CN: December 4, 2019

December 4, 2019

Hall-of-fame effort Hazelwood School District to honor Chairperson for the Spanish Lake Community Development Corporation with the Superintendent’s Hall of Fame Award

COMMUNITY VOICES

By Theodore Valley II DC . Pg. 2 A plaque dedication for former All-American Girls Professional Baseball player. Pg. 4

School

By Charlotte Beard On Dec. 14, the Hazelwood School District (HSD) will induct nine honorees into its HSD Hall of Fame at their sold-out 70th Anniversary Hall of Fame Awards Gala and Dance at the Renaissance Hotel. HSD shares that since the founding of the school district on Dec. 10, 1949, countless individuals and organizations have contributed to the district’s success. Among those contributors is one of this year’s inductees – Lottie Wade, Chairperson for the Spanish Lake Community Development Corporation. She will be honored with the Superintendent’s Hall of Fame Award.

The other inductees for designated honors at HSD’s celebration include: Carey Davis - Head Football Coach, Class of 1999 and member of Super Bowl XLIII winning Pittsburgh Steelers; 1995 Hazelwood East High Football Team for the many players that have gone on to play for NFL teams and still contribute to the success of current students and community; Senator Brian Williams – Class of 2001 and Missouri State Senate District 14; Charles “Ed” Brown and Dan Brown, Class of 1977 and 1980, and founders of Brown & Brown, Attorneys at Law; Dr. Chris (Wright) Nicastro - former HSD superintendent and Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Commissioner; Ann Gibbons - former HSD Board of Education Director and 40-year volunteer in the district; Hazelwood PTA Council for raising nearly $3.5 million in scholarships impacting more than 3,500 students; and Ameren for its long history of grant dollars for district programs, community partnership, scholarships, and offering

Around Town

HSD students volunteer at Allstate Hot Chocolate 15K/5K. Pg. 6

Features (FLIP)

Recipe, Movie & Sudoku.

Pg. F-1 Photo courtesy Hazelwood School District Lottie Wade, Chairperson for the Spanish Lake Community Development Corporation, will be honored with the Superintendent’s Hall of Fame Award.

utility assistance for district families in need.

The Superintendent’s Hall of Fame Award, selected by Superintendent Nettie Collins-Hart, recognizes a current HSD volunteer or ambassador who supports the academic mission of HSD and has made positive contributions to the education of its students.

Wade shared, “Dr. Collins-Hart has been a joy to work with – she’s been open, she’s reached out to the community. She listened.

I value the innovative things that she is doing now with curriculum. There are some exciting things going on in Hazelwood.”

When asked what it means to receive this honor, Wade stated, “My focus has always been children and family, whether I

was working with the Division of Family Services, in a classroom in Mississippi as a teacher, or when I went to the United Way. All of those (ventures) were focused on children, education and child safety. All that gets rolled into where I see myself now. If we don’t protect and educate our children, we have no future because they have no future.”

Wade, who also serves on the Board of Directors for the Spanish Lake Community Association, has a long history in advocating for children. She came to St. Louis from Mississippi in the early 1960s and began working for the Division of Family Services (DFS) among the urban housing projects.

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December 4, 2019 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

‘EFFORT’ from cover “I was working in Pruitt-Igoe and Vaughn when the transition was taking place,” she shared.

While working with DFS for 22 years, Wade was a Case Worker and moved up to training and staff development. Later she received her master’s degree in Social Work from Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis and moved up the ranks as a trainer for child welfare before moving on to manager for the division. Her last two roles were Director for St. Louis City and Area Director for St. Louis County. When she left DFS she transitioned into a role for planning and community initiatives with United Way of Greater St. Louis.

Wade stated that her first encounter with the Hazelwood School District was as an “active parent” when her daughter was enrolled in the school district during her years of schooling. She shared how through a series of events her association with and advocacy for HSD resulted from community involvement. Approximately 13 years ago when Wade retired from United Way as Senior Vice President she moved to Spanish Lake. The Spanish Lake community conducted a youth needs assessment which resulted in

the creation of a task force, which included Wade, to address issues identified by the assessment.

The Hazelwood School District provided meeting space for the task force which was made up of various organizations in the community. Wade shared that some of the district’s staff also became involved in the initiative for Spanish Lakes’ youth and education. With the growth of the partnership between the school district and Spanish Lake came Spanish Lakes’ Youth and Family Resource which began approximately 11 years ago and was hosted by the district.

Wade shared that Hazelwood was also a strong partner when Spanish Lake began its initiative for youth violence prevention; the district hosted the forums and provided staff.

Approximately four years ago, Wade became a volunteer for Ready Readers, an organization that assigns trained volunteers to classrooms in low-income communities to read aloud to preschoolers and aid in building literacy skills in preparation for kindergarten. She was assigned to the Hazelwood School District. “(I) started reading to preschoolers at Larimore Elementary School,” stated Wade. “That was just such a great experience. The need is so great for that. This year I am reading to preschoolers at Twillman Elementary School.”

In addition to Wade’s volunteering in the class-

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room, she has participated in various Hazelwood community groups for the district’s initiatives. Her involvement with these groups has equipped her to be a spokesperson for the district.

“I take advantage of every opportunity to talk about the positives that are going on in Hazelwood School District.”

Wade speaks with pride about the growth, changes and additions she has seen in the district such as the implementation of its thematic school cultures – Hazelwood Opportunity Center and Hazelwood East Middle School – 8th Grade Center, and its schoolbased health center.

Wade shared that in her final phase of working in the community she is trying to live out the quote that has a couple different variations.

One variation by Shirley Chisholm states, “Service is the rent we pay for the privilege of living on this earth.” Marian Wright Edelman, activist for children’s rights states, “Service is the rent we pay for being. It is the very purpose of life, and not something you do in your spare time.” Wade stated that she believes the best way to serve is by serving the needs of children, and organizations and systems that support their healthy development.

“The school district is an intricate part of the well-being of our community and we owe them our service,” Wade stated.

By Theodore Valley II DC

A strong immune system helps you battle cold and flu season Ladies and gentlemen, we are here again; its cold and flu season. As a result, we the consumer are bombarded with ads for the flu shot and pneumonia vaccine. To start, this article is opinion and is not medical advice, if you have question make sure you consult with your primary care physician and information in this article is not meant to be taken as a means by which to cure, prevent or treat any disease.

Now that I have gotten that out of the way, I will next say that as a holistic health care provider I am neither pro- nor anti-vaccine. I am undoubtedly pro common sense however and as such I recognize that the likely contributing factor to the spread and severity of symptoms related to any contagion is related to diet and environmental stressors weakening our systems.

There was a large study published in 2009 by the Journal of Epidemiology and Infection that showed a few things: 1. That the average flu shot is only 19 percent effective annually, in 2018 it was only 23 percent effective this year the estimate is 29 percent effectiveness, and this is by the CDC’s estimation.

2. Daily vitamin D intake of 800 IU/day prevented 70 percent of flu cases.

3. Daily vitamin D intake of 2000IU/day was nearly 99 percent effective at preventing flu cases.

Many studies over the years have shown that optimization (taking therapeutic levels) of micronutrients such as vitamin A, C, D, E along with minerals such as zinc through supplementation can help to ward off and speed up recovery if exposed to the flu. It is also important to know what ingredients are in anything you put into your body food or medicine. You might be surprised what is found in the current flu vaccine.

I am not here to tell you what to think but rather encourage you to do some research of your own to decide what is best for you and your family. In any case, it is important to know that naturally acquired immunity is extremely beneficial.

We must take time to build our immunes systems. We do this by eating whole foods, taking appropriate supplements and getting adequate rest. This is not to say there is never a need for the gifts of modern medicine. We live in a time of amazing advancements in science and medicine.

Taking that into consideration, it is important to know when to use any tool. It seems prudent to first give your body the tools and opportunity to fight for itself.

If you do not see improvements, then it is safe to say that you may need some intervention. Excessive use of antibiotics, for instance, is the reason we have strains of bacterial that do not respond to any

known antibiotic on the market. I know that is frightening to think about, but we made this mess and now we must live with the consequences. In any work it is important to know the limitations and strengths.

I know that body has an amazing capacity to heal and, irrespective of the care you receive, it is the body that does the healing work. The practitioner simply does what he or she can to improve its ability to do it.

In summary: • Do your due diligence so you can make an informed decision.

• Eat a healthy and well rounded diet (pizza, tacos and burgers don’t count).

• Make sure you are getting enough sleep.

• Meditate.

• Talk to your health care provider about proper supplementation.

• Ask questions because it is your health and your life; its time you take responsibility for it!

Theodore Valley II DC is a Doctor of Chiropractic and currently practices at Barron Chiropractic.

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.

www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • December 4, 2019

Around Town

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St. Louis Regional Freightway’s 2020 Priority Projects list focuses on I-270 in St. Louis County The East-West Gateway Council of Governments (EWGCOG) Board of Directors last month unanimously endorsed the St. Louis Regional Freightway’s 2020 Multimodal Transportation Priority Projects List, a valuable tool used by the St. Louis Regional Freightway to advocate for support and funding for infrastructure improvements.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), generated 384 million tons of freight in 2016, ranking it first among Midwest peer cities along the Mississippi River Basin and highlighting the importance of investment to modernize the region’s freight infrastructure. Representing the infrastructure needs of the manufacturing and logistics industries, the updated list for 2020 reveals that eight of the 20 projects on the list have advanced to various stages of construction. Collectively, those eight projects represent an investment of more than $830 million in the region’s freight network, with an emphasis on enhancing key bridges and interstates utilized by the trucking industry, which moves more than 200 million tons of freight through the region annually.

“Each of the priority projects identified

on the 2020 list is important at the individual level, but collectively, they are essential to the continued growth of the St. Louis region as a global freight hub,” said Jim Wild, Executive Director of EastWest Gateway Council of Governments.

“I salute our board of directors for their bi-state leadership in recognizing the benefits of having a priority list like this and uniting in support of it.”

“The Freightway’s ability to continue to build consensus around the top transportation infrastructure priorities remains a key accomplishment of the organization as it works to grow the $6 billion in goods traveling through the St. Louis area by road, rail, river and runway,” said Mike McCarthy, president of Terminal Railroad Association (TRRA) of St. Louis and Chairman of the Freight Development Committee, which compiles the priority projects list annually. “With more than 50 percent of all freight volume generated in the St. Louis region moving by truck, and 25 percent of it moving internally putting additional stress on our region’s roads and bridges, it’s clear the

priority projects on this list truly reflect the real needs of the bi-state area.”

Among the priority projects funded and under construction are the Interstate 270 corridor improvements in north St. Louis County and Madison County, Illinois; where nearly $500 million is being invested. A combination of state and federal funding is supporting these and various other projects on the list. Meanwhile, work is also underway on the $222 million project to replace the Merchants Bridge, thanks to funding from Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis, which owns the structure.

The Freight Development Committee is a nationally recognized model of partnership and productive collaboration between the public and private sector across the eight-county area the St. Louis Regional Freightway serves, and it has driven the success in regional project prioritization. Business and industry leaders work directly with local and state officials

Submitted photo

and DOT’s to set infrastructure priorities by helping them to understand how infrastructure and efficiency impacts ontime delivery and costs.

The updated list groups the projects into three categories, based on where they are in the planning, funding and construction cycle. Following is a summary of the 2020 priority projects, with the St. Louis Regional Freightway’s highest priorities underlined. More details on each of these projects and the various parties involved in compiling the 2020 Priority Projects list can be found at www.thefreightway.com/about/plans/.

Citizens for Modern Transit to update community on transit security efforts Transit safety is a top regional priority, and leadership continues to take a very active role in addressing challenges, making changes and helping the community regain confidence in the system.

Citizens for Modern Transit will be using its “Talking Transit” event, set for Tuesday, Dec. 10, at 8:30 a.m. at the St. Louis Regional Chamber Collaboration Center (13th floor), as a forum for updating the public on transit security efforts. Attendees will learn about Phase II of the MetroLink Security Assessment before Metro Transit’s New Public Safety Leadership Team takes part in a panel discussion. Registration can be completed online at www.cmt-stl.org or by arriving early to the event. The cost is free for CMT members and $10 for non-members. A limited number of scholarships are available to those with personal financial constraints.

Jim Wild, executive director of East-West Gateway Council of Governments and sponsor of both phases of the MetroLink Security Assessment, is set to provide a brief overview of the Transit Security Report Card development as part of Phase II of the assessment. Metro Transit’s Public Safety Leadership Team will then take the stage for a panel discussion. Stephen Berry, general manager of Metro Transit Public Safety; Kevin Scott, director of Metro Transit Public Safety; and Vernon Summers, manager of Metro Transit Public Safety, will collectively address the vision for public safety on transit moving forward.

CMT hosts quarterly “Talking Transit” events to keep members, elected officials, stakeholders, transit riders and others in the loop on issues and efforts influencing the local transit system. These educational gatherings feature guest speakers and panel discussions addressing a wide range of topics, including transit-oriented development, safety and security, best practices, service changes and more.

To learn more about these events and how Citizens for Modern Transit is working to further transit access in the St. Louis region, call 314-231-7272.

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Aound Town

December 4, 2019 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

Assistance League of St. Louis volunteers give Jennings School District Hope House students 100 books Four Assistance League of St. Louis volunteers on Nov. 7 joined Superintendent of Jennings School District Dr. Art McCoy to deliver 100 books of each student’s choice to Hope House I and Hope House 2.

Both houses were established by the Jennings School District for students who are in transition or homeless.

The group visited homes managed by House Parents Pam Price and Tanisha Blocker.

“We opened two Hope Houses because we believed

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it was essential to make sure that these children had the support that they needed to be successful not just in school, but in life,” said Dr. McCoy. “Many students just need a place to stay until the crises in their families are resolved. But they can have a home at Hope House throughout their school years. Assistance League’s gift of books is very much appreciated and reflects the community support we’ve received to make these homes great places for our children.”

In 2015 the Jennings School District in St. Louis County opened its first house for homeless students and followed up in 2018 with a second house. Now up to 12 students, ranging in age from five to 18, can live in the two houses. Each child’s stay is overseen by a foster care management team from the Children’s Division of the State of Missouri Department of Social Services. While receiving help with homework, group and individual therapy and the comfort of a safe well-appointed home, children can also enjoy making crafts and decorating for holidays. Completing basic chores earn the children points toward special treats.

Assistance League volunteers conduct school book festivals across St. Louis, providing free books, reading sessions and literacy activities to thousands of deserving students. The organization also established Little Community Libraries in Ritenour School District’s six elementary schools.

Assistance League volunteers keep these little libraries stocked with books that chil-

Submitted photo Assistance League of St. Louis volunteers on Nov. 7 joined Superintendent of Jennings School District Dr. Art McCoy to deliver 100 books of each student’s choice to Hope House I and Hope House 2. Pictured (from left) are Jane Harbron, Rosie Saladin, Tanisha Blocker, Sue Long, Mary Ann Braun and Dr. Art McCoy.

dren can borrow or keep to take home. Members of the community can also use these community libraries. Last year Assistance League of St. Louis provided 15,000 books to aspiring readers through these programs, and by providing books to deserving St. Louis area school students who are fitted for new school uniforms and who receive other clothing and personal care items in area schools.

A plaque dedication is set for former All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player The city of Florissant along with Old Town Partners will host a plaque dedication in honor of the late Rita Ann Meyer Moellering. This will be the 43rd Walk through History plaque in honor of someone who has made valuable contributions and or an impact to the city of Florissant.

The plaque dedication will be held on Dec. 7 at 4:45 p.m. in front of 990 rue St. Francois. The ceremony will take place before the traditional tree lighting event that is held in front of city hall.

Rita Ann Meyer Moellering, born in Florissant, was a shortstop and pitcher who played from 1946 through 1949 for the Peoria Redwings of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.

Rita Meyer was the oldest of seven children. A good fielding shortstop and average hitter during her four seasons in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL), she was one of 13 players who made the AAGPBL clubs hailed from Missouri. Rita was nicknamed “Slats” after St. Louis Cardinals’ shortstop Marty Marion, given the nickname, because someone said her style reminded them of how Marion played – quite a common way to get a nickname in sports.

In 1946, Rita tried out for the league at spring training in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and was allo-

cated to the Redwings expansion team based in Peoria, Illinois. She appeared regularly at shortstop and also pitched in 13 games in 1947. Rita hurled a no-hitter in that season, but lost the game, 1–0.

Her most productive season came in 1948, when she posted career-highs in batting average (.232), doubles (12), stolen bases (45) and runs batted in (68). The Redwings advanced to the first round of the playoffs for the first – and only – time in team history, but were swept by the Racine Belles in three straight games.

Rita Meyer married Robert Moellering in 1949.

She became an active participant in public school sports for the rest of her life. On Nov. 5, 1988, she was honored with the rest of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League during the opening of a permanent display at the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York.

Besides this, the St. Louis Sports Commission presents the Rita “Slats” Meyer Moellering Memorial Award, in honor of her, to recognize the accomplishments of women in individual sports.

Her many hobbies included collecting emblems, poems and Dick Tracy comic strips. She was also depicted in the 1988 movie, “League of Their Own”.

www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • December 4, 2019

Northwest News

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Pedal the Cause donates $4.74 million to St. Louis cancer research institutions The St. Louis community gathered last month for the Pedal the Cause Check Presentation Celebration at Ballpark Village as the organization unveiled their 2019 donation to fund critical cancer research - $4,743,422 to Siteman Cancer Center and Siteman Kids at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. 100 percent of this donation will fund the best and brightest ideas in adult and pediatric cancer research at our local research institutions. This record-breaking donation brings the total funds donated

by Pedal the Cause over the last 10 years to $29,077,611.

This money has funded 130 cancer research projects — including 98 adult and 32 pediatric projects. Funds donated by Pedal the Cause in 2019 will be distributed to the most promising research projects in 2020, as determined by each institution.

This record-breaking $4.74 million donation was raised by 3,725 riders and spinners, 522 kids and over 1,107 volunteers who participated in the tenth annual Pedal the Cause – a cycling challenge and weekend community celebration with the goal of curing all cancers for everyone. Pedal the Cause 2019 took place on Sept. 28 and 29 at the Chesterfield Amphitheater. Participants continued to fundraise until Oct. 31.

“On behalf of the entire Pedal the Cause community, we are honored to support best-in-class research at our

world-class St. Louis beneficiaries, the Siteman Cancer Center and Siteman Kids at St. Louis Children’s Hospital,” said Pedal the Cause Executive Director Jay Indovino. “These funds will stay in St. Louis and move the frontier forward in cancer research; supporting new treatments, cures and diagnostics for cancer patients here and around the world. We’ll keep riding our bikes and raising critical funds until we have a ‘world without cancer’.”

“The support of the St. Louis community through Pedal the Cause has been vital to us as we advance discoveries and cures for the tens of thousands of patients at Siteman Cancer Center and Siteman Kids,” said BJC President and Chief Executive Officer Rich Liekweg. “This remarkable gift from Pedal the Cause will go to work immediately as we push towards a future without cancer and continue to lead the field as a top-tier research institution.”

Currently, one in two men and one in three women will develop cancer in their lifetime. Even with major advances in treatment, cancer remains the second most common cause of death in the US. 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 cancer research at Siteman Cancer Center and Siteman Kids at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. With the support of more than 40,000 donors in 2019, Pedal the Cause is the region’s largest peer-to-peer fundraising event.

www.autospaetc.com

Northwest Views: St. Louis VA Fisher House: ‘because a family’s love is good medicine’

By Jim Donahoe Just imagine that YOU are confined to a hospital bed, and going through one of the toughest times of your life, and yet none of your family can visit with you, because they cannot afford the cost of a hotel. Until earlier this decade, this situation was not uncommon for many of the veterans treated by the VA here in St. Louis.

Most people don’t realize that the VA Medical Center here in St. Louis treats veterans from across the entire Midwest. These veterans come here for the high tech medicine offered (e.g. heart surgery, radiation oncology, spinal cord rehabilitation, and the list goes on). But now, thanks to a wonderful home located on the Jefferson Barracks VA Medical campus, these veterans (and military members) can have their family members at the bedside for as long as hospitalization is required.

That home is called the St. Louis Fisher House.

Today there are 84 Fisher Houses throughout the country, almost evenly divided between VA and military installations. Fisher Houses are similar to Ronald McDonald Houses, except they are for the families of hospitalized veterans and military members. Families will be provided lodging and food in the Fisher House – absolutely free of charge – and they can stay there for as long as the veteran is hospitalized; whether that is measured in days, weeks or months.

The St. Louis Fisher House opened in mid-2010.

And since that time, over 11,000 family members (e.g. spouse, children, siblings, and even caregivers, etc.) have stayed in this house; with a collective savings in food and lodging costs of over $10 million. The only criteria for staying here is that the family members: (1). Come from outside of a 50 mile radius of the hospital, and (2).They are di-

rectly involved in the care of the patient. Families will work with their assigned VA Social Workers to arrange their stays.

The house itself is beautiful. It offers 20 bedroom suites each with private baths. There are large common areas (i.e. living, dining, family rooms and a very large, modern kitchen). The VA staff and many volunteers are totally dedicated to making the family’s stay as comfortable as possible. But, the families will work together to comfort and support each other. Often they become lifelong friends.

The house was built and furnished through local and national donations. Once it was ready to open the Fisher House was “gifted” to the VA to operate. A local Fisher House Board, comprised of non-paid volunteers, continues to raise money for things that the VA is not allowed to purchase (e.g. food, toiletries, paper products, overflow hotel rooms, off-hours transportation between the hospitals, etc.).

For those who would like to help support this house, donations can be made online through our website (www.fisherhouseinstl.org) or mail checks to: St. Louis VA Fisher House, PO Box 998, Fenton, MO 63026 for deposit. For those who would like to volunteer their time, please contact Vanniecia Brown, Fisher House Manager, at 314-894-6145.

Whether you give time or money, few other donations will help so many veterans for such a long period of time, and provide such personal satisfaction.

Jim Donahoe is a member of the St. Louis Fisher House Board.

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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December 4, 2019 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

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HSD students volunteer at Allstate Hot Chocolate 15K/5K Photo courtesy Hazelwood School District

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Students and staff from Hazelwood West High School and Hazelwood Central High School volunteered at the Allstate Hot Chocolate 15K/5K at

Forest Park on Nov. 24. Students assisted at the event by handing out finisher mugs and serving food to approximately 15,000 runners.

Combs educator receives Impact Education grant to purchase Chromebooks

Photo courtesy Hazelwood School District Combs Intermediate School fourth-grade teacher Renita Perry (left) is presented a $1,000 Education Impact grant from Vantage Credit Union reps and Combs Principal Leslie Thomas-Washington (right) to purchase Chromebooks for her students.

Renita Perry, a fourth-grade teacher at Combs Elementary School, is the recipient of a $1,000 Vantage Credit Union Impact Education grant.

The grant will be used to purchase four Chromebooks for the class. Purchasing the additional Chromebooks will allow students in her class a one to one ratio with the much-used technology.

“Four more Chromebooks will allow my students to have technology at their fingertips all day to help them become more technology ef-

ficient by participating in podcast, webinars or making instructional videos to become stronger global citizens who are able to compete with their peers,” said Perry Perry is one of five area educators receiving the Impact Education grant. Recipients are selected by popular vote based on a 60-seconds or less video submitted to Vantage Credit Union explaining their need for funds to impact education for their students.

www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • December 4, 2019

Business

Home Builders Association donates $20,000 to LOVEtheLOU On behalf of the Home Builders Charitable Foundation (HBCF), 2019 HBA President John Suelthaus (Kingbridge Homes) (left) and HBA Executive Vice President Celeste Rueter (right) presented a $20,000 donation to Lucas Rouggly, executive director and founder of LOVEtheLOU. LOVEtheLOU is a nonprofit community development initiative that connects resources to the needs of the city of St. Louis.

The donation will be used to assist in the renovation of an abandoned home that is being renovated as a part of LOVEtheLOU’s STL Live Program for a mother and her six children.

Through the STL Live Program, abandoned houses and apartments are being purchased in North City St. Louis. The houses are then remodeled and identified families enter into a rent-to-own lease in an effort to stabilize the neighborhood. Families who move into the homes will be anchors for their children and the community.

Submitted photo

The HBA is a local trade association of more than 600 member firms representing the residential construction industry. The Home Builders Charitable Foundation, the HBA’s charitable arm, is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing housing assistance to people or organizations with special shelter needs.

Advertiser Profile: RV owners and dreamers: some 20/20 insights RV owners, don’t forget to winterize. Dreamers, new adventures await. Winer is a great time to do research. However, eventually a purchase is still a person-to-person transaction. Products and purveyors are different. Reputation, experience and community relations are important to consider.

Byerly RV celebrates over 70 years in business in 2020. We have seen several generations begin and finish their RV adventures at Byerly. As for me, I’m almost out of here myself. My son, Warren, and his exceptional “family” of 65 employees will carry on the tradition, just about the time I learn how to spell millennial.

I see a similarity in the cycle and try to explain to Warren the familiar low price/high cost trap that awaits many first-time buyers. Most people won’t buy the cheapest car, TV, clothes or other gadgets, but may still shop price for an RV because they don’t know what else to compare.

The popularity of RVs has attracted sharks into bass country. Price is the bait, but after you are hooked and add up the total, sometimes hidden, costs the lesson is learned the hard way.

The only remedy is to slow down and shop carefully. Use the internet; Google ratings, YouTube or Facebook postings.

Best advice – visit a few dealers. Most of the local, family-owned RV dealers prosper because they want your repeat business. Signs you are entering a shark tank: they want your drivers license and ask you to fill out a credit app so they can determine which vehicles you “qualify” to look at. Access to vehicles is restricted and you feel handcuffed to a sales rep whose primary goal is to turn you over to the closer.

Submitted photo

By Russ Patton, owner of Byerly RV

When you leave, you may not get a complete disclosure of all you will be expected to pay at closing. They don’t want you to shop and may even push you to take immediate delivery, either physically or on paper. No time to think!

The price seems good, but you may find a lot of add-ons which, if needed or wanted, could usually be bought for less at another dealer. The difference between the perceived great price and the bottom-line cost can be huge. The real eye-opener is when you want to trade in the entry level model and find out what the bank says it’s really worth.

St. Louis is fortunate to have many local, reputable, family owned dealers. Shop locally at members of the MidWest Gateway RVDA and, of course Byerly RV, the state’s largest independent RV Dealer. www.byerlyrv.com.

Facebook. And, of course, visit us in Eureka, Missouri, just 15 minutes west of I-270 on Interstate I-44.

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What’s Happening

December 4, 2019 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

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

Dec. 14: Army/Navy game and cook off

Featured Events . . .

Dec. 24-25: Christmas services

Come Home to Christmas at the historic Shrine of St Joseph Catholic Church at 1220 N. 11th St. in St. Louis, the site of the only authenticated miracle in the Midwest. Christmas Eve: 3 p.m., Carols and Anthems from around the world prior to Mass. Vigil Mass at 4 p.m. Christmas Day: 9:30 a.m., choral prelude and congregational carols, Solemnity of the Nativity Mass at 10 a.m. For more information visit www.shrineofstjoseph.org.

EVENTS Dec 6: Steak dinner

Steak 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 6-7: Library fundraiser

FLIERS (Friends of the Ferguson Library) Treasures, Trinkets and Treats Sale takes place Dec. 6 from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Dec. 7 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Ferguson Public Library Auditorium at 35 North Florissant Road.

There will be gifts, vintage goods, books and baked goods. Proceeds go to the library and the workers are all volunteers.

Dec. 7: Holiday concert

The Ritenour High School Choir highlights the St. Louis Civic Orchestra’s annual Holiday Concert at 8 p.m. at Ritenour High School at 9100 St. Charles Rock Road. The St. Louis Civic Orchestra will perform a variety of holiday favorites at its annual Holiday Concert. Tickets are available online at the St. Louis Civic Orchestra’s website stlco.org, or the day of show at the hosting venue.

Dec. 7: Holiday photo with Santa

Free holiday photo with Santa from 1 - 3 p.m. at Northwest HealthCare, Entrance B at 1225 Graham Rd. in Florissant. Come meet Santa, enjoy some holiday refreshments, and enter to win a shopping gift card. To register for this free event, please call 314-747WELL (9355) or register online at ChristianHospital.org/Santa.

Dec. 11: 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. 13: Meatloaf or country fried steak dinner Meatloaf or country fried steak 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. 13: Christmas house decorating contest

Applications for the Florissant Christmas house decorating contest are free to Florissant residents and are available at the James J. Eagan Center, JFK Community Center and Florissant City Hall. Parks and Recreation priz-

es 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. 13 at 5 p.m.

Judging will begin at 6 p.m. on Dec. 17. For more information call 314-9214466 or 314-921-4250.

Dec. 14: Grief share

Army/Navy game and cook off Florissant Valley VFW Post 4105, located at 410 St. Francois, starts at 2 p.m.

All profits go to support veterans. For more information call 314-831-6121.

Dec. 14: 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. 18: 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.

This Grief Share 13-week session (no cost) runs every Saturday from Sept.

21 through Dec. 14 from 10 - 11:30 a.m. at Florissant Church of Christ at 16460 New Halls Ferry in Florissant.

For more information contact Arthur Matthews at 314-839-1449.

Dec. 20: Pork steak dinner

Dec. 14: Breakfast with Santa

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.

Calvary United Church of Christ at 2501 Hartland Avenue, invites the community to its annual Breakfast with Santa from 9 - 11 a.m. Cost is $4 per person. Children two years of age and younger are free. Cost includes a pancake breakfast, Christmas caroling, face painting and crafts and photo opts with Santa. All are welcome the day of the event, but advance reservations are requested. Please call 314429-7464 for reservations or questions.

Dec. 14: Visit with Santa

Santa Claus is coming to town. Drop by the Nature Lodge at Sunset Park from 10 -11:30 a.m. for a Christmas craft, light refreshments and the opportunity to visit and take a photo with Santa. A ticket is required upon entry and will not be sold at the door.

You may obtain tickets by showing your resident card and paying $2 or for non-residents $4. A limited number of tickets will be available. Tickets are available at the JFK or JJE centers. For more information call 314-921-4250 or 314-921-4466.

Dec. 14: 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. 14: Breakfast with Santa

Calvary United Church of Christ, at 2501 Hartland Avenue, invites the community to its annual Breakfast with Santa from 9 - 11 a.m. Cost is $4 per person. Children two years of age and younger are free. Cost includes a pancake breakfast, Christmas caroling, face painting and crafts, photo opts with the Santa. All are welcome the day of the event, but advance reservations help to better prepare. Please call 314-429-7464 for reservations or questions.

Pork steak 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. 25: Karaoke

Dec. 27: Chicken dinner

Chicken 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. 31: New Year’s Eve party

New Year’s Eve party with live music at Florissant Valley VFW Post 4105, located at 410 St. Francois. All profits go to support veterans. For more information call 314-831-6121.

Jan. 17: Art exhibition

Good Shepherd Arts Center in Ferguson will present “400 Years and Beyond” to commemorate the observance of 2019 as the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first Africans to be sold into slavery. The exhibit will run through Jan. 17. This artwork by local African-American artists will invite viewers into reflection, conversation and visioning about creating a world where all are valued, all are welcome, all belong. Good Shepherd Arts Center is located in downtown Ferguson at 252 S. Florissant Road, next to Cathy’s Kitchen. Hours are: Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Saturdays 12 – 5 p.m. For more information call 314-522-1155.

March 15: Snowman building contest

Looking for best snowman in Florissant. Build the biggest, have a theme and make it cute then enter the contest. Build your most creative and unique snowman and send in a photo.

Until March 15, anytime it snows build a snowman. Take a picture of yourself and the snowman, and send it to the James J. Eagan Community Center at

www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • December 4, 2019 #1 James J. Eagan Drive Florissant, MO 63033 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 and 15 years of age or younger. For further information, call 314-921-4466 or 314921-4250.

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: Tax filing program volunteers

Seeking greeters, appointment schedulers, and tax preparers to assist older adults in the St. Louis County Tax Filing Program. Training and mileage reimbursement is provided. For more information and to start the volunteer application process, contact the County Older Resident Programs and ask for Mike Nickel at 314-615-4021.

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: TOPS meeting

Come, join and take off those extra pounds. T.O.P.S.=Take Off Pounds Sensibly has meetings on Monday nights at 7 p.m. (weigh in begins at 6:35 p.m.) 9135 Shelley Avenue, Overland, MO 63114. (Entrance is in the back on East Milton). TOPS is a very inexpensive way to lose weight.

You may visit a meeting for free. Any questions please call Dan Agee at 314-540-5223.

Mondays: Choral Art Singers

Choral Arts Singers resume practice on Mondays, at 7 p.m. at Transfiguration Episcopal Church, 1860 Lake St. Louis Blvd. in Lake St. Louis. This session will include performance at St. James Cathedral, Chicago on June 25. New singers are welcome. Auditions are not required. See www. concertarts.org.

Mondays: City council meetings

City of Pine Lawn holds regular city council meetings at city hall at 6250

Steve Marre Ave. in Pine Lawn on the second Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. The meetings are open to the public.

Mondays: 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.

Mondays: Korean War Veterans Association meeting

If you had military service in Korea between Sept. 3, 1945 and the present you are cordially invited to a meeting of Chapter 4, North County Korean War Veterans Association. Meetings take place at the VFW Post 4105 at 410 St. Francois in Florissant on the second Monday of the month, starting at 7 p.m. For more information contact Walter Kaiser at 314-9212132.

Mondays-Thursdays: Volunteers needed

Community Action Agency of St. Louis County is in need of volunteers to stock shelves, sort food shipments and pack bags for Food Pantry Clients Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. Two to four hour shifts are available. If you are interested, please contact Cheryl Piece at 314-446-4440 or cpiece@caastlc.org for additional information.

Tuesdays: A cappella singers

The Gentlemen of Sound are looking for men who like to sing or want to learn. They practice Tuesdays at Lady of the Pillar school at 401 S. Lindbergh from 7 – 9 p.m. They try to do public events monthly. Always looking for new members. Come by or call Charlie at 314-954-1121.

Tuesdays: Chair Zumba

Chair Zumba every Tuesday from 2:15 – 3 p.m. at The Bridge At Florissant at 1101 Garden Plaza Dr. (Parker @ Arlington). For more information call 314-831-0988.

Tuesdays: Celebrate Recovery

Celebrate Recovery Tuesday meetings take place at 6 p.m. with a Saturday Bible Study at 9 a.m. at LifePoint Church at 424 Graham Rd. in Florissant. For more information visit w w w.lifepointministries.church/ celebrate-recovery or call (men) Steve D. at 636-634-6582 or (women) Denise W. at 530-417-6151.

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.

What’s Happening

SUDOKU answers from page F-1

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CROSSWORD answers from page F-4

Tuesdays: Food pantry

Every second Tuesday of the month, food pantry takes place from 9 - 9:45 a.m. and 11 a.m. – noon at St. Andrew United Methodist Church at 3975 N. US Highway 67 in Florissant. Other times by appointment, call 314-837-4233.

Tuesdays: Vietnam Veterans Association meeting

Chapter 794 Vietnam Veterans Association meets on the third Tuesday of each month at VFW Post 4105 at 410 St. Francois in Florissant. Meetings start at 7 p.m. For more information contact Walter Kaiser at 314-921-2132.

Tuesdays: TOPS pounds sensibly)

(Take

off

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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 4:30 p.m., games begin at 6pm, Florissant Elks Lodge #2316, 16400 New Halls Ferry Rd. in Florissant. For more information, call 314921-2316.

by the Choral Arts singers

Friday, December 6, 7:30 p.m.

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church 150 W. Hwy D, New Melle, MO

Sunday, December 8, 3:00 p.m.

Assumption Parish Chapel 403 N. Main St., O’Fallon, MO

Sunday, December 15, 3:00 p.m.

Wentzville United Methodist Church 725 Wall Street, Wentzville, MO

Admission is FREE. Donations appreciated.

10

Around Town

December 4, 2019 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission selects I-270 North Design-Build contractor At its monthly meeting held on Nov. 7 on the St. Louis Community College campus in Ferguson, the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission selected Millstone Weber as the Design-Build contractor for the Interstate 270 North Project. The $278 million dollar project runs along I-270 from I-70 on the west to west of Riverview Drive.

“Seeing this project come to fruition is great progress for the community, the region and the entire state of Missouri,” said MoDOT Director Patrick McKenna.

“The I-270 North Project is MoDOT’s largest single project in the last decade.

It will replace aging infrastructure, enhance safety and resiliency of the system and improve mobility for freight and passengers, all while creating an economic boost for nearby communities. MoDOT’s

design-build model to scale the scope of work to match existing resources has worked well for us, and I believe it will with this project, too. ” The I-270 North Design-Build Project seeks to improve reliability within the I-270 corridor, link communities, and enhance traffic operations so that the public has a durable and maintainable transportation network.

Challenges within the corridor include safety. Reports show that both directions of I-270 have higher than average rates of severe crashes. They also indicate higher-than-average crash rates, with eastbound I-270 showing an average crash rate 30 percent higher than the statewide average for interstates.

Other challenges include the corridor’s position as one of the heaviest traveled

Submitted image The rendering in this picture highlights the new design for the I-270 and Lindbergh Interchange looking from the east. Once constructed this interchange is designed to improve safety and mobility, while increasing connectivity and potentially offering increased economic development to the area. Specifics of this interchange will be provided at the public meeting in winter 2020.

interstates in Missouri, 140,000 vehicles, of which 18 percent are heavy trucks, travel it daily. In addition, the corridor offers limited pedestrian facilities.

MoDOT’s project team will meet with

Millstone Weber over the next several months to fine-tune project elements and construction approach. Improvements planned for the project include: • Reconstruct interchanges at U.S. Route 67 (Lindbergh), Hanley/Graham Roads, New Florissant Road, Washington St./Elizabeth Ave., West Florissant Ave, News Halls Ferry Road, Old Halls Ferry Road and Route 367.

• Additional lane of pavement on I-270 in both directions from U.S. Route 67 (Lindbergh) to Route 367.

• Improve accessibility for bicycles and pedestrians with shared use paths from Lindbergh to Breezy Point Lane along Dunn Road, and from Hanley/ Graham Roads to Old Halls Ferry Road along Pershall Road.

www.bjc.org/marketplace

• Improve safety with an updated outer road system that includes outer road conversions and removal of cross over slip ramps.

Work on the project is scheduled to begin in spring 2020.

Project goals are: 1.

Deliver the project by Dec. 1, 2023 within the program budget of $278 million.

2.

Maximize reliability and safety while linking communities for all users.

3.

Provide a durable and maintainable transportation network making Interstate 270 the conduit for a prosperous region.

4.

Grow and utilize a diverse workforce.

5.

Minimize and mitigate impacts to customers through innovation.

www.mycnews.com • Community News • December 4, 2019

Recipe:

Feature

F-1

– SUDOKU –

White Hominy Chicken Chili

Recipe courtesy of Cate Meade | Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 4 hours | Servings: 8

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.

Ingredients: 2 t ablespoons olive or avocado oil 2m edium yellow onions, diced 1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast 1 p acket of white chili seasoning 1 c up Holland House White Cooking Wine 1 j ar (16 ounces) chunky salsa verde 4 c ups unsalted vegetable stock 1 c an (16 ounces) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 1 l arge poblano or green pepper, diced 1 b ag (10 ounces) frozen fire-roasted corn 1 c an (29 ounces) white hominy, drained and rinsed 3 t ablespoons cornmeal (optional) Toppings recommendations: Lime wedges, avocado, cilantro, sour cream, cheese, tortilla chips, jalapenos

Directions: Turn slow cooker on low; add oil, onions and chicken. Distribute chili seasoning evenly over chicken and onions.

Add cooking wine, salsa verde and chicken stock.

Cover and cook 3 hours.

Remove chicken and allow to rest, covered, for 15 minutes before shredding.

Add beans, peppers, corn and hominy to slow cooker. For thicker consistency, add cornmeal, if desired. Cook on high 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Add shredded chicken back to slow cooker and serve with lime wedges, avocado, cilantro, sour cream, cheese, tortilla chips and jalapenos, if desired.

For more stress-free holiday recipes, visit hollandhouseflavors.com

SEE ANSWERS ON PAGE 9

Director blames men for failure of ‘Charlie’s Angels’

E

Movie:

By Steve Bryan

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

lizabeth Banks is a talented actress who had featured roles in the sports biopic “Invincible” and “Pitch Perfect” as well as “The Hunger Games” franchise. A few years ago, however, Banks caused a social media dustup by calling out Steven Spielberg for never directing a film with a female lead. In truth, Spielberg was behind the camera for the big screen adaptation of “The Color Purple” with Whoopi Goldberg in the lead role. He also directed Karen Allen as Marion Ravenwood, an iconic character that took no grief from Indiana Jones in “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” Banks recanted her remarks after finally listening to critics who came armed with the facts. More recently, the actress was quite vocal about the failure of “Charlie’s Angels,” a reboot that she directed. Her film was competing with “Ford v Ferrari,” a male-oriented racing drama which won the weekend.

Talking about her film’s poor performance, Banks, according to Fox News, said that men “don’t go see women do action movies.”

That’s not quite true. I’m a die-hard Marvel Cinematic Universe type of guy, but I went to see DC’s “Wonder Woman” twice because of director Patty Jenkins. Gal Gadot was awesome as the Amazonian warrior in that DC

inspired audiences. Carol Danvers is a lesser-known Marvel character, but Brie Larson turned in a solid performance playing the role. Her scenes with Chris Hemsworth in the “Avengers: Endgame” trailer were so engaging that Twitter users posted their overwhelming approval of a potential Captain Marvel/Thor relationship.

Banks also forgot her own superhero roots. In the “Wall Street Journal,” Photo courtesy Columbia Pictures she defended bringing back “Charlie’s Angels” by saying “you’ve had 37 project, but it was Jenkins’ storytelling that Spider-Man movies and you’re not complainbrought me back a second time. She is finish- ing.” Excluding the 1970’s television movies, ing up work on “Wonder Woman 1984,” the there were eight films and Banks herself was follow-up film which is due in theaters in 2020. in three of them. She played Betty Brant, secIn an interview with Australia’s “Her- retary to blustery publisher J. Jonah Jameson ald Sun,” Banks even dismissed the success and one of my favorite characters from the of “Wonder Woman” and MCU’s “Captain comics. Getting exposure in that franchise Marvel” by classifying comic book films as a arguably gave Banks’ career a boost. “male genre.” Before I came to California, I Going to the movies is mostly a democratworked in a comic shop for several years and ic process where people vote with their walfrequented the San Diego Comic-Con and lets. I had no desire to see the latest reboot of witnessed diversity amongst the attendees. “Charlie’s Angels” but I am looking forward Contemporary comic book readers and mov- to seeing “Frozen 2” and “A Beautiful Day iegoers are not just nerdy guys like me who in the Neighborhood.” Film fans will see segrew up wanting to be Superman. quels to popular franchises as well as origiWith Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck direct- nal films, but they are not quite as enthused ing, “Captain Marvel,” like “Wonder Woman,” about stories that have been done multiple was a successful, well-executed adventure that times before.

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Feature

December 4, 2019 • Community News • www.mycnews.com

COLLECTIBLES RECORDS WANTED Cash paid for 78, 33 & 45 RPM records

House calls made Call Bob 636-296-5240

HELP WANTED

NOVENA

SERVICES

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.

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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.

SCHOOL

SINGERS WANTED

STATEWIDE CLASSIFIEDS

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Let help advertise YOUR sale!

Call Brooke at 636.697.2414

Check it Out! www.MYCNEWS.com

www.mycnews.com • Community News • December 4, 2019

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Feature

December 4, 2019 • Community News • www.mycnews.com

Yeggs

John Hanna

Crossword: 20th Century Inventions

‘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.

By Cindy Moore

Moore On Life Just when I thought nothing new could ever be invented again; the scientists come along and surprise the shorts right off of me.

It happened last week as I was considering what to do for dinner. My husband nixed the three recommendations I had made: McDairyKing, Macho Tacos and Pizza Express.

“Okay,” I said. “I’ve run out of options; how about you suggest something better.”

“How about you turn on the oven and cook something for a change?”

That was not my idea of better.

So there I was meandering along the frozen food section of my local supermarket considering the grocery store sushi or frozen burritos for dinner when something on the endcap caught my eye. It wouldn’t have normally grabbed my attention, but the word “butter” popped out.

“Mmm butter,” I thought.

The packaging clearly said: injectable butter.

Oh my. How revolutionary. My mind went wild as I considered the possibilities.

“What if I’m running late for my pedicure appointment and haven’t got time for breakfast.

Starvation will settle in fast and a bad case of the shimmy shakes would soon follow. My stomach will grumble and my knees will go weak. I’ll need food quickly, but there won’t be time because ten other women are on a waiting list to steal my foot shaving appointment!”

I could never give up my appointment. It would take weeks to get re-scheduled.

“But, with a handy IV of butter surging through my veins bada bing, bada boom my morning

shakes will vanish.

And as an added bonus, my vision won’t blur and a head-on collision with my fellow travelers will have been avoided.

Granted my arteries may clog, but there’s always a trade-off.”

I loaded my cart with the butter inoculations.

A lady came by and said, “Oh I’ve heard about these things.”

“They’re new. Aren’t they fantastic?” I gushed.

“Yes, and they’re supposed to make your turkey extra moist and juicy.”

“Turkey? That would be weird.”

“But they’re made to inject in your turkey before baking. You certainly didn’t think they were for…?”

She grabbed her butter injector and backed away slowly then spun around and sped off.

“Of course not,” I shouted, “I said that would be weird!”

Butter banter

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.

ACROSS 1. Observation point’s attraction 5. Included for large parties?

8. 252 gallons of wine 11. Soprano’s song, e.g.

12. Pakistani tongue 13. Word with foster or health 14. Lancelot and Mix-a-Lot 15. Unstable particle 16. Orangutan, biologically speaking 17. *Car safety invention 19. Caspian Sea, e.g.

20. They flock together?

21. “____ the ramparts...”

22. *Risqué garb named for atoll 25. *Bakelite was first one made from synthetics 29. RNs’ org.

30. Like a pumpkin on Halloween 33. € 34. “To Kill a Mockingbird” protagonist 36. Columbus Day mo.

37. Unlock 38. Without, in Paris 39. Limestone landscape forms 41. Broke bread

42. *Synthetic for a diabetic 44. Putin’s currency 46. *Willis Carrier’s invention conditioned it 47. *Aspartame-based sweetener 49. Hard tale to believe 51. *Scuba diver’s gear 54. “It’s still Rock and Roll” to him 55. The Colosseum, e.g.

56. Stage part 58. Bohemian 59. Gold coating 60. Fishing rod attachment 61. Sticky stuff 62. Make a choice 63. Big Bang’s original matter DOWN 1. Military hospitals 2. Fleur-de-lis 3. Irish word for Ireland 4. Sushi restaurant “burner” 5. Set straight 6. Objects of worship 7. Fourth down option 8. *Little Willie or T-34 9. Egg on 10. Opposite of paleo12. Perugia region

13. Make less refined 16. Court bargain 18. Touch of color 21. Antediluvian 22. Low in La Scala, pl.

23. Relating to Quechuan people 24. Unstable mesons 25. Four-legged friends 26. ____ Ligation 27. All worked up 28. Apple leftovers 31. Multicolored horse 32. *Acronym that revolutionized TV-watching 35. But not always 37. Like some suspects?

39. Crème de cassis plus wine 40. Like Ferris Bueller 43. Monet’s water flower 45. Out of focus 47. Provide with gear 48. Cover with a story to tell?

49. Beginner 50. Charlie Parker’s sax 51. Golden Fleece ship 52. Season to be jolly 53. High school club 54. *Air____, vehicle restraint 57. Freddie Krueger’s street SEE ANSWERS ON PAGE 9