CrossRoads: March 2016

Writing the book on

autism

2 CROSSROADS | MARCH 2016

Published monthly with newsstand circulation to Wentzville and Lake Saint Louis

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No part of the publication may be reproduced in any form without the expressed written consent of the publisher.

Crossroads is a trademark of Huneke Publications, Inc. Any published use of Crossroads implying affiliation is strictly prohibited.

PublisherRobert Huneke

EditorMathew DeKinder

Production ManagerRebecca Brockmann

ContributorsAvalanche, David Finkelstein, Jenny Krestel, Lana Kruse, Tony Mathews, Cindy Moore,

Russ Patton, Laurie Simon

PhotographerRay Rockwell

Staff WriterBrett Auten

VOL 13 | NO 3

By Lana Kruse – Treasurer for First Step Back Home

Departments

features

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By Jenny Krestel

By Russ Patton

By Brett Auten

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Advertiser ProfilesA few tips for the beginning of home-buying season

The good, the bad and the beautiful

Writing the book on autism Lake Saint Louis boy with autism pens ‘The Autistic Turtle’ to help explain how he sees the world

Nonprofit ProfileFirst Step Back Home provides resources for homeless and working poor

Around Town Local news and events

EntertainmentJ.J. Abrams’ ‘10 Cloverfield Lane’ proves mystery is still alive

BusinessWestern St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce

FoodPut a twist on springtime celebrations

Always an Adventure Cougar kill

Simon SaysThe Dula House and tobacco factory – update

Moore on Life Special deliveries

Community Calendar: March

Automobile Alley2016 Nissan Maxima raises the bar with world-class styling and quality

Photo OpInside the Dula House

FEBRUARY 2016 | CROSSROADS 3

2016contentsMARCH

On the Cover: Submitted photo


Around Town

For many years, St. Charles County Government has been address-ing safety concerns on Route 61, notes County Executive Steve Ehl-mann. When the County Council approved a subdivision along the route in 2006, it required, at the Missouri Department of Transpor-tation’s (MoDOT) request, that the developer install an acceleration and deceleration lane onto the highway. The fatal accident on Route 61 north of Wentzville is the most recent on that stretch of road.After a similar tragedy near the intersection of Route 61 and Route P

a few years ago, Ehlmann and Wentzville Mayor Nick Guccione asked MoDOT, who has the sole responsibility for the road, to look at the corridor. Under severe budgetary restraints, MoDOT did not have the funds to address the problem. Therefore, St. Charles County and Wentzville applied to MoDOT’s cost-sharing committee for $5 mil-lion towards a $14 million funding partnership that included at-grade safety improvements from Wentzville to the Lincoln County line. The committee approved $4,331,337 in MoDOT funds towards a $12.5 million funding partnership to build an overpass at Routes 61 and P. Construction is slated to start in 2017. The design can be seen on Mo-DOT’s Route 61 project webpage - http://www.modot.org/stlouis/major_projects/Route61SafetyProject.htm.The Route 61 and P project was one of the last cost-share projects

funded before the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commis-sion voted to suspend the cost-share program because of declining revenue. Ehlmann explains that MoDOT’s financial crisis is the result of better gas mileage for vehicles. As our vehicles consume less gas,

citizens pay less to use roads. Meanwhile, the cost of building and maintaining roads and bridges goes up, while the per-gallon user fee has not been raised since 1995. With additional funds, MoDOT could set criteria, based on traffic counts, crash rates, and median widths for safety projects. Ehlmann points out that, while there have been seven accidents resulting in fatalities on Route 61 since 2011, there have been six such accidents on Route N. Nevertheless, in 2015 a transportation funding bill died on the Missouri Senate calendar and another bill did not even make it to the Missouri House floor for debate.“Our leaders in Jefferson City, and citizens statewide, need to recog-

nize the importance of our transportation infrastructure, not only to economic development, but to public safety. We must work together to secure the future of both,” said Ehlmann.Ehlmann and Guccione suggest that, until funding is available for a

long-term solution, things can be done in the short-term. Wentzville and St. Charles County Police Departments are stepping up traffic en-forcement along Route 61. In addition, Ehlmann and Guccione sug-gest that MoDOT can lower the speed limit and that traffic lights can be installed at problem intersections.Mayor Guccione explains that speeding and following too closely

contributes to the safety problem on Route 61. “My hope is that this extra enforcement gives drivers pause, so that all commuters can get home to their families safely,” said Guccione.

At Wentzville’s Jan. 27 Board of Aldermen meeting, the city pre-sented long-time Wentzville resident Barbara Sheets with the city’s 2015 Citizen of the Year award. The award recognizes outstanding residents and business owners whose actions and accomplishments make life better for others. Through her dedication to our community’s veterans, seniors and

the mentally ill, Sheets has earned this year’s recognition. Sheets uses her knowledge of programs and funding offered to help these deserving community members, by working with the leaders in the community, as well as those at the county and state level. Sheets is a 51-year member of the Wentzville American Legion

Auxiliary Unit 323, due to the service of her late husband and for-mer Wentzville Mayor, Donald Sheets. She also served as Missouri President of the American Legion Auxiliary in 2013-14. Prior to receiving this year’s award, Sheets received other deserving

recognitions, including the Outstanding Citizen of the Year award in 1986 and the Outstanding St. Charles County “Hero” for Mental Health and Senior Citizens award. Residents, Wentzville business owners and employees of Wentzville

businesses were able to submit nominations for the Citizen of the Year Award to the Wentzville City Clerk’s Office last fall. The nomi-nations were reviewed and the final selection was made by the Citi-zen of the Year Award Selection Committee.

St. Charles County and Wentzville officials explain cooperation is key to improving Route 61

Resident Barbara Sheets named Wentzville’s 2015 Citizen of the Year

At Wentzville’s Jan. 27 Board of Aldermen meeting, the city presented long-time Wentzville resi-dent Barbara Sheets with the city’s 2015 Citizen of the Year award.

Photo courtesy city of Wentzville

MARCH 2016 | CROSSROADS 5

Around Town

Florissant Eagle Scout candidate Nicholas Matteoni, has partnered with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and the city of Wentzville Parks Department to provide fish habitats in the newly created lake at Heartland Park.In early November, Nicholas, along with

Denise Otto, a Fisheries Management Bi-ologist from MDC, and others from his Boy Scout Troop, deployed 22 spider block fish habitats into the lake. These strange-looking structures were placed in clusters around the dock and are meant for small fish to use as a refuge from predators by providing a place to hide and by giving anglers a ‘fishy spot’ to increase their success.Heartland Park is the city of Wentzville’s

newest park which recently opened last May. The area was farmland without any natural trees or bushes to be submerged when the lake was formed. With MDC’s plan to stock the new seven-acre lake with various spe-cies of fish, these ‘spider blocks’ will serve as a habitat for them. The habitats should promote fish growth and development and eventually improve recreational fishing in the lake. They provide a purpose similar to placing discarded Christmas trees in a lake, except these scout-made structures will not decompose like natural materials. In time, algae will grow on the surface of the spider blocks, providing a source of nutrients for some fish by attracting insects and convert-ing fish waste into oxygen through photo-synthesis. The PVC spider block habitats are

durable and anglers will like that the flexible piping won’t snag their hooks. The habitats are concrete blocks stuffed

with fourteen seven-foot-long PVC pipes, making them look like spiders. The block is filled with concrete, keeping the pipes in place. Nicholas and several scouts made the structures in advance in his backyard. The units were transported to the lake in the troop trailer where Otto met them with a motorized boat. After a brief safety mo-ment, they began deploying the structures and quickly discovered a design flaw. Nicho-las used light-weight concrete blocks and the air in the piping made the structures too buoyant to sink. He solved the problem by ‘snipping’ a small hole in the pipes, allowing air to escape as the habitat sank. Nicholas built and deployed these spider

block fish habitats as part of his Eagle Scout project. The Eagle Scout Project is the op-portunity for a Boy Scout to demonstrate leadership of others while performing a proj-ect that he plans, organizes, leads and man-ages for the benefit of his community. This is the culmination of the candidate’s leader-ship training and requires a significant effort on his part. A Scout has until the age of 18 to earn the rank of Eagle. Only five percent of eligible Scouts achieve this rank.Nicholas is a Scout with Troop 713 char-

tered through St. Rose Philippine Duchesne of Florissant. Currently, the lake at Heartland Park is closed to fishing while the fish com-munity develops.

An Eagle Scout and his ‘spiders’ improve local fishing environment

Eagle Scout candidate Nicholas Matteoni works to deploy 22 spider block fish habitats into the newly created lake at Heartland Park in Wentzville.

Submitted photo

www.myprovidencebank.com

www.ofallonfamilyeyecare.com

Larry Marshall with the Wentzville Historical Society (right) hands off the deed to the Dula House to Chris Gard President of the Wen-tville Main Street Association (left).

Photo by Ken Hill, Berkshire Hathaway Alliance

Back in July 2015 I wrote about the Dula House and tobacco factory lo-cated at 408 E. Main in Wentzville.

After seeing the historic home up front and the crumbling state it was in, I made a call for action, a call to help save the Dula House. I had a huge response from citizens, city leaders and businesses wanting to help save this historic home from its demise. As of March 2016 I am happy to report that new life has sprung at the Dula House. On Jan. 25 a wonderful thing happened

that will make sure the Dula House and tobacco factory is not only saved, but that it will become a staple in downtown Wentzville. The Wentzville Historical So-ciety gathered together and decided it was best to transfer the deed to the Dula house over to the newly formed Main Street Association. The Wentzville Main Street Association is dedicated to the pres-ervation and development of what was once the community’s central gathering place – Downtown Wentzville. Their goal is to promote development opportunities and events that allow the community to learn about Wentzville’s rich history, and once again gather to celebrate all things Wentzville. Over 160 years ago, it all start-ed on Main Street, when the destination known as Wentzville was created. It was a place where businesses, residents, shops and the railroad came together to create a vibrant community center and thanks to the Wentzville Main Street Association that dream is slowly turning into a reality. I was fortunate to be invited to tour the

Dula property, tobacco factory and all, and

I must say I was in complete awe. The his-tory of that home came alive as soon as I walked through the door. The beautiful, an-tique furniture that has been in the home for decades, opening a wardrobe and see-ing a handmade quilt from ages ago, walk-ing up the stairs to see newspapers lining the floor of a bedroom dating back to the 1920’s; this place had me mesmerized. But after I took one look in that room with newspapers lining the floors, I realized how bad of shape the structure was in. After speaking to Chris Gard, President of the Main Street Association, he informed me that when the house is restored, that room will most likely not be able to be saved. Years and years of damaged roofing caused water to enter the home on the second floor in that bedroom. It was not even sta-ble enough for the group of us touring the home to even walk into that room.As I headed back downstairs I could smell

the history, or what could be mothballs and dust, but it smelled glorious to me. I began to wonder what plans the Main Street Association had for the Dula House and tobacco factory now that they held the deed to the home. Chris Gard was generous enough to share the plans, hopes and dreams for the home with me.

Laurie Simon: What plans does the Main Street Association have for the Dula House and tobacco factory?

Chris Gard: The house will eventually be-come a community meeting space, while the tobacco barn will become the new Wentzville Historical Society museum.

LS: Are there any pertinent people/busi-nesses helping with the structural aspect of the home?

CG: We are currently gathering resources and organizations to help.

LS: Last year, I made a plea for help in cleaning up the Dula House and I received an enormous response from residents, leaders, etc. Would you want community-help to “clean up the Dula House?” Either outside or in?

CG: As we get closer to scheduling that, we’ll get our arms around the enormity of the task and determine how much help we’ll need to try to complete that in a day. I think we’ll probably need all the help we can get.

LS: Anything else you want the commu-nity to know about with regards to the Dula house?

CG: We’re very excited about the project as a whole, and really believe it will be a valuable addition to our Downtown area, as well as the community overall.

A special thanks to Chris Gard for the up-date on the Dula house. If you take a look at the photo I have on this page, or turn to the Photo Op page in the back of this issue of “Crossroads,” you will see the true Dula Hosue and tobacco factory in all its glory. From the unstable roof to the outside el-ements growing through a window in the tobacco house, it’s a beautiful sight to see even when looking dilapidated and about to crumble. *Calling all contractors, builders, and

structural engineer’s; now is your time to step up and help the Dula House! Contact the Wentzville Main Street Association, or me, if you would like to help restore the Dula House and Tobacco Factory at www.wentzvillemainstreet.com. For those of you who previously showed interest and con-tacted me, I still have your name and con-tact info and will be reaching out to you as soon as they are ready to begin work.

The Dula house anD Tobacco facTory – upDaTe

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

Show your heart some loveWellness tips for body, mind and heart


For the past 11 years one local ministry has been making a dent in the homeless problems of St. Charles, Lincoln and Warren Counties and has greatly increased the awareness of these ongoing problems right in our own backyards. First Step Back Home, (FSBH), was organized in March, 2005 as an outcome of finding homeless men living in the woods behind the TA Travel Center at Foristell and realizing there were no local resources for single, homeless men any-where in the region, short of downtown St. Louis.Paul and Lana Kruse of Lake

St. Louis had been serving truckers at the TA Travel Cen-ter with Sunday morning ser-vices that began in 2001, and found that homeless people often were stuck there; either dropped off at the St. Charles County line at Highway T or from hitchhiking I-70. At that time neither of them knew any-thing about the local homeless needs, but that changed fast. Through activities with the St. Charles, Lincoln and Warren Continuum of Care through the Community Council and contacts to other local social service agencies, it became clear there were many gaps in services not only for single, homeless men, but for many of the other homeless folks, women and children as well, as the growing, working-poor families still housed in apart-ments, with extended families and the like.The Kruses were led to form

a public charity to be able to receive tax deductible donations and now, 11 years later, they have served more than 7,000 homeless and working poor; and have received more than one million dollars to do the work they’ve been called to do here.

The FSBH program utilizes local motels to lodge the homeless and get them focused on starting job searches. After a good night’s rest, clients are told to be focused on getting a job as soon as possible

using local temporary services or finding work in some of the 1,000-plus worksites in the Wentzville area. To support the clients in their

stabilization efforts, FSBH co-ordinates a motel-based, hot meals program, so nourishing food can be available every eve-ning from volunteers who pro-vide “pot luck” type offerings in the lobby daily. More than 25 church and community groups bring the meals, and offer fel-lowship to the clients as they interact. Paul provides those needing

cell phones with those essential tools. How else could a client land a job, if he didn’t have a phone connection? Fuel or insurance assistance

is also provided when funds are available. Thanks to many churches that have collected gift cards, there are funds to pay for food, clothing and fuel at lo-cal department stores.Seven Board Members over-

see the operations of the pub-lic charity. The ministry has one part-time bookkeeper and caseworker and Paul as em-ployees. People interested in donating to FSBH can do so from the ministry website, via Pay Pal or by sending a check to FSBH, PO Box 966, O’Fallon, MO 63366. For information on ways to help or for services

needed, call Paul Kruse at 636-466-1365 or email at [email protected]. “Like” them on the First Step Back Home Facebook Page and follow activities throughout the year.

First Step Back Home provides resources for homeless and working poor

Nonprofit Profile

By Lana Kruse – Treasurer for First Step Back Home

Submitted photos

FSBH1 4th graders from John Weldon School collected over 300 pairs of socks and donated them to FSBH to be distributed to the homeless last fall.

For FSBH’s Annual Christmas Wonderland for homeless and working poor 560 people came and 15 church-es, nine community groups, and four businesses all contributed toys, gifts, food and treats for the 109 families who came to be blessed by the event.


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.

There are more elk than people living within a five-mile radius around my house. Elk, deer, bighorn sheep, turkeys, bear, grouse and even a few recently-arrived moose – among other species – all make their homes here in these mountains. Large numbers of these wild neigh-bors are seen on a near-daily basis. With this incredible bounty of wild game, cougars – a.k.a. mountain lions – are also prolific, though seldom seen. A tawny-colored blur moving through the brush or a rustle in the leaves are generally the only advertisements that a big cat is in the area. On occa-sion, a screeching that begins like a house cat’s wail and rises into a blood-curdling scream cuts through a quiet night and reminds one that there is a very serious predator in the neigh-borhood.An adult cougar weighs about

the same as an average adult human female. While not par-ticularly large, the speed and strength of these cats is unbe-lievable. They can outrun vir-tually any big game for a short distance and their strength is simply mind-boggling, enabling them to kill and carry prey much larger than themselves.One spring morning I went out looking for shed antlers, which the

elk drop in late winter. It was still a little early in the season, as I saw some younger elk in the area with their antlers still attached. I had looked around for a couple hours, and was about to start walking back home about noon, when I heard movement in some oak brush about 50 yards away. I saw a shiny object near where the sound origi-nated. Unable to determine what the object was, even with binocu-lars, I walked over and discovered it was a shiny, still-damp jawbone of a yearling elk, protruding from a pile of grass and debris. Said jaw-bone was attached to the rest of the elk, which had been expertly covered up, perfectly camouflaged with the surroundings. I couldn’t figure out what it was until I was only a few feet away. There were fresh mountain lion tracks around the kill. The cat had carefully scraped the surrounding area of some grass, leaves and branches, and

used the material to cover up the kill amazingly well. The elk carcass was only covered by a couple inches of the debris, but it looked like part of the ground. (See the large mound of grass and brush, located behind the cougar in photo above.)The carcass showed signs of having been chewed on, and the neck

looked to be broken. The elk had likely been killed the previous night. I went home and got my game camera, and went back about four

hours later. I set up the cam-era on a tree overlooking the kill, close enough to trigger the motion sensor, (all while keep-ing a close eye on the surround-ing area for a rapidly-returning hungry cougar) and went back home and impatiently waited for an incredibly long three days. When I went back to the site,

the elk was gone from under-neath the brush, and after look-ing for about an hour, I could not find any sign of where it had been moved to. Not a drag mark anywhere, and no blood or tufts of hair, except where it had been buried under the brush. Having hauled numerous, exhaustingly

heavy backpack-loads of elk meat (one quarter at a time) out of the mountains during hunting seasons, I’m familiar with just what a feat this was. This cat had simply picked up the entire carcass, (minus what had been eaten) and carried it off to parts unknown, without any signs of difficulty. Wow.My camera got numerous photos of the cougar feeding on the car-

cass, with one of the best shots leading this article. In one photo taken at night, there are two sets of eyes very close to the camera. A neighbor who is quite knowledgeable about cougars said it was prob-ably a mother with a kit feeding on the carcass, as adults aren’t known to willingly share lunch. In one of the last photos, the brush pile had been disturbed a bit. In the next photo, the carcass was gone, and a fox was feeding on scraps left behind. Looking at that field where the elk had been killed, there was a line

of old lumps of grass and brush that looked remarkably similar to the pile discussed here, remnants of past kills. It seems that this field is a very productive hunting ground for happy cats. It’s a stark reminder of the struggle between life and death, just a short hike away from home.

Always An Adventure

Cougar kill

The cougar in question in a photo taken by Avalanche’s Bushnell game camera.Photo by Avalanche


This past year I am happy to say our family set a record. Each of our three married kids delivered babies within the space of seven months – three bouncing baby boys. Each birth had its own degree of intensity and af-terwards we mothers discussed the gory de-tails in length.For some reason, there will always be a cer-

tain morbid need for moms who have made it through childbirth to wear it as a badge of honor and boast, blab and brag about their experience to anyone with functioning eardrums.Men do not have member-

ship in this exclusive club. Until they have carried around a kid-ney stone the size of a hubbard squash and passed it out in the back seat of a Buick that’s run out of gas on the tracks of an oncoming freight train in the middle of an F-5 tornado, then we’ll chat. Until then, they may amuse themselves with their riv-eting little fish stories while we women discuss staring death in its ugly face and laughing at its nasty nose hairs.After each of my daughters and daughter-

in-law related her baby story, it was time for the old, experienced birther (me) to come up to bat and enlighten these young ladies about what “real” pain is. The time to impart an account of one of my particularly harrow-ing deliveries had come, and I owned six lis-tening ears. Now it may have been many de-cades ago that this happened and the details may have become a bit sketchy from the fog of all those epidurals and heavy meds, but similar to a politician’s theory about cam-paign promises: facts and truth are annoying little irritations that get in the way of a com-pelling story.And so I began.“There I was lying in bed…immobile…seven

weeks overdue and big as a buffalo, with a

baby estimated to weigh twice as much as a baby buffalo.My daughters gave an audible gasp. Their

eyes widened. My audience was captured.I continued. “Suddenly…in the dead of

night…with a torrential rainstorm beating against the windows like a herd of wild apes trying to break into a banana store, my water

broke. Your dad woke up in a panic soaked to the skin thinking a tsunami had busted through the walls. The weather made it too dangerous to venture out to the hospital. By then, the contractions were coming so hard and fast that I bent the metal bar of the head-board in half. There was nothing to alleviate the pain so your dad handed me a towel to chew on. I bit through three before I realized something wasn’t right.The baby was sitting crosswise in the chute

and refusing to budge. There was no time and little choice. Someone was going to have to turn it around. Like a good Boy Scout, your dad wrapped himself in an old raincoat, slipped on a shower cap and some rubber dishwashing gloves then covered his eyes with his woodshop goggles, grabbed a flash-light and a bottle of vegetable oil and said, ‘Babe, I’m going in. If I’m not back within an

hour, call search and rescue to come haul me out!’After fifty-nine minutes and 48 seconds, he

pulled out your brother slicker than a greased jelly fish. And I suffered through the entire

excruciating episode without so much as an aspirin, a Band-Aid or even a bedpan.”A silent reverence fell upon the

room. One by one, my daughters stood and began clapping and wiping at their tear-streaked fac-es. I received their hugs and praise unashamedly.My husband came in near the

end and butted in. “You guys talking about babies? I remember that one clearly. We were in the hospital on the exact due date. Your mom demanded enough anesthesia to choke a bull moose then only after three minutes of labor she sneezed and out

popped a perfect baby. Of course, there was that major complication. The hospital didn’t release her in enough time to make her tan-ning session at the mall. Man, I’ll never hear the end of that one.”Suddenly the wise words of that old Scot-

tish poem came back to remind me:“Oh the tangled web we weave, when first

we practice to conceive…”

Special deliveriesMoore On Life

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? Archeo-logical 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.

By Brett Auten

Writing the book on autism

Lake Saint Louis boy with autism pens ‘The Autistic Turtle’

to help explain how he sees the world


“Thinking about something wasn't hard for Henry. He would think about something all the time until he couldn't think of anything else.

Sometimes, turtles with autism have only

one thing in their head, and there is not room to think

about any other things. When he thought about something, he wanted to talk about it all

the time.”

-excerpt from The Autistic Turtle by Thomas Morrow

Thomas Morrow wanted to share, better yet explain, to his friends and classmates.The nine-year-old Morrow, who lives in

Lake Saint Louis, was diagnosed with autism and with that comes certain behaviors and mannerisms that for those who are unaware might find them pretty uncommon or unconventional. Autism is a neuro-

developmental dis-order characterized by impaired social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication, and restricted and repetitive behavior. Parents usually no-tice signs in the first two years of their child’s life. An esti-mated one out of 42 boys and one in 189 girls are diagnosed with autism in the United States. Au-tism affects over three million indi-viduals in the U.S. and tens of millions worldwide. Moreover, government autism statistics suggest that prevalence rates have increased 10 to 17 percent annually in recent years.Beginning in January of last year, Thomas

began an after-school project that turned into a full-fledged book titled “The Autistic Turtle.” For five months, Thomas would col-laborate with his grandmother, Patty Box-dorfer, a couple times a week.“Thomas is notorious for non-stop mov-

ing,” Tiffany Morrow, his mother, said. “His

grandmother would sit in the middle of the floor with her laptop and meanwhile Thom-as would narrate the story while bouncing around, standing on his head, running in circles; just whatever.”Thomas first thought about writing a

journal or a note-book on what it is like to have autism but then the idea switched to some-thing more tan-gible, a book. “The Autistic Turtle” follows the adven-tures of Henry the turtle and his quest to let his friends know what it is like living with au-tism that includes an aversion to loud noises among many other things. Choosing a turtle as a main character comes as no sur-prise to those who know Thomas.“I really love tur-

tles. I have 35 at home,” Thomas said. “Everything is turtle-centered,” Tiffany

said. “We have a big turtle habitat at home. As a parent of a child with autism you soon learn that they have one or two things that they usually think about exclusively and you either get on board with what they are into are you are going to get drug behind.”The book not only sheds a light on some

autistic characteristics but also gives exam-ples of how common things like holidays and parties can be somewhat of a challenge.


Autistic turtles get so excited, ner-vous and anxious about holidays and parties that it makes these times very hard to get through. Remember, autistic turtles see and hear things that regular turtles do not … Henry worried about a lot of stuff around the holidays. They were kind of a stressful time for him … At all the parties there was lots of noise and lights and sometimes people he didn’t know. He didn’t like people he didn’t know. Autistic turtles don’t like people they don’t know because the people are new.

Thomas attends an area private school and most of his class-mates he has known for a long time. But some were still a bit curious to why, for example, Thomas is allowed to keep toys at his desk or why he has a service dog that provides an anchor for him. So when the shipment of books arrived, Thomas was beaming with pride when he was able to hand copies to his classmates and friends.“They really liked it,” Thomas said. “At first, they didn’t

believe that I was actually working on a book.”“The Autistic Turtle,” is currently only available on Ama-

zon.com.“We have gotten fan letters telling us how much they love

the book and how they share it,” Tiffany said. “One letter was from a 40-year-old who has been struggling with au-tism for so long and said that Thomas was able to describe the things that she’s been going through.”For Thomas, the book has been an expressive tool to

share his story and the fact that it is helping others explain theirs is icing on the cake.“I really wanted my classmates to understand

why I have toys that are really fidgets on my desk and lots of other things about au-tism,” Thomas said. “I wanted to help other people who might have autism but might not know it. My classmates are the best. We help each other learn, and they are always there to help me. And I’m there to help them too.”

Submitted photos

(opposite) Thomas Morrow with his grandmother Patty Boxdorfer.

Illustrations from “The Autistic Turtle” by Martha Evans


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. Addition-ally, 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.

Now manufactured in its eighth generation, the all-new 2016 Nissan Maxima is positioned as a four door sports sedan. It competes in the class of the Toyota Avalon, Acura TLX and the BMW 335i. Maxima raises the bar as never before with

world-class, cutting-edge styling, underlin-ing quick acceleration and being an innova-tive leader in craftsmanship and build quality. This flagship vehicle seats five in comfort as it’s assembled on an all new architecture to this segment. The dual panel overhead panoramic moon

roof with power operated sunshade is a must recommendation. The car’s attractive light-ing features boomerang-style headlights and taillights plus LED daytime running lights. Maxima’s side profile has sweeping lines and to add to this contemporary theme. Large dual exhaust tailpipe extensions further help bring the car’s rear more into focus as a to-tally new and fresh design. The totally redesigned interior was devel-

oped to be a well-thought-out driver’s com-mand cockpit. I will add, the”D” shaped wheel itself really helps to enhance your overall driv-ing experience and handling if twisty roads are part of your commute. Interior quietness is enhanced by an electronically controlled “active noise cancellation” systemA paired/redundant smaller seven-inch ad-

vanced drive assist display is situated within the center gauge instrument cluster housing. This gives the driver vehicle-and-heading in-formation at a glance, helping to prevent you from being distracted and taking your eyes off the road. Nissan Motors also offers an impressive list

of safety, security and driving aids; including predictive-forward-collision-warning and in-telligent cruise control. Also offered is auto-matic forward emergency braking and blind

spot warning. Powering the ‘16 Maxima is a 3.5-liter V6 engine. It’s been redesigned with more than 60 percent new parts. This all-aluminum engine produces 300-horsepower with an approximately 15 percent increase in highway fuel economy. Highway MPG numbers are 30, while it gets

some 22 MPG in city driving. The factory recommends premium grade high octane fuel. The engine is matched with their per-formance-oriented Xtronic CVT automatic transmission. The new Maxima’s enhanced handling and ride comfort starts with a re-designed underside platform that features increased use of high strength steel and a revised, highly reworked four-wheel indepen-dent suspension system. Versions of the 2016 Maxima are offered in five trim levels: S, SV, SL, SR and their high end Platinum edition. Pricing starts out at $32,510 for the S Mod-el and tops out at $39,960 for the Platinum Model. This doesn’t include dealer shipping and factory destination charges of $825. All build combinations are manufactured in Ten-nessee. This mid-size sedan is only offered in a front-wheel-drive powertrain.

2016 Nissan Maxima raises the bar with world-class

styling and quality

By Russ Patton, owner of Byerly RV

The change from winter to spring usually indicates the beginning of home-buying season. This can be both an exciting and daunt-ing time for first-time and ex-perienced home buyers alike. To help make the process as pain-free as possible, here are a few things to consider as you begin the home purchas-ing process:Can you afford to buy?This is the single most im-

portant question before you start the home-buying jour-ney. How much money do you have set aside to buy a home? What is your price range for buying a home in the neighborhood you desire? If you’re not sure you can af-ford to buy, talk with an experienced mortgage lender to see what type of financing you qualify for.What kind of home do you want?Before starting the home-buying process, you will need to consider

what kind of home will be best for your family or your lifestyle. Do you prefer ranch style or two-story? New construction or are you ready to take on an older home? There are all questions you need to ask yourself before home shopping. How do I close the deal?So you’ve found the home of your dreams, congratulations! Now,

starts the process of closing and making an offer on the house. In a perfect world, you will make your ideal offer and the seller will

accept it. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. You may need to write a letter and ne-gotiate the seller down to the price you can afford. Did you get the home you

want to buy inspected?Some people suggest skip-

ping out on an inspection be-cause they can be expensive. You are better off getting the house inspected before you buy. You don’t want to run into any problems later on that could have been pre-vented by an inspection. An inspection is worth the up-

front cost because it can lead to a potentially lower price on the house.


Advertiser Profiles

What beautiful weather for mid-winter! We can’t help but conjure up beautiful dreams of coming spring. Maybe we will even buy an RV or trade up into a new one. Then comes the ugly part: A sales rep resorts to selling “fear” rather than “fun.” “That other brand leaks; tap on the counter, ours are more

durable; look underneath, their frames are weak; that company has bad service; their prices are too high; etc.” Sad to be so bad. We hear it all. Frequently competitive

brands are manufactured by the same parent company. Sure, there are differences, but they are all pretty good. Maybe it’s the dealer/seller one should be grading. How many certified RV technicians do they have? How large is their parts depart-ment? Are they reinvesting in their business, or just their sales force? Consistently being number one or number two in RV sales in our

market area confirms that our buying and selling model works. If a competitive sales rep seems to know more about our brands than the ones he sells we feel complimented.

Meanwhile check out our website at www.byerlyrv.com or visit us on Facebook to learn about the next monthly RV school or details on our spring campout. We are Byerly, The Center of the RV World.

The good, the bad and the beautiful

A few tips for the beginning of home-buying season

Photo courtesy Byerly RV

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


www.viperrocks.com

www.paperleafprinting.com

www.takeatrip.net

Living Word1/12

www.lwcs.us


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 www.westernstcharlescountychamber.com.Located at 207 South Linn Avenue in Wentzville.

Business

Serving Wentzville, Lake St. Louis, and Dardenne PrairieWESTERN ST. CHARLES COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Chamber bestows annual awards

The Western St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce bestowed its annual awards at their Celebration Ball held on Jan. 30 at The Carpenter’s Hall in Wentzville. This year’s theme was “Inspiring Others.”This year the chamber selected the following

businesses, organizations, and individuals as award winners: Above and Beyond Award for Exception-al Customer Service: Harris Automotive and Tire; You Made it Happen Award for Positively Impact-ing the Community: The Expert Realty Company; Chamber Business of the Year Award: Serco; Chamber Volunteer of the Year Award: Melinda Jarvis; Tony Award: Chamber Mystery Din-ner Theater Cast and Allen & Chris Rone.The chamber also awarded Chamber Superlative Awards that eve-

ning that consisted of: Most Likely to Make Your Day Better – Kathy Swanegan; Most Chamber Spirit – Laurie Simon; Best Chamber Friend – Tim Ritzel; Most Likely to be there When You Need Them

– Amanda Werremeyer; Best Business Mentor – Hank Wylie; Most Community Spirit – Little Black Book.

www.pbtc.net


He just became the filmmaker respon-sible for the highest grossing film of all-time (not adjusted for inflation). We’re talking about “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” of course - the new addition of the beloved franchise that put director J.J. Abrams at a new career high. All eyes have been on Abrams since 2013 from the second he accepted the position as the director for the most anticipated film in cinema history. You see the brilliance of Abrams is his

healthy obsession to share with viewers his mysteries, puzzles and plot twists. In order to achieve this, one must have a knack for keeping big secrets hidden away from the public. With a film as enormously popular as “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” he achieved the impos-sible task of keeping that film’s entire plot and history of its characters completely behind the curtain from the masses – and he happily succeeded. He enjoys this. After the blockbuster’s global success,

one could not have guessed he saved the best unsuspecting twist for last. In fact, this twist hardly has anything to do with “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” but the blockbuster seems to have been used as the perfect tool of distraction from this other project that he was producing in complete secrecy. That would be “10 Cloverfield Lane” the - yes you guessed it – sequel, (or ‘blood relative’ according to J.J’s own words) to the 2008 film “Clo-verfield.” Abrams got his start in the business as a

writer for films such as “Regarding Hen-ry,” “Forever Young,” “Armageddon,” and “Joy Ride” to name a few. Then he turned to television creating a drama called “Fe-licity” (one of the shows that put - what was - the WB network on the map) fol-lowed by the popular, thrilling drama “Alias” - the show that marked the begin-ning of his gift of sharing mysteries.

When “Lost” debuted on the ABC net-work in the fall of 2004, J.J. Abrams’ ob-session of mystery and science fiction were fully realized and television has never been the same since. He helped to create a mysterious science fiction drama series (and he won an Emmy for directing the two-hour pilot) about the survivors of a plane crash on an unknown tropical island. One of the major groundbreaking

trends used by this show was its use of background stories (or flashbacks if you will) that are used in every episode to ex-plain the history – or mystery – of a cer-tain character in relation to their current situation on the island. More shows in re-cent years, especially like “Orange Is the New Black,” wisely adapted this method of storytelling that led to their popular success. For those like me who occasionally long

for a good mystery, we couldn’t be happi-er for what’s in store just a few days from now. When the trailer for “10 Cloverfield Lane” was released in January – without any warning – only then did we know this movie was being made and it opens just two months later on March 11. We can’t forget about the mysterious stunt the first teaser trailer for the original film revealed… a release date – with no movie title. “10 Cloverfield Lane” (featuring the directorial debut of Dan Trachtenberg) is right up there with that kind of mys-terious craziness, and it makes you feel like you have to find out what this film will turn out to be (we now know it’s not ‘found footage’ this time). It’s a miracle these days that a movie by a major stu-dio (thank you Paramount) can pull off the making of a film in complete secrecy until the can of worms are opened just two months prior to opening day. This is going to cause – and add a lot more – madness on top of March Madness!Photos courtesy of Bigstock and Paramount Pictures

Entertainment

J.J. Abrams’ ‘10 Cloverfield Lane’ proves mystery is still alive

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

A leg up put a twist on springtime celebrations

Grilled Butterflied American Lamb Leg with Mint-Pistachio Pesto

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:3 pounds boneless leg of American lamb, butterfliedsalt and pepper (to taste) Mint-Pistachio Pesto1 cup shelled pistachios1 cup fresh mint (leaves only)1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil2 tablespoons red wine vinegar1 tablespoon lemon juice (to taste)1 teaspoon lemon zest1/2 teaspoon sea salt (to taste)freshly ground black pepper (to taste)pinch red chili pepper flakes

Directions:Heat oven to 350 F.

Lay lamb leg open on a cutting board. Trim off visible fat. Season lamb generously with salt and pep-per; allow to sit at room tempera-ture for 30 minutes prior to grilling.Toast pistachios by placing in single layer in shallow dish or pan and baking 8 to 10 minutes.

In food processor, add pistachios, mint, parsley, oil, vinegar, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, pepper and chili flakes; blend until somewhat chunky.

Heat grill to medium-high. Grill lamb leg to medium-rare (remove from heat when thermometer reads between 130 F and 135 F), or to de-sired doneness. Rest meat, lightly covered, for at least 10 minutes be-fore serving. Slice meat across grain into thin slices.

Serve lamb with pesto, grilled veg-etables and salad.

Spring celebrations wouldn’t be the same with-out one classic centerpiece: leg of lamb. Whether roasted or grilled, a leg of lamb is a tried and true addition to the Easter or Passover table. As ele-gant as it is, it’s also quite simple to prepare.

For a new take on tradition, swap conventional mint jelly with a vibrant salsa verde or mint-pis-tachio pesto for a fresh, but familiar, flavor that complements the rich taste of American lamb. Find more springtime celebration-worthy Ameri-can lamb recipe ideas at americanlamb.com.

Boneless Leg of American LambFollow these easy guidelines for preparing the

perfect roast:• For generous portions, figure on one half pound

of American lamb per serving.• Use a good meat thermometer to determine

doneness. Medium Rare: 145 F; Medium: 160 F.• Remove the roast from the oven when the in-

ternal temperature reaches 10 degrees less than your desired temperature; it will reach desired doneness while it rests, allowing the meat’s juices to settle.

• Carve the roast across the grain so the meat will be tender.

PHoToS BY RAY RoCkWELL


Photo Op

Photographer Ray Rockwell got to take a peek inside Wentzville’s historic Dula House and adjoining tobacco factory.

The Wentzville Main Street Association toured the home as a part of ongoing restoration preparations.

InsIde the dula house

Community Calendar


March:1 – St. David’s Day

2 – Read Across America Day

4 – Employee Appreciation Day

5 – Trivia nightAnnual Hibernians Trivia Night will take place at a new location at the Elks Lodge at1163 Tom Ginnever Ave. in O’Fallon. Doors open at 5 p.m. Cost is $25 per person or $200 per table of eight. Included in the price will be a corned beef and cabbage dinner prepared by Chef Wilson and mem-bers at 5:30 p.m. The games start at 7 p.m. Soda and Beer included with this great night of entertainment. To reserve your table please call John at 314-922-0248.

13 – Daylight Savings Time Begins

13 – Quilt socialSacred Heart Church St. Ann’s Sodality of Troy is hosting their annual quilt social at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Hwy J in Troy. Doors will open at 11:30 a.m. and bingo begins at 1 p.m. Food and refreshments will be provided for purchase. There will be quilt games, money games, door prizes, pull tabs, Pot of Gold, raffles and plenty of fun. Due to state law no one under the age of 16 can be in the building.

17 – St. Patrick’s Day

19 – Easter egg huntThe Lake Saint Louis Parks and Recreation Department, The Meadows Shopping Center, and The Lake Saint Louis Mother’s Club have teamed up to sponsor an Easter egg hunt from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at The Mead-ows Shopping Center. It includes bounce houses, pony rides, face paint-ing, a balloon artist, games, activities and much more! Children ages 10 and under can participate in the always popular Easter egg hunts. Don’t forget to bring your cans for the Mother’s Club canned food donation box.

20 – First Day of Spring

25 – Good Friday

27 – Easter

www.treesbywoody.net

www.byerlyrv.comwww.bankofoldmonroe.com

Old Monroe636-655-5601

Moscow Mills636-356-4000

O’Fallon636-980-3585

Wentzville636-332-4906

www.bankofoldmonroe.com

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CrossRoads: March 2016