Community Corner

Week in Review: Tobacco Tax Hike, Man Beat With Bar, Woman Raped During Home Burglary

We know you're busy, so here's a roundup of some of the recent stories featured on the four St. Charles County Patch sites — St. Charles Patch, St. Peters Patch, O'Fallon Patch and Wentzville Patch.

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 PatchSt. Peters PatchO'Fallon Patch and Wentzville Patch — over the last few days:

  • Missouri voters will be asked on Nov. 6 to consider a ballot question raising tobacco taxes from 17 to 90 cents on name-brand cigarettes; off brands, the hike is larger.
  • A St. Peters man who let two unknown armed robbers into a Wentzville home Sunday faces criminal charges for his actions, Patch reported earlier. , according to court documents.
  • The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is encouraging drivers to find alternate routes to avoid traffic delays during the 12-month construction of the Blanchette Bridge.
  • Westboro Baptist Church members filed a lawsuit against St. Charles County over its ordinance banning picketing within 300 feet of funerals.
  • Patch is searching for the best Halloween Costume in America. Enter yourself or your kids for a chance to win $5,000.
  • An O’Fallon man faces several criminal charges for attacking his wife Saturday. Gunther Russbacher, 35, of the 300 block of Falcon Hill in O’Fallon, was charged Monday with second-degree domestic assault, two counts of third-degree domestic assault and felonious restraint. 
  • Aiden Lurtz will lead a team in the Free to Breathe St. Louis Lung Cancer 5K Walk on Sunday, Oct. 28. The event will raise money for Lung Cancer research and his grandfather.
  • Emily Webb, 24, of St. Peters, was in serious condition after she lost control of her car and traveled into a ditch.
  • The final debate in Clayton between Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill and Republican Rep. Todd Akin drew heavy conversation on Twitter Thursday night.
  • Two men attacked a man, beating him with metal bars Tuesday in the Harvester area, said a St. Charles County Sheriff’s deputy.
  • A man originally charged with sexual trafficking of a child under age 18 and other crimes pleaded guilty Oct. 4 to reduced charges of soliciting prostitution.
  • Restaurants on South Main Street in downtown St. Charles will be now able to have live music if they apply for a permit thanks to action taken by the St. Charles City Council.
  • A St. Charles woman faces criminal charges after police said she tried to break into a St. Louis County home Oct. 4. 
  • A new sub-sandwich shop, .
  • A Lake Saint Louis woman is charged with three counts of burglary after police say she stole from three different homes.
  • We asked our Red Arch and Blue Arch insiders about who won the Presidential debate between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney and to identify highlights to attract base support and swing voters.
  • Meanwhile, nearly 200 readers weighed in on who won the Obama-Romney presidential debate.
  • Rick Daly was named Interim Fire Chief for St. Charles Sept. 11; less than a month later, the city council approved his appointment as Fire Chief.
  • Elizabeth "Penny" Bennett, a longtime member of the Republican Centeral Committee in St. Charles County, . 
  • A 23-year-old St. Charles man was injured in a crash after losing control of his vehicle and overturning on Interstate 70 around 12:30 a.m. Oct. 16. 
  • Cottleville Haunted Hayride Needs Volunteers Cottleville Firefighter Community Outreach is looking for more than 50 volunteers ages 18 and older to help with a haunted hayride from 5-11 p.m. Sat. Oct. 27. 
  • Five Orchard Farm students were named to the 2012 GAC Softball All-Conference Team.
  • Debate over dogs at festivals began in St. Charles.
  • Ranken Tech has set a schedule for classes to begin in Wentzville.
  • St. Charles' Old Man River statue went up for auction on Sunday. 
  • St. Peters Missouri Lottery Players were pretty lucky in September. After 10 winners won prizes in August, 11 St. Peters residents were winner in September. 
  • Hope Montessori will build a new child care center in Lake Saint Louis.
  • Dardenne Prairie Mayor Pam Forgarty wants to work with MoDOT and project designers to ensure that Hanley Road has access to I-364. Fogarty suggested that a roundabout would be less expensive than a traditional interchange and could help drive traffic to the city's downtown area. 
  • A dog was found near Hwy. N and Hepperman Road.
  • A Lake Saint Louis man man impersonated his brother to avoid arrest.

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