Mid Rivers Newsmagazine 3-22-23

Vol. 20 No. 6 • March 22, 2023 

midriversnewsmagazine.com 

2023 

CARDINALS 

PREVIEW 

PLUS: 2023 ELECTION PREVIEW ■ 

EDUCATION REPORT: SCHOOL BOARD BASICS

2 I 

March 22, 2023 

MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE 

@MIDRIVERSNEWS 

MIDRIVERSNEWSMAGAZINE.COM 

VOTE APRIL 4TH 

FRANCIS HOWELL 

SCHOOL BOARD 

JANE 

PUSZKAR 

VoteJanePuszkar.wordpress.com 

MARK 

PONDER 

VotePonder.com 

RON 

HARMON 

RonHarmonFHSB.com 

More focus on Reading, Writing, Math and Science: 

- Reverse tumbling test scores and return as Top 10 Missouri district 

- Support teachers and enforce discipline so that they can be effective 

Spend our $280M annual budget wisely and transparently: 

- Rein in runaway capital spending, like $79M overspend on FH North 

- Spend less on bureaucrats and more on pay for good teachers 

Stand against the radical agenda of the local NEA: 

- CRT, gender indoctrination and sexualization of children 

Support Parental Rights 

Paid for by Francis Howell Families, Vivian Gontarz, Treasurer 

FrancisHowellFamilies.org 

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STAR PARKER 

Silicon Valley Bank – More 

government, less reality 

President Ronald Reagan once said, 

“The nine most terrifying words in the 

English language are ‘I’m from the government, 

and I’m here to help.’” 

Shock waves are rippling through the 

country after the announcement of the 

second largest bank failure in the country’s 

history last week – Silicon Valley Bank 

(SVB). 

This just 15 years after the largest bank 

failure in the country’s history – Washington 

Mutual. 

Research shows that the great collapse in 

2008, one casualty of which was Washington 

Mutual, was one more example of the 

damage done by excessive government. 

Then, standards for issuing mortgages 

deteriorated as a result of pressure from 

government entities Fannie Mae, Freddie 

Mac and the Department of Housing and 

Urban Development on lenders to meet 

affordable housing goals. More and more 

substandard loans were issued, all taking 

place under the illusion of government 

protection, until the house of cards came 

down. 

After the total collapse, originating in 

government policy designed to allegedly 

make our lives better, the Dodd-Frank Act 

was passed, now with some 8,000 pages 

of regulations to supposedly strengthen 

America’s financial system. 

Time and again, a crisis caused by government 

is supposedly solved by creating 

even more government. 

So now, with the Dodd-Frank Act in 

place, passed under the pretense of “solving” 

the problems of instability in our 

financial system, here we are again. 

I make no claims as any kind of expert 

in finance. But reading through articles 

by those who are, the amazing story that 

emerges behind SVB is its violation of 

principles that any undergraduate student 

in business learns. That is, banks make a 

profit by lending, investing at higher rates 

of interest than they pay on deposits. 

So, managing interest rate risk is finance 

101. Yet mismanagement of risk – the bank 

ignoring huge problems they would have 

if interest rates increased – is what brought 

it down. 

How can it be that people who are allegedly 

smart do things that are incredibly 

stupid? 

I attribute it to a detachment from reality. 

Detachment from reality is a direct symptom 

of a lot of government and politicization 

of our lives. 

After the 2008 crisis, there were major 

government bailouts. This builds into the 

mentality of a culture that if you are big 

enough, government will not let you fail. 

And if you believe government will not 

let you fail, that government is your friend, 

you tend to do stupid, irresponsible things. 

On top of this, when government passes 

laws like Dodd-Frank, it builds an attitude 

in the culture that the problem has been 

solved. In this case, that the regulatory 

system was put in place under which banks 

won’t fail. 

As our culture becomes more deeply 

mired in a sense that our lives get better 

with more government and politics, 

more and more business people become 

detached from reality. 

In this case, over recent years, “woke” 

culture has become rooted more and more 

deeply in business, particularly high-tech 

companies, a major customer base of Silicon 

Valley Bank. 

Woke and ESG investment guidelines 

– environmental, social and governance – 

seems to have captured more attention at 

Silicon Valley Bank than the risk management 

essential to running their business. 

The proxy statement of the bank, writes 

Wall Street Journal columnist Andy Kessler, 

notes that the board is “45% women” 

and there is “1 Black ... 1 LGBTQ+ ... and 

2 Veterans.” 

Republican presidential candidate Vivek 

Ramaswamy notes that SVB announced in 

2022 committing $5 billion in “sustainable 

finance and carbon neutral operations to 

support a healthier planet.” 

Worth adding to the picture is that the 

interest rate increases that SVB did not 

anticipate resulted from the inflation generated 

by trillions of dollars of government 

spending during COVID. 

Now, fellow citizens, hold on to your 

wallets as our government bails out SVB, 

despite Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen 

saying it won’t happen. 

The only good news is it increases prospects 

for a Republican victory in 2024. 

• • • 

Star Parker is president of the Center for 

Urban Renewal and Education and host of 

the weekly television show “Cure America 

with Star Parker.” 

© 2023 Creators.com 

Read more on midriversnewsmagazine.com 



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6 I OPINION I 

EDITORIAL 

The time of our lives 

Baseball’s time is seamless and invisible, 

a bubble within which players move 

at exactly the same pace and rhythms as 

all their predecessors. This is the way the 

game was played in our youth and in our 

fathers’ youth, and even back then – back 

in the country days – there must have 

been the same feeling that time could be 

stopped. Since baseball time is measured 

only in outs, all you have to do is succeed 

utterly; keep hitting, keep the rally alive, 

and you have defeated time. You remain 

forever young. 

– Roger Angell 

This year, for the first time ever, there is 

a clock in Major League Baseball. 

They call it a pitch clock. 30 seconds 

between batters. 15 seconds between 

pitches with no runners on base, 20 seconds 

with runners on. Batters must be in 

the box within 8 seconds. 

All this to speed up the pace of play. 

Last season, games lasted just over three 

hours. The MLB hopes to shave that down 

to two and a half. Everything moves faster 

now. Everything must be measured. There 

are numbers to hit, contracts to keep, and 

a new generation of faster, faster, fasterpaced 

things. 

Nothing lasts forever, they say. 

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 



The one constant through all the years, 

Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled 

by like an army of steamrollers. It has 

been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and 

erased again. But baseball has marked the 

time. This field, this game; it’s a part of our 

past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once 

was good, and that could be again. Oh … 

people will come, Ray. People will most 

definitely come. 

– Terrence Mann, Field of Dreams 

Change is the other constant, of course. 

There is a designated hitter in the National 

League now. The sacrifice bunt is a thing 

of the past, much less the hit and run. The 

.300 hitter is rare as an albino whale. It’s 

exit velocity and launch angle, spin rate 

and fielding independent earned run averages. 

Measure, quantify, rinse, repeat. 

It breaks your heart. It is designed to 

break your heart. The game begins in the 

spring when everything else begins again, 

and it blossoms in the summer, filling the 

afternoons and evenings, and then as soon 

as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves 

you to face the fall alone. 

– A. Bartlett Giamatti 

On education and what is 

important 

To the Editor: 

What is important, indeed. Some 

thoughts. 

I look forward to following your very 

ambitious series on the education system. 

Schools are indeed the place for the 

foundation of any successful society. Dr. 

Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Intelligence 

plus character – that is the goal of true education.” 

So, happy trails on this journey. 

In addition, there are several items in 

your most recent editorial worthy of comment. 

I agree with your emphasis on discernment, 

identifying what is important. 

It has been said that “What is essential is 

invisible to the eye.” But there is much that 

is visible in determining where our nation 

is headed, where our schools are succeeding 

and sadly, sometimes failing. 

I do not agree that the latest presidential 

election met the “sniff test” in regards to 

“free and fair.” 

I am sorry, but one would have to be 

naïve to believe that Joe Biden really surpassed 

the vote total of Barack Obama, 

especially after running the majority of his 

campaign from his basement in Delaware. 

We may wait decades to get the real story 

of this election … if ever. 

As to education, I hope you focus on 

all aspects of the issue. I don’t agree that 

the “3 Rs” are not still essential to a quality 

education. Without this foundation, one 

cannot build higher. I do agree, however, 

that continued emphasis on advanced-level 

learning must be built into our curricula at 

all levels. 

Please also take into account that schools 

have become the place where we expect to 

get all things for all people. From breakfast 

to counseling, lunch to physical fitness, 

social justice and morality to athletic 

development, theater and music and art 

and … well, everything has been put on the 

plate of schools. What a huge task is faced 

by school boards, administrators, teachers, 

security officers and support staff to meet 

these needs, sometimes without the necessary 

tools and resources, and amid much 

criticism from many in the community. 

Speaking of community, schools private 

Baseball is the most romantic sport. It 

is written about by our novelists and poets. 

It is immortalized on tombstones. There is 

nothing romantic about a pitch clock. It is 

the baby crying from the nursery amid a 

stolen kiss on the sofa. It is a cold shower. 

There was a beauty here bigger than the 

hurtling beauty of basketball, a beauty 

refined from country pastures, a game of 

solitariness, of waiting, waiting for the 

pitcher to complete his gaze toward first 

base and throw his lightning, a game whose 

very taste, of spit and dust and grass and 

sweat and leather and sun, was America. 

– John Updike 

But the nature of baseball, like the nature 

of America, is to endure. It survived Astroturf 

and steroids, sign stealing and the Black 

Sox. A pitch clock can quicken the game, 

but it cannot destroy it. Baseball is timeless. 

In our sundown perambulations, of late, 

through the outer parts of Brooklyn, we 

have observed several parties of youngsters 

playing “base,” a certain game of 

ball … Let us go forth awhile, and get 

better air in our lungs. Let us leave our 

close rooms … the game of ball is glorious. 

– Walt Whitman 

and public need the support of the people 

who send their children to them. It goes 

without saying that parents must do their 

part, readying their children for school and 

being involved in the educational process. 

As a retired teacher and now substitute, I 

see and have seen the great, the good and 

the not-so-good of the education system. 

Best of luck with this very timely series. 

Tom Anselm 

Election-related Letters 

To our readers: 

The upcoming General Election has generated 

many letters from readers passionate 

about ballot issues. The paper’s policy 

on fairness is to run one letter in support 

of an issue and one letter as a rebuttal in 

print prior to the election. However, given 

that so many letters have been submitted, 

all election-related letters to the editor will 

be put online under the opinion tab of midriversnewsmagazine.com. 

We invite you to 

read them there. 

ON THE COVER: Nolan Arenado. 

(Kirsten Schmitt/NewsCom photo) 



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Please send 

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8 I NEWS I 

StudyMetix_March15_23.pdf March 22, 1 2023 3/15/23 1:31 PM 




C 

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CM 

MY 

CY 

CMY 

K 

St. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann with O’Fallon resident 

Irene Fee, who recently turned 105 years old. 

(Source: SCC/Facebook) 

NEWS 

BRIEFS 

O’FALLON 

Resident honored 

on 105th birthday 

On Monday, March 13, County Executive 

Steve Ehlmann presented a proclamation 

celebrating Irene H. Fee on the 

occasion of her 105th birthday and congratulating 

her on her many years of community 

involvement and service. 

Fee, who is a mother, grandmother, 

great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother 

as well as a friend to many in the 

community continues to inspire those 

around her. 

In 2019, she shared with Mid Rivers 

Newsmagazine some thoughts on her then 

101-year longevity. 

“Living in a time when we had good 

organic food but we didn’t know it. That 

was one good thing. We had our work to 

do and we had our pleasures so it was what 

I would call a well-rounded life,” Irene 

said. “It was during the Depression when 

there was very little money but everybody 

was in the same position pretty much and 

nobody ever thought about it. We just went 

ahead and did our thing and enjoyed life to 

the best of our ability.” 

She credits hard work with keeping 

her generation healthy and teaching them 

responsibility. She grew up on a farm in 

Oregon. In 2017, she moved to Missouri to 

be near her son. 

“It’s very different from Oregon but I’ve 

enjoyed it,” she said. “I like to see new 

places.” 

She said what she has loved most in her 

life is “the people that you meet.” 

“Your life would be nothing without 

people and it’s through them that you have 

enjoyment and you learn, too. Wherever 

you are, you’ll always find somebody 

interesting.” 

In 2019, she said it’s fun to think back on 

her long and happy life. 

“I rode a horse and buggy to church so 

I’m definitely from the horse and buggy 

to the jet age – well, to outer space and 

beyond.” 

Community garden 

plots available 

Holy Cross Lutheran Church located 

at 8945 Veterans Memorial Parkway, 

across from Zumwalt Park, has 10-foot 

by 12-foot garden plots available. The 

ground will have compost added and be 

ready for planting once the weather dries 

up. 

Residents interested in obtaining a plot 

are asked to contact David Schlesselman 

at (636) 578-1766 or by email at daschlesselman@gmail.com. 

Approved residents are responsible for 

weeding, watering and harvesting their 

own plants. 

ST. CHARLES COUNTY 

Last chance to register for 

Mission: Clean Stream 

Mission: Clean Stream is scheduled for 

Saturday, March 25. Those who would like 

to participate need to register this week. 

Mission Clean Stream involves volunteers 

from communities throughout St. 

Charles County, who gather along local 

lakes and streams to clean up the litter and 

make their community a better place. 

Cities that plan to participate include 

Cottleville, Dardenne Prairie, Lake Saint 

Louis, Saint Charles and Wentzville. The 

effort is a county-wide stream clean effort 

sponsored by Greenway Network Inc., the 

Missouri Department of Conservation and 

the Missouri Stream Team. 

Find the details of the location and time 

for the clean up in your area on your city’s 

website. Everyone is asked to dress for the 

weather, wear sturdy shoes or boots and 

bring gloves and a water bottle. 

Volunteers must register and have a 

signed waiver. Registration can be completed 

on the website of the city in which 

the volunteer wishes to participate. . 

In 2022, roughly 1,000 volunteers pulled 

11 tons of trash out of Dardenne, Peruque, 

Belleau, Spencer and Cole creeks in about 

two hours. 

All voters can vote early 

at satellite location 

Beginning with the April 4 General 

Municipal Election, the St. Charles 

County Election Authority will offer all 

St. Charles County voters the opportunity 

to vote early without an excuse at 

a satellite location specifically for this 

purpose. 

With the change in Missouri law that 

went into effect Aug. 28, 2022, voters now 

can absentee vote in person without giving 

a reason. 

The satellite voting site will be at Element 

Church, 100 Mall Parkway, Suite 

500 in Wentzville, site of the former Belz 

Mall between I-70 and I-64. It will be open 

weekdays 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Tuesday, March 

21-Friday, March 31. 

“The satellite voting site will accommodate 

the significant increase of voters 

choosing to vote during a two-week period 

prior to election day,” explained Director 

of Elections Kurt Bahr. “Voters must have 

a valid photo ID to receive a ballot just as 

they do on election day.” 

No excuse absentee voting will also be 

available at the St. Charles County Election 

Authority, 397 Turner Boulevard in St. 

Peters, from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., March 

21-March 31; from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 

Saturday, April 1; and from 8:30 a.m.-5 

p.m., Monday, April 3. 

April 3 is the last day for no excuse 

absentee voting for the April 4 election. 

Curbside voting for voters with mobility 

issues is available at the Election 

Authority office during absentee voting 

times. Curbside voting will not be available 

at the satellite voting site at Element 

Church. 

Those with questions should contact 

the Election Authority office at election@ 

sccmo.org or (636) 949-7550.





I NEWS I 9 

County looks toward 

interstate improvements 

At its March 13 meeting, the St. Charles 

County Council introduced Bill No. 5156, 

sponsored by council members Matt Swanson 

(District 1) and Joe Brazil (District 2) 

that would approve a supplemental agreement 

with the Missouri Highways and 

Transportation Commission and Missouri 

Governor’s Transportation Cost Share Program 

for conceptual design of improvements 

needed to reduce congestion at the 

interchange of I-64/I-70/U.S. Route 61. 

Roads and Traffic Manager Amanda 

Brauer explained in a memo to the council 

that the bill will reimburse the county for 

$1 million in transportation sales tax funds 

previously provided to MoDOT to complete 

conceptual design work for future 

improvements or reconstruction of I-64/I- 

70/U.S. 61 interchange. 

This work has been completed and 

MoDOT is moving forward with the project. 

As anticipated, the provided funding for 

the conceptual design did help to accelerate 

the project. The funds were to be credited 

for a future MoDOT Cost Share for construction 

of the project, but it was decided 

to refund the amount so that it can be used 

for other current St. Charles County needs. 

The bill is expected to receive a vote for 

passage at the next meeting on March 27. 

Animal regulations change 

Bill No. 5153 was passed on March 13 

by a vote of 7-0, approving amendments 

to Chapter 205 of St. Charles County Code 

for Animal Regulations. 

In November 2022, the council had 

passed an updated Chapter 205 for Animal 

Regulations, to ensure the Department of 

Public Health and its Division of Humane 

Services (DHS) were able to properly 

manage the community health and safety 

involving animals within the county. 

After working with the code, DHS subsequently 

had requested amendments in 

four areas. 

An amendment to Section 205.064, 

Prohibition on Animal Fight Training, to 

expand it to prohibit all animal fight training. 

In the original ordinance, only dog 

fight training was prohibited. 

An amendment to Section 205.064(b) 

(l)(e), to ensure that DHS does not 

unnecessarily take on quarantining of 

dogs which may be a health risk at the 

DHS kennel. 

An amendment to Section 205.142, clarifying 

further grounds for which the DHS 

director may declare a dog as dangerous. 

Minor amendments needed for correction 

of typos and to improve clarity of regulations. 

All four areas now are amended with the 

passage of Bill No. 5153. 

A Strong Leader for O’Fallon 

> Fiscal Responsibility 

> Improved Infrastructure 

> Economic Development 

> Public Safety 

• Small business owner 

• 20+ years in Accounting 

• Member of Gold Star Family 

• Civic Leader and Volunteer 

• St. Charles Leadership Council 

• St. Charles County Pachyderms 

• Federated Republican Women of 

St. Charles County 

• Cobblestone Homeowners Association 

• O’Fallon Reappointment Commission 

VOTE | APRIL 4 

PROUDLY ENDORSED BY 

Rep. Adam Schnelting 

Rep. Adam Schwadron 

St. Charles Realtors 

Tom Shaw Jr. 

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RagsdaleForOfallon 

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RagsdaleForOfallon@gmail.com 

Paid for by Ragsdale for O’Fallon – Kim Baker, Treasurer

10 I 



Candidates running for municipal seats in 

the April 4 Election were asked to answer 

the following questions: 1. What qualifies 

you for this office? 2. What are your priorities 

if elected? 3. What else would you like 

our readers to know about you before heading 

to the polls? The responses to questions 

nos. 1 and 2 are listed here. The responses 

to question no. 3 is online only at midriversnewsmagazine.com. 

Candidates are listed 

in ballot order. Incumbents have an asterisk 

after their name. 

ELECTION PREVIEW 

Meet the candidates in municipal and school board elections 

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS 

COTTLEVILLE • Board of Aldermen 

Ward 1 • Emilie Glyn Colombatto 

1. Simply choosing to run for alderman 

shows a bravery and commitment to my 

community that few exhibit. As home owner 

association president of my neighborhood, 

I worked toward and achieved several 

traffic calming measures for our high traffic, 

dangerous streets. I have an extensive 

background in volunteer work and community 

involvement. I have a great degree of 

hometown pride. My husband of 20 years 

and I have been raising our family in Cottleville 

since 2011 and love being a part of 

Cottleville. I believe local government is so 

important and look forward to the chance to 

serve my city as alderman. 

2. My top priority is to serve my community 

with integrity. It is very important 

to me to make decisions keeping in mind 

modern day relevance while maintaining 

the historical charm of one of the oldest 

cities in St. Charles County. I plan to be a 

voice for our city’s residents, keeping family 

and home in the forefront. 

Ward 1 • Pamela Alicia Gardner – Candidate 

did not reply by deadline. 

Ward 2 • Stephen Manoj Thompson* 

1. As an alderman since April 2021, I have 

promoted Cottleville for over a decade and 

am involved with helping businesses, events 

and fundraisers. My wife, Christina, and 

I live in the Miralago subdivision. Mayor 

Jim Hennessey proclaimed July 16 as Stephen 

Manoj Thompson Day in Cottleville. 

I serve on the St. Charles Community College 

Foundation and University of Missouri 

Extension boards. I am an active supporter 

of Cottleville Firefighter Outreach, an Alzheimer’s 

Association advocate and a Nine 

PBS community producer. As alderman 

my top accomplishment is improving city’s 

communication and public notices. But my 

most proud achievement is helping the city 

achieve Purple Heart City recognition! 

2. My priorities are: Improve city’s communication 

and public hearings. Build 

strong relationship with local businesses, 

neighboring cities, county and capitol. Help 

fix outdated city codes and encourage/incentivize 

city staff to watch out for uneconomical 

spendings. My natural priority as 

always will be to habitually listen to my 

fellow Cottleville residents, to make sure 

all ideas and opposing views are heard and 

included. United we can keep building a 

prosperous and safe Cottleville. 

Ward 2 • John Russell Gnau 

1. I believe I am a focused professional 

with strength in leadership, keeping an open 

mind without pressure from outside sources 

and evaluating all possible outcomes before 

making decisions. I have been a business 

owner of a multi-million-dollar HVAC 

company since 2008. My skills in communication, 

working collaboratively and critical 

thinking has made my business successful. I 

believe Cottleville needs a business owner’s 

perspective to retain its charm and sense of 

community while bringing in businesses that 

enhance and complement our community. 

2. Many Cottleville residents have expressed 

their concerns about the upcoming 

apartments and subdivision. My active listening 

skills, love for Cottleville, and objectivity 

will suit our community well. I would 

like to work with all the local businesses to 

keep them local and work together as a community 

to bring awareness to the needs of our 

residents; especially those in crisis. Thirdly, I 

want Cottleville to have the right people in 

place to keep our government honest and fair 

for all residents and businesses. 

DARDENNE PRAIRIE • Board of 

Aldermen 

Ward 1 • Kasey Reilly* – Candidate did 

not reply by deadline. 

Ward 1 • Laura Buelt Gittemeier 

1. I was previously elected as Dardenne 

Prairie, Ward 1 Alderman, where I served 

one term, from 2000 to 2002. I have a B.S. 

and M.B.A. from Fontbonne University. 

I am a licensed CPA and have experience 

working with budgets, financial statements 

and spreadsheet analysis. My extensive 

work history and education would enable 

me to make significant contributions while 

working as an Alderman for the city. 

2. My priorities are: Bring transparency 

and accountability to the board of aldermen. 

Actively engage with residents. While it was 

mentioned as a board meeting, fulfill the 

promise and bring residents and the board 

together to collaborate on Dardenne Prairie 

issues and developments. Elevate the board’s 

ethical standards, as well as focusing on making 

fiscally responsible decisions for the city. 

Ward 1 • Timothy Robert James – Candidate 


Ward 2 • Michael Taylor Costlow* 

Ward 3 • Keith Douglas Widaman 

LAKE SAINT LOUIS • Board of Aldermen 

Ward 1 • Jacalyn Louise Schauer* 

Ward 2 • Thomas Patrick Mispagel* 

Ward 3 • Christopher L. Hinkle* 

O’FALLON • City Council 

Ward 1• James Aaron Moran 

1. I currently manage inspection services 

of major pipeline projects in Illinois and 

Missouri, as well as work as a liaison between 

the union and contractors. I know 

how contracts and negations should be handled 

and the best questions to ask. 

2. My priorities are: Protect open spaces 

and parks. Preserve O’Fallon’s great heritage, 

traditions and celebrations while trying 

to lower taxes. Promote business-friendly 

policies to ensure future growth while 

maintaining and promoting transparency. 

Ward 1• Ronnie Eugene Epps Jr. 

1. I am a lifelong St. Charles County resident 

and have lived in O’Fallon for 20 years 

with my wife, Becky, and three kids, Jake, 

Sara and Charlie. My professional career has 

been in banking, small business lending and 

economic development. My dedication to 

the community is evident in the many volunteer 

positions I have held. Some of those 

include six years on the O’Fallon Planning 

and Zoning Commission. Board member 

for the Fort Zumwalt Education Foundation, 

former board member for O’Fallon Chamber 

of Commerce, league director of Upward 

Basketball and third grade Sunday School 

teacher at Calvary Church in St. Peters. 

2. My priorities are: Public safety – I 

will support the police and first responders 

by prioritizing those areas when voting on 

budgets and other safety related policies. I 

have been endorsed by the Missouri Fraternal 

Order of Police and St. Charles County 

Prosecuting Attorney Tim Lohmar. Infrastructure 

– Build on the plan to proactively 

improve our streets, water and sewer systems. 

Economic development – I will work 

with city staff to leverage our resources to 

attract and retain businesses of all types. In 

addition, I will focus on providing a clear 

line of communication and transparency between 

city hall and the residents. 

Ward 1• Kevin T. Wattelet 

1. My qualification are: O’Fallon Public 

Works committee member, 16 years; chairman 

for the last seven. O’Fallon Volunteer 

of the Year 2021. HomeField home owners 

association board member, 17 years; president 

for all but three of those years. Multiple 

special committee and volunteer focus group 

participation within the city of O’Fallon and 

surrounding civic and church organizations. 

2. My priorities are: Infrastructure – I will 

work tirelessly to ensure that our roads, water 

and sewer systems are the best they can 

be. Our roads are the cities most valuable 

asset and need proper funding to maintain. 

Fiscal responsibility – I firmly believe that 

you absolutely can not spend more money 



than you take in. Keeping budgets in check 

while giving full support to city departments 

is my goal. Economic development 

– It is critical to having the perfect mix of 

housing, retail, industrial and technology 

based opportunities too grow our citizens 

and business value. 

Ward 1• Arnie C. Dienoff 

1. I feel the deep calling to serve the 20,000 

ctizens of Ward 1 and not special interest or 

developers. I have been at all City Council 

meetings for the past 16 years, advocating 

and standing up for you! I bring a diverse, 

vast knowledge and keen skills that will be 

an immediate asset and I will be a vital team 

player as a councilman. I am community, civic-minded 

and talented; college educated in 

business administration/management; have 

worked or been appointed at the municipal, 

township, county and state levels of government; 

and have managed multi-million dollar 

organizations, saving taxpayer money. 

2. I will provide much needed leadership 

by making correct decisions, always; putting 

people first by advocating solely for O’Fallon 

residents and restoring honesty, council/administration 

trust to every resident. My priorities 

include balanced budgets, audits and no 

tax increases. As “watchdog,” I will identify 

all waste. I am in favor of community-based 

policing, DWI enforcement with “no tolerance,” 

a pay raise for patrol officers, needed 

economic development and annexation for 

growth. I will stop all corporate welfare and 

cutting taxes for special interest. One priority 

will be hiring a great staff and employees that 

work for the city and residents. I will work to 

stop all secret meetings and restore 5-minute 

public comments at all council meetings. 

Ward 2 • James Merritt McCoy 

1. Master’s degree in international business, 

bachelor’s degree in biochemistry, father of 

two, Christian, Conservative, endorsed by 

Nick Schroer, Mark Matthiesen, St. Charles 

County Republican Central Committee, and 

the Pachyderm Club. Fifteen years of clinical 

medical sales proctoring minimally invasive 

heart surgery to cardiac electrophysiologists. 

Twenty years in the St. Louis area and six 

years in O’Fallon as a homeowner. 

2. My priorities are roads/infrastructure 

improvement, fiscal responsibility and ensuring 

individual liberties for citizens of 

O’Fallon. Under my leadership, you will 

never see a mask mandate or any similar restriction 

on our citizenry. When the majority 

of the O’Fallon community votes for Conservatives, 

I knew it was time to run when the 

majority of council persons are Democrats. 

Ward 2• Lisa Marie Thompson* 

1. I am a current council member and have 

gained experiences in this role as well as my 

20-plus year business career that help me to 

See ELECTION PREVIEW, page 14





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O’Fallon prepares for road improvements season 

By JOHN TREMMEL 

At its March 9 meeting, the City Council 

approved two road projects and introduced 

bills for four others. 

Sommers Road 

By a vote of 9-0, the council passed Bill 

No. 7536 for the Sommers Road Widening 

and Improvements Project. A Ward 1 seat 

remains vacant until April 4. The project will 

widen Sommers Road to three lanes between 

Discovery Ridge Elementary School and 

Oakhurst Parkway, install a sidewalk where 

there currently is no sidewalk, install a 

pedestrian path on both sides of the road, and 

resurface the entire length of the road from 

Belmont Landing to Hwy. DD. 

The project will cost $1,876,692, with 

$1,501,354 from St. Charles County Transportation 

Improvements Sales Tax funds 

(Road Board), and $375,338 from O’Fallon. 

Those funds are included in the approved 

2023 city budget. 

Guthrie Road 

By a vote of 9-0, the council passed a resolution 

for the Guthrie Road Improvements 

Project. This includes reconstructing Guthrie 

Road from Flint Brook Drive to just north of 

Bluff Brook Drive including stormwater and 

pedestrian improvements. KCI Construction 

Company was chosen to do the work, as the 

lowest responsive bidder. 

This project will cost no more than 

$4,299,750. The St. Charles County Transportation 

Sales Tax will fund 80%, with 20% 

coming from the city. This was included in 

the city’s 5-year Capital Improvement Plan 

(CIP) and the 2023 budget but will need a 

mid-year budget adjustment for the final 

amount. 

Four new bills were given first readings. 

Votes for passage are expected on March 23. 

Eggering Drive/St. Matthew Avenue 

Bill No. 7540 would approve a Surface 

Transportation Block Grant Program 

Agreement with the Missouri Highways 

and Transportation Commission to fund a 

portion of the Eggering Drive/St. Matthew 

Avenue Reconstruction Phase 1 project at 

a reimbursement amount not to exceed 

$792,750. 

The project involves the reconstruction 

of Eggering Drive, from Sonderen Street 

to St. Matthew Avenue, including a full 

removal and replacement of the roadway 

through the project limits. The project 

also will address pedestrian improvements 

including repairs, reconstruction, and 

installation of new sidewalk from St. Matthew 

Avenue to Sonderen Street. 

Total project cost is estimated at $1,585,500. 

This agreement will provide $792,750 in federal 

funding (50% of estimated total) for all 

items eligible for federal reimbursement. 

This is the first step in preparing for the 

major project. The city will seek additional 

funding for this project from the St. Charles 

County Road Board to further reduce the 

City’s funding obligation. This project is 

included in the city’s five-year CIP, with 

funding being allocated in 2024-2026. 

Main Street 

Bill No. 7541 would approve the Main 

Street Phase 2 Improvement Project general 

plan and would authorize land acquisition. 

The improvements would include resurfacing 

of Main Street from Pitman Avenue to 

Terra Lane; a new 8-foot-wide multi-use 

path along the east side of the roadway; and 

a new 5-foot sidewalk along the west side of 

the roadway. 

The 2023 city budget includes funds for 

the acquisition of necessary land. The East- 

West Gateway Council of Governments’ 

Surface Transportation Program already 

agreed to provide as much as $1,423,393 to 

help support the overall project. 

Weldon Spring Road/Crusher Drive 

Bill No. 7542 would approve the Weldon 

Spring Road and Crusher Drive Intersection 

Improvement Project general plan and would 

authorize land acquisition. The improvements 

would include a new three-lane 39’ 

wide concrete pavement cross-section; a new 

roundabout intersection at Weldon Spring 

Road and Crusher Drive; and installation 

of a 10-foot-wide shared use path along the 

west side of the roadway to connect to the 

existing shared use path installed by the new 

apartment development between Technology 

and Crusher drives. 

The city’s 2023 budget includes funds for 

the acquisition of necessary land. East-West 

Gateway’s Congestion Mitigation and Air 

Quality Program already agreed to provide 

as much as $1,041,764 to support the overall 

project. For the remainder of project costs, 

the Road Board already agreed to provide 

80%, with the city providing 20%. 

Crestview Drive 

Bill No. 7543 would approve the Crestview 

Extension Improvements Project 

general plan and would authorize land acquisition. 

This project is considered complimentary 

to the newly constructed I-70 corridor 

project (Phase 1) and the I-70 South Outer 

Road Project-Woodlawn Avenue to Route K 

(Phase 2). 

The project will extend the two-way 

outer road system, starting at the Woodlawn 

Avenue overpass and extend west where 

it will connect into a proposed roundabout 

located on Veterans Memorial Parkway. 

The new roadway would provide motorists 

an alternate route to access the new I-70 

corridor and Route K intersection, bypassing 

multiple traffic signals. 

The city’s 2023 budget includes funds 

for the land acquisition. The St. Charles 

County Road Board has agreed to fund 

80% of the right-of-way costs, with the 

city funding 20%.





‘Leaders of Tomorrow’ celebrated at STEM Awards breakfast 

I NEWS I 13 

By DEANNE LEBLANC 

The 14th Annual St. Charles County 

STEM Awards Breakfast, hosted by the 

Economic Development Council (EDC) of 

St. Charles County, took place on March 

3 and recognized 19 local high school students 

who excel in STEM academics and/ 

or extracurricular activities. 

One student from every public and 

private high school in the county was 

recognized by Dr. Danielle Tormala, 

superintendent of the Wentzville School 

District and long-time member of the 

EDC’s STEM education committee. 

The honorees were Zain Bari, Francis 

Howell Central; Mary Kathleen Beckemeier, 

Duchesne High; Brayden Burthardt, 

Wentzville Holt; Gage Dudkowski, Wentzville 

North Point; Oyinloluwa Ganiyu, 

Wentzville Timberland; Adam Hodge, 

Francis Howell North; Georgia Kohr, St. 

Charles High; Ekagrah Kumar, Fort Zumwalt 

West; Kyle Marut, St. Dominic; Krish 

Mehta, St. Charles West; Alan Meyer, Fort 

Zumwalt North; Peyton Nguyen, Francis 

Howell; Jessica Ruffing, Orchard Farm; 

Anna Scott, Fort Zumwalt East; Varun 

Vasireddy, Fort Zumwalt South 

Josie Villard, Christian High; Manav 

Raja Vinotha, Wentzville Liberty; Amaya 

Volz, Lewis & Clark Career Center; and 

Matthew Zilz, Lutheran High. 

Leaders from Barnes Jewish Hospital, 

Boeing, Mastercard, and semiconductor 

manufacturer MEMC joined a panel discussion 

to summarize the many benefits of utilizing 

STEM in their everyday roles and how 

their decisions directly affect the local community. 

The industry experts also discussed 

STEM career opportunities and shared their 

collective wisdom with students. 

Shalonda Webb, workforce senior manager 

for Air Dominance at Boeing, encouraged 

the students to find a purpose, connect 

meaning to a career and stay grounded. 

“Bring your full self wherever you go. 

Ask for help and learn from your mistakes. 

Pursue your purpose. Be unapologetic. 

Rise and do that everyday,” Webb said. 

The panel’s theme of unity and connection 

was highlighted in each message, 

challenging the students to see how their 

individual achievements connect to our 

local communities. The students were 

encouraged to keep learning and excelling 

in college as they did in high school, and 

then come back to their roots to help the 

next generation of STEM leaders. 

Fort Zumwalt West High honoree Ekagrah 

Kumar said, “I’m very honored to 

receive this award and be recognized 

among some of the brightest minds in St. 

See STEM, page 47 

STEM Award recipients with Dr. Danielle Tormala, superintendent of the Wentzville School District (at left) and Scott Drachnik, CEO & 

president, Economic Development Council of St. Charles County (at right). 

(DeAnne LeBlanc photo) 

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ELECTION PREVIEW, from page 10 

be a strong leader. I bring common sense and 

a level head to the dais, and keep the will and 

rights of our citizens at the forefront when 

making decisions that impact all of us. I love 

O’Fallon and everything it has to offer. I 

moved here as a young adult and have raised 

my children here knowing that it is a safe, 

thriving, vibrant community. I want everyone 

to have the opportunity to have the same 

experience that I’ve had in living here, and I 

can best ensure that by being an active member 

of the city’s leadership team and making 

decisions that are best for everyone. 

2. Keeping O’Fallon safe by backing our 

police department and first responders and 

making sure they have all the resources 

they need. Staying on top of our streets and 

infrastructure upkeep, repair and improvement. 

Attracting and retaining businesses to 

the area. 

Ward 3 • Nathan Alan Bibb* 

Ward 4 • Jeffrey Wayne Kuehn* 

Ward 5 • Latonya Lanette Thomas 

1. My vocational experience of hospitality 

and human resources allows me to be 

diplomatic and levelheaded in decision 

making. I have the capability to connect 

people on a common ground level. I sit on 

the Community Council as a board member 

as well as the Board of Adjustments for 

the city of O’Fallon. I’ve completed the St. 

Charles Vision Leadership program where I 

learned first-hand the inner workings of St. 

Charles County. I am a mother to five young 

adults, whom I taught to work through personal 

challenges seen as limitations and rise 

above them. 

2. My top priorities are to unite and foster 

a trust relationship between the police, city 

council and residents in O’Fallon. Work on 

developing an operational check-up for our 

home owner associations, so residents have 

local advocacy. Support efforts that aid in 

helping our seniors and veterans have a better 

quality of life. 

Ward 5 • Linda Marie Ragsdale 

1. With a bachelor’s degree in accounting, 

I have worked as an accountant in both industry 

and CPA firms; ultimately, opening 

my own small business providing accounting 

services to businesses across the country. 

My professional experience will allow me 

to understand budgeting and demand fiscal 

responsibility with taxpayer money along 

with having a unique perspective of what it 

takes to run a business. 

2. My priorities are: Be fiscally responsible. 

I will be a devoted steward to residents 

tax dollars, making sure they are spent 

wisely while continuing to provide high 

level of service. Be a proponent of proactive 

economic development that adds value 

to our community and enhances the lives of 

our residents. I want to focus on business retention 

and protecting valuable commercial 

property that brings sales tax dollars. With 

the City Council’s strategic goal of developing 

the downtown area, it is important to 

have solid leadership. Preserve and improve 

our streets and roads. We have to have quality 

roads to sustain quality neighborhoods. 

Ward 5 • Ronald Keith Connell* 

1. I am the Ward 5 incumbent and have 

served five years as a Planning and Zoning 

commissioner. I have 15 years as a 

home owners association president. I am 

a former volunteer firefighter and EMT. I 

have an MBA from Drury University and a 

bachelor’s in business administration from 

Marshall University. I led the effort to raise 

pay for essential city employees to maintain 

a high level of service while being fiscally 

responsible. I supported renewing our 

road repair funds and have a 100% voting 

record on all items regarding our police. I 

am a 17-year resident of O’Fallon, married 

with six children, including one special 

needs daughter and triplet 23-year-old 

daughters. 

2. My priorities are: To maintain a healthy 

balance of residential, commercial and industrial 

property in the city to afford residents 

a variety of housing, shopping and job 

options, while being fiscally responsible to 

the city by maximizing sales tax revenue 

and creating jobs. The net effect is not to 

raise taxes. Provide for the safety of all our 

residents by supporting our police and fire 

departments and providing them the equipment 

and training they need to serve you. 

Improving our infrastructure, including 

roads, parks, recreational facilities and utilities 

so that all residents can enjoy a great 

quality of life. 

SAINT CHARLES • Mayor • Board of 

Aldermen 

Mayor • Daniel Joseph Borgmeyer* 

1. Started my marketing/advertising company 

in St. Charles in 1973; will celebrate 

50 years June 1. Grew the company into 

a nationally respected, industry leader doing 

business with clients in 38 states. Have 

been mayor of St. Charles for four years. 

Have generated over $2 billion in economic 

development, expanded the police force, 

reduced ambulance response time down to 

4 minutes, managed nine Black Live Matter 

protests, managed COVID-19 program, 

battled Ameren and the EPA over our contaminated 

drinking water and cut the administrative 

budget by over $250,000. 

2. My priorities are: To keep our city and 

neighborhoods safe by continuing to grow 

and improve our police and fire presence. 

To continue to battle Ameren and the EPA 

for their damage to our wellfield and get 

repaid for our expenses. To continue our 

aggressive economic development initiatives 

to bring more outside tax dollars to St. 

Charles to keep our taxes as low as possible. 

Mayor • Thomas Ray Besselman 

1. I’ve been a city councilman for the




ELECTION PREVIEW MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE I 15 

past 11.5 yrs. I started off asking the hard 

questions to get the best from Lindenwood 

Commons development for restraints in the 

city. From the height of the West Clay Extension 

to rental inspections of the homes 

turned into off campus housing. Voting no 

on the TIF for the development. As many 

of my ideas have brought forth a positive 

change as a vote on city council. There has 

been many that are exclusively handled by 

administration that I did not support. In an 

historical town, I have helped save historical 

structures and will continue. 

2. City services to the residents, which 

means the drinking water that hasn’t been 

on the administrations to do list for the 

last three engineering department heads 

and two mayors. I know this wasn’t 

looked at for the first three years of the 

mayor’s term, Why? Another priority is 

Convention Center dealings, who owns it 

and who receiving funds from this building? 

Finally, I will work to open up communications 

between council and staff 

and restraints. Not saying one thing and 

doing another. St. Charles is a charter city, 

which means a full time mayor. Along 

with that great honor comes great responsibility, 

which one shouldn’t abuse. 

Ward 1 • William Benoist Otto 

1. Hi, my name is Bill Otto! I have been 

your neighbor for 24 years here in St. 

Charles City. My wife, Kathy, and I have 

been married for 28 wonderful years and 

have raised our three sons and three daughters 

in our beautiful community. I am a 

proud Navy veteran, union member, and retired 

air traffic controller. I have previously 

served as a board member on the St. Charles 

City Board of Adjustment, state representative, 

Boy Scout leader, Bible school teacher 

and youth coach. 

2. My priorities are: Safety and security 

– I am very concerned about theft from our 

community, threats to our safety, and harm 

to our citizens. I will work to protect our 

property, prevent carjackings and shootings 

and work to ensure safety for all St. Charles 

residents. Property values – Our property 

values threatened as more single family 

homes are bought up by out-of-town investors 

and converted to rental properties as occurred 

in North St. Louis County. Drinking 

water – I am concerned about contamination 

in our drinking water that the city has 

known about for years. It is my priority to 

ensure clean drinking water for all of the 

city. 

Ward 1 • Christopher Thomas Kyle* 

1. As the current city council person, I 

have a deep understanding of the needs and 

concerns of our community, as well as the 

ability to represent my constituents’ interests 

effectively. I have strong communication 

skills to listen to and engage with members 

of the community. and an ability to 

work collaboratively with others to address 

complex issues facing the city. I am knowledgeable 

about our local government operations 

and have experience working with city 

officials in developing and implementing 

policies and initiatives that benefit my constituents. 

I have a strong sense of ethics and 

integrity and am committed to serving the 

community with dedication and honesty. 

2. My priorities are: Quality of life. To 

continue to improve the quality of life for 

all residents. Public safety. To continue to 

fight for Ward 1 and our city as a whole to 

create a safe and clean place to live, visit 

and grow. Growth and preservation. To continue 

to encourage and engage in the growth 

and rehabilitation of Ward 1 while protecting 

our history and historic character. 

Ward 2 • Andrea Catherine Ledbetter – 

Candidate did not reply by deadline. 

Ward 2 • Mark Allan Hollander 

1. I have been very active in our community 

for many, many years and have owned 

three businesses in St. Charles, as well. I 

am also a 35-year career commercial banker 

and am the executive director for Vision St. 

Charles County Leadership. As the co-owner 

of La Belle Vie/The Cafe at Frenchtown, 

my wife and I worked hard to develop our 

business in St. Charles City and want to see 

it continue to prosper and grow for other 

small businesses and all of our residents. 

2. My priorities are city drinking water, 

safe and protected neighborhoods, and continued 

measured growth and development 

of the city with a close eye on our history 

and heritage 

Ward 3 • Vincent Fitzgerald Ratchford* 

Ward 4 • Mary E. West* 

Mary 5 • Denise Michele Mitchell* 

ST. PETERS • Board of Aldermen 

Ward 1 • Joyce Ann Townsend* 

Ward 2 • Judith Ann Bateman* 

Ward 3 • David Wayne Kuppler* 

Ward 4 • Nicholas Trupiano* 

WELDON SPRING • Mayor • Board of 

Aldermen 

Mayor • Donald Dayton Licklider* 

Ward 1 • Thomas Joseph Yeager* 

1. I am currently the Ward 1 alderman. 

My wife and I have raised four children 

here. My experience includes being a small 

business owner, a volunteer at Sts. Joachim 

& Ann Food Pantry, and being an officer 

for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. I understand 

our community and will continue 

to work to keep Weldon Spring a premier 

city that is a safe place to live and enjoy life. 

Weldon Spring is our home. We have raised 

our family here. I have the time and energy 

to give back to the community that has been 

so good to us. 

2. I believe we can keep Weldon Spring a 

premier community. This can be done with 

managed growth, full transparency, fiscal responsibility 

and local control. I support the 

Weldon Spring Parks Master Plan that calls 

for more park amenities, shared use paths 

and safe cross walks. I fully support our law 

enforcement community in keeping Weldon 

Spring safe. This includes more visible policing, 

exploring the use of technology that aids 

officers, and helping home owner associations 

address speeding concerns. 

Ward 1 • Emily Jane Swift-Wise – Candidate 


Ward 2 • Janet Marie Kolb* 

Ward 3 • Gerald Newton Baker* 

WENTZVILLE • Board of Aldermen 

Ward 1 • Bryan David Harr – Candidate 


Ward 1 • Madalyn Susann Kurlandski – 


Ward 1 • John Joseph Suftko 

1. I have been a successful regional sales 

manager in a multi-state region for 20 years. 

Being available and responsive to clients 

has allowed me the opportunity to expand 

those relationships. 

2. My priorities are: Safe roads and infrastructure, 

controlled and smart growth, 

and honesty. 

Ward 2 • Shayne Bradley Singleton – 


Ward 2 • Robert Michael Hussey* 

1. In previous reelections, I was blessed to 

receive up to 82% of the vote. I have years 

of former city management experience and 

have a master’s degree in public policy. 

There are too many accomplishments to 

list than this article gives space for. Visit 

electhussey.com, under the platform tab to 

see promises kept – tax reductions, road improvements, 

etc. 

2. My priorities are: Reduce city property 

taxes. From 2014-2022 I led the charge to 

reduced your city property tax rates. It has 

dropped by 19% in that time. All while improving 

services. I will continue to push for 

that in the continuing years. Improve roads. 

We dedicated tens-of-millions to neighborhood 

concrete road replacements and other 

road projects. I’m pushing for more. Smart 

economic development. We have worked 

towards Wentzville having the lowest unemployment 

rate in the state and thousands 

of jobs have been created. I’ll continue to 

push for continued job growth. 

Ward 2 • Jeffrey Roy Ottenlips – Candidate 


Ward 2 • Jenna Marie Roberson 

1. I am the director of operations for my 

family business. I work with budgets, HR, 

and contracts on a regular basis as well. 

2. My priorities are: Responsible growth, 

public transportation and strengthening relationship 

with the Wentzville School District. 

Ward 3 • Daniel Paul Bohn – Candidate 


Ward 3 • Michael Keith Lovell* 

1. I’ve served as alderman for the last two 

years, and also serve on our parks and recreation 

advisory board. Prior to being elected, 

I attended meetings for 2-plus years, while 

providing research that the city used in their 

decision making. I also served on our city’s 

downtown committee, volunteer time with 

local organizations and committees, and 

serve on the board of directors for the historical 

society. I also volunteer time as chairman 

of my home owners association board. I look 

forward to representing Wentzville residents. 

I’m always ready to listen! 

2. My top priorities are: Proven leadership 

– I’ll vote “no” when needed, always keep 

you up-to-date, and make informed decisions. 

Hometown pride – we need to preserve our 

heritage, promote and support local businesses 

and events, and stay engaged with the 

community. Keep improving our parks, infrastructure 

and safety within our city. 

Ward 3 • Scott Allen Skopec – Candidate 


BOARDS OF EDUCATION 

Candidates running for seats on boards of 

education in the April 4 Election were asked 

to answer the following questions: 1. What 

qualifies you for this office? 2. What are 

your priorities if elected? 3. How involved 

should school districts be in decisions related 

to protecting students’ mental and physical 

health? What would you change? 4. How 

much should parents be allowed to influence 

what is being taught inside a classroom? The 

responses to questions nos. 2, 3 and 4 are 

listed here. The responses to question no. 1 

is online only at midriversnewsmagazine. 

com. Candidates are listed in ballot order. 

Incumbents have an asterisk after their name. 


Douglas John Ziegemeier* 

1. I have five main priorities as it relates to 

the Francis Howell School District: Keeping 

partisan politics out of the boardroom. 

Safety and security of our students and staff. 

Transparency and community engagement. 

Budget issues. Academic success. 

2. School districts have a legal mandate 

to provide a high-quality education to all 

children. Public schools are different than 

private schools, and we need to understand 

that difference. We have a wide spectrum 

of students, some with struggles, deficiencies, 

or special needs and others that are extremely 

high achievers. Because of this the 

student’s physical and mental health need 

to be taken into consideration. If a student’s 

physical or mental health is in jeopardy it 

will negatively impact that student’s ability 

to be successful. We have an obligation 

to those students because of mandates outlined 

by state and federal regulations. 

3. Parents have every right to know what 

is being taught in the classroom, and our 

school district should be extremely transparent 

in this capacity. There is no doubt that 

parents should have rights when it comes to 

schools’ involvement. They have the right 


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The Education 

Report — 

By LAURA SAGGAR 

School board basics 

The April 4 municipal elections are 

quickly approaching and with school 

boards facing hot button topics over the 

last few years, voters are becoming more 

divided on issues. Some say this particular 

election is more important than ever, 

but why and how much do voters really 

know about the role of a school board? For 

instance, how much power does a school 

board director have; and what are a director’s 

responsibilities? 

Here’s a look at school board basics. 

Non-Partisan 

When someone files to run for a school 

board seat, they do not declare a political 

party affiliation, explained Phyllis Barks, 

associate executive director for leadership 

development at the Missouri School Board 

Association (MSBA), a nonprofit resource 

for public school boards. 

“They are a nonpartisan election process,” 

Barks said. “Historically that has been 

intentional to not politicize the benefit of 

the seat. The focus is on student well-being 

and education.” 

Barks leads MSBA training sessions for 

new school board directors. In addition to 

board member training, MSBA provides 

comprehensive policy support, legal assistance 

and superintendent search guidance 

among other services. 

Responsibilities & Policies 

According to the MSBA, the basic 

responsibilities of board members are: 

• To establish the goals and vision of the 

district with input from the community, 

and evaluate the results. • To develop and 

approve rules and policies to help students 

succeed. • To hire, supervise and evaluate 

the superintendent, who is the only 

employee that reports to the board. • To 

approve the budget proposed by the superintendent 

that ensures funding supports 

district goals. • To share district information 

with local legislators and the community 

to secure resources for student success. 

Districts are governed by state laws and 

regulations through policies that are set by 

the school board. It is up to the superintendent 

and district administration to implement 

the policy as they see fit. According 

to Barks, the school board is a collective 

authority. 

“For it to cause action it requires a 

quorum of the board to make a decision,” 

Barks said. “Members are acting on 

behalf of the citizens who elected (them) 

to make decisions for the district. Governance 

leadership is the view of what’s 

best for all of our students to help direct 

the district; then we hire the people with 

the expertise to figure out how to get that 

work done.” 

She said it’s important for a board to 

monitor how they are doing in relation 

to the goals of their district, but without 

micromanaging school administrators, 

principals and teachers. 

“It’s hard to keep that big picture view 

of the entire district if you are engaged 

in the day-to-day operations,” Barks said. 

“If they’re not having the big picture view, 

who is?” 



I 17 

Heidi Sikma, vice president of St. 

Charles School District school board, said 

the job of a school board director is to help 

students grow emotionally, socially, intellectually 

and physically. Sikma, who has a 

master’s degree in psychology, is serving 

her first term as a board member and currently 

has three children in the district 

“We are advocating for student needs 

and at the same time to improve student 

achievement,” Sikma said. “We can’t just 

look at the academic needs. We are helping 

our students as a whole. Being approachable 

as a school board member so that they 

feel they can come to us and share thoughts 

and concerns that they have.” 

The school board is only responsible for 

hiring the district superintendent. It then 

trusts the superintendent to carry out the 

district’s vision, mission and goals. 

“Principals and teachers are in the buildings 

and classrooms,” Barks said. “Each of 

them play an important role in leadership 

in their particular focus. As we talk about 

staying in our lane, it helps us do our job 

more effectively if you’re focused on your 

own work.” 

Dr. Curtis Cain, superintendent of Rockwood 

and former superintendent of the 

Wentzville School District, said the job of 

a superintendent is much like the CEO of a 

See EDUCATION REPORT, page 32 

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CARDINALS PREVIEW 2023 



OVERVIEW 

How do you replace history? The 2022 

Cardinals rode an amazing second half 

surge – led by feel good final seasons from 

first ballot Hall of Famers Yadier Molina 

and Albert Pujols – to 93 wins and a division 

championship. The final homestand 

where Pujols and Molina were feted and 

festooned will live forever in the memory 

of Redbirds fans. 

Well, the memories will last forever. 

The feel-good part ended about the time 

shortstop Dansby Swanson signed with 

the Cubs. 

Truth is, the Cardinals didn’t do very 

much this offseason. They filled their biggest 

need with the best available option, 

signing catcher Willson Contreras. Then, 

the front office went to Ballpark Village 

and drank Budweiser. 

Truth is, in our opinion, the Cardinals 

were very, very smart to not do much this 

offseason. The market for shortstops, outfielders 

and starting pitchers was bloated 

and top heavy. Instead, the Redbirds enter 

2023 with a level of roster flexibility that 

they haven’t had in quite some time. Their 

three superstar infielders (Contreras, Paul 

Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado) have 

all been paid. Jack Flaherty either will or 

won’t earn a new contract. Miles Mikolas 

will probably earn a new contract, albeit a 

relatively modest one. The entire outfield 

is in a “prove it” situation. The prospect 

pool remains intact. 

They even have the feel-good part taken 

care of. This is Adam Wainwright’s final 

year. He will have the whole of the season 

to be feted and festooned just like Yadi and 

Albert were. 

How do you replace history? With more 

history. Man, it’s good to be a Cardinals 

fan. 

PROVE IT 

The entire projected starting outfield for 

the Cardinals has something to prove. Can 

they return to form (Tyler O’Neil)? Can 

they be more than pretty good (Dylan Carlson)? 

Can they break out (Jordan Walker 

and Lars Nootbar)? It is a great advantage 

to have four highly motivated potential 

stars for three spots, plus the DH position. 

Make no mistake about it, each one of 

those names is a potential star. O’Neill 

mashed 34 home runs in 2021, then battled 

injuries all last season. No word on 

whether those injuries 

were caused 

by the muscular 

left fielder lifting 

semi-trucks in his 

spare time, but 

Tyler revamped 

his offseason 

workout program 

in an effort to stay 

healthy this year. 

Carlson battled 

injuries last year 

as well. He also 

battled to find a 

(Lou Countryman photo) 

groove against 

right-handed pitchers. Dylan hit just .207 

and slugged a paltry .339 against righties 

last year, while teeing off on lefties. If he 

can merely return to his 2021 numbers 

against RHP (.243/.411), then Carlson 

becomes a superstar. 

The Cardinals haven’t had a prospect 

like Jordan Walker in quite some time. The 

20-year-old physical specimen enters 2023 

as one of the top five prospects in all of 

baseball. He is by no means a lock to make 

the opening day roster, but when he does 

join the big club he could lock up an outfield 

spot for the next 10 years. Walker hit 

.306 with 19 homers at AA Springfield last 

year. He sure looks ready to break out. 

Throw last year’s breakout performer 

Lars Nootbar into this mix as well. 

Advanced metrics love Nootbar. He gets on 

base. He hits for power. He is an adequate 

but not great outfielder. Nootbar is likely 

to make his biggest contribution at DH this 

year and will have to share time there with 

Nolan Gorman and Walker. If Noot(!) Can 

get 100 more at bats this year, he is also 

capable of turning into a star. 

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PROVEN 

It’s pretty hard to say anything new 

about Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado. 

These two are perfect Cardinals. 

They are champions. They do everything 

right, every day, every time. They are hardworking 

and humble. 

While it’s an impossible comparison to 

live up to, these two are the best pair of 

Cards corner infielders since Scott Rolen 

and Albert Pujols. Arenado just played 

in his 10th season and showed signs not 

of decline, but improvement. He struck 

out fewer times than he ever has in a full 

season, while still depositing 30 balls into 

the cheap seats. 

Now, he did post the third worst fielding 

percentage of his career. Of course, that 

was still good enough to earn him his 10th 

Gold Glove. 

In regards to Goldschmidt, we can say, 

well, the exact same things. Goldy posted 

the second highest OPS of his career last 

year. He did not win a Gold Glove, but he 

did take home the National League MVP 

so we can probably let that slide. 

The new guy, Willson Contreras, is 

another pro’s pro. The trouble Contreras 

will have is that he is replacing the ultimate 

pro’s pro in Yadier Molina. While 

this will not be easy, Redbird fans need 

to wipe their memory clean of Yadi and 

give Contreras a fair shot to win the hearts 

and minds of Cardinal Nation. We know 

for sure that Contreras will hit better and 

catch worse than Molina. Those are givens. 

Contreras boasts significant offensive pop 

from the catcher position, which is a nice 

luxury. 

Here is what else we know: Contreras 

is not the “pitcher whisperer” that Molina 

was. To be clear, no other catcher in the 

world is either. Molina was a special presence 

to the pitching staffs he worked with, 

and that can never be replaced. Defensively, 

Contreras is average. He is working 

with a veteran pitching staff and a proven 

coaching staff. The lack of Molina’s magical 

powers will definitely be noticed this 

season, but it will not be debilitating. 

THE PROFS 

The biggest change to the Cardinals 

on field product may come from off the 

field. In his second year, manager Oliver 

Marmol has made significant changes to 

his staff. 

Gone is pitching coach Mike Maddux. 

He is replaced by relative newcomer Dusty 

Blake, who joined the club in 2021 as a 

pitching strategist. 

Also gone is hitting coach Jeff Albert, 

to be replaced by Turner Ward. Ward is a 

longtime MLB hitting coach, having previously 

held the position with Cincinnati, 

Los Angeles and Arizona. 

Redbird Nation was very excited to welcome 

Matt Holliday as bench coach, but 

then he abruptly resigned to spend time 

with his family. The team quickly pivoted 

to another former player, Joe McEwing, to 

fill the role. 

It is difficult to predict what impact these 

new coaches will have in 2023 except to 

say this: Marmol showed a steady hand 

in his first year as manager. Presumably, 

these are his choices and very much his 

staff now. Oli has earned our faith in these 

choices, but heavy is the head that wears 

the StL logo. 

Here is the reality of the Cardinals heading 

into the 2023 season. In the last three 

full seasons, the team has won 93, 90 and 

91 games. The consistency is laudable, but 

also extends into disappointing October 

finishes. It is entirely reasonable to predict 

the 2023 club will have at least the same 

success, but due to the roster flexibility 

inherent in their plan, they also have the 

ability to add the key pieces to make a 

deeper playoff run. 

It should be a very fun 2023. 

ROSTER PREDICTIONS 

Starting Pitchers 

•Adam Wainwright 

•Miles Mikolas 

•Jack Flaherty 

•Steven Matz 

•Jordan Montgomery 

Bullpen 

•Ryan Helsley 

•Giovanny Gallegos 

•Jordan Hicks 

•Dakota Hudson 

•Andre Pallante 

•Zack Thompson 

•Genesis Cabrera 

•Connor Thomas 

Starting Infield 

•Willson Conåtreras, C 

•Paul Goldschmidt, 1B 

•Brendan Donovan, 2B 

•Nolan Arenado, 3B 

•Tommy Edman, SS 

Starting Outfield 

•Tyler O’Neill, LF 

•Dylan Carlson, CF 

•Jordan Walker, RF 

Designated Hitter 

•Lars Nootbar 

Bench 

•Andrew Knizner 

•Paul DeJong 

•Juan Yepez 

•Nolan Gorman 

MARCH 22, 2023 

CARDINALS PREVIEW 2023 19 


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NEW ERA Contreras settles in behind plate 


By WARREN MAYES 

Willson Contreras knows he has big 

cleats to fill. 

For the first time in nearly two decades, 

there will be a new catcher hunkering down 

behind home plate for the St. Louis Cardinals. 

The position has been masterfully 

manned by fan favorite Yadier Molina, 

who retired in November. 

In the offseason, free agent Contreras 

signed a five-year contract with the Cardinals. 

The contract is worth a guaranteed 

$87.5 million. 

Contreras, 30, received a no-trade clause 

in the deal. He is the highest paid freeagent 

player ever signed by the Cardinals 

who was not previously with the team. 

Contreras describes himself as “a 

winner.” 

“I came here to help this team any way to 

win games,” he said in a press conference 

announcing his signing. “This organization 

is built to win and its record shows that. 

I’m excited for what my next chapter is.” 

So are the Cardinals. 

President of Baseball Operations John 

Mozeliak said Contreras fills a big need for 

St. Louis. 

“Willson is a proven All-Star performer 

who is driven to win each and every day,” 

Mozeliak said. “The Cardinals have had a 

lengthy history of standout catchers, and 

we feel that Willson is someone who is 

capable of adding his name to that distinguished 

list in the years to come.” 

Contreras played his first seven big 

league seasons, and four postseasons (30 

games) with the Chicago Cubs. He has 

appeared in 734 games, batting .256 with 

117 home runs, 365 RBI and an on-base 

percentage of .349, ranking third among 

all primary catchers in on-base percentage 

since arriving in the Major Leagues in 

2016. Defensively, he ranks second among 

all active Major League catchers with 25 

pickoffs and has the most since 2016. 

A native of Puerto Caballo, Venezuela, 

Contreras helped win a World Series in 

2016. He was named as the starting catcher 

for the National League All-Star team in 

2018, 2019 and 2022. 

He joins the Cardinals coming off of a 

solid season in which he belted 22 home 

runs and drove in 55 runs. 

“First things first: No one could ever 

replace Yadier Molina. We all know that,” 

Contreras said. “It’s impossible. Actually, 

if there’s some word that means even more 

than the word impossible … that’s what it 

is. Yadier Molina is a legend.” 

Cardinals Nation agrees. 

Molina spent 19 seasons in the majors, 

all with the Cardinals. He was a 10-time 

All-Star, nine-time Gold Glove winner. He 

helped lead the Cardinals to win two World 

Series championships. He’ll garner plenty 

of Hall of Fame support once eligible. 

“I made the best decision. I know I came 

here to succeed Yadier Molina, the greatest 

catcher of the last two decades,” Contreras 

said. “And, for me, it’s an honor to be wearing 

this uniform and be behind the plate. 

He’s not someone you ever replace, and 

I’m definitely not looking to do that. But I 

do want to say that one of the biggest reasons 

why I’m so excited to be joining the St. 

Louis Cardinals is because it is going to be a 

huge honor to try to carry on the tradition of 

excellence that Yadi established during his 

19-year career in the big leagues.” 

General Manager Mike Girsch said, 

“Replacing Yadi is sort of unfair to ask of 

anyone, both on the field and off and in 

our community and in the lore of Cardinals 

baseball,” Girsch said. “Part of what 

we were trying to figure out is not just who 

Willson Contreras 

could perform the best but who had the 

right attitude, the right approach to step 

into those shoes.” 

Contreras is the one to fill those shoes. 

He represents an upgrade over Molina’s 

recent production at the plate. Molina hit 

.214 in his final season with St. Louis. Last 

season, Contreras hit .243. He has averaged 

.241 at the plate in the past three seasons. 

“I try to be as perfect as I can because 

I know a lot of players are looking up to 

me, or anyone on the team that is in the 

big leagues,” Contreras said. “Even though 

perfection doesn’t exist, I try to do my best 

job on the field and pass on the experience 

that I have so far.” 

He went early to Jupiter, Florida, before 

spring training began to work with the 

pitching staff. 

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“It’s really important for me to get to 

know the guys, get to know what they like 

to do, what they’re working on,” Contreras 

said. “What we need to get better at and 

create that relationship that is going to lead 

us to have a good year.” 

Veteran Adam Wainwright made baseball 

history last season with Molina for having 

the most starts as batterymates. The two 

cornerstones of the Cardinals set the major 

league baseball record for their 328 starts 

as a battery. The two passed Detroit Tigers 

greats Mickey Lolich and Bill Freehan to 

eclipse a batterymates mark that had stood 

for 47 years. 

Now, Wainwright is ready to throw to 

someone else. 

“I’m excited Contreras is a Cardinal,” the 

42-year-old hurler said. “I’m looking forward 

to playing catch with Willy this year.” 

Contreras knows most of the Cardinals 

pitching staff, of course, from hitting 

against them when he was with the Cubs. 

The three-time All-Star took 297 at-bats 

against Cardinals pitchers over his career, 

which is second behind the Brewers for the 

most he’s had against a single opponent in 

his career. In those opportunities, Contreras 

batted .249 with an .809 OPS and 15 

home runs. 

“One thing is facing them and one thing 

is catching them,” Contreras said. “For me, 

it’s about details. What little details they 

like because every pitcher is different and 

every pitcher has little details that they like 

to see from a catcher.” 

Contreras opted not to play for Team 

Venezuela during this spring’s World Baseball 

Classic. He felt it was more important 

to work with his new team. 

“For me, it was not an easy decision,” Contreras 

said. “But I know my responsibilities. 

I know the dream of every baseball player is 

to play in the World Baseball Classic, but we 

all know that the situation with my ankle was 

something that I finished last year with, and I 

don’t want to risk my body in something that 

won’t help the (Cardinals) at all.” (In September, 

Contreras was moved to the injured 

list with a left ankle sprain.) 

Contreras believes the Cardinals will be 

a playoff team again in 2023. 

“This is a (Cardinals) team that’s built to 

win,” he said. The team had three players 

in Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado and 

Ryan Helsley on the NL All-Star roster 

with him in 2022. “They’re built to win 

now, and they’re built to win in the future, 

too. It’s a team that’s consistent and this 

roster is filled with amazing players – 

Arenado, Goldschmidt, (Tommy) Edman, 

(Nolan) Gorman, all those pitchers. 

“I could go on and on. It’s just super 

exciting to me. I can’t wait to get to spend 

time and get to know them and start working 

toward a world championship.” 

Jack Flaherty: Happy and ready to pitch 

All eyes will be on Jack Flaherty this 

season. 

The 27-year-old Flaherty is seeking a 

fresh start after battling injuries in 2021 

and 2022. Can the right-hander regain 

what he showed in 2019 when he finished 

fourth in the Cy Young voting? 

The pandemic season of 

2020 produced little. In 2021, 

a left oblique injury and then 

a shoulder strain sidelined 

him after a promising start 

to the season. Flaherty was 

limited to 36 innings with the 

Cardinals last season after he 

experienced a slight tear in 

his right shoulder found in spring training. 

Over those three seasons, Flaherty 

pitched only 154 2/3 innings with a 

3.90 ERA. He had nine starts in 2020; 

COVID sidelined him for four weeks in 

the truncated season. He made just 15 

starts in 2021 because of injuries. He 

had only eight starts last summer after 

spending two long stints on the Injured 

List. 

However, Flaherty believes he will 

rebound in 2023. He’s also in the last 

year of his contract and will be a free 

agent after the season. 

“You have to be confident in who you 

are and what you can do,” Flaherty said. 

“The second you start looking around 

and being worried about what somebody 

else is doing, you can put yourself 

in a bad spot.” 

John Mozeliak, president 

of baseball operations, 

believes Flaherty will not put 

himself in a bad spot. 

“My confidence in Jack is 

at an all-time high,” Mozeliak 

said. “He’s had a really 

Jack Flaherty 

good offseason. His preparation 

has been very strategic and he’s in 

a good spot. I think he understands the 

importance of this year.” 

In 2019, he went 11-8 but was impressive 

in the second half of that season. 

After the All-Star break, his ERA was 

0.91. He was 4-3 in the shortened 2020 

campaign. He was 9-2 in 2021. This 

year, he’s happy and ready to pitch. 

“Physically, mentally, it’s like, OK, 

yeah, this is going to be fun,” Flaherty 

said. “I just enjoy things a lot more.” 

– Warren Mayes 

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MVP Paul Goldschmidt looking to repeat stellar career year 



St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul 

Goldschmidt enjoyed his finest season in 

the major leagues in 2022 and is looking to 

make 2023 just as productive. 

At long last, Goldschmidt captured his 

first National League MVP Award. He 

twice (2013 and 2015) was a runner-up and 

a top-six finisher five times for the prestigious 

award. 

“I’m always driven,” Goldschmidt said. 

“You know what you have to do and you 

always want to do your best. I always prepare 

for next year and to get better.” 

He had a career year in 2022 that was 

capped by being named the MVP. Don’t 

think that thought will go to his head. 

“It hasn’t changed me,” Goldschmidt 

said. “It was awesome. It was amazing. 

I’m thankful for it. If I hadn’t of won, it’s 

not like my life would have been a disappointment. 

It was great. It was a great year.” 

He is the 18th MVP the Cardinals have 

had in their storied history. Goldschmidt 

is the first Cardinal to win the award since 

Albert Pujols won it back-to-back in 2008 

and 2009. 

“Two things keep coming to mind, “ 

Goldschmidt said. “... if you try to get 

better every day, over a long period of time, 

amazing things can happen, things no one 

else thought possible. Winning the MVP is 

beyond my wildest dreams. 

“The second thing that keeps coming to 

mind is how much God has blessed me and 

surrounded me by such amazing people. 

For me, it starts with my family, my parents, 

my wife, her family, a lot of people 

in this room. I have coaches going back to 

Little League who probably don’t know 

what effect they’ve 

had on me. 

“The coolest thing 

about this award is all 

the text messages and 

calls I got, I was able 

to text them back and 

say you don’t know 

the impact you had on 

my career. It wouldn’t 

have been possible 

without you. People 

have done great things for me, and hopefully 

we can do that for other people.” 

Goldschmidt, 35, made a serious run at 

the NL Triple Crown last year. He led the 

NL with a .578 slugging percentage and 

a .981 OPS. He finished in the top five in 

most of the significant offensive categories, 

Paul Goldschmidt 


with 35 home runs, 115 runs batted in and 

a .317 batting average. 

The statistics showed he played well. 

What they don’t show is how much he 

enjoyed himself. 

“It was probably the most fun year I had 

as well,” Goldschmidt said. “Those are 

two different things – your best year and 

your most fun. For those to line up is very 

special. Hopefully, there’s an even better 

year, more fun year, and definitely a more 

fun ending. That’s the goal.” 

The MVP honor capped off a big year 

of awards for Goldschmidt. He also was 

the winner of the NL’s Hank Aaron, Silver 

Slugger, MLBPA’s Most Outstanding 

Player and the MLB Retired Players Association’s 

Heart & Hustle awards. 

“2022 was a special year for a lot of 

players,” said Cardinals pitcher Jack Flaherty. 

“Albert chasing 700, the year Nolan 

(Arenado) put together, the year the team 

had, but Goldy was the standout. He led us 

from the start, and we wouldn’t have been 

in the position we were in if not for him. 

He also should have won the Gold Glove at 

first base. It was special. The MVP is what 

everybody wanted, but this one shows 

players absolutely agreed that he was the 

best player in the National League for the 

entire year. It was nothing short of phenomenal.” 

Veteran pitcher Adam Wainwright agreed 

that Goldschmidt is an example for others 

to emulate. 

See GOLDSCHMIDT, page 30 

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- Support teachers and enforce discipline so that they can be effective 

Spend our $280M annual budget wisely and transparently: 

- Rein in runaway capital spending, like $79M overspend on FH North 

- Spend less on bureaucrats and more on pay for good teachers 

St. Louis 

2023 Regular S 

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- Ensure a partnership is established between the parents, teachers, 

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Cardinals 

eason Schedule 


BOARD OF EDUCATION 

2023 PRIORITIES ABOUT RON HARMON 

Fiscal Responsibility 

• Reign in the bad money management 

• Better determine needs versus wants 

• Be transparent about costs, project 

changes, and decisions 

Academic Excellence 

• Clearly establish academic goals and 

curriculum needs to meet defined goals 

• Ensure the focus of education remains 

on the basics – reading, writing, math, 

and history 

Remove Politics from 

the Classroom 

• Our schools must focus on increasing 

our students’ knowledge base and 

skills in order to effectively compete 

in this world 

ronharmonfhsb@gmail.com | 

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Veteran right-hander Adam Wainwright 

has pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals 

since 2005. “This is it. I’ll just say it,” 

Wainwright said. “This is it. 

“It’s been a good run. Let’s finish it on a 

high note. I just think it was meant to be 

for me to come back for one more year. 

Looking back on it now, it just seemed like 

everything that happened led me to coming 

back one more year.” 

Over his 17-year career with the Cardinals, 

Wainwright has fashioned a 195-117 

record with a 3.38 ERA. He has a 2,147 to 

695 strikeout to walk ratio. He is a threetime 

All Star, a two-time Gold Glove 

winner and a member of St. Louis’ 2006 

World Series winning team. He was hurt 

and missed the 2011 championship run 

after having Tommy John surgery. 

There’s a reason Wainwright did not 

join longtime teammates Albert Pujols and 

Yadier Molina as they headed into retirement 

after 2022, even though he did give 

it some thought. Ultimately, he said he 

was “very OK with not announcing that so 

Albert and Yadi could get that limelight.” 

“I felt like they needed that,” he said. 

“They deserved that. They deserved it more 

than I did. I’m great with being a secondary 

or complementary part of that. 

“They’ve meant so much to this organization 

and to this city and to our championships, 

I felt these guys were first ballot Hall 

of Famers. Whether I go out this year and 

win 25 games or the Cy Young and sneak 

into some sort of (Hall of Fame) ballot in 

my 10th year, I’m not a first ballot Hall of 

Famer, right? I may never and I understand 

that. But those guys are.” 

The Cardinals season ended on somewhat 

of a sour note, being eliminated by 

the Philadelphia Phillies in the wild-card 

round of the playoffs. Wainwright did not 

pitch during either game in part because he 

had struggled with his delivery late in the 

season. 

He finished 11-12 with a 3.71 ERA in 32 

starts, his first losing season in which he 

made at least 20 starts. He threw 190 2/3 

innings. He won just twice over his final 

six starts and had a 7.22 ERA while dealing 

with what he called a “dead arm.” 

Wainwright had some timing issues in his 

pitching motion down the stretch. He surrendered 

23 runs across his final six starts 

in September and October. That dismal end 

has motivated him. 

“I think sometimes, failure is what drives 

you more than success. I failed in September,” 

Wainwright said. “I didn’t pitch like 

I should have or could have and that drove 

Adam Wainwright 


me crazy. I don’t want that to happen again. 

I want to stay on top so I can be good.” 

President of Baseball Operations John 

Mozeliak likes hearing that type of determination. 

“We all know how competitive he is, we 

know how special he is in that clubhouse 

and what he means to this organization,” 

Mozeliak said. “We’re just glad we could 

get it done. We’re super excited that he’s 

coming back. He and I started talking about 

this in early September, and obviously the 

September didn’t go as he wanted it to, but 

we really do feel like there’s something left 

in that tank.” 

“I do tend to think the way the season 

ended led even more to me coming back,” 

Wainwright said, “because I just didn’t 

like that. I don’t like going out like that. 

I wasn’t performing like I know I should 

have been performing. Wasn’t helping 

the team like I knew I should have been 

helping the team. We didn’t win. I love 

my teammates.” 

Manager Oliver Marmol understands 

Wainwright’s motivation. 

“When you’ve played as long as Waino 

has played, those things are frustrating,” 

See WAINWRIGHT, page 30


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There are some new rules you need to 

be aware of. First, there will be a pitch timer. 

The basics of this is to create a crisper pace of 

play. A 30-second timer will be used between 

batters. Then, a 15-second timer will be used 

between each pitch with the bases empty and 

a 20-second timer will be used between each 

pitch with runners on base. 

The dreaded shift is no more. When a 

pitch is thrown, the defensive team must 

have a minimum of four players within 

the outer boundary of the infield, with at 

least two infielders completely on either 

side of second base. The penalty will be an 

automatic ball. The rule is aimed at showcasing 

the athleticism of middle infielders 

and restoring more traditional outcomes on 

balls in play. 

The bases this season will be 18 inches 

on each side instead of the traditional 15 

inches per side. This will allow players 

more room to operate around the bases to 

reduce the risk of injury (there was a 13% 

decline in injuries near the bases in the 

Minor Leagues last year). This could also 

encourage runners to be more aggressive 

on stolen-base attempts. The expectation 

is that the enlarged bases, by shortening 

the distance from first to second and 

second to third by 4½ inches, will also 

reduce injuries. 

• • • 

For 20-year-old Jordan Walker, spring 

training has been all about showing Cardinals 

skipper Oli Marmol that he has what it takes 

to jump from AA ball to the Big Leagues. 

The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Walker had big 

year for Double-A Springfield in 2022. He 

hit .304 with 19 home runs, 22 steals, 68 

RBI and 100 runs in 119 games. He then 

played well in the Arizona Fall League. 

Walker made his professional debut in 

2021. Playing in Class-A and High-A, he 

excelled. In 82 games between those two 

levels, he hit 14 home runs and stole 14 

bases, leading to an excellent .317. 

“I’m ready to get going,” Walker said. 

“I’m ready to try to make the team.” 

In early March, Marmol told John Denton 

of MLB.com, “I don’t know what the tipping 

point is, but he’s continuing to show 

he’s capable,” Marmol said. “We went into 

this camp saying there is going to be real 

competition and that’s what he is making 

this – a real competition. He’s come in 

ready, and I’m enjoying watching it.” 

At that point he had 12 hits that included 

two doubles and three home runs. Good 

numbers but with still a good deal of camp 

ahead of him. 

Prior to the start of spring training, 

Walker had caught the eye of Cardinals 

chairman Bill DeWitt Jr., who classified 

him as “a great prospect, in every way.” 

“I’ve checked in with those who have seen 

him and worked with him, and the first thing 

I say is, ‘He looks like a pretty good player.’ 

And they say, ‘He’s a great kid.’ He checks 

all the boxes,” DeWitt said. “He is admired 

by his teammates. He’s a winner. Big talent. 

It’s very exciting to have a player like that. 

At 20 years old, he’s knocking on the door 

of the big leagues.” 

• • • 

Joe McEwing will be the bench coach for 

the Cardinals in 2023. 

Former St. Louis standout Matt Holliday 

had agreed to the job but resigned the position 

shortly after taking it. McEwing was 

happy to step up and the club is happy to 

have him. 

“We are excited to have Joe join us, and 

with his experience and history with the Cardinals, 

this makes for an ideal fit,” said John 

Mozeliak, president of baseball operations. 

“Matt is a loss, but we are thrilled to be able 

to hire Joe, especially in this time of year.” 

McEwing, 50, comes to St. Louis after 


Cardinals Notebook: New rules, new coach, hot new prospect 

spending 15 years coaching with the White 

Sox organization, most recently as the 

third base coach from 2021-22, also serving 

as the bench coach from 2017-20 under 

manager Rick Renteria. 

Originally selected by Cardinals in the 

28th round of the 1992 First-Year Player 

Draft, McEwing made his Major League 

debut with the Cardinals in 1998 and 

played two seasons before a spring training 

trade in 2000 sent him to the New York 

Mets for pitcher Jesse Orosco. He placed 

fifth in the National League Rookie of the 

Year voting in 1999. 

McEwing finished his nine-year playing 

career with the Mets, Kansas City Royals 

and Houston Astros compiling a career batting 

average of .251 with 25 home runs, 158 

RBI, while playing every position on the 

field except catcher and pitcher. Following 

his official retirement from playing professional 

baseball in 2008, he was hired as 

the hitting coach for the Charlotte Knights, 

Triple-A affiliate of the White Sox. 

McEwing was promoted to the White 

Sox coaching staff as the third base coach, 

where he served from 2012-16. During his 

term as bench coach, McEwing filled in as 

manager for 11 games and was 6-5 in those 

contests. 

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GOLDSCHMIDT, from page 22 

“Goldy might have started somewhere 

else but it seems like he’s always been a 

Cardinal. He just seems like the perfect 

Cardinal in every way, shape, or form,” 

Wainwright said. 

Arenado and Goldschmidt are good 

friends. Arenado, who finished third in 

the MVP balloting, quipped about Goldschdmidt 

robbing him of some RBIs last 

season. 

“He was unbelievable,” Arenado said. 

“I’ve said he took all the RBIs. I could have 

had 120 if he wasn’t hitting in front of me. 

He’s unbelievable – he really is. He’s like 

Albert (Pujols). He had an Albert season. 

He’s a great father, great friend, the smartest 

player I’ve been around. It’s fun hitting 

behind him. Except for the RBIs. He is one 

of my best friends.” 

Goldschmidt said the two players are 

good for each other. 

“We talk almost before every at-bat,” 

Goldschmidt said of Arenado. “I don’t win 

this award if it’s not for Nolan. I talk to him 

so much ... I vent to him, and I ask questions 

of him. He pushes me, he motivates 

me, and we’re there for each other.” 

The Cardinals season in 2022 ended on a 


sour note. St. Louis was bounced from the 

playoffs by Philadelphia in two games. 

“It’s just a weird game,” Goldschmidt 

said. “You never know what’s going to 

happen.” 

It was not a good series for Goldschmidt. 

He went hitless in seven at-bats and struck 

out four times in the Cardinals’ Wild Card 

Series loss to the Phillies. 

Goldschmidt has not forgotten. 

“It was a disappointing end of the year. 

After we lost in the playoffs, I was pretty 

down for a few days, but fortunately time 

heals all wounds,” Goldschmidt said. 

“Eventually, I said, ‘That was a pretty dang 

good year.’ 

“I didn’t play well in the playoffs, and 

that stings and I use it for motivation. A 

day, two or three days after (the postseason 

exit), I was already focused on trying to 

improve and get ready for next year.” 

He knows what the objective for this 

year is, too. 

“The tradition has been set here. There 

are expectations of greatness and of 

championships. You feel it every day. 

You want that expectation that good is 

not good enough. You want to be great. 

The expectation of greatness is something 

I love.” 

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Marmol said. “You figure a way to redeem 

it. He’s never going to be OK with how his 

season ended. He’s an ultra competitor.” 

He’s also a mentor. 

“He’s been just an unbelievable friend for 

me, from Day 1, since I’ve been called up,” 

pitcher Jack Flaherty said. “That dude is an 

unbelievable person, like somebody I’ve 

been so lucky to be around and have as a 

teammate and friend. 

“I can’t thank him enough for being 

there, literally from Day 1, and helping 

me to get to this point, (and) continuing 

to have my back ... I’m looking forward 

to this year.” 

Wainwright heads into this season needing 

five wins to reach 200 for his career. He 

is 15 behind Hall of Famer Jesse Haines for 

the second-most wins in franchise history. 

Hall of Famer Bob Gibson, of course, is 

the leader with 251 of them. 

“I don’t set numerical goals. I’d like to 

have up to 40 starts,” Wainwright said. 

“I’d like to try and win them all. I haven’t 

done that yet. I haven’t even seen it done, 

which might be a cool reason to do it. 

Jesse is at 210. That seems like a good 

round number to pass. Two hundred is not 

a good one for me. That’s only five wins. 

It’s not a benchmark. I’m excited about 

doing it though. Hopefully, we get a lot 

more than that.” 

Wanio’s career began when he was overlooked 

in a deal that sent J.D. Drew to 

Atlanta on Dec. 13, 2003. He was a Double- 

A pitcher, originally drafted by the Atlanta 

Braves. The Braves subsequently traded 

him to the Cardinals as part of a five-player 

trade that also sent Ray King and Jason 

Marquis to St. Louis in exchange for Drew 

and catcher Eli Marrero. 

The trade worked out well for St. Louis. 

Wainwright has only ever pitched for 

the Cardinals in the majors. His 390 starts 

are the third-most in franchise history, 11 

behind second-place Bob Forsch. With the 

oft-injured Drew a year away from free 

agency, the Cardinals flipped the former 

first-rounder to the Braves for Atlanta’s top 

pitching prospect. 

Wainwright made his debut in 2005, 

helped lead the Cards to a World Series 

championship in 2006 and went on to be 

a top-three Cy Young Award finisher four 

times. Drew played one season in Atlanta. 

Wainwright has missed about three 

seasons with injuries ranging from a torn 

left Achilles tendon to having to undergo 

Tommy John surgery. 

He said he believes he has fixed what 

went wrong for him down the stretch last 

season. He said he’s worked hard in the 

offseason and he has just one request: 

“Just let me go out and pitch,” Wainwright 

said, without all the “last season 

hoopla.”

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32 I EDUCATION REPORT I 



SCHOOL BOARD BASICS 

RESPONSIBILITIES OF SCHOOL BOARD 



PHILANTHROPIST 

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GOALS 

The board 

establishes the 

goals and vision 

of the district, 

with input from 

the community, 

and evaluates 

the results. 

Responsibilities of a school board 

POLICY 

The board 

develops and 

approves rules 

to help schools 

operate for 

student success. 

EDUCATION REPORT, from page 17 

company. He said he feels that he and the 

board really are a team of eight. 

“My job is to work with the seven 

elected members of the board of education,” 

Cain said. “And that’s all of them 

regardless of makeup, composition 

or orientation. We are a team of eight, 

seven of which have a vote, and people 

are looking for examples and evidence of 

not only communication, but that there’s 

synergy across all eight. It doesn’t mean 

that we’re always on the same page, but 

it does mean that, generally speaking, we 

have arrows that are pointing in a very 

similar direction.” 

Teamwork is important. While one board 

member might have an idea for a certain 

policy, it won’t happen without a majority 

of support from the rest of the board. Even 

then, there could be state laws in place that 

might not allow certain policies, or that 

mandate regulations that all public schools 

must follow. Decisions have to be consistent 

with state laws and board policies, 

which are the governing framework for a 

school district. 

According to MSBA, “Policies are 

values or principles adopted by the board 

that establish the framework for what is to 

be done. Policies provide general guidance 

for the district and are based on the philosophy 

of the school district. Policies include 

topics subject to direct board governance 

as well as those concerning the board’s 

own operation.” 

Some policies are tied to funding like 

nutrition standards. Certain nutrition 

standards must be met by public schools 

in order for them to receive federal 

funding for free and reduced lunches. 

Therefore, if a school board candidate 

suggests bringing back cupcakes and 

birthday parties to schools, that measure 

likely won’t succeed because the board 

probably won’t want to jeopardize the 

district’s federal funding. 

SUPERINTENDENT 

The only employee 

the board supervises 

and evaluates. Dayto-day 

school 

operations are 

delegated to this 

position. 

MISSOURI SCHOOL BOARDS’ ASSOCIATION © 2021 

Sikma suggested that voters, “be 

informed about what school board candidates’ 

views are.” 

“(They) campaign and run saying, ‘This 

is what I want to influence.’ (But) each 

board member only has one vote. Just 

remember (they) are there for the students. 

In the political climate that we are in, they 

need to remember that doing what’s best 

for the students is important.” 

Working Together 

Kelli Hopkins, associate executive 

director for board services for MSBA, said 

the school board-superintendent relationship 

is almost like a family. They may not 

always agree, but they still get along. 

“If you want to be successful as an individual 

you’re going to have to build some 

support,” Hopkins said. “You have to sell 

your idea to the other board members. You 

can’t as one person get anything done. If 

anyone wants to make change it needs to 

be a team effort. Our standard advice is 

you make your point, argue your point and 

vote. Then whatever happens, you have to 

support it. You may not like it, but that’s 

the way it is.” 

Cain said that despite different points of 

view and background knowledge, school 

boards work toward a common goal. 

“Any sport, you name it,” Cain said. “I 

can assure you there’s somebody who’s 

had a different feeling about the behavior 

or the priority of someone else on the team, 

but you’re still a team. So how do you continue 

to make it work?” 

He said having a clear vision and guidelines 

help districts to move forward. 

Taking a Vote 

Sikma thought back to the days of 

COVID and mask mandates. 

“During COVID the mask policy was a 

big decision our school board was making,” 

Sikma said. “We were trying to decide what 

was best for our district. I try to do my due 

diligence and try to get all the information 

BUDGET 

Approves 

the budget 

proposed by the 

Superintendent 

and ensures 

funding supports 

district goals. 

ADVOCACY 

Shares district 

information with 

local legislators 

and the 

community to 

secure resources 

for student 

success. 

(Source: Missouri School Board Association) 

that I can from our central office team. I 

try to be open to listen to people’s opinions 

and also remember we are getting information 

and need to make the best decisions 

for our students. We try to be unified in 

those decisions even if we didn’t all vote 

alike, reminding them we made a decision 

as a board.” 

Sikma said there are times it’s a 4-3 or 

3-4 split vote, but the board tries to communicate 

that they are making decisions as 

one. If a situation comes up where only six 

board members are at a meeting and the 

vote is tied, the board would likely table 

the issue before taking a final vote. 

Doing the Work 

Cain said being a board member may not 

be the job that many people assume it is. 

Preparation and time behind the scenes 

leading up to board meetings is a commitment. 

Meeting packets are made 

available five days before a school board 

meeting for directors to review and ask 

questions. 

“There’s a tremendous amount of effort 

that our board members engage in, not 

just on the stage,” Cain said. “That’s not 

even an accurate reflection. There are 

hours that board members are spending 

in preparation for board meetings, but 

also acting as an extension of the district 

in terms of being the voice of the district. 

They’re hearing what parents and community 

members’ thoughts are. But in many 

ways they act almost as ambassadors for 

the school district as well, and I think that 

gets lost. 

“They are not just thinking of any one 

quadrant. ... it’s not about any one quadrant. 

It’s about a representation of (all) 

of the district. That’s a very, very different 

perspective to think from. It’s not just 

thinking about your child’s classroom in 

(one) elementary school. It’s the totality of 

this district.” 

School board positions are voluntary; 

members do not get paid for their time.




to be informed, to know the curriculum, to 

know discipline measure, due process steps, 

etc. However, parents’ rights are based on 

their individual student and should not infringe 

upon other parents’ rights. We have 

to balance these rights to make sure that all 

parents have the same guarantee and access 

to our educational system. 



Andrew P. Flett 

1. My priorities are: Establishing strong 

mental health initiatives. Advocate for revenue 

generating practices like school choice. 

Transparency at the top level. Work with local 

community leaders to give students better 

career opportunities coming out of high 

school. 

2. Schools should be making helping 

its most at risk students a priority, and nowhere 

is that done better than through the 

disciplinary system. If we work on helping 

the students who need it the most, we will 

change the culture within the classroom. If 

we help the hurt, we help all, because hurt 

people hurt people. 

3. Parents should have an understanding 

of what is being taught in the classroom but 

how that lesson is taught is completely up 

to the teacher. It is on administrators to help 

teachers with their lessons and provide insight 

into what can be improved. 

Amy Simms Easterling 

1. I believe that the role of our public 

schools is to partner with parents to help 

our kids become strategic thinkers, lifelong 

learners and compassionate citizens. I will 

support our teachers and support staff, who 

are a critical part of that goal. I will also 

work with my fellow board members to 

keep us focused on local issues not distractions 

from national groups. 

2. Children who are mentally healthy will 

be more successful in academics, social relationships 

and in life. The role of the school 

should be to support our staff in partnering 

with families to give care to kids who need 

it. In an ideal world, I’d love to see our services 

expanded even more. We have a limited 

number of counselors, so I imagine that 

it is very hard to help everyone who needs it. 

If we could get more funding for our district, 

I would like to explore employing school 

psychologists to assist in this area. 

3. Teachers should (and do) work in community 

with parents to address any issues 

that might arise with a particular student. 

While a parent should have the right to restrict 

their child from sensitive topics (e.g. 

certain books, sex education, etc.), I think 

that too much influence by a small group 

of parents has the risk of creating chaos 

and unfairly impacting other families. The 

school district needs to do its best to balance 

the rights of all parents. 

Mary Jane Puszkar 

1. Besides getting back to basics, accountability, 

transparency and parents’ rights are 

my priorities. Fiscal accountability is integral 

to the success of the district moving 

forward. With a cost overrun of 91% for the 

construction of Francis Howell North, there 

will be tough decisions that will have to be 

made in upcoming budget years. Transparency 

is key so that curriculum and materials 

being used are readily available to all stakeholders. 

Critical race theory and pornography 

have no place in our district. Parents 

have a right to know what subjects/topics 

their children are being taught. Schools 

should support parents, not replace them. 

2. As a retired nurse, I believe that students’ 

mental health should be protected; 

however, teachers’ main focus should be 

teaching. Every effort should be made to 

keep the student and those around him/her 

safe, especially during a personal crisis. As 

soon as possible, that student should be referred 

to a mental health professional for 

further assessment. Physical health should 

always be a priority and education with information 

about proper exercise and nutrition 

should be a major component. I would 

make this information a necessary part of 

the curriculum, including the youngest students. 

It’s best to start good health habits 

early. 

3. There are nine categories in the kindergarten- 

grade 12 curriculum set by the board, 

and these categories are in agreement with 

State of Missouri mandates. Schools should 

not adopt curricula without parents’ input. 

Parents should be able to review any and 

all materials being used and subsequently 

be able to provide input about the proposed 

materials. All material descriptions need 

to be easily accessible and straightforward 

in their wording. Concerns from parents 

should be voiced to the appropriate school 

authorities. If a resolution is not found, the 

concern should be escalated and addressed 

by the superintendent and/or the school 

board. 

Mark John Ponder 

1. My priorities are: Transparency, fiscal 

responsibility, focus on STEM and eliminating 

distractions that could take focus on 

academic excellence. Additionally, I will 

help to ensure that our students, staff and 

community as a whole have a new confidence 

instilled in the board that provides 

them with integrity and pragmatism. 

2. I view mental and physical health as 

a safety concern and should be a focus every 

day. Students, teachers and staff that 

suffer from these issues should understand 

that help is available and people like me are 

there for them if needed. Part of what I think 

is missing from most of the current board is 

availability and really listening to the heartbeat 

of the district. If we ignore our mental 

and physical health bad things can happen. 

By opening up the lines of communication 

See ELECTION PREVIEW, page 43 

LIKE 

US 

ON 

Facebook.com/midriversnewsmagazine 

FIRSTFRIDAY 

FOUNDRYARTCENTRE 

April 7 • 5-8 PM 

f o u n d r y a r t c e n t r e . o r g 

WENTZVILLE 

BOARD OF EDUCATION 

Parent of 2 WSD students 

Educator & Coach since 2005 

• Experienced in writing & revising 

curriculum to meet state educational 

standards 

• Understand development & 

implementation of IEP & 504 Plans 

from teacher & parent perspectives 

PROUDLY ENDORSED BY: 

Tri-County Labor Legislative Club 

Wentzville National Education 

Association (WNEA) 

St. Charles County Families for 

Public School 

www.dbiesenthal4wsd.com 

Paid for by the Committee to Elect David Biesenthal 

- Don Crozier Treasurer 

S a i n t C h a r l e s , M O

St. Charles County Election Authority to 

Offer ‘No Excuse’ Voting at Satellite Location 

Beginning with the April 4, 2023 General 

Municipal Election, the St. Charles County 

Election Authority will offer all St. Charles 

County voters the opportunity to vote 

early without an excuse at a satellite location 

specifically for this purpose. With the change 

in Missouri law that went into effect Aug. 

28, 2022, voters now can absentee vote in 

person without giving a reason. 

The satellite voting site will be at 

Element Church, 100 Mall Parkway, Suite 

500 in Wentzville, site of the former Belz 

Mall between I-70 and I-64. It will be open 

weekdays 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Tuesday, March 

21-Friday, March 31. 

“The satellite voting site will accommodate 

the significant increase of voters choosing 

to vote during a two-week period prior to 

election day,” says Director of Elections Kurt 

Bahr. “Voters must have a valid photo ID to 

receive a ballot just as they do on election 

day.” 

No excuse absentee voting will also be 

available weekdays 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., 

March 21-March 31; 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 

Saturday, April 1; and 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., 

Monday, April 3 at the St. Charles County 

Election Authority, 397 Turner Boulevard 

in St. Peters. April 3 is the last day for no 

excuse absentee voting for the April 4 

election. Curbside voting for voters with 

mobility issues is available at the Election 

Authority office during absentee voting 

times. Curbside voting will not be available 

at the satellite voting site at Element Church. 

For questions, please contact the 

Election Authority office at 

election@sccmo.org or 636-949-7550


MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE I BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT I 39 

Spruce up this spring with Rhino Shield and never paint again 



By TRACEY BRUCE 

Spring is coming and if you have an 

exterior painting project to tackle, it 

might be time to consider the question 

– why paint? In fact, when the coverage, 

durability and energy benefits of Rhino 

Shield are considered, the question 

might better be, “why paint ever again?” 

“Rhino Shield is not paint. It’s better,” 

said Darrin Crook, owner of the Rhino 

Shield franchise in Manchester. 

Rhino Shield is a durable, flexible, 

low maintenance wall coating. It is an 

acrylic-urethane formula that not only 

covers beautifully but helps to waterproof, 

insulate, and soundproof the 

structures it covers, and it will cover 

almost any kind of structural material. 

For example, Rhino Shield will cover, 

and actually bonds to aluminum, cedar, 

block, brick, Masonite, stucco and 

wood, according to the company. The 

innovative technology combines multiple 

resins with ceramic microspheres 

resulting in a flexible but tough surface. 

In addition, Rhino Shield contains 

additives that provide fire resistance 

giving the material a Class A fire and 

smoke rating, UV blockers that reduce 

Kirstie, Darrin, Carter and Sandy Crook 

wall surface temperature and save money 

over time on cooling costs and mildewcides 

and algeacides to stop mold. Rhino 

Shield’s flexibility also allows the coated 

surface to expand and contract with changing 

temperatures which helps to eliminate 

cracking. 

One of the most valuable aspects of 

Rhino Shield however, is its longevity. 

“The Rhino Shield is engineered to outlast 

paint five to seven times,” Darrin said. 

“It is a permanent ceramic coating that 

won’t chip, flake, crack or peel and comes 

in many colors. The durable maintenancefree 

wall coating has a flexible and tough 

surface – so tough, in fact, that it comes 

with a 25-year non-prorated transferable 

warranty,” Darrin said. 

That warranty and the product it guarantees 

mean that painting becomes a thing 

of the past, costs and time are reduced and 

because the covering is attractive and the 

warrenty is transferable, Rhino Shield adds 

value to your home should you ever decide 

to sell it. 

Darrin said he is proud to be the only 

Rhino Shield dealer in Missouri and Southern 

Illinois. The family-owned business is 

focused on bringing a better option than 

paint to local homeowners. 

Rhino Shield has thousands of satisfied 

customers locally and tens of thousands 

nationally. 

“We’ve been here 30 years ... We had 

Rhino Shield put on the house 14 years 

ago. It still looks the same as the first day, 

said one woman about her experience with 

Rhino Shield. “It sounded wonderful that 

we could go ahead and have the house 

coated with Rhino Shield and literally not 

have to worry about it again for 25 years 

... I’m really glad we did it. Rhino Shield 

really worked with me to help me get the 

color just right – a nice soft yellow. It’s 

the same color, and it’s 14 years later. So 

it didn’t fade. It didn’t wash out ... There 

have been neighbors that have come by 

and said, ‘Did you just have your house 

painted?’ They wanted to know who the 

contractor was, and I said ‘No, it’s actually 

Rhino Shield.’” 

Applying Rhino Shield is a simple process. 

It begins with pressure washing the 

surfaces to be covered. Loose paint and 

debris are then removed for a clean bondable 

surface for the primer. Areas not to be 

coated are masked off, covered or temporarily 

removed. The primer is then sprayed 

onto the surface. Finally, the ceramic top 

coat, in the color of your choice, is applied. 

Tight spaces are trimmed in. Once the finish 

coat has dried, all masking materials and 

dropcloths are removed. “Our goal is to 

return your surroundings to the same condition 

as before we arrived,” Darrin said. 

After the area is cleaned up, customers 

make a final inspection of the work done. 

“We’re not done until you’re completely 

satisfied with our work,” Darrin said. 

Call Rhino Shield to get a free evaluation 

for your home and take advantage of new 

technology that covers your home with 

beautiful color that lasts decades. Paint a 

house. Shield a home! 

Rhino Shield 

241 Old Meramec Station 

Road, Manchester 

(314) 239-7947 / 877-25RHINO (4466) 

WWW.87725RHINO.COM 

YOUR TEACHER MAY HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE 

Teacher of the Year 

HURRY! 

Nomination Deadline: 

Monday, April 3rd 

SCHNEIDER 

HARDWARE 

Lake St. Louis 

O’Fallon 

St. Charles 

St. Peters 

Visit our website, midriversnewsmagazine.com, and nominate your candidate for 

Mid Rivers Newsmagazine's "Teacher of the Year." 

In 200 words or less explain why your teacher should win this year's 

Excellence in Education Award. 

Nominations are limited to public or private Preschools, Elementary Schools, 

High Schools and Colleges that are within Mid Rivers Newsmagazine's mailing area. 

Go to www.midriversnewsmagazine.com to nominate your teacher! 

Win a New iPad 

for your teacher 

Just tell us why your teacher 

deserves to win 

Mid Rivers Newsmagazine’s 

“Teacher of the Year” 

Excellence In 

Education Award!


40 I BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT I MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE 

Beseda Flooring & More: Committed to quality, community and customer satisfaction 

By KATE UPTERGROVE 

Jill and Brian Beseda lead a team of 

experts who know how to transform 

ordinary rooms into beautiful places. 

It starts at the ground level with flooring 

that not only meets the needs of the 

space but also the people who live in it. 

A St. Charles company since 1985, 

Beseda Flooring & More has been in 

its current location, just 1 mile off of 

I-64/Hwy. 40 at the Hwy. 94 exit, since 

2001. It’s a hometown success story 

that has grown eight times not without 

more than a little local support. 

“We’ve grown by being part of the 

community,” Brian explained. “We 

support them and they truly support us. 

We’ve been very fortunate.” 

Beseda is known as a local company 

you can count on for honest, reliable 

bids and service to support local nonprofits 

such as Marcy’s Project, Folds 

of Honor, BackStoppers Inc. and the 

Sunshine Kids. 

“It’s an honor to be able to give back 

to the community,” Brian said. 

He added that it’s also an honor to 

be invited into someone’s home and 

to be trusted to help them with its 

improvement. 

Jill and Brian Beseda 

“We do all types of flooring – hardwoods, 

ceramic tile, laminates, carpets, vinyl – as 

well as bathroom showers and vanity tops, 

using Onyx products,” Brian said. “We 

don’t carry vanities but we can install ones 

that the customer purchases.” As for faucets 

and toilets, Beseda subcontracts with 

plumbers to give its customers total bathroom 

remodels. 

“We do offer free, sample take-home 

service, and all of our sales people 

measure their own jobs,” Brian said. 

“That’s important because it gives you that 

personal connection. 

“Our salespeople are very knowledgeable 

about everything we sell. We study 

this stuff all day long, so that our customers 

don’t have to. Then, because our salespeople 

meet with you in person, they get to 

know your home, get to know your décor. 

We’ve been in the industry forever and 

we’re not commissioned, so we truly want 

to sell you what we believe will be the right 

product for your home.” 

Carpeting is experiencing a renaissance, 

Brian said. Why not? It’s tried and true in 

terms of comfort and affordability. It’s easy 

to replace if you want to update a space 

down the road and “it’s warm and comfortable 

underfoot.” 

New and improved laminate flooring is 

another exceptional option. Hardwoods are 

timeless but may not be the right fit for all 

homes. 

There’s a lot to consider, which is why 

so many area residents trust the experts 

at Beseda Flooring & More for guidance 

before and after choosing their perfect floor. 

After all, the pros at Beseda know things 

the average consumer likely will not, such 

as what type of floor will wear best for the 

room’s traffic patterns and use; how to care 

for your flooring to ensure that it lasts and 

remains under warranty; what colors and 

designs work best in cozy and extra large 



spaces – the list is long. 

“We really are what our motto says we 

are: ‘Your one stop floor shop,’” Brian said. 

One of the things that makes him especially 

proud is that the company has partnered 

with generations of families. “I’ve 

got customers that span from grandmas 

and grandpas to grandkids, who are new 

homeowners now. It’s wonderful!” 

According to Brian, keeping those clients 

happy begins with three simple pieces 

of advice: 

• Talk to a professional. 

• Talk to a smaller store that cares about 

your project and where you can get hold of 

the owner instantly. 

• Let the professionals help you make 

decisions about the area you want to cover. 

“We’ve got great 4.7-star reviews with 

Google and Facebook,” Brian said. 

“I personally stand behind the quality 

of my company’s work, our high-quality 

products, skilled installers and craftsmen, 

and knowledgeable sales people. I believe 

in what I do.” 

Beseda Flooring & More 

5773 Westwood Drive • St. Charles 

besedaflooring.com • (636) 926-9989 

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Mail to: 

754 Spirit 40 Park Drive • Chesterfield, MO 63005





I HEALTH I 41 

Join us for our free community events! 

APRIL 22 

Barnes-Jewish 

St. Peters Hospital 

11 a.m.–3 p.m. 

APRIL 29 

Progress West 

Hospital 

11 a.m.–3 p.m. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO BUY A RIBBON, visit BJCStCharlesCounty.org/RibbonOfHope 

1260770_BJSP/PWH FDTN_Ribbon of Hope_AD_10x2_rv4.indd 1 

2/27/23 1:42 PM 

Cases of norovirus, an extremely 

contagious gastrointestinal 

illness, are currently spiking 

across the U.S. (Source: Adobe Stock) 

HEALTH 

CAPSULES 

By LISA RUSSELL 

Norovirus infections spiking 

in Midwest, nationwide 

The rate of norovirus infections in the 

U.S. – particularly in the Midwest and 

South regions – has reached a 12-month 

high, according to recent data from the 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Its statistics show that about 18% of 

samples now being tested come back positive 

for the virus. 

Often labeled the “stomach flu,” norovirus 

isn’t actually the flu at all … it is a 

highly contagious gastrointestinal virus that 

usually causes diarrhea, vomiting, nausea 

and stomach pain. Fever and body aches are 

other possible symptoms. All of the above 

come on quickly and intensely after an incubation 

period of as little as 12 hours. 

In addition to person-to-person transmission, 

norovirus is also the nation’s leading 

cause of foodborne illness. Food can get 

contaminated if fruits or vegetables are 

grown or washed with contaminated water. 

While the illness usually passes in a few 

days, one infected family member often 

means the whole household will soon feel 

its miserable effects. Just a tiny amount of 

the virus can transmit it, so it is easily passed 

via hands, contaminated surfaces, food and 

water. The virus can also become airborne 

when a sick person flushes the toilet. 

There’s no treatment available for norovirus, 

other than rest and increased fluid 

intake to prevent dehydration. Even after a 

person feels better, he or she can continue 

to transmit the virus to others for two weeks 

or even longer, according to the CDC – so a 

lack of symptoms does not mean the virus is 

no longer present in the home. 

Considering that it’s so infectious, easily 

transmissible and long-lasting, the best 

way to fight norovirus and prevent its 

spread is by following strict cleaning protocols 

when someone in the family is sick, 

the CDC advises. 

While many other viruses are susceptible 

to alcohol-based products like hand sanitizer, 

they are not effective against norovirus. 

Proper disinfection includes cleaning 

and rinsing of potentially contaminated 

surfaces using detergent and hot water 

along with bleach or another U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency-registered 

disinfectant. 

Once they get into a home, norovirus 

particles can persist on surfaces for days, 

so frequent hand-washing and surface disinfection 

are key. This should include hightouch 

items such as utensils, light switches, 

door handles and phones. 

On average, around 21 million Americans 

suffer through a bout with norovirus 

every year, most often during the cooler 

months from late fall to early spring. 

Local researchers link COVID, 

new gastrointestinal disorders 

A recent study led by researchers at 

Washington University School of Medicine 

in St. Louis has found that people 

infected with COVID-19 are developing 

gastrointestinal (GI) disorders at a much 

higher rate for up to a full year afterward. 

These disorders are wide-ranging and 

can include liver problems, acute pancreatitis, 

irritable bowel syndrome, acid 

reflux, and ulcers in the lining of the stomach 

or upper intestine. Following infection, 

people are also more likely to have longterm 

generalized GI problems like constipation, 

diarrhea, abdominal or stomach 

pain, bloating and vomiting. 

“Gastrointestinal problems were among 

the first that were reported by the patient 

community,” said senior author Ziyad 

Al-Aly, M.D., a Washington University 

epidemiologist who has been studying the 

long-term effects of COVID-19 infection 

throughout the body. “It is increasingly 

clear that the GI tract serves as a reservoir 

for the virus.” 

Al-Aly and his team analyzed U.S. 

Department of Veterans Affairs data from 

about 154,000 adults who had tested positive 

for COVID-19 between March 2020 

and mid-January of 2021, mainly before 

vaccines became available. 

Overall, GI disorders were 36% more 

likely in people with past COVID-19 

regardless of how mild their cases had 

been, compared with those who had never 

been infected. Compared with patients in 

the control groups, people who had had 

COVID-19 were at a 62% increased risk of 

developing ulcers in the lining of the stomach 

or small intestine; a 35% higher risk of 

acid reflux disease; and a 46% increased 

risk of acute pancreatitis. 

On the calendar 

BJC presents a Family and Friends 

CPR virtual course on Tuesday, March 28 

from 6:30-8:30 p.m. This two-hour virtual 

class, offered via Teams Meeting, uses the 

American Heart Association curriculum 

to teach hands-on CPR skills. Each participating 

household will receive a CPR 

kit prior to the course date with infant and 

adult-size mannequins, class materials and 

a DVD for ongoing reference and practice 

(course does not include certification upon 

completion). The cost is $50. Registration 

for a seat in this class is for two people; 

enter the name of the person participating 

with you in the Partner/Other field during 

checkout. Register online by visiting bjc. 

org/cpr-class. 

• • • 

BJC St. Louis Children’s Hospital sponsors 

a Babysitting 101 virtual class on 

Wednesday, March 29 from 6-8:30 p.m. 

This interactive class, offered virtually 

through Teams Meeting, is a great introduction 

to the basics of babysitting and 

is recommended for ages 10 and above. 

A workbook, first-aid kit, babysitter skills 

assessment and backpack will be delivered 

to each participant’s home prior to class. 

The cost is $25 per child. Please note that 

the child is the registrant; parents may sit 

in on the class at no additional cost. Register 

online at bjc.org/babysitting-class. 

• • • 

St. Luke’s Hospital sponsors Starting 

the Conversation: Raising Mentally Fit 

Kids on Thursday, March 30 from 6-7 p.m. 

at the Chesterfield Family YMCA, 16464 

Burkhardt Place in Chesterfield. At this 

free event, you’ll hear real-life experiences 

from parents and caregivers; learn how to 

help your child talk about changing emotions 

and challenging circumstances; and 

visit with local service providers. Visit 

stlukes-stl.com or register at Eventbrite. 

com to reserve a spot. 

• • • 

St. Luke’s Hospital presents Vitamin 

ZZZ: Steps to Sounder Sleep on Wednesday, 

April 5 from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Desloge 

Outpatient Center, 121 St. Luke’s 

Center Drive in Chesterfield, in Conference 

Room 3 of Building A. Are you one of 

approximately 60 million Americans who 

have a chronic sleep issue? Good sleep 

is essential for optimal health. Adequate 

sleep helps our mood and focus, reduces 

the risk for diabetes and heart disease, 

reduces stress and more. Learn more about 

strategies for sleeping better more often in 

this free class. Register online at stlukesstl.com. 

• • • 

St. Luke’s Hospital hosts April Showers: 

Mom & Baby Expo on Tuesday, April 

18 from 5-8 p.m. at the St. Luke’s Hospital 

Institute for Health Education, 232 S. 

Woods Mill Road in Chesterfield. This 

free in-person event for new and expecting 

parents is designed to help parents in pregnancy 

planning through the transition to 

parenthood. Register for the event online 

at stlukes-stl.com.

42 I 





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our district can grow and help those who are 

suffering. 

3. Parents and voters without children 

should definitely have a say in what their 

children are learning. Take sex education 

for instance. Currently, parents have to opt 

their children out of this program. I’d like 

for it to be an opt in program. Making sex 

and sex education a “one size fits all” part 

of the curriculum is concerning because 

you might have one student that is ready for 

it, while another isn’t, or one has been for a 

while but had to wait. Parents should definitely 

have a right to say whether and when 

their children are exposed to concerning 

parts of academics. Teachers should respect 

the rights of the parents but also be able to 

teach the classes to the best of their ability 

in their own way. That is what makes good 

teachers great teachers. 

Ronald Anthony Harmon 

1. The first priority is to review the current 

state of the Prop S fund. A full understanding 

of how much of the Prop S budget 

remains, what critical projects remain, and 

what remaining projects are expected to cost 

needs to be known. Remaining construction 

projects then need to be prioritized to ensure 

that as many projects are performed in the 

most fiscally responsible manner. As part of 

the Prop S review, a full independent audit 

of the Francis Howell North High project 

needs to be performed. 

2. School boards are directly responsible 

for providing oversight on curriculum and 

the school district’s budget. The curriculum 

includes the subjects and all resources 

(books, pamphlets, workbooks, etc.) used 

to teach that curriculum. The school district 

is responsible for ensuring that all resources, 

including library books, are ageappropriate 

and content-appropriate. Any 

resources deemed by review in accordance 

with school board policy to be inappropriate 

need to be removed. I look to review 

current policies to ensure that resource challenges 

more fairly represent the interest of 

parents and the community. 

3. Parents have direct influence over who 

is on the school board. The school board is 

responsible for approving the curriculum. 

Parents can influence what is being taught 

in the classroom by participating in school 

board elections, contacting school board 

members, and attending/participating in 

school board meetings. 

Harry Harris 

1. It is necessary for our district to meet 

students where they are at, to help them 

grow and develop. Our students and their 

families vary greatly. As such, their needs to 

be successful will differ. We need to make 

sure we are a desirable district to attract and 

retain staff. Finally, we need to explore all 

funding opportunities. 

2. In a typical work week, our schools 



can often be with our kids more than us. 

It’s absolutely important that they are a part 

of protecting and nurturing our children. I 

would continue to encourage evaluations 

of building safety and advocating for more 

mental health professionals in the schools. 

3. We hire our teachers and administrators 

to do a job based on their years of education 

and experiences in teaching. It’s important 

that we let them do their jobs and teach 

while we as parents support them. 

FORT ZUMWALT 

Arnie C. Dienoff 

1. I feel a deep calling for the 85,000 

residents. Education is so very important 

and the number one priority by making or 

breaking a community economically. I am 

civic-minded, talented and educated. I am 

an advocate for students. I have a total commitment 

for students best-interests and their 

education. I desire to serve the public and 

improve educational services and programs 

that are offered. The strength of the community 

starts with the education of its children. 

I am full of honesty, passion and vision, 

wanting to be a team-player on the Board 

of Education. My talents, tenacity and assets 

are to serve residents wisely and fiscally 

responsibly. 

2. I will be the “public advocate” and 

“watchdog” of all district operations. I will 

restore and instill total accountability, responsibility, 

integrity, full transparency and 

common sense decision making. I will listen 

to the entire community before making 

decisions. I will ask important questions 

of staff. I will instill leadership in the next 

superintendent. I will increase test scores, 

reduce classroom student/teacher ratio, support 

character and STEM education, mandate 

highly qualified teachers, increase 

teacher professional development, improve 

school safety (state reporting) and security, 

develop a stern policy for disruptive students, 

support additional technology and 

cutting edge resources, cutting all waste and 

mandate an $294 million annual balanced 

budget. 

Gregg Steven Sartorius 

1. To provide the opportunity for all students 

to learn in an environment that is safe, 

inclusive and focused on their success. To 

support the entire staff by providing a safe 

environment, professional development 

and a workplace that values their contribution 

to the success of all. To maintain the 

growth and success both academically and 

fiscally of the district. 

2. I believe that everyone learns better 

when they are in a safe environment, accepted 

for who they are, given the means 

to achieve success and are supported and 

loved by those around them. I would continue 

to focus on diversity awareness, inclusionary 

efforts and providing the resources 

to the children and families so that all have 

an opportunity to succeed. 

3. Parents have a right to know what is 

being taught in their child’s school. A sound 

curriculum created according to federal, 

state and local mandates that focus on student 

achievement is critical. Teaching and 

learning strategies used to deliver the instruction 

is also a large part of student learning. 

Parents can and should have a voice in 

these by participating in curriculum studies, 

sharing their perspectives to staff and 

the board of education, and participating in 

school functions to be informed on the current 

educational processes. 

Geoffrey Marc Pratte 

1. First and foremost, we have shortages 

with teachers, substitutes and support staff 

positions. These need to be filled and it 

might necessitate some pay increases. We 

have an excellent education offering for 

students, but are one of the lower paying 

districts in the county if not state. The promotion 

and development of the partnership 

with the Lewis & Clark Career Center for 

skilled trades is a sub-priority for my campaign 

as is a leadership program that I’d like 

to put into the latter part of the freshman 

school year. 

2. It’s unfortunate, but for some students 

the schools represent the only support system 

the child has. We have counseling and 

outreach mechanisms available, and I support 

these. Changes? I see a serious need for 

more physical education and recess for the 

younger students. These avenues to blow 

off steam have been virtually taken away 

and younger students need the opportunity 

to go outside and run around. 

3. Parents have a right to see what’s being 

taught and how it’s being delivered. Parents 

should have a good “view” of the class 

room. I support their access to curriculum. 

To make changes, parents need to be going 

to board meetings and need to make their 

voices heard during public comment. From 

there, the board listens and hopefully makes 

changes based off of their constituents’ requests 

for changes within reason. Additionally, 

what has happened to parent/teacher 

conferences? 

Erica M. Powers* 

1. As we move forward, my priorities are 

to ensure efficiency within the district, provide 

needed support for our current and future 

programs and initiatives, and continue 

to advocate for the needs of our students 

and staff. 

2. The whole student should be looked 

at when making decisions, this includes 

their well-being: emotional, mental, physical, 

social and societal. Since well-being 

has many facets, improving students’ 

well-being in schools requires a wholeschool 

approach, that involves both teachers 

and students/parents. Strong connections 

and communication with all parties 

is imperative. 

3. Communication with all the stakeholders 

is key. They need to be clearly informed 

on what curriculum and supports 

are used. That being said, I respect the people 

who we hire to research and implement 

curriculum and the staff to teach it. When 

we allow those not versed or educated in 

these fields to make decisions we run into 

many issues. If transparency and communication 

is happening, you have trust between 

all parties. 

Michael Andrew Smith 

1. My priorities are: Ensure district 

policies represent the desires and needs 

of parents and students, and that curriculum 

adheres to them. Prevent indoctrination 

of students with age-inappropriate 

ideology that promotes hate, division and 

self-harm. Attract and retain competent 

teachers. Maintain district buildings and 

facilities. Provide adequate mental health 

support and school security personnel and 

procedures. 

2. Educate students and their parents 

about mental health. Enforce anti-bullying 

policies. Train staff to prevent harm and to 

recognize changes in a student’s behavior. 

Teachers/staff should also be pro-active in 

contacting the student’s family to address 

any mental/physical health issues. School 

districts should also ensure the safety of 

students by providing adequate security 

personnel and building/facility security 

procedures. 

3. All parents should be allowed to explain 

how the school district is meeting 

the needs of their children and how they 

might believe it is failing. The school 

board should then work to try to make 

any changes/improvements to meet these 

needs. Parents/students are the customers 

of school districts and should be satisfied 

with the service provided to avoid losing 

them to private schools or home schooling. 

Matthew Richard Graham 

1. Make core academics a priority, support 

our teachers, be financially responsible, 

prevent government overreach and create a 

safe learning environment for all. 

2. We need to ensure we provide a safe 

and secure learning environment for our 

students, teachers and school administrators. 

We need to make sure our best practices are 

in line for anti-bullying initiatives, expectations 

for student behavior and appropriate 

discipline and consequences when those 

expectations are not met. We should also 

provide adequate resources such as counseling 

services and mental health support for 

students who may be struggling with issues 

related to safety or wellbeing. 

3. I do believe parents should be involved 

and have an opportunity to voice 

their opinions or concerns to ensure they 

can decide what is appropriate for their 

child. Transparency in communication and 

parent teacher conferences are important 

to ensure success for each student and their 


44 I EVENTS I 





LOCAL 

EVENTS 

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 

St. Peters Cultural Art Centre is accepting 

art submissions for a Spring art show, 

“Wonder” from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and 4:30-8:30 

p.m. on Monday, March 27. All pieces will 

be on display from March 30-May 21. The 

reception will be from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, 

April 6. Centre members may submit 

up to four pieces of artwork for $15. Nonmembers 

may submit up to three pieces for 

$20. For details, visit stpetersmo.net. 

• • • 

A Spring Dance is from 6:30-9:30 p.m. 

on Friday, March 31 at the St. Peters Cultural 

Arts Centre, featuring Juke Box Productions. 

Tickets are $7 per person at the 

door; $1 discount for residents and Cultural 

Arts Centre members. For details, visit stpetersmo.net/calendar-details. 

• • • 

The St. Louis Chamber Chorus presents 

“Despair to Hope” at 3 p.m. on Sunday, 

April 16 at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 

115 S. Sixth St. in St. Charles. Tickets 

available at chamberchorus.org or by calling 

(636) 458-4343. 

BENEFITS 

Rummage Sale is from 8 a.m.-noon on 

Saturday, March 25 at Grace United Church 

of Christ, 8326 Mexico Road in St. Peters. 

Sale will be in the lower level. Freewill 

offering accepted. 

• • • 

Shred Day is from 9 a.m.-noon on 

Saturday, March 25 at Sunrise Church at 

7116 Twin Chimneys Blvd. in O’Fallon. 

Bring documents for shredding and nonperishable 

food items for the food pantry. 

For details, visit sunrisefamily.org/foodforhope. 

• • • 

Resonating Hope’s Starry Night 

Spring Gala is from 7-10:30 p.m. on 

Friday, March 31 at Water’s Edge Banquet 

Center, 200 Salt Lick Road in St. Peters, 

featuring dinner, dancing, live music by 

The Magnifikats, silent auction and more. 

Tickets are $45 each or $425 for a table of 

10 at ResonatingHope.org. 

• • • 

A Quilt Social will be held at noon (doors 

open at 10 a.m.) on Saturday, April 1 at St. 

Joseph Parish in Cottleville. Lunch, beverages, 

crafts, and baby quilts will be available 

for purchase. For details, visit stjoecot. 

org or call (636) 288-2485. 

• • • 

See the Moolah Shrine Circus March 23-26 

Don’t miss the opportunity to give the 

family a weekend of fun with tickets to 

the Moolah Shrine Circus at the Family 

Arena! 

The Moolah Circus has been entertaining 

St. Louis families since 1942. 

Now it’s your family’s turn to experience 

all the sights and sounds a circus has to 

offer and make those special memories 

that children keep always. 

See the Wheel of Steel, the Quick 

Change Act, amazing acrobats and T.J. 

Howell and his unicycle madness. Be 

amazed at the gravity-defying trapeze 

artists as they fly through the air and 

Habitat for Humanity of St. Charles 

County Trivia Night is at 7 p.m. (doors 

open at 6 p.m.) on Saturday, April 1 at 

Rankin College, 755 Parr Road in Wentzville. 

Water, soda and beer will be available. 

Outside food and beverages are allowed, 

but glass is prohibited. Tickets are $25 per 

person at habitatstcharles.org. 

• • • 

80s Trivia Party is at 7 p.m. (doors open 

at 6:30) on Friday, April 7 at the Christy Banquet 

Center 9000 Veterans Memorial Parkway 

in O’Fallon. $240 for a table of 8. Prizes 

for best dressed table. For details, email 

nicole.snyder.cre@gmail.com. To purchase 

tickets, send a check to FZW Grad Night, 

1251 Turtle Creek, O’Fallon, MO 63366. 

• • • 

Made for More Art Exhibit is from 

6:30-8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 11 at the 

St. Peters Cultural Arts Centre, featuring 

live music, hors d’oeuvres and a silent art 

auction by local artists. Tickets are available 

for a $10 donation and can be purchased at 

Eventbrite by searching, “Made for More 

Art Exhibit.” Proceeds will go to Altogether 

Beautiful Ministries, a nonprofit dedicated 

to the education, encouragement and 

empowerment of women. 

• • • 

Fort Zumwalt Grow Your Own Teacher 

5K is at 8 a.m. on Saturday, April 22 at Fort 

Zumwalt North High, 1230 Tom Ginnever 

Ave. in O’Fallon. This event is a timed 5K 

run/walk on a flat course. Packet pick up is 

from 4-6 p.m. on Friday, April 21 at Ft. Zumwalt 

North High, outside of the commons. 

Fee is $35. The program helps fund tuition 

for students to pursue a career in education. 

To register, visit raceroster.com and search 

“Fort Zumwalt Grow Your Own Teacher.” 

For details, call (636) 634-5811. 

EASTER EVENTS 

& FISH FRIES 

For a complete list of Easter Events and 

Fish Fries, visit midriversnewsmagazine.com. 

hear the laughter of your children 

as they watch those crazy clowns. 

As always military and first 

responders and their families get 

in free. And just so children get 

a circus smile, get a free child’s 

ticket with each adult general 

admission ticket purchased. 

The Moolah Shrine Circus kicks 

it off on Thursday night at 7 p.m. 

at the Family Arena, 2002 Arena Pkwy. 

in St. Charles. The rest of the show 

dates and times are as follows: Friday, 

March 24 at 10:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.; 

Saturday, March 25 at 10 a.m., 2:30 

FAMILY & KIDS 

Kids Clay Studio Class & Workshop 

is on Saturday, April 8 at The Foundry Art 

Centre in St. Charles. Children use a pottery 

wheel and traditional clay-building techniques. 

Grades 4-8 meet from 10:30-11:30 

a.m. and grades K-3 meet from 3:30-4:30 

p.m. Supplies included in registration fee of 

$95. For details, visit foundryartcentre.org/ 

kids-classes. 

• • • 

A Visit with Daniel and Rebecca Boone 

is from 9 a.m.-3 p.m on Saturday, April 

15 at The Historic Daniel Boone Home in 

Defiance. Meet Daniel and Rebecca Boone. 

Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors 

60+, and $5 for children ages 5–12. Active 

and retired military and children 4 and 

under are free. To register, visit sccmo.org. 

• • • 

Earth Day Hike is from 6-8 p.m. on 

Saturday, April 22 at Quail Ridge Park in 

Wentzville. Enjoy a 2.5 mile park ranger 

guided hike through the park. Dress for the 

weather and wear close-toed shoes. All ages 

welcome. Free. For details, visit sccmo.org. 

MONTHLY MEETINGS 

Veterans Coffee is from 9-10:30 a.m. on 

the second and fourth Wednesday of every 

month at the Wentzville Senior Center, 

500 Great Oaks Blvd. Veterans from all 

branches of service are invited. 

• • • 

St. Charles County Pachyderm Club 

meets at noon every Friday at Mattingly’s, 

6245 Ronald Reagan Drive in Lake Saint 

Louis. Be informed and meet elected officials. 

No meetings on holiday weekends. 

For details, visit sccpachyderms.org. 

• • • 

Saturday Writers Meeting is from 11 

a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday, March 25 at Spencer 

Road Library (Room 240) in St. Peters. 

Writers encouraging writers. Guest speaker 

Melissa Ridley Elmes presents, “First 

(Source: Moolah Shriners) 

p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday March 

26 at 1 and 6 p.m. Tickets are available 

at moolah.org. Just click on the Moolah 

Shrine Circus tab. It is the perfect family 

fun for all ages! 

Lines: Opening Your Poems with Intent.” 

$5 for visitors, free to members. April 29 

speaker - George Sirois. For details, visit 

saturdaywriters.org. 

• • • 

Sister Cities Meeting is at 6 p.m. on 

Monday, March 27 at Culpepper’s in 

St. Charles, featuring A.J. Medlock from 

the State Historical Society and a former 

German chapter student exchange participant. 

For details, email stcharlessistercities@gmail.com. 

• • • 

Partnering with Parents Support 

Group is at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 

30 at Sunrise Church in O’Fallon. Practical 

tools and wisdom to help honor aging parents. 

For details, visit sunrisefamily.org. 

SPECIAL INTEREST 

Vietnam War Veterans Remembrance 

Day is from 1-5 p.m. on Sunday, March 26 

at the St. Charles County Veterans Museum, 

410 E Elm St. in O’Fallon, featuring speaker 

(ret.) Col. Sam “Digger” Digioralamo. 

• • • 

Poetry in the Park is from 6-7:30 p.m. 

on Tuesday, March 28 at Indian Camp 

Creek Park in Foristell. Bring a pen and 

notebook. For ages 16 and older. Free but 

pre-registration is required at sccmo.org or 

email, at parks@sccmo.org. 

• • • 

Get Gardening is from 11 a.m.-noon 

on Saturday, April 1 at Broemmelsiek Park 

1795 Hwy. D Din Defiance. Join park rangers 

for a beginner’s class on how to get the 

most out of your vegetable garden. Ages 12 

and up. $10 per person. Pre-registration is 

required at sccmo.org. 

• • • 

Nature’s Night Shift is from 7:30-9 p.m. 

on Friday, April 7 at Oglesby Park, 2801 W. 

See EVENTS, page 47



For simple dinners or life’s big moments, turn to Spiro’s 

By SUZANNE CORBETT 

Spiro’s 

Hospitality, great food and value are 

more than trending buzz words. At Spiro’s, 

they’re core values – seasoned with 

pride and tradition and served daily. 

It’s a combination that has kept customers 

coming back generation after generation. 

“We get it right. And we keep getting it 

right. You can sift through all the trends 

of new-fangled recipes, but you can 

always trace them back to the basics, the 

classics. said Spiro’s general manager 

Stacy McCullison “ That’s why our motto 

is ‘Make tradition the new trend.’” 

It’s a motto that reflects how Spiro’s 

operates, starting with its 100% cookfrom-scratch 

kitchen. 

“We make everything from scratch, 

even our sauces and stocks because it 

makes food taste richer. You can’t get that 

from a package,” McCullison said. 

McCullison and manager Tim Karagiannis 

credit Spiro’s success and longevity 

to its staff and menu, a menu that’s 

evolved over the years but dates back to 

1981 when it primarily featured Greek 

dishes. Today, the menu offers a broad 

range of dishes from charcoal grilled 

steaks to seafood, pasta and of course, 

Greek dishes. The menu is large, which is 

just how Spiro’s customers like it. 

“Every time we try to replace or remove 

a dish from the menu, we get customer 

push back. Customers tell us they want 

us to keep the classics along with the new 

additions,” McCullison said. “Once we 

thought about replacing the labor intensive 

twice-baked potatoes with a smashed 

potato, but it was met with resistance. 

“People love our twice-baked potatoes. 

The kitchen makes 2,400 of them a week.” 

The signature side is available with 

any plate on request – if it’s not already 

paired with one of Spiro’s signature 

entrees, such as its 14-ounce charbroiled 

New York Strip Steak, the delicately pan 

broiled Dover Sole, or house specialty 

Steak Krasato, which is finished tableside 

and features medallions of beef tenderloin 

sautéed with onions, peppers, mushrooms 

and cabernet wine. 

Tableside service is a restaurant rarity 

but a hallmark of Spiro’s. A rolling table 

fitted with burners, bowls and plates is 

used to toss salads, sear steaks and flambé. 

It’s culinary theater at its best, especially 

when the room erupts with shouts of 

“Opa!” when servers flame Saganaki, battered 

kasseri cheese. 

Other items worth shouting “Opa!” for 

are the restaurant’s artisan Greek olive oil 

and wines. Each is a Spiro’s exclusive. 

The olive oil comes from a grove that 

can trace its roots back 600 years. Fruit 

harvested there yields an emerald green, 

cold pressed oil that Spiro’s presents in 

small cruets as an alternative to butter. 

The wines are produced by a vineyard 

dating to the 12th century. A standout in 

the collection is the 300 Red, produced by 

the Monemvasia Winery. 

spiros-restaurant.com 

2275 Bluestone Drive • St. Charles • (636) 916-1454 • Hours: 4-10 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday; Closed 

on Sundays and Mondays 1054 N. Woods Mill Road • Chesterfield • (314) 878-4449 • Hours: 11 

a.m.-10 p.m., Monday-Friday; 4-10 p.m., Saturdays; and 4-9 p.m. on Sundays. 

300 Red blends traditional 

Greek varietal grapes, 

Agiorgitiko and Mavroudi, 

into a rich full-bodied wine 

that pairs nicely with Spiro’s 

Grecian-style Rack of 

MID RIVERS HOME PAGES 



I 45 

Spiro’s server Michael Bunyatov 

displays two of the Greek wines 

offered as an exclusive at Spiro’s. 

(Suzanne Corbett photo) 

Lamb or its Moussaka. 

If you’re unsure about which wine to 

order simply ask your server to guide you 

through the wine list. They can help you 

make a wine choice that will complement 

your lunch or dinner, McCullison said. 

Another example of the expertise and TLC 

service diners can expect from Spiro’s. 

“We are fortunate to have an experienced 

staff that has been here a very long 

time, which elevates us,” she noted. “It’s 

what allows us to keep on thriving.” 

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46 I 




own personal growth. 

Kathryn Ann Byrd 

1. If elected, my priorities will include 

ensuring the district’s mission statement is 

true for every student and that the teachers 

and staff have the tools and support 

they need to be successful. There are already 

a few things in the works and I want 

to help them be effective. To achieve that, 

we must establish open lines of communication 

across the district and rebuild or 

strengthen our connections with educators, 

parents, students and community members. 

2. Our district’s mission statement includes 

a section that says we are to provide 

“a positive and safe learning environment 

that all reach their potential.” The 

physical health of individuals is certainly 

a concern of the district, which is why we 

are building the storm shelters on schools 

and have regular emergency response 

drills. Knowing that the mental health of 

one could impact an entire class or building, 

I believe the district has a responsibility 

to help again, by connecting those in 

need with services that help. 

3. Parents and schools have a special 

partnership. Parents are entrusting the 

district with their children and have a 

vested interest in what is being taught. 

They are part of the community that 

elects the board of education and can 

make their thoughts or concerns known 

to board members at board meetings, 

with responses to surveys and by reaching 

out individually. It is important that 

board members listen to and consider the 

thoughts, concerns and wishes of parents 

and community members to build strong 

connections and maintain the partnership. 

CITY OF SAINT CHARLES 

Karen Lee O’Hearn 

1. My priorities are: Improving student 

literacy. Incorporating career information 

into subject matter, including educational, 

apprenticeship and training opportunities 

and requirements. Creating a welcoming 

and caring school environment for all 

students and families. The safety of every 

student and staff member. Recruiting, respecting 

and retaining quality educators 

and staff. Supporting the physical and 

emotional health of students and staff. 

2. Students and families should be informed 

about the services available to promote 

their mental and physical well-being. 

Education will not be successful if the 

students emotional and physical concerns 

are not properly addressed. As much assistance 

as is necessary to achieve a student’s 

full academic potential is the duty of 

public education. Clear processes of communication 

with counselors, educators, administrators, 

school nurses, etc. is the key 

to effectively identifying students’ needs. 


3. Parents have the right to influence 

their student’s learning environment and 

materials by communicating their personal 

requirements with educators and staff. If 

these requests may be achieved without 

imposing on the rights and needs of other 

students, their wishes for their student(s) 

are reasonable and may be accommodated. 

If the professional educators determine 

that a parent’s requests disregards or violates 

the needs of other students, another 

plan of action must be discussed. 

Jennifer Gerhartz Hoehn 

1. As a national project manager and a 

mom, I know how to hone in on accountability 

and safety to protect our students 

and staff. My priorities include increased 

community engagement and transparency 

and reviewing the short-term and long-term 

financial impact of agenda items. 

2. I believe that schools can be a safe haven 

for children; prioritizing the mental and 

physical health of students is critical to their 

educational success. Laws regulate the role 

of schools in a child’s life and those should 

be enforced to protect individuals and the 

school as a whole. 

3. A single parent should be able to voice 

their concerns through appropriate channels; 

their opinions discussed and understood 

before making any decisions but a 

curriculum has to teach to all. 

Lori Lee Gibson* – Candidate did not reply 

by deadline. 

Devin Elizabeth Dorsey 

1. My priorities are: Reaching every single 

student in the district, strengthening school 

security and safety, teacher recruitment and 

retention, increased mental health supports 

for students and staff, and improving communication 

between caretakers, school staff 

and the board of education. 

2. Districts should be more involved in 

protecting the whole student, including 

their mental and physical health. We need 

to strengthen policies to make sure that the 

Board of Education, caretakers, students, 

and staff all work together to safeguard 

activities at school and online and develop 

coping strategies for dealing with 21st century 

problems. 

3. I’m advocating for showing teachers 

and administrators through action that we 

support them and trust their abilities. One 

such action would be to increase support 

staff (counselors, custodians, psychologists, 

librarians, etc.) so that educators can 

be left to focus on their areas of expertise 

in classrooms. 

Brian Keith O’Mara – Candidate did not 

reply by deadline. 

WENTZVILLE 

John Paul Kaelin – Candidate has withdrawn 

from race. 

Jennifer Lynn Olson 

1. My priorities are: To ensure the development 

of an effective and measurable academic 

improvement plan with a well-defined 

baseline, that will improve accountability 

within the district administration. To reduce 

classroom distractions, and empower teachers 

to reclaim their authority and due respect. 

We must enforce anti-bullying policies consistently, 

effectively and equally. Ensure district 

transparency, enhance communication 

and regain the trust and confidence of parents 

and stakeholders. 

2. Schools are responsible for ensuring 

the physical safety of our children while 

they are in their care. If a staff member or 

educator believes that a student is suffering 

mentally or physically, the parents should 

be notified immediately. The school should 

work with parents in the best interest of 

their children. 

3. If a parent disapproves of curriculum 

being taught or topics being discussed, they 

can address this with the teacher directly 

and/or with district administration. 

David Walter Lewis 

1. I am a fiscal conservative, and I believe 

that we must more accountable on the 

money that the Wentzville School District 

spends. I believe that we must improve the 

safety for students, teachers, admin/staff 

and for the buildings themselves. Today, 

there is a general attitude in schools to 

move away from our core teaching responsibilities 

of reading, writing, math, U.S. 

and world history, and a greater focus on 

social engineering. It is the responsibilities 

of parents to teach social engineering and 

the school district should stick to academics. 

We must work to relieve the strain that 

the school district taxes are placing on senior 

citizens. Today, 70% of a senior’s tax 

bill is made up of school taxes. 

2. It is the responsibility of teachers to 

teach. The district should protect the students 

while these are in school. Parents are 

responsible for the mental well being of 

their children. 

3. Parents should have total ability to 

see curriculum, teaching strategies and all 

books being used in the teaching process. 

There should be no social engineering teaching 

going on without the parents having the 

final say by opting in for such teaching. 

Renee M. Henke 

1. My priorities are excellence in academics, 

proper and effective discipline, and fiscal 

responsibility. 

2. If staff feel a student is in distress or experiencing 

anything health related, parents 

need to be contacted. Schools are in place to 

educate not provide health care of any kind. 

3. Parents should have the ultimate say in 

what their children are exposed to. I think 

in some cases school have overstepped their 

responsibilities. 

Bradley Steven Welsh 

1. I want to expand early childhood education 

services, advocate for our teachers, 

administration and support staff, and provide 

more career paths for our high school 



students to explore while in school – opportunities 

outside of college such as skilled 

labor, computer programing and STEM. 

2. To me, mental and physical heath are 

both equally important. I think it is important 

that we elevate our efforts when it 

comes to mental health. We need to work 

with our students at every level on developing 

their mental health skills in communication, 

active listening, compassion, self-control, 

gratitude, empathy, anger management 

and emotional support to name a few. 

3. I believe parents have a right to be 

informed of what their children are learning 

in school and there are some sensitive 

subjects parents should be able to exclude 

their children from if they so choose. However, 

our educators are the ones best suited 

to develop our curriculum and teach the 

important lessons our students need to 

learn to leave school ready to lead in todays 

global economy. 

David Alan Biesenthal 

1. My top priorities are: 1) ensuring our 

schools are timely in creating and updating 

all IEPs and 504 plans, 2) keeping boundaries 

as stable as possible so that students 

experience minimal uprooting and movement 

as new buildings are built, 3) hiring 

and retaining engaging teachers and support 

staff, 4) supporting efforts to expand 

our early childhood education offerings 

and 5) enhancing opportunities for our 

high school students to explore potential 

career paths in technology, the trades, and 

other areas. 

2. I know from experience that it’s virtually 

impossible to teach a student when their 

basic needs aren’t being met and how taxing 

teaching is on educators. The board needs 

to be a barometer, finding ways to evaluate 

the mental health of students and staff. 

It should consult with community mental 

health providers who treat the people 

our district serves. The board should offer 

programming in partnership with local organizations 

that promote healthy lifestyles 

and relationships to support the mental and 

emotional needs of our patrons. We should 

continue and expand existing successful 

mental health programs in our schools. 

3. The state sets standards for what students 

need to learn. Parents and community 

members can be invited into our schools to 

enhance the lessons the students are learning, 

or students can go on field trips into 

the community to see community members 

in action. The demands of groups of 

parents and community members should 

not outweigh the position of the educators 

and administrators tasked with meeting 

state education standards. The board needs 

to balance listening to community input 

with trusting and supporting its educators 

and administrators. The board should assist 

the district in educating parents and 

community members as to what students 

are learning and why.





I 47 

EVENTS, from page 44 

Meyer Road in Foristell and from 7:30-9 

p.m. on Saturday, April 8 at Broemmelsiek 

Park in Defiance. Join park rangers for a 

1.5 mile hike seeking out nocturnal wildlife. 

Wear close-toed shoes;bring a water 

bottle; wear bug repellent. Children must 

be accompanied by an adult. Free. Preregistration 

is required at sccmo.org. 

• • • 

Crafting for a Cause is from 1-3 p.m. 

on Tuesday, April 11 at the Crossroads Arts 

Center 310 W. Pearce Blvd. in Wentzville. 

Use your skills to help others. For details, 

email .georgannakrumlinde@gmail.com. 

• • • 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 

Speaker Series is from 3-4:30 p.m. on 

Wednesday, April 12 at Lindenwood University 

(Spellmann Center-AB Leadership 

Room, 4th floor), 209 S. Kingshighway in 

St. Charles, featuring speaker Arrey Obenson, 

president and CEO of the International 

Institute. Free. RSVP by emailing Diversity@Lindenwood.edu. 

• • • 

Succulent Wall Garden Workshop is 

from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, April 13 at the 

Foundry Art Centre in St. Charles. Cost of 

class is $65 and includes all the materials 

needed to create a succulent garden including 

box, planting soil, moss and up to 10 

succulent cuttings. For details and to register, 

visit foundryartcentre.org/adult-classes. 

• • • 

Family History Workshop Day is 

from 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday, April 

15 at the St. Charles Community College, 

(Social Sciences Building). The German 

chapter will have an information table at 

the event. Presented by the St. Charles 

Historical Society. To register, call (636) 

946-9828. 

• • • 

Shred It & Forget It - Save a Tree & 

Plant a Tree is from 9 a.m.-noon on Saturday, 

April 15 at the Environmental Services 

Building, 135 Ecology Drive in St. 

Peters. St. Peters residents with resident 

privilege cards can have their documents 

shredded and recycled for free. Limit of 

five banker-size boxes per vehicle. The city 

will give away Redbud and Dogwood tree 

seedlings as supplies last. For details, call 

(636) 970-1456. 

STEM, from page 13 

Charles. As part of this group, I want to 

hold up this honor and continue working 

hard so we can represent those of our intelligent 

peers who were not recognized that 

morning. I will keep pushing my boundaries 

in STEM and, hopefully, help better 

society in the process. The knowledge I 

have gained here has helped me build a 

good foundation for my future.” 

Although Ekagrah said he has not decided 

what he wants to do professionally, he is 

getting excited about the future of medicine 

and even some possible space travel. 

“I am fascinated by the intersections of 

engineering, medicine, philosophy, and 

space. Thankfully, the future looks bright 

for space doctors looking to rule Mars,” 

Kumar said. 

Other honorees are keeping their feet on 

the ground with plans to give back to the 

local community after college. 

Jessica Ruffing, Orchard Farm High 

award recipient said, “I had the opportunity 

to interact with leaders in the STEM 

world at the meeting who opened up new 

realms of possibility. I was able to learn 

about their journeys and the future career 

openings that may be possible for me.” 

Ruffing will be majoring in Biochemistry 

at the University of Missouri in the fall 

and then plans on going to medical school. 

“This honor means that I am already on the 

road to accomplishing my goals. I aspire to 

become a leader in the community… and 

inspire future STEM students,” Ruffing said. 

The 2023 Randy Schilling STEM Educators 

Grant, which will offer grant support for 

STEM classroom projects to kindergarten 

to grade 12 educators in St. Charles County, 

was also introduced during the event. The 

grant will provide $10,000 to teachers in St. 

Charles County this year because the funds 

are being matched by the EDC, Randy 

Schilling, Jim and Randie Eberlin, and Partners 

for Community Development. 

As an integral member of the EDC’s 

STEM Education Committee since its 

founding, Dr. Bernard DuBray was presented 

with the 2023 STEM Champion 

Award to conclude the awards banquet. 

DuBray has been an educator for 54 years, 

superintendent at the Fort Zumwalt School 

District for 38 years and is the longest-serving 

superintendent of schools in Missouri. 

MID RIVERS CLASSIFIEDS • 636.591.0010 • CLASSIFIEDS@NEWSMAGAZINENETWORK.COM 

CLEANING SERVICES 

SPOTLESS CLEANING 

SERVICES 

for your home or business. 

Specializing in everyday cleaning 

of homes, rentals, move outs & 

home buying, etc. 

Family owned & operated 

Call today (636) 777-9319 

to schedule your cleaning 

or a FREE ESTIMATE. 

Email: spotless.dina@gmail.com 

COLLECTIBLES 

WANTED TO BUY 

• SPORTS MEMORABILIA • 

Baseball Cards, Sports Cards, 

Cardinals Souvenirs and 

Memorabilia. Pre-1975 Only. 

Private Collector: 

314-302-1785 

HEY CARDINAL FANS 

-ITEMS FOR SALE 

St. Louis Cardinal 

Bobbleheads, Rings, 

Purses, Etc. 

Call for pricing & pictures 

314-703-7456 

ELECTRICAL 

ERIC'S ELECTRIC 

Licensed, Bonded and Insured: 

Service upgrades, fans, can lights, 

switches, outlets, basements, 

code violations fixed, we do it 

all. Emergency calls & back-up 

generators. No job too small. 

Competitively priced. 

Free Estimates. 

Just call 636-262-5840 

GARAGE DOORS 

DSI/Door Solutions, Inc. 

Garage Doors, Electric Openers. 

Fast Repairs. All makes & models. 

Same day service. Free Estimates. 

Custom Wood and Steel Doors. 

BBB Member • Angie's List 

Call 314-550-4071 

www.dsi-stl.com 

HAULING 

J & J HAULING 

WE HAUL IT ALL 

Service 7 days. Debris, furniture, 

appliances, household trash, 

yard debris, railroad ties, fencing, 

decks. Garage & Basement Clean-up 

Neat, courteous, affordable rates. 

Call: 636-379-8062 or 

email: jandjhaul@aol.com 

HELP WANTED 

Rockwood School District 

Hiring For Position of: 

Food Service 

Our Child Nutrition Assistants 

work school days only 

Part time or Full time, 

No experience needed. 

Starting Pay $13 Hourly. 

Seven Paid Holidays, 

Retirement through PEERS, 

Perfect Attendance Days 

Manager positions available 

with full benefits. 

www.rsdmo.org 

or call 636-733-3253 

HOME HEALTHCARE 

TROSSIE CARES 

Private Home Health 

24 hr. Affordable 

Home Healthcare Service. 

Referencces Available. 

Call 314-620-3550 

or email 

trossiecares@gmail.com 

HOME IMPROVEMENT 

HAPPY HANDYMAN SERVICE 

"Don't Worry Get Happy" 

Complete home remodel/ 

repair kitchen & bath, plumbing, 

electrical, carpentry. 24HR 

Emergency Service. Commercial 

and Residential. Discount for 

Seniors/Veterans. 

636-541-9432 

HOME IMPROVEMENT 

REMODEL & REPAIR 

Rotted wood, Painting, Tile, 

Drywall, Floors, Electrical, 

Carpentry, Plumbing, 

Power Washing. Insured. 

FREE ESTIMATES 

Tom Streckfuss 314-910-7458 

sbacontractingllc@gmail.com 

AFFORDABLE CARPENTRY 

Kitchen Remodeling, Wainscoting, 

Cabinets, Crown Molding, Trim, 

Framing, Basement Finishing, 

Custom Decks, Doors, Windows. 

Free estimates! 

Anything inside & out! 

Call Joe 636-699-8316 

PAINTING 

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS! 

PAINTER 

DAN VOLLMER 

• I AM INCORPORATED INC. • 

INTERIOR SPECIAL 2023 

$75 Per Avg. Rm Size 

(12’x12’ Walls 3 Room Minimum) 

FREE ESTIMATES: CALL DAN 

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Exterior Painting! 

PAINTING 

Interior and 

exterior painting 

Deck staining 

- Insured & Free Estimates - 

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314-707-3094 

PLUMBING 

ANYTHING IN PLUMBING 

Good Prices! Basement 

bathrooms, small repairs & 

code violations repaired. Fast 

Service. Certified, licensed 

plumber - MBC Plumbing 

- Call or text anytime: 

314-409-5051 

POWERWASHING 

POWERWASHING 

EARLY SPECIAL 

10% OFF 

Early booking before 

March 15th 

All Smiles Pressure Washing, LLC 

636-279-0056 

REAL ESTATE 

I BUY HOMES 

ALL CASH - AS-IS 

I have been buying and selling 

for over 30 years. 

$ No obligation. $ 

No commission. 

No fixing up. 

It doesn’t cost to find out 

how much you can get. 

Must ask for 

Lyndon Anderson 

314-496-5822 

Berkshire Hathaway 

Select Prop. 

Office: 636-394-2424 

SOFTBALL LEAGUE 

Men’s 60+ Senior 

Softball League 

Slow pitch softball league 

for men 60 years and older 

to play in St. Charles County 

is accepting individual 

applications for the 2023 season. 

Double-headers on 

Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m . 

at Schneider-Kiwanis Park. 

If interested, email: 

herbieo.jr@gmail.com 

or call or text: 

Herb Olmsted 314-960-2872 

TREE SERVICES 

Complete Tree Service for 

Residential & Commercial 

Tree Pruning & Removal 

Plant Health Care Program 

Deadwooding • Stump Grinding 

Deep Root Fertilization 

Cabling & Storm Clean Up 

ISA Certified Arborists 

Doug Beckmann MW-5255A 

Teresa Hessel MW-5754A • Brad Meyer MW-5286A 

Free Estimates • Fully Insured 

314-426-2911 

meyertreecare.com 

WATERPROOFING 

TOP NOTCH 

WATERPROOFING & 

FOUNDATION REPAIR LLC 

Cracks, sub-pump systems, 

structural & concrete repairs. 

Exterior drainage correction. 

Serving Missouri for 15 years. 

Finally, a contractor who is honest 

& leaves the job site clean. 

Lifetime Warranties. 

Free Estimate 636-281-6982 

WEDDING SERVICES 

ANYTIME ANYWHERE 

- CEREMONIES - 

Full Service Ministry 

(314) 703-7456 

To place a Classified ad, go to 


or call 636.591.0010 ext. 21

Mid Rivers Newsmagazine 3-22-23

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