🌱 Patch AM: What Hawes’ retirement and a $13M deficit mean for Kirkwood

Hello Kirkwood! Stay connected with the latest updates from around town. Let's dive in! ☀️

In today's newsletter:

• What Hawes’ retirement and a $13M deficit mean for Kirkwood
• How Kirkwood roots helped launch Greg Warren onto ‘The Tonight Show’

Today's riddle: The world champion tongue twister just got arrested! 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Tuesday: Mostly sunny and chilly, with a high of 35 and low of 30 degrees.
• Wednesday: Partly sunny, temps: high: 43, low: 28.
• Thursday: Increasing cloudiness, with a high of 36 and low of 30 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

• Citizens, Council Bid Farewell To Russell Hawes (timesnewspapers.com) — Kirkwood is saying goodbye to longtime city administrator Russell Hawes, who retired after 11 years overseeing major projects like the Performing Arts Center, the 2035 Comprehensive Plan, and utility upgrades. His departure, alongside Kirkwood Electric’s director, comes as the city audits $13 million in deficit spending and prepares a nationwide search for a new administrator, with an interim leader already in place.
   

• Kirkwood's Greg Warren Makes 'Tonight Show' Debut (timesnewspapers.com) — Longtime stand-up comic Greg Warren, who grew up in Kirkwood and graduated from Kirkwood High School, just hit a career milestone with his first appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” He credits his Kirkwood upbringing, family ties to the high school and local media, and a recent career “second wind” with Nate Bargatze for helping him reach a national audience.
   

📸 Around Kirkwood

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📣 Kirkwood Shout Outs!

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🗓 Events Nearby

Tuesday December 30

• Winter Break Camp
  Brentwood Calendar , 2505 S Brentwood Blvd. , Brentwood
  8:30 am
• Candidate Filing Ends for General Municipal Election on April 7, 2026
  Brentwood Calendar , Brentwood City Hall - City Clerk's Office 2348 S. Brentwood Blvd. , Brentwood
  8:30 am
• Yoga Flow
  Town and Country, MO Calendar St. Louis, MO 63131
  9:00 am
• Blood Drive
  Manchester, MO Calendar , 200 Highlands Blvd. Dr. , Manchester
  10:00 am
• SOD PM - Christina
  City of Des Peres Calendar Des Peres, MO 63131
  1:00 pm
• Candidate Filing Closes
  Town and Country, MO Calendar , 1011 Municipal Center Drive , St. Louis
  5:00 pm
• Brentwood Forest Meeting
  Brentwood Calendar Brentwood, MO 63144
  6:00 pm

Wednesday December 31

• Winter Holidays
  Center for Creative Learning (CCL) , 265 Old State Rd , Ellisville
• Adjusted Holiday Hours for The Rec
  City of Webster Groves Calendar , Benny Gordon Recreation Complex 33 East Glendale Road , Webster Groves
  5:30 am
• SOD PM - Darryl
  City of Des Peres Calendar Des Peres, MO 63131
  6:30 am
• SOD AM - Darryl
  City of Des Peres Calendar Des Peres, MO 63131
  6:30 am

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Kirkwood PatchAM possible:

• Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
  Teach your kids they can achieve the impossible!
• 4 Hands Brewing Co kirkwood location
  4 Hands Brewing Co. Stretch Your Spirits This Weekend

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• All lanes on I-44 WB at Shrewsbury Ave are closed due to a crash, with emergency vehicles past Shrewsbury Ave.
  8:53AM on Dec 29: All lanes of I-44 WB at Shrewsbury Ave are closed, along with left and right exits and shoulders, starting at 8:52 AM on December… (Nextdoor )
• Crash reported on I-44 westbound at Berry Road in Missouri.
  2:02AM on Dec 28: All lanes of I-44 westbound at Berry Road in Missouri are closed, with the left and right shoulders also closed, expected to last… (Nextdoor )

🗞 Nearby News

Webster Groves

• Fire Chief To Retire After 4 Years In Role (timesnewspapers.com)

Fenton

• P and Z recommends denial of proposed Fenton apartment complex (myleaderpaper.com)
• Triad Schools to buy 3 new gasoline-powered school buses (timestribunenews.com)

Ok Kirkwood! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I hear they’re giving him a really tough sentence.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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