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Our Town Volume 12 | Number 2 FEBRUARY 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
N THIS SSUE
Around Town Bi-State Development employees’ food drive benefits local charities and more.
Feature Hail to the chief Creve Coeur’s Chief of Police retires after serving his community for more than 41 years. By Charlotte Beard
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PRODUCTION Becky Brockmann Melissa Nordmann CONTRIBUTORS Avalanche, David Finkelstein, Cindy Moore STAFF WRITERS Brett Auten Charlotte Beard
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Our Thoughts Moore on Life author Cindy Moore is thrilled to be able to leave the house while Avalanche welcomes the arrival of much needed snow.
Lifestyle 2021 Toyota C-HR infuses a sport coupe personality with crossover versatility in Automobile Alley. Highly anticipated movies slated to arrive in 2021, 2022 in Entertainment. Power family meals with protein-packed peanuts in For the Love of Food..
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In Depth The nonprofit Eye Thrive provides free eye exams and glasses to children in need in the St. Louis region.
Events Calendar
Staff Writer – Charlotte Beard Cover Photo – Submitted
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AroundTown
Farm fresh Flex Farms, capable of producing leafy vegetables and herbs cheaply and quickly, have been donated to Operation Food Search
www.treesbywoody.net
Jade Umberger, Fresh Rx Food Systems Associate at OFS works with a Flex Farm..
Sustainability has become more of a challenge for food supply over the past pandemic-year. No doubt, farmers would say that the year 2019 had already proven to present challenges of its own due to weather conditions. However, innovations such as the Flex Farm, a fully self-contained hydroponic growing system, helps make it possible to overcome the barriers of high cost and weather conditions, and Operation Food Search (OFS) has been gifted two of these $5,000 indoor farms. The Flex Farms, capable of producing leafy vegetables and herbs, have been donated to OFS by UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Missouri and the creator – Fork Farms, an agriculture technology social enterprise based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Alex Tyink, Fork Farms’ president states that OFS is the first St. Louis organization to receive Flex Farms. “We’re really driven by helping communities and doing social good,” stated Tyink. “We really feel (that) getting people involved ‘FARM’ CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 4 | OUR TOWN | FEBRUARY 2021
AroundTown ‘FARM’ FROM PAGE 4 in farming is important and the more people can produce their own fresh food the more likely they are to eat it. We’ve been able to prove that through some research this (past) year.” According to Tyink, Fork Farms was already partnered with United Healthcare for initiatives in Wisconsin. Jamie Bruce, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Missouri states, “We love how vertical farming creates a sustainable year-round supply of fresh vegetables for our community. If we can reduce food insecurity and improve overall nutrition for Missourians, everyone wins.” Trina Ragain, Director of Policy & Innovation for OFS stated that OFS had been in discussions with UnitedHealthcare about partnering with its Fresh Rx and Healthy Starts programs in referring pregnant women who are part of the healthcare’s Medicaid plan and who screen positive for food insecurity. “They asked us if we’d be interested in trying out a couple of these Flex Farm units,” stated Ragain. “We are super excited about it. We have been told they are very low maintenance units. We have a staff member who is very excited to be doing (the maintenance).” According to Ragain, Jade Umberger, OFS’ Fresh Rx Food Systems Associate, has been trained by Fork Farms to oversee the two Flex Farm units. Umberger shared the maintenance that is required within the minimal of two hours of monthly care. “Weekly maintenance includes two quick tests: one for pH and one for nutrient levels,” stated Umberger. “Depending on the outcome, we add pH alterations to the tank, as well as nutrients, a diluted cleaning solution, and a top off water every week. Depending on the plant, harvest can happen anywhere from 18-34 days. A monthly harvest includes prepping seeds to replace the harvested plants a few days in advance, sanitizing the area we’ll be harvesting in, removing and storing veggies, removing and composting the rockwool, a quick clean of the system, and replanting prepped seeds to (restart the process).” Though Ragain shared that Fork Farms states any seed you desire for leafy food can be used with the units, they do offer seed packages they know have grown particularly well in the units. Umberger added that Fork Farms recommends pelleted seeds, which have a clay coating that makes the seeds easier to handle and prevents them from drying out during sprouting. “Without being covered by soil, it is easy for the seeds to dry out,” stated Umberger. “However, with some special care and attention (daily spritzing and a plastic cover) most seeds can be used in the Fork Farms’ hydroponic unit.” Ragain shared that OFS will start with one of the lettuce varieties that Fork Farms recommends. She states that every harvest yields approximately 25 pounds of food. “That will go into those Fresh Rx family meals that we deliver to participants’ homes every week,” stated Ragain. “(The produce) will be used in some of our culinary training classes/skills based classes that we do. If there is anything left over it will go out to some of our pantries.” Fork Farms’ Flex Farms, which are stated to be suitable for cafeterias, classrooms, commercial farms, corporate lobbies, and homes, uses 140 kilowatt hours per month according to Tyink. OFS shares that the Flex Farms operate with a standard electrical outlet, occupy less than 10 square feet of space, and utilize
zero pesticides and herbicides. OFS also states that each farm can serve up to 1,900 families per year with a harvest of nearly 3,400 plants. “You can produce anywhere from 20 to 30 pounds of food a month, sometimes even more,” stated Tyink. “If you are using this in a high capacity environment like (OFS), they’re likely going to be paying less than a dollar per pound of food. We’ve had folks use it in a commercial setting, like a microenterprise, and they’re able to grow food sometimes for roughly $0.67 a pound.” Tyink went on to share that he personally operates a Flex Farm in his dining room while others use one of these vertical farms in their basements. Sources state the first Flex Farm prototype was built out of wood in 2014 in a garage before it graduated to a Generation 4 model in 2020. The farm moved from wood to recyclable plastic in 2017. Besides the benefit of teaching kids about gardening indoors, Tyink highlighted the benefit of exploring science and hydroponics. “Our goal is to try to bring this to as many people as would find value in it,” stated Tyink. “We are still a young company – we are still a start-up in many ways. We have learned that the appetite for this is just so much larger than we originally thought; the feedback that we are getting from the community in St. Louis and a lot of places around the country has demonstrated to us that we have got a lot of work to do. So, I think this is just the beginning.” For more information about the Flex Farms visit https://forkfarms.com.
FEBRUARY 2021 | OUR TOWN | 5
AroundTown
Tax assistance Free tax preparation available for local low-income households United Way 2-1-1 is partnering with local tax coalitions to provide free tax preparation services to St. Louis-area families with a household income of $57,000 or less in 2020. Local residents can dial 2-11 or visit 211helps.org to find their nearest tax preparation site or for more information. This year, the program has adapted to meet COVID-19 guidelines and keep volunteers and participants safe. While a lim-
ited number of sites offer walk-ins, most require advance appointments. All participants must call their tax preparation site ahead of time to receive more instructions and make an appointment, if needed. For most sites, participants will make an appointment to bring their tax documents to be copied or scanned. Volunteers will prepare and e-file returns separately and then alert participants when their returns are completed. Participants can expect their
returns to be e-filed and ready for pickup within about one week. Anyone interested in receiving tax preparation help and who is eligible under the $57,000 household income threshold may contact United Way by dialing 2-1-1 or visiting 211helps.org/free-tax-prep for a list of locations and phone numbers to make an appointment, as well as information on qualifications and a list of documents required for services.
At the movies Cinema St. Louis and St. Louis Public Radio present free Best of Shorts program Cinema St. Louis and St. Louis Public Radio are proud to co-present a free virtual screening of a selection of the award-winning short films from the 2020 Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival (SLIFF) and 2020 Whitaker St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase. In addition to the films, the event will feature an interview with Jon Alston, director of “Augustus,” which won the Essy Award (which honors films with St. Louis connections) for Best Narrative Short at both the Showcase and SLIFF. The program will be streamed at 7 p.m. Feb. 20, on St. Louis Public Radio’s Twitch channel. Twitch is a livestream video platform owned by Amazon. It’s like YouTube, but all the videos are live, so the experience is different at any given time. More information can be found on St. Louis Public Radio’s Events page: stlpublicradio.org/events. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has long sanctioned SLIFF’s shorts competition as a pre-screening event for the Academy Awards. The winners in four categories of SLIFF’s juried shorts programming (Best of Fest, Best Animation, Best Live Action, and Best Documentary) are eligible to submit their films directly to the Academy for Oscar consideration. St. Louis Public Radio is an award-winning news organization and NPR member station, providing in-depth news, insightful discussion, and entertaining programs to more than a half-million people per month 6 | OUR TOWN | FEBRUARY 2021
on-air and online. With a large, St. Louisbased newsroom and reporters stationed in Jefferson City and Rolla, Missouri, and Belleville, Illinois, the station’s journalists find and tell important stories about communities across the region and help people to become deeply informed about the issues that affect their lives. The following short films will be screened during this event: “Always Coming Back” (Noah Readhead & Nate Townsend, U.S., 2020, nine min., English): SLIFF Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary Short. Webster Groves rallies around a man with a mental disability to support his greatest passion. “Augustus” (Jon Alston, U.S., 2020, 16 min., English): SLIFF and Showcase Essy Award for Best Narrative Short. Augustus, a literate carpenter and family man who is living free as a fugitive slave, is faced with a decision to speak or die when denied the wages he’s earned. “Black Goat” (Yi Tang, Nepal/U.S., 2019, 12 min., Nepali): SLIFF Best Live Action Short. A new girl at a nunnery has her first period after hearing a late-night ghost story and believes that she has been cursed, requiring her to sacrifice a black goat to avoid further misfortune.
“Colette” (Anthony Giacchino, France/Germany/U.S., 2019, 24 min., French & German): SLIFF Best Documentary Short. Colette Catherine, now 90, revisits the terrors of her childhood, when she fought the Nazis as a member of the French Resistance. “I Want to Make a Film about Women” (Karen Pearlman, Australia, 2019, 12 min., English & Russian): SLIFF Essy Award for Best Documentary Short. A speculative love letter to Russian constructivist women in the 1920s Soviet Union. “Josiah” (Kyle Laursen, U.S., 2019, 20 min., English): SLIFF Best of Fest Short. A Black actor auditions for a part in a period television series. “R.A.S.” (Lucas Durkheim, France, 2019, five min., French): SLIFF Best Short Short. For months now, a group of five bored young soldiers have been stuck on a mission in the middle of the Afghan mountains, but the routine is finally broken during a support mission. “To the Dusty Sea” (Héloïse Ferlay, France, 2020, 12 min., French): SLIFF Best Animated Short. Left alone in the summer, Malo and Zoe try their best to catch their mother’s elusive eye.
AroundTown
Reaching out Bi-State Development employees’ food drive benefits local charities
SUBMITTED PHOTOS
Bi-State Development employees donated canned goods and nonperishable food items to help fight hunger over the holidays in their local communities. The food items were delivered to several charitable organizations and food pantries on both sides of the Mississippi River, including Saint Luke Memorial Baptist Church Food Pantry and Project Augustine in North St. Louis, Webster-Rock Hill Ministries, Chariti Home in Belleville and Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House in East St. Louis. Pictured above, Carlton from St. Luke Memorial Baptist Church Food Pantry picked up food drive donations at the Metro Transit Central Facility in St. Louis.
A healthy gift Crisis Nursery receives $5,000 grant from Healthy Blue The Saint Louis Crisis Nursery has received $5,000 from Healthy Blue to support safety, education and support services for impacted children and families that may be in crisis. The Saint Louis Crisis Nursery is a recognized leader in the prevention of child abuse and neglect in the region by providing a safe haven for children and premier services to families. The grant from Healthy Blue will provide The Crisis Nursery with the much-needed support as it has remained open throughout the pandemic and continues to help the children and families of the St. Louis area. “We are grateful to Healthy Blue for this generous grant as we have continued to keep children safe throughout this challenging year, and now we will be able to obtain several items that we desperately need, including replacement beds and dressers, winter clothes and shoes, and large items for group play like tunnels, parachutes, and foam blocks,” said Molly Brown, Crisis Nursery Sr. Clinical Director. “Healthy Blue is committed to supporting our members and
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community organizations during these uncertain times,” said Jeff Davis, Healthy Blue Interim President. “The St. Louis Crisis Nursery is providing our local children and families with the tools and resources to advance health and wellness. This grant will make a positive impact in the St. Louis community and will continue to deliver on our mission of improving lives and communities.” “The Crisis Nursery and Healthy Blue are committed to serving those who need it most,” said Crisis Nursery CEO DiAnne Mueller. “We are thrilled with this partnership and extremely thankful to Healthy Blue for helping us to prevent child abuse and neglect.” Missouri Care, Inc., an Anthem company, has rebranded to Healthy Blue, a leading managed care provider of health benefits for Missouri’s MO HealthNet (Medicaid) program. The Healthy Blue rebranding reflects the strength of its new relationship and extends brand stability and recognition of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield name to its MO HealthNet (Medicaid) members.
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FEBRUARY 2021 | OUR TOWN | 7
AroundTown
A gift to scouting Girl Scouts provides a wide array of opportunities for girls to engage in high adventure. For more than 100 years girls have explored and strengthened their leadership skills and commitment to environmental stewardship by engaging in opportunities at Girl Scout Camp. To ensure all girls can discover the joy of outdoor exploration and develop 21st century skills, Keri Westland, Girl Scout volunteer, life-long Mariner and Gold Award Girl Scout made a generous $500,000 gift to support Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri Mariner Program in perpetuity. The Mariner Program has been a part of Girl Scouts’ bold history since 1934. Developed as a special interest program for Girl Scouts in seventh through 12th grade, the Mariner Program offers adventures on, in and near the water. Girls are part of “ships” that come together during the year for skillbuilding, fun, and exploration. The capstone event is Summer GAM (Gathering of all Mariners), which is a week-long Resident Camp program. Summer GAM offers girls a wide variety of personal development and leadership opportunities, focusing on water activities and competitions, including canoeing, swimming, and sailing. While on the water, Mariners gain a unique perspective that encourages them to think critically about the world around them and consider how they can best address significant problems they are passionate about solving. Ultimately, Mariners take the helm and sail full speed ahead while actualizing their potential as leaders. Westland says, “The Mariner Program made an outstanding impact on my life and holds a very special place in my heart. Through this program, I have gained so much, including lifelong friends, canoeing skills, leadership skills, teamwork and more. I am grateful for the many volunteers who have given countless hours to provide this quality leadership development
GIRL SCOUTS OF EASTERN MISSOURI
$500,000 endowment gift to support Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri Mariner program
experience. It is for our girls, our volunteers, and our Girl Scout staff, past, present and future that I make this gift, ensuring that many more girls will have the opportunity to participate in the Mariner Program, and learn and grow.” Bonnie Barczykowski, Girl Scouts CEO, says the organization is deeply honored. “Keri’s generosity will make an impact on the lives of girls today and for generations to come. With support from community members – like Keri – Girl Scouting continues to evolve to meet girls’ changing needs and develop their full leadership potential.”
Local Love
Creve Coeur announces local restaurant recognition program The city of Creve Coeur is announcing a new program to promote its local restaurants that have been operating within the COVID-19 environment over the last year. “We recognize that our local restaurateurs have had to invent and then reinvent themselves to keep their doors open,” says Mark Manlin, Chair of the Creve Coeur Economic Development Committee. “We love our local restaurants and want to give them one more push as we turn the corner into the new year.” To help restaurants promote their 8 | OUR TOWN | FEBRUARY 2021
menus, hours and any other specials, the Creve Coeur Economic Development Committee is partnering with the Creve Coeur-Olivette Chamber of Commerce to offer Creve Coeur restaurants a forum to submit 20-second videos to be posted on the city’s social media and website. The program, called “Local Love,” gives restaurant operators an opportunity to promote their business through video, sharing details about their hours of operation, options for curbside pickup or patio dining, menus, safety protocols, promotions and other details.
The videos will be posted on the city’s social media and website at www.crevecoeurmo.gov/locallove. The city’s website also lists over 60 restaurants located in Creve Coeur that are offering takeout, delivery or curbside pickup. Creve Coeur restaurant owners who wish to participate may send their videos to Melissa Orscheln, Public Information Officer and Management Analyst, at pio@crevecoeurmo.gov. Submission guidelines are available on the city’s website at www.crevecoeurmo.gov/locallove.
AroundTown
Battling addiction Missouri Institute of Mental Health’s addiction science team receives new funding aimed at combatting overdose crisis The addiction crisis continues to rage throughout the United States, including in Missouri, frustrating community healthcare workers and researchers trying to gain control of the problem. University of Missouri–St. Louis Associate Research Professor Rachel Winograd knows that frustration too well as the director of the Missouri Opioid State Targeted Response and State Opioid Response grants. Since 2017, she’s co-led efforts by the Missouri Department of Mental Health and its partners to implement an evidence-based approach to deal with the crisis. It relies on the use of medications such as buprenorphine and methadone to help people overcome addiction and naloxone to reduce the instances of overdose. “You do see that the tide has turned in a lot of key stakeholder groups when it comes to attitudes toward medication and harm reduction,” said Winograd, who leads the addiction science team at the Missouri Institute of Mental Health. “That needs to continue and that needs to expand, and it’s going to take a long time. But attitudes are just one piece of the puzzle.” More challenges remain, but a new round of funding is helping Winograd and her colleagues broaden the scope of their efforts and engage new partners in the fight. Missouri is receiving $25 million in funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in each of the next two years with $2.95 million annually earmarked to go to the University of Missouri System. That includes $2,755,589 to UMSL, much of it to be used to obtain doses of naloxone and hire the people required to deliver it to the communities where it’s most needed. If that represents a continuation of ongoing efforts that started in 2017, the new funding is also allowing for an added focus addressing stimulant use, most notably methamphetamine and cocaine. “These are not strictly opioid grants anymore, which is good because most
people who use opioids don’t only use opioids,” Winograd said. “This is a poly drug overdose crisis, not just an opioid overdose crisis. “Whether it’s funding for actual treatment of stimulant use disorder through the state or prevention and awareness initiatives, more harm reduction strategies in education, we’re encompassing stimulant use disorder into our training and service efforts intentionally.” In hopes of improving prevention, they’re partnering with Big Brothers Big Sisters for the first time, both in the St. Louis metro area and in the Cape Girardeau area, to focus on youth development and mentorship with a particular focus on African American youth. They’ve also added a partnership with local nonprofit The T, a health education and resource center located on Delmar Boulevard and focused on violence prevention, homeless outreach and COVID response. The organization is adding resources for substance use and addiction to its holistic suite of services. Some funding will also support expansion of the Behavioral Health Network of Greater St. Louis’ EPICC project – Engaging Patients in Care Coordination – that connects people who have recently survived an overdose to treatment and recovery resources. The project connects them to peer specialists who provide support as they begin their journey. The project is increasing its outreach in north St. Louis and working with churches in high-need zip codes to become hubs for resources and access to care. The hope is eventually they will host support groups there and provide access to telemedicine, so people don’t need to travel to a treatment center or have their own technology devices to get the support they need. “I think every time we’ve worked with the Department of Mental Health to add something, it’s been to bring on a new partner closer to the ground than we are,” Winograd said. She and her team are working with the EPICC project to launch a pilot to study
the effectiveness of telemedicine inductions on buprenorphine, which takes advantage of an ease in federal regulations in response to COVID. Previously, patients would need to make an in-person visit to receive a prescription for medication to treat substance use disorder, and that has been a barrier to beginning treatment. Winograd knows more is needed because so much about addiction is tied to the broader societal issues. “I still believe in the evidence-based solutions that we’ve been proposing from the get-go,” Winograd said. “But we need those things and we need housing, we need transportation, we need food, we need health care, we need childcare.” The COVID-19 pandemic has only increased the challenge for those trying to end the drug crisis. It has also disrupted the drug supply and made it more volatile and unpredictable. When people can’t be sure what they’re buying and using, it can lead to greater chaos and more death. The pandemic also has increased the stress and feelings of anxiety that can lead people to begin using drugs, and it has created barriers for people seeking treatment, perhaps because of budgetary cuts and reduced hours at facilities where people might seek help. “People are getting left behind, and it’s not any specific entity’s fault,” Winograd said. “It’s just the reality of how our society is structured and our society’s response to this pandemic.”
FEBRUARY 2021 | OUR TOWN | 9
“I chose St. Catherine because everyone is so nice and it feels like home.” - Carla F.
HAILCHIEF to the
BY CHARLOTTE BEARD
Creve Coeur’s Chief of Police retires after serving his community for more than 41 years After serving the city of Creve Coeur for more than 41 years, Glenn Eidman, former Chief of Police retired on Jan. 20. An open house in his honor was held on Jan. 15. Eidman, who served as chief starting in 2008, contributed to many past successes of Creve Coeur’s police department. He led the department’s pursuit of accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) and was vital in establishing the West Central Dispatch Center to consolidate 911 services among Creve Coeur, Frontenac, Town and Country, and Ladue. The latter endeavor not only resulted in improved efficiency and cost savings but also won an award. In addition, Eidman implemented the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program, designed to provide citizens with the knowledge and basic skills for emergency preparedness. In 2014, Eidman was the recipient of his
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CITY OF CREVE COEUR
After serving the city of Creve Coeur for more than 41 years, Glenn Eidman, former Chief of Police retired on Jan. 20.
own award – the Donald “Red” Loehr Outstanding Police Chief Award from the Missouri Police Chiefs Association in recognition of his dedication and service to his community, department, and law enforcement profession. Eidman states that he prides himself most on the transparency, level of service, dedication to duty, and the professionalism of the city’s police officers and department. “They all take ownership in their jobs and deliver a level of service and protection to the community that far exceeds others,” stated Eidman. “The police department is a highly trained and ethical organization; it has been a humbling experience to serve as their chief of police. The collaborative efforts of our neighboring police departments created our West Central Dispatch Center dispatch consortium for the cities of Frontenac, Ladue, Town & Country and Creve Coeur show our willingness to partner with others. We have been accredited with CALEA since 2012 and have achieved two accreditations since.” “Chief Eidman has been a consummate professional throughout his career, and the Creve Coeur Police Department is a direct reflection of his dedication and professionalism,” shared Mark Perkins, City Administrator.
SUBMITTED PHOTOS
Creve Coeur’s 2018 Citizen Survey indicates that Eidman’s leadership has left a great positive impact on the city. In the survey 95 percent of residents’ responses indicate they are satisfied or very satisfied with public safety in Creve Coeur.
“Chief Eidman has been a consummate professional throughout his career, and the Creve Coeur Police Department is a direct reflection of his dedication and professionalism.” ~Mark Perkins, City Administrator “Chief Eidman’s invaluable experience and dedication to his profession has made him a respected leader within our community and among law enforcement,” stated Creve Coeur Mayor Barry Glantz. “He has led the department to be one of the most progressive police departments in the area, directly contributing to the high quality of service our citizens have come to
expect and appreciate.” The former chief who states now he will just do whatever he wants to do during retirement, has served as an adjunct professor of criminal justice at Lindenwood University as well as served on various police and safety boards – the International Association of the Chiefs of Police, the Missouri Police Chiefs Association, and the St. Louis Area Police Chiefs Association. When Eidman was asked about his personal hopes for the next chief, he shared that he hopes the new chief enjoys working with the city and employees as much as he did. “Our employees are the most valuable asset we have,” stated Eidman. Police Captain Jon Romas has been appointed to serve as Acting Chief of Police until the permanent position is filled. Romas has served the Creve Coeur Police Department since 1998 when he was hired as a Patrol Officer. He was promoted from Lieutenant to Captain in 2015, with recent assignments including Patrol Commander, Public Information Officer and CALEA Accreditation Manager. Eidman thanks Creve Coeur for their level of support, kindness and generosity shown to him during his tenure.
FEBRUARY 2021 | OUR TOWN | 11
OurThoughts MOORE ON LIFE BY CINDY MOORE
Day Trippers H
ere it is! My Christmas wish: all I wanted was for 2020 to be over and it’s gone! There isn’t a thing I’ll miss about it… well maybe one thing – no more pumpkin spice. But it’s time to move on. In with the new and out with the old! Meaning: I need to clean out my closet and the refrigerator. First the closet. Out it all goes. I have so few items that I wear: day pajamas and night pajamas. Of course, if I’m going on an adventurous outing, I’ll change. For instance, when I’m taking the garbage can out to the curb, I don’t want to look schlubby. I’ll scrunch my hair into a messy bun and dress up in my stretchy sweatpants and head out, all because Mrs. Pilkinson next door is so judgy. That was easy, now on to the refrigerator. I tossed out a bunch of expired items: pickled beets, green salsa, leftovers from
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Thanksgiving. I’ve saved everything just in case we had to live off it or maybe use them to barter with. In the process of doing this I noticed an almost empty jug of milk. “Hey Sweetie,” I yell to my husband. “We’re low on milk!” “Okay, then let’s take a trip to the store today.” “Really? Do you mean it?” “Of course I mean it.” “I’m so excited.” “Why would that excite you?” “Because we’re going on a trip. That means we can leave the house. I’m going to get out of these pajamas and dress up in my sweatpants. First, I’ll need to run them through the dryer to freshen them up a bit.” “Fine, but let’s make a day of it then. I need to fill up the car.” “What?! A bonus outing? A gas station vacation?! I better shower then, even though there are still three days until Sat-
urday. Hey, maybe we can pick up something at McDairyKing and have a parking lot picnic.” I was totally stoked. I got ready and met my husband at the door. “Um, you do realize you have your big fuzzy cat slippers on?” he said. “Duh, ya. I wasn’t going out in my bare naked feet. I may have been away from civilization for a year, but I’ve still retained my dignity.”
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
S
taci and I hiked up the hill for a late lunch at our friends Paul and Jo’s house, located a mile past the end of winter road maintenance. Lots of snowmobile traffic had packed the snow down to a level surface suitable for walking without snowshoes or skis. Tracks in the snow told the story of a couple of vehicles, SUV’s from the looks of the tread, had foolishly tried to make their way up the steep, unplowed mountain road. One had wisely turned around a short distance up the grade, while the other made it about two-thirds of the way up the milelong hill before spinning out, and somehow turning around and going back down without ending up a casualty in the steep ditch along the road. It brought back memories from three decades earlier when I was that foolish driver who just had to drive his brand new (to me) truck up that hill, only to be painfully educated in the ways of gravity and ice, ending up with my truck front end pointing into the ditch, and the rear end pointing nearly straight up in toward the sky. After a long day of cutting trees and digging out a path, I got home with just a little sheet metal damage, a bruised ego and a healthy respect for the mountains. Some lessons have to be learned the hard way. The afternoon was quite pleasant, with the day clear and good food and company. Paul and Jo’s local general store had become a casualty of COVID, and they had to shut the doors and sell the building at a gut-punch of a loss. A brutal disappointment, it was over and done with, and they didn’t have to worry about it anymore. Spending time out in the remote high country with friends seemed to help, and they were looking forward to something else, whatever that might be. Talk turned to the on-going drought. A storm was approaching in a couple days, but not much precipitation was in the forecast. It seemed that no matter where one looked, everything was out of sorts. At least we were (and are) still healthy and aren’t missing any meals. As we headed down the mountain before dark, the snowpack on the road was freezing up, turning the out-of-place tire tracks into solid deep trenches. Those trenches are not appreciated by the locals who have to use the road to get up and down by snowmobile or other tracked vehicle. A couple days later the predicted storm arrived, and by 9 a.m. there were already a couple inches of snow at our house.
Staci had driven her frontwheel-drive car to work in town, which wouldn’t likely make it back up the hill to our house if the snow continued, so I drove a truck to town and swapped vehicles with her. I made it back up our road - just barely - with the undercarriage of the low-slung car dragging in the fresh snow. It continued to snow for the remainder of the day. I plowed our driveway and part of the road once, and the snow kept coming. Staci decided to stay at work late to avoid traffic on her way home. She made her way up the AVALANCHE hill about 9 p.m., and was dragging the underside of my full-sized pickup. Out I went with the skid steer to at least clear a path for anyone else to get in the neighborhood. An hour later I came home, with nothing but a bucket-wide path from the highway up the hill to show for it. The next morning it was almost impossible to tell where I had plowed. Some folks were able to get to the highway, simply because it was all downhill from their homes. Most people decided that working from home was the better – and only – option. My day was occupied with snow removal, as we received well over a foot of the white stuff. Paul and Jo later told me they had gotten on their ATV outfitted with tracks, and went out during the night storm, down the now-smooth hill and around the nearby little town. No one was out, and they were able to enjoy being the only people out on the roads, floating and churning their way on top of the thick blanket of snow. We’re hoping for another dozen or so of these storms this winter. This last dump moved us up to 65 percent of normal snowpack. It was a welcome step in the right direction, and an event that made everyone smile, if just for a few moments.
Less than one inch of snow possible…
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.
FEBRUARY 2021
| OUR TOWN | 13
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2021 TOYOTA C-HR INFUSES A SPORT COUPE PERSONALITY WITH CROSSOVER VERSATILITY
Toyota Motors really stepped up their game by introducing the well-executed 2021 C-HR sport hatchback subcompact crossover. This vehicle infuses a sport coupe personality with crossover car like versatility. Now entering its fourth model run since introduced in 2018, the unique, boldly expressive and fun to drive C-HR is positioned in a class with the Kia Soul, Fiat 500L, Mazda CX-3, Mini Cooper Countryman, Honda HR-V, Jeep Renegade and the Subaru Crosstreck. When it comes to overall styling, this exciting vehicle really stands out in the subcompact crossover category. Designers utilized expressiveness with the slim LED headlights that wrap deeply into the sides of the hood as they run rearward along the fender tops. Curvy character lines emerge from a prominent Toyota badge on the front fascia and lead into the body. These lines continue below the side windows where they join a high beltline and distinctive C-pillar with hidden type design door handles. This sport coupe’s persona is especially evident in the fastback style roof, highly sculpted wide body rear quarter panels and a lip spoiler on the hatchback. At the roof’s edge, a color matched cantilevered wing tapers neatly inboard. Base pricing starts out at $21,445. If you elect to choose the top-end Limited model, the pricing reflects $26,500. All editions are only manufactured with front-wheel-drive. That’s likely in the plus column! Case in point, how often do we really need AWD? All-wheel-drive adds to the complexity and weight of the vehicle, it accounts for some service procedures to be much more diffi14 | OUR TOWN | FEBRUARY 2021
cult and it generally impacts fuel mileage in a negative sense. Furthermore, if one tire needs to be replaced, all four may need to be acquired with various AWD models. This head-turning Toyota is engineered to seat five. However, based in fact that we’re dealing with the laws of physics, rear seat interior space is somewhat limited. Therefore, comfort levels for four adults is more realistic. Rear cargo space comes out to be just over 19 cubic feet. That all changes if you fold forward the rear seatbacks as the cargo carrying capacity elevates to a respectable 37 cubic feet. Overall, the interior is designed with mostly quality materials and some touch points are designed with soft surfaces. The center storage compartment and glove box are fairly large and the dash gauges and controls are user friendly. The large high mounted touch screen helps improve smartphone integration, infotainment and navigation maneuvers. Voice recognition is also included with this technology as is interior climate controls, satellite radio and other features. Powering the C-HR is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 144-horsepower. It is linked with a continuously variable automatic transmission, as the fuel mileage shows 27-mpg city and 31-mph highway. These numbers are about average with other vehicles in this grouping. Acceleration is acceptable but if you’re expecting a rapid launch from a dead stop, you may be slightly disgruntled. Certainly in the plus column is its comfortable ride and driving dynamics. The FWD chassis tends to give you a positive feel, even on wet pavements.
Breaking is more than adequate and Toyota’s list of standard safety enhancements further raises the bar when it comes to a confident driving feel. Standard is a comprehensive suite of active safety systems that includes: rearview camera, forward collision warning, emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane departure warning and lane keep assist, automatic high beam headlights, adaptive radar guided cruise control and seamless automatic road sign monitoring. Four trim levels are offered, the LE, XLE, Nightshade and their Limited versions. The C-HR is covered by Toyota’s 36-month/36,000 mile basic new vehicle warranty. Additionally, the powertrain coverage is for 60-months or 60,000 miles. The C-HR also comes standard with ToyotaCare, covering normal factory scheduled maintenance for two years or 25,000 miles, and 24-hour roadside assistance for two years, unlimited mileage.
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
HIGHLY ANTICIPATED MOVIES slated to arrive in 2021, 2022
“Top Gun: Mavrick” courtesy Paramount Pictures; “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” courtesy Columbia Pictures; “Avatar 2” courtesy 20th Century Studios; “Black Widow” courtesy Marvel Studios
Of all the industries affected by the pandemic, film production, distribution and exhibition took a harder hit than most. 2019 was a banner year for seeing movies in theaters, and the future looked just as bright going into 2020. With many venues forced to close for health and safety reasons, however, the business model shifted to more on-demand and streaming platforms. That’s why “Wonder Woman 1984” debuted simultaneously on AT&T’s HBO Max as well in theaters that are currently open. Other highly anticipated movies are still waiting to make their debut, though. “Top Gun: Maverick,” the sequel to the iconic 1986 airborne adventure, was scheduled to arrive on July 12, 2020, but its release date shifted to July 2, 2021. Tom Cruise returns as Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, a flight instructor and pilot who, according to the trailer, is as cocky as he was more than three decades ago. Maverick must deal with his former rival, Admiral Tom “Iceman” Kazansky (Val Kilmer) and the son of his deceased RIO (Radar Intercept Officer) Goose in the sequel. “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” has been delayed so many times it almost gave up the cinematic ghost, but it’s currently slated for a June 11, 2021 release. The 2016 reboot of the franchise with a female-centric cast failed due to poor writing and direction and had little in common with the previous films. In contrast, “Afterlife” focuses on a family with ties to one of the original Ghostbusters. The trailer which played in theaters shows the iconic “Ectomobile” and Paul Rudd as a helpful teacher and fan of the original Ghostbusters crew. Further out is “Avatar 2,” the sequel to James Cameron’s groundbreaking and visually stunning 2009 film. Slated for a December 2022 release, the story focuses on Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), a
human who travels to a planet called Pandora as part of the Avatar Program. Though he is supposed to spy on the native people, Jake falls with a local named Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) and chooses to stay inside his Avatar body. After 13 years together, though, enemies from the past return to Pandora to settle old scores with Jake and his family. “Avatar 3” already is in the works and more sequels are scheduled. Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) is an accomplished assassin and Avenger, but even she is helpless against shifting release schedules. Slated for a May 2021 release, “Black Widow” gives Romanoff a solo film that delves more deeply into her past than she herself has revealed thus far. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), the action takes place after the events in “Captain America: Civil War” and shows Romanoff dealing with issues from her past. The release dates mentioned above are, of course, subject to change. It has become more common for studios to look to streaming platforms and other outlets to reach a wider audience. I am hopeful that as 2021 progresses, movie fans can see at least some of these films in an actual theater. 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 2021
| OUR TOWN | 15
OurLifestyle
POWER POW ER FAMILY MEALS with protein-packed peanuts
Starting fresh with a new year is a chance to hit the reset button for many people, and your family can use this opportunity to rethink homemade meals while striving for nutritious (and still delicious) dishes. From snacks to the main course each evening, the options are nearly endless for planning a revamped menu with healthier ingredients. Dinnertime can be a cinch with Peanut Butter Chicken, a simple dish that takes less than 20 minutes to make when busy evenings call for a quick solution. If a veggie-based option aligns better with your family’s desires, try Veggie Sammies with Peanut Butter Satay Sauce or go full-on comfort food with Very Vegan Peanut Butter Jackfruit Chili. Snacking doesn’t have to mean forgoing your dedication to nutritious choices either – these Peanut Granola Bars can be your made-at-home masterpiece for adults and children to enjoy. These recipes from the Georgia Peanut Commission are powered by peanuts, a nutrient-rich superfood that delivers 19 vitamins and 7 grams of protein per serving for a health benefit punch in each bite. Discover more nutritious recipe ideas at gapeanuts.com. 16 | OUR TOWN | FEBRUARY 2021
Very Vegan Peanut Butter Jackfruit Chili Recipe courtesy of the National Peanut Board
Ingredients: 2 teaspoons oil 1/2 large white onion, chopped 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1 2 1
can crushed tomatoes can whole tomatoes cups water can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed 1 can green jackfruit, drained and chopped 1/4 cup peanut butter cornbread (optional) tortilla chips (optional) cinnamon rolls (optional)
Directions: Heat large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add oil, onion and peppers; cook 3 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic, salt, cumin, chili powder and tomato paste, stirring to coat. Cook 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, then stir in crushed tomatoes, whole tomatoes, water, kidney beans and jackfruit; bring to boil then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 25-30 minutes. Stir in peanut butter and simmer 5 minutes.
Serve with cornbread, tortilla chips or cinnamon rolls, if desired.
OurLifestyle Veggie Sammies with Peanut Butter Satay Sauce
Peanut Granola Bars Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 6 minutes, plus cooling time
Servings: 12-14
Prep time: 30 minutes | Servings: 2
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons creamy peanut butter 3 tablespoons lime juice 2 tablespoons water 4 teaspoons hoisin sauce 2 teaspoons soy sauce 2 teaspoons sriracha 2 French baguette rolls (6
inches each) 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2
cup cucumber, sliced cup white onion, sliced into thin strips cup red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips cup purple cabbage cup fresh cilantro
Directions: In small bowl, combine peanut butter, lime juice, water, hoisin sauce, soy sauce and sriracha; mix well.
Spread sauce on both sides of each roll then layer with cucumber, onion and bell pepper. Top with cabbage and cilantro.
Ingredients: 1/2 cup honey 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter 1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 cups rolled oats (quick or regular)
1 cup bran flakes 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes 1 cup dried fruit (raisins, blueberries or cranberries) 1 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
Directions: In large, shallow, microwavable dish, combine honey, butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, vanilla and salt. Microwave at 50% power 2 minutes then whisk to combine and microwave at 50% power 2 minutes.
Add oats, bran flakes, coconut flakes, dried fruit and peanuts; stir to combine. Microwave on high 1 minute. Stir and microwave 30 seconds. Press mixture into 13-by-9-inch baking dish lined with parchment or wax paper with some extra hanging over edges to easily lift bars out. Use bottom of glass wrapped with plastic wrap to press granola mixture firmly into pan. Allow to cool completely 30-45 minutes. Cut into 12-14 bars.
Peanut Butter Chicken Recipe courtesy of “Unsophisticook� | Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 12 minutes | Yield: 6 cups Peanut Sauce: 1/2 cup creamy natural peanut butter 3 tablespoons sweet red chili sauce 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon honey 1/8-1/4 cup hot water (optional) chopped unsalted roasted peanuts (optional)
Chicken: 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1-inch cubes 1 tablespoon soy sauce 3/4 cup peanut sauce cooked brown rice assorted bell peppers, sliced chopped unsalted roasted peanuts (optional)
Directions: To make peanut sauce: In small glass bowl, whisk peanut butter, sweet red chili sauce, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce and honey until blended smoothly.
Thin sauce with hot water to desired consistency. Garnish with chopped unsalted roasted peanuts, if desired. To make chicken: In large skillet over medium-high heat, drizzle oil. Add diced chicken then pour soy sauce over top. Saute about 10-12 minutes until chicken is fully cooked. Serve with peanut sauce, brown rice and colorful sliced veggies. Garnish with chopped unsalted roasted peanuts, if desired. FEBRUARY 2021
| OUR TOWN | 17
InDepth
Vaccine roll-out begins
St. Louis County slowly begins to administer COVID-19 vaccines to health care workers as the wait begins for more doses to arrive BY CHARLOTTE BEARD
According to St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page, in his Jan. 11 press conference, after ten months in the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 22 million people have been affected in the United States with 373,000 resulting in death. He further stated that St. Louis County is averaging 530 new cases each day and that we have lost 1,475 people to COVID-19. However, some residents are now able to pre-register to receive the vaccine. The Department of Public Health is following the state tiers and guidelines posted on covidvaccine.mo.gov to determine the scheduling of vaccinations. “Vaccine distribution has given us all hope but the roll-out across the country has been slow,” stated Page. “In St. Louis County we received 975 doses last week in our first batch. On Friday, (Jan. 8) we began vaccinating our Department of Health employees. On that first day we 18 | OUR TOWN | FEBRUARY 2021
were able to vaccinate 180 of our clinical workers.” Page shared that the 180 clinical workers represent approximately 65 percent of the 275 employees that are eligible based on the state’s 1A tier of public health workers. Continuance of vaccinations were scheduled for administering throughout the week of Jan. 11 for those health employees not affiliated with any of the hospital systems. Page stated that examples of other non-hospital affiliated individuals who can sign up for the vaccine are doctors, school nurses, behavioral health and substance abuse providers, optometrists and physical therapists. “Any group of employees or individuals in that 1A healthcare category may contact our health department through email at dphcovidvaccine@stlouisco.com. The health department will respond with a link to an online form that you can fill out
and request a reservation.” Long-term care facility residents and staff have been included in this 1A phase. Optometrist, Dr. Julie DeKinder, received her vaccination Jan. 11 and shared her process for getting the injection. “The process for receiving the vaccine through St. Louis County involved first filling out an online form to let them know that I was a 1A provider in the first group of people that are allowed to get the vaccine,” stated DeKinder. “After you filled out that form your name was put on a list. When the vaccine became available to the county, they opened the opportunity to allow anybody that had signed up on that list to then create an appointment to get the first dose of the vaccine. The appointments opened on Monday this week which would have been the 11th. The vaccine that they are admin-
InDepth istering is the Pfizer vaccine. The Pfizer vaccine requires 21 days between the first and the second dose. So, now that I have my first dose, in 21 days with a couple days window on either side, I’ll be required to go back to the county health department to receive my second dose.” Though the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine is not an FDA-approved vaccine, the FDA has authorized the emergency use of the vaccine to prevent COVID-19 in individuals 16 years and older (visit https://www.pfizer.com/products/product-detail/pfizer-biontech-covid-19-vaccine). According to other sources, Dr. John A. Sellick, D.O., an infectious disease expert and professor of medicine at the Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at the University of Buffalo gives the following explanation for the need of two doses. “The general concept is that the first dose primes the immune system, and the second dose boosts it to give high level protection,” states Sellick. “Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines use genetic material, or mRNA, to replicate a key protein in the coronavirus, training the body to produce antibodies that will fight COVID off. The first dose begins that training process, and the second dose solidifies it.” DeKinder states that other than her arm being slightly sore the day following the injection, she did not experience any immediate side effects. According to DeKinder, the administration where she received her first dose of the vaccination required that recipients remain at the facility for approximately 15 minutes after the injection to ensure no immediate acute negative responses. “It is my understanding that some individuals who have already taken the second dose have noticed more symptoms—maybe a low-grade fever, headache, or chills,” shared DeKinder. “I’ve only received my first dose. I’ve had a
pretty successful dose with minimal, if any, symptoms.” Pfizer sources state that you may also be given an option to enroll in V-safe, a voluntary smartphone-based tool that uses text messaging and web surveys to check in with people who have been vaccinated to identify potential side effects after COVID-19 vaccination. Pfizer further states that the tool helps the CDC monitor the safety of COVID-19 vaccines. For more information visit: www.cdc.gov/vsafe. “I feel that the health care community is really trying to do their part by getting vaccinated as quickly as possible so that the vaccinations can be spread more widely along the population,” stated DeKinder. “As a health care provider, I will also be extremely appreciative if my patients can get vaccinated when available to them as soon as possible because that’s going to help slow the spread and make us all feel more comfortable in our interactions.” Missouri’s plans for distribution of vaccines for individuals who fall under the 1B plan for three tiers was announced Jan. 14. The CDC defines 1B as frontline essential workers: first responders (e.g., firefighters and police officers), corrections officers, food and agricultural workers, U.S. Postal Service workers, manufacturing workers, grocery store workers, public transit workers, and those who work in the education sector (teachers and support staff members) as well as childcare workers. Individuals age 75 and over who are not part of a long-term care facility are also part of the 1B phase according to CDC sources. For the latest information on Missouri’s 1B rollout visit covidvaccine.mo.gov.
Page stated in his press conference that the administration is not certain how many more or how soon the county will receive more vaccines. The national supply chain is being handled locally by the state. “Please continue SUBMITTED IMAGE to follow public health protocols,” Page stated. “Until the vaccine is widely available the risk is too high to let up on responsible actions.” In reply to a question of whether the administration has knowledge of resistance among some healthcare workers to getting vaccinated, Page shared that the Department of Public Health along with its medical community task force are communicating with and educating St. Louis County residence. “We will continue to communicate the value of the vaccine, the importance of the vaccine, and the safety of the vaccine as it has been established by our national testing,” stated Page. “Many people here in St. Louis participated in those tests. We know this vaccine is safe and effective and we hope that everyone will get vaccinated as soon as it is available to them.” DeKinder shared, “For my health and safety, because I see patients all the time, there was never a doubt in my mind that I wanted to get it.” Pfizer’s sources state that vaccination providers must communicate to recipients/caregivers information consistent with the ‘Fact Sheet for Recipients and Caregivers’ which can also be found at www.cvdvaccine.com. In part of Page’s answer to the question of what can be done better in the vaccination process, Page stated that St. Louis County administration will not have the infrastructure or staff to vaccinate everyone and will as a result work with partners in St. Louis County to coordinate vaccinations and the dissemination of information for obtaining the vaccine. For more information on the St. Louis County vaccination roll-out visit https:// stlcorona.com/covid19-vaccines/. FEBRUARY 2021
| OUR TOWN | 19
February 1
National Freedom Day
2
Groundhog Day
4
Rosa Parks Day
5 12 14
National Wear Red Day Chinese New Year Valentine’s Day
15
Presidents’ Day
17
Ash Wednesday