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November 29, 2017

A boost for parks

Around Town Hazelwood Firefighters get in the spirit of giving by collecting and donating winter coats. P.4

Community Voices By Larry Brown. P.2

Special Sections

Healthy Living. P.5 Above and Below: Koeneman Park in Jennings will receive $420,000 from the Municipal Parks Grant Commission of St. Louis County to help pay for improvements.

Photos by Charlotte Beard

The Municipal Parks Grant Commission awarded nearly $3 million to help fund park improvements in North St. Louis County

Food

By Charlotte Beard Certain parks in St. Louis County are getting a big financial boost to help with some much-needed upgrades. On Nov. 13 the Municipal Parks Grant Commission of St. Louis County announced grant awards totaling $7,418,135 to 20 park improvement projects. Nine municipalities in North St. Louis County are included in this round 18 of grants and will receive $2,797,403 of the award combined. The North County projects include: Bissell Hills Park in Bellefontaine Neighbors, Bridgeway Park in Bridgeton, JanuaryWabash Park in Ferguson, Manion Park in Florissant, Koeneman Park in Jennings, the Community Center in Northwoods, Legion Park in Overland, Roland Park in Pasadena Hills, and Municipal Park in Velda City. For some municipalities, such as Jennings, this will not be the first award. The grant funds for St. Louis County’s recreation and parks are generated by voter approval of Proposition C in the year 2000 and Proposition P in 2013, both which allow a percentage of sales taxes to be allocated for needed improvements. The commission was created in 2000 to administer these generated funds. “This is probably one of the most efficient uses of tax payers’ funds in any program in the United States,” stated Pat Kelly, Grant Administrator. “The administrative cost [that pays] us [the commission] to do the administrative work is less than $75,000 a year. We administer almost $8 million in grants for less than almost $75,000 a year. The

Appetizers for easy entertaining. P.9

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commission earns more than that in interest every year because we always have funds sitting [for pending grants].” There is a specific process for determining how grants are awarded and distributed to municipalities throughout St. Louis County. The parks grant application process begins June 1 and closes the end of August. There is a limit on the amount of funds a municipality can request annually which is based on the municipality’s population. All grant applications are thoroughly reviewed by the commission’s advisory committee, which is made up of park professionals from various municipality parks. The advisory committee is charged with evaluating and ranking each application based on a scoring system. Following the process, the committee presents its recommendations to the full commission in November. In making the final grant award decisions, the commission always considers the municipality’s needs from both the

perspective of financial and facility needs. Each municipality that receives approval for an award must sign a contract with the commission prior to receiving notice to start their park’s project. Municipalities must bid out the work for their projects in line with the commission’s requirements as provided in the signed contract. To receive the actual grant award, the municipality must complete their project and fulfill their contractual requirements. The requirements include an onsite inspection and review of all municipality vendor/contractor payments for completed work. If a project comes in under budget the municipality is only made a reimbursement relative to what was spent. Kelly who is also the Executive Director for the Municipal League of Metro St. Louis explained that 100 percent of what is being collected in taxes for parks is going directly back to projects. See ‘PARKS’ page 2

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‘Justice League’ stumbles, fans demand director’s cut. P.16

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Around Town

November 29, 2017 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

COMMUNITY VOICES Be thankful for your abilities and disabilities By Larry Brown The Social Security Administration indicates that there are more than 11 million folks in the United States with documented disabilities who receive monthly checks to help offset their inability to earn self-sustaining income. There are also many people whom we all know, possibly including ourselves, our neighbors, or some of our family members, who have disabilities of one kind or another, but have chosen not to apply for disability status. Often their reasons for not applying for official disability status may include a presumption that a negative stigma may follow them thereafter, or they may adopt a feeling of sub–standard qualifications as a human being. They may also not want others to know that they possess a disability. Whatever the case might be, we are all familiar with Americans who have disabilities. We are glad and sometimes boastful when it comes to displaying our abilities, or gifts which make us achieve far above the average in certain skills and talents. We become anxious to demonstrate, perform Get your event or good news published in Community News: email your information in calendar and article formats to editor@mycnews.com.

and otherwise display our positive attributes. May I suggest to you that both abilities and disabilities are important to have and in fact, all of us have them, whether they are dormant or pronounced, but we have a tendency to “accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative “ or at least, downplay any attributes we may have that are problematic or under par. The amazing thing is that we often compensate in one area, where we might be weak in another. How many times have we been told about people who are blind having a keener sense smell, or hearing? One of the best chefs in our homeless shelter’s kitchen was an individual who had lost his sense of taste and smell! He was awesome and his food sensational. What about folks like Stevie Wonder and Rush Limbaugh? It has been said that it takes the “good” and the “bad” to make the journey complete You can’t totally appreciate “joy” without experiencing “sorrow.” So is the difference between “night” and “day.” We must have both to make a full 24-hour cycle.

If you know anyone who receives a monthly check for disability, but would like to enter the workforce in order to improve their “quality of life,” have them call our office at 314-621-6300 or toll free at 866872-1743. We are a national contractor for the Social Security Administration and we find jobs for people with disabilities who wish to work. We can turn their disability into a real reason for Thanksgiving. Larry Brown is Chairman of the Board and co-founder of Worknet, Inc., which has a national ten year contract with the Social Security Administration to find jobs for people with disabilities who are interested and qualified to enter the traditional workforce. He is also co-founder and president of Grace Chapel Ministries, former president of National Cable Training Centers, and president of Woodstock Industrial Products Group. 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.

‘PARKS’ from cover “The league is proud of that and so is the park commission,” Kelly said. Kelly made note of the funding granted last year to the city of Wellston’s Trojan Park, located at the corner of Skinker and Etzel. Great Rivers Greenway submitted the grant application in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) on behalf of Wellston. Wellston was awarded $315,000. Kelly said that yearly the NRPA Photo by Charlotte Beard chooses a park project to tour Manion Park in Florissant will receive $519,805 from the Municipal Parks Grant Commission of St. Louis County to help pay for improvements. during their annual conference. When the conference was in St. Louis last year, Trojan Park was of that.” the project they toured. According to Great Rivers Greenway The commission is made up of seven voting members – sources, the project was part of NRPA’s Parks Build Community representative of the St. Louis County Council Districts and two initiative, which “aims to demonstrate the transformative value of non-voting members – a city administrator and chairman of the parks and recreation on communities across the country.” Park Advisory committee. They cannot be current municipal “The commission is very proud of the impact they have been officials; mayors in each district make a recommendation and able to have in St. Louis County,” said Kelly. “These are the kind the mayors vote on that appointee for the seat in the commission. of facilities that residents use every day. From that aspect, it’s The administered annual funding started at approximately $3 really rewarding to see improvements to those areas [that have million. Today approximately $7.5 million goes towards grants for been awarded]. Wellston is probably one of the greatest examples municipal parks in St. Louis County.

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www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • November 29, 2017

Hazelwood Police Department making progress with CALEA accreditation The Hazelwood Police Department (HPD) is currently in a selfassessment stage as they work to seek international accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). “Members of the Hazelwood Police Department are recognized as highly-motivated, conscientious men and women performing an exceptional job in a highly scrutinized profession. A CALEA accreditation validates that HPD has established the highest standards in regards to policy, training and community service. The accreditation protocols have become a necessity for modern day policing agencies to encourage a best practices mind-set department wide that additionally serves to enhance community trust,” said Hazelwood’s Chief of Police Gregg Hall. The purpose of CALEA’s Accreditation Programs is to improve the delivery of public safety services, primarily by maintaining a body of standards developed by public safety practitioners, covering a wide range of up-to-date public safety initatives. This is done by establishing and administrating an accreditation process. The goals of obtaining accreditation are to: • Strengthen crime prevention and control capabilities. • Formalize essential management procedures;. • Establish fair and nondiscriminatory personnel practices. • Improve service delivery. • Solidify interagency cooperation and coordination, and • Increase community and staff confidence in the agency. The HPD has been working on the self-assessment phase since July 2015 and is slated to be assessed by CALEA on its progress in late summer of 2018. The police department and its employees are working hard to prepare for this assessment. The HPD will be posting important information on its website, www.hazelwoodpd.org, and social media platforms in the coming months regarding its progress with the accreditation program. For more information, contact the Director of Professional Standards, Maj. Ken Jewson at 314-838-5000.

Around Town

Loop Trolley receives federal approval for next phase, begins system integrated testing Following authorization recently received from the Federal Transit Administration, an important phase of the Loop Trolley’s startup activities is set to commence immediately. Through mid-January, trolley vehicles will be in active use along the full 2.2 mile trolley alignment – from Delmar/Kingsland in University City to the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis’ Forest Park – for purposes of System Integrated Testing (SIT). “It’s an incredibly exciting step for the project, in many different ways” said Kevin Barbeau, Executive Director for the Loop Trolley Company. “In addition to certifying the system’s safety, it’s our chance to begin showing off these beautifully-restored trolley vehicles on a consistent basis. “Just seeing them out on the street under their own power, pulling into Forest Park or moving along Delmar, really will drive home the benefits and potential of the entire project.” With construction complete and individual system elements now tested and accepted, the SIT phase will assess the Loop Trolley system as a whole, with special attention paid to powered interface with platforms, signaled intersections, switch points and safety mechanisms. SIT activities will primarily occur in early morning hours, due to the stop-and-inspect nature of many of the tests, with some mid-morning and daytime runs expected. Over the past two months, powered movement has been limited to the “protected portion” of

the alignment on Delmar between DeBaliviere Ave. and the historic Wabash Station at Delmar/ Des Peres, and on DeBaliviere between Delmar and Forest Park Parkway, wherein the first class of Loop Trolley Operators have amassed approximately 40 hours of on-vehicle training. With access granted to the full alignment via FTA approval, additional certification will occur concurrently with SIT. A second operator class begins training after the new year. For SIT, Training and Passenger Service, the trolleys will share the road with personal vehicles in the portion of the alignment west of the Des Peres Bridge on Delmar, and regularly interact with vehicles at intersections and driveways east of the Des Peres Bridge on Delmar, and on DeBaliviere. As the trolleys cannot veer to avoid obstacles, it is important that any vehicle parked on the street-running portion park against the curb, and that the vehicle be completely inside of the striped parking lane. The Loop Trolley is a 2.2-mile, fixed-route, electrically powered, heritage trolley that will provide a memorable way to experience some of the best St. Louis has to offer. With all major construction completed along the trolley route in St. Louis and University City and vehicle testing underway, the Loop Trolley will link St. Louis City and County in an exciting new way. The trolley will run through the Delmar Loop along Delmar Blvd. and continue on DeBaliviere Ave., connecting people and neighborhoods, the past and the present.

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Around Town

November 29, 2017 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

A motion to give: Motion for Kids to host annual holiday party Kick off the holiday season with Motion for Kids (MFK), an annual holiday party for thousands of metropolitan St. Louis area children who are in the foster care system, or children whose lives have been severely impacted by the criminal justice system. The Motion for Kids holiday party is held each December for approximately 2,500 metropolitan St. Louis area children, by invitation only. This year’s party is scheduled for 1 - 4 p.m. on Dec. 2 at the Chaifetz Arena on the Saint Louis University campus. The Saint Louis Bar Foundation has partnered with The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (BAMSL), the St. Louis Cardinals, the St. Louis Blues, St. Louis University and the Isaac Bruce Foundation to present this yearly event that provides cheer to area children who otherwise would not experience the joy

of the holiday season. MFK partners with local support organizations to identify the children invited to attend the holiday party with their parents or guardians. Those children are matched up with sponsors from the St. Louis legal community (lawyers, judges, paralegals, office administrators, law students, legal secretaries, etc., and their families). Each sponsor is asked to purchase and wrap two gifts chosen from the child’s wish list. “The neat and unique thing about this party is that the gifts are specific to what the children want, selected from their own wish lists,” said Zoe Linza, BAMSL’s executive director. “Oftentimes, children receive random gifts and they might not receive what they really want. This initiative ensures the children receive gifts they really want.” Gifts are distributed after the party. Activities during the party include: photos and autographs with sports figures and cheerleaders, arts and crafts stations,

face painting, games, storytelling, photos with Santa Claus, lunch for the children, and more. BAMSL’s Women in the Legal Profession (WILP) Section is collecting new and gently used children’s books for the Book Corner. Children will be allowed to pick a book or two to take home. New this year is storyteller Georgy Rock entertaining the children at the WILP Book Corner beginning at 3 p.m. Rock has been spinning tales locally for nearly 30 years, from the Old Library Limited to ongoing gigs at Catholic Supply of St. Louis and various congregations across the city. Like past Motion for Kids holiday parties, this year promises to provide a happier holiday for nearly 2,500 deserving children in the metropolitan area. It truly kicks off the holiday season and makes it the “most wonderful time of the year” for not only the children but also the volunteers who make the party so successful.

Hazelwood Firefighters get in the spirit of giving by collecting and donating winter coats w w w. s e n i o r s h e l p i n g s e n i o r s . c o m / s t l o u i s c e n t r a l

Photo courtesy city of Hazelwood This boy was very grateful to Hazelwood Firefighters (from left) Dave Ruhland, firefighter/paramedic, Deputy Chief Dan Luley and Firefighter/ Paramedic Bob Glenn, who helped him pick out the coat he liked.

www.TheSarahCommunity.com

In an effort to help needy families in the city of Hazelwood and throughout the bi-state region, Hazelwood Firefighters through their Community Outreach Program have been participating in this year’s Warners’ Warm-Up Coat Drive from Nov.1 to the 14. They also initiated Operation Warm to coincide with this project which involved sizing some kids at two area elementary schools for new winter coats which were donated to them this week. Hazelwood Firefighters established the following locations in Hazelwood as collection sites for the Warner’s Warm-Up Coat Drive: City Hall; Fire Stations #1 & #2; Hazelwood Community Center and Civic Center East. When it came time to gather all the donated coats, some of the boxes at these locations were overflowing. They collected a total of 75 coats during this short time period. The firefighters wish to say “thank you” to everyone for their generosity. Operation Warm has been a public service program supported by IAFF Local 2665 for a number of years. Hazelwood Firefighters decided to participate in it this year. In fact, Hazelwood Fire Department and Robertson Fire Protection District jointly participated by donating $500 each. Operation Warm matched their generous contributions with a grant for $1,000, which raised the total amount of their donation to $2,000. In addition, Hazelwood Firefighter Bob

Glenn reported that the department collected $110 dollars from local residents on Facebook to help buy winter coats for needy kids. Both fire agencies covered two elementary schools in Hazelwood that were in their jurisdiction. Hazelwood Fire Department went to Russell Elementary and McNair Elementary Schools. The Robertson Fire Protection District handled Armstrong Elementary and Garrett Elementary Schools. Hazelwood Firefighters worked with counselors at their assigned schools to identify which kids qualified and sized them to determine their coat sizes. They placed an order for 62 coats. When these coats arrived, Hazelwood Firefighters delivered them to both elementary schools. There were enough coats, allowing the selected students to choose the color they wanted. Each of the coats were foam insulated with a hoodie. After they picked out their coat, the Firefighters helped them put their name in it. For the older girls, they were given teen winter beanie caps of various colors to match their coats. There were smiles on all the kids’ faces as they tried on their new coats. Many of them were speechless but made a point to say “thank you” to the firefighters. A city of Hazelwood spokesperson reports that the department plans to do this again next year with more public support.

www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • November 29, 2017

Around Town

Pedal the Cause donates $4 million to advance cancer research Records were broken last night as the St. Louis community gathered at Ballpark Village to hear Pedal the Cause announce their 2017 donation total at the Check Presentation Celebration - $4,002,639 to Siteman Cancer Center and Siteman Kids at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. 100 percent of this donation will fund groundbreaking adult and pediatric cancer research right here in St. Louis. This donation was raised by over 3,074 riders and stationary cyclists, 800 volunteers, 400 virtual riders, and 300 kids participating in the eighth annual Pedal the Cause – a cycling challenge and weekend community celebration with the goal of curing all cancers for everyone. Pedal the Cause 2017 took place on Sept. 23 and 24 at the Chesterfield Amphitheater. “The difference between an average institution and

a world-class institution is community support,” says Deputy Director of Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, John DiPersio, MD, PhD. “Pedal the Cause is the force in St. Louis that has helped elevate Siteman to a worldclass institution. The caliber of research that we are able to perform is a direct effect of this community support, and we could not be more grateful for this tremendous gift.” “Crossing the $4 million mark is a huge accomplishment for the Pedal the Cause family and the St. Louis community,” says Executive Director of Pedal the Cause, Jay Indovino. “This record-breaking donation represents more than just dollars, it represents the passion, determination, and selflessness of our community. It represents the hope that one day we

won’t need to do this anymore because we will fulfill our mission and end this terrible disease.” The generous support of sponsors, led by Edward Jones as the presenting sponsor, ensures that 100 percent of donations made to Pedal the Cause directly fund the best and brightest cancer research projects at Siteman Cancer Center and Siteman Kids at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. With the support of more than 30,000 donors, Pedal the Cause is the region’s largest peer-to-peer fundraising event. In eight years of fundraising, Pedal the Cause has donated $19,809,668 to their beneficiaries, funding 92 cancer research projects — including 64 adult and 28 pediatric projects. Funds donated by Pedal the Cause in 2017 will be distributed to the most promising research projects in 2018.

Ways to plan for cold and flu season

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Declining temperatures can bring fun, coolweather activities, but they also mean cold and flu season is lurking. While everyone hopes to stay healthy, it can be difficult to completely avoid viruses and bugs. Dr. Deborah Gilboa, a board-certified family physician and Braun spokesperson, offers some simple suggestions to help your family plan for cold and flu season. Dispose of Expired Medicine: Spend some time checking the medications you already have at home. Review the expiration dates and if any need to be thrown out, research how to properly dispose of them according to local government guidelines. Stock Up: Before cold and flu season, make sure to stockpile must-haves like ginger ale, ice pops and recommended cough suppressants. Thinking ahead means you won’t have to rush out when you or a family member comes down with something. Practice Healthy Habits: Encourage the entire family to maintain healthy habits such as regular hand washing, following a nutritious diet, drinking plenty of water, and coughing or sneezing into a tissue to help minimize the spread of cold and flu viruses. Use a Reliable Thermometer: Reading the temperature of a person who feels ill can help provide confidence and peace of mind. Make sure you have a reliable thermometer like the Braun ThermoScan 5 Ear thermometer. “It’s important to carefully monitor potential illnesses to make sure children get and stay well,

and taking an accurate temperature reading is a necessary part of this process, which is why I trust my Braun thermometer,” Gilboa said. “As a doctor and a mom to four boys, it gives me the confidence to know that I’m accurately taking my child’s temperature before I take any next steps, like administering medication.” Have Important Information on Hand: To save time when your child is ill, keep a reference of your child’s allergies, prescribed medications, dosage amounts and current weight handy. Health care providers typically need this information to correctly prescribe and dose most medications. Other items to keep on-hand include school sick day policies, operating manuals for medical devices and a reference of temperature readings that classify a fever. Manage Humidity Levels: Control your home’s humidity levels with a humidifier to help prevent the survival of flu viruses on surfaces and in the air. Keep Contact Information Accessible: Keep a list of important phone numbers and addresses inside your medicine cabinet door or on the fridge so they’re easily accessible to family members, babysitters and caretakers. Include your family doctor or local clinic, schools, pharmacists and anyone else you may need to reach in an emergency. If cold or flu reach your household this winter, it’s always important to consult a doctor if you have any questions regarding the health of your family members. For more information, visit braunthermometers.com.

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Around Town 6

Business

November 29, 2017 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

West Community Credit Union McCluer South-Berkeley students gain real-world experience through Centene internship now in Florissant West Community Credit Union’s merger with APEX Financial Credit Union has been finalized. With the completion, West Community Credit Union is now open in Florissant with a branch located at 18 Mullanphy Gardens Shopping Center. “We’re excited to be part of the Florissant community and to provide more convenience and financial choice to that market,” stated Jason Peach, CEO. “We have so many members that already live and work in the area so the timing of the merger was a great opportunity. Our commitment to serving our members and building on those community relationships is our top priority,” Peach noted. West Community completed the merger in November, which converted the Florissant branch into the fifth public location operating under West Community Credit Union in the St. Louis area (and two locations in Columbia under Tigers Community Credit Union). “Our goal is to make this transition as smooth as possible for the existing membership,” said branch manager, Robyn Dietrich. “We’re excited to share the many additional products and services offered by West Community as well as access to the CO-OP Shared Branching network for free!” For more information about West Community Credit Union, visit their web site at www.westcommunitycu.org or call 636720-2400.

Pictured (from left) are La’Sha Harper, Bradley Johnson and Casey Harden.

Two seniors at McCluer South-Berkeley High School are getting real-world business experience in their internships at Centene Corporation as part of the Supervised Business Experience (SBE) offered in the Ferguson-Florissant School District. Casey Harden and La’Sha Harper, both seniors at MS-B have enjoyed the vast learning opportunities their internship has provided them. As part of their day-to-day duties, they work with organizational teams, process patient data, field calls, and work to satisfy Centene’s overall metrics. The students split their day with classes in the morning and then head to their internship at Centene for the afternoon. “Student scholars selected for this SBE earn academic credit and learn career-and-college mindsets that will prepare them for postsecondary endeavors,” said Bradley Johnson,

Photo courtesy Ferguson-Florissant School District

SBE internship director and business department teacher at McCluer South-Berkeley. “As the spotlight was placed on Ferguson in 2014, Centene Corporation, a company that provides healthcare solutions for the marketplace, decided to construct a new call center in the community. Fortunately, the leadership of Centene decided to establish a partnership with the Ferguson-Florissant School District.” The SBE is a great education and employment opportunity for students enrolled in business and/or marketing courses in the district and meet the eligibility requirements. “These leaders are able to make real-world connections between the business curricula and the multifaceted, global economy that surrounds us,” Johnson said. “This experience is just another tool to ensure our students are college and career ready.”

Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers opens in Florissant www.LifeCareCenterOfFlorissant.com

Photo courtesy city of Florissant Pictured is Florissant Mayor Thomas Schneider, Councilman Tommy Siam, Chief Tim Lowery, Chamber Chairman Mike Moehlenkamp and chamber staff, General Manager of Raising Cane’s Kevin Petersen with his wife Eisha and others as they get ready to do the official ribbon cutting.

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Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, the popular Louisiana-based restaurant company, has opened its first restaurant in Florissant at 2800 N. Highway 67. Grand opening festivities began on Nov. 16 at 8:30 a.m. and the official ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by the Florissant Chamber of Commerce began at 9:30 a.m. with local dignitaries in

attendance to help celebrate the event. Raising Cane’s hours of operation at the new Florissant store will be: Sunday – Thursday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Friday – Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 a.m. More information is available at www.raisingcanes.com.

www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • November 29, 2017

Normandy entrepreneurship students finish in Top 12 of national NFTE competition

School

McCluer Army JROTC passes accreditation evaluation

Photo courtesy Ferguson-Florissant School District

Photo courtesy Normandy Schools Collaborative McKinney (center) and Larry (second from right) take a break with their families while in New York City for the NFTE national competition. The students are sophomores at Normandy High School.

After their second place finish at the regional competition, Deimon McKinney and Raheem Larry moved on to New York City to pitch their business idea at the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) national competition. And while they did place among the top 12 contestants, the Normandy High School sophomores also came away from the competition with a renewed determination to take their product to market, a more confident and thor-

ough business pitch -- and a trip to New York City. Their business idea is the Double Backer Packer, a backpack with two full-size compartment designed for student-athletes to carry their books and school work in one section, and their athletic gear in the other. McKinney and Larry earned the trip to New York after taking second place in the regional NFTE competition in May. They were freshmen at the time.

The McCluer Army JROTC Comet Battalion was recently evaluated by the JROTC Program of Accreditation (JPA). The Comets received 189 out of 200 points or 94.5 percent, passing the evaluation and coming just .5 percent short of scoring in the 95 percent area to earn the JPA’s Honor Unit with Distinction title. “The 94.5 percent score is a testament of where the cadets have grown since their last evaluation,” said LTC (R) Darrell Gray, Army JROTC senior instructor, who has lead the Comet battalion since 2014. JPA evaluation visits are conducted every three years. They are designed to assess units primarily in the areas of teaching and learning. The visit is comprised of accreditation criteria that include cadet participation and the assessment of the instructor portfolio. Units are evaluated in the following areas: Staff Battalion Continuous Improvement Briefing; Cadet Portfolio and Interview; Cadet Unit Report; 100 percent Cadet In-Ranks Inspection; Cadet Color Guard Evaluation and Cadet Platoon Drill and Ceremonies Evaluation.

Photo courtesy Hazelwood School District

Hazelwood East students receive more than $300,000 in scholarships

Twenty Hazelwood East High School students recently received more than $316,000 in scholarships during the Infinite Scholars program held at St. Louis University. Students received acceptances from Missouri State University, Southern Illinois UniversityEdwardsville, Philander Smith College, Eastern Illinois University, Alabama A&M and Lane College. “I am extremely proud of our students on collectively earning more than $316,000 in scholarships,” said Dr. Nettie Collins-Hart, Hazelwood School District superintendent. “This is an im-

pressive amount of money so early in the school year. Our students’ accomplishments serve as a reminder for educators on why we do what we do, to help prepare students to be college ready and equipped for their future,” said CollinsHart. The Infinite Scholars Program is a nonprofit organization founded in 2003. The program ensures that financially-disadvantaged students deserving to go to college receive the funding they need. Today, nearly 80 percent of participants in the Infinite Scholars Program enroll in college.

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School

November 29, 2017 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

McCluer senior places second in local essay competition

North County Christian School names student of the month

Mariah Ruff, a senior at McCluer High School, placed second in the 2017 Local Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc. – Alpha Zeta Chapter National Essay Competition for high school students. As the second place essayist, Ruff received $75 and was recognized at the organization’s annual Apple for the Teacher awards luncheon on Nov. 18. Ruff ’s essay was on the use of cellular devices in classrooms.

Samantha Hayner was honored at the Northwest Chamber of Commerce membership meeting on Nov. 9. Samantha is a senior and has attended North County Christian School since 10th grade. Her high school curriculum includes anatomy & physiology, biology 2 and calculus. She maintains a 4.09 grade point average while attending NCCS. Samantha is a member of the NCCS Student Council, the captain of the varsity volleyball team and a member of the soccer team. She enjoys building sets for school plays, participating in military reenactments and she was a member of the NCCS Spanish 3 class mission trip team that served in the country of Honduras. Samantha is very involved in the community. She is a recipient of the Mayoral Award for Community Service. Samantha is a member of Girl Scout Troop #52 and is in the process of receiving the Girl Scout Gold Award. She has built an ozone garden at Little Creek Nature Center and she enjoys giving horseback riding lessons to young girls in the community. Samantha hopes to attend Murray State University and study agriculture & aniPhoto courtesy NCCS mal science and participate on the equesSamantha Hayner was honored at the Northwest Chamber of Commerce trian team. membership meeting on Nov. 9.

Photo courtesy Ferguson-Florissant School District

Hazelwood School District recognized for its commitment to STEM Photo courtesy Hazelwood School District

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The Hazelwood School District was recognized with the 100 percent Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Student Access Award during the Annual PLTW Conference on Nov. 5 and 6 in Blue Springs, Missouri. The award was presented to the district for its commitment to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education by providing students with access to PLTW courses in grades K-12. The 100 percent Access Award is granted to a PLTW certified school district in Missouri that provides students K-12 access to at least one PLTW program. HSD has offered PLTW in the high schools since 2004, middle schools since 2006 (PLTW Gateway) and most recently, implemented a PLTW launch for grades K-5. “The district is focusing on increasing PLTW/ STEM course offerings to all students, in order to increase student achievement, better prepare them to be college and career ready, and to de-

velop the 21st century technical skills necessary to thrive in a rapidly evolving world,” said Dr. Collins-Hart, superintendent of schools. Enrollment in PLTW/STEM courses has increased steadily in the district since the 20032004 school year. “The Hazelwood School District has been a PLTW District since 2004,” said Matt McClellan, special areas curriculum coordinator for HSD. “We continue to increase our PLTW/STEM course offerings, in line with our district’s number one goal of increasing student achievement. By 2018, it is projected that 10 million new jobs will fall under STEM. PLTW classes will certainly help our students to be more competitive for the workforce.” PLTW was founded in 1997 in 12 high schools in New York. It has grown to more than 8,000 middle and high schools across the country, as well as affiliate colleges and universities.

www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • November 29, 2017

Recipe:

Appetizers for easy entertaining

hen it comes time to entertain family and friends, it’s important to have a few simple, warm appetizers and small plates at the ready. Plan your menu with recipes that can be prepped ahead of time and popped in the oven when guests arrive. It can make hosting easier and more enjoyable. A versatile ingredient that can enhance your favorite sweet and savory recipes, Musselman’s

Food

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Apple Butter is more than just a spread. It’s made the old-fashioned way for perfect texture and a rich apple-cinnamon flavor, giving parties and get-togethers a unique taste in recipes like these Apple Brie Bites and Apple Butter BaconWrapped Shrimp. Find more appetizers ideal for entertaining at musselmans.com.

Apple Brie Bites Servings: 24

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Ingredients: 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed 5 ounces Brie cheese 1/2 cup apple butter 1/4 cup pecans, chopped Directions: Heat oven to 400 F. Grease mini muffin pan.

Press seams of puff pastry sheet together. Cut sheet into quarters then each quarter into six pieces.

Put 1/2 teaspoon brie, 1 teaspoon apple butter and 1/2 teaspoon chopped pecans into each muffin cup.

Use rolling pin to flatten each piece of pastry into square shape. Place one square into each muffin cup.

Bake 13-15 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm.

Apple Butter Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp Servings: 10

Ingredients: 3/4 cup apple butter 1/2 cup maple syrup 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika 10 pieces bacon 10 extra-large shrimp, cleaned and deveined chopped cilantro, for garnish (optional) Directions: Heat oven to 400 F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In medium-sized skillet over medium heat, add apple butter, maple syrup, red pepper flakes, salt and paprika. Whisk until mixture is thick and cooked down by half, about 10 minutes. Set aside. In large skillet over medium heat, add bacon slices and cook until browned but still flexible. Remove from pan and drain on paper towel-lined plate. Wrap one bacon slice around each shrimp, secure with toothpick and place onto prepared baking sheet. Once all shrimp have been wrapped, baste tops with apple butter mixture. Bake 5 minutes then flip and baste other

side of shrimp. Bake another 5 minutes. Continue to flip and baste shrimp (2 minutes each time) until shrimp is fully cooked.

Do not overcook as glaze can burn. Sprinkle with cilantro, if desired.

Learn & Play

November 29, 2017 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

Crossword Puzzle Theme: Pearls of Wisdom

Yeggs

John Hanna

‘Yeggs’ is a comic series about Robert and Bill, two rabbits who have opened their own egg franchise in the Midwest (St. Louis area). We follow their day to day lives, watching as they go about the hectic task of preparing for their one big day every year. Along the way they have adventures filled with fun, comic doings and pathos.

Moore On Life

ACROSS 1. “No way” partner 6. Lending letters 9. Basketball star Nowitzki 13. “Love,” à Paris 14. ____ date 15. Kind of chisel 16. Infamous Ford model 17. Stuff in a tray? 18. Romanov’s edict 19. Bony chest plate 21. *It makes the heart grow fonder 23. *You can’t make an omelet without breaking one 24. Border 25. Prune 28. Block of granite, e.g. 30. Whacko one 35. Eye layer 37. Author Murdoch 39. Paparazzo’s quest 40. Common allergens 41. *Sure sign of fire 43. Like nay-sayers 44. Rid of obstructions 46. Done to trouble 47. Asian weight unit 48. Cold sore, e.g. 50. Object of worship 52. 9 to 5, e.g. 53. Not of the cloth 55. Famous frat house 57. *Louder than words 61. *They can’t be choosers 65. Allocated quantity 66. Famous T-Rex 68. Cereal killer 69. Prodded 70. *”No ____ crying over spilt milk” 71. Recycle, in a way 72. H or O in H2O, e.g. 73. *”You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ____” 74. Make tea, e.g.

DOWN 1. Midday slumbers 2. Fail to mention 3. Use a whetstone 4. Grossly unconventional 5. *Two of these do not make a right 6. Genesis man 7. Pimple fluid 8. ____ center for help 9. Home of Blue Devils 10. Ali Khamenei’s domain 11. CISC alternative 12. Genuflecting joint 15. Serious quarrel 20. Tangerine-grapefruit hybrid, pl. 22. Ballerina’s do 24. Non-living 25. *No such thing as a free one 26. Egg cell 27. ____ Cottontail 29. Picture on a coat? 31. Not this 32. Actor Hill 33. Weasel’s aquatic cousin 34. *A watched pot never does this 36. Hurry up! 38. Row of vagrants 42. With a jagged margin 45. Follows aim and shoot 49. ____ Diego 51. They’re usually golden or amber 54. Question in dispute 56. White heron 57. Caribbean color 58. Like a short reply 59. Burkina Faso neighbor 60. Big-ticket ____ 61. Duff in Springfield, e.g. 62. Flu symptom 63. Kate Winslet in “Titanic” 64. *Beginning of a thousand mile journey 67. “This land is your land...” See answers on page 13

By Cindy Moore

Power play The power went out the other day. Some diptwerp had been overindulging on adult beverages and took a wrong turn into one of our major power poles. Because the pickled one was highly marinated, he naturally walked away with minor bruises, while of course; the pole suffered contusions, concussions, a broken spine and showed no signs of life. This caused havoc in our community: no lights, no TV, no concept of time. Just like living in the stone ages. We should have turned our watches back one hundred years, but none of us knew what a watch was. Somewhere in the back of our minds we remembered that it was a little windyup thingy with numbers that used to tell time. We all use our phones for that now. It created problems with our internet too. No connection with the World Wide Web! Do you know what it’s like to have the urge to Google and not be able to? My husband, “Well, I guess we’ll have to make the best of it. Light a candle.” “Great,” I said. “Me make fire. You go hunt big dinosaur for dinner.” Luckily I found a candle leftover from his birthday cake; but how long would a two-inch high wax mold that said “OLD GEEZER” keep away the dark? Soon we would be out of light, and since all of the restaurants in the area suffered too, we would be out of food. It had already been an hour since the outage and we were feeling the first pangs of snack time. There were just the four of us, me, my husband and the cats. The cats and I were soon conspiring on how best to grill my husband. Hey…survival of the fastest.

We had to get him before he got us. “Aha,” I thought, “I’ll just Google a barbeque recipe.” I reached for my phone. “Dang! Think… think! What did they do in the dark ages when one needed a recipe?” A recollection hit – a little rectangular thingy with pages and words. I believe it was referred to as a book. With geezer candle in hand, I located a dusty book in the furthest recesses of the pantry. I found a tasty recipe which called for a barbeque rub. Perfect! I’d lure my husband into receiving a back massage, convincing him that a spice rub had holistic healing properties. The cats were licking their chops. The recipe called for cumin. Cumin? What the heck’s a cumin? I reached for my phone to Google it. Double dang! Just then my husband came in, “Whatcha doin?” “What’s cumin?” “Don’t know. But I’m going? They’ve got power next city over…and restaurants.” Saved by Taco Bob’s! 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.

www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • November 29, 2017

Sports you see with Gary B... Rascals bringing back memories The River City Rascals are a professional baseball team that plays home games as CarShield Field, formerly known as T.R. Hughes Ballpark in O’Fallon. This upcoming season they will celebrating their 20th year in the community and want you to share some of your highlights of the past. Since opening in O’Fallon, the Rascals have won the West Division Championship in 2009, 2011 and 2014. They also had Frontier League Championship Appearances in all those years as well as 2015 and 2016 and won the Frontier League Championship in 2010 under the direction of former player and current manager, Steve Brook. Over the past 19 seasons, four players have made it to the Major Leagues; Josh Kinney, Justin Christian, Joe Thatcher, Brandon Cunniff with former manager, Jack Clark, becoming the hitting coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Fans are encouraged to share pictures and stories with the Rascals to be highlighted and displayed throughout the summer. For more information go to www.RiverCityRascals.com * The way we were Lindenwood men’s basketball win first game at home The Lindenwood University men’s basketball team won its home opener on Monday night on their home court at Hyland Arena with an 86-61 victory over Hannibal-LaGrange. The defense led the way as they had 13 steals and forced 23 turnovers in the contest. The result from that fact is that it led to 27 points off turnovers, including 10 that came on fast-break points. Lindenwood had a 46-37 lead at halftime, and never saw its lead get cut lower than seven points in the second half. Offensively, the squad had a balanced effort with four players in double-figures. The Lions bench came to add to the fun as they put 41 points on the board. At the end, the Lions finished the game making 50 percent of their shots from the field, and they made 11 three-pointers. Chandler Diekvoss had a team-high 19 points,

and also tied for the team-high with eight rebounds and three steals. TJ Crockett hit four three-pointers and finished with a season-high 17 points. Max Meylor had 14 points, and knocked down three three-pointers and Brad Newman was the final Lion in double-figure scoring with 12. Lindenwood improves to 4-1 on the season. For more information go to www.LindenwoodLions.com * Home advantage Indoor soccer Ambush look for first victory The professional St. Louis Ambush play in the central division of the MASL with home games at the Family Arena. In a recent contest against the Cedar Rapids Rampage the Ambush were outscored 7-1 in the first half. The St. Louis squad bounced back to outscore their opponents 6-2 in the second half, but that was not enough as the comeback fell short for the fourth loss of the young season 9-7. Goals from the Ambush included: Jerjer Gibson, Hewerton Moreira, Victor France, Stefan St. Louis, Paulo Nascimento with Corey Adamson putting two to the back of the net. The next home game for the team will be Dec. 8 against the Milwaukee Wave. For more information go to www.StlAmbush. com * Keep working hard

Sports

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

See solution on page 13

Gary B. will be broadcasting the “STL Health and Wellness LIVE” show every Saturday from 9-11 am on 590 The Fan and 590TheFan.com

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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What’s Happening

November 29, 2017 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

Send your event to editor@mycnews.com and we'll print it! EVENTS Nov. 29: 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.

Nov. 29: Wine tasting

A wine tasting experience will take place at 6:30 p.m. at 1970 Trotterway in Florissant. Cost is $20 per person. RSVP at thevinoexperience@att.net or call 314-550-1641.

Dec. 1: Steak night

Steak night at Florissant Valley VFW Post 4105, located at 410 St. Francois, from 4 to 7 p.m. All profits go to support veterans. For more information call 314-831-6121.

Dec. 1-2: Trinkets, treasures and treats sale

Friends of Ferguson Library Trinkets, Treasures and Treats Sale takes place Dec. 1 from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and on Dec. 2 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Ferguson Library Auditorium at 35 N. Florissant Road. Gift quality items with some collectible dolls, vintage toys, home baked items and books will be available for purchase.

Dec. 2: Project Liftoff

Project Liftoff XXVIIII, a drug free, alcohol free and tobacco free holiday D.A.R.E party sponsored by the city of Florissant, Florissant Youth Advisory Commission and D.A.R.E (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) taught by Florissant Police Officers in Florissant area schools takes place from 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. at the James J. Eagan Center for fifth – eighth grades. There will be DJ music, a game room, ice skating, swimming, contests and door prizes. Refreshments include free pizza and Pepsi products. Admission is $6 in advance, $8 day of event. Florissant resident card required to purchase ticket.Tickets required upon entry. Tickets are on sale now at the JFK Center or JJE Center. Tickets sales day of event: 8 – 5 p.m. at JJE only. Tickets will not be sold at the door. For more information call the James J. Eagan Center at 314-921-4466 or JFK Center at 314-921-4250.

Dec. 2: Blood drive

Sarah Allen Women’s Missionary Society is sponsoring a Red Cross blood drive from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Christ Our Redeemer AME Church at13820 Old Jamestown Rd. in Black Jack.

Dec. 2: Breakfast with Santa

Calvary United Church of Christ at 2501 Hartland Avenue invites the community to Breakfast with Santa from 9 - 11 a.m. Cost is $4 with children two and younger free. Cost includes breakfast, face painting, crafts and of course the opportunity to meet Santa. For reservations or questions call 314-429-7464.

Dec. 6: 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.

Dec. 7: Christmas luncheon

Taille de Noyer will be decorated in her holiday finery for the annual Christmas Luncheon. Seatings are at 11 a.m., 12:15 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. Following lunch (or before if you arrive early) guests are invited to tour all four floors of Taille. The lower area houses many treasures from early Florissant including one of the first street lights, a pair of wooden shoes made locally and fixtures from Wiethaupt’s General Store and Miss Bright’s Hat Shop, both former businesses in Old Town. The first and second floors contain furnishings that reflect the different periods of the house and the third floor Costume Room boasts a collection of clothing that spans more than a hundred years. Tickets are $15 each and reservations are necessary. You can order tickets by sending your check to the Florissant Valley Historical Society, P.O. Box 298, Florissant,MO 63032 or by calling Mary Kay, 409-9478 or Pat, 440-2344. Please specify seating time when making reservations. Tickets will be held at the door.

Dec. 8: Country fried steak or meatloaf dinner

Country fried steak or meatloaf dinner at Florissant Valley VFW Post 4105, located at 410 St. Francois, from 4 to 7 p.m. All profits go to support veterans. For more information

call 314-831-6121.

Dec. 9: Breakfast

Breakfast at Florissant Valley VFW Post 4105, located at 410 St. Francois, from 8 to 10 a.m. All profits go to support veterans. For more information call 314-831-6121.

Dec. 9: Army - Navy game and chili cook off

Army - Navy game and chili cook off at Florissant Valley VFW Post 4105, located at 410 St. Francois, starts at 1 p.m. All profits go to support veterans. For more information call 314831-6121.

Dec. 9: Flea market

Flea market at Florissant Valley VFW Post 4105, located at 410 St. Francois, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. All profits go to support veterans. For more information call 314-831-6121.

Dec. 9: Christmas fundraiser

Cookies with Santa and Vendor Shopping Fundraiser benefiting nonprofit Mastokids.org and Scholarships for Care Family Chiropractic Tree of Life takes place from 7 to 10 a.m. at Medici Space at 2065 Walton Road in Overland. Cost is $5 in advance by Dec. 8; $7 at the door Children three and under are free. Online registration ends Dec. 8. Admission includes pictures with Santa, cookies and refreshments, vendor shopping and kids activities. Vendor donation is $50 email kkfundraising2014@gmail. com. Sponsorships, donations and tickets can be found at https://www. eventbrite.com/e/cookies-with-santavendor-fair-tickets-39820782031. The event is hosted by Melissa Harbaugh melisme77@me.com and Dr. Stephanie Nicholson 314-485-9897.

Dec. 9: Visit with Santa

Visit with Santa at Sunset Park Nature Lodge from 9 -11 a.m. You may obtain tickets by showing your resident card and paying $2 or for non-residents $5. Open to non-residents after Dec. 4. A limited number of tickets will be available. Tickets are available at the JFK or JJE centers. Light refreshments will be provided. Bring a camera for a photo with Santa at the beautiful Sunset Park Nature Lodge. For more information call 314-921-4250 or 314921-4466.

Dec. 11: Christmas house decorating contest

Applications are free to Florissant residents and are available at the James J. Eagan Center, JFK Community Center and Florissant City Hall. Parks and recreation prizes are awarded to the best decorated homes. Temporary yard signs acknowledging first, second and third place winners will be posted. The city will remove the signs within one week. Deadline to apply is Dec. 11 at 5 p.m. Judging will begin at 6 p.m. on Dec. 14. For more information call 314-921-4466 or 314-921-4250.

Dec. 13: 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.

Dec. 15: Letters from Santa

For a personal reply from Santa, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to: Santa c/o JFK Community Center, 315 Howdershell Road, Florissant MO 63031. Please include some personal information about the child. Santa will respond with personal letters throughout the holiday season. All letters need to be received by Dec. 15 for Santa to have enough time to reply. For more information call 314921-4250.

Dec. 15: Coat drive

Coat drive for St. Patrick’s Center is currently taking place at Crystal Creek Nursing and Rehab, at 250 N. New Florissant Rd. in Florissant until Dec. 15. All gently worn/new coats for those in need are accepted. The “coat bin” is in the main lobby.

Dec. 15: Dinner

Diner TBD at Florissant Valley VFW Post 4105, located at 410 St. Francois, from 4 to 7 p.m. All profits go to support veterans. For more information call 314-831-6121.

Dec. 20: 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.

Dec. 22: Chicken parmesan or alfredo or spaghetti dinner

Chicken parmesan or alfredo or spaghetti dinner 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.

Dec. 27: 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.

Dec 29: Chicken dinner

Chicken dinner 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.

Dec. 31: Winter coat drive

Crystal Creek Rehabilitation and Nursing at 250 New Florissant Rd. So. in Florissant will be starting its One Warm Coat Drive from now through December. All gently used or new coats donated will be provided to St. Patrick’s Center for those in need. Drop off of items can be made between the hours of 8:00 a.m. -5:30 p.m.

Dec. 31: Tax preparation volunteers needed Every Wednesday and Saturday TAP is providing free tax preparation starting Jan. 23, 2018. The pro-bono TAP organization is asking for vol-

unteers now to be greeters, preparers, reviewers, or a data entry person, for four hours per week. Volunteer now at www.stlouistap.org (eight locations) or for more information call 314-786-2782. E-mails can be sent to stl.tap.overland@gmail.com

Feb. 28: Snowman building contest

If you think you build the best snowman in your neighbourhood, then we have a contest for you. Until Feb. 28, anytime it snows build a snowman. Take a picture of yourself and the snowman, and send it to the JFK Center Office along with an application. Prizes will be awarded. The Youth Advisory Commission will be the judges of this contest. You must be a Florissant resident to enter. For ages 15 and younger. Pick up an application, or visit our website, email a digital photo to jsteib@florissantmo. com, or send your picture with your child’s name, address, phone number and age to: Attn: Snowman Contest, JFK Community Center, 315 Howdershell Rd., Florissant, Missouri 63031. For further information, call 314-921-4250.

RECURRING EVENTS Any time: Tours at Old St. Ferdinand Shrine by appointment

#1 Rue St. Francois St., Florissant. Donations accepted. Docents needed. 314-921-7582, Vicki Wittman Email: vicray01@aol.com.

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-to-four 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 314-513-1674 or cbanaskavich@jfcs-stl.org. Weekdays: Volunteer drivers The St. Louis County Older Resident Programs need volunteer drivers who live in St. Louis County to give a few hours during the day to provide transportation to and from doctor’s appointments for our senior residents of St. Louis County that lives near you! No weekends and mileage reimbursement is available. Call today at 314-615-4516. 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: 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 Road 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.

www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • November 29, 2017 Tuesdays: Choir rehearsals

The St. Louis Chordinals, a women’s a cappella chorus, rehearse every Tuesday evening from 7 - 9:30 p.m. at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church at 12397 Natural Bridge Rd. in Bridgeton (next to the Bridgeton Government Center). For more information call Linda at 314-839-3495 or visit stlouischordinals.org.

Tuesdays: TOPS (Take off pounds sensibly)

From 9:15 - 10:30 a.m. located at John F. Kennedy Center/Henry Koch Ctr., Howdershell Rd. at Charbonier Rd., Florissant. For more info contact Paul or Connie McConnell, 314-831-5476.

Every 4th Tuesday of the month: Fort Bellefontaine Memorial American Legion Post 335 meeting 6:30pm, Fort Bellefontaine Memorial American Legion Post 335, at the Bellefontaine Neighbors Community Center at 9669 Bellefontaine Rd. Those interested in membership are invited to attend.

Every Tuesday: Bingo Evening at Florissant Elks Lodge #2316

Doors at 4:30pm, games begin at 6pm, Florissant Elks Lodge #2316, 16400 New Halls Ferry Rd. in Florissant. For more information, call 314.921.2316.

Wednesdays: Are you interested in losing weight?

Check out TOPS #361 Florissant group of supportive ladies. Meetings are on Wednesday mornings beginning at 9:15 am at Florissant Church of Christ, 16460 New Halls Ferry Rd. in Florissant. If interested, please contact Shirley at 314-895-3528 for more information.

Every Wednesday: Bingo Morning at Florissant Elks Lodge #2316

Florissant Elks Lodge #2316, 16400 New Halls Ferry Rd. in Florissant. Doors at 7:30am, games begin at 9:30am. For more information, call 314.921.2316.

Bridgeton Trails Library Branch Programs: 3455 McKelvey Rd., St. Louis, 314.994.3300. Story Time: Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m. 9 months to 2 yrs. Room 1 (Lap Time); Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m. Ages 3–5. Room 2; Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. Ages 3–5. Room 1.

Florissant Senior Citizens’ Bingo Clubs: 314.839.7604. Every 1st Wednesday of the Month: Stroke Support Group 3-4pm, Center for Senior Renewal, Detrick Building 1st floor, 11133 Dunn Rd. For more information, contact Jamie Stevens at 314.653.5331.

Thursdays: Quilting guild

Every third Thursday of the month the Flower Valley Quilting Guild meets at 7 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church at 123 Carson Road in Ferguson.

Thursdays: Blood pressure checks

Free blood pressure checks monthly at Life Care Center of Florissant at 1201 Garden Plaza Dr. (off Parker Rd.) in Florissant every third Thursday of the month. Call 831-3752 for more information.

Thursdays: meeting

Women’s

chorus

Every Thursday City Voices Chorus, a women’s chorus singing four-part a cappella harmony, meets at Church of the Good Shepherd at 1166 S. Mason Rd. in St. Louis. Members come from the entire bi-state region. Call Marcia at 636-274-0723 for more information or visit www.cityvoiceschorus.org.

Every Friday: Our Lady of Fatima #4429 Knights of Columbus Bingo

6:45pm, Knights of Columbus Hall, 1216 Teson Rd. in Hazelwood. For more information call 314.731.9330

Every 3rd Friday of the month: Bingo

2pm, Life Care Center of Florissant, 1201 Garden Plaza Dr. For more information, call 314.831.3752.

Fridays: Celebrate Recovery

For 25 years Celebrate Recovery has been helping everyday folks find freedom from whatever difficulty you are experiencing in your life. This Christcentered, 12-step program is based on the Beatitudes. We meet every Friday at 6:15 p.m. for dinner ($5); 7 p.m. large group meeting; 8 p.m. Small groups sharing; 9 p.m. dessert at First Christian Church of Florissant at 2890 Patterson Rd. in Florissant. For more information call 314-837-2269 or visit http://www.fccf.org/ or Facebook page Celebrate Recovery-FCCF.

Saturdays: Free walk-in clinic

Salam Clinic at St. Peter’s United Church of Christ at 1425 Stein Road at West Florissant in Ferguson is a free walk-in clinic open Saturdays from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. The clinic is jointly sponsored by the Muslim Community of St. Louis (MCSL) and St. Peter’s United Church of Christ to provide basic adult medical screening, treatment and referrals free of charge for the uninsured. For more information or if you would be interested in volunteering, please call 314-521-5694 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday – Friday or visit www.stpeterschurch.org

Saturdays: Clothing sale

On the second Saturday of each month Bethany-Peace UCC at 11952 Bellefontaine Rd. in St. Louis County hosts a clothing sale from 9 - 11 a.m. For sale are used clothing and shoes, some household items, books and toys. Fill your bag for $1.

Saturdays: Grief support group

A Way with Words Grief Support Ministry meets the fourth Saturday each month at Community Christ Fellowship (in the rear) at121 Williams Blvd. in Hazelwood from 12:30 - 2:30 p.m. For more information contact Pat Ryan at 314-605-3949.

Every Fourth Saturday’s Writer’s Workshop 10 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. at Baden Library, at 8448 Church Rd. For more information call 314-388-2400.

Sundays: Meat shoot

Come and enjoy the meat shoots at American Legion Post 444 located on 17090 Old Jamestown Road between Sinks Rd and Lindbergh starting at noon until dusk every Sunday in February and March in the spring and every Sunday in October through the second-to-last week in November in the fall - rain or shine. Great meat prizes awarded. Sundays: AMVETS meat shoot Sundays in September through April, AMVETS Post 55, located on 8842 Natural Bridge Rd. in Bel-Ridge will be hosting meat shoots with practice beginning at 11 a.m. and rounds starting at noon. Shooters must be 18 or older and will shoot #9’s with no bull barrels or scopes and 675 minimum chokes. The shooting area is indoors and food and drink are available in the club room. For more information, contact 314-630-2671 or 314-330-7269.

Sundays: meeting

Jennings

Do-Dads

The Jennings Do-Dads hold meetings every third Sunday of the month (except June which is the second Sunday and no meeting in December) at 1 p.m. at Classics Bar & Grill at 11601 West Florissant Avenue. Those interested in membership are invited to attend. For more information visit www.jenningsdodads.org.

CHURCH Tuesdays & Thursdays: Chapel of the Cross Lutheran Church GriefShare Support Group

Tuesdays from 2 - 4pm and Thursday from 6:30 - 8:30pm, 11645 Benham Rd., 314.741.3737

HEALTH Every Mon. & Tues.: Healthy Meal Replacement (HMR) Program Orientation

Mondays: 6–7pm Tuesdays: Noon– 1pm SSM DePaul Wellness Center. Attend a free orientation to learn: the Five Success Variables needed to lose weight, different diet options available and how important physical activity really is. Please call to register at 1.877.477.6954.

Every Monday-Friday: Evening Front Desk Volunteers Needed

4-7pm, Christian Hospital, 1225 Graham Rd. in Florissant. For more information, please contact Lee Shields at 314.653.5032.

2nd Tuesday of Every Month: Alzheimer’s Association Caregiver Support Group Meeting Meeting to be held at Sarah Care of Bridgeton Adult Day Center 11977 St. Charles Rock Road, Suite 121-124, Bridgeton, MO 63044. Join our Support Group for Mutual, Emotional Support and Education. You are not alone. For information, contact Deborah Mabrie at 314-291-5210 or Ferd Fetsch at 314-291-3021 Email: dbland@sarahcare.com ferdfetsch@ sbcglobal.net.

Every third Tuesday of every month: Grief Support Group sponsored by DePaul Hospital

11:30am-1pm, Maryland Hgts. Comm. Ctr., 2300 McKelvey Rd. For more information, call 314.344.6873.

Wednesdays: ACES Schizophrenia Support Group 6:30 - 7:30pm, 314.839.3171.

Sundays: Alcoholics Anonymous Group 109

11th floor conference room at Christian Hospital, 10am, 11133 Dunn Road.

Diabetes Basics:

314.344.7024 for info or 314.344.7220 to enroll.

Crisis Nursery:

Committed to preventing child abuse and neglect, the Crisis Nursery provides short-term, safe havens to children, birth through age 12, whose families are faced with an emergency or crisis. Care is available year-round and serves families throughout the greater St. Charles region. 24-hour helpline: 314.768.3201. Or 636.947.0600, www. crisisnurserykids.org

Center for Senior Renewal:

Day treatment programs for older adults dealing with anxiety, depression, grief, loss and early signs of dementia, 314.653.5123.

Nutrition Education:

SSM DePaul registered dieticians can help you make sure your diet is right for you, 314.344.6157.

Christian Hospital Recovery Center: Outpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment for adults, 314.953.8100.

Volunteers Needed at Christian Hospital: Call 314.653.5032 Nicotine Anonymous

Nicotine Anonymous is a 12 Step Program, free and available to all seeking recovery from nicotine addiction

What’s Happening

based on principals of AA. Only requirement is a desire to stop using nicotine. Voluntary contributions are accepted. For further info call 314822-2066 or visit WWW.NicotineAnonymous.org.

served. Info: 314.344.6090.

SilverSneakers Senior Wellness Program at the Maryland Heights Centre

SSM Cancer Care at DePaul Health Center, 12303 DePaul Drive. Radiation OncologyBridgeton. Attend a great makeup session sponsored by the American Cancer Society. A licensed cosmetologist teaches a session of scarf tying, shows a parade of hats, and provides each participant with a makeup kit. Light refreshments are

A fun, energizing program that helps older adults take greater control of their health by encouraging physical activity and offering social events. A Silver Sneakers membership includes access to the city’s Fitness Centre with state-of-the-art fitness equipment and circuit training. Membership is available at little or no cost through your health plan. To find out if you are eligible, visit www.silversneakers.com or call 314.738.2599.

SUDOKU answers from page 11

CROSSWORD answers from page 10

Look Good…Feel Better

November 29, 2017 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

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. R.H.

SERVICES PET CEMETERY

over 2,500 pet burials; over 6 acres; over 40 yrs old. 314-576-3030 www.memoryparkpetcemetery.info www.memoryparkpetcemetery.info

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www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • November 29, 2017

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Our FREE publications are available in over 700 convenient locations, including every Dierbergs, Schnucks and Shop ’N Save.

November 29, 2017 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

‘Justice League’ stumbles, fans demand director’s cut

M O V I E By Steve Bryan

ecades ago on their “Sneak Previews” show, Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert offered insights into how they reviewed films. One key component was screening a film twice in the same day, allowing the critics to observe details they might have missed the first time around. I used the same technique when watching “Justice League,” the long-awaited gathering of DC Comics heroes in one movie. Because “Wonder Woman” had a healthy box office, hopes were high for this one. Unfortunately, the opening weekend numbers weren’t great and, as of this writing, Thanksgiving weekend competition could diminish its potential profits even more. To be honest, I wasn’t terribly impressed the first time I saw “Justice League.” Hoping for something akin to the first “Avengers” movie, the resulting film seemed too busy and confusing. Disillusioned fans even started a petition asking to see director Zack Snyder’s original cut along with Tom Holkenborg’s score. (Snyder left the project due to a family tragedy, leaving Joss Whedon to do reshoots and final editing.) Three days later I returned to see it again and had a more positive reaction. Jason Momoa is quite good as Arthur Curry, who is better known as the aquatic hero Aquaman. TV’s “Family Guy” and “Big Bang Theory” make fun of the character, but Momoa gave Aquaman the same lust for life as Marvel’s Thor. Hard-drinking with an attitude, this Aquaman was a breath of fresh air. Grant Gustin does a great job as Barry Allen on the CW’s “Flash” TV series, but Ezra Miller’s performance in “Justice League” was something quite different. His Barry Allen was awkward and unsure, especially when surrounded by high-caliber heroes. Miller’s performance did grow on me during the second viewing, especially during a refreshingly funny post-credits scene. Ray Fisher makes me want to buy tickets right now for the “Cyborg” standalone film, which is scheduled for a 2020 release date. An accident nearly killed Fisher’s Victor Stone character, but his father used alien technology to rebuild his body with cybernetic enhancements. Once a promising young athlete, Victor became more machine than man and must deal with a whole new reality. Though Ben Affleck’s Batman didn’t add much to the film and Henry

Cavill’s Superman came late to the party, Gal Gadot still shines here as Wonder Woman. It was great to see the character in a modern day setting while battling criminals and the alien invader known as Steppenwolf. She became the heart and soul of the team, but was reluctant to take a leadership role after some personal tragedies. So what happens to “Justice League” going forward? Business Insider already is predicting a potential $100 million loss for the film. Yet, the fan interest is still out there, especially for the director’s cut. The standalone films may be the saving grace for the franchise if Warner Bros. keeps the faith. “Justice League” photo courtesy of Warner Bros 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.