■ Wielding the sword of a legendary conqueror, a Jefferson County native went down fighting on national TV as a participant in the History Channel’s “Forged in Fire” blacksmithing competition. In his spare time, Thomas Hacker, 27, a first-year teacher at Windsor Middle School, spends hours toiling away in the blacksmith shop that once served as the garage of his Festus home. He specializes in forging made-to-order knives, each taking up to 20 hours to make, and selling them for up to $400 apiece, mainly through Facebook and Instagram. See Gordon Bess’ Page 1 feature story.
■ Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office deputies no longer are required to live in the county. In addition, the Sheriff’s Office take-home vehicle privileges have expanded 10 miles past the county line. Sheriff Dave Marshak signed off on the policy changes on Dec. 5. Marshak said the residency requirement was designed to provide better policing but has dissuaded some candidates from applying to work for the Sheriff’s Office. See Tony Krausz’s Page 1 story.
■ Missouri has reported three flu-related deaths for the 2019-2020 influenza season, including one in Jefferson County. Dylan Steigerwald, the Health Department’s epidemiologist, said the flu-related death was an adult. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has not released any information on the other two deaths. The flu season officially started Sept. 29 and as of Nov. 30, Missouri had seen 1,548 cases of flu. Jefferson County had a total of 94 laboratory-positive flu cases as of Dec. 7, according to Jefferson County Health Department reports. See Katelyn Mary Skaggs’ story.
■ Officials with the Jefferson County Water Authority, which serves customers in Festus and Herculaneum, have been discussing the possibility of discontinuing the practice of adding fluoride to the water system. Many water providers add fluoride to their systems because the chemical helps prevent tooth decay. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), fluoridated water can reduce cavities by around 25 percent in children and adults. See Katelyn Mary Skaggs’ story.
■ Plans to change the intersection at Seckman, Old Lemay Ferry and Lions Den roads in Imperial from a four-way stop to a roundabout are drawing a negative reaction, but Jefferson County Public Works Director Jason Jonas is optimistic the project will eventually be appreciated. “I’ve talked with a lot of different agencies who have installed roundabouts, and they all say that for some members of the public, change is sometimes hard to take,” said Jefferson County Public Works Director Jason Jonas. “At first, there are a number of questions and concerns, and general uneasiness with change. But once the public sees the result – if it’s done right, and this one will be done right – they are usually impressed,” Jonas said. See Steve Taylor’s story.
■ The Byrnes Mill Board of Alderpersons may vote next month on whether to place a 1 percent sales tax increase on the April 7 ballot. The city currently has a 1 1/2 percent sales tax. City officials said revenue from the proposed sales tax increase, called Proposition Safety, or Prop S, would be used to improve safety in the city by beefing up the police and public works departments. See Katelyn Mary Skaggs’ story.
■ With a quarter-century in between, Dr. Nathan Suter has become the second dentist to bring the Missouri Dental Association (MDA) Dentist of the Year award to a House Springs dental practice. Suter owns Green Leaf Dental Care, 7214 Executive Parkway, a practice he took over from Dr. Bruce Collignon in 2018. Suter, 33, is a Jefferson County native who grew up in Hillsboro and graduated from Seckman High School. Now a Crestwood resident, he was named the state’s top dentist this year at an awards banquet Nov. 8 in Jefferson City. Suter was following in Collignon’s footsteps. Collignon said he was named dentist of the year about 25 years ago. See Tony Krausz’s story.
■ Tony Krausz got the nod for the Editorial column this week – shoot or don’t shoot? He learned a lot. Also, see a wide range of letters across the political spectrum.
■ Sports editor Russell Korando talked to Russ Schmidt, erstwhile football coach at Festus R-6 High School. There’s still a bit of mystery about what went down.
*** Shopping days – not that many left.