Plans for Pool, Tennis Courts Before Manchester Alderman

The Manchester Board of Aldermen meets Monday night, despite the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. View the full agenda here.

The Manchester Board of Aldermen is set to meet Monday night.  (Sign up here for the FREE Patch Newsletter, including Breaking News Alerts.)  Aldermen are set to discuss a maintenance agreement for management of the Manchester Aquatic Center pool, plus accepting a bid for $15,750 for design and construction engineering services to improve the tennis courts at Paul Schroeder Park.  For more details on Monday's meeting see the agenda and supporting documents included in the PDF portion of this article. Check back to Town and Country - Manchester Patch for any updates.

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Manchester Police on Alert For Westboro Baptist Church Protest Saturday

Manchester police tell 'Patch' they are aware of Westboro Baptist Church's plans to protest an appeals court ruling Saturday afternoon in Schroeder Park.

As previously reported by Patch, the planned protest follows an appeals court ruling this week in favor of the City of Manchester in regard to a lawsuit filed by Wesboro Baptist Church members challenging Manchester's funeral protest ordinance. The ordinance prohibits protests within 300 feet of a funeral one hour before and one hour after services. (Read Previous Story: Appeals Court Rules Manchester Can Restrict Funeral Protests) Westboro church members are known for their anti-gay protests at the funerals of U.S. soldiers, claiming the soldiers' deaths are a result of America's tolerance for homosexuality.  Manchester Police Sergeant Gerard Johnson tells Patch that police were notified by Westboro members that they plan to protest the …

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PHOTOS: Manchester's Homecoming Festival This Weekend

The festival runs all weekend. Check out festival times, events and even upload your own photos here!

The 26th annual Manchester Homecoming Festival took place all afternoon and night Saturday and takes place again from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at Paul A. Schroeder Park.  (For instant news updates follow Patch on Facebook and Twitter.) The annual Homecoming Parade was Saturday morning. Check out some of the pics! Plus, Patch readers can upload their own photos from the festival and parade right here in this article! Just click on "Upload Photos and Videos" under the pictures. In addition to booths, rides and all kinds of food and drinks, the weekend celebration features contests, a raffle and live entertainment. Parking for the event is available at a number of churches along Meramec Station Road where shuttles will bring guests to the …

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Manchester Homecoming Parade, Festival Saturday

The Manchester Homecoming Parade is Saturday at 9 a.m. followed by festivities all weekend long. Check out festival times, events and the parade route here.

Manchester Homecoming Festival Kicks Off Friday Night

The festival runs all weekend and the Manchester Homecoming Parade is Saturday. Check out festival times, events and the parade route here.

The 26th annual Manchester Homecoming Festival kicks of Friday night and runs all weekend at Paul A. Schroeder Park. It takes place Sept. 7, 8 and 9.  (Sign up here for the FREE Patch Newsletter, including Breaking News Alerts.) Patch readers can upload their own photos from the festival and parade right here in this article! Just click on "Upload Photos and Videos" under the pictures. Following at the festival hours for this weekend. In addition to booths, rides and all kinds of food and drinks, the celebration features contests, a raffle and live entertainment. Parking for the event will be available at the park ballfield (however that will be closed if it rains) and at a number of churches along Meramec Station Road where shuttles will …

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7 Things To Do Before Summer Ends

Summer isn’t officially over until September, but school starts in about three weeks.

For St. Louis families, summer will be over soon—despite the scorching temperatures. Area schools start back around mid-August, with Parkway starting August 14 and Westminster Christian Academy starting the next day. Now's the time to grab last minute summer fun. Temperatures are expected to remain in the high 90s for the next few weeks, but after highs of 105+, a 95 degree day may seem perfect for a walk in the park. Be sure to "Like" Patch on Facebook Here’s a few ideas on how to squeeze the last bits off fun out of your kid’s summer break. Hit a park: Kids love playgrounds and the summer heat has been keeping a lot of children tucked away in their basements playing video games. If you still think it’s too hot, try going in the early …

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Police Overtime, Pool Surveillance Cameras Top Manchester Aldermen Meeting

Emergency legislation may be enacted Monday to allocate thousands to Manchester police for overtime. Meanwhile, theft and vandalism could have new surveillance cameras coming to Manchester’s Aquatic Center.

At Monday night’s meeting, the Manchester Board of Aldermen will discuss transferring $17,000 from the city's general fund to the Manchester Police Department for payment of overtime within the department. Although this is the first time the board will discuss this issue, emergency legislation has been requested on this legislation so it could be voted on Monday night. Currently the city has at least one lawsuit filed against it from a former police clerk regarding overtime pay from the Manchester Police Department. Board members are also set to discuss the purchase, installation and setup of surveillance systems for the Manchester Aquatic Center in an amount not to exceed $13,894.  The board of aldermen has already approved funds from the…

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9/11 - Ten Years Later

Manchester's 25th Homecoming Celebration Remembers 9/11

Saturday night, Manchester celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Homecoming Festival as residents take time to honor the lives lost in the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.

Saturday night, at Manchester's Homecoming Festival, the city's mayor David Willson and board of aldermen honored the city's 25th Annual Homecoming, by performing a choreographed routine including singing and dancing. Shortly after the ceremony, Willson, accompanied by city leaders, read a proclamation honoring the memory of those who lost their lives on 9/11. Willson reminded residents about the Manchester Wreath Laying Ceremony, which will take place at 8:46 a.m. (the time the first plane hit the Twin Towers) on Sunday at the Manchester Veterans Memorial off Henry Avenue. At that time, a proclamation and an American flag with the names of all the 9/11 victims will be laid at the memorial. Also Saturday night, State Senator Jane …

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Rain or Shine Manchester's Homecoming Festival This Weekend

The three-day festival runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday and will include a 9/11 ceremony Saturday night. Organizers say rain will not cancel the event.

The 25th Manchester Homecoming Festival is this Friday through Sunday at Manchester's Schroeder Park, and it is set to be a fun filled weekend. The events kicks off at 6 p.m. Friday and runs until 11:30 p.m. that evening. The annual homecoming parade is Saturday at 9 a.m.. It  starts at Journey Church on Old Highway 141 and ends at Parkway Southwest Middle School. The festival then runs 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. (Check the PDF portion of this article for the parade route and parking shuttle stops.) This year, the 10-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks will be acknowledged with a special ceremony and moment of silence at 7 p.m. Saturday. The ceremony will take place at the Corey J. Donnelly …

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Disc Golf Gains Popularity in Manchester

Tuesday nights offer weekly prizes, contests and the chance to learn from local pros at Schroeder Park.

Paying respect to the local course’s popularity, the City of Manchester has teamed up with the River CityFlyers to add some structure to local disc golf. The new 2011 Schroeder Park Summer League runs every Tuesday night through Aug. 9, meeting at the first-tee pavilion at 5 p.m. with tee off at 5:30 p.m. “People seem to love (disc golf),” said Stephanie Hardesty, the recreation supervisor for the park. “It brings out young families, people come out after work, and we have a group of older men who come out in the mornings and play pretty regularly." “I think over the years, we just realized how popular the sport is 365 days a year," she said. "Everything seemed like a good fit. We already have a nine-hole course in place, there was no …

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