If you are not up on what is going on and out around St Louis County. Then let me give it to you in true form.
In this current newsletter sent out to the press it details Sam Page’s reelection, the new Zoo expansion, monkey pox, the torrential flood last week and much more.
So, grab your cup of java and get to reading all that is yours to know. You will thank Argus later. Have a great day. Editor.
General Reminders:
Each week, we do our best to help you stay on top of the news in the County. We’re thrilled that so many people find this newsletter a useful resource! Here are a few reminders, and then we’ll turn to this week’s updates.
Live Briefings: Dr. Page’s press briefings are broadcast live on his County Executive Facebook page. This week’s briefing will be Wednesday at 8:30 am.
St. Louis County Council Meeting: The St. Louis County Council holds its meetings at 6:30 pm on Tuesdays. Meetings are currently being held virtually due to ADA improvements being made in the Chamber. During Council meetings, Dr. Page usually gives his weekly County Executive Report. At each regular meeting of the Council, a period of sixty minutes is, by rule, set aside for members of the public to make statements or to present matters to the Council during the public forum order of business. Any member of the public wishing to make a statement or present matters to the Council must register to do so in advance. Since the meetings are currently being held virtually, public testimony will also be virtual. To register to speak, click on the date of the specifc Council meeting and follow the link on that page: https://stlouiscountymo.gov/st-louis-county-public-notices/
All Council meetings are streamed exclusively to BoxCast. Members of the public can access the stream at https://boxcast.tv/channel/wdeojvfau9uqc9qt6k8z. You can find the Council’s meeting agenda here: https://stlouisco.civicweb.net/Portal/MeetingInformation.aspx?Id=437
This Week’s Updates:
What happened last week was… rain. Lots of rain. The week was a very difficult one for many St. Louis County residents. With extreme heat preceding extreme flooding, extreme weather one-two punched County residents. The weather forecasts were, for once, not dire enough. There wasn’t much time to prepare for eight or nine inches of rain that ran out of places to drain. Dr. Page and all parts of County government jumped into action to provide services and notify residents of what was happening. A shelter was established for those displaced due to flooding and first responders and others helped get people to safety. In order to get as many services as possible for St. Louis County, Dr. Page signed an Executive Order declaring a State of Emergency. This enables the state to ask for federal funding to provide relief for residents for damage and free up funding for small business.
While the State of Emergency continues, so too does St. Louis County’s response. As Dr. Page said, “St. Louis County did what it does best – we worked together to help each other out. Thank you to our police officers, firefighters, emergency dispatchers and all first responders for your tireless efforts to keep our community safe during this record rainfall.” Anyone with damage to their home, vehicle, or other property should report it to the United Way’s 211 to help catalog the damage caused as well to get recovery assistance including housing, personal items, and repairs to homes and small businesses. The American Red Cross has been operating a shelter at the James J. Eagan Civic Center in Florissant but announced that on Sunday it will move to the St. Vincent Community Center, at 7335 St. Charles Rock Road in Normandy.
Dr. Page commends the ingenuity of many organizations in St. Louis County and the generosity of many residents in rising to the occasion to help our neighbors.
On Wednesday, August 3 from 3 to 8 pm, there will be a multi-agency resource center to help those who have been affected by the floods. This will take place at the John F. Kennedy Community Center at 315 Howdershell Road in Florissant and will include insurance information, legal services, food stamp replacement services, health and wellness services, emergency financial assistance, and much more. Please bring proof of address. Childcare is available at the center. Over the weekend, assistance in terms of food, water, and cleaning supplies were available in the Galleria south lot.
Tuesday is Election Day in St. Louis County. County residents may vote at any polling location. A new state law requiring a photo ID has NOT gone into effect. The polls in St. Louis County will be open from 6am on Tuesday until the last voter in line at 7pm has cast their ballot.
**Endorsement: Dr. Page’s reelection has been endorsed by the region’s most influential newspapers: the St. Louis American, the St. Louis Call, and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. In addition, the St. Louis Labor Tribune reported that Dr. Page has been endorsed by the St. Louis Labor Council. Labor Council President Pat White called Dr. Page an “outstanding fighter for union workers and their families.”
That is all the time I am going to give, so if you want to read more:
NOTE: Because we have new subscribers each week (welcome!) we will continue to include some items that have appeared in past issues. However, to make it easier for those of you who read What Happened Last Week each week (hello!) we will indicate new or edited content with two asterisks ** and a highlight. Follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/SamForSTLCounty) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/SamForSTLCounty)