CN: December 8, 2021

December 8, 2021

Living legacy

Around Town

COMMUNITY VOICES

By Dr. Miranda Ming and Dr. Rhonda M. Key. Pg. 2 ‘Be Merry on Metro’ set for Decembert. Pg. 4

School New acting superintendent appointed for Riverview Gardens School District. Pg. 7 NORTHWEST VIEWS Rethinking and relearning in the age of COVID. Pg. 7 Submitted photos

Features

A recent grave-marking ceremony for five American Revolution patriots buried at the Fee Fee Cemetery was conducted by the Missouri Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, the Spirit of St. Louis chapter.

Many of those buried at the 200-year-old Fee Fee Cemetery in Bridgeton left an impact on the St. Louis region that can still be felt today

By Wendy Todd St. Louis is rich with history, culture and legacy. Opportunities to discover the area’s past are buried all over the region. One is in Bridgeton at the Fee Fee Cemetery which has interments that have significantly contributed to the development of the St. Louis region.

The 12.86 acre site is one of the oldest active cemeteries in the area with its first burial in 1822. It serves as the eternal resting place for notable St. Louisans, including members of the Patton family, for which the area of Pattonville is named, and Joseph Shackelford Ritenour the namesake for the Ritenour School District. Other recognizable names can be found at the cemetery as well.

Some who are buried at Fee Fee Cemetery were part of families that a number of streets in St. Louis County are named after, like Avery, Breckenridge, Howdershell, Lackland,

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McKelvey and Walton. The cemetery also serves as a memorial park for many veterans, some of whom were recognized recently with a grave-marking ceremony.

The ceremony, attended by Terry Briggs,

the mayor of Bridgerton, was for five American Revolution patriots buried at the cemetery. It was conducted by the Missouri Society See ‘LEGACY’ page 5

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Around Town

December 8, 2021 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

‘LEGACY’ from cover of the Sons of the American Revolution, the Spirit of St. Louis chapter.

“The ceremony for these patriots was to recognize that these men had served in the fight for the independence of our nation. It is an honor to recognize each one for the service they rendered to our country,” says Bill Miller, a trustee of the Fee Fee Cemetery Association who also serves as its historian.

One of the veterans honored has a significant legacy in St. Louis.

Rev. Thomas Roy Musick who was a private in the American Revolutionary War and later became a minister, is credited for having established the first Baptist church in St. Louis. Fee Fee Baptist Church, founded in 1807 is still in existence today in Bridgerton down the street from the Fee Fee Cemetery. While each

veteran’s grave had an individual marker, the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) wanted to commemorate the gentlemen collectively.

“They had a design for the marker and we met with them to agree on an appropriate location. They had the marker made and set in a location along the main entrance to the cemetery,” Miller says.

The five American Revolutionary patriots are buried among others who served the country.

Others who have been memorialized at the Fee Fee cemetery are veterans who’ve served in the War of 1812, the Spanish American War, the Civil War, both World Wars, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Though the cemetery offers military burials, it is unknown why it has become a significant burial ground for veterans. But the legacy of those remembered at Fee Fee Cemetery continue on every day in the background of our lives.

Submitted photo A recent grave-marking ceremony for five American Revolution patriots buried at the Fee Fee Cemetery was conducted by the Missouri Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, the Spirit of St. Louis chapter.

Let Me Live Foundation awarded $10,000 The Let Me Live Foundation was officially awarded a $10,000 donation from St. Louis’ US Wide Insurance. The Let Me Live Foundation is an organization dedicated to providing support for individuals battling cancer to give them a sense of hope, faith and strength to fight the disease.

The $10,000 award will be used to help the Let Me Live Foundation expand their reach, touch more lives, and offer financial support to those battling cancer during a time when it’s needed most.

Scott Paulk, an agent with US Wide Insurance, originally received a $5,000 donation for the Let Me Live Foundation thanks to a submission process with Liberty Mutual and Safeco Insurance through their 2021 Make More Happen Awards.

A story of the local partnership was posted on the official Make More Happen microsite, www. agentgiving.com/us-wide-insurance, where US Wide was given the chance to raise an additional $5,000 by conducting a local awareness campaign for the nonprofit. Together with the community, the goal was met increasing the total donation to $10,000 for the Let Me Live Foundation.

Throughout 2021, Liberty Mutual and Safeco Insurance will select a total of 34 independent agents nationwide for a Make More Happen Award and Liberty Mutual and Safeco Insurance will donate up to $340,000 to the nonprofits supported by independent

COMMUNITY VOICES:

Submitted image

insurance agents. Agencies became eligible for the award by submitting an application demonstrating their commitment to a specific nonprofit, along with a photo of a project they participated in.

By Dr. Miranda Ming and Dr. Rhonda M. Key

The stakes are higher than ever in urban education As students returned to school after over a year of inconsistent in-person instruction, the academic gap has widened with extensive deficits in math, elevated responses due to trauma, and post-traumatic outcomes. These are the consequences of COVID-19 for students.

Leader lens Building and district leadership have to come prepared with a unique set of tools in order to be prepared for the current realities of the educational climate. It is important for us to internalize the impact of COVID-19 on the families we serve. Our response to the widened academic gaps and the additional weight on our teachers must be one of focus and clarity. We must equip our staff with planning and development that provides bite-sized, data driven, transferable tools they can use as an immediate response to students.

In addition, leaders must truly create time and space to be well. Our teachers will require our visibility, instructional leadership, and em-

pathetic response. It is important for leaders to find strategies to support their own personal reflection, rejuvenation, and wellness daily.

This will provide leaders with the capacity to address the social and emotional well-being of stakeholders, escalated scholar and family behavior, in addition to the academic and professional expectations of the role.

Teacher lens The role of the teacher has never been more important. Teachers are expected to deescalate dysregulated scholars, create real-time responses to learning gaps, and to maintain a safe classroom climate that meets safety protocols. This is no easy feat.

In addition, as scholars exhibit escalated and sometimes even aggressive behaviors, we must ensure our reaction is one of love and empathy, while focusing on the safety of ourselves and the students we serve. This requires a higher level of development, emotional intelligence, and preparation.

Teachers and leaders must work hand in

hand to meet the urgent needs of the students and families we serve.

Dr. Rhonda M. Key has served as a teacher and administrator in suburban, rural, and urban school districts throughout her career. Currently, she serves has Principal/ Director of Secondary EducationCommunity Partnerships in Jennings School District. Dr. Miranda Ming, Assistant Principal, at Jennings School District’s College &Career Prep Academy is a devoted educator. She attended Alabama A&M University, but obtained her Bachelors, Masters and Doctorate Degree from the University of Missouri St. Louis.

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.

www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • December 8, 2021

Around Town

St. Louis MetroMarket joins Operation Food Search

Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival announces award winners

Operation Food Search has acquired St. Louis MetroMarket, a nonprofit “farmers market on wheels” that brings food to the community in a retrofitted metro bus.

“The missions of our agencies are perfectly aligned – both focus on connecting the people of our community to healthy, affordable food,” said Kristen Wild, President & CEO Submitted photo of Operation Food Search. “OFS has left) Carlton Adams, Operation Food Search Chief Operating partnered with MetroMarket since (From Officer stands with Alan Schultz, Operation Food Search Executive they were founded eight years ago. Board Chair / Bayer; Kristen Wild, Operation Food Search PresiWe are excited to formalize our col- dent & CEO; Quinton Ward, Executive Director of MetroMarket; laboration and to expand that work Lucas Signorelli, MetroMarket Board Member and Colin Dowling, MetroMarket Co-Founder and Board President. to serve more people and provide allow us to grow and innovate.” additional resources in food desFounded in 2013, MetroMarket’s bus erts.” travels to communities with little access OFS has 43 employees with an annual to fresh, healthy food. The bus operrevenue of $41 million in 2020. Along ates every Wednesday through Saturwith other food resources, they distribday, April through November, making uted 3.89 million pounds of produce last two-hour stops at designated partner year. MetroMarket’s four employees will locations including the Ferguson Comjoin the OFS team. munity Empowerment Center, Lewis “Becoming a part of OFS will help us and Clark Library, People’s Health Centake MetroMarket’s mission to a new ter, Affinia Healthcare and the YMCA level,” said Quinton Ward of MetroO’Fallon Park. They will wrap up their Market. “We are maintaining all the 2021 season within the next few weeks programs and services the community and begin working with OFS to plan an depends on, but now we have new orenhanced program beginning in 2022. ganizational strength behind us that will

The 30th Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival (SLIFF) was held both in person and online from Nov. 4-21. The fest had a total estimated viewership of 21,646, including 11,564 St. Louis-area students who participated in the free Cinema for Students program.

There were 5,740 in-person attendees and 4,342 online viewers. A note on methodology: Because most virtual programs were watched at home by more than a single person, online viewership was estimated by multiplying the number of total programs purchased (2,481) by 1.75.

Because of the hybrid nature of this year’s fest, viewers from outside the St. Louis area also participated in many programs, with 44 states and 16 countries represented.

SLIFF screened 412 films: 61 documentary features, 84 narrative features, 94 documentary shorts, and 173 narrative shorts. There were an additional two film programs exclusive to Cinema for Students. The fest also featured six livestreamed special events — four seminars/master classes, a New Filmmakers Forum roundtable, and the closing-night awards presentation — and six in-person special events, including a screening

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of “American Underdog” with Kurt and Brenda Warner in attendance.

A total of 31 programs were offered for free, and 31 virtual programs were offered at a discounted price of $5.

This year’s festival featured films from 78 countries in 37 languages.

The festival kicked off with a free opening-night special event featuring the documentary “Procession,” with director Robert Greene — who was honored with SLIFF’s Contemporary Cinema Award — and the subjects of the film in attendance.

On the festival’s final day, SLIFF offered a Tribute to Mary Strauss and presented her with a Lifetime Achievement Award for her many contributions to Cinema St. Louis.

Two other filmmakers were also honored: documentarian and native St. Louisan Nina Gilden Seavey, who presented a free special-event program called “My Fugitive” at the fest, received the Charles Guggenheim Cinema St. Louis Award; and documentarian Deborah Riley Draper, whose film “Twenty Pearls: The Story of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority” screened at SLIFF, received the Women in Film Award.

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Around Town

December 8, 2021 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

‘Be Merry on Metro’ set for December Tis the season for music, lights, Santa and gifts – and in the coming weeks this merriment will also be part of Metro Transit trips. Citizens for Modern Transit (CMT), Metro Transit, St. Clair County Transit District, Bureau of Transit Police, Metro Transit Public Safety, University of Missouri–St. Louis and AARP in St. Louis are teaming up to host “Be Merry on Metro” through Dec. 24, featuring a host of seasonal surprises at Metro Transit Centers and aboard MetroLink, MetroBus and Metro Call-A-Ride vehicles.

This effort kicked off during the morning commute on Dec. 6. During this timeframe, representatives from the partnering organizations were at select Metro Transit Centers handing out “Be Merry and Metro” branded sock hats – along with candy canes and a calendar show-

casing all the fun planned for the month of December.

All “Be Merry on Metro” activities are tied to weekly themes and include: Music & Lights from Dec. 6-10; Santa & Surprises from Dec. 11-17; and Opportunities and Appreciations from Dec. 20-24. The events will feature strolling carolers, a “Saturday Morning with Santa” event, special Ten Toe Express guided walking tours, promotion of job opportunities, holiday tunes at Metro Transit Centers and more.

Throughout the month, transit riders should also be on the lookout for “Gift of Transit” gift boxes wrapped in red ribbon randomly placed on MetroBus,

MetroLink and Metro Call-A-Ride vehicles.

If a transit rider finds a gift box, they can keep it and its contents.

There will also be hundreds of gift box cutouts. If a transit rider finds one, all they need to do is look for their gift, which is attached to the back of the “Gift of Transit” cutouts.

Transit riders can also participate in the Ugly Sweater contest by taking a photo of themselves wearing an ugly sweater, while traveling on transit, and posting it to social channels using #ToastyOnTransit. Participants will be entered to win a special prize package.

“The ‘Be Merry on Metro’ effort is rooted in the mission of all of our community engagement initiatives,” commented

Kimberly Cella, executive director of Citizens for Modern Transit. “It allows us to interact with riders, strengthen relationships and reinforce our collective commitment to a safe, comfortable, customer-focused transit experience – all while spreading a little holiday cheer.”

Bi-State Development CEO Taulby Roach added, “In addition to thanking our riders, ‘Be Merry on Metro’ activities also afford us the opportunity to showcase our appreciation for our transit operators and let people know about the great career opportunities available through Metro Transit.”

To learn more about “Be Merry on Metro,” visit www.cmt-stl.org, www. metrostlouis.org or www.scctd.org. Individuals can also follow this effort on social channels using #MerryonMetro.

Still In This Together:

By Vicki Bahr

The origin of our family’s Christmas mantra It was a Saturday morning in December, and my husband, John, who worked in the food brokerage business, had been at work for hours keeping every restaurant in town happily stocked with produce. The boys were still in bed, Katie was watching cartoons, and the youngest, Becca, had just decided she needed toast: two pieces, no crust, with grape jelly spread to the edges.

I reached into the pantry for the bread. There was a bread wrapper, empty except for half of an end piece.

Nice.

www.treesbywood.net

“How about pancakes?” I offered the sullen face beside me that was threatening to crumble into sobs. “We’ll cut them into shapes with the Christmas tree and candy cane cookie cutters, and even put a few red and green sprinkles on top. I’ll go get a loaf of bread right after breakfast. Promise.”

She was agreeable; I’m pretty sure it was the sprinkles that sealed the deal. So wrong of me, but I had stopped worrying about the Mother Of The Year Award months earlier, and I had so many more things on my mind at that point. Like the seemingly non-existent motorcycle race track I’d been hunting like a fiend for weeks to find for our second son, Adam. It was the only thing he’d requested for Christmas, and no one knew where it could be found. These were the dismal days before computers, online shopping and magical home delivery. It was all up to the consumer and sheer luck.

I left the kids watching “The Never-Ending Story” for the hundredth time, under the capable guidance of our fifteen-year-old and raced to the grocery store. It was crowded, of course. There was snow predicted for later in the day and the usual mad rush for essentials was in full swing. I paused inside the door to grab a circular and saw a few things in the ad that I knew I’d be needing for holiday dinners and school parties.

“Great savings on chocolate chips,” I thought as I pitched several bags into the cart, and I’d definitely be needing the canned green beans and crunchy onions for the Christmas casserole.

Never could understand why my brother-in-law liked cranberry sauce, but I tossed a can into the cart because it, too, was on sale.

The wait in the checkout line wasn’t as bad as I’d thought, and I was humming along with the holiday songs as I grabbed a York Peppermint Patty from the rack next to me as a little gift to myself. It was in the shape of a snowflake, which made it irresistible.

“Where were you?” Katie shouted as I carried several bags of groceries into the house. “The movie’s over and everybody’s getting hungry. And why do you have chocolate on your mouth?”

Busted by an eight-year-old.

“The store was crowded,” I offered lamely. “Let me

just get some of these things put away, and …”

“Where’s the bread?” shrieked Becca, tossing cans and boxes from the grocery bags.

Oh, no. In the scramble to shop the sales and pick up future holiday necessities, I’d completely forgotten the one thing I’d gone to the grocery store to get. I just stood there, with peppermint patty smeared on my mouth, arms hanging limply at my sides. And then I started laughing. The oldest looked at me as if I’d ventured just a little too closely to the edge of sanity.

“Come on, Becca,” I said. “Grab your coat and your new boots. We’re going to walk to the corner market for a loaf of bread.”

“I’m coming, too,” Katie chimed in. “It’s starting to snow and Dad’s going to be so mad when he finds out you went to the dairy for a loaf of bread. It’s going to cost a fortune.”

She was thrilled at the thought of being the one to tell him.

Loved the support I was getting as we walked the few blocks through beginning snow, singing “Jingle Bells” and “Joy to the World,” creating a new memory and a mantra that has lasted longer than any of us could have imagined.

Because inevitably, in this season of hubbub and rush, stress and commotion, kids and grandkids scattered near and far, one of them will bring us all back to reality and common sense with the simple question, “So, Mom, where’s the bread?”

And John will once again utter the inevitable, “Do you know how much your mother paid for that loaf of bread?”

And we are home.

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 nearly 49 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.

www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • December 8, 2021

Going green in Maryland Heights Ameren Missouri, under its Smart Energy Plan, will turn the parking lot at the Maryland Heights Community Center into a solar power source

By Wendy Todd In 2020 about 21% of electricity in the United States was generated by renewable energy, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The increase in renewable energy usage was due to a decline in coal use and an increase in wind and solar energy.

The EIA also reported that last year 9% of Missouri’s net electricity generation was from renewable energy sources, up from 4% in 2016. The increase in clean energy usage in the region demonstrates that Missouri is catching up to the national trend.

Partnerships with energy provider Ameren Missouri under its Smart Energy Plan are helping to make the usage of renewable energy more possible in the region. Two of those partnerships include Southeast Missouri and St. Louis County.

Ameren Missouri is partnering with Southeast Missouri University and the city of Maryland Heights to install solar canopies, elevated structures that provide shade for cars and energy from solar panels. The project at Southeast Missouri University will turn parking lots into power sources.

The north and south parking lots at Southeast’s Show Me Center will be upgraded to accommodate 3,500 solar modules. They are expected to be operational by July of next year and will provide 1.2 megawatts of energy which is enough to power over 100 homes for a year. These panels will also be installed at a community hub in Maryland Heights.

The Maryland Heights Community Center will be getting a series of solar canopies that should be in service by spring of 2023.

“Partnering with Ameren Missouri to bring more clean energy to Maryland Heights is a win for all of us,” says Mike Moeller, mayor of Maryland Heights.

“We also like the year-round weather protection for visitors and their vehicles.”

The installation will create the second renewable energy center in the city, which fits into the plans at Ameren Missouri to create more sustainable energy sources in the region.

“At Ameren Missouri, we’re committed to increasingly getting the energy we provide from renewable sources, while

maintaining the reliability our customers depend on,” says Patrick Smith, Vice Submitted photos The Maryland Heights Community Center will be getting a series of solar canopies that should be in service by spring of 2023. They are expected to provide 1.2 megawatts of energy which is enough to power over 100 homes for a year.

President of Economic, Community and Business Development at Ameren Missouri. “With a transformative expansion of wind and solar energy, Ameren Missouri has a responsible plan to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.”

Approved by the Missouri General Assembly in 2018, the Smart Energy Plan was not only designed to improve overall energy efficiency in the area, but also benefit communities by transforming under-utilized space and improving Missouri’s economic outlook.

“We estimate the Maryland Heights site will create about 50 construction jobs,” Smith says. “A similar project in south St. Louis at Habitat for Humanity St. Louis employed about that many people at the peak of construction,” says Smith.

Ameren’s mission to create more sustainable energy includes contributing to more sustainable lives, particularly among groups that don’t always have equitable access to professions in the energy industry.

“It’s important to us,” Smith explains, “to expand access to clean energy jobs among diverse populations, which is why we included solar workforce development and education requirements in bidding out this work. We’re excited to have that additional aspect to the project which generates jobs for the local economy and opens up career paths in the growing, well-compensated solar industry.”

The solar panel projects have been made possible by the Neighborhood Solar Program.

“We are collaborating with institutions throughout all our communities to build more solar energy facilities, which will play an important role in Missouri’s clean energy future,” says Smith. “Adding these solar generation sites builds resiliency in the energy grid for our customers and brings us even closer to our net-zero carbon emissions goal.”

www.8ways.wustl.edu

Around Town

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Business

December 8, 2021 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

Home Builders Association donates $15,933 to Marygrove

Christian Hospital’s 500th robotic thoracic surgery performed

Submitted photo

On behalf of the Home Builders Charitable Foundation (HBCF), 2021 HBA President Bill Wannstedt (Consort Homes) (left) presented a $15,933 donation to Marygrove chief development officer Courtney Noto.

The donation will be used to replace and reinstall kitchen cabinets in a transitional living home for 12 young women who are working toward achieving independence. Marygrove serves approximately 200 children and young adults each day (approximately 1,000 each year) who are struggling with behavioral, emotional or other mental health issues. These challenges are of-

ten the result of abuse, neglect or other early childhood traumas. The desired outcome for each child is to learn how to manage their mental health condition and develop life skills so they can move to a less restrictive environment.

The HBA is a local trade association of more than 600 member firms representing the residential construction industry. The Home Builders Charitable Foundation, the HBA’s charitable arm, is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing housing assistance to people or organizations with special shelter needs.

Submitted photo Robotic thoracic surgery team members include (from left) Dr. Ali Eldin (anesthesia); Tracey Bowman, RN; Ben Meydam, RN; Dr. Varun Puri; Becky Edwards, RN; Yanjun Li, RN; Dr. Nabil Munfakh; and Asmir Selimovic.

Christian Hospital’s robotic surgery program has achieved another milestone with the 500th robotic thoracic surgery, performed with the skillful team of Washington University cardiothoracic surgeons Varun Puri, MD, and Nabil Munfakh, MD, on Dec. 1.

Ray Shuddhadeb, MD, from the team also utilizes this technology at Christian Hospital, which is the first hospital in the St. Louis region to reach this threshold of robotic thoracic surgeries.

“I am proud that Christian was the first hospital in the St. Louis area to use this innovative minimally invasive technology to resect tumors of the chest and allow patients to recover faster from their surgery,” says Dr. Munfakh, medical director of cardiothoracic surgery at Christian Hospital. “I am also proud that our team of surgeons and OR staff has built the biggest experience in performing these complex cases in the St Louis metro area.”

“This achievement is testimony to the dedication and commitment of our Washington University cardiothoracic surgery team to provide the most advanced technology and treatment to the North County community,” says Rick Stevens, president of Christian Hospital. “We can all take pride in this

momentous accomplishment.”

Robotic thoracic surgery is minimally invasive lung and chest surgery utilizing the robotic system, which does not function autonomously, but rather translates the exact motions of the surgeon’s hands to miniature tools on the end of slim instruments inserted through puncture incisions in-between the patient’s ribs. Consequently, the surgeon is able to perform complex operations entirely within the patient’s chest cavity that previously required a large incision and spreading of ribs.

Since robotic thoracic surgery is essentially a closed procedure performed through port incisions without rib spreading, the patient typically is afforded many of the following benefits: less tissue trauma, less pain, shorter hospital stay, faster return to normal activity, lower blood loss and decreased scarring.

Christian Hospital made health care history when it performed the St. Louis region’s first robotic full-lung lobectomy in 2011 to successfully treat lung cancer. Christian Hospital has performed more than 2,380 robotic surgical procedures in a variety of specialties over the past decade.

www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • December 1, 2021

Northwest Views:

By Dr. Jim Wipke

Rethinking and relearning in the age of COVID At this point, we are all accustomed to the feeling of venturing into uncertainty. In our sphere of education, it happened toward the end of the 2019-2020 school year, again as we began another year in August 2020, and most recently with the beginning of this current school year.

No matter how much we prepared our students, staff, and families for a new challenge, the question always lingered: “Is this going to work?”

There simply was no precedent to assure us that our plans for educating in a pandemic would translate into meaningful action; at least not until we had school underway to evaluate our methods. Despite these uncertainties, we pressed onward and came together for our students. I’m pleased to see that, as we approach the end of 2021, our schools and those around the region continue to put words into action.

I offer this context as a way to outline what I believe are two of the most important aspects of education in the last two years: rethinking and relearning. These concepts have shaped so many of the questions we’ve asked ourselves recently.

They also are central to the theme of “Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know” by Adam Grant. Though not strictly focused on education, I’ve found myself referring back to the book’s lessons time and again in recent months. To grow as educators, we have to embrace the unknown and challenge conventional wisdom when making decisions.

It can be easy to fall back on the “old way” of doing things, but if there’s a positive to be taken from the last two school years, it’s that we’ve learned to evaluate our challenges with a fresh perspective.

Your wisdom can’t always be conventional. It has to be adaptable, engaging, and sometimes even bold.

There was no other way to approach delivering quality education in an online environment in 2020. We used these same themes to prepare for the current school year and prioritize mental health and wellness as a key component of learning.

As it relates to Ladue Schools and what comes next, we will use this same approach as we develop a new five-year strategic plan. Developing a framework for the future of our district is the perfect opportunity to rethink how we do things and hopefully

answer the questions about how we need to adapt. One way to approach an answer is to honestly evaluate our identity as a district. I’m eager to have these conversations with our community as we define not only who we are, but who we would like to be as well.

And more importantly, who we need to be for our students.

Our mission is to cultivate future-ready learners who are ready to go out and make their mark once they receive their high school diploma.

How we do that today is much different than how it was done just five years ago. So of course, how we achieve that mission in the near future will look different than how it’s done today.

We simply cannot approach our goals without being comfortable saying the old ways may not be what’s best for our students. As educators, we’ve learned that it’s OK to admit that what worked yesterday might not work tomorrow, that we don’t always have an immediate solution to a problem, and that we should be curious about learning new methods and re-thinking old ideas.

As I mentioned previously, the educators of our children have taken these messages to heart and kept our districts moving forward. Though we will always have some aspect of “the unknown” around the corner, we now have the precedent that seemed to be absent just 20 months ago.

Now, when we ask ourselves, “will this work?” we still don’t have a guarantee. And that’s the point: we never will. But precedent now shows us that it’s OK to admit it and embrace a lack of knowledge as a new opportunity.

As long as we continue to examine our methods through a lens of rethinking and are willing to learn new ideas, the uncertainty staring back at us begins to seem like much more of a lower-case word.

Dr. Jim Wipke is Superintendent of the Ladue School District. In 2020, Ladue Schools was named by Niche as the best school district in Missouri out of 453 surveyed, and the 14th-best in the nation. For two years in a row, U.S. News & World Report ranked Ladue Horton Watkins High School as the third-best public high school in the state.

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.

School

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New acting superintendent appointed for Riverview Gardens School District Riverview Gardens School District Prior to her time at Oak Park and announced the appointment of Joylynn River Forest, Pruitt-Adams served as Pruitt-Adams, Ed.D. the superintendent of as acting superintenschools in the School dent, effective Nov. 15.

District of University Pruitt-Adams will City. In U-City, she lead the district folled efforts to increase lowing the announcestudent academic ment of Scott Spuroutcomes, which led geon’s leave of absence to the district retainuntil June 30, 2022 ing its full accreditaand his retirement on tion status. She also that date. The Special developed partnerAdministrative Board ships with the CenPhoto courtesy Riverview Gardens School District made the appointter for Creative Arts ment at its Nov. 1 meeting.

(COCA) and Washington University in “I’m excited to be joining the RiverSt. Louis. view Gardens School District team as “Over the next 7.5 months, I’ll be the acting superintendent,” Pruitt-Adworking with the board and our dediams stated. “I’m even more excited about cated team to establish a foundation that rolling up my sleeves, collaborating with paves the way for our students to have all stakeholders as we work together to high quality instruction in a safe envicharter the next chapter for the district.” ronment that will set them up for future Pruitt-Adams most recently served as success,” Pruitt-Adams stated. superintendent of Oak Park and River Pruitt-Adams earned a doctor of eduForest High School District 200 in Oak cation in educational policy and leaderPark, Illinois. There, she built collaboraship from the University of Missouri - St. tive relationships, developed a culture Louis (UMSL). She also earned a master focused on instructional reform and inof education in elementary administracreased student voice at all levels of distion from UMSL and a bachelor of arts trict decision making. in elementary education/special educa“Dr. Pruitt-Adams has a proven track tion from Harris-Stowe State College. record of leadership and effective collaboration,” stated Veronica Morrow-Reel, Special Administrative Board president. “We are confident that she will make a positive and immediate impact as we educate scholars and strive to regain full accreditation.”

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What’s Happening

December 8, 2021 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

Send your event to editor@mycnews.com and we'll print it!

Take notice . . .

The events listed in this section are the latest updates as of press time, please check with individual sites for the most up to date cancellations and reschedule info.

EVENTS

Dec. 18: Youth orchestra concert

St. Charles County Youth Orchestra 25th Anniversary Winter Concert takes place at 2 p.m. at Missouri Baptist University Pillsbury Chapel at 1 College Park Dr., in St. Louis County. To purchase tickets contact sccyomusic@ gmail.com.

Dec. 24: Christmas Eve service

Calvary UCC at 2501 Hartland Avenue is back this year for in-person worship on Christmas Eve. This traditional service, which includes candle lighting and communion, begins at 11 p.m., with some preservice music beforehand. All are welcome, but as of now masks and spacing are required. Call 314-429-7464 with questions.

RECURRING EVENTS Weekdays: Food pantry volunteers needed

The Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry is in need of ongoing adult volunteers to sort food, stock shelves and shop with clients. Two-tofour hour shifts are available, Monday-Friday 8:45 a.m.3:45 p.m. To learn more or to join this fun group, contact Chelsey Banaskavich at 314513-1674 or cbanaskavich@ jfcs-stl.org.

Mondays: TOPS meeting

Come, join and take off those extra pounds. T.O.P.S.=Take Off Pounds Sensibly has meetings on Monday nights at 7 p.m. (weigh in begins at 6:35 p.m.) 9135 Shelley Avenue, Overland, MO 63114. (Entrance is in the back on East Milton). TOPS is a very inexpensive way to lose weight.

You may visit a meeting for free. Any questions please call Dan Agee at 314-540-5223.

Mondays: Choral Arts Singers practice

Choral Arts Singers resume practice on Mondays, at 7 p.m. at Transfiguration Episcopal Church, 1860 Lake St. Louis Blvd. in Lake St. Louis. New singers are welcome.

Auditions are not required.

See www.concertarts.org.

Mondays: City council meetings

City of Pine Lawn holds regular city council meetings at city hall at 6250 Steve Marre Ave. in Pine Lawn on the second Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. The meetings are open to the public.

Mondays: meetings

Workshop

City of Pine Lawn holds regular workshop meetings at city hall at 6250 Steve Marre Ave. in Pine Lawn on the fourth Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. The meetings are open to the public.

Mondays: singers

A

cappella

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 314-993-6134.

Mondays: Korean War Veterans Association meeting

If you had military service in Korea between Sept. 3, 1945 and the present you are cordially invited to a meeting of Chapter 4, North County Korean War Veterans Association. Meetings take place at the VFW Post 4105 at 410 St. Francois in Florissant on the second Monday of the month, starting at 7 p.m. For more information contact Walter Kaiser at 314-921-2132. For a limited period the Chapter will pay for one (1) year membership for new members.

Mondays-Thursdays: Volunteers needed

Community Action Agency of St. Louis County is in need of volunteers to stock shelves, sort food shipments and pack bags for Food Pantry Clients Monday through Thursday

from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. Two to four hour shifts are available. If you are interested, please contact Cheryl Piece at 314-446-4440 or cpiece@ caastlc.org for additional information.

Tuesdays: Bingo

Florissant Elks Bingo takes place at 16400 New Halls Ferry every Tuesday. Doors open at 4 p.m., bingo starts at 6 p.m. No outside food or drinks allowed per St. Louis County. Food and drinks available for purchase. Maximum 150 players. Must wear mask to enter. Social distancing followed.

Tuesdays: singers

A

cappella

The Gentlemen of Sound are looking for men who like to sing or want to learn. They practice Tuesdays at Lady of the Pillar school at 401 S. Lindbergh from 7 – 9 p.m.

They try to do public events monthly. Always looking for new members. Come by or call Charlie at 314-954-1121.

Tuesdays: Chair Zumba

Chair Zumba every Tuesday from 2:15 – 3 p.m. at The Bridge At Florissant at 1101 Garden Plaza Dr. (Parker @ Arlington). For more information call 314-831-0988.

Tuesdays: Celebrate Recovery

Celebrate Recovery Tuesday meetings take place at 6 p.m. with a Saturday Bible Study at 9 a.m. at LifePoint Church at 424 Graham Rd. in Florissant. For more information visit www.lifepointministries.church/celebrate-recovery or call (men) Steve D. at 636-634-6582 or (women) Denise W. at 530-417-6151.

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 314-8393495 or visit stlouischordinals.org.

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 McConnell, 314831-5476.

2nd Tuesday Sept.-June:

Show-me Stitchers:

Show-me Stitchers is the local chapter of the Embroiderers’ Guild of America. We meet on the second Tuesday, Sept.June at 6:30 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, 14088 Clayton Road, Chesterfield, MO. Learn needlepoint, embroidery, cross stitch, and more.

Every 4th Tuesday of the month: Fort Bellefontaine Memorial American Legion Post 335 meeting

6:30pm, Fort Bellefontaine Memorial American Legion Post 335, at the Bellefontaine Neighbors Community Center at 9669 Bellefontaine Rd. Those interested in membership are invited to attend.

Wednesdays: Bingo

Bingo takes place every Wednesday at American Legion Post 338 at 9655 Midland Blvd. in Overland. Doors open at 5 p.m. For more information contact Chairman Ed Hilleman at 314-660-1813.

Wednesdays: Bingo

Life Care Center of Bridgeton, at 12145 Bridgeton Square in Bridgeton, welcome all to Community Bingo every last Wednesday of the month at 2:30 p.m. Light refreshment will be served. Please RVSP at 314-298-7444 with the month you will attend and number of people attending.

Wednesdays: TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly)

TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) meets from 6 p.m.

- 7:30 p.m. at St. Andrews United Methodist Church at 3975 N. Hwy 67 in Florissant.

For more information contact Norma at 314-306-4731.

Every Wednesday: Bingo Morning at Florissant Elks Lodge #2316

Florissant Elks Lodge #2316, 16400 New Halls Ferry Rd. in Florissant. Doors at 7:30 a.m., games begin at 9:30 a.m. For more information, call 314921-2316.

Bridgeton Trails Library Branch Programs:

3455 McKelvey Rd., St. Louis, 314-994-3300. Story Time: Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m. 9 months to 2 yrs. Room 1 (Lap Time); Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m. Ages 3–5. Room 2; Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. Ages 3–5. Room 1.

Florissant Senior Citizens’ Bingo Clubs: 314-

839-7604.

Every 1st Wednesday of the Month: Stroke Support Group

3-4 p.m., Center for Senior Renewal, Detrick Building 1st floor, 11133 Dunn Rd. For more information, contact Jamie Stevens at 314-653-5331.

Thursdays: Bingo

Community Bingo at the Bridge At Florissant, at 1101 Garden Plaza Drive (intersection of Parker and Arlington) takes place on the third Thursday of each month starts at 2 p.m. There will be snacks and prizes. For more information call 314-8310988.

Thursdays: Quilting guild Every third Thursday of the month the Flower Valley Quilting Guild meets at 7 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church at 123 Carson Road in Ferguson.

Thursdays: Blood pressure checks

Free blood pressure checks monthly at Life Care Center of Florissant at 1201 Garden Plaza Dr. (off Parker Rd.) in Florissant every third Thursday of the month. Call 8313752 for more information.

Thursdays: Women’s chorus meeting

Every Thursday City Voices Chorus, a women’s chorus singing four-part a cappella harmony, meets at Church of the Good Shepherd at 1166 S. Mason Rd. in St. Louis. Members come from the entire bistate region. Call Marcia at 636-274-0723 for more information or visit www.cityvoiceschorus.org.

Fridays: Fish fry

A fish fry takes place every Friday at American Legion Post 338 at 9655 Midland Blvd. in Overland from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information contact Chairman Ed Hilleman at 314-660-1813.

Every Friday: Our Lady of Fatima #4429 Knights of Columbus Bingo 6:45 p.m., Knights of Columbus Hall, 1216 Teson Rd. in Hazelwood. For more information call 314-731-9330.

Every 3rd Friday of the month: Bingo

2 p.m., Life Care Center of Florissant, 1201 Garden Plaza Dr. For more information, call 314-831-3752.

Saturdays: Yoga

Yoga returns to Calvary UCC at 2501 Hartland Avenue, on Saturdays from 10:30-11:30.

Masks and social distancing

are required in the building and participants should bring hand sanitizer with them.

For further information call Angela at 314-801-8594.

Saturdays: Toastmasters meeting

Everyone is welcome to attend Toastmasters Saturdays 9 to 10:30 a.m. at Normandy United Methodist Church at 8001 Natural Bridge Road (across from UMSL). For more info call 314-402-7025.

Saturdays: Free walk-in clinic

Salam Clinic at St. Peter’s United Church of Christ at 1425 Stein Road at West Florissant in Ferguson is a free walk-in clinic open Saturdays from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. The clinic is jointly sponsored by the Muslim Community of St. Louis (MCSL) and St. Peter’s United Church of Christ to provide basic adult medical screening, treatment and referrals free of charge for the uninsured. For more information or if you would be interested in volunteering, please call 314-521-5694 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday – Friday or visit www.stpeterschurch.org.

Saturdays: Clothing sale

On the second Saturday of each month Bethany-Peace UCC at 11952 Bellefontaine Rd. in St. Louis County hosts a clothing sale from 9 - 11 a.m. For sale are used clothing and shoes, some household items, books and toys.

Fill your bag for $1.

Saturdays: Grief support

On the fourth Saturday of each month, grief support meeting “A Way With Words Ministry” meets at 12:30 p.m. at Community Christ Fellowship, rear, at 121 Williams Blvd. in Hazelwood, 1/4 mile south of Hwy 270 off Florissant Rd. There are a variety of topics monthly. You are not alone. Come help your heart heal with others. For more information call 314-605-3949.

Every Fourth Saturday’s Writer’s Workshop

10 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. at Baden Library, at 8448 Church Rd. For more information call 314-388-2400.

Sundays: Meat shoot

Come and enjoy the meat shoots at American Legion Post 4445 located on 17090 Old Jamestown Rd. between Sinks Rd. and Lindbergh starting noon Sept. 15 thru Nov. 17; and in the spring, Feb. 2 thru March 8 rain or shine. Great meat prizes awarded.

www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • December 8, 2021 Sundays: AMVETS meat shoot

Sundays in September through April, AMVETS Post 55, located on 8842 Natural Bridge Rd. in Bel-Ridge will be hosting meat shoots with practice beginning at 11 a.m. and rounds starting at noon. Shooters must be 18 or older and will shoot #9’s with no bull barrels or scopes and 675 minimum chokes. The shooting area is indoors and food and drink are available in the club room. For more information, contact 314630-2671 or 314-330-7269.

Sundays: Jennings DoDads meeting

The Jennings Do-Dads hold meetings every third Sunday of the month (except June which is the second Sunday and no meeting in December) at 1 p.m. at Classics Bar & Grill at 11601 West Florissant Avenue. Those interested in membership are invited to attend. For more information visit www.jenningsdodads.org.

CHURCH Tuesdays & Thursdays: Chapel of the Cross Lutheran Church GriefShare Support Group

Tuesdays from 2 - 4pm and Thursday from 6:30 8:30pm, 11645 Benham Rd., 314-741-3737.

HEALTH Every Mon. & Tues.: Healthy Meal Replacement (HMR) Program Orientation

Mondays: 6–7pm Tuesdays: Noon–1pm SSM DePaul Wellness Center. Attend a free orientation to learn: the Five Success Variables needed to lose weight, different diet options available and how important physical activity really is. Please call to register at 1-877-477-6954.

1st Tuesday of Every Month: Alzheimer’s Association Caregiver Support Group Meeting

Meeting to be held at Sarah Care of Bridgeton Adult Day Center 11977 St. Charles Rock Road, Suite 121-124, Bridgeton, MO 63044. Join our Support Group for Mutual, Emotional Support and Education. You are not alone. For information, contact Deborah Mabrie at 314291-5210 or Ferd Fetsch at 314-291-3021 Email: dbland@ sarahcare.com ferdfetsch@ sbcglobal.net.

Every third Tuesday of

every month: Grief Support Group sponsored by DePaul Hospital

11:30am-1pm, Maryland Hgts.

Comm. Ctr., 2300 McKelvey Rd. For more information, call 314-344-6873.

Wednesdays: Schizophrenia Group

ACES Support

6:30 - 7:30pm, 314-839-3171.

Sundays: Alcoholics Anonymous Group 109

11th floor conference room at Christian Hospital, 10am, 11133 Dunn Road.

Diabetes Basics:

314-344-7024 for info or 314344-7220 to enroll.

Crisis Nursery:

Committed to preventing child abuse and neglect, the Crisis Nursery provides short-term, safe havens to children, birth through age 12, whose families are faced with an emergency or crisis. Care is available year-round and serves families throughout the greater St. Charles region. 24-hour helpline: 314-768-3201. Or 636-9470600, www.crisisnurserykids. org.

Center for Senior Renewal:

Day treatment programs for older adults dealing with anxiety, depression, grief, loss and early signs of dementia, 314653-5123.

Nutrition Education:

SSM DePaul registered dieticians can help you make sure your diet is right for you, 314344-6157.

Christian Hospital Recovery Center:

Outpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment for adults, 314-953-8100.

Volunteers Needed at Christian Hospital: Call

314-653-5032.

Nicotine Anonymous

Nicotine Anonymous is a 12 Step Program, free and available to all seeking recovery from nicotine addiction based on principals of AA. Only requirement is a desire to stop using nicotine. Voluntary contributions are accepted. For further info call 314-822-2066 or visit www.Nicotine-Anonymous.org.

Look Good…Feel Better

SSM Cancer Care at DePaul Health Center, 12303 DePaul Drive. Radiation OncologyBridgeton. Attend a great makeup session sponsored by the American Cancer Society. A licensed cosmetologist teaches

a session of scarf tying, shows a parade of hats, and provides each participant with a makeup kit. Light refreshments are served. Info: 314-344-6090.

SilverSneakers Senior Wellness Program at the Maryland Heights Centre

A fun, energizing program that helps older adults take greater control of their health by encouraging physical activity and offering social events. A Silver Sneakers membership includes access to the city’s Fitness Centre with state-of-the-art fitness equipment and circuit training.

Membership is available at little or no cost through your health plan. To find out if you are eligible, visit www.silversneakers. com or call 314-738-2599.

Smoking Classes:

Cessation

Free ongoing 8-week sessions, 866-SSM-DOCS to register or for more information.

SSM DePaul Center:

Wellness

Group:

Missouri Veterans Home, 10600 Lewis & Clark, St. Louis, 1 p.m., 314-340-6389.

disease risk factors (high cholesterol, high blood pressure, cigarette smoking, physical inactivity, etc.) can help determine an overall picture of your current heart health and your risk for developing heart disease. Call 314-344-6030 to learn more about the heart scan program or to schedule an appointment.

Wednesdays: Weekly Cancer Survivor’s Support Group

SSM St. Joseph Health Center & Hospital West Auxiliary

Mother of Good Counsel Home, 6825 Natural Bridge, St. Louis, 10:30am 314-383-4765.

Last Tuesdays: Alzheimer’s Association Caregiver Support Group

H.W. Koenig Medical Building at SSM St. Joseph Hospital West, 3 - 4:30pm, free, 636-755-3034.

12 Step Support Group for Women Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse:

Meets in 4 locations in the metro St Louis area. Information: metrostlouissia@ gmail.com.

Wednesdays: New Choices Nar-Anon Family Group at Zion Lutheran Church

Classes available on strength training, nutrition and smoking cessation, 314-344-6177.

12075 Dorsett Road, Maryland Heights, 7:30 – 9 p.m., www.

Nar-Anon.org

Free Mammogram Screenings:

Thursdays: Grief Share Support Group

SSM Health Care free mammogram screenings to women who have no health insurance.

Appointments at 300 First Capitol Drive in St. Charles and SSM St. Joseph Hospital West, 100 Medical Plaza in Lake Saint Louis, 636-947-5617.

Speaker’s Bureau:

SSM speakers available for organizations, clubs, community and church groups for up to one hour free of charge, 636949-7159.

ONGOING SUPPORT GROUPS Sundays: Support Group for Women Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse

6:30 - 8pm, 7401 Delmar Ave. in University City, 314-9935421.

First and Third Tuesdays: Support Group for Women Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse 12:30 - 2 p.m., 320 Forsyth Blvd., Clayton, 314-968-3477.

Third Saturdays: Alzheimer’s Association Caregiver Support Group At Delmar Gardens North, 4401 Parker Rd., Florissant, 9 a.m., 314.355.1516, Helpline 800-272-3900.

Last Saturdays: Alzheimer’s Association Caregiver Support

What’s Happening

Church of the Nazarene, 1309 N. Elizabeth Ave., Ferguson 6:30 - 8pm, leecedra@sbcglobal.net.

Mondays & Thursdays: Breathe/for people with pulmonary disease

Graham Medical Center, 1150 Graham Rd. Suite 104, 11am 12pm, $30, 314-953-6090.

Wednesdays: STEPS Schizo-phrenia Support Group 6:30-7:30pm, 314-839-3171.

Calcium Scoring Heart Scan Program

SSM DePaul Health Center.

This program uses advanced (CT) imaging to scan the arteries around the heart and measure or score the amount of calcium present in the plaque deposits. This screening, in combination with other heart

Non profit organization assisting the hosp. by holding fund raisering activities, being of service to patients, families, employees & physicians and acting as good will ambassadors to community. We welcome new member. Call Barb Hutchinson 636-947-5466.

The Barnes St. Peters Hospital Auxiliary is looking for New Members

If you would like to become a member please call 636-9169664.

Gateway to Hope Program

The Gateway to Hope Program arranges care for individuals diagnosed w/breast cancer who are either uninsured or underinsured and reside in MO. Gateway to Hope serves as a breast cancer lifeline for those who do not qualify for government sponsored programs & are unable to afford treatment. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed w/breast cancer & cannot access treatment call Gateway to Hope at 314-569-1113 or www. gthstl.org.

Every Wednesday Take Off Pounds Sensibly Group

Take Off Pounds Sensibly meets at Christ the King Lutheran Church, 414 S. Church St., St. Peters. Weigh-ins at 8:30 a.m. Business mtg at 10 a.m.

Call 636.397.1727 or 636-2724995 for more info.

Every Tues. 6:30–8 p.m.

Chemical Dependency Mtg.

SUDOKU answers from page F-1

9

Christian Hospital. 314-8393171.

Every Tues.: 9–10:30 a.m.

TOPS Meetings

Take Off Pounds Sensibly.

John F. Kennedy Community Center, 315 Howdershell Rd., Florissant. 314-921-7582.

Every Tues.: 5:30–6:30 p.m. Free Pilates Class for Cancer Patients & Families Bring own mat. Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hosp., 150 Entrance Way, St. Peters. 636-921-9920.

4th Tuesday of each month: 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Diabetes Support Group

Hear from experts on how to better manage diabetes & enjoy a healthier life. Located at the H.W. Koenig Medical Bldg., St. Joseph Hospital West. Call 636625-5447 for more info.

First Thurs. 10:30–11:30 a.m. Caregiver Class from BJC Home Care Services

Free to public, Topics: care, stress relief, legal issues, Siteman Cancer Cntr., Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital conference rm. Info. 314-575-3983.

Every Sun.: 6:30 p.m.

Every Mon.: 9:30 a.m.

Survivors of Incest Anonymous Meetings Women only. Sundays at Holy Communion Episcopal Church, 7601 Delmar, U. City.

314-993-5421 or 636-561-1407.

Mondays in Wentzville, call 636-561-1407.

1st Thur.: 6:30–7:30 p.m.

Conquer: A Support Group for Adults with Cancer

Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hosp, 150 Entrance Way, St. Peters.

636-916-9920.

1st Thur.: 7 p.m. Parents W/O Partners, North County Chapter General Mtg, 2435 Creve Coeur Mill Rd. 314-739-0880.

CROSSWORD answers from page F-4

10

Sports

December 8, 2021 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

WWW.MYCNEWS.COM

Sports you see with Gary B...

Class Two title goes to St. Charles High School Lutheran St. Charles head football coach and former National Football League running back Arlen Harris is proud of the great season the Cougars have had and about their 33-27 win over the Lamar Tigers in this past weekend’s Class Two state title game on Faurot Field in Columbia, Missouri. The head coach had played professionally with the St. Louis Rams, Detroit Lions and the Atlanta Falcons.

The Cougars (11-2) played in their first state championship football game against Lamar (13-0) in the title game.

With less than 10 seconds left in the state championship game against the Tigers at Mizzou, a two-yard touchdown from Arlen Harris Jr., gave Lutheran St. Charles the lead and the school’s first state football title in a 33-27 win. He added a 52-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown earlier in the game.

Harris Jr. has already committed to go to Stanford University * The Champions Ambush win their first game The St. Louis Ambush play their home games at the Family Arena in St. Charles.

The Ambush posted their first win of the 2021-22 season when they defeated the Dallas Sidekicks 8-4 recently at the Allen Event Center in Allen, Texas and improved to 1-2.

Just over a minute into the fourth quarter, Vadim Cojocov scored for St. Louis to make it 7-2. With the sixth attacker in play for Dallas, William Eskay scored an empty-netter for the Ambush to increase their lead to 8-2.

Dallas staged a late comeback attempt when Morales notched his second of the game then completed the hat trick.

It would prove to be too little, too late for the Sidekicks, as the Ambush came away with an 8-4 victory, their first on the young season. * Great win

Well known player signed by the Ambush The St. Louis professional soccer team announced the signing of Kyle Swanner.

Swanner started playing soccer at the age of three and soccer is in his blood, literally.

He is the son of St. Louis indoor soccer legend and current Ambush assistant coach Jamie Swanner.

Kyle played club soccer for NORCO, Swanner United and the SLSG Academy, where he played on a national championship team at age 14 and also competed in England and Holland. He chose to forego high school soccer in favor of continuing his development at the club level.

Swanner’s collegiate career included SIUE in Edwardsville, Illinois, Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey, Illinois (where he was team captain) and Quincy University in Quincy, Illinois. He has primarily played midfield and defender thus far.

Ambush co-owner and General Manager Jeff Locker said, “We’re pleased to welcome the next generation of the Swanner soccer legacy and are excited to watch Kyle develop as a member of the Ambush.”

Kyle said, “I’m excited to play for the Ambush. It’s a great opportunity to push myself and I can’t wait to get started and make a contribution to bring the Ambush back to the top because the fans deserve our very best.” * Great addition to the squad

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.

www.mycnews.com • Community News • December 8, 2021

Recipe: ’Tis the holiday baking season Walnut Pumpkin Cream Cheese Tart

F-1

– SUDOKU –

Directions:

Total time: 2 hours, 30 minutes | Servings: 12

Feature

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.

To make sweet tart crust: In medium bowl, stir flour, walnuts and powdered sugar. Stir in butter and egg. Using fork, stir well until soft dough forms. Gather into ball and wrap tightly.

Refrigerate at least 1 hour, or until dough is easy to handle.

Preheat oven to 350 F and coat 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom with nonstick cooking spray.

Lay pastry dough on lightly floured board and roll into 11-inch circle. Press dough into bottom and sides of prepared pan and poke with fork on bottom and sides. Bake 20 minutes.

Ingredients: Sweet Tart Crust: 1 1/4 cups flour 1/3 cup California walnuts, finely chopped 1/3 cup powdered sugar 1/3 cup salted butter, softened 1 large egg nonstick cooking spray

Filling: 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin 4 ounces low-fat cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk 1/2 cup California walnuts, coarsely chopped whipped cream, for serving (optional)

To make filling: In medium bowl, whisk pumpkin and cream cheese until smooth.

Add brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, egg and egg yolk, beating until incorporated.

Pour into prepared crust and top with walnuts.

Bake 40 minutes, or until filling is set when pan is gently tapped.

Remove from oven and let cool. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serve each slice with dollop of whipped cream, if desired.

To discover more festive dessert ideas, visit walnuts.org.

SEE ANSWERS ON PAGE 8/9

‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ almost gives up the ghost

“G

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.

hostbusters: Afterlife,” the latest installment in the classic franchise, is a decent, yet underwhelming reboot with the same humor and action that made the original film successful.

After viewing the film; however, it’s clear that Jason Reitman and father Ivan didn’t plot out the story very well. Seeing all the classic scientific equipment and the ECTO-1 is great, but the pacing, characters and resolution leave a lot to be desired.

The story opens on Callie (Carrie Coon), a single mother who, along with her two children, are evicted from their home. Callie’s father was Egon Spengler (the late Harold Ramis), one of the legendary Ghostbusters who rid New York City of pesky spooks, specters and ghosts in the 1980s. Callie and her dad had a falling out years earlier and, after learning he has passed away, she takes her family to live in his broken-down farmhouse.

Egon Spengler had good reasons for moving to that rural area, however. Ivo Shandor (J.K. Simmons), the notorious Gozer worshipper, set up a mining operation designed to bring Gozer back to Earth. Callie’s children, Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) and Trevor (Finn Wolfhard), also discover the legacy their grandfather left

teacher who is amazed at her technical knowledge. To advance the plot, Grooberson suffers the same fate that Louis Tully (Rick Moranis) did in the original film. Grooberson is an interesting character that needed more screentime. Carrie Coon’s Callie also gets pulled into supernatural maelstrom along with her children and their friends.

Arguably, the best parts of “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” feature the original cast members. Dan Aykroyd “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” photo courtesy Columbia Pictures reprises his role as Ray Stantz while Bill Murray’s Peter Venkman, now a behind. When ghostly things happen, Phoebe, married man, is snarky as ever. Ernie Hudson, Trevor and their new friend Podcast (Logan though, is outstanding as Dr. Winston ZeddeKim) use Egon’s gear to ward off the bad spirits. more. In the original film, Hudson’s character Fans of the 1984 original will find lots to like was out-of-work, but he later became a powerin “Ghostbusters: Afterlife.” Phoebe learns to ful and influential businessman. He also shows use Egon’s gear while Trevor, with a little spir- strong affection for the ECTO-1.

Although McKenna Grace and Finn Wolfitual help, gets the ECTO-1 in running condition. The Ghostbuster vehicle contains a few hard are logical choices to carry the franchise surprises, though, including a gunner’s chair forward, a post-credits scene points to two that Phoebe puts to good use. The hatch in the characters who could easily carry the “Ghostbottom also is quite useful for releasing mobile busters” torch in a future sequel. Suffice it to ghost traps. The children even wear the same say, there’s more than a ghost of a chance of that happening. classic jumpsuits as the original 1984 cast.

“Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” rated PG-13, curMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) star Paul Rudd plays Mr. Grooberson, Phoebe’s science rently is playing in theaters.

F-2

Feature

ACTIVE BUYER

December 8, 2021 • Community News • www.mycnews.com

NOVENA

HELP WANTED

PRAYER TO ST. JUDE May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be adored, glorified, loved and preserved throughout the world, now and forever. Sacred Heart of Jesus, Pray for us. St. Jude, Worker of Miracles, Pray for us. St. Jude, Helper of the Hopeless, Pray for us.

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

It has never been known to fail.

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Thank you, St. Jude. K.B.

PRAYER TO ST. JUDE May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be adored, glorified, loved and preserved throughout the world, now and forever. Sacred Heart of Jesus, Pray for us. St. Jude, Worker of Miracles, Pray for us. St. Jude, Helper of the Hopeless, Pray for us.

COLLECTIBLES

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

It has never been known to fail.

Thank you, St. Jude. L.M.

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Yeggs

John Hanna

CROSSWORD: Happy Holidays

‘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.

By Cindy Moore

Moore on Life There’s nothing that drains a person’s energy like preparing for Thanksgiving dinner.

No wonder Black Friday is the day after. We need some stress-free relaxation after that traumatizing ordeal.

The meal prep alone for Thanksgiving took days in advance. First came the great turkey hunt. They’re rare this year. They must have found better hiding places. I had to fight a mob to grab my bird.

Crowds of people surrounded the turkey cooler. I was jostled and nearly trampled to death. I had to act fast. I plunged my arm in and grabbed hold of a big one and then got slugged for grabbing someone’s rear end cheek. I thought it was too squishy to be a frozen turkey.

I reached in again and pulled out someone’s purse. Oopsie! The third time was a success and I hurried home to get started.

First, the bean casserole. Oh no, not the canned stuff covered in gooey creamed glop. I might as well serve my guests sewage – fresh beans only.

The sweet potatoes were made from real yams with no marshmallow. If my company wanted s’mores I’d lock them outdoors by the fire pit armed with sticks.

The mashed potatoes and gravy and rolls all were made from scratch; as were the pies. None of the store-bought kind that are most likely made from polyester.

I then got out my fancy table decorations; and by that I mean a clean tablecloth. The table was set with the once-a-year china and crystal so my visitors would think we’re high class and don’t use

paper plates every other day.

By the time dinner was ready my bones, muscles and mind were gone and ready for a convalescent home.

The hungry hoard converged upon the meal like a swarm of ravenous sandworms and devoured everything in sight within five minutes flat. They then selected a movie to watch and immediately collapsed into a tryptophan coma.

I was left with dishes stacked to the ceiling and dinner remains scattered about like the aftermath of a massive school food fight. There were bloated bodies lying around the living room floor in various states of slumber. It looked like a murder scene of giant slugs.

I was too ginned up to relax, but not so exhausted I couldn’t plan next year’s festivities…early seating at Cracker Barrel.

Winner, winner, turkey dinner

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.

ACROSS 1. Pilgrim’s destination 6. Make a scene 9. Rubik’s puzzle 13. Hawaii environs 14. Toothy fish 15. Cone-shaped dwelling 16. White Swan in “Swan Lake” ballerina 17. ____-Wan Kenobi 18. *Decorate with wreaths and holly, e.g.

19. *Either dessert or source of heat (2 words) 21. *____ Day, or second day of Christmastide 23. Land parcel 24. Strauss of denim fame 25. Broadband access overseer, acr.

28. Clarified butter 30. Acute one and obtuse one 35. Southeastern Asian country 37. Jouster’s breastplate 39. Shrewdness 40. Caspian basin river 41. *Pasadena’s Tournament of ____ 43. Tel ____, Israel 44. Native American emblem 46. “Why not?”

47. Hitchhiker’s quest 48. Omits when speaking

50. Hard to find 52. Bear’s winter quarters 53. Hoodwink 55. Scepter’s partner 57. *Number of days in Christmastide 60. *”Ugly” holiday party garb?

64. Prepare a letter 65. “Bingo!”

67. Hunger for 68. Pass-the-baton race 69. *Cranberry sauce sometimes comes from it 70. Same as tori 71. Raise the roof 72. German river 73. Stall sound DOWN 1. Whiny and miserable 2. Shade of beige 3. Finish a ceiling, to a plasterer 4. Marlboro alternative 5. Not digital 6. Bug-eyed 7. Not Uber 8. Social group 9. Ghana monetary unit 10. Second word of many fairytales 11. Cause of Titanic’s demise 12. Poetic “even” 15. Burdensome

20. Not this or that 22. Lab eggs 24. Time off 25. *Champagne holder 26. *Wassailing composition 27. Raccoon’s South American cousin 29. Feeling of superiority, pl.

31. ____ gum, food additive 32. Furiously angry 33. Exclude or omit 34. *Number of candles in kinara, Kwanzaa 36. *Troika vehicle 38. “Will be,” according to Doris 42. Asian goat antelope 45. Potpourri 49. Chevy Suburban, e.g.

51. Builds 54. *Popular holiday wish 56. Munchausen’s title 57. *Bedecked arbor 58. Shakespeare, to his friends?

59. And others, for short 60. Minus 61. Tropical edible root 62. Anon’s partner 63. Take a load off 64. Like some humor 66. *Traditional main holiday dish SEE ANSWERS ON PAGE 9