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Kirkwood Pulse • February 14, 2026

Autogenerated on Saturday, February 14, 2026 at 12:07 UTC • 5 stories from the last 36 hours.

Kirkwood Pulse • February 14, 2026

STL Sports Page is covering Spring Training in Jupiter, Florida, providing audio, video, photos, and updates. Cardinals manager Oli Marmol and Chaim Bloom met with the media on February 13, 2026. Fans can listen to their media sessions via audio players and follow the latest 'Rains on the Cardinals' podcasts on YouTube. This article explores the tradition of pairing wine and chocolate for Valentine's Day, highlighting local chocolatiers' expertise in matching flavors. Meggie Mobley of Bijoux Handcrafted Chocolates in Webster Groves explains that quality chocolate complements premium wines, with pairings based on shared flavor notes like fruity, spicy, and nutty. She suggests sweeter wines generally pair better with chocolate and offers specific pairing examples such as raspberry dark chocolate with cabernet sauvignon and lemon bonbon with moscato. The article also features Dan Abel Jr. of Bissinger’s and Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Company in St. Louis, who emphasize experimentation with pairings and note their historic and regional chocolate businesses. Both chocolatiers encourage trying different combinations to enhance the Valentine's Day experience through the complementary flavors of wine and chocolate. overview: Kirkwood City Council is considering a proposed 5% water rate increase for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to fund critical infrastructure upgrades and capital projects. rate_increase_history: Water rates have increased over 50% in the past four years, including a 27% hike in fiscal year 2026. infrastructure_needs: The increase is driven by aging water infrastructure from the 1950s requiring replacement and upgrades. planned_projects: water_main_replacement: budget: 2400000 details: Replacement of 6,945 feet of water mains on Dougherty Ferry Road, Monroe Avenue, South Couch Avenue, and Bach Avenue. pump_station_upgrade: budget: 500000 details: Electrical and backup power system updates at Park No. 1 Pump Station. lead_service_line_replacement: budget: 800000 goal: Identify and replace lead water service lines by 2037 to comply with federal and state mandates. system_overview: total_mains: 135 miles issues: Frequent main breaks and aging infrastructure. long_term_investment: estimated_cost: 90000000 timeline: 10 years annual_investment: 9000000 purpose: Bring the water system up to modern standards. funding_options: -: Possible bond issue to raise funds -: Potential sale of water system to Missouri American Water (as done by neighboring Webster Groves) current_status: The city is still studying options with no decisions made. A special committee including city council members is exploring all possibilities.

Vibe-O-Meter

  • Score (0-100): 50
  • Sentiment (-100..100): 0
  • Mood: Even Keel
  • Why: Mix of 0 positive, 5 neutral, and 0 negative stories. Average sentiment lands at 0.

Stories worth a look

  • Chaim Bloom, Oli Marmol meet with the media 2-13-26 (Webster-Kirkwood Times – News) — STL Sports Page is covering Spring Training in Jupiter, Florida, providing audio, video, photos, and updates. Cardinals manager Oli Marmol and Chaim Bloom met with the media on February 13, 2026. Fans can listen to their media sessions via audio players and follow the latest 'Rains on the Cardinals' podcasts on YouTube. Impact: Impact unclear based on automatically extracted text. Sentiment: neutral (0) Priority: medium Read more
  • Wine + Chocolate: “The Valentine’s Experiment” (Webster-Kirkwood Times – News) — This article explores the tradition of pairing wine and chocolate for Valentine's Day, highlighting local chocolatiers' expertise in matching flavors. Meggie Mobley of Bijoux Handcrafted Chocolates in Webster Groves explains that quality chocolate complements premium wines, with pairings based on shared flavor notes like fruity, spicy, and nutty. She suggests sweeter wines generally pair better with chocolate and offers specific pairing examples such as raspberry dark chocolate with cabernet sauvignon and lemon bonbon with moscato. The article also features Dan Abel Jr. of Bissinger’s and Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Company in St. Louis, who emphasize experimentation with pairings and note their historic and regional chocolate businesses. Both chocolatiers encourage trying different combinations to enhance the Valentine's Day experience through the complementary flavors of wine and chocolate. Impact: Impact unclear based on automatically extracted text. Sentiment: neutral (0) Priority: medium Read more
  • Proposed Budget Includes 5% Water Rate Increase (Webster-Kirkwood Times – News) — overview: Kirkwood City Council is considering a proposed 5% water rate increase for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to fund critical infrastructure upgrades and capital projects. rate_increase_history: Water rates have increased over 50% in the past four years, including a 27% hike in fiscal year 2026. infrastructure_needs: The increase is driven by aging water infrastructure from the 1950s requiring replacement and upgrades. planned_projects: water_main_replacement: budget: 2400000 details: Replacement of 6,945 feet of water mains on Dougherty Ferry Road, Monroe Avenue, South Couch Avenue, and Bach Avenue. pump_station_upgrade: budget: 500000 details: Electrical and backup power system updates at Park No. 1 Pump Station. lead_service_line_replacement: budget: 800000 goal: Identify and replace lead water service lines by 2037 to comply with federal and state mandates. system_overview: total_mains: 135 miles issues: Frequent main breaks and aging infrastructure. long_term_investment: estimated_cost: 90000000 timeline: 10 years annual_investment: 9000000 purpose: Bring the water system up to modern standards. funding_options: -: Possible bond issue to raise funds -: Potential sale of water system to Missouri American Water (as done by neighboring Webster Groves) current_status: The city is still studying options with no decisions made. A special committee including city council members is exploring all possibilities. Impact: Impact unclear based on automatically extracted text. Sentiment: neutral (0) Priority: medium Read more
  • Shrewsbury Sweetheart Dance (Webster-Kirkwood Times – News) — The Shrewsbury Sweetheart Dance, an annual Valentine’s Day event sponsored by the Shrewsbury Parks and Recreation Department, took place on Friday, Feb. 6, at the Shrewsbury City Center. Dads, grandpas, uncles and guardians took to the dance floor with their favorite little sweethearts. The night included a photo booth, snacks, a candy station and crafts. Impact: Impact unclear based on automatically extracted text. Sentiment: neutral (0) Priority: medium Read more
  • City Remains Mum On Reasons Behind Peoples’ Resignation (Webster-Kirkwood Times – News) — subject: Webster Groves City Manager Marie Peoples' resignation key_points: -: Marie Peoples, Webster Groves City Manager since 2021, announced an unexpected resignation effective April 3, 2026, continuing as a consultant until June 5. -: Neither Peoples nor Mayor Laura Arnold disclosed reasons for the resignation or details of the separation package, which is still being negotiated. -: Peoples' salary increased from $177,500 in 2021 to $220,586 in 2025. -: An interim city manager will be named soon. -: Reports from former and current employees describe low morale and 'toxic leadership' during Peoples' tenure, including bullying and favoritism. -: Complaints from two former employees were brought to city council, which referred them to human resources; the former employees declined further investigation. -: The city council acknowledged the complaints but stated they lack authority to investigate directly. -: Despite criticism, the city and Mayor Arnold praised Peoples for leading important projects such as Prop W, the comprehensive plan, and completing the new water park and ice rink on time and within budget. -: The ice rink cost $4 million, more than double initial estimates. -: Former Assistant City Manager and Director of Finance Eric Peterson, brought in by Peoples, resigned in November 2024 amid an ongoing state audit investigation into misuse of funds. -: Staffing cuts under Peoples led to increased workloads and service level declines, with little support or acknowledgment from leadership. -: The city has initiated programs to improve workplace relationships, communication, leadership effectiveness, and employee engagement. implications: The resignation highlights ongoing internal challenges within Webster Groves city administration, including leadership issues and employee dissatisfaction, while the city attempts to maintain public confidence by emphasizing project successes. Impact: Impact unclear based on automatically extracted text. Sentiment: neutral (0) Priority: medium Read more

Keep an eye on Chaim Bloom, Oli Marmol meet with the media 2-13-26 from Webster-Kirkwood Times – News.