West Newsmagazine 11-1-23

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46 Holiday November 1, 2023 I WEST NEWSMAGAZINE OPEN HOUSE Saturday, November 11 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Sunday, November 12 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Explore our selection of Holiday Décor & Gifts Holiday Savings: 25% off one regular price item One coupon per household. In stock items only. While supplies last. Cannot be combined with any other discounts or promotions. Not valid on prior purchases. Must present coupon to receive discount. Exclusions may apply. Valid 11/11/2023 & 11/12/2023. Holiday greens arrive Thanksgiving week! Plants - Trees - Pottery - Gift - Décor & More! 54 Clarkson Road, Ellisville, MO 63011 636.227.0095 Open 7 Days a Week timberwindsnursery.com JOHNSON, from page 10 The department has had many challenges over the years, including providing uninterrupted delivery of police services throughout the long-term recovery phases of the Great Flood of 1993. During the disaster, Chesterfield’s police headquarters in a rented building in the Valley was inundated with 13 inches of water but services did not cease. During the eight months it took for floodwaters to recede and the damaged facility to be refurbished, the department operated from an underground bunker St. Louis County had established as an emergency operations center. Today, the department has a modern, state-of-the-art headquarters facility in a building shared with city hall. Among the services Chesterfield Police provide are a special operations division that encompasses school resource officers, a special enforcement unit (SEU) that provides enforcement and patrols in the city’s many parks and retail centers, and the traffic safety unit. Single-minded lawman “After 35 years, Johnson has remained the same straightforward police chief that he was the first day I worked with him,” said Dianne Johnson, command staff coordinator. “He is single-minded about law enforcement. He has always worked and re-worked each policy for the Chesterfield Police Department until he had each piece of the department polished. “He is an ultimate professional working with professional organizations throughout the state and was one of the first police chiefs to bring CALEA to this area. Because of initiatives, most (area) law enforcement agencies have followed his lead and are now also CALEA certified. These characteristics have never changed.” Under Johnson’s guidance, a full range of programs were implemented in the community, including the D.A.R.E. programs to provide substance avoidance training to middle school students; the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT), which is specially trained to respond to calls involving citizens with mental health concerns; the Neighborhood Watch program; adult and teen police academies; the annual Safety Town experience for young children; the Police Explorer Post; and child car seat installations. @WESTNEWSMAG WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM Meet the Chief On Nov. 30, at 7:30 a.m., the Chamber Understanding City Operations (CUCO) session, held jointly by the Chesterfield Regional Chamber and the city of Chesterfield at city hall, will offer the opportunity to meet Chief Ray Johnson. Johnson will share his insights, experience, wisdom and wit. The event is free and open to the public. Prankster and friend City Administrator Mike Geisel also calls Johnson a great friend, mentor and committed public servant. Geisel, who began his career with the city in 1988 as its assistant city engineer, was named co-city administrator alongside Johnson following the retirement of Mike Herring in 2016. “No one exemplifies the ‘attitude of gratitude’ or the ‘heart of a public servant’ more than Ray Johnson,” Geisel said. “After 35 years, he still surprises with his intellect and humor on a daily basis. “I am both honored and humbled to have been privileged to work alongside the chief for all of these years. He has had and continues to have a profound influence on me both personally and professionally.” Geisel said he appreciates Johnson’s sharp wit and intelligence, but most notably his commitment to perpetuating pranks. Once, Johnson authored an email prank that caused Geisel to submit his resignation. The chief knew the administraator would respond intensely. But it wasn’t only Johnson who conspired to commit mischief. One of the pranks against Johnson was to regularly turn up the heat in his office through the building management systems. For his part, Johnson never acknowledged his discomfort, depriving its instigators of the satisfaction of the prank. Each week the chief and Geisel get together for a lunch meeting and Geisel said it’s always an event. “Going anywhere with the chief is like walking next to Elvis; he is a celebrity wherever he goes. People genuflect as he passes,” Geisel teased. He said most of all, he has viewed, admired and soaked in Johnson’s mentorship and advice. “While he is the consummate professional, with the most authentic and ethical set of beliefs, he is also one of the most compassionate and caring individuals I have ever known,” Geisel said. “No doubt the example and standard he has set have had a tremendous impact on the caliber of law enforcement provided to our community,” Mayor Bob Nation said. “He has distinguished himself and brought credit to the city of Chesterfield by serving in leadership of the St. Louis Area Major Case Squad, CALEA and St. Louis Area Police Chiefs Association (SLAPCA). Both Nation and City Council member Barb McGuinness (Ward 1) said finding someone to replace Johnson will not be easy. “He is such a professional, so classy, top-notch. Those will be big patent leather shoes to fill,” McGuinness said.
FACEBOOK.COM/WESTNEWSMAGAZINE WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM Whether it’s at the hearth or at the grill, people naturally congregate around a flame, said Frank Schmer, owner of St. Louis Home Fires. “It’s the warmth of the fire, it goes back to the very beginning, cavemen sitting around a fire cooking up meat,” he said. Now in the 21st century, with gas fireplaces and gas grills, heating and cooking have never been easier. Gas fireplaces take the drudgery out of building, stoking and extinguishing a fire, he said. “This is convenience. It’s all about the ease of it. We have remote control, so literally its about the turn of a knob or the click of a button, and it’s instant fire,” Schmer said. “There is no mess, no carrying wood through your house or walking out to the woodpile when its 10 below zero.” People are using their fireplaces more because of it, he said. “You would never think to have a wood fire for half an hour, but you can turn these on and off. Take the chill off the room; have a cup of coffee, run them for half an hour, then go about your day and turn them back on in the evening.” St. Louis Home Fires also offers 99% efficient logs, Schmer said. “If people are concerned about home heating or the Schmer price of gas, you can actually add heat more efficiently than your furnace because the logs burn so clean they can be operated with the damper closed,” he said. As a reminder, Schmer says those who want gas logs by Christmas, need to get them on the schedule now. Installations are already booked into late November and early December. And before the fire season gets under way in earnest its a good idea to take care of any needed maintenance. November 1, 2023 WEST NEWSMAGAZINE “It’s not a bad idea every two or three years to have a maintenance call, a log tune up,” Schmer said. “We check the gas pressure, make sure the gas logs are working properly. It’s a really popular service.” St. Louis Home Fires also offers grill maintenance and grill cleaning in the off season. As for grills, some people make good use of them in every season, Schmer said. “You can cook outdoors all year round with smokers and pellet cookers. They need very little attention. They are kind of a set it and forget it type of smoking,” he said. Cooking outdoors is one of Schmer’s greatest pleasures. The founder and now president emeritus of the St. Louis BBQ Society said that the attraction of a good BBQ is about hospitality and entertaining family and friends. “I think our whole business is based on cooking for other people, cooking in the backyard. There’s something very gratifying about it. There’s nothing more worthwhile than cooking for someone else,” he said. Recently, St. Louis Home Fires expanded its space and its line to include prebuilt outdoor kitchens. Instead of stone I BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT I 47 St. Louis Home Fires can make your home the place at which to gather (St. Louis Home Fires photo) or brick these appliance cabinets are made of aluminum and are much more affordable, Schmer said. The store also carries a variety of outdoor gas and wood fire pits. This year, St. Louis Home Fires celebrates 20 years in business. “Business has been good,” Schmer said. We are a part of the community both from an event standpoint and working with the people. We have a lot of regulars, and there is nothing more about community than barbecue and cooking in the backyard or family and friends sitting around their fireplace on the interior,” Schmer said. “We are in the service business,” Schmer said. “The products we sell are provided by companies we partner with that are just like us, reputable businesses that provide the best product and the best service. We don’t do a lot of different things. We don’t do patio furniture and hot tubs and all that kind of stuff. We do grills and fireplaces and gas logs, and we think what we do, we do better than anyone else.” St. Louis Home Fires 15053 Manchester Road • Ballwin stlhomefires@sbcglobal.net stlhomefires.com • 636-256-6564 Owners Ben Boland & Jim Menner BEFORE H NEST JUN K HAULING CALL TODAY, WE’LL HAUL YOUR JUNK AWAY! AFTER Furniture • Appliances Electronics • Yard Clean Out Fences • Decks • Trampolines Swing Sets • Sheds • Pools • Real Estate Cleanup • Garage Clean Out • Basement Clean Out • Estate Clean Out • Remodeling Demo • Debris Loading & Hauling ALL ITEMS, LARGE & SMALL | REMOVAL, LOADING & DISPOSAL LARGE SCREEN $ TV PICK-UP 30 OFF $ 50 OFF SHEDS, PLAYSETS AND FENCES $ 99 HOT TUB REMOVAL Up to 65” – includes disposal fee (Each additional TV – $50) EXPIRES 12/2/23 EXPIRES 12/2/23 EXPIRES 12/2/23 Cannot be combined with other offers. Cannot be combined with other offers. Cannot be combined with other offers. $ 25 OFF ANY PICK-UP EXPIRES 12/2/23 Cannot be combined with other offers. FREE ESTIMATES BY PHONE/TEXT OR ON-SITE 314-312-1077 | www.honestjunk.com Locally Owned & Operated | Residential or Commercial 6 APR* Year 2: Fixed Rate of 6.25% Year 3: Fixed Rate of 6.50% 00% . Year 1: Fixed Rate of 6.00% For Complete Details, Call: Jeffrey S. Patterson, Managing Partner Patterson Wealth Management LLC 15415 Clayton Rd • Ballwin, MO 63011 636-779-0664 • 800-536-8770 pattersonwealthmanagement.com Issued By Wells Fargo & Company 3 Yr. Step-UP Note Investment Rating: A1 / BBB+ Final Maturity Date: 10/26/2026 First Callable Date: 10/26/2024 *Subject to Availability. The Annual Percentage Rate (APR) represents the interest earned through each eli-gible call date based on simple interest calculations, an investment price of $1000 per corporate bond, and is accurate as of October 19, 2023. Callable corporate bonds are more likely to be called in a lower interest rate environment, and investors may be unable to reinvest funds at the same rate as the original corporate bonds. The minimum balance required to purchase the corporate bond and obtain the APR is $10,000. Interest payouts are mandatory, and interest cannot remain on deposit. This investment is not FDIC insured. The Step-UP bonds are callable in twelve months, and six months thereafter. At the end of the 12-months, if the bonds are not called in, the interest rate will step up to 6.25%. The bonds will pay 6.25% for the next 12 months. If the bonds have not been called-in after 24-months from issuance, the interest rate will then increase to 6.50%, and will pay the rate for the last 12-months, until maturity. Corporate bond prices move opposite to interest rates, increasing when rates decline and falling when rates increase. Corporate bonds are intended to be held until maturity, as this assures redemption at par value. Investors may sell them before the stated maturity date, if needed, at the prevailing market prices, and proceeds may be more or less than the original investment. Market values of longer term corporate bonds tend to be more sen-sitive to interest rate fluctuation. Thus, the longer-term corporate bonds are generally not suitable for investors with a short-term horizon. Other factors that may affect corporate bonds are order size, call features, and investor demand. Sales charges may apply. Consider all risks and benefits and how this investment alternative may help meet investment objectives. Securities and Investment Advisory Services offered through Cutter & Company, Inc. Member FINRA, SIPC. Patterson Wealth Management, Cutter & Company, Inc. and the issuer are not affiliated. Banking products and FDIC insurance are provided by the issuer.
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Page 11 and 12: PROUDLY SERVING OUR COMMUNITIES SIN
Page 19 and 20: THE POWER OF PURPOSE M1 BANK RANKED
Page 21 and 22: Mari de Villa SENIOR LIVING Serving
Page 23 and 24: Veterans Day Thanks to all members
Page 39 and 40: Live Thankfully At Friendship Villa
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West Newsmagazine 11-1-23

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