Mid Rivers Newsmagazine 11-16-22

Vol. 19 No. 22 • November 16, 2022 

midriversnewsmagazine.com 

Happy 

Thanksgiving 

PLUS: Coupon Savers ■ The Wish Book ■ Carl's Drive-In Planned For O'Fallon

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November 16, 2022 

MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE 

I OPINION I 3 

TREE SERVICE 

Goodbye affirmative action, 

hello individual freedom and dignity 

The Supreme Court just heard arguments 

in the case Students for Fair Admissions v. 

Harvard and Students for Fair Admissions 

v. University of North Carolina (UNC). 

It’s about affirmative action – universities 

using race and ethnicity in their admissions 

policies. 

Students for Fair Admissions argues that 

both universities violate the U.S. Constitution 

in their discriminatory admissions 

policies. They discriminate against Asian 

Americans in favor of whites, Blacks and 

Hispanics and unlawfully discriminate to 

achieve diversity that could be achieved in 

a race-neutral fashion. 

Consensus is that Students for Fair 

Admissions will win this case and racial 

discrimination in university admission 

programs will be gone. 

The decision will likely overturn Grutter 

v. Bollinger, which, in 2003, authorized 

universities to discriminate as an input 

factor in pursuit of diversity goals. 

This will be a victory for those who see 

affirmative action as a mistake of the civil 

rights movement, inconsistent with its 

goals and the Constitution. 

Let’s recall again the words of Dr. 

Martin Luther King Jr. in his great “I Have 

a Dream Speech” in 1963. “I have a dream 

that my four little children will one day live 

in a nation where they will not be judged 

by the color of their skin but by the content 

of their character.” 

Next year it will be 60 years since that 

speech. Would King have thought that 

more than a half-century after he spoke 

those words that we would be still so far 

from that dream? 

One reason is the Civil Rights Act of 

1964, the crown jewel of the movement 

King led. 

The act went way beyond the goal of 

making discrimination illegal. It was constructed 

to use government as the means to 

achieve a just society. 

The Equal Employment Opportunities 

Commission was created, and the door 

opened for affirmative action, quotas and 

the acceptance of the principle that it is 

lawful to discriminate in favor of certain 

racial groups to achieve social justice. 

Not long after came the categorization of 

the whole American population into racial 

groups. 

By the 1970s, the entire U.S. population 

was classified by race and ethnicity 

through a new racial code called Statistical 

Directive 15. 

We were no longer just Americans. Now 

every American is formally categorized 

as White, Black, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific 

Islander and American Indian/Alaskan 

Native. 

Why? We entered a new era in which it 

was assumed that government force and 

action were needed to achieve social justice, 

and toward this end, every citizen needed to 

be put in a racial or ethnic category. 

King might as well have said, “I have 

a dream that one day we will categorize 

every American according to their race and 

ethnicity and government will use this as 

basis to decide who should have what.” 

In the oral arguments in the case against 

Harvard and UNC, Justice Clarence 

Thomas questioned what diversity means 

and achieves. “I’ve heard the word diversity 

quite a few times, and I don’t have 

a clue what it means. It seems to mean 

everything for everyone.” 

The diversity that really produces benefit 

in education is diversity of opinion, and 

Harvard has virtually none. In the most 

recent annual survey that the Harvard 

Crimson does of the university faculty of 

Arts and Science, more than 80% selfidentified 

as “liberal” or “very liberal.” 

Only 1% self-identified as “conservative” 

and zero as “very conservative.” 

Chief Justice John Roberts got to the 

heart of the matter when he observed in 

Parents Involved v. Seattle in 2007, “The 

way to stop discrimination on the basis of 

race is to stop discriminating on the basis 

of race.” 

The good news is the Supreme Court 

seems ready to start turning this around. 

With the court finding discrimination in 

college admissions unconstitutional, we’ll 

be taking a major step to restore individual 

freedom and dignity and end the demeaning, 

dehumanizing idea of reducing individuals 

to racial and ethnic categories. 

• • • 

Star Parker is president of the Center 

for Urban Renewal and Education and 

host of the weekly television show “Cure 

America with Star Parker.” 

© 2022 Creators.com 

Read more on midriversnewsmagazine.com 

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6 I OPINION I 

EDITORIAL 



Happy Thanksgiving! Thanks, Abe 

Editor’s Note: The order issued below by President Abraham Lincoln set the precedent for America’s national day of Thanksgiving. 

Prior to this, each state scheduled its own Thanksgiving holiday at different times. The year, 1863, was the midpoint of the Civil War. 

Washington, D.C. 

October 3, 1863 

By the President of the 

United States of America. 

A Proclamation. 

The year that is drawing 

towards its close, has been 

filled with the blessings of 

fruitful fields and healthful 

skies. To these bounties, which 

are so constantly enjoyed that 

we are prone to forget the 

source from which they come, 

others have been added, which 

are of so extraordinary a nature, 

that they cannot fail to penetrate 

and soften even the heart 

which is habitually insensible 

to the ever watchful providence 

of Almighty God. 

In the midst of a civil war 

of unequalled magnitude and 

severity, which has sometimes 

seemed to foreign States to 

invite and to provoke their 

aggression, peace has been 

preserved with all nations, 

order has been maintained, 

the laws have been respected 

and obeyed, and harmony has 

prevailed everywhere except 

in the theatre of military conflict; 

while that theatre has 

been greatly contracted by the 

advancing armies and navies of 

the Union. Needful diversions 

of wealth and of strength from 

the fields of peaceful industry 

to the national defence, have 

not arrested the plough, the 

shuttle or the ship; the axe has 

enlarged the borders of our settlements, 

and the mines, as well 

of iron and coal as of the precious 

metals, have yielded even 

more abundantly than heretofore. 

Population has steadily 

increased, notwithstanding 

the waste that has been made 

in the camp, the siege and the 

battle-field; and the country, 

rejoicing in the consciousness 

of augmented strength and 

vigor, is permitted to expect 

continuance of years with large 

increase of freedom. 

No human counsel hath 

devised nor hath any mortal 

hand worked out these great 

things. They are the gracious 

gifts of the Most High God, 

who, while dealing with us in 

anger for our sins, hath nevertheless 

remembered mercy. 

It has seemed to me fit and 

proper that they should be 

solemnly, reverently and gratefully 

acknowledged as with 

one heart and one voice by the 

whole American People. 

I do therefore invite my 

fellow citizens in every part 

of the United States, and also 

those who are at sea and those 

who are sojourning in foreign 

lands, to set apart and observe 

the last Thursday of November 

next, as a day of Thanksgiving 

and Praise to our beneficent 

Father who dwelleth in the 

Heavens. 

And I recommend to them 

that while offering up the ascriptions 

justly due to Him for such 

singular deliverances and blessings, 

they do also, with humble 

penitence for our national perverseness 

and disobedience, 

commend to His tender care all 

those who have become widows, 

orphans, mourners or sufferers 

in the lamentable civil strife 

in which we are unavoidably 

engaged, and fervently implore 

the interposition of the Almighty 

Hand to heal the wounds of 

the nation and to restore it as 

soon as may be consistent with 

the Divine purposes to the full 

enjoyment of peace, harmony, 

tranquillity and Union. 

In testimony whereof, I have 

hereunto set my hand and 

caused the Seal of the United 

States to be affixed. 

Done at the City of Washington, 

this Third day of October, 

in the year of our Lord one 

thousand eight hundred and 

sixty-three, and of the Independence 

of the United States the 

Eighty-eighth. 

By the President: Abraham 

Lincoln 

William H. Seward, 

Secretary of State 



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8 I NEWS I 





JOB WELL DONE: Boy Scout Troop #28 helped the St. Peters Veterans Memorial Commission post flags throughout 

the Veterans Memorial in front of city hall in honor of Veterans Day. 

(Source: City of St. Peters/Facebook) 

news 

briefs 

O’FALLON 

Hopewell Road to be 

reconstructed 

As part of its consent agenda on Oct. 31, 

the St. Charles County Council authorized 

a $261,196 agreement with Bax Engineering, 

Inc., for professional engineering, 

design and coordination services for 

the reconstruction of Hopewell Road, a 

narrow and aging two-lane roadway. The 

existing pavement is without shoulders 

and has ditches and drop-offs adjacent to 

the travel lanes. 

The consent agenda is where multiple 

items are approved en masse unless a council 

member asks for an individual item to 

be extracted and voted on separately. The 

Oct. 31 consent agenda was approved by 

a vote of 6-0, with council member Joe 

Brazil (District 2) absent/excused. 

According to meeting background materials, 

the overall project is to reconstruct 

and widen an outdated existing farm-tomarket 

minor collector roadway from 

10-foot to 12-foot lanes, as well as add 

6-foot shoulders, a 5-foot-wide sidewalk, 

and a 10-foot-wide shared-use path. 

A massive new development is planned 

along the west side of Hopewell Road that 

will contribute a significant amount of traffic 

to Hopewell Road in the near future. 

In addition to the needed pavement widening 

and pedestrian features, the pavement 

condition is currently rated at a 6.75 

out of 10 in the Pavement Surface Evaluation 

and Rating (PASER) system. 

The Hopewell Road Project is located in 

partly unincorporated St. Charles County. 

The tentative plan is for design in 2023, 

right-of-way acquisition and final design 

in 2024, with construction starting early in 

2025. 

City reduces expected 

sewer rate increase 

O’Fallon residents will be getting some 

welcome relief in terms of their sanitary 

sewer bills after the O’Fallon City Council 

unanimously approved a voluntary 

reduction of the city’s sewer rate increases, 

which were planned in previous years. The 

prior rate ordinance would have seen a 6% 

rate increase in 2023 and in the years after 

2026. However, under the voluntary reduction 

the rate increase in 2023 will be just 

2% with a 4% increase following in the 

years after 2026. 

According to a memo presented to the 

council, the city has implemented cost savings 

measures over the last few years and 

carefully reviewed its sewer system’s capital 

improvement plan (CIP). The results of 

those efforts are reduced planned expenditures. 

This change in rates still accomplishes 

all necessary projects paid for by the sewer 

fund and preserves a healthy fund balance, 

according to city staff. Even with the lower 

rate, the fund balance is projected to be 

greater than $2 million in fiscal year 2023, 

and by 2027 this balance is expected to 

grow to be more than $5.5 million. 

The memo concludes that the fiscal 

impact of this change does lower future 

revenues in the sewer fund, but the 5-year 

plan for this fund has been studied and 

shows adequate revenue coming to support 

the sewer needs. 

The planned increase for the water fund 

will remain the same at 6% for next year. 

Going forward, the staff will do a review 

of water fund rates annually in the fall and 

make a recommendation to the council 

during the budget season. 

City streamlines sanitary 

sewer service 

Beginning Jan. 1, 2023, O’Fallon residents 

who require sanitary sewer service 

from the city will find the process to be 

“more streamlined and less complicated.” 

At least that’s the hope, after the City 

Council unanimously approved a resolution 

authorizing updates to the city’s sanitary 

sewer backup reimbursement policy. 

“This policy provides financial assistance 

for cleanup and the repair/replacement of 

damage as a result of an overcharged or 

blocked sanitary sewer line backing up 

into basements,” Public Works Director 

Steve Bender explained in a memo to the 

council. “It applies to properties within 

the city limits which are served by the city 

of O’Fallon’s sanitary sewer service. The 

assistance is limited to $3,000 per property, 

per fiscal year. 

“The policy went into effect 

on Jan. 1, 2018 and once we 

began administering the program, 

staff recognized that 

some revisions were desirable. 

These revisions make 

the program more streamlined 

and less complicated 

for the customer.” 

Significant changes 

include increasing the 

reporting period to five days; 

eliminating the requirement 

to get bids and defining 

the reimbursement will 

be 75% of the costs up to 

the maximum; eliminating 

complicated reimbursement 

formulas that had different aspects 

reimbursed at differing rates; clarifying 

that debris removal is a covered cost; and 

allowing the city’s reimbursement to pay 

for insurance deductibles. Applications for 

reimbursement also will be required to be 

made within six months of the triggering 

event. 

Bender clarified for the council that the 

policy provides some benefits to the customer 

specifically when the city is not at 

fault. 

“If we were liable, the incident would go 

through an insurance claim and the reimbursement 

for damages would go through 

that process,” he explained. 

The city usually budgets $55,000 per 

year for this program, with the funding 

mostly going unspent. In August 2022, the 

council authorized increasing the number 

of applications being accepted, adding 

$300,000 to account for the unprecedented 

rain and flooding in late July 2022. However, 

Bender confirmed that for 2023, the 

budget will revert to $55,000. 

ST. CHARLES COUNTY 

Bureau of the Chief established 

St. Charles County Police now have 

a new bureau approved by the County 

Council and named “Bureau of the Chief 

of Police.” 

Police Chief Kurt Frisz told the council 

that the new bureau will “establish a clear 

line of communication and authority over 

internal affairs investigations, policy development, 

public information and accreditation.” 

The council approved the creation 

of the new division by a vote of 6-0 with 

council member Joe Brazil absent/excused. 

The new bureau will include the chief of 

police, one full-time lieutenant, one fulltime 

CALEA (accreditation) manager, one 

full-time administrative assistant and one 

full-time police officer. 

Frisz said the changes will “increase 

Flags at the Veterans Memorial in St. Peters 

(Source: City of St. Peters/Facebook)





I NEWS I 9 

efficiency within the entire police department, 

ensure the resources of the agency 

are being managed effectively, and enable 

us to continue meeting the high standards 

that the residents of St. Charles County 

have come to expect.” 

The text of the bill outlines numerous deletions 

of selected police department positions 

and additions of others in the budget to cover 

the cost of the new division. Frisz noted that 

the net result of those budget amendments 

means the bureau will not result in a need for 

any additional personnel. 

Frisz said there will be no change to the 

department’s budget. 

“This adjustment also will help reduce 

the supervisory span of control for the 

Bureau of Administration to balance the 

workload and responsibilities within the 

Bureau,” Frisz said. He noted that “the 

changes and new bureau would go into 

effect when the county executive signs the 

ordinance approved by the council.” 

County adds new prosecuting 

attorney position 

A new assistant prosecuting attorney 

charged with focusing on domestic violence 

will soon help to lessen the load in 

the county prosecuting attorney’s office. 

The position, approved on a 6-0 vote 

of the County Council, was sought by 

Prosecuting Attorney Tim Lohmar and 

Human Resources Director Samantha 

Shadrach and will be funded through Dec. 

31, 2023, by American Rescue Plan Act 

(ARPA) funds. Beginning in January 2024, 

a grant from the state’s funding from the 

Department of Public Safety is expected 

to cover the position’s associated costs. 

The pay range for the new attorney position, 

depending on experience, would be 

$79,797 to $125,361. 

Also approved by the council was authorization 

for a new total compensation manager 

position in human resources. The new 

position would be offset by the elimination 

of an existing HR position. 

Lohmar explained in a detailed background 

memo to County Executive Steve 

Ehlmann requesting the bill, that Missouri’s 

new criminal code (which passed in 

2017) has resulted in an increased domestic 

violence caseload, with those cases now 

“being approximately 150% of the 2017 

caseload.” 

While there are several factors at play, 

Lohmar said the increase is due, in part, to 

the fact that the legislature added a third 

level of felony offense, thereby essentially 

requiring the state to annually handle hundreds 

of cases that historically would have 

been considered municipal cases. 

“Because of this, my office has instructed 

all law enforcement agencies in St. Charles 

County to send any domestic violence case 

involving injury to this office for review,” 

Lohmar said. 

He pointed out that not only has the 

volume of cases the prosecutor’s office 

reviews increased, the caseloads for the 

attorneys who are assigned to the domestic 

violence unit have risen significantly. In 

addition, his office has seen a noticeable 

increase in domestic violence-related cases 

since the onset of the pandemic. 

Storage facility approved 

near Villas at Fallon Park 

A new storage facility is headed to a 

3.94-acre parcel of land located at 2896 

Hwy. K, about 1/2 mile north of Route 364. 

The land is in unincorporated St. Charles 

County but is surrounded by the City 

of O’Fallon. It will adjoin the rear yards 

of the Villas at Fallon Park Subdivision. 

According to recent sales, the villa values 

are in the low $300,000 range. 

BestBox Storage was granted a conditional 

use permit (CUP) by a 6-0 vote of 

the County Council to build and operate 

the facility. Council member Joe Brazil 

(District 2) was absent/excused. 

According to Robert Myers, the county’s 

acting director of community development, 

the facility will be a 3-story structure with 

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Customer traffic is expected to be no 

more than 20 visits per day. To address 

noise and aesthetic impacts for neighbors, 

the developer has agreed to the prohibition 

of garage doors on the rear (eastern) side 

of the facility, closest to the residences, 

as well as the installation of a landscape 

buffer with a sight-proof fence and trees. 

The Martha A. Keeven Revocable Trust 

currently owns the land. A vacant singlefamily 

home, gazebo and large out-building 

currently on the site will be removed 

when construction starts.

10 I NEWS I 

By JOHN TREMMEL 



For more than 60 years, Carl’s 

Drive-In has served up good 

times in the form of burgers and 

root beer from its unassuming 

location on Manchester Road 

in St. Louis County. Now, the 

iconic restaurant is looking to go 

bigger and better in St. Charles 

County. 

Specifically, its new owner, 

David Kraemer, who bought 

Carl’s in 2021, is seeking 

approval for three conditional 

use permits (CUPs) to operate a 

restaurant and family entertainment 

center on 2.53 acres in the 

Streets of Caledonia commercial 

area in O’Fallon. 

The project would include a 

single-story, 4,497-square-foot 

restaurant with a drive-thru, 

inside dining and a rooftop 

patio. Additionally, the family 

entertainment center would include a gokart 

track, giant slide, swing carousel, sky 

tower and ice cream stand, according to 

documents filed with the city’s Planning 

and Zoning Commission (P&Z). The land 

on which all of this would be built is zoned 

C-2/General Business District. 

The total parking required by the city is 

91 spaces. Currently, there are 49 parking 

spaces provided on site. According to documents 

filed with P&Z, the property owner 

will provide an additional 53 on-street 



New family entertainment center could be coming to O’Fallon 

courtesy of Carl’s Drive-In if the city approves CUP requests 

While this rendering shows a two-story restaurant, the revised site plan for the proposed Carl’s Drive-In in O’Fallon calls for it to be a single-story structure. 

(Source: BARBEE Planning Design) 

parking spaces for a total of 102 parking 

spaces. 

Serving as a spokesperson for the 

project, Elliott Reed, project manager at 

Cochran Engineering, explained during 

the Nov. 3 P&Z meeting that businesses 

in the Streets of Caledonia commercial 

section can share parking. He said he had 

not spoken to Barron Swim School, in the 

adjacent lot, but did not believe Carl’s 

and the entertainment venue’s peak hours 

would coincide with the swim school’s 

peak hours. Mayor Bill Hennessy clarified 

that all businesses in that area understand 

they have shared parking, including 

Barron’s. 

The development’s proposed hours 

of operation would be 10 a.m.-10 p.m., 

Sunday through Thursday, and 10 a.m.-11 

p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. 

Barron Swim School is located to the 

north of the proposed development; a gas 

station is to its west; and currently undeveloped 

C2 commercial land is to the south 

and east. Well-lighted soccer fields are to 

the east of the adjacent undeveloped commercial 

lots. 

Prior to taking a vote, commission 

members had asked Reed to clarify details 

about parking, lighting and noise levels, 

which had been brought up as concerns 

in three emails from nearby residents. 

Those residents also expressed concern 

about the residential atmosphere of the 

area being negatively affected by traffic 

and the devaluation of this property, if 

it does not succeed, and the surrounding 

See CARL’S DRIVE-IN, next page 

County approves contract to realign routes N, Z intersection 


Anyone who has driven through the 

intersection of routes N and Z in St. Charles 

County, south of Wentzville and north of 

New Melle, knows what a challenge it is to 

get through safely and in a timely manner, 

especially during peak traffic periods. 

As more subdivisions are built in the area, 

the intersection keeps getting worse, with 

lines of cars and trucks growing longer. 

That leads some drivers to take more risks 

to dart through the intersection, even when 

it is not their turn. 

Relief is now on the far horizon. At 

its Oct. 31 meeting, the County Council 

awarded a contract to Gershenson Construction 

Co., Inc. of Eureka, to realign 

routes N and Z. The contract authorizes 

payment of $5,829,619 for work that 

includes the furnishing of materials, tools, 

equipment and labor necessary to construct 

the intersection realignment. 

The vote came as part of the consent 

agenda in which multiple items are 

approved en masse, unless a council 

member asks for an individual item to be 

extracted and voted on separately. The 

consent agenda was approved by a vote of 

6-0, with council member Joe Brazil (District 

2) absent/excused. 

This project will be partially funded 

with federal reimbursement, under the U.S. 

Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality 

improvement program. 

“While there is federal funding in the 

project, and it pays 80%, it is only up to a 

certain limit,” Chris Bostic, a project manager 

in the county’s Highway Department, 

clarified. “While I do not have an exact 

total, it will end up at more like 25-30% 

of construction costs since significant price 

inflation and other market factors have 

pushed the project over the original budget 

that the 80% was based upon. 

“The start date will be late November, 

although it is hard to say the exact date. 

Our hope is to have it completed by end of 

summer 2023; however, there are significant 

utility relocation delays expected, so it will 

probably be more like fall or winter 2023.” 

The construction will include grading, 

paving, drainage, traffic signal and other 

items necessary for the project. 

According to the provided background 

materials, county administration has 

long been concerned with the “dogbone” 

layout of that intersection, because it only 

addressed short-term delays and not the 

long-term growth still anticipated for the 

area, especially as the new David Hoekel 

Parkway corridor continues to develop. 

The county’s roads and traffic department 

determined a single intersection with a 

traffic signal to be the best alternative. 

Project partners include the county, the 

Missouri Department of Transportation 

and the East-West Gateway Council of 

Governments with the county serving as 

project administrator. 

A traffic signal will be built at an intersection 

by the east end. Route Z will be 

realigned behind the existing Walgreens 

location. This new configuration also will 

allow for a new direct connection to Buckner 

Road to the west to match the longrange 

plan for the area. 

Overall, the project will affect 0.11 miles 

of Route N and 0.45 miles of Route Z in 

and near the intersection.





I 11 

CARL’S DRIVE-IN, from previous 

neighborhood. 

Reed noted that the Carl’s venue would 

not have “stadium lighting” or “40-foottall 

poles that broadcast light.” Instead, he 

described the lighting as typical “for safety 

on parking lots and sidewalks, and LED 

lights on the entertainment areas.” 

He said the go-karts would be electric, 

and would not exceed 60 decibels (dB) at 

100 feet, as required by the city. For comparison, 

60 dB is equivalent to the sound 

of a running air conditioner. Asked about 

“screeching tires,” he said he did not know 

the speeds for the go-karts, but there could 

be some tire noise when going around corners 

on the track. “However,” he pointed 

out, “the property all around this venue is 

commercial, including a gas station with a 

car wash.” 

A fourth email from a resident across 

Route DD expressed support for and 

excitement about the project. The writer of 

that email suggested that increased traffic 

will help other local businesses thrive and 

lauded the developer for “planning to do 

something bold, unusual and fun.” 

By votes of 10-0, P&Z approved the 

CUPs to operate a commercial outdoor 

recreation facility, to operate a restaurant 

with drive-thru, and for sale of alcohol by 

the drink to include beer, wine, liquor and 

frozen daiquiris. By a vote of 9-1, the commissioners 

approved the development’s 

revised site plan. Commissioner Duane 

Lammers voted no. Commissioners Carolyn 

Thomas, Jim Frain and Ron Epps were 

absent/excused. 

The revised site plan has 9% of the site 

used for the building; 47% in paved surfaces; 

and 44% as green space. The plan 

indicates the site would be accessed using 

the existing private drives Rush Way and 

Midfield Circle. A 5-foot-wide sidewalk 

would be provided adjacent to the private 

drive aisles surrounding the property. A 

stormwater detention basin has been proposed. 

City staff had recommended that P&Z 

approve the site plan, but suggested among 

other conditions that the common ground 

adjacent to the site be utilized for additional 

parking in lieu of the on-street parking; 

and in order to increase sight distance 

at the parking lot entrance onto Rush Way, 

remove the first on-street parking space 

east of the entrance. 

The City Council is expected to review 

the development details at its Monday, 

Nov. 14 meeting, which occurred after 

press time. If the normal process is followed, 

a second reading and final vote 

would come at the council’s Dec. 15 

meeting. For the latest on this story, visit 

midriversnewsmagazine.com. 

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12 I NEWS I 





Five Acres Animal Shelter hires new 

executive director 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 is seeking public input 

for the Findett Corp. Superfund Site, Operable Unit 4, also known as the Hayford 

Bridge Road Groundwater Site, in St. Charles, Missouri. EPA is asking for feedback 

on the proposed Remedial Design/Remedial Action Consent Decree with Ameren 

for Operable Unit 4 of the site, which addresses the groundwater contamination 

from the Ameren Huster Road Substation. During the public comment period, the 

Consent Decree may be examined and downloaded at this Justice Department 

website: www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees. 

Public comments on the proposed Remedial Design/Remedial Action Consent 

Decree will be accepted until Dec. 5, 2022. Comments should be addressed to the 

Assistant Attorney General, Environment and Natural Resources Division, and 

should refer to United States and the State of Missouri v. Union Electric Company 

d/b/a Ameren Missouri, 22-cv-1038, D.J. Ref. No. 90-11-2-417/6. Comments may 

be submitted either by email or by regular mail: 

To submit comments: 

By email 

By regular mail 

us on 

facebook.com/midriversnewsmagazine 

PUBLIC NOTICE 

Public Comment Period and Public Availability Session 

Findett Corp. Superfund Site 

St. Charles, St. Charles County, Missouri – November 2022 

EPA Region 7: Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Nine Tribal Nations 

Send them to: 

pubcomment-ees.enrd@usdoj.gov 

Assistant Attorney General, U.S. DOJ – ENRD 

P.O. Box 7611 

Washington, DC 20044-7611 

On Thursday, Nov. 17, from 6 to 8 p.m., EPA will host a Public Availability Session 

at Memorial Hall, 1900 W. Randolph St., St. Charles, Missouri. EPA will share 

information about the Consent Decree and response actions at the site and will 

also be available to answer questions. 

Site project information is available to the public at web repositories. To view 

cleanup documents, fact sheets, and frequently asked questions, please visit EPA’s 

Site Profile Page at: www.epa.gov/superfund/findettcorp. Anyone without 

internet access can view these documents online at this location: St. Charles City- 

County Library, Kathryn Linnemann Branch, 2323 Elm Street, St. Charles, MO 

63301; 636-946-6294. 

Questions or requests for site information can be submitted to: 

Benjamin Washburn 

Chief, Public Engagement and Communication Services 

Email: R7PublicAffairs@epa.gov or washburn.ben@epa.gov 

Phone: 913-551-7364 

After a nationwide search, 

Five Acres Animal Shelter has 

hired Jeana Roth as its executive 

director to lead the organization. 

Five Acres Animal Shelter’s 

board recently centered its strategy 

on the Human Animal Support 

Services (HASS) model, 

which will serve the community 

with programs to keep people 

and their pets together. 

Roth’s experience in animal 

welfare began in 2012 when 

she was hired as the first volunteer 

coordinator at the Animal 

Refuge League of Greater 

Portland (ARLGP) in Maine. 

Over her 10-plus years with the 

ARLGP, she advanced through 

the organization in various roles. 

For the past six years, she has 

served as director of community 

engagement, overseeing marketing, 

communications, fundraising, 

humane education, and the 

organization’s community-facing 

departments and programs. 

Roth is a Certified Animal 

Welfare Administrator (CAWA) 

through the Association of 

Animal Welfare Advancement, a 

designation that animal welfare Jenna Roth 

leaders earn with the experience 

and competencies required to practice as a 

leader working in animal shelters. Roth has 

deployed as an emergency response volunteer 

with the ASPCA, assisting in caring 

for and supporting dogs removed from the 

nation’s largest dog-fighting seizure. 

“When I researched the mission of Five 

Acres and learned about their organization’s 

values and goals, I felt that my sheltering 

philosophy and background would 

be a good fit for the community-centered 

animal welfare model they are embracing. 

Five Acres is at a very exciting point, and 

I am thrilled to join their dedicated and 

compassionate team to support pets in St. 

Charles– and beyond,” said Roth. “I wholeheartedly 

believe animal shelters are much 

more than an adoption center, they play a 

very important role in their community– 

ensuring pets are happy and healthy, and 

that their families are supported through 

programs and resources.” 

Roth and her husband, Dana, will be 

moving to the St. Louis area from Portland, 

Maine. They’ll be joined by their three 

adopted shelter pets: a senior cat, Melman, 

a hound/lab mix, Otis, and a pit bull/ 

bulldog mix, Marvin. Roth is expected to 

begin her role as executive director in early 

January. 

Municipal Election filings open Dec. 6 

The November election is over, but election 

filing for candidates running for office 

in the April 4, 2023 municipal elections 

begins Dec. 6. and ends Dec. 27, 2022. 

Municipal elections generally include 

candidates for offices elected by voters at 

the city level including mayors, alderpersons, 

council members and trustees when 

terms have expired; as well as candidates 

for school board members and fire and 

ambulance district board members when 

terms have expired. 

Candidates for municipal offices may 

obtain further information from the appropriate 

city clerk. Candidates for school or 

college boards as well as fire and ambulance 

boards can obtain more information 

from the appropriate board secretary.





I NEWS I 13 

O’Fallon objects to proposed settlement related to contaminated groundwater 


As water woes continue in the city of 

St. Charles, the city of O’Fallon is taking 

up the banner to protect its city’s interests, 

making known their concerns and objections 

to a proposed settlement agreement 

with Ameren Missouri. 

The O’Fallon City Council unanimously 

approved the filing of “an objection to the 

proposed environmental contamination 

settlement to protect the safety of O’Fallon 

residents and the interests of the city of 

O’Fallon,” at its Oct. 27 City Council 

meeting. 

The resolution is in response to a Consent 

Decree the U.S. Department of Justice 

and State of Missouri proposed for the 

settlement of a lawsuit filed against the 

Union Electric Company, doing business 

as Ameren Missouri. 

Want to learn more? 

response actions at the (groundwater contamination) 

Site pursuant to the June 30, 

2021, Record of Decision, and pay oversight 

costs. In exchange, the United States 

and the State will provide covenants not to 

sue or to take administrative action against 

Ameren with regard to the Site.” 

O’Fallon city officials object for the following 

reasons. 

First, “the proposed settlement is reasonably 

expected to ignore the necessity 

to resolve groundwater contamination 

impacting the water supply system operated 

by the city of St. Charles,” according 

to the city’s objection on the Consent 

decree. And, secondly, “contamination of 

the city of St. Charles’ water system also 

endangers the safety of O’Fallon residents 

and legitimate and critical economic interests 

of the city of O’Fallon...” 

Because O’Fallon operates its own water 

system and serves areas near the city of St. 

Charles, the city says reductions in the 

capacity of the city of St. Charles’ ability 

to serve its customers will create increased 

demand for water in the city of O’Fallon 

and strain the city’s resources and ability 

to provide adequate service to its residents, 

the objection states. 

“In that O’Fallon is the largest municipality 

in St. Charles County and plays a 

critical role in the economic vitality of the 

county and region, we are well aware that 

actual or perceived compromises to the 

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leave you guessing... 

See AMEREN, page 15 

Public meetings with presentations 

about the water issues in St. Charles 

are scheduled at 7 p.m. Nov. 16, and 

at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Nov. 21 at the 

Foundry Art Center at 520 N. Main 

Center. The EPA will host a public 

meeting on Nov. 17 from 6-8 p.m. at 

Memorial Hall in Blanchette Park. 

The lawsuit stemmed from the contamination 

of soil in the Elm Point Wellfield, 

located in the area of Huster Road extending 

from Elm Point Road north past Route 

370, which serves as the primary drinking 

water supply to the city of St. Charles. Hazardous 

chemicals have migrated toward 

the wells, despite the businesses’ efforts 

to clean up the site and four wells of the 

seven located in Elm Point Wellfield have 

been shut down – two of them in 2022, 

according to a fact sheet on the city of St. 

Charles website. 

Both the city of St. Charles and Ameren 

Missouri say the city’s water is safe to 

drink. The city of St. Charles is currently 

purchasing additional water from the city 

of St. Louis to increase its ability to serve 

its residents. 

Although the well site does not provide 

water to the city of O’Fallon, O’Fallon 

council members wanted their objections 

known because the city’s interests will be 

affected by the outcome of the settlement, 

so they added their objection and their 

reasons for their objection during the timeframe 

for public comments which ended 

Nov. 3. 

Under the publicly published Settlement 

Agreement, “Ameren will perform 

neither should the cost. 

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14 I NEWS I 





O’Fallon seeks additional county, federal funding for road projects 


O’Fallon is proposing the use of additional 

county sales tax funds for two road 

projects in addition to obtaining federal 

funds for each, 

In spring 2022, O’Fallon started a project 

to extend the I-70 south outer road from 

Hwy. K to just west of Woodlawn Avenue 

and provide more efficient access to the 

outer road and I-70 for those properties 

west of Woodlawn Avenue. 

Project funding had been set up, but costs 

have increased, according to Wade Montgomery, 

city engineer, from the original 

$3.98 million cost estimate approved in 

2017 to a new total project cost estimated 

at $7 million. The completion date also has 

been moved from summer 2023 to no later 

than Dec. 31, 2023. 

Montgomery pointed out that changes in 

the project’s scope were at the request of 

St. Charles County, “to ensure the project 

will accommodate additional lanes along 

the I-70 corridor in future years to mitigate 

the impact to the improvements planned for 

this phase of the project.” He said the inflationary 

cost increases are similar to what is 

happening elsewhere with increased costs 

for supplies and labor. 

The St. Charles County Road Board will 

provide a reimbursement of up to $3.25 

million to help fund the project, through the 

use of transportation sales tax funds. The 

original agreement ceiling was just shy of 

$2 million. A first amendment to the original 

agreement increased the ceiling to $2.5 

million. 

Bill No. 7494, sponsored by Mayor Bill 

Hennessy, was given a first reading at the 

O’Fallon City Council meeting on Oct. 27. 

The bill proposes a second amendment to 

the original agreement for use of county tax 

dollars for the I-70 south outer road project, 

raising the ceiling to $3.25 million instead 

of $2.5 million. 

In a related matter, the council on Oct. 27 

voted 9-1 to approve Bill No. 7489, granting 

approval to enter into a first supplemental 

cost share program agreement through 

the Missouri Highways and Transportation 

Commission (MHTC) for the I-70 South 

Outer Road Phase 2 Project: Woodlawn 

Avenue to Hwy. K. That bill also was 

sponsored by Hennessy. Council member 

Debbie Cook (Ward 5) voted against the bill. 

According to city staff’s background 

materials, the city entered into an original 

cost share agreement with the MHTC in 

2020, to provide federal funds for a portion 

of the project. The original agreement 

was not to exceed $1,096,503. However, in 

coordination with the County Road Board, 

the city submitted a request to the MHTC 

in early 2022 for additional cost share funds. 

In mid-2022, the city received confirmation 

that additional cost share funds would be 

allocated due to the change in the project’s 

scope and inflation. The additional funding 

is not to exceed $597,416. The new total of 

reimbursement the city should receive from 

MHTC will be $1,693,919 in federal funding 

for this project. 

The second road project seeks to improve 

traffic flow and reduce congestion at the 

I-70 and Route M/K interchange. For this 

project, too, the final phase cost was higher 

than anticipated. 

Bill No. 7495, sponsored by Hennessy 

and given a first reading on Oct. 27, proposes 

a second amendment to the original agreement 

for use of county tax dollars totaling 

$544,067 to help cover the increased final 

phase project cost of $1,088,133. 

“In late 2021, the city received the final 

billable cost from the Missouri Department 

of Transportation (MoDOT), based 

on final incurred costs for the project. The 

amount exceeded what the city and county 

originally anticipated. Additional funding 

now is needed to pay the final invoice from 

MoDOT,” Montgomery said in a background 

memo. 

According to the MoDOT municipal 

agreement and cost share agreements for 

the project, the city is responsible for all 

overruns. 

However, Montgomery clarified that cost 

overruns occurred because: 

• The project required a sound wall on the 

project with stringent federal policies tied 

to it. The city had to secure an independent 

consultant to review the sound study per 

MoDOT’s policy. 

• As part of the sound wall, MoDOT had 

to purchase access rights from 23 property 

owners along the sound wall limits. This 

was an unanticipated expense and was only 

discovered when the long-time property 

owners brought it forward to our attention. 

• Of the 11 total parcels on the project, 

three have had to go through the condemnation 

process thus increasing project costs. 

• Several businesses along McDonald 

Lane are affected, due to the median. A new 

connection off the new south outer road is 

being proposed. O’Fallon wants to accommodate 

these businesses as much as pos- 

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11/10/22 10:20 AM





I NEWS I 15 

AMEREN, from page 13 

integrity of critical utility infrastructure – 

especially contamination of drinking water 

– directly and adversely impacts efforts to 

attract investment in the area, job growth, 

employer retention and economic stability 

and growth, both in O’Fallon and throughout 

the county,” according to the text of the 

city’s objection. 

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention (CDC) has issued public health 

warnings for chemicals sometimes contaminating 

drinking water, including two that 

have been found in the wells and nearby 

ground water of the city of St. Charles. 

Those chemicals are “cis-1,2-dichloroethene” 

(dichloroethene) and “vinyl chloride.” 

The CDC and U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA) have issued guidelines 

for the maximum levels of those chemicals 

permitted in drinking water. 

According to O’Fallon’s comments on 

their objection document, the EPA’s own 

data demonstrates that dichloroethene and 

vinyl chloride have been detected above 

maximum contamination levels consistently 

since early 2022 within 750 feet of 

the city of St. Charles’ Public Drinking 

Water Well 9, the city’s main production 

well. 

City officials are concerned that more 

wells will have to be shut down and the 

WE RUN 

TOGETHER. 

city of Saint Charles will not be able to 

meet the needs of their residents. 

“O’Fallon believes the U.S. EPA should 

immediately order the cessation of use 

of the Elm Point Wellfield until sampling 

equipment and upgrades to the city of St. 

Charles water treatment plant are installed, 

to remove volatile organic compounds 

including dichloroethene and vinyl chloride. 

O’Fallon believes Ameren should pay 

for those upgrades and for the relocation of 

the city of St. Charles’ wellfield” according 

to the document. 

Mayor Bill Hennessy signed the opposition 

document which was addressed to the 

Assistant Attorney General, U.S. Department 

of Justice – Environmental and Natural 

Resources Division, and copies were 

sent to Senator Roy Blunt, Senator Josh 

Hawley, Congressman Blane Luetkemeyer, 

Congresswoman Ann Wagner, city of St. 

Charles Mayor Dan Borgmeyer, Ameren 

Missouri Chairman and President Mark 

Birk, and St. Charles County Executive 

Steve Ehlmann. 

Public meetings with presentations 

about the water issues in St. Charles are 

scheduled at 7 p.m. Nov. 16, and at 3 p.m. 

and 6 p.m. on Nov. 21 at the Foundry Art 

Center at 520 N. Main Center. 

The EPA will host a public meeting on 

Nov. 17 from 6-8 p.m. at Memorial Hall in 

Blanchette Park. 

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16 I SCHOOLS I 





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Fox Performing Arts 

seeks talented teens 

Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation 

is putting on a competition showcasing 

teens of the St. Louis region. Teens are 

encouraged to compete in a talent category 

of their choice, whether they sing, dance, 

act, or do something eccentric. 

The competition is open to high school 

students that live within 50 miles in any 

direction of the St. Louis Gateway Arch. 

Students must be enrolled in high school 

during the 2022-2023 academic year to 

participate. First prize is $8,000 toward a 

college scholarship. 

Those interested in participating can 

visit foxpacf.org and complete the St. 

Louis Teen Talent Competition registration 

form. From there, registrants will be 

able to submit details about their act. Once 

registration is complete, it’s time to prepare 

for the “preliminaries.” On Feb. 4 and 

5, contestants will have 3 minutes to show 

the judges what they can do during the preliminary 

round at Kirkwood High. 

There are no fees to participate. Registration 

is open until Jan. 2. Performers 

under the age of 18 will need a parent or 

guardian to submit a registration form on 

their behalf. 

The complete competition schedule and 

guidelines are on the foxpacf.org website. ‘ 

Optimist Club sponsors 

essay, speech contests 

O’Fallon Optimist Club 30295 is sponsoring 

essay and speech contests with 

scholarships from the Optimist International 

Foundation awarded to winners at 

the Eastern Missouri District level. Contests 

are open to students under the age of 

19 as of Oct. 1, 2022. 

The essay topic is “Who is an Everyday 

Hero that Brings Out the Optimism 

in You?” The essay must be accompanied 

by a contest application and received by 

Jan. 31, 2023. A $2,500 scholarship will be 

awarded at the district level. The winner 

will be notified by Feb. 28, and the essay 

will be forwarded for district competition. 

The speech contest is designed to help 

youth gain experience in public speaking. 

Interested students should prepare 

a four to five minute speech on the topic 

“Discovering the Optimism within Me.” A 

copy of the speech must be accompanied 

by the contest application and received by 

Jan. 31. The club competition is in March. 

Contestants will be notified with the date 

and time. The winner will advance to the 

regional contest in April. Two winners 

from that level will then compete at the 

district contest on May 6. There, the three 

top finalists will be awarded scholarships 

of $2,500, $1,500 and $1,000. 

There is also a contest for deaf and hard of 

hearing students to compete in speech or sign 

language. The topic is the same for either 

speech contest. The district winner of this 

contest is also awarded a $2,500 scholarship. 

For an application and rules for the 

competitions, visit optimist.org/scholarships. 

Contestant must be sponsored 

by a local Optimist Club. Contact 

Cyndy Schwab at (636) 544-0102 or 

cyndyschwab@yahoo.com for details. 

By BETHANY COAD 

What is the best way to bring together 

a community, especially during a pandemic? 

That’s the question that Girl Scout 

Troop 3252 were asking as they contemplated 

their Girl Scout Bronze Award 

project. Since only fourth and fifth graders 

can complete this specific project, the 

then-fourth-grade troop knew that going 

for their Bronze Award in 2020 meant 

seeing what they could achieve in their 

own communities while involving everyone 

long-term. 

They were united in wanting something 

in their own community that they themselves 

could see every day, monitor and, 

in doing so, know it was benefiting their 

friends and neighbors. 

“I think their biggest challenge was 

COVID. The girls didn’t like being 

restricted, because meetings were so hard 

to do over Zoom,” said Mandy Franke, 

Troop 3252 leader. “I think having this 

project as a way to get back together after 

COVID restrictions were lifted really 

helped to unite the girls.” 

Members of Girl Scout Troop 3252 with their tiny library (from left): Meredith 

Flowers, Genevieve Fowler, Lilly Hollander, Morgan Ronkoski, Violet Franke, 

Vivian Holland and Julia Mills. Members not pictured are Grace Eiswirth, Cam 

Ivey, Ella Hults, Mia Barney, and Madi Wideman. 

(Source: Mandy Franke) 

(636) 916-8300 | TheBetterWayToBank.org 

Girl Scouts from Troop 3252 build 

community with tiny library 

Most troop members were attending 

Warren Elementary at the time, with a 

few members at Central Elementary, so 

the girls landed on the idea of building a 

Tiny Library for Warren Elementary. The 

tiny library is modeled after the nonprofit 

organization Little Free Library, which 

focuses on building community, inspiring 

readers and expanding book access. Since 

they would install it close to a school they 

hoped it would have a large reach. 

The fundraising began with the troop 

selling candy, magazines and cookies. 

Then, using the money they earned to 

buy supplies. As the community heard 

about the troop’s efforts, donations came 

to them in the form of wood and various 

construction materials, with Polymershapes 

St. Louis donating the plexiglass 

to keep the library safe and dry. 

Once the materials were assembled, 

each troop member signed up for a shift 

to work on the tiny library’s construction. 

For a Bronze Award project to be successfully 

completed, a minimum of 20 

hours is required for building the team, 

exploring the community, choosing the 

project, planning it, putting it into action 

and spreading the word about it. The girls 

were up to the challenge. 

The stocking of the library came next. 

Many of the girls and their families 

donated starter books with some left over 

to stock the library as the need arises. It’s 

an ongoing chore; however, the troop is 

excited to see the community start to take 

interest and utilize their project. 

“They are hoping to see the community 

engage in reading new materials,” said 

Franke, “We put in materials for every 

age range, including adults, so everyone 

can participate.” 

On Oct. 15, the tiny library was securely 

fixed on its post and stocked with books 

ready to be taken by eager readers. 

Today, with the project behind them 

and the girls scattered to various middle 

schools, the tiny library is alive and open 

for business so that its visitors can take 

one, leave one, read one.

2022 • HOLIDAY 

WISH BOOK 

• COLLECTIBLE CARDS 

Featuring characters of Christmas 

• SUNDAES WITH 

JACK FROST & FRIENDS 

• BREAKFAST FOR 

DINNER WITH KRUMPAS 

• MERRY MAKERS MARKET 

• SANTA PARADE 

• AND MUCH MORE! 

Read all about this 

season-long event on PAGE 25 

discoverstcharles.com

18 

HOLIDAY WISH BOOK 



@MIDRIVERSNEWSMAG 


List 

Wish Holiday The 

You’ve made your list. Now it’s time to 

check it twice. Or maybe you haven’t 

started shopping yet. There’s no need to 

cry or pout if you haven’t checked off all of 

the names on your list. There 

still is time to make sure everyone 

naughty or nice is well 

taken care of. Compare your 

list to ours and wrap up your 

holiday shopping. 

Great gifts (from top): An electric bike from Pedego 

St. Charles, a play set from Dream Play Recreation, 

and a hand woven basket from Gitzell FairTrade 

International 

Holiday Gift List 

• Mom 

• Grandma 

• Mary Bailey 

• Dad 

• Grandpa 

• Clark Griswold 

• Ralphie 

• Cindy Lou Who 

• Cousin Eddie 

• Teachers, co-workers 

• Bob Crachit 

• Jack Frost 

It’s a wonderful life when you can deck out your 

house in fabulous holiday decor. One of a kind home 

decor accessories are just what to give to any mom, 

grandma or Mary Bailey, especially when she’s hosting 

a holiday party. 

While filling in dates on your social calendar it’s 

always good to have on hand special and unique 

gifts to give to your holiday party hostesses. Finding 

that special gift with a holiday flair can brighten any 

space, including your own. 

Belle Gente Salon and Boutique is a great stop on 

your shopping list for gifts for a special lady or gal 

pal. A gift card for a style or a blow out is always fun. 

Be sure to check out their new boutique for women’s 

clothing, accessories and gifts. 

If there is someone on your list who likes 

designer labels without breaking the 

budget check out Crown Luxury 

Resale consignment shop 

in Cottleville. Find great 

deals on designer shoes, 

handbags, jewelry, luxury 

time pieces and accessories. 

Their wide variety of 

upscale inventory includes 

hidden treasures from 

numerous consignors. Bonus: sip some complimentary 

wine or coffee while you shop. 

If you’re looking for a unique handmade gift, plan 

a visit to Gitzell FairTrade International. They feature 

an assortment of hand woven baskets, bags, bowls 

and handmade beaded jewelry. They are a member of 

the Fair Trade Federation and artisans in sub-saharan 

Africa make most of the items in the shop. 

Clark Griswold is always getting himself into some 

mischief and the local Schneider True Value Implement 

hardware store is always there to help him, or 

any dad, grandpa or fix it guy-or gal-you know. Along 

with power tools, they also have grills, bird feeders 

and holiday decorations. Some of the special services 

they offer include key cutting, window repair, glass 

cutting and knife and chainsaw sharpening. Check 

off multiple names on your list, while picking something 

up for yourself at the same time. 

While Ralphie thinks he wants a BB gun for Christmas 

we all know he will just shoot his eye out if he 

gets one. Instead a magnificent playset from Dream 

Play Recreation is on our list. Any kid with a great 

See Wish List, page 21






Shop Unique Clothing, Accessories & Gifts 

for Everyone on Your List! 

19 

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Personal service 

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Stop In For All Your 

Holiday and Seasonal Needs: 

Light Bulbs 

Christmas Lights 

Heating 

Batteries 

Snow Chemicals 

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SCHNEIDER 

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Full Service Dealer 

Offering Service and Repair! 

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STORE HOURS: Monday - Friday: 7AM - 5PM • Saturday: 8AM-4PM • CLOSED SUNDAY

20 






Games for kids 

Can you spot 10 differences? 

Start 

here!






21 

Wish List, from page 18 

imagination will love swinging high and 

zooming down slides, playing in a clubhouse 

or climbing across the monkey 

bars. Or maybe a trampoline or basketball 

net to keep all the lucky kids in your 

life entertained. 

Foundry Art Centre classes make great 

gifts for kids and adults. 

Little Cindy Lou Who is getting the 

gift of creativity from the Foundry 

Art Centre. Great for any artist in your 

life, the art centre offers kids studios 

and workshops for any level of artist. 

Artists can explore different mediums 

like clay, paper mache, water colors 

and more. Moms and dads can even 

join the adult workshops for a fun date 

night or even a ladies night out. This is 

a great place for any creative type to 

visit. The gift shop features items made 

by local artists, so stop by to pick out 

a one of a kind piece of art to give to 

a loved one. 

More Great Gifts for Kids 

Magic House 

Members at the Family Level enjoy 

unlimited free admission all year long, 

50% discounted admission to 200 museums 

throughout the country that are 

members of the Association of Children’s 

Museums Reciprocal Network, an exclusive 

Magic House gift; and the option to 

supersize your membership and add an 

additional caregiver. A family membership 

is for two adults and their dependent 

children (ages 18 and younger) from one 

household. For membership at the Family 

Plus level add on free admission to the 

Made for Kids attraction and explore 

a 7,000-square-foot “makerspace” that 

features a makers workshop, artist studio, 

design lab and entrepreneurs marketplace. 

Butterfly House 

Members to the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly 

House are actually members of the 

Missouri Botanical Garden. The Butterfly 

House became a division of the Missouri 

Botanical Garden in 2001. 

Pedego St. Charles is an electric bike 

shop where you can rent or buy a new 

electric bike. They offer a variety of 

electric bikes ranging from mountain 

bikes, to city commuters and cruisers, to 

fat tires and more. A Pedego electric bike 

can take you faster and farther than a 

regular bike. With an electric bike, riders 

can choose how much, and how often, 

they would like to pedal with pedal assist 

that gauges your cadence and gives you 

a little, or a lot, of push along the way, 

and throttle for those times you choose 

not to struggle up that hill but instead 

pass up your friends with ease. Jack 

Frost will have fun zipping around town 

on one of these. 

Nothing says I love you like delicious 

food. Cousin Eddie is always up for a free 

meal. He’s getting gift cards to his favorite 

restaurant Favazza’s. We hope he doesn’t 

find out about the private party rooms 

booked for some glitzy holiday gatherings. 

They even have a separate banquet space, 

the Rose of the Hill, that can seat up to 500 

guests. Eddie can use his gift cards to have 

a nice catered meal at home. 

Buddy the Elf loves sweet treats from 

Dairy Queen on Veterans Memorial 

Pkwy. A dipped cone is the perfect treat 

after a long day of shopping or decorating 

gingerbread houses. By giving a gift 

card Buddy can decide if he wants to 

treat himself to a meal or order a special 

soft serve cake for a holiday party. It’s 

the perfect stocking stuffer or gift to give 

to your favorite teacher. 

Membership includes free admission 

to the Missouri Botanical Garden, the 

Butterfly House and the Shaw Nature 

Reserve. Membership at the Family and 

Friends level includes privileges for 4 

adults and any children 12 and younger. 

Saint Louis Zoo 

At the Saint Louis Zoo, the basic Zoogoer 

membership includes six free parking 

passes, free passes for the Emerson 

Zooline Railroad, Emerson Children’s 

Zoo and First Bank Sea Lion Show, as 

well as Zoo discounts on food and gift 

shops, stlzoo member magazine, e-newsletter 

and more. Holiday gift memberships 

also include a collectible ornament 

available while supplies last. 

St. Louis Science Center 

At the Science Center, family membership 

includes admission, parking and 

tickets to the Discovery Room, the Omnimax 

theatre and McDonnell Planetarium. 

Celebrating 

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BASKET WAREHOUSE 

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AD PROOF is reduced in quality to be email compatible, making some images appear blurry. Colors displayed here will not match the 

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22 






Happenings 

Holiday 

The All Saints Craft Bazaar is from 

9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12 at 5 

McMenamy Road in St. Peters. Also 

available for purchase are the church’s 

famous turkey sandwiches. 

• • • 

Holiday Bazaar is from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. 

on Saturday, Nov. 12 at the Harvester 

Church of the Nazarene at 3115 McClay 

Road in St. Peters. Get a head start on 

holiday shopping while supporting 

local businesses and the church’s ministry 

to local residents who are in need 

of assistance. 

• • • 

O’Fallon Tree Lighting Ceremony 

is from 6-8 p.m. on Nov. 16 at O’Fallon 

City Hall, 100 N. Main Street. Join 

Mayor Bill Hennessy in officially welcoming 

Santa to O’Fallon featuring 

children’s activities, musical performances, 

holiday vendors and a chance 

to meet Santa. Bring donations of 

Happenings 

canned/boxed food and/or personal care 

items for local food pantries. For details, 

visit ofallon.mo.us. 

• • • 

Treasure Chest Holiday Expo is from 

1-6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 18; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. 

on Saturday, Nov. 19 and from 10 a.m.-4 

p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 20 at the St. Charles 

Convention Center, 1 Convention Center 

Plaza, featuring over 160 booths filled 

with unique gift items, crafts, gourmet 

goodies and more. Free event. 

• • • 

Tree of Lights Celebration is at 6:30 

p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19 at City Hall 

Park, 2032 Hanley Road in Dardenne 

Prairie. Featuring musical entertainment 

by area schools, holiday crafts, refreshments 

and other activities. Santa will 

be available for pictures. Bring a new 

unwrapped toy to donate to the Salvation 

Army Toy Town. For details, email 

Mathew@dardenneprairie.org or call, 

(636) 755-5308. 

• • • 

Celebration of Lights is from Nov. 25 

through Dec. 30 nightly at Fort Zumwalt 

Park, 1000 Jessup Dr. in O’Fallon. Drivethrough 

lights display. Tickets must be 

purchased in advance. Sunday-Thursday, 

6-9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 6-10 p.m. 

Most vehicles are $12. Closed to vehicles 

on Nov. 28, Dec. 5, Dec. 6 and Dec. 12. 

The entire display is closed on Christmas 

Day, Dec. 25. 

• • • 

A Gingerbread Village is on display at 

11 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 25 and continues 

through 5 p.m. on Dec. 18 at Main Street 

Church, 116 N. Main in St. Charles. Hours 

are 6-9 p.m. on Fridays, noon-9 p.m. on 

Saturdays and noon-5 p.m. on Sundays. 

For details, visit churchonmain.com. 

• • • 

St. Charles Christmas Traditions 

[opening day] is from noon-8:30 p.m. on 

Friday, Nov. 25 at Frontier Park. The festival 

continues through Dec. 24. Explore 

this one-of-a-kind festival and see the 

wonder of Christmas past come to life. 

For details, see page 25. 

• • • 

Book a Tractor-pulled “Sleigh” Hayride 

through Rotary Park Nov. 28 

through Dec. 28 in Wentzville to tour 

the Holiday Night Lights. Hot chocolate 

and cookies included. Maximum of 

25 people, including lap children. Free 

rides are scheduled on a first-come, firstserved 

basis. Pre-registration two weeks 

prior is required. See schedule for available 

dates at wentzvillemo.gov. To register, 

call (636) 332-9236. 

• • • 

Over 1,000 luminaries greet visitors 

for the Augusta Candlelight Christmas 

Walk from 5-10 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 2 

and Friday, Dec. 9 on the streets of downtown 

Augusta, 5577 Walnut St. For details, 

visit discoverstcharles.com. 

• • • 

A Merry Makers Market is from 

5-8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 2 and from 

10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 

The Foundry Art Centre, 520 N. Main 

Center in St. Charles. More than 30 

vendor booths and artists will be selling 

handmade items. For details, visit 

foundryartcentre.org. 

50+ LOCAL ARTISTS & MAKERS 

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THE FOUNDRY ART CENTRE'S 

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SATURDAY 

03 DEC 

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november 25 - december 24 

along Historic main street 

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DECEMBER 2 - 17 

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christmas traditions® presents: 

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636-255-0270 | FOUNDRYARTCENTRE.ORG 

stcharleschristmas.com



• • • 

St. Peters Tree Lighting Ceremony 

is at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 2 in the 

courtyard at St. Peters City Hall, One 

St. Peters Centre Blvd. Free event. For 

details, visit stpetersmo.net. 

• • • 

Christmas Candlelight Walks are 

from 6-10:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, 

Dec. 2 and 3; Dec. 9 and 10 at 

the Historic Daniel Boone Home, 1868 

Hwy. F in Defiance. Admission is $15 per 

person. Stroll through the village illuminated 

with thousands of lantern-lit candles. 

Along the way, visit with Daniel and 

Rebecca Boone. Tickets are limited to 15 

per time slot. Details at sccmo.org, search 

“Boone Home.” 

• • • 

Saint Charles Swing Dance Club’s 

Christmas Dance is us Dec. 3 at VFW 

Post 2866, 66 VFW Lane, Saint Charles, 

from 7 to 10 p.m. Free dance lessons 

from 6:15 to 7 p.m. Dance to the music 

of the Larry Gwaltney Band. Admission 

is $10 per person. Santa, attendance 

prizes and fun for all. 

• • • 

New Town at St. Charles’ Christmas 

Festivities and Tree Lighting is from 

8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3 

at the Town Hall and amphitheater, featuring 

a holiday bazaar, Santa’s sleigh 

and reindeer, hot chocolate bar, caroling 

and more. For details, visit facebook. 

Sing in the Season 

The St. Louis Christmas 

Carols Association is seeking 

volunteers to bring cheer and 

goodwill to neighbors, friends 

and strangers during the 2022 

season. Volunteer group leaders 

are encouraged to sign-up online 

by Nov. 30 at stlchrismascarols. 

org/go-caroling to receive a caroling 

toolkit containing: 

• Access to a Christmas Caroling 

101 tutorial video. 

• Song sheets with popular secular 

and sacred Christmas carols. 

• Information sheets to help 

share the mission of the Christmas 

Carols Association. 

• A Collection can with a QR 

code that allows for collecting 

cash, check and online donations 

in support of nonprofit agencies 

working with children in the St. 

Louis region. 

com/NewTownStC. 

• • • 

Defiance Christmas Festival is from 

9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3 in 

Downtown Defiance. Activities include 

a 5K walk/run, live music, a Christmas 

parade, pictures with Santa and a Christmas 

Market. Details at defiancemo.com. 

• • • 

A Holiday Concert is from 2-4 p.m. 

on Saturday, Dec. 3 at the St. Peters Cultural 

Arts Centre Theatre, One St. Peters 

Centre Blvd. Enjoy holiday classics 

with the St. Charles County Symphony 

Orchestra. Tickets are $10. To purchase a 

ticket, email scsymphony@att.net. 

• • • 

A Country Christmas Craft Fair is 

from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 4 at 

the O’Fallon Elks Lodge at 1163 Tom 

Ginnever Ave., featuring shopping, pictures 

with Santa and a free gift for attendees 

while supplies last. Proceeds from the 

50/50 and vendor raffles go to the lodge’s 

Adopt-A-Family fund. 

• • • 

Candy Cane Hunt is from 1-2 p.m. 

on Sunday, Dec. 4 at Wapelhorst Park, 

1875 Muegge Road in St. Charles. 

Santa’s elves have hidden hundreds 

of candy canes throughout the park to 

find. Expect a visit from Santa and hot 

cocoa. $20 per person. For ages 14 and 

under. Bring a bucket or bag to collect 

the candy canes. For details, visit 

stcharlesparks.com/programs. 

• • • 

New Town Christmas Holiday House 

Tour is from 1-5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 4, 

beginning at the Town Hall. For details, 

visit facebook.com/NewTownStC. 

• • • 

Lightwire Theater’s A Very Electric 

Christmas returns to Lindenwood at 3 

p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 4 with the magical 

tale of family, friendship and hope set 

to holiday hits including Nat King Cole, 

Mariah Carey and Tchaikovsky. Tickets 

are $25 for adults, $10 for children, 12 

and under. To purchase tickets, visit 

luboxoffice.universitytickets.com. 

• • • 

Wentzville’s Tree Lighting and 

Christmas Parade is from 4:30-8 p.m. 

on Sunday, Dec. 4 in Historic downtown. 

The tree is located at the intersection of 

Pearce and Luetkenhaus Boulevards. 

Mayor Nick Guccione will officially 

light the tree prior to the start of the 

Spirit of the Season Parade. Attendees 

can enjoy cookies, candy canes, hot 

chocolate and a visit with Santa and Mrs. 

Claus. For details, visit wentzvillemo. 

gov/christmasparade. 

• • • 

“Journey through the Advent Cal- 

See Holiday Happenings, page 24 




Big Kids Deserve Toys, too! 

Pedego offers a variety of electric bikes from 

cruisers to city to mountain and fat tires. 

COME & TAKE A 

FREE TEST RIDE! 

(636) 493-1313 

603 S 5th Street 

St. Charles, MO 

NOW THRU DECEMBER 31 ST 

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23 

$ 

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Holiday 

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Mon 10am-6pm • Closed Tues & Wed • Thurs-Sun 10am-6pm

24 






from 

Thursday, December 8 

10am-7pm 

TAKE A TRIP BACK IN TIME 

TO MISSISSIPPI NIGHTS 

“A walk through 

nostalgiaville!” 

“Cannot wait to 

revisit the glory days 

of The Nights.” 

“Incredible book 

documenting everything 

you ever wanted to know 

about one of the 

area’s most beloved 

music venues.” 

PURCHASE YOUR COPY ONLINE OR AT THESE LOCAL STORES: 

The Record Space (St. Louis) 

Euclid Records (Webster Groves) 

Planet Score (Maplewood) 

Vintage Vinyl (University City) 

Frenchtown Records (St. Louis) 

Holiday Happenings, from page 23 

endar” book signing is at 5:30 p.m. on 

Tuesday, Dec. 6 at the Deer Run Library 

in St. Charles for the new young adult 

novel by St. Louis author and teacher 

Rachel Browdy. For details, visit journeythroughtheadventcalendar.com. 

• • • 

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy: Wild and 

Swingin’ Holiday Party is at 8 p.m. on 

Thursday, Dec. 8 at the Lindenwood Theater 

in St. Charles. Tickets start at $25 and 

can be purchased at luboxoffice.universitytickets.com. 

• • • 

Tree Trimming with Police is from 

6-8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 9 at the St. 

Peters’ Justice Center, 1020 Grand Teton 

Dr. Help the St. Peters Police Department 

trim their tree. Make ornaments and have 

hot cocoa and cookies. Free event, for 

ages 3-12. No reservations needed. For 

details, call (636) 278-2244, ext. 3550. 

• • • 

Ugly Sweater Bingo is from 7-9 p.m. on 

Friday, Dec. 9 at Memorial Hall in Blanchette 

Park, 1900 W. Randolph St. in St. 

Charles. Registration can be made as either 

an individual or a group of 8 per table. $20 

per person or $160 per table of 8. For ages 

21 and up only. Cost includes admission, all 

bingo rounds, beer and soda. Guests may 

bring in their own food. To register, visit 

stcharlesparks.com/programs/events-withparks/ugly-sweater-bingo. 

• • • 

Winter Chill Down is from 4-8 p.m. 

on Saturday, Dec. 10 at the Weldon 

Spring City Park at 5401 Independence 

Road. Tree lighting, s’mores, pictures 

with Santa and more are featured. Visit 

weldonspring.org for details. 

• • • 

Breakfast with Santa is from 9-11 a.m. 

on Saturday, Dec. 10 at the Rec-Plex, 1 St. 

Peters Centre Blvd. Children ages 2-8 will 

enjoy a continental-style breakfast, crafts, 

a hot chocolate/donut bar and Christmas 

carols with Santa and his elves. No 

walk-ups will be accepted. Cost is $13 for 

member child, $15 for non-member child 

and $8 for member adult, $10 non-member 

adult. For details, visit stpetersmo.net/ 

rec-plex-events. 

• • • 

Santa’s Winter Wonderland is from 9:30- 

11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10 at the 

Krekel Center, 305 Civic Park Drive in 

O’Fallon, featuring a candy cane hunt, 

cookies and milk and photos with Santa. 

For ages 2-12. Cost is $20 for residents, 

$24 for non-residents. Preregistration 

is required 

at ofallon.mo.us. 

• • • 

Holiday Night Lights 

Walk-Thru is from 5-8 

p.m. on Monday, Dec. 

12 at Rotary Park in 

Foristell. Walk through 

the 1-mile light display, then 

visit the Kolb Building for refreshments 

and pictures with Santa. Tickets are $5 

each. Visit wentzvillemo.gov for tickets 

or call (636) 332-9236. 

• • • 

Pajama Party with Santa is from 6-8 

p.m. on Friday, Dec. 16 at Memorial Hall 

in Blanchette Park, 1900 W. Randolph 

St. in St. Charles, featuring pizza, games, 

crafts and holiday movies. Santa will also 

stop by for a visit. Children, ages 6-14, 

can wear pajamas. Parents are welcome 

to stay but drop-offs are allowed. $30 per 

person; register, visit stcharlesparks.com. 

• • • 

Winter Wonderland on Ice Show is 

at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 16 and 5 p.m. on 

Saturday, Dec. 17 at the St. Peters Rec- 

Plex, 5200 Mexico Road. Beloved holiday 

characters join the festivities to make 

a delightful event for the whole family. 

Tickets go on sale Nov. 22 for $9.50 per 

adult, and $7.50 per child or senior, with 

a $1 discount for Rec-Plex pass-holders. 

To purchase visit stpetersmo.net. 

• • • 

Chanukah on Main Street is at 5 p.m. 

on Sunday Dec. 18 at Berthold Square 

Park at 221 S. Main Street in St. Charles. 

Witness the menorah lighting, visit with 

dreidel man, enjoy the gelt drop, latkes 

and Jewish holiday music. The event is 

free to all. Register at jewishstcharles.org. 

• • • 

St. Charles County Youth Orchestra 

Winter Concert is at 2 p.m. on 

Sunday, Dec. 18 at the Missouri Baptist 

University Pillsbury Chapel, 1 College 

Park Drive in St. Louis. Tickets are 

on sale at sccyotickets.org. For details, 

email sccyomusic@gmail.com. 

• • • 

Storytime With Santa is from 6-7 

p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 20 at Webster 

Park Community Building, 2201 S. River 

Road in St. Charles. Santa will stop by 

to read Christmas-time stories and pose 

for photos. Children can wear pajamas 

and bring a blanket and pillow. Admission 

is $15 per person. To register, visit 

stcharlesparks.com. 

• • • 

Letters to Santa: St. Charles – Children 

can send letters to Santa via the St. 

Charles Parks & Recreation Department 

by Dec. 9. Letters should be addressed 

to The North Pole, 1900 Randolph St., 

St. Charles, MO 63301. Return address 

should be clearly marked. For details, 

call (636) 949-6001.



Christmas Traditions return to St. Charles 

By LAURA SAGGAR 

The most wonderful time of the year 

comes to historic Main Street St. Charles 

at 12 p.m. on Friday Nov. 25 when Santa 

Claus arrives with all of the Legends of 

Christmas. Heralded by the Lewis & Clark 

Fife and Drum Corps, Santa and Mrs. 

Claus will assist mayor Dan Borgmeyer 

with the ceremonial ribbon cutting, marking 

the official start of the holiday season. 

Historic St. Chales hosts its annual 

Christmas Traditions event on weekends 

from Nov. 25, plus a special Dickensian 

affair called A Christmas Carol Stroll from 

6-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday evenings from 

Nov. 30-Dec. 21. On these nights Main 

Street is transformed into the foggy streets 

of 1840s London where visitors are invited 

to enter the world of Charles Dickens’ holiday 

classic A Christmas Carol. Become a 

part of the story as memorable scenes 

and characters hop off the page and come 

to life. Walk in the footsteps of Ebenezer 

Scrooge and experience his adventures 

with the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, 

and Yet-to-Come first hand. 

The rest of the Legends of Christmas 

appear on opening day and then at noon 

on Saturdays and Sundays the festivities 

begin with a Santa Parade through Dec. 

24. Nearly a dozen international Santas 

and global gift givers will share the stories, 

music and customs of their home countries’ 

holiday celebrations. Meet Saint Nicholas 

and learn how he earned the title of being 

“the first Santa Claus.” Get an introduction 

to the many symbols of Kwanzaa with 

Mtoa Hadithi and marvel at local history as 

Civil War Santa shares tales of the figures 

and locations along Main Street. Learn 

how to play dreidel with Judah Maccabee. 

Enjoy carolers singing favorite Christmas 

songs from different eras. There’s also 

an opportunity to party with Jack Frost 

during Sundaes with Jack Frost & Friends 

or try out Breakfast for Dinner with Krampus, 

both hosted by the Foundry Art Centre. 

A Christmas Carol Stroll is new for 2022 

(Source: Discoverstcharles.com) 

Tickets are required for these two events. 

Visit Santa’s cottage to learn how to 

become an honorary elf and have a picture 

taken with the Victorian Santa. Walk 

through a display of the evolution of 

Christmas trees and visit the Holiday food 

Hall of Fame and Gingerbread House Village. 

Sample roasted chestnuts and drink 

some wassail. These events are open on 

Saturdays from 12:45-7 p.m., Sundays 

from 12:45-4 p.m. and on Dec. 24 from 11 

a.m.-1 p.m. 

From Dec. 2, Friday nights from 6-8:30 

p.m. showcase the more bizarre traditions 

of Christmas as it’s when Krampus is on 

the prowl with his crew: Gryla, the quirky 

Icelandic ogress, Mari Lwyd, the whimsical 

singing skeletal horse from Welsh 

culture and those mischievous Greek 

trolls, the Kallikantzaroi.They transform 

the deck of the KATY Depot into a turnof-the-century 

carnival midway. Step right 

up as these madcap carnival barkers share 

their stories in the form of Krampus-fied 

carnival games. 

As each festival day comes to a close, 

join all of the global gift givers, Legends 

of Christmas, and carolers as they journey 

in a candlelight procession to 

the Main Street gazebo and 

come together for a musical 

finale as they offer visitors 

a parting wish for a merry 

Christmas and happy new 

year, Wednesdays, Fridays 

and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and 

on Sundays at 4:30 p.m. 

The big finale is the Santa 

send off on Dec. 24 at 1:30 

p.m. at the Kister Park 

Gazebo. Gather for the festive 

farewell and join in singing a 

verse of Auld Lang Syne. 

For more information and a 

listing of all of the festivities 

visit discoverstcharles.com. 

Mature Focus 

Our special section featuring issues, 

events, products and services of 

interest to our 50-plus readers. 

COMING AGAIN December 1 

If you or a loved one has 

experienced a fall within the last 

few months, you probably already 

know how life-altering it can be. 

Once you fall, your whole world 

changes. Where you once felt 

comfortable and confident, you 

now start to doubt your abilities. 

To avoid having another fall, you 

start to give up the things you love 

to do. 

When this happens, you become 

less mobile, and your strength 

and independence start to 

decline. You begin to lose your 

confidence and everyday tasks 

such as going out to the grocery 

store can become too much to 

handle. 

If you or a loved one are caught 

in this downward spiral, you’re not 

alone. There are ways to take 

control of your balance and regain 

your active lifestyle, again. 

Even though it's normal to 

experience some declines as you 

age, it is NOT normal to lose your 

balance and fall. Fortunately, no 

matter what your age, physical 

therapy can help to improve your 

balance and make you more 

steady on your feet. 

If you're ready to live a life 

without the fear of falling, we can 

help. Our Physical Therapy Team 

has helped hundreds of people 

right here in 



I 25 

DON'T ACCEPT FALLS 

AND POOR BALANCE AS 

YOU AGE 

BY: DR. BETH TEMPLIN, PT, DPT, GCS 

GERIATRIC PHYSICAL THERAPIST 

St. Louis improve their balance 

and get back to doing the things 

they love. 

Unsure if Physical Therapy can 

actually help you to improve your 

balance? Then I invite you to 

attend our upcoming FREE 

community talk “Better Balance". 

During This Workshop You'll 

Learn: 

Why people think falling is a 

"normal" part aging, when it's 

not. 

What you can do to decrease 

your risk of a fall right away. 

The 4 phases of the falling 

cycle. 

How to decrease your risk of 

injury with a fall 

The top 6 balance exercises 

you can do at home. 

Consequences of not being 

able to get up from the floor. 

When: Friday, Dec 2nd at 2:30pm 

Where: 3809 Lemay Ferry Rd, 

63125 

*Attend in-person or join us online 

from your home. Call (314) 939- 

1377 to register. Space is limited. 

3809 Lemay Ferry Rd. 

Saint Louis, MO 63125 

(314) 939-1377 

info@housefitstl.com 

HouseFit www.housefitstl.com

26 I 





Eat, Drink 

& Be Merry! 

THANKSGIVING WEEKEND 

NOV 26–27 & DEC 16–23 

Bring in this 

ad for a FREE 

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Treat! 

HOLIDAY TASTING 

& WINE PAIRING 

DECEMBER 2 ND • 2-6PM 

DECEMBER 3 RD • 11AM-4PM 

Taste delicious holiday foods with samples 

of suggested wine pairings all season long! 

Also join us for wine tastings the first Friday of every month. 

GEMS • STONES • CLOTHES 

JEWELRY • HOME DECOR 

Shop gorgeous & intentional 

items created by talented 

artisans & crafters, both local 

& from around the world. 

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4101 Mexico Rd, Ste. K, St. Peters 63376 

Don’t miss FREE yoga each week! 

Tuesdays - 6:40pm • Fridays - 8:30am 

Gen Horiuchii’s 

4101 Mexico Rd, Ste. K | St. Peters 63376 

Visit NutritionStop.com for upcoming events! 

Holiday 

GIFT GUIDE 

Join us for 

the holidays! 

Coming again Dec. 1 

Call 636.591.0010 to reserve 

your advertising space. 

Missouri Arts Council 

The State of the Arts 

.com 

(314) 534–1111 

AT THE TOUHILL 

stlouisballet.org



FAMILY & KIDS 

Traditions, Traditions! 

Why taking time to intentionally connect is vital 

By KATE UPTERGROVE 

It’s the holiday season and that means 

it’s a time of year when families embrace 

traditions – from coming together over a 

Thanksgiving feast to celebrating Christmas, 

Chanukah or Kwanzaa, or simply 

sharing in activities such as ice skating that 

they only participate in at this time of year. 

“Whether they do so or not, every 

family creates traditions,” says Rabbi Avi 

Rubenfeld, who with his wife, Chanala, 

co-founded Chabad of Chesterfield, which 

currently operates out of a location in 

Chesterfield Mall. “If you are intentional 

in your traditions then you are giving your 

children something to carry on that really 

is multi-generational and will be treasured 

beyond your lifetime.” 

Jenna O’Shea, 

of Chabad Jewish 

Center of St. 

Charles County 

shared how when 

she was growing up her family gathered 

every Friday evening around her grandparent’s 

dining room table for Shabbat dinner. 

“We would say prayers and light candles,” 

O’Shea recalls. “That was definitely a tradition 

that I wanted to carry on with my 

children. I’m trying to incorporate some of 

the stories from the Torah for my children. 

That’s something that I didn’t grow up with 

but I want my kids to have an understanding 

of that.” 

O’Shea says another tradition in her 

home is coming together as a family to pray 

before bed and immediately upon waking 

up. “A show of gratitude,” she explains. 

“It’s a good way to start your day.” 

“Children are phenomenal imitators,” 

Reubenfeld says. “So the best way to communicate 

something to your children is to 

live it yourself. That’s really what a tradition 

is, and they’re not negotiable. They’re 

set in stone.” 

Setting a tradition in stone often can feel 

harder to do the older the children get. 

“I get push-back, oh yes!” O’Shea laughs 

at the thought of the eye-rolls she sometimes 

gets from her preteen child. But she 

says she remains positive and continues to 

emulate the traditions she wants her children 

to keep. 

Both Rubenfeld and O’Shea bring their 

Jewish heritage to bear in being intentional 

about preserving and passing on traditions. 

“But the universal elements and truths 

to keeping traditions I think apply to every 

“If you are intentional in your traditions 

then you are giving your children something 

to ... be treasured beyond your lifetime.” 

– RABBI AVI RUBENFELD 

person,” Rubenfeld says. 

Experts in psychology and anthropology 

say that he is right. 

Traditions help to keep families connected 

– not just to each other but to the 

heritage they share. They give children a 

sense of identity and provide a platform 

for passing on family values and share 

stories about the generations upon whose 

struggles and hard work the family is built. 

In 2013, psychologist Sara Duke noted 

that children who know a lot about their 

families tend to do better when they face 

challenges. Maybe it’s because they’ve 

heard the stories of the challenges that their 

parents and grandparents, or even greatgrandparents 

have overcome. 

When traditions involve many generations, 

the experience 

is that 

much richer. 

Professor Ann 

Buchanan, of 

the Department 

of Social Policy 

and Intervention of Oxford University, 

not long ago conducted a study of more 

than 1,500 children, the results of which 

“showed that a high level of grandparental 

involvement increases the well-being of 

children.” Her study also indicated that 

children with a high level of grandparental 

involvement also had fewer emotional and 

behavioral problems. 

In addition to creating identity and 

strengthening family bonds, intentional 

traditions also help children to understand 

what their parent’s deem as most important. 

“I actually did a little experiment years 

ago – and I challenge every parent to do 

so – I asked my children, in there opinion, 

what was the most important thing to me. 

What my children answered was not in any 

way, shape or form what I thought I had 

conveyed to them was important to me,” 

Rubenfeld shares. “Some examples of the 

answers were like ‘Don’t interrupt Daddy 

while he’s on the phone.’ Those are the 

unintentional things you’re passing on to 

your children. And we do it all day long. 

“That’s why we do need to take a tremendous 

amount of positive energy, time, 

commitment to creating moments that 

are really creating memories that they 

will take with them as the values that 

were important to us and can be passed 

down to the next generation. The positive 

things won’t happen on their own unless 

we are dedicated to them, unless we live 

by them.” 



I 27 

ANNUAL ENROLLMENT FOR MEDICARE 

OCTOBER 15 th - DECEMBER 7 th 

St. Louis Bread Co. 

6185 Mid Rivers Mall Dr. 

St. Peters, MO 63304 

All meetings start at 10:00 am 

November 29, 30 

December 6 

If you need to enroll in Medicare for the 1st time or are contemplating a change 

in your Medicare Plan for 2023, please call me to RSVP for a local meeting or 

schedule a home visit. Bring your questions and bring your friends. 

I am a local broker representing multiple plans. 

Walnut Grill 


O’Fallon, MO, 63368 

All meetings start at 2:00 pm 

November 17 

December 1 

Old Town Donut Shop 

3941 Mid Rivers Mall Dr. 


All meetings start at 2:00 pm 

November 29, 30 

December 6 

DAVID L. DAVID BROWN DAVID L. L. BROWN & ASSOCIATES & LLC LLC LLC 

David L. Brown 

636-219-2508 

A salesperson will be present with information and applications. 

www.mwrbank.com 

Member FDIC 

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13 Month CD with 

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636-937-5351 

*Bump Up CD interest rate and Annual Percentage Yield (APY) are accurate as of 10/20/2022. APY assumes that interest remains 

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interest rate and APY for our 12-month CD on the date the option is exercised. MEMBER FDIC

28 I 





Life with Rett syndrome: 

A story of courage, resiliency and hope 

The Shah family (from left): Nita, Anushka and Animesh 

(Photo provided) 

By DEANNE LEBLANC 

Anushka Shah, an 18-year-old honor roll 

student at Fort Zumwalt West High, maintains 

a 3.88 grade point average, is an avid 

social media user, and has a soft spot for 

Shakespeare, specifically Julius Caesar. 

Anushka also has Rett syndrome, a rare 

genetic neurological disorder that renders 

individuals with no ability to speak or use 

any sort of voluntary motor movement, 

and also comes with other challenges. 

Rett syndrome affects 1 in 10,000 

females (and is more rare in males). 

According to the International Rett Syndrome 

Foundation, the disorder displays 

itself in missed milestones or regression 

beginning around ages 6 to 18 months, 

leading to impairments that affect nearly 

every aspect of life. 

“We noticed some milestone delays when 

she was around 18 months old,” explained 

Anushka’s father, Animesh. “She had 

begun to babble and walk, but then one 

day she just wasn’t herself. We took her to 

the pediatrician, then to John Hopkins. The 

results came back on her second birthday.” 

The Shah family was living in Maryland 

when Anushka was first diagnosed. 

Animesh and his wife, Nita, started doing 

their own research as soon as they received 

the diagnosis. That’s when they learned 

how rare the disease was. The gene that 

causes Rett syndrome was only recently 

discovered in 1999. 

Animesh said, “I just thought OK, now 

what? What can we do? How can we help? 

What will Anushka’s future look like?” 

Nita said the family was very fortunate 

to be immediately connected with the 

International Rett Syndrome Foundation 

and were able to talk to the parent who 

started the foundation. 

“We knew we needed to find a good education 

for Anushka because she is so very 

smart. Methods of communication might 

be unconventional, but that does not limit 

her potential,” Nita said. 

Through the foundation, the Shahs 

learned about a family in O’Fallon whose 

child with Rett syndrome was thriving 

at Ostmann Elementary, and they knew 

Anushka would benefit from a similar 

inclusive educational environment. 

Within three months, Animesh and 

Nita quit their jobs in Maryland, moved 

to O’Fallon and enrolled Anushka at Ostmann. 

During those school years, Anushka 

received multiple educational awards, 

including the prestigious Presidential 

award in fifth grade. In high school, she 

received the Positive Peer Influence award 

as well as a Super Star award from Night 

of Superstars, an annual red carpet charity 

event that honors children and youth who 

triumph over adversity with courage, hard 

work and big hearts. 

“Anushka is teaching us to be courageous, 

resilient and hopeful. We do everything 

possible to help her achieve her goals. 

Never tell a parent their child can’t learn 

or can’t do something – we will always 

believe in our children,” Nita said. 

Anushka does not let anything hold her 

back. 

“I overcome medical situations and work 

hard to achieve my goals. I am a good listener 

and I persevere. Rett syndrome is not 

comfortable, but I am hopeful for the cure,” 

she said. 

Anushka communicates using a tabletlike 

device from assistive technology company 

Tobii Dynavox. The device tracks the 

retina of Anushka’s eyes allowing her to 

select icons related to words and phrases, 

which it speaks for her. 

“It helps me communicate with my eyes,” 

Anushka said. “I know, I am the coolest!” 

In eighth grade at Fort Zumwalt Middle, 

Anushka used the device to participate 

in band and perform with her peers. The 

music piece was programmed into the 

See RETT SYNDROME, page 39



Learning what it takes to be a CHAMP 

Local volunteer shares what it takes to raise a service dog 

By JEFFRY GREENBERG 

Those who volunteer as puppy raisers 

generally believe in the old adage, “Happiness 

is a warm puppy.” 

But those who volunteer for CHAMP 

Assistance Dogs know that what they do 

means so much more. They know they’re 

training a new generation of public access 

service dogs, home service dogs, home 

companion dogs and facility dogs. They 

guide the puppies with love and encouragement, 

and train them in basic and 

advanced skills using proven positivebased 

methods. 

It’s a vital service for the Creve Coeurbased 

nonprofit that was founded in 1998. 

“Puppy raising is such an important job,” 

explained CHAMP Executive Director 

Pam Budke. “It’s 24/7 and a lot of work, 

but it’s so rewarding. For those puppy raisers, 

everybody always asks me, ‘Is it hard 

for them to give up a dog?’ Yes, it is, and as 

one of the puppy raisers said, ‘I’ve never 

had a puppy and not cried when it was 

time to give it up. But once you get to meet 

those clients the dog lives with, it makes it 

all worth it.’” 

The demand is high, Budke said, noting 

that CHAMP is expanding the number 

of dogs its training. CHAMP, by the way, 

stands for Canine Helpers Allow More 

Possibilities! 

Service dogs are best known for helping 

people with disabilities lead lives 

of greater independence, but CHAMP 

dogs also assist in healthcare facilities 

and children’s advocacy centers. Most of 

CHAMP’s placements are within 50 miles 

of its headquarters. And once a dog is 

placed that’s not the end of the road. 

“What we’re really proud of is we stay 

in touch with our clients for the life of the 

partnership. We visit them at least once a 

year,” Budke said. “We also tell them if 

they ever have any kind of issue or problem, 

they should call us immediately. We’ll 

go in their home and work with them until 

that issue is fixed. If years later, one of our 

client’s health is deteriorating, and they 

need the dog to learn new skills to help 

them, they can call us and we’ll go to work 

with them until that dog is solid to help 

that client. We are there for the life of the 

partnership.” 

Life of a puppy trainer 

Mark Arado, of O’Fallon, and his wife, 

Tammy, are raising a yellow 

lab named Primrose, better 

known as “Rosie.” 

The pup, who was born in 

March 2021, is the Arados’ 

third service-dog-in-training. 

He said they’ve always 

been a dog family, so nearly a 

decade ago, he checked on the 

need for training service dogs. 

That’s when he reached out to 

CHAMP. 

Puppy raisers are taught to 

use specific words for housebreaking 

and ones for correction. 

Socialization is also 

important. 

“The thing I’m supposed 

to do is take extra steps to 

get them comfortable with 

as many things as possible,” 

Mark said. “When I got Rosie 

in March, the Fourth of July 

wasn’t too far away. When 

I knew the fireworks would start going 

up soon, I brought her to a bowling alley 

where you hear the pins crashing. We 

would also ride out to the Marriott by the 

airport alone or with my friend who was 

Tammy Arado and Rosie 



I 29 


ex-military. We’d take the Marriott shuttle 

there and sometimes there’d be flight 

crews on it. She got used to being on a bus, 

See CHAMPS, page 38

30 I 





Local authors offer a gift you can open over and over again 

By BENJAMIN MATTHEWS 

Humorist Garrison Keillor had it right 

when he quipped, “A book is a gift you can 

open again and again.” 

Whether you’re looking for a fun and 

fantastical way to engage a young reader, 

a historic dive for a sports or music fan, 

a suspenseful novel, or some non-fiction 

advice, this list will provide great gift ideas 

for everyone on your list. 

Most titles can be purchased direct from 

the author’s websites (provided when available). 

For these titles and more, check out 

local bookstores such as Main Street Books, 

307 S. Main St. in Historic Saint Charles:The 

Novel Neighbor, 7905 Big Bend Blvd. in 

Webster Groves; and The Book House, 

7352 Manchester Road in Maplewood. and 

through online booksellers. 

NON-FICTION 

For 30 years, Mississippi Nights was the 

destination for music lovers in St. Louis. 

Located in a former pork packing plant on 

Laclede’s Landing, the venue saw the big 

national acts like AC/DC to iconic local 

bands like Mama’s Pride. “Mississippi 

Nights brought in so many genres of music. 

The only music I don’t think we did was 

opera,” said owner Rich Frame. 

In “Mississippi Nights: A History of The 

Music Club in St. Louis,” written by Garrett 

and Stacy Enloe, dedicated fans can relive 

the good old days captured in the more than 

1,000 photos and stories that fill the 288-page, 

coffee-table style hardcover book. 

It’s the perfect gift for every music lover 

and St. Louis history buff on your list. 

(mississippinights.com) 

• • • 

By applying tools she learned in her corporate 

job to her personal goals, Melissa 

Jones was able to heal, evolve and become 

a more fulfilled version of herself. Now, 

she’s sharing what she knows in 

“Claim Your Comeback: Begin Your 

Journey to Healing and Wholeness.” 

Learn how to heal from traumas holding 

you back, set healthy boundaries and apply 

your faith to the healing process. Each chapter 

includes an action plan to help the reader 

create a blueprint for their own comeback. 

• • • 

Drawing on years of experience as an 

activist engaging with members of Congress 

about health, nutrition, education and gun 

violence, Cynthia Changyit Levin breaks 

down barriers to advocacy that mothers 

commonly experience in her latest book 

“From Changing Diapers to Changing 

the World.” With warmth and humor, she 

demystifies the process of connecting with 

government officials, weaving in uplifting 

stories of mothers who have taken successful 

action on important causes. (changyit.com) 

“My goal is to empower moms to move 

from thinking ‘I can’t change the world. 

I’m just a mom’ to ‘I can change the world 

because I’m a mom!’ I want to help other 

mothers become the change they want to 

see in the world.” Levin said. “I spent too 

many years wondering what to do and how 

to do it. I help them skip past those questions 

and frustrations by sharing my story 

and the lessons I’ve learned along the way.” 

• • • 

In “You Can’t Take It With You,” attorney 

Fred Vilbig uses a collection of stories 

taken from real-life to demonstrate estate 

and business planning in an approachable 

and understandable way. The book 

explains the importance of estate planning, 

wills, trusts, business law and real estate 

law – and what can happen to those who 

fail to plan. (law-matter.net) 

• • • 

The pandemic greatly affected the way 

children in schools were taught, resulting 

in nearly all of them learning from 

home. According to author Jessica Marie 

Baumgartner, this has exposed many flaws 

in the public education system which has 

led to parents seeking better options for 

education for their children. 

A resident of St. Peters and an education 

news writer, Baumgartner wrote 

“Homeschooling on a Budget” to help 

equip parents with the tools needed to 

give their children the best education possible. 

Different ways of utilizing affordable 

methods from libraries to book sales 

and internet options are highlighted in 

this book. (defiancepress.com) 

• • • 

Born in the steel town of Granite 

City, author James L. Meng is a retired 

human resources professional and labor 

relations arbitrator. In his recent book, 

“Smiles and Kind Thoughts: The Meng 

& Shamhart Families,” Meng reflects 

on the lives and personalities of family 

members who confronted and conquered 

a variety of life’s challenges in Germany 

and in their newly adopted home in 

America. (jameslmeng.com) 

While cleaning out his basement, Meng 

discovered several inherited boxes containing 

family pictures and historic documents 

that went back 391 years on his father’s side 

and 874 years on his mother’s side. Among 

many discoveries, Meng also uncovered 

considerable family involvement in America 

with connections to George Washington, 

Ben Franklin, Patrick Henry and a relative 

appearing on a U.S postal stamp. The result 

is an excellent example of what others can 

do to discover and record their family’s history 

for future generations. 

• • • 

In her new book, “Main Street St. 

Charles, MO: A Walk Through History,” 

long-time St. Charles resident, history 

enthusiast and author Valerie Battle Kienzle 

highlights the landmarks and architecture 

that give Main Street its unique charm, as 

well as providing the history behind these 

locations. The book includes four easy 

walks, plus several suggested short side 

trips. Each walk includes a detailed map 

with points of interest, brief historical information 

and photographs. (reedypress.com) 

• • • 

Have you ever wondered how to pet a 

cat the right way? Well, Angela Staehling 

has got you covered with her new witty 

and playful book “How to Pet a Cat.” 

(angelastaehling.com) 

Petting a cat is a fine art, according to 

Staehling. This contains 20 different tips and 

tricks on how to make your cat happy. Not to 

mention useful information on how to read 

your cat’s body language and cat sounds. 

ADULT FICTION 

“Don’t Shoot! We Come in Peace,” is 

a social satire written by Dennnis Ganahl 

that features a large cast of lovable hillbilly 

characters in the vein of Al Capp’s “L’il 

Abner” comic strip. There’s the beautiful 

Faith; Sheriff Mac and his hound dog, 

Elvis; capitalist and Hillbilly Opry star 

Slim Carter; Harry and Dottie, proprietors 

of Sizzerbill’s; a moonshiner named Bubba 

and a crowd-pleasing pig named Moonbeam. 

Packed with hillbillyisms, Ganahl 

promises his book will “make you smile 

like a cat eating cockleburs.” 

“It’s a tale about hillbillies, UFOs and 

Bigfoot. I promise it’s funny!” Ganahl 

exclaims. Pick up a copy today and judge 

for yourself. 

• • • 

When Artilects (next generation 

androids) begin reporting a strange apocalyptic 

vision that only they can see, most 

governments assume it is a hoax – or a hack. 

Then one of them belonging to the wealthiest 

man in Africa shows up in the Basilica 

of Our Lady of Nigeria claiming to be 

possessed. The Vatican sends Fr. Gabriel 

Serafian, an exorcist and former neuroscientist, 

to investigate. Serafian quickly finds 

himself swept up in a conspiracy of global 

– and possibly supernatural – dimensions. 

“Our Lady of the Artiletcs” by Andrew 

Gillsmith claimed the top spot on Amazon’s 

best-seller list in multiple categories 

including hard science fiction, cyberpunk, 

and metaphysical and visionary. Critically 

acclaimed, it has been described as a 

“near-future technothriller that dives deep 

into questions of consciousness, faith, and 

artificial intelligence.” The Midwest Book 

Review calls it a “metaphysical tour de 

force spanning time, space and faith that 

proves hard to put down or easily define.” 

• • • 

Nineteen-year-old Patty has a lot of 

baggage. Abusive parents. A horrible boyfriend. 

The stifling cocoon of her podunk 

town. She longs to become a travel writer 

– visiting exotic lands far, far away … but 

escaping town the way she does, forced by 

her boyfriend Roy to join him on a violent 

crime spree across middle America was 

not the travel of Patty’s dreams. When they 

stumble across the gentleman alone at the 

cabin by the lake, he offers Patty a glimmer 

of hope and freedom. But this man hides 

evil secrets of his own. 

In “Killing the Butterfly,” Dale Ward 

keeps readers guessing in what BestThrillers.com 

calls “a pulse-pounding dark psychological 

thriller that will awaken your 

inner survivalist.” 

• • • 

Mark Victor Hansen, the #1 New York 

Times bestselling co-creator of the Chicken 

Soup for the Soul book series, has jumped 

into the fiction pool as the publisher of his 

six-book Savannah Valley series. All of 

the books all take place in Savannah Valley, 

a fictitious, 55-plus, affluent community 

outside picturesque Savannah, Georgia. 

(markvictorhansenlibrary.com) 

“Despite the number of new fiction 

books published annually, those over 55 

rarely see ourselves represented in print, 

much less in the principal roles,” Hansen 

said. “We still live, laugh, learn and love, 

yet our stories seldom see the light of day.” 

YOUTH FICTION 

“Journey Through the Advent Calendar” 

by Rachel Browdy is an epic tale of 

hope, faith, joy and peace. It features an 

orphaned 14-year-old boy who is feeling 

lost and lonely, a magical world desperate 

for a hero and an ancient evil lurking 

beneath the surface. (rl-dailey.com) 

See LOCAL AUTHORS, page 37

32 I HEALTH I 





Your Best Medicine 

SM 

is Close to Home 

Visit BJCStCharlesCounty.org/events 

to explore virtual classes on topics from 

childbirth and parenting to senior health. 

For a physician referral, call 636.928.WELL 

A recent survey found that nearly 60% of Americans are planning trips by car during 

the 2022 holiday season, making road trip safety an important consideration. 

(Source: Adobe Stock) 

health 

capsules 

By LISA RUSSELL 

Road trip safety important 

to a healthy holiday season 

While much of the focus on staying 

healthy over the holidays is on proper food 

preparation, controlling stress levels and 

not “overdoing it” at parties, holiday road 

trip safety also deserves a mention this year. 

A recent survey conducted by the travel 

website Hopper found that nearly 60% 

of Americans plan to travel during the 

upcoming holiday season. About 65% of 

those trips will be by car, survey participants 

said, meaning that millions will be 

hitting the nation’s highways over the next 

two months. 

Before heading out for your own holiday 

road trip, there are a few steps you should 

take to make it as safe and stress-free as 

possible for your family, according to AAA 

and other experts: 

Plan a pre-trip vehicle maintenance 

check. Getting an oil change if needed, 

checking the tires, fluids, wipers, and other 

vehicle systems can help prevent unexpected 

problems or breakdowns on the 

road. Signing up for a roadside assistance 

plan can also provide peace of mind, especially 

if you’re taking a longer trip. 

Pack an emergency kit. During coldweather 

months, an emergency kit is a 

must. The kit should include a blanket or 

two along with a flashlight, road flares and 

first aid supplies, along with water and 

snacks. 

Prepare for weather and traffic conditions. 

November and December are unpredictable 

weatherwise, so it’s important to 

check the forecast along your entire route 

prior to departure. If rain, ice or snow are 

possible, you may want to consider changing 

your plans. Even in the best of weather, 

though, holiday traffic can cause inevitable 

delays, but leaving early or taking lesstraveled 

roads may help you avoid them. 

Keeping a navigation or traffic app open 

as you drive can also help you bypass congested 

areas. 

Keep kids and pets safe (and content). 

Long car trips usually mean restless children… 

so plan ahead to bring along things 

like books, games and movies to keep 

them entertained. Small pillows can make 

it easier for them to nap when they’re tired; 

needless to say, though, they should always 

be securely buckled in even when asleep. 

The same goes for pets, which should be 

secured in the back seat, either with a pet 

harness or inside a carrier or crate. 

Respiratory viruses in kids surging, 

both nationally and locally 

An unseasonably high number of serious 

respiratory illnesses in kids – particularly 

respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV 

– is already putting a strain on hospitals 

this fall, as they’re also preparing for a 

predicted severe flu season along with a 

potential resurgence of COVID-19. 

Data from the CDC show that cases of 

RSV detected through lab testing have 

tripled in the last two months, and the total 

number of cases documented nationwide 

through October had already reached peak 

levels compared to 2021. 

The same is happening in the St. Louis 

area. At BJC St. Louis Children’s Hospital 

alone, about 80 children each week were 

admitted with serious cases of the virus 

during the month of October, the hospital 

reported. Typically, the virus peaks from 

December through February. 

Health officials say the COVID-19 pandemic 

may be to blame for this early spike 

in respiratory illness. After two years of isolating 

at home and wearing masks in public, 

many people are more vulnerable to these 

infections… particularly infants and young 

children, whose still-developing immune 

systems have never been exposed to the 

virus. Due to their narrower airways, they 

are more likely to have severe RSV infections, 

which can include symptoms such as 

Popular dry shampoo products recalled 

In late October, the U.S. Food 

and Drug Administration (FDA) 

announced a nationwide recall of several 

brands of aerosol dry shampoo produced 

by Unilever U.S., due to potentially 

elevated levels of benzene that could 

pose a danger to consumers. The recall 

includes popular brands Dove, Nexxus, 

Suave, Rockaholic, Bed Head, and Tresemmé 

dry shampoos produced before 

October 2021 – so it’s likely that millions 

of cans of these products are still 

present in American homes. 

The FDA announcement stated the 

recall is “out of an abundance of caution,” 

and that it has received no reports 

of adverse health events to date. Based 

dehydration and difficulty breathing. 

To afford children some protection from 

respiratory viruses, doctors recommend 

that parents and caregivers have them vaccinated 

for influenza immediately if they 

have not already done so, as flu cases are 

also starting an early rise. Keeping kids at 

home if they’re not feeling well, reporting 

symptoms of any respiratory illness to pediatricians, 

and staying up to date on COVID 

vaccinations are other recommended steps. 

While there is currently no vaccine against 

RSV, an effective option may be available 

as soon as 2023. Researchers at Washington 

University in St. Louis have been involved 

since 2020 in a Phase 3 trial of a new Pfizer 

vaccine candidate, which would be given 

Serious cases of respiratory illness in young 

children, particularly RSV, are hitting early 

and hard this year. 

(Source: Adobe Stock) 

on an independent evaluation, daily exposure 

to benzene in the recalled products 

at the levels detected in testing would not 

be expected to cause serious health consequences, 

Unilever officials said. 

However, benzene is classified as a 

human carcinogen. Exposure to benzene 

can occur by inhalation, orally, and 

through the skin, and dry shampoos could 

potentially expose users through all three 

of these routes. It can result in cancers 

including leukemia and blood cancer of 

the bone marrow, as well as blood disorders 

which can be life-threatening. 

Consumers are advised to immediately 

dispose of any dry shampoo products 

included in the recall.



MIDRIVERSNEWSMAGAZINE.COM MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE I HEALTH I 33 

to pregnant women. On Nov. 1, Pfizer 

announced promising data which shows the 

vaccine candidate could provide their babies 

with up to 80% protection against severe 

RSV during their first months of life and 

70% protection through age 6. 

American Stroke Association 

seeks to honor ‘stroke heroes’ 

Every year, approximately 800,000 people 

in the U.S. have a stroke every year, according 

to the American Heart Association’s 2022 

Heart Disease and Stroke Statistical Update 

– making strokes a leading cause of death 

and long-term disability. Those who have 

suffered a stroke often must overcome major 

physical, cognitive and emotional challenges 

to recover and move forward. They also 

require ongoing support from family members, 

friends and healthcare providers. 

The American Stroke Association, a division 

of the American Heart Association, is 

seeking to bring nationwide recognition 

to individuals and groups making a difference 

in the stroke community through its 

2023 Stroke Hero Awards. These awards 

will honor everyday people who have 

shown personal resilience and used their 

experiences as a stroke survivor, caregiver, 

advocate or expert to help others. 

The 2023 Stroke Hero Awards categories 

are: 

• Survivor Hero – Honors an individual 

who has survived a stroke and used their 

experience to educate, inspire and bring 

awareness about stroke. 

• Pediatric Hero – Honors an individual 

younger than 18 who has survived a stroke 

and overcome significant hurdles, and whose 

family has also educated and inspired others. 

• Caregiver Hero – Honors an individual 

who has cared for a stroke survivor and 

used their experience to educate, inspire 

and bring awareness about stroke on a 

local or national level. 

• Group Heroes - Honors a group committed 

to educating, inspiring and raising awareness 

about stroke. These can include stroke 

support groups, stroke teams, families, private 

associations, medical facilities and more. 

• Equity Hero – Honors an individual 

who promotes the goal of health equity 

in their work with those at risk for stroke, 

stroke survivors and stroke caregivers. 

• Voters’ Choice Hero - Honors an individual 

or group from one of the above five 

categories for outstanding efforts to educate, 

inspire and bring awareness about stroke. 

Nominations for the 2023 Stroke Hero 

Awards are being accepted through Dec. 6, 

and can be submitted online at Stroke.org/ 

HeroAwards. Winners will be announced on 

May 1, 2023, during American Stroke Month. 

On the calendar 

BJC offers a virtual Bariatric Surgery 

information session on Monday, Nov. 28 

from 5:30-6:30 p.m., live via Zoom. Join 

a Washington University bariatric physician 

to learn about several surgical treatment 

options for weight loss available 

at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Barnes- 

Jewish West County Hospital. There is no 

cost to participate. To register for a session 

or learn more, call (314) 542-9378 

or visit BarnesJewishWestCounty.org/ 

Medical-Services/Bariatrics/Bariatric- 

Surgery-Information-Sessions. 

• • • 

St. Luke’s Hospital presents a free 

in-person special event, Vitamin ZZZ: 

Steps to Sounder Sleep on Thursday, 

Dec. 1 from 6:30-8 p.m. at the hospital’s 

Desloge Outpatient Center, 121 St. Luke’s 

Center Drive in Chesterfield, in Building 

A, Conference Room 3. Are you one of 

approximately 60 million Americans who 

have a chronic sleep issue? Good sleep is 

essential for optimal health; it helps our 

mood and focus, reduces diabetes and 

heart disease risk, reduces stress and more. 

Learn more about sleep and get strategies 

for getting better sleep, more often. Register 

at stlukes-stl.com. 

• • • 

BJC sponsors a Family and Friends 

CPR course on Tuesday, Dec. 6 from 

6:30-8:30 p.m. This virtual class, offered 

via Teams Meeting, uses the American 

Heart Association curriculum to teach 

hands-on CPR skills including adult 

hands-only CPR; infant/child CPR with 

breaths; introduction to adult/child AED 

use; and relief of choking in an adult, 

child or infant. Each participating household 

will receive a CPR kit prior to the 

course date (course does not include 

certification upon completion). The 

cost is $50. Register online by visiting 

classes-events.bjc.org. 

• • • 

St. Luke’s Hospital offers a virtual information 

session, Transform Your Life, 

Restore Your Health with MyNewSelf 

Bariatrics, on Tuesday, Dec. 6 from 6-6:30 

p.m. Tired of struggling with obesityrelated 

health conditions like high blood 

pressure, sleep apnea or diabetes? Join a 

St. Luke’s bariatric surgeon for this free 

informational seminar to learn more about 

options to help you achieve and maintain 

a healthy weight. Register to attend at 

stlukes-stl.com; for more information, call 

(314) 966-9639. 

• • • 

BJC St. Louis Children’s Hospital 

sponsors a Babysitting 101 virtual class 

on Wednesday, Dec. 7 from 6-8:30 p.m. 

This interactive class, offered virtually 

through Teams Meeting, is a great introduction 

to the basics of babysitting and 

is recommended for ages 10 and above. 

The cost is $25 per child. Register online 

at classes-events.bjc.org. 

HELP WANTED – ALL POSITIONS 

2021 EXTENDED PERSONAL TAX RETURNS DUE OCTOBER 15TH! 

3 LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU 

Wentzville O’Fallon St. Peters 

809 Pearce Blvd. 

Wentzville, MO 63385 


O’Fallon, MO 63368 

636-928-1040 

3023 North Saint Peters Parkway 


WWW.TAXTEAM1040.COM

34 I BUSINESS I 





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Nathan Charnes, of WingHaven 

Country Club, was elected Secretary 

of the PGA. 


business 

briefs 

PLACES 

Nursing advocacy organization RegisteredNursing.org 

ranked St. Charles 

Community College Cottleville’s RN 

program #3 in the state of Missouri. Nursing 

programs were assessed on several factors 

which represent how well a program 

supports students during school, towards 

licensure, and beyond. RegisteredNursing. 

org analyzed past and present first-time 

NCLEX-RN pass-rates, weighted by year. 

• • • 

Soul Nutrition celebrated its two year 

anniversary on Nov. 2 with a ribbon cutting 

ceremony. Located at 6173 Mid Rivers 

Mall Drive they offer healthy shakes and 

teas. Soul Nutrition has several locations 

throughout Missouri and Illinois. 

• • • 

Tutor Doctor of St. Peters celebrated its 

opening at the Cottleville Weldon Spring 

Chamber office in Cottleville. To commemorate 

the opening the company held 

a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 28. 

Kevin Mabie, owner, was in attendance 

with members of the Cottleville Weldon- 

Spring Chamber of Commerce and other 

community leaders. Through carefully 

matched tutors and a creative approach 

tailored to each child, Tutor Doctor comes 

alongside parents to clear the hurdles in the 

way of learning so students can confidently 

achieve their personal best. 

• • • 

Comic Book Relief celebrated the 

grand opening of their new location at 

2300 N. Third Street in St. Charles with 

a ribbon cutting on Oct. 28. Owner Mike 

Hetzler attended along with members 

of the St. Charles Regional Chamber 

of Commerce. The shop offers current 

comics, graphic novels, collectable back 

issues, toys and supplies to keep comics 

in perfect condition. 

PEOPLE 

Nathan Charnes, PGA of WingHaven 

Country Club, was elected Secretary of 

the Professional Golfers’ Association 

(PGA) of America on Nov. 3 at the 106th 

PGA Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona. 

Charnes becomes the first PGA Member in 

the history of the Gateway Section to be 

elected to National Office and will eventually 

serve as the Association’s 45th President 

in 2027 and 2028. 

Helping Hands for the Holidays collection is underway 

The St. Charles Convention Center is 

now collecting donations for Helping 

Hands for the Holidays. This year, new 

or gently used winter coats in all sizes as 

well as full-size personal care items such 

as shampoo, conditioner, body wash, 

toothpaste, or deodorant will be collected 

through Dec. 8 and distributed to 

people in need in the St. Charles County 

area. Residents may bring their donations 

to the following locations: 

• St. Charles Convention Center 1 

Convention Center Plz, St. Charles, MO 

63303, (636) 669-3000 

• Embassy Suites Hotel 2 Convention 

Center Plz, St. Charles, MO 63303, 

(636) 946-5544 

• St. Charles City Hall 200 N. Second St, 

St. Charles, MO 63301, (636) 949-3200 

• St. Charles Fire Station #4 3201 

Boschertown Rd, St. Charles, MO 63301, 

(636) 949-3390 

• St. Charles Police Department 1781 

Zumbehl Rd, St. Charles, MO 63301, 

(636) 949-3300 

Each location will have a designated 

Helping Hands for the Holidays drop 

box. Donation boxes will be collected 

on Friday, December 9. The distribution 

will be held December 14. 

In 2021, St. Charles Convention Center 

collected 1,850 winter coats and accessories 

and 3,700 personal care items. 

Volunteers are still needed. Visit 

helpinghandsstcharles.com for more 

information and to sign up.





I 35 

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36 I EVENTS I 





local 

events 

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 

St. Charles Community College Young 

People’s Theater presents “A Fairy Tale 

Evening with Cinderella” at 2 p.m. and 

7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19 at the Shook 

Fine Arts Building, 4601 Mid Rivers Mall 

Drive in St. Charles. Book, music, and 

lyrics by Jack Perry and Robert Neil Porter. 

Tickets are $12 each and are available at 

stchastickets.com. 

• • • 

SCC Performing Arts Fall Concerts 

are at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 29 at 

the Shook Fine Arts Building, 4601 Mid 

Rivers Mall Drive in St. Charles. Free 

admission. No reservations required. For 

details, email bthorn@stchas.edu. 

• • • 

SCC Young People’s Theater presents 

“Footloose” at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 9 and 

11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on both Saturday, Dec. 10 

and Sunday, Dec. 11 at the Shook Fine Arts 

Building, 4601 Mid Rivers Mall Drive in St. 

Charles. Mild adult themes. Tickets are $12 

each and are available at stchastickets.com. 

• • • 

$100 or Less Art Show is from 9 a.m.- 

8:30 p.m. through Sunday, Dec. 18 at the 

St. Peters Cultural Arts Centre, One St. 

Peters Centre Blvd. All works are for sale 

and priced at or under $100. For details, 

visit stpetersmo.net/arts-center. 

BENEFITS 

The Brass Rail Thanksgiving is now 

through Nov. 25 at The Brass Rail, 4601 

Hwy. K in O’Fallon. The goal this year is 

giving 10,000 meals, as well as a warm 

hat, gloves or mittens included to people 

in need. To volunteer, visit brassrail1.com/ 

tbr-thanksgiving or call (636) 329-1349. 

• • • 

Cornucopia of Care is now through 

Dec. 9. Join Volunteer O’Fallon to collect 

items for donation to local food pantries. 

Donation collection locations include: 

O’Fallon Municipal Centre, 100 N Main 

Street and Renaud Center, 2650 Tri Sports 

Circle. For details, visit ofallon.mo.us/ 

cornucopia-of-care. 

• • • 

Wentzville Outreach Lions Club 

Thanksgiving Meal is from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. 

on Thursday, Nov. 24 at St. Patrick Catholic 

School, 701 S. Church St. in Wentzville. 

Free Thanksgiving meals for the community, 

veterans, seniors or anyone who 

doesn’t want to be alone on Thanksgiving. 

For details, call (314) 258-1069. 

• • • 

Trivia Night Fundraiser for Tri-County 

Citizen’s Advisory Board, Saturday, Jan. 

28. Doors open at 6 p.m. Trivia starts at 6:45 

p.m. at American Legion Post 312, 2500 

Raymond Drive, St. Charles County. $20 

per person/$160 per table, maximum of 8 

per table. First place cash prize-50/50, raffle-silent 

auction. Proceeds assist indigent 

clients meet their daily needs. Know-it-alls 

and Know-Nothings are all welcome! 

FAMILY & KIDS 

Historic Heald Home and Zumwalt’s 

Fort Tours are open from noon-3 p.m. on 

the second and fourth Sundays of every 

month at Fort Zumwalt Park, 1000 Jessup 

Drive West in O’Fallon. Admission is $5 

per person to see both attractions; children 

10 and under are free. For details, visit 

ofallon.mo.us. 

• • • 

Corn Maze is open from 7 a.m.-30 

min past sunset through Sunday, Nov. 27 

at Broemmelsiek Park, 1795 Hwy. DD in 

Defiance. Get lost and found in a 3-acre 

corn maze. All ages welcome. Free. For 

details, visit stccparks.org. 

• • • 

DJ Skate is from 7-9 p.m. on Fridays, 

Dec. 9, Jan. 6 and Feb. 3 at the Rec-Plex 

North Ice Rink in St. Peters. Each month’s 

event will feature a fun theme. December 

theme is Ugly Sweater. Members are free, 

the public pays daily admission. No registration 

required. For more information, 

visit stpetersmo.net/rec-plex-events. 

SPECIAL INTEREST 

St. Charles County Pachyderm Club 

meets at noon every Friday at Mattingly’s, 

6245 Ronald Reagan Drive in Lake St. 

Louis. Be informed and meet elected officials. 

No meetings on Holiday weekends. 

For details, visit sccpachyderms.org. 

• • • 

A Fall Dance is from 7-10 p.m. on Saturday, 

Nov. 19 at the VFW Post 2866, 66 

VFW Lane in St. Charles. The Garden 

Party band will perform swing and line 

dance music for dancers. Free dance lessons 

from 6:15 to 7 p.m. $10 at the door. 

Bring a toy to donate to the LNC Hope 

Learning Center. For more information, 

visit stcharlesswingdanceclub.wordpress. 

com. 

• • • 

Oxen Mill Trail History Hike is 

from 1:30-4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 20 

at Matson Hill Park, 3576 Stub Road 

in Defiance. This moderately rugged 

2.5-mile hike starts at the Hays Home 

parking lot. Free, for all ages. For details, 

visit stccparks.com.



MIDRIVERSNEWSMAGAZINE.COM MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE I 37 

LOCAL AUTHORS, from page 30 

Browdy, who teaches in St. Charles 

County, said she was inspired by J.R.R. 

Tolkien’s the “Lord of the Rings,” C.S. 

Lewis’ “Chronicles of Narnia” and all the 

great stories of Christmas. 

“The goal for ‘Journey Through the 

Advent Calendar’ was to create a story that 

brought the elements of the Advent season 

to life in a fun and epic way,” said Browdy. 

For readers of all ages, who are hoping to 

capture the passion and excitement of ageold 

lessons and stories, “Journey Through 

the Advent Calendar” delivers. 

• • • 

Adding to her wide array of children and 

young adult stories, Jennifer Stolzer released 

a new title in her “Threadcaster” fantasy 

series. Her new book, “Linecaster: A 

Threadcaster Story,” tells the story of Cat, 

a normal small-town girl who uses string 

to cast magic spells. The book uses themes 

of friendship, magic and tragedy while the 

characters learn to devote all of their time to 

doing what’s right. “Linecaster” is a prequel 

to “Knotcaster” which is a prequel to the 

flagship novel “Threadcaster.” Readers are 

encouraged to jump into the series at whatever 

reading level fits them. (jenniferstolzer. 

weebly.com) 

• • • 

On the worst day of her life, 16-year-old 

Maggie Scott gets a text with a link to an 

app that changes everything. Well, at least 

it changes her perception. “My Second 

Impression of You” by local author 

Michelle I. Mason tells the story of a girl 

who gets a second chance at getting to know 

her peers, especially the boy she thought 

was the most obnoxious one in school. With 

one click, she’s taken on a journey that 

makes for a funny, relatable book and a truly 

heartwarming story. (michelleimason.com) 

KIDS BOOKS 

Join Charlee and Magnolia, two funloving 

dogs, on a series of light-hearted 

adventures in Julia Turnipseed’s book 

series “Adventures of Charlee and Magnolia.” 

(charleeandmagnolia.com) 

Across four books, Charlie and Magnolia 

learn new things about friendship and 

determination and make new friends along 

the way. (michelleimason.com) 

• • • 

The benefits of kindness and friendship 

are on full display in St. Louis native June 

Van Klaveren’s “Me & Smugg, the Bug. A 

Story of an Unlikely Friendship.” A perfect 

bedtime story that will teach your child 

that even though we are all different, we 

can still be friends. This heartwarming tale 

shows that a friend can be found in any kind 

of unique situation. (junevanklaveren.com) 

• • • 

Born and raised in St. Louis, author 

Carolyn Mueller’s new book “Lily: A True 

Story of Courage and the Joplin Tornado” 

tells a true story of bravery and resilience in 

a time of great tragedy. The story is based 

around Lily, an exuberant yet intelligent 

Weimaraner with an incredible instinct for 

smelling. Lily is trained to be a search and 

rescue dog. (carolynelizabethmueller.com) 

SPORTS 

It’s no secret that St. Louis is a massive 

sports town, but even the biggest STL sports 

fans may be surprised to find how much 

rich knowledge and storytelling is in local 

award-winning author Ed Wheatley’s new 

book “St. Louis Sports Memories: Forgotten 

Teams and Moments from America’s 

Best Sports Town.” From the first woman 

to ever own a baseball franchise to a longforgotten 

basketball team, Wheatley sheds 

light onto some of the greatest triumphs in 

sports history which took place right here in 

St. Louis. (reedypress.com) 

• • • 

Professional wrestling’s rise to prominence 

in America is a fascinating story 

and the famous Chase Park Plaza Hotel in 

St. Louis played a large role in this story 

according to author Ed Wheatley’s new 

book “Wrestling at the Chase.” Circle 

back to the golden years of professional 

wrestling with hundreds of different stories 

and photos that reveal to us the moments 

that made thousands fall in love with the 

sport. (reedypress.com) 

• • • 

There is no city anywhere else in the world 

with a passion and love for baseball quite like 

St. Louis. The rich and storied franchise, Cardinals, 

is an internationally recognized sports 

team, but St. Louis also once housed other 

baseball franchises that were just as lovable. 

In Brian Flaspohler’s new book, “St. Louis 

Baseball History - A Guide,” you’ll go on 

to learn about the Browns, Stars, Giants, and 

even the short-lived Terriers, all of whom 

once called St. Louis home. 

• • • 

Local co-authors Robert Tiemann and 

Ron Jacober take Cards fans back to the 

promise, turmoil and triumph that was the 

“’64 Cardinals.” (reedypress.com) 

With key facts, engaging anecdotes, and 

direct observations from players who lived 

the experience, this rare volume will bring 

to life a truly thrilling season. Whether you 

watched the 1964 Cardinals in person or 

have just heard the stories passed down 

over the years, this book is the capstone on 

any baseball lover’s collection. 

• • • 

Following up on last year’s “Next Level 

Bass Fishing,” Creve Coeur author Joe 

Kinnison recently released “The Oh’Fish- 

Al Innsbrook Fishing Guide: Second 

Edition.” This guide reveals all of the 

secrets of Innsbrook’s largest lakes. This 

second edition contains more lakes, more 

local anglers, and more species. 

NOW ACCEPTING 

NEW PATIENTS! 

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38 I 





CHAMPS, from page 29 

then we’d go into the USO and donate to 

the troops. They’d allow us to have a short 

visit with them, so she got to meet a lot of 

people in different uniforms and cultures.” 

Mark said they also got Rosie ready for 

Halloween by going to big costume stores, 

where creatures would “come to life” and 

scare any living soul at the press of a 

button. The main thing is to train the dogs 

so they’re not afraid or timid. 

Rosie and Mark also take frequent trips 

to crowded stores for socializing. People 

were allowed to pet Rosie until she was 

about 1 years old but at a certain point, the 

dogs have to be switched to non-petting 

when they have their work vests on. 

Since Mark and Tammy live close to Fort 

Zumwalt West High, Mark takes Rosie 

there to watch volleyball, tennis, girls 

softball and football games. That gives 

her added experience with crowds of different 

people to help get her comfortable 

in any setting. He said Assistant Principal 

Dr. Samantha Sutton is very receptive to 

their visits. 

“Dr. Sutton knows I have a service dog, 

so if anyone has questions, I can talk with 

her because it’s good to get the high school 

kids aware of CHAMP, service dogs and 

the wonderful services they provide,” 

Mark said. 

He usually takes Rosie on walks of 

about 3 miles a day and he loves to tell 

people along the way about CHAMP as 

well as how smart service dogs are and 

what they can do for people. Periodically, 

they attend training sessions at CHAMP’s 

headquarters, 1968 Craig Road in the 

Westport area, where they review what 

they’ve done and get ready for the next 

training step. 

“Tammy is exceptionally good at the 

homework drills,” Arado said. “There’s 

one where she sets down the food bowl and 

the dog doesn’t eat until you use the word 

‘free.’ The dog looks at you and may hear 

you say something similar like ‘freezer’ or 

‘frisbee.’ But they don’t eat until they actually 

hear the word ‘free.’ You start off with 

a few seconds, then build on that over time. 

Rosie can probably go up to 45 seconds or 

a minute now.” 

Tammy also does drills like getting 

Rosie to go down underneath a chair so she 

can get used to being underneath someone 

watching TV or doing an activity. 

During non-training time, Rosie loves to 

play and grab socks. Mark said one of the 

most fun things for a dog is to be chased 

during play. That’s their highlight of the 

day, so he was told right away, ‘Do not 

chase the dog’ because they think the fun 

has begun and fireworks are going off in 

their head thinking it’s play time. 

“Rosie’s really good about training and 

adapting to the skills,” Mark said. “At 

CHAMP, they’ll have her put her nose in 

a mini basket like a basketball hoop. Over 

time, they’ll give her a command with a 

clicker and she’ll go and stick her nose in 

the hoop, turn around and look at you for 

her reward. 

“If the dog struggles, you redo it because 

you always want to end on a good note 

with that positive reinforcement. Then, 

it’s on to the next part of training. It could 

even be for someone who might not be 

able to pick up their own clothing, and the 

dog will pick it up and put it in a hamper.” 

He said he can see Tammy and him continuing 

to raise CHAMP puppies long into 

the future. 

“The program is a way to give something 

back, and for me, it’s doing something I 

enjoy,” he said. “I also know it’s helping 

another human being … (someone who 

is) ex-military or whatever it may be. The 

dogs just create such a comfort for people. 

“Also, just appreciating animals and 

understanding how they can benefit everyone’s 

life is so incredible! I love it! 

Other opportunities to help 

In addition to service dogs, CHAMP 

currently has nearly 100 therapy dog teams 

that have racked up close to 35,000 total 

visits to those in need. 

In total, volunteers make up some 96% 

of the organization’s workers. They help 

out in a wide variety of operations and 

programs from just a few hours to the 24/7 

lifestyle of a puppy raiser. Each volunteer 

must be at least 18 years of age to volunteer 

unsupervised. 

“I think we’ve come a long way in the 

last 11 years,” Budke said. “I am so thankful 

and grateful for all the people who 

have helped us get there, especially our 

volunteers and donors. It’s just remarkable 

all the changes that we have made in 

people’s lives. 

“It’s amazing the difference these dogs 

can make … like therapy dogs that go out 

and visit people who are isolated or ill. 

I’m very, very happy with how the organization 

is moving forward.” 

Champ needs you! 

To learn how you can help 

CHAMP, visit champdogs.org or 

call (314) 485-1264. 

MID RIVERS HOME PAGES 

30+ YEARS 

EXPERIENCE 

A+ 

RATED 

County House Washing 

& Painting 

Power Washing • Painting • Staining 

INTERIORS • EXTERIORS • CONCRETE 

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• Landscaping 

• Tree Removal 

• Yard Prep 

• Fertilize 

Landscapes, Fences 

& More L.L.C. 

Storm 

Damage 

Specialist 

(314) 795-8219 

Mark Grannemann 

HOLIDAY 

LIGHTING 

Custom Designs 

Install, Take Down & Storage 

Free Estimates 

Residential & Commercial 

CALL OR TEXT 

314-337-8203 

Locally Owned 

THE FAN MAN 

INSTAllATIoN ProFESSIoNAlS 

Ceiling Fans • Wholehouse Fans 

Gable Vent Fans • Recessed Lighting 

Specializing in installation for two story homes 

with no wiring on first floor. 

When Handyman Quality Just Won't Do. 

(314) 510-6400 

• 1 Room Or Entire Basement 

• FREE Design Service 

• Finish What You Started 

• As Low As $15 sq. ft. 

• Professional Painters, Drywall 

Hangers & Tapers 

Call Rich on cell 314.713.1388 

ROOFING 

TUCKPOINTING 

LEAF GARD 

GUTTERS 

314-968-7848 stlroofing.com 

TOP GUNN FAMILY 

CONSTRUCTION INC. 

Build and Repair Decks & Fences, 

All Painting, Wallpaper Removal, 

Powerwash/Stain Decks, Finish Basements, 

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Senior Discounts • Military Discounts 

First responders must show ID 

Call Today • 636-466-3956 

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When you want it done right... 

Check our ads first. 

636.591.0010 

MID RIVERS 

H O M E P A G E S



MIDRIVERSNEWSMAGAZINE.COM MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE I 39 

RETT SYNDROME, from page 28 

device, and Anushka played her part with 

her eyes during the performances. 

“Anushka has achieved success 

because there is an army of people who 

have loved her – family, friends, peers, 

coaches, doctors, neighbors, teachers, 

professionals. The list is long,” Animesh 

said. “It really does take a village and 

that village has become our support network. 

We are grateful, and fortunate, to 

have so many of them.” 

Animesh was recently appointed chairman 

of the Missouri Developmental Disabilities 

Council by Gov. Mike Parson. 

His role will be to affect system and 

policy change in Missouri for individuals 

with developmental disabilities. He 

has been to Capitol Hill multiple times 

to push through research policies for rare 

diseases. 

“Rett syndrome is challenging, but 

not insurmountable,” Animesh said. 

“Anushka fights every day and teaches all 

of us to not take anything lying down – 

that we can fight through our obstacles, no 

matter what they are. Medical challenges 

may come, but there is always the hope 

that if we, as a community, come together, 

and as a whole give empathy, love and 

understanding, and believe in one another, 

we can overcome the worst of it. 

“As a society we need to start thinking 

outside the box because everyone has 

potential. A lot of people see stigma in 

developmental disabilities, but if you 

look on the other side of things, you will 

realize the many possibilities. Because 

of Anushka, we are inspired every single 

day. My goal is that, eventually, we 

reach a level where every individual is 

self-aware of their capabilities and their 

rights.” 

Meanwhile, Anushka is pursuing her 

own possibilities. Recently, she applied 

for and was awarded a position with the 

St. Charles County Library Teen Advisory 

Board to review literature. 

“Literature helps you open your perspective 

and helps you make right 

choices,” Anushka said. “I believe in 

the quote from JK Rowling, ‘Something 

magical happens when you read a good 

book.’ Someday I would like to write fiction 

books.” 

For now, the search is on for a college 

for Anushka that can help her achieve 

her dreams. They said they will welcome 

any suggestions or ideas for an inclusive 

college for Anushka to achieve her educational 

goals. You can email them at 

ouranshu@gmail.com. 

“Anushka has taught us that anything is 

possible,” Nita said. “She is choosing a 

hero’s path. 

O’FALLON ROADS, from page 14 

sible and agrees this roadway is valuable. This 

road adds over $325,000 to the project costs. 

• The county’s consultant estimated the soil 

nail walls at a certain price under the I-70 

bridge, but MoDOT staff review indicated the 

cost was twice as much as was mentioned in 

the estimate. Those higher construction costs 

add another $580,000 to the project cost. 

• MoDOT construction administration costs 

were higher than anticipated in early estimates 

because the project had multiple delays requiring 

additional MoDOT staff time. 

“The city applied for, and obtained, an agreement 

with the county to split that final MoDOT 

invoice 50/50,” Montgomery said. Of the final 

$1,088,133, the city would pay $544,067, and 

the county the other half. 

A second reading and vote was expected at 

the Nov. 14 council meeting, which was held 

after press time. 

MID RIVERS CLASSIFIEDS • 636.591.0010 • CLASSIFIEDS@NEWSMAGAZINENETWORK.COM 

CLEANING SERVICES 

SPOTLESS CLEANING 

SERVICES 

for your home or business. 

Specializing in everyday cleaning 

of homes, rentals, move outs & 

home buying, etc. 

Family owned & operated 

Call today (636) 777-9319 

to schedule your cleaning 

or a FREE ESTIMATE. 

Email: spotless.dina@gmail.com 

COLLECTIBLES 

WANTED TO BUY 

• SPORTS MEMORABILIA • 

Baseball Cards, Sports Cards, 

Cardinals Souvenirs and 

Memorabilia. Pre-1975 Only. 

Private Collector: 

314-302-1785 

ELECTRICAL 

ERIC'S ELECTRIC 

Licensed, Bonded and Insured: 

Service upgrades, fans, can lights, 

switches, outlets, basements, 

code violations fixed, we do it 

all. Emergency calls & back-up 

generators. No job too small. 

Competitively priced. 

Free Estimates. Just call 

636-262-5840 

GARAGE DOORS 

DSI/Door Solutions, Inc. 

Garage Doors, Electric Openers. 

Fast Repairs. All makes & models. 

Same day service. Free Estimates. 

Custom Wood and Steel Doors. 

BBB Member • Angie's List 

Call 314-550-4071 

www.dsi-stl.com 

HAULING 

J & J HAULING 

WE HAUL IT ALL 

Service 7 days. Debris, furniture, 

appliances, household trash, 

yard debris, railroad ties, fencing, 

decks. Garage & Basement Clean-up 

Neat, courteous, affordable rates. 

Call: 636-379-8062 or 

email: jandjhaul@aol.com 

Rockwood School District 

Hiring For Positions of: 

-Plumbing Maintenance Technician- 

- 40 hrs/week 

- 12 months/year 

- Competitive Salary 

Full Benefit Package includes: 

- Retirement through the Public 

Educational Employee Retirement 

System (PEERS) of Missouri 

- Paid Medical, Dental 

& Vision Insurance 

- Flexible Spending Accounts 

- Life Insurance 

- Long-Term Disability 

- Employee Assistance Program 

- Sick Leave Compensation 

- Vacation Compensation 

- 12 Paid Holidays 

Apply at: 

https://rockwood.ted. 

peopleadmin.com/hire/index 

or call (636) 733-3270 

EEOC 


Hiring For Position of: 

CUSTODIAN 

- 40 hrs/week 
















Apply at: 

https://rockwood.ted.peopleadmin.com/ 

hire/index 

or call (636) 733-3270 

EEOC 

HELP WANTED 



HVAC Maintenance Technician 

- 40 hrs/week 















- 11 Paid Holidays 

Apply at: 



or call (636) 733-3270 

EEOC 



Mowing & Landscaping 

Technician in 

Grounds Department 

- 40 hrs/week 















- 11 Paid Holidays 

Apply at: 



or call (636) 733-3270 

EEOC 



Food Service 

Our Child Nutrition Assistants 

work school days only 

Part time or Full time, 

No experience needed. 

Starting Pay $13 Hourly. 

Seven Paid Holidays, 

Retirement through PEERS, 

Perfect Attendance Days 

Manager positions available 

with full benefits. 

www.rsdmo.org 

or call 636-733-3253 

Rockwood School District Hiring 

for position of: 

Secretary III in Facilities Dept. 

for Grounds/Maintenance 

Department 

Requirements: 

Must have a High School 

Diploma, thorough knowledge of 

office procedures and equipment, 

good computer skills, ability 

to handle multiple tasks and 

establish priorities, communicate 

effectively, self-directed and 

motivated to address 

tasks at hand. 

- 40 hrs/week 





Educational 

EmployeeRetirement System 

(PEERS) of Missouri 

- Paid Medical, Dental & Vision 

Insurance 








Please go to 


peopleadmin.com/hire/ 

ViewJob.aspx?JobID=3192 

to apply or call (636) 733-3270. 

EEOC 

HOME IMPROVEMENT 

AFFORDABLE CARPENTRY 

Kitchen Remodeling, Wainscoting, 

Cabinets, Crown Molding, Trim, 

Framing, Basement Finishing, 

Custom Decks, Doors, Windows. 

Free estimates! 

Anything inside & out! 

Call Joe 636-699-8316 

HAPPY HANDYMAN SERVICE 

"Don't Worry Get Happy" 

Complete home remodel/ 

repair kitchen & bath, 

plumbing, electrical, 

carpentry. 24HR Emergency 

Service. Commercial and 

Residential. Discount for 

Seniors/Veterans. 

636-541-9432 

REMODEL & REPAIR 

Rotted wood, Painting, Tile, 

Drywall, Floors, Electrical, 

Carpentry, Plumbing, 

Power Washing. Insured. 

FREE ESTIMATES 

Tom Streckfuss 314-910-7458 

sbacontractingllc@gmail.com 

LANDSCAPING 

Sod • Top Soil 

Landscaping •Planting Bush 

Trimming • Maintenance • 

Mulch •Yard Clean Up 

Yard Fertilization Winterizing 

Stonewall Flower Beds 

& Repairs • Firepits & Patios 

Fencing & Repairs 

Concrete Flat Work 

French Dains • Erosion Control 

Repairs 

Call 636-358-8800 

PAINTING 

Interior and 

exterior painting 

Deck staining 

- Insured & Free Estimates - 

Dickspainting.com 

314-707-3094 

PLUMBING 

• ANYTHING IN PLUMBING • 

Good Prices! Basement 

bathrooms, small repairs & code 

violations repaired. Fast Service. 

Certified, licensed plumber - 

MBC Plumbing - Call or text 

anytime: 

314-409-5051 

REAL ESTATE 

I BUY HOMES 

ALL CASH - AS-IS 

I have been buying and selling 

for over 30 years. 

$ $ 

No obligation. 

No commission. 

No fixing up. 

It doesn’t cost to find out 

how much you can get. 

Must ask for 

Lyndon Anderson 

314-496-5822 

Berkshire Hathaway 

Select Prop. 

Office: 636-394-2424 

WATERPROOFING 

TOP NOTCH 

WATERPROOFING & 

FOUNDATION REPAIR LLC 

Cracks, sub-pump systems, structural 

& concrete repairs. Exterior 

drainage correction. Serving 

Missouri for 15 years. 

Finally, a contractor 

who is honest & 

leaves the job site clean. 

Lifetime Warranties. 

Free Estimate 636-281-6982 

WEDDING SERVICES 

ANYTIME ANYWHERE 

- CEREMONIES - 

• Marriage Ceremonies 

• Vow Renewals 

Baptisms • Pastoral Visits 

• Graveside Visits 

Full Service Ministry 

(314) 703-7456

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Mid Rivers Newsmagazine 11-16-22

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