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By Chris Fennewald, Editor for the Missouri Farm Bureau
Bass and catfish like to eat crayfish. Fishermen like to catch bass and catfish. Add a hook to that equation, and you’ve got a great combination. A proposed regulation by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will make it a crime to sell live crayfish for bait. This will put fishermen, as well as sporting goods stores that sell live bait, in a pinch.
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By Julie E. Lee, Vice President & National Director, AARP Driver Safety, Education and Outreach
If you are like many middle-aged or older drivers, it has probably been a few years since you first learned to drive and tested for your driver's license.
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The St. Charles County Parks Department formally dedicated its newest park development, Towne Park, situated along Highway 61 north of Wentzville, on Friday, May 11, during a ribbon cutting ceremony.
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Fleur de Lis Garden Society members refreshed the "Plant It Pink" planter at BJC Progress West HealthCare Center in O'Fallon, Mo. with a pink spring design. The planter can be seen by passersby outside the cafeteria and from Hwy 40.
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St. Charles County, Missouri –The St. Charles County Parks Department is teaming up with the Astronomical Society of Eastern Missouri (ASEM) to host a public viewing of a partial solar eclipse on Sunday, May 20, at Klondike Park, 4600 Highway 94 South in Augusta. Beginning at 7:25 p.m., for about an hour, the moon will obscure approximately 52 percent of the sun by sunset. Participants will have to walk up a fairly steep paved trail to get to the lookout bluff where the viewing area will take place, and are encouraged to bring a flashlight for the walk back down.
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The Boone Country Garden Club recently had the opportunity to learn how to care for hydrangeas from Kim Reiss of the St. Louis Hydrangea Society. Kim is a Hydrangea enthusiast having over 70 planted in her yard. She suggests that the most fool-proof sun loving hydrangeas to plant would be the Limelight, Little Lamb, Little Lime, Tardiva and Bombshell.
The most fool-proof part shade or dappled sun hydrangeas would be Hydrangea Anna-belle, Incrediball, Bella Anna, Invincibelle Spirit, Oakleaf Hydrangea, Alice, Snowflake, Snow Queen, and Pee Wee (dwarf).
Challenging Hydrangeas for part shade would be Hydrangea macrophylla (big leaf hydrangea), Nikko Blue, Endless Summer, and Pia.
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Second Lieutenant Shane Wright, son of Michael and Chris Wright of Augusta, recently competed in the Best Sapper Competition at Fort Leonard Wood. Shane and his team mate placed 9th out of 38 teams participating in the three day event. Sappers are Combat Engineers who have completed advanced training to qualify for the Sapper designation.
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On Sunday, May 27, 2012, in honor of Memorial Day, the congregation at St. John's United Church of Christ, Cappeln, will fly a flag at the church grounds which flew over Al Asad, Iraq on January 1, 2008. The flag was given to the church by William Phillips, a Navy Seabee, who happened to be the first recipient of coffee and other items from St. John's "Support Out Troops" Mission Project. Phillips is from St. Charles, Missouri and visited St. John's after his tour of duty in Iraq ended.
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Save Lives with New Melle Baptist Church by Giving Your Shoes the Boot!
Bring your used and new shoes to New Melle Baptist Church any time during the months of May and June and drop off in our marked bin by the front entrance. NEW MELLE BAPTIST with Shoeman Water Projects will turn your shoes into clean drinking water. Once collected, the shoes get a second life as affordable shoes in the developing world. Funds from the shoe sales purchases well drilling rigs, water purification systems, and other supplies to bring clean, fresh water to those in need.
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The Lake Saint Louis Volunteers in Medicine (VIM) clinic received a $2,000 Operation Round Up grant from the Cuivre River Electric Community Trust to provide medications for patients who require prescription assistance.
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ST. CHARLES MO – The St. Charles County Master Gardeners have released the June through September gardening class schedule.
The classes will be held at University of Missouri Extension Center, 260 Brown Road, St. Peters MO 63376. Upcoming topics include: tropical plants, daylilies, small water features, controlling moles, fall lawn renovation, organic gardening, native plants and more.
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The Federated Garden Clubs of Missouri, Inc. held it's 79th Annual Convention in Cape Girardeau, MO on April 24 - 26, 2012 at the Drury Lodge. Over 270 garden club members from all over Missouri attended the meeting. Guests included the National Garden Club President, Shirley Nicolai; the Central Region Director, Florence Smith; and the State President, Judy Sheets from Farmington,. MO
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The SSM St. Joseph Senior Dental Health Clinic in St. Charles received a $5,000 Operation Round Up grant to support their senior dental assistance program. “We’ve seen a dramatic increase in the number of senior citizens needing dental care,” said Lorraine Yehlen, Network Executive Director of Senior and Community Services. “The senior services program is a perfect match to our Mission at SSM-Through our exceptional health care services, we reveal the healing presence of God.” The Cuivre River Electric Community Trust has supported the clinic since 2001 with over $80,000 in Operation Round Up grants.
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Augusta Community Fire Department received a grant from the Enbridge Safe Community Program to purchase gas detectors. Through the Safe Community Program, Enbridge proudly supports emergency responders in area of operations throughout the United States and Canada. Enbridge also supports its neighbors through its philanthropy and the active involvement of employees in those programs in our host communities that focus on health & safety, education, environment, and culture & community.
Chief Bob Struckhoff expressed his appreciation to Enbridge Energy Co., Inc. for their support which allows the volunteers to better serve the members of the Augusta community.
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By Dianne Sudbrock
Over 100 artists from throughout the midwest participated in the 10th Annual Plein Air Art Event hosted by the Augusta Chamber of Commerce April 18-28, 2012. Over $7000 in prize money was awarded, and early estimates are that over $25,000 in art was sold.
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Jim and Kelly Winistoerfer have purchased “The Old School House” on Hwy. Z in New Melle and are planning to open a Wine Garden and Bistro (Seven Stones Wine Garden, LLC) in June of 2012. The building housed the first public school in New Melle from 1860 until 1952. As part of the interior decor, Jim and Kelly would like to display a time line featuring photos from the days when the building served as a public school. They would also like for any past students to contact them for a special guest opportunity. If you attended the school, or have old class photos or other historical information about the building, please contact Jim at 636-699-9598 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
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The congregation of Friedens Peace United Church of Christ in New Melle will celebrate the installation of Rev. Karen Eck as their pastor on Sunday, June 3, 2012 at 3 p.m. at the church (3560 Mill St.). Rev. Dr. Marc Wessels representing the Missouri Mid-South Conference and clergy from the Eastern Association will conduct the service. A reception will follow in the fellowship hall. The church warmly welcomes all in the community to this joyous event.
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By Dianne Sudbrock
Sales for Kräftig and Kräftig Light beer, flagship products of the William K. Busch Brewing Company, are exceeding expectations according to company Chairman Billy Busch. Launched in November, 2011, Kräftig and Kräftig Light are Premium American Lagers, designed to appeal to people who drink other American style lagers such as Budweiser, Bud Light, Coors and Coors Light, Miller and Miller Light.
Billy is the son of August A. “Gussie” Busch and great-grandson of Aldolphus Busch. I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with him and company Brewmaster, Marc Gottfried (who happens to live in Defiance) to talk about the new company and its two new beers.
When asked why he wanted to start a new brewing company Billy said, “My family has been brewing beer for 150 years, and I wanted to keep that wonderful tradition alive—in the family and in St. Louis.
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Garden Club member Diane Goodman is a Master Gardener and a Bee Keeper. Diane instructs on the importance of bees and what we can do with honey aside from enjoying its sweet taste on toast.
Grow a “Bee Garden” to help these little pollinators survive. You don’t need a lot of space and can actually provide beneficial plants in a container on the sunny part of a patio. Bees prefer to work on patches of the same type of flower.
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Thank You for Continuing this Wonderful Community Tradition
By Dianne Sudbrock
For 31 consecutive years people from the greater New Melle community and beyond have come together to tell the story of Christ’s Passion, Death and Resurrection in the New Melle Community Passion Play. I just can’t say enough about how wonderful and impressive that is, especially since nearly all the players are normal, everyday people whose only acting experience is this once a year production. Their performances are sincere, emotional, touching and professional, so much so that the audience becomes caught up in the feelings portrayed: grief, agony, regret, and ultimately the joy and glory of the resurrection. “He is Alive!” What joy!
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By Dianne Sudbrock
Immaculate Heart of Mary Church (IHM) in New Melle bid a fond (and somewhat tearful) farewell to Fr. Richard Stoltz in early January. After 10-1/2 years at IHM, it is hard to imagine life around the parish without his presence. But as it says in Ecclesiastes, “There is a time for everything.”
