Sunday News Clips: 3/14

• Well, it looks like there won’t be a new Ferguson CVS after all. Following months of opposition from a citizen group, which fought CVS’ proposal to tear down seven vintage homes at the corner of Hereford and N. Florissant, the pharmacy chain has officially scrapped plans to build a store on that site, Mayor Brian Fletcher reported at Tuesday’s council meeting. Word has it that CVS has also decided not to move forward on a proposed location in Florissant, but city officials from there and Ferguson are encouraging the developer to consider other sites.

NoCo's own Gabrielle Kniery

• If you’re not a fan of America’s Next Top Model on the CW, you may want to consider tuning in this season. Gabrielle Kniery, a 2009 Hazelwood Central graduate, is competing for the title in cycle 14, and already the judges are impressed by her unique look and extensive knowledge of the modeling industry. Born to a black father and German-American mother, Kniery has also appeared on local billboards promoting the Scholarshop. In vying for a spot on ANTM, she beat out thousands of other women to win first place in the runway competition. Go, Gabrielle!

• Are you a woman who has considered running for elected office? If so, don’t miss the “Statehouse Sisters” lecture coming up this week at UMSL, featuring an insider’s look at women in public life. Missouri state reps Rachel Storch, Sally Faith and Tishaura Jones will join state senator Robin Wright-Jones to discuss their experiences, as well as explore what the future holds for women in politics. The event, co-sponsored by the Sue Shear Institute for Women in Public Life, will be held March 19 at noon in the Century A room of the Millennium Student Center. Admission is free and open to the public.

• Since its founding in 1960, the Florissant Rotary Club has donated more than $4 million to local and international charities and granted “Dream Come True” wishes for 25 critically ill children. To celebrate its 50 years of distinguished service, the organization is hosting an anniversary party on April 10 and everyone in NoCo is invited. Buy a ticket for $60 and you’ll enjoy a full dinner at Yacovelli’s, an open bar, valet parking and music by local oldies band Sh-Boom. For more info, call (314) 921-2917.

• North County Incorporated is gearing up once again for its annual breakfast, where awards will be given to people and organizations who’ve made a positive impact on North County. NCI is asking the public to submit nominees for four different awards, and the deadline for nominations is Saturday, March 20. If you’d like to suggest someone for an award in Business Development, Community Development, Public Service or Leadership, just complete the form here. You can also follow the link to learn more about each category.

• Shattering the absurd notion that St. Louis Mills is a “dying mall,” Cabela’s there recently beat out 29 other locations nationwide to become the company’s Store of the Year AND Customer Service Store of the Year. Cabela’s founder and CEO both visited the Hazelwood location recently, rewarding two lucky employees with a truck and a boat. They also gave out thousands of dollars in other prizes. The Store of the Year award is given to the store that leads the company in operational efficiency.

• Congratulations to Laura Kasak, manager of the Florissant Valley branch of St. Louis County Library, for receiving the prestigious Mover/Shaker designation from the Library Journal. This is the second national award that Kasak has received in two years, and it recognizes librarians who have used innovative strategies to deal with challenges in the profession. Under Kasak’s guidance, the Flo Valley library has implemented a number of positive changes, leading to a 26% increase in circulation over the past year – more than any other branch in the library system.

• Jim Widner, director of jazz studies at UMSL, has performed in the renowned big bands of Stan Kenton, Woody Herman and Glen Miller, but this week he’s showing off his prowess as a conductor and teacher. On March 18, his UMSL Jazz Ensemble will perform a free concert at the Touhill, featuring standards by Kenton and Count Basie, among others. If you want to hear some great live music, the show starts at 7:30pm.

Ashley Rainey and her father, Joe

• Finally, a very touching story from the Hazelwood School District: Ashley Rainey, a third-grader at Cold Water Elementary, recently got a wonderful surprise when she returned to her classroom and found a special guest sitting in her desk: her father, Army Sergeant First Class Joe Rainey, who had just returned from Iraq! SFC Rainey, who serves with the 90th Sustainment BDE out of Little Rock, AR, hadn’t seen his family since July 2009 and initially wasn’t expected to return until May. But when he arrived at Lambert Airport last week, he and his wife decided to surprise Ashley, who, of course, was over the moon at being able to see her dad again. Welcome home, SFC Rainey!

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