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September 16, 2015

Brewing up business in Maryland Heights Recipes

Dinner done easy

Community Voices

By Adolphus M. Pruitt, II

Owner of Standard Brewing Company Jeff Harlan (left), and brewmaster, Jeff Jones raise a glass during their grand opening party on Sept. 11.

Photo by Sara Hardin

Three new breweries have opened their doors in only the past few months By Sara Hardin Three breweries in Maryland Heights are making their names known in the booming craft beer scene by offering their own unique perspectives on refreshing brews alongside some savory menus. O’Fallon Brewery opened the doors to its O’Bar on June 21 of this year, and now patrons can enjoy a full meal with one of O’Fallon’s handcrafted brews. The brewery has been making its name known since founders Fran and Tony Caradonna started producing O’Fallon beer in 2000. In 2011, the brewery was sold to current owner, Jim Gorczyca, who says that Maryland Heights has been ideal for growing the brewery’s consumer base. “We really had hoped to stay in O’Fallon, but one of my goals was to connect better to the St. Louis audience,” explained Gorczyca. “When we couldn’t find a location that was close to our roots, we kind of expanded our circle. When we found this location we thought it was the perfect fit, because it wasn’t too far from our old location but it gave us a connection to more people in St. Louis, and we felt that it was new ground for the brewery. It was a great opportunity for us to put our stake in the ground and build what we wanted to do in the Maryland Heights area. We’ve been in the St. Louis area for 15 years and we never had a bar or a restaurant, so there’s so many people that were never exposed to O’Fallon beer. Now that they’ve had a chance to come visit us, they really love

our beer.” Gorczyca explained that with the rise in popularity of craft beer, one of the most important things beer enthusiasts are looking for is beer that is produced with quality, local ingredients. “Craft beer has been on a growing trend for the last 8-10 years, and consumers are really looking for more products that are produced locally, and beer is one of those where we can make a high quality beer in smaller batches,” said Gorczyca. “The recipes are handcrafted, so there’s personal involvement with brewers in the process of making the beer. We have always pushed innovation. We’re always working with local consumer products and companies to use their ingredients in our beer. I think people like that we use local ingredients and are really pushing the envelope to create innovative beers.” If you’re looking for a classic approach to craft beer, Six Mile Bridge Brewery is for you. Opened in August by couple Ryan and Lindsay Sherring, Six Mile Bridge offers a variety of classic favorites brewed with care with only the most quality ingredients. “We focus on premium ingredients and really quality products. We want to focus on the classic style and really doing those well with premium ingredients,” said Lindsay Sherring, co-owner and head of marketing for Six Mile Bridge. “We don’t want to put ourselves in any one specific

mold. What we’re contributing to the market is just classic, quality beers with our own slight expressionism on them.” Lindsay Sherring explained that the brewery’s central location has been ideal for its self-distribution process, and has attracted consumers from outside the Maryland Heights area. “We are doing our own self-distribution in St. Louis and St. Louis County,” said Lindsay Sherring. “It’s 20 minutes from West County, it’s 20 minutes from downtown – it’s quite a central location for all of the different places that we want to be in, and we’re trying to be in as many bars and restaurants as possible around St. Louis. We opened the taproom not really knowing what kind of response we would get. We’ve had a lot of people who are local come in, which is really exciting. We’ve also had people travel from as far away as O’Fallon and the far reaches of St. Charles and St. Peters, so we are very excited about the response we’ve had so far. Maryland Heights has been great in welcoming us to the community. We’ve only been open a few weeks and we’re already starting to get regulars and recognize people who are in the area and that’s really fun for us.” Standard Brewing Company, which opened its doors on the evening of Sept. 11, prides itself in offering artisan pizzas alongside its handcrafted beers. Jeff See BREWING UP BUSINESS page 2

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Around Town

Vol. 94 No. 37

In This Issue...

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Around Town HPD’s Domestic Abuse/ Crime Victims’ Unit Coordinator announces retirement and more. Business Jennings Place celebrates opening with ribbon cutting and more. School Pattonville program earns regional award for food service partnership and more. Learn and Play Take a peek at the local author spotlight and check in with Cindy Moore.

Movie The cinematic lure of Mars.

Sports Local sports with Gary B.

12 14 16

Recipes Dinner done easy What’s Happening Classifieds Over the Fence Joe Morice brings his unique views to the Community News.

Get your event or good news published in Community News: email your information in calendar and article formats to editor@mycnews.com.

September 16, 2015 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

BREWING UP BUSINESS from cover “Jonesy” Jones, Standard Brewing Company’s brewmaster, is well-seasoned in the craft beer scene after more than 10 years’ experience in competitive brewing. The name of the brewery was his own creation, which he picked in hopes that it would feel familiar and recognizable. “I’ve been a mechanic, welder, hands-on, blue collar guy my whole life. To folks my age and older, it’s probably the one of most recognizable names, companies, and logos in the entire history of business. Standard Oil was the largest company in the world

at one time, owned by the richest man in the world, John Rockefeller. For me it was something that is instantly recognizable, and so when people see it, I think they would already assume that they’ve seen it and heard of it before,” explained Jones. Jones said that his vision of pairing artisan pizza with handcrafted beers is finally taking shape at Standard Brewing. The brewery’s menu is meant to be paired with Jones’ carefully crafted brews. Jones said that the high concentration of apartments, hotels and businesses in Mary-

land Heights makes the brewery hopeful to become a lunch hotspot fit for all ages. The brewery hopes that with its family-friendly atmosphere, patio, and delicious menu that it will attract a varied consumer base and make itself known in the St. Louis craft beer scene. For more information about O’Fallon Brewery, Six Mile Bridge, or Standard Brewing Company, visit ofallonbrewery. com, sixmilebridgebeer.com, or standardbrewingstl.com.

COMMUNITY VOICES The vestiges of slavery in St. Louis By Adolphus M. Pruitt, II We have all probably heard at one time or another someone proclaim that a certain act or issue has vestiges from slavery, and in reality there are conditions that are strikingly similar - and as pervasive. During the height of slavery (1860/1861) there were four million slaves in the United States. Missouri’s slaves were freed on Jan. 11, 1865, and on Sunday morning Jan. 14, 1865 they rejoiced in the streets of St. Louis and Jefferson City; but the partying didn’t last long because, just like today, they were unemployed job seekers in an overcrowded job market. The racially-hostile job market has reared its ugly head time and time again. To-date, blacks have been in a constant fight for equity on public works and publicly-incentivized projects. Disparity study after disparity study has lamented over the gross under-utilization of minorities and women in construction and related expenditures. The foundation of Jim Crow is embedded in the landscape of slavery in the United States. Jim Crow is the systematic discrimination employed by whites against African Americans. Jim Crow imposed on black

people created clear tactical disadvantages and restricted economic possibilities. The vestiges of Jim Crow quite possibly lay deep in St. Louis County; its fire academy (ran by the firefighter union) have graduated 501 recruits since 2008, a mere 24 were black; while Missouri has the second-highest rate of traffic cases per capita in the United States, St. Louis County’s rate is twice that of the state; St. Louis County’s 90 municipalities make up just 11 percent of Missouri’s population but bring in 34 percent of all municipal court fines and fees, mainly off the backs of blacks; in 30 of the 36 of St. Louis County’s police departments in cities where at least 10 percent of the population is African-American, the percentage of black residents is higher than the proportion of black officers; the same is true of St. Louis County’s 43 Fire Departments; and the examples go on and on. A recent study concluded that metropolitan St. Louis is the ninth most segregated among the fifty regions with the largest black populations. Blacks today also struggle to get financing, experts say. Even when controlling for income, whites are approved for home loans at higher rates than blacks in St. Louis County, according

to 2012 data published in the county’s fair housing analysis last year. Lyndon Johnson put it best in his 1965 address to Howard University’s graduating class when he stated that affirmative action was the next and more profound advancement for Civil Rights; “We seek not just freedom but opportunity - not just legal equity but human ability - not just equality as a right and theory but equality as a ‘fact’ and as a result.” The president was clearly making the argument that “freedom” was not enough; and that the mere passage of the Civil Rights Act and other civil rights laws would not create the equality that African Americans seek, because African Americans had been “hobbled” by chains - and even today are entrenched with the vestiges of slavery – right here in St. Louis, Missouri. Adolphus M. Pruitt, II is President of the St. Louis chapter of the NAACP. 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.

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www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • September 16, 2015

Around Town

HPD’s Domestic Abuse/Crime Victims’ Unit Coordinator announces retirement After a distinguished 20-year career, the Hazelwood Police Department’s (HPD’s) Domestic Violence/Crime Victims’ Unit Coordinator Beth Ray has announced her retirement, beginning Sept. 1. In addition to accepting a beautifully framed retirement proclamation issued by the Hazelwood City Council, Ray was honored earlier with the Award of Appreciation and Distinction of Service from the St. Louis County Domestic and Family Violence Council in June 2015. The HPD started its Domestic Violence/Crime Victim’s Unit in 1998 after receiving a 3-year grant from the Federal Community Policing Office (COPS). This was the brainchild of Chief Carl Wolf (ret.) who was in charge of the department and the first police chief in the nation to hire a civilian social worker to run such a program. He hired Ray on August 13, 1998, and recalls that she was one of his best hires. “Beth took my vision and turned it into an internationally recognized program, which was above and beyond my expectations. The citizens of Hazelwood, all the victims of crime and domestic violence, and myself wholeheartedly thank her for her dedication and professionalism. She provided help and comfort to so many in their time of need and despair,” said Wolf. From the beginning, Ray was tasked with the responsibility of designing and implementing a program to provide follow-up services to victims of crime in the Hazelwood community and accepted this challenge with enthusiasm. Due to her experience in law enforcement and background as an advocate and domestic violence counselor for several women’s shelters, she has believed for a long time that the impact of police-based victim services would be significant. And it has been. Ray credits the good repetoire she’s been able to develop with Hazelwood’s police officers as a

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Photo courtesy city of Hazelwood Hazelwood Chief of Police Gregg Hall (left) warmly congratulates Beth Ray after she receives her retirement proclamation from the Hazelwood City Council.

primary reason for her success. “You know, it’s a together thing. I couldn’t do anything without them. And, they would have a hard time knowing how to follow-up with crime victims without my help. We share a common goal of helping these victims get out of a difficult situation permanently so they aren’t forced back into a vicious cycle over and over again. Nobody wants to be hurt, tortured or ridiculed all the time,” Ray noted. Although Ray will be retiring, the HPD intends to continue with its Domestic Violence/Crime Victims’ Unit and has hired Heather Berding, as her successor, who began working on August 10. Ray is currently training her to make the transition a seamless process. Ray’s retirement plans include moving to Austin, TX, to be closer to her two sons and their families. She also plans to check out local domestic and sexual violence programs and possibly work part-time. In addition, she wants to take a couple of writer workshops and start on her book.

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Around Town

September 16, 2015 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis is accepting student applications

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The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis is now accepting applications for its interest-free, fee-free student loan program until Nov. 16. Qualified students of any age can be issued a renewable, interest-free loan of up to $11,000 annually. Those interested must meet the following requirements: • Be pursuing a first degree at an accredited, nonprofit college, university, or technical/trade school • Demonstrate financial need • Have a cumulative GPA 2.0 or higher or have earned a GED • Be a permanent resident of the St. Louis metropolitan area, for at least two years prior to application Applicants are selected on the basis of academic potential, personal character, and financial need. Students can apply for funding by

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completing an online general application on the St. Louis Graduates’ Scholarship Central website (www.stlouisgraduates.org). Upon completion of the general application, applicants can then apply for the interest-free, fee-free loan program. St. Louis Graduates’ Scholarship Central website has over 50 scholarships with various application deadlines accessible through the general application. Students from the following areas are eligible to apply: St. Louis City and St. Louis County; the Missouri counties of Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, St. Charles, Warren, and Washington; and the Illinois counties of Bond, Calhoun, Clinton, Jersey, Madison, Macoupin, Monroe, and St. Clair. For more information, or for application assistance, please contact The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis at 314-725-7990, info@sfstl.org, or visit www.sfstl.org.

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On Aug. 28 the Employment Connection located at 2838 Market Street held a community forum to discuss the heroin epidemic that is currently plaguing our community. The list of panelists included: Scott Anders, Deputy Chief U.S. Probation Office, Nancy McCarthy, Co-Chair, STAIR (STL Alliance for Reentry, Regional Administrator, Missouri Department of Corrections, Jared Opsal, Public Awareness Specialist, National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Abuse, St. Louis Area. Dr. William Harvey, keynote speaker, has worked with several national organizations like the National Drug Information Centre for Families in Action to stop the impact heroin has on the community. Dr. Harvey has been at it since the 1970’s offering his expertise on the subject matter. CEO of Employment Connections, Brenda Mahr welcomed everyone including concerned people of the community to this event in hopes of putting together a plan to combat this crisis. According to McCarthy, heroin is purer then it was during the 1970’s causing more overdoses. McCarthy went on to say that there are 24 million drug abusers and 19 million of these abusers are addicted to heroin. The drug abusers are starting off addicted to prescription pain medications, when that’s no longer an option their hitting the streets. When it comes to the subject of getting treatment Missouri is in the lead when it comes to combating heroin addiction. Anders says heroin is the silent killer and there have been more deaths due to heroin overdose then gun deaths. Anders points out that regarding repeat offenders; ex-offenders are less likely to commit crimes if employed.

According to Opsal there were 400 lives lost last year due to heroin. Addicts are able to go from doctor to doctor faking injuries to get pain medicines. We are currently without a system that monitors this. For families with kids suffering from drug addiction there are resources available, but more is needed to put an end to this epidemic said Opsal. This is a regional issue and every single neighborhood is affected, unfortunately there’s a lack of support. As far as treatment centers are concerned, there are only 16 beds per facility which makes it extremely difficult to offer treatment in a crisis, especially for those on Medicaid. The good news is there’s a 911 Samaritan law that prevents a person from being prosecuted if they call 911 for fear of overdosing. During the forum it was repeated that the people of the community need to reach out to their state representatives to bring light to this issue. The community forum was designed to not only present information but provide a wakeup call to the community calling everyone to action regarding the heroin epidemic, as remaining silent only increases the risk of more lives being lost. For those in need of assistance please contact the National Council of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. Staff members are available Monday-Friday, 9 am – 5 pm. Feel free to contact them with any questions you may have at 314-962-3456 or email at info@ncada-stl.org. Additional resources can be found at the Black Alcohol Service Information Center located at 3028 Locust Street. For more information call 314-621-9009.

www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • September 16, 2015

Around Town

The Walk Through History program unveils its 23rd plaque

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Photo courtesy city of Florissant Don Zykan, Jr., addresses family and friends at the 23rd plaque dedication in honor of his father the late Don R. Zykan, Sr.

Family and friends gathered at 525 rue St. Francois to unveil the 23rd Walk Through History plaque in honor of the late Don R. Zykan, Sr. The plaque dedication took place before the start of the third Wednesday Night Out festivities “Tropical Island Street Party” that was held between 201- 297 rue St. Francois (Stems Florist to Bunkers Tavern). Don Zykan, Sr. co-owned Zykan Bros. Solid Waste with his brothers Ed and Joe. Their

Florissant based business was founded in 1932 by their father John M. Zykan. In 1951 Don married Florissant native Grace Ebbesmeyer and they raised five children and served on the boards of many civic organizations with a passion for philanthropy. His priorities were family, friends and community service with a mission to always give back and help others. “If Nobody Can – Zykan” was their famous family motto.

Tower Court Park holds ribbon cutting and grand opening

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Photo courtesy city of Florissant Pictured is Mayor Thomas Schneider, Councilman Tim Lee, Eileen Dyall, Charlie Dyall, John, Adam and Owen Dyall, Chief Lowery, Park & Recreation staff, Chamber President Carolyn Marty, St. Louis County Municipal League Executive Pat Kelly, Project Supervisor Joe Litteken of Vee-Jay Cement Contracting Company, family and friends.

The Parks & Recreation Department hosted a ribbon cutting and grand opening ceremony for the newly renovated tennis courts at Tower Court Park on Aug. 25. The tennis courts have been renovated with funds provided by the St. Louis County Municipal Park Grant Program. Improvements included a new restroom, new tennis court lights, additional security lighting, new tennis court fencing and gates, a new 16foot hexagon shelter, parking lot repairs, new sidewalks to new restrooms and new/additional landscaping. The new courts have been constructed using post-tensioned concrete surface, the first of this kind for the city of Florissant. The St. Louis County Municipal Park Grant Commission awarded the city $282,271 back in 2012

to start on the improvements and in 2015 the city was awarded another $249,607 to complete the rest of the improvements. After the ribbon cutting ceremony the first ball was hit by Charlie Dyall, who is a 98-year-old resident of Florissant and hits tennis balls on a regular basis. Charlie was joined at the ceremony by his daughter Eileen Dyall and the next three generations in his family, his son John, grandson Adam and great grandson Owen who all live in Florissant. After the first ball was hit the McCluer High School girls tennis team played a match against the Riverview Gardens High School girls tennis team.

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Business

September 16, 2015 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

Jennings Place celebrates opening Regions Bank delivers school supplies to students with ribbon cutting in Jennings School District

Photo by Debbie Wright

It’s Simple, Right?

ccording to the American Benefits Council, there are more than 88 million total participants in employer sponsored retirement savings plans, such as 401(k)’s. And,

according to The Slott Report, there is an estimated $6.6 trillion dollars in these plans. So, it’s safe to say that these types of plans are one of the most used types of saving vehicles for retirement. This coupled with the ease of automatic payroll deduction causes many people to view these as very simple plans. Unfortunately though, these plans are anything but simple. In fact, they are filled with many complexities. Employer sponsored retirement plans are filled with options, features, rules, fees, factors, tax issues and common misconceptions. Some of these areas include: special company stock provisions, internal expenses, loan provisions, limited investment choices, multiple cash out and rollover options, special required minimum distribution (RMD) rules, special age rules for withdrawals, and creditor protection provisions. So, in order to get the most out of these plans, you need to fully understand all of these areas, and/or have proper professional help in place. If you don’t, you could be exposed to many common and expensive mistakes. Join me on my syndicated radio podcast show this Friday at 1:00pm as we dive in and explain many of these plan features. We will also share with you powerful information that could potentially save you thousands in taxes and fees. You can access the podcast and our prior radio segments through radio.360ira.com our website at www.360ira.com. www.360ira.com We also offer this information and independent advice by contacting our 360 IRA office in St. Charles at 844-436-0472 or by email at info@360ira.com. Investment Advisory Services offered through Brookstone Capital Management LLC, a Registered Investment Advisor. Investments and/ or investment strategies involve risk including the possible loss of principal. There is no assurance that any investment strategy will achieve its objectives. This information is not intended to be used as the sole basis for financial decisions, nor should it be construed as advice designed to meet the particular needs of an individual’s situation. Content is provided by third parties for informational purposes only and is not a solicitation to buy or sell any products mentioned. Paid Advertisement

The Greater North County Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting ceremony at Jennings Place, a senior retirement community in the City of Jennings. Shown in the photo cutting the ribbon is Jennings Mayor Yolanda FountainHenderson joined by city and state officials, members of the chamber board, ambassadors, staff, residents and guests.

School

Photo courtesy Jennings School District Mike Hart of Regions Bank and members of his staff dropped off school supplies at the Jennings schools.

On Aug. 26, Mike Hart of Regions Bank and members of his staff dropped off school supplies at the Jennings schools, and stopped to meet with some students. They also delivered cookies to staff and shared that they were celebrating their Share the Goodness Week. Hart, Regional President of Regions Bank, has adopted the 8th grade at Jennings College Prep Academy, and bank mentors are meeting with students and giving students as much exposure as possible to finance, banking, and the business world. In an effort to support the district in break-

ing generational poverty, Hart and his team are working to stress the importance of saving in a community that is often underbanked. “The school supplies donated by Regions Bank are truly appreciated and their support has helped the district fill in gaps for school as we continue to provide families with school supplies,” shared Dr. Tiffany Anderson, Superintendent of Jennings School District. The students enjoyed the opportunity to interact directly with Hart and his staff, and to thank them personally for their generosity and support.

Pattonville drill team earns three awards at camp The Pattonville High School varsity drill team earned three awards during the Universal Dance Association’s camp held July 16 through 19 at Saint Louis University. The team placed second with its home pom routine and earned a superior trophy and leadership award for its performance and character during the week. The superior trophy is awarded if the team receives a high average of blue ribbons after performing routines learned at camp. The leadership award is presented to a team after a vote by members of all teams participating in the camp. The team members from the various participating schools are asked if they couldn’t be on their own school’s team, what other team would they want to be on. Pattonville was their choice, thus earning the team the leadership award. Members of Pattonville’s team who participated in the camp are Erin Bailey, Brittany Bell, Samantha Byrne, Kyaira Dickerson, Katelynn Maierhoffer, Isabella Monahan, Courtney Penning, Emily Reyes, Hannah Schamber, Natalie Siegel, Samantha Yancey and GaPhoto courtesy Pattonville School District brielle Ziegler. Other members of the team are Maddie Hunsaker, Kamilah Kirkwood, Jerica Robinson The Pattonville High School varsity drill team earned three awards during the Universal Dance Association’s and Brianna Westmoreland. The varsity drill team is camp held July 16 through 19 at Saint Louis University. coached by Katie Funderburk and Grace Burgos.

www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • September 16, 2015

Peabody Energy honors Hazelwood principal and teacher as Leaders in Education Germaine Stewart, principal of Twillman Elementary School, and Tricia Carothers-Brown, teacher at Hazelwood East High School, were among 32 educators recognized as Peabody Energy Leaders in Education during an awards dinner at the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark. The Peabody Energy Leaders in Education program identifies dedicated education professionals, teachers, principals, nurses, counselors, coaches, etc., who inspire and motivate children to succeed. Award recipients are selected anonymously throughout the school year by a nomination review committee of top educators and business leaders. “Germaine has worked closely with teachers to implement instructional strategies to improve student achievement,” said Dr. Willicia Hobbs, administrator in the Hazelwood School District. “She has also laid the foundation for a strong partnership between the community and Twillman staff. We are extremely grateful for her dedication to our students, and the school district.” Carothers-Brown teaches high school speech and drama at her North County school. “Congratulations to Tricia on this wonderful accomplishment,” said Yolander Pittman, principal at Hazelwood East High School. “As a principal, it gives me great pride when a member of my staff is recognized for their innovative work with our students and in the community by such a prestigious

Photo courtesy Hazelwood School District Germaine Stewart (left), principal of Twillman Elementary School, and Tricia Carothers-Brown, teacher at Hazelwood East High School, were both recognized with Peabody Energy Leaders in Education Awards, during a dinner on Aug. 25.

organization.” As recipients of the Peabody Energy Leader in Education award, both Stewart and CarothersBrown received a personalized trophy and a check for $1,000.

Pattonville program earns Chartwells regional award for food service partnership Pattonville’s partnership with Chartwells School Dining Services was recently awarded Chartwells’ Be-A-Star Regional Account of the Year recognition for the South Central region. Chartwells at Pattonville will now compete for the National Account of the Year award. In summer 2014, Pattonville began contracting with Chartwells to manage the district’s food services program while retaining its own local food service employees. Bridget Jordan, a Chartwells employee, manages the day-to-day operations of Pattonville’s program, including food purchasing, menu development, staff training, meeting state and federal requirements and other services. All other food service employees, including school cafeteria managers and cooks, are Pattonville employees. “This is a very prestigious Chartwells award and every member of our staff contributed to the successes this year,” Jordan said. “I am proud to be a part of this food service team and amazed that we were able to accomplish this in a year of transition. It is a very special group of dedicated individuals who work in our food service department. The district and school administrators were supportive of our changes and made everything possible for us.” Chartwells’ Be-A-Star awards recognize associates and teams that deliver business excellence as a result of accomplishing the objectives established for a fiscal year. Chartwells recognizes one account from each of its seven regions. Pattonville was chosen as the top account for the year from among 67 school districts in the South Central region. To be considered for the regional award, the Pattonville-Chartwells team had to reach the Platinum Account status, which signified they met both Pattonville and Chartwells objectives for financial accountability and operational excellence. The team completed three programs to qualify for the award that focused on providing great food and nutritional education; emphasizing safety for staff; and creating a culture of diversity and inclusion. In its first year, the partnership with Chartwells and the addition of its network of resources resulted in Pattonville students having access to more food options and increased access to fresh produce and healthier meals. Pattonville food service employees were trained on incorporating more homemade, healthy options into their menus, as well as marketing tips and strategies to give a restaurant-like appearance to the schools’ food and serving lines. New displays and food offerings were made available to students in the elementary and middle schools, including produce bars in many school cafeterias. Food tastings, including samples of fresh produce from Pattonville’s new Youth Garden, were carried out throughout the district. The result was more students opting to eat lunch in Pattonville school cafeterias and a savings of $575,000 in costs as compared to the previous school year. The high school cafeteria will transition to more options next year, after the completion of $90,000 worth of facility upgrades funded by Chartwells. After the upgrades are complete, the high school will have seven serving lines featuring food such as deli, grill and international options.

School

STARS students earn full UMSL scholarships, research opportunities Two Pattonville High School students who participated in a highly selective research program this summer at the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) have been offered full scholarships to the university along with further research opportunities. Misael Barcenas-Toledo and Gayathri Srinivasan, who will both be seniors this fall, received a letter from UMSL Chancellor Thomas F. George, which read, “We are delighted to offer you a scholarship package that covers 100 percent of your tuition and fees to the University of Missouri-St. Louis provided you are admitted to UMSL and enroll full time. In addition, we will arrange for a summer research opportunity for you in the department of your intended major. You will receive $1,500 to support your research.” Both students spent six weeks this summer participating in the 2015 STARS (Students and Teachers As Research Scientists) program. The STARS program pairs academically talented high school students with scientists who work in fields such as biology, chemistry, computer science, earth science, engineering, environmental science, mathematics, medicine, physics and psychology. During the program, students conducted research under the supervision of a practicing research mentor, including top researchers from Confluence Discovery Technologies, the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, Saint Louis University (SLU), Washington University in St. Louis and UMSL. Through student-mentor partnerships, students applied various problemsolving strategies to independent research projects, wrote a 15to 20-page technical report and orally presented their results in a seminar format. In his letter, George said the scholarship offer and further research opportunity were made in recognition of the students’ “hard work and significant scholarship.” Barcenas-Toledo was mentored by Dr. Eike Bauer, UMSL associate professor of chemistry, for a second year in a row. Srinivasan worked in the Heart Rate Variability Lab at the Washington University School of Medicine under Dr. Phyllis K. Stein, the lab’s principal investigator. STARS is sponsored by LMI Aerospace/D3 Technologies, the Office of the Chancellor at UMSL, SLU, Washington University, the St. Louis Symphony, DuPont, Monsanto, the Academy of Science of St. Louis, Life Skills, St. Louis Children’s Hospital, the University of Missouri–Kansas City and John Burroughs School.

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September 16, 2015 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

Community Toons

John Hanna

John Hanna is a part time, amateur cartoonist taking his first step into the world of print and online comic media. When he isn’t drawing or working at his second job, he can be seen in and around the St Charles area. If you like his work, that is good. If you don’t like it, that is good too.

By Cindy Moore

Moore On Life

Green with Envy pels its little wheels with literally no effort on his part. He just has to nudge it a tad to get it going in the right direction then it takes off on its own chopping and chipping away at the green. He would have bought a riding one, but the neighbors would have persecuted him for investing in a mower for a lawn the size comb-over.” of a throw rug. Now, since my husband is in competiThe grass is definitely pampered more tion with the neighbor over his lawn, he than me and gets fed better too. At the gave himself an early birthdayanniversa- very least, I hope for a measly Saturday ryChristmas present—a fancy new lawn- night dinner out. But while the yard gets mower. Ya, it cost enough to cover each nourished with exotic costly concoctions of those occasions, so goody for me be- amounting to a full pay check, I must cause now my shopping is complete for settle for a soggy burrito at the drivethe year. through window from El Salmonella’s. The thing bags and mulches and proTo add insult, Bob came over and informed my husband that his bald spots were grubs. “Grubs?! How embarrassing!” he wailed Books, Girl Scouts and music filled Jo A. Hiestand’s childhood. She discovered the magic of words and the worlds they create: mysteries, English medieval history and the natural world. This mixture formed the foundation for her writing. A true Anglophile, Jo wanted to create a mystery series that featured a British police detective who left the force over an injustice and now investigates cold cases on his own. The result is the McLaren Mysteries, featuring ex-police detective Michael McLaren. Jo’s insistence for accuracy -- from police methods and location layout to the general “feel” of the area -- has driven her innumerable times to Derbyshire. These explorations and conferences with police friends provide the detail filling the books. In her latest book, “Shadow in the Smoke,” Janet Ennis tragically died five years ago in what the police labeled an accidental fire. But Janet’s mother, Nora, believes it to be murder and arson. And she’s hoping McLaren can prove it quickly, for she’s losing her memory to dementia. As McLaren pokes through the case details, he becomes emotionally involved with the dead woman, succumbing to the spell of her singing and her beauty. Yet, Janet Ennis isn’t the only person who threatens his composure and mental well-being. A series of arsons on his own property hint that he’s upset someone connected with this case. Will McLaren solve the case while Nora can still comprehend the resolution, or does Harvester have plans that will see McLaren’s career go up in smoke? In 1999 Jo returned to Webster University to major in English. She graduated in 2001 with a BA degree and departmental honors. She has employed her love of writing, board games and music in other ways by co-inventing a mystery-solving game, “P.I.R.A.T.E.S.,” which uses maps, graphics, song lyrics, and other clues to lead the players to the lost treasure. Jo founded the Greater St. Louis Chapter of Sisters in Crime, serving as its first president. She is also a member of Mystery Writers of America. Besides her love of mysteries and early music, she also enjoys photography, reading, crewel embroidery, and her backyard wildlife. Her cat, Tennyson, shares her St. Louis-area home.

My husband has a bad case of lawn envy. I caught him with his Super Sleuth binoculars peering through the blinds at our neighbor, Bob. He watched him open a bag of something which he was about to distribute on his golf-course looking lawn. “Hey Hon, write this down,” he said. “Ammonium Sulfate Calcitrite Biophate.” “Here you go.” I say as I handed him the slip of paper. “Huh? This says, expensive grass goodies.” “Yup. Take it to the home improvement store. They’ll fix you right up.” “You don’t understand. Bob’s putting something magic on his lawn and I’ve got to get it exact. I’m getting bald patches.” “Sweetie, it’s called mid-life. If you comb your front hairs back over them, no one will notice. And that’s called a

Local Author Spotlight: Jo A. Hiestand

SUDOKU:

as he grabbed his receding hairline and paced. “I tried. I really tried. I fertilized. I mulched. I weeded. I aerated, raked and watered. Heaven knows I fungicided regularly. And what do I get for my sweat and toil? Grubs!” This green envy was giving him the blues. I suggested a quick trip to El Salmonella’s to pick up a soggy burrito and a side order of Ammonium Sulfate Calcitrite Biophate. 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.

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

www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • September 16, 2015

Movie

“The Martian”

By Steve Bryan

The cinematic lure of Mars As NASA ended their manned flights to the moon in the 1970’s, there was talk of sending a crew on a long voyage to Mars. Whether it was economics or a waning interest in space exploration, humans have yet to set foot on the alluring Red Planet. Yet, on the big screen, Mars has entertained many visitors. In the upcoming adventure “The Martian,” for example, Matt Damon plays Mark Watney, an astronaut who lands on Mars with several crewmates. After getting lost in a storm, his comrades assume he’s dead and leave him behind. Watney is very much among the living and determined to stay that way. While trying to contact Earth, he must find a way to survive on an inhospitable planet. While Damon’s character struggles to get home, 1977’s “Capricorn One” follows a fake mission to Mars. Due to a defective space capsule, NASA can’t send men to the Red Planet, so they decide to stage a mission. Thanks to special effects, the astronauts appear to be on another planet, but they are still within pizza delivery range. In 1990, Arnold Schwarzenegger played the lead in “Total Recall,” an entertaining adventure based on the Philip K. Dick story “We Can Remember It for You Wholesale.” Schwarzenegger’s character, Douglas Quaid, is a construction worker troubled by dreams of Mars. After he has fake vacation memories implanted in his head, Quaid discovers he isn’t who he thinks he is. Featuring the famous comedic duo, “Abbott and Costello Go to

Mars” is a funny 1953 outer space romp. Lester (Abbott) and Orville (Costello) accidentally end up on a rocket to Mars, but they land on Venus instead. With

an all-female population, this looks like an ideal place for the guys, but Orville, unfortunately, gets them booted from Venus forever. Tim Burton brought the Martians to Earth in “Mars Attacks!” Jack Nicholson stars as President James Dale, who happens to be in office when interplanetary visitors come calling. When they reveal their true intentions, though, Earth goes on the defensive against the Martians and their seemingly unbeatable weapons. Few films about the Red Planet are as notorious as “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians,” a holiday-themed film with a theme song that stays stuck in your head. With a planet full of unhappy children, the Martian authorities come to Earth and kidnap Santa Claus. They saw how happy he makes human children, so they set up a workshop for him on their planet. With all these cinematic journeys to and from our planetary neighbor, isn’t it time for Earthlings to make the long voyage to Mars? “The Martian” photos courtesy of 20th Century Fox 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 wideeyed kid who spent countless hours watching classic movies at neighborhood theaters.

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September 16, 2015 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

Sports Rascals are in the championship series The River City Rascals play their professional baseball at T.R. Hughes Ballpark in O’Fallon in the West Division of the Frontier League. The team started the playoffs by winning a one game playoff against the Florence Freedom 6-5. They moved on to play the Southern Illinois Miners in the best of three and lost the first game 5-3 but took the next two 7-2 and 9-5 to move to the championship. They will face the Travis City Beach Bums in a best-of-five series starting on Tuesday, Sept. 15. Since the paper goes to press before that first game, check the website for updates. For postseason schedule, go to the Rascals’ website www.RiverCityRascals.com *Then there were two

www.stcharlesmosaics.org

Football victory for Lindenwood in final minute The Lindenwood football team won its 2015 season opener in dramatic fashion recently at home in Hunter Stadium. The Lions scored the game-winning touchdown with just 23 seconds remaining for a 20-14 win over Washburn. Quarterback Jessie Scroggins tossed a touchdown pass to wide receiver Greg Coble for a seven yard score and the win. Scroggins started the contest by rushing 17-yards for a score. The second score was from an interception by defensive-back Bakari Triggs returning an interception for a 45-yard touchdown. *More drama coming Rams are tied for first place and undefeated OK….it’s the first game but how often can you put those words in the same sentence with the way the team has played lately? The St. Louis football Rams opened the 2015 regular season at the Edward Jones Dome against the Super Bowl runners up, the Seattle Seahawks and won in overtime 34-31. The team cut back on penalties which kept them right in the thick of things the entire game. With less than a minute in the game, the Rams scored a touchdown to tie the contest and then kicked a field goal in overtime to notch

their first victory. Highlights included: *Quarter back Nick Foles made his Rams regular season debut and completed 18-of-27 passes for 297-yards and one touchdown for a passer rating of 115.8-He scrambled 1-yard for his first touchdown as a Ram. *Wide receiver Tavon Austin rushed 11-yards into the end zone for the Rams’ first touchdown of the season-he also notched a 75-yard punt return for a score. *Tight end Lance Kendricks hauled in a 37yard touchdown pass from Foles. *Tight end Jared Cook led the team in receiving yards with 85 yards on five receptions, including a long of 30 yards. *Defensive tackle Aaron Donald and defensive end Robert Quinn sacked Seattle QB Russell Wilson two times each and corner back Lamarcus Joyner and defensive end Eugene Sims had one sack a piece. *Donald led the team in tackles with 9.0, five solo. *Kicker Greg Zuerlein converted field goals of 33 and 37 yards. For more information on the team go to www. StLouisRams.com *Over 50,000 saw the action in person Rascals stadium naming rights available When November 1 rolls around, the stadium will have a new name. Besides River City baseball, the location has seen Presidential rallies, Pujols vs Shaq home run derby, celebrity appearances, 5k runs, auto shows, Ram’s Head Coach Jeff Fisher’s Celebrity Softball game and MSHSAA baseball championships to name a few. To apply, go to the Rascal’s website www.RiverCityRascals.com *Gary B Stadium sounds good

Tune into Your Health Plus Radio Show, Every Saturday at 8 a.m. on KSLQ 104.5 FM

For more information go to www.YourHealthPlus.info. One-hundred percent natural products to help focus, reduce stress, more energy, curb your appetite, healthiest coffee, anti-aging serum and more… 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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www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • September 16, 2015

Recipe:

Dinner done easy

Walking in the door from a hectic day to the heady, fragrant smells of a meal ready to enjoy may seem like a far-fetched fantasy. With the right ingredients and cookware, you can delight your busy family with dinners that taste like you spent a day hard at work in the kitchen.

These easy, time-saving slow cooker recipes are fast on prep time and big on unique flavors. The seasonings, made by Orrington Farms with natural ingredients and no added MSG or gluten, blend perfectly with your fresh additions for a homemade taste.

Creamy Slow Cooker Chicken Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 5 hours | Servings: 8

Beef Burgundy Stew Prep time: 25 minutes | Cook time: 8 hours | Servings: 8

Ingredients: 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 2 pounds cubed beef stew meat 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped 1 bag (10 ounces) pearl onions, trimmed 1 can (8 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup prepared Orrington Farms Low Sodium Beef Broth Base & Seasoning 1/2 cup dry red wine 1/4 cup tomato paste 1 pouch Orrington Farms Slow Cookers Vegetable Beef Stew Seasoning hot cooked egg noodles (optional) Directions: Place flour in large re-sealable plastic bag. Add beef a few pieces at a time and shake to coat. Place beef, carrots, onions, mushrooms and garlic in large slow cooker. In medium bowl, combine prepared beef broth base, wine, tomato paste

and vegetable beef stew seasoning. Pour over beef and vegetables. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or until meat is tender. Serve over egg noodles, if desired.

Bourbon BBQ Baby Back Ribs Prep time: 45 minutes | Cook time: 8 hours | Servings: 6

Ingredients: 6 pounds pork baby back ribs, cut into serving-size pieces 1 pouch Orrington Farms BBQ Pork Roast Seasoning, divided 1 cup packed brown sugar 1 cup tomato sauce 1 cup prepared Orrington Farms Beef Flavored Soup Base & Seasoning 1/2 cup bourbon 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon hot sauce Directions: Preheat oven to 475 F. Rub 2 tablespoons pork roast seasoning over ribs and place meaty side up on large baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Place ribs in large slow cooker. Pour sauce over ribs. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or on high 4-5 hours, until ribs are tender. Remove ribs from

slow cooker. Set aside and keep warm. Carefully pour sauce through a fine strainer set over a 2-quart saucepan, reserving liquid. Skim fat, if desired. Bring sauce to boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes or until thickened. Brush sauce over ribs.

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff Prep time: 25 minutes | Cook time: 7 hours | Servings: 7

Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds top round steak, cubed 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon paprika 1/4 teaspoon pepper 2 tablespoons butter 1 package (8 ounces) fresh sliced portobello mushrooms 1 small onion, chopped 2 medium garlic cloves, minced 1 can (10.75 ounces) condensed reduced sodium cream of mushroom soup, undiluted 1 tablespoon Orrington Farms Restaurant Style Au Jus 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 cup sour cream hot cooked egg noodles minced fresh parsley Directions: Sprinkle beef with salt, paprika and pepper. In large skillet, brown beef in butter. Place beef in large slow cooker. In same skillet, saute mushrooms, onion and garlic until tender. Transfer to slow cooker. Stir in soup, au jus mix, Worcestershire sauce and 1/4 cup water. Cover and cook on low 6 hours.

Photos courtesy of Getty Images

Combine remaining water and flour until smooth; add to slow cooker. Stir in sour cream. Cover and cook 1 hour longer. Serve over noodles; sprinkle with parsley.

Ingredients: 6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, about 6 ounces each 1 can (10.75 ounces) condensed reduced sodium cream of mushroom soup, undiluted 1 package (8 ounces) fresh sliced mushrooms 1/2 cup white wine 1 pouch (2.5 ounces) Orrington Farms Slow Cookers Chicken Noodle Soup Seasoning 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed hot cooked rice pilaf

Directions: Place chicken in large slow cooker. In small bowl, combine mushroom soup, mushrooms, wine and soup seasoning. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low 4 hours. Stir in cream cheese. Cover and cook 1 hour or until cream cheese is melted. Remove lid and, if desired, serve chicken breast halves or shred chicken. Serve over rice pilaf.

What’s Happening

September 16, 2015 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

Send your event to editor@mycnews.com and we'll print it! t our Check ou

n io ct e S n e d r a G Home & in Classifieds page 15

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Events Sept. 16: Karaoke Karaoke at Florissant Valley VFW Post 4105, located at 410 St. Francois from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. All profits go to support veterans. For more information call 314-831-6121. Sept. 17: City of Florissant’s Town Hall Meeting for Senior Citizens Enjoy a free Breakfast with Mayor Thomas P. Schneider as he addresses the Senior Citizens of Florissant from 9 – 11 a.m. at the James J. Eagan Center. City of Florissant Department Heads will be present as well as organizations such as the fire department, the school districts, St. Louis County Library, Mid-East Area Agency on Aging, Chamber of Commerce, AARP, OASIS, the Veterans Administration, the County Older Resident Program, Christian Hospital, the Center for Hearing & Speech, the Community Action Agency, and CLAIM. Call the city of Florissant Senior Office at 314839-7605 to make your breakfast reservation for Mayor Schneider’s Town Hall Meeting for Senior Citizens. Sept. 18: Country Western Dance Get your boots on for this Country Western Dance featuring the Gene Maynard Band playing all your country favorites at the Florissant Community Center, the James J. Eagan Center from 7 – 10 p.m. Tickets are $8 each if purchased before the event in the Senior Citizen Office in Florissant City Hall. All residents and non-residents are invited. Ticket price includes admission, light snacks and dancing. Beer, wine and soda will be available for purchase. Call the Florissant Senior Office at 314839-7605 for more information.

Sept. 18: Pork steak dinner Dinner served at Florissant Valley VFW Post 4105, located at 410 St. Francois from 5 to 8 p.m. All profits go to support veterans. For more information call 314-831-6121.

in Patagonia where she had the unique opportunity to deliver shoebox gifts to children in need. The St. Louis area Operation Christmas Child team will share information and ideas for participating in this exciting program.

Sept. 18: Parkwood Elementary School 50th anniversary celebration Parkwood Elementary School will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a family and alumni event from 6 to 9 p.m.at the school, which is located at 3199 Parkwood Lane in Maryland Heights. All current and former students, families and staff are invited to attend. The event will include a photo booth, games and prizes, food (including popcorn, cotton candy and cake), face painting, temporary tattoos, bounce houses and a hula-hoop contest. Presale tickets will be available soon via the Parkwood website (parkwood.psdr3.org). Parkwood’s PTA is also spearheading a 50th-Year Outdoor Classroom Commemorative Project. Those interested in volunteering or making a donation for the project should contact the PTA at ParkwoodPTA@hotmail.com.

Sept. 19: Suicide prevention awareness event The 7th Annual Suicide Prevention Awareness Fundraiser includes a 5K race and a one mile fun run, as well as a men’s and coed softball tournament at St. Ferdinand Park in Florissant. There will also be a barbeque hosted by the Florissant Youth Advisory Commission. All proceeds from the tournament walk and barbeque will go to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. This event is held in loving memory of Alex McArthur. Registration is open online or at the James J. Eagan and John F. Kennedy Community Centers. For a link to online registration, visit www.florissantmo.com click Recreation tab, and click “Suicide Prevention Awareness Fundraiser” under Topics of Interest. For additional information call the JFK Center front desk at 314-921-4250.

Sept. 19: Operation Christmas Child kickoff event St. Louis kids, families, churches and other groups will celebrate the upcoming collection season for Operation Christmas Child, the world’s largest Christmas project of its kind, which has a goal of collecting enough giftfilled shoeboxes to reach 11 million children in 2015. St. Paul’s Evangelical Free Church at 9801 Olive Blvd. in St. Louis will open its doors for an Operation Christmas Child Countdown event featuring Jacolyn Bursemeyer, missionary to Chile from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Jacolyn will share her experience

Sept. 19: Book signing Nancy Kibens will be signing copies of her book “An Unfinished Life” from 11 am - 1 pm at 6 North Café at 14438 Clayton Road in Ballwin. For more information call 636-527-0400 or visit www.6northcafe.com. Sept. 19: Luke’s Legacy run Luke’s Legacy, Inc. will be holding its 5th Annual Run/Walk to help carry out its mission and to benefit the Gateway Affiliate of MADD. “Hope 4 Tomorrow” is a 5K run/one mile MADD Dash in celebration of Luke’s life as we remember his 22nd birthday. The run/ walk will be held at Legacy Park, 5490 Church St. in Cottleville, Missouri at 8 a.m. For more information and to register online visit lukes-legacy.org. Sept. 20: Interfaith concert Arts & Faith St. Louis is presenting its annual free concert Fifth Annual Interfaith Concert: Building a Harmonious St. Louis to bring together people of all backgrounds and faiths. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. and the concert begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Sheldon Concert Hall at 3648 Washington in St. Louis. The concert is free and open to the public. For more information visit www.artsfaithstl.org and www.facebook.com/ artsfaithstl. Sept. 20: Celebrating AAUW The American Association of University Women Ferguson-Florissant Branch (North County) opens its program year with a reception from 2 to 4 p.m. All individuals interested in women’s equity are invited to attend. State President Diane Ludwig will be in attendance. An overview of AAUW\s mission, programs, and activities will be featured and the latest research report dealing with women in STEM fields will be distributed. For additional information and directions, call 314-831-6884, 314-831-5359 or email sbreeze@mindspring.com. Sept. 20: Author appearance Nini Harris, local historian and author of 13 books about St. Louis history and architecture, will appear at Taille de Noyer at 1896 S. Florissant Rd. (on McCluer High school campus) at 2 p.m. She will speaking about her latest book “A Most Unsettled State, First Person Accounts of St. Louis During the Civil War.” Admission for this fund raising event for the ongoing upkeep of Taille de Noyer will be $10. Reservations can be made by calling 314-409-9478 or 314-838-4536 or by sending a check to FVHS, P.O. Box 298, Florissant, MO 63032. Refreshments will be served and Nini Harris’ books will be available for sale

www.mycnews.com • Community News • September 16, 2015 Sept. 21: Health seminar If you suffer from back pain or headaches that impact your daily life, join SSM Health DePaul Hospital neurologist, Sid Kaul, MD, and neurosurgeon, Victor Williams, MD, for an informative discussion about various treatments to successfully manage your pain. The seminar will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at DePaul Hospital’s May Conference Center at 12303 DePaul Drive. Dr. Kaul will discuss the causes and current treatments for migraines, including Botox. Dr. Williams will discuss several options to address back pain such as injection therapies, medication management, spinal cord stimulation and minimally invasive back surgery. Enjoy a light dinner and ask questions about treatment options for headaches and back pain. The program is free, but space is limited and reservations are required. Please call 1-866-SSM-DOCS (1-866-776-3627) to register by phone or register online at ssmhealth.com/neurosciences. Sept. 22: Square dancing Free Modern Western Square Dance introduction sponsored by West County Spinners Square Dance Club on Tuesdays, Sept. 15 and 22 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church at 14088 Clayton Rd. in Chesterfield at the southeast corner of Clayton Rd and Hwy 141. Our square dance program continues on subsequent Tuesdays at $5 per person with free snacks. Children ages 8-18 are free when accompanied by a paying adult. Couples and singles of all ages are welcome. No experience is necessary. Wear casual clothes and be prepared to have fun square dancing! Register or just show up. Go to www. westcountyspinners.com. Sept. 23: Red Cross blood drive Blood drive at Blessed Savior Lutheran Church at 2615 Shackelford Road in Florissant from 2:30 - 6:30 p.m. Call the church at 314-831-1300 or sign up on line at redcrossblood.org sponsor

code BlessedSavior. Sept. 23: Karaoke Karaoke at Florissant Valley VFW Post 4105, located at 410 St. Francois from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. All profits go to support veterans. For more information call 314-831-6121. Sept. 23: Health seminar If you have chronic shoulder pain, you need to know your treatment options so you can feel like your old self again. Join Katherine Burns, MD, SSM Health DePaul Hospital orthopedic surgeon, for an informative discussion on treatments shoulder pain from 6 to 8 p.m. at Syberg’s at Dorsett, 2430 Old Dorsett Rd. She will explain non-surgical and surgical procedures, including the latest techniques and newest technology for shoulder replacements. Here’s your chance to truly understand the options when it comes to managing shoulder arthritis pain. Enjoy a light dinner and ask questions about treatment options for shoulder pain. The program is free, but space is limited and reservations are required. Please call 1-866-SSMDOCS (1-866-776-3627) to register by phone or register online at ssmhealth. com/orthopedics. Sept. 24: Wine At The Warehouse “Wine At The Warehouse,” an evening of savory food, fun, live music, raffles, and great wines is hosted by St. Louis HELP, the nonprofit Health Equipment Lending Program that freely loans home medical equipment to any person or family in need. “Wine At The Warehouse” will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. at St. Louis HELP’s warehouse in Olivette at 9709 Dielman Rock Island Drive. The evening includes dinner catered by the Seoul Taco Food Truck, live music by the Ulysses Hoff Band, a “Corks for A Cause” Wine Pull and raffle prizes. Tickets for “Wine At The Warehouse” are $45 per person, a portion of which is tax deductible. For more informa-

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tion or reservations, contact St. Louis HELP at 314-567-4700, email cannonstlhelp@yahoo.com or see the website http://www.stlhelp.org. Please RSVP by Sept.21. Sept. 25: North County Golf Tournament NCI will host a North County Golf Tournament and Auction with registration beginning at 10 a.m. and an 11 a.m. shotgun start. The outing will be held at Emerald Greens Golf Course. The cost for a foursome is $600 and the cost per player is $150 which includes drinks, lunch and dinner. Cost for just dinner and the auctions is $50 per person. Sponsorship packages are still available. Please call 314-895-6241 for more information or go to www. NorthStLouisCounty.com.

Sept. 26: Trivia night St. Marks United Methodist Church at 315 Graham Road in Florissant is having their 13th annual Trivia Night starting at 6:30 pm. Cost is still only $10 per person with up to 10 people at a table. We have a terrific silent auction and snacks and soda are provided. You can bring any food items for your

table; this is a really fun family event with babysitting provided by our certified staff at only $2 per child. You must sign up for babysitting by Sept. 23. Call Debbie or April in the church office at 314-837-9404 to reserve a table as we expect a sell-out.

Sept. 25 – Oct. 4: Alpha Players production of “Oliver” Performances at the Florissant Civic Center Theater will take place Sept. 25, 26, Oct. 2, 3 and 4. Tickets are on sale at the Civic Center Theater box office. Sept. 25: Chicken dinner All you can eat chicken, dine in only, three-piece available to go at Florissant Valley VFW Post 4105, located at 410 St. Francois from 5 to 8 p.m. All profits go to support veterans. For more information call 314-831-6121. SUDOKU answers from page 8

Upcoming Events September 5-6

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September 16, 2015 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

Auction

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Consignment

Job Fair

Garage Sale

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www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • September 16, 2015

help wanted

NOVENA 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.

Thank you, St. Jude

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September 16, 2015 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

Over the Fence

By Joe Morice

Home buying and madness When buying a house, I have some recommendations from my experience to date. They are as follows: 1. Committing suicide is a bad idea. Various popular methods like jumping off bridges or shooting at swat teams aren‘t recommended; you might live through it. Better to give in to unbelievably naïve home-buying madness. 2. Forget buying a house. The alternative means renting a hovel next to a tavern where you can drown your sorrows in a boozy world of “Gee-ain’t-this-great. Of course, you may have trouble finding one for less than it costs to rent a jumbo jet. 3. Since renting is now more expensive than buying, or so the story goes, you may consider inner city rental properties with barred windows and machine gun emplacements, but the price is right. 4. Perhaps you can join the homeless folks living in tents, appliance boxes or abandoned buildings the wrecking crews haven’t demolished yet. Just don’t consult Paul McKee or Mayor Slay. 5. There is always the chance you’ll survive buying a house and writer’s cramp from signing forms from the mountain of paperwork that would deplete 20 acres of forest. This is besides un-indicted mortgage bankers

that mysteriously know how much you have in savings and get every penny of it. After you’re done with all the paperwork and nit-picking that requires sellers to repair things like leaky faucets or dispose of ancient hidden roach motels with no-vacancy signs, then call me and we’ll celebrate together with those folks who have overpriced apartments close to taverns. Back to my madness; the last holdup before closing was the seller was required to put a second vent in the enclosure door that hid the gas furnace. I assume opening a window if I smelled gas wasn’t acceptable. Mysterious are the inner workings of gas companies, right along with their meter-readers who can jump a fence into a yard, get the reading while running like Jackie Joiner-Kersee and jump the next fence before a slavering Doberman closes in for the kill. Electric company meter readers do this as well. Surprisingly, neither are seen in Olympic contests. Perhaps I should recommend buying an older house. They’ve already had owners who went through the pains of finding out the foundation was set on quick sand, the green wood in the walls and ceilings was splitting the drywall, the mis-hung doors close themselves but won’t latch and the windows leak like a mis-guided hot air balloon over an ISIS training camp. With older houses, the sellers have usually been through all the grief and made the necessary repairs…

you hope. You should still have inspections just in case they covered up the foundation cracks with window putty. Besides, older houses have more character. Right? On the other hand, my first house was a brick bungalow. Brick homes are the best, I was told. Unmentioned were the outside temperatures bricks conducted like an open window next to a blast furnace. During summer heat the bedroom walls felt like a hot manifold in a race car and winter cold felt like igloo walls north of Santa‘s toy factory. This old bungalow was built before homeowners discovered brick contractors lied like a politician caught in flagrante delicto with a teenager. The time will finally arrive when you’re unpacked and settled in and you’re relaxing in an easy chair with a cocktail and a smug expression. But if your neighbor drops in and wants your signature on a petition to sue the neighborhood developer for building on a trash dump, number one may look better. 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.

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