CrossRoads: October 2013

The History of Missouri’s Name

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OCTOBER around town

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2013 contents

New Book Captures Missouri River Endangered Wolf Center Offers Free Admission Lewis Hybrids® Presents Charitable Donation to Kares 4 Kevin Black Bears’ Return Indicates Healthy Forests Mental Health Events

entertainment

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Unforgettable Film Directorial Debuts

by Brian Guerrero

food

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VOL 10 | NO 10

always an adventure 10

Classic Comfort Foods: Potatoes and Cheese Alaskan Ride V

by Avalanche

Moore on Life 11 Published monthly with direct mail circulation to Wentzville and Lake Saint Louis, plus newsstands in Troy.

features 12

Parenting With Your Head and Heart

By Lisa M. Eaton

The History of Missouri’s Name

Publisher Editor Production Manager Production Contributors

Bob Huneke Shannon Cothran Rebecca Brockmann Vicki Seagraves Avalanche, Brian Blasingame, Lisa M. Eaton, Brian Guerrero, Cindy Moore Photographers Ray Rockwell, Richard Shoaf Staff Writer Amanda Bretz

Gardens of Eatin’

by Cindy Moore

From Charles Gilbert Youmans’ research

Fall 2013 Wedding Trends

By Brain Blasingame

Make the Most of an Outdoor Wedding Venue Tips from Mount Pleasant Estates

business 16

Western St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce

By Tony Matthews

For advertising information, please contact us at:

Missouri Association for Community Action New Executive Director

Community News 2139 Bryan Valley Commercial Dr. O’Fallon, MO 63366 Ph: 636.379.1775 Fx: 636.379.1632

www.mycnews.com

Copyright 2013 Huneke Publications, Inc. No part of the publication may be reproduced in any form without the expressed written consent of the publisher.

Crossroads is a trademark of Huneke Publications, Inc. Any published use of Crossroads implying affiliation is strictly prohibited.

Attack of the Idea Killers photo op 18 community calendar 19

Locals’ Wedding Memories October Cover: Prelude painted by Bryan Haynes. Photo from book Missouri River County by Dan Burkhardt.

See more on pages 4 and 13.

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AROUND TOWN New Book Captures Missouri River

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The Missouri River is one of the most defining natural elements in the St. Louis region, both in landscape and in history. A new book released in September takes a fond look at the river valley’s lush scenery and rich history in more than 230 photos and illustrations and from the perspective of more than 60 contributors, including Gov. Nixon, Sens. McCaskill and Blunt, author William Least Heat-Moon, conservationist Dr. Peter Raven, civic leader Dr. William Danforth, environmentalist Adolphus Busch IV, chef Gerard Craft, preservationist Jim Dierberg and many more who know and love the subjects of this book.

Conceived and developed by Dan Burkhardt, founder of the Katy Land Trust and cofounder of Magnificent Missouri, in partnership with those organizations and The Nature Conservancy, Missouri River Country features, in an unprecedented way, the places and stories that make up the fabric of life in the countryside west of St. Louis along the Missouri River. This colorful coffee-table book features current and historic photos in its 192 pages as well as original artwork by artist Bryan Haynes depicting events in Missouri River Country.

The route that Lewis and Clark took, that made St. Louis the Gateway to the West, was the Missouri River. The original essays and photographs in this book follow the first 100 miles of that river west from St. Louis. Beginning with stories of Native Americans, Lewis and Clark and Daniel Boone the book weaves together German settlement, grape and wine history, architecture, historic and contemporary artists, agriculture, the Confluence, Shaw Nature Reserve, the Katy Trail, Missouri food and St. Louis chefs and the conservation measures needed to preserve the landscape into a compelling and unique anthology.

Published in partnership with Missouri Life Media, Missouri River Country is available at the following locations: The Missouri Botanical Garden, The Smokehouse Market in Chesterfield, Bowood Farms, and online at www.MagnificentMissouri.org.

All proceeds go to the Katy Land Trust, Magnificent Missouri and The Nature Conservancy to support Missouri conservation causes and to better connect Missourians with the countryside around them.

AROUND TOWN Endangered Wolf Center Offers Free Admission The Endangered Wolf Center has announced that it is now offering free admission to members of the U.S. Armed Services, veterans, police officers, firefighters and other first responders as a way of saying “Thank You” for the brave services they provide.

The policy allows the military member, veteran or first responder to attend a daytime PredaTour or evening Wolf Howl for free in 2013. The policy was announced this week on the Center’s website www.endangeredwolfcenter.org and is effective immediately.

The Endangered Wolf Center’s mission is to preserve and protect Mexican gray wolves, red wolves and other wild canid species, with purpose and passion, through carefully managed breeding, reintro-

duction and inspiring education programs. The Center is located in Eureka on the north side of Interstate 44 just west of St. Louis. Military members, veterans and first responders can call 636.938.5900 to make a reservation. Military members should bring evidence of their current or past service in the military.

The charge for PredaTours for spouses, children or other family members and friends is $14 per adult and $12 per child (ages 4 to 14.) The charge for Campfire Wolf Howls for spouses, children and other family members and friends is $15 per adult and $12 per child (ages 5 to 14.)

Lewis Hybrids® Presents Charitable Donation to Kares 4 Kevin Lewis Hybrids recently honored Wentzville native Scott Boschert with its Frank W. Lewis Dealer of the Year Award. As part of their commitment to local farming communities, Lewis Hybrids contributed $1,000 to the dealer’s charitable organization of choice, Kares 4 Kevin.

Lewis Hybrids is a family-run seed brand that has delivered seed solutions and service to Missouri, Eastern Kansas and West Central Illinois farmers for three generations. Their corn, soybean and wheat seed solutions are backed by the yearround Lewis Service Promise, a commitment to specific placement, regionally-adapted solutions, year-round commitment and treating customers like family. For more details about Lewis Hybrids, visit www.lewishybrids.com.

The Dealer of the Year Award honors Frank W. Lewis, founder of Lewis Hybrids in 1964. The award serves as a way to recognize outstanding partnerships with dealers who exude the same commitment to farmers through innovation and customer service as Lewis

Hybrids. Since Frank Lewis founded the company, Lewis Hybrids has grown from serving approximately 50 local growers to more than 1500 in 2013. The year-round Lewis Service Promise builds upon the same core values and beliefs with which Frank Lewis started the company: a commitment to specific placement, regionally-adapted solutions, year-round commitment and treating customers like family. Scott Boschert was selected as Dealer of the Year for his excellence with helping customers and putting service at the core of all things he does, using the Lewis Hybrids Promise of One Field at a Time!® Scott Boschert awarded a $1,000 donation to Kares 4 Kevin. Kares 4 Kevin is a charity that was set up for Scott’s cousin Kevin Ohlms. Kevin recently lost his battle with cancer and the donation will be used to help his family with medical bills. “I am very grateful to Lewis Hybrids for the opportunity to donate to the Kares 4 Kevin charity,” expressed Boschert.

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AROUND TOWN Black Bears’ Return Indicates Healthy Forests For nearly a century, the only bears known to reside in Missouri were on the state flag or in captivity. Unregulated hunting and habitat loss had wiped out most black bears in Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma by the 1920s. Now, thanks to a reintroduction program in Arkansas during the 50s and 60s, hundreds of bears amble through the forests of southern Missouri, according to a joint study by University of Missouri, Mississippi State University, and Missouri Department of Conservation biologists, who warn that although the bear population is still small, outdoor recreationists and homeowners should take precautions in the Ozark forest to avoid attracting bears.

“Black bears normally do not attack humans, but they will ransack picnic baskets, tear through garbage bags or even enter buildings looking for food,” said Lori Eggert, associate professor of biological sciences in MU’s College of Arts and Science. “Although some Missourians may be concerned, the return of black bears to Missouri is actually a good sign. It means parts of the state’s forests are returning to a healthy biological balance after nearly two centuries of intensive logging and exploitation.”

Eggert and her colleagues used the genetic fingerprints of bears in Missouri to trace their origin back to Arkansas, where thousands of bears now roam. The majority of these animals appear to be descendents of bears originally reintroduced to the region from populations in Minnesota and Manitoba, Canada. Surprisingly, some of the Missouri bears analyzed by Eggert’s team had genetic signatures that suggested they were not descended from the northern bears. Further testing may prove that a tiny population of bears managed to survive unnoticed in the Ozark wilderness after the rest of the region’s population had died out.

“The larger the gene pool of bears in the region, the healthier the population will be as it recovers,” said Eggert. “If they do indeed exist, these remnant populations of black bears may serve as valuable reservoirs of genetic diversity.”

If the Missouri population recovers sufficiently, officials someday may allow human hunters to stalk the Show-Me-State’s black bears, noted Eggert. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission allows limited bear hunting in October and November.

The Journal of Mammalogy published the study, “Origins and Genetic Structure of Black Bears in the Interior Highlands of North America.” Lead author Kaitlyn Faires initiated the study while she was an undergraduate at MU. The Missouri Department of Conservation’s website provides information on how to avoid conflicts with bears in Missouri.

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AROUND TOWN Mental Health Events St. Charles Community College will host a series of events this fall to bring awareness to mental health. All events are free and open to the public.

The events, which will be held in the auditorium of the Daniel J. Conoyer Social Sciences Building unless otherwise noted, include: Intimate partner violence and technology safety presentation Noon, Wednesday, October 16 This presentation will cover the topic of intimate partner violence by discussing theories, myths, research and real-life application.

Discussion will include how abusers stalk and further harass their victims using technology and how to be safe while using technology. The presentation will also offer practical ideas on how to help a friend who may be experiencing violence and what role we can all have in ending intimate partner violence.

For more information about the upcoming mental health events, contact Kelley Pfeiffer at 636.922.8544 or kpfeiffer@stchas.edu.

The mental health programming for 2013-14 was funded in part through a RUN. LIVE. LEARN. health and wellness grant. The grant was one of six that were provided by the RUN. LIVE. LEARN Committee, which is responsible for planning the college’s annual wellness event. Visit stchas.edu/run for more information.

Energy drinks: Buzz in a bottle presentation 11:30am, Thursday, November 14 This program explores what energy drinks are and the ingredients and the physical impact of those ingredients on our body. We will explore short-term and long-term impact as well as guidelines students can use to make healthy decisions regarding these beverages.

Presented by Kathi McKenzie from the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse – St. Louis.

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ENTERTAINMENT Unforgettable Film Directorial Debuts Sometimes there are films made so well, (films like The Shawshank Redemption and District 9) that learning they’re the first credit for the filmmaker can be shocking. For the most part, it’s the kind of shock that we, as movie lovers, enjoy because it’s inspirational.

This year has been quite a year for first-time directors making big impacts with their debut films. Some are young, aspiring filmmakers looking for a big break; others are actors who want a chance to command from behind the lens, like Joseph Gordon-Levitt who writes, stars, and directs this year’s Don Jon. There are two of this year’s breakthrough films and their star directors really stand out.

Fruitvale Station (Directed by Ryan Coogler): Twenty-sevenyear-old Ryan Coogler’s stellar work for this film is gaining Academy Award attention already. Based on the true story involving the fatal shooting of American Beauty photo courtesy of DreamWorks Studios Oscar Grant, Ryan grew up— and was living—in the Bay area of Oakland, close to where the incident happened. The shooting deeply affected him and his friends (of multiple races) whom he’d grown up with. The film has opened his career wide open for possibilities, and he’s already been tapped to direct Creed, a follow-up to the Rocky franchise with Sylvester Stallone. It’s also rumored (at this point) that Fruitvale star Michael B. Jordan could be in the film as well.

In a World… (Directed by Lake Bell): It’s an unfortunate fact that actresses struggle to find quality roles in the studio film industry.

No matter how famous an actress is, many films with Best Actress Academy Award nominations are relatively unknown to the public.

So, some will write a part for themselves which will play to their particular strengths resulting in a breakthrough performance on their

own. In Lake Bell’s case, she’s a working actress who writes, stars, and directs her own film (with a talented a supporting cast behind her).

What’s even more ironic is the story line for the perfectly titled film, In A World…: It’s about a struggling vocal coach who, despite sexism, aspires to become a voiceover star after her father—who is the king of movie-trailer voice-overs. It is a comedy, of course, and the film won Best Screenplay at the Sundance Film Festival.

It would be nice if this film ends up garnering more respect and opportunities for Bell and all women in the industry.

While young and fresh new filmmakers are always welcome, it’s also nice to see someone direct their first film after a life-long career as a cinematographer among many other jobs behind the camera, for example, Speed and American Beauty.

Speed (Directed by Jan de Bont): Jan de Bont had a lifelong career as a cinematographer in studio films before 20th Century Fox decided they needed a first-time director to take the reigns of Speed.

It was de Bont that came up with the film’s elevator scene (before that rigged city bus comes into play). The scene was inspired by de Bont being stuck in a high-rise elevator himself. He was forced to climb out the escape hatch to hop onto another elevator to get out. Ironically, this incident happened on location during his cinematography work for Die Hard. Speed won two Oscars and Jan de Bont would follow up his success with an even bigger blockbuster, Twister.

American Beauty (Directed by Sam Mendes): Sam Mendes is the last of the six directors to ever win an Oscar for their directing debuts. At the time, Mendes was a successful play director in England, working with actors like Ralph Fiennes and Judi Dench among others (before he would direct them both in last year’s Skyfall). Out of the blue, Dreamworks felt he would be the best choice for the unusually brilliant suburban story about the drama/dark comedy of the American family.

By Brian GuerRero

Brian Guerrero is a former resident of Los Angeles and a current resident of New York City with extensive experience in front of and behind the camera for film and television.

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Classic Comfort Foods: Potatoes and Cheese Fuzzy sweaters, warm blankets and steaming hot comfort food— something about cooler weather awakens the craving for soulwarming dishes.

What if your craving for comfort food comes on a busy weeknight?

Cut time, not corners. You need something with little preparation and delicious flavor. Here’s all it takes to make your next gourmet meal in no time: • Make potatoes the star of your next quick, gourmet meal. How about no peeling, no washing, and delicious flavor? Look for a special brand of multiple potato varieties bred to grow smaller, tasteful selections. These baby potatoes are the perfect size for quick cooking. Their thin skin does not required peeling, and they are prewashed for your convenience. With the many varieties available, you are sure to find the perfect potato for your meal. For more ideas, visit www.tastefulselections.com and click on recipes.

• Use prepared and fresh ingredients for your homemade meals.

For example, you can create a stir-fry with frozen, grilled chicken breast and pre-cut vegetables from the salad bar. Serve with hot bite-sized potatoes mashed, buttered or topped with your favorite ingredients for a perfectly well-rounded meal.

• When you cook, double your favorite recipes and freeze half for quick meals later in the week. While you’re warming up the weeknight dinner, make a comforting side dish with quick-cooking potatoes. You’ll have dinner on the table in under 30 minutes.

With a little planning and quick-cooking ingredients, you’re just minutes away from your favorite steaming, hot dish. So, put on those pajamas, find your favorite blanket and prepare to dig in to savory dishes, like Passion Chive Potatoes or Blue Cheese Potatoes.

After all, any good comfort dish should have at least a bit of cheese, butter or bacon.

Blue Cheese Potatoes Prep time: 5 min. • Cook time: 15 min. • Servings: 6 Ingredients 16 ounces Tasteful Selections potatoes, halved 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper 8 ounces bacon, cooked and crumbled 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

Passion Chive Potatoes Prep time: 5 min. • Cook time: 15 min. • Servings: 4-6 Ingredients 1 bag Tasteful Selections potatoes, such as Purple Passion 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons butter 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives (or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried chives) Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions In medium saucepan on mediumhigh heat, combine salt, potatoes and enough water to cover potatoes. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10-15 minutes, or until desired tenderness.

When potatoes are done cooking, drain and add butter and chives. Stir until butter is melted. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve hot.

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Directions Preheat oven to 400°F. In baking dish, toss potatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

While potatoes are baking, mix bacon and cheeses in small dish and set aside.

When potatoes are cooked, remove from oven and sprinkle with bacon and cheese mixture. Return to oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

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ALWAYS AN ADVENTURE Alaskan Ride V Last month’s column detailed riding in the Alaskan Interior and flight-seeing in Denali National Park.

We headed south from Denali Park down to Anchorage, where we didn’t spend much time except to fill up on a few staples of civilization—namely pizza, washed down with some locally brewed beer. We then continued south along the Kenai Peninsula.

We meandered down the peninsula, visiting the towns of Girdwood, Hope, Seward, and finally Homer, where we stayed for a couple of days. We found a great campsite high above the town, where we had stunning views of Kachemak Bay and parts of the Homer Spit. Homer’s main business is tourism, with sport fishing being a big draw.

Leaving Homer, we retraced our route up the Kenai and headed east over the Glenn Highway, riding through the lush agricultural Matanuska Valley and then over the aptly named Sheep Mountain north of Anchorage. Dall sheep were numerous and easy to spot on the lush green mountain faces.

At the Richardson Highway, we headed south, paralleling the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. We followed the Richardson Highway to Thompson Pass, where we camped for a couple of nights. The pass sits at 2800’ in elevation and receives about 550 inches (over 45 feet) of snow in the winter. Warm, moist air comes off of Prince William Sound, and as the air rises up the mountain, it expands and cools, and a huge amount of water condenses out as staggering amounts of snow, with a one-day record of 62”. We spent time visiting Valdez, the small town on Prince William Sound. Primarily a fishing town un-

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til the construction of the Alaska Pipeline, Valdez was situated in a spectacular setting right on the ocean with mountains rising steeply all around.

As we were visiting at a time before America became paralyzed with fear of potential terrorism, we were able to take a bus tour of the pipeline terminal. It was a fascinating experience, seeing where a substantial portion of America’s fuel comes from. The terminal is a mostly self-contained operation, with its own refinery and power plant.

After spending time in Valdez, we broke camp on the pass and rode east to Haines, another seaside town surrounded by high mountain peaks. Haines was where we got on the Alaska Marine Highway system and took a ferry down the inside passage to Juneau, the state capital. Juneau has a semiofficial “rain festival” which beings on January 1 and runs through December 31. Like all of southeast Alaska, the warm Japanese current running through the Gulf of Alaska provides endless moisture from the ocean, resulting in near daily rain in the area. The weather smiled on us once again, and we had a couple of unusually clear days to enjoy the remarkable surrounding mountain and glacier scenery normally shrouded in clouds.

My bike needed some maintenance, and we met up with a local motorcycle club whose members graciously allowed me to use their shop for repairs. They invited us to their clubhouse later that evening, where we spent a couple hours before we were supposed to catch the next ferry which left in the early morning hours. After visiting

with the club for a while, we said our goodbyes and left in the rain to make it to the dock on time. A couple of miles later, my wife was nowhere to be seen. Not a good thing at 2am in the rain. I backtracked and found her stopped on the side of the road, her bike broken down with a snapped drive belt. Concerned that we would miss our scheduled ferry, I went back to the clubhouse and requested assistance getting her bike to the ferry. They told me not to worry, and all hands piled into a van and drove out to pick up the bike, loaded it into the van and brought it back to the clubhouse. One club member just so happened to be a ship’s Purser on the Marine Highway system. He took our tickets and within a short time had changed them to have an open date for the next leg of our trip. Another provided us with a place to stay for the night, and the next day the club again loaned me tools and a place to work on the bike. We were back on the ferry system two days later, bound for Ketchikan, extremely grateful for the remarkable hospitality of the locals to total strangers.

Next month: Inside Passage and the trip back to the Lower 48.

By Avalanche

Avalanche is a functional illiterate who left the St. Louis area three decades ago in search of adventure. He enjoys motorcycling and all things outdoors. He lives with his wife and dogs.

MOORE ON LIFE Gardens of Eatin’ If my family were forced to survive on the fruits of my gardening labor this past growing season…we would starve, unless someone came up with tasty new ways to serve dandelions and crabgrass.

Here it is year’s end of another bountiful harvest. My mother-in-law produced ginormous zucchinis, which when hollowed out could easily contain two passengers (with space enough for backpacks) and float down the Mississippi.

I beheld my brother-in-law’s green thumb in the form of beets with their cute little beet heads bumping out of the soil. Who knew? I always imagined they were manufactured somewhere in the back of the grocery store. I visualized produce clerks adding little pellets to water in cans which then burst into fat round beet nuggets.

Fun fact: This very same procedure is actually used for olives—my mistake.

My co-worker shared pictures of her bounteous harvest: peppers, tomatoes and an eggplant. Her husband was so excited to harvest this purple beast of epic proportions that he took it to a local restaurant, whereupon the chef agreed to bake it into a lovely eggplant parmesan. How romantic!

The only thing I’ve been able to grow is… weary.

Oh, I’ve tried. I began my gardening odyssey by purchasing tomato plants. I babied the things, watered them regularly and gave them more powdery growth hormones than those naughty baseball players could get their hands on. I even sang little tomato love songs to them when the neighbors weren’t within earshot. And to my amazement, it happened; beautiful green globes began to form–it was my singing, no doubt.

I monitored their growth daily and then one day a blush formed on a particularly fat one. I calculated when it would be at peak redness and ready for picking. I had already arranged a marriage for it with a handsome young lad named Bacon: together they

would form a lip-smacking union known as BLT and make my life bliss.

But alas, it was not to be. On the day of plucking, my tomato came up missing!

With horror, I searched high and low thinking it had detached itself and rolled under the vines in a desperate attempt to avoid the impending marriage. My search was to no avail.

My suspicions grew. I eyed each neighbor’s house and sniffed the air for tell-tale hints of bacon wafting through the air. There were none.

I focused on another tomato whose time would come in a few days only to have the same incident occur all over again. What kind of heartless brute steals another person’s tomato!?

I began a nightly patrol armed with a spray bottle of weed killer and a garden hoe.

It was only when I happened to be taking the garbage out one night that the sneaking thief made himself known, slinking between the rows and rustling in the vines, the lowlife thief himself: a possum!

Arrrgh!

My tomato days were finished. The possums had a nightly tomato orgy, and I was left sadly nibbling my BLT minus the T. That was not the end of my garden woes.

The carrots had magnificent tops–bushy and green and vibrant. Indicative, I mistakenly believed, of what was certainly also going on below ground. I imagined the first carrot to be a full foot long, so big I would have to use a posthole digger to unearth

the sucker. But again, disappointment.

I straddled the thing, gripping its stalk with both hands intending for it to put up a good fight. With a ping, all one inch of it came out at first tug, hurling me to the ground. I have learned since that, carrots are temperamental veggies insisting on sandy loam or they will flat out refuse to grow (flat out being the key word as that is how they appeared).

And don’t get me started on the peppers. They became leafless stalks with tiny buds on top that fell off when a gentle breeze rolled in.

I ended up with a nice even row of sticks, which can be very handy if you happen to run short on utensils while eating sushi.

So my gardening is not a total loss, for I did learn one surefire way to get perfectly homegrown beauties every time–it’s called the farmers market, and I frequent it often.

Cindy Moore

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.

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Parenting With Your Head and Heart Keeping Cool When Parenting Makes You Hot

By Lisa M. Eaton, MSW, LCSW

Have you ever felt regret about an angry reaction you had in response to your child’s behavior? I believe that most parents have experienced the feeling of anger toward their child at one time or another. I also believe that most parents have said or done something they regret while parenting their kids. Those who we love the most seem to be able to push our “hot” buttons better than anyone else. When our cool is gone, it is very difficult to be a positive and

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effective parent. The following tips will provide some information on how to remain cool even when parenting makes you hot.

Benefits of Staying Calm • Kids’ temper tantrums or problem behaviors stop sooner • The behaviors are not as severe.

• We as parents feel better about the way we handled the situation.

Steps for Developing a Calm-Down Plan • Identify your anger triggers.

• Pay attention to your physical warning signs or “red flags.”

• Make a list of ways to calm down.

Examples of Ways to Calm Down • Deep breaths • Walk away from situation temporarily.

• Exercise • Write down how you are feeling.

• Relaxation techniques • Guided imagery • Household chores

Calm Down Tips • Take five • Practice positive thinking.

• Try not to take what your child says personally.

• Focus only on your child’s current behavior.

• If you say or do something you regret, go back and say you are sorry for your behavior while still holding them accountable for their behavior.

It is amazing how much more effective we can parent if we just work on keeping ourselves calm. Hopefully the tips above can help you to do just that. Happy parenting!

About Lisa M. Eaton, MSW, LCSW:

Lisa is a licensed clinical social worker and the cofounder of Sandhill Counseling and Consultation, LLC in O’Fallon. She has over 20 years of experience providing psychotherapy for children, adults, couples and families. www.sandhillcounseling.com

The History of Missouri’s Name You Say Missour-ee, I Say Missou-rah Some say Missour-ee, others say Missou-rah, but neither pronunciation of the 24th state’s name is definitively correct, according to Charles Gilbert Youmans, professor emeritus in the College of Arts and Science’s department of English at the University of Missouri.

Youmans says that the history of the Show-Me-State’s pronunciation intertwines with the indigenous, English, and French cultures that have lived in the region.

“The name Missouri, meaning ‘people of the big canoes,’ or something similar, was applied to the local Native Americans by a neighboring tribe,” said Youmans. “This was not what the ‘Missourians’ called themselves. Evidently, French explorers were the first Europeans to use the word Missouri, and English speakers borrowed it from the French. This is probably the source for the Missour-ee pronunciation, since that is how French speakers would pronounce the final “i.” Based upon the French spelling, my guess is that the ‘original’ French pronunciation of the name would have been something

like ‘Mi—ss—oo—ree.’”

Youmans referenced the work of the late George Pace, another MU English professor, to explain how the Missou-“rah” pronunciation originated. The Missou-ruh pronunciation evolved from a spellingbased English pronunciation, Missour-eye, according to Pace’s research. Eventually, the final, lightly-stressed syllable “eye” shrank to “uh.” The “uh” sound is the default vowel for unstressed syllables in English, according to Youmans.

The pronunciation of Missouri has further variances besides its final syllable.

“To complicate matters, there is also variation in the pronunciation of the medial ‘ss’ which a minority of Missourians pronounce as ‘s,’ the way nearly all English speakers do with other double-s words such as Mississippi,” said Youmans. “However, most people pronounce the ‘ss’ in Missouri as ‘z.”

Photos from book Missouri River County by Dan Burkhardt.

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Fall 2013 Wedding Trends

By Butler’s Pantry’s Director of Visual Design Brian Blasingame Fall is the perfect season to experiment with rich colors and décor. “At weddings and events this year, expect to see subdued color palettes with simple, yet striking pops of color,” said Blasingame. “In addition, brides and grooms are adding a touch of personalization and sophistication by incorporating salvaged-found objects in the décor.”

• Brides this fall continue to favor bouquets and centerpieces that include English garden-style flower varieties like fragrant garden roses, peonies, ranunculus and hydrangea. The unifying characteristic amongst most of those varieties is their high petal count, opulent and floppy-headed blooms rich in texture and appearance.

Though ivory peonies are a late spring and early summer flower, burgundy-colored peonies are available in limited quantities in the fall and are a perfect complement to a fall color palette.

• Overall, wedding color palettes for fall are trending to the sub-

lime and subdued. Strong repetitive mixes of tone-on-tone neutrals are all the rage. Playing with a mix of soft, subtle tones like beige, cream, ivory and white and accenting them with one pop of a focal color like apricot, plum, aubergine or chocolate achieves a sophisticated and contemporary look.

• Many brides are favoring garden-style bouquets and centerpieces that have the illusionary appearance that they were gathered from a field on the day of the wedding. The flowers are organically and loosely arranged in the bouquet to achieve a natural and informal look. Weathered, worn containers for centerpieces, like rustic pottery or cast iron urns, add a bit of a raw touch to a look that is otherwise refined and sophisticated.

• Growing in popularity this year is the trend to add a sophisticated take on incorporating salvage-found objects that represent the bride and groom’s tastes. Unique sculptural pieces, marquee letters, and obelisks simultaneously add whimsy and sophistication to reception decorations and give the appearance that you had been strolling through a European market or New York antique street fair. Buffets at receptions can be beautifully adorned and enhanced by incorporating “les objet trouves,” “the found object” or “found art,” and become a memento of the wedding day that is sure to be displayed in the home the couple will share.

About Butler’s Pantry

Butler’s Pantry, a second-generation business founded in 1966, provides innovative and creative catering services for corporate functions, social events, NFP galas and weddings of all sizes. Visit www.butlerspantry.com for more information. For more information, visit www.butlerspantry.com.

Laura & Justus (Bride with bridesmaids in field - El Shaddai Ranch - Moscow Mills, MO) and Tina & Mike Talbot (couple with Rolls Royce in front of History Museum). Photo by RS7 Studios www.rs7studios.com.

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CROSSROADS OCTOBER 2013

Make the Most of an Outdoor Wedding Venue Tips from Mount Pleasant Estates Hosting an outdoor wedding can be beautiful, peaceful, and sometimes a little intimidating. Mount Pleasant Estates event Manager, Becky Dunston, offers tips on how to make the most of an outdoor wedding.

1. Picture perfect: Brides opt for outdoor ceremonies for numerous reasons, but a picturesque scenery is high on the priority list. Be sure to communicate with your event planner and ask him or her about all photo locations. You’ll want to know where all the breathtaking views are for gorgeous photo backdrops.

2. Have a rain backup: Don’t let rain ruin your parade. It is extremely important that your venue has an inclement weather option.

3. Tell your guests: Remember to tell your guests that the ceremony will take place outside. Guests might want to wear comfortable shoes, bring sunglasses, or possibly apply sunscreen before arriving.

4. Circulate champagne: Nothing is more appealing than sipping a glass of champagne while waiting for the ceremony to start. Often times, guests arrive 30-45 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony. Offer a glass of wine or champagne upon arrival to set the mood.

Beverages are usually forbidden during indoor ceremonies, so your guests should be pleasantly surprised.

About Mount Pleasant Estates

Mount Pleasant Estates, located in the rolling hills of the Augusta Appellation, hosts dozens of picturesque weddings each year. For more information on weddings at Mount Pleasant Estates, call 636.482.9463 or email bdunston@mountpleasant.com.

Emily & Nik Kimbel on Lake Saint Louis. Photo by RS7 Studios www.rs7studios.com.

WWW.SOMETHINGPRINTED.COM

OCTOBER 2013 CROSSROADS 15

BUSINESS Western St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce

Serving Wentzville, Lake St. Louis, and Dardenne Prairie

Holiday Scavenger Hunt

Mystery Dinner Theatre

Mark your calendars for the event of the holiday season: The Western St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce will be hosting their first Holiday Scavenger Hunt throughout each of their three communities. The event will take place on Saturday, November 16.

The scavenger hunt will be played in teams of four. Cost per person will be $20, which will include a t-shirt. The chamber will have flyers and information available on the website, westernstcharlescountychamber.com, or you can call 636.327.6914 for more information.

The Western St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Mystery Dinner Theater on Friday, October 18 and Saturday, October 19. The cast will be performing A Plot Of Murder by Lee Mueller.

The event will be held at the Pitman Reception Center located at 1543 Wentzville Parkway, Wentzville. Doors open at 6:30pm and the play starts at 7pm. Admission is $35 per person. Admission includes dinner, drinks, dessert and a wonderful play.

For reservations contact the Western St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce at 636.327.6914. Seating is limited, so please make your reservations early. Event is sponsored by Pitman Funeral Home.

Chamber Business University The Chamber is excited to introduce the new Chamber Business University. The chamber has partnered with AAIM Employers’ Association to provide free continuing business education classes.

AAIM is an association of over 1,600 member organizations in the St Louis region and throughout Illinois. They offer peer networking opportunities, business research information, HR and management consulting, performance improvement and professional training and development. Chamber Business University will begin with three free classes starting in October. Each class will be held at Webster University’s WingHaven Campus located at 2299 Technology Drive, Ste. 300 in O’Fallon. Doors will open at 7:30am and classes will begin at 7:45am and go until 8:45am. On Tuesday, October 15 the class will be “Effective Hiring and Termination - Training and Retaining the Best Employees.” On Tuesday, November 19 the class will be “Effective Communication: Communicate with Clarity, Eliminate Communication Barriers, Influence Actions and Thoughts of Others.” On Tuesday, December 17 the class will be “Give Yourself the Gift of New Leads: Taking Advantage of Marketing and Social Media.” Classes are free and seating will be limited, so please make your reservations today. RSVP by calling the chamber office at 636.327.6914.

4 Quarters Timeless Vintage Celebrates Ribbon Cutting The Chamber hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for 4 Quarters Timeless Vintage. 4 Quarters has amazing furniture, vintage finds, accessories, paint, and plenty of handmade signs. 4 Quarters of 4 Quarters Timeless Vintage, the Western St. Charles Timeless Vintage Representatives County Chamber of Commerce and the City of Dardenne Prairie helped is located at 7865 cut the ceremonial ribbon. For more information please contact the St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce at 636.327.6914 or Hwy. N, Dardenne Western visit at westernstcharlescountychamber.com.

Prairie. For more information, please call 636.695.2940, or visit them online at 4quarterstimelessvintage.com.

To see photos and find out more information about this ribbon cutting please visit www.westernstcharlescountychamber.com.

By tony mathews

Tony Mathews is the President and CEO of the Western St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce

For more on any of this information or the chamber in general, please call the chamber office at 636.485.3123 or visit the website www.westernstcharlescountychamber.com.

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CROSSROADS OCTOBER 2013

BUSINESS Missouri Association for Community Action Announces New Executive Director The Missouri Association for Community Action is pleased to announce that Heather Lockard has accepted the position of executive director and began her duties on October 1.

The Missouri Association for Community Action is a statewide organization representing all 19 of Missouri's Community Action Agencies which make up a strong network of anti-poverty organizations.

In order to maintain the high level of advocacy, training, and outreach that has been a hallmark of the Missouri Association for Community Action, MACA's board of directors took great care in the selection of a

new executive director. The retiring director Elaine West had led MACA for the last 28 years and has won national recognition as a leader and advocate for the poor.

Incoming director, Heather Lockard, has worked as MACA's Training and Development Manager since 2008. She has improved the variety and quality of MACA's professional development opportunities and been instrumental in developing a leadership curriculum to benefit Community Action staff on the front lines of poverty. Heather has demonstrated great commitment to the Community Action movement by working at

the national level to develop national criteria for performance outcomes that demonstrate the value of Community Action's work.

The roots of Community Action in Missouri reach back to 1965, and MACA continues to be an active association and widely respected as a strong advocate for services that help communities. As Community Action approaches its 50th Anniversary, we welcome Heather Lockard and her commitment to the vision of our network: "United in purpose, the Missouri Community Action Network will inspire and engage people to ensure that all families and communities thrive."

Attack of the Idea Killers Group brainstorming is a collaborative idea generation process that (theoretically) gets great results. Yet it takes only a couple of bad seeds to turn these sessions into unpleasant and unproductive nightmares. Mitchell Rigie and Keith Harmeyer, coauthors of SmartStorming, identify the most common offenders and pinpoint effective ways to handle them.

See how many of these troublesome types you can recognize: Attention Vampires—They always want to stand out, be in the spotlight, and be the center of attention. It’s always about them.

Wet Blankets—These are the pessimists who see the flaws in everyone else’s ideas.

Nothing goes unscathed.

Idea Assassins—These seasoned killers love to shoot down ideas…anyone’s and everyone’s.

Dictators—They love every idea—as long as it’s theirs.

Obstructionists—To them, nothing is simple or easy. They overcomplicate conversations and procedures and bring up extraneous facts or considerations that derail the flow of the group.

Social Loafers—These are the people who show up for a brainstorm session, but rarely participate in the generation of new ideas in a meaningful way or contribute much of substance. They usually sit back, appearing bored or aloof, and let others do the heavy

lifting.

Any one of these problematic personalities can undermine the focus and collaborative efforts of a group. While it’s difficult to prescribe a simple, one-size-fits-all formula for handling all these different personality types, Rigie and Harmeyer say there are a number of practical steps you (or the session leader) can take to more effectively manage disruptive behaviors to keep your sessions on track and productive: Forget the Invitation—The simplest way to avoid problematic personalities in a session is not to invite them in the first place.

Establish “Rules of the Game”—Introducing a few rules at the start of a session can help eliminate, or at least significantly minimize, disruptive behavior problems.

Impose a Short Talking Moratorium—If a

participant is dominating the session, being overly negative or judgmental, or being an attention hog, quickly shift gears and introduce a nonverbal brainstorming exercise.

Segregate Strong Personalities—A great tactic for managing strong personalities is to divide the group into smaller teams of three.

Create a Self-Policing Group—Explain early in the session that if anyone exhibits any type of negative or judgmental behavior, he or she is to be bombarded mercilessly by the group with crumpled paper balls.

Engage in Silent Idea Voting—Using a silent voting technique can help eliminate coercion and level the playing field for everyone to vote.

Invite a “Dream Team” vs. “The Usual Suspects”—When planning your next brainstorm, why not invite your dream team?

www.MeadowlandsEstates.com

OCTOBER 2013 CROSSROADS 17

Wedding Pictures

Locals and staff members share their wedding memories.

Photo Op

Top Row: Aaron and Shannon Schaper, Brady and Lora Ryan, Josh and Vicki Seagraves Middle Row: Bob and Donna Huneke, Ryan and Emily Brown Bottom Row: Carol Joseph and Richard Jones, Shannon and Chip Cothran, Christy and Jeff Parks

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CROSSROADS OCTOBER 2013

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

OCTOBER To see your organization’s event listed here, please email editor@mycnews.com

“Dig Into Fall” with the Lincoln County Master Gardeners $25, 8:45am, #5 Health Department Dr. Troy, 636.528.4613

Lake Saint Louis Farmers Market The Meadows, Hwy 40 & Lake Saint Louis Blvd.

8am – 12pm rain or shine (every Saturday) 314.495.2531

Columbus Day

Downtown Economic Development and Historic Preservation Committee Meeting

The Britton House 2013: Cathy Whitworth

6 – 8pm, Wentzville City Hall, 310 W. Pearce Blvd., Wentzville

635.462.5539

Woods Fort Country Club in Troy, $25

636.327.5101

Make a Difference Day & Honeysuckle Roundup

Fitness First Exercise Classes Every Mon., Wed., Fri. 9:30 - 10:30am American Legion Hall, 504 Luetkenhaus Blvd., Wentzville

pick up litter in your neighborhood 636.639.2055

314.369.6521

Halloween Happenings

Halloween

Residents Only. 2 – 4pm, Progress Park Gymnasium, 968 Meyer Rd., Wentzville 636.332.9236

Troy Historic Downtown Business Association Pumpkin Festival 9am - 3pm, Downtown Troy 636.262.1130

OCTOBER 2013 CROSSROADS 19

Presorted Std US Postage

PAID

St. Louis, MO Permit 2828

2139-A Bryan Valley Commercial Dr., O’Fallon, MO 63366

Payne 1/8 www.byerlyrv.com www.byerlyrv.com

www.lakestlouisgardencenter.com