Week in Review: Meth-Fueled High Speed Chase, New Sam's Club and Blanchette Bridge Closure

Too busy last week to stay up to date on all the news happening in and around St. Charles County? Not to worry. Patch has your back.

In case you missed them, here were some of the top headlines from the four St. Charles County Patch sites — St. Charles Patch, St. Peters Patch, O'Fallon Patch and Wentzville Patch — over the last few days:

• A St. Louis County man led O’Fallon Police on a , starting at Veterans Memorial Parkway at Downing Street
• On Saturday night, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Todd Akin held what an aide said would likely be the campaign's last campaign rally in St. Louis prior to the election.
• St. Charles business owners are ready for the upcoming closure of the westbound span of the Blanchette Bridge and are prepared for a possible impact to sales this winter. 
• Gov. Jay Nixon stopped by Wentzville Tuesday morning for a brief visit with GM workers at Pete's Drive-In. 
• Democrats are overwhelmingly confident that Missouri Governor Jay Nixon will be re-elected to a second term in Jefferson City. Meanwhile, Republicans said they were concerned about Dave Spence's chances for governor.
• Three people face drug charges after detectives said they twice sold cocaine to an undercover officer in St. Charles.
• A St. Charles County man faces criminal charges after police said he had sexual contact with a 5-year-old girl.
• A homeless woman faces criminal charges after St. Charles Police said she had sex with a 13-year-old boy in the back seat of her car.
• Nearly 100 readers weighed in during this week's Conversation Starter, about the question of whether Irene last year and Sandy this year have persuaded you to give the question of climate change and global warning another look.
• St. Peters Mayor Salutes Volunteers in Medicine.
• An O’Fallon man who was on probation sold marijuana and ecstasy to an undercover officer three times in three months.
• A St. Peters woman was "bumped" in a sexual way while jogging.
• The Wentzville Sam's Club celebrated its grand opening Tuesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Later in the week, Whitey Herzog signed free autographs at the new store.
• St. Charles Police Department started using a police officer on a bicycle on Main Street Wednesday afternoon. Bicycle police are part of the city's effort to address crime in downtown St. Charles.
• With an operations headquarters in O'Fallon, MasterCard has continued to grow overseas with revenue rising 5 percent in September.
• Residents, organizations, schools and businesses are encouraged to collect and donate non-perishable canned or boxed food and personal care items to O’Fallon’s 12th Annual Cornucopia of Care Food Drive.
• A new sandwich shop will soon open its doors in O'Fallon.
• Playoffs Sports Bar and Grill may open its doors once again in O'Fallon, this time near Highway K and N. 
• A former St. Charles County foster parent was indicted by a St. Charles County grand jury Friday on two counts of child abuse. 
• Zephrex-D, a new decongestant that drug agents say cannot be converted into methamphetamine, is set to hit St. Louis pharmacies this month. A prescription will not be required to purchase the drug in some areas.