CNSTC: October 26, 2022

Local laughs

features a diverse group of professional comedians from St. Charles County

By Brett Auten

With the day-to-day headlines and sound bites along with our daytime hours gradually shrinking, who doesn’t need a good laugh?

A cadre of local comics with legitimate pedigrees are looking to do just that with “This Is Casually Happening: A Comedy Showcase” featuring comedians from St. Charles County.

The Funny Bone Streets of Saint Charles, located at 1520 S 5th St., Suite 107, will play host on Nov. 8, beginning at 7:30 p.m. The lineup for the evening will consist of Mollie Amburgey, Mychael Anthony, Jimmy Day, Andy Hamilton, Brendan Olson and Jevon Westmoland.

The night of guffaws is the brainchild of Amburgey. She hosts The Casually Mollie Podcast that interviews comedians, mu sicians, and a variety of entertainers from Missouri, as well as from around the coun try. She moved to the area a little over a year ago and hand-picked these professional co medians herself.

“I wanted to pick people who were from the same area with different material and a different story,” she said. “All comics just want you to come and have a good time. Leave your work life at the door and enjoy the show. That is what comedy is here for.”

Anthony is the veteran of the group. He grew up in St. Peters and recently returned from being in Los Angeles. After graduating

from Francis Howell North High School, he earned a degree from the University of Mis souri-St. Louis.

The acting bug forced Anthony to take classes at St. Louis’ Center of Creative Arts and The Muny. During those years, he lit erally paid for his dinner by performing, writing lyrics, rapping, and co-managing the group, KRT (Knights of the Round Ta ble). Along with being the opening act for various rap groups, including 2Live Crew and performing at various hip hop clubs, he co-wrote songs used in sports highlights for both the St. Louis Cardinals and the St. Lou is Rams. In 2005, his group won the Mid

Francis Howell School District names new superintendent. Pg.3

Frame the Future Gala celebrates Habitat for Humanity’s 25 years of building in St. Charles County. Pg. 4

Recipe, Movie & Sudoku. Pg. F-1

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

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

Flip for Features

Around Town

Submitted photos

J+B Wellness celebrates opening. Pg. 5

Around Town

‘LAUGHS’ from cover

west Market Addy Award for their Slackers store commercial.

But soon after, he knew it was time to branch out.

“I packed up my Monte Carlo and packed up my life,” Antho ny said.

He spent 11 years on the West Coast where snared a host job at TMZ and performed at sto ried comedy venues like The Ice House and The Hollywood Im prov. The experience and con nections made out there have lasted. Anthony has opened for comedic legend D.L. Hughley on three different occasions when he has come to St. Louis. Upon his return, he found that there was no need to build a comedy scene in the St. Louis area from ground zero. One was already here waiting for him.

“Things here are thriving,” Anthony said. “There are rooms all over where people are putting on shows. And you have to have those kinds of rooms. They’re like gyms. You have to have a gym to practice, to bomb in the dark. I’m very optimistic. You are going to get a quality show (on Nov. 8). I didn’t know that there that many talented people in this area.”

Day grew up in Lincoln County, graduated from Win fied, and now calls St. Charles

County home. Occasionally, he draws upon his small-town background to offer a unique perspective. He has been doing comedy for eight years, but be fore getting serious about stage time, he worked for years and years on his writing.

“I was writing for three-four years before I really got into it,” he said. “I was not much of a class clown but I was always fun ny around my group of friends.”

The emergence of the Funny Bone Streets of Saint Charles has been such a bonus for some one like Day, who is looking to garner as much stage time as possible.

“This Showcase has some strong comedians,” Day said. “Anyone who comes out is go ing to see a wide-range of styles and performances. I hope this is something we can keep going in the future.”

Hamilton has contributed as well to the comedy arena of St. Charles County by producing shows and mics in St. Charles, St. Peters and O’Fallon.

In addition to producing shows, Olson has also repre sented the St. Charles commu nity by performing in the World Series of Comedy. Newcomer Westmoland will also be taking the stage, having performed in

multiple venues in St. Louis and St. Charles. Tickets for “This Is Casu ally Happening: A Comedy

CORRECTION

In the story “Filling a need” that ran on the cover of the Oct. 19 edition of the Saint Charles County Community News, SunRise Church was incorrectly identified as SunRise Methodist Church.

Showcase” are $10 and can be purchased by visiting www.st louisfunnybone.com/streets-ofsaint-charles.

The contact phone number of the church was also incorrectly list ed. The correct number is 636-978-2727. The Community News Regrets these errors.

Submitted photo

A night of laughs provided by local, professional comedians will be on tap on Nov. 8 at the Funny Bone Streets of Saint Charles. Tickets for “This Is Casually Happening: A Comedy Showcase” are $10 and can be purchased by visiting www.stlouisfunnybone.com/streets-of-saint-charles.

MoDOT reopens westbound Route 364 ramp to eastbound Route 94

Crews reopened the westbound Route 364 exit ramp to eastbound Route 94 in St. Charles County after the morning rush on Oct. 14.

The ramp has been closed since Dec. 20, 2021, as part of the interchange im provements at Route 94, Route 364 and Muegge Road.

Some lane closures remain in place

on eastbound Route 94 between the 364/94/Muegge interchange and Port west Drive in the new third eastbound lane. The reconstruction project in cluded adding a third eastbound lane.

For more on the interchange im provements, visit the project website: https://www.modot.org/interchange improvements

Francis Howell School District names new superintendent

The Francis Howell School District announced Oct. 14, that Dr. Kenneth Roumpos will serve as its next Superin tendent of Schools. Roumpos has served as the district’s in terim superintendent since July 1 and as deputy superin tendent for two years prior. In a special meeting last week, the board voted unanimous ly to offer Roumpos a threeyear superintendent contract, which will officially begin July 1, 2023 when his current con tract expires.

“The board is confident that Dr. Roumpos will provide the leadership necessary to fulfill the district’s mission, solidifying FHSD’s spot among the top school districts in the state as we contin ue to deliver a high quality, future-fo cused education,” said Board President Mary Lange. “We have been impressed with the vision, initiative, engagement and responsiveness demonstrated by Dr. Roumpos over the last two years and we are thrilled that he will continue to lead our district in the future.”

Roumpos said he is “humbled and honored” to serve the Francis Howell community in a more permanent ca pacity and looks forward to ensuring all stakeholders have a voice in the dis trict’s work.

“I have enjoyed meeting with stu dents, staff, business leaders and com munity members over the past few months and listening to their ideas and hopes for the district,” he said. “To gether, we will write a new chapter for FHSD and focus on what matters most - preparing students for a dynamic fu ture that may look very different from today, recruiting high quality teachers and support staff, exercising fiscal re sponsibility, and strengthening rela tionships within the district and the broader community.”

Roumpos has dedicated his career to public education, serving more than 18

years in teaching and administrative roles at several St. Louis-area districts. He joined the Francis Howell School District as deputy superintendent at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in July 2020 and helped keep doors open for in-person learning.

Prior to joining FHSD, Roumpos was the assistant superintendent for human resources and leadership development at Ritenour School District from 20162020. He spent a total of nine years as a middle school principal, serving first as assistant principal (2007-2009) and then head principal of Ritenour Mid dle School (2009-2016). Roumpos also worked in the St. Louis Public Schools system as assistant principal of the Shaw Visual and Performing Arts Mag net School. He began his career in edu cation as a teacher and spent five years in the classroom in Mehlville and St. Louis Public School District.

Roumpos holds a doctorate in educa tional leadership and policy from Van derbilt University, a master’s degree in educational leadership from Saint Lou is University, and a bachelor’s degree in music education from MacMurray College. His board and volunteer ser vice includes Central 104 School Dis trict Board of Education, MacMurray College Board of Trustees, Construc tion Career Development Initiative and MacMurray Foundation.

Photo courtesy Francis Howell School District

The Francis Howell School District announced Oct. 14, that Dr. Kenneth Roumpos will serve as its next Superintendent of Schools.

St. Charles County Election Authority reminds voters about polling location changes

If you didn’t vote in the Aug. 2 Primary Election, Director of Elections Kurt Bahr suggests that you check online to verify your polling place before the Nov. 8 General Election. With the release of the 2022 legislative redistricting map, many voters across the coun ty were assigned new polling loca

tions prior to the August election.

“The redistricting affected ap proximately 45 percent of house holds, or about 130,000 St. Charles County voters, who were assigned new polling locations,” Bahr says. “Those who voted in the August election will return to that loca tion to vote on Nov. 8.”

Voters can verify their polling location by visiting sccmo.org/ PollingPlaceSearch. For more in formation about the Nov. 8 elec tion, including absentee voting, photo ID requirements, and sam ple ballots, visit sccmo.org/Elec tionAuthority.

Frame the Future Gala celebrates Habitat for Humanity’s 25 years of building in St. Charles County

Marking a quarter century of constructing or improving quality affordable homes for families in St. Charles County, Habitat for Hu manity of St. Charles County is building on its annual countywide holiday tradition with the Frame the Future Gala on Nov. 19, at 6 p.m., at Ameristar Casino Resort Spa St. Charles in St. Charles.

Habitat for Humani ty of St. Charles County has hosted an annual holiday fundraising gala for more than two decades. This year’s special 25th anniver sary Frame the Future Gala invites participa tion from individuals, businesses and organi zations that wish to play a critical role in the nonprofit organization’s continuing efforts to create quali ty, affordable homes where fami lies partner, build and buy.

The evening’s “25th Birthday Party” theme includes:

• A festive live auction. Host ed by emcee Toney Thornhill of Higher Calling Auctions, auction items will include a wide array of high-qual ity travel experiences, ap pealing dining options and themed gift baskets. Thorn hill currently serves as the 2022-2023 president of the Missouri Professional Auc tioneers Association.

• The annual holiday tree auction. Artificial holiday trees, as well as wreaths and tree toppers – professional

ly decorated by local artists, interior design and decor experts – will be on display and available to the highest bidder. Winners of a holiday tree may schedule its deliv ery to a residence or place of business. Delivery is provid ed at no charge by the Hab itat St. Charles County staff.

• Sponsorships, sponsor ships, sponsorships. Spon sorships for a wide array of options make a tangible, lasting difference in the lives of those in desperate need of a home. The names of sponsor companies, orga nizations or individuals are prominently featured in the evening’s program and pre sentation.

Visit www.hfhgala.org to pur chase a ticket or table, become a sponsor, decorate a holiday tree or

wreath or donate a basket for auc tion. Please RSVP by Oct. 31. For more information, call 636-9785712 extension 123.

All proceeds from the Frame the Future Gala directly benefit Hab itat for Humanity of St. Charles County to continue its mission to bring people together to increase the number of families it serves in St. Charles County to build hope, homes and communities.

“Our Habitat St. Charles Coun ty families go through our rigor ous process to qualify for and pay an affordable mortgage on a safe, healthy home that we build or improve,” said Michelle Woods, executive director, Habitat for Hu manity of St. Charles County. “At tendees and donors that support the ‘Frame the Future Gala’ have the opportunity to make a trans formative impact on the lives of local families.”

Submitted photo

Artificial holiday trees, as well as wreaths and tree toppers – professionally decorated by local artists, interior design and decor experts – will be on display and available to the highest bidder at Habitat for Humanity of St. Charles County’s annual Frame the Future Gala on Nov. 19, at 6 p.m., at Ameristar Casino Resort Spa St. Charles in St. Charles.

St. Charles County Election Authority reminds voters about changes, process for voting

Residents preparing to vote in the Nov. 8 election should take note of changes in voting laws since the last election in August: required photo ID and no ex cuse absentee voting. The information below outlines the process for absentee voting both in person and by mail.

Required photo ID

All voters must now have a photo ID with them when requesting a ballot. Acceptable forms of identi fication are an unexpired Missouri driver or non-driv er license; an unexpired military ID, including a vet eran’s ID card; an unexpired United States passport; or another photo ID issued by the U.S. government or the State of Missouri which has either not expired or expired after the date of the most recent general election.

If voters do not have any of these acceptable forms of photo ID, but are a registered voter, they are able to cast a provisional ballot when they go to the polls.

Provisional ballots are counted after the Election Au thority verifies the voter’s signature with the signature on their voter registration.

Voters who do not have the acceptable form of voter ID may be eligible for a free Missouri non-driver li cense for voting purposes. For more information, call 573-526-VOTE (8683) or visit https://dor.mo.org.

No excuse absentee voting

Beginning Oct. 25, and for two weeks leading up to the election, voters can vote in-person absentee with out an excuse. The implementation of the new elec tion law, which became effective Aug. 28, gives voters in Missouri increased access to absentee voting.

“This new law gives voters two weeks to vote in per son without having to give a reason, such as being out of town on election day,” says Kurt Bahr, Director of Elections. “Absentee voting needs to be done at the Election Authority office or a designated satellite of fice and voters must present a nonexpired photo ID.”

In addition to being able to cast a ballot at the Elec tion Authority, one-day, pop-up satellite offices will be set up at three locations to further assist voters with absentee voting. Any registered St. Charles County voter can cast an absentee ballot in person at these satellite voting locations.

• 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday, through election day

8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Saturday Oct. 29 and Sat urday, Nov. 5 St. Charles County Election Authority 397 Turner Boulevard, St. Peters

• 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 26 Lake St. Charles Retirement Community 45 Honey Locust Lane, St. Charles

• 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 27 Rivers Pointe Fire Station #2

1300 Le Sieur Street, Portage Des Sioux

“This is the first time the Election Authority has provided satellite absentee voting sites in St. Charles County,” Bahr says. “The passing of this new law opens up the absentee ballot process, so we want to assist voters in areas of the county that do not have as convenient polling locations as other areas on elec tion day.”

Absentee voting by mail

Applications to receive absentee ballots by mail are due to the Election Authority by 5 p.m., Oct. 26. Re quests for absentee ballots by mail can be tracked on BallotTrax, an online system for voters to check the status of their ballot from receipt of their application to printing, mailing and acceptance of their ballot once it is returned. A link to the application and to BallotTrax can be found at sccmo.org/AbsenteeVot ing.

Residents requesting and receiving an absentee bal lot by mail must return the ballot by mail or in person to the Election Authority by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8. They also have the option of taking

J+B Wellness celebrates opening with ribbon cutting

J+B Wellness opened its office at 5505 Highway N, Suite 109 in Cottleville in Oc tober. To commemorate the opening, the company held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 12.

Cottleville Mayor Bob Ronkoski, mem bers of the Cottleville Weldon-Spring Chamber of Commerce, local realtors and other community leaders were in atten dance.

“We are excited to bring health and well ness to St. Charles County where we focus on bringing whole plant foods! We en courage the community to come out and try our menu where we offer food for lon gevity,” said Brittany McDermott, Owner.

J+B Wellness is a health and wellness café with superfood bowls, superfood smooth ies, toasts, coffee, and matcha. They believe whole plant foods heal and strengthen our bodies, which is why their products contain mini mally processed ingredients. They want people to

the ballot to their polling place on Election Day; polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

For more information about the upcoming election, including sample ballots and how to find your polling place, visit sccmo.org/ElectionAuthority.

understand why it is important to eat predominate ly whole, plant-based foods and how that positively impacts our bodies and over all well-being.

Submitted photo

LOCATE YOUR POLLING PLACE BY FOLLOWING THE LINK BELOW

***ACCEPTABLE FORMS OF VOTER ID HAVE CHANGED***

Show one of the forms of accept able identification and sign the poll book to obtain your ballot:

• A nonexpired Missouri driv er or non-driver license.

• A nonexpired military ID, including a veteran’s ID card.

• A nonexpired United States passport; or

• Another photo ID issued by the United States or the state of Missouri which is either

not expired or expired after the date of the most recent general election.

*If the driver or non-driver li cense has expired after the most recent general election, it is an ac ceptable form of voter ID.

If you do not possess any of these forms of identification, but are a registered voter, you may cast a provisional ballot.

Your provisional ballot will count

if: (1) you return to your polling place on Election Day with a pho to ID; or (2) the signature on your provisional ballot envelope is de termined to match the signature on your voter registration record.

If you cast a provisional ballot, you will receive a stub from your provisional ballot envelope with instructions on how to verify that your provisional ballot is counted.

***NO EXCUSE IN PERSON ABSENTEE VOTING***

The law has changed, and all vot ers now can absentee vote in per son at the Election Authority office without stating a reason for being absent from the polls. This new provision is effective two weeks be

fore every election. For the Novem ber 8, 2022, Election the dates will be Tuesday October 25th to Mon day November 7th. The Election Authority is located at 397 Turner Blvd, St. Peters MO 63376, and is

open Monday thru Friday, 8 am to 5 pm and 8:30 am to 12:30 pm on Saturday, October 29th and Satur day, November 5th. Photo ID is required to absentee vote.

Take Notice . . .

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

EVENTS

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 Archway 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 begins at 1 p.m. Plated lunch is available. For more information contact Earline at 636-697-8157.

Oct. 30: Breakfast

The Knights of Columbus at St. Robert Bellarmine Church (1424 First Capitol Drive South in St. Charles) wel comes you to the “All You Can Eat Breakfast” from 8 to 11:30 a.m. Breakfast includes: made to order omelets, pancakes, sausages, scrambled eggs, bis cuits and gravy, juice, milk and coffee. Cost for adults is $12, children six to 11 is $6 and children five and under are free. For additional informa tion please call 636-946-6799.

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 Community Col lege at 4601 Mid Rivers Mall Drive in Cottleville. An $8 donation for admission (cash only). There will be over 300 quilts, vendors, and quilt and sewing machine raffles. Pro ceeds support Crisis Nursery. Facebook updates @LooseTh readsQG.

Nov. 6: Free concert

No Name Chorale Presents: “The Fruit of Silence” at St. John UCC at 405 South Fifth Street in St. Charles at 3 p.m.

Nov. 18: Holiday bazaar and luncheon

The ladies of Immanuel Lu theran Church Wentzville host a Holiday Bazaar and Luncheon from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 632 East Highway N. The event features home made crafts and baked goods. Lunch is served from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Carry out is avail able, cash or check only.

Dec. 4: Christmas house tour

Come join the New Town @ St. Charles Women's Club for the 13th annual New Town @ St. Charles Christmas House Tour from 1 – 4 p.m. You will tour beautifully decorat ed homes while helping to fund local charities. Tickets ($10) will be available online starting Nov. 1 at 10 a.m. at the New Town House Tour Facebook page (@NTChrist masTour) or available the day of the tour at the New Town Town Hall located at 3300 Rue Royale Street. The tour starts at the Town Hall where tour maps will be available as well as holiday goodies to pur chase.

ONGOING EVENTS

Mondays: Optimist Club meetings

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

Mondays: Take off Pounds Sensibly

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

Mondays: Parent support group

Because I Love You, (BILY), Gateway parent support group meets every Monday at 7:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church at 801 First 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 trou bled children (all ages). We are not professionals, but parents helping each other. The meet ings are free to attend.

Mondays: NAMI St. Lou is Connection Recovery Support Group

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

Mondays: Alcoholics Anonymous

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

Mondays: Cottleville Wel don Spring Kiwanis Club

Cottleville Weldon Spring Kiwanis Club meets the first

Monday of the month at noon at The Breakfast Club, 991 Waterbury Falls Dr., O’Fallon, MO 63368. New club looking for new members who want to better our community. Contact Christy at 314-583-0538.

Mondays: Seasoned eye carvers meeting

Meetings are held from 9 to 11 a.m. at the St. Charles Senior Citizens Center at 1455 Fair grounds (near the Bass Pro Shop). Visitors are always wel come. For more information visit http://www.stcharlesarea woodcarvers.com/ or contact Charles Sapp at cwsapp@char ter.net.

Mondays: Choral Arts Singers practice

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

Mondays: St. Charles County Council of the Blind meetings

Business meetings are held on the first Monday of each month unless otherwise spec 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 Luetkenhaus Blvd., Wentzville. 314-3696521.

Recipe: Scare up a sweet, thrilling treat Ghostly Graveyard Cake

– SUDOKU –

Directions: Prepare cake mix according to package instructions in three 6-inch baking pans. Once baked, allow to completely cool outside of pans.

In zip-top bag, using rolling pin, crush chocolate creme cookies; set aside.

In separate small bowls, add black melting chips and red melting chips.

In microwave, heat heavy whipping cream 1 1/2 minutes. Pour half the mixture into one bowl of chips and other half into other bowl of chips. Stir until chips are completely melted; set aside.

After cakes cool, on cake board, add small amount of buttercream icing so cake sticks. Using bread knife, level cakes.

Place one cake on cake board and add thin layer of icing on top. Place second layer of cake on top and add thin layer of icing on top. Place final layer of cake on top and add thin layer of icing on top. Add thin layer of icing to entire cake. Freeze 15 minutes.

In small bowl, mix two parts purple food coloring

to one part black food coloring. Ice cake with deep purple icing. Using grooved scraper, scrape along sides of cake. Using angled spatula, smooth top of cake.

Add skull sprinkles around edges of cake. Using piping bag with small opening at tip, drip black drip mixture around top edges of cake. Repeat using red drip mixture.

FindmoredeliciouslydeviousdessertsatCulinary.net.

Remembering the incredible Robbie Coltrane

Movie:

By Steve Bryan

On a business trip years ago, I found a copy of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” the first book in that literary fran chise, in an airport shop.

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.

Knowing little about the characters and fac ing a long flight home, I took my chances on Mr. Potter. While in flight, I soon became a fan of author J.K. Rowling’s sto rytelling ability. Harry, Hermione and Ron were the main characters and their friend Hagrid was al ways watching out for them. When the first “Harry Potter” movie was released, it was no surprise when Robbie Coltrane played that gentle giant.

Born Anthony Robert McMillan in 1950, Coltrane passed away recently at age 72. No matter what role he tackled, his talent always came through. In the years before Hogwarts and Professor Dumbledore, Col trane amassed a long list of credits, includ ing a 1979 appearance on the British TV se ries “Play for Today.” No stranger to broad comedy, Coltrane and “Monty Python” alum Eric Idle starred in the outrageous 1990 comedy “Nuns on the Run.” They were crooks who stole money from their crime boss and disguised themselves as nuns.

Robbie Coltrane even crossed paths with Ian Fleming’s famous literary British Secret Service agent. In 1995’s “GoldenEye,” the 17th film in the franchise, James Bond, then played by Pierce Brosnan, investigated an electromagnetic pulse space weapon known as “Golden Eye.” Robbie Coltrane was Val entin Zukovsky, a KGB intelligence officer whom Bond shot in the leg. Coltrane’s char acter reappeared four years later in 1999’s “The World is Not Enough,” but he still held a grudge against Bond for his wounded ap pendage.

One of his more interesting roles was in “Cracker,” a 1990’s British crime drama. Coltrane starred as Eddie ‘Fitz’ Fitzgerald, a criminal psychologist who admitted he

“drank, smoked and gam bled too much.” Over the course of three sea sons, however, he helped the Manchester, England police capture killers. In later years, Coltrane took roles in other projects, including 2012’s “Brave.” In that Pixar release, he lent his voice to Lord Dingwall, a feisty charac ter who solved problems physically. He could oc casionally be nice to fam ily and friends, though.

In the world of Har ry Potter, Robbie Coltrane stood out Rubeus Hagrid, a funny, com passionate giant who bought exotic items from strangers at local pubs. Hagrid’s love of magical creatures was legendary, which explained why he was terribly upset when he wasn’t allowed to keep the dragon he hatched from an egg. In “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,” a young Hagrid was falsely accused of releasing a dangerous creature by Tom Riddle, the boy who would become the evil Lord Voldemort.

No matter if the role called for comedy, violence or a wee bit of magic, Robbie Col trane was a pleasure to watch on screen. He made us laugh, cry and have a good time. Coltrane was a rare talent and he will be greatly missed by his fans.

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.

SEE ANSWERS ON STL PAGE 7

Photo courtesy Warner Bros.

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, St. Jude. R.H.

SERVICES

PET CEMETERY

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

www.memoryparkpetcemetery.info

Moore on Life

It’s so nice to take my grandkiddies out and not worry about COVID or showering in Purell because of weird contagions and cooties. Or should I worry?

My little grandboys and I ventured out to our favorite pump kin patch which was closed the year be fore. We saw lots of smiling faces and not just the toothy ones on the carved-out pumpkins, but on the human faces too. Of course, there were those who still wore masks, but that was just Franken stein and the occasional bloody Dracula.

Corn-gregation

By Cindy Moore

corn crib. This mas sive wooden box was filled to the brim with a truckload of hard corn and another truckload of children.

They were all digging and diving under the pile of dried seeds and doing what can only be described as “corn snorkeling”.

Soon I heard these mom-reprimands: “Jenny, do not shove the corn up your nose!” “Grover, the corn does not be long down your pants. Dig it out right now!”

“Conroy, we do not put the corn in our ears!”

CROSSWORD: Halloween

Soon the kids were running around like they had caffeine in their bloodstreams. They zipped down the zip line; climbed the haybale hill; slid down the tube slides then road the tractor train. Afterwards we walked through the pumpkin patch to find the most perfect ones to bring home.

They lifted up their choices; both squashed flat on their sides, covered in mud and more green than orange in color.

“Hey,” I said pointing to my finds, “why not these beautiful, perfectly round, clean orange ones?”

“No,” they insisted on the verge of tears, “these are the bestest most perfectest.”

I bit my lip and paid big bucks for their lop sided, dirty, squashed squashes. If these were my kids back in the day, I would have tossed the re jects back and threatened to deduct them from their allowance if they didn’t agree on the good ones.

Being a grandkid has its privileges.

Afterwards, we then went to the finale – the

I bent down to the boys and whispered, “Boys, this stuff has been up Jenny’s nose and down Grover’s pants and in Conroy’s ears and between everyone’s toes. You know what that means?”

They sheepishly answered, “We should have spit it out before we ate it?”

And this is how kids’ build up their resis tance…or end up in the ICU.

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 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.

John Hanna

Yeggs