West Newsmagazine 2-7-18
Local news, local politics and community events for West St. Louis County Missouri.
Local news, local politics and community events for West St. Louis County Missouri.
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1601977<br />
16 I NEWS I<br />
February 7, 20<strong>18</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
Gills Tree Service<br />
• Tree Removal<br />
• Tree Trimming<br />
• Tree Pruning<br />
• Stump Removal<br />
• Emergency Tree Service<br />
Some things in life just go together. Like home and auto insurance from State Farm ® .<br />
Greg Rollins, Agent<br />
Carmen Wilson, Agent<br />
And you with 17 Stonegate a good Shopping neighbor Center to help life go right. Save 2634 time Highway and money. 109 Ste DCALL US TODAY.<br />
Manchester, MO 63088<br />
Wildwood, MO 63040<br />
Bus: 636-225-4200<br />
Bus: 636-821-3410<br />
Greg Rollins,<br />
greg.rollins.ne9f@statefarm.com<br />
Agent<br />
Carmen Wilson, Agent<br />
www.carmenismyagent.com<br />
Steve<br />
17<br />
Martinez<br />
Stonegate<br />
Ins<br />
Shopping<br />
Agcy Inc<br />
Center Mikel Garrett, Agent Greg Rollins, 2634 Highway Agent Greg Rollins,<br />
109 Ste Steve Agent<br />
D Martinez Ins Agcy Inc Carmen Wilson, Agent Carmen Wilson, Agent<br />
Steve Manchester, Martinez, Agent MO 63088 16437 Village Plaza 17 View Stonegate Dr Shopping Wildwood, 17 Stonegate Center MO 63040 Shopping Steve Center Martinez, Agent 2634 Highway 109 2634 Ste Highway D 109 Ste D<br />
Ballwin, Bus: MO 636-225-4200<br />
63011<br />
Wildwood, MO 63011 Manchester, Bus: MO 63088 636-821-3410<br />
Manchester, MO 63088 Ballwin, MO 63011 Wildwood, MO 63040 Wildwood, MO 63040<br />
greg.rollins.ne9f@statefarm.com<br />
Bus: 636-227-7888<br />
Bus: 636-458-5055 Bus: 636-225-4200 www.carmenismyagent.com<br />
Bus: 636-225-4200 Bus: 636-227-7888 Bus: 636-821-3410 Bus: 636-821-3410<br />
www.stevemartinez.net<br />
www.mikelgarrett.com greg.rollins.ne9f@statefarm.com<br />
greg.rollins.ne9f@statefarm.com www.stevemartinez.net www.carmenismyagent.com www.carmenismyagent.com<br />
Mikel Garrett, Agent<br />
Steve Martinez Ins Agcy Inc<br />
16437 Village Plaza View Dr<br />
Steve Martinez, Agent<br />
Wildwood, MO 63011<br />
Ballwin, MO 63011<br />
State Bus: Farm 636-458-5055 Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, State Farm Indemnity Bus: Company, 636-227-7888 Bloomington, IL<br />
www.mikelgarrett.com State Farm County Mutual Insurance Company of Texas, www.stevemartinez.net<br />
Dallas, TX<br />
Mikel Garrett, Greg Rollins, Agent Agent<br />
Steve Carmen Martinez Wilson, Agent<br />
Carmen State Wilson, Farm Mutual AgentAutomobile State Farm Insurance Fire and Company, Casualty State Company, Farm Indemnity State Farm Company, Ins Agcy Inc<br />
17 Stonegate Shopping Center State Farm General Bloomington,<br />
County Insurance IL<br />
Mutual 2634 Insurance Company,<br />
Highway Company Bloomington,<br />
109 Ste of Texas, D Dallas, IL TX<br />
2634 Highway 109 Ste State 16437 D Farm Village County Mutual<br />
Manchester, Plaza Insurance State View MO Farm Dr Company<br />
63088 Florida of Insurance Texas, Dallas, Company, TX Winter Haven, Wildwood, Steve FL MO Martinez, 63040 Agent<br />
1601977 Wildwood, State MO Farm 63040 Fire and Wildwood, Casualty Company, MO Bus: State 636-225-4200 63011 Farm General Insurance Company, State Bloomington, Farm Florida Insurance IL Bus: Ballwin, 636-821-3410<br />
Company, MO Winter 63011 Haven, FL<br />
Bus: 636-821-3410<br />
State Farm Lloyds, Richardson, TX<br />
State Bus: Farm 636-458-5055<br />
greg.rollins.ne9f@statefarm.com<br />
Florida 1601977 Insurance Company, Winter Haven, FL State Farm<br />
1601977<br />
www.carmenismyagent.com<br />
Lloyds, Bus: Richardson, 636-227-7888<br />
TX<br />
www.carmenismyagent.com<br />
State Farm Lloyds, Richardson, TX<br />
www.mikelgarrett.com<br />
www.stevemartinez.net<br />
State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, State Farm Indemnity Company, Bloomington, IL<br />
State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, State Farm Indemnity Company, Bloomington, IL<br />
State Farm County Mutual Insurance Company of Texas, Dallas, TX<br />
State Farm Fire and Casualty Company, State Farm General Insurance Company, Bloomington, IL<br />
State Farm Fire and Casualty Company, State Farm General Insurance Company, Bloomington, IL<br />
State Farm Florida Insurance Company, Winter Haven, FL<br />
State Farm Lloyds, Richardson, TX<br />
By JIM ERICKSON<br />
Jessica Ovca had read the reports saying<br />
women are underrepresented in the science,<br />
technology, engineering and math [STEM]<br />
workforce.<br />
There’s no shortage of debate about why.<br />
Some observers believe not enough girls<br />
are being encouraged to pursue those subjects<br />
in their early school years or, subsequently,<br />
choose related careers.<br />
Others maintain that even if women<br />
don’t opt for STEM careers, having a good<br />
Home & Auto go<br />
grasp of the subject matter is important to<br />
every citizen’s decision-making in today’s<br />
increasingly high-tech world.<br />
Ovca claims no expertise on the subject<br />
together.<br />
FREE<br />
Like you<br />
but she did conclude that she could do<br />
ESTIMATES<br />
something to make a difference. She wondered,<br />
“Why not show young girls how<br />
Home<br />
SAME DAY<br />
& Auto go<br />
&<br />
AND<br />
a good neighbor.<br />
and why STEM-related knowledge plays<br />
EMERGENCY<br />
a major role in her own profession, admittedly<br />
the type of work in which men still<br />
SERVICE<br />
together.<br />
AVAILABLE!<br />
IN BUSINESS FOR OVER 23 YEARS!<br />
Whether your tree is hazardous, interferes with your view, or just isn’t<br />
Home<br />
Like Home &<br />
you<br />
dominate?”<br />
Ovca’s recommendation was to hold<br />
Auto & Auto go go a STEM-related event for middle school<br />
& a<br />
aesthetically<br />
good<br />
pleasing, we have the experience and the equipment remove it safely and securely. If you are considering removing a tree,<br />
speak with our team of St. Louis tree removal experts.<br />
together. neighbor.<br />
girls to explain how STEM subjects are<br />
vital to her work as a member of the Ballwin<br />
Police Department. The response of<br />
together. Like Like you you<br />
636.274.1378<br />
Home<br />
• Gills-Tree-Service.com<br />
& Auto a good her boss, Ballwin Police Chief Kevin Scott,<br />
Some things in life just go together. Like home and auto insurance from<br />
& a good neighbor.<br />
State Farm ® . was twofold, basically: “Go for it. What do<br />
And you with a good neighbor to help life go right. Save time and money. CALL US TODAY. you need from me to make it happen?”<br />
uto together. go Home & Like Auto go you<br />
Ovca knew she wanted to enlist the help<br />
of two other uniformed women officers,<br />
Like Home you & Auto go<br />
Krystal Rock and Tabitha Peebles. Both<br />
Some things in life just go together. Like home and auto insurance from State Farm<br />
& a good neighbor.<br />
Like you<br />
® .<br />
women were more than willing to assist<br />
And you with a good neighbor to help life right. Save time and money. CALL US TODAY.<br />
their colleague. Ovca’s 14 years in police<br />
together.<br />
Some things in Some life just things go<br />
& a together. in life just Like go together. home and Like<br />
neighbor. you<br />
auto home insurance and auto from insurance State Farm from work ® . State Farm and ® . her assignment as a detective<br />
And you with a And good you with a good to help life go to right. help Save life go time right. and Save money. time CALL and money. US TODAY. on CALL the US Ballwin TODAY. force have given her the<br />
neighbor.<br />
unofficial position of mentor for the two<br />
younger women. Rock is into her second<br />
& a good neighbor.<br />
year with the department while Peebles<br />
Mikel Garrett, Agent<br />
Steve Martinez Ins Agcy Inc<br />
16437 Village Plaza View Dr<br />
Steve Martinez, Agent<br />
joined last summer.<br />
Wildwood, MO 63011<br />
Ballwin, MO 63011<br />
Bus: 636-458-5055<br />
Bus: 636-227-7888<br />
“Having the chance to make an impression<br />
on young girls and emphasizing that<br />
www.mikelgarrett.com<br />
www.stevemartinez.net<br />
Mikel Garrett, Agent<br />
Steve Martinez Ins Agcy Inc<br />
home and auto insurance 16437 Village from Plaza State View<br />
Some Farm Dr<br />
things ® .<br />
Steve Martinez, Agent<br />
they can do whatever they want to do in<br />
Wildwood, MO 63011 in life just go together. Like Ballwin, home MO and 63011 auto insurance from State Farm ® .<br />
go right. Save time and Bus: money. 636-458-5055 And CALL you US with TODAY. a good neighbor to Mikel help Garrett, life Bus: go Agent 636-227-7888 right. Mikel Garrett, Save time Agent and money. Steve CALL Martinez US TODAY. Ins Steve<br />
Some things in life just go together. Like home 16437 and auto Village Plaza insurance View Dr from State Farm ® Agcy Martinez Inc Ins Agcy<br />
life”<br />
Inc<br />
is how Rock explained her willingness<br />
to take on the task.<br />
www.mikelgarrett.com<br />
16437 Village www.stevemartinez.net<br />
Plaza View Dr<br />
Steve Martinez, . Agent Steve Martinez, Agent<br />
Wildwood, MO 63011 Wildwood, MO 63011<br />
Ballwin, MO 63011 Ballwin, MO 63011<br />
Bus: 636-458-5055<br />
Bus: 636-227-7888<br />
And you with a good neighbor to help<br />
Bus:<br />
life<br />
636-458-5055<br />
go right.<br />
www.mikelgarrett.com<br />
Save time and money. CALL<br />
Bus: 636-227-7888<br />
US TODAY. Peebles observed that “serving as a role<br />
www.mikelgarrett.com<br />
www.stevemartinez.net www.stevemartinez.net<br />
model for girls is a big assignment,” but<br />
@WESTNEWSMAG<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
STEM: It’s all in a day’s work<br />
Ballwin Police Det. Jessica Ovca explains how<br />
a shoe imprint was gathered at a crime scene.<br />
one she wanted to do.<br />
Also on hand to assist and observe as<br />
part of her current internship with the<br />
department was Rachel Kim, a student at<br />
the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and<br />
Dina Abbacchi, a veteran on the Ballwin<br />
emergency communications desk.<br />
Speaking from experience<br />
Any doubts about whether the STEM<br />
event was an idea that would fly with<br />
middle school girls quickly were quashed.<br />
Within hours of its posting on the department’s<br />
social media, the two-hour session<br />
had more registrants than expected. Signups<br />
had to be closed, but the cut-off came<br />
with a pledge that more sessions will be<br />
held in the future.<br />
Ovca’s decision to enter the law enforcement<br />
field was due to an experience not<br />
unlike the STEM event she advocated.<br />
Between her junior and senior years at<br />
Truman State University, she had an internship<br />
with a police department.<br />
“Police work was much more than I had<br />
imagined,” Ovca said.<br />
After completing her college degree in<br />
justice systems, she joined the Chesterfield<br />
Police Department. When she married<br />
a fellow Chesterfield officer in 2007,<br />
Jeff Ovca, it necessitated a move, due to<br />
nepotism rules. That’s when<br />
she began her career with the<br />
Ballwin department.<br />
While a student at Maryville<br />
University, Rock had considered<br />
joining the Armed Forces<br />
and going into military police<br />
work after completing her<br />
education. But she, too, had<br />
an internship that proved lifeinspiring.<br />
Hers was with the<br />
Ballwin Police Department,<br />
which she decided to join fol-<br />
Many of the participants wanted to find out how it felt to be<br />
handcuffed and Officer Krystal Rock obliged. See STEM, page 20
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