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June 12, 2019

After the flood

Around Town

Wentzville students bring creativity to Drinking Water Week. Pg 3 O’Fallon Police Department names new chief of police Pg. 5

School Five FHSD students named to Missouri Scholars 100. Pg. 6

Flip for Features

This aerial photo shows the extent of the flooding along the St. Charles river front.

Photo courtesy St. Charles County

The challenging process of cleaning up and assessing damage begins after near-record-high flooding swamps the region By Brett Auten Now that the Mississippi River has ceased its hemorrhaging, the journey back to a smidgen of normalcy begins. Over the weekend, the Mississippi River crested in St. Charles at over 35-feet, almost 11-feet above flood stage. Last week, St. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann declared that a state of emergency exists in the county as a result of on-going, severe weather and serious flooding which began on April 29. The rain has caused severe flooding in the areas of Portage des Sioux, West Alton, and Orchard Farm. Now that the river has started to recede this week, clean-up and damage assessments are

underway. That is when things will really hit home for residents. “The real impact will come when they see what the water has done to their home or property,” Captain Chris Hunt, the Director of St. Charles County Regional Emergency Management, said. “Most of these residents have lived here a long time and they know what they’re up against.” The state has reached its monetary threshold and will now look to federal disaster assistance. Once local officials collect the initial damage estimates, the state will request a Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments from FEMA Regional Office. The governor will submit a disaster declaration request to the president through the FEMA Regional Office.

FEMA will review the requests and will send the recommendation to the president, who will make the final decision. “It is a multi-week process. It’s almost like, did they forget about us?’” Hunt said. “We are urging residents to start filing (insurance) claims and if they can get back to their homes, start the clean-up process. There is a lot of debris that gets brought in due to these floods. We will assist by bringing in dumpsters and having facilities available to take the debris.” Jared Agee is the Division Director of Building and Code Enforcement at St. Charles County. He and his team will be going to different properties to see if it is safe to occupy and to survey just how bad the damage is. See ‘FLOOD’ page 2

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Around Town

June 12, 2019 • Community News - St. Charles County • www.mycnews.com

These aerial photos show the extent of the flooding throughout St. Charles County.

‘FLOOD’ from cover Get your event or good news published in Community News: email your information to editor@mycnews.com

Huneke Publications, Inc. 2139 Bryan Valley Commercial Dr. O’Fallon, MO 63366 PH: 636-379-1775 | FX: 636-379-1632 Published weekly since 1921. Serving St. Louis, St. Charles and Lincoln Counties. Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Mathew DeKinder Publisher Emeritus/General Manager Robert J. Huneke Production Manager Rebecca Brockmann Production Assistant Melissa Nordmann Copy Editor Donna Huneke Staﬀ Writers Brett Auten, Charlotte Beard Staﬀ Photographer Kate Edmonson Columnists Gary Baute, Steve Bryan, Cindy Moore Cartoonist John Hanna Social Media Lori North

“There are fuel and gas lines that need to be serviced,” Agee said. “There are electrical hazards with the ground being wet and being a conductor. We will be looking for foundation scouring, pavement delamination. In some areas, if the water recedes quickly, it can take the soil with it. There will be debris everywhere and (residents) need to be careful about getting cut. “It’s going to be a challenging process,” Agee continues. “The good thing is, we’ve been through this before. We know what we’re doing and we already have plans in action which will make the whole process much easier. The biggest issue will be getting these lives put back together. Some are used to the river flooding and will bounce back and be ready. For others, we will be working in a more one-on-one environment.” Another major obstacle is making sure residents get the right information. “We want these residents to stay engaged on social media,” Hunt said. “They should follow and listen to their local fire and county officials. The information that they put out is the most accurate. Don’t follow the rumor mill.” The St. Charles County Police Department and St. Charles County Regional Emergency Management have provided emergency response to residents. On June 1,

St. Charles County Police restricted access to Portage des Sioux, West Alton and Orchard Farm. Those areas were under a voluntary evacuation order due to flooding. St. Charles County police were implementing watercraft Monday afternoon in an effort to keep flood victims and their property safe. Officers were assigned to 12-hour shifts to provide extra patrol in flood-impacted areas and anyone found attempting unauthorized access to vacated residences and businesses were taken into custody. Also last week, a levee breach was reported by the St. Charles County Emergency Operations Center. It was on the Missouri River side of the CNC levee on the section east of Highway 67. Among the St. Charles County Parks closures (as of press time) include: Bangert Island, Hideaway Harbor, Klondike Park Boat Ramp, and Riverside Landing. The St. Charles County Smartt Field Airport is closed until further notice due to flooding. Several planes were seen parked on the runway as the hangars were deemed a risk. Several neighborhoods and subdivisions, most notably the Deerfield Village mobile home park, have already been impacted by the flood. This year’s flood has reminded some of the flood of 1993, but according to Hunt, it doesn’t compare. Though the official numbers will not be available until the end of the

Photos courtesy St. Charles County

month, as of last week, an estimated 2,000 structures have been hit by the flood waters. The Great Mississippi and Missouri Rivers Flood of 1993 was among the most costly and devastating to ever occur in the United States, with $15 billion in damages (Approx. $26 billion in 2018 dollars). The flooded area totaled around 30,000 square miles and was the worst such U.S. disaster since the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927. Some locations on the Mississippi River flooded for almost 200 days, while various regions by Missouri neared 100 days of flooding. The Red Cross opened a new shelter in St. Charles at Saint John United Church of Christ located at 405 S. 5th St. in St. Charles. Trinity Lutheran Church in Orchard Farm is hosting a post-flood relief clean-up drive. Visit their Facebook page for items requested and more information. “There is a lot of work that needs to go on and for those who want to volunteer, please go through the proper channels,” Agee said. “Don’t just show up to a flood plain looking to help. It is hard enough to get rescue vehicles where it needs to be so we don’t need sightseers causing additional traffic congestion.” If you – or someone you know - is in need of flood recovery help, please call United Way of Greater St. Louis 2-1-1 (or 800-4274626) or American Red Cross of Missouri (314-516-2700).

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www.mycnews.com • Community News - St. Charles County • June 12, 2019

Wentzville students bring creativity to Drinking Water Week In celebration of National Drinking Water Week, Wentzville senior art students participated in a contest to win scholarships from the city of Wentzville’s Water Division. Creatively implementing the designated “Dr. Seuss” theme, the students painted fire hydrants to be displayed throughout Historic Downtown Wentzville. As one of the only fine-arts related scholarships in the area, three students from Holt, Liberty and Timberland high schools were awarded $1,000 scholarships for their creative fire hydrant designs. This year’s first-place winners include seniors Stephanie Tauser (Holt), Savannah Hayton (Timberland) and Courtney Harmon (Liberty). These fire hydrants, representing the diligent and innovative work of Wentzville students, were on display near the bottom of the water tower on

Around Town

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Photo courtesy city of Wentzville (From left) Wentzville Mayor Nick Guccione stands with scholarship winners Stephanie Tauser (Holt), Public Works Director Susan Spiegel, Savannah Hayton (Timberland) and Courtney Harmon (Liberty).

East Pearce Boulevard until the end of May. To honor the students’ creative efforts and to serve as a reminder of Wentzville’s dedication to providing residents with quality drinking water, the artistic fire hydrants will be displayed throughout downtown Wentzville between June and November.

St. Charles County Jail commissions emergency response team The safety of all who live, work and play in St. Charles County is always a priority for county government. County employees receive training regularly to maintain certifications and to learn new skills and techniques that ensure safety within our community. As an example of this dedication to public safety, the St. Charles County Corrections Department (county jail) recently commissioned a new Corrections Emergency Response Team (CERT). The team is deployed for any major incident that may occur on jail property. “As St. Charles County has grown, the severity of the crimes committed by our jail population has increased and the propensity for violence amongst the inmates has grown as well. It’s important to have staff properly trained to handle critical situations,” says Dan Keen, Director of the Department of Corrections. “The individuals on this team are dedicated to ensure everyone – including our inmates – are safe from harm in emergency situa-

tions – whether it’s a disturbance or a riot, we are prepared to respond and minimize and eliminate the situation.” Employees in the department of corrections were given the opportunity to volunteer to be on the team. All current members of the team were required to demonstrate the physical and mental stamina necessary for handling prolonged emergencies and have received excellent employee evaluations in the last year. Sixteen employees were chosen to join CERT. The team participated in a 40-hour, in-house training session where they learned self-defense and control tactics, confrontational awareness, riot control, hand and arm signals, cell extractions, inmate escorting and other emergency procedures. In August, they will receive more in-depth training with TJA Use of Force Training, Inc., which is a recognized government training contractor for the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Defense.

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Around Town

June 12, 2019 • Community News - St. Charles County • www.mycnews.com

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Optimist Club of St. Charles awards scholarships The Optimist Club of St. Charles awarded $1,000 scholarships to five high school seniors at the Annual Scholarship Awards Ceremony on May 14. The awardees, their parents and guests were guests at the regular Optimist Club noon membership meeting. Event chairman Mike Ebert introduced each student, shared their high school and community accomplishments, their plans for college and intended field of study. Club president, Jack Ross, expressed his confidence in the youth of St. Charles and the academic preparation they received from the educational programs offered at the St. Charles School District, the Orchard Farm District, Duchesne High School and Lutheran High School – St. Charles.

Submitted photo (From left) Event Chairman Mike Ebert stands next to Taylor Machens (Orchard Farm), Margaret Fitzgerald (Lutheran), Hanna Gross (St Charles High), Drew Ryherd (St. Charles West), Matt Klekar (Duchesne) and Club President, Jack Ross.

Meridian Waste and Wentzville city officials announce opt-in dual-stream recycling Meridian Waste, an integrated, non-hazardous solid waste services company, along with city of Wentzville officials announced dual-stream recycling program updates including fiber curbside collection to begin the week of July 15. Wentzville first launched dual-stream collection in December with only rigids accepted for curbside recycling collection and fiber and glass accepted at drop-off locations. Residents have followed the new guidelines for the rigids only carts extremely well. This has resulted in a 100 percent clean rate curbside, and not one load has been rejected due to contamination to date. “We want to applaud Wentzville residents for making a smooth transition to dual stream and being careful to only put in aluminum, tin and steel cans or plastic labeled 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 in their rigid carts,” said Kevin O’Brien, area president for Meridian Waste. “We are excited to announce the next step in dual-stream collection by adding fiber curbside collection beginning the week of July 15, which is a more convenient option especially for families with more paper products to recycle.” Beginning July 15, at a cost of $2.50 per month, residents will have the option to recycle fiber materials (paper and cardboard) curbside in a separate, second cart for fiber material only collected on alternating weeks with rigids (plastics and metals). Residents who wish to opt-in to the expanded program and receive a second cart can sign up at http://bit.ly/curbsidefibersignup. “We all want to do what’s right for our community and for our environment. Unfortunately, it’s not always that simple. Wentzville residents have gone above and beyond to do the right thing and to continue recycling, even when it hasn’t been easy,” said Wentzville Mayor Nick Guccione. “Since our switch to dual-stream recycling late last year, Wentzville residents continuously produce some of the cleanest and least-contaminated recycling in the region. The city continues to look for ways to improve the recycling process and make recycling responsibly easy and convenient. I have heard from many residents that they want fiber recycling at the curb. For a small convenience fee,

Submitted photo A 35-gallon rigids cart stands next to a 64-gallon fiber cart and 96-gallon trash cart.

residents will now have the option to have fiber (including cardboard and mixed paper) collected curbside. Kudos again to our amazing Wentzville residents for their efforts to recycle responsibly!” Residents can still recycle glass and fiber collection at the drop-off sites: 1. 15268 Veterans Memorial Pkwy. (formerly Car Credit City) 2. 802 E. Pearce Blvd. (under the water tower) 3. 1019 Schroeder Creek Blvd. (adjacent to the Law Enforcement Center) 4. 2110 E. Pitman Ave. (St. Charles County’s Recycle Works West) A green tag grading system was implemented for ongoing resident education and feedback to help keep the stream clean, which is vital to the success of the program. When a load contains incorrect items, it is deemed contaminated, rejected at the material recycling facility (MRF), and then sent to be disposed of in the landfill. For more information including a dual-stream recycling collection calendar, visit MeridianWaste.com/Wentzville. For more information on the state of the recycling industry, visit MeridianWaste.com/MORecyclingCrisis. Other St. Louis marketplace communities that have converted to dual-stream recycling include Fenton, Lake Saint Louis, Moscow Mills, Parkway, Troy, Warrenton, Wildwood and Wright City.

www.mycnews.com • Community News - St. Charles County • June 12, 2019

Around Town

O’Fallon Police Department names new chief of police During the May 9 O’Fallon City Council meeting, the O’Fallon City Council ratified Mayor Bill Hennessy’s appointment of Tim Clothier as the new Chief of the O’Fallon Police Department. Following the vote, Clothier was sworn in as the new chief. He officially began with O’Fallon on May 28. Clothier joins O’Fallon from Ozark, Missouri, where he has served as police chief since 2015. Ozark, with a population of nearly 20,000 residents, has 33 uniformed officers. Prior to joining the ranks of the Ozark Police Department, Clothier was a police officer holding the rank of Major with the Owensboro, Kentucky, Police Department. Owensboro has a population of approximately 58,000 residents and has a police force of 110 sworn/commissioned officers and a civilian staff of 45 people. Clothier was chosen following a nationwide search, which resulted in three finalists. The finalists were brought to O’Fallon for a day-long series of interviews with the mayor, city council, city administrator, O’Fallon police officers and department leaders and a panel of O’Fallon citizens. “I would like to thank the O’Fallon City Council for their support of my appointment of Chief Clothier and for their participation in this process,” said Hennessy. “We put these candidates through a grueling experience as we looked at every aspect of their careers, character and history. And, although we had several very qualified candidates, it was extremely clear that Chief Clothier was the best fit for our city, our department and our residents. I also would like to thank Chief Gary George for his work as Interim Chief of

Photo courtesy city of O’Fallon The O’Fallon City Council ratified the appointment of Tim Clothier as the new Chief of the O’Fallon Police Department. www.LaserLipoandVeins.com

Police. He has done a great job for our officers and our residents, and he has made a real impact on the O’Fallon Police Department.” “I am honored to join the distinguished men and women of the O’Fallon Police Department,” said Clothier. “Although I am new to the area, I am well aware of the tremendous reputation of this department and O’Fallon’s reputation as one of the safest cities in this country. The opportunity to work with this great team was one that I could not pass up, and I look forward to getting to know all of our officers, our residents and our business community.” Prior to starting his civilian law enforcement career, Clothier served his country for four years in the United States Marine Corps and obtained the rank of Sergeant. While in the Marine Corps, he served as a Military Police Officer, assigned to the White House Military Office. He worked as a Presidential Security Guard under former Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.

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School

June 12, 2019 • Community News - St. Charles County • www.mycnews.com

WSD Foundation Awards $14,500 in annual teacher grants and GM STEM grants The Wentzville School District Foundation has announced the winners of the foundation’s 2019 Teacher and Building Mini-Grants. On May 3, Foundation Directors Dr. Curtis Cain, Mary LaPak, Dr. Susan Hladky and Martin Ghafoori, along with Foundation Treasurer Dan Schroeder, handed out 15 checks totaling $9,500 to deserving teachers at 14 different WSD buildings. The WSD Foundation raises funds through its annual trivia night held in February for the Mini-Grant Program. In addition, the foundation awarded six teachers with STEM grants totaling $5,000 thanks to a community grant the foundation received last year from GM to fund STEM initiatives in WSD schools. The WSD Foundation has awarded over $97,000 to district teachers since 2004. The selection committee is comprised of Wentzville School District Foundation Directors. The grants are designed to reward educators for their resourceful and innovative ideas and strategies that benefit the educa-

Photo courtesy Wentzville School District The Wentzville School District Foundation has announced the winners of the foundation’s 2019 Teacher and Building Mini-Grants on May 3.

tion of our children. The Wentzville School District Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to develop community support for public education and for the students and teachers of the Wentzville School District.

Five FHSD students named to Missouri Scholars 100

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Five high school seniors from the Francis Howell School District have been selected for recognition as part of the 2019 Missouri Scholars 100, a program that honors 100 of Missouri’s highest achieving students. To be selected as a member of Missouri Scholars 100, students must have a minimum 3.75 GPA, have a minimum ACT score of 29 or a minimum SAT score of 1900, be ranked in the upper ten percent of the class, and have taken upper-level courses in mathematics, science, English and a foreign language. The students must also have excellent attendance, be exemplary school citizens and be involved in school activities. David Yang (FHHS) is one of only 15,000 students in the United States to be named a National Merit Finalist. He is a National AP Scholar and scored a 36 on his ACT after his freshmen year in high school. He received the 2018 Award for Excellence in Research Award for his work in the Students and Teachers as Research Scientists (STARS) program at Washington University. Yang is also captain of the boys swim team and is involved in the Scholar Bowl, National Honors Society, and Mu Alpha Theta. Sarah Reider (FHHS) won gold at the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) competition for her work in the environmental ambassador category focused on energy use and the impact on our community. She was named an AP Scholar with Distinction and is a member of the National Honors Society at FHHS. She holds an officer position in Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and is involved in the girls track team, Mu Alpha Theta, and SkillsUSA. Stephanie Monson (FHC) was named an AP Scholar with distinction this year, as well as a National Merit Semifinalist. She earned a 36 on her ACT, serves as president of her senior class, and is a member of the National Honors Society. Monson has represented FHC at the Missouri Leadership Seminar and has participated in The Boeing

Photo courtesy Francis Howell School District Five high school seniors from the Francis Howell School District have been selected for recognition as part of the 2019 Missouri Scholars 100, a program that honors 100 of Missouri’s highest achieving students.

Company Engineering Explorer Post the past two years. She is also involved in a variety of clubs, including Arete, Varsity Scholar Bowl, French Club, and band. Michael Yu (FHC) was named a National AP Scholar in 2018 and scored a 36 on his ACT. He has challenged himself academically by taking a majority of Honors and AP courses. In addition, he is actively involved at FHC and participates in a variety of activities including tennis, swimming, Quizbowl, NHS, HOSA, Math Club, and Boeing Engineering. Arianna Chaves (FHN) is ranked number one in her senior class of approximately 400 students. She was recognized as an AP Scholar with distinction and a National Merit Semi-Finalist and received a perfect score on her ACT. Chaves is involved in numerous clubs at FHN, but marching band has been one of her most important activities in high school. She has been named FHN’s Outstanding Musician every year and this year took on the leadership position of Section Leader for the band.

www.mycnews.com • Community News - St. Charles County • June 12, 2019

Business

Pure St. Peters Apartments celebrates grand opening with ribbon cutting

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Community Manager Brooke McGee celebrated the grand opening of Pure St. Peters Apartments with a ribbon cutting on May 9. Joining McGee was her staff, city of St. Peters Director of Planning, Community & Economic Development Julie Powers, and ambassadors with the Greater St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce. Pure St. Peters Apartments is located at 2100 Pure Street, just off Jungermann Road by Hospital Drive. They are open for business and have new (never before lived in) one and two bedroom units available for immediate occupancy. For more information on Pure St. Peters Apartments, please call McGee at 636-922-9926 or visit their website at www.PureStPeters.com.

Vantage Credit Union announces Quest For Education Scholarship recipients Vantage Credit Union recognized ten area high school seniors honored with a Quest For Education Scholarship (QFE) during an awards reception at Dave & Busters on April 23. Vantage Credit Union executive team members presented the ten students with $1,000 scholarships. Over the past 35 years, Vantage has awarded over $682,500 in scholarships to deserving students. “We are here to recognize our scholarship winners – their accomplishments thus far, commitment to their communities and desire to achieve higher education,” said Eric Acree, President & CEO of Vantage Credit Union, who was joined by members of the Vantage staff and Board of Directors in congratulating the scholarship winners and their families. “They have made all of us here at Vantage very proud, and it’s our hope that these scholarships will help them enter this next chapter of their lives confidently and ready to take on their goals.” The winners are listed below: Natalie Archer, Francis Howell North High School; Tim Borawski, Lindbergh High School; Kati Brummet, Homeschool; Blake Chrismer, Chaminade College Preparatory School; Audrey Koch, Festus High School; Alexis Lambros, Pattonville High School; Devin Macklin-Jackson, Rockwood Summit High School; Audrey McKinney, Festus High School; Kristin Priest, Parkway West High School; and Daniel Thompson, Marquette High School.

Accounting ......... Antique/Vintage Shop ..... .... Apartment Complex ......... Attorney ......... Auto Body Shop ......... Auto Dealership ......... Auto Mechanic ......... Bank/Credit Union ......... Carpet Cleaner ......... Car Wash ......... Child Care Center/ Daycare/Preschool ......... Chiropractor ......... Church ......... Cleaning Company/ Maid Service ......... Clothing Store ......... Computer Services ......... Concrete/Asphalt/Sealant

Barber/Hair Salon ......... Dentist ......... Electrician ......... Family/ Kids Entertainment ......... Financial Planner ......... Fitness Center ......... Flooring Store/Installer ......... Florist ......... Funeral Home ......... Furniture Store ......... Golf Course ......... Graphic Designer ......... Heating & Cooling ......... Home Builder ......... Home Décor ......... Home Remodeling ......... Hospital ......... Insurance Agent

Jeweler ......... Landscaping/Lawn Care ......... Local Band ......... Local Events/Festivals ......... Massage /Spa ......... Movie Theater ......... Nursery/Garden ......... Optometrist/Vision Center ......... Park ......... Pest Control ......... Pet Groomer ......... Pharmacy ......... Photographer ......... Real Estate Agent ......... Rehab/Skilled Nursing Care ......... Resale Shop ......... Roofing Contractor ......... School (Private)

School (Public) ......... Retirement Community ......... Specialty Shop ......... Travel Agent ......... Urgent Care ......... Veterinarian Food Related: Fast Food ......... Bakery/Donuts ......... Bar/Lounge ......... Brewery ......... Brunch/breakfast ......... Coﬀee Shop ......... Ice Cream Shop ......... Outside Patio Dining ......... Pizza ......... Restaurant ......... Winery

BEST OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY 2019

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June 12, 2019 • Community News - St. Charles County • www.mycnews.com

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Featured Events . . . June 15: Pride festival

The fifth annual St. Charles LGBTQIA+ Pride Festival will be held at The Family Arena in St. Charles. Things begin with St. Charles County’s first LGBTQIA+ Pride Parade down Historic Main Street. The parade is from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. followed by the St. Charles Pride Festival from 12 to 9 p.m. Both events will focus on family-friendly entertainment and education. For more information regarding the festival please visit www.pridestcharles.org.

June 21-22: Ribs on the River - Louisiana, MO

Join us Friday 6-10p for Bourbon tasting, live music & BBQ. Saturday 12-7p Kansas City Barbeque Society sanctioned barbecue competitions with over $10,000 in prizes! Listen to Butch Wax & the Hollywoods while you eat. Schedule of Events: www.visitlouisianamo.com/ribs-on-the-river

June 21-22: ICS Chili cookoff

Show-Me Missouri State ICS Chili Cookoff takes place June 21 and 22 in Louisiana, Missouri. On June 21, will be a bourbon tasting event from 4 to 10 p.m. On June 22, there will be chili competitions. Winners from each event qualify for WCCC in September. Total prize money of $2,000 will be awarded at 5 p.m. Chili for sampling at 11a.m. for 50 cents each. Proceeds benefits the RAC, a 501C3 organization. For more information call Linda at 573-754-0335.

EVENTS June 14: Flag collection

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If you have a worn or damaged U.S. flag and don’t know where to dispose of it properly, the military veterans of St. Charles County Government are here to help. The County’s Veterans Best Practices Working Group hosts its third annual flag collection for the public from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Flag Day. The event takes place at a driveby collection site, located at the corner of Monroe and Second Streets in St. Charles between the County Administration and Corrections buildings. The flags will be properly disposed of at a ceremony later this year. Those who cannot make it can drop off flags at the St. Charles County Administration Building at 201 N. Second Street in St. Charles, at the reception desk Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding holidays. For more information, contact Dennis Wiss at 636-9497900, ext. 1893, or dwiss@sccmo.org.

June 21-23 and June 28-30: Theater production

O’FallonTheatreWorks presents “The Miracle Worker,” the moving story of Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan at the O’Fallon Municipal Center (City Hall) at 100 North Main St. in O’Fallon. Show times are June 21-23 and 28-30 with shows starting at 7:30 p.m. on Fri-

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days and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets are on sale now, and may be purchased online at https://www. ofallon.mo.us/parks&rec/ofallontheatreworks or by calling the Renaud Center at 636-474-2732.

June 22: Anniversary celebration

25th Anniversary Celebration for Unity Church of Light takes place at 2809 Yale Blvd. in St. Charles from 2 – 4 p.m. If you have worshiped here in the past, you are welcome to join and help reminisce with past ministers and friends.

July 13: 10th Annual Hope for Haiti Run

The 10th Annual Hope for Haiti 5k/10/1 mile fun run will be held in Frontier Park in St. Charles. Funds raised will provide support for a medical clinic and Kids Against Hunger meal program. Awards, performance T-shirts, snacks, drinks and post-run massages are included. Please register online at: hopeforhaiti5k.com.

Sept. 13: Charity Golf Tournement

Fairwinds River’s Edge Retirement Community has teamed up with its sister property, The Landing of O’Fallon, and AW Health Care (their on-site home health care and therapy provider) to put on our second Charity

Golf Tournament being held at Bear Creek Golf Course. Space is limited. The tournament will benefit the VFW National Home for Children, whose community is open to families of active-duty military personnel, veterans, and descendants of members of the VFW and its Auxiliary. $500 per team of four includes lunch, 18-hole play, dinner, and loads of fun. For more information contact Stacy Welker at 636754-2311 or swelker@leisurecare.com.

ONGOING EVENTS Mondays: Optimist Club meetings The Wentzville/Lake St. Louis Optimist Club meets on the second and fourth Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Wentzville Schnuck’s meeting room located on Wentzville Parkway in Wentzville. For more information contact Ed Jurotich at 314560-1868.

Mondays: Take off Pounds Sensibly

Take off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS) meets every Monday from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. Weigh-ins begin at 8:30 a.m. We meet at Memorial Hall in Blanchette Park at 1900 Randolph St. in St. Charles. For more information contact Joyce at 636-206-5306.

Mondays: Take off Pounds Sensibly

TOPS meet every Monday at Holy Cross Lutheran Church at 8945 Veterans Memorial Hwy in O’Fallon. Meetings at 9:30 a.m. with weigh in beginning at 8:30 a.m. For more information please call Linda Wilcox at 636-447-9056.

Mondays: Parent support group

Because I Love You, (BILY), Gateway parent support group meets every Monday at 7:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church at 801 First Capitol Dr. in St. Charles. For information and directions, please contact the helpline at 314-993-7550 or email gateway_parent_help@yahoo.com. BILY is a program of self-help for parents of troubled children (all ages). We are not professionals, but parents helping each other. The meetings are free to attend.

www.mycnews.com • Community News - St. Charles County • June 12, 2019 Mondays: NAMI St. Louis Connection Recovery Support Group

If you have mental health concerns and need support, please come on Mondays at 6:30 p.m. at Friedens United Church of Christ at 1703 Old Highway 94 South in St. Charles.

Mondays: mous

Alcoholics

Anony-

If you want to drink, that’s your business. If you want to stop, we can help. Call Alcoholics Anonymous at 636970-0013.

Mondays: Choral Arts Singers practice

Choral Arts Singers resume practice on Mondays, at 7 p.m. at Transfiguration Episcopal Church, 1860 Lake St. Louis Blvd. in Lake St. Louis. New singers are welcome. Auditions are not required. See www.concertarts. org.

Mondays: St.Charles County Council of the Blind meetings

Business meetings are held on the first Monday of each month (second Monday in September due to Labor Day) unless otherwise specified. No meetings are held in June, July, or December. Meetings are held in the Community Council Building (Second floor of the Spencer Branch Library) from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. For more information contact Beverly Kaskadden (Treasurer) at 636-561-6947.

Mondays: St. Peters Rotary Club

Noon at St. Peters City Hall, One St. Peters Centre Blvd. www.stpetersrotary.org.

join in. Call Mary Ann at 636-3970866 if you are interested in playing on Monday or Thursday morning.

Mondays: American Legion Post 388 Meets

Meets the fourth Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at American Legion Hall, 607 Westridge Dr., O’Fallon, 636-219-0553.

Mondays: Measurement Mondays:

10 a.m. - 12 noon at the ST. Charles Health Deparment in the Upper Level Conference room. Measurement Mondays is a family-friendly breastfeeding support group. We are open to all moms and moms-to-be who are breastfeeding or interested in breastfeeding. The group is supported by the St Charles County WIC program so there will be information about the program available at each meeting. Each meeting will be a little different than the last. There will be baby weigh-ins, introductions, games, interactive education, group conversation, and even snacks.

Tuesdays: Cribbage Club

Meets every Tuesday, 12:30 – 3:30 p.m. at The Falls Golf Course Clubhouse. Relaxed, friendly play and is open to all. Call 314-779-6892 for more information.

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Tuesdays: Seniors group

Please join us on the third Tuesday of each month from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. for a gathering for senior adults. There will be lunch (no charge), cards and bingo (no charge), community program referrals, occasional health and wellness presentations and clergy available upon request. The event takes place at Church of the Transfiguration at1860 Lake St. Louis Blvd. in Lake Saint Louis. For more information call 636-561-8951.

Tuesdays: Gateway Chorus Rehearsal

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Spotlight

Gateway Spotlight is a women’s a capella chorus that meets at First United Methodist Church at 801 First Capitol Dr. in St. Charles every Tuesday evening beginning at 7 p.m. Call 636256-6823 for more details.

Mondays and Wednesdays: Tai Chi for arthritis class Every Monday and Wednesday a Tai Chi for arthritis class, sponsored by the city of St. Charles Parks and Recreation, takes place from 9:15 - 10 a.m. at Webster Park across from the Family Arena. This is a class that is taught nationally to manage arthritis and to prevent falls. For more information call 636-949-3372.

SUDOKU answers from page F-1

Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays: Fitness First Exercise Class 9:30-10:30 a.m., American Legion Hall, 504 Luetkenhaus Blvd., Wentzville. 314-369-6521.

Mondays and Thursdays: Bridge

St. Peters Senior Center plays bridge from 9 a.m. to noon on Monday and Thursdays, and would love to have any player, regardless of skill level, to

www.westcommunitycu.org

Get your event or good news published in Community News: email your information in calendar and article formats to editor@mycnews.com. CROSSWORD answers from page F-4

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Sports

June 12, 2019 • Community News - St. Charles County • www.mycnews.com

Sports you see with Gary B...

Grades by the athletes at UMSL are impressive The final grades have been tallied for the spring 2019 semester for University of Missouri-St. Louis student-athletes and the numbers are once again impressive. As a whole, the more than 200 Triton student-athletes combined for an impressive 3.36 grade point average for the 2019 spring semester. That marks the 13th consecutive semester UMSL student-athletes have posted at least a 3.0 combined GPA and is also the 10th straight at a 3.1 or better and the sixth straight of a 3.2 or higher. *Very impressive stats

Baseball player at Lindenwood places with honors Lindenwood baseball senior DJ Miller earned 2019 NCBWA all-central region honorable-mention recognition on Thursday. Miller was named all-MIAA first-team as an outfielder in early May. Miller ranked fifth in the MIAA with a .374 batting average and fifth in the league with 16 doubles. The Granite City product is fourth in the conference with 48 RBI, and has scored a team-leading 46 runs. He has tallied four triples and hit six home runs in his senior season and finished with a .578 slugging percentage and .436 on base percentage in his 50 starts. In two season, Miller started 101

games and hit .341, while driving in 86 runs. He also registered 27 doubles, five triples, and 12 home runs in his Lindenwood career. Miller and the Lions concluded the 2019 season after going 1-2 in the MIAA Tournament. *Also impressive stats

Baseball in River City exciting The defending West Division champion River City Rascals baseball club plays in the Frontier League with home games at the friendly confines of the

CarShield Field in O’Fallon. The team has been playing very competitive ball since the beginning of the season but so has several other teams. At this writing the Rascals are one half game out of first place sitting in second place with two teams less than a game and a half behind. Several players are at the top or near the top in statistics for the River City club in the league: *Designated hitter/infielder Trevor Achenbach leads the league in hitting with a .356 average. *Right fielder Kameron Esthay finds himself fifth place with a .345 average. *Second baseman Andrew Penner is hitting .326 placing him seventh. *First baseman Nolan Meadows has cranked five home runs just one shy of being tied for the league lead and is second in runs batted in (RBI) with 22. *Playing at third base is Braxton Martinez who ranks fifth in RBI’s with 19. *Pitcher Dalton Roach is second in the league with four wins and is third in the earned run average (ERA) at 1.13. *Alex Winkleman has three victories placing him right behind Roach and is sixth in producing strikeouts with 39. *At 6’5” Jason Zgardowski is 19th in the ERA category 3.30. *As a team, the Rascals lead the league with a .270 hitting average. *They also lead the league with a .423 hitting slugging percentage. *The Rascals are currently leading the Frontier league with 55 doubles. *In 27 games, the pitching staff has an ERA of 4.14 placing them seventh out of 10 teams. For more information go to www.RiverCityRascals.com *Impressive stats

www.BJCdoctors.org 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.

www.mycnews.com • Community News • June 12, 2019

Recipe:

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– SUDOKU –

Spice up summer with grilled kebabs

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.

Thai Barbecue Duck Kebabs Prep time: 25 minutes plus 2-6 hours inactive | Cook time: 10 minutes | Servings: 6 Ingredients: 1 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup rice vinegar 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup honey 2 teaspoons sesame oil 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced 2 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced 2 teaspoons red chili pepper, finely minced 1/4 cup cilantro, minced 3 boneless duck breasts, thawed and skin removed 1 teaspoon cornstarch 2 teaspoons cold water 3 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and cut into 2-inch chunks 12 green onions, cut into 3-inch pieces 2 zucchini, cut into 1-inch thick slices Directions: In bowl, whisk soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, honey, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, red chili

pepper and cilantro. Set aside.

Heat grill to medium heat.

Cut duck breast meat into 2-inch cubes and place in container. Pour 1/2 bowl of marinade over duck. Cover and refrigerate 2-6 hours.

Drain duck and discard its marinade.

In small saucepan over low heat, simmer remaining marinade 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Dissolve cornstarch in water and add to sauce. Simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Thread duck on skewers, alternating with pieces of red bell pepper, green onion and zucchini. Grill skewers 3-4 minutes on each side. When done, duck should be slightly pink in center. Serve kebabs with room temperature sauce.

Find more grilling recipes and tips for cooking with duck at mapleleaffarms.com

SEE ANSWERS ON PAGE 9

‘Dark Phoenix’ rises as the sun sets on Fox

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.

arvel Entertainment is an almost endless source of movie material. With its acquisition of major Fox Studio assets, the Walt Disney Studios, which owns Marvel Entertainment, can now bring the rest of their comic book heroes back into the cinematic fold with Captain Marvel, Black Panther and the Avengers. Longtime comic readers are also hoping for a “Fantastic Four” movie that stays faithful to the original source material. Like the Avengers, the X-Men are another popular superhero team, one that was controlled by 20th Century Fox for decades. With the Disney/Fox deal now complete, Cyclops, Professor X and the others can take their rightful places in the MCU, but only after “Dark Phoenix” arrives in theaters. Distributed by Disney, this new adventure ends the current run of “X-Men” movies and closes out the storyline started with “X-Men: First Class.” Back in its heyday, the four-color adventures of the X-Men ushered in a new age in comic books, a time when shopkeepers could sell issues for much more than cover price. As characters like Wolverine, Storm and Colossus were introduced, readers took notice. In the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, back issues of the X-Men titles were in high demand at stores and comic book collection. The writing and artwork also increased in quality and complexity. Arguably, for Marvel fans, the mature, groundbreaking storylines

were the things that hooked readers. For “The X-Men,” the real game-changer was Jean Grey, who originally was known as Marvel Girl. While in space on a mission, Jean joins with the Phoenix force, which grants her incredible cosmic powers. Rechristening herself as the Phoenix, she fights alongside the X-Men and uses her new abilities to do good. Power, as the old saying goes, corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Seduced by members of the Hellfire Club, Jean becomes the Dark Phoenix, a creature with a bent moral compass. At one point, to recharge her powers, she even drains a star, but that dooms the residents of a nearby planet. She becomes a cosmic villain and extraterrestrial visitors come to Earth seeking justice. In many ways, “Dark Phoenix” is the best way to end the Fox era of “X-Men” movies. The original story from decades ago is considered a page-turning classic. 2006’s “X-Men: The Last Stand” introduced the Phoenix Saga, but it wasn’t really as satisfying as fans were hoping. The current “Dark Phoenix” looks to be better, but not quite worthy of the source material. Here’s hoping under the guidance of Marvel Entertainment, the X-Men can achieve the heights that other Marvel heroes have achieved. Fox did a nice job with the characters, but the MCU is their real home. Photo courtesy Twentieth Century Fox

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June 12, 2019 • Community News • www.mycnews.com

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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. H.M.

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.

STATEWIDE CLASSIFIEDS

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SERVICES

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

“Stuff” Piling Up? Check it Out!

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Let us help advertise your sale! Call Brooke at 636.697.2414

www.mycnews.com • Community News • June 12, 2019

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

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June 12, 2019 • Community News • www.mycnews.com

Yeggs

John Hanna

Crossword: Fathers Day

‘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 There we were outside on a glorious spring day minding our business puttering around the yard. My husband was applying the last application of his lawn maintenance potion while I tackled the weeds in the flower beds. Suddenly we heard an outburst of yelling and screeching and all out pandemonium coming from next door. “What the holy what?!” exclaimed my husband! “Sounds like a massacre taking place. Maybe we should call 911!” I imagined we would be witnesses on an upcoming murder show. They usually interview the neighbors to find out what they knew. It’s always the same comment, “Gee, I can’t imagine Burt committing such a heinous crime. He was always so quiet and kept to himself.” Note to homeowners: if any of your neighbors are quiet and keep to themselves, run for the next county or you’ll end up on an episode of “Murder and Mayhem.” Just once I’d like to hear this about the killer, “He was so loud and in your face; always singing karaoke in his garage and yodeling while he mowed the lawn. Oh he was a noisy one alright.” Back to the screaming… I was just about to push the last 1 on the 911 call when the shouting became hysterical laughter followed by an eruption of watery smacks caused by non-stop belly flops and dives. We looked at each other and said in unison, “School’s out. Pool’s open.” We returned to adulting: mulching the garden, spreading bark chips, pruning scraggly branches and cursing the dandelions amid the backdrop of splashes and splatters and hoots and giggles. Finally after the gardening tools had been properly secured in their handy tool holders; the work gloves had been shaken and put away; the mower and hedge trimmer were stored and their cords were wrapped neatly in loops and stashed, we re-

By Cindy Moore

A fountain of youth laxed. “Well Sweetie, do you think you got ahead of the lawn grubs this year?” “Hope so. Did you get that nest of wasps by the shed?” “Yup.” We sat in the twilight and listened to the pool party still in full force. Oh to have so much energy. “Does that make you want to be young again and go swimming for five hours straight?” I asked. “Nope.” “Well what do you want to do?” “Watch an episode of ‘Murder and Mayhem’ and fall asleep in front of the TV.” That sounded absolutely marvelous. 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. Use elbow grease 6. Goody bag stuff 10. “_e_ _ect,” song 13. Singer Lenya 14. Band’s work-related trip 15. Capt.’s prediction 16. Assumed name 17. Debate side 18. Schumer or McConnell, abbr. 19. *Founding father with no biological children 21. Runs, as on TV 22. Last letter 23. *Dad’s mom 25. Ready for confrontation 29. *This before becoming father? 31. Lakes in Scotland 32. Opposite of post33. Henry VI had 6 37. Not in port 38. Have a bug 39. ____ of faith 40. *Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor’s dad 42. Layer 43. Ouzo flavor 44. Like farm-to-table 46. Made 50-50 47. Phony

50. “Wheel of Fortune” vowel request 51. Parts of play 52. *Dad to Violet, Dash and Jack-Jack 59. However, poetically 60. Coconut fiber 61. Dostoyevsky novel, with “The” 62. Once around 63. Japanese zither 64. It can be firma or incognita 65. Ill temper 66. Place at an angle 67. Ten of these before a first down DOWN 1. BBQ side 2. Fizzy drink 3. “The Dock of the Bay” singer 4. Four Corners state 5. Turns large into medium 6. “All the world’s a ____” 7. Refuses to 8. Grand theft target 9. Disparaging term for foreigners in Mexico 10. Pine product 11. Harsh 12. Popular annual flower 20. *Dad to Rod and Todd on “The Simpsons”

21. *Christopher Robin’s father 24. Column’s counterpart 25. Boring 26. Santa ____, CA 27. Tennis serving whiz 28. *Prince William’s dad 29. *Dad’s favorite cooking device? 30. Bank on 32. *The biggest bear 34. Tube in a body 35. Convenience 36. Hightailed it 41. ____Tube 43. Eagerness 45. Painful body spasms 46. Between NE and E 47. *What patriot and patriarch have in common 48. Autumn color 49. Ben Franklin invention 50. Found in a quiver 53. Cozy corner 54. Make a reference 55. Over head light? 56. 100 cents in Ethiopia 57. Master of his castle 58. #15 Across, pl.

SEE ANSWERS ON PAGE 9