CN: May 3, 2023

May 3, 2023

In the Valley of Flowers

Around Town

NORTHWEST VIEWS

Saint Louis Crisis Nursery works to prevent child abuse across the region. Pg. 2

STARTING MAY 10: Casting call for ‘The WHY of MY City’ for Saint Louis Story Stitchers Artists Collective. Pg. 2

Features (FLIP)

Florissant’s 61st annual Valley of Flowers festival celebrates the Kentucky Derby over three days of springtime festivities

Last year, the Valley of Flowers Festival Committee reintroduced a “live” festival for the first time since Covid-19 caused cancellation of the event. It was a huge success.

For example, at the petting zoo a child was overheard telling their parents, “That wasn’t so scary; it was so soft to touch.”

On the Grand Ferris Wheel, when the gondola car stopped at the top, an excited youngster shouted, “Grandpa, I can reach up and touch the sky!”

These are the types of memories that happen at the festival.

Florissant, a city hosting festival entertainment for families, marks the arrival of the 61st celebration of the Valley of Flowers

Festival, Florissant’s and the North County’s “first festival of spring.” You can look forward to a variety of new attractions as well as the Grand Parade and the crowning of Florissant’s Queen and her court.

Activities during the three-day festivities will appeal to all ages. At the James J. Eagan Center fair-goers will find culturally diverse performances, musical entertainment, a vendor/craft fair, a pretty baby photo contest, and children’s activities.

The washer tournament returns with teams competing for cash prizes. Carnival games and rides for families are featured at the Duchesne Home Association Grounds (formerly the Knights of Columbus Grounds). Also, around town visit the

classic car show on Saturday down rue St. Francois, participate in the Volksmarch, take a free tour (donations are welcome to help with the preservation activities) on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. of the Historic Log Cabin at Tower Court Park on Washington St. at South New Florissant Rd., and of course enjoy mouth-watering food everywhere.

The Grand Parade on Sunday, May 7, the highpoint of the weekend, leads to the crowning of the Valley of Flowers Queen and Court at the Duchesne Grounds Pavilion. Decorated vehicles and floats proceed west on Parker Road to New Florissant Road

See ‘VALLEY’ page 5

Recipe, Movie & Sudoku. Pg. F-1

CLA SSIFIEDS AND HOME & GARDEN. Pg. F-2 /F-3

Moore On Life, Lifestyle & Crossword Puzzle. Pg. F-4

Weather

FRIDAY Rain 66/55

SATURDAY

SUNDAY Cloudy 80/61

READ US ONLINE!

Front Row from Left to Right: Lily Scanlon, Margaret Houston, Caylee Moore, Grace Gitau. Back Row from Left to Right: Alyvia Warner, Laura Westberg, Jordyn Askew, Chassity Swanson.

Photo by Kent Miller Photography

Around Town

Pallottine officially opens Low Ropes Challenge Course

A multi-year dream finally becomes a reality in March as the Low Ropes Challenge Course opens at the Pallottine Renewal Center in Florissant. PRC Executive Director Marillyn Baner and team have worked to bring this vision to life over the past several years, made even more critical by the 2020 COVID shutdown and people’s inability to get together publicly.

“We are taking reservations for groups of all shapes and sizes, from 10 to 100. Call us to schedule a tour and see everything Pallottine has to offer from ropes to retreats,” Baner said.

Pallottine staff, with the full support of the board of trustees, has planned and built the multi-station challenge course over the span of the last three years on the retreat center’s 83-acre campus. Multi-station low-ropes courses such as this, rare in the St. Louis area, help participants develop communication and leadership skills and provide groups with team-building opportunities. Each station, which takes place on the ground or slightly above it, challenges participants to work as part of a team to sharpen and build collaboration and problem-solving skills.

Pallottine’s Lead Facilitator and Training Coordinator Lucia Greer has dedicated a large part of her life to learning, developing and fine-tuning experiential education. As an U.S. Air Force retired senior leader, Greer has spent decades developing teams and leaders with junior military, corporate groups and at-risk youth. And now she’s making sure the PRC team is up to the task.

The Pallottine Renewal Center ropes course will appeal to and be beneficial for various types of groups, from adults to the youth in our community. For example, in the medical field teamwork is essential. Helen Kornblum, M.D., with SSM St. Mary’s Hospital, believes teamwork is a fundamental aspect of successful residency training.

For information on the Challenge Course at Pallottine, please visit pallottinerenewal.org/programs/ropes.

Saint Louis Story Stitchers Artists Collective announces casting call for ‘The WHY of MY City’

“The WHY of MY City” is a multiyear signature program that captures and documents pieces of black history through written word and art while training the next generation to become active, engaged citizens. The goal is that programs become a force multiplier, rippling into families, schools, and neighborhoods, offering solutions to common urban problems.

Saint Louis Story Stitchers has commissioned playwright Mario Farwell to write a new script for “The WHY of MY City,” centering on St. Louis’s Black neighborhoods and historic figures. The new play will be presented to the public June 15 and 16, as part of Juneteenth celebration.

Farwell, playwright and director, is a native of St. Louis. Farwell will, along with Bobby Norfolk, work with youth to transform the recorded interviews into the outline for a new multidisciplinary performance work. He attended the University of Missouri at Kansas City and received a B.A in theater. While in Kansas City, he founded The Black and Avant-Garde Theater. After graduating college, he moved to New York City and lived there for 26 years. His plays and musicals have been produced off-off Broadway in NYC, San Diego, California, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Boston and Africa. Farwell is the founder and current director of the St. Louis Writers’ Group in St. Louis. This

is his first project with Saint Louis Story Stitchers.

The play will include community members and will be staged at the ZACK Theatre at Kranzberg Arts Foundation. Story Stitchers will work with Gregory S. Carr as director. This is Carr’s first project with Saint Louis Story Stitchers.

A casting call takes place at The Center at 3701 Grandel Sq, 1A in St. Louis. May 10 from 6 – 10 p.m. are auditions and interviews. May 13 from 12 – 5 p.m. is casting call and auditions and May 17 from 6 – 10 p.m. are call backs. Register Link for auditions with director Gregory S. Carr: https://storystitchers.dm.networkforgood.com/forms/ the-why-of-my-city-casting-call

Performance takes place June 15 and 16 at 7 p.m. at ZACK Theatre at 3224 Locust in St. Louis.

Tickets are $10 on MetroTix and can be purchased at https://www.metrotix. com/events/detail/saint-louis-storystitchers-the-why-of-my-city

“The WHY of MY City” is presented with support from the National Endowment for the Arts, Missouri Arts Council, a state agency, Missouri Humanities Council, a state agency, The Lewis Prize for Music 2021 Accelerator Award, and Kranzberg Arts Foundation.

For more information visit https:// storystitchers.org/the-why-of-my-city/.

Northwest Views: Saint Louis Crisis Nursery works to prevent child abuse across the region

By DiAnne Mueller

On behalf of the Saint Louis Crisis Nursery, we want to extend our deepest gratitude to our sponsors and everyone who has invested in our mission over the years – especially as we enter our 37th year of uninterrupted service to thousands of kids and families throughout our region.

It is only because of our hundreds of dedicated supporters and friends that we have kept our doors open 24/7 every day since 1986. Because we can rely on you to meet, and exceed, our ambitious goals every year, we head into our 37th year stronger than ever.

April was Child Abuse Prevention Month, and this year we rang in the month appropriately, gathering with friends and supporters for our annual Razzle Dazzle Ball. This year’s event was one of our most successful on record.

Through all of the challenges of the pandemic, the shift to virtual events and postponing our in-person meetings, the added

layers of complexity and precaution that our frontline staff confronted at our Nurseries and Outreach Centers – through all of that, the foundation of our mission and our organization remained resilient and strong. Our supporters stayed committed, perhaps even more determined to make the greatest possible impact. And everyone stepped up to fight for children who need us.

Children who need us. It doesn’t matter where, when, or why – every child is deserving of our love, our empathy, and our protection.

Prevention matters for the babies, toddlers, and young children who will come see us for a time filled with restorative play, and carefree fun; hot meals and a new article of clothing; reading books and expressing inner thoughts and feelings through art; and a safe place to lay their heads at night.

Prevention matters to parents overstressed, overworked, with nowhere else to turn. We

support them in these times, too, and help keep families together, safely.

Prevention matters because the trauma, cost, and hardships created when children experience abuse or neglect will affect us all, one way or another.

The work we do together can drastically change lives and make new outcomes for thousands of people. And we are proud to continue pursuing our mission to save babies’ lives, keep kids safe, and build strong families for generations to come.

DiAnne Mueller, MS, LPC, is CEO of Saint Louis Crisis Nursery.

The opinions expressed in this column are the columnist’s alone and do not reflect the opinion of the owners or staff of Community News

Partners announce winner of ‘College Transit Challenge’

To help underscore the benefits of public transit and encourage consistent use among the St. Louis area’s college students, faculty and staff, Citizens for Modern Transit, Metro Transit and St. Clair County Transit District recently held a weeklong “College Transit Challenge” initiative with partnering institutions St. Louis Community College, Saint Louis University, Southwestern Illinois College, University of Missouri–St. Louis and Washington University in St. Louis.

From March 3, to March 10, nearly 300 individuals affiliated with these respective schools used their Metro U-Pass to take transit as often as they could. A total of 480 transit trips were tracked via mobile texting, and the school with the most participation and the winner of bragging rights for the 2023 “College Transit Challenge” is Washington University in St. Louis.

“Congratulations to Wash U and all the colleges and universities that participated in this challenge – it was a fun,” stated Kimberly Cella, executive director of Citizens for Modern Transit. “The leaderboard shifted throughout the week, with UMSL and Wash U battling for the top spot and STLCC, SLU and SWIC competing in a tight race for third.”

An opportunity for bonus points brought participants to Sugarfire Smoke House’s downtown location, just steps away from the Convention Center MetroLink

Station. UMSL students, faculty and staff took the lion’s share of the bonus points for their school, and UMSL’s Environmental Adventure Organization student group came away with the $250 prize for bringing the most attendees. Throughout the weeklong challenge, participants were entered to win a selection of prizes including St. Louis Symphony and St. Louis Cardinals tickets.

“The challenge succeeded at what we set out to do –get student, faculty and staff to utilize the region’s safe, integrated public transit system, along with their Metro U-passes to get to and from campus, work, doctor appointments, grocery stores, area attractions, nightlife or wherever else they needed or wanted to go,” Cella added.

To learn more about the College Transit Challenge or the Metro U-Pass Program, visit www.CollegeTransitChallenge.com.

13th Annual St. Louis Teen Talent Competition winners

On April 8, the fourteen final acts of the St. Louis Teen Talent Competition competed live on stage at the Fabulous Fox. Students vied for $50,000 in college scholarships, cash awards and special prizes.

This year’s competition winners were revealed at the conclusion of the event.

The $8,000 first place prize, underwritten by Mary Strauss, went to Raquan Strickland of Central Visual & Performing Arts High School for playing piano and singing his original composition “Time for Change”

The $6,000 second place prize, underwritten by John Russell, went to Noah Van Ess of Lindbergh High School for singing “Out There” from “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.”

The $4,000 third place prize, underwritten by Sally Johnston, went to Avery Payne of Orchard Farm High School for dancing to “The Mad Lovers Suite: Ground Aire V.”

The $1,000 cash Audience Choice Award went to Cats Jazz Collective, a six-member group from Webster Groves High School made up of Katherine Teeter, Miles Cole, Beckett Mitchell, Audrey Brenner, Zach Andrews and Evan Christman who performed “Feeling Good.”

Sew Hope STL, a first of its kind community sewing room (where kids and adults came to learn how to sew, quilt and explore their creativity) opened at 630 N. Highway 67 in (located in the Florissant Meadows Shopping Center) in March 2022. On July 26 of the same year, devastating floods caused the establishment, along with many others in the area, to temporarily close.

The flooding caused damage to Sew Hope’s flooring, walls and they lost over 50% of their sewing machines and fabric. As a nonprofit this was devastating, but the community rallied together and the attraction reopened exactly one year from its initial opening on March 4 with a community celebration.

The new 2,600 square feet of renovated space includes: new ceramic tile flooring, new sewing machines donated by Babylock USA, a new long arm quilting machine that was donated by a private donor. Sew Hope STL received over $2,000 through a GoFund-Me page, along with fabric donations and lots of helping hands to clean up after the flood.

The idea behind Sew Hope STL is to create a gathering space for individuals of various ages, and backgrounds to come together under one commonality (creating things with their hands) and learn from each other.

Owner Kacie Starr Long says of the reopening, “We are a testament of rallying together as a community and a determination to persist and reopen. As a nonprofit there has been many volunteers – young and old – who have donated their time to move items, sweep, clean, unpack and stock shelves. Eighty percent of our volunteers live right in the community. We are thankful for everyone’s help.”

Sew Hope STL will offer: kids and adult learn to sew class, fabric/notions, sewing machines, sergers, alterations, custom sewing and facility rental for private sewing, quilting or crafting gatherings.

New classes being offered include: t-shirt quilting class, card making class, my first quilt class and intro to garment sewing classes.

There will also be a community service component offering, Quarterly Sewing in Service projects where items are sewed to support local nonprofit organizations. For instance: cancer caps for cancer patients, pillowcases for the unhoused, baby blankets for area hospitals; sewing entrepreneurship program for women returning to the community from prison and sewing therapy groups for individuals healing from grief, trauma or loss.

Sew Hope Community Sewing Room is a program under Jacob's Ladder Ministries, a faith-based nonprofit.

Starr Long shares how the vision was born for the sewing room experience, “I am a third-generation seamstress and what was originally a hobby and a creative way to express myself became a business. After I found myself unable to find employment, I began to sew lap scarves for the women in my church (a piece of fabric with a lace border). In turn people began to ask if I could sew clothing...then teach them how to sew. I connected with a mentor, Anne Stirnemann, founder of the City Sewing Room and she helped me develop my sewing and business skills. I began teaching one-on-one sewing lessons in my home in 2017 and in 2020 during the pandemic I launched a sewing school in my living room serving adults and children.”

The panel of judges are performing arts professionals with careers spanning music, dance and Broadway and judged the acts on interpretation, stage presence, technical ability and originality. The professionally produced show was directed by Lee Anne Mathews, a veteran Equity actor of international stages, longtime director, COCA educator and current artistic director at Westport Playhouse. Acts were also advised by musical director Steve Neale and choreographer Yvonne Meyer Hare from the Professional Dance Center.

The finals were filmed by Nine PBS for a special St. Louis Teen Talent Competition broadcast scheduled to air on Monday, May 8 at 7 p.m. and May 14 at 11:30 a.m. This special presentation will give a wider stream online at ninepbs.org/teentalent later this spring.

The 14th Annual St. Louis Teen Talent Competition will take place spring 2024. Pre-registration for the competition is now open. Additional information about this event and other programs can be found at the foundation’s website.

SEW Hope Community Sewing Room reopens after devastating floods in North County

Around Town

Parkway selects 2023 Albert Award winners

Each year, the Albert Award is presented by the Parkway Alumni Association (PAA) to three exceptional first-through-fifth-year Parkway teachers – one at the elementary, middle and high school level. The award recognizes new teachers for the energy and enthusiasm that they bring to their students, as well as the creative and innovative practices they use in their

Still In This Together:

classrooms. The honorees are:

• Kate Wynveen - Fourth-grade McKelvey Intermediate Elementary School

• Alayna Furjes - Math Northeast Middle School

• Anton Ruiz - English Language Arts

Boy, was I wrong!

John and I got into the habit of talking about upcoming events and appointments pretty quickly after I retired. We had a couple of unfortunate occasions when we didn’t realize one of us had committed to an event without alerting the other until the inevitable brouhaha ensued.

It’s become a nice evening conversation time now, when we consult the calendar that sits on the kitchen counter. (I haven’t had the heart to stick a thumbtack into the new cabinet door, and I keep forget-

ting to buy an adhesive thingie to hang it on). The 2023 calendar is a mess, but a productive mess, filled with plumbing and electrical appointments, dates for contract signing, moving, return visits to the old house with our able-bodied kids to get things unburied, disposed of or boxed up. Its refreshing now to look back and realize we survived it all relatively unscathed, and can hopefully look forward to a few upcoming daily squares that aren’t filled with scribbles, cross-outs and exclamation points.

But I digress.

This week we closed on our former home of 46 years and the time and location of the monumental occasion is written on the calendar in bright green ink just in case either of us would ridiculously forget about the fact that it was also St. Patrick’s Day.

On Thursday evening, we sat at the kitchen table and talked about the next day’s events. The closing was at 11 a.m., we had a few errands scheduled, then we’d be heading home…to our one and only home. Of course, no matter how prepared we were and how blissfully we were looking forward to a great deal less home responsibility, we knew it would still be an emotionally draining day for both of us, and we were well aware that the day would be bittersweet.

But all in all, it would be a smooth transition, a completely uneventful day, one that would hold no unforeseen bumps in the road.

Boy, was I wrong! There were indeed bumps in the road, and quite literal ones.

Everything went smoothly right up to the point that we were heading back after all the day’s events, merging onto the highway, when a dashboard light did a little tentative jiggle, lit up, and refused to turn off. I scrambled to find the owner’s manual in the glove compartment, hidden under straws, spare face masks, ketchup packets and hand sanitizer, and tried to decide whether the flashing code was brake-related , tire-related, or just a fluke.

Before I could actually decipher the code, the telltale sign of low tire pressure became very obvious. Of course, we were in an unfamiliar area, of course afternoon traffic was racing all around us, of course it was nearly closing time on a Friday afternoon that just coincidentally happened to be St. Patrick’s Day.

The truck stop was close, and we happily had eight quarters between us for the machine to air up the tire. Life was good…until the machine didn’t work, the truck stop bore no responsibility since it wasn’t their machine, and we were forced to hobble down the outer road of the highway…but not very far. There didn’t appear to be a happy ending to this one.

We pulled off the busy outer road into the empty parking lot of a business, that I noticed only after we had stopped, had gates that would need to be closed when business ended for the day. Shortly. I didn’t

South High School

The Albert Award is named in honor of the late Al Burr, a teacher, coach and long-distinguished principal in Parkway. The Albert Award is sponsored by the Parkway Alumni Association and funded by its Educators Make A Difference Fund. Albert Award winners each receive $1,000 from the PAA.

By Vicki Bahr

say a word.

John went back to the trunk and proceeded to pull out the jack and the donut. I just shook my head in exasperation.

“Do you really think that’s wise?” I whispered. “Don’t we have some sort of roadside assistance with the new auto insurance policy we switched to so we’d get a discount on the homeowner’s insurance?”

“I don’t know,” was all he said as he bent over and starting working with the jack. “I haven’t had a chance to put the new cards in the glove compartment yet.”

Okay, time for my almost-out-of-charge phone to be put to good use. I called the first emergency roadside number that came up. Unfamiliar surroundings, unfamiliar voice on the other end telling me it was too far for their company to come, unfamiliar face walking toward us from the business that was getting ready to close, and John couldn’t budge the lug nuts that had been pneumatically replaced when the tires had been rotated. Disaster.

Then…the man on the phone gave me the name of a closer tow company which would be there in 20 minutes, the man from the business said that he was leaving but Tony would be there another half-hour and would stay longer if we needed him to, and everyone was smiling. And the day that only minutes before had been shattering my last bit of faith in humanity turned around with the appearance of a huge purple tow truck driven by Timmy who looked about 16, but had the knowledge and the machinery to air up the donut, remove the flat tire and throw it into the trunk.

Tony, the business’ sole remaining employee, was able to close the gate, Timmy, who was praying for a quiet St. Patrick’s night, was on to his next call, and we were on the road ten minutes away from home as I plugged my phone into the car charger and phoned the only repair shop still open to see if we could stop by just for them to make sure we would be okay until they opened the next morning.

And they waited for us, after closing time on St. Patrick’s Day, and we two ready-to-give-up- hope-onthis-supposed-to-be-an-uneventful-day, just watched as the employees insisted on seeing the tire and replacing the broken valve stem, smiling for all they were worth at our apologies, and were unsuspectingly added to the list of heroes who had come to our rescue that afternoon when we were ready to give up hope.

Boy, was I wrong!

Vicki Bahr is an inveterate word lover and story sharer, a published author in magazine, newspaper and blog forms. As a mom of four, grandma of nine, and wife of one for 50 years, she finds that inspiration and wonder are everywhere.

THE 2023 VALLEY OF FLOWERS WELCOMES YOU TO

THE DERBY Kentucky

FRIDAY, MAY 5 - SUNDAY, MAY 7

QUEEN CANDIDATES

where the walking units and the marching bands merge with them.

The parade travels south on New Florissant, turns west on rue St. Francois past the official review stands, then left on St. Ferdinand to Washington Street and concludes at the Duchesne Grounds. Please arrive early to get good seats along the parade route for one of the largest and most colorful spring parades in the St. Louis Metropolitan area; then come to the Duchesne Grounds Pavilion for the exciting award and crowning ceremonies.The parade theme is the “Kentucky Derby” so decorations on floats and units reflect this theme. Participating in the parade are many city officials, local municipal emergency responder vehicles, the Valley of Flowers reigning queen and court and this year’s candidates, car clubs, walking units, horse groups, dog clubs, dance schools and scout groups.

The parade ends at the Duchesne Grounds where the winning parade units and their sponsors, and the Pretty Baby Photo Contest winners receive their awards. At 4 p.m., Florissant Mayor Timothy Lowery crowns the 2023 Valley of Flowers Queen and Court.

Lora Click is serving as the grand marshal of the parade. Click, originally from the bluegrass state of Kentucky, is a perfect fit for this year’s theme of the Kentucky Derby. She has been active part of the Florissant community for over 40 years. Click and her husband Pat opened Click Heating & Cooling in 1976 in Old Town.

Click says, “The city of Florissant is a wonderful community in which to live, to work and to raise a family.”

She has two children, Mary, and Patrick and six grandchildren.

Click has whole-heartedly embraced the mission of several civic organizations including Old Town Partners, Florissant Rotary Club, Soroptimist of Greater St. Louis, Florissant Fine Arts Council, and the Greater North County Chamber of Commerce. In 2002, Lora and Pat were honored to be named a Lord and Lady of the Valley of Flowers Court.

Over the years Click has sponsored several Valley of Flowers queen candidates and hosted float building gatherings in her garage.

Hazelwood

Sponsored by Geoffrey -Vitendo4Africa

STEAM High at McCluer South

Sponsored by Brennan’s Bar & Grill

Hazelwood West High School

Sponsored by Handyman Hardware

“It was so much fun to support the candidates and their families,” Click commented.

Many of those candidates were on the Valley of Flowers court and their floats won first place.

If there is a concert at the park, performance at the James J Eagan by a local theatre group, fireworks on the 4th of July, Christmas Walk, house tour or any other event promoting the city of Florissant, you will find Click participating with pride.

For the enjoyment of visitors, Friday, May 5, through Sunday, May 7, the Duchesne Grounds on Washington Street between St. Ferdinand and Lindbergh Blvd. (N. Hwy 67) next to St. Ferdinand Shrine will feature carnival rides from Luehrs Ideal Rides, games, beverages and traditional festival foods. Focused on families having fun together, rides will be available for young-

Sponsored by Gary’s Automotive

er children and families with the Grand Ferris Wheel for everyone. Although the Knights suffered severe damage to their hall during the July 2022 floods, the Knights will serve their festival foods including hot dogs, hamburgers, brats and more.

On Sunday, watch the parade and experience the crowning of the queen and her court at the large pavilion on the grounds. Awards will be presented to the winners of the Valley of Flowers Parade and Pretty Baby Photo contest. Rides and activities will continue until close.

To maintain a family-friendly and neighborhood atmosphere, the Knights will once again require that anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by

Jordyn Askew

Hazelwood West High School Sponsored by Empower

Lily Scanlon

Lutheran High School North Sponsored by VFW Post 4105

Margaret Houston

Alyvia Warner

Grace Gitau

West High School

Chassity Swanson

North Technical High School

Caylee Moore Visitation Academy of St. Louis

Sponsored by The Abundant Lotus

Laura Westberg

Hazelwood West High School

Sponsored by Old Town Donuts

‘VALLEY’ from cover

THE 2023 VALLEY OF FLOWERS FRIDAY,

an adult. Other short-term changes allow for better crowd management and traffic flow in and around the festival grounds. The plan includes temporary traffic regulations to prevent festival traffic from interfering with local businesses, a well-enforced dress code and increased, overall security. Also, this year there will be

a new layout for rides and ticket booths. There will be standalone, self-service ticket kiosks. Finally, all ticket booths will be equipped with credit card machines for added convenience. The Luehrs Ideal Ride tickets never expire so if you have some left from the last festival bring them.

Gardeners of Florissant plant sale: The local Gardeners of Florissant, a nonprofit organization, will sponsor the festival plant sale. The organization is committed to protect and to beautify the environment, and to share their knowledge with others. Available for purchase at reasonable prices they will have a huge selection of flowering plants, (both garden and indoor), vegetables and herbs. There will be plants and flowers which bloom from spring through late fall and as well as various lovely foliage and flowering hanging baskets and pre-planted decorative containers that make outstanding Mother’s Day gifts. Club members are happy to help decide on varieties that will grow well in their

MAY 5 - SUNDAY, MAY 7

gardens. Several members are certified as “Master Gardeners” and are always willing to share their expertise with patrons.

Walk in the “Volksmarch: The St. Louis Stuttgart Volksmarch Club will sponsor the free “people’s walk” which is a non-competitive, recreational, family-time stroll through interesting and scenic areas. Volksmarchers may (for a small fee) keep track of their event/ distance in official record books that will be available. Along the way, many of the activities of the festival will be highlighted as well as some of the historic homes located throughout Old Town Florissant.

Old Town Partners Car Show: On Saturday, Florissant Old Town Partners will host the ever-popular and spectacular car show which is set against the backdrop of the historic business district of Old Town Florissant along rue St. Francois. The open-class show will feature about 150 cars from St. Pierre Street to Lafayette Street. Through traffic will be closed and only cars in the show will be allowed admittance before 8 a.m. until shortly after the end of the show at 3 p.m. Enjoy the cars and take time to visit the retail shops in Old Town.

Pretty Baby Photo Contest: The Pretty Baby Photo Contest will be held at the James J. Eagan Center on Friday and Saturday. The contest is for children two years old or younger. View all the wonderful photos of the children and cast your vote to help decide the winner. Entries are judged in two categories: “Personality” – as depicted in the photo and “Popularity” – demonstrated

See ‘VALLEY’ page 7

‘VALLEY’ from page 5

THE 2023 VALLEY OF FLOWERS FRIDAY, MAY 5 - SUNDAY, MAY 7

by donations from the public who vote at the booth.

The winners will receive an award and gift basket at the awards ceremony on Sunday preceding the crowning of the queen and the court at the Duchesne Home Association Grounds. The Valley of Flowers Festival Committee sponsors this contest and the proceeds support the festival.

Craft and Vendor Fair: The annual Craft and Vendor Fair will be on the ice rink pavilion of the James J. Eagan Center on Friday and Saturday. At this ever-popular event, local crafters and vendors will have a wide variety of products – the perfect gifts for any occasion.

Food vendor rows: Food vendors from all areas will be lined up on the James J. Eagan grounds. Enjoy the culinary treats to satisfy many tastes and styles as well as various beverages. Bring an appetite (and some money or your credit card). Food vendors will be open Friday and Saturday.

Eagan Center for the kids: On Saturday, the grounds of the James J. Eagan Center will feature

many activities to stimulate young minds and bodies. Children will enjoy the opportunity to participate in the many ongoing activities or just enjoy a day in the park. For Friday and Saturday, there will be music as well as entertainers who will roam the grounds and perform their shows. In addition to all the free entertainment and activities, there will be face painting, balloon animals and pony rides and a petting zoo each for a small fee.

First responders

The Florissant Police Department and the Florissant Valley Fire Protection District will host and will be onsite at various first responders demonstrations at the James J. Eagan Center along Waterford Saturday including the favorite Touch-A-Truck.

Pickleball tournament: The pickleball tournament returns this year. Watch for more details on when and how to register.

Please visit www.florissantvalleyofflowers.com for an official schedule and list of activities for the festival weekend.

‘VALLEY’ from page 6

THE 2023 VALLEY OF FLOWERS

VALLEY OF FLOWERS GRAND PARADE ROUTE

FRIDAY, MAY 5 - SUNDAY, MAY 7

EVENT SPONSORS:

Brite Worx • Feel State • Robust Travers Automotive & RV • U.S. Air Force

Fleur de Lis Sponsors:

City of Florissant • Knights of Columbus - Duchesne Council 2951 • Catering to You Jost Builders • Clement Pre-Owned Florissant • White Castle Florissant

CNB St. Louis Bank • Handyman True Value Hardware • Kent Miller Photography

Rose Level Sponsors:

Kay-Bee Electric • Leaf Filter Gutter Protection • Florissant Old Town Partners

Florissant Rotary Club • The Daniel & Henry Co. • Councilman Joe Eagan - Ward 3

Hendel’s Restaurant • Bath Fitter St. Louis • Kling Kamera Photography • Lora Click

FRIDAY EVENTS

Starts at 1:45 p.m. at the James J. Eagan Center (Waterford Dr. and Parker Rd.), proceeds left on Parker Rd. to New Florissant Rd., turns left on New Florissant Rd. to Rue St. Francois, continues right to rue St. Ferdinand, goes left to Washington St. then right on Washington St. where it disperses after passing the Duchesne Grounds on Washington St.

Daisy Level Sponsors:

Bolin Services • Friends of Veterans • Garden Plaza of Florissant Goldkamp Heating & Cooling • J.C.’s Jewelry Repair • Pet Supplies Plus Renewal by Anderson • The Abundant Lotus

SATURDAY EVENTS

Bobaloo Music & Fun - Roaming Grounds

Eagan Center 11:00 - 11:30 am Eioko Shephard Judo Display

Eagan Center Shows at 11:00 am, Extraterrestrial Petting Zoo 2:00 & 3:45 pm

Eagan Center Shows at 12:15, Kinetic Tapestry 2:00 & 3:45 pm

Eagan Center 1:30 - 3:30 pm Music by Trilogy Band

Eagan Center 4:00 - 6:00 pm Music by Power Play Band

Eagan Center 5:00 - 5:30 pm Kincaid Karachter ET Show*

Eagan Center 5:45 - 6:15 pm Kinetic Tapestry Physical Theater

Eagan Center 6:30 - 8:30 pm Music by Midnight Piano Band

Eagan Center 7:00 - 7:30 pm Kincaid Karachter ET Show*

rue St. Francois 8:00 am - 3:00 pm Old Town Partners Car Show

601 rue St. Charles 9:00 - 11:00 am Volksmarch Starting Point

1065 Washington 10:00 am to 3:00 pm Historic Log Cabin - Free tour explore local history in a period house with antiques. Any donations will help with work.

SUNDAY EVENTS

Eagan Center to 1:45 - 4:00 pm GRAND PARADE

Duchesne Grounds

Duchesne Grounds Noon - Close Carnival Rides, Food, Drinks, Music & Games

Duchesne Grounds 4:00 pm Queen Crowning and Award Presentation

*PLEASE NOTE:

1. No coolers will be allowed on the Fairgrounds throughout the weekend.

2. Anyone 18 years old or younger must be accompanied by an adult at all times throughout the weekend.

3. All items brought into the Fairgrounds are subject to search.

4. All activities are subject to change or cancellation so watch for updates.

The Greater North County Chamber names 2023 Scholarship Award Winners

The Greater North County Chamber has named the 2023 Scholarship Award Winners. The chamber will award five $1,000 Merit Scholarships, a $1,000 Perseverance Scholarship, a $1,000 Determination Scholarship, and a $1,000 Community Service scholarship from the Florissant Jaycees.

The scholarships are awarded to high school seniors who reside or go to school within the chamber’s service area. The chamber’s Partner in Education Committee recognizes graduating seniors who have shown a commitment to building a better community and have demonstrated a record of community service in the community.

These students will be awarded at April’s Chamber Membership Luncheon on April 19 at noon at Orlando Gardens Conference and Event Center in Maryland Heights.

The Partners in Education Committee of the Chamber selected the following students for Merit Scholarships:

• Abigail Hoffman, McCluer North High School

• Kennedy Crisp, Whitfield School

• Precious Barry, Riverview Gardens High School

• Antavion Franks, STEAM Academy at McCluer

South Berkeley

• Joanna Osaghae-Nosa, Hazelwood West

The $1,000 Perseverance Scholarship is given to a student who has persevered in his or her studies despite facing some tough obstacles. The Partners in Education Committee has selected Imarion Griffin, Cardinal Ritter College Prep for this scholarship.

The $1,000 Determination Scholarship is given to a student who has the who has worked hard despite financial, physical, and/or family circumstances.

The Partners in Education Committee has selected Jordan Lewis, DeSmet Jesuit High School for this scholarship.

The $1,000 scholarship from the Florissant Jaycees is given to a student who demonstrated above and beyond community service. The Partners in Education Committee has selected Shannon Jones, North County Christian for this scholarship.

The scholarship may be used for post-high school continuing education expenses including college or university tuition, room and board, books, fees, or for expenses associated with a trade or technical school program.

The Scholarship Fund was established with dona-

Home Builders Association donates $12,569 to Independence Center

On behalf of the Home Builders Charitable Foundation (HBCF), 2023 HBA President Jeremy Roth (Elite Development Services/McBride Homes) (left) presented a $12,569 donation to Independence Center grant writer Abby Kim.

The donation will be used to fund the installation of new flooring at one of Independence Center’s residential care facilities for adults with serious mental illness. Independence Center is a community-based rehabilitation program for adults with severe and persistent mental illnesses in the St. Louis area. Its mission is to provide all the services and resources a person with a serious and persistent mental illness needs, to manage their symptoms, find belonging and purpose, and gain the independence to live a healthy, quality life.

The HBA is a local trade association of nearly 600 member firms representing the residential construction industry. The Home Builders Charitable Founda-

tion, the HBA’s charitable arm, is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing housing assistance to people or organizations with special shelter needs.

tions from chamber members and an Annual BowlA-Thon. This year’s Scholarship Bowl will be held on Aug. 3 at Crest Bowl in Florissant. With these recipients, the chamber has awarded almost $100,000 in scholarships.

Whats Happening

EVENTS

May 12: Trivia night

Join Youth In Need’s Young Professionals Group for its annual trivia night to benefit Youth In Need at the Bridgeton Recreation Center at 4201 Fee Fee Road in Bridgeton. Doors open at 6 p.m., and trivia begins at 7 p.m. Registration is $200 for tables of eight and includes soda, beer, wine and popcorn. Outside food and drinks are encour-

aged, just no glass, please. For more information about the event and sponsorship opportunities or to make an auction donation, contact Ashlee Berry, Annual Fund Director, at aberry@youthinneed.org.

RECURRING EVENTS

Weekdays: Food pantry volunteers needed The Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry is in need of ongoing adult volunteers to sort food, stock shelves and shop with clients. Two-tofour hour shifts are available, Monday-Friday 8:45 a.m.-

3:45 p.m. To learn more or to join this fun group, contact Chelsey Banaskavich at 314513-1674 or cbanaskavich@ jfcs-stl.org.

Mondays: City council meetings

City of Pine Lawn holds regular city council meetings at city hall at 6250 Steve Marre Ave. in Pine Lawn on the second Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. The meetings are open to the public.

Mondays: Choral Arts Group meetings Choral Arts Group practices

every Monday from 7 to 9 p.m. at Connection Christian Church at 1332 Feise Rd. in O’Fallon. Auditions not required. Ages high school and older are invited to join. There will be spring and fall public concerts. For more information call Marty at 636-579-9227, or email concertartsa@gmail.com.

Mondays: Workshop meetings

City of Pine Lawn holds regular workshop meetings at city hall at 6250 Steve Marre Ave. in Pine Lawn on the fourth Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. The meetings are open to the public.

Mondays: A cappella singers

All men who like to sing are invited to come sing with us, The Men of Harmony. We practice every Monday night at 7 p.m. at 5500 Parker Raoad which is the first house on Uthe Lane. We sing four-part harmony a capella (without accompaniment). We sing some traditional songs, as well as show tunes and more contemporary music. We do perform for the public at various functions. Persons interested can come right on in or for more information call Al at 314-993-6134.

Recipe: Entertain in style with a savory appetizer

Welcoming friends, family and neighbors for celebrations of all kinds demands delicious hors d’oeuvres for making guests feel right at home. Next time you invite loved ones for a special get-together, you can beef up the menu with a tasty appetizer that’s as easy to make as it is to enjoy.

Loaded with savory flavor and perfect for feeding a crowd, these Beef and Blue Cheese-Stuffed Mushrooms from Beef Loving Texans offer a simple yet mouthwatering way to entertain in style. Just prepare button mushrooms by removing the stems then fill the caps with a ground beef-based mixture of minced mushroom stems, blue cheese, breadcrumbs, green onions and steak seasoning for a party-worthy platter.

Beef and Blue Cheese-Stuffed Mushrooms

Recipe courtesy of Beef Loving Texans

Total time: 50 minutes | Servings: 40

Ingredients:

2 packages (8 ounces each) button mushrooms

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 pound ground beef

1/3 cup blue cheese

1/4 cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs

3 tablespoons green onions

1/2 teaspoon steak seasoning blend chives (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375 F. Remove stems from mushrooms; reserve. Season mushroom caps with salt; set aside. Mince stems to yield 1/2 cup; discard remaining stems.

Combine ground beef, minced stems, blue cheese, breadcrumbs, green onions and steak seasoning. Spoon beef mixture evenly into mushrooms.

Place stuffed mushrooms on rack in broiler pan. Bake 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle with chives, if desired.

VisitBeefLovingTexans.comtofindmorerecipesforhomeentertainingandbeyond.

‘crummy’ roles of Nicolas Cage

Movie:

By Steve Bryan

Born and raised in South St. Louis, Steve Bryan is now based in Anaheim, California, and has been allowed access to movie and television sets to see actors and directors at work. Though his writing has taken him far from St. Louis, Steve is, at heart, still the same wide-eyed kid who spent countless hours watching classic movies at neighborhood theaters.

On a recent edition of the news program “60 Minutes,” actor Nicolas Cage said he was over-invested in real estate when the market crashed during the 2008 financial crisis. The prolific actor, who won an Oscar for his work in 1995’s “Leaving Las Vegas,” said he wasn’t going to file for bankruptcy and began working on “crummy” movies to repay $6 million in debt. He also moved to Las Vegas because it is a “taxfree city” and has been working “nonstop.”

Was Cage too hard on the roles he took to pay his debts? “Knowing,” a 2009 film released after the financial crisis, had an intriguing premise. After her teacher asked her students to draw their version of the future, a student named Lucinda Embry (Lara Robinson) filled her sheet with numerical sequences. All the papers were placed in a time capsule and opened 50 years later. Lucinda’s paper ended up in the hands of astrophysics professor John Koestler (Cage) who determined that the sequences referred to major disasters and that three events had yet to occur. “Knowing” started out well but the plotline ran out of steam before the credits rolled.

Based on the comic book of the same name, Matthew Vaughn’s “Kick-Ass” offered a different take on superheroes. Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson) was a teenager who wanted to become a superhero. His first costumed adventure was a complete disaster, however. Cage played Big Daddy, a police officer turned vigilante who trained his daughter Mindy (Chloë Grace Moretz) to become the ruthless Hit-Girl. Nicolas Cage did a nice job playing a protective father who wanted to stop a ruthless crime boss (Mark Strong).

In 2010, Jon Turteltaub directed a live-action version of “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.”

Nicolas Cage was Balthazar Blake, a sorcerer living in Manhattan who sought the “Prime Merlinean,” the heir apparent to Merlin’s legendary powers. Physics student Dave Stutler (Jay Baruchel) turned out to be the chosen one. Blake made Dave his

protégé to help in the battle against evil sorcerer Maxim Horvath (Alfred Molina). “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” was an interesting mix of science and sorcery, but it wasn’t as engaging as it should have been.

Prior to the start of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Mark Steven Johnson directed 2007’s “Ghost Rider,” a character based on a Marvel character. Nicolas Cage played Johnny Blaze, a motorcycle stuntman who sold his soul to the devil to save his father’s life, but the demon double-crossed him. Years later, Blaze was a motorcycle stunt rider who was offered a chance to regain his soul. After starring in the 2011 sequel, “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance,” Cage said he was finished with that Marvel franchise.

Although 2022’s “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” was a fictitious look at the actor, the film referenced Nicolas Cage’s roles in “Leaving Las Vegas,” “Con Air” and other movies. Cage also avoided bankruptcy while still giving his all as an actor. I look forward to what he does next.

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.

The

(Left) ‘Knowing’ photo courtesy Summit Entertainment. (Right) ‘Kick-Ass’ photo courtesy Marv Films.

Moore on Life: Picture perfect

My phone is overflowing with 5,632 photos. I’d say that makes me a semi-professional photographer. Nope, according to the news that makes me a digital hoarder.

That information shocked and horrified me. I never considered myself a hoarder. In fact, I purposely watch episodes of “Hoarders” just to motivate myself to clean and declutter the house. And now I had to face the ugly fact that I was one.

It was time to get serious and clean out my phone.

I found about 100 pictures I’d taken of meals from places my husband and I had dined at. That food had long ago passed through my digestive system. I could delete them. But I reconsidered because the food looked so tasty and brought back fond memories of restaurants I couldn’t remember the names of. I’d get back to those later.

About 50 were screenshots of recipes I intended to cook one day. Ha! Who was I fooling? I hate to cook so away they must go. But then, I could pass them on to my daughters. They like to cook. Keep going.

I needed to get serious. I found several hundred pictures of flowers. They must go. But they were so pretty and some had bumblebees or butterflies on them. Next.

I pulled up thousands of the grandkids. They were all keepers. But I did find one of my cute grandbaby with half my big pink thumb across the lens. That could go. But wait! If I cropped out the thumb then

By Cindy Moore CROSSWORD: U.S. STATES

the picture could be saved. Move on.

Aha! I found one of a grocery shopping list I took a snappie of. Hmm, eggs, butter, cheese, bread, milk. That’s a good list. I think I’ll use it next time and save myself the hassle of writing a new one.

Finally, a group that needed some thinning: 1,714 pictures of my cats. I definitely saw a problem there. I went through them and deleted one that was blurry. The rest must stay. If they ever found out I was deleting pictures of them things would get ugly. And you don’t want to cause already grumpy cats to become grumpier. That’s just asking to become an episode on “Dateline.”

I made a mental note to contact an Apple guy and increase my storage gigaboops. Problem solved.

Cindy Moore is the mother of three superlative kids, servant of two self-indulgent 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.

LIFESTYLE: Budget-friendly gardening hacks

Gardening can be a simple way to beautify your yard, relieve stress and save money on your grocery bill, but like any hobby, you can get carried away buying necessary equipment.

Fun, frugal and environmentally friendly, these tricks can help you create a cost-effective garden:

1. Use a yardstick and permanent marker to mark inches and feet on the handle of your rake, shovel or hoe. The next time you plant, simply lay the marked handle along the row to create perfectly spaced holes for seeds.

2. Line the bottom of a clay pot with a coffee filter to keep soil from leaking out the bottom.

3. Use empty plastic water bottles or clear milk jugs to fill the bottom of large pots. They reduce the weight of the pot and require less soil to fill.

4. To test your seeds to see if they’re still viable for this planting season, place a wet paper towel inside a zip-top bag, drop in 3-4 seeds and wait a week to see if anything grows.

5. One way to help prevent weeds is lining your garden with a layer of newspaper. Just top two or three sheets of newsprint with a layer of pine needles, grass clippings or dried leaves for an eco-friendly and inexpensive weed barrier.

6. Keep gardening twine handy. Nail a funnel to your potting bench with the spout pointing downward, feed the twine through and your string will never go missing. For a more portable solution, place a ball of twine inside a canning jar, make a hole in the lid and feed the end of the twine through the hole. Now, you can take twine anywhere, tangle-free.

7. There is no need to buy expensive potting systems for starting seedlings. Place several cardboard toilet paper rolls inside a clean plastic clamshell, like those used for premade salads. Fill each cardboard tube with potting soil and plant. Once your seedlings grow too tall for the clamshell, simply tear off the top lid.

Find more ideas for creating a garden without spending a bundle at eLivingtoday.com.

ACROSS

1. Attired

5. *Alabama, for short

8. Type of pit, at a concert

12. *Nevada's "biggest little city in the world"

13. October birthstone

14. Don't do this to words?

15. Elusive Himalayan

16. Poet Sandburg

17. Come to pass

18. *Home of the Bourbon Trail

20. Not us

21. Winds to a ship captain

22. *Dish popular in the 50th state

23. *Largest state, by area

26. Dick ____ of "Bewitched"

30. Tombstone acronym

31. Spews

34. Succulent medicinal plant

35. Cast member

37. Greek "t"

Gibson garnish

Evade payment

Like certain pentameter

Lenon's wife

down

DOWN

1. Have a bawl

2. Potato's soup partner

3. Initial stake

4. Happenings

5. Lickety-split

6. Shenanigans

7. Friend in war

8. *State with longest freshwater shoreline

9. It's enough?

10. Pond gunk

11. Joaquin Phoenix 2013 movie

13. Relating to eye

14. *Michigan's "____ City"

19. Selfish one 22. Pavlova's step 23. Middle East natives 24. Permissible 25. In a fitting way 26. Half a ticket 27. Sober Ness

28. Not a soul (2 words)

29. Operatic voice

32. *Home to Arches National Park 33. Tucker of "Modern Family" 36. *State with panhandle 38. Round openings 40. School of thought suffix 41. Google search category 44. Often-missed humor

Hide craftsman

Little one

Lowest deck on a ship

Timeline divisions

His was a merry old soul 52. Tiny bottle 53. *"Field of Dreams" movie setting

Photo courtesy of Unsplash