Quieter Hospital Fans Bring Welcome Relief in Richmond Heights

A Yale Avenue resident said he's pleased with the changes.

The quality of life on Yale Avenue near SSM St. Mary's Health Center has improved substantially thanks to noise-reducing fans recently installed on the hospital's air-conditioning (AC) units, a Richmond Heights resident said. "It's a lot better," said Ken Gurney, who along with several neighbors has been meeting with the hospital and city officials to get relief from the noise. The fans were installed by the end of May. Video captured by Gurney and attached to this article shows the decrease in noise this year as compared to years past. While it might be nice for the hospital to install a wall or shrubbery between the AC units and adjoining houses, he said, "beggars can't be choosers." Don Wojtkowski, the hospital's executive director of …

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Becker, Holt, Huskey Among Business Journal's Influential Women

The St. Louis Business Journal released its list of the 25 most influential business women in St. Louis last week.

Several business women with ties to Clayton and Richmond Heights have been named among the most influential in St. Louis. The St. Louis Business Journal selected 25 women from nearly 200 nominations. People with ties to the area include: Go to the Business Journal website to see the complete list of the most influential business women in St. Louis.

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SSM St. Mary's to Host Free Family Health Showcase Saturday

The Richmond Heights event will include CPR training, screenings for heart health and bone density, an iPad giveaway, photo sessions with the Rally Squirrel and more.

Richmond Heights and Clayton families can take advantage of free health information and activities being offered this weekend at SSM St. Mary's Health Center. The Expect More Showcase runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. People who preregister for the event online will have the opportunity to win a free iPad. Other highlights will include: A schedule of some of the events follows: More information about the event is available on the SSM St. Mary's website.

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SSM St. Mary's President to Address Richmond Heights Chamber and More

Meanwhile, the Clayton Chamber of Commerce is planning a golf outing May 17 in Forest Park.

Chambers of commerce in Richmond Heights and Clayton are planning several events over the next two weeks. In Richmond Heights, SSM St. Mary's Health Center will host networking, lunch and a brief private tour for Chamber members and guests. The event costs $15 per person and begins at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 9 in meeting rooms 1 and 2 on the hospital's second floor. The hospital's president, Kate Becker, will speak as part of the event. Attendees may use valet parking or the hospital's DeMun Avenue garage. RSVPs should be made by emailing RSVP@rhchambercommerce.org. In Clayton, a golf outing is planned beginning at 3 p.m. May 17 at Norman K. Probstein Golf Course, 6141 Lagoon Dr. in Forest Park. People of all skill levels are invited to …

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Anna Brown Case Under NAACP Review

The organization will investigate whether bias played a role in her Richmond Heights death, KMOV Channel 4 reported.

The death of Anna Brown in a Richmond Heights jail cell has attracted the attention of the NAACP, KMOV Channel 4 reported this week. Quoting from the KMOV article: "Investigators are looking for red flags that may point to bias or hate crimes that may have contributed to Brown's death." Read comments from an NAACP official and find out how the group will work with SSM St. Mary's Health Center and the Richmond Heights Police Department in the complete KMOV article. More about Anna Brown on Patch:

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Noise Complaint: St. Mary's Quieter Fans Coming Soon, Official Says

Some Richmond Heights residents have expressed frustration over the noise caused by the hospital's air-conditioning units. The official originally said installation would happen over the winter.

Quieter fans are expected to be installed for SSM St. Mary's Health Center air-conditioning (AC) units by the end of May, an official said Thursday. Don Wojtkowski, the hospital's executive director of design, construction and facilities, said the facility did "quite a bit of work" over the winter to address Yale Avenue residents' concerns about noise coming from the units. Installation of the new fans is expected to begin in about a week. The noise has been an issue since Kevin Baum and his family moved into their Yale Avenue home three years ago. The fans have started up again this year thanks to the warm temperatures. "We've all been kind of going, 'Does this sound any different?'" Baum said. That's because Wojtkowski told he and his …

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Anna Brown Petition Creator Jonathan Dedering Speaks Out

The Wisconsin resident said learning of the woman's death in Richmond Heights made him want to tell her story. He also wants to press Congress to provide Americans with greater access to health care.

Anna Brown Petition Creator Jonathan Dedering Speaks Out

The Wisconsin resident said learning of the woman's death in Richmond Heights made him want to tell her story. He also wants to press Congress to provide Americans with greater access to health care.

After learning about Anna Brown's death last year in a Richmond Heights jail cell, Jonathan Dedering of Madison, WI, decided to launch a petition for increased health care access. In an email interview this week, Dedering talked about his reaction to the case, his own experiences with the health care system and his other political activism. (Like Clayton-Richmond Heights Patch on Facebook.) He said he is working through a glitch that took 12,000 names off of the more than 25,000 signatures he has collected on Change.org. A Change.org representative acknowledged the problem in an email to him and said the website is working to identify a solution. How did you first learn about the death of Anna Brown? How did you react? I had been …

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