■ The Jefferson County Health Department received “thrilling” news in an April 19 email that it had received two grants from the Missouri Foundation for Health totaling almost $700,000, Health Department Director Kelley Vollmar said. A two-year grant for $284,113 will be used to create and equip three task forces to pursue the goal of improving county residents’ access to health care. A four-year grant for $409,543 will help fund the department’s recently acquired wellness van, covering the salary of a nurse practitioner to staff the van and other direct and indirect costs. See Peggy Bess’ story.
■ Gary Keith Atchley, a former Olympian Village alderman, has been indicted on five counts of wire fraud for allegedly embezzling $185,000 from the small town that is located several miles east of De Soto, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri announced Monday. Atchley, who served as an alderman from 2013 to 2016, is alleged to have bought approximately $58,000 in personal merchandise using pre-authorized debit transactions and writing $127,000 in checks for his own benefit, which were not authorized by the Olympian Village government. See Kevin Carbery’s story.
■ Jefferson County officials have withdrawn their request for an order of protection to shield the County Council’s administrative assistant from its members. The request stemmed from a March 22 incident that involved the administrative assistant, Pat Schlette, County Councilman Jim Terry (District 7, Cedar Hill), county counselor Tony Dorsett and an attorney, Robert Schultz of Chesterfield. County Executive Ken Waller, who approved the filing of the request and its subsequent withdrawal, said he issued an executive order April 11 that accomplished the same thing, making the request to the court superfluous. See Steve Taylor’s story.
■ Northwest High School students are rallying around a teacher who recently resigned after he showed a film in his class that some students found objectionable. Northwest R-1 School District officials have not released the name of the teacher, but students and members of the community say that Rob Maxwell, a language arts and journalism teacher, resigned after the controversy involving the film. A Facebook page named “Bring Back the Max” includes an online petition with several hundred signatures requesting the instructor be allowed to return to his job at the school. Maxwell also was a boys cross country and track and field coach. See Tracey Bruce’s story.
■ Herculaneum officials are considering a proposal to disband its Police Department and contract with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement services. Officials with the Sheriff’s Office will make a presentation about the proposal at the May 21 Herculaneum Board of Aldermen meeting. See Steve Taylor’s story.
■ Work should begin this summer on a new parish hall at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Imperial. The Rev. Dan Shaughnessy said it probably will take about a year to complete construction of the 15,000-square-foot parish center, which will be built adjacent to the church and school, 6020 Old Antonia Road. “It will be primarily a space for meetings,” Shaughnessy said. “We’ll move our parish offices in there, and there will be a commercial kitchen that we can use for fish fries and fried chicken dinners.” See Steve Taylor’s story.
■ What’s a progressive? Turns out, it depends on who you ask. See Peggy Bess’ column in the editorial section and letters that cover a wide range of topics.
■ Lightning struck three times last Thursday (April 26) at Hillsboro, Leader sports editor Russell Korando writes in his May 3 column. The trio of thunderbolts came from the right arms of seniors and javelin throwers Isaiah Martin and Logan Smith. See the Sports section for more on that dramatic story and results from the JCAA golf tournament and track and field championships.
*** Come to the Leader Pet Expo at noon Sunday, at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Hillsboro. Fido is welcome to come, too.