crossroads: june 2016

Parents’ Summer Survival Guide

2 CROSSROADS | MAY 2016

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PublisherRobert Huneke

EditorMathew DeKinder

Production ManagerRebecca Brockmann

ContributorsAvalanche, David Finkelstein, Jenny Krestel, Tony Mathews, Cindy Moore, Russ Patton,

Laurie Simon

PhotographerRay Rockwell

Staff WriterBrett Auten

VOL 13 | NO 6 Departments

features

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By Jenny Krestel

By Russ Patton

By Brett Auten

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Advertiser ProfilesWeighing the pros and cons of buying a home

‘Quantity Time’ – an old-fashioned idea

Parents’ Summer Survival GuideWestern St. Charles County offers plenty of fun ways to keep the kids busy during summer break

Nonprofit ProfileSt. Louis HELP loans home health equipment to people for free

Around Town Local news and events

Entertainment‘Independence Day’ resurges (with a sequel) after twenty years

BusinessWestern St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce

FoodSimply sweet summer entertaining

Always an Adventure Revisiting dogs, phones and fires

Simon SaysThe uncomfortable truths of pregnancy

Moore on Life King of the hill

Community Calendar: June

Automobile Alley‘Cutesy’ Jeep Renegade offers plenty of power and versatility

Photo Op Wentzville’s Walk to Stop Heroin

JUNE 2016 | CROSSROADS 3

2016contentsJUNE

On the Cover: Submitted photo

4 CROSSROADS | JUNE 2016

Around Town

Speaking at the April 28 City Council meeting, Mayor Bill Hennessy announced the nationally-known entertainers set to perform, free, at O’Fallon, Missouri’s Heritage & Freedom Fest. Country music’s rising star Chris Bryant and Nashville’s acclaimed Love and Theft will take the main stage on July 3 and the sensational KONGOS with special guest Sister Hazel will rock the festival on July 4. O’Fallon’s 2016 Heritage & Freedom Fest will be held July 2-4 at the Ozzie Smith Sports Complex at 900 T. R. Hughes Boulevard in O’Fallon.“We’re proud to bring top-name talent to our city for everyone in

the region to hear and see in person and celebrate our country’s in-dependence,” said Hennessy. “In addition to free concerts by these great artists, we’ll have two nights of exceptional fireworks displays, free sideshows, kids’ activities, three days of thrilling carnival rides and the biggest Fourth of July parade in St. Charles County. I’m

proud to say that O’Fallon’s Independence Day weekend celebra-tion is one of the largest and most popular in the metro area.” The fest kicks off with family entertainment from 2 – 10 p.m. on

July 2, featuring carnival rides, a colorful midway with food and games, Knockerball, the Krazy Kids bungee jump, the Bubblebus and shows by strongman John Beatty, a finalist on “America’s Got Talent.”The fun continues on Sunday from 2-11 p.m. and Monday from

noon – 10 p.m. with concerts by nationally-recognized artists and popular regional musicians, more sideshows, carnival rides and games and fireworks displays on both nights. Festival information and song samples by headliners are available at www.heritageand-freedomfest.com.

Headliners announced for O’Fallon’s Heritage & Freedom Fest 2016

Working together to bring an overgrown outdoor classroom back to life, a group of local Girl Scouts recently learned about the importance of teamwork and cooperation. The fifth-grade Girl Scouts in Troop 3546 at Cross-

roads Elementary School in Wentzville were search-ing for a service project to complete while earning the Animal Habitat Badge, when they realized the answer was right in front of them—or, technically, behind them. The outdoor education center at the back of the school’s property was overgrown and in need of major maintenance. Created more than a decade ago to offer educators an outdoor space for teaching and with features like bat houses to promote wildlife, the area hadn’t been maintained for years. “The troop has held its meetings at Crossroads

since the girls were in kindergarten, and they wanted to do a Bronze Award project that gave back to the school,” said troop leader Susan Mulherin. “Restor-ing the education center meant the girls could help the school, fin-ish the requirements for the Animal Habitat Badge and earn their Girl Scout Bronze Award all at once.”The girls set to work, but not without help from family and com-

munity members. One of the girls’ fathers, the owner of Baxter Gardens of Chesterfield, brought in heavy equipment to clear out the larger bushes, vines and trees. Spending several Saturdays on the project, the girls and their families cleared the debris before laying groundcover fabric, hauling and spreading woodchips, and laying landscape timber. Mueller Brothers Timber, Inc. donated the wood chips, and Home Depot O’Fallon donated and delivered the landscape timbers. A local Boy Scout completing his Eagle Award is

building a picnic table and restoring three others so that students have places to sit while learning.“I learned that a little work and effort can go a long way,” said Girl

Scout Nora Foeller about the project. “We’re not only helping our-selves by learning new things and increasing our confidence, we’re also helping our community and reaching our goal of making the world a better place.”The Girl Scout Bronze Award is the highest honor a Girl Scout Ju-

nior—girls in fourth and fifth grade—can achieve. To receive the Bronze Award, Girl Scouts must explore an issue in their commu-nity, create a plan and put the plan in motion, spending at least 20 hours completing the project.

Wentzville Girl Scouts team up to clean up

Girl Scouts in Troop 3546 at Crossroads Elementary School in Wentzville helped restore the outdoor education center at the back of the school’s property to earn the Girl Scout Bronze Award.

Photo courtesy Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri


Around Town

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100 Women Who Care contribute $6,800 to Luke’s Legacy

On April 25, 100 Women Who Care - St. Charles County voted to give their first quar-terly donation to Luke’s Legacy.The April donation of $6,800 will go towards

Luke’s Legacy’s mission to help prevent driv-ers from driving while drunk by telling the story of Luke Maue who passed away at age seven from a drunk driver. For more infor-mation on Luke’s Legacy, visit www.lukes-legacy.org.“It’s empowering for the women in our

group to know that their combined dona-tions can make a huge impact for a deserving non-profit,” said Linda Johnson, co-founder of local chapter. 100 Women Who Care St. Charles County is

a group of women who share a common de-sire to give back to our community. The group is open to all women — the more women who get involved, the greater the impact will be. Here is how it works. Members join the organization and sign a

commitment to donate $400 total during the year. Every member

pledges to donate $100 to a St. Charles County non-profit charity selected at each of four annual meetings held in January, April, July, and October. The next quarterly meeting will be held 7 p.m. on July 25 at Morning Star Church at 1600 Feise Road in Dardenne Prairie.

On April 25, 100 Women Who Care - St. Charles County voted to give their first quarterly donation of $6,800 to Luke’s Legacy.

Submitted photo

After almost four months of being happily married, my husband and I were surprised to find out we were expecting a baby. While extremely happy and thrilled to be welcoming a little one, I will admit there were cer-tain aspects of this whole pregnancy thing that took me for a ride. Now, I know many of you out there have been-there-and-done-that but this is all new to me, so bare with me. This month I decided to get a bit more real with you lovely readers of Crossroads Magazine, and let you in on the secret life of the mommy-to-be, with me being your guide. Baby BrainOkay, I will admit I have heard of people say-

ing they have had pregnancy brain, or baby brain but I honestly never really thought it was real. I guess I just thought it was an ex-cuse that women (and some men) use to get out of things. As a non-parent I would kind of just take things from the movies and shows I watched on T.V. That was until I became pregnant. It wasn’t an immediate memory loss for me as I more noticed it a few months in. Here are a few of my favorite things I have managed to forget…1. I left for work one morning only to have

to turn around a third of the way there be-cause I forgot to let the dog out. The dog, my princess as I call her (good thing I’m having a boy), is eight years old. It’s not like I just en-countered pet ownership. And to top it off for the first seven years of her life I lived in a condo and had to physically take her out each time to go to the bathroom. Where did my brain go?2. My husband and I were having a garage

sale so I decided to wash a few glass cups in the sink. I put in the stopper, added the soap and cups and started running the almost-

boiling hot tap water. I thought it was a good idea to run upstairs to grab something before the sink filled up. Bad move on my part. Af-ter almost twenty minutes of me doing ev-erything except washing the cups, I realized the sink was still running. Thank goodness we have a double sink or I would have flooded the entire kitchen. Oops!Emotional Rollercoaster Whoever said pregnancy is an emotional

rollercoaster was playing it down a bit, okay a lot. It’s more like an emotional tornado that comes crashing in early and stays way too late. I will say though that my husband has been a trooper through the whole process and that has helped tremendously. I imagine I look somewhat like Godzilla with a pony-tail when it comes to me getting upset. A big, scary monster embarking on you, yet sweet and cute with a blonde ponytail to mask the shear danger and fear I put off. I’m sure my husband would say otherwise. Like I said, he’s a trooper. Here is my favorite meltdown he has had to encounter…While reading the book “Pregnancy 911” I

decided that since I have had a fairly normal/easy-ish pregnancy that my luck would run out and something horrible would happen. I immediately staring sobbing thinking our baby was doomed and that I had caused it. I then convinced myself that since I wasn’t go-

ing to bring a healthy baby into the world that I was al-ready a horrible mother and surely couldn’t do a good job at this parenting thing. A box of Kleenex later and my husband’s comforting words, I calmed down and began thinking of all the great things we have in store for us and our baby. Life is great! The world is beauti-ful! And my husband now thinks I should be next on the list for the loony bin. I know that there are mil-

lions of women out there who have been pregnant before, but hon-estly there is nothing anyone can say to you that will completely prepare you for what’s in store. I knew I could feel sick, nauseous, scared and tired but never did I fully compre-hend the magnitude of how emotionally and mentally draining this would be. Pregnancy is a wild rollercoaster full of fear and the un-known that turns to happiness, joy, anticipa-tion and peace. Being my first time at this, I am navigating my way through as best I can with the help and support of many people around me, my husband being my number one. Without him I would be lost, I would be scared and I would have been locked away in the loony bin a long time ago. To all you first time parents out there just trying to make it through these 40 weeks like I am, I salute you as we are in this together. Now, bring on that delivery day!

By LAURIE SIMONLaurie Simon was just married and is settling into blissful newlywed life. She enjoys laying by the pool with friends, getting away to her family lake house on weekends, walking her

four-legged baby Maggie and spending every second possible with her new husband.


Simon Says

The uncomforTable TruThs of

pregnancy


When people learn that the St. Louis Health Equipment Lend-ing Program (St. Louis HELP) loans home health equipment for free to anyone who needs it, they, too, often want to help (http://stlhelp.org).“In 2015 we loaned 5,570

health equipment items for free to people suffering from illness, injury or a disability who didn’t have the medical equipment they need because they can’t afford it,” says Laura Cannon Singer, who founded St. Louis HELP in 2008.“Every year, we collect about

11,000 items of donated equip-ment,” she says. “We clean and revitalize that home health equipment and then loan it to people for as long as they need it. We loan manual and elec-tric wheelchairs; scooters; walkers, crutches, canes; hospital beds; portable commodes; elevated toilet seats; lift chairs — and more.”In 2015 St. Louis HELP diverted about 150 tons of equipment from

solid waste landfills by collecting, reconditioning and loaning home health equipment items. Nothing goes to waste. Broken equipment parts are used for repairs. Broken wooden crutches are recycled to a wood chipper. St. Louis HELP accepts virtually every type of home medical de-

vice for restoration at its warehouse in Olivette, and also hosts area-wide equipment donation drives twice a year. Its next home health equipment drive is Oct. 8 when people can drop off used home health equipment at any of 12 designated Walgreen’s parking lots. “We are deeply moved by the stories of people who donate equip-

ment to us, and the many we help,” she says. We provide equipment to people of all ages. We learned of a sick little girl who did not have the leg strength to operate the pedals of a bicycle. We were thrilled to provide that young girl with a hand-powered bike — for the very first time she could join her mother, father and sister for a bike ride and picnic in the park. Her freedom and independence made her family so very happy! Our mission is gloriously satisfying, yet we couldn’t achieve our goals without people who help St. Louis HELP and our volunteers. Every donation makes a positive difference for people in our community and supports recycling.”

Since 2008 St. Louis HELP has loaned more than 50,000 home health items to people throughout greater St. Louis. A one-minute public service video that showcases St. Louis HELP can be viewed on youTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxddQ6VJcxs.St. Louis HELP is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. All financial

gifts and equipment donations are tax deductible.St. Louis HELP’s annual fund raising event “Wine at the Ware-

house” is set for Sept. 15 at the group’s warehouse in Olivette. The St. Louis Metro Square and Round Dance Association is hosting a benefit dance on Oct. 30 at the Kirkwood Community Center. Tick-ets are $6. A portion of the proceeds will benefit St. Louis HELP. Call 636-937-0007 for tickets.

To learn more about the St. Louis Health Equipment Lending Program, please visit http://stlhelp.org or

call 314 567–4700. Thank you!

St. Louis HELP loans home health equipment to people for free

Nonprofit Profile

Submitted photo

St. Louis HELP Executive Director Laura Cannon Singer unloads a truck full of equipment at the group’s Olivette warehouse with her husband Michael, who is a board member at St. Louis HELP.

DogThis column contains follow-ups from other installments. Regular

readers (I know you exist, as you come into the Community News office asking for copies of my articles; many thanks from myself, the publisher and our advertisers!) have followed my tales of D’Artagnan the Newfoundland over the years. He passed away last week, on the front porch where he spent much time, tended to by his friends and a kind veterinary team on a house call. The big mutt showed up here many years ago, uninvited and initially unwelcome, and successfully managed to work his way into our home and our hearts. He made it to nearly 14 years old, an impressive run for a big dog. We miss him.

PhonesIn a recent column (April 2016) I pointed out the distress experi-

enced by those who cannot bear to live without cell coverage out here in our remote area. As it turns out, there is a term for this condi-tion: “Nomophobia,” an irrational fear of lack of digital connectivity. Now a doctor can accurately diagnose this affliction and presumably treat it with some type of prescription drug that might mask this dis-order, at the expense of any number of side-effects, most of which are worse than the initial condition. In addition to the psychiatric dysfunction, there are numerous musculoskeletal maladies associat-ed with the obsessive-compulsive engagement with a mobile device. Consequences of the 21st century’s favorite obsession include sore necks, poor posture, distracted pedestrians colliding with stationary objects and moving vehicles, and a strange pinky-finger injury that is the result of supporting a six ounce phone with the fifth digit for long periods of time. If one suffers from an “overuse” injury by merely supporting an ob-

ject that weighs less than a small-sized soy latte, perhaps the prob-lem is not so much “overuse,” but rather a lifetime of “underuse” and weakness. One remedy would be to put down the phone, pick up a barbell and start a strength training program, gradually adding weight to the bar as the body adapts to the higher loads. That should help support vigorous, marathon texting sessions. If nothing else, the added strength and muscle mass will help the body be more resil-ient and heal faster after walking into a telephone pole or moving car. (Disclosure: I learned of the above listed conditions via wireless device; then performed heavy deadlifts as penance.)

FireLast month’s column (May 2016) dealt with fire as a landscape and

wildlife management tool. I mentioned how this year’s controlled burn didn’t amount to much, just a few small singed areas. It seems that those initial fires were merely “blacklines,” or back-burns con-ducted to set a perimeter around the main area to be burned later. Shortly after the May issue went to press, the Forest Service conduct-ed the main prescribed burns...and wow! Smoke filled the valleys and obscured the view of the surrounding mountains. The conditions were just right for the burn, with lots of dead and dry material for combustion, and a good amount of snow up high to stop the spread of flame. As always, it was unnerving to see flames above the treetops just a little over a mile from the neighborhood. The fires smoldered for a couple days, and were then doused with a drenching rain. Two ranchers conducted some ditch burning a couple of weeks lat-

er, and both their fires got out of control and had to be extinguished by the local fire department. No injuries and no extensive property damage occurred, but it was a reminder that things don’t always go as planned. As this issue goes to press, it’s been raining and snowing for the last week; fire season is temporarily on hold. We’re still blissfully devoid of cell coverage; but sadly, missing a favorite dog.

Photos courtesy Avalanche and Bigstock


By AVALANCHEAvalanche is a functional illiterate who left the St. Louis area three decades ago in search of adventure. He enjoys motorcycling and all things outdoors. He lives with his wife and dogs.

Always An Adventure

Revisiting dogs, phones and fires

Smoke filling the valley during a controlled burn.

The dearly departed D’Artagnan the Newfoundland.

My husband is looking forward to special treatment this month. That day which we recognize the fathers in our lives is fast ap-proaching and that means it’s time to honor someone in my home who is sweet, but sleeps on the couch entirely too much; someone who pigs out at mealtime and always demands seconds; is not into exercise and getting a mid-life pooch-bag on his underbelly; is cute but needs to trim his gangly whiskers and has an overabundance of back hair. This is also someone who growls at me over the littlest annoy-ances such as pre-paring the wrong thing for dinner, which causes him to be moody and sulk in another room; somebody who claims to be king of the castle while I am just his maidservant constantly clean-ing up after him and lastly, someone who dominates the bed at night and pushes me to the side while at other times can’t keep his paws off of me.yes, even on Father’s Day my husband gets second billing to the

cat. Sorry, Dear.Not too long ago the final chick in our nest fell in love and got

married. I think it was actually to escape the madness and resume sanity. It’s still up for debate. So with the house quiet and empty, we felt a need to liven things up. Enter two rescue cats; one for my husband and one for me.Scooter is my husband’s cat. He is gray, neutered and has an

abundance of belly fat. So does Scooter. They are a match made in heaven.Ticker is my boy. He is a black and white tuxedo and rules over

our tiny kingdom and supervises his staff of agreeable peasants with a firm paw. He takes no lip from anyone unless it’s both of them with the sharp ends of his claws. He struts around the house with his nose in the air snootily and wiping his tiny white-gloved mitt along the furniture checking for dust or filled beverage glass-es that need to be knocked over.But this kitty is as smart as any smart cat can get. The boy’s got

skills. Ticker can fetch a ball and shake hands and catch flies in mid-flight to snack on and play ping-pong under the doorway. He can even toss up a gummy hairball on the carpet each and

every time he needs to hack, even though he’s directly next to the easier-to-clean tile floor. That takes some thinking!Even though Scooter was adopted first, Ticker is alpha cat and he

made that known right away by pinning Scooter down and biting him into submission. It wasn’t much of a conquest. Scooter is fat…

like a large, hairy, beached manatee kind of fat. Ticker didn’t hurt him much because he was not fully able to penetrate the layers of blubber to make a punc-ture wound. He ended up instead spitting out gobs of hair.But Scooter read-

ily demoted him-self to beta cat and frankly, found it a relief. It required too much energy to be in charge and totally incon-

venienced his favorite past time—napping. He is a professional lounger. This cat uses all his waking hours to sleep and will not exert an ounce of energy for much of anything else. He maintains a mild temper because even sulking burns too many fat cells--a total waste of caloric intake. Afterwards, he’d have to make up for that physical exertion by transporting himself over to the food bowl to replenish. Given the choice, he would rather not move. And because of that, does not fully understand the reason for his legs. He only incorporates movement when kibble-time is calling, and it calls quite often to sustain his substantial girth.Even so we love our kitty boys and they get pampered beyond

what is deemed normal. The kids better hope we don’t die off soon because the cats will stand to inherit their birthright. So if they’re reading this, I suggest they pick up their handheld devices and give us a call a little more often, and especially since Father’s Day is approaching. It would probably work in their favor to say meow when we answer.


By CINDy MOORECindy Moore is the mother of three superlative kids, servant of two self-indulgent felines and wife to one nifty husband. Her ficticious occupation? Archeological Humorist: someone who unearths absurdity and hilarity in strange and unusual places including public restrooms, the lint filter, and church meetings. Most recently, she excavated a find in her neighbor’s bird feeder.

Moore On Life

King of the hill

By Brett Auten

Parents’ Summer Survival Guide

Western St. Charles County offers plenty of fun ways to keep the kids busy during summer break


It is the time of year when children re-joice and parents sigh.

By the time you are reading this, the new car smell of summer break has been replaced with the never ending chant of, “what are we going to do today?”

Look no further than the Crossroads Magazine Parents’ Summer Survival Guide and before you know it, the back-to-school commercials will be a ringing in your ears.

We have combed through the brochures and advertisements to help offer a wide ar-ray of activities, no matter what the age of the little cereal eater sitting over there on the couch.

We’ll start out west where Kory O’Laughlin with the Wentzville Park and Recreation De-partment has plenty to offer.

Reading on the go in Wentzville

For those in your group with shorter legs, the recently built Storybook

Walk should do the trick.

young readers can engage in popular books in a picturesque park setting thanks to a new initiative by Friends of the Wentzville Parks and the St. Charles City/County Li-brary Foundation. At Storybook Walk, now open in Heartland Park, children can follow the pages of a story posted along a .75-mile walking trail. Storybook Walk is designed to encourage families to connect by spend-ing time outdoors, while also supporting early childhood development and promot-ing exercise and activity. “Waiting,” by Kevin

Henkes, will be on display through mid-Sep-tember. New books will be selected quarterly. Each book will include a special launch event. Families can help celebrate the new trail and the first story at 7 p.m. June 3, with a group walk and craft activity, followed by a free out-door movie. Pre-registration is encouraged, but not required. Call 636-332-9236. Heart-land Park is located at 100 William Dierberg Dr. in Wentzville.

“The Storybook Walk just opened,” O’Laughlin said. “We think it is a real cool way for families to connect.”

There is also a Storybook Walk located just behind Quail Ridge Lodge on a paved trail along a pond.

Make sure you mark down June 11 as the Superhero Hustle – Obstacle Fun Run for Kids will sure to be a hit for your little caped crusader. Held at Rotary Park, the event is


geared towards four-to-13-year-olds.“We encouraged the kids to dress

up as their favorite superheroes as they go through the course,” O’Laughlin said. “In all, there are about eight obstacles to go through. There will be different superheroes stationed throughout the course to help cheer everyone on.”

For the uber athlete in the bunch, Wentzville will have its first youth Triathlon on July 23 for ages five-12.

For any and all information, check www.facebook.com/wentzville.parks/ and wentzvillemo.org/de-partments/parks_and_recreation.

Camping with gators in Lake Saint Louis

In Lake Saint Louis, kids talk about Camp Gator

every summer.

Camp Gator is a fun filled weekly outdoor program that is designed for children ages 5-12. Camp in-cludes games, sports, arts and crafts, field trips and more.

The goal is to provide children with an enjoyable and safe outdoor experience by offering them op-portunities to discover new activi-ties and make new friends. Parents and Guardians will drop off their camper(s) at the mobile facility at Boulevard Park. A typical weekly schedule at camp goes as follows: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday chil-dren will be outside at Boulevard Park. Wednesday they will go to Al-ligator Creek Pool in O’Fallon. Friday there will be a field trip to different places every week.

A Friday night Lake Saint Louis tradition is back for 2016. Grab your lawn chairs and blankets and head out to Boulevard Park Amphitheater to enjoy Movies in the Park, a month-ly series. Movies begin at dusk, ap-proximately 8:30 p.m. On tap for this summer is: “The Good Dinosaur” (PG), June 10; “Minions” (PG), July 8; and “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” (Rated PG-13), Aug. 5.

Sporty fun in O’Fallon

Looking to try something new with that apathetic

teenager?

Head over to Ft. Zumwalt Park in O’Fallon for a few rounds of disc golf.

Challenge yourself at “The Fort,” O’Fallon’s first disc golf course. This scenic, 18-hole course loops through Fort Zumwalt Park, lo-cated at 1000 Jessup Dr W. There’s no charge for open play and free score cards will be provided near the first tee. you will be able to tally up the steps on the Fitbit as the course length is 4,290 feet from the beginner markers (red) and 5,957 feet from the intermediate mark-ers (white). The terrain offers a mix of open fairway, rolling hills and a wooded canopy, encouraging play-ers to use a variety of discs.

While we all love the Cardinals, getting down to Busch Stadium on a regularly basis puts the capital ‘H’ in hassle and also empties out the pocketbook rather quickly.

So on those off nights, hop on over to TR Hughes Blvd and catch the River City Rascals. From the 1999 season to the present, the Ras-cals have played their home games at CarShield Field. The Rascals play at home 14 times during the month of June and nine times in July. Ras-cals’ games are all about affordabil-ity and easy access to the action.

O’Fallon Communications Di-rector Thomas Drabelle suggests that parents take advantage of the ample, and relatively inexpensive, options that are available to them in order to make the dog days of summer zip on by.

“Take advantage of all of the free things available,” Drabelle said. “Anything to not already add to the cost of day care or sports camps.”

Submitted photos

Summer fun activities abound in West-ern St. Charles County

By DAVID FINKELSTEINDavid Finkelstein is a Master/Skill Automotive Service Technician, maintaining that role for over 45 years, coupled with being a shop owner in that time frame as well. He’s also invented a number of garage service

tools for mechanics and has served on both National as well as local Automotive Trade Industry Boards. Additionally, he pioneered “Car Talk Radio” over 40 years ago, starting out with KMOX/CBS Radio as well as hosted “Auto Talk” on KFTK/FOX News Radio for some 15-years. David tests and evaluates new vehicles weekly and also does some consulting with various auto manufactures, both import as well as with domestic nameplates.

2017 ‘Cutesy’ Jeep Renegade offers plenty of power and versatility

The 2016 small “city size-cutesy” SUV Jeep Renegade is a vehicle that builds on the Jeep Wrangler’s powerful and under-lining reputation. It features fresh, new artistic styling and a rugged body design that sirens an aggressive yet charming looking footprint. It seats five plus it tends to have best-

in-class off road capabilities and fuel ef-ficiency with its posted highway mileage. The forward approach and departure angles are purposely designed to deliver what Jeep owners demand and certainly welcome when off-roading. The mag-netizing Renegade offers up engaging versatility, world class engineering, no-table maneuverability and head-turning, dreamy styling. All of this coupled with innovative safety

and advanced technologies help to frame the description of Renegade. It tends to symbolize the Jeep’s American-branded design and heritage that goes back to its 1941 roots. And for dazzling exclusive panoramic views, two available “My Sky” open-air roof panel systems conveniently stow to provide passengers that wel-comed open-air freedom with ease. The exterior certainly is “all Jeep” with

its branding DNA, including the tradi-tional front end and rounded headlamps. Under the heading of technology, their

Uconnect Access system utilizes embed-ded cellular technology to allow occu-pants to get directly in contact with local emergency services with the push of the 9-1-1 overhead-assist button. It also al-lows the driver to instantly gain access to a roadside assistance operator. The well-thought-out interior should

appeal to most that have an active life-style with their regular routine. The reconfigurable electronic color gauge cluster is easy to use and operate. Qual-ity materials used alongside bright colors will help allure you behind the wheel. Powering the new Renegade is one of

two different engines. Their refined 2.4-li-ter I-4 engine uses an electro-hydraulic fully variable valve timing system. This

high-tech engine produces 180 horse-power. It’s paired exclusively to a nine-speed automatic transmission. With this 2.4 engine, this vehicle can safely tow up to 2,000 pounds, making it ideal for pull-ing personal-size boats, trailers or out-doors camping equipment. Additionally, they make available their 1.4-liter Multi-Air Turbo four-cylinder engine. It gener-ates 160 horsepower to provide a spirited driving experience overall. It’s offered on Renegade Sport and Latitude 4X2 and 4X4 models. It’s linked with a six-speed manual gearbox. Renegade is available with up to 70 safety and security fea-tures, including the segment’s first avail-ability of Forward Collision Warning-Plus and LaneSense Departure Warning-Plus. This adorable Jeep is sold in more than

100 countries worldwide and it’s manu-factured at their plant in Melfi, Italy alongside of Fiat-branded vehicles. Rene-gade comes with a three-year/36,000 mile base warranty and with five-year/100,000 mile powertrain coverage. At road test, the 2016 “tantalizing” Renegade Limited 4X4 with the automatic transmission I drove had an MSRP of $31,120 after a few options and the $995 destination charges added. With the 2.4 - liter engine, it got 21-mpg city/29-mpg highway.

Automobile Alley


Jumping into the ring of homeownership is an exciting milestone. There are many ways owning a home can impact you and your family. How do you know when to rent and when to make the move to purchasing your home? Here to help is our handy guide to the pros and cons to renting and owning a home.

RentingCons:1. No wealth creation. As your payments

go directly to your landlord and not the specific property, you are unable to build equity and reap the return on investments from the home’s growing value.2. No tax benefits. While homeowners

can deduct property taxes and mortgage interest payments from their federal income tax, renters can’t claim deductions for hous-ing costs. 3. Dependent on the landlord. For ev-

erything ranging from utilities, to paint, to the rent dollars themselves, your landlord makes the majority of the decisions when it comes to renting a home. Depending on your lease, your landlord can increase the rent each year, or month. Pros:1. Accommodates flexible lifestyles. If

you travel frequently for work, leisure, or medical care, you may not have the time or availability to take care of a home. Renting allows an affordable accommodation with-out any hassle of renovations or repairs. 2. Freedom in allocating finances. For

renters, expenses such as mortgage insur-ance, real estate taxes, and home mainte-nance costs, can instead be funneled into savings, stocks or discretionary funds after the monthly rent and utilities are paid. 3. Reduced insurance costs. Apart from

renters insurance that covers the interior of a home, costly homeowners insurance and unexpected repairs belongs to the landlord, not the tenant.

BuyingCons:1. Unexpected costs. Leaky roofs, backed-

up pipes, and cracking foundations create thousands of dollars worth of unplanned repairs that stretch your budget to the limit.2. You’re locked in. Once you sign on the

dotted line the house is yours, and so are the payments. 3. Fluctuating home value. Despite your

best efforts, your home can become less marketable based on circumstances out of your control. A declining neighborhood,

housing surplus, or unstable market can de-crease the value of your home despite well done renovations.Pros:1. Fixed monthly payments. Homeown-

ers with fixed-rate mortgages can trust that their mortgage payment will stay consistent each month, enabling the creation of a sta-ble monthly budget.2. Financial gains. From tax credits to eq-

uity building, home ownership offers buyers a number of monetary perks and freedoms they wouldn’t receive as tenants.3. Freedom in expression. A kitchen re-

model, a four-season porch addition, and other decorative transformations are all up to a homeowner’s discretion with no strings attached to a lease agreement.


Advertiser Profiles

By JENNy KRESTELJenny Krestel is Asst. VP/Loan Officer for Peoples Bank & Trust Co.NMLS # 14113851310 N. Main Street O’Fallon, MO 63366(636) 980-1777 | www.pbtc.net

&PROS COnS

Weighing the

of buying a home


WESTErN ST. ChArLES COUNTY ChAMBEr OF COMMErCEBusiness

Western St. Charles County Chamber selects four scholarship recipients The Western St. Charles County Chamber

of Commerce selected four local students to receive scholarships this year. The four stu-

dents selected were: William Rackers from Holt High School, Mikaylin Padilla from Holt High School, Rachel Neff from Holt

High School, and Emilee Long from Timber-land High School. “The Western St. Charles County Cham-

ber’s 690 members are very supportive of helping our local students succeed in their career goals,” said Tony Mathews, President/CEO of the Western St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce. “Our chamber is very proud to award our scholarships to four deserving students.” The chamber awards four $750 scholar-

ships each May.For information please call the chamber

office at 636-327-6914 or visit their website http://westernstcharlescountychamber.com.

By Russ Patton, owner of Byerly RV

Advertiser Profiles

We hear so much about quality time. But it’s the quantity of time we really want. As quality usurps quantity there is so little time to enjoy the freedom that makes America the envy of the world. I knew a family that didn’t have a lot of “quantity” measured

by money and things. But every summer when Carter Car-buretor closed down for three weeks, the family would pack up everything into their Byerly trailer and head out. Over 20 years, they visited Mount Rushmore, Devils Tower, the Ever-glades, Mesa Verde, Mackinaw Island, the Calgary Stampede and more. Campgrounds weren’t like they are now, but the Warrens traveled in relative luxury in their 1954, 16 foot, Byer-ly Mansion. Today we don’t have to rough it. New RVs and Campgrounds

make traveling a breeze. But, what an experience! you can’t explain the feeling of the warmth of the sun on the top half of your body while the bottom shivers from the cold of the glacier you are standing on. you can’t understand “improvise” until you build a s’more campfire from nothing more than nitrogen rich dried up cow pies! you can’t explain the relativity of comfort un-

til you’ve bathed in a Colorado stream with icicles hanging from the overhanging vegetation. you can’t really “feel” America until you’ve walked the walk, shared the vistas and hit the road.you can see the old original Byerly trailer on display at our lot in

Eureka. Check us out at www.byerlyrv.com and visit us on Face-book. Byerly, the Center of the RV World.

‘Quantity Time’an old-fashioned idea

Photo courtesy Byerly RV


Business

Serving Wentzville, Lake St. Louis, and Dardenne Prairie

By TONy MATHEWSTony Mathews is the President and CEO of the Western St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce

For more on any of this information or the chamber in general, please call the chamber office

at 636.327.6914 or visit the website http://westernstcharlescountychamber.com.

Located at 207 South Linn Avenue in Wentzville.

Chamber Back to School Family Fair on July 30 at Morning Star Church

The Western St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce will be hosting their Fourth Annual Back to School Family Fair on July 30 from 8 a.m. – noon at Morning Star Church. Morning Star is located at 1600 Feise Road in Dardenne Prairie. Free school supplies will be given out to children at the event.

Each booth will feature a fun activity for children to participate in. you will have the opportunity to learn about great business-es in the area and discover how those businesses can serve your needs. The following will be featured at the event: free school sup-plies, meet characters, 1,500 free drawstring backpacks for kids, free breakfast pastries and hot dogs, Wentzville Fire Protection District fire trucks, St. Charles County Ambulance district ambu-lances, free bike helmets, activities for children - face painting and more, giveaways and prizes.If you are a local business and would like a booth at the fair

please contact the chamber at 636-327-6914 or visit them online at http://westernstcharlescountychamber.com. Booths start at only $85. The fair had over 4,000 people attend last year, so it is a great way to market your business or organization. This year’s focus is on our local families. “We are very excited

to see our local residents receive free school supplies, gather information from local business, and have a great time!” said Tony Mathews, President/CEO of the chamber. “The Western St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce strives to help our com-munity and help our local businesses connect with consumers.” This will be a fun-filled day for families to gather information,

coupons and giveaways from local businesses and groups as they prepare to return to school. For more information please call the chamber office at 636-327-6914 or visit http://westernstcharles-countychamber.com.

Wentzville EDC Business SpotlightThe Drift Float Spa

located in Down-town Wentzville is owned by Scott and Stephanie Ramirez. The business recent-ly opened in avail-able space at 120 West Pearce Blvd. The space is a safe, comfortable and peaceful place to re-lax and unwind.

Drift Float Spa of-fers float therapy, as

well as, massage therapy. The “sensory deprivation tank” provides total relaxation. The owners like the small town feel of the downtown area. They are encouraged by the plan to continue improvements in the area. Come visit for a truly unique float experience.


“We’ve always believed we weren’t alone. On July 4th, we’ll wish we were.”

That was the tagline back in 1996.Two decades later…

“We had twenty years to prepare. So did they.”

It’s hard to believe the opening of “Inde-pendence Day” was nearly twenty years ago coming this July 3. I remember the day I first saw it in a packed theater as it opened a day early (July 2). This was before stadium seating was even a thing, by the way, as I sat nearly close to the front with – what felt like – tall people sitting around me (I was fourteen at the time) blocking some parts of my view of the big screen.

None of those flaws mattered. The movie-going experience of this film

(along with “Twister” earlier that same sum-mer of ‘96) certified my love for the movies for life at this point. I’ve never felt the experi-ence of such excitement in a theater in my life at that time. While discussing the wild audi-ence reactions to the film with my parents af-terwards, they mentioned that this was what their experience was like when “Star Wars” was first released. I would never realize in time how difficult and rare it is for a science fiction – or disaster – flick to be this good. Time did tell us exactly that as the years went by as other disaster movies came and went years after.

So what amazing production crew had the connections to pull off a film of this size and magnitude back in the mid 90’s? It wasn’t Spielberg and company (who executive pro-

duced “Twister” that year) and it wasn’t even George Lucas and the motion picture visual effects company he founded, Industrial Light & Magic (also involved in “Twister”).

The director was Roland Emmerich – who was only known for his films “Stargate” and “Universal Soldier” and he did not rely on one visual effects company, but multiple artists of his choosing. According to Visual Effects Headquarters (at www.vfxhq.com), the movie “contains more than 500 effects shots, combining computer generated imag-ery, digital compositing, digital matte paint-ings and traditional miniature model effects (the most ever used in cinematic history of its time), among other techniques. The sheer amount of effects shots makes it the biggest effects film of the 1990’s.”

Heck, this approach made this massive production cost well under a hundred mil-lion dollars (at $75 million). Even “Twister” cost more to make overall at $92 million. “Independence Day” took home the Acad-emy Award for Best Visual Effects defeating Lucas’ ILM team of both “DragonHeart” and “Twister.”

On June 24 “Independence Day: Resur-gence” – the long awaited sequel to the nearly twenty-year-old-phenomenon – is fi-nally here and the pressure is really on to see if this film can even match the greatness and impact of the original.

Who will be back for the sequel alongside director Roland Emmerich? The returning cast members are: Jeff Goldblum (as David Levinson), Judd Hirsch (as Julius Levinson), Bill Pullman (as President Whitmore), Vivica A. Fox (as Jasmine) and surprisingly Brent

Spiner (as Dr. Brakish Okun).Some key players who are not returning

are Will Smith (in his ultimate career-making role as Captain Steven Hiller), film composer David Arnold (replaced by Emmerich’s long-term collaborator Harold Kloser - and Thom-as Wanker) and Mae Whitman (shockingly wasn’t asked to reclaim her role as Patricia Whitmore as “It Follows” Maika Monroe was cast instead). As a fan of Whitman’s work I suspect she will find more big breaks on her own instead and she already has the credits to prove it (see her performances in “The DUFF” and the former TV series, “Parent-hood” for starters).

This could be a huge breakout performance for Monroe though as other newcomers in big roles joins her. There is Liam Hemsworth (as Jake Morrison) and Jessie Usher (taking over the role as Dylan Hiller – Jasmine’s son), Sela Ward (as President Lanford), Joey King (as Sam), William Fichner (as General Ad-ams), Charlotte Gainsbourg (as Dr. Catherine Marceaux), among many others.

Despite some doubts of my own, I really do hope “Resurgence” lives up to the origi-nal film. I would be just fine if that happens. Either way, it shall be seen. Until then, “check-mate.”“Independence Day: Resurgence” photos courtesy Twentieth Century Fox

Entertainment

‘Independence Day’ resurges (with a sequel) after twenty years

By BRIAN GUERREROBrian Guerrero is a former resident of Los Angeles and a current resident of New York City with extensive experience in front of and behind the camera for film and television.


For the Love of Food

Directions: Place spinach in large salad bowl. Top with grapes, oranges and onion.

Whisk together dressing, orange juice and jam.

Pour over salad and toss until greens are coated with dressing. Top with crunchy noodles.

Serving suggestion: Add noodles just before serving to maintain crunchy texture.

Light, refreshing flavors are the perfect solution for a summer meal. As temperatures heat up,

take your summer entertaining to the next level with a secret ingredi-ent that is as pretty as it is tasty.

Alone or in a recipe, grapes from California are a deliciously healthy way to bring refreshing flavor to the summertime table. Delightful as a cool snack, grapes are also a great choice for your entertaining menu because they pair well with so many other ingredients.

You may be surprised by all of the combinations of flavors and textures you can achieve, from main dishes to sides and even des-serts. Impress your guests with this mouthwatering lineup featuring grapes that includes a grilled flank steak, an extra fresh classic salad and an unexpectedly sweet but sa-vory sorbet.

Find more refreshing recipes for summer entertaining at Grapes-fromCalifornia.com.

Easy Ideas for a Summer Party

• Create cozy seating arrange-ments complete with cushions and ample shade so guests can laugh and chat in comfort.

• Be sure to create pops of col-or with your tableware and food. Available in three vibrant hues – red, green and black – grapes make a beautiful cen-terpiece and colorful addition to any menu.

• When you need a simple ap-petizer, grapes are as easy as it gets. Ripe and ready when you bring them home, give them a rinse, place them in a pretty bowl and you’ve got an edible centerpiece in seconds.

• Keep the festive mood strong by adding some ambient light. Whimsical paper lanterns or strings of white or colored lights lend a playful touch to parties after dark.

Savory Black Grape SorbetServings: 4

Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds (4 cups) black California seedless grapes, washed and stemmed 1/4 cup sugar 2 tablespoons vodka 2 tablespoons lemon juice 8 large basil leaves pinch of salt

Directions: In food processor or blender, puree grapes and sugar until smooth. Pour into small saucepan and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until mixture has reduced by about one-third, about 15 minutes. Stir in vodka, lemon juice, basil and salt then let cool to room temperature.

Pour mixture into shallow pan and freeze until hard, 3-4 hours. Transfer to food processor or blender and process until smooth and creamy, and lightened in color. Serve immediately.

Simply Sweet Summer EntertainingGrape and Spinach Salad with Raspberry Balsamic Dressing

Servings: 8Ingredients: 8 cups fresh baby spinach, washed 4 1/2 cups California grapes 1 1/4 cups mandarin orange segments (drained, if using canned) 1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion 3/4 cup bottled light balsamic vinegar and oil dressing 1/4 cup orange juice 3 tablespoons raspberry jam 3/4 cup crunchy chow mein noodles

Grape Basil MartiniServings: 1

Ingredients: 3 basil leaves, torn, plus additional for garnish5 green grapes, halved, plus addi-

tional for garnish2 ounces gin1/4 oz Essencia 1 oz lemon juice1 oz simple syrupice

Directions: In cocktail shaker, muddle basil and grapes with gin. Add Essencia, lemon juice and simple syrup, and shake gently. Strain into

rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with basil leaf and float two grapes on top. Serve.


Our own Laurie Simon joined the crowd and walked in Wentzville’s Walk to Stop Heroin on the morning of May 14 in Wentzville. The goal of this walk was to raise awareness and connect the community with the

available resources in hopes that someone will not try heroin – not even once.

Wentzville’s Walk to Stop HeroinPhoto Op

PhOTOS BY LAURiE SimON

Community Calendar


3 – Food Truck Frenzy in Sports ParkPurchase gourmet fare from food trucks and listen to modern rock and current hits by the Comin’ Up Empty band from 5 - 8 p.m. at Sports Park in O’Fallon at 3589 Highway K. Free admis-sion and parking. For a list of food trucks, visit www.ofallon.mo.us/food-truck-frenzy. For weather updates call 636-379-5614. For more information visit www.ofallon.mo.us/food-truck-frenzy.

5 – Family Fishing DayBring your bait and fishing tackle to Lake Whetsel for a morning of catch-and-release fishing, activities and games at Family Fish-ing Day from 8 a.m. – noon at Fort Zumwalt Park at 1000 Jessup Drive in O’Fallon. Cost is free, but please register in advance; call staff at 636-474-2732 to register or visit www.ofallon.mo.us/parks&rec/fort-zumwalt-park.

6 – D-Day

7 – Outdoor concertO’Fallon Jammin’ concert with Butch Wax & the Hollywoods and featuring Theo Peoples takes place from 6:30 – 9 p.m. at Civic Park at 308 Civic Park Drive in O’Fallon. Listen to oldies, Motown, R& B and rock ‘n roll. Bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating around the bandstand and purchase delicious food from food trucks and vendors. An ADA-accessible playground, restrooms and walking path are located nearby. Check the Jam-min’ website for the complete list of bands and your favorite food trucks. For weather updates call 636-379-5614. For more information visit www.ofallon.mo.us/jammin.

10-11 – Theater productionThe O’FallonTheatreWorks’ youth Theatre presents “The Cri-sis of Captain Cross” on June 10 at 7 p.m. and on June 11 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at O’Fallon Municipal Centre (City Hall) at 100 North Main St. in O’Fallon. Tickets reserved in advance are $10 for general admission, $8 for seniors (age 55-and-up) and $8 for students six – 17. Tickets at the box office cost an additional $2 each; the box office opens an hour before each show. Conces-sions also will be available for purchase. For tickets call the Re-naud Spirit Center at 636-474-2732 or visit www.ofallon.mo.us/parks&rec/ofallontheatreworks.

14 – Flag Day

14 – Outdoor concertO’Fallon Jammin’ concert with Petty Cash Junction takes place from 6:30 – 9 p.m. at Civic Park at 308 Civic Park Drive in O’Fallon. Listen to the music of Tom Petty and Johnny Cash performed by this outstanding cover band.

June:16-18 – Theater productionO’FallonTheatreWorks presents “The Lady Pirates of Captain Bree” on June 16-17 at 7 p.m.; June 18 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at O’Fallon Municipal Centre (City Hall) at 100 North Main St. in O’Fallon. Tickets reserved in advance are $10 for general ad-mission, $8 for seniors (age 55-and-up) and $8 for students six – 17. Tickets at the box office cost an additional $2 each; the box office opens an hour before each show. Concessions also will be available for purchase. For tickets and information call the Renaud Spirit Center, 636-474-2732 or visit www.ofallon.mo.us/parks&rec/ofallontheatreworks.

18 – Free electronics and appliance recycling eventFree electronics and appliance recycling event takes place from 8 a.m. – noon at the west parking lot at T.R. Hughes Ballpark at 900 T.R. Hughes Boulevard in O’Fallon. Except for certain TV sets, the drop-off is free and open to all including schools, churches and businesses. Bring almost any item that has an electrical cord or takes a battery. For details visit www.ofallon.mo.us/electronics-recycling.

19 – Father’s Day

20 – First Day of Summer

20-24 – Vacation bible schoolCave Quest Vacation Bible School takes place at Wentzville Christian Church from 6 - 8:45 p.m. each night. VBS is free and open to the public for three year olds through fifth graders. For more information, call the church office at 636-327-6622 and register at wentzvillecc.org/VBS. The church is located at 1507 Highway Z in Wentzville.

21 – Outdoor concertO’Fallon Jammin’ concert with Big Rain takes place from 6:30 – 9 p.m. at Civic Park at 308 Civic Park Drive in O’Fallon. Big Rain will play current hits.

28 – Outdoor concertO’Fallon Jammin’ concert with the O’Fallon Community Con-cert Band and the O’Fallon Jazz Band takes place from 6:30 – 9 p.m. at Civic Park at 308 Civic Park Drive in O’Fallon. Listen to the sound of music from the movies, pops, jazz and big band, live.

www.treesbywoody.net

www.pbtc.net

www.BabyFaces.com

crossroads: june 2016

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