Mid Rivers Newsmagazine 3-20-24

Vol. 21 No. 6 • March 20, 2024 

midriversnewsmagazine.com 

2024 

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STAR PARKER 

This is not the Soviet 

Union, Mr. Biden 

In 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed. 

It marked the end of an experiment that 

lasted almost a century testing the premise 

that godless secularization, turning control 

of people’s lives over to other people 

to rule them, who decide what others need 

and how they should live and conduct 

their lives, is the answer for mankind. 

In the free world, the collapse of the 

Soviet Union was cause for celebration. 

In the USA, it was widely viewed as a victory 

of the American way of life – a free 

nation under God. 

But let’s not get confused between 

things and the names we give them. 

Our own country – despite the words in 

our founding documents about freedom 

and God – has been on a path adopting 

the same premises about human reality 

that lead to the collapse of the communist 

world. 

This was evident in President Joe 

Biden’s message to the nation in his State 

of the Union address. 

Biden, in so many words, delivered a 

message that the path for a better, wealthier, 

fairer America is more government. 

Despite the reality that the country is 

being crushed with staggering debt, the 

result of runaway government, Biden and 

his party celebrate this and want even 

more. 

The words find their way into numbers 

in the budget for the next 10 years that the 

president has just submitted to Congress. 

Federal spending in this budget will 

stand in fiscal year 2025 at $7.3 trillion. 

One-quarter of our national economy consumed 

by the federal government. 

This amounts to a 14% increase from 

where federal spending stood in the last 

quarter of 2023 – $6.4 trillion. 

Per the president’s spokesperson in the 

White House, this budget “invests in all of 

America to make sure everyone has a fair 

shot, we leave no one behind.” 

Translation: government will accumulate 

more power and decide what is fair 

and achieve its aims with more government 

paid for with other people’s money. 

The beautiful language of leaving “no 

one behind” means government expansion 

into every area of our lives, including 

subsidized child care for families earning 

$200,000 and below. 

The bill for the massive new spending, 

per the president’s budget, will be paid for 

with a total of $4.9 trillion in tax increases 

on the wealthy and on corporations. 

I say “supposedly paid for” because 

expansion of government under the premises 

of raising taxes on the most successful 

sectors of our economy never works. 

Renown economist Arthur Laffer and 

Heritage Foundation economist Stephen 

Moore just published data showing that 

when President Donald Trump cut the 

highest individual tax rate and cut the corporate 

tax rate in 2017, the percentage of 

overall taxes paid by the wealthiest 1% of 

the population increased. 

Before the Trump tax cuts, the top 1% 

paid “a little more than 40% of the income 

taxes collected,” per Laffer and Moore. 

After the tax cuts, that percentage 

increased to almost 46%. 

This was not something new. Laffer 

and Moore show data going back to 1980 

showing general correlation of lower top 

tax rates with a larger percentage of overall 

taxes paid by the top 1%. 

Freedom means unleashing productivity 

and creativity. Absence of freedom means 

punishing both and therefore getting less 

of both. 

It’s why the Soviet Union collapsed. 

Godless secularism doesn’t work. 

The latest edition of CURE’s “The State 

of Black Progress” shows the uniform 

failure of expansion of government into 

health care, education, housing and retirement, 

all in the name of “fairness” and no 

one being “left behind.” 

The truth really is it’s more than this. It’s 

about politicians who love power buying 

it with gifts given with other people’s 

money. Harsh to say, but this is reality. 

Only 19% of Americans are satisfied 

with the direction of the country, per 

Gallup. 

Most Americans feel something is 

wrong. We need leadership to take us back 

to freedom and God. 

• • • 

Star Parker is president of the Center 

for Urban Renewal and Education and 

host of the weekly television show “Cure 

America with Star Parker.” 

© 2024 Creators.com 

Read more on midriversnewsmagazine.com 

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March 20, 2024 

MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE 

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6 I OPINION I 



@MIDRIVERS_NEWS 


EDITORIAL 

How dangerous is TikTok? 

We’ve seen the headlines. The House of 

Representatives overwhelmingly voted to 

force TikTok’s Chinese ownership group to 

sell or face a ban from all U.S. app stores. The 

reason? The social media app poses a risk to 

national security, they say. That bill now heads 

to the Senate, where its ultimate outcome is 

unclear. President Joe Biden has said that he 

will sign the bill. Then again, the president is 

also using TikTok to promote his re-election 

campaign. All of this begs the question, just 

how dangerous is TikTok really? 

THE CHINA THREAT 

TikTok is owned by the Chinese conglomerate 

ByteDance. Does ByteDance cooperate 

with the Chinese Communist Party? The 

simple answer is yes, they do, because they 

are required by law to do so. Article 7 of the 

National Intelligence Law of 2017 states: 

“All organizations and citizens shall support, 

assist, and cooperate with national 

intelligence efforts in accordance with law, 

and shall protect national intelligence work 

secrets they are aware of.” 

Now, the law continues to say those efforts 

must preserve individual rights and be conducted 

lawfully, but the inherent threat 

remains. There is a long list of anecdotal 

evidence that company leaders who do not 

acquiesce to government demands get punished 

harshly. The most famous businessman 

in China, Alibaba founder Jack Ma, disappeared 

for three months in 2020 after publicly 

questioning the government. Google search 

Bao Fan, Xu Ming, Whitney Duan or Xiao 

Jianhua. It is very, very dangerous to be a Chinese 

billionaire unless you toe the party line. 

ATTENTION 

READERS: 

Make sure you are signed up for your 

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1. If you got this paper in your mailbox and your first and last 

So is Chinese ownership a legitimate problem? 

Absolutely, yes. 

THE DATA THREAT 

We have established that Chinese ownership 

is a problem, so the question now 

becomes how big of a problem? What data 

do they have and what can they do with it? 

First off, let’s admit that TikTok’s privacy 

policy is shark-fin-in-shallow-water, 

Norman-Bates-outside-the-shower-curtainlevel 

scary. Seriously, when they flatly 

acknowledge collecting “keystroke patterns 

or rhythms” and “biometric identifiers” such 

as “faceprints and voiceprints,” the “Jaws” 

theme starts playing in your head. The truth 

is, however, the same could be said for any 

and all social media app privacy policies. 

Elon Musk’s X (nee Twitter) collects biometric 

information as well. Seriously, if we all 

read the privacy policies from our favorite 

apps, we would just curl up into a collective 

fetal position and go back to using pagers or 

even corded landline telephones. 

In short, TikTok does not seem to be collecting 

data that is more nefarious than 

anyone else. 

Now, how do they use that data? Therein 

lies the rub, as old Bill Shakespeare might 

say. If the collection of data is the devil we 

know, then the manipulation of that data is 

the devil we don’t. It’s Oz behind the curtain, 

only Oz is the Chinese Communist Party. We 

have absolutely no (zero, zip, zilch, nada) 

transparency into how the company adjusts 

its algorithm to target certain goals. This is 

the real problem with a Chinese ownership 

group. The app, which now has more than 

170 million U.S. users, can elect to increase 

or decrease exposure to any content it so 

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chooses. As an example, pro-Russian videos 

certainly seem to be amplified on TikTok 

more than any other platform. If China can 

manipulate the data, one must assume that 

they will manipulate the data. 

THE EXISTENTIAL THREAT 

This is the worst part. Whether a byproduct 

of its inner-workings or by design, 

TikTok promotes harmful content to children. 

Last year, two reports commissioned 

by Amnesty International led them to the 

following conclusion: 

“TikTok’s content recommender system and 

its invasive data collection practices pose 

a danger to young users of the platform by 

amplifying depressive and suicidal content 

that risk worsening existing mental health 

challenges.” 

One of the reports showed that in the first 

20 minutes of logging on “more than half of 

the videos in the “For You” feed were related 

to mental health struggles with multiple recommended 

videos in a single hour romanticizing, 

normalizing or encouraging suicide.” 

That’s terrifying. It also will not be solved 

by forcing ByteDance to sell to an American 

owner. 

The decision to ban or force a sale of a 

private company is complicated. One hopes 

that government never intercedes in matters 

of speech or privacy. That said, the level of 

technical manipulation possible today was 

never envisioned by our Founding Fathers. 

By the way, perhaps this can be indicative 

of needed action. Do you know what other 

country has seen fit to ban TikTok because it 

is too dangerous? You guessed it. China. 

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8 I NEWS I 





RISE IN THE FIELD OF 

GEOSPATIAL 

TECHNOLOGY 

You are ready to rise above your current situation and 

St. Louis Community College can help you fly! 

Visit stlcc.edu/go/geospatialtech to learn about courses 

you need to enter the growing field of geospatial technology. 

Volunteer O’Fallon is seeking individuals and groups to help with Alternative 

Spring Break projects, including planting, mulching, and creek cleanups 

on March 25-27; Mission Clean Stream on April 6 and Earth Day projects, 

including planting, mulching, and honeysuckle eradication on April 27. Sign 

up at ofallon.mo.us/volunteer. 

NEWS 

BRIEFS 

DARDENNE PRAIRIE 

City clerk honored 

Dardenne Prairie City Clerk Kim Clark 

was recognized for outstanding achievement 

in her field at the March 6 Board 

of Aldermen meeting. She was honored 

for earning the rank of Master Municipal 

Clerk (MMC) from the International Institute 

of Municipal Clerks. This is the highest 

certification a city clerk can earn and 

is designed to aid her in providing the city 

with continued outstanding service. 

O’FALLON 

Three new tattoo and body 

piercing businesses proposed 

At its March 14 meeting, the O’Fallon 

City Council conducted public hearings 

and gave first readings for three bills 

that would grant conditional use permits 

(CUPs) for three new tattoo and body 

piercing establishments, each with a different 

owner. 

O’Fallon’s Planning and Zoning Commission 

(P&Z) forwarded recommendations 

for approval of all three to the city 

council. If typical process and timing are 

followed, the bills will receive a second 

reading and vote for passage at the next 

council meeting on March 28. 

Bill No. 7626 would grant a CUP to 

Tony Veinot, the owner of Tatutony, LLC, 

(pronounced “Tattoo Tony”), to allow a 

tattoo and body piercing establishment in 

a C2/General Business District, located at 

2309 Highway K. The location is in a strip 

center on the west side of Hwy. K, south of 

Feise Road, just north of Midland States 

Bank, and next to Johnson Fitness & Wellness 

Store. 

Bill No. 7627 would grant a CUP to Jonathan 

T. Jansky, the owner of Main Street 

Tattoo, LLC, to allow a tattoo and body 

piercing establishment in a C2/General 

Business District, located at 2697 Highway 

K. The location is in a strip center 

on the west side of Hwy. K, just south of 

Freddie’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, 

in between VN Nails and China King. 

Bill No. 7628 would grant a CUP to 

Malachi N. Crowder, (pronounced “mal-akye”), 

the owner of Underground Ink, to 

allow a tattoo and body piercing establishment 

in a C2/General Business District, 

located at 58 Crossroads Plaza. The location 

is in a strip mall center on the east side 

of Hwy. K, in between Brick’s Minifigs 

Toy Store and Archway Contractors, and 

with the recently approved Andy’s Frozen 

Custard to the north. 

WENTZVILLE 

Postponements put new 

developments on hold 

Wentzville has been St. Charles County’s 

boom town for decades as farmers moved 

out and commercial and residential developments 

moved in. Now, the city’s Board 

of Aldermen is looking at a trio of projects 

that would see the city boom again, though 

only one moved forward at the board’s 

March 13 meeting. 

An amendment to renew the existing 

zoning of 7.91 acres on the west side of 

Corporate Parkway at Crosswinds Drive 

for Phase 2 of the Aventura at Wentzville 

Apartments, and its related development 

plan, received approval on March 13. 

Aventura’s expansion would add 72 units 

to the existing 192 apartments. A future 

commercial use has not yet been identified. 

The board approved the applicant’s request 

by a vote of 5-0. Alderman Manny Macias 

(Ward 1) was absent. 

Though the board had a quorum, the 

absence of Macias promoted the postponement 

of five legislative items related to the 

proposed development of the Interstate 

Crossing subdivision to be located on 

Interstate Drive at Hwy. Z. Also postponed 

was legislation related to the development 

of a Stay Apartments Suites hotel on the 

south side of I-70 at Hwy. Z. 

With apologies to the developer, a motion 

was made and seconded to postpone all 

related legislation and public hearings on 

both projects until a full board is present. 

The development plan for Interstate 

Crossings calls for 140 attached homes, 

with four individual homes per building, 

to be constructed by Creve Coeur-based 

Benton Homes. The subdivision would 

be accessed via Linn Avenue, with three 

internal cul-de-sacs serving the individual 

residences. 

The site plan for the proposed 88-room, 

extended-stay hotel shows a three-story, 

24,245-square-foot building with a 

91-space parking lot. Access to the hotel 

will be via an extension of Linn Avenue 

from Interstate Drive. 

The second postponement of the evening 

came at the request of the developer of the 

Pinewoods Park Apartments, a proposed 

240-unit on 21.51 acres on the north side 

of Interstate Drive at Hepperman Road. 

In total, the rezoning request is for 24.32 

acres from agricultural to planned development-mixed 

use. Commercial development 

in the form of three out-lots would 

make up the balance of 2.81 acres. 

ST. CHARLES COUNTY 

Correctional facility 

issues addressed 

The St. Charles County Department 

of Corrections (DOC) had said there are 

dead spots in communications throughout 

the five floors of its facility, which it said 

raises safety and security concerns. 

The DOC had asked the County Council 

to approve a contract with Alive Telecom 

of Mokena, Illinois, to provide acceptable 

radio coverage throughout the facility, with 

the ability to take on future expansions. 

At its March 11 meeting, the council 

unanimously approved the contract as part 

of its consent agenda. This three-year contract 

is for $205,260 plus annual warranty 

and preventive maintenance at $2,500 for 

years one and two and a slight increase 

each year thereafter. 

Because of DOC renovations already inprogress, 

Alive Telecom’s work will take 

place at different intervals over three years. 

Work on the first and second floor will 

begin during the first quarter of 2024, fifthfloor 

work will begin in the third quarter 

of 2024, and third-floor work is planned to 

begin in the second quarter of 2026. 

After all floors are completed, DOC will 

conduct an audit to ensure that all areas of 

the facility have coverage in at least 95% 

of all areas and 99% in critical areas.





I NEWS I 9 

Support for public health, 

family services increased 

Sara Evers, acting director of the St. 

Charles County Public Health Department, 

had requested support from the County 

Council to prevent the spread of disease 

and enhance health department employment 

practices. At its meeting on March 

11, the council approved two bills to provide 

that support along with a third bill for 

family services support. 

Bill No. 5274 authorizes an agreement 

with the Missouri Department of Health 

and Senior Services (MoDHSS) for access 

to a new reportable disease management 

system. This data-sharing agreement will 

provide county staff with faster access to 

test results and information needed to prevent 

the spread of disease to other members 

of the community. The agreement 

costs nothing. The council voted 7-0 to 

approve. 

Bill No. 5275 authorizes acceptance of 

grant funds from MoDHSS for “enhancing 

public health infrastructure and workforce 

development.” Evers said this grant funding 

is intended to strengthen and enhance 

public health, workforce training and staff 

retention. 

In her background memo, Evers said, “It 

will allow extensive training (including 

staff time to complete training), improvements 

to the workspace, travel for conferences 

and project management support. 

This funding will support the development 

of new staff, build leadership skills among 

the current staff, as well as advance the 

programming within the department of 

public health to address the needs within 

the St. Charles community.” 

Bill 5275 was revised to have the word 

“equality” replaced with the word “fairness” 

in order to be clear about the council’s 

intentions. 

During the discussion about what is 

included in this program, council member 

Joe Brazil (District 2) expressed concerns 

about “social engineering.” He subsequently 

voted against Bill No. 5275, which 

passed by a vote of 6-1. 

Bill No. 5276, requested by County 

Executive Steve Ehlmann, amends the 

2024 county budget to provide supplemental 

revenues of $125,000 and appropriations 

of $29,000 to help fund family 

services and justice. 

In his letter to the council, Ehlmann 

said this additional revenue is the result 

of a Unified Family Court Project grant of 

$45,000 and the collection of court costs, 

fees and charges totaling $80,000. 

He also requested a supplemental appropriation 

of $29,000 to the family services 

and justice fund, to cover expenses related 

to the operation of the family court division. 

If approved, $20,000 would be added 

to the professional services operating 

account, $8,000 would be added to the 

mediation operating account, and $1,000 

would be added to the office supplies operating 

account in the family services and 

justice fund. 

The council approved the third bill by a 

vote of 7-0. 

Flood buyout 

applications open 

Federal buyout money may soon start 

flowing for up to 100 homeowners whose 

homes were swamped by the flood of 2019 

in parts of northern St. Charles County. 

According to county officials, letters 

have gone out to 947 residential property 

owners who may be eligible, asking if they 

want to sell their property. Owners must 

complete an expression of interest form to 

start the application process. Those interested 

may complete the form online, over 

the phone or by mail. 

The county received a $15.7 million 

federal grant, which is enough money to 

buy up to 100 homes out of the more than 

900 flooded in St. Charles County, Portage 

Des Sioux, West Alton and limited parts of 

St. Charles City. At least 70% of the funds 

must be spent to help low to moderate 

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income households, officials said. 

“If you are interested in selling your 

home and moving out of the flood zone, 

complete the form included with the 

letter,” Robert Myers, division director 

of planning and zoning for the county, 

advised in a release. “There is a federal 

process the county must follow, and not 

everyone who is interested in selling can 

be bought out, because there is limited 

funding available. The completed form is 

the first step.” 

Under the program, the buyouts are 

ctivity promotes physical, 

cognitive and emotional 

well-being 

hair yoga is just one of 

the physical activities 

we promote 

herapists are at all of our 

locations to monitor a 

resident’s mobility 

and movement 

ndividual care programs 

include activities and 

exercise therapies 

itality 

is the key 

to happiness 

veryone 

is encouraged 

to be active 

See NEWS BRIEFS, page 14

10 I 

Contested candidates in the following 

municipal races were asked the following 

questions: 

Q1. What qualifies you for this office 

(past experience, major accomplishments)? 

Q2. What are your top three priorities 

if elected? 

Q3. What else would you like our 

readers to know about you before heading 

to the polls? 

Below are the replies of candidates 

who responded by the deadline. Candidates 

are listed in ballot order. Incumbents 

are denoted with an asterisk. Term 

lengths are two years, except as otherwise 

noted. Only candidates in contested 

races were asked to participate. 

Answers do not reflect the opinions 

of this paper and have not been factchecked. 

COTTLEVILLE 



Board of Aldermen 

• Michael R. Guccione*, Ward 1 

• Terry Hogan, Ward 2 

Q1. I am presently on the Planning & 

Zoning Board and Old Town Historic 

Board for Cottleville. I was previously 

an alderman for Cottleville (1995-1997). 

With being a part of this community for 

over 30 years, I bring a unique perspective 

and a proven track record of leadership, 

collaboration and problem solving 

that I feel makes me a perfect fit for the 

city of Cottleville. 

Q2. To provide a common sense voice 

for all businesses and residents in the 

community. To keep Cottleville growing 

in a positive direction for current and 

future residents. To attract more family 

oriented small businesses to Cottleville. 

Q3. My family has been apart of 

Cottleville for over 50 years. I want to 

ensure that Cottleville remains the safest 

and most prosperous city in St. Charles 

County for future generations of my 

family and other families to come. 

• Mike Krekeler*, Ward 2 

Q1. I have been a resident of Cottleville 

for 31 years now and have seen 

the changes. Some of these changes 

have been great, while others have not. 

I have been an alderman since 2022 and 

am trying to change the status quo, like 

work sessions, tax dollar spending, the 

way buildings are able to be constructed 

in Old Town Historic District and general 

construction practices. 

Q2. Making sure tax dollars being 

spent are being used the best way possible 

for our residents, not for everyone 

else. Making sure the city gets paid back 

for the tax money spent for improvements 

in Old Town. The Old Town Historic 

District CID is a separate entity, not 

a city entity. We are owed hundreds of 

thousands, we should have a principal 

payment schedule. Making our parks 

more useful, presently trying to get the 

Dardenne Blueway entry into Legacy 

Park. 

Q3. I would like to serve our residents 

for another two years. I will not 

stop trying to make things better in our 

town. If you have any questions for me 

you want answered you can send me an 

email at my city website. Housing, traffic, 

tax spending, CIDs, Old Town issues, 

whatever it may be. I will also be coming 

around soon. Thank you and please vote. 

DARDENNE PRAIRIE 


• Ryan Wilson, Ward 1 

Q1. With extensive experience in 

community engagement and professional 

development, I have consistently 

collaborated with partners to achieve 

high-level goals. As a member of Vision 

Leadership of St. Charles County, I’ve 

supported individuals throughout our 

community and fostered collaboration. 

My commitment to achieving tangible 

results aligns perfectly with my desire to 

continue serving Dardenne Prairie and 

ensuring its prosperity. I am dedicated to 

building strong partnerships with others 

and leveraging our collective talents to 

make a real difference. I believe in our 

community’s potential and am eager to 

work with others to achieve our shared 

goals. 

Q2. My top priorities will be to maintain 

the family-friendly character of 

Dardenne Prairie by discouraging the 

use of subdivision streets for commercial 

traffic. My focus will be on promoting 

sustainable development by encouraging 

builders to contribute to the city’s 

growth, rather than relying solely on 

economic incentives. Additionally, I will 

ensure that we practice inclusive leadership 

by engaging in respectful dialogue 

with all residents and giving due consideration 

to their opinions and suggestions. 

By prioritizing these principles, I aim to 

preserve the unique identity of Dardenne 

Prairie and create an inclusive community 

where everyone can thrive. 

Q3. An experienced professional with 

over 20 years in higher education and 

K-12 settings, I’m a director of student 

services in the School of Education at 

Saint Louis University, focusing on preparing 

youth for college and productive 

citizenship. I am passionate about community 

service, I am involved in the PTA 

ELECTION PREVIEW 

at Crossroads Elementary and a board 

member of the United Nations Association 

of Saint Louis and StL College Kids. 

My top priority is to serve as a positive 

leader on behalf of all Dardenne Prairie 

residents. My family and I are excited to 

call Dardenne Prairie “home.” 

• Carl Maus, Ward 1 

Q1. My qualifications include effectively 

served 12-plus years on HOA 

boards as president working with business, 

state, county, MoDOT, contractors, 

utilities and public officials, improving 

communities. Negotiated with land 

developers and Great Rivers Greenway 

to secure a vital link tying the Katy 

Trail to St. Charles County, expanding 

trail use. Co-spearheaded Proposition S 

amending the county charter to help prevent 

the rapid expansion of urbanization 

in the county through illegal annexations. 

I developed an understanding of city 

workings and the importance of responsiveness 

to citizens as executive assistant 

to the O’Fallon mayor. I am chairman of 

Dardenne Prairie’s Town Square Vision 

Steering Committee. 

Q2. Keeping our city safe by expanding 

our police protection and promoting 

neighborhood watch programs. Also, 

investing in safe streets by maintaining 

our infrastructure and roadways so traffic 

can move efficiently throughout the community 

as well as creating a trail system 

connecting the residential and business 

areas to each other, allowing safe 

enjoyable walking and golf cart travels. 

Keeping our city vibrant for our young, 

growing families and our senior citizens 

by offering parks, ballfields, recreational 

programming and cultural events for the 

community. Attracting new businesses to 

the city through balanced growth to help 

pay for expanded city services. 

Q3. My wife, Linda, and I chose to 

make the St. Charles community our 

home and raise our family 40 years ago. 

We built our new home in Dardenne 

Prairie five years ago. I’ve been recognized 

in an article in the St. Charles 

County Post as one of 10 people “who 

made a difference locally.” I’m passionate 

about making things better than the 

way I found them and won’t quit until 

the job is done. Please review my website 

carl-for-alderman.com for the rest of 

the story. Thank you in advance for your 

support. 

• Joel Ogle, Ward 2 

Q1. I am a current Dardenne Prairie 

Planning and Zoning Commissioner. I 

have been working with municipal and 

city government for over 20 years. I have 

been assisting cities and municipalities 

with technical infrastructure solutions for 

@MIDRIVERSNEWS 


On The Ballot: Candidates in the April 2 Municipal Election 

over 10 years. I am a current executive 

board member of the Missouri section of 

the American Water Works Association. 

I am the collection systems outreach 

coordinator for the Missouri Chapter of 

the Water Environmental Federation. 

Q2. My priorities are: Communications 

- Setting up a clean path to getting 

information regarding city activities and 

happenings with our community. Ideally 

through platforms that all of our community 

members can use with ease. Sustainability 

- Ensuring we have growth within 

our city’s boundaries that support our 

current and future infrastructure. Smart 

governance - Informed decision practices. 

Q3. I am a husband, father and veteran 

whose values are driven by a higher 

power with a heart for service to my 

family, my country and my community. 

• Carla Detweiler, Ward 2 

Q1. I have regularly attended the 

Board of Alderman meetings since 2017. 

I became a commissioner on the Planning 

and Zoning Commission in 2021 

and recording secretary in 2023. I am 

currently a trustee of the Lewis and Clark 

subdivision homeowners association. 

Q2. My priorities first and foremost 

are to preserve the character of Dardenne 

Prairie by stopping the commercial 

zoning changes that have divided the city 

and given tax abatements to the developers. 

We are not an urban city and should 

not develop our community as if we are 

one. We need to develop infrastructure 

that will support the city’s growth and 

traffic; and add additional police to support 

the growth, residents safety and traffic 

calming. 

Q3. As a trustee in the Lewis and Clark 

subdivision, I always made myself available 

to the residents, answered their concerns. 

I intend to work just as hard for 

the residents of Dardenne Prairie. I want 

to stop the division in the city and return 

the city to being the prospering community 

it should be. 

• Mark Johnson*, Ward 3 

LAKE SAINT LOUIS 


• Sandra Grassmuck*, Ward 1 

• Mike Mathison*, Ward 2 

• Justin Hensley*, Ward 3 

O’FALLON 

There is no election in O’Fallon in 

April. 

See ELECTION PREVIEW, page 33





I 11 

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12 I NEWS I 



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By JOHN TREMMEL 

At the March 11 St. Charles County 

Council meeting, Michelle McBride, 

county collector of revenue, provided 

an update about the Senior Property Tax 

Relief Program, saying the program successfully 

launched on March 1 as planned, 

with the first application arriving online 

at 1:41 a.m. that day. She also hinted that 

changes could be coming. 

McBride said by March 8, the department 

had received 4,637 applications, 

with 2,209 submitted online, 428 via 

email and 2,000 via paper forms. Applications 

are due by June 1. County staff 

anticipate about 38,000 will be received 

in total. 

McBride explained that online applications 

can be submitted to the county 

website via smartphone or computer, via 

paper at a drive-up drop box on Monroe 

Street or a special locked drop box in the 

lobby of the administration county building 

on Second Street or handed to the 

clerks at the windows in the administration 

building. 

To apply for the tax relief program 

online, seniors can go to the website at 

https://www.sccmo.org/261/Collector-of- 

Revenue, then find the “Senior Property 

Tax Relief Program” in the menu at the 

left side of the webpage. 

Electronic submissions via phone 

or computer require digital photos or 

scanned copies of proof of ID (driver’s 

license, passport or other governmentissued 

ID showing birth date) and proof 

of property ownership (warranty deed). 

Paper submissions require photocopies 

of proof of ID and proof of property 

ownership. 

All applications require the property tax 

ID (PIN) from the senior’s 2023 property 

tax bill, the applicant’s phone number and 

the applicant’s email address. 

McBride said information on the application 

is closed from the Sunshine Law. 

She said to obtain a copy of a warranty 

deed, an email can be to the recorder of 

deeds at RecorderCopyCenter@sccmo. 

org. Name and property address must be 

included. 

McBride said the Missouri General 

Assembly will be in session until May 17, 

so the state law still could be changed. 

“Something crazy could happen,” 

McBride said, such as raising the age 

from 62 to 67. Any changes to the state 

law could mean the county ordinance has 

to change as well. For that reason, confirmations 

of program eligibility will not 

start going out until June. 

However, rejection notices will be sent 

by email sooner to allow for the submission 

of correct information before the 

deadline. That is why including an email 

address and phone number is so important 

on the application. 

McBride said the biggest misunderstanding 

people have about the program 

is that their “taxes will never increase 

again.” She said only the non-debt portion 

of the property tax liability is being 

frozen. The debt portion, including the 

State Blind Person Trust Fund, will not be 

frozen. 

Residents can visit www.StCharles- 

MOCollector.com to see a breakdown of 

2023 tax bills, showing debt and non-debt 

items. Anything with “debt” behind it is 

not frozen. 

Asked by the council what that meant 

and why, McBride said debt includes 

bonds issued by political subdivisions, 

such as ambulance districts and school 

districts, where the voters approved the 

bonds, so the district is obligated to pay 

them off. That debt portion of property tax 

is not frozen. She said getting involved in 

political subdivision finances is outside 

the scope of what property tax relief is 

allowed to do. 

McBride said another misunderstanding 

is that tax rates are frozen and 

assessed values are frozen; neither is true. 

The state law and county ordinance say 

the amount the taxpayer pays is frozen. 

That kicked off a discussion by council 

members, County Executive Steve Ehlmann, 

McBride and city staff. It became 

clear there are complexities to the tax 

relief process that affect tax relief results. 

McBride said her staff is a total of 15 

people, and the recorder of deeds’ staff 

is a total of 15 people, and by law their 

duties are separate. Given all the work to 

accept, review and process tens of thousands 

of these applications between now 

and June 1, she asked residents to, “be 

patient and kind.” 

Council chair Terry Hollander (District 

5) closed the topic by saying, “I think 

we’re in a situation now where there was 

a lot of euphoria when we passed this, and 

now the reality is setting in that people 

are going to benefit, but there’s going to 

be a little bit of work associated with it. 

And I think the end result is some will be 

disappointed because they’re expecting 

more tax relief than maybe is actually 

there. We’ll deal with that as we go.”





I NEWS I 13 

St. Charles City residents to vote on $85 million city centre complex 

By JOHN TREMMEL 

Rendering of the proposed St. Charles City Centre 

Complex, which voters could make real with a vote for 

Prop C on April 2. 

(Source: City of St. Charles) 

City of St. Charles officials have 

placed Proposition C on the April 2 

Municipal Election ballot. The proposition 

asks city residents to approve an 

$85 million general obligation bond 

issue for building a new St. Charles 

City Centre Complex, to be located 

at the American Car and Foundry Co. 

(ACF) campus at 520 N. Main Center. 

For the proposition to pass, 57% of 

voters must approve it. 

The St. Charles City Council had 

voted unanimously on Jan. 2 to ask 

voters to approve this funding. 

The current city hall building at 200 

N. Second St. was built in 1976, with the 

theme “Gold glass reflects our past and 

shines on our future.” 

Mayor Dan Borgmeyer has characterized 

the current building as functionally 

obsolete. He has said it would cost $41 

million to renovate the current building 

and add more space and parking for currently 

overcrowded city workers. 

Borgmeyer has said he believes it would 

be better to build a new complex. If Proposition 

C is approved, the project would 

begin almost immediately, and construction 

would take approximately two years. 

To create the new municipal complex, 

the city would buy and renovate existing 

buildings and add new structures on the 

former ACF property. With a new Main 

Street extension, this area would connect 

the St. Charles Historic Main Street 

District with the north Main Street and 

Frenchtown neighborhoods. 

According to the city’s website at citycentrecomplex.com, 

this new complex 

would open up the area and encourage 

investment in residential, business and 

retail. 

The city says this is a “no tax increase 

bond issue” to finance the new complex, 

which will include a new city 

hall, city council chamber, the historical 

society, a senior center with a 

rec center component, Sister Cities 

International offices, an arts and 

cultural center with restaurant incubators, 

a 300-space parking garage 

and more. 

Asked how the bonds would 

be paid off, the city’s Director of 

Administration Larry Dobrosky said, 

“The bonds will be paid off from a 

portion of the current and expected 

growth of existing property tax and 

sale tax. This project will also generate 

new sales and property tax that will assist 

in paying for this project.” 

“It would be a 20-year bond,” Dobrosky 

said. “And would not ask for any increases 

to the current property and sale tax rate.” 

Dobrosky added that at present, “There 

are no plans for a Community Improvement 

District or special taxing district for 

the city hall complex $85 million project.” 

Randy Schilling is a Main Street property 

and business owner. Asked for his 

comments about the proposed new complex, 

he said, “It would be wonderful to 

have that ACF historic property renovated, 

over 550,000 square feet. It would do 

wonders for our historic Main Street and 

connecting that to Frenchtown would be a 

huge plus.” 

Schilling said he was always an advocate 

for the ACF site. When they built the 

St. Charles Convention Center, that was 

one of the sites considered and it would 

have been his pick. 

“If you’re going to build a new city hall, 

having it downtown is critical in supporting 

all the property and business owners 

down there,” Schilling said. “I think it 

would really help strengthen and also help 

redevelop French town and North Main 

and would help bring that along a little bit 

faster.” 

Schilling said the key things are to renovate 

the ACF property and connect Main 

Street with Frenchtown and bring Main 

Street through. 

“So overall I’m very supportive of it,” Schilling 

added. “It’s a lot of money, but at the end 

of the day if we are going to build, if we truly 

do need a new city hall, if we are going to be 

getting ACF redeveloped, if that’s what takes 

to pull in other developers and hotels once 

they create that anchor, then yes, I think it’s 

a huge plus for the community, the property 

owners and business owners.” 

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14 I NEWS I 



NO TAX INCREASE 

BOND ISSUE 

The CITY CENTRE COMPLEX will be located at the American Car & Foundry 

property, and Main Street will be extended through the property connecting 

Main Street to Frenchtown. 

The complex will include: 

• A New City Hall 

• A New Senior Center with a Rec Center Component 

• Historical Society 

• Sister Cities International Offices 

• Arts and Cultural Center 

VOTE APRIL 2 

ON PROP C 

Paid for by the City of St. Charles, Missouri. Daniel Borgmeyer, Mayor. 200 N. 2nd Street, St. Charles, MO 63301. 

By JESSICA MARIE BAUMGARTNER 



Monthly report proposed amid 

transparency concerns 

Dardenne Prairie residents have been 

expressing a desire for more transparency 

from city officials. The topic was once 

again addressed at the March 6 Board of 

Aldermen work session and regular meeting, 

with the potential for the creation of a 

new monthly report proposed. 

During public comments, resident Cheri 

Hawes brought up transparency concerns 

on a recent public notice concerning 

property near Stump and Feise roads She 

explained that the notice only afforded 

residents a 48-hour period to contact their 

aldermen. 

Hawes asked why notices of this nature 

were not posted on the city’s Facebook 

page or the website. 

“Transparency is something residents 

have repeatedly stood up here and 

requested,” Hawes said. 

Sound and audio issues have been a 

recurring problem during work sessions 

and board meetings, both in-person and 

on YouTube recordings. Residents at the 

March 6 meeting noted that the Feb. 21 

board meeting video only contains audio 

for two of the six speakers who presented 

their cases to board members. The first 

three speakers were not recorded at all, 

and the last speaker’s comments were 

completely silent. Two of those previous 

speakers, David Miller and Cheryl Bratton, 

spoke again on March 6 and shared their 

displeasure with the situation. 

City Engineer Tom Weis stated that the 

video issue was a malfunction on his end, 

and City Administrator James W. Knowles 

said the video was not edited, despite the 

recording gaps. 

Recording issues have recently caused 

problems for the board members, preventing 

Alderman Mike Costlow (Ward 2) 

from participating a Town Square Vision 

Steering Committee meeting. This was 

addressed at the Feb. 7 board meeting, 

with no further discussion being made 

public. 

Due to the transparency complaints, 

Costlow proposed creating a monthly 

report. He said it could be made available 

to residents and city officials through the 

city’s website and offer updates on city 

health, activities and current challenges. 

His suggested areas of interest are listed 

in the March 6 work session agenda and 

range from financial information to project 

updates, parks and recreation enrollment 

information and more. 

In response, Mayor John Gotway said 

much of that information is “readily available” 

already. He said the list of suggested 

information isn’t being withheld and that 

anyone can request the information on an 

individual basis, unless it’s confidential. 

Alderman Mark Johnson (Ward 3) questioned 

how much added time and effort 

creating a report of this nature would be. 

Costlow said current public information 

is coming from multiple varied 

sources, and described how a monthly 

report would offer a concise and standardized 

update to make the information more 

easily accessible for everyone, including 

board members. 

Alderman Justin Ungerboeck (Ward 2) 

agreed. 

“It’s not that we aren’t getting the info, 

it’s that we’re getting it in five different 

emails and it would be great if we got it all 

in one,” Ungerboeck said. 

The monthly report idea is currently in 

the research and planning phase and is 

expected to be addressed at the April 3 

meeting. 

NEWS BRIEFS, from page 9 

“mutually voluntary” meaning both the 

buyer and the seller must agree to participate. 

Once a property is bought by the 

county, the home will be demolished, and 

the land converted to open space, Meyers 

said. 

Eligible properties are those that are 

the primary residence and owner-occupied 

home at the time of the flood event 

in 2019 and are still owned by the same 

person. This also includes owner-occupants 

when they are heirs and assigns of 

a deceased owner-occupant in 2019 and 

are eligible owners. Deployed military 

personnel who are owners and those that 

are the primary residents of a residential 

owner-occupied building with up to three 

residential tenant units within the same 

structure as the owner-occupant are also 

eligible. 

Properties that were second homes at 

the time of the event or that have been 

sold since the 2019 flood and now have a 

different owner are not eligible to receive 

buyout funds. 

The county has been working with the 

Missouri Department of Economic Development 

to launch the buyout process. For 

more information or to find out if a property 

is included in the voluntary buyout 

program, visit sccmo.org/2185 or call 

(636) 200-1933.

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Freshman future business leader communicates her way to state 

By BETHANY COAD 

At the start of the year in August 2023, 

St. Dominic High freshman Aeliyahna 

Polley saw a poster for the Future Business 

Leaders of America, Inc. (FBLA) 

club. 

Already a varsity tennis player, artist 

and musician with an affinity for communications, 

and currency enjoying a 

business class that semester, Polley figured 

she would give the organization a 

try. That move swiftly paid dividends, 

as Polley came off victorious at her first 

FBLA district competition in January 

as district winner of the Introduction to 

Business Communications, which qualifies 

her to move ahead to state in April. 

District competitions cover a wide 

range of topical events from accounting 

to journalism to business concepts, and 

choosing a focus can be daunting. 

“I chose this topic because I like learning 

about business,” Polley said. “The 

communications side of it deals with language 

arts, which is a class I find interest 

in and excel at.” 

FBLA helps over 230,000 students 

each year prepare for careers in business. 

Missouri FBLA itself has over 12,000 

members in 450 chapters across the state, 

making it the second-largest chapter in 

the nation. 

In studying for her subject matter test, 

The Fort Zumwalt West Varsity Dance Team is the newly crowned Missouri 

Division 5 state champion. The state finals were held at the Hy-Vee Arena in 

Kansas City the last weekend in February. Fort Zumwalt West’s last state championship 

win was in 2019. 

(Source: FZW Dance) 

Polley said, “I reviewed a study guide 

online, but otherwise relied on my prior 

knowledge of English and communication.” 

Polley credited her first-semester business 

teacher, Holly Martinez, with her 

foundation in business knowledge. She 

relied on the FBLA teacher, Kasey Roberts, 

for further explanation of the process 

required at competitions. Polley has 

felt encouraged every step of the way. 

“I have been interested in business ever 

since I was little and watched ‘Shark 

Tank,’” Polley said. “I think that the 

world revolves around business, so the 

more that I know about the subject, the 

better I will be able to navigate my way 

through life. I think that business teaches 

core values about failure and perseverance, 

as well as how hard work can pay 

off in the long run.” 

Hard work definitely paid off for 

Polley. 

“The most challenging part was the 

pressure of testing against so many other 

freshmen and sophomores from other 

schools,” Polley explained. “I enjoyed 

the awards ceremony most and the shock 

of winning the business communications 

event.” 

Polley hopes to expand the way people 

think of business. 

“I think that too many people think that 

business is boring because they think 

that it is too technical and complicated,” 

she said. “I would tell those people that 

there are many different aspects of the 

business world and people are sure to 

find something in business that interests 

them. I think that business is involved in 

every aspect of life and definitely helps 

with success when it comes to getting a 

career.” 

Organizations like FBLA help challenge 

the assumption that “business” is a 

complicated word. Breaking it down into 

components is where Polley thinks the 

understanding can broaden. 

St. Dominic freshman Aeliyahna 

Polley came in first in business 

communications at the Future 

Business Leaders of America 

district competition and is 

headed to state. 

(Source: St. Dominic High School) 

“I think that it is much simpler when it 

is broken down into different categories 

such as marketing, accounting and entrepreneurship,” 

Polley said. 

Polley has hopes of pursuing a career 

in entrepreneurship and hopefully opening 

her own business, and though she 

is not quite sure yet what the business 

would be, she hopes to take great passion 

into whatever she chooses to do. 

“Thomas Edison said, ‘Our greatest 

weakness lies in giving up. The most 

certain way to succeed is always to try 

just one more time,’” Polley said. “Business 

is all about failure, accepting it, and 

growing from it to do better. You can’t 

give up every time that you fail, otherwise 

you wouldn’t accomplish all that 

you desire to do.”



By WARREN MAYES 



I SCHOOLS I 17 

Francis Howell Central wins state championship in girls wrestling 

Francis Howell Central coach Kurt 

Kruse may be calling Hollywood with an 

idea soon. 

His Francis Howell Central Spartans 

capped off a season never to be forgotten 

by winning the Missouri Class 2 girls 

wrestling state championship. 

“It was kind of a really neat season for 

us,” Kruse said. “This is a good story. It 

would make a good movie. When there 

is a movie made of our team this season, 

it’ll be like a fairy tale. It was better than 

Christmas morning.” 

The Spartans won by the narrowest of 

margins. Francis Howell Central scored 

125.5 team points, which was just enough 

to slip past Nixa (125) by 0.5 points to 

claim the championship at Mizzou Arena 

in Columbia. 

“I have a lot of respect for Nixa,” Kruse 

said. “They run a great program. They 

have hard workers. The stars aligned just 

right for us.” 

All eight girls who reached the state 

meet for Howell Central scored points. 

The Spartans qualified nine girls for state, 

but one girl failed to make her weight. 

It was a historical championship for 

The Francis Howell Central Spartans girls wrestling team. 

Howell Central. It is the school’s first team 

state championship in a sport sanctioned 

by the Missouri State High School Activities 

Association (MSHSAA). 

In addition, Howell Central also is 

the first St. Louis area school to win a 

team state championship in girls wrestling, 

a sport in its sixth season under the 

MSHSAA umbrella. 

The Spartans did not field a team in the 

first year, so the school’s program is 5 

years old. 

Kruse knew he had something special 

with this group of girls. 

“Right after the St. Charles Invitational, 

I called a team meeting before practice,” 

Kruse said. “I told the girls that I’ve been 

a three-sports coach my whole career. This 

is my 82nd sport I’ve coached. I told them 

I’ve never been around anything more special 

than this team in this room. 

“I told them they’re the best I’ve ever 

seen. To win you have to be not only good 

but lucky. I told them I had the best girls 

who ever came out of the county. I said this 

team can do it.” 

(Jordan Glowczwski photo) 

And they did. 

Junior Kailey Benson became the 

school’s individual state champion when 

she won by fall in 1 minute, 42 seconds 

over Francis Howell’s Anna Bowles. 

The victory capped an unbeaten season 

at 45-0 for Benson. 

“I don’t think people understand how 

dominant she is,” Kruse said. “It’s difficult 

to go undefeated. She only had three points 

scored on her. One was an escape in the 

See WRESTLING, page 47 

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MARCH 20, 2024 

CARDINALS PREVIEW 2024 19 


CARDINALS PREVIEW 2024 

OVERVIEW 

Let’s get this out of the way first. Last 

season was… bad. Which part, you ask? All 

of it. The “all of it” part was bad. Pitching, 

offense, defense, win/loss record, Willson 

Contreras’ first season, Adam Wainwright’s 

final season – all bad. Rumor has it even 

the Rally Squirrel switched alliances to 

CITY SC and the Battlehawks. It was all 

bad. Let us speak of it no more. 

Now then, on to 2024! Every year, ESPN 

hands out grades for each team’s offseason 

and this year the Cardinals were able to 

score a, well, just a C+. Hey, that’s a passing 

grade. (Gulp.) Same grade as the Cubs. 

(Gulp, gulp, cough.) But there is an actual 

plus sign! 

In all seriousness, those grades are mostly 

bunk. The Los Angeles Dodgers scored an 

A++ and ESPN argued it may have been the 

greatest offseason ever. Well, yeah. They 

spent $1.2 billion dollars. They increased 

their already very high annual payroll by 

$67 million. To provide some context, that 

means the 2024 Dodgers took the 2023 

Dodgers and added the equivalent of the 

2023 Tampa Bay Rays in new payroll. 

That’s bonkers. Oh, and for more context, a 

reminder that the New York Mets won the 

2023 offseason and then lost the 2023 regular 

season by a great big ginormous amount. 

We actually are quite optimistic about 

the Redbirds’ ability to return to form this 

season. They might not be built to win a 

popularity contest, but they just might be 

set up to make a decent postseason run. 

Let’s talk about why. 

THE WINN COLUMN 

The 2024 Cardinals will feature one of 

the largest, most exciting groups of young 

prospects since the early 1980’s teams. We 

know what team superstars like Nolan Arenado 

and Paul Goldschmidt are going to do 

for us, they do it every year. But if the team 

can get one or more of these young players 

to really break out, then the sky is the limit. 

The group is led by a pair of 21-yearolds, 

shortstop Masyn Winn and outfielder 

Jordan Walker. Walker spent nearly all last 

season in the big leagues, Winn got a taste 

at the end of the year. Both have a way to 

go to reach their enormous potential. 

Nolan Gorman (23), Alec Burleson (25), 

Dylan Carlson (25), Lars Nootbaar (26) and 

Brendan Donovan (27) are the other relatively 

young players with the potential to 

turn into superstars. Gorman and Burleson 

both have 40-home run power. Donovan 

was the only rookie Cardinal to ever win 

a Gold Glove. Nootbaar and Carlson are 

excellent all-around performers. 

THE LYNN COLUMN 

Listen, if you are a male between the ages 

of 35-39 with a loose affiliation to or affinity 

for the St. Louis Cardinals, you need to 

check your email. There is a chance that 

you were signed to a contract by the Redbirds 

this year. 

The Cardinals filled out their pitching rotation 

by signing former Cardinal Lance Lynn 

(36) and St. Louis native Kyle Gibson (you 

guessed it, 36). They also added backup 

shortstop Brandon Crawford (37) and 

former Cardinal that we all loved, then hated, 

(Lou Countryman photo) 

then traded, and now have very complicated 

feelings toward, Matt Carpenter (38). 

The result is that the Cardinals have a 

tantalizing combination of youth and experience. 

If the two sides can play off each 

other (pun intended), then the mix could be 

magical. 

SHADES OF GRAY 

Here is an interesting thing to watch for 

this year. In the past, the Redbirds have 

been viewed as a pretty businesslike organization. 

Our current superstars, Goldschmidt, 

Arenado and Miles Mikolas, are 

fairly subdued in demeanor. They are nice 

guys, pro’s pros, that sort of thing. The last 

two offseasons the Cardinals have broken 

form a bit. Willson Contreras, Sonny Gray, 

Lance Lynn, these guys all have an edge. 

They play a little nasty. Contreras was 

quoted saying to Gray, “I think we have 

the same attitude in the game. We’re not 

making friends out there.” 

Is that intentional? Probably. This organization 

does very little by accident. Chances 

are, they want their young stars to play like 

stars, but they also want them have a bit 

of an attitude about it. They brought in the 

right guys to show the way. It’s going to be 

a fun season to watch how it all plays out. 

ROSTER PREDICTIONS 

Starting Pitchers 

Sonny Gray 

Miles Mikolas 

Kyle Gibson 

Lance Lynn 

Steven Matz 

Bullpen 

Ryan Helsley 

Giovanny Gallegos 

JoJo Romero 

Andrew Kittredge 

Keynan Middleton 

Andre Pallante 

John King 

Matthew Liberatore 

Starting Infield 

C- Willson Contreras 

1B- Paul Goldschmidt 

2B- Brendan Donovan 

3B- Nolan Arenado 

SS- Masyn Winn 

Starting Outfield 

LF- Lars Nootbaar 

CF- Tommy Edman 

RF- Jordan Walker 

Designated Hitter 

Nolan Gorman 

Bench 

Matt Carpenter 

Iván Herrera 

Brandon Crawford 

Dylan Carlson 

Alec Burleson 

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Cardinals want Gray to lead improved starting rotation 


Seeking a quick turnaround from a 

disastrous 2023 season, St. Louis Cardinals 

president of baseball operations John 

Mozeliek targeted improving 

the starting rotation. 

Simply put, Mozeliak 

needed to make an impactful 

offseason by signing a top 

pitcher. 

Eschewing big-name 

pitchers like Aaron Nola 

or Blake Snell, Mozeliak 

zeroed in on Minnesota free 

agent Sonny Gray. 

Like a Canadian mountie, 

Mozeliak got his man. 

Gray, who turned 34 in 

2023, signed with St. Louis 

for four years and $80 million 

in guaranteed money. 

Sonny Gray 

St. Louis is where Gray wanted to play. 

“Going into this thing, I wanted to be a 

Cardinal,” Gray said. “That started probably 

a little over a year ago. It’s a place 

that every time I’ve come here as a visitor, 

I’ve looked at the stadium and I’ve said, 

‘Wow, this place is incredible!’ When you 

talk around the league and talk to different 

guys who have been all over the place, 

everybody raves about St. Louis and the 

Cardinals.” 

It will be a fresh start for Gray. 

Joining a new team is something Gray 

has done before. The Cardinals 

represent the fifth 

time he has joined a new 

team as he heads into his 

12th MLB season. 

Gray debuted with 

the Oakland Athletics in 

2013. After a midseason 

trade in 2017, he joined 

the New York Yankees. 

Gray’s time with the Yankees 

was not successful. 

However, he blossomed 

after a trade to 

(MLB) 

the Cincinnati Reds prior 

to the 2019 season. The 

Reds later dealt him to the 

Twins for prospects. 

In his career, Gray is 98-85 with a 3.47 

ERA. He has 1,521 strikeouts. He is a 

three-time All-Star, making the game in 

2015, 2019 and 2023. 

Gray is fresh off two impressive seasons 

with the Twins. Gray pitched well in two 

seasons for the Twins, finishing second in 


the American League Cy Young voting last 

season. 

He posted a 2.79 ERA over 32 starts and 

181 innings. The 32 starts were a secondbest 

total for him in his career. Gray also 

allowed only eight home runs last season. 

That was the lowest he’s allowed in a full 

season in his career. 

Batters hit just .226 against his arsenal, 

which includes a sweeper. Gray has six 

pitches. Besides the sweeper, he throws 

a four-seam fastball that hits 93 mph, a 

curveball, a sinker, a cutter and a changeup. 

For the fourth time in his career, he 

started more than 30 games and surpassed 

175 innings pitched. He missed no time 

due to injury, 

“If you want to talk about someone who 

takes the ball and has an edge, you’ll see 

it,” Gray said. “You have to be yourself, be 

your authentic self. Just be that guy. Whatever 

intangibles that comes with that, you 

have be yourself. 

“For me to help this team win is to just go 

out and perform.” 

Mozeliak long has admired Gray. He 

said he wanted to draft Gray out of Vanderbilt 

University in 2011 and that he tried 

trading for him six seasons ago. 

“We certainly feel like we’ve accomplished 

something for our rotation,” Mozeliak 

said about signing Gray. 

Manager Oliver Marmol has named Gray 

the Cardinals’ starting pitcher on Opening 

Day at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. 

Marmol wants Gray to be the leader of 

the staff. 

“Sonny has done a phenomenal job 

not only with what he says, but how he 

goes about it,” Marmol said. “He’s been 

a great example for everybody else and 

it’s contagious. The ways in which he 

goes about the game, he’s so good with 

talking through it and guys around listen 

to it. He does a good job of explaining 

the ‘why’ behind the way he does something.” 

Gray is serious about his job. He knows 

he’s being looked upon to be a leader. 

“Guys, in general, will look toward older 

guys for an example or a direction to go 

and I’m conscious of that, but it doesn’t 

persuade or influence me to do anything 

different,” Gray said. “I know I’m a fairly 

intense person, especially here in a baseball 

world. That’s just what I’ve learned 

over the course of my career that helps me 

be at my best. 

See GRAY, page 28 

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The St. Louis Cardinals have projected 

Masyn Winn to be their starting shortstop. 

Now, Winn will have to show he 

deserves it. He doesn’t believe the job has 

been handed to him. 

“I’m just going to go out there and compete,” 

Winn said. “I want to go into spring 

training with the same mindset as last year. I 

got some opportunities last year 

and made the most of them. I’m 

going to go in there not thinking 

that it’s my spot. I’m thinking I 

need to earn a spot. 

“I know they (the Cardinals) 

believed in me last season and 

still believe in me. I just want 

to go out there and compete 

for a spot. I’ve never been the 

type to feel entitled to anything. 

I don’t want to be given 

Masyn Winn 

a spot. I want to go out there and earn it.” 

Winn turns 22 on March 21. He made 

his Major League Baseball debut on Aug. 

18 and has been the Cardinals’ starting 

shortstop since. 

While his glove is not in question, 

Winn’s bat has been a cause for some concern. 

Winn hit just .172 in 37 games with 

the Cards last season after he was called 

up from Triple-A Memphis. 

Winn struck out 27 times. He had only 21 

base hits. Those numbers obviously have 

to change. Winn knows it. He doesn’t shy 

away from that fact either. 

“I think it’s not a secret I definitely 

struggled at the plate last year,” Winn said. 

“That’s been my main focus.” 

He didn’t play enough games last fall so 

he will still be a rookie this season. 

The Cardinals added some insurance 

just in case Winn struggles in training 

camp. St. Louis signed veteran Brandon 

Crawford to a contract in February. Crawford, 

37, was a three-time All-Star shortstop 

with the San Franciso Giants. 

“We’re excited to be adding a player 

with the winning credentials and pedigree 

of Brandon Crawford,” said John Mozeliak, 

Cardinals’ president of baseball 

operations. “He is someone that will provide 

us with valuable depth and experience 

on the infield, and can also be a great 

resource for our younger players, such as 

Masyn Winn.” 

The Cardinals know Winn is their future. 

The organization has waited for Winn to 

make his move up the organization. In the 

2020 MLB Draft, the Cardinals selected 

Winn 54th overall. 

Last year in spring training, Winn hit 

.333 with two homers, two doubles and two 


Cardinals rookie Winn looks to 

prove skills, improve offense 

triples in 18 games before being sent back 

to the minors so he could play every day. 

His success last spring got Winn sent 

to Memphis instead of heading back to 

Double-A Springfield. 

St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol 

believes in Winn. 

“I’m not concerned at all with Masyn’s 

offense. I love Masyn Winn. His mentality. 

His skill set. The way he approaches the 

game. He’s constantly wanting 

to learn,” Marmol said. 

“He’s open. He’s coachable. 

But his competitive nature is 

incredible. He doesn’t scare. 

“He came in, and he knew 

that, I mean, the league was 

tough. And he experienced 

that. But he never backed 

down. That’s an awesome 

(MLB) 

quality, especially at his age.” 

Winn’s arm is off the charts. 

Winn has a howitzer at his position. Some 

of his throws have reached triple digits at 

times. That arm combined with his slick 

defense at the position and above-average 

speed make him a player to watch. 

Winn was a pitcher in high school. He 

was a two-way player by pitching and 

playing in the field. 

His arm is not in question. Winn threw a 

ball from his position at shortstop at 100.5 

miles per hour in the MLB 2022 All-Star 

Futures game. 

Having him at shortstop gives St. Louis 

perhaps the best defensive left side of the 

infield in baseball between him and Nolan 

Arenado. 

While he didn’t hit after being called 

up last season to the Cardinals, Winn has 

shown he can hit. Last year at Memphis, 

he produced a .288 average with 18 home 

runs and 17 stolen bases in 105 games. He 

also walked 44 times or 8.8% of his atbats 

and struck out 83 times (16.7%). 

Those walk and strikeout totals are an 

indication of his good patience and pitch 

recognition. He hit 11 home runs in 86 

games at Double-A in 2022 after totaling 

five between Class-A and High-A in 98 

games in 2021. 

“I’m not a stranger to struggle,” Winn 

said. “I’ve struggled pretty much every 

level that I’ve gone to whenever I’ve first 

gotten up there. Struggled for a bit and 

then worked it out. Definitely learned I 

can take a little bit of failure. 

“I know they believed in me last year, 

and I know they still believe in me. Every 

day, I want to go out there to compete and 

compete for a spot. I’ve never felt entitled 

to anything. I don’t want to be given a spot. 

I want to go out there and earn it.”

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Cardinals bring plenty of experience to starting rotation 


In 2023, St. Louis finished fifth in the 

National League Central last year at 71-91, 

its first losing season since 2007 and its 

most losses since 1990. 

The Cardinals were ranked 26th in the 

major leagues with a .438 winning percentage 

– changes were mandatory. 

Starting pitchers last year combined for just 

48 quality starts, which is six innings pitched 

and allowing three or few earned runs. 

So John Mozeliak, the president of baseball 

operations, got to work. 

The Cardinals added three starting pitchers 

as free agents, reaching a $75 million, 

three-year deal with Sonny Gray and oneyear 

agreements with Kyle Gibson ($13 

million) and Lance Lynn ($11 million). 

The two veterans, who are both 36 years 

old, were signed to help the rotation and 

also bring leadership to the clubhouse. 

“Every move that has been made has 

been made with a purpose,” manager 

Oliver Marmol said. “These guys are going 

to add to the win column, no doubt about 

that. That’s why they’re here. Lance Lynn 

and Kyle Gibson, these are guys who are 

hungry to win but also know what it takes 

to bring a club together. When you talk 

about a sustainable culture, 

that’s extremely important.” 

Lynn signed a one-year 

deal with St. Louis. He played 

his first six seasons with the 

Cardinals and then went to 

play with the Twins, Yankees, 

Rangers, White Sox and 

Dodgers. 

“When you when you play 

long enough, you’re automatically 

a veteran,” Lynn 

said. “But learning how to 

lead in different ways and 

finding different ways to 

connect to everybody on 

the team was something you 

have to learn. I was able to, 

like I said, go to different 

places, meet new people, 

learn some new things and 

figure out how to incorporate 

(that) into who I am and what I bring 

to a clubhouse and a baseball team.” 

Lynn is looking to bounce back this 

season after playing for the White Sox and 

the Dodgers last year. 

In 2023, Lynn posted a 5.73 ERA with 

191 strikeouts in 183⅔ innings. The 44 

home runs allowed in 32 starts between the 

Miles Mikolas on the mound in 2023 


two clubs were the most across MLB. 

“I’m looking forward to correcting the 

wrongs that I had last year on the mound. 

We were able to identify some of those 

pretty quick,” Lynn said. 

Being able to adapt like Lynn plans to do 

is good, according to Mozeliak. 

“He’s a very confident man,” Mozeliak 

said. “He understands that last year there 

were some things that he was 

probably doing that he should 

have gotten away from sooner 

and hopefully, from a coaching 

standpoint, from a strategic 

standpoint, those are things we 

can work through. He’s certainly 

open-minded to it.” 

Gibson also signed a one-year 

contract. 

Last year with Baltimore, 

Gibson finished 15-9 with a 4.73 

ERA. He recorded 157 strikeouts 

in 192 innings. However, did he 

surrender a league-high 198 hits. 

Gibson is 104-100 with a 4.54 

ERA through 300 games (244 

starts) in 11 years in the majors. 

He is happy to be a Cardinal. He 

believes the club will be good this 

season. 

“St. Louis doesn’t rebuild. St. 

Louis gets ready, and they go win baseball 

games,” Gibson said. “And they put a team 

together that’s going to compete for a division 

title every year. I’m excited to join a 

winning tradition, culture and organization 

that is going to have a whole lot of fun in a 

bounce-back season.” 

Lynn (37 in May), Gibson (36) and Gray 

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(34) join holdover rotation candidates that 

include Miles Mikolas (35) and Steven 

Matz (33 in May). 

Mozeliak is pleased with how the rotation 

is looking. 

“We’re pretty excited about where our 

roster is, from where we were on Oct. 1 

to where we are today,” Mozeliak said. 

“There’s been a lot of roster churn, we’ve 

brought in a lot of new faces, and we’ve 

been strategic about it.” 

Miles Mikolas and left-handed Steven 

Matz are the other two starters. 

Mikolas pitched 201 1/3 innings last 

season, ranking fourth. He went 9-13 and 

posted a 4.78 ERA that ranked 48th among 

56 major-league starters who pitched at 

least 150 innings. Mikolas allowed an 

average of 10.1 hits per nine innings, the 

worst of his St. Louis career. 

Matz went 4-7 and had a 4.04 ERA in 

17 starts, and a 2.81 ERA in eight relief 

appearances. 

Injuries again cost him significant time. 

In his first two years with St. Louis, Matz 

has averaged only 76 innings. He has two 

years left on his contract. 

The age of his pitchers is not a concern 

to Mozeliak. 

“Unlike our upcoming election, I am not 

overly concerned with age in this current 

state,” Mozeliak said as spring training 

workouts began. “I do feel like what we 

missed a lot last year was more experience. 

And so trying to take or tie age and experience 

together usually is pretty common.” 

Mozeliak believes the experience is a 

plus for his veteran rotation. 

“It’s just guys that understand what it’s 

like to go pole-to-pole, the understanding 

of what it’s like to have to take the ball 

for 30 starts,” Mozeliak said. “All of these 

guys have been through that. They understand 

it, and that’s just going to be really 

helpful with some of our younger pitchers 

that are trying to get to that point.” 

Not all the St. Louis pitchers are ancient. 

In Matthew Liberatore and Drew Rom 

(24) and Zack Thompson (26), the Cardinals 

have younger pitchers who could 

break into the starting rotation. The trio 

combined to go 6-13 with a 5.98 ERA in 

28 starts last year. 

Ideally, they won’t have to start any 

games this season. 

St. Louis opens the season with games 

on eight consecutive days, four at the Los 

Angeles Dodgers, three at San Diego and 

the April 4 home opener against Miami, 

part of an opening that has the Cardinals 

scheduled for 13 games in 14 days. A sixman 

rotation at the start is possible. 

“We are debating it, but I don’t know if 

that’s what we’ll do, because a lot of these 

guys would prefer to be on five,” Mozeliak 

said. 

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Paul Goldschmidt found a positive in 

the St. Louis Cardinals’ worst season since 

1990. 

“We had a longer offseason, had the 

opportunity to kind of look ahead, start 

planning a little bit,” the seven-time All- 

Star first baseman said recently. 

Goldschmidt and third baseman Nolan 

Arenado had a down year in 2023 – like 

much of the St. Louis organization – but 

both are poised for bounce-back 2024 campaigns. 

Arenado batted .266 with 23 homers and 

93 RBIs, down from .293 with 30 homers 

and 103 RBIs. 

St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol has 

repeated the message for everyone who 

will listen since last winter: forget 2023 and 

focus on this year. St. Louis went 71-91, its 

worst record since 70-92 in 1990. 

Goldschmidt and Arenado are expected 

to bounce back this season for the club. 

“These guys are super talented,” Cardinals 

president of baseball operations John 

Nolan Arenado 

GRAY, from page 20 

“I show up to work, put in the work, put 

in the time and that works for me. If it does 

rub off on someone – and it’s for the benefit 

of them. That’s a good thing.” 

Gray joins a revamped rotation that also 

features newly acquired 36-year-old righthanders 

Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson. 

But Gray is the one who is the acknowledged 

leader of the pitching staff. All eyes 

will be on him. 

Marmol noted Gray knows what to do. 

“With Sonny, this is a high, high competitor, 

and when you are in conversations 


Paul Goldschmidt 

Mozeliak said. “They are All-Star-calibertype 

players.” 

Goldschmidt, who turned 36 in September, 

hit .268 with 25 homers and 

80 RBIs, down from the .317 

average, 35 homers and 115 

RBIs that earned him the 2022 

NL MVP award. 

Still, his hard-hit percentage 

rose to a career-best 50.8% 

from 47.4% in 2022, according 

to Statcast. 

“Not like I was absolutely terrible 

last year, I just think I have 

the potential to play better,” 

Goldschmidt said. 

Arenado, 32, saw his streak of 

consecutive Gold Gloves end at 

10 last season. 

Arenado wants to reclaim his 

position as the league’s top third 

baseman. He also wants to produce 

more offensively. 

“I just feel like I’ve got a little 

something to prove and it’s like 

with him, it’s clear that he cares about 

being really good and also wants everyone 

around him to be elite,” Marmol said. 

“He’s confident in what he knows and what 

makes him good, and he does an awesome 

job of inserting himself in certain meetings 

so that the group can understand what’s 

important.” 

Gray will become just the sixth pitcher 

to make his first start with the Cardinals 

on Opening Day. Kyle Lohse was the most 

recent pitcher to do that, opening the 2008 

season against the Rockies. 

“It’s a tremendous honor, to be honest 

with you,” Gray said of the assignment. 


the mindset I had in Colorado in my first 

few years where I was trying to establish 

myself,” Arenado said. “I do feel like I 

have something to prove again and that’s 

a good thing.” 

Marmol is not worried about Arenado. 

“I don’t have a whole lot of concerns as 

to him getting back to ’22,” Marmol said. 

“I don’t think he’s looking at getting back 

to, as much as just continuing to move this 

thing forward and be the best version of 

himself. I don’t. 

“It’s not a matter of just getting back to 

when you were good or back to your best 

year. I mean, listen, last year happened and 

he is motivated as ever to get back at it.” 

Goldschmidt will receive a $22 million 

salary in 2024, the final season of a $144.5 

million, six-year contract. 

There’s been no talk about an extension 

or a new deal. 

“I think for me, I’ve never really kind of 

commented on my contract, so I think I’ll 

just keep that going,” Goldschmidt said. 

“I don’t take that lightly. I don’t take that 

lightly at all. I have been fortunate enough 

to do it a few times in my career, and I’ve 

enjoyed every single one of them.” 

But Gray also knows it is a game and 

that means you have to enjoy what you’re 

doing. 

“I am very structured, but I like to have 

fun,” said Gray. “There’s time to work and 

there’s time to have play and there’s definitely 

time for both. They both go hand in 

hand. The more you are having fun, the 

more you are smiling, the better you are 

going to be. But there’s also time to lock it 

in and get your stuff done.”





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Cardinals Notebook 

EDUCATION OVER POLITICS 

We don’t want to go ‘Back to Basics.’ We want to be the BEST. 

After just one year of a new board majority, Francis Howell has 

developed a reputation for Board Politics instead of Student Success. 

Teachers are leaving what used to be a destination district. 

Our schools, student success, and property values depend on us 

changing this culture. 

ENDORSED BY: 

• Francis Howell Teachers Union, 

Staff Union & 45 Other Unions 

• Former FHSD District Superintendents 

Dr. Mary Hendricks-Harris 

Dr. Dan O’Donnell 

Dr. Renee Schuster 

Dr. Pam Sloan 

Paid for by Steven Blair for the Students - Don Crozier, Treasurer 

TUESDAY, 

APRIL 2 

VOTE PASTOR STEVEN BLAIR 

FOR FRANCIS HOWELL 

SCHOOL BOARD 

Steven Blair for Francis Howell 

School Board 


CARDINALS FAN FAVORITE 

RETURNS THIS SEASON 

Matt Carpenter is returning to the St. 

Louis Cardinals, for whom he played from 

2011 to 2021. 

Carpenter agreed to a deal for the 

$740,000 major league minimum, which 

will be offset against his guaranteed $5.5 

million salary as part of a $12 million, twoyear 

contract he signed with San Diego in 

December 2022. 

“When you think of players that helped 

shape our success in the 2000s, Matt Carpenter’s 

name is one that is synonymous 

with winning,” Cardinals president of 

baseball operations John Mozeliak said in 

a statement. “Matt showed from the very 

beginning of his career how hard work 

and determination can lead to success, and 

we are excited to have his leadership and 

experience back in a Cardinals uniform.” 

Carpenter is glad to be back. He will 

bring a veteran’s presence to the clubhouse 

and dugout. He is a leader the club believes 

it needs to help erase the debacle that was 

the 2023 season. 

“I think the thing I am most excited about 

is the opportunity to be a veteran on a team 

who has had the privilege to wear that 

uniform for as long as I did,” Carpenter 

said during a Zoom call. “Now to be able 

to speak to some of the young guys who 

are doing it for the first time; playing in St. 

Louis is such a privilege but there certainly 

is an expectation and some pressures that 

go with it. I remember as a young player 

that can be overwhelming. 

“I was lucky to have such a great veteran 

group of guys who kind of took me under 

their wings. What I am most looking forward 

to is having the opportunity to be that 

guy and do it for some of these young guys, 

kind of being that shoulder that they can 

lean on and talk to and work through stuff.” 

Carpenter was an All-Star in 2013, ’14 

and ’16. He has .260 career average with 175 

homers and 644 RBIs for the Cardinals, Yankees 

and Padres. He hit .176 with five homers 

and 31 RBIs but had just 50 at-bats from July 

1 on. Carpenter didn’t play after Sept. 10 

because of right elbow inflammation. 

“From a baseball standpoint, my mentality 

is I’m entitled to nothing and grateful 

for everything that I get as far as an opportunity 

to play,” Carpenter said. “I’ll be 

prepared when my name is called and try 

to have the most competitive at-bats that 

I can have. 

“At this point in my career I really know 

who I am. I know what I am as a player, 

what I bring to a team, what I can bring to a 

clubhouse and I don’t shy away from that. 

If there is something that looks like it’s out 

of whack and needs to be addressed I’m 

not afraid to have those conversations.” 

CRAWFORD SIGNED 

ONE-YEAR DEAL 

The Cardinals added 37-year-old veteran 

Brandon Crawford, a free-agent shortstop 

and lifetime San Francisco Giants star, to 

their roster as a utility player and to help 

mentor young Masyn Winn. 

Crawford has been a three-time All-Star 

(2015, 2018 and 2021), four-time Rawlings 

Gold Glove recipient (2015, 2016, 

2017 and 2021) and two-time World 

Series Champion (2012 and 2014) over 

his 13-year Major League career with the 

Giants. 

“We’re excited to be adding a player 

with the winning credentials and pedigree 

of a Brandon Crawford,” Cardinals president 

of baseball operations John Mozeliak 

said. “He is someone that will provide us 

with valuable depth and experience on the 

infield, and can also be a great resource for 

our younger players, such as Masyn Winn.” 

The northern California native has compiled 

a .250/.319/.396 slash line with 146 

home runs and 744 RBI in his 1,655 games 

played. He is just two seasons removed 

from an MVP-caliber campaign in 2021 

when he batted .298 with a career-high 24 

home runs and 90 RBI – finishing fourth in 

National League MVP voting. 

“I’m here to help him out any way that 

I can,” Crawford said. “I’ve always liked 

the Cardinals organization from across 

the field and they were one of a couple of 

teams that I would have come out to spring 

training in Florida for.” 

The left-handed hitting Crawford has 

appeared in 43 career postseason games, 

including the 2012 and 2014 World Series 

when the Giants were crowned champions. 

Despite playing in his fewest (94) fullseason 

games last season, the 6-foot-1, 

220-pound Crawford batted .329 (23-for- 

70) with runners in scoring position last 

season, driving in 33 of his 38 runs. 

While Crawford wants to put 2023 

behind him, he will do so in a backup role, 

Mozeliak said. He can help the Cardinals 

in several ways. 

“It was something we had been thinking 

about just to make sure we had some depth 

there,” Mozeliak said, “but also bringing in 

somebody with his resume and what he’s 

been able to accomplish we think he will 

be a great resource for Masyn as he continues 

to develop. 

“Let’s be very clear: This (shortstop) is 

Masyn’s job. We brought in Brandon just 

to give us that protection should something 

happen. He understands that role and we 

are excited.” 

Crawford, who was selected by the





Giants in the fourth round of the 2008 

MLB draft out of UCLA, was teammates 

with both Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt 

on the Gold Medal winning Team 

USA in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. 

MOLINA WILL BE 

SPECIAL ASSISTANT 

Yadier Molina will remain with the St. 

Louis Cardinals as a special assistant to 

John Mozeliak, Cardinals president of 

baseball operations, after the longtime 

catcher wrapped up his 19-year big league 

career in 2022. 

The 41-year-old Molina is a 10-time All- 

Star and nine-time Gold Glove winner who 

played all 2,224 games of his career for St. 

Louis. That included 2,184 games behind 

the plate, the most by any catcher for one 

team in major league history. 

“We are excited to welcome Yadi back 

to the St. Louis Cardinals,” Mozeliak said. 

“He will provide invaluable help at the 

major league level, as well as spend time 

with our minor league teams in his new 

role with the team.” 

Molina trails only Stan Musial, who 

played 22 seasons for St. Louis, for the most 

with the club. Along the way, he helped the 

Cardinals reach four World Series and win 

championships in 2006 and 2011. His longevity 

coupled with the success of those 

Cardinals teams are a big reason why he 

retired as their career postseason leader in 

hits (102) and games played (104). 

Molina, a fourth-round pick of the Cardinals 

in the 2000 first-year player draft, 

served as the manager of Puerto Rico in 

the World Baseball Classic in 2023. He 

also managed Navegantes del Magallanes 

in Venezuela. 

CARDS TRADE FOR RELIEVER 

The Cardinals wanted to bolster their 

bullpen going into this season. 

They made a move to acquire relief 

pitcher Andrew Kittredge from the Tampa 

Bay Rays in exchange for outfielder Richie 

Palacios. 

Kittredge, 33, is entering his eighth MLB 

season. He earned an All-Star nod in 2021. 

Tommy John surgery limited him to just 

31 games over the last two seasons, but 

when healthy, he proved effective to the 

tune of a 3.13 ERA and a 24-4 strikeout-towalk 

ratio. He has a career 3.85 ERA over 

181 MLB games. 

“We are excited to add Andrew’s experience 

and proven abilities to our bullpen,” 

Mozeliak said. “Prior to his elbow injury, 

Andrew was an All-Star reliever, and we 

think his addition will benefit us greatly 

now that he is back to full health.” 

RELIEVER MIDDLETON ADDED 

Free-agent right-handed reliever Keynan 

Middleton was the Cardinals’ 10th pitching 

addition from outside of the organization 

this off-season. 

Middleton signed a one-year contract 

and the deal also includes a club option for 

2025. 

Middleton, 30, is a veteran of seven Major 

League seasons with the Angels (2017-20), 

Mariners (2021), Diamondbacks (2022), 

White Sox (2023) and Yankees (2023). The 

6-3, 215-pound Middleton has compiled a 

career mark of 10-8 with a 3.84 ERA in 205 

games with 15 saves and 23 holds, striking 

out 199 batters over his 194.1 innings pitched. 

“Acquiring additional proven depth for 

our bullpen was something we have been 

focused on,” Mozeliak said. “Keynan’s 

experience in getting outs in the back half 

of games offers us another strong addition 

to the bullpen mix.” 

Middleton split parts of the 2023 season 

with the White Sox and Yankees where he 

combined for career-bests with 11.4 strikeouts 

per nine innings pitched. 

2024 HALL OF FAME 

BALLOT NOMINEES 

Fans again can cast their selections 

online at cardinals.com/HOF to help pick 

inductees for the 2024 Hall of Fame. 

The team has revealed Steve Carlton, 

George Hendrick, Matt Morris and Edgar 

Renteria as the modern players nominated 

for possible induction into the St. Louis 

Cardinals Hall of Fame, presented by 

Edward Jones. 

The modern player with the most votes 

after fan voting concludes on April 26, will 

be selected for induction into the Cardinals 

Hall of Fame during an enshrinement ceremony 

Sept. 7. 

The full 2024 Cardinals Hall of Fame 

Induction Class, which will also include a 

veteran player chosen by the Red Ribbon 

Committee and a Cardinals organization 

selection, will be announced during a televised 

special program on Bally Sports in 

early May. 

“The annual Hall of Fame induction 

process connects generations of Cardinals 

fans,” said Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt 

Jr. in a statement. 

The Cardinals Hall of Fame was established 

to recognize the exceptional careers 

and significant achievements of the greatest 

players in Cardinals history. To be eligible, 

the nominees must have played for 

the Cardinals for at least three seasons and 

be retired as a player from Major League 

Baseball for at least three years. 

ON THE COVER: St. Louis Cardinals shortstop 

Masyn Winn (0) fields his position during an MLB 

game against the San Diego Padres on August 30, 

2023 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. 

(Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire) 

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32 I HEALTH I 





Just as spring allergies are starting to kick in, medical researchers say 

many allergy sufferers may actually have a different condition called CRS. 

(Adobe Stock photo) 

HEALTH 

CAPSULES 

By LISA RUSSELL 

Many cases of spring allergies 

may actually be CRS 

As April approaches and the blooming 

season begins, so does the suffering of 

many St. Louis area residents with allergies. 

For many, however, treating the symptoms 

with antihistamines and decongestants may 

not provide much relief from the runny 

noses, clogged sinuses and watery eyes 

that plague them every spring. 

That’s because many people who think 

allergies are their problem actually have a 

different condition called chronic rhinosinusitis 

(CRS) – a condition which should be 

treated differently than allergies, say medical 

researchers from the University of Cincinnati. 

“We have seen in our clinical practices 

many instances where patients have 

believed that they have allergies for many 

years and have sought treatment for allergies 

for years,” said Dr. Ahmad Sedaghat, director 

of the Division of Rhinology, Allergy 

and Anterior Skull Base Surgery at the UC 

College of Medicine. “They have never 

found relief from their sinus/nasal symptoms 

because all along they’ve had CRS, an 

inflammatory condition of the sinuses.” 

Sedaghat was the lead author of a recent 

UC study including more than 200 patients 

whose main complaint was nasal allergies. 

Thorough testing was conducted to measure 

the severity and cause of their nasal 

and sinus symptoms. Although 91% of 

them did have environmental allergies, just 

over 45% were also diagnosed with CRS. 

The preferred treatment for the condition 

is nasal corticosteroid medication; but only 

half of the people who were diagnosed with 

CRS in the study had received it, Sedaghat 

said. The study results suggest that patients 

should consider the possibility of CRS when 

their nasal blockage or discharge symptoms 

become moderate to severe, or if they notice 

any decreased sense of smell, he added. 

According to the National Institutes of 

Health, CRS may impact about 15% of the 

entire U.S. population. The UC study was 

recently published in the journal Otolaryngology 

– Head and Neck Surgery. 

Like Cincinnati, St. Louis is also a 

national hotspot for seasonal allergies. Our 

city was ranked No. 58 on the Asthma and 

Allergy Foundation’s most recent Allergy 

Capitals Report listing the top 100 most 

difficult places to live for people with allergies 

in the U.S. 

Snacks serve up large 

helping of daily calories 

Nearly a quarter of the calories consumed 

by American adults come from 

snacks, a new study conducted at Ohio 

State University has found. 

On average, Americans eat 400 to 500 

calories’ worth of snack foods every day. 

In order of preference, they include convenience 

foods high in carbohydrates and fats 

(like chips or pretzels); sweets; alcoholic 

beverages; sugar-sweetened beverages; milk 

and dairy foods; fruit; grain-based products, 

and – lagging far behind – svegetables. 

The vast majority of these snacks are 

lacking in nutritional value, contributing 

little in the way of protein, vitamins 

or minerals, the researchers said. At the 

same time, they account for about a third 

of added sugar and fat. 

“The magnitude of the impact (of snacking) 

isn’t realized until you actually look 

at it,” said senior study author Christopher 

Taylor, an Ohio State professor of medical 

dietetics. “Snacks are contributing a meal’s 

worth of intake to what we eat without it 

actually being a meal. If you ate a meal 

of what you eat for snacks, it becomes a 

completely different scenario of, generally, 

carbohydrates, sugars, not much protein, 

not much fruit, not a vegetable. So it’s not 

a fully well-rounded meal.” 

Data for the study came from surveys 

of nearly 24,000 adults over age 30 who 

participated in the National Health and 

Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 

between 2005 and 2016. These surveys 

detail exactly what, and when, participants 

ate over a particular 24-hour period. The 

study was recently published in PLOS 

Global Public Health. 

On the calendar 

BJC St. Louis Children’s Hospital sponsors 

a Babysitting 101 virtual class on 

Tuesday, March 26 from 6-8:30 p.m., live 

via Teams Meeting. This interactive class is 

a great introduction to the basics of babysitting. 

The cost is $25 per child; parents may 

sit in on the class at no additional cost. Register 

online at bjc.org/babysitting-class. 

• • • 

A St. Luke’s Nutrition Class is on 

Wednesday, March 27 from 2-3 p.m. at 

Schnucks Eatwell Market, 220 THF Blvd. in 

Chesterfield. A St. Luke’s Hospital dietitian 

will discuss how to find and make healthier 

choices at the grocery store, how to read a 

food label, and nutrition recommendations 

for optimal health. The registration cost is 

$5; all participants will receive wellness 

resources, samples and a $10 Schnucks gift 

card. Register at stlukes-stl.com. 

• • • 

BJC presents a Family and Friends 

CPR virtual course on Wednesday, April 

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

Meeting. This class uses the American 

Heart Association curriculum to teach 

hands-on CPR skills (course does not 

include certification upon completion). 

The cost is $50. Registration for a seat in 

this class is for two people. Register online 

by visiting bjc.org/cpr-class. 

• • • 

St. Luke’s Hospital offers Let’s Cook!! 

Herbs and Spices on Tuesday, April 23 

from 4-5 p.m. in the St. Luke’s Cardiac 

Rehab Kitchen, 121 St. Luke’s Center Drive 

in Chesterfield. Join a St. Luke’s dietician 

for a free, live cooking demonstration and 

sample some fresh herbs along with a delicious 

chicken dish prepared with whole 

grains and cherry tomatoes. Register at 

stlukes-stl.com. 

• • • 

St. Luke’s Hospital presents Make 

Peace with Food: Basics of Mindful 

Eating on Wednesday, April 24 from 

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

Center, 121 St. Luke’s Center Drive in 

Chesterfield, in Classroom 3 of Building 

A. Join us for a free in-person class to 

learn the basics about how to eat mindfully 

and move closer to feeling at peace 

in your relationship with food. Sign up at 

stlukes-stl.com. 

• • • 

St. Luke’s Hospital presents Mom & 

Baby Expo on Thursday, April 25 from 5-8 

p.m. at the hospital’s Institute for Health 

Education, 232 S. Woods Mill Road in 

Chesterfield, in the North Medical Building. 

Join us for this event designed to help 

parents in pregnancy planning through the 

transition to parenthood. An expert speaker 

panel will be on hand to answer questions. 

The free event also features vendor booths, 

tours of St. Luke’s Birth Care Suites, light 

refreshments and attendance prizes. Register 

at stlukes-stl.com.




ELECTION PREVIEW MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE I 33 

ELECTION PREVIEW, from page 10 

SAINT CHARLES 

There is no election in Saint Charles 

in April. 

ST. PETERS 

Mayor 

• Len Pagano* 

City Council 

• John “Rocky” Reitmeyer*, Ward 1 

• Gregg Sartorius*, Ward 2 

Q1. I have served the residents of 

Ward 2 in the city of St. Peters since 

2020. I had previously served on the 

Cultural Arts Advisory Board as chairman, 

the Millenium Commission, the 

Personnel Review Board and the Board 

of Adjustments. I retired in 2016 from 

Fort Zumwalt School District as a school 

administrator. I served as an adjunct professor 

for Lindenwood University for 19 

years and as a trustee for my subdivision 

for over 20 years. Other civic volunteer 

organizations I worked with include 

serving as the chairman of the Discovery 

Expedition of St. Charles from 2003- 

2006. 

Q2. Safety is my top priority. I support 

this by working with our police department 

and seeking ways to improve their 

service to the community, such as new 

advanced equipment, training and recruiting 

efforts. Secondly, is the service to our 

residents. We provide a wide array of services 

to our residents, as well as amenities 

to enhance their lives and make St. Peters 

a great place to live, work, play and pray. 

Last is the need for financial integrity. Our 

staff does an excellent job of maintaining 

a balanced budget, prioritizing needs and 

finding outside resources to help meet 

those needs. 

Q3. I am proud that during the past 

four years we have reduced crime in 

our city and attracted Blue Chip corporations 

into Premier Parkway, which 

provides revenue, jobs and services. We 

improved and/or added many amenities 

in the city, such as Ollie’s Fun Forest, 

an all-inclusive playground and sensory 

trail. Because of our recycling efforts we 

have won awards, such as the Innovation 

Award from the Missouri Municipal 

League. As a retired senior, I am always 

aware of the needs of others, have a great 

respect for our veterans and appreciate 

the opportunity to continue giving back 

to my community. 

• Randall Green, Ward 2 

Q1. I am running for alderman to be a 

part of the continued growth and wealth 

of our wonderful city. Most of my life 

has involved working with the public, 

which includes 40 years in business 

management and 23 years as a business 

owner. I have been married for 40 years 

and teach a Bible Fellowship. I am also 

a long-time resident of St. Peters where I 

have raised my family. 

Q2. Many of my neighbors have 

expressed concerns about the flash 

flooding that has been an issue in recent 

years. In addition to that, there have been 

concerns expressed over the policing of 

juveniles. One goal in this area is to have 

structured activities. St. Peters already 

has many things available to the public. 

Kayaks, canoes, water boards, archery, 

camping and biking are all available 

at the 370 Lakeside Park. It seems we 

could organize youth events. I would 

encourage it to be done on a smaller 

scale, possibly by subdivisions to start. I 

look forward to hearing any other suggestions. 

Q3. The continued success of St. 

Peters is very important to me. I have 

raised my family here and now my son 

is raising his family here also. We now 

have three generations established in St. 

Peters. There is a possibility of a fourth 

if my father retires here, closer to us. I 

have a great commitment to be involved 

in the growth and direction of our city. 

Feel free to reach out to me through voteforrandy.org. 

I look forward to your support 

and Ideas. Thank you and remember 

to vote on April 2. 

• Melissa Reimer*, Ward 3 

Q1. I have served as Ward 3 Alderman 

for over five years and currently 

serve as board president. Over time, I’ve 

gained extensive experience in my position. 

We’ve accomplished many things 

while I’ve been alderman, including 

recognition as one of Money Magazine’s 

Best Places to Live – twice since being 

elected. We’ve also constructed a unique 

all-inclusive park in Ward 3. I’ve proven 

my ability and knowledge to make sound, 

solid decisions regarding city operations 

while maintaining integrity and engagement 

with the people I serve. I’ll continue 

to ensure our city is a great place to 

live, work and play. 

Q2. The highest priority I have is to 

ensure that quality of life is maintained, 

now and in the future. This means 

making thoughtful decisions about what 

our city needs to best serve our residents. 

I will continue to work as an ambassador 

to bridge communication gaps and be 

accessible so that dialogue remains open. 

It is incredibly important to keep communication 

flowing so that meaningful 

tasks which are in the best interest of our 

residents can be accomplished. In addition, 

I will work diligently to provide 

excellent leadership and representation 

to move our city forward into the future. 

Q3. The experience I’ve gained as an 

alderman has taught me the importance 

of knowing that as a local official, many 

items and objectives are of great importance 

simultaneously. In order to properly 

provide for constituents, one needs 

the ability to adapt and pivot direction; 

whether you must make swift decisions 

during emergencies or choices which 

affect people for generations to come. 

Good communication, an open mind 

and desire to serve is what makes solid 

leadership. I have proven my leadership 

abilities. It has and will continue to be 

my priority to make wise decisions for 

the people I serve. 

• James Terry Lesinski, Ward 3 

Q1. I have been a resident in St. Peters 

for 36 years. I was nominated by the 

mayor and unanimously appointed by 

the Board of Aldermen and am currently 

serving on The Senior Advisory Committee, 

the St. Peters Parks Recreation 

and Arts Advisory Board and have previously 

been on the Planning and Zoning 

Commission. 

Q2. My priorities are to work to keep 

spending and taxes in check; to try to 

bring more single family residential 

homes into St. Peters; and to make sure 

that all of our veterans, law enforcement 

professional, and fire and ambulance districts 

are supported in our community. 

Q3. As a candidate, meeting residents 

at their doors has been very rewarding 

with the overwhelming support I am 

receiving. I attend the BOA meetings or 

view them on the SPTV regularly to keep 

up with the current events along with 

attending the budget proposal meetings 

in St. Peters. My only job as your alderman 

is to represent the residents in St. 

Peters. As your alderman I will work to 

keep you informed on projects that may 

effect you and to keep an open dialog 

with my residents to properly represent 

them. 

• Patrick Barclay*, Ward 4 

WELDON SPRING 

• Andy Clutter*, Ward 1 

• Edwina Conley*, Ward 2 

• Phil Martiszus*, Ward 3 

WENTZVILLE 

Mayor 

• Nickolas Nick Guccione*, 4-year term 


• Manny Macias*, Ward 1 

• Jordan Broviak*, Ward 2 

• Michael (Mike) Hays*, Ward 3 

O’FALLON FIRE DISTRICT 

• Matt Gober 

• Arnie C. AC Dienoff 

Candidates did not reply by press time. 

ST. CHARLES 

COMMUNITY COLLEGE 

Board of Trustees 

• Jean Ehlmann 

Q1. My 30 years on the board gives 

me a unique historic institutional perspective 

in addition to my 28 years of 

classroom teaching experience. 

Q2. My main priorities are continuing 

fiscal responsibility to the community 

and guaranteeing the success of the college 

so it meets the needs of students and 

community. I am also particularly interested 

in seeing the Regional Workforce 

Innovation Center in Wentzville be completed 

on budget and on time. 

Q3. I believe SCC needs to focus on 

attracting and retaining students until 

completion of their degree and providing 

them with a skill set to become 

productive members of society. We can 

do this by offering competitive degree 

and workforce pathways that are easily 

accessible to students. 

• Gary E. McKiddy 

Q1. My qualifications for this position 

include 52 years of teaching experience - 

including 21 at SCC. 

Q2. My top three priorities are: To offer 

at quality education at a reasonable price. 

To attract and retain outstanding faculty 

and staff through competitive salaries and 

benefits. To maintain a campus where all 

citizens feel welcome and appreciated 

Q3. My teaching experience includes 

grades seven through graduate university 

level. I believe in offering a curriculum 

where professors have academic freedom 

in planning lessons. I also feel there 

needs to be transparency in discussions 

between the administration and faculty 

and the faculty union. 

• Arnie Dienoff 

Candidate did not reply by press time. 

• Dan Hogan 

Q1. I am an alternate member of the 

O’Fallon Board of Adjustment. In addition 

to completing coursework at St. 

Charles Community College, I have an 

associates degree from the Community 

College of the Air Force, and bachelor’s 

and master’s degrees from Peru State 

College (Nebraska). I have previously 

served as a battalion S-6 NCOIC while 

in the active Army, and most recently 

served as an acting platoon sergeant in 

the Missouri Army National Guard. 

Q2. My priorities are: Recruit and 

retain top teaching talent. Maintain low 

cost of tuition. As a long-term goal, work 

toward developing a basketball program 

to create more opportunities for St. 

Charles County high school athletes to 

compete at the collegiate level. 

Q3. My wife and I have been married for 


34 I 







nearly 18 years. We have a daughter who is 

currently a fifth grader in the Fort Zumwalt 

School District. We are also foster parents. 

We moved to St. Charles County in 2014 

when I accepted a job here, and we love 

living in St. Charles County. I served in 

Afghanistan with the 1st Infantry Division 

in 2011-12; and I am currently a member 

of the Missouri National Guard, from 

which I will be retiring in 2025. 

• Michael Lissner 

Q1. For the past three and half years I 

have served as a trustee for the college. 

Prior to that I was on the SCC Foundation 

Board for almost 18 years. I am one of 

the owners of Acropolis Investment Management 

and bring a business focus plus 

accountability to the board. I was raised 

in St. Charles and love our community. I 

am a strong believer in the power of education 

to change lives and transform our 

community. I spent over 13 years as an 

international management consultant. 

Q2. My priorities are: To provide affordable 

education to everyone, particularly 

first-time college students and nontraditional 

learners. Student success - St. Charles 

needs to pursue academic excellence 

including faculty development, innovative 

uses of technology, and state-of-the-art 

facilities. Most importantly, we need to 

equip students with an education that builds 

better futures for themselves, their families, 

and the community we share. To position 

SCC to shape economic development for 

the next 50 years; continue to build and 

maintain the partnerships with local businesses 

and community organizations; and 

ensure the long-term competitiveness of the 

college and maintain budget transparency. 

Q3. I have broad experience. As an 

international management consultant, I 

consulted to dozens of companies in a 

half a dozen countries. I am a certified 

financial planner and certified exit planning 

advisor. I attended Wentzville and 

St. Dominic. At Mizzou I received my 

B.S. and B.A. in computer science. A 

few times each year I host young adults 

in the basics of financial planning. I also 

spend time with high schoolers on college 

major selection and career advice. I 

live in Lake Saint Louis with my wife. 

We have four successful adult children. 

BOARDS OF EDUCATION 

Candidates were asked the following 

questions: 

Q1. What inspired you to run for this 

office? 

Q2. What are your priorities if elected? 

Q3. What is the district’s biggest challenge? 

Q4. How would you have the district 

address that challenge? 

FRANCIS HOWELL 

SCHOOL DISTRICT 

• Steven Blair 


• Carolie Owens 

Q1. As a retired educator I am alarmed 

at the attacks on our schools. I am passionate 

about eduction and feel compelled 

to stand up for our schools and 

the promise of public education. Our 

students and teachers are not feeling 

supported or respected, and they deserve 

better. We must work together to defend 

and protect public education. 

Q2. I will work to provide a safe environment 

for students to work, learn, and 

grow. I will promote scholarship by supporting 

a challenging curriculum, exceptional 

educational materials, and the best 

teachers to benefit all students. I will 

advocate for teacher retention by working 

to improve salaries and providing a 

respectful teaching environment. I will 

trust the administration, teachers, and 

staff to do the job they were hired to do. 

Q3. Francis Howell’s biggest challenge 

is changing the narrative of the 

past year. The negative press, due to the 

actions of the current majority, has damaged 

our ability to retain and attract good 

teachers. The majority’s constant need to 

participate in partisan culture wars has 

hurt our students and created outrage 

in our community. We must change the 

focus from personal bias to supporting 

the education of all of our students in a 

peaceful environment. 

Q4. The Francis Howell School Board 

must begin to address real problems in 

our district. Some of these problems 

include school safety, bullying, teacher 

retention, staff salaries and the mental 

health of our employees and our students. 

Addressing these problems requires collaboration 

with everyone involved in the 

education process. This collaborative 

process should mean we listen, come to 

agreement and take action together. 

• Adriana Kuhn 

Q1. My inspiration to run for the 

school board stems from a profound 

belief in the transformative impact of 

education. Witnessing both the challenges 

and the opportunities facing our 

schools, I felt compelled to step forward 

and contribute my skills and insights 

to help ensure every student has access 

to quality education. By advocating for 

higher curriculum standards and emphasizing 

the core foundations of education, 

I aim to contribute to the development 

of well-rounded individuals prepared 

with the essential knowledge and skills 

needed for future success. 

Q2. If elected to the school board, my 

priorities will revolve around safeguarding 

parental rights, increasing academic 

standards and ensuring fiscal responsibility. 

I believe in empowering parents 

to actively participate in their children’s 

education with open communication and 

collaboration. Moreover, I am dedicated 

to elevating academic standards emphasizing 

a strong educational foundation 

that prepares students for the future. 

Simultaneously, I will work diligently 

to promote fiscal responsibility by maximizing 

resources to provide the best educational 

experience while maintaining 

strong financial oversight of our budget. 

Q3. The school district’s most pressing 

challenge is teacher retention and 

recruitment. Locally and nationally we 

aren’t seeing as many teachers enter the 

profession. Low hiring pools and high 

turnover rates can significantly disrupt 

school learning environments and impact 

student outcomes. I’ve been meeting 

with a lot of teachers to get a deeper 

understanding of their perspectives and 

our teachers are facing many combined 

challenges daily. I’m confident that our 

district can make choices to create more 

optimal teaching environments in our 

schools. 

Q4. Addressing this challenge requires 

comprehensive strategies that prioritize 

student discipline, competitive compensation 

and supportive work environments. 

Teachers are our biggest assets and we 

are not fully utilizing them. I would like 

to foster a district environment where 

there is significantly more teacher input. 

I’ll strive to encourage open collaboration 

with the valuable teachers in our 

district whenever possible. By tackling 

teacher retention and recruitment we 

can fortify the base of our educational 

system and promote student success. 

• Sam Young 

Q1. I value my public school education. 

My mother and father-in-law were 

teachers; my brother is a teacher. I studied 

engineering at Mizzou. I then spent 

20 years in the U.S. Navy, first on submarines 

in the Pacific, and later on fleet 

staffs doing operational and strategic 

planning, including a Carrier Strike 

Group deployment. For four years, I’ve 

volunteered as a mentor to the districtwide 

high school robotics team. I look 

forward to serving more of this nation’s 

finest young men and women as part of 

the Francis Howell School Board! 

Q2. My priorities are: Fiscal responsibility 

- Efficiently spend the remaining 

bond funds. Restore lost teacher step 

pay and budget for annual pay increases. 

High academic excellence - Focus on 

giving students a great knowledge base 

using a content rich curriculum, promote 

traditional values of hard work, and 

reduce teacher workloads so they can 

focus on academics. Removing radical 

activism from classrooms – The newest 

ideas of society should not be tested on 

our students. Only those ideas and values 

that are time-tested and widely held 

should be taught in the classroom. 

Q3. The Francis Howell School District 

remains one of the best of the state. 

The quality of the district relies on the 

engagement of the community and the 

quality of our staff. The district lost 

some of the community’s trust during 

COVID and the $79 million cost overrun 

for the Francis Howell North High. 

We also have seen many teachers leave 

the profession or retire. We must provide 

competitive pay and benefits with a 

rewarding work environment. 

Q4. The district must regain our community’s 

confidence by implementing 

responsible fiscal controls and efficiently 

spending the remaining construction 

bond funds to improve our facilities. I’ll 

vote to restore all steps in pay for every 

teacher in the district with pay raises 

budgeted in every year. We must ease 

the strain on teachers by consistently following 

through on discipline for students 

who disrespect their teachers and continually 

disrupt the learning environment. 

• Dia Day 


FORT ZUMWALT 


• Arnie C. AC “Arn” Dienoff 


• Tommy George Jr.* 

Q1. As an incumbent I felt compelled 

to run so we can keep building on the 

success we have achieved recently. 

Another reason is to give support to the 

administration going forward. 

Q2. My priorities are providing a high 

quality education for all students; recruitment 

and retention of teachers and staff; 

and mental health resources for students 

and staff. 

Q3. The biggest challenge the district 

faces is trying to make sure all children 

get an education tailored to their needs. 

Q4. As a seven member board, we 

address the challenges as they present 

themselves. Mitigating factors such 

as the funding formula from the state 

budget for the year play a part in decisions. 

Other unforeseen issues arise that 

need to be addressed throughout the 

school year. 

• Gabriel Helms* 


• Melissa Wilson 

Q1. I did not see candidates on the 

ballot that represented me. I wanted to 

vote for a parent with children actively 

involved in the district that were 


YOUR PASSION. 

YOUR POTENTIAL. 

YOUR PLACE. 

START WHEN YOU ARE READY 

Spring Accelerated Term #2 starts March 25 

May Mini Session starts May 15 

stchas.edu 

636-922-8000 

SCC is an equal opportunity employer/program.

36 I 







impacted by Board of Education decisions 

today and for years to come. I was 

inspired to run for Fort Zumwalt board 

to represent parents with children in 

elementary, middle and high school right 

now who need leadership that can empathize 

with the challenges they are facing 

today. 

Q2. My priorities are responsible 

spending, safe environment and post 

grad focused learning. 

Q3. We are blessed in our district to 

have employed passionate professionals 

who are skilled at their positions. Therefore, 

our biggest immediate challenges 

are to continue to attract and retain quality 

educators and staff to begin to serve 

our community growth and backfill our 

retiring educators. We also face a growing 

safety concern as the infrastructure of 

Missouri roads and intersections expand 

onto our legacy school buildings causing 

traffic/pedestrian hazards. 

Q4. The district is on a solid path today 

thanks to the past leadership at all levels. 

When they retired, the district had a transition 

plan for talented professionals to 

continue the legacy of the Fort Zumwalt 

community. I believe what I offer as a 

candidate on the ballot is a vested interest 

in the long-term trajectory of our district. 

I am invested in attracting the best 

educators, passionate staff and resources 

to enable these talented professionals to 

spur the best future for our youth. 

ST. CHARLES 


• Heidi Sikma* 

Q1. My inspiration to run for the 

school board comes from my love for 

my children and all children who are 

in the school district, my commitment 

to serve the St. Charles community and 

my deep gratitude for the teachers, staff 

and administration in our district. I have 

always enjoyed being involved in the 

school district. It brings me great joy to 

serve those who tirelessly pour themselves 

into educating and caring for the 

students in our community. 

Q2. I desire for all students to be supported, 

challenged and engaged with a 

personalized education. Students being 

pushed to their full potential and achieving 

academic success is crucial. Another 

top priority is promoting mental health 

care among the education workforce. 

It is important that our district’s hiring 

practices attract and retain the best persons 

available, and establishes a supportive 

and positive work environment for 

all staff. 

Q3. One of our district’s greatest challenges 

is the rapidly growing populations 

of special education students and English 

language learners and making sure 

that they are having their educational 

needs, as well as their social, emotional 

and physical needs met. 

Q4. It is imperative that our school district 

obtains highly qualified staff in the 

areas of special education and English 

language learning. As these student populations 

grow, it is very important that 

the staff educating and caring for them 

feel equipped, valued and adequately 

trained. The district also needs to collaboratively 

work with the parents and 

advocates of these students so that they 

feel heard and supported. 

• M. Ellen Zerr* 

Q1. My love of the St. Charles school 

district inspired me to run. I have nearly 

20 years of experience teaching in the district. 

I graduated from St. Charles High, 

and my daughter attended St. Charles 

West. I feel that having great schools is 

so important to my community. 

Q2. My priorities are ensuring that all 

students and staff feel safe, valued and 

respected; financial responsibility; and 

teacher retention and satisfaction. 

Q3. Meeting individual students’ 

needs. We have many students experiencing 

poverty, homelessness and 

trauma. We have the highest proportion 

of special needs students of any district 

in the county. 

Q4. I am an incumbent. We have 

already approved the establishment of an 

on-site health clinic that accepts Medicaid 

and sliding scale payments for uninsured 

students. We need to divert even 

more funding into mental health of students 

and staff. 

• Randy Beilsmith 

Q1. I want to see our schools and our 

city be the best they can be and I have 

seen that education in general, and our 

district in particular, are trending the 

wrong way in providing the education 

our children need. With my business 

experience, I believe that I have a different 

skill set and perspective that I can 

bring to the St. Charles School Board. 

Q2. My priorities are to refocus our 

resources to the most productive programs 

in our schools. We need to ensure 

the district’s culture, facilities and especially 

curriculum are providing the best 

experience we can for our students. We 

also need to ensure the parents and the 

community have a voice in our school 

district. 

Q3. Our biggest challenge is the 

declining academic performance and 

preparation of our students to move on 

to a working environment or higher education. 

Q4. We need to ensure the curriculum 

is focused on giving the students they 

need. The employers in the St. Louis 

area cite a need for people with strong 

work ethic, communication skills and 

critical thinking. Our curriculum needs 

to address these needs. In addition we 

need to ensure the right people are in 

place to provide these skills to our students. 

WENTZVILLE 


• Brad Welsh 


• David Biesenthal 

Q1. I am running for the Board of Education 

to bring the much-needed perspective 

of a current educator to the board. 

When evaluating proposals before the 

board, I will do so from the perspective 

of someone who is in a school every day. 

Finally, it is vital to me that IEPs and 504 

plans are followed to the letter and that 

our teachers have the tools they need to 

fulfill their students’ plan requirements 

so that all students’ needs are met. 

Q2. My top priorities are: To ensure 

our schools are timely in creating and 

updating all IEPs and 504 plans. To keep 

boundaries as stable as possible so that 

students experience minimal uprooting 

and movement as new buildings are 

built. To hire and retain engaging teachers 

and support staff. To support efforts 

to expand our early childhood education 

offerings To enhance opportunities 

for our high school students to explore 

potential career paths in technology, the 

trades and other areas. 

Q3. Our district’s biggest challenge is 

being able to retain and attract high-quality 

staff to continue to meet the needs of 

our students as our district continues to 

experience rapid growth. 

Q4. In order to address this challenge, 

we need to come up with creative ways 

to meet the needs of our staff. In addition 

to making sure our salaries are competitive, 

we need to be offering our staff 

high-quality professional development, 

providing them with resources to create a 

home-work life balance and offer opportunities 

to our staff to continue to grow 

in their professions whether they want 

to remain in the classroom or become 

administrators. 

• Cindy Reidy 

Q1. I have been passionately advocating 

for the quality of education for 

my three children in this district since I 

began regularly attending school board 

meetings over four years ago. That led to 

my participation in school board election 

campaigns supporting like-minded candidates 

for the last two election cycles, 

and now I find myself in a position where 

the best way to continue this advocacy 

is to run for a seat on the school board 

myself. 

Q2. My campaign platform is based 

on three pillars: academics, accountability 

and fiscal responsibility. The school 

board and the district administration 

should be accountable to the parents and 

their students to prepare them academically 

for their next step post-graduation, 

whether that’s college, trade school, 

entering the workforce or anything in 

between. The district’s resources, which 

are our tax dollars, should be solely dedicated 

to this effort and used to ensure no 

child falls between the cracks. 

Q3. The biggest challenge our district 

faces is a combination of poor academic 

performance and fiscal irresponsibility. 

Across the district’s student population, 

48.9% are not proficient in math, 47.7% 

are not proficient in English/language 

arts and 47.4% are not proficient in science. 

Meanwhile, the district has spent 

over $1 million on non-academic and 

non-mandated programs. Students and 

parents deserve better than this, and it’s 

my intention to see that they get it. 

Q4. I will return the focus and investment 

back on evidence-based curriculum 

that is proven to increase student 

proficiency scores. The administration 

is responsible for the academic performance 

of the schools and therefore 

should be held accountable to those 

results. This includes not only allowing 

our district to continue to use programs 

that are not helping our children succeed 

academically, but also for implementing 

non-academic and non-mandated programs 

that take away from real one-onone 

teaching time. 

• Leigh Palitzsch 

Q1. I decided to run for the school 

board for my kids, your kids, educators, 

staff and the district. You can count on 

from me is a stable foundation, strong 

morals, integrity and work ethic. I enjoy 

researching issues and providing ideas 

for positive and meaningful change. 

Q2. The one topic I have been discussing 

with families is the bullying 

happening in our district. I will prioritize 

holding administration accountable 

for implementing our discipline policy, 

district-wide. Academics is also a top 

priority for me. I would encourage a 

decreased usage of Chromebooks and an 

increased use of textbooks. 

Q3. In my opinion, the discipline and 

bullying issues in our buildings are the 

district’s biggest challenges. I believe if 

we can get behaviors under control and 

adhere to our expectations, the teachers 

can put their focus on the core academics. 

This will help to improve attendance, 

grades and overall school environment. 

Q4. The district has a discipline policy 

and the board needs to ensure it is being 

implemented in every building districtwide.

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40 I BUSINESS I 





Spring 

Now Open 

At The 

Meadows! 

Store Hours 

Mon-Fri 

10am-8pm 

Sat 

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Donation Hours 

Mon-Sat 

10am-3pm 

IS THE PERFECT TIME 

TO REFRESH YOUR 

SPIRIT & YOUR HOME 

Missions Thrift Store 

FOLLOW US! 

@MTS 

VISIT MTS 

AND 

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WE ARE LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS! 

Missions Thrift Store 

25 Meadows Circle Drive, Ste. 502 

Lake Saint Louis • 636-695-2612 

www.missionsthriftstore.org 

The MO’ Cowbell Half Marathon has been named best in the state. 

(Photo: Mo Cowbell/EDC) 

BUSINESS 

BRIEFS 

AWARDS 

The MO’ Cowbell Half Marathon, 

sponsored by the Economic Development 

Council of St. Charles County and held 

each fall has been named Missouri’s best 

half-marathon by halfmarathons.net. The 

race draws its name from a 2000 Saturday 

Night Live skit in which actor Christopher 

Walken demanded that “more cowbell” 

be added to a musical track – while also 

paying homage to the state’s postal abbreviation. 

To learn more and register, visit 

mocowbellmarathon.com. 

PEOPLE 

The Honorable Rebeca M. Navarro- 

McKelvey of St. Charles was sworn in on 

March 18 as a justice on the Missouri Court 

of Appeals, Eastern District, becoming the 

first woman from St. Charles and the first 

naturalized immigrant from St. Charles to 

sit on the court. Navarro-McKelvey has 

served as the Division 1 Circuit Judge in 

the 11th Judicial Circuit in St. Charles 

since 2020. She previously served as an 

associate judge for Division 13. 

• • • 

Beacon Endodontics has announced the 

addition of Dr. Craig Mulherin, DDS 

to its Wentzville practice. Mulherin is a 

native of Troy. He will serve patients with 

Ted Beauchamp, DDS, Beacon’s founder 

and owner, and the company’s team of 

dental professionals. Learn more at beaconrootcanal.com. 

PLACES 

Hillside Auto Repair, located at 400 

Church St. in O’Fallon, was recently 

awarded the 2023 Shop4D Top Performing 

Shop Award. Recipients are selected 

through a rigorous evaluation process 

considering customer reviews and various 

business growth metrics. The full-service 

preventative maintenance and auto repair 

shop achieved a year-over-year business 

growth of nearly 17%. For more information 

visit hillsideautomotiverepair.com. 

• • • 

The Solstice Apartments are now open 

at 4000 Brady Way in Lake Saint Louis. The 

pet-friendly community features one- and 

two-bedroom apartment homes. Its ribbon 

cutting was facilitated by the O’Fallon 

Chamber of Commerce and Industries. 

• • • 

The List Chiropractic Clinic celebrated 

its grand opening with a ribbon 

cutting hosted by the Western St. Charles 

County Chamber of Commerce on March 

14. Located at 2676 Technology Drive in 

Dardenne Prairie, The List Chiropractic 

Clinic is operated by Dr. Nate Prentice. 

• • • 

Southern Grace Coffee LLC has 

opened a coffee shop at 20 Meadow Circle 

Drive, Suite 216 in Lake Saint Louis. The 

brick-and-mortar location is in addition to 

Southern Grace’s coffee truck, which is 

available for corporate events, customer/ 

employee appreciation days, church events, 

open houses and catering. Learn more at 

southerngracecoffee.com. 

• • • 

Preferred Rate Mortgage has opened 

a location at 3018 Winghaven Blvd. in 

O’Fallon. Under the guidance of Lori D. 

Williams, senior loan officer, Preferred 

Rate Mortgage helps customers navigate 

the complexities of real estate finance.


MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE I BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT I 41 

Spruce up this spring with Rhino Shield and never paint again 



Spring is coming and if you 

have an exterior painting project 

to tackle, it might be time to consider 

the question – why paint? In 

fact, when the coverage, durability 

and energy benefits of Rhino Shield 

are considered, the question might 

better be, “why paint ever again?” 

“Rhino Shield is not paint. It’s 

better,” said Darrin Crook, owner 

of the Rhino Shield franchise in 

Manchester. 

Rhino Shield is a durable, flexible, 

low maintenance wall coating. It 

is an acrylic-urethane formula that not 

only covers beautifully but helps to 

waterproof, insulate, and soundproof 

the structures it covers, and it will cover 

almost any kind of structural material. 

For example, Rhino Shield will cover, 

and actually bonds to aluminum, cedar, 

block, brick, Masonite, stucco and 

wood, according to the company. The 

innovative technology combines multiple 

resins with ceramic microspheres 

resulting in a flexible but tough surface. 

In addition, Rhino Shield contains 

additives that provide fire resistance 

giving the material a Class A fire and 

smoke rating, UV blockers that reduce 

wall surface temperature and save 

Kirstie, Darrin, Carter and Sandy Crook 

money over time on cooling costs and 

mildewcides and algeacides to stop mold. 

Rhino Shield’s flexibility also allows the 

coated surface to expand and contract with 

changing temperatures which helps to 

eliminate cracking. 

One of the most valuable aspects of 

Rhino Shield however, is its longevity. 

“The Rhino Shield is engineered to outlast 

paint five to seven times,” Darrin said. 

“It is a permanent ceramic coating that 

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

in many colors. The durable maintenancefree 

wall coating has a flexible and tough 

surface – so tough, in fact, that it comes 

with a 25-year non-prorated transferable 

warranty,” Darrin said. 

That warranty and the product it guarantees 

mean that painting becomes a 

thing of the past, costs and time are 

reduced and because the covering is 

attractive and the warrenty is transferable, 

Rhino Shield adds value to your 

home should you ever decide to sell it. 

Darrin said he is proud to be the only 

Rhino Shield dealer in Missouri and 

Southern Illinois. The family-owned 

business is focused on bringing a better 

option than paint to local homeowners. 

Rhino Shield has thousands of satisfied 

customers locally and tens of thousands 

nationally. 

“We’ve been here 30 years. We had 

Rhino Shield put on the house 14 years 

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

said one woman about her experience with 

Rhino Shield. “It sounded wonderful that 

we could go ahead and have the house 

coated with Rhino Shield and literally not 

have to worry about it again for 25 years. 

I’m really glad we did it. Rhino Shield 

really worked with me to help me get the 

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

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

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

have been neighbors that have come by 

and said, ‘Did you just have your house 

painted?’ They wanted to know who the 

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

Rhino Shield.’” 

Applying Rhino Shield is a simple process. 

It begins with pressure washing the 

surfaces to be covered. Loose paint and 

debris are then removed for a clean bondable 

surface for the primer. Areas not to be 

coated are masked off, covered or temporarily 

removed. The primer is then sprayed 

onto the surface. Finally, the ceramic top 

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

Tight spaces are trimmed in. Once the finish 

coat has dried, all masking materials and 

dropcloths are removed. “Our goal is to 

return your surroundings to the same condition 

as before we arrived,” Darrin said. 

After the area is cleaned up, customers 

make a final inspection of the work done. 

“We’re not done until you’re completely 

satisfied with our work,” Darrin said. 

Call Rhino Shield to get a free evaluation 

for your home and take advantage of new 

technology that covers your home with 

beautiful color that lasts decades. Paint a 

house. Shield a home! 

Rhino Shield 

241 Old Meramec Station Road, 

Manchester 

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

WWW.87725RHINO.COM 

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Mail to: 

754 Spirit 40 Park Drive • Chesterfield, MO 63005


42 I BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT I MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE 

Logan University opens Women’s Health Specialty Clinic 

Logan University now features a 

Women’s Health Specialty Clinic at 

Montgomery Health Center in Chesterfield. 

The new clinic, which opened in January, 

is dedicated to providing patientcentered, 

evidence-based care tailored 

specifically for women. Logan is the 

first chiropractic institution worldwide 

to house a Women’s Health Specialty 

Clinic on its premises – a testament to 

Logan’s commitment to excellence in 

health, education and service, said Kristina 

Petrocco-Napuli, DC, MS, DHPE, 

FICC, FACC, Associate Provost for the 

College of Chiropractic at Logan. 

It was Petrocco-Napuli who championed 

the idea for the Women’s Clinic. 

“...We know that the majority of our 

patients are female – and there’s been 

a real shift in what the patient needs as 

well as what they want. We’re seeing 

more demand from females seeking 

chiropractic care for health conditions 

specific to women,” she said. 

The new clinic was also important 

because of Logan University’s role 

“training practitioners to be experts in 

their field,” Petrocco-Napuli said. “(It) 

was something we wanted to demonstrate 

as a model so students have more 

Dr. Emily Kliethermes 

opportunities to specialize their practice.” 

Through adjustment and/or acupuncture 

treatment, the Women’s Health Specialty 

Clinic may be able to help alleviate symptoms 

related to neuromusculoskeletal conditions 

including, but not limited to bone 

health, chronic pain management and 

headaches. 

In addition, plans for the Women’s Health 

Clinic include being a resource for women 

for menstrual issues and during pregnancy. 

The Women’s Health Clinic is led by 

Dr. Emily Kliethermes, DC, a seasoned 

professional with more than 25 years 

of expertise in chiropractic care. Dr. 

Kliethermes has owned and operated her 

own chiropractic practice, served as an 

independent contractor and associate and 

taught in higher education. 

“It is important that women in all stages 

of life are heard and symptoms are taken 

seriously,” she said. “I am excited to help 

women live their best life in all stages with 

chiropractic, acupuncture, nutritional counseling 

and lifestyle modifications.” 

“If you are having menstrual issues (painful 

periods, irregular cycles, infertility or 

menopausal) pain during regular daily 

activities, migraines or are worried about 

bone density we may be able to help,” Dr. 

Kliethermes said. “We have the DEXA scan 

to monitor bone health and body composition. 

Acupuncture and muscle work to help 

relieve cramps and other menstrual problems. 

And, of course, chiropractic to help 

with any aches and pains of daily living.” 

One area of focus for the Women’s Health 

Clinic is being a resource of care during 

pregnancy. 

“We help get the body ready for pregnancy 

by making sure the pelvis is structurally in 

place. We check the spine for misalignments,” 

Dr. Kliethermes said. 

As some mothers experience severe 



morning sickness in the first trimester, 

Dr. Kliethermes provides resources about 

nutrition and things that may reduce those 

symptoms. 

“As the body changes to accommodate 

the growing baby, we work with her to 

make sure the spine and pelvis are aligned. 

We also talk about nutrition, exercises and 

what she can do at home,” she said. 

The third trimester is the time that women 

are usually pretty uncomfortable. 

“The change in their body and center of 

gravity can cause low back pain, mid back 

pain and muscle strain. Unfortunately, 

there is little over the counter medicine that 

is allowed during pregnancy so we are a 

resource for pain relief.” 

“We are here to assist the moms anyway 

we can in all stages of pregnancy.” 

Petrocco-Napuli hopes that the clinic 

helps women achieve their health and wellness 

goals and the practitioners meet them 

at the level they are expecting from their 

care. 

Montgomery Health Center 

1851 Schoettler Road • Chesterfield 

(636) 230-1990 

www.loganhealthcenters.com 

WE’RE HIRING 

636-928-1040 

Returns with 

only 1 W2 

$150 

WE’RE OPEN & FILING! 

Sederburg & Associates 

Income Tax Services 

3023 N. St. Peters Pkwy. 

St. Peters, MO 63376 

2434 Highway K 

O’Fallon, MO 63368 

Look-Back’s 

Complimentary! 

Amended Returns 

Start at 

$150 

Serving St. Charles County since 1966 

809 E. Pearce Blvd. 

Wentzville, MO 63385 

(636) 928-1040 • www.taxteam1040.com 

Real Estate 

Professionals 

A special advertorial section coming 4.17.24 

Call 636.591.0010 for advertising





I 43 

MID RIVERS SAVER 

$50 OFF 

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Service Agreement 

• General Pest Control 

• Mosquito Control 

• Rodent Control 

Offer expires 4/30/24 

Termites 

• 

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THE COST OF NEW CABINETS 

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Visit Our Website & Try Out 

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

Military 

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TREE SERVICE 

• Tree Trimming • Stump Grinding • 

• Storm Damage Clean Up • 

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Tree Removal 

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OR 

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Any tree removal estimated value 

of $999 or more. Must Mention ad 

the same time as estimate. Not valid 

with other discounts. Exp: 4/30/24 

Mr. Fence 

We Also 

Do Decks! 

(636) 294-6358 

Call Today For A No Pressure FREE Estimate 

We Offer a 

FULL LINE OF FENCING 

• Vinyl • Wood 

• Ornamental Aluminum 

• Chain Link 

Licensed, Bonded & Insured 

Call Mr. Fence 

636-294-6358 Comprehensive Warranties 

We also do 

Fence Repairs 

on any type of 

Fence or Gate 

50% OFF 

The labor of Your 

New Fence or 

Repair 

No Minimum Required 

With Coupon Expires 4/30/24 

Need An Electrician? 

Ask About Whole 

House Stand-By 

Generators! 

Free Estimates • Fast Service 

Service Upgrades • Replace Outdated Fuse Box With New Circuit 

Breaker Box • Rewiring of New & Old Homes • Room Additions 

Remodeling • Rathskelter Specialists • Motion Detector Lights 

Install Fans, Fixtures, Outlets, A/C, etc. Landscape Lighting 

Over 20 Years Experience • Licensed, Bonded & Insured 

Full Service Electrical Contractor • Radio Dispatched 

Trenching & Bucket Truck Service Available By F.E.S. 

Fielder Electrical Services 

Fully Licensed by St. Louis County & City! WE WORK IN YOUR AREA! 

314-966-3388 • www.fielderelectricalservices.com 

$ 

20 

OFF 

Any electrical job 

of $ 100 or more 

Save For Future Use! 

POWER WASHING GUTTERS ∙ Cleaning ∙ Repairs ∙ Guards 

• Siding 

• Patios 

• Decks 

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636-244-0461 

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• Driveways 

• Sidewalks 

• Gutters 

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Coupon may not be combined with any other offer. 

,--r Present Coupon "AFTER" Quote.

44 I EVENTS I 





LOCAL 

EVENTS 

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 

Wag: An Exhibition for Dogs is on 

display through March 23 at the Foundry 

Art Centre, 520 N. Main Center in Saint 

Charles. Wag is an interactive art exhibition 

featuring artists Greta Coalier, Justin 

King, Steve Jones and Laura Lloyd. Details 

at foundryartcentre.org. 

• • • 

The “Toys & Joys” art show is on 

display through Sunday, March 24 at the 

Cultural Arts Centre, 1 St. Peters Centre 

Blvd. For details, visit stpetersmo.net/243/ 

art-shows-exhibits. 

• • • 

Trash Can Decorating Contest is 

through April 1 in Wentzville. The Crossroads 

Arts Council in partnership with 

Wentzville Parks and Rec is working to 

raise public awareness of litter in local 

parks. The contest is open to students who 

live in Wentzville. Ten trash can artwork 

designs will be selected and five winners 

will win a $25 prize. The cans will 

be placed in parks throughout Wentzville 

this summer For details, visit crossroadsartscouncil.org. 

• • • 

History in Harmony is from 1-4 p.m. on 

Sundays, April 21 and 28; May 19 and 26 

and June 23 and 30 at 230 S. Main Street 

in St. Charles. Discover the sound of Main 

St. as a rotating line-up of guest musicians 

provide the soundtrack for a stroll through 

the historic district. Free event. For details, 

visit discoverstcharles.com. 

• • • 

Ann Croghan - Light & Color II is on 

display now through Saturday, May 18 in 

the East Gallery at the Foundry Art Centre, 

20 N. Main Center in St. Charles. For 

details, visit foundryartcentre.org. 

BENEFITS 

The 2024 Soldier’s Christmas Card 

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

24 and Sunday, April 28 at the MU Extension 

in St. Charles, 260 Brown Road in St. 

Peters. Write Christmas cards to soldiers 

overseas. Cards will be shipped inside 

care packages during Christmas 2024 by 

H.E.R.O.E.S. Care. For details, visit extension.missouri.edu/programs. 

• • • 

The St. Charles Optimist Club Spaghetti 

Dinner is from 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m. on Friday, 

April 5 at Memorial Hall in Blanchette 

Park, 1900 Randolph in St. Charles. Spaghetti 

with meat sauce, salad, garlic bread, 

This is the last weekend to take in Wag: An Exhibition for Dogs on 

display through Saturday, March 23 at the Foundry Arts Centre in Historic 

Saint Charles. Shown is Max by Laura Lloyd. 

soda, coffee and dessert. $12 for adults and 

children ages 5 and under free. Dine in or 

carry-out. All proceeds benefit the youth of 

St. Charles. For tickets, call (314) 807-5022 

or visit, scoptimists.weebly.com. 

• • • 

St. Dominic High Barnes & Noble 

Book Fair is from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. on Saturday, 

April 6 at Barnes & Noble, 320 

Mid Rivers Center Drive in St. Peters. A 

percentage of all purchases made in-store 

or online will be used to purchase books 

for the Learning Commons Library and 

to fulfill teacher wishlists at St. Dominic 

High in O’Fallon. For details, call (636) 

240-8303. 

• • • 

Spring Craft Fair is from 9 a.m.-3 

p.m. on Saturday, April 6 at Fort Zumwalt 

East High, 600 First Executive Ave. in St. 

Peters. Concessions will be available. Free 

event. Proceeds to benefit the class of 2024 

grad night. For details, email fzecraftshow@gmail.com. 

• • • 

Mix and Mingle - It’s a Party Period is 

from 5-8 p.m. on Thursday, April 11 at The 

Quarry Wine Garden, 3960 Hwy. Z in New 

Melle. Feminine hygiene and care product 

donation or $5 for admission per adult 

benefitting schools in need in St. Charles 

County. For details, visit womenoflbb.com. 

• • • 

Ribbon of Hope Celebration is from 11 

a.m.- 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 27 at Barnes 

Jewish St. Peters Hospital, 10 Hospital 

Drive in St. Peters. This is a free, familyfriendly 

event celebrating life and bringing 

hope to the community affected by cancer. 

For details, visit bjcstcharlescounty.org. 

FISH FRIES 

All-Saints Church Knights of Columbus, 

7 McMenamy Road in St. Peters 

from 4-7 p.m. Fried cod, catfish and sides. 

Drive-thru and Dine-in. For details, visit 

allsaints-stpeters.org. 

• • • 

Immaculate Conception, 7701 Hwy. N 

in Dardenne Prairie from 4:30 p.m.–8 p.m. 

Cod, catfish, shrimp, fish tacos, hushpuppies 

and more. Alcohol will also be available. 

Dine-in, carry-out and drive-thru. For 

details, visit Facebook - “ICD Fish Fry” or 

email, icdfishfryexec@gmail.com. 

• • • 

Knights of Columbus - Post 2269 at 

Assumption Catholic Church, 403 N. Main 

St. in O’Fallon, from 5-7 p.m. Cod, catfish, 

potato salad, cole slaw, spaghetti. Dine-in 

or carry-out. For details or visit, thecompass2269.com. 

• • • 

Knights of Columbus at St. Joseph 

Catholic Church. Fish fries are held at 

the Pezold Banquet and Meeting Center, 

5701 Hwy. N in St. Charles from 4-8 p.m.; 

and 4-7 p.m. on Ash Wednesday and Good 

Friday. Cod, catfish and shrimp. For details, 

email kurt.speckhals@sbcglobal.net. 

• • • 

St. Charles Borromeo, 601 N. Fourth 

St. in St. Charles from 4-7 p.m. Catfish, 

cod, fish tacos, pizza. Dine-in or carry-out. 

For details, call (636) 946-1893. 

• • • 

St. Cletus Church, 2721 Zumbehl Road 

in St. Charles from 4-7 p.m., in the gym. 

Batter-fried cod or catfish, seasoned baked 

cod, fried or boiled shrimp, cheese pizza 

and sides. Dine-in or drive-thru. For details, 

call (636) 946-6327 or visit saintcletus.org. 

• • • 

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Knights of 

Columbus, 2 Seton Court in St. Charles 

from 4-7 p.m. Fried and baked cod, catfish, 

cole slaw, french fries and quesadillas. 

Dine-in or carry-out. For details, call (636) 

946-6717. 

• • • 

St. Joseph - Josephville, 1410 Josephville 

Road in Wentzville from 4:30-6:30 

p.m. Baked/fried fish, sides and complimentary 

dessert. Dine-in or carry-out. 

• • • 

St. Patrick Knights of Columbus, 405 

S. Church Street in Wentzville from 4-7 

p.m. Fried catfish, whitefish, cod, spaghetti, 

sides and drinks. Beer and wine available 

for purchase. Dine-in or carry-out. For 

details, call (314) 440-5510. 

• • • 

St. Peter’s Church, 201 First Capitol 

in St. Charles from 4-7 p.m. Cod, catfish, 

shrimp, hushpuppies and more. Dine-in or 

carry-out. For details, call (636) 946-6641 

or visit stpstc.org. 

• • • 

Sts. Joachim & Ann, 4112 McClay 

Road in St. Charles from 4-7 p.m. Catfish, 

cod, shrimp, crab cakes, fish tacos, sides 

and more. Credit cards accepted. Dine-in 

or carry-out. For details, visit stsja.org. 

• • • 

St. Theodore - Flint Hill Knights of 

Columbus, 2061 Grothe Road from 5-7 

p.m. through Lent until March 15. Fresh 

catfish with coleslaw, potato salad, dessert 

and more. Drive through only. For details, 

visit uknight.org. 

• • • 

VFW Post 2866, 66 VFW Lane in St. 

Charles from 3-7 p.m. Cod, catfish, shrimp 

and hushpuppies. 

• • • 

VFW Post 5077, 8500 Veterans Memorial 

Parkway in O’Fallon from 4:30-7 p.m. 

Every Friday through Lent, including 

Good Friday. For details, call (636) 272- 

1945. 

FAMILY & KIDS 

A Teen Workshop from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, 

March 30 at the Foundry Art Centre, 

520 N Main Center in St. Charles. Anime 

theme. Teens (ages 13-18) will create with 

professional artists in hands-on art-making 

experiences. All supplies are provided and 

all skill levels are welcome; fee is $50. For 

details, visit foundryartcentre.org/teenworkshops. 

• • • 

Kids Clay Workshop is from 11 a.m.- 

noon on Tuesday, April 2 at The Foundry 

Art Centre, 520 N. Main in St. Charles. 

Build and fire a functional bud vase, just 

in time for Mother’s Day. Supplies are





I EVENTS I 45 

included in the registration fee of $40. For 

details, visit foundryartcentre.org/kidsclasses. 

• • • 

Kids Workshop - Celebrate Earth 

Day with Mixed Media is from 11 a.m.- 

12:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 13 at The 

Foundry Art Centre, 520 N Main Center 

in St. Charles. By repurposing discarded 

materials, students will embrace the spirit 

of “reduce, reuse, and recycle” by turning 

trash into masterpieces. For ages 5-12. The 

cost is $35 and includes all of the supplies 

needed for the workshop. For details, visit 

foundryartcentre.org. 

SPECIAL INTEREST 

The O’Fallon Lions Club meets at 6 

p.m. on the fourth Thursday of each month 

at JJ’s Restaurant, 200 Fort Zumwalt 

Square in O’Fallon. Everyone is welcome. 

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

weserve@ofallonlions.com. 

• • • 

Cottleville/Weldon Spring Rotary 

Club meets at noon every Wednesday 

at Bemo’s, 5373 Hwy. N. in Cottleville. 

RSVP to Toddrasche01@gmail.com. 

Details at cwsrotary.org. 

• • • 

The Wentzville Veteran’s Coffee 

group meets at 9 a.m. every 2nd and 

4th Wednesday at the Wentzville Senior 

Center, 500 Great Oaks Blvd. Join for 

some comradery and coffee. For details, 

visit wentzvillemo.gov. 

• • • 

The Cave Springs Toastmasters Club 

offers in-person and online meetings 

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

Charles Ambulance District, 2000 Salt 

River Road in St. Peters. Improve public 

speaking and communication skills by 

gaining confidence when speaking in front 

of others. RSVP to cavespringstoastmasters@gmail.com. 

• • • 

St. Charles County Pachyderm Club 

meets at noon every Friday at B. Hall’s 

Family Grill, 3782 Monticello Plaza Drive 

in O’Fallon. Be informed and meet elected 

officials. No meetings on holiday weekends. 

For details, visit sccpachyderms.org. 

• • • 

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

on the second Tuesday of the month at the 

Crossroads Arts Center, 310 W. Pearce Blvd. 

in Wentzville. Join this writing group to share 

writing, encourage others and improve your 

skills. For details, contact Deborah Bowman 

at deborahbowman12@yahoo.com. 

• • • 

St. Charles County Master Gardener 

Class is from 9 a.m.-noon on Saturday, 

March 23 at the MU Extension Classroom, 

260 Brown Road in St. Peters. Learn how 

to build and use raised beds and amend soil 

for in-ground beds. All experience levels 

are welcome. The cost is $20. Register 

at stcharlescountymastergardeners.com/ 

core-training. For details, visit stcharlescountymastergardeners.com. 

• • • 

Taste of the County is from 5-7 p.m. on 

Thursday, April 4 at Dardenne Prairie City 

Hall Park, 2032 Hanley Road. Try samples 

from local restaurants, eateries, and wineries. 

Tickets are $20 per person (ages 

12 and up) for unlimited food and drinks. 

Kids 10 and under are free. Purchase tickets 

by calling the WSCC Chamber office 

at (636) 327-6914 or go to gowscc.com/ 

product/taste-of-the-county-ticket. 

• • • 

Mission: Clean Stream is from 9-11:30 

a.m. on Saturday, April 6 at the Public Works 

Facility, 2871 Elm Point Industrial Drive in 

St. Charles. Volunteers must check in at the 

facility. Volunteers can register as a family, 

individual or organization. Gloves and trash 

bags provided. For more details, email kierstyn.lorince@stcharlescitymo.gov. 

• • • 

“Daycation” Bus Tour-Irish in St. 

Louis is from 9:15 a.m.-4:15 p.m. on 

Friday, April 19. Meet in the west parking 

lot at City Hall, One St. Peters Centre Blvd. 

Enjoy a day with St. Louis Archdiocesan 

in the heart of the Irish neighborhood of 

Dogtown and enjoy lunch at McGurk’s. 

The cost is $134. Register online at stpetersmo.net/Rec-Connect. 

• • • 

Rail District Festival is from 2-8 p.m. 

on Saturday, April 27 in Civic Park, 308 

Civic Park Drive in O’Fallon. There will 

be family activities, live music, inflatables, 

food trucks, food vendors, a beer garden, 

train rides, a baby crawl race and more. 

Free event. For details, visit ofallon.mo.us. 

SPRING FUN FOR ALL 

The Bunny Bolt 5K and 1-Mile Fun 

Run is at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 

23 at Boulevard Park, 2550 Lake St. Louis 

Boulevard, featuring a 1-mile run through 

the park and a 5K through Lake Saint 

Louis that will precede the Lake Saint 

Louis Easter Egg Hunt. 5K cost is $45; 

fun run cost is $20. All participants will 

receive a T-shirt. To register, visit lake- 

saintlouis.com/2427/Bunny-Bolt-5k-and- 

1-Mile-Fun-Run. 

• • • 

Easter Bunny’s Garden continues 

through March 25 at the Mid Rivers Mall, 

1600 Mid Rivers Mall (center court near 

H&M, Level 1) in St. Peters for a day of 

Easter fun. The Bunny will be available 

for photos. Online reservations are encouraged 

at shopmidriversmall.com. 

• • • 

An Adult Easter Egg Hunt is at 7:30 

p.m. on Friday, March 29 at Wapelhorst 

Park, 1875 Muegge Road in St. Charles. 

Hunt for eggs, enjoy adult beverages and 

compete for prizes. Participants should 

bring flashlights and buckets. The $30 per 

person cost includes admission and two 

drink tickets. For ages 21 and over. Register 

at stcharlesparks.com. 

• • • 

Easter Egg Hunt is at 9 a.m. on Saturday, 

March 30 at Dardenne Prairie City 

Hall Park, 2032 Hanley Road. Hunts will 

be divided by age and begin with the 0-2 

age group. Ages 3-4, 5-6 and 7-8 will 

follow. The Easter Bunny will make an 

appearance. Pre-registration required by 

emailing your name, child’s name, child 

age, address and phone 

• • • 

Easter Egg Hunt is at 9 a.m. on Saturday, 

March 30 at Dardenne Prairie City 

Hall Park, 2032 Hanley Road. Hunts 

will be divided by age and begin with 

the 0-2 age group. Ages 3-4, 5-6 and 7-8 

will follow. The Easter Bunny will make 

an appearance. Pre-registration required 

by emailing your name, child’s name, 

child age, address and phone number to 

nichole@dardenneprairie.org. Free event. 

number to nichole@dardenneprairie.org. 

Free event. 

PLEASE JOIN US FOR OUR ANNUAL 

Open 

House 

Spring 

Open 

SAT MARCH 23 • 10A-6P & SUN MARCH 24 • 12P-5P 

Spin the Wheel for Discounts 

Got events? Want publicity? 

Send all the pertinent details to 

events@newsmagazinenetwork.com. 

Event notices for print publication are due at least six weeks 

out from the date of the event. Events with advance registration 

should be submitted six weeks out from that deadline. 

Shop Brand New Merchandise 

and Take Advantage of our 

New Lower Prices on Furniture! 

Enter Raffles 

First 100 customers 

on Sat. 3/23 at 10am 

receive a FREE gift 

All events will be listed online and in print when sent in with 

enough advance notice. 

1010 Miralago Way • Cottleville 63376 

(636) 441-1111 

• CELEBRATING 20 YEARS IN BUSINESS •

46 I 





MID RIVERS HOME PAGES 

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I 47 

WRESTLING, from page 17 

semifinal from returning state champ and 

she went on to major (decision) her. 

“At Wonder Woman (tournament), the 

girl who was No. 6 in the nation took her 

down, but Kailey went on and won 9-2. 

This season, she’s beaten kids who had 

seven state titles and two who were runnerups. 

She’s pretty special.” 

Kruse is glad to have her back for 

another season. 

“They don’t get much better than her,” 

Kruse said. “She’s a quiet, reserved girl. 

She does not draw attention to herself. 

She’s modest, humble and brilliant. She 

has a 4.5 GPA. 

“She has a wonderful sense of humor. 

She has great parents. They let us coach 

her and they’re supportive of all of our 

kids.” 

Junior Nevaeh Smith (130), senior 

Sophie Johnson (135) and junior Dana 

Thee Sanchez (155) all won their thirdplace 

matches. 

“Smith and Sanchez, we’d hoped they’d 

win a state championship,” Kruse said. 

“Smith was disappointed. I told her she was 

amazing. She’d beaten three state champions 

this year. She got caught by Halea 

Bartel from Nixa and lost by one point 

at 6-5. I was proud of her. 

They’ll take that (semifinal) 

match so hard that 

they’ll lose the next match 

but she rebounded and did 

what she had to do.” 

Sanchez is in her second 

year of wrestling for the 

Spartans. 

Johnson didn’t wrestle 

as a freshman. Kruse said 

she’s about 125 pounds 

and wrestles up to 135. 

Senior Alanah Braun 

(190) came in fourth. Two 

seniors – Stevie Lupo 

(115) and Katelyn Guth 

– each wound with fifthplace 

finishes. 

The school has honored 

the team. 

“We had a big assembly. 

It was pretty cool,” Kruse 

said. “There was a lot of 

excitement. We’ll be going 

in front of the (school) board. We’ve been 

invited to Jeff City to get a proclamation 

by the legislators.” 

This is a long way to come when only 15 

girls came for that first team. 

“Only one girl ever knew anything about 

The Spartans walk through the halls of their school on the way to a 

school assembly. 

(Jordan Glowczwski 

photo) 

wrestling,” Kruse said. “She wrestled the 

year before when there was girls wrestling 

and she was wrestling the boys.” 

Going into the second day, the Spartans 

had clinched a trophy but they wanted 

more. 

“We had seven going for medals,” Kruse 

said. “We were seven points 

behind Nixa and two ahead of 

Lebanon. I asked them ‘What 

trophy do you want to go 

home with?’ We had second 

in our hands and in our control.” 

The Spartans responded by 

winning five of six matches. 

“One of the coolest 

moments came from my 

115-pounder Stevie Lupo,” 

Kruse said. “She said, ‘Coach 

my dream was just a medal. I 

want a medal for my wall. I 

was ready to quit and accept 

my sixth place medal but you 

said we had to fight for each 

other.’ 

“And she did. She found a 

way to pin her opponent and 

get the medal.” 

Kruse is looking forward to 

next season. 

“Our future looks good,” 

Kruse said. “We’ve got four returning 

qualifiers. We will be bringing back a state 

champion and two third-place finishers. 

The girls who were hurt will be back. We 

have some young girls who can step up. 

We’ve got some kids in the wings.” 

MID RIVERS CLASSIFIEDS • 636.591.0010 • CLASSIFIEDS@NEWSMAGAZINENETWORK.COM 

COLLECTIBLES 

WANTED TO BUY 

• SPORTS MEMORABILIA • 

Baseball Cards, Sports Cards, 

Cardinals Souvenirs and 

Memorabilia. Pre-1975 Only. 

Private Collector: 

314-302-1785 

DECKS 

Deck Staining 

Brushed & Rolled Only 

No money up front/Warranty 

Free Estimates 

Insured/A+BBB 

EverythingDecks.net 

(636) 337-7733 

EDUCATION 

Traveling Fossil & Rock 

Presentations with a Biblical 

Perspective. Suitable for all grade 

levels. FREE Fossils for everyone. 

Can the Bible timeline 

be tested and trusted? Yes! 

The Rock’s Cry Out Ministry 

Contact Bill Barnes 314-608-2928 

ELECTRICAL 

ERIC'S ELECTRIC 

Licensed, Bonded and Insured: 

Service upgrades, fans, can lights, 

switches, outlets, basements, 

code violations fixed, we do it 

all. Emergency calls & back-up 

generators. No job too small. 

Competitively priced. 

Free Estimates. 

Just call 636-262-5840 

GARAGE DOORS 

DSI/Door Solutions, Inc. 

Garage Doors, Electric Openers. 

Fast Repairs. All makes & models. 

Same day service. Free Estimates. 

Custom Wood and Steel Doors. 

BBB Member • Angie's List 

Call 314-550-4071 

www.dsi-stl.com 

HAULING 

J & J HAULING 

WE HAUL IT ALL 

Service 7 days. Debris, furniture, 

appliances, household trash, yard 

debris, railroad ties, fencing, decks. 

Garage & Basement Clean-up 

Neat, courteous, affordable rates. 

Call: 636-379-8062 or 

email: jandjhaul@aol.com 

HOME IMPROVEMENT 

REMODEL & REPAIR 

Rotted wood, Painting, Tile, 

Drywall, Floors, Electrical, 

Carpentry, Plumbing, 

Power Washing. Insured. 

FREE ESTIMATES 

Tom Streckfuss 314-910-7458 

sbacontractingllc@gmail.com 

FENCES 

Wood | Aluminum | Vinyl | Composite 

NEW INSTALL – REPAIRS – STAINING 

Unmatched Quality | Competitive Prices | Residential or Commercial 

WWW.WESTERNFENCES.COM | 636.215.1730 

HOME IMPROVEMENT 

Mizzou Crew LLC (Since 2004) 

We can’t do everything, 

but we CAN do a lot! 

Landscaping, Demolition, 

Flooring, Light Construction, 

Furniture Assembly, Fencing, 

Deck Repair, Rough Carpentry. 

Call/text Jeff 314-520-5222 or 

email mizzoucrewstl@gmail.com 

HAPPY HANDYMAN SERVICE 

"Don't Worry Get Happy" 

Complete home remodel/ 

repair kitchen & bath, plumbing, 

electrical, carpentry. 24HR 

Emergency Service. Commercial 

and Residential. Discount for 

Seniors/Veterans. 

636-541-9432 

AFFORDABLE CARPENTRY 

Kitchen Remodeling, Wainscoting, 

Cabinets, Crown Molding, Trim, 

Framing, Basement Finishing, 

Custom Decks, Doors, Windows. 

Free estimates! 

Anything inside & out! 

Call Joe 636-699-8316 

LANDSCAPING 

-General Landscaping & Repair- 

Planting of shrubs, mulch, topsoil 

and stone walls repaired & 

installed. 

Specializing in Water Issue 

Erosion Control. 

Call or Text 

636-358-8800 

Best Landscaping Values in Town! 

-Mizzou Crew- 

Mulch, Shrub Trimming, 

Yard Cleanups, Power Washing, 

Moles, Small Walls & Paver Patios. 

Hauling Services, Demolition, 

Handyman Services 

& Rough Carpentry 

Call/Text Jeff 

314-520-5222 

or www.MizzouCrew.com 

HELP WANTED 

DO YOU HAVE A CAREGIVER'S HEART? 

Serving St. Charles 

County for over 

35 years! 

• Local Openings 

• Flexible Scheduling 

• Weekly Paychecks 

• Night Shift Differential 

Call for an appointment. 

We look forward to hearing from you! 

Senior Services, Unltd. 

142 Jungermann Road 

(Next to Barnes St. Peters Hospital) 

636-441-4944 

PAINTING 

DEFINO’S 

PAINTING SERVICES 

EST. 2006 

Interior & Exterior Painting 

Deck Staining 

- Insured & Free Estimates - 

definospainting.com 

314-707-3094 

PLUMBING 

ANYTHING IN PLUMBING 

Good Prices! Basement 

bathrooms, small repairs & code 

violations repaired. Fast Service. 

Certified, licensed plumber - MBC 

Plumbing - Call or text anytime: 

314-409-5051 

SOFTBALL LEAGUE 

Men’s 60+ Senior 

Softball League 

Slow pitch softball league for men 

60 and older to play 

in St. Charles County is accepting 

individual applications 

for the 2024 season. 

Doubleheaders 

on Wednesdays at 

4:30pm at Schneider-Kiwanis Park. 

If interested…email: 

herbieo.jr@gmail.com 

or call or text: Herb Olmsted 

314-960-2872 

TREE SERVICES 

Complete Tree Service for 

Residential & Commercial 

Tree Pruning & Removal 

Plant Health Care Program 

Deadwooding • Stump Grinding 

Deep Root Fertilization 

Cabling & Storm Clean Up 

ISA Certified Arborists 

Doug Beckmann MW-5255A 

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

Free Estimates • Fully Insured 

314-426-2911 

meyertreecare.com

Buy 3 

Windows 

Get 1 

Made in Missouri 

for over 50 years! 

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Options Available! 

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ROOFING 

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800-959-0008 

For more information on our products or services, please visit our website 

dalcohomeremodeling.com 

*Not valid with other offers. Expires April 30, 2024. All sales are off regular pricing. Call for details.

Mid Rivers Newsmagazine 3-20-24

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