The Mayors’ Shamrock Ball in Florissant was hosted by the mayors of Black Jack, Florissant and Hazelwood to benefit Valley Industries. Mayors (left-right)  Matt Robinson, Norm McCourt and Robert Lowery are shown with the Valley Industries Employees of the Year and king and queen of the ball, Crystal Mixon (center) and Ron Adams (right). Bob Lindsey photo

The Mayors’ Shamrock Ball was hosted by the mayors of Black Jack, Florissant and Hazelwood to benefit Valley Industries. Mayors (left to right) Matt Robinson, Norm McCourt and Robert Lowery are shown with the Valley Industries Employees of the Year and the king and queen of the ball, Crystal Mixon (center) and Ron Adams (right).  Bob Lindsey photo

The Bob Kuban Band played for over 300 partyers at the Mayors’ Shamrock Ball held at Florissant City Hall recently.

Brother John Anderson of Springboard portrayed Cowboy John at “Tales from the Black West” at Walker Elementary School in the Hazelwood School District. The presentation teaches students lessons about the history of black cowboys in the United States.

The history of black cowboys in the United States was a unique, fun lesson for students at Walker Elementary School in the Hazelwood School District.

In recognition of Black History Month, storyteller Brother John Anderson from Springboard shared “Tales from the Black West” with students in first through fifth grades. The assembly in the gymnasium involved music, stories and original songs to “highlight the American cowboy and the many African-Americans who helped shape and tame ‘The Old West.”

The description for “Tales from the Black West” from the Springboard Web site states that the “cowboy occupation appealed to many freed slaves following the Civil War.

It is estimated that about 15 percent of all cowboys were of African-American ancestry.”

Anderson appeared as Cowboy John, dressed in boots and jeans, wearing a vest, a shiny belt buckle and a cowboy hat. Sitting on the floor, leaning against a large “boulder,” he played the harmonica to set the tone. As he stood up, he smiled and in an accent to reflect days of old, he asked the students to join him in singing “Home on the Range.”

After the song, Cowboy John asked, “What is a cowboy?” The responses varied from “somebody who protects cattle” to “someone who rides horses” to “a person who rounds up cows.”   “Good!” he exclaimed, and then explained some aspects of the role of a cowboy.

“There were cattle trails throughout the West, leading to rail centers in Kansas City, Dodge City, St. Louis and Denver,” he said. “The job of the cowboy was to walk cattle to rail centers.”

He followed the explanation with a call-and-response song titled “I Betcha Didn’t Know.” When Cowboy John pointed to the left side of the gym, the students called out “I betcha didn’t know,” and right side of the room responded, “What?” Then, Cowboy John would sing facts about black cowboys. Students kept the rhythm by clapping. The facts mentioned slaves who escaped to Mexico and learned about being cowboys from vaqueros and African-Americans who lived among Native Americans.

Cowboy John’s overall message to the students was of integrity and responsibility, having dreams and achieving them, and having determination. (story provided by Hazelwood District Communications Dept.)

Keith Took at his Old Town Donuts shop.

By Mark Bretz

Keith Took, who took over his family’s donut business and turned it into a Florissant institution, has been named the 2010 Businessperson of the Year by the Greater North County Chamber of Commerce.  Took officially will be honored for his efforts at the chamber’s annual awards dinner on April 9, 2010.

Old Town Donuts was started in 1968 by Took’s sister Claudia and her husband, Steve Burns, at a location in Florissant on Lindbergh Blvd.  Three years later the couple moved their store to Berkeley before relocating to its present location on New Florissant Road in 1980.  When his brother-in-law desired to change careers in 1996, Took bought the business.

“Prior to that I worked as a sales representative for SelectDrink, a Coca-Cola distributor in North County,” says Took, whose staff now includes approximately 30 employees who range in age from 15 to 92.  “Steve wanted to go into teaching and became a Ph.D. in exercise physiology.  He decided to retire from the family business and I said, ‘That sounds like something I’d be interested in.’ I took over in July 1996.”

Even in a recession, people still enjoy donuts, according to Took.  “Business has been exactly the same through the years,” he says.  “We cater to schools, churches, seniors, kids.  The donut business hasn’t changed.”  Additionally, Old Town Donuts is a frequent and generous contributor of pastries to myriad charitable organizations and events.

Took has maintained a faithful clientele despite the arrival of big-time competitors.  “When Krispy Kreme came to town, everybody tried them,” he says.  “But eventually our customers all came back.  We’re kind of like a landmark.  People come from everywhere, they come back here from St. Charles, O’Fallon and all around.”

Last year, in fact, KSDK, Channel 5 asked viewers the place they would most like to visit one more time if they were moving from St. Louis, and then did a feature on the top-ranked places, including Old Town Donuts.  Additionally, says Took, “We were voted #1 donut shop in metropolitan St. Louis in 2009 by WIL-FM on the ‘Cornbread Show.’  We went up against 12 other shops and came in first with a panel of cab drivers and police officers.”  Adds Took with a laugh, “Nobody knows donuts better than them.”

Took, 55, is a graduate of McCluer High School.  He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Greater North County Chamber of Commerce, belongs to the Rotary Club of Florissant and is a former treasurer of the Florissant Ambassadors.

A member of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne Parish in Florissant, he is married to attorney JoAnn Donovan, the 2008 Florissant Valley Chamber of Commerce Businessperson of the Year.  They have four children, three sons and one daughter (two each from their first marriages), all of whom have worked at Old Town Donuts.

The “Morning Wake Up” Card costs $5 per card. More than one card can be purchased at a time. Each card can be used ten times. This is perfect gift for family, friends or church groups.

The card is available to purchase at the chamber office, 420 W. Washington St. and on the chamber Web site, www.greaternorthcountychamber.com. Cards will also be available at Old Town Donut.

For more information or to inquire about the card, call the chamber office at 314-831-3500 or visit, www.greaternorthcountychamber.com.

The Greater North County Rx Card will provide savings of up to 75 percent on prescription drugs, and is accepted at over at over 50,000 pharmacies across the country. Anyone interested in obtaining a prescription card can attend the Business Showcase & Family Fair on March 6 or visit the Greater North County Chamber of Commerce Web site at www.greaternorthcountychamber.com.

The Greater North County Rx Card has no restrictions to membership, no income or age limitations, and residents are not required to fill out an application. The Greater North County Rx Card was launched to help uninsured and underinsured residents of Greater North County afford their prescription medications. However, the program can also be used by people who have health insurance coverage with no prescription benefits, which is common in many health savings accounts (HSA) and high deductible health plans. Additionally, people who have prescription coverage can use this program for non-formulary or non-covered drugs.

The Greater North County Rx Card is a solution to the confusing maze of prescription programs that have appeared in recent years, said a chamber spokesperson. Many of these programs only cover certain drugs, charge fees, and some have membership restrictions such as age and income limitations. You can download a free card and

search drug pricing and participating pharmacies at www.greaternorthcounty

chamber.com. If you have any questions please call the chamber at 314-831-3500.

Anyone who receives a court fine in Florissant will soon have another way to pay.  At their last meeting, the Florissant City Council voted on using the REGIS online payment service for collecting court fees.

Judge Tim Kelly and Anny Davis, who works in the court, spoke to the council. They said they had discussed using an online payment system for several years. Kelly pointed out that the court already used the REGIS system for things other than payments, and said that court staff was comfortable with it. Kelly also said that he had discussed using the system with City Finance Director Randy McDaniel, who agreed that REGIS would be a good fit.

Councilman Andrew Podleski asked Kelly if the court got bids for other online payment systems. Kelly said that he spoke to the administration, and they also suggested REGIS.

“I want to make sure the city is spending the least amount of money on the best product,” said Councilwoman Karen McKay. She said she would like more information before spending the $5,000 for REGIS.

Councilman Tim Lee said he wasn’t sure that REGIS was the best solution.  “I wish we would have done a more thorough job,” he said, adding that although bids were not required, the city could have sought them.

Mayor Robert Lowery, however, said that he supported the REGIS system. He noted that it is a local company that the city has worked with before. “Judge Kelly and Ms. Davis worked with the finance department to find a solution, and I support it,” Lowery said. Lowery also noted that bids are not required for a professional service.

“Whether or not you have to get proposals, it’s good business practice to do so,” Lee said. He said that other companies offered some options that REGIS does not, including the option to pay by phone.

Council President Tom Schneider noted the work that the court staff had done in finding a solution. “I recommend we show respect for the judicial branch and follow their recommendation,” he said.

The council voted 6-3 to approve the appropriation for the REGIS system, with Podleski, McKay and Lee voted no.

By Carol Arnett

Construction on the Garden Plaza of Florissant is well underway. The new senior residence, on Parker Road between New Florissant and Paddock, will consist of three different types of residences: skilled nursing, assistant living, and independent living.

City Building Commissioner Phil Lum said the skilled nursing facility will be the building closest to Parker Road (show in photo) . It will be a one story building, with 84 units, 48 private and 36 semi-private. It will have a total of 120 beds. The building will be approximately 64,000 square feet in size.

The next building back from Parker will be the assisted living building. This three story building will consist of 95 units with a total of 102 beds. There will be 33 studio apartments, 55 one-bedroom apartments, and 7 two-bedroom apartments. The building will be approximately 81,000 square feet.

The independent living building will be the farthest from Parker Road. The three story building will have 145 units. It will have 23 studio apartments, 99 one-bedroom apartments, and 23 two-bedroom apartments,  totaling approximately 166,000 square feet.

In addition, Lum said, there are twelve existing duplexes on the property. They will remain, and seven more will be added.

A total of approximately 700 people will live in the complex.

Lum said he was unsure of an opening date, as construction is dependent on the weather. The construction cost, said Lum, is over $50 million.

Area residents have noticed the construction was in high gear after sitting idle for some time.  New developers took over from the previous owners who had built a few buildings on the back  part of the tract.

He began his teaching career in the Ferguson-Florissant School District at Airport Elementary School, so as Wedgwood’s new principal, he is returning home.

Winkles is currently the assistant principal at Neuwoehner School in the Special School District (SSD). His SSD experience will serve him well at Wedgwood, because it has the largest concentration of special needs children in the Ferguson-Florissant School District.

At Wedgwood, special needs students learn alongside their peers in general education classrooms and benefit from individualized assistance that includes speech language, occupational and physical therapy among other services.

Winkles received his Bachelor of Science in education and master’s degree in education from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He received his doctorate in education from St. Louis University.