Mid Rivers Newsmagazine 1-10-24

Vol. 21 No. 1 • January 10, 2024 

midriversnewsmagazine.com 

County Buys 

National Equestrian Center 

PLUS: Mature Focus ■ Black Studies Raise Concerns In Francis Howell ■ Looking Toward April Election

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STAR PARKER 

Mazi Melesa Pilip: 

A fantastic republican to 

replace George Santos 

January 10, 2024 

MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE 

I OPINION I 3 

A special election will be held in New 

York’s 3rd Congressional District on 

Feb. 13 to replace George Santos, worldclass 

conman, who Republicans recently 

expelled on ethics charges. 

Republicans have picked a uniquely 

exciting candidate to run for this now open 

seat in Mazi Melesa Pilip. 

Pilip is a Black Orthodox Jew and a 

mother of seven children who arrived to 

Israel at age 12 from Ethiopia, grew up 

there, served as a paratrooper in the Israel 

Defense Forces and continued on to earn 

a degree in occupational therapy at Haifa 

University, where she met her husband, 

and then earned a master’s in diplomacy 

and security at Tel Aviv University. 

Her husband immigrated to Israel from 

Ukraine, and subsequently they moved to 

the U.S. where he continued his medical 

studies and now works as a cardiologist. 

With five children and pregnant with 

twins, she ran two years ago for a seat in 

the Nassau County Legislature, won the 

seat – defeating a Democrat incumbent – 

and then was reelected, winning 60% of 

the vote. 

Pilip effervesces her belief in the “American 

dream” and the importance to keep 

government limited, keep taxes low and 

fight crime. As an immigrant, she is particularly 

passionate about this issue and the 

importance to control our border. 

She will run against Democrat Tom 

Suozzi, who held the seat for three terms 

before leaving in 2022 to enter the race for 

New York governor. 

In an interview with Israeli newspaper 

Israel Today, Pilip explained that she 

became motivated to enter American politics 

when flare-ups with Hamas produced 

antisemitism endangering her children to 

walk freely and openly as Jews in their 

neighborhood in New York. 

“My story is the story of America and 

Israel together. Israel is a diverse state, 

there is not just one color, and in the U.S., 

any dream can become reality. ... This is 

my second immigration. I had to learn culture 

and a new language twice. It wasn’t 

easy for me.” 

Pilip is a poster child who speaks forcefully, 

disabusing distortions and ignorance 

about Israel being spread, particularly on 

university campuses. 

Recently, for instance, a program was 

held at UCLA labeled as an “Emergency 

Teach-In on the Crisis in Palestine.” One of 

the UCLA professors depicted Israel as a 

“colonial power driven by an exclusionary 

racial ideology.” 

Just looking at this impressive Black 

Ethiopian Jewish woman, who grew up in 

Israel, who speaks warmly about her love 

for and the beauty of the country where she 

grew up, says everything about the absurdity 

of such outrageous allegations. 

I recall on my own first trip to Israel 

noting the full spectrum of color in the 

population – white, brown, black. 

Israel literally was founded as an ingathering 

of Jews dispersed in the four corners 

of the globe. 

The parents and grandparents of today’s 

Israelis came from Eastern and Western 

Europe, the Middle East, North America, 

Latin America, North Africa and Asia. 

Pilip arrived to Israel as part of Operation 

Solomon in 1991 in which, over the 

course of 36 hours, Israel airlifted over 

14,000 Ethiopian Jews to Israel out of concern 

for their safety as result of political 

instability in Ethiopia. 

There is now an estimated more than 

160,000 Ethiopian Jews in Israel. 

Around the same time, 1990-91, after 

considerable pressure, the Soviet Union 

released over 300,000 Jews to leave for 

Israel. 

How Jews who returned to their historic 

homeland from all over the globe, after so 

many years of oppression, persecution and 

murder, could be accused of either racism 

or colonialism should give everyone great 

pause regarding what is happening on our 

college campuses. 

Meanwhile, Mazi Melesa Pilip is a presence 

Republicans and all Americans need 

in the U.S. Congress. 

Let’s hope and pray that in February she 

will be adding her important voice to those 

on Capitol Hill. 

• • • 

Star Parker is president of the Center 

for Urban Renewal and Education and 

host of the weekly television show “Cure 

America with Star Parker.” 

© 2024 Creators.com 

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Law Matters 

I normally 

write stories 

about my 

clients in this 

column. Life 

can be interesting. 

But every 

once in 

a while, I need to write about a 

change in the law. And this new 

law has a major impact on small 

businesses. 

The Corporate Transparency Act 

was passed in 2021. The law was 

passed to combat money laundering 

by drug cartels, tax fraud, and the 

funding of terrorist organizations. 

All very laudable goals, but the law 

has a huge impact. Every corporation, 

limited liability company, 

limited partnership, or similar entities 

(called “reporting companies”) 

are subject to the law with very few 

exemptions. Exempted entities are 

those businesses already registered 

with the Securities and Exchange 

Commission, tax exempt organizations. 

Governmental agencies, and 

banks. You might notice that there 

isn’t an exemption for small businesses. 

That’s because there isn’t one. 

Substantially all small businesses are 

covered, even that LLC that owns 

your vacation home. And what does 

the law require? 

The Financial Crimes Enforcement 

Network (“FinCEN”), a division 

of the Department of Treasury, 

has created a massive database to 

collect business beneficial ownership 

information. (I’m sure that 

China won’t be able to hack that.) 

Reporting companies must file in 

the database certain information 

with respect to anyone forming a 

reporting company or anyone who 

is a “beneficial owner” of a reporting 

company, meaning anyone who 

owns 25% or more of the reporting 

company or anyone who can 

exercise “substantial control” over 

the entity. The information that 

has to be filed (and kept current) is 

as follows: full legal name, date of 

birth, a copy of a valid, government 

issued photo ID that includes the 

name and date of birth of the individual. 

The law also says something 

about a photo, but I wonder if the 

photo ID will satisfy that requirement. 

Existing entities have until 

December 31st to file, but new 

entities have 90 days. 

And this new law is not to be 

taken lightly. If you fail to file the 

reports as required, there is a $500 

per day penalty up to $10,000 and 

up to 2 years of jail time. This is a 

serious law. 

So if you own an interest in a 

business, call your accountant. 

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Fred L. Vilbig is an attorney with over 30 

years of experience in the areas of wills 

and trusts, small businesses, and real 

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6 I OPINION I 





EDITORIAL 

Random thoughts 

With a tip of the cap to our old friend 

Thomas Sowell, let’s kick off 2024 with 

some random thoughts on the passing 

scene: 

• It’s quite a coincidence that the three 

most tone deaf human beings alive were 

all able to become leaders of top universities 

and were all called before Congress 

at the same time. Or what if it wasn’t a 

coincidence? Did anyone think to quickly 

call every president of every college in 

America to make sure they were not as out 

of touch as the presidents of MIT, Harvard 

and University of Pennsylvania? 

• Quick note to Democrats: You are not 

going to sue or prosecute Donald Trump 

away from the next election. Every time 

you try, you just reinforce his core argument 

and harden the resolve of his constituents. 

Certainly you know this by now. 

It almost seems like the Democratic Party 

does not think their candidate can win and 

so they are throwing “Hail Mary” after 

“Hail Mary” instead. 

• Quick note to Missouri Rep. Adam 

Schwadron, of St. Charles,: We hope 

beyond hope that there are more important 

things for the legislature to work on than 

deciding if provel should be the official 

ON THE COVER: National Equestrian Center in Lake Saint Louis 

state cheese. Yes, Schwadron put forth 

a bill last week to name the gooey Imo’s 

topping the official state cheese. Amazingly, 

there is a similar bill put forth by 

Rep. Jamie Gragg, of Springfield, to name 

that town’s cashew chicken as the official 

state dish. It’s comforting to know all of 

our other problems are solved. 

• The Francis Howell School Board 

voted to eliminate Black history and Black 

literature courses from the district’s offerings. 

There were just 60 students signed 

up for the former course and 42 signed up 

for the latter, per the Post-Dispatch. Francis 

Howell has more than 16,000 students. 

Then, more than 3,000 people signed a 

petition to have the classes reinstated. The 

board agreed, as long as the content was 

politically neutral. A politically neutral discussion 

of historical politics? Sure, seems 

simple enough. 

• OK, back to college presidents. Claudine 

Gay, the ousted former president of 

Harvard, wrote a lengthy piece in the New 

York Times that is just astonishing in its 

shamelessness. She called her performance 

before Congress the result of a “well laid 

trap” where she “neglected to articulate 

that calls for the genocide of Jewish people 

are … unacceptable.” 

(Tracey Bruce photo) 

To be clear, Ms. Gay was asked “Does 

calling for the genocide of Jews violate 

Harvard’s rules on bullying and harassment?” 

Her response: “It can be, depending on 

the context.” 

That is not a well laid trap. That is a 

ball on a tee waiting to be hit out of the 

park. The cluelessness it takes to deem 

that question and the resulting outrage 

a “well laid trap” would be astonishing 

coming from Animal House’s Dean 

Wormer. The fact that it came from the 

president of Harvard University just 

boggles the mind. 

• Quick note to those who believe 

miracles cannot happen: A couple weeks 

ago, a Japan Airlines flight collided with 

a Japanese Coast Guard plane on landing. 

There were 367 passengers on the flight 

and the plane was completely engulfed in 

flames within 20 minutes of the collision. 

No one on that plane died. The staff and 

passengers were able to gather themselves, 

organize and exit the aircraft in less time 

than it takes most of us to decide on that 

day’s outfit. Humans are capable of amazing 

things sometimes, especially when they 

work together. No one on that plane died. 

Miraculous. 

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8 I NEWS I 

NEWS 

BRIEFS 

O’FALLON 

Council defeats 

intersection project 



At its Dec. 14 meeting, the O’Fallon City 

Council defeated Bill No. 7596 by a vote 

of 6-3, denying use of federal funding and 

disapproving plans for a new intersection 

at Tom Ginnever Avenue and North Cool 

Springs Road. 

Council members Tom “Duke” Herweck 

(Ward 2), Nathan Bibb (Ward 3) and Steve 

Koskela (Ward 3) voted for the bill. Council 

members Deana Smith (Ward 1), Ron Epps 

(Ward 1), Lisa Thompson (Ward 2), Dr. Jim 

Ottomeyer (Ward 4), Debbie Cook (Ward 5) 

and Linda Ragsdale (Ward 5) voted against 

it. Council member Jeff Kuehn (Ward 4) 

was absent/excused. 

O’Fallon had been seeking to use external 

funds to help with the reconstruction and 

replacement of the stop-controlled intersection 

at Tom Ginnever Avenue/North Cool 

Springs Road with a roundabout to mitigate 

congestion and delays, and to improve 

St. Charles County Park will host an Eagle Watch Party at Riverside Landing, 

101 Riverport Lane, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 21. Park rangers will 

be at the park’s scenic overlook with spotting scopes and binoculars, childfriendly 

eagle activities and a toasty campfire. Registration is not necessary. 

For more information, visit bit.ly/stccparks_communityevents. (Photo by Elaine Collins) 

safety through this intersection. The project 

also would have addressed pedestrian 

improvements including the installation 

of new 10-foot, shared-use path sections 

within the intersection project limits. 

Prior to the vote, Epps said he would 

vote against the bill because his research 

indicated most of the congestion occurred 

between 7 and 7:20 a.m., with less than 1 

minute required at the stop sign. He said he 

had trouble spending money to fund this 

even though much of it comes from CMAQ 

(Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality) 

funds. Epps said he also is concerned about 

the safety of teen drivers and senior drivers 

using a new roundabout. 

Smith also spoke prior to the vote saying 

she did not want spend city or CMAQ funds 

on a project that really is not needed. 

“There is no free money,” she said. 

Smith noted that, at most, there have been 

two accidents per year at this intersection. 



She estimated that a roundabout would 

likely result in seven accidents per year. For 

the sake of safety and fiscal responsibility, 

she said she would vote against the bill. 

Total project cost had been estimated to 

be $1,518,000. The city would have used 

$986,700 in federal funding (65% of the 

estimated project total) for all items that met 

the federal reimbursement requirement. 

SAINT CHARLES 

City plans new festival 

for February 

Love will take center stage on Historic 

Main Street in St. Charles at the inaugural 

Main Street Valentine’s Celebration,” Once 

Upon a Valentine: Stories for the Loved & 

Loveless.” 

The new mini-festival will blend history, 

fun and spirited entertainment in the same 

vein as the city’s other popular holiday 

offerings, Legend & Lanterns and Christmas 

Traditions. 

Taking place from noon-3 p.m. on Saturday, 

Feb.10 and Sunday, Feb. 11, activities 

include both pro and anti-Valentine’s Day 

programming in a family-friendly setting. 

A highlight of the event is the STC Valentine’s 

Cards initiative, which allows guests 

to collect postcard-sized valentines from 

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I NEWS I 9 

a variety of activity locations. The cards 

feature quaint images of Saint Charles and 

offer intriguing snippets of Valentine’s Day 

history, connecting visitors to the holiday’s 

lesser-known backstories and fun facts. 

Other activities include crafting an oldfashioned 

Valentine’s Day cards with the 

infamous king of romance, Casanova, testing 

your bow and arrow skills on heartshaped 

targets, getting your mugshot taken 

with gangsters made famous by the St. 

Valentine’s Day Massacre; Feb. 14 also has 

been a historical day of infamy. 

On both days, a cappella singing groups, 

The Conversation Hearts and The Lonely 

Hearts Club, will provide the event’s sound 

track with a variety of love ballads and 

breakup anthems. 

The festival will conclude with a largescale 

vow renewal ceremony, inviting lovebirds 

to join with dozens of other couples 

at the iconic Main Street gazebo for a symbolic 

reaffirmation of love. 

$383,633,080, and with total anticipated 

funding resources of $652,614,278. 

Freezing weather is here! 

Transportation projects 

prioritized through 2026 

At its Dec. 18 meeting, the St. Charles 

County Council passed Bill No. 5246 by a 

vote of 7-0, approving the Transportation 

Improvement Plan (TIP) for fiscal years 

2024 through 2026 along with corresponding 

intergovernmental agreements. The bill 

was sponsored by the council as a whole. 

The bill has a list of 97 projects for 2024, 

totaling about $120 million, including projects 

for Dardenne Prairie, Lake Saint Louis, 

New Melle, O’Fallon, the city of St. Charles, 

St. Peters, Wentzville and unincorporated 

St. Charles County. 

The 2024 TIP includes 55 ongoing previously 

approved projects with funds rolling 

forward to 2024. The rollover is anticipated 

to be about $72 million, resulting from 

delays caused by right-of-way acquisition, 

lack of staff and inflation impacts. The 

county expects to see about $13 million in 

federal and state reimbursement in 2024 

for Roads and Traffic and County Highway 

projects. 

The County Road Board has recommended 

19 new projects for the TIP with 

three-year total county funding of about 

$20.7 million. The Road Board also 

approved four project amendments, due to 

construction cost inflation, adding funds 

totaling about $5 million, to cover overrun 

costs from actual construction bids and consultant 

fees. 

The contract for the Route 370 Interchange 

Ramp at Salt River Road project 

will be terminated, due to the lack of funding 

available for a higher estimated project 

cost caused by the impact of inflation. That 

termination results in $4,347,906 in county 

funds to be used for other projects. 

ST. CHARLES COUNTY 

County approves 2024 

budget before 2023 ends 

At its Dec. 18 meeting, the St. Charles 

County Council passed substitute Bill No. 

5247 by a vote of 6-1. The bill, requested by 

County Executive Steve Ehlmann and sponsored 

by the council as a whole, approves 

and appropriates the county’s 2024 budget. 

Council member Joe Brazil (District 2) 

voted against the bill. 

Prior to the vote on the bill, Brazil had 

moved to amend the proposed budget to 

remove funding for the St. Charles County 

Election Authority, because he said its 

director (Kurt Bahr) still had not responded 

to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 

requests for information requested back in 

May, even after repeated requests. 

Brazil said he and others had sought 

information about the cost of storing, transporting 

and maintaining voting machines in 

addition to other information. He said Bahr 

had come to a council meeting and when 

asked had said the machines cost about $1 

million. Brazil said the actual total cost 

appears to be $4.4 million. However, the 

motion to remove Election Authority funding 

did not pass. 

Brazil said he appreciated the excellent 

work done by executive staff to prepare 

the budget and address all of the issues but 

could not support the bill only because of 

the lack of responsiveness of Bahr and noncompliance 

with FOIA laws. He acknowledged 

that the council cannot tell the 

Election Authority what to do, but said that 

the council does have authority to approve 

the agency’s funding. 

The budget includes total expenditures 

(including capital outlay) of $561,494,489, 

with anticipated total revenues of 

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10 I NEWS I MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE 

County adds National Equestrian Center to its roster of diverse park properties 

By KATE UPTERGROVE 



One of the few remaining places for big 

horse shows in the St. Louis region is now part 

of the St. Charles County Parks system. Following 

unanimous approval by the County 

Council in October, the National Equestrian 

Center (NEC), a 54-acre site at 6880 Lake 

St. Louis Blvd., has been purchased in a $5.9 

million deal that has the county assuming its 

operation with projected annual costs budgeted 

at $2,554,457 for 2024. 

The county has hired management, operation 

and maintenance teams that are responsible 

for the center’s day-to-day operations. 

To cover those costs, the 2024 budget 

includes $1,253,400 for operations and 

maintenance and $1,301,057 for personnel. 

The cost to operate, maintain and improve 

the center will be paid from revenues generated 

from facility rentals, concessions, stall 

rentals, camping, et cetera and from the 

county’s use tax, which is dedicated to its 

parks and recreation department. 

According to St. Charles County Parks 

Director Ryan Graham, the NEC fills an 

important niche in destination tourism. 

“Without the NEC, your big horse shows 

that need room to stable hundreds of horses, 

they just couldn’t fit anywhere else around 

here,” Graham explained in a press statement. 

“They’d have to go to either Sedalia, 

Missouri, or Springfield, Illinois.” 

The site features three arenas, six barns, 

585 horse stalls, 63 camping spaces and 

almost four acres under roof. The main 

show area features more than 5,000 square 

National Equestrian Center in Lake Saint Louis 

feet of upper-level banquet space that can 

seat up to 250 people overlooking the arena. 

This space is available to rent for birthday 

parties, wedding receptions and special 

occasions. Its RV camping sites are open to 

the public at a cost of $25 per night. 

“The NEC is a tourism destination that 

attracts people from around the country, 

and we look forward to carrying on the tradition 

of hosting high-quality equestrian 

events and expanding the operations and 

offerings of the center,” Graham said. 

County officials anticipate hosting 

between 45 and 50 events per year. The 

first of which took place last weekend. The 

Meet Me in St. Louis Winter Festival, a 

hunter jumper show, was held Jan. 4-7 and 

was open to the public. 

For those not interested in horse shows, 

the center will host Vintage Market Days, 

April 26-28. The upscale, vintage-inspired 

market features original art, antiques, 

clothing, jewelry, handmade treasures, 

(Tracey Bruce photo) 

home décor, outdoor furnishings, seasonal 

plantings, food and more. Admission to the 

ticketed event is $15 per person on Friday, 

$10 on Saturday, and $7 on Sunday. 

Additional community and equestrian 

events will be posted at thenationalequestriancenter.com. 

In addition to hosting shows and other 

events, Graham said the NEC provides the 

opportunity to introduce kids and families 

to the art of riding, handling and training 

horses and the recreational, emotional and 

therapeutic benefits of doing so. 

The site has been operated since the 

1990s first by Carmelo Natoli and since 

his death in 2012 by his surviving family 

members. With developers seeking to 

convert the site to new homes, the family 

approached the county about purchasing 

the property and preserving its equestrian 

use and greenspace. 

Graham acknowledged that this acquisition 

wouldn’t have been possible without 

the generosity and willingness of the 

Natoli family to sell the property at below 

its appraised value, which amounts to a 

donation of the difference to St. Charles 

County. In recognition of Carmelo’s vision 

for the NEC, the main arena on the property 

will be renamed “The Natoli Arena.” 

The NEC will complement two other 

county parks where horseback riding trails 

are provided: Broemmelsiek Park and Indian 

Camp Creek Park. In addition to the NEC, 

camping is permitted at four county parks: 

• Indian Camp Creek Park in Foristell: 

Group camping and tent sites. 

• Klondike Park in Augusta: Tent camping 

sites and cabin camping. 

• Missouri Bluffs Park in St. Charles: 

Group camping site. 

• Riverside Landing Park in St. Charles: 

Electric campsites. 

To learn more about these and other 

county parks, visit sccmo.org/2279/Parks- 

Recreation. 

Parson signs executive order restricting foreign-owned agricultural land 

Executive Order 24-01 was signed by 

Gov. Mike Parson at a press conference on 

Jan. 2 in an effort to limit foreign nations 

from owning agricultural land in the state 

of Missouri within 10 miles of any critical 

military facility in the state. 

During the press conference, Parson said 

the move is to ban ownership of land from, 

“China and other nations that may wish us 

harm.” In addition to China, other nations 

banned by the order include those designated 

as foreign adversaries by the U.S. 

State Department. 

The order grants the Missouri Department 

of Agriculture (MDA) greater oversight 

and enforcement authority over all 

foreign agricultural land purchases. 

“With this order, any foreign purchase 

of Missouri farmland must first be examined 

and approved by MDA,” Parson said. 

“We are empowering MDA to take a more 

active role in all potential foreign agriculture 

land purchases by entities from any 

foreign nation, including the approval or 

denial of all purchases.” 

To help ensure that MDA has the necessary 

resources and staff to 

enforce these additional 

protections, the state is 

including over $200,000 

and two additional fulltime 

staff members in its 

upcoming budget recommendations 

to the General 

Assembly. 

Parson said he signed 

the order because while 

there was more than one 

bill proposed at the state 

legislature addressing 

foreign ownership of Missouri 

land, one has not Gov. Mike Parson 

been passed. 

“Understanding the heightened concern, 

this order safeguards our military and intelligence 

assets, prevents security threats to 

our state and gives Missourians greater 

peace of mind,” he said. 

Parson said the order goes as far as it can 

within his executive authority to restrict 

foreign land ownership 

under current state laws. 

“Believe me, if I had the 

authority, we wouldn’t just 

be talking about banning 

farmland but all commercial 

properties by foreign 

adversaries, regardless of 

rural or urban,” Parson 

said. “A commercial building 

in our urban areas in 

the hands of China poses 

just as much, if not more, 

of a threat to our security 

interests than a rural farm.” 

Parson noted his support 

of international 

investment in Missouri by foreign allies, 

like Japan, which has 120 facilities in the 

state; Germany with nearly 70, and Israel 

with six. 

“In the last five years alone, nearly $19 

billion has been invested in our state, and 

nearly 150,000 Missouri jobs are directly 

supported through foreign-owned Missouri 

businesses across our state,” Parson 

said. “Missouri has always had and 

always welcomed foreign investment from 

friendly nations. As such, we believe this 

order today sufficiently protects Missouri’s 

security interests from potential bad actors. 

While not punishing our allies for being 

good economic partners or upstanding 

individuals fleeing oppression in search of 

a better life.” 

Nations currently classified as foreign 

adversaries include China, Cuba, Iran, 

North Korea, Russia and Venezuela. For 

the purposes of this order, “critical military 

facilities” refers to all staffed military facilities 

in Missouri, officials said. The order 

does not affect existing landowners. Currently, 

foreign agricultural land purchases 

are capped at 1% of the total agricultural 

land across the state, as outlined in state 

statute.





I NEWS I 11 

Black studies in Francis Howell continue to incite protests, board actions 

By LAURA BROWN 

On Jan. 3, the first day back after winter 

break, Francis Howell School District students 

were encouraged to wear black to protest 

the school board’s Dec. 21 decision to 

remove the district’s Black history and Black 

literature classes at the high school level. 

The protest was organized by a studentled 

group, Students for Francis Howell, 

which was formed by Francis Howell North 

sophomore Harper Schneider on Dec. 23. 

Schneider said that, after talking with 

other concerned students, they decided to 

form the group to hold the school board 

accountable. She said some teachers also 

wore black in support of the protest. 

“It got students talking about the issue, 

which I think is a good thing,” Schneider 

said. “Teachers wore black too to show they 

want inclusivity for their students. Some of 

my friends said it went really well at their 

schools too.” 

Five of seven Francis Howell board 

members voted to rescind the curriculum, 

“Social Justice Standards: The Teaching Tolerance 

Anti-Bias Framework,” published by 

Teaching Tolerance, a project of The Southern 

Poverty Law Center and used to teach 

Black History and Black Literature elective 

classes in the district. Board members who 

voted in favor of removing the SLPC curriculum 

were president Adam Bertrand, vice 

president Randy Cook, Jane Puszkar, Mark 

Ponder and Ron Harmon. Janet Stiglich and 

Chad Lange voted against the motion. 

Cook said decisions like this are why he 

and the four other board members, who 

voted in favor of cutting the curriculum, 

were elected to the board. 

“Voters are not interested in using their tax 

dollars to fund this type of education,” Cook 

said. “These courses were initially adopted 

in 2021 and received quite a bit of media 

attention at the time. Ever since then, there 

has been intense pressure to remove critical 

race theory (CRT) aspects from the district. 

Those two classes have the vast majority of 

that material in them.” 

While Cook admits that the classes do not 

teach CRT, he said he believes the underlying 

material in the curriculum teaches 

subjects through a lens that sees CRT as a 

fact, and approaches the subjects from that 

perspective. 

According to the law center’s website, 

the curriculum divides its goals into four 

domains: identity, diversity, justice and 

action. Opponents believe the curriculum 

promotes activisim. 

Harper Schneider, organizer of the group Students for Francis Howell with (from left) 

Jamie Martin, Francis Howell Forward; Zebrina Looney, NAACP of St. Charles; and school 

board candidates Carolie Owens and Steven Blair. 

(Photo provided) 

While Cook admits that it’s important 

for students to learn the processes of how 

to petition the government with their issues, 

he does not agree with what he says is the 

curriculum’s call to activism. He cited a 

standard (No. 20) on SLPC’s website that 

states: “Students will plan and carry out collective 

action against bias and injustice in 

the world and will evaluate what strategies 

are most effective.” 

“That’s separating students into groups,” 

Cook said. “The underlying concern of the 

majority of the board is the social justice 

standards themselves. (The SPLC) wants 

the students to become activists. We do 

not believe that is the role of K-12 education. 

We can teach Jim Crow and slavery; 

we already do that in American and World 

History classes. People have been teaching 

those things without the social justice 

framework.” 

In response to concerns raised by students 

and parents, Bertrand and Superintendent 

Dr. Kenneth Roumpos released a joint 

statement on Dec. 28 assuring the district 

that the classes will remain based on a new 

See FRANCIS HOWELL, page 13 

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12 I NEWS I 





Council to vote on Dardenne Greenway plan, outdoor shooting range 

By JOHN TREMMEL 

The O’Fallon City Council is expected 

to vote on two diverse projects at its Jan. 

11 meeting. 

The first looks toward the steps needed 

to connect a high-density residential 

development system and the August A. 

Busch Wildlife Conservation area with 

the existing Dardenne Greenway system. 

The project has been dubbed the Dardenne 

Greenway Connector or Busch Connector. 

The city previously approved a Transportation 

Alternatives Program agreement 

with the Missouri Highways and Transportation 

Commission to fund a portion of the 

project, has approved an agreement with 

CDG Engineers for design services, and 

approved a supplemental agreement with 

CDG Engineers for additional design services 

required for the project to reconstruct 

the existing Technology Drive bridge in 

coordination with MoDOT. 

The next step is to approve the plans and 

grant staff the authority to acquire the necessary 

land rights and needs for the project. 

At its Dec. 14 meeting, the O’Fallon City 

Council gave a first reading to legislation 

that would approve the project’s plans, 

declare it necessary and appropriate and 

authorize the land acquisition and certain 

other actions. According to city background 

materials for this bill, the improvements 

include but are not limited to: 

• Installation of new 10-foot-wide, shareduse 

path sections that will tie into the existing 

Dardenne Greenway system at Barat 

Haven. 

• A new parking lot/trail head area. 

• A path section that connects into the highdensity 

residential development system. 

• A path section that will traverse under 

I-64 for future connectivity to the August A. 

Busch Wildlife Conservation area. 

The project will include coordinating 

with MoDOT for the reconstruction of the 

existing Technology Drive bridge. The 

new bridge will include a 12-foot-wide, 

shared-use path for connectivity of both 

sides of Dardenne Creek and the other 

improvements. 

Plans for the improvements and rightof-way 

and easement acquisition were presented 

at the Dec. 7 Planning and Zoning 

Commission meeting. The city budget 

includes funds to support this project. 

• • • 

A vote on a proposed outdoor shooting 

range and classroom training area for use 

by the police department and other law 

enforcement agencies is also expected on 

Jan. 11. 

The facility would sit on 88.28 undeveloped 

acres located at 2400 Hwy. 79, across 

from a city water treatment facility. 

At its Dec. 14 meeting, the council gave 

a first reading to legislation that would 

grant a conditional use permit (CUP) to 

the city to allow a 200-yard outdoor firing 

range in the AG/Agricultural District at 

that location. The Planning and Zoning 

Commission has recommended the council 

approve the permit. 

City background materials for the bill 

have an overall site layout, including a 

graphic depiction of an airliner. Asked 

about this, Tony Michalka, O’Fallon’s 

communications director said, “The intent 

is to have tactical training ability for scenarios 

that include airplanes, buses (school 

and/or metro), and/or passenger vehicles.” 

He explained that the regional training 

center would have the capacity to 

host training that draws law enforcement 

departments, from not only this region but 

even surrounding states, that have a need 

to train with these amenities. 

“For example, O’Fallon does not have a 

commercial airport, but surrounding cities 

do; and the ability for police agencies that 

provide service to airports to have a location 

to train on an actual airplane fuselage 

is critical,” Michalka said. 

He said a similar example would be 

metro buses. O’Fallon does not have a bus 

system, but surrounding areas do and if 

they had a hostage situation on their metro 

bus, this training facility would provide the 

needed training to enhance the opportunity 

to safely mitigate that threat to the public. 

“While we hope this training center will 

meet the immediate needs of local law 

enforcement, we also plan for it to be a 

facility that advances all levels of police 

services,” Michalka said. “As the largest 

municipality in eastern Missouri outside 

of the city of St. Louis, we take very seriously 

the leadership position that naturally 

comes with that distinction and work very 

hard to provide exceptional police services 

and, by extension, leadership in law 

enforcement training for the region.” 

Michalka cautioned that these plans 

are contingent on available funding. The 

added airplane, bus, or vehicle components 

would be secondary to the original 

construction of the facility and may not be 

amenities that are immediately offered. 

“Basic law enforcement training functions 

will take priority,” he said. 

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On The Ballot: Candidates in the 

April 2 Municipal Election 

The following candidates have filed for 

the April 2 Municipal Elections. Candidates 

are listed in ballot order. Incumbents have 

an asterisk after their name. Term lengths 

are two years, except as otherwise noted. 

COTTLEVILLE 

Ward 1: Micheal R. Guccione II* 

Ward 2: Terry Hogan, Mike Krekeler*, 

Daniel J. Define 

DARDENNE PRAIRIE 

Ward 1: Ryan Wilson, Carl Maus 

Ward 2: Joel Ogle, Carla Detweiler 

Ward 3: Mark Johnson* 

LAKE SAINT LOUIS 

Ward 1: Sandra Grassmuck* 

Ward 2: Mike Mathison* 

Ward 3: Justin Hensley* 

O’FALLON 

No election scheduled. 

SAINT CHARLES 

No election scheduled. 

ST. PETERS 

Mayor: Len Pagano* 

Ward 1: John “Rocky” Reitmeyer* 

Ward 2: Gregg Sartorius*, Randall Green 

Ward 3: Melissa Reimer*, James Terry 

Lesinski 

Ward 4: Patrick Barclay* 

WELDON SPRING 

Ward 1: Andy Clutter* 

Ward 2: Edwina Conley* 

Ward 3: Phil Martiszus* 

WENTZVILLE 

Mayor (4-year term): Nickolas Nick 

Guccione* 

Ward 1: Manny Macias* 

Ward 2: Jordan Broviak* 

Ward 3: Michael (Mike) Hays* 

FRANCIS HOWELL 

Board of Education Directors: Steven 

Blair, Carolie Owens, Adriana Kuhn, Sam 

Young, Dia Day 

FORT ZUMWALT 

Board of Education Directors: Arnie 

C. AC “Arn” Dienoff, Tommy George Jr.*, 

Gabriel Helms, Melissa Wilson 



I NEWS I 13 

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Bec 

FRANCIS HOWELL, from page 11 

curriculum designed by district staff and 

that students will be able to register for the 

courses beginning this month. 

“We are confident in our academic team’s 

ability to bring forth a curriculum that is 

rigorous and largely politically neutral – 

one that will meet the board’s approval on a 

timeline that prevents interruption of course 

offerings,” the statement said. 

Concerned students and parents aren’t 

convinced. They question how Black history 

can be taught in a “politically neutral” 

way as defined in Roumpos’ statement. 

“How do we speak on enslavement without 

talking about how resistance unfolded?” 

parent Jamie Martin, president of grassroots 

organization Francis Howell Forward, 

asked. “How do we talk about Jim Crow 

without the civil rights movement? Those 

changes occurred because society progressed. 

How would we teach Black history 

without having some explanation of progressive 

movement?” 

Martin is a former language arts teacher 

and also questions how to teach Black literature 

without the context of who the author 

is and what influenced their writing. 

“We bump up against the same problem as 

in the history class,” Martin said. “How do 

we teach literature without expressing the 

reality that those events (slavery, the civil 

rights movement) occurred and that in some 

cases still exist? That is not political indoctrination. 

That is teaching truth.” 

Through Students for Francis Howell, 

Schneider organized a petition on change. 

org. to keep Black history and literature 

classes as they are. So far the petition has 

more than 3,600 signatures. Schneider said 

she also wonders what politically neutral 

curriculum will look like. 

“The class focuses on a perspective of 

history, so I don’t understand what they’re 

politicizing other than race,” Schneider said. 

“(The school board members) haven’t said 

this about any other class. What are they 

going to cover up to make this politically 

neutral? I think they are going to sugar coat 

our history, which is not OK.” 

Schneider said her brother is currently 

taking the Black history class and she was 

planning on taking it her senior year. In her 

opinion, the class is not turning students 

into activists. 

“My brother says it is exactly like a regular 

history class but with a different perspective,” 

Schneider said. “The perspective 

makes up the history. Even if the class did 

encourage activism, I don’t think it would 

be a bad thing. Students have their own 

beliefs and stand up for those.” 

Schneider said the group plans on holding 

the school board accountable by attending 

board meetings and the district’s upcoming 

Citizen Round Table forums to make sure 

the classes stay in the course catalog. 

Those forums were announced in a Jan 

2 letter from Roumpos to district families 

and staff members. The yet-to-be-scheduled 

meetings will provide an opportunity 

for stakeholders to provide their input for 

moving forward with the new curriculum. 

Check fhsdschools.org for times and 

updates. 

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By BETHANY COAD 

It takes a special commitment to pick 

a meaningful project and follow through 

to its completion. For Duchesne High 

senior Julia Winkeler choosing her 

Duchesne’s Scholars Academy capstone 

project was, at first, overwhelming. 

The project is the high school version 

of a university-level master’s thesis 

with students designing, executing 

and defending a semester-long project 

while working with faculty mentors and 

area professionals. Winkeler wanted 

to expand on something she had done 

before. 

“I do a couple of bake sales each year 

and donate the money I raise to several 

different charities that benefit pediatric 

care,” she explained. “I wanted to get 

more creative to find ways to raise more 

money, so I came up with some events to 

put on during the semester. While coming 

up with ideas, I kept searching for charities 

to pick, but none of them felt personal.” 

It was important to Winkeler that the 

project would speak to something close to 

her heart. 

“I have always chosen charities that 

support pediatrics because of my cousin, 

Elizabeth. She was born in 2005 with 

hypoplastic right heart syndrome and had 

to have a heart transplant at 2 months old 

and was in and out of hospitals for all of 

her life. 

“In 2021, Elizabeth was diagnosed with 

post-transplant lymphoma and sadly 

passed away several months later. During 

her stay at the hospital, I experienced the 

hardships that families face when having 

their children or siblings deal with such 

tough illnesses. I have found that giving 

back to charities that support these families 

has helped with my grief.” 

With the help of Duchesne academic 

dean and mentor Renee Moore, Winkeler 

discovered Gwendolyn’s Gifts. 

The nonprofit was founded by Erin 

Kramer, Gwendolyn’s mom, who is a 

Duchesne alumni with a powerful story. 

Gwendolyn was born with a rare and complex 

neurological condition that impacted 

her vision, ability to walk and eat and 

drink. She spent a lot of time at St. Louis 

Children’s Hospital before passing away 

on May 12, 2023. 

In her memory, Kramer founded Gwendolyn’s 

Gifts with a mission to provide 

emotional and financial support to families 

with children receiving palliative or 

hospice care in the St. Louis area and surrounding 

regions. 



Duchesne senior uses capstone 

project to help alumni’s charity 

Julie Winkeler presents a $1,650 check to Erin 

Kramer for Gwenolyn’s Gifts. 

(Source: Duchesne High School) 

“I have followed Erin’s journey and her 

selfless desire to help others in the name 

of her daughter Gwen,” Moore explained. 

“Erin’s energy, passion and contagious 

smile remind me so much of Julia … two 

wonderful people coming together to make 

a difference in the lives of others.” 

Winkeler set a goal to raise at least 

$1,000 for Gwendolyn’s Gifts and started 

with her tradition of doing bake sales at 

school lunches, followed by new, more 

challenging events. 

“The first event I held was a Halloween 

Craft Night for middle schoolers; the next 

fundraiser was a $3 dress down day at 

Duchesne, which was a lot of fun to see 

everyone support,” Winkeler said. “The 

final fundraising event was a Santa’s 

Workshop, which took the most effort to 

put together and publicize.” 

Winkeler had to spearhead receiving 

donations of toys, games and small items 

all to be sold to kids for less than $3 and 

finding a volunteer Santa and additional 

volunteers to take pictures and wrap gifts. 

Though the most difficult to organize, 

Santa’s Workshop ended up being her 

favorite event. She credits its success to the 

support and encouragement she received 

from the Duchesne community. 

“Supporting an organization like Gwendolyn’s 

Gifts is important because it’s a 

great way to give back to your community 

and show support to St. Louis families,” 

Winkeler said. “Even the littlest actions 

can make a large impact.” 

Winkeler is planning to major in bioscience 

upon graduating from Duchesne and 

pursue a career in healthcare, specializing 

in research.

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Americans participating in a new survey said recovering from holidayrelated 

stress and unhealthy behavior often takes them weeks. 

(Adobe Stock photo) 

HEALTH 

CAPSULES 

By LISA RUSSELL 

Recovering from the holidays 

may take weeks, survey finds 

It’s Jan. 10. Have you recovered from 

the holidays yet? 

Feeling back to normal after the holiday 

season often takes several weeks, according 

to a new survey of Americans conducted 

by the American Heart Association. 

That may be true because, according to four 

out of five respondents, they are so focused 

on creating “special moments” for others 

during the holidays that they overlook their 

own health. 

Eating healthy, exercising regularly, 

and getting enough sleep are the top three 

healthy habits that people tend to abandon 

during the month of December, the survey 

found. For nearly two-thirds of respondents, 

the holiday season is more stressful 

than tax season … making it a drain on 

their mental health as well. 

While more than half said that feeling 

less stressed after the holidays takes 

at least a few weeks, moms reported the 

highest holiday stress levels. More than a 

quarter said it takes them a month or more 

to recover afterward. 

Most survey respondents (71%) said that 

their biggest regret each holiday season 

is that they did not take time to relax and 

enjoy themselves. 

The random survey of 1,000 U.S. adults 

was conducted in December for the 

American Heart Association’s Healthy for 

Good TM initiative. 

Broccoli sprouts may be 

the ultimate healthy green 

New research suggests that broccoli 

may be even better for you than previously 

thought … especially if it’s consumed in its 

young, recently sprouted form. 

Mercy launches AI chatbot 

Mercy recently introduced “Toni,” a 

chatbot designed to make communicating 

about everyday healthcare needs 

such as scheduling appointments and 

refilling prescriptions faster and easier 

for patients and their families. Toni acts 

as a virtual assistant, and is available 24 

hours a day. 

Mercy is one of the first major health 

systems in the country to provide chatbot 

services, according to its President and 

Broccoli is one of several cruciferous 

vegetables, which also include kale, cabbage, 

brussels sprouts and other greens, 

which are high in anti-inflammatory phytochemicals 

that can reduce the risk of several 

diseases. A new study from Osaka University 

in Japan, recently published in Redox 

Biology, found that broccoli sprouts have a 

significantly higher concentration of phytochemicals 

called polysulfides than mature 

broccoli, only five days after germination. 

In this study, researchers investigated 

the concentration of polysulfides in broccoli 

sprouts during germination and early 

growth. 

The team found that total polysulfide 

content in broccoli sprouts significantly 

increased during germination and growth, 

with an approximately 20-fold increase in 

polysulfides by the fifth day. These findings 

suggest that the abundance of polysulfides 

in broccoli sprouts may contribute to their 

health benefits, which include preventing 

some cancers; improving cardiovascular 

health; regulating blood glucose levels and 

reducing inflammation. 

On the calendar 

BJC St. Louis Children’s Hospital sponsors 

a Babysitting 101 virtual class on 

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in the cost of $25 per child. Parents may sit 

in on the class at no additional cost. Register 

CEO Steve Mackin. “Toni is part of Mercy’s 

commitment to using technology to 

make the health care experience better, 

more convenient and most importantly, 

private and secure,” Mackin said 

“Toni can handle your requests faster 

and easier than a phone call,” added 

Tamara Carlton, Mercy’s executive director 

of product development. “Research 

shows people prefer getting answers 

from a chatbot over dealing with forms 

online at bjc.org/babysitting-class. 

• • • 

BJC presents a Family and Friends 

CPR virtual course on Wednesday, Jan. 17 

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 (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 offers a Bariatric Surgery Information 

Session on Monday, Jan. 22 from 

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

Washington University bariatric physician 

to learn more about surgical treatment 

options available at Barnes-Jewish 

Hospital and Barnes-Jewish West County 

Hospital for patients who meet certain criteria. 

To register for this free session, visit 

classes-events.bjc.org; to learn more about 

BJC’s bariatric surgery criteria for patients, 

call (314) 454-7224 and press Option 1. 

• • • 

Mercy St. Louis offers a Sitter Skills 

course on Friday, Feb. 2 from 6-9 p.m. at 

the hospital, 615 S. New Ballas Road, in 

Classroom #2 on the 7th floor. Children 

ages 11 to 13 will learn about infant care, 

child development, interactive play, safety, 

handling emergency situations and marketing 

babysitting services. Children should 

bring a doll or stuffed animal to class. The 

cost is $30 per child. Register online by 

visiting mercy.net/practice/mercy-hospitalst-louis 

and clicking on Classes, Seminars 

and Events, then Skills Classes for Kids. 

or making phone calls. Toni puts you in 

control of your healthcare decisions, and 

the best part is Toni will be able to do 

even more for patients in the future.” 

Toni was named for long-serving Sister 

of Mercy Mary “Roch” Rocklage, who 

was born Antoinette Marie Rocklage and 

passed away in 2023. In its first month of 

service alone, Toni interacted with over 

14,000 Mercy users and answered about 

42,000 of their questions.





I MATURE FOCUS I 17 

News & Notes 

By LISA RUSSELL 

Asking for coverage 

It’s once again that time of year when 

many Americans are looking for ways to 

shed holiday pounds. For older adults in 

particular, though, losing weight may be 

an especially important goal – according to 

Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention 

statistics, 40% or more of people 

over 50 have obesity, which poses a significant 

threat to their health and longevity. 

A new Michigan Medicine poll of U.S. 

adults aged 50 to 80 recently found that 

63% of those who consider themselves 

to be overweight are interested in taking 

a prescription medicine to help them 

manage their weight. What’s more, over 

three-quarters of those in the over-50 age 

group believe Medicare should cover these 

medicines, which is currently not allowed 

under U.S. law. 

A new category of weight-loss drugs 

which includes the name brands Ozempic, 

Wegovy and Mounjaro have skyrocketed in 

popularity since they were first approved 

for use in treating type 2 diabetes. They are 

so popular, in fact, that nationwide shortages 

have occurred, and many people are 

stretching their finances to pay the high 

costs of treatment, which can exceed 

$12,000 per year, out of their own pockets. 

“Our data show the strong awareness 

and interest in these medications, and in 

access to them through insurance, alongside 

coverage for other weight-focused 

care including nutrition counseling, exercise 

programs and bariatric surgery,” said 

Lauren Oshman, M.D., M.P.H., an obesity 

medicine specialist who worked on the poll. 

“We hope these findings will help inform 

policymakers and benefit plan designers 

who are grappling with the tradeoffs of 

cost and long-term benefit when it comes 

to these medications.” 

Oshman also noted that nearly all the 

older adults polled said they had tried to 

lose weight in the past with only limited 

success, including large percentages who 

said they had exercised or changed their 

diets. 

A law passed in 2003 prohibits Medicare 

from covering weight loss medications, 

although it is allowed to cover drugs to 

help people with type 2 diabetes manage 

their weight. Most private insurance plans 

and the Veterans Health Administration do 

cover them, but with restrictions due to 

high monthly costs for this new generation 

of medications. 

More than three-quarters of Americans 

over 50 believe Medicare should cover the 

most popular new drugs for weight loss, 

according to a new survey. 


Local pioneers in heart 

failure treatment 

Physicians at Washington University 

School of Medicine in St. Louis are once 

again at the forefront of discovering new 

medical treatments for serious disease. 

They are now pioneering the use of radiation 

therapy – a treatment typically used to 

treat cancer – to potentially help patients 

whose hearts are failing due to a lifethreatening 

abnormal heart rhythm called 

ventricular tachycardia. 

Their recent study, published in late 2023 

in the journal Med, suggests that low-dose 

radiation therapy may improve the heart’s 

function by reducing the number of inflammatory 

cells present in the heart muscle 

and improving its pumping capacity. 

After studying the cardiac effects of 

radiation in a small group of patients with 

ventricular tachycardia as well as in mice 

with heart failure, the Wash U team found 

that low-dose radiation therapy appears to 

improve heart function in several forms 

of the condition, which happens when 

the heart cannot pump enough blood and 

oxygen to support the body’s needs. 

“The radiation therapy used to treat ventricular 

tachycardia is targeted to a specific 

location in the heart; however, a large portion 

of the rest of the heart gets a low-dose 

exposure,” explained co-senior author 

and cardiologist Ali Javaheri, M.D., Ph.D. 

“There was concern that it could be harmful 

to overall heart function, even though it 

treats dangerous arrhythmia. We were surprised 

to find the opposite: Heart function 

appeared to be improved after radiation 

therapy, at least in the short term.” 

To understand more about radiation’s 

effects on the heart, the researchers plan 

to continue their investigations of the nine 

patients already receiving radiation therapy 

for their ventricular tachycardia. They’ll 

See MATURE FOCUS, page 18 

Mature Focus 

Our special section featuring issues, 

events, products and services of 

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18 I MATURE FOCUS I 





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MATURE FOCUS, from page 17 

also be conducting more advanced studies 

to see if there is evidence of reduced 

inflammation in the human hearts similar 

to what they found in mice. 

About 6.2 million American adults currently 

live with heart failure, according to 

the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

More than half of those hospitalized 

for heart failure die within five years despite 

treatment, which currently includes medications, 

sodium and fluid restriction, and cardiac 

procedures including heart transplant. 

Steps toward better 

surgical recovery 

People facing surgery, especially at older 

ages, have to consider the odds of postoperative 

complications … which typically 

occur in about 30% of patients, statistics 

show. But taking one simple step – or steps, 

to be more exact – can slash that risk nearly 

in half, regardless of what type of surgery 

they are having, according to research 

recently presented at the American College 

of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical Congress. 

The study used Fitbit activity tracking 

data from adults participating in the 

All of Us Research Program to identify 

patients who might be at higher risk of 

postoperative complications. The odds of 

complications within 90 days after hospital 

discharge were reduced by just over half 

if a patient took more than 7,500 steps a 

day before the operation, after adjusting for 

the complexity of the procedure, comorbidities, 

and other factors. Fewer daily 

steps were associated with a higher rate of 

post-surgical complications. 

Preparing for surgery by walking more than 

7,500 steps a day can reduce complications 

afterward, a recent study found. 


Participants in the study underwent a wide 

range of operations, including general surgery, 

orthopedic surgery, and neurosurgery. 

They were 57 years old on average; women 

made up nearly 75% of the study population. 

Using daily step counts to evaluate 

individual fitness levels prior to surgery 

may be a great way to help people survive 

and thrive afterward, according to 

the authors. 

“Fitbits and other wearable devices could 

potentially be linked to Electronic Health 

Records (EHRs) and have that data be 

something that surgeons consider when 

planning (pre-operative) care for their 

patients,” said lead study author Carson 

Gehl, a medical student at the Medical 

College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. “This 

could really come to fruition to improve 

postoperative outcomes.” 

This is the only population-level study to 

explore the relationship between physical 

activity, as measured by a Fitbit, and complications 

up to 90 days after surgery, Gehl said. 

Widening life expectancy gap 

The difference between life expectancies 

for men and women in the U.S. remains 

well over 5 years in spite of a small recent 

reduction in this concerning gap, which 

has been widening for more than a decade. 

According to the Provisional Life Expectancy 

Estimates for 2022 released in late 

November by the Centers for Disease Control 

and Prevention, overall life expectancy 

at birth for Americans increased slightly 

compared to 2021, from 76.1 to 77.5 years. 

Earlier that month, a study published 

in JAMA Internal Medicine found that the 

life expectancy gap between the sexes had 

increased to 5.8 years in 2021, its widest 

since 1996. Although the gap has closed 

slightly to approximately 5.5 years according 

to the newest report, it remains a major 

concern, according to the study team. 

“There’s been a lot of research into the 

decline in life expectancy in recent years, 

but no one has systematically analyzed why 

the gap between men and women has been 

widening since 2010,” said the paper’s first 

author Brandon Yan, M.D., MPH. 

Using data from the National Center for 

Health Statistics, Yan and his fellow researchers 

from around the country identified the 

causes of death that were lowering life 

expectancy the most. Then they estimated 

the effects on men and women to see how 

different causes were contributing to the gap. 

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 

largest contributors were heart disease, 

unintentional injuries, diabetes, homicide 

and suicide. During the pandemic, men 

were significantly more likely than women 

to die of the virus. 

The newest provisional data also show 

the number of suicides increased in 2022 to 

the highest level ever recorded in the U.S. 

… and men die from suicide four times 

more often than women. Drug overdoses 

and homicides are far more likely to be 

causes of death for men as well. 

Yan said the investigation’s results raise 

questions about whether more specialized 

care for men, particularly mental healthcare, 

should be provided to address growing 

health disparities between men and women. 

“We have brought insights to a worrisome 

trend,” he said. “Future research 

ought to help focus public health interventions 

towards helping reverse this decline 

in life expectancy.” 

On the calendar 

St. Luke’s Hospital presents Coffee 

and Conversations on Wednesday, Jan. 

17 from 10-11 a.m. at the hospital’s Institute 

for Health Education, 222 S. Woods 

Mill Road in Chesterfield, in Conference 

Rooms 4-5. Join us monthly for a cup of 

joe and conversation with St. Luke’s health 

professionals. This month’s topic is Chair 

Yoga; explore simple meditations and 

practice yoga poses from the comfort of a 

chair. Loose comfortable clothing is recommended 

for this free session. Register at 

stlukes-stl.com. 

• • • 

BJC Missouri Baptist Hospital offers a 

Today’s Grandparents class on Thursdays, 

Jan. 18 and Feb. 1, 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 longdistance 

grandparenting. The course fee 

is $20 per person (each person attending 

must register separately). Registration is 

available online at classes-events.bjc.org. 

• • • 

Living a Healthy Life with Chronic 

Conditions, presented by St. Louis Oasis, 

is on Mondays, Jan. 22 through March 11, 

from 1-3:30 p.m. at the Chesterfield Community 

Center, 690 Chesterfield Parkway 

West (second floor of Chesterfield Mall, 

next to Macy’s). Developed and tested by 

Stanford University, this self-management 

course is for adults with chronic conditions. 

The free course is sponsored by BJC 

Missouri Baptist Medical Center. Register 

at classes-events.bjc.org. 

• • • 

St. Luke’s Hospital presents Living a 

Healthy Life with Chronic Pain on Fridays, 

Feb. 2-March 8, from 10 a.m.-12:30 

p.m., live via Zoom. This evidence-based 

six-week virtual program helps individuals 

better manage their chronic pain symptoms 

by learning important self-management 

skills. The program is free. Register at 

stlukes-stl.com. 

• • • 

St. Luke’s Des Peres Hospital sponsors a 

Medicare 101 course on Wednesday, Feb. 

21 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Desloge Outpatient 

Center, 121 St. Luke’s Center Drive, in 

Conference Room 3 of Building A. Gain an 

understanding of the different parts of Medicare 

(A, B and D), Medicare Supplemental 

and Medicare Advantage plans. Register for 

the free class at stlukes-stl.com.

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20 I 





Community rallies to find Ukrainian family a home in St. Peters 

By DEANNE LEBLANC 

To escape the war in Ukraine, the 

Prokhodov family was looking for 

help from an American family. They 

needed someone to sponsor them so 

they could move from their home 

in Kyiv which had now become a 

battleground during the Russian- 

Ukrainian war. 

Amy Brixey, Mission and Outreach 

Committee chair for John Calvin 

Presbyterian Church in Bridgeton, 

was determined to help them. She 

had found out about Ukrainian refugees 

needing sponsorship through 

the Uniting For Ukraine government 

program last January. However, after 

several pleas to the congregation and 

local community, she couldn’t find anyone 

who would be the “name on the paper” to 

sponsor the family. 

“I think it just sounded really daunting 

at first and we couldn’t get a sponsor but 

people stepped up to give and help in the 

ways that they could,” Brixey said. 

Members of the small church and the 

surrounding local community set up a 

fundraiser to help shoulder the sponsorship 

cost. Still, with every passing day, the 

Prokhodov family with their aunt, Zoryana, on Dec. 10 

after their arrival to St. Louis. 

danger increased for Oleg and Victoria 

Prokhodov and their children, 7-year-old 

Marianna and 5-year-old twins Gleb and 

Alisa. 

Illinois resident Zoryana Mills, Victoria’s 

aunt, has been in the U.S. for 16 years. 

Worried for her family’s safety, she worked 

with Brixey to become their sponsor. However, 

she didn’t have space in her home 

for them, so with funds from the church, 

an affordable townhouse in St. Peters was 

prepared with donated furniture and 

household items, as well as bunk 

beds, toys, stuffed animals and 

books for the children. 

The church raised more than 

$15,500 for the family, with a total 

goal of $24,000 to pay for at least 

10 to 12 months of rent and utilities 

until jobs can be attained. 

“We are a very small church but 

we are a caring group of individuals 

who love to help those we can,” 

Brixey said. “We are an ‘everybody 

knows and loves everybody’ kind 

of place, and I had a team of people 

who helped make the Prokhodov 

family’s move a reality. We just 

wanted to see them safe and get the 

support they need.” 

The family arrived in St. Louis on Dec. 

10 after a long, harrowing journey. The 

following weekend they had the opportunity 

to meet the Bridgeton congregation 

that fundraised and sponsored their move 

from Kyiv to St. Peters. The family was 

overwhelmed by the abundance of support. 

Victoria told her aunt recently that she 

“didn’t have enough words to express how 

grateful she is to the community.” 

“The people here have given them hope 

by the way they are receiving and welcoming 

them so well. Everyone has been 

loving and giving towards them. That has 

impacted them the most during this whole 

experience,” Mills said. 

The family expressed that they have 

finally been able to exhale since leaving 

Ukraine. 

Just one week without sirens, airstrikes, 

bombs and drones has already done wonders 

for their children’s well-being. Mills 

said the family feels like they can live a 

regular life without the constant fear of 

death. 

“They were always in hiding in a basement, 

hearing explosions all day long. It 

was a nightmare,” Mills said. “They know 

it won’t be easy, as they are now having 

to start their lives from scratch. But they 

ultimately want their kids to be safe. That 

is why they made the choice to leave. They 

had everything in their lives but peace.” 

The family had a lovely life in Ukraine 

before the war. Oleg and Victoria had good 

jobs in the tech world, a nice house and 

the kids had everything they needed. The 

change has been difficult but they are looking 

forward to the future. 

See PROKHODOV, page 23 

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LOCAL 

EVENTS 

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 

Submissions are open until Feb. 6 for 

O’Fallon’s 2024-25 sculpture series, “The 

Shape of Community.” A citywide, temporary 

sculpture exhibition, the series 

features large-scale works of art loaned to 

the city by artists for 18 months. To submit 

artwork for consideration, visit ofallon. 

mo.us/shape-of-community. 

• • • 

“Exploration” by Josie Haskins, recipient 

of the Patrick Nolan Student Art Scholarship, 

is on display through January at 

the Crossroads Arts Center, 310 W. Pearce 

Blvd. in Wentzville. Details at crossroadsartscouncil.org. 

• • • 

Wag: An Exhibition for Dogs is on 

display through March 23 at the Foundry 

Art Centre, 520 N. Main Center in Saint 

Charles. Wag is an interactive art exhibition 

featuring artists Greta Coalier, Justin 

King, Steve Jones and Laura Lloyd.Details 

at foundryartcentre.org. 

• • • 

A Winter Dance Concert featuring 

Lindenwood University students is at 

7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 24 at the J. 

Scheidegger Center for the Arts/ Emerson 

Black Box Theater, 2300 W. Clay St. in 

Saint Charles. Tickets are $10 plus a convenience 

fee. Details at lindenwood.edu. 

• • • 

The “Toys & Joys” art show is on display 

Thursday, Jan. 25 through Sunday, March 

24 (with a reception from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, 

Feb. 1) at the Cultural Arts Centre, 1 

St. Peters Centre Blvd. Those wishing to 

submit art can learn more at stpetersmo. 

net/243/Art-Shows-Exhibits. Artwork will 

be accepted for entry on Jan. 22. 

Erio’s 

Ristorante 

Since 1971 

Fresh Fish Daily • Certified Angus Beef 

Veal • Pasta • Hand-tossed Pizza 

951 Jungermann Rd • St. Peters 

928-0112 

• • • 

The Fete de Glace Ice Carving Festival 

and Bowls and Brews event is from 

9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 27 

on Main Street in Saint Charles. Details at 

discoverstcharles.com. 

• • • 

The “Spanning the Generations” art 

show is on display through February at 

the Crossroads Arts Center, 310 W. Pearce 

Blvd. in Wentzville. Art from high school 

students to senior citizens is featured. 

Details at crossroadsartscouncil.org. 

BENEFITS 

A Winter Blood Drive is from 11 a.m.-3 

p.m. on Friday, Jan. 12 at the O’Fallon 

Municipal Centre, 100 N. Main St. Make 

an appointment at ofallon.mo.us or call 

(636) 379-5417. 

• • • 

The Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast is 

from 6-8 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 13 at the 

Memorial Hall in Blanchette Park, 1900 

W. Randolph St. in St. Charles. Details at 

stcharleskiwanis.com. 

• • • 

The 2024 Soldier’s Christmas Card 

Project is from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 

25, Sunday, March 24 and Sunday, April 

28 at the MU Extension in St. Charles, 260 

Brown Road in St. Peters. Write Christmas 

cards to soldiers overseas. Cards will 

be shipped inside care packages during 

Christmas 2024 by H.E.R.O.E.S. Care. 

For details, visit extension.missouri.edu/ 

programs. 

FAMILY & KIDS 

Family Fridays are from 

Carryout 

2-4 p.m. on the 

second Friday of every month Beer at the Heritage 

Park Museum, 1630 and Heritage Wine Landing 

in St. Peters. Each session has games and 

crafts, story time and 

Available 

hands-on displays. 

Free event. Details at stccparks.org. 

See EVENTS, page 22 

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I EVENTS I 21 

BE INFORMED, MEET ELECTED OFFICIALS 

Jan. 5 | John Tompkins, SCCPC President 

– 2024 Vision 

Jan. 12 | Ken Gontarz, Adriana Kuhn, 

Sam Young – Francis Howell School District 

Jan. 19 I Mike Kehoe, MO Lt. Governor 

– Candidate for MO Governor 

Jan. 26 I Tony Lupo, MO Pachyderm President 

– 2024 Vision and Climate Change Myth 

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22 I EVENTS I 





EVENTS, from page 21 

• • • 

Second Saturdays are from 1-3 p.m. 

monthly at The Foundry Art Centre, 520 N. 

Main Center in Saint Charles. Free event, 

all ages are welcome. Foundryartcentre.org. 

• • • 

Art Start is at 10 a.m. every Tuesday 

at The Foundry Art Centre, 520 N. Main 

Center in Saint Charles. Children create 

small art projects that pair with a story. 

Free event. For ages 2-5 with a caregiver. 

Details at foundryartcentre.org. 

• • • 

The Winter Wonderland Father- 

Daughter Dance is from 6:30-9 p.m. on 

Saturday, Jan. 27 at the St. Peters Cultural 

Arts Centre, One St. Peters Centre Blvd. 

For girls aged 3 to 15. Music, dancing and 

refreshments are featured. Professional 

photos for an additional cost. Tickets are 

$14 per person. Register at stpetersmo.net/ 

rec-connect. Spots will fill fast. 

• • • 

A Valentine’s Hunt for Kisses is at 10 

a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 10 at Rau Garden in 

Blanchette Park, 1900 W. Randolph St. in 

St. Charles. Scavenger hunt, crafts and a 

visit with Cupid. Cost is $15 per person cost. 

Register at stcharlesparks.com/programs. 

• • • 

A Youth Easter Egg Hunt is from 10-11 

a.m. on Saturday, March 23 at Memorial 

Hall & Rau Garden, 1900 W. Randolph St. 

in St. Charles. Children of all ages are welcome 

to bring a basket and join in the hunt. 

Crafts and visits with the Easter Bunny are 

included in the $15 per person cost. Registration 

is required at stcharlesparks.com. 

SPECIAL INTEREST 

First Fridays are from 5-8 p.m. monthly 

at the Foundry Art Centre, 520 N. Main 

Center in St. Charles. Features free activities 

in addition to paid workshops hosted 

by local business owners. For details, visit 

foundryartcentre.org/first-fridays. 

• • • 

The O’Fallon Lions Club meets at 6 

p.m. on the fourth Thursday of each month 

at JJ’s Restaurant, 200 Fort Zumwalt 

Square in O’Fallon. Everyone is welcome. 

For details, call (636) 344-0065 or email 

weserve@ofallonlions.com. 

• • • 

Cottleville/Weldon Spring Rotary Club 

meets at noon every Wednesday at Bemo’s, 

5373 Hwy. N. in Cottleville. RSVP to Toddrasche01@gmail.com. 

Details at cwsrotary.org. 

• • • 

The Cavesprings Toastmasters Club 

offers in-person and online meetings 

from 8 a.m.-9 a.m. Wednesdays at the St. 

Charles Ambulance District, 2000 Salt 

River Road in St. Peters. Improve public 

speaking and communication skills by 

gaining confidence when speaking in front 

of others. RSVP to cavespringstoastmasters@gmail.com. 

• • • 

St. Charles County Pachyderm Club 

meets at noon every Friday at Mattingly’s, 

6245 Ronald Reagan Drive in Lake Saint 

Louis. Be informed and meet elected officials. 

No meetings on holiday weekends. 

For details, visit sccpachyderms.org. 

• • • 

The Rough Writers meet from 7-9 p.m. 

on the second Tuesday of the month at the 

Crossroads Arts Center, 310 W. Pearce 

Blvd. in Wentzville. Join this writing 

group to share writing, encourage others, 

and improve your skills. All kinds of writing. 

For details, contact Deborah Bowman 

at deborahbowman12@yahoo.com. 

• • • 

The Dining with Diabetes cooking 

class is from 1-3 p.m. on Wednesdays, Jan. 

17, 24 and 31 at the MU Extension in St. 

Charles, 260 Brown Road in St. Peters. 

Classes include cooking diabetes-friendly 

recipes, meal planning, group discussion 

and information about physical activity 

and label reading. Cost is $40. To register, 

visit extension.missouri.edu/events. 

• • • 

Certified Master Gardener Training 

Program is from 9 a.m.-noon beginning 

Thursday, Jan. 18 and continuing on 

Thursdays through April 25 at the MU 

Extension of St. Charles County, 260 

Brown Road in St. Peters. All experience 

levels are welcome. The cost is $200. Register 

at StCharlesCountyMasterGardeners. 

com/core-training. For details, email mgstcharles@gmail.com 

or visit extension.missouri.edu/events. 

• • • 

A Mardi Gras Parade is at 11 a.m. with 

an after-party from noon-2 p.m. on Saturday, 

Feb. 10 in Historic Frenchtown in 

St. Charles. Enjoy a family-friendly Mardi 

Gras celebration followed by the afterparty 

featuring live music, food, vendors, 

kids activities and more in the Foundry Art 

Centre parking lot. Free event. For details, 

visit stcharlescitymo.gov. 

• • • 

A tour of the Kaplan Feldman Holocaust 

Museum is from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on 

Monday, March 11. Along with a guided 

group tour, there will be a guest speaker 

and lunch at Mike Duffy’s. The cost is 

$85 per person and includes transportation, 

museum and lunch. Register online at 

stcharlesparks.com. 

MID RIVERS HOME PAGES 

ROOFING 

TUCKPOINTING 

GUTTERS 

LEAFGARD 

314-968-7848 stlroofing.com 

Serving the St. Charles, St. Louis & Surrounding Counties 

• Tree Trimming • Stump Grinding • Bobcat Work 

• Concrete Work • Storm Damage Clean Up 

Fully Insured! 

All Work Guaranteed! 

Call Today for a FREE ESTIMATE! 

636-373-1387 

Military & Senior 

Discounts Available! 

Tree Removal 

$100 OFF 

or 

10% OFF 

Any other Service 

TREE SERVICE 

Any tree removal estimated value of 

$999 or more. Must Mention ad the 

same time as estimate. Not valid 

with other discounts. Exp: 2/29/24 

HOME REPAIRS 

INTERIOR 

PAINTING 

BONDED & INSURED 

CHRIS HERMANN 

636.697.8090 

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 

• 1 Room Or Entire Basement 

• FREE Design Service 

• Finish What You Started 

• As Low As $15 sq. ft. 

• Professional Painters, Drywall 

Hangers & Tapers 

Call Rich on cell 314.713.1388 

30+ YEARS 

EXPERIENCE 

County House Washing 

& Painting 

A+ 

RATED 

INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR 

PAINTING SPECIALIST 

PAINTING • STAINING • POWERWASHING 

Mike Lynch 636.394.0013 

WWW.COUNTYHOUSEWASHING.COM 

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 

When you want it done right... 

Check our ads first. 

636.591.0010 

MID RIVERS 

H O M E P A G E S 

Locally Owned & Operated by Tim Hallahan 

Serving West County for 25+ Years 

636.458.6400 

timjhallahan@gmail.com 

westwoodpaintinginc.com





I 23 

BUSINESS 

BRIEFS 

PLACES 

The Tom Shaw Foundation presented 

a $6,000 check to Caring For Kids at the 

end of December. The check represented 

proceeds of the Tom Shaw Freedom Walk 

for Charities, which took place in Defiance 

on Sunday, Oct. 15. Since its founding in 

2009, Caring For Kids (CFK) has served 

4,645 local children with 2,233 beds. 

CFK supports foster families, parents and 

grandparents who struggle to provide basic 

needs for the children in their care. 

• • • 

Homebank has opened a new branch 

location at 3000 E. Pitman Ave. in Lake 

Saint Louis. The branch was formerly 

located at 2183 W. Terra Lane. It offers 

full-service banking for personal and commercial 

accounts. For more information, 

visit myhomebank.bank. 

• • • 

St. Louis-based multi-family developer 

Mia Rose Holdings has completed the sale 

of The Solstice, a 156-unit Class A multifamily 

community in Lake Saint Louis. The 

sale to Minneapolis-based Timberland Partners 

marks the third real estate transaction 

between the firms. 

• • • 

The new officers of the Optimist Club of St. Charles are (front row, from left) 

Paul Hauser, Elena Cook, Rick Daleen, Ellen Parker, Dave Borgmeyer and 

Gerry Prinster. In the back row are (from left) board members Mark Cook, Don 

Jamison, Chuck Raterman, Mike Ebert and Fred McGinley. 

Heritage Golf Group recently acquired 

Old Hickory Golf Club in St. Peters. Heritage 

is developing a million-dollar-plus 

investment plan to update the 18-hole, PB 

Dye-designed golf course, 15-acre practice 

facility and select clubhouse areas. Heritage 

also owns WingHaven Country Club in St. 

Charles County and The Legends Country 

Club in St. Louis County. 

PEOPLE 

The Optimist Club of St. Charles 

recently installed a new slate of officers: 

Paul Hauser, president; Elena Cook, 

vice president; Rick Daleen, presidentelect; 

Ellen Parker, secretary; Dave 

Borgmeyer, treasurer; and Gerry Prinster, 

past president. The Optimist Club 

focuses on supporting the youth of the St. 

Charles region. New members are always 

welcome. For more information, visit 

scoptimists.weebly.com. 

• • • 

Phil Ohlms and Caroline Daiker Stolzer 

recently joined Beck & Lenox Estate 

Planning and Elder Law, LLC. Ohlms will 

serve the St. Charles County law firm in an 

Of Counsel status after serving as a judge 

in the 11th Circuit Court for 22 years, the 

last 14 of which was in the role of probate 

judge. Prior to becoming a judge, Ohlms 

was actively involved in private practice 

for 20 years. Stolzer, an associate attorney 

with the firm since 2019, was appointed 

as a new partner effective Jan. 1. 

PROKHODOV, from page 20 

“They had a long journey to get to 

where they are now and they know 

they still have a long way to go,” 

Mills said. 

Victoria currently works for a logistics 

company in Ukraine, but with 

the time difference, it is challenging 

for her to work all night and still take 

care of her kids during the day. She is 

looking for a job as a baker. Oleg has 

a law degree but wants to be a longhaul 

truck driver and is looking into 

truck driving schools that could pay 

for his training if he promises to work 

for them for a year. 

According to Brixey, the current 

focus is getting the family a car, jobs 

and a healthcare plan. 

“The government included ‘Medicaid 

for Refugees’ when the war began, 

but the time is up on that, and they are 

no longer offering it,” Brixey said. 

Mills has nothing but praise for 

Brixey and the congregants of John 

Calvin Presbyterian. 

“Amy and her church did an amazing 

job and did so much for Victoria 

and their family. I know that they will 

forever be grateful for that,” Mills 

said. “For now, they are taking it one 

step at a time. They are safe and that 

is the priority.” 

To find out more about the 

Prokhodov family or to donate to their 

needs, visit jcpchurch.org/mission. 

MID RIVERS CLASSIFIEDS • 636.591.0010 • CLASSIFIEDS@NEWSMAGAZINENETWORK.COM 

COLLECTIBLES 

WANTED TO BUY 

• SPORTS MEMORABILIA • 

Baseball Cards, Sports Cards, 

Cardinals Souvenirs and 

Memorabilia. Pre-1975 Only. 

Private Collector: 

314-302-1785 

WANTED TO BUY 

VINYL RECORD ALBUMS 

Buying quality collections of 

Rock, Jazz, Blues and More! 

No collection to large or small 

Private Collector: JP 

Call or Text 636-342-1616 or 

Email: Jp.vinyl57@gmail.com 

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 

ELECTRICAL 

ERIC'S ELECTRIC 

Licensed, Bonded and Insured: 

Service upgrades, fans, can lights, 

switches, outlets, basements, 

code violations fixed, we do it 

all. Emergency calls & back-up 

generators. No job too small. 

Competitively priced. 

Free Estimates. 

Just call 636-262-5840 

FOR SALE 

Munire Dark Hardwood 

Crib with Mattress 

and Bedskirt. 

Excellent Condition 

$225 

St. Charles area 

314-650-1306 

Husky 5000-Watt Gasoline 

Powered Generator with Briggs 

& Stratton Engine 

features 6250-watt peak 

Call 314 -703-7456 

Ballwin Area 

GARAGE DOORS 

DSI/Door Solutions, Inc. 

Garage Doors, Electric Openers. 

Fast Repairs. All makes & models. 

Same day service. Free Estimates. 

Custom Wood and Steel Doors. 

BBB Member • Angie's List 

Call 314-550-4071 

www.dsi-stl.com 

HAULING 

J & J HAULING 

WE HAUL IT ALL 

Service 7 days. Debris, furniture, 

appliances, household trash, yard 

debris, railroad ties, fencing, decks. 

Garage & Basement Clean-up 

Neat, courteous, affordable rates. 

Call: 636-379-8062 or 

email: jandjhaul@aol.com 

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 

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 

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. 

FREE ESTIMATES 

Tom Streckfuss 314-910-7458 

sbacontractingllc@gmail.com 

HOME IMPROVEMENT 

HAPPY HANDYMAN SERVICE 

"Don't Worry Get Happy" 

Complete home remodel/ 

repair kitchen & bath, plumbing, 

electrical, carpentry. 24HR 

Emergency Service. Commercial 

and Residential. Discount for 

Seniors/Veterans. 

636-541-9432 

LANDSCAPING 

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 

PAINTING 

DEFINO’S 

PAINTING SERVICES 

EST. 2006 

Interior & Exterior Painting 

Deck Staining 

- Insured & Free Estimates - 

definospainting.com 

314-707-3094 

PAINTING 

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS! 

PAINTER 

DAN VOLLMER 

• I AM INCORPORATED INC. • 

INTERIOR SPECIAL 2024 

$75 Per Avg. Rm Size 

(12’x12’ Walls 3 Room Minimum) 

FREE ESTIMATES: CALL DAN 

(636) 577-8960 

Exterior Painting! 

PLUMBING 

GVM Plumbing 

Can’t beat my prices! 

Repair • Remodel • Install 

Great Water Heater Install Rates! 

Licensed • Responsive • Reliable 

(636) 288-7002 

PLUMBING 

ANYTHING IN PLUMBING 

Good Prices! Basement 

bathrooms, small repairs & 

code violations repaired. Fast 

Service. Certified, licensed 

plumber - MBC Plumbing 

- Call or text anytime: 

314-409-5051 

TREE SERVICES 

Complete Tree Service for 

Residential & Commercial 

Tree Pruning & Removal 

Plant Health Care Program 

Deadwooding • Stump Grinding 

Deep Root Fertilization 

Cabling & Storm Clean Up 

ISA Certified Arborists 

Doug Beckmann MW-5255A 

Teresa Hessel MW-5754A • Brad Meyer MW-5286A 

Free Estimates • Fully Insured 

314-426-2911 

meyertreecare.com 

WEDDING SERVICES 

ANYTIME ANYWHERE 

- CEREMONIES - 

Full Service Ministry 

(314) 703-7456

CD Special 

12-month or 18-month 

Your funds can 

grow safely in a 

Certificate of Deposit. 

5 .00 

% APY 

$1 share deposit required. Must qualify for membership. Offer of 5.00% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) on 12-month or 18-month CD have a minimum deposit of $500 to 

open. Rate/APY is accurate as of 9/22/23. Early withdrawal penalties apply. Offer subject to end without notice. Federally insured by NCUA.

Mid Rivers Newsmagazine 1-10-24

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