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THOMAS SOWELL

Political statistics When someone gives you a check and the bank informs you that there are insufficient funds, whom do you get mad at? In your own life, you get mad at the guy who gave you a check that bounced, not at the bank. But, in politics, you get mad at whoever tells you that there is no money. One of the secrets of the growth of the welfare state is that politicians get a lot of mileage out of making promises, without setting aside enough money to fulfill those promises. When Congress votes for all sorts of benefits, without voting for enough taxes to pay for them, they get the support of those who have been promised the benefits, without getting grief from the taxpayers. It’s strictly win-win as far as the welfarestate politicians are concerned. But it is strictly lose-lose, big-time, for the country, as deficits skyrocket. Anyone who says that we don’t have the money to pay what was promised is accused of trying to destroy Social Security, Medicare or Obamacare – or whatever other unfunded promises have been made. It is like blaming the bank for saying that the check bounced. It is the same story at the state level as in Washington. The lavish pensions promised to members of public sector unions cannot continue to be paid because the money is just not there. But who are the unions mad at? Those who say that the money is not there. How far short are the states? It varies from one state to another. It also varies with how large a rate of return the state gets on its investments with the inadequate amount of money that has been set aside to cover its promised pensions. A front-page story on the March 28 issue of Investor’s Business Daily showed plainly, with bar graphs, how big Florida’s shortfall is under various rates of return on that state’s investments. Florida’s own estimate of its pension fund’s shortfall is based on assuming that they will receive a rate of return of 7.75 percent. But what if it turns out that they don’t get that high a return? A 6 percent rate of return would more than triple the size of Florida’s unfunded liability for its employees’ pension. The actual rate of return that Florida has received over the past decade has been only 2.6 percent. In other words, by simply assuming a far higher future rate of return on their investments than they have received in the past, Florida politicians can deceive the public

as to how deep a hole the state’s finances are in. Political games like this are not confined to Florida. State budgets and federal budgets are not records of facts. They are projections based on assumptions. Just by manipulating a few assumptions, politicians can create a scenario that bears no resemblance to reality. The “savings” to be made by instituting Obamacare is a product of this kind of manipulation of assumptions. Even when the people who turn out the budget projections do an honest job, they are working with the assumptions given to them by the politicians. The fact that the end results carry the imprimatur of the Congressional Budget Office – or of some comparable state agency or reputable private accounting firm – means absolutely nothing. When Florida arbitrarily assumes that it is going to get a future rate of return on its pension fund investment that is roughly three times what its past returns have been, that is the same nonsense as when the feds assume that Congress will cut half a billion dollars out of Medicare to finance Obamacare. We would probably be better off if there were no Congressional Budget Office to lend its credibility to data based on hopelessly unrealistic assumptions fed to them by politicians. One of the reasons why a federal “balanced budget” amendment is unlikely to do what many of its advocates claim is that a budget is just a plan for the future. It does not have to bear any resemblance to the realities of either the past or the future. We do not need reassurances that do not reassure, whether these reassurances are in numbers or in words. No small part of the reason for the economic collapse we have been through is that federally designated rating agencies reassured investors that many mortgage-backed securities were safe, when they were not. Not only investors, but the whole economy, would have been better off without these reassurances. “Caveat emptor” would be better advice for both investors and voters. © 2011 Creators.com

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4 I OPINION I

APRIL 13, 2011 MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE

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To the editor: I have yet to find an Obama supporter who can find any fault with anything Obama is doing. The whole issue today is that the 40 percent of the population who does not pay any federal income taxes thinks that the other 60 percent is not paying enough taxes. If Obama would make his buddy at GE pay some corporate taxes perhaps things would be better. Joseph R. DuPont

Safe kids

To the editor: Parents want their children to be safe in child care. But, a recent report by the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) found that most states have weak childcare licensing laws and oversight is even weaker. The report, “We Can Do Better: 2011 Update,” scored and ranked the states based on state child care center licensing requirements and oversight. The average score was 87 (out of a possible score of 150) which equates to a grade of 58 percent - a failing grade in any classroom in America. The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), the federal law that allocates funds to states for childcare, contains no minimum protections for children. The federal law needs to be strengthened. States need to take responsibility to ensure that their laws promote safety and healthy development for children in child care. The recent fire in a family child care home in Houston, Texas, where four toddlers died and three were severely burned serves as a reminder as to how important state child care licensing requirements and oversight really are in protecting the health and safety of children. The Texas tragedy should serve as a wake-up call to federal and state policymakers. The federal law and state laws need to be strengthened. The lives of children are at stake. Shelley Blecha

Nuclear power?

To the editor: Before entering into any political discussion relative to the events following the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, I must first express my sympathies with and support for the people of Japan. What a horrific series of events they have endured and continue to face. “Tragedy” doesn’t begin

to approach the magnitude of the impact on the nation of Japan and its people. Our thoughts and prayers are with them. As I write this, the efforts to cool the Fukushima nuclear plants are still ongoing. The scale of the event is approaching that of the Three Mile Island accident, but at this stage is still well short of the Chernobyl disaster – and it is unlikely to ever progress to that level. There is hope that power will soon be restored and cooling will be enabled – which will be the first step to resolving the situation. The problems with the Fukushima Nuclear Facility have re-ignited the debate and re-invigorated the Anti-Nuke crowd who now point to this incident as reason to abandon nuclear power. It seems to me that this puts the AntiNuke, Anti-Fossil Fuel Enviro-nuts on the horns of a dilemma. If we can’t meet our energy needs with nuclear, and we can’t burn fossil fuels, how will they plug in their Chevy Volt? Windmills and solar panels blanketing our landscape couldn’t begin to meet our energy demands. To their argument that the Fukushima incident exemplifies an inherent flaw or failure of nuclear power, the clear answer is, “nonsense.” There are many hundreds of nuclear power generation plants operating around the world. Sixteen countries depend on nuclear power for at least a quarter of their electricity. France gets around three quarters of its power from nuclear energy, while Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovenia and Ukraine get one third or more. Japan’s 55 plants produce a third of the electrical power for that nation. Nuclear power generation has been around for over 40 years. In all that time and with all those plants operating, there have been so few incidents that the two big ones, 3 Mile Island and Chernobyl, are seared into our memory, and the more minor incidents are all but forgotten. Most of these incidents involved shortlived releases of small amounts of radioactive contamination. But even the more serious events were hardly catastrophic. Who remembers Oct. 5, 1966, when the core of an experimental reactor near Detroit experienced a partial meltdown? The Fukushima plant may well be damaged beyond the point of ever bringing it back online to produce electricity… but the “fallout” from the incident will likely be far more impactful politically than physically. Doug Edelman

Publisher

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Classified Advertising Sales Ellen Thomas Writers Amy Armour Kathleen T. Brady Mary Ann O’Toole Holley Jeannie Seibert Sarah Wilson 355 Ozark Trails Drive, Suite 1 St. Louis, MO 63011 (636) 591-0010 ■ (636) 591-0022 Fax newsmagazinenetwork.com Please send Comments, Letters and Press Releases to: editor@midriversnewsmagazine.com Mid Rivers Newsmagazine is published 25 times per year by 21 Publishing LLC. It is direct-mailed to more than 61,000 households in St. Charles County. Products and services advertised are not necessarily endorsed by Mid Riverts Newsmagazine and views expressed in editorial copy are not necessarily those of Mid Rivers Newsmagazine. No part of Mid Rivers Newsmagazine may be reproduced in any form without prior written consent from Mid Rivers Newsmagazine. All letters addressed to Mid Rivers Newsmagazine or its editor are assumed to be intended for publication and are subject to editing for content and length. Mid Rivers Newsmagazine reserves the right to refuse any advertisement or editorial submission. © Copyright 2011. A PUBLICATION OF

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6 I OPINION I

APRIL 13, 2011 MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE

EDITORIAL

Profiles in courage- missing Most everyone one agrees that our current federal budget shortfall of trillions of dollars is unsustainable. We are as a nation going broke. Why are these facts so hard for elected officials to understand? Every elected official needs to understand that huge spending cuts must take place. We simply cannot sustain a $14 trillion debt. Even though our political leaders should know these facts, it is almost impossible for the two parties to reach agreement on even modest cuts to this year’s budget. This is a budget that in reality should have been passed months ago, at a time when the Democrats had control of the House, Senate and the presidency. Then at the 11th hour, with all of them scrambling to reach a compromise, they try to pass a budget that may prevent the government from shutting down. By the time you read this, they will have either succeeded in compromise or shut down the government. In the end, the process is as ridiculous as the result. No matter what the outcome, both Republicans and Democrats are all playing at the margins with spending cuts remaining small and few. All of the proposed cuts are too little and likely too late. Some Democrats even refuse to acknowledge the problem and offer up statements that are totally disingenuous, serving in some cases to only embarrass themselves. Here is what Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said: “In one of the bills before us, 6 million seniors are deprived of meals – homebound seniors are deprived of meals. People ask us to find our common ground, the middle ground. Is middle ground 3 million seniors not receiving meals? I don’t think so.” Rep. Louise Slaughter, a Democrat, said that the new Republicans elected to the House of Representatives last November

came to Congress “to kill women.” She also likened Republican efforts to prohibit federal funding of abortion except in cases of rape, incest or where the life of the mother is endangered to actions taken by Nazis. How about Democratic Rep. Ted Deutch, of Florida, who said, “Medicaid is not too expensive. People are too poor.” Or Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who said, “Seniors would pay more and more each year for their health insurance. No longer would Medicare be a guarantee of health insurance coverage. Instead Medicare would become little more than a discount card. This plan would literally be a death trap for seniors.” And let’s not forget Democrat Charles Rangel, who said, “We’re talking about life and death, and these are issues that we have to deal with, investment in people, and we can’t afford to stop and go. And cutting doesn’t mean that you’re saving money.” Remarkably, these are statements are not true and are being spewed out while Republicans are cutting only a tiny part of the overall federal budget. What is going to happen when the Republicans attempt to really deal with this massive debt problem and truly whack away at our ridiculous federal spending? The president and the Democratic Congress have repeatedly continued to kick this problem down the road. The president even ignored his own bipartisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform report that attempts to address our nation’s fiscal challenges. We can and must deal with excessive government spending. We are going broke and doing it at an alarmingly increasing pace. We must deal with this problem that continues to cripple our economy and will ultimately punish our children and grandchildren. Where are the profiles in courage these days?

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News Br iefs O’Fallon Man charged with sodomy A 33-year-old O’Fallon man has been charged with one count of attempted child molestation and two counts of statutory sodomy. All three charges are felonies. Robert J. Finger, of the 1000 block of Pinewood Place, is accused of sexual contact with two girls under the age of 12. O’Fallon Police Officer Diana Damke said one of the parents of the victims’ contacted police. Finger was charged on April 4 and bail was set at $75,000.

Baseball championship moves in Starting next spring, the Missouri State Baseball Championship games are moving to O’Fallon. The Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) board of directors voted to move the games from Springfield’s Meador Park—where it has been held since 2007—to O’Fallon’s ballpark, which is the home of the River City Rascals Frontier League baseball team. The championships will be held in O’Fallon for four years. “The city of O’Fallon is extremely excited to be the new home of the MSHSAA Baseball Championships beginning in 2012,” said Mayor Bill Hennessy. “This

bid was aggressively pursued by our own River City Rascals, and our city staff was proud to support their efforts throughout the process. We are grateful to the Rascals for working so hard to make this a reality, and for bringing such a great event to our city. It will be a wonderful opportunity for people from all corners of the state to see what a jewel the T.R. Hughes Ballpark is, and experience all that O’Fallon has to offer.” O’Fallon was chosen over Columbia, Saint Joseph, and Springfield, Missouri. “The business community will definitely be able to reap the rewards,” said O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Erin Williams. “This event will bring with it an increase in lodging, dining and gas, not to mention all the purchases that families typically make when they are out of town. I love that the MSHSAA was wowed by the T.R. Hughes Ballpark, and I’m confidant that they, and the guests that they bring to O’Fallon, will be wowed by our entire town and our businesses.”

Senior city representatives The O’Fallon Senior Resident Advisory Committee is looking for two new members to consider city issues, programs, policies and concerns affecting senior residents.

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“Recent projects the committee has assisted with have been the Emergency Beacon Program, the St. Charles County Senior Fair and the Drug Take Back days,” said Paula Creech, staff liaison to the committee. O’Fallon residents—age 55 and older— are invited to apply to the committee. Members serve for a minimum of two years. The committee meets at 2:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month. “We are currently looking to fill two vacancies, one from Ward 3 and one at large,” said Creech. Applications may be obtained at City Hall or online on the city’s website, www. ofallon.mo.us. For more information, contact Creech at 474-8121 or senioradvisory@ofallon.mo.us.

St. Charles County Boy robs gas station with BB gun A 16-year-old St. Charles County boy allegedly robbed a gas station in St. Charles County — using a BB gun. Lt. Craig McGuire, with the St. Charles County Sheriff’s Department, said the boy entered the ZX gas station located at 2290 N. Hwy. 94 at about 11:30 p.m. on March 30. He demanded cigarettes and cash, showing what was later determined to be a BB gun. The juvenile then ran from the store with an undisclosed amount of money. The clerk gave police a description of the teen, who was caught by St. Charles City police a few

hours later. The teen was found with both the BB gun and the money. “The juvenile was taken into custody and transported to juvenile (detention),” McGuire said.

Assessment noticed mailed Property owners can check their mailbox this month to see how much their property is worth—according to the St. Charles County Assessor’s office. Notices of real estate assessments will be mailed between April 15 and May 1 to property owners of record as of Jan. 1, 2011. If property owners have a question regarding the value of their property, they should call 949-7431 within 10 days of the mailed date to schedule an appointment.

Road closed A portion of Duenke Road will be closed for about two months to allow for reconstruction of a box culvert. The construction is located a tenth of a mile west of Scottie Road between Meyer Road and Hwy. W. Duenke Road will remain open on either side of the closed area, but no through traffic will be allowed through the area of the culvert replacement. Motorists may take Meyer Road to Hwy. W or Meyer Road to North Point Prairie Road to Scottie Road to by-pass the closure. Signs notifying motorists of the closure and detour route will be posted.

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The Small Business Administration (SBA) has expanded the eligibility for refinancing business debt through the 504 Loan Program “SBA’s temporary 504 refinancing program was first made available to those small businesses with the most immediate need,” said SBA Administrator Karen Mills. “(The) step opens this critical assistance to more small businesses, giving them the opportunity to restructure their debt and free up capital that will be essential to keeping their doors open and also their future ability to grow and create jobs.” The Economic Development Center of St. Charles County funded five of these loans in March totaling over $1.5 million which represented more than $3.8 million in total project costs. These combined projects are expected to create and retain more than 100 jobs.

Wentzville Firefighters save family pet Firefighters responded to a mobile home that caught fire in the 200 block of Colt Circle at about 4:15 p.m. on March 24 saving the family pet. On arrival, Wentzville firefighters found dark smoke coming from a mobile home. The crew made entry and found dense smoke and fire in the living room of the residence. Battalion Chief Michael Scott, with the Wentzville Fire Protection District, said no one was home at the time, except for the family dog—which was rescued by firefighters. Emergency crews used the “Pet Oxygen Masks” from a Lake Saint Louis fire engine to give oxygen to the dog. The dog responded and became more active. The “Pet Oxygen Masks” were donated to the area fire departments by citizens from the fire districts. The fire was under control within 20 minutes, but the residence sustained heavy damage from fire and smoke. “The cause of the fire is still under investigation,” said Scott.

St. Peters Waste not Just in time for lawn mowing season, the city of St. Peters is offering an optional 90-gallon rollout cart for yard waste collection. Residents who sign up for a yard waste cart before April 30 will receive free cart delivery—a $12 value—and no charge for the first month’s $5 cart rental. “This is a promotion to encourage residents to try the carts,” said Carole Stangle, with the city. At the end of the 30 days, residents will be switched automatically to regular billing of just $5 per month for yard waste

cart rental. Residents can cancel at anytime during the first 30 days without charge. “This offer is available until April 30. A credit for one-month rental and cart delivery fee, if they were charged, will be applied to the accounts of St. Peters residents who have signed up for a yard waste cart since Jan. 1, 2011,” Stangle said. To order the optional yard waste cart service, call the city’s Solid Waste Office at 970-1456.

Man assaults three in a church A 26-year-old St. Charles man claiming to be high on a synthetic marijuana entered the First Baptist Church on Mid Rivers Mall Drive and assaulted three people on March 30, police said. Dustin Ostmann, of the 4000 block of Towers Road, has been charged with two counts of assault in the third degree and one count of assault in the second degree. Ostmann told police he started hallucinating after smoking the synthetic marijuana “Supercense.” He told officers the hallucinations scared him and he chose the church because he wanted to get help. Police said it does not appear Ostmann had any prior connections to the church and it was picked at random. After entering the church, Ostmann allegedly ran through the hallways screaming, pushing down a 14-year-old victim. The victim was not injured. Police said Ostmann then threw a table at a 71-year-old employee of the church who was trying to block Ostmann from entering another room. The man sustained an injury to his shoulder area and was transported to Progress West Hospital, police said. Ostmann assaulted a third subject, a 61-year-old church employee, who was able to restrain him until the St. Peters Police Department was notified and arrived on scene. Ostmann was later released on bond.

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No bans Cottleville Mayor Don Yarber said there are no plans at present to initiate a no smoking ban in Cottleville, and said he sympathizes with businesses in O’Fallon who will struggle with its new smoking ban. He said the subject was brought up about a year ago in Cottleville, but there was little interest by the Board of Alderman. “I’d like to see a county law pass, that way it would be fair for everyone else,” Yarber said. “Cottleville city boundaries are next to St. Peters, an area that has bars and restaurants that you can still smoke in. We don’t want to punish our businesses by passing legislation that would hamper their ability to make a living.”

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APRIL 13, 2011 MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE

St. Charles County ranks high in national health study A national study released March 31 by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute ranked St. Charles County among Missouri’s healthiest counties for the second consecutive year. This year, the county ranked first in Missouri in Health Factors and third in Health Outcomes after placing first in Health Factors and second in Health Outcomes last year. The complete nationwide and Missouri-specific rankings may be viewed at www.countyhealthrankings.org . “Receiving these high rankings for the second consecutive year is a tremendous honor, both for our department’s efforts and for the commitment made by residents to maintain healthy lifestyles,” said Gil Copley, director of St. Charles County Department of Community Health and the Environment. “Starting with a healthy and active community allows our staff to be proactive in dealing with potential risks and in educating residents on ways to improve their quality of life.” The rankings are based on data from vital statistics and government health surveys and in many cases use several years of data for the calculations. Statistics measured include premature deaths (those who die from preventable diseases before the age of 75), obesity rates, binge drinking, smoking, access to healthy foods, unemployment, high school graduation rates, pollution, access to primary care providers and self-assessed health status. The Health Factors rankings are based on the community’s health behaviors, clinical care, social and economic conditions and physical environment. The Health Outcomes rankings are determined by how long people live (mortality) and how healthy people feel (morbidity). St. Charles County was cited among the top counties in Missouri in virtually every measureable category. The Health Factors section consists of health behaviors (ranking fifth among Missouri’s 114 counties), clinical care (ranks fifth), social/economic factors (first) and physical environment (41st).

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O’Fallon voters approve smoking ban By Mary Ann O’Toole Holley O’Fallon residents have spoken: Smoking will be banned in public places in the city, including indoor workplaces, bars, restaurants and even in your car if you’re within 3 feet of a drive-up window. Proposition S was approved by a vote of 9,943 to 7,217. The public smoking ban will take effect in June, imposing a fine of $50 to those who fail to comply. Businesses that fail to comply could be fined up to $500 and face suspension or revocation of permits and licenses issued by the city. Cigar bars, tobacco stores and private clubs with no employees are excluded from the ban. The law requires at least 80 percent of rooms in a hotel or motel to be smoke-free. But Councilman Jim Pepper said he plans to fight the law, saying it is unconstitutional and a violation of free choice. “I’m so ticked off at people who are doing social engineering, trying to subvert the constitution and free choice,” Pepper said. “We all know smoking is not good, but it is legal, otherwise the federal government would stop giving subsidies to tobacco farmers.” Pepper believes allowing smoking in a business establishment should be determined by the business owner and the type of venue and clientele businesses wishes to attract. “It’s freedom of choice,” Pepper said. “These people are trying to make rules for other people. I call them ‘Kool-Aid’ drinkers because they’re using reports that are so flawed.” Pepper said the O’Fallon City Council did nothing to try to defeat the ballot issue because proponents of the new ordinance received the right number of signatures to place it on the ballot. Pepper said he plans to introduce an amendment to the ordinance before the law goes into effect. Rob Nolle, owner of Noll’s Restaurant and Lounge in O’Fallon, said he is enraged by the passage of the no smoking ordi-

nance. “It stinks, they’ve got no business telling me what I can do in my place,” Nolle said. “It’s not fair that our municipality changes the rules in such a drastic fashion at such a tough time in the economy. My industry is struggling and has been for years, yet they want to make a rather drastic change in the rules. Nothing was considered when I was signing leases and we were doing the things we did to improve the interior — when maybe we should have been spending our money on the exterior.” Nolle said he believes eventually the municipal laws will be superseded by a state law that may be more lenient toward bars and restaurants, although there is currently nothing in the works statewide. O’Fallon is the second city in St. Charles County to pass a smoking ban. Lake Saint Louis voters enacted the county’s first smoking ban last fall. “You can bet that the St. Charles County bars that allow smoking are going to reap the rewards of the injustice that allows them to have smoking while I’m not,” Nolle said. “It’s a profound change in the rules, and that it is mandated like it is, it just isn’t right. “It could be the final nail in quite a few coffins, and then the state can figure out where they’ll get the sales tax they’ve passed on,” Nolle said. “I would hope I

would be able to have some type of exemption.” St. Charles County allows smoking in areas that don’t sell food, but Nolle said he doesn’t believe closing off the bar area and stopping food sales in the bar would help his business. “Society has become very informal. There are a lot of people who buy dinner, sit at the bar, eat dinner and drink and smoke,” Nolle said. “It’s a shame such a drastic and profound change in the rules is being force fed to those who are struggling to get by in the first place. To lay this down now is kicking a crippled man.” The City Council held a public forum on the issue late last year. After being presented with 1,900 signatures proposing the ballot initiative, the council had until Jan. 11 to vote to approve or reject the issue before placing it on the ballot. The council opted to let voters decide. Most of the 19 speakers at the public forum supported the measure. Proponents said they wanted to protect residents, business employees and patrons from secondhand smoke. Myrtle Chidester, one of the leaders of Smoke-Free O’Fallon, said she and her husband moved to O’Fallon from California about six years ago. “The one thing we don’t love is having to deal with secondhand smoke,” she said.

FHSD layoffs may be less than originally anticipated By Amy Armour had taken advantage of retirement, saving Griggs said. The number of layoffs in the Francis about 58 jobs. Griggs said the reduction of certified Howell School District is drastically less The 13 positions eliminated included teacher-level positions, including three than anticipated. one teacher in art, business, industrial deans of student positions, saved the disIn February, the Board of Education esti- tech, German, social studies, Spanish and trict approximately $5 million. mated about 95 layoffs. The board voted French; two teachers in communication “There is a potential that we could have on March 31 to approve a 13-person reduc- arts; and four math teachers. continued attrition throughout the spring tion in force, which is equivalent to 10.6 But since the March 31 meeting, the dis- due to individuals’ personal circumfull-time positions. trict has accepted additional retirements. stances,” Griggs said. “If the certification Steve Griggs, chief human resource “Four individuals will be invited of those who were (laid off) match what officer for the FHSD, said by the March back. That makes the net numbers 6.16 is needed for those positions, they will be 31 Board of Education meeting 64 people (full time positions) and nine (teachers),” invited back, per policy.”

APRIL 13, 2011 MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE

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Elementary school locked down after shots were fired By Amy Armour A possible shooting in a neighborhood near Fairmount Elementary School, Thursday, April 7, caused the school to go into exterior lockdown for the afternoon. Fairmount Elementary is in the Francis Howell School District. “Law enforcement does not believe that there is an immediate threat to our schools. However, as a precautionary measure, we will be going into exterior lockdown to there is no physical evidence to verify (the limit the outside access to students,” wrote shots).” Superintendent Pam Sloan in an email to However, after a canvas of the area parents that was issued shortly after the McGuire said several residents heard what lockdown occurred. “When schools go into they thought were gun shots. exterior lockdown, school activity goes on The shooting suspect is described as a as normal inside the building and there is white male in his late teens to early 20s no outside school activity.” wearing a black baseball hat. The vehicle Lt. Craig McGuire, with the St. Charles is described as a burgundy or dark red County Sheriff’s Department, said two sports car with tinted windows—possibly black males—aged 15 and 18—were a Mazda. walking down Park Charles South Blvd. The car fled the area and the St. Charles when they noticed a car circle around the County Sheriff’s Department is currently block. When the car drove back around, searching for the suspect. McGuire said the police do not think the the youths said three shots were fired from shooting has any connection to the elementhe car. “No one was hit,” McGuire said. “And tary school.

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St. Charles County property values decline for second time in history By Kathleen T. Brady Ripples of the Great Recession can be seen in a second decline of total property values in St. Charles County since 2009. As the St. Charles Assessor’s Office gets ready to mail out the preliminary reassessment figures for real estate and personal property taxes, County Assessor Scott Shipman announced he is expecting a 4 percent to 5 percent decline in 2011 total property values by the time the numbers are certified later this year. This would mark the second time in the county’s history that total property values have declined. Since the 1980s, real estate and personal property values have increased each year in the county, moving up from an estimated $1.13 billion in 1985 to $7.52 billion in 2008. But in 2009, the county experienced its first decrease in total property assessment, a decline of 5.8 percent to $7.15 billion. “It’s not surprising news to find out the global recession is still playing out in St. Charles County,” said Greg Prestemon, president and CEO of the St. Charles County Economic Development Center, in an e-mail. “Like other areas around the U.S., our community has experienced its

share of challenges to residential and commercial property which have impacted occupancy and valuation levels. Many in the business community believe 2011 is a pivotal year for the economic recovery that is beginning in various sectors such as employment, business investment, and consumer spending. Overall, St. Charles County has much to be thankful for since the challenges we have been enduring are far less drastic when compared to other parts of the nation.” Assessed values are based on the price a property will bring in a competitive market. And changes in the market affect assessed values. It is no secret that St. Charles County home sales and prices have declined somewhat since the height of the recession. This year’s Market Statistics Report from the St. Charles County Association of Realtors reflects negative market activity from last year. For the first two months of 2011, 415 housing units were sold, 33 less units compared to 448 sold during the same time in 2010. Also, the median sale price of those units declined $14,000, from an estimated $169,000 to $155,000 during that time.

I NEWS I 11

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I NEWS I 13

O’Fallon works to go ‘green’ without spending the green By Mary Ann O’Toole Holley The city of O’Fallon has been greening up for the past several years using state and federal grants and recommendations from the city’s Green Council, a board dedicated to saving energy and using pollutant-free services. David Woods, O’Fallon’s director of Planning and Development, said a plan has been put in place by the O’Fallon Green Council, but city officials have yet to act formally on it. “This goes back to a conservation block grant the city received towards the end of 2009, when about $700,000 was received,” Woods said. “The initial plan was adopted by the council in 2008, and after learning that the grant was received, we talked with the Green Council and developed a strategic plan.” Woods said the city is working to select projects that will most benefit residents. “Overall, the funds will be spent to prepare the strategic plan, make trail improvements and build an alternative energy park,” Woods said. Woods said the city’s energy plan’s mission is to improve a green environment for the city of O’Fallon, residents and the community overall. A major energy goal is to reduce our carbon footprint with 24 action plans—the core of what this plan is about, but overall there are 24 goals the city would like to meet, Woods said. With this in mind, the city of O’Fallon’s Green Advisory Council adopted the city of O’Fallon Energy Strategic Plan, which aims to lessen the city’s carbon footprint through the reduction of electricity, water, and natural gas usage by 2 percent by the year 2020. To accomplish this goal, O’Fallon’s Energy Strategic Plan Report encourages the citywide participation of citizens, businesses, organizations and government at all levels in the overall reduction of greenhouse gases through the conservation of natural resources, the support and promotion of green development, and by promoting alternative energy sources. The city will also be progressing with its Green Plan through student education, utility programs that support common sense energy savings tips, a regular review of the city’s progress and to provide resources to residents to go green themselves. A solar panel installation at the Streets Department will be installed soon, Woods said. City officials would also like to see improved energy efficiency with city vehicles. “We’ve been in contact with local schools to determine what ‘green’ issues are being taught in the schools,” Woods said. “As we work through these goals, we will be looking at the funding sources to make sure we

are following grant guidelines.” Councilman Jim Pepper said he would like to see the city become involved in an “electronic waste program” in which cell phones, batteries, computers and more would be collected by the city to avoid their eventual demise at city landfills. “We have talked about that, and we do have a program to collect batteries from time to time,” Woods said. Councilman Jeff Schwentker said there have been times when the city tried alter-

native energy options, and although the city should move forward on being green, he said he believes options should be carefully considered. Schwentker said switching light fixtures and bulbs do not make sense if the city doesn’t have grant funding. “I don’t think it’s worth it in this economy. Some things don’t work, they’re not cost effective, and it’s not wise to spend dollars on that,” Schwentker said. Councilman Mark Perkins said he real-

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Lakeside 370 City Park to be unveiled during three-day festival By Jeannie Seibert St. Peters Mayor Len Pagano made a campaign promise when running for election. He said he would pursue a community celebration around the grand opening of the Lakeside 370 City Park. This September that promise will be fulfilled as City Hall is now working to fill a gap left by the cancellation of the Olde Tyme Picnic. In March, the Board of Aldermen unanimously approved city staff to pursue the proposal made for a three-day fall festival to introduce area residents to the new park and punctuate the final months of a twoyear Celebrate St. Peters campaign that began in 2010. This is exactly what Alderman Rocky Reitmeyer (Ward 1) would like to see because, “the picnic has been cancelled.” While specifics are being tacked down,

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an outline was presented by Communications Director Lisa Bedian. Set for Sept. 16 through Sept. 18, staff is now working on a lively Battle of the Bands competition and a Kansas City Barbeque Society-sanctioned barbeque contest, named Lakeside Que-topia. Residents will be the judge of those individuals brave enough to give it their best shot. The winner will be crowned King or Queen Que-topia. To spice up this eventwithin-an-event, local clubs and organizations will engage in a “friendly competition” over the grill. More details will be released as the festival nears. See www.stpetersmo.net for more information. While no discussion has hinted at it, the Lakeside 370 fall festival has all the earmarks of becoming an annual event.

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holding requirements. In September 2005, MART advised Freeborn that they were going to begin withholding federal income tax from his paycheck regardless of the withholding status claimed on Forms W-4. In October 2005, he resigned his position as a W-2 wage earner to become an independent contractor with MART. Freeborn admitted that the purpose of becoming an independent contractor was to cause MART to file Form 1099’s on Freeborn’s behalf to look like they had not withheld federal income taxes. Freeborn pled guilty last December.

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Freymuth Road sidewalk project receives green light By Jeannie Seibert There were three differing opinions in Lake Saint Louis regarding the completion of the sidewalk for Freymuth Road. But ultimately, the city is ready to move forward with the project. With the East/West Gateway Council agreeing to provide 80 percent of the funding, the item was on agenda for a second reading and final vote at the March 21 Board of Aldermen meeting. While a majority favors the addition to the city’s trail system, another segment decry the loss of some trees that will have to be removed to accommodate a sidewalk. An even smaller group see the country in a budget crisis and believe the $539,000 to pay for the sidewalk should be sent back to Washington, D.C. But the board voted to accept the funds to build a sidewalk that is just a little longer than a single city block. The sidewalk will link the city’s trail system to two parks – Frontier Park at Freymuth and Veterans Memorial Parkway, and to a pedestrian lane over I-64 (Hwy. 40) along Prospect Road to the Quail Ridge county park trail system. Equally pressing with most is the opportunity to separate auto traffic from pedestrian traffic. Police Assistant Capt. Chris DiGiuseppi warned that now “it’s just a matter of time before a hiker is hurt or killed.” Because the winding street on a hillside features blind curves and no shoulders, Ray Bauer, of Dauphine Drive, said “A car travelling downhill doesn’t have time to see upcoming cars.” DiGiuseppi and many other residents and aldermen attested to having witnessed close calls. Bill Cullen said that because of having seen so many close calls he no longer uses the picturesque cut-through from the lakeside pathway to Frontier Park. Diane Blackford, a tri-athlete, picked up where Cullen left off, adding that the hill provides great exercise. But the risk outweighs the advantage of challenging the steep incline, she said. She also acknowledged another group of residents’ primary concern – the trees that will have to be removed to accommodate the sidewalk. A member of the city Tree Board Jim Bowers said 80 to 100 trees could be lost to the project. “Trees are an issue of course,” Bowers said. “But safety is paramount.” He then questioned Public Works Director Derek Koestel as to how East/West Gateway would view future grant applications should City Hall not use the approved funds. Every city hall and courthouse in East/

West Gateway’s region has been advised that those cities and counties who do not put previous grant funds to work on the stated purpose and timeframe will be docked points from future applications. It was a point with which resident Paul Browner took issue. “That’s the problem with government,” Browner said. “You get penalized for returning tax dollars.” Repeating his recommendation to the board from last year, he said, “Don’t

pursue the grant if you have to take out trees.” Browner advised the board to seek constituent input before obligating the city to a costly project and suggested the federal government needs the funds more than Lake Saint Louis needs a sidewalk. Browner had some support. A few residents told MRN that the U.S. is facing such serious fiscal challenges they’d prefer the city return the money to Washington, D.C. The last speaker on the sidewalk topic, former Alderman Larry DeGroot recounted

his history in trying to create a safer Freymuth Road going back to 1994. “We have the need to get these pedestrians off that road,” he said. Alderman Ralph Sidebottom (Ward 1) now holds DeGroot’s former seat. He confirmed that as he was leaving office DeGroot elicited a promise from Sidebottom: “Get that sidewalk.” “This is not an all of a sudden situation,” Sidebottom said. “For three years, we’ve been talking about it in open session.”

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APRIL 13, 2011 MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE

NEWSMAGAZINENETWORK.COM

I NEWS I 17

City’s mayor sells interest in Cottleville Wine Seller By Mary Ann O’Toole Holley Cottleville Mayor Don Yarber and his wife Sylvia have sold their interest in the Cottleville Wine Seller, a thriving business that opened in the city about in 2008. “It’s a great business, but it’s for a younger person,” Yarber said. “We had such a big day on St. Patrick’s Day, it convinced me that I was in the wrong business.” Yarber sold his interest in the business to his good friend and business partner Gary Grafeman. Cottleville Wine Seller, a welcoming little wine and cheese shop, opened its doors in early April 2008 in the heart of Old Town Cottleville offering selections of fine wines and slices of the planet’s choicest cheeses, promising to put an end to long drives to those other wineries while delivering a close-to-home way to while away the hours. Located at 5314 Hwy. N where one of Cottleville’s founding fathers once lived, the circa 1849 residence was fully restored and redecorated. Its interior features a small wine-tasting area, a selection of crackers, cheeses and spreads, and all can be taken comfortably outdoors to a year-round 20by 40-foot pavilion that will be heated to stave off the chill of winter. “I’ve always said I enjoyed the place so much, we’d hang out there even if I didn’t

open it,” Yarber said. “We were blessed with the best clientele and it was something Cottleville needed.” Yarber said Grafeman will do well in the already thriving business. “I have no regrets. Gary is a great guy, and by selling to my business partner, there’s continuity for it. There was no closure.” Yarber said Grafeman plans to build on the recently purchased empty lots surrounding the Wine Seller. However, since the sale a for sale sign has been placed on

the empty lot. “He (Grafeman) hasn’t come to the city, but we always had a plan to expand and to put another pavilion on the adjacent lot,” Yarber said. “I sold everything to Gary. The Wine Seller bought that piece of property next door, and the city is not interested in purchasing the property.” Yarber said the Old Town restoration, which is currently in progress, will provide the city with 125 additional parking spaces along Hwy. N.

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APRIL 13, 2011 MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE

NEWSMAGAZINENETWORK.COM

I NEWS I 19

E-mail warning cell phone numbers to go public this month is hoax By Kathleen T. Brady It’s that time of year again - a time for the long-running hoax. If you have recently received an e-mail reminder that your cell phone number will go public this month, you are looking at an urban legend that has been circulating for several years. The e-mail warns recipients that a directory of cell phone numbers will be turned over to telemarketers in April and that everyone should register their cell phone numbers on the federal Do Not Call Registry to prevent telemarketing calls. This is not true. The Federal Trade Commission wrote a press release in 2007 titled “The Truth About Cell Phones and The Do Not Call Registry” to dispel the rumors made in e-mails circulating on the Internet warning people that a directory of their cell phone numbers would be released to telemarketers. In fact, no such cell phone directory exists. Years ago, there was discussion about creating a 411 directory of cell phone numbers by wireless companies. However, the plan required users to opt-in to the list, and the directory was never intended to be

made available to telemarketers. But even if one did exist, most telemarketing calls to cell phones “would still be illegal, regardless of whether the number is listed on the Do Not Call Registry,” according FTC press release. Urban legends are a form of modern folklore believed by their tellers to be true. The stories are never verified, but merely circulated because they have information believed to help people. One example of an urban legend is the story warning people

about a department store where a woman was supposedly bitten by a snake that was hiding in the pocket of one of the coats she was trying on. In recent years, e-mail has been the main vehicle for propagating these seemingly innocuous tales. The cell phone e-mail, however, urges people to call 888-382-1222 or visit https:// www.donotcall.gov/default.aspx to register their cell phones on the Do Not Call Registry. But e-mails forwarded by unfamiliar

sources should always raise red flags. Clicking through any Internet links or calling phone numbers sent from forwarded e-mails has always been discouraged by Internet security gurus who warn these methods are often used by computer hackers and scammers. The phone number and Web site address in this e-mail seems legit. But even though you can register your cell phone number without a problem, you should be “warned” it’s most likely a waste of time.

Former Lake Saint Louis man indicted on tax evasion charges A former Ford Assembly plant manager was indicted on tax evasion charges Tuesday, March 29, for failing to report to the Internal Revenue Service kickbacks received while employed at the plant. According to a release by the United States Attorney’s office, John Perry, 54, who lived in Lake Saint Louis at the time, but now lives in Vermillion, Ohio, was indicted by a federal grand jury on four felony counts of tax evasion. From at least 2001 to June 2004, Perry was the Materials, Planning and Logistics

manager for the Ford Assembly Plant in Hazelwood, where he was responsible for approving invoices from Ford vendors for expenses related to vehicle transportation and storage. According to the indictment, Perry approved false and inflated invoices submitted to Ford by a vendor for transportation and storage expenses. When Ford paid the invoices, the owner of the logistics company paid Perry a kickback. Perry allegedly failed to report a large portion of these kickback payments

on his federal income tax returns. The indictment alleges that Perry also participated in an inflated lease scheme for which he received kickbacks. The indictment says that from 2001 through 2004, Perry received in excess of $2 million from these schemes, causing a federal tax omission of $600,000. While Perry was employed at Ford, Syms Trucking also obtained a contract to provide transportation logistics work and yard management at the St. Louis Assembly plant.

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APRIL 13, 2011 MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE

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Bu llet i n Boa rd Francis Howell Teachers Academy

Safety Town visits Saeger

Amy Howell, fourth grade teacher at Henderson Elementary, has been selected to attend the 2011 Mickelson ExxonMobil Teachers Academy July 17 through July 22 at the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, N.J. The Mickelson ExxonMobil Teachers Academy was launched in 2005 to provide third- through fifth-grade teachers with tools to enhance curricula, an opportunity for teachers to network with other educators and help them discover innovative ways to teach math and science to students. More than 2,600 teachers have attended the academy—impacting the lives of more than 45,000 students nationwide. At the academy, Howell will do lots of fun math and science experiments to share with her students in the classroom. Howell was selected from a pool of 1,500 applications from across the country. The selection panel based its decision on her qualifications, dedication to inspiring students and her overall commitment to enhancing the teaching profession.

Guard gets gold The Francis Howell North Winter Guard was awarded the Scholastic A Gold Medal last month at the Mid Continent Color Guard Association Championships held at Willard High School in Willard, Mo. The team’s performance earned the winter guard its second Scholastic A championship title in the last three years.

The Cottleville Police Officers Association is conducting Safety Town, a one-week program designed for children entering kindergarten or first grade in the upcoming fall school year. The program will be held June 6 through June 10 at Saeger Middle School, 5201 Hwy. N in Cottleville. Safety Town is a realistic, child-sized town designed to provide a complete, hands-on safety education program for children. The town has paved streets, working traffic signals, miniature buildings, even a railroad crossing, all designed to be as authentic as possible in order to provide the most exciting, most effective safety training for children. For more information, call 498-6464.

Dads and daughters only Francis Howell Middle School (FHMS) PE/Health Teacher John Locke will lead an informal discussion with dads who have daughters at 7 p.m. on Tues, April 19, in the FHMS library. The discussion will be based on the book “Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters” by Meg Meeker, M.D. A limited number of copies of this book are available for sale for $9 at FHMS, but reading the book beforehand is not required. The conversation will focus on the importance of becoming a “hero” to your daughter. To sign up to attend or to purchase a copy of the book, contact Jean Gunnels at 8514892 or email jean.gunnels@fhsdschools. org.

Fort Zumwalt Students see the music Students in the Fort Zumwalt School District really can picture the music. Students created works of art based on their interpretation of a musical selection in the “Picture the Music” contest sponsored by Powell Symphony Hall in St. Louis. The district received 32 of the top 100 awards presented at the award ceremony on Feb. 23 at Powell Symphony Hall. The top 100 were chosen out of 16,000 entries.

Race for the future Leadership classes in the Fort Zumwalt School District are sponsoring a 5K race and a 1-mile fun run/walk in May to earn money for the district’s Grow Your Own Teacher Educational Foundation. The Grow Your Own Teacher Program provides forgivable loans to students entering high needs areas of teaching, like special education and math. Those students then agree to return to the district to teach for a certain time period following graduation. The race will begin at 8 a.m. on May 7, in the parking lot at Fort Zumwalt North High school, located at 1230 Tom Ginnever Avenue in O’Fallon. The cost is $15 per person or $50 for a family if registered before April 21. For more information, visit the district Web site, at www.fz.k12.mo.us.

Wentzville Spring Fling

Wentzville Holt DECA is sponsoring the 12th annual “Spring Fling” fundraiser from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Fri., April 22, at Soby

Field at Holt High School. The Spring Fling will feature a Disney theme this year with games, prizes, egg hunts and themed raffle baskets. Proceeds from the fundraiser go to the local scholarship fund and Holt DECA National Qualifiers to help with expenses during the competition. DECA is an international association of high school and college students studying marketing, management, and entrepreneurship in business, finance, hospitality, and marketing sales and service. For more information, call 327-3876, extension 26422 or email jolenewofford@ wentzville.k12.mo.us.

Future scientist honored Holt High School Junior Kaylyn Bauer was among 36 St. Louis-area high school juniors who were honored as future scientists, engineers and doctors by the University of Missouri–St. Louis’ College of Arts and Sciences last month. Bauer received a Distinguished Achievement Award for Excellence in Science. “Accomplishments in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) disciplines represent an essential component for America’s future,” said Ron Yasbin, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “As a nation we need to nurture and support those students who will be the leaders in advancing our knowledge of those disciplines. By honoring students who have demonstrated truly outstanding capabilities in the sciences we are helping to reinforce the importance of these areas of study and research.” Bauer hopes to study forensic science or forensic pathology in college.

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APRIL 13, 2011 MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE

NEWSMAGAZINENETWORK.COM

I NEWS I 21

Slow state funding causes FZSD to cut PE from summer school By Amy Armour Students in the Fort Zumwalt School District will just have to sweat out gym class during the school year. With state funding for summer school still undecided, the district decided to eliminate physical education classes from the summer school class offerings. “The state still has not committed to funding summer school at this time,” said Jackie Floyd, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction. “Last year the state made the decision to fund summer school near the end of the school year. We cannot wait that late to make a decision about our summer school programming, so we made the decision to propose a summer school program that we could financially support without funding from the state.” In previous years, state funding has paid for the majority of the district’s summer school programming. Floyd said the average total cost before state funding has been around $550,000. Eliminating the physical education classes will reduce the number of summer school students, as well as the number of teachers. Floyd said at the high school level the district usually has close to 1,000 students enrolled for each session. “Not offering PE will cut that number in half. We usually have between 500 and 600 students enrolled in each session of summer PE,” Floyd said. “With a seven period day at high school we are able to accommodate the additional PE enrollment.” The number of teachers will also decrease by about 20 with the PE elimination. The district will need 25 to 28 teachers for the

“The state still has not committed to funding summer school at this time.” -Jackie Floyd K-12 summer school programs this year. Floyd said the high school summer program for 2011 will focus on credit recovery course work in the four-core content areas: math, communication arts, science and social studies. The classes will include: Algebra I A and B, Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, English I, English II, American Literature, Physical Science, Biology, Government, US History and World History Students from all four high schools will have the opportunity to recover two semesters of course work, with semester one meeting from 7 a.m. to noon on June 13 through June 30 and semester two meeting from 7 a.m. to noon on July 6 through July 26 at Fort Zumwalt West High School. At the middle school level, the focus will be on skill development in math and communication arts. The program will be held for 3.5 hours from June 13 to June 30 at South Middle School. Reading skill development will be the focus at the elementary level. The program will be held for 3.5 hours from June 13 through June 30 at Dardenne Elementary. The Fort Zumwalt Board of Education approved the summer school schedule at its regular meeting on March 21.

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APRIL 13, 2011 MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE

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Students celebrate diversity

I NEWS I 23

please join us on

For the third year, Fort Zumwalt North High School has hosted a celebration of the cultural diversity of its school and community. Members of the “All For One” student focus group planned the event, which included performances in music, dance and fashion in the auditorium. The extravaganza then moved into the building where guests had the opportunity to explore the world through games, crafts, demonstrations and displays. Pictured is North Middle School eighth-grader Chaand Bhatti performing a traditional Punjabi dance.

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FZ buys permanent home for buses By Amy Armour 10 years. The bus fleet in the Fort Zumwalt School With the lease ending, Superintendent District now has a permanent home. Bernie DuBray said the district needed to The Fort Zumwalt Board of Education purchase the land or continue to lease the has approved the $620,000 purchase of land at fair market value—which is an estiland to house its fleet of 80 buses. mated $75,000 annually. The district originally purchased 13 “We have to have that land because we acres of land in 2001 to build Westhoff have no other place for those buses to go,” Elementary, leasing an additional 4-acres DuBray said. piece behind the school to house the buses. DuBray said the district put a $320,000 The original leasing agreement allowed the down payment and the remaining $300,000 district to pay only $1 per year for the last will be paid within the next five years.

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Building Inspector/Code Enforcement Jeff Amelong 636-561-1718 ext 8

The City of Dardenne Prairie Municipal Code Section 215.120 (A): “All persons owning or occupying any lot or tract of land in the City, except on any property zoned for agricultural purposes, shall keep the weeds, high grass and other vegetation growing on such property cut and removed. Whenever such weeds, high grass or other vegetation shall attain the height of six (6) inches, it shall be deemed a public nuisance.” To avoid any legal action by the City, please make arrangements to have your property maintained in a timely manner. Board Workshop: 5:30 PM 1st & 3rd Wed. of the month

All meetings will be held at Dardenne Prairie City Hall

Municipal Court: 6:30 PM usually the 4th Wednesday of the month

Planning & Zoning 7:00 PM 2nd Wednesday of the month

The City of Dardenne Prairie Municipal Code Section 605.310 – 605.375 states: No person shall act as a peddler or as a solicitor within the City of Dardenne Prairie without first applying for and obtaining an identification card from the City. The identification card must be worn on the outer clothing visible to any person. Solicitation is allowed only between the hours of 9:00am and 8:00pm central standard time, and 9:00am and 9:00pm central daylight time. No solicitation is allowed on property clearly posted “no soliciting”.

The City of Dardenne Prairie requires a Health & Safety Occupancy inspection & certificate be issued prior to any person occupying any property due to sale, rent or lease of any dwelling unit (Ordinance #884). The inspection shall determine compliance with the basic health and safety requirements, if a violation is found the owner shall be given a reasonable length of time to make repairs prior to re-inspection. The occupancy certificate is issued when the property complies with current requirements. Applications are available at City Hall and the fee for this inspection and certificate is $75.00.

ArE yOu SEllInG, rEnTInG Or lEASInG yOur PrOPErTy?

vegetation and woody plants to slow runoff and protect the creek banks. • Mulch and re-vegetate exposed areas when undertaking landscaping or construction projects. • Do not connect downspouts directly to storm sewers or paved surfaces. • Avoid overuse of pesticides and fertilizers – apply only at or below the rates recommended by the manufacturer. • Take care to prevent excess watering and sprinkling onto paved areas. • Using native plants for landscaping will reduce watering requirements. • Do not store hazardous material in areas that are exposed to the weather. • Clean up hazardous material spills quickly and properly. Do not wash spills down storm drains. • Clean up any fluids that leak from vehicles. • Wash your vehicles on a non-paved area or at a commercial car wash to prevent drainage to the storm sewers. Even though many of these practices seem that they would have little effect, if everyone does their part, the cumulative effect from all the upstream areas will significantly improve our environment.

PEDDlErS, SOlICITOrS & CAnvASSErS!

Most people think of storm water management as the job of government. Good government planning and implementation is necessary for successful storm water management. However, it is also important for individual homeowners to understand their role and the impact that they can have on the environment beyond their lot lines. Storm water runoff can affect downstream areas in several ways. Contaminated runoff can damage streams and rivers, making them unfit for human consumption and harming wildlife habitat. Storm water runoff is the rain and melted snow that flows from streets, roofs, lawns and any other exposed area. As storm water runs off of streets, roofs, lawns and other exposed areas, it carries with it whatever is dislodged. These materials include things like salt, soil, leaves, grass clippings, oil, gasoline, fertilizers and pesticides to name a few, which can concentrate in our creeks and rivers. Many people think that the storm water that drains into our storm sewers is treated in a sewage plant just like the water from our sanitary sewers. This is not the case. Storm water that drains into our storm sewers received no treatment before entering our local creeks. Here are some of the things that you can do as a homeowner to improve the water quality of our streams and rivers: • If you live near a creek, consider planting a buffer strip of native

GrASS & WEEDS

Board of Aldermen: 7:00 PM 1st & 3rd Wed. of the month

Make sure your Spring Cleaning includes your garage and make room for your trash containers. If you do not wish to store your trash containers in the garage please remember that Dardenne Prairie City Municipal Codes state that “all solid waste containers stored out of doors shall be stored behind any building located on the tract of land.” In other words trash containers should not be seen from the street so if you cannot find room in your garage, please store them behind your house or garage. Reminder: please make sure to place the cans curbside no earlier than 6:00P.M. on the day before your scheduled trash pick up day. Containers must be removed from curbside no later than 8:00 P.M. on the day of collection. Bulk item pick up is available for a fee, on Mondays. If you have appliances or large items you no longer need, call Grace Hauling at 636-398-8060 by Friday afternoon to arrange a Monday pick up. More information on Grace Hauling can be found at www.gracehauling.com.

creeks on Saturday, April 2, as part of the Mission Clean Stream program. Not only did the volunteers remove trash and debris from our local streams, but some of the metal “trash” was taken to Rotary Park in Wentzville for local artist to “recycle” into some very nice pieces. In Dardenne Prairie’s City Hall are several examples of this recycling effort. The Parks & Recreation Commission is always looking for energetic volunteers to assist with our various events. If you are interested please contact us at 636-755-5308 or email parks@dardenneprairie.org. Please “Like” the City of Dardenne Prairie on Facebook to keep up to date on upcoming activities and events.

Storm Water Management Practices Start at Home

MEETInG TIMES

Class A office space is available in our New City Hall. Office sizes range from 300 to 360 square feet with shared conference room, break room and restroom facilities. Starting at $465 per month, full service. THIS INCLUDES: taxes, insurance, utilities and cleaning service. Phone, data connection, and copies are extra. Your client will enter the impressive main lobby of City Hall- greeted by a professional receptionist and directed to your 2nd floor suite via the tiled ornamental iron staircase or the elevator. Get your basement, dining room or extra bedroom back and have the professional look and exposure in a new affordable office building. For more details or to view please contact Brad Turvey, City Administrator, 636-561-1718 ext 2 or bturvey@dardenneprairie.org.

Step up to a professional office setting in Downtown Dardenne Prairie

spirit”. We should all be proud of that and always strive to be good neighbors and citizens. We are all looking forward to the Annual Easter Egg Hunt which will be held April 23rd. This has become a favorite event of mine and I hope you have enjoyed it as well. It seems to get better each year and this year should be no exception. Please join us with your children or grandchildren who are 8 years old or younger. If you do not have children or have older kids, please stop by any way as this year there will be other interesting events going on.

Pam Fogarty

has openings on both the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Board of Adjustment. We have come a long way in developing our community but this is just the beginning. If you are interested in being a part of the continued growth and development of Dardenne Prairie, please e-mail me at mayor@dardenneprairie.org. Please patronize businesses in our community. Listings can be found at our website, www. dardenneprairie.org. The Lake Saint Louis Dardenne Prairie Area Chamber of Commerce website, www.lsldpchamber.com, is also great place to find business listings and community events.

an opening reception on Saturday, May 14th from 3-6 pm at City Hall. Light refreshments will be served. You may preview the artwork during City Hall hours 8-5 Monday thru Friday. Artwork may be purchased with delivery after the reception. Mark your calendars; Thursday June 2nd for the Dardenne Prairie Night at the River City Rascals Game. Discount tickets may be preordered using the form found at www.dardenneprairie.org. Come out and meet your elected officials, and make new friends while you enjoy a night of baseball. We would like to thank the 100 volunteers who helped remove trash from three different Dardenne Prairie

Time for Spring Cleaning

we would like to hear what additional activities (Dance Lessons, Exercise Classes, Monthly Card Games, etc…) you would like to participate in. The City has partnered with the Oak Leaf Artist Guild to fill the walls of City Hall with over 140 pieces of artwork by local area artists. Please join us and the exhibiting artists for

Grace Hauling is giving Dardenne Prairie added incentive to do Spring Cleaning. They have teamed with Shoeman Water Projects for the Shoes of Grace Program, which will take place from April 1st until May 1st. Grace Hauling has distributed special shoe drive bags to all customers. Please fill these bags with new or used shoes (tie pairs together, please) and place them on the curb, next to your trash containers on your normal trash pickup day. The shoes will be donated to Shoeman Water Projects. They export the shoes to countries where affordable shoes are rare. The proceeds from the sale of the shoes go toward purchasing water well drilling equipment and purification systems for people who thirst for clean water. Shoe resale builds the local developing economy with micro retail businesses and affordable shoes for pennies on the dollar or barter. Additionally, the clean water and the wearing of shoes help prevent the spread of disease. To learn more please visit the Dardenne Prairie’s 2011 Spring Splash on April 23rd. Members of the Shoeman Water Projects and Grace Hauling will be there to take part in the Earth Day Celebration.

The annual Easter Egg Hunt will take place on Saturday, April 23rd beginning at 10:00 am at the Dardenne Athletic Fields located next to City Hall on Hanley Road. This event is free for children ages 8 and under. There will be over 8,000 eggs filled with candy and prizes and free pictures with the Easter Bunny. The first 200 children in attendance will receive a free Easter basket courtesy of The PTI Group. We will also be celebrating Arbor Day

accomplishment. Knowledge and education is the foundation with which anything is possible. “Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow.” Anthony J. D’Angelo. The 2010 Census shows Dardenne Prairie’s current population at 11,494. That is a gain of 7110 residents, since the 2000 Census. Hasn’t it been amazing watching the growth of our City? What impresses me the most is even with such a large growth in numbers, the residents of Dardenne Prairie have kept the “small town

encourage you to do so. I have recently returned to school, at Lindenwood University and I love it! Speaking of accomplishments, Dardenne Prairie’s own Shelly Hess is now a published author. You can get information about “Final Drive” at www. finaldriveshellyhess.com. Shelly’s first book is also available at Paperbacks, Etc. located at 1664 Bryan Rd, Dardenne Prairie, behind the Quick Trip, PNC Bank and Valvoline. (Paperbacks, Etc. is another Dardenne Prairie gem---if you like books you have to check it out.) Congratulations to Dave Kampelman, who was elected to his fourth term as Alderman of Ward 1. Thank you all for voting. It is every Americans right and duty to educate yourself on the issues and vote. Another way to help your community is to volunteer. The City of Dardenne Prairie

DArDEnnE PrAIrIE PArKS & rECrEATIOn EvEnTS

meetings and have met with the experts and I know the residents of Dardenne Prairie will not be disappointed! The park will include features for all ages, in addition to being a beautiful peaceful place to relax. Our newly formed Dardenne Prairie Parks and Recreation Commission is already hard at work planning events the whole community can enjoy. Please join us on April 23rd when we have our Official Groundbreaking Ceremony. Congratulations to all who will be graduating this spring. You should be very proud of your

time together. A child will always remember this special time spent with you. And even kids cannot resist eating all their vegetables when they are fresh from the garden! If you are interested in gardening, be sure to come to the Dardenne Prairie 2011 Spring Splash April 23rd 10:00-1:00 – The Earth Day Festival will have gardening tips and composting demonstrations. Another rite of spring includes graduations. If you know anyone who will be graduating this year, please take a moment to tell them how proud you are. Whether is it high school, university, or kindergarten; the graduate worked hard for their accomplishment and it is important that we all encourage our younger generation to take pride in their education. As for those of you in my generation, if you have been contemplating a return to class, I

and Earth Day in conjunction with the Egg Hunt. Informational booths will be setup and saplings, including Redbuds and Flowering Dogwoods will be given away while they last. In addition, we will also be celebrating our new City Park with the official groundbreaking. Attention Dardenne Prairie Active Older Adults: Dardenne Prairie will host a luncheon/bingo social on Friday, May 6th at 11:00 am at Dardenne Prairie City Hall. A free lunch will be served prior to the start of play. This event is free and open to Dardenne Prairie residents only. You must register for this event by calling 636-755-5308 by April 29th. Space is limited to 75. For future planning,

My first order of business must be to thank the fine citizens of Dardenne Prairie for entrusting me with another term to serve you. It has been and will continue to be a great honor for me to represent you. I am most proud of the development of the new park. I have attended the planning

Dave Kampelman Ward 1

Spring in Dardenne Prairie! What a wonderful time of year. This year is especially exciting because we will be breaking ground on the new park behind City Hall. Stop by City Hall, if I am there I would love to talk to you about it. While you are at City Hall be sure to check out the beautiful artwork on display, courtesy of the Oak Leaf Artist Guild. Spring means time to start planning and planting the gardens. The trend in gardening continues to “grow”. Gardening is a wonderful hobby. It is a great way to take time to clear your mind and enjoy the outdoors. If you have little ones in your life, gardening provides an opportunity to spend quality

A Message from the Mayor of Dardenne Prairie

2032 Hanley Road | Dardenne Prairie, MO 63368 | (636) 561-1718 | www.dardenneprairie.org

Deputy City Clerk Office Assistant Assistant to the Mayor Barbara Courtney Patti Agnew 636-561-1718 ext 0 636-561-1718 ext 5 *Drop box for court payments now available at north end of City Hall

Court Clerk Coreen Conroy 636-561-1718 ext 3

Possibilities

Like the City of Dardenne Prairie

City Clerk/Treasurer Kim Clark 636-561-1718 ext 1

City Administrator Brad Turvey 636-561-1718 ext 2

Mayor Pam Fogarty 636-561-1718 ext 6

WELCOME TO A CITY OF

26 I CAMPS & OPPORTUNITIES I

APRIL 13, 2011 MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE

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Making Life a Little Sweeter, One Turtle at a Time

Hand Made Fine Chocolates

One Stop Shopping For Easte r Fun Fresh Dipped Strawberries Gourmet Popcorn

Unique & Special Gifts For All Occasions & Ages

2011 Summer Sports Day Camp June 6-August 12 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. extended hours available CHOOSE FROM 2 LOCATIONS!

• Custom and ready-made Easter Baskets • Toys • Handbags • Jewelry • Greeting Cards • and much more

Chesterfield or St. Peters For more details, log on to

www.bnsgametime.com or call

127 O’Fallon Commons Dr. (O’Fallon Commons Plaza Hwy K.) 636-240-6622 www.chocolateandpopcorn.com

636-519-0445 (Chesterfield) 636-474-2255 (St. Peters)

Join Tennis Professional Craig Tidwell

this summer for a nine week tennis class. The classes are given at Francis Howell Central High School. • Classes geared towards beginner and intermediate level players. • Both adult and junior classes are offered. • Excellent student to teacher ratio. • Fun and positive learning environment. • Affordable pricing/No costly membership fees E-mail Craig Tidwell at

craigwell@charter.net to receive the full brochure

TENNIS CLASSES

The Tidwell Tennis Academy

Summer camp revamped - sort of This year marks the 150th anniversary of organized camp in the U.S., according to the American Camp Association (ACA). The now age-old tradition of summer camp began in 1861 when a teacher took a group of students on a hike, had them set up camp and spend the next two weeks boating, fishing and trapping in the great outdoors. The trip became an annual outing to what became The Gunnery Camp. Today, there are nearly 100 camps that are at least 100 years old, and many of them – as well as newer camps – offer traditional summer camp activities, such as swimming, hiking, horseback riding, archery, canoeing, and arts and crafts. But over the years, many summer camps have expanded to include more specialized programs, such as drama, foreign language, computers, sports and more. As times have changed, camps have adapted and added programs that appeal to current campers. According to the ACA, among its approximately 2,400 accredited camps: • 88 percent offer swimming. • 48 percent offer horseback riding . • 22 percent offer wilderness programs. • 12 percent offer travel/tour programs. • 57 percent offer teambuilding. • 21 percent include community service programs. • 75 percent of camp directors reported adding new activities and programs over the last few years. The newest programs in recent years are challenging and adventurous activities, including high and low ropes courses, climbing walls, zip lines, backpacking, mountain biking, and cave exploring.

• More than half offer ropes course activities or have other constructed adventure/challenge facilities. • More than half have community service or good deed programs incorporated into their programs. The top service projects conducted at camps are community clean-ups, food drives, recycling programs, and volunteering with senior citizens and hospital patients. • There is an increased emphasis on performing arts and fine arts such as dance, theater, singing, ceramics, leather crafts, woodworking, photography, etc. Other summer camp trends incorporate less traditional models, such as trip camps, which allow campers to backpack, ride on horseback, or canoe to different sites. Travel camps transport campers by car or bus to places of interest. There has been an increase in recent years also in the number of children with disabilities being mainstreamed into camps, and there now are many camps that provide specialized services to children with special medical needs.

LETTING KIDS BE KIDS 2011 Summer Camp YMCA CAMP LAKEWOOD REGISTER NOW! Visit www.camplakewood.org or call 1-888-FUN-YMCA for more information. YMCA Camp Lakewood is located 75 miles south of St. Louis between Potosi and Steelville, Missouri.

1-888-FUN-YMCA WWW.CAMPLAKEWOOD.ORG

Find us online!

APRIL 13, 2011 MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE

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I CAMPS & OPPORTUNITIES I 27

Lou Fusz Soccer Club PARTICIPATE IN ST LOUIS’ PREMIER SUMMER SOCCER CAMP O'Fallon Sports Park - O'Fallon Youth Camp Weeks - Boys & Girls Ages 5-14

Managing allergies

June 27 - 30 • 6 pm - 8 pm July 18 - 21 • 9 am - 11 am

at summer camp

By SARAH WILSON Many children have allergies, but no child is allergic to the fun of summer camp. If allergies are not properly managed, they can put a real damper on summer camp fun. In fact, some parents have so many concerns about their children’s allergies that they are afraid to send them to summer camp. But according to Dr. Christopher Thurber and Dr. Jon Malinowski, co-authors of “The Summer Camp Handbook,” when kids understand their allergies and how to deal with them, allergies will not prevent them from being safe and having fun. As longtime campers and youth development professionals, Thurber and Malinowski have become experts on summer camp. Their handbook is a good resource for new campers and their families, and includes the following tips for managing allergies in a summer camp setting: • Food allergies, depending on their type and severity, can become an issue at day camps and overnight camps. Some allergens, such as strawberries, are easy to avoid; camps are happy to provide some alternative, such as grape jelly. Other allergens are harder to avoid, such as when children are allergic to peanuts and must avoid peanuts, peanut butter, all foods made with peanut butter or foods cooked in peanut oil, and any other foods or utensils that might have peanut residue on them. It is not easy to avoid that sort of thing at camp, but kids with serious allergies need to

CBC HIGH SCHOOL - West County Youth Camp Weeks - Boys & Girls Ages 5-14

learn how. After having chosen a camp, parents are encouraged to talk with the director about their child’s allergy before opening day. Find out how the camp and kitchen staff can assist the child in avoiding specific allergens. • Some allergens are impossible to avoid, such as dust. Children who are allergic to dust may use nasal sprays or oral medication to avoid congestion and other symptoms. Be sure to bring these medicines to camp. Other allergies that are impossible to avoid can have severe symptoms, such as an allergy to bees. Although every camp has an obligation to provide the highest quality treatment to a child in the event of any emergency, children with severe allergies need to learn how to treat themselves. Before opening day, children should practice their response to severe symptoms, such as how to use an EpiPen or an AnaKit. When parents meet with the camp nurse or doctor on opening day, they should discuss their child’s allergies and allergy medications. • Because someone who does not know a child’s medical history may have to help in an emergency, children who react to allergens with severe symptoms should wear a MedicAlert bracelet or necklace. The information on MedicAlert tags can help an adult respond with the right kind of first aid. For more summer camp tips from Thurber and Malinowski, visit summercamphandbook.com.

June 6 - June 10 and Aug 1 - Aug 5

SPORTPORT - Maryland Heights Youth Camp Weeks - Boys & Girls Ages 5-14 June 20 - 24 and July 18 - July 22

Youth Goalkeeping Weeks Ages 9 - 14 June 20 - June 24 and July 18 - July 22

9-11:45 am ($115) or 9-3 pm ($230)

ALL CAMPERS RECEIVE A T-SHIRT MEALS: Lunch provided at “All Day Camps” Only.

Additional Camp Locations listed on our website Mini-Camp Available for $80 • visit website for locations & details

Apply Online or download application off website at www.loufuszsoccer.com or by calling 314-628-9341 e-mail us at: martypike@loufuszsoccer.com Spring Training Program starting in April

BAIT & TACKLE SHOP

• Students can lose as much as 2-1/2 months of learning over the summer • Sylvan will pinpoint the skills your child needs and develop a summer program to help master them • Flexible summer hours

At Busch Wildlife

2360 Highway D • St. Charles, MO 63304 Questions or comments call Ted at 636-300-3434 Alternate #’s 314-486-2919 or 314-616-0960

Worms, Chicken Liver, Minnows, Crickets have snacks, sandwiches, RENTALS candy, frozen • BOATS (All Day) $5.30 tilapia, pollock or 10 plus lakes with boats, rentals are for the lakes here only! catfish fillets! • TROLLING MOTORS & BATTERY • ANCHORS & FISHING POLES

www.outpostbaitandtackle.com

Offer expires May 30, 2011. At participating locations only, see center for details. Offer for new enrollments. Not to be combined with any other offers. Offer good at listed 1125 Cave Springs Blvd. centers only.

www.SylvanLearning.com Printed and mailed by Ad Pages • www.adpages.com • SYL0411JO02S

We Carry an Assortment of Tackle, Supplies & More! LIVE BAIT We also

Now Offering Private In-Home & On-Line Tutoring

14248 Manchester Rd. Ballwin • 636-394-3104

17541 Chesterfield Airport Rd. St. Peters • 636-441-2319 Chesterfield • 636-537-8118

FREE SYLVAN TESTING

$9500 OFF

(1 Subject $95 Value)

SUMMER CAMPS OR AN ACT PREP COURSE

Valid only at centers listed. Not valid with any other offer. Expires 5/30/11.

FREE

4 HOURS OF TUTORING For new enrollment only. Any program - applied towards 1st month’s tuition. Valid only at centers listed. Not valid with any other offer. Expires 5/30/11.

28 I CAMPS & OPPORTUNITIES I

APRIL 13, 2011 MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE

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Hang in there! Summer Camp is almost here.

Hang in there! Summer Camp Anytime, Summertime Summertime Camps Anytime, Camps is almost here. at The Little Gym. at The Little Gym.

Our unique camps provide three hours of fun and activities in a day,and different Ournon-competitive, unique campsnurturing provideenvironment. three hoursEach of fun activicreative themes keep your child on their toes as they take tiespart in ainnon-competitive, nurturing environment. Each exciting imaginative journeys.

Anytime, Summertime day, different creative themes keepCamps your child on their Choose one day, a few days, or a few weeks. at The Little Gym. toes as they take part in exciting imaginative journeys. Our unique camps provide three hours of fun and activities in a

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one day, a few days, or a few weeks. Call Today!Choosecreative themes keep your child on their toes as they take part in exciting imaginative journeys.

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The Little Gym of St. Charles County The Little Gym of St. Charles Count · 636-970-1220 www.TLGstcharlesmo.com • 636-970-1220

Andrews AcAdemy We encourage children to maximize their intellectual, physical, social, and emotional growth by offering an advanced curriculum in a traditional setting. Daily math, reading and science activities are part of our camp program.

summer cAmp now enrolling ContaCt : 636-561-7709 or nmanco@andrewsacademy.com Currently enrolling grades Kindergarten - 8

1701 Feise Road • Lake Saint Louis

(636) 561-7709

www.andrewsacademy.com

A day in the life of a camp counselor By BETH GUCKES Besides providing summer fun and adventure for children, day camps provide teens and young adults with summer employment and a valuable learning experience. Following is one longtime West County day camp counselor’s description of a “typical day” in the life of a camp counselor. My day typical day as a camp counselor at a West County day camp starts out like a lot of other jobs. The first thing I do is clock-in at 8 a.m. Next, I greet the kids who arrive early. I am in charge of the arts and crafts projects, so the next thing I do is set up for the day. Sometimes, there is a lot of cutting and drawing to do to get ready for the day, and I spend a lot of time outside of camp planning art activities that will be fun for kids who are 4 to 9 years old and that are within our camp budget. Since I work at a day camp, on a given day there can be anywhere from 20 to 50 kids, depending on who is on vacation, what other things they have going on, or even whether it is an exceptionally hot or really rainy day. While I’m preparing the project for the day, the kids and the other counselors are playing board games or coloring. Those activities can get pretty noisy, but they keep the kids out of the glue and the paint while I’m getting things ready. The kids are split into groups, and some of them will do crafts with me. It is really great because usually there are a few

campers who can’t wait to find out what the craft is going to be and what they’re going to make. But once in awhile, there is a camper who says he cannot do the craft. Then it becomes a contagious kind of thing with the kids and suddenly nobody can complete the craft. We can usually fix that by starting over with each camper. We often find out later that the cranky camper did not get enough sleep the night before. Once we had a week devoted to superheroes. One day we made superhero masks and superhero ID cards on which kids listed their powers and drew pictures of what they would look like. The rest of the week we spent working on superhero comic books. I was the “Crafting Crusader,” which the kids thought was pretty funny. After crafts we have lunch, and in the afternoon we play field games like “Capture the Flag” or soccer and then go swimming. No matter what we are doing, the counselors are playing sunscreen police. If a camper is the slightest bit pink, we will hear about it, and the next day there will be three kinds of sunscreen in the camper’s backpack. Camp counselors learn pretty quickly how to chase a kid and apply sunscreen at the same time. I also have learned how to count heads when no one is standing still and how to tread water with a couple of kids hanging off of me. Even after five summers as a camp counselor, I still think it is a great and fun job. There is a lot of responsibility in keeping kids safe, but it is a job I would do again.

APRIL 13, 2011 MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE

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I NEWS I 29

Smartphone app gives on-the-go medical help By SARAH WILSON Receiving trustworthy medical information from a credible source just got a whole lot easier. Using a smartphone application called iTriage, people can get information on symptoms, diseases and health care provider information delivered to their phones. “As more consumers rely on their smartphones to find information, it’s crucial to provide them with the technology and resources to make informed medical decisions,” said Robert Graeff, spokesperson for Doctors Express, a health care provider that collaborates with iTriage. According to Graeff, iTriage gives area residents and visitors the tools they need to make quick, informed decisions about when urgent care is most appropriate for an accident or illness. Built by emergency room physicians, iTriage aggregates health care information and closes the information gap that often exists between doctors and patients. It has information on more than 300 symptoms, 1,000 diseases and 350 medical procedures, in addition to more than a million data points for health care provider searches throughout the country. The iTriage application provides: • Medical information on symptoms, diseases and procedures. • Contact information and mapping for every hospital, urgent care, retail clinic, physician and pharmacy in the nation. • Average emergency room wait times in select parts of the country.

• Nurse advice lines. • A one-touch click to a 9-1-1 emergency connection. • Physician and facility quality reports through HealthGrades, an iTriage partner. “When urgent care centers put useful medical information in the palm of patients’ hands with iTriage, consumers are empowered to make informed decisions about where they will seek affordable care for their medical condition,” Dr. Peter Hudson, CEO of Healthagen and developer of iTriage, said. “Our health care system is evolving, and it will require patients to be more informed and responsible for their health. Using iTriage allows them to play a larger role in their overall health care.” For example, if a child comes down with acute abdominal pain, parents can search under “symptoms,” and the iTriage software will populate a list of possible causes. From there, parents can click on the procedures typically used by medical professionals to diagnose a particular condition so they can better explain to their child what to expect. Based on the child’s specific medical problem, iTriage software will direct parents to the most appropriate provider. Using the user’s GPS location, IP address or ZIP code, the software populates the provider list based on distance from their exact location. “Everyone does everything with their phones nowadays,” Graeff said. “This is just a more beneficial thing we can do for our patients. They get their medical questions answered and back to normal health as much and as quickly as possible.” To access iTriage, patients can download the free appli-

The iTriage app puts medical information in the palm of the hand.

cation from the app stores for their iPhone or Android smartphones or access it through any web-enabled device at itriagehealth.com.

30 I COVER STORY I

APRIL 13, 2011 MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE

How things get built By Jeannie Seibert

The role of TIFs, CIDs, and TDDs in the vision that has become St. Charles County

NEWSMAGAZINENETWORK.COM Competition produces hard realities. There are winners and losers. Invariably, the consumer is better served. For those who lose, two options remain – become more competitive or decry the unfairness of it all. In response to the unfairness of it all, many municipalities suffering from a loss of population and businesses in St. Louis County during the last two decades sought an arbiter in East/West Gateway Council of Governments to level the playing field. Three years later East/West Gateway unveiled its study of development incentives and how they were used by cities like those in St. Charles County that have seen monumental growth by attracting developers and new business. One city in St. Louis County that has declined dramatically saw its last big retailer, Walmart, follow the populace out of town. Because this event occurred about the same time Walmart and Sam’s Choice stores were either expanding or locating to St. Charles County cities – some using development incentives – East/West Gateway has declared that it is unfair and unproductive to the region as a whole. While development incentives are a tool available to all municipalities in the state, development incentives have been identified as the culprit causing people and stores to relocate to greener pastures. The report cites neither rising taxes and increasing crime rates, nor declining property values and underperforming schools as factors in the exodus. However, low crime and taxes, coupled with steady property values and excellent schools were credited as reasons why Money magazine repeatedly names multiple cities in St. Charles County to its top 100 cities lists. Rather than emulate the model for success exhibited in St. Charles County cities, limiting the use of development incentives – especially tax increment financing (TIF) – or reassigning the responsibility for deciding who can use those incentives is the current goal. To correct this unfairness, one suggestion is for all the municipalities in the eight-county region served by East/West Gateway to cede their discretionary use of development incentives over to East/West Gateway. That would allow an unbiased third party to review all incentive applications much the way East/West Gateway now funnels federal Dept. of Transportation funds. That is a long way from happening. In the meantime, County Executive Steve Ehlmann sent a letter to St. Charles County Municipal League member cities calling for a voluntary “ladies’ and gentlemen’s agreement” to change the way the cities have been using development incentives. Ehlmann’s letter decries the county’s

inability to contribute money to a St. Louis regional incentive fund being developed to entice “Chinese officials to promote business activity” associated with the China Hub at Lambert Field. The China Hub was initiated during the Mo. Gov. Matt Blunt administration to establish a distribution center at Lambert Field to receive goods manufactured in China headed for destinations throughout the Midwest. Because tentative agreements have been secured amongst numerous parties including the Chinese, legislators at every level have been attempting to move the project forward. Ehlmann has led the charge in behalf St. Charles County based on an expectation of thousands of jobs to be created here as freight companies, warehouses and suppliers would become links in the Chinese manufacturers’ supply chain. But incentives are needed to entice these Chinese companies to do business with the China Hub. The call has gone out to all local governments to contribute to an incentive fund. In Ehlmann’s letter to the city halls he writes, “I have no funds to bring to the table. Instead the county is spending some $1.6 million per year primarily to retail developers for (TIF) projects in various municipalities.” Tax increment financing(TIF), transportation development districts (TDDs) and community improvement districts (CIDs) all of which are defined by state statute, allow a municipality to define a district from which a portion of tax revenue is diverted for a set period of time. Funds generated are usually used for infrastructure – streets and lighting, curbs and gutters, traffic lights and sidewalks. What has been the norm amongst St. Charles County municipalities is for these infrastructure elements to be dedicated to the city as they are used by the general public. Streets are connected to existing highways; sidewalks are linked to city trail systems. It may be the case in some development incentive contracts that the revenues generated are given directly to the developer, but that has not been the case for the bulk of incentives used to build out the Golden Triangle – the area south of I-70, west of Hwy. 94 and east of Hwy. 40/61. At this time, the amount of tax dollars annually diverted from county coffers is the $1.6 million generated by TIF districts. Those funds could go a long way to plump the incentive fund for those affiliated with the China Hub. City leaders have been mulling Ehlmann’s requests. During its March 31 meeting, Municipal League President Richard Veit said the support for an agreement was weak, suggesting the body could instead pass a resolution asking the General

APRIL 13, 2011 MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE

NEWSMAGAZINENETWORK.COM Assembly to correct the defects in development incentives legislatively. St. Peters Alderman Jerry Hollingsworth said, “Neither St. Charles County nor St. Peters created the TIF laws. Jefferson City (the General Assembly) created it. They can fix it.” St. Peters Mayor Len Pagano reminded the League members that his city’s elected officials were restricted in what they could say on the matter as the county is participating in a lawsuit against the city. A jury trial has been set to begin in Cole County Circuit Court on April 28 in which Great Rivers Habitat Alliance and St. Charles County are suing St. Peters in regard to its Lakeside 370 TIF. That is one of a handful of TIFs still in play. According to Pat Nasi, with Development Dynamics, O’Fallon, the TIF Commission established in 2007 to oversee TIFs in St. Charles, Jefferson and St. Louis counties haven’t reviewed a new TIF from St. Charles County since its inception, confining itself to reviewing the annual reporting on TIFs in existence at the time the commission was set up. “There are strong arguments for and against the use of TIFs,” Nasi said. “But there are other development incentives that go toward infrastructure improvements. Compared to other counties TIF has been used very judiciously in St. Charles County.” For instance Dardenne Prairie and Lake Saint Louis have never employed a TIF at all. O’Fallon hasn’t used a TIF in so long Mayor Bill Hennessey told Municipal League members that city doesn’t use them anymore. But there’s more than one way to help along a development without using TIF, said Cottleville Mayor Don Yarber. “We’re a city of 3,100 people,” Yarber said. “We can’t compete with St. Charles, O’Fallon and St. Peters but we can give an incentive.” Cottleville is making a onetime offer to developers worth about $25,000. “They still have to go through the approval process,” Yarber said. “We want them to meet our standards and we’re not lowering our standards. This is just a basic business practice.” And it’s working. Yarber said there has already been interest shown in Cottleville’s central location with easy access to major highways and an excellent work force and the opportunity to save $25,000 upfront on the fees and other expenses associated with project start-up is making Cottleville even more desirable. “Cottleville isn’t a lost little secret anymore,” Yarber said. And to take advantage of its new status in the world, “we’re trying to enter into a partnership with a business owner who has the potential of bringing business to our city.”

Other developments helped along by TDDs include two in Lake Saint Louis – the Meadows and the Shoppes at Hawk Ridge. According to Economic Development Center Greg Prestemon, “TDDs made those developments happen.” This has resulted in approximately 50 new stores, offices, and restaurants opening on the west side of Lake Saint Louis, including those new businesses that located adjacent to the two new shopping centers. “I understand (Ehlmann’s) point though,” Prestemon said. “There are only so many shopping dollars. If I have $100 and spend $40 in St. Peters, I still only have $60 to spend.” There could simply be more shoppers with $100 apiece to spend, however. Apparently the Walmart Corporation thinks that is was is happening in St. Charles County evidenced by its positioning new stores or expanding existing locations to meet growing needs. Wentzville recently announced the coming of a new Sam’s Club joining the retail mix along Hwy. 40/61. Three new Walmart SuperCenters have opened or expanded in O’Fallon, Lake Saint Louis and Wentzville in recent years. “The Hwy. 40 phenomenon has been quite the success story,” said Nasi. A former city manager, Nasi now consults and provides analysis for development districts. He well remembers when Hwy. 40 was a lonely track through a very rural countryside. Now Hwy. 40 is just about to meet interstate status as I-64 and the roadside is dotted with multi-storied office buildings, shopping centers, car dealers, restaurants and housing developments. Dubbed the Technology Corridor, international companies have located data centers between Chesterfield and Wentzville bringing 1,000s of jobs to West St. Louis and St. Charles counties. And while new business and housing starts have slowed in recent years, Nasi said the Hwy. 40 area is still leading the region for new construction. Many if not most of those developments were assisted by a development incentive. “Do incentives have their place,” Nasi said. “You have to say yes but you have to remember each city is different. Each has different goals and different paths. Sometimes incentives play a goal in speeding the accomplishment of those goals be it jobs, opportunities, services.” Nasi sees the China Hub as the next Technology Corridor. “That’s visionary,” Nasi said. “Bringing in a base for distribution – there’s already interest in that. Those who could benefit from it are looking and putting options on properties right now.” But it will take an incentive to seal the deal.

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St. Charles County prepares for round two of Biggest Winner contest Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital and Progress West HealthCare Center are partnering again with the community to help St. Charles County residents lose weight with the Biggest Winner of St.Charles County weight loss contest – round two. Last year’s program successfully helped more than 400 participants lose more than 1,563 pounds over a 12-week program. Sarah Brook, 29, of St. Charles won first place last season by losing 11.9 percent of her total body weight. Brook said, “I think the contest is great and I’m going to sign up again for round two. It was a big motivator for me and I’ve even talked my dad and my stepmom into signing up, too.” Recent studies show nearly 40 percent of residents in St. Charles County are overweight. An additional 20 percent are considered obese, meaning they have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater. Nationally, it is estimated that 35 percent of the adult population is overweight and 27 percent are considered obese. These national and state trends show obesity rates are steadily increasing. The dangers of being overweight and obese are many and include developing adult onset diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, hypertension, gout, joint deterioration, and other chronic diseases. Ignoring a weight issue can lead to complications and be deadly, not to mention the physical limitations and psychological distress that overweight people often experience. The Biggest Winner is a free, eight-week program and is designed to help participants be successful by providing support, motivation and education. Participants will learn about living a healthy lifestyle for themselves and their families through

education and support. Since winning the first round, Brook has continued to stay on track with her weight loss program. “I’ve lost an additional 20 pounds, and I’ve even joined a local gym and I watch what I eat with help from the Weight Watchers program,” Brook said. “Biggest Winner was the jump-start I needed, and I’m determined to keep going and now I’m moving in the right direction.” The Biggest Winner contest runs from May 9 through July 1, 2011, and contestants are required to attend one of the two kick-off events offered on Wed., April 27 or Tues., May 3 at St. Charles Community College in the Daniel J. Conoyer Social Science Building Auditorium in Cottleville. At the kick-off event, contestants will choose their weekly weigh-in site, review the guidelines of the contest and participate in free blood pressure and total cholesterol with HDL screenings. The Biggest Winner contest is limited to St. Charles County and to those 18 years of age and older. BJC HealthCare employees are not eligible to participate. Contestants compete for prizes and are judged based on the percentage of weight loss during the eight-week period. Advance registration is required by calling 636-928-WELL (9355) or 636-344-CARE (2273). To learn more about The Biggest Winner contest, go to facebook.com/BiggestWinner. The Biggest Winner is a program of Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital and Progress West HealthCare Center and is supported by partners: BJC Medical Group of Missouri, Mid Rivers Newsmagazine, Renaud Spirit Center, St. Charles CityCounty Library District, St. Charles Community College, and St. Peters Rec-Plex.

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By SUE HORNOF One of the hottest trends in gardening is vertical gardening – growing plants up instead of out. The technique is a favorite of city dwellers and others with limited space for planting, but it has advantages even for those with lots of space. A vertical garden can: • Hide eyesores, such as chain-link fences, airconditioning units, downspouts and bare walls. • Provide shade. • Create privacy. • Add another dimension to the landscape. • Attract birds. • Block the wind. On April 2 at Bowood Farms, landscape designer and St. Louis Community College at Meramec instructor Dianne O’Connell presented “Vines for St. Louis Landscapes,” a seminar on vertical gardening. O’Connell offered these tips for starting a vertical garden: • Find a fence, arbor, tree, obelisk, tree, downspout, mailbox, post, etc. to use as a support. Consider the size and strength of the support and how long it will last. For example, bamboo will not last as long as steel. • The support should be somewhat inconspicuous, as the vine ultimately will be the main focal point. • When choosing a plant, unless it is an annual, consider what it will look like in five years. O’Connell explained that there are three basic vine types: • Twining vines simply need to wrap themselves around some kind of support, and sometimes, the gardener has to help the plant by guiding it up the support. This is the largest group of vines, and there are dozens that will thrive in the St. Louis area. Examples include Dutchman’s pipe, a vigorous, sun-loving grower with 8-inch to 10-inch flowers; clematis, which like sun but need their roots in the shade; hyacinth bean vine, an old, heirloom plant that is very easy to start; cardinal climber and the rapid-growing cypress vine, both of which hummingbirds love; mandevilla (“the

LEFT: Purple clematis climbs a support and adds interest to an otherwise boring wall. ABOVE: Mandevilla is a woody vine that thrives in full sun .

mailbox vine”); and scarlet runner bean, a quick, aggressive grower. • Tendril vines twine but also have a tendril that can help the plant attach itself to a support. Examples include crossvine and passionflower vine, which are native to this area; sweet pea vine, which likes cool weather and provides great fragrance; porcelain vine; missionary bells; and grape vine. • Clinging vines – also called root-bearing vines – attach themselves to a structure. Good choices for this climate include trumpet creeper, which attracts hummingbirds; Virginia creeper, which needs room to grow and has berries the birds love; and climbing hydrangea, which likes shade, is slow-growing but is “well worth the wait,” O’Connell said. For a list and photos of more vines that are good performers in the St. Louis climate, she suggested visiting the Missouri Botanical Garden website at mobot.org. To prune vines, O’Connell said, follow these tips: • Always use sharp, clean tools. • To remove an entire stem, cut back to the base of the vine. • To shorten a stem, cut back to above a bud. • To encourage denser growth, cut above an inward-facing bud. • To encourage open growth, cut above an outward-facing bud.

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Plants of Merit get Midwest gardens growing By SARAH WILSON The Missouri Botanical Garden recently announced its 2011 Plants of Merit, which means Midwesterners have another 18 plants they can plant with confidence. The Plants of Merit program began in 1998 and is a partnership of the Missouri Botanical Garden, Powell Gardens, Mizzou Botanic Garden, the University of Missouri Extension, Missouri Landscape & Nursery Association and Illinois Green Industry Association. The program aims to promote diversity in home gardening and emphasizes hardy, trouble-free plants. To be nominated as a Plant of Merit, a plant must be easy to grow and maintain, grow consistently well in the region, be resistant to or tolerant of disease and insects, have outstanding ornamental value and be reasonably available for purchase. Following are the newest Plants of Merit for the Midwest: • Maple tree (Acer miyabei “Morton State Street”). A maple tree with an oval to rounded habit that grows 30 to 40 feet tall and is easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Thick foliage makes it a good shade tree. • Wild ginger (Asarum canadense). A Missouri native spring wildflower, which occurs in rich woods and wooded slopes throughout the state. The stem-less plant features two heart-shaped to kidney-shaped dark green basal leaves. • Pawpaw (Asimina triloba). A Missouri native small understory tree or large shrub, which typically grows 15 to 20 feet tall and occurs in low bottom woods, wooded slopes, ravines and along streams. Cupshaped purple flowers appear in spring and give way to edible, oblong, yellowish green fruits that mature in early autumn. • Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris susp. Cida var. flavescens “Bright Lights”). An annual leafy garden vegetable closely related to beets. It often is grown in borders or other garden areas for enjoyment of the contrasting colors of the leaf stalks, midribs and wrinkled green leaves. • Ornamental pepper (Capsicum annuum “Purple Flash”). An herbaceous ornamental pepper most noted for its near black foliage and accented with occasional flashes of bright purple or white and its tiny, jet-black

The Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta “Prairie Sun”) is among the newest Plants of Merit in the Midwest.

fruit. It grows vigorously in an upright, bushy mount. Leaves retain good color throughout the growing season. • Turkish hazel tree (Corylus corlurna). A pyramidal tree that grows to 40 to 50 feet tall. The trunk is short with dense, horizontal, low branching. Leaves turn variable but unusual shades of yellow in the fall. • Christmas rose perennial (Helleborus “Walhelivor” “Ivory Prince”). A bushy, clump-forming perennial that typically grows from 12 to 18 inches tall. It is noted for its burgundy pink flower buds, late winter bloom of creamy white flowers and glossy, leathery evergreen leaves. • Hydrangea shrub (Hydrangea paniculata “Limelight”). A rapidly growing, somewhat coarsely textured deciduous shrub that typically grows from 8 to 15 feet tall. It features oval to ovate dark green leaves and upright, sharply pointed pyramidal terminal panicles containing sterile white flowers that bloom late summer to early fall. • Winterberry perennial (Ilex verticullata “Afterglow”). A female winterberry that typically matures from 3 to 6 feet tall. It is a compact selection that is smaller and denser than most other winterberry cultivars and is noted for its dense, heavy fruiting of orange-red berries, with good retention of fruit throughout the winter. • Perennial (Liriope muscari “Royal Purple”). A lily turf cultivate most noted for its attractive grass-like foliage and deep purple flowers, which bloom slightly above the foliage atop upright stems in late summer. • Magnolia tree (Magnolia “Butterflies”). Noted for its non-fading yellow flowers, late vegetative growth, compact pyramidal form and hardiness to both heat and cold. Flowers typically cover the tree with profuse bloom for about seven to nine days. • Raven dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides “Raven”). A coniferous tree that grows in a conical shape to 100

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700 Garden Path O’Fallon, MO 63366

Com mu n it y Event s EASTER

CPR TRAINING

St. Charles First Assembly of God will host its annual Easter Eggstravaganza at 11 a.m., Sat., April 23, at Blanchette Park, 1900 W Randolph Street in St. Charles. The event is free and open to the public. The Newsmagazine hunt will feature 14,000 Easter eggs. There Salesperson: will also be an inflatable slide, bounce Proof: house, and over 100 attendance prizes for all ages - including a bike, Walmart gift cards and more. Hotdogs and soda will be served. Individuals can also take part in the Easter egg decorating contest by bringing along their finest-decorated egg. For more information, call 936-1912 or visit www. StCharlesAssembly.org.

BENEFIT A benefit for 5-year-old Kera Thiele will be held from noon to 8 p.m. on Sat., April 30, at Parrot’s Restaurant & Sports Bar located at 2951 S. Old Hwy. 94. Kera suffered a brain injury from an auto accident that killed her mother, and she remains in Children’s Hospital recovering. The evening will include several bands, and many items to be raffled. The benefit is sponsored by the band Chemically Imbalanced and Parrot’s Restaurant & Bar, and 100 percent of the proceeds will benefit Kera. For more information, call 314-506-9996.

CPR/AED Training – Adult & Child plus CPR Training - Infant will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sat., April 16, at the St. Charles County Service Center Date of issue: located at 224 Mid Rivers Center in St. Client: Peters. This course trains lay responders to recognize and respond to Size: emergency situations and care for life-threatening respiColors: ratory or cardiac emergencies in adults, Pictures: children and infants. The cost is $59. Call 397-1074 or visit www.redcrossstl.org. Logos: ••• Copy: Standard First Aid with CPR/AED Training (Adult) will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thurs., April 21, at the St. Charles County Service Center, 224 Mid Rivers Center in St. Peters. This course trains lay responders to recognize and respond to emergency situations and care for life-threatening respiratory or cardiac emergencies in adults by providing care to help sustain life and minimize the consequences of injury or sudden illness until medical help arrives. The cost for this class is $60. To register, call 397-1074 or visit www.redcrossstl.org.

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the community from 9 a.m. to noon on Sat., April 30, at the St. Charles, Hazelwood and Wentzville 1st Financial branch offices. For more information, call 916-8300.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

A free showing of “Gnomeo and Juliet” will appear on the big screen at 8 p.m. on Sat., April 16, outside the technology building at St. Charles Community College. For more information, call 922-8469 or email asmith@stchas.edu. ••• Comedian David Dean will perform at 10:30 a.m. on Sun., April 17, at CrossHaven Church located in Prairie View Elementary School, 1550 Feise Road in O’Fallon. For more information, call 314-540-2005 or visit www.CrossHavenChurch.com. ••• The 2011 Modesty Fashion Show will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Fri., April 29, at the Willott Road Christian Academy Gymnasium, 1610 Willott Road in St. Peters. Admission is free. For more information, call 926-3595 or visit www. wrccca.org. ••• Saint Charles Riverfront Arts sixth Spring ArtWalk will be held from April 29 to May 1 along Historic Main Street in St. Charles. The ArtWalk will feature more than 30 juried artists from around the metro area, as well as musical entertainment and wine tasting opportunities. Proceeds from the event will benefit Saint Charles Riverfront Arts’ efforts to promote visual and

sPring oPen House sunday, April 17 10am - 5pm

STAR RECOGNITION

performing arts throughout the St. Charles community. For more information, email sandy@saintcharlesriverfrontarts.com, or visit www.saintcharlesriverfrontarts.com. ••• O’Fallon’s RSC Family Fun Fair will be held from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sat., April 30, at the Renaud Spirit Center, 2650 Tri Sports Circle. The public is invited to the free event which will include exercising, swimming from noon to 6:30 p.m., kids’ activities from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and raffles and giveaways. For more information, call 474-2732. ••• The fifth annual Baby Kid Expo will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sat., April 30, at the St. Charles Convention Center. The Missouri Children’s Identification and Program Protection (MoCHIP) will be providing free child ID Badges and a personal information CD. The free event will also include various entertainment acts and speakers that will be featured throughout the day plus over 100 exhibitors from local companies. For more information, call 1-866-654-EXPO or visit www.babykidexpo.com. ••• The fourth annual Uncorked – A Cause for the Paws will be held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sun., May 1, at Wine Country Gardens, 2711 S. Hwy 94 in Defiance. All proceeds from the event will benefit the St. Charles Humane Society, the only no-kill shelter in St. Charles County. For more information, or to purchase tickets,

352 Jungermann rd. st. Peters, Mo 63376

636-441-5048

www.DanielsFarmandgreenhouse.com

Tours • Expert Advice • Refreshments Prizes All DAy long!

$5 oFF Any Purchase over $50 Including Gift Certificates. Expires April 30, 2011.

Golf tournament to benefit disabled athletes The Disabled Athlete Sports Association (DASA) will hold its annual charity golf tournament on Monday, May 9, at Bear Creek Golf Course in Wentzville. Registration and lunch begins at noon, the tournament tees off at 1 pm. Registrations are still being accepted for golfers, sponsors and donations. Individual golfers and teams of four are encouraged to pre-register for the tournament. Individual registration is $125, team registration is $500. Tournament fees include 18 holes of play, golf cart, beer/soda, lunch, dinner, flight awards, and attendance prizes. Golfers can take advantage of other games and fun on the course, including hole gambling, $5 hugs, and swimming pool bull’s-eye, all for nominal donations. All proceeds will benefit DASA and the programs it hosts to support disabled athletes in the area. Tournament forms can be downloaded from www.dasasports.org. “Kids want to be able to do what other kids do. DASA is the only organization in the Greater St. Louis Area that provides kids with physical and visual disabilities opportunities to participate in organized sports,” said Kelly Behlmann, executive director. “Our motto is ‘We Can Do,’ we don’t allow our kids to say ‘can’t.’” Sponsorships and donations are still being accepted for the tournament. Sponsorships range from $100 (Hole Sponsor) to $3,000 (Platinum Sponsor). Donations for goodie bags, raffle prizes, and beverages are still needed. Items can be dropped off at the DASA office, 1236 Jungermann Road Suite A, St. Peters, or picked up at your location by calling 477-0716. Sponsor and donation forms can be downloaded from www.dasasports.org.

Ozenkoski’s Bakery

Baking Memories Since 1963

Home of the Best Gooey Butter Coffee Cake

••• Harrah’s High Steaks BBQ Bash will be held on Sat., June 11, on the Harrah’s Casino parking lot located at 777 Casino Center Drive in Maryland Heights. Amateurs and professionals will compete for high steaks payouts. For more information, or to register a team, call Frank Schmer at 256-6564. ••• Team registrations are now being accepted for the seventh annual St. Louis Home Fires BBQ Bash which will take place on Sat., Sept. 24 and Sun., Sept. 25 at the Town Center of Wildwood. Amateurs and professionals compete for prizes in several categories. For more information, call Frank Schmer at 256-6564.

HEALTH SEMINARS A Brain Injury Support Group will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Thurs., April 14 at SSM St. Joseph Health Center. For more information, call 314-423-6442. ••• Life After Breast Cancer will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tues., April 19 in the Community Education Room at SSM St. Joseph Hospital West in Lake Saint Louis. This free program will provide education and support for breast cancer survivors. A light dinner is provided. To RSVP, email janice_young@ssmhc.com or call 498-7923. ••• ICD Support Group will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Wed., April 20 at SSM St. Joseph Health Center. The group is open to individuals with an implantable cardioverterdefibrillator, also known as an ICD. To register, call 947-5682.

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call 314-497-7087 or visit www.stcharleshumanesociety.org. ••• American Cancer Society’s Winearoo Wine Tasting and Art Show will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thurs., May 12, at Dave Mungenast Lexus of St. Louis located at 13700 Manchester Road. Feature samplings of fine wines, art exhibits and jewelry vendors. Tickets are $20 each and can be purchased online at celebaroo. org or by calling 314-286-8157. ••• The Fort Zumwalt East Booster Club will have a Car Show/Family Fun Day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sat., May 14, in the parking lot at the high school located at 600 First Executive Drive in St. Peters. The event will include cars, music, bounce houses, food, face painting and raffles. The Booster Club raises money for teams and clubs at FZE and has since given back about $70,000. For more information, visit www.fzeboosters.com. ••• St. Louis County Greek Fest 2011, “A Taste Of Greece From This Side Of The Atlantic” will be held from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., May 27-30, at Assumption Greek Orthodox Church, 1755 Des Peres Road in Town & Country. Greek foods, live entertainment, church tours, activities for kids, a Greek market and more are featured. Visit www.stlgreekfest.com. ••• Summer Horseshoe Leagues are now being formed at Quail Ridge Park in Wentzville. Bring in a team or sign up to join a team. The summer league will be held on Wednesday evenings from May 4 to Aug. 17. For more information, call 441-7679.

I NEWS I 39

APRIL 13, 2011 MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE

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APRIL 13, 2011 MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE

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Newly Remodeled Health Center

Thursday, May 12th 6-9pm Dave Mungenast Lexus of St. Louis 13700 Manchester Road. Manchester, MO 63011

You are invited to attend Winearoo, a fundraiser for The American Cancer Society’s Celebaroo Gala that will feature samplings of fine wines, art exhibits, jewelry vendors, hors d’oeuvres, and live entertainment. Both art and wine will be available for purchase. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at www.celebaroo,org, 314.286.8157 or at the door day of the event.

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prime. Your guide to new homes I 41

APRIL 13, 2011 MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE

St. Louis is worth a Fortune Kevin Weaks

Get ready, folks. The real estate market is back and it’s time to buy again, declares Fortune magazine, which just released its list of the 10 best cities for homebuyers – and St. Louis is one of them. The average monthly rent in St. Louis is about 23 percent more than the average after-tax mortgage payment, which makes home-owning all the more attractive. Despite the fact that it now has among the most affordable homes in the nation, sales continue to slide here - down 12.7 per cent year-over-year in February. The median price of a home also fell 11.7 percent between 2006 and 2010. “A rash of foreclosures and a weak market are making buyers nervous, but as grim as these numbers sound, what they also show

is that many people are now renting (as always with depressed markets), so buying is low,” according to Fortune, which noted that commercial investors could potentially make a killing in areas like St. Louis by purchasing now and holding until conditions improve. Others in the top 10 include Memphis, Atlanta, Buffalo, Orlando, Rochester, Cleveland, Tampa-St. Petersburg, Jacksonville and – believe it or not – Las Vegas. There’s some concern that inflation will cause prices to begin rising. Historically, house prices tend to rise with inflation. On the other hand, last week’s release of the monthly Case-Shiller U.S. house price index shows a 3.1 percent year-over-year decline for January. The index of 20 big

U.S. cities fell to 140, just above its spring 2009 low in the wake of the financial meltdown. The good news, though, is that some industry watchers see a recovering economy boosting incomes, the downturn in the homebuilding industry trimming an oversupply of homes and homesites, and still-low interest rates making property more affordable than ever. Here’s what else is happening: Be sure to mark your calendar for Saturday, April 30, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. That’s when Thomas & Suit Homes will grand open a spectacular new display at their newest community, The Enclave at Sommers Pointe, just minutes from the intersections of Hwy. 40 and the Winghaven/DD exit. Prepare to be wowed by the Alberta ranch, with its wide-open floor plan, covered patio, luxurious master suite with roomsized walk-in closet, oversized three-car garage, convenient drop zone, 11’ ceilings in the great room, breakfast room, hearth room and kitchen, and much, much more. Best yet, you can make this display your own for just $329,000, and Thomas & Suit will finish the lower level absolutely free! Community Sales Manager Char Richards invites everyone to join in the festivities, enjoy barbecue, and be among the first to tour the amazing new home. Can’t wait? Then take a sneak preview this Saturday

and Sunday, from 11 a.m. – 5p.m. Homes at The Enclave at Sommers Pointe start in the $240s. For information and directions, visit www.tshomes.net or call 636-5612173. Greater Missouri Builders’ Townhomes at Queensbrooke in St. Peters just opened a month ago, and the neighborhood is already attracting lots of attention. With a great location off Harvester Road and Hwy. 94 and fabulous floor plans, this community looks like a winner right from the start. According to Kim DavisonWhalen, GMB’s residential sales and marketing director, “Sales have really taken off both here and at our Queensbrooke condos.” The townhomes boast two-car detached garages, spacious eat-in kitchens with center islands, and exteriors with brick and low-maintenance cement board siding. The standard Elizabeth model has two bedrooms and a dramatic loft. And if you’re looking for one of the hottest design trends – two master suites – GMB has a special version of the Elizabeth just for you. Want three bedrooms? Then the Victoria model is the answer. Plus, you can walk to restaurants, shopping and banks. How could life get any better? Stop in today and see for yourself why these townhomes are the talk of the town. For information, call 314-576-0404, or visit www.greatermissouribuilders.com.

42 I prime. Your guide to new homes

Cut Out The Middle Man SALE! “I’ve sent the sales staff home, so I can work directly with our home buyers & agents! Tell me what your family needs, and we will build it together!” Helmut Weber

Starting in the upper $150’s

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OPPORTUNITY

APRIL 13, 2011 MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE

Everyone loves a sale, and who wouldn’t love Helmut Weber Construction’s inventory sale at Falcon Crest? Act quickly, since the builder has three beautiful homes ready for move-in, all at an unbelievable $50,000 off! Just imagine living in Helmut Weber’s best-selling McKinley two-story, with a walkout lower level, archways, custom shower, and features two numerous to list, all for $191,500! Also available are two Sierra ranch models, both with a covered deck and an additional deck, as well as a walkout lower level. And one of these great homes backs to densely wooded common ground. These homes are priced at an unbelievable $199,900 and $203,900. That’s not to mention the O’Fallon neighborhood itself, nestled in a beautiful wooded ridge with plenty of common ground, a pavilion, playground, walking trails, horseshoes and shuffleboard court. Visit www.hwcstl.com for information and directions. There’s big news coming from Consort Homes, where the builder is marking its official entrée into Carlton Glen Estates, with the grand opening of four spectacular new display models on Saturday, April 16. Consort has purchased 300 homesites in the established Wentzville neighborhood on Hwy. Z directly south of Quail Ridge Park. The grand opening event will introduce home shoppers to two of Consort’s most successful design collections – the Heritage Series and the Hometown Series. A third product line is on the drawing boards and expected to be unveiled at Carlton Glen later this year. And if you haven’t already heard, Consort Homes is the only volume homebuilder in St. Louis qualified as 100 percent “green.” In addition, Community Sales Manager Sherry Conroy reports that customers purchasing during the pre-construction phase have been particularly impressed by the large homesites and the privacy afforded by the exceptionally designed development plan, and three stunning market homes are available for prompt move-in. Best yet, prices at Carlton Glen are grand opening priced from the $150’s to mid $200’s. For information, visit www.consort-homes.com or call 636327-4390. April 16 also is special day for Payne Family Homes, when the builder enters the Fenton area in a big way! That’s the day that sales open for Uthoff Valley, its much-anticipated community with majestic views, located in the AAA-rated Rockwood School District. Only 12 opportunities are available, so stop by Payne’s Ashton Woods in Eureka where you can see the fabulous Lifestyle II floor plans and reserve your Uthoff Valley homesite. But that’s not all the news at Payne Family Homes, where Vice President of Sales and Marketing Ed

Lott has been honored by the Home Builders Association’s Sales & Marketing Council with its prestigious Hugh Pettus Award for service for an unprecedented third consecutive year. Look for more great things from Payne Family Homes, which tripled its revenue in 2010 and is on track for another strong year. For information and directions on all of Payne’s soughtafter locations throughout St. Charles and St. Louis Counties, visit www.paynefamilyhomes.com. If you’re 62 plus and looking for an incredible lifestyle, then be sure to visit Woodbury Place, O’Fallon, MO’s newest senior community. Woodbury Place is only a short distance to great shopping, dining and entertainment. Built with comfort in mind, the spacious two-bedroom, two-bath apartment villas include a full kitchen with all modern appliances, single-level living, private entry and a stacked washer and dryer. The wonderful community center offers a fitness room, computer library with high-speed internet and grilling area with covered patio. The common area of the community center provides the opportunity for all residents to meet and mingle, and to participate in social gatherings. With all this, it’s no wonder that the apartments are going quickly! Call 636-240-9210 today to arrange your private tour. Woodbury Place is located at 228 Woodbury Place Circle, O’Fallon, MO 63366. Living at The Meadows of Wildwood by E-404 is as easy as 1, 2, 3 with its array of services for individuals 55 plus! So it’s no surprise that the community is half sold, with only 22 detached villa homes available. “We have wonderful homesites around the fishing lake, and a limited number backing to woods,” says E-404 President John Rooney. This amazing neighborhood of two- and three-bedroom villas in a premium Wildwood location circles a lake with 1,800 wooded acres and walking trails. That’s not to mention the incomparable services: bill pay; prescription assistance; lifestyle assistance, and health monitoring. The modest monthly association dues cover exterior maintenance, lawn care, snow removal, private street maintenance, free YMCA membership, use of the elegant clubhouse, selective meal service, personal emergency response system and trash collection. And there’s more! E-404 will break ground later this year on two independent living apartment buildings at The Meadows of Wildwood, both with one- and two-bedroom models, as well as underground parking. Amenities will include a beauty salon, theater and eateries, with available transportation and meal services. For information, visit www. meadowsofwildwood.com. Stop by today to beat the price increase!

APRIL 13, 2011 MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE

prime. Your guide to new homes I 43

V I L L A S

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A C T I V E

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228 Woodbury Place Circle O’Fallon, MO 63366 Monday - Friday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. · Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Sunday 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. or by appointment EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

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APRIL 13, 2011 MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE

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The Best Burgers in St. Charles County! The Home of the Triple Christy – As seen on Fox 2 Morning Show

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APRIL 13, 2011 MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE

NEWSMAGAZINENETWORK.COM

I 45

Erio’s Ristorante’s consistency keeps people coming back By SUZANNE CORBETT Mastering the art of Sicilian cooking begins with learning from an expert. Pete Pulizzi, owner of Erio’s Ristorante, first learned the art de cuisine from his mother. “Lasagna, the spaghetti sauce and fresh tomato, garlic and olive oil sauce (Marissa Sauce) is what my mom used to make,” said Pulizzi, who learned that the first rule to cooking good food is to start fresh and to use the best ingredients. “That’s why a simple sauce like Marissa is so good – it’s made with the best ingredients.” Cooking fresh with full-favored ingredients defines Erio’s’ cuisine, where the steaks are all-certified Angus, the fish is the freshest catch and the sauces are traditionally prepared. “We don’t skimp,” Pulizzi said. “The white sauce is made with 40-percent cream,

Erio’s Ristorante

951 Jungermann Road • St. Peters (636) 928-0112 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., Mon. – Thurs.; 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Fri. – Sat.; Closed Sun. Reservations recommended www.eriosristorante.com

the best Parmesan and is finished with real butter. A lot of other places don’t do that they use milk and thicken their white sauce with flour. … Believe me when you use the best of everything you can taste the difference.” That difference has made Erio’s a favorite St. Peter’s dining destination since it opened in 1991, featuring a menu of red and white pastas, traditional entrees, antipasti, salads, pizzas and desserts. The pastas are the menu headliner, including Capellini Alla Marissa – Pulizzi’s family recipe, featuring a fresh tomato and olive oil sauce – a true pleaser for tomato fans. Rigatoni Erio’s will satisfy heartier appetites with its blend of sliced Italian sausage, Roma and sun-dried tomatoes and red-chili flakes in a homemade marinara sauce. White sauce specialties include Cavatelli Con Broccoli and Tortellini Alla Tricia, tossed with peas, prosciutto ham and fresh garlic with meat-stuffed tortellini. Rigatoni Carbonara, enrobed with Erio’s white Parmesan cream sauce, is studded with crisp bacon and black olives. Erio’s specialties also extend well beyond pasta with a choice of 14 different entrees. Bistecca Alla Sicilian, a char-grilled 14-ounce strip steak, turned in seasoned

breadcrumbs and served with a tomato, olive oil and garlic dipping sauce, is a top pick for carnivores. Also on the menu are Italian signature dishes, such as Veal Scallopini, Petto Di Pollo Alla Marsala and Petto De Pollo Alla Parmigiana (Chicken Marsala and Chicken Parmesan). “We always have a fresh fish special – usually a Sicilian Seas Bass or Florida Grouper,” Pulizzi said. “During Lent, we’ve also had a Seafood Risotto. We also have steak and chop specials. Just call us and ask what are specials are for the day.” Erio’s is renowned for its pizza, which is made using the original recipe from its previous Florissant location. Prepared inhouse, dough is hand-tossed and topped to order. Pulizzi recommends the Erio’s Special, topped with sausage, bacon, pepperoni, onion, mushroom, green pepper and mozzarella. Pizza Di Palermo is an original Italian style pie with no tomato sauce. Instead, the dough is brushed with olive oil and minced garlic and topped with bacon, fresh tomatoes and mozzarella. “This is how we ate growing up and the recipes we used – all fresh and homemade, which gives us consistency,” said Pulizzi. Erio’s Ristorante owners Pete “And it’s that consistency that makes it the Pulizzi and Joan Pulizzi. best.”

D I N I N G

Great Food at Affordable Prices Appetizers - Burgers - Wraps Sandwiches -Wings Starting at $3.25

636.591.0010 Sunday Buffet 11-3 pm

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636-397-0615

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With purhcase of two beverages

Dine In Only

Vista Grande • 636-397-0615 St.Peters location only. With coupon only. Not Valid with other offres or discounts. Expires 4/30/11. MidRivers

FREE

Cheesebread or Toasted Ravioli With purchase of 14” or 16” Pizza

Vista Grande • 636-397-0615 St.Peters location only. With coupon only. Not Valid with other offres or discounts. Expires 4/30/11. MidRivers

Great Barbecue 2nd Saturday of Each Month May - October!

2.75

BrEAkfASt ALL DAY

Serving Monday - Saturday 9am-7pm • Bar Hours - Monday - Saturday 9am-1:30am

636-928-6690 • 14 Harvester Square • St. Charles 63303 (Directly Across from Shop & Save)

The Tom Arcobasso Tradition Continues

Enjoy

$5 OFF with $25 purchase

Excludes weekly specials, expires 5/15/11. Not valid w/other discounts, must present coupon.

Cardinal Games Here!

A Cut Above The Rest Family Owned & Operated Since 1972

lent

SPECialS

SteakS • PaSta • Seafood • Pizza

available!

& their famouS Salad dreSSing Recipient of the 2010 24 Carrot Gold Food Safety Excellence Award !

1057 Wolfrum at Hwy 94 • 636-300-4680 • www.tarcobassos.com

46 I

APRIL 13, 2011 MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE

NEWSMAGAZINENETWORK.COM

Lindenwood University to host Japanese Relief Festival Free event will showcase beauty of Japan

the devastation shown on television, they would help raise funds for the American Red Cross Japan Relief in a positive way: by celebrating the beauty of Japan’s culBy Mary Ann O’Toole Holley Nearly 6,000 miles away from her family ture. “We were very concerned about the in Tokyo, Michiko Nohara-LeClair watches with worry as her homeland continues students and their immediate families. to struggle in the aftermath of the recent They are so far away from home,” Nohara9.0-magnitude earthquake and destructive LeClair said. “I completely understand how lonely it can be when you’re so far tsunami. Planned electricity blackouts “roll” away from home, and when things like this through the country lasting about three happen, it makes you feel so helpless. This hours each in Tokyo and other cities to is why we wanted the students to know we help make up for the loss of power from care and that they are not alone.” From 5:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m., Friday, key nuclear plants ravaged during the catastrophe. About 1.9 million house- April 15, in the Spellman Center on the St. holds are without electricity entirely, but Charles Campus of Lindenwood Univermany people are without even more basic sity will host demonstrations of Japanese necessities, Nohara-LeClair said. At least cultural traditions, children’s activities and 1.4 million households have gone without entertainment by some of the most talented water since the quake struck, and food aid Japanese artists in the St. Louis metropolitan area. has been slow in reaching many areas. “The rare event is an opportunity for stuLindenwood University has about 30 Japanese students on campus, and when dents and visitors to immerse themselves destruction hit, Nohara-LeClair, other in the beauty of Japan,” said Noharafaculty, students and those from the Inter- LeClair, a professor of psychology and national Office and Campus Y wanted to event organizer. “Our students, faculty and resolve at least some of the helplessness many members of the community who are felt by Japanese students. So, they put participating are looking forward to shartheir heads together and decided with all ing their skills and talents in hopes of help-

ing those dealing with the aftermath of the recent events.” A special performance by the Tozan Ryu dance group, an annual participant at the Missouri Botanical Garden Japanese Festival, will kick off the evening with instructional demonstrations of Japanese folk dance, Bon Odori. The Gaku and Niji Japanese Choral Group will perform using traditional Japanese instruments with their sister group Niji, a group that sings a variety of different Japanese songs. Dr. Hiroshi Tada, a mechanical engineering professor at Wash-

ington University and an expert top spinner will also entertain. Tada is also a favorite at the annual Japan Festival at the Botanical Gardens. “We hope everyone who attends has a wonderful time and gains some knowledge about Japanese culture that they may not have had before,” Nohara-LeClair said. “We hope it not only raises awareness of the struggles of those affected by the earthquake and tsunami.” Admission is free. Lindenwood University is located at 1050 1st Capitol Dr. in St. Charles, about one-half mile north of I-70.

M I D R I V E R S H O M E PA G E S

Amazing Cabinet Finishes Let us transform your kitchen cabinets into a beautiful new look with our special painting process. It’s truly amazing and a fraction of the cost of new cabinets! 25 great colors!

Call America West Homes for a Free Estimate! 636.537.1776

10% off with this ad

Remodeling

MORE LIVING SPACE FOR LESS!

Your Hometown Choice for Kitchen & Bath Remodeling Father & Son Owner On Every Job!

Tim Gamma - B.S. Horticulture Board Certified Master Arborist Pruning • Fertilization Planting • SPraying trimming and removal

314-725-6159 gammas-sst.com Insured

Call Today For FREE Estimates

636-443-9540 636-734-2451

AdvAntAge PAinting & PowerwAshing Interior & Exterior Painting Mold Removal • Wallpaper Stripping Top Quality Work • FREE Estimates

6 3 6 . 2 62 . 51 24 InSuREd • MEnTIOn Ad & RECEIVE 10% OFF

Lawn & Mower Doc, LLC Early bird spring specials! *Free oil with mower tune-up! *Sell, buy, trade, new and used mowers. *Lawncare, free cut per season!

CALL NOW 636-978-0292

www.lawnandmowerdocllc.com

Top Gunn Deck & Fence Revival Top Gunn Home Improvements

WE DO IT ALL!

• Powerwash/Stain • Decks - Fences • Interior/Exterior Paint • Install/Repair Decks - Fences Concrete Work • Full Remodeling

Deckrevival@aol.com

636.466.3956 • 636.422.0788 CALL ABOUT “SWEEP SPECIALS” THROUGH MAY 30TH “Your Sweep for Life”

Established in 1979

CHIMNEY SERVICES Chimney Covers Brick Work Flue Relining Full Restoration Wet Wall Solution

636-391-2226

www.englishsweep.com

BERRY CONSTRUCTION

Lawn Cutting & Maintenance

STORM DAMAGE?

Landscapes, Fences & More L.L.C.

BerryConstructionStormRepair.com

Roofing • Siding • Gutters 24 Hour Emergency Service

Meeting All Your Storm Repair Needs With Value and Integrity-GUARANTEED

Call 314-599-3175

10% OFF A Full Year Service & FIRST CUT FREE!

(636) 294-0280 (314) 795-8219

Mark Grannemann

APRIL 13, 2011 MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE

NEWSMAGAZINENETWORK.COM

I 47

MIDRIVERS claSSIfIEDS Insurance

Entertainment

Assisted Care

Looking For In Home Care? Providing In Home Care for Seniors and the Disabled • Our ability to deliver services in customized packages-hourly, live-ins, couples care, both visits, sleepovers, and respite care • Call to see if your loved one qualifies for Veteran's Benefits

Corporate • Reunions Club Functions • Parties • Dances Big Band - 50’s - 60’s - Top 40

314-378-4173

Yes, we are bonded and insured Call Right At Home

636-379-9955 www.stcharles.rightathome.net

Senior Services Unlimited Top Quality Home Care Service since 1987

Our Not-For-Profit Agency can serve you at the most reasonable cost

Don't Overpay for Homecare! • RN • LPN • CNA • NA • Companion Care • Full time • Part time • Live-In • No Contract Required

636-441-4944

4123A Mexico Rd., St Peters seniorservicesunltd.com

Business Opp. LOVE WINE? Want to make it a career? Our Napa winery handcrafts affordable wine, and business is booming! Educate customers about our artisan wine through Wine 101 classes, wine tastings, and wine & food pairings. Part-time, in-home, direct sales. Abundant training offered. Check out my website for more information, www. corkandglass.com We are having an informational wine tasting on Sunday, April 17 at 1pm. Come and taste this exclusive wine, learn about hosting a party or starting a business. Call me for directions to the event! 314-359-0402

Carpet We Bring the Showroom to YOU!

Below Retail Pricing on Name Brand & Commercial Carpet, Laminate, Wood & Vinyl Flooring

Let us BEAT the Other Guys In Quality, Pricing and Service after the Sale!

Free Estimates

Serving the St.Louis Area Since 1992

A preferred home care choice since 1987. College degreed professionals provide care/ companionship. Why accept less? Competitively priced options. Care managers and clinical staff available. Bonded & insured. AAA screened. Call Gretchen at StaffLink (314) 477-3434. www.Stafflinkusa.com Call Ellen in Classifieds 636.591.0010 Email: classifieds@ newsmagazinenetwork.com

Computer Service

Painting, staining, distressing & refinishing. In-Home Furniture Repair services available. Free Estimates!

Drain Cleaning

STRaIGHT flUSH OPEN clOGGED DRaINS Starting at $70 call Mike (314) 971-5621

Call Ellen in Classifieds

636.591.0010

ERIC'S ELECTRIC: Service upgrades, fans, can lights, switches, outlets, basements, code violations fixed, we do it all. No job too small. Licensed, bonded, and insured. Competitively priced. Free Estimates. Ask about our monthly specials. Just call 636262-5840.

Help Wanted

Mature "Multi Task" Employee Needed 30+ Hours • Days Only

Apply at Chesterfield Valley Subway near Lowes

or Call Dan at (314) 795-8412

636-946-5204

acting/Modeling Opportunity.

NeXT issUe:

april 27

Ever thought of you or your child appearing in print ads, commercials, TV/films? Our Agency develops, markets & places people ages 3mos thru adults. Accepting applications for all sizes & heights. Beginners welcome!

Images agency

(since 1988). State Licensed.

Call ellen

Apply Online at Stlcastingcall.com

Classifieds

Home Improvement Kitchens, Baths, additions

314.965.1565

www.cullivour.com

Hauling

Toll free 1-888-STl-JUNK ( 8 8 8 - 7 8 5 - 5 8 6 5 ) o r 3 1 4 - 6 4 4 - 1 9 4 8 St. Charles Junk is your local bulk and container service company catering to the St. Charles and surrounding counties. We haul it all...basement and garage cleanouts, appliances, yard waste, construction debris, and NOW OFFERING CONTAINERS! For the best service and pricing call St. Charles Junk at 636-697-7825 www.stcjunk.com

Classifieds

636.591.0010

SCHMIDT INSURANCE AGENCY Landscaping Lawn care, mowing, fertilization, mulching, yard cleanup and bed maintenance. Commercial or residential. Call Paul for a free estimate at 314-378-3691.

LUIS GODINA

Lawn Mowing & Maintenance

SPRING CLEAN-UP! Trim Bushes • Mulch first cut fREE with one year agreement!

314-365-7524

Malone's Landscaping

COMPLETE HOME REMODEL & REPAIR

& Lawn Maintenance. Pressure Washing: Driveways, Homes, Decks, Boats. Commercial & Residential. Hauling & disposal of scrap, yard debris, worksites & more! Free estimates! (636) 465-1935

only $45 per inch

Plumbing

Call anytime: 314-409-5051 Wanted

Painting Services Karen's Painting

Looking for a job done right the first time? On time? Neat & organized? Someone who respects your home like her own? Interior & exterior painting. Free estimates. Discounts on empty properties. Call KAREN 636-352-0129

We Use Environmentally Friendly - NO VOC Paints

what a deal! Display ad includes: • 1 pt. border • Many typestyle options • Logo/art YOUR ad is created just for you + a proof at no charge!

Classifieds 636.591.0010 Email: classifieds@ newsmagazinenetwork.com

Hardscapes & Softscapes

HAPPY HANDYMAN SERVICE

Bruce & Son Landscaping

Display ad includes: • 1 pt. border • Many typestyle options • Logo/art YOUR ad is created just for you + a proof at no charge!

ANYTHING IN PLUMBING Good Prices! Basement bathrooms, small repairs & code violations repaired. Fast Service.

636-970-1099

"DON'T WORRY GET HAPPY"

636-541-9432

what a deal!

Thomure Plumbing LLC Quality, Full Service Commerical & Residential since 1980. New Installation & Repair. Reasonable Rates. Call Mike today for a FREE ESTIMATE. (636) 262-6489

www.cullivour.com

KITCHEN & BATH, PLUMBING, ELECTRICAL, CARPENTRY 24 HR EMERGENCY SERVICE COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL DISCOUNT FOR SENIOR CITIZENS AND VETERANS

only $45 per inch

Design/Install, Seeding, Grading, Topsoil, bob-cat work, Machine laid sod, brush hog mowing, power raking, retaining walls, bark mulch, brick patios, lawn aeration, drainage systems. Insured.

314.965.1565

Skips Hauling & Demolition!

Serving the Bi-State Area including St. Charles County. Appliances, furniture, debris, construction/ rubble, yard waste, excavating & demolition! 10, 15 and 20 cubic yard rolloff dumpsters. All type clean outs & hauling! Affordable, dependable and available! No conditions! 20 yrs. service.

Auto • Home • Life • Business

636.614.1786

April Special CHAIR REPAIR SERVICE STARTING AT $25

classifieds@newsmagazinenetwork.com

WOW! as low as $50 per cleaning

636-294-0814

Professional Repair & Restoration Services by Vintage Workshop

636.591.0010

Electrical Services

Call

Furniture Repair

deadline: Thursday, april 21

Cleaning

30 Years in Business!

We’ve lowered our rates more than 20% Receive a FREE GIFT with any new policy quote while supplies last! No obligation to buy • One per household

In Home Care & Assistance

Email: classifieds@ newsmagazinenetwork.com

I take pride in my work & will be grateful for the opportunity to do meticulous, thorough cleaning

Auto Insurance by FARMERS

Wanted To Buy. Baseball Cards, Sports Cards. Cardinals Souvenirs and Memorabilia Pre-1975 Only. Private Collector 314-3021785.

Wedding Services

Anytime... Anywhere... Marriage Ceremonies Renewal of Vows

Top of the Line Name Brands Only! Drywall Repair and Lead Abatement Contractor

FREE Estimates

636-230-0185

Baptisms Full Service Ministry Non-Denomination

(314) 703-7456