■ Debbie Buff of Festus is worried she’ll be forced to give up her beloved pet pig, Princess Pickles, after receiving notice from the Festus officials that keeping the animal violates the city’s ordinances. Buff, 44, said her 1-year-old mini potbellied pig is a companion animal who has helped her through a traumatic year after the death of her 24-year-old son, Brandon Diel. “I had my psychiatrist register her as an emotional support pig,” she said. “She’s there to comfort. She provides emotional support for myself and my son (Aiden Perry, 13).” See Kevin Carbery’s Page 1 story.
■ Jefferson County government is planning to spend about $2.8 million in capital improvement projects next year – maybe. The Jefferson County Council voted 6-0 at its Aug. 26 meeting to approve a strategic and capital improvement plan. However, County Executive Dennis Gannon said that doesn’t mean that the eight projects slated for the coming year will get funded. The biggest-ticket item in the list is $1.7 million for a new county Animal Resource Center in the House Springs area. The second-biggest item on the county’s list is $765,000 for vehicle purchases, and next up is $250,000 for work at the County Jail in Hillsboro. See Steve Taylor’s Page 1 story.
■ All three branches of the Jefferson County Library system will now be open on Sunday afternoons. Beginning Sept. 8, the Arnold, Northwest and Windsor branches of the library will be open from 1-5 p.m. on Sundays. As a result, the libraries will reduce their Friday hours and remain open only until 5 p.m.; previously, the libraries closed at 6 p.m. on Fridays. The libraries are also open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. Library director Pam Klipsch said the new hours will remain in effect until Sunday, May 17, roughly equivalent to the typical school year in the county. See Mary McKinstry’s story.
■ Some Jefferson County residents are members of a group that wants to know why about 113,000 Missouri residents – including 90,000 children – have been dropped from the state’s Medicaid health insurance rolls in 2018 and 2019. About 15 people with the group Missouri Health Care for All stood on the corner of Jeffco Boulevard and Hwy. 141 in Arnold on Aug. 27 armed with signs calling on Gov. Mike Parson to address the problem. “The biggest thing, we were trying to raise awareness about the problem,” said Dennis McDonald of Festus, the county organizer for the group. “A lot of people saw our signs. Because traffic was going, it was difficult to speak to a lot of people, but when people were making right turns, we were able to answer a few questions. I think a lot of people saw the message.” The group held similar rallies in south St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield, Joplin and West Plains on Aug. 27. See Steve Taylor’s Page 1 story.
■ Preliminary work began last week for an addition being built at Pevely Elementary School.
The start of construction followed a groundbreaking ceremony, held Aug. 20, at the school, 30 Main Street, which is part of the Dunklin R-5 School District. About 30 people attended the groundbreaking, said Matt Lichtenstein, the district’s director of communications. “There is excitement over the project among the staff, the students and the community, I believe,” Deputy Superintendent Clint Freeman said. The addition, which will be built on the west side of the school, is expected to be finished in August 2020, the district reported in a written statement. See Kevin Carbery’s story.
■ Retired editor Patrick Martin laments the state Legislature’s high-handedness in dictating a later start to the school year all across Missouri in the Editorial section.
■ The Sports section offers coverage of the first week of football, plus see sports editor Russell Korando’s column on three bowlers posting 300 games on the same night at Quonset Lanes.
*** Plenty of fun available this weekend – Twin City Days, Eureka Days and the rescheduled Jefferson County Rodeo.