Kirkwood Pledges 20 Trees to Sunset Hills Post-Tornado

Kirkwood officials pledged a donation of 20 trees to the City of Sunset Hills after the city lost scores of trees in Watson Trail Park as a result of the New Year's Eve tornado.

Kirkwood Mayor Art McDonnell, Urban Forestry Commission Chair Roger Vonder Bruegge and Urban Forestry Commission Vice Chair Dave Endres traveled to Sunset Hills's City Hall Tuesday night to present the gift.

The trio presented a document pledging the trees to Sunset Hills Parks and Recreation Director Gerald Brown.

McDonnell thanked Sunset Hills for its help after a February 2008 murderous shooting spree at a Kirkwood city council meeting in which two city council members died, the public works director died, two police officers died, and the shooter was shot dead by police. Then-mayor Mike Swoboda was shot twice in the head and died six months later.