West Newsmagazine 3-20-24
Local news, local politics and community events for West St. Louis County Missouri.
Local news, local politics and community events for West St. Louis County Missouri.
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
Vol. 29 No. 6 • March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
<strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
CARDINALS<br />
PREVIEW<br />
PLUS: April 2 ELECTION PREVIEW
FACEBOOK.COM/WESTNEWSMAGAZINE<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
STAR PARKER<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
I OPINION I 3<br />
This is not the Soviet<br />
Union, Mr. Biden<br />
In 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed.<br />
It marked the end of an experiment that<br />
lasted almost a century testing the premise<br />
that godless secularization, turning control<br />
of people’s lives over to other people<br />
to rule them, who decide what others need<br />
and how they should live and conduct<br />
their lives, is the answer for mankind.<br />
In the free world, the collapse of the<br />
Soviet Union was cause for celebration.<br />
In the USA, it was widely viewed as a victory<br />
of the American way of life – a free<br />
nation under God.<br />
But let’s not get confused between<br />
things and the names we give them.<br />
Our own country – despite the words in<br />
our founding documents about freedom<br />
and God – has been on a path adopting<br />
the same premises about human reality<br />
that lead to the collapse of the communist<br />
world.<br />
This was evident in President Joe<br />
Biden’s message to the nation in his State<br />
of the Union address.<br />
Biden, in so many words, delivered a<br />
message that the path for a better, wealthier,<br />
fairer America is more government.<br />
Despite the reality that the country is<br />
being crushed with staggering debt, the<br />
result of runaway government, Biden and<br />
his party celebrate this and want even<br />
more.<br />
The words find their way into numbers<br />
in the budget for the next 10 years that the<br />
president has just submitted to Congress.<br />
Federal spending in this budget will<br />
stand in fiscal year <strong>20</strong>25 at $7.3 trillion.<br />
One-quarter of our national economy consumed<br />
by the federal government.<br />
This amounts to a 14% increase from<br />
where federal spending stood in the last<br />
quarter of <strong>20</strong>23 – $6.4 trillion.<br />
Per the president’s spokesperson in the<br />
White House, this budget “invests in all of<br />
America to make sure everyone has a fair<br />
shot, we leave no one behind.”<br />
Translation: government will accumulate<br />
more power and decide what is fair<br />
and achieve its aims with more government<br />
paid for with other people’s money.<br />
The beautiful language of leaving “no<br />
one behind” means government expansion<br />
into every area of our lives, including<br />
subsidized child care for families earning<br />
$<strong>20</strong>0,000 and below.<br />
The bill for the massive new spending,<br />
per the president’s budget, will be paid for<br />
with a total of $4.9 trillion in tax increases<br />
on the wealthy and on corporations.<br />
I say “supposedly paid for” because<br />
expansion of government under the premises<br />
of raising taxes on the most successful<br />
sectors of our economy never works.<br />
Renown economist Arthur Laffer and<br />
Heritage Foundation economist Stephen<br />
Moore just published data showing that<br />
when President Donald Trump cut the<br />
highest individual tax rate and cut the corporate<br />
tax rate in <strong>20</strong>17, the percentage of<br />
overall taxes paid by the wealthiest 1% of<br />
the population increased.<br />
Before the Trump tax cuts, the top 1%<br />
paid “a little more than 40% of the income<br />
taxes collected,” per Laffer and Moore.<br />
After the tax cuts, that percentage<br />
increased to almost 46%.<br />
This was not something new. Laffer<br />
and Moore show data going back to 1980<br />
showing general correlation of lower top<br />
tax rates with a larger percentage of overall<br />
taxes paid by the top 1%.<br />
Freedom means unleashing productivity<br />
and creativity. Absence of freedom means<br />
punishing both and therefore getting less<br />
of both.<br />
It’s why the Soviet Union collapsed.<br />
Godless secularism doesn’t work.<br />
The latest edition of CURE’s “The State<br />
of Black Progress” shows the uniform<br />
failure of expansion of government into<br />
health care, education, housing and retirement,<br />
all in the name of “fairness” and no<br />
one being “left behind.”<br />
The truth really is it’s more than this. It’s<br />
about politicians who love power buying<br />
it with gifts given with other people’s<br />
money. Harsh to say, but this is reality.<br />
Only 19% of Americans are satisfied<br />
with the direction of the country, per<br />
Gallup.<br />
Most Americans feel something is<br />
wrong. We need leadership to take us back<br />
to freedom and God.<br />
• • •<br />
Star Parker is president of the Center<br />
for Urban Renewal and Education and<br />
host of the weekly television show “Cure<br />
America with Star Parker.”<br />
© <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong> Creators.com<br />
Read more on westnewsmagazine.com<br />
CONCRETE MEDIC LLC<br />
FOUNDATION & FLATWORK PRO’S<br />
WE CAN REMOVE AND REPLACE<br />
YOUR OLD CONCRETE.<br />
DRIVEWAYS • PATIOS • STEPS<br />
65th<br />
Anniversary<br />
Easter<br />
UNRISE<br />
S<br />
memorial<br />
Babler State Park<br />
March 31 st • 7:30 am<br />
Non-Denominational Christian Service.<br />
Tent available for inclement weather.<br />
LET US USE YOUR HOME<br />
AS A DISPLAY FOR OUR<br />
STAMPED PRODUCTS –<br />
BIG SAVINGS!!<br />
Epoxy Injections for Cracks • Chemical Cleaning<br />
Seal Coating • Waterproofing • Crack Stitching<br />
Footing/Foundation Stabilization • Drainage Systems<br />
Brick & Stone • Repair Leaky Basements<br />
636.742.5000 • www.ConcreteMedicLLC.com
4 I OPINION I<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
@WESTNEWSMAG<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR<br />
Food sales tax<br />
As a proud citizen of Chesterfield<br />
who is very aware of the extremely conservative,<br />
money-conscious City Council,<br />
I find comments made by Dr. Dennis<br />
Ganahl and the recent bill put forth by<br />
Rep. Ben Keathley very disappointing.<br />
Chesterfield citizens have been<br />
repeatedly informed that the main<br />
source of revenue is sales tax, as the<br />
city collects no property tax. No one<br />
likes to pay taxes, but the reality is that<br />
taxes pay for services the city provides.<br />
The proposed stopping of sales tax on<br />
food would decrease city revenue from<br />
sales tax by an estimated 25%.<br />
Ganahl and Keathley obviously have<br />
not studied the city’s expenditures.<br />
City council members earn $500 per<br />
month, the mayor earns $1,000 per<br />
month (gross pay), salaries which have<br />
not changed in 35 years. The only main<br />
expenditure spent on a select group is<br />
the annual volunteer dinner. Money is<br />
not squandered and criticisms should<br />
be based on fact. It’s easy for politicians<br />
to put forth legislation that makes<br />
them sound good, but that same legislation<br />
can be quite damaging to the<br />
citizenry.<br />
Louise Nation<br />
In ballot language<br />
I read the article on the propositions<br />
(“On the Ballot: The Propositions,”<br />
March 6) that stated “in ballot language.”<br />
I think all propositions for all<br />
elections should be in “voter language”<br />
so voters know what they are voting<br />
for and not have to guess what they are<br />
voting for. If someone could decipher<br />
proposition language and show the<br />
proposition wordage in layman’s terms<br />
it would be so much easier to make an<br />
informed decision.<br />
Pauline Crain<br />
Founder Doug Huber<br />
Publisher Emeritus Sharon Huber<br />
Publisher Tim Weber<br />
Managing Editor Dan Fox<br />
Associate Editor Kate Uptergrove<br />
Associate Editor Tracey Bruce<br />
Staff Writer Laura Brown<br />
Features Editor Lisa Russell<br />
Business Manager Erica Myers<br />
Graphic Designer Donna Deck<br />
Graphic Designer Aly Doty<br />
Graphic Layout Emily Rothermich<br />
Advertising Account Executives<br />
WANT TO EXPRESS YOUR OPINION?<br />
Submit your letter to: editor@newsmagazinenetwork.com<br />
Nancy Anderson<br />
Vicky Czapla<br />
Ellen Hartbeck<br />
Linda Joyce<br />
Joe Ritter<br />
Sheila Roberts<br />
ON THE COVER: St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn (0) fields his position during an MLB<br />
game against the San Diego Padres on August 30, <strong>20</strong>23 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri.<br />
(Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire)<br />
Suzanne Corbett<br />
Jeffry Greenberg<br />
DeAnne LeBlanc<br />
Reporters<br />
Cathy Lenny<br />
Warren Mayes<br />
Shwetha Sundarrajan<br />
ATTENTION<br />
READERS:<br />
Make sure you are signed up for your<br />
FREE subscription today!<br />
1. If you got this paper in your mailbox and your first and last<br />
name are on the front cover label, THANK YOU for subscribing.<br />
You are all signed up and will continue to get the paper in your<br />
mailbox for the next three years.<br />
2. If you got this paper in your mailbox and the label reads<br />
“Current Resident” then you need to fill out and mail in the<br />
form on this ad or visit westnewsmagazine.com/subscribe to<br />
subscribe. Otherwise, this could be the last paper you receive<br />
in the mail.<br />
3. If you picked this paper up at a newsstand such as Schnucks<br />
or Dierbergs, thank you so much for your interest! Please visit<br />
westnewsmagazine.com/subscribe or fill out and mail in the<br />
form on this ad to subscribe and get the paper delivered right to<br />
your home FREE of charge.<br />
CLIP & MAIL<br />
By providing your signature below, <strong>West</strong> <strong>Newsmagazine</strong> will<br />
qualify as a Requester Periodical helping us save postage expense<br />
so we can continue to deliver your copy through the post office.<br />
YES, I want <strong>West</strong> <strong>Newsmagazine</strong>,<br />
Please deliver to:<br />
Name:<br />
Address:<br />
City: State: Zip:<br />
Phone:<br />
E-mail:<br />
Signature<br />
x<br />
Date: / /<br />
Mail to:<br />
754 Spirit 40 Park Drive • Chesterfield, MO 63005<br />
754 Spirit 40 Park Dr.<br />
Chesterfield, MO 63005<br />
(636) 591-0010<br />
westnewsmagazine.com<br />
Please send<br />
Comments, Letters and Press Releases to:<br />
editor@newsmagazinenetwork.com<br />
<strong>West</strong> <strong>Newsmagazine</strong> is published <strong>24</strong> times per year by<br />
<strong>West</strong> Media Inc. 40,000 distribution (direct mailed and<br />
newsstands) in <strong>West</strong> St. Louis County. Products and<br />
services advertised are not necessarily endorsed by<br />
<strong>West</strong> <strong>Newsmagazine</strong> and views expressed in editorial<br />
copy are not necessarily those of <strong>West</strong> <strong>Newsmagazine</strong>.<br />
No part of <strong>West</strong> <strong>Newsmagazine</strong> may be reproduced<br />
in any form without prior written consent from <strong>West</strong><br />
<strong>Newsmagazine</strong>. All letters addressed to <strong>West</strong><br />
<strong>Newsmagazine</strong> or its editor are assumed to be intended<br />
for publication and are subject to editing for content<br />
and length. <strong>West</strong> <strong>Newsmagazine</strong> reserves the right to<br />
refuse any advertisement or editorial submission.<br />
© Copyright <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong>.<br />
A PUBLICATION OF
Facebook “f” Logo CMYK / .eps Facebook “f” Logo CMYK / .eps<br />
Zick’s Great Outdoors<br />
CELEBRATING 44 YEARS<br />
with New Shipments Arriving Daily!<br />
#<br />
1 Customer Comment:<br />
“This place is incredible!”<br />
With over 8 acres of large trees, perennials,<br />
shrubs, annuals and much more. Come see a<br />
REAL nursery! (Not a box-store parking lot.)<br />
Enjoy Lenten Rose<br />
throughout Lent<br />
1000’s of Lenten Rose just arrived at ZICK’S<br />
One of the Midwest’s<br />
Most Unique<br />
Nursery Experiences<br />
Pansies have Just Arrived!<br />
Deer won’t touch or eat them • Can take a spring<br />
frost or freeze • Almost evergreen perennial<br />
50% OFF<br />
LENTEN ROSE THRU EASTER OR WHILE SUPPLIES LAST<br />
WE ARE WEED<br />
CONTROL EXPERTS!<br />
Zicks has the products and the<br />
KNOWLEDGE to keep your lawn<br />
and beds WEED FREE!<br />
HOURS: Monday through Saturday<br />
8AM to 5PM • Sunday 9AM-5PM<br />
Weather pending. Please call first.<br />
These annuals can take a frost!<br />
We carry bulk and bagged<br />
mulches, and pine straw!!!<br />
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK!<br />
636.458.1445 • 16498 Clayton Road<br />
(Corner of Clayton/Strecker in Wildwood)
6 I OPINION I<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
@WESTNEWSMAG<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
LEADERSHIP & EXPERIENCE<br />
Commitment to Good Governance<br />
Enhancing Quality of Life<br />
Promoting Economic Vitality<br />
Protecting the Master Plan &<br />
Environmental Stewardship<br />
Completing the Village Green<br />
Advancing Internet Access<br />
“My mission remains steadfast –<br />
to serve our citizens by providing<br />
solutions, advocating for the<br />
city’s best interests, and working<br />
tirelessly to enhance Wildwood.”<br />
VOTE<br />
APRIL 2 ND<br />
GOJOEG.COM<br />
VOTE<br />
Get the facts this Election season at<br />
314-750-5489<br />
joe@joegarritano.com<br />
Paid for by Joe Garritano for Wildwood, James Hrubes, Treasurer<br />
EDITORIAL<br />
How dangerous is TikTok?<br />
We’ve seen the headlines. The House of<br />
Representatives overwhelmingly voted to<br />
force TikTok’s Chinese ownership group to<br />
sell or face a ban from all U.S. app stores.<br />
The reason? The social media app poses a<br />
risk to national security, they say. That bill<br />
now heads to the Senate, where its ultimate<br />
outcome is unclear. President Joe Biden has<br />
said that he will sign the bill. Then again,<br />
the president is also using TikTok to promote<br />
his re-election campaign. All of this<br />
begs the question, just how dangerous is<br />
TikTok really?<br />
THE CHINA THREAT<br />
TikTok is owned by the Chinese conglomerate<br />
ByteDance. Does ByteDance cooperate<br />
with the Chinese Communist Party? The<br />
simple answer is yes, they do, because they<br />
are required by law to do so. Article 7 of the<br />
National Intelligence Law of <strong>20</strong>17 states:<br />
“All organizations and citizens shall support,<br />
assist, and cooperate with national<br />
intelligence efforts in accordance with law,<br />
and shall protect national intelligence work<br />
secrets they are aware of.”<br />
Now, the law continues to say those<br />
efforts must preserve individual rights and<br />
be conducted lawfully, but the inherent<br />
threat remains. There is a long list of anecdotal<br />
evidence that company leaders who<br />
do not acquiesce to government demands<br />
get punished harshly. The most famous<br />
businessman in China, Alibaba founder Jack<br />
Ma, disappeared for three months in <strong>20</strong><strong>20</strong><br />
after publicly questioning the government.<br />
Google search Bao Fan, Xu Ming, Whitney<br />
Duan or Xiao Jianhua. It is very, very<br />
dangerous to be a Chinese billionaire unless<br />
you toe the party line.<br />
So is Chinese ownership a legitimate<br />
problem? Absolutely, yes.<br />
THE DATA THREAT<br />
We have established that Chinese ownership<br />
is a problem, so the question now<br />
becomes how big of a problem? What data<br />
do they have and what can they do with it?<br />
First off, let’s admit that TikTok’s privacy<br />
policy is shark-fin-in-shallow-water,<br />
Norman-Bates-outside-the-shower-curtainlevel<br />
scary. Seriously, when they flatly<br />
acknowledge collecting “keystroke patterns<br />
or rhythms” and “biometric identifiers” such<br />
as “faceprints and voiceprints,” the “Jaws”<br />
theme starts playing in your head. The truth<br />
is, however, the same could be said for any<br />
and all social media app privacy policies.<br />
Elon Musk’s X (nee Twitter) collects biometric<br />
information as well. Seriously, if we<br />
all read the privacy policies from our favorite<br />
apps, we would just curl up into a collective<br />
fetal position and go back to using<br />
pagers or even corded landline telephones.<br />
In short, TikTok does not seem to be<br />
collecting data that is more nefarious than<br />
anyone else.<br />
Now, how do they use that data? Therein<br />
lies the rub, as old Bill Shakespeare might<br />
say. If the collection of data is the devil we<br />
know, then the manipulation of that data is<br />
the devil we don’t. It’s Oz behind the curtain,<br />
only Oz is the Chinese Communist Party. We<br />
have absolutely no (zero, zip, zilch, nada)<br />
transparency into how the company adjusts<br />
its algorithm to target certain goals. This is<br />
the real problem with a Chinese ownership<br />
group. The app, which now has more than<br />
170 million U.S. users, can elect to increase<br />
or decrease exposure to any content it so<br />
chooses. As an example, pro-Russian videos<br />
certainly seem to be amplified on TikTok<br />
more than any other platform. If China can<br />
manipulate the data, one must assume that<br />
they will manipulate the data.<br />
THE EXISTENTIAL THREAT<br />
This is the worst part. Whether a byproduct<br />
of its inner-workings or by design,<br />
TikTok promotes harmful content to children.<br />
Last year, two reports commissioned<br />
by Amnesty International led them to the<br />
following conclusion:<br />
“TikTok’s content recommender system<br />
and its invasive data collection practices<br />
pose a danger to young users of the platform<br />
by amplifying depressive and suicidal<br />
content that risk worsening existing mental<br />
health challenges.”<br />
One of the reports showed that in the first<br />
<strong>20</strong> minutes of logging on “more than half of<br />
the videos in the “For You” feed were related<br />
to mental health struggles with multiple recommended<br />
videos in a single hour romanticizing,<br />
normalizing or encouraging suicide.”<br />
That’s terrifying. It also will not be solved<br />
by forcing ByteDance to sell to an American<br />
owner.<br />
The decision to ban or force a sale of a<br />
private company is complicated. One hopes<br />
that government never intercedes in matters<br />
of speech or privacy. That said, the level of<br />
technical manipulation possible today was<br />
never envisioned by our Founding Fathers.<br />
By the way, perhaps this can be indicative<br />
of needed action. Do you know what other<br />
country has seen fit to ban TikTok because<br />
it is too dangerous? You guessed it. China.
WINNER!<br />
$1 share deposit required. Must qualify for membership. Federally insured by NCUA. Ranking emerges from a study conducted by Newsweek and Plant-A Insights<br />
Group which examined 9,440 banks and credit unions across the United States. The analysis listed 250 credit unions and 250 banks as being outstanding in areas<br />
of stability, profitability, risk exposure, and overall health.
8 I NEWS I<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
@WESTNEWSMAG<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
Shanley Gibson in a Metro <strong>West</strong> fire engine, her reward for collecting the most money in Woerther’s Elementary Kids Heart Challenge, which benefits<br />
the American Heart Association.<br />
(Photos courtesy of Megan Gibson)<br />
NEWS<br />
BRIEFS<br />
BALLWIN<br />
First grader takes fire<br />
truck to school<br />
Shanley Gibson didn’t take the bus to<br />
school on March 13, though her ride was<br />
still bright yellow with flashing lights.<br />
The Woerther Elementary first grader<br />
had earned a special honor for collecting<br />
the most money ($611) of any student in<br />
her school in the annual Kids Heart Challenge,<br />
which serves the American Heart<br />
Association. A Metro <strong>West</strong> Fire Protection<br />
District truck and firefighters brought her<br />
reward to her Ballwin home.<br />
“That was really cool,” said mom Megan<br />
Gibson. “The top collector for the school got<br />
to have a ride to school on a fire truck. It actually<br />
showed up to our house about an hour<br />
early. They were the nicest guys, and they<br />
took her and her sister (Kenna) around the<br />
neighborhood with tons of kids seeing Shanley<br />
waving. She headed to school in the fire<br />
truck and her whole class came out to see her<br />
get off the truck. Her dad (John Gibson) said<br />
she had the biggest smile he had ever seen!”<br />
“It was awesome! It was so much fun!”<br />
Shanley said. “They gave me a little fire<br />
helmet, and when I got in there, they<br />
showed me what everything looks like on<br />
the truck. When I rode, they put these little<br />
things on my ears and something on my<br />
nose so I could talk.”<br />
Ballwin Ward 1 alderman Mike Utt,<br />
Shanley’s grandfather, was also present<br />
that morning. He said that the look on<br />
Shanley’s face was priceless, especially<br />
considering that the anticipated excitement<br />
of the special trip had kept her up most of<br />
the night.<br />
However, there is a bit more to the story<br />
involving Utt himself, who was a large part<br />
of Shanley’s motivation in the Kids Heart<br />
Challenge.<br />
“She made it extra important to her<br />
because my dad had a heart attack at a<br />
young age,” Megan said.<br />
Several classes at Woerther collected more<br />
than $2,000 total, but Shanley described<br />
why she was able to do so well individually<br />
through the online donation process.<br />
“I have a lot of people that love me,”<br />
Shanley said. “Also, I thought it was fun<br />
and I liked knowing it changed a lot of<br />
people’s lives.”<br />
CHESTERFIELD<br />
Rezoning request by<br />
Chesterfield YMCA<br />
The Chesterfield Family YMCA has<br />
requested an amendment to the existing<br />
planned commercial district for a 5.6-acre<br />
tract of land located at 16464 Burkhardt<br />
Place.<br />
The Chesterfield City Council took a first<br />
reading of the proposed zoning ordinance<br />
on March 4. The ordinance would require<br />
the hours at the new facility to be the same<br />
as that of the YMCA.<br />
KAI Design, on behalf of the YMCA,<br />
submitted a request to allow “office-medical”<br />
as a permitted use and to modify the<br />
specific development criteria by increasing<br />
the maximum allowed square footage from<br />
74,000 to 84,000 square feet and reducing<br />
the required open space from 35% to 30%.<br />
The YMCA is planning to partner with a<br />
medical care provider at the site.<br />
Ty Wagner, vice president of properties<br />
at Gateway Regional YMCA, specified<br />
that it would not be an urgent care facility,<br />
and would provide medical services to<br />
promote healthy living.<br />
He said it would be similar to the new<br />
Affinia Healthcare in Ferguson, adjacent<br />
to the Emerson YMCA. Affinia provides<br />
pediatrics services, family medicine, OB/<br />
GYN care and dental care.<br />
With the ongoing development in Chesterfield,<br />
including Wildhorse Village, it will<br />
be great for the community to have access<br />
to a new medical care facility, Wagner said.<br />
CREVE COEUR<br />
City moves forward with<br />
sidewalk, roadway projects<br />
Highlights of the March 11 Creve Coeur<br />
City Council meeting included a unanimously<br />
passed resolution and the first reading of a<br />
bill. City Engineer Steven Berecz introduced<br />
both which combined major improvements<br />
on area sidewalks and roadways.<br />
The resolution specifically dealt with a<br />
contract to pay M&H Concrete Contractors,<br />
Inc. $1.58 million for <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong>-<strong>20</strong>26. That<br />
bid was 10% lower than Berecz’s department<br />
estimate of $1.79 million. The cost to<br />
Creve Coeur will be further lowered by the<br />
release of previous damage claims against<br />
Missouri American Water for a reimbursement<br />
amount of $508,870.<br />
The resolution is for concrete street work,<br />
sidewalks and some ramps in Ladue Pines<br />
Subdivision, Conway Gardens and along<br />
Executive Parkway.<br />
Meanwhile, the bill is to construct an<br />
accessible sidewalk on the west side of<br />
New Ballas Road from Magna Carta Drive<br />
and Rocky Drive. It will also fill in a gap<br />
in a New Ballas Road sidewalk between<br />
Ladue Road and the Old Ballas Road intersection<br />
with New Ballas Road.<br />
The federal Transportation Alternatives<br />
Program (TAP) is footing the bill for<br />
roughly 73% of that $610,000 project. It<br />
covers the design, right of way and construction<br />
phases for the project with a <strong>20</strong>26<br />
expected completion time.<br />
EUREKA<br />
Construction on $11.5 million<br />
government center begins<br />
Construction has begun on the $11.5<br />
million government center for the city<br />
of Eureka. The new facility, named the<br />
Michael A. Wiegand Justice Center after<br />
the city’s police chief, will house Eureka’s<br />
police department, municipal court and<br />
city offices.<br />
The project started on Jan. 11, with the<br />
demolition of the city’s 44-year-old Eureka<br />
city hall at 100 City Hall Drive.<br />
The new, 30,000-square-foot government<br />
center will be constructed on the<br />
same site and is scheduled to be completed<br />
in December <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong>, according to a<br />
press release from Integrate Construction<br />
Partners. City hall employees are working<br />
from temporary offices at the city’s public<br />
works facility until the new government<br />
center is complete.<br />
MANCHESTER<br />
Three grants to aid police<br />
in traffic enforcement<br />
Three resolutions were passed by a measure<br />
of 5-0 during the Manchester Board of<br />
Aldermen meeting on March 4 in support<br />
of highway safety traffic enforcement within<br />
city limits through the Missouri Highways<br />
and Traffic Enforcement Grant program.
FACEBOOK.COM/WESTNEWSMAGAZINE<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
I NEWS I 9<br />
The first grant in the amount of $10,000<br />
is, in part, to pay for overtime hours for<br />
enforcement of hazardous moving violations.<br />
During the last five years, speeding<br />
and aggressive driving accounted for 53%<br />
of all traffic fatalities. Speed and aggressive<br />
driving are cited as a contributing<br />
factor more than twice as often as impaired<br />
driving. Law enforcement agencies are<br />
reporting that speeds are up significantly<br />
in the last three years. The grant will also<br />
facilitate professional development training<br />
at the Law Enforcement Traffic Safety<br />
Advisory Council conference.<br />
The second grant is for overtime<br />
enforcement of driving while intoxicated<br />
violations. Substance-impaired drivers<br />
contributed to 22% of Missouri’s traffic<br />
crash fatalities during the past five years.<br />
Alcohol remains the primary contributor to<br />
substance-impaired driving crashes; however,<br />
the number of people under the influence<br />
of prescription and/or illicit drugs has<br />
continued to rise.<br />
With recreational marijuana now legal<br />
in Missouri, there are concerns among law<br />
enforcement that this trend will continue.<br />
Males are responsible for 81.7% of substance-impaired<br />
driving fatalities, with 10%<br />
of children under the age of 15 killed in a<br />
motor vehicle crash over the last five years<br />
riding with a substance-impaired driver.<br />
The final grant of $7,500 is to pay for<br />
overtime hours to enforce occupant protection<br />
violations, otherwise known as seat<br />
belt violations. Manchester has a primary<br />
seat belt and texting while driving ordinance.<br />
Missouri’s observed seat belt use<br />
rate is 88.9%, which is below the national<br />
average of 91.6%. Teen seat belt use is<br />
of particular concern at just 71.8%. From<br />
<strong>20</strong>17-<strong>20</strong>21, just under 65% of drivers and<br />
occupants killed in crashes in Missouri<br />
were unrestrained. The percentage of unrestrained<br />
teens is higher at 71.6%, while the<br />
percent of pickup truck drivers and occupants<br />
is even higher at 76.6%.<br />
Ordinance to amend board of<br />
aldermen meeting time fails<br />
An ordinance to amend the time of the<br />
city of Manchester Board of Aldermen<br />
meetings on the first and third Mondays<br />
of the month failed by a measure of one<br />
to four at the regular meeting on March<br />
4. The proposed start time was 6:30 p.m.,<br />
which is 30 minutes earlier than its currently<br />
scheduled time of 7 p.m.<br />
The start time change was sought to<br />
shorten the time between employees leaving<br />
work at the end of their day and those<br />
required to return to attend the meeting<br />
later in the evening. Also taken into consideration<br />
was the desire for the board members<br />
and employees to have more time<br />
with their families following the ending of<br />
the meeting. However, the measure was<br />
primarily defeated because three board<br />
members are parents with young children,<br />
and they felt the 7 p.m. start time was more<br />
workable to their schedules.<br />
“City staff and I were very mindful that<br />
we did not want to disrupt residents who<br />
were accustomed to attending the meeting<br />
at 7 p.m.,” Mayor Mike Clement said. “The<br />
6:30 proposal also acknowledged the busy<br />
schedules that board of aldermen members<br />
juggle (particularly) those with kids and<br />
two working parents.”<br />
Clement explained also that the 6:30<br />
p.m. time slot would correspond with<br />
the current start time of the planning<br />
and zoning commission.<br />
EXPERTS IN DEMENTIA CARE<br />
gardenviewcarecenter.com<br />
636-537-3333 | CHESTERFIELD<br />
636-861-0500 | DOUGHERTY FERRY<br />
636-<strong>24</strong>0-2840 | O’FALLON<br />
Finance department receives<br />
certificate of achievement<br />
The Government Finance Officers Association<br />
of the United States and Canada has<br />
awarded the Certificate of Achievement for<br />
Excellence in Financial Reporting to the city<br />
of Manchester for its annual comprehensive<br />
financial report for the fiscal year that ended<br />
on Dec. 31, <strong>20</strong>22. The report was judged by<br />
an impartial panel to meet the high standards<br />
of the program, which includes demonstrating<br />
a constructive “spirit of full disclosure”<br />
to clearly communicate its financial<br />
story and motivate potential users and user<br />
groups to read the report. The certificate of<br />
achievement is the highest form of recognition<br />
in the area of governmental accounting<br />
and financial reporting, and its attainment<br />
represents a significant accomplishment by<br />
a government and its management.<br />
“The award recognizes the overall<br />
strength of the city’s finance department<br />
and the way they do their job,” Manchester<br />
Mayor Mike Clement said of the award.<br />
“Our staff are superb professionals. Besides<br />
being professionals, they are just excellent,<br />
caring people. Manchester is fortunate.”<br />
Let’s Be Active Together!<br />
A<br />
C<br />
T<br />
I<br />
V<br />
E<br />
ctivity promotes physical,<br />
cognitive and emotional<br />
well-being<br />
hair yoga is just one of<br />
the physical activities<br />
we promote<br />
herapists are at all of our<br />
locations to monitor a<br />
resident’s mobility<br />
and movement<br />
ndividual care programs<br />
include activities and<br />
exercise therapies<br />
itality<br />
is the key<br />
to happiness<br />
veryone<br />
is encouraged<br />
to be active
10 I<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGZINE<br />
ELECTION PREVIEW<br />
@WESTNEWSMAG<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
On The Ballot: Candidates in the April 2 Municipal Election<br />
Contested candidates in the following<br />
municipal races were asked the following<br />
questions:<br />
Q1. What qualifies you for this office<br />
(past experience, major accomplishments)?<br />
Q2. What are your top three priorities<br />
if elected?<br />
Q3. What else would you like our readers<br />
to know about you before heading to<br />
the polls?<br />
Below are the replies of candidates who<br />
responded by the deadline. Candidates<br />
are listed in ballot order. Incumbents are<br />
denoted with an asterisk. Term lengths<br />
are two years, except as otherwise noted.<br />
Only candidates in contested races were<br />
asked to participate.<br />
Answers do not reflect the opinions of<br />
this paper and have not been fact-checked.<br />
BALLWIN<br />
Board of Aldermen<br />
• Michael Finley*, Ward 1<br />
• Pam Haug, Ward 2<br />
Q1. I am an attorney who has a lot of<br />
leadership experience. However, I believe<br />
what most qualifies me for this office is<br />
my willingness to listen to citizens and try<br />
to help in any way I can.<br />
Q2. My top three priorities if elected<br />
are to maintain Ballwin’s safety, ensure<br />
taxes remain low and enhance our beautiful<br />
parks.<br />
Q3. I am willing to work hard for everyone<br />
in our city and want to be someone<br />
who citizens can count on. It would also<br />
be such an honor to be the only female on<br />
the current board. I would be so lucky to<br />
represent the people of Ward 2 in Ballwin<br />
and hope I receive your support.<br />
• Kevin Roach*, Ward 2<br />
Q1. As an alderman for nine years,<br />
and a Ballwin resident for 37 years, I<br />
have seen Ballwin change, for better and<br />
for worse. I voted with my constituents<br />
against the Vlasis Apartments and in<br />
other tough votes, and I have often been<br />
in the minority on the board. I will fight<br />
for you regardless. I am accountable and<br />
dedicated to the residents of Ward 2 and<br />
their interests regardless of the opposition<br />
of others. I am proud of my service to you.<br />
Please call on me with questions or concerns.<br />
Let’s keep working together for the<br />
good of Ballwin!<br />
Q2. Ballwin is a great hometown and<br />
has been mine for nearly 40 years. We,<br />
as friends and neighbors, need to work<br />
together to keep our city clean and safe.<br />
Having spoken with many in the community,<br />
our top priorities in city government<br />
should be to improve our roads and<br />
sidewalks, help grow Ballwin businesses<br />
and be a steward of our beautiful parks<br />
and recreation facilities. My job for nine<br />
years has been to be the voice for my constituents<br />
and to always look out for their<br />
interests. It’s an honor, and I’ll continue<br />
to do just that.<br />
Q3. One day I will no longer be an<br />
alderman. When that day comes, and I run<br />
into you at Schnucks or Target, I want to<br />
be able to look you in the eye and reflect<br />
back on my time sticking up for “us,” just<br />
another normal person from Ballwin. I’m<br />
not a good ol’ boy and that irritates the<br />
good ol’ boys. I aim to make you proud, to<br />
do what you would do or like to see done,<br />
and to better your position, without fear<br />
or favor. For as long as I serve, I’m your<br />
voice on the Board of Aldermen.<br />
• Frank Fleming*, Ward 3<br />
• David Siegel*, Ward 4<br />
CHESTERFIELD<br />
City Council<br />
• Mary Monachella*, Ward 1<br />
• Mary Ann Mastorakos*, Ward 2<br />
• Michael Moore*, Ward 3<br />
• Merrell Hansen*, Ward 4<br />
CLARKSON VALLEY<br />
Board of Aldermen<br />
• Jeff Schweig*, Ward 1<br />
• Brock MacDonald*, Ward 2<br />
• Lin Midyett*, Ward 3<br />
CREVE COEUR<br />
• Robert Hoffman*, Mayor<br />
City Council<br />
• Donna Spence, Ward 1<br />
• Kimberly Norwood, Ward 2<br />
• Drew Newman, Ward 3<br />
Q1. As a program manager, I have<br />
worked with clients like Siteman Cancer<br />
Center, MiTek and Washington University<br />
to help solve problems, achieve goals and<br />
convert plans into reality. As a citizen and<br />
advocate, I have worked within the community<br />
to help shape the Parkway School<br />
Board into what it has become today: a<br />
group of responsible and rational-thinking<br />
leaders.<br />
Q2. My priorities are economic growth,<br />
public safety and promoting diversity.<br />
Q3. Creve Coeur has great opportunities<br />
for development and growth. I have<br />
had the pleasure of raising a family here<br />
for the last 10 years. I want to give back<br />
to our community as your Ward 3 council<br />
member to make sure Creve Coeur is a<br />
place families are attracted to and where<br />
they feel safe.<br />
• Sari Neudorf*, Ward 3<br />
Q1. I running for re-election to continue<br />
the work of growing the city I’ve called<br />
home for more than six decades.<br />
Q2. My priorities are public safety and<br />
crime prevention, transparency in communications<br />
with constituents and community<br />
involvement and engagement<br />
outreach.<br />
Q3. I am a lifelong resident of Creve<br />
Coeur and appreciate the continuity of<br />
raising my family in the same community.<br />
I’m running to keep those values alive.<br />
• Scott Saunders*, Ward 4<br />
DES PERES<br />
• Mark Becker*, Mayor<br />
Board of Aldermen<br />
• John E. Pound*, Ward 1<br />
• James Kuenzi, Ward 1<br />
Candidate did not reply by press time.<br />
• Jennifer Weller, Ward 1<br />
Q1. I have been a resident of Des Peres<br />
for 15-plus years. As a woman and mother,<br />
I will bring a different perspective to the<br />
Board of Aldermen that can enrich the<br />
decision-making process and reflect the<br />
diversity of our community. My professional<br />
experience as an attorney has<br />
taught me to communicate effectively,<br />
build relationships and work collaboratively<br />
with many which will be an asset<br />
in this role.<br />
Q2. My priorities for Des Peres are<br />
thoughtful development aiming to ensure<br />
progress benefits all stakeholders. I also<br />
want to prioritize engaged citizenry, recognizing<br />
the importance of active participation<br />
and collaboration from the<br />
community in the decision-making process.<br />
Finally, I want to prioritize continued<br />
vibrancy to enhance the quality of life<br />
for all residents.<br />
Q3. I obtained my juris doctorate degree<br />
from Saint Louis University School of<br />
Law and have been a practicing attorney<br />
in Missouri and Illinois for over 25 years.<br />
I am currently a partner at Vessell Bridges<br />
Murphy Law Offices where I specialize in<br />
insurance defense. I have been an active<br />
board member of Kids’ Chance of Missouri<br />
for over <strong>20</strong> years. Kids Chance is<br />
a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization that<br />
provides post-high school scholarships<br />
to children of Missouri workers killed or<br />
severely injured on the job. When I am<br />
not working, I am busy keeping up with<br />
my two teenagers.<br />
• Dean Fitzpatrick*, Ward 2<br />
• Patrick Barrett*, Ward 3<br />
Q1. While serving the past six years as<br />
alderman, I have helped lead our community<br />
through a pandemic and come out<br />
of it in the strongest financial position the<br />
city has ever been in. We have been able<br />
to initiate $<strong>20</strong> million of long-needed capital<br />
improvement projects without raising<br />
taxes or reducing any community services.<br />
Q2. My top three priorities are: Crime<br />
prevention – while crime is down in Des<br />
Peres this past year, we must constantly<br />
focus on new technologies and strategies<br />
to continue to reduce crime. Improving<br />
streets – we must continue to improve our<br />
neighborhood streets. Oversee our capital<br />
improvement projects – we must carefully<br />
manage our ongoing $<strong>20</strong> million in capital<br />
improvement projects, as well as conscientiously<br />
manage development along<br />
Manchester Road.<br />
Q3. I am a lifelong resident of Des<br />
Peres, growing up in Berkley Manor and<br />
now living west of Interstate 270. I am a<br />
member of the St. Gerard parish and the<br />
proud parent of five children. I have an<br />
MBA from Washington University, and<br />
I am on the Board of Directors of Back-<br />
Stoppers Inc. I previously served on the<br />
St. Louis County Highway and Traffic<br />
Commission, as well as the Governor’s<br />
Advisory Council on Aging. I would truly<br />
appreciate your vote on April 2.<br />
• Kathleen McKean Gmelich, Ward 3<br />
Q1. I previously served as a Ward I<br />
alderman (1996-<strong>20</strong>17), acting as president<br />
of the board for three terms. Prior to<br />
that, I was a member of the Planning and<br />
Zoning Commission (1992-1996).<br />
As an alderman, I provided diligent<br />
fiscal and operational oversight. Beyond<br />
that, I was part of the leadership team that<br />
managed “milestone” projects such as the<br />
redevelopment of <strong>West</strong> County Mall, the<br />
establishment of The Lodge and the addition<br />
of a new Schnucks and Dierbergs. I<br />
have a bachelor’s degree in public administration,<br />
a master’s in business administration<br />
and a juris doctorate, and have<br />
practiced law part-time for 28-plus years.<br />
Q2. My priorities are: Ensure Des Peres<br />
offers a superior level of city services,<br />
recreational opportunities and public<br />
safety (police/fire) protection, with public<br />
safety protection being priority number<br />
one. Proactively manage the fiscal and<br />
operational affairs of the city, with an<br />
emphasis on upholding its zero residential<br />
property tax policy. Adopt building codes<br />
and ordinances that protect the interests of<br />
Des Peres residents without jeopardizing<br />
the commercial revenue base. Keep citizens<br />
informed and engaged. It will be my<br />
mission to help identify and develop the<br />
See ELECTION PREVIEW, page 22
FACEBOOK.COM/WESTNEWSMAGAZINE<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
Dear Ward 4 Residents,<br />
This past term,<br />
I have contributed to<br />
positive, meaningful<br />
change, fulfilling my<br />
commitment to you.<br />
RE-ELECT<br />
MERRELL HANSEN<br />
Chesterfield Council<br />
VOTE TUESDAY, APRIL 2<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
I 11<br />
Please accept my<br />
sincere appreciation<br />
for the opportunity<br />
to serve.<br />
Tuesday, April 2, I ask<br />
for your vote again, as<br />
I seek re-election.<br />
As your Councilmember,<br />
I will continue working<br />
hard to make ours a<br />
model community,<br />
based on your priorities.<br />
Merrell<br />
Chesterfield Councilmember<br />
CHAMPION FOR<br />
CHESTERFIELD<br />
As Chair of Planning & Public<br />
Works, Merrell led the 1st-line<br />
review for rezoning downtown<br />
Chesterfield. She encouraged<br />
input from residents and<br />
inspired a unanimous vote for<br />
the zoning change, to enable a<br />
vibrant, mixed-use downtown.<br />
Merrell protected the integrity<br />
of our neighborhoods, ensuring<br />
new developments were<br />
consistent with adjacent<br />
neighborhoods and green<br />
space was preserved. Merrell<br />
will continue to fight for<br />
our property values and<br />
sensible growth.<br />
SUPPORTER OF<br />
OUR POLICE<br />
Merrell believes that nothing<br />
is more important than the<br />
safety of our community.<br />
She supported our Police by<br />
funding updated technologies<br />
and replacing older vehicles.<br />
She endorsed a new Fraternal<br />
Order of Police agreement<br />
with improved benefits and<br />
more competitive salaries.<br />
Merrell introduced Trustees<br />
to our new Chief of Police,<br />
and she helped Veterans by<br />
launching Chesterfield’s<br />
alternative Court. She will<br />
never back down from<br />
supporting our police.<br />
A LEADER<br />
WHO LISTENS<br />
Merrell initiated the first ever<br />
Ward Trustee meeting. She<br />
organized bi-annual Ward 4<br />
Trustee meetings to share ideas<br />
and resolve neighborhood<br />
problems. Whenever residents/<br />
HOA’s met, she participated to<br />
answer questions and provide<br />
community updates. Merrell<br />
regularly emailed Trustees and<br />
residents with helpful news, and<br />
she brought resident-volunteers<br />
to serve on key Chesterfield<br />
committees. Merrell is a true<br />
advocate for residents.<br />
MERRELLHANSEN.COM<br />
Paid for by Citizens to Elect Merrell Hansen – R.B. Clark, III, Treasurer.<br />
WISE STEWARD OF<br />
OUR TAX DOLLARS<br />
Merrell reviewed Chesterfield<br />
financials every month.<br />
She aggressively supported<br />
a balanced budget and<br />
accelerated our debt reduction<br />
by millions. Merrell scrutinized<br />
our fiscal obligations, knowing<br />
that tax dollars spent wisely<br />
maintain critical services.<br />
Chesterfield’s AAA rating is a<br />
direct outcome of meticulous<br />
financial planning and<br />
execution, showcasing the<br />
dedication to prudent fiscal<br />
management.<br />
0% INTEREST WITH EQUAL<br />
MONTHLY PAYMENTS<br />
FOR 36 MONTHS (EQUAL PAY)<br />
MARCH 6-APRIL 17, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
36-MONTH FINANCING AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASES<br />
OF IN-STOCK PRODUCTS ONLY.<br />
VISIT OUR SHOWROOM AND<br />
WORK WITH THE BEST<br />
SALES TEAM IN ST. LOUIS!<br />
400+ FIVE STAR REVIEWS!<br />
14932 MANCHESTER ROAD, BALLWIN, MO 63011 636-230-6900 WWW.ALLSURFACEFLOORINGSTL.COM
12 I NEWS I<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
@WESTNEWSMAG<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
Wildwood Village Green site preparation to begin this month<br />
By CATHY LENNY<br />
The city of Wildwood will soon start<br />
clearing the path for what is expected to be<br />
the crown jewel of town center – the Village<br />
Green.<br />
The six-acre recreational facility will be<br />
located on the west side of city hall.<br />
Created to host Wildwood events, it will<br />
feature a nature/water play area, a main<br />
pavilion, gathering spaces, an observation<br />
tower and a multi-use facility.<br />
At the City Council meeting March 11,<br />
initial approval was given for a contract<br />
with Bombshell Construction Services,<br />
LLC of Eureka, in the amount of $1.9 million<br />
for the development of phase one.<br />
Phase one will include parking and<br />
access accommodations, creation of the<br />
performance oval and stage area, installation<br />
of utilities, reassembling of the Essen<br />
Log Cabin and the Mayors’ Grove.<br />
“Unfortunately, the project will require<br />
the removal of approximately 70 trees,<br />
some of which are considered ‘grand’<br />
trees,” said Joe Vujnich, director of planning<br />
and parks.<br />
He noted that a tree stand delineation<br />
plan was completed by a certified arborist<br />
and a tree preservation<br />
plan completed thereafter.<br />
A new landscape/restoration<br />
plan will address the<br />
removal of some of the<br />
grand trees.<br />
“It’s going to dramatically<br />
change how it looks<br />
here at city hall for a<br />
while,” Vujnich said. “I’m<br />
confident, though, that<br />
once Mr. (Andy) Daub<br />
and the crew get on site,<br />
you’ll all be very pleased<br />
with what you see in the<br />
future.”<br />
The trees must be<br />
removed by March 31, as<br />
the endangered Indiana<br />
brown bat’s habitat is protected except for<br />
a small window of time during late fall and<br />
early spring.<br />
Tree removal will be done as a separate<br />
project by Omni Tree Service at a cost of<br />
$32,000, Vujnich said.<br />
Construction will begin in late April or<br />
early May. The city’s intent is to have the<br />
park improvements available for public<br />
use this year.<br />
Development of Village Green is expected to begin this year<br />
(Human Nature photo)<br />
The Village Green project includes a<br />
grant from the St. Louis County Municipal<br />
Park Grant Commission in the amount of<br />
$575,000.<br />
“This funding supports the creation of a<br />
central community space that will serve<br />
our residents for many years to come and<br />
will fulfill another goal of our strategic<br />
plan,” said Mayor Jim Bowlin.<br />
The second phase will include a structure<br />
for performance by the oval, with<br />
restrooms and a children’s play area on the<br />
western portion of the site.<br />
The last phase will include the extension<br />
of Main Street, completion of the trail<br />
system and the installation of the observation<br />
tower.<br />
A final vote will be taken on the contract<br />
with Bombshell Construction at the next<br />
regular council meeting.<br />
LIVE<br />
LIKE<br />
LIVEROYALTY<br />
AT<br />
ICE<br />
CREAM<br />
PARLOR<br />
Now Open!<br />
ASSISTED LIVING<br />
AND MEMORY CARE<br />
Sudoku brought to you by Brooking Park<br />
Complete the grid so that every row, column, and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.<br />
• Affordable Rates/All Inclusive<br />
• 3 Delicious Meals Daily<br />
• Weekly Housekeeping Services<br />
• Weekly Laundry Services<br />
WE DO THE WORK,<br />
YOU HAVE THE FUN!<br />
Activities, Transportation, Entertainment, Theatre & Much More<br />
BROOKING PARK ASSISTED LIVING<br />
307 SOUTH WOODS MILL RD<br />
CHESTERFIELD, MO 63017<br />
314-576-5545 | BROOKINGPARK.ORG<br />
Go to Brooking Park’s Facebook Page for Sudoku answers!
FACEBOOK.COM/WESTNEWSMAGAZINE<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
St. Louis County prepares strategy<br />
to develop comprehensive plan<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
I NEWS I 13<br />
By LAURA BROWN<br />
For the first time in 40 years, St. Louis<br />
County government is developing a new<br />
comprehensive plan in an effort to provide<br />
a strategic framework for how the community<br />
intends to grow and evolve over the<br />
next 25 years.<br />
Though the STLCO <strong>20</strong>50: Comprehensive<br />
Plan project is just in its beginning<br />
phases, officials want all county residents<br />
to weigh in on the regional issues important<br />
to them through a survey that will be<br />
released soon.<br />
The county’s Director of Planning Jacob<br />
Trimble is heading up the project. He said<br />
personally he would like to look further<br />
into what’s driving people and businesses<br />
to relocate into and stay in the county, and<br />
how to improve upon that. Trimble said<br />
the county’s population hasn’t increased<br />
much in the past several decades and he<br />
hopes the comprehensive plan can address<br />
that.<br />
“We have every tool and every resource<br />
at our disposal to be a vibrant, healthy and<br />
desirable place to be, and we leverage<br />
some of those tools really well,” Trimble<br />
said. “But what I somewhat expect to<br />
come out of this (comprehensive planning<br />
process) is for residents to tell us in which<br />
areas we are falling flat, and that these are<br />
the areas where we think we could push the<br />
needle forward. It’s a real opportunity for<br />
the county government to dive deep into<br />
what’s driving that plateaued population<br />
and see what we need to be doing for the<br />
next 25 years to change that trajectory for<br />
ourselves.”<br />
The comprehensive plan is expected to<br />
be developed over the rest of <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong> and part<br />
of <strong>20</strong>25, and the county has partnered with<br />
some outside organizations to help develop<br />
and draft it: AECOM, Shockey Consulting,<br />
Rise Community Development and H3<br />
Studio have each been contracted to assist<br />
in different aspects of the plan.<br />
To begin the process the planning department<br />
is working on a community survey to<br />
collect input from county residents about<br />
the issues important to them, ranging from<br />
housing and transportation to economic<br />
development issues.<br />
“The survey will help create the foundation<br />
for additional robust in-person and<br />
online engagement with communities and<br />
groups of folks,” Trimble said. “The survey<br />
will create a statistically valid report as<br />
to how the community is feeling about a<br />
whole host of issues. For example, questions<br />
about issues pertaining to sustainability<br />
and resilience, like, how do you<br />
feel about how we’re doing with managing<br />
flash floods and river floods? How satisfied<br />
are you with the amount of trees and open<br />
spaces in your community? It’s going to<br />
run the gamut of questions that residents<br />
are asked.”<br />
Trimble said officials will use the data<br />
collected as the basis for the priorities and<br />
content of the comprehensive plan. Then<br />
they will go out into the community to<br />
gather more information from all county<br />
residents, those who live in unincorporated<br />
St. Louis County and the municipalities as<br />
well.<br />
“We will be going out to community<br />
events where people already will be, along<br />
with having pop up events, and chatting<br />
with people, and listening to what is important<br />
to them,” Trimble said. “What do they<br />
like about our community and what could<br />
we be doing to reinvigorate and sustain<br />
vibrancy in St. Louis County?”<br />
Trimble said he hopes the comprehensive<br />
plan can also strengthen the county’s<br />
relationship with the many municipalities<br />
and the residents and businesses spread<br />
across the region while facilitating better<br />
sharing of ideas to improve the entire<br />
region. Perhaps even leading to more<br />
partnerships.<br />
“When we have this many municipalities,<br />
sometimes you just never hear what<br />
is happening in another place, so this is<br />
an opportunity to start raising ideas that<br />
can positively impact larger swaths of St.<br />
Louis County, more than just unincorporated<br />
St. Louis County or just a single<br />
municipality,” Trimble said. “We want<br />
to work together toward the shared goals<br />
that we have as strong St. Louis County<br />
because if portions of the county are not<br />
doing well, it does impact all of us. You<br />
may not see it every day in your day-today<br />
life, but, like this population plateau<br />
that we’ve been on here for a while, you<br />
can see how it plays out in our municipalities.”<br />
The county hopes to complete the new<br />
comprehensive plan by July of next year.<br />
Even then, Trimble said that’s just the<br />
beginning.<br />
“At its best, this is then a document that<br />
isn’t just for the planning department,<br />
this is a platform for St. Louis County,”<br />
Trimble said. “Every decision it then<br />
makes will look through the prism of this<br />
plan and say, ‘How does this forward the<br />
goals that we set in the comprehensive<br />
plan? How do we turn our new tagline<br />
of ‘Opportunity Central’ from tagline to<br />
actual reality?”<br />
The county has a website dedicated to the<br />
comprehensive plan. For updates and more<br />
information visit stlouiscounty<strong>20</strong>50.com.<br />
1855 Hwy 109, Wildwood, MO 63038<br />
passiglia@passiglia.com<br />
636-458-9<strong>20</strong>2
14 I NEWS I<br />
Great<br />
eets <br />
Competitive<br />
Pay!<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
SUMMER PROGRAMS<br />
June 17- July 19<br />
Now 4 Levels!<br />
Choose up to 5 Weeks!<br />
Saint Louis Ballet’s five-week summer intensive<br />
program for ages 7-21 offers the most complete<br />
program in the metro area with a variety of dance<br />
genres while standing on the principle that ballet is<br />
the foundation for success in all areas of dance.<br />
Ballet 1/2 (ages 7–8) Ballet 3/4 (ages 9–11)<br />
Ballet 5/6 (ages 12–13) Ballet 7/8 (ages 14–21)<br />
Ages are approximate and used only as an initial guide. if unsure<br />
of level, please call the office to discuss.<br />
SUMMER PROGRAM CLASSES TAUGHT:<br />
Y daily ballet Y pre-pointe/pointe Y jazz Y<br />
Y contemporary Y variations Y<br />
Y certified pilates Y ballroom Y<br />
Y musical theater Y hip hop Y<br />
*classes vary based on level and week<br />
STORYBOOK CAMPS<br />
Ages 3-6<br />
Saint Louis Ballet Storybook Classes are specifically<br />
designed for the young dancer at heart. These classes<br />
are age appropriate yet introduce your child to the<br />
basics of ballet steps and creative movement through<br />
the world of storybook ballets and Disney favorites!<br />
Join Our Adventure Club Team!<br />
Shaping Futures, One Child at a Time<br />
<br />
Apply today: www.rsdmo.org/jobs<br />
SUMMER<br />
ALSO OFFERING SUMMER EVENING CLASSES!<br />
stlouisballet.org/allsummer or 636-537-1998<br />
Located in Chesterfield Valley<br />
By CATHY LENNY<br />
Residents have voiced concerns about<br />
the construction of a 199-foot telecommunications<br />
tower proposed by Ameren on St.<br />
Albans Road, west of State Route 100.<br />
Ameren is seeking a conditional use<br />
permit from the city of Wildwood for the<br />
tower and associated equipment shelter on<br />
a 14.7-acre tract.<br />
The purpose of the facility is to monitor<br />
the overall utility network and assist<br />
in reading electric meters for tracking and<br />
billing.<br />
While the city can provide input as to<br />
the appearance and layout of the tower, it<br />
cannot deny it.<br />
“Since <strong>20</strong>18, with additional regulations<br />
by the federal government, the state<br />
of Missouri has taken an approach that<br />
is more favorable to the private telecommunications<br />
industry’s needs,” said Joe<br />
Vujnich, director of planning and parks.<br />
As a result, the city has limited authority<br />
regarding the design, engineering and site<br />
analysis of a proposed location.<br />
A proposed monopole design would be<br />
made of galvanized steel and have exterior<br />
arrays that will extend a minimum of six<br />
feet from the tower for other providers. A<br />
10-foot vinyl fence would surround the<br />
equipment compound.<br />
Residents are concerned about the visual<br />
and environmental impact the tower will<br />
have on the site.<br />
“I’m not sure a 10-foot fence is going to<br />
create any type of visible obscurement of<br />
@WESTNEWSMAG<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
Proposed communications tower<br />
in Wildwood creates tension<br />
By CATHY LENNY<br />
Step back in time to revisit the clandestine<br />
experience that revelers once had to<br />
endure simply to savor a cocktail.<br />
During prohibition, those wanting to<br />
drink alcoholic beverages were forced to<br />
create distilleries in their homes or visit one<br />
of the many speakeasies that sprung up.<br />
A speakeasy was a secret or hidden<br />
place that sold alcoholic drinks, especially<br />
during the time when alcohol was illegal in<br />
the United States (19<strong>20</strong>-1933). They often<br />
required a password, a special knock or a<br />
handshake to enter.<br />
Today, some bars are designed to look<br />
like speakeasies, with hidden entrances,<br />
vintage decorations and retro music. With<br />
at least two already in the St. Louis area,<br />
<strong>West</strong> County is set to get one of these<br />
that facility,” Tim Gerler said at the March<br />
4 planning and zoning commission meeting.<br />
“Also, the location and proximity<br />
given the valley that it’s in, given the size<br />
of Wildwood and how many vacant lots<br />
there are available, the choice of location<br />
is questionable.”<br />
While residential properties lie to the<br />
north, there are numerous towers to the<br />
west that are 100 feet in height. To the<br />
south are residential areas with large lots,<br />
and sites to the east are partially used for<br />
agricultural activity.<br />
Vujnich said the area has had a transmission<br />
easement since the 19<strong>20</strong>s, which<br />
includes high-voltage wires and large<br />
tower structures.<br />
“The intent of the (planning) department<br />
is to move the tower in closer proximity<br />
to those existing vertical improvements<br />
and lines so as to cluster them together as<br />
closely as possible,” Vujnich said.<br />
Russel Been with Cellective Solutions,<br />
the site acquisition firm hired by Ameren to<br />
help with the zoning and permit process for<br />
proposed LTE towers, said the proposed<br />
location for the tower is less visible than<br />
the location considered previously. However,<br />
Ameren is seeking a variance for the<br />
tower setbacks and the fence type.<br />
Planned access to the facility is from a<br />
new entry/exit onto State Highway T.<br />
At the March 4 meeting, the Planning<br />
and Zoning Commission gave initial<br />
approval for the permit.<br />
A final recommendation will be made at<br />
the next planning and zoning meeting.<br />
Speakeasy to open in Wildwood<br />
secretive spots at The Big Chief Roadhouse.<br />
It’s set to open on March 28 at Big<br />
Chief on the second floor. Although no<br />
password will be required to get in, visitors<br />
will have to enter through a retro-fitted<br />
phone booth designed to make it look<br />
inconspicuous.<br />
“It harkens back to the days of prohibition<br />
when alcohol was outlawed,” Michael<br />
Rempe, general manager, said.<br />
Given the restaurant has been around<br />
since 1929, it fits the profile. Big Chief<br />
Roadhouse has a rich history of its own.<br />
It is one of the last remaining full-service<br />
restaurants still operating on the historic<br />
Route 66. It was originally built as part<br />
of the Big Chief Highway Hotel to serve<br />
travelers on Route 66 (the famed roadway),<br />
believed to be one of the largest tourist cottage<br />
courts in Missouri.
SELL YOUR VALUABLES<br />
March 25 - 27 | Monday - Wednesday | 10am - 5pm<br />
1633 Washington Ave Alton, IL 6<strong>20</strong>02<br />
Call for directions: (618) 465-1410<br />
14442 Clayton Rd. Ballwin, MO 63011<br />
Call for directions: (636) 557-70<strong>20</strong><br />
1304 Thelma Keller Ave., Suite 102, Effingham, IL 6<strong>24</strong>01<br />
Call for directions: (217) 803-8903<br />
2704 North Illinois Street, Swansea, IL 62226<br />
Call for directions: (618) 235-1219<br />
871 North Illinois Route 3, Waterloo, IL 62298<br />
Call for directions: (618) 939-4367<br />
BUYING EVENT | 3 DAYS ONLY<br />
Receive a No-obligation Offer!<br />
It’s easy to sell valuables with the Nation’s Leading Estate Buyers.<br />
WHAT WE BUY<br />
Fine Jewelry<br />
Diamonds<br />
Wrist & Pocket Watches<br />
Coins & Currency<br />
Gold & Silver<br />
Rarities<br />
Fine Art<br />
Luxury Goods<br />
Firearms<br />
& Much More<br />
No appointment necessary unless selling firearms.<br />
RECEIVE A <strong>20</strong>% BONUS<br />
When you trade for store credit *<br />
Ready to Sell?<br />
SCAN QR CODE HERE<br />
for full buying event details.<br />
*A free evaluation will be provided, but there is no obligation to purchase your items. Exclusions Apply. **We are not an authorized Rolex dealer nor are we affiliated or endorsed<br />
by Rolex, Rolex USA, or any of its subsidiaries. ***No appointment necessary unless selling firearms.
Mari de Villa: Comfortable living, compassionate care<br />
Spread out over 21-plus<br />
rolling green acres in Town &<br />
Country, and landscaped with<br />
gardens and fountains, Mari<br />
de Villa provides a beautiful<br />
and elegant setting for senior<br />
living. More valuable than the<br />
restful views of the lake and<br />
the surrounding green slopes<br />
however, are the comfortable<br />
homes and compassionate<br />
care Mari de Villa provides for<br />
its senior residents.<br />
Mari de Villa, located at<br />
13900 Clayton Road, is home<br />
to an independent living campus,<br />
The Villa Estates; The<br />
Villa <strong>West</strong> and Villa East<br />
buildings providing <strong>24</strong>-hour nursing<br />
care. Mari de Villa is staffed <strong>24</strong><br />
hours per day with both nurses and<br />
certified nurse assistants.<br />
Mari de Villa Senior Living was<br />
founded in 1960 by Joseph and<br />
Georgana Linneman, and from the<br />
beginning has been dedicated to<br />
making every guest and staff member<br />
feel like part of the Mari de Villa<br />
family.<br />
Fred and Mary Kay Wiesehan<br />
came on board in 1984. Their attention<br />
to personal service is shared<br />
by their sons – Fritz, Mari de Villa’s<br />
vice-president and administrator<br />
and Joseph, also a licensed administrator.<br />
Some of the staff, Fred said, have<br />
been there nearly as long as they<br />
have, working alongside them to<br />
provide a standard of service not<br />
found anywhere else.<br />
“Our staff feels like part of the<br />
family,” Fred said.<br />
Guests say that the friendliness of<br />
the staff makes Mari de Villa feel<br />
like home. But as much as they appreciate<br />
the ambiance of the skilled<br />
nursing center, they appreciate its<br />
<strong>24</strong>-hour care more.<br />
“We’re unique in that we provide<br />
care to all the guests,” Fred said.<br />
“We administer all of our guests’<br />
care needs and their medications.<br />
We know that as people age, their<br />
needs increase and change. But because<br />
we are staffed <strong>24</strong> hours a day<br />
and licensed as a skilled nursing<br />
facility and staffed <strong>24</strong> hours a day,<br />
our guests can remain in their same<br />
environment no matter how life<br />
changes. We adjust their care, they<br />
don’t have to adjust their lifestyle.”<br />
Another thing guests never have<br />
to adjust is their cost expectation.<br />
“We pride ourselves on the fact<br />
that we have an all-inclusive rate.”<br />
From nursing care to everyday<br />
basics such as linens, laundry, etc.,<br />
every guest’s needs are met. Villa<br />
<strong>West</strong> and Villa East offer suites and<br />
private rooms with flexible accommodations<br />
designed to meet evolving<br />
needs. Villa <strong>West</strong> and Villa<br />
East each include around-the-clock<br />
staff, a physical therapy center, dining<br />
rooms, a beautiful clubhouse<br />
for private parties, The Waterford<br />
Room for private dinners and family<br />
gatherings, an indoor/outdoor<br />
pool with water aerobics, a beauty<br />
salon and much more.<br />
Guests with advanced stages of<br />
dementia and other forms of memory<br />
loss are tenderly cared for in<br />
both the Villa <strong>West</strong> and Villa East<br />
buildings.<br />
“We also offer independent living<br />
in The Villa Estates,” said Fritz.<br />
“We have 54 villas that have a community<br />
atmosphere and allow the<br />
people who live there to enjoy all<br />
the amenities and services available<br />
to them at Mari de Villa as well as in<br />
the surrounding <strong>West</strong> County area.”<br />
“Our guests in The Independent<br />
Living Villa Estates know that<br />
should they need additional care,<br />
it is available on our campus,<br />
giving them peace of mind.”<br />
Mari de Villa’s Independent<br />
Living Villa Estates offer spacious,<br />
luxury living accommodations<br />
in a neighborhood setting.<br />
Residents can drive, cook<br />
and socialize with neighbors as<br />
they please, enjoying meals in<br />
the beautiful dining rooms and<br />
visiting the beauty salon, and<br />
massage therapist and taking<br />
part in special events and activities.<br />
At Mari de Villa, guests are<br />
active and engaged, with daily<br />
live music, a social hour, games,<br />
guest speakers and a full calendar<br />
of on-site events and off-site field<br />
trips. Visit www.maridevilla.com to<br />
learn more.<br />
While physicians visit Mari de<br />
Villa on a regular basis, guests are<br />
encouraged to continue to use their<br />
own doctor. Transportation is provided<br />
to doctors’ offices in the <strong>West</strong><br />
County area at no cost. The drivers<br />
assist guests into the office and return<br />
them home to Mari de Villa,<br />
which is conveniently located near<br />
multiple hospitals.<br />
All it takes is one tour of Mari de<br />
Villa to know that Mari de Villa has<br />
tried to think of everything for our<br />
guests’ care and enjoyment.<br />
636.227.5347<br />
13900 Clayton Road<br />
Town and Country, MO<br />
www.maridevilla.com
OUR 21-ACRE CAMPUS<br />
MARI de VILLA<br />
SENIOR LIVING<br />
Family owned and operated<br />
and celebrating 64 years<br />
of service to our community.<br />
Mari de Villa residents<br />
are our “Guests.”<br />
Where compassion meets<br />
comfort, discover our<br />
top quality senior living<br />
choices today<br />
Senior Living offering <strong>24</strong>-Hour Skilled Nursing • All-Inclusive Rates<br />
ALL Private Rooms and Suites are some of the most competitive rates in St. Louis<br />
TOURING 7 DAYS EVERY WEEK!<br />
Virtual Tours of our accommodations are<br />
also available at MariDeVilla.com.<br />
636.227.5347 | 13900 CLAYTON ROAD, TOWN & COUNTRY, MO | WWW.MARIDEVILLA.COM<br />
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of the U.S. Policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the nation. We encourage and support an<br />
affi rmative advertising and marketing program in which there are no barriers to housing because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial or national origin.
18 I NEWS I<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
Vote: Tamara & Tom<br />
for Rockwood School Board<br />
The two candidates with experience.<br />
Tom served before. Tamara is serving now.<br />
Tamara<br />
Rhomberg<br />
PLEASE JOIN US FOR OUR ANNUAL<br />
Open<br />
House<br />
Spring<br />
Open<br />
SAT MARCH 23 • 10A-6P & SUN MARCH <strong>24</strong> • 12P-5P<br />
Spin the Wheel for Discounts<br />
Shop Brand New Merchandise<br />
and Take Advantage of our<br />
New Lower Prices on Furniture!<br />
Thomas<br />
Dunn<br />
#1 and #3 on the ballot<br />
Voting is April 2nd<br />
Paid for by Rockwood parents. For a list of sponsors, contact:<br />
Janet Deidrick. PO Box 223 Glencoe, MO 63038<br />
Enter Raffles<br />
First 100 customers<br />
on Sat. 3/23 at 10am<br />
receive a FREE gift<br />
1010 Miralago Way • Cottleville 63376<br />
(636) 441-1111<br />
• CELEBRATING <strong>20</strong> YEARS IN BUSINESS •<br />
By LAURA BROWN<br />
Several nonprofits continue to wait for<br />
federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)<br />
funds granted to them by the St. Louis<br />
County Council in <strong>20</strong>22. Council chair Shalonda<br />
Webb (D-District 4) held a committee<br />
of the whole meeting on March 5 in order to<br />
gain a better understanding of why the county<br />
executive’s office has not yet released the<br />
funds.<br />
The nonprofits, called subrecipients, were<br />
sent a letter on Dec. 21, <strong>20</strong>23, from County<br />
Executive Dr. Sam Page explaining that the<br />
county is holding the funds “until we determine<br />
we have appropriate staff to administer<br />
these projects in compliance with (federal)<br />
treasury guidelines.” The letter goes on to<br />
state that the county “cannot afford to use<br />
the limited resources which remain in county<br />
government to launch new programming at<br />
the expense of the commitments the county<br />
already has to its residents – including preexisting<br />
financial supports to some of the<br />
organizations identified for ARPA funding.”<br />
This letter came after the county council<br />
reduced Page’s proposed <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong> budget<br />
by approximately $15 million. While the<br />
council did cut the proposed budget, it<br />
still was higher than the previous year’s<br />
overall budget. Page sent a letter to council<br />
members on Dec. 8, <strong>20</strong>23, stating that<br />
ARPA funded projects, with the exception<br />
of public safety, would be put on hold if<br />
the council reduced his proposed budget<br />
without an increase in revenue. The council<br />
approved their budget on Dec. 12.<br />
The ARPA funds were to be distributed after<br />
the nonprofits completed a 10-step process<br />
laid out by the county. To date, six nonprofits<br />
are waiting for funds: Refuge + Restoration,<br />
$500,000; A Red Circle, $350,000; Rustic<br />
Roots Sanctuary Co., $250,000; St. Louis<br />
Survivor’s Legal Support, Inc., $25,000;<br />
Journey Against Domestic and Sexual Abuse<br />
(JADASA), $25,000; and the St. Louis<br />
Urban League, $500,000 for a total of $1.65<br />
million of the $13.4 million total ARPA funds<br />
allocated to nonprofits. Many more organizations<br />
are still in the process of completing the<br />
steps to receive the funds.<br />
Representatives from the nonprofits<br />
attended the March 5 meeting and shared<br />
where they were in the APRA funding process<br />
and what they are planning to do with<br />
the funds if they are received.<br />
Kyle Klemp, deputy chief of operations<br />
in the office of the county executive, was<br />
at the meeting on behalf of Page’s office.<br />
When asked why the funds were not<br />
released to the nonprofits, Klemp said that<br />
once the council began budget talks at the<br />
end of the year in <strong>20</strong>23, the administration<br />
decided to hold those funds until the council<br />
approved a budget.<br />
@WESTNEWSMAG<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
Future of ARPA funds uncertain<br />
“What’s different about ARPA is this<br />
is something we’ve never done before,”<br />
Klemp explained at the meeting. “We were<br />
ready to go with these programs until the<br />
last budget cycle when we were uncertain<br />
about what our budget would be. The<br />
budget was cut. We are no longer going<br />
to launch new initiatives … if we don’t<br />
have the budget to do our existing obligations.<br />
We want to focus on the promises<br />
we already made. Not make new commitments<br />
if we don’t know what our budgets<br />
are going to be if we don’t have the<br />
resources to do that.”<br />
Council member Mark Harder (R-District<br />
7) asked Klemp what it would take to<br />
get the funds released.<br />
“To maintain the obligations the county<br />
already has without adding new obligations<br />
on top of that we would need the budget<br />
restored to 80% of the gap,” Klemp said.<br />
“The total is $12 million to restore the 80%<br />
gap between what we requested (in the <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
budget) and what you all appropriated.”<br />
Webb had sharp criticism of Page’s<br />
actions.<br />
“We apologize to our subrecipients for<br />
you going through this travesty,” Webb<br />
said on behalf of the council. “We will<br />
work to try to find a way to get your funds<br />
for you. We are at an impasse. I know Dr.<br />
Page thinks this is all political theater. I<br />
don’t deal in political theater. We have<br />
proven to (the nonprofits) that it’s the same<br />
old game. It’s, ‘let’s be transactional about<br />
this while people’s lives are in the balance.’<br />
I don’t know how you all sleep at night.”<br />
Harder said he does not know when<br />
this issue will be resolved, but until then<br />
the county government has other issues<br />
besides the budget that stand in the way of<br />
getting projects done in the county.<br />
“This comes down to trust and communication<br />
in government and relationships,”<br />
Harder said. “Both have been fractured<br />
between the council and administration.<br />
It’s close to the point of not being repaired,<br />
at least not quickly. We just don’t trust this<br />
administration.”<br />
The ARPA funds must be allocated by<br />
December <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong> and spent by December<br />
<strong>20</strong>25, or they must be returned to the federal<br />
government. There is a possibility that the<br />
funds could be reallocated to other parts of<br />
the county’s budget, but that would require<br />
a vote by the council. Harder previously<br />
said reallocating these funds has not been<br />
discussed by the council as they all voted to<br />
award the money to nonprofits that assist the<br />
most vulnerable county residents. To ensure<br />
that ARPA funds are used appropriately,<br />
the county partnered with consulting firm<br />
Deloitte to head up its ARPA application<br />
process and ensure the nonprofits’ compliance<br />
with U.S. Treasury Department rules.
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
FACEBOOK.COM/WESTNEWSMAGAZINE<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
Inspiration abounds at 48th annual Queeny Art Fair<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
I NEWS I 19<br />
By KATE UPTERGROVE<br />
Pablo Picasso is credited with saying,<br />
“Painting is just another way of keeping a<br />
diary.”<br />
Local artist Sharon Larson would agree,<br />
but often it’s not her diary she’s keeping.<br />
Larson, whose work will be featured in the<br />
48th annual Queeny Art Fair, April 5-7, is far<br />
more interested in telling other people’s stories.<br />
The majority of her works are portraits<br />
that capture distinct moments in time.<br />
“Folks are always curious about where<br />
my painting ideas come from,” Larson<br />
explained. “Most are surprised when I say,<br />
‘usually, from you!’<br />
“I tell this story about a guy talking to me<br />
at an art show many years ago about his<br />
and his wife’s travels. They were school<br />
teachers, they didn’t have any children and<br />
every summer they would travel. They’d<br />
bring home souvenirs from all the countries<br />
and places they visited. So, I did a<br />
painting that represents that gentleman.<br />
He is sitting in an easy chair with a table<br />
next to him. On it is a photograph of his<br />
wife and a lamp that was brought back<br />
from Italy or someplace like that. With the<br />
lamp glowing down on him, he’s reading a<br />
journal because every day when they were<br />
on their vacations, he and his wife wrote<br />
in their journals. He told me that reading<br />
their journals was ‘the end of a perfect day.’<br />
Instead of it being just a<br />
portrait of him, it’s a painting<br />
of their life story. That’s<br />
what I like to do.”<br />
This is why Larson loves<br />
art shows. They serve as both<br />
inspiration and affirmation.<br />
“My heart warms when I<br />
see someone connect with a<br />
painting they are viewing,”<br />
she said.<br />
Lee Richards, co-director<br />
of the Queeny Art Fair,<br />
says it’s not just artists like<br />
Larson who find inspiration<br />
at the fair; patrons of all<br />
ages do, too.<br />
“You can’t help but<br />
become like ‘Ooh, maybe I<br />
can even go home and do something,’ even<br />
if it’s just painting a wall differently,” Richards<br />
said. The show, which is sponsored by<br />
the Greater St. Louis Art Association, features<br />
juried artists in 14 different mediums.<br />
The association is a membership group of<br />
artists and art enthusiasts who promote the<br />
visual arts and art education in the greater St.<br />
A piece of Lee Richards’<br />
jewelry featuring a handcarved<br />
bone face from Bali.<br />
(Source: Lee Richards)<br />
Louis metropolitan area. Each spring, the<br />
GSLA gives four one-time merit awards to<br />
local high school seniors, funded by Queeny<br />
Art Fair proceeds.<br />
Given the GSLA’s<br />
emphasis on education,<br />
kids are not only welcomed<br />
to the Art Fair but encouraged<br />
with children’s activities<br />
that include:<br />
• A make-and-take activity<br />
at the Claymazing station<br />
and a master artist forming<br />
bowls on a potter’s wheel<br />
on Saturday.<br />
• Art Discovery Passports<br />
on Sunday that let kids collect<br />
stamps from designated<br />
artists and earn a prize.<br />
“I love little kids coming<br />
to the Art Fair,” said Richards,<br />
who makes jewelry.<br />
Part of her collection features serene faces<br />
hand-carved in bone, which she imports<br />
from craftsmen in Bali. “They remind me<br />
of the Earth, and the kids are fascinated<br />
by them. I love the fact that as an artist I<br />
get to interact with people and make an<br />
impression on a child. I might be inspiring<br />
a future artist or a future patron.”<br />
In the category of “audible art,” the<br />
Queeny Art Fair offers performances by<br />
musical guests Rosewood from 5-9 p.m. on<br />
Friday, April 5; the Sadie Hawkins String<br />
Band from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday,<br />
April 6; and Dizzy Atmosphere from 1-4<br />
p.m. on Sunday, April 7.<br />
Throughout the show, drawings will be<br />
held for “Art Bucks” to be spent at the<br />
show, which according to Richards, offers<br />
a large variety of price points and art so<br />
that owning art becomes accessible to<br />
everyone.<br />
The cost of admission is $10 for adults<br />
age 19 and older, but the ticket is good<br />
for re-entry all weekend and a $2 coupon<br />
is available at queenyartfair.org/coupon.<br />
Children and youth 18 and younger are<br />
free. Parking is also free. Snacks are available<br />
for purchase.<br />
Queeny Art Fair<br />
Friday, April 5 • 5-9 p.m.<br />
Saturday, April 6 • 10 a.m.-6 p.m.<br />
Sunday, April 7 • 11 a.m.-4 p.m.<br />
Queeny Park/Greensfelder Center<br />
550 Weidman Road • Ballwin<br />
$10 admission • Free parking<br />
queenyartfair.org<br />
Laura Sanders<br />
Laura Sanders is consistently ranked<br />
among St. Louis’ top real estate producers.<br />
In <strong>20</strong>23, Laura closed over<br />
$36,500,000 in sales and facilitated<br />
96 transactions. When asked why she<br />
chose a career in real estate, Laura<br />
said, “I love working with people and the<br />
challenge of making people’s dreams a<br />
reality.” Her advanced negotiating skills,<br />
friendly personality and professionalism<br />
provide clients with the comfort and<br />
ease to buy or sell their home.<br />
In the 17 years since Laura started her<br />
career in real estate, she has carefully<br />
curated a fantastic team of top-tier<br />
agents and support staff.<br />
“Buying or selling a home can be overwhelming.<br />
Excitement and anxiety usually<br />
go hand in hand in these situations,”<br />
Laura said. “My job is to not only provide<br />
experienced guidance to my clients, but<br />
also make sure they feel confident and<br />
well represented. My team and I strive to<br />
tailor each transaction to the customer<br />
and their specific needs.”<br />
Laura Sanders • 314.605.2581<br />
LauraSandersTeam@gmail.com<br />
LauraSandersTeam.com<br />
www.compass.com<br />
314.347.1658
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
<strong>20</strong> I NEWS I WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
New leadership, initiatives guiding Rockwood’s Education, Equity and Access department<br />
@WESTNEWSMAG<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
By LAURA BROWN<br />
With a new name and new leadership<br />
this school year, Rockwood School District’s<br />
Department of Educational Equity<br />
and Access (EEA), previously called the<br />
department of diversity, equity and inclusion,<br />
has been undergoing change and<br />
evolving in an effort to support more<br />
students, staff and families in Rockwood.<br />
The new director, Dr. Cassandra Suggs,<br />
took over the role this school year and has<br />
implemented dozens of new programs for<br />
the district. She said she wants people to<br />
know that her department is there to serve<br />
everyone in the district, and the new name<br />
reflects that.<br />
“I think in just about every district when<br />
they hear the word diversity or equity they<br />
think of minority students,” Suggs said.<br />
“I think that’s strange because everyone<br />
wants equity. A great example we have is<br />
the cafeteria. If a child’s parents can pay<br />
for lunch, then they pay full price for lunch.<br />
If there’s some situation where they can’t<br />
pay for it all, we have reduced-price lunch.<br />
If they can’t pay at all, it’s completely free,<br />
right? And that’s equitable. Who’s going to<br />
say, ‘sorry you can’t eat because your parents<br />
don’t make enough money?’ If people<br />
Dr. Cassandra Suggs and Emily Walshaw with puppets from their puppet shows. The duo<br />
travel to the elementary schools and perform shows on different topics relevant to equity<br />
and access at the elementary level, like conflict resolution and problem solving.<br />
look at equity that way, they’re seeing that<br />
we’re servicing all kids.”<br />
The EEA falls under the student services<br />
department, which also has a new leader.<br />
Dr. Steve Hankins was appointed to serve<br />
as the assistant superintendent of student<br />
services and he began his role at the same<br />
time as Suggs. Hankins was previously<br />
principal at Marquette High. Suggs said<br />
the rebrand of the department was Superintendent<br />
Dr. Curtis Cain’s vision.<br />
“Dr. Cain changed the name because<br />
he wanted to have that overarching effect,<br />
encompass more,” Suggs said. “It’s working<br />
because people are now seeing (the<br />
department) as encompassing all. We are in<br />
the education business for all kids, and we<br />
want all kids to have access. Dr. Hankins<br />
is also very supportive of the EEA department.<br />
He gives us autonomy to create the<br />
department.”<br />
The EEA department is small; Suggs has<br />
an assistant, Emily Walshaw, making them<br />
a department of two. Over the summer the<br />
duo visited all 33 school buildings to ask<br />
what was needed from the district, knowing<br />
different schools would have different<br />
needs.<br />
“We asked the schools, ‘what was this<br />
department before and what would you<br />
like it to be?’” Suggs explained. “And<br />
from the elementary schools we kept<br />
hearing that in the past it seemed like<br />
the elementary level seemed to be overlooked<br />
by this department. But if you<br />
start (talking about equity) with elementary<br />
school students, then some of the<br />
things kids struggle with in the upper<br />
grades, they may not occur.”<br />
EEA’s puppet shows came from this<br />
feedback. Suggs and Walshaw wrote<br />
scripts addressing different topics like a<br />
sense of belonging, being a good friend,<br />
using manners and being polite, conflict<br />
resolution and kindness and empathy.<br />
They use puppets of different nationalities<br />
and ages. Special guests in the<br />
puppet shows include school board members<br />
and district administrators. Parents<br />
might recognize a little Dr. Cain puppet<br />
making snow day announcements for the<br />
district.<br />
See EEA, next page<br />
YOUR TEACHER MAY HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE<br />
HURRY!<br />
Nomination Deadline:<br />
Teacher of the Year<br />
Monday, April 8th<br />
Wina New iPad<br />
for your teacher<br />
Just tell us why your teacher<br />
deserves to win<br />
<strong>West</strong> <strong>Newsmagazine</strong>’s<br />
“Teacher of the Year”<br />
Excellence In<br />
Education Award!<br />
Visit our website, westnewsmagazine.com, and nominate your candidate for<br />
<strong>West</strong> <strong>Newsmagazine</strong>'s "Teacher of the Year."<br />
In <strong>20</strong>0 words or less explain why your teacher should win<br />
this year's Excellence in Education Award.<br />
Nominations are limited to public or private Preschools, Elementary Schools,<br />
High Schools and Colleges that are within <strong>West</strong> <strong>Newsmagazine</strong>’s mailing area.<br />
Go to www.westnewsmagazine.com to nominate your teacher! er!
FACEBOOK.COM/WESTNEWSMAGAZINE<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
Phased retirement plan set for<br />
Chesterfield city administrator<br />
By CATHY LENNY<br />
Although he has no immediate plans to<br />
retire, the city of Chesterfield is making<br />
preparations to enter into a phased retirement<br />
agreement with City Administrator<br />
Mike Geisel.<br />
An ordinance adopting this agreement<br />
was introduced on first reading at the<br />
March 4 City Council meeting. This continuity<br />
of operations plan will allow for the<br />
eventual turnover of the position.<br />
“The city council has been preparing<br />
for some time for the eventual retirement<br />
of City Administrator Mike Geisel,” said<br />
council member Michael Moore (Ward 3),<br />
chair of the Finance and Administration<br />
Committee. “I know I speak for all of city<br />
council to say that none of us look forward<br />
to Geisel’s eventual retirement, given his<br />
outstanding contributions and performance<br />
EEA, from previous<br />
in the years he has been in service.”<br />
The city administrator currently manages<br />
the day-to-day operations of approximately<br />
250 full-time employees and an annual<br />
operating budget of nearly $45 million.<br />
If the ordinance is approved, upon tendering<br />
his retirement notice, Geisel would<br />
implement the continuity of operations<br />
plan, which will be in effect for 12 months.<br />
He would vacate the office on or before his<br />
successor’s official start date.<br />
In this role, Geisel would provide institutional<br />
knowledge, background, context and<br />
advice to the new city administrator regarding<br />
all aspects of city business and operations.<br />
In the event that he decides to retire, he<br />
must provide a 60-day notice to the city.<br />
Geisel is only the second city administrator<br />
in Chesterfield since its incorporation.<br />
He was sworn in on Aug. 22, <strong>20</strong>16,<br />
but has been with the city since 1988.<br />
Suggs and Walshaw also visit elementary<br />
schools and read a wide selection of<br />
books to students through a program they<br />
call Rockwood’s Education Equity and<br />
Access Department (REEAD).<br />
They also founded a grant called the EEA<br />
We Find a Way, which schools can apply<br />
for to help them pay for projects that might<br />
not be covered in their regular budget.<br />
Suggs said 12 grants have been given out<br />
so far. Grants range from helping a school<br />
library replenish books to helping pay for<br />
a bus for a middle school camp because a<br />
student using a wheelchair needed a bus<br />
with a lift. Suggs said they are now inviting<br />
schools hosting book fairs to apply for<br />
grants to help students purchase books.<br />
“We want to use every bit of our budget<br />
to support students and staff so at the end<br />
of the year we are at a zero balance because<br />
we’ve helped so many students and staff,”<br />
Suggs said.<br />
Also new, Suggs and Walshaw produce<br />
a monthly podcast called Rockwood Connects.<br />
They have different guests each episode<br />
and talk about different topics. The<br />
episodes can be found through EEA’s website<br />
or on Rockwood’s YouTube channel.<br />
They have implemented a monthly<br />
department newsletter that can also be<br />
found on their website and it is also posted<br />
on the Rockwood communication app Parentsquare.<br />
It is also shared with Rockwood<br />
staff.<br />
“We try to post all of the different holidays<br />
to Parentsquare for families,” Walshaw<br />
said. “We will send holiday observance<br />
notices to schools for staff, like when students<br />
might be fasting. We ask them to try<br />
not to schedule big tests or athletic tests on<br />
those dates and to keep in mind student’s<br />
sleep schedules might be off because their<br />
eating time is off.”<br />
Suggs said she has also been asked to sit<br />
in on meetings at school between parents<br />
and administration regarding discipline<br />
issues. Some phone calls are on questions<br />
about fines a student might have to pay, or<br />
just answering questions about parenting<br />
concerns.<br />
“I had a mother call the other day and<br />
told me she needed a counselor for her<br />
daughter right now, like right now,” Suggs<br />
said. “And so we talked and we found out<br />
where to have her call and let her know<br />
her daughter was at a particular school<br />
that they could help. Sometimes it’s just<br />
questions. Another time a dad called about<br />
family concerns (after going through a<br />
separation). He wanted to know how it<br />
might affect his kids. We just get the gamut.<br />
Our department is happy to help and if we<br />
aren’t the department we will connect them<br />
with who can.”<br />
Suggs and Walshaw said they are excited<br />
that the department is still evolving as they<br />
keep listening to the needs of the students,<br />
staff and families in the district, ensuring<br />
that every Rockwood student has equal<br />
access to their education.<br />
“We have a 50-something-year-old black<br />
woman and a younger white woman,”<br />
Suggs said. “Look at how that diversity<br />
question-asking and perspective comes<br />
into play. That’s purposeful. We want<br />
others in the district to understand that they<br />
all have a voice. It makes our team unique<br />
and strong.”<br />
If you've been living with chronic<br />
pain off and on for years, it's<br />
tempting to brush it off as a "normal"<br />
part of aging. You may think that<br />
because everyone your age seems<br />
to be living with some level of pain<br />
that it's something you will have to<br />
learn to live with.<br />
You may not know when it was that<br />
you started to have pain every day,<br />
but now it's starting to limit what<br />
you're able to do. Maybe now you<br />
even have pain that lasts from the<br />
time you wake up to the time you go<br />
to bed, with no pain-free moments.<br />
If this is happening to you, you're<br />
not alone. We hear these types of<br />
things all the time. In fact, Chronic<br />
Pain is one of the most common<br />
problems we see at HouseFit.<br />
And when it comes to managing<br />
your chronic pain, everyone we see<br />
wants to know... "Will I Ever Be Able<br />
To Make The Pain Go Away?"<br />
Most people have already gone the<br />
route of trying all the "traditional"<br />
pain management options including:<br />
pain medication, injections, surgery,<br />
acupuncture, chiropractic, and<br />
massage therapy without achieving<br />
the result they are looking for. If<br />
you're one of the many people who<br />
these options have not worked for,<br />
you're not alone. The reason these<br />
option don’t always work is they are<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
I NEWS I 21<br />
A bright future for Wildwood!<br />
VICKI WROBLEWSKI<br />
for<br />
CITY COUNCIL | WARD 1<br />
• Wildwood resident for over 30 years<br />
• President of the Board of Directors , Windsor Crest Subdivision<br />
• Dedicated volunteer & proven leader in the community<br />
• Extremely budget conscious & an effective communicator<br />
wroblewskiforwildwood.com<br />
Paid for by Wroblewski for Wildwood, Vick Wroblewski, Treasurer<br />
FREEDOM FROM CHRONIC<br />
PAIN: JOIN US FOR AN<br />
INFORMATIONAL SESSION<br />
TO LEARN HOW<br />
BY: DR. BETH TEMPLIN, PT, DPT, GCS<br />
GERIATRIC PHYSICAL THERAPIST<br />
not addressing the root of the<br />
problem, which is chronic<br />
inflammation.<br />
Fortunately, there are newer<br />
treatment options available for<br />
managing chronic pain. These<br />
alternatives are much more<br />
effective because they directly<br />
attack inflammation and trigger<br />
your body’s own natural healing<br />
power to repair damaged tissues<br />
and decrease pain. Join us for an<br />
informational session on our new<br />
Regenerative Therapy Services.<br />
Attend this talk to learn:<br />
What really causes pain in the<br />
first place.<br />
Common treatment options for<br />
pain.<br />
Why traditional pain<br />
treatments often fail.<br />
Cutting edge technology no<br />
available for pain.<br />
What to expect from EMTT<br />
and Shockwave.<br />
Who will benefit from these<br />
treatments.<br />
When: April 5th at 2:30 pm<br />
Where: 3809 Lemay Ferry Rd,<br />
63125<br />
*Attend in-person or join us online<br />
from your home. Call us at (314)<br />
939-1377 to register. Limited to<br />
the first <strong>20</strong> people to register.<br />
HouseFit<br />
VOTE<br />
APRIL 2<br />
3809 Lemay Ferry Rd.<br />
Saint Louis, MO 63125<br />
(314) 939-1377<br />
info@housefitstl.com<br />
www.housefitstl.com
22 I<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGZINE<br />
ELECTION PREVIEW<br />
@WESTNEWSMAG<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
ELECTION PREVIEW, from page 10<br />
future leaders of Des Peres, individuals<br />
who share my passion for city governance.<br />
Q3. An effective Board of Aldermen<br />
needs individuals who are independent<br />
thinkers and proactively represent their<br />
constituents. Aldermen should also have<br />
the education and experience to navigate<br />
the authority – and the limits of that<br />
authority – inherent in discharging their<br />
duties. I’ve consistently exhibited these<br />
qualities during my <strong>20</strong> years as an alderman,<br />
and am confident that I have the time,<br />
experience and commitment to once again<br />
serve the city, especially during these pivotal<br />
times. I would be honored to serve as<br />
your alderman.<br />
ELLISVILLE<br />
The city will not be holding an election<br />
this year.<br />
EUREKA<br />
Board of Aldermen<br />
• Jerry Diekmann*, Ward 1<br />
• Kevin Kilpatrick*, Ward 2<br />
• Jerry Holloway*, Ward 3<br />
Candidate did not reply by press time.<br />
• Tom Maruna, Ward 3<br />
Q1. My qualifications include three<br />
4-year terms as a township trustee in<br />
White Oak Township in Illinois, and two<br />
terms as trustee for the Carlock Fire Protection<br />
District.<br />
Q2. My priorities are to be a fresh voice,<br />
a new vision and a voice for solutions.<br />
Q3. Being retired, I have the time to<br />
devote to my constituents.<br />
MANCHESTER<br />
• Mike Clement*, Mayor<br />
• Ward 1 Alderman - This race will be<br />
determined by write-in ballot<br />
• Marilyn Ottenad*, Ward 2<br />
• Benjamin Toben*, Ward 3<br />
TOWN & COUNTRY<br />
Board of Aldermen<br />
• Barbara Ann Hughes*, Ward 1<br />
• Fred “Fritz” Wiesehan*, Ward 2 - Oneyear<br />
term<br />
• Al Gerber, Ward 2<br />
Q1. I have served as an alderman<br />
before, as well as being on the Public<br />
Works Commission. I am the treasurer of<br />
the Town & Country Historical Society as<br />
well as the president of my homeowners<br />
association.<br />
Q2. I want to encourage the use of<br />
solar power by simplifying the approval<br />
process. I want to protect residents from<br />
“teardowns” that lower the value of neighbor’s<br />
property. I plan to restart Ward 2<br />
meetings to solicit citizen input on issues<br />
before the Board of Aldermen.<br />
Q3. I lived in Ward 2 before it was<br />
part of Town & Country, and I remember<br />
when we were annexed. I first attended<br />
the Principia School in 1955 and graduated<br />
from the Principia Upper School in<br />
1969. I went to college at Principia, UMSL<br />
and the University of California, Santa<br />
Barbara, finishing with a Ph.D. in mathematics<br />
in 1978.<br />
• John Steinhubl, Ward 2<br />
Q1. I have a deep respect for the history<br />
and culture of our city and know that<br />
my most important job is to keep Town<br />
& Country a very desirable place to live,<br />
work and play. I do appreciate the life<br />
that has been afforded to me and believe<br />
strongly in giving back to my community.<br />
I serve on the St. Louis Sports Commission<br />
and am the vice president of our<br />
parish council and the CYC sports director.<br />
In addition, I am on the <strong>West</strong>on Place<br />
HOA board and was a member of the<br />
Town & Country Parks & Trails Commission.<br />
Q2. As an alderman, my top priorities<br />
will be to make decisions that most<br />
closely align with our resident’s wishes<br />
and values. I will work hard on keeping<br />
Town & Country fiscally responsible and<br />
work closely with all elected officials,<br />
staff and city agencies for the betterment<br />
of our residents. I believe in open and<br />
honest communication and in replying to<br />
residents in a timely manner.<br />
Q3. I had the great fortune of being<br />
raised in Town & Country and lived<br />
through the growth of our great city as we<br />
annexed areas that are now parts of Ward<br />
2, 3 and 4. Yes, I am a believer in “Keeping<br />
the country in Town & Country,” but<br />
also in responsible deer management and<br />
smart development in our commercial<br />
corridors.<br />
• John R. Harder, Ward 3<br />
Q1. I have been a resident of Town &<br />
Country for over 29 years. I have a master’s<br />
degree in business and had a long<br />
career in the life science industry, beginning<br />
in the laboratory and progressing<br />
through sales and marketing, culminating<br />
as a corporate CEO. In that position,<br />
I prepared and implemented budgets, and<br />
developed three- and five-year plans for<br />
growth while maintaining the current<br />
viability of the company. I am currently<br />
working as an independent business development<br />
consultant. In this capacity, I have<br />
assisted numerous companies to achieve<br />
their goals whether it be increased market<br />
share, profitability, cash flow or personnel<br />
management.<br />
Q2. My priorities are: To review past,<br />
WE<br />
SCIENTIFIC<br />
FOUNDATION<br />
At St. Louis Community College, we're constructing<br />
new facilities and modern labs so<br />
students interested in STEM careers can<br />
shape their futures.<br />
Budding scientists, IT specialists and advanced<br />
imaging technicians will gain the knowledge and<br />
hands-on experience needed to pursue transformative<br />
careers in STEM or health care. From classrooms and<br />
labs to libraries and clinics, we're empowering<br />
students to build a greater St. Louis for all.<br />
We're Building More Than Buildings.<br />
Learn more at stlcc.edu/transformed<br />
Deanna Meyer, geodesist
FACEBOOK.COM/WESTNEWSMAGAZINE<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
ELECTION PREVIEW WEST NEWSMAGAZINE I 23<br />
present and projected spending on elective<br />
projects as to their necessity and<br />
ensure the city is not overpaying, which<br />
may require additional funding sources.<br />
To maintain the existing residential real<br />
estate tax at zero, which it has been for<br />
the last 25 years. To ensure we keep and<br />
maintain our excellent police force, fire<br />
and EMT services and city employees<br />
who have created the safe, secure community<br />
which is Town & Country.<br />
Q3. My wife and I love living in Town<br />
& Country and over our 29 years here,<br />
we have seen many changes. One of the<br />
keys to our community is our required<br />
minimum lot size of one acre, which when<br />
combined with our required 75% green<br />
space per lot, gives the ambiance of living<br />
in a park. I am an advocate of strict adherence<br />
to these requirements. While change<br />
is inevitable, it needs to be managed so we<br />
do not lose what is the essence of Town &<br />
Country.<br />
• Michelle Francisco, Ward 3<br />
Q1. As alderman, I served as the parks<br />
and trails chairman overseeing various<br />
stages of master planning, construction<br />
and installation for playground facilities<br />
in our beautiful parks. I helped produce<br />
the summer concert series, Fall Fire & Ice,<br />
Art & Wine, and introduced a new event<br />
– WinterFest. Currently, I chair the Public<br />
Works Commission where I lead discussions<br />
about infrastructure, stormwater<br />
programs and other public improvements.<br />
I also serve on the Military and First<br />
Responders Task Force. Prior to being<br />
an alderman, I served on the Public Arts<br />
Commission and was part of the <strong>20</strong>-year<br />
comprehensive plan for the city.<br />
Q2. My priorities are: To ensure we run<br />
the city in a fiscally responsible way. That<br />
our infrastructure needs are being maintained<br />
and improved upon. To build upon<br />
the community events I’ve helped spearhead.<br />
My firm commitment continues to<br />
be that I will listen to resident concerns<br />
and carefully balance those with the needs<br />
of our city. Complex issues come before<br />
the board and require sound judgment,<br />
critical thinking and problem-solving<br />
skills to achieve the collective good. My<br />
record demonstrates I have done that, and<br />
I will continue to if re-elected.<br />
Q3. I am a graduate of Indiana University<br />
with a degree in business marketing. I have<br />
lived in Town & Country for eight years<br />
with my husband, Rich and our kids, Coco<br />
and Leo. Rich grew up here, so this place<br />
has deep roots for our family. I helped start<br />
the newest chapter of the National Charity<br />
League (the Spirit of St. Louis) the largest<br />
mother-daughter philanthropy organization<br />
in the country, where I serve as vice<br />
president of philanthropy. Giving back to<br />
my community is a high priority for me. I<br />
look forward to serving for another term<br />
should I be re-elected.<br />
• Sue Allen*, Ward 4 - One-year term<br />
• David Murphy*, Ward 4<br />
TWIN OAKS<br />
Two open seats for<br />
at-large aldermen:<br />
• April Milne*<br />
• Tim Stoeckl*<br />
• Ioan Chereji<br />
VALLEY PARK<br />
• Mayor: Chandra Webster*<br />
• Ward 1: Dave Rose*<br />
• Ward 2: Betty Halker*<br />
• Ward 3: Jon Young*<br />
• Ward 4: Mike White*<br />
WILDWOOD<br />
Mayor<br />
• Tony Salvatore<br />
Q1. My wife and I have been residents<br />
of Wildwood for 35 years and raised our<br />
four children here. Having retired from<br />
the United States Air Force and a major<br />
airline, I have plenty of life experiences. I<br />
have previously served on the City Council,<br />
and my friendships with many of the<br />
city founders have given me familiarity<br />
with Wildwood’s 1995 incorporation and<br />
its master plan. I believe this gives me the<br />
knowledge and experience to get the city<br />
back on track to its founding principles.<br />
I have also been very active in bringing<br />
to light what is really happening in Wildwood’s<br />
governance.<br />
Q2. If elected, the citizens of Wildwood<br />
will be my top priority. From unlimited<br />
speaker time at the podium, as it was prior<br />
to this administration, to open transparent<br />
meetings with citizen input, I promise to<br />
put citizens and their constitutional rights<br />
first. I will operate with full transparency<br />
and accountability, and I will support<br />
proper planning and zoning so as to<br />
maintain the beauty of Wildwood that we<br />
love. Citizens first, not builders/developers,<br />
who are donating tens of thousands of<br />
dollars to the mayor. Wildwood is our city<br />
not for the few.<br />
Q3. The reason I am running is due to<br />
my concern for the direction that Wildwood’s<br />
elected officials are taking us right<br />
now. The master plan is being ignored.<br />
Meetings are being held in closed session<br />
without citizen input. Contracts are being<br />
awarded without the legal bidding process.<br />
Builders are being awarded zoning<br />
and variances changes that are in conflict<br />
with our master plan. The police are being<br />
used to go after the current leadership’s<br />
political rivals. These are my concerns,<br />
and I believe I can get us back on track.<br />
Please vote.<br />
• Joe Garritano<br />
Q1. My qualifications for mayor are<br />
rooted in a commitment to public service<br />
and a proven track record of leadership and<br />
achievement. Elected multiple times as a<br />
council member since <strong>20</strong>15, I’ve shown<br />
my ability to earn community trust. I’ve<br />
also served as Missouri Municipal League<br />
president, advocating for our city at our<br />
state capitol. My educational and professional<br />
background in information systems,<br />
criminal justice, finance and education<br />
equips me to address Wildwood’s challenges<br />
and opportunities. My priorities<br />
include good governance, enhancing quality<br />
of life, promoting economic vitality,<br />
protecting the master plan, environmental<br />
stewardship, completing the Village Green<br />
and advancing internet access.<br />
Q2. If elected, my top three priorities<br />
will be: First, a commitment to good<br />
governance and enhancing the quality<br />
of life for Wildwood residents, ensuring<br />
our community thrives through ethical,<br />
transparent leadership and attention to<br />
resident needs. Second, protecting the<br />
master plan and advancing environmental<br />
stewardship, to safeguard our natural<br />
resources and maintain the beauty of our<br />
landscape. Third, promoting economic<br />
vitality by supporting and attracting small<br />
businesses that align with our values and<br />
needs, fostering a strong local economy.<br />
These priorities are designed to ensure<br />
Wildwood continues to be a wonderful<br />
Duette® Architella Honeycomb Shade<br />
place to live, work and play.<br />
Q3. I want you to know that my family<br />
and I have deeply rooted ourselves in<br />
Wildwood over the past 15 years. This<br />
city is not just where we live; it’s where<br />
my daughters have grown up and where<br />
we’ve found a community that resonates<br />
with our values. Serving on the city council<br />
has been my way of contributing to the<br />
fabric of our city, giving back to a place<br />
that has given us so much. Wildwood’s<br />
natural beauty and vibrant community<br />
spirit are unparalleled, and my commitment<br />
is to honor its heritage while steering<br />
us toward a promising, welcoming future.<br />
City Council<br />
• Vicki Wroblewski, Ward 1<br />
Q1. I grew up in the area and have lived<br />
in Wildwood even prior to its incorporation.<br />
I am currently president of the board<br />
of directors for Windsor Crest subdivision<br />
and served as a trustee for Seven Hills<br />
South from 1993-<strong>20</strong>04. Prior to retiring,<br />
I was the director of human resources for<br />
St. Luke’s Hospital managing a multi-million-dollar<br />
budget and was previously the<br />
director of diversity and affirmative action<br />
for Saint Louis University. I am currently<br />
a dedicated volunteer for several not-forprofits<br />
providing event coordination and<br />
See ELECTION PREVIEW, page 49<br />
Victor Shade Company | 11477 Page Service Drive | Maryland Heights 63146<br />
(314) 428-7979 | www.victorshadecompany.com<br />
* For tax credit details and restrictions and a list of qualifying products, see the Manufacturer’s Certifi cation Statement and FAQs<br />
at www.hunterdouglas.com/tax-credit. Hunter Douglas and its dealers are not tax advisors. Consult a tax professional regarding<br />
your individual tax situation and ability to claim a tax credit related to the purchase of the qualifying Duette® Honeycomb Shades.<br />
© <strong>20</strong>23 Hunter Douglas. All rights
<strong>24</strong> I SCHOOLS I<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
@WESTNEWSMAG<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
LIMITED TIME<br />
7-Month<br />
CD Special<br />
%<br />
5.05APY*<br />
(636) 916-8300 | TheBetterWayToBank.org<br />
$250 minimum to open *APY=Annual Percentage Yield. See credit union for details. Requires 50% of funds as new funds not currently on deposit at Alltru. Federally insured by NCUA. Rates are subject to change.<br />
BULLETIN<br />
BOARD<br />
Rockwood student<br />
art on display<br />
Rockwood student artists currently have<br />
their work on display at two regional art<br />
shows during the month of March.<br />
Lafayette High students Jaslin Baez,<br />
Michelle Chen, Samantha Haney, Luke<br />
Hinton and Aly Palmquist and Rockwood<br />
Summit High students Delaney Rae<br />
Fendler and Allison Moonier had their<br />
work selected for this year’s St. Louis<br />
Artists’ Guild Young Artists’ Showcase, a<br />
juried, all-media exhibition of artwork created<br />
by high school students between 15<br />
and 19 years old residing within 150 miles<br />
of the St. Louis Artists’ Guild.<br />
Haney, Hinton, Fendler, Moonier and<br />
Lafayette students Afton Leordeanu and<br />
Brooke O’Dell and Rockwood Summit<br />
student Lili Burle also have work on display<br />
at the “Lay of the Land: Landscape<br />
Visions” high school invitational exhibition<br />
at St. Louis Community College-Meramec.<br />
The Young Artists’ Showcase is open<br />
through March 30 at the Artists’ Guild, 12<br />
N. Jackson Ave. in Clayton, and “Lay of<br />
the Land” is open through March 28 at the<br />
Meramec Contemporary Art Gallery in the<br />
Humanities Building, 11333 Big Bend Road.<br />
Additionally, Rockwood students earned<br />
the top four spots and the People’s Choice<br />
Award at the recent St. Louis Community<br />
College-Wildwood Eco-Art Exhibit.<br />
The annual exhibit, “Sustainability: It’s<br />
An Art,” encourages students from six<br />
local high schools to create artwork that<br />
speaks to environmental consciousness<br />
in either the theme or the materials used.<br />
Participating schools include all four<br />
Rockwood highs plus Jefferson and Pacific<br />
highs. Eureka High senior Allison Heckmann<br />
earned “Best of Show,” while Lafayette<br />
High senior Aly Palmquist, Lafayette<br />
sophomore Elise Morton and Marquette<br />
High senior Riley Sirota claimed the other<br />
top three spots at the exhibit. Marquette<br />
junior Apollo Hardcastle also earned the<br />
Students at The Fulton School in St. Albans plant seeds in the educational<br />
garden while spending a little one-on-one time with a few of the school’s<br />
feathered friends.<br />
(Source: The Fulton School)<br />
People’s Choice Award.<br />
This year’s juror was Deborah Douglas,<br />
a professional artist and associate professor<br />
at Saint Louis University.<br />
Rockwood, Parkway students<br />
among Science Fair finalists<br />
Student finalists from The Academy of<br />
Science - St. Louis regional K-12 Science<br />
Fair Honors Division Competition have<br />
been announced and include several talented<br />
Rockwood and Parkway students.<br />
First and second-place students go on<br />
to represent The Academy of Science at<br />
the Regeneron International Science and<br />
Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Los Angeles<br />
in May. All Honors Division finalists and<br />
semi-finalists are automatically entered as<br />
top projects in The Academy of Science<br />
- St. Louis regional K-12 Science Fair in<br />
April and are eligible for special awards<br />
and scholarships.<br />
Sophia Ford, a senior at Cor Jesu Academy,<br />
claimed first place and a $1,500<br />
scholarship. Parkway <strong>West</strong> junior Sasha<br />
Tripathi earned second-place honors and a<br />
$1,500 scholarship. Marquette High senior<br />
Alice Liu earned third place and a $1,000<br />
scholarship.<br />
Among the competition’s finalists were<br />
Parkway <strong>West</strong> sophomore Nicole Paquette<br />
and Lafayette High students Joel and Sarah<br />
Ebenezer. Semi-finalists included Marquette<br />
sophomores Dhruv Bhosekar and<br />
Satvik Seetharaman, Marquette seniors<br />
Arnav Busani and Yoon Jae Chang, and<br />
Parkway Central junior Hannah Mathew<br />
who competed with Kirkwood High junior<br />
Alina Garcia.<br />
A list of all finalists and semi-finalists is<br />
available at sciencefairstl.org.<br />
Student historians<br />
advance to state<br />
Students from Crestview Middle, Selvidge<br />
Middle and Marquette High participated<br />
in this year’s Regional National<br />
History Day (NHD) Competition at the<br />
University of Missouri-St. Louis on Saturday,<br />
March 2, with three individuals and<br />
two groups earning first place.<br />
The students have spent the year conducting<br />
historical research and creating<br />
projects that can include a documentary,<br />
exhibit, paper, performance or website.<br />
Launched in 1980, the Missouri affiliate of<br />
National History Day is open to students in<br />
grades six through 12, who conduct extensive<br />
research on a historical subject of their<br />
choosing.<br />
First-place finishers qualified for the<br />
state competition on April 27 at the University<br />
of Missouri, include Mahesh Boddipati<br />
(Crestview, Junior Paper); Anish<br />
Munje (Crestview, Junior Individual Documentary);<br />
Charan Katabathuni, Ishaan<br />
Palanati, Ritesh Gouni and Vihaan Punjabi<br />
(Crestview, Junior Group Documentary);<br />
Amanda Moi, Dhruv Chakravarthula, Sidd<br />
Sawant and Yvette Yaroshenko (Marquette,<br />
Senior Group Documentary); and Rohan<br />
Deshpande (Marquette, Senior Individual<br />
Documentary).<br />
Music in our schools<br />
March is the time of year when music<br />
education becomes the focus of schools<br />
and communities across the nation. To<br />
celebrate, the Rockwood School District<br />
hosted a variety of learning opportunities<br />
for students and staff members, including<br />
having a “composer in residence.”<br />
Tyler S. Grant, an internationally recognized<br />
composer, arranger and conductor,<br />
held workshops with musical groups<br />
at Rockwood South and Selvidge middle<br />
schools and all four Rockwood high<br />
schools.<br />
On Feb. 26, Grant held a student composition<br />
workshop with 12 students representing<br />
all four high schools at Eureka<br />
High.<br />
In addition to composing and arranging,<br />
Tyler enjoys conducting and clinic<br />
engagements with ensembles throughout<br />
the United States. He has served as a clinician<br />
with over 100 school instrumental<br />
music programs and honor groups across<br />
more than 15 states. His work, “Panoramic<br />
Fanfare,” was a winner of the Dallas Wind<br />
Symphony’s <strong>20</strong>14 “Call for Fanfares” competition.<br />
Panoramic Fanfare has since been<br />
performed by collegiate and professional<br />
ensembles throughout North America.<br />
On Friday, March 1, Rockwood held a<br />
conducting symposium for band directors<br />
at Eureka High, in which teachers<br />
took turns conducting the Eureka Wind<br />
Ensemble and received feedback from Dr.<br />
Mark Bonner, director of athletic bands<br />
and assistant director of bands at the Uni-
FACEBOOK.COM/WESTNEWSMAGAZINE<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
I SCHOOLS I 25<br />
Composer Tyler S. Grant (third from left, back row) with Eureka High students. (Source: RSD)<br />
versity of Central Missouri. Bonner also<br />
led the Rockwood Honor Band, composed<br />
of students from all four high schools, in a<br />
performance on Saturday, March 2.<br />
Parkway award winners<br />
The Parkway School District has named<br />
its <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong> Albert Award and Lights of Parkway<br />
winners.<br />
The Albert Award recognizes new teachers<br />
for the energy and enthusiasm they<br />
bring to their students, as well as the creative<br />
and innovative practices they use in<br />
their classrooms. Named as winners for<br />
<strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong> are Luke Donohoo, Henry Elementary;<br />
Kayla Komorek, Southwest Middle;<br />
and Rachel Money, <strong>West</strong> High.<br />
The <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong> Lights of Parkway award<br />
winners are Nancy Bueltmann, Claymont<br />
Elementary; Reggie Cathey, Green Trails<br />
Elementary; and Kim Copeland, McKelvey<br />
Elementary.<br />
The Light of Parkway Award recognizes<br />
district operations staff members who<br />
have helped to create a positive and caring<br />
environment for the people they serve.<br />
The awards are sponsored by the Parkway<br />
Alumni Association and funded by the<br />
Sandy Finch Light of Parkway Fund.<br />
Scholarship recipients named<br />
The following South Technical High students<br />
have been selected to receive a Bonhomme<br />
Lions Scholarship: Shey Delahu,<br />
Glayden Douglas, Logan Rosenburg and<br />
Auden Sellmeyer. For many years, the<br />
Bonhomme Lions Club has donated funds<br />
for scholarships to SSD students. The organization<br />
selects students who have demonstrated<br />
strong character, high academic<br />
achievement, and participation in community<br />
service. The scholarship recipients<br />
each typically receive $1,000 to be used<br />
toward education expenses at the recipient’s<br />
chosen college, university or postsecondary<br />
program.<br />
Additionally, Shayneisha Allen, of Parkway<br />
Central, and Timothy Smith of Eureka<br />
High have been awarded James E. <strong>West</strong>bury<br />
Memorial Board of Education Scholarships.<br />
The Special School District Board<br />
(SSD) of Education and other donors<br />
provide funds for scholarships each year<br />
to SSD students who plan to attend a college,<br />
university or post-secondary program.<br />
These scholarships are named in memory<br />
of James E. <strong>West</strong>bury, who served on the<br />
board for many years and dedicated his life<br />
to the education of students throughout the<br />
St. Louis region. The $2,000 scholarships<br />
are awarded to the students who best demonstrate<br />
the ability to define a goal and are<br />
preparing to achieve that goal.<br />
Sensational skiers<br />
Class of <strong>20</strong>28 students Adam and<br />
Andrew Dysart and Andre Johnson represented<br />
St. Louis Priory during the <strong>20</strong>23-<strong>24</strong><br />
season as part of the Hidden Valley Ski<br />
Team in the Wisconsin Illinois Iowa Junior<br />
Alpine Racing Association (WIJARA).<br />
Andre has been on the ski race team for<br />
10 years, while Adam and Andrew have<br />
been on the team for three years.<br />
Andre’s performance has earned him<br />
the privilege of representing Missouri at<br />
the NASTAR National Championship. He<br />
also qualified in the 16-year-old category,<br />
emerging as the top point earner of his<br />
age category for his team within the entire<br />
league. He finished in the top-five in all<br />
seven races, including picking up three<br />
victories.<br />
De Smet Jesuit student<br />
honored for service<br />
De Smet Jesuit senior Charlie Erker has<br />
received the St. Louis Archdiocese’s <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
Archbishop May Service Award.<br />
Erker volunteers his time as a peer<br />
minister in Campus Ministry at De Smet,<br />
a National Honor Society president, a<br />
president’s ambassador, a Kairos retreat<br />
leader, a Spanish Club member and as an<br />
attorney for the mock trial team among<br />
other pursuits. In doing so, Erker lives<br />
out De Smet’s motto to “live as a man<br />
for others.”<br />
The best of Assisted Living and<br />
Memory Care in <strong>West</strong> St. Louis County!<br />
Don’t strike out! Hit a home run when you join the team<br />
at The Grande At Chesterfield. Where every day is Grande.<br />
To schedule a visit to see the community and meet our team,<br />
call Katrie at 636-778-4800!<br />
16300 Justus Post Rd, Chesterfield, MO 63017
26 MARCH <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
CARDINALS PREVIEW <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
CARDINALS PREVIEW <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
OVERVIEW<br />
Let’s get this out of the way first. Last<br />
season was… bad. Which part, you ask? All<br />
of it. The “all of it” part was bad. Pitching,<br />
offense, defense, win/loss record, Willson<br />
Contreras’ first season, Adam Wainwright’s<br />
final season – all bad. Rumor has it even<br />
the Rally Squirrel switched alliances to<br />
CITY SC and the Battlehawks. It was all<br />
bad. Let us speak of it no more.<br />
Now then, on to <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong>! Every year, ESPN<br />
hands out grades for each team’s offseason<br />
and this year the Cardinals were able to<br />
score a, well, just a C+. Hey, that’s a passing<br />
grade. (Gulp.) Same grade as the Cubs.<br />
(Gulp, gulp, cough.) But there is an actual<br />
plus sign!<br />
In all seriousness, those grades are mostly<br />
bunk. The Los Angeles Dodgers scored an<br />
A++ and ESPN argued it may have been the<br />
greatest offseason ever. Well, yeah. They<br />
spent $1.2 billion dollars. They increased<br />
their already very high annual payroll by<br />
$67 million. To provide some context, that<br />
means the <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong> Dodgers took the <strong>20</strong>23<br />
Dodgers and added the equivalent of the<br />
<strong>20</strong>23 Tampa Bay Rays in new payroll.<br />
That’s bonkers. Oh, and for more context, a<br />
reminder that the New York Mets won the<br />
<strong>20</strong>23 offseason and then lost the <strong>20</strong>23 regular<br />
season by a great big ginormous amount.<br />
We actually are quite optimistic about<br />
the Redbirds’ ability to return to form this<br />
season. They might not be built to win a<br />
popularity contest, but they just might be<br />
set up to make a decent postseason run.<br />
Let’s talk about why.<br />
THE WINN COLUMN<br />
The <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong> Cardinals will feature one of<br />
the largest, most exciting groups of young<br />
prospects since the early 1980’s teams. We<br />
know what team superstars like Nolan Arenado<br />
and Paul Goldschmidt are going to do<br />
for us, they do it every year. But if the team<br />
can get one or more of these young players<br />
to really break out, then the sky is the limit.<br />
The group is led by a pair of 21-yearolds,<br />
shortstop Masyn Winn and outfielder<br />
Jordan Walker. Walker spent nearly all last<br />
season in the big leagues, Winn got a taste<br />
at the end of the year. Both have a way to<br />
go to reach their enormous potential.<br />
Nolan Gorman (23), Alec Burleson (25),<br />
Dylan Carlson (25), Lars Nootbaar (26) and<br />
Brendan Donovan (27) are the other relatively<br />
young players with the potential to<br />
turn into superstars. Gorman and Burleson<br />
both have 40-home run power. Donovan<br />
was the only rookie Cardinal to ever win<br />
a Gold Glove. Nootbaar and Carlson are<br />
excellent all-around performers.<br />
THE LYNN COLUMN<br />
Listen, if you are a male between the ages<br />
of 35-39 with a loose affiliation to or affinity<br />
for the St. Louis Cardinals, you need to<br />
check your email. There is a chance that<br />
you were signed to a contract by the Redbirds<br />
this year.<br />
The Cardinals filled out their pitching rotation<br />
by signing former Cardinal Lance Lynn<br />
(36) and St. Louis native Kyle Gibson (you<br />
guessed it, 36). They also added backup<br />
shortstop Brandon Crawford (37) and<br />
former Cardinal that we all loved, then hated,<br />
(Lou Countryman photo)<br />
then traded, and now have very complicated<br />
feelings toward, Matt Carpenter (38).<br />
The result is that the Cardinals have a<br />
tantalizing combination of youth and experience.<br />
If the two sides can play off each<br />
other (pun intended), then the mix could be<br />
magical.<br />
SHADES OF GRAY<br />
Here is an interesting thing to watch for<br />
this year. In the past, the Redbirds have<br />
been viewed as a pretty businesslike organization.<br />
Our current superstars, Goldschmidt,<br />
Arenado and Miles Mikolas, are<br />
fairly subdued in demeanor. They are nice<br />
guys, pro’s pros, that sort of thing. The last<br />
two offseasons the Cardinals have broken<br />
form a bit. Willson Contreras, Sonny Gray,<br />
Lance Lynn, these guys all have an edge.<br />
They play a little nasty. Contreras was<br />
quoted saying to Gray, “I think we have<br />
the same attitude in the game. We’re not<br />
making friends out there.”<br />
Is that intentional? Probably. This organization<br />
does very little by accident. Chances<br />
are, they want their young stars to play like<br />
stars, but they also want them have a bit<br />
of an attitude about it. They brought in the<br />
right guys to show the way. It’s going to be<br />
a fun season to watch how it all plays out.<br />
ROSTER PREDICTIONS<br />
Starting Pitchers<br />
Sonny Gray<br />
Miles Mikolas<br />
Kyle Gibson<br />
Lance Lynn<br />
Steven Matz<br />
Bullpen<br />
Ryan Helsley<br />
Giovanny Gallegos<br />
JoJo Romero<br />
Andrew Kittredge<br />
Keynan Middleton<br />
Andre Pallante<br />
John King<br />
Matthew Liberatore<br />
Starting Infield<br />
C- Willson Contreras<br />
1B- Paul Goldschmidt<br />
2B- Brendan Donovan<br />
3B- Nolan Arenado<br />
SS- Masyn Winn<br />
Starting Outfield<br />
LF- Lars Nootbaar<br />
CF- Tommy Edman<br />
RF- Jordan Walker<br />
Designated Hitter<br />
Nolan Gorman<br />
Bench<br />
Matt Carpenter<br />
Iván Herrera<br />
Brandon Crawford<br />
Dylan Carlson<br />
Alec Burleson<br />
TAKING HOLD OF YOUR VISION NEEDS<br />
Dr. Kim Folwarski Brown<br />
and Dr. Christy Hayes<br />
Myopia Management • Glasses & Contact Lenses<br />
Treatment of Eye Diseases • Neurolens Provider<br />
With cutting edge treatments and the latest technologies,<br />
we strive to provide comprehensive ocular health care<br />
to the entire community with a focus on building personal<br />
relationships with each of our patients.<br />
2751 FOUNTAIN PLACE, STE 2<br />
WILDWOOD | 636.273.3910<br />
HOURS:<br />
M-TH-F: 9A-5P | T-W: 9A-7P<br />
SAT-SUN: CLOSED<br />
WILDWOODVISION.COM<br />
Flooring & Stair Installation & Restoration<br />
$45 Off!<br />
Floor Squeak Removal<br />
Consultations are free<br />
314-341-9676<br />
www.SqueakStoppers.com<br />
Discount applies to set-up fees. Coupon only valid on jobs with 5 or more squeaks.
Synchrony Bank - 0% Financing up to 12 months for those<br />
who qualify. See store for details.<br />
DISCOVER A NEW KIND OF<br />
HOME IMPROVEMENT STORE<br />
FREE <strong>20</strong><strong>20</strong> DESIGN WITH ONE OF OUR EXPERIENCED DESIGNERS<br />
$ 25 OFF<br />
$<br />
100 PURCHASE<br />
OR<br />
$ 100 OFF<br />
$<br />
500 PURCHASE<br />
Not valid with Derksen Shed sales or in-stock cabinets. Applies to regular priced in-stock merchandise only.<br />
Excludes previous purchases and special order items. Coupon required at the time of purchase.<br />
One Coupon Per Person, Per Day, Per Order. Expires 4/17/<strong>24</strong><br />
LOCATIONS:<br />
CUSTOM DOOR<br />
& COUNTERTOP<br />
SHOP ON-SITE<br />
KITCHENS<br />
Cabinets • Islands • Hardware<br />
BATHS<br />
Vanities • Sinks • Mirrors<br />
FLOORS<br />
Wood • Ceramic • Carpet<br />
DOORS<br />
Interior • Exterior • Custom<br />
St.Peters | 301 Costco Way | 636-279-1700<br />
Festus | 1212 S. Gannon Dr. | 636-931-6380<br />
Fenton | 88 <strong>West</strong>ern Plaza | 636-600-9881<br />
House Springs | 4401 Hwy 30 | 636-671-0079<br />
Farmington | 4162 Overall Rd. | 573-756-4718<br />
Natural Bridge | 9009 Natural Bridge Rd. | 314-427-<strong>24</strong>15<br />
HOODSHOMECENTERS.COM<br />
HOODS HOME FURNISHINGS NOW OPEN!<br />
Synchrony Bank - 0% Financing up to<br />
12 months for those who qualify.<br />
See store for details.<br />
SISTER STORE<br />
NOW OPEN!<br />
331 COSTCO WAY, ST. PETERS, MO 63376<br />
HOURS: MONDAY-SATURDAY ~ 10AM-6PM<br />
We furnish style<br />
$ 25 OFF<br />
$<br />
100 PURCHASE<br />
HOODSHOMEFURNISHINGS.COM<br />
QUALITY, COMFORT & AFFORDABILITY<br />
ALL IN ONE PLACE<br />
OR<br />
$ 100 OFF<br />
$<br />
500 PURCHASE<br />
Applies to regular priced in-stock merchandise only. Excludes previous purchases and special order items.<br />
Coupon required at the time of purchase. One Coupon Per Person, Per Day, Per Order. Expires 4/17/<strong>24</strong>
28 MARCH <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
CARDINALS PREVIEW <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
Get surprisingly<br />
great Auto rates.<br />
Here’s the deal, everyone loves a good surprise — especially when it comes to saving<br />
money. State Farm ® has always been about that. Call us to discover your surprisingly<br />
great rates on Auto today.<br />
Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. ®<br />
Tom Bond,<br />
Agent<br />
St. Louis, MO 63126<br />
Bus: 636-305-9999<br />
www.tombond.com<br />
Ryan Vardeman,<br />
Agent<br />
Creve Coeur, MO 63141<br />
Bus: 314-275-3767<br />
www.ryanvardeman.net<br />
Owners Ben Boland & Jim Menner<br />
BEFORE<br />
AFTER<br />
H NEST<br />
JUN K HAULING<br />
CALL TODAY, WE’LL HAUL YOUR JUNK AWAY!<br />
ALL ITEMS, LARGE & SMALL | REMOVAL, LOADING & DISPOSAL<br />
$<br />
25 OFF<br />
ANY<br />
PICK-UP<br />
EXPIRES 4/13/<strong>24</strong><br />
Cannot be combined with other offers.<br />
Deanna Carroll,<br />
Agent<br />
Des Peres, MO 63131<br />
Bus: 314-966-5391<br />
www.deannacarroll.net<br />
Earl Stinnett,<br />
Agent<br />
Wildwood, MO 63040<br />
Bus: 636-458-9949<br />
LARGE SCREEN<br />
TV PICK-UP<br />
$<br />
99<br />
Up to 65” – includes disposal fee<br />
(Each additional TV – $50)<br />
EXPIRES 4/13/<strong>24</strong><br />
Cannot be combined with other offers.<br />
Steve Martinez<br />
Insurance Agency Inc<br />
Steve Martinez, Agent<br />
Ballwin, MO 63011<br />
Bus: 636-227-7888<br />
www.stevemartinez.net<br />
Trampolines • Swing Sets<br />
Furniture • Appliances<br />
Electronics • Yard Clean Out<br />
Fences • Decks • Sheds<br />
Pools • Real Estate Cleanup<br />
• Garage Clean Out<br />
• Basement Clean Out<br />
• Estate Clean Out<br />
• Remodeling Demo<br />
• Debris Loading & Hauling<br />
DIY<br />
DUMPSTER<br />
RENTAL<br />
$<br />
399<br />
EXPIRES 4/13/<strong>24</strong><br />
Cannot be combined with other offers.<br />
Lane Sander,<br />
Agent<br />
Chesterfield, MO 63005<br />
Bus: 636-530-9989<br />
www.lanesander.com<br />
State Farm Mutual Automobile Ins Co<br />
State Farm Indemnity Co<br />
Bloomington, IL<br />
State Farm County Mutual<br />
Insurance Company of Texas<br />
Richardson, TX<br />
<strong>20</strong>01861<br />
FREE ESTIMATES BY PHONE/TEXT OR ON-SITE<br />
314-312-1077 | www.honestjunk.com<br />
Locally Owned & Operated | Residential or Commercial<br />
BEFORE<br />
AFTER<br />
$<br />
30 OFF<br />
SHEDS, PLAYSETS<br />
AND FENCES<br />
EXPIRES 4/13/<strong>24</strong><br />
Cannot be combined with other offers.<br />
By WARREN MAYES<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
Cardinals want Gray to lead<br />
improved starting rotation<br />
Seeking a quick turnaround from a<br />
disastrous <strong>20</strong>23 season, St. Louis Cardinals<br />
president of baseball operations<br />
John Mozeliek targeted improving the<br />
starting rotation.<br />
Simply put, Mozeliak needed to make<br />
an impactful offseason by signing a top<br />
pitcher.<br />
Eschewing big-name pitchers like<br />
Aaron Nola or Blake Snell, Mozeliak<br />
zeroed in on Minnesota free agent Sonny<br />
Gray.<br />
Like a Canadian mountie, Mozeliak<br />
got his man.<br />
Gray, who turned 34 in <strong>20</strong>23, signed<br />
with St. Louis for four years and $80 million<br />
in guaranteed money.<br />
St. Louis is where Gray wanted to play.<br />
“Going into this thing, I wanted to be<br />
a Cardinal,” Gray said. “That started<br />
probably a little over a year ago. It’s a<br />
place that every time I’ve come here as<br />
a visitor, I’ve looked at the stadium and<br />
I’ve said, ‘Wow, this place is incredible!’<br />
When you talk around the league and<br />
talk to different guys who have been all<br />
over the place, everybody raves about St.<br />
Louis and the Cardinals.”<br />
It will be a fresh start for Gray.<br />
Joining a new team is something Gray<br />
has done before. The Cardinals represent<br />
the fifth time he has joined a new team as<br />
he heads into his 12th MLB season.<br />
Gray debuted with the Oakland Athletics<br />
in <strong>20</strong>13. After a midseason trade in<br />
<strong>20</strong>17, he joined the New York Yankees.<br />
Gray’s time with the Yankees was not<br />
successful.<br />
However, he blossomed after a trade<br />
to the Cincinnati Reds prior to the <strong>20</strong>19<br />
season. The Reds later dealt him to the<br />
Twins for prospects.<br />
In his career, Gray is 98-85 with a 3.47<br />
ERA. He has 1,521 strikeouts. He is a<br />
three-time All-Star, making the game in<br />
<strong>20</strong>15, <strong>20</strong>19 and <strong>20</strong>23.<br />
Gray is fresh off two impressive seasons<br />
with the Twins. Gray pitched well<br />
in two seasons for the Twins, finishing<br />
second in the American League Cy<br />
Young voting last season.<br />
He posted a 2.79 ERA over 32 starts<br />
and 181 innings. The 32 starts were a<br />
second-best total for him in his career.<br />
Gray also allowed only eight home runs<br />
last season. That was the lowest he’s<br />
allowed in a full season in his career.<br />
Batters hit just .226 against his arsenal,<br />
which includes a sweeper. Gray<br />
has six pitches. Besides the sweeper, he<br />
throws a four-seam fastball that hits 93<br />
mph, a curveball, a sinker, a cutter and<br />
a changeup.<br />
For the fourth time in his career, he<br />
started more than 30 games and surpassed<br />
175 innings pitched. He missed<br />
no time due to injury,<br />
Sonny Gray<br />
(MLB)<br />
“If you want to talk about someone who<br />
takes the ball and has an edge, you’ll see<br />
it,” Gray said. “You have to be yourself,<br />
be your authentic self. Just be that guy.<br />
Whatever intangibles that comes with<br />
that, you have be yourself.<br />
“For me to help this team win is to just<br />
go out and perform.”<br />
Mozeliak long has admired Gray. He<br />
said he wanted to draft Gray out of<br />
Vanderbilt University in <strong>20</strong>11 and that he<br />
tried trading for him six seasons ago.<br />
“We certainly feel like we’ve accomplished<br />
something for our rotation,”<br />
Mozeliak said about signing Gray.<br />
Manager Oliver Marmol has named<br />
Gray the Cardinals’ starting pitcher on<br />
Opening Day at Dodger Stadium in Los<br />
Angeles.<br />
Marmol wants Gray to be the leader of<br />
the staff.<br />
“Sonny has done a phenomenal job not<br />
only with what he says, but how he goes<br />
about it,” Marmol said. “He’s been a<br />
great example for everybody else and it’s<br />
contagious. The ways in which he goes<br />
about the game, he’s so good with talk-
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
ing through it and guys around listen<br />
to it. He does a good job of explaining<br />
the ‘why’ behind the way he does something.”<br />
Gray is serious about his job. He<br />
knows he’s being looked upon to be a<br />
leader.<br />
“Guys, in general, will look toward<br />
older guys for an example or a direction<br />
to go and I’m conscious of that, but it<br />
doesn’t persuade or influence me to do<br />
anything different,” Gray said. “I know<br />
I’m a fairly intense person, especially<br />
here in a baseball world. That’s just<br />
what I’ve learned over the course of my<br />
career that helps me be at my best.<br />
“I show up to work, put in the work,<br />
put in the time and that works for me. If<br />
it does rub off on someone – and it’s for<br />
the benefit of them. That’s a good thing.”<br />
Gray joins a revamped rotation that<br />
also features newly acquired 36-yearold<br />
right-handers Lance Lynn and Kyle<br />
Gibson.<br />
But Gray is the one who is the<br />
acknowledged leader of the pitching<br />
staff. All eyes will be on him.<br />
Marmol noted Gray knows what to do.<br />
“With Sonny, this is a high, high<br />
competitor, and when you are in conversations<br />
with him, it’s clear that he<br />
cares about being really good and also<br />
wants everyone around him to be elite,”<br />
Marmol said. “He’s confident in what he<br />
knows and what makes him good, and<br />
he does an awesome job of inserting<br />
himself in certain meetings so that the<br />
group can understand what’s important.”<br />
Gray will become just the sixth pitcher<br />
to make his first start with the Cardinals<br />
on Opening Day. Kyle Lohse was the<br />
most recent pitcher to do that, opening<br />
the <strong>20</strong>08 season against the Rockies.<br />
“It’s a tremendous honor, to be honest<br />
with you,” Gray said of the assignment.<br />
“I don’t take that lightly. I don’t take<br />
that lightly at all. I have been fortunate<br />
enough to do it a few times in my career,<br />
and I’ve enjoyed every single one of<br />
them.”<br />
But Gray also knows it is a game<br />
and that means you have to enjoy what<br />
you’re doing.<br />
“I am very structured, but I like to<br />
have fun,” said Gray. “There’s time to<br />
work and there’s time to have play and<br />
there’s definitely time for both. They<br />
both go hand in hand. The more you<br />
are having fun, the more you are smiling,<br />
the better you are going to be. But<br />
there’s also time to lock it in and get<br />
your stuff done.”<br />
MARCH <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
CARDINALS PREVIEW <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong> 29<br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
Visit us in Wildwood Town Center<br />
<strong>24</strong>48 TAYLOR RD • WILDWOOD 63040<br />
636.422.8104<br />
121 PLAZA DRIVE | WILDWOOD 63040<br />
WWW.SHOPHEELSBOUTIQUESTL.COM<br />
636.273.4000<br />
PROFESSIONALLY DESIGNED<br />
SERVICES, LLC<br />
LANDSCAPE &<br />
HARDSCAPE<br />
• Landscape & hardscape construction<br />
• Decorative stone retaining walls<br />
• Patios & walkways<br />
• Firepits<br />
• Stone benches & seating walls<br />
• Rock & stone features<br />
• Landscape steps<br />
636-274-1519<br />
pdsservicesllc.com<br />
CALL TODAY FOR A FREE QUOTE!
30 MARCH <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
CARDINALS PREVIEW <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
DO YOU HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE<br />
FOR THOSE YOU CARE ABOUT?<br />
Amen, Gantner & Capriano<br />
Your Estate Matters, L.L.C.<br />
If not, we invite you to watch our FREE Educational Webinar Available ON-DEMAND!<br />
WILLS, TRUSTS & PAYING FOR LONG-TERM CARE<br />
We will discuss these topics and more:<br />
• 6 Costly Mistakes Families Make in Their Estate Plans<br />
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Wills & Trusts<br />
• Probate - What is It & Why Avoid It?<br />
• The Impact of the SECURE Act and New Tax Laws<br />
• Preparing for Inevitable Long-Term Care Costs<br />
Watch from the comfort of your own home and<br />
get all of your estate planning questions answered!<br />
The choice of an attorney is an important decision that should not be based solely on advertisement.<br />
To register call 314.966.8077 or<br />
online at www.yourestatematters.com<br />
(Mention <strong>West</strong> <strong>Newsmagazine</strong> to receive a special offer!)<br />
By WARREN MAYES<br />
The St. Louis Cardinals have projected<br />
Masyn Winn to be their starting shortstop.<br />
Now, Winn will have to show he<br />
deserves it.<br />
He doesn’t believe the job has been<br />
handed to him.<br />
“I’m just going to go out there and compete,”<br />
Winn said. “I want to go into spring<br />
training with the same mindset as last<br />
year. I got some opportunities last year<br />
and made the most of them. I’m going to<br />
go in there not thinking that it’s my spot.<br />
I’m thinking I need to earn a spot.<br />
“I know they (the Cardinals) believed in<br />
me last season and still believe in me. I<br />
just want to go out there and compete for a<br />
spot. I’ve never been the type to feel entitled<br />
to anything. I don’t want to be given<br />
a spot. I want to go out there and earn it.”<br />
Winn turns 22 on March 21. He made<br />
his Major League Baseball debut on Aug.<br />
18 and has been the Cardinals’ starting<br />
shortstop since.<br />
While his glove is not in question,<br />
Winn’s bat has been a cause for some concern.<br />
Winn hit just .172 in 37 games with<br />
the Cards last season after he was called<br />
up from Triple-A Memphis.<br />
Winn struck out 27 times. He had only<br />
21 base hits.<br />
Those numbers obviously have to<br />
change. Winn knows it. He can read the<br />
figures on his stat sheet.<br />
He doesn’t shy away from it either.<br />
“I think it’s not a secret I definitely<br />
struggled at the plate last year,” Winn said.<br />
“That’s been my main focus.”<br />
He didn’t play enough games last fall so<br />
he will still be a rookie this season.<br />
The Cardinals added some insurance<br />
just in case Winn struggles in training<br />
camp. St. Louis signed veteran Brandon<br />
Crawford to a contract in February. Crawford,<br />
37, was a three-time All-Star shortstop<br />
with the San Franciso Giants.<br />
“We’re excited to be adding a player<br />
with the winning credentials and pedigree<br />
of Brandon Crawford,” said John Mozeliak,<br />
Cardinals’ president of baseball<br />
operations. “He is someone that will provide<br />
us with valuable depth and experience<br />
on the infield, and can also be a great<br />
resource for our younger players, such as<br />
Masyn Winn.”<br />
The Cardinals know Winn is their future.<br />
The organization has waited for Winn to<br />
make his move up the organization. In the<br />
<strong>20</strong><strong>20</strong> MLB Draft, the Cardinals selected<br />
Winn 54th overall.<br />
Last year in spring training, Winn hit<br />
.333 with two homers, two doubles and<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
Cardinals rookie Winn looks to<br />
prove skills, improve offense<br />
Masyn Winn<br />
(MLB)<br />
two triples in 18 games before being sent<br />
back to the minors so he could play every<br />
day.<br />
His success last spring got Winn sent<br />
to Memphis instead of heading back to<br />
Double-A Springfield.<br />
St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol<br />
believes in Winn.<br />
“I’m not concerned at all with Masyn’s<br />
offense. I love Masyn Winn. His mentality.<br />
His skill set. The way he approaches<br />
the game. He’s constantly wanting to<br />
learn,” Marmol said. “He’s open. He’s<br />
coachable. But his competitive nature is<br />
incredible. He doesn’t scare.<br />
“He came in, and he knew that, I mean,<br />
the league was tough. And he experienced<br />
that. But he never backed down. That’s an<br />
awesome quality, especially at his age.”<br />
Winn’s arm is off the charts. Winn has<br />
a howitzer at his position. Some of his<br />
throws have reached triple digits at times.<br />
That arm combined with his slick defense<br />
at the position and above-average speed<br />
make him a player to watch.<br />
Winn was a pitcher in high school. He<br />
was a two-way player by pitching and<br />
playing in the field.<br />
His arm is not in question. Winn threw a<br />
ball from his position at shortstop at 100.5<br />
miles per hour in the MLB <strong>20</strong>22 All-Star<br />
Futures game.<br />
Having him at shortstop gives St. Louis<br />
perhaps the best defensive left side of the<br />
infield in baseball between him and Nolan<br />
Arenado.<br />
While he didn’t hit after being called<br />
up last season to the Cardinals, Winn has<br />
See WINN, page 36
THE POWER OF PURPOSE<br />
CERTIFICATE<br />
SPECIAL<br />
LIMITED TIME ONLY<br />
$1,000 MINIMUM<br />
TO OBTAIN APY<br />
10<br />
5.75<br />
MONTH CERTIFICATE OF DEPOSIT*<br />
%<br />
APY**<br />
15<br />
5.50<br />
MONTH CERTIFICATE OF DEPOSIT*<br />
%<br />
APY**<br />
NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS COMING <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
MEMBER FDIC<br />
DES PERES BRANCH | 11697 Manchester Road | Des Peres, MO 63131 | 314-626-6788<br />
CLAYTON BRANCH | 112 S. Hanley Road, Ste. 1<strong>20</strong> | Clayton, MO 63105 | 314-721-2265<br />
WWW.M1.BANK<br />
*A penalty may be imposed for early withdrawal. Fees could reduce earnings on the account. *Rates subject to change. Rates accurate as of March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong>.<br />
**APY = Annual Percentage Yield.
32 MARCH <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
CARDINALS PREVIEW <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
BUILD A BETTER BOND WITH YOUR DOG<br />
St. Louis<br />
• PRIVATE LESSONS<br />
• IN-HOME TRAINING<br />
• PUPPY & GROUP<br />
CLASSES<br />
Specializing in obedience<br />
training, behavior modification,<br />
and rehabilitation<br />
<strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong> Regular S<br />
Certified dog trainer and certified<br />
behavior consultant in <strong>West</strong> County<br />
MANDY ZATORSKI<br />
CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA<br />
16079 MANCHESTER ROAD | ELLISVILLE<br />
MANDYK9LLC@GMAIL.COM| MANDYK9.COM<br />
SPARTAN<br />
SUMMER<br />
CAMPS<br />
HOME AWAY<br />
Game times are subject to change.<br />
All times are Central time.<br />
FOR GRADES 1-8<br />
Register at desmet.org/SpartanSummer<br />
Quality from the ground up!<br />
Services we offer:<br />
Crack Injection • Waterproofing<br />
Wall Stabilization • Piering<br />
FREE INSPECTIONS!<br />
Life of the Structure Warranty<br />
“A+ Rated”<br />
636.273.1150<br />
www.highanddrystl.com
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
MARCH <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
CARDINALS PREVIEW <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong> 33<br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
Cardinals<br />
eason Schedule<br />
Tony Salvatore<br />
For Mayor of Wildwood, MO<br />
Lieutenant Colonel,<br />
Retired U.S. Air Force<br />
✓<br />
✓<br />
✓<br />
VOTE TUESDAY APRIL 2, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
www.tonyforwildwood.com<br />
Residents First<br />
Accessibility and<br />
Transparency<br />
Supports Master Plan<br />
Zoning Rules<br />
I will work to restore citizen<br />
access and follow open bidding<br />
laws. We will have transparent<br />
meetings and a welcoming<br />
environment. Unlike my<br />
predecessor, I will not take<br />
contributions from developers.<br />
Pai d For By Tony Salvatore For Wildwood, Tony Salvatore Treasurer<br />
Tree, Lawn & Landscape Experts!<br />
Remember, Quality Isn’t Expensive<br />
... It’s Priceless!<br />
• 4th Generation/Family-Owned Since 1978<br />
• ISA Certified Arborists<br />
• Degrees in Horticulture, Science & Forestry<br />
• TCIA Accredited<br />
• Fully Insured with Workers’ Comp.<br />
$100 OFF<br />
Any Tree Service<br />
of $1000 or more<br />
For New Contracts Signed<br />
from 3/15/<strong>24</strong> - 4/30/<strong>24</strong><br />
Not to be combined<br />
with other offers.<br />
$75 OFF<br />
Any Tree Service<br />
of $750 or more<br />
For New Contracts Signed<br />
from 3/15/<strong>24</strong> - 4/30/<strong>24</strong><br />
Not to be combined<br />
with other offers.<br />
$50 OFF<br />
Any Tree Service<br />
of $550 or more<br />
For New Contracts Signed<br />
from 3/15/<strong>24</strong> - 4/30/<strong>24</strong><br />
Not to be combined<br />
with other offers.<br />
(636) 332-5535<br />
Allenstreeservice.com
34 MARCH <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
CARDINALS PREVIEW <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
Cardinals bring plenty of<br />
experience to starting rotation<br />
Miles Mikolas on the mound in <strong>20</strong>23<br />
By WARREN MAYES<br />
In <strong>20</strong>23, St. Louis finished fifth in the<br />
National League Central last year at 71-91,<br />
its first losing season since <strong>20</strong>07 and its most<br />
losses since 1990.<br />
The Cardinals were ranked 26th in the<br />
major leagues with a .438 winning percentage<br />
– changes were mandatory.<br />
Starting pitchers last year combined for just<br />
48 quality starts, which is six innings pitched<br />
and allowing three or few earned runs.<br />
So John Mozeliak, the president of baseball<br />
operations, got to work.<br />
The Cardinals added three starting pitchers<br />
as free agents, reaching a $75 million, threeyear<br />
deal with Sonny Gray and one-year<br />
agreements with Kyle Gibson ($13 million)<br />
and Lance Lynn ($11 million).<br />
The two veterans, who are both 36 years<br />
old, were signed to help the rotation and also<br />
bring leadership to the clubhouse.<br />
“Every move that has been made has<br />
been made with a purpose,” manager<br />
Oliver Marmol said. “These guys are<br />
going to add to the win column, no doubt<br />
about that. That’s why they’re here. Lance<br />
Lynn and Kyle Gibson, these are guys who<br />
are hungry to win but also know what it<br />
takes to bring a club together. When you<br />
talk about a sustainable culture, that’s<br />
extremely important.”<br />
Lynn signed a one-year deal with St. Louis.<br />
He played his first six seasons with the Cardinals<br />
and then went to play with the Twins,<br />
Yankees, Rangers, White Sox and Dodgers.<br />
“When you when you play long enough,<br />
you’re automatically a veteran,” Lynn said.<br />
“But learning how to lead in different ways<br />
and finding different ways to connect to<br />
everybody on the team was something you<br />
have to learn. I was able to, like I said, go<br />
(Lou Countryman photo)<br />
to different places, meet new people, learn<br />
some new things and figure out how to incorporate<br />
(that) into who I am and what I bring<br />
to a clubhouse and a baseball team.”<br />
Lynn is looking to bounce back this season<br />
after playing for the White Sox and the<br />
Dodgers last year.<br />
In <strong>20</strong>23, Lynn posted a 5.73 ERA with 191<br />
strikeouts in 183⅔ innings. The 44 home<br />
runs allowed in 32 starts between the two<br />
clubs were the most across MLB.<br />
“I’m looking forward to correcting the<br />
wrongs that I had last year on the mound. We<br />
were able to identify some of those pretty<br />
quick,” Lynn said.<br />
Being able to adapt like Lynn plans to do is<br />
good, according to Mozeliak.<br />
“He’s a very confident man,” Mozeliak<br />
said. “He understands that last year there<br />
were some things that he was probably doing<br />
that he should have gotten away from sooner<br />
and hopefully, from a coaching standpoint,<br />
from a strategic standpoint, those are things<br />
we can work through. He’s certainly openminded<br />
to it.”<br />
Gibson also signed a one-year contract.<br />
Last year with Baltimore, Gibson finished<br />
15-9 with a 4.73 ERA. He recorded 157<br />
strikeouts in 192 innings. However, did he<br />
surrender a league-high 198 hits.<br />
Gibson is 104-100 with a 4.54 ERA<br />
through 300 games (<strong>24</strong>4 starts) in 11 years<br />
in the majors.<br />
He is happy to be a Cardinal. He believes<br />
the club will be good this season.<br />
“St. Louis doesn’t rebuild. St. Louis gets<br />
ready, and they go win baseball games,”<br />
Gibson said. “And they put a team together<br />
that’s going to compete for a division title<br />
every year. I’m excited to join a winning tradition,<br />
culture and organization that is going<br />
to have a whole lot of fun in a bounce-back<br />
season.”
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
MARCH <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
CARDINALS PREVIEW <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong> 35<br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
Lynn (37 in May), Gibson (36) and Gray<br />
(34) join holdover rotation candidates that<br />
include Miles Mikolas (35) and Steven Matz<br />
(33 in May).<br />
Mozeliak is pleased with how the rotation<br />
is looking.<br />
“We’re pretty excited about where our<br />
roster is, from where we were on Oct. 1 to<br />
where we are today,” Mozeliak said. “There’s<br />
been a lot of roster churn, we’ve brought in<br />
a lot of new faces, and we’ve been strategic<br />
about it.”<br />
Miles Mikolas and left-handed Steven<br />
Matz are the other two starters.<br />
Mikolas pitched <strong>20</strong>1 1/3 innings last<br />
season, ranking fourth. He went 9-13 and<br />
posted a 4.78 ERA that ranked 48th among<br />
56 major-league starters who pitched at least<br />
150 innings. Mikolas allowed an average of<br />
10.1 hits per nine innings, the worst of his St.<br />
Louis career.<br />
Matz went 4-7 and had a 4.04 ERA in 17<br />
starts, and a 2.81 ERA in eight relief appearances.<br />
Injuries again cost him significant time. In<br />
his first two years with St. Louis, Matz has<br />
averaged only 76 innings. He has two years<br />
left on his contract.<br />
The age of his pitchers is not a concern to<br />
Mozeliak.<br />
“Unlike our upcoming election, I am not<br />
overly concerned with age in this current<br />
state,” Mozeliak said as spring training workouts<br />
began. “I do feel like what we missed<br />
a lot last year was more experience. And<br />
so trying to take or tie age and experience<br />
together usually is pretty common.”<br />
Mozeliak believes the experience is a plus<br />
for his veteran rotation.<br />
“It’s just guys that understand what it’s like<br />
to go pole-to-pole, the understanding of what<br />
it’s like to have to take the ball for 30 starts,”<br />
Mozeliak said. “All of these guys have been<br />
through that. They understand it, and that’s<br />
just going to be really helpful with some of<br />
our younger pitchers that are trying to get to<br />
that point.”<br />
Not all the St. Louis pitchers are ancient.<br />
In Matthew Liberatore and Drew Rom<br />
(<strong>24</strong>) and Zack Thompson (26), the Cardinals<br />
have younger pitchers who could break into<br />
the starting rotation. The trio combined to go<br />
6-13 with a 5.98 ERA in 28 starts last year.<br />
Ideally, they won’t have to start any games<br />
this season.<br />
St. Louis opens the season with games<br />
on eight consecutive days, four at the Los<br />
Angeles Dodgers, three at San Diego and the<br />
April 4 home opener against Miami, part of<br />
an opening that has the Cardinals scheduled<br />
for 13 games in 14 days. A six-man rotation<br />
at the start is possible.<br />
“We are debating it, but I don’t know if<br />
that’s what we’ll do, because a lot of these<br />
guys would prefer to be on five,” Mozeliak<br />
said.<br />
RE-ELECT<br />
MO HOUSE DISTRICT 110 | WILDWOOD • CLARKSON VALLEY<br />
LAW AND ORDER<br />
PROTECT THE<br />
2 ND AMENDMENT<br />
THE FUNDAMENTAL<br />
RIGHT TO LIFE<br />
PROTECT OUR<br />
ELECTIONS<br />
TAX REFORM<br />
PROVEN CONSERVATIVE FIGHTER<br />
• Endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police<br />
• “A” 100% Score - Americans for Prosperity<br />
• “A” 90-100% Score - CPAC<br />
• “A” 90% Score - Freedom Principal Missouri<br />
• Founding member and Vice Chair MO Freedom Caucus<br />
AUGUST<br />
6<br />
CONSERVATIVE<br />
POLICE OFFICER<br />
WWW.SPARKSFORMISSOURI.COM<br />
PAID FOR BY SPARKS FOR MISSOURI. TREASURER, TIM FITCH.
36 MARCH <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
CARDINALS PREVIEW <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
By WARREN MAYES<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
Goldschmidt, Arenado looking to rebound in <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
Breadings<br />
Batters<br />
and<br />
P R E M<br />
–<br />
–<br />
I U M<br />
Q U A L I T Y<br />
AT A GREAT PRICE<br />
When you taste Andy’s Breading and<br />
Batter, you will enjoy the quality and<br />
craftsmanship.<br />
www.andysseasoning.com<br />
LIKE<br />
US<br />
ON<br />
Nolan Arenado<br />
Paul Goldschmidt<br />
Paul Goldschmidt found a positive<br />
in the St. Louis Cardinals’ worst season<br />
since 1990.<br />
“We had a longer offseason, had the<br />
opportunity to kind of look ahead, start<br />
planning a little bit,” the seven-time All-<br />
Star first baseman said recently.<br />
Goldschmidt and third baseman Nolan<br />
Arenado had a down year in <strong>20</strong>23 – like<br />
much of the St. Louis organization – but<br />
both are poised for bounce-back <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
campaigns.<br />
Arenado batted .266 with 23 homers<br />
and 93 RBIs, down from .293 with 30<br />
homers and 103 RBIs.<br />
St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol has<br />
repeated the message for everyone who<br />
will listen since last winter: forget <strong>20</strong>23<br />
and focus on this year. St. Louis went<br />
71-91, its worst record since 70-92 in<br />
1990.<br />
Goldschmidt and Arenado are expected<br />
to bounce back this season for the club.<br />
“These guys are super talented,” Cardinals<br />
president of baseball operations John<br />
Mozeliak said. “They are All-Star-calibertype<br />
players.”<br />
Goldschmidt, who turned 36 in September,<br />
hit .268 with 25 homers and 80 RBIs,<br />
down from the .317<br />
average, 35 homers<br />
and 115 RBIs that<br />
earned him the <strong>20</strong>22<br />
NL MVP award.<br />
Still, his hard-hit<br />
percentage rose to<br />
a career-best 50.8%<br />
from 47.4% in <strong>20</strong>22,<br />
according to Statcast.<br />
“Not like I was<br />
(Lou Countryman photo)<br />
absolutely terrible<br />
last year, I just think<br />
I have the potential<br />
to play better,” Goldschmidt<br />
said.<br />
Arenado, 32, saw<br />
his streak of consecutive<br />
Gold Gloves<br />
end at 10 last season.<br />
Arenado wants to<br />
reclaim his position<br />
as the league’s top<br />
third baseman. He<br />
(Lou Countryman photo)<br />
also wants to produce more offensively.<br />
“I just feel like I’ve got a little something<br />
to prove and it’s like the mindset I had in<br />
Colorado in my first few years where I<br />
was trying to establish myself,” Arenado<br />
said. “I do feel like I have something to<br />
prove again and that’s a good thing.”<br />
Marmol is not worried about Arenado.<br />
“I don’t have a whole lot of concerns as<br />
to him getting back to ’22,” Marmol said.<br />
“I don’t think he’s looking at getting back<br />
to, as much as just continuing to move<br />
this thing forward and be the best version<br />
of himself. I don’t.<br />
“It’s not a matter of just getting back to<br />
when you were good or back to your best<br />
year. I mean, listen, last year happened<br />
and he is motivated as ever to get back at<br />
it.”<br />
Goldschmidt will receive a $22 million<br />
salary in <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong>, the final season of a $144.5<br />
million, six-year contract.<br />
There’s been no talk about an extension<br />
or a new deal.<br />
“I think for me, I’ve never really kind of<br />
commented on my contract, so I think I’ll<br />
just keep that going,” Goldschmidt said.<br />
Facebook.com/westnewsmagazine<br />
WINN, from page 30<br />
shown he can hit. Last year at Memphis,<br />
he produced a .288 average with 18 home<br />
runs and 17 stolen bases in 105 games. He<br />
also walked 44 times or 8.8% of his atbats<br />
and struck out 83 times (16.7%).<br />
Those walk and strikeout totals are an<br />
indication of his good patience and pitch<br />
recognition.<br />
He hit 11 home runs in 86 games at<br />
Double-A in <strong>20</strong>22 after totaling five<br />
between Class-A and High-A in 98 games<br />
in <strong>20</strong>21.<br />
Winn remains confident he can be considered<br />
a hitter and not just a good glove<br />
player.<br />
“I’m not a stranger to struggle,” Winn<br />
said. “I’ve struggled pretty much every<br />
level that I’ve gone to whenever I’ve first<br />
gotten up there. Struggled for a bit and<br />
then worked it out. Definitely learned I<br />
can take a little bit of failure.<br />
“I know they believed in me last year,<br />
and I know they still believe in me. Every<br />
day, I want to go out there to compete<br />
and compete for a spot. I’ve never felt<br />
entitled to anything. I don’t want to be<br />
given a spot. I want to go out there and<br />
earn it.”
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
MARCH <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
CARDINALS PREVIEW <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong> 37<br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
Cardinals add Bloom to front office as advisor to Mozeliak<br />
By WARREN MAYES<br />
President of Baseball Operations John<br />
Mozeliak has added an advisor to help him<br />
return the St. Louis Cardinals franchise to<br />
prominence in the National League.<br />
Chaim Bloom, 40, most<br />
recently held the title of<br />
chief baseball officer for<br />
the Boston Red Sox from<br />
Oct. 28, <strong>20</strong>19, through<br />
Sept. 14, <strong>20</strong>23. The Red<br />
Sox advanced to the American<br />
League Championship<br />
Series in <strong>20</strong>21 under<br />
Bloom’s watch.<br />
Now, Bloom will work<br />
under Mozeliak, who said<br />
Bloom “will be a huge asset<br />
for us.”<br />
Bloom<br />
“I think a lot of people are sort of jumping<br />
to conclusions with the Chaim hire but<br />
I would say at the very least it strengthens<br />
our bench. Where it leads to, we will see,”<br />
Mozeliak said.<br />
Bloom will not be working in St. Louis.<br />
However, he will join the squad for home<br />
and road games during the season.<br />
Mozeliak is excited about the addition to<br />
his operations staff. He said extra eyes to<br />
look at things will benefit the franchise.<br />
“I have known Chaim for a long time,<br />
and feel that this is a great opportunity<br />
for the St. Louis Cardinals,” said Mozeliak.<br />
“It will be good to get an outside<br />
perspective of our organization from<br />
someone who is as well-respected as<br />
Chaim. Having a fresh set<br />
of eyes on all aspects of<br />
our baseball operations<br />
should be helpful. He can<br />
really take a look behind<br />
the curtain and really give<br />
us some insights on topics<br />
that a lot of us are curious<br />
about.”<br />
Mozeliak’s current contract<br />
expires following the<br />
<strong>20</strong>25 season. He became the<br />
(MLB)<br />
president of baseball operations<br />
in June <strong>20</strong>17.<br />
He has been with the organization since<br />
1995 when he started as an assistant in the<br />
scouting department. In the fall of <strong>20</strong>07, he<br />
became a senior vice president and general<br />
manager.<br />
Cardinals principal owner and CEO Bill<br />
DeWitt Jr., said during the Winter Warm-<br />
Up there are no succession plans in place<br />
with this move.<br />
“Mo (Mozeliak) has said that that’s a<br />
potential timeline for him,” DeWitt Jr. said.<br />
“The sequence of Chaim Bloom coming on,<br />
I wouldn’t say necessarily was part of that.<br />
It was to get another asset in our baseball<br />
ops group. It’s a fresh look, and if it turns<br />
out that Mo is moving on or wants to go in<br />
a different direction in a couple years, then<br />
we’ve got a more beefed-up staff than we<br />
would have had otherwise.”<br />
Bloom, a <strong>20</strong>04 graduate of Yale University,<br />
broke into Major League Baseball<br />
with intern positions with the San Diego<br />
Padres and MLB’s league offices.<br />
He then spent 15 years (<strong>20</strong>05-19) in<br />
the Tampa Bay Rays baseball operations<br />
department, including the final three as<br />
senior vice president of baseball operations.<br />
During his time with the Rays, Bloom<br />
worked in all areas of baseball operations<br />
including player development, scouting,<br />
contract negotiations, salary arbitration<br />
and strategic planning.<br />
“Working with a small-market team with<br />
Tampa, he had a unique experience on<br />
how that operated, and then running the<br />
Boston Red Sox is clearly a large-market<br />
team,” Mozeliak said. “We’re somewhere<br />
in between, but his expertise of what he’s<br />
seen will be very helpful to us moving forward.”<br />
The Boston Red Sox fired Bloom, their<br />
chief baseball officer, last September as the<br />
team was stumbling toward its third lastplace<br />
finish in four seasons. Bloom had<br />
been hired from Tampa Bay to help revive<br />
the farm system and bring financial stability<br />
to a team that was one of baseball’s biggest<br />
spenders. One of his first moves was<br />
to trade <strong>20</strong>18 AL MVP Mookie Betts, a<br />
year before he was eligible for free agency,<br />
on a mandate from ownership to get the<br />
payroll in order.<br />
But that move and other moves and prospects<br />
did not pan out for the Red Sox.<br />
The only year Boston finished with a<br />
better-than .500 record came in <strong>20</strong>21 when<br />
the team won 92 games. The Red Sox lost<br />
to the Houston Astros in the American<br />
League Championship Series.<br />
However, Boston went downhill quickly<br />
after that season. The Red Sox went 78-84<br />
in <strong>20</strong>22 and <strong>20</strong>23 (78-84), to come in last<br />
in the AL East in both of those seasons.<br />
Bloom was not bitter about being let go<br />
by Boston.<br />
“I will always be grateful to John, Tom,<br />
Mike and Sam for trusting me to lead the<br />
Red Sox baseball operations department,”<br />
Bloom said in a statement at the time.<br />
“Every day, I gave my teammates and this<br />
organization everything I had, and I never<br />
took a second for granted.”<br />
• Custom Decks<br />
• Opening/Closing<br />
Louvered Pergolas & Roofs<br />
• Retractable Awnings<br />
• Retractable Shades<br />
& Screens<br />
CREATE YOUR OUTDOOR RETREAT<br />
• Under Deck Ceilings<br />
Call for a consultation<br />
or schedule an appointment<br />
to visit our showroom.<br />
(636) 532-5008<br />
Custom Deck Designs<br />
Under Deck Ceilings<br />
Louvered Roof<br />
Louvered Pergola<br />
Retractable Shades<br />
WWW.AESTHETICDESIGNANDBUILD.COM<br />
“Our Attention to Detail &<br />
Creative Design Sets Us Apart!”<br />
741 SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS BLVD. | CHESTERFIELD<br />
Retractable Awnings
38 MARCH <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
CARDINALS PREVIEW <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
BUYING ESTATES, COLLECTIONS<br />
& SINGLE ITEMS<br />
MILITARY MEMORABILIA<br />
Making sure<br />
you receive the<br />
highest price<br />
possible<br />
Buying<br />
and selling<br />
vintage<br />
wares of<br />
ALL kinds!<br />
PENS, CAMERAS, PIPES<br />
VINTAGE JEWELRY & WATCHES<br />
Mike’s Expert Advice ...<br />
Clearing out a lifetime<br />
of clutter is daunting, try<br />
one drawer – or one room<br />
– at a time.<br />
Your LOCAL expert for<br />
FREE appraisals<br />
GOLD, SILVER, OLD MONEY & evaluations<br />
Stop in or call for an In-Home Appointment<br />
Manchester Coin & Jewelry Co. ~ (636) 686-7222<br />
14319 Manchester Road (Just <strong>West</strong> of Hwy. 141) ~ www.buyingvaluables.net<br />
Celebrating<br />
28 Years<br />
Serving <strong>West</strong><br />
County!<br />
• <strong>24</strong> Hour Professional Towing<br />
• High Quality Parts Used for All Repairs<br />
• Late Drop Off and Pick Up • No Job Too Small<br />
• Rental Cars Available<br />
• Latest Diagnostic Equipment & Training<br />
• 30 Point Inspection<br />
• AAA Approved Auto Service Center<br />
• Service To Commercial Fleets with Fast Turn Around<br />
MAINTENANCE CHECK<br />
Cooling System, Belts & Hoses, Suspension<br />
& Steering, Brakes, Tires, Engine<br />
With coupon. Not valid with any other<br />
offers or prior service. Expires 4/30/<strong>24</strong><br />
SPRING<br />
SPECIALS<br />
Factory Trained Technicians<br />
Family Owned • Locally Owned & Operated<br />
16109 Manchester Road (Auto Plaza Plus) • Just <strong>West</strong> of Walgreens in Ellisville<br />
Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30am - 6:00pm<br />
636-230-5115<br />
$<br />
49 50 $<br />
4 00 OFF<br />
$<br />
49 50<br />
OIL CHANGE & LUBE<br />
<strong>24</strong>-POINT INSPECTION<br />
Applies to most cars, with coupon.<br />
Not valid with any other offers<br />
or prior service. Expires 4/30/<strong>24</strong><br />
TIRE ROTATION &<br />
COMPUTER SPIN BALANCE<br />
(Aluminum Wheels Extra)<br />
With coupon. Not valid with any other<br />
offers or prior service. Expires 4/30/<strong>24</strong><br />
$<br />
<strong>20</strong> 00 OFF<br />
ANY SERVICE<br />
OVER $<strong>20</strong>0.00<br />
With coupon. Not valid with any other<br />
offers or prior service. Expires 4/30/<strong>24</strong><br />
Cardinals Notebook<br />
By WARREN MAYES<br />
CARDINALS FAN FAVORITE<br />
RETURNS THIS SEASON<br />
Matt Carpenter is returning to the St.<br />
Louis Cardinals, for whom he played from<br />
<strong>20</strong>11 to <strong>20</strong>21.<br />
Carpenter agreed to a deal for the<br />
$740,000 major league minimum, which<br />
will be offset against his guaranteed $5.5<br />
million salary as part of a $12 million, twoyear<br />
contract he signed with San Diego in<br />
December <strong>20</strong>22.<br />
“When you think of players that helped<br />
shape our success in the <strong>20</strong>00s, Matt Carpenter’s<br />
name is one that is synonymous<br />
with winning,” Cardinals president of<br />
baseball operations John Mozeliak said in<br />
a statement. “Matt showed from the very<br />
beginning of his career how hard work and<br />
determination can lead to success, and we<br />
are excited to have his leadership and experience<br />
back in a Cardinals uniform.”<br />
Carpenter is glad to be back. He will<br />
bring a veteran’s presence to the clubhouse<br />
and dugout. He is a leader the club believes<br />
it needs to help erase the debacle that was<br />
the <strong>20</strong>23 season.<br />
“I think the thing I am most excited about<br />
is the opportunity to be<br />
a veteran on a team who<br />
has had the privilege to<br />
wear that uniform for as<br />
long as I did,” Carpenter<br />
said during a Zoom call.<br />
“Now to be able to speak<br />
to some of the young<br />
guys who are doing it<br />
for the first time; playing<br />
in St. Louis is such<br />
a privilege but there certainly<br />
is an expectation<br />
and some pressures that<br />
go with it. I remember<br />
as a young player that<br />
can be overwhelming.<br />
“I was lucky to have<br />
such a great veteran<br />
group of guys who<br />
kind of took me under their wings. What I<br />
am most looking forward to is having the<br />
opportunity to be that guy and do it for some<br />
of these young guys, kind of being that<br />
shoulder that they can lean on and talk to<br />
and work through stuff.”<br />
Carpenter was an All-Star in <strong>20</strong>13, ’14<br />
and ’16. He has .260 career average with 175<br />
homers and 644 RBIs for the Cardinals, Yankees<br />
and Padres. He hit .176 with five homers<br />
and 31 RBIs but had just 50 at-bats from July<br />
1 on. Carpenter didn’t play after Sept. 10<br />
because of right elbow inflammation.<br />
“From a baseball standpoint, my mentality<br />
is I’m entitled to nothing and grateful for<br />
everything that I get as far as an opportunity<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
to play,” Carpenter said. “I’ll be prepared<br />
when my name is called and try to have the<br />
most competitive at-bats that I can have.<br />
“At this point in my career I really know<br />
who I am. I know what I am as a player,<br />
what I bring to a team, what I can bring to<br />
a clubhouse and I don’t shy away from that.<br />
If there is something that looks like it’s out<br />
of whack and needs to be addressed I’m not<br />
afraid to have those conversations.”<br />
CRAWFORD SIGNED<br />
ONE-YEAR DEAL<br />
The Cardinals added 37-year-old veteran<br />
Brandon Crawford, a free-agent shortstop<br />
and lifetime San Francisco Giants star, to<br />
their roster as a utility player and to help<br />
mentor young Masyn Winn.<br />
Crawford has been a three-time All-Star<br />
(<strong>20</strong>15, <strong>20</strong>18 and <strong>20</strong>21), four-time Rawlings<br />
Gold Glove recipient (<strong>20</strong>15, <strong>20</strong>16, <strong>20</strong>17 and<br />
<strong>20</strong>21) and two-time World Series Champion<br />
(<strong>20</strong>12 and <strong>20</strong>14) over his 13-year Major<br />
League career with the Giants.<br />
“We’re excited to be adding a player with<br />
the winning credentials and pedigree of a<br />
Brandon Crawford,” Cardinals president of<br />
baseball operations John Mozeliak said. “He<br />
is someone that will provide us with valuable<br />
depth and experience<br />
on the infield, and can also<br />
be a great resource for our<br />
younger players, such as<br />
Masyn Winn.”<br />
The northern California<br />
native has compiled<br />
a .250/.319/.396 slash<br />
line with 146 home runs<br />
and 744 RBI in his 1,655<br />
games played. He is just<br />
two seasons removed<br />
from an MVP-caliber<br />
campaign in <strong>20</strong>21 when<br />
he batted .298 with a<br />
career-high <strong>24</strong> home runs<br />
and 90 RBI – finishing<br />
fourth in National League<br />
MVP voting.<br />
“I’m here to help him<br />
out any way that I can,” Crawford said.<br />
“I’ve always liked the Cardinals organization<br />
from across the field and they were one<br />
of a couple of teams that I would have come<br />
out to spring training in Florida for.”<br />
The left-handed hitting Crawford has<br />
appeared in 43 career postseason games,<br />
including the <strong>20</strong>12 and <strong>20</strong>14 World Series<br />
when the Giants were crowned champions.<br />
Despite playing in his fewest (94) fullseason<br />
games last season, the 6-foot-1, 2<strong>20</strong>-<br />
pound Crawford batted .329 (23-for-70)<br />
with runners in scoring position last season,<br />
driving in 33 of his 38 runs.<br />
While Crawford wants to put <strong>20</strong>23<br />
behind him, he will do so in a backup role,<br />
(Lou Countryman photo)
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
MARCH <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
CARDINALS PREVIEW <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong> 39<br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
Mozeliak said. He can help the Cardinals<br />
in several ways.<br />
“It was something we had been thinking<br />
about just to make sure we had some depth<br />
there,” Mozeliak said, “but also bringing in<br />
somebody with his resume and what he’s<br />
been able to accomplish we think he will be<br />
a great resource for Masyn as he continues<br />
to develop.<br />
“Let’s be very clear: This (shortstop) is<br />
Masyn’s job. We brought in Brandon just<br />
to give us that protection should something<br />
happen. He understands that role and we are<br />
excited.”<br />
Crawford, who was selected by the Giants<br />
in the fourth round of the <strong>20</strong>08 MLB draft<br />
out of UCLA, was teammates with both<br />
Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt on<br />
the Gold Medal winning Team USA in the<br />
<strong>20</strong>17 World Baseball Classic.<br />
MOLINA WILL BE<br />
SPECIAL ASSISTANT<br />
Yadier Molina will remain with the St. Louis<br />
Cardinals as a special assistant to John Mozeliak,<br />
Cardinals president of baseball operations,<br />
after the longtime catcher wrapped up<br />
his 19-year big league career in <strong>20</strong>22.<br />
The 41-year-old Molina is a 10-time All-<br />
Star and nine-time Gold Glove winner who<br />
played all 2,2<strong>24</strong> games of his career for St.<br />
Louis. That included 2,184 games behind<br />
the plate, the most by any catcher for one<br />
team in major league history.<br />
“We are excited to welcome Yadi back<br />
to the St. Louis Cardinals,” Mozeliak said.<br />
“He will provide invaluable help at the<br />
major league level, as well as spend time<br />
with our minor league teams in his new role<br />
with the team.”<br />
Molina trails only Stan Musial, who<br />
played 22 seasons for St. Louis, for the most<br />
with the club. Along the way, he helped the<br />
Cardinals reach four World Series and win<br />
championships in <strong>20</strong>06 and <strong>20</strong>11. His longevity<br />
coupled with the success of those<br />
Cardinals teams are a big reason why he<br />
retired as their career postseason leader in<br />
hits (102) and games played (104).<br />
Molina, a fourth-round pick of the Cardinals<br />
in the <strong>20</strong>00 first-year player draft, served<br />
as the manager of Puerto Rico in the World<br />
Baseball Classic in <strong>20</strong>23. He also managed<br />
Navegantes del Magallanes in Venezuela.<br />
CARDS TRADE FOR RELIEVER<br />
The Cardinals wanted to bolster their bullpen<br />
going into this season.<br />
They made a move to acquire relief pitcher<br />
Andrew Kittredge from the Tampa Bay Rays<br />
in exchange for outfielder Richie Palacios.<br />
Kittredge, 33, is entering his eighth MLB<br />
season. He earned an All-Star nod in <strong>20</strong>21.<br />
Tommy John surgery limited him to just<br />
31 games over the last two seasons, but<br />
when healthy, he proved effective to the<br />
tune of a 3.13 ERA and a <strong>24</strong>-4 strikeout-towalk<br />
ratio. He has a career 3.85 ERA over<br />
181 MLB games.<br />
“We are excited to add Andrew’s experience<br />
and proven abilities to our bullpen,”<br />
Mozeliak said. “Prior to his elbow injury,<br />
Andrew was an All-Star reliever, and we<br />
think his addition will benefit us greatly now<br />
that he is back to full health.”<br />
RELIEVER MIDDLETON ADDED<br />
Free-agent right-handed reliever Keynan<br />
Middleton was the Cardinals’ 10th pitching<br />
addition from outside of the organization<br />
this off-season.<br />
Middleton signed a one-year contract and<br />
the deal also includes a club option for <strong>20</strong>25.<br />
Middleton, 30, is a veteran of seven Major<br />
League seasons with the Angels (<strong>20</strong>17-<strong>20</strong>),<br />
Mariners (<strong>20</strong>21), Diamondbacks (<strong>20</strong>22),<br />
White Sox (<strong>20</strong>23) and Yankees (<strong>20</strong>23). The<br />
6-3, 215-pound Middleton has compiled a<br />
career mark of 10-8 with a 3.84 ERA in <strong>20</strong>5<br />
games with 15 saves and 23 holds, striking<br />
out 199 batters over his 194.1 innings pitched.<br />
“Acquiring additional proven depth for<br />
our bullpen was something we have been<br />
focused on,” Mozeliak said. “Keynan’s<br />
experience in getting outs in the back half<br />
of games offers us another strong addition<br />
to the bullpen mix.”<br />
Middleton split parts of the <strong>20</strong>23 season<br />
with the White Sox and Yankees where he<br />
combined for career-bests with 11.4 strikeouts<br />
per nine innings pitched.<br />
<strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong> HALL OF FAME<br />
BALLOT NOMINEES<br />
Fans again can cast their selections online<br />
at cardinals.com/HOF to help pick inductees<br />
for the <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong> Hall of Fame.<br />
The team has revealed Steve Carlton,<br />
George Hendrick, Matt Morris and Edgar<br />
Renteria as the modern players nominated for<br />
possible induction into the St. Louis Cardinals<br />
Hall of Fame, presented by Edward Jones.<br />
The modern player with the most votes<br />
after fan voting concludes on April 26, will<br />
be selected for induction into the Cardinals<br />
Hall of Fame during an enshrinement ceremony<br />
Sept. 7.<br />
The full <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong> Cardinals Hall of Fame<br />
Induction Class, which will also include a<br />
veteran player chosen by the Red Ribbon<br />
Committee and a Cardinals organization<br />
selection, will be announced during a televised<br />
special program on Bally Sports in<br />
early May.<br />
“The annual Hall of Fame induction<br />
process connects generations of Cardinals<br />
fans,” said Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt<br />
Jr. in a statement.<br />
The Cardinals Hall of Fame was established<br />
to recognize the exceptional careers<br />
and significant achievements of the greatest<br />
players in Cardinals history. To be eligible,<br />
the nominees must have played for the<br />
Cardinals for at least three seasons and be<br />
retired as a player from Major League Baseball<br />
for at least three years.<br />
It’s Spring at Timberwinds Nursery<br />
New Plants Arriving Daily<br />
Present this ad for:<br />
25 % off Price Item<br />
In stock items only, not valid on prior purchases, cannot be combined with other discounts<br />
or promotions. Exclusions may apply. Sale ends 4/4/<strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
One Regular<br />
Plants - Trees - Pottery - Gift - Décor & More!<br />
54 Clarkson Road, Ellisville, MO 63011<br />
636.227.0095 Open 7 Days a Week<br />
timberwindsnursery.com
40 I SPORTS I<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
@WESTNEWSMAG<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
NO APPOINTMENT?<br />
NO PROBLEM.<br />
WALK-INS WELCOME!<br />
Find a location near you:<br />
Arnold, Chesterfield, Creve Coeur,<br />
Des Peres, Ellisville, Fenton, Ladue<br />
and O'Fallon.<br />
stlukes-stl.com/urgent-care<br />
314-<strong>20</strong>5-6<strong>20</strong>0<br />
FIND A<br />
LOCATION<br />
7-0163<br />
02/<strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
SPORTS<br />
BRIEFS<br />
By WARREN MAYES<br />
BOYS WRESTLING<br />
Lancers finish second<br />
at state meet<br />
Lafayette wrestling coach Joe Wier saw<br />
his Lancers reach one of their main goals<br />
this season.<br />
The Lancers finished second in the Class 4<br />
state meet at Mizzou Arena in Columbia to<br />
cap a successful season.<br />
“One of our top season goals was a top 2<br />
finish at state,” Wier said. “This team checked<br />
the boxes on a conference title for the third<br />
time and a district title for the second time.<br />
Now we have a top 2 state finish.<br />
“They dreamed it, they worked for it, and<br />
they did it. Mission accomplished.”<br />
Lafayette, which finished fourth last<br />
year, had eight medalists, including senior<br />
Andrew Wier, who won the 190-pound<br />
weight class.<br />
Four-time state medalist Dylan Roth<br />
placed fourth at 126. Roth took sixth, fifth<br />
and second in previous seasons.<br />
Other top finishers for the Lancers were<br />
freshman Riley Sumner (third at 106), sophomore<br />
Calum Brown (sixth at 113), freshman<br />
Caleb Frankenberger (third at 1<strong>20</strong>),<br />
senior Drew Mattison (third at 138), junior<br />
Aidan Schoen (fourth at 144) and freshman<br />
Carter Brown (third at 175).<br />
Lancers finished second to Liberty of<br />
Kansas City, which won with 188.5 points.<br />
This marks one of the few times Lafayette<br />
wrestling has reached this level. The first<br />
time was 1991. Lafayette won state in 1992.<br />
“Our team had a fantastic state tournament.<br />
We went 7-0 in the quarterfinals and<br />
all seven wrestlers racked up bonus points<br />
by pins and major decisions,” Wier said.<br />
“Our team was ready, calm and really performed.<br />
“We have a group of never-quit veterans<br />
and four freshman and sophomores that all<br />
made the semifinal rounds of state. What a<br />
Eureka wrestler Ryan Thornhill finished second in his weight class in the Class 4 state<br />
meet.<br />
(Provided)<br />
fun, tough group. They make coaching easy<br />
by their tremendous grit.”<br />
Roth became just the second Lancer to<br />
ever win four medals at state.<br />
“Dylan was in a loaded weight class and<br />
had some huge wins to take fourth,” Wier<br />
said. “Dylan is the ultimate competitor so<br />
he is not satisfied, but he gave his all in<br />
every match and came home all-state again.”<br />
Senior Drew Mattison came in third at<br />
138. This was his only season at Lafayette<br />
after transferring from Parkway South.<br />
“Drew had a season-ending elbow injury<br />
in mid-January,” Wier said. “He was not<br />
supposed to wrestle at districts and he injury<br />
defaulted in the third-place match to go to<br />
state. What a tough young man. He lost a<br />
tight match in the first round to the eventual<br />
state champion (Noah Keen of Francis<br />
Howell Central) and then answered the call<br />
rattling off five straight wins against four<br />
state medalists to take third.<br />
“We are so very proud of him as he had<br />
every reason to stop and he battled all the<br />
way back in a tough road with pain in his<br />
arm to take third. He is a dog.”<br />
During the regular season, Mattison<br />
picked up his 100th career win.<br />
“It was no surprise that he reached 100<br />
wins,” Wier said. “He’s a guy in the practice<br />
room that no one wants to work with<br />
because he goes so hard at practice that it is<br />
tough to keep that pace. He is an amazing<br />
wrestler, person and student. We were lucky<br />
to get to have him as a staple in our lineup<br />
this season.”<br />
Wier was impressed by his three freshmen<br />
– Sumner, Frankenberger and Carter Brown<br />
– all coming in third at state.<br />
“These three wrestled like juniors and<br />
seniors at the show,” Wier said. “They were<br />
unfazed by the big stage and went after some<br />
of the best kids in the country without reservation<br />
or fear. They each took a loss and<br />
had a choice to pack it in, but all made the<br />
mental jump to get third. The three amigos<br />
are going to terrorize Class 4 for three more<br />
years.”<br />
Eureka’s Thornhill<br />
earns state medal<br />
Senior Ryan Thornhill (25-2) picked up<br />
his first state medal in his last opportunity<br />
to do so.<br />
Thornhill was pinned in the third period<br />
at 175 by two-time finalist and first-time<br />
champion Peyton <strong>West</strong>pfahl (40-4) of<br />
Kansas City Liberty.<br />
“<strong>West</strong>pfahl is a very high-level wrestler<br />
with a lot of quickness and power,” Eureka<br />
coach Luke Gentry said. “It was tough<br />
during the match for us to get our hands on<br />
him to get to our set ups and our attacks. At<br />
the end of the day, <strong>West</strong>pfahl ended up on<br />
top and all credit to him. He’s a phenomenal<br />
wrestler.”<br />
It was rewarding for Gentry to see Thornhill<br />
earn a state medal.<br />
“My biggest fear for him as his head coach<br />
is that he would finish a four-time state qualifier<br />
and never place,” Gentry said. “He had<br />
always been in these loaded weight classes<br />
with multiple returning placers and Division<br />
1 commits. For him to work as hard as he<br />
has, for him to get so close and never medal<br />
would have been devastating.<br />
“I had a teammate when I was in high<br />
school that did that and it was hard to watch.<br />
So for him to not only place, but accomplish<br />
something as difficult as making it to the<br />
finals is a testament to all of the hard work<br />
he has put into this sport. I was extremely<br />
proud and happy for him.”<br />
Thornhill also played football for the<br />
Wildcats.<br />
“He’s absolutely relentless in his preparation<br />
and training,” Gentry said. “On top of<br />
that, qualifying for state every year of his<br />
high school career set some pretty high<br />
expectations for his senior season.<br />
“But because of his thumb injury during<br />
football, that put his wrestling season’s<br />
status up in the air. We knew if he could just<br />
get back from this injury that’d he’d have a<br />
chance to finish high at the state tournament,<br />
which he was able to do.”<br />
Gentry enjoyed coaching Thornhill.<br />
“I’m honored to have been able to be<br />
Ryan’s coach. Athletes like him that are<br />
hardworking, talented and coachable are<br />
very rare,” Gentry said. “I personally owe<br />
him and the rest of this senior class thanks<br />
for helping me establish a culture in the<br />
program when I took it over three years ago.<br />
They bought in and have helped pave the<br />
path for future generations of Eureka wrestlers<br />
and I am thankful for that.”<br />
Whitfield winds up third at state<br />
Whitfield finished third in the Class 3 team<br />
standings behind Hannibal and Hillsboro.<br />
The Warriors produced 96.5 points.<br />
Hannibal wound up with 156.5 points and<br />
Hillsboro had 132 points.<br />
Whitfield finished second last season. The<br />
Warriors have 11 state championships in the<br />
program’s history. Whitfield won first from<br />
<strong>20</strong>17-<strong>20</strong>22. The last two championships<br />
came in Class 3 while the other titles came<br />
in Class 1.
FACEBOOK.COM/WESTNEWSMAGAZINE<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
I SPORTS I 41<br />
Coach Matt Politte said his Warriors<br />
accomplished a solid season.<br />
“Our expectations for the team this season<br />
were for them to reach their fullest potential<br />
by working hard enough and making<br />
the necessary sacrifices to be a top 4 team<br />
in Class 3,” Politte said. “I think that finish<br />
was remarkable given we qualified only six<br />
wrestlers for the state tournament.”<br />
At 138, junior Caleb Carter scored a 3-1<br />
decision over Hannibal’s Drake Brinkley to<br />
finish third.<br />
“Caleb wrestled well. He ran into Hillsboro’s<br />
Jackson Tucker in the semifinal round<br />
for the second year in a row and wrestled<br />
back to third again this year,” Politte said.<br />
At 150, junior Rome Tate also finished<br />
third. He won a 6-2 decision over Fort Zumwalt<br />
South’s Jeric Gumahin.<br />
“Rome and Gumahin were 1 and 1 this<br />
season going into the state meet. Rome<br />
lost a district semifinal match to Gumahin<br />
a week before state,” Politte said. “ Rome<br />
showed me he was ready to make the necessary<br />
adjustments to his style to beat a guy<br />
like Gumahin and his third place match was<br />
a reflection of Rome’s resilience and grit to<br />
beat him at state and earn those team points<br />
for his team showed a lot of maturity.”<br />
The other medalists were sophomore Lucas<br />
Parietti, who was fourth at 157 after losing<br />
2-0 to Casey Olszowska of Washington, and<br />
senior Adrian Harrold who won a 4-3 decision<br />
over Pacific’s Nathaniel Knaff at 285.<br />
CBC freshman finishes second<br />
CBC freshman Colin Rutlin finished his<br />
first season with the Cadets with a 42-8<br />
record and he wrestled for the 138-pound<br />
state championship.<br />
Rutlin lost 13-4 to Noah Keene, of Francis<br />
Howell Central.<br />
Coach Jack Flynn was proud of Rutlin’s<br />
season.<br />
“Noah Keene is a phenomenal wrestler,<br />
and we knew going into that match that we<br />
were going to have to be on top of our game<br />
to come out with a win,” Flynn said. “It was<br />
a mixture of Noah wrestling an awesome<br />
match and us not wrestling our best<br />
“The 138-pound weight class was a<br />
stacked bracket and we knew going into it<br />
that there were going to be no easy matches,<br />
Colin beat two very solid returning medalists<br />
in his quarterfinal and semifinal<br />
matches.”<br />
Flynn called Rutlin’s freshman season<br />
as one “definitely one to remember.” The<br />
Cadets faced a tough schedule.<br />
“He wants to wrestle the best competition,”<br />
Flynn said. “Coming out of our schedule<br />
with only eight losses is something many<br />
seniors would not do, let alone a freshman.<br />
We are so proud of the way he represented<br />
the CBC all season.”<br />
Flynn said he believes Rutlin will move<br />
up in weight for next season, most likely<br />
being at 150.<br />
“For now the plan is to just hit the weight<br />
room and keep adding muscle,” Flynn said.<br />
Parkway South freshman<br />
finishes second<br />
At 1<strong>20</strong>, Parkway South freshman Camron<br />
Duffield (35-3) lost by tech fall to fourtime<br />
medalist and three-time champ Hunter<br />
Taylor (39-1) of Kansas City Liberty.<br />
Taylor, a senior, earned his third state title.<br />
He is ranked 19th nationally and is committed<br />
to wrestle at Oregon State.<br />
Coach Andrew Wallace had high expectations<br />
for Duffield this season.<br />
“We knew he had a lot of potential. As<br />
soon as he started competing for us, we<br />
truly began to understand how special he is,”<br />
Wallace said. “Going into the season, he told<br />
the coaching staff that he wanted to break<br />
the school tech fall records, single season<br />
(11) and career (34) which are both held by<br />
Garrett Kloeppel.<br />
“Just 13 matches into the season, he broke<br />
the single season record. He ended off the<br />
season with 23 tech falls. He will more<br />
than likely shatter the career tech fall record<br />
early next season. Prior to the state tournament,<br />
he was only taken down one time all<br />
season.”<br />
Parkway South freshman Camron Duffield<br />
had a good first Class 4 state tournament.<br />
He placed second at 1<strong>20</strong> pounds. (Provided)<br />
Duffield won by tech fall at <strong>20</strong>-4 in his<br />
first state match, by fall in 25 seconds in his<br />
quarterfinal match and a 5-4 decision over<br />
Grain Valley’s Zachary Bleess in his semifinal.<br />
The semifinal victory was impressive,<br />
Wallace said.<br />
“He won 5-4 and it was the toughest he<br />
wrestled all season,” Wallace said. “All<br />
season he showed that he could take anyone<br />
down, but in his semifinals match he showed<br />
he could wrestle from any position.”<br />
Jewelry<br />
Buying Event<br />
Get Paid Cash FOR GOLD, SILVER, DIAMONDS,<br />
COSTUME JEWELRY, WATCHES & COINS<br />
THURSDAY, MARCH 28 • 11 am to 4 pm<br />
FRIDAY, MARCH 29 • 11 am to 4 pm<br />
SATURDAY, MARCH 30 • 11 am to 4 pm<br />
We also buy antiques, artwork,<br />
paintings, swords, china, crystal<br />
and other collectibles & rarities.<br />
If you would prefer<br />
a private or in-home<br />
appointment,<br />
call 314-691-2888<br />
west county mall<br />
LOWER LEVEL NEAR JCPENNEY<br />
Traditional Worship Services<br />
Salem in Ballwin<br />
United Methodist<br />
Church<br />
A Place of Refuge…….<br />
In Times of Storms<br />
Come Celebrate With Us...<br />
Palm Sunday & Cantata:<br />
March <strong>24</strong>th<br />
Maundy Thursday:<br />
March 28th<br />
Easter Sunday:<br />
March 31st<br />
10:00 AM Service<br />
5:00 PM Dinner<br />
6:00 PM Service<br />
10:00 AM Service<br />
14825 Manchester Road, Ballwin, MO 63011 (636) 256-7171
42 I SPORTS I<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
@WESTNEWSMAG<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
Wier wins state wrestling championship in final match for Lafayette<br />
By WARREN MAYES<br />
Andrew Wier’s choice of who to have in<br />
his corner for his final wrestling match at<br />
Lafayette was a no-brainer for the senior.<br />
He decided to have Joe Wier, his father,<br />
and the Lancers’ head coach, take on that<br />
role.<br />
The two had the moment of a lifetime<br />
when Andrew emerged victorious in the<br />
Class 4 championship at 190 pounds.<br />
Andrew scored an 8-3 victory over Fort<br />
Zumwalt North sophomore Deacon Moran.<br />
Moran entered state with a 38-1 record,<br />
and had previously Moran reached the<br />
state meet as a freshman. Wier ended his<br />
season at 32-4.<br />
“I have always dreamed of being a state<br />
champion ever since I started wrestling<br />
in little Badgers (Bonhomme) as a kid,”<br />
Andrew said. “I was never the best wrestler,<br />
but I knew how to compete and that’s<br />
what I did.”<br />
This win was a feel-good occasion that<br />
will stay with father and son. The victory<br />
overcame the sting of sustaining a narrow<br />
loss in last year’s championship match.<br />
“I chose my dad in my corner because<br />
I knew I was going to win and I wanted<br />
him to share that moment with me, with all<br />
of the time and effort and money he has<br />
put forward for me to be in that position,”<br />
Andrew said. “I wouldn’t even be there<br />
without him and when I won and saw him<br />
crying it was just one of the best feelings<br />
in the world.”<br />
Joe was a bundle of emotions after<br />
Andrew made his decision.<br />
“I was probably way more nervous than<br />
Andrew, but I knew I had to hide it,” Joe<br />
said. “Put dad in the backseat and let coach<br />
Wier drive.”<br />
Andrew believed in himself. However,<br />
he was not overconfident.<br />
“I was confident before state,” Andrew<br />
said. “Mostly I was focused on my goal<br />
of becoming a state champ and that really<br />
took over and got rid of my nerves because<br />
I knew I put all of the work in.”<br />
Joe agreed.<br />
“Andrew was extremely confident going<br />
into state,” Joe said.<br />
Joe and Andrew had other emotions at<br />
play before the state meet. Joe’s mother,<br />
Juliana Marie “Dolly” Wier, of Wildwood,<br />
had passed away last December.<br />
“We lost my mom and his grandmother,<br />
who would come to almost every event.<br />
Andrew grew up going to Grandma’s farm<br />
moving bales of hay, 50-pound bags of<br />
grain, and digging post holes and building<br />
fences,” Joe said. “Andrew loved his weekends<br />
there so part of his season he decided<br />
to dedicate his season to his grandma.<br />
“She was powerful, so he felt like he had<br />
an angel on his shoulder the second half of<br />
the year. Andrew did not lose a match after<br />
December.”<br />
He overcame an injury on his way to the<br />
state meet. Andrew suffered a head injury<br />
and was out of action for three weeks in<br />
January, Joe said. When he became healthy,<br />
Andrew worked hard to get back in shape<br />
and be ready. Andrew won the district<br />
tournament by pinning his way through the<br />
event to qualify for state.<br />
Andrew built his whole season around<br />
winning a state championship.<br />
“I knew from the moment we stepped<br />
into the practice room at the beginning of<br />
the season I wanted to win state,” Andrew<br />
said. “We had goal sheets and that was my<br />
main one. I had it written on my mirror in<br />
my bathroom so I could see it and remind<br />
myself. Everyone kept telling me I was<br />
going to win it and didn’t want to let them<br />
Lafayette senior Andrew Wier has his arm raised after he won the state championship in<br />
Class 4 at 190 pounds. In the background is his father, Joe Wier, the Lancers head coach.<br />
(Durwood Tenny photo)<br />
Lafayette senior Andrew Wier stands on<br />
the podium as the state champion.<br />
(Durwood Tenny photo)<br />
down.”<br />
Joe was honored to be in Andrew’s<br />
corner for the match.<br />
“We have some fantastic coaches at<br />
Lafayette. I did not coach Andrew in<br />
matches his entire career,” Joe said. “I let<br />
the other coaches handle him and coach<br />
him. Andrew asked me to sit in his corner<br />
at state one last time.<br />
“When he asked, I thought ‘God help me.’<br />
He was on a mission and made it easy. He<br />
did make me cry a little when he won in<br />
the finals. His grandma would have been<br />
so proud. I’m sure she got to see it.”<br />
Joe said a fast start helped his son in the<br />
match.<br />
“Andrew hit a nice dump in the beginning<br />
and went up 4-0 by putting Deacon<br />
on his back,” Joe said. “He then took him<br />
down two more times in the match to<br />
secure the victory.<br />
“They did not meet but they trained<br />
together in the offseason. Deacon is not<br />
your typical sophomore; he is a very powerful<br />
young man. Andrew won three 50/50<br />
positions in the match and only had only<br />
(one) scare when Deacon almost caught<br />
Andrew in a headlock after Andrew was up<br />
by 4.”<br />
Joe acknowledged he was emotional<br />
after the match.<br />
“I was pretty excited. He became a state<br />
champ,” Joe said. “‘He did it’ is what I<br />
keep saying through my stream of tears.”<br />
Andrew said the win “didn’t even seem<br />
real to me.” He remembers what he did<br />
first.<br />
“I got up and pointed at my fans,”<br />
Andrew said. “It never really set in until I<br />
got up those stairs and out those doors and<br />
all of my teammates, graduated teammates<br />
and family members were standing in the<br />
hallway clapping.”<br />
As much as Andrew dreamed of winning,<br />
when it happened, it went beyond what he<br />
had daydreamed.<br />
“Winning was definitely everything I<br />
imagined,” Andrew said. “I can’t even<br />
describe the feeling. I was just overwhelmed<br />
with the satisfaction that all of<br />
my 12 years of hard work paid off and I<br />
could celebrate it with my friends and<br />
family.”<br />
Andrew’s march to a state title this year<br />
began last March.<br />
In <strong>20</strong>23, Seckman’s Cole Ruble won<br />
a 6-5 decision over Andrew in the state<br />
championship match.<br />
“I remember toward the end of the match<br />
I took a lousy shot and could have finished<br />
it and won, but he scooted away, and I just<br />
remember standing there trying my hardest<br />
to go for a takedown watching that clock<br />
run down with me still losing by one point,”<br />
Andrew said.<br />
That heartbreaking defeat fueled Andrew,<br />
who also plays football in the fall, as he<br />
entered his final campaign with the Lancers.<br />
“That loss is what drove me through<br />
offseason training,” Andrew said. “I was<br />
working out two times a day. Every time<br />
we stepped on the line to sprint (it was)<br />
in the back of my mind. I never wanted<br />
to experience that feeling again, which<br />
pushed me harder.<br />
“I would get one one-on-one sessions<br />
some days to work on craft and I did a lot<br />
more cardio because I knew if I wanted to<br />
win big matches I would have to be able to<br />
go all three periods.”<br />
Andrew was not an overnight success in<br />
the wrestling program. His first two years<br />
as a Lancer were somewhat difficult.<br />
“I was not as strong or fast as everyone. I<br />
was still developing my craft,” Andrew said.<br />
“I would come in to practice most days and<br />
not even get a takedown on my older teammates<br />
during live, but that just made me<br />
want to work harder. Tommy Hagan and<br />
Evan Boren were two upperclassmen and<br />
leaders at the time around my weight and<br />
they really taught me the Lancer wrestling<br />
culture and how to work hard.”<br />
And now it’s all over. Andrew has<br />
decided not to wrestle in college.<br />
“Unfortunately, I am closing that chapter<br />
of my life,” Andrew said. “I will be going<br />
to the University of Missouri to study business<br />
and not to play sports.”<br />
Andrew is the youngest of the Wier<br />
family.<br />
“There has been a Wier kid walking the<br />
halls of Lafayette since <strong>20</strong>11,” Joe said.<br />
“It’s crazy that he is the last one.”
FACEBOOK.COM/WESTNEWSMAGAZINE<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
De Smet’s Fox named Challenge<br />
Cup MVP<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
I SPORTS I 43<br />
By WARREN MAYES<br />
Jackson Fox has a knack for scoring big<br />
goals, and he showed it in the Challenge<br />
Cup championship game.<br />
Fox, a sophomore, helped to lead the<br />
De Smet Jesuit Spartans to a 3-0 win over<br />
the Marquette Mustangs in the Mid States<br />
Club Hockey Association’s Challenge Cup<br />
title game at the Centene Community Ice<br />
Center.<br />
For his efforts, Fox was named the MVP<br />
of the game.<br />
But the humble Fox, who lives in Ellisville,<br />
believed someone else should have<br />
been named the MVP.<br />
De Smet Jesuit sophomore Jackson Fox is presented with the<br />
MVP plaque after the Spartans won the Challenge Cup with a<br />
3-0 win over Marquette. (Dirt and Turf Photography photo)<br />
“I was a little surprised,” Fox said. “It’s<br />
a huge honor. In my opinion, I think our<br />
goalie deserved it more.”<br />
Goalie Alex Rivolta registered 22 saves<br />
in the game. It was his first shutout in the<br />
postseason. He ended his senior season<br />
with six shutouts.<br />
De Smet coach Anthony Cappelletti<br />
believed Fox earned the MVP honor.<br />
“He deserved the MVP by scoring the<br />
first goal and setting the tone of the game<br />
for us,” said Cappelletti. “He also blocked<br />
a shot when they had a power play to take<br />
away a great scoring chance for them. He<br />
played crucial minutes for us down the<br />
middle of the ice.<br />
“He showed he is a big-time player in a<br />
big-time moment. He can handle the pressure<br />
of the moment and rise to the occasion<br />
of a big game.”<br />
Fox believed his performance in the win<br />
over Marquette was solid.<br />
“I think I played really well, probably<br />
one of my best games this year for De<br />
Smet,” Fox said.<br />
Fox played well in the postseason for De<br />
Smet, who finished 21-1-6 this season. In<br />
seven postseason games, Fox scored three<br />
goals and three assists.<br />
The championship was the second in a<br />
row for the Spartans, who have won a total<br />
of 16 Mid-States championships.<br />
“It feels great,” Fox said. “Knowing we<br />
all came together as a team, we were able<br />
to go back to back. (It) Feels great. I think<br />
that was definitely our best game as a team.”<br />
Fox got the Spartans started.<br />
With 7 minutes, 6 seconds to play in the<br />
first period, Fox struck. Sophomore forward<br />
Dillen Grupe found Fox in the right<br />
circle. Fox slapped the puck in for the goal,<br />
beating Marquette goalie Cooper Freeman.<br />
With that, De Smet held a 1-0 lead.<br />
“My linemate skated around the net,”<br />
Fox said. “I found some<br />
open ice. He gave me a<br />
nice pass and I placed my<br />
shot well.”<br />
Cappelletti agreed.<br />
“His goal in the championship<br />
was textbook,”<br />
Cappelletti said. “Dillen<br />
Grupe is one of his wingers.<br />
They complement<br />
each other with their<br />
speed and they play a lot<br />
together on our club team<br />
as well. Grupe drove<br />
wide around the defenseman<br />
and created space<br />
for himself behind the<br />
net. Jackson realized that<br />
and found some quiet ice<br />
and Dillen gave him a perfect pass in his<br />
wheelhouse.<br />
“Cole Heffington, the other winger on<br />
the line, used his big frame to get in front<br />
of the net to take away the goalie’s eyes.<br />
Jackson released his shot quick and high<br />
over the goalie’s glove to snipe it.”<br />
The reaction of the Spartans’ fans was<br />
loud. Fox said he was glad to give them<br />
something to cheer about.<br />
“I was very excited to score and to get our<br />
student section hyped up,” Fox said.<br />
Fox’s quickness is a huge asset, Cappelletti<br />
said.<br />
“Jackson uses his speed to get by defenders,”<br />
Cappelletti said. “Uses his heavy<br />
and quick release shot to score, has good<br />
hockey sense to make his teammates<br />
better.”<br />
What Cappelletti liked about Fox is how<br />
he goes about his game. While not a vocal<br />
player in the locker room, Fox commands<br />
attention from his teammates.<br />
“At De Smet, he is a leader on the ice.<br />
Other players want to play with him and<br />
they know if he is going they better be<br />
See FOX, page 63<br />
#1 LOCAL CASH HOME BUYER IN ST LOUIS FOR OVER <strong>20</strong> YEARS<br />
WE BUY<br />
HOUSES<br />
AS IS<br />
FREE In-Home<br />
Consultation<br />
ANY PROPERTY • ANY REASON<br />
And always “As Is”<br />
No costs • No Fees • No commissions<br />
No inspection hassles • Highest cash offers<br />
100% Contingent FREE offers<br />
Mike Robinson<br />
314.283.0867<br />
Robang Properties, LLC<br />
P.O. Box 410486 • St. Louis , MO 63141<br />
www.RobangProperties.com
44 I<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
@WESTNEWSMAG<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
FAMILY & KIDS<br />
It’s time to March into Reading<br />
By KATE UPTERGROVE<br />
It may seem like one more thing to do at a time in life<br />
when you’re already overly busy and pulled in too many<br />
directions. But this one thing is truly essential.<br />
In fact, to quote a popular catchphrase of the 1970s, it’s<br />
absolutely FUNdamental. Welcome to National March<br />
into Reading Month.<br />
March was chosen, in part, to honor Theodor Geisel, aka<br />
Dr. Suess, whose legacy in children’s literature is undeniable<br />
and whose birthday is March 2. Suess was many<br />
things, including a political opinionist, so adults have<br />
varying opinions of him, but children, almost universally,<br />
love his works. He knew how to capture the imaginations<br />
of children, so it’s hard, as parents and grandparents, not<br />
to follow his advice: “You’re never too old, too wacky, too<br />
wild, to pick up a book and read to a child.”<br />
The benefits are well-researched. Reading teaches children<br />
basic principles that become the building blocks of<br />
knowledge – things like the alphabet, numbers, colors,<br />
the names of farm animals and the sounds they make. But<br />
as Suess’ works illustrate, books can also teach empathy,<br />
compassion and the power of imagination. The Lorax<br />
really did want to save those Truffula trees.<br />
One of the most basic benefits of reading aloud is building<br />
a strong vocabulary.<br />
Reading proficiency<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Research conducted by The Ohio University in <strong>20</strong>19<br />
indicates that children who consistently have five books<br />
per week read to them during their preschool years enter<br />
kindergarten having heard about 1.4 million more words<br />
than their non-read-to peers. According to the study, even<br />
children who have just one book read to them per day,<br />
every day will hear about 290,000 more words by age 5<br />
than children who never have the opportunity to hear a<br />
good book.<br />
Angela Sears Spittall, executive director of Olivettebased<br />
Ready Readers, declares, “Reading is powerful!”<br />
Sears Spittal advises expectant parents to begin reading<br />
to their children at birth and to keep on reading.<br />
“Children have to get to grade level by third grade because<br />
after that they have to read to learn,” Sears Spittal said.<br />
Ready Readers is a nonprofit organization that sends<br />
volunteers into classrooms each week to “inspire a love<br />
of reading among little learners in under-resourced communities.”<br />
“Together, the reader and children build bonds of trust<br />
and friendship as they experience the adventure of reading<br />
together,” Sears Spittal explained.<br />
While knowledge and comprehension are the obvious<br />
results of reading, some benefits are more obscure.<br />
A <strong>20</strong>17 study published in Innovation Aging found that<br />
those who read at least 3.5 hours a week were 23% more<br />
likely to outlive their peers. That’s right. Reading to your<br />
child or grandchild could actually extend your life and<br />
potentially theirs because in reading you are modeling a<br />
lifelong habit.<br />
Maybe longer lives are the result of less stress. A <strong>20</strong>09 study<br />
at the University of Sussex found that reading can reduce<br />
stress by up to 68%. There is a caveat, of course, researchers<br />
recommend reading a book or a magazine, but not a screen.<br />
Phones, tablets and computers are all too distracting; it’s just<br />
too easy to hop away from what you are reading to check<br />
social media or news that increases your anxiety.<br />
Longer life, less stress – those are heady statistics, but<br />
the best benefit of reading, especially with your children,<br />
is much closer to the heart. It’s the memories you make.<br />
“Reading is joy!” Sear Spittal exclaims. “It’s so much fun<br />
A Rockwood student celebrates Dr. Suess Day in early March<br />
(Source: RSD)<br />
for children to connect with an adult who is reading to them,<br />
to hear the sounds, look at the pictures and make memories.”<br />
“... the memory that stays with me is that of my father<br />
reading ‘The Jungle Book’ to us,” recalled author A.B.<br />
Gutherie Jr. when asked about his youth. “Beautiful stories!”<br />
Later, Guthrie’s love of stories, which began sitting<br />
alongside his father, led him to write expansive tales of<br />
the American <strong>West</strong>. In 1950, he won the Pulitzer Prize for<br />
Fiction for his novel, “The Way <strong>West</strong>.”<br />
As children grow older, reading novels aloud as a family<br />
can help children develop confidence in a safe place,<br />
while allowing parents to check for gaps in comprehension,<br />
pronunciation or other areas of concern. Children<br />
who struggle with public speaking because of a lisp, stutter<br />
or dyslexia might even discover that reading about<br />
something they love with someone they love makes them<br />
a stronger reader overall. A favorite novel might even be<br />
read again and again. Repetition strengthens memory, and<br />
memory builds comprehension.<br />
Teen actress Bella Thorne said she reads all the time as a<br />
strategy for dealing with her dyslexia.<br />
“When I was diagnosed with dyslexia, I was told to read<br />
everything from street signs to cereal boxes, and that my<br />
mom shouldn’t read the menu for me. I should read it to<br />
her! It has helped a great deal,” Thorne has been quoted<br />
as saying. “I am reading well, but it is something I work<br />
on every day.”<br />
1.<br />
2.<br />
3.<br />
IMAGINE • TRY • EXPLORE<br />
Imagine you’re Caitlin Clark or Zach Edey and put a whole new spin on March Madness. Clark and Edey are considered to be the best in<br />
college basketball. Imagine you’re heading to the Final Four. What would your skill be? Create a competition and challenge your family and<br />
friends to compete against you for fun and bragging rights.<br />
Try your hand at writing a contest-winning story. Kids and teens in grades three through 12 can enter the St. Louis County Library’s Write<br />
Stuff Contest for a chance to win prizes and recognition. But don’t delay! Entries are due by March 31. Details can be found at slcl.org.<br />
Explore the night sky on Sunday, March <strong>24</strong> and Monday, March 25 for the Worm Moon. That’s the name given to March’s full moon by “The<br />
Old Farmer’s Almanac.” According to legend, its name is inspired by to the beetle larvae that begin to emerge from trees at this time of year.<br />
What’s The old Farmer’s Almanac? It’s an annual guide of fun facts and important dates. Check it out at almanac.com.
FACEBOOK.COM/WESTNEWSMAGAZINE<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
St. Louis County Library –<br />
check it out!<br />
By KATE UPTERGROVE<br />
Looking for creative ways to strengthen<br />
your family’s reading routine? Look no<br />
further than the St. Louis County Library.<br />
Online at slcl.org, you’ll find a wealth of<br />
free resources, from creative calendars to<br />
inspire parents of children from birth to<br />
age 5 to strategies to use with older kids<br />
to story times and lap times at your local<br />
branch.<br />
Calling them the “bread and butter of<br />
early literacy,” Laura Polak, the library<br />
system’s early literacy coordinator, said,<br />
“We have story times and lap times every<br />
week at every branch.”<br />
“It’s really great for families to be able to<br />
come to their branch and get to know their<br />
librarian and other families who come to<br />
story times and build that community<br />
around reading and celebrating literacy,”<br />
Polak said. “Lap time is our program for<br />
Lap time at the St. Louis County Library<br />
children 0 to <strong>24</strong> months and story time is<br />
for children ages 2 through 5. They all feature<br />
stories, rhymes, songs and other fun<br />
activities.”<br />
And there’s no shushing. Kids can be<br />
kids – wiggles, giggles and all.<br />
“The library is the place for you where<br />
you are welcome with your children just as<br />
they are,” Polak said.<br />
Another program that Polak loves and<br />
which fits perfectly with March into Reading<br />
Month is 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten.<br />
All it takes to be successful is to<br />
read one book a day. Doing so, will have<br />
you completing the program within three<br />
years. But if you read three books per day,<br />
you and your child can complete the mission<br />
in under a year. Here’s how to get<br />
started:<br />
• Register at any branch and take home<br />
a reading log, or sign up online and print<br />
a reading log at home. Want a more techsavvy<br />
tracking method? Consider downloading<br />
the Beanstack Tracker App from<br />
the App Store or Google Play.<br />
• Every time you read a book with your<br />
child, mark a circle on the reading log or<br />
add it to Beanstack.<br />
Be sure to visit your local branch to find<br />
new books and to commemorate every 100<br />
books read with a special sticker. At 500<br />
books read, your child will receive a free<br />
book and a small prize. At 1,000 books,<br />
your child will receive a free book, a drawstring<br />
bag and other fun items.<br />
Don’t worry if your child wants to read<br />
the same book over and over, each rereading<br />
counts and repetition is a strategy that<br />
is vital to learning, so it’s a dual win. And<br />
don’t quit after you reach 1,000 books.<br />
Polak encourages families to keep reading<br />
even after their children start to read on<br />
their own.<br />
“For the majority of children, learning to<br />
read is not easy, but if they know that books<br />
are fun and that reading<br />
books is something we<br />
like to do as a family,<br />
they’re more likely to<br />
be motivated to push<br />
through some of those<br />
challenges,” Polak said.<br />
“The 1,000 Books program<br />
lays a foundation<br />
that reading is important<br />
and it’s something we<br />
value in our lives.”<br />
The library’s Early<br />
Literacy Calendar is yet<br />
another tool for parents<br />
and children to use in<br />
(Source: slcl.org) building a love of words<br />
while having fun. It’s<br />
filled with activities that range from reading<br />
to singing to observing to dancing and<br />
everything in between.<br />
“Those activities are really a way to meet<br />
parents and children where they are with<br />
materials they have in their homes or no<br />
materials at all that get kids thinking about<br />
and excited about language and words,”<br />
Polak said. “On the back of our calendar<br />
(available in branches and online at slcl.<br />
org/children-families) we have the Picture<br />
Book Bingo Challenge. There are nine different<br />
activities that they can do that are all<br />
centered around one featured picture book<br />
for the month.”<br />
Families can register at slcl.beanstack.<br />
org and when they complete three activities,<br />
they’ll be entered into an electronic<br />
raffle for the featured book.<br />
No matter what your age or interest, it’s<br />
likely the St. Louis County Library has<br />
what you are looking for, so drop in and<br />
check it out.<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
I FAMILY & KIDS I 45<br />
Hop Into Spring Specials<br />
AT BALLWIN DENTAL CARE<br />
NEW PATIENT SPECIAL<br />
OR<br />
100<br />
$<br />
100<br />
$ 99<br />
OFF YOUR FIRST<br />
OFFICE VISIT<br />
New patients only. Cleaning, X-rays (up to 4), comprehensive exam,<br />
oral cancer screening. Not valid with other offers, including botox.<br />
Offer ends 4/3/<strong>24</strong>. $99 not valid for patients with gum disease.<br />
Dr. Kimberly Simonds & Associates<br />
14649 Manchester Road | Ballwin<br />
636-552-9627<br />
Transforming Lives & Smiles Since 1974<br />
SUMMER CAMPS<br />
& OPPORTUNITIES<br />
COMING AGAIN 4.3.<strong>24</strong><br />
To Advertise call 636 591.0010
46 I HEALTH I<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
@WESTNEWSMAG<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
The Experts in Finding the Right Senior Care Options, For FREE!<br />
Transitions For Senior Living is St. Louis’ most trusted team to help you navigate your long-term care options ... from local Private<br />
Duty care, Assisted Living, Memory Care, Skilled Nursing and Independent Living Communities, we simplify your search.<br />
We understand the differences in standards of care, staffing ratios, social dynamics and take the time to explain those differences<br />
and walk beside you through the entire process; We personally evaluate your physical, cognitive, financial and social care needs.<br />
Completely Free Of Charge!<br />
Whether you are in a crisis or planning ahead, give us a call.<br />
We are a local, family-owned service, with over 12 years of experience helping families just like yours.<br />
Personalized Service, because every situation is unique!<br />
(314) 606-8531<br />
TransitionsForSeniorLiving.com<br />
Just as spring allergies are starting to kick in, medical researchers say<br />
many allergy sufferers may actually have a different condition called CRS.<br />
(Adobe Stock photo)<br />
HEALTH<br />
CAPSULES<br />
By LISA RUSSELL<br />
Many cases of spring allergies<br />
may actually be CRS<br />
As April approaches and the blooming<br />
season begins, so does the suffering of<br />
many St. Louis area residents with allergies.<br />
For many, however, treating the symptoms<br />
with antihistamines and decongestants may<br />
not provide much relief from the runny<br />
noses, clogged sinuses and watery eyes<br />
that plague them every spring.<br />
That’s because many people who think<br />
allergies are their problem actually have a<br />
different condition called chronic rhinosinusitis<br />
(CRS) – a condition which should be<br />
treated differently than allergies, say medical<br />
researchers from the University of Cincinnati.<br />
“We have seen in our clinical practices<br />
many instances where patients have<br />
believed that they have allergies for many<br />
years and have sought treatment for allergies<br />
for years,” said Dr. Ahmad Sedaghat, director<br />
of the Division of Rhinology, Allergy<br />
and Anterior Skull Base Surgery at the UC<br />
College of Medicine. “They have never<br />
found relief from their sinus/nasal symptoms<br />
because all along they’ve had CRS, an<br />
inflammatory condition of the sinuses.”<br />
Sedaghat was the lead author of a recent<br />
UC study including more than <strong>20</strong>0 patients<br />
whose main complaint was nasal allergies.<br />
Thorough testing was conducted to measure<br />
the severity and cause of their nasal<br />
and sinus symptoms. Although 91% of<br />
them did have environmental allergies, just<br />
over 45% were also diagnosed with CRS.<br />
The preferred treatment for the condition<br />
is nasal corticosteroid medication; but only<br />
half of the people who were diagnosed with<br />
CRS in the study had received it, Sedaghat<br />
said. The study results suggest that patients<br />
should consider the possibility of CRS when<br />
their nasal blockage or discharge symptoms<br />
become moderate to severe, or if they notice<br />
any decreased sense of smell, he added.<br />
According to the National Institutes of<br />
Health, CRS may impact about 15% of the<br />
entire U.S. population. The UC study was<br />
recently published in the journal Otolaryngology<br />
– Head and Neck Surgery.<br />
Like Cincinnati, St. Louis is also a national<br />
hotspot for seasonal allergies. Our city was<br />
ranked No. 58 on the Asthma and Allergy<br />
Foundation’s most recent Allergy Capitals<br />
Report listing the top 100 most difficult places<br />
to live for people with allergies in the U.S.<br />
Snacks serve up large<br />
helping of daily calories<br />
Nearly a quarter of the calories consumed<br />
by American adults come from<br />
snacks, a new study conducted at Ohio<br />
State University has found.<br />
On average, Americans eat 400 to 500<br />
calories’ worth of snack foods every day.<br />
In order of preference, they include convenience<br />
foods high in carbohydrates and fats<br />
(like chips or pretzels); sweets; alcoholic<br />
beverages; sugar-sweetened beverages; milk<br />
and dairy foods; fruit; grain-based products,<br />
and – lagging far behind – vegetables.<br />
The vast majority of these snacks are<br />
lacking in nutritional value, contributing<br />
little in the way of protein, vitamins<br />
or minerals, the researchers said. At the<br />
same time, they account for about a third<br />
of added sugar and fat.<br />
“The magnitude of the impact (of snacking)<br />
isn’t realized until you actually look<br />
at it,” said senior study author Christopher<br />
Taylor, an Ohio State professor of medical<br />
dietetics. “Snacks are contributing a meal’s<br />
worth of intake to what we eat without it<br />
actually being a meal. If you ate a meal<br />
of what you eat for snacks, it becomes a<br />
completely different scenario of, generally,<br />
carbohydrates, sugars, not much protein,<br />
not much fruit, not a vegetable. So it’s not<br />
a fully well-rounded meal.”<br />
Data for the study came from surveys<br />
of nearly <strong>24</strong>,000 adults over age 30 who<br />
participated in the National Health and<br />
Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)<br />
between <strong>20</strong>05 and <strong>20</strong>16. These surveys<br />
detail exactly what, and when, participants<br />
ate over a particular <strong>24</strong>-hour period. The<br />
study was recently published in PLOS<br />
Global Public Health.<br />
Why do politics bring<br />
out the worst in us?<br />
When it comes to their moral judgements<br />
of politicians and others on the opposite<br />
side of the political aisle, people tend to<br />
use different standards for ethical behavior<br />
than they would to judge the ones on<br />
their own side. They’re also more willing<br />
to bend those standards and behave badly<br />
toward those in the “outgroup” than they<br />
normally would, according to a new survey<br />
conducted by political science researchers<br />
at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.<br />
The survey included four different<br />
samples of adults totaling close to 2,500<br />
respondents. They all answered questions<br />
about their foundational moral beliefs, and<br />
were also asked about their moral tolerance<br />
and moral behavior in both political<br />
and personal situations. They represented<br />
about an equal number of liberal and conservative<br />
viewpoints.<br />
The surveys revealed that, regardless of<br />
age or political affiliation, people said they<br />
would be more likely to engage in immoral<br />
behaviors and judgments contrary to their<br />
personal beliefs if they were related to<br />
politics. For example, the same person’s<br />
answers to “I would falsely accuse someone<br />
of a serious misdeed” were often different<br />
based on whether that person was a<br />
friend or a politician representing the opposite<br />
political party.<br />
“Basically, we were taking the same<br />
person and asking them virtually the same<br />
questions…The only difference in the<br />
items is we changed ‘person’ to ‘politician.’<br />
And that was enough to shift people’s<br />
moral judgment,” said Kevin Smith, a coauthor<br />
and political science professor. “A<br />
lot of it was just driven by genuine internal<br />
dislike of the ‘other’ side.”<br />
That shift also included their views<br />
toward politicians’ bad behavior. Participants<br />
were more morally tolerant of it in<br />
those who were on their side – similar to<br />
the behavior they would be willing to tolerate<br />
from a friend – than the same behavior<br />
of another politician who was a member of<br />
the “outgroup.”<br />
The study’s leaders said the survey highlights<br />
the harm of outrage-based politics in<br />
an increasingly polarized society, where<br />
politicians and media outlets alike both pit<br />
one party against the other.<br />
“I think there’s some reason for concern,”<br />
said Kyle Hull, another co-author. “Politics<br />
makes us do things that we just normally<br />
wouldn’t do and tolerate things we<br />
wouldn’t normally tolerate. It brings out,<br />
sometimes, the worst in us.”<br />
Gas stoves pollute homes,<br />
Purdue research finds<br />
Residential gas stoves have recently<br />
become a focus of safety concerns due<br />
to their emissions of pollutants which can
FACEBOOK.COM/WESTNEWSMAGAZINE<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
harm human respiratory systems, especially<br />
in children. In January of <strong>20</strong>23, the<br />
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission<br />
announced that it would consider regulating<br />
natural gas hookups in new home construction,<br />
potentially phasing out Americans’<br />
ability to “cook with gas” in the future.<br />
A recent Purdue University study<br />
appears to bear out these concerns when it<br />
comes to gas stoves’ impact on health. In<br />
the university’s state-of-the-art lab built<br />
to recreate a home environment, scientists<br />
found that cooking on a gas stove can emit<br />
more microscopic particles into the air than<br />
vehicles that run on either gas or diesel,<br />
possibly increasing the risk of asthma or<br />
other respiratory illnesses.<br />
Their experiments in the lab showed that<br />
during cooking, “nanoclusters” of aerosol<br />
particles are transported quickly from<br />
the gas stove to the rest of the house. For<br />
example, trillions of these particles were<br />
emitted within just <strong>20</strong> minutes of boiling<br />
water or making grilled cheese sandwiches<br />
or buttermilk pancakes on a gas stove.<br />
Although many particles rapidly settled<br />
on other surfaces, the models indicated<br />
that approximately 10 billion to 1 trillion<br />
of these tiny particles could travel into an<br />
adult’s nasal passages and lungs. These<br />
doses would be even higher for children<br />
– because the smaller the human body, the<br />
more concentrated the dose they receive.<br />
The lab’s large volume of high-quality<br />
data also allowed the Purdue researchers to<br />
compare their findings with known outdoor<br />
air pollution levels, which are more regulated<br />
and understood than indoor air pollution.<br />
It showed that adults and children<br />
could be breathing in between 10 and 100<br />
times more nanocluster aerosol from cooking<br />
on a gas stove indoors than they would<br />
from car exhaust while standing on a busy<br />
street.<br />
The Purdue study is among the first to<br />
measure indoor spread of these tiny nanocluster<br />
aerosol particles, according to Brandon<br />
Boor, an associate professor in the<br />
university’s Lyles School of Engineering.<br />
“These super tiny nanoparticles are so small<br />
Purdue University scientists have found<br />
that cooking on a gas stove releases<br />
harmful pollutants that travel directly into<br />
human respiratory systems.<br />
(Adobe Stock photo)<br />
that you’re not able to see them. They’re not<br />
like dust particles that you would see floating<br />
in the air,” Boor said. “After observing such<br />
high concentrations of nanocluster aerosol<br />
during gas cooking, we can’t ignore these<br />
nano-sized particles anymore.”<br />
On the calendar<br />
BJC St. Louis Children’s Hospital sponsors<br />
a Babysitting 101 virtual class on<br />
Tuesday, March 26 from 6-8:30 p.m., live<br />
via Teams Meeting. This interactive class is<br />
a great introduction to the basics of babysitting.<br />
The cost is $25 per child; parents may<br />
sit in on the class. Register online at bjc.org/<br />
babysitting-class.<br />
• • •<br />
A St. Luke’s Nutrition Class is on<br />
Wednesday, March 27 from 2-3 p.m. at<br />
Schnucks Eatwell Market, 2<strong>20</strong> THF Blvd.<br />
in Chesterfield. By the end of the session,<br />
you will feel more confident about your<br />
shopping skills. The registration cost is<br />
$5; all participants will receive wellness<br />
resources, samples and a $10 Schnucks gift<br />
card. Register at stlukes-stl.com.<br />
• • •<br />
BJC presents a Family and Friends CPR<br />
virtual course on Wednesday, April 10<br />
from 6:30-8:30 p.m., live via Teams Meeting.<br />
This class uses the American Heart<br />
Association curriculum to teach hands-on<br />
CPR skills (course does not include certification<br />
upon completion). The cost is $50<br />
for two people. Register online by visiting<br />
bjc.org/cpr-class.<br />
• • •<br />
St. Luke’s Hospital offers Let’s Cook!!<br />
Herbs and Spices on Tuesday, April 23<br />
from 4-5 p.m. in the St. Luke’s Cardiac<br />
Rehab Kitchen, 121 St. Luke’s Center Drive<br />
in Chesterfield. Join a St. Luke’s dietician<br />
for a free, live cooking demonstration and<br />
sample some fresh herbs along with a delicious<br />
chicken dish prepared with whole<br />
grains and cherry tomatoes. Register at<br />
stlukes-stl.com.<br />
• • •<br />
St. Luke’s Hospital presents Make<br />
Peace with Food: Basics of Mindful<br />
Eating on Wednesday, April <strong>24</strong> from 6:30-<br />
7:30 p.m. at the Desloge Outpatient Center,<br />
121 St. Luke’s Center Drive in Chesterfield,<br />
in Classroom 3 of Building A. Join us for<br />
a free in-person class to learn the basics<br />
about how to eat mindfully. Sign up to<br />
attend at stlukes-stl.com.<br />
• • •<br />
St. Luke’s Hospital presents Mom &<br />
Baby Expo on Thursday, April 25 from<br />
5-8 p.m. at the hospital’s Institute for<br />
Health Education, 232 S. Woods Mill<br />
Road in Chesterfield, in the North Medical<br />
Building. The free event features speakers,<br />
vendor booths, tours of St. Luke’s Birth<br />
Care Suites, light refreshments and attendance<br />
prizes. Register at stlukes-stl.com.<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
I HEALTH I 47
Community Events for Older Adults<br />
CLASSES<br />
n AARP DRIVER SAFETY • Tuesday, May 21.<br />
• 9 a.m.-1 p.m. • Bluebird Park Administration<br />
building • $<strong>20</strong> for AARP members; $25 for all<br />
others.<br />
n CRAFTERNOONS • Paper Flower Making •<br />
Tuesday, April 23. • 1-2:30 p.m. • Schroeder Park<br />
Building • Registration is required. • $6 residents;<br />
$7.80 all others. Supplies included. • All abilities.<br />
n SENIOR PAINTING • Fridays • 9:30-11 a.m. •<br />
Schroeder Park Building • Drop-in classes. • All<br />
abilities. • Free.<br />
n SENIOR PANEL DISCUSSION • Ask the<br />
Lawyer: Trusts, Wills, Power of Attorney, Probate,<br />
Guardianship • Tuesday, May 7 • 10-11 a.m. •<br />
Chesterfield Community Center • Registration is<br />
required.<br />
n TREE OF LIFE MACRAME • Wednesdays,<br />
April 10 & 17. • 6-7:30pm • Schroeder Park<br />
Building • Residents $50; others $65<br />
FITNESS & SPORTS<br />
n 50-PLUS & FIT • Mondays, 8-8:45 a.m. or<br />
10:<strong>20</strong>-11:05 a.m. or 11:<strong>20</strong> a.m.-12:05 p.m. •<br />
Wednesdays, 11-11:45 a.m. • Fridays, 10:<strong>20</strong>-<br />
11:05 a.m. & 11:<strong>20</strong> a.m.-12:05 p.m. • The<br />
Pointe • Drop-in classes. • Pointe members<br />
free; fee all others.<br />
n ABLT • Tuesdays & Thursdays • 9:30 a.m. •<br />
Drop-in water aerobics. • The Pointe • Platinum<br />
free; residents $7; all others $9.<br />
n CLASSIC SILVER SNEAKERS •<br />
Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Fridays at 9-9:45<br />
a.m.; Wednesdays at 10-10:45 a.m. • The<br />
Pointe • Drop-in classes. • Pointe members<br />
DISC GOLF is available daily at Bluebird Park<br />
in Ellisville, Schroeder Park in Manchester<br />
and Railroad Park in Chesterfield.<br />
PICKLEBALL is available daily at Bluebird<br />
Park in Ellisville, Schroeder Park in<br />
Manchester and The Pointe in Ballwin.<br />
TENNIS is available daily at Bluebird Park in<br />
Ellisville and Schroeder Park in Manchester.<br />
free; fee all others.<br />
n FIT 4 ALL • Tuesdays, 11-11:45 p.m. • The<br />
Pointe at Ballwin Commons • Drop-in classes. •<br />
Free for Pointe members; drop-in fee all others.<br />
n JOINTS IN MOTION • Mondays,<br />
Wednesdays & Fridays • 10:30 a.m. • Drop-in<br />
water aerobics. • The Pointe • Platinum free;<br />
residents $7; others $9.<br />
n PICKLEBALL LESSONS • Wednesday or<br />
Thursday evenings • Beginner and intermediate<br />
levels • Call Drew for details at (636) 391-6326<br />
ext. 430.<br />
n SENIOR FITNESS • Mondays-Thursdays;<br />
several time options. • Schroeder Park Building<br />
• Free with Silver Sneakers or Renew Active •<br />
Registration is required • Classes fill quickly.<br />
n TAI CHI • Thursdays • 1-1:45 p.m. and 2-2:45<br />
p.m. • Drop-in classes • The Pointe • Free for<br />
Pointe members; drop-in fee all others.<br />
n WATER AEROBICS • Monday-Friday, 8:30<br />
a.m. • Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays, 9:30<br />
a.m. • Tuesdays & Thursdays, 6:45 p.m. • Dropin<br />
classes • The Pointe • Platinum free; residents<br />
$7; all others $9.<br />
n CHAIR YOGA • Wildwood Yoga & Wellness,<br />
2642 Hwy. 109, Suite B • Tuesdays • 1:30-2:30<br />
p.m. • Residents free; all others $5 per class •<br />
Register online up to one day prior to class.<br />
n MERAKI YOGA • Tuesdays: 9:30-10:30 a.m.<br />
(gentle); 10:45-11:45 a.m. (chair) • Wednesdays:<br />
9:45-10:45 a.m. (chair); 10:45-11:45 a.m.<br />
(morning flow) • Chesterfield Community Center •<br />
$60 for 5-class pass; $100 for unlimited monthly<br />
pass (registration is required) • $<strong>20</strong> per drop-in<br />
class.<br />
n SILVER SNEAKERS YOGA • Wednesdays<br />
• 10:10-10:50 a.m. • All fitness levels. • Free with<br />
Pointe membership; drop-in fee all others.<br />
n YOGA SLOW FLOW • Wildwood Yoga &<br />
Wellness, 2642 Hwy. 109, Suite B • Fridays<br />
• 11 a.m.-noon • Residents free; all others $5<br />
per class • Register online up to one day prior<br />
to class.<br />
n ZUMBA GOLD • Thursdays • 11:30 a.m.-<br />
CITY CONTACT INFORMATION & REGISTRATION<br />
n Ballwin (636) 227-8950 • ballwin.<br />
mo.us • Ballwin Golf Course, 333<br />
Holloway Road • The Pointe, 1 Ballwin<br />
Commons Circle<br />
n Chesterfield (636) 812-9500 • email<br />
olderadults@chesterfield.mo.us •<br />
Community Center, 237 Chesterfield Mall,<br />
second floor by Macy's<br />
12:15 p.m. • No registration needed • Free with<br />
Pointe membership; drop-in fee all others.<br />
SOCIAL & SPECIAL INTEREST<br />
n ARBOR DAY • Saturday, April <strong>20</strong>. • 10-11am<br />
• Schroeder Park Building<br />
n ARBOR DAY • Friday, April 26. • 1:30 p.m. •<br />
Bussmann Shelter • Free seedling giveaway.<br />
n BINGO • Wednesdays, April <strong>24</strong> & May 8. •<br />
11:15 a.m.-1 p.m. • Chesterfield Community<br />
Center. • $5 per person, cash at the door. •<br />
Register by emailing olderadults@chesterfield.<br />
mo.us.<br />
n LUNCH & BINGO • First and third Wednesdays<br />
• 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. • The Pointe • Registration<br />
is required. • $8 per person, per date.<br />
n MORNING BINGO • Thursdays, April 4, May<br />
2 & 16. • 9-10:30 a.m. • Schroeder Park Building<br />
• $2 per person, per day.<br />
n BOOK CLUB • Tuesday, April 16: “The<br />
Giver of Stars” by Jojo Moyes • 11 a.m.-noon •<br />
Schroeder Park Building • Free<br />
n BRIDGE • Mondays, April 1 & 15. • 1-3 p.m.,<br />
open play. • Schroeder Park Building • $1 per<br />
person.<br />
n BRIDGE CLUB • Tuesdays through April<br />
• 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. • The Pointe • Some<br />
experience required. • Drop-in. • Free.<br />
n BUNCO • Tuesdays, April 16 & May 14. •<br />
1-2:30 p.m. • Chesterfield Community Center •<br />
$5 per person, cash at the door. • Register by<br />
emailing olderadults@chesterfield.mo.us.<br />
n DOG PARK OPEN HOUSE • Saturday, May<br />
A UNIQUE APPROACH<br />
TO DEMENTIA CARE<br />
Your Loved One with Dementia<br />
Deserves to Live In a Home!<br />
My husband and I had previous experience with<br />
his mother residing in a large scale community<br />
and I was determined to find a better<br />
solution Our residential for my mother. homes At Family are built<br />
Partners Home, my mother receives<br />
specifically for the specialized needs<br />
wonderful care from a tight knit team<br />
of of those professionals with dementia that understands<br />
promote<br />
safety, her individual comfort, needs and engagement<br />
desires.<br />
with – Paula a family R., Daughter feel. of Resident<br />
n Ellisville (636) 227-7508 • ellisville.<br />
recdesk.com • Bluebird Park, 225 Kiefer<br />
Creek Road<br />
n Manchester (636) 391-6326, ext 401 or<br />
402 • manchestermo.gov • Schroeder Park,<br />
359 Old Meramec Station Road<br />
n Wildwood (636) 458-0440 •<br />
wildwoodmo.recdesk.com • City Hall,<br />
16860 Main St.<br />
4. • 10 a.m.-noon. • Bluebird Park • Free<br />
n ELECTRONIC RECYCLING • Thursday,<br />
April 4. • Noon-5 p.m. • Fee for certain items •<br />
Information at ellisville.mo.us.<br />
n LAFAYETTE OLDER ADULT PROGRAM •<br />
Second and fourth Mondays through May • 10<br />
a.m.-1 p.m. • Ballwin Golf Course • Entertainment,<br />
speakers, bingo, socializing • Bring lunch;<br />
dessert and drinks provided. • $2 per person. •<br />
Contact Stephanie at (636) 391-6326, ext. 401,<br />
or by email to shardesty@manchestermo.gov to<br />
be added to the day-trip list.<br />
n MAH JONGG • Mondays, April 1 & 15. • 1-3<br />
p.m., open play • Schroeder Park Building • $1<br />
per person per date.<br />
n MAHJONG CLUB • Tuesdays through April •<br />
1-3 p.m. • The Pointe • Drop-in. • Free.<br />
n MAHJONG MONDAYS • Weekly • 10 a.m.<br />
• Chesterfield Community Center • Participants<br />
are welcome to bring their own sets. • Free<br />
n PLEIN AIR ART EVENT • Saturday, May<br />
4. • Wildwood City Hall • $40 for pre registered<br />
participants; $50 for participants registering<br />
same day.<br />
n PUZZLEPALOOZA • Thursday, April<br />
11. • 1 p.m. • Chesterfield Community Center •<br />
$<strong>20</strong> per team; 2 people per team • Register at<br />
chesterfield.mo.us.<br />
n STARGAZING • Thursday, April 18. • 8 p.m. •<br />
Bluebird Park at Connor Field • Free<br />
n TREE CARE ANSWER MAN • Saturdays,<br />
April 27, May 4 & 11 • 10 a.m.-noon. • Bussmann<br />
Shelter • Free<br />
It feels like home. It is a home.<br />
• Only 8-13 residents<br />
• Private Rooms<br />
• Best Caregiver to resident ratio 1:5 Avg<br />
• Around the clock professional care<br />
• Family Style Meals<br />
Manchester, MO • Call Jonna at 314.686.4468 • www.FamilyPartnersHome.com
FACEBOOK.COM/WESTNEWSMAGAZINE<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
ELECTION PREVIEW WEST NEWSMAGAZINE I 49<br />
ELECTION PREVIEW, from page 23<br />
fundraising support. All experiences provided<br />
leadership growth and effectiveness<br />
through public service.<br />
Q2. I am committed to representing<br />
the residents of Wildwood so that the<br />
city council can hear their voices through<br />
public service in action. Keeping Wildwood<br />
unique is what makes our city so<br />
special but finding ways to attract the<br />
right businesses and restaurants for future<br />
success is key to our economic development<br />
Monitoring watershed erosion is<br />
also a continuing concern for our environment<br />
as we look to the future. I would like<br />
to support these efforts and other opportunities<br />
through active committee service.<br />
Q3. I have attended many city council,<br />
planning and zoning, and administration/<br />
public works meetings over the years. I have<br />
a master’s degree in business administration,<br />
am budget-conscious and an effective<br />
communicator. I have the time to devote to<br />
full-time community service now that I am<br />
retired. Giving to others has always been a<br />
part of my life, and I can’t think of a better<br />
way to support our community. I am dedicated<br />
and have the professional background<br />
and public service experience to help the<br />
city of Wildwood continue to have a bright<br />
and productive future.<br />
• Chris Preston, Ward 1<br />
Q1. I’ve been active in the Wildwood<br />
city government for going on three years<br />
now, in both the Board of Public Safety,<br />
as well as the Historic Preservation Committee.<br />
I’ve also owned and operated a<br />
successful business for many years now,<br />
and I have a strong understanding of how<br />
to budget resources, along with the willingness<br />
to make hard decisions.<br />
Q2. My top priorities are: Work to<br />
maintain our natural surroundings and<br />
historic relevance. Keep Wildwood a safe<br />
and wonderful place to both live and raise<br />
a family. Cultivate a more effective business<br />
environment to build up our town<br />
center and other commercial spaces.<br />
Q3. I’m not running on any cornerstone<br />
issue, but rather on a promise to represent<br />
everyone from the ward, while striving to<br />
maintain a functional and effective city<br />
government.<br />
• Ashley Slauter, Ward 1<br />
Q1. I currently serve on two Wildwood<br />
commissions, one of which I co-chair.<br />
Beyond this civic commitment, I have<br />
years of professional experience in strategic<br />
revenue diversification and committee<br />
management. I believe my background<br />
equips me to not only preserve Wildwood’s<br />
charm and uniqueness but also<br />
drive its growth sustainably.<br />
Q2. If elected, my top priorities include<br />
completing Phase II of the Internet project,<br />
fostering economic development &<br />
growth and creation (Village Green) and<br />
preservation of our green spaces, ensuring<br />
a balanced and thriving future for our<br />
community.<br />
Q3. Before heading to the polls, it’s crucial<br />
to know that I have a profound commitment<br />
to Wildwood. Choosing to make<br />
this community my home reflects my<br />
deep care for its unique charm, especially<br />
its green spaces. I am resolutely dedicated<br />
to collaborating with fellow council members<br />
to achieve responsible growth for our<br />
city. Your vote for me signifies support<br />
for a leader invested in preserving Wildwood’s<br />
character while working diligently<br />
towards its sustainable development.<br />
• Robert L. “Bob” Mabry, Ward 2<br />
• Scott Ottenberg*, Ward 3<br />
• Joe Farmer, Ward 4<br />
Q1. I have represented Ward 4 since<br />
September <strong>20</strong>19, honored with re-election<br />
in <strong>20</strong><strong>20</strong> and <strong>20</strong>22. I am currently serving<br />
as chair of the Watershed Erosion Task<br />
Force, vice chair of the Administration and<br />
Public Works Committee, and president of<br />
the <strong>West</strong>glen Farms HOA. My passions<br />
include promoting city modernization<br />
while carefully preserving our heritage<br />
and values. I advocate for cohesive governance<br />
and civility to move Wildwood<br />
forward. With extensive experience in<br />
community leadership, I’ve spearheaded<br />
strategic plans and advocated for transparent<br />
modernized communication with<br />
our residents. I am deeply committed to<br />
Ward 4 and the city of Wildwood.<br />
Q2. If elected, my top priorities are<br />
safeguarding the careful balance between<br />
sustainable smart development and preserving<br />
our cherished natural areas, safeguarding<br />
Wildwood’s nine watersheds,<br />
and expediting critical public works<br />
projects like improving internet access,<br />
implementing effective deer management,<br />
completing the Strecker Road sidewalk<br />
and better addressing our roadways and<br />
traffic issues.<br />
Q3. Having grown up in Wildwood, I<br />
am committed to preserving its natural<br />
beauty, to protecting its nine watersheds<br />
and enhancing its infrastructure to better<br />
meet residents’ needs. As chair of the<br />
Watershed Erosion Task Force and vice<br />
chair of the Administration and Public<br />
Works Committee, I’ve demonstrated dedication<br />
to these causes. With your support,<br />
I’ll continue prioritizing sustainable progress<br />
and effective governance and working<br />
together in a civil way. Your vote is a<br />
vote for a thriving Wildwood that honors<br />
its past while embracing its future, and I<br />
would be very grateful to receive it.<br />
• Jean Vedvig, Ward 4<br />
Q1. One of my accomplishments was<br />
working for and supporting the incorporation<br />
of Wildwood. This gave citizens of<br />
our community a true voice in their local<br />
government. I went door to door to support<br />
the building of Wildwood City Hall.<br />
Providing residents with one location to<br />
access all government services. This was<br />
accomplished without a tax increase. I<br />
have served on one of the first Planning<br />
and Zoning Commissions, on the Wildwood<br />
City Council, the Town Center<br />
Advisory and Update Committee, the<br />
Administration and Public Works Committee.<br />
Much of this work established the<br />
foundation of Town Center.<br />
Q2. Working with the council and staff<br />
to control spending to stop the need for<br />
a tax increase. Wildwood was designed<br />
to have a lean, responsive form of government<br />
to avoid burdensome taxes on<br />
property owners. Responsible spending to<br />
benefit the residents is top of the list. Following<br />
the Master Plan will protect property<br />
values. Incremental zoning exceptions<br />
are not what residents expect. I believe<br />
elected officials should not meet in private<br />
with developers or contractors. Residents’<br />
voices cannot be heard in private meetings.<br />
Continue working for in-person council<br />
meetings to allow accountability and<br />
access to elected officials.<br />
Q3. I am not in this to cut ribbons. I am<br />
independent and unafraid to make decisions<br />
based on facts. My record of dedication<br />
and experience serving residents<br />
stands on its own. I would work with<br />
the council to restore leadership and the<br />
promise of our community. Sometimes it<br />
is hard but if you see something I believe<br />
you must stand up. I want Wildwood residents<br />
to know what is being said and to<br />
have a voice over their government, their<br />
property and the surrounding environment.<br />
If I am elected, Wildwood citizens<br />
will know what to expect.<br />
• Debra Smith McCutchen*, Ward 5<br />
• Robin L. “Rob” Rambaud*, Ward 6<br />
• Jim Kranz, Ward 7<br />
• Timothy E. Kummer, Ward 8<br />
Q1. I have lived in Wildwood for over<br />
<strong>20</strong> years and want to preserve the natural<br />
beauty of Wildwood.<br />
Q2. I would like to stop the development<br />
of high-density home building by<br />
not allowing variances in our zoning<br />
codes to maximize profits for devolpers.<br />
I am committed to green space and tree<br />
preservation. I would also like to bring<br />
new growth with family-friendly restaurants<br />
and businesses to our area.<br />
Q3. I am active in city meetings and<br />
feel I can be a voice for the citizens and<br />
act on their behalf.<br />
• Michael Gillani*, Ward 8<br />
Q1. I’ve served two terms as a Wildwood<br />
City Council member in Ward 8 and<br />
am currently the chair of the parks and<br />
planning committee. I have also served<br />
on the economic development committee,<br />
watershed erosion task force, parks and<br />
planning committee, historic preservation<br />
committee, and Town Center update team.<br />
I have also started and run multiple businesses<br />
and currently serve as an RVP with<br />
USA Mortgage.<br />
Q2. My priorities are to preserve Wildwood’s<br />
greenspace and character; maintain<br />
honest, ethical and economically<br />
conservative policies and procedures; and<br />
l effectively and proactively represent the<br />
constituents of not just Ward 8 but the city<br />
in general.<br />
Q3. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time<br />
on the City Council thus far and would<br />
love the opportunity to continue to be a<br />
positive influence on the city of Wildwood<br />
and its residents. I believe I work<br />
very well with the other council members<br />
to preserve a “can do” attitude and mutual<br />
respect, which is the key to getting things<br />
done. My background and success in<br />
business allow me to transfer those experiences<br />
and knowledge to my activities as<br />
a representative of the city.<br />
WINCHESTER<br />
Board of Aldermen<br />
• Ed Schaefer, Ward 1<br />
• Christine Danielle Luebbert*, Ward 1<br />
• Michael Schmidt*, Ward 2<br />
• Mark Raup, Ward 2<br />
BOARDS OF EDUCATION<br />
Candidates were asked the following<br />
questions:<br />
Q1. What inspired you to run for this<br />
office?<br />
Q2. What are your priorities if elected?<br />
Q3. What is the district’s biggest challenge?<br />
Q4. How would you have the district<br />
address that challenge?<br />
PARKWAY<br />
Board of Education<br />
• Matthew Schindler*<br />
Q1. I am seeking one last term on the<br />
Parkway School Board. After the challenges<br />
posed by the COVID-19 epidemic,<br />
I am reinvigorated and dedicated<br />
to advancing initiatives that enhance the<br />
educational experience for all Parkway<br />
students.<br />
Q2. My priorities are: Students – support<br />
personalized learning and our choice<br />
programs. Stability – maintain the financial<br />
health of the district and advocate for<br />
public school funding. Community - Keep<br />
Parkway a destination for families, teachers,<br />
staff and administrators.<br />
Q3. The mental health of our students<br />
is the biggest challenge today. Both teachers<br />
and school personnel are required to<br />
confront these growing issues. I have<br />
seen these challenges in my own family. I<br />
do feel Parkway is a leader in the region<br />
See ELECTION PREVIEW, page 50
50 I<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGZINE<br />
ELECTION PREVIEW<br />
@WESTNEWSMAG<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
ELECTION PREVIEW, from page 49<br />
in addressing the mental health issue, but<br />
much more needs to be done. For a student<br />
to learn, they must come into the classroom<br />
in a place mentally ready to learn.<br />
Q4. I believe a crucial step in addressing<br />
students’ mental health is transitioning<br />
our mental health screening from opt-in to<br />
opt-out. This adjustment aims to identify<br />
students who may benefit from additional<br />
resources. Despite the district’s efforts<br />
to allocate more resources for students’<br />
mental health, the needs of our students<br />
persist and will require additional monitoring<br />
to gauge our impact.<br />
• Kevin Seltzer*<br />
Q1. Six years ago I chose to run for<br />
school board because I wanted to serve<br />
my community and that has not changed.<br />
Parkway is an important part of my family’s<br />
history and future, and I am dedicated<br />
to this district. I want to serve this<br />
district and be an advocate for Parkway<br />
and public education.<br />
Q2. My priority is long-range, strategic<br />
planning to ensure that Parkway continues<br />
to fulfill its mission. As a district, we are<br />
doing good work, but we need to be prepared<br />
for an evolving environment. The<br />
future of education is going to look different,<br />
and I want to be a part of ensuring<br />
that Parkway is in a position to evolve and<br />
continue to serve this community well.<br />
Q3. Running a school district is a great<br />
balancing act. Parkway has a lot of objectives,<br />
along with educating we try to meet<br />
the many other needs of our students and<br />
stakeholders. The biggest challenge we<br />
face is how to meet the divergent needs<br />
of all parties while effectively managing<br />
resources.<br />
Q4. There’s no easy solution, but as a<br />
board, it is our responsibility to set policies<br />
and procedures that reflect the values<br />
of this community. This district is committed<br />
to meeting the needs of our students<br />
and preparing them for successful<br />
lives. Careful evaluation of programs and<br />
practices is vital. The goal is to consistently<br />
analyze our work and make sure we<br />
are delivering on our mission.<br />
• Todd Williams<br />
Q1. I think there needs to be a conservative<br />
board member when the next superintendent<br />
is chosen in the near future. This is<br />
vital for the direction of the school district<br />
and the taxpayers who live in the district.<br />
Q2. My first priority will be to staff/<br />
employ a dedicated security officer at<br />
every school in the Parkway District. The<br />
high schools and middle schools have<br />
SROs currently and there are rotating<br />
SROs that do have elementary schools<br />
every few days, but this is not acceptable.<br />
There needs to be full-time security<br />
at each school, whether it be an SRO or<br />
private security that is part of the Parkway<br />
District. My second priority will be<br />
to take a look at the budget and find out<br />
why the teachers of this district do not<br />
have the best pay and all the materials to<br />
do their jobs on a daily basis. The priority<br />
needs to be in the classroom and not the<br />
administration building.<br />
Q3. The Parkway School District<br />
needs to get back to what it historically<br />
has been very good at and that is teaching<br />
the children in the classroom. Parkway<br />
is not the parent, grandparent or<br />
guardian. Parkway is given the task by<br />
the state of Missouri to teach students in<br />
the classroom, to get them to a certain<br />
level of proficiency before they graduate.<br />
In the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, Parkway’s<br />
enrollment was close to 23,000 students<br />
now it is closer to 16,000 students. With<br />
enrollment declining and property taxes<br />
increasing the next big problem for<br />
Parkway will be school choice/vouchers,<br />
where the parent will be able to take<br />
their tax dollars and choose which school<br />
spends that money the most efficiently<br />
on their child.<br />
Q4. I would have the district address<br />
school security. Classrooms are the priority<br />
for the budget, not the administration.<br />
Parents do the parenting; teachers do the<br />
teaching.<br />
• Stacey L. Myton<br />
Candidate did not reply by press time.<br />
• John Tettinger<br />
Q1. I was inspired to run by concerns<br />
over social activism becoming a priority<br />
over the academic achievement of our students<br />
and the increased workload being<br />
placed on our teachers.<br />
Q2. My priorities are to provide teachers<br />
with adequate resource support and<br />
the freedom to focus fully on academic<br />
achievement; and to reverse the downward<br />
trend in core academic scores.<br />
Q3. Adequate support resources to support<br />
a declining student population and<br />
increased cultural diversity of the student<br />
population.<br />
Q4. Provide competitive pay packages<br />
to recruit resource support that is more<br />
reflective of the cultural diversity of the<br />
student population.<br />
ROCKWOOD<br />
Board of Education<br />
• Tamara Jo Rhomberg*<br />
Q1. I believe in public education and<br />
having served in multiple leadership positions,<br />
I see being a school board member<br />
as an opportunity to give back my time<br />
and talent to the community. I believe that<br />
I have the background and experience<br />
to support the mission of the Rockwood<br />
School District. As an incumbent board<br />
member, I have experienced how effective<br />
board governance can move a district<br />
forward. I want to continue that work.<br />
Q2. I believe that ensuring the best<br />
quality education for our students is the<br />
number one priority. First, recruiting,<br />
retaining and supporting high-quality<br />
teachers and staff is necessary to meet<br />
the educational needs of our students.<br />
Our teachers are our most valuable assets.<br />
Second, Rockwood has 37 buildings with<br />
an average age of 47 years, it is important<br />
to maintain and update these facilities to<br />
provide a safe learning environment for<br />
our students and staff.<br />
Q3. There are a number of challenges<br />
facing the district: unknown legislation<br />
that could affect the funding streams for<br />
the district; ongoing staffing issues in<br />
multiple support areas of the district; and<br />
maintaining clear and consistent communication<br />
with our patrons are among the<br />
most relevant issues.<br />
Q4. Rockwood successfully passed<br />
Prop 3 resulting in over $26 million in<br />
annual operating funds dedicated to<br />
safety, technology and facility updates.<br />
Our financial department monitors legislation,<br />
district projections and budget to<br />
see that we remain fiscally sound. Promoting<br />
Rockwood as a district that cares<br />
about and supports our teachers and staff<br />
is vital to attracting high-quality personnel.<br />
Establishing opportunities to interact<br />
with students and our patrons will aid in<br />
our goal of transparent communications.<br />
• Phillip Milligan<br />
Q1. The knowledge, skills, experiences<br />
and relationships we gain during<br />
our school years drive everything for the<br />
rest of our lives. It is our responsibility<br />
to do all that we can to see that those<br />
experiences are the most robust possible<br />
for our students. Rockwood is a great<br />
school district! I want to help make it<br />
even better. Students must be prepared to<br />
meet a world full of challenges we can<br />
only imagine.<br />
Q2. I am not running with a particular<br />
agenda or goal in mind other than to help<br />
keep partisan politics out of the function<br />
of the board. I plan to look at each situation<br />
with fresh eyes and an open mind. I<br />
will listen to all sides and viewpoints, even<br />
those which I may not initially understand.<br />
Continuous improvement comes from<br />
respectful debate which includes deep listening<br />
and consideration.<br />
Q3. Just like most schools and organizations<br />
today, Rockwood has struggled<br />
the past several years with a polarized<br />
constituency. What was once respectful<br />
disagreement and discourse, has too often<br />
degenerated into personal attacks and<br />
falsehoods spread with the intent of hurting<br />
“the other side.” This is not beneficial to our<br />
students. We need to do better. I believe<br />
this is slowly becoming less of a problem<br />
and hope to help continue that trend.<br />
Q4. I feel that one of my strengths is<br />
the ability to bring people with differing<br />
viewpoints to consensus. When there are<br />
issues before the board upon which there<br />
is significant disagreement, I will intentionally<br />
listen to those who agree and disagree<br />
with my initial belief. I will make a<br />
sincere effort to understand the viewpoint<br />
of those who feel differently than I do. I<br />
will ask them to help me understand their<br />
point of view.<br />
• Thomas Dunn<br />
Q1. I was a previously elected school<br />
board member (<strong>20</strong>19-<strong>20</strong>22) and, as an<br />
advocate for public education and current<br />
parent of two Rockwood students, I want<br />
to ensure that Rockwood continues to be a<br />
preferred destination for students, teachers<br />
and community for a high-quality education.<br />
Q2. My priorities are: Student performance<br />
– we need to improve on reaching<br />
the students that are underperforming;<br />
Safety – ensure all students and staff have<br />
a safe learning environment; Fiscally<br />
responsible – review all spending, particularly<br />
contracts over $7500 and that bid<br />
procedures are followed; Teachers – they<br />
set the tone for all students and the learning<br />
process, we need to ensure that they<br />
have all the tools they need to succeed.<br />
Q3. Staff shortages (teacher, custodial,<br />
bus drivers, etc).<br />
Q4. Be inquisitive and ask questions of<br />
the administration and receive confirmation<br />
that they are exploring all different<br />
forms of recruitment, not just the traditional<br />
methods.<br />
VALLEY PARK<br />
Board of Education<br />
• Yasmin Chittakhone<br />
Candidate did not reply by press time.<br />
• Jeremy Miller<br />
Q1. After <strong>20</strong> years of service as a United<br />
States Marine, I believe it is important to<br />
give back to the community. The Valley<br />
Park School District has been a wonderful<br />
learning environment for my kiddo, and I<br />
believe I can help the team over the next<br />
few years.<br />
Q2. My priorities are simple: First,<br />
foster an inclusive and quality learning<br />
environment for all students that prepares<br />
them for the road ahead. Second, supporting<br />
the educators in the district to ensure<br />
top quality education for all students.<br />
Third, promoting communication between<br />
the school board, parents, educators and<br />
the community.<br />
Q3. Valley Park School District has a<br />
small population and is projecting less<br />
enrollment over the next years. It is imperative<br />
that we use our funding wisely to<br />
support the students that we have currently<br />
enrolled and reduce loss to private schools.<br />
Q4. Increased focus on vocational education<br />
and STEM.<br />
• Pete Coates<br />
Candidate did not reply by press time.
It’s Not Paint...It’s BETTER!<br />
<strong>20</strong>23 RHINO SHIELD NATIONAL COMPETITION “BEST ON THE BLOCK” WINNERS!<br />
MASONITE/COLOR LOC<br />
STUCCO<br />
CEDAR/WOOD<br />
ALUMINUM STEEL<br />
Never Paint Again<br />
Permanent Ceramic Coating<br />
• Won’t Chip, Flake, Crack or Peel<br />
• Low “E” Rating Reduces Energy Cost<br />
• Waterproof and Breathable<br />
• 25 Year Transferable Warranty<br />
• BASF Tested to Last<br />
COMMERCIAL<br />
BRICK<br />
Call TODAY for a FREE Evaluation<br />
314-239-7947<br />
or 877-25RHINO<br />
WWW.87725RHINO.COM
52 I<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
@WESTNEWSMAG<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
Creve Coeur magician raises money to save animals from euthanasia<br />
By DEANNE LEBLANC<br />
“Magic Amanda,” a local magician, is on<br />
a mission. She wants to help pet owners<br />
medically treat their beloved animals<br />
instead of euthanizing them because of the<br />
cost of care.<br />
Her real name is Amanda Lindsey, and<br />
she has pledged to donate all proceeds from<br />
her bonus reward program to the Imperial<br />
Animal Hospital’s IAH Care Fund, a partner<br />
of the Veterinary Care Foundation, a<br />
501(c)3 nonprofit organization, in memory<br />
of a dear friend, Maisey, a neighborhood<br />
dog who touched the heart of everyone<br />
who knew and loved her.<br />
Lindsey had the chance to forge a bond<br />
with Maisey, a smart and intuitive Chiweenie<br />
(Chihuahua and Dachshund mix),<br />
who was a bright spot of joy in the community.<br />
Maisey, however, was diagnosed with<br />
Cushing’s disease last year, which proved<br />
challenging to regulate. Despite efforts to<br />
manage her condition, her health deteriorated<br />
and additional complications arose,<br />
including diabetes, a heart murmur and the<br />
need for gallbladder surgery. Ultimately,<br />
her condition became too complex and<br />
expensive, and her owner had to euthanize<br />
Maisey and let her go peacefully.<br />
“Maisey was my beloved best friend,”<br />
Lindsey said. “Our bond was special as<br />
I was not allergic to her despite my allergies<br />
to other dogs. Maisey had a remarkable<br />
ability to communicate with me, often<br />
summoning me to spend time with her in<br />
Amanda Lindsey<br />
creative ways. She would bark at a specific<br />
spot on the fence, guiding me out of my<br />
house to where I could pet her because I<br />
was too short to reach her in other areas.”<br />
Imperial Animal Hospital, in collaboration<br />
with the Veterinary Care Foundation,<br />
has established the IAH Care Fund, a<br />
resource dedicated to assisting pet owners<br />
facing various challenges related to their<br />
pets’ health and well-being. The IAH Care<br />
Fund aims to provide crucial assistance to<br />
pet owners facing financial crisis by offering<br />
emergency and medical care for lost or<br />
injured pets, financial aid for special needs<br />
pets and owners and funding for good<br />
Samaritan cases. Recipients of the fund<br />
must demonstrate that all other payment<br />
options have been exhausted.<br />
The goal of Lindsey’s initiative is to<br />
honor Maisey’s memory by helping other<br />
pets in need, just like her. By contributing<br />
to the IAH Care Fund, a meaningful difference<br />
can be made in the lives of pets and<br />
their owners, ensuring that financial limitations<br />
do not prevent them from receiving<br />
essential veterinary care.<br />
“Maisey’s ‘mom’ did a great job giving<br />
Maisey a happy and fulfilled life,” Lindsey<br />
said. ”She provided unconditional love<br />
and support. Losing a beloved pet is one<br />
of the most heart-wrenching experiences<br />
one can endure. Maisey’s passing has left<br />
an immeasurable void and I wouldn’t want<br />
anyone else to go through this. Together,<br />
we can eliminate euthanasia due to financial<br />
restrictions and create a community<br />
where every pet receives the care and compassion<br />
they deserve.”<br />
Unfortunately, Maisey’s story is not<br />
unique. Many animals are euthanized due<br />
to a lack of funds for medical care or overcrowding<br />
at animal shelters.<br />
“These ‘Maiseys’ of the world deserve<br />
the chance to live happy, healthy lives<br />
alongside their human companions,” Lindsey<br />
said.<br />
Lindsey invites the community to donate<br />
without spending any money. Every click,<br />
share, or react button on her social media<br />
posts will directly support the care of pets<br />
and help prevent euthanasia due to financial<br />
constraints.<br />
“Through my Facebook page (facebook.<br />
com/MagicAmanda87) I am encouraging<br />
engagement with my posts, as every<br />
like and reaction button clicked generates<br />
income in Maisey’s memory,” Lindsey<br />
said.<br />
As a magician, Amanda Lindsey says<br />
she has had the privilege of performing<br />
around the country, as well as within her<br />
local community, “bringing the wonder of<br />
magic to audiences far and wide and lifting<br />
and empowering others” through her craft.<br />
“I believe that by coming together as a<br />
community, we can make a meaningful<br />
difference in the lives of pets and their<br />
owners,” Lindsey said.<br />
Magic Amanda performs on the first<br />
Friday of the month at Luvwoo Bar, 12965<br />
Olive Blvd. in Creve Coeur, and proceeds<br />
from the performances will also be<br />
donated to the Imperial Animal Hospital’s<br />
IAH Care Fund. The bonus program lasts<br />
through April 19. For more details, visit<br />
magicamanda.com.<br />
Maisey, the Chiweenie diagnosed with<br />
Chushing’s disease, inspired Amanda<br />
Lindsey to raise support for sick pets.<br />
(Photo courtesy of Amanda Lindsey)<br />
Updates on 39 North development discussed at work session<br />
By JEFFRY GREENBERG<br />
At a recent Creve Coeur City Council<br />
joint work session with the Economic<br />
Development Committee, Emily Lohse-<br />
Busch, executive director of what’s now<br />
known as the 39 North AgTech Innovation<br />
District, offered a detailed progress<br />
review of the development. The development<br />
is an agricultural and biotech district<br />
mainly in the eastern part of Creve Coeur.<br />
The goal of the development is to bring to<br />
the area some of the top plant science and<br />
biotechnical people from around the world<br />
for research and on-the-spot experimental<br />
work.<br />
“About eight to 10 years ago, this (39<br />
North) name was given to the district,”<br />
said City Administrator Mark Perkins as an<br />
introduction. “From a marketing perspective,<br />
it’s only been since last spring that we<br />
actually have an organization that’s nonprofit,<br />
working every day toward making<br />
39 North a world-class center for AgTech<br />
innovation.”<br />
Although Lohse-Busch noted she<br />
planned a roughly <strong>20</strong>-minute presentation<br />
for the work session, with several questions<br />
and answers, it lasted nearly 50.<br />
“When we went through the process of<br />
forming 39 North, there was a hypothesis<br />
that we really felt strongly in the community<br />
that there was a lot of under-leveraged<br />
potential in the AgTech area, for Creve<br />
Coeur, the region and for AgTech nationally,”<br />
Lohse-Busch said. “So, we set out<br />
about eight months ago to go all in after<br />
recognizing all that potential, and the best<br />
is yet to come.”<br />
Lohse-Busch added that the project<br />
really started in <strong>20</strong>15 when a study was<br />
performed through the St. Louis Economic<br />
Development Partnership (SLEDP).<br />
According to her, that’s when 39 North was<br />
formed as a brand and project. Since then,<br />
there has been significant infrastructure<br />
to start developing what the master plan<br />
called for, which is a dedicated innovation<br />
district to produce outside agriculture<br />
impact for Creve Coeur and the region.<br />
“The economic impact of the Danforth<br />
Center, BRDG Park and the Helix Incubator,<br />
which are our three most active entities,<br />
have already produced about half a billion<br />
dollars,” Lohse-Busch said. “There’s been<br />
$1<strong>20</strong> million in infrastructure investment,<br />
and all this led us to the conclusion that it<br />
was time for 39 North to really become its<br />
own independent entity and that we could<br />
do what needs to be done to take it to the<br />
next level.”<br />
In <strong>20</strong>22, a task force was formed with<br />
representation from industry, economic<br />
development and academic institutions.<br />
Shortly thereafter, it became a 501c3 nonprofit.<br />
A major part of Lohse-Busch’s recent<br />
presentation was to make the case for real<br />
estate development and business attraction<br />
to 39 North.<br />
She said three pillars have guided all<br />
activities for 39 North: first, developing a<br />
physical footprint; second, supporting startups<br />
and physical expansion in the area and<br />
finally, cultivating development through<br />
the application of the St. Louis agriculturefood-tech<br />
narrative. She has done so while<br />
also joining regional, national and international<br />
partnerships.<br />
Lohse-Busch noted there are currently<br />
33 ag-tech companies housed in the district,<br />
and said there are a number of national<br />
See 39 NORTH, page 61
FACEBOOK.COM/WESTNEWSMAGAZINE<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
Homemade marshmallow chicks,<br />
bunnies and eggs … oh yes!<br />
Gills Tree<br />
Service<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
I 53<br />
By KATE UPTERGROVE<br />
It’s Easter and that means marshmallow<br />
chicks, bunnies and eggs. While it’s easy<br />
to go out and buy Peeps and chocolatecovered<br />
eggs, they’re also easy enough<br />
to make, even with kids. But parents be<br />
advised: Hot sugar is involved, so adult<br />
assistance is a necessity. And remember<br />
this is a project that should be more about<br />
fun than manufactured perfection.<br />
BASIC MARSHMALLOWS<br />
Ingredients<br />
2 packets gelatin, unflavored<br />
2/3 cup water<br />
2 cups sugar<br />
1/2 cup water<br />
2 teaspoons vanilla extract<br />
Additional Ingredients<br />
1/4 cup cornstarch<br />
1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar<br />
Colored sugars for coating chicks and<br />
bunnies<br />
Melting chocolate for dipping eggs<br />
Sprinkles and candy eyes or black food<br />
gel for decorating<br />
Directions<br />
• Sprinkle a layer of colored sugar on a<br />
baking sheet or sheets, depending on how<br />
many different colors you want to use.<br />
• Put 2/3 cup cold water in a mixing bowl<br />
and sprinkle the gelatin over it. Allow the<br />
gelatin to absorb the water and swell undisturbed<br />
for 10 minutes.<br />
• Meanwhile, in a saucepan, dissolve 2<br />
cups of sugar and 1/2 cup of water over<br />
medium heat. Do not stir the mixture while<br />
it cooks.<br />
• Heat the sugar mixture until it reaches<br />
<strong>24</strong>0°F, or the so-called “soft ball” stage.<br />
This should take about 15 minutes; however,<br />
a candy thermometer attached to the side of<br />
the pan, but not touching the bottom, helps<br />
tremendously to gauge sugar readiness.<br />
• When the sugar mixture reaches the<br />
soft ball stage, remove it from the heat and<br />
(Adobe Stock photo)<br />
slowly pour it into the mixing bowl containing<br />
the gelatin.<br />
• Beat the mixture with a whisk attachment,<br />
slowly adding in the vanilla, until<br />
the marshmallow mixture turns white and<br />
somewhat stiff, about 8-9 minutes.<br />
• Scoop the marshmallow into a piping<br />
bag with a large round tip.<br />
Now, for the fun part! Create your chicks,<br />
bunnies and eggs by piping out the desired<br />
shapes.<br />
For chicks, pipe an oval about 1 inch<br />
wide by 2 inches long directly onto the colored<br />
sugar, pulling upward at the back to<br />
create the tail. Pipe a row of ovals, allowing<br />
them to touch. Next, pipe a circular<br />
shape at one end of the oval, raising your<br />
piping tip as you go and allowing a slightly<br />
backward-leaning pyramid of marshmallow<br />
to form. Pull the piping bag forward<br />
and pinch off the marshmallow to form<br />
the beak. Cover in colored sugar and add<br />
black food gel or candy eyes. Allow to dry<br />
at least 45 minutes before eating.<br />
For bunnies, draw a bunny shape using<br />
a thick, black marker. Place the template<br />
under parchment or wax paper sprinkled<br />
with colored sugar. You want to be able to<br />
see the template through the sugar. Pipe<br />
the bunny shapes, or use the cookie cutter<br />
method described below. Cover completely<br />
with sugar. Allow to dry at least 45 minutes<br />
before eating.<br />
For eggs, simply pour the marshmallow<br />
into a 13×9 pan, which has been dusted<br />
with an equal parts mixture of corn starch<br />
and confectioners’ sugar. Sprinkle the<br />
marshmallow with an extra dusting over<br />
the top and let it sit overnight. Then, use an<br />
egg-shaped cookie cutter to cut the marshmallows.<br />
Dip into melted chocolate, place<br />
onto parchment or wax paper and decorate<br />
with sprinkles. Allow the chocolate to fully<br />
set before eating.<br />
[Editor’s note: Sallie’s Cake and Candy<br />
Supplies, 14340 Manchester Road, has<br />
cookie cutters in dozens of shapes and sizes,<br />
along with an array of colored sugars.]<br />
• Tree Removal<br />
• Tree Trimming<br />
• Tree Pruning<br />
• Stump Removal<br />
IN BUSINESS FOR OVER 26 YEARS!<br />
Whether your tree is hazardous, interferes with your view, or just isn’t aesthetically pleasing, we have<br />
the experience and the equipment to remove it safely and securely. If you are considering removing a<br />
tree, speak with our team of St. Louis tree removal experts.<br />
636.274.1378 • Gillstrees.com<br />
FREE ESTIMATES<br />
SAME DAY AND<br />
EMERGENCY SERVICE<br />
AVAILABLE!
54 I BUSINESS I<br />
BUSINESS<br />
BRIEFS<br />
PLACES<br />
The Elegant Child Early Learning<br />
Center in Wildwood was awarded the <strong>20</strong>23<br />
Best of Ballwin Award in the Premier Early<br />
Child Care category. Each year, the Ballwin<br />
award program identifies companies<br />
that have achieved exceptional success,<br />
positive image and outstanding service to<br />
the community. This is the second year in a<br />
row Elegant Child has received this award.<br />
This also means the center is now in the<br />
Ballwin Hall of Fame.<br />
• • •<br />
The Parkway School District was<br />
recently awarded the <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong> Platinum Bell<br />
Seal for Workplace Mental Health from<br />
Mental Health America, recognizing its<br />
commitment to employee mental health<br />
and well-being. The Bell Seal for Workplace<br />
Mental Health national certification<br />
program recognizes employers committed<br />
to creating mentally healthy workplaces.<br />
This is the third year in a row that Parkway<br />
has received this recognition.<br />
• • •<br />
PUBLIC HEARING<br />
®<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
The Elegant Child Early Learning Center in Wildwood was awarded<br />
the <strong>20</strong>23 Best of Ballwin Award. The learning center is now a member<br />
of Ballwin’s Hall of Fame. Pictured from the left: Chelsea Overbeck,<br />
assistant director; Julie Knoke, executive director; Gloria McCart,<br />
assistant director and Jim Steimley, assistant director (Photo provided)<br />
St. Croix Hospice has opened a new<br />
branch office in Wildwood at 16759 Main<br />
St., Suite <strong>20</strong>8, serving residents of St. Louis<br />
City and County and the counties of Franklin,<br />
Jefferson and Washington. The Wildwood<br />
office provides in-person care for hospice<br />
patients wherever they call home, including<br />
private residences, nursing homes and<br />
NOMINATION OF<br />
ESSEN LOG CABIN<br />
TO HISTORIC CITY<br />
LANDMARK<br />
All are invited!:<br />
<br />
Learn more about this log<br />
cabin reconsturction project,<br />
the history of the cabin,<br />
and future plans for the<br />
cabin as a public resource.<br />
assisted living facilities. To learn more, visit<br />
stcroixhospice.com/office/wildwood-mo or<br />
call (855) 278-2764.<br />
• • •<br />
The Bank of Houston has opened a<br />
branch office at 2675 <strong>West</strong>glen Farms<br />
Drive in Wildwood. Founded in 1889, The<br />
Bank of Houston is known for providing<br />
a variety of financial services for its customers<br />
in Texas County, Missouri. That<br />
same level of local, community-oriented<br />
service is now available in Wildwood with<br />
lobby hours from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday<br />
through Friday. Call (636) 429-2265 or<br />
stop in to learn more.<br />
• • •<br />
ATB Technologies, a strategic IT support<br />
company in Chesterfield, recently<br />
earned national recognition as being<br />
among the leading managed service providers<br />
(MSPs) in North America. For the<br />
third time, ATB was featured on CRN’s<br />
MSP 500 List. Compiled by CRN, a brand<br />
@WESTNEWSMAG<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
of The Channel Company, the list serves<br />
as a comprehensive guide to identifying<br />
and acknowledging MSPs that are at the<br />
forefront of driving growth and innovation<br />
within the industry.<br />
• • •<br />
SBR Bikes & Brews is now open in The<br />
District in Chesterfield Valley at 17089<br />
N. Outer 40 Road. The bike shop-cafe is<br />
located just two doors down from 4-Hands<br />
Brewery with easy access to the Monarch-<br />
Chesterfield Levee Trail. Visit sbrbikesandbrews.com<br />
to learn more.<br />
• • •<br />
The French Creperie held a ribbon cutting<br />
on March 14 to celebrate its full-time<br />
grand opening at 17409 Chesterfield Airport<br />
Road in Chesterfield. Previously only<br />
open on weekends, the crepe shop opened<br />
its doors full-time with a celebratory ribbon<br />
cutting. Natacha Douglas, the owner, is<br />
originally from the French Creole island<br />
of Guadeloupe. For more information visit<br />
frenchcreperie.com.<br />
• • •<br />
St. Louis Community College received<br />
a <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong> Bellwether Award in the workforce<br />
development category for its multi-year<br />
strategic plan designed to assist in meeting<br />
the ongoing healthcare workforce needs in<br />
the St. Louis region. The plan, called the<br />
Show-Me Synergy: Growing the Healthcare<br />
Workforce in St. Louis, is led by the<br />
college’s health sciences division. This<br />
category recognizes public and/or private<br />
strategic alliances and partnerships that<br />
promote community and economic development.<br />
This is the second straight year<br />
a St. Louis Community College program<br />
was selected as a finalist.<br />
PEOPLE<br />
St. Luke’s Hospital - St. Louis has hired<br />
Jon Vitiello as its new chief financial<br />
officer. Vitiello will report directly to St.<br />
Luke’s president and CEO, Andy Bagnall.<br />
LEARN MORE<br />
636-458-0440<br />
robyn@cityofwildwood.com<br />
www.cityofwildwood.com/<br />
essenlogcabin<br />
<br />
Share your comments,<br />
ideas, and suggestions.<br />
THURSDAY<br />
MARCH 28TH<br />
6:30 P.M.<br />
Wildwood City Hall<br />
City Council Chambers<br />
16860 Main Street<br />
Wildwood, MO 63040<br />
St. Croix Hospice celebrated the opening of its new branch office in Wildwood with a<br />
ribbon cutting hosted by the <strong>West</strong> St. Louis County Chamber of Commerce on March 8.<br />
(Photo courtesy of Higher Focus Photography)
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE I BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT I 55<br />
The Fulton School guides children to their full potential<br />
FACEBOOK.COM/WESTNEWSMAGAZINE<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
Kara Fulton Douglass, Head of<br />
School at The Fulton School since <strong>20</strong>08,<br />
believes every child has a path and<br />
potential all their own.<br />
“Our school’s founder – my mom,<br />
Dr. Barb Fulton – always said that a<br />
school should be more like a forest<br />
than an orchard,” said Douglass. “In<br />
an orchard, the trees are all the same,<br />
planted in straight rows and producing<br />
the same fruit. But a forest is alive with<br />
a variety of trees, in different colors and<br />
shapes and all bearing different fruit.<br />
Each tree has different needs and grows<br />
in different ways. And this is how we<br />
believe school should be.”<br />
Founded in 1962, The Fulton School<br />
is a coeducational, Montessori-based<br />
school serving children 18 months<br />
old through 12th grade. Conveniently<br />
located along the Hwy. 40 corridor in<br />
Chesterfield, this independent school<br />
provides an engaging education for<br />
children of various backgrounds and<br />
learning styles. They are known for<br />
fostering confidence, character and<br />
a deep love of learning in students<br />
through independence, initiative and<br />
child-centered teaching.<br />
The school’s roots are in Montessori.<br />
What is Montessori? It’s a 100-year-old<br />
(The Fulton School photo)<br />
educational philosophy that emphasizes<br />
independence (to create confidence),<br />
concentration (the building block of<br />
academic growth), personalized learning<br />
(so a child is never bored or overwhelmed)<br />
and character (growing the whole child, not<br />
just their cognitive growth).<br />
“We want to equip our students to approach<br />
life with zest,” explained Douglass. “We<br />
want them to have the skills and drive to<br />
learn without grades or schedules or due<br />
dates. The primary way we do this is by<br />
introducing them to the intrinsic rewards<br />
of learning, so we give them choice in<br />
projects and encourage tangents when we<br />
see something spark in them. We do lots<br />
of field trips and overnight trips; we help<br />
them build multi-generational relationships;<br />
we challenge them and then celebrate with<br />
them when they overcome a challenge.”<br />
The Fulton School offers a music program<br />
that begins in preschool, daily P.E. classes<br />
through 8th grade (and as an elective in high<br />
school), Spanish that begins in preschool,<br />
entrepreneurship opportunities starting in<br />
6th grade, clubs such as chess and coding,<br />
plus high school student council and varsity<br />
athletics. Students participate in community<br />
service from the age of three, and in 4th<br />
grade they begin to travel – first with local,<br />
short trips, then building to international<br />
travel in high school.<br />
“In <strong>20</strong>14, we decided to introduce a farm<br />
program at the school,” explained Douglass.<br />
“It’s a fantastic, hands-on way for kids to<br />
practice responsibility, compassion and<br />
teamwork.”<br />
The students are involved in the planting,<br />
nurturing and harvesting of a variety of<br />
herbs, bulbs and vegetables. Plus they care<br />
for small animals – classroom pets like<br />
hamsters and guinea pigs, but also a dozen<br />
chickens in an outdoor coop. The students<br />
feed and water the chickens, collect their<br />
eggs and sell them to the community.<br />
“Not many schools can boast of their own<br />
apiary,” said Douglass, “but we can! Our<br />
established hives – we currently have seven<br />
– are tended to by our students all year long.<br />
We typically have a fall harvest where the<br />
students extract the honey from the frames,<br />
then bottle and sell it.”<br />
The robust Makerspace Lab rounds out<br />
the unique programs offered at The Fulton<br />
School.<br />
“We started Makerspace in <strong>20</strong>16, and<br />
it attracts student-creators of all kinds,”<br />
explained Douglass. “Older students can<br />
learn how to use 3D printers, laser cutter,<br />
CNC machine, embroidery machine, vinyl<br />
cutter and heat press, not to mention a<br />
selection of sanders, planers, drills and saws,<br />
plus every traditional hand tool you could<br />
imagine. All of the machinery and tools<br />
are integrated with mathematics, computer<br />
programming, geometry, design, physics<br />
and art.”<br />
Schedule a tour today to see if The Fulton<br />
School is a good fit for your child.<br />
The Fulton School<br />
1100 White Road • Chesterfield<br />
(314) 469-6622 • www.fulton-school.org<br />
ATTENTION READERS:<br />
Make sure you are signed up for your<br />
FREE subscription today!<br />
1. If you got this paper in your mailbox and your first and last<br />
name are on the front cover label, THANK YOU for subscribing.<br />
You are all signed up and will continue to get the paper in your<br />
mailbox for the next three years.<br />
2. If you got this paper in your mailbox and the label reads “Current<br />
Resident” then you need to fill out and mail in the form on this ad or<br />
visit westnewsmagazine.com/subscribe to subscribe. Otherwise,<br />
this could be the last paper you receive in the mail.<br />
3. If you picked this paper up at a newsstand such as Schnucks<br />
or Dierbergs, thank you so much for your interest! Please visit<br />
westnewsmagazine.com/subscribe or fill out and mail in the form<br />
on this ad to subscribe and get the paper delivered right to your<br />
home FREE of charge.<br />
CLIP & MAIL<br />
By providing your signature below, <strong>West</strong> <strong>Newsmagazine</strong> will<br />
qualify as a Requester Periodical helping us save postage expense<br />
so we can continue to deliver your copy through the post office.<br />
YES, I want <strong>West</strong> <strong>Newsmagazine</strong>,<br />
Please deliver to:<br />
Name:<br />
Address:<br />
City: State: Zip:<br />
Phone:<br />
E-mail:<br />
Signature<br />
x<br />
Date: / /<br />
Mail to:<br />
754 Spirit 40 Park Drive • Chesterfield, MO 63005
56 I<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
@WESTNEWSMAG<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
WEST SAVER<br />
A·I <br />
CONCRETE<br />
LEVELING<br />
OVER THE COST OF REPLACEMENT<br />
(636) <strong>20</strong>2-1551<br />
A1Stlouis.com<br />
$<br />
100OFF<br />
Any Job of<br />
$750 or More<br />
Coupon may not be combined with any other offer.<br />
,--r Present Coupon "AFTER" Quote.<br />
Need An Electrician?<br />
Ask About Whole<br />
House Stand-By<br />
Generators!<br />
Free Estimates • Fast Service<br />
Service Upgrades • Replace Outdated Fuse Box With New Circuit<br />
Breaker Box • Rewiring of New & Old Homes • Room Additions<br />
Remodeling • Rathskelter Specialists • Motion Detector Lights<br />
Install Fans, Fixtures, Outlets, A/C, etc. Landscape Lighting<br />
Over <strong>20</strong> Years Experience • Licensed, Bonded & Insured<br />
Full Service Electrical Contractor • Radio Dispatched<br />
Trenching & Bucket Truck Service Available By F.E.S.<br />
Fielder Electrical Services<br />
Fully Licensed by St. Louis County & City! WE WORK IN YOUR AREA!<br />
314-966-3388 • www.fielderelectricalservices.com<br />
$<br />
<strong>20</strong><br />
OFF<br />
Any electrical job<br />
of $ 100 or more<br />
Save For Future Use!<br />
$27. 99<br />
Install new filter, refill up to 5 quarts 5W-30 or<br />
5W-<strong>20</strong> Valvoline conventional oil & lubricate<br />
chassis if applicable.<br />
• Most cars & light trucks. Not valid with any other offer. Present<br />
coupon at time of purchase. Shop supplies & sales tax are additional.<br />
• Coupon Code: m21oc6<br />
www.PlazaTireService.com<br />
BASIC OIL<br />
CHANGE<br />
Expiration:<br />
175<strong>20</strong> Chesterfield Airport Rd • Chesterfield • 636.536.<strong>20</strong>07 | 105 Baxter Rd • Ballwin • 636.256.2989<br />
COMPLETE KITCHEN & BATH REMODELING<br />
COMPLETE<br />
REMODELING<br />
PLUS OTHER INTERIOR PROJECTS<br />
Serving <strong>West</strong> County &<br />
surrounding areas since 1985<br />
$10 OFF SYNTHETIC<br />
OIL CHANGE<br />
Install new filter, refill up to 5 quarts 5W-30, 5W-<strong>20</strong><br />
or 0W-<strong>20</strong> Valvoline Synpower synthetic oil, top off<br />
most fluids & lubricate chassis if applicable.<br />
• Most cars & light trucks. Not valid with any other offer. Present coupon<br />
at time of purchase. Shop supplies & sales tax are additional.<br />
4/30/<strong>24</strong> • Coupon Code: m10syn6 Expiration:<br />
4/30/<strong>24</strong><br />
Premier Lacrosse Retail Store<br />
Spend $100 and Get $<strong>20</strong> OFF<br />
Cannot be combined<br />
with other offers.<br />
Expires 4/30/<strong>24</strong><br />
636.686.51<strong>24</strong> • WWW.ULTIMATELACROSSE.COM<br />
961 Brittany Pkwy Dr. • Manchester<br />
10% OFF<br />
W/FULL KITCHEN<br />
OR BATH REMODEL<br />
EXPIRES 4/30/<strong>24</strong><br />
SPECIAL<br />
Bathtub Conversion<br />
into Walk-in Shower<br />
References Available<br />
Reasonable Pricing<br />
Quality Work<br />
Senior Discounts Available<br />
Edwards Remodeling • Call 314-397-5100 • Licensed & Insured<br />
10% Off<br />
any Job<br />
Expires 4-30-<strong>24</strong><br />
Interior & Exterior Painting • Siding Repair<br />
Dry Wall Repair • Kitchen Cabinet Painting<br />
Wallpaper Removal<br />
FULLY INSURED<br />
In God We Trust • <strong>20</strong> years experience • Committed to providing exceptional service & stunning results<br />
Follow us<br />
(314) 552-1588 • paintbygeronimo.com on Facebook!<br />
COUPON<br />
SAVER<br />
COMING<br />
4.17.<strong>24</strong><br />
Reserve your ad space today<br />
CALL 636.591.0010
FACEBOOK.COM/WESTNEWSMAGAZINE<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
I BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT I 57<br />
Brooking Park: providing security, comfort and care<br />
When a family member develops<br />
dementia and a spouse or grown<br />
children can no longer care for them<br />
at home, it’s important to find a<br />
place where the person feels secure<br />
and family members know they are<br />
comfortable and cared for.<br />
At Brooking Park Memory Care,<br />
sponsored by St. Andrew’s Resources<br />
for Seniors, staff are committed to<br />
helping families navigate the memory<br />
loss journey of their family members<br />
by providing gentle, personalized<br />
dementia care to each of their residents<br />
and offering a modern, beautiful,<br />
comfortable and secure atmosphere that<br />
encourages interaction and wellness.<br />
Brooking Parks’ transitional and<br />
secure memory care facility helps<br />
older adults experiencing Alzheimer’s<br />
disease, other forms of dementia or<br />
cognitive impairment feel fulfilled.<br />
Families can rest assured knowing the<br />
knowledgeable, caring team members<br />
help residents feel at ease, understood<br />
and valued throughout the day and<br />
night.<br />
Brooking Park’s approach to<br />
dementia and Alzheimer’s care places<br />
an emphasis on quality of life and<br />
the right type of care at the right time.<br />
Family members can know that their<br />
loved one’s personal care needs will<br />
be met by a team of compassionate<br />
staff members whose priority is<br />
always the memory care resident’s<br />
well-being. In short, their approach<br />
to memory and senior care is simple:<br />
with an emphasis on the care!<br />
Memory care services include the<br />
following:<br />
• Music therapy<br />
• A supportive environment<br />
• Expert nurses and other medical<br />
care professionals<br />
• Compassionate caregivers<br />
• Variety of on-site health<br />
care services<br />
• Specialized care plans and programs<br />
• Excellent staff member-to-resident ratio<br />
• Easy-to-navigate floor plans<br />
Those kinds of services provide the best<br />
kind of care for those with dementia. For<br />
those with memory impairment, there is<br />
familiar and consistent care in peaceful,<br />
secure surroundings that enhance wellbeing<br />
and peace of mind.<br />
Caregivers are experienced in providing<br />
that environment which promotes an anxiety<br />
free state. They keep residents engaged with<br />
the use of activities and interventions that<br />
stimulate the mind, body and soul. Through<br />
(Brooking Park photo)<br />
gentle care and understanding, seniors enjoy<br />
security, serenity and all that’s needed for<br />
happy, productive living.<br />
When it comes to caring for others at<br />
Brooking Park, it’s not just a business.<br />
In fact, Brooking Park is a faith-based<br />
nonprofit organization that specializes in<br />
caring for the vulnerable among us, our<br />
seniors, especially those who may suffer<br />
with the memory loss and confusion of<br />
Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.<br />
Brooking Park is based on the creed that<br />
well-being is defined not just by physical<br />
and mental health, but also by spiritual<br />
health. When we believe in something<br />
greater, we believe that we can elevate our<br />
quality of life, no matter what stage of life<br />
we are in. That belief is what you will find<br />
permeates every single aspect of life at<br />
their faith-based retirement communities.<br />
Residents from Chesterfield and<br />
surrounding cities have chosen Brooking<br />
Park, because of the level of love, care and<br />
the full spectrum of health services they<br />
offer them.<br />
In addition to Memory Care, Brooking<br />
Park has care centers that include Assisted<br />
Living, Short-Term Rehabilitation and<br />
Long-Term Skilled Nursing Care. Each<br />
program offers caring, compassionate,<br />
professional staff. Brooking Park has<br />
been ranked as a “Best Nursing Home”<br />
by US News & World Report and a 5-star<br />
community by the Center for Medicare and<br />
Medicaid Services.<br />
For a set apart, caring senior experience,<br />
consider Brooking Park. Call to schedule a<br />
tour today at 314-576-5545.<br />
Brooking Park Assisted<br />
Living & Memory Care<br />
307 South Woods Mill Road • Chesterfield<br />
(314) 576.5545 • www.brookingpark.org<br />
Tree Man Tree Service, LLC<br />
314.313.1107<br />
10% OFF<br />
WE OFFER:<br />
• Specialize in Dangerous Removals • Preventive Maintenance<br />
• Complete Tree Removal<br />
• Brush Clearing<br />
• Trimming & Deadwooding<br />
• Shrub Trimming & Removal<br />
• Pruning<br />
• Gutter Cleaning<br />
• Size Reduction<br />
• Stump Removal<br />
Locally Family Owned & Operated for 22 Years<br />
FULLY INSURED • FREE ESTIMATES • MULTI JOB DISCOUNTS<br />
SPRING SPECIAL<br />
$<br />
39.95 Maintenance Inspection<br />
(Includes FREE Tire Rotation)<br />
Expires 5/31/<strong>24</strong><br />
Family owned<br />
since 1982<br />
(636) 391-6844<br />
For more discounts visit:<br />
14305 Manchester Road • Manchester • www.roysauto.com<br />
The Perfect Solution for the Outdated Kitchen<br />
3444 N. Lindbergh • St. Louis, MO 63074<br />
314-739-1730<br />
<strong>20</strong>% OFF<br />
Complete Kitchen<br />
Cabinet Refacing<br />
Expires 4/30/<strong>24</strong><br />
Don’t Replace - Reface!<br />
Solid Wood Refacing<br />
Custom Countertops • Tile Backsplash<br />
SAVE 50% TO 60% OFF<br />
THE COST OF NEW CABINETS<br />
Facebook.com/westnewsmagazine<br />
Free Consultation and Estimate<br />
Visit Our Website & Try Out<br />
THE KITCHEN VISUALIZER<br />
www.ClassicKitchenRefacing.com
58 I EVENTS I<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
@WESTNEWSMAG<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
LOCAL<br />
EVENTS<br />
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT<br />
ENJOY YOUR FIRST WAX<br />
Look good and feel flawless with our Comfort Wax ® . This exclusive, violet wax combined<br />
with our specially trained experts is our secret to making your experience<br />
as comfortable as possible. We’re so confident you’ll love your experience that your first<br />
bikini line, underarm, ear, nose or brow wax is FREE.*first wax is free.* Offer Ends 4-3-<strong>24</strong>.<br />
CHESTERFIELD | 636 536 0777<br />
LADUE | 314 721 0777<br />
COTTLEVILLE | 636 447 9299<br />
waxcenter.com<br />
All My Sons is at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday,<br />
March 21 through Sunday, April 7 at The J’s<br />
Wool Studio Theatre, 2 Millstone Campus<br />
Drive in Creve Coeur. Tickets start at $27.<br />
Season tickets and flex passes are available<br />
through the box office by calling (314) 442-<br />
3283 or online at newjewishtheatre.org.<br />
• • •<br />
The Art Fair at Queeny Park is from 5-9<br />
p.m. on Friday, April 5; from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.<br />
on Saturday, April 6; and from 11 a.m.-4<br />
p.m. on Sunday, April 7 at the Greensfelder<br />
Recreation Complex at Queeny Park, 550<br />
Weidman Road in Ballwin, featuring over<br />
100 juried artists from <strong>20</strong> states, live music,<br />
children’s activities and more. $10 entry fee.<br />
For details, visit greaterstlouisartists.org/artfair-at-queeny-park.<br />
• • •<br />
The St. Louis Jewish Film Festival is<br />
through Thursday, April 18, at B&B Theaters,<br />
12657 Olive Blvd. in Creve Coeur.<br />
Discussions with the filmmakers are<br />
included. Festival passes are $65, and individual<br />
tickets are $15 per film. Opening<br />
night is at 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 7 and<br />
celebrates Israeli filmmakers from Sapir<br />
College. Tickets for opening night are $<strong>20</strong>.<br />
Purchase tickets and passes at jccstl.com;<br />
search “Jewish film festival.”<br />
BENEFITS<br />
Wyman’s Amplify Gala is at 6 p.m. on<br />
Saturday, April 6 at The Reverie, 17089 N.<br />
Outer 40 Road in Chesterfield. Cocktails,<br />
dinner, a celebration with DJ Charlie Chan<br />
and more are featured. Tickets start at $250.<br />
For details, visit grabethreshourewymancenter.org<br />
or call (415) 812-0554.<br />
• • •<br />
St. Louis Young Republicans Trivia<br />
Night is at 6:30 p.m. (doors open at 5:30<br />
p.m.) on Friday, April 19 at St. Louis<br />
County GOP HQ, 794 Gravois Bluffs Blvd.<br />
in Fenton. Early bird pricing for a table<br />
of eight is $150 or $25 per person, until<br />
March 30. Purchase tickets, tables, and<br />
round sponsorships at stlyrs.com.<br />
FAMILY & KIDS<br />
Little Explorers is from 9-10:30 a.m. on<br />
the first and third Wednesday of the month at<br />
various parks in Ballwin. Themed activities<br />
change weekly and include a craft and snack<br />
Additional terms may apply. Participation may vary; please visit waxcenter.com for general terms and conditions. Center locations are individually<br />
owned and operated. ©<strong>20</strong>22 EWC Franchise, LLC. All rights reserved. European Wax Center® is a registered trademark.<br />
for ages 2-5. The cost is $8 for residents; $10<br />
for non-residents. Parents and guardians are<br />
free. For details, visit ballwin.mo.us.<br />
• • •<br />
Tumbling Tots is from 10-11 a.m.<br />
monthly on the second Thursday and third<br />
Wednesday at the Eureka Community<br />
Center, 333 Bald Hill Road. Features mats<br />
and foam climbing pieces, balls, building<br />
blocks and other gross-motor equipment<br />
for ages 6 months to 5 years. The cost is $9<br />
for residents; $10 for non-residents. Register<br />
at eureka.mo.us.<br />
• • •<br />
Story Time With Miss Pam is monthly<br />
from 10 a.m.-noon on the second and<br />
fourth Saturdays at the National Museum<br />
of Transportation, 2933 Barrett Station<br />
Road in Kirkwood. Price is included with<br />
museum admission. Details at tnmot.org.<br />
• • •<br />
Family Hamentash Bake and Megillah<br />
Reading is at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday,<br />
March <strong>24</strong> at the Chabad of Chesterfield in<br />
the Chesterfield Mall. Make a variety of<br />
hamentashen and enjoy a megillah reading<br />
and light dinner. Activities for kids, music<br />
and entertainment are featured. Register at<br />
JewishChesterfield.com.<br />
• • •<br />
Community Meeting for the new<br />
Parkway Early Childhood Center is<br />
from 6-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 26 at<br />
Parkway Southwest Middle, 701 Wren Ave.<br />
in Manchester. For details, email ckelly@<br />
parkwayschools.net.<br />
• • •<br />
Creative Corner - Garden Party is<br />
from 10-11 a.m. on Thursday, April 4<br />
at The Timbers of Eureka, 1 Coffey Park<br />
Lane. This is a creative, messy program,<br />
focusing on exploration, science, sensory<br />
skills, crafts, snacks and more for ages<br />
2-5. An adult needs to stay with the child.<br />
The cost is $10 for residents, $11 for nonresidents.<br />
Register at eureka.mo.us.<br />
• • •<br />
Big Truck and Safety Day is from<br />
10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday, April 27 at<br />
Eureka High (Parking Lot), 4525 Hwy.<br />
109. Explore different modes of transportation<br />
and learn about safety with the Eureka<br />
Police Department. Free event. For details,<br />
visit eureka.mo.us.<br />
FISH FRIES<br />
American Legion Post 397, 934 Rue De<br />
La Banque in Creve Coeur from 11 a.m.-2<br />
p.m. and 4:30-7 p.m. The menu includes<br />
catfish, cod, shrimp, clams, french fries,<br />
baked beans, spaghetti, hushpuppies, coleslaw<br />
and potato salad. For details, call<br />
(314) 872-3186.<br />
• • •<br />
Ballwin VFW Post #6274, 115 Mimosa<br />
Lane from 4:30-7 p.m. or until sold out.<br />
Choice of cod, catfish, shrimp or chicken<br />
strips, plus two sides. For details, visit Facebook<br />
and search, “Ballwin VFW Post 6274.”<br />
• • •<br />
Christ Prince of Peace Parish, 415<br />
Weidman Road in Manchester from 4:45-<br />
7:30 p.m. Fried cod, baked tilapia, grilled<br />
shrimp, cheese pizza and more. For details,<br />
visit christprinceofpeace.com or call (636)<br />
391-1307.<br />
• • •<br />
Holy Infant Catholic Church, 627<br />
Dennison Drive in Ballwin from 4:30-7:30<br />
p.m. on Fridays through March 22. Fried<br />
grouper, baked salmon, baked or fried cod<br />
and shrimp are featured. For details, visit<br />
holyinfantballwin.org.<br />
• • •<br />
Incarnate Word Knights of Columbus,<br />
13416 Olive Blvd. in Chesterfield<br />
from 4-7 p.m. Fried cod, fried shrimp,<br />
baked tilapia, Cajun seafood gumbo<br />
and more. Bulk orders and online payments<br />
for most of the menu items<br />
will be accepted. For details, visit<br />
stlfishfry.com.<br />
• • •<br />
Most Sacred Heart Church, 350 E. 4th<br />
Street in Eureka from 4-7 p.m. Fried fish,<br />
homemade coleslaw, green beans, mac and<br />
cheese and dessert. Available as drive-thru<br />
or dine-in. For details, visit sacredhearteureka.org<br />
or call (636) 938-5048.<br />
• • •<br />
St. Alban Roe Fish Fry is from 4:30-7<br />
p.m. on Friday, March 8 at St. Alban Roe,<br />
<strong>20</strong>01 Shepard Road in Wildwood. Baked<br />
and fried cod, fried catfish, butterfly<br />
shrimp, mac and cheese, cheese pizza by<br />
the slice with assorted sides and desserts.<br />
Carry-out is available. For details, call<br />
(636) 458-2977.<br />
• • •<br />
St. Bridget of Kildare, 223 W. Union St.<br />
in Pacific from 4-7 p.m. Fried catfish, cod,<br />
shrimp, fries, green beans, spaghetti, cole<br />
slaw and desserts. Carry out, drive-thru<br />
and dine-in. For details, visit sbkparish.org<br />
or call (636) 271-3993.<br />
• • •<br />
St. Clare of Assisi, 15642 Clayton Road<br />
in Ellisville, from 4-7 p.m. Menu items<br />
include fried and baked cod, salmon, and<br />
shrimp. Sides, appetizers and children’s<br />
dinners are also available. For details, call<br />
(636) 394-7307.<br />
• • •<br />
St. Joseph Parish, 567 St. Joseph Lane in<br />
Manchester, from 4:30-7:15 p.m. every Friday<br />
during Lent except Good Friday. Menu items<br />
include fish and all the trimmings, fish tacos<br />
and dessert. Dine-in or Carry out. For details,<br />
visit stjoemanchester.org.<br />
EASTER EVENTS<br />
Easter Bunny’s Garden continues
FACEBOOK.COM/WESTNEWSMAGAZINE<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
through Monday, March 25 at the <strong>West</strong><br />
County Center, 80 W. County Center Drive<br />
in Des Peres for a day of Easter fun. The<br />
Bunny will be available for photos. Online<br />
reservations are encouraged at shopwestcountycenter.com.<br />
• • •<br />
Egg Stravaganza is at 10 a.m. on Saturday,<br />
March 23 at Central Park, 16365<br />
Lydia Hill Drive in Chesterfield. Hunt eggs<br />
by age group (bring a basket), meet the<br />
bunny and enjoy crafts and activities. Tickets<br />
are $10 until March 22 and $15 on the<br />
day of the hunt. For details, visit chesterfield.mo.us<br />
and search “Egg Stravaganza.”<br />
• • •<br />
An Egg Hunt for ages 3-12 is from 10<br />
a.m. to noon on Saturday, March 23 at Fairway<br />
Elementary School, 480 Old Fairway<br />
Drive in Wildwood. Meet the bunny, stay<br />
for the dance party, make a craft, bounce<br />
on inflatables and more. No registration is<br />
needed. For details, visit cityofwildwood.<br />
com or call (636) 458-0440.<br />
• • •<br />
A Youth Easter Egg Hunt is at 10 a.m.<br />
on Saturday, March 23 at Legion Park, 333<br />
Bald Hill Road in Eureka. Separate areas<br />
for ages 2 and younger, 3-4, 5-7 and 8-10.<br />
Hunts begin at 11 a.m. by age group. The<br />
Knights of Columbus will serve pancakes<br />
while supplies last. Admission is free. Participants<br />
should park at the Eureka Community<br />
Center. For details, visit eureka.mo.us.<br />
• • •<br />
Hip Hop Hurray Hunt is at 10 a.m. on<br />
Saturday, March 23 at Bluebird Park, 225<br />
Kiefer Creek Road in Ellisville. Children 9<br />
and younger will hunt for eggs and prizes.<br />
Free event. Pre-registration is required at<br />
ellisville.mo.us.<br />
• • •<br />
Youth Easter Egg Hunt is from 11:30<br />
a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, March 23 at<br />
Vlasis Park, 300 Park Drive in Ballwin.<br />
Hunts will be divided into age groups: 2-4<br />
years old, 5- 7 years old, and 8-10 years<br />
old. The Easter Bunny will be on hand for<br />
pictures. Registration is not required. Free<br />
event. For details, visit ballwin.mo.us.<br />
• • •<br />
Flashlight Egg Hunt is from 7:30-9 p.m.<br />
on Wednesday, March 27 at Paul Schroeder<br />
Park, 359 Old Meramec Station Road in<br />
Manchester. Bring a flashlight and basket<br />
to hunt for eggs after dark. Includes pizza<br />
and games. For ages 10-14. $11 for residents;<br />
$14.30 for non-residents. Pre-registration<br />
is required at manchestermo.gov.<br />
• • •<br />
Underwater Egg Hunt is from 12:30-2<br />
p.m. (check-in at 11:45 a.m.) on Saturday,<br />
March 30 at The Pointe, 1 Ballwin Commons<br />
Circle. Children will be divided into<br />
two age groups. Ages 8-10 will hunt first<br />
followed by ages 11-14. Participants will<br />
have the opportunity to win prizes and<br />
candy, play games and swim. Pre-registration<br />
required. Cost is $8 for members; $10<br />
for non-members. One parent/guardian<br />
required. To register, visit ballwin.mo.us.<br />
• • •<br />
Easter Egg Scramble is at 8:30 a.m. and<br />
again at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 30<br />
at the Ballwin Golf Course, 333 Holloway<br />
Road in Ellisville. This will be a 9-hole<br />
event with a unique twist with Easter eggs<br />
placed throughout the golf course that will<br />
contain items to lower your score. Cost is<br />
$45. For details, visit ballwin.mo.us.<br />
HIKES & RUNS<br />
PJ 5K & 1 Mile Sleepwalk is from 8<br />
a.m.-noon on Saturday, March 23 at Schroeder<br />
Park, 359 Old Meramec Station Road<br />
in Manchester. Each registrant will receive<br />
a shirt, a finisher medal, post-run snacks<br />
and more. Wear your pajamas. Pre-registration<br />
cost is $25 for a family and $30 for<br />
an individual. On race day, the cost is $30<br />
for a family and $35 for an individual. For<br />
details, visit manchestermo.gov.<br />
• • •<br />
Chesterfield Regional Chamber Blossom<br />
Bolt Run/Walk is at 8 a.m. on Saturday,<br />
March 30 at the intersection of Long<br />
Road and Edison Avenue in Chesterfield.<br />
See EVENTS, page 60<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
I EVENTS I 59<br />
NOW OPEN FOR DINNER<br />
• PIZZA, SALAD, WINGS<br />
• COMFORT FOODS<br />
• COCKTAILS & WINE<br />
• DAILY SPECIALS<br />
• FAMILY FRIENDLY<br />
• WATCH ALL THE GAMES<br />
The newest member of the Gianino<br />
family of restaurants. The Gianinos<br />
have been serving St. Louis<br />
delicious meals for almost 50 years!<br />
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK<br />
1772 Clarkson Road • Chesterfield • (636) 778-91<strong>20</strong><br />
www.billygs.com<br />
FOLLOW FOR UPDATES<br />
Lenten Lunch & Dinner Specials<br />
• Clam Chowder<br />
• Lobster Rangoon<br />
• Frog Legs<br />
• BBQ Salmon<br />
•<br />
165 Lamp & Lantern Village<br />
Town & Country<br />
636-<strong>20</strong>7-0501<br />
*all fish subject to availability<br />
• Grilled/Blackened Tilapia<br />
• Tendersweet Fried Clams<br />
• Yellowstone Fillets<br />
• Coconut Shrimp<br />
• Walleye<br />
Carryout<br />
Children’s Menu<br />
Happy Hour Daily<br />
Party Room Available<br />
at Big Bend Location<br />
www.lazyyellow.com<br />
• AlmondFish<br />
• PretzelFish<br />
• NorthernFish<br />
• PecanFish<br />
• Crab Cakes<br />
631 Big Bend Rd.<br />
Manchester<br />
636-<strong>20</strong>7-1689<br />
Dine in only. Expires April 30, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong>, 1 Couopon per person. Can not be combined<br />
with any other offers. Must present coupon at time of purchase, no cash value
60 I EVENTS I<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
@WESTNEWSMAG<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
EVENTS, from page 59<br />
The 5K and 10K courses are out-and-back<br />
flat trails. There will be a Sprout Sprint for<br />
ages 10 and under. To register, visit chesterfieldmochamber.com/events.<br />
• • •<br />
Bee Dash 5K is at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday,<br />
May 18 at La Salle Retreat Center, 2101<br />
Rue De LaSalle Drive in Wildwood. Celebrate<br />
World Bee Day with a 5K run/walk.<br />
Enjoy the festivities afterward including<br />
food, drink, live music and local beekeepers.<br />
Cost is $35. For details and registration,<br />
visit lasalleretreat.org.<br />
• • •<br />
The Green Rock Trail Challenge is at<br />
8 a.m. on Saturday, June 1 at Greensfelder<br />
Park, 4515 Hencken Road in Wildwood.<br />
The hike can be enjoyed by all ages, but<br />
does require a reasonable fitness level.<br />
Boxed lunch will be provided after the<br />
hike. Registration is $<strong>20</strong> and includes<br />
snack, lunch and a giveaway. For details,<br />
visit cityofwildwood.com/<strong>20</strong>85/Green-<br />
Rock-Trail-Challenge or call (636) 458-<br />
0440.<br />
• • •<br />
Ballwin Triathlon is from 5-10:30 a.m.<br />
on Sunday, July 21 at North Pointe Aquatic<br />
Center in Ballwin. This is a 300 yard swim,<br />
9 mile bike and 3.4 mile run. The event fills<br />
fast, secure a spot early. No race day registration.<br />
Pricing starts at $60. For details,<br />
visit mseracing.com/ballwin-triathlon.<br />
SPECIAL INTEREST<br />
The deadline to purchase a Manchester<br />
Hometown Hero Banner in honor of<br />
a veteran is April 1. Banners will be displayed<br />
on Manchester Road, in Schroeder<br />
Park and at Parkway South High from May<br />
through October. The cost is $150. For<br />
details, call (636) 227-1385, ext. 104, or<br />
email kpaglusch@manchestermo.gov.<br />
• • •<br />
GriefShare meets from 6-7:30 p.m. on<br />
Fridays at Living Word Church, 17315<br />
Manchester Road in Wildwood. This<br />
seminar and support group is designed<br />
for people who are grieving the loss of a<br />
spouse, child, family member or friend.<br />
The 13-week course includes video seminars<br />
featuring grief and recovery subjects,<br />
as well as real-life stories of people who<br />
have experienced loss. All are welcome.<br />
For details, visit livingwordumc.org or<br />
email peg.macgavin@gmail.com.<br />
• • •<br />
The Empowering Inclusion and Accessibility<br />
Disability Awareness Convention<br />
is from noon-4 p.m. on Sunday, March <strong>24</strong><br />
at the DoubleTree Hotel by Hilton, 16625<br />
Swingley Ridge Road in Chesterfield. The<br />
event brings together disability advocates,<br />
leaders, experts and the general public to<br />
raise awareness and promote inclusion and<br />
accessibility. Free event. For details, visit<br />
thearyafoundation.org.<br />
• • •<br />
Paint Your Pet is from 5:30-8 p.m. on<br />
Thursday, March 28 at the Ballwin Golf<br />
Course, 333 Holloway Road in Ballwin.<br />
Features simple step-by-step instructions<br />
for an acrylic painting on a 16x<strong>20</strong> stretched<br />
canvas. The cost is $55 for residents; $60<br />
for non-residents. Register at ballwin.<br />
mo.us. Pet photos must be sent in advance<br />
to artherapystudios@yahoo.com.<br />
• • •<br />
AARP Foundation’s Tax-Aide program<br />
prepares tax returns for free from 9 a.m.-<br />
noon on Tuesdays through April 2 at the<br />
Wildwood YMCA, 2641 Hwy. 109. To<br />
schedule an appointment, call (314) 602-<br />
8940.<br />
• • •<br />
Taxes for Vets is from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.<br />
on Saturdays, March 30, April 6 and April<br />
13 at the Creve Coeur American Legion<br />
Post #397, 934 E Rue De La Banque. The<br />
Kaufman Fund will help veterans file<br />
their tax returns for free. W2 forms,1099<br />
forms, business records and proof of residence<br />
for dependents being claimed will<br />
be required. To schedule an appointment,<br />
email TKFTaxPrep@gmail.com or call<br />
(314) 530-9182.<br />
• • •<br />
Stargazing Night is from 7:30-9 p.m.<br />
on Tuesday, April 16 at Fussner Field, 910<br />
Hazel Falls Drive in Manchester. For stargazers<br />
young and old, volunteers from the<br />
St. Louis Astronomical Society will be on<br />
site. Free event. Restrooms are not available<br />
in this park. Free and open to all ages.<br />
No registration is required.<br />
• • •<br />
Maker’s Mart & Arbor Day Festival is<br />
from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, April <strong>20</strong><br />
at Schroeder Park, 359 Old Meramec Station<br />
Road in Manchester. The tree-planting<br />
ceremony is from 9:30-10 a.m. Free<br />
seedling giveaway, free event. For details,<br />
visit manchestermo.gov/319/Manchester-<br />
Earth-Day-Makers-Mart.<br />
• • •<br />
Glow Golf is from 7:30-10 p.m. on Friday,<br />
April 26 at the Ballwin Golf Course, 333<br />
Holloway Road. Play golf in the dark with<br />
LED golf balls. The cost is $40 per person<br />
and includes the round, the cart and the LED<br />
golf ball. For details, visit ballwin.mo.us.<br />
• • •<br />
Mega Event is from 8 a.m.-11 a.m. on<br />
Saturday, April 27 at Reber Park, 109<br />
Lindy Blvd. in the city of Winchester. Free<br />
electronics recycling, document shredding,<br />
Arbor Day tree giveaway and food drive.<br />
Rain or shine. For details, visit city.winchester.mo.us/Parks-and-Recreation.<br />
815 Meramec Station Rd<br />
(1 block South of Old Hwy. 141 & Big Bend)<br />
SPRING HOURS:<br />
Sunday thru Thursday<br />
11:30AM til10PM<br />
Friday and Saturday<br />
11:30AM til11PM<br />
(636) 225-8737<br />
APRIL FLAVORS OF THE DAY!<br />
SUN MON TUES WED THU FRI SAT<br />
Cheesecake<br />
Chocolate<br />
Reese's<br />
Oreo<br />
Butterfinger<br />
1 2 3 4<br />
5<br />
6<br />
Strawberry<br />
Shortcake Peanut Butter<br />
Salted<br />
Caramel Pecan Black Cherry Chocolate Malt Mint Chip<br />
7<br />
8 9 10 11<br />
12 13<br />
Blueberry<br />
Cheesecake<br />
14<br />
Black<br />
Raspberry<br />
21<br />
Key Lime Pie<br />
28<br />
Black Cherry<br />
Yellow<br />
Cake Batter Dreamsicle Butter Pecan Toffee Crunch Georgia Peach<br />
15 16 17 18<br />
19 <strong>20</strong><br />
Banana<br />
White<br />
Chocolate Almond Espresso Brownie Batter Lemon<br />
22 23 <strong>24</strong> 25<br />
26 27<br />
Chocolate<br />
Chocolate Chip<br />
29 30<br />
Strawberry<br />
Pistachio Nut<br />
Red Velvet<br />
Cake Batter<br />
Blackberry<br />
Coffee Toffee<br />
gooD FrienDS.<br />
great FooD.<br />
colD DrinkS.<br />
Daily lunch & Dinner SpecialS<br />
288 lamp & lantern Village - upper leVel<br />
636-256-7<strong>20</strong>1<br />
COME PIG OUT AT 3 BAY BBQ & BAKERY<br />
Best Pulled Pork This Side Of The Mississippi!<br />
• smoked sticky baby-back ribs • pork steaks • paninis • brats • burgers<br />
• smoked brisket • smoked turkey breast • all-beef BIG hot dogs • homemade chips<br />
• homemade mac & cheese • GG burger • smoked pulled chicken<br />
smoked pulled pork • 3 Bay smoked brisket philly cheese • nachos & more!<br />
25% OFF<br />
One Meal<br />
With this coupon.<br />
Expires 4/<strong>20</strong>/<strong>24</strong><br />
Excluding 1/2 & Full Slab of Ribs<br />
Gooey Butter Bars, Chocolate Chunk Brownies, Peanut Butter Bars,<br />
Hawaiian Pineapple Cake, Brookies, Banana Chocolate Chip Bread,<br />
Apple Chunk Cake, Banana Cake w/Cinnamon Frosting and so much more!<br />
New Smashburger Tacos, Smoked Chicken Cluck-uritto,<br />
Pork Belly Wrap and Sloppy Rib Sandwich<br />
Inside W. County Phillips 66 @ Clayton & Woodsmill Rd<br />
14195 Clayton Rd, Town & Country, MO 63017 • 636.227.1<strong>20</strong>8<br />
www.3baybbq.com • Tues-Fri 10:30am-7:00pm • Open Saturdays: Noon to 7pm<br />
Got events? Want publicity?<br />
Send all the pertinent details to<br />
events@newsmagazinenetwork.com.<br />
Event notices for print publication are due at least six weeks<br />
out from the date of the event. Events with advance registration<br />
should be submitted six weeks out from that deadline.<br />
All events will be listed online and in print when sent in with<br />
enough advance notice.
FACEBOOK.COM/WESTNEWSMAGAZINE<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
I 61<br />
39 NORTH, from page 52<br />
investors who are interested in repurposing<br />
a handful of existing businesses for sale<br />
and helping them make the transition to<br />
AgTech labs.<br />
There were two major February <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
highlights in her written report summary:<br />
• The district was notified of approval for<br />
a three-year $480,000 grant from the Missouri<br />
Technology Corporation, which is a<br />
public-private partnership created by the<br />
Missouri General Assembly to promote<br />
entrepreneurship and foster the growth of<br />
new and emerging high-tech companies<br />
throughout the state. The grant will allow<br />
her to significantly build staff capacity to<br />
aid in business attraction, marketing and<br />
events. That would in turn help advance<br />
the economic development work on behalf<br />
of Creve Coeur in the coming years.<br />
• The district is in final lease negotiations<br />
to secure a 12,000-square-foot space in<br />
Creve Coeur to form the “front door” for<br />
39 North. That space will be used to host<br />
community events for current and prospective<br />
tenants and investors. Lohse-Busch<br />
said the lease should soon be finalized, and<br />
the space should be activated by May <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong>.<br />
Another grant is being sought for an<br />
11,500-square-foot space. Lohse-Busch<br />
lists that as essential to bring more people<br />
into the AgTech sector right now because<br />
the Danforth Center is already at capacity.<br />
“What we keep hearing from our 1-on-1<br />
meetings with 39 North companies is that<br />
there’s a strong desire for sub-groups and<br />
interest groups for scientists in genomics,<br />
fermentation or whatever. So, we’re<br />
making sure we can cultivate that,” Lohse-<br />
Busch said.<br />
Mayor Robert Hoffman said one of his<br />
main desires is to build a bridge over Olive<br />
Boulevard just west of Lindbergh Avenue<br />
to allow Olia Village residents to get back<br />
and forth into 39 North buildings. Lohse-<br />
Busch was in full agreement with that idea<br />
and said that in surveying the younger set<br />
of three different age groups of 39 North<br />
employees, they all said the most important<br />
thing to them is driving as little as possible.<br />
Being involved with SLEDP, BioSTL,<br />
Missouri Technology Corp for funding and<br />
other partnership groups, Lohse-Busch<br />
said the next six months will be vital to<br />
gain a lot more exposure regionally and<br />
nationally and to get a real estate development<br />
plan in place.<br />
Hoffman asked about the need for residential<br />
sites in the area. Lohe-Busch said<br />
there will be 800-plus units in Olia Village<br />
and more than the same number of<br />
townhomes, adding to the importance of a<br />
future bridge over Olive Boulevard.<br />
Lohse-Busch is currently the only<br />
employee in her company, but thanks to a<br />
grant, she will soon add an intern and hire<br />
two more people.<br />
“If you’ve had a chance to review the<br />
report Emily put together, I was really<br />
amazed at how much she’s been able to<br />
accomplish in six to nine months,” Perkins<br />
said. “That includes the exposure she’s<br />
bringing us with events and with the grants<br />
of real dollars that will increase the staffing.”<br />
Per her closing statement, Lohse-Busch<br />
added, “With the help of Creve Coeur, its<br />
residents and the Economic Development<br />
Committee we’re working our tails off to<br />
make it be, and I’m confident we will.”<br />
WEST HOME PAGES<br />
DRIVEWAYS•PATIOS•SIDEWALKS<br />
Dri veways • Patios • Sidewalks Porches • Steps • Garage Floors<br />
Repair Wor k • Exposed Aggregate • Custom Patterns & Colors<br />
Family Owned • Insured<br />
Serving <strong>West</strong> County Since 1963 314-849-75<strong>20</strong><br />
FREE Estimates<br />
& MORE<br />
Bi-State Concrete<br />
Specializing in Residential Tear Out & Replacement • Professional Workmanship<br />
Licensed & Insured<br />
ALL OF YOUR DECKING NEEDS<br />
• Wood<br />
• Vinyl<br />
• Composite<br />
• Aluminum<br />
• Refacing<br />
• New Decks<br />
• Deck Repairs<br />
• IPE (Hardwood)<br />
Rlinkconstruction@yahoo.com<br />
314.607.8953<br />
FIND US ON<br />
Locally Owned & Operated by Tim Hallahan<br />
Serving <strong>West</strong> County for 25+ Years<br />
636.458.6400<br />
timjhallahan@gmail.com<br />
westwoodpaintinginc.com<br />
H NEST<br />
JUNK HAULING<br />
DIY DUMPSTER RENTAL<br />
$<br />
399<br />
Cannot be combined with other offers.<br />
www.honestjunk.com<br />
314-312-1077<br />
Locally Owned & Operated<br />
43 Years!<br />
DECK STAINING<br />
NEAT • ON TIME • AFFORDABLE<br />
• NO Spraying or Rolling Mess!<br />
• NO Money Down!<br />
• Fully Insured • References<br />
SCHEDULE NOW FOR EARLY SPRING RUSH!!!<br />
H NEST<br />
JUNK HAULING<br />
$<br />
25.00 OFF<br />
Any Service<br />
Cannot be combined with other offers.<br />
www.honestjunk.com<br />
314-312-1077<br />
Locally Owned & Operated<br />
BY<br />
BRUSH ONLY<br />
BY BRUSH ONLY<br />
314-852-5467<br />
www.deckstainingbybrushonly.com<br />
NOW<br />
ACCEPTING:<br />
ROOFING • GUTTERS<br />
TUCKPOINTING • LEAFGARD<br />
Siding • Soffit • Fascia & Repairs<br />
Best Quality & Prices Since 1988!<br />
314-968-7848<br />
www.stlroofing.com<br />
JL CONCRETE<br />
SEALING & CAULKING<br />
Residential and Commercial<br />
• Sealing (Prevents pitting)<br />
• Caulking (Keep out the weeds)<br />
• Power Washing (Fresh & clean)<br />
• Crack Filling (Keeps moisture out)<br />
• Fence Washing<br />
FREE ESTIMATES<br />
Call Jerry Loosmore Jr. at 636-399-6193
62 I<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
@WESTNEWSMAG<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
WEST HOME PAGES<br />
Bringing Painting To Life • Residential & Commercial<br />
TRUE TO LIFE<br />
Custom Painting<br />
314-814-0569<br />
Painting Interior & Exterior<br />
Powerwashing<br />
Homes & Concrete<br />
Deck & Fence Staining<br />
Gutter Cleaning & Gutter Guards<br />
Window Cleaning<br />
Insured • Senior Discounts<br />
Call Chris 314-6<strong>20</strong>-6677<br />
• INTERIOR<br />
PAINTING<br />
• HANDYMAN<br />
WORK<br />
<strong>20</strong>+ YEARS EXPERIENCE<br />
PATIOS • DRIVEWAYS<br />
RETAINING WALLS<br />
STAMPED CONCRETE<br />
THE FAN MAN<br />
INSTAllATIoN ProFESSIoNAlS<br />
Ceiling Fans • Wholehouse Fans<br />
Gable Vent Fans • Recessed Lighting<br />
Specializing in installation for two story homes<br />
with no wiring on first floor.<br />
When Handyman Quality Just Won't Do.<br />
(314) 510-6400<br />
314-698-0403 • www.rickthomasconcrete.com • Fully Insured<br />
J.D. CONTRACTING<br />
EXTERIOR SPECIALIST<br />
• Emergency<br />
Repairs<br />
• Insurance<br />
Claims<br />
• Siding,<br />
Soffit &<br />
314.723.0027 Fascia<br />
TO REQUEST A BID • Insured<br />
ROOFING<br />
Replacement Windows<br />
Seamless Guttering<br />
Leaf Guards<br />
CALL OR TEXT JIM<br />
ALL TYPES OF REPAIRS!<br />
314.518.0231<br />
CUSTOM DECKS<br />
SCREEN ROOMS, ENCLOSURES,<br />
REPAIRS, RESURFACE, PATIOS, STAMPED CONCRETE,<br />
4 SEASON ROOMS, OUTDOOR LIVING SPACES<br />
GENERAL CONTRACTOR | All Types Of Home Improvements<br />
Insurance Specialist, Fully Insured | A+ BBB Rating, 30 Years Experience<br />
FREE INSPECTIONS & ESTIMATES<br />
314-282-1991 | www.CovenantContractingSTL.com<br />
TOP GUNN FAMILY<br />
CONSTRUCTION INC.<br />
Build and Repair Decks & Fences,<br />
All Painting, Wallpaper Removal,<br />
Powerwash/Stain Decks, Finish Basements,<br />
Remodeling, Kitchens, Baths<br />
Senior Discounts • Military Discounts<br />
First responders must show ID<br />
Call Today • 636-466-3956<br />
GunnFamilyConstruction@gmail.com<br />
30+ YEARS<br />
EXPERIENCE<br />
County House Washing<br />
& Painting<br />
A+<br />
RATED<br />
WEST<br />
INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR<br />
PAINTING SPECIALIST<br />
PAINTING • STAINING • POWERWASHING<br />
Mike Lynch 636.394.0013<br />
WWW.COUNTYHOUSEWASHING.COM<br />
• Deck Construction • Deck Staining<br />
• Deck Repairs • Staircases<br />
• Deck Upgrades • Hand Rail<br />
• Fully Insured<br />
• Warranty<br />
• No Money Up Front<br />
636-938-ROOF (7663)<br />
Like us on Facebook<br />
Locally Owned & Operated by Rick Hinkson<br />
Showers Rebuilt & Bathrooms Remodeled<br />
TILE AND BATH SERVICE<br />
Shower Conversions • Grab Bars • High Toilets • Personal Showers • Floors • Vanities<br />
New Showroom coming Spring <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong>!<br />
636.394.0315<br />
www.tileandbathservice.com<br />
38 Years Experience • At this Location 30 Years • 14756 Clayton Road • 63011 • Visit Our Showroom<br />
Driveways, Patios, Pool Decks, Garage Floors,<br />
Retaining Walls, Stamped and Colored Concrete<br />
Insured For Your Protection<br />
TRUST & PERFORMANCE<br />
Roofing, Siding, Gutters & Trim<br />
All Types of Exterior Remodeling<br />
Best Warranties in the Business<br />
Insurance Specialist, Fully Insured<br />
A+ BBB Rating ~ 30 Years Experience<br />
FREE INSPECTIONS & ESTIMATES<br />
314.282.1991 www.CovenantRoofingSTL.com<br />
www.CovenantContractingSTL.com
HAULING<br />
DECKS<br />
CARPET<br />
Technician<br />
FACEBOOK.COM/WESTNEWSMAGAZINE<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />
March <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>24</strong><br />
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE<br />
I 63<br />
FOX, from page 43<br />
going also to keep up,” Cappelletti said.<br />
“Being only a sophomore, off the ice he is<br />
not a big loud voice in the locker room. We<br />
have a lot of older players to do that so he<br />
knew to perform on the ice which is why<br />
our team had so much success because of<br />
the leaders on and off the ice.”<br />
Plus, Cappelletti said, Fox listens and<br />
takes instruction well.<br />
“(He’s) very coachable and respectable,”<br />
Cappelletti said. “Like any teenage hockey<br />
player, you need to remind them more<br />
than once sometimes on certain things but<br />
he remembers that and picks up on things<br />
quick.”<br />
Fox said he learned a great deal this<br />
season.<br />
“My game improved a lot because I realized<br />
I was one of the leaders on the team<br />
and used that to my advantage,” Fox said.<br />
Cappelletti is also an assistant coach for<br />
the 16 AAA Blues club team. Fox plays for<br />
that team as well.<br />
“I think our new head coach did a great<br />
job at bringing us together and leading us<br />
as a new coach,” Fox said. “He was an<br />
excellent leader and he guided us into how<br />
to trust each other.”<br />
Fox enjoys playing with the Spartans.<br />
“I like the environment in high school<br />
hockey,” Fox said. “It’s fun playing in front<br />
of a packed crowd full of all my friends. I<br />
will most likely be back.”<br />
Cappelletti believes the best is yet to<br />
come from Fox.<br />
“There is still a lot of upside to his game.<br />
He can move on at some point to juniors<br />
and NCAA college hockey,” Cappelletti<br />
said. “If he keeps working on his all-around<br />
game, he will be there in a few years.<br />
“Jackson is a great student athlete. He is<br />
an honor roll student and I have never had<br />
a teacher contact me about him having<br />
a disciplinary issue. Great family also,<br />
which leads to him being an all-around<br />
good kid.”<br />
WEST CLASSIFIEDS • 636.591.0010 • CLASSIFIEDS@NEWSMAGAZINENETWORK.COM<br />
CARPET<br />
-CARPET REPAIRS-<br />
Restretching • Reseaming<br />
& Patching.<br />
No job is to small!<br />
FREE Estimates<br />
(314) 892-1003<br />
• Brushed & Rolled Only<br />
• No money up front/Warranty<br />
A+<br />
Free Estimates • Insured/A+BBB<br />
EverythingDecks.net • (636) 337-7733<br />
J & J HAULING<br />
WE HAUL IT ALL<br />
Service 7 days. Debris, furniture,<br />
appliances, household trash, yard<br />
debris, railroad ties, fencing, decks.<br />
Garage & Basement Clean-up<br />
Neat, courteous, affordable rates.<br />
Call: 636-379-8062 or<br />
email: jandjhaul@aol.com<br />
Deck Staining<br />
HAULING<br />
EDUCATION<br />
Traveling Fossil & Rock<br />
Presentations with a Biblical<br />
Perspective. Suitable for all grade<br />
levels. FREE Fossils for everyone.<br />
Can the Bible timeline<br />
be tested and trusted? Yes!<br />
The Rock’s Cry Out Ministry<br />
Contact Bill Barnes 314-608-2928<br />
ELECTRICAL<br />
COLLECTIBLES<br />
ERIC'S ELECTRIC<br />
WANTED TO BUY Licensed, Bonded and Insured:<br />
Service upgrades, fans, can lights,<br />
• SPORTS MEMORABILIA • switches, outlets, basements,<br />
Baseball Cards, Sports Cards, code violations fixed, we do it<br />
Cardinals Souvenirs and all. Emergency calls & backa-up<br />
Memorabilia. Pre-1975 Only. generators. No job too small.<br />
Competitively priced. Free Estimates.<br />
Private Collector:<br />
Just call 636-262-5840<br />
314-302-1785<br />
GARAGE DOORS<br />
COMPUTER SERVICES DSI/Door Solutions, Inc.<br />
Need Computer Help? Garage Doors, Electric Open–ers.<br />
Call Steve!<br />
Fast Repairs. All makes & models.<br />
Set up & troubleshooting Same day service. Free Estimates.<br />
Affordable, Certified Tech Custom Wood and Steel Doors.<br />
with 22 years’ experience!<br />
BBB Member • Angie's List<br />
Call 314-497-<strong>20</strong>28<br />
Call 314-550-4071<br />
www.dsi-stl.com<br />
DECKS<br />
FENCES<br />
Wood | Aluminum | Vinyl | Composite<br />
NEW INSTALL – REPAIRS – STAINING<br />
Unmatched Quality | Competitive Prices | Residential or Commercial<br />
WWW.WESTERNFENCES.COM | 636.215.1730<br />
SKIP'S HAULING & DEMOLITION<br />
Junk hauling and removal. Cleanouts,<br />
appliances, furniture, debris,<br />
construction rubble, yard waste,<br />
excavating & demolition! 10, 15<br />
& <strong>20</strong> cubic yd. rolloff dumpsters.<br />
Licensed & insured. Affordable, dependable<br />
and available!<br />
VISA/MC accepted. 22 yrs. service.<br />
Toll Free 1-888-STL-JUNK<br />
888-785-5865 or 314-644-1948<br />
HELP WANTED<br />
Experienced In Home Care and<br />
Assistance is hiring Exceptional<br />
Caregivers. Competitive pay,<br />
caregiver appreciation benefits,<br />
and flexible schedules, such as:<br />
4,8, and 12 hour shifts. F/T and<br />
P/T shifts, days, nights, and weekends.<br />
Sign on bonus for full time<br />
employees, Call 636-525-5445<br />
COMPASSIONATE<br />
CAREGIVERS NEEDED!!<br />
VISITING ANGELS is hiring for<br />
Chesterfield/Wildwood/Ballwin/<br />
Des Peres/ T&C- $17-19/hr.<br />
Personal Care Assistants &<br />
Homemaker shifts. Weekly Pay,<br />
Flexible Schedules, 401K match.<br />
Health Ins. after 6 mo. if FT<br />
Call 636-695-4422 or apply at<br />
VisitingAngels.com/westplex<br />
HOME IMPROVEMENT<br />
PRISTINE MIDWEST<br />
CONSTRUCTION LLC<br />
Specializing in<br />
Decks & Fences<br />
FREE Estimates<br />
pristinemidwest@gmail.com<br />
(314) 575-3879<br />
Mizzou Crew LLC (Since <strong>20</strong>04)<br />
We can’t do everything,<br />
but we CAN do a lot!<br />
Landscaping, Demolition,<br />
Flooring, Light Construction,<br />
Furniture Assembly, Fencing,<br />
Deck Repair, Rough Carpentry.<br />
Call/text Jeff 314-5<strong>20</strong>-5222 or<br />
email mizzoucrewstl@gmail.com<br />
Total Bathroom Remodeling<br />
Cabinetry•Plumbing•Electrical<br />
30 Years Experience<br />
AFFORDABLE CARPENTRY<br />
Kitchen Remodeling,<br />
Wainscoting, Cabinets,<br />
Crown Molding, Trim, Framing,<br />
Basement Finishing, Custom<br />
Decks, Doors, Windows.<br />
Free estimates!<br />
Anything inside & out!<br />
Call Joe 636-699-8316<br />
REMODEL & REPAIR<br />
Rotted wood, Painting, Tile,<br />
Drywall, Floors, Electrical,<br />
Carpentry, Plumbing,<br />
Power Washing. Insured.<br />
FREE ESTIMATES<br />
Tom Streckfuss 314-910-7458<br />
sbacontractingllc@gmail.com<br />
-MULCHING-<br />
-AERATING-<br />
-Spring Clean-Ups-<br />
Preparing/Cleaning Beds<br />
Preen • Leaf Removal<br />
Bush/Shrub Trimming<br />
Aeration • Seeding<br />
Fertilizing • Dethatching<br />
• FAST & FREE ESTIMATES •<br />
TWO MEN & A MOWER<br />
Call or text 636-432-3451<br />
WE SPECIALIZE IN<br />
RETAINING WALLS • PAVER PATIOS • DECKS<br />
FENCES • TREES • NEW LANDSCAPING<br />
LAWNS & MULCH AND MUCH MORE!<br />
Free Estimates<br />
314-280-2779<br />
poloslawn@aol.com<br />
Best Landscaping Values in Town!<br />
-Mizzou Crew-<br />
Mulch, Shrub Trimming,<br />
Yard Cleanups, Power Washing,<br />
Moles, Small Walls & Paver Patios.<br />
Hauling Services,<br />
Demolition,<br />
Handyman Services<br />
& Rough Carpentry<br />
Call/Text Jeff<br />
314-5<strong>20</strong>-5222<br />
or www.MizzouCrew.com<br />
FISHBURN’S LANDSCAPING<br />
Residential • Commercial<br />
HURRY BEFORE THE SPRING<br />
RUSH TO GET YOUR BID!!<br />
Leaf Clean Up • Retaining Walls<br />
Trees, Shrubs & Flower Planting<br />
and Trimming • Landscaping Rock<br />
FULLY Insured • FREE Estimates<br />
Call or Text Dave 314-843-0271<br />
-Complete Outdoor Service-<br />
Hardscapes • Lawn Mowing<br />
Commercial • Residential<br />
Reasonable Rates<br />
Experienced & Insured<br />
FREE Estimates<br />
United Lawn Services LLC<br />
Call Today (314) 660-9080<br />
curtis@unitedlawnservices.com<br />
www.unitedlawnservices.com<br />
MORALES LANDSCAPE LLC<br />
Clean-Up • Mowing • Mulching<br />
Planting • Aeration • Sod Install<br />
Leaf Removal • Paver Patios<br />
Trimming & Edging<br />
Stone & Brick<br />
Retaining Walls • Drainage Work<br />
- FREE ESTIMATES -<br />
636-293-2863<br />
moraleslandscape@hotmail.com<br />
LANDSCAPING<br />
Retaining Walls • Patios • Pruning<br />
Chainsaw Work • Seasonal<br />
Clean-up • Honeysuckle Removal<br />
Friendly service with attention to detail<br />
Call Tom 636.938.9874<br />
www.mienerlandscaping.com<br />
Leaf Clean Up<br />
& Vacuuming<br />
Pruning Work, Grading,<br />
Planting, and<br />
Dormant Sod Work.<br />
FREE ESTIMATES<br />
636-296-5050<br />
PAINTING<br />
DEFINO’S<br />
PAINTING SERVICES<br />
EST. <strong>20</strong>06<br />
Interior & Exterior Painting<br />
Deck Staining<br />
- Insured & Free Estimates -<br />
definospainting.com<br />
314-707-3094<br />
PET SERVICES<br />
Yucko’s<br />
Your Poop Scoop ‘n Service<br />
FREE Estimates<br />
314-291-7667<br />
www.yuckos.com<br />
PLUMBING<br />
• ANYTHING IN PLUMBING •<br />
Good Prices! Basement<br />
bathrooms, small repairs & code<br />
violations repaired. Fast Service.<br />
Certified, licensed plumber - MBC<br />
Plumbing - Call or text anytime:<br />
314-409-5051<br />
LICENSED PLUMBER<br />
Bonded & Insured<br />
Available for all your<br />
plumbing needs.<br />
No job is too small.<br />
FREE ESTIMATES<br />
35 Years Experience.<br />
Senior Discounts<br />
<strong>24</strong> hours service!<br />
314-808-4611<br />
PRAYER<br />
ST. JUDE NOVENA<br />
May the Sacred Heart of Jesus<br />
be adored, glorified, loved and<br />
preserved throughout the world<br />
now and forever. Sacred Heart<br />
of Jesus, pray for us. St. Jude,<br />
Worker of Miracles, pray for us.<br />
St. Jude, Help for the Hopeless,<br />
pray for us. Say prayer nine times<br />
a day; by the 8th day prayer will<br />
be answered. Say it for nine<br />
days, then publish. It has never<br />
been known to fail. Th a n k y o u<br />
St. Jude - JAE<br />
TREE SERVICES<br />
• COLE TREE SERVICE •<br />
Tree and Stump Removal.<br />
Trimming and Deadwooding.<br />
Free Estimates.<br />
636-475-3661<br />
www.cole-tree-service.biz<br />
WEDDING SERVICES<br />
ANYTIME ANYWHERE<br />
- CEREMONIES -<br />
Marriage Ceremonies<br />
Vow Renewals • Baptisms<br />
Pastoral & Graveside Visits<br />
Full Service Ministry • 314.703.7456<br />
J & J HAULING<br />
WE HAUL IT ALL<br />
Service 7 days. Debris, furniture,<br />
a pliances, household trash, yard<br />
debris, railroad ties, fencing, decks.<br />
Garage & Basement Clean-up<br />
Neat, courteous, a fordable rates.<br />
Ca l: 636-379-8062 or<br />
email: jandjhaul@aol.com<br />
CARPET REPAIRS<br />
Restretching, reseaming &<br />
patching. No job too sma l.<br />
Free estimates.<br />
(314) 892-1003<br />
COLLECTIBLES<br />
WANTED TO BUY<br />
• SPORTS MEMORABILIA •<br />
Baseba l Cards, Sports Cards,<br />
Cardinals Souvenirs and<br />
Memorabilia. Pre-1975 Only.<br />
Private Co lector: 314-302-1785<br />
Mark Hicks, LLC<br />
Construction, Repairs,<br />
Upgrades<br />
EverythingDecks.net<br />
38 years experience,<br />
no money up front,<br />
warranty, insured,<br />
FREE ESTIMATES<br />
MarkHicksLLC.com<br />
BBB A+<br />
636- 37- 7 3<br />
ELECTRICAL<br />
ERIC'S ELECTRIC<br />
Licensed, Bonded and Insured:<br />
Service upgrades, fans, can lights,<br />
switches, outlets, basements,<br />
code violations fixed, we do it<br />
a l. Emergency ca ls & back-up<br />
generators. No job too small.<br />
Competitively priced. Free<br />
Estimates.<br />
Just call 636-262-5840<br />
GARAGE DOORS<br />
DSI/Door Solutions, Inc.<br />
Garage Doors, Electric Openers.<br />
Fast Repairs. A l makes & models.<br />
Same day service. Fr e Estimates.<br />
Custom Wood and Steel Doors.<br />
BBB Member • Angie's List<br />
Call 314-550-4071<br />
www.dsi-stl.com<br />
SKIP'S HAULING & DEMOLITION<br />
Junk hauling and removal. Cleanouts,<br />
appliances, furniture, debris,<br />
construction rubble, yard waste,<br />
excavating & demolition! 10, 15<br />
& <strong>20</strong> cubic yd. ro loff dumpsters.<br />
Licensed & insured. Affordable,<br />
dependable and available!<br />
VISA/MC a cepted. 22 yrs. service.<br />
Toll Free 1-888-STL-JUNK<br />
888-785-5865 or 314-644-1948<br />
HELP WANTED<br />
Outside Service A tendant<br />
$11.15 / Hour<br />
L oking to fi l our outside team,<br />
flexible hours, golf privileges,<br />
meals on duty, and more!<br />
Ca l (636) 227-9962<br />
or email<br />
briano@meabrk.org<br />
for more information.<br />
COMPASSIONATE<br />
CAREGIVERS NEEDED !<br />
VISITING ANGELS is hiring for<br />
Chesterfield/Wildw od/Ba lwin/<br />
Des Peres/ T&C- $17-19/hr.<br />
Personal Care A sistants &<br />
Homemaker shifts. W ekly Pay,<br />
Flexible Schedules, 401K match.<br />
Health Ins. after 6 mo. if FT<br />
Ca l 636-695-4422 or apply at<br />
VisitingAngels.com/westplex<br />
WEST CLASSIFIEDS • 636.591.0010 • CLASSIFIEDS@NEWSMAGAZINENETWORK.COM<br />
Rockwood School District<br />
Hiring For Position of:<br />
HVAC Maintenance Technician<br />
- 40 hrs/week<br />
- 12 months/year<br />
- Competitive Salary<br />
Full Benefit Package includes:<br />
- Retiremen through the Public<br />
Educational Employ e Retirement<br />
System (PEERS) of Mi souri<br />
- Paid Medical, Dental<br />
& Vision Insurance<br />
- Flexible Spending A counts<br />
- Life Insurance<br />
- Long-Term Disability<br />
- Employee Assistance Program<br />
- Sick Leave Compensation<br />
- Vacation Compensation<br />
- 11 Paid Holidays<br />
Apply at:<br />
h tps: /rockwood.ted.people<br />
admin.com/hire/index<br />
or ca l (636) 733-3270<br />
EEOC<br />
Rockwood School District<br />
Hiring For Position of:<br />
CUSTODIAN<br />
- 40 hrs/week<br />
- 12 months/year<br />
- Competitive Salary<br />
Full Benefit Package includes:<br />
- Retiremen through the Public<br />
Educational Employee Retirement<br />
System (PEERS) of Mi souri<br />
- Paid Medical, Dental<br />
& Vision Insurance<br />
- Flexible Spending A counts<br />
- Life Insurance<br />
- Long-Term Disability<br />
- Employee A sistance Program<br />
- Sick Leave Compensation<br />
- Vacation Compensation<br />
- 11 Paid Holidays<br />
Apply at:<br />
h tps://rockwood.ted.people<br />
admin.com/hire/index<br />
or ca l (636) 733-3270<br />
EEOC<br />
HELP WANTED<br />
Rockwood School District Rockwood School District<br />
Hiring For Position of:<br />
Hiring For Position of:<br />
Mowing & Landscaping<br />
in Grounds Department<br />
work school days only<br />
- 40 hrs/week<br />
Par time or Fu l time,<br />
- 12 months/year<br />
No experience n eded.<br />
- Competitive Salary<br />
Seven Paid Holidays,<br />
Fu l Benefit Package includes:<br />
Retiremen through PEERS,<br />
- Retiremen through the Public<br />
Educational Employ e Retirement<br />
Perfect Attendance Days<br />
System (PEERS) of Mi souri Manager positions available<br />
- Paid Medical, Dental<br />
with fu l benefits.<br />
& Vision Insurance<br />
www.rsdmo.org<br />
- Flexible Spending A counts<br />
or ca l 636-733-3253<br />
- Life Insurance<br />
- Long-Term Disability<br />
- Employee A sistance Program<br />
- Sick Leave Compensation<br />
- Vacation Compensation<br />
- 11 Paid Holidays<br />
Apply at:<br />
h tps: /rockwood.ted.people<br />
admin.com/hire/index<br />
or ca l (636) 733-3270<br />
EEOC<br />
-PART TIME COOK-<br />
Multi Faceted Position.<br />
In Private Home.<br />
This position<br />
requires, cooking, serving<br />
& light house work.<br />
Wed & Fri, 12PM-8:30PM<br />
Every other weekend,<br />
Rotating shifts.<br />
For more info ca l<br />
(314) 349-1457<br />
Ask for Sherlyn Whiteside<br />
HOME IMPROVEMENT<br />
Kitchen Remodeling,<br />
Wainscoting, Cabinets,<br />
Crown Molding, Trim, Framing,<br />
Basement Finishing, Custom<br />
Decks, Doors, Windows.<br />
Fr e estimates!<br />
Anything inside & out!<br />
Ca l Joe 636-699-8316<br />
AFFORDABLE CARPENTRY<br />
SBA Contracting LLC<br />
Home Improvement and Repairs<br />
Interior Painting, Fl oring,<br />
Drywa l & W od Repair.<br />
FREE Estimates<br />
Insured<br />
Ca l 314-910-7458<br />
or email us at<br />
sbacontracting lc@gmail.com<br />
Total Bathroom Remodeling<br />
Cabinetry•Plumbing•Electrical<br />
30 Years Experience<br />
LANDSCAPING<br />
LANDSCAPE<br />
REHAB +<br />
SPECIALIZING<br />
IN ALL YOUR<br />
HARDSCAPING<br />
NEEDS!<br />
REPAIR•REDO<br />
ALL NEW<br />
RETAINING WALLS<br />
PAVER PATIOS<br />
FIRE PITS • WALKWAYS<br />
Food Service<br />
Our Child Nutrition Assistants<br />
PAINTING<br />
Interior and<br />
exterior painting<br />
Deck staining<br />
PLUMBING<br />
TODD THE PLUMBER<br />
Licensed, Bonded & Insured<br />
Available for a l your plumbing<br />
n eds. No job to big or too sma l.<br />
35 years experience!<br />
314-8 0-4960<br />
• ANYTHING IN PLUMBING •<br />
Good Prices! Basement<br />
bathrooms, sma l repairs & code<br />
violations repaired. Fast Service.<br />
Certified, licensed plumber - MBC<br />
Plumbing - Call or text anytime:<br />
314-409-5051<br />
LICENSED PLUMBER<br />
Bonded & Insured<br />
Available for a l your<br />
plumbing needs.<br />
No job is too sma l.<br />
FREE ESTIMATES<br />
35 Years Experience.<br />
Senior Discounts<br />
<strong>24</strong> hour service!<br />
314-808-4611<br />
POWERWASHING<br />
ORGANIZING SPECIALIST<br />
Home or Office<br />
Let’s a range your things<br />
so you can easily locate them<br />
when n eded.<br />
SUZANNE 314-422-5695<br />
Herb Olmsted 314-960-2872<br />
TREE SERVICES<br />
• COLE TREE SERVICE •<br />
Tree and Stump Removal.<br />
Trimming and Deadwooding.<br />
www.cole-tree-service.biz<br />
GET 'ER DONE TREE SERVICE<br />
Fr e Estimates.<br />
636-475-3661<br />
Tree trimming, removal, deadwooding,<br />
pruning and stump<br />
grinding. Certified arborist.<br />
Fu ly Insured • Free Estimates<br />
A+ BBB • A+ Angie's List<br />
Serving the Area Since <strong>20</strong>04<br />
314-971-6993 or 636-234-6672<br />
WATERPROOFING<br />
TOP NOTCH WATERPROOFING<br />
& FOUNDATION REPAIR LLC<br />
Cracks, sub-pump systems,<br />
structural & concrete repairs.<br />
Exterior drainage co rection.<br />
Serving Mi souri for 15 years.<br />
Fina ly, a contractor who is honest<br />
& leaves the job site clean.<br />
Lifetime Warranties.<br />
Fr e Estimate<br />
636-281-6982<br />
REAL ESTATE<br />
To place a Classified<br />
ad call 636-591-0010<br />
BOBCAT WORK<br />
• FREE ESTIMATES •<br />
636-775-5992<br />
- Insured & Free Estimates -<br />
Dickspainting.com<br />
314-707-3094<br />
LANDSCAPING<br />
MORALES LANDSCAPE LLC<br />
Clean-Up • Mowing Mulching<br />
Planting • Aeration • Sod Install<br />
Leaf/Tree Removal • Paver Patios<br />
• Trimming/Edging Stone & Brick<br />
• Retaining Wa ls • Drainage Work<br />
- F R E E S T I M AT E S -<br />
636-293-2863<br />
moraleslandscape@hotmail.com<br />
M I E N E R<br />
LANDSCAPING<br />
Retaining Wa ls • Patios • Pruning<br />
Chainsaw Work • Seasonal<br />
Clean-up • Honeysuckle Removal<br />
Friendly service with a tention to detail<br />
Ca l Tom 636.938.9874<br />
www.mienerlandscaping.com<br />
Best Landscaping Values in Town!<br />
Mi zou Crew Mulch,<br />
Shrub Trimming,<br />
Yard Cleanups,<br />
Power Washing,<br />
Moles, Sma l Wa ls<br />
and Paver Patios.<br />
Ca l/text Jeff<br />
314-5<strong>20</strong>-5222<br />
or www.Mi zouCrew.com<br />
WE SPECIALIZE IN<br />
RETAINING WA LS • PAVER PATIOS • DECKS<br />
FENCES • TR ES • NEW LANDSCAPING<br />
LAWNS & MULCH AND MUCH MORE!<br />
poloslawn@aol.com<br />
Fr e Estimates<br />
314-280-2779<br />
• SPRING CLEAN-UPS •<br />
Mulching,<br />
Bush & Shrub Trimming,<br />
Removal and Planting<br />
Dethatching / Powe raking,<br />
Aeration and Overs eding,<br />
Brushwork, Sod Insta l<br />
and Leaf Removal<br />
• FAST & FREE ESTIMATES •<br />
TWO MEN & A MOWER<br />
636-432-3451<br />
POWERWASHING<br />
APRIL SPECIAL<br />
1 Story House<br />
Starting at $239<br />
2 Story House<br />
Starting at $279<br />
All Smiles Pre sure Washing, LLC<br />
636-279- 056<br />
SERVICES<br />
+ WEDDING SERVICES<br />
-CAREGIVER-<br />
•Reliable<br />
•Experienced<br />
•Companion<br />
Seeking A Position<br />
in <strong>West</strong> County<br />
Fu l / PT<br />
Ca l 314-941-1326<br />
PET SERVICES<br />
ANYTIME ANYWHERE<br />
- CEREMONIES -<br />
• Marriage Ceremonies Vow Renewals • Baptisms<br />
• Pastoral Visits • Graveside Visits<br />
Fu l Service Ministry | (314) 703-7456<br />
a b<br />
SOFTBAL LEAGUES<br />
Men 60+ Senior Softba l League<br />
Slow pitch softba league for men<br />
60 years and older<br />
to play in St. Charles County<br />
is a cepting individual<br />
applications for the <strong>20</strong>22 season.<br />
Double-headers on<br />
Wednesdays at 4:30pm<br />
at Schneider-Kiwanis Park.<br />
Final day for applications<br />
is Saturday, April 30.<br />
If interested email:<br />
herbieo.jr@gmail.com<br />
or ca l or text:<br />
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM