CN: July 5, 2023

Reading ahead

By Olivia Holler

Some summer camps such as Better Family Life, Boys & Girls Club, Gene Slay’s Girls & Boys Club, Unleashing Potential, Wesley House, and the Gateway Region YMCA, will be implementing an hour of literacy a day for their campers, ages five to 10.

“Children living in poverty experience years of learning loss, ‘the summer slide’ when children are not engaged in educational activities during the summer months,” said Lisa Greening, Director of Turn the Page STL, St. Louis’ chapter of the Campaign for Grade Level Reading. “We can do better.”

Each day will include 15 minutes of reading aloud, 15 minutes of independent reading, 15 minutes of writing, and 15 minutes

of literacy games. In addition to the program, the campsites will receive 500 books for families to choose from and take home, plus a visit from the public library to register families for a library card.

“Our summer literacy infusion cohort is unique,” said Allie Cicotte, Senior Programs Manager, Clark-Fox Family Foundation.

“We are taking traditional camp programs which aren’t only academic programs and encouraging all camp counselors to support student literacy. By making it simple and fun to infuse four blocks daily, we hope that summer camps maintain the fun joy of a traditional summer camp while also intentionally supporting students’ literacy growth. Providing these resource kits per counselor, we are ensuring that those implementing the daily blocks have the tools necessary to

Submitted photos

Campers at Wesley House receive books from Turn the Page STL, St. Louis’ chapter of the Campaign for Grade Level Reading.

New City School six grade students packing boxes of books and summer literacy kits for summer camp programs.

Around Town

‘READING’ from cover Olivette City Council appoints new city manager

help our students thrive.”

Many organizations around the STL area made the program possible and it wouldn’t have been possible without their contributions.

The organizations include: BJC, Book Harvest, the Dana Brown Charitable Trust, Clark-Fox Foundation, Emerson, Incarnate Word Foundation, Nine PBS, Saigh Foundation, and Light a Single Candle Foundation. Resources were provided by Turn the Page STL’s Summer Learning Work Team, including BJC School Outreach and Youth Development, City of St. Louis, Clark-Fox Family Foundation, Ferguson Municipal Library, Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri, Missouri History Museum, Nine PBS, Office of St. Louis County Executive, St. Louis County Library, St. Louis Public Library, United 4 Children, University City Public Library, and the YMCA.

To learn more about the program please visit, www.turnthepagestl.org/.

Florissant is looking for

Florissant Parks and Recreation Department is hosting Kids Fest.

Kids Fest is a chance to allow young men and women to show off their creative and entrepreneurial skills, along with Youth Outreach Programs to share what they have to offer.

This event will be held July 22 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the James J Eagan Center Gym located at #1 James Eagan Drive in Florissant.

The fee is $5 for service/resource vendors and a $25 exhibitor fee for youth

entrepreneurs.

Applicants will have one eight-foot rectangular table and two chairs in a 10’x 10’ space. In order to secure a space, exhibitors must visit one of Florissant’s two community centers with a completed application.

Exhibitors can pass out any coupons, flyers, or promotional materials they would like.

For applications email Sarah at sskaggs@florissantmo.com.

COMMUNITY VOICES:

There is a group of women being abused by husbands and partners and are not being noticed by society. These women are known as the “invisible victim.” You may wonder, what is different for a battered woman over the age of 50?

Sheri, age 55, shared: “I did everything that was expected of me. I was the cook, maid, taxi-driver, sports games cheer-leader, party escort, etc. I was a good mother, a good wife and I never complained. ‘So why am I in court today?’ Why do I have to defend myself to my children because I am asking for protection from their father? Why should I have to leave my familiar surroundings and the comfort of my friends and my family? Why, after 30 years of marriage, do I have to substitute the fear of getting physically hurt with the fear of being alone and starting over? Why?”

The feelings Sheri has of being alone, a sense of loss and protection from further abuse is the same as for younger women, yet the intensity is far greater. Consider the loss of a 30-to-50-year relationship. Think about having to finally admit that you have been abused for the past 30 to 50 years. But apart

The Olivette City Council has appointed Jennifer Yackley as Olivette’s next City Manager.

The employment agreement was finalized at the June 13 Regular City Council Meeting.

Yackley was selected after a nationwide recruitment and selection process involving city leadership and the city council. Yackley is an accomplished local government professional bringing two decades of municipal government leadership experience working for various cities in the St. Louis region.

She recently served as the City Administrator of Rock Hill, a full-service, diverse, inner-ring suburb of St. Louis, since 2014. During her tenure as City Administrator, Yackley supervised the day-to-day operations of all city departments with expertise in implementing policy initiatives, overseeing multiple municipal budgets, and managing economic development projects.

Yackley serves on the Executive Board of the St. Louis Area City Management Association and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners.

Yackley has a master’s degree in political science from UM-St. Louis and a Bachelor of Science in Education from Kansas State University. She lives in the Clifton Heights neighborhood of St. Louis and enjoys traveling, gardening, and attending the Muny.

Olivette Mayor Maxine Weil stated she and the council are thrilled to hire Yackley. “Jennifer will be a wonderful addition to the leadership of our city. The council was impressed with her wealth of knowledge, her applicable experience, and her professional approach. The council unanimously agreed that she is the right fit for Olivette.”

Yackley will begin her employment with the city of Olivette effective Aug. 7.

By Gloria J. Johnson, Ph.D.

The invisible victim

from the abuse, let’s consider this woman’s life during that time – her friends and his friends, holiday and birthday dinners and parties with family, as well as other outside activities. Suddenly, she has decided to take one step to protect herself and the world she has built for 30 to 50 years starts to crumble.

The abuse may have been hidden from her children so well that they refuse to believe it when she finally openly admits it is happening. Or, her children may have seen her being abused all of their life and they are accustomed to it. Now that she says “no more” they resent her. Some women age 50 and over are abandoned by their families when they decide to take a stand against the continuation of abuse. This fear alone can prevent her from seeking help. It takes a lot of energy to fight two battles, one with the abuser and the other to defend yourself with family and friends.

Our program “Touching Golden Hearts” specializes in assisting women age 50 and over who are victims or survivors of physical abuse, sexual assault, rape or incest. Call us at 314-524-0686.

Life Source Consultants provides free support services and client assistance for victims and survivors of physical, mental, verbal, emotional, sexual abuse, rape, or incest. If you are a victim or know of someone who needs hope and healing, call our crisis helpline: 314-524-0686. For brochures, flyers, or to schedule a presentation call: 314-5244130.

Dr. Gloria J. Johnson is the Founder/CEO of Life Source Consultants, the first non-residential African American domestic and sexual violence organization in the State of Missouri. Motivated by a deep love and commitment to abused women and to forever change images and perceptions toward domestic violence, family violence and abuse, Johnson shares true life stories of victims in her book “I Cried Alone.” Johnson received a Master’s in Biblical Counseling and a Ph.D. in marriage and family counseling from Biblical Life College and Seminary.

The opinions expressed in this column are the columnist’s alone and do not reflect the opinion of

Summer literacy kits from Turn the Page STL, St. Louis’ chapter of the Campaign for Grade Level Reading.

anyone who is a kid vendor or has a youth outreach program

The city of Creve Coeur Economic Development Committee recognized the winners of the eighth annual Creve Coeur Business Awards during a ceremony on May 18 at the Creve Coeur–Olivette Chamber of Commerce Membership Luncheon. Creve Coeur Mayor Robert Hoffman announced the winners of each category, including:

HEART OF THE COMMUNITY

AWARD 2023: Vincent’s Jewelers

(11733 Olive Blvd., Creve Coeur)

This year’s winner is a locally owned jewelry store that believes being a part of the St. Louis community means supporting the community. Vincent’s Jewelers participates in many fundraising activities for civic, community, religious, and educational nonprofit organizations each year. In the last six months alone, they have raised more than $60,000 for charities. Their participation at fundraiser events is not just sitting at a table eating dinner. You will find them selling raffle tickets for donated jewelry, running the jewelry prize wheel, and even cleaning up after the event. These philanthropic efforts are led by general manager Leo Anglo, who believes people are put on this earth to make a positive impact on others' lives. He goes above and beyond to bring fun and excitement to charity events in order to boost donations. One of his latest twists is hosting bingo raffles, which has been a huge hit at fundraisers. Over the years, Vincent’s Jewelers has helped fundraise more than $1.6 million and has volunteered over 10,000 hours.

MOST INNOVATIVE BUSINESS

AWARD 2023: Alliance Technologies

(999 Executive Pkwy Dr. Suite 320 A, Creve Coeur)

Originally founded in 2009, Alliance Technologies provides information technology and consulting services to meet the individual needs of their clients. Their services help reduce costs, streamline inefficiencies, and create an IT infrastructure that supports the client’s goals. Their robust list of strategic partnerships also allows them to provide top products and services. In 2022, Alliance Technologies was named one of the fastest-growing private companies in the St. Louis Metro area by the St. Louis Business Journal. They ranked No. 18 out of the top 50 companies listed, making it the second year in a row

their company was named to this prestigious list. The St. Louis Business Journal’s 2022 list of the fastest growing private companies includes locally-based, independent, privately held businesses that had revenue of more than one million dollars in fiscal 2021. This company’s revenue has grown over 97% since 2019. They had sales of nearly $3.8 million in 2021 and have grown their staff to 40 team members.

FAVORITE RESTAURANT AWARD

2023: Carretas Mexican Restaurant (11939 Olive Blvd., Creve Coeur)

Carretas Mexican Restaurant has been a popular spot in the community ever since they first opened their doors in 2021. Whether you visit for lunch or dinner, you will find this restaurant’s spacious and inviting dining room full of guests. The décor makes this restaurant stand out – with unique elements such as the bold portrait paintings on the walls and the rustic wagon wheel chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Great service is one of many reasons why customers keep coming back. The staff is committed to creating a superb dining experience for their guests, providing attentive and efficient service from start to finish. Their chef has 20 years of experience, presenting a menu that has something for everyone. Their selection offers crowd favorites that are full of flavor – such as enchiladas, taquitos, tacos, quesadillas, burritos, and fajitas. Carretas Mexican Restaurant has had such a successful launch of their Creve Coeur location that they will soon be opening a second location this spring in Twin Oaks.

“I would like to congratulate all of the award winners and nominees,” said Hoffman. “Their determination and achievements have set them apart as leaders within the community, exemplifying what it means to be an outstanding Creve Coeur business.”

The annual Creve Coeur Business Awards program recognizes local businesses for their innovation, achievements, and positive impact to the Creve Coeur community. All Creve Coeur businesses were eligible to be nominated. More information about the Creve Coeur Business Awards is available at www.crevecoeurmo.gov/ BusinessAwards.

Around

Saint Louis Science Center introduces STL for All membership program

The Saint Louis Science Center has announced its new STL (Science and Technology Learning) for All membership program. During the program’s pilot phase, the Science Center is collaborating with the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis to offer free memberships to approximately 700 local families served by the Urban League Head Start/Early Head Start program.

The STL for All membership program is designed to break down barriers for community members who may not have opportunities to engage in science learning programs outside of the classroom and are traditionally underrepresented in STEM careers by providing access to the Science Center’s immersive, hands-on programming.

“The Science Center is thrilled to launch this program that we hope will engage even more people in STEM fun and learning,” said Amy Martin, senior director of individual giving and membership at the Science Center. “Our partnership with the Urban League will help us to reach the families most in need of access to STEM programming which helps to develop crucial 21st century skills like problem solving, collaboration, critical thinking and more.”

The memberships will include one year of membership benefits at the Science Center, including free tickets to paid venues like the OMNIMAX Theater, McDonnell Planetarium, Discovery Room and more. The memberships will also include invitations to mem-

bers-only events and programming, as well as waived parking fees.

Vice President of Head Start/Early Head Start Dr. Gwendolyn Wilson Diggs stated, "STL for All supports the goal of school readiness for children in the Urban League Head Start/Early Head Start program. Our early learners receive STEAM lessons in the classroom and during the Saturday STEAM Academy. The Science Center's STL for All program provides additional opportunities for children and families to gain hands-on experiences in a STEMrich environment. We are excited about our partnership with the Saint Louis Science Center!"

In the future, the Science Center hopes to expand the STL for All program to reach more members of the St. Louis community.

Todd Bastean, president and CEO of the Science Center, added, “Missouri has been identified as an emerging hub for the tech sector, and among St. Louis’ top hard-to-fill jobs, many are reliant on STEM skills. As a community institution, it is important for the Science Center to help ensure everyone has access to programs that will spark an interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. We are excited about the STL for All membership program and our partnership with the Urban League, as it is one way we intend to deliver our mission ‘to inspire everyone to be curious and engaged in science.’”

Around Town

United Way launches local Summer Volunteer Guide

As we enter summer, United Way of Greater St. Louis has recently released its free Summer Volunteer Guide, an online tool featuring local volunteer opportunities for youth and families. The guide can be found at www.stlvolunteer.org/syg.

“As we celebrate the Volunteer Center’s 90th anniversary this year, we are excited for people to take the opportunity to get involved in the collaborative effort to make the St. Louis region a better place for everyone to live and thrive,” said Rick Skinner, Vice President of United Way’s Volunteer Center. “United Way’s Summer Volunteer Guide is a great way for local kids and families to find exciting ways to uplift the community through volunteerism. Our 90-year history was built off our generous community willing to lend a helping hand to their fellow neighbors and we

look forward to continuing that tradition this summer.”

All of the opportunities listed are through reputable nonprofit agencies throughout the St. Louis region in Missouri and Illinois. There is a wide array of volunteer opportunities that people can explore by location, age, skillset, passion and keyword. Additionally, there are in-person, virtual and do-it-yourself opportunities available through the guide.

Current examples include summer camp volunteers to supervise children, help with garden maintenance, packaging and distributing food and household es-

Our gathering place Still In This Together:

I, of course, had a picture in my mind of a high dining table, the ones that are so in style now, with chairs that wouldn’t require as much lowering and raising of aging bones, but rather a genteel sideways movement without benefit of grunts in the process.

And I, of course, was mistaken, but as it turns out, I’m not at all sorry.

I knew our dining room table at one point had six chairs squashed around it in our former kitchen for a time. We pushed the table as far against the wall as possible so that we could squeeze around each other in the kitchen to get to the pantry, cook a meal, and help with evening homework assignments. But as the kids went off to college, greener pastures, and adulthood, all

but two of the chairs gradually found their way to other rooms, to serve as a desk chair or a friend’s perch in a bedroom, and were ultimately carried to the basement to sit unbothered and unneeded until family visited from out of town.

When we were getting ready to move, I literally went from room to room in the basement to account for all six of the chairs, clean dust and dirt from them and replace all the little booties on the leg bottoms, because “at least for now” we were taking the table with us.

After many years of John’s expressions, I’m very well aware of what “at least for now” actually means. And I had to admit, I really thought we should save the movers time and trouble by just having a new, stylish, unmarred, unnicked, unscratched, perfect-tofit-under-the-pretty-dining- room-light-fixture, easy-to-be-sat at table delivered straight to our new address, but who was I to stir the waters… at least not yet.

And when the dust settled somewhat and moving boxes began to disappear, when friends and family came to help install blinds and a new computer modem, bring gifts and pizza, sub sandwiches and new flavors of Krunchers potato chips, and praise for our sodless muddy yard, our first ever garage and main floor laundry room, I noticed everyone naturally gravitated to the large kitchen table with its six matching chairs and the China cabinet standing regally at its head.

And John was so proud.

I noticed him from a corner of the kitchen or

sentials, youth sports coaches, writing thank you notes, and more. Virtual and do-it-yourself opportunities include creating dinner baskets, organizing community cleanups, filling backpacks with essentials and goodies for kids, and so much more.

Volunteering is not only a way to give back to the community, but also helps build leadership skills and boost self-esteem, especially for youth.

United Way’s Volunteer Center is the second oldest Volunteer Center in the nation and offers year-round opportunities for all ages at www.stlvolunteer.org.

By Vicki Bahr

the great room, smiling as he refilled a glass of lemonade or offered a bowl of chips and told the story of how the table hadn’t been opened to its full size for so many years and how perfect he thinks it looks with all the chairs around it again.

I began to believe it wasn’t just to save money that we had paid the movers to bring the old table along with us. I saw exactly what it meant to him to point out that even though the China cabinet had never been in the same room as the table before now, he thought they really looked good together.

“They weren’t bought together, they weren’t made by the same furniture company, but they look as if they’ve always been meant to be in the same room, don’t they?”

And I went along with him for the ride, seeing how happy he is to be able to comfortably seat a group of friends and family in the same room for the first time, with our 50-year-old wedding cake topper front and center in the China cabinet and a place for candy bowls and table runners and laughing faces to coexist.

It doesn’t matter that the chair legs are dinged and the table top marred, the China cabinet has scratches from Hot Wheel races and runaway baby doll strollers, the table top doesn’t quite match all the way across because the extra leaves to the table were so rarely exposed to sunlight or scratches from Scrabble boards and homework frustrations. The imperfections are what make them perfect for us.

And so, even though it isn’t always easy to lower or raise ourselves from the chairs that aren’t old knee and back friendly, this dining room set is here to stay. I couldn’t be happier to hear John’s pride as he welcomes friends and family to the dining room that is really a gathering room…the way he always saw it could be eventually.

And I love the man I married almost 51 years ago even more.

Vicki Bahr is an inveterate word lover and story sharer, a published author in magazine, newspaper and blog forms. As a mom of four, grandma of nine, and wife of one for 50 years, she finds that inspiration and wonder are everywhere.

The opinions expressed in this column are the columnist’s alone and do not reflect the opinion of the owners or staff of Community News

Record number 174 student-athletes named Academic All-GLVC at UMSL

These student-athletes from the University of Missouri-St. Louis have been recognized for their academic accomplishments by garnering Academic All-GLVC distinction for the 2022-23 year.

The Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) has identified 536 stu-

Sports you see with Gary B...

dent-athletes who have earned the GLVC Brother James Gaffney Distinguished Scholar Award.

All 19 of UMSL’s sports teams from this past year were represented on the list with women’s soccer accounting for the most with 22 student-athletes, while both women’s golf and women’s tennis had all of its student-athletes honored. In all, 64.4% of Triton student-athletes

were named to the list. The previous record was 158 student-athletes last academic year.

There were 89 student-athletes who were repeat recipients for this award, having been named at least once before during their career, including five-time honorees Imogen Bennett (women’s soccer), Mimi Bradley (softball), Ryan Clark (men’s swimming), Corinne Daley (softball) and Charlotte Richards (volleyball).

Additionally, 21 are four-time selections that shows the consistency of being able to balance studies in the classroom and sports.

The Academic AllGLVC honor is bestowed upon student-athletes who meet a cumulative GPA of 3.30 over two se-

mesters of an academic year at the institution.

* Brains first, sports second

Ambush sign midfielder Sodal

The St. Louis Ambush play their home games at the Family Arena and play in the MASL.

Recently they signed free agent Ali Sodal, the team announced.

Sodal, a midfielder, comes to the Ambush with two seasons of experience in the Major Arena Soccer League. Both seasons were with the Kansas City Comets. He appeared in 31 games, scoring six goals and three assists. Prior to his MASL career, Sodal spent time with the Omaha Kings (M2 and M3).

Sodal was born in

Mogadishu, Somalia. He previously played with the Des Moines Menace (PDL), where he played on the Heartland Division Championship squad, St. Louis Lions (PDL), Joplin Demize (NPSL) and Kalamazoo FC (NPSL). Sodal played collegiate soccer at Midland University in Fremont, Nebraska where he collected numerous awards and honors. He played youth soccer before kicking off his prep career at Westside High School in Omaha, Nebraska, where he earned All-State First Team honors twice and Player of the Year twice.

Upon signing with the Ambush, Sodal said, “I am excited to be joining this amazing organization and I am ready to work and help the team

succeed. Can’t wait to play in front of Ambush fans. See you this fall.”

Ambush co-owner, General Manager and Head Coach Jeff Locker said, “Ali Sodal has a pattern of success from high school through the pro ranks. We feel he will be a valuable addition to the Ambush.”

The Ambush will kick off their eleventh season this fall. Visit www. STLAmbush.com for more details.

* Youth added to the roster

Gary Baute, a St. Louis native, may be educated in business but he lives and breathes sports. As a fan or an athlete, Gary is all sports all the time. He hosted a radio sports program on KFNS, emceed the River City Rascals’ inaugural season, among many other activities. I am currently hosting a Health show on 97.1 FM, ‘Prime Time Health’ www.PrimeTimeSTL.com. It broadcasts Saturday nights at 8 and Sunday mornings at 9.

CROSSWORD answers from page F-4

SUDOKU answers from page F-1

RECIPE : A creamy recipe created for families

Alazy Sunday afternoon cuddled up with family, playing in the rain with your kids and tasting a perfect, sweet treat on a summer day can be some of the simplest yet best parts of life.

Recipes that can be made with clean, fresh ingredients in a matter of minutes make some of the best-tasting dishes, snacks and treats. Sometimes keeping it simple is the best route to take as opposed to confusing prep that takes too much time.

This Strawberry Mousse, which is made with families in mind, is a perfect recipe to make with your little ones or for a date night dessert. It’s great to take for an outing at the park, a neighborhood party or just to snack on throughout the week.

It’s sweet, fluffy and smooth all at the same time. Made to serve a handful of people, it only takes a few moments to complete. Moms love it and kids enjoy the taste and texture.

It’s easy, fresh and delicious. Your kids can help you combine all the ingredients and excitedly try the sweet result.

Strawberry Mousse

Servings: 6-8

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup strawberries, halved

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup powdered sugar

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened assorted fruit, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

In blender, puree strawberries until smooth. Set aside. In mixing bowl, whip heavy cream and powdered sugar until fluffy.

In separate mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add strawberry puree to cream cheese and mix until combined. Add whipped cream and stir until combined. Serve in bowl with fruit.

Movie:

By Steve Bryan

Born and raised in South St. Louis, Steve Bryan is now based in Anaheim, California, and has been allowed access to movie and television sets to see actors and directors at work. Though his writing has taken him far from St. Louis, Steve is, at heart, still the same wide-eyed kid who spent countless hours watching classic movies at neighborhood theaters.

In 1978, actor Christopher Reeve made his mark with

“Superman: The Movie,” a Richard Donner film that launched Reeve’s career and led to three movie sequels. His portrayal of both “Daily Planet” reporter Clark Kent and caped alter ego captured the imagination of audiences, especially in the first two films in the series.

Released in 1983, “Superman III” brought in comedian Richard Pryor as Gus Gorman, a talented computer programmer, and Robert Vaughn as Ross Webster, an industrialist who questioned Gorman’s unusually large paychecks. In “Superman IV: The Quest for Peace,” Christopher Reeve’s Superman went on a mission to prevent nuclear war.

Recently, David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan landed the lead roles in “Superman: Legacy,” an upcoming film that’s under the watchful eyes of writer-director James Gunn and producer Peter Safran. Corenswet’s credits included the Ryan Murphy series “The Politician” and the Netflix series “Hollywood.” Brosnahan, an Emmy and Golden Globe winner for the Amazon Prime series “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” will step into the Lois Lane role previously played by actresses Margot Kidder, Kate Bosworth and Amy Adams.

News of Corenswet’s and Brosnahan’s casting deserved a look back at the characters and their creators, Jerry Siegel and

Joe Shuster. Siegel and Shuster developed Superman in the 1930’s but later agreed to publish their character in a comic book. When “Action Comics #1” appeared on newsstands, it became a game-changer for readers and publishers. In the comics, Superman’s parents sent their son Kal-El in a rocket ship far away from their doomed planet. The child landed on Earth where he gained incredible powers and abilities

and also took a job as a reporter. Superman’s legacy continued to grow on the radio, in movies and also in the popular 1950’s TV series “The Adventures of Superman.”

Because the character originated in comic books, Superman also became part of animated adventures as well, in particular Hanna-Barbera’s popular “Super Friends” and “Superman: The Animated Series.” In prime time, “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman” allotted screen time to the growing relationship between Clark Kent (Dean Cain) and Lois Lane (Teri Hatcher). A few years later, the “Smallville” series showed Clark (Tom Welling) testing his burgeoning powers as well as dealing with supervillains and the harmful effects of kryptonite.

In 2013, Zack Snyder directed “Man of Steel,” a film that became part of what was then called the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Henry Cavill was solid playing both the adult Clark Kent and Superman. He reprised his role in “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice,” “Justice League” and in a surprise cameo at the end of the 2022 film “Black Adam.” As of this writing, however, James Gunn and Peter Safran from DC Studios plan to launch “DC’s Universe” with “Superman: Legacy.” “Superman: Legacy” has a release date of July 11, 2025.

Fill in the blank squares in the grid, making sure that every row, column and 3-by-3 box includes all the digits 1 through 9.

David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan slated to star in ‘Superman: Legacy’

“Superman: Legacy” photo courtesy DC Entertainment.

John Hanna Yeggs

Moore on Life

Werecently went on an outing with our daughter and grandkids to the zoo. A full day of fun? Well…more like a full day of pain.

We started right as the gates opened and intended to pack in every single exhibit from hedgehogs to hippos and wouldn’t stop until they kicked us out at quitting time.

Of course, the beginning of the day my husband and I were full of energy and as excited as the kids.

Me: “Oh looky look. Look at the giraffes. Wow! If they get a sore throat that’s gotta cost a fortune in throat lozenges. Oh, oh, I see a lion. That’s one big kitty and I ain’t lying!”

Husband: “Hey everyone, come see the owl.”

Me: “What? Where?”

Husband: “No, they say who, who!”

We were killing it and trying to outdo each other with lame mom jokes and dad jokes.

Even the grandkids were getting into it.

Grandson pointing to one of the giant birds in a cage: “Hey Pop Pop, did you know that bird works at a construction site?”

“No way. I did not know that. Why does it work there?”

“Because it’s a crane!”

I laughed so hard I almost threw my hip out.

We continued dashing from exhibit to exhibit, but unfortunately, we didn’t pace ourselves properly and used up our batteries in the first few hours. By noon we were spent and dragging behind the group. We could only rouse enough energy to move from park bench to park bench.

“Mom Mom,” yelled my granddaughter. “Come see the baboons. One of them has a really big red bum.”

“I can’t move. My legs have locked in place. Take a picture and send it to me,” I yelled.

Finally, the zoo was closing. I grabbed my husband’s hand and told him to yank me up. He leaned on me while I held on tight to him and we

By Cindy Moore

Love hurts

staggered forward.

That evening as I was looking through the pictures of our adventure, I noticed my daughter had posted one on our family thread. It was of me and my husband looking longingly into each other’s eyes as we held hands. Still in love after all these years, she wrote.

I hated to tell her that we were holding each other up so we wouldn’t collapse and that “longing look” was a painful grimace from burning feet.

Cindy Moore is the mother of three superlative kids, servant of two self-indulgent felines and wife to one nifty husband. Her ficticious occupation? Archeological Humorist: someone who unearths absurdity and hilarity in strange and unusual places including public restrooms, the lint filter, and church meetings. Most recently, she excavated a find in her neighbor’s bird feeder.

The opinions expressed in this column are Cindy Moore’s alone and do not reflect the opinion of the owners or staff of Community News.

CROSSWORD: INDEPENDENCE DAY

ACROSS

1. Kind of illusion

6. Perched

9. Island near Java

13. Old West pack animal

14. False statement

15. Opposite of atonal

16. Hailing from the East

17. Supply with weapons

18. "____ death do us part"

19. *Frank

21. *Popular celebratory get-together

23. Many, many years

24. Scott Hamilton's "court"

25. Gross National Product

28. Abundant

30. Bantoid language

35. Bakery unit

37. Cutlass maker

39. Two in eighteen

40. Milk's favorite cookie

41. Muslim ruler honorific

43. Hyperbolic sine

44. Iranian money, pl.

46. Nancy Sinatra's boots

47. Fill to satisfaction

48. *Certain Doodle

50. Argo's propellers

52. Feather glue

53. Give temporarily

55. Porridge grain

57. *Roman firework

60. *"The Star-Spangled Banner"

63. Opposite of neo-

64. Glass margin

66. Continental money, pl.

68. Opposite of #17 Across

69. Go for the gold

70. "Silas Marner" author

71. Mexican money

72. Not yang

73. Down and out

DOWN

1. ____ constrictor, anagram

2. Word on a door

3. Duet plus one

4. Angry

5. Large California bird

6. Smelting waste

7. Stuff of inflation

8. Adagio and allegro, e.g.

9. German city on Rhine river

10. Con

11. Not of the cloth

12. Down with a bug

15. ____ someone ____ bed

20. Satirical publication, with The

22. Calligrapher's purchase

24. *"From the ____

forest to the Gulf Stream

waters"

25. *Old ____

26. Waterwheel

27. Hymn of praise

29. *Popular decoration

31. *"Rockin' in the USA" band

32. Certain church member

33. Yiddish busybody

34. Theater guide

36. Kind of rock

38. Heroic tale

42. B on Mendeleev's table

45. "Where ____ is heard a discouraging word..."

49. Sushi restaurant staple 51. Shiny cotton 54. High-strung

56. Car rack manufacturer

57. Charlie Chaplin's prop

58. "Oh, my!"

59. Agrippina's slayer

60. "I'll second that"

61. Great Lake

62. State of mind

63. One in a litter

65. *King George ____

67. Farm structure

‘Yeggs’ is a comic series about Robert and Bill, two rabbits who have opened their own egg franchise in the Midwest (St. Louis area). We follow their day to day lives, watching as they go about the hectic task of preparing for their one big day every year. Along the way they have adventures filled with fun, comic doings and pathos.