Best of winners

magazine

Daily Journal | dailyjournalonline.com

a word from the

w

e asked for your opinion, and you let us know. Now we’ve tallied the votes and present in this publication the “Best of the Parkland” – the 2017 edition.

For a region considered “rural” as compared to many areas, the Parkland and surrounding region is rich with resources … both natural and manmade.

Not only do we have many natural attractions to choose from on those leisurely weekends or days off work, but we are fortunate to be surrounded by an array of retailers, service businesses, dining and entertainment options to choose from every day.

As for dining, foodies and families alike can find palate-pleasing choices in each county in the region and nearly every community. Choices range from chain restaurants with recognizable names found nearly anywhere in the world, across the spectrum to mom-and-pop home cooking or eclectic eateries with specialty items only found in one or two locations. One example of the latter would be a “western bacon cheeseburger” from Hunt’s Dairy Bar in Park Hills or Farmington, or maybe a BOGO sandwich (where every time you purchase a sandwich for lunch another one is made and given away to someone in need).

Then there’s fine dining opportunities such as 12 West or Café Redux or a meal at one of the area’s wineries.

r o t i d E

Or how about some barbecue or Mexican food or a visit to one of the ethnic restaurants. Or maybe some regional creations such as St. Louis-style ribs, Imo’s Pizza, or anything on the menu at Pasta House or Panera Bread … all creations originating from just up the road a bit.

When it comes to shopping, there’s plenty of places to find all our “needs” and many of our “wants” without a lengthy drive to the city.

From groceries to tires, clothing to school supplies, electronics to sporting goods … the Parkland merchants continually come through for us. Shoppers can compare price and quality between many competitors for everyday goods. And when it comes to a new car or truck, craft supplies or gifts, a new deer rifle or an electronic tablet, you can rest assured that you’ll find a good selection of those “occasional” items here close to home as well.

But what about service after the sale, or repairs or routine maintenance to retain that equity in your larger investments? The region’s hundreds of service businesses have you covered. From warranty work to home building or remodeling, auto repairs (both mechanical and collision), down to replacing the screen on your smartphone or tailoring that wedding dress or tuxedo, you will find someone in the area with the skills you need.

While having someone in the area to provide the goods or services you need is a good thing, sometimes too many choices can seem overwhelming.

Who can you trust? Who should you avoid at all cost? The old joke about how “it must be true because I saw it on the Internet” just drives home the point that you simply cannot trust just anyone because they have a sign and a business license. So who do you trust?

Would you listen to your family, friends and neighbors? Surely they wouldn’t lead you astray, right? To that end we’ve taken the extra steps to let you know who the consumers of our area feel are the “best” in nearly 100 different categories. We spent weeks planning this contest, a month gathering votes from those family members, friends and neighbors, and now we’ve compiled their choices into an easy-toread reference guide.

I’d encourage you to spend some time reading through the pages of this magazine, then keep it in a desk drawer, on a shelf or somewhere else where you can quickly access it when you need services or goods. After all, 80,000 votes by Parkland residents can’t be wrong. You can trust that the companyies listed in these pages are the “Best of the Parkland.”

Doug Smith Managing Editor Daily Journal, Farmington Press, & Democrat News

special thanks Thank you to all of our readers and our advertisers for participating in the Best of the Parkland 2017. Without you this would not have been possible.

2 | Best of the Parkland 2017

Thank you to Gene Fritsche of Park Hills for the allowing us to use a photo of his building in Park Hills. The photo can be viewed on page 33.

Publisher Eugene Jackson Editor Doug Smith Sales Associates Lawanna Starkey Charles Politte George Easley Cody McGee Billie Voyles Tiffany Maynard Graphic Designers Lisa Pruitt Rob Barnes

Stories and Art Contributed by: Doug Smith, Teresa Ressell, Kevin Jenkins, Amy Patterson, Renee Bronaugh, Shawnna Robinson, Craig Vaughn, Alan Kopitsky, and Jacob Scott.

5

Dining and Entertainment

35

Services

49

6 Grand Champion 7 Brewery/Winery 8 Bar Food 9 Coffee 10 Pizza 11 Fine Dining 12 BBQ 14 Winners’ List

21

34 35 36 37 39 40

Collision Mechanical Bank Services Golf Course Real Estate Winners’ List

Shopping 20 22 23 25 27 28

Specialty Shops Auto Dealer Grocery Store Pharmacy Convenience Winners’ List

Favorites 46 Annual Festival 47 Place to take Kids 48 Natural Attraction 50 Winners’ list Best of the Parkland 2017 | 3

Why q uality… integrity…

were you asked to

Vote?

trustworthiness… selection…

80,000 votes for their service after the sale! favorites. We’ve calling These are all qualities which set a good retail or service business apart from the rest of the crowd.

And when the time comes to rely on a new business you want to know who you can trust and who will give you the most value for your hard-earned dollars.

There’s no doubt that advertising is a great way to promote a business. And looking at those advertisements is a good start to finding the goods or services you need. Discovering that a business is a place your family, friends and neighbors would use again and recommend does away with a lot of guessing and potential frustration.

So the Daily Journal has helped you move past the guessing and find the best of what’s available in the Parkland … as determined by local residents casting more than 4 | Best of the Parkland 2017

given the option for “write in” votes in case a favorite was not it the “Best of the Park- listed.

Voting began on March 17 and land 2017.”

The Daily Journal, along with the ended April 7.

The contest featured everything Farmington Press and Democrat from best bakery to best wait News, sponsored staff, best antique shopping the “Best of …” to best tire shop, and online competi7 201 best apartment comtion as a way for munity to best veterireaders to vote for nary service. Just for their favorites and fun we included a let everyone know d category which services and arklan “favorites” p e h t f for weekend events, retailers they rank o festivals, natural at the top in the attractions, live region. music venues, and The contest focused on the best place in the Parknearly 100 categories in which land to take the kids. readers could cast a vote. Each Voting was free. category was populated with three When the voting period ended choices from across the area based the winners in each category on a sampling of more than a dozen newspaper staff members … were tallied, including more than 10,000 write-in votes. most of them being lifelong resiNow it’s time to learn the winners dents of the Parkland region. … the “Best of the Parkland.”

Additionally, each category was

Best

g n i n i D and t n e m n i a t r e Ent

Best of the Parkland

o

f the many businesses voted for in the Best of the Parkland contest, one stands out as the clear local favorite.

Hunt’s Dairy Bar received over 1,000 votes, well more than any other candidate in any category.

The people of the Parkland have voiced their support for the historic restaurant with a unified voice, loud and clear.

Hunt’s Dairy Bar has been a local hotspot and landmark for more than 60 years. The restaurant was first opened in 1956 by Lillian ‘Pete’ Hunt. The business was sold to her son John in the early 1970’s. John and his wife Nancy ran the business well into the 2000’s until deciding to retire.

The business started as purely a dairy bar, specializing in ice cream 1981 and is still in operation. and frozen custard, later expandThe Farmington Hunt’s location ing the menu to briefly closed after include hamburgJohn’s retirement in ers, hot dogs, 2008, giving some fries and chili. the sense that the 2017 The business was historic restaurant a mainstay of was gone for good. the community, But in 2009, Pete’s as the go-to for granddaughter dates or family Rogers, her and Kim l k r a p outings. husband Willy and of the A second Hunt’s her daughter Amy was opened in reopened Hunt’s in Park Hills in Farmington.

1979, complete John and Nancy with indoor seatHunt had received ing, located adjacent to Columbia several offers to sell the business, Park. The Park Hills location was but weren’t entirely sure on what sold to John’s brother David in exactly to do until Kim and her 6 | Best of the Parkland 2017

Best

husband decided to buy the business themselves and keep it in the family.

As with each time the restaurant has been passed down, Kim has made clear that she wants to provide the same good food served by pleasant, local staff while staying competitive in the modern market.

It’s this dedication to quality and service that has made Hunt’s truly one of the best in the Parkland, as it will surely remain for however long area customers are able to stop in for a taste of the family legacy.

Hunt’s is located at 403 Sainte Genevieve Avenue in Farmington and at 1300 East Main Street in Park Hills.

Best Brewery Winery

s

et among rolling hills, green pastures and wooded thickets, the Parkland boasts some of the most picturesque wineries and best-tasting wines to be found anywhere in the country.

With so many to choose from, selecting the “best” is a challenge, but Daily Journal readers have spoken, with Twin Oaks, Crown Valley and Chaumette Vineyards falling into the top spots.

2017

Best

rkland of the pa

Twin Oaks Vineyard

Coming in first, Twin Oaks Vineyard sits on a 180-acre farm with 25 acres of vines owned by the families of brothers Andrew and Brian Hutson. With the first vines going into the ground in April of 2000, the family spent years cultivating them, producing their first commercial wine in 2006. The family remains the primary caretakers of the vineyard with four generations of Hutsons often seen picking grapes at harvest time.

The tasting room sits in the middle of the vineyard, where you can taste their award-winning wines, enjoy a glass of cold premium beer or indulge in a cocktail from the full bar. The winery also features live entertainment on many weekends on its large outdoor patio and is known for hosting popular events such as the Mineral Area Council on the Arts’ annual Fall pARTy, a yearly charity “grape stomp” and Canvases ‘N Corks painting classes with local artist Doug Howell.

Twin Oaks is located at 6470 Highway F and is open Fridays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. To contact the winery call 573-756-6500, look for it on Facebook or visit www.twinoaksvineyard.com.

Crown Valley Winery Crown Valley Winery is often touted as Missouri’s premier winery. Set in the heart of Ste. Genevieve County, it overlooks acres of picturesque pastures and vineyards, making Crown Valley a breathtaking experience. Offering a large selection of fine wines, visitors can choose from indoor or outdoor seating while enjoying the view. Inside the winery is a deli that offers sausages, cheeses and an assortment of gourmet snacks and premium cigars.

Alongside the winery sits Crown Valley’s music pavilion, featuring live music on weekends from April through October. The covered pavilion includes additional seating and The Vintage Grill, where visitors can enjoy the winery’s famous bison burgers and other farm-raised foods.

Crown Valley also offers on-site catering, including full bar options with Crown Valley wines and beers for private parties, business retreats and weddings. For questions regarding tours, food options, charter bus groups, private parties or weddings, contact the event coordinator.

Crown Valley is located at 23589 Highway WW and is open April – Nov. on Thurs - Sun from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

To contact the winery call 866-2079463, look for it on Facebook or visit www.crownvalleywinery.com.

Chaumette Vineyards & Winery Coming in third is another premier Ste. Genevieve County destination. Established in 1990 by Hank and Jackie Johnson, Chaumette Vineyards & Winery features award-winning wines, gracious service, quality entertainment and elegant accommodations. The tasting area’s covered outdoor deck offers magnificent views of the county’s rolling hills as visitors sip wine and enjoy a meal from the Grapevine Grill prepared

by Executive Chef Rob Beasley, whose approach to cooking is to “consider the ingredients first, treating them simply and allowing the ingredients to express themselves.”

Chaumette Vineyards & Winery is located at 24345 Highway WW. The tasting room is open April through October on Wed – Sun from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., and November through March on Thurs – Sun from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Hours for the Grapevine Grill vary depending on season and day of the week and reservations are strongly recommended.

To contact the winery call 573-7471000, look for it on Facebook or visit chaumette.com.

Best of the Parkland 2017 | 7

Best Bar Food

o

ver the past decade in business Brandon Hubbard has learned a thing or two about what pub patrons want in a good meal or snack.

2017

Best

Hub’s Pub

That’s why his establishrkland of the pa ment, Hub’s Pub, was named by voters as having the “Best Bar Food” in the recent 2017 Best of the Parkland competition.

Hub’s Pub, located at 10 N Dover St. in Bonne Terre, first opened up in 2007 as a bar. In 2012 they added a kitchen with a fantastic menu. They have grown tremendously over the last fourand-a-half years.

Over the years they have added volleyball courts, paved their parking lot, and done several renovations both inside and out. The restaurant is a non-smoking establishment and separate from

the bar during the day, so patrons of all ages are invited to stop in for a meal.

“Our menu is traditional American pub-style food and we have a wide variety to choose from,” said Hubbard.

“We have any kind of sandwich you can think of, burgers, steak sandwiches, wings, boneless wings, pizza and salad.

We have entrees, such as a grilled chicken dinner, pork chop dinner bone-in, we have rib eye steak, we have sirloin steak and have a steak night on Wednesdays.”

Hub’s Pub also offers a lunch special menu every day, Monday through Friday, for $5.99 with several items to choose from.

Hubbard said they have sand volleyball leagues every Thursday night April through October, and live bands every Saturday night.

They also host several fundraisers each year for area organizations or individuals.

“Anything we can do to help the community out …,” said Hubbard.

Thank You For Voting For Us in The Best of the Parkland

8 | Best of the Parkland 2017

“If they come to us with a good fundraiser we will try to help.”

Hubs Pub is celebrating their 10th anniversary on April 29 and they have a day full of events planned.

Hubbard stressed it’s non-smoking during lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week.

“We always try to take care of the families and make sure they are welcome to come to our family friendly atmosphere even though we are a bar,” explained Hubbard. “We also take care of our night patrons and offer a shuttle service many people don’t know about.”

They want to make sure people get a safe ride home if they come to Hub’s Pub to have a good time.

Hub’s Pub will be opening a second location in Potosi at 220 West High St. and hope to have the doors open by the middle of May.

Lady Di’s Shamrock “From Steak to Omelets We Have It All” is the motto of Lady Di’s Shamrock in Bonne Terre. In business for 11 years and owned by Anthony Sutton, the steakhouse features a wide variety of menu options, which is why they were ranked near the top by the voters as having the “Best Bar Food.

From Sunday brunch to a Friday night date, Lady Di’s Shamrock provides a fun, entertaining atmosphere for any occasion. You can dine-in with seating available for about 65 people, or take your food to go when you call ahead for

Bar Continued on Page 13

Best Coffee

w

hen the Parkland wakes up to go to work, the first order of business for many is to grab a cup of coffee to jumpstart the workday.

There are plenty of places to get a morning cup in the area, but a few businesses have made it their goal to provide the best coffee around, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed by the people of the Parkland.

2017

Wise Grounds

An idea originally meant to t s e B nd la give an extra perk to those rk of the pa who bank at the Farmington branch of Belgrade State Bank has quickly become much more. Wise Grounds Coffee Shop, has made quite a splash for coffee drinkers across the Parkland.

Wise Grounds first began serving beverages in 2009, the intent being to provide an additional luxury to those banking at Belgrade State Bank. Wise Grounds Manager Lindsey Johnson said the idea quickly grew.

“Belgrade (State Bank) just really wanted to do something nice, and a customer service for all of their bank customers,” Johnson said. “So that was the initial idea with putting a coffee shop in the bank, which may seem kind of odd. But they really just wanted an extra perk for the bank customers, and it’s just really grown. Our customers have really grown too.”

Johnson said the coffee shop has proven to be a real asset for the bank, bringing people by that wouldn’t otherwise stop in. Johnson said the bulk of the customers do their banking at Belgrade State Bank, but not all.

“Most of our customers are bank customers,” Johnson said. “But we have a lot of just outside community customers that come just for the coffee.”

Beyond providing great coffee to patrons, Johnson said Wise Grounds is also heavily involved with the community.

“We do a lot of community events,” she said.

“We donate a lot of coffee to organizations like the United Way. We partner with local churches and doctors’ offices. And that’s something the bank is really big on, being involved in the community and helping the community, promoting the small towns and small busi-

Coffee Cont. on Page 13

931 Valley Creek Dr. Farmington

760-0026

Home of the Golden Toasted Ravioli

Best of the Parkland 2017 | 9

Best Restaurant/Fine Dining

w

hen choosing where to go for an upscale meal in the Parkland, 12 West Bar & Grill is the top choice for many area residents and came in as first pick in the Daily Journal’s “Best of the Parkland” fine dining category.

2017

Best

12 West

Located in historic downrkland town Farmington, 12 West’s of the pa relaxed and classy ambience and extensive menu is perfect for a romantic dinner for two, a family get-together or an evening of burgers and beer with friends.

For larger groups, business meetings, rehearsal dinners, showers and holiday gatherings, the bar and grill offers accommodations with a choice of two separate dining rooms.

Let General Manager Kirk Wishon and his team of well-trained serving staff provide you with an unforgettable dining experience prepared by the culinary team headed by Brian Hurst and Kory Downs.

Whet your appetite with mushrooms stuffed with garlic-herb cream cheese and melted cheddar, baked camembert with fig jam, pistachios and candied walnuts, or a classic chilled shrimp cocktail. But keep plenty of room for one of 12 West’s mouthwatering entrees, whether your taste is for a panseared filet with garlic sauce, a Black Angus ribeye smothered with smoked onion bacon butter, bourbon-glazed pork chops or lobster risotto with fresh asparagus.

When you’re ready for dessert you’ll have a hard time deciding among the many scrumptious offerings, including gooey butter cake layered with caramel, chocolate and bananas, a slice of peanut butter pie or a light and decadent chocolate soufflé.

12 West also offers full service, offsite catering for any occasion including parties, corporate events and rehearsal dinners and provides Gourmet-to-Go pick up items. Reception buffets start

at $12 per plate and are customized by 12 West’s team of professionals to provide the same attention to taste and detail as in one of their dining rooms.

The restaurant is located at 12 W. Columbia St. directly across from the courthouse and is open Mon – Sat from 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. and on Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. To contact the restaurant call 573-7601135, look for it on Facebook or visit www.12westbarandgrill.com.

usually mean prime rib and a special chicken selection, with burgers and grilled chicken served on Saturdays with catfish and shrimp often offered as well.

Durso Hills is located at 101 S. Harding in the historic Homan Hall and is open Thurs – Sat from 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. and Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

To contact Durso Hills, call 573-7838776, look for it on Facebook or visit dursohillswinery.com.

Durso Hills Winery and Bistro Durso Hills Winery and Bistro in Marquand is perfect for when you’re in the mood for a fine dining experience and some of Missouri’s finest wine in a small town setting. Nestled deep in the rolling hills of Madison County and surrounded by the Mark Twain National Forest, the winery’s upscale restaurant offers a menu that varies from week-to-week, so you’ll want to visit often.

Special menu items can include appetizers such as mushrooms stuffed with bleu crab; bacon, spinach and cheese dip; fried chicken livers; and fried ravioli with spicy marinara. Pan seared chicken breast with a port and bleu cheese demi-glace, and lasagna served with salad and garlic bread are often offered as entrees.

A favorite for many, Friday nights

Café Redux Park Hills’ new Café Redux is another upscale restaurant that prides itself on “plates you cannot find in this area” featuring a variety of American, Italian, French and other ethnic foods. Among other offerings, you’ll want to try the restaurant’s to-die-for Chicken Marsala with creamy mushroom sauce made with Marsala wine and basil.

Offering daily specials and an exquisite menu with scrumptious desserts on Tuesday through Saturday, Café Redux offers a breakfast and supper buffet every Sunday.

Café Redux is located at 3413 Rosener Rd. next to Rosener’s Inn and is open Tues – Sat from 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. and on Sundays for buffet meals only from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. To contact the restaurant call 573-327-8555 or look for it on Facebook.

Best of the Parkland 2017 | 11

Best Barbecue

m

idwesterners love their barbecue and take it very seriously.

2017

Whether they like their ribs “wet” or “dry,” or prefer rkland of the pa to put a big hunk of beef brisket on their sandwich instead of mile-high-pile of pulled pork, they simply won’t accept anything less than the best — whatever they happen to consider the best to be. When the craving hits, Parkland residents have a number of favorite spots throughout the area to grab some barbecue, but these are the three local “barbecue joints” that rose to the top with voters.

Best

Baylee Jo’s Barbecue Baylee Jo’s Barbecue, 1315 N. Highway 21 in Ironton, topped this year’s vote. Maybe that’s because owner Chris Schillinger is not the type of guy who

leaves someone else to manage his business or whose content to sit back with his feet up on the desk in a back room office. Instead, you’ll find Chris constantly working the dining room of his popular eating place that sits in the shadow of Shepherd Mountain in the Arcadia Valley.

A former flight attendant, Schillinger says he used to camp at Silver Mines and in the 1980’s began to look in the area for a place to live.

“I had bought a farm in 1989, not too far from Silver Mines, the St. Francis River and Stouts Creek,” Chris recalls. “And that’s why I moved to this area after I lost my job. A local banker told me about a closed building in town — it was the old Mimosa Drive-In — and he suggested that opening a restaurant was something he figured I could

T hanks for Voting

102 N State St, Desloge, MO 63601 Find Us On Facebook!

12 | Best of the Parkland 2017

do because I used to cook and bartend. So, I ended up buying it in May of 2003 and naming it after my then 4-year-old daughter, Baylee Jo. I was a single dad, it was just me and her, and it sounded like a good name.”

Asked how Baylee Jo’s has been able to stay in business while other area restaurants have failed, Schillinger said, “I have a lot of recipes I’ve had my whole life and everything I cook is homemade.”

Schillinger is proud of his menu which goes way beyond barbecue and includes all kinds of items like seafood, hamburgers, pizza and steak and he says there are tourists from across the country who make it a habit to drop

by Baylee Jo’s every time they visit the area.

“They remember my restaurant and they remember me going around and talking to them,” he says. “That’s probably why they come back.” Of course, it could also be the great barbecue.

Dexter Barbecue Coming in second, Dexter Barbecue, 763 Maple Valley Drive in Farmington, has been mastering the art of barbequing for 37 years. The popular restaurant bills itself as “The Real Deal ... Genuine Slow Pit-Smoked Missouri Bar-BQue.” Maybe that’s because they use

BBQ Continued on Page 13

Best Pizza

“t

Today they have 97 franchised stores in Missouri, Illinois and Kansas, with two lo2017 cal stores in Imo’s Pizza Desloge and t Known for its version of St. s e B rkland Farmington. of the pa Louis-style pizza featuring Chris Pigg provel cheese - which is a has owned combination of cheddar, the Imo’s Swiss, and provolone with a low melting point and gooey texture. That’s why Imo’s Pizza in Desloge for Pizza was named by voters as having the four years “Best Pizza” in the recent 2017 Best of now. The the Parkland competition. store was in Bonne Terre initially. Imo’s In the early 1960s a couple used to Pizza in Farmington has been owned by order a late night pizza every Friday Tiffany and Doug Werle for the last five night and have to go pick it up, which years. Tiffany said she believes the pizza led them to the thought that it would be has been such a success due to the fresh nice if someone would deliver their meal ingredients prepped to order in the store. to them. In 1964, Ed and Margie Imo None of their ingredients are ever frozen. opened their first pizza parlor.

“On April 1 we started offering a box They were open evenings only at first, special with a square pizza, taking us offering pick-up and delivery. Ed continued to work as a tile setter, slicing squares back to the motto “the square beyond compare,” said Tiffany. “It’s the first time of linoleum by day and pizza by night. we ever had a square pizza and they have been very popular. They are one of biggest sellers and whoever thought of it was clever.”

MONDAY THRU SATURDAY Tiffany said their 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM store is preparing to relocate into the WEDNESDAY CLOSED plaza behind WalSUNDAY greens off Karsch 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM Boulevard, next to the National Guard recruiting office. They hope to be moved into their new location by early May.

he square beyond compare” is the motto for the Parkland’s Best Pizza.

Hungry Bellies BBQ

DINE-IN • TAKE-OUT DRIVE-THRU • CALL-IN ORDER WE OFFER CATERING! ALL HOT AND READY

15%

DISCOUNT

To All Military, Veterans, and First Responders

1020 E MAIN ST PARK HILLS, MO

573-327-4114

10 | Best of the Parkland 2017

Casey’s Pizza Casey’s Pizza, offered inside Casey’s General Store locations, was named second place by voters as having the “Best Pizza”.

Casey’s opened in 1959, founded

by Don Lamberti, who leased a store from his father on

East 14th and Broadway in Des Moines, Iowa.

After nine years of operating the old country store, which he eventually remodeled into a convenience store, a friend convinced him to buy the Square Deal Oil Company. He did, and converted the service station with a three-bay garage in Boone, Iowa, into a convenience store. The store was also named “Casey’s,” and more locations were soon to follow.

After building the third store, Don realized he was on to something and decided to establish the stores in communities with a population of 5,000 or less.

Locally, there are Casey’s stores in Bonne Terre, Desloge, two in Park Hills, two in Farmington, one in Potosi, Ironton, Fredericktown and Ste. Genevieve.

Papa Murphy’s Still relatively new to the area, the Papa Murphy’s Take and Bake Pizza location in Farmington is owned by Del Starks. The pizza shop offers customers the opportunity to create their own style pizza to take home and bake.

Papa Murphy’s Take and Bake Pizza was named third place by voters as having the “Best Pizza” in the Parkland.

The dough is prepared in-house fresh every day. Fresh vegetables are prepped at the store each day as well.

“It’s all done with the emphasis on fresh, using the highest quality products we can find,” Starks said. “It’s just an amazing pizza.”

Customers can create their own pizza, or choose from a variety of signature, gourmet delight or stuffed crust pizzas on the menu. The store also offers a variety of “dessert” pizzas, plus familiar favorites already prepared and ready to go.

The pizza is packaged for the customer to take home and bake at 425 degrees.

BBQ Continued from Page 12

Bar Continued from Page 8

Coffee Cont. from Page 9

only high quality meats that are slow smoked in wood burning barbecue pits.

Great barbeque doesn’t just happen — it takes slow, even heat, the right blend of smoke, seasoning, sauce and patience before the savory flavor of meat is revealed. Dexter Barbecue’s pits use fireplace-size logs to create a distinctive, genuine flavor, aroma, color and texture.

The restaurant also uses a special convection air system which recirculates the smoke and heat throughout the chamber, cooking every piece of meat slowly and uniformly, assuring that genuine barbeque flavor.

Along with its Farmington location, Dexter Barbecue also has restaurants in Sikeston, Cape Girardeau, Dexter, Poplar Bluff and Jackson.

pick-up.

Lady Di’s Shamrock is open on Sunday from 10:30 a.m. through 8 p.m., closed on Monday, open from 3-9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and from 10:30 a.m. through 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

ness.”

When asked why the coffee shop seems to resonate so well with the community, Johnson said it boils down to a mixture of service and product.

“I would like to think that it is our friendly staff, because we do have a very friendly staff,” she said. “And our coffee — we have excellent coffee. We serve Seattle’s Best, which is owned by Starbuck’s, so most of our sauces and syrups are from Starbuck’s.

I really think we just have a very sound product.”

All that said, Johnson added that the coffee shop wouldn’t be such a success without the many customers who come through every day for their cup of joe.

“Our customers are what make us great,” she added.

Wise Grounds Coffee Shop is located inside of Belgrade State Bank in Farmington, located at

Hungry Bellies BBQ Finishing in third place is Hungry Bellies BBQ, 1020 E. Main St. in Park Hills. The family-friendly restaurant offers its customers delicious homemade barbecue with all the trimmings. Their meats are smoked on site with no artificial flavoring added. It’s a great place for groups and they love “take out” orders. There’s also special discounts for U.S. veterans and emergency responders.

our y r o f l l ua o y k n a ued Th n i t n o c nd a s e t n’t o d l v u o c , we s s e n i s ou! y bu t u o h wit t i e k a m

Salted Duck For the four years the Salted Duck has made a home in The Factory in Farmington it has gained a reputation for steaks.

Owned by Matt Grisham, the Salted Duck, located at 200 W 1st St., offers a full menu serving lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. From 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. the bar takes on the night life with deejay music or live bands on the weekends.

All ages are welcome throughout the day up until 9 p.m. After that only ages 21 and older is allowed in the Salted Duck.

They are in the process of building a second location in Park Hills off Main. There is not a projected opening date at this time.

Coffee Cont. to Page 24

GRILL & BAR

748 W. Karsch, Farmington, MO 573-760-0900

Don’t forget to stop in for our lunch combos, dinner and our late night food specials!

Kids eat FREE on Tuesdays after 3 p.m.

Best of the Parkland 2017 | 13

Best Chinese Food 1 Ho Wah

and the

Winners

are...

Dining and Entertainment Best Wait Staff 1 Hub’s Pub

Best Restaurant

2 Catfish Kettle 3 Applebee’s

1 Culver’s

(Fast Food/Drive Thru) 2 Taco Bell 3 Sonic

Best Family Dining 1 Catfish Kettle 2 Homestead Restaurant 3 Factory Diner

Best Vegetarian Selection 1 Panera Bread Company

Best Restaurant (Diner) 1 Factory Diner

Best Ethnic Food (Mexican,Thai,Chinese, Italian, etc.)

1 El Tapatio

2 Pad Thai 3 Spokes

2 The Pig 3 Depot Cafe

2 Pad Thai 3 Mario’s Italia

Best Steak 1 Olympic Steakhouse

Best Pizza 1 Imo’s Pizza

Best Dessert 1 Thee Abbey Kitchen

2 12 West 3 Midway Bar and Grill

2 Casey’s General Store 3 Papa Murphy’s Take N Bake Pizza

Best Salad 1 Pasta House

Best Lunch Food 1 Hunt’s Dairy Bar

2 Panera Bread Company 3 Imo’s Pizza

2 River Mart 3 BOGO

Best Restaurant (Fine Dining) 1 12 West

Best Ice Cream /Custard 1 Lix Frozen Custard

2 Durso Hills Winery 3 Cafe Redux

2 General Custard’s Re-Treat 3 Scoops Frozen Custard

14 | Best of the Parkland 2017

2 12 West 3 La Motte Cafe

Best Deli Sandwich 1 BOGO 2 Ole Tyme Pantry 3 Hungry Gardener

Best Coffee 1 Wise Grounds Coffee Shop 2 Panera Bread Company 3 Arcadia Valley Roasting Company

2 Great Wall 3 First Wok

Best Chicken Wings 1 Buffalo Wild Wings 2 Shamrock 3 12 West

Best Burger 1 Hunt’s Dairy Bar 2 Spokes Pub 3 LaMotte Cafe

Best Brewery/Winery 1 Twin Oaks 2 Crown Valley 3 Chaumette

Best Breakfast 1 Factory Diner 2 Huddle House 3 A&M Restaurant

Best BBQ 1 Baylee Jo’s BBQ 2 Dexter Bar-B-Que 3 Hungry Bellies

Best Bartending staff 1 12 West Bar and Grill 2 Spokes Pub 3 Applebee’s

Best Bar Food 1 Hub’s Pub 2 Shamrock 3 Salted Duck

Best Bakery 1 Krak N Jaks Bakery 2 ColJac Cafe 3 Schnucks

Daily l a n r Jou

Memorable Stories of the past year.

My ride in a hot air balloon

a

s part of the sponsorship during the Farmington Balloon Festival two reporters were given the opportunity to take to the sky in the Daily Journalsponsored balloon last Sunday morning.

The hot air balloon ride was originally scheduled for Saturday morning but was delayed a day due to the weather forecast and everyone wanted to play it safe. So Sunday morning started with arriving at the Farmington Regional Airport at 6 a.m.

People slowly arrived sleepy-eyed and gripping cups of coffee, soda or some other type of drinks in hopes of waking up with the jolt of caffeine. Soon a few people gathered in a group turned into several groups of people. The vans started arriving with large baskets in tow and the drivers/pilots began seeking their sponsors who would go up in the air with them.

As each group gathered into their respective van, the vans filed through the gate and onto tarmac. As each van pulled in they lined up alongside of each other and quickly got to work. Baskets were unloaded and soon there were large fans and huge bags which contained the hot air balloon itself.

Each bag was carefully unloaded and soon there were bright colored lines of fabric stretching across the pavement.

Large fans were started and a roar of wind began filling each balloon. Soon the balloons came to life and began taking shape. Each was different in color, size and even the shape.

Two people held a rope at the opposite end of the balloon from where it was being filled to help stabilize it while another person worked to secure the top to ensure the air didn’t escape. Our balloon had a top that looked like a baseball and said St. Louis on it ... I was told it was the only one like it in the country.

The balloon’s name is “Cheaper than a Wife”.

Once the balloon was filled with air and the pilot, Jason Gaines, was happy, you could hear the roar of hot air being pumped into the balloon in intervals from the basket, which was laying on its side. The balloon slowly started to rise into a standing position and our pilot called to the two people holding the rope letting them know it was OK to let go.

Jason climbed into the basket and adjusted a couple things and added more hot air to the balloon. It was then my turn to climb in. I grabbed the bars coming off the basket, placed my foot in the slot on the side and hoisted myself in. The floor of the basket felt slightly squishy, just as you would think a wickertype basket would feel.

I wondered how cramped it would be after everyone climbed inside. There were four of us going up in the balloon that morning - Jason, his assistant, myself and another reporter, Craig Vaughn.

As Craig climbed in I leaned back allowing more space for him to get in alongside me. We were shoulder to shoulder in the small space.

Once we were all in, Jason told his dad, Al Gaines, who serves as crew chief, that he was ready for flight. Al and a few people who were there to help grabbed the side of the basket and Jason fired more hot air into the balloon until we were a foot or two off the ground. They slowly began walking us across the tarmac to a grassy area and once we reached the grass they let go. Jason started firing more hot air into the balloon and we slowly started rising as the wind pulled us forward.

Before we knew it we were up in the air and had a view of all the balloons in their different stages preparing for their flights. The sight was absolutely breathtaking and I stared in awe. Float-

ing along in the sky, watching other balloons reaching different heights and the ground drawing further away was an experience I had never had before.

I‘m not sure how others feel in their first experience, but I was completely at ease. I have had many people ask if I was scared or nervous. As I think about it, I wasn’t … I felt at peace. It was very relaxing to me, I don’t have a fear of heights so that was never a concern for me. I was excited about the whole idea of being able to go up in a balloon like that.

In fact, I could say if I had a bucket list, it would have been on it.

We floated toward houses and people were coming out their doors looking, taking pictures and telling others in the home there were a flock of balloons heading there way. Jason would wave and say ‘hi’ to people as we passed. He would also laugh and say, “Your roof looks good!

No storm damage there, free inspection.”

Watching Jason navigate the balloon and firing the tanks to blow hot air into it to soar us even higher gave him a look of joy. I thought, this is a man who loves what he does. I could see it. I loved floating along, looking down at the landscape and cars, which looked like hot wheels, on the road. I felt no fear while in that balloon and had confidence in Jason the whole time.

Since we left the airport we flew at a lower level than some of the other balloons and the plan was to eventually go higher, which we did, and go back toward the airport. By time we reached the

Balloon Continued on Page 18 Best of the Parkland 2017 | 17

Daily Journal Stories in this section were previously published in the Daily Journal.

Parkland Balloon Festival reaches for the sky

f

rom hot air balloons to bubble ball, the second annual Parkland Balloon Festival rode a current of success as families across the area enjoyed a day of games, rides, food and even a petting zoo.

Held on Sept. 10 at Engler Park and Farmington Regional Airport, the festival drew large crowds throughout the day and evening.

“The festival was just fantastic,” said Chris Engler with the Farmington Convention and Tourism Bureau. “We built on our success from last year, and I was fortunate to have the help of the Farmington Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The came in and helped me with the vendors and merchants and that was a big help to me.”

Sponsored by the Farmington Convention and Tourism Bureau, the city of Farmington and the Farmington Regional Chamber of Commerce, the annual event brought more than 5,000 guest between the two locations.

With the community interest raised by last year’s festival, the convention and tourism bureau did expand this year’s festival to feature more events for the younger attendees.

“We had a lot of fun activities for the kids to do during the day,” Engler said.

“We brought in Unbelievabubble bubble ball which was really popular with the older kids,” Engler said. “For the smaller kids, we brought in a small train for them to ride and that never stopped running

16 | Best of the Parkland 2017

the entire day.”

For the second year, the festival featured a petting zoo with various animals the children could feed, pet and interact - some for the very first time.

“We are having a great time,” said Kelbie Joyce who was at the festival with her son, Lucas. “He (Lucas) really loves the animals.”

According to Engler, the petting zoo, the pony rides and the face painting were very big draws for many of the young festival goers.

“The Petting Zoo returned to the festival for the second year,” Engler said. “It was hugely popular with the kids, as was the pony rides. And the face painting vendor was a very popular place for the kids. I think they all wanted to have their face painted.”

While the park was hopping during the day, the airport was also keeping busy with several activities causing a lot of excitement. For the first year, the festival offered drone racing. In addition, the airport also sponsored a radio controlled plane show.

“We had a tremendous turnout this year, more than last year,” said Chuck Sitzes, the airport manager. “It was a little too windy for some of the smaller RC planes, but the bigger planes flew, and quad races went well.”

As expected, the event drew most people to the park was the Hot Air Balloon Glow that was held on the shore of Giessing Lake.

“We were fortunate with the weather.

The winds could have made a difference,” Engler said. “But the winds died down just in time for us to have a wonderful glow down by the lake. We had 12 or so balloons that made for a lovely glow.”

For many, the success of last year’s balloon glow was what drew them to the park on Saturday evening.

“It has been such a beautiful day, we decided to come to the park,” said Nate Dycus, who was with his wife, Alyson, and their two daughters, Chloe, 5, and Zoe, 4. “They have never seen big balloons, so we thought they would enjoy seeing them light up.”

For others, it was just blind luck that they discovered the festival.

“This is just an awesome evening,” said Nick Mohan, who was with his two children, Culain, age 3, and Eilah, age 1. “We were just coming to the park and didn’t know the balloon fest was even here tonight, but I am so glad we came.

This is incredible.”

On Sunday morning, many area residents notice a fleet of air balloons flying over their home and even landing in their

Festival Continued on Page 18

Make your plans for eclipse

i

f you’re thinking about making some plans to watch this summer’s total solar eclipse on Aug. 21 — coined the “Great American Eclipse” — it’s better to do so sooner rather than later.

Some of the Missouri cities and towns that will experience the longest period of “totality” on Aug. 21 — two minutes and 40 or 41 seconds — are St. Joseph, Boonville (near Columbia,) De Soto and Ste. Genevieve. Many other nearby municipalities and rural areas will experience more than two minutes of totality, including Park Hills, Farmington, Leadwood, Bonne

Terre and Potosi.

“Totality” is the period of a total solar eclipse when the moon appears to be completely blocking the sun and all that is visible is a 360 degree glowing corona. A total solar eclipse can only take place during the phase of “new moon,” when the moon passes directly between the sun and Earth in a direct line and its shadow falls upon the Earth’s surface.

The exact period of totality will vary slightly, depending on location. In Park Hills, for example, the total time of the eclipse will last close to three hours, beginning at 11:49 a.m. and ending at 2:45 p.m. The time of the total eclipse — when the sun, moon and Earth are

Balloon Continued from Page 17 airport all of the balloons had filled and floated away for their rides. We passed the airport and Jason got on his radio and called to his crew.

He let them know our direction of travel, while his eyes were on the landscape looking for an area to land. In the beginning he told us to watch for powerlines and let him know where they were at to help in the landing. We were 1,500 feet in the air as we passed over a very large field he considered landing in, but decided against it because there were cows in the pasture and he didn’t want to run into one.

Eventually he eyed a subdivision with very large yards and decided that was where he was going to bring the balloon down. He radioed his crew and gave them the location. He had a phone or some sort of device strapped to the arm of the basket with a map on it so he knew where he was traveling.

Again, people came out of their houses to view the balloons passing by. There was another balloon flying nearby that

18 | Best of the Parkland 2017

perfectly aligned and the sun appears to be completely blocked out by the moon — will begin at 1:17 p.m. (at the 30-second mark) and last for two minutes and 17 seconds.

Although everyone in the continental U.S. will see at least a partial eclipse, only those within the direct path of the eclipse will experience a true total solar eclipse, including residents living in the Parkland. There will, however, be thousands of people from outside the area who have already been making arrangements for lodging and plans for the best places to watch the rare event.

No other country anywhere in the world will experience this total eclipse.

also decided to land in the same area as we were. As we came lower, Jason yelled down to a couple giving them their free roof inspection and they asked if we were going to throw candy. Jason laughed and said if he had any he would.

At that point Jason had spotted a small park like area with a pond in the center.

He radioed his crew to let them know that was where were coming down at and they were there waiting for us to descend. As the balloon came closer to the ground Jason advised we bend our knees for the landing. We ever so slightly brushed across the neatly manicured lawn and came to rest in the road in front of the house of the couple Jason was joking with.

Jason, a proud pilot, stated that was a very soft landing and was pleased with how it all went. Our flight lasted 53 minutes long, we were originally going on a 30-minute flight. Again, the crew grabbed the basket and we had to wait before exiting the balloon. I was the last passenger out, followed by Jason and in a blink of an eye the balloon started

Festival Continued from Page 16 yards. As a final festival wrap up, the pilots, along with a few very lucky guest, took to the skies for a trip.

“It was really amazing,” said A.J. Baumer, one of the guest who flew with pilot Jason Gaines and the St. Louis Ballooning Adventures balloon.

“It was definitely an awesome experience.”

At the end of the week, with all the events behind her, Engler said she had thought the event went extremely well, but did mention the city of Farmington – public safety and city workers – who worked diligently to make the festival a success.

“And I can’t say enough about the police and fire department or the city workers,” Engler said. “They worked from dawn to after dusk to make this weekend a success.”

collapsing and the basket was once again laid on its side.

As the balloon came all the way down, the fabric was stretched straight out and a rod with a loop bent through the middle of it was brought out. The fabric of the balloon was looped into the center of it and a person on each side gripped it and walked toward the back of the balloon pushing the remaining air out.

Once completely deflated the balloon was carefully packed back into its bag to be stowed away until its next flight.

Everything was packed back into Jason’s van and the basket was placed onto the small grate attached to the back of the van. We piled into the van and we drove back to the airport to be dropped off at our cars.

Jason took his first balloon ride in 1985 and began ballooning himself in 1986 as a crew member. He began flight training in the mid 90s and received his pilot’s certificate shortly after that. As of 2015 he has piloted nearly 900 balloon flights and travels extensively throughout the country participating in balloon festivals.

g n i p Shop

Best Specialty Shops

t

he Parkland offers shoppers a wide and interesting variety of locally-owned specialty shops, from natural health foods and unique gifts to carefully crafted, custom made products, including soaps, jewelry and some of the best homemade bread and baked goods you’ll ever taste. tion of clothing, home décor and handcrafted items, including one-of-a-kind jewelry designed by owner Iris Richardson. The artist, designer and entrepreneur started selling her jewelry 2017 on the side as a way to ends meet. What t Berksland make started as a side venture of the pa Earth Mother Health Foods eventually grew into a full-time business as deThe first place winners from each of mand for her designs grew. She eight cities in the Parkland, plus an eventually bought the building and “other in region,” are included below. invited her best friend, professional hair stylist Alicia Eden, to be her partner Farmington and share the space, which houses the Owned and operated by Marylee boutique along with Ooh La La hair Visnovske since 1991, Earth Mother styling salon.

Health Foods in Farmington has beQueen Anne’s Lace is located at 1421 come a staple for many people when E. Main St. near Columbia Park and is it comes to buying, not only quality open Mondays and Saturdays from 10 vitamin and mineral supplements, but also a variety of homeopathic remedies, a.m. to 4 p.m. and Tues – Fri from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. To contact the store, call including essential oils, herbs and 573-327-9888, look for it on Facebook spices. The store also carries natural or visit Richardson’s Etsy shop at www. and chemical-free food, wheat- and etsy.com/shop/irisqueenanneslace. gluten-free food, body and home care products, a large book selection, inDesloge cense and gifts.

Another unique boutique, The GivEarth Mother is located at 220 E. ing Tree in Desloge was named by the Harrison St. in downtown Farmington store’s owner, Ashley Harrison, for the and is open Mon – Fri from 9 a.m. – 6 popular children’s book by the same p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. To contact the store, call 573-756- name. With its own distinctive style and community spirit, the store brings 7852 or look for it on Facebook. together shopping and giving back by donating 10 percent of each month’s Park Hills Housed inside a bright, turquoise blue sales to a local charity. The store offers children’s and women’s clothing, building in Park Hills, Queen Anne’s accessories, jewelry, specialized soaps, Lace Boutique offers a unique colleclotions, candles and more. In keeping with the spirit of giving back, Harrison only buys merchandise for the store from vendors that are also charitable-minded companies.

The Giving Tree is 2017 located 1136 N. erkslatnd DeslogeatDr. B across pa e th Queen Anne’s Lace of from Lix Frozen

20 | Best of the Parkland 2017

2017

The Giving Tree

Best

rkland of the pa

Custard and is open Mon – Fri from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. To contact the store, call 573-327-8455 or look for it on Facebook.

Bonne Terre One of Bonne Terre’s newer businesses, The Fancy Crow is another place to find unique items to decorate your home and special gifts for friends and family. Owned by Shari House, the boutique features farmhouse, country, vintage, and primitive items, along with a distinctive assortment of collectibles and antiques. House stocks her store from well-known and respected commercial suppliers, “interesting finds,” and local artisans and crafters “who, if you don’t know them already, will quickly be counted among your favorites.” Some of her most popular sellers are colorful, berry-themed swag décor and dried cotton stalks.

The Fancy Crow is located at 48 Raider Rd. behind Walgreens and is open Mon – Sat from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. To contact the store, call 573-358-5265,

Specialty Continued to Page 21

2017

The Fancy Crow

Best

rkland of the pa

products and handmade soap for more than 40 years. Her store features a large variety of beautifully colored soaps — scented and fragrance-free, lyebased, lard-based or vegan — soap sachets, aromatic 2017 2017 mist sprays, bath bombs t s Be eslatnd other products.

Mustard Seed Mercantile of the parkland and Sweet Memories Shop ofB the park The Arcadia Valley Soap Company is located at birthday and holiday parties, 119 S. Main St. in Ironton’s Specialty Continued from Page 20 baptisms, weddings, graduations, historic downtown region and is open retirement celebrations, business events look for it on Facebook or visit www.

Thurs – Sat from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. or and funerals, big or small. Owned and thefancycrow.com. by appointment. To contact the store, operated by Cindy Merx, her beauticall 573-546-7627 or look for it on ful and scrumptious cakes and creative Fredericktown Facebook. Online shoppers can visit cupcakes, delicious cookies, irresistible Located in historic downtown Frederwww.ArcadiaValleySoap.com and select pies and chocolate-covered strawberries icktown, Mustard Seed Mercantile is and other treats are sure to be the hit of customer pick-up to save on shipping a “posh style boutique with a touch of any occasion. Although her sweet treats or have their order delivered to their farmhouse, vintage and boho” offering are her best-sellers, don’t forget to call home. a large selection of women’s unique Merx for all of your catering needs. and trendsetting clothing in sizes Sweet Memories is located at 105 ranging from small to “curvy girl.”

W. Breton St. near the county courtYou’ll also find shoes, jewelry and house and is open by appointment. To gifts for friends and family alike. contact the store, call 573-436-9140 The Mercantile features many items or look for it on Facebook. made by local artists and crafts people, including beauty products, Other Areas home decor and jewelry. With 2017 new and fun merchandise being Whether you’re looking for the best added frequently, always reasonably estnd homemade baked bread, quality deli B priced, you’ll want to visit often. e parkla meats and cheeses or a freshly made th of Locally owned by Laci McMinn and Sweet Things Sweet Shop sandwich, you’ll find it at Ole Tyme Maghan Rehkop, you can be sure Pantry just north of Farmington.

Ste. Genevieve to receive the best customer service The pantry offers more than just lunch around from women whose purpose in Have an insatiable sweet tooth? Then fare, however, featuring food items not life “is to uplift other women and create you’ll want to visit Sweet Things Sweet usually found in large chain stores as positive vibes.”

Shop. Located in historic downtown well as quality furniture found nowhere Mustard Seed Mercantile is located Ste. Genevieve, Sweet Things is a else.

For folks wanting to buy in bulk, at 117 E. Main St. near Courthouse candy and gift store offering a wide Old Tyme Pantry also carries bulk food Square and is open Tues – Thurs from variety of delectables and confections, items to save you money without hav10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays from 10 a.m. including fine chocolates, holidaying to leave the local community. For to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. themed candies, chocolate-covered those with a sweet tooth, the pantry can to 4 p.m. To contact the store, call 573- gummi bears, sour cream and onion satisfy any craving with an assortment 944-3461 or look for it on Facebook. flavored crickets, lollipops “as big as a of bakery and sweet treats.

Frisbee, jawbreakers the size of a baseOle Tyme Pantry is located at 5200 Arcadia Valley/Ironton/Pilot Knob ball” and more. Gift buyers will also be Highway D just three miles north of Carrying on a family tradition started pleased with the assortment of handLix Frozen Custard on N. Washington by her grandmother, handcrafted soap made bracelets designed by co-owner Street and is open Tues – Fri from 9 maker Debra Hendron has created her Joy French, purses, wallets, candles and a.m.

– 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 own niche in Ironton with the Arcadia melters, handmade baskets and other a.m. to 4 p.m.

To contact the store, call Valley Soap Company. With an onsite items available.

573-747-1761, look for it on Facebook “soap lab” in the back of her store, Sweet Things is located at 242 Maror visit oletymepantry.com.

Hendron has been creating herbal ket St. and is open Mon – Sat from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sundays from 12:30 – 3:30 p.m.

To contact the store, call 573-883-7990, look for it on Facebook or visit squareup.com/market/stegencandy.

Potosi For your catering and bakery needs, Sweet nd la rk Arcadia Valley Soap Company ofof the pa Memories Shop in Potosi is ready for 2017

Best

2017

Ole Tyme Pantry

Best

rkland

of the pa

Best of the Parkland 2017 | 21

Best Auto Dealer

w

hen it’s time to purchase a new or used vehicle, it’s vitally important to work with a dealer who can offer a wide selection, fair pricing, customer financing and service after the sale.

With all the top-notch automobile dealerships in the Parkland, there’s no need to travel to St. Louis, Cape Girardeau or Memphis, Tennessee, to buy a car. While the area has a wide variety of places to buy a new car or truck, the following are the top three dealerships chosen by our readers.

2017

Best

Auto Plaza Group

For a company that hasn’t rkland of the pa even been in the Parkland all that many years, the Auto Plaza Group can be proud that it received top honors in this category.

“My partner and I bought what used to be Talbert Ford in De Soto a little over five years ago,” said co-owner Joe Pettus. “Then Fredericktown became available, so we bought the Ford dealership there. Later, we were approached

by Chrysler to put in a dealership in De Soto, so we did that, too. All of this happened within just three years.

“Then Crown Motors in Farmington became available, as well as their Chevrolet store in Marble Hill, and then the Ford store in Ste. Genevieve. So we bought all three of those in November.

We’ve grown very quickly!”

Asked what he credits Auto Plaza Group’s success to, Pettus said, “I think the majority of it is customer satisfaction. We want every one of our customers to be satisfied. Obviously, you can’t make everyone a perfectly happy, satisfied customer — but we strive to. One of the biggest ways we try to do that is through our pricing structure.

“We don’t just sell in our area. Last month alone, group wide, we probably sold 20 to 30 cars out of state. That’s by

22 | Best of the Parkland 2017

pricing them competitively.”

For the Auto Plaza Group, it’s more than just selling a new or used car, it’s providing service beyond the sale — and having a strong community presence. For the past several years they have held “Horsepower For Hope” to raise funds for Camp Hope, a 170acre farm in St. Francois County that gives wounded veterans and active duty combat-wounded soldiers, Marines, airmen and sailors a chance to participate in outdoor activities with dignity.

“We spend a lot of money in the communities,” Pettus said. “We believe it’s the right thing to do and a good thing to do — and we think it comes back to us with customers.”

Turner Chevrolet-Cadillac Taking second place in the category is Turner Chevrolet-Cadillac, located at 1005 E. Main St. in Park Hills.

Through the years, owner Joe Turner has built one of the most respected car dealerships in the state by offering a large inventory of new and pre-owned Chevrolets and Cadillacs, as well as providing service after the sale with a team of service representatives and trained mechanics who use the latest cutting edge technology to keep your car running smoothly.

The dealership is also very involved

in the community, including sponsorship of the most successful Relay For Life team in St. Francois County.

Add to all that Turner’s convenient hours, competitive pricing and helpful sales staff and it’s easy to understand why this dealership finished in the top three.

Sam Scism Ford-Lincoln Rounding out the top three spots is Sam Scism Ford-Lincoln, located at 5019 Flat River Road in Farmington.

In business since 1937, this outstanding dealership has always stayed true to its motto — “Our reputation is your guarantee!”

Not only does this family-owned business offer one of the best inventories of new and pre-owned cars in the state, but it also features a strong and committed sales staff with many years of experience in satisfying the needs of its customers.

Along with vehicle sales, Sam Scism Ford-Lincoln also offers top-of-theline service for all makes and models.

Whether you need a new set of tires or an engine overhaul, Sam Scism is there to do the job.

As with the other top winners in this category, Sam Scism contributes to a number of charities and special projects, including “The Pink Fund,” “Walker Johns Childhood Cancer Foundation” and the “Drive 4 UR School” fundraiser for the Central High School Booster Club.

Best Convenience Store

r

iver Mart has been a part of Park Hills for years.

2017

Best

River Mart

River Mart has been a rkland part of Park Hills for years. pa e th of Owned by Paul Bauman, the store was originally located on the banks of Flat River. In 2010, Bauman’s wife Theresa had the opportunity to step in and take the business over.

“I came into it in 2010,” Theresa said.

“I was a rookie. I had been a dance teacher, I’d owned two dance studios, I’d worked as parents as teachers for two years, and I was a mom.”

Theresa had also worked for a cigarette company that put her into a lot of convenience stores, and she got an idea of what made a good store. When Theresa came to River Mart she started making big changes. She said she started holding the employees to a higher standard, and some chose to leave.

“We changed it over with new employ-

ees, one employee at a time,” Theresa said.

After the changes she made, River Mart started taking off in a big way.

Theresa said toward the end of operation at the old location it was almost impossible to get on or off the parking lot. It became clear that a new location was needed.

Paul had the idea to move the store up the street to the intersection of East Main Street and Flat River Drive.

In August of 2014 the new River Mart opened at that location.

Theresa said the new store was hectic at first, because it was difficult to know just how busy the new location would be. She said after a few weeks the decision was made to hire additional employees to keep up with the volume.

“I love bringing We Accept Most Insurance Plans! jobs to our community,” Theresa POTOSI FESTUS IMPERIAL 610 E. High St. 116 Walnut St. 1117 Main St. said. “When we were down in the 573-438-2189 Phone: 636-937-7997 636-464-1100 old store, we had a total of 12 employees, and we busted FARMINGTON our tails. When 669 W. Karsch we came up here, in the new store, I Phone: 573-756-3503 think it would be

26 | Best of the Parkland 2017

safe to say we have 28 people.

“We want to be different. We have never wanted to be a typical convenience store, and we strive to be better than that all the time,” Theresa admits.

River Mart is located in Park Hills at 10 Flat River Drive, and at 300 North Desloge Drive in Desloge.

Rhodes 101 The story of Rhodes 101 begins in the 1950’s with F.E. “Gene” Rhodes working for Gulf Oil. By 1963, Gene established the Rhodes Oil Company, which would later become the line of convenience stores known simply as “Rhodes.”

The first Rhodes convenience store was acquired in 1989, and by 1990 there were 14 operating as Rhodes 101 Stops. After the death of Gene Rhodes in 2014, the company began a rebranding process, part of which was unveiled at a Farmington location in 2016, featuring local photography to appeal to the community the store serves.

There are three Rhodes locations in Farmington - on Karsch Boulevard, Columbia Street and Maple Street.

There is also a Rhodes 101 location in Desloge, at the intersection of North Desloge Drive and North State Street.

Chuck’s Short Stop Chuck’s Short Stop is truly a family business. It was opened as a convenience store in August of 1988. The owners were Chuck and Sharon Umfleet. It has always been at its current location on Z Highway, where it intersects with Jennifer Street, in Fredericktown.

Chuck’s is busy at all different times of

Convenience Cont. to Page 27

Best Grocery Store

p

erhaps it’s Country Mart’s bakeries filled with specialty cakes, artisan breads and other mouthwatering goodies that prompted area residents to vote for the store.

2017

Best

Country Mart

Or it could be their rkland of the pa freshly prepared deli foods and salads, or their large selection of fresh produce.

Perhaps it’s the variety of restaurantquality USDA Choice and Prime meats that came to mind. Or maybe it’s the friendly, small town feel of Country Mart stores that pushed them to the number one spot for “Best of the Parkland” grocery store.

Each store in the region is slightly different from the others, but every Country Mart is 100 percent employeeowned and promises to always deliver top quality products at a reasonable price. The grocery chain’s store brand Best Choice® carries a 100 percent customer satisfaction guarantee. If you’re not fully satisfied with a Best Choice® product, you can return it to the store for a full refund with no questions asked.

Country Mart is confident its customers will think their brand is as good as or better than the national brands and for a lower price. Because there are no advertising and promotional costs attached to the brand, they can be priced lower than leading national brands.

Best Choice® offers nearly any item you may need, from canned fruits and vegetables; fruit juices; baby products; frozen foods, including pizza, whipped topping, fruits and vegetables; dairy products such as sliced and block cheese, cream cheese, cheese sticks and milk; cooking and baking products, including cooking oil, vinegar, mayonnaise, salad dressing, cake frosting, pie filling, raisins and other dried fruit, chunk tuna, sugar, flour, salt and pepper, plastic wrap and tin foil.

Whatever you need for your family — whether you’re looking for name brands or a store brand — you’re sure to find it at one of the Parkland Country Marts.

There are Country Mart locations in Park Hills, Bonne Terre, Farmington, Potosi, Fredericktown and Ste. Genevieve. There is also a Town & Country Supermarket, part of the same chain, located in Ironton.

Most stores are open every day of the week from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Schnucks Completed and ready for business in mid-November 2014, the new Farmington Schnucks store opened its doors just in time for the holidays to an enthusiastic public. With votes from the Parkland public putting the grocery store in the top three, it appears that enthusiasm remains strong.

The appreciation was not more evident than in the hundreds of shoppers who arrived well in advance of the 9 a.m. grand opening on Nov. 19, 2014. ThenMayor Stuart “Mit” Landrum described the opening as the most anticipated retail event in probably the last 50 years in Farmington, adding that the city had been working for at least a decade to bring the St. Louis-based market to the community.

The 61,000-square-foot full-service food and drug store includes a drivethru pharmacy and was designed to match the footprint of a traditional Schnucks store. It features more than 40,000 different products along with service areas in meat, seafood and deli.

Store Manager David Alcorn was hired with more than 32 years of experience and helped in the hiring of nearly 100

new employees for the store out of more than 1,200 applicants. Alcorn’s current assistant manager is Cody Gibbs.

Schnucks is located at 942 Valley Creek Dr. and is open Sun - Thurs from 6 a.m. – 10 p.m. and Fri – Sat from 6 a.m. – 11 p.m. To contact the store, call 573-664-5200 or look for Schnucks Farmington on Facebook.

ALDI In third place is the newly remodeled ALDI Food Market in Farmington. A little more than a year ago the store reopened after an expansion project.

An additional aisle was constructed to accommodate the growth of the ALDI store line and to allow for forthcoming products. Giving the store a fresh new look, the Farmington location became the grocery chain’s new prototype.

Customer feedback was positive, with many patrons saying how glad they were to see the store opening again. Known for its ALDI-exclusive brands free of certified synthetic colors, partially hydrogenated oils and added MSG, the company boasts that it offers high-quality products at incredibly low prices. ALDI also currently carries a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including several organic produce items.

Aldi is located at 787 Maple Valley Dr. and is open Mon - Sat from 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Best of the Parkland 2017 | 23

Coffee Cont. from Page 13 515 West Karsch Blvd, with a drivethrough window at the front of the building.

Panera Bread Co. Coming in second, Panera Bread Co. came to Farmington in May 2014, but the company’s history goes back much further. In 1993, the Au Bon Pain Co. purchased the Saint Louis Bread Company, which was at the time a chain of 20 bakeries.

The company used the name Panera Bread at their new locations, and continued to acquire other smaller bakery chains. It became clear, however, that the Panera brand that had begun with the Saint Louis Bread Company had the greatest recipe for success.

In 1999, Au Bon Pain Co. jettisoned everything but Panera Bread, and officially renamed itself Panera Bread Co. According to the Panera Bread Co. website, as of September 2016 there were 2,024 bakeries in 46 states, as well as the District of Columbia and Canada that bear the name Panera

The Arcadia Valley Roasting Company Coffeehouse The Arcadia Valley Roasting Company Coffeehouse has been open less than a year in Ironton, but has already made a name for itself as one of the best places in the area to get a cup of coffee. The company is owned by a group of family members and friends, giving the venture a real “family affair,” as Anna-Marie Beard, one of the owners, explained.

The company is owned by AnnaMarie and her husband Brian, Wade and Crystal Buckman, and Dustin, Erica and Alexa Branstetter. The company has been roasting coffee for

three or four years, but in October of 2016 opened a coffeehouse inside The Woods, a venue in downtown Ironton.

Anna-Marie said the company has established a partnership with a small farm in Nicaragua to ensure quality beans while also providing fair compensation with the farmers. Wade Buckman roasts the beans, and has been refining the craft for years.

Anna-Marie said that what makes the Arcadia Valley Roasting Company Coffeehouse special is its environmentally-friendly focus while providing a good product.

“We want to use good quality beans to provide good quality coffee, as well as food,” Anna-Marie said. “And all of our utensils are bio-degradable.

The company’s motto is, ‘Coffee Doing Good,’ and Anna-Marie said that motto means providing good coffee, while also doing good for the world at large.

The Arcadia Valley Roasting Company Coffeehouse is located within The Woods in Ironton at 135 South Main Street.

I’ll Do the Running For You

OFFICE

CELL

573.747.8099 573.327.8300

Bread, Saint Louis Bread Co. or Paradise Bakery & Café.

Panera Bread Co. offers a variety of hot or iced coffees, prepared in a number of ways, in addition to a full menu of soups, breads and sandwiches to name a few.

Panera Bread Co. is located at 685 West Karsch Blvd in Farmington, and can be reached at 573-760-1347.

www.facebook.com/vickycrockerrealty

Vicky Crocker Realty is a top producing non franchised Real Estate office in the Mineral Area, helping clients buy and sell property within St. Francois County and surrounding Counties.

Consider it done...Consider it done right!

We are dedicated to achieving results and providing exceptional service. If you are in the market to buy or sell a home, we’ve helped hundreds of families reach their real estate goals, and we want to help you too!

Whether you are buying or selling, contact us today 573-327-8300, we have full time agents eager to help you!

24 | Best of the Parkland 2017

“22 Years of Allowing Us to Provide Quality Service to Our Community. Thank You from All of Us at Dale Mosier Auto Body!”

– Dale, Chad, Yvonne, Dale R., Tony, Randy, Mike and Bill.

Pharmacy Continued from Page 25 The locations also offer medical equipment and supplies, compliance packaging for those with multiple prescriptions, as well as wellness services such as health screenings and flu shots, pneumonia and shingles vaccines.

Most importantly, each location prides themselves on the relationships built with the customers in the communities they serve.

Hours at each location are 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday and closed on Sunday.

Parkland Health Mart Pharmacy-Desloge is located at 617 N. Cowling St., Ste G. The phone number is 573-431-6677. Parkland Health Mart Pharmacy-Fredericktown is located at the 1025 Highway 72 Bypass.

The phone number is 573783-6000. Parkland Health Mart Pharmacy-Ironton is located at 1500 N. Highway 21. The phone number is 573-546-6000.

Pharmax Pharmacy Rounding out the top three as “Best in the Parkland” is Pharmax Pharmacy.

There are three locations in the Parkland – Bonne Terre, Leadington and Potosi.

Each locations offers

free delivery, as well as the “Simplify My Meds” program which, according to their website, is designed to organize medications to be refilled on the same day each month.

Pharmax Pharmacy locations also offer durable medical equipment, flu shots and immunizations, med synchronization, MTM services, private consultation and travel vaccinations. It offers a free children’s vitamin program as well as an app for refills.

The pharmacies also offer the following over the counter items: pain medication, cold and allergy meds, vitamins, oral health products, feminine hygiene products, first aid items, contraceptive aids and shower and bath items.

The Bonne Terre pharmacy is located at 60 A Nesbit Dr. The phone number is 573358-3301.

The Leadington pharmacy is located at 113 St. Francois Plaza. The phone number is 573-431-5040.

The Potosi pharmacy is located at 610 East High St. The phone number is 573438-2189.

Hours at each location are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday

Convenience Continued from Page 26 day, inside the store, at the pumps, and at the drive-through window. At breakfast time, there’s sandwiches, including the “Big Chuck.” At lunch and dinner time customers choose from a variety of cold and grilled sandwiches, as well pizza by the slice and whole pizzas for carry-out.

Bobbi and Dena say Chuck’s has always sold branded fuel.

It is currently a Phillips 66 station with recently upgraded pumps.

Chuck’s has been a corporate sponsor of countless local events, teams, and organizations.

The owners also take great pride in providing “fast, friendly service.”

Thank You For Your Votes for Us in the Best of the Parkland for

BEST FURNITURE STORE

Willette

Home Furnishings & Appliances Willette Home Furnishings is a family-owned discount home furnishings store based in Bonne Terre, MO. Since 1997, Willette Home Furnishings has served customers in Bonne Terre with low prices on furniture, appliances and mattresses, and top notch customer service.

450 Berry Road, Bonne Terre, MO

573-358-2000

Best of the Parkland 2017 | 27

Best Pharmacy

i

n a time of need it’s important to have a pharmacy to trust.

2017

Best

Walgreens

In our “Best of the Parkrkland of the pa land” category for “Best Pharmacy,” it was Walgreens coming out on top.

The national chain has five locations in the Parkland.

Customers in the northern part of the county – Bonne Terre and Desloge – have the convenience offered by the full-service pharmacy with convenient drive-thru lanes at both, along with photo services at the Bonne Terre location. Both are open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week.

For those in Farmington, there are two locations to serve your needs – the Walgreens at 600 W. Karsch Blvd. is open 24 hours to help with those middle-ofthe-night emergencies. The location at 120 E. Karsch Blvd. is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and, like the other location, offers a convenient drive-thru and photo services.

The location in Ironton is located at 605 N. Main St. and is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The location also offers a drive-thru and photo services.

According to the company’s website, Walgreen’s mission is to be “America’s most-loved pharmacy-led health, wellbeing and beauty retailer. Its purpose is to champion everyone’s right to be happy and healthy.”

To achieve this mission and purpose, the website lists three core strategies Walgreens is focusing on to better serve customers. Those strategies include offering ultimate convenience, earning customer loyalty with the Balance® Rewards loyalty program and Walgreens Prescription Savings Club and delivering extraordinary customer and patient care.

With more than 8,000 stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the website states there are stores located within five miles of approximately 76

percent of Americans. Walgreens also features popular online offerings and an award-winning mobile app, the website states.

Founded with a single store in Chicago in 1901, Walgreens is today continuing to build a seamless customer experience through its nearly 8,200 drugstores and Walgreens. com.

Parkland Health Mart Pharmacy Coming in second place was Parkland Health Mart Pharmacy.

Started in 2005, the pharmacy has grown to three locations in the Parkland – Desloge, Fredericktown and Ironton.

The first store opened in Desloge in 2005, followed

by Fredericktown in 2012 and Ironton in 2013.

Each of the three stores offers

automatic refills through their Medsync program, as well as compounded medications for customers, as well as pets and farm animals.

Pharmacy Cont. to Page 27

Thanks For Voting for us for Best of Special

10% OFF

Any Regular Priced Salon, Spa, Or Tanning Service With this coupon.

Must present coupon to receive offer - Not valid with any other offers M - Not valid with select Salon Professionals.

Call for details - Expires 10/31/17.

423 W. Karsch Blvd.

Us On Farmington, MO 63640 Find Facebook www.theboulevardspa.com

Best of the Parkland 2017 | 25

and the

Winners

are...

Shopping Best WalMart 1 Desloge

Best Specialty Shop

2 Farmington 3 Fredericktown

1 Ole Tyme Pantry

Best Tire Shop 1 Ron’s Tire

(Others in region)

2 Old Village Mercantile 3 The Tackle Box

Best Specialty Shop

2 Bismarck Tire 3 Bob’s Tire

(Ironton/Arcadia/Pilot Knob)

Best Thrift Store 1 Old Time Flea Market

2 Hidden Treasures 3 Reed and Reed Lumber

1 Arcadia Valley Soap Company

Best Produce 1 Aldi

Best Floor Covering 1 Busenbark

2 Schnucks 3 Crystal and Richard’s Produce

2 Menards 3 Carpet One

Best Pharmacy 1 Walgreens 2 Parkland Health Mart Pharmacy 3 Pharmax Pharmacy

Best Pet Supply Store 1 Petco

Best Farm Supply 1 Rural King 2 Madison County Farm Supply 3 Shy’s Feed

Best Fabric/Sewing/ Craft Store 1 Hobby Lobby

2 Mad Monks 3 Cutt-N-Sew 2 Rural King 3 Tractor Supply Company

Best Convenience Best Meat Department Store 1 Ruble’s Meat Market 1 River Mart 2 Oberle Meats 3 Save-A-Lot

2 Rhodes 101 3 Chuck’s Short Stop

Best Jewelry Store 1 Krekeler Jewelers

Best Clothing Boutique 1 Southern Sins

2 Diamonds and More 3 JCPenney

2 Mustard Seed Mercantile 3 Ophelia

2 Brooklyn Avenue Everyday Boutique 3 Tom’s Western Wear

Best Home Improvement Store 1 Menards

Best Bridal Shop 1 Special Memories

Best Specialty Shop

2 Lowe’s 3 Gifford Lumber

2 White Weddings 3 His and Hers Formal Wear

Best Gun/Related Equipment Shop 1 Cedar Falls Tactical

Best Bait/Tackle Selection 1 Fishing Hole

2 Rob’s Guns 3 Arcadia Sporting Goods

2 The Tackle Box 3 WalMart

Best Grocery Store 1 Country Mart

Best Auto Dealer 1 Auto Plaza Group

2 Schnucks 3 Aldi

2 Turner Chevrolet-Cadillac 3 Sam Scism Ford

Best Furniture Store

Best Appliance Store

2 Farmington Pet Adoption Best Specialty Shop Center Second Chance (Fredericktown) Resale Store 1 Mustard Seed 3 Open Hearts

Mercantile Best Specialty Shop (Park Hills-Leadington)

1 Queen Anne’s Lace 2 Special Memories 3 R.P. Lumber

(Desloge)

Best Specialty Shop

1 The Giving Tree

(Farmington)

2 Dirt Cheap 3 Embry Appliance

1 Earth Mother Health Food 2 Plummer’s Hardware 3 Ophelia

Best Specialty Shop (Bonne Terre) 1 Fancy Crow

Best Specialty Shop

2 Got It Boutique 3 Feminine Touch

(Ste. Genevieve)

1 Sweet Things Sweet Shop 2 Odile’s Linen and Lace 3 Rhinehart’s Gallery

Best Specialty Shop (Potosi)

1 Sweet Memories Shop 2 Sinclair Florist 3 Boyer Lumber

Best Shoe Store 1 Famous Footwear

2 Craftwell and Dunnright 1 Hefner Furniture 1 Hefner Furniture 3 Payless ShoeSource and Appliance and Appliance 2 Patsy’s Furniture 2 Seabaugh Furniture and Best Retail Beer/Liquor 3 Willette Home Furnishings Appliance Selection 3 Fisher Furniture

1 214 Package Store 2 Schnucks 3 R-B’s Western Package

28 | Best of the Parkland 2017

Best Florist 1 Butterfields Florist 2 Expressions by Dennis 3 Country Lane

Best Antique Shopping 1 Forever Antiques 2 Old Village Mercantile 3 Antique Treasures

Farmington Press Stories in this section were previously published in the Farmington Press.

Carrow preserves history one paper at a time

d

uring Francis Carrow’s lifetime, he has taken walks through some the most historical cities in the world, eyed some of man’s greatest monuments and gazed upon some of the most beautiful places the Earth has to offer.

But to the retired bank president, Farmington is the only place in the world he will ever call home.

“The only time I did not live in Farmington was when I was in the Air Force and when I went to college at the University of Missouri,” Carrow said. “I was born and raised in Farmington in about a seven or eight block area.”

Carrow is the first to admit he loves living in Farmington. He explains one of the most important reasons he stayed was due to family.

“I came back because my parents were here, so was my brother,” Carrow said.

“My wife’s mother and father were here and so were her three sisters. I really never thought about living anywhere else.”

As the years passed, Carrow raised his own family. He married his wife, Beulah, and they raised two sons - Stephen, who lives in St. Louis, and Jerry, who lives in Houston.

Carrow had an illustrious career as bank president with St. Francois County Savings and Loan, which would eventually become New Era Bank, spent time running a poverty program

30 | Best of the Parkland 2017

With stacks of newspapers, pictures, advertisements, and other treasures - some dating back more than 100 years - Francis Carrow could be considereed the “unofficial” archivist of Farmington

during the term of President Lyndon B. Johnson and established an insurance agency after his college graduation.

But, for more than 30 years, he has spent time as an archivist, collecting newspaper articles, pictures, and clippings about life in Farmington.

“I like doing it. I started saving pictures and clippings around 1985 when I bought a laminate machine,” Carrow said. “But my mother kept newspapers.

I’m still going through them. I flip through them and when I find something interesting, I stop and read it.”

In Carrow’s home are neatly organized stacks spread across a ping-pong table containing a cornucopia of newspapers, pictures, advertisements, documents and miscellaneous items showing the history of Farmington and the surrounding area.

However, one of his oldest items in his collection is his great-great-grandfather’s hand book from the Napoleon

Army.

“He was born in 1832 in France,” Carrow said. “I can’t read it because it is in French, but it gives all his information.”

According to Carrow, after immigrating to the United States, his greatgreat-grandfather moved to the Stono area near Doe Run and began raising his family.

Whether it is a copy of the Farmington Press from 1965, a commencement book from a long-forgotten college, or a newspaper picture of his friend, Carrow’s collection holds a vast amount of information on not just the history of Farmington, but of the people who lived in the city.

While looking through the articles and pictures covering the table, Carrow stops from time to time to tell a story about who is in the picture.

One of the items catching his attention is a photograph of a Marine

Carrow Continued on Page 32

n o t g n i Farm Press

Memorable Stories of the past year.

Best Auto Repair - Collision

f

or 22 years, Dale Mosier has worked hard to grow his family-owned business to where it is today, providing friendly professional service to the community.

2017

Best

rkland of the pa

Dale Mosier Auto Body

That’s why Dale Mosier Auto Body was named by voters as the “Best Auto Repair (Collision)” in the Best of the Parkland 2017 competition.

Office Manager Yvonne Driemeier said they specialize in collision repair, insurance claims, spray-on bed liners, detail work, truck accessories, hail damage repair and custom paint jobs.

“When Dale was 16 years old his dad taught him how to do body work,

so that was the field he went into,” explained Driemeier. “He decided in 1995 to open his own shop. He has taught both his sons how to do body work and they both work here.”

Driemeier added everyone has their own job and they work as a team to finish each job in a timely manner.

“We work on vehicles of any year,” said Driemeier.

“Right now we have a 1940 truck in here and a 2015 car.”

Dale Mosier Auto Body is located at 201 Mulberry St. in Park Hills. Each employee plays a vital role in the process of repairing your vehicle and getting it back to pre-accident shape. Their staff strives to give each customer courteous and friendly David Shepard service during a Hearing Instrument Specialist time that may be difficult for them.

They are all there to help get the vehicle repaired fast and with the least amount of 990 Park Dr problems.

Thanking our loyal patients over the last 14 years!

Karen Melton, Au.D., CCC-A Doctor of Audiology

Steven Wade, Au.D., CCC-A Doctor of Audiology

620 Walton Dr Farmington

1185 Scenic Dr Herculaneum

573.747.4719 636.642.0128

34 | Best of the Parkland 2017

Ste. Genevieve

636-642-0128

Kevin Ball’s Auto Body For nearly three decades Kevin Ball

has perfected his collision business, providing quality work for his customers. That’s why his establishment, Kevin Ball’s Auto Body, was ranked among the top by voters.

In business since 1990, Ball started his shop as the only employee. Over the years he has expanded and now employs approximately 17 skilled workers at his shop located at 100 E Woodlawn Dr. in Leadington. Collision repair on late model cars is their expertise, but they also do a small amount of late model rebuilds.

Not only does Kevin Ball Auto Body handle collision repair, they also complete a collision diagnostic scan on the vehicle. All sensors, side mirror alerts, rear camera, sensor doors and more, need to be calibrated after being involved in an accident. They use an Aztec Scanner to make sure all the sensors are in working order and then detail the customer’s car before returning it to them.

Kevin Ball Auto Body strives to make sure the vehicles don’t just look good, but they also work right. They were also named Shop of the Year by Farmers Insurance, for 100 percent customer satisfaction.

Redfield Collision Center Greg Redfield has been hands-on in his business and the communities they serve for some four decades. That’s why his shop, Redfield Collision Center, was

Collision Cont. to Page 39

Districts team up for special ceremony

v

Veterans gathered at Black Knight Fieldhouse for the first Military Appreciation Night held by the Farmington High School Air Force JROTC and the Fredericktown High School Army JROTC.

eterans were lined up from one end of the court to the other when two schools held a ceremony in their honor prior to the start of a varsity basketball game at Black Knight Fieldhouse.

“We had a large crowd come that evening to honor our vets,” said Col. Randy Sparks, the Air Force JROTC program advisor at Farmington High School. “The players were great, and the cadets from both schools were wonderful. I thought it was an outstanding evening.”

According to Senior Master Sgt. Ernie Heflin, an Air Force JROTC advisor

at Farmington High School, the event honored 46 veterans from the area and included every branch with a combined time of service of 437 years.

“We didn’t know what to expect,” Heflin said. “It was a school night and people had to work. We just didn’t know how many veterans were going to show. I would say we exceeded our

expectations.”

During the ceremony, the color guard from both schools presented the colors, the Air Force JROTC ensemble sang the National Anthem and a lone bugler played.

Regardless of their age or when they served, the veterans stood at atten-

Veterans Continued on Page 32

Helping the community one baked good at a time

“h

unger is invisible.”

Those are the words of Chris Landrum. In 2006, Landrum put together a team of volunteers to help combat the problem faced by many in the community.

Earlier this week, Landrum used the phrase when speaking of the need that is all around – a need one may not see from outward appearances. From the food drives to help the Knight Time Backpack program for children to the services provided by the Farmington Ministerial Alliance and St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantries, Landrum spoke of the need to help.

While many may not know what their neighbor is going through, the Help the Hungry Bake Sale provides the perfect opportunity to help those in their time of need.

Consider the story of Sue. She retired six years ago and has been using the services provided at St. Vin-

cent de Paul about four years ago.

“If it weren’t for them, I would really be hard pressed to get enough meals to eat sometimes,” she said. “Because…I have a house payment, car insurance, utilities, clothing and a lot of medication bills.

Sue, who lives alone, said the compassion of the volunteers at the pantry is beyond anything she ever imagined.

“When I think of a food bank…I think you go in, get your food and then you go home,” she said. “(St. Vincent de Paul) is not like that.

“A lot of times, even if I think I don’t need to go for food, I’ll still go pick up something because of the people. “(The volunteers) are my emotional support a lot of times. The smiles, the genuine warmth…you can tell when you look at someone in their eyes if they are genuine.”

From the very first time she visited the pantry, Sue said she was made to feel welcome.

“They treat you with dignity, love and kindness,” she said. “The humanity down there is just awesome.”

Sue said the Help the Hungry Bake Sale makes a big impact on the pantry’s ability to help feed the community.

“A lot of people would go hungry without it,” she said. “There are a lot of people with young children…what would they do? I don’t know how they do it. I’m just a family of one.

“We appreciate so much the generosity of our community. The community support behind the food bank is tremendously important. Without that support from the community - through the bake sale, the farmers, the grocery stores - there wouldn’t be anything on the shelves for these families.

She said she gives back to the pantry by taking baked goods to the volunteers.

“I take them the extras and they appreciate that,” she said. “But, I just want to express to them how much it means to have them down there.

“I know if I have a problem, I can contact someone from the pantry… it’s food, it’s socialization, it’s their humanity, it’s their kindness…they are

Helping Continued on Page 32 Best of the Parkland 2017 | 31

Helping Continued from Page 31 Faulkner said the pantry serves the kindest people and they mean it.

They’re great.

“They bless me every time I leave.”

The Tradition Continues And, to help the St. Vincent de Paul and Farmington Ministerial Alliance Food Pantries continue those blessings is the Help the Hungry Bake Sale.

This year’s Help the Hungry Bake Sale is 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday at St. Joseph Catholic School gymnasium.

The sale offers fresh breads, cookies, cakes, pies, candy and much more.

Also featured each year is the raffle for holiday decorating items, “Thrift Store Treasures” booth, themed basket silent auction and the popular “Cookin’ Clergy” contest with local clergy competing for the top dessert award through a “fierce” bidding process.

After a few last minute donations, the final total for the 2015 sale reached $62,000 – once again surpassing the total of the previous year and showing the generosity of the community to help those in need.

In the 10 years of the Help the Hungry Bake Sale’s operation, it has raised more than $330,000 to help the hungry in the community.

Nancy Faulkner is the director of the Farmington Ministerial Alliance.

Carrow Continued from Page 30 from the Korean War. Carrow said the picture is of a good friend who was the first person from Farmington killed in the war. Carrow said the friend wanted him to enlist at the same time so they could go into the service together.

Instead, Carrow said decided to go to college - a decision he believes saved his life.

A few pages later in the book is an article of the Iron Mountain Baby and Carrow also takes time to tell the story.

But some of the most interesting conversations one can have with the local archivist come while looking at old photos of Farmington. Carrow shows pictures of downtown Farmington when it was the hub of business, pointing out those businesses that have long gone and noting

32 | Best of the Parkland 2017

around 350 families - or about 800 individuals - each month.

“The bake sale helps us buy the perishable items - the chicken, eggs, butter and hot dogs,” she said. “Without that, it would be very difficult for us to purchase those things.”

In the summer months when donations slow down, the money from the bake sale helps purchase needed items.

“It’s very rare I don’t put a plea out on Facebook and I don’t get a response. Or, one of the volunteers sees we are low on something and will bring in donations,” Faulkner said. “Still, without having the cash donation like Help the Hungry...you can’t stock up on hot dogs, eggs and chicken.”

Feeding Body and Soul Volunteers at the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry begin and end each Tuesday and Friday at the pantry with a prayer - lifting up those who use the services of their ministry who have asked for prayer, plus prayers for family members of the volunteers.

On Tuesday, Charlene Vanderbol led the volunteers in prayer after the last client left for the day.

All those in the room shared how much an impact the faces that walk through their doors make - in the stories they share and the thanks they express. who is presently in that location.

He will show a picture of a group of men around a pharmacy counter and identify each of the men, what they did for a living and if they are still living.

The pictures are typically black and white, but they have a sense of nostalgia - reminiscent of a Norman Rockwell painting or pictures from the cover of “Life” magazine. With most of them, there is a story Carrow can tell.

While most of Carrow’s treasures have come from newspapers or pictures he has collected over the years, Carrow admits some of his treasures have come from some unusual places.

One gem in his collection appears to be an old journal. To look at the cover, it would not appear to be of much value, but when opened it reveals a

Veterans Continued from Page 31 tion as if they were still in service of their country as they waited for all of their names to be called. When it was time to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, each veteran bowed his head, closed their eyes and seemed to remember a friend or a family member who did not make it home.

What made the evening more special was the fact the two JROTC programs - the Army from Fredericktown and the Air Force from Farmington - banded together and ran the entire event.

Prior to the evening, the cadets teamed up with the Key Club and arranged for the veterans to have some snacks and something to drink in the school’s cafeteria.

Sparks thought the evening was a great example of what the cadets from both Farmington and Fredericktown can do when they work together and hopes the two programs continue to work together in the future.

“We brought both of these group of kids in. They were providing a service instead of being served,” Sparks said.

“This shows they can go the extra mile. They can have a friendly rivalry, razzing each other - Army versus Air Force, Farmington versus Fredericktown - but when they get together they can do something rewarding at the same time.” treasure. It is the first set minutes taken at Carleton College.

Carrow has many random trinkets from days gone by, such as a diploma from the early 1900s, a picture of Florence Hunt and a group of women at the Missouri State Capitol in 1939.

But not all his photos are old. In his archives are photos and newspaper clippings from recent events. There is a photo of the Sweetheart Queen court of 2016, an article about Jon Cozean and a picture of the Air Force JROTC Color Guard from the 2016 homecoming parade.

To Carrow, it is not how old the picture is, but what it represents. Stories and pictures from today’s newspaper will soon be a part of his archives for future generations to enjoy.

Best Auto Repair - Mechanical

f

orty years ago Jack Patterson opened his first auto garage in Bonne Terre, when he was just 19 years old. rkland of the pa

Premier Tire & Auto

Voted #1 in the Best of the Parkland 2017 contest, Premier Tire & Auto is located at 6017 Halter Road off of U.S. 67 between Park Hills and Desloge, and can be reached at 573-431-2436.

would take care of our family. We are a onestop shop for all automotive service and repair needs.

Heartland Auto Repair is located at 124 North Mine La Motte in Fredericktown, and can be reached at 573-7835403.

Heartland Auto Repair, Inc. Randall and Cindy Webb opened Heartland Auto Repair, Inc. in 1998 and the business has continued to grow ever since. Randall now works as Master Mechanical Cont. to Page 39 Technician in the shop while Cindy • • Thank You • • Thank You • • Thank You • • Thank You •• oversees the business and ensures it continues to offer the most effective service to the community that it can.

While growing, Heartland Auto Repair, which ranked second in the Best of the Parkland 2017 competition, has managed to maintain a reliance on family as a cornerstone of the business.

The entire team at Heartland Auto Repair is continually learning and growing to provide the best job they can to the people they serve. The company’s philosophy includes a commitment to “evaluating every car, every time, in order to be confident we are taking care of our customer like we Best of the Parkland 2017 | 35

It is an honor to be Best of the Parkland

We Love Our Customers

• • Thank You • • Thank You • • Thank You • • Thank You •• Thank You ••

Jack’s Garage served the community for years, earning a reputation for providing quality service at a fair price.

In 1990, Jack opened Jack’s Tire Center, also in Bonne Terre, and a few years later opened Quality Tire in Desloge, eventually selling his Bonne Terre property and moving to Desloge in 1995.

Jack ran Quality Tire in Desloge until he sold it to Auto Plaza in 2006. Jack’s regular customers were without their trusted mechanic until 2014, when Jack and his wife Teri opened their current location, Premiere Tire & Automotive, on Halter Road off of U.S. 67.

In less than three years of operation, Jack and Teri have regained Jack’s previous clientele and then some, providing the same high-quality work at a reasonable price.

“I was in business for 30 years when I sold,” Jack said. “There’s an unbelievable amount of customers that just keep coming daily from that original business.”

“There’s several kids that come in, and I don’t even know them, but they’ll say, ‘My dad used to come to you when you were in Bonne Terre!’” Jack said.

Jack and Teri ensure not only a good experience for their customers, but for their employees as well. The workers at Premier are provided with a homecooked lunch five days a week, which Teri says further establishes the familylike bond between the Premier team.

Jack said honesty is the number one thing that makes people keep returning to have him work on their vehicles.

“I’m not trying to rip somebody off or upsell the jobs that come in,” he said.

“I’m just here to do what they want and what they really need. And on the flipside of that, I don’t want them to have just got their car serviced, and a week later their brakes are grinding and I didn’t tell them. I normally will just take them out there and show them what’s wrong, if it’s possible.

“And when they leave, I like to shake their hand and tell them how much I appreciate them.”

• • Thank You • • Thank You • • Thank You • • Thank You •• Thank You ••

Best

• • Thank You • • Thank You • • Thank You • • Thank You ••

2017

s e c i v r Se

Best Bank Services

p

the First State Bank of Farmington. In a time of economic struggle, Jennings believed that Farmington was in need of a locally-owned bank.

He gathered investors and embarked on a journey creating the Farmington landmark That is a quality also seen in the known today as First employees of the area’s many local financial institutions. While every bank State Community Bank.

The bank’s journey has in the region offers its clients security, seen much success over convenience and above-average custhe years and continues tomer service, this year’s “Best of” votto succeed based on its core values: ers chose these three banks as the best friendly service, quality financial prodin the Parkland. ucts, outstanding employees and longterm return for our shareholders.

2017 First State Between the years 1981 and 2003, the erkslatnd Communtiy Bank bank B grew, adding 13 locations. FSCB pa e th of Taking first place in the also started offering insurance products category is First State Com- through First State Insurance Agency munity Bank. With 49 branches located as well as investment products through throughout the state, it’s no wonder that First State Financial Management.

FSCB has grown to become a regional In 2004, First State Community Bank financial leader from its humble begincelebrated 50 years of service by opening nings nearly 63 years ago. a newly-remodeled location in downtown In May of 1954, B.H. Jennings started Farmington. The event occurred nearly 50 years to the day of the first open house held Sunday, May 9, 1954. FSCB continues to acquire banks and growth in FSFM and FSIA is also demonstrated by new locations, new representatives and continued success. Reaching $1 Hours billion in assets in Open 7 Days a Week!

2010, FSCB is now 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. the largest banking organization headquartered in southeast Missouri. First State Community Bank’s vision is to help each customer Address achieve financial success.

102 A St. Francois Plaza

eople of the Parkland are well-known for their friendliness and willingness to go the extra mile.

Leadington, Mo.

573-327-8552

www.robsgunsmo.com We offer discounts to: Veterans, Active Military, Law Enforcement and 1st Responders

36 | Best of the Parkland 2017

Belgrade State Bank Taking second place is Belgrade State Bank, a financial institution with a rich history dating back to 1906 when Washington County

was prospering with mining operations in full swing throughout the Leadbelt.

To help meet the financial needs of the county, several businessmen of the area decided to start a bank. On June 6, 1906, Belgrade State Bank was born when it began doing business in a side room of the Belgrade Mercantile Company.

For more than a century, the bank’s number one priority has been its commitment to its customers. From providing products and services its customers have come to expect, to offering attentive, personalized service the bank puts its focus on the people it serves.

Still a family-owned community bank after all these years, the bank is motivated by the customers it serves in Belgrade, Caledonia, Desloge, Farmington and Potosi.

New Era Bank Third place finisher, New Era Bank, opened for business July 16, 1934 amid optimism that the problems of the Great Depression were in the past. A third of all U.S. banks failed to make it through the Depression, and to restore public confidence in the nation’s banking system President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed legislation creating the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) in 1933.

New Era Bank opened for business in the building formerly occupied by the Bank of Fredericktown at East Main Street and South Mine La Motte Avenue. The Democrat News reported on July 12, 1934, “The opening of the bank is expected to inaugurate a considerable stimulus to business.”

Today, the bank has branches in Fredericktown, Farmington, Park Hills, Desloge and Bonne Terre.

Best Golf Course

g

ers from St. Louis come down and are blown away by the quality of the course and how affordable it is.”

Tee time reservations can be made online at crownpointegolfclub.com.

In addition to daily rates, memberships are available for those who want to play year-round and are equally affordable.

Memberships include 14day priority tee times, a pro shop discount and more.

“Membership doesn’t mean the same thing it does at a country club but it does make it easy to play anytime and saves money in the long run for people who golf a lot,” Towler said.

And, who isn’t hungry after playing a round of golf? For the perfect ending to a perfect day on the course, stop by the 19th Hole, located near the Pro Shop.

“The 19th Hole has been remodeled and refurbished this winter and is almost a destination itself,” Towler said. “It’s a great lunch place with a full bar carrying all the Crown Valley products in beer and wines.

In addition, the club offers a full-service pro shop with both apparel and equipment.

The course also features a driving range that is popular for many in the area.

Crown Pointe Golf Club is located at 4215 Hunt Rd. in Farmington. The phone number is 573-756-6660.

olfer Ben Hogan is quoted as saying “The most important shot in golf is the next one.”

Crown Pointe Golf Best Club 2017

rkland of the pa

When it comes to mak- ing those shots, voters in the Daily Journal’s “Best of the Parkland 2017” voted Crown Pointe Golf Club as the “Best Golf Course.”

Bill Towler is operations manager with the club and said the course has been offering a top-of-the-line course for golfers for nearly 25 years.

Crown Pointe was designed in 1993 by Gary Kern and is situated on a 208 acre tract between Park Hills and Farmington. Crown Pointe is a par 72 in-land links-style golf course that features five sets of tee boxes for all skill levels. The fairway and tee boxes are Zoysiagrass, while the greens are a Bentgrass/ Poa annua mix.

“We started off as Eagle Lake,” he said. “The course is part of the whole Crown Country experience, owned

by Joe Scott, and is part of the Crown Diversified family.”

The course received a 4-star rating from Golf Digest Magazine, while offering all the conveniences of a public course.

“This is the second-highest rating available,” Towler explained. “You have to be a PGA course to be a 5-star.”

He believes the excellent rating and affordable prices are what help set Crown Pointe above the others.

“We are extraordinarily affordable for this quality of a course,” he said. “Play-

Fourche Valley Golf Club Coming in second place for “Best Golf Course” was Fourche Valley Golf Club, located at 10160 Old 8 C north of Potosi.

According to the website (fourchevalley.org) the 9-hole course is called the “Jewel of the Ozarks” and is the perfect spot to spend a quiet

afternoon on the links.

In addition to daily play, memberships are also available.

The club offers three zoysia tee boxes and mats for hitting areas, and a 6,000 square foot practice green.

And, to keep you on top of your game, the club has

fully-stocked Pro Shop with top brand name clubs and apparel.

Hungry after a day on the links? Stop by the mini restaurant and bar for what the club calls traditional favorites – namely the “fairway” dog and locally raised Sayers-

Golf Cont. to Page 39

Thank you for your business and support!

Free Local Delivery and Setup

You’ll Love to Shop at Patsy’s!

1115 St. Joe Dr. Park Hills, MO 63601

573-518-1900

www.patsysfurniture.com Best of the Parkland 2017 | 37

Best Real Estate Agency

f

inding the right place to call home – where you can hang your hat, kick up your feet and relax – is for many one of the hardest things to do.

2017

Coldwell Banker

Best Hulsey Real Estate

rkland of the pa

But for residents in the Parkland some real estate companies make that search far less of a chore.

Named the “Best Real Estate Agency” in the Parkland area was Coldwell Banker Hulsey Real Estate.

Located at 32 E. Liberty St. in Farmington, the firm was founded in 1969

by Cecil Hulsey. For 46 years Hulsey guided his firm before selling the business to Kim and Brian Hutson in 2015.

With 20 agents, Kim and her company

continue the tradition set forth by Hulsey of giving expert guidance to clients.

“I think our success can be contributed to our true passion for what we do,” Kim said. “It is not a business; it truly is a passion we have to help people.”

Kim credits her team’s dedication to the profession and firm allowing for success year after year. Two agents, Mary Gilliam and Tom Stanfield, have been with the agency for nearly 31 years.

We want to thank each and Collectively, the agents have 210 everyone of you who took the combined years of experience. time out of your day to vote for “We are very committed to the comus. We are proud to have our munity,” Kim said. community support us like they “I think that shows in the longevity of have for over 50 years!! the firm and the people who work here. Most of our agents, when they come aboard, stay with us. We have become a family.

It’s our Coldwell Banker family.”

The devotion and dedication of the firm’s craft is obvious in the number of listings it is presently hold510 Potosi St., Farmington, MO ing – 251 residen573-756-5762 tial/commercial Sales “We take care of all your building needs.” properties. for 2016 were at nearly $71 million.

“Real estate Locally owned and operated intrigued me,” Kim

38 | Best of the Parkland 2017

said, on beginning her career in 2004. “The more I got into it, the more I loved it. I always wanted to own my own company.

In 2015 my dream came true. I was able to purchase it from Mr. Hulsey, who I still talk to almost every day.”

Vicky Crocker Realty Coming in second was Vicky Crocker Realty. Located at 1136B North Desloge Drive in Desloge, Crocker has been an agent for 10 years and owned her own firm since 2013.

Crocker’s foray into real estate was almost by accident. She worked for Walmart for 28 years and, after capping out on the pay scale, decided to change careers. She tried a gamut of part-time jobs before a friend encouraged her to try real estate.

At the time the country was in the midst of the real estate market crash.

But Crocker stayed focused on her profession. She worked at Walmart and sold real estate for three years before making the jump to a full-time agent.

In seven years Crocker would own her own firm built on the principal of treating people as people, not just a paycheck.

“I have the following I do because I treat people the way I want to be treated,” Crocker said. “I enjoy working behind the scene. There is a lot that goes on between the listing and getting the keys. This job is more than a paycheck to me, it’s taking care of my customers and making them happy.”

Goodson Realty Taking third place in the contest was Goodson Realty, located at 107 Strauss

Mechanical Cont. to Page 39

Golf Continued from Page 37 brook bison burgers. The club also has a limited bar available.

Ste. Genevieve Golf Club Coming in third as the “Best Golf Course” in the Parkland was Ste. Genevieve Golf Club.

According to the club’s website, stegengolf.com, the club was established

in 1959 by a group of local investors.

The course is a player-friendly 18 hole Par 72. In 2005, a new clubhouse was constructed.

There are no tee times required. The club is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday through Friday and from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Memberships are also available and can be found at stegengolf.com.

Real Estate Cont. from Page 34 Drive in Park Hills.

The agency is owned and operated by Deb Goodson, with 30 years of experience. The company that bears her name has served the Parkland since 1994.

With 13 agents, Goodson believes the firm’s success is attributed to being fair and friendly and having a team of professionals working together and helping each other.

“We have been successful because we care about the people we are working with to find the ideal place for them. We don’t just bring them in and sell them something,” she said. “Every person is an individual, and they get an individual plan.

“Our office works very well as a team. Our success is a team effort. If one of us is having a problem or doesn’t know how to do something, one of us will help out.”

The course is located at 17450 Clubhouse Ct. in Ste. Genevieve. The phone number is 573-783-2949 for the pro shop or 573-883-5599 for the clubhouse. The email address is stegengolfclub@gmail.com.

Congratulations to all the finishers in the “Best Golf Course” category and here’s to a “hole-in-one” at any of these fine clubs.

Collision Continued from Page 39

Mechanical Continued from Page 35

named by voters in the top three for “Best Auto Repair (Collision)” in the Best of the Parkland contest.

Located at 114 Walker Rd. in Farmington, Redfield Collision Center is a custom, locally-owned collision repair and detail shop.

They take pride in providing excellent service and quality repairs on all vehicle makes and models.

Check out their services at redfieldcollision.com for more information and contact them with any question.

Services they offer include collision repair, paintless dent removal, car wash packages, headlamp restoration, wheel and tires, and warranty services.

Wade’s Auto Service Wade’s Auto Service in Farmington, a shop that does everything but tires according to co-owner Derek Wade, is a shop fueled by quality and honesty.

The shop, which garnered third place in the online contest, has only been open since 2015, but in that time Wade’s Auto Service has made a name in the community for being one of the best choices for vehicle mechanical work.

Wade’s Auto Service is located at 228 East Harrison Street in Farmington and can be contacted at 573-664-1302.

HO WAH 573-756-8882

Established in Flat River (now Park Hills), Missouri in 1985 and expanded to Farmington in 1991, Desloge in 1998.

Ho Wah has for many years, delighted the palates of the American samplers with it’s unique blend of northern and southern Chinese styles of culinary art.

We appreciate all of our dedicated customers and thank you all for your continued service and your votes for The Best Chinese cuisine in the Parkland.

Allen and Ann Pang - Owners Best of the Parkland 2017 | 39

Democrat News

Stories in this section were previously published in the Democrat News.

Mennonite families establishing new community off Route OO

a

rea residents may have noticed a new kind of traffic coming from Route OO in the last month.

A group of mostly former Kentuckians belonging to the Mennonite faith are in the process of establishing a community of families between Fredericktown and Farmington, giving area leaders, business owners and community members the opportunity to extend a warm welcome to the Mennonites as they travel the area in their horse-drawn buggies.

David Mazelin, one of the Mennonites who has moved to the area, said many of those coming to the area have traveled from Scottsville, Kentucky.

“We moved here from Kentucky, most of us,” Mazelin said. “There’s a few families that are coming from western Missouri.”

Mazelin said they chose the area because of its relative proximity to the communities in western Missouri and Scottsville, Kentucky.

“We have a group that we work with in

A horse stands tied to a hitching post near the downtown Fredericktown area. The post was placed by Madison County officials on Dec. 28, 2016. western Missouri, and we’re getting full there in Scottsville so we decided to check in between the two settlements and this is what we found,” Mazelin said.

Mazelin said the Mennonites have found the area to be similar to the one they left in Kentucky, except there seems to be more wind. Making the transition even easier, Maslan said the people of St. Francois and Madison Counties have been very welcoming so far.

Currently, there are four families who have made the move to the area, but Mazelin said there will eventually be 20

to 25 families living on the 900 acres the group purchased just off Route OO. “It’s going to take a few years,” Mazelin said. “There’s going to be eight families coming in this winter.”

What land isn’t used for housing will be used to raise produce, much of which will be available for local sale.

“We’ll put up a stand down here by the road,” Mazelin said. “And we might sell some other things, too.”

The group is currently working on constructing houses and preparing for the arrival of other families.

Mennonite Continued on Page 44

Businesses Assist Future Workforce

j

ob shadowing program helps students gain experience for future careers For many, making the transition from high school to the workforce can be a daunting proposition. Managing a disability can further compound the usual stresses associated with finding work after school.

For a group of students across Missouri, the idea of finding employment after graduation is a little less intimidating after

42 | Best of the Parkland 2017

participating in National Groundhog Job Shadow Day. The event pairs students and area employers with the goal of easing the transition from school to work. Groups from Fredericktown High School and Marquand-Zion High School took part in the program, going to several local businesses to further understand what it takes to obtain and hold a job.

Six Fredericktown High School students made a trip to Cap America in Fredericktown for a tour and sit-down with the company’s Human Resource Director Sarah Burgin. Burgin spoke

Shadowing Continued on Page 44

and the

Winners

are...

Services Best Veterinary Service 1 Veterinary Clinic of the Mineral Area 2 Fredericktown Animal Hospital 3 Animal Medical

2 Leadbelt Power Sports 3 Scenic Rivers Boats and Motors

Best Oil Change 1 Plaza Tire

2 Rockstar Tattoo 3 Liberty Tattoo

2 Accu-Tune & Lube 3 Jiffy Lube

Best Tanning Salon 1 The Boulevard 2 Tanco (Radiant Tan) 3 Malibu Tan

Best Massage 1 The Boulevard

Best Real Estate Agency 1 Coldwell Banker Hulsey

Best iPhone/Screen Repair 1 Ellis Battery

Best Print Shop 1 Minuteman Press 2 Print Co. 3 Democrat News Printing Services

Best Primary Care Physician 1 Dr. Dickinson 2 Dr. Lum 3 Dr. Robbins

Best Pet Services 1 Wag N Tails 2 Worrynought Kennels 3 4 Paws Grooming

Best Chiropractor 1 Huck Chiropractic

2 Bella Tu 3 Jones and Co.

2 Citizens Chiropractic 3 Reiter Chiropractic

Best Golf Course 1 Crown Pointe Golf Club

Best Catering 1 Baylee Jo’s Catering

2 Fourche Valley Golf Club 3 Ste. Genevieve Golf Club

Best Fitness Best Outdoor Club/Gym Recreational 1 Better Bodies Vehicle Dealer 2 Anytime Fitness 1 Midwest Sports Center 3 Universal Fitness

Best Tattoo Parlor 1 Artisan Ink

2 Vicky Crocker Realty 3 Goodson Realty

Best Hair Salon 1 Ooh La La

2 Out of Body Massage 3 Massage Works

2 iPhone Doctor 3 Interstate Battery

Best Insurance Agent/ Office 1 Bill Bess 2 Edward Felker 3 Marcia Pease

Best Hotel 1 Hampton Inn 2 Holiday Inn 3 Tradition Inn

Best Home Builder 1 Stan Heberlie Construction 2 Midwest Land Co. 3 Junior Construction

40 | Best of the Parkland 2017

Best Financial Planning/Services 1 Edward Jones 2 First State Financial Management 3 Ameriprise Financial

2 Bow Tie Catering 3 Old Tyme Pantry Catering

Best Car Wash 1 Auto Spa Speedy Wash 2 Maple Valley Car Wash 3 Ultra Car Wash

Best Barber Shop 1 Johnny’s 2 Farmington Barber Shop 3 Just For You

Best Bank Services 1 First State Community Bank

Best Dentist 1 Westmount Dental Arts

2 Belgrade State Bank 3 New Era Bank

2 Fredericktown Family Dental 3 Gentle Dental

Best Auto Repair (Mechanical) 1 Premier Tire and Auto 2 Heartland Auto 3 Wade’s Auto Service

Best Daycare/ Preschool 1 Little Learners 2 Good Earth Montessori 3 Kids Corner

Best Auto Repair (Collision) 1 Dale Mosier Auto Body

Best Day Spa /Nail Salon 1 The Boulevard

2 Kevin Ball Auto Body 3 Redfield Collision Center

2 River Nails 3 Feminine Touch

Best Audiology /Hearing Specialist 1 Miracle Ear

Best Crossfit Gym 1 573

2 Audiology and Hearing Center 3 Heartland Hearing

2 Parkland 3 Elemental

Best Cleaning Service 1 Fit to be Clean

Best Apartment Community 1 Liberty Landing

2 Ultimate Cleaning Solutions 2 Keystone Villas 3 Dalton Cleaning and 3 Columbia Park Restoration Apartments

On the mark s

Cox had to compete in a “shoot-off” to qualify.

“It was nerve-racking,” she says. “I was shaking the whole time.”

Cox ranked 19th nationally out of 245 Krystal Cox’s marksmanship ability and competitors who comCadet Krystal Cox years of practice have placed her in some peted in the same CMP exclusive company. gets in some practice competition at different Cadet Cox is a Senior Sergeant First at the Fredericktown sites concurrently with Class with the Fredericktown High National Guard the Port Clinton Army School JROTC (Junior Reserve Officers’ Armory.

Regional ChampionTraining Corps) and a four-year member ships (including Anof the JROTC Rifle Team. She recently the Third Brigade, which includes FHS, niston, Ala. and Provo, qualified to compete in the 2016 JROTC to qualify for the national competition.

Utah).

National Championships, next month.

The other Fredericktown JROTC Cadets The other four are members of the team “I am very proud of Krystal,” Brett Refrom Ozark High School. Beckman says shooting in the Regional Championships utzel, Fredericktown R-I School District the Third Brigade includes approximately in Ohio included Cadets Brendenn Todd Superintendent said. “If memory serves, 200 schools.

(Regional placement 31, National placeshe has been a member of the rifle team “(It’s quite an honor) for the marksment 132, scoring 1,015 points), Jessica for four years. Her success is a testament manship team, for her individually, the Asher (Regional placement 73, National to her commitment. This accomplishment school and Fredericktown, and the Third placement 220, scoring 946 points), Julia is an overall reflection of the excellence Brigade,” Beckman said.

Sikes (Regional placement 82, National of our JROTC battalion who serve our Cadets (Master Sergeant) Todd and placement 237, scoring 906 points), and school and community in so many posiCox say they practice as much as four or Tyler Henson (Regional placement 85, tive ways.” five days a week after school, during the National placement 243 scoring 881 February 19-20, five FHS JROTC season. The team practices at the Frederpoints).

Cadets competed in the JROTC Army icktown National Guard Armory.

The Blackcat Marksmanship Team Regional Championships hosted by the Cox said she credits her father, Scott (Todd, Cox, Sikes, Henson) shot a comCivilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) bined team score of 3,880, finishing 16th Robart, for getting her interested in at Camp Perry, in Port Clinton, Ohio. shooting. She and Todd also credit Col. in the Regional Competition and 45th in Cadet Cox finished third overall, comBeckman and Retired U.S. Marine Paul the National Competition. peting against 86 shooters. She scored McFarron, who volunteers his services JROTC Instructor Col. Neil Beckman 1,078 out of a possible 1,200 points. After as an assistant coach with the FHS rifle said Cox is one of only five shooters from finishing in the top eight in the region, team.

McFarron has been helping for seven years. He said he did basically the same thing in the Marine Corps, teaching recruits how to shoot.

“Col. Beckman has been a huge influence on my ability,” Todd says. “I’ve gotten a lot more patient as the years go on. Paul McFarron is one of the big reasons I’m here.”

Cox says: “Col. Beckman has taught a lot of patience. I can see how much they’ve changed us. I couldn’t have done this without them and Brendenn and Paul.”

Of Cox’s accomplishment, McFarron said: “It really didn’t surprise me. She’s The five JROTC Marksmanship Team Members participating in the been a really good shooter ever since

enior Crystal Cox to represent FHS in national marksmanship competition

JROTC Army Regional Championships are (Left to Right) Jessica Asher (sophomore), Tyler Henson (Junior), Julia Sikes (Junior), Krystal Cox (Senior), and Brendenn Todd (Senior).

Mark Continued to Page 44 Best of the Parkland 2017 | 43

t a r c o Dem News

Memorable Stories of the past year.

Shadowing Cont. From Page 42 to the students about the job-seeking process from beginning to end.

Before the tour Burgin gave the students advice on how best to fill out an application and how to conduct oneself during an interview. She asked some of the students’ questions she normally asks potential new hires, then provided feedback on their answers.

Above all, Burgin stressed that at Cap America, attitude and work ethic prove to be the most important qualities of job candidates.

“If you haven’t had a job, it’s okay,” Burgin said. “It’s not a deal breaker. If you’re willing to learn and you’re willing to work hard, we have job opportunities for you.”

The students then took a tour of Cap America’s facilities and Burgin spoke about the responsibilities of employees in the different parts of the building before reconvening and speaking about the things they’d seen and heard.

Two other Fredericktown students spent their job shadowing day at Country Mart in Fredericktown, learning the ropes of unloading new products and stocking the shelves.

The final two students from Fredericktown spent their day at Madison Medical Center. One of those students regularly works there through the

school, and the other spent his day working in the hospital’s laundry.

Four students from MarquandZion school district visited Moore’s Grocery Store in Marquand where the owner, Jim Moore spoke to the students about how to interact with customers, among other things related to working at a retail business.

Anna Berkbuegler, a pre-employment transition services specialist with the University of Missouri, coordinated the event and also joined the group which toured Cap America. She said the day seemed to be an overall success.

“I think it went pretty well,” she said.

“Cap America was excellent.”

Berkbuegler said all of the employers who participated were wonderful to work with and effectively communicated valuable skills to the students. She said it’s easy to speak to students about making goals and building skills, but seeing firsthand what it’s like to go through an interview or to work at a business makes the abstract idea into reality.

Across the country, more than 100,000 businesses and one million students participated in the National Groundhog Job Shadow Day. This was the second year the program was administered by the Pre-Employment Transition Service of the University of Missouri, but the initiative has been around on a national scale since 1996.

Mark Cont. From Page 43 she was a freshman. She just has the talent for it. It seems like whenever we go to the championships, she always steps up a little bit and does a little better than she normally does here.

Normally, Brendenn would be right there with her. Both of those kids, when they were freshmen, you could tell almost instantly they were going to be good.”

Cox and Todd plan to make their careers in the military. Both will report to Fort Leonard Wood this summer, after graduating from FHS. “FHS is very proud of what Krystal has accomplished,” Principal Shannon Henson said. “Students in our JROTC program take great pride in their activities, whether it’s rifle team, Raider events, our veteran’s breakfast, or other service projects. It is not a surprise that one of our cadets would put in the countless hours to become competitive on the national level.”

The CMP invites the top junior cadets from around the country to compete at the 2016 JROTC Three-Position National Championships, March 17–19 at the CMP South Competition Center in Anniston. Air rifle athletes from Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force JROTC units will compete together in order to establish who has the right to be

44 | Best of the Parkland 2017

Mennonite Cont. from Page 42 Fredericktown City Administrator Doug Friend said he was approached by some members of the Mennonite group and asked about the possibility of accommodations being made in the way of parking locations for their horse-drawn buggies. The city is currently considering locations to install hitching posts for that purpose.

Madison County installed a hitching post in a gravel parking lot north of the county courthouse near the sheriff ’s department.

Local businesses have also made efforts to accommodate the Mennonites.

According to Friend, Gifford Lumber Company has put a hitching post up on their property and other businesses have expressed a desire to do the same.

“Everyone that I talked to indicated they thought that was a good idea,” Friend said. “I would think if they do any amount of trade there, then they would accommodate them.”

Mazelin said the traffic in Farmington causes some difficulty in comparison to travelling in Fredericktown, but the group is doing business in both towns.

While there are many variations within the larger Mennonite faith, the core beliefs are largely similar to those at the center of most modern protestant denominations, with a stronger emphasis on rejecting “worldliness.”

called National Champions.

The 2-day event is a 3x20 air rifle match, meaning competitors fire 20 record shots from three positions: prone, standing, and kneeling. The weekend culminates with an awards banquet, Saturday, at the International Motorsports Hall of Fame and Museum at Talladega Superspeedway.

The CMP South Competition Center houses an 80-point air gun range – equipped with 10-meter firing points and state-ofthe-art electronic targets to accommodate air rifle, air pistol, or National Match Air Rifle shooting. The electronic targets update scores automatically and display them on large television monitors within the range to allow spectators to keep track of the competition.

Visitors are welcome into the range to observe the National Championships at any time during the match – with free admission.

Cox says she is both looking forward to and nervous about the upcoming National Competition. She said she will be attending with her mother, Spring Cox; her grandmother; Col. Beckman, and (chaperone) Julie Szaj.

“We are really excited for her,” Todd said of his teammate. “It’s a great experience for her.”

s e t i r Favo

Best Annual Festival

w

hen it comes to finding ways to spend your time on any given weekend, the greater Parkland area is a treasure trove of both indoor and outdoor activities.

From local athletics to nature hikes to a host of fine arts venues, there is certainly something for everyone’s tastes.

For the last several years, three events in particular have stood out as annual attractions. It’s no surprise all three were voted among the “Best Annual Festival/Weekend Event.”

2017

Best

Country Days

Taking top honors was rkland Downtown Farmington’s of the pa Country Days. Held every year for the last 39 years during the first full weekend in June, the annual community festival has a long tradition of free concerts, a parade, amusement rides, vendors and a car show.

Sponsored by the Farmington Regional Chamber of Commerce since its beginning in 1978, the three-day event – on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday – has grown to be the most popular festival in the region, bringing in thousands of people to the Parkland area.

Following the same successful formula year to year, festival goers have come to enjoy the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast start to the weekend, as well as one of largest parades in the area which leaves the sidewalks of Farmington’s downtown corridor filled with viewers from young to old.

But many people are drawn to the festival because of the music. Over the years attendees have been treated to some of the biggest names in country music, some during the height of their career and others before they were famous.

Music lovers have listened to such great talents as Dolly Parton, the Oak Ridge Boys, Sawyer Brown, Keith Urban while he was a member of the trio

46 | Best of the Parkland 2017

“The Ranch,” and even Blake Shelton.

The local festival is not just for adults.

Part of its appeal is the fact it is a family-friendly venue that offers something for younger fair-goers as well.

Competitions include a diaper derby and the best decorated diaper contest, as well as amusement rides, corn dogs and funnel cakes.

This year’s Country Days will run from June 2-4 carrying the theme of “The Farm Town Get Down.

Desloge Labor Day Picnic Taking second place in our online poll was the Desloge Labor Day Picnic which will mark its 37th year as a Labor Day destination.

Daily activities at the family-friendly event include a carnival and pony rides, music, craft booths, food vendors and the popular beer and wine garden.

Each year the picnic includes “Gazebo Entertainment” featuring a variety of musical talent heard across the park.

Another popular attraction is the Desloge Labor Day Parade which winds

through the town and ends at the park where the festival is based.

The weekend also features a car, truck and motorcycle show held each year.

For those more athletic, the picnic has in the past held a sand volleyball tournament as well as a washers tournament.

Azalea Festival Coming in third place was Fredericktown’s annual Azalea Festival which has been a big part of the region on the first full weekend of May for more than 50 years.

Today the festival is one of the largest events in Madison County, attracting people from surrounding counties and bringing back former residents.

Offering something for everyone, the celebration is kicked off with the Prince and Princess Pageant the night prior to naming of the Azalea Queen during the Pageant.

The annual event also includes a car and truck show, downtown shopping specials, music and much more.

Best Place to take the Kids

o

ver the last 17 years, the City of Farmington Parks and Recreation has learned a thing or two about what the community wants when it comes to cooling off during the summer.

2017

Best

rkland of the pa

Farmington Water Park

That’s why the Farmington Water Park & The River’s Edge Splash Pad was named by voters as the “Best Place to take the Kids” in the 2017 Best of the Parkland competition.

Farmington Parks and Recreation Director Chris Conway said they are open for the summer season Memorial Day through Labor Day. “There are 2, two-story slides, a lazy river, leisure pool with a play structure and we have the brand new River’s Edge Splash Pad, with all sorts of spray and splash features, all sorts of buckets and fountains,” said Conway. “The splash pad is great for all children, but it’s geared toward kids up to 5 years old.”

Conway added they have a full-blown concession stand, 20 lounge chairs and shade on the pool deck. They have 18 to 20 lifeguards, two head guards and a pool manager on staff each day.

“It’s really a nice little oasis to cool off in during the summer when it’s 100 degrees,” said Conway. “We see several hundred people each day and several thousand people a month who visit the Farmington Water Park.”

Conway added there are birthday party packages available, and if anyone is interested they can rent out the entire water park at night.

“On July 1 we are having a dive-in movie night where we are showing ‘Jaws’ at the water park and there will also be a new program, ‘Christmas in July,’ … we will announce those details in the future,” said Conway. “We have a

cardboard boat race on July 22 and the idea is the participants build a boat out of cardboard and duct tape.”

Conway said they race around the lazy river and they give awards for the fastest boat, most artistic, the Titanic, and last year they started a battleship division where any boat that was left would fight to the bitter end trying to sink each other.

The last day they have water in the pool (Sept. 5,) they host their final event of the year, Hot Dippity Dog. All of the proceeds are donated to the Farmington Pet Adoption Center and last year they raised nearly $1,000 for FPAC. It’s a $10 recommended donation and pets and their owners can jump in the pool to splash around.

Water park hours this year starting Memorial Day weekend will be daily 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Starting August 14 they will be closed Monday through Friday for back-to-school hours, but will be open Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Labor Day they will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Critter Lane For five years Ronnie and Robbie Sipp, have offered kids a way to get hands-on with animals they may never encounter any other way. That’s why Critter Lane was named by voters as the second “Best Place to take the Kids” in the recent 2017 Best of the Parkland competition.

It’s located at 9100 Critter Lane out Highway Y in Valles Mines. When entering Critter Lane you pass through a small gift shop and will be greeted

by Robbie, who works alongside his brother Ronnie. The two partnered and opened up the 10-acre petting zoo August 11, 2012. They have more than 300 exotic animals on display from all over the world, which visitors can see in a self-guided tour.

They have camels; several species of antelope; several species of deer; Rheas; American Bison; peafowl; Moluccan

Kids Continued to Page 49

Best of the Parkland 2017 | 47

Best Natural Attraction

s

outheast Missouri has some of the most beautiful natural attractions to be found in the United States.

The very fact that this part of the region is called “The Parkland” points to the fact that many of the state’s most popular parks can be found within little more than an hour’s drive of Farmington. While there were many choices for readers to pick from for the area’s “Best Natural Attraction,” these are their top three.

2017

Best

Elephant Rocks State Park

Coming in at the top of the list is Elephant Rocks State Park, a state-owned geologic reserve and public recreation area located in the St. Francois Mountains in northern Iron County. The elephant rocks, which were formed from 1.5 billion year old granite, are giant boulders that stand end-to-end like a train of circus elephants. The rocks have created formations that are of an interest to geologists, popular with history buffs, and fascinating to children of all ages who love to climb on and between the boulders.

An easy way to see the rocks is by taking the Braille Trail, a one-mile circular interpretive trail designed especially for people with visual and physical disabilities. Spur trails off the main trail include one passing through “Fat Man’s Squeeze,” a narrow gap between two boulders that leads hikers to an abandoned quarry. Another spur trail goes through “The Maze,” a 100-foot section of scattered boulders.

Picnic tables are scattered among the trees and provide inviting spots to have a picnic lunch or rest and enjoy the interesting geologic formations found throughout the park.

The park’s picnicking area also includes ADA-compliant facilities. rkland of the pa

Pickle Springs Finishing in second place is Pickle Springs, located off Dorlac Road in Ste. Genevieve County. The 256-acre Designated Natural Area offers a two-mile Trail Through Time, with scenic views that include sandstone cliffs, canyons, arches and waterfalls. Activities include bird watching and

48 | Best of the Parkland 2017

nature hiking.

Some of the interesting geologic features include a double arch that holds up a shelf of sandstone; narrow slot-like canyons; hoodoos (mound or pillar-like sandstone blocks, weathered into unusual shapes); a spring flowing out of sandstone; and sandstone talus slopes.

More than 20 species of fish – including the rainbow darter, striped shiner and silverjaw minnow – swim in the cool waters of the Pickle Creek Natural Area. The stream rushes over granite outcrops and shut-ins, as well as sandstone and a banded crystalline rock that some geologists believe is a metamorphic gneiss rock. This is one of the few places in the state where such a diversity of rocks is exposed at the surface.

Because of Pickle Creek’s high quality and pristine nature, it has been designated an outstanding state water resource.

Hunting is prohibited.

Millstream Gardens Conservation Area Rounding out the top three was the Millstream Gardens Conservation Area, a 916-acre tract of land in Madison County, about halfway between Fredericktown and Arcadia, off Highway 72.

The spectacular Tiemann Shut-ins are within the area’s boundaries. The St. Francis River forms one of the area’s west-

Natural Continued to Page 49

Natural Continued from Page 48 ern boundaries, then meanders eastward for 1.2 miles through the area’s mid-southern section before rushing through the shut-ins and passing into the Silver Mines area.

The area’s woodlands are composed primarily of oak, hickory, and pine in the uplands, and ash, elm, and maple along the river border and its drainages.

The St. Francis River at Millstream Gardens and its wooded corridor is a part of Missouri’s Natural Area System. This large stream contains an adjoining slough and large igneous shut-ins.

A wide variety of animals live here. Wildlife species such as white-tailed deer, turkey, and squirrel inhabit the uplands.

Facilities include a boat ramp, picnic area, pavilion and archery range.

Kids Continued from Page 47 cockatoo; goats; rabbits; pigeons; Silkie chickens; crested ducks; mute swans; Jacob’s sheep; pythons; boas; Colubrid snakes; water turtles; tortoises; tarantulas; and many other creatures.

There is a bouncy house and an arrowhead hunting ground that is free for the kids. Guests can also stroll across a 45-foot bridge, over a large pond, while feeding the koi fish and mute swans.

Critter Lane is open Tuesday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The cost is $5.50 to enter and children younger than 2 are free. They also offer camel and pony rides for $5 per rider.

Family Fun Center For several years the Family Fun Center has served both the north and the south end of the community with fun-filled entertainment. That’s why the Family Fun Center was named by voters as the third “Best Place to take the Kids” in the recent 2017 Best of the Parkland competition.

The Bonne Terre Family Fun Center, located at 111 Old Orchard Rd., provides family entertainment and amusement.

Their facility features 15,000 sq. ft. that include 20 bowling lanes, indoor electric

go-karts, outdoor gas powered go-karts, water bumper boats, 27 holes of miniature golf, 60 video games and batting cages.

There are also horseshoe pits, washer pits and a pool table area. They have a full menu with a wide variety of item items fresh off the grill, pizza, snacks and drinks. Birthday and group packages are also available.

The Family Fun Center in Farmington, located at 765 Weber Rd., offers premium bowling, competitive leagues, and extreme bowling. They also have a huge arcade, an indoor putt-putt golf course for nighttime fun and a new skating rink.

Best of the Parkland 2017 | 49

and the

Winners

are...

Favorites Best Place To take the Kids 1 Farmington Water Park 2 Critter Lane 3 Family Fun Center

Best Natural Attraction 1 Elephant Rocks

Best Live Music Venue 1 Hubs Pub

2 Pickle Springs 3 Millstream Gardens

2 Centene Center 3 The Woods

Best Annual Festival/Weekend Event 1 Country Days 2 Desloge Labor Day Picnic 3 Azalea Festival

For more GREAT products like this and for the BEST UP-TO-DATE LOCAL NEWS

call 431-2010 or 431-1999 to SUBSCRIBE to any of our products TODAY! 50 | Best of the Parkland 2017

Thank You for all the support for this section from the staff of

Best of the Parkland 2017 | 51