CN: October 5, 2022

Around Town

The Community News receives statewide awards. Pg. 2

By Wendy Todd

Affinia Healthcare provides critical medi cal and dental services at 11 locations across St. Louis to socioeconomically vulnerable communities. At the start of the new year, the organization will have a new CEO.

Dr. Kendra Holmes, who has been with the organization for nearly 20 years, is cur rently the executive vice president and chief operating officer, and will step into the top role in January.

Holmes began her career at Affinia Healthcare in 2003 as a pharmacist, a profes sion she began considering in high school.

“I have always been fascinated by science and chemistry,” Holmes said. “I toured St. Louis College of Pharmacy as a senior at Metro High School and fell in love with the pharmacy profession.”

In just two years, she was promoted to Director of Pharmacy Services, leading the operations of the pharmacies.

Though Holmes, who received her Doc torate of Pharmacy from the University of Health Services in St. Louis, continued to climb the corporate ladder at Affinia Healthcare, that wasn’t her initial ambition. Her primary goal was to serve patients.

“My true passion is patient care,” she said.

“I enjoy assisting patients with their medi cation needs and questions. I transitioned to administration when I realized I had the ability to make a larger impact on under served communities in a leadership posi tion.”

In serving patients’ needs, Holmes is aware of the range of health issues under served communities often suffer including maternal and infant mortality rates.

“Maternal and infant mortality for black mothers and babies is appalling,” Holmes said. “Black babies are three times as likely

Citizens for Modern Transit honors ‘champions of transit’. Pg. 3

Oct. 15: MDC hosts DNS Nature Unleashed teacher workshop Pg. 4

Robertson Fire Protection District reduces residential tax rate. Pg. 5

Feature Section

Oct.

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to die prior to their first birthday as white babies. Black mothers are twice as likely to die than white mothers. Affinia Healthcare is addressing these disparities by providing culturally competent, quality healthcare in underserved communities.

“We provide group prenatal classes to encourage moms to discuss concerns and questions related to their pregnancies. Our maternal health department provides case management and support for resources such as housing, food, behavioral health, and substance abuse needs. We provide access to diapers and hygiene products for mothers and babies. But perhaps most im portantly, we treat all patients with dignity and respect. We acknowledge their concerns and meet patients where they are. We realize that some moms will require additional support. We are more than willing to provide the support that mothers and babies need to be healthy.”

Providing equity in healthcare is an import

ant aspect of addressing health disparities, and shapes Holmes’ approach to her work.

“My philosophy is that access to quality health care is a right and not a privilege to be enjoyed by those with financial resources,” she said. “Individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual preference, citizenship status, etc., have a right to receive quality, culturally compe tent health care. We cannot have thriving communities in St. Louis when these health disparities continue to exist.”

Holmes is serving the St. Louis community as the first Black CEO of Affinia Healthcare, a distinction of which she is acutely aware.

“It is a tremendous honor to serve in the role of pres ident and CEO of Affinia Healthcare,” Holmes said. “I feel a responsibility to advocate and provide the best possible care to patients who have been marginalized and often forgotten. I consider myself a voice for those who feel that they may not have a voice in the advocacy of their own health. I am proud to be the first black person in the role of president and CEO, however that alone is not enough. My focus is on creating transfor mational change which improves the health and quality of life of the underserved.”

Being the first often comes with many pres sures, but Holmes is clear

about her mission and how she wants her leadership to be remembered.

“I would like for my legacy to be the creation of a culture,” Dr. Holmes said, “where all individuals receive quality, culturally competent healthcare regardless of their socioeconomic status or zip code - a culture where black and brown communities actively advocate for quality healthcare and demand nothing less.”

The Community News receives statewide awards

The Community News was the re cipient of four awards in the statewide Missouri Press Association 2022 Better Newspaper Contest.

These awards were for work done during the 2021 calendar year. The Community News was recognized among weekly newspapers across the state of Missouri.

Columnist Cindy Moore received First Place for Best Columnist – Hu morous. Staff writer Charlotte Beard won two Second Place awards for Best

News Story and Best Story About Ed ucation.

Beard also received an Honorable Mention award for Best Story About Rural Life or Agriculture.

“It’s always nice to see the work of our staff recognized,” said Mathew De Kinder, Publisher and Editor-In-Chief of the Community News. “I am incred ibly proud of the level of professional ism and hard work our entire staff puts into this paper on a weekly basis.”

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Citizens for Modern Transit honors ‘champions of transit’

Citizens for Modern Transit (CMT), the region’s transit advocacy organization, recently celebrated the triumphs of several organizations and individ uals in the area who display exemplary commitment to fur thering transit in the St. Louis region.

During its 38th An nual Meeting on Sept. 8, CMT presented the 2022 Chairman’s Award to Greater St. Louis, Inc; the 2022 New Initiatives Award to the city of Belleville, Illinois and the REALTOR Asso ciation of Southwest ern Illinois; and the 2022 Service Award to Norm and Joan Krumrey.

The 2022 Chair man’s Award was giv en to Greater St. Louis Inc. (GSTL) for being a key advocate in Jefferson City, helping Missouri state representatives and senators understand the impacts of public transit access. This ultimately led to transit funding at the state level being secured at an unprec edented $8.7 million, marking the first-time funding had been increased in more than two decades. This award was presented to CMT board members Sam Murphy and Adam Kazda on behalf of GSTL.

The 2022 New Initiatives Award was given to the

city of Belleville and the REALTORS Association of Southwestern Illinois. Both partners were rec ognized for efforts in bringing to life the “Transit Stop Transformation” project at the Belleville Transit Center in St. Clair County. The project – the third of its kind in the region –converted the concrete area between the bus bays and MetroLink entrance into an in teractive, playful and engaging space that boasts a vibrant-col ored “Art Grows in Belleville” theme. The transformation would not have been possible without the dedication and support of both partners. This award was presented to Kath leen Kaiser with the city of Belleville and Bryan Whitaker with St. Clair County.

The 2022 Service Award was given to Norm and Joan Krumrey, both of whom spent 14 years volun teering as walk leaders of the Ten Toe Express, an award-winning program that helps older adults and other interested individuals lead healthier lives by linking activity, sociability and exercise with the use of MetroLink and MetroBus. Together they’ve led more than 350 walks. Their involvement has been

priceless to the CMT organization, and both were in attendance to receive the award.

For more information about Citizens for Modern Transit, visit www.cmt-stl.org or call 314-231-7272.

The 2022 Service Award was given to Norm (left) and Joan Krumrey (right), both of whom spent 14 years volunteering as walk leaders of the Ten Toe Express. They are pictured with Citizens for Modern Transit Executive Director Kim Cella (center).

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MoDOT changes access to eastbound I-270 near West Florissant Avenue

Drivers who regularly use the entrance ramp from West Florissant Avenue to eastbound I-270, should be aware that the Missouri Department of Transporta tion (MoDOT) has closed the entrance ramp.

Drivers who wish to access eastbound I-270 in this area, will need to use the new eastbound I-270 en trance ramp from Pershall Road, between Washing ton Street/Elizabeth Avenue and West Florissant Av enue. The new configuration and ramp location will improve mobility and safety.

The closure and construction work are part of the $278 million I-270 North Project infrastructure up grades. To stay current on the status of this closure and to view a project overview and graphic displays of planned construction, please visit the I-270 North Project website at: www.i270north.org. Travelers can also contact MoDOT’s customer service center at: 314-275-1500 or the I-270 North Project Team at: I270North@modot.mo.gov.

MDC hosts DNS Nature Unleashed teacher workshop

MDC invites teachers to attend a Discover Nature Schools (DNS) teacher training workshop for Na ture Unleashed, the DNS life science unit designed for grades three-to-five. This program provides grant funding to help cover equipment costs and field trips.

The workshop will be held Saturday, Oct. 15 from 8:30 a.m.- 2:30 p.m. at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center in Kirkwood. The workshop is free of charge for educators. The nature center is located at 11715 Crag wold Road, near the intersection of I-270 and I-44.

MDC’s DNS program provides no-cost curriculum units to teachers and schools in the state of Missouri. Curriculum units are available for preschool through 12th grade and help teachers and students meet re quired state learning standards. The DNS program continues to be very popular and is being used within every school district in Missouri.

“The Discover Nature Schools program is an excel lent way to connect students of all ages with the bene fits of outdoor learning and provides a place-based, ex periential, approach to science education focusing on Missouri plants, animals and ecosystems,” said MDC Conservation Educator, David Bruns.

The DNS program, Nature Unleashed, is a curricu lum of 8 lessons designed for third-through-fifth grade students to promote understanding of Missouri habi tats by exploring food chains and the roles of produc

ers and consumers, as well as specialized structures and living and non-living factors. Emphasis of this unit is on student-centered and collaborative investigations of pond, prairie, and forest ecosystems. Nature Unleashed supports the Missouri Learning Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards.

The Nature Unleashed curriculum includes the fol lowing free materials:

• Full color, illustrated student books

• Student science notebooks

• Lesson plans that include outdoor exploration and assessments

Educators who teach life science to more than 20 stu dents will be certified to participate in the non-compet itive grant program for equipment and field trips that support the unit.

The workshop is free however space is limited, and participants must register to attend the workshop.

To register for the workshop, visit https://short.mdc. mo.gov/4cj, log on or create an account, click the regis tration tab, and complete the short form.

For questions, contact David Bruns at David.Bruns@ mdc.mo.gov, or 314-301-1506, ext. 4212. For more in formation about MDC’s Discover Nature Schools pro gram, visit the MDC Teacher Portal at mdc.mo.gov/ education.

What’s Happening Events

Oct. 1: Trivia night

Trivia night takes place at St. Mark’s Methodist Church at 315 Graham Road in Florissant. Doors open at 6 p.m., trivia be gins promptly at 7 p.m. Cost is $10 per per son/up to 10 people per table. Snacks and soda provided. To play or reserve a table call Amber in the church office at 314-8379404 or Shirley at 314-731-3409, or email deansa1@aol.com.

Oct. 2: Food drive

Atonement Lutheran Church at 1285 North New Florissant Road is collecting for TEAM (The Emergency Assistance Ministry), from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Donate nonperishable food or personal items. Items requested: green beans, corn, mixed vegetables, pasta, tuna, snacks, tuna help er, hamburger helper. Drive-thru drop off that day.

Oct. 8: Gospel benefit concert

The Praise and Worship Gospel Bene fit Concert will take place at 4 p.m. at Lighthouse Baptist Church at 3025 N. Lindbergh in St. Ann. Donations will be accepted to benefit the church’s Christian nonprofit organization Reprieve Spiritual Wellness.

Oct. 8: Trivia night

Florissant Presbyterian Church at 660 Charbonier will be having a trivia night. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., play begins at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $20 per person includes popcorn and soda. You are welcome to bring your own snacks. Maximum eight people per table. Call 314-837-8555 for table or individual reservation.

Oct. 9: Fall Festival

Dooley’s Florist & Gifts will be sponsoring Pumpkin Decorating again this year! They are in the 600 block with lots of other activities. The shop is also open, and they

hope to see you! All proceeds are donat ed to FOTP. 11 a.m. -4 p.m., because they always run out! Festival 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Oct. 15: Fall festival fundraiser

A fall festival fundraiser to help support the Meals On Wheels program takes place at the O’Fallon Senior Center at 106 N. Main Street in O’Fallon behind city hall from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Baked, craft and resale items will be for sale, cash only. Venders are welcome, limited table space is available for $25. For more information call 636-272-4180.

Nov. 5: Rummage sale

The rummage sale is on at Calvary United Church of Christ at 2501 Hartland Avenue in Sycamore Hills. Hours of operation will be from 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. For every one’s safety, the church is encouraging the wearing of masks.

Robertson Fire Protection District reduces residential tax rate by 58.75%

The Robertson Fire Protection District (RFPD) re duced its 2023 residential tax rate by 58.75%. This is expected to reduce the cost of emergency services to residents of the district and the city of Hazelwood, which pays for Robertson’s services for thousands of its residents, by more than half a mil lion dollars. As a result, the owner of a $200,000 home in Bridgeton could see more than $500 a year of savings on their property tax bill.

“Economically, it is a challenging time for many of our residents. As a board, we must be financially responsible and look out for the safety and welfare of our residents and our fire district. Unfortunately, the city of Hazelwood has not been as responsible. They have given away millions of taxpayer dollars in corporate welfare through com mercial TIFs, tax abatements and more. All of these corporate tax breaks result in our residents paying more in taxes for everything from schools and police to fire, rescue and paramedic services,” says RFPD Board Chair Joan Noel.

“Most of the property in our fire protection district is commercial property, so these tax breaks dramat ically impact our budget and our ability to operate. However, now that some of these city created ini tiatives are expiring, specifically the Missouri Bot tom/370 tax abatement, we can take a substantial tax burden off our residents and the city of Hazelwood while continuing to provide the same quality emer gency services,” says Noel.

The RFPD Board of Directors voluntarily rolled back the residential tax rate from $2.40 to .99-cents, a $1.41 decrease for the 2023 calendar year. This residential tax rate is now one of the lowest fire protection district tax rates in St. Louis County. It will result in an estimat ed $638,000 savings to the city of Hazelwood and the district’s residents. The commercial rate of $2.47, agricultural rate of $2.57 and personal property rate of $2.63 will stay at their current levels.

“This decision by the RFPD Board shows our willingness to work with the city of Hazelwood to find a solution to the ongoing expensive le gal battle they started in 2017,” says Noel.

In December 2017, the city of Hazelwood’s City Council passed a resolution that attempt ed to terminate the 1995 Fire Service Agreement between RFPD and city. Under the terms of the agreement, RFPD pro vides fire, rescue, and emergency medical ser vices to Hazelwood resi dents who live within the district, and the city of

Hazelwood provides payment for these services. The city pays for these services with tax revenue paid by the residents who live within the fire district and through other taxes and fees they collect. Approximately half of the RFPD is within the city of Hazelwood, and the city provides the district with nearly 50% of its funding as part of the Fire Service Agreement.

In 2021 the courts ruled that the city must continue to provide monthly pay ments to RFPD as described in the 1995 Fire Services Agreement, but a final deci sion on the case is still pending. A 2021 Missou ri Supreme Court decision involving the Affton Fire Protection District and the city of Crestwood ruled in favor of the Affton Fire Protection District. The court said the city voluntarily annexed the land in the fire dis trict, and the city must pay the district the current fire district tax rate that district residents voted on.

GATHER YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND JOIN US FOR A DAY OF FUN!

Florissant Old Town Partners and the city of Florissant host the Florissant Old Town Fall Festival on rue St. Francois each year on the second Sunday in October. In past years over 30,000 visitors attended the weekend events and we expect this to be the biggest and best ever!

The Old Town Fall Festival kicks off at 10 a.m. on Sunday Oct. 9 and runs until 5 p.m. on rue St.

Francois Street in the heart of Old Town Florissant. Eleven full blocks from Florissant Road down to the St. Ferdinand Shrine are closed off for this event. All side streets will be blocked off to accommodate the festival. The street will be filled with activities for everyone including a retail and craft fair area, food and beverages. We will have the old favorites such as pumpkin decorating, pony rides, car show, tractor

BROUGHT TO YOU BY THESE COMMUNITY-MINDED BUSINESSES

Blue Sky Nutrition

8 Grandview Plaza Florissant, MO 63033 314-837-7290

Boyle Law Firm

Patrick O.Boyle

755 rue. St. Francois Florissant, MO 63031 314-838-4500

Don Henefer Jewelers

512 N. New Florissant Rd. Florissant, MO 63031 314-921-3001 www.donheneferjewelers.com

Goldkamp Heating & Cooling

Matt Goldkamp

890 No. Lafayette Florissant, MO 63031 314-839-3332 www.goldkamphvac.com

Johnny Londoff Chevrolet

1375 Dunn Rd. Florissant MO 63031 314-595-6586 www.londoff.com

Kay-Bee Electric 250 rue St. Francois Florissant, MO 63031 314-837-3308 www.kaybeeelectric.com

TOPOS Surveying Corp. 790 rue St. Francois Florissant, MO 63031 314-838-5806 www.topos-surveying.com

display, dog show and more! There will be entertain ment on almost every block.

Join us in the historic Old Town area of Florissant for a great day of entertainment for the whole fami ly. For more information or to join the activities call the Old Town Partners office at 314-837-0033 or vis it www.florissantoldtown.com and click on the Fall Festival link.

ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE

GOVERNMENT BUILDING

Wendy Gordon: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Mark Rice & Tim Monahan: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.

CITY HALL

Gene & Joe: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

“Bobby & Grouchie’s Gator Tales”: 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m., 3:30 p.m.

MADE by. LIA’S PARKING LOT

Doo Wop Band: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

After Hours Sax Quartet: 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Array Band: 3 p.m. - 5 p.m.

DOOLEY’S FLORIST & GIFTS

Dennis Schilligo: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

STEVE ROBBINS

Sock Hop: 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

STEM’S FLORIST Angy and Darby: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.

ST. FERDINAND ST. Helicopter Landing: 12 p.m.

House Burn Demonstration: 1 p.m.

LAWYERS BUILDING

Rough Ryders: 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. & 3 p.m. - 4 p.m.

ENTERTAINMENT SPONSORS

Kay Bee Electric

Guild Mortgage Copal Construction VFW Post 4105

Dooley’s Florist

City of Florissant

EVENT SPONSORS

CORPORATE SPONSORS

JP Morgan Chase Bank

Baronwood Kennels

Millstone Weber, LLC

Scott Credit Union

Florissant Firefighters Community Outreach

Tim Lowery for Mayor Resler -Kerber Optometry, Inc

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Select Properties

Gateway Disposal

COMMUNITY SPONSORS

Paul Manganelli - American Family Insurance

Vantage Credit Union

Healthy Synergy 4 U, LLC

Jess & Co Real Estate

Hope Fellowship UPC

Lindbergh Dental & Orthodontics

Goldkamp Heating & Cooling Goeke Produce

BROUGHT TO YOU BY THESE COMMUNITY-MINDED BUSINESSES

PRAYER TO ST. JUDE

the Sacred Heart of Jesus be adored, glorified, loved and preserved throughout the world, now and forever. Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on

St. Jude, Worker of Miracles, Pray for

St. Jude, Helper of the Hopeless, Pray for

Say this prayer 9 times a day for 9 days, then publish. Your prayers will be

never been known

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