Maplewood community in different capacities. Below is a list of what I would consider my most important qualifications for being mayor as well as some quick personal thoughts on each qualification (just below).
A vandal broke a window in the front of Mauhaus Cat Cafe on Wednesday. No cats were harmed in the breaking of the window, Mauhaus reported. Also, donations came in to more than cover the costs from the damage, they said on Facebook. https://twitter.com/MAUHAUScafe/status/1364636119384621056?s=20
Fox 2 — Vandal caught on camera smashing a Maplewood business’ windows
KMOV — Vandal uses snow shovel to bust window at Maplewood cat cafe
KSDK — Vandal damages Mauhaus cat cafe in Maplewood
Riverfront Times — Shovel Smashed into Mauhaus Cat Café Storefront in Maplewood
According to multiple reports, Honduran immigrant Alex Garcia walked out the door of United Church of Christ in Maplewood on Wednesday, no longer afraid to be immediately deported. A change in immigration policy under President Biden made it possible. https://twitter.com/stlpublicradio/status/1364737206829649921?s=20
Reunited: Alex Garcia, Honduran immigrant and father, leaves sanctuary in Maplewood church https://t.co/79faUH2wuF
— Tony Messenger (@tonymess) February 24, 2021
(Missouri church celebrates freedom with Alex Garcia) has been published on First United Congregational Church of Christ – https://t.co/ZSANhp9GaW pic.twitter.com/83HZb3aEZR
— UCCGrandBlanc (@BlancUcc) February 25, 2021
Alex Garcia walks free after nearly 4 years of living in sanctuary at Maplewood churchhttps://t.co/yIkIbZJ2bI pic.twitter.com/E9yedAw0td
— Jeanie Smith (@JeanieSmithKSDK) February 24, 2021
His wife Carly Garcia and a coalition of supporters worked to negotiate a solution with ICE to allow him to remain in the country. https://t.co/zyLQ8H4dmw
— Riverfront Times (@RiverfrontTimes) February 25, 2021
Después de tres años y medio de vivir dentro de una iglesia para evitar ser deportado, Alex García salióhttps://t.co/3TcB7GNogo
— ChiTrib_Español (@ChiTrib_Espanol) February 25, 2021
In the news: Rep. Cori Bush introduces legislation to give residency to Alex Garcia, Richmond Heights firefighters help with vaccination effort. Fox 2 — COVID vaccination effort in St. Louis County expands with firefighters help
KMOV — Rep. Bush’s newest legislation aims to help man in sanctuary at Maplewood church
Ladue News — Neighborhoods Near You: Top Picks in Richmond Heights
Ladue News — Neighborhoods Near You: Top Picks in Maplewood
nextstl.com — Groth Guide to Ellendale
nextstl.com — February Construction Photo Roundup
Riverfront Times — For The Garcia Family, a Filmmaker Returns Home to St. Louis
Riverfront Times — St. Louis County Partnering With Fire Departments to Get Vaccines to Long-Term Care Residents
STL Jewish Light — Lifetime of love: As 75th anniversary nears, couple reflects on long, happy marriage
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The city of Maplewood announced on Feb. 5 that Maplewood Police Chief Stephen M. Kruse announced his retirement, to be effective April 1, 2021. Chief Kruse has been in law enforcement for over forty-five years, serving as police chief for the city of Maplewood the last 12 years. Kruse joined the Maplewood Police Department in 2009 and previously served as chief of police in Florissant and Shrewsbury. Much of his career was spent with the Florissant Police Department where he quickly rose through the ranks.
Sweet Tooth Bakery at 7326 Manchester has opened, currently offering chocolate covered strawberries, chocolate covered turtles and turtle brownies. The hours are Monday-Saturday 10 am-6 pm and Sunday noon-5 pm. Photos below are from the Sweet Tooth Bakery Facebook page.
St. Louis County Board of Elections honored supervisor, and Brentwood resident Toni Bowman on Facebook Friday, reporting how she made a plan for COVID-positive voters to cast their votes in November. From the St. Louis County Board of Elections Facebook page:
As the Republican Supervisor of the Absentee Department, Toni Bowman is no stranger to adapting to change! During the November 2020 election, she had to quickly pull together a plan to allow COVID-positive voters to cast their votes from their home or the hospital.
The Maplewood Steak ‘n Shake was reduced to a pile of rubble by Friday. The restaurant closed in January 2019, posting remodeling signs. Employees were dismissed with little warning. See also: Steak ‘n Shake closed for remodeling, Maplewood Steak ‘n Shake employees in the dark, without jobs, Maplewood Steak ‘n Shake, built in 1974, removes signs, awnings
The 1.1 acre site is for lease. What should take its place?
The City of Maplewood has supplied the elevation views of the two-story frame house under construction at the corner of Sutton Boulevard and Flora Avenue. The former house, also the office of Maplewood Richmond Heights Family Dentistry, burned down in 2012. Front and right side elevations PDF
Rear and left side elevations PDF
See also: Maplewood History: 7396 Flora Avenue
Richmond Heights resident Rachel Goltzman has announced she is running for the Maplewood Richmond Heights School Board. She is currently one of three running for two open seats. Amber Withycombe has also filed, and incumbent Ralph Posley has filed for reelection; incumbent Wesley Robb has not. The filing period expires at the end of the business day on January 19. Rachel Goltzman’s statement:
My name is Rachel Goltzman. I have been a lifelong Missouri resident and a Richmond Heights resident since 2001. I have been married to Paul Swier for 18 years; we have two children. Both of our children have been enrolled in the MRH School District since preschool; currently, we have a middle school student (Jacob) and a high school student (Amelia).
The Maplewood Police Officers Association (MPOA) said on its Facebook page that its members are “deeply hurt and saddened” that Maplewood Mayor Barry Greenberg and the council may take a position that they don’t necessarily condone references to Blue Lives Matter on the group’s Facebook page. The Blue Lives Matter flag, with the blue line, is at the top of its Facebook page. At least one resident in the (Zoom) Jan. 12 meeting, objected to the flag. Greenberg said he found online that the Blue Lives Matter flag can be tied to a right-wing political agenda.