All Entries Tagged With: "Sunday news clips"
Sunday News Clips: 2/14
Happy Valentine’s Day, NOCO fans! There’s a lot to report today…
• In case you haven’t seen it yet, the St. Louis Business Journal published a potentially explosive story this week, raising questions about possible conflicts of interest in the proposed Riverview Casino development in unincorporated North County. The entire article is only available online to subscribers, but you can find the Business Journal at libraries and newsstands.
Credit: St. Louis Business Journal
Essentially, the story reveals two sticky facts: One, that Pipefitters Local 562 owns a 365-acre recreational complex just north of the proposed casino site. And two, that St. Louis County Councilman Mike O’Mara, who voted in favor of rezoning the proposed site to allow the casino project to move forward, has been a member of that same local since 1984.
In fact, O’ Mara served as Local 562′s assistant business manager for 15 years, from 1992 to 2007, and is now an international representative of the United Association of Plumbers, Pipefitters and Sprinklerfitters.
So…let’s see here. You’ve got a union that, by its own admission, has 500 dues-paying members out of work, trying to maintain a massive recreational complex and golf course in a remote corner of North County, where there has been virtually no new development in many years. It’s no wonder the Pipefitters support the casino.
The question is, what (if anything) are they doing behind the scenes to ensure the development goes through? And why the heck hasn’t Mike O’Mara recused himself from the process? If the rumors and tips I’m hearing from dozens of local residents are any indication, you can expect this story to get MUCH more interesting. Stay tuned.
• If you saw the Grammy’s recently, chances are you saw a NoCo native in action! Drummer Kim Thompson, a 1999 Pattonville High School graduate, performed with Beyonce as a member of her all-female band. Thompson is a renowned jazz drummer who has played with many top musicians. She also received a 2006 Grammy nomination for jazz composition for her work on Mike Stern’s “Who Let the Cats Out?” Go, KIM!
• Got a pair of old eyeglasses that you’re not using anymore? UMSL’s Pre-Optometry Student Club is working with two other student organizations to hold an eyeglasses drive this week. Donations, which can be dropped off at the Millennium Student Center Bridge or Marillac Hall, will benefit needy people in Haiti and other developing countries. For more info, call (314) 516-6030. Donations must be received by February 19.
• Thanks to a nomination from Forest ReLeaf, an organization dedicated to preserving urban forests, Little Creek Nature Area and the Ferguson-Florissant School District are set to receive a 2010 Missouri Arbor Award of Excellence from the Missouri Department of Conservation. The award recognizes projects that show outstanding stewardship of trees. And Little Creek, of course, is a 97-acre outdoor classroom that boasts a farm, prairie and beautiful forest land.
Hazelwood North eighth-grader Tyler White has performed with the Black Rep Theatre for six years.
• Tyler and Alexis White, two sisters who attend Hazelwood schools, recently performed in the Black Rep‘s production of “Black Nativity” by Langston Hughes, marking their sixth year with the nation’s largest African-American theatre company. Tyler, an eighth-grader at Hazelwood North Middle School, and Alexis, a sophomore at Hazelwood Central, will also appear in the Rep’s summer production of “The Me Nobody Knows,” which runs from June 2 – July 2.
• If you’re looking for great way to meet some interesting people and learn a lot about organic gardening, make your way to the EarthDance Community Potluck on February 21. Open to all, this fun, casual event will let you share a delicious meal with the 2010 Freshman Farmies from EarthDance’s organic farming apprenticeship program.
Following the botanical theme of the meal, you’re encouraged to bring a potluck dish based on the letter of your last name. If your last name begins with the letters A, B, or C: bring a dish that contains at least 1 ingredient from the Ameryllidaceae family (Alliums). For other letters…
D, E, or F: Chenapodiaceae family. G or H: Cruciferae family. I or J: Compositae family. K or L: Cucurbhaceae family. M, N, O, or P: Solanaceae family. Q, R, or S: Gramineae family. T, U, or V: Umbelliferae family. W, X, Y, or Z: Leguminosae family
The potluck will be held Sunday, February 21, from 4:30-6pm at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 33 N. Clay, Ferguson, 63135. For questions, call EarthDance at (314) 521-1006.
IWA's varsity Knightline dance team
• For the second time in recent years, the Incarnate Word Academy Knightline squad qualified to participate in the National Dance Team championships in Orlando, Florida. Despite not advancing past the primaries, the girls were honored to be selected for this prestigious tournament, which features hundreds of teams from across the United States.
• Following a lengthy selection process, the city of Ferguson announced this week that it has hired St. Louis County Police Captain Tom Jackson to serve as its new police chief. Jackson, who replaces retired chief Tom Moonier, is a lifelong North County resident with 30 years in law enforcement. His lovely wife, Pat, was featured in my story on St. Stanislaus Museum, and I’m hoping to do a full feature on him very soon.
• Over in Hazelwood, it’s the fire department making news. Battalion Chief David Gulley announced on Thursday that the Hazelwood Fire Department EMS Division recently earned its Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) state certification, meaning that crews have upgraded their equipment and training to better respond to emergencies involving children. Hazelwood joins 13 other ambulance services in the St. Louis area in achieving this distinction.
• Finally, I’m excited to report that NOCO will soon have its very own comic strip, created by talented NoCo artists Mary Nichols and Steve Lawson. The work of Mary and Steve is always a highlight at the NAC Gallery in Ferguson, so I hope you’ll enjoy the latest creative endeavor from this dynamic couple!
Sunday News Clips: 1/31
I slept through most of Sunday with a bad cold, but no worries, the news clips are here! A day late but still fresh…
• Recent fundraisers all across North County have generated thousands of dollars for good causes. To help Haitian earthquake victims, students at Jana Elementary School raised $1,600 for the American Red Cross, while Saturday’s NoCo for Haiti benefit concert at the Savoy in Ferguson raised $3,000 for Doctors Without Borders. Employees of the Hazelwood School District have also been quite generous, raising more than $35,000 for the United Way of Greater St. Louis, bringing their total donations since 1975 to $825,000. Wow!
• Astronaut Robert Behnken, a 1988 Pattonville High School graduate and U.S. Air Force Lt. Colonel, will soon make his second trip on the space shuttle Endeavor, serving as a NASA mission specialist as his crew docks with the International Space Station. Launching at 4:39pm EST on February 7, Behnken, who still has family in St. Ann and Hazelwood, will perform three space walks during the 13-day mission. His first trip to space was in March 2008, and let me tell you, if you want to read an inspiring biography, read his! This NoCo native is an extremely accomplished man who we should all be very proud of. [Lt. Col. Behnken, if you want to broadcast your North County pride from outer space, I will gladly send you a NoCo sticker!]
Storyteller Bobby Norfolk
• As part of the Black History Month celebration at St. Louis Community College, the Flo Valley campus will host a free performance by Emmy award-winning storyteller Bobby Norfolk. At 11am on Thursday, February 4, Norfolk (who is very entertaining!) will present “Drums and Music of Africa,” a vibrant, interactive musical experience featuring drumming, dance and living history. Take the kids to see this show – inside the Student Center Multipurpose Room.
• The battle over Bridgeton’s proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter has made national news. This weekend, the Huffington Post ran an article questioning why the country’s 117th richest person, billionaire Stan Kroenke, needs to request nearly $8 million in tax increment financing (TIF) to fund his new development. “Given the foul mood the public is in regarding bail outs for the rich, it’s a wonder this proposal has any legs left,” wrote the article’s author.
Catch a screening of the St. Louis roller-skating documentary, The Rink, on February 10.
• If you missed seeing The Rink at last year’s St. Louis International Film Festival, you’ll soon have a chance to watch this great local documentary with its director, DJ Ron “G-Whiz” Butts. At 11am on Wednesday, February 10, Flo Valley will host a free screening of this fun film, which showcases the African-American roller-skating tradition in St. Louis and East St. Louis during the disco era. What an interesting and enjoyable slice of local history! The film will be shown in Private Dining Room B inside the Student Center.
• If you’ve always wanted to see an opera at the Touhill but couldn’t afford the tickets, it’s your lucky day! This weekend, UMSL’s Opera Theatre will host two free performances, each featuring some of the opera world’s most celebrated love songs. Come hear pieces from Carmen, La Traviata, Manon and more, all in the beauty of the Touhill’s Lee Theater. For more info about “L’Amour,” which runs Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm, call (314) 516-4949.
• Bridgeton Parks & Rec is hosting two fun events for kids and their parents in February. On Friday the 12th, girls ages 5-12 can bring their favorite adult male to the Sweetheart Ball, an evening of dinner and dancing for just $25 per couple ($30 for non-residents). Then, on February 20, boys ages 3-8 and their favorite adult can participate in the Dinosaur Dig, an afternoon of crafts, snacks and swimming. Registration is $20 ($25 for non-residents). For more info about either event, call (314) 739-5599.
Pi Day returns to the Metamo4ic Math Center on March 13.
• Scout troops, home-school groups and other nonprofit organizations looking to raise funds are invited to host a booth at the Metamo4ic Math Center‘s annual Pi Day festival on March 13. This year’s theme is “Pi Minus 1/100″ (in honor of the 3.13 date that doesn’t quite equal Pi), and some of the day’s activities will include Pi trivia, face painting, a kite decorating and flying contest, a puppet show, a pie eating contest and Ping-Pong Pandemonium. If you want to register for a booth or sign up for the kite contest, the deadlines are February 20 and 26, respectively. All are welcome at this family-friendly math celebration, so don’t miss it!
• Finally, it’s not really news, but I just wanted to take a brief moment to thank the generous local businesses that have stepped up as NOCO sponsors: CORK Wine Bar, Vincenzo’s Italian Ristorante, Hendel’s Market Cafe and Farmers Insurance agent Martin Menke. CORK and Vincenzo’s are both owned by my friend Mike Lonero, who has been supporting revitalization and new ideas in Ferguson for many years. Hendel’s, of course, is a North County classic, renowned for its fine cuisine and now its cozy new piano bar, which hosts live music every Thursday through Saturday. And Martin Menke is not only my personal insurance agent (and a classically trained trumpet maestro), he’s also my neighbor and dear friend. I am proud to support all of these great businesses and to have them as advertisers!
Because NOCO is all original content, not just verbatim press releases like some local newspapers, it demands a lot of time. So I truly appreciate the small monthly investment that these sponsors make to support my mission and North County in general. If your business would like to sponsor NOCO and reach the nearly 20,000 people who visit this site multiple times every month, ads start at just $65. Please email me for more info: shannon@nocostl.com. Thank you!!
Sunday News Clips: 1/17
• Have you ever considered running for public office? If so, and you’re a woman, UMSL’s Sue Shear Institute for Women in Public Life is hosting a two-day workshop designed for those interested in being an elected official or working on a campaign. Led by women who have held office and managed successful campaigns, the non-partisan “Pipeline to Public Office” seminar will provide instruction on how to raise money, communicate effectively and develop a winning plan. It will run from 6-9pm on January 26 and 28, and if you register by this coming Friday, the fee is $50. For more info, visit this site or call (314) 516-5974.
• High school seniors who live in Florissant, Hazelwood, Black Jack and unincorporated North County are eligible to receive one of five $1,000 scholarships from The Greater North County Chamber of Commerce. Since its inception, the scholarship program has awarded more than $30,000, with money going to students who demonstrate a commitment to North County and a record of community service. To apply or get more info, visit the chamber’s website. Applications are due February 26, 2010.
• The St. Louis County Economic Council recently announced BOOST, an innovative small business loan that offers fewer eligibility requirements than a traditional SBA 504 loan. The first of its kind in the United States, this alternative financing program, which does not factor in your income, net worth or personal liquidity limits, can be used to cover the costs of commercial real estate and/or equipment. The SLCEC is hoping that BOOST will spur new business development and expansion, and thereby create more jobs, in St. Louis County.
One of many images featured in the upcoming "Russian St. Louis" photography exhibit at UMSL
• More than 17,000 Russian immigrants now call St. Louis home, and a group of them recently met over the course of 10 weeks to learn digital photography and capture what being Russian in St. Louis means to them. UMSL’s Public Policy Research Center will soon feature an exhibit of those images, with a goal of encouraging people to take a closer look at their community and to celebrate the diversity within it. Running from January 26 through March 14, the show will be held in the PPRC Photography Project Gallery, 427 Social Sciences and Business Building, from 6am-11pm daily.
• A citizens’ group calling itself No Wal-Mart in Bridgeton is actively fighting against the city of Bridgeton’s proposed use of up to $8 million in tax increment financing (TIF) to help Wal-Mart build a Supercenter on the site of the former Value City/Grandpa Pigeon’s. Members of the group oppose the use of public financing to support the world’s largest retailer, while city officials and the developer argue that the new Wal-Mart could generate an estimated $7 million per year in sales and property tax revenue.
Meanwhile, city officials in St. Ann also oppose the proposed Supercenter, claiming that the closure of the current Wal-Mart on St. Charles Rock Road would devastate their community financially. Only ten-percent of the store actually sits in St. Ann, but it generates substantial tax revenue for the city, which is already set to lose $216,000 annually from the closure of Macy’s at Northwest Plaza.
• The 1 And Only Restaurant, which was featured on NOCO back in November, was recently spotlighted in a nice little video segment on KSDK. You can check out the clip, which discusses the St. Ann restaurant’s mostly organic offerings, right here.
• If you’re the parent of a young child (pre-K and under), the Ferguson-Florissant School District’s Parents as Teachers program (PAT) can offer you free education and family support, aimed to enrich your child’s development. On Saturday, January 30, PAT will host a free screening to check your child’s health, vision, hearing and general progress. Information about other community resources for parents and children will also be available. 10am-noon at the James J. Eagan Civic Center, #1 James J. Eagan Drive, 63033
The newly constructed Plaza at 501 in Ferguson
• Construction on Ferguson’s new outdoor gathering space, the Plaza at 501, is mostly complete. But in order for the city to receive an additional $50,000 toward the project, residents and other interested parties are being asked to match the grant by purchasing commemorative paver bricks that will be installed at the site.
Emerson and Great Rivers Greenway generously donated $250,000 to create the new facility, which covers roughly two acres at 501 S. Florissant Road and will be used for outdoor concerts and other events, but Emerson will only provide the extra $50,000 if Ferguson can raise $22,000 (or $1 per resident) on its own.
Bricks cost $100 each and can be engraved with any name or phrase you choose – three lines max, up to 18 letters each. So why not support this great new community asset and honor someone special at the same time? The deadline to order a brick is January 31.
• The city of Florissant will soon install solar panels on the roof of the ice rink at the James J. Eagan Civic Center, following the receipt of a $452,000 stimulus grant from the Department of Energy. The municipality also recently qualified for around $200,000 in community development grants, which will allow approximately 30 qualifying homeowners to make needed repairs to their homes and approximately 15 first-time homebuyers to receive assistance with their down payment. For more info, contact Florissant’s Community Development department or call (314) 839-7680.
(P.S. Like the newspaper dress in the opening photo? Go here for instructions on how to make it!)
NoCo Sunday News Clips: 1/3
• Looking to improve your finances in 2010? PROUD (People Reaching Out for Unity and Diversity) is teaming with First Baptist Church of Ferguson to offer a free money management seminar on Saturday, January 9 from 9am to noon. Experts from St. Louis Community Credit Union will speak on topics including checking and savings accounts, credit ratings, credit cards, identity theft prevention, and the real costs of payday lending. If you register by January 5, free childcare is even available. For more info, call (314) 521-1515. 333 N. Florissant Rd, 63135
• The Common Sense Coalition, an alliance of groups objecting to the proposed Riverview Casino near Spanish Lake is ramping up its efforts to protect the pristine natural beauty of the project site, which is directly adjacent to the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area. Volunteers are needed to help research the potential impact of the casino, prepare for legal challenges, increase visibility and spread the word. If you’d like to lend a hand, visit the coalition site for more info or email Kathleen Logan Smith at klogansmith@moenviron.org.
Local chess champ Isaiah Gadson
• Isaiah Gadson, a freshman at Pattonville High School, recently finished seventh out of 116 competitors at the 2009 National Youth Action Chess Tournament in Chicago. Gadson’s team, the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of St. Louis, beat out chess clubs from Minnesota and New York to take the first place title in the K-9 division. They also finished second in the K-12 blitz competition.
• Why not spend the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday doing something good for the community? On Monday, January 18, UMSL’s Office of Student Life is sponsoring an MLK Day of Service, with 18 projects involving painting, cleaning, teaching, fundraising and more throughout the NoCo area. All volunteers get free food and a t-shirt, and families can work as a team. To register by January 15, complete the sign-up form here.
Kristina Nguyen, NoCo ice skater extraordinaire
• Kristina Nguyen, an eighth-grader at Hazelwood West Middle School, recently earned a spot in the Junior Nationals figure skating competition, placing fifth out of more than 100 skaters at the Upper Great Lakes Regional meet. Skating since she was four years old, Nguyen is one of three competitive ice skaters in the Hazelwood School District to recently compete on a national level. Middle-schoolers Morgan Reichert and Gabbie Linehan both competed in the 2009 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships in Portland, Maine.
• Members of the Woodson Terrace Veterans Committee are engaged in an ongoing effort to send “care packages” to active military personnel. Their latest collection, which runs through January 15, will benefit 36 members of an Army platoon in Afghanistan. Items requested for donation include travel-sized toothpaste and Tylenol, toothbrushes, dental floss, black and blue ballpoint pens, men’s white crew socks, dice, and used magazines and paperback books. Donations can be dropped off at Woodson Terrace city hall: 9351 Guthrie Ave, 63134.
• Ferguson resident Mary Haux has created a delightful 2010 calendar for the Ferguson Citywalk District, with beautiful black and white images showcasing numerous locations around town. In fact, if you buy a calendar and can correctly identify all 36 photos featured in it, you’ll have a chance to win a $50 gift certificate for Ray Hill’s soon-to-open BrewHouse. Entries must be received by February 10, 2010, and you can email them to citywalk1@sbcglobal.net. Calendars are $12 each or two for $20 and they’re available at Ferguson City Hall, 110 Church St, or the Corner Coffee House, 100 N. Florissant. For more info on the calendars or the contest, call Mary at (314) 332-5546.
Are you getting ready for the big day? NOCO is a proud sponsor of the 3rd annual Live Well Ferguson 5K