CNSTC: Dec. 7. 2011

December 7, 2011

Vol 13

No 49

July 13, 2011

Vol 13 No 28

Don’t let this be an un-merry season for you and your family.

Holiday Crime Prevention

IN this Issue

The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) and McGruff the Crime Dog® are on a mission to make crooks cranky by giving shoppers the safety information they need to know.

Avoid Scams: • Avoid crooks phishing for charity.

Do not respond to online solicitations for charities unless you initiated the contact. If you are interested in giving, investigate the charity and give through their approved donation process online or through the mail.

• Gift cards are handy even for crooks.

Avoid purchasing cards with signs of tampering, keep the receipt, and encourage the recipient to monitor the card activity so problems can be detected and reported immediately.

• Consider alternate options to pay for your merchandise, such as one-time or multi-use disposable credit cards or money orders, with online stores and auction sites. Also, familiarize yourself with the rules and policies of online sites.

Online Shopping: • Before surfing the Internet, secure your personal computers by updating your security software. Everyone’s computer should have anti-virus, antispyware, anti-spam software, and a good firewall installed. Visit www.bytecrime. org for free software downloads.

• Keep your personal information private and your password secure. Do not respond to requests to “verify” your password or credit card information unless you initiated the contact. Legitimate businesses will not contact you in this manner.

• Beware of “bargains” from companies with whom you are unfamiliar —if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

• Use secure websites for purchases.

Around Town . . . . . . . . . . 2-6 Lincoln County Life . . . . . . . 7 School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-9

Look for the icon of a locked padlock at the bottom of the screen or an “https” in the URL address.

• Shop with companies you know and trust. Check for background information if you plan to buy from a new or unfamiliar company.

Store Shopping: • Avoid carrying large amounts of cash and take only what you need in a purse or wallet.

• Park in well-lighted spaces, lock your doors, and close your windows. Check quickly in the back seat and around the car before getting in.

• Do not have packages visible in your car windows. Lock them in the trunk or if possible take them directly home.

• Are you shopping with kids? If you become separated, teach them to go to a store clerk or security guard for help.

• Deter pickpockets and purse-snatchers by keeping your purse closed and carrying it snugly against your body. Men should carry wallets in a front or inside coat pocket.

• File receipts in your wallet immediately; identity thieves can use lost receipts Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Christmas Traditions . . . . . . . . 11-13 Learn & Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

to obtain important personal informa• Lock your doors and windows - intion. cluding your garage doors. More than 60 Once home, be careful not to brag to percent of all burglaries show no sign of a thief. The National Crime Prevention forced entry.

Council offers tips on securing your See HOLIDAY CRIME page 5 home.

MOVIE PEEK

See MOVIE page 15

“Arthur Christmas” - Photo courtesy of Columbia Pictures

Movie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Editorials/Recipe . . . . . . . . . . 16-17 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

2139 Bryan Valley Commercial Dr. • O’Fallon, MO 63366 P: 636.379.1775 F: 636.379.1632 E: ofcnews@centurytel.net

Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 What’s Happening . . . . . . . 20-21 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-23

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2 • December 7, 2011 • Community News - St. Charles County

St. Peters to Prune Trees in Right-of-Way St. Peters residents in the city’s Ward 2 may notice workers in front of their homes between December and March pruning trees in the right-of-way for vehicle and pedestrian clearance, as well as clearance from signs and lights.

Residents may recall a Tree Resource Improvement and Maintenance (TRIM) Grant the City received last year to conduct a tree inventory from the Missouri Department of Conservation. This pruning work was generated from results of the tree inventory conducted earlier this year as part of the TRIM Grant.

St. Peters Cultural Arts Centre Presents a Time for Tea Join us from 1-3 p.m. on Thursday, December 15 as guest speaker Don Thebeau presents “Christmas Traditions.” The cost is just $7 per person and includes coffee or tea and dessert. Please bring your own teacup and saucer for this program. Pre-registration is required. Purchase tickets at the St. Peters Cultural Arts Centre or by calling ext. 1624 at 636.397.6903.

Fireplace Safety The temperatures have dropped which means it’s time for that first fire of the season in your fireplace. For fire crews this will most likely mean that we will encounter some of the first fireplace related house fires of the season. In an effort to avoid the type of misfortune that can put a damper on your holiday season, the Cottleville Fire District would like to remind you of the following fireplace safety tips: • Have your fireplace insert and flue cleaned and checked by a professional.

• Never leave a fire unattended.

• Clear the area around the fire place.

• Use a screen to keep sparks in and children out.

• Do not burn trash in the fireplace e.g. wrapping paper or cardboard.

• It is recommended that you use a hardwood (oak, hickory, ash, etc.) because it burns cleaner than softwoods (fir, pine, cedar, etc.).

• Use seasoned wood as opposed to freshly cut green wood.

• Place ashes in a metal container away from the home.

• Keep fires small and comfortable as opposed to a large raging fire that can crack a flue.

• Leave glass fireplace doors open while a fire is burning.

• DO NOT use liquid fuels to help start a fire.

• Make sure the damper on the flue is open.

• If you have a gas fire place, have it inspected at the same time you have all other gas appliances inspected.

• Make sure all smoke detectors in your home work.

• Make sure you have a working carbon monoxide alarm.

• Practice a fire exit drill.

Following these tips will help to ensure you have a safe and enjoyable time with family and friends around a warm and comfortable fire.

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This year marks the 20th annual “Journey to Bethlehem,” an event that draws about 14,000 people each year. This free holiday event is open to the public and is scheduled for December 7-11 at Harvester Christian Church in St. Charles.

Drawing on more than 700 volunteers, this live reenactment of the very first Christmas will take participants and their families back in time

to experience the people, places, and circumstances surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ.

The experience starts with an indoor stage production and then moves outdoors where guides lead the journey down a trail from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Along the way, participants will encounter Roman guards, wise men, live camels and goats, shepherds, angels, the bustling markets of Bethlehem, and finally, the baby Jesus.

Live “journeys” will depart throughout the evening. Participants should dress for the evening’s weather and a 45-minute walking tour. At the end of the journey, free hot cocoa and homemade Christmas cookies will be provided.

“Journey to Bethlehem” will be held from 6:30 to 9 p.m. December 7-9, and from 5:30 to 9 p.m. December 10 and 11. Admission is free.

Harvester Christian Church is located at 2950 Kings Crossing in St. Charles. For more information about Harvester Christian Church, visit www.harvesterchristian.org. For more information about Journey to Bethlehem, visit www.journeywww.krekeler.com tobethlehem.com.

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Community News - St. Charles County • December 7, 2011 • 3

Make the Holidays and a Child’s Future Bright This holiday season I encourage you to join me in giving the gift of college savings to a child in your life by opening or contributing to a MOST—Missouri’s 529 College Savings Plan account. Each year around this time, I like to remind folks this is a great tool for gift giving – gifts not always requested, but definitely needed.

Starting a MOST 529 account is easy and doing so and contributing to it by the end of year qualifies you for a 2011 Missouri tax deduction.* You can open an account in about 10 minutes with as little as $25, and can continue to contribute $25 or more on a regular basis or at your convenience. An amount, any amount, can add up to make a big difference after high school.

One of my favorite examples is all about the power of compounding. If you save $50 a month from the time a child is born until he or she is age 18, you could have almost $17,000 saved. This is based on a 5 percent annual return and no withdrawals during the period, but it is an example of how even a small investment can really add up over time. I want to make sure you know investment returns are not guaranteed, and you could lose money by investing. This hypothetical example does not represent any particular investment and actual returns may be higher or lower. The final account balance does not reflect any taxes or penalties that may be due upon distribution.

MOST 529 has low costs and no account fees for Missouri residents, and Missourians can choose from a wide range of investment options at www.mostcollegesaver. com.

My wife, Janice, and I use MOST 529 to save for our daughters’ future. We know, like you, we may not be able to save enough to cover the entire bill, but replacing a few gifts with extra college savings can go a long way to paying those bills.

Another bonus to MOST 529 account owners is contributions and earnings grow deferred from federal and Missouri state income taxes and can be withdrawn taxfree when used for qualified higher-education expenses, including tuition, certain room and-board expenses and books. ** What I think is great for families across the state, is the flexible way you can use your MOST 529 savings. It can be used for eligible four-year colleges, two-year colleges and technical schools any-

By State Treasurer Clint Zweifel

where in the United States.

I hope you will consider some added college savings this holiday season. You can sign up at www.mostcollegesaver.com today. You can also sign-up to use Ugift®, a service that lets you invite family and friends to celebrate the holiday season by helping with college savings.

Now is the time. MOST is the Plan. *Contributions by account owners to the Plan up to $8,000 ($16,000 if married, filing jointly) in a tax year are deductible from Missouri state income tax, but may be subject to recapture in subsequent years if you make a nonqualified withdrawal. **Earnings on nonqualified withdrawals may be subject to federal income tax and a 10% federal penalty tax, as well as state and local income taxes. The availability of tax or other benefits may be contingent on meeting other requirements.

For more information about MOST-Missouri’s 529 College Savings Plan, call 888-414-MOST or visit www. mostcollegesaver.com to obtain a Program Description, Privacy Policy, and Participation Agreement. Investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other important information are included in this document; read and consider it carefully before investing. Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor and Underwriter.

If you are not a Missouri taxpayer, consider before investing whether your or the designated beneficiary’s home state offers any state tax or

other benefits that are only available for investments in such state’s qualified tuition program.

The Missouri Higher Education Savings Program (the “Program Trust”) is a trust created by the State of Missouri. When you invest in MOST—Missouri’s 529 College Savings Plan (the “Plan”), you are purchasing portfolio units issued by the Program Trust. Portfolio units are municipal securities. The Plan has been implemented and is administered by the Missouri Higher Education Savings Program Board (the “Board”). Upromise Investments, Inc., and Upromise Investment Advisors, LLC, serve as the Program Manager and Recordkeeping and Servicing Agent, respectively, with overall responsibility for the day-to-day operations, including effecting transactions. The Vanguard Group, Inc., serves as Investment Manager for the Plan.

Vanguard Marketing Corporation, an affiliate of The Vanguard Group, Inc., markets and distributes the Plan. The Plan’s portfolios, although they invest in mutual funds, are not mutual funds.

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4 • December 7, 2011 • Community News - St. Charles County

Support Dogs, Inc. Receives Christmas Decoration Safety Cottleville Fire Protection District would Use only UL approved lights.

More Than $25,000 in Grants likeTheeveryone • Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations to have a happy and safe holiday seaSupport Dogs, Inc. recently received the following grants: • Assistance Dog program grants from Employees Community Fund of Boeing St. Louis ($3,500) and Simon Foundation ($5,000).

• Paws for Reading program grants from Cardinals Care ($1,500); Edward Chase Garvey Memorial Foundation ($4,500); The Saigh Foundation ($5,000) and Target Corporation ($2,000).

• TOUCH program grant from Fischer-Bauer-Knirps ($1,500).

• Youth Service Dog program grant from Variety the Children’s Charity of St. Louis ($5,000).

Support Dogs, Inc. is a national non-for-profit organization that offers dignity, hope and independence by providing highly skilled service dogs to individuals with disabilities and uniquely trained dogs to serve the community. Founded in 1981, the organization provides many services including an Assistance Dog program which matches people with various disabilities with a canine partner, an animal-assisted therapy dog program called TOUCH (Therapy of Unique Canine Helpers), and a Paws for Reading program that places dogs in school classrooms. Support Dogs is a proud member of the United Way of Greater St. Louis.

For more information, call 314.997.2325 or visit www.supportdogs.org.

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son. Therefore, we would like to provide the following safety tips for holiday fire safety: • When selecting that perfect Christmas tree, pay close attention to the needles and the trunk.

Needles should be green and hard to pull back from the branches and the trunk should be sticky to the touch. Older trees can be easily identified by bouncing the tree trunk on the ground. If many needles fall off, the tree has been cut too long and has most likely dried out. Old trees are a fire hazard.

• Do not place your live tree near a heating source i.e. a fire place or a heat vent. Heat will dry a tree out quickly making it more easily ignitable. Be very careful when smoking around a real tree. Live trees should be up for no longer than two weeks.

• Dispose of trees properly, DO NOT burn the trees in your fire place as they will damage the insert and flue leading to a fire.

• Keep Trees Watered • Before putting up your Christmas lights, check for frayed wires, bare spots, gaps in the insulation, damaged sockets and kinking or wear in the wires.

pertaining to how many light strands may be connected together. Do not overload outlets.

• Do not leave your holiday lights on unattended.

• Use caution when putting lights on your home e.g. keep ladders away from power lines and ensure the ladder is on stable footing.

• Decorations should be non-flammable or flame retardant. Keep them away from heat sources that may dry decorations out creating a fire hazard.

• NEVER put wrapping paper in a fireplace. According to the United States Fire Administration, wrapping paper can cause sparks and a chemical build up that could possibly cause and explosion.

• If you light candles, do not under any circumstance leave them unattended.

• Never put lit candles on trees.

• Do not leave pots on the stove unattended, and keep the handles facing in.

• Ensure your smoke detectors and Carbon Monoxide alarms are working.

Follow these simple safety tips and enjoy a happy holiday season with friends and family.

Church News Handbell Christmas Concert Join the United Methodist Church at Wentzville at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, December 11 to celebrate the season with the Annual Christmas Handbell Concert featuring the children’s, youth and adult handbell choirs. Refreshments will be served after the concert. All are welcome, and admission is free. A love offering will be accepted.

The United Methodist Church at Wentzville is located at 725 Wall Street. For more information, please call 636.327.6377 or visit us at www.

livelovegrow.org.

Local Church Receives Grant United Methodist Church of the Shepherd is the recipient of a 2011 grant from the Missouri United Methodist Foundation. The grant is in the amount of $5,000 to help purchase a new digital sound board.

The Foundation assists United Methodist churches and charities throughout Missouri with grants, planned gift administration and other stewardship services. The Foundation’s main office is in Columbia, Mo., and may be contacted at 800.332.8238.

The Executive Director of the Foundation is David P. Atkins, J.D. Advent Evensong Services Everyone is welcome to enjoy a 20-minute service of reflection and preparation for the coming Christmas season. The Advent Evensong Services will www.mycnews.com/Piglowski.pdf be held will be on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. through December 21. Transfiguration is located at 1860 Lake St. Louis Boulevard, just three-quarters of a mile from I-70 or 3 miles from Hwy. 40 on Lake St. Louis Boulevard. For more information, call 636.561.8951.

Trinity Church to Host Historical Christmas

By Lorraine M. Cummings Trinity Episcopal Church is taking a distinctive approach to www.stcharles.rightathome.net Christmas this year. In honor of its 175th anniversary, the church is doing a prayer service at 5 p.m. on Saturday, December 24 with costumes, decorations and carols from 1836, the year Trinity Church was established. The church is located at 318 South Duchesne Drive in St. Charles.

The public is invited to attend the special prayer service.

For more information, call 636.949.0160, visit www.trinitystcharles.org or find them on Facebook at Trinity Episcopal Church St. Charles.

Community News - St. Charles County • December 7, 2011 • 5

Museum for a Day On Veteran’s Day, November 11, 2011, Parkside Retirement Living, 2150 W. Randolph St. in St. Charles, honored veterans with a “Museum for a Day,” remembering those who have served our country. Memorabilia was shared to remind us of those who have served, fought, and died. That was followed by a Veteran’s Day Observance with American Legion Post 312 presenting the colors. Each veteran present was honored.

HOLIDAY CRIME from Cover • Avoid displaying expensive gifts and other valuable in areas visible from the outside.

• Wait until trash day to set out that television, computer, or other expensive gift boxes.

• Use automatic timers to turn on lights, radio, or television when you are not home.

• Ask a trusted neighbor to watch your home while you are away and be sure to have someone pick up your mail and newspapers to keep your home looking lived in. You can also stop mail delivery through a request to your local post office.

• Create an inventory of the valuable items in your home by taking photographs and making a list of serial numbers. An inventory may aid in the recovery of your items and makes insur-

ance claims easier to file.

Use caution with door-to-door collectors for charity. Ask for information, investigate the charity, and give through their donation process online or through the mail. Do not give your personal or financial information unless you initiated contact with the charity.

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Model Train Village and Handcrafted Sleigh on Display at St. Peters City Hall St. Peters City Centre is filled with holiday cheer this year. The public is invited to stop by the City Hall lobby to view a large train display, complete with push button controls viewers can use to start some of the special animation features. The train display was created by Darrell Reinwald, whose displays have also been featured the Festival of the Little Hills, Christmas Traditions on Main Street in St. Charles and Daniel’s Farm & Greenhouse.

The beautiful life-size sleigh also makes a return to St. Peters City Hall this year for families to stop by to take photos or just admire the craftsmanship. St. Peters resident Dan Zatorski presented the sleigh to the City in 2008 as a gift to the children of St. Peters.

Dan designed and built a 9-foot by 4-foot red oak wooden Santa’s sleigh to be used at City events.

Both the sleigh and the train display will be available for viewing throughout the holiday season.

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www.ofallon.mo.us/col

6 • December 7, 2011 • Community News - St. Charles County

How to Breeze Through Security Like a Travel O’Fallon’s Active Older Adults Professional Luncheons With just weeks before the traditional onslaught of the hectic and sometimes chaotic end-of-year holiday travel season, Travel Leaders Jan’s Travel and Cruise recently announced its top five tips for speeding up the airport security screening process. Travel Leaders is also advising local travelers that the window for purchasing airline tickets for holiday travel is rapidly closing, although availability depends on the destination.

Rob Schainker, co-owner of the Travel Leaders locations at 7236 Village Center Dr, O’Fallon, MO 63368 and 10502 Manchester Road, Kirkwood, MO 63122 offered the top five tips to enable even the most novice travelers to breeze through security as quickly as a travel agent professional would. #1 – Wear Comfortable Shoes that Can Be Removed Easily: “Since all shoes, coats and jackets – and sometimes even belts – must be removed before moving through metal detectors, we advise our clients to make it easier on themselves and the others around them by dressing strategically for the airport,” Schainker said. “We strongly recommend wearing loafers or slip-on shoes instead of lace-up shoes, which can be especially difficult to remove at airport security.” #2 – Remember 3-1-1: “All carry-on luggage is subject to the 3-1-1 rule,” Schainker noted.

“The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) rules strictly limit passengers’ liquids and gels that are allowed onboard aircraft to

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three-ounce containers stored in just one clear one-quart zip-top bag. We advise our customers to have those bags easily reachable at the top of their luggage as they approach security.” #3 – Minimize Items Placed in Security Bins: “While you’ll need to empty pockets of all loose change and keys, as well as mobile devices, not to mention removing metal jewelry that may set off detectors, it’s far more prudent to think strategically before you arrive at airport screening by tucking all of those items into your carryon,” Schainker said. “That way, you’ll speed up the process plus know where all of your belongings are.” #4 – Invest in TSA-Approved Laptop Bags: “Since we’re advocating that you minimize how many security bins you’re using, you can reduce the total by one more by purchasing a TSA-approved laptop computer bag,” advised Schainker. “If you don’t have an approved laptop bag, you will be required to remove your computer and place it in a security bin, along with other large electronic items.” #5 – Be Cooperative: “Above all else, remember that TSA employees are there for our protection,” Schainker stated. “Since their singular purpose is to keep air travel safe, it is important to be cooperative and courteous throughout the entire screening process.”

When your journey includes us, you travel better. Let your journey begin by visiting the experienced travel agent experts at Travel Leaders Jan’s Travel and Cruise, 7326 Village Center Drive in O’Fallon. For more information, please call 636.561.2626 or visit www.travelleaders-janstravel.com.

Adults ages 50 and older are invited to learn about interesting issues and socialize over a catered lunch at monthly O’Fallon Active Older Adults (OAOA) club meetings. The OAOA meets on the third Wednesday of the month from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. at the Renaud Spirit Center, 2650 Tri Sports Circle, O’Fallon, Missouri 63368.

OAOA Speakers Schedule • December 21 – Missouri Representative Kurt Bahr will speak at the meeting, which will include holiday activities and a luncheon of turkey, dressing, corn and cookies. Cost of the program is $8 for O’Fallon residents and $10 for non-residents. The deadline to sign up for the luncheon is Wednesday, December 14.

• January 18 – The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse – St. Louis Area will present “Recipe for Trouble.” A catered lunch will be provided. Cost of the program is $10 for O’Fallon residents and $12 for non-residents; the deadline to register is Wednesday, January 11.

Register for O’Fallon’s Parks and Recreation programs in one of three ways: • Online through the Parks and Rec website, www.ofallon. mo.us/ParksandRec • Call 636.474.2732 • Come to the Parks and Recreation Administration Office, 400 Civic Park Drive (63366), or the Renaud Spirit Center.

For more information, please contact Paula Creech at 636.474.8121 or pcreech@ofallon.mo.us.

Sign up for O’Fallon’s Jolly “Jingle Bell Lunch”

Celebrate the season with friends old and new at a traditional sit-down meal of slow-roasted turkey with all the trimmings served to the tune of a light-hearted holiday show. Jingle Bell Lunch will be held from noon–2 p.m. on Monday, December 12, at the Renaud Spirit Center (RSC), 2650 Tri Sports Circle, O’Fallon, Missouri 63368. The cost is $15 for O’Fallon residents and $18 for non-residents. Register: 1. Online at www.ofallon. mo.us/ParksandRec 2. At the Renaud Spirit Center (RSC), or the O’Fallon Parks and Recreation Administration Offices, 400 Civic Park Drive (63366) 3. By calling 636.474.2732 For more information, please contact Recreation Specialist Paula Creech at pcreech@ofallon.mo.us, or call 636.474.8121. www.meadowlandsestates.com

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Community News - St. Charles County • December 7, 2011 • 7

Alderman Patrick Barclay City of St. Peters Throughout the year, Mayor Len Pagano, the Board of Aldermen and staff try and help those living in St. Peters. All of us give back to the community in an official capacity helping residents. We also give our time and energy outside of city hall. Some of the annual events we participate in are Pennies for Patriots, No Hunger Holiday at Thanksgiving and Meals on Wheels Trivia Night. Each of us also has other organizations, food pantries and charities that we enjoy helping out and volunteering for.

I would like to invite everyone to come down to area grocery stores on December 9 or 10.

Throughout that weekend, we’ll be ringing bells with members of the Building Trades for the Salvation Army’s Tree of Lights Campaign. This is another event we all look forward to every year.

Anything you can contribute will be used to help so many people. Whether you drop a few dollars

or pocket change into the kettle, it all adds up. I will be over at the Schnucks on Jungermann Road at various times that weekend. Hope to see you there.

Even with the money from the trivia night we hold every fall, the Senior Center Meals on Wheels Program still needed more help. This is because the State of Missouri has reduced its funding several times. Back in January, Alderman Jerry Hollingsworth and I co-sponsored an item on the Board of Aldermen Work Session agenda. The city was to switch to a new utility billing format at the end of 2011. We proposed that a check off box be added to the utility bill which would allow residents to donate money to help fund the local Meals on Wheels Program for St. Peters Seniors. Mayor Pagano and the Aldermen approved the idea and you can contribute if you wish starting early next year.

On behalf of those whom this will help, thank you.

Finally, from my family to yours, I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Now Accepting Donations at The Saint Charles Convention Center Items to be distributed at Helping Hands for the Holidays Charity Event

Global Spectrum, managers of the St. Charles Convention Center, are now accepting donations to be distributed at the fourth annual Helping Hands for the Holidays charity event from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, December 15. Requested donations include canned food, personal care items, and winter clothing.

These items will be distributed to individuals in need that attend the event on December 15 on a first come, first served basis. Last year, there were more than 1,000 people in attendance, and more than 1,500 people are expected to attend this year’s event. Donations will be accepted from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Wednesday, December 14. Please bring donated goods to the St. Charles Convention Center’s administration office (upper level).

In addition to the distribution of donated items, the free event will include a warm holiday meal, photos with Santa, an activity area for children, various health care screenings and services, and entertainment provided by the St. Charles Main Street Carolers.

Transportation to and from the event has also been coordinated – please call 636.669.3000 for additional information on this. The event does not require a RSVP to attend.

MoDOT to Close Central School Road Crossover at Route 364 December 2 The Missouri Department of Transportation and its contractor, Fred Weber, Inc., will close the Central School Road crossover at Route 364 on December 2, weather permitting. Traffic will no longer use the crossover to access the north and south outer roads. Crews will open the new Uturn bypass from the south outer road to access the north outer road, just east of the existing Cen-

tral School Road. Southbound Central School Road traffic will access the south outer road using Kisker Road.

This work is part of the second phase of the Route 364 project between Harvester Road and Mid Rivers Mall Drive. Plan ahead -- for ways to avoid work zones, call 1.888.ASK.MODOT or visit www.modot.org.

Travel Back to “The Good Old Days” On Wednesday, January 11, board the motor Spirit Center or the O’Fallon Parks and Recrecoach for an entertaining trip, “Churchill, Cars ation Administration Office. and Crane’s,” featuring the “good old days” with For more information, contact Paula Creech at stops at: pcreech@ofallon.mo.us or 636.474.8121.

• The National Churchill Museum in Fulton to view a stirring film about Winston Churchill’s leadership of Great Britain in World War II, Churchill’s Finest Hour.

• The Auto World Museum to tour the museum’s collection www.midwestagency.com of vintage cars and auto-related memorabilia • The Post Office Bar & Grill for a tasty lunch • Crane’s Museum and Shoppes (formerly Crane’s Country Store) in Williamsburg, a Missouri treasure dating to 1926 when “regulars” socialized around the potbellied stove.

The deadline to sign up for the trip is Sunday, December 11.

The cost of $85 for O’Fallon residents and $95 for non-residents includes transportation, lunch, admissions, tours, and gratuities. On the day of the trip, the www.smith&daiberlaw.com motor coach will pick up travelers at 8 a.m. in the main parking lot at Civic Park, and return to O’Fallon by 5 p.m.

Please register as soon as possible to keep trips from being cancelled due to low enrollment.

Call 636.474.2732, visit www. ofallon.mo.us/ParksandRec, or sign up in person at the Renaud

Save money on holiday shopping!

Get your exclusive discount flyer of great deals at O’Fallon stores and restaurants when you visit O’Fallon’s Celebration of Lights holiday light display in Fort Zumwalt Park

November 25–December 30.

To learn more and see a list of participating businesses, please visit

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8 • December 7, 2011 • Community News - St. Charles County

Donating Old Shoes Can Bring Clean Water To Developing Countries The students and staff at Troy Buchanan High School and Ninth Grade Center are participating in the Shoeman Water Project. Shoeman Water Projects picks up used and new shoes year round from businesses, churches, schools, and shoe drives. Once collected, The Shoeman gives a second life to the shoes, selling them to exporters. The money from the sale of the shoes is used to purchase well drilling rigs, water purification systems, and other supplies to bring clean, fresh water to those in need. On November 28, the organization came to pick up the first round of shoe donations from TBHS and NGC. Approximately 450 pairs of shoes were recycled.

Having collected over 1.5 million pairs of shoes since August of 2008, the non-profit Shoeman Water Projects has sent four water drilling rigs to Kenya and teams to Haiti to assemble water purification systems and repair pumps.

To participate, bring your used and new shoes, tied or rubber-banned into pairs to drop off bins at TBHS. TBHS will be collecting shoes throughout the school year. To learn more about Shoeman Water Projects, how to be a Shoeper Star, or the over 200 drop-off locations visit shoeman.org.

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Notice of Filing of a Declaration of Candidacy for Directors of Public Water Notice is hereby given that all persons interested in filing a Declaration of Candidacy for Director of Public Water Supply District #1 and #2 may do so at the offices of the said District, located at 3451 S Hwy W, Winfield, MO 63389 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, on and between the dates listed herein.

Filing of a Declaration of Candidacy begins at 8 a.m. December 13, 2011 and closes at 5 p.m. January 17, 2012.

MO 147 Bridge in Cuivre River State Park Opens to Traffic in Lincoln County On Wednesday, November 23, MO 147 in Cuivre River State Park east of Troy opened to traffic after almost two months of work to replace the Big Sugar Creek Bridge located at Park Road. The 56 year old bridge was replaced under MoDOT’s innovative Safe and Sound Bridge Program with a new two lane, four-foot wider bridge.

Officials opened the bridge to alleviate holiday traffic. For more information about this bridge or others in the Safe and Sound Bridge Program, please contact MoDOT’s customer service center at 1.888 ASK MODOT or visit www.modot. org/northeast.

R III Joins Twitter and Facebook

www.troydentalcare.com

www.troyfurnitureco.com

www.pbtc.net

Last month the Lincoln County R-III School District launched a Facebook page and has already given it a facelift. Now, the R-III District is launching a Twitter account to further connect with patrons of the District. Community Relations Specialist April Bryant explains the decision.

“Four years ago, a survey of our patrons said they weren’t ready for us to connect with them on Facebook. Now, an overwhelming percentage of patrons love connecting that way. With Twitter’s rapid growth in the last year, we’re just anticipating a growth in Twitter users in our community.”

For now, Bryant says the RIII District will utilize Twitter as a resource for items such as inclement weather closures, but also to “tweet” relevant articles dealing with education, parenting and trends among students. You can find a direct link on the District’s Facebook page.

School Fort Zumwalt News

Community News - St. Charles County • December 7, 2011 • 9

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1. Fort Zumwalt West High School concert choir has been invited to perform with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra at the Holiday Choral Festival Concerts. The choir is one of only four high schools in the St. Louis area asked to participate. The performances will take place at Powell Symphony Hall. A sponsor concert for Macy’s will take place at 7 p.m. on Thursday, December 15. A matinee concert, which is open to the public, will take place at 2 p.m. on Friday, December 16. Pictured is the choir during a rehearsal with the director, Mrs. Beth Fritz, and accompanist, Mr. Jeff Vandiver.

2. Hope High School in the Fort Zumwalt School District held its seventh annual Empty Bowls event on November 11. This service learning and cross-curricular studies event is part of an international effort to fight hunger. The soups were prepared by the FACS class, the art classes created the beautiful bowls, publicity was taken care of by the marketing class, and entertainment was provided by the staff and students. All of the proceeds from this event go to a local food pantry.

3. Hawthorn Elementary School held a “Pennies for Pies” collection that allowed students to bring in their loose change. Various students earned a chance to throw pies at the faces of the principal, Ms. Nicole Shidaker, and administrative assistant, Ms. Teale Shearer. Over $1,000 was raised and all of these proceeds will benefit the food bank at Sts. Joachim and Ann Care Service.

Pictured is Max Scanlan, son of Mr. & Mrs. Andy Scanlan, hurling a pie at Ms. Teale Shearer.

4. Veterans Day was celebrated in Fort Zumwalt at all 24 of the district’s schools. Many activities took place including assemblies, speakers, musical performances, color guards, meals prepared for veterans, collections taken up to benefit veterans, the wearing of red, white, and blue, and much, much more. Students were joined by veterans to share in the honoring of those who are presently serving and those who have previously served our nation. Pictured are students from Rock Creek Elementary waving their flags to show their patriotism.

5. Students at North Middle School in the Fort Zumwalt School District were treated to a visit

by Suzanne Morgan Williams. Mrs. Williams is the author of the popular Truman Award nominee, Bull Rider. Mrs. Williams held two large group presentations and two small writer’s workshops at the school on November 8. North Middle librarian, Julie Midyett, arranged the visit and many students benefited from the experience.

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Wentzville School District Holiday Assistance Program Each year in December the Wentzville School information. You can make a difference, and you District Holiday Assistance Program helps to pro- can make the holidays brighter for children who vide gifts for needy students and their families. really need the help!

Last year more than 350 families and more than 1,000 children received assistance in this charitable effort! The program, coordinated by the Wentzville School District Community Relations Department and the school www.jeffowens-insurance.com counselors, works with a variety of community groups to help make the upcoming holidays more enjoyable for struggling families. In our schools, students and staff do a variety of things to raise money and collect gifts, and many families are adopted by their own caring school community. This year the number of families who need assistance has grown, and the District is seeking help to ensure that everyone has a few presents to enjoy. If you would like to help out and share a little cheer by adopting a needy family, please contact your school counselor or call the WSD Community Relations Department at 636.327.3800 ext. 20357 or email marylapak@ www.rayrockwell.com wentzville.k12.mo.us for more

www.cfcohelpingyours.org

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Business

10 • December 7, 2011 • Community News - St. Charles County

O’Fallon Chamber Awards Members The O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce its award winners for 2011. The chamber sought out nominations for Small Business, Business, and Large Business of the Year as well as the first ever Sue Proost O’Fallon Chamber Person of the Year award from its membership.

“The selection committee had a lot of discussion when choosing from the nominees in each category,” said Erin Williams, Chamber president/CEO. “We are blessed to be in a community filled with businesses that are dedicated to O’Fallon and to our chamber.”

Autotech Auto Center is the 2011 Small Business of the Year. Autotech is known for the customer service provided by their staff and the knowledge of owner Greg Kinder. Both Greg and Barb Kinder are staples of the O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce, helping to foster growth of their fellow chamber members in leads groups as well as volunteering as Ambassadors and on the Trivia committee.

F&M Bank and Trust Company is the 2011 Business of the Year because of the company’s dedication to the O’Fallon community, as well as the Chamber of Commerce. F&M Bank and Trust relocated in O’Fallon in 2010 and has continued to grow since then. Employees of the bank are known to wear blue jeans on Fridays as an effort to raise money for their Adopt-aFamily program at Christmas time.

“It seems like F&M Bank is always looking to help someone or some organization, their community spirit is evident in each one of their employees,” Williams said.

F&M Bank and Trust representatives are on hand at each event the Chamber hosts, whether it is a ribbon cutting, a new member orientation, or a fundraiser, F&M has a presence.

The 2011 Large Business of the Year is Delmar Gardens. Since coming to O’Fallon, the company offered only the highest quality of life to its residents and has enhanced the quality of life of O’Fallon residents. Each

year the company, free of charge, offers an Independence Day spectacular with fireworks, food and fun for the whole family. They actively pursue ways to help out the not-for-profit community.

“When the selection committee met, the one thing that we kept asking was, ‘Is this a company that we can hold up and say to our other members, this is what a good business does?’ I feel that each of the award winners are exactly that – businesses that our members can look to emulate,” Williams said.

The Sue Proost O’Fallon Chamber Person of the Year is Mark Crank of Marcos Productions. This award is named after former Chairwoman of the Board who passed away in 2010. Sue Proost was known for her leadership, dedication and volunteerism to the entire O’Fallon community, but especially the Chamber of Commerce. These are qualities that Crank exemplifies.

Crank is the current chair of the Ambassadors committee, which has continued to grow in numbers and participation under his leadership. He is also the cochair of the Trivia committee, a driving force in the leads group program and a friendly face to our new members and guests at all Chamber functions. Crank volunteers his time to Old Newsboy Day, Friends of Kids with Cancer, and the Missouri Association of Fairs and Festivals.

The Chamber will honor all of the winners at the December 13 general membership meeting luncheon to be held at the Christy Banquet Center. To make your reservations, please call the Chamber office at 636.240.1818 or visit www.ofallonchamber.org.

Recent Ribbon Cuttings

www.pbtc.net

Catholic Family Services is a new business to the city of O’Fallon, new members of the O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce and celebrated with a Ribbon Cutting ceremony. Pictured is Program Coordinator, Joan Cotton joined by friends, family and community members. Also in attendance for the celebration were representatives of the O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce, City of O’Fallon and O’Fallon Mayor Bill Hennessey.

CFS, established in 1955, is a nonprofit 501(c) 3 mental healthcare provider that serves more than 7,000 St. Louis-area residents each year. It operates six offices spread throughout four area counties, and also provides onsite student counseling at more than 100 metro-area schools. Catholic Family Services provide services to all, irrespective of religion, age, race, gender, or marital status. Services include individual, group, and family counseling, psychiatric care, and parenting classes.

In addition, CFS operates the Fatherhood Initiative Program, which guides low-income men in becoming better fathers to their children, and the Language Access Metro Project (LAMP), which provides 24/7 interpretation assistance for non-English speakers in instances in which thorough comprehension is crucial, such as when receiving medical care or legal assistance.

Catholic Family Services is located at 311 South Main, Suite 100 in O’Fallon, Mo. Call 636.291.1990 or visit www.cfsstl.org.

Business Spotlight A place to find out a little more about your local businesses! www.bankfm.com

Community News - St. Charles County • December 7, 2011 • 11

www.historicstcharles.com

12 • December 7, 2011 • Community News - St. Charles County

SAINT CHARLES Christmas Traditions

Welcome to St. Charles Christmas Traditions!

Information from www.stcharleschristmas.com

Christmas sparkles each year in his-

All photos courtesy of Karen Godfrey

toric St. Charles, Missouri during our one-of-a-kind Christmas Traditions festival. While you’re making holiday plans, escape to an old-fashioned Christmas with storybook characters, Victorian carolers, and Santas from around the world.

There’s no better place than Main Street during a Christmas festival for a holiday stroll with your loved ones. Underneath a canopy of twinkling lights,

stroll a while. Duck into a shop or two for a little holiday shopping. Then, take a break at one of the many restaurants, dessert cafes or coffee houses.

For a complete schedule, please visit www.stcharleschristmas.com.

And when Santa has to leave on Christmas Eve, join us for the Santa Send-Off at 1:30 p.m. We’ll bid Santa goodbye during this last parade of the season and wish him the best as he heads back to the North Pole.

Breakfast with Santa December 10 and 17 Come enjoy breakfast at the beautiful Mother-In-Law House Restaurant for an upclose-and-personal visit with Santa. Bring your holiday wish list. Plus, don’t forget the camera to capture all the holiday fun.

Doors open at 9 a.m., and breakfast is served at 9:30 a.m.

Parking is free on the street and nearby lots.

Tickets are $15 and reservations are required. But hurry!

Only a limited number of tickets are available.

To order tickets, contact the Greater Saint Charles Convention & Visitors Bureau at 636.255.6155 or via email at KGodfrey@historicstcharles. com.

The Complete Works of Christmas!

December 11 and 18, 2011 Someone has killed the Grinch and now Santa’s on Trial!

Who can imagine the jolly old elf with a belly that shakes like a bowl full of jelly could ever be a murderer?

Come help us discover the real killer. Tickets are $62.50 and reservations are required.

But hurry! Only a limited number of tickets are available.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and dinner is served at 6 p.m. Parking is free on the street and nearby lots.

Community News - St. Charles County • December 7, 2011 • 13

SAINT CHARLES Christmas Traditions

To order tickets, contact the Greater Saint Charles Convention & Visitors Bureau at 636.255.6155 or via email at KGodfrey@historicstcharles.com.

The Santa Parade The highlight of any visit to Historic Main Street has to be the Santa Parade. The Santa Parade starts at the corner of Boone’s Lick and South Main at 1:30 p.m. each Saturday and sunday during Christmas Traditiosn and features more than 40 costumed Victorian Carolers and Legends of Christmas who all come together for this magical event.

The Santa Parade is led by the Lewis and Clark Fife and Drum Corp and culminates at the corner of South Main Street and First Capitol in Berthold Square where you will be treated to a short show featuring the talented Lewis and Clark Fife and Drum Corp as well as all the rest of our International Christmas Characters.

After the show don’t miss out on the opportunity to interact with all the Santas as well as collect their Character Cards.

Tourism Center at the corner of Main Street and First Capitol Drive, our Victorian Santa will bring a touch of class to this treasured memento, all at a greater value than mall photos.

Photos are $12 for the first and $8 for the second.

They are 5 x 7 and come in a lovely gold foil-trimmed frame. You may also purchase more photos with Santa in varying sizes online or by visiting The Tintypery at 510 S. Main Street.

Photos with Santa will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

Carriage Rides Take a break from the hustle and bustle of shopping and enjoy a relaxing, complimentary carriage ride down Main Street!

Our complimentary carriage shuttle will be available (weather permitting) during Christmas Traditions on Wednesday and Friday Nights, as well as Saturdays and

Sundays.

The carriage rides are courtesy of the SBD and the Greater Saint Charles Convention & Visitors Bureau.

To reserve a carriage for a special event or evening during the holiday season, please call 636.398.4123.

Trains on Main Be sure to visit Trains on Main located at the “North Main Train Station” at 222 N. Main Street. This year’s display will include a Victorian winter scene, a circus scene, Katy coal train, Union Pacific Big Boy, Polar Express, and so much more. Features HO, O, N and G gauge trains.

Admission is $2 for adults and $1 for children ages 3-12. Children under 3 are free. Proceeds benefit the Frenchtown Heritage Museum.

Trains on Main is open during regular festival hours.

For more information, call 636.724.2106.

Decorations Saint Charles is one of America’s great Historic Districts.

There is no other place quite like South Main Street, which features 10 blocks of historic buildings, some dating as far back as the late 1700s.

For Christmas Traditions, we pull out all the stops to create a festive setting the whole family can enjoy. With more than 10,000 feet of fresh greenery, 150 wreaths, 1,200 hand-tied red velvet bows, and thousands of white lights in the trees and on the buildings, you just can’t help but get caught up in the holiday spirit.

In the daytime, the crisp reds and greens provide a colorful backdrop as you walk the brick streets enjoying all that Christmas Traditions has to offer. And in the evening, the white lights make a nighttime stroll or drive down Main Street one of St. Louis’ best free light displays.

The holiday decor on Main Street is just one more way that Christmas Past Comes To Life in Saint Charles during Christmas Traditions.

Photos with Santa Capture memories of your family’s visit to Saint Charles in a special photo with Santa.

Set against a classic holiday backdrop in lower level of the

www.stcharlesconventioncenter.com

Learn & Play

14 • December 7, 2011 • Community News - St. Charles County

SUDOKU:

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.

Youngest Pick: “Stars”

Book Buzz !

Hello, Friends: Newsbee’s the name, reading’s my game. Each month, I select three books - preschool through eighth grade chosen to fit a particular theme. These are my Book Buzz Picks and I announce them in the newspaper. A honey of an idea, don’t you think? What better place to introduce kids to good books than on the pages of their local newspaper?

Community News is proud to offer our readers “Book Buzz.” This column will feature great books for children in three categories: Youngest Pick: early childhood to the first or second grade, Middle Pick: elementary school children, and Oldest Pick: middle school children. Enjoy!

Eyes and hearts will light up when reading “Stars,” a poetic picture book by Mary Lyn Ray, with illustrations

by Marla Frazee, one of Newsbee’s special pals. The team has combined their talents to create a wondrous book of insurmountable beauty that’s a joy to read aloud.

“A star is how you know it’s almost night. As soon as you see one, there’s another and another. And the dark that comes doesn’t feel so dark.”

So begins a grateful nod to the sparkly friends that greet us each evening, dotting the night sky with diamonds.

But stars aren’t only found by looking up to the heavens. Ray and Frazee remind us that stars abound all around – in the shapes children cut out from construction paper, and in our natural world, in delicate blossoms that lead to juicy strawberries, in five-pointed flowers that become happy pumpkins, and in dandelions and snowflakes.

All the magic that a star provides is on display thanks to Frazee’s marvelous illustrations, and Ray’s rich writing. Readers of all ages will reach for “Stars” again and again.

See solution on page 21

Reprinted with permission, Missourian Publishing Company. Copyright 2011.

A Dickens of a Christmas Carol Seats are filling up for the O’FallonTheatreWorks’ new production of the comedy, A Dickens of a Christmas Carol: A Traveling Travesty in Two Tumultuous Acts, by Mark Landon Smith.

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The curtain will go up at 8 p.m. on Friday, December 9, and Saturday, December 10. The matinees will begin at 2 p.m. on Saturday, December 10. Performances will be held on the stage at the O’Fallon Municipal Centre (City Hall), 100 North Main Street, O’Fallon, Missouri 63366.

The story follows the tribulations of an English theater troupe struggling to put on their 15th annual farewell tour of the Charles Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol. When the company diva fakes an illness to get the tour cancelled, the troupe shuffles roles, thrusting the underprepared understudy in the lead. Determined to regain the limelight, the diva crashes the production anyway, resulting

in madcap antics as the rest of the cast and crew valiantly, and hilariously, go on with the show.

“This is a very funny play,” said Darren Granaas, O’Fallon’s Cultural Arts Coordinator. “The lines and the slapstick – lots of timed choreography – are right on the mark.” Tickets are selling quickly, and near sellout crowds are expected, he said.

Discounted tickets are still available in advance by calling 636.474.2732, or by coming to the Renaud Spirit Center recreation complex, 2650 Tri Sports Circle in O’Fallon (63368). The cost is $10 for general admission (ages 18-64), and $8 for both students (ages 6-17) and seniors (age 65 and up). Ages 5 and under are admitted, free. For an additional $2 each, tickets will be available at the box office, which opens one hour before the start of each show.

Word of the week: churlish [CHUR-lish] adjective; 1. Boorish or rude.

2. Of a churl; peasantlike.

3. Stingy; mean.

4. Difficult to work or deal with, as soil.

Example Sentence: Mary, though sometimes malicious, certainly wasn’t churlish.

www.delmargardens.com

MOVIE

Community News - St. Charles County • December 7, 2011 • 15

“Arthur Christmas”

By Steve Bryan

Aardman Animations, the studio that produces the awardwinning “Wallace and Gromit” short films, explores the inner workings of the North Pole in “Arthur Christmas.” This holiday adventure is a fast— paced, funny story that has real appeal for both children and adults.

Arthur (voice of James McAvoy) is Santa’s son, a young man who loves Christmas more than anyone else in the world. A tad clumsy and overeager, Arthur works in the letters department at the North Pole, answering questions and inquiries from children all over the world.

Unlike Arthur, Steve (Hugh Laurie), his big brother, is the model of military efficiency. Over the years, he has streamlined the entire gift-delivering system so that Santa doesn’t actually deliver all the gifts himself. As his father approaches retirement age, Steve fully expects that he will become the new Santa.

This year, however, a little girl named Gwen (Ramona Marquez) is overlooked on Santa’s annual holiday delivery schedule. Trying to sweep the error under the rug, Steve wants to send the gift later via messenger, but Arthur insists that each child must receive a present on Christmas morning. Unfortunately, he only has a few hours before the Sun comes up and Gwen loses faith in Santa.

A well-executed comic adventure, “Arthur Christmas” has all the trademarks of an Aardman Animation film. The story moves along at a fast clip and is filled with some completely outrageous situations.

James McAvoy brings just the right amount of earnestness to Arthur, the often-overlooked son of Santa Claus. Arthur has, however, more holiday spirit than his father and brother combined. He takes his work seriously, writing personal responses to children who have questions or doubts about whether or not Santa is real.

Hugh Laurie from television’s “House” delivers a sharp, crisp per-

(PG)

formance as Steve, the favorite son. As the second-in command, Steve has the elves operating at top efficiency, but he has squeezed all the joy and happiness out of the process. Steve is so sure that he will become the new Santa that he has a custommade, Versace suit ready and waiting in his closet.

In many ways, Bill Nighy steals the show as Grandsanta, the previous Santa Claus who used to do the whole route with nothing more than a wooden sleigh and eight reindeer to pull him. Grandsanta volunteers to help Arthur make that one last but vital delivery of the night.

Although holiday movies are quite common this time of the year, “Arthur Christmas” is a delight, highlighting the magic of the season that sometimes gets overlooked.

“Arthur Christmas,” rated PG for some mild, rude humor, currently is playing in theaters.

www.ymcastlouis.org/ofallon www.ymcastlouis.org/stcharles www.ymcastlouis.org/tricounty

Photo courtesy of Columbia Pictures

www.kristalcleanco.com

www.desmetretirement.wordpress.com

www.ofallon.mo.us/COL

Editorial

16 • December 7, 2011 • Community News - St. Charles County

“Over the Fence” The Lesser of Two Evils A friend asked who I’m voting for president in ‘012. I told him I was writing in Bugs Bunny. He smiled and said, “No really, tell me the truth.” I said, “I am telling the truth.

I’ve been voting for the lesser of two evils since Johnson and Nixon ran and I’m not doing it anymore.”

He said accusingly, “You were too young to vote for one of them.”

“Ummm…”

He rolled his eyes and decided to play along. He asked, “Why Bugs Bunny?“ “He always wins.”

“Oh,“ he said. “So who do you like for vice president?”

“Daffy Duck,” I replied. “Most vice presidents and Daffy seem to have a lot in common.”

“Oh…right,” he mused. “How about Secretary of Defense? Bugs gonna appoint the Tasmanian Devil?” I shook my head. “We already had Donald Rumsfeld. Maybe Yosemite Sam. His six-guns shoot hundreds of times without reloading, and that would thrill the Pentagon and the NRA, but he always misses Bugs and that might please the animal rights people.”

“Elmer Fudd’s shotgun does the same thing,” he said.

“Yeah, but he has this fetish about rabbit stew.”

“Whatever. What about Secretary of Commerce?” He smirked. “Porky Pig maybe?”

I said, “We already have too many pigs in commerce but maybe we can ask Warren Buffet. He seems less piggish, somehow.”

He guffawed and said, “What, no cartoon characters?”

I said, “Not much difference but hey, the other billionaires hate Warren because he jests about paying far less taxes, percentage wise, than his secretary.

Maybe he’ll help Bugs make legislators see the error of their ways. Besides, he‘s extremely rich and you know how legislators love rich people…almost as much as becoming one of them.”

“Might work. How about Secretary of State?”

I said, “I’m not sure. Do you have any suggestions?” He thought about it and finally said, “Snow White?”

“Won’t work,” I said. “Sending Hillary Clinton and Condi Rice to negotiate with Muslim countries where women are considered second class citizens was dumb. Better to appoint Arnold Schwarzenegger or Sylvester Stallone.”

“But they aren’t cartoon characters either,” he said.

“They aren’t?”

“Humph. Who would you pick for Bug’s press secretary?” I smiled and said, “Amos.”

My friend knitted his brow and looked confused. He said, “Who is Amos?”

I said, “The church mouse in the cartoon movie “Ben and Me.” He helped Ben Franklin write the Pennsylvania Gazette. He’d be great with the media.”

He snorted. “Surely news editors won’t believe a cartoon mouse.”

“What about TV news editors?”

“Well, there may be one or two…aaagghh!” He shook his head as if to clear it. He finally said, “The most hated person in the Whitehouse is usually the president’s chief-of-staff. He’s the one that’s hangs around the oval office snarling at everybody. Who do you have in mind for this job?”

I smiled my most knowing smile. “Now here’s where we can use the Tasmanian Devil. He’s just as mean and tough as all the past chiefs but he’ll have one advantage they didn’t have.”

I waited for him to respond. He smirked and tapped his foot before he finally said, “Okay, I’ll bite. What advantage?”

I grinned and said, “He’ll eat whoever gives him any lip.”

He grimaced. “Okay wise guy, what happens if President Bugs gives him any lip?” I put my nose up and snootily replied, “That’s easy. He can use Daffy as a go-between.”

He growled, “Ya’ know, this whole thing is ridiculous.”

I said, “So is the lesser of two evils.”

Missouri State Parks Welcome Dogs to Stay the Night If you want to take your “best friend” along on your best vacation, Missouri State Parks will provide both you and your dog a place to stay the night.

Beginning in January 2012, Missouri State Parks will make lodging units available to people who want to travel and vacation with their dogs. With the new Cabins for Canines program, specific lodging units will be available for use by dog owners. The program includes units such as outpost cabins, camper cabins, yurts, single-unit cabins, fourplexes and duplexes.

“Missouri State Parks wants everyone to know they are welcome to visit our outstanding state park system. Our new Cabins for Canines program is reaching out to those who love state parks but also love to bring their pets with them,” said Bill Bryan, director of Missouri State Parks, a division of the Missouri De-

www.centralcountyfire.org

partment of Natural Resources.

Previously pets were not allowed in any state park building, including lodging units. With the new program, 30 percent of lodging units will be made available for owners with dogs, following certain guidelines. “A portion of our lodging units will be available to dog owners and a portion will remain canine-free, giving us a balance to accommodate everyone who wants to come to a state park,” Bryan said.

Implementation of Cabins for Canines program will begin Jan. 1, 2012, for state-operated facilities including outpost cabins, camper cabins and yurts. Implementation of the program in lodging facilities operated by private concessionaires will be phased in during 2012 based on availability and fully implemented in 2013.

For more information on parks offering lodging facilities for dog owners, visit mostateparks.com.

The number of dogs allowed per cabin is limited to two, regardless of size. For visitors bringing canines as overnight guests,

there will be a minimum fee of $15 per dog, per night collected at check-in time. The per-dog, per-night fee may vary depending on the type of unit chosen. An additional fee may be assessed when extra cleaning is required.

Dog owners are responsible for cleaning up after their dogs inside and outside the unit.

Dogs should be attended at all times while inside the unit and at all locations in the park. When guests must leave the dog unattended, they must be placed in a crate or kennel. A crate or kennel will be provided for each unit free of charge as a courtesy to guests.

With the new program, dogs are allowed only in the designated lodging units and may not be taken in any other park building. This program applies to canines that are not considered service animals assisting guests with disabilities.

For more information about Missouri state parks and facilities available in the Cabins for Canines program, please call Missouri State Parks toll-free number at 800.334.6946 (voice) or 800.379.2419 (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf) or visit the Missouri State Parks website at www.mostateparks. com.

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Editorial

Community News - St. Charles County • December 7, 2011 • 17

Just sit right back...

Lately I’ve been praying for the desire to be more holy. And during the beautiful season of Advent, I try to put that desire into practice. I’m human, though, and being holy isn’t even a day-to-day thing…it’s a minute-by-minute thing. There are many, many days when I choose to be right, not holy.

I grew up watching the shows that TV Land and “Nick at Nite” now call “classic.” Does it make me feel old? You bet. Do I care? Of course not. I can’t remember if I watched the originals or reruns of family favorites like “The Andy Griffith Show” and “Gilligan’s Island.” I just remember loving them dearly.

So why transport you back in time to Mayberry and an island somewhere in the Pacific? Theme songs. All three kids were in the van when the theme song from “The Andy Griffith Show” flooded our ears. Music always puts a smile on my face, and in this case, I was grinning from ear to ear. Almost giddy, you might say. I don’t know why, but hearing the whistled tune brought a big, goofy smile to my face. My head was bopping from side to side I was rudely snatched from the 1960s and thrown headfirst into the year 2009 when my oldest son, Christopher, decided he knew more than I when it

Recipe:

came to theme songs.

“Hey!” Christopher said really loud. “That’s the song from Giggilan’s Island!”

Fortunately, I was off the monstrously busy Hwy. K, and had turned into a subdivision. Why fortunately?

Because the unforgivable mistake caused me to hit the brakes, nearly propelling all three seat-buckled kids into the very radio that was playing, remember? The theme from “The Andy Griffith Show.”

“What?” I said. “You think that’s the theme song to WHAT?” “Giggilan’s Island,” he said, real matter-of-fact like.

“First of all, the show is ‘Gilligan’s Island,’” I said.

“Gill-i-gan’s Island.” Second of all, that is NOT the theme to Giggilan’s, I mean Gilligan’s, Island. It’s the theme to the Andy Griffith Show.”

“No, mom, it from ‘Gilligan’s Island.’ I heard it before.”

This is where I get myself in trouble. Do theme songs really matter in life? Of course not. Should I allow a silly argument like this to continue? Of course not. Did I morph from a typically wise and calm mother into an I’ll-get-the-last-word-if-it’s-the-lastthing-I-do maniac? Of course! I wanted to leave no doubt in my son’s mind as to what was what. After

Share the Spirit of the Season with Holiday Cookies

(Family Features) The holidays are a season of sharing - sharing memories, sharing recipes and sharing the holiday spirit by making and giving homemade cookies. This year, the baking pros at McCormick are collaborating with cookie-sharing expert Kim Ima, owner of New York City’s The Treats Truck and author of the new “The Treats Truck Baking Book,” to make sure flavorful cookies are at the top of everyone’s gift list.

“Making and sharing cookies can really be a gift from the heart,” says Ima. “That’s what ‘The Treats Truck’ is all about – sharing a little of myself through my fresh-baked treats. It really is one of the greatest ways to connect with people.”

McCormick and Ima share some simple tips for making holiday cookies extra-special: • Fantastic Flavor Combinations – Certain flavor match-ups are real winners around the holidays. Cinnamon and ginger are comforting holiday classics, while a splash of peppermint extract adds a surprising hint of refreshment.

• Dress it Up – Spruce up versatile, go-to recipes like Spiced Holiday Sugar Cookies with seasonal flavors and creative decorations. Add a hint of almond extract to deepen the flavor, or play with festive cookie cutters and colorful frosting.

• Gift It – In a mason jar, combine pre-measured spices, seasonings and other dry ingredients for a homemade “cookie mix.”

With a strip of ribbon, attach a recipe card with baking and decorating tips.

To capture the magic of holiday cookie-baking virtually, McCormick is helping bakers share their own delicious

Spiced Holiday Sugar Cookies Prep Time: 20 minutes Refrigerate: 2 hours

all, I’m the one who grew up with these programs, and I’m the one who still watches them on “Nick at Nite” or TV Land.

“Gilligan’s Island goes like this,” I said. “Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip, that started from this tropic port, aboard this tiny ship.” I’ ll spare you the rest of the song, but believe you me, I sang the entire song. The desire to be holy flew out the van window, and was promptly replaced by the desire to be right.

It’s something I’m foolishly proud of. I couldn’t recite the preamble to our nation’s constitution if you offered to pay my children’s college tuition, nor could I remember more than the first line to the Gettysburg Address, but I can sing every syllable of Gilligan’s Island, by golly!

Later that evening I knelt beside Christopher’s bed, apologized for the desire to rub in (grind in is more like it) the whole Gilligan vs. Andy Griffith theme song thing, and asked for his forgiveness. Hmm… maybe the whole desire to be holy thing didn’t fly out the van window that day after all.

Cook Time: 8 to 10 minutes per batch Makes 6 dozen or 24 (3 cookie) servings

Ingredients: - 2 1/3 cups flour - 1 teaspoon baking soda - 1 teaspoon McCormick Ground Cinnamon - 1/4 teaspoon McCormick Ground Nutmeg - 1/4 teaspoon salt - 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar - 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened - 1 egg - 2 teaspoons McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract Colorful Cookie Icing: 1 cup confectioners’ sugar 3 to 4 teaspoons milk 1/2 teaspoon McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract 3 to 4 drops McCormick Assorted Food Colors and Egg Dye Directions: 1. Mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in medium bowl. Set aside. Beat granulated sugar and butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.

Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Refrigerate dough 2 hours or overnight until firm.

2. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Place on greased baking sheets.

3. Bake in preheated 375°F oven 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 1 minute. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

4. For the icing, mix all ingredients except food colors. (Stir in additional milk as needed to thin icing or more confectioners’

sugar to thicken, if needed.) Place small amount of icing into small shallow bowls, using one bowl for each color desired. Stir drops of food coloring into icing until desired shade is reached.

5. To ice cookies, hold cookie by its edge and dip top of cookie into icing. (Or spoon icing onto cookie using a teaspoon.) Place iced cookies on wire rack set over foil-covered baking sheet to dry. (The foil-covered baking sheet will catch drips.) To add decorative details to cookies, spoon tinted icing into resealable plastic bag. Snip off tiny piece of corner. Squeeze icing through hole in plastic bag to decorate cookies. If desired, colored sugar may be sprinkled onto freshly iced cookies.

Test Kitchen Tip: Mix 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar to use for dusting surface.

gifts from the heart in “The Big Cookie Share” at www.Facebook.com/ McCormickSpice. After choosing a signature cookie recipe and customizing it with their own flavor twists, McCormick fans will receive an ecookie to share with Facebook friends - complete with a frosted holiday message - and the accompanying recipe to bake up a batch at home.

Sports

18 • December 7, 2011 • Community News - St. Charles County

Sports You See... With Gary B. GAC/Suburban South/West Basketball Challenge December 15, 16, & 17 The St. Charles County Family Arena is the place to be for outstanding high school basketball. Cheerleaders, dance teams, booster clubs, pep bands, coaches, parents, and basketball fans of all ages will participate in this exciting event as they cheer their favorite teams to victory.

Here’s the line-up: Thursday, December 15, 2011 4:00 p.m. Rockwood Summit vs. Fort Zumwalt East 5:30 p.m. Parkway West vs. Francis Howell North 7:00 p.m. Parkway Central vs. Christian 8:30 p.m. Parkway North vs. Francis Howell Friday, December 16, 2011 4:00 p.m. Mehlville vs. St. Charles 5:30 p.m. Lindbergh vs. Fort Zumwalt West 7:00 p.m. Marquette vs. Duchesne 8:30 p.m. Webster Groves vs. Troy Saturday, December 17, 2011 9:00 a.m. Fox vs. Barat Academy 10:30 a.m Seckman vs. Warrenton 12:00 p.m. Northwest vs. Timberland 1:30 p.m. University City vs. Holt 3:00 p.m. Oakville vs. St. Dominic 4:30 p.m. Kirkwood vs. Francis Howell Central 6:00 p.m. Eureka vs. Fort Zumwalt South

7:30 p.m. Parkway South vs. St. Charles West 9:00 p.m. Lafayette vs. Washington ~~~Jam packed three days The ‘Zamboni Machine’ of the Cardinals Sighted Reitzy at Sombrero’s Last Thursday near the end of my radio show Sports Radio STL on KFNS, the former third baseman Ken Reitz of the St. Louis Cardinals was an unannounced guest. He played for the team with the ‘Birds on the Bat’ from 1972 to 1982 with stops in San Francisco, Chicago and Pittsburgh scattered in between those years.

His play at third base earned him the best fielding percentage in the National League six times in his career. Reitz also played in an All-Star game and earned a Gold Glove in his career. ~~~Still looking like he could handle the HOT corner Rams Shut Out Rams 0-San Francisco 49ers 26 It was a long trip back from the west coast Sunday night for the St. Louis team after a very disappointing offensive appearance. Luckily, the defensive side of the ball played with much better success.

There were a few highlights during the game that the team was proud to acknowledge: - DE Chris Long notched two sacks in the first half of play, to give him 12.0 for the season, 29.5 career.

Coming into today’s game, Long was tied for fifth most sacks in the NFL and the NFC. - Long has now recorded a sack in six consecutive games, the streak started Week 8 vs. New Orleans and is a new career long.

- LB James Laurinaitis sacked Smith in the second quarter for an 8-yard loss, marks his second sack of the season, seventh (7) career.

- According to press box statistics, Laurinaitis split the team lead in tackles with Craig Dahl, each credited with 12 (10 solo). Dahl was also brought in one forced fumble.

- RB Steven Jackson rushed 10 times for 19 yards, and caught one pass for 11 yards to bring his career all-purpose yards to 11,691, just 16 yards shy of tying Henry Ellard for third in team history.

- QB A.J. Feeley made his third start of the season, completing 12-of-22 attempts for 156 yards.

- WR Brandon Gibson led the team in receptions and receiving yards with four for 42 yards, a 10.5yard average.

- P Donnie Jones punted eight times for 317 yards, a 39.6-yard average, 37.3-yard net. Tallied a long of 49 yards and placed one inside the 20.

NEXT RAMS HOME GAMES: December 18 Noon against the Cincinnati Bengals January 1 Noon against the San Francisco 49ers (end of regular season) Check the latest news at www.stlouisrams.com ~~~Good Defense

Smooth Sailing with Proper Tire Safety Information courtesy of NewsUSA Don’t wait until there’s nothing left between you and the rain-slick pavement to check your tires. The likelihood of accidents skyrockets when combining wet, seasonal weather and poor tire maintenance.

Proper tire and pressure maintenance can prevent all kinds of road accidents, but drivers must be aware

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of the warning signs and ongoing maintenance needs to ensure driving safety. For example, an underinflated tire might not look flat to the eye. A tire can lose up to 50 percent of its air before it begins to show visually. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), tire pressure literally changes the way the rubber meets the road, affecting traction, handling, steering, stability and braking. Similarly, NHTSA estimates that nearly 250,000 accidents occur in the U.S. per year due to low tire pressure.

Statistics like these remind drivers how quickly collisions occur under preventable circumstances. Schrader, a global manufacturer of sensing and valve solutions that protect and perform, recommends the following advice to keep your tires road-ready in all conditions: • Check your tire pressure regularly, especially before any long trips. Inflation pressure changes depending on the temperature. Tire pressure drops about 1 psi for every 10 degrees F drop in ambient

temperature. Additionally, tires can lose as much as 1.5 psi per month as air escapes the tire and rim naturally. It’s best to check tire pressure when the car is off and tires are coolest.

• Heed the TPMS warning symbol. All passenger vehicles and light trucks sold in the U.S. from 2008 onward have a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) system installed. If the TPMS warning symbol lights up on your dashboard, one or more of your tires is 25 percent or more underinflated -- a significant loss in pressure. Take caution, and do not ignore the TPMS warning symbol.

• Find a safe place to pull out of traffic to stop and check your tires. If you are not having a blowout, use a tire gauge to check the pressure of each tire against your vehicle manufacturer’s recommended pressure level. Inflate tires to correct pressure at the nearest service station or repair facility. The recommended pressure level can be found on the tire placard, a label located just inside the driver’s side door.

• Don’t forget the spare. Before long drives, always check your spare for any injuries or punctures.

For more tips on how TPMS ensures driver safety, please visit www.TPMSMadeSimple.com.

Health

Community News - St. Charles County • December 7, 2011 • 19

MU Researchers Recommend Exercise for Breast Cancer Survivors, Lymphedema Patients

Free Wigs, Turbans and Breast Prostheses Available to Cancer Patients

By Samantha Craven

The American Cancer Society encourages cancer patients to call or visit an American Cancer Society facility to obtain free wigs, turbans and other head coverings, as well as mastectomy bras and breast prostheses. The products are offered to patients through the American Cancer Society’s patient services program.

“These products are very important to people with cancer because they help increase their self-esteem and provide a renewed self-confidence during and after treatment,” said Laura Ozenkoski, Health Initiatives director of eastern Missouri for the American Cancer Society. “We want to increase awareness of this service so we can help patients cope with their cancer diagnosis.”

For more information about this service, and other resources of the American Cancer Society which benefit cancer patients, call your American Cancer Society’s 24-hour help line at 1.800.227.2345 or visit cancer.org.

About the American Cancer Society The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. As the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing more than $3.5 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, about 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us any time, day or night, at 1.800.227.2345 or visit www.cancer.org.

Lymphedema, a chronic swelling condition common in breast cancer survivors, affects three million people in the U.S. In the past, most people believed that exercise might induce or worsen lymphedema. After reviewing the literature, University of Missouri researchers say the benefits of exercise outweigh the risks for breast cancer survivors and patients with lymphedema.

Jane Armer, professor in the Sinclair School of Nursing, says patients at risk for lymphedema can exercise if they closely monitor their activities.

“Exercise can be beneficial and not harmful for breast cancer survivors,” Armer said. “Each individual should balance the pros and cons of the activity she chooses, but keep in mind that being sedentary has risks and being active is beneficial in many ways, including possibly reducing the risk of cancer recurrence.”

Lymphedema can occur any time after cancer treatment and is usually caused by the removal or radiation of lymph nodes as part of the treatment process. Armer found that patients who exercise had no greater risk for developing lymphedema than those who do not exercise. In addition, patients with lymphedema did not worsen their condition by exercising. She says future research is needed to determine whether exercise prevents the condition.

“Breast cancer survivors do not need to restrict their activity as we once thought,” Armer said. “If patients want to be active, they should carefully condition their bodies by increasing repetitions of resistance exercises under proper supervision.”

In another new literature review, Armer and

her colleagues examined published literature pertaining to the surgical treatment of lymphedema.

They found that in most studies surgery did not eliminate the need for traditional compression garments in patients with lymphedema.

“Many people think surgery will correct the underlying lymphatic problem, but that is not correct,” Armer said. “There are several surgical techniques that may reduce the swelling associated with lymphedema. In most cases, it is recommended that patients undergo traditional therapy using specialized massage and compression garments and bandages to reduce fluid and swelling before considering surgery.”

The literature reviews were the first two in a series of 13 reviews to be published in conjunction with the American Lymphedema Framework Project (ALFP). Established in 2008, the ALFP aims to increase awareness of lymphedema, improve patient care and enhance training for professionals caring for persons at risk or with cancer-related lymphedema. The ALFP has two main goals: maintain up-to-date best practices supported with evidence-based lymphedema treatment guidelines for health practitioners, and create a minimum data set of all available lymphedema research and clinical data.

The first article, “Exercise in patients with lymphedema: A systematic review of the contemporary literature,” was published in the Journal of Cancer Survivorship. The second, “The surgical treatment of lymphedema: A systematic review of the contemporary literature,” was published in Annals of Surgical Oncology.

Hope Hospice “Snuggies for Seniors” Collection Set for December 10 Hope Hospice of St. Louis will collect items to keep senior citizens warm this winter on Saturday, December 10. The 2nd Annual “Snuggies for Seniors” Collection Drive will take place at all St. Louis area Syberg’s locations.

Hope Hospice staff and volunteers will collect gloves, hats, socks, slippers, blankets, scarves and, yes, Snuggies, for residents of St. Louis area senior living facilities.

Syberg’s will offer a special cocktail for the evening

with a portion of the drink proceeds going to the collection drive.

The “Snuggies for Seniors” Collection Drive will from 7 to 11 p.m. on December 10. Items may be placed in collection boxes at Syberg’s locations during the week prior to the event.

Sy b erg’s locations are:

• Dorsett at I-270 in Maryland Heights • Market Street in the Hampton Inn, Downtown • Gravois Road in Affton • Chesterfield Airport Road in Chesterfield Valley • Helen Fitzgerald’s on Lindbergh in Sunset Hills

www.ofallonnutrition.com

www.breezeparkliving.org www.stlouislipo.com

20 • December 7, 2011 • Community News - St. Charles County

CHURCH

636.327.6377.

December 10: St. Charles County Youth Orchestra Winter Concert 1 p.m. at Grace Baptist Church (Ehlmann Rd. in St. Charles).

Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker” & other Christmas selections.

Tickets are $4 for adults & $2 for children, and available at the door. 5 & under are free. Info: 636.916.0515 or email sccyo@sccyo.org.

Truth Matters!! Free Bible Correspondence Course Call: 636.294.9468 or 636.272.3013. Come Learn God’s Word with us. Sun. 9:30 am. Bible classes 10:20 am. - Worship; Sun. 5 pm. - Worship; Wed Eve 7 pm. 2309 Markoe Avenue, Wentzville, MO 63385.

Every Thursday at 7 p.m. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Friends and Family Support Group Open to anyone who has a loved one suffering from any kind of addiction. Held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 66 Oak Valley Drive, St. Peters.

For more information, email ARP-stln@hotmail.com.

Operation Backpack - United Methodist Church, Wentzville Food search program to provide food to at-risk children over the weekend when they don’t have access to free breakfast & lunch at local schools. There is a monthly financial need. It costs $5.40/child per week to provide backpack full of nutritious food. $200 provides a child w/ enough food for a year. Contact:

3rd Tues. Free Luncheon for Seniors.

Seniors 55+ enjoy free lunch, cards, games, bingo. From 11 am - 2 pm at Transfiguration Episcopal Church, 1860 Lake St. Louis Blvd. Info: 636.561.8951.

2nd Wed.: Noon Luncheon Shiloh United Methodist Church, 1515 Hwy T, Foristell. United Methodist Women provide main entree & bevs. 636.673.2144.

EVENTS December 8: Mom’s Afternoon Out at the O’Fallon Family YMCA 1-4 p.m. Ages 6 weeks-5 years. $10.00/child. Let us take the little ones for a couple of hours. Registrations must be received by the Tuesday before. For more info or to register, contact the Service Center at 636.379.0092.

December 17: Cribbage Card Playing 1 – 4 p.m. at Bandana’s Bar-B-Q in Wentzville (I-70 at Exit 208 on S. Service Road). Play 4-handed partner games. Fun and relaxing play. Register by email 512barbore@centurytel.net, or call Bud Arbore at 636.463.2978.

December 10: Multi-Author Book Signing 1-3 p.m. at Main Street Books (307 S. Main, St. Charles, Mo.).

Four St. Charles/St. Louis area Chicken Soup for the Soul writers will participate. 20% off purchase with canned food donation. Info at www.mainstreetbooks.net.

December 10: Christmas Party 11 a.m. at Beverly’s. St. Peters Aglow Lighthouse. Women invited for party and snacks. Info: Beverly Combest 636.887.0830.

December 14: Tri-County Women’s Luncheon/Program 11:15 a.m. at The Christy Banquet Center, 9000 Veterans Memorial Parkway, O’Fallon, Mo. Program by Anita Brooks “I Look Like My Daddy,” and music

by The Jingle Bell Carolers. Reservations: Janet 636.561.0956 or Pat 636.327.4082.

December 17: Breakfast with the Grinch at the O’Fallon Family YMCA 8-10:30 a.m. Breakfast, games, crafts & take your picture with the Grinch! Register by Dec. 9 by calling 636.379.0092. $7/ person for public, $5/person for members. Photos - $10.

January 1: Open House & Zumbathon at the O’Fallon Family YMCA

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10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Start your New Year’s resolution on time! Zumbathon to benefit Strong Community from 10:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m. $20 to participate. T-shirts and snacks for each person who attends the Open House. Call 636.379.0092 for more.

January 28 - June 21: Strong Community Trivia Night at the O’Fallon Family YMCA 7 p.m., doors open at 6 p.m.

Knights of Columbus Pezold Banquet & Meeting Center. $160 per table of 8, beer included.

Heads or Tails, Dead or Alive, 50/50 drawings and raffles. Cash bar available. Bring own snacks.

Register at www.ymcastlouis. org/ofallon or call 636.379.0092.

1st and 3rd Wed.: 7 p.m. St. Charles Area Wood Carvers Diverse group of people has a wide variety of carving skills ranging from novice to professional. Meetings include brief business mtg. followed by carving session. At Weldon Spring Site Remedial Action Project, 7295 Hwy. 94 South, St. Charles.

Visitors always welcome!

Hazelwoodwood High School 45th Class Reunion: We are having a class reunion in 2012 and are looking for classmates of Class of 1967. Please contact Kay at 1967hhshi@ gmail.com or 636 745-2601 for more information.

4th Mon.: 6:30 p.m. American Legion Post 388 Meets At Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 8945 Vets. Mem. Pkwy.

636.219.0553.

Crossroads Cribbage Club Every Wed. at 12 p.m.

Meets at Rizzo’s Bar & Grill, Wentzville, MO. Every Thurs: Active Older Adults Game Day at the O’Fallon Family YMCA 10:00 a.m - noon. Free. Join us every week to play your favorite board games, cards or dominos.

Bring a snack and your favorite stories to share. Contact Diana Kannady at 636.379.0092 x230.

Every Tues: Quilting Guild at the O’Fallon Family YMCA 1-4 p.m. Free. Join us every week to work on quilts “One Stitch at a Time” for local charities. Anybody welcome, no sewing experience required.

4th Tues.: 6:30 p.m. O’Fallon Garden Club.

Meets at Sunrise Methodist Church, 7116 Twin Chimney Blvd. More info call Barb at 636.978.5930.

3rd Wed.: O’Fallon Family YMCA Prayer Breakfast 7:30 a.m. The Y has always been nonsectarian, accepting of all faiths. We encourage you to come as you are and join members and guests of our community for prayer and fellowship on the third Wednesday of every month. Contact Diana Kannady at 636.379.0092 for more information.

Every Wed. 6:45 p.m. Charity Bingo VFW Post 5077 sponsors, at VFW Hall, 8500 Veterans Mem. Pkwy., O’Fallon. Cash prizes awarded. Support Vets & other worthwhile charities. Now a nonsmoking facility. 636.272.1945 or www.vfwpost5077.org for more info.

Every Thurs., 11:45 a.m., Kiwanis Club of O’Fallon.

Meets at JJ’s Restaurant in O’Fallon. More info at www.ofkiwanis.com.

Every Fri.: 3–8 p.m. VFW Fish Fry VFW Post 2866. 66 VFW Lane.

Call Bill Sams, 636.724.9612.

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www.gibsonprinting.com

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Community News - St. Charles County • December 7, 2011 • 21

Every Weekend: Orchard Farm Radio Controlled Flying Club Bring your family to watch flying model airplanes. Directions: www.orchardfarm.com Info: 636.300.1480.

HEALTH December 8: Brain Injury Support Group 7:30 p.m. SSM St. Joseph Health Center. Info: 314.423.6442.

December 13: Mended Hearts Support Group 6:30 p.m. in the St. Peters Room at SSM St. Joseph Health Center. Inspiring hope for heart patients and their families. Info: 636.947.5682.

December 13: Diabetes Information Nights Support Group 6:30-8 p.m. in the St. Charles Room at SSM St. Joseph Health Center. No charge or registration to attend. Light refreshments are served. Info: Patty Shelton, certified diabetes educator, at 636.947.5573 ..

December 19: Sharing Losses through Bereavement 1-2:30 p.m. at SSM Home Care & Hospice, 1187 Corporate Lake Drive. Regularly held the first & third Mondays of the month.

To register, please call 314.SSM. DOCS (776.3627).

December 20: Life after Breast Cancer 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the Community Education Room at SSM St. Joseph Hospital West in LSL. A light dinner is provided. Please RSVP to janice_young@ssmhc. com and write LABC in the subject line, or call 636.498.7923.

unwanted weight changes and improving energy levels and selfesteem.

• January 10 - March 29, Tues & Thurs, 5:30 p.m. - 6:45 p.m.

• February 20 - May 9, Mon & Wed, 11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

• April 3 - June 21, Tues & Thurs, 5:30 p.m. - 6:45 p.m.

Contact Kristi Bradley at 636.379.0092 for more info or to arrange an intake interview.

12 Step Support Group for Women Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse Meets in 4 locations in the metro St Louis area. Can email for further information: metrostlouissia@gmail.com.

• 1st and 3rd Monday: 9:30-11 a.m.

500 Medical Dr in Wentzville; doctors dining room of St Joseph Hospital; contact 636-561-1407.

• 2nd and 4th Tuesday: 6:30-8 p.m.

2 Progress Point Parkway in O’Fallon, MO; 4th floor conference room of Progress West Hospital; contact 636-561-1407.

Progress West HealthCare Center is proud to offer the following events to the community, FREE unless otherwise noted. To register or get directions, call 636.344.

CARE(2273) or visit www.progresswesthealthcare.org. *Middendorf-Kredell Library (MK): 2750 Hwy K. *Progress West Healthcare Center (PWHC): 2 Progress Point Pkwy. * Progress West Medical Center

(PWMC): 2630 Hwy. K. * St. Charles Community College (SCC): 4601 Mid Rivers Mall Dr. December 14: FREE Cholesterol Screening 9 a.m. - noon. PWHC. Appointment required.

December 15: AARP Driver Safety Program 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. PWHC. Course designed for drivers over age 50.

Check with your insurance company to see if you’re eligable for a discount upon completion of the course! AARP Members - $12, Non members - $14.

January 11 & 13: Peripheral Vascular Disease Screening 4-6 p.m. PWHC. Free screening in the brand new Cardiac Cath Lab on Jan 11. Breakfast on Jan 13 while Cardiologist Michael Missler gives an overview of test results & more. Space is limited, appts. required.

Every Mon.: 7 p.m. Tobacco Free for Life Support group. Free. St. Peters City Hall. 636.947.5304.

1st Mon.: Better Breathers Club Those w/chronic lung disease. St. Joseph Health Cntr., 300 1st Capitol Dr., St. Charles. Free lunch.

636.947.5684.

Last Tues.: 7–8:30 p.m. HOPE (Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Support Group) Sponsored by SSM St. Joseph Health Cntr & SSM, at Harvester Christian Church, Rm CH–104, 2950 Kings Crossing.

636.928.7651, x. 115.

3rd Wed. 6:30–8 p.m. KidsCan! Siteman Cancer Center, BarnesJewish St. Peters Hosp., 150 Entrance Way, St. Peters. Support children 4–12 w/parent/significant caregiver w/cancer.

1st Thurs.: 6:30–7:30 p.m. Conquer Support Group for adults w/ cancer. Siteman Cancer Cntr, Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hosp., 150 Entrance Way, St. Peters.

Call 636.916.9920.

2nd Thurs.: 4 p.m. Support Group for Alzheimer’s Delmar Gardens, 7068 S. Outer 364, O’Fallon. Call: Jennifer Krpan, Ralph Covinsky 636.240.6100.

3rd Sun. 12:45-1:45 p.m. Alzheimer’s Meeting Morning Star Church, 1600 Feise Rd., O’Fallon. Faith-based for caregivers, family of those w/ memory loss. 1.800.272.3900.

Gateway to Hope Program The Gateway to Hope Program arranges care for individuals diagnosed w/breast cancer who are either uninsured or underinsured & reside in Missouri.

Gateway to Hope serves as a breast cancer lifeline for those who do not qualify for government sponsored programs & are unable to afford treatment. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with breast cancer & cannot access treatment call Gateway to Hope at 314.569.1113 or visit our Web site at www.gthstl.org.

Sudoku Solutions from page 14

4th Thurs.: 6:30–8 p.m. Breast Cancer Support Group Siteman Cancer Cntr, BarnesJewish St. Peters Hosp., 150 Entrance Way. 636.928.WELL (9355) or 800.392.0936. http:// siteman.bjsph.org.

4th Tues: 6:30-7:30 p.m. Diabetes Support Group At HW Koenig Med Bldg, St Joseph Hosp. West. 636.625.5447

December 28: Free Mammograms 8 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. St. Luke’s Mobile Mammography Unit will be at Reliance Bank - Wentzville Ladies 40 years old and older are eligible (for those with little or no health insurance). Register at 636.332.3640.

January 10 - June 21: LIVESTRONG at the O’Fallon Family YMCA Trained instructors will lead small groups to help cancer survivors improve daily functional ability. The program will focus on reducing the severity of treatment side effects, preventing

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22 • December 7, 2011 • Community News - St. Charles County

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Community News - St. Charles County • December 7, 2011 • 23

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toes: floodwa ter and perman If you believe mosquitoes. ent water Floodwater ing problem you have a mosquito breedmosqui their eggs on damp soil where toes lay sure, please on your property, but will occur are not call the Departm flooding or, in some munity Hea ent of Comcases, above water line lth and the the in tree holes, Environme tainers, or nt. Ofartificial con- ficials will make an inspecti other small on and evaluabodies of water. tion appointment, When rain and then recomm fills these areas (ARA) and floods the possible solution. end a - National St. Charles County resident Friendship stages, broods greatest can upload s have the prevention of mosquitoes Day is Aumethod fingertips. a two-mintoes are mainly Proper maintens right at their gust 5 and - propert of the ance ute video pest y is the first variety, and the first to of the in light of emerge in the are step toward describ ing mosquito spring months prevention. All trash Many of these a recent and refuse that . mosquitoes how a close ers and may are strong flycould survey that range up to propert friend lights ten miles or more drained y should be adequately i n d i c ate s up their life graded and , to prevent a blood meal women any pools or to lay .....................3 water that may to www.ra puddles of r story............. eggs. last place high Cove County mosqui ten days or longer. diance ribtheir eggs directly ....................6 to v a control ider.... l u e McCauley lists on the water bons.com. officer Barry Shelly Schne several things 9 on , surface, their may do to homeowners cies in this Florissant ..........8 friendships, group do - their summekeep mosquitoes from test closes Old Olay is offering venture ruining theirTown r: breeding sites. not ..10,far11from a chance to Aug. treat themsel women Charles.........

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2011 May/June

COMMUNITY NEWS

COMMUNITY NEWS - St. Charles County

OUR TOWN MAGAZINE

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Published bi-monthly, Our Town is direct mailed to all business addresses in its service area, plus online subscribers. It is a unique business-to-business magazine featuring chamber of commerce news plus articles on the economy, technology, human resources, and marketing.

Vol 9 No 28

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in the larval

a grand tic entry into al beauty basas well as automa g – a person prize drawin JCPenney. y of ket courtes emiants nine mini-s fair gives participfrom including inforcare, nars to choose e, fitness, breast exercis plastic surmation on nence, and inconti ement and urinary personal improv fitting and bra gery. Other topics include for holiday awareness “dos” “ups” and and the “spirit wardrobe, p made easy, hair, makeu

First published in 1921, Community News is the longest published weekly newspaper in the St. Louis metropolitan area and has established a large audience of loyal readers.

Community News circulates across a broad geographic region with newstands, home throw and online subscription.

July 11, 2007

Missouri is home to about mosquitoes.

Some live less 50 species of while others than may live several a week, months.

Community Health and ment states the Environ it is only the female mosqui that “bites” and she does to so blood meal needed to lay to obtain the viable eggs.

While mosqui more than drive toes usually do little the family from doors to the the outindoors, they carriers of are sometim dangerous es d i s ea may contrac t malaria, yellowses. Humans gue, and encepha fever, denlitis; and dogs heartworm. may get Most of these the exceptio diseases, with n of canine heartwo human encephalitis and rm, have been eliminated fairly well from Health officials the entire United States. said outbrea to borne encepha ks of mosqui litis have periodic occurred in ally Missou “Canine heartwori. rm is an problem, with endemic costs to animal ers escalatin owng each warned. “Effecti year,” health officials measures includinve mosquito control g the elimina swamp areas, tion of to keep road and maintenance efforts ditches clear have done and much to control water free mosquito for disease transmission.”

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Shelly A. Schneid

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o busy, e it gets to to dies, befor is the time corner. La for you. Now ovement and take a day impr se for selffun in the set a cour and to have s self-awareness n will find the answer process! Wome health, family, career, ns on at the 2007 to questio more , and image, fashion – Fun, Fit, and FabuSt. Fair Nov. 17, at Women’s ay, for Saturd . lous – set unity College Charles Comm in partnership the college St. Joseph sented by ey and SSM take with JCPenn -Hospital West, will StuHealth Center a.m.-3 p.m. in the 8:30 Campus, 4601 place from on the SCC ille. dent Center in Cottlev Mall Drive the area Mid Rivers throughout reWomen from day of education, for a will gather and fun, includfood, laxation, prizes,eminars, a fashion show than 50 ing nine mini-s r, and more speake e ts and serand keynot ing produc vendors display vices. a continental seminars and exhibits and a fashion tickets include urse cial $20 VIP speaker, and full-co e in show, keynot Grappa Grill and catered by luncheon st, exhibits, the breakfa consecutive addition to For the fourththe lunchtime seminars. ey will host ages year, JCPenn with styles for all fashion show,

Follow the se tips to kee p your family and pets safe from mosquitoes .

Mosquito Sea son By

IN THIS ISSUE

St. Louis

P 636.379.1775 F 636.379.1632

r 14, 2007 Novembe 46 Vol. 86 No.

Published weekly with a powerful circulation combination of newsstands, home throw, and online subscription.

The St. Charles County edition features countywide coverage including the cities of: St. Charles, St. Peters, Cottleville, Weldon Spring, O’Fallon, Dardenne Prairie, Lake St. Louis, and Wentzville, plus Troy.

This monthly lifestyle magazine covers the fast-growing Wentzville and Lake St. Louis areas. It is direct mailed with additional copies available in newsstands, plus online subscribers.

Our FREE publications are available in over 700 convenient locations, including every Dierbergs, Schnucks and Shop ’N Save.

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7/5/11 3:30 PM

24 • December 7, 2011 • Community News - St. Charles County

Menagerie of Animals Rescued from Filthy Conditions in Branson, Mo. Working in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA), the Humane Society of Missouri Animal Cruelty Task Force recently rescued 40 dogs and 52 other animals including doves, Conyer parrots, cockatiels, love birds, a Ringneck parrot, hamsters, cats, chinchillas, ferrets, rats, and rabbits from a property in Branson, Mo. in Taney County.

The animals were living in very unsanitary conditions with the overwhelming smell of urine obvious to rescu-

ers as they entered the house. Animals not free roaming were housed in substandard cages, crates and kennels throughout the house and outside of the owner’s personal residence. Several of the dogs and birds appeared to be very thin and one dog has a long-standing, untreated injury to its paw. According to the owner, she was operating a personal animal rescue service.

The owner agreed to voluntarily surrender the animals to the MDA, which immediately transferred per-

manent custody to the Humane Society of Missouri for veterinary treatment and sheltering.

The rescued animals arrived on November 30 at the Humane Society of Missouri’s Headquarters on Macklind Avenue in St. Louis, Mo. As they become healthy over the next several weeks, as many of them as possible will be made available for adoption. Interested adopters are asked to visit often the Humane Society of Missouri website, www.hsmo.org, to see all adoptable animals.

World’s First Captive Breeding of Ozark Hellbenders Announced The Saint Louis Zoo’s Ron Goellner Center for Hellbender Conservation and the Missouri Department of Conservation announced that Ozark hellbenders have been bred in captivity - a first for either of the two subspecies of hellbender. This decade-long collaboration has yielded 63 baby hellbenders.

The first hellbender hatched on Nov. 15, and currently there are approximately 120 additional eggs that should hatch within the next week. The eggs are maintained in climate- and water quality-controlled trays behind the scenes in the Zoo’s Herpetarium. For 45 to 60 days after emerging, the tiny larvae will retain their yolk sack for nutrients and move very little as they continue their development. As the larvae continue to grow, they will develop legs and eventually lose their external gills by the time they reach 1.5 to 2 years of age. At sexual maturity, at 5 to 8 years of age, adult lengths can approach two feet.

Both parents are wild bred: the male has been at the Zoo for the past two years and the female arrived this past September.

Rivers in south-central Missouri and adjacent Arkansas once supported up to 8,000 Ozark hellbenders. Today, fewer than 600 exist in the world—so few that the amphibian was added in October 2011 to the federal endangered species list.

Due to these drastic declines, captive propagation became a priority in the long-term recovery of the species.

Once the captive-bred larvae are 3 to 8 years old, they can then be released into their natural habitat—the Ozark

aquatic ecosystem.

Also known by the colloquial names of “snot otter” and “old lasagna sides,” the adult hellbender is one of the largest species of salamanders in North America, with its closest relatives being the giant salamanders of China and Japan, which can reach five feet in length.

With skin that is brown with black splotches, the Ozark hellbender has a slippery, flattened body that moves easily through water and can squeeze under rocks on the bottom of streams.

Like a Canary in a Coal Mine Requiring cool, clean running water, the Ozark hellbender is also an important barometer of the overall health of that ecosystem—an aquatic “canary in a coal mine.”

“Capillaries near the surface of the hellbender’s skin absorb oxygen directly from the water – as well as hormones, heavy metals and pesticides,” said Jeff Ettling, Saint Louis Zoo curator of herpetology and aquatics. “If there is something in the water that is causing the hellbender population to decline, it can also be affecting the citizens who call the area home.”

“We have a 15-20 year window to reverse this decline,” added Missouri Department of Conservation Herpetologist Jeff Briggler, who cites a number of reasons for that decline from loss of habitat to pollution to disease to illegal capture and overseas sale of the hellbender for pets.

“We don’t want the animal disappearing on our watch.”

Reversing a Decline

In 2001, the Ozark Hellbender Working Group of scientists from government agencies, public universities and zoos in Missouri and Arkansas launched a number of projects to staunch that decline. These included egg searches, disease sampling and behavioral studies.

In 2004, funding from private donors, the Missouri Department of Conservation, the United States Fish & Wildlife Services and the Zoo covered the cost of building sophisticated facilities including climate-controlled streams to breed the hellbender.

The hellbender propagation facilities include two outdoor streams that are 40 feet long and six feet deep. The area is landscaped with natural gravel, large rocks for hiding and artificial nest boxes, where the fertilized eggs were discovered. A nearby building houses state-of-the-art life support equipment used to filter the water and maintain the streams at the proper temperature.

In addition, two large climate-controlled rooms in the basement of the Zoo’s Charles H. Hoessle Herpetarium are the headquarters for the program. The facilities recreate hellbender habitat with closely monitored temperatures, pumps to move purified water, sprinklers synced to mimic the exact precipitation and lights that flick on or dim to account for brightness and shade. The largest room includes a 32-foot simulated stream, complete with native gravel and large rocks for hiding. It houses a breeding group of adult Ozark hellbenders from the North Fork of the White River in Missouri; offspring from these hellbenders will eventually be released back into the wild.

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