Public Safety Director's Spotlight - Upcoming Events

 

On the Passing of Alderman Greg Carter

I mark with sadness the passing of 27th Ward Alderman Greg Carter. We all were reminded how precious and fragile life is when we woke up Wednesday morning to news of his untimely death. Ald. Carter was a vigilant advocate for his ward and for all of St. Louis. As Chairman of the Board of Aldermen's Public Safety Committee, he set high standards for city departments. St.  Louis has lost a true public servant, a warm, caring man who worked tirelessly for neighbors in every part of this city. My deepest condolences to the Carter Family.  

Election Day

Make your voice count.  Vote on Tuesday, August 7!

 

Upcoming Events

Aug. 3 – Free Summer Concert, Carondelet Lions Park

The Carondelet Community Betterment Federation will present The Younger Brothers in concert on Friday at 5:30 p.m. in Carondelet Lions Park, located at Michigan and Davis.  The performance is part of the 2012 Summer Concert Series in St. Louis City parks.

Aug. 4 – Back-to-School Festival, Chaifetz Arena, 9 a.m.

The St. Louis Public School District will once again join forces with the St. Louis Community Empowerment Foundation to present the 2012 St. Louis Public Schools Back-to-School & Community Empowerment Festival on Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Chaifetz Arena, 1 S. Compton in Midtown St. Louis.  The Festival will feature more than 100 vendor booths providing various support services.  Free backpacks filled with school supplies will be distributed to students while supplies last.  Admission to the Festival is free; however, all in attendance must register.  Avoid the registration lines on the day of the event by pre-registering online at www.slps.org/festival.  For more information, you may also call (314) 345-2520.

Aug. 4 – Free Back-to-School Children’s Vision Screening, St. Louis Science Center

Since 1995 the Missouri Lions Eye Research Foundation has been helping children start off the school year with better vision.  The Foundation will offer free Children’s Vision Screening this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the St. Louis Science Center, located at 5050 Oakland Avenue in the Kings Oak neighborhood.  If you would like more information, please call (314) 428-4373.

Aug. 4 – 6^th Annual Community Development Carnival, DeSoto Park

Community Renewal Development Inc. will present its 6^th Annual Community Development Carnival this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in DeSoto Park, located at 20^th and Carr in the Carr Square neighborhood.  Activities will include live entertainment, Go-Karts, face painting, exotic petting zoo, health screenings, hair cuts and manicures for kids, food and refreshments and more.  Questions?  Call (289-9900.

Aug. 4 – 10^th Annual Prostate Cancer Run/Walk, Kiener Plaza

The 100 Black Men organization will present its 10^th Annual Prostate Cancer Run/Walk this Saturday, starting at 7:30 a.m. in Kiener Plaza, located at 6^th and Market Streets in beautiful Downtown St. Louis.  For more information and to register, call (314) 367-7778.

Aug. 4 – 6^th Annual Community Health Fair, Monsanto YMCA

The Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. St. Louis Metropolitan Chapters will present the 6^th Annual Community Health Fair this Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. at the Monsanto YMCA, located at 5555 Page Blvd. in the Hamilton Heights neighborhood.  The Fair will include free screenings, healthy food demonstrations, children’s activities and more.  Questions?  Call (314) 368-4670 or (314) 276-3634.

Aug. 4 – Memorial for Fallen First Responders – The Cranes Are Coming!, Art Hill in Forest  Park

One thousand oversized origami paper cranes will be placed on Art Hill in Forest Park this Saturday as a one-day memorial to St. Louis’ fallen first responders.  The “Cranes Are Coming!”  exhibit will be on display from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.  A ceremony will take place at 10 a.m.  At the end of the day, the cranes will be available for $10 each, with all proceeds going to The Backstoppers organization, which supports the families of fallen police and firefighters.  If you would like to reserve a crane in advance, visit the stlcraneproject.com web site.

Aug. 4 – 5 – Missouri Black Expo’s Taste of Soul Weekend, America’s Center

Get ready for an exciting weekend filled with a Taste of Soul.  This year’s Missouri Black Expo at America’s Center in Downtown St. Louis will feature live music, entertainment, hot topics discussions, the Teen Convention for Youth, the MBE Multi-cultural Career Fair, and free health screenings and consultations.  General admission is $6; children age 6 and under are free.  For all the particulars, visit www.missouriblackexpo.com/ .

Aug. 4 – 5 – Serb Fest 2012, Holy Trinity Serbian Eastern Orthodox Church

Continually voted as one of the best food festivals in St. Louis, everyone is invited to stop by and experience Serb Fest 2012 this Saturday and Sunday at the Holy Trinity Serbian Eastern Orthodox Church, located at 1910 Serbian Drive in the McKinley Heights neighborhood.  Enjoy rich traditions, heritage, music, culture, food, drink and more!  Admission is free. The Fair will begin at 11 a.m. both days. For more information, call (314) 776-3262.

Aug. 4 – That 70s Game Show! Live!, Regional Arts Commission

New Line Theatre has created a new side identity called New Line Theatre OFF LINE.  To kick off the new project and raise seed money, the New Liners are hosting a fundraiser – That 70’s Game Show! Live! – this Saturday at the Regional Arts Commission (RAC). Contestants will come from the audience and the New Liners will be the “celebrities.”  Admission is $10.  RAC is located at 6128 Delmar in the Skinker-DeBaliviere neighborhood.  If you would like more information, please call (636) 699-6689.

Aug. 5 – 1^st Annual Schurcipefones Festival, 10^th & Locust

Do you love St. Louis’ local craft beer scene?  If so, then you probably know that this is St. Louis Craft Beer Week.  To bring the week to a close, there will be a ceremony (and a whole lot more) on Sunday from Noon to 6 p.m.  Cost is $25, but the ticket will include unlimited sampling from great local brewers such as Schlafly, Charleville, Urban Chestnut, Civil Life, Perennial, and Four Hands, just to name a few.  The 1^st Annual Schurcipefones Festival will take place on Locust Street between 10^th and 11^th in Downtown St. Louis.  Call (314) 241-8121 for more details.

Aug. 5 - Free Summer Concert, Carondelet Park

The Carondelet Community Betterment Federation will present Elvis, Patsy Cline, Buddy Holly Band from 6 – 8 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 5 in Carondelet Park as part of its Summer Concert Series.  The concert will take place at the Music Stand at Loughborough and Field.  Pack a picnic basket, bring your lawn chairs or a blanket and enjoy the sights and sounds of this free outdoor concert in the park.

Aug. 5 Sunday Serenades by Compton Heights Concert Band, Francis Park

Everyone is invited to come to Francis Park, Donovan and Eichelberger, in the St. Louis Hills neighborhood for the free Sunday Serenades Summer Concert Series by the Compton Heights Concert Band.  The concerts will begin at 7:30 p.m. each Sunday from now through Aug. 5.  Invite your family, friends and neighbors to join you for these lively concerts.

Aug. 6 - Musical Mondays Concert Series

The Compton Heights Concert Band will present its free Musical Mondays Summer Concert Series at 7:30 p.m. on Mondays in Tower Grove Park (Magnolia and Tower Grove) at the Henry Shaw Bandstand.  Pack a picnic basket, bring a blanket and join your neighbors for a great evening in the park.  The series will run from now through Aug. 6th.

Aug. 7 – Benton Park National Night Out Festival, Benton Park

The Benton Park neighborhood’s National Night Out Festival on Tuesday, Aug. 7 will kick off at 6 p.m. with a talent show followed by a performance by Big Brother Thunder and the MasterBlasters.  The event is free and open to the public.  Break out your lawn chairs, enjoy the fun and meet your neighbors.  For more details, visit www.bpna.org.

Aug. 7 – Skinker DeBaliviere BBQ Concert

The National Night Out fun in the Skinker DeBaliviere neighborhood will begin at 6 p.m. in conjunction with the Skinker DeBaliviere Concert Series.  The Funky Butt Brass Band will perform and there will be great BBQ for sale.  Proceeds will support the concert series.  Make plans now to stop by Greg Freeman Four Corners Park, next to 6008 Kingsbury at Des Peres, to have some fun with your friends and neighbors.

Aug. 7 – Southampton Neighborhood Picnic, Macklind & Nottingham

Neighbors in Southampton will celebrate National Night Out with the Southampton Neighborhood Picnic on Tuesday, Aug. 7 from 6 – 9 p.m.  The main picnic area will be at the intersection of the 5400 block of Nottingham and Macklind.  Enjoy hot dogs and all the fixings at no cost.  Bring a covered dish to share and try out your neighbors’ favorite recipes.  Beverages will be available for purchase.  Children’s activities will include a cake walk and a piñata.  Plan to come early and stay late.

Aug. 7 – Downtown National Night Out Celebration, Old Post Office

The Downtown National Night Out Celebration will take place on Tuesday from 6 – 8 p.m. at the historic Old Post Office, located at 9^th and Locust.  Enjoy live music, hot dogs, chips and more.  Make plans to stop by and meet your neighbors.

Aug. 9 - Isaiah 58 Ministries Free Back to School Fair

Isaiah 58 Ministries will hold a Back to School Fair from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 9 at 2149 S. Grand Blvd.  The event will include free backpacks with school supplies, healthy snack and lunch demonstrations by Operation Food Search, blood sugar testing for children, information booths, free haircuts by Leonard’s Barber College and more.  To schedule a haircut appointment or for more information, call (314) 776-1410. 

Thursday nights - Thursdays @ The Intersection, Grand Center

Enjoy the free outdoor concert series, Thursdays @ The Intersection, at 5 p.m. every Thursday at Strauss Park, located at Grand and Washington in Grand Center, now through Oct. 4. For a complete schedule of performers, visit http://www.grandcenter.org/ .

Save the Date

Aug. 10 - Food Truck Friday, Tower Grove Park, 5 – 8 p.m.

Aug. 10 – 12 – Back to School “Free” Sale, WITS, Inc., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Aug. 11 - Baden Taste, Hickey Park, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Aug. 11 – Spectacular Saturday, Central West End, 4 – 8 p.m.

Aug. 11 – Better Family Life Amnesty Project, St. Louis Community College at Forest Park, 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Aug. 11 –Back to School Fair, Joint Neighborhood Ministry, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Aug. 11 – Tilles Park Neighborhood Association Trivia Night 2012, Police Officer’s Assn. Hall, 7 p.m.

Aug. 11 – Free Concert, Lafayette Park, 6 p.m.

Aug. 13 – First Day of School for St. Louis Public School students

Aug. 14 – Free Concert, Fanetti Park, 5:30 p.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 rothe@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.

SLMPD Accepting Applications for the CitizensAcademy

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department has announced plans for Citizens Academy Class 2012-02. The program, designed to strengthen the bond between the department and the community, will begin September 5, 2012 and will conclude with a graduation on November 28, 2012. Classes are held Wednesdays from 6-9 p.m. For the application, visit the slmpd.org web site.

 

Eddie Roth
Director of Public Safety
City of St. Louis