Mid Rivers Newsmagazine 11-18-20

8 I NEWS I
November 18, 2020
MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE
@MIDRIVERSNEWS
MIDRIVERSNEWSMAGAZINE.COM
Shop O’FALLON Nov. 27 & 28
BLACK FRIDAY &
SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY
Find an O’Fallon
retailer near you...
www.ofallon.mo.us/business-map
O’Fallon Police Det. Blythe Clubb (right) was presented the VFW National
Law Enforcement Award on Nov. 4.
(Source: Twitter)
news
briefs
O’FALLON
Detective awarded for
outstanding service
In early November, Det. Blythe Clubb,
O’Fallon Police, was presented the VFW
(Veterans of Foreign Wars) National Law
Enforcement Award.
The award celebrated her “…highly professional
and exemplary service to the community
and the nation.”
This is not the first time Clubb’s work
has been recognized by the city. Previously,
she was awarded Officer of the Year from
both the local VFW Post and the American
Legion Post.
She has served as an officer and crime
scene investigator with the O’Fallon Police
Department for eight years.
Trial date reset for
O’Day Park lawsuit
On Nov. 25, 2019, six O’Fallon property
owners filed a lawsuit in St. Charles
County Circuit Court against the city of
O’Fallon, alleging six counts of “inverse
condemnation.” They will get their day in
court eight months from now.
On Nov. 3, Circuit Court Judge Daniel
G. Pelikan ordered the eight-day jury trial
to start at 8:30 a.m. on July 21, 2021, with
a pre-trial set for 1:30 p.m. on July 1, 2021.
That trial date is one day later than the
tentative date of July 20, 2021, that was
discussed and reported previously.
The plaintiffs are Robert Bystrom, C.E.
and Susan Faron, Vicki Faron and Eric
Heumann, Roger Russell, Kim Ann Ryba
(d/b/a Stonebridge Stables) and Mike
Tessereau. All have property adjacent to
or near O’Fallon’s O’Day Park, which is
located off Route DD, near I-64.
According to plaintiff allegations, the
design and construction of O’Day Park
directly and proximately has caused:
• Deforestation of the park, which causes
further deforestation of the surrounding
properties.
• Water diversion that erodes, destroys,
devalues and wastes plaintiffs’ properties.
• Unnatural light that shines on plaintiffs’
properties for prolonged periods.
• Increased noise levels; increased vehicle
and pedestrian traffic.
• The unnatural and significant accumulation
of trash and the corresponding smells
of trash in close proximity to the plaintiffs’
properties.
• The disturbance of each plaintiff’s
peace; the destruction of each plaintiff’s
quiet enjoyment of their homes.
The plaintiffs are seeking financial
and other relief from the alleged damage
caused by the construction of O’Day Park.
ST. CHARLES COUNTY
Daniel Boone volunteer garners
international acclaim
For the third year in a row, a volunteer at
The Historic Daniel Boone Home in Defiance
has received national recognition as a
leader in historic interpretation.
Longtime St. Charles County Parks volunteer
Col. Shirley Pecoraro has received
the National Association for Interpretation
(NAI) 2020 Outstanding Interpretive
Volunteer Award, the highest honor in
interpretation. This prestigious award recognizes
mastery of interpretive techniques,
program development and dedication to
interpretation. The NAI serves over 7,400
members in the United
States and more than 31
nations.
“Shirley’s achievements
in frontline
interpretation at The
Historic Daniel Boone
Home have been more
than impressive,” Ryan
Pecoraro
Graham, director of St. Charles County
Parks, said. “Her long-term commitment
to living history, ability to portray multiple
first-person characters at our historic site,
and extensive knowledge and passion to
teach interpretation have made a lasting
impression on many visitors over the past
13 years.”
Since 2007, Pecoraro has been a dedicated
volunteer, donating hundreds of
hours to serving as an advocate for historical
and cultural preservation at the popular
site, where she portrays Rebecca Boone,
wife of Daniel Boone.
Pecoraro was previously presented with
the 2016 Outstanding Volunteer Award by
St. Charles County Parks in recognition of
her dedication and years of volunteer service.
Pecoraro has been a member of NAI
since 2008 and is a lifetime member of
The Association of Missouri Interpreters.
She is a commissioned Kentucky Colonel,
the highest honor a Kentucky governor can
bestow, and one of a number of honorary
titles of colonel conferred by U.S. states.
County sees overwhelming
census response
St. Charles County may see an increase
in federal funding thanks to county residents
who participated in the 2020 Census.
The county had the highest response rate
of Missouri’s 115 counties at 81.6%, a rise
from 77.3% for the 2010 census.
Census results are used to determine the
number of congressional seats for each
state and to distribute more than $675 billion
in federal funds, grants and other support
to states, counties and communities
for schools, hospitals, roads, public works
and other vital programs.
While data collection is complete, and
99.9% of addresses across the nation
have been accounted for, the U.S. Census
Bureau is still in the process of compiling
the detailed information. Population
counts will be given to President Donald
Trump by the Dec. 31 statutory deadline.
Census efforts began locally in July
2019, when County Executive Steve Ehlmann
appointed 21 community leaders
to form the St. Charles County Complete
Count Commission. The purpose of the
commission was to promote census awareness
and encourage participation in the
process throughout the county.
“The commission kept the momentum
going throughout the year despite being in
the middle of a pandemic,” Ehlmann said.
“I want to thank them for their efforts and
congratulate St. Charles County on a successful
response. This will have a positive
impact on the future of our county.”
Local officers awarded
for acts of bravery
On. Nov. 3, St. Charles County Police
Sgt. Adam Caupp and Officer Eric Feagans
were presented with the Medal of Valor
and Preservation of Life Award for acts