West Newsmagazine 3-6-24

Vol. 29 No. 5 • March 6, 2024 

westnewsmagazine.com 

ON THE 

BALLOT 

Wildwood Mayoral 

Races 

Propositions 

Parkway Responds To ECC Concerns ■ Helping Children With Rare Conditions ■ Mature Focus

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STAR PARKER 

The state of 

Black progress 

As part of Black History Month 2024, 

my organization, CURE, Center for Urban 

Renewal and Education, has announced 

the release of “The State of Black Progress,” 

published by Encounter Books. 

This is a follow-up to “The State of Black 

America,” published by CURE in 2022. 

The objective of these tomes is to showcase 

first-class scholarship to paint a 

comprehensive picture for thinking much 

differently about the reality facing Black 

Americans than what has been the norm for 

many years. 

By “thinking much differently,” I mean 

to say that our case shows that Blacks 

may have some unique problems and challenges, 

but the principles for dealing with 

these challenges are not about race. The 

truths that govern human reality, the truths 

that enable human success, are not different 

between races but are the same for all. 

Different ethnic groups or races may 

have unique problems, just as every individual 

human being has his or her own 

unique problems. 

But the truths to which every human 

being must turn to solve their unique problems 

are the same for all. 

In this spirit, we were very honored to be 

hosted by the American Enterprise institute 

in Washington, D.C., to do a joint event to 

publicize this tome. 

Three of the 12 scholars who contributed 

essays for the book are American Enterprise 

Institute (AEI) scholars. 

AEI, whose stated mission is “expanding 

liberty, increasing individual opportunity 

and strengthening free enterprise,” is the 

oldest Washington policy institute promoting 

these values, with a legacy reaching 

back to the 1930s. 

Our excitement to be hosted by and work 

with AEI is that AEI is about the key principles 

that define America as a free country 

with a free economy. 

At CURE, we focus on race and poverty 

exclusively – but we share the same 

American values with AEI regarding the 

principles needed for solving our problems. 

Two issues that we deal with in this work 

are federal retirement policy – Social 

Security – and federal housing policy. 

Both these areas saw major changes 

through expansion of government going 

back to the 1930s. 

AEI’s roots go back to that time; the 

institute stepped up and opposed significant 

expansion of the role of government 

in the lives of Americans. 

Our work in “The State of Black Progress” 

covers that gamut of where government 

has become majorly involved in the 

lives of Americans, particularly Black 

Americans. 

Beyond Social Security and federal 

housing policy, we’re talking about education 

policy, health care, local community 

economic policies and the changing ways 

federal judges read and apply our constitution 

to justify expansion of government. 

Our scholars show in all these areas 

that government activism and expansion 

designed to help low-income Americans 

has hurt rather than helped. 

Sadly, thinking about race in America 

has widely meant government activism 

and expansion. 

It not only has hurt the individuals these 

policies were meant to help, but it has hurt 

the whole country. 

As our nation now is being crushed by 

spending and debt, all should consider 

that, compared to the 25% of the American 

economy that government now consumes, 

in the mid-1960s, when the Civil Rights 

Act passed, this stood at 17%. Back in 

the late 1930s, when key elements of this 

began, federal spending consumed less 

than 10% of the U.S. economy. 

AEI’s Ian Rowe shows that when the data 

for race is corrected for family structure, 

when we look at Black households with 

intact families, with a married husband and 

wife heading the household, Black Americans 

are as healthy as any healthy part of 

our nation. 

It is unfortunate that the success of the 

Civil Rights Movement was parlayed into 

a new birth of government rather than into 

a new birth of freedom. 

CURE is working to change that, in the 

interest of Black Americans and all Americans. 

• • • 

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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4 I OPINION I 



LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 

@WESTNEWSMAG 


Eminent domain 

Re: The Cathy Lenny piece on Chesterfield’s 

plan to use eminent domain to clear 

the way for Chesterfield Mall redevelopment. 

Why isn’t there more outrage for 

cities using the double bludgeon of eminent 

domain and tax increment financing to 

stuff our taxes into the wallets of wealthy 

developers? If developers cannot finance 

their own projects then maybe that project 

is not worth existing. If they cry crocodile 

tears to the cities, then they can just take 

a hike. Pardon my naivete. These projects 

rarely produce the benefits and revenue to 

justify what they cost...look at the Dome. 

Bryce Frazier 

Re: Home is where the NAR is 

That’s insulting! (And uninformed). The 

Feb. 21, 2024 editorial, “Home is where 

the NAR is” says my real estate experience 

can be replaced by websites. Fact: 

The only role real estate websites replace 

is the “listing book” of available homes 

previously published for realtors to share 

with their buyer clients. 

Surely the single, most expensive, 

legally-binding transaction any person 

can complete should warrant experienced 

guidance. 

Buying a home is far more than locating 

potential homes. That’s why most buyers 

are represented by a fiduciary-responsible 

buyer’s agent. Otherwise, an unrepresented 

buyer is truly undermatched negotiating 

with a professionally represented 

seller. Who, by the way, represents the best 

interests of their seller-client. 

Want to write a winning home sale offer? 

Better have someone who understands the 

minimum nine residential sale contract 

contingencies knows what’s included, how 

the loan, title, inspection, insurance, earnest 

money and occupancy requirements 

work. And let’s say that buyer wants OUT 

of their contract, can a website help with 

that? 

Let’s correct the 5.5% average commission 

fee statement. It’s split four ways; 

not two. Buyers’ real estate company 

and buyers’ agent; and then sellers’ real 

estate company and sellers’ agent. So 

that’s down to about 1.375% to the agent. 

Remember too, we’re paid 100% commission, 

with no benefits and only after a 

sale is completed. 

However, I’ll say any average homeowner, 

involved in a dozen real estate 

transactions (as the article stated the 

“average agent” has) may do well enough 

relying on a website only; but I wouldn’t 

recommend it, professionally speaking. 

Dana Tippit 

Less is more 

Socialism has negative connotations due 

to its myriad failures and human suffering 

throughout history, not because of Republicans. 

If you believe social security is a 

success, why is the trust due to go insolvent 

by 2033? Over time, Democrats voted 

to increase the percent paid in, increased 

the wage cap, voted to make it taxable and 

voted to rob the trust and leave an IOU. It’s 

a ponzi scheme relying on fewer future 

beneficiaries to pay for increased current 

ones. 

It’s a political wedge, poorly run and 

a drain on the budget. Why stop at “rich” 

people? Stop giving everyone’s percent to 

the government...put it in a personal IRA 

or 401k and phase out government benefits 

over time. You make it sound like one’s 

failure to save for the future is the government’s 

responsibility. Sorry, lost my head... 

Democrats believe everyone is a victim. 

That’s what leads to big government/overreach. 

We go in thinking we can retire at 

say, 65, then because of government mismanagement 

or demographics, our benefits 

are cut or we have to keep working? It’s 

our money! What happened to personal 

responsibility? Less government is more. 

No Social Security admin/offices, no waiting 

in line for Q&A, no political wedge… 

Heaven on earth. 

Jon Schulte 

CORRECTION: The Feb. 21 issue 

should have featured the following On The 

Cover information: Chris Hartley, of the 

Sophia M.Sachs Butterfly House, is shown 

with longtime Chesterfield conservationist 

Darcy Capstick. (Photo by Elaine Collins) 

Founder 

Publisher Emeritus 

Publisher 

Managing Editor 

Associate Editor 

Associate Editor 

Staff Writer 

Features Editor 

Business Manager 

Graphic Designer 

Graphic Designer 

Graphic Layout 

Reporters 

Doug Huber 

Sharon Huber 

Tim Weber 

Dan Fox 

Kate Uptergrove 

Tracey Bruce 

Laura Brown 

Lisa Russell 

Erica Myers 

Donna Deck 

Aly Doty 

Emily Rothermich 

Advertising Account Executives 

Nancy Anderson 

Vicky Czapla 

Ellen Hartbeck 

Suzanne Corbett 

Jeffry Greenberg 

DeAnne LeBlanc 

Linda Joyce 

Joe Ritter 

Sheila Roberts 

Cathy Lenny 

Warren Mayes 

Shwetha Sundarrajan 

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A PUBLICATION OF

6 I OPINION I 

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An exciting future ahead 

@WESTNEWSMAG 


Seats and hats are changing at West Newsmagazine. 

After 12 years in the role of managing 

editor, Kate Uptergrove has handed her red pen 

and assignment responsibilities to Dan Fox. If that 

name sounds familiar, it’s because you’ve likely 

read his work before. 

Dan previously served as a reporter for West 

Newsmagazine and then as its associate editor 

before heading off to Alaska, where he was the 

editor of The Skagway News. After returning to the Uptergrove 

lower 48, Dan served as the editor for the Lincoln 

County Journal and did a stint as the marketing 

and communications director for Junior Chamber 

International. 

With Dan’s return, Kate will be stepping into the 

role of associate editor, with her attention more 

specifically focused on the paper’s special advertising 

sections and its feature stories – a role that 

has been held for the past two years by Tracey 

Bruce, who will be retiring in May. Though, Kate 

Fox 

likes to say that West Newsmagazine employees 

always come back, so don’t be surprised if you see Tracey’s name in the 

staff box as a reporter and her byline on stories yet to be assigned. 

For you, the reader, this means a few things. Because Kate will stay with 

West Newsmagazine as the associate editor, it means that those 12 years 

of knowledge, context and continuity will help us continue delivering the 

news and content without missing a beat. Kate also has over a decade of 

special section ideas saved up that has her itching to put pen to paper. 

Next, of course, a new managing editor means new, fresh ideas. Dan 

is eager to bring back the concept of a cover story, which would include 

in-depth reporting that takes relevant national topics and localizes them 

for our West County readership. You may also see new and innovative 

ways of conveying data and information in the paper. However, you can 

rest assured that Dan is not a fan of rapid or sudden changes and that new 

ideas will be tested incrementally and with great care to ensure that West 

Newsmagazine remains a critical part of your news diet. He knows, and 

values, our readership base, and will continue working hard to serve the 

needs of the community with accurate, practical news coverage you won’t 

find anywhere else. 

The path forward is exciting. Typically a change of longtime leadership 

is hard, or at best bittersweet. Not this. Behind the scenes, we’re ecstatic 

and can’t wait to see what the future holds. We’re glad you’ll be there to 

join us. 

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I 7 

Mental Health 

Law Matters 

The Census 

Bureau once 

found that 

approximately 

10% of the 

population suffers 

from a serious 

mental illness, 

with half 

of those suffering from bipolar disorder 

or schizophrenia. I recently read 

a study that found that 7 to 8% of 

marijuana users developed depression, 

even clinical depression, and 

psychosis. With the legalization of 

marijuana, the problem will only get 

worse. 

I was talking to a psychologist after 

church on Sunday, and he remembers 

working at the state hospital on Arsenal 

back in the 70s. He said there were 

maybe 3000 patients there then. With 

the development of anti-psychotic 

drugs, he guessed that the number has 

dropped down to maybe 300. That is 

a good thing. Warehousing inconvenient 

people was kind of inhumane. 

But just giving patients a baggie 

full of drugs and sending them on 

their way is not the solution either. It 

is well documents that once patients 

start to feel better, they often stop 

taking their drugs, and many times 

they end up homeless, on the streets 

or even worse. We wonder how many 

people are in prison for crimes that 

could have been prevented had they 

been on the proper medication with 

consistent follow-up care. 

And it seems as if no families are 

exempt. It may be that a family member 

suffers from severe depression or 

psychosis. They might be unaware of 

the gravity of the illness or unable to 

make good healthcare decisions on 

their own and resist getting help. 

The family may want to help, but 

because of a patient’s “rights,” the 

loved ones can only be taken into 

treatment without their consent if 

they pose a risk of harm to themselves 

or others. If they do pose such 

a risk, then they can be taken in for 

diagnosis, and if a doctor is willing to 

state that the patient is unable to 

perform the functions of daily living 

without some kind of assistance, 

then it is possible to get guardianship 

to help monitor the care. 

It seems to me that as a society, 

we fail many of our most vulnerable 

members, which harms society as a 

whole. Think of the contributions 

these individuals could make to our 

society. Some of them are truly 

brilliant when healthy. We need to 

prioritize mental health, an issue that 

really affects all of us. But do we 

have the resolve? 

In your charity, please pray for all 

those who suffer from mental illness. 

Everyone’s experience 

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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 

estate. This column is for informational 

purposes only. Nothing herein should be 

treated as legal advice or as creating an 

attorney-client relationship. The choice 

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8 I NEWS I 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


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Manchester Police personnel and their families raised more than 

$5,000 for Special Olympics by taking a cold dip in Creve Coeur Lake 

on Feb. 24. 

(Source: City of Manchester) 

NEWS 

BRIEFS 

BALLWIN 

Police investigating body 

found in Vlasis pond 

Ballwin police are working to find 

answers regarding a body found in the 

lower Vlasis Park pond in late February. 

The Metro West Fire Protection District 

and the Ballwin Police Department had 

responded to a water rescue/body in the 

water call at approximately 2:40 p.m. on 

Friday, Feb. 23, when a citizen fishing 

made the discovery of a body. 

According to Ballwin Police, the investigation 

is ongoing, with no new details to 

release at press time. 

Public Information Officer Mark Reckert 

said the toxicology report can take 

anywhere from weeks to months to complete. 

“There’s not going to be anything soon 

because we have a long wait before the 

results,” Reckert said on Feb. 26. “We can’t 

do anything until they release their report.” 

Additionally, Ballwin is currently waiting 

on the final results of another case, 

where two bodies were found on Jan. 

30 in a Sunnyslope Drive home, which 

could delay the findings for the Feb. 23 

incident. 

CHESTERFIELD 

City receives 15-acre donation 

adjacent to Railroad Park 

The city of Chesterfield has been given 

15 acres of land immediately adjacent 

and west of Railroad Park in Chesterfield 

Valley. 

Scott Harding, president & CEO of SCI 

Engineering Inc., donated the 15.92-acre 

tract at 190 Long Road. He only asks that 

the city pay the cost of an appraisal and tax 

paperwork. 

The property is covered by a conservation 

easement and was used as a wetland 

mitigation area for prior development. Use 

of the property is significantly restricted; 

however, it does provide for contiguous 

access from the west. 

Development of Railroad Park was discussed 

by the parks, recreation and arts 

committee, even though there are challenges, 

including regulatory obstacles, 

water, sewer, parking and grading. 

Currently, Railroad Park is generally a 

passive park, but is used for Ultimate Frisbee, 

said City Administrator Mike Geisel. 

“The addition of the acreage provides 

some potential enhanced opportunities for 

access, but in reality, the acquisition of this 

property only expands the acreage as it is 

currently used,” he said. 

At the Feb. 20 meeting, the city council 

authorized a budget adjustment of 

$5,000 from the parks fund reserve for 

the appraisal and other costs. City staff 

were also directed to update the 2019 

Railroad Park bridge access feasibility 

study with the integration of the additional 

parcel. 

CREVE COEUR 

Nominations sought for 

Arbor Day Art Contest 

The deadline for the annual arbor art and 

photograph contest is Friday, March 29. 

This is an all-ages event with awards given 

to the winners in the following art categories: 

pre-kindergarten-kindergarten, grades 

1 and 2, grades 3-5, middle school, high 

school, adult and seniors 65-plus. Photo 

entries will be judged in two categories: 18 

and younger and 19-plus. 

The theme of this year’s contest is 

“Nature Around Us.” Any aspect of nature 

is acceptable. 

Entries should be created using any twodimensional 

medium: pencil, water color, 

crayon, marker, oil, photo, digital design, 

et cetera. Entries must not exceed 9 by 12 

inches and cannot be on canvas or canvas 

panel. Every entry must list the artist’s 

name, category, address and phone number 

on the back of the art piece. 

Submissions must be sent or delivered 

to Janet Rueschhoff, City of Creve Coeur, 

300 N. New Ballas Road, Creve Coeur, MO 

63141. For additional information, contact 

Rueschhoff at (314) 872-2511 or via email 

at jrueschhoff@crevecoeurmo.gov. 

All entries will be displayed for one 

month inside the Government Center on 

the lower level. Mayor Robert Hoffman 

will present ribbons to the contest winners 

during the city’s annual Arbor Day 

celebration on Sunday, April 21 by the 

Horticulture, Ecology and Beautification 

Committee. The festivities, which will take 

place from 1-3 p.m. at the Government 

Center, 300 N. New Ballas Road, will also 

feature a plant giveaway, activities for kids, 

educational displays and a live raptor presentation 

led by the World Bird Sanctuary. 

For over 25 years, Creve Coeur has been 

recognized as a “Tree City” by the National 

Arbor Day Foundation. 

MANCHESTER 

Police take plunge for 

Special Olympics 

On Feb. 24, several members of the Manchester 

Police family participated in the 

Polar Plunge benefiting Special Olympics 

Missouri. The annual event at Creve Coeur 

Lake brought in more than $100,000 for 

the organization with Manchester’s team 

raising nearly $5,000. Despite an unusually 

warm February, the daytime high on that 

Saturday was a chilly 49 degrees. 

TWIN OAKS 

Recreation memberships 

available 

Twin Oaks residents can take advantage 

of neighborly discounts for recreation 

memberships in Ballwin and Des Peres. 

An agreement between the cities allows 

Twin Oaks residents to sign up for annual 

recreation memberships at that city’s resident 

rate. The city of Twin Oaks will then 

be billed to cover the cost of the difference 

between the resident and non-resident rate. 

Ballwin membership options include 

The Pointe at Ballwin Commons, North 

Pointe Pool passes and the city’s Platinum 

memberships, which provide access to 

both The Pointe and North Pointe as well 

as a resident rate for greens fees at the 

city’s golf course. To learn more about 

Ballwin’s rates and services, visit ballwin. 

mo.us/Memberships. 

Visit desperesmo.org/369/Memberships 

to learn more about Des Peres’ rates and 

services.



ST. LOUIS COUNTY 

Absentee voting open 

St. Louis County voters who wish to vote 

absentee in the April 2 General Municipal 

Election can now request a ballot. The 

deadline to request an absentee ballot is 

5 p.m. on March 20. Absentee voters can 

also cast a ballot in person at the board of 

elections office located at 725 Northwest 

Plaza Drive in St. Ann on weekdays from 

8 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Absentee voting will also 

be available at six additional satellite sites 

beginning March 21 and during the two 

Saturdays before election day, which are 

March 23 and March 30. 

Residents who wish to vote absentee must 

meet one of six reasons: being absent from 

St. Louis County on election day; being 

incapacitated or confined due to sickness 

or disability, including caring for a person 

who is incapacitated or confined due to 

sickness or disability; being restricted by 

religious belief or practice; being employed 

by an election authority; being incarcerated, 

although all necessary qualifications for 

voting have been retained or being a participant 

in the Missouri Safe at Home program. 

Other important dates and deadlines to 

know: 

March 6 - last day to register to vote for 

the April 2 election. 

March 19 - no-excuse in-person absentee 

voting begins. 

March 21 - seven satellite voting sites 

open. 

March 23 and March 30 - weekend 

absentee voting from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. 

April 1 - last day to vote absentee at 

board of elections office or satellite site, 5 

p.m. deadline. 

Harder proposes use of NFL 

settlement funds on roads 

St. Louis County Council member Mark 

Harder (R-District 7) introduced a bill in 

February that would transfer $20 million 

from the NFL Settlement Fund to the Special 

Road and Bridge Fund to be used on 

various road construction projects in unincorporated 

St. Louis County. The council 

is tentatively scheduled to meet as a committee 

of the whole at 2 p.m. on March 19 

to discuss the bill in more detail. The meeting 

will be held in the council chambers at 

41 South Central Ave. in Clayton. 

Harder introduced the bill as a solution 

to the $20 million backlog of road projects 

in the county that need to be funded. 

At the council meeting on Feb. 20 council 

chair Shalonda Webb (D-District 4) and 

council member Lisa Clancy (D-District 

5) questioned whether the public works 

department has the staff to carry out the 

number of potential projects because of 

staffing vacancies. 

Harder also mentioned the possibility of 

matching fund grants from the federal government 

that would potentially quadruple 

the county’s funds, but it will take time. 

“Many of these projects take two to five 

years sometimes before we see pavement,” 

Harder said. “If we have to wait for money 

it takes longer. I hope an infusion of money 

will take a bit out of the project backlog. 

I’m also hoping we can use this for matching 

funds, so we can leverage this money 

and take $20 million and turn it into $80 to 

$90 million worth of road projects.” 

Show Me Service Awards 

nominations open 

The Missouri Community Service 

Commission is seeking nominations 

for its 22nd Annual Show Me Service 

Awards. The awards highlight the service 

and volunteerism that Missourians 

provide to strengthen communities and 

improve quality of life. To provide a 

diverse group of awardees each year, 

they are presented by region and include 

age-specific awards, national service 

awards, business awards and community 

awards. The awards are divided into 

seven categories and awarded across four 

regions. St. Louis and St. Charles counties 

are part of the St. Louis area. 



I NEWS I 9 

Categories include: Youth (under 18), 

Adult (18-54), Senior (over 55), Ameri- 

Corps Member Award, AmeriCorps 

Seniors/Senior Corps Member Award, 

the Business Excellence Award that is 

presented to a for-profit business that has 

provided opportunities for its employees 

or volunteers to volunteer in the community 

and the Community Excellence 

award that is presented to a municipality 

or county that has come together on a specific 

service project or ongoing service 

activity. 

Award nominees will compete with 

only those from their region in the same 

category. To nominate someone, complete 

a nomination form at showmeservice.org 

before 11:59 p.m. on March 11. Awardees 

must be Missouri residents, and a majority 

of the service must have been completed in 

Missouri in 2023. 

Neeta Lopes of Chesterfield won the 

Adult Volunteer of the Year award last year. 

Lopes helped curate and conduct mindfulness 

activities, personal development and 

global awareness within the community 

through activities at local hospitals for 

stress relief and mental health. Lopes also 

led and organized yoga and meditation 

workshops for area schools and colleges. 

The Show Me Service Awards ceremony 

will be held at 2:30 p.m. on April 23 in the 

Capitol Rotunda in Jefferson City. 

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10 I NEWS I 



Two candidates face off in race for Wildwood mayor 

@WESTNEWSMAG 


By CATHY LENNY 

Not yet 30 years old, the city of Wildwood 

is still forging its path to find a 

balance for promoting residential and 

commercial development while retaining 

its wildlife and natural beauty. 

After serving two terms in office, Mayor 

Jim Bowlin will run for Missouri Senate 

District 15, and two candidates who are 

well-known within the city are competing 

to fill the seat. 

Joe Garritano is currently a Ward 8 Wildwood 

City Council member. He has been 

on the city council since 2008 when he was 

first appointed to the seat. He has served 

on several committees and is also on the 

board of the Missouri Municipal League. 

Tony Salvatore is retired from the United 

States Air Force and TWA/American Airlines. 

Salvatore previously ran for public 

office in Wildwood and as a candidate for 

U.S. House of Representatives, District 2 

in 2022. He may be most known for the 

campaign he ran in 2018 for city council 

that led to a lawsuit against Wildwood. 

Salvatore sued the city in the U.S. District 

Court in St. Louis in March 2019. He 

claimed Wildood was infringing on his 

Garritano 

First Amendment rights after he was told 

repeatedly that he could not carry a political 

sign on a public right-of-way. He was 

awarded a $295,000 settlement. 

Trash service has also been a heated 

issue in the city, with two new companies 

selected to handle the service. An anonymous 

whistleblower complaint had been 

filed against the city with the Missouri 

Salvatore 

State Auditor’s office regarding the situation; 

however, after a review of the associated 

materials, the auditor’s office stated it 

was taking no further action at the present 

time. 

To better understand each candidate’s 

platform, they were asked three questions 

regarding their vision for Wildwood. Following 

are their responses, in ballot order: 

1. Some residents have expressed dissatisfaction 

regarding the trash services. 

What is your plan to address this? 

Joe Garritano 

Keeping costs down is critical for our 

residents. Because of inflation and a dearth 

of service providers, costs for trash services 

are increasing throughout the region. I will 

fight against this trend while refusing to 

sacrifice standards. Along with affordability, 

we must demand enforceable standards in 

every contract. In the past, Wildwood has 

had issues with service providers in which 

residents noted substandard service. Along 

with affordability must come accountability 

by providers if our residents are to be provided 

the best value. As mayor, I will continue 

to fight for affordable service, while 

enforcing service standards for our residents. 

Tony Salvatore 

Submitting the trash contracts to a new 

legal, uncorrupted bid process is the only 

solution to these corrupt, no-bid contracts 

my opponent, Joe Garritano, orchestrated 

as chairman of the Administration/Public 

See WILDWOOD, page 17 

Parkway responds to resident concerns regarding proposed early childhood center site 

By BONNIE KRUEGER 

The proposed site of an early childhood 

center (ECC) between Wren Hollow Elementary 

and Southwest Middle in the Parkway 

School District has residents of neighboring 

subdivisions at odds with the plan. 

The proposed project is part of the 

$265 million bond issue voters passed in 

November 2022. Its expected cost is $30 

to $35 million. 

Elena Polson, director of early childhood 

programs, explained that the new 

school will mimic the role of the ECC near 

Parkway West High. The center will serve 

approximately 300 students, with room for 

185 students at any given time, along with 

administrative staff and teachers. Additionally, 

the center will be the new home 

of the teaching, learning and accountability 

department employees, who are currently 

housed in Creve Coeur. 

“This fulfills a great need within our community,” 

Polson said. “We want to serve 

the growing population and partner with 

families. There is a $12 return on every $1 

investment in early learners.” 

Parkway Chief Communication Officer 

Elisa Tomich explained that in the last 

decade, there has been a waiting list of 360 

families on average. A study by Parkway 

shows that the greatest need for early education 

is in the south, with the 63021 ZIP 

code the most heavily populated sector of 

children age 3 and under. 

Neighboring residents, predominantly 

those living along Wren Avenue and the 

subdivisions adjoining the school on Canary 

Drive and Audubon Place Court, shared 

their concerns at the February Manchester 

Board of Aldermen meetings and the Feb. 

21 Parkway Board of Education meeting 

during the public comments portion. 

The schools that would sandwich the 

ECC are built along Wren Avenue with 

the primary access in and out at Sulphur 

Spring Road. 

While the residents agreed with the need 

for additional classroom space to alleviate 

enrollment concerns, the complaints were 

specifically directed at this chosen location 

due to safety, traffic flow and the use of 

green space. 

Southwest Middle eighth-grader Maxwell 

Mayo spoke at the Manchester aldermanic 

meeting on Feb. 20. He expressed 

concern that the school would take away 

green space used by students. 

“Parkway Southwest Middle School uses 

the field in between the two (existing) schools 

for outdoor activities, like soccer, football 

and Ultimate Frisbee and other games. They 

A sign at one of the residences along Wren Avenue. 

also use it for after-school activities like 

soccer and other recreational purposes. 

“Not only would the ECC center take 

away the recreation space, but also takes 

away the environment behind the school, 

where there are woods, which is home to 

deer, coyotes, squirrels and birds.” 

In an interview with West Newsmagazine 

addressing those concerns, Tomich said 

that the new facility will allow for outdoor 

learning, including improved green space, 

a nature path and a revitalized pond. Students 

and residents will be encouraged 

to use this new space outside of regular 

school hours. 

“The long-term benefit is partnering 

(Bonnie Krueger Photo) 

between the schools to work alongside the 

different-aged groups in outdoor learning 

spaces,” Polson added. 

Of primary concern for the residents 

who spoke was the safety of students who 

walk or ride their bikes. With only one 

access road, traffic is congested, private 

driveways often are blocked during dropoff 

and pick-up times. 

An extensive traffic study by an independent 

engineering firm has been underway, 

and was scheduled to be wrapped up by the 

end of February. The firm’s report will document 

traffic conditions during drop-off 

See PARKWAY, page 13

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Attorney general accuses local 

districts of discriminatory practices 



I NEWS I 13 

By KATE UPTERGROVE 

The Parkway School District was one 

of three local school districts that received 

cease and desist letters in late February 

from Missouri Attorney General Andrew 

Bailey on reports that the districts participated 

in discriminatory practices against 

their students and staff. 

Responses from all three districts refuted 

Bailey’s claims. 

Specifically, Parkway was accused of 

“preventing students from forming religious-based 

clubs like Fellowship of Christian 

Athletes, prohibiting them from using 

the campus announcement system, hanging 

posters, or holding meetings on campus.” 

Parkway responded that the accusations 

were unfounded. 

“In fact, all four Parkway high schools 

have active and long-standing Fellowship 

of Christian Athletes clubs,” the 

district’s statement read. “We have other 

active faith-based student clubs in our 

high schools, including the Jewish Student 

Union, Muslim Student Union and Catholic 

Faith Club.” 

The statement went on to say that the 

district believes that “when students have 

activities that are meaningful to them personally 

and create a sense of belonging, 

they are more successful at school.” 

“Parkway is committed to supporting 

the diversity of religions represented in 

our student bodies and providing clubs 

and activities to support their interests and 

needs,” the statement read. 

Bailey’s letter accused the Lindbergh 

School District of having two sets of standards 

for entrance into its LEAP gifted 

program, allowing lower test scores for 

minority students in order “to reach a 20% 

equity index for underrepresented student 

populations.” 

In his response, Lindbergh Superintendent 

Dr. Tony Lake called Bailey’s claims 

“politically motivated.” 

Bailey was tapped to fill the attorney 

general position in November 2022, after 

then-attorney general Eric Schmidt was 

elected to the U.S. Senate. As an appointee, 

Bailey will have to win his attorney 

general position in this year’s Aug. 6 Primary. 

Filing for that election opened on 

Feb. 27, with Bailey and former assistant 

U.S. Attorney Will Scharf as the declared 

Republican candidates at that time. 

In his letter to the Webster Groves 

School District, Bailey quotes the district’s 

“Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Report” 

(December 2023), stating that the district’s 

hiring goal is to “attract, support and retain 

staff who at a minimum reflect the diversity 

of (its) student population.” Citing the 

Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Missouri 

Human Rights Act, Bailey wrote that if the 

reports he said he received were true, the 

district would be in violation of state and 

federal discrimination laws. 

The statement from the Webster Groves 

School District called the accusation, 

“ridiculous.” 

“There is nothing wrong with the stated 

goal, and it is certainly not unlawful racebased 

hiring,” the district responded. “Webster 

Groves School District has not, and will 

not, discriminate against anyone in hiring 

based upon the person’s race. However, the 

District is interested in having a diverse 

faculty to serve as educators to our diverse 

student population and is willing to take the 

effort to attract, support and retain that staff.” 

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and pick-up at the existing schools, determine 

the number of new trips expected for 

the proposed ECC, consider how the proposed 

ECC may impact the traffic flow and 

queuing on the adjacent public roads and 

determine if further improvements (such 

as additional traffic lights or traffic signs) 

are required to provide safe and efficient 

traffic flow. The engineers perform traffic 

counts during the peak arrival (7-10 a.m.) 

and dismissal periods (2-5 p.m.), with 

buses under separate analysis. 

Once the impact study is complete, 

Parkway will present its formal site development 

plan to the city of Manchester. 

While the district initially hopes to begin 

the permit process this spring and begin 

construction by late summer or early fall 

(opening no earlier than fall 2026), Manchester 

Planning, Zoning and Economic 

Development Director Andrea Riganti said 

that “the timeline is fluid.” 

“The city cannot arbitrarily deny an 

application,” Riganti said. “Land use laws 

require the city to fairly and reasonably 

examine evidence submitted and determine 

if it meets code requirements.” 

A public meeting will be held on March 

26 at 6 p.m. at Southwest Middle, where 

Parkway will present its plan to residents, 

who will have an opportunity to ask questions 

as well. Representatives from the city 

of Manchester also will be present. 

“We want to address community concerns, 

and we are genuinely trying to be 

transparent,” Polson said. “We are here 

to partner with the community and want 

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14 I NEWS I 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


Local teen gifted dream trip to Alaska by Make-A-Wish Foundation 

By LAURA BROWN 

Charlie LaBarge was prepared for fun 

when he hit the slopes at Hidden Valley in 

Wildwood with his family on Feb. 19. What 

he didn’t know was how far that short trip 

would soon take him. 

Charlie, 14, has a form of cancer called 

rhabdomyosarcoma. Two years ago, he 

began the process of having a wish granted 

by the Make-A-Wish Foundation – a program 

for kids fighting critical illnesses. 

For his wish, Charle felt the call of the 

wild, and wants to visit Alaska. 

Representatives from Make-A-Wish, 

along with wish sponsors from Spectrum, 

surprised Charlie when he arrived at 

Hidden Valley, informing him he’d be able 

to make the odyssey to the north as he’d 

hoped. 

“I want to go see the wildlife like eagles, 

moose and bears,” Charlie said. “I don’t 

want to go and hug them, but I want to see 

them for sure.” 

He also wants to see Kenai Fjords National 

Park, where nearly 40 glaciers flow from 

nearby ice fields. Charlie’s mom, Anne, said 

he has always loved nature and the outdoors, 

even through his cancer treatments. 

“It was hard for the whole family to watch 

Charlie LaBarge was granted his wish of a trip to Alaska at a surprise reveal party at Hidden 

Valley in Wildwood. Back row, from the left: Lindsay Skredenske, Make-A-Wish director of 

business development; Terri Vines, Spectrum; Kevin Howard, chief accounting officer for 

Spectrum and Make-A-Wish board member; Chad Baker, Make-A-Wish Granter; Patty 

Senft, Make-A-Wish regional director of business development; Gene LaBarge. Middle 

row: Charlie, Ruthie, William and Anne LaBarge. Front row: DJ Koch, Hidden Valley’s 

General Manager. 

Charlie go through the treatments,” Anne 

said. “Going on a trip as a family is something 

we haven’t done since his diagnosis. 

This is something we all need.” 

The Make-A-Wish Foundation is sending 

Charlie; his parents, Gene and Anne; and 

his brother and sister, William and Ruthie; 

on the Alaskan getaway this summer. 

Charlie’s wish granter, Chad Baker, was 

at the party. He said granting this wish 

was special for him because when he was 

a child he had the same kind of cancer as 

Charlie and was granted a wish when he 

was 4 years old. His wish was for a trip to 

California. Baker said he remembers visiting 

the beach and San Diego Zoo and that it 

was just what his family needed. 

“It was a big relief for my family at the 

time,” Baker said. “We started planning my 

trip when I was in the middle of my treatment, 

and we didn’t know what direction I 

was going to go in. The trip ended up being 

a time for us to heal. We went at the end of 

my treatment.” 

Since Baker began volunteering with 

Make-A-Wish as a wish granter he has 

granted 15 wishes. Wish granters visit the 

children who are asking for a wish to help 

them decide what wish to make. 

“We always ask the same three questions: 

if you could go anywhere, where would you 

want to go; if you could meet anyone who 

would you want to meet; and if you wanted 

to be something or someone for a day, who 

would you want to be,” Baker said. “Charlie 

knew right away that he wanted his wish 

to be a trip to Alaska.” 

Spectrum is the corporate sponsor for 

Charlie’s wish and representatives attended 

the wish reveal party. 

Patty Senft, regional director of business 

development for Make-A-Wish, said corporate 

sponsors like Spectrum make granting 

wishes in the St. Louis area possible. 

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Millennium Park improvements continue amid change orders 

I NEWS I 15 

By JEFFRY GREENBERG 

Creve Coeur has approved its fifth 

change order for more incidental improvements 

to the Millennium Park project. The 

council unanimously passed a resolution 

authorizing Ideal Landscape Construction, 

Inc. for this work phase. 

The contract is for the sum of 

$70,072.60. It also includes authorization 

for City Administrator Mark Perkins to 

approve up to an additional $20,000 for 

future change orders for the Millennium 

Park project. 

“For a quick update, the project is going 

very well,” City Engineer Steven Berecz 

said. “We’ve been fortunate with some 

pretty good weather and the contractor is 

working really well. In the next months, 

the city will see the benefits, and we’ll all 

be out there enjoying a great new park.” 

The previous four change orders, 

approved by Perkins, totaled around 

$41,000. That number is roughly 1.7% of 

the total project, is was $2.5 million. 

Berecz noted that almost all the change 

orders have been for complex projects 

with lots of moving pieces. He said city 

staff has been out there the whole time, 

making sure everything is being done 

according to plan. 

The main emphasis of the newest change 

order is removing the 11 bollard lighting 

pieces along the walking path leading to 

the Tappmeyer House and replacing them 

with lighting all the way to the parking 

lot. Four of the existing lights have burnt 

out, and Berecz said it makes more sense 

to replace all 11, rather than try to retrofit 

the four non-working lights in a way that 

ALASKA, from previous 

Kevin Howard, Spectrum’s chief 

accounting officer also serves as a board 

member for the foundation. 

“This is a great cause and (the foundation) 

does a great job with their resources,” 

Howard said. “We get to help people who 

are going through things we can’t imagine, 

and the money we raise stays local. I know 

people who I work with who have had wishes 

granted. The power of a wish being granted 

for these kids and their families is priceless.” 

Spectrum is also the main sponsor for this 

year’s Walk for Wishes, making it the biggest 

in the country. The walk is being held 

on April 13 in Forest Park. Funds raised at 

the walk stay in St. Louis to grant wishes 

for local children. Interested participants 

or volunteers can find more information at 

walkforwishesstl.com. 

matches the other fixtures. 

Citizen Donna Spence had concerns 

that the lighting could be too strong and 

could attract certain bugs too easily. The 

response was that these would not offer 

additional issues. 

Council member Joe Martinich (Ward 

2) inquired as to whether the new lighting 

would have better illumination than 

the existing ones. The consensus was 

that they would be slightly better because 

they’re newer, but there wouldn’t be an 

appreciable difference. 

“The bollard lighting is a lot of money 

to spend, but at the end of the day, to go 

out and try to recondition 10-year-old 

bollard lights, and the four weren’t going 

to match,” Perkins said. “It just seemed 

time to replace all of them, and they’re 

all LED now. Also, we needed to add 

other ones because it really didn’t seem 

to make sense to just have lighting around 

the Tappmeyer House with such a gap to 

the parking lot at dusk. Plus, we already 

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had money budgeted for picnic tables. So, 

it made sense to just get that done, too. I 

think all these are really good changes.” 

Another part of the fifth change order 

is adding 12 eight-foot-long picnic tables. 

This wasn’t originally budgeted, but it’s 

now considered a cost-effective addition 

by the city. The change order will also 

seek the best way to handle shade structures 

near the playground. Finally, there 

will be caulking of the surfaces around the 

restroom and pavilion. 

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16 I NEWS I 



On the Ballot: The Propositions 

@WESTNEWSMAG 


In the April 2 Municipal Election, voters 

in St. Louis County will be asked to decide 

the fate of two propositions put forth by the 

Metropolitan Sewer District. 

Proposition S, if passed by voters, 

would initiate a tax increase that would 

provide a new stormwater service to 

address stormwater, flooding and creek 

erosion issues in MSD’s entire service 

area. The property tax increase would be 

7.45 cents per $100 of assessed valuation 

for residential property and cost about $2 

a month or $25 annually for a property 

with a median value of $176,600, according 

to MSD documents. 

For non-residential properties, the cost 

would be calculated on the amount of the 

property’s square footage that is impervious 

to water or creates runoff. The cost 

would be an increase of $1.05 per 1,000 

square feet. 

Proposition W, which addresses wastewater 

infrastructure, asks voters whether 

the district should issue $750 million in 

sewer revenue bonds. The money from the 

sale of the bonds would be used to fund 

$1.6 billion of federal- and state-mandated 

wastewater infrastructure projects for the 

next four of 16 years. 

If voters authorize the district to issue 

the bonds, sewer rates would be raised by 

approximately 32% over the course of four 

years beginning in 2025 for metered residential 

customers. 

The schedule, if the bond issue is 

approved, proposes rate increases of 7% 

in 2025, 7.6% in 2026, 7.5% in 2027 and 

6.6% in 2028 for metered customers. A residential 

metered customer who averages a 

monthly bill of $57.04 in 2024 is estimated 

to pay $75.23 a month in 2028 under the 

rate change. 

METROPOLITAN SEWER DISTRICT 

PROPOSITIONS (In ballot language) 

Proposition W • Simple majority 

required for passage 

To comply with federal and state clean 

water requirements, shall The Metropolitan 

St. Louis Sewer District (MSD) issue 

its sewer revenue bonds in the amount 

of Seven Hundred Fifty Million Dollars 

($750,000,000) for the purpose of 

designing, constructing, improving, renovating, 

repairing, replacing and equipping 

new and existing MSD sewer and 

drainage facilities and systems, including 

sewage treatment and disposal plants, 

sanitary sewers, and acquisition of easements 

and real property related thereto, 

the cost of operation and maintenance of 

said facilities and systems and the principal 

of and interest on said revenue bonds 

to be payable solely from the revenues 

derived by MSD from the operation of 

its wastewater sewer system, including 

all future extensions and improvements 

thereto? 

Proposition S • Simple majority 


Shall The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer 

District (MSD), for the purpose of providing 

revenue to fund capital improvements 

for flooding and erosion control, impose 

(i) a property tax upon all residential taxable 

tangible property within the District at 

a rate of not more than Seven and 45/100 

Cents ($0.0745) per One Hundred Dollars 

($100.00) of assessed valuation and (ii) a 

charge upon all non-residential customers, 

whether public or private, within the 

District based on the amount of impervious 

area (IA) on each such customer’s real 

property at a rate of $1.05 per month per 

1,000 square feet of IA? 

Additionally, three propositions will 

be put before voters residing in the West 

County EMS/FPD service district. The 

result of an affirmative vote on each of the 

West County EMS/Fire Protection District 

propositions is a decrease in taxes paid by 

households in that political subdivision. 

WEST COUNTY EMS/FPD PROPOSI- 

TIONS (In ballot language) 

Proposition 1 • Simple majority 


Shall the Board of Directors of the West 

County EMS and Fire Protection District be 

authorized to abolish the Ambulance Fund 

tax levy by reducing the voter authorized 

tax levy of twenty cents (0.20 cents), while 

increasing the General Fund voter authorized 

tax levy by twenty cents (0.20 cents) 

per one-hundred dollars assessed valuation 

as a cost saving measure to simplify and 

streamline the District’s accounting procedures? 

If this question, Proposition 2 and 

Proposition 3 are approved by a majority 

of voters, the overall residential tax for 

tax year 2024 is projected to be decreased 

fourteen cents (0.14 cents) compared to 

residential tax year 2023 



Shall the Board of Directors of the 

See ON THE BALLOT, next page 

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I NEWS I 17 

WILDWOOD, from page 10 

Works Committee. The city had seven 

months to find a new provider for trash services, 

but they chose to throw out the only 

legitimate and lower-cost bidder, Meridian, 

and colluded with Republic and Gateway 

to write their own contracts and fees without 

a legal bid process. This was all accomplished 

in “closed sessions” without any 

public input, resulting in excessive fees 

and citizens’ dissatisfaction. 

2. What is your vision for the development 

of the Wildwood Town Center and what priority 

does preserving green space have? 

Joe Garritano 

I am committed to a vibrant economic 

ecosystem to support small local businesses 

while attracting new businesses that align 

with our city’s values and needs. Completing 

the Village Green project is a priority 

of mine. The Village Green has been in the 

works for years. Completing it will foster a 

sense of community and togetherness in our 

city. It also represents our city’s commitment 

to preserving green spaces. Preserving 

green space was a major impetus in the 

incorporation of our city. As mayor, I will 

see the Village Green completed. 

ON THE BALLOT, from previous 

West County EMS and Fire Protection 

District be authorized to abolish the Dispatch 

Fund tax levy by reducing the voter 

authorized tax levy of five cents (0.05 

cents), while increasing the General 

Fund voter authorized tax levy by five 

cents (0.05 cents) per one-hundred dollars 

assessed valuation as a cost saving 

measure to simplify and streamline the 

District’s accounting procedures? If this 

question, Proposition 1 and Proposition 3 

are approved by a majority of voters, the 

overall residential tax for tax year 2024 

is projected to be decreased fourteen 

cents (0.14 cents) compared to residential 

tax year 2023. 


A small group of very hard-working 

residents, also known as the “founders,” 

were successful in putting the incorporation 

of Wildwood on the ballot and the 

city of Wildwood was born. They put in 

place the city charter and the master plan 

that included the development of a wellplanned 

Town Center. The Town Center 

was, and still is, to be the denser population 

area and the center of our retail and 

commercial buildings with an emphasis 

on preserving as much green space as 

possible. Unfortunately, now developers/ 

builders are requesting and being awarded 

variances and rezoning to eliminate much 

of the green space. 

3. What would you do to improve the future 

of commercial development in Wildwood? 

Joe Garritano 

Balancing commercial development with 

Wildwood’s environmental commitment is 

paramount. Upholding the master plan is 

crucial for preserving and improving the 

city’s quality of life. Planning and zoning 

must respect Wildwood’s heritage, securing 

a future where residents thrive in its natural 

beauty. Retaining Wildwood’s Architectural 

Review Board, where resident architects 

assess designs, ensures that commercial 

development aligns with the city’s character. 

This approach safeguards Wildwood as 

the best place to live in the region, fostering 

sustainability and harmony between growth 

and environmental stewardship. 


The future of commercial development 

in Wildwood should be in the Town Center 

area as our master plan depicts. We should 

not deviate from our master plan to make 

Wildwood a concrete jungle like some of 

our neighboring municipalities. Large 

commercial development like big box 

stores brings in unwanted traffic and crime. 

If we let developers/builders take over, we 

will lose this beautiful area forever, and 

every resident I have talked to likes the 

way Wildwood is and believes the master 

plan should be followed. 



Shall the Board of Directors of the West 

County EMS and Fire Protection District 

be authorized to abolish the Pension Fund 

tax levy by reducing the voter authorized 

tax levy of ten cents (0.10 cents), while 

increasing the General Fund voter authorized 

tax levy by ten cents (0.10 cents) per 

one-hundred dollars assessed valuation 

as a cost saving measure to simplify and 

streamline the District’s accounting procedures? 

If this question, Proposition 1 and 

Proposition 2 are approved by a majority 

of voters, the overall residential tax for 

tax year 2024 is projected to be decreased 

fourteen cents (0.14 cents) compared to 

residential tax year 2023. 

To find your polling place and for more election info, 

visit www.stlouiscountymovotes.gov 

HOW TO BUILD BETTER 

BONES: EVIDENCE BASED 

MANAGEMENT 

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

GERIATRIC PHYSICAL THERAPIST 

Whether you are personally 

affected by osteoporosis or 

seeking to learn more about 

preventive measures, this event 

is designed to empower you 

with knowledge and resources 

to take control of your bone 

health journey. 

Osteoporosis affects millions of 

individuals worldwide. It is often 

referred to as the "silent 

disease" because it progresses 

without any symptoms until a 

fracture occurs, making awareness 

and prevention crucial. 

Unfortunately there is so much 

misinformation out there about 

osteoporosis, and how to best 

manage it. How do you know 

what you should really be 

focusing on? 

Join us for an in-depth 

discussion on the management 

of osteoporosis. Walk away with 

a better understanding of the 

most up to date 

recommendations. Learn how 

to make simple changes to your 

daily routine and diet for 

improved bone health. You may 

be surprised by what you learn 

Topics covered: 

What causes osteoporosis 

in the first place. 

Why you need strong 

bones to prevent fractures. 

How effective medications 

are at slowing down the 

progression. 

The top exercises for 

improving bone health. 

The best foods for healthy 

bones & the ones to avoid. 

When: March 15th at 2:30 pm 

Where: 3809 Lemay Ferry Rd, 

63125 

*Attend in-person or join us 

online from your home. Call ut 

at (314) 939-1377 to register. 

Space is limited. 

At HouseFit, we help adults 

55+ maximize their 

independence and fitness, so 

they can continue to enjoy a 

full and active life. 

HouseFit 

3809 Lemay Ferry Rd. 

Saint Louis, MO 63125 

(314) 939-1377 

info@housefitstl.com 

www.housefitstl.com


18 I WEST NEWSMAGAZINE 

Local foundation seeks people to take part in helping children with rare conditions 

@WESTNEWSMAG 



Everyone hopes for a healthy baby but 

what happens when your child is born with 

something rare, some genetic condition 

that can’t be easily diagnosed? How can 

parents get help for their child if they and 

their child’s doctors don’t fully understand 

what is wrong? 

Maria Granados and her husband, Matt, 

have lived life through the lens of those 

questions. If you ask them “what happens” 

and “how can parents get help,” their 

answer will be, “You test.” Their daughter 

Natalie, now almost 7, has an ultra-rare 

form of muscular dystrophy (MD) known 

as PYROXD-1. She was diagnosed in 

2020 after undergoing many, many tests. 

According to Maria, Natalie is one of just 

20 people worldwide with her particular 

form of MD. Pinpointing her diagnosis was 

a challenging journey – one that ultimately 

led the Granadoses to form the Take Part 

Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit aimed at 

helping other families traveling the same 

road. 

Maria explained that when insurance 

wouldn’t pay for the testing Natalie needed, 

the couple paid for them out-of-pocket. 

“We were fortunate enough to be able to 

do that, so we didn’t think twice 

about it,” she said. “But what happened 

after she had a diagnosis was 

– we started noticing that if she had 

to go to the ICU, or had to have 

an ambulance, or needed equipment 

– things started to be covered 

(by insurance) more seamlessly 

because they had a way to put a 

code to it.” 

Maria and Matt had already 

begun talking about creating a 

foundation – the Take Part Foundation 

– that would help advance care 

for kids with genetic disorders. But 

Maria said she kept thinking about 

families who might not be able to 

pay for testing. Before they could 

benefit from advances in care, they 

would first need to know their 

child’s diagnosis. So she reached 

out to the St. Louis Children’s Hospital 

Foundation and said, “Hey, do 

you guys know how many families 

per year get just straight up denied 

by insurance in regard to genetic testing?” 

“Children’s got back to me and said the 

number was around 100 to 120 families in 

the previous year,” Maria said. “Of those 

families, only about 2% can go on to pay 

The Granados family 

for the tests outright.” 

She and Matt decided that their foundation 

should take part in meeting that need. 

With a diagnosis, she explained, comes 

access to a community of families facing 

(Photo provided) 

the same or similar diagnoses, as 

well as all the things that open up 

with insurance and possibly access 

to research that could help those 

children thrive. 

Since the middle of 2023, the 

Take Part Foundation has awarded 

the St. Louis Children’s Hospital 

Foundation $22,500 to help close 

the gap in regard to genetic testing 

for families with no other payment 

option. Maria said the partnership 

is breaking new ground. 

“Some of the stories we’re hearing 

are amazing,” Maria said. “It’s 

a long process. We’re paving a new 

way for families to have access to 

this testing in terms of financial 

support, so I’m really excited to see 

how many families can be impacted 

by this in St. Louis in the next year.” 

One way that the Take Part 

Foundation is raising those critical 

funds is through the upcoming 

Wine, Women & Shoes event from 

6-9 p.m. on May 2 at the Hawthorn, 2231 

Washington Ave. in St. Louis. The evening 

features live entertainment, a fashion show, 

an auction, luxury shopping, wine sipping 

and food from local favorites Westchester 

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I 19 

WE HAVE MOVED!!! 

WE HAVE MOVED!!! 

We would like to invite our customers 

to visit our new location at 

914 S. HIGHWAY DR. • FENTON, MO 

Volunteers with the Take Part Foundation at its annual Donut Run. 


We do it all 

and 

We do it right 

and Grazeful Gatherings, in addition to 

a few surprises. Tickets are available at 

winewomanandshoes.com/event/stl. 

Maria said she wanted “to put on a galastyle 

event that would introduce a lot of 

people to what it is that we’re doing.” 

So the Take Part Foundation partnered 

with Wine, Women & Shoes, a signature 

event presented by nonprofit consulting 

company STUDIO 4Forty. 

“We’ll share video stories. We’ll have 

some people come up and share. St. Louis 

Children’s Hospital Foundation is super 

amazing and the genetics department there 

(at Children’s and Washington University) 

as well. They’re going to be part of 

this event,” Maria said. “They’re going to 

share what this funding has done. What it 

will continue to do moving forward.” 

Natalie and her cousin at the Donut Run in Cottleville. 

In addition to supporting families coming 

to St. Louis Children’s Hospital for genetic 

testing, the Take Part Foundation also supports 

research projects that meet very specific 

guidelines. 

“Every project that is funded by the 

Take Part Foundation is evaluated by our 

board of advisors, which ensures thoughtful 

oversight,” Maria said. “Our distribution 

of funds is based on a thorough 

review of the project plan, validity of the 

theory and the likelihood that the findings 

will help accelerate medical advances so 

more children can live to see a solution 

for their fight. 

“But we can’t succeed alone. So we’re 

looking for donors to learn more about us 

and come alongside us, either at the gala or 

on our website, take-part.org.” 


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20 I MASTER CRAFTSMEN I 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


Allen Roofing & Siding 

Allen Roof ing & Siding has been serving the broader St. Louis area for 

over 50 years, from three locations, Ellisville, St. Peters and Caseyville, 

IL. Honored with the BBB Torch Award for Ethics and named a Top 100 Roofing 

Contractor by Roofing Contractor magazine, their success is attributed to always putting 

their customers first. 

Allen Roofing & Siding provides roofing, siding, gutter and tuck-pointing services to 

homeowners, commercial property owners and home builders. Services include repairs, 

replacement and new construction. They also have the expertise to manage small and 

large projects. To learn more, schedule a free estimate or explore career opportunities 

visit their website at www.aroofing.net or call 636-391-1117. 

525 Old State Road • Ellisville 

636.391.1117 • www.aroofing.net 

Quality Floor Coatings 

By Gipperich Painting 

Gipperich Painting, a trusted name in residential painting, now has 

an additional service for your garage – Quality Floor Coatings. For 

28 years, owner Jeff Gipperich has provided painting, bathroom 

remodeling and finish carpentry work for West County residents. Now, he’s 

expanding his services.The full flake Polyaspartic floor coating can turn a stained/ 

ugly concrete garage floor into an attractive, colorful improvement that improves the 

value of your home. “It’s extremely easy to keep your floor clean and helps keep dirt 

from being tracked into the house. Oil and chemical spills are easy to clean up, and 

the floor is extremely durable,” he said. For more information and a free estimate, call 

or email Jeff. 

Gipperichpainting@gmail.com 

636.262.1195 • www.qualityfloorcoatings.com 

Owners Michael and Delayna Pascoe are bringing new 

products and expanded services to Tile & Bath Service! Their 

new space, just four doors down from their existing shop, will 

open for clients this spring. “Our new showroom will be a 

fresh, comfortable, easy to navigate space that will make the 

selection process a breeze,” Delayna said. The pair have a combined 40 years 

experience. Their installers, quality products and customer service’s excellence 

remains. “Our experienced installers are our employees, not subs. We offer free design 

help and a quick turnaround time once we start your project,” Michael said. The 

family-owned business, founded in 1989, focuses on aging in place designs, 

maintenance free showers and universal design bathrooms. 

636.394.0315 • www.tileandbathservice.com 

636.699.8316 

Tile & Bath Service, Inc. 

Michael and Delayna Pascoe, owners 

Covenant Contracting, LLC 

William Reed, owner 

The foundation of Covenant Contracting, LLC is its emphasis on 

“trusted performance.” According to owner William Reed, this means 

providing families with an array of comprehensive and professional interior and exterior 

contracting services year-round. In addition to roofing and deck projects, they also 

tackle building and remodeling projects like finishing basements, constructing home 

additions, building custom patios and more. They can even help with aesthetic updates 

like bathroom and kitchen remodels. Their 30-plus years of experience have also earned 

Covenant Contracting, LLC an A+ BBB rating and a 5-star rating on all other 

platforms. For added confidence, they also offer free inspections and estimates for 

individuals wanting to learn more. 

795 Lakeview Ridge Dr. • Fenton 

314.282.1991 • www.covenantcontractingstl.com 

Affordable Carpentry 

Joe Overman, founder 

Need an accomplished craftsman to take on any carpentry need? 

Look no further than Joe Overman, founder of Affordable Carpentry. 

With over 20 years of experience, Joe provides a wide array of carpentry projects, 

including the installation of trim, framing, crown molding, chair rail, wainscoting and 

more. Joe can do projects of all sizes from doors and stairs to finishing basements - all 

with a low overhead cost and integrity on the job and behind the scenes. “I care about 

my customers and their needs,” Joe explained. That’s why he treats every project as if 

it’s for his own home, employing the highest quality and standards to complete each 

job. Services are available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Don’t 

hesitate to call Joe today! 

Fielder Electrical Services 

Matt Fielder, owner 

For those in need of electrical assistance in St. Louis and St. Charles 

counties, Fielder Electrical Services is a full-service electrical contractor 

that can assist with a wide array of upgrades. Their services not only include the 

replacement of outdated fuse boxes and fixture installation, but even span to large 

scale projects like room additions and total home remodeling jobs. Their experienced 

and professional staff can even tackle the rewiring of both old and new homes. Fielder 

Electrical Services also keeps up to date with the latest trends, such as the installation 

of can lighting and LEDs. Your one-stop for all your electrical needs! 

1827 S Kingshighway Blvd. • St. Louis 

314.966.3388 • www.fielderelectricalservices.com 

Victor Shade Company 

Scott and Rachel Segall, owners 

Spring is almost here and there is still time to find new 

shades, blinds or shutters that can help make the most of 

the lighter season or shade your space from the summer sun. The Victor Shade Company 

has a huge showroom filled with displays of shades, shutters and blinds, and these aren’t 

just ordinary window dressings. Many of them feature motorization and automation 

technology that could be controlled through “personal assistants,” even when you’re far 

from home. Non-motorized lift-systems are also always an option. Victor Shade is a 

Hunter Douglas Gallery dealer and features its products at competitive prices. In 

addition, Victor Shade offers the only full-service repair shop in the St. Louis area. 

Come see how beautiful and efficient your windows can be. 

11477 Page Service Dr. • Maryland Heights 

314.428.7979 • www.victorshade.com 

Penick Construction Company 

Bill Penick, owner 

Is 2024 the year you decide to upgrade the appearance of your 

home? If so, look to Penick Construction Company. Bill Penick, 

owner, has been in business in St. Louis for more than 30 years. 

Penick Construction offers insulated siding, thermal windows, and fiberglass and steel 

entry doors, roofs, soffit, fascia, gutters and leaf-free gutter covers that are the best the 

industry has to offer, as well as power washing. In addition to the highest quality 

products, Penick Construction offers a 10-year warranty on their expert installations. 

Penick Construction has also received a Master Craftsman award 

and is an A+ member of the Better Business Bureau. Call today 

for a free estimate. 

636.938.6330 

www.penick-construction.com



Parkway South’s Haley Parks 

receives recognition 

By LAURA BROWN 

Playing an instrument has opened up a 

whole new world of opportunities for Haley 

Parks, a senior at Parkway 

South High. Parks, now 18, 

began her musical career at 

eight years old, when her 

parents gave her a flute for 

Christmas. 

“My parents told me I had 

to pick an instrument to 

play and I chose the flute,” 

Parks said. “I can’t remember 

why I chose the flute, 

but when my parents took 

me to a music store to try 

some different instruments, 

I remember when I tried the 

flute for the first time I was 

able to get a sound out of it, 

which was funny because 

that hardly happens (when 

people first try to play the 

flute).” 

What began as parent-enforced practice 

became a true talent over the past ten years. 

Through dedication, she earned the first 

chair for flute at Parkway South Middle, 

Parkway South High, Mizzou Junior Honor 

Band, University of Missouri-Kansas City 

Midwest Honor Band, All-Suburban High 

School Honor Band and All-State Honor 

Band. 

But there was one big obstacle along the 

way. In October of 2022 while Parks was 

working at a local horse barn she had an 

accident, breaking two of her fingers on her 

right hand. 

Parks in her Parkway South 

marching band uniform 

Parks directs Parkway South’s marching band 

as Drum Major. 

“One of the horses was panicking and 

trying to escape from his stall,” Parks said. 

“I quickly closed the sliding door, but my 

hand ended up getting smashed in the door.” 

Recovery for Parks 

meant surgery and metal 

pins in the two broken fingers, 

along with a splint and 

physical therapy. The metal 

pins meant she couldn’t 

bend her fingers to play her 

flute, but Parks still played. 

“I used the lower palm 

part of my fingers to play 

the flute,” Parks explained. 

“The first month of recovery 

was the worst. After the 

pins were removed, physical 

therapy was very painful. 

My fingers were stuck 

straight. I was learning how 

to bend them again, and that 

really hurt.” 

Parks was recognized by 

the St. Louis County Council 

at its Feb. 13 meeting in Clayton with 

a resolution that extolled Parks’s success. 

Parks didn’t actually know she’d be recognized 

- her father had pulled a fast one to get 

her to attend the meeting. 

“My dad got me to go because he told me 

we were going to listen to him speak about 

a development near our house and that he 

wanted me there for support,” Parks said. 

“But after we got to the meeting he told me 

we weren’t really there for that.” 

Council member Dennis Hancock (R-District 

3) asked the county clerk to read the 

resolution in admiration of Parks’s success. 

“These are the people in our community 

we should be recognizing, especially 

young people,” Hancock said. 

“Her father contacted me to see if there 

was some way to get some recognition. 

Her story is incredible, before and after 

her accident. She was able to get back 

on the same path and go even further 

than she was before.” 

The county’s resolution credits 

Parks’s, “determination and commitment 

to her craft, paired with the 

expertise of a skilled hand surgeon and 

physical therapist, that allowed (Parks) 

to quickly return to flute playing.” 

The injury and setback did not hinder 

Parks’s talent at all. Since her recovery, 

during the summer of 2023, Parks traveled 

with other Parkway students to 

march in the King Kamehameha Parade 

in Honolulu, Hawaii, which was her 

first trip ever on an airplane. 

See PARKS, page 47 



VOTE 

I SCHOOLS I 21 

LEADERSHIP & EXPERIENCE 

Commitment to Good Governance 

Enhancing Quality of Life 

Promoting Economic Vitality 

Environmental Stewardship 

Completing the Village Green 

Advancing Internet Access 

“My mission remains steadfast – to serve our citizens 

by providing solutions, advocating for the city’s best 

interests, and working tirelessly to enhance Wildwood.” 

VOTE 

APRIL 2 ND 

314-750-5489 

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22 I SCHOOLS I 



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Athletes from seven different school districts participated in a Special Olympics 

basketball tournament hosted by Parkway West on Feb. 21. (Laura Brown photo) 

BULLETIN 

BOARD 

Parkway West hosts Special 

Olympics basketball 

Nearly 200 athletes from seven different 

school districts participated in a Special 

Olympics basketball tournament hosted by 

Parkway West on Feb. 21. Parkway West 

has been organizing this event for more 

than 20 years. 

This year, the event was planned by the 

Longhorn Council, a student government 

organization that organized over 260 student 

volunteers to support the day’s activities. 

Longhorn Council president Andrew Son 

said he enjoyed planning the event, especially 

seeing the different schools the athletes 

were coming from throughout the area. 

“We want our impact to go beyond our 

school and into the community,” Son said. 

“The Special Olympics is a great way to 

meet new people, and I would encourage 

everyone to join and support them by volunteering 

when they can.” 

The Special Olympics Missouri provides 

year-round sports training and athletic 

competition in various Olympic-type 

sports for children and adults with mental 

disabilities. Kerri Townsend, the Special 

Olympics facilitator for the Special School 

District, said they participate in 50 events 

each school year. 

During the basketball event, each athlete 

had a buddy playing alongside them. 

“These kids are so fun,” said junior 

Neeka Naghibi. This was Naghibi’s second 

year as a Special Olympics buddy. 

“I want to be in the healthcare profession, 

and I want to meet all kinds of people,” 

she explained. Mya Wallace’s 5-year-old 

daughter, who has autism, participated as 

an athlete in the tournament. They are from 

the Pattonville School District. Wallace 

said she likes to attend these events with 

her daughter to meet new people, not just 

other students, but other parents too. 

“This is a great way for kids to get to 

know each other,” Wallace said. “And she 

gets to see some kids similar to her. Her 

twin brother has come with us sometimes, 

and he thinks it’s cool that she has friends 

like her.” 

Dynamic duo raises funds 

for Autism Speaks 

Mother-daughter duo, Jen and Mira 

Ghildyal, have made an extraordinary 

commitment this school year to helping 

people with autism. 

In the fall, Jen ran the Berlin Marathon as 

a fundraiser for Autism Speaks, and Mira 

ran a lemonade stand to raise money for 

the cause. This spring, Jen plans to run the 

London Marathon in the name of Autism 

Speaks. But Mira has already been hard at 

work doing her part. Over the course of the 

past several months, Mira has constructed 

around 200 friendship bracelets and 

raised $3,375, which her mom’s company 

matched for a total of $6,750. 

In all – with the lemonade stand and the 

bracelets – Jen and Mira have raised more 

than $10,000 for Autism Speaks over the 

past six months. 

“I really want to do them for my mom, 

and I also really like making bracelets,” 

Mira, a Mason Ridge fifth-grader, said. “It 

relaxes me. It makes me feel happy. In gym 

class the other day, I saw one of my friends 

wearing a bracelet I made him.” 

Mira makes all sorts of custom orders, 

such as ones reflecting favorite sports teams, 

Taylor Swift-style friendship bracelets and 

bracelets representing each of the four Hogwarts 

houses in the Harry Potter series. 

While Mira is new to fundraising, Jen has 

been utilizing local, national and international 

athletic events as platforms to raise





I SCHOOLS I 23 

money for charities for the past seven years. 

Her goal is to complete in all six of the 

World Marathon Majors – London will be 

her fourth world major and seventh overall 

marathon. She plans to wear one of Mira’s 

bracelets when she competes in April. 

“Autism is so misunderstood. Just to 

bring more awareness, understanding, 

kindness and inclusion is our whole point 

of doing this,” she said. 

Cooking up something good 

Food. It’s both a basic need and a creative 

outlet – one that can have career potential. 

In Culinary Arts 2, students gain valuable 

restaurant and food service skills 

through academic and workplace experiences. 

But they also learn a thing or two 

about budgeting, meal planning and how to 

make really delicious food. 

“One of the biggest questions among 

college kids is, ‘How am I going to feed 

myself? How am I going to budget my 

already slim wallet for whatever meals I 

plan?’” said senior Christopher Songco. 

“This class teaches you how to budget so 

you can figure out a bunch of meals in a row, 

not just one. If you spend money on something 

you could split into a bunch of meals, 

it will save you a lot in the long run. You can 

also come up with a lot of recipes knowing 

a lot of the different ingredient functions.” 

Through her culinary experiences at 

Lafayette High, senior Maddie Johnson 

has collected enough recipes to fill a cookbook, 

including one for Philly Cheesesteak, 

which remains a favorite. 

“I made it like three years ago, but I keep 

making it at home and it still is so good,” 

said Johnson. “I’d never had one before, 

then I made it here and loved it. A lot of kids, 

honestly, don’t even know how to cook.” 

Johnson said her culinary classes have 

taught her how to properly make chicken 

stock and apple pie, as well as bread from 

scratch. 

“It’s nice to know I have a solid group of 

recipes to use,” she said. 

Students learn and build on their culinary 

skills throughout courses such as Food 

Fundamentals, Baking and Pastry Arts and 

Regional and World Cuisine so that, by the 

time they reach Culinary Arts 1 and 2, they 

have more freedom to experiment with 

dishes. 

They also gain experience with teamwork 

and communication through classwork and 

special projects. 

Spreading love and smiles 

Students from Parkway’s Southwest and 

Central middle schools handmade over 300 

Valentine’s Day cards for seniors in nursing 

homes and assisted living facilities last 

month. The cards were distributed through 

a partnership with Y98’s Bret Mega Show, 

representatives of which stopped by both 

schools to collect the cards and thank the 

students. 

Teachers Janet Gutierrez, Southwest 

Middle, and Cara Donze, Central Middle, 

were the brains behind the project. 

Dancing for a cause 

Last month, Central High students raised 

$34,419 for children with pediatric illnesses 

at the school’s annual Dance Marathon 

and, in celebration of exceeding their 

goal, shaved the head of school principal 

Dr. Tim McCarthy. 

An offshoot of the Miracle Network 

Dance Marathon, all money raised is 

donated to the local branch of the Children’s 

Miracle Network. In turn, those 

funds help to cover the cost of programs 

that are essential but not covered by insurance, 

such as music and art therapy. 

Since its inception in 1991, the national 

program has raised more than $300 million. 

Parkway Central’s event, which began in 

February 2020, has raised over $100,000 

for local children. 

Inspired by ‘The Bard’ 

Principia junior Olive Meara has been 

recognized by the English-Speaking Union 

(ESU) National Shakespeare Competition 

for her performance of Lady MacBeth. 

This is the second time Meara has received 

recognition from the ESU program, which 

is designed to help students develop their 

speaking and critical thinking skills by 

exploring the timeless themes of Shakespeare’s 

works. In three progressive 

competition levels, students memorize, 

interpret and perform monologues and sonnets 

in their own schools, at ESU Branchsponsored 

community competitions and at 

the national competition. 

• • • 

Students from De Smet Jesuit High 

brought to life the antics of the Bottom 

brothers, Nick and Nigel, who struggle to 

find success in the theatrical world as they 

compete with the wild popularity of their 

contemporary William Shakespeare. The 

result was “Something Rotten!,” a musical 

by John O’Farrell and Karey Kirkpatrick, 

which the students performed in the Hunter 

Theater the last weekend in February. 

Artists among us 

Westminster Christian High’s Fashion 

Club recently completed an impressive 

dress made from newspaper and trash bags. 

See BULLETIN BOARD, page 24 

YOUR TEACHER MAY HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE 

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In 200 words or less explain why your teacher should win 

this year's Excellence in Education Award. 

Nominations are limited to public or private Preschools, Elementary Schools, 

High Schools and Colleges that are within West Newsmagazine’s mailing area. 

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24 I SCHOOLS I 

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Nominations sought for annual 

Teacher of the Year award 

BULLETIN BOARD, from page 23 

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- St. Louis Magazine junior Busola Obanigba, sophomore Brianne 

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• • • 

In the world of ceramics, Westminster 

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Do you know an A+ teacher – one who 

has made a positive difference in the lives 

of many students or all the difference in the 

life of a single student? If so, you know a 

teacher who is an ideal candidate for the 

West Newsmagazine Teacher of the Year 

award. 

Students, parents and community members 

are encouraged to recognize teachers 

who consistently go the extra mile to make 

education meaningful, effective, interesting 

and enjoyable. 

Eligible educators include those who 

teach at any preschool, elementary school, 

high school or college/university within 

West St. Louis County. 

Nominating your favorite teacher is 

easy. Just visit westnewsmagazine.com 

and complete a simple form no later than 

Monday, April 8. 

All submissions must be completed 

online. All entries will become the property 

of West Newsmagazine. 

Entries will be reviewed by a selection 

committee that includes Teacher of 

the Year program sponsors. The winning 

teacher will receive an iPad, gift basket 

and surprise celebration courtesy of West 

Newsmagazine and the program sponsors. 

Additionally, the Teacher of the Year will 

be featured in an article in West Newsmagazine. 

This year’s Teacher of the Year Award 

is being sponsored by Baker Pool and Spa, 

Dream Play Recreation, Huntington Learning 

Center, Peoples National Bank, Rhino 

Shield, Schrader Funeral Home and St. 

Louis Home Fires. These companies know 

first-hand the difference a teacher can 

make in terms of helping students gain not 

only a high-quality education but also the 

skills they need to be good employees and 

members of the larger community. 

West County residents and students are 

fortunate to have access to outstanding 

schools and educators at every level. This 

is your chance to say “Thank You” to a 

teacher who embodies excellence in education. 

But don’t wait. Entries are due no 

later than Monday, April 8. 

Parkway West, Principia, Rockwood 

Summit, St. John Vianney, St. Joseph’s 

Academy, MICDS and Whitfield School. 

Learning leadership 

Each Friday, eighth-grade students at 

Principia have the opportunity to shadow 

school employees within a wide array 

of roles from marketing to engineering. 

Known as PRINternships, the experience 

gives the students a sneak peek into future 

career choices. 

Equipping students with the tools to 

imagine themselves in different career 

paths and inspiring future leaders are high 

priorities for Principia’s Middle School 

program, according to school authorities. 

A Principia student learns from a member of the school’s 

facilities team. 

(Source: Principia)

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26 I SUMMER CAMPS I 

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By TRACEY BRUCE 

Whether it’s canoeing down a river, 

hiking through the woods, rappelling down 

a stone cliff face or exploring a cave, properly 

supervised adventure is good for kids. 

In fact, it’s good for everyone to step out of 

their comfort zone and try new things. 

And while those new things can be high 

adventure, they don’t always have to be 

because adventure comes in a variety of 

ways. Growing up is all about experiencing 

new things and building the courage 

and character needed to take on life’s challenges. 

Adventure is one way to learn those 

valuable traits, according to Mike Rucker 

in Psychology Today. 

The transformative outcomes of taking 

on adventure are resilience, confidence, 

courage for the future and joy, Rucker said. 

For youth, a high adventure camp program 

is one way to start gaining those traits. 

Principia School, for example, features an 

Adventure Sampler as part of its summer 

camp program. 

“We are just going to do what I consider 

the coolest outdoor activities in the 

St. Louis area,” said Doug Hoff, outdoor 

learning coordinator. 

Middle school-aged children visit Johnson 

Shut-ins, travel to a river, complete a 

ropes course, go caving and other activities. 

Those activities teach collaboration, different 

styles of leadership, self-awareness and 

communication skills, Hoff said. 

“Outdoor adventures are just one part 

of experiential learning, and when kids 

are learning through experiences rather 

than talking theoretically in the classroom, 

reading or seeing it in a movie, it naturally 

has an impact,” Hoff said. 

However, not all children are interested 

in tackling the outdoors, but other kinds of 

@WESTNEWSMAG 


Kids need adventures to grow 

Kids learn survival skills at camp. 

(Source: Principia School) 

adventures are waiting. 

Perhaps that adventure is theater – stepping 

onto the stage for the first time and 

joining the cast of a show, an activity that 

has all the hallmarks of adventure only in a 

different arena. It’s new and exciting, and 

for first-timers, explores unknown territory. 

Yes, there is an element of danger, said 

Michael Adkins, spokesman for STAGES 

Performing Arts Academy. 

Sometimes stepping on the stage can 

give you “that feeling of wanting to run 

away, that panic feeling of trying something 

new.” 

He said STAGES provides kids with 

opportunities where they can get involved 

in a small way at first and build on that with 

each new activity or performance. 

“The biggest thing they are learning is 

confidence,” he said. “They are learning 

how to speak for themselves and speak 

loudly. We regularly talk about projecting, 

and speaking from their diaphragm, and 

once those little kids learn to speak and 

they’re talking loudly, they are never going 

back. It’s like, ‘Oh, you’ve found your 

voice!’” 

In addition, theater teaches kids teamwork 

and “real world qualities” kids can 

use in the future. 

“The endgame here doesn’t have to be 

theater. You don’t have to end up on Broadway 

for this to be a successful outcome,” 

Adkins said. 

Children can find adventure pursuing 

almost any interest they are passionate 

about. 

“Adventure is anything where you are 

pushing yourself to try something new,” 

said Lori Martin, owner of Cub Creek Science 

Camp, which features more than 100 

animals for kids to learn about and care for, 

as well as adventure activities to challenge 

them. 

“All learning is an adventure,” she said. 

“What we do here is curiosity-guided learning.” 

That means campers are pursuing 

activities they are interested in individually, 

but maybe don’t know a lot about. 

Sometimes gaining knowledge about the 

care of animals and shadowing veterinary 

duties encourages them to push further 

into their passion for animals. Sometimes 

it stops them in their tracks and they decide 

they want to do something else, Martin 

said. 

The high adventure course at Cub Creek 

“challenges campers by choice,” she said. 

They step out for activities that include 

a ropes course, archery, riflery, survival 

skills and caving. Activities that develop 

team-building skills, bring a sense of 

achievement and confidence. 

“We find kids learn best when they step 

outside their comfort zone,” Martin said.





I SUMMER CAMPS I 27 

More than childcare, camp is fertile ground for confidence-building 


In a few short months, school 

will be out for summer. If yours is 

a household in which both parents 

work, you are likely already planning 

for summer camp, or several camps, 

to keep the kids learning and happy 

from mid-June through mid-August. 

But for households in which only 

one parent works or in which at least 

one parent works from home, camp 

may seem unnecessary. Here’s why 

that thinking is flawed: Camp is more 

than childcare. 

Thinking of camp as merely a babysitting 

alternative misses an incredibly beneficial 

set of social experiences, especially for children 

in the five-year span between the ages 

of 5 and 10. 

Camp offers the opportunity for kids to 

assert their independence not only from parents 

but also from educators and classmates. 

The latter is especially important in situations 

where classmates are not necessarily 

your child’s friends. 

Kids who feel like outsiders at school can 

discover that camp offers the opportunity 

to bond with kids who have similar interests, 

have fun and find success bolstered by 

(Adobe Stock photo) 

their peers. Therein lies one of the biggest 

benefits of summer camps, the chance for 

your children to explore interests that are as 

unique as they are. 

For many kids, summer means time 

spent outside splashing in pools, running on 

fields, hiking, biking and exploring nature. 

Those are great pursuits, but they’re not for 

everyone. Some kids prefer to be inside 

learning to build robots, conducting science 

experiments, or mastering coding and video 

games. Other kids want to be inside on 

stage, singing, dancing and bringing plays 

to life. Good news! There are camps for that. 

If your child has never been to camp, take 

time to talk first about what exactly interests 

your child most, and then, about what 

your child fears most. 

Many kids take to camp like ducks to 

water. New friends? “No problem.” New 

adults? “I’m OK with that.” New skills? 

“Put me in coach, I’m ready to learn.” But 

then there are kids who have a harder 

time with change. Those who don’t make 

friends as easily, who become intimidated 

by authority figures and who are unsure of 

their abilities. 

The truth is those kids may need 

summer camp more than most. 

Let’s assume the position of clinical 

psychologist Ross W. Greene, Ph.D., who 

for nearly two decades has maintained that 

“children do well if they can.” Greene’s 

work centers around the idea that children 

who struggle socially lack key skills, including 

flexibility, adaptability, frustration tolerance 

and problem-solving. 

School challenges kids to become proficient 

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Camp friends, especially from local day 

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Maybe those friends become the basis of a 

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or performance group. Each time children 

expand their social circle – camp, club, team 

– they learn to communicate with more and 

varied people. And with each successful 

interaction, their self-confidence can grow. 

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Barnard named Gatorade 

Missouri Player of the Year 



I SPORTS I 29 

Take care of your money 

so your money can 

take care of you. 

Lafayette senior Natalie Barnard ran away with the Class 5 state championship last fall in 

cross country. For her accomplishment, Barnard has been named the 2023-24 Gatorade 

Missouri Girls Cross Country Player of the Year. 

By WARREN MAYES 

Lafayette senior Natalie Barnard found 

out she earned a prestigious award in an 

unusual way. 

Barnard has been named the 2023-24 

Gatorade Missouri Girls Cross Country 

Player of the Year. 

“I found out that I was Gatorade runner 

of the year on the morning of a snow day 

a couple weeks ago when I was scrolling 

through Instagram,” Barnard said. 

The 5-foot-6 senior broke the tape at the 

Missouri Class 5 cross-country championships 

last fall in Columbia. She clocked 

a new Gans Creek course record time of 

17 minutes, 12.70 seconds, finishing more 

than a minute ahead of the rest of the field. 

“I was super excited to see that I was 

Gatorade runner of the year and the first 

person I told was my dad who was sitting 

nearby when I was eating breakfast,” 

Barnard said. “He instantly posted it to all 

of his social media platforms because he 

couldn’t contain himself.” 

Lancers coach Jill Harmon was excited 

as well. 

“Natalie is 100 percent deserving of this 

award,” Harmon said. “If you look at some 

of the previous winners and their accomplishments, 

Natalie falls right in line. What 

Gatorade looks for is a student-athlete who 

performs both on the field and in the classroom. 

Natalie excels at both.” 

Harmon along with her assistant coaches 

and Lafayette athletic director Jon Sumner 

submitted a nomination for Barnard back 

in November. At the end of December, 

Harmon received word that Barnard was a 

formal candidate for the award and had to 

complete a lengthy application as the next 

step in the process. 

“Once that application was submitted in 

early January, all we could do was sit and 

wait,” Harmon said. 

Barnard is the second Gatorade Missouri 

Girls Cross Country Player of the Year to 

be chosen from Lafayette. She joins former 

Lancer Grace Tyson, who won the Gatorade 

Missouri Girls Cross Country Player 

of the Year previously last year. 

“I think it’s super cool that we have had 

a two-year streak of Gatorade player of 

the year from Lafayette,” Barnard said. “It 

shows how strong our distance program is 

and our ability to rebound from losing talented 

runners.” 

Harmon agreed. 

“This award is very prestigious and not 

easy to win,” Harmon said. “I think it goes 

to show how good Grace and Natalie were. 

It also shows the depth of our squad. The 

best in the state were able to push each 

other each and every day at practice to new 

levels. That kind of dedication and resilience 

trickles down to the rest of the team.” 

The Gatorade player of the year program 

annually recognizes one winner in the District 

of Columbia and each of the 50 states 

that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, 

boys and girls cross country, boys 

and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, 

baseball, softball, and boys and girls track 

& field, and awards one National Player of 

the Year in each sport. 

Barnard was Missouri’s top high school 

girl at both the Nike XC Town Invitational 

and the Nike Cross Midwest Regional. 

Barnard finished 16th overall in the latter 

event. 

She posted a 6-2 meet record in 2023, 

and did not lose to an in-state runner. She 

won the Class 5 District 1 title with a personal-best 

time of 16:53.30. 

“Natalie Barnard’s dominant performance 

at the state meet coupled with 

strong showings at a number of invitational 

meets was more than enough to put her at 

the top of the list of the state’s best prep 

girls in 2023,” said Rich Gonzalez of PrepCalTrack. 

Barnard was pleased with her senior 

See BARNARD, page 32 

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30 I SPORTS I 



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02/2024 

The Eureka Wildcats swam to a second-place finish in the Class 2 girls state swim meet. 

Eureka tied with MICDS. 

(Source: Eureka) 

The MICDS Rams did not win an event but swam well enough to end in a tie for second 

place at the Class 2 girls state swim meet. 

(Source: MICDS) 

SPORTS 

BRIEFS 

By WARREN MAYES 

High school girls swimming 

Eureka, MICDS tie for second in 

Class 2 

It came down to the last event, but the 

Eureka Wildcats achieved a win to tie for 

second place in the 49th annual state high 

school girls swim meet. 

The Wildcats won the 400-free relay. The 

40 points for the victory pushed Eureka to 

168 total points and enabled the squad to 

tie the MICDS Rams in the Class 2 meet at 

the Rec-Plex in St. Peters. Park Hill South 

claimed the state championship with 303 

points. 

The second-place result left Eureka 

coach Anna Jovanovic happy for her squad. 

“The girls are ecstatic. I don’t think 

they really thought they could get second 

place, but they battled each and every 

race,” Jovanovic said. “We didn’t look 

at points during the meet because I just 

wanted them to focus on racing. I told 

them to go out and race and the results 

will fall into place and boy did they. They 

are still on Cloud 9.” 

Jovanovic believed in her Wildcats all 

season. She was not surprised by their performance. 

“I’ve been telling them since day one of 

the season that they had the possibility to 

do something really great this year,” Jovanovic 

said. “I knew we could get top 3 in 

the state at the meet, but I was so happy for 

them for taking second. Each girl fought 

for every single point in their races. I think 

this was a great result. 

“We had five girls score points for us 

at state, so I am thrilled with the results. 

I kept telling them that you don’t need a 

huge team, you just need the right team and 

they proved that.” 

The 400-relay win gave the Wildcats the 

points they needed to secure the tie. 

Swimming on the relay were junior 

Adeline Stephens, junior Chloe Robinson, 

sophomore Paige Samuelson and senior 

Haiden Schoessel. Their time was 3 minutes, 

31.37 seconds. 

“All season long, (assistant coach) Mark 

(Morrison) and I talked about how we 

thought we could win that relay and after 

prelims, we were confident we could win 

it,” Jovanovic said. “After their prelim 

swim, I told them they were winning that 

race in finals. 

“I feel like the past three years we had a 

lot of potential but always fell short in some 

aspect. I am so thrilled for our girls that it 

happened like I was thinking it could.” 

• • • 

For MICDS coach Chris McCrary, it’s 

not how you start but how you finish. The 

Rams tied with Eureka for second place in 

the Class 2 girls state swim meet. 

“We had a good prelims, but not a 

great one. The girls were swimming hard 

but nerves were showing in our races,” 

McCrary said. “Going into the meet, I was 

hoping we would be an outside shot for 

fourth. After prelims, I figured it would be 

somewhere between fourth and sixth. 

“Something would have to change and 

something did. The girls showed up for 

finals. It was probably the greatest finals 

performance of any team I’ve coached.” 

The 200-free relay team of junior Grace 

Coppel, junior Lindsay Naber, senior Everdine 

Ferguson and senior Mikaela Mikulec 

led the Rams. The relay team finished 

second with a time of 1:37.24. Park Hill 

South’s relay won in 1:36.88. 

“We were always focused on the 200- 

free relay,” McCrary said. “Three of the 

four girls on the relay this year were on the 

state champion relay last year. So I knew 

we had a chance to repeat. 

“Our girls swam way above our potential, 

just to make it that close. It was a special 

relay. A more impressive performance than 

when we won it last year.” 

Naber finished fourth in the 100 backstroke 

in 57.05 seconds. 

“Our main focus was getting a lot of girls 

qualified for state,” McCrary said. “Heading 

into the meet, we wanted to get as many 

second swims as possible for finals. I went 

into it anticipating we would be an outside 

shot for that fourth-place trophy.” 

McCrary led MICDS to a second-place 

finish in 2019 in Class 1; however, the 

Rams have been moved up to the bigger 

class. They have shown they belong with 

the large schools. 

“This is by far the highest finish we’ve 

had in Class 2. We have a campus of 400 

high school kids,” McCrary said. “That’s 

smaller than most freshman classes for 

the average Class 2 school. It’s not that I 

thought it was impossible for us to be in 

the running for second in Class 2. It’s just 

that the odds were pretty long. 

“Someone described what we did as the 

biggest smoke-and-mirrors trophy grab in 

MSHSAA (Missouri State High School 

Activities Association) history. I like that 

description. It was a whole team effort. We 

didn’t win an event. We didn’t win a relay. 

We just had solid performances when they 

counted against teams with far superior 

numbers.” 

Parkway West claims third in Class 1 

The Parkway West Longhorns never get 

tired of bringing home hardware from the 

state swimming meet. 

The Longhorns finished third in the





I SPORTS I 31 

Class 1 meet with 168 points. 

The result was a seventh consecutive 

top-four finish for 

Parkway West. 

“This was the best we could 

have scored so I am really proud 

of how (the girls) all showed up 

at state ready to score points,” 

coach Coleen Sumner said. 

“They knew it was going to be 

very competitive for the third 

through sixth spots at state and 

the goal was to be in the top 

four. Third place was great for 

this small, but fierce, team.” 

Several Longhorns stood out 

at state, Sumner said. 

“Maddi Lang and Sydney 

Matheny are event buddies and did well in 

the 200 and 500 free events. Ava McLeod 

in 100 breast and freshman Brynna Vogler, 

who got her first state point in the 100 fly. 

All three relays had a great showing, scoring 

medals in each of them,” Sumner said. 

The Longhorns will have nine girls 

returning for next season, including divers. 

Parkway Central finish fourth in 

Class 1 

The Colts tied Notre Dame de Sion for 

fourth place in the Class 1 state meet with 

134 points. 

The result left Parkway Central coach 

Marquette High cheerleaders finished second in Class 6 at state. 

(Source: RSD) 

Stephanie Seidel more than happy. 

“I was thrilled with a fourth-place finish,” 

Seidel said. “Going into state, the girls 

were feeling good. Reality did hit though 

as we approached finals. We knew that it 

was a possibility, but our girls had to step 

up and make some moves, and that is 

exactly what they did. 

“The girls worked so hard this season so 

to watch them accomplish the goal they set 

at the beginning of the year was wondering. 

This entire season we had a team goal of 

making it to the podium at state.” 

It came down to the last event for the 

Colts to achieve their goal of taking home 

a trophy. 

Parkway Central trailed the 

Notre Dame de Sion Storm 

heading into the 400-free relay 

and finished behind its relay in 

the prelims. 

In the finals, the Colts bested 

the Storm to earn the tie. 

“We knew going into the 400- 

free relay that we needed to beat 

Notre Dame de Sion,” Seidel 

said. “We were very fortunate 

enough to be in a lane right next 

to them, so I informed the girls 

not to worry about anything 

else but the team on the inside 

of you. Beat them and we will 

podium. They were focused 

and determined. There were tears of joy and 

pure excitement and happiness. 

“We had a great overall season. The girls 

swam well and continued to show great 

growth and drops throughout the season. I 

am fortunate to have a very young team. I 

am only losing three amazing seniors, with 

only one of them being a state finalist in 

Ella Harris. The rest of my state team will 

be returning.” 

Outstanding cheer teams 

At the recent Missouri Cheerleading 

Coaches Association Game Day State 

Championships, Marquette High and 

Rockwood Summit both earned top-four 

finishes in their divisions. Marquette finished 

second in Class 6, and Rockwood 

Summit finished fourth in Class 4. 

Meanwhile in the Division Championships, 

Parkway Central Dance took first 

in Division 4 Hip-Hop and first in Poms, 

and were second overall. The team also 

claimed seven academic awards. Parkway 

West High’s Longhorn Line took home 

third place in Hip-Hop and fourth place 

in Poms. The Parkway South Patriettes 

claimed second place in Lyrical Jazz and 

fourth place in Hip-Hop. 

High school boys basketball 

Parkway South senior Eddie Ahearn on 

became the fifth player in the boys basketball 

program’s history to score 1,000 

points. 

Ahearn scored a game-high 33 points in 

a 55-38 win over visiting Riverview Gardens 

on Senior Night. 

Ahearn finished the regular season by 

averaging 13.7 points a game. 

Earlier this season, the 6-foot-3 and 200- 

pound senior forward became the school’s 

leading rebounder. Ahearn also holds the 

school record for career charges. 

See SPORTS BRIEFS, page 32

32 I SPORTS I 



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BARNARD, from page 29 

season in cross country. 

“I would sum up my fall season as I 

was very surprised with what I was able 

to accomplish and I definitely shocked 

myself,” Barnard said. “In the past I put 

a lot of barriers on what I thought I could 

accomplish because I doubted that I could 

ever hit those times or beat certain competitors. 

However, this season was very 

different for me because instead of putting 

limitations on myself I just ran to see what 

I could accomplish, and I never looked 

back. I feel happy with what I have accomplished, 

but I am ready to set bigger goals 

and keep challenging myself.” 

Barnard serves as co-leader of her 

school’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes 

chapter and has donated her time to community 

service initiatives in association 

with the Key Club as well as the National 

Honor Society. She has also volunteered 

locally on behalf of the Special Olympics, 

the Autumn View Gardens retirement facility, 

the Babler Elementary Bingo Night 

and the LHS Winter Carnival. 

Doing all of that is important to Barnard. 

“Spending my time volunteering is very 

fulfilling for me. I love to build relationships 

with the classmates I volunteer with 

and the people we volunteer for,” Barnard 

said. “My favorite place to volunteer at is 

Autumn View Gardens retirement home 

because I love getting to get to know the 

elderly and listen to their stories and play 

games with them.” 

Barnard chose to donate her grant from 

Gatorade to the Women Sports Foundation. 

She did that so “all girls can have the 

opportunity to participate in sports and 

realize their potential.” 

“It’s very important to me that all girls 

are able to have an athletic outlet and discover 

their talents like being able to run 

SPORTS BRIEFS, from page 31 

High school girls basketball 

The Red Knights stand alone in Missouri. 

Incarnate Word scored a 75-32 victory 

recently over the Ursuline Academy Bears 

in a Metro Women’s Athletic Association 

game to set the record for most consecutive 

victories. 

The win over Ursuline gave Incarnate 

Word 124 consecutive victories. 

Coach Dan Rolfes said his team does not 

focus on the winning streak. 

“We never talk about it,” Rolfes said. 

“We never say, ‘Hey we got to win this one 

so we can do this.’ We always talk about 

what we have to do to be a good team. We 

have to do this, this and this. If we want to 

be successful, we have to do this. We’ve 

has for me,” Barnard said. 

Barnard is looking forward to running 

track this spring for the Lancers. 

“I am super excited for track season to 

start,” Barnard said. “I have been looking 

forward to my senior track season since 

the last one ended. I have big goals for this 

track season and I can’t wait to see what I 

can accomplish on the track and how hard 

Barnard 

I can push myself.” 

Harmon likes how Barnard balances it all. 

“There is more to Natalie than just running. 

While she is a phenomenal runner, 

she enjoys filling her time with other 

activities as well,” Harmon said. “She is 

passionate about a variety of things in her 

life which makes her a very well-rounded 

student-athlete. I can’t wait to see what 

Natalie can do this track season. She has 

put in a lot of work this offseason and she 

is ready to fly. 

“I definitely have some goals in mind for 

her but knowing Natalie, she is going to 

exceed all those expectations.” 

Barnard has maintained a 4.38 weighted 

GPA in the classroom. She has signed a 

national letter of intent to run on scholarship 

at the University of Missouri this fall. 

got to practice or prepare a certain way. 

There never was a number to chase. It’s just 

trying to be the best we can be.” 

The Red Knights have won six consecutive 

state championships. The program has 

13 overall, which is a state record. 

• • • 

Coach Rolfes honored 

Incarnate Word Academy coach Dan 

Rolfes has been named to the 2024 100 

Most Impactful People in Women’s College 

Basketball list. 

Those included on list are considered to 

be the most impactful people in basketball. 

Rolfes has been the head coach of the 

Red Knights since 1988. 

Under his leadership, Incarnate Word 

has become one of the most successful 

high school programs not just in Missouri 

but in the United States.

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Seniors are reminded about specific steps they can take to safeguard their personal and 

financial information against scams and fraud during National Consumer Protection Week, 

March 3-9. 


News & Notes 

By LISA RUSSELL 

Avoiding scams 

This week, March 3-9, is National Consumer 

Protection Week, focused on helping 

Americans safeguard their personal 

and financial information. That protection 

is needed now more than ever due to an 

exploding number of scams. According to 

newly released data from the Federal Trade 

Commission (FTC), record losses of $10 

billion due to scams were reported to the 

agency in 2023. 

Although people of all ages are susceptible 

to these types of fraud, statistics 

show older adults tend to suffer the greatest 

financial losses. Scammers targeting seniors 

have become far more sophisticated in 

recent years; they also have access to rapid 

advances in artificial intelligence (AI) technology. 

For example, fraudsters can now use 

AI to “deep fake” the voices of loved ones 

on the phone, enabling them to convince a 

target their child or grandchild is hurt or in 

trouble and needs money sent immediately. 

According to research, older adults are 

also more likely than younger people to 

be taken in by these and other “imposter” 

scams, investment scams and other types 

of scams which target them by phone, 

email or via social media. Often this is 

because health problems, cognitive issues, 

loneliness and dependency on others make 

them more vulnerable. 

When it comes to avoiding scams, prevention 

is truly the best medicine. Following 

are some tips from the FTC to help you 

or your senior friends and loved ones steer 

clear of scams. 

Block unwanted calls and text messages 

from getting through in the first place. 

Take steps to block calls and texts from 

unknown sources by using a call blocking 

app (the FTC’s website provides information 

about how to do this at ftc.gov/calls). 

Never give personal or financial information 

in response to an unexpected 

request. Honest organizations won’t call, 

email, or text you to ask for personal information 

like your Social Security, bank 

account or credit card numbers. If you get 

an email or text message from a company 

you already do business with and you think 

it’s real, it’s still best not to click on any 

links. Instead, contact them using a website 

you know is trustworthy or look up 

their phone number and call them directly. 

Don’t call a number they provided in the 

message, or call back using the number 

that appeared on your caller ID. 

Never feel pressured to act immediately. 

Scammers take advantage of people 

by convincing them they need to pay or 

hand over information right away, while 

honest businesses will always provide time 

to make a decision. Anyone who pressures 

you to pay or give them your personal 

information is a scammer. 

Stop and talk to someone you 

trust. Before you reveal information, make 

any kind of financial payment or even click 

on a link, stop and tell someone – whether 

it’s a friend, a family member or a neighbor 

– about the situation. Talking about it may 

help you realize it’s a scam. 

Be aware of scammers’ preferred payment 

methods. Never pay someone who 

insists that you can only do so with a payment 

app such as Venmo, Cash App or Paypal, a 

wire transfer service like Western Union or 

MoneyGram, a gift card or cryptocurrency. 

Never deposit a check you’ve received as 

payment from someone you don’t know and 

send money back to them via one of these 

methods; these checks are not real.





I MATURE FOCUS I 35 

Aduhelm’s exit 

The Alzheimer’s disease drug Aduhelm, 

heralded as a major breakthrough in treatment 

when it was introduced in 2021, will 

soon be pulled from the market. 

Biotechnology company Biogen, 

Aduhelm’s developer, announced it will 

halt sales and give up ownership of the 

drug, which received accelerated approval 

from the Food and Drug Adminstration in 

June of 2021. People currently receiving 

Aduhelm through the commercial market 

can continue to do so until November 

of this year. According to Biogen, that 

includes about 2,500 patients worldwide. 

Aduhelm was purported to significantly 

reduce amyloid beta proteins that form in 

the brains of people with Alzheimer’s and 

cause the disease to progress. The drug was 

initially hailed as the first new treatment to 

receive approval in nearly two decades. 

It quickly became controversial, however, 

after a team of outside medical 

experts said clinical trials had not proven 

its effectiveness. It had also been criticized 

for its extremely high annual price tag of 

$56,000 per year, which was later reduced 

by half. The drug had not yet received final 

approval from the FDA. 

Biogen President and CEO Christopher 

A. Viehbacher said in a statement the company 

now plans to reprioritize its Alzheimer’s 

disease resources. 

“When searching for new medicines, one 

breakthrough can be the foundation that 

triggers future medicines to be developed. 

Aduhelm was that groundbreaking discovery 

that paved the way for a new class of 

drugs and reinvigorated investments in the 

field,” Viehbacher said. 

The domino effect 

Type 2 diabetes – which is estimated to 

impact about 30% of seniors – can cause 

long-term damage to major organs including 

the heart, blood vessels, kidneys, 

nerves and eyes. Weight loss has been 

shown to slow the disease or even put it 

into remission. 

New evidence from a recent large study 

led by Irish researchers at the RCSI School 

of Population Health has found that losing 

weight produces a positive “domino effect” 

that not only lowers the need for medications 

to control Type 2 diabetes, but also 

slashes the risk of cardiovascular problems 

and chronic kidney disease. 

In cooperation with American scientists 

at Brown University, Wake Forest 

University and other sites, the RCSI team 

conducted a weight loss trial that followed 

more than 5,000 patients over a 12-year 

period. For participants in the trial who 

were able to achieve remission (defined as 

a reduced need for medications and lowered 

HbA1c levels), the research found 

there was a 40% lower rate of cardiovascular 

disease and 33% lower rate of chronic 

kidney disease. 

The trial, published in Diabetologia, is 

among the first to show how reversal of 

diabetes can also improve cardiovascular 

and kidney disease outcomes, said Edward 

Gregg, the study’s leader. 

“Using lessons learned from this study 

we can help inform diabetes treatment 

methods and improve quality of life for 

people with type 2 diabetes. It has highlighted 

the significance of weight loss for 

achieving remission from type 2 diabetes 

and then long-term positive cardiovascular 

and kidney disease outcomes,” Gregg said. 

He also noted that although 18% of participants 

achieved remission at some point 

during the 12 years of follow-up, that number 

had decreased to 3% by the study’s eighth 

year, underlining the challenges of keeping 

weight off using lifestyle interventions. 

Holding each other back? 

Older couples who start exercising 

together may end up getting less physical 

activity than those who work out individually, 

according to a trial recently conducted 

in Singapore. 

After recruiting 240 married participants 

between the ages of 54 and 72, Nanyang 

Technical University researchers looked into 

the impacts (in terms of total step counts 

per day) of asking the couples to exercise 

together vs. separately. They also sought to 

find out how step counts were affected by 

giving some participants activity trackers, 

providing them with instant feedback about 

how much they were exercising. 

The participants, all living with their 

spouses, were divided in half: two groups of 

30 couples each who exercised together and 

two groups who exercised individually. Half 

received step count information from activity 

trackers and half did not. Data was collected 

for 12 weeks on how consistently they met 

daily step thresholds of 5,000, 7,500, 10,000, 

and 15,000 steps, as well as their daily mean 

and median number of steps. 

After three months, couples who exercised 

together had lower step counts 

by both of those measures than the solo 

exercisers. They also met daily step goals 

of 7,500, 10,000 and 15,000 less often 

than those who participated without their 

spouses. Whether they worked out alone 

or as a couple, however, participants who 

received real-time feedback on their fitness 

trackers achieved higher step counts 

of 7,500 and 10,000 more often than those 

who did not. 

See MATURE FOCUS, page 36 

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MATURE FOCUS, from page 35 

While it’s unclear exactly why exercising 

together was less effective, the authors 

believe that working out together may 

require a greater change in couples’ lifestyles, 

making it harder to achieve. 

Couples who decide to exercise together 

may not achieve the fitness levels they 

could individually, a recent study found. 


“Our research suggests that older adults 

looking to introduce exercise into their 

lifestyles may find it more effective to 

focus on changing their own routines rather 

than attempting to exercise as a couple and 

seeking to impose changes on their partner,” 

said Sapphire Lin, Ph.D., who led the 

trial. Part of a long-term focus on active 

aging underway at NTU, its results were 

published in the International Journal of 

Human-Computer Interaction. 

Health benefits of music 

Listening to music, singing or playing 

an instrument are pleasurable experiences 

for nearly everyone. A growing amount 

of research also shows that music benefits 

the brain and body. This was confirmed by 

older adults participating in a recent University 

of Michigan Healthy Aging Poll, 

who said that music provides at least one 

health-related benefit for them. 

Almost all (98%) of the adults between 

the ages of 50 and 80 who took part in the 

nationwide poll said music’s impacts on 

their lives go beyond entertainment. Threefourths 

said music helps them relieve 

stress or relax, and 65% say it boosts their 

mental wellness, improves their mood, and 

increases energy. Seven percent said it 

reduces their physical pain. 

“Music has the power to bring joy and 

meaning to life. It is woven into the very 

fabric of existence for all of humankind,” 

said Joel Howell, M.D., Ph.D., a professor 

of internal medicine who worked on 

the poll team. “We also know that music 

is associated with positive effects on measures 

from blood pressure to depression.” 

Most respondents reported regular music 

listening, with 85% saying they do so at least 

a few times a week. Just under half of older 

adults reported singing at least a few times 

a week as well, and 17% said they play a 

musical instrument several times a year. 

Interestingly, those who rated their physical 

health as fair or poor, and those who 

said they often feel lonely or isolated, were 

also less likely to listen to music every day. 

“While music doesn’t come up often in 

older adults’ visits with their usual care 

providers, perhaps it should,” said Jeffrey 

Kullgren, M.D., the poll’s director. “The 

power of music to connect us, improve 

mood and energy, or even ease pain means 

it could be a powerful tool.” 

Exercise for post-cancer pain 

People who have gone through treatment 

for cancer would likely agree that getting 

back to an exercise routine is daunting. 

Even if it’s difficult, though, physical 

activity may effectively reduce the ongoing 

pain that often occurs after cancer treatment, 

according to a new study published 

in the American Cancer Society’s journal 

CANCER. 

Led by cancer researchers in the U.S. 

and Australia, it included well over 

50,000 adults, about 20% of whom had a 

past cancer diagnosis. All the participants 

were asked to rate their pain on average 

based on a scale of 0 (no pain) to 10 (the 

worst pain imaginable). They also provided 

details about their usual physical 

activity. 

For participants who had cancer in the 

past as well as for those without a history 

of cancer, more physical activity 

was linked with lower pain intensity. The 

strength of that association was similar for 

both groups. In addition, cancer patients 

who exceeded currently recommended 

levels of daily physical activity were 16% 

less likely to report moderate to severe 

pain compared to those who failed to meet 

those guidelines. 

“It may feel counterintuitive to some, 

but physical activity is an effective, nonpharmacologic 

option for reducing many 

types of pain. As our study suggests, this 

may include pain associated with cancer 

and its treatments,” said senior author 

Erika Rees-Punia, Ph.D., of the American 

Cancer Society. 

Current U.S. exercise guidelines for 

adults recommend 150-300 minutes per 

week of moderate-intensity, or 75-150 

minutes per week of vigorous-intensity, 

aerobic physical activity. 

On the calendar 

Better Choices, Better Health with Diabetes, 

a 7-session course presented online 

by St. Louis Oasis, is on Mondays, March 

11-April 22, live via Zoom. Developed and





I MATURE FOCUS I 37 

tested by Stanford University, this class 

is similar to Living a Healthy Life with 

Chronic Conditions, but with a focus on diabetes. 

The free course is sponsored by BJC 

Missouri Baptist Medical Center. Register 

at classes-events.bjc.org. 

• • • 

St. Luke’s Hospital presents a monthly 

Conversations for Women monthly 

event on Monday, March 12 from 6:30- 

7:30 p.m. at the Desloge Outpatient Center, 

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

Chesterfield. These free events will feature 

informal presentations with women’s 

health specialists. This month’s topic, “Are 

You Hot?”, will feature Dr. Kael Murphy, a 

St. Lukes’ OB/GYN physician. Register at 

stlukes-stl.com. 

• • • 

St. Luke’s Hospital offers Medicare 

counseling on Wednesday, March 20 from 

10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the hospital’s Institute for 

Health Education, 222 S. Woods Mill Road 

in Chesterfield, in Conference Rooms 1 

and 2. Sign up for a free 60-minute session 

to receive unbiased and confidential Medicare 

counseling and enrollment assistance. 

Register at stlukes-stl.com. 

• • • 

St. Luke’s Hospital presents Coffee and 

Conversations on Wednesday, March 20 

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

Center, 121 St. Luke’s Center Drive, 

in Building A, Conference Room 3. Join 

us monthly for a free cup of joe and conversation 

with St. Luke’s health professionals 

about health and wellness topics. 

This month’s topic, Nutrition for Aging, 

will feature a St. Luke’s dietitian to help 

explore nutrition strategies you can use 

when planning meals and snacks Register 

at stlukes-stl.com. 

• • • 

St. Luke’s Hospital offers Living a 

Health Life with Chronic Disease on 

Fridays, March 22-April 26, from 10 

a.m.-12:30 p.m. The free six-week online 

course will be presented via Zoom. This 

course helps people gain self-confidence 

in controlling their chronic disease symptoms 

and learn how their health problems 

can affect their lives. Register online at 

stlukes-stl.com. 

• • • 

BJC Missouri Baptist Hospital offers a 

Today’s Grandparents class on Thursday, 

April 11 from 6-8:30 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. 

SINCE 1987 

SENIORS HOME CARE 

Dignified Care 

...with compassion 

Gretchen Whittington, CCO 

Ryan Whittington CDP,CEO 

TM 

Helping people live independently 

in their homes since 1987. 

Companionship Meal Preparation Light Housekeeping 

Personal Care Transportation Medication Reminders 

Nurse Care Management Medication Setup 

636.225.2600 

SENIORSHOMECARE.COM 

Delight THE EYE, 

tickle THE TASTE BUDS 

AND fuel THE BODY. 

Cedarhurst Senior Living’s Crafted by 

Cedarhurst SM is food for foodies! Get hungry! 

SCHEDULE lunch AND A tour. 

Call: 314-222-4006 

Visit: CedarhurstLiving.com 

Locations in: Des Peres, Tesson Heights and St. Charles

38 I HEALTH I 

HEALTH 

CAPSULES 

By LISA RUSSELL 



Lingering coughs usually 

resolve without treatment 

Chances are you or someone in your 

family has been sick with a respiratory 

illness this winter. Those illnesses often 

include a nagging, frustrating cough that 

seems to hang on forever … and may even 

raise concerns about a secondary infection 

such as bronchitis. But most people don’t 

have to visit the doctor for a prescription or 

take over-the-counter medications because 

these coughs will nearly always get better 

with time and patience alone, according to 

a group of medical researchers in Canada. 

Their recent study examined the incidence, 

duration and outcomes of postinfectious 

coughs in Canadian adults 

diagnosed with respiratory illnesses. They 

found that for up to a quarter of them, 

coughing continued for as long as eight 

weeks after other symptoms of the illness 

had ended. In nearly all cases, the coughs 

resolved without medical treatment, and 

patients were no longer considered contagious 

during this period. 

“Reassuring patients that post-infectious 

cough is time-limited and self-resolving is 

important and can reduce unnecessary and 

costly prescriptions, such as asthma puffers 

or antibiotics,” said Dr. Kevin Liang, 

a clinical instructor at the University of 

British Columbia. He said evidence shows 

over-the-counter cough medicines don’t 

offer much benefit either. 

“You don’t need to go out to the grocery 

store or the pharmacy and buy an 

expensive medication that can have some 

nasty side effects when this is something 

your body just needs to take its time and 

recover,” he added. 

Coughing-related symptoms that do 

indicate a follow-up visit to a medical 

professional include shortness of breath, 

coughing up blood, throat tightness or difficulty 

swallowing. Coughs that last longer 

than eight weeks also need further investigation, 

Liang said. 

U.S. drug prices rank 

as world’s highest 

Consumers in the U.S. face significantly 

higher overall prices for prescription drugs 

than those in any other nation, according to 

a new report from the RAND Corporation, 

a nonprofit research organization. 

Across all drugs, the prices Americans 

pay for their prescriptions were found to 

Nagging coughs that often last for weeks after an illness will usually 

get better without treatment, a recent study found. (Adobe Stock photo) 

be nearly three times the averages paid 

by people in 33 other developed countries. 

This is true despite the fact that Americans 

pay much less for unbranded generic drugs 

– which account for a whopping 90% 

of U.S. prescription drug volume – than 

people in other nations. This huge quantity 

of unbranded prescriptions represents only 

8% of our annual drug spending, however. 

By contrast, brand-name drugs account 

for only 7% of U.S. prescription drug 

volume … but 87% of our collective drug 

spending. The gap between prices in the 

U.S. and other countries is very large for 

these drugs – on average, Americans pay 

4.22 times the prices of people in comparison 

nations according to RAND, which 

updates a similar report published in 2018 

with information through 2022. 

Retail prescription drug spending has 

exploded in the U.S., increasing by 91% 

between 2000 and 2020. It now accounts 

for more than 10% of the nation’s healthcare 

costs, and is expected to increase by 

an additional 5% each year through 2030. 

MU scientists work to improve 

protection against salmonella 

A team of University of Missouri - 

Columbia scientists has received a $5 million 

National Science Foundation grant to 

develop an innovative new way to protect 

people against foodborne illnesses. 

Their first target is salmonella, which is 

responsible for more than 1.3 million cases 

of potentially serious food poisoning each 

year in the U.S. alone. The project’s initial 

focus is on the poultry industry, a primary 

source of salmonella infections. One in 

every 25 packages of poultry purchased by 

Americans currently harbors salmonella 

bacteria, according to U.S. Food and Drug 

Administration statistics. 

The MU team, consisting of experts in 

engineering, poultry and food science, 

public health and supply chain management, 

is working on a portable sensor 

technology that can rapidly detect salmonella. 

These sensors will be paired with an 

AI-enabled “decision support system” that 

could pinpoint contaminated poultry in 

the food supply in one hour or less – compared 

to the current industry standard of 24 

hours – and prevent it from ever reaching 

consumers. 

“These pathogens grow very quicky, so 

a lot can happen to a food product in just 

24 hours,” said Kate Trout, one of the project’s 

principal investigators and an MU 

assistant professor of health sciences. “We 

think our sensors, combined with our decision 

support system, could change the way 

that the entire poultry industry and health 

stakeholders make decisions to ensure a 

safer food supply for everyone.” 

@WESTNEWSMAG 


On the calendar 

BJC St. Louis Children’s Hospital presents 

a Staying Home Alone in-person 

class on Saturday, March 16 from 10-11:30 

a.m. at the SLCH Specialty Care Center 

West County, 13001 N. Outer Forty Road 

in Town and Country. 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. 

• • • 

BJC offers a Bariatric Surgery Information 

Session on Monday, March 18 

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

a Washington University bariatric physician 

to learn more about surgical treatment 

options for patients who meet certain criteria. 

To register, visit classes-events.bjc.org; 

to learn more about BJC’s bariatric surgery 

criteria for patients, call (314) 454-7224 

and press Option 1. 

• • • 

BJC St. Louis Children’s Hospital sponsors 

a Babysitting 101 virtual class on 

Tuesday, March 26 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. Parents 

may sit in on the class at no additional cost. 

Register online at bjc.org/babysitting-class. 

• • • 

The first St. Luke’s Book Club event 

will be held on Tuesday, March 26 from 

6:30-8 p.m. at the hospital’s Institute for 

Health Education, 232 S. Woods Mill 

Road in Chesterfield, in Conference 

Rooms 1 and 2. Those who register to 

attend in person will receive a copy of 

communication and leadership consultant 

Anne Grady’s book, “Strong Enough: 

Choosing Courage, Resilience, and Triumph.” 

Join us for an interactive meeting 

to discuss lessons learned from Grady’s 

book. The cost to participate is $5. Space 

is limited. Register at stlukes-stl.com. 

• • • 

A St. Luke’s Nutrition Class at Eatwell 

Market is on Wednesday, March 

27 from 2-3 p.m. at Schnucks Eatwell 

Market, 220 THF Blvd. in Chesterfield. 

A St. Luke’s dietitian will discuss how 

to find and make healthier choices at the 

grocery store. The registration cost is 

$5; all participants will receive wellness 

resources, samples and a $10 Schnucks 

gift card. Register at stlukes-stl.com. 

• • • 

Mercy St. Louis offers a Sitter Skills 

course on Friday, April 5 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. The cost is $30 

per child. Register online by visiting mercy. 

net/practice/mercy-hospital-st-louis and 

clicking on Classes, Seminars and Events, 

then Skills Classes for Kids. 

• • • 

St. Luke’s Hospital presents Be Powerful 

– Know Your Heart on Wednesday, April 

10 from 6-7 p.m. at the St. Luke’s Hospital 

Institute for Health Education Auditorium, 

232 S. Woods Mill Road in Chesterfield. 

Join us at this free session to discuss the 

steps to better heart health and have your 

questions answered by St. Luke’s physicians. 

Register at stlukes-stl.com. 

• • • 

BJC presents a Family and Friends 

CPR virtual course on Wednesday, April 

10 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. Register online by visiting 

bjc.org/cpr-class.



Peoples National Bank puts people first 



I BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT I 39 

Customers, people, community 

– they are at the heart of Peoples 

National Bank. Just ask Retail Sales 

Manager Jeremy Candler at the 

Town & Country Branch. He knows 

what makes Peoples National Bank 

different from other banks. 

“That’s simple. It’s our customer 

service,” Jeremy said. “Every bank 

is going to offer the same basic types 

of products, but how we treat people, 

that extra level of service is what we 

really try to focus on.” 

That focus plays out in ways that 

work for customers and keep them 

connected to Peoples National Bank. 

Jeremy especially enjoys working 

with clients to help improve their 

financial situations by providing 

banking solutions that are completely 

tailored to each individual’s unique 

needs, and that works for businesses 

as well. 

“When it comes to businesses, we 

get to know the business owners 

and learn how they are going to be 

operating and how they work. We 

are going to work to tailor our 

suggestions into what’s going to fit 

best for them,” Jeremy said. 

Peoples National Bank wants to see 

Jeremy Candler 

(Peoples National Bank photo) 

their clients be successful. 

“At the end of the day that’s our biggest 

goal, to help them be successful in their 

own way,” said Jeremy. 

Another recent example of the bank’s 

focus on customer service was over the 

last year when Peoples National Bank 

reached out and designed programs to 

help customers address check fraud 

which was becoming more prevalent, 

especially with mailed checks. 

“When we saw and recognized that, we 

started an initiative to proactively reach 

out to our customers to talk to them about 

the level of check fraud, what they could 

do to help protect themselves and what 

services we could offer as alternatives to 

writing checks,” Jeremy said. “We try to 

be proactive. It’s another way we put our 

customers first.” 

In addition, the Town & Country 

Branch provides a team with numerous 

decades of experience to help clients 

make informed decisions. 

“We are well suited to help customers 

with whatever financial issues they might 

have,” Jeremy said. 

He said their Treasury Management 

Team is one of the greatest assets of the 

bank. 

“They are absolutely phenomenal. We 

have a variety of options for businesses 

that most other banks our size don’t 

offer,” he said. 

Building relationships and serving 

clients is one of the reasons Jeremy 

enjoys his role at the Town & Country 

Branch. 

“I realized that I enjoyed the service 

side of it, and I liked being able to 

help people,” Jeremy said. “And I look 

forward to my clients that I see every 

day. Our customers stay with us; it is a 

relationship,” he said. 

Those relationships also grow stronger 

as staff members at the Town & Country 

Branch volunteer and work with others 

to better the community. At Peoples 

National Bank, people are more than just 

customers; they’re friends and neighbors. 

That’s why their dedicated associates are 

so involved on a local level. 

“Being involved in the community helps 

us get to know people personally, so we 

can better serve them,” Jeremy said. 

With assets over $1.7 billion, Peoples 

National Bank serves 18 communities 

throughout Southern Illinois and Missouri. 

For more information about Peoples 

National Bank, visit peoplesnationalbank. 

com, or stop in at the Town & Country 

Branch, meet Jeremy and the team and 

put their expertise and resources to work 

for your family, home or business. Peoples 

National Bank and their team are here to 

serve you and your community. 

Peoples National Bank 

14323 S. Outer Forty Road • Town & Country 

(314) 628-1801 

www.peoplesnationalbank.com 

See Available Styles & Colors 

at ambassadorfloor.com 

Chesterfield Valley 

Glendale 

Shiloh IL

40 I BUSINESS I 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


The Best in Steaks, Seafood, 

Pasta & Mediterranean Cuisine 

Happy Hour Menu! 

Tuesday - Thursday 4-6:30pm and Friday 4-6pm 

includes choice of soup or salad, entree, sides except for pasta, dessert, and beverage! 

Buy Two 

Dinner Entrees 

& Appetizer 

Get Bottle of House Wine 

Valid on entrees $14.99 & up. Up to 10 people per coupon. Up to $100 value. House wine choices include: Merlot, 

Cabernet, Chardonnay, White Zinfandel. Max one coupon per visit, per table. Void with other offers or specials. 

Present coupon when ordering. NO CASH VALUE. Please offer your server a tip on the total bill before discount. 

NOT valid with the Early Bird Special, Happy Hour or any Major Holiday. Dine in only. Expires 3/31/24. 

314.878.4449 • 1054 N. Woods Mill • Chesterfield 

View the Full Dinner Menu at 

www.spirosrestaurant.com or call 314.878.4449 

The West St. Louis County Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting 

for Alloy Personal Training on Feb. 21. (Photo courtesy of Higher Focus Photography) 

BUSINESS 

BRIEFS 

PLACES 

Alloy Personal Training, 16739 Main 

St. in Wildwood, held a ribbon cutting 

hosted by the West St. Louis County 

Chamber of Commerce on Feb. 21. Alloy 

offers personal training programs that 

include an exercise and nutrition plan tailored 

to individual goals. For more information 

call (636) 422-5090. 

• • • 

Groundwork Mortgage is now open 

at 687 Trade Center Blvd., Suite 120, in 

Chesterfield. A ribbon cutting hosted 

by the Chesterfield Region Chamber of 

Commerce was held on Feb. 22. For more 

information visit groundworkmortgage. 

com. 

• • • 

Diesel Barbershop opened on Jan. 29 

at 118 Four Seasons Shopping Center in 

Chesterfield. Part barbershop, part salon 

and part arcade, customers can watch 

sports, play video games, listen to music, 

shoot the breeze and enjoy a cold beverage 

– all while getting a haircut, trim, 

shave, scalp massage or brow wax. For 

more information call (314) 548-6600. 

• • • 

The Rockwood School District is hosting 

Student Job Fairs at each of its four 

high schools this month and next. Businesses 

that are looking to hire students to 

fill current openings or summer positions 

can contact Laurie Philipp at (636) 891- 

6800, ext. 20091 or via email to philipplaurie@rsdmo.org 

to learn more about 

attending. The fairs will be held from 

12:15-1:45 p.m. on the following dates: 

• March 11 at Marquette High, 2351 

Clarkson Road in Chesterfield 

• April 3 at Eureka High, 4525 Hwy. 109 

in Eureka 

• April 10 at Rockwood Summit High, 

1780 Hawkins Road in Fenton 

• April 17 at Lafayette High, 17050 

Clayton Road in Wildwood 

• • • 

Barbecue restaurant Salt + Smoke has 

opened a new location at 1386 Clarkson 

Clayton Center in Ellisville – the former 

site of Walnut Grill. The location is the 

fifth and largest in the local chain, coowned 

by Tom Schmidt and Haley Riley. 

PEOPLE 

Kirsten F. Dunn, 

M.D., F.A.C.P., an 

internal medicine physician 

with Mercy Virtual 

Primary Care, has been 

installed as 2024 president 

of the St. Louis 

Dunn 

Metropolitan Medical 

Society. Dunn earned her undergraduate 

degree at Harvard College and her medical 

degree from Saint Louis University 

School of Medicine. She completed her 

internship and residency at Stanford University 

Hospital and Clinics. She is certified 

by the American Board of Internal 

Medicine and a Fellow of the American 

College of Physicians. 

EVENTS 

The Chesterfield Regional Chamber of 

Commerce hosts its 2024 Community 

& Lifestyle Expo from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on 

Thursday, March 7 at the DoubleTree 

by Hilton Hotel, 16625 Swingley Ridge 

Road in Chesterfield. Area residents are 

invited to meet and learn about a wide 

range of businesses from higher education 

and banking to health initiatives and 

dining; view the latest products, services 

and technologies; and pick up giveaways. 

Admission is free.


WEST NEWSMAGAZINE I BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT I 41 

Spruce up this spring with Rhino Shield and never paint again 



Spring is coming and if you 

have an exterior painting project 

to tackle, it might be time to consider 

the question – why paint? In 

fact, when the coverage, durability 

and energy benefits of Rhino Shield 

are considered, the question might 

better be, “why paint ever again?” 

“Rhino Shield is not paint. It’s 

better,” said Darrin Crook, owner 

of the Rhino Shield franchise in 

Manchester. 

Rhino Shield is a durable, flexible, 

low maintenance wall coating. It 

is an acrylic-urethane formula that not 

only covers beautifully but helps to 

waterproof, insulate, and soundproof 

the structures it covers, and it will cover 

almost any kind of structural material. 

For example, Rhino Shield will cover, 

and actually bonds to aluminum, cedar, 

block, brick, Masonite, stucco and 

wood, according to the company. The 

innovative technology combines multiple 

resins with ceramic microspheres 

resulting in a flexible but tough surface. 

In addition, Rhino Shield contains 

additives that provide fire resistance 

giving the material a Class A fire and 

smoke rating, UV blockers that reduce 

wall surface temperature and save 

Kirstie, Darrin, Carter and Sandy Crook 

money over time on cooling costs and 

mildewcides and algeacides to stop mold. 

Rhino Shield’s flexibility also allows the 

coated surface to expand and contract with 

changing temperatures which helps to 

eliminate cracking. 

One of the most valuable aspects of 

Rhino Shield however, is its longevity. 

“The Rhino Shield is engineered to outlast 

paint five to seven times,” Darrin said. 

“It is a permanent ceramic coating that 

won’t chip, flake, crack or peel and comes 

in many colors. The durable maintenancefree 

wall coating has a flexible and tough 

surface – so tough, in fact, that it comes 

with a 25-year non-prorated transferable 

warranty,” Darrin said. 

That warranty and the product it guarantees 

mean that painting becomes a 

thing of the past, costs and time are 

reduced and because the covering is 

attractive and the warrenty is transferable, 

Rhino Shield adds value to your 

home should you ever decide to sell it. 

Darrin said he is proud to be the only 

Rhino Shield dealer in Missouri and 

Southern Illinois. The family-owned 

business is focused on bringing a better 

option than paint to local homeowners. 

Rhino Shield has thousands of satisfied 

customers locally and tens of thousands 

nationally. 

“We’ve been here 30 years. We had 

Rhino Shield put on the house 14 years 

ago. It still looks the same as the first day, 

said one woman about her experience with 

Rhino Shield. “It sounded wonderful that 

we could go ahead and have the house 

coated with Rhino Shield and literally not 

have to worry about it again for 25 years. 

I’m really glad we did it. Rhino Shield 

really worked with me to help me get the 

color just right – a nice soft yellow. It’s 

the same color, and it’s 14 years later. So 

it didn’t fade. It didn’t wash out ... There 

have been neighbors that have come by 

and said, ‘Did you just have your house 

painted?’ They wanted to know who the 

contractor was, and I said ‘No, it’s actually 

Rhino Shield.’” 

Applying Rhino Shield is a simple process. 

It begins with pressure washing the 

surfaces to be covered. Loose paint and 

debris are then removed for a clean bondable 

surface for the primer. Areas not to be 

coated are masked off, covered or temporarily 

removed. The primer is then sprayed 

onto the surface. Finally, the ceramic top 

coat, in the color of your choice, is applied. 

Tight spaces are trimmed in. Once the finish 

coat has dried, all masking materials and 

dropcloths are removed. “Our goal is to 

return your surroundings to the same condition 

as before we arrived,” Darrin said. 

After the area is cleaned up, customers 

make a final inspection of the work done. 

“We’re not done until you’re completely 

satisfied with our work,” Darrin said. 

Call Rhino Shield to get a free evaluation 

for your home and take advantage of new 

technology that covers your home with 

beautiful color that lasts decades. Paint a 

house. Shield a home! 

Rhino Shield 

241 Old Meramec Station 

Road, Manchester 

(314) 239-7947 / 877-25RHINO (4466) 

WWW.87725RHINO.COM 

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING 

Notice is hereby given that the Planning and Zoning Commission of the 

City of Ellisville will hold a public hearing at the Parks and Recreation 

Building within Bluebird Park, 225 Kiefer Creek Road, Ellisville, Missouri, 

63021, on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, at 7:00 P.M. to consider a Cityinitiated 

petition for text amendments to Title IV: Land Use; Chapter 400: 

Zoning Regulations; Article IX: Antennas and Antenna Support Structures; 

Sections 400.500, 400.510, 400.530, and 400.570 of the Code of the City of 

Ellisville, Missouri, to revise regulations regarding reporting requirements 

applicable to telecommunications antennae, towers, or support structures, 

and regarding setback requirements for telecommunications towers, within 

the City of Ellisville, Missouri. 

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owned and operated. ©2022 EWC Franchise, LLC. All rights reserved. European Wax Center® is a registered trademark. 

Notice is hereby given that the Council of the City of Ellisville will hold a 

public hearing at the Parks and Recreation Building within Bluebird Park, 225 

Kiefer Creek Road, Ellisville, Missouri, 63021, on Wednesday, March 20, 

2024, at 7:00 P.M. to consider a City-initiated petition for text amendments to 

Title IV: Land Use; Chapter 400: Zoning Regulations; Article IX: Antennas 

and Antenna Support Structures; Sections 400.500, 400.510, 400.530, and 

400.570 of the Code of the City of Ellisville, Missouri, to revise regulations 

regarding reporting requirements applicable to telecommunications 

antennae, towers, or support structures, and regarding setback requirements 

for telecommunications towers, within the City of Ellisville, Missouri. 

These public hearings are in compliance with Title IV, Land Use, of the 

Municipal Code of the City of Ellisville, Missouri

42 I EVENTS I 

Gills Tree 

Service 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


• Tree Removal 

• Tree Trimming 

• Tree Pruning 

• Stump Removal 

IN BUSINESS FOR OVER 26 YEARS! 

Whether your tree is hazardous, interferes with your view, or just isn’t aesthetically pleasing, we have 

the experience and the equipment to remove it safely and securely. If you are considering removing a 

tree, speak with our team of St. Louis tree removal experts. 

636.274.1378 • Gillstrees.com 

FREE ESTIMATES 

SAME DAY AND 

EMERGENCY SERVICE 

AVAILABLE! 

Tell Their Story ... Remember Their Life 

We take 

great pride in 

custom designing 

a monument for 

your family as an 

everlasting tribute 

to your heritage. 

Mention 

this ad and 

receive 10% off 

the purchase 

of a new 

memorial. 

Expires 3/31/24 

Cemetery Memorials & Lettering | Custom Hand Etchings 

Vases | Ceramic Photos | Address Boulders 

Decorative Landscaping Stones | Granite Gravel | And More 

905 N. Truman Blvd | Crystal City, Missouri 

OFFICE: 636-931-4948 

www.twincitymonument.com 

The Chesterfield Shamrock Run is at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 16 

at the Chesterfield Valley Athletic Complex, 17925 N.Outer 40 Road. 

Runners and spectators are encouraged to attend. (Source: City of Chesterfield) 

LOCAL 

EVENTS 

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 

The St. Louis Modern Quilt Guild Quilt 

Show is from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday, 

March 23 and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday, 

March 24 at Greensfelder Recreation Complex, 

550 Weidman Road. Admission is $8; 

ages of 5 and younger are free. Details as 

stlmqg.org. 

• • • 

“All My Sons” is at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, 

March 21 through Sunday, April 7 at 

The J’s Wool Studio Theatre, 2 Millstone 

Campus Drive. Tickets start at $27 at 

newjewishtheatre.org. 

• • • 

The Art Fair at Queeny Park is from 5-9 

p.m. on Friday, April 5; from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 

on Saturday, April 6; and from 11 a.m.-4 

p.m. on Sunday, April 7 at the Greensfelder 

Recreation Complex at Queeny Park, 550 

Weidman Road in Ballwin, featuring over 

100 juried artists from 20 states, live music, 

children’s activities and more. $10 entry fee. 

For details, visit greaterstlouisartists.org/artfair-at-queeny-park. 

• • • 

St. Louis Jewish Film Festival Opening 

Night Celebration is at 4 p.m. on Sunday, 

April 7 at the B&B Theater, 12657 Olive 

Blvd. in Creve Coeur. Tickets are $20. For 

details, visit jccstl.com/arts-ideas/st-louisjewish-film-festival. 

BENEFITS 

The Pipes for Parkison Organ Concert 

is at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, March 18 

at Little Flower Church, 1264 Arch Terrace 

in Richmond Heights, hosted by the 

American Guild of Organists. Admission 

is free; a goodwill offering is appreciated. 

Proceeds benefit the American Parkinson 

Disease Association - Greater St. Louis 

Chapter. 

• • • 

Wyman’s Amplify Gala is at 6 p.m. on 

Saturday, April 6 at The Reverie, 17089 N. 

Outer 40 Road in Chesterfield. Cocktails, 

dinner, a celebration with DJ Charlie Chan 

and more are featured. Tickets start at $250. 

For details, visit grabethreshourewymancenter.org 

or call (415) 812-0554. 

FAMILY & KIDS 

Toddler Book Bingo is from 10-10:45 a.m. 

on Thursday, March 14 at the Manchester 

Parks Building, 359 Old Meramec Station 

Road. Little ones and their adults will play 

picture bingo for gently used and new books. 

$2 per child. Snacks and drinks are included. 

For ages 2-5. Pre-registration is required at 

manchestermo.gov. 

• • • 

Nerf Wars is from 5-6 p.m. on Friday, 

March 15 at The Pointe, 333 Holloway Road 

in Ballwin. Children ages 6-10 will bring 

their own Nerf guns and compete in three 

20-minute games of Capture the Flag, Team 

vs Team, and Last Person Standing. Protective 

eyewear must be brought and worn by 

all participants. Extra Nerf ammo will be 

available for use. The cost is $15 for residents; 

$18 for non-residents. To register, visit 

ballwin.mo.us. 

• • • 

Big Truck and Safety Day is from 10 

a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday, April 27 at Eureka 

High (Parking Lot), 4525 MO-109. Bring 

the family to explore different modes of 

See EVENTS, page 45

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CLAYTON BRANCH | 112 S. Hanley Road, Ste. 120 | Clayton, MO 63105 | 314-721-2265 

WWW.M1.BANK 

*A penalty may be imposed for early withdrawal. Fees could reduce earnings on the account. *Rates subject to change. Rates accurate as of March 6, 2024. 

**APY = Annual Percentage Yield.

44 I EVENTS I 



SPRING FUN FOR ALL 

Help Grow an Easter Egg Garden 

continues through Thursday, March 21 at 

Bluebird Park, 225 Kiefer Creek Road in 

Ellisville. Register at ellisville.mo.us and 

pick up a wooden egg at the Parks building, 

decorate the egg and then return the egg 

to the Parks building. The winner will be 

announced on March 25. The eggs will be 

outside, so it is recommended to use exterior 

paint and waterproof materials. Cost is 

$5. For details, visit ellisville.mo.us. 

• • • 

St. Patrick’s Family Bingo is from 

6-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 14 at the 

Manchester Parks Building, 359 Old Meramec 

Station Road. This is a family-based 

bingo for all ages and includes pizza, drinks 

and prizes for the winners. Tickets are $8 for 

residents; $10.40 for non-residents. Everyone 

ages 2 and up needs to buy a ticket. For 

details, visit manchestermo.gov/parks. 

• • • 

The Chesterfield Shamrock Run is at 8:30 

a.m. on Saturday, March 16 at the Chesterfield 

Valley Athletic Complex, 17925 N.Outer 

40 Road in Chesterfield. The race will consist 

of a 5K or 10K race and a Lil’ Leprechaun 

Run for kids. The 5K/10K races begin at 8:30 

a.m.; the Fun Run begins at 10 a.m. Register 

at chesterfield.mo.us/shamrock-run. 

• • • 

Spring Break Crafty Cooking is from 

9:30-11:30 a.m. on Monday, March 18 

through Thursday, March 21 at the Timbers 

of Eureka, 1 Coffey Park Lane. Campers 

learn the basics like reading a recipe, measurements, 

preparation, and safety. Camp 

includes lunch. For ages 8-12. The fee is 

$100 for residents and $110 for non-residents. 

Space is limited. Register at eureka.mo.us. 

• • • 

Adult Egg Hunt is from 7:30-9:30 p.m. 

on Friday, March 22 at the Paul A. Schroeder 

Park, 359 Old Meramec Station Road 

in Manchester. For ages 21 and over. The 

cost is $10 until March 17 or $13 on March 

18. Bring chairs, drinks and food. There 

will be bonfires and fun. Held rain or shine. 

To register, visit ellisville.mo.us. 

• • • 

Egg Stravaganza is at 10 a.m. on Saturday, 

March 23 at Central Park, 16365 Lydia Hill 

Drive in Chesterfield. There will be thousands 

of eggs ready for the big hunt. The Bunny will 

be making an appearance, along with crafts 

and activities. Children will be divided into 

age groups. Don’t forget a basket. Tickets are 

$10 until March 22 and $15 on the day of the 

hunt. For details, visit chesterfield.mo.us and 

search, “Egg Stravaganza.” 

Easter activities abound in West County. 

Check out the many listings below in 

Spring Fun For All to learn more. 


• • • 

Egg Hunt is from 10 a.m. to noon on 

Saturday, March 23 at Fairway Elementary 

School, 480 Old Fairway Drive in Wildwood. 

14,000 eggs are ready to be found for kids in 

age categories of 3-12. Meet the bunny, stay 

for the dance party, make a craft, bounce 

on inflatables and more. All are welcome. 

No registration is needed. For details, visit 

cityofwildwood.com or call (636) 458-0440. 

• • • 

A Youth Easter Egg Hunt is at 10 a.m. 

on Saturday, March 23 at Legion Park, 333 

Bald Hill Road in Eureka. Features separate 

areas for ages 2 and younger, 3-4, 5-7 

@WESTNEWSMAG 


and 8-10. Hunts begin at 11 a.m. with age 

groups staggered in 5-minute increments. A 

pancake breakfast served by the Knights of 

Columbus will be available while supplies 

last. Admission is free. Participants should 

park at the Eureka Community Center. For 

details, visit eureka.mo.us. 

• • • 

Hip Hop Hurray Hunt is at 10 a.m. on 

Saturday, March 23 at Bluebird Park, 225 

Kiefer Creek Road in Ellisville. The Easter 

Bunny will leave a trail of eggs in Bluebird 

Park. Children 9 and under will hunt for 

eggs and prizes. Free event. Pre-registration 

is required at ellisville.mo.us. 

• • • 

Youth Easter Egg Hunt is from 11:30 

a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, March 23 at 

Vlasis Park, 300 Park Drive in Ballwin. 

Hunts will be divided into age groups: 2-4 

years old, 5-7 years old, and 8-10 years 

old. The Easter Bunny will be on hand for 

pictures. Registration is not required. Free 

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

• • • 

Flashlight Egg Hunt is from 7:30-9 p.m. 

on Wednesday, March 27 at Paul Schroeder 

Park, 359 Old Meramec Station Road in 

Manchester. Bring a flashlight and basket 

to hunt for eggs after dark. Includes pizza 

and games. For ages 10-14. $11 for residents; 

$14.30 for non-residents. Pre-registration 

is required at manchestermo.gov. 

LIKE 

US ON 

Facebook.com/westnewsmagazine 

gooD FrienDS. 

great FooD. 

colD DrinkS. 

Daily lunch & Dinner SpecialS 

288 lamp & lantern Village - upper leVel 

636-256-7201 

Grand 

Opening 

FULL-TIME 

OPEN 7 DAYS/WEEK 

STARTING MARCH 18 TH 

Almost 50 Years 

"FREE DRINK" 

(Yes, in April we will celebrate 50 years being open.) 

So, If you come in to one of our restaurants this month, I will buy your 

Second drink! Of course you have to have a house brand! And this is only good 

in March 2024. Oh, we pour heavy so make sure you have a ride home! 

(Oh and you have to give this ad to the server or bartender.) 

15310 Manchester Road 

(Ballwin/Ellisville) 

636-391-3700 

GRAND EXPANSIONS 

RIBBON CUTTING 

CEREMONY 

THURSDAY, MARCH 14 

11:30 AM 

NEW HOURS! 

Monday to Friday • 8 to 2pm 

Saturday & Sunday • 8 to 4pm 

17409 CHESTERFIELD AIRPORT RD, STE A | CHESTERFIELD, MO 63005 

636-778-0188 | WWW.FRENCHCREPERIE.COM





I 45 

EVENTS, from page 42 

transportation, while learning about all 

aspects of safety with the Eureka Police 

Department. Free event. For details, visit 

eureka.mo.us. 

FESTIVALS 

Arbor Day Celebration is from 10 a.m.- 

noon on Saturday, March 23 at Kircher 

Park, 25 Williams Road in Eureka. Stop by 

Kircher Park during the Youth Easter Egg 

Hunt to pick up a free tree. Limit one tree 

per family. Handicap parking will be available 

at Kircher Park, general parking is 

available at Eureka Soccer Park. Free with 

a non-perishable food item. For details, 

visit eureka.mo.us. 

• • • 

Maker’s Mart & Arbor Day Festival 

is from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, April 

20 at Schroeder Park, 359 Old Meramec 

Station Road in Manchester. The treeplanting 

ceremony is from 9:30-10 a.m. 

Free seedling giveaway. Free event. For 

details, visit manchestermo.gov/319/Manchester-Earth-Day-Makers-Mart. 

• • • 

Glow Golf is from 7:30-10 p.m. on 

Friday, April 26 at the Ballwin Golf Course, 

333 Holloway Road. Play golf in the dark 

with LED golf balls. The cost is $40 per 

person and includes the round, the cart, and 

the LED golf ball. For details, visit ballwin. 

mo.us. 

• • • 

Mega Event is from 8 a.m.-11 a.m. 

on Saturday, April 27 at Reber Park, 109 

Lindy Blvd. in the City of Winchester. Free 

electronics recycling, document shredding, 

Arbor Day tree giveaway and food drive. 

Rain or Shine. For details, visit city.winchester.mo.us/Parks-and-Recreation. 

HIKES & RUNS 

The city of Wildwood’s (Virtual) Cabin 

Fever Hiking Challenge is back for 2024. 

Complete two designated hikes within the 

timeframes, submit your selfies and earn 

Wildwood swag. Hike 2 runs through March 

17. There is no cost to participate. For details 

and route maps, visit cityofwildwood.com. 

• • • 

PJ 5K & 1 Mile Sleepwalk is from 8 

a.m.-noon on Saturday, March 23 at Schroeder 

Park, 359 Old Meramec Station Road 

in Manchester. Each registrant will receive 

a shirt, a finisher medal, post-run snacks 

and more. Wear your pajamas. Pre-registration 

cost is $25 for a family and $30 for 

an individual. On race day, the cost is $30 

for a family and $35 for an individual. For 

details, visit manchestermo.gov. 

• • • 

Bee Dash 5K is at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, 

May 18 at La Salle Retreat Center, 2101 

Rue De LaSalle Drive in Wildwood. Celebrate 

World Bee Day with a 5K run/walk. 

Enjoy the festivities afterward including 

food, drink, live music and local beekeepers. 

Cost is $35. For details and registration, 

visit lasalleretreat.org. 

• • • 

Ballwin Triathlon is from 5-10:30 a.m. 

on Sunday, July 21 at North Pointe Aquatic 

Center in Ballwin. This is a 300 yd. swim, 

9 mile bike and 3.4 mile run. The event fills 

fast, secure a spot early. No race day registration. 

Pricing starts at $60. For details, 

visit mseracing.com/ballwin-triathlon. 

Here is an alphabetical list of Friday Fish Fries through March 22. 

American Legion Post 397, 934 Rue 

De La Banque in Creve Coeur from 11 

a.m.-2 p.m. and 4:30-7 p.m. The menu 

includes catfish, cod, shrimp, clams, 

french fries, baked beans, spaghetti, hushpuppies, 

coleslaw and potato salad. For 

details, call (314) 872-3186. 

• • • 

Ballwin VFW Post #6274, 115 

Mimosa Lane from 4:30-7 p.m. or until 

sold out. Choice of cod, catfish, shrimp or 

chicken strips, plus two sides. For details, 

visit Facebook and search, “Ballwin VFW 

Post 6274.” 

• • • 

Christ Prince of Peace Parish, 415 

Weidman Road in Manchester from 4:45- 

7:30 p.m. Fried cod, baked tilapia, grilled 

shrimp, cheese pizza and more. For 

details, visit christprinceofpeace.com or 

call (636) 391-1307. 

• • • 

Holy Infant Catholic Church, 627 

Dennison Drive in Ballwin from 4:30- 

7:30 p.m. on Fridays through March 22. 

Fried grouper, baked salmon, baked or 

fried cod and shrimp are featured. For 

details, visit holyinfantballwin.org. 

• • • 

Incarnate Word Knights of Columbus, 

13416 Olive Blvd. in Chesterfield 

from 4-7 p.m. Fried cod, fried shrimp, 

baked tilapia, Cajun seafood gumbo 

and more. Bulk orders and online 

payments for most of the menu items 

will be accepted. For details, visit 

stlfishfry.com. 

• • • 

Most Sacred Heart Church, 350 E. 

4th Street in Eureka from 4-7 p.m. Fried 

fish, homemade coleslaw, green beans, 

mac and cheese and dessert. Available 

as drive-thru or dine-in. For details, visit 

sacredhearteureka.org or call (636) 938- 

5048. 

• • • 

St. Alban Roe Fish Fry is from 4:30-7 

p.m. on Friday, March 8 at St. Alban Roe, 

2001 Shepard Road in Wildwood. Baked 

and fried cod, fried catfish, butterfly 

shrimp, mac and cheese, cheese pizza by 

the slice with assorted sides and desserts. 

Carry-out is available. For details, call 

(636) 458-2977. 

• • • 

St. Bridget of Kildare, 223 W. Union 

St. in Pacific from 4-7 p.m. Fried catfish, 

cod, shrimp, fries, green beans, spaghetti, 

cole slaw and desserts. Carry out, drivethru 

and dine-in. For details, visit sbkparish.org 

or call (636) 271-3993. 

• • • 

St. Clare of Assisi, 15642 Clayton Road 

in Ellisville, from 4-7 p.m. Menu items 

include fried and baked cod, salmon, and 

shrimp. Sides, appetizers and children’s 

dinners are also available. For details, call 

(636) 394-7307. 

• • • 

St. Joseph Parish, 567 St. Joseph 

Lane in Manchester, from 4:30-7:15 p.m. 

every Friday during Lent except Good 

Friday. Menu items include fish and all 

the trimmings, fish tacos and dessert. 

Dine-in or Carry out. For details, visit 

stjoemanchester.org. 

43 Years! 

WEST HOME PAGES 

DECK STAINING 

NEAT • ON TIME • AFFORDABLE 

• NO Spraying or Rolling Mess! 

• NO Money Down! 

• Fully Insured • References 

SCHEDULE NOW FOR EARLY SPRING RUSH!!! 

H NEST 

JUNK HAULING 

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$ 

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314-312-1077 

Locally Owned & Operated 

BY 

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H NEST 

JUNK HAULING 

$ 

25.00 OFF 

Any Service 


www.honestjunk.com 

314-312-1077 

Locally Owned & Operated 

NOW 

ACCEPTING: 

30+ YEARS 

EXPERIENCE 

County House Washing 

& Painting 

A+ 

RATED 

WEST 

INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR 

PAINTING SPECIALIST 

PAINTING • STAINING • POWERWASHING 

Mike Lynch 636.394.0013 

WWW.COUNTYHOUSEWASHING.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

46 I 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


WEST HOME PAGES 

THE GARDEN ANT 

Landscaping and Lawncare 

Make your lawn 

the envy of the 

neighborhood! 

We’ll keep it healthy, 

lush and beautiful 

all year round. 

OUR SERVICES 

• General Clean Up 

• Mowing 

• Bush & Tree Trimming 

• Flower Bed Installation 

• Walkways, Patios & Walls 

• Downspouts & Drainage 

50% OFF 

ON YOUR GRASS CUTTING FOR THE WHOLE YEAR! 

CALL FOR DETAILS! 

SAMMY: 956-441-7974 • LAURA: 314-705-1899 

WE WORK YEAR ROUND 

ROOFING • GUTTERS 

TUCKPOINTING • LEAF GARD 

Siding • Soffit • Fascia & Repairs 

Best Quality & Prices Since 1988! 

314-968-7848 

www.stlroofing.com 

Driveways, Patios, Pool Decks, Garage Floors, 

Retaining Walls, Stamped and Colored Concrete 

Insured For Your Protection 

636-938-ROOF (7663) 

Like us on Facebook 

Locally Owned & Operated by Rick Hinkson 

• Deck Construction • Deck Staining 

• Deck Repairs • Staircases 

• Deck Upgrades • Hand Rail 

CUSTOM DECKS 

SCREEN ROOMS, ENCLOSURES, 

REPAIRS, RESURFACE, PATIOS, STAMPED CONCRETE, 

4 SEASON ROOMS, OUTDOOR LIVING SPACES 

• Fully Insured 

• Warranty 

• No Money Up Front 

GENERAL CONTRACTOR | All Types Of Home Improvements 

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

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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 

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 

Locally Owned & Operated by Tim Hallahan 

Serving West County for 25+ Years 

636.458.6400 

timjhallahan@gmail.com 

westwoodpaintinginc.com 

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 

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 

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314.518.0231 

CONCRETE 

Patios • Driveways • Sidewalks 

Textured Finishes also available 

Licensed & Insured 

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Our Home Page professionals will help you with your 

SPRING CLEAN-UP 

AND HOME REPAIRS





I 47 

PARKS, from page 21 

Parks was also nominated for the Missouri 

Ambassadors of Music and was chosen as 

first chair for flute for their 2023 tour, which 

allowed her to tour and perform in five 

European countries last summer. Parks said 

her favorite stop on the tour to perform was 

in the garden at the Sound of Music house 

in Austria. Another memorable stop for her 

was visiting the birthplace of the classical 

music composer Mozart. 

And this past fall, she was selected to 

march in the competitive Macy’s Great 

American Marching Band Parade on 

Thanksgiving Day in New York City. 

“Forty nine states were represented in the 

marching band,” Parks said. “We received 

the music ahead of time, but when we got 

there we spent several days practicing for 

up to five hours a day. We only marched in 

the parade for an hour, but it felt longer.” 

Parks also acts as lead drum major for the 

Parkway South marching band, participates 

in the top jazz band and a community band 

organized by Parkway and is a member of 

the Saint Louis Youth Symphony Orchestra 

for the 2023-24 season. 

Parks accomplished these feats while 

maintaining a 4.2 grade point average and 

serving as the president and founder of 

her school’s chapter of the Tri-M National 

Music Honor Society, an officer of the 

National Business Honor Society, the 

president of the Green Club and a two-year 

member of the National Honor Society. In 

her free time, Parks said she likes to read 

and is getting into crochet. 

Parks has been accepted into University 

of Missouri-Columbia Honors College and 

plans to double major in flute and computer 

science when she begins college next fall. 

There she will play the flute in the concert 

band, which doesn’t include marching. 

When she looks back on the last ten years, 

Parks said playing the flute during that time 

has allowed her to do more things than she 

dreamed possible. 

“I feel very proud of the last ten years and 

also feel very prepared for college and my 

future because of it,” Parks said. “I feel like 

being in music and being in music ensembles 

has let me interact with people I wouldn’t 

have met otherwise. I was able to help build 

a community through music and meet other 

people with a common interest too.” 

WEST CLASSIFIEDS • 636.591.0010 • CLASSIFIEDS@NEWSMAGAZINENETWORK.COM 

CARPET 

-CARPET REPAIRS- 

Restretching • Reseaming 

& Patching. 

No job is to small! 

FREE Estimates 

(314) 892-1003 

COLLECTIBLES 

WANTED TO BUY 

• SPORTS MEMORABILIA • 

Baseball Cards, Sports Cards, 

Cardinals Souvenirs and 

Memorabilia. Pre-1975 Only. 

Private Collector: 

314-302-1785 

COMPUTER SERVICES 

Need Computer Help? 

Call Steve! 

Set up & troubleshooting 

Affordable, Certified Tech 

with 22 years’ experience! 

Call 314-497-2028 

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. 

DECKS 

Deck Staining 

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 & 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 

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 

• Brushed & Rolled Only 

• No money up front/Warranty 

A+ 

Free Estimates • Insured/A+BBB 

EverythingDecks.net • (636) 337-7733 

FENCES 

Wood | Aluminum | Vinyl | Composite 

NEW INSTALL – REPAIRS – STAINING 

Unmatched Quality | Competitive Prices | Residential or Commercial 

WWW.WESTERNFENCES.COM | 636.215.1730 

HAULING 

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 

THREE FRENCH HENS 

16935 Manchester Road • Wildwood 

Hiring multiple positions 

Email resume to 

inquiriesthreefrenchhens@gmail.com 

The City of Wildwood is seeking 

experienced candidates 

for the full-time position of 

Accounting Clerk. 

Please proceed to the City of 

Wildwood website for details. 

We are an equal opportunity employer. 

Experienced In Home Care and 

Assistance is hiring Exceptional 

Caregivers. Competitive pay, 

caregiver appreciation benefits, 

and flexible schedules, such as: 

4,8, and 12 hour shifts. F/T and 

P/T shifts, days, nights, and weekends. 

Sign on bonus for full time 

employees, Call 636-525-5445 

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 

Lakeside Children’s Academy 

IS HIRING!!! 

We need experienced, dedicated 

teachers who can work 

Monday - Friday 

40 hours/ week. 

Email or Call Today! 

Laura@lakesidechildrens 

academy.com 

or 636 225 4800 

HOME IMPROVEMENT 

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 

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 

PRISTINE MIDWEST 

CONSTRUCTION LLC 

Specializing in 

Decks & Fences 


pristinemidwest@gmail.com 

(314) 575-3879 

LANDSCAPING 

-MULCHING- 

-AERATING- 

-Spring Clean-Ups- 

Preparing/Cleaning Beds 

Preen • Leaf Removal 

Bush/Shrub Trimming 

Aeration • Seeding 

Fertilizing • Dethatching 

• FAST & FREE ESTIMATES • 

TWO MEN & A MOWER 

Call or text 636-432-3451 

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 

Leaf Clean Up 

& Vacuuming 

Pruning Work, Grading, 

Planting, and 

Dormant Sod Work. 


636-296-5050 

-Complete Outdoor Service- 

Hardscapes • Lawn Mowing 

Commercial • Residential 

Reasonable Rates 

Experienced & Insured 


United Lawn Services LLC 

Call Today (314) 660-9080 

curtis@unitedlawnservices.com 

www.unitedlawnservices.com 

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 

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 

FISHBURN’S LANDSCAPING 

Residential • Commercial 

HURRY BEFORE THE SPRING 

RUSH TO GET YOUR BID!! 

Leaf Clean Up • Retaining Walls 

Trees, Shrubs & Flower Planting 

and Trimming • Landscaping Rock 

FULLY Insured • FREE Estimates 

Call or Text Dave 314-843-0271 

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 

LANDSCAPING 

WEDDING SERVICES 

GREENSTONE LANDSCAPING 

Retaining walls, paver & natural 

stone patios. Lawn renovation, 

property maintenance, clean-up & 

storm water drainage. Mulching, 

flower planting, and more. 

Call TODAY 314-968-4900 

www.gslstl.com 

PAINTING 

DEFINO’S 

PAINTING SERVICES 

EST. 2006 

Interior & Exterior Painting 

Deck Staining 

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West Newsmagazine 3-6-24

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