Week in Review: Holt High School Gun Rumors, Walmart Expansion Planned, Menards Pulls Out of O'Fallon

Too busy last week to stay up to date on all the news happening in and around St. Charles County? Not to worry. Patch has your back.

In case you missed them, here were some of the top headlines from the four St. Charles County Patch sites — St. Charles Patch, St. Peters Patch, O'Fallon Patch and Wentzville Patch — over the last few days:

• Additional security is planned at Holt High School after rumors of a shooting on Dec. 21 were heard. 
• Wal-Mart Plans to Expand the St. Charles location into a supercenter. 

• In St. Peters, Police caught two women stealing $500 in merchandise from Kohl's
• A retired police officer was charged in St. Charles County after sending explicit pictures of his genitals to a person he thought was a 13-year-old girl. 
• A St. Peters man reportedly cooked meth with children in his home.
• A woman wearing a fake beard reportedly robbed a Subway in St. Charles. 
• A resident writes a letter from Santa to O'Fallon City Council. 
• O'Fallon approves $83.8 million budget, and plans to add new police officers in 2013. 
• Menards Blames Obama for pulling out of O'Fallon, but a new St. Peters location will still open in spring 2013.
• A new Mercy Clinic will open in O'Fallon in spring 2013 and will include a lab, pediatricians and primary doctors. 
• Wentzville hired search firm to find new Public Works Director and a new city administrator. 
• Two Wentzville brothers were i
• The  and police are still lookign for a suspect. 
• Staff cuts were recommended as a way to cut the budget in St. Charles schools
• Two St. Charles residents were charged in a two-year DEA investigation into a meth ring. 
• St. Charles parents celebrated several babies who were born on 12-12-12
• St. Charles hired a new police chief from Bloomington, IL, Randall McKinley.