Week in Review: Trial Set for Barber Shop Shooter, Wentzville School Board Votes to Keep Tax Rate

Too busy last week to stay up to date on all the news happening in Wentzville? Not to worry. Patch has your back.

In case you missed them, here were some of the top headlines from Wentzville Patch from the last few days.

• In the race to become a director on Wentzville Fire Protection District's board, one candidate clearly has the support of firefighters from Wentzville and elsewhere. That's according to campaign finance reports filed with St. Charles County Election Authority and Missouri Ethics Commission. Documents show that 's campaign committee has outraised opponent 's by nearly $40,000. Both are vying for a vacant seat on the board.

Wentzville to Consider Exemptions to Backflow Requirements

• In keeping with the city's desire to show that they are "open for business," the Wentzville Board of Aldermen is considering lightening up the city's requirements for all businesses to install backflow prevention devices. City code defines backflow as "the flow, other than the intended direction of flow, of any foreign liquids, gases or substances into the distribution system of a public water supply."

Wentzville School Board Votes to Keep Tax Rate

• The Wentzville School District set a preliminary tax rate at their March 19 board meeting. The preliminary rate is used by St. Charles County to send out preliminary tax liability notices to property owners, and can be increased or decreased in September. For the past two years, the district's tax rate was been $4.9891, which includes .77 for the debt service fund and also the .30 levy approved in 2011 for new facilities and improvements.

Trial Set for Wentzville Barber Shop Shooter

• A September 24, 2013 trial date has been set for Lester Davis, the Wentzville man accused of shooting a gun in a local barber shop. Davis was arrested for a shooting at All Cuts barber shop on Dec. 18, 2012. He was charged with three felony counts of first degree assault, armed criminal action and unlawful possession of a firearm.

• Nearly a year ago, the Wentzville Board of Aldermen vowed to make safety improvements for Highway 61 a priority. The stretch of road from the Interstate 70 to the St. Charles County border has seen an inordinate number of accidents the last few years, especially at several at-grade intersections—and particularly, the intersection at Highway P.