Our Town: November 2022

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

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THIS SSUE

Around Town

Largest indoor entertainment venue in St. Louis sets opening day and more.

Feature

Learning and growing St. Louis Community College’s Bio Research & Development Growth Park at the Danforth Plant Science Center lets students explore careers in the field of biotechnology.

By Wendy Todd

Our Thoughts

Moore on Life author Cindy Moore tries to get her bearings with GPS while Avalanche heads into the wild on a hunt for firewood. Lifestyle

The BMW M240i xDrive Performance Sports Coupe is a fun and nimble drive in Automobile Alley. Falling in love with The Granada Theater in Entertainment. A savory solution to stretch your grocery budget in For the Love of Food.

In Depth

New CEO of Affinia Healthcare looks to continue to bring quality healthcare to socioeconomically vulnerable communities.

Calendar

Staff Writer –Wendy Todd Cover Photo – Submitted

Becky Brockmann Melissa Nordmann

Brett Auten

Wendy Todd

Dressed for success

Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis’ Save our Sons program distributes free suits to high school students participating in career day at Louis Community College

When job hunting, putting one’s best foot forward is essential to success in landing a position. Along with an effective resume and the ability to articulate one’s skills, presentation is critically important.

High school students in the Black Male Achievers Academy at St. Louis Commu nity College were given the opportunity earlier this month to get “suited up” for the college’s career day, receiving free suits from the Urban League of Metro politan St. Louis’ Save our Sons program.

The BMA Academy was created in 2021 by retired STLCC-Forest Park president, Franklyn Taylor to replace the African American Male Initiative after its federal funding ended. It is designed to increase enrollment, retention and graduation of underprepared students, both male and female. The free six-week Bridge program is offered at the STLCC Forest Park and Florissant Valley campuses to help partici pants with the transition to higher educa tion.

The BMAA helped prepare participants for the college career fair which featured over 50 companies looking for new re cruits. Partnering with the Urban League’s

Save our Sons program to provide profes sional apparel for participants is a signifi cant piece of success.

“With the professional attire donations, the Save Our Sons program hopes to pro vide clients with the confidence they need to do well in their interviews, the spirit to know they are as powerful as they look and the knowledge to know that we care and are here to support them on the jour ney of success,” said Jamille Mitchell, se nior job developer for the Save Our Sons initiative.

Mysha Clincy, coordinator of student re tention programs at SLCC, leads the BMA Academy and was thrilled to learn of the Urban League’s generous donation. She also recognizes the importance of young black males being able to create their own financial stability and how looking the part plays a role in getting a job.

“Having professional attire is a mind changer,” Clincy said. “It allows them to not only think about the next level, but actually see themselves at the next level. This is a life-changing moment for them. They can now confidently visualize them selves fitting into any environment. Some

of these students have never owned a suit, so the way they feel and look is a game changer.”

Coupled with the provision of suits, the BMA Academy participants also re ceive educational resources, mentoring and professional guidance including how to succeed in an interview. The initiative aims to provide the critical support to help prepare high school students academi cally for the transition into college and offer life skills.

“The BMA program is important be cause it is a student-support program that meets the students where they are to eliminate any barriers that will hinder their academic success, Clincy said. “Our goal is to increase the matriculation and graduation of underrepresented and un derprepared students. BMA creates an environment of success and empowers them to be the best. Our motto says, ‘ac ademic excellence is no accident,’ so we look individually and holistically at what the students need in order to be success ful.”

(Left) Mysha Clincy (Center), coordinator of student retention programs at SLCC, leads the Black Male Achievers Academy, stands with high school students in the BMA Academy who were presented with suits to participate in career day at SLCC. (Right) High school students in the BMA Academy were presented with suits to participate in career day at SLCC.

Largest indoor entertainment venue in St. Louis sets opening day Grand opening

The beginning of something big is coming to St. Louis. Led by the entertainment and hospitality experts at Brick + Bev, as an affiliate with Green Street Real Estate Ventures, the historic land mark the Armory is being revitalized as a multi-venue entertain ment destination in Midtown, St. Louis, with the first phase open ing to the public on Dec. 9.

The Armory has a deeply-rooted and eclectic history in the com munity. Originally built and designed for the 138th Infantry of the Missouri National Guard, the Armory has had a multitude of transformations over the decades, including serving as a multisports complex and a concert venue. This year, the Armory’s final evolution will be as a regional destination packed with experien tial entertainment.

With nearly six acres of flexible indoor space to gather, play, eat, drink and discover, the Armory boasts a 60-foot stage to host live entertainment every weekend and monthly national and regional touring acts; six bars; more than 70 tap handles; over 40 interactive games; a two-story slide; dozens of TV screens; VIP event spaces; and so much more.

“Our goal with the Armory is to create the Midwest’s most in dustry-altering entertainment space, a place unlike anything we have in St. Louis,” said Ali Lamb, Director of Marketing at the Armory. “The Armory was designed to be the perfect day-to-day hang out space, transform into the ultimate location for festivals and live music, host cause-based community events, and more,

all in one day or week! The possibilities are excitingly endless, and each experience could be entirely unique.”

After the first phase opens in December, there are an additional five venues within the Armory opening throughout the spring of 2023. The Armory will also be the future home of the St. Louis Tennis Hall of Fame, honoring St. Louis’ most historically impact ful tennis players and contributors such as Dwight Davis and Butch Buchholz, and Wimbledon champions Arthur Ashe, Jimmy Conners, Ken Flach and more.

More details about the additional entertainment venues and St. Louis Tennis Hall of Fame will be announced over the next few months.

In addition to bringing 250,000 square feet of fun to Midtown, the Armory will create approximately 400 new jobs for St. Louis residents and hiring will begin at the end of this month.

“I have been a part of a number of large-scale venue openings and operations, and this is the one I’m most excited about,” said Jimmy Smith, Director of Operations at the Armory. “We are here to be great stewards of the community and are invested in creat ing a person-first culture and work environment for our employ ees. We expect the Armory to be an amazing space to enjoy and an incredible place to work.”

To learn more about all open positions contact careers@ar morystl.com. Learn more about the Armory and what’s coming at www.armorystl.com.

Award worthy

The Community News receives statewide awards

The Community News was the recipient of four awards in the statewide Missouri Press Association 2022 Better Newspaper Contest.

These awards were for work done during the 2021 calendar year. The Community News was recognized among weekly news papers across the state of Missouri.

Columnist Cindy Moore received First Place for Best Columnist – Humorous. Staff writer Charlotte Beard won two Second Place awards for Best News Story and Best Story About Education.

Beard also received an Honorable Men tion award for Best Story About Rural Life or Agriculture.

“It’s always nice to see the work of our staff recognized,” said Mathew DeKinder, Publisher and Editor-In-Chief of the Com munity News. “I am incredibly proud of the level of professionalism and hard work our entire staff puts into this paper on a weekly basis.”

Honorable alumni

Ladue Schools and LEF honor 29 distinguished alumni

Ladue Schools and the Ladue Education Foundation and Alumni Association recognized a new class of Ladue Horton Watkins High School (LHWHS) Distinguished Alumni on Sept. 22.

To mark the 70th anniversary of LHWHS, 29 individuals were honored for excellence in their careers and contributions to their communities.

The 2022 LHWHS Distinguished Alumni are: Arts: Susan Schmidt Whiddington ’66, Nancy Siegel Burson ’66, Hollye Levin ’72, Ingrid Jacoby ’77, Thom Wall ‘05

Business: Gerald Held, Ph.D. ’66, Kevin Mundt ’72, Margaret Tiller Sherwood ’72, James Hamilton ’73, Scott Redler ‘78

Education: Debbie Schwartz Garden ’60, Dr. Patricia Donohue ’63, Dr. Edward M. Johnson, Jr. ‘87

Government, Political Science, and Law: Dr. Elizabeth Losos ’81, Don Calloway ’97, Miriam Estrin ‘04

Journalism: William Greenblatt ’72, Ben Solomon ’06, Ariana Tobin ‘07

Medicine: Elissa Newport, Ph.D. ’65, Dr. John D. Hirsch ‘66 (dec.), Dr. Joan Rosenberg ’73, Andrew Bremer, M.D., Ph.D. ‘90

Philanthropy: Carol Weisman, M.S.W., C.S.P. ’67, Sally Sachar ‘77

Science: Richard Rothschild ’61, Jonathan Losos, Ph.D. ‘80

Sports: Jim Parker ’61, Becky Sauerbrunn ‘03

The evening featured comments from all honorees in atten dance along with performances from Jacoby, Levin, and Wall. Distinguished alumni then participated in a career discussion with LHWHS students on Sept. 23 and were recognized at half time of that night’s home football game versus Parkway North.

The Ladue Horton Watkins High School Distinguished Alumni program began in 2002 to commemorate the school’s 50th anniversary. Thirty-five alumni were recognized for making sig nificant accomplishments in their career fields. This honor was again bestowed on an additional 23 alumni for the 60th an niversary in 2012.

Ladue Schools and the Ladue Education Foundation and Alumni Association recognized a new class of Ladue Horton Watkins High School (LHWHS) Distinguished Alumni on Sept. 22.

A bridge to the future

Grand reopening celebration marks completion of new Merchants Bridge

The 133-year-old Merchants Bridge cel ebrated its official grand reopening Sept. 15, following the completion of a land mark $222 million project to replace the vital artery that links Missouri and Illinois near downtown St. Louis. Dating back to the 1890s, the Merchants Bridge serves six Class I railroads and Amtrak as a bridge crossing across the Mississippi River at St. Louis, and replacement of the structure has been the bi-state St. Louis region’s top freight infrastructure priority since 2016.

The event marked the culmination of almost a decade of planning and advo cacy and four years of reconstruction to modernize this critical infrastructure over the Mississippi River, which is one of the nation’s primary east-west rail corridors serving one of America’s largest rail hubs by car interchange volume and gross ton nage. This project will double the capac ity on the bridge, so it can facilitate two freight trains at the same time and move freight faster, more cost-effectively and more reliably, providing a viable alter native to larger congested rail hubs like Chicago.

Elected officials and transportation leaders from Illinois and Missouri gath ered with representatives from Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis (TRRA), Bi-State Development/St. Louis Regional Freightway, Bank of America St. Louis and Walsh Construction for the celebra tion, which was attended by approximate ly 150 invited guests. U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Federal Railroad Administra tion (FRA) Administrator Amit Bose were unable to attend but sent their congrat ulations in the form of a video message shared during the official program.

“The improvements made to the Mer chants Bridge will further strengthen the St. Louis region’s critical role in moving goods around the country,” said Blunt. “Missouri’s location is one of our great est economic advantages. The Mississippi River Valley is the biggest piece of contig uous farmland in the world and our state is where the nation’s major waterways, highways, and railways come together. I

was proud to advocate for the investment necessary to improve this historic bridge and double its freight capacity. I congrat ulate all of the local leaders and stake holders who were instrumental in getting this project done and look forward to see ing its positive impact on the region for decades to come.”

“Merchant’s Bridge is a vital link for freight and passenger rail in St. Louis and Illinois and beyond, and this reopening is a shining example of how the private sec tor, states, and the federal government can work together to deliver impactful proj ects,” said FRA Administrator Amit Bose. “FRA will support many more projects like the Merchant’s Bridge, and thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we’re go ing to keep investing in faster, safer, and more accessible rail infrastructure.”

Freight infrastructure needs and supply chain challenges have been top of mind in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, but TRRA’s work to deliver this project be gan long before the pandemic disrupted global supply chains in ways never before seen.

Terminal Railroad Association (TRRA) President Brent Wood (left, holding scissors) and Venice, Illinois Mayor Tyrone Echols (right, holding scissors) officially cut the ribbon during the Grand Reopening Celebration for the Merchants Bridge on Sept. 15, as a freight train crosses the newly reconstructed bridge in the background. They are joined behind the ribbon by other elected officials and transportation leaders from Illinois and Missouri and representatives from the various partnering organizations who helped to deliver the project.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ST. LOUIS REGIONAL FREIGHTWAY

A history of giving

Home Builders Charitable Foundation commemorates 25 years of giving

On Sept. 28, at Bellerive Country Club in Ladue, the Home Builders Chari table Foundation (HBCF) celebrated its 25th anniversary with a dinner program honoring the foundation’s greatest sup porters. Since 1997, HBCF has donated nearly $3.9 million in donations, materi als and labor to almost 90 local chari ties.

Jim Brennan, President of McKelvey Homes and the HBCF Board, emceed the program. Representatives and bene ficiary families from Habitat for Human ity Saint Louis and Rebuilding Together St. Louis also addressed attendees.

“Over the past 25 years of partnership with Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis, you invested over $245,000 and helped us as an organization construct over 425 affordable housing units and welcome home more than 450 families …. Your investment provided unmatchable good starts as well as a stronghold to a life well lived. Thank you all for your sup port, and congratulations on 25 years effecting real change in our shared com munity,” said Harper Zielonko, director of resource development for Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis.

HBCF is a nonprofit organization ded icated to providing housing assistance to people or organizations with special shelter needs and the charitable arm of the Home Builders Association of St. Louis & Eastern Missouri, a local trade association of nearly 600 member firms representing the residential construction industry.

(From left) Current and founding HBCF Board Members Jim Brennan (McKelvey Homes), Pat Sullivan (Retired HBA Executive Director), Ken Stricker (Consort Homes), John Eilermann (McBride Homes), Harold Burkemper (1st Capitol Construction), 2022 HBA President Jeremy Roth (Elite Development Services/McBride Homes), John Fischer (Fischer & Frichtel Homes), Rick Sullivan (Strategic Advisors LLC), Lee Allen (Allen Roofing & Siding), Craig McPartlin (Con-Tech Carpentry LLC), David Griege (Paramount Bank) and Randy Mayer (Mayer Management).

Fighting illness

Updated bivalent COVID booster, flu vaccines now available at Affinia Healthcare

Individuals needing the recently approved COVID-19 bivalent vaccine booster can get it at Affinia Healthcare.

Affinia Healthcare has received the new Pfizer COVID vaccine bi valent boosters, which are designed to protect against the original COVID-19 strain and the Omicron variant (BA.4 and BA.5).

Affinia Healthcare also has this season’s influenza vaccine, which can be given alongside the COVID-19 booster vaccine. Please note:

• The bivalent boosters are available for individuals 12 years and up.

• Must have completed a first series with the original type of vaccine.

• Individuals can get the COVID-19 booster at least two

THEATER REVIEW:

months after the first series of any other COVID booster.

• Original COVID vaccines for first series will no longer to be used for booster doses.

The monovalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are no longer au thorized for use as boosters in people ages 12 and older.

COMMUNITY COVID-19 TESTING

Affinia Healthcare is also providing COVID-19 testing for the community on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 to 10 a.m., at its 1717 Biddle Street location near downtown St. Louis. No appointment is necessary. Upon arriving at Affinia Healthcare, please park, then call 314-443-5874. A staff member will respond and assist the person making the request.

By Mat DeKinder

Take the highway to hell to ‘Hadestown’

Sometimes, the oldest stories are the best sto ries.

The new musical “Ha destown” dips way back into Greek mythology for its inspiration and delivers one of the most vibrant and inspired shows to roll off of Broadway in some time.

The national tour of the show is now playing at the Fox Theatre now through Oct. 23.

“Hadestown” tells the ancient story of Orpheus (Chibueze Ihuoma) and Eurydice (Hannah Whitley), two star-crossed lovers whose ro mance winds up challenging the gods.

Orpheus is the original starving artist whose musical talents are powerful enough to charm even the rocks and the trees.

But when Eurydice finds herself bound for the Underworld, Orpheus travels after her to try and persuade Hades (Mat thew Patrick Quinn), god of the Underworld, to set her free.

Of course, Hades has his own problems, most notably his strained relationship with his wife, the goddess Persephone (Shea Rene).

The songs in “Hadestown” have a ragtime flair and the narrator/band director of the show is the god Hermes (played

brilliantly by the expres sive actor Nathan Lee Graham).

Rounding out the cast and constantly lurking around causing general vexation to all the charac ters are the Fates (Domi nique Kempf, Belen Moy ano and Nyla Watson), and you can’t have a mu sical based on Greek my thology without a Chorus.

The stage setup is simi lar to “Chicago,” with the band onstage invok ing the feel of a roadside nightclub.

The set design is particularly impressive, as the production makes innovative use of lighting to illustrate Orpheus’ jour ney to the Underworld.

“Hadestown” does fall victim to the standard-issue Broad way requirement of the “sad girl song in the second act that brings the show to a screeching halt,” but otherwise the show is strong from start to finish.

Ultimately, “Hadestown” is a celebration of the arts and the power of music and storytelling to lift us up and inspire us across the millennia.

You simply must take the trip to “Hadestown,” it’s like a breath of fresh air for the world of musical theater.

growing

BY WENDY TODD

Last month, St. Louis Community College welcomed over 100 hundred students to a visit at the Center for Plant and Life Sciences which is located within the Bio Research & Development Growth Park at the Dan forth Plant Science Center.

The students were invited to learn about and ex plore careers in the field of biotechnology. Affton High

School, Dayspring Arts and Education, Francis How ell High School, Hazelwood School District, Holt High School, Kairos Academies and Parkway West High School were just some of the schools that participated.

The field of biotechnology entails researching and creating “technology that utilizes biological systems, living organisms or parts of this to develop or create

St. Louis Community College’s Bio Research & Development Growth Park at the Danforth Plant Science Center lets students explore careers in the field of biotechnology

different products” is a grow ing industry. According to the U.S. Department of La bor Statistics, “Employment of biological technicians is projected to grow 9% from 2021 to 2031, faster than the average for all occupa tions.”

The award-winning Cen ter for Plant and Life Sci ences, which opened in 2006 and moved to the Danforth campus in 2008, aims to provide the neces sary coursework, instruction and cutting-edge equipment that allows graduates from the college’s biotechnology program to become workready.

“This event was to build awareness, and we hope recruitment into our biotech nology program,” said Betsy Boedeker, district director for the Center for Plant and Life Sciences. “Biotech is not dif ficult, and with the appropri ate and relevant technical training, anyone with the proper motivation can learn and work in the field, and make a decent and sustain able wage.”

“

Biotech is not difficult, and with the appropriate and relevant technical training, anyone with the proper motivation can learn and work in the field, and make a decent and sustainable wage. ”

The center provides work force training, outreach and independent stu dent research support, as well as serves as a tool for the local startup community, in the bio sciences, supplying laboratory and equipment access. Additionally, the center works to ad vance the biotechnology industry in a number of ways including providing bioscience access to resources and offering grant-funded intern ships for students at biotech companies.

Being at the Danforth Plant Science Center is a boon to the STLCC Center as it offers vast resources and boasts a network of nearly 400 community members from over 20 countries. The center’s location makes it ripe for possible collaboration and conversely, innovation as the Danforth center works to unlock the power of plants to create different uses in food, fuel and fiber.

The Danforth Plant Sci ence Center allows new companies to be inno vative in biotech in criti cal areas such as climate change and supply chain challenges as they work to discover new ways to effectively utilize natural resources. With an ad vanced bioimaging labo ratory, data and analytics hub, phenotyping and a plant growth facility that offers a range of horticul tural services and product development, the Danforth Plant Science Cen ter is a state-of-the-art facility with a global reputation.

The high school students who attended the STLCC Center for Plant and Life Sciences got an opportunity to learn about professions that would utilize these kinds of resources in order to conduct research, make discoveries and create products that could positively impact human life.

Boedeker believes biotechnology and scienc es can be a great career path that offers variety for young people.

“This is a great career path for all students,” she said, “to consider as a possibility as it en compasses many different types of work with just a short amount of training.”

~Betsy Boedeker, District Director for the Center for Plant and Life Sciences

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

Misguided Misguided

I now understand why GPS was in vented – to Give People Sanity. See what I did there? G.P.S…Give…Peop…oh never mind.

Recently, I took a little fieldtrip along with some of my high school lady friends. It’s been a while since high school. How long you ask? They still taught foreign languag es – specifically, cursive writing.

We still keep up and try to get together every few months to cry about what’s go ing on in the world; like the high price of gas. But we also laugh a lot, especially when we find out one of our high school cheerleaders has been incarcerated.

On this get together we decided to take a drive up one of the area canyons and chat over a picnic. None of us were famil iar with the destination so being the wise techy girls who keep up with the future we blasted on “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go” by WHAM, then each plugged the di rections into our phones.

Soon we came to one of those tricky technical parts of the drive: whether to take a left or right at an off-ramp.

“Turn right here,” one said.

“Are you sure?” I asked.

“Positive,” she answered.

“Negative,” chimed in the others. “Ours says go left.”

I immediately hearkened back to my high school math skills: a positive plus a negative equaled…the middle. I drove straight.

“What are you doing?” The front seat passenger barked.

“No one could decide. I took the path of least resistance.”

“Well, you need to turn around.”

I asked the other two if they concurred, but they were deep in discussion about the scandal just surfacing concerning our eleventh-grade drivers-ed teacher.

I raced ahead a tad above the speed limit and made a slightly illegal U-turn. That may have been the scandal recently unearthed – that he had passed my driv ing skills.

I approached an intersection and pro ceeded through the green light only to have the gals in back awaken from their

deep conversation and yell, “STOP! It’s red!”

I panicked, but drove ahead and yelled, “Since when does green mean stop?!”

“Oh, our mistake. We were looking at the light in the wrong lane.”

They then proceeded with their gossip.

After many more misdirections and sev eral reroutes, we arrived at our destina tion.

“Isn’t technology great,” said one.

“Yes,” I thought to myself. “But backseat drivers are still a menace. Some things technology will never change.”

Cindy Moore is the mother of three superla tive kids, servant of two self-indulgent felines and wife to one nifty hus band. Her ficticious oc cupation? 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 ex cavated a find in her neighbor’s bird feeder.

AN

A wet and wild WORKING VACATION

Finally, the camper and utility trailer were hooked up to my new and old trucks respectively, the dogs were in the old truck with Staci, and we were off to the mountains for our “working vaca tion” to gather firewood for the upcom ing winter. Of course, we were already a day-and-a-half behind schedule in leav ing, due to work and other obligations. No worries, it was still a weekday, and traffic was light; there was still lots of room in the mountains.

It began raining shortly after we turned off the pavement onto the Forest Service gravel road. A number of vehicles were heading downhill, as archery season for big game was ending; lots of hunt ers were headed home, some with meat and antlers, but all with good stories, true or otherwise. The rain increased in intensity the higher we got. This was to set the stage for the coming days.

In addition to emptied hunting camps, one or more small long-term transient group camps had recently been aban doned. Not all of the recently vacated campsites were left in pristine condition; one looked as if a porta-potty got turned over as the former inhabitants left. We continued up the mountain and further into the high country. The higher we got, the more brilliant the fall foliage be came.

After another half-hour or so of driv ing, we found a seemingly good spot, but the rain was relentless. Staci brought up the concern of being able to drive out of there if the roads got much worse. While we pondered that issue, our deci sion was made by another camper ar

riving and parking about 50 yards away from where we were thinking of camp ing. We didn’t drive all this way to stay in a trailer park, so back down the road we went, turning into a spot that was close to the road, but would be isolated from other campers. After an hour of sliding about, we found it impossible to level out the camper on the sloped sur face; the mud had become so soupy and slick that turning and backing were impossible tasks, as any input of throttle or steering simply pushed the truck and camper sideways down the slope. Get ting out of that spot without damage was the highlight of that particular episode.

After another search, we found a de cent spot close to the road, and not too far from some good-looking firewood. Camp was set up, the dogs were fed, and finally, the rain stopped for a while. While we made it into the mountains, no firewood was collected that day.

We were up early the next morning, we ate a quick breakfast and got out to do some work. It had rained much of the night, and more fell pretty much all day. Things were so dry last year that freshly cut wood from a recently fallen live tree would burn in the fireplace with out any difficulty. This year, enough rain fell that even the dead trees were heavy with moisture. The wood will need to be split soon so it will season and dry out enough for a hot fire.

The heavy wood began overloading our utility trailer, so we had to unload about one-third and put it into the back of the truck. So much for filling all the available space! Late in the afternoon

we finally packed it in, empty cargo space and all. The rain had not ceased for the duration; when we got back to camp, muddy and drenched, it was 35 degrees. It continued to rain as we got the dogs and ourselves fed. The high light of the trip for me was the hot shower in the camper. Staci had wisely brought along a little bottle of vodka. While neither of us are big drinkers, the adult beverage was welcome for its medicinal purposes as a vasodilator – it restored circulation to our numbed fingers and toes. Warmed and relaxed, we went to sleep and headed down the mountain the next morning.

The camper proved its worth as a mo bile base camp. The refrigerator, stove, forced air furnace and hot water heater all worked fine, and made our otherwise difficult days a bit nicer. Having said that, the domestic situation was nearly as chilly as the working conditions. Even the Newfoundlands, bred to swim in the Arctic Ocean, were not having any fun in the cold and wet slop.

Back home, after we were thawed out, cleaned up and the wood was put away, we decided that next time we need to separate “work” from “vacation,” as the former certainly overwhelmed the latter.

Avalanche is a functional illiterate who left the St. Louis area three decades ago in search of adven ture. He enjoys motorcy cling and all things out doors. He lives with his wife and dogs.

THE

The 2022, 230i and its sister prod uct, the M240i xDrive Performance Sports Coupe is positioned as one of BMW’s smallest vehicles offered to consumers. Regardless of the adaptation, this all trans lates to an exceptional and nimble car to drive.

But let us not sidestep both vehicles’ amazing and quick harmonious accelera tion. The 2 Series’ well-engineered initial base turbocharged four-cylinder engine is reported to offer up excellent low-range as well as mid-range power. This standard engine produces some 255 horsepower, and it is matched with a rear-wheel-drive underside setup. With the optional, larger six cylinder, the performance curve is quite strong when needed passing power is de sired while traversing at highway speeds.

At road test, I spent quality seat time with the M240i xDrive. With its six-cylinder en gine generating 382 horsepower, it has overwhelming and commanding accelera tion. The xDrive system is an advanced and seamless all-wheel drive, “no compromise” mechanical arrangement. This benefit im proves road dynamics and enhances over all safety and harmonious stability.

Keep in mind, the M Sport suspension package further results in a fairly rigid and firm ride. This could prove to be a minor annoyance for some. Breaking is positive and more than capable.

Besides having the standard AWD chas sis on the M240i xDrive, also included are LED headlamps, 19-inch performance tires and wheels, exclusively designed front and rear bumpers, upgraded brake hardware, suspension and its driveline differential plus a power operated sunroof, dual zone au tomatic climate controls, and a rear wind spoiler.

All models include the factory’s fouryear/50,000-mile basic bumper to bumper, and powertrain warranty. The 2 Series also includes four years/unlimited miles of road side assistance and three years/36,000 miles of regular dealer service visits.

Similar to various other auto manufactur ers, with each new generation of redone models, the overall size tends to increase

slightly. BMW Motors is no exception, as they too offer the new 2 Series a bit larger than its outgoing version. It is positioned in the compact sports coupe category. That now places this Sports Model in the class of other premium small luxury automobiles such as the Mercedes-Benz CLA, Acura ILX, Alfa Giulia, Infiniti Q50, Lexus RC and the Audi A3 and S3.

As expected, when it comes to engineer ing and packaging, there is just so much room the designers have to work with due to its overall proportions. This resulted in the new M240i having plenty of “up front” room for the driver and passenger. How ever, the trade-off is that the rear seat space is somewhat lacking for full size adults. In the simplest terms, it’s for “occasional seat ing” at best. I will add though, ingress and exiting of the coup’s doorways weren’t a problem, even if you’re over six-foot tall. Front seating is quite comfortable, plenty of head, leg and shoulder room plus controls and gauges are uncluttered and uncompli cated.

Advanced safety systems in part, include blind spot detection and their radar gov erned front collision warning system, plus a rearview camera. The 2022 BMW M240i xDrive gets an EPA rating of 23-MPG city/32-highway. Premium grade fuel is recommended. At road test, the MSRP was $48,550 before additional options. The shipping and destination charges aren’t in cluded, they came out to be an additional $995. It is manufactured in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. The two engines offered, as well as the car’s eight-speed automatic transmis sions are manufactured in Germany. The factory no longer offers the 2 Series in a convertible variant for the 2022 model year.

BY DAVID FINKELSTEIN

David Finkelstein is a Master/ Skilled Automotive Service Tech nician and retired shop owner. He’s invented garage service tools for mechanics, served on both nation and local automotive trade industry boards, has done years of consulting with various auto manufactures plus test drives new vehicles weekly.

David has pioneered “Car Talk Radio” over 35 years ago, as his new show “Automotive Insight” can be heard on Saturdays, on the Real Talk Radio Network.

is a fun and nimble drive

Falling in love with movie theaters: The Granada Theater The Granada Theater

Granada Theatre

People love many diverse things: puppies, babies, friends, money and good books. But is it possible to fall in love with a theater? Speaking for myself, I be came enchanted with the Granada Theater on the South Side of St. Louis when I was still in grade school. In the 1970s, several movie theaters were operating in the area, including the King sland and the Avalon, but I always stopped to see what was playing at the Granada, es pecially when they had a double feature.

According to “Cinema Treasures,” a great theater resource, the Granada opened in 1927 with the Ronald Coleman film “Beau Geste.” Over the years, the theater opened and closed under new management more than once, even becoming a dol lar theater at one point. The Granada closed for good in 1986 after showing the Michael Keaton/ Gedde Watanabe comedy “Gung Ho.” There were at tempts to restore the theater, but it was razed in De cember 1992.

Looking back at this almost-forgotten landmark, the Granada really was an interesting place to see a movie. In 1982, when the first “Porky’s” movie came to town, Bevo Area residents lined up to see what the fuss was all about. (They learned quickly!) Long lines of patrons waited on the sidewalk hoping to find open seats inside. The Granada also hosted Three Stooges movies and lots of Disney films featuring Kurt Russell, Don Knotts and Tim Conway.

Going to the Granada also was educational. Lou Jobst, my high school religious study teacher, shared his insights about “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” a science-fiction epic that packed the aters. A talented musician, Lou spoke to our class

about the power of music and how it can break down communication barriers, even when visitors from outer space were involved. The Granada also showed Martin Scorsese’s documentary “The Last Waltz,” which covered the last performance of the Canadian/American group called the Band.

There were times, however, when the Granada Theater struggled to hang on. There was enough family fare on the second-run circuit to fill seats, but the movie industry was changing. After closing for a while, we were able to see Mel Brooks’ comedy “Blazing Saddles” when they reopened. George Lucas’ “Star Wars” made it to the South Side in 1978 and packed the Granada once again. When I was in high school, I even saw “Animal House,” much to the surprise of my classmates.

Although many people loved this theater as much as me, my heart was broken when I saw the Granada being torn down. Inside, it was beautiful and ornate with candy machines built into the lobby walls and an awesome bal cony. Streaming services are fine, but I would love to go back and spend some quality time with the theater that I really loved.

If you, like me, were fond of a specific theater, let us know.

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.

Photo courtesy

A savory solution to stretch your grocery budget

In today’s world, grocery shopping can seem more like a burden than an opportunity to gather supplies for your family’s favorite meals. With prices of everyday ingredients fluctu ating almost daily, it’s important for many families to make their dollars go further at the store.

Easy ways to stretch your grocery budget, like using versatile ingredi ents, can make the checkout expe rience a little less impactful on your household’s finances. Consider the benefits of mushrooms, which pro vide a delicious option to enhance flavor in favorite recipes while extend ing portions in an affordable way.

Garlic-Rosemary Butter Roasted Chicken Thighs and Veggies with Mushroom Orzo Risotto

Recipe courtesy of Emily Weeks, MS, RD, on behalf of the Mushroom Council

Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 50 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients: Chicken: 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs salt, to taste pepper, to taste

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

16 ounces mushrooms, such as white button, crimini or portabella, quartered

3 zucchinis, sliced in half moons

3 large carrots, thinly sliced

4 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves removed and roughly chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

Orzo: 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

16 ounces mushrooms, such as white button, crimini or portabella, finely chopped

1 cup uncooked orzo pasta

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/3 cup white wine

1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions: To make chicken: Preheat oven to 450 F.

Pat chicken dry. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. In large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Sear chicken until brown on both sides, 4-5 minutes on each side.

In large bowl, toss mushrooms, zucchinis and carrots with rosemary and garlic.

On large baking sheet, spread vegetables. Nestle chicken into vegetables. Drizzle with butter and juices from pan.

Bake 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.

To make orzo: In small pot over medium-low heat, warm broth.

Using skillet from chicken over medium heat, add butter and olive oil. Add onion, garlic and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions soften, 3-4 minutes.

Add orzo and black pepper. Stir and cook orzo 2 minutes. Add white wine and cook until evaporated, about 1 minute.

Add broth to orzo, 2/3 cup at a time, stirring until liquid is absorbed. Repeat with remaining broth, waiting until last batch is absorbed before adding next. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan.

Serve in individual bowls with chicken and roasted vegetables atop mushroom orzo risotto.

Blended Pasta Sauce

Recipe courtesy of the Mushroom Council

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced 1 pound mushrooms (such as white button, crimini or portabella), finely chopped

1 pound 80% lean ground beef

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce cooked pasta salt & pepper grated Parmesan cheese

Directions: In large pot over medium heat, add oil and cook onions, stirring occasionally, until just soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.

Add mushrooms and cook 5 minutes, or until mushrooms are soft and reduced in size.

Add ground beef, Italian seasoning and salt; cook until browned throughout, about 6 minutes, stirring and breaking up lumps. Skim off fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons.

Stir in marinara sauce and reduce heat to low. Cook 10 minutes.

Serve over cooked pasta, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and top with grated Parmesan.

Creamy Spinach, Mushroom and Lasagna Soup

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, small diced

8 ounces mushrooms, such as white button, crimini or portabella, sliced

1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce

1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 tablespoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 bay leaf

3 cups vegetable broth

6 lasagna noodles, broken into pieces

1/2 cup heavy cream

5 ounces fresh baby spinach

1 cup whole milk ricotta

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, for topping

Directions: Heat large pot over medium heat. Add olive oil, garlic, onion and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions and mushrooms soften, 4-5 minutes.

Add marinara, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, basil, salt, oregano, pepper, bay leaf and broth. Bring to boil over high heat then reduce heat to low and simmer. Add lasagna noodles and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and remove bay leaf. Stir in heavy cream and spinach until wilted, 2-3 minutes.

Divide between bowls and top each with dollop of ricotta and sprinkle of mozzarella.

BY WENDY TODD

Affinia Healthcare provides critical medical and dental servic es at 11 locations across St. Louis to socioeconomically vulner able communities. At the start of the new year, the organization will have a new CEO.

Dr. Kendra Holmes, who has been with the organization for nearly 20 years, is currently the executive vice president and chief operating officer, and will step into the top role in January.

Holmes began her career at Affinia Healthcare in 2003 as a pharmacist, a profession she began considering in high school.

“I have always been fascinated by science and chemistry,”

Holmes said. “I toured St. Louis Col lege of Pharmacy as a senior at Met ro High School and fell in love with the pharmacy profession.”

In just two years, she was promot ed to Director of Pharmacy Services, leading the operations of the phar macies.

Though Holmes, who received her Doctorate of Pharmacy from the Uni versity of Health Services in St. Louis, continued to climb the corporate lad der at Affinia Healthcare, that wasn’t her initial ambition. Her primary goal was to serve patients.

“My true passion is patient care,” she said. “I enjoy assisting patients with their medication needs and questions. I transitioned to adminis tration when I realized I had the abil ity to make a larger impact on under served communities in a leadership position.”

In serving patients’ needs, Holmes is aware of the range of health is sues underserved communities often suffer including maternal and infant mortality rates.

“Maternal and infant mortality for black mothers and babies is appall ing,” Holmes said. “Black babies are three times as likely to die prior to their first birthday as white babies. Black mothers are twice as likely to die than white mothers. Affinia Healthcare is addressing these disparities by pro viding culturally competent, quality healthcare in underserved communi ties.

“We provide group prenatal classes to encourage moms to discuss con cerns and questions related to their pregnancies. Our maternal health department provides case manage ment and support for resources such as housing, food, behavioral health, and substance abuse needs. We pro vide access to diapers and hygiene products for mothers and babies. But perhaps most importantly, we treat all patients with dignity and respect. We acknowledge their concerns and meet patients where they are. We re alize that some moms will require ad ditional support. We are more than willing to provide the support that

mothers and babies need to be healthy.”

Providing equity in health care is an important aspect of addressing health dispari ties, and shapes Holmes’ ap proach to her work.

“My philosophy is that ac cess to quality health care is a right and not a privi lege to be enjoyed by those with financial resources,” she said. “Individuals re gardless of race, ethnicity, sexual preference, citizen ship status, etc., have a right to re ceive quality, culturally compe tent health care. We cannot have thriving communities in St. Louis when these health disparities continue to exist.”

Holmes is serving the St. Lou is community as the first Black CEO of Affinia Healthcare, a distinction of which she is acutely aware.

“It is a tremendous honor to serve in the role of president and CEO of Affinia Healthcare,” Holmes said. “I feel a respon sibility to advocate and provide the best possible care to patients who have been marginalized and often forgotten. I consider myself a voice for those who feel that they may not have a voice in the advocacy of their own health. I am proud to be the first black person in the role of presi dent and CEO, however that alone is not enough. My focus is on creating transformational change which im proves the health and quality of life of the underserved.”

Being the first often comes with many pressures, but Holmes is clear about her mission and how she wants her leadership to be remembered.

“I would like for my legacy to be the creation of a culture,” Dr. Holmes said, “where all individuals receive quality, culturally competent health care regardless of their socioeco nomic status or zip code - a culture where black and brown communities actively advocate for quality health care and demand nothing less.”

Dr. Kendra Holmes, who has been with Affinia Healthcare for nearly 20 years, is currently the executive vice president and chief operating officer, and will step into the top role of CEO in January.