CNSTC: July 19, 2023

Westward expansion

Around Town

St. Charles Community College recently announced its plans to build a new campus near the David Hoekel I-70 Interchange

By Brett Auten

A geyser of opportunity and development will soon be flowing in western St. Charles County.

St. Charles Community College recently announced its plans to build a new campus near the David Hoekel I-70 Interchange. The first building on the 55-acre campus will be the 48,000 square-foot Regional Workforce Innovation Center.

College officials say it will be the premier technical training and education center within the Greater St. Louis Region.

John Wiemann is the Vice President of Workforce and Strategic Initiatives at the school, which opened its doors in Cottleville in 1987.

“Expanding to the western portion of the

county will not only help St. Charles, but Warren, Lincoln, Pike, Montgomery, and Callaway Counties,” Wiemann said. “That is one of the reasons why we named it ‘regional.’”

The Innovation Center will be future-focused on modernization and meeting the needs of business and industry. The goal is

to foster and prepare the region’s workforce for jobs in technology, advanced manufacturing, robotics, sustainable energy, healthcare and more.

“Right now, the demand from the business community is in advanced manufacturing and all of the skill trades,” Weimann said. “But we are also planning for down the road. There will also be 15,000 square feet dedicated for future technologies. We want to make sure we leave some space for what’s next.”

Among the new programs SCC will introduce are: battery technology, electric and autonomous vehicles, renewable wind and solar energy, high-tech processes and robotics.

Also, the college will have a Make-it Center See

Features

Recipe, Movie & Sudoku. Pg. F-1

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

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

Weather

FRIDAY Partly Cloudy 86/66

SATURDAY Sunny 87/67

SUNDAY Partly Cloudy 90/68

Vacations by TravelPlex celebrates grand opening. Pg. 3

MDC reminds public to be careful with fire during summer months. Pg. 3

Submitted Images

St. Charles Community College is growing with a new campus coming to western St. Charles County, near the David Hoekel I-70 Interchange. The first building on the 55-acre campus will be the 48,000 square-foot Regional Workforce Innovation Center. SCC officials say this will be the premier technical training and education center within the Greater St. Louis Region.

‘ EXPANSION’ from cover

lab where students in middle and high school can experience and explore how a 3-D printer works and robotics work. An introduction to manufacturing technologies and other skilled trades will be available for students with options to earn associate degrees and certificates.

Learning is enhanced by partnerships with local employers like GM. St. Charles Community College was selected in February by the American Association of Community Colleges as one of seven colleges to receive grant funding from GM to help grow community college advanced manufacturing programs.

Through this grant, the college can further study needs for technical training and help meet the growing demand for job-ready employees in advanced manufacturing. In not only the automotive industry, but manufacturing technology in general is becoming more advanced, and it is increasingly important to equip the current and future workforce with the skills and training they need to succeed in modern manufacturing careers.

“The days of the dirty, noisy factory are kind of going by the wayside,” Wiemann said. “They are going to look to us to also plan for future jobs.”

The goal is to have courses start there in the fall of 2025.

The Innovation Center is funded by the Proposition Community College bond program and grants received from the state.

“We take seriously our role in helping meet

Governor Parson’s priority for workforce development and education,” Barbara Kavalier, Ph.D., SCC president said. “His focus on projects that meet the needs of business and industry provided the impetus to SCC to develop a business plan for the Center. We appreciate his support in providing additional funding through the American Rescue Plan and the MoExcels Workforce Initiative.”

Conservation Corner: The flower and the firmament

July is when the warm nights of summer tempt us to stay out a bit later, past our normal bedtimes, drawn to the spectacle of a starry sky. It’s also the month a star of a different kind comes out—prairie blazing star.

The name “blazing star” is actually given to a group of related plants, of which prairie blazing star is one of the most popular and showy. This native wildflower stands out, literally, as a tall stalk that can grow two-tofive feet high.

The stalk is lined by spiky leaves and topped with a crown of many densely crowded, rose-purple flowerheads. The flowers evoke a lock of purple hair.

As you might guess from the name, prairie blazing star is commonly found on native grasslands in Missouri, where it can grow in massive clumps. But it can exist almost anywhere in the state, including on the tops of bluffs, in savannas, glades, and openings of upland forests.

In more human-impacted environments, it is often seen in ditch banks, fencerows, pastures, railroads, and roadsides.

Prairie blazing star is a very popular feature in native landscaping, too. The plant is popular with pollinators and insects. It attracts monarchs and other butterflies, skippers, bees, beetles, flies, and many more insects that collect pollen or nectar. Our feathered friends the birds are eager to eat the fruits of blazing stars, which resemble tiny sunflower seeds.

Like so many other plants of the tallgrass prairie, this blazing star’s roots anchor it deep into the

ground, reaching 10-to 12-feet beath the surface. This gives the plant and its prairie kin the ability to seek deeply buried water and survive dry conditions better than plants with less hardy root systems. The penetrating roots also serve to stabilize soils and help protect against erosion.

Interestingly, the peak bloom of prairie blazing star just so happens to be great time to see a spectacular blazing stream of stars in the sky – the great Milky Way Galaxy! The brightest section of the Milky Way is visible

By Dan Zarlenga

during the summer, sprawly directly overhead by around midnight.

With their open skies, prairies and glades are ideal places to see stars both blazing from the ground and the sky. Our Milky Way galaxy is a disc-shaped assembly of a 100 billion stars made up of spiral arms wrapped around a spherical central bulge. The shimmering strip we see above is an edge-on view of that disc. The bright core of the central bulge is visible from our skies low in the southern horizon, in the Constellation Sagittarius.

The best way to view the Milky Way is with the unaided eye from a site far away from city lights, and on a moonless night.

All you need is a reclining camp chair, and perhaps a few creature comforts like a blanket or bug spray. What an awesome excuse to stay out late or go on a camping trip!

As prairie blazing star reaches its purple stalks toward the dazzling stars of the Milky Way, it reminds us that everything in the universe is connected, from the flowers to the firmament.

Dan Zarlenga

is the Missouri Department of Conservation’s Media Specialist for the St. Louis Region, where he’s served since 2008. He likes to dabble in nature photography, hiking, exploring Missouri and its night skies, and occasionally backpacking and kayaking.

Photo courtesy Dave Stoner, Missouri Department of Conservation Prairie blazing star reaches for a starry sky.

Submitted Image

St. Charles Community College is growing with a new campus coming to western St. Charles County, near the David Hoekel I-70 Interchange. The first building on the 55-acre campus will be the 48,000 square-foot Regional Workforce Innovation Center. SCC officials say this will be the premier technical training and education center within the Greater St. Louis Region.

The public is reminded to be careful with fire during dry,

summer months

With ongoing drought conditions around state, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reminds everyone to be extra careful with fireworks, campfires and other sources of fire that could cause a wildfire.

Fireworks: Don’t light fireworks in any areas where the sparks could ignite dry grass, leaves, or other potential fire fuel. Always have an approved fire extinguisher and an available water supply to douse sparks or flames. Wet the area around where fireworks are being discharged. Check with local ordinances and authorities for bans on fireworks and open burning.

Outdoor burning: Don’t burn during wrong conditions. Dry grass, high temperatures, low humidity, and wind make fire nearly impossible to control. Check with local fire departments regarding burn bans that may be in place. A person who starts a fire for any reason is responsible for any damage it may cause.

Driving off road: Wildfires can start when dry fuel, such as grass, comes in contact with catalytic converters. Think twice before driving into and across a grassy field. Never park over tall, dry grass or piles of leaves that can touch the underside of a vehicle. When driving vehicles off road, regularly inspect the undercarriage to ensure that fuel and brake lines are intact, and no oil

leaks are apparent. Always carry an approved fire extinguisher on vehicles that are used off road. Check for the presence of spark arresters on ATV exhausts.

Making a campfire: Clear a generous zone around fire rings. Store unused firewood a good distance from a campfire. Never use gasoline, kerosene or other flammable liquid to start a fire. Keep campfires small and controllable. Keep fire-extinguishing materials, such as a rake, shovel, and bucket of water, close. Extinguish campfires each night and before leaving camp, even if it’s just for a few moments. Learn more about camping on MDC areas at mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/ac-

tivities/camping.

Call for help: Call 911 at the first sign of a fire getting out of control.

Report forest arson: Wildfires are sometimes set by vandals. Help stop arson by calling 800-392-1111 and reporting any potential arson activities. Callers will remain anonymous, and rewards are possible.

Prescribed fire: Fire used in the wrong way can create disasters. Used in the right way, fire can help create habitat for wildlife. For more information on using prescribed fire as a land-management tool, visit mdc.mo.gov/your-property/ fire-management/prescribed-fire.

Vacations by TravelPlex celebrates grand opening with ribbon cutting

Vacations by TravelPlex opened its new location at 6061 Mid Rivers Mall Drive in Cottleville. To commemorate the opening, the company held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 15.

Members of the Cottleville Weldon-Spring Chamber of Commerce and other community leaders were in attendance.

“TravelPlex Travel & Cruise is very proud to be celebrating over 30 years in business. We are so excited to have our newest location in Cottleville and are grateful we have had such a warm welcome from the community. We are going to host an open house after our ribbon cutting, all day, so all our new neighbors can come in and check out our great new space. We will have fun giveaways; exclusive vacation savings and our team will be ready to answer any

vacation questions you have!” says owner John Heimburger.

TravelPlex Travel & Cruise team of experienced and professional advisors are here to work with you both online and offline to assist you

in making your trip a memorable and hassle-free experience.

For more information on Vacations by TravelPlex visit https://travelplex.com/.

Submitted photo

As people celebrate this summer, MDC reminds everyone to be careful with campfires and other sources of fire that could cause a wildfire.

Two Timberland High School students accepted into the Missouri Fine Arts Academy

Two WSD Seniors named National Merit Scholarship Finalists

Two Timberland art students, Abby Westhoff and Ari Charitonenko, have been accepted into the Missouri Fine Arts Academy (MFAA), which was held at Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri June 4-17.

The MFAA is a two-week summer residential program for highly motivated student artists in visual arts, theatre, dance, creative writing and music. The academy offers an intensive schedule of classes in interdisciplinary and discipline-specific arts, and a wide

range of co-curricular activities. MFAA is conducted with the support and cooperation of Missouri State University, and is funded through program fees, grants, endowments, scholarships, and private donations.

Mr. Holland, the Timberland High School art teacher who nominated both students, attended the first MFAA back in 1996, while a student at Pattonville. Learn more about the Missouri Fine Arts Academy at missouristate.edu/ MFAA.

Grace Warren from Holt High School and Eian Fowler from Timberland High School were selected as Finalists in the 68th Annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

The National Merit Scholarship Program awards academically talented high school seniors with more than 7,500 scholarships, equating to roughly $30 million dollars. Merit Scholars must have exceptional academic ability and show great potential for success in competitive and meticulous college studies.

Semifinalists are ranked among the top 1% of all U.S. high school seniors for their scholastic achievement. A finalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT/ACT scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the

qualifying test.

Warren has a weighted GPA of 4.17, scored a 34 on the ACT, is ranked 21st in her class at Holt, and is recognized as an AP Scholar. She is a four-year member of Key Club and currently serves as co-president; she is a member of National Honor Society, Art Club, and Film Club. Warren is a member of the Holt Indian Band and competes in World Quest. She will attend the University of Missouri-Columbia and plans to major in biology.

Fowler has a weighted GPA of 4.35 and earned a score of 34 on his ACT. Ranked seventh in his class, Fowler is a member of FBLA, Link Crew, German Club, and Board Game Club; he serves as an officer of the Programming Club. He attended Missouri Boys State and plans to major in computer science at Washington University in St. Louis.

Photo courtesy Wentzville School District

Photo courtesy Wentzville School District

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.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Aug. 24-27: Orchestra auditions

St. Charles County Youth Orchestra auditions will be held on Aug. 25, 26 and 27. Students at all levels of string, wind, brass, and percussion are invited to audition. The auditions will be held at the Grace Baptist Church Fellowship Hall St. Charles. Auditions are by appointment please visit www.sccyo.org/auditions.

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: Alcoholics

Anonymous

If you want to drink, that’s your business. If you want to stop, we can help. Call Alcoholics Anonymous at 636-970-0013.

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: 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: 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 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 meet-

ings are free to attend.

Mondays: Kiwanis Club meeting Cottleville-Weldon Spring Kiwanis Club meets the first Monday of the month at noon at Bandana’s at 3446 Pheasant Meadows Dr. in O’Fallon. Contact Mary Vaughan at 314-581-0497 or Karen Grant at 773-914-4900 for more information.

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: 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.

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

Mondays: St. Charles County Council of the Blind meetings

Business meetings are held on the first Monday of each month unless otherwise specified. 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: 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 momsto-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 9:15 - 10 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.

Tuesdays: Toastmasters Meeting

7 p.m. at the Midwest Bank Centre Board Room at 2299 Technology Blvd., O’Fallon, MO 63368. Info: 636-3792505.

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: 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: Seniors luncheon

On the third Tuesday every month a luncheon for seniors takes place from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Transfiguration Episcopal Church at 1860 Lake St. Louis Blvd. For more information call 636-561-8951. Free bingo and cards are available.

Tuesdays: Optimist Club meeting

The St. Charles Optimist Club meets Tuesdays at noon at Pio’s Restaurant. For more information contact Jack Ross at 314287-0569 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

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

Tuesdays: Kiwanis Club of St. Charles 12:05 p.m. at Ginghams Homestyle Restaurant, 1566 Country Clcub Plaza Drive, in St. Charles. Kiwanis is a glob-

al 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

Tuesdays: NAMI St. Louis Connection Recovery Support Group

If you have mental health concerns and need support, please come on the third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at Grace United Church of Christ at 8326 Mexico Rd. in St. Peters.

Tuesdays: Quilting Guild at the O’Fallon Family YMCA

1-4 p.m. Free. Quilt for local charities. No sewing experience required.

Tuesdays: Mended Hearts

This heart patient support group provides hospital visitation support for people with any type of heart issues. The group meets at 6:30 p.m. the

second Tuesday of each month at the Spencer Road St. Charles Library, at the corner of Boone Hills Dr. and Spencer Rd. For additional information please call 636-639-0875.

Tuesdays: St. Louis Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association Male Caregiver Experience

The group meets on third Tuesday of every month from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Alzheimer’s Chapter Office at 9370 Olive Blvd. For more information about Alzheimer’s disease, support, or the Male Caregiver Experience, please call the Alzheimer’s Association’s 24/7 Helpline at 800-272-3900 or visit www.alz.org/stl. Registration is requested before the first meeting.

Tuesdays: NAMI St. Louis Connection Recovery Support Group

If you have mental health concerns and need support, please come on the third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at Grace United Church of Christ at 8326 Mexico Rd. in St. Peters.

TheHair & Nail Nook, or “The Nook” as we call it, has been turning heads since we opened our doors on April 30, 2015. Stephanie and Nikki met back in 2010 when Nikki went to work at a salon with Stephanie as a nail tech. After becoming great friends and working together for over several years, we had the opportunity to re-open the location as our own. It took six months to do a complete remodel. Stephanie’s dad is a contractor and helped and guided us through the project. Along with the help of family and friends (and a few band-aids) we turned four walls into our dream workspace!

Built with love and managed by experienced beauty professionals,“The Nook” is now home to two additional operators, Katie and Dana. Together we offer all of your beauty needs, from cuts & color to nails & waxing. We love what we do and where we do it!

We invite you to stop by sometime and check it out!

CROSSWORD answers from page F-4

SUDOKU answers from page F-1

Hoots pick up both wins of double-header against Alton

The O’Fallon Hoots play their home games at CarShield Field in O’Fallon and play in the Prospect League.

A battle between two of the closest distanced Prairie Land Division rivals took place at CarShield Field recently, as the Hoots and the Alton River Dragons faced off in a twin bill.

With O’Fallon trailing by five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, the offense rallied to put up six runs for a walk-off victory taking the first game 10-9.

Highlights included:

*Maloy Heaghney hit his third home run of the season.

*Tyson Ludwig drove in three runs in a multi-hit performance.

*Gavin Baldwin and Tyler Ferguson recorded their first hits as Hoots members.

*Coby Rogers tossed a scoreless inning in relief.

Then, in game two, Chase Beattie clutched up in the bottom of the sixth and drove in the game-winning run with a two-out double ensuring a 4-2 victory.

Highlights included:

*Beattie proved the hero of the game, with his two RBIs in the bottom of the sixth representing the game winning runs.

*Ludwig drove in the other RBI for the Hoots. He also scored the first run of the game thanks to a pair of stolen bases.

*Sam Feltz shut the door to close out the game, striking out the side in the top of the seventh to earn his fourth save of the season.

*Exciting night at the old ballpark

Hoots season ending soon

The O’Fallon ball club will be ending the 2023 season on Saturday, Aug. 5, so get your tickets early to see this exciting team.

Go to www.OFallonHoots.com

*Fun season

Lindenwood students excel in the classroom and in sports

Lindenwood University’s student-athletes had another successful academic semester in the classroom during the Spring 2023 season. The student-athletes across Lindenwood’s 30 NCAA Division I sports combined for a 3.31 GPA last semester.

Across all sports, 25 teams posted at least a 3.0 GPA while nine teams earned a 3.5 GPA or better. Overall, 141 student-athletes received a 4.0 during the spring semester.

The women’s gymnastics team earned the highest GPA among all sports at Lindenwood with a 3.70 between their 17 athletes. Women’s basketball finished with the second highest GPA with a 3.69, followed by the women’s golf team with a 3.62.

Men’s ice hockey led all men’s teams during the spring semester with a 3.57 GPA. They also had the highest GPA during the fall semester (3.63). They were followed by baseball with a 3.47 and men’s lacrosse with a 3.43.

“I continue to be impressed by the performance of our student-athletes in the classroom,” said Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Jason Coomer. “In addition to the efforts of our student-athletes, the academic success we are enjoying is also a product of the excellent work our academic advising team, faculty and support staff provide at Lindenwood. It is clear our campus works as a team to put all students in a position to find success.”

*The way it should be, school work first, sports second

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.

RECIPE : Better-for-you brownies with a sweet, simple swap

INGREDIENTS:

Prune Puree:

16 ounces pitted California prunes

1/2 cup hot water

Brownies:

nonstick cooking spray

6 ounces unsweetened chocolate

1/2 cup California extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups light brown sugar

10 ounces California prune puree

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 cup cocoa powder

2 teaspoons vanilla extract flaky sea salt, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

To make prune puree: In blender, combine prunes and water. Pulse to combine then blend until smooth, pourable consistency

forms, scraping sides, if necessary. Store puree in airtight container in fridge up to 4 weeks.

To make brownies: Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 9-by-9-inch baking pan with parchment paper then lightly grease with nonstick cooking spray.

Using double boiler, melt chocolate and olive oil. Whisk in sugar and prune puree; mix until dissolved.

Into large bowl, sift flour, baking powder and cocoa powder. Gently fold in chocolate and prune mixture then add vanilla. Spread batter in prepared pan, sprinkle with flaky sea salt and bake 20-25 minutes, or until top starts to look dry and brownies are just beginning to pull away from sides of pan.

Cool in pan. Remove then cut brownies into 3-inch squares.

VEGAN BROWNIES

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 25 minutes | Servings: 9

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.

Afterwatching and reviewing movies for several years, the last thing I expected to see was Al Yankovic praising “Harry Potter” star Daniel Radcliffe’s performance in “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story,” a biographical film released by Roku.

Radcliffe played the title role, a musician with a talent for making creative and engaging song parodies. When the 75th Emmy Award nominations were recently announced, Yankovic and Radcliffe were honored with their first Emmy nominations. Yankovic also earned honors for outstanding writing for an original movie as well as the credit for the original music and lyrics to the song “Now You Know.”

In “Weird,” Radcliffe played Yankovic, a teenager whose comedy and parody songs caught the attention of Barret Eugene Hansen, a Southern California radio personality better known as Dr. Demento. After Hansen played one of Al’s parody creations on the air, Yankovic’s career took off. While still in high school, he used his musical skills to twist the Knack’s “My Sharona” into the tasty parody “My Bologna.” After Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust” hit the airwaves in 1980, Yan-

kovic released his take on the song: “Another One Rides the Bus.”

The 1980’s seemed to inspire Al Yankovic’s creative side, which led to the top 40 parody hit “I Love Rocky Road. That was Yankovic’s comedic twist on the Joan Jett & the Blackhearts song “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll.” After Toni Basil’s song “Mickey” hit the charts, Yankovic released “Ricky,” a song and video that paid homage to the popular 1950’s television series “I Love Lucy.” Weird Al’s second album featured “Eat It,” his take on Michael Jackson’s immensely popular “Beat It.” Yankovic wasn’t sure how the pop star would react, but Jackson was reportedly amused by the parody.

Al’s success with videos and parodies

helped make his 1989 film “UHF” a reality. An underappreciated, low-budget film, “UHF” focused on a struggling UHF television station. Yankovic played George Newman, a young man who landed a position at a station that played reruns of “The Beverly Hillbillies,” “Mister Ed” and other classic shows. In “UHF,” “Seinfeld’s” Michael Richards played Stanley Spadowski, a janitor who inadvertently became the perfect host for the children’s show at the station. “UHF” even contained a brilliant, eye-popping parody of the Dire Straits hit “Money for Nothing” that definitely was worth a look. Al Yankovic has a great sense of humor and a talent for parodies. During his concerts, for instance, Yankovic would show the trailer for a proposed biographical film about his life. That footage prompted audiences to ask when the actual film about his life would actually be made. After the finished version of “Weird” was released, it received accolades from the British Academy Television Awards, Critics’ Choice Television Awards and others. Here’s hoping that the Emmy Awards Committee honor Al Yankovic for decades of fun, laughter and, of course, parodies.

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.

Daniel Radcliffe, Al Yankovic earned Emmy nods for ‘Weird: The Weird Al Story’

“Weird: The Al Yankovic Story” photo courtesy Funny or Die

COLLECTIBLES

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

NOVENA

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, have mercy on 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.

Thank you,

SERVICES

PET CEMETERY

over 4,000 pet burials; over 6 acres; over 60 yrs old. 314-576-3030

www.memoryparkpetcemetery.info

www.memoryparkpetcemetery.info

Yeggs

John Hanna

CROSSWORD: MOVIE ANIMALS

‘

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.

Moore on Life

It’ssummertime and that means yard sale time.

Yard sales are funny events. Here’s how they work. First you go through your entire house and garage and find things that you hate and no longer want to be around. Next, lug these items out of your house and scatter them onto the front lawn. And finally, charge strangers a hefty fee to cart your useless junk off from your property.

Here’s the kicker: People actually fall for this scam.

My husband and I recently hosted one of these cons and made off like bandits.

We set up our merchandise on a Friday and were ready to go Saturday morning. The first group of suckers…err…customers arrived bright and early.

“What is this thing?” A young shopper asked me.

“Oh, I really shouldn’t let that go,” I said. “But you look like a nice person so I’m going to cut you a deal. That is a vintage VHS player. Very hard to find nowadays. In fact, I think I saw this exact model on ‘Antiques Roadshow.’”

“I don’t know…”

I could tell she was hesitating.

“Ten bucks and I’ll throw in two boxes of VHS movies at absolutely no additional cost to you,” I said as I headed towards her car with the offending merchandise.

I tossed in a mystery box as another incentive. That sealed the deal. I’m sure she can use some old hubcaps. Maybe make some DIY garden planters out of them.

The day progressed nicely, except for that one man. There always has to be one. His haggling got out of control. He wanted me to drop the price on a mixer that was missing one beater from 50 cents to 25 cents. I finally agreed, on the condition that

By Cindy Moore

ACROSS

1. Deli side

5. *"Breakfast at Tiffany's" animal

8. Songs for one

12. What formica and biochemical have in common

he take a mystery box. Little did he know that he took a load of used cat toys off my hands for the quarter I lost in the deal. I considered us even.

Soon it was time to wrap up the sale, but we still had stuff that needed to be gone and I wasn’t about to load it back into my house.

I hurried and boxed everything up then printed a sign which said, “GET YOUR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING DONE EARLY. FREE GIFTS FOR MOM AND DAD.”

Within an hour the neighborhood kids had cleaned us out. Mission accomplished.

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.

13. Prefix for partly

14. Dark

15. Crew equipment, pl.

16. Steinbeck's "East of ____"

17. Golf shirt

18. *"Marmaduke" animal

20. *"Away & Back" animal

21. Game "field"

22. Slightly insane

23. Casual top

26. Vending machine

30. Rocks, to a bartender

31. Bowling prop

34. Lush

35. Trots and canters

37. Broadcasting medium

38. Inflammatory swelling

39. Highland tongue

40. Sock pattern

42. Bring into play

43. Go back over

45. Theater passages

47. Part of a cheer

48. Lump of anything

50. Milo and Otis, e.g.

52. *"Dunston Checks In" animal

56. Wheel on a spur

57. CISC alternative

58. Private theater box

59. Resembling wings

60. MacFarlane or Rogen

61. Go-____

62. *Bullseye, Hamm and Lotso Bear, e.g.

63. Lyric poem

64. Immediately, doctor's jargon

DOWN

1. Air quality concern

2. Fibber

3. Farm measure

4. Sushi condiment

5. Natural moth repellent

6. To change, as in the U.S. Constitution

7. Fork prong

8. *"Harry Potter" animal (2 words)

9. Earthenware pot

10. *"Born Free" animal

11. I in T.G.I.F.

13. Administer diazepam

14. When Cinderella wins

19. Civil wrongs

22. "Some Nights" band

23. *"Life of Pi" animal

24. Close call

25. Bank job

26. Gossamer

27. Cry like #5 Across

28. Liquorice flavored herb

29. Hues

32. Backgammon predecessor

33. *"Babe" animal

36. *"Anchorman" and "The Wizard of Oz" animals

38. Kundera's "Unbearable Lightness of ____"

40. "That feels good!" exclamation

41. Set in motion

44. Like a go-getter bird

46. Lies in ambush

48. Wept

49. It makes waste?

50. Singular of #17 Across

51. Home versus ____ game

52. Guesstimate phrase (2 words)

53. To perfection (3 words)

54. Taj Mahal city

55. As opposed to gross

56. *"Willard" animal

Yeggs’ is a comic series about Robert and Bill, two rabbits who have opened their