Our Town: June 2021 by Community News

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Our Town Volume 12 | Number 6 JUNE 2021 Published by the Community News, Our Town is a monthly news magazine covering the cities of Creve Coeur, Maryland Heights, and Olivette. Circulation is 7,000 monthly through over 105 monitored newsstands guaranteeing 100% pickup. Additional issues are distributed online, and a free online subscription is available at www.mycnews. com

PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF Mathew DeKinder PUBLISHER EMERITUS/ GENERAL MANAGER Bob Huneke PRODUCTION Becky Brockmann Melissa Nordmann CONTRIBUTORS Avalanche, David Finkelstein, Cindy Moore STAFF WRITERS Brett Auten Charlotte Beard

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Around Town

The American Lung Association’s annual Fight For Air Climb will take place at Busch Stadium after virtual participation in the event in 2020 and more.

Feature Olivette goes the greenway Great Rivers Greenway begins $4.6 million construction project to link Warson Park to Dielman Road with walking and bike trails. By Charlotte Beard

Our Thoughts Moore on Life author Cindy Moore discovers the perils of spring cleaning while Avalanche discovers taking dogs on a fishing trip is more trouble than its worth.

Lifestyle The all-new 2021 Buick Envision is a solid entry in the compact SUV sector in Automobile Alley. Frances McDormand hits the road in ‘Nomadland’ in Entertainment. A truly memorable summer menu in For the Love of Food.

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Community News 2139 Bryan Valley Commercial Dr. O’Fallon, MO 63366 Ph: 636.379.1775 Fx: 636.379.1632 www.mycnews.com

In Depth As the country begins to reopen, Gateway Arch National Park looks to a summer full of activities and visitors.

Events Calendar

Staff Writer – Charlotte Beard Cover Photo – Submitted

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AroundTown

Addressing vaccine concerns The Black Nurses Association of Greater St. Louis hosts an online town-hall to address vaccine hesitancy in the African-American community BY CHARLOTTE BEARD Hesitancy to receiving the COVID vaccine is not limited to any one class or community of people. People of all skin colors have been vocal in stating they will not receive the vaccine. However, the Black Nurses Association of Greater St. Louis in collaboration with St. Louis County Public Health Department conducted an online town hall on the evening of April 23 via Facebook Live to particularly address the concerns, misinformation, and disinformation of African Americans. The Let’s Talk About It: Facts vs Fears – The COVID-19 Vaccine included speakers: Dr. Martha Dawson, President of the National Black Nurses Association; Dr. Shalmica Jackson, Marketing Manager for ATCC’s (American Type Culture Collection) Drug Discovery and Development; and Michelle Mitchell, Clinical Services Manager for St. Louis County Public Health Department. Dawson stressed focusing on the positives rather the negatives of vaccinations, especially among black and brown skin people. “Last year about this time when we first started talking about the vaccine, when the vaccine was still in clinical trials – primarily phase one and moving into phase two – a lot of the statistical data in interviews that were given at that time dealing with the black and

brown community showed that around 7% said that they would get vaccinated,” stated Dawson. “Then we started educating our community giving them opportunity to ask questions, and what we saw was a movement. So, gradually we had 14% that said they would get vaccinated. The latest data I have heard this week – 40% of African Americans have said that they will be vaccinated.” According to Dawson she has had both her shots for the Pfizer vaccine. Dawson also discussed COVID-19 terms that some communities may misinterpret due to wrong communications such as the meaning of recovery. She stated, “It means that you did not have the severe effects of this virus – you were not hospitalized. However, I want you to understand that you now have a pre-existing condition. That is why now you hear us talk about long-haulers.” She went on to explain that these are individuals who have had COVID, months have passed, and they are experiencing extreme fatigue, loss of hair or blurred vision. “So, these are conditions that people are now beginning to experience and report to their medical providers that indicate there are lingering side effects to having COVID,” stated Dawson. “So, when you talk about a public health condition the only thing you can do is try to treat that with medication or intervention. In this case, we usually call them vaccines when we are dealing with viruses.” Dawson reminded attendees that there are three strains of the COVID virus at this time and used it as a premise for being vaccinated. “I want to move you from hesitancy to readiness, from readiness to acceptance and from acceptance to action,” stated Dawson. Dawson acknowledged the hesitancy among Native Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanics, and particularly African Americans for getting vaccinated due to historical research such as the Tuskegee Experiment. She briefly overviewed that during the experiment, men were being told that they were being treated for a “blood disease” (no mention of syphilis), and that researchers withheld the treatment that would be available for these men. She further stated that the last known person that was part of the clinical trials died in 2004 and has living family members who passed on the disease to others because they were not informed. Dawson lumped this history into disinformation – which she defined as a long-time process/power-play and sometimes political which she stated needs to be acknowledged, owned, and defeated with information. “Misinformation is when you don’t know what you don’t know – you’re just out there trying to teach – trying to say something; you’re giving the wrong information and you don’t know that you’re giving the wrong information,” stated Dawson. “So, this is not intentional.” Dawson went on to explain that moving people to the readiness ‘VACCINE’ CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

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AroundTown VACCINE FROM PAGE 4 phase of becoming more informed requires transparency and individuals stating when they do not know what they don’t know. She went further to address that the public’s confidence in the COVID vaccine should increase due to the “right thing” being done to further examine the Johnson & Johnson vaccine when reports arose of fatalities and other issues due to its administering, unlike in the outcome with the Tuskegee incident. “Readiness means you are ready to accept more information to be better informed,” Dawson stated. “Now we get you to that stage of acceptance.” She addressed general questions that some people have had about the vaccine, such as “Why not wait to get the shot until after being diagnosed with COVID?” by explaining that waiting is a gamble – every person does not experience the same outcomes. She also acknowledged concerns of pain from the shot or other issues – such as site soreness, tiredness, etc. She shared that she personally did not experience any side effects. In addition, Dawson stated that the vaccination does not change an individual’s DNA as some people have communicated on social media. Following Dawson’s talk on the final phase – moving people to action – which included taking any of the COVID vaccines they prefer and is available, she opened the Friday evening online meeting with questions from viewers. Jackson followed Dawson with a presentation on the science behind the creation of the COVID vaccines with pictorial data. She gave approximately 15 minutes to reviewing what the coronaviruses are, how they originated, and why the public has been subjected to the pandemic. Jackson stated that coronaviruses are an entire family of viruses that specifically cause respiratory illness due to spike proteins. She further explained that SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome) are in that family. She stated that there is scientific evidence that the viruses originated from animals. “As the human population continues to grow,” stated Jackson, “and we are beginning to move into areas where wild animals live – predominantly in the rainforest and other remote parts of the world – we are (encountering) these wild animals more, and more and more. There are certain viruses that attack plants, certain viruses that attack animals, and certain viruses that attack humans. But when humans (encounter) these wild animals, they are exposed to these viruses.” Jackson went on to further explain that viruses replicate when they encounter humans to continue their life cycle. She also stated that the coronaviruses are not new, referring to the SARS outbreak 20 years ago followed by the MERS outbreak 10 years ago, and attributed last year’s outbreak to replication of the family of viruses to survive. In addition to Jackson providing a brief overview of how viruses and vaccines work within human cells, she addressed the technology behind the creation of vaccines, including the chicken pox vaccine which she stated took 20 years to produce vs. the four-year production of the mumps vaccine. Jackson explained that the current COVID vaccines were fast-tracked due to global efforts and scientific knowledge that was gained from the SARS and MERS viruses. She also highlighted the differences between the current brands of COVID vaccines.

Mitchell wrapped up the B l a c k Nurses Association’s Town Hall with information on how the community (ages 16 years or older) can pre-register online for vaccination at stlcorona. com. Individuals are asked to come to the designated facility of their confirmed appointment with photo ID and remain in their car until their appointment time. A c cording to Mitchell,

These screenshots were taken from the Black Nurses Association of Greater St. Louis online town hall on the evening of April 23 via Facebook Live to particularly address the concerns, misinformation, and disinformation of African Americans surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine.

JUNE 2021 | OUR TOWN | 5

AroundTown

Breathing easier 2021 air quality forecasting season kicks off as latest “State of the Air” report reveals good and bad news for the St. Louis Region Just in time for daily air quality forecasting to make its return for the 2021 season, the American Lung Association’s latest “State of the Air” report indicates some nationwide progress on cleaning up air pollution, but 41.1% of the population — more than 135 million Americans — are still living in areas with unhealthy air quality. While this is 14.8 million fewer people breathing unhealthy air compared to the years covered by the 2020 report (2016-2018), there is still much work to be done to protect our local communities from the continued risks to public health resulting from high levels of ozone and particle pollution. The Clean Air Partnership is reminding area residents of the importance of staying informed about the quality of air we breathe, whether it is in a healthy “green” range, unhealthy “red” range, or somewhere in between. For the fifth consecutive year, the St. Louis region escaped being ranked among the 25 most ozone-polluted cities in the U.S. coming in at number 26; however, the area landed in a four-way tie for the 20th spot on the list of most-polluted cities by year-round particle pollution. Rising global temperatures and disruption of both short and long-term weather patterns caused by climate change are reportedly making it harder to protect human health and putting millions more people at risk, including those in the St. Louis region and far too many other cities across the nation. Despite the three years included in this year’s report (2017-2019) being relatively cooler than those in the previous report, they still rank among the six hottest years on record globally. Here’s a look at the latest rankings for ozone pollution across the region for counties in the non-attainment area included in the American Lung Association’s report:

Missouri Illinois Jefferson D Jersey D St. Charles F Macoupin C St. Louis County F Madison F St. Louis City F St. Clair D “Even though it’s encouraging that the St. Louis region stayed off the list of most ozone-polluted cities with more counties receiving a higher grade in this year’s annual “State of the Air” report compared to last year, the data clearly shows we’re far from a clean bill of health for our region,” said Susannah Fuchs, Director of Clean Air for the American Lung Association in Missouri. “While weather conditions do play a significant role in our region’s daily air quality, the dramatic reductions in transportation-related emissions during the pandemic provided a compelling reminder that our commuting choices affect air quality and the health of the region, which we hope to see positively reflected in the numbers for next year’s report.” As the nation continues to respond to the COVID-19 pan-

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demic, research shows that reducing air pollution is critical for respiratory health now and in the future, especially for populations most at risk, such as children and older adults, people of color and individuals with underlying health conditions. Given that some of those vulnerable populations are the same ones most at risk from the novel coronavirus, these voluntary measures take on additional significance in the current environment, particularly for the 20.7 million individuals living in counties that received an “F” grade for all three air pollution measures. “As we prepare to settle into the summer months when we’re at greater risk for higher levels of ozone pollution, the Clean Air Partnership is calling attention to the trends observed during 2020 to encourage area residents to remain steadfast in their efforts to take voluntary steps to reduce emissions,” Fuchs added. “These include the continuation of eco-friendly actions like telecommuting and, for those who do begin returning to the office, giving greater consideration to alternatives to the solo commute like the region’s public transit system and ridesharing.” With the air quality forecasting season resuming May 1, the partnership also ramps up its outreach to educate residents of the St. Louis metro area about the health risks associated with poor air quality and the impact of everyday actions on the environment. Signing up to receive the partnership’s color-coded daily air quality forecast via email at www.cleanair-stlouis.com helps to ensure St. Louisans know what the next day’s air quality will be and if they should alter their outdoor activities to minimize exposure to polluted air. Should the forecast call for poor air quality in the form of an “orange” or “red” air quality day, the hope is that people will take specific steps to further reduce emissions. Fuchs notes that actions like combining errands into a single trip, hopping on a bike for short trips instead of hopping in your car, not topping off your gas tank, avoiding vehicle idling or opting for electric vehicles can greatly impact the amount of ozone-forming emissions on any given day and help people across the region breathe easier. Likewise, there are also many other eco-friendly lifestyle changes unrelated to commuting that individuals and businesses can consider to positively impact air quality and improve lung health, including efforts to conserve energy, recycle, reduce waste, reuse items and more. The Clean Air Partnership’s website offers many other tips to help clear the air along with a wealth of information on the health effects of poor air quality. While on the site, people can also sign up to receive the Partnership’s monthly E-Newsletter and the daily forecast in their email inboxes via the Environmental Protection Agency’s EnviroFlash air quality alert system. Additional air quality information and the daily forecast can be accessed by liking the Clean Air Partnership on Facebook, or by following the organization on Twitter @gatewaycleanair. To access the American Lung Association’s 2021 “State of the Air” report, visit www.lung.org.

AroundTown

A major milestone

TAKE SUMMER CLASSES AT STLCC St. Louis Community College is a great choice for all your educational goals.

Operation Food Search distributes one millionth child’s meal

STLCC oﬀers 80 career-focused programs that prepare students for high wage, high skill, and in-demand careers in the real world. Taking summer classes at STLCC is a great way to start on a new path, catch up, or get ahead. Sesion I begins on May 18 (3 and 11 week classes) Session II begins on June 7 (6 and 8 week classes) Registration is now open so don’t delay.

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Voted North County’s Best Senior Living Community

Pictured (from left) are Operation Food Search team members Lucia Burton, Brooklyn Swyers, Brian Wieher and Melissa Weissler. The pictured bag contains two child meals – one breakfast and one lunch.

Operation Food Search (OFS), a nonprofit hunger relief organization, recently distributed the one millionth child’s meal through its Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). The pandemic created an emergency response need, so OFS started its continuous SFSP service in March of 2020 to provide immediate food assistance for children. SFSP, which is funded by the USDA, ensures that children continue to receive nutritious meals when school is not in session. Each daily food package contains whole grains, a full cup of fruit and vegetables, dairy, and protein. Families can pick up breakfast and lunch, for two days at a time, at any OFS partner location on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Each child can receive up to 12 meals per week. This is the ninth year OFS has managed the free program that typically runs from the beginning of June through the second week in August.

“In a typical summer, we serve 2,000 meals a week, and now we’re serving 20,000,” said OFS Director of Child and Family Nutrition Brian Wieher. “We have worked with community locations – such as libraries and community centers – and flipped our model to do drive-through, contactless distributions three days a week. We’ve kept it consistent so the community would know they could rely on the food.” Wieher credits strong partnerships with organizations like the St. Louis County Library for making it possible to also provide meals to adults and families through summer meal distributions. More than an additional 800,000 meals and 500,000 pounds of fresh produce were provided at summer food sites to families. “These are all different programs that we’ve brought into the same space in order to be more efficient with our staff and volunteers,” Wieher said.

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JUNE 2021 | OUR TOWN | 7

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A ‘Little Bit’ of help Missouri American Water presented a check on May 4 for $2,500 to The Little Bit Foundation, a St. Louis-based nonprofit working to empower under-resourced students in the classroom and beyond, to help support families facing food insecurity due to the COVID-19 crisis. “Missouri American Water is honored to support our community by providing fresh groceries and essential supplies to children and families impacted by school closures,” said Debbie Dewey, president of Missouri American Water. The Little Bit Foundation created the Feeding Hope program in 2020 in response to an increased need for food. For some families, school meals were the primary source of food for school-aged children. “COVID left many of the students we serve without the lifeline of support they receive in school each day, including school meals,” said Rosemary Hanley, CEO and Co-Founder of The Little Bit Foundation. “We realized early on that many families – for various reasons – were unable to access food pantries and distribution sites, and so we stepped in to fill a critical gap for the highest-needs families with direct delivery

of food. A year later, many of our students are still learning from home and families are dealing with the financial repercussions of the pandemic.” Hanley said that in the new school year, The Little Bit Foundation also is delivering essentials and educational materials in addition to groceries directly to households and will continue to do so as long as there is a need. Since March 2020, the Little Bit Feeding Hope program has provided nearly 400,000 meals to students and families. Missouri American Water learned about The Little Bit Foundation’s mission when Lydia Huston met Brian Billups, an operations supervisor at the water utility. “After hearing about The Little Bit Foundation’s commitment to the community, I knew this was an opportunity for Missouri American Water to assist food insecure families in Greater St. Louis,” Billups said. “Access to food is critical to uplifting children from poverty.” In December 2020, Tracie Figueroa, Missouri American Water’s business services specialist read about The Little Bit Foundation in St. Louis Magazine and saw an

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Missouri American Water partners with The Little Bit Foundation to help food insecure families

opportunity to help. “I was moved by the interview question that asked, ‘What is the single most important thing a child needs to succeed?’” Figueroa said. “Rosemary Hanley answered, ‘Someone to believe in them.’ That hit me because children are vital to all of our futures. We are proud to provide children with clean, reliable drinking water but I knew donating to Feeding Hope would help nurture the children we serve.”

A happy partnership St. Louis Area Diaper Bank creates partnership with The Little Bit Foundation The St. Louis Area Diaper Bank and its Alliance for Period Supplies program recently partnered with The Little Bit Foundation to provide period supplies to St. Louis area schools and their students. The partnership will provide 100,000 period products to 2,500 menstruating students. Two separate bills were recently proposed in the Missouri House of Representatives that would require school districts to supply free period products in middle schools, high schools and charter schools. Only three U.S. states – California, Illinois, and New York – currently require schools serving students in grades six through 12 to provide free menstrual products in their restrooms. “We are so grateful to solidify this partnership with St. Louis Area Diaper Bank and thrilled to provide another essential resource to our families experiencing even greater financial distress during these difficult times,” said The Little Bit Foundation CEO and Cofounder Rosemary Hanley. “No parent should have to choose between which basic need they’ll have to sacrifice today.” 8 | OUR TOWN | JUNE 2021

Founded in 2019, the St. Louis Alliance for Period Supplies (STL APS) is a Diaper Bank program that distributes period supplies through community partners, as well as advocates for the elimination of “period poverty.” Established in 2001, The Little Bit Foundation works to eliminate barriers to learning by addressing the basic needs of under-resourced students and their families in the St. Louis region. Little Bit currently brings partnerships and programs to 42 area schools that help students stay focused on their academic goals. “Menstrual products are largely viewed as luxuries rather than the basic needs they truly are,” said St. Louis Area Diaper Bank Executive Director Muriel Smith. “This partnership between our organizations will alleviate the stress students endure in terms of having access and the financial means for purchasing period supplies.” Smith added, “Many are unaware that period poverty in the U.S. is real and, because of the pandemic, St. Louis students are experiencing the effects at a much higher rate than ever before.”

AroundTown

Taking stock St. Louis-area health systems conduct community health needs assessment BJC HealthCare, Mercy, SSM Health, St. Luke’s Hospital and Shriners Hospitals for Children are joining forces to conduct a survey as part of the St. Louis Metropolitan Area Health Systems Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). All residents in our community are encouraged to participate. The community health needs assessment is conducted every three years to identify strategies to address our region’s top health and social needs. Results will be used by the area health systems to guide efforts to address our most critical needs. The anonymous online survey contains questions about health challenges, access to health care, and social determinants of

health including financial status, neighborhood environment and social support networks. Questions are based primarily on the perception and opinion of the public. The survey will take no more than 10 minutes to complete and will be available through June 30, 2021. All community members are welcomed and encouraged to complete the survey electronically. To fill out the survey, follow this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CHNAstl. The timeframe for publication of the results of this CHNA will vary by hospital, ranging between 6-20 months.

Climbing together The American Lung Association’s annual Fight For Air Climb will take place at Busch Stadium after virtual participation in the event in 2020 BY CHARLOTTE BEARD The American Lung Association was all geared up for its annual Fight For Air Climb to take place last year at 1 Metropolitan Square on April 4. Unfortunately, their original plans were halted when the shutdown occurred in March. With the coronavirus added to the list of lung battles, the American Lung Association is taking this fundraiser outdoors to the stairs at Busch Stadium for ages 10 and older. The Fight For Air Climb, traditionally held in skyscrapers around the country on the same day and at the same time to bring awareness and simulate breathing challenges of lung diseases, will take place June 19 beginning at 7 a.m. Money raised by the Fight For Air Climb of 1,000 steps will fund the Lung Association’s efforts to end lung cancer and lung disease, as well as support the Lung Association’s COVID-19 Action Initiative, a $25 million investment to address COVID-19 and protect against future respiratory virus pandemics. Last year the climb was forced to go virtual when shutdowns were announced. “We asked our participants to post pictures of themselves being active on April 4, 2020 holding ‘we are still in the fight’ signs to their social media, using the hashtag VirtualClimbSTL, and tagging us @LungMissouri,” stated James Martinez, Senior Director of Communications/Western Division for the American Lung Association. “We were able to raise just over $274,000.” This year the event has a goal of $200,000. Many participants have made the fundraiser event their personal annual event. Among those participants is Jake Newman, a firefighter for the St. Louis Fire Department (STLFD) with his team of firefighters that have increased to 36 participants over the past two years.

“Our mission with the stair climb is to raise awareness of physical fitness and lung related illness,” Newman stated. “The stair climb is a great way to do both.” Two years ago, the team raised $1,500, however this year the participants hope to raise $10,000. The last update indicated this year’s team has raised $8,820. Newman states, “The STLFD is excited to raise money for the Lung Association on the big day.” According to sources for the American Lung Association, some of Newman’s team members go to the Metropolitan Square building on weekends to climb in preparation for the event. “Being on duty and climbing stairs in gear is a great way to train as well,” Newman stated. “Everyone enjoys training and is looking forward to climb day. Climbing at Busch Stadium will be a great change of scenery.” Water stations are located throughout Busch Stadium on the concourse level. In addition, medical personnel will be located throughout Busch Stadium, as well as volunteers throughout the route and at water stations, in case assistance is required. For people who cannot join other participants for the climb at Busch Stadium, the American Lung Association is suggesting the Climb Your Way option that allows people to register their own challenge (visit https://www.lung.org/get-involved/events/fightfor-air-climb and click on option for St. Louis, MO). In addition to providing a free Climb app to help track fundraising, activity and steps, this option offers ideas not limited to goruck—walking, running, sauntering, or sashaying with weight (usually in a backpack).

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OLIVETTE

goes the greenway

Great Rivers Greenway begins $4.6 million construction project to link Warson Park to Dielman Road with walking and bike trails BY CHARLOTTE BEARD

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Great Rivers Greenway’s long running project to connect communities without need for an automobile has included the city of Olivette in its regional plan. The $4.6 million construction will begin in Warson Park in coordination with the construction of the Olivette Community Center this fall season. The Centennial Greenway design team includes engineering consultant firm, WSP and DTLS Landscape Architects. The city’s Bike and Walk, and Parks Master Plans are helping both the city and Great Rivers Greenway save money by work-

ing together to coordinate the greenway with Olivette’s plans. The local sales tax from the regional greenway project and federal funding of $1 million through the Transportation Alternatives program are covering the Olivette cost. The city of Olivette and Great Rivers Greenway performed a study in 2018 to identify the preferred route for the greenway, followed by identification for phases of the project in 2019. According to the city, community members and neighbors are being involved in the project. Last year, community members provided input to guide the greenway design from Warson Park to Dielman Road. ”Great Rivers Greenway (GRG) reached out to the Olivette Community in 2020 in a variety of ways to advance the design of the Centennial Greenway,” stated Anne Milford, Communications Coordinator for Great Rivers Greenway. “In the summer, after Olivette’s virtual July ‘Coffee with the Mayor,’ we launched an online survey to gather feedback from the community about greenway use, community connections, desired amenities and features. We learned that most community members would use the greenway for riding bikes, walking and to enjoy nature with destinations to Indian Meadows Park and Warson Park. Desired amenities included trash receptacles, native plantings, benches, and directional/informational signage. The survey results were shared with community members at a virtual public meeting in November along with updates on the preliminary design plan. These preliminary plans for the greenway have been well received, and the community has been supportive of the project. GRG has also met with the residents and owners of the properties that are directly adjacent to the planned greenway route to make sure they have a clear understanding of the project and any potential impacts, as well as to hear their concerns. We will continue to connect with these greenway neighbors as the project advances toward construction.” The greenway designers are currently working to understand the potential impact of the greenway construction and provide benefits to the surrounding natural community. The greenway design is meant to improve water quality, prevent erosion and stormwater pollution, prevent impacts to migratory birds and threatened and endangered species

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such as native bats, and integrate cultural heritage. Steps are being taken to preserve trees that are not dead and at risk of dropping limbs. In addition, invasive plants along the River des Peres that harm surrounding plants will be replaced with native plants. These plants will help to keep soil in place, prevent erosion and protect wildlife and waterways. During the summer, the design will be completed from Warson Park to Dielman Road and along Olive Boulevard near I-170. The fall 2021 construction is expected to continue for this design phase into the year 2023. The remaining design and build for Dielman Road to Olive is expected to occur 2023 to 2025. The completed greenway, connecting Warson Park, the new Olivette Community Center, Indian Meadows Park, and

Olive Boulevard stores and restaurants, will include a trail for various usage not limited to wheelchair access. In addition, the greenway will provide benches and signs with information about the nature, culture, and history of the area. Native plants will be implemented to restore the streambank, manage stormwater near the headwaters of the River des Peres, and create a quality habitat for native wildlife. Regionally, the Centennial Greenway will connect 17 miles from Forest Park in St. Louis City to Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park in St. Louis County, over the Missouri River and across St. Charles County when it is fully completed. For more information, visit www.GreatRiversGreenway. org or call 314-436-7009.

APRIL 2021 | OUR TOWN | 11

OurThoughts

Spring a leak It’s spring cleaning time. No silly, not because it’s spring, that will have to wait until next winter. It’s because my mother-in-law is coming over to stay for a few days. I know her standards. She cleans under the washer and dryer with a yardstick. To her it’s considered a regular chore. I clean underneath mine too, but it’s considered “moving day”. Every time we move I make sure and clean under them; I’m no schlub. Of course, there’s enough lint underneath to crochet a few dozen pot holders. I find some missing socks--never in pairs always mismatched singles. Hmm, maybe I can crochet matching socks with that extra lint. I find more lost treasures: a button and a few dozen cat toys. I once found a dollar. I guess that was payment for all the laundry I’ve done over the years. Yay! Looks like the price of doing laundry has gone up. When I get the news that my husband’s mother is coming I finally get to those projects I’ve been putting off forever like making the bed. At least those jobs I’ve been nagging my husband to do will get done. The plumber came – finally. The downstairs sink has been leaking for months now. I asked him to fix it when it first started to drip. He claimed he didn’t have the right instrument. “First I need to find a round-tuit,” he says. “Oh, is that a special plumbing tool?” I ask. “Yes, very important. And as soon as I get around to it, I’ll do it.”

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Always trying to be a comedian. “Don’t quit your day job!” I yell. “Too late, I’m already retired.” That was months ago. But now there’s a plumber here fixing it. What changed? My subtle urging? “Get that thing fixed or so help me I’m going to bring another cat into this family!” Nope. Bribery? “Sweetie, if you fix that sink I’ll put ice cream on your waffles.” Wrong again, he does that on his own. No, his mama is coming over and she needs a sink that doesn’t leak so it’s urgently being fixed. I’m upstairs carrying a yardstick. “Now what are you up to?” my husband asks. “Gonna search from some missing cat toys and hopefully find one of those round-tuits.”

Cindy Moore is the mother of three superlative kids, servant of two self-indulgent felines and wife to one nifty husband. Her ficticious occupation? Archeological Humorist: someone who unearths absurdity and hilarity in strange and unusual places including public restrooms, the lint filter, and church meetings. Most recently, she excavated a find in her neighbor’s bird feeder.

OurThoughts ALWAYS AN ADVENTURE BY AVALANCHE

F SHING DOGS The beaver ponds that were built last fall by some intrepid rodents up the road from me finally thawed out enough so that I could finally wet a line and try to catch some fish. I brought my Newfoundlands along, as they are bred to be fishing dogs, renowned for their assistance to the fisherman in the North. We drove up to the stillclosed campground and made our way along the river. The Newfys both were quite animated, hearing a gobbling turkey just a short distance from the truck. Hanging on to the big mutts’ leashes while they lunged toward the call of the wild tom provided a rather brisk warm up for my much anticipated hauling out of a limit of fish from the still-mostly-undiscovered ponds. Managing to (barely) avoid one or more shoulder dislocation(s) from controlling their enthusiasm, I guided (dragged) the dogs along the campground main road, keeping them well away from the lovesick gobbler. We made it past the end of the campground and meandered along a small trail next to the river. Once at the main beaver lodge, we stopped and I secured their leashes to a small tree while I got my fishing tackle sorted out. It seemed that I had given them a bit too much leash to roam, as they managed to get tangled up in a variety of bushes and trees. After I freed them from the tangle, they immediately decided to inspect my long-neglected collection of lures and other angling paraphernalia such as the net, rod and reel. Despite not getting used nearly enough for some time, the items retained the smell of many fish caught over the years, making them very interesting to the dogs. Keeping the drooling beasts away from fish hooks, knives and other items that would likely result in an expensive bill at the local veterinary clinic, I finally managed to get a lure tied on and cast it into a likely looking corner of the beaver pond. After a few more casts, carefully avoiding the ice that had formed over the far side of the pond, I had not received any bites, but the dogs had decided to start barking and whining at some unknown source of distraction up-wind to the north. Putting the rod down, I rearranged their

leashes to give them a bit more room to move about. They promptly used that newly-found freedom to wade straight into the beaver pond, splashing and playing about, doing whatever they could to chase any nearby fish back out of the pond and into the main river channel. After a few more half-hearted casts into the main pond, I decided to move to a lower pond in order to keep clear of the assistance provided by my socalled “fishing” dogs. The sun was now well above the ridgeline to the east, turning the chilly morning into a warm day, and driving any fish into the shadows. The dogs began whining again, this time with some urgency. Was it a mountain lion, or maybe a moose that the dogs could sense? Either way, avoiding a conflict with the local fauna seemed like a good idea. After all, the fishing wasn’t going my way, and sticking around seemed like a good way to find trouble. I unstrung my rod and reel, managed to get everything stuffed into my backpack without hooking a dog, untangled the hairy beasts and we headed back to the truck. The spring runoff has now begun, and the ponds are becoming inundated with a heavy flow of dirty brown water, making fishing a rather unproductive pastime. Once the runoff gets going in earnest, the ponds will likely be washed away, removing the little-known fishing hole from existence. Between ice, flooding and my dogs, my delusions of a private fishing paradise have been dashed. Maybe next year, if the beavers are willing and able - and I leave the dogs home - I’ll catch some fish.

Avalanche is a functional illiterate who left the St. Louis area three decades ago in search of adventure. He enjoys motorcycling and all things outdoors. He lives with his wife and dogs.

JUNE 2021

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OurLifestyle

2021 BUICK ENVISION The all-new 2021 Buick Envision sport utility vehicle is positioned between the smaller Encore and the prominent Enclave within the Buick product mix portfolio. It was developed to help shore up GM’s Buick division with its “high end” SUV-only lineup for consumers. Featured with a moderately conservative outer body design, it offers a number of connectivity and safety features that likely will echo with many of today’s highly-acute, car-buying clientele. Marketing further suggests that this product will be leveraging the reach of Buick shoppers that have a temptation towards the rapidly growing compact SUV sector. “The all-new 2021 Envision is a tremendous opportunity for the brand,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president, Global Buick and GMC. “With strong, differentiated designs, and a combination of advanced technologies and premium appointments, it will stand apart in one of the industry’s most competitive segments.” The three trims available include; Preferred, Essence and Avenir. Each single build design incorporates specific allowance features. The Preferred and Essence trims have an available Sport Touring package that embodies a more agile appearance with darkened exterior touches and attractive 20-inch wheels with a darkened finish. Standard, are 18-inch tire and wheel configurations. Details, both large and small make for 14 | OUR TOWN | JUNE 2021

is a solid entry in the compact SUV sector

an exceptionally refined five passenger Envision. Additionally, the snug, aerodynamic body lines help give it an aggressive look. This is coupled with a brilliant, well-engineered exterior fit and finish, as well as a dazzling world class radiant paint job. Furthermore, the 2021 Envision displays a styling theme that is largely the most expressive of Buick’s sculptural design language persona. With building blocks based on the success of the previous generation, the new Envision is lower and wider, with proportions and styling that combine the expressiveness of an automobile with the practicality one would expect with an SUV. Also offered for 2021 is the factory’s “Driver Confidence Plus package” which is a suite of nine standard advanced safety and driver assistance technologies. At the heart of the new quiet interior is its driver-centric instrument panel. It is tilted toward the driver for a better, clearer view of the user friendly operating controls, switches and instruments. Seating is comfortable and the fairly large front center storage compartment will help to harbor your goodies. The 60/40-split second row seats can fold flat in conjunction with the cargo floor. The electronic precision gear shift controller replaces a conventional mechanical shift lever. It uses push/pull buttons to free up space under the center console. Under the rear cargo hatch is space that will shelter just over 25 cubic feet of payload. Heated steering

wheel is standard on Essence and Avenir, and available on the Preferred trim as is the case with their exclusive air ionizer system. With the introduction of an Air Quality Indicator, a first for Buick in the U.S., the air ionizer provides customers with peace of mind, enabling them to monitor the quality of the cabin’s air. Powering this SUV is a 2.0-liter Turbo four cylinder engine. It shows a rating of 228 horsepower and features direct injection and Stop/Start technology. EPA numbers exhibit 24-mpg city/31-mpg highway with FWD. The engine is matched with a nine speed automatic transmission. Frontwheel-drive is standard and all-wheeldrive is optional. The all-new 2021 Buick Envision has a starting MSRP of $32,995, which includes destination charges. It is manufactured and imported from GM’s overseas operations in China. BY DAVID FINKELSTEIN

David Finkelstein is a Master/ Skill Automotive Service Technician and a shop owner. He’s also invented garage service tools for mechanics and has served on both National and local Automotive Trade Industry Boards. He pioneered “Car Talk Radio” starting out with KMOX/CBS Radio and hosted “Auto Talk” on KFTK/FOX News Radio for 15-years. David tests and evaluates new vehicles weekly and does some consulting with various auto manufacturers.

OurLifestyle

Photos courtesy Hear?say Productions

Frances McDormand hits the road in nomadland The website workamper.com defines a “workamper” as a “person working as an employee, operating a business, or donating their time as a volunteer while sleeping in an RV or on-site housing.” Author Jessica Bruder’s novel “Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century” examines the lives of individuals who take on seasonal work in Amazon fulfillment centers or restaurants located in tourist spots. Instead of enjoying retirement, many seniors became workampers after the devastating 2008 financial crash. Director Chloé Zhao adapted Bruder’s work for the screen, skillfully blending Hollywood scriptwriting with harsh reality. Although Frances McDormand and David Strathairn play fictional characters in the film, the supporting cast is filled with real-life workampers who share their lives in front of the camera. Bob Wells, who maintains the website www.cheaprvliving.com, appears in several scenes teaching such skills as how to change a tire. The line between fiction and reality is hard to determine at times. In “Nomadland,” Frances McDormand’s Fern needs all the help she can get. She worked for years at US Gypsum in the company town of Empire, Nevada, but both the city and the company were shut down in 2011. Her husband’s death prompts Fern to travel in her van to various seasonal gigs throughout the year. Friends and acquaintances express concern about her situation and offer lodging, but Fern prefers the life she leads. Eye-opening and thought-provoking, “Nomadland” looks at hard-working people whose home is wherever they can park their vans or campers. McDormand, who won the Best Actress Award at the recent 93rd Academy Awards, is solid as Fern, a woman who makes her home on the road. Her journey takes her to beautiful surrounding one day, but she may be sleeping in freezing conditions down the road. Director Chloé Zhao also gives Fern an opportunity for a

relationship in the person of David Strathairn’s Dave. He really likes Fern, but she keeps her distance until a health crisis puts him the hospital. Like her other friends, Dave actually could offer her a stable life, but she only seems comfortable inside the panel walls of her van. Life on the road, it seems, has gotten good to her. “Nomadland” also earned well-deserved Best Director and Best Picture honors for Zhao and the cast. Much credit for that goes to the “non-professional cast” who could teach Hollywood celebrities a few things. The charming Charlene Swankie, for instance, serves as friend and mentor to Fern and gets frustrated when Fern shows how ill-prepared she is for life on the road. Another scene shows the importance of using the right-sized bucket for a toilet inside a van. “Nomadland” may make the audience reexamine their own lives and how quickly things can change. For others who crave life on the road, this might be an introduction to new way of living. In either case, it’s a film that will stay with the viewer long after the closing credits. “Nomadland,” rated R, is making post-Oscar appearances in theaters and also is available for streaming on Hulu.

BY STEVE BRYAN

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

FEBRUARY JUNE 2021

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OurLifestyle Apple Guacamole

Recipe adapted from the Meredith Corporation Prep time: 10 minutes | Servings: 8-10 Ingredients: 3 ripe avocados, halved and pitted 1/2 cup finely chopped Vidalia onion 1/2 cup snipped fresh cilantro 1 lime, juice only bottled hot pepper sauce, to taste 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped kosher salt, to taste tortilla chips Directions: In bowl, use fork to mash avocados, onion, cilantro, lime juice and hot pepper sauce to desired consistency. Stir in apple and season with salt, to taste.

Serve with tortilla chips.

A truly memorable

SUMMER MENU

Apple, Strawberry, Blueberry Salad Total Time: 30 minutes | Servings: 6

Blueberry Dressing: 2 cups fresh blueberries 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/2 cup olive oil salt, to taste pepper, to taste 2 2

1 1 1/2

large apples packages (6 ounces each) Fresh Express 5-Lettuce Mix pint strawberries, cut in half pint blueberries cup pecan halves, toasted blueberry dressing

16 | OUR TOWN | JUNE 2021

Directions: To make blueberry dressing: In blender, process blueberries, balsamic vinegar, honey, lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper, to taste, until smooth. Set aside. To prepare salad: Cut apples into 1/4-inch thick slices. Using 1-1/2inch diameter star-shaped cutter, cut apple slices into stars.

Place lettuce mix in large bowl; add apples, strawberries and blueberries. Sprinkle with pecans. Before serving, drizzle each salad with blueberry dressing.

OurLifestyle Steak Banh Mi

Prep time: 2 hours | Cook time: 15 minutes | Servings: 2 Ingredients: 10 ounces flat iron steak 2 teaspoons hoisin sauce 2 teaspoons soy sauce 2 teaspoons honey 1 teaspoon fish sauce 1 clove garlic, minced 1 teaspoon, plus 1/2 cup, rice vinegar, divided 1/8 teaspoon five-spice powder 2 tablespoons sugar

1 pinch salt 1 small carrot, cut into matchsticks 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1/4 cup water 2 Vietnamese baguettes or dinner rolls 1/4 cup mayonnaise 4 Batavia lettuce leaves 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped 1 Persian cucumber, sliced

Directions: Remove steak from packaging and set aside 10 minutes. Once steak reaches room temperature, place steak in deep plate or storage container. In small bowl, combine hoisin sauce, soy sauce, honey, fish sauce, garlic, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar and fivespice powder; pour over steak. Cover and marinate in fridge at least 2 hours, or overnight.

In small pot over medium heat, heat remaining rice vinegar, sugar and salt. Cook and stir until sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from heat and let cool. Place carrots in deep plate or storage container. Pour cooled pickling liquid over carrots. Set aside to marinate. Remove steak from marinade and pat dry. Reserve marinade.

utes, removing lid to flip meat occasionally. Remove lid and let sauce reduce 1 minute, or until slightly thickened. Transfer steak and sauce to large plate and let rest 10 minutes before slicing. Toast baguettes in oven 5 minutes. Let cool 5-10 minutes.

Heat oven to 325 F.

Slice baguettes along middle without cutting through.

Heat heavy-bottomed pan over high heat and add oil. Once oil begins to smoke, add steak. Sear both sides, about 1 minute per side. Lower heat to medium.

Slice steak into thin pieces.

Add reserved marinade and water to pan. Cook, covered, 3 min-

Spread mayonnaise on baguettes and add 1-2 lettuce leaves to each. Layer steak on lettuce leaves followed by cilantro, cucumbers and pickled carrots. Slice baguette into two sandwiches.

Watermelon Berry Frozen Pops Servings: 8

Ingredients: 6 cups watermelon 1 cup blueberries, divided 1 cup raspberries, divided 3 tablespoons honey Directions: In blender, blend watermelon, 1/2 cup blueberries, 1/2 cup raspberries and honey until smooth. Press through fine mesh strainer to remove pulp and seeds.

Fill ice pop molds 3/4 full with liquid. Add remaining whole blueberries and raspberries to molds. Insert sticks and freeze at least 4 hours, or until completely frozen.

JUNE 2021

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Life returns to the Arch In addition to physical fitness, education and summertime fun for in-person visits, Gateway Arch National Park will include virtual activities.

As the country begins to reopen, Gateway Arch National Park looks to a summer full of activities and visitors BY CHARLOTTE BEARD More businesses and attractions are reopening to the public for in-person visits, and Gateway Arch National Park has added itself to that list. In addition to physical fitness, education and summertime fun for in-person visits, the park will include virtual activities. “We welcome our park neighbors and out-of-town guests to the Gateway Arch for safe and fun park experiences,” stated Pam Sanfilippo, Program Manager, Museum Services & Interpretation for Gateway Arch National Park. “We have new virtual programs and other special events that celebrate history and nature and are suited for all ages.” Sanfilippo shared that the park’s closing last year before graduating to reduced capacity in June did not put their funding in jeopardy due to Gateway Arch National Park being a federal agency; however, there was some impact to the national park’s partners. “The financial impact on our partners, Bi-State Development, which operates the Tram Ride to the Top, our cooper-

18 | OUR TOWN | JUNE 2021

ating association that operates the gift shop, and the Arch Café, all suffered with direct loss of revenue,” stated Sanfilippo. “We worked together to reduce the impact and reopen as quickly as we could with enhanced safety protocols in place. Their operations support the park in many ways, so their losses affect park operations as well. We continue to operate with reduced capacity, so the financial impact continues as we work toward returning to full operations.” Gateway Arch Park Foundation has kicked off reconnecting with the public by producing Sunrise Yoga led by Yoga Buzz at Kiener Plaza – 500 Chestnut Street in Downtown St. Louis. The free Tuesday 30-minute class began May 18 and will continue into October weekly at 7:30 a.m. Weekly preregistration is required at archpark.org/events/sunrise-yoga; each week is capped at 50 participants. Virtual streaming is available via Facebook Live on the Gateway Arch Park Foundation’s Facebook page. at noon and 1:30 p.m. on May 29, Gateway Arch Na-

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

InDepth

InDepth tional Park begins its extended summer hours of 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Also on that day, NPS will host Battle of St. Louis Commemoration 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the south reflection pond of the Arch grounds. NPS will help attendees learn about St. Louis’ role in the American Revolution and how citizens of St. Louis defended their village from the May 26, 1780 British attack. Living History volunteers will conduct musket and cannon firing demonstrations. On June 13, the park’s Foundation Friends Advisory Board will host a picnic/ticketed event to raise funds for conservation, education, and community programs. The fundraiser – Picnic in Your Park – invites attendees to spread out across the 91-acre grounds with their blankets and pre-selected four-course or traditional picnic lunch with drinks. Tickets and additional information are available through June 2 at www.archpark.org/picnic. “Gateway Arch National Park is one of the most unique and beautiful urban parks in the country,” states Susan Brown, Chairwoman of Gateway Arch Park Foundation Friends Advisory Board. “We created Picnic in Your Park to be an event that encourages guests to find a favorite spot and enjoy the view of the Gateway Arch – which by design looks spectacular from every angle.” On June 19, the national park continues its Gateway to the Stars 8 – 9:30 p.m. series which began earlier in May. Each free virtual program in the series airs live on the St. Louis Astronomical Society’s Facebook page (facebook. com/stlastro). According to “Sky Ranger” Rich Fefferman of Gateway Arch National Park the programs typically begin with an educational presentation by an amateur or professional expert in the field and is followed by virtual stargazing at the Gateway Arch, which consists of a planetarium-style tour of the current night sky, led by Fefferman. Depending upon whether the sky is clear, he states subsequent live or prerecorded video images are provided by amateur stargazers with the St. Louis

Astronomical Society. “Local astronomer Joel Allen is a former ‘Dark Ranger’ at Bryce Canyon National Park, which boasts some of the darkest skies in the United States, if not the world,” stated Fefferman. “The June 19 program, The Lives of Stars’ will discuss the various fates that stars may experience, which can range from destroying themselves in a supernova, dwindling away ever so slowly, or eventually evolving into a black hole, whose gravity is so powerful that nothing, not even light, can escape.” Returning to festivities, On July 3, the national park is inviting the public to celebrate the day 1821-style. More information will be available at facebook. com/gatewayarchnps. “The state of Missouri celebrates its bicentennial this year! Exclaims Sanfilippo. “We will be marking our state’s 200th birthday by taking a journey back in time to 1821. We are currently planning for a safe, special program at the park featuring Living History reenactors in period clothing. We plan to share more details soon, so check our Facebook page for more information.” The national park’s remaining two summer programs in the Gateway to the Stars series – Astronomy in the National Parks and Kids Explorer Night – respectively take place July 17 and August 14. “The July 17 program will be led by Dr. Tyler Nordgren, who is an astronomer, artist and author,” stated Fefferman. “He is best known for creating vintage-like ‘travel posters’ of the national parks. He will lead participants on a virtual tour of night sky opportunities available in America’s national parks.” According to Fefferman, the format for Kids Explorer Night is still being finalized. However, the program will include the Junior Ranger Night Explorer workshop which Fefferman will facilitate for kids ages five-to-12. In addition to plans for another activity, Fefferman will help kids earn a special patch. “What’s great about all of our Gate-

way to the Stars programs,” stated Fefferman, “is that they are completely free and are a fantastic way for people of all ages to learn about astronomy and space! There is no registration required for these programs, and the programs will air live on the St. Louis Astronomical Society’s Facebook page.” Face masks are required for ages two and older in all Gateway Arch National Park buildings and facilities. For visitors to the National Park grounds, face masks are required when physical distancing cannot be maintained. JUNE 2021

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JUNE 6

D-Day

14 Flag Day 19 Juneteenth 20 Father ’s Day First Day of Summer