West Newsmagazine 11-29-23

Vol. 28 No. 23 • November 29, 2023 

westnewsmagazine.com 

CHANUKAH 

Shining light in the darkness 

A conversation with Rabbi Avi Rubenfeld 

Meet Doctors In Your Area 

Accepting New Patients 

See Pages – 24 25

FACEBOOK.COM/WESTNEWSMAGAZINE 

WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM 

SALENA ZITO 

Community colleges, trade schools 

largely void of Israel-Hamas protests 

November 29, 2023 

WEST NEWSMAGAZINE 

I OPINION I 3 

She always made you feel at home. 

Now you can do the same for her. 

TV host Mike Rowe said that eight years 

ago, he was switching the news channels on 

his television and saw several college students 

setting fire to the American flag and 

dancing around a pile of burning flags. They 

were telling reporters in interviews they 

were disgusted with Old Glory and “fearful” 

of the flag. 

“It wasn’t lost on me in the moment that 

all of these events were happening at what 

is considered the best of the best elite universities 

across the country,” Rowe told 

me. Among supposedly non-elite students, 

though, the situation wasn’t and isn’t as bad. 

Rowe said it didn’t take long for him to 

figure out why those “elite” students drew 

those conclusions about Old Glory: The 

idea of associating fear with the flag came 

from the very people who were supposed to 

be instructing these privileged students. 

Rowe said the evidence was crystal clear 

when Jonathan Lash, then the president of 

Hampshire College, chose not to assure the 

students that no country offers more liberties 

to their people and therefore there was 

nothing to “fear” from the flag. Instead, he 

spoke up in ways they understood to validate 

their fears. 

“Lash actually removed any traces of the 

American flag from the campus and said in 

a statement that removing the flag from the 

campus ‘will better enable us to focus our 

efforts on addressing racist, misogynistic, 

Islamophobic, anti-immigrant, antisemitic, 

anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and behaviors,’” 

Rowe explained. 

Lash, a former Peace Corps volunteer, federal 

prosecutor, Harvard graduate and president 

of a Washington-based environmental 

think tank, left the college in 2018. Hampshire 

College, under Lash in 2015, was one 

of the first elite schools in the United States 

not to accept SAT scores from applicants, in 

part because Lash said SATs were strongly 

biased against students of color. 

Rowe said that if people are shocked by 

the blatant antisemitism among college 

students and by the students’ clear lack of 

understanding of history, they haven’t been 

paying attention to the ethos of (supposedly) 

elite universities for at least two generations. 

Higher education, for decades, has been 

trending not liberal but radically left. Phillip 

Magness and David Waugh wrote earlier 

this year in the Independent Review that 

60% of faculty in universities across this 

country identified as “hard left.” 

Magness and Waugh wrote that while 

the modal college professor has been at the 

political left of the public since the 1960s, 

it wasn’t until very recently that this overall 

skew obscured an underlying stability in the 

political composition of faculty. 

Their data showed it was in 2001 that faculty 

majorities went from liberal to hard left 

and now are nearing a supermajority in the 

academic world. 

It is not lost on Rowe that the two places 

of higher education where you don’t see 

campuses erupting in violence and destroying 

the safety of Jewish students are trade 

schools and community colleges. 

“In 2016, I was feeling very proud to have 

a scholarship fund that was earmarked for 

trade schools when everywhere I looked, I 

saw people burning the flag at elite universities,” 

Rowe said, adding, “Maybe it happened 

then, or maybe it is happening now, 

but I looked, and I couldn’t find a single 

incident of a trade school or community college 

burning the American flag.” 

“These schools simply don’t go there,” he 

said of the trade schools and community 

colleges nationwide whose certificate programs 

and two-year degrees are designed 

around filling this country’s skills gap. 

The typical financial aid package is huge 

at Harvard University, in which pro-Palestinian 

rallies have cost the school financial 

support from alumni. The total budget for 

a student this year is $80,600, with federal 

scholarship amounts set at $64,500. 

Over 55% of the students attending Harvard 

received federal grants or loans. 

Rowe said if you want to throw a little gas 

on the fire of the psyche of the American sitting 

at home, shaking her head, wondering 

what these students are up to, “Just remember 

you’re paying for it.” 

The Department of Education tallies show 

there are nearly 4,000 colleges and universities 

across this country with 40% of their 

students holding some type of job while 

attending school. 

In contrast, there are just a little over 

1,000 community colleges and 7,407 trade 

and technical schools as of 2022 with 80% 

of those students employed while attending 

school in the former. 

Rowe said that when the protests at the 

elite universities started to unfold after the 

Oct. 7 massacre, he wondered what seemed 

so familiar. “And the answer isn’t because 

it’s familiar in terms of bad behavior. It was 

familiar because it’s another thing that never 

happens at schools where people go to learn 

a skill.” 

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4 I OPINION I 



LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 

@WESTNEWSMAG 


Responding to Manchester 

annexation vote letter 

To the Editor: 

A recent letter from Mr. Spencer Fienup 

was critical of Manchester’s recent annexation 

effort. He directed comments at me. 

He opined how I would feel if I had lived 

through a similar annexation effort. My 

answer is I did! The year was 1999 when 

8,000 of us were successfully annexed by 

the city of Manchester! There was immediate 

cost savings (trash services were free) 

and marked improvement in police presence. 

Streets, sidewalks and snow removal 

were, and remain, better. Those savings and 

improvements would have been the outcome 

for unincorporated residents this year, too. 

Mr. Douglas Harms, the long-time city 

administrator of Des Peres and a resident 

of Manchester shared in a Facebook post 

his own support of the annexation: “Ask 

yourself the question ... Why do two-thirds 

of county residents live in incorporated 

municipalities?” Harms’ answer: “Dissatisfaction 

with county services; need for 

local control over local land use decisions; 

distant governance (each county councilman’s 

district includes nearly 145,000 

people.) If you watch the dysfunction of 

county governance, it’s all about partisanship, 

not getting things done.” 

Harms continued, “The county is not 

well-managed. They face a $45 million 

deficit in large part because of mismanagement 

and in part due to their dual role as 

a county and as a ‘municipality’ providing 

‘city type services.’” 

Mr. Harms has been in the business of 

guiding governments for over 50 years. His 

observations and experiences are stronger 

than mine. He identifies the missed opportunity 

that Mr. Fienup and the other 6,500 

unincorporated residents will experience 

going forward. 

Manchester Mayor Mike Clement 

Regarding Catholic school 

closures 

To the Editor: 

Upcoming school decisions are the 

second phase of the “All Things New” 

downsizing plan from the St. Louis Archdiocese. 

In the last month, pastors from 25 

to 30 of the most vulnerable schools met 

with education officials from the archdiocese 

to discuss enrollment trends, finances, 

and proximity to other parish schools. 

Pastors were given three choices: close 

the school, merge with another Catholic 

school, or keep the school open and produce 

a three-year plan to increase student 

enrollment. All recommendations are due 

by Dec. 8. 

One thing that is being ignored by the 

archdiocese is the Catholic Principle of 

Subsidiarity that states a community of 

a higher order (Archdiocese) should not 

assume the task belonging to a community 

of a lower order (parish) and deprive it of 

its authority, it should rather support it in 

case of need. Vicar Christopher Martin 

publicly stated that the parochial school is 

the function of the parish. 

The archdiocese wants parishes to limit 

school funding to no more than 30 percent 

without any explanation of what canon law 

gives the archdiocese the authority to limit 

parish funding. If a parish wants to fund its 

school and it has the funds to support it, then 

that is the parish’s decision, not the archdiocese’s 

decision. If a parish is providing 50% 

of its collections to support its school and the 

school is closed by the archdiocese, then how 

should these funds be used? They should not 

go to the archdiocese but maybe the parishioners 

should simply reduce their donations by 

the percentage that was used to support the 

school because the need will cease to exist. 

In 2017, parishioners funded a campaign 

titled “Beyond Sunday” to support parish 

improvements, student scholarships and 

school improvements. The archdiocese 

announced it raised $110 million. Forty 

percent of the funds ($44 million) raised 

in each parish were to be returned to the 

parish and 60% ($66 million) to be used 

for education. What happened to these 

funds and have they been used as planned? 

Edward J. Hamm 

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ON THE COVER: Rabbi Avi Rubenfeld, co-founder of the Chabad of Chesterfield, with his sons at Chanukah 

(Photo provided) 

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EDITORIAL 

You ‘Musk’ be kidding me 

Big business sure is fun, isn’t it? 

Who needs daytime soap operas or the federal government to keep us entertained 

when corporate America is bringing this level of drama? 

Take Elon Musk, please! The billionaire entrepreneur and super awkward Saturday 

Night Live host spent most of last week convincing us that he was and then was 

not an antisemite. Which is correct? No idea, never met the man. Nor have 99.9% 

of the people who have a “very strong opinion” on the topic. That said, Musk made 

it way, way too easy to get painted with the brush of antisemitism, that’s for sure. 

Can he defend his odd posts? Sure, but it takes some serious linguistic jiu-jitsu 

to walk back his very public statements. Musk might be the only man alive who 

would buy a $44 billion platform, turn it into a $15 billion platform, use it to get 

labeled an antisemitic conspiracy theorist, and then declare victory for free speech. 

(By the way, check this out. If the controversy surrounding Musk continues and 

ends up getting labeled as a full-blown issue, we could call it getting “Elon-gate-d.” 

That right there is pure comedy gold.) 

Now, consider artificial intelligence. Not the technology, that’s what we call the 

Board at OpenAI who ousted their CEO out of the blue, shocking everyone (including 

their lead investors), and then promptly hired him back when the entire staff 

threatened to quit. As if AI wasn’t scary enough, we add palace intrigue between 

CTO Ilya Sutskever and fired/rehired CEO Sam Altman (Who is from here! Parents 

still live here. They might read this. Yikes!). Sutskever, whom the press keeps calling 

a genius, led the coup against Altman, changed his mind, and then co-signed a letter 

calling for his own firing from the Board. This genius-level stuff sure is complicated. 

Seriously though, it is easy to pick on Big Business (easy and surprisingly satisfying 

– I would recommend it!), but that’s not why we’re here. 

We’re here to make our annual plea for local readers to shop at local stores. Not 

exclusively, we gave up chasing that dream long ago. We know how easy it is to 

shop with a single click, to shop without leaving your computer screen, to shop 

without really having to shop. (It’s good to put a couple extra bucks into Jeff Bezos’ 

pockets because there is absolutely nothing super weird and creepy about that guy.) 

What we’re asking is that you check out your local stores as well. Eat at a local restaurant, 

shop at a local boutique, or let a local jeweler help you make lasting memories. 

We think you’re gonna find it to be worthwhile. We think your life becomes 

enriched when you do business with people who truly appreciate the business. We 

believe it comes back to you tenfold. 

That local business owner you’re working with has kids in the same school as 

you. They live nearby and pay the same taxes and drive the same streets and vote 

on the same issues. No, those local business owners aren’t Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos 

or Sam Altman, they are your neighbors. (Although, again, your neighbors could 

be Sam Altman’s parents, and if so tell them we said “hi” and we would love to 

interview them one day. Link in bio.) 

So, set aside some gifts on your list and drive to local places where you can buy 

things from a human being. Skip the online checkout and the self-checkout, and 

instead check out your neighbors’ stores. 

Every day we drive by a local restaurant that you’ve probably heard of called 

“Annie Gunn’s.” Now, Annie Gunn’s is not an advertiser so this is not pandering 

(though they should be an advertiser; if only because we’re mentioning them 

because we are nice despite the fact they do not advertise with us and should.) OK, 

that last part was pandering. 

Anyhoo, Annie Gunn’s is owned by the Sehnert family and has been an icon in this 

area for more than 30 years. The restaurant and market is currently displaying a 30-foot 

banner that goes across the front of their store. It’s been there since the pandemic. To us, 

that 30-foot banner epitomizes the spirit of local business. It reads simply, “Grateful & 

Thankful.” Why haven’t they taken it down? Probably because local businesses never 

lose that feeling of being grateful and thankful for local support. 

We would be grateful and thankful if you took a little time and a little money to 

shop and dine at a local business this holiday season. 

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8 I NEWS I 



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NEWS 

BRIEFS 

CHESTERFIELD 

Cricket is coming 

For the past few years, the cricket community 

has pursued public cricket facilities 

in the city. However, according to 

City Administrator Mike Geisel, a major 

obstacle has been the lack of demonstrated 

demand commensurate with the commitment 

of public resources. 

Now, that challenge has been overcome. 

At its Nov. 20 meeting, the City Council 

agreed to allow the advocacy group to 

fund, operate and maintain cricket facilities 

on roughly four acres of undeveloped 

parkland east of the Chesterfield Valley 

Athletic Complex (CVAC). 

Council member Mary Monachella (Ward 

1) said the agreement would allow the group 

to use the land for two years to see if they can 

generate enough interest. It will be responsible 

for everything associated with the facility. 

The city also was recently awarded a 

Municipal Parks Grant of $546,250 for Miracle 

Field and playground renovations at the 

CVAC. The city will provide a match of at 

least $28,750. The grant funds will not be 

received after the completion of the project 

with 18 months allotted for the renovations. 

East of the CVAC at River’s Edge Park, 

the council approved Gateway Off-Road 

Cyclists’ (GORC) plans to build and 

maintain bike trails in the woodlands. The 

188-acre park is located off of North Outer 

40 Road in Chesterfield Valley. GORC 

is a nonprofit dedicated to the advocacy, 

design, construction and maintenance of 

bicycle and pedestrian dirt trails. 

Trails are consistently one of the top 

amenities our residents request, said TW 

Dieckmann, director of Parks, Recreation 

and Arts. The trails would be built and 

maintained by a network of GORC volunteers 

at no cost to the city, he said. 

GORC currently has trails at Bluff View 

in Wildwood and Creve Coeur Lake. Bluff 

View is the newest addition to the St. Louis 

County network of trails. 

CREVE COEUR 

Stormwater management 

cost-share program approved 

Homeowners looking for financial assistance 

to help resolve a stormwater issue 

may be eligible for funding through Creve 

Coeur’s new cost-share program. The City 

Council recently approved the establishment 

of a new stormwater management 

cost-share program. The goal is to help 

neighborhoods and individual homeowners 

solve issues that are unlikely to be 

addressed by a city-funded project, or 

receive funding from existing programs. 

The program will have two categories: 

neighborhoods and individual homeowners. 

The neighborhood category will help subdivisions 

maintain the capacity and performance 

of stormwater detention basins. The 

homeowner category will help individual 

homeowners maintain existing stormwater 

maintenance installations or install small 

projects like rain gardens or bioswales. 

The program will be funded by the city’s 

parks and stormwater sales tax. The first 

year of the program will be the pilot phase 

with project funding limited to $60,000. 

Through the program, neighborhoods and 

individual homeowners who have their 

applications approved will be reimbursed 

50% of the total cost, up to the maximum 

limits for each program category. 

Applications are due by Jan. 11. Once 

received, applications will be reviewed, 

scored and presented to the stormwater 

committee for consideration. Recommended 

projects will then be presented 

to the city council for final approval. For 

more information, visit crevecoeurmo.gov. 

ELLISVILLE 

Telecommunication 

tower approved 

The Ellisville City Council unanimously 

approved a request for a conditional use 

permit from Ameren in order to allow 

the installation and use of a 199-foot-tall 

monopole-style wireless telecommunications 

tower. A public hearing was held at 

the Nov. 15 meeting. 

The tower will be located at 280 Old 

Santa frequently visits West County 

neighborhoods by firetruck. Check your 

local fire protection district’s social media 

sites for details. (Source: West County EMS/FPD) 

State Road. Russell Been, of Cellective 

Solutions, LLC and representing Ameren, 

said the tower will be used to form part of 

a private LTE (long-term evolution/4G) 

network throughout the state in order to 

extend the life of Ameren’s equipment. 

Other service providers have turned off 

their LTE networks in order to upgrade to 

newer networks, leaving Ameren with the 

choice of installing their own towers or 

upgrading all of its equipment. 

“When other carriers turned off their 

LTE service there were a lot of systems 

that were dependent on those networks … 

(which) weren’t able to connect.,” Been 

said. “(Ameren is) hoping once they get 

this network on board their equipment will 

last 15 more years.” 

Been said Ameren will eventually have 

42 towers across the service area. The tower 

will monitor substations, meter readings and 

field tech communications. A security wall 

of at least 6 feet tall and made out of masonry 

construction will be installed around the 

equipment and tower. A landscape strip will 

also be installed outside of the security wall 

that will be at least 10 feet wide and planted 

with landscaping at least 6 feet tall. 

Tattoo studios approved 

Tattoo studios are now a permitted business 

under Ellisville’s C-3 commercial 

zoning district regulations. The City Council 

unanimously approved that amendment 

at its Nov. 15 meeting. Pete Pulizzi 

and Derek Hayes had requested that tattoo 

establishments be added to the list of businesses 

allowed so they could open a studio 

at 15628 Manchester Road in the Ellisville 

Pointe shopping mall. Neon Moon Studio, 

LLC will be the first tattoo studio in the city. 

“Ellisville strives to have a diverse 

community (that) stays relevant with the 

upcoming generations,” Pulizzi and Hayes 

stated in their application letter. “The city 

also wants to highlight a variety of accessible 

businesses within the main thoroughfare 

(that) work together to create a unique 

and collaborative environment. A tattoo 

studio provides opportunities for residents 

to stay in Ellisville for this service. The 

tattoo studio would demonstrate the support 

of diversity while providing an artistic 

venue that doesn’t currently exist.” 

After approving tattoo establishments 

under the C-3 zoning regulations, the council 

also approved Pulizzi and Hayes’ request 

for a conditional use permit for Neon Moon 

Studio. Pulizzi, an Ellisville resident, said 

they hope to open early in 2024. Hours 

for the studio will likely be noon-8 p.m. 

Monday through Friday with some Saturday 

hours, the owners told the council. All tattoos 

will be by appointment only. 

The permit requires all tattooing establishments 

to hold and follow state licensing 

regulations, including those pertaining to 

tattoo artists. Body piercing is not allowed 

under this permit. 

Candidate filing opens 

for municipal elections 

The General Municipal Elections will 

take place on Tuesday, April 2. In advance 

of those elections, filing for open seats on 

municipal boards will take place at city 

halls and government centers throughout 

West County during regular business hours 

(Monday-Friday) beginning at 8 a.m. on 

Dec. 5 through 5 p.m. on Dec. 26. 

Per state law, candidates must be at least 

18 years of age, a citizen of the United 

States and an inhabitant and resident of 

the city they are seeking to represent for at 

least one year preceding his or her election,





I NEWS I 9 

a resident at the time of filing, and a resident, 

during the full time he or she serves, 

of the ward from which he or she is elected. 

Ballwin: Four aldermanic positions are 

up for election. Candidates must file in 

person at the government center, located at 

1 Government Center. For more information 

visit ballwin.mo.us. 

Clarkson Valley: Three aldermanic 

positions are available. The city offices are 

located at 15933 Clayton Road, Suite 105. 

The office will be closed on Friday, Dec. 

23. Candidates with questions can email 

City Clerk Michelle McMahon at cityhall@clarksonvalley.org. 

Creve Coeur: Four council seats are 

available in addition to the position of 

mayor. The city’s government center is 

located at 300 N. New Ballas Road. Candidates 

with questions can email City Clerk 

Kellie Henke at khenke@crevecoeurmo. 

gov or call (314) 872-2517. 

Des Peres: Three aldermanic seats are 

available in addition to the position of 

mayor. City hall is located at 12325 Manchester 

Road. For more information, candidates 

can call (314) 835-6100. 

Ellisville: There are no seats up for election 

in the 2024 Municipal Election. 

Chesterfield: Four city council positions 

are available. City hall is located at 

690 Chesterfield Parkway West. A list of 

procedures for candidate filing is available 

in the city clerk’s office at city hall or at 

chesterfield.mo.us. 

Manchester: Three aldermanic positions 

and the office of mayor are available. 

City hall is located at 14317 Manchester 

Road. Candidates with questions can email 

City Clerk Michelle Melugin at mmelugin@manchestermo.gov. 

Town & Country: Filing is for two-year 

terms in each of the city’s four wards, plus 

a one-year term in Ward 2 and a one-year 

term in Ward 4. The city’s municipal center 

is located at 1011 Municipal Center Drive. 

Following opening day, appointments 

are strongly encouraged to ensure the city 

clerk’s availability. Additional details for 

filing are available at town-and-country.org. 

Twin Oaks: Residents will elect two 

aldermen at large. City hall is located at 

1381 Big Bend Road. Candidates with 

questions can call Administrator Frank 

Johnson at (636) 225-7873. 

Wildwood: Eight council seats and the 

office of mayor are up for elections. City 

hall is located at 16860 Main St. Candidates 

with questions, can email City Clerk Megan 

Eldridge at megan@cityofwildwood.com. 

WEST COUNTY 

Rockwood Prop 3 funding 

Now that Rockwood School District 

officials have secured funds for capital 

projects through the approval of Prop 3 

by voters, projects that are a priority can 

soon become a reality. Prop 3 funds will 

be phased in over two years, beginning 

with the 2024-25 school year, explained 

Mary LaPac, Rockwood’s chief communications 

officer. In September 2024, 36 

cents will be moved from Rockwood’s 

Debt Service Fund to its Capital Projects 

Fund, the rest being transferred the following 

year, LaPak said. The following 

year, it will be fully phased in and all 54 

cents will be moved from debt service to 

capital projects, she added. 

“The first Prop 3 funds will not be realized 

until December 2024,” LaPak said. 

“In December 2024 approximately $17 

million will be realized, then $26-27 million 

the following year.” 

When asked how Rockwood plans 

to allocate the funds now that they are 

approved, LaPak referred to the board of 

education’s work session from May where 

there was a presentation made with a general 

idea of where those funds should be 

allocated in the 2024-25 school year. 

Facilities projects would receive approximately 

60%, technology upgrades would 

receive 35% and safety upgrades would 

receive the final 5%. 

“The allocations are certainly subject to 

change as we evaluate our facility needs on 

an annual basis, but it generally gives you 

an idea of the percentages we have planned 

for each area in the first year of funding,” 

LaPak said. 

Topping the list of priorities is replacing 

23 of the 37 HVAC systems in Rockwood 

schools and buildings, LaPak said. Those 

23 systems are more than 20 years old, 

which is past the life expectancy of those 

systems, officials said. 

LaPak said another priority for funds 

likely will be refreshing student devices. 

The district’s plan is to get back on its 

cycle of updating Chromebooks for freshmen, 

and also sixth graders. As far as 

safety improvements go, creating surveillance 

stations for student resource officers 

at middle and high schools is on the list 

of possible updates in that department. 

LaPak explained that the stations will be 

a bank of monitors that are tied to the 

security cameras so that multiple cameras 

can be viewed at one time and any camera 

can be easily accessed in a hurry, which 

will be critical in an emergency to give 

first responders real-time access to the 

school’s cameras. 

LaPak said the district is developing a 

dashboard for its website that will show 

exactly what improvements are being made 

as they are approved once those funds are 

allocated during the district’s annual budgeting 

process. 

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10 I NEWS I 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


Chanukah: Fighting darkness with light and a giant menorah 

By KATE UPTERGROVE 

For eight nights, from Thursday, Dec. 7 

through Friday, Dec. 15, Jews around the 

world will celebrate Chanukah. Key to its 

celebration is the nightly lighting of a ninebranched 

menorah (candelabrum), one for 

each night and one for the shammash, or 

helper candle, used for lighting the others. 

Chanukah commemorates the rededication 

of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, 

after the Jews rose up against their 

Greek-Syrian oppressors in the Maccabean 

Revolt and were victorious. The fight was 

to preserve Judaism and Jews as a people. 

Before the temple was desecrated during 

the occupation, the lighting of the menorah, 

a lamp stand with nine branches, was 

a daily event. After the temple was recovered, 

only one container of oil that had not 

been desecrated was discovered – only 

enough for one day. It took eight days to 

press olives into oil. Miraculously, the 

menorah was lit and the oil lasted eight 

days, according to the Babylonian Talmud. 

Chanukah menorahs are meant to be lit 

and placed in a window for all to see. 

For Chabad of Chesterfield, publicly 

displaying the light of Chanukah means 

placing large menorahs on the roofs of 

cars traveling in the 10th annual Menorah 

Car Parade, from Chesterfield Mall to the 

future site of the Chabad Center at 15310 

Conway Road. 

“In the past, we’ve had about 130 cars,” 

Rabbi Avi Rubenfeld, co-founder and 

co-director of Chabad of Chesterfield, 

said. 

Chabad of Chesterfield has also 

developed a radio program that can be 

streamed by participants in the parade. 

“It has little riddles and different activities 

to honk their horns and flash their 

lights. It’s a lot of fun and it adds to the 

ambiance of the experience of riding in 

the parade,” Rubenfeld said. 

At the end of the parade, the Monarch 

Fire Protection District aids in gelt (gold 

foil-covered chocolate coins) being 

dropped from a height of 75 feet over 

the crowd. 

“That’s always a highlight of the 

event,” he said. “I think this year, Chanukah 

– perhaps its message – is more 

timely to both the Jewish world and the 

world at large. Maybe more so than ever 

before. Maybe as much as the original 

Chanukah story. 

“A lot of people don’t know this but 

Chanukah is the first recorded instance of 

religious oppression ever. I’m sure such 

oppression could have existed before. But 

… one nation trying to impose their beliefs 

on another nation, this is the first-ever 

Lighting the menorah at Chanukah 

(Source: Rabbi Avi Rubenfeld) 

recorded story in history and the outcome 

is a beautiful outcome that the few, as we 

say in our prayers on Chanukah, overcame 

the many. 

“The message, of course, is that light 

will always overcome darkness. Especially 

today, people are up in arms and 

they feel you have to fight the darkness 

but you can’t push darkness away. 

Darkness isn’t an entity. It’s a void. 

When it gets dark outside. When you 

might feel like things around you are 

not so safe, this is when you shine your 

light the most. It’s when your light 

reaches the furthest.” 

This year, for the first time Ballwin will 

be joining in publicly acknowledging Chanukah. 

“I’m so excited,” Rubenfeld said. 

“They’re going to be displaying a beautiful 

9-foot menorah in city hall as well as 

in the park at The Pointe. I think these 

will bring a lot of people a big smile.” 

Building community is at the heart of 

the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, which 

began in Russia 250 years ago and today 

reaches every corner of the world. Chabad 

of Chesterfield has programs that are foodoriented, 

social and spiritual. 

Rubenfeld said that about 15% of 

attendees at any given program are not 

born Jewish or even attending to become 

Jewish. They just find the meaning of Chabad 

and its message resonates with them. 

“We like to say that we’re ‘Community 

that’s Family,’” he said. “Everyone is 

welcome. Jews, non-Jews, and one of the 

See CHANUKAH, page 45 

One project pulls out, another to be reconsidered in Wildwood Town Center 

By CATHY LENNY 

McBride Berra Land Company has 

decided to pull its Crestview development 

project planned for Town Center in Wildwood. 

McBride had proposed to build 91 

detached single-family homes with full 

basements and two-car garages on 17.3 

acres on the north side of Crestview Drive 

between Market Drive and Eatherton Road. 

Although the residents living along 

Crestview were eager to sell their properties 

to the developer, many residents were 

opposed to the project citing density and 

traffic concerns. 

McBride was seeking a rezoning of the 

property and an amendment to the regulating 

plan. However, the company would 

have to pay $245,000 for a Traffic Generation 

Assessment (TGA) fee for off-site 

road improvements, dedicate right-of-way 

for the future Main Street and contribute 

a yet undetermined amount to a “special” 

escrow for improvements to Main Street. 

The City Council held a public hearing 

on the project in August. But last month, 

Proposed future site of Latitude N38 

McBride pulled the project. 

Mayor Jim Bowlin believes there were 

likely a few factors involved in that decision, 

one of them being the allocation of 

payment for public improvements connected 

with the project. 

Another controversial project proposed 

for Town Center may get a second chance. 

Developers TB Realty & Development 

and Benton Homebuilders had proposed 

58 single-family attached and detached 

homes to be known as Latitude N38 at 

Eatherton Road and Crestview Drive. 

(Source: Google Maps) 

They had requested a rezoning of the 6.9- 

acre site, along with a planned residential 

development overlay district. 

In September, P&Z voted not to move the 

project forward. However, at the Planning 

and Zoning Commission meeting Nov. 6, 

P&Z voted to reconsider the project, with 

Scott Jackson being the only no vote. 

Tony Bosworth of TB Realty said they 

had made numerous improvements to the 

plan and addressed every item that was 

brought before the commission, including 

density, public space issues, right-of-way 

dedication, light pollution and street terminus 

for turnaround capabilities. 

He said the project has gone from 67 to 

65 to the latest proposal of just 57 homes. 

The Planning Department wrote a favorable 

report on the project, even before the 

latest changes. 

“The department recognizes this project 

is a change. It’s not the 3-acre standard lots 

that, for the most part, people have become 

accustomed to,” said Joe Vujnich, director 

of planning. “This is consistent with the 

Town Center Plan. 

“Our intent is to honor the plan, as developed 

by our volunteers, adopted by the planning 

and zoning commission, and ultimately 

endorsed and ratified by the city council.” 

While many residents are opposed to the 

density and the rental aspect of the project, 

one resident did speak in favor of Latitude 

N38, having seen other Benton Home 

developments. 

“They’re great,” said Jeff Hindman. 

“They’re nice properties. They’re clean, 

expensive cars, really high-end stuff.” 

This project, with its latest revisions, 

will be brought before the commission for 

another vote at its meeting on Dec. 4.

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12 I NEWS I 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


New greenhouse owners plan research and development activities 


A proposal for the operation of agricultural 

activities has residents concerned 

about its effect on the environment. 

Solis Real Estate is seeking a conditional 

use permit (CUP) under the proposed use 

of agricultural research activities for the 

5-acre property on the south side of St. 

Albans Road, west of Hwy. 100. 

Fahr Greenhouse had operated as a family 

business from that site for 70 years. However, 

Solis Real Estate acquired the property, 

with its more than 55,000 square feet of 

greenhouse space, in December 2022. 

During the public hearing at the Wildwood 

Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Commission 

meeting on Nov. 6, representatives 

from Solis Agrosciences discussed plans 

for the facility. 

Solis provides product design and R&D 

services to help plant science companies 

and researchers accelerate the pace of scientific 

discovery and commercialization. 

Mary Fernandes is president and cofounder 

of Solis, which currently operates 

out of the Helix Center Biotech Incubator 

in Creve Couer. 

“Our clients are predominantly small, 

early-stage startup companies,” she said. 

“Much of the work we do occurs in the labs 

and offices at the biotech incubator.” 

According to its website, ag biotech startups 

can outsource many of the complex 

processes and equipment requirements to 

Solis, which will provide the required tools 

and talent for creating and growing genetically 

modified plants. 

Fernandes noted that the company has 

clients across the country and internationally. 

Working with plants requires a certain 

amount of plant growth-related activities 

in controlled environments like plant grow 

chambers and greenhouses, Fernandes said. 

When the company started experiencing 

bottlenecks in greenhouse space, it found 

a solution at Fahr Greenhouse. 

Since purchasing the property, Solis 

has converted about 5,000 square feet of 

greenhouse space to R&D uses, she said. 

A successful retail and wholesale operation, 

Fahr Greenhouse has been wellknown 

in the St. Louis area as growing 

the best quality flowers and garden plants 

since the early 1950s, Fernandes said. Its 

horticulture operations will continue to 

operate there, including the annual poinsettias. 

Patrick (Pat) and Mary Bellrose, former 

Fahr’s horticulture operations will continue 

to operate at its present location, including 

the production of its annual poinsettias. 

(File photo) 

owners of Fahr Greenhouse, were named 

St. Louis County’s Farm Family of the 

Year for 2019. 

Pat said over his professional career, he 

has given presentations to horticulture professionals 

on ways to use less chemicals in 

the commercial production of plants. 

“Our carbon footprint to grow plants is 

way less than most conventional greenhouses,” 

he said. 

With the huge advance in making soils 

better, it caused a dramatic need to change 

how plants would be grown in a more sustainable 

way, Belrose said. 

“The future of agriculture must rely on 

less synthetic fertilizers to grow crops and 

to use less chemicals to control pests in 

those crops,” he said. “To accomplish this 

will take a substantial amount of research 

to make sure the future of the world’s food 

supply is truly sustainable.” 

Dustin Synder, CFO/CEO of Solis, said 

they will not put any labs on the site and do 

not intend to grow cannabis. Although Fahr 

has grown industrial hemp for a number of 

years, it is subject to a number of regulations, 

he said. 

Synder also said the facilities on site will 

not be materially changed, as they will be 

used predominantly for agriculture and 

plant nursery. 

But residents in the area have concerns 

about the use of 24-hour lighting in the 

greenhouses and its effect on wildlife. 

“We have a very large population of deer 

and many other critters that if they are 

allowed to do 24-hour lighting would disappear,” 

said Joe Attea. “Twenty-four-hour 

lighting will disrupt the natural environment.” 

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11/20/23 10:04 AM





I NEWS I 13 

Ballwin honors officers for actions related to armed suspect action 

By JEFFRY GREENBERG 

The Nov. 13 Ballwin Board of Aldermen 

meeting kicked off with an eight-month 

anniversary reminder of a highly memorable, 

but not-so-happy event. 

According to several published news 

sources from that time, four Ballwin police 

officers arrived at 153 Cascade Terrace 

Drive in the early afternoon of March 13. 

It was a follow-up to a morning complaint 

call regarding a woman brandishing a 

handgun in the area. 

The Ballwin Police Department had 

traced the car while the subject was driving, 

but she fled the scene during a stop attempt. 

The immediate pursuit ended there. 

“Sgt. (Joe) Vennemann was waiting at 

the (residential) scene to see if she was 

going to come back,” Capt. Jon Bergfeld 

explained at the recent Ballwin board 

meeting. “When she pulled into her driveway, 

he confronted her. She had a pistol 

in her hand. She had flourished this gun 

before.” 

Venneman then fired two rounds in the 

subject’s direction before the suspect 

entered her residence and reportedly fired 

nine full rounds from a rifle. 

“From the video, I don’t know how she 

missed Sgt. Venneman and the other officers 

who were responding,” Bergfeld said. 

He added that Venneman quickly told the 

other three officers where to set up around 

the house. Bullets were flying past them 

and into the townhouse apartments across 

the street. But the officers maintained their 

composure and pinned the subject in her 

house before the St. Louis County Police 

Tactical Unit arrived. 

After making several attempts to contact 

the subject, they eventually were able to 

enter the barricaded house only to discover 

the female subject suffering from a selfinflicted 

gunshot wound. She was immediately 

transported to an area hospital which 

was unsuccessful in saving her life. 

“Tonight, we have the privilege of recognizing 

our four officers due to their proper 

response and tactics under very stressful 

conditions, specifically from the rifle 

aimed at them. Sgt. Venneman was also 

recognized in October by the St. Louis 

Chapter of ASIS, an international, professional 

organization for security officers. 

They recognized him at their annual luncheon. 

I just wanted to take time to recognize 

all of them. Great job, guys!” 

Ballwin’s employee recognition presentation 

featured the Meritorious Service 

Award being presented to Venneman and 

the Chief’s Accommodation Award given 

to Sgt. Michael Burgoyne and officers 

Ryan Carr and Peter Haupt. 

Freezing weather is coming! 

GREENHOUSE, from previous 

Attea said he is also concerned about 

runoff from the property into Wildhorse 

Creek. He said debris from upstream ends 

up on his property during heavy rains. 

“If a corporation is not held responsible 

for maintaining what waste is allowed to 

fall into the creek, severe jeopardy could 

be a potential downstream,” Attea said. 

He questioned whether the company 

would be monitored for its chemical output. 

Tracy Hinson noted that the main water 

source in the area is independent wells. 

To her concerns, Joe Vujnich, the city’s 

director of planning, said, “Clearly, the 

major concern first and foremost, is 

groundwater in the aquafer. Without a pure 

source of potable water for our residents, 

they can’t live there.” 

Mayor Jim Bowlin suggested that the 

Department of Planning address issues in 

a report for the commission’s next meeting, 

including confirmation that cannabis would 

not be grown at the site, the potential for 

runoff into Wildhorse Creek and its ecological 

impact, lighting issues and traffic. 

Commissioner Vicki Helfrey added that 

noise should be addressed as well. 

No vote was taken on the proposed CUP 

at the meeting. The bill that would allow 

agricultural research and development 

activities as a rural land use also was postponed. 

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14 I NEWS I 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


Wildwood to ease some restrictions 

on rough stretch of Hwy. 100 

Hwy. 100 between Route T (St. Albans Road) and the Franklin County line 

(Source: City Of Wildwood) 

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In an unusual approach to promote safety, 

the city of Wildwood plans to ease traffic 

code enforcement on a stretch of Hwy. 100 

until road improvements are made. 

The temporary suspension of enforcement 

and prosecution applies only to certain 

traffic code provisions, such as drivers 

diverting from their lane to avoid road 

hazards, on the section of road between 

Route T (St. Albans Road) and the Franklin 

County line. 

Recently, the city’s public works department 

conducted an assessment of that 

portion of the road and documented poor 

conditions, such as potholes and loose 

debris, that pose significant hazards to 

motorists. Although the Missouri Department 

of Transportation (MoDOT) plans to 

address the deteriorating condition of the 

road, construction work is not expected to 

begin until 2025. 

“This delay poses a significant risk to the 

safety of our residents and visitors who 

traverse this route regularly,” Rick Brown, 

director of public works, told the city 

council at its Nov. 13 meeting. 

The council ultimately passed the resolution 

authorizing the Wildwood Police to 

employ discretion in enforcing certain sections 

of the traffic code. The resolution also 

encourages the city’s prosecuting attorney 

to exercise discretion when reviewing 

violations on that particular portion of the 

road. 

“For some time, lengthy sections of pavement 

containing outer boundary lines have 

been missing and deteriorated pavement in 

the roadway has to be avoided,” Mayor Jim 

Bowlin said. “Wildwood has recently spent 

– or has commitments to spend – nearly $7 

million of our taxpayer dollars for costshare 

projects on roads in Wildwood that 

are MoDOT’s sole responsibility. We may 

need to rethink this approach.” 

The council also passed a resolution 

encouraging St. Louis County to implement 

improvements to Old State Road and 

to restrict large trucks from using the road 

between Hwy. 109 and Old Fairway Drive. 

According to Bowlin, that portion of Old 

State has sharp horizontal curves, insufficient 

sight distance, lacks adequate stormwater 

drainage and shoulders, and does not 

allow for the safe passage of pedestrians 

and bicyclists. 

To improve safety for pedestrians and 

bicyclists, the city obtained federal funding 

in 2021 and plans to construct a shared-use 

path between Old State Place and Nantucket 

Island Drive beginning in 2024. 

However, some residents don’t believe the 

city has done enough in regard to speeding 

traffic and the safety of motorists, pedestrians 

and bicyclists on Old State. 

James Vanek, of Citizens for A Safer Old 

State, has been pushing for safety along 

Old State since his son was hit while riding 

his bicycle in 2021. He calls Old State the 

most dangerous road in Wildwood. 

“In our ward, we have a serious safety 

issue that’s being mostly ignored by the 

city council and by the county,” he said. 

(Old State is) steep, it’s heavily traveled, 

it has sharp corners, has no shoulders, no 

guard rails and sharp drop-offs. Nobody 

seems too concerned about that issue.” 

He questions why the city agreed to 

spend $1.5 million for J-turns on Hwy. 100 

at Pond Road and Route T. All the money 

goes to the west side of town, he said. 

Council member Lauren Edens (Ward 

2) responded that the J-turn improvement 

project will be done through a cost-share 

program with the state. 

“We’ve repeatedly asked county officials 

to address our residents’ concerns 

and shouldered nearly 40% of the cost of 

a recent safety improvement, along with 

fully funding a shared-use path,” Bowlin 

said. “Some of the requested items have 

minimal cost, and the county should be 

more responsive to these concerns.”



Solar panels approved in Wildwood 

with specific regulations 



I NEWS I 15 


Regulations regarding solar panel systems 

were finally approved in Wildwood. 

Solar energy systems will be permitted as 

an accessory use to single-family and twofamily 

dwellings in all zoning districts in 

the city. 

After numerous requests for conditional 

use permits to install front-facing solar 

panels on rooftops were received, a number 

of public hearings were held on their use. 

Residents spoke out both in favor and 

against them. 

A survey was taken, which found that 

the majority of residents are not opposed to 

front-facing solar panels. 

Under the proposal, front-facing panels 

will be allowed. However, there are a 

number of regulations that must be followed. 

non-functional, it must be removed. 

Integrated solar energy systems, which 

are seamlessly integrated into the building, 

must complement the building materials 

and architectural design of the principal 

structure, including the color. 

Ground-mounted solar energy systems 

are prohibited. 

Frances Babb, an ardent supporter of solar 

energy, believes it is still an “overly restrictive 

ordinance.” 

Referring to her own top-of-the-line solar 

system, she said, “If I had to apply every 

single aspect of your ordinance to my house 

and start ripping off panels in order to be 

compliant with it, I wouldn’t be owning a 

Lamborghini.” 

Babb suggests offering variances for residents 

who want ground-mounted systems 

and allowing panels on accessory structures. 

Landscape, Nursery & Garden Center 

the 1st and 3rd Monday of the Month. 

“If I had to apply every single aspect of your 

ordinance to my house and start ripping 

off panels in order to be compliant with it, I 

wouldn’t be owning a Lamborghini.” 

– Frances Babb 

Prior to installation, modification, 

removal, or disposal of any solar energy 

system, a permit application must be submitted 

to the Department of Planning. 

The removal of woodlands to accommodate 

access to the sun for an existing or 

proposed solar energy system should be 

minimized and comply with all city ordinances 

and regulations. 

Removal of any “Grand Tree,” will only 

be authorized by a permit issued by the 

department and the restoration of its loss 

must occur on the property. 

When located on a sloped roof, building-mounted 

solar energy collectors must 

be positioned in a symmetrical fashion, 

centered on the plane of the roof, installed 

parallel to the roof slope, and not projected 

vertically above the peak of the 

sloped roof. 

All wiring associated with a solar energy 

system must be routed underground or contained 

within a raceway that complements 

the building materials and architectural 

design of the principal structure. 

Solar energy collectors must show reflectivity 

of less than 30% or placed so that 

concentrated sunlight or glare will not be 

directed onto nearby properties or streets. 

Should the solar energy system become 

However, her main concern is requiring 

symmetry of panels on all sides of the home. 

Betsy Vanderheyden agreed. Symmetry 

for solar panels that face the front of the 

house is reasonable but making symmetry 

mandatory on all sides of the house is going 

to make it challenging for residents to get 

the full benefit of the panels, she said. 

“In some cases, the homeowner will be 

unable to generate the kind of power that’s 

needed to make the project feasible; the 

home would be underpowered,” she said. 

“That would cause a resident to not be able 

to get the economic benefits of solar.” 

Joe Vujnich, director of planning, stated 

that “symmetry is a key component of the 

new regulations.” 

However, he said the department intends 

to make reasonable judgments as to what 

should be largely a square or rectangular 

pattern. 

He added that the panels have to be flush 

mounted, no greater than 6 inches off the 

roof surface, have critter guards to hide 

the gaps, have capping support racks, and 

closely match the color of the shingles. 

The City Council gave final approval for 

the new regulations at the Nov. 13 meeting. 

Any CUP already granted will still be 

in effect. 

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16 I SCHOOLS I 



Crestview educator wins prestigious national award 

@WESTNEWSMAG 


Missouri Board of Education members congratulate Missouri recipients Meghan 

Menchella (third from right) and Leah Lawrence (second from right). Also pictured (from 

left) are Stephanie Bishop, board member Pamela Westbrooks-Hodge, Margie Vandeven 

and board member Kerry Casey. 

Meghan Menchella’s eighth-grade social 

studies class is bursting with energy. Between 

transforming her classroom into courtrooms 

and crime scenes to help narrate infamous 

historical events, Menchella always keeps 

students on their toes. But the Crestview 

Middle teacher never dreamed that her dedication 

to making learning fun would lead to 

her making history. And yet, it did. 

On Friday, Nov. 17, Menchella received 

the surprise of a lifetime: an unrestricted 

$25,000 Milken Educator Award. 

The energy was electric as Milken Educator 

Awards Vice President Stephanie 

Bishop and Missouri Commissioner of 

Education Margie Vandeven presented 

Menchella with the national award at an 

all-school assembly. Menchella is the first 

Milken Educator Award recipient in the 

Rockwood School District since 2005. 

“Meghan Menchella shines as a leader, 

educator and storyteller,” said Bishop in 

presenting the award. “History is full of stories; 

it takes the right educator to not only 

share those stories with young learners but 

to also instill a sense of impact. Meghan’s 

engaging instruction encourages students 

to truly delve into history as it stands today. 

I am thrilled to say that Meghan is now a 

part of our Milken Educator Awards history. 

Congratulations!” 

Bishop is a 2001 Virginia Milken Educator. 

The award is made possible annually 

by the Milken Family Foundation. Its 

recipients are considered to be among the 

country’s finest K-12 educators. 

“We are thrilled to have the Milken 

Family Foundation recognize one of Missouri’s 

exceptional teachers with this 

award,” Vandeven said. “The hard work 

that Meghan does every day to help educate 

the whole student in her classroom is 

truly inspiring to see.” 

But Menchella isn’t the only local 

teacher honored by Miliken this year. In 

the St. Charles School District, at Hardin 

Middle, Leah Lawrence was also surprised 

on Nov. 17. 

Hailed as the “Oscars of Teaching,” the 

Miliken Educator Awards were presented 

to 75 recipients nationwide this year. The 

Foundation will present its 3,000th Milken 

Educator Award in 2024 and in 2023-24 will 

reach $75 million in individual financial 

prizes spanning the length of the initiative. 

More than $144 million has been invested 

in the Milken Educator Award national 

network overall, empowering recipients to 

“Celebrate, Elevate and Activate” the K-12 

profession and inspiring young, capable 

people to pursue teaching as a career. 

Menchella believes in getting up close 

and personal with history and has transformed 

her classroom into a crime scene 

during a unit on the Boston Massacre and 

a courtroom to introduce the Salem Witch 

Trials. Students look at evidence, examine 

primary source documents, and analyze 

timelines, reports, letters and pictures to 

reach their own conclusions as to what 

actually happened centuries earlier. 

Always seeking ways for students to see 

themselves in the curriculum, Menchella 

piques students’ interest by reading the 

Declaration of Independence as a romantic 

breakup letter. To prepare for her unit on 

the Civil War, Menchella attended a Black 

history conference, gathered a panel of 

students to offer input on readings and discussion 

topics, and introduced constructive 

See AWARD, page 18 

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I SCHOOLS I 17 

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Senior members of Priory’s Student Council with Haseeb Ahmadi 

and Hugh Tychsen are (from left) AJ Nance, Alex Top, Charlie Wagner, 

Haseeb Ahmadi, Hugh Tychsen, Lance Lavery and Ian Ahlering. 

BULLETIN 

BOARD 

Veterans Day assembly shares 

alumnus’, translator’s story 

On Nov. 14, Hugh Tychsen, a 1999 

graduate of Saint Louis Priory School and 

a Marine Corps veteran, joined his Afghan 

translator, Haseeb Ahmadi, for a special 

assembly in the school’s Kevin Kline Theater. 

The pair talked about the special bond 

they developed when Tychsen was on 

deployment in Afghanistan. Ahmadi spent 

10 years working as a translator with the 

United States military, including its Army 

Airborne and Marie Corps units. 

Tychsen sponsored Ahmadi to get a 

U.S. visa at the end of his combat tour. In 

2017, Ahmadi, his wife and children were 

approved and moved to St. Louis. Today, 

he is an entrepreneur and owns his own 

construction company. 

Both Tychsen and Ahmadi dedicate 

time to help other Afghans. In 2020, they 

sponsored 110 Afghans who they knew 

had worked for the U.S. Marine Corps in 

Afghanistan. So far, 76 Afghans have been 

approved and relocated to St. Louis. 

Winter reading challenge 

begins Dec. 1 

St. Louis County Library’s Winter Reading 

Challenge kicks off Dec. 1 and runs 

through Jan. 31. Last year over 16,800 

people participated in the club, which offers 

incentives and reading opportunities for the 

whole family. Participants can track their 

activities online or by printing a paper log at 

home. Details are available at slcl.org. 

The Winter Reading Challenge offers 

four age categories: Early Reader (0-5), Kid 

(6-12), Teen (13-17) and Adults (18-plus). 

Everyone who completes at least five activities 

will be entered into a prize raffle. Winners 

will be chosen in each age group. 

Raffle prizes include books, toys and gift 

cards. 

Local districts seek 

board candidates 

Both the Parkway and Rockwood school 

districts will have two director positions on 

their respective school boards determined 

in the April 2 Municipal Elections. Residents 

interested in running for one of those 

positions can file their intention beginning 

at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 5 through 5 p.m. 

on Tuesday, Dec. 26. 

In each district, Board of Education 

terms are three years. 

In Parkway, candidates must file in person 

at the St. Louis County Board of Elections, 

725 Northwest Plaza Drive in St. Ann. No 

filing will take place at the district office, 

which is a change from previous years. 

Candidates may file between 8 a.m. and 

4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The 

Board of Election office will be closed on 

Dec. 7 and Dec. 25, and may also close due 

to inclement weather. 

For the first day of filing, a lottery will be 

conducted to determine ballot placement. 

Candidates who file after the first day will 

be listed in order of filing. 

Potential candidates with questions 

should contact Nikki Stover at (314) 415- 

8002 or nstover@parkwayschools.net, or 

the St. Louis County Board of Elections at 

(314) 615-1851. 

The outgoing members of the Parkway 

Board of Education are Matthew Schindler 

and Kevin Seltzer, whose terms expire in 

See BULLETIN BOARD, page 18 

The benefits of exercise have been 

well established for people living with 

Parkinson's Disease (PD). What's 

been found is that not all exercises 

are created equal. 

People with Parkinson's have 

symptoms that affect movement. 

One of the most common is rigidity. 

When someone has rigidity, they will 

have extreme stiffness in one or 

more areas of their body. This 

makes it difficult for them to achieve 

fluid, natural looking movements. 

Another symptom affecting people 

with Parkinson's is bradykinesia, or 

slowness of movement. This can 

impact trying to start a motion as well 

as carry out a movement. 

People with Parkinson's often 

experience lack of coordination with 

their movements. This can result in 

poor balance, falls and difficulty 

carrying out daily tasks. 

Another area that suffers with 

Parkinson's disease is the 

automaticity of certain tasks. This 

means it takes someone with 

Parkinson's more concentration to 

perform simple tasks that the rest of 

us do on "autopilot". 

Exercises specifically designed to 

target these problem areas have 

been very successful in improving 

PD symptoms. This makes it crucial 

to find someone who is trained in 

Parkinson's specific exercises. 

It's common that people have 

symptoms for several years before 

getting an actual diagnosis. So even 

LEARN ABOUT 

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If you are newly diagnosed, you've 

probably been experiencing some 

of these symptoms for several 

months to years. That's why it's 

never too early or too late to start 

exercising. 

Want to learn more about the best 

exercise options for people living 

with PD? Then register to attend 

our “Parkinson's and Exercise” 

Talk at HouseFit. During this FREE 

Community Talk we will cover: 

Why you shouldn't accept 

losing your independence with 

PD. 

How intense exercise helps you 

slow the progression. 

How exercise can improve your 

balance and even prevent falls. 

Why everyone with PD needs 

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Why PWR!Moves are a great 

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When: Fri, December 8th at 2:30 

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*Attend in-person or join us online 

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Saint Louis, MO 63125 

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info@housefitstl.com 

HouseFit www.housefitstl.com

18 I SCHOOLS I 



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BULLETIN BOARD, from page 17 

April 2024. 

In Rockwood, residents may file their 

candidacy at the school district’s Administrative 

Center, 111 E. North St. in Eureka. 

Candidates may file Monday through 

Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., except for 

Dec. 22 and Dec. 25, when the Administrative 

Center is closed for the holiday, on 

any day the center is closed due to inclement 

weather, or any other emergency. The 

center will be open for candidate filing 

from 2-5 p.m. on Dec. 26. 

Candidates with questions can contact 

the Rockwood superintendent’s office at 

(636) 733-2005. 

The outgoing members of the Rockwood 

Board of Education are Jamie Bayes and 

Tamara Jo Rhomberg, whose terms expire 

in April 2024. 

Candidates must be a citizen of the 

United States, who has resided in the 

school district and state for a minimum of 

one year immediately preceding the election 

and be at least 24 years of age. 

Local nurses recognized 

for excellence 

Westridge Elementary nurse Angie Oest 

has been named SLSSNA’s 2023 School 

Nurse of the Year. A national board-certified 

school nurse, this is Oest’s seventh year at 

Westridge in the Rockwood School District. 

Previously, she was a nurse in the Kirkwood 

School District for two years. 

“I feel grateful to have the opportunity to 

serve my community and for the people who 

support me,” Oest said. “I wouldn’t be able 

to do what I do if it wasn’t for the support I 

get from my school staff, teachers, administrators, 

school nurse colleagues, district lead 

AWARD, from page 16 

nurse, the Westridge 

community, the district 

and my family.” 

Each year, SLSSNA 

recognizes one school 

nurse who has demonstrated 

excellence in 

school nursing practice 

and leadership in 

school health. 

“It has been evident 

through nominations 

and letters of recommendation 

that Nurse 

Oest deserves this 

award,” said Meagan 

Lozano, SLSSNA president 

and awards committee 

chairperson. 

@WESTNEWSMAG 


Angie Oest 

Lisa Munch 

Oest will be recognized at a dinner 

conference later this month in Maryland 

Heights. She is now eligible for the Missouri 

School Nurse of the Year award from 

the Missouri Association of School Nurses. 

In Parkway, Lisa Munch, the school nurse 

at Henry Elementary, has been selected 

for the St. Louis Suburban School Nurses’ 

Association’s (SLSSNA) Rising Star Award. 

The award recognizes new school nurses 

who have impacted their school or community 

as emerging leaders in school nursing. 

Munch’s nominations said, “She is such 

a wealth of knowledge for students, families, 

and staff, which makes everyone feel 

at ease and comfortable ... Her years of 

experience and role as a practitioner allow 

her to provide excellent care to the students 

... Lisa is very connected in the community 

due to her extensive background, which 

allows her to have a bank of resources to 

share with families ... She is very passionate 

about keeping everyone in our school 

healthy and well!” 

discussions skills to her 140 students. Her 

approach delivers and her students outperform 

the district on eighth-grade U.S. history 

assessments. 

Encouraging schoolwide collaboration, 

Menchella leads Crestview’s grade-level U.S. 

history professional learning community and 

sits on the school leadership and district 

social studies curriculum teams. She runs 

professional development for second-year 

teachers on best assessment practices, opens 

her classroom for observation and works 

with pre-service teachers. She also scaffolds 

instruction across all learning levels to ensure 

that each student has the opportunity to succeed 

in her class and beyond. 

She is a co-leader of the National Junior 

Honor Society and Crestview’s Leader 

in Me Student Lighthouse Team. She 

also guides a mentor program that connects 

each student with a Crestview staff 

member and has coordinated the school’s 

eighth-grade trip to Washington, D.C. 

In 2016, she earned her Bachelor of Arts 

degree in middle school education, with 

an emphasis on social studies, from Lindenwood 

University. In 2018, she earned 

a Master of Science degree in education 

from Southwest Baptist University. 

As a Milken Educator Award honoree, 

Menchella will attend an all-expenses-paid 

forum in Los Angeles in June 2024, where 

she will have the chance to network with her 

new colleagues as well as veteran Milken 

Educators and other education leaders. 

Since the $25,000 cash award is unrestricted, 

recipients can use the money in 

diverse ways. Some recipients have spent 

the funds on their children’s or their own 

continuing education, financing dream 

field trips, establishing scholarships and 

even adopting children.

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2023 

Holiday Gift Guide 

It doesn’t get Goodr than this 

❄ 

A pair of Goodr sunglasses from Seliga Shoes 

is one way to get in good with your favorite 

runner, golfer, style guru or sun worshipper. 

They come in so many colors and styles there is 

the perfect pair for every pair of peepers. They 

are Polarized to reduce light glare and eyestrain 

which improves vision and safety in the sun. 

Check out all the fun and funny styles at www. 

seligashoes.com/collections/eyewear. 

The perfect gift for any tree 

❄ 

Give the gift that will become a 

treasured part of Christmas each year; 

choose fine European handcrafted 

glass, Christopher Radko ornaments 

at Mary Tuttles. The colorful whimsical 

characters are the perfect choice to 

fascinate children and make adults 

smile. Make your tree a sparkling 

centerpiece for years to come or start a 

new collection for someone you love. 

Seliga Shoes 

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Give a gift from The Hill and get one too 

❄ 

What could be a better gift than an authentic Italian 

dining experience from Favazza’s Restaurant on The 

Hill? Getting one of your own. For every purchase 

of $100 in gift cards, the givers will get a $30 gift 

certificate of their own. Generations of St. Louis 

families who have made Favazza’s the place for their 

finest celebrations can’t be wrong. Now celebrating its 

45th year, Favazza’s will fill your plate with the finest 

steaks, pasta, salads, seafood and more. 

Favazza’s 

5201 Southwest Ave. • St. Louis 

(314) 772-4454 • www.favazzas.com 

Mary Tuttle’s - The Art of Living 

17021 Baxter Road • Chesterfield 

636-728-0480 • www.marytuttles.com 

It shows in the shine 

❄ 

Not everything that shines is a diamond; sometimes it’s a vehicle just 

leaving Auto Spa Etc. A gift card or membership from Auto Spa Etc. will 

also give your auto enthusiast a glittering smile. Choose from full service 

washes; step up to full detailing or give the ultimate gift – an Unlimited 

Wash Club membership. Find your gift package online or stop in at Auto 

Spa Etc. in Ellisville. Auto Spa Etc. has the wash that’s “clearly better, it 

shows in the shine.” 

Auto Spa Etc. 

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WEST NEWSMAGAZINEI HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 21 

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22 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE I 





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Best of all, Rick’s Ace Hardware has them. Somebody you know is 

ready to grill, whatever the weather. Buy them a Big Green Egg. 

An electric bike for your spouse? 

❄ 

Give the gift of adventure, outdoors, travel 

and a healthy lifestyle with an electric bike 

from Pedego – St. Louis. Whether your giftee 

is a commuter, a weekend cyclist or mountain 

biker, Pedego has the right bike for the right 

ride. Pedego makes a complete line of electric 

bikes to easily find a perfect fit for each rider’s 

needs and personal style. Take a test drive, 

(and buy two). 

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Rick’s Ace Hardware 

21 Lamp & Lantern Village • Chesterfield 

(636) 386-7733 • www.acehardware.com/store-locator 

Fine jewelry for that someone special 

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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Trust the knowledgeable staff at Barry Hyatt Jeweler for your next 

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The team members at Barry Hyatt Jeweler can also create custom 

pieces that say “You are uniquely special.” Get inspired. Come in and 

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what they really want for Christmas this year. 

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26 I 



By JESSICA BAUMGARTNER 

@WESTNEWSMAG 


On the Bookshelf: 

Local authors’ books worth gifting 

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Every year dozens of local authors 

release a wide range of books on topics that 

are close at hand and deep in their imaginations. 

Either way, a book is a journey that 

begins with the flip of the first page. 

Among the latest titles from these local 

authors, you might find a journey you want 

to take or one you want to share as a gift 

this holiday season. 

NON-FICTION 

In “Walking South City: A Journey 

Through Historic St. Louis Neighborhoods,” 

Jim Merkel sets out on a walk 

that takes him block-by-block through the 

tales of history and community in South St. 

Louis. Along the way, he ponders how the 

area has changed over time. Join him as he 

interviews some of the unique characters 

and leaders who help maintain the city, 

encounters quirky stores and restaurants, 

and enjoys beautiful scenery in parks and 

on restored streets. 

Merkel loves St. Louis, possibly because 

one branch of his history-loving family 

moved there before the Civil War. A longtime 

local journalist and author, he always 

finds hope in the underdogs – in neighborhoods 

that have come back to life after 

decades of decline and people whose love 

for their homes and neighbors remains 

steadfast. 

Merkel has written five books about the 

Gateway City, including “Hoosiers and 

Scrubby Dutch: St. Louis’ South Side.” His 

books are available at jimmerkelthewriter. 

com and through local publisher Reedy 

Press (reedypress.com), where you will 

find plenty of other local authors. 

“The Gateway Arch: An Illustrated 

Timeline” by John C. Guenther, FAIA, 

LEED AP seeks to “connect the dots” of 

history and take readers on a journey of discovery 

not unlike the one Lewis and Clark 

through key events, assisted by historic 

images. Readers can enjoy a chronological 

look at the historic foundations of the Jefferson 

National Expansion Memorial, starting 

from the very beginning: when the Louisiana 

territory was controlled by France. 

As the “Gateway to the West,” St. Louis 

has served a central role in U.S. history. It 

was here that Lewis and Clark began their 

Corps of Discovery Expedition (1804– 

1806) and steamboats docked during the 

country’s Golden Age of Steamboating. St. 

Louis is also where the Missouri-Pacific 

Railroad began, in 1849, to forge a path to 

the west coast. 

An architect who has produced a distinguished 

body of architecture that contributes 

significantly to the built environment, 

Guenther explains how Eero Saarinen’s 

Gateway Arch became a powerful and 

symbolic expression of westward exploration. 

With projects ranging from the adaptive 

reuse of historic landmarks to new 

projects that fit into their physical, environmental, 

social and historical context, 

Guenther is uniquely qualified to write on 

the intersection of history and architecture. 

Furthermore, he serves as the president of 

the Society of Architectural Historians – St. 

Louis Chapter and co-founded and taught 

Mid-Century Modernism in St. Louis 1930- 

1970 at Washington University in St. Louis. 

His book can be found at reedypress.com. 

In another journey through history, 

authors Cameron Collins and Dennis Dillion 

revisit some of the “Lost Treasures of 

St. Louis.” Their latest work is the second 

edition of “Lost Treasures” and features 

130 new memories of the people, places 

and things that are woven into the identity 

of St. Louis and her citizens. 

Chock full of photos, this beautiful 

coffee table book makes a perfect gift for 

anyone whose ever said, “Do you remember 

…?” or “Remember when ….” With 

help from Collins and Dillion, readers can 

travel back to places they thought they had 

forgotten and discover quirky St. Louis 

history that to them is new. 

“Lost Treasures of St. Louis” is another 

offering from Reedy Press (reedypress. 

com), which is known for its impressive, 

photo-centric histories. 

In “Convinced? Decisive Answers to 

the 21 Most Challenging Questions,” coauthors 

Dan Manternach and C.J. Rysen





I 27 

take readers through more than four years 

of research into scientific proof, historical 

records and reasoned logic on the way to 

answering 21 of the most often asked and 

difficult questions challenging Christianity. 

The duo points to a “cosmic harmony of 

science, scripture and reason” that they say 

even the most ardent 

skeptic will find hard to 

deny. “In fact,” Rysen 

says, “Our research is 

so well-documented 

with over 400 annotations 

and references 

that the onus will be on 

the skeptic to keep an 

open mind and remain 

intellectually honest 

with themselves.” 

Manternach and 

Rysen say you don’t 

have to replace intellectual 

honesty with 

“blind faith” to believe 

the Bible is divinely 

inspired and without 

error. But the two 

retired executives 

invite readers to judge 

for themselves. Their book can be found at 

BarnesandNoble.com and Amazon.com. 

“And Then You Went Missing,” is a 

self-help guide that encourages readers to 

take a good hard look at the relationships 

that cause them unhappiness and consider 

what they can do to find serenity regardless 

of the choices of other people. 

Drawing on her personal experiences 

and those from her coaching practice, 

Sonja Meyrer leads readers on a journey of 

rediscovery as she reveals the avenues she 

explored in finding strength, courage and 

her best self. Meyrer provides readers with 

practical tools to help set boundaries and 

protect what matters most. 

A certified professional recovery coach, 

Meyrer is well-versed in helping people 

navigate difficult relationships. She said 

she wrote this book because a workshop 

participant asked her to do so. In its creation, 

she wanted to provide a step-by-step 

action plan for preparing to set firm, lifechanging 

boundaries that last.” Her book 

is available through sonjamcoaching.com. 

FICTION 

In her latest work of historical fiction, 

author Pat Whaler weaves a story around 

the life of self-taught artist Rose O’Neill, 

who traveled from the Midwest to New 

York in 1893, determined to become an 

illustrator in a field dominated by men. 

Mindful of her duty to the impoverished 

family she left behind, Rose’s obligations 

require her to yield to the men who hold 

the reins of her career. 

Yet despite the obstacles facing her, she 

excels at her craft, eventually designing a 

new character, the Kewpie, from which the 

Kewpie Doll was born. 

“The Rose of Washington Square” 

gives insight into a woman that readers will 

not soon forget: illustrator, artist, writer, 

suffragist, and philanthropist – all brought 

to life masterfully by 

Whaler. In September, 

“The Rose of Washington 

Square” won the 

Missouri Writers Guild 

Show Me Your Best 

Award. In August it 

was long-listed for the 

esteemed Chanticleer 

Goethe Book Award. 

In May, it was named 

a finalist in the Readers’ 

Choice Book awards. 

An avid reader since 

childhood, Whaler says 

writing became a reality 

for her when editors 

began to accept her stories 

a dozen or so years 

ago. Today, she has 

eight published works 

– two historical novels, 

two in the holiday fiction category and a 

three-part romance series. Locally her 

books are available at Main Street Books, 

307 S. Main St. in historic Saint Charles, 

and at the usual places online. Learn more 

at patwhaler.com. 

It’s the 1890s and young entertainers 

Billy Brannigan and Daniel Baron are 

on the road to fame and fortune but not 

without some misadventures and mayhem 

along the way. In “Baron & Brannigan: 

Book 1, Song and Dance” by Ed Farber, 

unexpected detours take the young duo 

from Doc Noble’s Midwest medicine show 

to a traveling minstrel show and finally 

the gas-lit stages of old New York’s gaudy 

music halls and vaudeville theaters. 

As they hone their song and dance act, 

they mix with talented performers, zany 

songwriters and popular celebrities of the 

era including champion boxer John L. Sullivan. 

Both find romance. Billy squires 

beautiful Lily Langford and Danny pines 

for Claire Noble, but each discovers that 

love, like life, seldom follows the chosen 

path. 

At age 91, Farber says age is no reason 

to slow down if you are mentally alert. In 

addition to writing, the Creve Coeur resident 

is an accomplished artist whose paintings 

have been included in numerous St. 

Louis Artists Guild exhibitions and hang 

in private collections. Visit edfarberauthor. 

com to buy his book and learn more. 

St. Charles resident Linda Alcorn says 

she enjoys adventuring through her imagi- 

See ON THE BOOKSHELF, page 28 

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ON THE BOOKSHELF, from page 27 

nation. But what’s an adventure –real or 

imagined – without a furry friend alongside? 

Alcorn drew from her own “dog 

mom” adventures in penning “Don’t Bark 

to Strangers,” the story of Chip, an Australian 

Shepherd puppy who turns the life 

of his owner, Sinclair, (and her trash can) 

upside down. 

Chip changed everything for Sinclair, 

her family and her moody cat. But he made 

them all a little crazy. So, in her quest to be 

the best dog mom ever, Sinclair came up 

with a unique idea. She decided to start a 

Ruff Life therapy business for pet parents. 

She’s unlicensed and a little unhinged, but 

her clients love talking to her, and to each 

other, about their furry family members. 

You can bet they have some hilarious stories 

to share. 

“Don’t Bark to Strangers” is available on 

amazon.com. 

KIDS & YOUNG ADULTS 

In 2021, Michael Kleckner published 

“Mike’s Unforgettable St. Louis History,” 

a book for adults. But why should grownups 

have all the fun? 

As he tucked his 5-year-old son into 

bed one night, Kleckner decided to write 

“Mike’s Unforgettable St. Louis History, 

For Kids.” Kids and their grown-ups will 

enjoy historical photos alongside whimsical 

illustrations that bring history to life. 

From the humorous origins 

of favorite foods 

to animals escaping 

from the zoo, Kleckner 

shares fun stories from 

St. Louis history. Learn 

more at mikesunforgettablestlouis.com. 

J.M. Gulmire is a kid 

at heart with a house 

full of critters and 

elves (aka children). 

She wrote “Kay-9 the 

Robot Dog” because 

the elves begged her 

for a story about robot 

dogs. Upon searching 

through mountains of 

books and so many web 

pages that the computer 

revolted, she found nothing. 

When the dust settled there was nothing 

in children’s fiction, nonfiction, or unfinished 

fiction about a robot dog, so Kay-9 

jumped onto the page demanding belly 

rubs and bolts, Gimire says. 

In “Kay-9 the Robot Dog,” Gulmire 

tells the story of Ryan, a lonely only child 

whose dad is away serving in the military. 

Ryan can’t have pets and all he wants is a 

dog. So he decides to make one. He loves 

computers and building 

things, but everyone 

thinks he’s just playing 

around, making a toy. 

Ryan focuses on creating 

the best Kay-9 he 

can but can he prove 

that his robot dog isn’t 

just a toy? Find out for 

yourself. “Kay-9 the 

Robot Dog” is available 

on amazon.com. 

In “Lexi’s Gift,” 

John R. Stoeffler 

founder of the “Sweet 

Dreams Pillow” tells 

the story of a little girl 

named Lexie, whose 

best friend’s father is 

in the Army and called 

to active duty. Susan is so sad that her 

dad will miss her birthday and Christmas 

and won’t be there to hug, kiss and 

tuck her in at bedtime. Lexie wishes she 

could do something to comfort Susan 

while her father is away. With a little help, 

she makes the perfect present for Susan: 

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a pillow on which her father’s picture is 

printed. Susan is thrilled, and the girls 

decide to make more picture pillows for 

military kids. In doing so they discover it 

is more fun to give than to receive. 

Illustrated by Jeanine-Jonee Keith, 

“Lexie’s Gift” is available at amazon.com 

and barnesandnoble.com. 

In “Oceans of Sand,” award-winning 

young adult fantasy author Jessica Flory 

shares the story of a young woman whose 

desert world has always been treacherous 

but now is plagued by an unnatural 

famine that threatens to destroy all. 

Norah is chosen with her best friend, 

Zadock, to sail across an ocean of sand 

in search of an artifact that could end the 

famine. 

Caught in a crossfire between forbidden 

feelings, an unforgiving desert, and starving 

nations willing to do anything to survive, 

Norah and Zadock discover the true 

meaning of sacrifice and the power that 

love has to heal the world. 

Flory uses her bachelor’s degree in 

molecular biology from Bringham Young 

University-Provo to dream up cool settings 

and magic systems. She is a proud member 

of the Hot Mess Writers Critique Group 

since 2013. Her books are available at 

amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. 

5 90% 

. 

APR* 

Year 1 & 2: Fixed Rate of 5.90% 

Year 3: Fixed Rate of 6.25% 

Year 4: Fixed Rate of 6.70% 

Issued By 

Wells Fargo & 

Company 

4 Yr. Step-UP Note 

Investment Rating: A1 / BBB+ 

Final Maturity Date: 11/24/2027 

First Callable Date: 11/24/2024 

*Subject to Availability. The Annual Percentage Rate (APR) represents the interest earned through each eligible 

call date based on simple interest calculations, an investment price of $1000 per corporate bond, and is accurate 

as of November 20, 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 24-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 36-months from issuance, the interest rate will then increase to 6.70%, 

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 

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For Complete Details, Call: 

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Securities and Investment Advisory Services offered through Cutter & Company, Inc. Member FINRA, SIPC. Patterson Wealth Management, 

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I SPORTS I 29 

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7-0141 

11/2023 

The state champion Westminster Christian Academy Wildcats (Photo provided) 

SPORTS 

BRIEFS 

By WARREN MAYES 

High school football 

The Westminster Christian Academy 

Wildcats traveled to Orchard Farm to battle 

the Eagles for the MSHSAA Class 3 District 

3 championship and won with a 36-30 

decision. 

A touchdown pass from senior quarterback 

Shepard Nye to junior tight end 

Peter Kats gave Westminster a 7-0 lead. 

However, the Eagles swiftly responded 

with two scores to lead 16-7. In the second 

quarter, the Eagles increased their lead 

with another touchdown before freshman 

quarterback Will Powers connected with 

senior receiver Devin Coulter for a 20-yard 

touchdown. Orchard Farm answered and 

added a final touchdown before halftime, 

widening their lead to 30-14. 

Midway through the third, Powers 

found senior receiver Caden Collison for 

his second passing touchdown of the day. 

A successful 2-point conversion came 

from a short pass to senior running back 

Chris Heard. 

Following an interception by Coulter, the 

Wildcats capitalized with another scoring 

drive, highlighted by a 15-yard touchdown 

run by Heard. The Wildcats reclaimed the 

lead for the first time since the first quarter 

after Nye found Coulter on the sideline who 

scored with about 5 minutes left in the game. 

• • • 

The Eureka Wildcats captured the Class 

5 District 2 championship with a 35-17 win 

over the Summit Falcons. 

Sophomore running back Trevor Codak 

scored five touchdowns to spark the Wildcats. 

Codak rushed for 159 yards on 20 carries 

in the win. 

“Number 27 is a young sophomore and 

what a game he had,” Eureka coach Jake 

Sumner said about his talented running 

back. “Mr. Trevor Codak just grew up 

tonight. Five touchdowns. We have challenged 

him all season to grow up and he 

has. The moment found him tonight.” 

Eureka improved to 10-3 with the win. 

Summit ended its season with a 10-1 record. 

• • • 

In a battle of defending state champions, 

CBC defeated Francis Howell 28-27 to 

win the Class 6 District 2 championship at 

Francis Howell. 

CBC, last year’s Class 6 champion, 

slipped past the Vikings, who won the 

Class 5 title last fall with an undefeated 

season. It was the sixth consecutive victory 

for the Cadets (9-2) since they suffered a 

49-14 home loss to Metro Catholic Conference 

rival De Smet Jesuit on Sept. 22. 

CBC led 21-14 at halftime. The Vikings 

tied the game at 11:57 of the fourth quarter. 

The Cadets went up 28-21 when junior AJ 

Johnson scored on a three-yard run with 

6:34 to play. 

The Vikings scored with 4:50 to play 

when quarterback Adam Shipley scored on 

a 66-yard run. A penalty on the extra point 

attempt put the ball on the 1-yard line and 

Francis Howell went for two points. The 

run failed and CBC hung on to win. 

• • • 

The De Smet Jesuit Spartans beat Metro 

Catholic Conference rival St. Louis University 

High 19-13 to claim the Class 6 

District 3 championship. 

Junior defensive lineman Quincy Byas 

recorded a sack on fourth down with 2 

minutes, 15 seconds to play to preserve the 

lead for the Spartans. 

De Smet (9-1) got two touchdowns from 

junior quarterback Dylan Duff. He scored 

on an 18-yard run in the third quarter. In 

the fourth quarter, he ran in from 33 yards 

for a score. 

The Spartans also got two field goals 

from Ethan Wehmueller, who successfully 

made kicks from 31 and 33 yards in the 

first half. 

High school girls volleyball 

The Lafayette Lancers won the Class 5 

state volleyball championship. It was the 

program’s eighth title overall. 

Lafayette scored a 25-22, 25-18, 25-16 

sweep of Francis Howell in the title match 

at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. 

The victory capped a 36-2 campaign. 

Coach Zach Young has coached the 

Lancers in seven of the program’s championship 

seasons. He believes this year’s 

team is among the best he has guided. 

“This is the eighth state championship 

for our program and this team is one of 

the most talented groups we’ve ever had,” 

Young said. “We finished ranked first in the 

state, ranked 13th in the country by USA 

Today, and ranked 17th in the country by 

MaxPreps. 

“However, what really made this team 

special was their acceptance of roles and 

each other, their grit and confidence, and 

the fun they brought to the gym each day. 

This was a very enjoyable team to coach 

and I’m so happy for them to finish on top.” 

He said the veterans did a fantastic job 

welcoming newcomers on varsity and leading 

by example. 

In two matches, junior Maya Witherspoon 

had 35 kills (21 in the championship 

See SPORTS, page 30

30 I SPORTS I 



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SPORTS, from page 29 

matches), six aces and 20 digs. Senior Allison 

Risley recorded 16 kills and 30 digs. 

Senior Alyssa Nelson had 70 assists and 

27 digs. Senior Mia Moser had 32 service 

receptions with zero errors and 28 digs. 

Senior Megan Skaggs had 22 digs and 34 

service receptions with three errors. Freshman 

Shaye Witherspoon had 18 kills and 

hit .514. 

Middles Ellie Emms, a senior, and Kira 

Dufner, a junior, combined for 16 kills hitting 

.500 and seven blocks. Junior Megan 

Mushick has some key serving runs and 

senior Jayden Wiese, who is coming off a 

knee injury, brought a spark off the bench 

for some big points at key times. 

“Ellie Emms, Mia Moser, Alyssa Nelson, 

Allison Risley, Megan Skaggs, and Jayden 

Wiese have left their legacy on our program 

with their work ethic, talent, leadership, 

grit, personality and inclusiveness,” 

Youing said. “We are thankful to have had 

them in the Lafayette volleyball program 

and wish them well in their bright futures.,” 

• • • 

The Red Knights recently won their 12th 

girls volleyball state championship, their 

first since 2005. 

Incarnate Word earned a 25-15, 25-23, 

25-20 victory against St. Pius X in the 

Class 4 title match played at the Show Me 

Center in Cape Girardeau. The two teams 

met during the regular season with the 

Red Knights winning that 

match in three sets. 

The victory was redemption 

for the Red Knights 

after losing in the Class 4 

girls volleyball state championship 

last season. 

Junior Tara Greenberry, 

a 6-foot-3 middle blocker 

and University of Houston 

commitment, sparked the 

Red Kinghts. Greenberry 

recorded 22 kills, five 

block assists, and three 

aces in a four-set semifinal 

victory against St. Michael 

Maddie Lang 

the Archangel before recording 17 kills, 

two block solos and three block assists in 

the victory against St. Pius X. She attacked 

at a .444 clip in the semifinal with only two 

errors on 45 attempts, and she had only 

four errors on 34 attempts in the final for a 

.382 hitting percentage. 

Junior Ellie Witthaus recorded 10 kills. 

Junior Sammi Bergjans had 34 assists for 

the Red Knights. 

Incarnate Word finished with a 31-10-1 

record. 

The championship concluded a big 

season for Greenberry. She set the singlematch 

program record with 29 kills on 

Sept. 7 against Nerinx Hall and eclipsed 

1,000 kills in her career during a match on 

@WESTNEWSMAG 


Sept. 14 against Villa Duchesne. 

High school boys soccer 

After a nine-year wait, the Westminster 

Christian Academy Wildcats are district 

champions once again. 

Westminster won the Class 2 District 2 

title with a 1-0 win over the Clayton Greyhounds. 

The first half was a defensive battle, 

with sophomore keeper Jacob Stinebaker 

making many saves, keeping the Wildcat 

goal unbreached in the first half. 

Only four minutes into the second half, 

junior Austin McCarthy slipped a perfect 

through ball to senior Levi Weik, who 

found the net to take a 1-0 lead for the 

Wildcats. 

The Greyhounds had their opportunities, 

placing 13 of their 16 shots on target. 

However, they found themselves thwarted 

by Stinebaker. 

• • • 

The CBC Cadets earned the Class 4 District 

2 title with a 1-0 win over De Smet, 

improving their record to 17-2. 

The game’s lone goal was scored in 

the first half by senior Dominic Bartoni. 

Keeper Sam Scott recorded the shutout. 

High school girls softball 

The Parkway West Longhorns finished 

fourth in Class 4 championship. The losses 

at state dropped Parkway 

West to a 22-11 season 

record. 

On the way to state, the 

Longhorns won their first 

district championship since 

1997. The team also won 

its quarterfinal game, propelling 

them to their sixth 

Final Four appearance; 

their first since winning the 

Class 4A championship in 

1993. 

“What a season,” coach 

Andrew Jett said. “What a 

great group of girls. I can’t 

say this enough, these girls deserved to go 

on this run. I am so proud of all of them.” 

More college signings 

Here are some additional athletes who 

signed their college letters of intent in 

November: 

• Parkway West senior Maddie Lang will 

swim for William Jewell College. 

• Parkway Central senior Skyye Lee will 

run track and field at the University of 

Florida. 

• Parkway North senior Eli Trittinger will 

play baseball at Lindenwood. 

• MICDS senior Ella Etherington will 

play field hockey at Saint Louis University.



News & Notes 

By LISA RUSSELL 

Preventing holiday falls 

For older adults and those who care for 

them, the holidays can quickly turn from 

joyful to disastrous due to an accidental 

fall. According to data from the Centers for 

Disease Control and Prevention, emergency 

departments record about 20 million visits a 

year due to fall injuries… and the number of 

falls generally reaches its peak in December. 

Many falls that occur at this time of year 

can be prevented with a little thoughtful 

planning, however. Following are some 

tips from the University of Chicago’s 

Successful Aging and Frailty Evaluation 

(SAFE) Clinic for making your home as 

“fall-safe” as possible this holiday season. 

Decorating hazards: Using a ladder to 

string holiday lights or hang ornaments 

is a major cause of the deadliest fall accidents. 

It’s important to ask for help or hire 

assistance for aging loved ones who plan 

to continue those decorating traditions this 

year. The lights themselves can also cause 

disorientation that leads to a fall for those 

living with Alzheimer’s or dementia, so 

avoid using flashing, twinkling, or animated 

lights to prevent possible injuries. 

Tripping hazards: While it’s customary to 

display gifts underneath the tree, this creates 

a risk for trips and falls, so keep them off the 

floor if possible. Electrical cords connected 

to trees and other lighted items also create 

major tripping hazards if not secured out 

of the way. Floor decorations such as trains, 

rugs, figurines and other holiday items can 

significantly increase fall risks as well, so be 

mindful to keep these items out of walkways 

and leave plenty of room for older residents 

and holiday guests to navigate. 

Outdoor hazards: Keep sidewalks, 

driveways and steps clear of decorations. 

In bad weather, clear any ice and snow and 

make sure surfaces are well-salted. Provide 

ample exterior lighting to allow visitors 

to clearly see where they are stepping 

and walking. 

Party hazards: At gatherings, make 

sure any spills are cleaned up promptly to 

minimize the risk of slip-and-fall accidents. 

Keep an eye on household pets and small 

children so they don’t get underfoot when 

larger groups are together. Be mindful as 

well that some older adults who have a holiday 

cocktail or two could become dizzy and 

fall, especially if they take medications that 

interact with alcohol. 

If you or someone in your household 

does take a fall, don’t let the fact that it’s a 

holiday delay you from seeking treatment, 

Using a ladder to hang decorations creates 

is one of several fall risks facing older adults 

during the holiday season. (Adobe Stock photo) 

the clinic’s experts say. Complications 

such as head injuries, internal bleeding or 

fractures are more serious for older adults 

and should be treated immediately. 

Beware of ‘phantom hackers’ 

Complex financial scams primarily targeting 

seniors are rising all over the U.S., 

according to a recent FBI public service 

announcement. Unfortunately, many victims 

of so-called “phantom hackers” have 

lost some or even all of their retirement 

savings as a result – with an average loss 

of more than $30,000. 

Between January and July of 2023 alone, 

about 19,000 complaints related to this 

specific type of fraud were filed with the 

FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. 

These scams comprised losses of more 

than $542 million, an increase of 40% over 

similar crimes reported in all of 2022 – and 

there may be many more victims who have 

not yet come forward, the agency stated. 

The multi-layered scams involve groups 

of criminals posing as technology professionals, 

financial institution representatives, 

and government employees and are 

usually carried out in three phases. 

First, scammers posing as tech support 

representatives from legitimate companies 

contact victims via phone call, text, email 

or computer pop-up window, informing 

them that their information may have been 

compromised. When they call a provided 

number for “assistance,” they are directed to 

download a software program which allows 

the scammers access to their computer… 

and in many cases, they also give the criminals 

access to their financial accounts. 

The scam is then turned over to fraudu- 

See MATURE FOCUS, page 32 



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32 I MATURE FOCUS I 



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MATURE FOCUS, from page 31 

lent “representatives” of the victims’ banks 

or investment or brokerage firms, who tell 

them their funds have been accessed by foreign 

hackers and must be moved into “safe” 

third-party accounts, such as with the Federal 

Reserve. They are directed to transfer 

money via wire transfer, cash or cryptocurrency, 

sometimes in multiple transactions 

and often directly to overseas recipients. 

They are directed not to tell anyone 

about these transactions … and if they 

become suspicious, they are also contacted 

by scammers posing as representatives of 

the U.S. government. This part of the scam 

may also include an official-looking letter 

or email to calm their suspicions. 

The FBI has requested that anyone in the 

area who believes they have been targeted 

by phantom hackers, or who may have been 

a victim, contact both its local St. Louis 

field office at (314) 231-4324 and the Crime 

Complaint Center (www.ic3.gov), including 

as much information as possible. 

FBI ‘don’ts’ for 

avoiding financial fraud 

1. Don’t click on unsolicited computer 

pop-ups, as well as links or attachments 

in text messages and emails. 

2. Don’t call any phone number provided 

in a pop-up, text or email provided 

for your “assistance.” 

3. Don’t download computer software 

at the request of an unknown individual. 

4. Don’t let any unknown person have 

control of your computer, no matter 

what company they claim to represent. 

5. Don’t send money via wire transfer 

to foreign accounts, cryptocurrency 

or gift or prepaid cards at the instruction 

of someone you don’t know. 

Where’s the inflammation? 

Health warnings about red meat have 

become common in recent years, as medical 

and nutrition experts point to it as a 

@WESTNEWSMAG 


The FBI recently warned of a steep increase in “phantom hacker” scams which primarily 

target seniors. 

(Adobe Stock photo) 

source of inflammation. In turn, many of 

those experts have said, the inflammatory 

effects of eating red meat can increase the 

risk for many chronic illnesses, especially 

cardiovascular disease. 

But according to a group of Texas 

researchers from Baylor University and 

Texas Children’s Hospital, the link between 

red meat and inflammation remains 

unproven. Their recent study found that, 

when adjusted for body mass index (BMI), 

individual intake of unprocessed and processed 

red meats (beef, pork or lamb) is not 

directly associated with any inflammatory 

markers. This suggests that body weight, 

not the red meats themselves, may be the 

driver of increased systemic inflammation, 

the researchers claim. 

“The role of diet, including red meat, 

on inflammation and disease risk has not 

been adequately studied, which can lead 

to public health recommendations that 

are not based on strong evidence,” said 

Dr. Alexis Wood, associate professor of 

pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine 

and Texas Children’s. 

Wood and her team analyzed cross-sectional 

data including food intake and biomarker 

information from about 4,000 older 

adults participating in the Multi-Ethnic 

Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Interestingly, 

their observational study found no 

link between reported red meat intake and 

blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), 

a major inflammatory marker of common 

diseases. 

Wood said the analysis does not bear 

out the conclusions of previous studies 

linking red meat intake and inflammation; 

and that more randomized 

controlled trials are needed in which 

participants would be assigned to either 

consume red meat or not, over a period 

of time, to directly measure any inflammatory 

effects. She added that several 

randomized trials have previously shown 

that unprocessed lean meats can be part 

of a heart-healthy diet. 

“Red meat is popular, accessible and pal- 

See MATURE FOCUS, page 34

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34 I MATURE FOCUS I 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


MATURE FOCUS, from page 32 

atable – and its place in our diet has deep 

cultural roots. Given this, recommendations 

about reducing consumption should 

be supported by strong scientific evidence, 

which doesn’t yet exist,” she said. 

The study was recently published in the 

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 

Poor sleep and A-fib 

Atrial fibrillation, or A-fib – the most 

common type of heart arrythmia among 

those over 50 – comes with some serious 

health risks, so it’s important to prevent 

the condition or keep it at bay if you’ve 

already been diagnosed. Known triggers 

of A-fib episodes include stress, caffeine, 

alcohol, dehydration and overeating. 

Researchers at the University of California 

– San Francisco say they recently 

confirmed another direct connection to 

episodes of A-fib: a poor night’s sleep. 

The study tracked about 420 adults 

in the I-STOP-AFIB trial, which was 

designed by investigators following 

patients with A-fib. They rated their sleep 

quality each night on a scale from “amazing” 

to “horrible,” and used mobile electrocardiograms 

to measure A-fib episodes 

the following day. 

Just one bad night of sleep was associated 

with a 15% greater risk of having an 

A-fib episode. Continued poor sleep was 

associated with those episodes not only 

occurring more frequently but potentially 

lasting longer… which also raises the risks 

of heart failure, blood clots and strokes 

related to the condition. 

The study authors said that, while it’s 

important to treat underlying disease that 

may be causing A-fib, improving the quality 

of sleep may be a way to minimize 

episodes. 

“Treating insomnia can be challenging, 

but in many cases, there are things within 

an individual’s control that can meaningfully 

improve sleep quality,” said corresponding 

author Gregory M. Marcus, 

M.D., a cardiologist and electrophysiologist 

at UCSF Health. 

Marcus mentioned going to bed at a 

reasonable and consistent time, avoiding 

alcohol and caffeine in the evening, getting 

regular exercise, keeping the bedroom 

cool, and waking up at the same time each 

morning as measures that may help. 

On the calendar 

BJC Missouri Baptist Hospital offers a 

Today’s Grandparents class on Monday, 

Dec. 4 and Wednesday, Dec. 13 from 

6:30-9 p.m. at the Missouri Baptist Medical 

Center Clinical Learning Institute, 3005 

N. Ballas Road. This hands-on class offers 

updates on current trends in infant care 

and feeding, and provides tips on local and 

long-distance grandparenting. The course 

fee is $20 per person (each person attending 

must register separately). Registration 

is available online at classes-events.bjc.org. 

• • • 

St. Luke’s Des Peres Hospital offers 

Medicare counseling sessions on Tuesday, 

Dec. 5 between 10 a.m. and 2:30 

p.m. in Conference Room 1 of the hospital, 

2345 Dougherty Ferry Road in Des 

Peres. St. Luke’s is partnering with Missouri 

SHIP to offer Medicare counseling 

and enrollment assistance. Missouri SHIP 

services are free and confidential. Sign 

up for a free 60-minute session to learn 

more about your options and select the 

right coverage to meet your needs. Participants 

should bring a current health 

insurance card, list of current medications, 

list of primary care providers and specialists, 

and a preferred pharmacy name and 

phone number. Registration is limited and 

is available at stlukes-stl.com. 

• • • 

Create Your Own Masterpiece: Let it 

Snow, presented by St. Louis Oasis, is on 

Monday, Dec. 11 from 1-3 p.m. at the Chesterfield 

Community Center, 690 Chesterfield 

Parkway West (second floor of Chesterfield 

Mall, next to Macy’s). Join us to create your 

ow canvas masterpiece, “Let it Snow.” You 

will learn how to blend specific paints and 

brush strokes to achieve the look you want. 

All supplies are included and participants 

are welcome to bring their own snacks and 

drinks. The cost is $38 per person. Register 

at st-louis.oasisnet.org. 

• • • 

St. Luke’s Hospital presents a free 

online program, A Discussion of Overactive 

Bladder with Dr. Cathy Naughton, 

on Wednesday, Dec. 13 beginning at 6 

p.m., live via Zoom. If symptoms such as 

uncomfortable urges to use the bathroom, 

frequent accidents requiring you to wear 

pads, and getting up multiple times at night 

are part of your everyday life … relief 

is possible! Join us for this educational 

event and learn options to regain control. 

This virtual webinar will be hosted by Dr. 

Cathy Naughton, a board-certified urologist 

in practice at Urology Specialists of St. 

Luke’s. Register online at stlukes-stl.com. 

• • • 

St. Louis Oasis presents A Holiday Classic 

Christmas on Thursday, Dec. 14 from 

1-2 p.m., online via Zoom. Get into the holiday 

spirit with this festive presentation featuring 

movie trivia and clips from all of your 

favorite holiday classics including “Holiday 

Inn,” “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “White Christmas” 

and more. The cost is $17. Register by 

visiting st-louis.oasisnet.org. 

live life to the fullest 

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like we’re embraced by friends 

and family. 

– Mason Pointe Resident 

Call 314.501.5658 to schedule 

a personal tour today. 

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36 I HEALTH I 



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The act of gift-giving at the holidays has mental health benefits for the 

giver, research has shown. 

(Adobe Stock photo) 

HEALTH 

CAPSULES 

By LISA RUSSELL 

West County hospitals again 

earn high grades for safety 

Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital 

and Mercy Hospital St. Louis were among 

the 30% of hospitals nationwide to earn 

the best possible grade of A in the recently 

announced Fall 2023 Hospital Safety 

Grade rankings from The Leapfrog Group. 

Missouri Baptist Medical Center and St. 

Luke’s Hospital both earned above-average 

safety grades of B. 

Twice each year, the independent group 

assigns letter grades to nearly 3,000 general 

acute-care hospitals across the country. 

These grades area based on more than 30 

national performance measures reflecting 

errors, accidents, injuries and infections, and 

the processes in place to prevent patient harm. 

For Mercy St. Louis, this distinction for 

safety is its 23rd straight A in a row, dating 

back to 2010. 

“Having an independent organization, like 

Leapfrog, recognize the priority we place 

on patient safety is important,” said Kat 

Nelson, Mercy chief quality officer. “It’s a 

validation that our communities can trust us 

for safe, high-quality care. And it’s an honor 

our co-workers can take pride in earning.” 

Information on all St. Louis area hospitals’ 

performance is available at hospitalsafetygrade.org. 

Gift-giving has mental 

health benefits 

The positive feelings we receive from 

giving gifts to others during the holidays 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration 

recently recalled three 

cinnamon applesauce products containing 

“extremely high levels of 

lead” linked to 22 toddlers falling 

ill as of mid-November, including 

in Missouri. 

The FDA investigation primarily 

involves WanaBana brand Apple 

Cinnamon Fruit Puree sold in 3-pack 

pouches of 2.5 ounces each. Schnucks 

brand cinnamon-flavored applesauce 

pouches have also been recalled, along 

with Weis brand cinnamon applesauce 

pouches. However, no cases of illness 

related to either the Schnucks or Weis 

brands have been reported to date, according 

to a WanaBana media release. 

There is no safe level of lead in children’s 

blood. It can cause long-term effects 

including damage to the brain and nervous 

system, learning and behavioral problems, 

have their basis in neuroscience, it turns out. 

Particularly when a gift is shared with 

someone with whom we have a close relationship, 

the act of giving it activates key 

reward pathways in our brains, according 

to researchers at the University of California, 

Berkeley’s Greater Good Science 

Center. Several of its studies over the last 

decade have demonstrated that spending 

money on someone other than yourself 

promotes happiness and mental well-being. 

Research also has shown that spending 

money on others feels better than splurging 

on ourselves, and that the joy of giving a 

gift – no matter the size –lasts longer than the 

fleeting pleasure we feel when accepting one. 

That’s because generous behavior, 

whether it’s by giving a loved one something 

they really want for the holidays or 

donating to a charity, boosts interaction 

between the parts of the brain associated 

with socialization and feeling pleasure, 

according to Emiliana Simon-Thomas, 

Ph.D., the center’s science director. 

“Oftentimes, people refer to it as a 

‘warm glow,’ this intrinsic delight in doing 

something for someone else,” said Simon- 

Applesauce recall linked to high lead levels includes local brand 

Schnucks cinnamon applesauce pouches are among three 

brands recently recalled due to potentially high lead levels. 

(U.S. Food ad Drug Administration photo) 

and decreased ability to pay attention, the 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

said in a related health alert. 

The CDC considers 3.5 micrograms per 

deciliter an above-normal level of lead 

exposure in most children. The affected 

children, who are between the ages of 1 

Thomas, who studies the neuroscience and 

psychology of compassion, kindness, and 

gratitude. “But part of the uniqueness of 

… gift-giving compared to something like 

receiving an award or winning money is 

that because it is social it also activates 

pathways in the brain that release oxytocin, 

which is a neuropeptide that signals trust, 

safety, and connection. It’s often referred 

to as the ‘cuddle hormone.’” 

Local study examines effects 

of long hospital stays on kids 

Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital 

in Maryland Heights is already unique. It’s 

one of only a few hospitals in the U.S. with 

the mission of caring solely for kids from 

birth to age 21 who are well enough to 

leave a traditional hospital, but need more 

help before they can go home. Recently, 

the Ranken Jordan team conducted a pioneering 

study that takes its advocacy for 

kids a step further. 

While it’s known that children hospitalized 

for long periods are more at risk 

for delays due to lack of stimulation, the 

and 3, had levels ranging 

from 4 to 29 micrograms per 

deciliter. They experienced 

symptoms including headache, 

nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, 

change in activity level 

and anemia. 

The FDA’s recall 

announcement said consumers 

should not eat, sell 

or serve recalled WanaBana, 

Schnucks or Weis brand cinnamon 

applesauce pouches 

and should discard them. 

An early November 

press release from Schnuck Markets 

said its recall includes both 4-packs and 

12-packs of Schnucks Cinnamon Applesauce 

Pouches along with 20-packs of 

Schnucks Applesauce Variety Pouches, 

all of which may be returned to Schnucks 

or Eatwell Market stores for a full refund.





I HEALTH I 37 

study is the first of its kind to track the 

movements and interactions of children 

in a hospital setting, an important step 

towards reversing this trend at children’s 

hospitals nationwide. 

“Our study confirmed to me that patients 

who are hospitalized during a crucial 

early childhood development window are 

not getting enough neurodevelopmental 

stimulation,” said Nick Holekamp, M.D., 

Ranken Jordan’s chief medical officer and 

leader of the research. “The accepted standard 

of care for children in hospitals does 

not prioritize play and time away from the 

hospital room. The fact that our study is the 

first to look at how young patients spend 

their time shows this issue is not getting 

enough attention.” 

The research team used time-motion 

observations to track 20 patients at Ranken 

Jordan for more than 230 hours. While they 

found that Ranken-Jordan patients spend 

nearly half their waking hours out of bed 

– significantly more than in a typical hospital 

setting – “the data shows even we have 

room for improvement,” Holekamp said. 

The study’s findings have already 

inspired one of Ranken Jordan’s newest 

initiatives, called OZ (short for Optimization 

Zone), a program of structured play 

for medically complex children ages 5 and 

younger that has nearly doubled the time 

they spend out of their rooms each day. OZ 

was the basis of a talk Holecamp gave at 

TEDxStLouis earlier this year, calling on 

the pediatric medical community to change 

how kids with complex medical needs are 

treated in the hospital environment. 

On the calendar 

St. Luke’s Hospital presents Vitamin 

ZZZ … Steps to Sounder Sleep on Tuesday, 

Dec. 5 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the St. 

Luke’s Hospital Institute for Health Education, 

222 S. Woods Mill Road in Chesterfield, 

Rooms 1 and 2. Are you one of the 

approximately 60 million Americans who 

have a chronic sleep issue? Learn more 

about sleeping better at this free, in-person 

class. Register at stlukes-stl.com. 

• • • 

BJC presents a Family and Friends 

CPR virtual course on Wednesday, Dec. 6 

from 6:30-8:30 p.m., live via Teams Meeting. 

This class uses the American Heart 

Association curriculum to teach hands-on 

CPR skills (this course does not include 

certification upon completion). The cost is 

$50. Registration for a seat in this class is 

for two people. Register online by visiting 

bjc.org/cpr-class. 

• • • 

BJC St. Louis Children’s Hospital presents 

a Staying Home Alone virtual class 

on Tuesday, Dec. 12 from 6:30-8 p.m., live 

via Teams Meeting. Parents and children 

attend the class together to ensure a child’s 

readiness to stay at home alone. The registration 

fee is $25 per family. To register, 

call (314) 454-5437. 

• • • 

Schnucks and St. Luke’s Hospital offer 

an Eatwell Market grocery store tour 

on Wednesday, Dec. 13 from 6-7 p.m. at 

Eatwell Boones Crossing, 220 THF Blvd. 

in Chesterfield. Take a wellness-focused 

tour through Eatwell Market by Schnucks 

with a St. Luke’s dietitian. Participants will 

receive a $10 gift card to use at Eatwell 

Market. The cost is $5. To sign up, visit 

stlukes-stl.com. 

• • • 

BJC St. Louis Children’s Hospital sponsors 

a Babysitting 101 virtual class on 

Thursday, Dec. 14 from 6-8:30 p.m., live 

via Teams Meeting. This interactive class 

is a great introduction to the basics of 

babysitting and is recommended for ages 

10 and above. The cost is $25 per child; 

please note that the child is the registrant. 

Register online at bjc.org/babysitting-class. 

• • • 

St. Luke’s Hospital presents Coffee and 

Conversations on Wednesday, Dec. 20 

from 10-11 a.m. at the Desloge Outpatient 

Center, 121 St. Luke’s Center Drive in 

Chesterfield, in Building A. This month’s 

topic is Mindfulness and Spiritual Health. 

Register at stlukes-stl.com. 

Hunger Isn’t Seasonal; 

The Need Continues Year Round! 

Your contribution to Circle of Concern qualifies you for the 50% Food Pantry Tax Credit 

worth up to $2,500 in credit for single filers and up to $5000 for couples filing jointly.* 

Get back more than just the gratitude of the families we serve. 

Contact circle@circleofconcern.org for more information. 

Your generous donation helps low-income families in west St. Louis County. 

* Make a cash donation of $200 or more, and we’ll mail a completed tax credit form to you by early February! 

Owners Ben Boland & Jim Menner 

(636) 861-2623 

www.circleofconcern.org 

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Fences • Decks • Sheds • Pools • Real Estate Cleanup • Garage Clean Out 

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PUBLIC NOTICE 

The Valley Park School District will accept declarations of candidacy from any person interested 

in running for a position on the school board in the April 2, 2024, election. Persons may file at 

the Superintendent’s Office located at 1 Main Street, Valley Park, MO 63088. 

Filing begins December 5, 2023, at 8 a.m. and continues during the District’s regular business 

hours of 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. 

With the exception of the first and last day of filing, filing will not occur on legal or school holidays, 

and on days when the district’s schools are closed due to inclement weather. 

No filings will occur on December 22 or December 25 (closed for winter break). Candidates 

should call (636) 923-3695 or email sstone@vpschools.org to inquire if the offices are open. 

Filing ends December 26, 2023, at 5 p.m. Offices will be open from 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. on December 26. 

There are two (2) director positions available with three-year terms. Candidates must be citizens 

of the United States and resident taxpayers of the district with no taxes in arrears pursuant to 

RSMo. 115.306, must have resided in Missouri for one year preceding the election and must be 

at least twenty-four years of age by the day of the election. 

The names of qualified candidates shall be placed on the ballot in order of filing. 

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38 I 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


Gifts from the kitchen 

What you’ll need 

In addition to the ingredients for 

each recipe, you’ll need: 

• A candy thermometer 

• A heavy-bottomed 2-quart saucepan 

• A roll of parchment paper or a silicone 

mat 

• A baking sheet pan with sides (jelly 

roll pan) 

• Flaky sea salt 

• Cute boxes, bags, or tins for wrapping 

up the final product. 

Nut Brittle 

By KATE UPTERGROVE 

Yes, you can buy candy for gift-giving but 

making it is somehow sweeter, especially if 

you customize your creations. For instance, 

Peanut Brittle is easy enough to buy just 

about anywhere. But what if your gift 

recipient likes it spicy, or extra Christmasy, 

or with a different type of nut? That’s where 

creativity in the kitchen comes into play. 

Handmade gifts say you cared enough 

to make something special. Here are a few 

recipes to jump start your imagination. 

NUT BRITTLE 

Ingredients 

2 cups sugar 

1/2 cup water 

6 tablespoons unsalted butter 

1/3 cup light corn syrup 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

12 ounces roasted salted peanuts, 

cashews, pistachios and/or pecans 

Flaky sea salt, optional but it does help 

balance the sweetness 

Cooking spray 

Variations 

Spicy Brittle – Add a sprinkling to 1 teaspoon 

of chipotle powder, depending on 

your heat preference. 

Christmas Brittle – Add 1/4 teaspoon 

each of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice. 

Directions 

• Spray sheet pan with cooking spray; 

then line with parchment paper allowing 

some paper to rise above the sides of 

the pan. The cooking spray will hold the 

parchment in place. The parchment paper 

will allow you to remove the brittle easily 

from the sheet pan. A silicone mat could be 

used in place of the parchment paper. Hot 

mixture will be poured into this pan so putting 

a towel beneath it is a wise idea. 

• Measure out all your ingredients. 

• Attach a candy thermometer to the side 

of the saucepan; do not let it touch the 

bottom of the pan. 

Christmas Fudge 

• Now, you’re ready to get cooking. In 

a heavy 2-quart pan, add the sugar, water 

and corn syrup. Cook over medium-high 

heat until the sugar is dissolved, the mixture 

is boiling and has reached 275º F on a 

candy thermometer. The mixture should be 

a light, golden brown. 

• Add the butter and nuts. Stir constantly 

over heat until the mixture reaches 300ºF. 

• Remove from the heat and quickly but 

carefully stir in the baking soda and optional 

flavorings. The mixture will bubble. 

• Pour the brittle into the prepared baking 

sheet, spreading it with a metal spoon to 

achieve a thin, even layer. 

• Lightly sprinkle with sea salt. 

• Let the brittle cool completely, about 30 

minutes. Then, break it into large shards. 

CHRISTMAS FUDGE 

There are two schools of thought when it 

comes to fudge. Marshmallow fluff versus 

sweetened condensed milk. Both are pretty 

foolproof but the marshmallow variety can 

be too sweet, so this recipe goes old school. 

Ingredients 

14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk 

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

24 ounces semi-sweet or dark chocolate 

chips or chopped 

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 

1/2-inch pieces, at room temperature 

Dash of salt 

Here are a few fun facts about fudge: 

• According to legend, this holiday 

favorite can trace its roots to Valentine’s 

Day, 1886, when a Baltimore chocolatier 

“fudged” a batch of French caramels.* 

• In the mid-20th century, the fudge 

recipe of choice was First Lady Mamie 

Eisenhower’s Million Dollar Fudge. It 

was published in “Who Says We Can’t 

Cook,” compiled by the Women’s 

National Press Club and sold for $2 a 

copy plus 15 cents postage as a fundraising 

project in 1955.* 

Muddy Buddies Christmas Mix 

Variations 

With Nuts: Add chopped pecans or walnuts 

as a final step. 

Peppermint Fudge: Substitute white chocolate 

chips and add in crushed candy canes. 

Mexican Hot Chocolate: Add 1/4 teaspoon 

cayenne pepper and 1 teaspoon cinnamon 

to the melted chocolate. 

Instructions 

• Spray an 8 x 8-inch glass baking dish 

with cooking oil; then line with parchment 

paper allowing some paper to rise above 

the sides of the pan. 

• In a 2-quart saucepan, combine the 

sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, 

chocolate, and butter. 

• Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, 

until the chocolate has melted and the mixture 

is completely smooth. 

• Add in extra ingredients for variations 

if you desire. 

• Remove from heat and spread into the 

prepared pan. 

• Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before 

cutting into slabs for gifting. 

• Fudge can be stored a room temperature 

for two weeks, in the refrigerator for a 

month, and in the freezer for two or more. 

MUDDY BUDDIES 

CHRISTMAS MIX 

Chex says the Muddy Buddies recipe 

was developed in 2002. Since this recipe is 

• The first marshmallow creme, as 

used in Mamie’s Million Dollar Fudge, 

was marketed commercially in 1917 as 

Toot Sweet Marshmallow Fluff. The first 

two words were dropped soon after the 

packaging changed to a glass jar in the 

1940s. 

• Kraft introduced its Fantasy Fudge, 

perhaps the most famous “fluff” fudge, 

on the back of its Marshmallow Creme 

jar in 1979* 

*Find these recipes and more on 


This is important 

When making candy, you are typically 

working rapidly with hot mixtures. 

So it is very important to be 

prepared and read all directions before 

beginning any recipe. 

Measure all ingredients before starting 

the candy-making process. Likewise, 

be sure to prep all surfaces and 

have all the equipment you’ll need 

ready to use. 

Don’t wait to gift your goodies. To 

ensure maximum freshness, deliver 

your handmade gifts within a day of 

making them. Most candies will retain 

their freshness for a week at room temperature. 

derived from theirs, we’re going with that 

but some of us remember making “Puppy 

Chow” alongside Gorp (aka trail mix) in 

the ‘80s. Either way, it’s a classic treat that 

kids of all ages will love. 

Ingredients 

9 cups Rice Chex, Corn Chex or Chocolate 

Chex cereal (or a combination) 

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 

1/2 cup peanut butter 

1/4 cup butter or margarine 

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 

Holiday M&Ms or Reese’s pieces 

PREPARATION 

• Pour cereal into a large bowl and set aside. 

• In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave 

chocolate chips, peanut butter and 

butter uncovered on High for 1 minute. Stir. 

Then, microwave about 30 seconds longer 

or until mixture can be stirred smooth. 

• Add vanilla to the peanut butter mixture 

and pour over cereal, stirring until cereal is 

well-coated. 

• Add powdered sugar and coated 

cereal to a 2-quart lidded plastic container 

or zippered plastic bag. Seal the container 

or bag and shake until well-coated. 

• Spread on waxed paper. Sprinkle on 

M&Ms or Reese’s Pieces and allow to cool. 

• Store in an airtight container at room 

temperature or in the refrigerator.


WEST NEWSMAGAZINE I BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT I 39 

Rockwood’s support staff make a difference – if only there were more of them 



Those who fill supporting roles in the 

Rockwood School District improve services 

to students, benefit staff and make 

a contribution to the whole Rockwood 

district, said Human Resources Coordinator 

Stacy Neely. 

The varied roles they play as custodians, 

child nutrition assistants, bus drivers 

and more are essential in not only 

creating a school environment that functions 

smoothly, but adding to the caring 

Rockwood community, she said. 

“When people think about the school 

district, they think of teachers in the 

classroom, and they’re important, but 

we also feed the children; we transport 

the children; and we keep our grounds 

and school buildings neat, clean and 

safe,” Neely said. 

Although there are many kinds of 

support roles the district employs, the 

Rockwood School District is specifically 

planning to hire more bus drivers, 

nutrition assistants and custodians. 

Fewer employees in those key roles 

means services have to be adjusted, 

Neely said. 

Fewer bus drivers means longer routes 

and more time on the buses for students. 

Fewer child nutrition assistants means 

fewer ala carte items because there is no 

one to manage them. Fewer custodians 

mean part-time help needs to be brought 

in, for “dash and trash” operations in the 

evenings to keep classrooms clean. 

Neely said if people knew about the 

rewards of working for the Rockwood 

District, more people would apply. 

“Rockwood is a great place to work,” 

Neely said. “I just really wish that 

people understood the kinds of benefits 

people have working at a school district. 

We have a lot of people who work 

here and network here until retirement.” 

Job security is one of those benefits, 

she said. 

“School districts are not going to close. 

Education is recession proof,” Neely said. 

Rockwood also offers competitive pay, 

pension benefits for employees who work 

over 20 hours a week, and regular hours. 

Bus drivers, for example, are guaranteed 

30 hours a week through the school year. As 

for pay, Rockwood is more than competitive. 

“We do pay the highest hourly rate in the 

area for bus drivers,” Neely said. 

Bus drivers are also eligible to sign up for 

Rockwood’s health insurance program, but 

there is a cost for it. Drivers with experience 

are brought in at a higher rate of pay, 

but those without experience receive paid 

training through the district to get their bus 

Custodian Mark Jundt with his fans from Westridge Elementary 

(Rockwood School District photo) 

permit, she said. 

“Formerly, the bus service was outsourced 

but now is run in-house,” Neely said. “When 

we took it in-house we tried to keep all the 

bus drivers on the same routes each year 

instead of changing them around because 

parents and kids become so reliant on those 

bus drivers, and our bus drivers create such 

good relationships with students. It provides 

continuity for those students every day,” 

Neely said. 

Child nutrition assistants do everything 

needed to prepare meals for students. They 

work part time covering breakfast and lunch, 

she said. The pay is also competitive with 

other districts and there are management 

positions at each school. She said it is hard 

work, but there are rewards. 

“Just watching all the children 

coming through makes 

you more inspired to do what 

you do,” Neely said. 

Custodians clean the buildings 

and set up for athletic 

competitions and other events. 

Most custodians work full 

time and all year round. They 

get pension, health benefits 

and 12 holidays a year. 

Whatever role employees 

fill, however, the personal 

rewards of being a part of the Rockwood 

District community are great, Neely said. 

“People are very kind here, and they 

get into communities in school buildings 

…” she said. “We’re all here for the same 

reason. To give our kids the safest and best 

education that we possibly can.” 

Those who have an interest in filling one 

of these vital roles in the Rockwood School 

District community should visit the district’s 

website; click on jobs at Rockwood, choose 

their job of choice and fill out an application. 

Rockwood School District 

636-733-2000 • www.rsdmo.org 

Offer may not be combined with other discounts. Expires 1/5/24. (Toys collected after 12/20 will be distributed in 2024)

40 I BUSINESS I 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


FCB Bank grand opened its Ellisville location, 1300 Clarkson Clayton Center, with 

a ribbon cutting sponsored by the West St. Louis County Chamber of Commerce. 

BUSINESS 

BRIEFS 

PLACES 

FCB Bank celebrated the grand opening 

of its new Ellisville location at 1300 Clarkson 

Clayton Center with a ribbon cutting 

sponsored by the West St. Louis County 

Chamber of Commerce on Friday, Nov. 3. 

FCB Banks has been family-owned and 

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING 

PROPOSED BUDGET FISCAL YEAR 2024 

Notice is hereby given that the Board of Aldermen of the City of Ballwin will 

conduct a public hearing on Monday, December 11, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. at the 

Ballwin Government Center, 1 Government Ctr, Ballwin, Missouri. The purpose 

of the hearing is to receive comments, both written and oral, on the proposed 

Fiscal Year 2024 Budget for the City of Ballwin, Missouri. The Draft Proposed 

Budget will be available on the City website at www.ballwin.mo.us after 

December 6, 2023. Any person requiring special accommodation at the hearing 

under the Americans with Disabilities Act should contact the Government 

Center at 636-227-9000. 

Administration 

Public Works 

Police 

Parks and Recreation 

Operating Budget 

$ 3,850,423 

6,532,344 

7,891,037 

5,673,879 

$ 23,947,683 

Capital Budget 

$ 0 

1,324,956 

125,000 

1,651,377 

$ 3,101,333 

These figures are preliminary as of this publication and are subject to change without 

additional notice. 

Eric Sterman, City Administrator 

Fizz Facial Bar, owned by Jennifer Ayeni, is now open at 

162 THF Blvd. in Chesterfield Commons. 

managed since 1901, providing quality service, 

competitive rates and customer care. 

Today, the company has 17 locations offering 

full-service banking along with 24/7 

mobile banking, bill pay and after-hours 

telephone customer service. To learn more, 

visit fcbbanks.com or stop in and talk with 

a member of their staff. 

• • • 

Fizz Facial Bar, owned by Jennifer Ayeni, 

is now open at 162 THF Blvd. in Chesterfield 

Commons. Fizz Facial Bar offers a 

variety of express 30-minute skin care treatments 

with pampering sessions. A complimentary 

client skin analysis is included 

along with an at-home skincare routine built 

by a licensed esthetician for every client. 

Fizz puts the fun in facials and includes a 

complimentary glass of bubbly or beverage 

of your choice with every facial. Its “Bubble 

Lounge” can be booked for private parties 

for ages 5 and up. For more information go 

to fizzfacialbar.com. 

• • • 

Chuck E. Cheese celebrated the grand 

reopening of its newly remodeled Ellisville 

location, 15913 Manchester Road, on Nov. 

16. Renovations include a Chuck E. Cheese 

Trampoline Zone and a multi-activity Fun 

Center. Additional features include over 25 

new games, an interactive dance floor, a 

large format video wall and screens with 

audio connected throughout the fun center 

to provide a more immersive entertainment 

experience. 

• • • 

The Parkway School District has been 

recognized by the Association of School 

Business Officials International for excellence 

in budget presentation with the Meritorious 

Budget Award for the fiscal year 

2023–2024. Parkway continues to earn a 

top ranking as a AAA-rated school district 

from Standard & Poor’s. The ranking is 

based on strong financial performance and 

management, good financial practices and 

maintaining low debt levels. 

• • • 

As a result of its 2023 fundraising campaign, 

Pedal the Cause donated a recordbreaking 

$5,003,916 to Siteman Cancer 

Center and Siteman Kids at St. Louis Children’s 

Hospital to fund the best new ideas 

in adult and pediatric cancer research. The 

donation is the highest in the organization’s 

14-year history. Founded in 2010 with the 

bold model of using 100% of public donations 

to fund world-class cancer research, 

Pedal the Cause has donated more than 

$45.8 million to the cause, funding 211 

adult and pediatric projects. 

PEOPLE 

Lawrence Group CEO Stephen A. Smith 

was recently honored with the Alumni Lifetime 

Achievement Award from the University 

of Kansas School of Architecture & 

Design. Since establishing Lawrence Group 

as a co-founder in 1983, Smith, FAIA has 

embarked upon a career motivated by a passion 

for his hometown of St. Louis, revitalizing 

communities and greatly expanding 

the scope of what an architectural practice 

can be. Smith graduated from the university 

in 1979 with a Bachelor of Architecture. 

PUBLIC NOTICE 

Rockwood residents may file as candidates for the Rockwood School District Board 

of Education from Dec. 5 at 8 a.m. until Dec. 26 at 5 p.m. Election Day is April 2, 2024. 

Rockwood residents may file their candidacy at the school district’s Administrative Center, 

located at 111 E. North St. in Eureka. Candidates may file Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. 

to 4 p.m., except for Dec. 22 and Dec. 25, when offices are closed for the holiday, on any day 

the offices are closed due to inclement weather or any other emergency. Offices will be open 

for candidate filing from 2-5 p.m. on Dec. 26. 

When filing, the applicant will complete a written declaration of candidacy. Interested 

candidates may pick up an information packet from Rockwood’s Administrative Offices. 

A candidate must be a citizen of the United States, have resided in the Rockwood School 

District and the state of Missouri for a minimum of one year immediately preceding the 

election and be at least 24 years of age. 

Two director positions on the Rockwood School Board will be decided on 

the April 2 ballot for three-year terms. For more information, please contact 

the Rockwood Superintendent’s office at (636) 733-2005.


WEST NEWSMAGAZINE I BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT I 41 

Transitions for Senior Living – St. Louis’ trusted resource for a senior’s best life 



Transitions for Senior Living is a 

service born more than 12 years ago 

in response to a need for resources to 

help families faced with the challenge 

of finding the right place for their 

loved one. 

Jeff Balleau, co-founder of Transitions, 

knows the difficulty of helping 

aged parents find living arrangements 

that are the right fit. He has experienced 

the frustration of trying to get 

transparent, honest information for 

his own aging father. That experience 

later resulted in the creation of Transitions 

for Senior Living. 

“We’ve been through it with our 

own family, and we still remember 

that overwhelming feeling,” said Jeff, 

now a senior care advocate. “It is a 

daunting task, and even more so when 

done on your own. The good news is, 

you don’t have to do this alone.” 

Transitions for Senior Living has 

resources for families. They work with 

all levels of care from independent 

living, to assisted living, to memory 

care and skilled nursing. Their mission 

is to find the right fit in lifestyle 

and services for older adults, and they 

never charge a fee for their services. 

Carmen Worley is also a senior care 

From left, Tena Barry, Sharon Balleau, Jeff 

Balleau, and Carmen Worley 

(Transitions for Senior Living photo) 

advocate with Transitions. 

“It’s apparent when you’ve been through 

it all yourself, that no two persons’ needs 

are exactly the same and you have to be 

able to figure out what’s going on in the 

family situation, interview people, meet 

the clients and understand who they are.” 

“The goal is to help our clients continue 

to live well,” Carmen said. “They have 

done so much for us as our elders, and 

they’ve had a beautiful life up until now. 

Our job is to help them continue living 

a fulfilled life. It’s about finding the best 

place, a place where they can flourish at 

whatever level of care they need,” she 

said. “It helps to work with someone who 

can walk you through the process to find 

the best fit.” 

The first step is to make a phone call 

to Transitions for Senior Living. A senior 

care advocate will respond quickly. Their 

first conversation with a family member 

will focus on the physical, cognitive and 

social care needs of the potential client 

and on setting a time for an in-person 

meeting. 

At the meeting, the advocate will discuss 

various care options that might be the 

best fit for the family member. Physical 

and social needs, geographic preferences 

and budget are considered. If placement is 

not an immediate need, the advocate will 

discuss other resources. They can give 

referrals for home care, counseling for 

seniors or their caregivers, recommend 

support groups and more. 

“What sets Transitions For Senior 

Living apart is our dedication to the time 

and effort needed to personally meet with 

you and your loved ones,” said co-founder 

Sharon Balleau, a senior care advocate. 

“We take the time to truly understand the 

care needs of your family and create an 

individual assessment before we begin to 

recommend a home.” 

Together the advocate, the client and the 

family then make a plan. 

“We will identify three to five communities 

that would be a good fit for your 

Gills Tree 

Service 

family,” Sharon said. “We will schedule 

tours, accompany you to each community, 

ask questions that will give you the most 

comprehensive understanding of the care 

for each community, be an advocate, answer 

questions and when the choice is made, help 

the client make a smooth transition.” 

“Transitions for Senior Living was 

intentionally created as an independent 

family-owned business so that there 

would be no limitations from a franchise 

on how we choose to help families,” she 

said. 

So, whether your family is in crisismode 

or planning ahead, Transitions for 

Senior Living can help. They have the 

comprehensive knowledge, experience 

and connections for all facets of senior 

care. They want to educate clients and 

families so they can make the best choice 

for their loved one. Call Transitions for 

Senior Living when you need a trusted 

resource for senior living. 

*Due to federal guidelines, Transitions is unable 

to work directly with Medicaid recipients. 

Transitions for Senior Living 

314-606-8531 

www.STLSenior.com 

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42 I EVENTS I 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


REGIONAL MAKERS • DESIGNERS • ARTISTS AT THE FOUNDRY ART CENTRE 

12/1 from 5pm to 8pm & 12/2 from 11am to 5pm 

foundryartcentre.org 

Holiday Happenings 

West County EMS and Fire Protection District 

Toy Drive is now through Dec. 15. All 

toys stay local with the St. Louis County Division 

of Family Services. There is an Amazon 

Wishlist but feel free to ship from anywhere 

directly to the West County EMS & Fire 

Protection District Station 1, 223 Henry Ave. 

Manchester, MO 63011. For details, visit 

manchestermo.gov or westcounty-fire.org. 

• • • 

St. Louis Ballet presents “The Nutcracker” 

continues through Dec. 23 at The 

Touhill on the campus of UMSL. Visit stlouisballet.org 

for exact dates and times along 

with ticket information. 

• • • 

Saint Charles Christmas Traditions 

opens at noon on Saturday, Nov. 25 at Frontier 

Park and continues on historic Main 

Street on weekends through Dec. 23. For a 

schedule of activities, visit discoverstcharles. 

com/events/christmas-traditions. 

• • • 

Carol Bowman Academy of Dance presents 

“Nutcracker” at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on 

Saturday, Dec. 2 at Westminster Christian 

Academy, 800 Maryville Center Drive. Tickets 

are $13 per person and are available at 

carolbdance.com. Doors will open 30 minutes 

before each show time. 

• • • 

Bethel Wildwood Church will host its 

annual Christmas Cookie Festival and 

Craft Boutique is from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on 

Saturday, Dec. 2 at the church, 17500 Manchester 

Road. Pre-packaged cookies will be 

sold for $3 each. There will be a wide variety 

of homemade cookies and candy, as well as 

sugar-free items. Crafts will feature special 

Christmas decor. Come early for the best 

selection. 

• • • 

Town & Country’s Winter Outdoor 

Market is from noon-6 p.m. on Dec. 2 at 

Town Square, 13360 Clayton Road. Featured 

are carolers, a snow globe from noon-4 p.m., 

the Grinch from 1-3 p.m., photos with Santa, 

S’mores from 4-6 p.m. and the Christmas 

tree lighting at 5 p.m. Admission is free. 

Food and drink are available for purchase. 

Photos with Santa are $20. Register at townand-country.org 

• • • 

Return to the Manger will be performed 

at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2 and 

at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 3 at 

Lord of Life Lutheran Church, 15750 Baxter 

Road in Chesterfield. Free, but reserve your 

seats at lordoflifelcms.org. 

• • • 

Hanukkah storytelling, STEAM activities 

for children and a singing presentation will 

be featured at the 28th Hanukkah Celebration 

held 6-7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 5 at 

Schnucks Ladue Crossing shopping center, 

I-170 at Ladue Road. The event will take 

place at the Barnes & Noble Booksellers. All 

children will receive a free gift of traditional 

Hanukkah chocolate “gelt” (gold coins). The 

celebration is free and open to the public. 

• • • 

A Christmas Candlelight Concert is at 2 

p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9 at 560 

Music Center in St. Louis. Purchase tickets at 

Holiday Lighting Contests 

bachsociety.org/christmas. 

• • • 

A Cookie Festival is from 8 a.m.-noon 

on Saturday, Dec. 9 at the Salem in Ballwin 

United Methodist Church, 14825 Manchester 

Road. Select your favorites from a variety of 

home-baked Christmas cookies for $9 per 

pound. For details, visit salemballwinumc. 

org. 

• • • 

A Drive Through Christmas Experience 

is from 6:30-8 p.m. on Dec. 9-11 and 

Dec. 16-18 at Pathfinder Church in Ellisville. 

Features lights synchronized to music, 

Christmas-themed inflatables, live music, 

Christmas characters, a live expression of 

the nativity and more. Free event. For details, 

visit pathfinderstl.org/lights. 

• • • 

A Christmas Sing-along is from 10-11:30 

a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 16 at Hope Episcopal 

Church, 1166 S. Mason Road in Town 

& Country. The sing-along will feature oldfashioned 

carols, cookies, cocoa and crafts. 

Ellisville: Residents and businesses can enter the holiday lights and decorations contest 

by submitting a photo of their display to mfadler@ellisville.mo.us through Dec. 31. 

Each entry will be posted to the city’s Parks and Recreation Facebook page. 

Residents can vote on their favorites by liking the photos in the contest photo 

album. The five most popular submissions in each category will be entered into a 

drawing for a gift card from the city. 

Twin Oaks: The city of Twin Oaks will be looking high and low for the “best 

dressed” holiday house, apartment or condominium. Single-family, detached homes 

will be judged in the Reindeer Division; homes in the Birnamwood Condominium 

Association and apartments in the Villages of Twin Oaks will be judged in the Elf 

Division. Two winners per division will be selected. 

No official entry is necessary. Judging will take place from Dec. 11- Dec. 14, with 

the winners announced on Dec. 15. The winners will be determined by a panel of city 

employees and will receive a yard sign recognizing their achievement. 

West County: Meanwhile, residents countywide are encouraged to get out, enjoy 

the lights and share their favorites via photo submissions to graphics@newsmagazinenetwork.com. 

Those photos will be shared on West Newsmagazine’s website and 

social media sites. 

Manchester: Residents and businesses can nominate themselves or neighbors as 

having the best light display in town. Email the name, phone and address of the 

house or business being nominated to shardesty@manchestermo.gov. Judging starts 

at 5 p.m. on Dec. 12. A variety of prizes will be awarded. 

Bring a can or box of non-perishable food 

for the Holiday Food Drive. If you plan on 

attending, call (314) 576-5502 or email 

HopeChurchSTL@gmail.com. 

• • • 

Old Trails Historical Society hosts its 

annual Gingerbread House Cookie and 

Gift Sale from 9 a.m.-noon on Dec. 16 at the 

Bacon Log Cabin, 687 Henry Ave. in Ballwin. 

Home-made cookies, candy and gently-used 

Christmas items will be featured. Proceeds 

support the historic Bacon Log Cabin. 

• • • 

A Winter Concert is at 2 p.m. on Saturday, 

Dec. 16 at the Missouri Baptist University 

Pillsbury Chapel, 1 College Park Drive in 

Creve Coeur. Tickets are on sale at sccyotickets.org. 

For details, contact sccyomusic@ 

gmail.com. 

• • • 

A Holiday Concert is at 2:30 p.m. on 

Sunday, Dec. 17 at the Ridgeway Auditorium, 

13201 Clayton Road, on the campus of The 

Principia. The Town & Country Orchestra 

performs “Winter Reveries” by Tchaikovsky 

and “The Nutcracker Suite.” For free tickets 

and details, visit tcsomo.org. 

• • • 

Paint & Pour Workshop is at 1 p.m. on 

Sunday, Dec. 17 at Passiglia Nursery, 1855 

Hwy. 109 in Wildwood. Complete a Christmas-themed 

portrait. Snacks provided. Bring 

a drink of choice. Tickets are $65. For details, 

visit passiglia.com. 

SANTA SIGHTINGS 

Santa Claus Visits are from 11 a.m.-7 

p.m., Monday through Thursday through 

Dec. 24 at West County Center in Des Peres. 

Extended hours begin on Dec. 8. Christmas 

Eve hours are 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. Visits are free; 

photo packages are available for purchase. 

• • • 

Santa’s Magical Kingdom is from 5:30- 

10:30 p.m. nightly through Jan. 7 at Yogi 

Bear’s Jellystone Park Resort, 5300 Fox 

Creek Road in Eureka. Experience more 

See HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS, page 44



LOCAL 

EVENTS 

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 

Longview Farm House Art Gallery 

is open for viewing from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., 

Monday through Friday at the Longview 

Farm House, 13525 Clayton Road in 

Town & Country, featuring rotating exhibits 

of local artists. To become an artist at 

the gallery, fill out an application at townand-country.org 

or call (314) 587-2814. 

• • • 

The New Jewish Theatre presents “Into 

the Woods” Thursday, Nov. 30 through 

Thursday, Dec. 17 at the J’s Wool Studio 

Theatre, 2 Millstone Campus Drive in 

Creve Coeur. Tickets start at $53 and are 

available by phone at (314) 442-3283 or 

online at newjewishtheatre.org. 

• • • 

Art Exhibit - Emily Dickinson’s Herbarium 

is now through Sunday, March 

31, 2024 at the Stephen and Peter Sachs 

Museum, 4344 Shaw Blvd. in St. Louis. 

Price is included in the cost of admission. 

For details, visit mobot.org/museum. 

BENEFITS 

The Impact Life Blood Drive is from 

noon to 4 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 22 through 

Wednesday, Dec. 27 at the Ellisville Park 

Administration Building, 225 Kiefer Creek 

Road. Register at bloodcenter.org. Use 

sponsor code: 11186. 

• • • 

A Winter Used Book Sale is Sunday, 

Jan. 28 through Thursday, Feb. 1 at The 

Jewish Community Center, 2 Millstone 

Campus Drive in Creve Coeur. Thousands 

of titles of books, as well as videos, books 

on tape/CDs and DVDs. Proceeds benefit 

the Cultural Arts Department. For details 

and times, visit jccstl.com/programs/ 

used-book-sale. 

FAMILY & KIDS 

Little Explorers is from 9-10:30 

a.m. on the first and third Wednesday of 

the month at various parks in Ballwin. 

Themed activities change weekly. Classes 

include a craft, snack and activities. For 

ages 2-5. Cost is $8 for residents; $10 for 

non-residents. Parents and guardians are 

free. For details, visit ballwin.mo.us. 

• • • 

Tumbling Tots is from 10-11 a.m. on 

the second Thursday and third Wednesday 

of the month at the Eureka Community 

Center, 333 Bald Hill Road. Mats 

and foam climbing pieces, along with 

balls, building blocks, and other grossmotor 

equipment will be out for children 

ages 6 months-5 years. The cost is $9 per 

child for residents; $10 per child for nonresidents. 

Register at eureka.mo.us. 

• • • 

Pages and Pals - “DinoROAR” is 

at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 30 at the 

Schroeder Park Building, 359 Old Meramec 

Station Road in Manchester. For 

ages 2-5. Hear a story and do a craft. 

Must be accompanied by an adult. $5 for 

residents; $6.50 for non-residents. Register 

at manchestermo.gov. 

SPECIAL INTEREST 

The Timbers of Eureka offers a variety 

of Group Exercise Classes including 

indoor cycling, zumba, strength training, 

step aerobics, and senior classes. Classes 

are open to members only. Search “fitness” 

at eureka.mo.us for a complete 

schedule of classes. For details, call (636) 

938-6775 or email, parks@eureka.mo.us. 

• • • 

Pickleball is weekly at The Timbers of 

Eureka, 1 Coffey Park Lane. Players must 

bring their own paddles and balls. Moderate 

to advanced skill and competition is 

from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Mondays; all play 

is from 9 a.m.-noon on Tuesdays; beginner/novice 

skill and competition is from 

11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Wednesdays; moderate 

to advance skill and competition is from 

9 a.m.-noon on Thursdays; all play is 

from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Fridays and from 

9 a.m.-noon on Saturdays. Free for members; 

$3 for non-members. For details, 

visit eureka.mo.us. 

• • • 

Senior Living Programs are available 

throughout the year at Babler State 

Park, 800 Guy Park Drive in Wildwood. 

Park naturalists provide programming to 

seniors at no cost. Programs range from 

mammals, reptiles, insects, history, and 

more. Learn more at dnr.mo.gov. 

• • • 

Card Making Class is from 10 

a.m.-noon on Thursday, Dec. 7 at the 

Chesterfield Community Center in the 

Chesterfield Mall. Create handmade 

cards for all occasions. Each class is 

themed based on the season, along with 

options to create a card of choice. $10 per 

class, cash only. All ages. Pre-registration 

is required by emailing olderadults@ 

chesterfield.mo.us. 

• • • 

Educational Seminar: “Fall Prevention” 

is at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 12 

at the Chesterfield Community Center, 

237 Chesterfield Mall. Free event. RSVP 

to olderadults@chesterfield.mo.us or call 

(636) 812-9500. 

Christmas Cookie Festival 

Saturday, Dec. 2 • 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

Home Baked Goodness! 

$3 per single variety bag 

Many Varieties, Buckeys & Fudge! 

Plus Christmas Craft Boutique 

17500 Manchester Rd. • Wildwood 



I EVENTS I 43 

gooD FrienDS. 

great FooD. 

colD DrinkS. 

Daily lunch & Dinner SpecialS 

288 lamp & lantern Village - upper leVel 

636-256-7201 

Walleye Fillets $16.99 

House Basa Fillet $14.99 

COME PIG OUT AT 3 BAY BBQ & BAKERY 

Best Pulled Pork This Side Of The Mississippi! 

• smoked sticky baby-back ribs • pork steaks • paninis • brats • burgers 

• smoked brisket • smoked turkey breast • all-beef BIG hot dogs • homemade chips 

• homemade mac & cheese • GG burger • smoked pulled chicken 

smoked pulled pork • 3 Bay smoked brisket philly cheese • nachos & more! 

Gooey Butter Bars, Chocolate Chunk Brownies, Peanut Butter Bars, 

Hawaiian Pineapple Cake, Brookies, Banana Chocolate Chip Bread, 

Apple Chunk Cake, Banana Cake w/Cinnamon Frosting and so much more! 

NEW Sloppy Rib Sandwich 

Our Amazing Smoked Baby Back Ribs, Shredded, 

and Mixed with our own Sweet GG’S BBQ Sauce 

Inside W. County Phillips 66 @ Clayton & Woodsmill Rd 

14195 Clayton Rd, Town & Country, MO 63017 • 636.227.1208 

www.3baybbq.com • Tues-Fri 10:30am-7:00pm • Open Saturdays: Noon to 7pm 

Did you know SANTA CLAUS was Italian? 

(At least mine was!) 

Oh and here's a $10 offer! 

Buy a $50 Gift Card to Massa's 

and get a bonus $10. 

25% OFF 

One Meal 

With this coupon. 


Excluding 1/2 & Full Slab of Ribs 

(Use this ad as much as you like...but do it before Christmas!) 

15310 Manchester Road 

636-391-3700 

14312 South Outer 40 Road 

314-485-8800

44 I EVENTS I 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


‘TIS THE SEASON FOR 

Bundt Cakes 

$5 Off 

purchase of $25 or more 

Valid at: 

St Louis-Chesterfield (Town & Country) 

St Louis-Brentwood 

St Peters 

Wentzville 

Expires 11/30/2023. Limit one (1) coupon per 

guest. Coupon must be presented at time of 

purchase. Valid only at the Nothing Bundt Cakes 

bakery(ies) listed. Valid only on baked goods; 

not valid on retail items. Must be claimed in 

bakery during normal business hours. Not valid 

for online orders. Not valid with any other offer. 

Discounts applied before tax. Coupon may not 

be reproduced, transferred or sold. Internet 

distribution strictly prohibited. No cash value. 

For 

Bakery 

HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS, from page 42 

than 4 million shimmering lights within a 

fantasyland of animated scenes and special 

effects. Kids are encouraged to bring letters 

to drop off for Santa. Admission is $35 per 

family vehicle or $45 per 12- to 15-passenger 

van. Open Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, 

Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Save $5 with 

a toy donation; discount is valid Monday- 

Thursday only. For details, visit SantasMagicalKingdom.com. 

• • • 

Children living in Manchester are invited 

to send their Letters to Santa. Send letters 

by Dec. 18 and include a self-addressed, 

stamped envelope for a response to: Santa 

Claus, c/o Manchester Parks Department, 

359 Old Meramec Station Road, Manchester, 

MO 63021. 

• • • 

A “North Pole” Mailbox is open in 

Ellisville’s Blue Bird Park through Dec. 15 

in front of the Park Administration Building. 

Letters may also be mailed to: Santa 

Claus, 225 Kiefer Creek Road, Ellisville, 

MO 63021. Include the child’s full name 

and return address for a response. For details, 

visit ellisville.mo.us. 

• • • 

The Wildwood Holiday Tree Lighting 

Ceremony is from 3-5:30 p.m. on Saturday, 

Dec. 2 at Town Center Plaza. Visits with 

Santa Claus, shopping and s’mores. 

• • • 

Three French Hens, 16935 Manchester 

Road in Wildwood, hosts Photos with Santa 

from 2-4 p.m. on Dec. 3. Features crafts, 

snacks and more! 

• • • 

Santa Paws is from 4-5 p.m. on Friday, 

Dec. 8 at the Eberwein Dog Park, 1627 Old 

Baxter Road in Chesterfield. Free event. Dog 

park members only. Register by emailing 

recreation@chesterfield.mo.us. 

• • • 

Supper with Santa is from 5:30-7:30 p.m. 

on Dec. 8-10 and Dec. 15-17 at the Sophia 

M. Sachs Butterfly House, 15193 Olive 

Blvd. in Chesterfield. Dinner, crafts, cookies 

and cocoa, and a photo with Santa. $20 for 

members, $25 for non-members and free for 

children 1 year and younger. Register at missouribotanicalgarden.org. 

• • • 

Cookies at the Carousel is from 9:30 

a.m.-noon on Saturday, Dec. 9 at the St. 

Louis Carousel, 15189 Olive Blvd. in Chesterfield. 

Visit with Santa, warm up with hot 

chocolate and cookies, enjoy festive crafts, 

balloon twisting, face painting, music and 

more. $15 per child. Accompanying adults 

are free. Purchase tickets at chesterfieldmochamber.com 

and search “Cookies at the 

Carousel.” 

• • • 

A Flashlight Candy Cane Hunt is from 

5-6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9 at Bluebird Park 

in Ellisville. Guests should bring a flashlight 

and bag for collecting the candy. Afterward, 

enjoy hot cocoa, cookies and a visit from 

Santa. $6 per person. Pre-registration is 

required at ellisville.mo.us. 

• • • 

Fun with Santa is from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on 

Saturday, Dec. 16 at Salem in Ballwin UMC, 

14825 Manchester Road. Take photos with 

Santa using your own camera. First 100 kids 

receive a coloring book and crayons. 

• • • 

The annual PALS pet adoption event and 

Pet Pictures with Santa is from 10 a.m.-3 

p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 16 at Pet Supplies 

Plus, 15311 Manchester Road in Ballwin. 

• • • 

Santa and the Mean Green Grouch 

is from 10 a.m.-noon on Saturday, Dec. 16 

at the Ballwin Golf Course, 333 Holloway 

Road. Take a wintery ride on a golf cart to 

see Santa. Count all the candy canes on the 

way to receive a special prize. Cost is $45 for 

residents; $55 for non-residents. Golf carts 

hold 3-4 people max. For details, visit ballwin.mo.us/Ballwin-Parks-and-Recreation. 

• • • 

Pictures With Santa is from 1-3 p.m. on 

Saturday, Dec. 16 at the Ballwin Golf Course, 

333 Holloway Road. Free drop-in event. For 

details, visit ballwin.mo.us. 

Celebrate with Dalie's! 

Holiday Catering, Gift Cards & Swag 

www.daliessmokehouse.com 

2951 Dougherty Ferry Rd. (63122) 

Store: 636.529.1898 | Catering: 314.243.8740



CHANUKAH, from page 10 

things we hear over and over again is the 

welcoming atmosphere. Nobody is judged. 

Everyone is included and regardless of 

their knowledge level, their experiences, 

everything is explained in a way that means 

something and is inspiring to everyone.” 

One of the Chabad’s more popular programs 

is Loaves of Love at which people 

come together to make Challah bread for 

their Shabbat dinners on Sabbath. 

“The idea is to make one or two for your use 

and one to deliver to someone who wouldn’t 

otherwise have it. To share the love,” Rubenfeld 

explained. “I have never ever in my life 

… experienced anybody upset when you 

express to them care and concern. People are 

very grateful and so many of us are afraid to 

do that but it’s so, so important. 

“Human beings have 99% in common. 

Unity doesn’t happen by itself but it’s a 

beautiful thing to accomplish.” 

Rubenfeld said he is a believer in the 

light of the world. To illustrate how one’s 

viewpoint can bring light amid darkness, 

he shared a story from the recent International 

Conference of Chabad Emissaries 

held in New York Nov. 8-13 and attended 

by 6,500 Chabad rabbis. 

“We were addressed by a 9-year-old 

Chabad emissary. His father and his grandfather 

are both Chabad leaders in Sderot, one of 

the southernmost cities in Israel, very close 

to what is happening. The terrorist came to 

their city. And this little boy, he walks around 

the city with a helmet that’s probably five 

sizes too large and a bullet-proof vest, and 

he brings food to people and joy,” Rubenfeld 

said. “I was blown away by him. 

“When he began (speaking), he was 

wearing his helmet and vest and he had to 

climb up on a stool to be able to reach the 

podium. He addressed us in Hebrew and 

said, ‘My entire life.’” The rabbi pauses 

and chuckles. “For all his nine years, he’s 

had 12 seconds from when that siren 

goes off to get into a shelter or his life is 

at stake. (Paraphrasing the boy,) he said, 

‘The world will tell you that these 12 seconds 

are gloom and doom, but I’m here 

to tell you, think of what you can do in 12 

seconds. You can hug a person. You can 

bring a person food. You can bring joy to 

a fellow person.’ He challenged us, ‘What 

are you going to do with your 12 seconds 

every day?’” 

“It was amazing … and I think that should 

be our focus. When you hear the negative, 

take 12 seconds and do something positive 

because you don’t fight darkness with 

darkness, you fight darkness with light.” 

Rabbi Avi Rubenfeld and his sons 



I 45 

WEST HOME PAGES 

J.D. CONTRACTING 

EXTERIOR SPECIALIST 

REPLACEMENT 

WINDOWS 

TEXT JIM 

314.723.0027 

• Low E 

• Energy Efficient 

• Double Hung 

• Siding, Soffit 

and Gutters 

CALL OR TEXT JIM TO REQUEST A BID! 

30+ YEARS 

EXPERIENCE 

County House Washing 

& Painting 

WEST 

A+ 

RATED 

Power Washing • Painting • Staining 

INTERIORS • EXTERIORS • CONCRETE 

CEDAR HOMES • DECKS & FENCES 

Mike Lynch 636.394.0013 

WWW.COUNTYHOUSEWASHING.COM 

ROOFING • GUTTERS 

TUCKPOINTING • LEAFGARD 

Siding • Soffit • Fascia & Repairs 

Best Quality & Prices Since 1988! 

314-968-7848 

www.stlroofing.com 

COMPLETE KITCHEN & BATH REMODELING 

COMPLETE 

REMODELING 

PLUS OTHER INTERIOR PROJECTS 

SPECIAL 

Bathtub Conversion 

into Walk-in Shower 

References Available 

Reasonable Pricing 

Quality Work 

Senior Discounts Available 

Serving West County & 

surrounding areas since 1985 

Edwards Remodeling•Call 314-397-5100•Licensed & Insured 

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 

Locally Owned & Operated by Tim Hallahan 

Serving West County for 25+ Years 

636.458.6400 

timjhallahan@gmail.com 

westwoodpaintinginc.com 

When you want it 

done right... 

Check our 

ads first. 

636.591.0010 

TOP GUNN FAMILY 

CONSTRUCTION INC. 

Build and Repair Decks & Fences, 

All Painting, Wallpaper Removal, 

Powerwash/Stain Decks, Finish Basements, 

Remodeling, Kitchens, Baths 

Senior Discounts • Military Discounts 

First responders must show ID 

Call Today • 636-466-3956 

GunnFamilyConstruction@gmail.com 

LEAFGARD LEAF FILTER 

Keeps out all debris • Low profile appearance 

Works on existing gutters • Free estimates on new gutters 

Siding • Soffit • Fascia & Repairs 

Best Quality & Prices Since 1988! 

314-968-7848 

www.stlroofing.com

46 I 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


H NEST 

JUNK HAULING 

Furniture, Appliances, Fences, 

Decks, Swing Sets & More 

www.honestjunk.com 

314-312-1077 

Locally Owned & Operated 

H NEST 

JUNK HAULING 

$ 

25.00 OFF 

Any Service 

www.honestjunk.com 

314-312-1077 

Locally Owned & Operated 

WEST HOME PAGES 

CUSTOM DECKS 

SCREEN ROOMS, ENCLOSURES, 

REPAIRS, RESURFACE, PATIOS, STAMPED CONCRETE, 

4 SEASON ROOMS, OUTDOOR LIVING SPACES 

GENERAL CONTRACTOR | All Types Of Home Improvements 

Insurance Specialist, Fully Insured | A+ BBB Rating, 30 Years Experience 

FREE INSPECTIONS & ESTIMATES 

314-282-1991 | www.CovenantContractingSTL.com 

WEST COUNTY 

INTERIOR PAINTING 

Drywall Installation 

and Refinishing 

Free Estimates ∙ 28 yrs Experience 

DUSTIN 636-484-2967 

Driveways, Patios, Pool Decks, Garage Floors, 

Retaining Walls, Stamped and Colored Concrete 

Insured For Your Protection 

Licensed & Insured 

ALL OF YOUR DECKING NEEDS 

• Wood 

• Vinyl 

• Composite 

• Aluminum 

• Refacing 

• New Decks 

• Deck Repairs 

• IPE (Hardwood) 

Rlinkconstruction@yahoo.com 

314.607.8953 

FIND US ON 

20+ YEARS EXPERIENCE 

PATIOS • DRIVEWAYS 

RETAINING WALLS 

STAMPED CONCRETE 

314-698-0403 • www.rickthomasconcrete.com • Fully Insured 

CELEBRATING 125 YEARS 

314.518.0231 

• NEW 

CONSTRUCTION 

• 24 HR 

• BATH 

EMERGENCY 

REMODELS 

SERVICE 

• ACCESSIBILITY • RESIDENTIAL 

REMODELS 

• COMMERCIAL 

WWW.JJKOKESHANDSON.COM 

• Deck Construction 

• Deck Repairs 

• Deck Upgrades 

• Deck Staining 

• Staircases 

• Hand Rail 

• Fully Insured 

• Warranty 

• No Money Up Front 

CONCRETE 

Patios • Driveways • Sidewalks 

Textured Finishes also available 

Licensed & Insured 

Rlinkconstruction@yahoo.com 

314.607.8953 

J.D. CONTRACTING 

EXTERIOR SPECIALIST 

ROOFING 

PLUS Powerwashing, 

Decks & Staining 

TEXT JIM 

314.723.0027 

CALL OR TEXT JIM TO REQUEST A BID! 

• Emergency 

Repairs 

• Free Roofing 

Inspections 

• Insurance 

Claims 

• Siding, Soffit 

& Fascia 

• Insured 

636-938-ROOF (7663) 

Like us on Facebook 

Locally Owned & Operated by Rick Hinkson 

JL CONCRETE 

SEALING & CAULKING 

Residential and Commercial 

• Sealing (Prevents pitting) 

• Caulking (Keep out the weeds) 

• Power Washing (Fresh & clean) 

• Crack Filling (Keeps moisture out) 

• Fence Washing 


Call Jerry Loosmore Jr. at 636-399-6193 

Our Home Page professionals will help you 

PREP YOUR HOME FOR 

WINTER WEATHER





WEST CLASSIFIEDS • 636.591.0010 • CLASSIFIEDS@NEWSMAGAZINENETWORK.COM 

I 47 

CARPET 

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 cleaninag 

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 & backa-up 

generators. No job too small. 

Competitively priced. Free Estimates. 

Just call 636-262-5840 

GARAGE DOORS 

DSI/Door Solutions, Inc. 

Garage Doors, Electric Open–ers. 

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 

DECKS 

Deck Staining 

• Brushed & Rolled Only 

• No money up front/Warranty 

A+ 

Free Estimates • Insured/A+BBB 

EverythingDecks.net • (636) 337-7733 

-CARPET REPAIRS- 

Restretching • Reseaming 

& Patching. 

No job is to small! 

FREE Estimates 

(314) 892-1003 

DONATION PICKUP 

Keep your Saturdays to yourself 

and we will pick it up for you! 

Complimentary Curbside 

Donation Pickup. Anything that 

is non-perishable or flammable. 

Serving the West County area! 

CALL TODAY 

to schedule your appointment. 

314-742-4342. 

EDUCATION 

Traveling Fossil & Rock 

Presentations with a Biblical 

Perspective. Suitable for all grade 

levels. FREE Fossils for everyone. 

Can the Bible timeline 

be tested and trusted? 

Yes! 

The Rock’s Cry Out Ministry 

Contact Bill Barnes 314-608-2928 

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 

SKIP'S HAULING & DEMOLITION 

Junk hauling and removal. Cleanouts, 

appliances, furniture, debris, 

construction rubble, yard waste, 

excavating & demolition! 10, 15 

& 20 cubic yd. rolloff dumpsters. 

Licensed & insured. Affordable, dependable 

and available! 

VISA/MC accepted. 22 yrs. service. 

Toll Free 1-888-STL-JUNK 

888-785-5865 or 314-644-1948 

HELP WANTED 


Hiring For position of: 

Part-Time Custodians 

(Temporary Position) 

-Flexible Work Schedule 

-Competitive Wage 

-No weekends 

Apply at: 

https://rockwood.ted. 

peopleadmin.com/hire/ 

Viewjob.aspx?JobID=3198 

or call (636) 733-3270 

EEOC 


Hiring For Position of: 

Food Service 

Our Child Nutrition Assistants 

work school days only 

Part time or Full time, 

No experience needed. 

Starting Pay $14 Hourly. 

Seven Paid Holidays, 

Retirement through PEERS, 

Perfect Attendance Days 

Manager positions available 

with full benefits. 

www.rsdmo.org 

or call 636-733-3253 


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: 


peopleadmin.com/hire/index 

or call (636) 733-3270 

EEOC 



CUSTODIAN 

- 40 hrs/week 





Educational Employee Retirement 










- 12 Paid Holidays 

Apply at: 


peopleadmin.com/ 

hire/index or call (636) 733-3270 

EEOC 



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 
















Apply at: 



or call (636) 733-3270 

EEOC 

FULL TIME 

AUTO MECHANIC 

Mon - Fri • 8am - 4:30pm 

Must be certified for 

State Inspections. 

Pay based upon experience. 

Ballwin Auto Center 

Call Scott at 636-394-4911 

to set up interview. 

HELP WANTED 

COMPASSIONATE 

CAREGIVERS NEEDED!! 

VISITING ANGELS is hiring for 

Chesterfield/Wildwood/Ballwin/ 

Des Peres/ T&C- $17-19/hr. 

Personal Care Assistants & 

Homemaker shifts. Weekly Pay, 

Flexible Schedules, 401K match. 

Health Ins. after 6 mo. if FT 

Call 636-695-4422 or apply at 

VisitingAngels.com/westplex 

HOME HEALTHCARE 

TROSSIE CARES 

Private Home Health 

24 hr. Affordable 

Home Healthcare Service. 

Referencces Available. 

Call 314-620-3550 

or email 

trossiecares@gmail.com 

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 

REMODEL & REPAIR 

Rotted wood, Painting, Tile, 

Drywall, Floors, Electrical, 

Carpentry, Plumbing, 

Power Washing. Insured. 


Tom Streckfuss 314-910-7458 

sbacontractingllc@gmail.com 

Total Bathroom Remodeling 

Cabinetry•Plumbing•Electrical 

30 Years Experience 

PRISTINE MIDWEST 

CONSTRUCTION LLC 

Specializing in 

Decks & Fences 


pristinemidwest@gmail.com 

(314) 575-3879 

Mizzou Crew LLC (Since 2004) 

We can’t do everything, 

but we CAN do a lot! 

Landscaping, Demolition, 

Flooring, Light Construction, 

Furniture Assembly, Fencing, 

Deck Repair, Rough Carpentry. 

Call/text Jeff 314-520-5222 or 

email mizzoucrewstl@gmail.com 

LANDSCAPING 

WE SPECIALIZE IN 

RETAINING WALLS • PAVER PATIOS • DECKS 

FENCES • TREES • NEW LANDSCAPING 

LAWNS & MULCH AND MUCH MORE! 

Free Estimates 

314-280-2779 

poloslawn@aol.com 

LANDSCAPING 

AFFORDABLE LEAF CLEANUPS 

& GUTTER CLEANING 

Curbside Pickup Available 


314-749-3947 

MORALES LANDSCAPE LLC 

Clean-Up • Mowing • Mulching 

Planting • Aeration • Sod Install 

Leaf Removal • Paver Patios 

Trimming & Edging 

Stone & Brick 

Retaining Walls • Drainage Work 

- FREE ESTIMATES - 

636-293-2863 

moraleslandscape@hotmail.com 

Best Landscaping Values in Town! 

-Mizzou Crew- 

Mulch, Shrub Trimming, 

Yard Cleanups, Power Washing, 

Moles, Small Walls & Paver Patios. 

Hauling Services, 

Demolition, 

Handyman Services 

& Rough Carpentry 

Call/Text Jeff 

314-520-5222 

or www.MizzouCrew.com 

Retaining Walls • Patios • Pruning 

Chainsaw Work • Seasonal 

Clean-up • Honeysuckle Removal 

Friendly service with attention to detail 

Call Tom 636.938.9874 

www.mienerlandscaping.com 

LEAF CLEAN UP 

CURBSIDE 

PICK UP 

AVAILABLE 


CARPET 

CARPET REPAIRS 

Restretching, reseaming & 

patching. No job too small. 

Free estimates. 

(314) 892-1003 

COLLECTIBLES 

WANTED TO BUY 

• SPORTS MEMORABILIA • 

Baseba l Cards, Sports Cards, 

Cardinals Souvenirs and 

Memorabilia. Pre-1975 Only. 

Private Co lector: 314-302-1785 

DECKS 

Mark Hicks, LLC 

Construction, Repairs, 

Upgrades 

EverythingDecks.net 

38 years experience, 

no money up front, 

warranty, insured, 


MarkHicksLLC.com 

BBB A+ 

636-337-7733 

ELECTRICAL 

ERIC'S ELECTRIC 

Licensed, Bonded and Insured: 

Service upgrades, fans, can lights, 

switches, outlets, basements, 

code violations fixed, we do it 

all. Emergency ca ls & back-up 

generators. No job too sma l. 

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, a fordable rates. 

Call: 636-379-8062 or 

email: jandjhaul@aol.com 

SKIP'S HAULING & DEMOLITION 

Junk hauling and removal. Cleanouts, 

appliances, furniture, debris, 

construction rubble, yard waste, 

excavating & demolition! 10, 15 

& 20 cubic yd. rolloff dumpsters. 

Licensed & insured. Affordable, 

dependable and available! 

VISA/MC accepted. 22 yrs. service. 

Toll Free 1-888-STL-JUNK 

888-785-5865 or 314-644-1948 

HELP WANTED 

Outside Service Attendant 

$11.15 / Hour 

Looking to fi l our outside team, 

flexible hours, golf privileges, 

meals on duty, and more! 

Call (636) 227-9962 

or email 

briano@meabrk.org 

for more information. 

COMPASSIONATE 

CAREGIVERS NEEDED ! 

VISITING ANGELS is hiring for 

Chesterfield/Wildwood/Ba lwin/ 

Des Peres/ T&C- $17-19/hr. 

Personal Care Assistants & 

Homemaker shifts. Weekly Pay, 

Flexible Schedules, 401K match. 

Health Ins. after 6 mo. if FT 

Call 636-695-4422 or apply at 

VisitingAngels.com/westplex 

PAINTING 

Interior and 

exterior painting 

Deck staining 

- Insured & Free Estimates - 

Dickspainting.com 

314-707-3094 

PET SERVICES 

PLUMBING 

LICENSED PLUMBER 

Bonded & Insured 

Available for all your 

plumbing needs. 

No job is too small. 


35 Years Experience. 

Senior Discounts 

24 hours service! 

314-808-4611 

• 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 

TREE SERVICES 

• COLE TREE SERVICE • 

Tree and Stump Removal. 

Trimming and Deadwooding. 

Free Estimates. 

636-475-3661 

www.cole-tree-service.biz 

WEDDING SERVICES 

ANYTIME ANYWHERE 

- CEREMONIES - 

Marriage Ceremonies 

Vow Renewals • Baptisms 

Pastoral Visits • Graveside Visits 

Full Service Ministry 

(314) 703-7456 

WEST CLASSIFIEDS • 636.591.0010 • CLASSIFIEDS@NEWSMAGAZINENETWORK.COM 

HELP WANTED 

Rockwood School District Rockwood School District 



Mowing & Landscaping 

Food Service 

Technician 

Our Child Nutrition Assistants 

in Grounds Department 

work school days only 

- 40 hrs/week 

Part time or Full time, 


No experience needed. 


Seven Paid Holidays, 


Retiremen through PEERS, 

- Retiremen through the Public 


Perfect Attendance Days 

System (PEERS) of Missouri Manager positions available 


with fu l benefits. 


www.rsdmo.org 


or call 636-733-3253 



-PART TIME COOK- 

- Employee Assistance Program Multi Faceted Position. 


In Private Home. 


This position 


requires, cooking, serving 

Apply at: 

& light house work. 

https://rockwood.ted.people Wed & Fri, 12PM-8:30PM 

admin.com/hire/index 

Every other weekend, 

or call (636) 733-3270 

Rotating shifts. 

EEOC 

For more info call 

(314) 349-1457 

Ask for Sherlyn Whiteside 

Rockwood School District HOME IMPROVEMENT 


HVAC Maintenance Technician 

Kitchen Remodeling, 

- 40 hrs/week 


Wainscoting, Cabinets, 


Crown Molding, Trim, Framing, 

Full Benefit Package includes: Basement Finishing, Custom 

- Retiremen through the Public Decks, Doors, Windows. 


Free estimates! 


Anything inside & out! 



Call Joe 636-699-8316 








Apply at: 

https://rockwood.ted.people 


or call (636) 733-3270 

EEOC 



CUSTODIAN 

- 40 hrs/week 



Fu l Benefit Package includes: 30 Years Experience 

- Retiremen through the Public 





LANDSCAPING 








Apply at: 

https://rockwood.ted.people 


or call (636) 733-3270 

EEOC 

AFFORDABLE CARPENTRY 

SBA Contracting LLC 

Home Improvement and Repairs 

Interior Painting, Flooring, 

Drywa l & Wood Repair. 


Insured 

Call 314-910-7458 

or email us at 

sbacontractingllc@gmail.com 

Total Bathroom Remodeling 

Cabinetry•Plumbing•Electrical 

PAINTING 

PLUMBING 

TODD THE PLUMBER 

Licensed, Bonded & Insured 

Available for all your plumbing 

needs. No job to big or too small. 

35 years experience! 

314-800-4960 

• ANYTHING IN PLUMBING • 

Good Prices! Basement 

bathrooms, sma l repairs & code 

violations repaired. Fast Service. 

Certified, licensed plumber - MBC 

Plumbing - Call or text anytime: 

314-409-5051 

LICENSED PLUMBER 

Bonded & Insured 

Available for a l your 

plumbing needs. 

No job is too small. 


35 Years Experience. 

Senior Discounts 

24 hours service! 

314-808-4611 

POWERWASHING 

ORGANIZING SPECIALIST 

Home or Office 

Let’s arrange your things 

so you can easily locate them 

when needed. 

SUZANNE 314-422-5695 

TREE SERVICES 

• COLE TREE SERVICE • 

Tree and Stump Removal. 

Trimming and Deadwooding. 

GET 'ER DONE TREE SERVICE 

Tree trimming, removal, deadwooding, 

pruning and stump 

grinding. Certified arborist. 

Fu ly Insured • Free Estimates 

A+ BBB • A+ Angie's List 

Serving the Area Since 2004 

314-971-6993 or 636-234-6672 

WATERPROOFING 

TOP NOTCH WATERPROOFING 

& FOUNDATION REPAIR LLC 

Cracks, sub-pump systems, 

structural & concrete repairs. 

Exterior drainage correction. 

Serving Missouri for 15 years. 

Fina ly, a contractor who is honest 

& leaves the job site clean. 

Lifetime Warranties. 

Free Estimate 

636-281-6982 

Call 636-591-0010 

Interior and 

exterior painting 

Deck staining 

- Insured & Free Estimates - 

Dickspainting.com 

314-707-3094 

M I E N E R 

LANDSCAPING 

Retaining Wa ls • Patios • Pruning 

Chainsaw Work • Seasonal 

Clean-up • Honeysuckle Removal 

Friendly service with a tention to detail 

Call Tom 636.938.9874 

www.mienerlandscaping.com 

LANDSCAPING 

MORALES LANDSCAPE LLC 

Clean-Up • Mowing Mulching 

Planting • Aeration • Sod Install 

Leaf/Tree Removal • Paver Patios 

• Trimming/Edging • Stone & Brick 

• Retaining Walls • Drainage Work 

- F R E E S T I M AT E S - 


moraleslandscape@hotmail.com 

Best Landscaping Values in Town! 

Mizzou Crew Mulch, 

Shrub Trimming, 

Yard Cleanups, 

Power Washing, 

Moles, Small Wa ls 

and Paver Patios. 

Ca l/text Jeff 

314-520-5222 

or www.MizzouCrew.com 

TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED 

AD CALL OR VISIT 

OUR WEBSITE. 

LANDSCAPE 

REHAB + 

SPECIALIZING 

IN ALL YOUR 

HARDSCAPING 

NEEDS! 

REPAIR•REDO 

ALL NEW 

RETAINING WALLS 

PAVER PATIOS 

FIRE PITS • WALKWAYS 

BOBCAT WORK 

• FREE ESTIMATES • 

636-775-5992 

WE SPECIALIZE IN 

RETAINING WALLS • PAVER PATIOS • DECKS 

FENCES • TREES • NEW LANDSCAPING 

LAWNS & MULCH AND MUCH MORE! 


314-280-2779 

poloslawn@aol.com 

• SPRING CLEAN-UPS • 

Mulching, 

Bush & Shrub Trimming, 

Removal and Planting 

Dethatching / Powe raking, 

Aeration and Overseeding, 

Brushwork, Sod Install 

and Leaf Removal 

• FAST & FREE ESTIMATES • 

TWO MEN & A MOWER 

636-432-3451 

POWERWASHING 

APRIL SPECIAL 

1 Story House 

Starting at $239 

2 Story House 


A l Smiles Pressure Washing, LLC 

636-279-0056 

SERVICES 

+ WEDDING SERVICES 

-CAREGIVER- 

•Reliable 

•Experienced 

•Companion 

Seeking A Position 

in West County 

Full / PT 

Call 314-941-1326 

PET SERVICES 

ANYTIME ANYWHERE 

- CEREMONIES - 

• Marriage Ceremonies • Vow Renewals • Baptisms 

• Pastoral Visits • Graveside Visits 

Full Service Ministry | (314) 703-7456 

a b 

WWW.WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM 

Free Estimates. 

636-475-3661 

www.cole-tree-service.biz 

REAL ESTATE 

SOFTBALL LEAGUES 

Men 60+ Senior Softball League 

Slow pitch softba league for men 

60 years and older 

to play in St. Charles County 

is accepting individual 

applications for the 2022 season. 

Double-headers on 

Wednesdays at 4:30pm 

at Schneider-Kiwanis Park. 

Final day for applications 

is Saturday, April 30. 

If interested email: 

herbieo.jr@gmail.com 

or call or text: 

Herb Olmsted 314-960-2872

West Newsmagazine 11-29-23

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