CNSTC: September 28, 2022

Taking stage

Learn deer processing at Field to Freezer classes.

Pg. 5

By Brett Auten

Several area dancers will be part of an in ternational cast performing at the highest level.

When the “Nutcracker! Magic of Christ mas Ballet!” takes center stage at the Fox Theatre in December, O’Fallon’s Bridgeman Academy of Performing Arts will have 23 representatives, ages six-to-16-years-old.

“I am really excited, I think this will be so much fun,” nine-year old Brooklyn Bridge

man said. “I can’t wait to perform on the Fox stage.”

The troupe will have six rehearsals to learn the routine and they will all have var ious roles from snowflakes to party guests.

Mattie Sellers is a 16-year-old Timberland High School junior who has 14 years of ex perience behind her. She has performed at the Fabulous Fox many times.

“For years, the ‘Nutcracker’ has been part of my family’s Christmas tradition,” Sellers said. “It’s the place to be.”

This year will have extra zeal, as the holi day favorite returns after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. And it comes with some appropriate rebranding.

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

Moore On Life, Yeggs & Crossword. Pg. F-4 for

In solidarity with the people of Ukraine, Talmi Entertainment announced the com pany’s flagship production, “Moscow Bal let’s Great Russian Nutcracker,” is renamed “Nutcracker! Magic of Christmas Ballet.” Talmi Entertainment is an independent, American-owned production compa Sunny 73/48 Partly Cloudy 76/51 Sunny

Around Town

Submitted photo

The Bridgeman Academy of Performing Arts O’Fallon in December’s “Nutcracker! Magic of Christmas Ballet at the Fabulous Fox Theatre in St. Louis on Dec. 18 with

Fall color forecast. Pg. 4

Assumption Catholic School adopts new testing platform. Pg. 7

‘STAGE’ from cover

ny based in Massachusetts. Founder, Akiva Talmi, whose family came to America from the Ukraine, expands upon this decision.

“Talmi Entertainment unequivocally re jects this war on Ukraine,” he said. “Our cen tral message in bringing dance to America has always been one of peace and unity. This name change is consistent with the found ing values reflected in our earliest projects. We shall continue this work to demonstrate our commitment to peace and international unity.”

At the tryouts, the Bridgeman dancers re lied on their fundamentals.

“We are all well-trained in the classics,” Sellers said. “We know how to audition.”

Tryouts were just a couple of weeks ago and now the squad will focus on shoring up its moves before joining the pros for re hearsals.

“Once you get to there, it’s hardcore,” Sell ers said.

The Bridgeman Academy of Performing Arts, located at 1120 Technology Dr., Suite 104 in O’Fallon., offers advanced classes for students and classes for those who are tak ing classes recreationally or who are need ing extra practice in order to advance into the proper level for their age group.

“Our academy focuses on community per formances,” head coach Elizabeth Bridge man said. “We have had students perform at the Fox before, but this is a lot for this year.”

“Nutcracker! Magic of Christmas Ballet” is the largest touring production of its kind. New and returning audiences will love its world-class dancers and acrobats, dramat ic storytelling and visually stunning larger than life puppets. New to the production are

a flock of white doves and a cadre of delicate marionettes crafted by Master Puppeteers in the World UNESCO Heritage city of Prague, Czech Republic. Under the direction of Nobuhiro Terada (designated People’s Artist of Ukraine), this production brings back the tradition of joy and magic that families na tionwide have enjoyed for 30 years.

“Nutcracker! Magic of Christmas Ballet” will be coming to The Fabulous Fox Theatre in St. Louis on Dec. 18, with a 3 p.m. mati nee and 7 p.m. show. Tickets are on sale now at Nutcracker.com. A portion of ticket pro

ceeds will be donated to humanitarian relief efforts in Ukraine. Every purchase moves closer to a goal of $100,000 in donations to UNICEF, which will directly help women, children, and those most critically affected.

The origin of the ‘Nutcracker,’ a clas sic Christmas story, is a fairy tale ballet in two acts centered on a family’s Christmas Eve celebration. It premiered a week be fore Christmas in 1892. Since premiering in western countries in the 1940s, this ballet has become perhaps the most popular to be performed around Christmas time.

Hunters encouraged to contribute to Bowhunter Observation Survey this fall

The Missouri Department of Conserva tion (MDC) encourages hunters to help monitor the state’s terrestrial wildlife pop ulations by reporting sightings through the Bowhunter Observation Survey.

MDC has conducted an annual Bow hunter Observation Survey since 1983 to track trends in wildlife populations, such as coyotes, fox, deer, wild turkeys and rac coons. During the early part of the archery deer and turkey season, from Sept. 15 until the start of the November portion of fire arms deer season, hunters record sightings of wildlife observed while hunting. These data are recorded and summarized at the statewide and county level.

Survey participants previously signed up for a mailing list to receive paper diaries to record their sightings during the archery season. MDC has recently developed an electronic version to make the survey more accessible and to improve how quickly re sults are summarized.

“Using the information sub mitted for the survey, we can calculate ‘Archer’s Indices’ for different observed wildlife spe cies to track trends in animal populations,” explained MDC Furbearer Biologist Nate Bow ersock. “Bowhunter Observa tion Surveys are also used in other states across the country and can be an efficient way to track wildlife numbers that are otherwise costly to do through other methods.”

While any bowhunter can contribute to the Bowhunter Observation Survey, register ing to become an official coop erator has additional benefits. Cooperators will receive a reminder email that the sur vey is about to begin and a summary report at the end of each survey. Cooperators can also receive a copy of their submitted ob

servations upon request.

To learn more and to sign up for the Bow hunter Observation Survey, visit https:// short.mdc.mo.gov/4co.

Submitted photo The Bridgeman Academy of Performing Arts in O’Fallon will have over 20 representatives in December’s “Nutcracker! Magic of Christmas Ballet at the Fabulous Fox Theatre in St. Louis on Dec. 18 with a 3 p.m. matinee and 7 p.m. show. Tickets are on sale now at Nutcracker.com.

Submitted photo

Bowhunters can help MDC monitor Missouri’s terrestrial wildlife populations by submitting sightings during the early portion of the state’s deer archery and turkey season, which runs through Nov. 11.

VETERINARY

To make it easier for deer hunters to help monitor Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), the Missouri De partment of Conservation (MDC) has deployed deer head drop-off sites in six counties in the St. Louis region. Each site has a freezer that will preserve the samples, which will be picked up later by MDC staff for CWD testing. To submit a deer head for testing, hunters will be required to cut off the head in advance, so it can be left in the freezer.

The goal is to provide hunters an additional way of submitting their harvested deer for voluntary CWD testing. These self-serve drop sites will enable hunters to submit deer heads for sampling at their conve nience throughout the 2022-2023 fall deer hunting season.

The sample drop-off sites in the St. Louis region include:

• Crawford Co.—Mary’s Val ley Meat Processing, 20 Brown Cemetery Road in Steelville

• Franklin —MDC’s Meramec Workstation, 3220 S. Hwy 185 at Meramec Conserva tion Area

• St. Charles Co.—August A. Busch Memorial Conserva tion Area, 2360 Highway D in St. Charles

• Warren —MDC’s Warren ton Office, 26620 State High way U in Warrenton

• Washington —U.S. Forest Service Office, 10019 West Highway 8 in Potosi

• Jefferson Co.— Festus/Crys tal City Conservation Club, 2567 U.S. Highway 61 in Crystal City

For an interactive map showing all voluntary CWD testing drop

off sites throughout the state, go to https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZCH.

Hunters should cut off the deer head (and antlers for any bucks) while leaving about six inches of neck attached before coming to the drop-off location. Materials will be available at the freezer sites, such as trash bags, zip ties, and data sheets, that hunters can use in labeling the heads.

Hunters will need to record their name and contact information, as well as their Telecheck ID numbers and the location the deer was har vested. They can then simply leave the head in the freezer. Staff will collect the head and pull the sam ples to be submitted for testing.

The drop-off sites will not be available for use during the open ing weekend of the firearms deer season (Nov. 12-13) in counties where mandatory CWD sampling is required. Hunters harvesting deer in mandatory CWD sampling counties must use the MDC staffed sampling locations normally used for CWD Mandatory Sampling during the opening weekend. The drop-off sites will still be open in St. Charles and Warren counties, as these have been excluded from mandatory sampling during the 2022 season. The sites in these counties will provide a voluntary sampling option for those hunters who would still like to get their deer tested.

Hunters will be able to check the results themselves online using their Telecheck ID at within three weeks. MDC will notify a hunt er directly if their sample returns a positive result. The Centers for Disease Control does not recom mend consuming meat from a deer that has tested positive for CWD.

CWD is a neurological disease that is fatal to deer. A deer may be infected with no visible symp toms. The only way to positively identify the presence of CWD is to extract lymph nodes from the an imal’s neck. The disease has been confirmed in Jefferson, Franklin, Washington, and Crawford coun ties in MDC’s St. Louis region, as well as 18 other counties elsewhere in the state. Hunters can play an important role in helping MDC monitor and track the disease in Missouri by providing this valuable data.

Hunters who harvest deer from any of the 34 CWD Management Zone counties are reminded that they must follow carcass transpor tation restrictions when traveling to CWD testing sites. Visit mdc. mo.gov/cwd, or see the 2022 Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Informa tion and Regulation booklet for details.

The drop-off sites will be avail able to accept samples until the conclusion of the 2022-2023 ar chery deer season, Jan. 15, 2023.

Third Annual St. Charles Paw Parade set for Oct. 8

The city of St. Charles presents the furriest event of the season: the Third Annual Paw Parade. Dogs will be parading down the streets of Frenchtown in their best dressed on Oct. 8 at 10 a.m. All proceeds will benefit the local animal shelter.

The Paw Parade will begin at 10 a.m. and travel down Second Street to Clark Street, ending at the park ing lot across from the Foundry Art Centre at 520 N Main Center. Cos tumes are encouraged as prizes will be awarded for best dressed.

There will be an animal-lover vendor fair after the parade until 1 p.m. where area businesses will be providing offerings for pets and their owners, as well as plenty of fun for the kids and lots of lovable pets to interact with. If you don’t have a dog, stop by and watch the parade for free.

“This has become one of my favorite annual traditions in St. Charles and I’m so excited to bring it back for the third year in a row,” said St. Charles Mayor Dan Borg

meyer. “Come out and support a great cause with us, and see some adorable pups while you’re at it.”

It is not too late to sign on as a sponsor or vendor. Get a free t-shirt if you register to walk in the parade before Sept. 30. Online registration is now available at https://www. eventbrite.com/e/paw-parade-tick ets-415473802327.

For more information, visit www. stcharlescitymo.gov/PawParade.

Submitted photo

Drop-off sites in St. Louis region to aid hunters in voluntary CWD testing

Around Town

Enjoy the foliage of the season with fall color forecast

The temperatures are cooling down and trees are beginning to change col or – a sure sign that fall has arrived. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) encourages people to enjoy fall foliage through camping, driving tours, hiking or even floating. To help, MDC offers weekly online fall color updates from agency foresters all over the state at mdc.mo.gov/fallcolor.

“Our fall color reports are such a con venient resource for the public,” said MDC Forestry Field Programs Supervi sor Russell Hinnah. “The reports begin around mid-September and are updated weekly. They show users where trees are beginning to turn and also suggest best places to see the changing leaves.”

Predicting the peak of fall color can be difficult, but much depends on the weather. Hinnah noted the dry summer weather could affect this year’s color.

“We had droughty conditions over the summer, which could cause trees to lose their leaves early or begin changing col ors earlier than normal,” he explained. “This may affect the amount of fall color we see later in the season.”

The season’s chilly evenings are im perative for leaves to change color.

“Sugars produced by photosynthesis are trapped inside leaves by the chilly autumn nights,” Hinnah explained. “Those sugars are the building blocks for the rich red, yellow, orange, and purple pigments. Cool nights cause the breakdown of green pigments, allowing the fall colors to show through.”

Missouri trees first begin changing color in the northern part of the state, then move southward. Sassafras, sumac, and Virginia creeper are some of the earliest to change in mid-September. In late September, black gum, bittersweet, and dogwood are turning. The peak of fall color is usually around mid-Octo ber.

“Trees such as maples, ashes, oaks, and hickories are at the peak of their fall display by the middle of October,” Hin nah noted. “Normally by the end of the month, colors are fading and leaves are falling.”

Missouri’s fall color can be viewed and enjoyed from almost anywhere. For spectacular vistas, choose routes along rivers with views of forest ed bluffs, and along ridges with sweeping scenes of forested landscapes.

“We encourage everyone to visit MDC’s conservation areas or Missouri state parks to enjoy a scenic drive,” said Hinnah.

Fall color isn’t limited to trees. Prairies and roadsides display beautiful shades of gold, purple, olive, and auburn with autumn wildflowers, shrubs, and grass es. In cities and towns, enjoy places with

mature trees, such as older neighbor hoods, parks, and even cemeteries.

MDC provides its annual fall color update at mdc.mo.gov/fallcolor. The weekly reports include what kinds of trees are turning and suggestions on the best places to view them. The updates run September through November.

MDC offering prescribed burn certification training

Prescribed fire is a valuable tool that can help land managers achieve their goals and benefit na tive plants and wildlife at the same time.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is offering prescribed burn certification train ing in both St. Charles and Lincoln Counties for anyone interested in learning how to properly utilize prescribed fire. Controlled burn ing is a valuable tool for the man agement of grasslands, prairies, woodlands, glades, and other nat ural communities.

Participants will learn how pre scribed burns can benefit natural habitats, and how to safely utilize fire to accomplish their land man agement goals.

The Missouri Prescribed Burn Certification training consists of two parts: Part one is an online training which will be complet ed at the participant’s own pace. Part two will be an in-person field event. To sign up for the training, participants must first enroll in a specific field event (see below). In formation will be via email to the

address provided at registration with instructions on how to complete the required online training. The on line training must be taken prior to attending the field event.

To register, follow the links provided below.

• Oct. 13, from 10 a.m.2:30 p.m., in St. Charles County, field portion to take place at the MDC St. Lou is Regional Office on the August A. Busch Memori al Conservation Area. For more details and to register online, go to https://short. mdc.mo.gov/4cm.

• Nov. 4, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., in Jefferson County, field portion to take place at the USDA Service Center in Hillsboro. For more details and to register online, go to

https://short.mdc.mo.gov /4cs.

Each prescribed burn field event is free to private landowners but costs $25 for contractors. Ad vanced online registration is re quired using the links provided above. Participants will receive per manent Certified Burner Certifica tion after successfully completing the in-person field day.

To learn more about prescribed fire, go to https://short.mdc. mo.gov/Zrf.

Submitted photo

Enjoy the colors of the season with help from MDC’s weekly fall color forecast. Pictured is a white oak tree displaying orange fall color.

Submitted photo

MDC is offering prescribed burn certification trainings in St. Charles and Lincoln Counties for anyone wanting to utilize prescribed fire to manage natural communities on their land.

Learn deer processing at Field to Freezer classes offered by Henges and Busch Shooting Ranges

Deer hunting has a long tradi tion of providing food for the table. There are certain steps that hunt ers should take to ensure they are preparing and handling their deer meat safely.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is offering opportunities for deer hunters to learn the essential skills of field dressing at two Field to Freez er classes being hosted at both of MDC’s St. Louis area shooting ranges and outdoor education cen ters. The classes will be held Oct. 4 from 6 – 8 p.m., at the Jay Heng es Range in Eureka and from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. at the August A. Busch Range in Defiance.

In addition to covering field considerations, the courses are de signed to help hunters to save mon ey and gain satisfaction by process ing their own deer after the hunt.

Each program will cover the steps necessary to enable hunters to process deer meat for them selves. MDC staff will discuss the field-dressing process and demon strate how to skin and butcher a deer in simple, easy steps. The pre sentation will include information on the equipment needed, safety considerations, and demonstrate how to get deer meat ready for safe storage and preparing it for the ta ble. Participants will learn tips on how to make sure their venison is the best quality possible.

Both Field to Freezer programs are free and offer the same content; however, advanced online registra tion is required at the respective links:

• Jay Henges Shooting Range and Outdoor Education Center from 6-8 p.m., 1100 Antire Road, off the I-44

CONCERT REVIEW:

Pearl Jam still feeling the flow

Pearl Jam is a band with one of the most passionate and dedicated fan bases around. Over the course of the band’s 30-year lifespan, that affection has only grown.

The band is fully aware of what great fans they have and use their live shows to express that apprecia tion.

This mutual lovefest was on full display at the band’s most recent stop at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis on Sept. 18.

I have always considered myself a fan of Pearl Jam, although I fall more in the “Own the Greatest Hits and a couple of other albums” casu al-fan range.

This concert was tailored more for the “I celebrate the entire catalogue” fan. So while I didn’t get to hear ev ery song I wanted to hear, that was totally made up for by the fact that I was getting to see a band entering its third decade excited and energized by performing the songs they want ed to play in front of a crowd ecstat ically singing along to every word.

Plus, frontman Eddie Vedder has such an iconic, once-in-a-genera tion voice that he could get up there and sing Christmas carols and the show would still be worth the price of admission.

Vedder was in fine form as the band did a bit of a head-fake at the

beginning of the show, performing the first three songs seated in a mel low, acoustic vibe.

But just as you thought this might be a new look for a bunch of dudes well into their 50s, the band got back to their grunge roots with the volume cranked, Vedder running around the stage swinging the mi crophone like a lethal weapon and guitarist Mike McCready grinding against the amplifiers while shred ding guitar solos.

The level of gratitude expressed by the band for the fans was more than just lip service as McCready flung fistfuls of guitar picks into the crowd like confetti and Vedder

#269 exit in Eureka; https:// short.mdc.mo.gov/4cX

• August A. Busch Shooting Range and Outdoor Educa tion Center from 5:30-7:30 p.m., 3550 Route D, ap proximately five miles west of Highway 94 in Defiance; https://short.mdc.mo.gov /4ce

Sign up for email or text alerts to stay informed of MDC’s latest programs and events by going to https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZoP.

By Mat DeKinder

whipped tambourines through the air like he was trying to score under par at Frisbee golf.

There was even (maybe? possi bly?) an unplanned addition as at the end of the encore after Pearl Jam’s signature hit “Alive” and the crowd roaring at a fever pitch, the band huddled and whipped out a rendition of the universally beloved “Yellow Ledbetter” before calling it a night.

From the looks of everyone in volved in the arena, Pearl Jam shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon and the love affair between the band and its fans is as steamy as ever.

Submitted photo

MDC leads nature/photo hike for those with disabilities on Busch Greenway Trail

Enjoying nature and the great out doors is for everybody, and mobility doesn’t have to be an obstacle. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is leading a Nature Walk/Pho to Hike for adults and children with disabilities Saturday, Oct 1 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. on the Busch Greenway Trail in St. Charles. The event is open to all ages and mobility levels and fam

ily and support givers are welcome too.

The hike will be led by MDC volun teers and travel along an ADA-acces sible paved trail toward the Katy Tri al, then turn around and walk back. The Busch Greenway travels near and through the August A. Busch Memo rial and Weldon Spring Conservation Areas.

Participants can enjoy a beauti ful fall day listening for birds, animals, and a creek as it moves quiet ly through the woods. With luck, autumn colors may be emerging, creat ing excellent opportuni ties for picture-taking, so hikers are welcome to bring their cameras if they choose. Friend and family members are en couraged to join the hike. Participants should dress for the weather, wear shoes good for walking and bring water.

Submitted photo MDC is leading a Nature Walk/Photo Hike for adults and children with disabilities Saturday, Oct 1 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. on the Busch Greenway Trail in St. Charles. The event is open to all ages and mobility levels and family and support givers are welcome.

The Nature Walk/Photo Hike for adults and children with disabilities is a free event, however advanced on line registration is required by going to https://short.mdc.mo.gov/4cK. Al ternatively, attendees may register by calling Recreation Council of Greater St. Louis at 314-726-726-6044. Exact starting point will be provided prior to the hike.

Sign up for email or text alerts to stay informed of MDC’s latest programs and events by going to https://short. mdc.mo.gov/ZoP.

THIS WEEK’S PICK

Buy native trees and shrubs from MDC State Forest Nursery

Need trees and shrubs for your landscape? Go na tive with tree and shrub seedlings from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). Native trees and shrubs can help improve wildlife habitat and soil and water conservation while also improving the ap pearance and value of private property.

MDC’s George O. White State Forest Nursery near Licking, Missouri offers a variety of low-cost native tree and shrub seedlings for sale for reforestation, windbreaks, erosion control, wildlife food and cover, and other purposes.

The nursery provides mainly one-year-old, bareroot seedlings with sizes varying by species. Seedlings varieties include: pine, bald cypress, cottonwood, black walnut, hickory, oak, pecan, persimmon, river birch, maple, willow, sycamore, blackberry, button bush, hazelnut, redbud, ninebark, spicebush, elder berry, sumac, wild plum, witch hazel, and others.

Seedlings are available in bundles of 10 or incre ments of 25 per species. Prices range from 34 cents to $1 per seedling. Sales tax of 6.1 percent will be added to orders unless tax exempt. There is an $9 handling charge for each order. Receive a 15% discount up to $20 off seedling orders with a Heritage Card, Permit Card, or Conservation ID Number.

“The nursery grows millions of seedlings each

year, but some species are very popular and sell out quickly,” said Forest Nursery Supervisor Mike Fiaoni. “And some seedlings occasionally succumb to harsh weather or hungry wildlife, despite the nursery staff’s best efforts.”

Fiaoni added that even if a species is listed as “sold out,” customers can still place an order for those seed lings because other orders may get cancelled, freeing up inventory. Customers won’t be charged for seed lings unless they are available to ship.

He noted that, due to shipping costs tripling from past years, the nursery must now charge shipping fees for orders being shipped to Missouri addresses. “This is the first time in the nursery’s 80-plus-year history that we have had to do this,” he said.

Orders will be processed through April 15, 2023. Orders will be shipped or can be picked up at the nursery near Licking from February through May.

Learn more and place orders using MDC’s 20222023 Seedling Order Form. Find it in the September issue of the Missouri Conservationist, at MDC re gional offices and nature centers, or by contacting the State Forest Nursery at 573-674-3229 or StateForest Nursery@mdc.mo.gov.

Place orders online at mdc.mo.gov/trees-plants/ tree-seedlings.

Assumption Catholic School adopts new testing platform

The new Let’s Go Learn Math and Reading testing initiative at Assump tion Catholic School in O’Fallon allows teachers, administrators, and parents to track each student’s academic growth throughout the 2022-23 school year. Students in grades K-8 were adminis tered the Benchmark Test on Sept. 5-9 using Chromebooks and iPads already being utilized in the classrooms, and will undergo additional testing in Jan uary and May.

“By using this new testing platform, we can see the growth of learning for each student over the course of the school year,” says Dr. Patricia Hensley, Assumption School Principal. “The goal is for every student to make at least a full year’s growth from the first to the last testing date.”

Based on three primary components, the testing identifies specific areas in math and reading for each student, and gives teachers a means to provide bet ter direct instruction, develop groups of students for small group learning, and identifies those who might need one-to-one instruction for reinforce ment.

Parents also will be given reports de tailing their child’s progress after each of the following tests have been com pleted:

• Diagnostic Online Reading As sessment (DORA): This K-12 test provides objective, individ ualized assessment data across eight reading measures that together profile each student’s reading abilities, and prescribe

individual learning paths.

• Adaptive Diagnostic Assessment of Mathematics for K-7 (ADAM): This test is designed to be ful ly aligned with the Common Core, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), and other state standards. ADAM assess es across 44 constructs within National Council of Teacher’s Mathematics (NCTM) five in structional strands.

• Diagnostic Online Mathemat ics Assessment for grade eight (DOMA): This pre-algebra and algebra test intelligently assesses individual students in 14 con structs and follows with a de tailed roadmap for remediation/ instruction.

• Prior to testing of the 430 Assump tion students, teachers were given an overview of the new program, and will be trained on how to use the results to successfully assess each student to the fullest. Parents will receive their child’s information after the faculty training sessions in late September and early October.

After a week-long break, students in grades three-through-eight will begin the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) testing required by the Archdiocese of St. Louis. The ITBS test measures knowledge of each student and com pares each student to all other students in the country.

Photo courtesy Assumption Catholic School

The new Let’s Go Learn Math and Reading testing initiative at Assumption Catholic School in O’Fallon allows teachers, administrators, and parents to track each student’s academic growth throughout the 2022-23 school year.

What’s

Take Notice . . .

EVENTS

Oct. 1: Quilt show

The Cornerstone United Methodist Women and the Cover Girls Quilting Circle are sponsoring a quilt show and sale at the Cornerstone United Methodist Church at 1151 Tom Ginnever Ave. in O’Fallon from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. The show will feature the quilts of local quilter Clifdel Dowler. Items avail able for sale are baby quilts, throw quilts, table runners, and other handmade items. Admission is free (donations accepted). All donations will support the Cornerstone UMW and the Cover Girls Quilting Circle. Visit corner stoneofallon.org for more in formation.

Oct. 2: Brass band con cert

The St. Louis Brass Band is scheduled to perform at Zion Lutheran Church at 3866 S. Old Highway 94 in St. Charles at 3 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at the door the day of the event. Ticket pric es are $15 general admission; $5 for children in grades one thru 12; free for children ages five and under. This event is part of the Music at Zion concert series for 2022-2023. For more information and di rections, log on to www.zion harvester.org or contact Mark Thoelke, Director of Worship and Music at 636-441-7425.

Oct. 8 Rummage and bake sale

Grace United Church of Christ (at 8326 Mexico Road in O’Fallon) will have a fall rummage and bake sale in the church’s lower level from 8 a.m. to noon. Shop the “trea sures” for a freewill offering. Baked goods will be available for purchase.

Oct. 15: Fall festival fundraiser

A fall festival fundraiser to help support the Meals On Wheels program takes place at the O’Fallon Senior Cen ter at 106 N. Main Street in O’Fallon behind city hall from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Baked, craft and resale items will be for sale, cash only. Venders are welcome, limited table space is available for $25. For more information call 636272-4180.

Oct. 21: Dinner/dance fundraiser

A fall festival of dinner/dance and a silent auction will take place from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. at the Christy Banquet Cen ter at 9000 Veterans Memo rial Parkway in O’Fallon, to benefit Crossroads Clinic. The clinic provides medical care to qualified individuals between the ages of 18 and 64 in St. Charles, Warren, Lincoln, and Montgomery Counties who do not have Medicare/Medicaid or any insurance. Every visit is completely free. The dinner/

auction will be held tickets at $60 per person. To purchase tickets please contact Leslie Held at 636-399-6636.

Oct. 29: Trivia night

The Collector Car Trivia Night, hosted by the Arch way Oldsmobile Club, will be held at the American Legion 312 at 2500 Raymond Drive in St. Charles. Trivia begins at 7 p.m. and ends at 11 p.m. Price is $160 per table of eight or $20 per person. The event benefits the St. Louis Hon or Flight Program, and the Open Door Animal Sanctu ary. For more information or to reserve your table, please call 314-825-2980, or email olsonrsa@gmail.com. Make checks payable to the Arch way Olds Club, 350 Ashfari Drive, Florissant, MO 63034.

Oct 30: Quilt bingo

Quilt bingo takes place at the VFW Auxiliary Post 2866 at 66 VFW Lane (and South Hwy 94) in St. Charles. Doors open at 11 a.m. and bingo be gins at 1 p.m. Plated lunch is available. For more informa tion contact Earline at 636697-8157.

Nov. 5-6: Quilting event

Loose Threads Quilt Guild presents Celebrate With Quilts 2022 Nov. 5, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Nov. 6, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at St. Charles Commu nity College at 4601 Mid Riv ers Mall Drive in Cottleville. An $8 donation for admis sion (cash only). There will be over 300 quilts, vendors, and quilt and sewing machine raf fles. Proceeds support Crisis Nursery. Facebook updates @ LooseThreadsQG.

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 Lay la 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. 636-3993124.

Mondays: Parent support group

Because I Love You, (BILY), Gateway parent support group meets every Monday

at 7:30 p.m. at First Unit ed 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 pro gram of self-help for par ents of troubled children (all ages). We are not profession als, but parents helping each other. The meetings are free to attend.

Mondays: NAMI St. Lou is Connection Recovery Support Group

If you have mental health concerns and need support, please come on Mondays at 6:30 p.m. at Friedens Unit ed 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 Alco holics 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 mem bers who want to better our community. Contact Christy at 314-583-0538.

Mondays: Seasoned eye carvers meeting

Meetings are held from 9 to 11 a.m. at the St. Charles Se nior Citizens Center at 1455 Fairgrounds (near the Bass Pro Shop). Visitors are al ways welcome. For more in formation 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 Christian Church, 1332 Feise Road in Dardenne Prairie. New sing ers (high school and older) are welcome. Auditions are not required. See www.con certarts.org.

Mondays: St. Charles County Council of the Blind meetings

Business meetings are held on the first Monday of each month unless otherwise spec 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 Rota ry 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 Luetken haus Blvd., Wentzville. 314369-6521.

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 lev el, to join in. Call Mary Ann at 636-397-0866 if you are in terested in playing on Mon day or Thursday morning.

Mondays: American Le gion Post 388 Meets Meets the fourth Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at American Legion Hall, 607 Westridge Dr., O’Fallon, 636-219-0553

Mondays: Measurement Mondays: 10 a.m. - 12 noon at the ST. Charles Health Deparment in the Upper Level Confer ence 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 meet ing will be a little different than the last. There will be baby weigh-ins, introduc tions, games, interactive ed ucation, group conversation, and even snacks.

Mondays and Wednes days: Tai Chi for arthritis class

Every Monday and Wednes day 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: Women’s AA weekly meeting

Candlelighters Women in Re covery 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

The St. Charles Optimist Club meets Tuesdays at noon at Pio’s Restaurant. For more information contact Jack Ross at 314-287-0569 or jackross@att.net.

Tuesdays: Cribbage

Looking for an evening out? Come and play cribbage Tuesdays at 6 p.m. at Rookies at 15358 Veterans Memori al Pkwy in Wentzville. Win prizes and awards with semi annual tournaments. ACC sanctioned. For more infor mation contact Dee at 636233-8032.

Tuesdays: Diabetes sup port group

A diabetes support group meets on the fourth Tues day 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 636-6255447.

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 global organization of volun teers 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: Quilting Guild at the O’Fallon Family YMCA

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

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: Mended Hearts

This heart patient support group provides hospital visi tation 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 Chap ter of the Alzheimer’s As sociation Male Caregiver Experience

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

Tuesdays: Social club for widows and widowers

On the first and third Tuesday of each month a social club for widows and widowers meets from 1:00 - 3:30 p.m. at St. John’s United Church of Christ at Fifth and Jackson Streets in St. Charles. On the first Tues day there are refreshments and on the third Tuesday there is either a speaker or entertain ment. The group also goes to breakfast, lunch and dinner monthly, and has a pot luck dinner each month.

Tuesdays: NAMI St. Lou is Connection Recovery Support Group

If you have mental health con cerns 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: NAMI St. Louis Family Support Group

If you have a family member or friend who is having mental health concerns there is a sup port group for you. It meets on the third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at Grace Unit ed Church of Christ at 8326 Mexico Rd. in St. Peters.

Tuesdays: Dardenne Pres byterian Church Basket ball 8-9:30 p.m., in the Christian Life Center, 7400 South Outer 364 in Dardenne Prairie. Open to high school and adult men.

Tuesdays: Central Missou ri Railroad Association meeting

This unique organization is for railroad modelers, railfans, photographers and railroad re tirees with layouts in O, HO, N hoping to add G scales. Meet ings are on second Tuesdays of the month from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Warrenton Masonic Lodge. For more info call 636279-5522 or 636-456-0776 or visit our Facebook page.

Tuesdays: Cancer support group

Cancer Companions Support Group is a support group for any cancer patient in treatment or post treatment, their care giver and their loved ones that meets on the second Tuesday of each month at Dardenne Presbyterian Church at 7400 South Outer 364 in Dardenne Prairie at 7 p.m. in the parlor. Registration is not required.

Tuesdays: O’Fallon Gar den Club Meets at 6:30 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of the month at Sunrise Methodist Church, 7116 Twin Chimney Blvd. Info: Barb at 636.978.5930. Club does not meet in May or November.

Tuesdays and Thursdays: Tai Chi at the St. Charles County Family YMCA 10:15-11:15 a.m. No experi ence necessary. 636-928-1928.

Tuesdays and Thursdays: Get Fit Exercise Classes 9-10 a.m. at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church Hall, New Melle. 314-369-6521.

Third Tuesday: Luncheon for seniors

On the third Tuesday of every month there is a luncheon for seniors from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Transfiguration Episcopal Church at 1860 Lake St. Lou is Blvd. For more information call 636-561-8951.

Wednesdays: Toastmas ters Club

The Cavesprings Toastmas ters Club will transform your speaking ability and offers in person and online meetings every Wednesday from 8 – 9 a.m. at the St. Charles Am bulance District at 2000 Salt River Road in St. Peters. RSVP at cavespringstoastmasters@ gmail.com as guests are free.

Wednesdays: TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) Club

TOPS 502 Wright City meets every Wednesday morning at First Baptist Church at 104 Hedeman Ave. in Wright City. Weigh-in 7 - 8:30 a.m. Meeting starts at 9 a.m. For more infor

mation call 314-504-5202

Wednesdays: Food pantry Food pantry open Wednesdays to the public from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Cornerstone UMC at 1151 Tom Ginnever Ave. in O’Fallon. Bread, canned goods other necessities.

Wednesdays: St. Charles Area Wood Carvers

Meetings are held from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at the Hollenbeck Middle School at 4555 Central School Road in St. Charles. Visitors are always welcome. For more information visit http://www.stcharlesarea woodcarvers.com/ or contact Charles Sapp at cwsapp@char ter.net.

Wednesdays: Senior citi zen luncheon

Every first Wednesday of the month (except January and July), St. Robert Bellarmine Church at 1424 First Capitol Drive, South in St. Charles will hold a luncheon for men and women 55 and up. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. Lunch served 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Games (activities) held 12:30 -2 p.m. Cost is $10 per person. Reservations required by the Friday prior to the luncheon by calling 636-946-6799. All are welcome.

Wednesdays: Quilt guild

Every Fourth Wednesday from January to October, the Loose Threads Quilt Guild meets at 6:45 p.m. at the Cultural Arts Centre at the St. Peters City

Hall on Mexico Road in St. Peters.

Wednesdays: Marine Corps League meeting

On the first Wednesday of each month the St. Charles County Marine Corps League meets at Pezold Banquet Center, 5701 Hwy N, in Cottleville at 7:00 p.m. All Marines and FMF Corpsmen are welcome. For more information visit www. stcharlesmarine.org.

Wednesdays: Women’s fishing club

Gateway Bass ‘n Gals all wom en’s bass club has monthly meetings the first Wednesday of every month at JJ’s Restau rant at 1215 S. Duchesne Dr. in St. Charles at 7 p.m. Women of any fishing level please come and check out our women-on ly fishing club.

Wednesdays: Monthly vet erans coffee

Veterans from all branches of service are invited to the Wentzville Green Lantern Se nior Center at 506 S. Linn Ave. in Wentzville on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month from 9 – 10:30 a.m. for coffee, pastries and camara derie. Come meet with fellow veterans who served our coun try and share your experience.

Wednesdays: Crossroads Cribbage Club

Meets at 1380 Boone St., at 12 p.m. in Troy. 636-528-8379.

Wednesdays: Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS)

Take Off Pounds Sensibly meets every Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. in the United Methodist Church at 725 N. Wall St. in Wentzville. TOPS is a national non-profit weight-loss organi zation that supports its mem

bers in attaining their goal weight. There is no cost for the first meeting. All are welcome.

Wednesdays: Men’s Golf League

Wednesdays, April - October. 5 p.m., tee off at 5:30 p.m. at Heritage of Hawk Ridge. For more information, contact the Lake St. Louis Community As sociation at 636-625-8276.

Wednesdays: Charity Bin go

6:45pm, Doors open at 5 p.m. VFW Post 5077 sponsors, at VFW Hall, 8500 Veter ans Mem. Pkwy., O’Fallon. 636-272-1945 or www.vfw post5077.org.

Wednesdays: Yoga at The St. Charles County Family YMCA

6-6:55pm Any level. Info: 636928-1928.

CROSSWORD answers from page F-4

SUDOKU answers from page F-1

Sports you see with Gary B . . .

Football team at Lindenwood moved to two wins on the young season playing at home

Lindenwood University’s football team earned a 37-3 win over Keiser recently from Hunter Stadium in St. Charles.

The much-anticipated home opener brought in more than 4,000 fans on Family Day. Payton Rose started the scoring with a 33-yard touchdown reception from the arm of Cade Brister. It marked the 71st career touch down pass by Brister, setting program record. The Se ahawks answered with a 32-yard field goal, but the de fense played flawless throughout the remainder of the game.

Kobe Smith made a statement in his first home game as a Lion, hauling in a touchdown pass at the 12:08 mark of the second quarter. Less than six minutes later, Brister found Smith again on a 78-yard bomb to make it a 21-3 lead. On the ensuing drive for Keiser, the Lions were flying around on defense, as Tayvian Weary se cured a sack to help force a punt. After a short punt, the Lions went six plays for a total of 52 yards before An drew Martin bulled his way in for a short touchdown run. Lindenwood took a 28-3 lead into the half with the help of three scores in the second quarter alone.

The second half started slow for both teams, as each team had a short first drive to start the third frame. Keiser put together a 15-play drive, but the Linden wood defense stood strong and forced a turnover on downs. The Lions added three points to their total at the 12:34 mark of the fourth quarter, after Logan Seib ert knocked in a 32-yard field goal.

The Seahawks had the ball for just three plays before Darion Mullins laid a big hit on the quarterback, al lowing Jaden Patrick to recover the fumble to give the Lions possession. It took the Lions just five plays before Justin Williams scored on a 16-yard scamper for the 37-3 lead. Keiser again put together a long drive, but the defense stood strong yet again to close out the game with the 34-point victory in the home opener.

Brister compiled 377 yards through the air, as Rose (180) and Smith (111) each eclipsed 100 yards receiv

ing. Smith hauled in two touchdown passes and 104 yards after the catch. Lindenwood put up 126 yards on the ground to total 521 yards of total offense. The Li ons tallied 24 first downs, and converted on all four red zone trips, including three touchdowns.

Tyrone Griffin led the defense with 11 total tackles, and added one tackle behind the line of scrimmage. Tra Ranson laid a handful of big hits, as he and Chase Gior gi each posted seven tackles. Sterlin Williams has pro vided a quality rush from the edge early in the season, as the Zephyrhills, Fla. native posted 2.0 sacks and one forced fumble. As a team, the Lions posted 3.0 sacks, 7.0 tackles for loss, and six pass breakups in the game.

“This was a big test for us,” said head coach Jed Stu gart. “We came off a huge road win last week and we have a tough conference opponent next week, so we had to keep our focus and not overlook a quality oppo nent at in a different division. We did just that and felt like we played a consistent four quarters.”

Stat leaders:

• Cade Brister (19-for-32, 377 yards, 3 TD, 30 rush yards)

• Payton Rose (9 catches, 180 yards, 1 TD)

• Kobe Smith (8 catches, 111 yards, 2 TD, 104 YAC)

~~~Great home win

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 Ras cals’ inaugural season, and co-hosted SportsRadioSTL.com, and is current ly hosting a Health show on 97.1 FM, ‘Prime Time Health’ www.PrimeTimeSTL.com It broad casts Saturday nights at 8 and Sunday mornings at 9.

Recipe: A splendid smoothie

If you ever find yourself craving something healthy and easy to make, you’re not alone. Maybe you are constantly on the go, chasing after little ones or just started a new job. Whether you’re on the move or relax ing at home, smoothies are a simple way to add nutritious ingredients to your diet.

From strawberries and mangos to blueberries and more, there are almost limitless smoothie options. You can use different combinations of greens and textures or even add something savory like peanut or al mond butter.

This Blueberry Banana Smoothie is simple with just a couple basic di rections and gives you the energy you need to finish out your day strong.

It has 1 cup of spinach, which is full of iron and vitamins, frozen ba nanas and blueberries to fill up your fruit intake for the day and berry yo gurt to add a hint of dairy and some sweetness to your drink.

Garnish your finished product with fresh blueberries for some ex tra flair. With chia seeds for added texture, this smoothie is perfect for breakfast or even an afternoon snack.

Blueberry Banana Smoothie

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

1 cup spinach

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar blend

1 tablespoon almond butter

1/2 cup bananas, frozen

1/2 cup blueberries, frozen

1 tablespoon chia seeds

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon minced ginger

1/2 cup berry yogurt

fresh blueberries, for garnish (optional)

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 F.

In blender, blend spinach, water, apple cider vinegar, almond butter, frozen bananas, frozen blueberries, chia seeds, cinnamon, ginger and yogurt until smooth.

Pour into two glasses and garnish with fresh blueberries, if desired.

Movie:

By Steve Bryan

After months or years of shoot

ing a movie, studios, directors and cast typically look forward to seeing their hard work on the big screen. However, some motion pictures never make it to theater screens for one reason or another.

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.

For instance, I’ve written piec es about the late, lamented 1994 “Fantastic Four” movie directed by Roger Corman to preserve the movie rights. The late Stan “The Man” Lee promoted the film and expressed his love of the “Thing” costume created for the film. Though it never had a theatrical re lease, fans bought bootleg copies of the film at comic book shows over the years.

What happens, though, when a highly an ticipated film is placed on the shelf during post-production? That’s the dilemma fac ing “Batgirl,” a superhero adventure starring Leslie Grace as Barbara Gordon, daughter of Gotham City Police Commissioner James Gordon (J.K. Simmons). Barbara becomes a vigilante and also runs into Michael Keaton’s Batman as they battle crime in the dark of night. David Zaslav, the head of Warner Bros. Discovery, recently announced that the stu dio would take a tax write-off on the project,

whose budget was estimated at $90 million.

Taking a potentially lucrative film like “Batgirl” and relegating it to reported “fu neral screenings” on the Warner Bros. lot is not good business. Barbara Gordon and her masked alter ego have a large fan base, es pecially on the free broadcast station MeTV.

In its original 1960’s run, Batgirl didn’t show up until the last season and she made quite an impression on fans decades ago and found new fans on MeTV. The publicity sur rounding this film has been enough to war rant screenings for fans. It could also find a

home on some streaming services.

The talented Ezra Miller makes a fantastic and funny superhero, but his off-screen, violent behavior has been cause for concern. Prior to that, he turned in an amazing per formance as Barry Allen, a young man gifted with super speed, in 2017’s “Justice League.” Barry, who said he has only “pushed peo ple” and then run away thus far, received some basic, down-toearth superhero moves from Ben Affleck’s Batman: “Save one per son.” After that, Batman said he would know what to do. Barry also played a key role in reviving Super man later in the film.

Originally slated for a June 3, re lease, “The Flash” has since been rescheduled for June 23, 2023. The plot has Barry going back in time to prevent his mother from being killed. Changing that timeline changed other things as well and that will cause problems for Barry.

Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck are both on hand as Batman (Batmen?) while Michael Shannon returns as General Zod. In this film, actress Sasha Calle has been cast as Su pergirl. The plot and casting sound fantastic, but Miller’s difficulties with the law may de lay this DC project for a while.

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.

‘Batgirl’ and ‘The Flash’ may not arrive in theaters

Ugh! I was at the store trying on a shirt and took a look at myself in the mirror; and no, it was not a typical mirror from the chest up. Instead, it was one of those tell-the-truthnothing-but-thetruth full-length things that refuse to help out a poor soul in need of a good lie.

I looked a little droopy in the upper areas, a lot saggy in the lower areas and my face was creased and had lost its shape and firmness. It had the ap pearance of a candle that had been left too long in a hot car.

I was in desperate need of a plan B – a make over. I had a feeling that would be cheaper than my plan A – an emergency body transplant.

I dashed around the teen section of the de partment store and picked up some items sure to shake some dust off from this old corpse of mine.

First, I grabbed a pair of blue jeans, the kind that have so many holes that it looks like they’ve been slashed by a Weedwacker. Then I bought a pair of fake eyelashes. All the girls are wearing them. They’re thick and black and very bold and daring. And to top off my new look, I snagged a teeny tiny midriff shirt.

I came home and changed into my new things. My husband would be pleased to have a new lady in his life.

I met him at the door.

“Hi Sweetie. Notice anything different about me?” I asked.

He took one look and shrieked like a little school girl. “Where does it hurt? Can you breathe? How

many fingers am I holding up?!” he shouted.

“What are you talking about?”

“Your clothes! Your shirt’s been ripped in half and your pants are in shreds! I can tell you’ve been mauled by a griz zly. Stay where you’re at! I’ll get my gun!”

“Calm down,” I said. “It’s my new outfit. Don’t you think it takes years off my life?”

“Your life?! You nearly gave me a heart attack and took the remaining years off of mine!”

“Nonsense,” I said batting my massive eye lash es at him. “What do you think…honestly?”

“Honestly, I think you need to spray your face with Raid. You’ve got caterpillars growing on your forehead.”

Hmph, if I wanted that kind of truth I’d look into a full-length mirror.

Cindy Moore is the moth er of three superlative kids, servant of two self-indulgent felines and wife to one nif ty husband. Her ficticious occupation? Archeological Humorist: someone who unearths absurdity and hi larity in strange and unusu al places including public restrooms, the lint fil ter, and church meet ings. Most recently, she excavated a find in 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.

By Cindy Moore the