Public Safety Director's Spotlight - Community Mediation Program

 

Community Mediation Program

I want to begin the first Spotlight of 2014 by passing along some information from the Community Mediation Program.  The program is seeking applicants for its 32-hour volunteer mediation class that will begin later this month.  If you would like to know more about volunteer mediation to decide if you're interested, you may visit the mediationstl.org web site.  There also will be two introductory three-hour sessions Thursday, Jan. 9^th at 6:15 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 11 at 9:30 a.m.  If you are interested in attending one of the sessions, call (314) 533-3550.

 

Upcoming Events

Jan. 3—First Friday, International Photography Hall of Fame & Museum, 11 a.m.

The International Photography Hall of Fame & Museum is the only museum in St. Louis dedicated exclusively to photography.  Stop by on the First Friday of each month to see the latest exhibits focusing on the art and science of photography.  The museum, located at 3415 Olive Street in Grand Center, will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. this Friday.  For more details, visit the iphf.org web site.

Jan. 4 & 5 – The Wedding Show, America's Center, 11 a.m.

The largest wedding planning event in St. Louis will take place this Saturday and Sunday at America's Center, 701 Convention Plaza in exciting Downtown St. Louis.  The Wedding Show will showcase more than 225 wedding booths, with experts to assist brides in every area of planning their wedding.  Visitors will be able to watch a professional runway fashion show, enjoy live music, try free samples, take a chance in the prize vault and more!  To organize and rate all your wedding show finds, download the free "stl wedding show" app.  Cost is $8 person.  Questions?  Call (636) 530-7989.

Jan. 4 – 1764 12^th Afternoon Ball at the Old Courthouse, Noon

For the past few weeks, the staff at the Old Courthouse has hosted the Holiday Traditions Series where visitors can stop by on Saturday afternoons and experience music, dancing and food from significant eras in St. Louis's history.  For the series' final day, visitors will be able to enjoy a 1764 12^th Afternoon Ball from Noon to 4 p.m.  Once again, Deborah Hyland will teach the most popular dances of the mid-18^th century.  Food Historian Suzanne Corbett will present treats common to St. Louis dinner tables during the 1764 holiday season.  King's Cake also will be served, and the King and Queen of Mardi Gras will be crowned.  To learn more, visit the gatewayarch.com web site.

Jan. 6 – 12^th Night, Johnny's Restaurant, 5:30 p.m.

The Soulard neighborhood will kick off its 2014 Mardi Gras festivities with 12^th Night on Monday, Jan 6 from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Johnny's Restaurant, 1017 Russell.  Local officials will read a proclamation declaring the start of the Mardi Gras season.  Then, there will be a procession through the neighborhood, followed by a flag raising and fireworks at the corner of 7^th and Soulard.  For the complete Mardi Gras calendar of events, visit the mardigrasinc.com web site.

Now through Jan. 10 – Christmas Tree Recycling

City residents can take their undecorated bare tree to one of the following City parks through Friday, Jan. 10 to be recycled:

• Forest Park, Lower Muny Opera parking lot
• O'Fallon Park, West Florissant and Holly, picnic grounds #4
• Carondelet Park, Grand and Holly Hills, area between gate and recycling containers.

The trees will be ground into free mulch made available at these sites.  City residents should NOT place Christmas trees in alley dumpsters or recycling containers.  However, the Refuse Division will collect them as part of its regular monthly bulk pickup program.

 

Save the Date

Jan. 11—Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Commission Kick-off Program for Missouri, Harris-Stowe State University, 6:30 p.m.

Jan. 11 – Free First Time Home Buyer Seminar, Dover Place Christian Church, 9:30 a.m.

Jan. 11 – Family Science Saturday, St. Louis Science Center, 11 a.m.

Jan. 12 – St. Louis Color Bomb, Edward Jones Dome, 10 a.m.

 

Promoting Your Neighborhood Activities

Is there a neighborhood event on the schedule that you would like noted in the Spotlight? If so, you may email the information about it to me at deekenc@stlouis-mo.gov or to Cathy Smentkowski at smentkowskic@stlouis-mo.gov for consideration. You may also post it on the City's Calendar of Events on the City's web site:  http://stlouis-mo.gov.  The link to submit an event is on the home page. The listing is free. I encourage you to take advantage of this free way to promote your event.

 

2014

Throughout 2014, St. Louis will be celebrating its 250^th anniversary with many exciting events that will include live performances, great food, fireworks and more!  We will have the chance to reflect and take pride in the people, places and things that brought us to where we are today and to look forward to the many opportunities that are ahead for our great city and region.  I encourage you to visit the stl250.org web site Calendar of Events for all the details regarding these events, including the Burnin' Love Festival that will take place the weekend of Feb. 14-16, the Reenactment of the City's Founding on Saturday, Feb. 15 and the Birthday Ball on Sunday, Feb. 16.  Let's make 2014 a year to remember.

Charlene Deeken
Director of Public Safety
City of St. Louis

 

 

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