West Newsmagazine 4-17-24

Vol. 29 No. 8 • April 17, 2024 

westnewsmagazine.com 

THE CHANGING FACE 

OF CANNABIS USE 

PLUS: Real Estate Professionals ■ Décor & Lifestyles ■ Serving Our Seniors

FACEBOOK.COM/WESTNEWSMAGAZINE 

WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM 

STAR PARKER 

Americans are not 

seeking out middle ground 

April 17, 2024 

WEST NEWSMAGAZINE 

I OPINION I 3 

NEW & REPAIR WORK 

FOUNDATION & FLAT WORK 

A Wall Street Journal opinion piece by 

Sen. Mitt Romney regarding the demise 

of the No Labels political party initiative 

tells us as much about Romney, and why he 

failed to ever become a national leader, as 

it does about the failure of the No Labels 

effort. 

No Labels defined its mission “to support 

centrism and bipartisanship.” 

Romney defines this effort as seeking out 

the “sensible middle voices” in American 

politics. 

My view is that No Labels failed because 

of its very incorrect assumption that what 

Americans seek is a so-called middle 

ground, or even that a middle ground exists, 

on issues that most trouble the nation today. 

No Labels was wrong in its assessment 

of what the nation wants and needs, and 

Romney is wrong. 

Former President Richard Nixon once 

observed that many make the mistake of 

thinking that conflict is the result of misunderstanding 

rather than difference of belief. 

When America split and descended into 

civil war in the 1850s and 1860s, it was not 

because of the failure of sensible middle 

voices to emerge. 

It was because there were many in the 

country who believed that slavery was not 

only okay but desirable. It was because 

some believed that Black Africans who 

were enslaved were not even human beings. 

Where is the middle ground, the “sensible 

middle voices,” on slavery? 

Slavery was not about misunderstanding 

or lack of communication. It was about conflict 

between very different sets of beliefs. 

This is what is happening in our country 

today. 

Over the years, the country has become 

increasingly polarized, with very different 

views about what is true and not true and 

even what the country is about. 

In the most recent Gallup polling on patriotism, 

only 39% say they are “extremely 

proud” to be an American. Only 67% say 

that are “extremely/very proud” to be an 

American. 

Twenty years ago, 90% said they were 

“extremely/very proud” to be an American. 

On issues of great concern to and impact 

on the country, opinions are deeply divided. 

Gallup reports that the divide between 

Republicans and Democrats on how much 

power the federal government should have 

has increased by 50 points over the last 20 

years. 

The divide between Republicans and 

Democrats on the nature and cause of global 

warming has increased by 33 points, on satisfaction 

with K-12 education has increased 

by 30 points, on whether abortion should be 

legal under any circumstances by 30 points, 

on the importance of foreign trade by 29 

points, and about immigration by 29 points. 

Where is the “sensible middle” on these 

issues? The answer is there is none. 

The different points of view emerge from 

very different views of the world, very different 

views of what is or is not true. 

The great struggle in our nation today is 

about whether the founders’ vision of a free 

nation under God, with limited power of 

the national government, will be restored 

and harnessed to today’s challenges. Or if 

we will continue in the direction of secular 

humanism, Godlessness and socialism. 

Abraham Lincoln captured today’s reality, 

as neither No Labels nor Mitt Romney 

could do. 

Lincoln said in 1858: “A house divided 

against itself cannot stand. I believe this 

government cannot endure, permanently 

half slave and half free. I do not expect the 

Union to be dissolved – I do not expect the 

house to fall – but I do expect it will cease 

to be divided. It will become all one thing, 

or all the other. 

There is a reason why Donald Trump 

came out of nowhere in 2016 to win the 

presidency, running on the theme “Make 

America Great Again.” 

The struggle today is between those who 

want to recapture our founding values and 

principles. And those who want to destroy 

them. 

The House will not fall. We will become 

all one thing, or all the other. 

• • • 

Star Parker is president of the Center for 

Urban Renewal and Education and host of 

the weekly television show “Cure America 

with Star Parker.” To find out more about 

Star Parker and read features by other 

Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, 

visit the Creators Syndicate website at 

www.creators.com. 

© 2024 Creators.com 

Read more on westnewsmagazine.com 

636-297-4111 

concreteologist.com 

COMMON SENSE 

AND LOGIC FOR SALE 

INSPIRING HOPE. PROMOTING WELLNESS. 

PROVIDING EXCEPTIONAL DENTAL CARE 

AND PREVENTIVE ORAL HEALTH 

Adult & pediatric dental services 

Medicaid accepted • Sliding scale available 

State-of-the-art equipment 

Board certified dentists & hygienists 

SERVICES INCLUDE: 

Exams • Urgent care visits • X-rays 

Cleanings • Fluoride treatments 

Sealants • Fillings • Routine extractions 

Crowns & bridges • Dentures & partials 

CALL 844-843-8937 

TO SCHEDULE YOUR 

APPOINTMENT TODAY! 

NEWEST DENTAL LOCATION: 

1030 Wolfrum Road 

Weldon Spring, MO 63304 

COMPASSHEALTHNETWORK.ORG

4 I OPINION I 



LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 

@WESTNEWSMAG 


Re: A Broken 

Socialist Dinosaur 

In the last issue, Christine Eldarrat 

responded to Star Parker, referring to 

Social Security as a broken socialist dinosaur 

and recommended some ways to “fix” 

it. She first recommended “raise the Social 

Security tax rate,” as the last increase was 

in 1990. However, there has been a steady 

increase (in the 7.65% combined Social 

Security and Medicare tax) from 1990 to 

2022, as U.S. wages have increased a total 

of 116.56%. 

Ms. Eldarrat also suggests that as “19% 

of the population earns income over the 

$168,600 maximum” that we increase 

the taxable rate. Actually, according to 

the Economic Policy Institute in 2020, 

the top 10% of wage earners received 

an average income of $167,639. According 

to the National Taxpayers Union, the 

top 10% already pays 76% of all of the 

U.S. income taxes paid. Self-employed 

business owners have to pay both the 

employee and employer portion so are 

already paying twice the rate. Increasing 

their taxes and costs further risks increasing 

inflation and unemployment. Leftist 

policies of continuing to pay people 

not to work long after the pandemic has 

consequences as the Bureau of Labor Statistics 

reported labor force participation 

rate remains persistently low. Taxing the 

top 10% or even the 19% wouldn’t make 

Social Security solvent if there are not 

enough wage earners paying into it. The 

truth is that Trump’s 2017 Tax Cut and 

Jobs Act caused the IRS to collect record 

amounts of tax revenue. 

Ms. Eldarrat complains that conservatives 

label those they don’t agree with as 

“socialists,” but she is recommending a 

redistribution of wealth. She further recommends 

“Christian values in policy decisions.” 

According to a study posted on the 

National Library of Medicine, “political 

conservatives are significantly more charitable 

than liberals.” So, I’m glad to see she 

concludes she’s ready to embrace conservative 

policies. 

Lynn Link 

Early childhood center 

Parkway’s decision to endanger the wellbeing 

and equitable access of resources for 

nearly 1,100 students to create an early 

childhood center that will serve 300 is 

egregious, inequitable and unsafe. Parkway 

says it values equity, yet it is choosing 

to eliminate one of the few recreational 

spaces the current students utilize, making 

Southwest Middle the only school in the 

district to have no recreational field – no 

place to hold a kickball tournament, no 

place to have memorable field day experiences, 

no place to kick a soccer ball or 

play baseball. Parkway’s students deserve 

better than that! 

The decision to take resources from 

the elementary and middle school on 

Wren Avenue shows a blatant disregard 

for the fundamental needs of students. By 

removing a recreational field, Parkway is 

depriving students of vital opportunities 

for physical activity and social interaction, 

which are crucial for their holistic development. 

Furthermore, the decision to add 

a school to an already overcrowded twolane 

cul-de-sac exacerbates existing traffic 

and safety issues. It demonstrates a failure 

to consider practical implications and consequences 

of their actions for students and 

the community. 

The Parkway School District must be 

urged to reconsider its decision to build 

in this unfavorable location. The early 

childhood center should be constructed 

in a place that does not create inequitable 

access to resources and endanger the wellbeing 

of students. Anything less would be 

a disservice to the very principles it claims 

to uphold. 

Christy Hefele 

No more gladiators 

Sports have always reflected our society 

– its values, its challenges and its evolution. 

However, recent rule changes in Major 

League Baseball and the National Football 

League serve as a stark reminder of how 

society has changed for the worse. Welcome 

the “participation trophy.” 

In MLB, the introduction of rules like the 

three-batter minimum for relief pitchers and 

the ban on the defensive shift have sparked 

debates among fans and players alike. 

These changes, aimed at increasing the pace 

of play and injecting more excitement into 

the game, have instead resulted in a watering 

down of strategy and nuance that once 

defined baseball. The focus on quick fixes 

and instant gratification mirrors a society 

that values efficiency over tradition, substance 

over style. Don’t get me started on 

WANT TO EXPRESS YOUR OPINION? 

Submit your letter to: editor@newsmagazinenetwork.com 

the larger size bases or the pitch clock. 

Similarly, in the NFL, rule changes 

aimed at player safety have altered the 

way the game is played. The most recent 

change is the new kick-off protocol. If you 

don’t have a degree in physics, you won’t 

understand one bit of it. While player safety 

is predominant, the increasing number of 

penalties for helmet-to-helmet hits and 

roughing the passer has led to a more sanitized 

version of the sport. The physicality 

and grit that once defined the sport have 

been overshadowed by concerns of lawsuits 

and concussions, reflecting a society 

that prioritizes caution over courage. 

These changes in sports mirror broader 

societal shifts toward impatience and an 

obsession with safety. The erosion of tradition 

and the emphasis on spectacle over 

substance signal a troubling drift toward 

homogenization and conformity. 

As we look to the world of sports for 

inspiration and escape, we must also be 

mindful of the ways in which it reflects our 

own values and priorities. By recognizing 

these changes for what they are – a reflection 

of societal shifts towards the worst 

– we can begin to reassess our values and 

reclaim the essence of sports as a reflection 

of our humanity. 

Michael Sargent 

Our choice in November 

Star Parker’s editorial in the March 20 

edition is very good. As a former lifetime 

Republican, I am sympathetic to her arguments. 

More government is not the answer, 

and neither are higher taxes nor more regulations. 

However, the choice we Americans are 

faced with is this: a pathological liar who 

has cheated on every wife; has declared 

bankruptcy numerous times; who is solely 

responsible for the attack on the U.S. Capitol 

on Jan 6, 2021; who detests the rule of 

law, the U.S. Constitution and possesses 

not one single positive redeeming quality. 

None. And he is facing 91 felony charges. 

So the choice in November is very clear. 

If you vote for Donald Trump, I don’t 

know if we have anything in common. 

If you vote for Joe Biden, do so with the 

understanding that he is an average career 

politician doing the best he can under the 

circumstances. 

Let your conscience be your guide. 

Bill Hall 

Founder 

Publisher Emeritus 

Publisher 

Managing Editor 

Associate Editor 

Associate Editor 

Staff Writer 

Features Editor 

Business Manager 

Graphic Designer 

Graphic Designer 

Graphic Layout 

Reporters 

Doug Huber 

Sharon Huber 

Tim Weber 

Dan Fox 

Kate Uptergrove 

Tracey Bruce 

Laura Brown 

Lisa Russell 

Erica Myers 

Donna Deck 

Aly Doty 

Emily Rothermich 

Advertising Account Executives 

Nancy Anderson 

Vicky Czapla 

Ellen Hartbeck 

Suzanne Corbett 

Jeffry Greenberg 

DeAnne LeBlanc 

754 Spirit 40 Park Dr. 

Chesterfield, MO 63005 

(636) 591-0010 

westnewsmagazine.com 

Please send 

Comments, Letters and Press Releases to: 

editor@newsmagazinenetwork.com 

West Newsmagazine is published 24 times per year by 

West Media Inc. 40,000 distribution (direct mailed and 

newsstands) in West St. Louis County. Products and 

services advertised are not necessarily endorsed by 

West Newsmagazine and views expressed in editorial 

copy are not necessarily those of West Newsmagazine. 

No part of West Newsmagazine may be reproduced 

in any form without prior written consent from West 

Newsmagazine. All letters addressed to West 

Newsmagazine or its editor are assumed to be intended 

for publication and are subject to editing for content 

and length. West Newsmagazine reserves the right to 

refuse any advertisement or editorial submission. 

© Copyright 2024. 

A PUBLICATION OF 

Linda Joyce 

Joe Ritter 

Sheila Roberts 

Cathy Lenny 

Warren Mayes 

Shwetha Sundarrajan

Let Us Help Your Garden Thrive 

Flowering Shrubs 

Perennials 

Japanese Maples 

Bonsai 

Outdoor Fountains 

Pottery 

Blooms & Baskets 

Evergreens 

Plants - Trees - Pottery - Gift - Décor & More! 

MOTHER’S DAY 

IS SUNDAY, MAY 12! 

timberwindsnursery.com 

54 Clarkson Road, Ellisville, MO 63011 

636.227.0095 Open 7 Days a Week

6 I OPINION I 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


SATURDAY MAY 11, 2024 

GET YOUR GAMES FACE ON! 

SCHROEDER PARK, MANCHESTER, MO 

TICKETS ON SALE NOW 

stlouis-scottishgames.com 

SPORTSIFOOD & DRINKIMUSICIDANCING 

PRESENTED BY 

6 00% APR* 

Semi-Annual Interest 

Fixed Rate / Callable in 6 months Estate 

Issued By 

Ally Financial Inc. 

Detroit, MI 

Investment Rating: BBB- 

Investment Grade Corporate Bond 

Final Maturity: 4/15/2027 

Call Date: 10/15/2024 @ $1000 per 

Feature / Survivor Option 

The Corporate Bond is callable in six months at the issuer’s option and semi-annual thereafter 

with 15 calendar days notice. 

*Subject to availability. The Annual Percentage Rate (APR) represents the interest earned through each eligible 

call date based on simple interest calculations, an investment price of $1000 per corporate bond, and 

is accurate as of April 10, 2024. Callable corporate bonds are more likely to be called in a lower interest rate 

environment, and investors may be unable to reinvest funds at the same rate as the original investment. The 

minimum balance required to purchase the corporate bond and obtain the APR is $10,000. Interest payouts 

are mandatory, and interest cannot be reinvested back into the bond. The bond is redeemable at par upon 

death of the holder. This investment is not FDIC insured. 

Corporate bond prices move opposite to interest rates, increasing when rates decline and falling when rates 

increase. Corporate bonds are intended to be held until maturity, as this assures redemption at par value. 

Investors may sell them before the stated maturity date, if needed, at the prevailing market prices, and 

proceeds may be more or less than the original investment. Market values of longer tern corporate bonds 

tend to be more sensitive to interest rate fluctuation. Thus, the longer-term corporate bonds are generally 

not suitable for investors with a short-term horizon. Other factors that may affect corporate bonds are order 

size, call features, and investor demand. Sales charges may apply. Consider all risks and benefits and how 

this investment alternative may help meet investment objectives. 

For Complete Details, Call: 

Jeffrey S. Patterson, Managing Partner 

Patterson Wealth Management LLC 

15415 Clayton Rd • Ballwin, MO 63011 

636-779-0664 • 800-536-8770 

pattersonwealthmanagement.com 

EDITORIAL 

Need asylum? 

There’s an app for that 

Two brothers in their late teens, Daniel and Richard Moncada, spent six 

months traveling to the U.S. border from their native Venezuela, according 

to the Wall Street Journal. When they arrived, they loaded up CPB One, a 

custom app that the federal government wants immigrants to use to legally 

gain entrance to the U.S. The soonest the app could schedule a meeting for 

the brothers was in three months, so they rolled the dice and crossed the 

border illegally. 

The Moncada brothers intend to seek asylum in this country. Asylum is 

legal protection for people who are threatened by persecution in their native 

country. At least that is what it is supposed to be. Today, it is a loophole 

undoubtedly being exploited by a large number of economic migrants. Economic 

migrants are seeking opportunity, not fleeing from persecution. 

In 2023, some 920,000 migrants and/or migrant families filed for asylum. 

A decade earlier, that number was just 76,000. The system – from courts, to 

Customs and Border Patrol, to cities trying to help – is completely overwhelmed. 

Again, just a decade ago, four out of five attempted border crossings 

ended with the person being repatriated back to their home country. In 

2019, per the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), it was just under one 

out of three. 

DHS says it can handle around 50,000 asylum cases per year. Last year, 

just from the CPB One app and other legal avenues of asylum-seekers, DHS 

received more than 430,000 requests. An additional nearly half million 

requests come from migrants caught entering the country illegally. Overall, 

there is a backlog of more than 1 million asylum claims in this country. 

Most people in this country want increased border security along with some 

path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. That is the sensible solution. 

Politicians claim they want to solve this problem, but when a bipartisan 

bill was offered earlier this year it was quickly struck down. During Donald 

Trump’s tenure as president, he offered citizenship to so-called “Dreamers” in 

exchange for building the border wall. No dice there either. Politicians want 

to campaign on the issue more than they want to solve it. 

We need immigrants, by the way. We need smart ones and strong ones, 

creative ones and hardworking ones. We aren’t just a nation of immigrants; 

we are an economy of immigrants. If the system completely breaks, so does 

our financial well-being. 

This is a complicated, global problem. Europe is seeing even more asylum 

requests than the U.S. 

War in Ukraine, civil unrest in Syria and brutalist governments in Venezuela, 

Nicaragua and Cuba all exacerbate the problem. Ironically, the more the 

U.S. tries to isolate from the world, the more the world is showing up at our 

doorstep and demanding entrance. 

When President Joe Biden was campaigning in 2019, he stated that we 

could “absorb” 2 million asylum seekers “easily,” and that he would declare a 

100-day moratorium on deportations. Those were asinine suggestions. So too 

is current candidate Donald Trump’s repeated promise of mass deportations 

based on the Dwight Eisenhower model from the 1950s. 

Immigration is a complicated problem. We need serious leaders – not cellphone 

apps and empty political promises – to solve it. 

Follow us on 

Securities and Investment Advisory Services offered through Cutter & Company, Inc. Member FINRA, SIPC. 

Patterson Wealth Management, Cutter & Company, Inc. and the issuer are not affiliated.





I 7 

Outdoor living redefined ... 

Made Simple * Made Affordable * Made in the USA 

NAPOLEON 

GAS GRILLS 

YOUR 

HEADQUARTERS 

YODER 

PELLET 

GRILLS 

KEVERI 

CHARCOAL 

BRILLS 

Stop in for 

Pre-Season Specials! 

create your own 

custom look! 

St. Louis’ Most Exclusive Hearth & BBQ Supplier 

15053 Manchester Rd. | Ballwin 

636.256.6564 | www.StLouisHomeFires.com 

At St. Louis Community College, we're investing 

in new facilities and modern classrooms so 

future accountants and entrepreneurs can 

master their business prowess. 

Students will develop marketable skills and gain real-world 

experience as they learn tricks of the trade from industry 

experts—and they’ll graduate ready to pursue a wide 

variety of business or accounting career opportunities. 

From classrooms and labs to libraries and clinics, we're 

empowering students to build a greater St. Louis for all. 

We're Building More Than Buildings. 

Learn more at stlcc.edu/transformed 

Brett Vollrath, president, Metro Electric Supply

8 I NEWS I 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


Although he could also see major 

improvements for the city, council member 

Joe Martinich (Ward 4) is still concerned 

that so many major problem areas would 

cost so much money that it would be tough 

to have them all fixed in a reasonable 

amount of time. 

ELLISVILLE 

Photographer Lou Countryman’s photos of the lunar eclipse on Monday, April 8. Check out galleries of local 

events and professional sports action at westnewsmagazine.com. 

NEWS 

BRIEFS 

CREVE COEUR 

Capital Improvement 

Program gets green light 

Creve Coeur led off its April 8 City 

Council meeting with a public hearing on 

its fiscal years 2025-2029 Capital Improvement 

Program (CIP). 

City Engineer Steven Berecz noted the 

main crux of the resolution (No. 1715) was 

for projects of over $20,000 with a life 

span of more than five years. 

“The main purpose of the CIP is it provides 

a road map of what the city is planning 

on doing,” he said. “For FY25, in the 

Capital Fund, there are 16 projects that 

vary in size, and throughout the five years, 

there are 25 projects with more to come. 

The Stormwater Fund for FY25 has 14 

projects, with 23 more over the five years.” 

In December and January, citizen 

requests listed on the city website were collected, 

plus committee recommendations. 

City staff put together and did drafts of the 

CIP in February. After the CIP was submitted 

to the council for review, a joint work 

session was held with the city council and 

finance committee. After more meetings 

with other committees and adding recommendations, 

the council held another work 

session in late March to review updates 

and answer more questions. 

Regarding specific projects, Berecz said 

one major update is the city is shooting 

for a late May grand re-opening of Millennium 

Park from its first major phase of 

redevelopment. 

There were no comments specifically 

related to the resolution, which was also 

previously reviewed by the Stormwater 

Committee, Parks and Historic Preservation, 

Finance Committee and Planning and 

Zoning Commission. It was passed the 

council. 

Watershed management 

plan adopted by city 

At the April 8 Creve Coeur City Council 

meeting, city officials passed a resolution 

adopting a citywide Watershed Management 

Plan, finishing a process that began 

over a year ago. 

According to Intuition and Logic (I&L) 

Engineering principal Tim Dean, the 

Watershed Management Plan will be the 

fourth in Creve Coeur’s history and the 

first in more than a decade. It will also be 

one of the major cogs in the city’s 2025- 

2029 Capital Improvement Program. 

The planning process began in January 

of last year, and an 84-page Creve Coeur 

Watershed Management Plan revealed 132 

problem areas. Creve Coeur chose I&L and 

its primary subcontractor EDM Services 

due to their success at completing 53 such 

plans that included assessment of more 

than 1,000 miles of creeks and streams. 

“When we look back at what the city 

was doing previously, it was typically 

responding to fires in failing areas,” Dean 

said. “Having that half-cent sales tax now 

allows the city to be very proactive on their 

approach and look forward down the road 

and repair those infrastructures before we 

have those catastrophic failures.” 

Dean added that the Watershed Master 

Plan helps the city acquire grant funding 

from the EPA and other institutions. I&L 

uses an online tool called Social Pinpoint 

to aggregate resident concerns. They had 

over 400 total responses and found that 

over 50% of the problems identified came 

from the residents. Only 28% came from 

fieldwork that Dean’s team developed as 

they walked over 22 miles of streams and 

tributaries. 

This analysis included all the main 

watersheds within the city, using experts 

in the field with decades of experience in 

assessing and planning for these types of 

programs. They do so to vet the problem 

areas and to identify potential improvements 

in projects to make sure the city has 

reliable budgets for planning for current 

and future problems. 

“One of the residents was able to track 

their problem on Pinpoint all the way 

through the program to determine if it was 

a publicly funded project or a private concern,” 

Dean said. “Of all those, we identified 

102 projects through the CIP program. 

We put those into three project types: structures 

and culverts ($12.6 million), bank 

stabilization ($16.7 million) and overland 

flooding ($4.6 million).” 

The overall program cost is about $33.9 

million. The projects also get ranked 

according to greatest need in moving forward. 

Council member Dan Tierney (Ward 4) 

inquired if, a homeowner’s problem got 

worse, could it be reevaluated and its rank 

change. Dean said I&L can easily do this 

because they have photos of all problem 

areas that the city can use to compare 

from this round of assessment to a future 

point. 

Officials seek public input for 

Bluebird Park improvements 

Ellisville’s Park Board is inviting the 

public to share their thoughts on what 

improvements they would like to see in 

the eastern portion of Bluebird Park. The 

meeting where input will be received is at 

7 p.m. on April 22 at Bluebird Park. The 

area in question is approximately 15 acres 

in size and currently is home to the Bussmann 

Shelter, a dog park, two sports fields 

and a restroom. 

Ellisville’s Director of Parks and Recreation 

Sally Grobelny said that while no 

plans are set in stone, the objective is to 

develop a master plan for the space and 

then implement the improvements over the 

next four years in four phases. 

“The intent is to develop a detailed plan 

to replace the Bussmann Shelter with a 

new pavilion,” Grobelny said. “Some 

other possibilities include installing new 

multipurpose courts for tennis, pickleball 

and basketball. The idea of adding a playground 

back there was talked about. And 

so was upgrading the ballfields. Those are 

types of things we heard before within the 

city’s master plan, so I’m basing these possible 

ideas on that.” 

The bathroom facilities are fairly new, so 

Grobelny said those likely would not be 

renovated as a part of this project. 

To help with funding the city is applying 

for a grant from the Municipal Park 

Grant Commission of St. Louis County to 

help pay for planning costs of the project. 

Grobelny said the city would likely apply 

for grants for each phase of the project. St. 

Louis-based design firm, Planning Design 

Studio, is working with the city to develop 

the plans for the park. 

MANCHESTER 

FOCUS Photography 

Exhibition seeks entries 

Manchester Arts is seeking entries into 

its 2024 FOCUS Photography Exhibition. 

The contest is open to individuals of all 

skill levels, ages 5 and up, from throughout 

the greater St. Louis area. 

Entry fees for participants ages 21 and 

older are $5 per photo; entrants age 20 

and younger are free. Each participant can 

submit up to three photos, either color or





I NEWS I 9 

black-and-white, created during the past 

two calendar years (beginning January 

2022). Photos may be of any subject and 

taken anywhere, but all must be familyfriendly. 

Photos will be accepted by electronic 

submission from May 1 through May 31 at 

manchestermo.gov/focus. Photographers 

may not submit work that was entered in 

a previous Manchester Arts photo exhibit. 

Visit manchestermo.gov and search “focus” 

for complete guidelines. 

The Focus 2024 Photography Exhibition 

will be held in Schroeder Park, 359 

Old Meramec Station Road daily from 

sunrise to sunset, June 14 through July 8, 

with an opening reception and awards ceremony 

from 6-8 p.m. on June 14. 

Photos will be judged within five age categories 

based on the photographer’s age as 

of May 1, 2024. Those five age categories 

are 5-13, 14-20, 21-49, 50-64 and 65-plus. 

Cash prizes totaling more than $1,500 will 

be awarded to first-, second- and thirdplace 

winners in each of the age categories 

in addition to a “Best of Show” award. 

The contest will be judged by professional 

photographer Allen Ahner. 

City enacts annual mental 

wellness checks for police 

As part of a bill passed by the Missouri 

Legislature, the city of Manchester is now 

offering first responders mental wellness 

checks. 

Senate Bill 551 was passed in 2021 and 

aims to provide first responders with a way 

to deal with the stress of a critical incident 

or emotionally difficult event. 

“With police work, there’s a lot of stress 

that comes with it,” Manchester Deputy 

Chief of Police Craig Smith said. “Too 

long hours, the calls that would go on, the 

time away from our families. Just how 

you’re treated by the public, sometimes 

it’s good, sometimes it’s bad, sometimes 

it’s horrible. It just takes a toll on a police 

officer’s mental health. So that was the 

whole idea behind passing this law is to 

kind of help the officers, give them an 

opportunity to check in with a mental 

health professional every so often, just to 

see if there’s anything that they can help 

[with].” 

SB551 requires first responders to meet 

with a program service provider once every 

three to five years for a mental health 

check-in. Justin Klocke, Manchester city 

administrator, explained that the annual 

wellness checks are only for police officers, 

and the option is extended to officer’s 

families. 

“The legislation gave us a few years to 

get these enacted, it went into effect, but 

the legislation actually reads that wellness 

checks only need to be performed every 3 

to 5 years, so we’re within that time frame 

to provide wellness checks,” Klocke said. 

“But now that we’re implementing this, the 

Board of Aldermen and the mayor chose 

to go above and beyond and decided to do 

annual wellness checks.” 

Before SB551, Manchester offered all of 

its employees voluntary wellness checks 

provided through H&H Health Services. 

Now, the only difference is that SB551 and 

its statute require officers to have annual 

mental wellness checks within that set time 

period, Klocke explained. 

With 27 years on the police force, Smith 

understands the stressful nature of the job 

and emphasized that all sessions would be 

strictly confidential. 

“The average person sees a handful of 

traumatic events in their life,” Smith said. 

“A police officer could see upwards of 

300-plus tragic accidents during the career 

which takes a toll on your body and mind. 

So I think it’s really important and it’s 

going to do a lot of good for us.” 

WILDWOOD 

Ameren no longer 

pursuing telecom tower 

A contentious matter for residents in 

Let’s Be Active Together! 

EXPERTS IN DEMENTIA CARE 

gardenviewcarecenter.com 

636-537-3333 | CHESTERFIELD 

636-861-0500 | DOUGHERTY FERRY 

636-240-2840 | O’FALLON 

A 

C 

T 

I 

V 

E 

Wildwood has been resolved. 

Ameren had requested a conditional 

use permit (CUP) to place a 199-foot 

telecommunications tower and enclosed 

equipment structure on a 14.7-acre tract 

on the south side of Hwy. T, west of Hwy. 

100. 

In a letter to the city, a representative 

from Cellective Solutions (the site acquisition 

firm), stated that the petitioner was 

withdrawing its application for the tower at 

18824 St. Albans Road and would not be 

pursuing it at this time. 

See NEWS BRIEFS, page 47 

ctivity promotes physical, 

cognitive and emotional 

well-being 

hair yoga is just one of 

the physical activities 

we promote 

herapists are at all of our 

locations to monitor a 

resident’s mobility 

and movement 

ndividual care programs 

include activities and 

exercise therapies 

itality 

is the key 

to happiness 

veryone 

is encouraged 

to be active

10 I NEWS I 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


96-acre Olia Village project approved by Creve Coeur City Council 

By JEFFRY GREENBERG 

Three bills paving the way for the 

96-acre Olia Village mixed-use project, to 

be located on the former Bayer Campus 

in Creve Coeur, were passed by the City 

Council on April 8, despite pushback from 

residents. 

The first bill uses Missouri Chapter 

353 to designate the area as blighted for 

tax abatement purposes. The second creates 

a Community Improvement District 

(CID) designation for the development site, 

and the third bill allows the city to issue 

Taxable Industrial Revenue Bonds in an 

amount not to exceed $135 million to aid 

in the construction of the project. 

During the April 8 meeting, City Administrator 

Mark Perkins addressed prior concerns 

made by residents – a major worry 

brought forward had been the use of incentives 

to offset development costs. While 

the city has provided very few incentives 

over the last 25 years, he said Olia Village 

is a particularly unique development 

opportunity for the city – one that fits with 

Creve Coeur’s comprehensive plan. 

Perkins said Olia Village compares 

favorably to other major developments in 

the St. Louis region, comparing it to the 

Streets of St. Charles, the Chesterfield 

downtown TIF and the Brentwood/Manchester 

corridor project. 

Those projects offer 9-14% of incentives 

per the total investment, Perkins said, 

while the St. Louis average is about 17%. 

He stated that Olia Village’s incentive rate 

is just 6.7% and added that they couldn’t 

locate any projects of this size in St. Louis 

that have not had some form of incentive. 

The developer of Olia Village is seeking 

a reimbursement value of $61.8 million in 

discounted incentives and also requested 

a tax abatement for real property tax revenues 

of $86 million. The total cost of the 

project is $984 million. 

Regarding the possibility of taxing 

districts losing money, Perkins said that 

answer is “no” because there are 130 

townhomes within this development that 

are not being provided any tax abatement. 

The abatements apply to the rest of the 

development, which are apartments, retail, 

hotels and offices. 

The other major question raised by 

residents regarding Olia Village was the 

“blighted” designation. Fears expressed 

included that the designation could devalue 

properties near the site. 

Perkins said a large vacant or underutilized 

property, whether it is called blighted 

or not, is not beneficial to the city or its 

surrounding neighborhoods. 

“The key is to have a plan to address the 

blight, to address the conditions, and that’s 

what this is about,” Perkins said. “It’s about 

a major investment that will certainly be an 

overall asset to the entire community, certainly 

to those that are in close proximity.” 

However, as was the case in previous 

meetings, residents shared concerns on the 

project. 

Mara Diaz-Granados felt the city was 

giving away too many incentives and was 

still concerned about the potential loss of 

revenue for the Ladue School District. She 

has a school-aged son and was concerned 

potential lost revenues could equal the loss 

of several teachers, assistants, computers 

and other equipment. 

Resident Linda Rezny thought the tax 

abatement was excessive, but proposed a 

middle ground. 

“We keep bringing up the premise of 

either all or nothing is going to happen, 

which is ridiculous,” Rezny said. “I would 

suggest a compromise here. If we’d cut 

out the Chapter 353 (which allows eminent 

domain use for blighted areas), they’d 

still have the sales tax and the Chapter 100 

(state and local tax abatements).” 

Resident Elizabeth Link said the property 

is a prime location that will be developed 

with or without the benefits. 

“It seems like you’re just adding whipped 

cream with a cherry on top at the expense 

of current citizens of Creve Coeur and the 

school district,” Link said. 

Following citizen comments, Matt Pfund 

of Jack Matthews Development addressed 

the “blighted” label for the property and 

noted the challenges and issues with the 

site. Pfund said the planning process with 

the city was collaborative, and “included 

much give, take and compromise.” 

“The end result is a development with 

results that far outreach the boundaries 

of this site alone,” Pfund said. “The 

development creates many new jobs and 

provides many new public amenities and 

builds synergies that benefit the future of 

39 North, offers new housing options, an 

innovative and accessible Main Street destination, 

slows stormwater flows through 

and exiting this property, maintains 30 

acres of green space, and achieves every 

component of the Creve Coeur 2023-2025 

strategic plan development.” 

See OLIA VILLAGE, page 47 

Caregiver creates Pipes for Parkinson’s to build awareness, support 

By TRACEY BRUCE 

Six musicians from the American Guild 

of Organists recently sat down at the console 

of the great Kegg pipe organ at Little 

Flower Catholic Church to share their talents 

playing classical organ pieces from 

great composers. 

The performances were good – excellent, 

said members of the audience. Better yet, 

the organists raised $2,500 for a special 

cause: the American Parkinson’s Disease 

Association (APDA) Missouri Chapter, an 

organization dedicated to fighting Parkinson’s 

disease. 

Robert and Jo Ann Schneider 

The organization is dear to the heart of 

Bob Schneider, who organized the concert 

because of his wife’s battle with Parkinson’s. 

The couple discovered Jo Ann had Parkinson’s 

nearly eight years ago. Her sense 

of smell, usually keen, was failing, as well 

as her sense of taste, said Bob. 

“She used to be a real avid coffee drinker. 

It was one of the vices we shared – a lot of 

coffee in the morning and all the tastes and 

aromas people enjoy,” Bob said. “It was 

disappearing. It was very gradual. Then, 

there was a little bit of a balance issue. We 

sought help from a neurologist.” 

The neurologist diagnosed Jo Ann with 

Parkinson’s disease. 

Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder 

that causes unintended or uncontrollable 

movements, such as shaking, stiffness 

and difficulty with balance and coordination, 

according to the National Institute on 

Aging. Symptoms usually begin gradually 

and worsen over time. As the disease progresses, 

people may have difficulty walking 

and talking. 

According to the APDA, an estimated 1 

million people in the U.S., and 10 million 

worldwide, are living with Parkinson’s disease. 

Although many people with Parkinson’s 

have tremors, Jo Ann did not develop that 

symptom, Bob said. 

“To this day Jo Ann doesn’t have the 

involuntary movements and tremors that 

are onset for a lot of other people that have 

Parkinson’s,” Bob said. “She is blessed and 

she knows how blessed she is. We just take 

one day at a time and we deal with it.” 

“Every day is different,” he added. 

“Some days her balance is good; some days 

her balance isn’t as good. Whatever symptoms 

you are dealing with on a daily basis 

you hope that you are able to maintain a 

certain level every day because this disease 

only gets worse … all they’ve been able to 

do is improve your movements. Long-term, 

it continues to get worse and worse. You’re 

embracing it; you’re accepting it, but at the 

same time you’re fighting it.” 

Bob and Jo Ann met in 1985. He was 34. 

She was 45 and beautiful, he said. She was 

a ballroom and swing dancer, and told Bob 

unequivocally that he would have to learn 

to dance if he intended to see her because 

she danced every weekend. 

Bob loved music too. He learned to 

dance, and the rest is history. 

“We had a lot of fun dancing for several 

decades. We went to retirement centers. 

Organist William Sullivan plays the Kegg 

pipe organ at Little Flower Church in 

Richmond Heights. (Tracey Bruce photos) 

We entertained people,” he said. 

Bob, on his end, fell in love with organ 

music as a child when his parents took him 

to the Cathedral Basilica. He began studying 

the organ after high school and had his 

last concert in 1980. He has been “a frustrated 

organ enthusiast his whole life,” he 

said. The organ concert fundraiser was a 

natural fit. 

“We were sitting at the table and I said 

to her, ‘You have Parkinson’s. I like music. 

See PARKINSON’S, page 53

Missouri Baptist 

Medical Center 

We are BJC HealthCare. 

You deserve extraordinary care. 

Our experienced doctors, nurses, and caregivers are right in your 

community providing routine treatments and life-changing care. 

We're here for you and your family–every day–because you 

deserve extraordinary care. 

Find care at: missouribaptist.org

12 I NEWS I 

By CATHY LENNY 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


Dillard’s to be included in redevelopment of Chesterfield Mall 

It’s official. Dillard’s will be a part of the 

Chesterfield Mall redevelopment project. 

The Staenberg Group (TSG) had 

planned the project around Dillard’s, 

which had been closed since 2016 due 

to a flooding issue. However, Dillard’s 

claimed it intended to reopen the store all 

along. 

In 2022 Dillard’s sued the city regarding 

the determination of “blight” and the 

use of tax increment financing (TIF) for 

the project. TSG later joined the lawsuit. 

The case was set to go to trial this month. 

However, at the Planning Commission 

meeting April 8, it was announced that 

Dillard’s, the city and TSG had worked 

out an agreement to settle the dispute that 

includes an exchange of property. 

In a letter to the Planning Commission, 

Chris Johnson, senior vice president and 

principal financial officer at Dillard’s 

stated that “Dillard’s has long been a part 

of the Chesterfield community and it very 

much wants to be a part of that community 

going forward by being the leading 

retailer in the redevelopment.” 

Tim Lowe, senior vice president of 

development with TSG, said TSG will 

The Dillard’s location at Chesterfield Mall is now planned to be part of the future development. 

modify its plan to accommodate Dillard’s. 

While Dillard’s will be provided with an 

additional parking area, TSG would get a 

similar size piece of property to be used 

for the redevelopment. 

As part of the negotiations, the lawsuit 

has been dropped. 

During the public hearing, Alyssa 

Ahner, Chesterfield city planner, said 

that TSG has requested to add 16.7 acres 

of land zoned planned commercial to the 

existing 96 acres zoned planned commercial 

and residential district (PC&R), 

located on the south side of Interstate 64, 

east of Chesterfield Parkway. 

The project proposed is for a downtown 

urban core with high-rise office, hotel and 

residential uses throughout a landscaped 

public realm with a 3.5-acre central park. 

Jogging trails and bicycle paths will provide 

(Tracey Bruce photos) 

access to downtown Chesterfield and connectivity 

to the surrounding community. 

Public parking garages and on-street 

parking will be provided. 

Tenants currently leasing property at the 

mall will need to vacate the property by 

Aug. 31, so that demolition can begin in 

September. 

The council approved the rezoning of 

the 16.7-acre tract to the PC&R district. 

LIKE 

LIVEROYALTY 

AT 

ICE 

CREAM 

PARLOR 

Now Open! 

ASSISTED LIVING 

AND MEMORY CARE 

Sudoku brought to you by Brooking Park 

Complete the grid so that every row, column, and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively. 

• Affordable Rates/All Inclusive 

• 3 Delicious Meals Daily 

• Weekly Housekeeping Services 

• Weekly Laundry Services 

WE DO THE WORK, 

YOU HAVE THE FUN! 

Activities, Transportation, Entertainment, Theatre & Much More 

BROOKING PARK ASSISTED LIVING 

307 SOUTH WOODS MILL RD 

CHESTERFIELD, MO 63017 

314-576-5545 | BROOKINGPARK.ORG 

Go to Brooking Park’s Facebook Page for Sudoku answers!

THE POWER OF PURPOSE 

CERTIFICATE 

SPECIAL 

LIMITED TIME ONLY 

$1,000 MINIMUM 

TO OBTAIN APY 

10 

5.75 

MONTH CERTIFICATE OF DEPOSIT 

% 

APY* 

15 

5.50 

MONTH CERTIFICATE OF DEPOSIT 

% 

APY* 

NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS COMING 2024 

MEMBER FDIC 

DES PERES BRANCH | 11697 Manchester Road | Des Peres, MO 63131 | 314-626-6788 

CLAYTON BRANCH | 112 S. Hanley Road, Ste. 120 | Clayton, MO 63105 | 314-721-2265 

WWW.M1.BANK 

A penalty may be imposed for early withdrawal. Fees could reduce earnings on the account. Rates subject to change. Rates accurate as of April 1, 2024. 

*APY = Annual Percentage Yield.

14 I NEWS I 



an ESSENTIAL part of your 

DAILY ROUTINE 

If you've been living with 

neuropathy, you may have 

experienced 

debilitating 

neuropathic pain or noticed you're 

feeling more wobbly on your feet 

due to numbness. You may have 

been told there are no good 

treatment options available, so it's 

something you will have to learn to 

live with. 

You may not know when it was 

that you started to have pain every 

day, but now it's starting to limit 

what you're able to do. Maybe now 

you're even having pain that keeps 

you awake at night, not letting your 

body get the rest it needs. Or the 

numbness has progressed to 

where you can't tell if you feet are 

on the ground, leading to 

decreased balance and even falls. 

If this is happening to you, you're 

not alone. We hear this all the time. 

In fact, Neuropathy is one of the 

most common issues we see at 

HouseFit. 

Most people have already gone 

the route of trying all the 

"traditional" pain management 

options. If you're one of the many 

people who these options have not 

worked for, you're not alone. 

Fortunately, there are newer 

treatment options available for 

managing neuropathy pain. 

Those experiencing balance 

issues due to numbness often 

resign them 

NEUROPATHY: MANAGE 

YOUR PAIN AND MAINTAIN 

YOUR BALANCE 

BY: DR. BETH TEMPLIN, PT, DPT, GCS 

GERIATRIC PHYSICAL THERAPIST 

WestNewsmagazine.com 

is updated daily 

with the local news, 

events and information that 

impact your world. 

selves to this fate and don’t 

realize exercise can help. 

Because of this, I've put together 

a FREE guide explaining that 

even though you're living with 

neuropathy, it does not mean 

that you should expect to lose 

your independence or live with 

pain for the rest of your life. 

Inside this guide you'll learn: 

The 3 different types of 

nerves affected by 

neuropathy. 

Why medication are often 

not effective. 

How Radial Shockwave 

heals the nerves. 

Benefits of sensory 

integration to improve your 

balance. 

I want to make this guide 

available to you absolutely free 

of charge. To claim your copy, 

simply call (314) 939-1377 or 

visit our website 

www.housefitstl.com/neuropathy 

to download the report. 

If you’re ready to take control of 

your neuropathy and lead an 

active lifestyle, this guide can 

help you get started with 

confidence! 

3809 Lemay Ferry Rd. 

Saint Louis, MO 63125 

(314) 939-1377 

info@housefitstl.com 

HouseFit www.housefitstl.com 

By LAURA BROWN 

The St. Louis County Council held a 

committee of the whole meeting recently in 

order to find a way to fund and implement 

the senior property tax freeze program it 

passed last October. While the ordinance – 

which essentially freezes property taxes for 

St. Louis County residents age 67 and older 

who own and live in homes they owned 

valued at $550,000 or less – was passed, 

funding to implement and administer the 

program was not included in the bill. 

St. Louis County Director of Revenue 

Tony Smee made the case for why his 

department believes it would need $1.7 

million to fund the rollout and administration 

of the program. One of the primary 

challenges he highlighted was the need for 

substantial staffing and infrastructure. The 

rollout requires the creation of a comprehensive 

web application, secure document 

storage and customer support services in 

the form of county employees. 

One major issue became clear: a critical 

aspect of the program’s success lies 

in staffing, which Smee said has been an 

ongoing issue for his department since he 

took over in December. 

“(Currently) 50% of phone calls (for the 

department of revenue) are not answered,” 

Smee told the council at the meeting. 

“They are dropped because we don’t have 

the staff to answer them. A lot of these 

services (to implement the tax relief program) 

are manual, not online automated. A 

lot of the population will mail in applications.” 

Smee anticipated an increase in phone 

calls and in-person visits from county residents 

applying for the program. He said his 

department is currently short 18 positions 

needed to fully staff the department, and 

estimated he would need an additional 28 

full-time staff members to implement the 

tax freeze program. 

Using census data, Smee estimated that 

there are 117,009 senior-owned parcels 

that might qualify for the program in St. 

Louis County, which is why there is a 

pressing need for additional personnel to 

handle the increased workload. Discussions 

revolved around hiring strategies, 

potential collaborations with temporary 

staffing agencies and leveraging technology 

to streamline processes and reduce 

manual tasks. Officials estimated the time 

to process an application to be between 

15-20 minutes. There will be ongoing 

administrative overhead as well, as Smee 

said program participants would have to 

verify their participation in the program 

each year once they are approved. 

@WESTNEWSMAG 


County grapples with implementation 

challenges for senior property tax relief 

Smee said his department put the price 

tag for the implementation and rollout of 

the program at $1.7 million. This number 

includes 28 additional staff members, with 

$65,000 of that being used for software 

development with Fidlar Technologies and 

$42,000 of that being used for additional 

equipment like scanners and computers. 

Smee said once fully-staffed, the department 

could have the program up and running 

in 60 days for the public to begin 

enrolling in the program. 

Council member Dennis Hancock 

(R-District 3) said he is not so sure the 

launch of the program would cost that 

much money. Hancock planned to introduce 

a bill to the county council on April 

16 seeking $300,000 to fund the implementation 

and support for the program for the 

remainder of 2024. 

“The bill won’t include everything 

Smee wants, but it’ll be enough to get him 

started,” Hancock said. “There are only 

a few more months until we start talking 

about the budget for next year. This bill 

will include funding for the software and 

people for six months.” 

Hancock said in his proposal the enrollment 

period would also be extended and 

run from July 1-June 30, 2025, which he 

said should not impact senior citizens’ 

property tax bills for 2024. 

“This is not a reassessment year, so it 

shouldn’t impact anybody at all,” Hancock 

said. “But it will give us time to get the 

process right. The credit wouldn’t have 

taken place until 2025 anyway because 

that’s the next reassessment year. What 

they get billed at the end of this year will 

be the same as what they got last year. This 

also gives seniors more time to get their 

documents together, their deeds and that 

sort of thing, so there won’t be a need for 

a big rush to apply at the beginning of the 

rollout.” 

Meanwhile, legislative uncertainties 

also loom large. The senior property tax 

freeze program was approved by the 

state legislature last year. Each of the 114 

counties in Missouri is responsible for 

passing its own ordinance to participate 

in the program. Different county leaders 

criticized the original bill for being 

too vague in certain aspects, like the age 

of eligibility, and tasked state legislators 

with more clearly defining the language 

this legislative session. House Bill 2432 

is one such bill making its way through 

the legislature right now and is leaving 

some county leaders wondering, creating 

uncertainties around timelines and eligi- 

See COUNTY, next page



Find ‘wonderland’ at 74th annual 

Greater St. Louis Book Fair 



I NEWS I 15 

Greater St. Louis Book Fair 

By KATE UPTERGROVE 

There’s something therapeutic about 

diving into a good book. Perhaps that’s 

why, after nearly three-quarters of a century, 

the Greater St. Louis Book Fair is still 

going strong as the largest charity book fair 

in the Midwest. 

From Thursday, May 2 through Sunday, 

May 5, the 74th annual Book Fair will take 

over the Greensfelder Recreation Complex 

in Queeny Park, 550 Wiedman Road 

This year’s offerings include books, collectibles, 

vinyl, CDs, DVDs, comics and 

ephemera, which are paper goods that 

people collect. 

“We have collected thousands of books 

throughout the metro area,” said Marilyn 

Brown, event co-chair and long-time volunteer. 

“Thanks to the community’s generosity, 

we are bursting at the seams with 

every type of book one can imagine. 

“In our Collector’s Corner, we have over 

100 rare items that are generally priced 

from $20 or $25 on up, which is usually 

about one-third to one-fourth of what a collector 

would pay online.” 

Those offerings, which can be viewed 

online at stlouisbookfair.org, include items 

related to Charles A. Lindbergh and the 

St. Louis World Fair, as well as two rare 

copies of “Alice in Wonderland.” 

For bibliophiles, the Book Fair can feel 

like Wonderland but have no fear of unexpected 

twists and turns, only delightful 

surprises. 

The fair is noted for its easy-to-navigate 

(FIle photo) 

sales floor. Books are categorized by subject, 

such as cooking, travel, ethnic-centric 

topics, history, biographies, as well as 

genre, including mystery, graphic novels 

fantasy, children’s books and more. 

Line tickets go on sale at 8 a.m. on 

Thursday, May 2. These place-holder tickets 

cost $25 each but allow you to leave the 

line and return any time before the fair’s 4 

p.m. opening. Admission on opening day 

is $15 but from Friday through Sunday 

general admission is free. Fair hours are 

4-9 p.m. on Thursday; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. on 

Friday and Saturday, and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on 

Sunday, which is also half-price day. Registered 

nonprofits can select books for free 

from 3-6 p.m. on Sunday. 

Since its inception, the Book Fair’s 

mission has been to encourage the love 

of reading to thousands of local children. 

From 1950 to today, more than $1 million 

has been donated to local nonprofits 

which encourage literacy. A sampling of 

beneficiaries includes Assistance League 

of St. Louis, Ready Readers, Books for 

Newborns, Haven of Grace, and The Little 

Bit Foundation among many others. 

The St. Louis Book Fair welcomes volunteers 

and monetary donations. Volunteer 

opportunities for people ages 12 and up 

range from greeters to cart wranglers and 

a wide variety of shifts are available. The 

Fair accepts new or gently used books, 

comics, CDs, DVDs or collectibles, visit 

stlouisbookfair.org for drop-off locations 

and for more information, or call (314) 

993-1995. 

1855 Hwy 109, Wildwood, MO 63038 * 636-458-9202 

passiglia@passiglia.com 

Jewelry 

Buying Event 

Get Paid Cash FOR GOLD, SILVER, DIAMONDS, 

COSTUME JEWELRY, WATCHES & COINS 

THURSDAY, APRIL 25 • 11 am to 4 pm 

FRIDAY, APRIL 26 • 11 am to 4 pm 

SATURDAY, APRIL 27 • 11 am to 4 pm 

We also buy antiques, artwork, 

paintings, swords, china, crystal 

and other collectibles & rarities. 

west county mall 

LOWER LEVEL NEAR JCPENNEY 

COUNTY, from previous 

bility requirements. Counties must navigate 

these uncertainties while preparing 

for a potential surge in applications as the 

sign-up period approaches. 

Council member Ernie Trakas (R-District 

6) also proposed a funding bill for the 

program that asks for $1.6 million to fund 

the project. At the April 9 council meeting, 

Trakas said he would be introducing 

a substitute bill at the April 16 meeting. 

Visit westnewsmagazine.com for updates 

on this story. 

If you would prefer 

a private or in-home 

appointment, 

call 314-691-2888

16 I 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


The rise of legal, recreational cannabis and its new user demographic 


The seating arrangement of the 1980s 

school bus often looked something like 

this: At the rear of the bus were the kids 

who came in faintly, or maybe not so 

faintly, smelling of marijuana; next were 

the athletes and popular kids; and finally, 

in the front of the bus, were the kids who 

played it safe. Fast forward to 2024 and 

many of those kids, now in their 50s and 

60s, are asking questions and wondering if 

their peers in the back had the right idea. 

Even the so-called squares in the front are 

stepping outside the box and into dispensaries 

wondering if cannabis can help with 

aching joints, insomnia, anxiety, depression 

and relaxation. 

Who’s using and why 

Since Feb. 3, 2023, the state’s first day 

of legal recreational cannabis sales, dispensaries 

statewide have sold nearly $4 

million of products daily, according to 

The Missouri Cannabis Trade Association 

(MoCann). This past January, MoCann 

predicted sales topping $1.3 billion for 

2023 – and first-time buyers, especially 

Baby Boomers and Gen Xers, appear to be 

a large part of that population. 

“What I have noticed is that the average 

customer is probably about 50,” said 

Kim Hitchcock, who co-owns Missouri 

Wild Alchemy in O’Fallon with her husband, 

Scott; daughter, Nicole Crady; and 

son-in-law, Jason Crady. She said she sees 

families come in together and as a familyowned 

business, she appreciates their trust. 

“You’ve got grandma, you’ve got mom 

and you have a granddaughter. Grandma 

can’t sleep. Mom wants us, our wellness 

coordinators, to tell her, ‘Yes, we have you. 

We’ve got you.’ She wants Grandma to 

know there’s a natural way to help her and 

that what her daughter and granddaughter 

are doing is OK. It’s OK.” 

Hitchcock says education is key when it 

comes to using cannabis – and gummies 

aren’t for everyone. 

“Everyone talks about gummies,” she 

said about first-time buyers. “But gummies 

aren’t the answer for everyone.” 

As Hitcock explained, in her experience 

gummies can take from take between 15 

minutes and up to 2 hours to produce the 

desired results, though many factors come 

into play in their effectiveness. She suggested 

that capsules can be a better choice 

because the onset of effectiveness and dose 

can be more precisely controlled. 

For this article, a first-time gummy user 

shared that in trying to find relief for her 

chronic back pain ahead of an important 

event, she followed a friend’s advice and 

took a cannabis-laced gummy. When it did 

not work within 10 minutes, she chewed 

another one. By the time, the cannabinoid 

neurotransmitters began to affect her 

nerves and brain, she had consumed four 

gummies and was no longer able to function 

well enough to attend her event. But 

she said, laughingly, her back no longer 

hurt. 

Hitchcock stressed that’s why it’s so 

important to understand what the many 

cannabis and cannabidiol (CBD) products 

can do in regard to what the customer 

wants to achieve. 

Abrahama Keys is the executive director 

of the Greater St. Louis NORML chapter. 

NORML is a national public policy nonprofit 

that works to secure access to marijuana 

through legalization, legislation and 

education. 

“One of the things that cannabis adultuse 

legislation brings out is the safety and 

the regulation side. When you think about 

it, people who are older want some information 

first,” Keys said. “And there’s so 

much information now that supports the 

many different types of safe consumption, 

which I think has really added to people 

being willing to try different things and 

being open about doing so.” 

Keys said what is happening across the 

state is that legal adults across all demographics 

are using cannabis, including Millennials 

who are following a trend away 

from alcohol and toward mocktails and 

cannabis. 

“There’s no hangover with cannabis,” 

Keys said. “Even the behaviors of people 

who are high are different than those of 

people who are drunk.” 

She noted that Adolphus Busch, of the 

Busch beer family, is the chairman and 

CEO of Teal Industries, which produces 

cannabis products under three different 

brands. 

“He has said that one of the catalysts for 

him was this move away from alcohol,” 

Keys said. “That’s one of the things that 

we’re seeing grow.” 

Keys pointed to a recent event that took 

“The trend is that 50% of 

Americans have tried cannabis 

or are actively using it.” 

– Abrahama Keys, executive director of the Greater St. Louis NORML chapter 

a busload of people to a smoking lounge 

and then on to The Armory for an evening 

of socialization. 

“At thirtysomething, you probably want 

the bus that’s kind of chill as opposed to a 

party bus,” she said. 

Keys suggested that the reason why cannabis 

use in Missouri is so diverse is that 

its legalization resulted from the passage of 

voter-led initiatives. 

“The trend is that 50% of Americans 

have tried cannabis or are actively using 

it,” Keys said. “There are a lot of veterans 

who are using cannabis for treating 

their post-traumatic stress disorder and, 

especially here in Missouri, there are a 

lot of programs that use cannabis to help 

people transition off of opioids without 

negative effects. Another big push 

right now is for the use of cannabis in 

hospice care. A lot of people experience 

pain toward the end of life and being in a 

highly medicated state is not conducive 

with quality of life. 

Keys also shared the story of a woman 

who used cannabis to help relieve the agitation 

her mother was experiencing as a 

result of Alzheimer’s. 

“The woman said her mother was combative 

and paranoid, so she wouldn’t take 

traditional medication, but she would eat 

a cookie (laced with cannabis), and that 

would help her calm down,” Keys said. 

“So we’re looking at how cannabis is being 

used in so many new fashions and proven, 

once they do the research, methods that are 

resulting in increased use.” 

That research is being conducted by universities, 

hospital teams, sports leagues 

and other groups that have private funding, 

Keys said. However, there’s a push 

to get federal funding for larger studies. 

A first step in achieving this would be 

rescheduling cannabis, removing it from 

the category of hard drugs like cocaine 

and placing it into a more medicinallyproven 

category. 

For her part, Hitchcock said she wishes 

people would begin to think about cannabis 

as “God’s grass and not the Devil’s 

lettuce.” 

But that’s not an easy leap for everyone 

to make – and according to the Substance 

Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 

(SAMHSA) there’s good reason 

for caution. 

Cannabis risks 

According to SAMHSA, cannabis use 

can have negative and long-term effects 

that include brain health, safe driving, 

pregnancy and child development, career 

growth and relationships. 

SAMHSA notes that cannabis is a psychoactive 

drug that contains close to 500 

chemicals, including tetrahydrocannabinol 

(THC), a mind-altering compound. Consistent 

with industry reports, the agency 

agrees that marijuana use is on the rise 

among all adult age groups, including 

pregnant women, which opens the door 

to concern about the developing child. 

People ages 18-25 have the highest rate of 

use, according to SAMHSA, and approximately 

1 in 10 people who use will become 

addicted. For individuals who start using 

before age 18, the rate of addiction rises 

to 1 in 6. 

Concerns that the agency delineates 

include: 

• Permanent IQ loss of as much as 8 

points when people start using cannabis at 

a young age. 

• Slower reaction times, movement and 

coordination when under the influence of 

cannabis, which can result in lane weaving 

and difficulty reacting to signals and 

sounds on the road while driving. 

• Fetal growth restriction, premature birth, 

stillbirth and problems with brain development, 

resulting in hyperactivity and poor 

cognitive function for children whose 

mothers use cannabis during pregnancy. 

THC and other chemicals from marijuana 

can also be passed from a mother to her 

baby through breast milk, further impacting 

a child’s healthy development. 

• Relationship problems, worse educational 

outcomes, lower career achievement 

and reduced life satisfaction among users. 

For each of its concerns, SAMHSA 

largely points to its own research and that 

of the National Institute on Drug Abuse 

(NIDA). 

While the debate over risk and reward 

rages on, cannabis testing, particularly at 

work and on the road, might be the one 

challenge on which everyone can agree. 

Personal responsibility 

Unlike alcohol use, there is no definitive 

test that can determine the level of someone’s 

intoxication or impairment or their 

current use. Cannabis can remain present





I 17 

 

BY THE NUMBERS 

$1.3 BILLION 

 

 

$3.84 MILLION 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$13 MILLION 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

in a person’s body anywhere from several 

days to several months after the last use. 

“Marijuana is a unique drug from a testing 

perspective,” John Marino Jr., a labor 

and employment attorney with McMahon- 

Berger, said. 

In Missouri, the maximum legal blood 

alcohol content (BAC) is set at 0.08%. 

Anyone with a BAC over that limit is 

considered to be impaired. In general, 

breathalizers can detect alcohol use up to 

24 hours after consumption. But there’s 

no clear-cut way to say when someone 

may have last used cannabis; also with 

the legalization of recreational cannabis 

in Missouri, certain anti-discrimination 

measures went into effect for individuals 

who are medically authorized to use cannabis, 

Marino said. As a result, employers 

commonly aren’t screening for cannabis 

use as a condition for employment. However, 

testing might come into play in the 

event of a workplace accident or other 

reasonable suspicion scenario indicating 

the use and impact of cannabis, alcohol, 

prescription medications or illicit drugs. 

Regardless of the substance involved, 

human resource experts agree that the most 

important aspect of testing is for a company 

to have a solid policy in place and its 

management team trained to consistently 

enforce it. 

“This is really why we want to streamline 

the conversation around cannabis 

because it really is the same expectation 

as with alcohol or even prescription drugs,” 

Keys said. “When you think about it, with 

alcohol people can enjoy a drink as long 

as they’re not drinking at work. That’s 

really about personal responsibility. You 

wouldn’t want to drink and then go operate 

heavy machinery. The same goes for certain 

prescription medications and cannabis. 

But that’s not really a cannabis thing, it’s a 

user thing. It’s about having discretion at 

work.” 

A real conversation 

It’s been just over a year since the first 

legal cannabis was sold for recreational 

purposes in Missouri. To date, 38 states 

have some form of legalization. Cannabis 

and CBD are fully illegal in just 

four states: Idaho, Nebraska, Kansas and 

South Carolina. 

“Any time you start having a conversation 

about something I feel like there are 

so many layers that come out and so many 

perspectives,” Keys said. “And a lot of the 

attitudes around cannabis have changed. 

“I really think that the bigger, overarching 

idea at the city level, state level and all 

the way to the federal level is driven by the 

fact that cannabis is really generating revenue 

and jobs.” 

Keys said the revenue states are generating 

is attracting the federal government’s 

attention, so change is likely n. 

In June 1971, President Richard Nixon 

declared drug abuse as “public enemy 

number one” and launched a public policy 

campaign against illegal drugs including 

cannabis. Fifty years later, in 2021, the 

Drug Policy Alliance estimated the nation’s 

cumulative anti-drug education and prevention 

spending had reached $1 trillion, 

even as states were seeking to legalize cannabis 

in one form or another. 

According to a 2017 NIDA study, cannabis 

use has outpaced cigarette use among 

eighth-graders and, according to the Centers 

for Disease Control and Prevention, 

40% of high school students have reported 

trying cannabis. Clearly, the war on drugs 

has not worked. However, it did shed light 

on the need for education. 

For many people, especially youth, cannabis 

has some negative consequences, 

can be addictive and its use can result 

in harm if used irresponsibly. As with 

alcohol, some people should never use 

cannabis. So there are two sides to this 

very controversial coin and having adult 

conversations around the topic is critical 

in an age of local legalization. 

“It’s been almost five years since I first 

began having conversations with companies 

about cannabis and the workplace,” 

Marino said. “But it’s still a topic that is 

in demand.” 

#1 LOCAL CASH HOME BUYER IN ST LOUIS FOR OVER 20 YEARS 

WE BUY 

HOUSES 

AS IS 

FREE In-Home 

Consultation 

ANY PROPERTY • ANY REASON 

And always “As Is” 

No costs • No Fees • No commissions 

No inspection hassles • Highest cash offers 

100% Contingent FREE offers 

Mike Robinson 

314.283.0867 

Robang Properties, LLC 

P.O. Box 410486 • St. Louis , MO 63141 

www.RobangProperties.com

18 I NEWS I 

Julie Givens 

636-686-9395 

110A Holloway Road 

Ballwin, MO 63011 

Breadings 

Batters 

and 

P R E M 

– 

– 

I U M 



Q U A L I T Y 

AT A GREAT PRICE 

When you taste Andy’s Breading and 

Batter, you will enjoy the quality and 

craftsmanship. 

www.andysseasoning.com 

Equine-Assisted Therapy – two decades of 

changing lives one hoofprint at a time 


Equine-Assisted Therapy (EAT) is celebrating 

a milestone this month. April 19 

will mark 20 years of partnering people 

with horses for healing. 

Ginni Hartke founded EAT in 2004 and 

held its first therapy class that same year, 

said Lulu Bogolin, director of the organization. 

Since then the nonprofit has grown 

to two locations, one at Longview Farm 

Park in Town & Country and another in 

Wildwood, and serves more than 165 riders 

a week. 

“Ginni’s goal was simply to promote 

the healing power of horses,” Bogolin 

said. “She was a lifelong horse person and 

a nurse. She knew these two things could 

come together to help people.” 

EAT’s mission is to provide positive 

experiences through horses and enhance 

the quality and productivity of the lives of 

those with mental, physical or psychological 

challenges or disabilities. That purpose 

is still at the heart of the organization after 

two decades, Bogolin said. 

“Equine-Assisted Therapy is strictly a 

therapy barn, so everyone who comes 

through our doors has some kind of diagnosis,” 

she said. “We don’t do any horse 

boarding or lessons open to the public. It’s 

all strictly therapy.” 

The question often asked, Bogolin said, 

is “why are horses helpful to people with 

physical, mental and emotional challenges?” 

“Horses are prey animals and a prey 

animal lives in the moment,” she said. 

“They are always in fight or flight mode, 

always in survival mode and we can’t 

change that. That’s their natural instinct. 

“When a rider has trauma, autism, Down 

syndrome or is a stroke patient, they also 

are always living in survival mode. When 

you bring the two together, these prey animals 

help each other persevere. It’s absolutely 

remarkable. They kind of meet each 

other where they are at and know how to 

help each other.” 

Jacob, a student at Collegiate School of 

Medicine and Bioscience in St. Louis who 

was traumatized by the school shooting 

there in October 2022 knows that full well. 

He began volunteering in the program 

earlier that year. He said he felt lucky to 

have a program in place that he could turn 

to after the incident. 

“After suffering from PTSD and constant 

anxiety attacks, I started equine psychotherapy,” 

Jacob said. “I worked with a 

horse named Bennett, a large draft horse. 

Just like me, Bennett himself had trauma 

from his past. During our first session, I 

felt calm with Bennett, and he felt the same 

with me. 

“After several sessions, we started to get 

to the hard stuff – the memories and feelings 

that kept me up at night. When you 

feel something, a horse feels it as well. Just 

like me, Bennett did not like these feelings. 

When I would recount my experiences and 

trauma, Bennett would start to walk away. 

He became a physical symbol of my emotions. 

He taught me things about how I felt 

and what memories really caused my pain. 

He felt what I felt, and I felt what he felt.” 

Today, Jacob said he has made great 

strides emotionally and feels safe again at 

school. 

“I continue to volunteer at EAT to help 

others just as they helped me, and I continue 

to spend time with Bennett, my best 

friend in the hardest time of my life,” Jacob 

said. 

Those with physical disabilities benefit 

from working with horses because 

riding itself strengthens core muscles, 

helps improve the respiratory system and 

stretches tight muscles, 

Bogolin said. Equineassisted 

therapy can be especially 

beneficial to those who 

have had a stroke, people 

with Down syndrome, those 

with cystic fibrosis and even 

those with long COVID. 

EAT made a big difference 

for Jana Gamble. After experiencing 

long COVID with 

complications from fibromyalgia, 

she lost her mobility 

and was using a walker 

when she first called them. 

“I thought being around 

horses would help. Then I 

found out they had a scholarship,” 

Gamble said. “They 

Jana Gamble and Ace 

Bennett, the Belgian 

@WESTNEWSMAG 


weren’t sure how I’d do with the horses 

with a walker and said maybe if I got a 

cane.” 

She got a cane and they chose Ace for 

Gamble as her horse. 

“We fell in love,” she said. “The cane 

didn’t seem to bother him. By the time we 

had circled the arena for the first time, we 

were in sync.” She started the program in 

November. By Jan. 1, Gamble was walking 

without a cane, she said. She says now she 

loves to come by and give Ace attention. 

They are fast friends. 

Riders or their families fill out a sevenpage 

application before beginning therapy. 

Staff members also work hard to pair riders 

with groups, horses and instructors who 

will complement them. They are not just 

looking at their diagnosis, but their abilities 

and short- and long-term goals so they 

can do the same activities, she said. 

Bogolin’s journey with horses began 

when her daughter Katie began showing an 

interest in the animals. 

“We started taking lessons together,” 

Bogolin said. “I thought, ‘I’m going to 

have to learn about these animals because 

it’s possible we’re going to end up with 

one – or three.’” 

They even bought some property and 

moved to Wildwood so they could have 

horses. 

EAT helped John with his recovery after a stroke. He now 

works as an attorney. (Equine-Assisted Therapy photo) See EQUINE, page 55

PERFECT MOTHER’S DAY GIFTS 

AT ZICK’S GREAT OUTDOORS 

Thousands of New Plants Arriving Daily 

The world is in 

our hands! 

Don’t Get Rushed!! 

Annuals & Tender Perennials should NOT be 

bought or sold before May! We have had a frost at 

the nursery 36 of 42 years in the last week of April! 

We are loaded with plants 

the deer will not eat! 

PA•TOO•EE!! 

You have to see this place!! 

Now is the time for planting trees! 

Evergreen, Shade or Flowering! 

Thousands to choose from! 

Best Selection Ever! 

LENTEN ROSE 50% 0FF 

THROUGH MOTHER’S DAY 

Still thousand to choose from!!! 

The Sign Says It All! 

We have 12 acres to roam! 

Seeds, Fertilizers and Lawn & Garden 

Products! We have them and know 

how to use them!!! 

Your Mulch, Top Soil 

& Pine Straw 

Headquarters! Yes! 

WE DELIVER! 

“Gift Certificates Available for Mom!” 

636.458.1445 • 16498 Clayton Rd. (Corner of Clayton/Strecker in Wildwood) 

HOURS: Monday through Saturday 8AM to 5PM • Sunday 9AM-5PM 

St. Louis’ supplier of pine straw!

20 I SCHOOLS I 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


Marquette High Mock Trial team members Sophia Dominicis, Nour 

Elbeshbeshy, Connor Gleason, Ronith Gouni, Manaswini Gunturu, Sanika 

Saraf and Pranav Vaikuntam recently competed at the state level. 

(Rockwood School District photo) 

BULLETIN 

BOARD 

The power of speech 

The Marquette High speech and debate 

and mock trial teams recently earned recognition 

at state and regional events. 

A total of five Marquette students qualified 

for the National Speech and Debate 

Association (NSDA) Nationals at the Eastern 

Missouri district competition March 

14-16, including district champions Ethan 

George (Original Oratory) and the team 

of Ronith Gouni and Pranav Vaikuntam 

(Public Forum Debate). Arnav Busani 

(International Extemporaneous) and 

Ankush Vasireddy (Student Congress) also 

qualified for NSDA Nationals, which will 

be held in Des Moines, Iowa, in June. 

At the Missouri High School Mock Trial 

Competition at the St. Charles County 

Courthouse on March 22-24, Marquette 

finished eighth out of 16 state competition 

qualifiers. The team had advanced through 

two previous rounds of competition at the 

St. Louis County Courthouse, finishing 

10th out of 68 teams at that level. Team 

members are Sophia Dominicis, Nour 

Elbeshbeshy, Connor Gleason, Ronith 

Gouni, Manaswini Gunturu, Sanika Saraf 

and Pranav Vaikuntam. 

Outstanding journalists 

The Marquette High Messenger and 

MHSNews student journalism outlets 

earned awards and recognition from multiple 

national organizations during the 

month of March. 

The Messenger and MHSNews earned 

Distinguished Site recognition from 

School News Online (SNO) for the sixth 

straight year. To earn this recognition, 

staff members collaborated throughout 

the year to earn five badges from SNO: 

Best of SNO, Audience Engagement, 

Multimedia, Story Page Excellence, Continuous 

Coverage and Site Excellence. To 

earn each of these badges, they completed 

a series of tasks outlined by SNO. They 

have earned 40 Best of SNO badges so far 

this year. 

Marquette is one of only 29 schools to 

earn this recognition from SNO so far this 

year and one of only three from Missouri. 

The Columbia University Scholastic 

Press Association (CSPA) also named the 

Messenger/MHSNews a Gold Crown award 

recipient for High School Hybrid News, 

which covers online and print products. 

The Crown Awards are the highest recognition 

given by the CSPA to a student print 

or digital medium for overall excellence. 

This is the first time Marquette has earned a 

Gold Crown after receiving a Silver Crown 

in each of the past seven years. 

The Messenger/MHSNews is one of only 

21 outlets recognized in its category, one of 

79 overall Gold Crown winners nationally, 

and one of only two from Missouri. 

Marquette students and recent graduates 

also earned awards for their work in 

the CSPA Gold Circle Awards and were 

named finalists for the Quill & Scroll 

Honor Society Writing, Photography and 

Multimedia Contest, with winners to be 

announced April 4-6 at the Journalism 

Education Association/National Scholastic 

Press Association National High School 

Convention in Kansas City. 

Fantastic flutists 

Libby Brown and 

Mina Reihanifam, sophomores 

at The Principia, 

recently participated in 

the St. Louis district solo 

and ensemble festival 

where they played flute 

solos and were rated 

on their performances. 

Reihanifam received the 

second-highest rating, 

Outstanding, and Brown 

received the highest 

rating possible, Exemplary. 

With her rating, 

Brown 

Reihanifam 

Brown is now eligible to perform for the 

statewide solo and ensemble festival at the 

University of Missouri on April 27. 

Creative composer 

Bryce Boudreau, a LaSalle Springs 

Middle eighth-grader, earned second place 

in the “Middle School Notated Music” category 

of the 2024 Creating Original Music 

Project (COMP) K-12 Competition for 

youth composers. 

COMP is a program of the University of 

Missouri College of Arts and Science and 

the Mizzou New Music 

Initiative. The competition 

encourages K-12 

students from the state 

of Missouri to submit 

their original compositions 

in a variety of 

Boudreau 

musical styles. As a 

second-place recipient, Bryce earns the 

chance to participate in workshops at the 

University of Missouri School of Music 

and the opportunity to hear his piece performed 

during the COMP festival on April 

20 at the Sinquefield Music Center on Mizzou’s 

campus. 

Marvelous mathematicians 

Teams from Rockwood South Middle 

and Stanton Elementary earned awards at 

the Gifted Resource Council (GRC) Academic 

Challenge Cup and Creative Convention. 

GRC hosts competitions in math 

and creative problem-solving for St. Louis 

area students. 

The Rockwood South seventh-grade 

equations team, the Dividing Disco DJs, 

was recognized for its team name, and team 

member Manvitha was awarded as one of 

the top individual scorers. Team members 

are Jackson, Lucas, Maddie, Manvitha and 

Ray. 

Two fourth-grade Stanton teams from 

Stanton – the Square Root Squids and 

P-Flub Pickles – won awards for earning 

one of the top three team scores. P-Flub 

Pickles was also recognized for its team 

name, and team members are Colton (who 

was recognized as a top individual scorer), 

Eli, Isla, Matthew and Phoebe. Square Root 

Squids team members are Cole, Elynor 

(who was recognized as a top scorer at an 

event earlier in February), Levi, Reagan 

and Rishi. 

Stanton also had second- and fourthgrade 

teams compete in the Creative Convention: 

fourth-graders Creative Kernels, 

who were recognized as a top-scoring 

team, and second-graders The Avocados 

from Mexico. Creative Kernels team members 

are Elynor, Gus, Joey, Matthew and 

Maxton, and The Avocados from Mexico 

team members are Dylan, Hank, Hawkins, 

Max and Parker.





I SCHOOLS I 21 

Local authors share 

family stories 

Five sixth-graders from Kirk Day 

School and one seventh-grader from 

Twin Oaks Christian School have had 

their historical family stories selected for 

publication in the 19th annual collection 

published by The Grannie Annie Family 

Story Celebration. The selected stories 

will be published on TheGrannieAnnie. 

org and as a free PDF. They will also be 

shared in social media throughout the 

coming year. 

A 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in St. Louis, 

The Grannie Annie invites students in 

U.S. grades four through eight, and homeschooled 

and international students of 

comparable ages, to interview their older 

relatives and write about something interesting 

they discover from their family’s 

history. 

The soon-to-be-published authors from 

Kirk Day School, and the titles of their 

stories, are Malachi Crooks, “Achieving 

the Dream of a Lifetime;” Grace E. Farmakis, 

“A Defiant Act and a Life Saved;” 

Garrett Hardy, “Never Lose Faith;” Ma’lee 

Ochieng, “The Village Hospital;” and 

Phoebe Wenger-Stickel, “The Twister and 

the Two-Year-Old.” 

The soon-to-be-published author from 

Twin Oaks Christian School is Charles 

Enke, who authored “A Chilling Story.” 

The 16 stories in this year’s Grannie 

Annie collection represent were selected 

from 243 submissions across seven states. 

The published stories took place in eight 

countries on four continents over a span 

of 185 years. Many people in these stories 

find themselves in particularly challenging, 

or even life-threatening, circumstances. 

As family members meet their 

own challenges with courage, determination, 

ingenuity and heroism, they often 

also strive to improve the lives of people 

around them. 

“We at The Grannie Annie are so pleased 

to be able to provide an opportunity for 

young people to discover, preserve, and 

share priceless stories from their family’s 

history,” said Connie McIntyre, executive 

director. “The stories inspire family members, 

classmates, teachers, anyone who has 

the honor of reading them.” 

Complete details about The Grannie 

Annie, as well as the 571 stories published 

throughout the years, can be found at The- 

GrannieAnnie.org. Stories can be submitted 

at any time, and there is no submission 

fee. Stories postmarked by Feb. 1, 2025, 

will be considered for publication in The 

Grannie Annie’s 20th annual collection. 

Molly Sallaberry performing “Kindergarten 

Love Song” during the 14th Annual St. 

Louis Teen Talent Competition. (FPACF photo) 

Celebrating teen talent 

St. Joseph’s Academy sophomore Molly 

Sallaberry claimed the first-place scholarship 

award at the 14th Annual St. Louis 

Teen Talent Competition on Sunday, March 

24 at the Fabulous Fox. The competition 

is sponsored by The Fox Performing Arts 

Charitable Foundation. 

A vocalist, Molly won the hearts of both 

the judges and the audience with her interpretation 

of “Kindergarten Love Song” by 

Drew Gasparini, winning both the competition 

and the Audience Choice Award. 

The dance acts of Avery Payne, a junior 

at Orchard Farm High, and a traditional 

Indian dance group Rhythm Divine, featuring 

Clayton High senior Saisha Bhutani, 

John Burroughs junior Anokhi Desai, and 

Ladue Horton Watkins High Sahasra Mandalapu, 

tied for second place. 

Pianist Yrwin Batan, a senior at Saint 

Louis Priory High, came in third with his 

performance of his original composition 

“Waltz.” 

The competition celebrates high school 

student performers in four categories: 

vocal, instrumental, dance and specialty. 

Finalists were judged by Taylor Louderman, 

Carl Nappa, Maria A. Ellis, Alice 

Block, Antonio Douthit-Boyd and Jenn 

Asia, whose careers have spanned music, 

television, dance and Broadway. Each act 

was judged on technical ability, interpretation, 

stage presence and originality. 

Outstanding student 

Parkway West eighth-grader Shree Kumar 

has received this year’s National Junior 

Honor Society Outstanding Achievement 

Award. The award recognizes middle-level 

students for their commitment to the five 

pillars of NJHS: scholarship, service, leadership, 

character and citizenship. The 500 

NJHS students selected nationwide for the 

Outstanding Achievement Award receive a 

$500 college savings plan to support their 

educational aspirations. 

The Midwest’s Largest Non-profit Charitable Book Sale 

QUEENY PARK, GREENSFELDER REC COMPLEX 

550 WEIDMAN ROAD, BALLWIN, 63011 

THURSDAY, MAY 2 | 4-9PM 

($15 admission - $25 to save your place in line) 

FRIDAY, MAY 3 AND SATURDAY, MAY, 4 | 10 AM–8PM (FREE) 

SUNDAY, MAY 5 | 9AM-2PM 

(FREE and items ½ price) 

SUNDAY, MAY 5 | 3PM- 6PM 

(Nonprofit day – All items FREE for registered nonprofits) 

is a proud supporter. Special thanks to sponsors First Bank and Hogan.

22 I 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


FAMILY & KIDS 

High-flying fun holding onto the string of a kite 


One of the most poignant scenes in the 

original “Mary Poppins” comes at the end of 

the movie when the father, George Banks, has 

a change of heart and repairs his children’s 

broken kite. 

“Let’s go fly a kite, up to the highest height,” 

he sings to them. “Let’s go fly a kite and send 

it soaring!” 

What a great idea! And April is the perfect 

month for kite flying. Why? Well, according 

to Mitch Cordover, president of the Gateway 

Kite Club, it’s all about wind speed. 

“Between three and five miles per hour is 

the ideal wind speed for flying kites,” he 

explained. “That’s why April is National Kite 

Flying month because it’s the best time for 

finding wind in that range.” 

Cordover noted that you can safely fly kites 

in winds up to about 15 miles per hour, but after 

that it gets a little dangerous and is not ideal for 

novice flyers. All purchased kites should have 

a wind rating on the package. 

“I have some very large kites that need more 

wind but most kites do well at wind speeds of 

around five miles per hour,” Cordover said. 

Simply put, a kite is a tethered aircraft usually powered 

by wind. But, as Cordover explained, its history is long and 

significant. 

“We have records of people flying kites, especially the 

Chinese people, that are almost 2,500 years old,” Cordover 

said. “In fact, one of the first uses of kites was in Chinese 

warfare where generals would send messages to troops 

using kites. 

“Most people think of kite flying as an innocent amusement 

and many people think of kites as being primarily 

Mitch Cordover, president of the Gateway Kite Club, with one of his kite creations at 

a festival in California 

(Photo courtesy of Cordover) 

associated with kids. But in fact, there’s a large and serious 

adult kite-flying community where we make kites and compete 

with kite making and design and fly sport kites in all 

kinds of intricate and balletic ways.” 

Cordover is a national champion for kite building and 

fighter kite flying. Currently, he said he is building Suruga 

kites, a design that originated in what was once the Suruga 

province of Japan. According to Cordover, every Japanese 

province had its own special kind of kite design, and they 

would have kite flying festivals and kite fighting festivals 

where people would try to knock each other’s kites out of 

the sky. 

“The thing about flying kites is it can be quite 

deep,” Cordover said. “There’s a history to kite 

flying, and there are all these different forms 

and aerodynamics of it, but it all comes down 

to being outdoors in the sun and the wind and 

having fun doing something that is cooperative 

and, at the very least, harmless.” 

Well, that is if you take some basic precautions. 

“There are some important safety considerations 

when it comes to kite flying,” Cordover 

advised. “Watch for cars. Don’t climb a tree to 

free a kite. The most common way that people 

become injured flying kites is from climbing a 

tree to free it. If you can’t pull it out or fly it out, 

abandon it. It’s not worth hurting yourself to free 

a kite. Watch out for power lines but here’s an 

interesting thing: If you fly a kite into a power 

line you will not be electrocuted but you will 

short out the local transformer and the local 

power company will be very cross with you. 

“You also should never run with a kite. Grownups, 

especially, should never run with a kite 

because they tend to run backward and can fall 

on their keesters. Kite flying is supposed to be 

fun, not a trip to the emergency room.” 

In terms of where to fly a kite, Cordover said open fields 

in local parks offer perfect flying sites as long as they are 

free of obstacles and away from traffic. 

“A good flying field is a place where you can stand away 

from the trees (at) one-and-a-half times the height of a tree,” 

Cordover said. “You also want to make sure that the site is 

wide enough and long enough or elevated enough to have 

wind. If you’re surrounded by houses and it’s small, you 

won’t have much wind.” 

“One of the things I see all the time is kids running to 

launch their kites. Kids love to run, but they’re running with 

IMAGINE • TRY • EXPLORE 

1. 

2. 

3. 

Imagine you’ve taken a trip to China at the St. Louis Zoo’s Animals Aglow Lantern Festival. Walk around the Zoo at twilight amidst the 

luminous glow of 50 towering lanterns depicting animals, plants and traditional Chinese elements. Tickets at stlzoo.org. 

Try your hand at trout fishing. The Missouri Department of Conservation hosts a Kids’ Fishing Day from 6:30 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday, 

May 4 at Bennett Spring State Park in Lebanon, Missouri. Kids ages 15 and younger can pick up free trout tags at the park store from 

5-9 p.m. on May 3 and all day on May 4. Kids are encouraged to bring their own fishing equipment. Details at mdc.mo.gov, search 

“kids fishing.” 

Explore the many modes of public transportation at Big Truck and Safety Day from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday, April 27 at Eureka High, 

4525 Hwy. 109. This is a great chance to also learn about all aspects of safety with the Eureka Police Department. Admission is free. 

For details, visit eureka.mo.us.





I FAMILY & KIDS I 23 

Launching a kite 

 

 

 

April Showers Specials 

AT BALLWIN DENTAL CARE 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the wind at their back and they’re never 

going to get anywhere that way. They’d 

have to outrun the wind. What they need to 

do is face the wind,” Cordover said. 

To learn more, Cordover invites people to 

visit, like and follow the Gateway Kite Club 

Facebook page. 

“It will tell you when we fly and when we 

are flying in festivals,” Cordover said. “We 

really welcome people, and we welcome 

people to bring their children because we 

want kids to fly kites.” 

Cordover noted that the easiest design to 

launch for a child or any first-time flyer is 

the triangular delta design. That might seem 

surprising since the most common kite, at 

A Delta-style box kite 

(Photo courtesy of Cordover) 

least in terms of images, is a traditional diamond-shaped 

kite known as the Eddy kite. 

That kite was created in the 1890s by William 

Abner Eddy, an American accountant 

and journalist who used it in meteorological 

experiments. Its basic image and easy-tobuild 

design have been associated with kiteflying 

ever since. 

But there’s so much more to the art of kite 

building and flying. 

Speaking about the Gateway Kite Club, 

Cordover said, “We will teach you how 

to fly single-line kites, and if you are 

interested, we will teach you how to fly 

two- and four-line kites. We have some 

national champions in sport kite flying in 

our club. And if you want to learn how to 

fly fighter kites, I’m a fighter kite flyer. 

And if people are interested in learning 

to fly single-line acrobatic kites, then we 

can teach them how to do that. If you 

have a kite, great, bring it. If your kids 

have kites, perfect. If not, we have so 

many kites that most of the time when 

people come out, if they’re newbies, 

they’re flying ours.” 

One upcoming event featuring members 

of the Gateway Kite Club is the 

Fourth Annual High on Life Kite Festival, 

which will be held from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on 

Saturday, May 4 at Chesterfield Central 

Park. Hosted by the Ascension Parish 

Knights of Columbus, the festival is open 

to flyers of all ages. The Knights will have 

up to 70 kites for participants to decorate 

and fly, but guests are also encouraged to 

bring their own kites. Flyers and spectators 

alike are also encouraged to bring 

seating and picnic baskets. In the event 

of inclement weather, the festival will be 

held on May 11. 

NEW PATIENT SPECIAL 

$ 99 

OR 

$ 100 OFFICE VISIT 

OFF YOUR FIRST 

OFFICE VISIT 

New patients only. Cleaning, X-rays (up to 4), 

comprehensive exam, oral cancer screening. Not valid 

with other offers, including botox. Offer ends 4/30/24. 

$99 not valid for patients with gum disease. 

Dr. Kimberly Simonds & Associates 

14649 Manchester Road | Ballwin 

636-552-9627 

Transforming Lives & Smiles Since 1974 

SUMMER CAMPS 

& OPPORTUNITIES 

COMING AGAIN 5.1.24 

To Advertise call 636 591.0010

24 I REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS I 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


JULIE 

HAEFNER 

REALTOR ® 

Realtor Julie Haefner, head of the Haefner Homes Team for Keller 

Williams Realty, can do it all. Julie specializes in working with sellers 

who are downsizing, whether they are moving into another home, or 

a senior community. “I have the resources to help people clean out 

their home, people that do auctions and estate sales, people who do 

junk removal and people who come in, clean the home and stage it 

for sale,” she said. “I also love working with first time home buyers.” 

In addition, Julie has been the top real estate agent in her office for 

five years and one of the Top 100 Realtors in St. Louis for the past 

three years. She serves West St. Louis County. For exceptional service 

and communication from an advisor that can do it all from beginning 

to close, call Julie. 

CHERYL 

WAMBACH 

REALTOR ® 

Cheryl Wambach, CRS, SRS, ASP, an award-winning Realtor with 

Berkshire Hathaway Alliance Real Estate, is committed to making the 

real estate process as smooth and stress-free as possible from start to 

finish. Whether you are a first-time homebuyer or a seasoned investor, 

Cheryl will take the time to understand your unique needs and 

preferences and guide you through every step of the process. Cheryl’s 

personalized service goes above and beyond to help her clients find 

their dream home or sell their property for the highest price possible. 

With almost 19 years of experience, an in-depth knowledge of the 

local market and a passion for helping people succeed in real estate, 

Cheryl has built a reputation as a trustworthy, reliable and resultsdriven 

Realtor. Experience matters. Call Cheryl today! 

(c) 314.409.7969 • juliehaefner@kw.com 

(c) 636-579-1482 • www.cherylwambach.com 

(o) 636-530-4043 • 17050 Baxter Road, Suite 200 • Chesterfield 

VENNESSA 

MASTROIANNI 

BROKER/OWNER 

Vennessa Mastroianni is the owner and broker of Realty 

Masters, St. Louis, a team of knowledgeable and honest 

professionals whose top priority is service. 

“We view real estate as more than just a transaction,” Vennessa 

said. 

“Real estate sales happen when something big has happened 

in someone’s life – a new job, marriage, children. We help 

people through that transition.” 

Coming from a successful career in real estate in her home 

country of Australia, Vennessa moved to St. Louis, her husband’s 

native city, in 2010. She serves as a board director for Missouri 

Association of REALTORS®, Council of Independent Real 

Estate Brokers and Manchester Business Association. 

(c) 636.345.6534 • www.RealtyMastersSTL.com 

636.220.7830 • 14396 Manchester Road • St. Louis 

Katherine Lovegren and Conner Matusek with Berkshire 

Hathaway HomeServices Select Properties are the “one-stop 

shop” real estate advisors. Their combined 30+ years of service 

includes working with a variety of buyers, sellers, investors 

and tenants. From helping first time home buyers to working 

with referrals of savvy clients, The Lovegren Team has found 

the art of listening and following through with an individual 

customized plan produces successful results. Staging, hiring top 

photographers, referring competent professionals in the supportive 

industries for repairs, maintenance and inspections are all part of the 

THE LOVEGREN 

TEAM 

REALTORS ® Katherine: 314.753.1354 • Conner: 314.960.8538 

www.KathyWillLeadUHome.com • (o) 314.775. 2050 

complete experience they coach their clients through each step of the 

way. They are currently working in St. Louis, St. Charles, Jefferson 

and Franklin counties. 

PETER LU, REALTOR ® 

CHRISSY WAGNER, 

REAL ESTATE AGENT 

When it comes to navigating the ever-changing world of 

real estate, it’s vital to have an expert at your side who has the 

experience to provide guidance each step of the way. 

Peter Lu with eXp Realty has been helping folks buy and sell 

homes since 2006. He has experienced the market’s highs and lows and has had 

great success helping his clients navigate through the good, the bad and the ugly. He 

is committed to helping clients find the home of their dreams without the stress and 

worry the process can entail. 

Whether you are looking to buy or sell a home, Peter’s passion for real estate and 

in-depth knowledge of the market makes him an invaluable partner. The Peter Lu 

Team prides themselves on their service, high standards and exceptional rates. Peter 

and his team have worked with clients from across St. Louis and West County, 

and in a myriad of municipalities. Whether you’re in the market for a new home, 

condominium or acres of beautiful land for a personal project or endeavor, Peter and 

his team have inside knowledge and experience with sought-after locations. 

For those who don’t know where to start, skip the guesswork and let Peter and his 

team help match you with one of the area’s many available properties. They serve St. 

Charles County, St. Louis County, St. Louis City and Jefferson County. 

Trust a real estate professional who will have your best interests in mind throughout 

every step of the process. Call Peter today at (314) 662-6578, and experience the 

difference firsthand. 

With 17 years of experience selling residential real 

estate, Chrissy Wagner of RedKey Realty Leaders 

understands that buying or selling a home is more than 

just a transaction – it’s a life-changing experience. 

“That’s why I am dedicated to providing exceptional, 

personalized service for all of my clients. Given the competitive real estate 

market, my goal is to make the selling and buying process as streamlined and 

stress-free as possible,” she said. 

A native St. Louisan who has served as a Realtor in the St. Louis County and 

St. Charles County areas since 2006, Chrissy is familiar with the ever-changing 

market and the challenges that sellers and buyers can face. 

“Guiding and providing my buyers with the most effective strategies to secure 

a home in this extremely competitive market is such a privilege. And positioning 

my sellers to maximize their home value and obtain top dollar when selling their 

home is so rewarding,” she said. 

Recognized as a “5-Star Best in Client Satisfaction” Realtor, Chrissy enjoys 

assisting her clients in reaching their real estate dreams. “I am grateful for all of 

the relationships I have had the opportunity to build over the years,” she said. 

“It is an honor to do what I love to do every day, and I am looking forward to 

assisting many new clients in the future!” Call Chrissy today for Real Estate 

with Results! 

(c) 314.662.6578 • www.peterluteam.com 

866.224.1761 • 3636 S Geyer Rd Ste 100 • St. Louis 

chrissywagner.redkeystlouis.com 

(c) 314.412.9938 • chrissy@redkeystlouis.com • (o) 636.237.6000

Tonja Busiek 

Sue Kelly 

Tonja Busiek has brought her decades of 

real estate experience to Compass Realty 

Group—a technology-driven real estate 

company with innovative tools and exclusive 

programs that are redefining the buying 

and selling experience for her clients. 

A 40-year native of St. Louis, Tonja 

knows the area well. She is an award-winning 

top real estate agent and a certified 

Luxury Real Estate Specialist. 

“My passion is helping people in the 

Greater St. Louis area buy and sell residential 

homes and properties with ease. 

My clients are my top priority and their 

consistent referrals prove that to be true!” 

said Tonja. 

In a housing market as tight as the current 

one, having an experienced professional 

as your guide is priceless. Tonja is 

known for her professionalism, versatility, 

excellent communication, and always 

being solutions-driven. She believes that 

amazing service means listening and truly 

hearing what her clients need and want. 

As a result, she forms long-lasting relationships 

with her clients. 

“I pride myself on going above and beyond 

my clients’ expectations,” Tonja explained. 

“If you are in the market to buy 

or sell, contact me to discuss how I can 

leverage Compass tools to help reimagine 

your real estate experience. Whether 

you have a specific goal in mind or simply 

want more information, you can contact 

me! I thrive on making big moves as successful 

as possible.” 

Tonja Busiek • 314.504.8348 

tonja.busiek@compass.com 

With 25-plus years of experience, Sue 

Kelly, a full-time real estate professional, 

knows the ins and outs of the real estate 

market. She understands value, pricing 

and negotiations, and as a St. Louis native, 

she knows the neighborhoods, especially 

West St. Louis County and the 

central corridor. 

More importantly, she cares about 

her clients. It’s just one more reason Sue 

has earned the distinction of being a top 

producer. 

Sue can help clients sell their present 

home and/or find and purchase their 

new one. 

When it comes to her specialties, Sue 

enjoys working with people who are 

downsizing and need help scaling back 

their belongings and selling personal 

items. She has the resources to help with 

that process. 

She also enjoys working with first-time 

home buyers and teaching them the 

ropes. 

“It was our first time buying a home and 

we were so lucky to work with her,” said 

Erika. “It was such a great experience 

… Sue responded and answered all our 

questions giving us certain confidence in 

our decision.” 

“I really like teaching people to decide 

what is important to them, helping them 

to figure out their priorities so that they 

make the right decision because it is an 

important one,” she said. 

Sue has a network built over more than 

two decades to smooth the process. 

“I’ve done a whole lot of networking, 

and I have a lot of people in hand –– 

stagers, lenders, inspectors and designers 

–– resources that will keep things 

easy for both sellers and buyers,” she 

said. 

Sue Kelly • 314.602.3533 

sue.kelly@compass.com 

SimpsonHunsaker 

Ellen Simpson, Jeanne Hunsaker, and 

Josh Worth are passionate real estate 

professionals dedicated to serving the 

St. Louis area. 

As lifelong residents, they bring a 

deep understanding of the local market 

and a genuine love for the community. 

They thrive on matching clients with 

their dream homes and navigating the 

intricacies of the market, earning recognition 

for their outstanding performance 

in real estate. 

Beyond their professional endeavors, 

they cherish spending quality time with 

their families and exploring the unique 

charm and diverse opportunities the St. 

Louis area offers. 

Committed to providing top-notch 

service and creating seamless transactions, 

Ellen, Jeanne, and Josh are 

trusted advisors who make a positive 

impact in the lives of those they serve. 

Compass is the no. 1 independent brokerage 

in the nation. Call the team that 

gives you time, talent and experience. 

The SimpsonHunsaker team is driven 

by a simple goal: to create an absolutely 

stellar real estate experience. 

Ellen Simpson • 314.566.8859 

Jeanne Hunsaker • 314.210.0702 

Josh Worth • 314.504.8183 

simpsonhunsaker@compass.com 

Laura Sanders 

Laura Sanders is consistently ranked 

among St. Louis’ top real estate producers. 

In 2023, Laura closed over 

$36,500,000 in sales and facilitated 

96 transactions. When asked why she 

chose a career in real estate, Laura 

said, “I love working with people and 

the challenge of making people’s 

dreams a reality.” Her advanced negotiating 

skills, friendly personality 

and professionalism provide clients 

with the comfort and ease to buy or 

sell their home. 

In the 17 years since Laura started 

her career in real estate, she has 

carefully curated a fantastic team of 

top-tier agents and support staff. 

“Buying or selling a home can be 

overwhelming. Excitement and anxiety 

usually go hand in hand in these 

situations,” Laura said. “My job is to 

not only provide experienced guidance 

to my clients, but also make sure 

they feel confident and well represented. 

My team and I strive to tailor 

each transaction to the customer and 

their specific needs.” 

Laura Sanders • 314.605.2581 

LauraSandersTeam@gmail.com 

LauraSandersTeam.com 

• • • 

• • • 

• • • 

www.compass.com • 314.347.1658 

• • • 

• • • 

• • •

26 I REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS I 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


KRISTI LINDGREN, REALTOR ® 

Th e Kristi Lindgren Group is ready to serve your real 

estate needs in St. Louis and on the Emerald Coast along 

Florida’s glorious 30A. 

As your St. Louis connection and an experienced realtor 

in both the local market and along the Florida coast, Kristi 

brings a unique blend of familiarity and loyalty to provide you with full-service 

support in your real estate endeavors. Whether you’re looking to buy, sell or invest 

in properties, her boots-on-the-ground approach ensures that you have a dedicated 

agent working tirelessly on your behalf. 

Kristi is a licensed realtor with eXp Luxury – 30A Beaches in Grayton Beach, 

Florida and eXp Realty in St. Louis. 

Kristi, as a 20-year resident of St. Louis has a passion for the community and its 

residents. She also has residency on 30A, allowing her to offer tailored guidance 

and insights that align with your specific needs and goals. From identifying prime 

investment opportunities to navigating the complexities of transactions, she 

leverages her experience to streamline the process and maximize outcomes for 

her clients. 

Whether you’re searching for your dream beachfront property or seeking to 

market your home effectively to potential buyers, Kristi is your trusted partner for 

all your real estate needs. 

“Building a relationship with each client is important to me and I am excited 

to serve you!” ~ Kristi 

CATHY SHAW-CONNELY, 

REAL ESTATE AGENT 

Cathy Shaw-Connely, a continuous 

Five Star Real Estate Agent winner, is 

one of the third generation of family professionals at Tom 

Shaw Realtors, the oldest residential real estate company 

in St. Louis, now celebrating its 102nd year in business. 

With millions of dollars in sales each year, Cathy is one of the top producing 

agents in the St. Louis area. 

Cathy prides herself on superior service, follow-up and being available to her 

clients. She has worked extensively over the years in all areas of the real estate 

market, including St. Louis, Chesterfield, Wildwood and St. Charles, Franklin 

and Jefferson counties. 

Buying or selling real estate is one of the largest financial investments that 

most people will ever make or realize. Cathy will ensure positive results and 

provide effective guidance through the entire process, being uniquely qualified 

to represent both buyers and sellers. 

From the most discriminating, to the first-time homebuyer, clients can be 

assured they will be working with a real estate professional who is completely 

committed to helping them achieve their desired results. Whether it is a home, 

acreage, horse property, new construction or a farm to be bought or sold, call 

Cathy and look no further. 

kristi.lindgren@exprealty.com • kristilindgren.exprealty.com 

314.541.8650 • 3636 Geyer Road, Ste 100 • St. Louis 

151 Chesterfield Industrial Blvd. • Chesterfield 

(c) 636.346.4960 • squawky1@aol.com 

(o) 636.532.1922 

LAURA 

MACDONALD, 

REALTOR ® 

Laura MacDonald is an accomplished real estate professional with over 34 years of experience in the St. Louis 

market. During that time she has successfully assisted more than 2,000 families buy or sell their homes. Her 

impressive track record is a testament to her expertise, reliability and dedication to her clients. 

What distinguishes Laura from her peers is her energetic, tenacious personality and extensive experience. 

Having been both a seller and a buyer herself, she fully understands the importance of individualized 

representation for both types of transactions. She possesses a comprehensive understanding of the real estate 

market and guides her clients whether buyers or sellers through every step of the process, ensuring that they 

make informed decisions. 

The seller’s agent, also known as a listing agent, represents the seller and takes charge of marketing the 

property to potential buyers, responding to inquiries about the property, and negotiating the offers on behalf of 

the seller. Additionally, the seller’s agent provides guidance on pricing the property based on market trends and 

comparable sales, with the ultimate goal of securing the highest possible price for the property while ensuring 

a smooth transaction for the seller. 

Similarly, a buyer’s agent represents the buyer, assisting them in finding a suitable property that meets 

their needs and budget. They also provide assertive guidance on the buying process, including writing offers, 

negotiating with the seller’s agent, and navigating any issues that arise during the transaction. The buyer’s agent’s 

objective is to help the buyer find the best property that fits their lifestyle and budget. 

Laura’s primary focus has always been on delivering the best possible outcomes for her clients by looking out for their best interests. 

She is committed to helping her clients achieve a return on their investment through home ownership. Her customer-focused approach 

is the hallmark of her career, and she goes above and beyond to ensure that her clients are satisfied with their experience. 

Laura and her team also offer a complimentary moving truck to both their clients and the public. This service is a testament to their 

commitment to the community and their desire to make the moving process as stress-free as possible. 

In addition to her real estate work, Laura is actively involved in the community and supports local organizations and events. She 

believes in giving back and making a positive impact on the world around her. Her dedication to her clients and her community has 

earned her a reputation as one of the most respected and trusted realtors in the St. Louis area. 

In conclusion, Laura MacDonald’s extensive experience, energetic personality and customer-focused approach make her a highly 

respected and sought-after real estate professional in the St. Louis market. Her unwavering commitment to her clients’ success is truly 

exemplary, and she is a valuable asset to the real estate industry in the region. 

(c) 314.285.3160 • (o) 636.394.9300 • laura@thelauramacdonaldteam.com • 1100 Town & Country Crossing Drive • Town & Country

OUTSTANDING Agents in ST. LOUIS’ 

#1 REAL ESTATE Company 

Coldwell Banker Realty – Gundaker Town & Country office 

636-394-9300 

CINDY DEBRECHT • REALTOR ® 

Cindy DeBrecht, RRES, SFR and MBA of Coldwell Banker Realty – 

Gundaker Town & Country has 18 years as a top 1 % agent for a reason. 

She serves her clients with a combination of practical experience and 

superior service. Her 27 years of building experience means she knows 

a quality-built home when she sees one. Her concierge services focus 

attention on the details of buying and selling for a more stress-free 

experience for clients. Cindy not only knows how to negotiate, she has 

a team of designers, painters and many other trades to ready homes to 

sell, and she is always available whenever questions or concerns arise. 

A St. Louis Magazine 5 Star Agent year after year, call Cindy for a 

superior real estate experience. 

(c) 314.482.0393 • Cindy.DeBrecht@cbgundaker.com 

SABINA DEHN • REAL ESTATE AGENT 

As a licensed agent since 1998, Sabina Dehn with Coldwell Banker 

Realty – Gundaker Town & Country understands the importance of 

being a local expert. Today, the Sabina Dehn Group is dedicated to 

providing real estate excellence through a concierge experience with 

their professional expertise and detailed service. 

Sabina and her team will handle the entire process with leadership, 

personal understanding and great optimism. They promise that clients 

will see success and begin their new lives feeling more empowered 

and energized. Along the way, Sabina will be there to lighten the load 

and elevate your experience. 

Call today to learn more. 

(c) 314.941.4000 • sabina.dehn@cbgundaker.com 

DEBBIE DUTTON • SALES ASSOCIATE 

Debbie Dutton, RRES with Coldwell Banker 

Realty – Gundaker Town & Country says, “It’s 

the smiles on closing day as my clients start 

a new chapter. It’s the fun of walking into a 

house and knowing your buyers love it. It’s 

the ring in your seller’s voice, when you bring 

a contract. And sometimes, it’s holding a 

client’s hand, helping them through a tough 

time. My clients! That’s why I’m in this 

business!” 

Her focus is on building a lasting relationship 

of trust. Together Debbie and her husband 

Rick have a good understanding of the 

important elements of a house. They look 

closely at houses her clients are considering 

to help them avoid potential problems during 

inspections and down the line. That kind of 

dedication brings a faithful client base. 

“My clients continue to come back to me 

long after the sale when they are looking for 

recommendations or when they have questions. I’m the first stop when a question comes 

up because I’ve built that trust. They know I care about them and they know I care about 

getting them in the right place,” Debbie said. Debbie was awarded the CBGundaker Star 

Award and honored with the St. Louis Magazine 5-Star Realtor award ten times. A client 

summed up Debbie perfectly, “Debbie Dutton knows real estate and the meaning of the 

word service.” 

Debbie specializes in the St Louis, St. Charles and Jefferson County areas. 

(c) 314.398.4909 • www.yourstlrealestateagent.com 

GEORGIA FERRETTI • REAL ESTATE AGENT 

Georgia Ferretti of Coldwell Banker Realty – Gundaker Town & Country 

believes in serving her customers the same way she wants to be served. 

She listens closely to all her clients’ needs and wants. This has been the 

foundation of her success in real estate for the past 22 years. 

Communication is the key to all of her relationships. She believes that 

service does not stop after the contract and closing. At the end of the 

day, her approach is simple. Good agents are not salespeople, they are 

advocates, and that’s what she always tries to be with all her current and 

past clients. Georgia is a 17-year recipient of The Five Star Professional 

Best in Client Satisfaction Real Estate Agent award, as seen in St. Louis 

Magazine. 

(c) 636.675.0329 • georgia.ferretti@cbgundaker.com 

DEBBIE MIDGLEY • REAL ESTATE AGENT 

Debbie Midgley has been with the Coldwell Banker Realty – 

Gundaker Town & Country office for 31 years. Her aim is to provide 

you with the highest levels of service available in the real estate 

industry. She feels the key to a win-win client relationship is to have 

a clear understanding of your goals and to communicate openly 

and frequently. She credits her success in real estate to hard work, 

dedication to her clients and her attention to detail. Selecting a longterm 

real estate partner is an extremely important decision. Debbie 

welcomes the opportunity to partner with you concerning your 

personal real estate needs. 

(c) 314.610.7519 • debbie.midgley@cbgundaker.com 

THE MARY BAY TEAM • REALTOR ® 

Mary Bay with Coldwell Banker Realty - Gundaker Town & Country, is 

the driving force of The Mary Bay Team which consists of her husband 

and daughter, all licensed Realtors ® . Mary has been in real estate for 

20 years and consistently ranks in the top 3% of CBG Realtors and is 

a 14-year recipient of The Five Star Realtor Award! Their team focus is 

to provide outstanding service above and beyond what clients expect! 

With an outstanding support team of vendors who provide services to 

help sellers prepare their homes for the market, a professional stager 

and gorgeous photography, the Mary Bay Team homes sell fast and at 

the highest price possible. Buyers benefit from the years of outstanding 

representation, market knowledge, persistence, honesty, and their 

desire to help buyers achieve their dreams! 

(c) 314.973.4278 • themarybayteam.com 

KATHLEEN WOODWORTH • BROKER ASSOCIATE 

Kathleen Woodworth of Coldwell Banker Realty - Gundaker Town & 

Country is a dedicated professional committed to providing excellent 

service. As a native of St. Louis, she knows its neighborhoods. With 30 years 

experience in the real estate market, Kathleen has a wealth of knowledge, 

a deep understanding of the market and honed skills that can be invaluable 

in alleviating the emotional stress that often accompany these transactions. 

Clients can rely on Kathleen to guide them through each step with 

confidence and professionalism, making their experience as smooth and 

stress-free as possible. Kathleen has been recognized as one of the top St. 

Louis Realtors and given the Five Star Best in Client Satisfaction title by St. 

Louis Magazine multiple times. “Without a doubt, Kathleen is the hardest 

working Realtor I’ve ever worked with,” said a recent client. 

(c) 314.308.0534 • kwoodworth@cbgundaker.com 

They Manage the Details, You Live the Dream!

Mari de Villa: Comfortable living, compassionate care 

Spread out over 21-plus rolling 

green acres in Town & Country, 

and landscaped with gardens and 

fountains, Mari de Villa provides 

a beautiful and elegant setting for 

senior living. More valuable than 

the restful views of the lake and the 

surrounding green slopes however, 

are the comfortable homes and 

compassionate care Mari de Villa 

provides for its senior residents. 

Mari de Villa, located at 13900 

Clayton Road, is home to an independent 

living campus, The Villa 

Estates; The Villa West and Villa 

East buildings providing 24-hour 

nursing care. Mari de Villa is staffed 

24 hours per day with both nurses 

and certified nurse assistants. 

Mari de Villa Senior Living was 

founded in 1960 by Joseph and 

Georgana Linneman, and from the 

beginning has been dedicated to 

making every guest and staff member 

feel like part of the Mari de Villa 

family. 

Fred and Mary Kay Wiesehan 

came on board in 1984. Their attention 

to personal service is shared by 

their sons – Fritz, Mari de Villa’s 

vice-president and administrator, 

and Joseph, also a licensed administrator. 

Some of the staff, Fred said, have 

been there nearly as long as they 

have, working alongside them to 

provide a standard of service not 

found anywhere else. 

“Our staff feels like part of the 

family,” Fred said. 

Guests say that the friendliness of 

the staff makes Mari de Villa feel 

like home. But as much as they appreciate 

the ambiance of the skilled 

nursing center, they appreciate its 

24-hour care more. 

“We’re unique in that we provide 

care to all the guests,” Fred said. 

“We administer all of our guests’ 

care needs and their medications. 

We know that as people age, their 

needs increase and change. But because 

we are staffed 24 hours a day 

and licensed as a skilled nursing 

facility and staffed 24 hours a day, 

our guests can remain in their same 

environment no matter how life 

changes. We adjust their care, they 

don’t have to adjust their lifestyle.” 

Another thing guests never have 

to adjust is their cost expectation. 

“We pride ourselves on the fact 

that we have an all-inclusive rate,” 

Fred said. 

From nursing care to everyday 

basics such as linens, laundry, etc., 

every guest’s needs are met. Villa 

West and Villa East offer suites and 

private rooms with flexible accommodations 

designed to meet evolving 

needs. Villa West and Villa 

East each include around-the-clock 

staff, a physical therapy center, dining 

rooms, a beautiful clubhouse 

for private parties, The Waterford 

Room for private dinners and family 

gatherings, an indoor/outdoor 

pool with water aerobics, a beauty 

salon and much more. 

Guests with advanced stages of 

dementia and other forms of memory 

loss are tenderly cared for in 

both the Villa West and Villa East 

buildings. 

“We also offer independent living 

in The Villa Estates,” said Fritz. 

“We have 54 villas that have a community 

atmosphere and allow the 

people who live there to enjoy all 

the amenities and services available 

to them at Mari de Villa as well as 

in the surrounding West County 

area.” 

“Our guests in The Independent 

Living Villa Estates know that 

should they need additional care, 

it is available on our campus, giving 

them peace of mind.” 

Mari de Villa’s Independent Living 

Villa Estates offer spacious, 

luxury living accommodations in 

a neighborhood setting. Residents 

can drive, cook and socialize with 

neighbors as they please, enjoying 

meals in the beautiful dining 

rooms and visiting the beauty salon, 

and massage therapist and 

taking part in special events and 

activities. 

At Mari de Villa, guests are active 

and engaged, with daily live 

music, a social hour, games, guest 

speakers and a full calendar of onsite 

events and off-site field trips. 

Visit www.maridevilla.com to learn 

more. 

While physicians visit Mari de 

Villa on a regular basis, guests are 

encouraged to continue to use their 

own doctor. Transportation is provided 

to doctors’ offices in the West 

County area at no cost. The drivers 

assist guests into the office and return 

them home to Mari de Villa, 

which is conveniently located near 

multiple hospitals. 

All it takes is one tour of Mari de 

Villa to know that Mari de Villa has 

tried to think of everything for our 

guests’ care and enjoyment. 

636.227.5347 

13900 Clayton Road 

Town and Country, MO 

www.maridevilla.com

OUR 21-ACRE CAMPUS 

MARI de VILLA 

SENIOR LIVING 

Family owned and operated 

and celebrating 64 years 

of service to our community. 

Mari de Villa residents 

are our “Guests.” 

Where compassion meets 

comfort, discover our 

top quality senior living 

choices today 

Senior Living offering 24-Hour Skilled Nursing • All-Inclusive Rates 

ALL Private Rooms and Suites are some of the most competitive rates in St. Louis 

TOURING 7 DAYS EVERY WEEK! 

Virtual Tours of our accommodations are 

also available at MariDeVilla.com. 

636.227.5347 | 13900 CLAYTON ROAD, TOWN & COUNTRY, MO | WWW.MARIDEVILLA.COM 

We are pledged to the letter and spirit of the U.S. Policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the nation. We encourage and support an 

affi rmative advertising and marketing program in which there are no barriers to housing because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial or national origin.

30 I SPORTS I 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


SCORE BIG ON SAFETY. 

GET A SPORTS PHYSICAL TODAY! 

AGES 10+ 

Find a location near you: 

Arnold, Chesterfield, Creve Coeur, 

Des Peres, Ellisville, Fenton, Ladue 

and O'Fallon. 

stlukes-stl.com/urgent-care 

314-205-6200 

FIND A 

LOCATION 

10-0067 

3/2024 

The Clayton Shaw Park Tideriders spring Region VIII sectional champions in the meet held at the University 

of Missouri’s Aquatic Center for their third championship in the last four years. 

(Photo provided) 

SPORTS 

BRIEFS 

By WARREN MAYES 

Tideriders finish strong at 

recent championships 

The Clayton Shaw Park Tideriders continue 

to maintain a stranglehold on the 

spring sectional swimming championship. 

The Tideriders recently repeated as the 

spring Region VIII sectional champions 

in the meet held at the University of Missouri’s 

Aquatic Center. It was the club’s 

third victory in the last four years. The program 

broke 3,000 points for the first time. 

“We had a really good meet,” coach Dave 

McCrary said. “We won the title last year 

so the swimmers wanted to defend it this 

year. We were hopeful that our hard work 

would lead to some good performances. In 

some ways, I think we outperformed our 

expectations.” 

McCrary took 59 athletes and 55 relays, 

his largest team ever, to the meet. 

The girls team also repeated as champions, 

scoring 2,068 points. The boys team 

ended up second. The Tideriders had the 

youngest male and female athletes competing 

at the meet and the youngest swimmers 

to make finals. The club won the trophy for 

most medals earned at the meet with 50. 

“It is very rewarding for our staff. We 

have worked very hard to get as many kids 

qualified for this meet as we can,” McCrary 

said. “The swimmers have worked very 

hard as well. To keep improving and scoring 

more points is the icing on the cake. We 

want to be viewed as one of the best clubs 

in the country.” 

Sydney Schoeck won the 200 backstroke 

and qualified for Olympic Trials, while 

breaking the sectional meet record and 

Ozark Record at the same time. 

“Sydney is our first qualifier for this summer’s 

Olympic Trials,” McCrary said. 

She also won the 400 IM, just missing 

Olympic Trials, and the 200 IM. 

Hannah Renaud, of Lake Saint Louis, 

won the 200 butterfly and set a new team 

record. The Westminster Christian Academy 

sophomore finished with a time of 

2:17.86. That topped her best time by 5 

seconds. 

“We had a number of standout swims. We 

added six new swimmers to USA Winter 

Junior Nationals,” McCrary said. 

Those swimmers are Brody Blatt (200 

back), Allie Maloney (200 back), Austin 

Chu (200 back), Sean McGinley (50 free), 

Renaud (200 fly) and Anna Grace Guenther 

(1500 free). 

Chu, the youngest male swimmer at the 

meet at 13 years old, made the A Final (top 

8) in the 100 Backstroke. 

“From a previous meet this winter, Austin 

is No. 1 in the country for the 100-yard butterfly 

for a 13-year-old boy with a 50.73,” 

McCary said. 

The youngest female swimmer at the 

meet was Emma Fouke, who is 12. She 

made finals in the 200 IM and 50 breaststroke. 

The Tideriders have some important 

competitions coming up. 

“We are starting our long course meet 

schedule,” McCrary said. “Sydney will 

be at the Olympic Trials in Indianapolis in 

June. Our big meets will be our 86th CSP 

Summer Invitational June 21-23 at Clayton 

Shaw Park. That’s the second longestrunning 

meet in the country. The summer 

sectionals are July 10-13 at Missouri. The 

NCSA Junior Nationals is in Indianapolis 

from July 24-28 and that is our biggest 

team meet. We have 44 athletes qualified 

for that meet.” 

MBCA All-State Teams 

The Missouri Basketball Coaches Association 

(MBCA) recently released its academic 

All-State teams. 

To qualify a player must have one or 

more of the following: an ACT score of 27 

or above, an SAT score of 1280 or above 

or a PSAT score of 185 selection index or 

more, and maintain a grade-point average 

of 3.25 or above. 

Local athletes making the boys Academic 

All-State team were Eureka’s 

Mason Dunlap, Lafayette’s Dade Ellison, 

John Burroughs’ Calvin Gelle and Seth 

Rhodes, Parkway West’s Chase Haun and 

Parkway Central’s Jonah Loiterstein and 

Oliver Kokal. 

Local athletes making the girls team 

were Marquette’s Jessica Aldenderfer and 

Madelyn Haas, John Burroughs’ Arya 

Bhattacharya and Rosalee Tasker, St. 

Joseph’s Academy’s Kayla Jansen and 

Parkway Central’s Kaitlyn King. 

Local coaches were honored with the 

Richard Fairchild Coach of the Year Award. 

For boys, the top Class 4 coach was Darryl 

“Pee Wee” Lenard, of John Burroughs. In 

Class 5, it was De Smet Jesuit’s Kent Williams. 

In girls, it was Jacob Yorg, of John 

Burroughs, for Class 5 and Dan Rolfes, of 

Incarnate Word Academy, for Class 6. 

MBCA Missouri Player of the Year 

Award went to three local girls. In Class 2, 

it was Principia’s Dasia Scott. In Class 5, 

it was Allie Turner, of John Burroughs. In 

Class 6, it was Nevaeh Caffey, of Incarnate 

Word Academy. 

Incarnate Word hires 

new softball coach 

Incarnate Word Academy has announced 

the hiring of a new softball coach in Mike 

McMullen. 

He is originally from Los Angeles and is 

a former professional pitcher for the San 

Francisco Giants, the Minnesota Twins and 

the Kansas City Royals in 2001. 

McMullen was the softball coach at 

Rosati Kain in 2023. 

“I am excited to lead this program with 

my experience, dedication and commitment 

and look forward to continuing the 

success of the softball program and can’t 

wait to work with the athletes, families and 

staff members at Incarnate,” McMullen 

said in a statement. “My focus will be on 

See SPORTS, page 33



Visitation Academy’s McLaughlin 

records her fourth hole-in-one 


It’s said golfers are great musicians; they 

always aim for the perfect pitch – a holein-one. 

If that’s the case, Visitation Academy 

junior Avery McLaughlin is a maestro. 

McLaughlin recently recorded her fourth 

hole-in-one. 

“A hole-in-one is an accomplishment 

that I think every golfer aspires to have in 

their career,” said McLaughlin, who lives 

in Town & Country. “I am grateful to have 

accomplished it.” 

A golf ball’s favorite type of party is a 

hole-in-one gathering. It’s something special 

for any golfer to achieve. 

Avery McLaughlin at State 

“Although, as much as she plays and practices, 

it is not a huge surprise,” Visitation 

coach Julie Jones said. 

McLaughlin was getting ready for the 

upcoming spring and summer season when 

she picked up her fourth hole-in-one; the 

most recent ace was on No. 6 at Bellerive 

Country Club. 

“It was from the white tees, and I used 

a knock-down 9 iron due to the amount of 

wind,” McLaughlin said. “I could see it go 

down the hill and eventually watched it go 

in. It was very exciting and surprising.” 

Her first ace was at Bellerive Country 

Club on No. 3 in 2022. McLaughlin’s 

second hole-in-one came at the Crystal 

Spring at the Quarry on No. 16 in 2023 

during high school tryouts. Her third one 

was at Bellerive Country Club on No. 3 in 

December 2023. 

McLaughlin is looking forward to playing 

in tournaments when junior tournaments 

will be held. She plays as often as she can 

but the spring weather so far has made it a 

little difficult with the cold and wind. 

“My game is coming along for the summer 

season,” McLaughlin said. “The weather 

makes it hard to continue to keep playing 

outside but I do the best I can to make sure 

to play and practice as much as possible.” 

She plans on playing in many tournaments 

this summer. High school golf for 

girls is played in the fall. McLaughlin 

and her teammates at Visitation enjoyed a 

season to remember. The Vivettes won the 

Class 4 state championship. It was their 

second title in three seasons but their first 

in Class 4. Visitation won the Class 2 title in 

2021 and finished second in Class 3 in 2022. 

McLaughlin believed her team could prevail 

at state. 

“I knew we had been doing everything 

needed to prepare for the state championship,” 

McLaughlin said. “We practiced diligently 

and we focused on one shot at a time. 

Our coach truly emphasizes being in the 

moment and putting the bad shots behind 

you.” 

The Vivettes finished with a two-day team 

total of 326-312-638 at Silo Ridge Golf and 

Country Club in Bolivar. That result topped 

St. Joseph Academy by five strokes. It also 

snapped St. Joseph’s record-setting sevenyear 

state winning streak. 

“St. Joe has a reputation for winning and 

is one of the best competitors we play,” 

McLaughlin said. “As much as I respect 

their team and players, winning felt great 

and sort of like a long time coming since 

my freshman year where it has been a goal.” 

McLaughlin enjoyed a fine season. She 

fired an even-par 72 to win the Class 4 District 

1 title. She was one shot off the lead 

after the first round of the state tourney 

before finishing in a tie for seventh. She shot 

rounds of 75-77 for a 152 total. 

She is looking forward to her final season 

with the Vivettes. 

Jones is anticipating having those seniors 

back to lead the team to another successful 

season. 

“Avery will lead a class of three seniors. 

Reese Robson and Abby Winter both qualified 

for state as juniors as well and will be 

returning this fall,” Jones said. “To say that 

we are excited to see what the three of them 

can accomplish in their senior season is an 

understatement. They all work hard, play a 

lot of golf and cheer on each other, as well 

as their younger teammates.” 

Jones believes McLaughlin is taking the 

right approach to everything. 

“She works so hard. She wants to play 

Division 1 golf in college and she knows 

what it takes to get there,” Jones said. “I 

don’t see anything that is within her control 

getting in the way of that. I think any high 

school coach would love to have a player 

like Avery on their team. She is an incredible 

athlete who is not afraid to share what 

she knows to make her teammates better.” 

5.25 



% 

APY* 

12 Month CD 

www.mwrbank.com • 636-937-5351 

*CD Annual Percentage Yield (APY) accurate as of March 20, 2024 and is subject to 

change. CD Interest compounded quarterly. $1,000 min to open account and obtain 

APY, penalties may apply for early withdrawals. Fees, such as penalties, may reduce 

earnings. QwickRate and National CD Rateline customers are not eligible for this offer. 

MEMBER FDIC, EQUAL HOUSING LENDER 

I SPORTS I 31 

5.30 

% 

APY* 

6 Month CD 

Experience the Rockwood Advantage 

Come Work with Us! 

We need bus drivers, 

custodians, child nutrition 

workers, before & after 

care workers, groundskeepers, 

maintenance workers & more. 

Competitive pay! Easy application, 

no resume required! 

Apply today: www.rsdmo.org/jobs

32 I SPORTS I 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


Charity hockey game for Chase 

benefits cancer research 

Kelly Chase (#39) with help from Blues and NHL alumni raised $600,000 for cancer 

research at a star-studded game on April 5. 

(Lou Countryman photo) 


Last November, former St. Louis Blues 

forward and enforcer Kelly Chase, 56, was 

diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. 

Chase never was one to avoid dropping 

his gloves as a player and fighting. But you 

can’t drop your gloves and make a fist at 

cancer. 

“One thing I’ve learned is it doesn’t pick 

how big and tough you are,” Chase said. 

“It affects everybody. Look, I feel like I’m 

going to win this battle. It’s just another 

fight. This guy is big and he’s tough. He 

uses both hands and he can take a punch. I 

need to punch him in the mouth a few more 

times to make sure he stays down.” 

The “get hit hard and keep moving forward” 

spirit of the Sylvester Stallone’s 

iconic Rocky Balboa was flowing at the 

Centene Community Ice Center when the St. 

Louis Blues alumni faced a group of NHL 

alumni and celebrity guests in the “Puck 

Cancer” charity game. 

Proceeds from the event support the Siteman 

Cancer Center and The V Foundation 

for Cancer Research. A total of $600,000 

was raised. The donation to the two organizations 

includes proceeds from the charity 

game and a $200,000 commitment from 

this season’s St. Louis Blues Hockey Fights 

Cancer initiative. 

The game, which drew a sellout crowd of 

3,000 plus standing-room attendance, consisted 

of two 20-minute periods and ended 

in a 7-7 tie. Really, no one could be a loser 

in an event like this. 

Chase helped put the event together to 

raise the much-needed funds. 

“I’m extremely grateful, but I also look at 

it like I think everyone’s been affected by 

(cancer),” Chase said. “It’s not a one-time 

thing, there’s nobody that’s going to be 

here that has not been affected by cancer in 

some way, shape or form, right? I’ve been 

supported in so many ways by this city at 

so many different times, it’s overwhelming, 

and then the brotherhood of the hockey 

players, sports community, entertainers. 

I’m pretty happy, pretty grateful and pretty 

proud of them.” 

After some 70 days and nights of treatment, 

Chase is currently in remission. 

“I feel great,” Chase said. “I probably feel 

as good as I can feel until the end of April 

when I go in for chemo again. Once I go 

in, I’ll probably have a dive again but keep 

battling. Hopefully, it will be the last time I 

have to do in there. Hopefully, I can just stay 

away after that.” 

He will get a bone biopsy on May 10. If 

those scans reveal nothing, it will be good 

for Chase. 

“I don’t want to get ahead of myself,” 

Chase said. 

Coaching the Blues Alumni for the charity 

game were Brett Hull and Joel Quenneville. 

“I honestly wished we didn’t have to be 

here, but we are,” said Hull, who joked he 

was 0-0 as a coach before the game. “I don’t 

think it’s particularly unique to hockey. 

Pretty well every sport, when something 

like this comes up, nobody’s going to say 

no. This just shows the hockey family that 

we have and it’s not just ‘Chaser,’ there’s a 

number of guys that have fallen ill and to 

get them all together and see the guys you 

haven’t seen in forever that you played with 

and against. 

“To see them and to visit and to tell stories, 

everyone’s smiling but deep down everyone 

knows it’s kind of a somber reason we’re 

See CHASE, next page





I SPORTS I 33 

CHASE, from previous 

here, but we’re here to make sure everyone 

recognizes what it’s all about and raise 

some money to help one day get a cure for 

all these terrible things.” 

Coaching the NHL Alumni were Denver 

Broncos coach Sean Payton, country singer 

Garth Brooks and former NHL player Tony 

Granato, who is battling non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. 

Garth Brooks fist-bumping Kelly Chase 

(Lou Countryman photo) 

“We’ve known each other for the better 

part of four years,” said Payton, who flew 

in from Denver where he was working in 

meetings for the upcoming NFL draft. “We 

met in Idaho at a vacation spot and played 

a lot of golf. I really got to know him there. 

He and I are close on the golf course in that 

we’re not that good.” 

SPORTS, from page 30 

instilling valuable life skills through sport, 

fundamentals, player development and 

committing to hard work all while nurturing 

a love for the game. 

“We will build a strong program for the 

school and its athletes to be proud of. The 

softball family will reflect the overall, 

amazing experience that Incarnate Word 

Academy provides.” 

College Softball 

Marquette graduate Annah Junge continues 

to throw strikes. 

With a strikeout in the top of the first 

inning, Junge has put her name at the top of 

the record books for Charleston Southern 

University of Big South Conference. It was 

strikeout No. 440 for the Ballwin native. 

The 5-foot-7 righthander is a graduate 

student. 

In the second at-bat of the game, Junge 

Growing up in Philadelphia, Payton 

played youth hockey. 

“By the time I got to high school, it was 

just football for me,” Payton said. “Coaching 

hockey, I’m out of my element. I wanted 

to be here. He’s (Chase) one of those guys, 

once you get to know him, he’d do anything 

for you. That’s why it was an easy decision 

for me and everyone else here.” 

The list of hockey stars playing for both 

the Blues and NHL alumni teams was huge. 

“A lot of big dogs,” said former 

Blues right winger Cam Janssen, 

who now works in sports talk radio. 

“They’re so fun. Your endorphins 

are going. All of these guys have 

been through different battles on 

the ice to where some of that might 

come back a little bit. They’re going 

to raise a lot of money. ‘Chaser’ 

talks about Siteman’s all the time 

and how good they are.” 

No one wanted to turn down 

Chase for the event. All who know 

him, love him. 

“Nobody can put a party on like 

Chaser can,” Quenneville said. 

“I’m just glad to be a part of it.” 

So was country singer Dierks 

Bentley, who skated for the Blues 

that night. 

“I met Kelly Chase originally up 

in Idaho when my son skated at 

the Gretzky Hockey School camp 

up there,” county singer Bentley said. “I’ve 

known him now for five years, and he’s a 

great guy. When he called me up and told 

me about his cancer, I was devastated, but 

when this opportunity came up, I was happy 

to come out here and do my small part to 

make this night successful.” 

struck out Wofford’s Jennifer Giles to hold 

the record for most punchouts in school 

history. 

At Marquette, Junge guided her team to 

a state championship in 2017 after going 

19-2 with a 1.17 ERA while batting .307 

for the season. She is first in school history 

with career wins (58), strikeouts (687) and 

winning percentage (.892) after only losing 

seven games in her career. 

College Basketball 

Former Parkway Central Colt Ben Prywitch 

earned Pitcher of the Week Great 

Lakes Valley Conference baseball weekly 

awards for Maryville University. 

Prywitch earned the recognition for his 

performance when he completed a seveninning 

game with nine strikeouts while 

only allowing three hits and one earned 

run. 

The 6-foot-2, 195-pound redshirt senior 

is a left-handed pitcher. 

ATTENTION 

READERS: 

Make sure you are signed up for 

your FREE subscription today! 

1. If you got this paper in your mailbox and your first and 

last name are on the front cover label, THANK YOU for 

subscribing. You are all signed up and will continue to get 

the paper in your mailbox for the next three years. 

2. If you got this paper in your mailbox and the label 

reads “Current Resident” then you need to visit 

westnewsmagazine.com/subscribe to subscribe. Otherwise, 

this could be the last paper you receive in the mail. 

3. If you picked this paper up at a newsstand at Schnucks 

or Dierbergs, thank you so much for your interest! Please 

visit westnewsmagazine.com/subscribe to subscribe and 

get the paper delivered right to your home FREE of charge. 

4. Or Clip and mail the completed form below. 

CLIP & MAIL 

By providing your signature below, West Newsmagazine will 

qualify as a Requester Periodical helping us save postage expense 

so we can continue to deliver your copy through the post office. 

YES, I want West Newsmagazine, 

Please deliver to: 

Name: 

Address: 

City: State: Zip: 

Phone: 

E-mail: 

Signature: 

x 

Date: 

/ / 

Mail to: 

754 Spirit 40 Park Drive • Chesterfield, MO 63005

34 I HEALTH I 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


Causes of an “alarming” increase in the U.S. maternal death rate must be identified 

and addressed, according to a new report from Northwestern University. 

HEALTH 

CAPSULES 

By LISA RUSSELL 

Study probes rising U.S. 

maternal death rate 

To the surprise and concern of public 

health experts, pregnancy-related deaths in 

the U.S. – also called the maternal mortality 

rate – have been increasing rapidly over the 

past 10 years. Many have believed the primary 

reason for this is women are generally 

giving birth at older ages, which increases 

mortality risk. But maternal age is not the 

primary factor behind the increase, according 

to a new Northwestern University study. 

Calling the rising death rate “alarming,” 

Northwestern researchers found 

that maternal deaths have been increasing 

among every age group, with the greatest 

relative increases among young mothers 

25-29 and 30-34 years of age. 

“Older maternal age is an important risk 

factor in maternal mortality, but our findings 

highlight the need to learn what else 

is causing these rates to accelerate in more 

recent years, especially in younger adults 

less than 35 years old. We’re going in the 

wrong direction,” said Sadiya Khan, M.D., 

associate professor of cardiology at Northwestern’s 

Feinberg School of Medicine. 

While the average U.S. maternal age 

increased by just over a year from 28.3 

to 29.4 between 2014 and 2021, the study 

found that overall maternal mortality rates 

in the U.S. nearly doubled, from 16.5 to 31.8 

per 100,000 live births, during that same 

period. The largest increase in death rates 

(from 18.9 to 31.8) occurred between 2019 

and 2021, coinciding with the COVID-19 

pandemic, the analysis found. 

(Adobe Stock photo) 

While this study wasn’t able to pinpoint 

exactly what is causing the increases, previous 

research by Khan and others has 

pointed to cardiovascular diseases, including 

hypertension, heart failure and stroke, 

as factors behind a large number of poor 

maternal health outcomes. 

“It is critical that we understand what the 

causes of deaths are and how we can prevent 

them, as maternal deaths are largely 

preventable,” Khan said. 

The study was published in March in 

the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 

SLU research links adversity 

with mental, issues 

Going through hard times in life can have 

serious impacts on the brain many years 

afterward, depending on one’s age when 

they face those rough patches, according to 

a team of Saint Louis University researchers. 

They say just one experience of adversity in 

childhood can increase the chances of mental 

illness later in life, while adverse events experienced 

as an adult can lead to greater odds of 

both mental illness and cognitive decline. 

The SLU research team, led by Associate 

Professor SangNam Ahn, Ph.D., examined 

data from nearly 3,500 children and adults 

over the course of 24 years. The group took 

this long-term data and evaluated it using a 

specific list of traumatic events. 

“Life is very complicated, very dynamic,” 

Ahn said. “I really wanted to highlight 

the importance of looking into the lasting 

health effect of adversity, not only childhood 

but also adulthood adversity on health 

outcomes, especially physical health and 

psychiatric and cognitive health.” 

The most common adverse experiences 

faced by children in the study were moving 

due to financial difficulties, the family 

requiring financial help, a parent experiencing 

unemployment, trouble with law 

enforcement before the age of 18, repeating 

school, experiencing physical abuse, and 

parental abuse of drugs or alcohol. Common 

adverse events for adults included the death 

or serious illness of a child or spouse, experiencing 

a natural disaster or being the 

victim of a physical attack after the age of 

17, firing a weapon in combat, having a partner 

who abuses drugs or alcohol, receiving 

Medicaid or food stamps, and experiencing 

unemployment. 

The team’s analysis determined that 

nearly 40% of all those included in the 

study experienced some form of childhood 

adversity, with that number climbing to 

nearly 80% during their adult years. 

Cases of either childhood or adulthood 

adversity were related to higher rates of 

both anxiety and depression later in life; 

and in cases of adult adversity, cognitive 

decline in later years was also a more likely 

outcome along with a higher incidence of 

depression. The more adverse experiences 

participants went through, the more likely 

these negative outcomes became. 

The team’s study was published in the 

Journal of Clinical Psychology. 

On the calendar 

St. Luke’s Hospital presents Let’s Cook!! 

Herbs and Spices on Tuesday, April 23 

from 4-5 p.m. in the St. Luke’s Cardiac 

Rehab Kitchen, 121 St. Luke’s Center Drive 

in Chesterfield. Join a St. Luke’s dietician 

for a free, live cooking demonstration. Register 

at stlukes-stl.com. 

• • • 

A St. Luke’s Nutrition Class is on 

Wednesday, April 24 from 2-3 p.m. at 

Schnucks Eatwell Market, 220 THF Blvd. 

in Chesterfield. The registration cost is 

$5; all participants will receive wellness 

resources, samples and a $10 Schnucks gift 

card. Register at stlukes-stl.com. 

• • • 

St. Luke’s Hospital presents Make 

BJC recognized by Newsweek 

Both BJC HealthCare in the St. Louis 

region and its recently acquired Saint 

Luke’s Health System in Kansas City 

have been named to Newsweek’s 2024 

lists of “America’s Greatest Companies 

for Diversity” and “America’s Greatest 

Workplaces for Women.” 

“I’m so pleased to see both our East 

Region and West Region honored on 

these lists,” said BJC Health System CEO 

Rich Liekweg. “It’s recognition that we 

are an organization with a shared vision to 

improve health care across the Midwest, 

and a shared culture that emphasizes and 

celebrates extraordinary care, hard work, 

innovation and inclusion ...To serve our 

communities, we need to represent and 

embrace the diversity of the people who 

Peace with Food: Basics of Mindful 

Eating on Wednesday, April 24 from 6:30- 

7:30 p.m. at the Desloge Outpatient Center, 

121 St. Luke’s Center Drive in Chesterfield, 

in Classroom 3 of Building A. Join us for 

a free in-person class to learn the basics 

about how to eat mindfully. Register at 

stlukes-stl.com. 

• • • 

St. Luke’s Hospital presents Mom & 

Baby Expo on Thursday, April 25 from 5-8 

p.m. at the hospital’s Institute for Health 

Education, 232 S. Woods Mill Road in 

Chesterfield, in the North Medical Building. 

Starting or expanding your family? 

Join us for this free event designed to help 

parents in pregnancy planning through 

the transition to parenthood. Register at 

stlukes-stl.com. 

• • • 

BJC St. Louis Children’s Hospital offers 

a Helmet Check event on Saturday, May 

4 from 9:30 a.m.-noon at Parkway Early 

Childhood Center, 14605 Clayton Road in 

Ballwin. Children may bring their own helmets 

to this free check, where a trained professional 

will ensure that it is an approved 

helmet and fit it correctly. Appointments can 

be scheduled at 10-minute intervals. Register 

at classes-events.bjc.org. 

• • • 

St. Luke’s Hospital presents Good Sleep is 

a Possible Dream: Steps to Sounder Sleep 

on Thursday, May 9 from 6:30-8 p.m. at the 

Desloge Outpatient Center, 121 St. Luke’s 

Center Drive, in Classroom 3 of Building 

A. Attend this free class to learn more about 

sleep, and strategies you can use to sleep 

better more often. Register at slukes-stl.com. 

• • • 

Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital 

offers a free Bariatric Surgery Information 

Session on Monday, May 20 from 

5:30-6:30 p.m., live via Zoom. To register, 

visit classes-events.bjc.org. 

make up our communities.” 

The process to achieve recognition as 

one of “America’s Greatest Companies for 

Diversity” included analysis of over 1.5 

million company reviews and a thorough 

examination of publicly available data, 

included details about corporate culture, 

working environments and diversity ratios, 

among others. To be recognized as a top 

national workplace for women, there was 

a five-part survey that included interviews 

with HR professionals, a survey for female 

employees, and scoring of more than 10 

key performance indicators – including the 

number of women in leadership positions, 

a culture that supports working mothers, 

and fair compensation practices between 

male and female employees.

DECOR 

A SPECIAL WEST NEWSMAGAZINE ADVERTISING SECTION 

NEW SHOWROOM OPEN HOUSE JUNE 7-8 

TILE & BATH SERVICE, INC. 

YOUR LOCAL BATHROOM EXPERTS 

14756 Clayton Road • Ballwin, MO 63011 

636.394.0315 • tileandbathservice.com

36 I DÉCOR & LIFESTYLES I 



HIGH QUALITY BATHROOMS 

• Shower Rebuilds 

or Full Bathroom 

Remodel 

• Low Maintenance 

Showers 

@WESTNEWSMAG 


Beautiful Boundaries: 

How to choose the fence that’s right for you 

• Full Range of 

Options and Colors 

• Customized to 

Your Needs 

• Competitive Pricing 

• Installers with 

40+ Years Experience 

NEW SHOWROOM 

OPEN HOUSE JUNE 7-8 

14756 CLAYTON ROAD 

BALLWIN 

(636) 394-0315 

WWW.TILEANDBATHSERVICE.COM 

BEFORE 

AFTER 

SAVE UP TO 70% 

OVER THE COST OF REPLACEMENT 

• Over 20 Years Served & 

8,000+ Jobs Completed in St. Louis! 

• 2-year Warranty 

• Ready to Use the SAME DAY 

• Little to No Disturbance to 

Surrounding Landscaping 

• Your Satisfaction is Guranteed! 

• FREE Estimates 

• No Job Too Large or Too Small 

• Enviro-friendly 

(636) 202-1551 

A1StLouis.com 


Good fences make good neighbors. 

There’s a lot of truth to that statement, 

especially if you have pets, children, pools 

or anything else that needs to be kept safe 

and contained. 

From classics made of wrought iron or 

wood to modern statement pieces in concrete 

and cast aluminum, there’s a lot to 

choose from. But the first questions you 

have to ask are: Can I have a fence in my 

subdivision or municipality and if so, are 

there style restrictions? 

Experts advise homeowners to always 

check with their local government to make 

sure they are following all zoning ordinances 

and laws, or HOA mandates. Fence 

companies are unlikely to know your 

HOA’s regulations, so before you authorize 

any fencing project be sure you know the 

rules and have discussed them with your 

fence provider. Not being proactive before 

installation can be a costly mistake. 

Another expensive error is not knowing 

where your utility lines are located 

and the exact boundaries of your property. 

Locating and marking utility lines is as 

simple as calling 811 and waiting a few 

days for utility company personnel to visit 

your home and flag the land where buried 

wires or irrigation systems are located. 

When installing, homeowners need to be 

precise about boundry lines, which means 

pulling out the plat map of your property. 

Can’t find your plat map? The city clerk 

in your municipality or the county clerk 

in unincorporated areas should be able to 

assist you. 

Once you’ve completed the groundwork, 

you’re ready to sit down with a fencing professional 

and talk design. What you choose 

depends on what you want to achieve. 

When it comes to privacy, solid panels 

are the way to go. Wood is traditional but 

not all wood is created equal. The most 

popular choice in the Midwest is southern 

(Source: Adobe Stock) 

pine. It’s easy to obtain so you see it everywhere, 

but it must be treated to resist rot 

and termites. On the other hand, redwood 

and cedar fencing naturally resists insects 

and rot. All three can be sealed or stained 

with good results. When left unstained, 

cedar fences will weather to gray. 

Traditionally, wood fences are installed 

with vertical pickets measuring about 6 

inches in width, but for a more modern 

look, consider having narrower slats hung 

horizontally between posts with a little 

space in between. 

If your goal with fencing is to enclose 

a pool, it’s important to know what’s 

required. Regulations can vary by city and 

county, so a call to the city or county clerk 

can help prevent any confusion regarding 

regulations on height, gate locks and the 

spacing allowed between pickets. As for 

materials, stainless steel, aluminum and 

composite fencing, made from a combination 

of wood and plastic, are excellent 

choices. All are long-lasting, resistant to 

corrosion and nearly maintenance-free. 

Trying to keep wildlife out of a garden 

can be a challenge in our deer-prone community. 

According to deergardener.com, 

whitetail deer can jump as high as 8 feet 

on a run but are unlikely to do so unless 

threatened. Hence, they suggest that a 7- to 

8-foot fence usually serves as a significant 

deterrent. Pickets should be tight enough 

to prevent deer or other plant-loving mammals 

from squeezing through and should 

sit firmly on Mother Earth. Chicken wire 

buried below and rising up the fenceline by 

at least a foot can also serve as a deterrent 

to smaller vermin. 

When is fencing not a fence? When it 

doubles as art. Laser-cut metal panels are a 

unique way to create screening and make a 

statement. Keep it simple or go ornate. Let 

it stand alone or inset within your overall 

fence design. Either way, a custom panel or 

two or more can make your yard, garden or 

pool space feel uniquely you.

It’s Not Paint...It’s BETTER! 

2023 RHINO SHIELD NATIONAL COMPETITION “BEST ON THE BLOCK” WINNERS! 

MASONITE/COLOR LOC 

STUCCO 

CEDAR/WOOD 

ALUMINUM STEEL 

Never Paint Again 

Permanent Ceramic Coating 

• Won’t Chip, Flake, Crack or Peel 

• Low “E” Rating Reduces Energy Cost 

• Waterproof and Breathable 

• 25 Year Transferable Warranty 

• BASF Tested to Last 

COMMERCIAL 

BRICK 

Call TODAY for a FREE Evaluation 

314-239-7947 

or 877-25RHINO 

WWW.87725RHINO.COM




H NEST 

JUN K HAULING 

CALL TODAY, WE’LL HAUL YOUR JUNK AWAY! 

BEFORE 

ALL ITEMS, LARGE & SMALL | REMOVAL, LOADING & DISPOSAL 

$ 

25 OFF 

ANY 

PICK-UP 

EXPIRES 4/13/24 

Cannot be combined with other offers. 

Gills Tree 

Service 

• Tree Removal 

• Tree Trimming 

• Tree Pruning 

• Stump Removal 

AFTER 

LARGE SCREEN 

TV PICK-UP 

$ 

99 

Up to 65” – includes disposal fee 

(Each additional TV – $50) 



$ 

50 OFF 

HOT TUB 

REMOVAL 



FREE ESTIMATES BY PHONE/TEXT OR ON-SITE 

IN BUSINESS FOR OVER 26 YEARS! 

Whether your tree is hazardous, interferes with your view, or just isn’t aesthetically pleasing, we have 

the experience and the equipment to remove it safely and securely. If you are considering removing a 

tree, speak with our team of St. Louis tree removal experts. 

636.274.1378 • Gillstrees.com 

From day one, our mission has 

been clear: offer competitive 

prices, exceptional customer 

service, and unwavering reliability. 

Today, a decade into our journey, 

we stand by those same principles. 

Now we thrive on repeat business 

and referrals. We are extremely 

thankful for this great community 

and your support. Please feel free 

to reach out anytime to discuss 

your next cleanup, move, or 

demolition project. 

Thank you, Ben 

$ 

30 OFF 

SHEDS, PLAYSETS 

AND FENCES 



314-312-1077 • WWW.HONESTJUNK.COM 

Locally Owned & Operated • Residential or Commercial 

FREE ESTIMATES 

SAME DAY AND 

EMERGENCY SERVICE 

AVAILABLE! 


Wallcoverings are making a comeback. 

Cue the groans of homeowners who, in 

the early 2000s, tried valiantly to remove 

wallpaper from the 1980s only to find 

themselves with aching arms and damaged 

walls. You can almost hear them bellow, 

“Never again!” 

But designers, including Katie Parrack, 

of the Fabric Co. in Chesterfield, implore, 

“Wait! Give it another chance. It’s better. 

We promise.” 

She credits the renaissance of wall coverings 

to the fact that “we’re all tired of gray 

walls and are ready for color and patterns.” 

She said today’s traditional wallpapers, 

both pasted and prepasted varieties, and 

newer peel-and-stick papers are “way 

more user friendly.” 

“I have all three types of wallpaper in my 

own home – pasted, prepasted and peeland-stick, 

so I have real world experience,” 

she said. “I will offer a word of caution 

about peel-and-stick papers. There are different 

levels of peel-and-stick. You (can) 

pick the print and they will print it to order. 

That is not always a quality peel-and-stick. 

But if you stick with a known company 

like Roommates by York Wallcoverings, or 

Brewster, you’ll end up with really good 

paper and it does come off.” 

Her caution with peel-and-stick is that 

“it’s basically a big vinyl sticker and it will 

stretch if you pull it too much. Also, if you 

try to use it in an area of high humidity, 

such as a bathroom or enclosed laundry 

room, it is likely that it will come loose.” 

To help in smoothing over wall imperfections, 

Parrack says traditional wallcoverings 

are very forgiving, but peel-and-stick 

not as much. 

“Because most peel-and-stick products 

have a glossy finish, they will show more 

of those imperfections that are beneath the 

paper,” Parrack said. “It is really recommended 

that you prime your walls with a 

primer made for use with wallpaper.” 

The WA says avoid hanging wallcoverings 

on surfaces painted with semi-gloss or 

high-gloss paint. Parrack said it’s essential 

to wipe down walls, especially in high traffic 

areas and kitchens, and pick the right 

paper for the room. 

Wallcoverings can be vinyl coated paper, 

coated fabric, paper backed vinyl, fabric 

backed vinyl, or solid vinyl or paper. The 

type best suited to the room depends on 

how the room is used. Vinyl coated paper, 

for example, resists grease and moisture 

better than plain paper, and works for 

bathrooms and kitchens, according to the 

WA. Your designer or wallcoverings seller 

@WESTNEWSMAG 


Wallpaper 2.0 – Better, bolder 

and more beautiful than before 


will know if your selected paper is the best 

choice for the room. 

When planning a room remodel, consider 

the essentials. Furniture or the room’s 

architecture can have a dramatic influence 

wallcovering choice. The WA says a floor 

plan noting windows, doors and other permanent 

fixtures is a vital part of the planning 

process. Consider what design will 

work best with the size and scope of the 

room – big and bold? Or a smaller design? 

To find out, Parrack advises spending quality 

time with swatches. 

“Wallpaper, paint and drapery or upholstery 

fabric need to be sampled. Most wallcovering 

companies offer free 8x10 samples 

or larger ones for a fee,” Parrack said. “We 

suggest that once you find the ‘perfect’ wallpaper, 

or drapery fabric, order a sample and 

live with it for a couple of days.” 

The Fabric Co. allows customers to take 

wallpaper books home for a few days to 

peruse them. 

“It’s a time consuming process to find the 

paper that you are going to love long term,” 

Parrack said. “So planning is important.” 

One piece of essential advice from Parrack 

is to center the focal point of the wallcovering 

in the middle of the wall. 

“People like to start in the corners, but I 

advise them to start with the central focal 

point of the design, the initial panel, in the 

center of the wall and work out from there,” 

she said. 

If wallcoverings call you on one level 

but fill you with dread on another, Parrack 

says start small and think outside the walls. 

Consider using wallcoverings to add interest 

to furniture, such as inside bookshelves, 

on cabinet doors and drawers or as a statement 

art piece. 

“It’s little pops of surprise, kind of 

custom, very bespoke spaces in your home 

that showcase your personality. It doesn’t 

have to be large format. It can be small and 

still have an impact,” Parrack said. “Do 

what brings you joy!”



Roofing • Siding • Gutters • Tuckpointing 

I DÉCOR & LIFESTYLES I 39 



IMAGINE... 

Expert Installations & Durable Materials 

Weather the Decades 

with Confidence 

Talk to Roofing 

& Siding Experts 

̌ 50+ Years of Service 

̌ Unmatchable Expertise 

OVER 

YEARS 

... your home transformed 

Envision heightened function, newfound utility, 

and lasting quality. Mostly, IMAGINE a unique expression 

of who you are and what you want your home to be. 

̌ Lifelong Customers 

1972 

̌ Free Estimates 

̌ Financing Available 

contactus@aroofing.net 

See Why Homeowners 

Choose Allen Roofing & Siding 

aroofing.net 

636-242-5604 

VISIT OUR LOVELY SHOWROOM. 

14436 MANCHESTER ROAD (1/4 mile west of Hwy. 141) 

SHOWROOM HOURS: MON-FRI 8AM-4:30PM | SAT 9AM-NOON 

636.227.5188 | www.duenkecabinet.com 

• Custom Decks 

• Opening/Closing 

Louvered Pergolas & Roofs 

• Retractable Awnings 

• Retractable Shades 

& Screens 

CREATE YOUR OUTDOOR RETREAT 

• Under Deck Ceilings 

Call for a consultation 

or schedule an appointment 

to visit our showroom. 

(636) 532-5008 

Custom Deck Designs 

Under Deck Ceilings 

Louvered Roof 

Louvered Pergola 

Retractable Shades 

WWW.AESTHETICDESIGNANDBUILD.COM 

“Our Attention to Detail & 

Creative Design Sets Us Apart!” 

741 SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS BLVD. | CHESTERFIELD 

Retractable Awnings





@WESTNEWSMAG 


New trends for bathrooms take 

a step back in time 

@TheFoyerHomeDecor 

SAVE THE 

DATE 

APRIL 18 | 3-6 PM 

Meet the Designer 

So many of you ask, 

“Who creates the look of the store? 

Meet our designer CHANTELL GIBSON! 

Chantell has over 30 years of design & retail experience. 

She has developed her own unique “magical” flare. 

Spend some time with Chantell as she offers 

one-on-one, mini design sessions to help you 

decorate a certain area of your home. Be sure 

to bring photos & measurements of your space. 

Or bring in that vase or tray that you need 

some inspiration with. 

Join us for Refreshments & In-Store Specials 

If you would like the opportunity for a complimentary 

mini-session with Chantell, RSVP to 636-778-1400. 

Carrie and Lori will also be available to help with any 

design questions you may have, so just drop on in! 

1649 Clarkson Road, Chesterfield (Same plaza as Trader Joe’s) | thefoyerhomedecor.com 

Everything old is new again in the latest 

designs for beautiful bathrooms, except, of 

course, for the technology which continues 

to rise to new heights of comfort. 

After a decade of bathrooms with clean, 

contemporary lines and palettes of white, 

gray and glass, an old-world feel is filling 

new bathrooms with colorful tile, brass fittings, 

paneled, plastered or papered walls 

and warm earthy touches of wood, rattan 

and woven textiles. 

When it comes to a bathroom redo, where 

do you begin? Begin with a more colorful 

palette, the understanding that natural materials 

are in vogue again and tile figures in, in 

a big way. 

As for the palette, wade into the new jewel 

tones for your private sanctuary. Think ruby/ 

burgandy, sapphire blue, emerald green or 

the perfect plum. The feeling is rich, elegant, 

cool, deep and color-filled. 

Paint them on the walls. Cover the floor 

with them. Pair them with warm creams for 

a lighter look. Paper a backdrop with beautiful 

jewel-colored blooms. Adorn walls with 

art in gold-toned frames, cabinets with gold 

or brass hardware and plumbing fixtures 

with brass faucets, showers and handles. 

As for neutral colors, they are still stylish, 

but the shift is now toward warmer neutrals. 

Consider cream, beige or brown, pale pink 

or light peach. Some add light; all are warm 

and easy on the eye. Pair them with faux 

wood floors or terracotta tile. Accent with 

wicker baskets and rattan furniture for a 

casual, comfortable look. 

Ceramic tile in those jewel tone colors 

is now laid in old-world patterns making 

your walls an elegant backdrop for bathing 

and dressing. 

Overtaking the popular and straightforward 

subway wall pattern are the sophisticated 

herringbone and chevron patterns. 

Herringbone, a timeless classic, uses rectangular 

tiles cut at a 90-degree angle to make a 

zigzag pattern resembling a herring’s bones. 

The chevron design also zigs and zags, but 

the tiles are cut at a 45-degree angle and 

gives the pattern three-dimensional depth. 

The colors and finishes are endless. 

Simple and charming are hexagon-shaped 

mosaic tiles in vintage honeycomb patterns. 

These can be large tiles that grace the walls 

or nostalgic mosaic hexagons on the floor 

adorned with a border or patterns of colorful 

flowers, diamonds, stars or polka dots. The 

the mosaic tiles became trendy in the 1920s, 

and now 100 years later, are back. The patterns 

are whimsical and cheerful even if 

their maintenance can be a bit unwieldy. 

Fixtures are elegant and the stand-alone 


tub so prominent in the last decade has made 

the cut. Statement pieces are in, and those 

beautiful tubs whether they are contemporary 

polished bowls or old-time tubs with 

claw feet are inviting, classic and almost art. 

Some claw-footed tubs come with exteriors 

painted or covered with copper. 

As for vanities, more seems to be better 

and double sinks are definitely in for those 

who have the space and a use for them. For 

a contemporary look try the floating vanity 

which seems to give a tight room a more 

open feel. 

For an old-world look, repurpose an 

antique piece of furniture, cover it with a 

marble top or sink bowl and add a brass traditional-style 

faucet for an elegant step back 

in time. The walk-in shower also is standing 

firm and popular. Think spa with the latest 

tile designs. A clear glass enclosure is a must 

so everyone can see that beautiful backdrop. 

Also consider adding a bench for steamy 

relaxation and grab bars, because time waits 

for no one. A good contractor can help you 

decide which fixtures work best for the size 

of your space and determine the plumbing 

requirements. 

Tile is not the only way walls are coming 

alive. Wood paneling, wallpaper and even 

plaster walls are back in bathrooms. Each 

brings its own character and the style to the 

room, but the moisture of a small enclosed 

space should be considered before making a 

commitment. 

And now for the pièce de résistance – 

technology. Technology is everywhere, why 

not in the bathroom? Backlit mirrors are 

coming on strong. Some will have antifog 

devices, Bluetooth capabilities for music 

while you bathe and even a wifi weather 

display as you get ready to get out the door. 

Then, there is the toilet. Soon toilets 

will do everything for us and themselves, 

(almost). It’s about time. American Standard 

has one with a built-in bidet, a water 

heater with temperature controls, warm air 

dryer, automatic toilet lid and flushing, not 

to mention heated seats, a night light and a 

remote control. Things are looking up. Talk 

to your plumber, perhaps even an electrician 

about getting your place to go up to date.





I DÉCOR & LIFESTYLES I 41 

Duette ® Architella Honeycomb Shade 

Pirouette ® Window Shadings 

Silhouette ® Window Shadings 

Celebrating 

115 YEARS 

IN BUSINESS 

TO SHOW OUR Gratitude 

TO OUR CUSTOMERS 

WHO HELPED MAKE 

THIS POSSIBLE, Enjoy 

10% OFF 

ALL QUALIFYING ORDERS 

April 15th to May 20th 

ASK US FOR DETAILS AND STOP BY OUR 

SHOWROOM FOR A SPECIAL SWAG BAG! 

While supplies last. 

11477 PAGE SERVICE DRIVE | MARYLAND HEIGHTS 63146 

(314) 428-7979 | WWW.VICTORSHADECOMPANY.COM 

JL CONCRETE 

SEALING & CAULKING 

Residential and Commercial 

• Sealing (Prevents pitting) 

• Caulking (Keep out the weeds) 

• Power Washing (Fresh & clean) 

• Crack Filling (Keeps moisture out) 

• Fence Washing 


Call Jerry Loosmore Jr. at 636-399-6193 

Spring Savings Event 

ENTIRE STORE 

IS 10% OFF 

CARPET • LVT 

HARDWOOD 

LAMINATE 

WE HAVE A LARGE SELECTION OF FLOORING IN STOCK 

FOR IMMEDIATE PURCHASE/INSTALLATION 

VISIT OUR SHOWROOM AND 

WORK WITH THE BEST 

SALES TEAM IN ST. LOUIS! 

400+ FIVE STAR REVIEWS! 

12 MONTHS 

FINANCE FREE! 

HOURS: 

MON-FRI: 8A-6P 

SAT: 10A-4P | SUN: CLOSED 

14932 MANCHESTER ROAD, BALLWIN, MO 63011 636-230-6900 WWW.ALLSURFACEFLOORINGSTL.COM

42 I SERVING OUR SENIORS I 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


Serving 

Our 

SeniOrS 

A special advertising section 

SeniorS Home Care 

CEO Ryan Whittington and CCO Gretchen Whittington 

504 Marshall Avenue • St. Louis • 636.225.2600 • www.seniorshomecare.com 

Seniors Home Care has served the St. Louis area for 36 years. They continue to fulfill their mission to make “Home The 

Best Place to Live” by providing professional and compassionate in-home care through their four core values – Dignity, 

Integrity, Compassion and Advocacy. 

Ryan Whittington, who has served as CEO and minority owner of Seniors Home Care since 2017 purchased the 

company with his wife Gretchen, from founder Kit Whittington in 2022. 

Clients appreciate how Seniors Home Care matches staff to clients’ wants and needs; that the caregivers love their jobs; 

and that the office staff acts quickly to serve each client. All employees undergo drug testing, a thorough background 

search and complete a training program. 

Seniors Home Care is actively welcoming new families to assist. Please contact them if you, or someone you know is 

in need of assistance. Their team is available to talk with you today. 

Quinn EstatE and EldEr law, llC 

Brian G. Quinn and Gregory F. Quinn 

14611 Manchester Road • Manchester • 636.394.7242 • www.quinnestatelaw.com 

Quinn Estate & Elder Law, LLC is dedicated to your peace of mind. Choosing the right law firm to assist you in navigating 

the complex issues related to estate planning and elder law needs is crucial. Having professional assistance with probate 

and other issues you may face after the death of a loved one is vital. You need the right team of professionals assisting 

you. Quinn Estate & Elder Law, LLC has been in business for over forty years in the St. Louis area. Their attorneys have the 

experience, expertise, and specialty to help you achieve your goals through estate planning and strategies to avoid the 

devastating costs of long-term care. Brian G. Quinn is a Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA®) as certified by the National 

Elder Law Foundation, meaning he maintains a high level of knowledge and experience, making him well prepared to assist 

seniors with long-term care issues. Their firm can help craft tailored solutions to meet your needs and protect your assets 

using specialized documents which avoid probate, honor healthcare decisions, maintain your quality of life and care, create 

a legacy for your family, and give you peace of mind. Call them today for your free consultation. 

The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements.

PARC PROVENCE 

Leading the way in memory care 

605 Coeur De Ville Drive • Creve Coeur • 314.542.2500 • www.ParcProvence.com 

In the heart of the St. Louis region, nestled amidst serene 

gardens and charming village aesthetics, there exists a place where 

compassion and expertise converge to create a haven for those living 

with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. 

“For almost two decades, Parc Provence has stood as a beacon of 

hope,” says Kathy Kelley, Parc Provence’s Administrator. “As one of the 

nation’s pioneers in memory care, Parc Provence is not just another 

senior living community. It is a village of well-being – meticulously 

designed to nurture the physical and cognitive needs of each 

resident.” 

Locally owned and managed, Parc Provence has a dedicated 

team of memory care specialists, in partnership with esteemed 

physicians from Washington University School of Medicine, to 

ensure residents receive the highest standard of care tailored to their 

unique needs. As Kelley explains, “Each of our residents lives in one 

of five households within the community. Households are defined by 

similar abilities and care requirements, meaning each resident is part 

of a community with similar needs. Events and activities that occur 

within the household are tailored to individuals and include no more 

than ten people at a time, helping to ensure individualized care.” 

“Parc Provence provides a safe, structured, and supportive setting,” 

Kelley adds. Its specialized care allows residents to live with dignity 

and families to find solace in knowing their loved ones are receiving 

the care they deserve. 

• Its registered nurses are available 24 hours each day, offering 

compassionate, patient-centered care. 

• Staff members participate in on-going training and continuing 

education focused on the treatment of dementia and Alzheimer’s 

disease. 

• Parc Provence’s staff-to-resident ratio is the highest in the industry 

for daytime, evening and night shifts. 

• Parc Provence provides a full continuum of memory care from 

assisted living to skilled nursing as well as on-site physical, occupation, 

and speech therapy. 

However, what truly sets Parc Provence apart is the immersive 

“village” lifestyle it provides for both residents and their families. 

“Within the community, residents enjoy a variety of daily activities, 

encompassing over 60 diverse options,” says Kelley. “Stroll through 

our gardens, savor a treat at the ice cream parlor, discover a book in 

the library, explore the beauty of art in the gallery, or seek solace in 

the chapel – here, life is not just lived; it is celebrated.” 

For the families of dementia patients, Parc Provence’s village 

mentality offers much more than just peace of mind. Caring for loved 

ones facing the uncertainties of advanced stages of dementia can be 

an overwhelming journey. “Parc Provence understands that it takes 

a village to provide the best care possible, and that’s precisely what 

we offer,” says Kelley. 

Parc Provence’s commitment to excellence, its dedication to 

providing personalized care, and its unwavering belief in the power 

of community makes it the leader in Alzheimer’s and dementia care. 

In fact, U.S. News & World Report has placed Parc Provence, once 

again, on its list of 2023-2024 Best Memory Care communities. 

Discover the difference Parc Provence can make in your loved 

one’s life. Caring for someone with dementia takes a village, and Parc 

Provence is here to be a part of yours. Call 314-542-2500 to learn 

more.

44 I SERVING OUR SENIORS I 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


Cape albeon 

Where life shines bright 

3380 Lake Bend Drive • St. Louis • 636.861.3200 • www.capealbeon.com 

Nestled by a tranquil lake, Cape Albeon combines active living with serene beauty, rooted in faith. As a distinguished 

nonprofit community, it offers exceptional amenities, services and a devoted staff. Explore the possibilities! 

Cottage Homes: Discover solace in spacious 2-bed, 2-bath cottages with abundant natural light, walk-in closets, 

well-equipped kitchens and cozy fireplaces. Added conveniences include washer/dryer, vaulted ceilings, garage and 

a choice of outdoor space. 

Harbor Apartments: Enjoy comfort in lake-view 1 or 2-bed apartments with tall ceilings and large windows. 

Experience lake-view dining, a fitness studio, pool, library and chapel. 

Village Assisted Living and Cove Memory Care: Tailored private apartments offer specialized care, including meals, 

medication support, bathing, laundry and 24/7 certified care. 

Join Cape Albeon: Embrace a community that values your happiness. Experience active living, tailored support and 

breathtaking views. Connect today for an illuminated life. 

TransiTions For senior Living 

Sharon Balleau, Senior Care Advisor 

314.606.8531 • 314.960.0002 • www.stlseniors.com 

Transitions For Senior Living is a free, hands-on elder care advising service that helps St. Louis seniors and their families 

find appropriate care when living independently is no longer a safe option. Sharon Balleau, senior care advisor, works 

closely with area home care agencies and independent, assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing communities to 

find the best level of care for each person’s individual needs. 

Locally owned and operated, Transitions for Senior Living takes the time to personally meet with families to understand 

the unique care needs of the older adult and their loved ones. This process takes into account each individual’s physical, 

cognitive, financial, geographical, spiritual and social care needs. Their care advisors pare down to the best choices, 

arrange and accompany families on tours to ask appropriate questions and help them make the best educated decision 

for their loved one – Transitions stays involved throughout the entire process. 

With more than ten years in the senior industry, the Transitions’ team provides unbiased and professional advice to help 

make the best decision possible, whether you’re planning ahead or in crisis-mode. 

“St. Louis has many good options for senior living, but they are not one size fits all,” Sharon explained. “So, take a deep 

breath, give Transitions a call; we would love to personally help you with your situation.” 

GAMBRILL GARDENS 

1 Strecker Road • Ellisville • 636.207.3720 • www.gambrillgardens.com 

Life’s transformative journey finds its best chapters at Gambrill Gardens,” asserts Missy Fevold, Gambrill 

Gardens Community director. “Embrace carefree living in our vibrant community, where joy overcomes change’s 

hesitations.” 

For 50-plus years, Gambrill Gardens has embraced seniors in a serene 25-acre haven, now refreshed by a $7 

million renovation, offering airy spaces, cozy fireplaces and a variety of social spots. 

At Gambrill Gardens, days are filled with youthful activities – from Friday happy hours to live music and 

engaging classes. The gym’s sessions foster vitality, and the chefs create wholesome meals with fresh produce. 

For personal care, Gambrill Gardens says the partnership with Fox Therapy ensures a residents’ independence 

and wellness. 

“Reclaim time and enjoy life to the fullest,” says Fevold. Come discover the allure of Gambrill Gardens, where 

senior living thrives with laughter, cherished moments and rediscovered passions. 

“Join us today to embrace what you love!” Fevold invites.

Friendship Village 

Welcome to a life well lived 

Friendship Village Chesterfield • 15201 Olive Blvd. • Chesterfield • 636.898.8500 

Friendship Village Sunset Hills • 12563 Village Circle Dr. • Sunset Hills • 314.270.7700 

www.friendshipvillagestl.com 

Celebrating over four decades 

of service to St. Louis-area seniors, 

Friendship Village has grown to 

become the retirement destination 

for those seeking an active, resortstyle 

retirement experience. 

Friendship Village has been 

recognized as “Best Independent 

Living” by U.S. News & World Report 

in both Sunset Hills and Chesterfield 

and holds true to its faith-based, notfor-profit 

roots as the community 

looks ahead to the future. 

This retirement community 

has evolved throughout its 40 

years from offering primarily 

assisted living and care services to 

becoming a dynamic hub of resortstyle 

retirement amenities and 

active lifestyle opportunities. This 

vibrant, locally-owned community 

has flourished under the dedicated 

leadership of a local team, fostering 

an environment of compassion 

that welcomes individuals of all 

faith backgrounds. The essence of 

Friendship Village lies in its belief that retirement should be a thrilling 

journey, not just a destination. 

Friendship Village is reshaping the narrative of senior living with a 

focus on creating vibrant connections and genuine relationships – 

inviting retirees to live well, live adventurously, live securely and live 

spiritually. Our senior living neighborhoods have been meticulously 

designed to cater to residents with a wide array of interests, centered 

around resort-style living, while still having superb care options 

available. The community’s commitment to fresh, innovative lifestyle 

offerings is evident in every aspect of their activities – from bocce 

and aquatics to a private movie theater and exciting trips. Members 

can enjoy a full spectrum of dining and entertainment options across 

two resort-style campuses in Sunset Hills and Chesterfield 

Friendship Village’s forward-thinking approach extends to their 

full range of services, encompassing early access, independent 

living, assisted living, skilled nursing and rehabilitation and hospice 

– all conveniently located on one campus. This holistic approach 

ensures residents can seamlessly transition within the same familiar 

community as their needs evolve, enjoying resort-style amenities 

and the camaraderie of a vibrant community. 

Friendship Village also has two unique memberships – Early 

Advantage and Life Care at Home – each designed to offer distinct 

opportunities for seniors to access the luxuries of senior living 

and a plan for the future – all while still living at home. These 

memberships provide all the planned activities, amenities, clubs 

and fun without moving. Members are also ensured a priority spot 

on the waitlist for a future on-campus residence. 

Friendship Village is more than just a senior living community – 

it’s a living community, where members can continue to thrive in 

the lifestyles they love, on their terms. These sentiments are echoed 

by residents – “I wish I’d moved here sooner!” – and underscore the 

transformative impact Friendship Village has on the lives of those 

who call it home. 

To delve deeper into the innovative approach Friendship Village 

takes toward senior living and to discover how they keep seniors 

well and independent longer, visit FriendshipVillageSTL.com.

Community Events for Older Adults 

CLASSES 

n AARP DRIVER SAFETY • Tuesday, May 21. • 9 

a.m.-1 p.m. • Bluebird Park Administration building • 

$20 for AARP members; $25 for all others. 

n CRAFTERNOONS • Paper Flower Making • 

Tuesday, April 23. • 1-2:30 p.m. • Schroeder Park 

Building • Registration is required. • $6 residents; 

$7.80 all others. Supplies included. • All abilities. 

n SENIOR PAINTING • Fridays • 9:30-11 a.m. 

• Schroeder Park Building • Drop-in classes. • All 

abilities. • Free. 

n SENIOR PANEL DISCUSSION • Tips for Better 

Health • Tuesday, June 4 • 10-11 a.m. • Chesterfield 

Community Center • Registration is required. 

FITNESS & SPORTS 

n 50-PLUS & FIT • Mondays, 8-8:45 a.m. 

or 10:20-11:05 a.m. or 11:20 a.m.-12:05 p.m. • 

Wednesdays, 11-11:45 a.m. • Fridays, 10:20-11:05 

a.m. & 11:20 a.m.-12:05 p.m. • The Pointe • Dropin 

classes. • Pointe members free; fee all others. 

n ABLT • Tuesdays & Thursdays • 9:30 a.m. • 

Drop-in water aerobics. • The Pointe • Platinum 

free; residents $7; all others $9. 

n CLASSIC SILVER SNEAKERS • Tuesdays, 

Wednesdays & Fridays at 9-9:45 a.m.; 

Wednesdays at 10-10:45 a.m. • The Pointe • Dropin 

classes. • Pointe members free; fee all others. 

n FIT 4 ALL • Tuesdays, 11-11:45 p.m. • The 

Pointe at Ballwin Commons • Drop-in classes. • 

Free for Pointe members; drop-in fee all others. 

n JOINTS IN MOTION • Mondays, Wednesdays 

& Fridays • 10:30 a.m. • Drop-in water aerobics. • 

The Pointe • Platinum free; residents $7; others $9. 

n PICKLEBALL CLINICS • Mondays 

& Wednesdays; intermediate 5-6:30 p.m.; 

DISC GOLF is available daily at Bluebird Park 

in Ellisville, Schroeder Park in Manchester 

and Railroad Park in Chesterfield. 

PICKLEBALL is available daily at Bluebird 

Park in Ellisville, Schroeder Park in 

Manchester and The Pointe in Ballwin. 

TENNIS is available daily at Bluebird Park in 

Ellisville and Schroeder Park in Manchester. 

beginner 6:30-8 p.m. • Tuesdays & Thursdays; 

intermediate noon-1:30 p.m.; beginner 1:30-3 

p.m. • Chesterfield Athletic Complex • $15 preregistration; 

$25 same-day registration. 

n PICKLEBALL LESSONS • Wednesday or 

Thursday evenings • Beginner and intermediate 

levels • Call (636) 391-6326, ext. 430, for details. 

n SENIOR SUMMER FITNESS • Tuesdays, June 

11 through July 23. • 5:30-6:15 p.m. • Schroeder 

Park Building • Registration required • Residents 

$35; all others $45 

n TAI CHI • Thursdays • 1-1:45 p.m. and 2-2:45 

p.m. • Drop-in classes • The Pointe • Free for 

Pointe members; drop-in fee all others. 

n WATER AEROBICS • Monday-Friday, 8:30 

a.m. • Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays, 9:30 

a.m. • Tuesdays & Thursdays, 6:45 p.m. • Drop-in 

classes • The Pointe • Platinum free; residents $7; 

all others $9. 

n CHAIR YOGA • Wildwood Yoga & Wellness, 

2642 Hwy. 109, Suite B • Tuesdays • 1:30-2:30 

p.m. • Residents free; all others $5 per class • 

Register online up to one day prior to class. 

n MERAKI YOGA • Tuesdays: 9:30-10:30 a.m. 

(gentle); 10:45-11:45 a.m. (chair) • Wednesdays: 

9:45-10:45 a.m. (chair); 10:45-11:45 a.m. (morning 

flow) • Chesterfield Community Center • $60 for 

5-class pass; $100 for unlimited monthly pass 

(registration is required) • $20 per drop-in class. 

n SILVER SNEAKERS YOGA • Wednesdays 

• 10:10-10:50 a.m. • All fitness levels. • Free with 

Pointe membership; drop-in fee all others. 

n YOGA SLOW FLOW • Wildwood Yoga & 

Wellness, 2642 Hwy. 109, Suite B • Fridays • 11 

a.m.-noon • Residents free; all others $5 per class • 

Register online up to one day prior to class. 

n ZUMBA GOLD • Thursdays • 11:30 a.m.-12:15 

p.m. • No registration needed • Free with Pointe 

membership; drop-in fee all others. 

SOCIAL & SPECIAL INTEREST 

n ARBOR DAY • Saturday, April 20. • 10-11am • 

Schroeder Park Building • Free seedlings 

n ARBOR DAY • Friday, April 26. • 1:30 p.m. • 

Bussmann Shelter 

CITY CONTACT INFORMATION & REGISTRATION 

n Ballwin (636) 227-8950 • ballwin. 

mo.us • Ballwin Golf Course, 333 

Holloway Road • The Pointe, 1 Ballwin 

Commons Circle 

n Chesterfield (636) 812-9500 • email 

olderadults@chesterfield.mo.us • 

Community Center, 237 Chesterfield Mall, 

second floor by Macy's 

n ARBOR DAY • Friday, April 26. • Wildwood City 

Hall • 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. • Tree sapling giveaway 

while supplies lasts. 

n BINGO • Wednesdays, May 22 & June 12. . • 

11:15 a.m.-1 p.m. • Chesterfield Community Center. 

• $5 per person, cash at the door. • Register by 

emailing olderadults@chesterfield.mo.us. 

n LUNCH & BINGO • First and third Wednesdays 

• 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. • The Pointe • Registration is 

required. • $8 per person, per date. 

n MORNING BINGO • Thursdays, May 2 & 16. 

• 9-10:30 a.m. • Schroeder Park Building • $2 per 

person, per day. 

n BRIDGE • Monday, May 6. • 1-3 p.m., open 

play. • Schroeder Park Building • $1 per person. 

n BRIDGE CLUB • Tuesdays through April 

• 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. • The Pointe • Some 

experience required. • Drop-in. • Free. 

n BUNCO • Tuesdays, May 28 & June 4. • 1-2:30 

p.m. • Chesterfield Community Center • $5 per 

person, cash at the door. • Register by emailing 

olderadults@chesterfield.mo.us. 

n DOG PARK OPEN HOUSE • Saturday, May 4. 

• 10 a.m.-noon. • Bluebird Park • Free 

n ELECTRONIC RECYCLING • Thursday, May 

2. • Noon-5 p.m. • Fee for certain items • For more 

information, visit ellisville.mo.us. 

n FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT • Friday, May 31. • 

“Wonka” • Begins at dark • Bluebird Park • Free 

n FARMERS MARKET • Saturdays, May 25 

through Oct. 5 • 8 a.m.-noon. • 221 Plaza Drive, 

Wildwood. 

n GREEN ROCK TRAIL CHALLENGE • 

Saturday, June 1. • 8 a.m. • 6-mile hike through 

A UNIQUE APPROACH 

n Ellisville (636) 227-7508 • ellisville. 

recdesk.com • Bluebird Park, 225 Kiefer 

Creek Road 

n Manchester (636) 391-6326, ext 401 or 

402 • manchestermo.gov • Schroeder Park, 

359 Old Meramec Station Road 

n Wildwood (636) 458-0440 • 

wildwoodmo.recdesk.com • City Hall, 

16860 Main St. 

the woods at Greensfelder County Park • $20 

registration fee • Call 636-458-0440 for details. 

n LAFAYETTE OLDER ADULT PROGRAM 

• Second and fourth Mondays through May • 10 

a.m.-1 p.m. • Ballwin Golf Course • Entertainment, 

speakers, bingo, socializing • Bring lunch; dessert 

and drinks provided. • $2 per person. • Contact 

Stephanie at (636) 391-6326, ext. 401, or by email 

to shardesty@manchestermo.gov to be added to 

the day-trip list. 

n MAH JONGG • Monday, May 6. • 1-3 p.m., 

open play • Schroeder Park Building • $1 per 

person per date. 

n MAHJONG CLUB • Tuesdays through April • 

1-3 p.m. • The Pointe • Drop-in. • Free. 

n MAHJONG MONDAYS • Weekly • 10 a.m. • 

Chesterfield Community Center • Participants are 

welcome to bring their own sets. • Free 

n PLEIN AIR ART EVENT • Saturday, May 4. 

• Wildwood City Hall • $40 pre-registration; $50 

same-day registration. 

n RIVERWALK • May 28 through Aug. 16 • 10 

a.m. morning walk; 6:15-7:45 p.m. evening walk; 

9:30-11 a.m. Saturday walk • Chesterfield Family 

Aquatic Center • Register at City Hall 

n SENIOR DAY TRIP • Thursday, May 23. • 

Missouri State Penitentiary Historial Tour • $105 

per person • Space limited • Register by emailing 

olderadults@chesterfield.mo.us 

n STARGAZING • Thursday, April 18. • 8 p.m. • 

Bluebird Park at Connor Field • Free 

n TREE CARE ANSWER MAN • Saturdays, 

April 27, May 4 & 11 • 10 a.m.-noon. • Bussmann 

Shelter • Free 

TO DEMENTIA CARE 

Your Loved One with Dementia 

Deserves to Live In a Home! 

My husband and I had previous experience with 

his mother residing in a large scale community 

and I was determined to find a better 

solution Our residential for my mother. homes At Family are built 

Partners Home, my mother receives 

specifically for the specialized needs 

wonderful care from a tight knit team 

of of those professionals with dementia that understands 

promote 

safety, her individual comfort, needs and engagement 

desires. 

with – Paula a family R., Daughter feel. of Resident 

It feels like home. It is a home. 

• Only 8-13 residents 

• Private Rooms 

• Best Caregiver to resident ratio 1:5 Avg 

• Around the clock professional care 

• Family Style Meals 

Manchester, MO • Call Jonna at 314.686.4468 • www.FamilyPartnersHome.com





I 47 

NEWS BRIEFS, from page 9 

Residents were opposed to the tower’s 

appearance and location. They were also 

concerned about material and debris that 

remained on the property. The site of the 

proposed tower had been used as a laydown 

yard for electrical equipment and 

structures, along with a contractor’s storage 

facility and parking area. 

Joe Vujnich, director of Planning and 

Parks, said the city and Ameren had 

reached an agreement to restore the lot by 

April 1. He noted that the equipment had 

been removed and the area was in “fairly 

good shape.” 

According to Ameren, the purpose of 

the proposed facility was to monitor the 

overall utility network and assist in reading 

electric meters for tracking and billing. 

While the city could provide input as to 

the appearance and layout of the tower, it 

could not deny it. 

The city’s Planning and Zoning Commission 

had already given initial approval 

for the CUP at its meeting in March; however, 

a motion to withdraw the proposal 

was approved on the April 1, with commission 

member Lawrence Clayton (Ward 4) 

abstaining. 

Phase 1 of Internet Access 

Project completed 

Wildwood announced on April 5 that 

Phase 1 of its Internet Access Project has 

been completed. 

OLIA VILLAGE, from page 10 

Prior to the vote, Ward 1 council members 

Mark Manlin and Heather Silverman 

explained why they planned to vote “yes” 

on the project, which is based in their ward. 

Manlin recalled his evaluation of Olia 

Village throughout the process. He said he 

considered priorities for the city and the 

citizens’ concerns. That included the worthiness 

of incentives and the fact that the 

developer provided an affidavit indicating 

the incentives are conditional to the development 

of this project. 

“For me, the analysis boiled down to a 

handful of key, critical considerations and 

questions,” Manlin said. “First, do the 

merits of this development from a social 

impact perspective warrant the potential 

cost of granting incentives? In more basic 

terms, can this campus provide the community 

with a meaningful place to gather 

with friends, family and in the community 

as a whole? Is this a project that the community 

needs and desires? I believe the 

answers are yes. 

“Second, does this development provide 

a significant amount of long-term, 

According to a press release, the project’s 

goal was to “bridge the digital divide” 

and provide high-speed broadband internet 

to its residents. 

“This solves a 17-year problem for our 

city, and the implementation has been seamless,” 

Mayor Jim Bowlin said in the release. 

The city had entered into an agreement 

with Spectrum in December 2021 to design, 

install and operate high-speed broadband 

services for the residents of Wildwood. The 

project used an investment of $6.75 million 

from federal stimulus funds provided by the 

American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Phase 

1 of the project encompassed 16 maps, serving 

over 2,000 homes in Wildwood. These 

homes now have the opportunity to sign up 

for internet speeds up to 1 GB. 

Wildwood is planning Phase 2 of the 

project now, which aims to provide highspeed 

internet service to the last remaining 

underserved homes in the city. 

ST. LOUIS COUNTY 

Resurfacing contract awarded 

At its April 9 meeting, the St. Louis 

County Council approved a $1.27 million 

contract with Lamke Trenching and Excavating, 

Inc. for a Weidman Road resurfacing 

project. The project includes roadway 

resurfacing, sidewalk repairs and traffic 

signal upgrades on Weidman Road from 

Manchester Road to Turtle Cove. Lamke 

Trenching submitted the lowest of five bids 

received. 

enhanced revenues, employment and other 

financial benefits as the result of its development 

and in light of the incentives? My 

answer is yes. Finally, are the requested 

incentives proportionate to the scale of the 

project? My determination was that it does 

warrant the incentives.” 

Silverman followed with her assessment. 

She said when she was knocking on doors 

in Ward 1 during her run for office, she 

overwhelmingly heard that residents care 

about the redevelopment of the East Olive 

corridor. 

“Stagnation, which is what we have at 

best right now, leads to this,” Silverman 

said. “We are probably already in decline. 

With what we’ve negotiated, I don’t believe 

the students in Ladue schools would suffer 

or leave the district. It will end up with more 

income than what it currently has per student. 

That’s something I care about because 

I have three children in the school district.” 

The bill to designate the area as blighted 

passed 6-1, with council member Dan Tierney 

(Ward 4) opposed. The bill approving 

the CID was approved 7-0, and the bill 

allowing the city to issue Taxable Industrial 

Revenue Bonds passed 7-0. 

ENJOY YOUR FIRST WAX 

Look good and feel flawless with our Comfort Wax ® . This exclusive, violet wax combined 

with our specially trained experts is our secret to making your experience 

as comfortable as possible. We’re so confident you’ll love your experience that your first 

bikini line, underarm, ear, nose or brow wax is FREE.*first wax is free.* Offer Ends 5-30-24. 

CHESTERFIELD | 636 536 0777 

LADUE | 314 721 0777 

COTTLEVILLE | 636 447 9299 

waxcenter.com 

Additional terms may apply. Participation may vary; please visit waxcenter.com for general terms and conditions. Center locations are individually 

owned and operated. ©2022 EWC Franchise, LLC. All rights reserved. European Wax Center® is a registered trademark. 

You! 

WE’RE HERE FOR You! 

Turn to 

West Newsmagazine 

for content produced especially 

with older adults in mind. 

In the first issue of every month, count on 

Mature Focus to keep you in the know on 

timely topics related to aging well; plus a brief 

calendar of classes, screenings and more. 

In the second issue of the month, you’ll find 

Community Events for Older Adults. It’s 

chock full of classes, fitness and 

sports activities, social engagements 

and special interest opportunities presented 

by the cities of Ballwin, Chesterfield, 

Ellisville, Manchester and Wildwood. 

Twice a year we bring you 

Serving Our Seniors, a special advertising 

section that allows you to learn more about 

and connect with local businesses that might 

have just what you’re looking for. 

WE’RE PROUD TO BE YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER.

48 I BUSINESS I 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


Lori Kelling (center, green dress) cuts the ribbon on the West St. Louis County Chamber of Commerce’s recently renovated 

office at 15965 Manchester Road. 

(Photo courtesy of Higher Focus Photography) 

BUSINESS 

BRIEFS 

PLACES 

The West St. Louis County Chamber 

of Commerce celebrated the grand opening 

of its newly renovated office at 15965 

Manchester Road, Suite 102, in Ellisville. 

In addition to providing a modern and 

welcoming environment, the new space 

is equipped to serve as a hub for chamber 

members, where members can conduct 

meetings with clients, engage in oneon-one 

conversations, host workshops, 

seminars and other activities. For more 

information, visit westcountychamber. 

com. 

• • • 

On April 1 Mission Taco Joint opened 

a new location in the Clayton Village 

Shopping Center at 1000 Woods Mill 

Plaza in Town & Country. This location 

is the fifth Mission Taco Joint location in 

St. Louis and there are three in Kansas 

City. The 7,500-square-foot space was 

designed by SPACE Architecture + 

Design and has a main dining room and 

bar area along with a private event space 

that can seat up to 72 people. The restaurant 

will mirror the same west-coast 

style aesthetic of the other locations and 

include a new mural. The menu features 

their famous tacos, burritos, tortas and 

more. For more information, visit missiontacojoint.com. 

• • • 

Bowman Consulting Group Ltd. 

has acquired St. Louis-based geospatial 

engineering firm, Surdex Corporation 

located at 520 Spirit of Saint 

Louis Blvd. in Chesterfield. Bowman 

has nearly 100 offices throughout the 

country, but the St. Louis office will be 

the company’s first office in Missouri. 

Surdex is a digital imagery and mapping 

firm that provides high and low-altitude 

geospatial solutions for both public and 

private sector customers for projects 

like infrastructure planning, resource 

management, roadway planning and 

development, environmental studies, 

tax assessment and disaster response 

planning. Bowman is a national engineering 

services firm delivering infrastructure 

solutions to customers who 

own, develop and maintain the built 

environment. 

• • • 

Family-owned West County Tees & 

Embroidery is celebrating the expansion 

of its store located at 132 Hilltown 

Village Center in the Hilltown Village 

Center, next to Harpos in Chesterfield. 

Owners Kyle and Kim Blumenberg 

opened the store in 2006. Along with the 

new space, they acquired an automatic 

press that allows them to print more 

tees faster. They do embroidery, screen 

printing, heat transferring, signs and banners 

and focus on small to medium size 

businesses, teams and schools. For more 

information visit westcountytees.com or 

call (636) 728-0066. 

PEOPLE 

Rockwood School District’s Blevins 

Elementary Principal Dr. Hector 

Ramirez was awarded one of three of the 

Distinguished Leadership Award from 

the Special School District (SSD) of 

St. Louis County. The award celebrates 

leaders whose care, courage and compassion 

provide SSD staff with guidance 

and support. The award recipients’ dedication 

has significantly impacted SSD 

students, staff, families and the wider 

community. Ramirez is in his third year 

as principal at Blevins. 

• • • 

Darrin Crook, owner of Rhino Shield 

located at 241 Old Meramec Station 

Road in Manchester, has won Rhino 

Shield’s National award of the “2023 

Best on the Block Competition.” This is 

an annual event that chooses homes from 

all over the United States with improvements 

made to their homes or businesses 

serviced by Rhino Shield. 

• • • 

Scott Schaefer has been hired to 

be the city administrator of Des Peres, 

effective May 6. His appointment was 

approved unanimously by Des Peres’s 

Board of Aldermen at their April 8 board 

meeting. Schaefer brings experience in 

municipal administration, currently serving 

as the city administrator in Frontenac, 

and previously holding the position of 

assistant city administrator in Des Peres 

from 2016 to 2023. His deep roots in 

Des Peres were instrumental in bringing 

him back to the city. Schaefer holds both 

undergraduate and graduate degrees in 

public administration from Murray State 

University and was recently honored 

with the 2023 Richard Knoll Outstanding 

Assistant Award by the Missouri City 

Managers Association. 

• • • 

Steven Bowman has joined United 4 

Children’s Board of Directors. Bowman 

is a partner and vice president of sales 

and marketing at Model Technology 

Solutions, a St. Louis-based provider of 

cybersecurity and IT-managed services. 

United 4 Children provides coaching, 

training, nutrition and inclusion services 

to childcare and after-school programs 

that address the needs of the whole child. 

To learn more, visit united4children.org. 

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING 

Notice is hereby given that the Council of the City of Ellisville will hold a 

public hearing at the Parks and Recreation Building within Bluebird Park, 225 

Kiefer Creek Road, Ellisville, Missouri, 63021, on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, 

at 7:00 P.M. to consider a City-initiated petition for text amendments to Title 

IV: Land Use; Chapter 400: Zoning Regulations; Article IX: Antennas and 

Antenna Support Structures, of the Code of the City of Ellisville, Missouri, to 

revise regulations regarding telecommunications antennae, towers, or support 

structures within the City of Ellisville, Missouri. 

These public hearings are in compliance with Title IV, Land Use, of the 

Municipal Code of the City of Ellisville, Missouri 

Lakeside is looking for experienced and 

educated teachers to join our team! 

These are full time positions working with children ages 6 weeks through 12 years. Both Assistant 

Teacher and Summer Camp positions are available. Our teachers must be able to multi-task, 

know age appropriate activities, communicate well with families and co-workers, and be flexible. 

Teachers must have a friendly, positive attitude and must be nurturing with children. 

Lakeside offers competitive hourly wages and it is a rewarding work environment. 

Lakeside is celebrating 32 years in business this year and is family owned and operated. 

To apply, send your resume to laura@lakesidechildrensacademy.com. 

Or, call Lakeside: 636-225-4800. Please ask to speak to Laura, Director. 

You must be at least 16 years of age. College degrees and/or experience preferred. 

1230 Dougherty Ferry Road | West St. Louis County 63088 

www.lakesidechildrensacademy.com


WEST NEWSMAGAZINE I BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT I 49 

Timely investment advice, common sense investing and superior customer service 



Investment Account Manager Jeffrey 

S. Patterson of Patterson Wealth Management 

has a mission – to help his 

clients pursue, realize and manage their 

retirement financial goals. 

Setting financial goals 

for retirement and then 

monitoring those investments 

along the way is 

an important part of planning 

for a secure retirement, 

Jeff said. 

“People say, ‘I don’t 

want to outlive my retirement 

(savings). How 

much do I need?” he said. 

The answer depends on 

their circumstances, their 

cost of living and their lifestyle expectations, 

Jeff said. Ideally, as an advisor his 

goal is to help create an investment portfolio 

that would help his clients meet their 

retirement expectations with its earnings 

and continue to increase its principal. 

Once they retire, it’s also important to proactively 

monitor their progress, he said. 

“It’s good to know where they’re at, 

and it helps to have mile markers to 

check their progress and see if they’re 

meeting their goals, or see if they’re 

taking too much out,” Jeff said. 

Jeffrey S. Patterson 

(Patterson Wealth Management photo) 

In fact, he has three core principles to help 

keep Patterson Wealth Management clients 

on a solid track. Those include: 

1. Timely investment advice – “I pay 

attention and take a proactive 

approach with investments, 

providing timely investment 

advice during moments of 

opportunity,” he said. 

2. Tried and true investments 

– “The investments that 

I recommend have proven to 

me that they perform well in 

both good and bad markets. 

3. Investment management 

which attempts to minimize 

market risks, while outperforming 

market indexes. 

As an investment advisor for nearly 30 

years, Jeff enjoys the independence of being 

the owner of Patterson Wealth Management. 

“I have no strings attached to any particular 

product or company. My clients get completely 

unbiased recommendations.” 

He says his career has been rewarding in 

many ways, especially in the relationships 

he has built with his clients. 

“I have clients that I’ve had for 29 years,” 

he said. “When you go through the tech 

bubble that happened in 2000 and they stay 

with you, when you go through the financial 

crisis of 2008 and we manage through 

it; when you navigate through the COVID 

crisis and come out the other side stronger, 

you develop relationships. When you go 

through life with these people, with the ups 

and downs of the market and through their 

life events, they become friends.” 

Jeff provides weekly market commentaries 

and develops his own commentaries 

twice a year. He said he knows his clients 

feel well served because he gets referrals 

from them. “In fact, most of my new clients 

are referrals from existing clients,” he said. 

It’s also rewarding when his clients’ portfolios 

are successful. “When the markets 

go up, my clients are appreciative. You’re 

taking care of them. There’s also a good 

deal of satisfaction for a job well done when 

a client has a successful portfolio,” he said. 

Jeff has a bachelor’s degree in economics 

and finance from Southwest Baptist University 

and a master’s degree in finance from 

Saint Louis University. His licenses include 

Series 7, Series 63, Series 65, and health and 

life insurance. 

Patterson Wealth Management is accredited 

by the Better Business Bureau. Further, 

customer assets are held by First Clearing 

LLC, a trade name used by Wells Fargo 

Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, 

a registered broker-dealer and non-bank 

affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. 

In addition to managing retirement 

accounts and taxable investments, Jeff also 

provides investment advice for other investors, 

including business accounts, 401(k) and 

SIMPLE IRA employer-sponsored plans, 

traditional and Roth IRAs and college plans. 

To learn more about Jeff and Patterson 

Wealth Management, visit his website, and 

then take a step further, click the Broker 

Check in the right hand corner. The service 

lists any disputes or complaints, a complete 

record of Patterson’s employment, education 

and other important information. 

“In 29 years, I have had no complaints,” 

he said. 

Give Jeff a call. He is happy to meet with 

potential clients in his office in Ballwin or 

in their homes. 

Securities and Investment Advisory Services offered 

through Cutter & Company, Inc. Member FINRA, SIPC. 

Patterson Wealth Management, Cutter & Company, Inc. 

are not affiliated. Investments involve risks and unless 

otherwise stated, are not guaranteed. 

Patterson Wealth 

Management 

15415 Clayton Road • Ballwin 

(636) 779-0664 

www.pattersonwealthmanagement.com 

ATTENTION READERS: 

Make sure you are signed up for your 

FREE subscription today! 

1. If you got this paper in your mailbox and your first and last 

name are on the front cover label, THANK YOU for subscribing. 

You are all signed up and will continue to get the paper in your 

mailbox for the next three years. 

2. If you got this paper in your mailbox and the label reads “Current 

Resident” then you need to fill out and mail in the form on this ad or 

visit westnewsmagazine.com/subscribe to subscribe. Otherwise, 

this could be the last paper you receive in the mail. 

3. If you picked this paper up at a newsstand such as Schnucks 

or Dierbergs, thank you so much for your interest! Please visit 

westnewsmagazine.com/subscribe or fill out and mail in the form 

on this ad to subscribe and get the paper delivered right to your 

home FREE of charge. 

CLIP & MAIL 

By providing your signature below, West Newsmagazine will 

qualify as a Requester Periodical helping us save postage expense 

so we can continue to deliver your copy through the post office. 

YES, I want West Newsmagazine, 

Please deliver to: 

Name: 

Address: 

City: State: Zip: 

Phone: 

E-mail: 

Signature 

x 

Date: / / 

Mail to: 

754 Spirit 40 Park Drive • Chesterfield, MO 63005

50 I 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


WEST SAVER 

Need An Electrician? 

Ask About Whole 

House Stand-By 

Generators! 

Free Estimates • Fast Service 

Service Upgrades • Replace Outdated Fuse Box With New Circuit 

Breaker Box • Rewiring of New & Old Homes • Room Additions 

Remodeling • Rathskelter Specialists • Motion Detector Lights 

Install Fans, Fixtures, Outlets, A/C, etc. Landscape Lighting 

Over 20 Years Experience • Licensed, Bonded & Insured 

Full Service Electrical Contractor • Radio Dispatched 

Trenching & Bucket Truck Service Available By F.E.S. 

Fielder Electrical Services 

Fully Licensed by St. Louis County & City! WE WORK IN YOUR AREA! 

314-966-3388 • www.fielderelectricalservices.com 

$ 

20 

OFF 

Any electrical job 

of $ 100 or more 

Save For Future Use! 

Tree Man Tree Service, LLC 

314.313.1107 

10% OFF 

WE OFFER: 

• Specialize in Dangerous Removals • Preventive Maintenance 

• Complete Tree Removal 

• Brush Clearing 

• Trimming & Deadwooding 

• Shrub Trimming & Removal 

• Pruning 

• Gutter Cleaning 

• Size Reduction 

• Stump Removal 

Locally Family Owned & Operated for 22 Years 

FULLY INSURED • FREE ESTIMATES • MULTI JOB DISCOUNTS 

HOME IMPROVEMENTS DONE DIFFERENTLY. 

$ 

$ 25 OFF OR 

100 PURCHASE 

$ 100 OFF 

$ 

500 PURCHASE 

Applies to regular priced in-stock merchandise only. Excludes previous 

purchases and special order items. Coupon required at the time of purchase. 

One Coupon Per Person, Per Day, Per Order. Expires 5/14/24 

$27. 99 BASIC OIL 

CHANGE 

Install new filter, refill up to 5 quarts 5W-30 or 

5W-20 Valvoline conventional oil & lubricate 

chassis if applicable. 

• Most cars & light trucks. Not valid with any other offer. Present 

coupon at time of purchase. Shop supplies & sales tax are additional. 

• Coupon Code: m21oc6 

www.PlazaTireService.com 

Expiration: 

LOCATIONS: 

St.Peters | 301 Costco Way | 636-279-1700 

Festus | 1212 S. Gannon Dr. | 636-931-6380 

Fenton | 88 Western Plaza | 636-600-9881 

House Springs | 4401 Hwy 30 | 636-671-0079 

Farmington | 4162 Overall Rd. | 573-756-4718 

Natural Bridge | 9009 Natural Bridge Rd. | 314-427-2415 

HOODSHOMECENTERS.COM 

$10 OFF SYNTHETIC 

OIL CHANGE 

Install new filter, refill up to 5 quarts 5W-30, 5W-20 

or 0W-20 Valvoline Synpower synthetic oil, top off 

most fluids & lubricate chassis if applicable. 

• Most cars & light trucks. Not valid with any other offer. Present coupon 

at time of purchase. Shop supplies & sales tax are additional. 

5/15/24 • Coupon Code: m10syn6 Expiration: 

5/15/24 

17520 Chesterfield Airport Rd • Chesterfield • 636.536.2007 | 105 Baxter Rd • Ballwin • 636.256.2989 

The Perfect Solution for the Outdated Kitchen 

3444 N. Lindbergh • St. Louis, MO 63074 

314-739-1730 

20% OFF 

Complete Kitchen 

Cabinet Refacing 

Expires 5/30/24 

Don’t Replace - Reface! 

Solid Wood Refacing 

Custom Countertops • Tile Backsplash 

SAVE 50% TO 60% OFF 

THE COST OF NEW CABINETS 

Free Consultation and Estimate 

Visit Our Website & Try Out 

THE KITCHEN VISUALIZER 

www.ClassicKitchenRefacing.com 

WE FURNISH STYLE. 

Quality, comfort & affordability all in one place. 

$ 25 OFF 

$ 

100 PURCHASE 

$ 100 OFF 

$ 

500 PURCHASE 

OR 

Applies to regular priced in-stock merchandise only. 

Excludes previous purchases and special order items. 

Coupon required at the time of purchase. One Coupon 

Per Person, Per Day, Per Order. Expires 5/14/24 

636-628-2679 

331 COSTCO WAY | ST. PETERS 63376 

HOODSHOMEFURNISHINGS.COM 

COMPLETE KITCHEN & BATH REMODELING 

COMPLETE 

REMODELING 

PLUS OTHER INTERIOR PROJECTS 

Serving West County & 

surrounding areas since 1985 

10% OFF 

W/FULL KITCHEN 

OR BATH REMODEL 


SPECIAL 

Bathtub Conversion 

into Walk-in Shower 

References Available 

Reasonable Pricing 

Quality Work 

Senior Discounts Available 

Edwards Remodeling • Call 314-397-5100 • Licensed & Insured 

Premier Lacrosse Retail Store 

Spend $100 and Get $20 OFF 

Cannot be combined 

with other offers. 

Expires 5/17/24 

636.686.5124 • WWW.ULTIMATELACROSSE.COM 

961 Brittany Pkwy Dr. • Manchester



LOCAL 

EVENTS 

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 

The Manchester Arts FOCUS Photography 

Exhibition is seeking submissions 

from May 1 through May 31. Open to ages 

5 and up in five age categories. A $5 entry 

fee per image (limit three) is charged to 

participants age 21 and older. Cash awards 

for the top three images in each age category. 

For details, visit manchestermo.gov 

and search “focus.” 

• • • 

From 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, May 

4, artists and photographers will capture 

special locations in the city as part of the 

Wildwood Plein Air Art Event. All skill 

levels, mediums and ages are welcome. 

All pieces will be on display at City Hall, 

16860 Main St., May 20-July 11. The cost 

to participate as an adult artist or photographer 

is $40 before May 4; $10 for youth 

participants age 18 or younger. Register at 

cityofwildwood.com/pleinair. 

BENEFITS 

The Ascension Parish Knights of Columbus 

Spring Fling Bingo is at 7 p.m. (doors 

open at 6 p.m.) on Saturday, May 4 at 230 

Santa Maria Drive in Chesterfield. Win 

over $500 in cash prizes with a $25 advance 

fee or $30 at the door for 15 games. Ticket 

cost includes beverages. Hot dogs and 

candy available for purchase. Must be 21 

to attend. For tickets, call (314) 303-6250 

or email bingo@ascensionkofc.org. 

• • • 

An Auto Show & Festival is at 12:30 

p.m. on Sunday, April 28 at St. Martin’s 

Episcopal Church, 15764 Clayton Road in 

Ellisville. Family games, BBQ and a car 

contest are featured. A portion of sales benefits 

Circle of Concern. Admission is free 

Details at stmartinschurch.org/auto-show. 

• • • 

Open House at the Bacon Log Cabin, 

687 Henry Ave. in Ballwin, is from 2-4 

p.m. on Sunday, May 19. The grounds 

feature a Blue Star Memorial and the 

original root cellar. Light refreshments 

will be available. Admission is free but 

donations are appreciated. For details, 

visit oldtrailshistoricalsociety.com. 

CONCERTS & FESTIVALS 

Manchester’s Makers Mart & Arbor 

Day Festival is from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on 

Saturday, April 20 at Schroeder Park, 359 

Old Meramec Station Road. A tree-planting 

ceremony is from 9:30-10 a.m. with 

seedling giveaway while supplies last. 

Admission is free. 

• • • 

The Music on Main Concert Series 

featuring Dr. Zhivegas is at 6:45 p.m. on 

Friday, May 17 at City Hall, 16860 Main 

St. in Wildwood. Bring seating. No glass. 

No pets. For concert series details, visit 

cityofwildwood.com. 

• • • 

The Manchester Craft Beer Festival 

is from 3-6 p.m. on Saturday, May 18 at 

Schroeder Park, 359 Old Meramec Station 

Road. Over 20 breweries are featured as 

well as Lily’s Cafe Dessert Truck and live 

music. Tickets are $35 in advance; $42 the 

day-of and include tastings and souvenir 

glass. Visit Manchestermo.gov and search 

“beer festival” for tickets and details. 

FAMILY & KIDS 

Creative Corner is from 10-11 a.m. 

monthly on the first Thursday at The 

Timbers of Eureka, 1 Coffey Park Lane. 

This creative, messy program focuses on 

exploration, science, sensory skills, crafts, 

snacks and more for ages 2-5. An adult 

needs to stay with the child. The cost is 

$10 for residents, $11 for non-residents. To 

register, visit eureka.mo.us. 

• • • 

Earth Day is from 9-11 a.m. on Saturday, 

April 27 at Central Park, 16365 Lydia 

Hill Drive in Chesterfield. Children’s 

activities with plantings, free native trees, 

a wildflower seed giveaway and more. For 

details, visit chesterfield.mo.us. 

• • • 

Big Truck and Safety Day is from 

10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday, April 27 at 

Eureka High, 4525 Hwy. 109. Bring the 

family to explore different modes of transportation, 

while learning about all aspects 

of safety with the Eureka Police Department. 

Admission is free. For details, visit 

eureka.mo.us. 

• • • 

Puzzle Palooza is from 5:30-8 p.m. on 

Friday, May 3 at The Pointe, 1 Ballwin Commons 

Circle. Teams of up to five people race 

against each other to finish the same 500- 

piece puzzle. The first team to finish wins a 

prize. Light snacks and drinks provided, but 

outside snacks welcome. No alcohol. Cost 

is $25 for residents; $30 for non-residents. 

Register via link on the Community Events 

Calendar at ballwin.mo.us. 

• • • 

Nerf Wars is from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, 

May 10 at The Pointe, 1 Ballwin Commons 

Circle. Children ages 8-12 bring their own 

Nerf guns and protective eyewear and compete 

in three 20-minute games of Capture the 

Flag, Team vs. Team and Last Person Stand- 

See EVENTS, page 52 



Starting at $ 8.99 

COME PIG OUT AT 3 BAY BBQ & BAKERY 

Best Pulled Pork This Side Of The Mississippi! 

• smoked sticky baby-back ribs • pork steaks • paninis • brats • burgers 

• smoked brisket • smoked turkey breast • all-beef BIG hot dogs • homemade chips 

• homemade mac & cheese • GG burger • smoked pulled chicken 

smoked pulled pork • 3 Bay smoked brisket philly cheese • nachos & more! 

I EVENTS I 51 

Inside W. County Phillips 66 @ Clayton & Woodsmill Rd 

14195 Clayton Rd, Town & Country, MO 63017 • 636.227.1208 

www.3baybbq.com • Tues-Fri 10:30am-7:00pm • Open Saturdays: Noon to 7pm 

WHISKEY REIMAGINED 

CRAFT WHISKEY BLENDING HOUSE 

NOW OPEN IN BALLWIN! 

• Create your own custom bottle 

• Enjoy a flight or inventive cocktails 

• Dine on elevated charcuterie 

• Make yourself at home in an 

incredible environment that propels 

you into another time and place 

25% OFF 

One Meal 

With this coupon. 

Expires 5/18/24 

Excluding 1/2 & Full Slab of Ribs 

Gooey Butter Bars, Chocolate Chunk Brownies, Peanut Butter Bars, 

Hawaiian Pineapple Cake, Brookies, Banana Chocolate Chip Bread, 

Apple Chunk Cake, Banana Cake w/Cinnamon Frosting and so much more! 

New Smashburger Tacos, Smoked Chicken Cluck-uritto, 

Pork Belly Wrap and Sloppy Rib Sandwich 

Join us April 27 for live music with Chad Becker 

Follow Us @BarrelHouseSTL for more events & updates! 

14748 CLAYTON ROAD | BALLWIN 63011 | 636-220-7001

52 I EVENTS I 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


EVENTS, from page 51 

ing. Admission is $15 for residents; $18 for 

non-residents. Register via link on the Community 

Events Calendar at ballwin.mo.us. 

• • • 

School’s Out For Summer is from 5-8 

p.m. on Friday, May 17 at Vlasis Park, 

300 Park Drive in Ballwin. Enjoy music, 

food and entertainment. Admission is free. 

Details at ballwin.mo.us on Community 

Events Calendar. 

• • • 

Rockwood Parents As Teachers Vehicle 

Day is from 9:30-11:30 a.m. on Saturday, 

May 18 at Lafayette High, 17050 Clayton 

Road in Wildwood. Admission is $5 per 

family, cash only. 

SPECIAL INTEREST 

LIKE 

US ON 

Mega Event is from 8 a.m.-11 a.m. on 

Saturday, April 27 at Reber Park, 109 

Lindy Blvd. in Winchester. Free electronics 

recycling, document shredding, Arbor 

Day tree giveaway and food drive. Rain 

or Shine. For details, visit city.winchester. 

mo.us/Parks-and-Recreation. 

• • • 

Pingo - Parking Lot Bingo is from 

6-7:15 p.m. on Thursday, May 9 at the 

Schroeder Park Upper Parking Lot, 359 

Old Meramec Station Road in Manchester. 

Bring chairs, small tables, dinner and 

drinks. The cost is $17 per resident car and 

$22.10 per non-resident car. For details, 

visit manchestermo.gov, search “pingo.” 

• • • 

The West County Home & Garden 

Expo is from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, 

May 18 at the Greensfelder Recreation 

Complex at Queeny Park, 550 Weidman 

Road in Manchester. Each booth will be 

giving away a $50 gift. Admission is free. 

For details, visit westcountychamber.com. 

• • • 

Wildwood Farmers Market is from 8 

a.m.-noon every Saturday beginning May 

25 at 221 Plaza Drive in Wildwood. 

• • • 

Flags of Valor will be on display all day 

on Monday, May 27 at Margaret Stoecker 

Park, 224 Henry Ave. in Manchester. The 

flags are from the 2016 Flags of Valor display 

that was flown on Art Hill in remembrance 

of American troops who died in the 

War on Terror since 9/11/2001. 

SPORTS 

Glow Golf is from 7:30-10 p.m. on Friday, 

April 26 at the Ballwin Golf Course, 333 

Holloway Road. Play golf in the dark with 

LED golf balls. Cost is $40 per person and 

includes cart and LED golf ball. For details, 

visit ballwin.mo.us, search “golf glow.” 

CELEBRATE WORLD BEE DAY 

BEE DASH 5K 

SAT. MAY 18 

8:30AM 

$35 REGISTRATION 

• 5K run/walk on beautiful Western Greenway 

• Professional race timing 

• Long sleeve race t-shirt 

• Post-race runner celebration in picnic pavilion 

Enjoy warm biscuits straight from the oven, 

honey, homemade preserves, fruit & drinks. 

Get your games face on 

The St. Louis Scottish Games 

are a not-to-be-missed afternoon 

of fun, even if you don’t have 

a single drop of Scottish blood. 

Held on Saturday, May 11 in 

Schroeder Park in Manchester, 

the games feature: 

• Live music, including folk 

music by local favorites, a performance 

by the Shilleligans 

Celtic Duo and two chances to 

see Canada’s Celtic Rock Warriors, 

the Mudmen. 

• Pipe Band Competition. 

• Highland Dance Competition. 

• Swordfighting demonstrations. 

• Kid’s activities from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. 

• Sheepherding demonstrations. 

• Scottish heavy athletics 

• First Responders Tug-of-War. 

• • • 

The Bee Dash 5K is at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, 

May 18 at La Salle Retreat Center, 

2101 Rue De LaSalle Drive in Wildwood. 

Festivities include food, drink, live music 

and local beekeepers. Cost is $35 per 

runner. General admission is free. Details 

and registration at lasalleretreat.org. 

• • • 

gooD FrienDS. 

great FooD. 

colD DrinkS. 

Daily lunch & Dinner SpecialS 

First Responder Tug-of-War 

Activities begin at 9 a.m. with the final 

Mudmen concert continuing to 9 p.m. 

Tickets are $25 for adults over age 18 

and $10 for youth ages 13-17. Children 

age 12 and younger are free. For details 

on parking, shuttles, event times and 

tickets, visit stlouis-scottishgames.com. 

The Green Rock Trail Challenge is 

at 8 a.m. on Saturday, June 1 at Greensfelder 

County Park, 4515 Hencken Road in 

Wildwood. Experience National Trails Day 

with a 6-mile hike. The $20 registration fee 

includes a snack, lunch and a giveaway. 

Register at cityofwildwood.com, search 

“green rock,” or call (636) 458-0440. 

Facebook.com/westnewsmagazine 

2101 Rue De LaSalle Drive 

Wildwood, MO 63038 

LASALLERETREAT.ORG 

288 lamp & lantern Village - upper leVel 

636-256-7201 

815 Meramec Station Rd 

(1 block South of Old Hwy. 141 & Big Bend) 

SPRING HOURS: 

Sunday thru Thursday 

11:30AM til10PM 

Friday and Saturday 

11:30AM til11PM 

(636) 225-8737 

MAY FLAVORS OF THE DAY! 

SUN MON TUES WED THU FRI SAT 

1 2 

Chocolate 

Mint Chip 

Raspberry 

Peanut Butter 

Brownie Bite 

6 7 8 9 

Caramel Oreo 

10 11 

Chocolate 

Cherry 

Cookie Dough Butter Pecan Chocolate Malt Lemon Crumb Birthday Cake Cool Cookie Chocolate Chip 

Mother's Day 12 

13 14 15 16 

17 18 

Toffee 

Peanut Butter Devil's Food Cake Banana 

Cheesecake Maple Pecan Key Lime 

Crunch 

Blast 

Batter 

Cream Pie 

19 

20 21 22 23 

24 25 

Blueberry 

Snicker's 

Black Cherry Mint Chip Pistachio Nut Cinnamon Bun Cheesecake Salted Caramel 

26 Memorial Day 27 28 

29 30 

31 

Chocolate Reese's 

5 

Butterfinger 

Jamaican 

Chocolate 

Watermelon 

Red Velvet 

Cake Batter 

Vanilla Malt 

3 

4





I 53 

PARKINSON’S, from page 10 

How does Pipes for Parkinson’s sound?’ 

She just looked at me, and that was that,” 

Bob said. “We just melded the two things 

together. It was one of those rare moments 

every husband has when he’s inspired. She 

literally told me that after the three or four 

decades that she’s known me, it was about 

time I came up with a good idea.” 

Bob and Jo Ann are enthusiastic about 

the support people have shown to the Pipes 

for Parkinson’s project. They are also 

appreciative of the support the APDA has 

given them, and others. 

Kimberly Sanders, APDA program 

manager, said when a person is diagnosed 

with Parkinson’s, doctors refer patients to 

her organization for help. The APDA has 

30-plus support groups, both virtual and inperson, 

some for people with Parkinson’s 

and some for their caregivers. They also 

offer 50 exercise classes and a group called 

PD essentials for those recently diagnosed 

with the disease. They also work with doctors 

at Washington University for research. 

“Everything we provide is free of charge 

due to our generous donors,” Sanders 

said. “We educate and provide resources 

that lead people down a clearer path which 

makes things easier as they navigate their 

Parkinson’s journey. 

“The Parkinson’s community is one of 

the coolest communities I’ve been a part 

of. We have a large group that comes to 

our office and goes to lunch together. They 

form long-term friendships and help each 

other out along the way.” 

Bob wants others to know about the services 

and benefits of the APDA because 

staying active and having support is essential 

for those with Parkinson’s to live their 

best life, he said. 

“A support group of professionals is 

really important. When all the doctors 

and caregivers can communicate with one 

another, it helps your loved one get the best 

care possible,” Bob said. 

He hopes to promote “Pipes for Parkinson’s” 

to other communities. The American 

Organist Guild has chapters across 

the country and so does the APDA. He 

even hopes to be one of the organists in 

future performances. He would also like 

to enlist other musicians to play for Parkinson’s. 

“I feel like an ambassador for this, just 

in a small way, but maybe later in a bigger 

way,” he said. “You have to raise awareness, 

if you want to raise donations. We 

Organists from left, Mark Scholtz, Marvin Smith, Kathleen Bolduan, David Erwin, William 

Sullivan and Rick Burk. 

(Tracey Bruce photo) 

need to raise enough awareness so we can 

raise enough donations, so we can conquer 

this disease.” 

Bob said Parkinson’s has been difficult 

for Jo Ann because “she has to fight for all 

the things most of us take for granted.” 

“Focusing on what she can do each day, 

allows her to approach life with a positive 

outlook,” Bob said. “With grace, with 

gratitude and with joy, every day is a gift.” 

And the journey has given another gift to 

both of them. 

“We are closer now,” Bob said. “It’s 

probably one of the few things that’s been 

good about Parkinson’s. It has made us 

realize how much we love each other and 

how strong we are.” 

To learn more about the Missouri Chapter 

of the APDA, visit apdaparkinson.org/ 

community/missouri. 

WEST HOME PAGES 

TRUST & PERFORMANCE 

30+ YEARS 

EXPERIENCE 

A+ 

RATED 

Roofing, Siding, Gutters & Trim 

All Types of Exterior Remodeling 

Best Warranties in the Business 

Insurance Specialist, Fully Insured 

A+ BBB Rating ~ 30 Years Experience 

FREE INSPECTIONS & ESTIMATES 

314.282.1991 www.CovenantRoofingSTL.com 

www.CovenantContractingSTL.com 

When you want it 

done right... 

Check our 

ads first. 

636.591.0010 

H NEST 

JUNK HAULING 

$ 

25.00 OFF 

Any Service 


www.honestjunk.com 

314-312-1077 

Locally Owned & Operated 

Driveways, Patios, Pool Decks, Garage Floors, 

Retaining Walls, Stamped and Colored Concrete 

Insured For Your Protection 

Licensed & Insured 

H NEST 

JUNK HAULING 

$ 

25.00 OFF 

Any Service 


www.honestjunk.com 

314-312-1077 

Locally Owned & Operated 

PAINTING • STAINING • POWERWASHING 

Mike Lynch 636.394.0013 

WWW.COUNTYHOUSEWASHING.COM 

ALL OF YOUR DECKING NEEDS 

• Wood 

• Vinyl 

• Composite 

• Aluminum 

County House Washing 

& Painting 

WEST 

INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR 

PAINTING SPECIALIST 

• Refacing 

• New Decks 

• Deck Repairs 

• IPE (Hardwood) 

Rlinkconstruction@yahoo.com 

314.607.8953 

ROOFING 

Replacement Windows 

Seamless Guttering 

Leaf Guards 

CALL OR TEXT JIM 

FIND US ON 

J.D. CONTRACTING 

EXTERIOR SPECIALIST 

• Emergency 

Repairs 

• Insurance 

Claims 

• Siding, 

Soffit & 

314.723.0027 Fascia 

TO REQUEST A BID • Insured 

ALL TYPES OF REPAIRS!

54 I 



@WESTNEWSMAG 


WEST HOME PAGES 

Bringing Painting To Life • Residential & Commercial 

TRUE TO LIFE 

Custom Painting 

314-814-0569 

TOP GUNN FAMILY 

CONSTRUCTION INC. 

Build and Repair Decks & Fences, 

All Painting, Wallpaper Removal, 

Powerwash/Stain Decks, Finish Basements, 

Remodeling, Kitchens, Baths 

Senior Discounts • Military Discounts 

First responders must show ID 

Call Today • 636-466-3956 

GunnFamilyConstruction@gmail.com 

• INTERIOR 

PAINTING 

• HANDYMAN 

WORK 

314.518.0231 

CUSTOM DECKS 

SCREEN ROOMS, ENCLOSURES, 

REPAIRS, RESURFACE, PATIOS, STAMPED CONCRETE, 

4 SEASON ROOMS, OUTDOOR LIVING SPACES 

GENERAL CONTRACTOR | All Types Of Home Improvements 

Insurance Specialist, Fully Insured | A+ BBB Rating, 30 Years Experience 

FREE INSPECTIONS & ESTIMATES 

314-282-1991 | www.CovenantContractingSTL.com 

ROOFING • GUTTERS 

TUCKPOINTING • LEAFGARD 

Siding • Soffit • Fascia & Repairs 

Best Quality & Prices Since 1988! 

314-968-7848 

www.stlroofing.com 

Painting Interior & Exterior 

Powerwashing 

Homes & Concrete 

Deck & Fence Staining 

Gutter Cleaning & Gutter Guards 

Window Cleaning 

Insured • Senior Discounts 

Call Chris 314-620-6677 

43 Years! 

20+ YEARS EXPERIENCE 

PATIOS • DRIVEWAYS 

RETAINING WALLS 

STAMPED CONCRETE 

314-698-0403 • www.rickthomasconcrete.com • Fully Insured 

DECK STAINING 

NEAT • ON TIME • AFFORDABLE 

• NO Spraying or Rolling Mess! 

• NO Money Down! 

• Fully Insured • References 

SCHEDULE NOW FOR EARLY SPRING RUSH!!! 

BY 

BRUSH ONLY 

BY BRUSH ONLY 

314-852-5467 

www.deckstainingbybrushonly.com 

NOW 

ACCEPTING: 

636-938-ROOF (7663) 

Like us on Facebook 

Locally Owned & Operated by Rick Hinkson 

DRIVEWAYS•PATIOS•SIDEWALKS 

Dri veways • Patios • Sidewalks Porches • Steps • Garage Floors 

Repair Wor k • Exposed Aggregate • Custom Patterns & Colors 

Family Owned • Insured 

Serving West County Since 1963 314-849-7520 

FREE Estimates 

& MORE 

Bi-State Concrete 

Specializing in Residential Tear Out & Replacement • Professional Workmanship 

THE FAN MAN 

INSTAllATIoN ProFESSIoNAlS 

Ceiling Fans • Wholehouse Fans 

Gable Vent Fans • Recessed Lighting 

Specializing in installation for two story homes 

with no wiring on first floor. 

When Handyman Quality Just Won't Do. 

(314) 510-6400 

JL CONCRETE 

SEALING & CAULKING 

Residential and Commercial 

• Sealing (Prevents pitting) 

• Deck Construction • Deck Staining • Fully Insured 

• Caulking (Keep out the weeds) 

• Deck Repairs • Staircases • Warranty 

• Power Washing (Fresh & clean) 

• Crack Filling (Keeps moisture out) 

• Deck Upgrades • Hand Rail • No Money Up Front 

• Fence Washing 636.458.6400 


Call Jerry Loosmore Jr. at 636-399-6193 

Locally Owned & Operated by Tim Hallahan 

Serving West County for 25+ Years 

timjhallahan@gmail.com 

westwoodpaintinginc.com





I 55 

EQUINE, from page 18 

Through the years, Bogolin was a volunteer, 

a certified instructor and mom of 

Bogolin started volunteering in 2012 at someone served by EAT. When Hartke 

PLUMBING 

the Longview Farm Park location in Town decided to retire in 2019, she offered 

& Country. 

Bogolin the role as director. 

“I was so impressed with this program, The program has grown “by leaps and 

I enrolled our son who has some special bounds,” Bogolin said. 

needs,” Bogolin said. “He has severe It now has 16 certified instructors and 

sensory processing issues. The program a core group of therapists including a 

changed his life and it changed our family’s 

life, and I thought, ‘I want to do this.” of physical therapy and a speech 

licensed professional counselor, a doctor 

pathologist. 

Currently, EAT features programs that 

include equine-assisted activities riding, 

equine learning for those with mental 

health needs, and group opportunities that 

include team building, youth social awareness, 

silver saddles for seniors and a program 

for veterans and first responders. 

Instructors are trained and certified by 

training programs recognized by the organization’s 

insurance. 

EAT is a nonprofit, which charges a fee 

that covers about 30% of costs. It also 

offers scholarships. 

Additionally, EAT has a Sponsor a Horse 

program and hopes to get all of its horses 

sponsored for their 20-year anniversary. A 

fundraiser, Hoedown for Hope will be held 

in September. 

Volunteers for important roles as sidewalkers, 

maintenance workers and fundraisers, 

are always needed, Boglin said. For 

details, visit eatherapy.org. 

WEST CLASSIFIEDS • 636.591.0010 • CLASSIFIEDS@NEWSMAGAZINENETWORK.COM 

BUY AND SELL 

FENCES 

LANDSCAPING 

LANDSCAPING 

PLUMBING 

WE BUY & CONSIGN 

Fine Jewelry 

Fine Art & Antiques 

Luxury Handbags & Couture 

Decorative Arts, 

Memorabilia & Collectibles 

314.942.1132 

info@hallmarkauctions.com 

Current Online Auction at 

hallmarkauctions.com 

CARPET 

-CARPET REPAIRS- 

Restretching • Reseaming 

& Patching. 

No job is to small! 


(314) 892-1003 

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 

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 & backa-up 

generators. No job too small. 

Competitively priced. Free Estimates. 

Just call 636-262-5840 

DECKS 

Deck Staining 

GARAGE DOORS 

DSI/Door Solutions, Inc. 

Garage Doors, Electric Open–ers. 

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 

SKIP'S HAULING & DEMOLITION 

Junk hauling and removal. Cleanouts, 

appliances, furniture, debris, 

construction rubble, yard waste, 

excavating & demolition! 10, 15 

& 20 cubic yd. rolloff dumpsters. 

Licensed & insured. Affordable, dependable 

and available! 

VISA/MC accepted. 22 yrs. service. 

Toll Free 1-888-STL-JUNK 

888-785-5865 or 314-644-1948 

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 

• Brushed & Rolled Only 

• No money up front/Warranty 

A+ 

Free Estimates • Insured/A+BBB 

EverythingDecks.net • (636) 337-7733 

Wood | Aluminum | Vinyl | Composite 

NEW INSTALL – REPAIRS – STAINING 

Unmatched Quality | Competitive Prices | Residential or Commercial 

WWW.WESTERNFENCES.COM | 636.215.1730 

HELP WANTED 

COMPASSIONATE 

CAREGIVERS NEEDED!! 

VISITING ANGELS is hiring for 

Chesterfield/Wildwood/Ballwin/ 

Des Peres/ T&C- $17-19/hr. 

Personal Care Assistants & 

Homemaker shifts. Weekly Pay, 

Flexible Schedules, 401K match. 

Health Ins. after 6 mo. if FT 

Call 636-695-4422 or apply at 

VisitingAngels.com/westplex 

HOME CARE 

CHRISTY’S PERSONAL 

HOME CARE 

is NOW accepting new 

clients. Consistent Care. 

4 hr min. 

Email or text to schedule 

an assessment. 

christycrump78@gmail.com 

573.747.7336 

HOME IMPROVEMENT 

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 

REMODEL & REPAIR 

Rotted wood, Painting, Tile, 

Drywall, Floors, Electrical, 

Carpentry, Plumbing, 

Power Washing. Insured. 


Tom Streckfuss 314-910-7458 

sbacontractingllc@gmail.com 

PRISTINE MIDWEST 

CONSTRUCTION LLC 

Specializing in 

Decks & Fences 


pristinemidwest@gmail.com 

(314) 575-3879 

Mizzou Crew LLC (Since 2004) 

We can’t do everything, 

but we CAN do a lot! 

Landscaping, Demolition, 

Flooring, Light Construction, 

Furniture Assembly, Fencing, 

Deck Repair, Rough Carpentry. 

Call/text Jeff 314-520-5222 or 

email mizzoucrewstl@gmail.com 

Total Bathroom Remodeling 

Cabinetry•Plumbing•Electrical 

30 Years Experience 

Retaining Walls • Patios • Pruning 

Chainsaw Work • Seasonal 

Clean-up • Honeysuckle Removal 

Friendly service with attention to detail 

Call Tom 636.938.9874 

www.mienerlandscaping.com 

MORALES LANDSCAPE LLC 

Clean-Up • Mowing • Mulching 

Planting • Aeration • Sod Install 

Leaf Removal • Paver Patios 

Trimming & Edging 

Stone & Brick 

Retaining Walls • Drainage Work 

- FREE ESTIMATES - 

636-293-2863 

moraleslandscape@hotmail.com 

-MULCHING 

-SPRING CLEANUP- 

Preparing/Cleaning Beds 

Preen • Leaf Removal 

Bush/Shrub Trimming 

Aeration • Seeding 

Fertilizing • Dethatching 

• FAST & FREE ESTIMATES • 

TWO MEN & A MOWER 

Call or text 636-432-3451 

Leaf Clean Up 

& Vacuuming 

Pruning Work, Grading, 

Planting, and 

Dormant Sod Work. 


636-296-5050 

-Complete Outdoor Service- 

Hardscapes • Lawn Mowing 

Commercial • Residential 

Reasonable Rates 

Experienced & Insured 


United Lawn Services LLC 

Call Today (314) 660-9080 

curtis@unitedlawnservices.com 

www.unitedlawnservices.com 

WE SPECIALIZE IN 

RETAINING WALLS • PAVER PATIOS • DECKS 

FENCES • TREES • NEW LANDSCAPING 

LAWNS & MULCH AND MUCH MORE! 

Free Estimates 

314-280-2779 

poloslawn@aol.com 

Chris' Lawn & 

Tree Service LLC 

Locally owned & operated 

FULL SERVICE LAWN 

MAINTENANCE & 

TREE CARE COMPANY 

Mowing • Fertilization 

Mulch • Shrub Trimming 

636-734-3217 

314-482-3707 

Best Landscaping Values in Town! 

-Mizzou Crew- 

Mulch, Shrub Trimming, 

Yard Cleanups, Power Washing, 

Moles, Small Walls & Paver Patios. 

Hauling Services, 

Demolition, 

Handyman Services 

& Rough Carpentry 

Call/Text Jeff 

314-520-5222 

or www.MizzouCrew.com 

FISHBURN’S LANDSCAPING 

Residential • Commercial 

Leaf Clean Up • Retaining Walls 

Trees, Shrubs & Flower Planting 

and Trimming • Landscaping Rock 

FULLY Insured • FREE Estimates 

Call or Text Dave 314-843-0271 

PAINTING 

DEFINO’S 

PAINTING SERVICES 

EST. 2006 

Interior & Exterior Painting 

Deck Staining 

- Insured & Free Estimates - 

definospainting.com 

314-707-3094 

PET SERVICES 

Yucko’s 

Your Poop Scoop ‘n Service 


314-291-7667 

www.yuckos.com 

LICENSED PLUMBER 

Bonded & Insured 

Available for all your 

plumbing needs. 

No job is too small. 


35 Years Experience. 

Senior Discounts 

24 hours service! 

314-808-4611 

• 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 

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 

TREE SERVICES 

• COLE TREE SERVICE • 

Tree and Stump Removal. 

Trimming and Deadwooding. 

Free Estimates. 

636-475-3661 

www.cole-tree-service.biz 

TUTORING 

1-ON-1 

Math Jitters? 

Can’t cope with class assignments? 

Need assistance for 

ANY LEVEL MATH? 

-INDIVIDUAL TUTORING- 

40+ years of teaching. 

Call after 3:00 p.m. 

for appointment 

314-698-2232 

WEDDING SERVICES 

ANYTIME ANYWHERE 

- CEREMONIES - 

Marriage Ceremonies 

Vow Renewals • Baptisms 

Pastoral & Graveside Visits 

Full Service Ministry • 314.703.7456

$1 share deposit required. Must qualify for membership. Must apply 3/1/24-4/30/24 to qualify for offer. Subject to credit approval. Offer is for new First Line HE line-of-credit loans 

and does not include refinances on First Community loans. Minimum first advance of $1,000 on home equity loans. Offer of 5.95% Annual Percentage Rate on First Line Home 

Equity Loan is good for twelve months after closing date. After introductory period, rate adjusts quarterly to the Prime Rate as published in the Wall Street Journal plus .74%. That 

rate is currently 9.24%. The maximum APR that may apply is 18.00%. Missouri and Illinois residents only. NMLS ID # 684198. Federally insured by NCUA. Equal Housing Lender.

West Newsmagazine 4-17-24

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?