Issuu

January 28, 2015

Lending a helping paw Recipes

Show Off Your Sweet Side

Around Town

100th Birthday Celebration

Feature Section

Healthy Living Photos courtesy Support Dogs, Inc. These dogs will be trained by Support Dogs, Inc., which functions as a national non-profit organization which helps provide service dogs to disabled individuals, veterans, and other members of the community. Support Dogs, Inc. has received a grant to aid in construction of new $2.9 million headquarters in St. Louis County.

Support Dogs, Inc. receives grant to aid in construction of new $2.9 million headquarters By Sara Hardin A generous grant has been provided to Support Dogs, Inc. that will aid in the construction of a new 21,000-squarefoot headquarters. The $435,000 grant was awarded to the organization after Support Dogs applied for a challenge grant from The Mabee Foundation in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The criteria that needed to be met by Support Dogs in order to receive the grant included raising $2.9 million and starting construction of its new headquarters at 10955 Linpage Place in St. Louis County. The agency is scheduled to move to its new location in the fall of 2015. Support Dogs, Inc. functions as a national non-profit organization which helps provide service dogs to disabled individuals, veterans, and other members of the community. “Our mission is to offer dignity, hope and independence by providing highly skilled service dogs to individuals with disabilities and uniquely trained dogs to

serve the community,” said Support Dog Development Director, Ann Weinerth. Weinerth went on to explain that the dogs provided by the organization can assist individuals experiencing a wide range of disabilities. “Our services help to provide individuals an opportunity to lead an independent lifestyle,” explained Weinerth. “For a client in a wheelchair, a service dog would pick up and retrieve things. For a veteran suffering from PTSD, the service dog would act as a second pair of eyes and provide a sense of comfort. For someone who is deaf or hard of hearing, a dog could alert them of various sounds such as a smoke detector, a microwave timer, or even a baby crying. The dog would alert the client by touching his nose to the client’s hand or leg.” Nadine Wenig, Canine Training Supervisor at Support Dogs, went into detail about the training that is required for each dog and what the dogs should

be able to accomplish before being made available to clients. “You have to have a love for dogs, See HELPING PAW page 2

School

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“American Sniper” photo courtesy of Warner Bros

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Around Town

Vol. 17 No. 4

In This Issue...

Around Town Crisis Nursery hosts children’s art exhibit and more.

Special Section Best of North County.

Feature Section Healthy Living

Business Real estate group plans for growth in 2015 and more.

School Pattonville to award honorary diplomas to veterans and more.

Learn and Play Discover a new book, check in with Cindy Moore and more.

Movie Bradley Cooper shines in tense “American Sniper.”

10 11

Sports Local sports with Gary B.

12 14 16

Recipes Stackable Ombre Heart Cookies and Scalloped Heart Cookies What’s Happening Classifieds Over the Fence Joe Morice brings his unique views to the Community News.

January 28, 2015 • Community News • www.mycnews.com

HELPING PAW from cover which everybody at Support Dogs absolutely does. It’s amazing what we do from the age of eight weeks, and how we mold these dogs into being able to open doors, close doors, retrieve anything from as small as the back of an earring to as large as a prosthetic leg all on one command. They love to do it. They love to do what we call ‘people pleasing.’” Wenig said that the dogs take approximately two years to fully train. The dogs learn everything from basic obedience to being able to carry out an action after a single command. Weinerth explained that although the service dogs provided by Support Dogs cost around $20,000 to raise, that they are provided to clients free of charge. The organization’s various programs are made possible by fundraising. “Our fundraising efforts all go to programming,” said Weinerth. “We just need a bigger and better facility to be able to help everyone who needs it!” In addition to providing service dogs,

Photo courtesy Support Dogs, Inc. These dogs will be trained by Support Dogs, Inc., which functions as a national non-profit organization which helps provide service dogs to disabled individuals, veterans, and other members of the community.

Support Dogs offers TOUCH (Therapy of Unique Canine Helpers) through which volunteers and their dogs can visit medical facilities to benefit patients, Paws for Reading to provide classrooms with dogs as an incentive for children to read, and obedience classes. The new headquarters will

provide enough space for all of the programs to be run out of one place, and will also increase space for amenities and dog housing and training. For more information, visit Support Dogs’ website at www.supportdogs.org.

“Just Me and My Dad” program set for fathers and toddlers

2015 Valley of Flowers activity applications now available

The Ferguson-Florissant School District’s Parents as Teachers program will hold “Just Me and My Dad” on Feb. 23, 6:30 -7:30 p.m. at the James J. Eagan Center, Rooms A & B, #1 James J. Eagan Drive in Florissant. Dads, bring your young child ages 18 months to 3 years old for a free one-on-one evening full of fun activities just for you and your child. Children enjoy playing with Dad. One-on-one time with Dad is important to a child’s development. Foster the social-emotional development of your child by interacting while focusing on physical activities and games. Research has shown that when fathers are actively involved in their children’s lives, the benefits are tremendous! Boys with warm, nurturing fathers are likely to grow up self-confident, academically successful, generous and compassionate. Girls whose fathers have been respectful and nurturing toward them tend to be confident and relate well with others. Free parent/child activities are one component of the Parents as Teachers program. The Parents as Teachers program also offers personalized visits provided by certified parent educators. During visits parents learn about age appropriate child development information and activities for their child. Once a year children are given a developmental, health, hearing, vision and dental screening. If needed, parent educators provide assistance in locating community resources. Parent educators also assist expectant parents with prenatal information and what to expect as a first time parent. You do not need to be currently enrolled in Parents as Teachers to attend. For more information call 314-506-9069.

Since it began in 1963, the Valley of Flowers festival has grown to include dozens of events. This year Florissant celebrates the first Festival of Spring on May 1, 2, and 3. The 2015 theme is “Valley of Flowers Celebrates Those Who Serve.” Applications for the 2015 Valley of Flowers parade, craft fair, flea market, pretty baby, car show, food and game booths are now available. Applications may be picked up from the Valley of Flowers office, downloaded from www.florissantvalleyofflowers.com or via email or fax by request to 314-837-0033/Fax 314-837-5504. The Valley of Flowers office is located at 601 Rue St. Charles, Florissant, MO 63031. Craft fair, pretty baby, flea market and food booths at the James J. Eagan Center are for May 1 and May 2 and cost $50.00 per 10’x10’ space. The craft fair is on the covered Ice Rink Pavilion and the flea market is inside the building. All food booths are grouped together in the Food Tent on the grounds. The car show will be on St. Francois Street on May 2. The parade will be held on May 3. Parade applicants do not have to be a Florissant resident or business to participate in the parade and there is no entry fee. Parade units are strongly encouraged to decorate honoring those who serve thinking about first responders, military/veterans, educators, doctors/nurses, volunteers, etc. Food and game booths at the Knights of Columbus grounds are for May 1, through May 3 and cost $125.00 per space. Information is available by emailing grandknight@kofc2951.org Sponsorships are also available. Please contact the Valley of Flowers office for more information.

www.mycnews.com • Community News • January 28, 2015

Community swims scheduled for Feb. 8, March 8 and April 12 Pattonville residents are invited to participate in a series of community swims at the Pattonville Aquatic Complex on Feb. 8, March 8 and April 12. The community open swims will take place on these days from noon to 2 p.m. The fee is $2 for adults and $1 for students and seniors aged 55 and older. All children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent while swimming (however the parent is not required to swim). The Pattonville Aquatic Complex is located at Pattonville High School.

What is the LINK Family Time Program? The Ferguson-Florissant School District’s Early Education Program offers a family daytime program that serves as a support group for grandparents, parents and their children from birth to age 5. LINK Family Time is held on Thursdays or Fridays at the FergusonFlorissant School District’s Administration Center, 1005 Waterford Drive in Florissant, 9:30 – 11:00 am. LINK Family Time provides adults with a place for learning through speakers and discussions on family related topics and provides a place for children to explore the outside world without leaving parents far behind. Opportunities to experience a wide range of social, motor, sensory, and creative learning activities are provided during activity times while parents attend LINK Family Time discussions. LINK Family Time is free for residents who live in FergusonFlorissant School District. A fee of $40 per family per semester for Non-District Residents is required. Upcoming LINK Family Time events include: “Snow time Discoveries” on Friday, Jan. 30; “Coping as a Parent with Young Children!” on Feb. 6; “Valentine Activities You and Your Child will Truly Love”, Feb. 12; and “Planting the Seed of Literacy” on Feb. 26. For questions or enrollment call 314-506-9066.

Around Town

Sweet Celebrations celebrates 100th birthday party Sweet Celebrations, a volunteer-led nonprofit organization that throws birthday parties for homeless children, recently hosted its 100th birthday party. The recipient of the unique St. Louis Blues cake was a young girl at Youth In Need, a non-profit child and family services agency headquartered in St. Charles, Mo. Sweet Celebrations was founded in 2013 by Beth Brockling, who provides personalized birthday parties for homeless children at nine shelters in the St. Louis area. Brockling is a volunteer at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri. “This is a huge accomplishment for Sweet Celebrations, which has quickly grown over the past year and achieved 501(c) (3) tax exempt non-profit organization status,” said Brockling. “We have had lots of success stories this year, and donations are being made by many local businesses to support our mission.” Brockling added that Sweet Celebrations continues to recruit for cake donors, as well as delivery volunteers, to help with the organization’s rapid

Submitted photo This St. Louis Blues cake was part of the 100th birthday party thrown by Sweet Celebrations.

expansion. For more information about the organization or to volunteer, call 314-537-9856 or visit the website at www.sweet-celebrations.org.

Crisis Nursery hosts children’s art exhibit

Venus Envy and SSLAW announce first annual art education scholarship Venus Envy, a local non-profit dedicated to empowering women through the arts, is currently accepting applications for their first annual art education scholarship. The application deadline for this 2015 summer scholarship is March 1 Self-identifying women artists (visual, performing, and culinary) living within a 35-mile radius of the city limits of St. Louis are encouraged to submit their applications at http://www.venusenvy.org/scholarship-information. Preference is given to artists seeking funding for education or professional development and those who actively engage the community to promote social change. Scholarship recipients will be featured in Venus Envy’s September 2015 Showcase. Since 1999, Venus Envy has produced groundbreaking showcases featuring St. Louis female artists, such as Miss Jubilee, Jennifer Hayes, Gravity Plays Favorites, the Taylored Poet, and Consuming Kinetics Dance Company. The new board of directors, established in 2013, expanded its impact by collaborating with the St. Louis Lady Arm Wrestlers (SLLAW), which shares its mission of empowering self-identifying women in the St. Louis metro area through community engagement. In June 2014, SLLAW joined VE fundraising efforts, contributing $1,300 to the first annual scholarship fund of $2,000.

Photos courtesy Crisis Nursery Crisis Nursery volunteer Rosalynn Madden holds a piece of art created by one of the children in the “Healing Hearts” program at Crisis Nursery.

Stacy Crawford and Crisis Nursery Young Professional Daffney Moore stand with a piece of art created by one of the children in the “Healing Hearts” program at Crisis Nursery.

In observance of MLK Day, Crisis Nursery hosted the I Have A Dream Children’s Art Exhibit and Open House, sponsored by Thomas Coffee, at the Centene Nursery in downtown St. Louis. A variety of artwork from children was displayed, many of which were created by children in their “Healing Hearts” art therapy session. The “Healing Hearts” program at the Crisis Nursery is designed to begin mending the hearts

and spirits of children dealing with traumatic situations, such as homelessness, loss of a parent/ sibling, severe cases of domestic violence, physical, sexual and/or emotional abuse, and/or other difficult situations. Through “Healing Hearts” children engage in art and play therapy promoting expression of his or her feelings. This process helps these children to begin healing from the pain they have had to endure.

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Around Town

January 28, 2015 • Community News • www.mycnews.com

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h t C r o o . Ballot N f o t s e B Vote for your favorite Greater North County Chamber member or any other business in 63031, 63033, 63042, 63135, 63136, 63137, 63138, 63032 or 63034 in the categories listed below. All entries due no later than March 1, 2015. Vote as often as you wish. There will be two winners in each category. Accounting

Catering

Fitness Center

Hotels/Lodging

Bakery/Donuts

Apartment Complex

Chiropractor

Florist

Insurance Agent

Printing

Attorney

Computer Services

Medical Doctor

Jeweler

Real Estate Co./Agent

Auto Repair

Childcare

Hair Salon

Landscaping/Lawncare

Restaurant/Dining

Bank/Credit Union

Dentist

Heating & Cooling

Mortgage Company

Roofing

Bar/Grill

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Senior Living

You can vote online at www.mycnews.com as often as you want to... or you can email your vote to bestof1@mycnews.com... or you can clip this and mail to: Community News 2139 Bryan Valley Commercial Dr. O’Fallon, MO 63366

www.mycnews.com • Community News • January 28, 2015

Around Town

Start small to maintain New Year’s resolutions Has your resolution already gone bust? Check out a few tips the O’Fallon Family YMCA recommends to help you get back on track and make your New Year’s resolutions stick in 2015: 1. Start small. Set attainable goals. If your goal is to exercise more frequently, don’t schedule seven days a week at the gym right out of the gate. Let a routine become natural and divide your goals in “checkpoints” you can more easily accomplish. For example, start with three days a week of exercise and work up to four days. 2. Take it one step at a time. For your fitness reso-

lution to be successful you don’t have to change everything all at once. Work to change one behavior at a time – whether it is eating a healthier diet, creating a better work-life balance or increasing activity level. 3. Establish a little competition. Find a workout buddy that will take a class with you or hold you accountable to meet them for a workout. It’s harder to quit when someone else is counting on you. And with the Y’s Share the Y program it makes it easier for you to encourage a friend to join too! 4. Make time! You must be intentional and schedule your workouts. You have to make im-

proving your health a priority. Sometimes you just need to stop running from place to place and say, “I’m doing this to make my life better. Everyone else can wait – this is my time!” The Y is so much more than a gym. Whether you’re looking to become more fit, have more fun, find more family time, or make more connections in your community, the Y has more of what you want. They offer programs for people of all abilities. Visit www.ymcastlouis.org or call 636-379-0092 to find out more.

The Death of dieting By Dr. Jason Rhodes DC BCIM If you want to permanently and significantly lose weight, dieting may not be the answer. It has been shown that 97 percent of people that began a diet ended up gaining the weight back, and many people gain back more weight than when they started. The problem with dieting is that it is about deprivation, will power and guilt. And that can only be maintained for a short amount of time before we enviably go back to our old patterns, with a resulting weight gain. Another problem with dieting is that success is based on the scale—if you lose weight, you’re happy, and if you don’t, you want to quit. This creates a yo-yo effect because you are doing something that is not maintainable, which leads to frustration and low self-esteem. What determines weight gain and your ability to lose weight is your metabolism—and your metabolism is controlled by your hormones. Fluctuations in your hormones can have a se-

vere impact on your weight-loss goals. There are hundreds of hormones in the body that perform various functions, but six hormones are directly linked to fat burning and three are linked to fat storing. What you do on a daily basis either activates fat-storing hormones or fat-burning hormones: the types of foods you eat, the type of exercise you perform and even the way you deal with stress. The key is to activate your fat-burning hormones to work for you and to decrease the amount of times you activate your fat-storing hormones. What we have also found is that there are four main culprits that suppress fat-burning hormones: adrenal fatigue, thyroid dysfunction, liver toxicity and blood sugar imbalances. Call 314-983-9355 for more information to attend one of our upcoming free seminars on Feb. 10 or Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. and start this new year off right!

www.medicallysupervisedweightloss.com

Business

January 28, 2015 • Community News • www.mycnews.com

Real estate group plans for growth in 2015 Kelly Hager Group Real Estate Services is predicting that 2015 will be a record year for real estate in the St. Louis market. The group recently released a new report highlighting the St. Louis area real estate market conditions compared to the Midwest, using year-over-year statistics from the third quarter of 2013 and 2014. “This time period for both the Midwest and St. Louis was extremely active compared to last year,” said Kelly Hager, CEO and founder of Kelly Hager Group Real Estate Services. “The St. Louis metro area experienced a dramatic rise in median sale prices compared to the previous 12 months.” According to the group’s Q3 report, the real estate sale price has increased 8.6 percent. The Midwest market has been the most active region in the U.S., with a steady increase in existing-home sales over the past seven months, projecting strong Q4 sales. The year 2014 was a year of low inventory. “Great homes sell fast,” remarked Hager. “It’s been such a great feeling to see the market shift the way it has. Our projections for Q4 blew off the doors, and that’s an even better feeling!”

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The Bridge at Florissant celebrates third birthday

Submitted photo (From left) Chief Mike Gantner, NCI Board Chair and Fire Chief for Black Jack Fire Protection District; Ricky Hopkins, GNCC Board member and owner of A-List Realtors; Arthur Williams, Life Care Center of Florissant; Mary Swip; Venus Martz; Mayor Tom Schneider, City of Florissant; Bill Bush, Massage Therapist; Valerie Waters, Executive Director of Life Care Center of Florissant; Greg Horta, owner of Big Papa G all celebrate The Bridge at Florissant’s third birthday.

The Bridge at Florissant celebrated its third birthday in January. City of Florissant Mayor Tom Schneider and community leaders from the Greater North County Chamber of Commerce and North County Inc. helped celebrate The Bridge at Florissant’s success. In the past three years, the Bridge at Florissant went from a handful of residents to being completely full in their independent living villas. “We’re very unique at the Bridge, we’re the only Level II Assisted Living in the city of Florissant and we love the community and seniors we serve. And now we have a wait-list for our independent

living villas!” said Mary Swip, Sales Director at the Bridge at Florissant. “Our success at the Bridge is due to the support that we’ve received from the community. It is a privilege to have such wonderful community leaders involved in helping us grow,” states Venus Martz, Community Relations Director at the Bridge at Florissant. The Bridge at Florissant is located off Parker Road at 1101 Garden Plaza Drive in Florissant. The Bridge is a part of the Century Park family of senior living communities located nationwide.

Advertiser Profile: Family to family, the RV connection By Russ Patton, owner of Byerly RV

Photo courtesy Byerly RV

The colder it gets in January the more we imagine the adventures waiting for us in spring. Families emerge from brief hibernation to attend the RV Show and visit dealer’s lots. The common theme is “family adventure.” And a common theme, at least on the Mississippi side of Missouri, is the family owned RV Dealership. The Midwest Gateway RVDA, sponsors of the St Louis RV Show, is a group of locally owned, family based businesses. For instance, Byerly RV, is starting it’s 67th year in business. In 1967 John Patton purchased the company from Walter Byerly. Today participants in the company include many PattonsRuss, Pete, Guy, Fran, and their spouses and children- Phyllis, Jay, Adrienne, Warren and Sarah! The theme even extends to other employees with multiple family members like, the Hawks, the Morgans, the Goetz and the Freses. But we also

have adopted a lot of singles among our 46 fulltime employees. Although the recent recession has created an opportunity for national consolidators to buy up weaker dealers or owners who want to retire, the dealers in eastern Missouri are survivors and intrepidly independent. There must be something about Missourians. Another example is the grocery business. Not many major markets can boast about the dominance of local stores such as Schnucks, Dierbergs and Straubs. How is this possible? Local companies know their customers, support their communities and keep their money in Missouri. For more information about Byerly RV see us on Facebook and visit us at www.byerlyrv.com. Byerly, Missouri’s largest Class A motorhome dealer and the largest independently owned towable RV dealer.

www.mycnews.com • Community News • January 28, 2015

Ferguson-Florissant to hold superintendent candidate forums The Ferguson-Florissant School District will hold four public events to introduce finalists for the role of superintendent. District residents, administrators, teachers, civic leaders, faith leaders and other community leaders are encouraged to attend. Two of the four public forums will be held at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 29 in the auditorium at McCluer South-Berkeley High School, located at 201 Brotherton Lane in Ferguson, and at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 30 in the Hub at McCluer High School, located at 1896 S. New Florissant Road in Florissant. Members of the community are also welcome to attend and observe the superintendent candidates’ meetings with District administrators at 10 a.m. and meetings with civic, community and faith leaders at 2 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 30 at the Ferguson-Florissant Administration Center, located at 1005 Waterford Drive in Florissant.

At the public forums, attendees will be invited to submit written questions and comments for the candidates, who will be introduced individually and will speak for one hour each. Feedback will be compiled and provided to the Board of Education for further review following the meetings. “The search process has produced some very exciting candidates whom we look forward to presenting to our community,” said Mrs. Leslie Hogshead, superintendent search committee chair and Board of Education vice president. “Each of the individuals brings strengths that have the potential to positively impact our schools under their leadership. We feel fortunate to have this caliber of finalists from which to select.” More information about the candidate finalists will be shared soon. The Board intends to make a final decision regarding the district’s next superintendent in early February.

Hazelwood School District recognizes ‘Pacesetters’ for annual United Way campaign

Photo courtesy Hazelwood School District Arrowpoint Elementary was one of four HSD schools recognized with the district’s annual Pacesetter Award. The district recognizes sites with at least 60 percent participation in the United Way campaign from staff at that location. Shown here is (from left): Sharifah Sims-Williams, HSD campaign coordinator; Dr. Brenda Youngblood, board member; Dr. Lisa Strauther, principal; Daryl Luster, United Way; Plessie Ellitt, building coordinator; Mark Behlmann, board member.

The Hazelwood School District presented its 2014 Pacesetter Awards to four schools for their participation in the district’s recent United Way of Greater St. Louis annual workplace giving campaign. The schools were recognized at the Jan.13 Boards Of Education meeting for having a minimum of 60 percent of the staff donate to the campaign. The schools and building coordinators recognized were: Arrowpoint Elementary School - Plessie Ellitt; Brown Elementary - Chris Spanberger; Townsend Elementary - Maxine Valdez; and Hazelwood Northwest Middle School - Car-

rie Sansone. Overall, the District raised more than $37,000 for the United Way campaign. The United Way exceeded its 2014 goal of $72.5 million fundraising goal by raising $73,000,075 to help people in the St. Louis metropolitan area. “The Hazelwood School District community has traditionally reached out to help our neighbors, and our recent campaign is another example of our staff ’s generosity,” said Dr. Grayling Tobias, HSD superintendent. “I want to thank everyone who supported this year’s campaign. It is another way we can pull together to make our community even better.”

STLCC-Florissant Valley celebrates African-American heritage St. Louis Community College-Florissant Valley will celebrate African-American History Month, with a schedule full of lectures, presentations, readings, music, food and art. The kickoff celebration will take place from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Feb. 4 in the Multipurpose Room on the Florissant Valley campus at 3400 Pershall Road. The event will feature an African dance troupe; a story of Elijah Lovejoy presented by Barnes Bradshaw from the Missouri History Museum; musical performances as well as free soul food and giveaways. Kenneth Murdock, creator of the Murdock Report on WGNU-AM, will give the keynote address. In a “Lunch and Learn” session, Roosevelt Mitchell III will talk about being born with a physical disability and into poverty with five brothers and sisters and a single parent on welfare. Today, Mitchell is an author public speaker, disability advocate, special education teacher and president of the Roosevelt Mitchell III Foundation, which focuses on normalizing disability in mainstream society. “The Disabled Scholar!” presentation takes place noon-1 p.m. Feb. 12 in the

Student Center Multipurpose Room. Linda Collins, assistant professor of history at STLCC, will give a presentation on the Ferguson crisis and the painful rebirth of the American Civil Rights Movement. During her presentation, she will examine the similarities, differences, legacies and potential reforms. The event takes place 11 a.m.-noon on Feb. 18 in the Student Center Multipurpose Room. Bobby Norfolk, an internationally known story performer and teaching artist, will bring Anansi the Spider and other animals to life in a storytelling session at 10 a.m. Feb. 19 in the Child Development Center. The month-long celebration ends with an open-mic session noon-3 p.m. Feb. 25 in the Student Center Multipurpose Room. This event offers students, staff and the community a chance to share their original poetry as well as brief political or social issue speech in honor of AfricanAmerican History Month. All events are free and open to the public. Special accommodations are available for persons with disabilities by calling 314-513-4323.

School

PHS Chess Team wins Gateway Chess League Tournament

Photo courtesy Pattonville School District Members of the winning Pattonville High School Chess Team are, from left, Joe Kasprzyk, Thomas Haake, Ethan O’Dell, Josh Zahner and Jacob Andrews.

The Pattonville High School Chess Team took first place out of 16 teams at the Gateway Chess League Tournament held at Lindbergh High School on Jan. 10. The team will next compete at a tournament sponsored by Pattonville High School for 350 K-12 students from the St. Louis region and eastern Illinois. All five members of the team also earned individual honors. Senior Ethan O’Dell earned a second-place trophy after competing against 38 players; senior Thomas Haake received a sixth-place trophy after competing against 38 players; sophomore Josh Zahner earned an eighth-place trophy while competing in a field of 64 players; sophomore Jacob Andrews received a medal for placing 16th out of 64 players; and freshman Joe Kasprzyk received a medal for placing 24th out of 162 players. The team is coached by teacher Dr. Janet Baldwin.

Pattonville to award honorary diplomas to veterans For the 13th year in a row, Pattonville will reserve time during graduation ceremonies to award honorary high school diplomas to veterans who left high school before graduation to serve in the United States military during foreign conflicts. The ceremony will take place during the Pattonville High School commencement ceremony, slated for 7 p.m., May 28 at the Family Arena in St. Charles. Since 2002, Pattonville has awarded more than 100 honorary diplomas to veterans of World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm through Missouri’s “Operation Recognition” program. The program is open to any veteran who is a resident or former resident of Missouri. Family members may apply on behalf of a deceased veteran. An application to receive a diploma may be downloaded at www.psdr3.org/NewsInfo/pdf/ VetDipAp15.pdf. The deadline to return applications to the Pattonville School District in order to participate in this year’s graduation ceremony is March 6. Diplomas may also be sent directly to the veteran if the person chooses not to participate in the graduation ceremonies. A copy of the veteran’s honorable discharge papers or DD-214 is required to be submitted along with the application. The Missouri Veterans Commission will verify that an applicant is eligible to receive the diploma. For more information, call the Pattonville school-community relations office at 314-213-8025.

Learn & Play

January 28, 2015 • Community News • www.mycnews.com

By Cindy Moore

Intriguing New Novel Predicted to Be This Year’s “Gone Girl”

Home sweet home There’s nothing like returning home after being away for an extended period of time to appreciate its familiarities. After being gone many days, I was eager to return to my own bathroom, to my own mattress with its personalized lumps formed by my personalized lumpy body and especially to my own refrigerator which I could access anytime the whim caught me. The whim caught me as I entered the door. I was famished because the three-course meal of water, ice and a napkin served by my flight was not holding me over. I headed towards the fridge where I knew it would be well-stocked with tasty treats; perhaps a meaty sandwich, a salad with a variety of fresh veggies or certainly a cold barbequed chicken thigh that could stay my hunger with a quick zap of the microwave. Instead, I opened it to a wasteland of decomposing loneliness. Tiny tumbleweeds rolled across its shelves. In the whistling void of emptiness I detected the lonesome howl of a coyote--a very thin, undernourished coyote. I opened the vegetable crisper to find a large raisin only to realize that it was an emaciated potato. It rolled around and landed atop a withered lettuce leaf. A check of the drawer above produced no better results. It yielded a fancy cheese given to us several Christmases ago. It was a pricey one which we had been saving for a special occasion…starvation seemed to fall under that category. I tossed it back after reading its “best-if-used-by-May-2009” label. “Where the heck is all the food?” I asked my husband. “What do you mean? There’s still plenty here,” he said shaking a box of cereal and pointing to a lonely half gallon of milk. “I’m good for another week.” “You mean to tell me you’ve been living on cereal for the entire time I’ve been gone?” “Don’t be absurd. I finished up the bread and peanut butter yesterday.” “It didn’t dawn on you to go to the store and buy supplies? What if the power went out?” “Since when do you cook peanut butter sandwiches or Frosted Flakes? I’m covered.” My husband…the master chef. He might have eaten better while I was gone if he had only known the oven wasn’t just a bulky rack to hang dish towels on. Cindy Moore is the mother of three superlative kids, servant of two selfindulgent felines and wife to one nifty husband. Her ficticious occupation? Archeological Humorist: someone who unearths absurdity and hilarity in strange and unusual places including public restrooms, the lint filter, and church meetings. Most recently, she excavated a find in her neighbor’s bird feeder. The opinions expressed in this column are Cindy Moore’s alone and do not reflect the opinion of the owners or staff of Community News.

SUDOKU:

Fill in the blank squares in the grid, making sure that every row, column and 3-by-3 box includes all the digits 1 through 9.

See solution on page 13

Sometimes you need a “guilty read,” fiction you know isn’t literary but definitely entertains. “The Girl on the Train” by Paula Hawkins is a psychologically gripping debut that delivers. Three women — Rachel, Anna and Megan — narrate the book, their stories alternately keeping you on the edge of your seat. Rachel Watson is a pathetic, lonely alcoholic who rides back and forth on a commuter train from her rented room in Oxfordshire to a pretend job in London. She lost her job because of her drinking, but continues the charade of being employed to fool her roommate, who is growing ever more impatient with her drinking. Using alcohol as a balm for her problems has made a mess of Rachel’s life, contributed to her husband Tom leaving her for Anna. The couple lives in the home Rachel shared with Tom — a Victorian by the tracks that Rachel passes on her commute, torturing herself as she fixates on Tom, Anna and their new baby. Rachel creates an imaginary life for another couple she sees who live four doors down from her former home, painting scenes in a brain ladled by alcohol and heartbreak. Rachel dreams up a perfect marriage for gorgeous Megan and Scott, a relationship that appears loving, but one that crumbles in her mind when she sees Megan in the arms of another man. Megan used to own an art gallery but also served as a nanny for Anna and Tom’s baby, a stint that was short lived. Watchdog Rachel is aware of all this because of her vantage point on the train, where she lives vicariously through the people she sees. When Megan mysteriously disappears, Rachel, who seems at times on the brink of madness, is determined to help find her. She does, after all, have information the authorities would find helpful, as would Scott, a husband awash with grief. As Rachel becomes more deeply obsessed with the crime, she takes risks that put her in danger, all the while her alcoholism spirals out of control. “Girl on a Train” sucks you in, but the conclusion is implausible. The book’s strength is its portrait of Rachel, a complicated character readers won’t know whether to trust or not. If it’s pure escapism you seek, this mystery delivers. Reprinted with permission. Missourian Publishing Company. Copyright 2015.

Crossword Puzzle Theme: Super Bowl ACROSS 1. Supporting workers 6. Military activities 9. Self-satisfaction 13. *Mike Ditka has his own brand of this smoke 14. One who is not Jewish, Yiddish 15. Done for dramatic affect? 16. Often done for one’s sins 17. Unagi 18. Garment enlarger 19. *The ___ ____ 21. *Winners of first two Super Bowls 23. Après-____ 24. Keep it up? 25. State V.I.P. 28. Starch used in Asian food 30. Extremely tiny 34. Top of Kilimanjaro, e.g. 36. Texting button 38. Result of too much pressure 40. Pharrell Williams’ 2014 album 41. Last European colony in China 43. Muslim honorific 44. Tax evader’s fear 46. *Something to play for 47. Track ____ 48. Confusion 50. Feudal laborer 52. Like humor or martini 53. Charades action 55. 401(k) alternative 57. *Super Bowl host state 61. Fracas 65. Precedes birth 66. Former measure of U.S. economy 68. Made cow noise 69. Mixtures 70. Earned at Wharton or Kellogg 71. “_____ it!” said the accused 72. *Hendricks and Ginn Jr. 73. Make a scene 74. Type of car DOWN 1. Wound, eventually 2. South American monkey 3. All excited 4. Vampire’s feature, pl. 5. One who ______ out at the site of a snake 6. Curved molding 7. “The Raven” writer 8. Airy spirit 9. Dropped or fell

10. Source of artist’s inspiration 11. ____-friendly 12. Understands 15. Alfresco meal 20. Unhealthy vapors 22. *Teams rely on this kicker sense 24. To the point 25. Lady of “Applause” 26. Poppy product 27. Opera composer Giuseppe _____ 29. *Cleats, helmet, pads 31. Pack like sardines 32. Was violently angry 33. Shade of yellow 35. *49 37. Copenhagen native 39. *Super Bowl halftime performer

42. Finno-_____ language 45. Malignant or benign ones 49. Bowling target 51. Drab and unattractive people 54. Molten rock 56. Before, in the olden days 57. Sir Mix-_-___ 58. Rapid series of short loud sounds 59. Footnote acronym 60. Menageries 61. A quarrel 62. *Not a Super Bowl party without it? 63. Bulgarian money 64. Place of forbidden fruit 67. *Where to watch

See answers on page 13

www.mycnews.com • Community News • January 28, 2015

Movie

“American Sniper”

By Steve Bryan - Rated: R

Cooper gives Oscar-worthy performance in tense, riveting “American Sniper” Actor Bradley Cooper has come a long way from his 2001 debut in the cult hit As Kyle’s wife Taya, Sienna Miller is so good that it’s a “Wet Hot American Summer.” For the third year in a row, Cooper turned in a per- wonder she didn’t get an Oscar nod. Showing how the formance worthy of an Oscar nominacouple first met at tion. His portrayal of Navy SEAL Chris a bar, Miller and Kyle this year, though, could be the one Cooper are charmthat finally gives him the gold. ing and funny. Cooper is amazing playing the man Their good-natured who became America’s deadliest sniper. banter is just a sampling Director Clint Eastwood delves deeply of the incredibly well-written dialogue in into Kyle’s background, showing the this piece. lasting influence of his old school faDuring the battle sequences, Eastther on his career choices. Inspired by wood takes his unflinching camera into attacks on American embassies, Kyle physically and emotionally tight spaces. found his calling and joined the Navy. “American Sniper” does not glorify killAlways a fine actor, Clint Eastwood ing, but it shows how necessary a sniper also is a powerful force behind the is to his comrades. The most harrowing camera. He takes the audience into the scenes show Kyle determining if he has a tight, uncomfortable spaces in which hostile combatant or a civilian in his gun military snipers have to work. Based sight. on Kyle’s memoir of the same name, Competition is fierce this year amongst this is nothing less than a riveting film the Academy Award nominees, but Bradand a worthy Best Picture nominee. ley Cooper’s stunning performance puts In his best performance thus far, him at the head of the pack. There’s a fair Bradley Cooper disappears into the amount of controversy surround the bulk character of Chris Kyle. The story of “American Sniper,” but no one can disshows Kyle as being somewhat aimless pute that Cooper and Eastwood are exbefore joining the U.S. Navy. Cooper ceptional at what they do. embodies the sniper’s desire to be, in “American Sniper,” rated R for strong his father’s words, a sheepdog instead and disturbing war violence and language of a wolf or a sheep. throughout, including some sexual referCooper plays the character from the ences, currently is playing in theaters. good ol’ boy days to his troubles readBorn and raised in South St. Louis, Steve justing to civilian life. In some scenes, Bryan is now based in Anaheim, California, and the actor shows Kyle staring at a blank has been allowed access to movie and televiTV screen while sounds of battle echo sion sets to see actors and directors at work. in his head. These are exceptionally Though his writing has taken him far from St. Louis, Steve is, at heart, still the same widepowerful moments thanks to Cooper’s eyed kid who spent countless hours watching complex performance. “American Sniper” photo courtesy of Warner Bros classic movies at neighborhood theaters.

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Louis area. It will be held this Friday Jan. 30 at the Scottrade Center. There will be 15 three-round bouts of boxing and included are mixed martial arts matches pitting male and female contestants from the group. A very large crowd of enthusiastic fans is expected with good weather on the way. Attend the event by going to www.TicketMaster.com * Great fundraising event Family Arena has motorcycles on ice this Saturday The Family Arena will hold an event that is unique and is one of the most exciting and fastest sports. The Professional Motorcycle Racing Tour XIIR will pack the facility for a one night stop in St. Charles. The bikes can reach speeds of 60 mph in under three seconds as they circle the course on the ice. Special motorcycle tires are used that have over 2,000 metal studs. But the most exciting point is that they have no brakes. Check out the Family Arena’s website to get all the details of the event on Jan. 31. * Loud and exciting History made in basketball at Lindenwood On a night when Garrett Reeg became the 10th Lindenwood Lion in school history to score 1,000 career points, the Lions continued their roll beating the Southwest Baptist Bearcats 73-66 Thursday night in Bolivar, Mo. Cory Arentsen led the way for Lindenwood

with 21 points. Darris Smith chipped in with 18 and Reeg scored seven to go along with five rebounds. The win was the Lions eighth straight win and seventh straight conference win. Lindenwood is now 12-6 overall and 7-2 in the MIAA. The Lions will welcome Central Missouri to the Hyland Arena on Saturday afternoon. * Thanks to Lindenwood’s Tyler Scheller-Sports Information Graduate Assistant Faith and football for the Attack The St. Louis Attack is the professional indoor football team that will start their season in late March. Their first home games will be on April 4 and 11 at their home field of the Family Arena. One of the major players on the roster is Bernard Quinn a prototypical football player standing 6’3” and weighing in at 290 pounds. With 16 years of playing football experience, it is not his only passion. “My biggest influences in my life are God, my mom, my grandfather, my kids and playing along side by brothers – on and off the field,” he said. A native of St. Louis, Quinn graduated from Pattonville High School before attending Southeast Missouri State University. Off the field, Quinn runs the ‘Sole to Soul Foundation,’ that lists its vision as “For every person to have his/her basic needs met.” He continues explaining his mission, “Impacting and changing lives, through servicing the needs of the less fortunate in our communities, cities and beyond; on the basis of faith, love, loyalty, and stewardship.” It’s football, though, that keeps his athletic motor running. “The thrill of the chase is what I love the most,” he said. “I love dismantling quarterbacks and running backs and I take pride in knowing the man in front of me is not going to block me.” For more information on the Attack football team, go to www.STLAttack.com * He has someone BIG on his side Gary Baute, a St. Louis native, may be educated in business but he lives and breathes sports. As a fan or an athlete, Gary is all sports all the time. He hosted a radio sports program on KFNS, emceed the River City Rascals’ inaugural season, and co-hosted SportsRadioSTL.com, among many other activities.

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Recipe:

Show off your sweet side this Valentine’s Day

Treat family, friends and co-workers to something they will all love this Valentine’s Day by making easy and impressive cookies. Start with your favorite rollout cookie recipe or simply dress up store-bought ones by adding some simple details with icing.

Here are three ways to leave them smitten with sweets this Valentine’s Day: • Desserts with dimension. Triple your treats by stacking three decorated cookies in different sizes together and attach them with icing.

• Complement with color. A simple piping technique looks stunning when piped in different colors on your cookies. • Get to gifting. Wrap your finished treats in a Valentine’s Day treat bag or box.

Stackable Ombre Heart Cookies

Scalloped Heart Cookies

Each stacked cookie serves 1

Each cookie serves 1

Ingredients: Favorite roll-out cookie recipe Royal icing Rose Icing Color Heart Micro Mini Icing Decorations Directions: Prepare and roll out cookie dough following recipe directions. Use 3 smallest cutters from 4-piece heart nesting cookie cutter set to cut out shapes. Bake and cool cookies.

Divide royal icing into three equal portions, and tint 3 shades of rose. Thin a portion of each shade following recipe directions. Use tip 3 and full-strength tinted icing to outline cookies. Use thinned tinted icing in cut decorating bag to fill in cookies; gently tap to smooth icing. Let dry overnight. Use icing to attach cookies, stacking largest to smallest; place icing decoration on top.

Ingredients: Favorite roll-out cookie recipe Ready-To-Use White Creamy Decorator Icing Icing Colors: Burgundy, Red-Red and Christmas Red

Divide icing into four equal portions. Tint one of each portion light burgundy, dark burgundy and combination of red-red/Christmas red. Reserve last portion white.

Directions: Prepare and roll out dough following recipe directions. Use largest cutter from the 4-piece heart nesting cookie cutter set to cut out shape. Bake and cool cookies.

Starting from top edge of heart, use tip 102 and icing in dark burgundy, light burgundy, red and white to pipe V-shaped groups of two petals, one piped from left and one from right, to create row of petals in alternating colors. Repeat with second row between petals in first row. Continue to repeat pattern until cookies are covered.

What’s Happening

January 28, 2015 • Community News • www.mycnews.com

Send your event to editor@mycnews.com and we'll print it! Events Jan. 28: Karaoke Florissant Valley VFW Post 4105, located at 410 St. Francois from 8 p.m. – 12 a.m. All profits go to support veterans. 314-831-6121. Jan. 30: All you can eat chicken dinner Florissant Valley VFW Post 4105, located at 410 St. Francois from 5 – 8 p.m. All profits go to support veterans. 314-831-6121. Jan. 30: Medication Safety, Storage and Management “Healthy Living for Seniors” series offered by Mid-East Area Agency on Aging and the St. Louis County Library at the Florissant Valley Branch from 10 - 11a.m. Jan. 30-31: Missouri Ballet Theatre presents “Breaking Boundaries” Missouri Ballet Theatre (MBT) is proud to present “Breaking Boundaries,” in honor of Black History Month, at the Florissant Civic Center Theater, located at 1 James J. Eagan Drive in Florissant. Tickets are on sale now – adult tickets are $28 each, and senior and/or child/student tickets are available

for $26. Tickets can be purchased online at www.florissantmo.com, by phone at 314-921-5678, and in person at the Florissant Civic Center Theater Box Office. Performances will take place both nights at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 3 and 10: Introduction to Square Dancing Free introduction to Modern Western Square Dancing for couples and singles of all ages begins Feb 3 and 10, 2015, from 7 - 8:30 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, 14088 Clayton Rd., southeast corner of Clayton Rd and Hwy 141. Following the free introduction, the program continues on Tuesdays for $5 per person. Children ages 8-18 are free with paying adult. No experience necessary. Wear casual clothes. Good fellowship and great fun. Contact Jack and Mary Ann Marincel at 314-894-2567, momarincel@gmail.com or visit www. westcountyspinners.com. Feb. 7: Boy Scout Troop #884 trivia party fundraiser Trivia night will be held at Trinity Church of the Nazarene at 3515 Shackelford Rd. in Florissant. Doors open at 6 p.m. and trivia begins at 7 p.m. Cost is $120 per table of 8 people, $15 per person.

Snacks and drinks provided. Your own snacks and drinks may also be brought in. No alcohol permitted. There will be a $120 first prize payout along with silent auction baskets, attendance prizes, 50/50 drawings and more. Contact the trivia committee, Julie Sontag: 314-422-1804 or Tina Thomas: 314-837-7394/314-740-7607 to sign up or for any questions. All proceeds will fund future scouting activities for Florissant troop #884. Feb. 9: Free makeover for cancer patients Anyone currently undergoing or just finishing cancer treatment is invited to experience a free makeover from certified cosmetologists that includes demonstrations on the use of wigs, turbans and scarves, nail care and cosmetics use from 10 a.m. – noon at Christian Hospital Cancer Resource Center Building 2 located at11125 Dunn Rd. Registration is required: call 314.747.WELL (9355) to register. Complimentary cosmetics and skin care products provided. Sponsored by the American Cancer Society. Feb. 13: Valentine dance The City of Florissant Senior Office will hold its Valentine Dance at the James J. Eagan Center from 7 – 10 p.m. All residents and non-residents are invited. Tickets are just $8 in advance in the Senior Office in Florissant City Hall or $10 at the door. Light snacks (cheese & crackers, potato chips & candy) are included with admission. Beer, wine and soda are available for purchase. Get a table of friends together or come and make new friends! Call the Florissant Senior Office, 839-7604, for more information! Feb 13-14: Valentine’s Day Dinner Theatre Gateway Church of the Nazarene at 11703 Old St. Charles Road is

presenting two nights of Mystery Dinner Theatre. A fun, affordable date night or bring the family! Show times are Friday, Feb. 13 and Saturday Feb. 14 at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $20 per person or $35 per couple and includes the show and a threecourse meal. Tickets are available through the church office 314-2911763 or at the door. Feb. 14: St. Valentine’s feast The Friends of Old St. Ferdinand will host a luncheon on Valentine’s Day at noon at the Old St. Ferdinand Shrine. Reservations are currently being accepted. Meal price of $15 includes drinks, lunch and dessert and will be served in the 125 year-old schoolhouse. St. Ferdinand Shrine is home to a life-sized wax figure and relic of St. Valentine, who was martyred in the year 270 A.D. Whether or not you join the lunch, please attend mass at 11 a.m. and learn more about this beloved saint. Rev. Father Keller will be the celebrant. After the luncheon, docents will provide free tours of the shrine complex which includes the 1819 convent, 1821 church building and 1840 rectory. The book sale will also be open. Please contact Mrs. Mary Ann Daub at 314-479-1749 for questions or to make a reservation and payment. Feb. 14: Silent auction A fundraiser to support The Megan Foundation, which in the past has raised money for research on Usher syndrome, will be held at Lumen, a private event space located at 2201 Locust Street. Tickets for the event, titled Sights and Sounds of Love, are $60 per person. Festivities will take place from 7:30 - 11:30 p.m. and feature a silent auction, cocktail hour and dancing to the Rhythm Rockers. Included in the cost of a ticket are three drinks, passed hors d’oeuvres and valet parking.

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Feb. 16-17: Shoe Roads Production The Christian Hospital Auxiliary is teaming up with Laurie’s Shoes to provide a fine selection of better footwear on Feb. 16 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Feb. 17 from 7 a.m.– 3 p.m. in Christian Hospital Lobby at 11133 Dunn Rd. Feb 18: Tips for improving your posture Learn from a physical therapist how to check your own posture along with techniques to instantly improve your posture from 12:30 -2 p.m. at Northwest HealthCare – Entrance A Lower Level Community Room at 1225 Graham Rd. You will also learn important posture exercises and about devices you can use to make you stand tall. To register for this free class, call 314-747-WELL (9355). Feb. 19: OASIS peer led discussion groups Laugh, reminisce and learn with OASIS during this discussion group program at Village North Retirement Community at 11160 Village North Dr. Enjoy fellowship and conversation on a variety of topics while making new friends or reconnecting with old ones. Attend one or attend every month. Light refreshments provided. Dates and topics listed below. To register, call 314-747-WELL (9355) or 1-877747-WELL (9355). Feb. 21: Organizing panels The St. Louis chapter of the National Association of Professional Organizers is sponsoring Keep Calm and Ask a Professional Organizer, an educational event for the public. The event will feature two panels: one panel of professional organizers and another of organizing related industry members. The event will be held from 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. at The Lodge Des Peres at 1050 Des Peres Rd. Due to limited space, early registration is encour-

www.mycnews.com • Community News • January 28, 2015 aged. Admission is $10. Register online at www.napostl.com/keepcalm. Feb. 21: 2015 Christian Hospital Heart Fair Registration opens at 9 a.m. and closes at 11 a.m. Screenings and Informational Booths: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Lectures: 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Space is limited, please call 314747-WELL and register today! Event will be held at Christian Hospital Detrick Building – Atrium 11133 Dunn Road at I-270 & Hwy. 367 Feb. 22: Cocoa with the Ice Queen Join the Florissant Parks & Recreation Department at the John F. Kennedy Community Center from 2 – 3 p.m. for a special visit from the Ice Queen and her sister! Kids will enjoy crafts, songs and an interactive story while sipping on cocoa and eating cookies. Cost for residents is $10 and $15 for nonresidents. Registration begins for Florissant residents Jan. 12 and for non-residents Jan. 20 at both community centers. Preregistration is required. The event will be cancelled if minimum participation is not met so please register early. Only children need to register and pay. This event is for children ages 10 and under and their parents or adult guests. For additional information contact the JFK center 314-921-4250 or JJE center 314921-4466. March 8: Movie screening “Wings,” winner of the first Academy Award for Best Picture, will be screened at 2 p.m. at The Scottish Rite Auditorium at 3633 Lindell Blvd. in St. Louis. The silent movie will be accompanied Dr. Marvin Faulwell on the recently restored 1924, 56 rank Kimball Pipe Organ. Donations accepted for the benefit of St. Louis Theatre Organ Society (501c3) and the Walker Scottish Rite Clinic for Children (501c3). (http://www.srclinic.org/) This is an exclusive one time only showing. Parking garage located at the rear of the building off Olive Street (available for $10/car). Please contact the Saint Louis Theatre Organ Society (http://sltos.org) for additional information. March 28: Fight for Air Climb

The 2015 Fight for Air Climb is a unique fundraising event for the American Lung Association in Missouri. It’s a stair climb of the tallest building in St. Louis at Metropolitan Square; 211 North Broadway at 8 a.m. Almost ninety cents of every dollar raised goes directly to education, research and advocacy. There are four ways to participate; by starting a team, joining a team, joining as an individual or volunteering. Registration is open online at www.FightForAirClimb.org or by calling 314-645-5505. March 28: Razzle Dazzle Ball “Fire & Ice” Razzle Dazzle Ball, presented by Saint Louis Crisis Nursery will take place from 6 - 11 p.m. at the Sheraton Westport Lakeside Chalet located at191 Westport Plaza in St. Louis County.Admission is $150 per person; Call (314)292.5770 for more information or visit www. crisisnurserykids.org. Enjoy mouth-watering food and desserts, live entertainment and the presentation of the Nursery’s highest honor, the coveted H.U.G.S. & K.I.S.S.E.S. Awards. Festivities include the ultimate Champagne and Diamond Extravaganza and an exciting silent and live auction. The Razzle Dazzle Ball helps Crisis Nursery fund programs to protect children from abuse and neglect. April 18: Support Dogs Tacky Ball 2015 Event runs from 6 - 11 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis Riverfront (at the Arch) located at 315 Chestnut Street. Evening includes dinner, open bar, and entertainment, live and silent auction. Cost is $150 per person. Special Hyatt reservation rates available. For more information or to make a reservation, call 314-997-2325.

Charbonier Rd., Florissant. For more info contact Paul or Connie McConnell, 314-831-5476. Every 4th Tuesday of the month: Fort Bellefontaine Memorial American Legion Post 335 meeting 6:30pm, Fort Bellefontaine Memorial American Legion Post 335, 800 Chambers Road in Bellefontaine Neighbors. Those interested in membership are invited to attend. Every Tuesday: Bingo Evening at Florissant Elks Lodge #2316 Doors at 4:30pm, games begin at 6pm, Florissant Elks Lodge #2316, 16400 New Halls Ferry Rd. in Florissant. For more information, call 314.921.2316. Every Wednesday: Bingo Morning at Florissant Elks Lodge #2316 Florissant Elks Lodge #2316, 16400 New Halls Ferry Rd. in Florissant. Doors at 7:30am, games begin at 9:30am. For more information, call 314.921.2316. Bridgeton Trails Library Branch Programs: 3455 McKelvey Rd., St. Louis, 314.994.3300. Story Time: Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m. 9 months to 2 yrs. Room 1 (Lap Time); Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m. Ages 3–5. Room 2; Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. Ages 3–5. Room 1.

What’s Happening

3-4pm, Center for Senior Renewal, Detrick Building 1st floor, 11133 Dunn Rd. For more information, contact Lisa Erlinger at 314.653.5331. Every Friday: Our Lady of Fatima #4429 Knights of Columbus Bingo 6:45pm, Knights of Columbus Hall, 1216 Teson Rd. in Hazelwood. For more information call 314.731.9330 Every 3rd Friday of the month: Bingo 2pm, Life Care Center of Florissant, 1201 Garden Plaza Dr. For more information, call 314.831.3752. Every Friday: The Bridge at Florissant Hot Diggity Dog Build your own hot dog. 11:30am, The Bridge at Florissant, 1101 Garden Plaza Dr. in Florissant. To RSVP, call 314.831.0988.

Every Sunday beginning Sept. 28: Meat Shoots Noon until Dusk. Florissant Elks Lodge #2316, 16400 New Halls Ferry Rd. in Florissant. For more information, call 314.921.2316 Every Sundays: Tours at Old St. Ferdinand Shrine #1 Rue St. Francois St., Florissant, 1 – 4pm, through October. Donations accepted. Docents needed. 314.921.7582, vicray01@aol.com Church Tuesdays & Thursdays: Chapel of the Cross Lutheran Church GriefShare Support Group Tuesdays from 2 - 4pm and Thursday from 6:30 - 8:30pm, 11645 Benham Rd., 314.741.3737 Health

Last Saturdays: Writers Workshop: 10am - 1:30pm, Baden Liberary, 8448 Church Rd., 314.388.2400

Every Monday-Friday: Evening Front Desk Volunteers Needed 4-7pm, Christian Hospital, 1225 Graham Rd. in Florissant. For more information, please contact Lee Shields at 314.653.5032.

SUDOKU answers from page 8

CROSSWORD answers from page 8

Florissant Senior Citizens’ Bingo Clubs: 314.839.7604. Every 1st Wednesday of the Month: Stroke Support Group

Recurring Events Mondays: Karaoke at DeLeo’s Cafe & Deli 2782 North Hwy 67, Florissant, 8 10:30pm, 314.839.3880. Tuesdays: TOPS (Take off pounds sensibly) From 9:15 - 10:30 a.m. located at John F. Kennedy Center/Henry Koch Ctr., Howdershell Rd. at

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PRAYER TO ST. JUDE

May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be adored, glorified, loved and preserved throughout the world, now and forever. Sacred Heart of Jesus, Pray for us. St. Jude, Worker of Miracles, Pray for us. St. Jude, Helper of the Hopeless, Pray for us.

Say this prayer 9 times a day for 9 days, then publish. Your prayers will be answered. It has never been known to fail.

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Our publications use a combination of online subscription, direct mail, home delivery, and voluntary circulation methods. Voluntary refers to a circulation method where readers “voluntarily” choose to pick up a publication to read. This method is powerful because locations are carefully chosen and newsstands are monitored for 100% pick up. Community News has developed a network of over 650 convenient locations including every major supermarket chain. Our voluntary method is powerful for three reasons: 1 QUALITY READERS A voluntary reader is an interested reader, actively outside of the home, in stores, seeking out information about the community 2 TOTAL UTILITY 100% pick up assures no wasted papers. Every paper reaches an interested reader, yielding a full value for the entire print run. 3 EXPANDING SET Every print run reaches a unique group of readers, because the majority of voluntary readers are occasional readers. Over time, these unique groups add up to a readership size about three times greater than the print run.

FOUR GREAT PUBLICATIONS Huneke Publications, Inc. offers four publications: two weekly newspapers and two news magazines, each covering a unique market segment within St. Louis County and St. Charles County. As a member of the Missouri Press Association, all of our publications feature verified circulation and an earned credibility among our peers.

r 14, 2007 Novembe 46 Vol. 86 No.

ON C RAZY

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y for 86 Years 1921 - Weekl Established & Operated ies Family Owned & St. Charles Count Louis Serving St.

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Annual The 16th Fair Women’s , Fit will be Fun us! and Fabulo

Fair Women’s By Shelly A.

U FAB

July 11, 2007

toes: floodwa ter and perman If you believe mosquitoes. ent water Floodwater ing problem you have a mosquito breedmosqui their eggs on damp soil where toes lay sure, please on your property, but will occur are not call the Departm flooding or, in some munity Hea ent of Comcases, above water line lth and the the in tree holes, Environme tainers, or nt. Ofartificial con- ficials will make an inspecti other small on and evaluabodies of water. tion appointment, When rain and then recomm fills these areas (ARA) and floods the possible solution. end a - National St. Charles County resident Friendship stages, broods can upload s have the of mosquitoes greatest prevention method Day is Aufingertips. a two-mintoes are mainly Proper maintens right at their gust 5 and - propert of the ance ute video pest y is the first variety, and the first to of the in light of emerge in the are step toward describ ing mosquito spring months prevention. All trash Many of these a recent and refuse that . mosquitoes how a close ers and may are strong flycould survey that range up to propert friend lights ten miles or more drained y should be adequately i n d i c ate s up their life graded and , a blood meal to prevent women any pools or to lay .....................3 water that may to www.ra puddles of r story............. eggs. last place high Cove County mosqui ten days or longer. diance ribtheir eggs directly ....................6 to v a l u e control officer ider.... McCauley lists on the water bons.com. Barry Shelly Schne several things 9 on , surface, their may do to homeowners cies in this Florissant ..........8 friendships, group do - their summekeep mosquitoes from test closes Old Olay is offering venture ruining theirTown r: breeding sites. not ..10,far11from a chance to Aug. treat themsel women Charles......... 31, ves with a trip to New Explore St. York City. in October. .................12 See MOSQUITO No Olay is hosting City . . . . ............ Town page 3 sary. For official purchase is neces........ a summer On the ......... called “Light . 414 contest www.ra contest rules, School . . Up Chamb .Gary . . . .Baute. Your visit dianceribbons. er. . . . . . ...... Life.” Women ts with ..... Religion 5 com.

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IN THIS ISS

a grand tic entry into al beauty basas well as automa g – a person prize drawin JCPenney. y of ket courtes emiants nine mini-s fair gives participfrom including inforcare, nars to choose e, fitness, breast surexercis mation on and plastic nence, and urinary inconti al improvement person and bra fitting gery. Other topics include for holiday awareness “dos” “ups” and and the “spirit wardrobe, p made easy, hair, makeu

Movie Talk

Spor ..... ........ Cheese . . 16 7 . . . . ... ........ 6 ...... St. Peters........... Better You 9 ........ It’s About .. 17 ...... 10 2139 Bryan...................... Movie Review Valley Commer cial23Dr. • O’Fallon .22, , MO 63366 eds ...................... P: 636.379.1775

Classifi topics to ercial Dr. the spirit. Valley Comm sessions (threetime frame) 2139 Bryan Seminar MO 63366 during each O’Fallon, a.m., and 1:30 choose from 636-379-1632 s a.m., 10:40 9-1775 • FX: t begin at 9:30 P: 636-37 centurytel.ne 1:15 p.m. E-Mail: cnews@ and runs until - 2007 at 11:45 a.m. 8:30 a.m. page 17 Wonderland at Christmas in the lunTAINMENT Doors open Film Group’s See ENTER feature duringigh-energy Electra in Yari Carmen special and h A ea Chris Kattan lin. year will b cheon this Dan Cough by author page 3 presentation N’S FAIR See WOME

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Coupon Crazy .... What’s Happen . . . . . . . . . . . 16 ing . . . . . . . . . 18 Classifieds ........ ....... 22

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2011 May/June

COMMUNITY NEWS

COMMUNITY NEWS - St. Charles County

OUR TOWN MAGAZINE

CROSSROADS MAGAZINE

addresses in its service area, plus online subscribers. It is a

Wentzville and Lake St. Louis areas. It is direct mailed with

commerce news plus articles on the economy, technology, human resources, and marketing.

plus online subscribers.

First published in 1921, Community News is the longest published weekly newspaper in the St. Louis metropolitan area and has established a large audience of loyal readers. Community News circulates across a broad geographic region with newstands, home throw and online subscription.

Published weekly with a powerful circulation combination of newsstands, home throw, and online subscription. The St. Charles County edition features countywide coverage including the cities of: St. Charles, St. Peters, Cottleville, Weldon Spring, O’Fallon, Dardenne Prairie, Lake St. Louis, and Wentzville, plus Troy.

This monthly lifestyle magazine covers the’N fast-growing Published bi-monthly, Our Town is direct mailed to all business Our FREE publications are available in over 500 convenient locations, including every Dierbergs, Schnucks and Shop Save. -

Vol 9 No 28

Missouri is home to about mosquitoes. Some live less 50 species of while others than may live several a week, months. Community Health and ment states the Environ it is only the female mosqui that “bites” and she does to so blood meal needed to lay to obtain the viable eggs. While mosqui more than drive toes usually do little the family from doors to the the outindoors, they carriers of are sometim dangerous es d isea may contrac t malaria, yellowses. Humans gue, and encepha fever, denlitis; and dogs heartworm. may get Most of these the exceptio diseases, with n of canine heartwo human encephalitis and rm, have been eliminated fairly well from Health officials the entire United States. said outbrea to borne encepha ks of mosqui litis have periodic occurred in ally Missou “Canine heartwori. rm is an problem, with endemic costs to ers escalatin animal owng each warned. “Effecti year,” health officials measures includinve mosquito control g the elimina swamp areas, tion of to keep road and maintenance efforts ditches clear have done and much to control water free mosquito for disease transmission.”

S LOU

Schneider

C o o li n g It

Shelly A. Schneid

FIT!FUN!

o busy, e it gets to to dies, befor is the time corner. La for you. Now ovement and take a day impr se for selffun in the set a cour and to have s self-awareness n will find the answer process! Wome health, family, career, ns on the 2007 at to questio , and more image, fashion – Fun, Fit, and FabuSt. Fair Nov. 17, at Women’s ay, for Saturd . lous – set unity College Charles Comm in partnership the college St. Joseph sented by ey and SSM take with JCPenn -Hospital West, will StuHealth Center a.m.-3 p.m. in the 8:30 Campus, 4601 place from on the SCC ille. dent Center in Cottlev Mall Drive the area Mid Rivers throughout reWomen from day of education, for a will gather and fun, includfood, laxation, prizes,eminars, a fashion show than 50 ing nine mini-s r, and more speake e ts and serand keynot ing produc vendors display vices. a continental seminars and and s exhibit a fashion tickets include urse cial $20 VIP speaker, and full-co e in show, keynot Grappa Grill and catered by luncheon st, exhibits, the breakfa consecutive addition to For the fourththe lunchtime seminars. ey will host ages year, JCPenn with styles for all fashion show,

Follow the se tips to kee p your family and pets safe from mosquitoes . Mosquito Sea son By

IN THIS ISSUE

Family-Owned & Operated

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additional copies available in newsstands, unique business-to-business magazine featuringat chamber of Or, sign up for a FREE ONLINE SUBSCRIPTION www.mycnews.com

January 28, 2015 • Community News • www.mycnews.com

Over the Fence

By Joe Morice A Car Nut’s Harangue I’ve always been a car nut. It means I like driving them providing it’s not rush hour. Anyone who says they don’t mind driving in rush hour should run for Congress. Liars and loonies do well there. However, in spite of being a car nut, I’m becoming ambivalent towards the new, state-of-the-art cars sporting dashboards crammed with everything from touch screens that look like televisions to bells and whistles that would scare an airline pilot. It’s bad enough when I can’t find my old Mustang’s owners manual. I keep forgetting I put it in the trunk because the glove compartment is full of more important things like sunglasses, combs, moldy Snickers bars, headache pills and a .357 Magnum in case of alligator attacks. Perhaps I’ll trade it for a rear-mounted machine gun for tailgater attacks. Kidding of course, but that aside; the car manufacturers that tried so hard to make them safe are now resorting to making them idiot proof. For example; they have gadgets that tell drivers if they’re too close to the cars in front of them, behind them and for all I know, on both sides. All this time I thought non-skid braking systems that made them stop five times faster than tailgating semis were state-of-the-art. Evidently, this is passé. I’m guessing today’s drivers need warn-

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ings because they’re too busy blabbering or texting on cell phones or perhaps too occupied with ordering take-out on their touch screens. I’ve always thought driving safely meant keeping one’s eyes on the road. Silly me. Another gadget lets cars parallel park themselves. Touch a button and the car glides into a space as if it was on rails. I watched a driver using this gadget to parallel park an SUV. For her, it didn’t work no matter how much she hammered on the steering wheel and cursed. Considering the space was about two feet shorter than her SUV, I wondered if manufacturers should add a voice that says, “Hey dummy, it won’t fit!” I won’t mention experimental self-driving cars except to say: no wonder space aliens won’t land here, insanity scares them. I admit I like the cameras in the rear to show something behind me that I can’t see like small children, dogs, tailgaters, demented shoppers and sneaky carjackers. They also stop us from backing too close to solid objects. I assume it includes backing out of the garage before you open the door. The Detroit auto show extravaganza has all the new vehicles and they’re explained in detail by talking heads on what passes for television news events these days. Mostly, they lost me. Only a few opened the hoods or even mentioned the horsepower. A beautiful new Audi streetlegal race car had electric motor-driven

front wheels. The horsepower, top speed and other drive train features weren’t mentioned. Instead, they explained the new gadgets on the dashboard that reminded me of a space shuttle. Oh well. I can’t afford the new 435 horsepower Mustang GT in case I need a getaway car for robbing a bank. In fact, I would need to rob a bank to afford one. There’s also an even the more expensive Shelby Mustang with well over 600 HP. Wings were optional as were rocket insurance and burial plots. Oh well. I guess I’ll stick with my faithful ten-yearold Mustang with the tiny V8. At least it sounds like a car instead of a leaf blower. I can even shift the gears myself. Besides, if I bought a car with TV in the dash, I’d probably shoot it. Joe Morice is Community News’s blue-collar philosopher. He was born and raised in Missouri and spent most of his childhood on a farm and adulthood operating heavy equipment. He has no formal training as a writer, unless a lifetime of writing about any and everything counts. The opinions expressed in this column are Joe Morice’s alone and do not reflect the opinion of the owners or staff of Community News.