CNSTC: January 4, 2023

Photo courtesy

Around Town

Looking back, 2022 was an eventful year. As we flip the calendar to 2023 here in St. Charles County, we at the Community News thought it would be a good time to look back at what transpired over the past 12 months. We have collected the highlights and remember all of the difference-makers in our community in 2022.

JANUARY

Going for the gold

Two athletes with local ties prepared to compete in the 2022 Winter Paralympics. Snowboarding phenom Noah Elliott and sled hockey stalwart Josh Pauls were

ready to book their flights. The 2022 Winter Paralympics is an international winter multi-sport event for disabled athletes that

took place in Beijing, China, from March 4 to 13.

Beijing will become the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Paralympics. The events at the 2022 Winter Paralympics include different variations of alpine skiing, Nordic skiing biathlon, cross-country skiing, ice sled hockey, snowboarding and wheelchair curling.

Recipe, Movie & Sudoku. Pg. F-1

CLA SSIFIEDS AND HOME & GARDEN. Pg. F-2 /F-3

Moore On Life, Lifestyle & Crossword. Pg. F-4

See ‘A LOOK BACK’ page 2 Weather FRIDAY Partly loudy 45/36 SATURDAY Cloudy 48/36 SUNDAY Partly Cloudy 45/35 The Community News reviews the year that was for St. Charles County A look back at 2022 READ US ONLINE! Crossroads Elementary principal honored with Marine Corps Patriot Award. Pg. 4 Keep giving by recycling natural Christmas trees after the holiday. Pg. 4

his Harley Davidson Road Glide over the

business owners and be assigned two UMSL interns to help with the operations.

APRIL To Ukraine, with love

FEBRUARY Stitching history together

Before the crack of dawn with the gentle strains of music in the background, Kathy Nadeau steps into a time machine of sorts.

The Belleville, Illinois based seamstress is rounding third and heading home on a local project that has taken her years to finish.

Nadeau has partnered with the St. Charles County Parks Department to create full-size costumes for the “American Revolutionary War in the West” museum exhibit.

Nadeau began sewing in grade school and a little over 20 years ago, got into historical reenactments and from there began sewing basic uniforms.

“It is all about the constant hunger to be perfect,” she said. “You never will. But I am always learning. Always learning new techniques and better and more efficient ways to do it.”

MARCH

A rolling tribute

The Trulls couldn’t just sit there. They had to do something other than just let news of the war in the Ukraine wash over them.

Brian Trull owns the St. Peters business, PokeNerds, and his wife, Valeria, is a native of Ukraine. Trull, a St. Charles High School graduate, turned PokeNerds from an e-commerce business to a good old-fashioned brickand-mortar establishment. All of Valeria’s family is in Ukraine. She came to the United States two years ago when she married Brian.

As Ukraine refugees, all which were and are women and children, poured into neighboring Poland, the Trulls could sit still no longer. They closed up the shop (located at 394 Mid Rivers Drive) for three weeks and boarded a plane in Chicago for a direct flight to Poland.

Once there, they were able to get connected with the right agencies and Valeria’s fluency in the language was a difference maker.

“There are a lot of different organizations serving the needs of the people,” Brian said. “One thing we learned right away was that if you do not speak the language, it is not a good place to be. The best way is to help raise more funds for these organizations, most of which go straight to the Ukraine government.”

three-foot woodblocks. Grafik House’s team of inkers roll ink onto these blocks, canvas is laid on top, and then the steamroller gets to work, squishing the ink from the woodblock to the canvas.

“Kids and adults really enjoy the process,” Jessica Mannisi, with the Foundry Art Centre, said. “It’s big in scale and impressive.”

JUNE Shine on, you crazy Diamond

Are you ready to rock, St.

Peters?

The answer is an affirmative, “yes.”

Since St. Charles County natives Topher Bayless and Jonny Kruse took over the Diamond Music Hall, things have been turned up to 11 along Interstate 70.

If you grew up in or around the 1980s, bands like Winger, Slaughter, Faster Pussycat, Quiet Riot, and Stryper dominated the rotation on MTV and boomed out of high school parking lots everywhere. Now, those very groups are plugging in and making St. Charles County a regular stop on their touring schedules.

“We joked one night, ‘Can you believe we brought Winger to St. Peters and it doesn’t have to be the Fourth of July,” Kruse said. “Now, it doesn’t have to be some fair to bring in somebody.”

MAY Art on a roll

The goal was to do something that touched the heart of every patriot in the community.

So said Deputy Chief Jason Meinershagen in March as Central County Fire & Rescue unveiled a head-turner of a new fire truck.

Local dignitaries, veterans and active military personnel participated in a traditional “push-back” ceremony on March 4 in St. Peters to christen the truck into service.

“Every fire truck tells a story, and this one certainly stands out,” Meinershagen said. “This truck is a rolling tribute to every American who has the distinguished honor of calling themselves an American veteran, and we are proud to present this fire truck to our community, where it will continue to live out its story for many years.”

It looks to be another smashing success at the Foundry Art Centre

Art was at the forefront of the second annual Block Party, but its tool of operation does not come immediately to mind when thinking about the delicacy of creation.

Steamroller printing is a unique and unorthodox method of printmaking using steamrollers. At the block party, large-scale images were created by regional artists and arts collectives Grafik House USA. carved on five-by-

JULY

Born to be wild

We’ll start from the top.

“Nineteen concussions, I’ve had my neck fused, torn rotator cuff, separated both shoulders, broken vertebrae in three places, a heart attack due to a blood clot, countless broken ribs, punctured liver, torn ACL and MCL, and a broken right foot.”

That was daredevil extraordinaire and St. Charles County native Cole Freeman going over the laundry list of injuries he has accrued over the last handful of years.

Like a legend from a bygone era, Freeman travels the world thrilling spectators. Many of the stunts that Freeman dares to attempt have never been tried and most of them, for good reason. In one of his famed feats, Freeman jumped a Harley-Davidson Road Glide 99-feet, 10-inches shattering his ramps, bike and a world record. He is the only person in the world daring to jump a Harley Davidson Road Glide, which is designed for cross-coun-

try tours, not soaring through the air.

Freeman is inspired to keep the industry thriving through his brand of entertainment all while paying homage to his childhood hero Evel Knievel.

AUGUST Come hell or high water

order overwhelmed the system. Emergencies that would warrant multiple fire trucks under normal circumstances got one, because all hands were working not just in our community but throughout the St. Louis metro region.”

SEPTEMBER

A buzz in St. Peters

It is progress as promised as a new Wentzville middle school opened its doors this semester.

North Point Middle School, located at 2275 West Meyer Road, opened the school year on time, thanks in part to the support of taxpayers and funding from Proposition C.

Dr. Kelly Mantz has been beaming since taking up her post as building principal.

“Without a doubt, it has been a pleasure welcoming staff, students, and parents to our new home,” Mantz said. “We have decided that North Point Middle School is a place where everyone belongs and students become the best versions of themselves. Everything that we do, day in and day out, is for the betterment of our NPMS community.”

After more than a foot of rainfall soaked much of St. Charles County at the very end of July, emergency personnel bandied together to prevent even more.

St. Charles County’s 911 and other regional call centers were bombarded with calls. Interstate 70 was shut down, and County Executive Steve Ehlmann declared a State of Emergency in the county because of the torrential rain and flooding.

According to records from St. Charles County Emergency Communications, between midnight and 11 a.m., July 26, 87 persons were evacuated from homes or businesses in St. Charles County. The St. Charles County Police Department received 148 calls to 911 and dispatched officers to 162 incidents. Fire and EMS Dispatch received 129 calls to 911 and responded to 224 incidents.

Jason Meinershagen is the Deputy Chief at Central County Fire & Rescue. He has lived in the area since 1995 and been with the fire district since 1998. Meinershagen has participated in the response to nearly a dozen flood events in that time, but this one was a challenge in many ways.

“I’ve never seen anything like this particular event,” Meinershagen said. “It presented numerous challenges that were unique in type and scope. We quickly found ourselves strapped for resources countywide. As 911 calls literally flooded our dispatch center, the sheer volume of incidents stacking up in short

There is a buzz around town.

Stashed in St. Peters, the Three Rivers Beekeepers’ club provides fresh and creative educational programs geared around bees and what they produce.

The beekeeping club has nearly 400 individual beekeepers and honey bee enthusiasts and meetings are held the third Monday of each month at the University of Missouri Extension located at 260 Brown Road in St. Peters.

There are about 50 bee-related clubs in the state, which is quite a jump from six in 2006.

Eugene Makovec is not only the president of Three Rivers Beekeepers but also a third generation beekeeper and editor of the American Bee Journal magazine.

“It is a challenging hobby,” Makovec said. “The bees take a lot of work and a lot of attention to keep alive. It’s not something that you just jump right in to. Unfortunately, a lot of people do without training. It’s a bit like jumping off a high dive and saying, ‘I will learn how to swim when I hit the water.’”

OCTOBER

Learn and grow

NOVEMBER Cooking the competition

Fresh caught spiedini. Pan seared top sirloin. Tomato panzanella salad. Fall festival cupcakes.

These creations were all part of the offerings created by the four Francis Howell School District high schools as they squared off at the 13th Annual Iron Chef Competition, a culinary arts contest held Nov. 15 at Francis Howell High School.

As oven doors opened and closed, pots and pans clanged, and orders, pleas, instructions and compliments echoed, the students showed off an array of skills ranging from organization, presentation, time management and cooking techniques. Each of the district’s high schools assembled a collection of seven students that are currently enrolled in a culinary arts class. The teams consisted of five chefs, a table setter and dishwasher.

“It was a lot of fun and it got me the experience I wanted,” Francis Howell senior Will Halterman said. “It’s convinced me that I like work-

ing in fast food, at least for now. I still have a lot more to learn. The steaks ended up cooking through a lot faster than our conventional oven. The (facilities) were wonderful and it’s a big thanks to Sodexo for letting us use them.”

DECEMBER O Christmas tree

Living Christmas trees bring a feel to the holidays that no artificial tree can duplicate. The natural scent of fir or pine can set the Christmas mood as sure as colorful lights or a favorite carol. Live

trees are also a renewable resource, unlike artificial ones which are made of non-recyclable metal and petroleum-based products.

The way to get the freshest tree is to make a family outing of it by visiting a Christmas tree farm and cutting it yourself. In Wright City, Country Pines Christmas

Crossroads Elementary principal honored with Marine Corps Patriot Award

Wentzville School District’s Damian Fay, Ed.D., principal at Crossroads Elementary, was presented with the Marine Corps Patriot Award in front of students, staff, and loved ones this past Veterans Day, as schools district wide celebrated our community’s veterans.

The award was in recognition of Fay’s untiring devotion to the values held by the United States Marines throughout history.

“Dr. Fay’s patriotic contributions to the youth of our nation, and his relentless pursuit of excellence as an elementary school principal are exceptional,” said Michael T. Force, Captain, USMC (ret). “His devotion to the veterans and youth

of our nation are an inspiration to us all.”

In addition to Crossroads’ assembly, schools throughout the WSD opened their doors to host Veterans Day celebrations and salute the brave men and women who are currently serving or who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Veterans joined students and staff for special activities scheduled in honor of the holiday. Veterans were treated to meals, student performances, and slideshows honoring past and present members of the military, along with special guest speakers.

These Veterans Day ceremonies and activities have become a

Tree Farm opened to the public in 1984.

At Country Pines, you arrive at its picturesque red barn and they provide a hand saw and you get to search the field of scotch pines tree to find the perfect tree for your home, all of its trees range in height of four-feet all the way up to 11-feet tall. Allan Wehrman, the originator of Country Pines, suggests that in case you do not want to recreate a scene from “Christmas Vacation,” bigger is not always better.

“The trees get a lot bigger once you bring them through the door,” Wehrman said. “Once you get them standing straight, you add a little water and check it every day. It’s pretty simple.”

proud tradition in the WSD and an important learning opportunity for the students.

Keep giving by recycling natural Christmas trees after the holiday

Recycling natural Christmas trees after the holiday celebration extends that tradition and gives a beneficial gift to the community. When recycled, natural trees can be used as fish habitat in area lakes, chipped wood paths along natural surface walking trails, mulch and more.

Please remove the tree stand, all decorations, lights and any packaging before bringing trees to any of the following locations for recycling:

St. Charles County Recycle Works

• Recycle Works Central, 60 Triad South in St. Charles.

• Recycle Works West, 2110

East Pitman Avenue in Wentzville.

Both locations are open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Dec. 27 to Jan. 7 (closed Jan. 1 and 2)

Additional tree collection sites in St. Charles County

• St. Charles County’s Quail Ridge Park (Group Picnic Area), 560 Interstate Drive in Wentzville. Open 7 a.m. to sunset Dec. 27 – Jan. 12.

• Founders Park, #7 Freymuth Road in Lake Saint Louis. Open sunrise to sunset Dec. 26 – Jan. 15.

• Heartland Park, 100 William Dierberg Drive in Wentzville. Open during park hours Jan. 2 – 20.

• Progress Park, 968 Meyer Road in Wentzville. Open during park hours Jan. 2-20.

• Rotary Park, 2577 West Meyer Road in Wentzville. Open during park hours Jan. 7 – 14.

For a complete list of items accepted or for more information, visit sccmo.org/RecycleWorks or call 636-949-1800.

Photo courtesy Wentzville School District Wentzville School District’s Damian Fay, Ed.D., principal at Crossroads Elementary, was presented with the Marine Corps Patriot Award in front of students, staff, and loved ones this past Veterans Day.

Take Notice . .

EVENTS

Jan.

7: Auto care clinic

Starting in January, Kim Barks of Complete Car & RV Repair Center at 3309 New Town Blvd. in St. Charles will be hosting a free auto care clinic for women at the repair center. Donations will be accepted for local charity and each month there will be a class free of charge on the first Saturday of each month.

Jan.

Capitol Dr. in St. Charles. For information and directions, please contact the helpline at 314-993-7550 or email gateway_parent_help@yahoo. com. BILY is a program of self-help for parents of troubled children (all ages). We are not professionals, but parents helping each other. The meetings are free to attend.

ified. Currently, during the COVID pandemic, meetings are held via conference call, starting at 6:45 pm. For more information, contact Beverly Kaskadden at 636-561-6947.

Mondays: St. Peters Rotary Club Noon at St. Peters City Hall, One St. Peters Centre Blvd. www.stpetersrotary.org.

Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays: Fitness First Exercise Class 9:30-10:30 a.m., American Legion Hall, 504 Luetkenhaus Blvd., Wentzville. 314-3696521.

Tuesdays: Women’s AA weekly meeting

Candlelighters Women in Recovery meets every Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Dardenne Prairie Presbyterian Church (enter at Adam Lamb pre-School, turn left) at 7400 South Outer 364 at the corner with Bryan Road.

Tuesdays: Cribbage Club

Meets every Tuesday, 12:30 – 3:30 p.m. at The Falls Golf Course Clubhouse. Relaxed, friendly play and is open to all. Call 314-954-3364 for info.

Tuesdays: Optimist Club meeting

What’s Happening

formation contact Jack Ross at 314-287-0569 or jack-ross@ att.net.

Tuesdays: Cribbage

Looking for an evening out? Come and play cribbage Tuesdays at 6 p.m. at Rookies at 15358 Veterans Memorial Pkwy in Wentzville. Win prizes and awards with semiannual tournaments. ACC sanctioned. For more information contact Dee at 636-233-8032.

Tuesdays: Diabetes support group

Questions? Call Amanda Meyer at 636-625-5447.

Tuesdays: Kiwanis Club of St. Charles

18: Senior seminar

Downsizing Made Easy in Five Simple Steps - Seniors Empowerment Truth Series takes place from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Spencer Library in St Peters in Room 259. In this free seminar you’ll gain valuable insights into today’s real estate market, practical solutions for decluttering and preparing your home for sale and more. Visit www.seniorsempowermenttruthseries.com or call 636-336-6819 to register.

Jan. 21:

Swing dance club grand opening

St. Charles Swing Dance Club invites you to join them at their grand opening at Dardenne Prairie Hall at 2199 Post Road from 7 to 10 p.m. Free swing and line dance lessons will take place from 6:15 to 7 p.m.

ONGOING EVENTS

Mondays: Optimist Club meetings

The Wentzville/Lake St. Louis Optimist Club meets on the second and fourth Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Wentzville IHOP, 10 Layla Lane, Wentzville, MO.. For more information contact Ed Jurotich at 314-560-1868.

Mondays: Take off Pounds Sensibly

TOPS meet every Monday at Holy Cross Lutheran Church at 8945 Veterans Memorial Hwy in O’Fallon. Meetings at 9:30 a.m. with weigh in beginning at 8:30 a.m. For more information please call Leogene Weber. 636-399-3124.

Mondays: Parent support group

Because I Love You, (BILY), Gateway parent support group meets every Monday at 7:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church at 801 First

Mondays:

NAMI St.

Louis Connection Recovery Support Group

If you have mental health concerns and need support, please come on Mondays at 6:30 p.m. at Friedens United Church of Christ at 1703 Old Highway 94 South in St. Charles.

Mondays: Alcoholics Anonymous

If you want to drink, that’s your business. If you want to stop, we can help. Call Alcoholics Anonymous at 636970-0013.

Mondays: Cottleville Weldon Spring Kiwanis Club

Cottleville Weldon Spring Kiwanis Club meets the first Monday of the month at noon at The Breakfast Club, 991 Waterbury Falls Dr., O’Fallon, MO 63368. New club looking for new members who want to better our community. Contact Christy at 314583-0538.

Mondays: Seasoned eye carvers meeting

Meetings are held from 9 to 11 a.m. at the St. Charles Senior Citizens Center at 1455 Fairgrounds (near the Bass Pro Shop). Visitors are always welcome. For more information visit http://www. stcharlesareawoodcarvers. com/ or contact Charles Sapp at cwsapp@charter.net.

Mondays: Choral Arts Singers practice

Choral Arts Singers practice on Mondays, from 7-9 p.m. at Connection ChristianChurch, 1332 Feise Road in Dardenne Prairie. New singers (high school and older) are welcome. Auditions are not required. See www.concertarts. org.

Mondays: St. Charles County Council of the Blind meetings

Business meetings are held on the first Monday of each month unless otherwise spec-

Mondays and Thursdays: Bridge St. Peters Senior Center plays bridge from 9 a.m. to noon on Monday and Thursdays, and would love to have any player, regardless of skill level, to join in. Call Mary Ann at 636-397-0866 if you are interested in playing on Monday or Thursday morning.

Mondays: American Legion Post 388 Meets Meets the fourth Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at American Legion Hall, 607 Westridge Dr., O’Fallon, 636219-0553

Mondays: Measurement Mondays: 10 a.m. - 12 noon at the ST. Charles Health Deparment in the Upper Level Conference room. Measurement Mondays is a family-friendly breastfeeding support group. We are open to all moms and moms-to-be who are breastfeeding or interested in breastfeeding. The group is supported by the St Charles County WIC program so there will be information about the program available at each meeting. Each meeting will be a little different than the last. There will be baby weigh-ins, introductions, games, interactive education, group conversation, and even snacks.

Mondays and Wednesdays: Tai Chi for arthritis class

Every Monday and Wednesday a Tai Chi for arthritis class, sponsored by the city of St. Charles Parks and Recreation, takes place from 9:1510 a.m. at Webster Park across from the Family Arena. This is a class that is taught nationally to manage arthritis and to prevent falls. For more information call 636-949-3372.

The St. Charles Optimist Club meets Tuesdays at noon at Pio’s Restaurant. For more in-

A diabetes support group meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month except November and December from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. at 400 Medical Plaza, Suite 102 in Lake St. Louis. A new speaker each month.

12:05 p.m. at Ginghams Homestyle Restaurant, 1566 Country Clcub Plaza Drive, in St. Charles. Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time. The group is looking for new members who want to better our community and help its youth. If you are interested in making a positive impact in St. Charles for generations to come, please come for lunch. For more information call 636-206-2483. You can also visit http://stcharleskiwanis. com

. 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.

CROSSWORD answers from page F-4

SUDOKU answers from page F-1

Sports you see with Gary B . . .

UMSL jump to fifth in latest NABC Poll

The University of Missouri-St. Louis men’s basketball team continues to climb to new heights as its ranked fifth in this week’s National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II Coaches Poll. The number five ranking is the highest ranking in program history surpassing the previous high of seven set two weeks ago.

The Tritons won both of their games in Las Vegas before the Christmas break. They rallied from 14 down to defeat then No. 24 West Texas A&M 83-81 in overtime and then hit a season-high 18 threes in a 91-66 win over Rollins.

UMSL has beaten three teams this season that were ranked when it played them. It opened the season with a 70-53 win at then No. 20 Walsh, defeated then No. 22 Southwest Baptist 70-65 on Nov. 28 and the win over West Texas A&M.

Parkside, the Tritons next opponent, is on the verge of being ranked as they’re the first team listed in the receiving votes category. The Rangers are 10-2 on the season and have won six in a row.

Indiana (Pennsylvania) is the new number one team in the nation this week followed by Nova Southeastern (Florida), Black Hills State (South Dakota) Hillsdale and UMSL. Northwest Missouri State dropped from first to six after losing to Emporia State on Dec. 17.

*Starting the year of great

With the sixth overall pick in the first round, the Ambush selected Iwan Webster from St. Louis University. Ambush in the second round selected Erik Rajoy from Columbia College and then in the third and final round Matheus Ferreira was selected from Oklahoma Wesleyan University.

*Talent of the future

Hoots sign Ivy League infielder Krewson for 2023 Prospect League Season

The O’Fallon Hoots, proud members of the Prospect League, announced the signing of infielder Elliot Krewson for the 2023 summer season.

Krewson comes to O’Fallon as a sophomore from Dartmouth College.

The 5-foot-10 right-handed middle infielder attended Parkway West High School, where he was named Suburban Conference Player of the year his senior year, as well as two-time first-team all-district and all-conference shortstop during his high school career.

Krewson had a dominant 2021 summer season in the CarShield Collegiate League (CCL) with the Rubber Chickens notching a .363 BA and .473 SLG, placing him third and fifth, respectively, atop the leaderboard for the league. Last year, the St. Louis-native made the move to Dartmouth College, where he had an impressive 2022 freshman season for the Big Green, displaying a .933 fielding percentage and a .255 BA across 22 games started. Krewson looks to bring his talent back to his home state this 2023 Hoots season.

*Great local addition to the club

Ambush draft players

The St. Louis Ambush in the 2022-23 will play in the Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) with their home games at The Family Arena in St. Charles. The team drafted three players in the inaugural MASL College Draft recently.

Gary Baute, aka Gary B, a St. Louis native, maybe educated in business but he lives and breathes sports. As a fan and an athlete, Gary is all sports all the time. He hosted a radio sports program on KFNS, emceed the River City Rascals’ inaugural season and broadcasted for several indoor football teams since 1999.

Colder, shorter days call for a little comfort. Cozying up with a hearty meal on brisk winter evenings can help fight off the chill while savoring favorite flavors alongside the ones you love.

When your family needs a warm-up on those frosty days, put sweetpotatoes at the center of mealtime (with an added kick) in this Jalapeno Sweetpotato Chowder. Loaded with the flavors of winter comfort, it’s a filling meal that makes enough for a crowd so no one goes hungry.

Ingredients:

2 large sweetpotatoes, baked

1 small onion, 1/4-inch diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 quart chicken or vegetable stock

2 cups cooked chicken, cubed

Directions:

1 1/2 cups whole corn kernels

2 teaspoons minced jalapenos

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon salt

chopped scallions, for garnish

Peel baked sweetpotatoes; discard skin and puree.

In soup pot, saute onion in butter until softened. Add pureed sweetpotato and stock, as desired. Bring to boil, reducing liquid slightly.

Add chicken, corn, jalapenos, heavy cream and salt. Simmer 10 minutes. To serve, ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped scallions.

Movie:

By Steve Bryan

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

In 1945, Ruth Handler, who co-founded toy manufacturer Mattel with her husband, created the Barbie doll. Named after Handler’s daughter Barbara, Mattel sponsored the popular “Mickey Mouse Club” and introduced children to this new toy. Eleven inches tall with beautiful blonde hair, Barbie was a sensation and soon Ken, Barbie’s boyfriend, arrived. Over the years, best friend Midge and little sister Skipper were added to the line. Through the years, Barbie became skilled in various vocations, not the least of which were Olympic athlete, doctor and pilot.

Scheduled for a July 21, 2023, release, director Greta Gerwig’s live-action “Barbie” film will explore the glamorous life of Barbie (Margot Robbie) and her boyfriend Ken (Ryan Gosling). This won’t be the first time that a popular children’s toy became the basis of a feature film, however. Prolific director Michael Bay directed five films in the “Transformers” franchise that documented the battles between the robotic Autobots and the Decepticons. Directed by Steven Caple, Jr., “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts,” the latest film, is scheduled to arrive in the-

aters in 2023.

In 1993, actors Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo played Mario and Luigi, two adventurous plumbers and brothers, in “Super Mario Bros.” Based on the popular Nintendo game, Mario and Luigi discovered a parallel world where intelligent dinosaurs ruled and planned to conquer the world. The Mario brothers also rescued Princess Daisy (Samantha Mathis), who had been held prisoner by the dinosaurs. Over the years, the “Super Mario Bros.” film built up a fan following and in 2023, Chris Pratt will be Mario’s voice in the adapted version.

In 1964, the Hasbro toy company released G.I. Joe, a poseable, military-themed action figure that could be accessorized with outfits and weapons that were available for purchase. In 2009, Paramount Pictures re-

leased “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra,” the first film for the Hasbro toy’s film franchise. The “Joe” team included such characters as Snake Eyes, Breaker and Scarlett who were all under the command of General Hawk.” “G.I.

Joe: Retaliation” was released in 2013 and, in 2021, “Snake Eyes,” a film about a mysterious member of the team, arrived in theaters.

On the messier side of things, 1987’s “The Garbage Pail Kids” parodied the popular “Cabbage Patch Kids” dolls. After a boy named Dodger (Mackenzie Astin) was bullied by other children, a group called the Garbage Pail Kids escaped from their trash can and saved him. Suffice it to say, this film was nominated for “Worst New Star,” “Worst Original Song” and “Worst Visual Effects” by various film voting sites. For a time, however, there was interest in rebooting the smelly franchise, but those plans went straight into the garbage.

Cartoons have been a popular medium for decades and, in the right hands, can become great motion pictures. Ant-Man, for instance, starred in three Marvel films and remained a solid character. It seems like the film possibilities are quite plentiful.

Barbie, G.I. Joe, other toys that starred in motion pictures

Moore on Life: Don’t let it snow!

Well, the weather outside has been frightful, and Mother Nature has been so spiteful, but since I’ve got places to go, it’s gonna snow, gonna blow, gonna…bomb cyclone. (That doesn’t rhyme, but at this point I can’t be bothered with trivial jingles.)

What kind of crazy weather have we been hit with and at the worst time? I’ve got Christmas presents to exchange before her temper tantrum kicks in again.

First, I selected the wrong color of boots for one kid; brown instead of black. Of course, every size and color has been picked over since October. I’ll be lucky to snag a size 16, extra wide in purple. Spray paint may be the only option at this point.

Then I got the wrong size of jeans for another relative. He’s lost a considerable amount of weight (that information would have been helpful before the time of purchase). Anyway, these things are gonna slip right off him like skin from a boiled chicken.

Again, the inventory has been depleted. Suspenders might be the only solution, but do they still even make those outdated things? Note to self: stop off at the antique shop.

Then the final thing; I bought a lovely jacket for a hard-to-buy-for relative (I won’t give out “her name” here, but let’s just say it rhymes with “brother-in-law”.)

Anywho, when delivering her gift, guess who was wearing the same identical thing I bought? Yup, the same exact, perfect gift that I shopped all over town for. And to top it off, guess who claims she doesn’t

Your little one’s on-the-go adventures mark a huge milestone for his or her development and your family. Before you allow your baby to trek freely from room to room, get your home ready for a child on the move with these safety steps and precautions:

Prepare before the birth

First-time parents are likely to embark upon a new life filled with late nights, sleep deprivation and a world of stresses they’ve never experienced or considered. Prepare your home before the baby is born to avoid the panic of waiting until the last minute.

Tour like your tot

The first step toward ensuring your home is ready for a mobile child is to see the world from the same level. Take a crawling tour around your home to see things that may be in the way or discover hazardous items that are within easy reach. Use all of your senses to assess any potential dangers.

Latch it up

Protect your little one from sharp objects and heavy items by installing child protection latches on all cabinets and drawers. For an added layer of protection, keep any sharp objects and harmful chemicals in high places only adults can reach.

By Cindy Moore CROSSWORD: VACATION DESTINATIONS

have the closet space to keep two matching jackets?

Humph! And just why not? What if she gets cat hair on the collar or spills a bottle of ketchup on the sleeve and there’s no time to remove it? Bada bing bada boom, there’s another backup replacement hanging on the rack--problem solved.

My reasoning went over like a boiled chicken skin sandwich—not well.

So I’m off, but the weather doesn’t show signs of stopping. Ugh, the power is out and the lights have gone way down low while my patience is slowly dying. I give up and I know I am done trying.

Now I know, now I know, now I know! Next year… gift cards!

Hey, that doesn’t rhyme! (See above.)

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.

Evaluate leaning objects

Bookshelves, bedside tables and the items placed on them, such as television sets and other large appliances, can be a threat to the safety of a small child trying to pull him or herself up and balance on two feet. Ensure these items are properly secured or keep them put away unless in use to avoid them being pulled on top of your child.

Other safety measures

To properly prepare your home for a mobile child, don’t forget to take steps such as:

• Covering electrical outlets with safety plugs

• Placing safety gates at the top and bottom of staircases

• Installing fireplace screens

• Adding foam padding to sharp furniture corners and edges

• Placing a soft cover over the bathtub waterspout

• Removing blinds with looped cords or installing safety tassels and cord stops

• Stocking your first aid kit

• Putting non-slip pads under rugs

Find more tips to child-proof your home at eLivingtoday.com.