CN: October 26, 2016 by Community News

October 26, 2016

An eye on the future New UMSL facility to provide education and access to eye care

Community Voices

By Wendell Covington, Jr. M. Ed.

By Nicholas Elmes On Friday, Nov. 4, the UMSL – Patient Care Center will host a grand opening, officially introducing the new facility to the public. The $17 million, 48,000- square-foot center and instructional building is the culmination of years of planning by the University of Missouri-St. Louis College of Optometry. “This is a project that probably had its seed over a decade ago,” said Dean Dr. Larry Davis. “We knew we needed a place that was designed for health education. We have been operating out of a former residence hall. We have operated a patient eye care center on South Campus since the early 1980s. This new facility will allow us to provide a higher level of care. It will be more efficient and provide comprehensive eye care.” He said the College of Optometry was the only one in the state, noting that the new facility would be unique in the St. Louis area as well. “We designed it so that it would be accessible by Metrolink,” said Davis. “We might be the first.” The new facility held a soft opening on Sept. 19, providing a full range of eye care services. Davis noted that comprehensive eye care was just the start of what he hopes the new facility will be able to offer the community in the near future. “We are also anticipating having primary care and dental in the facility,” said Davis. “We have 14,000 square feet that are unclaimed at this point. We are continuing negotiations with a number of entities so we will have lead partners come in and provide care alongside us. We are hoping to be able to offer those in 2017.” He noted that being able to provide a wide range of services in the new facility was important for the patients his students normally serve. “We operate with a real diverse patient population,” said Davis. “We have insured and non-insured and everything in between.” But providing a wide range of services will also be a big benefit for students learning in the facility as well. “Interdisciplinary care is a critical part of training health professionals,” said Davis. “We believe it will provide a higher level of training for new doctors that are coming up and are ready to

Around Town

Moore On Life

School

Give Kids A Smile

Run for the hills

Photo courtesy UMSL The lobby of the new UMSL – Patient Care Center at 7840 Natural Bridge Road. The $17 million, 48,000- square-foot center and instructional building will host a grand opening on Nov. 4.

practice in the 21st century.” He said the facility would be used as a training facility for both optometry students and medical students from other disciplines. “We will definitely have nursing students in there as well as probably other disciplines,” said Davis. “I think the sky is the limit.” The grand opening for the facility, which will be held from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 4, will allow the public to see all that the facility has to offer. During a special donor recognition event held at the facility on Sept. 23, a variety of alumni and donors said they See EYE page 2

Book club for boys

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October 26, 2016 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

EYE from cover

Vol. 95 No. 43

were really impressed and excited about the new eye care center. “I was amazed to see the new Patient Care Center,” said Dr. Kathy Noonan. “It is a beautiful facility with state-of-the-art spaces and updated technology. It provides an exciting place for faculty and students to teach and learn for years to come. I am proud to be an alumna.”

In This Issue... Town 3 Around Hazelwood City Council

recognizes importance of community planning with proclamation and more.

6 School Hazelwood East seniors

receive more than $2 million in scholarships and more.

7 Business BJC creates scholarship

Photos courtesy UMSL

fund to support Ferguson Commission findings.

Rows of eyeglasses sit in the dispensary of the brand new UMSL – Patient Care Center at 7840 Natural Bridge Road.

11 Sports Local sports with Gary B. 12 What’s Happening 14 Classifieds 16 Movie Loving and hating bad movies.

Get your event or good news published in Community News: email your information in calendar and article formats to editor@mycnews.com.

PLEASE RECYCLE INSTEAD OF THROWING ME AWAY

COMMUNITY VOICES

Scholar athletics: to be or not to be athletic By Wendell Covington, Jr. M. Ed. Many people believe that only a select few can participate in athletics. This viewpoint can be attributed to several myths. Popular culture speculates that only the physically gifted can excel in sports and over history, society has promoted a limited perspective of athletics’ importance. Additionally, the significant role that non-traditional sports like golf, tennis, lacrosse, swimming, water polo, soccer and cycling play in generating interest and opportunities is greatly overlooked. Perhaps most detrimentally, youth athletics has only been prescribed as a recreational pastime to keep kids off the streets and not as a character or wholeperson building platform. These are myths that I plan to debunk. Athletics can have a transformational impact on our society, especially when combined with an emphasis on youth and personal development. Scholar-athletics fosters professional skill development, learning and memory, critical thinking, problem-solving, impulse and behavior control, physical fitness and language development. Seventy-five percent of all corporate executives have benefited from some participation in athletics, gaining soft skills including leadership, teamwork, resilience, perseverance, healthy competition and initiative. If that seems intangible, consider that people who participate in sports are also nearly three time more likely to complete school and stay away from problematic behaviors. There also are more tan-

gible benefits to being athletic. Let’s take a look at three of those. A huge benefit of athletics is physical fitness. More than ever, our society must promote physical fitness. We live in an information age and while technology is beneficial, it can also lead us to a sedentary lifestyle. As for youth, they are engaging in less physical activity and are attracted to the use of computers and video gaming. This is contributing to the extreme rise of Type II diabetes, heart disease and hypertension. The positive impact of athletics on brain development and function is another benefit. A Princeton University study asserts that physical activity supports astrocytic glycogen breakdown and lactate release, which are essential for long-term memory. Physical activity also encourages brain enhancement and development, visual spatial reasoning and working memory. The development of these cognitive processes are essentially critical for students who have had little exposure to intellectual stimuli in the developmental years or have had some exposure to trauma (i.e. abuse, prenatal exposure to drugs and alcohol, etc.) Sports’ impact on language development and the executive functions of the brain is the third and final benefit. The research indicates that engaging in a physical activity, particularly athletics, taps into brain networks not normally associated with language which improves the understanding of language at a deeper level, especially re-

lated to that activity. Physical activity also enhances the brain’s executive functions for critical thinking, problem solving, behavior and impulse control, goal setting and planning. Promoting athletics with a purpose is critical for youth development, especially for those people who feel disenfranchised or disinherited. Ferguson has taught us that we have to focus on new practices and methods in positively re-engaging young people in the process of teaching and learning. The use of scholar-athletics is the perfect medium to encourage young people to develop overall fitness along with professional, cognitive and language skills. The research doesn’t lie. Mathews-Dickey Boys’ & Girls’ Club President & CEO Wendell Covington, Jr. has served the St. Louis Metropolitan area in various capacities from classroom teacher, social worker, guidance counselor, non-profit manager and college administrator over the past 22 years. Most recently he has obtained national acclaim for his innovation in teaching and learning, student support and fundraising as director of the Gateway to College Program at St. Louis Community College — Florissant Valley. 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.

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www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • October 26, 2016

Around Town

Hazelwood City Council recognizes importance of community planning with proclamation

Photo courtesy city of Hazelwood At a recent city council meeting, Hazelwood Mayor Matthew Robinson presented City Planner Earl Bradfield with a proclamation declaring the month of October as Community Planning Month in the city of Hazelwood.

In acknowledgement of the important role community planning plays in helping cities manage change to provide better choices for how people work and live, the Hazelwood City Council recently approved the issuance of a proclamation declaring October as Community Planning Month throughout the community. Hazelwood Matthew Robinson presented this framed proclamation to City Planner Earl Bradfield at the last council meeting. The American Planning Association and the American Institute of Certified Planners cosponsor National Community Planning Month in October as an opportunity to highlight the contributions that sound planning and plan implementation make to the quality of a local region and its environment. It takes a combination of input from professional planners, elected officials, business community and citizens to make great com-

munities. Keeping what’s important from the past and looking ahead to the future – locally, regionally and globally – are what make the difference. On a local level, city council members would like to publicly recognize the participation and dedication of the members of the Planning Commission and Board of Adjustment who have contributed their time and expertise to making improvements to the city of Hazelwood. They also appreciate the guidance and expertise provided by the City Planner Earl Bradfield and other city management staff members in making choices that are having a postive impact on the community’s future. Hazelwood City Council members recognize the many valuable contributions made by professional community and regional planners on behalf of the city, and extend their heartfelt appreciation to these individuals for their continued commitment to public service.

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October 26, 2016 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

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City of Florissant mayor issues Dysautonomia Awareness Month proclamation Mayor Thomas P. Schneider recently issued a proclamation recognizing October 2016 as Dysautonomia Awareness Month in the city of Florissant and presented the proclamation to Kelly Williams, a dysautonomia patient residing in Florissant on Sept. 29. Williams, a Dysautonomia International volunteer shared, “It took me eight years to get diagnosed and I am raising awareness to shorten this for other patients.” Dysautonomia is an umbrella term used to describe various medical conditions that cause a malfunction of the autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nerves control the “automatic” functions of the body that we do not consciously think about, such as heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, dilation and constriction of the pupils of the eye, temperature control and more. People living with various forms of dysautonomia have trouble regulating these systems, which can result in light-headedness, fainting, unstable blood pressure, abnormal heart rates, malnutrition and in severe cases, death. According to Lauren Stiles, president of Dysautonomia International, “over 70 million people worldwide live with a form of dysautonomia. There is no cure for any form of dysautonomia at this time, but Dysautonomia International is funding research to develop better treatments, and hopefully someday a cure.” Since its founding in 2012, Dysautonomia International, a 501c3 non-profit organization, has been working to increase public awareness of dysautonomia.

Photo courtesy city of Florissant Pictured are Florissant Mayor Thomas Schneider and Kelly Williams with the Dysautonomia Awareness Month proclamation that was presented to her.

The organization started the global Dysautonomia Awareness Month campaign that is celebrated annually during the month of October. With the help of community members, Dysautonomia International organizes landmark lightings, 5K runs, fundraising galas, proclamations, social media campaigns and other awareness activities. To learn more or to get involved, visit www.dysautonomiainternational.org.

Registration now open for the upcoming Give Kids A Smile dental clinic

www.aperioncare.com

Give Kids A Smile registration is now open for its 30th consecutive free dental health care clinic for kids set for Oct. 28, and Oct. 29, at Saint Louis University’s Center for Advanced Dental Education. Over this two-day period, the organization has the capacity and resources to provide comprehensive dental services, completely free of charge, for up to 600 toddlers and school-aged children, through eighth grade, who are in need. Medicaid-eligible children, as well as those who qualify for a school lunch program or need dental assistance due to other circumstances can be registered by calling Give Kids A Smile at 636-397-6453. “We have delivered around $8 million worth of dental care to almost 15,000 children during our last 29 clinics,” said Jeffrey B. Dalin, DDS, who is a co-founder of Give Kids A Smile and the organization’s secretary/treasurer. “These are kids who would not otherwise have access to dental care. We are very proud of what we have accomplished here in St Louis, but we know that our work is nowhere near complete. There are still far too many children out there who are having tooth pain, are not eating properly, can’t sleep well, and are having problems at school due to dental issues. We are here to help.” Each child registered to attend the upcoming clinic will receive X-rays, professional cleanings, fluoride treatments and sealants, as well as fillings, root canals and oral surgery, as needed. Organizers also work hard to create a non-intimidating, fun-filled environment for the kids. Founding sponsor Delta Dental of Missouri provides an entertainment area for children after they receive services, featuring face painters, balloon artists, games and more. Delta Dental’s Tooth Wizard strolls the clinic floor, along with a Spanish-speaking Tooth Fairy who helps com-

Submitted photo

municate to non-English speaking children. And, each child goes home with a toothbrush, toothpaste and floss, as well as a free book courtesy of the St. Louis County Library Foundation. “To this day, tooth decay remains one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood,” said Thomas C. Flavin, DDS, president and co-founder of Give Kids A Smile. “While we at Give Kids A Smile are proud of our accomplishments over the past 15 years, both locally and at the national level, we also realize that no amount of charity will solve the problem of access to dental care. When nearly one in two children in St. Louis live in poverty, and 80 percent of tooth decay occurs in our poorest population, there will always be a need for Give Kids A Smile.” Flavin added, “Everyone deserves access to care. No one should suffer from the pain and embarrassment of poor oral health because they can’t afford or find care.” To learn more about the work of Give Kids A Smile, or to register for the upcoming clinic, call 636-397-6453 or log on to www.gkas.org. The registration process includes the completion of health history and consent forms. Appointments are given on a first-come, first-served basis.

www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • October 26, 2016

Moore On Life

By Cindy Moore

Run for the hills

There’s nothing better than getting away to a ski resort…in the off season. My husband and I are so-o-o non-athletic. Oh sure, we do occasionally run the 20-yard dash in under 10 seconds, but that’s only at the all-you-can-eat buffet when the last bacon fritter is up for grabs. Neither of us are Olympians, although we have participated in the discus throw, but that involved rupturing the L-5 vertebrae in the cervical area of the spinal column after getting up too quickly from bed to push the snooze button. Believe me, it’s agony to throw your discus out of whack. We also have a strong aversion to anything that involves pulling hamstrings; however, we do enjoy a good pulled pork, so we’ve got that going for us. When we decided to go on a little getaway the logical choice was early October when all the noisy kids were in school and the destination was a swanky ski lodge since there would be no snow. This of course meant no pesky skiers to hog the hot tubs or annoying snowboarders to share the fireplaces with. We wouldn’t even need a fake cast to put on our leg to sit around the lodge all day. There would be no snow bums to compete with. Just to humor ourselves we wandered over to the vacant ski lifts. The sun was out and the grass was still green. The lift chairs dangled above like unused hangers in a closet. We ventured over to a large map the size of a wall and studied the various ski runs that people with functioning brain cells actually navigated. Each was named depending on its skill level. The black dia-

mond runs instilled fear and challenge, such as: Thrasher, Twister, Super Fury, Vertigo and Free Fall. Then there were the double black diamonds for the extreme sportsman who possessed no functioning brain cells whatsoever. Their names included: Massacre, Widowmaker, Black Hole, Devil’s Drop, and Ripsaw. They certainly instilled fear in us. If we even attempted the bunny hill runs they would have to be renamed: Spine Twister, Permanent Paralyses Drop, Concussion Alley, Femur Snapper, Internal Hemorrhage Hill and Full Body Cast Abyss. This is why we go during ghost-town season and much prefer runs like: Flat Sidewalk, Elevator To Buffet, Escalator Down, and Poolside With A View. We have triumphed these precarious runs and come out victorious. Even the black diamonds are no challenge. My husband has mastered the treacherous, Couch Near TV while I dominate the ever tricky, Room Service Please. So far, we have not ended up with staples in our scapulas or metal plates in our coccyx. 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.

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Seventh Annual St. Louis Teen Talent Competition announces call for entries Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation (FPACF) is pleased to announce the Seventh Annual St. Louis Teen Talent Competition in the spring of 2017. Online registration to enter is now open for all high school students in the St. Louis Metropolitan area. There are no fees to participate. The event will follow a competition format with students vying for scholarships, special awards, prizes and the opportunity to compete in the finals on The Fabulous Fox Theatre stage on April 8, 2017. This event is free and open to the public. This event showcases talented teens in our region who excel in the performing arts. More than 180 senior high schools and performing arts organizations in the St. Louis metro area received details about the Seventh Annual St. Louis Teen Talent Competition. The call for entries deadline is Nov. 11. Contestants must be enrolled in the ninth, 10th, 11th or 12th grade in the 2016-2017 school year and must attend a high school/home school within a 50-mile radius from the Arch. The Preliminary round will be held on Feb. 4 and 5, 2017. Acts may include up to six students performing as a group. “We hope students who are passionate about the performing arts will register for the competition,” said Mary Strauss, President of the FPACF Board of Directors. Performing arts categories include (but are not limited to): singers, dancers, actors, musicians, comedians, rappers, and circus skill artists. Contestants may perform with original or published material. The Preliminary and Semi-final rounds will be hosted by several event sponsors: Ritenour School District (at their high school facility), Logan University and Missouri Baptist University. High school students can respond to the “Call for Entries” and register on-line at www.foxpacf.org. Students placing First, Second and Third will win college scholarships. The 2017 first place scholarship ($8,000) is underwritten by the Ameren Charitable Trust; second place and third place scholarships are $5,000 and $3,000 respectively.

www.seniorshelpingseniors.com/stlouiscentral

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.

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School

October 26, 2016 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

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Hazelwood East seniors receive more than $2 million in scholarships Fifty-five Hazelwood East High School seniors recently received more than $2.4 million in scholarships during the Infinite Scholars program. The program was held on Sept. 18 at St. Louis University. Students received scholarships from Philander Smith College, Rust College, Murray State, Alabama A&M, Southern Illinois UniversityEdwardsville and many other colleges and universities. “I am extremely proud of our students on collectively earning more than $2.4 million in scholarships,” said Dr. Nettie Collins-Hart, Hazelwood School District superintendent. “This is an im-

pressive amount of money and these scholarship awards are reflective of what true parentteacher partnerships can do. This also serves as a reminder for educators on why we do what we do, to help prepare students to be college ready or equipped for whatever path they choose after high school,” said Collins-Hart. The Infinite Scholars Program is a nonprofit organization founded in 2003. The program ensures that financially-disadvantaged students deserving to go to college receive the funding they need. Today, nearly 80 percent of participants in the Infinite Scholars Program enroll in college.

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McCluer North receives NFL Super Bowl High School Honor Roll Grant

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The McCluer North High School football program is the recipient of a $3,000 NFL Foundation Super Bowl High School Honor Roll Grant. Funds from the grant have been used to purchase shoulder pads and helmets for the football Stars. “Athletics are an important tool in our students’ lives to give them pride in their school and community,” said Chris Kusnerick, McCluer North’s athletic director who applied for the grant. “If we can provide a student with a new uniform or helmet to assure we are providing safe equipment to our students, then they will have pride in themselves and project that to the community.” Application to the Honor Roll Grant is by invitation from the NFL Foundation. Only schools that have contributed to Super Bowl history are eligible to apply. Former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Barrett Brooks is an alumnus of McCluer North. The Steelers won the Super Photo courtesy Ferguson-Florissant School District Bowl in 2006, at which time Barrett was a member of the team, which made McCluer North eli- McCluer North Athletic Director Chris Kusnerick stands with head football coach Joe Brown and principal Andy Croley gible to apply for the grant. The Super Bowl High School Honor Roll a commemorative golden football, produced by Grant program is part of the NFL’s Super Bowl Wilson, for every player or head coach who has 50 outreach initiative. High schools also receive been on an active roster in a Super Bowl.

Hazelwood elementary student starts book club for boys

Photo Courtesy Hazelwood School District Sidney Keys, student at Russell Elementary in the Hazelwood School District, started a book club for boys.

Sidney Keys, fifth grade student at Russell Elementary in the Hazelwood School District, has started a book club for boys ages 8-10, which has gained 10 members since it started last month. Books n Bros Book Club makes reading fun and welcomes children with the reading level within fourth-sixth grade. Keys held his first book meet up at the African-American children’s Bookstore EyeSeeMe. The owners of the bookstore agreed to open their space monthly to allow Keys to encourage reading in the community. “Sidney loves to read, and I wanted him to start a book club as a way to encourage literacy among

young African-American males,” said Winnie Caldwell, Sidney’s mom. “Since starting the book club, he has been learning leadership skills, public speaking skills and entrepreneurship.” Keys and the book club are currently reading “Danny Dollar: Millionaire Extraordinaire: Lemonade Escapade,” by Ty Allan Jackson. Jackson has agreed to Skype into the meeting, to discuss the book with the young men. Keys was also recognized by the Hazelwood School District Board of Education at a recent board meeting.

www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • October 26, 2016

BJC creates scholarship fund to support Ferguson Commission findings In response to regional community needs identified by the Ferguson Commission, BJC HealthCare is creating a new scholarship opportunity for college-bound high school seniors who plan to pursue a two- or four-year degree. The BJC Scholars Fund will be funded by BJC and administered by The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis. Scholarships will be awarded annually to up to 14 students in communities served by BJC hospitals: St. Louis City; St. Louis County; St. Charles County; Columbia, Farmington/Bonne Terre and Sullivan, Missouri; and the Metro East. Scholarships will be renewable through graduation or a maximum of 10 semesters, resulting in 50-60 BJC Scholars being funded each year when the program reaches full implementation. Each scholarship will be a needs-based award of up to $10,000 per academic year at a public Missouri or Illinois state college or university in the state where the student resides. The annually renewable scholarship will be applicable toward tuition, fees, room and board, transportation and incidental costs. The Scholarship Foundation will support students and parents in taking full advantage of other state, federal and institutional funds to which students are entitled, to ensure that the BJC scholarship award completes the funding required for full year attendance. BJC is funding the scholarship program to help take community action on the findings of “For the Sake of All” and “Forward through Ferguson.” The scholarship fund also aligns with BJC’s strong advocacy for education, in recognition of the connection between education and improved health and longevity. “BJC is at heart a health care organization. We are also the area’s largest employer and are actively engaged with our community,” says Steve Lip-

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stein, BJC president and CEO. “We want to take meaningful action, beyond our role as a health care provider, in helping move forward in the wake of events that shook our community two years ago. “One need identified in the Ferguson Commission report is to increase college access and affordability. We also know statistics and studies show there is a very strong connection between higher education levels and better health outcomes. By creating this new scholarship fund, BJC hopes to make an impact in helping young people attain their educational goals and create new opportunities for a brighter and healthier future.” The Scholarship Foundation will provide outreach services to promote the scholarship opportunity and will administer all aspects of the application and selection process, as well as ongoing support that includes advising, workshops, financial aid counseling, participation in paid internship programs and additional funding opportunities if relevant. “We are excited to see this new opportunity for scholarship funding,” says Faith Sandler, executive director of The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis. “Education and – just as important – affordable access to education are critical to set the stage for future success. We are pleased to be able to bring this opportunity to high school students in every region where BJC HealthCare has a hospital presence.” The application process for the BJC Scholars Fund will open Jan. 1, 2017, with a deadline submission of April 15. Recipients will be announced in July 2017 for the 2017-2018 academic year. The Scholarship Foundation will begin communications and visits to high schools in eligible communities next month.

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www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • October 26, 2016

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www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • October 26, 2016

Sports you see with Gary B... UMSL swimmers win a dozen events at Jewell The University of Missouri-St. Louis men’s and women’s swimming teams combined to win 12 events in a tri-meet with host William Jewell and Maryville on Sat-

urday. The Triton men defeated Maryville, 170-36, and on the women’s side The Tritons defeated Maryville, 138-75. For the men, freshman Gabriel Jimenez (50 free and 100 butterfly) and sophomore Radoslaw Chupka (100 and 200 backstrokes) each won two individual events and swam on the winning 200yard medley relay to highlight action for the Tritons. Other wins went to Patryk Golinski (800 free), Mike Trefler (200 breaststroke). Trefler and senior Mladen Senicar also swam on the winning relay, while Senicar gave UMSL a one-two finish in the 50 free. For the women, freshman Merel Visser won three individual titles (200 free, 200 butterfly and 400 free) and swam the opening leg of the 400 free relay along with Amber Visser, Sofia Pilarska and Agnieszka Blocka. Blocka also won the 100 butterfly. Go to www.UMSLTritons.com for more information. * Tread that water Indoor football team giving away tickets The River City Raiders play in the Northeast Champions Indoor Football League consisting of 16 teams with home games at the Family Arena in St. Charles. Here is an opportunity to see the exciting indoor football when the season starts March 11. Go to www.IndoorRaiders.com to get all the details. * Can’t beat the price Soccer team has nine-game winning streak at Lindenwood The Lindenwood field hockey team collected two victories over the weekend to improve their overall record to 12-3 which is the best in school history. The Lady Lions avenged a loss against

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Limestone on Saturday with a 2-0 shutout then dominated Newberry by a final score of 6-1. Tara Robben leads the ECAC with 15 goals and 34 total points. Head Coach Sarah Johnson has led her team to an impressive season thus far in her sixth year in the position for the Lady Lions. She has great help from Assistant Coaches Sara Nagel who is in her sixth year of coaching, Lyndsey Porter in her fourth year as a volunteer coach and Samantha Brown. For more information, go to www.LindenwoodLions.com * Thanks to Andrew P. Morris of Lindenwood Sports Information for the information River City Rascals release schedule for 2017 The River City Rascals play professional baseball in the West Division of the Frontier League at the CarShield Field in O’Fallon. The team ended the 2016 campaign just short of the championship, Moving forward, baseball is less than seven months away and you can pick the best seats in the house. For more information go to www.RiverCityRascals.com * Get close to the field Indoor professional soccer starting soon The St. Louis Ambush play in the MASL (Major Arena Soccer League) and will start the season on Nov. 19 against the Tacoma Stars at their home field the Family Arena. New Head coach and part owner Tony Glavin will lead the team for the 2016-17 campaign. * The place to be I will be broadcasting the “STL Health and Wellness LIVE” show every Saturday from 9-11 am on 590 The Fan and 590TheFan.com Gary Baute, a St. Louis native, has hosted many radio shows from Health to Sports to Baby Boomer news. He was the EMCEE of the River City Rascals and St. Louis Swarm basketball team inaugural seasons and broadcasting for the indoor football teams over a decade. Has been writing sports since 1999 for the paper.

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What’s Happening

October 26, 2016 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

Send your event to editor@mycnews.com and we'll print it! EVENTS Oct. 26: Karaoke

Karaoke at Florissant Valley VFW Post 4105, located at 410 St. Francois, from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. All profits go to support veterans. For more information call 314-831-6121.

Oct. 27: Career fair

St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley Career & Networking Fair takes place from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. at St. Louis Community College – Florissant Valley Student Center Multipurpose Room at 3400 Pershall Road. Meet with area employers and learn about full-time, part-time and internship opportunities in your community. Professional attire required and make sure to bring plenty of copies of your resume. The event is open to the community. For more information contact 314-513-4543.

Oct. 28: Chicken dinner

All-you-can-eat chicken dinner, dine in only, at Florissant Valley VFW Post 4105, located at 410 St. Francois, from 4 to 7 p.m. All profits go to support veterans. For more information call 314831-6121.

Nov. 1: Country sausage supper

A country sausage supper (carry outs only) will take place from 12:30 – 6 p.m. at Salem Lutheran Church at 5180 Parker Rd. Cost for adults is $10.50, for children is $7. For more information call 314-741-6781.

Nov. 5: Trivia night

The Jennings Do-Dads are sponsoring their Forth Annual Trivia Night. The event will be held at St. Sabina Parish at 1625 Swallow Lane in Florissant. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., trivia starts at 7 p.m. Tables of eight are available for $120. Cost includes beer, wine, soda and water. Guests are encouraged to bring their own food and snacks to enjoy. The theme for the evening is 80’s Trivia.For reservations or more information call Jim Christian at 314-341-8417 or Mike Spahn at 314-378-4964 or email jenningsdodads@yahoo.com.

Nov. 5: Rummage sale

Calvary Church Annual Rummage Sale takes place at Calvary United Church of Christ at 2501 Hartland Avenue from 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. For more information, call 429-7464 and leave a message.

Nov. 5: Fashion show

Soroptimist International of Greater St. Louis is pleased to announce its 41st Annual Fashion Show at Orlando’s in Maryland Heights. This year’s theme

is “Women Stepping Up to Help Other Women.” Tickets are $30 per person. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. and a buffet lunch will be served at 12:30 p.m. A cash bar will be available. In addition to the fashion show there will be basket raffles, silent auctions and pot of gold. Orlando’s is located at 2050 Dorsett Village Plaza in Maryland Heights. Proceeds from the fashion show benefit St. Louis area women’s and children’s charities. Visit their website www.soroptimiststlouis.com for more information on the fashion show, including payment via PayPal, or contact Paula Russell at 314-355-1516 or info@soroptimiststlouis.com.

noon until dusk. Food and drinks will be available. There will be a children’s play area as well.

Dec. 31: Volunteers needed

St. Ferdinand Ladies Sodality Quilt Bingo, doors open 11 a.m., games begin at 1 p.m. in the school gym at 1735 Charbonier Rd in Florissant. Twelve beautiful quilts, cash prizes, raffle, pull tabs and refreshments available.

St. Louis County is now seeking volunteers for the St. Louis County Older Resident Programs’ (CORP) 2016 tax preparation. Applications are now available to begin the process and to sign up for the training. Volunteers will be VITAcertified and will begin volunteering at the CORP tax sites mid-January and continue through mid-April. Volunteers can choose where they would like to help out of eight sites, days, position as a tax counselor, appointment scheduler or customer greeter/intaker. Mileage reimbursement is available. Call today to get started with the volunteer application process. Interested individuals should contact Sheryl Trask at 314-615-7430 for north of I-64 locations or Kathy Paulsen at 314-615-4021 for south county locations.

Nov. 7: Prayer service

RECURRING EVENTS

Nov 6: Quilt bingo

The Worship Committee at St. Barnabas Church is planning an Election Eve Prayer Service at 7 p.m. All parishioners, families, neighbors and the greater community are invited to join for prayer the night before this major election.

Nov. 19: Meat shoots

The Florissant Eagles Aerie3638 at 15245 New Halls Ferry Rd. will be hosting meat shoots starting Sept. 17 and running through Nov. 19. No bull barrels, 670 minimum chokes. Shooting # 9s. The shoots run from noon until dusk.

Nov. 20: Meat Shoot Sundays

From Sept. 18 through Nov. 20 there will be Meat Shoot Sundays at Florissant Valley American Legion Post 444 at 7090 Old Jamestown Rd. from

Weekdays: Volunteer drivers The St. Louis County Older Resident Programs need volunteer drivers who live in St. Louis County to give a few hours during the day to provide transportation to and from doctor’s appointments for our senior residents of St. Louis County that lives near you! No weekends and mileage reimbursement is available. Call today at 314-6154516. Mondays: A cappella singers

All men who like to sing are invited to come sing with us, The Men of Harmony. We practice every Monday night at 7 p.m. at 5500 Parker Road which is the first house on Uthe Lane. We sing four-part harmony a capella (without

accompaniment ). We sing some traditional songs, as well as show tunes and more contemporary music. We do perform for the public at various functions. Persons interested can come right on in or for more information call Al at 314993-6134.

Tuesdays: Choir rehearsals

The St. Louis Chordinals, a women’s a cappella chorus, rehearse every Tuesday evening from 7 - 9:30 p.m. at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church at 12397 Natural Bridge Rd. in Bridgeton (next to the Bridgeton Government Center). For more information call Linda at 314839-3495 or visit stlouischordinals.org.

Tuesdays: Lung cancer support group

The Lung Cancer Networking Group is open to anyone affected by lung cancer and meets at Christian Hospital at 11133 Dunn Rd. every second Tuesday of the month from 6 - 7:30 p.m. in Room 2100. No RSVP required. Christian Hospital has partnered with the Cancer Support Community of Greater St. Louis to provide this group meeting. Drop-in to the monthly meetings to discuss, ask questions and learn how others manager side effects, symptoms and the day-to-day of cancer. Connect with other care partners who are learning about cancer and how it impacts their friends and family members. Share and hear stories from others who “get it.” Discover the power of group support when you meet with a licensed facilitator, other people (family, friends, patients) affected by a cancer diagnosis.

Tuesdays: TOPS (Take off pounds sensibly) From 9:15 - 10:30 a.m. located at John F. Kennedy Center/Henry Koch Ctr., Howdershell Rd. at Charbonier Rd., Florissant. For more info contact Paul or Connie McConnell, 314-831-5476.

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What’s Happening

October 26, 2016 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

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Holy Spirit, you who makes me see everything and shows me the way to reach my ideal, you who gives me the divine gift to forgive and forget all the wrong that is done to me and you who are in all instances of my life with me. I, in this short dialogue, want to thank you for everything, and affirm once more that I never want to be separated from you no matter how great the material desires may be. I want to be with you and my loved ones in your perpetual glory. To that end and submitting to God’s holy will, I ask from you... (mention your favour). Amen F.S.

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Movie

“Max Steel”

By Steve Bryan

Loving and hating bad movies As I watched “Max Steel” last weekend, I wondered if the director and stars knew they were making a really bad piece of cinema. Based on the Mattel line of action figures, this adventure capitalizes on the popularity of other toy lines like “Transformers,” but fails miserably. The awkward battles and muddy soundtrack make this film unwatchable. A few years ago, the folks responsible for this debacle were promoting their work at the San Diego Comic-Con. They made it sound like “Max Steel” was slated to be released soon, but it appears to have been lost in development. I assume that they needed a week-long theatrical release to get it on streaming services and DVD and Blu-ray. Do bad films like this one start out as noble efforts or are they bad to the bone? Coming off two popular movies (“The Color Purple” and “Jumping Jack Flash”), Whoopi Goldberg starred in “The Telephone,” a bizarre 1988 film featuring the actress chatting on a desktop telephone. Goldberg spent most of her screen time on the phone as people came and went. The ending was shocking, unexpected and the most interesting part of a dreary movie. Many critics trashed “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” when it arrived in theaters, but Jim Carrey’s fans gave him a $70 million opening weekend. The low-budget production featured Carrey doing what he does best: physical comedy and impressions. It’s a bad movie to some, but has since become a cult classic that spawned sequels.

One can’t always equate a box office flop with low quality, though. ‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” did not do well when it first came out in 1971. It gained a worldwide following, however, when it was shown on television. Gene Wilder is fondly remembered for his performance as Willy Wonka, especially while singing the classic “Pure Imagination.” The same thing happened with “Eddie and the Cruisers,” a 1983 effort that was largely ignored for over a year. During those 12 months, John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band released “On the Dark Side,” their single from the film. It became hugely popular as did “Eddie and the Cruisers” when it hit cable TV stations. It really identified the important link between home video and Hollywood. If you see the name “Alan Smithee” during the opening credits, run for your life. That is the pseudonym used by directors when they wish to disavow any ownership of their own film. On the other hand, Ed Wood, considered to be the worst director of all time, has actually been honored for his bad work. He is, of course, the man responsible for the legendary “Plan 9 From Outer Space” starring wrestler Tor Johnson and a guy in a gorilla suit. Sometimes, bad can be good, but “Max Steel” is really, really bad. I guess even Alan Smithee didn’t want his name in the credits on this one. “Max Steel” photo courtesy Open Road Films 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.