NEWS

by Rob Tayloe

During the late afternoon on March 02, 2024, about 80 people had the pleasure of seeing and hearing the Grammy-award winning Melissa Etheridge, as she came to the north side of St. Louis county, to assist in fundraising to revise a former shopping center into a new magical facility, that currently has a bank, spaces for your offices to rent, a rehab center, a training center, a Cathy’s Kitchen To-Go, a child care center, and eventually a black-box theatre… all thanks to the hearts and visions of such as Cathy’s Kitchen Restaurant & Diner’s owner Cathy Lucas Jenkins, her husband Jerome, and so many other wonderful people here.

I love this area, and as my dad & his brothers & sister were raised in Berkeley, and then me in St. Ann, and I now live in Ferguson, I’ve a high affinity for this area… and such as this development is simply grand, there is much to be proud of in our area.

As Melissa stated herself during this wonderful event: “This is the sort of thing that changes communities. This is not a band-aid. This is not just teaching someone to fish. This is teaching them to own the fish market.”

Thanks much to Cathy, Jerome, Melissa, and EVERYONE ELSE involved in this development, that is yet another step forward for OUR community!

by John McDonald

Make an easy New Year’s resolution. It won’t require any money, no extra time, and very little effort. It will, however, further your personal growth and value as a community member. Simply resolve to clean up after yourself.

When shopping, be considerate of others. Too many customers pick up an item, decide against buying it and carelessly put it down anywhere. Most of what’s left of North County’s retail sector is now dominated by discount stores like Dollar Tree, Walmart and Dollar General and this mess soon overwhelms their bare bones staffs. Return merchandise to where it belongs (and this includes not leaving carts in the middle of the parking lot). Instruct your children to do so, encourage adults with you to do so and model for all those who might notice how to do so.

Leaving stores in disarray drives up costs, and thus prices, not just when inventory gets lost in the jumble but when grocery stores have to throw out food someone left on a shelf to thaw. It also frequently drives away shoppers who go to similar stores but in “nicer neighborhoods”. As one social media poster recently wrote about her preferences, “I do live in Florissant but I try to avoid going most places in North County, I like to go further out to shop and eat.”

Additionally, resolve not to make the trash in your car someone else’s mess to clean up. When that litter is strewn along our streets it not only contributes to North County’s image problem but the broken bottles and bony meat scraps are a thoughtless danger to local pets. Judging by the cheap trash, those who throw beer cans, cigar/cigarette wrappers, fast food containers and liquor bottles out their car windows as they drive through our neighborhoods are generally young adults thumbing their noses at society. However, resealing used diapers or re-tying bags of eaten food and leaving them by the curb suggest some drivers believe their littering is excusable if it’s neat. Of course it isn’t, anymore than cleaning out your car in a parking lot and rationalizing that the store’s maintenance staff will dispose of the pile of debris you left.

Most readers of The Neighborhood News are obviously interested in their communities and already make an effort to be responsible for their own messes but if you see yourself in any of these descriptions, step up. It’s also likely that most readers know family members or friends who don’t make that effort. They’re fairly easily spotted by the messes they leave at home or in the yard for someone else to manage. Cleaning up after yourself, expecting your children to do the same and modeling that behavior for other adults will not only contribute to your personal growth but will make North County a better place. It’s an easy win-win.

by Dr. Larry A. Brown

It is very important for us to learn and practice the techniques for winning because we all enjoy the good feelings that accompany the situation of winning as opposed to the awfully bad feelings and outcomes associated with lg. “ Everybody loves a winner, but when you lose, you lose alone”. One technique is “ As often and frequently as I am knocked down, I will get up until I win “. Hopefully, though, we can employ and use certain strategies and techniques that will result in our winning without having to “ get knocked down “ so often.

To begin with, we must respect the other side, be it an individual, or a situation, and realize that they want to win also. We must learn to listen well, in order to find out the weaknesses, desires, and things necessary to overcome in order to win.

We have to be willing to negotiate or give a little in order to gain the victory. We have to begin the situation with true love for the adversary so that after we win, we can perhaps woo them on our side because in reality, the more we are together, the better off we will be in the future.

We must approach the situation with strong will and determination. We must have the desire to win. If necessary, we must constantly remind ourselves of the benefits that go along with winning, both for ourselves, and others.

We must make sure that the win is not just for us alone, but that it is necessary in order for others to benefit. That is why our hearts must be pure and our thoughts truly aimed for a right and just end. We must make sure that we have enough resources in order to win. We must be willing to stay the course, until we win. So often, we get accused of starting something and leaving or giving up before the job is completed. We have to exercise the will to remain on the battlefield as long as it becomes necessary, in order to reach a desirable conclusion.

It is entirely possible for each of us to enjoy winning in the future and as a matter of Fact, it is urgent that we win more than we lose, in order to maintain our positive mental well- being.

Let us all decide to become winners this year and not accept facts that we are to be in certain categories and that we are born losers .

You too, can win!!

If you need help, you may contact us at www.gracechapelministries.org or email us at gracechapeldevelopment@gmail.com

May this year be one that we can look back on and declare that we won more than we lost !!

It’s hard for me to fathom this is the end of our third year producing the Ferguson Neighborhood News.

We could not get this to press if it wasn’t for our wonderful advertisers. Month after month they continue to fund our efforts to bring news that is not depressing. While we lose some sponsors, others come on board and that is a true blessing to our community. As our readers know, the City pulled their sponsorship earlier this year and we thought that would be the end of the paper. However, we have been blessed with support so we could remain a positive force in a world that seems to have come unhinged.

First, I would like to thank all our advertisers who have been with us since day one. You are the best! To our advertisers who have left, we thank you for working with us and we pray your business will thrive.

To our new advertisers, a big thank you for considering advertising in our humble newspaper. We hope this will be a long lasting relationship.

For those businesses that have not advertised with us, we would really love to have your business on our pages.

Next, to all our contributors whom sometimes struggle with our deadlines, you are so appreciated. I too struggle getting this paper formatted and laid out either finding space or trying to fill space. It’s always a new adventure.

To the new columnists that have joined us recently welcome and thanks.

And to those who donate, you are truly the angels of the community.

There is no way we could accomplish our mission of providing the Ferguson Neighborhood News to you our readers without the unsung heroes who are behind the scenes:

Danielle Henderson handles all the billing and she is such a sweet lady who told me the other day that she never thought she would be a bill collector. She is not only sweet but savvy also. It’s great to have you on our side. Thanks Danielle.

Mary Haux for her consistent work with the ads that need to re-sized or created from scratch and her help pointing out my formatting errors. As always, thanks Mary!

Mike Noelker delivers the papers to all the newsstands. Again, without him, it would be a nightmare for me. Thanks Mike!

Bob McGartland keeps me grounded to the task and is invaluable. Bob is one of those who truly thinks of everyone else before himself. Thanks Bob I appreciate all you do.

As we approach the holidays, I pray we all take time to appreciate all of those who help and support us each and everyday.

Wishing you Peace, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and a blessed, safe, and prosperous 2024.

Papa Deau

By Nancy K. Wenger

If you live within a mile or so of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Church, you’ve heard them chiming the hour until eight o’clock in the evening. I heard the bells this afternoon and wondered what is going to happen to the lovely melodious chimes, once the parish church closes in late July. Supposedly, one Sunday Mass will continue to be offered until sometime in December. Then, again, the parish school will remain open for the 2023-2024 school year, and some Masses will continue to be offered with the school children in attendance. I guess, during that time, the bells will continue to “sing” and ring out the hour. But, what then?

And, what about those who work within the parish setting? What will happen to the staff and the volunteers who offer their services to the church and the community?

Oh, it’s easy to dismiss my questions, and there are others, with a wave of the hand and say: “It’ll work out. The employees will find jobs, the church building could be re purposed, the kids will find another school, the volunteers who work with food pantries and other services will surely find an outlet for their talents.”

But, what about the church as a landmark and fixture in the Ferguson landscape?

I have lived in Ferguson since 1954. The church, established in 1882, and originally named Sts. John and James, has been my parish since I was ten years old. As a younger adult, I invested much of my time as a Children’s Liturgist, teacher, “Heavenly Duster,” school parent and neighbor. My husband and children and some of my grandchildren are members of this parish. The parish church is one of the things that has kept us in Ferguson.

There are hundreds like me and, yet, we are being asked to pull up our roots and go elsewhere. Why? Because Archbishop Rozanski is telling us to do so.

In the old movie, The Bells of St. Mary, the parish priest, played by Bing Crosby, is faced with the dilemma of tearing down a derelict school building. He spars with the principal, Sister Mary Benedict, played by Ingrid Bergman. Guess what? Everything works out okay…and the film was nominated for several Academy Awards with a win for Bing. It was well-received by the public and grossed a lot of money for Republic Pictures. You can still catch this oldie but goodie around Christmas time on late night TV. Ah, Hollywood!

Alas, I don’t foresee that happy ending. And, it is much to the great sorrow of parishioners and our neighbors alike.

As you all know, I love our 4th of July. Parades, BBQ’s, swimming, and fireworks. The only way that it gets better is if I have corn on the cob, sliced tomatoes with cottage cheese and pork steaks on the pit. And don’t forget the watermelons. Seems that around this time of year is when the big trucks come up from Arkansas loaded with melons. And we were safe.

I will digress for a moment: as kids in the summer we used to stand down at the IGA on Frost avenue and watch them unload melons. All the time hoping they would drop one. Usually the men unloading would be watch us and then “accidentally” drop one and then turn to us and ask us if we could help them by eating the melon. Those melons didn’t stand a chance. But we were safe.

Another memory is of baseball. Not MLB or little league, I’m talking pickup ball at the fields down in Frostwood between the swimming pool and Hobo Jungle (the woods by the railroad tracks behind Ameren UE). When I was young, hobos would camp in the woods and be able to hop a freight. But we were safe.

Baseball was our life when we were young. We played everyday before going swimming. Think of the movie “Sandlot”: a lot of goofy kids that loved the game. When we weren’t playing ball or swimming we were listening to the Cardinals: Harry Caray and Jack Buck when they announced together – before Caray went to Chicago. But we were safe.

When I think of the 4th of July, these are some of the memories I hold dear.

I pray everyone will stop and think for a moment. Please be safe this year. Celebrate without guns. Leave your guns locked up at home. So we will be safe.

You all probably think I am an anti-gun fanatic. Nope. I was a gunners mate on a destroyer. Shot a lot of guns. I am a gun owner. I used to hunt. I enjoy going to meat shoots. But bullets are like words. Once they leave the muzzle there is no getting them back..

Be safe – Papa Deau