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Good News: Jefferson College seeks ‘50 Memories for 50 Years’

Posted March 14, 2013 at 9:41 pm

In celebration of Jefferson College’s 50th anniversary, area alumni, current and retired employees, friends and community members are invited to share stories and memories of the college in an effort to gather 50 stories, one for each of the college’s 50 years.

To capture responses, the college has created an online form that can be accessed by clicking here.  Then click on the 50th celebration logo and following the “Alumni and Friends” link.

The 50th anniversary of Jefferson College will be celebrated with a week-long series of activities beginning April 8. All events are open to the community. Many are free.

The college hopes to collect at least 50 responses to be displayed during an

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    Good news: Joachim-Plattin Ambulance using grant to put AEDs at city halls, libraries

    For the second year, Joachim-Plattin Ambulance District is spending grant money to place automated external defibrillators at sites in the community where the devices could end up saving lives.

    The ambulance district board agreed on Feb. 28 to allocate $9,689.61 to purchase seven AEDs, and a storage cabinet for each one, from Boundtree Medical, based in Dublin, Ohio.

    One AED apiece will be placed at city halls in Festus, Crystal City, Herculaneum and Pevely, and

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    GOOD NEWS: Tab tops care for families with sick children

    Carmen LaPresta and Joe Kister recently presented 318 pounds of aluminum tab tops to Dan Harbaugh, president of the St. Louis Ronald McDonald House Charities. The collection of tab tops was made possible by the four organizations – Elks Lodge 1721, American Legion Post 253, VFW Post 3777 and Knights of Columbus Council 1230.

    The tab tops are recycled and converted to cash for the Ronald McDonald House. The money raised helps pay for families who

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    Good News: Trivia night raises $10,000+ for Peace Pantry

    The community came out in force March 2 for Chapel Hill Trivia Night 2013, to benefit the Peace Pantry. This year more than 70 businesses contributed to the fundraiser, more than 350 people attended and $10,265 was raised for the food pantry’s dental program.

    The money makes a difference, says Connie Stretch Peace Pantry director.

    “We will use it to supplement the dental program again this year,” she said. “People are so grateful

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    Good news: Imperial welder gets $142,000 lottery payday

    Robert Schutte of Imperial cashed in a winning Missouri Lottery ticket, earning $142,000 in the Feb. 14 drawing.

    Schutte, 54, a welder, said the lottery win came as just the right time.

    “The company I work for announced last week that they were shutting down,” he said. “God shined his light on me.”

    Schutte bought the winning Show Me Cash ticket at U-Gas,

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    GOOD NEWS: CIA donates to De Soto pantry

    The Community Improvement Association of Jefferson County recently donated $600 to the De Soto Food Pantry. The CIA, a nonprofit group based in the De Soto area, presented the donation to the pantry on Dec. 21.

    CIA was formed in 1947, after Harold Mattis donated three acres at the southwest corner of his farm to the local farmers in the area. They constructed a building there and the CIA members began meeting there. The purpose of

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    Good News: Hyway Rockers cruise bearing gifts

    Hannah Palos, 7, of Festus, got a surprise visit from members of the Hyway Rockers Car Club in December. More than 50 members of the club cruised in their classic cars to Hannah’s house to make a special delivery of gifts and to give her family a check for $1,100.

    Hannah, the daughter of David and Shelley Palos, was diagnosed in May with medulloblastoma, a type of brain cancer.

    Shelley Palos said Hannah had been

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    Good News: Community choir donates to school music programs

    Nick Venable, right, president of the We Are One Community Choir recently donated $1,000 each to the Fox and Seckman high school vocal music programs. The money was collected at concerts the choir held throughout 2012.

    The community choir is made up of local singers. It is open to new members. For more information, see its Facebook page called We

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    Good news: Fenton man wins $253,000 Show Me Cash prize

    Joseph Collora of Fenton in Jefferson County may not have wanted to go grocery shopping when his wife asked him, but the Show Me Cash ticket he bought at Dierbergs at 450 Old Smizer Mill Road in Fenton made the trip well worth it.

    The chemical processor had just worked a long shift at Solutia Eastman Chemical Company when he saw that his Quick Pick numbers – 1,9,21,22 and 33 – matched all five numbers drawn on Jan. 27.

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    Good news: Military selects Twin City native, Sgt. Bobby Kling, to attend Super Bowl

    Sgt. Bobby Kling, 26, a native of the Twin Cities, was selected to represent the Marines at the Super Bowl on Sunday in New Orleans.

    Kling, a 2005 graduate of Crystal City High School now stationed in Washington D.C., is the son of Loretta Kling.

    The United Service Organizations chose a service member from each branch of the military for an all-expenses-paid trip to attend the game, which will pit the Baltimore Ravens against the San

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    Leader Wedding Fair draws 1,000 visitors

    Despite wintry weather on Sunday (Jan. 27), about 1,000 people turned out at the Festus Best Western for the annual Leader Wedding Fair, sponsored by Leader Publications.

    Admission was $3, with those proceeds going to Mary’s House of Hope, a local organization that is raising funds to build a second shelter in Jefferson County for victims of domestic abuse.

    Sunday’s event raised $2,205 for the organization.

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    Good News: Students discover high-tech careers for women

    About 40 female students in grades nine through 12 from four local high schools recently participated in the High-Tech Careers for Women workshop at Jefferson College where they learned about several occupational programs.

    Held by the Jefferson College Career and Technical Education Division, the workshop gave each participant an opportunity to experience programs and realize their own potential for entering into non-traditional careers.

    In the photo, Jefferson

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    De Soto recognizes ACT whizzes

    The De Soto Board of Education recognized 12 high school students who scored 30 or above on the American College Test college entrance examination. From left: Krystal Barker, Ezra Butcher, Dustin Haigler, Miranda Ketcherside, Brenden McKeon, Matthew Scott and Lauren Williams. Those who didn’t attend the school board’s December meeting but also scored at 30 or above were Jeremy Viner, Heather Tarr, William Rieffer, Alexander Johnson and Melanie Hurt.

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    GOOD NEWS: St. Rose of Lima students visit the zoo

    Students at St. Rose of Lima Cathoilc School of De Soto visited the St. Louis Zoo, the first of several all-school field trips planned for the school this year.

    Students traveled around the zoo in their “school families,” is made up of students from each grade and one teacher. Students saw animals, rode the train, carousel and visited the children’s zoo. The Home and School Committee paid for lunch.

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    GOOD NEWS: House Springs man wins $1,000 a week for life

    Maxwell Weindel of House Springs won the first top prize on a Missouri Lottery “$1,000 a Week for Life” Scratchers ticket. Weindel, 30, bought the ticket at the Circle K, 100 Old Towne Drive, in Eureka on Jan. 4.

    Weindel said he stops at the same gas station every morning. When he noticed the new lottery game, he bought a couple of tickets and won $24. The next morning, he decided to try his luck again.

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    Good news: Stuart inducted into square dance Caller Hall of Fame

    John Stuart of Festus recently was inducted into the Caller Hall of Fame by the Missouri Federation of Square and Round Dance Clubs. One caller is chosen each year for his or her efforts and accomplishments in the promotion of square dancing.

    John and his wife, Beverly, began square dancing in 1987 with the Jefferson County Squares. After two years of dancing, John decided to become a caller.

    He earned $1 for calling

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    GOOD NEWS: Governor recognizes Grandview for academic excellence

    Gov. Jay Nixon recently visited Grandview High School to recognize the Grandview School District for academic excellence. The governor praised Grandview for achieving Missouri’s A+ Schools designation last year. He also noted the district’s average graduation rate of more than 95 percent last year, as well as last year’s average ACT score of 22.3.

    Under the A+ program, Missouri students can earn a scholarship to cover the cost of tuition and academic fees for two years at any public two-year

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    Lynches get keys to Habitat for Humanity home

    Family and friends of Destiny and Matthew Lynch gathered with volunteers from the Lutheran churches of Jefferson County on Dec. 15 to bless Habitat for Humanity’s third home built in 2012.

    The home, at 18 Waybridge Court in Fenton, was built for the Lynches and sponsored by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, which contributed 50 percent of the cost of the build.

    Five congregations contributed regularly with volunteers and meals

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    Jefferson Regional welcomes first baby of new year

    Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Crystal City welcomed its first baby of the new year at 7:39 a.m. Wednesday (Jan. 2), when Keygan Adam Jacobs was born.

    He is the son of Anessa and Christopher Jacobs of Cadet. Keygan weighed 8 pounds, 1 ounce, and was 20.5 inches long. His sister, Karlee, was born at Jefferson Regional on March 24, 2008.

    “We are so happy,” the proud papa said. “We have

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    GOOD NEWS: High Ridge Rotary donates toys to Northwest Library

    The High Ridge Rotary Club donated a toy collection to the Early Childhood Learning Center in the Northwest Branch of the Jefferson County Library, 5680 Hwy. PP, High Ridge.

    The club paid for the toys with a $2,000 grant from Rotary International.

    Some of the items were placed in the children’s area of the library for independent play. Others will be used in small group activities offered at the site.

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    GOOD NEWS: Pevely Girl Scouts carol for community

    Members of Girl Scout Junior Troop 3001, all fifth-graders from Pevely Elementary School, went caroling through the Vinyards at Bushberg subdivision on Dec. 2 as part of their community service project, “Caroling for Our Community.”

    They accepted new toys, clothing and cash donations in the effort. These items were donated to the Jefferson County Rescue Mission in Pevely and will be distributed to those in need for the holiday season. The scouts collected clothing and 79 toy items valued

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    GOOD NEWS: Helping Hands and Horses visits Windsor Elementary

    The Helping Hands and Horses program visited Windsor Elementary School in observance of Disability Awareness Month (October).

    Volunteers of the program brought their mini horses to show to the students. These horses work with children with various disabilities, providing them a way to learn and strengthen their muscles.

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    Good news: Meert Tree Farm donates holiday trees to local cities

    A group of about 20 people, representing several local cities, headed out to the country on Nov. 16 to choose and cut fresh Christmas trees for display in their various municipalities. Meert Tree Farm, off Hwy. T south of Festus, donated the white pines, ranging in size from 16 to 20 feet, with a value of about $120 each.

    “We’ve been doing this, oh, at least three or four years,” said Jennifer Sommerkamp, tree farm manager. “I think it’s great.”

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    GOOD NEWS: Jefferson County Democratic Club gives $29,000 for scholarships

    The Jefferson County Democratic Club recently made a $29,000 endowment contribution to the Jefferson College Foundation to generate scholarships for local students.

    Interest from the endowment will be used to award up to six $500 scholarships each year to Jefferson County high school or GED graduates who attend Jefferson College full-time and demonstrate financial need.

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    GOOD NEWS: Pony Bird’s 16th annual golf tournament raises more than $44,000

    Pony Bird raised $44,000 at its 16th annual charity gold tournament held Oct. 1 at Pevely Farms Golf Club in Eureka.

    A total of 28 teams, 45 sponsors and 28 corporate donors supported the tournament. The Ferguson Family Foundation was the presenting sponsor this year. Following the tournament, a dinner and an auction were held.

    The big event was the inaugural Golf Ball Drop. Mark Lutman brought his helicopter to the clubhouse

    … Read More…
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    GOOD NEWS: Rock Community Fire trains local students

    Seventh-grade students at Holy Child Catholic School in Arnold recently participated in the “Junior Firefighter” program sponsored by Rock Community Fire Protection District.
    Students who take part in the program get monthly lessons about firefighting.

    As part of that training, they get to wear real firefighting gear, put out small fires, conduct mock search and rescue drills and watch videos about firefighting.

    Some of the students are interested in pursuing firefighting

    … Read More…
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    GOOD NEWS: Fox High invites veterans to Nov. 9 luncheon, assembly

    The Fox High School Student Council is inviting veterans and active military personnel to a free Veterans Day luncheon and assembly from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9.

    The luncheon will be at 11:30 a.m. in the staff cafeteria at the high school, 751 Jeffco Blvd., in Arnold.

    Afterwards, a veterans tribute assembly will be held at Rickman Auditorium, 745 Jeffco, on the same school campus.

    … Read More…
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    GOOD NEWS: Hillsboro Lions, Hillsboro Rotary raise $1,000 in chili cook-off

    About 150 people sampled chili at a cook-off held Saturday at West City Park in Festus.

    Nine people entered chili in the cookoff, and the winner was John Buelicmann, said Donna Kohl, president of the Hillsboro Lions Club, which sponsored the contest.

    The other sponsor was the Hillsboro Rotary Club.

    About $1,000 was raised at the chili cook-off, and the money is to be split between the

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    GOOD NEWS: Stream Team 4660 holds fall cleanup

    Missouri Stream Team 4660 held its first annual fall cleanup on Sept. 15.

    Thirty volunteers spent four hours collecting trash from Joachim Creek, stretching from Hematite Bridge to the armory.

    The group disposed of the “legendary” tire from under the bridge, which weighed 500 pounds. Volunteers also collected 100 other tires, 30 bags of trash and 500 pounds of metal.

    Click on the

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    GOOD NEWS: Lone Dell Elementary students donate

    Students at Lone Dell Elementary School donated $225 along with boxes of supplies to Mutts n Stuff organization.

    In addition, the student’s helped get an additional $200 from Amy Dubman on behalf of Carol House Furniture for the organization.

    The donations were raised as part of the school’s Win A Gym Time competition, coordinated by gym teacher Eric VanMatre. The class that collects the money money wins extra gym time until the end of the

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    Show Me Woodturners donate to church’s food pantry

    Members of the Show Me Woodturners sold wooden items that they hand-turned during the Twin City Days festival and donated all the proceeds to the First United Methodist Church of Festus/Crystal City food pantry. In the photo, Nancy Henry of the church pantry, center, receives a check for $704 from Jim Anderson, left, and Gary Gronborg of the Show Me Woodturners.

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    GOOD NEWS: Jefferson College Foundation honors outstanding faculty and staff achievement

    Jefferson College faculty and staff were recently presented Outstanding Achievement Awards by the Jefferson College Foundation.

    The 2012 recipients are Nicole Bach, foreign language associate professor; Gabrielle Everett, history professor; Diane Scanga, director of public safety programs; and Marie Self, fieldhouse coordinator.

    Bach, who has taught foreign language at the college since 2003, has a master’s degree in Spanish literature from Saint Louis University. She also took graduate-level courses in Colonial Latin

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    Good news: Dozens of dogs dip their toes in Crystal City pool during swim

    About three dozen dogs took the plunge or at least dipped their toes in the waters of Crystal City Municipal Pool during the annual dog swim Sept. 9.

    Bev Sweet, superintendent of the city’s park and pool, said dogs of all shapes and sizes participated.

    “I think there were a couple who had to be coaxed by their owners to get in the water,” she said. “Most just jumped right in. We had one

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    GOOD NEWS: Jefferson County Library places historical photographs online

    The Jefferson County Library has posted historical photographs on Flickr, a popular photo-sharing service. The wide range of photographs offer a compelling look at how county residents lived and worked in the 19th and 20th centuries.

    The collection features more than 300 photographs arranged in 68 sets. The images showcase the rich legacy of Jefferson County towns, schools, churches, organizations and agricultural heritage.

    The branch is seeking additional photographs to add to its online collection.

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    Good news: Raffle for donated convertible raises $3,500 for Pony Bird

    Pony Bird raised more than $3,500 through a raffle of a 1987 BMW 325i convertible. The car was donated by Michael Woodrum.

    Dick Goldbaum of Chesterfield won the car in a drawing on Aug. 18 at the Jim Woodrum Memorial Championship races at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at 1-55.

    A week earlier, participants in the raffle were narrowed to 10 finalists, all of whom attended the night of the final drawing.

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    GOOD NEWS: Good Shepherd kindergartners celebrate the letter ‘T’

    Kindergarten students at Good Shepherd Catholic School in Hillsboro recently celebrated the letter “T” by having a tea party.

    Kindergarten teacher Linda Diehl read “Miss Spider’s Tea Party” to the class. Afterward, students practiced their newly learned manners with a special tea party. They wore their best clothes and tasted a variety of treats served on fine china.

    In the picture, Laci Schrenkenberg, right, and Riley Thomas enjoy a spot of tea.

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    Good news: Ann Becker, 78, wins nursing home pageant

    Ann Becker, 78, of Herculaneum recently won first place at the Missouri Health Care Association District III Beauty is Ageless Pageant. She represented Autumn Ridge Senior Living in Herculaneum at the pageant, which was held June 8 at the May Center at DePaul Health Center in Bridgeton.

    Thirteen contestants competed in the pageant, which included a craft or talent category. Becker read a poem and sang for her talent. As the winner, she has the chance to compete for the state

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