These 20 stories grabbed the most eyeballs in September. Tell me what you would like me to cover in October by leaving a comment.  Gingrich: Mitt Romney, Other Republicans Will Back Todd Akin Kirkwood Lawyer Accused of Bombing Ex-Partners' Home Kirkwood Man Pleads Guilty to Child Porn Possession Miles-Long Chase at High Speeds Ends in Des Peres Gingrich, Akin to Hold Press Conference in Kirkwood Sean Adams Sentenced in Rape of Kirkwood Neighbor Glendale Named Top 100 Suburb in America, Best in Missouri Police Arrest Suspect for Dealing Drugs Out of Kirkwood Home Greentree Parade 2012 in …

From a dog wearing a bandana in support of Dave Spence to a bus denouncing President Barack Obama's four years in office, this year's Greentree Festival parade drew a mix of political messages. About the only thing most had in common was that they didn't celebrate Kirkwood.  I posted a gallery of political photos from the Greentree parade to Kirkwood Patch Facebook Thursday evening. The gallery quickly garnered three comments. Here's what people had to say: That is my least favorite part of the parade - I hate the way they ask all the kids if they want a sticker. I would sign a petition to …

If you ever thought about starting a blog, Kirkwood Patch is the place to do it. Our blogging platform is the fastest around. All you have to do is visit our Blogging Page and hit "Write a Post." (Note: You must have a Patch account before your first post. Sign up here for a free account.) After you pen your first post, your blog will be approved automatically and appear in our Local Voices Section. Chances are it also will be featured on the Kirkwood Patch homepage and in our daily newsletter.  Who Should Blog? The short answer: everyone. Whether you realize or not, you're an expert in the …

Some say Cameron Vennard resembled a young David Gilmour of Pink Floyd; Father's Day was hard this year for Darryl this year; and a friend's thoughts wandered back to Cam and his family at a funeral. The reflections combine with YouTube videos, wrist bands, a tattoo and photos to form Cam Vennard 5-30, an open Facebook group for the teen whose life ended less than a month ago after being struck by an Amtrak train in Kirkwood.  The group that started a day after Cam's passing has 621 members and continues to grow. "We have been enjoying the different pics and stories about Cam. Please keep …

Kirkwood Patchers likely noticed a few changes to our homepage this morning. Here are some tweaks we made in our ongoing effort to make Kirkwood Patch the most useful community resource possible. Weather: We moved the temperature icon next to the Kirkwood Patch graphic at the top of the homepage. Scroll over the icon to get today's whether and a six-day forecast with links to hourly and detailed weather reports. Commute: We combined our old "Traffic & Gas" to a "Commute" tab. Click it for real-time traffic and gas updates. Comments: We moved them closer to the top of the page. Scroll through…

Got a great photo? We want to see it! Share it with your neighbors on Patch: Decide which Patch suits you best. Maybe it’s where you work; maybe it’s where you live. If you need help, email Lindsay.Toler@Patch.com. Create an account. If Kirkwood is the right Patch for you (and we hope it is!), click “Join” in the upper right corner. You’ll enter your name, an email address and a password, or you can join with your Facebook account. Then fill out your profile and upload a picture and describe yourself so readers know a little about you. Go to our Pics & Clips Page. Click the “Upload Photos and…

With so much going on Kirkwood and its surrounding communities we decided to split Kirkwood-Webster Groves Patch into two websites. Now, we’re doing the same on Facebook. With our new devoted Kirkwood Patch Facebook page, we have an opportunity to come together and keep each other informed on everything Kirkwood. I rely on social media and your feedback to make Kirkwood Patch the best community resource it can be. Make your voice heard and stay up-to-date about our treasured institutions, small business community and, most importantly, our exceptional residents and their stories. Visit …

The White House is calling on Americans to share what makes their hometown a great place to visit via Twitter. Kirkwood has yet to garner a shout-out. We want to rectify that. I'll start, first with a story, then with a tweet. My Recent Visitors I recently hosted three visitors who had never been to Kirkwood: my mom, step-dad and sister, all from Washington, D.C. The first day my family was here, we strolled around Downtown Kirkwood. Highlights included Plowsharing Crafts and the train station. My mom and sister were very excited to see a fair-trade store, and we all enjoyed browsing the …

It's no secret that Kirkwood has become a talking point on the subject of race relations after the City Hall tragedy that shook the community and nation on Feb. 7, 2008. I did not live in Kirkwood at that time, and I cannot imagine the trauma of that day and the months and years that followed. Instead, on this holiday observing Martin Luther King, Jr., I can only speak to what I've observed in Kirkwood since moving to the city in 2010. An Outsider's Observations One of the first stories to kick-off the launch of Kirkwood Patch in December of 2010 was the Kirkwood Human Rights Commission …

It's been one year since Kirkwood-Webster Groves Patch launched. The community website obviously has seen some big changes, most notably the split of the site into Kirkwood Patch and Webster Groves Patch. I look back at the past year of coverage and what stands out most to me are the stories of our residents, people I am proud to call my neighbors. From a Kirkwood man sowing seeds of happiness to a high school student on a mission to prove everyone is beautiful to a ministry student who pursued his dream despite a physical disability, we've told countless stories of what makes Kirkwood and …

If you have something you'd like to tell your neighbors, post it in the announcements section of Kirkwood Patch. It's quick, easy and free. Watch the video above to see how to do it. Are you a part of a local organization doing great work in Kirkwood? Post an announcement about your efforts, so our readers can get involved. Do you have a child graduating from high school or college, or has your child recently accomplished something you would like to share with the community? Tell them about it by posting an announcement. We strongly encourage you to post pictures with announcements and email …

As you well know, Kirkwood-Webster Groves Patch split to form Kirkwood Patch and Webster Groves Patch earlier this year in our effort to deliver these newsmakers and their surrounding communities with the local coverage they deserve. And as you may or may not know, this news can be delivered to your inbox through our daily or weekly newsletters. It's the best way to stay up-to-date on happenings in your community. If you signed up for the Kirkwood-Webster Groves Patch newsletter before the site split in August, you automatically became signed up for ONLY the Kirkwood Patch newsletter. For …

Kirkwood Patch food writer Laura Hazan has been gracious enough to let us follow her on her fitness journey. Sad to say, it's a journey I haven't taken in a long time. A daily 3-mile walk with my Labrador mix down North Taylor Avenue is as much of a workout as I've gotten in I can't remember how long. Of course I'm always shamed by the constant stream of runners my dog and I encounter, and then, when we stop at Walker Park for a drink and I see my fellow Kirkwoodians hitting the tread mill with everything they got at the Kirkwood YMCA, I feel really bad about my lack of daily athleticism. We …

Every day, the national media is full of stories about how American families, businesses and neighbors are adjusting to these trying times. There are so many changes happening so fast that it's dizzying: national debates about unemployment, foreclosures, debt, government and private enterprise all touch on fundamental ways in which we see ourselves and our communities. At Patch, we want to explore that conversation on a daily basis so we can better understand how our neighbors are adjusting to the challenges and opportunities that surround us. We don't think there's one American Dream, but a …

It's official. Kirkwood-Webster Groves Patch is no longer. The site split to form Kirkwood Patch and Webster Groves Patch Wednesday morning. Readers seeking information on Webster Groves should visit Webster Groves Patch. The new site also will serve Rock Hill and Warson Woods, while Kirkwood Patch will serve Des Peres, Glendale and Oakland. Read why Kirkwood-Webster Groves Patch split here. I, Owen Skoler, am very excited to be the editor of Kirkwood Patch. I moved to Kirkwood last October. It didn't take long for me to realize how lucky I was to end up living in and covering Kirkwood. The …

Patchers, as you can imagine, splitting the dynamic information hub that is Kirkwood-Webster Groves Patch is not an easy task. Last week, we announced that Kirkwood-Webster Groves Patch will split tomorrow, Tuesday, Aug. 3, at which time the website will split into Kirkwood Patch and Webster Groves Patch. (See previous article: Two Is Better Than One: Kirkwood and Webster Groves Will Each Have Their Own Patch.) Well, we're not perfect. It looks like that in our excitement over the split, we jumped the gun a bit. I've received nothing but positive feedback about the split, but our design team…

On Aug. 3, Kirkwood-Webster Groves Patch will split to become Kirkwood Patch and Webster Groves Patch. Kirkwood Patch will also serve Des Peres, Glendale and Oakland, while Webster Groves Patch will add Rock Hill and Warson Woods to its coverage area. Why? First, Kirkwood and Webster Groves are unique, dynamic communities and big newsmakers. With devoted school districts and police and fire services, thriving business districts and nationally recognized colleges, each community deserves its own Patch to reflect the people, places and issues that give these cities their unique identities. …

Hello Kirkwood and Webster Groves Patchers, Hopefully by now, you've noticed some changes to our directory. In case you haven't, I want to let you know that last week our directory, now more aptly called "Places," got a whole new look full of awesome enhancements. If you click Places in the navigation bar at the top of the page, you'll find a more prominent search feature to find what you're looking for, along with a featured news article that highlights businesses in our community. You'll also find that it's easy to browse through businesses on the Places home page. Businesses get a bolder, …

Since the launch of Kirkwood-Webster Groves Patch on Dec. 9, you’ve come to know this site as a go-to resource for news about your town. In addition to covering events and issues, our directory provides information about local businesses and services. You’ve used our Events and Announcements sections to find out what’s going on in town and nearby. Perhaps you’ve add your own items to these features, shared photographs and weighed in on articles in the comments area or Activity Stream. What's new The new Local Voices section on our homepage is your gateway to opinions from folks in our …

Are you passionate about something in Kirkwood-Webster Groves Patch? Contact us! Whether it's food, family, schools, government, business, social issues, exercise, fashion or business— if it's your thing, we'd like you to consider blogging for Patch. Anyone may apply. I am specifically interested in talking with: Musicians, Live Music Fans, Audiophiles and Artists Parents, High School Students, Teachers and Professors Bartenders, Baristas and Foodies Fashion Experts, Stylists and Crafters Volunteers, Nonprofit Workers, Conservationists Health and Fitness Experts Local Sports Fans Don't be shy…