The Deep Sky’s the limit at the upcoming DobsonFest!

 (I submitted this story more than a week ago and it will appear in the Sept. 9 print editions of MidRivers and West Newsmagazines.  It may show online prior to that. But posting this now as my own unedited version to give everyone enough planning time to attend this free event!)

Mark your calendars for Saturday, Sept. 19 from 4-9 pm!

That’s when the Astronomical Society of Eastern Missouri (ASEM) hosts the amazing DobsonFest event at Brommelsiek Park’s Astronomy Site, 1593 Schwede Road in Defiance.

“The event is in celebration (of the September birth) of John Dobson and his vision of bringing the universe to the masses,” said Chuck Simms, this year's DobsonFest Chairperson. “He designed what is now called the Dobsonian telescope, which is an easy to use, inexpensive telescope with a large aperture. This is now one of the most popular telescopes in the world.  John would travel all over America to work with astronomy groups on building telescopes, and he would take his telescopes into a town and just setup on a sidewalk and invite people to view the night sky.”

Fast forward to 2026, and ASEM’s Executive Director Don Ladwig was thrilled to note some selling points of this year’s event.

“What makes it a great event is it’s not just for St. Charles, but for the whole St. Louis Metro area including the Illinois side. It’s family friendly and children friendly. We have a specific area for children as well as a number of booths set up for families to get information.

Simms added a good deal more details to this year’s event highlights.

“For the kids we have puzzles, astronomy word match games, space coloring sheets, making a star wheel, and more. We also have meteorites, telescope making, library telescope information, Dark Skies Missouri will have a booth, and we also have a NASA Ambassador there with a booth.

“We’ll have both solar and night viewing telescopes and we planned it so that the Moon will be out when the event starts at 4pm, so both the Sun and Moon will be viewable. We’ll have cake to help celebrate John Dobson’s birthday, and we have lots of door prizes including 4 different telescope, binoculars, astronomy books and much more. The booths will be open from 4-7, but the viewing goes until 9pm.”

Special telescopes will already be set up when visitors arrive, and everyone will be able to safely view the sun in perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime experience! In the evening, they’ll transition to looking at the night sky.

Simms also noted that they will have hydrogen-alpha telescope for viewing the Sun.

“You’ll be able to see sunspots, solar prominences, filaments, and eruptions leaping from the Sun’s edge. Other telescopes will be on the Moon, with about 60% illuminated. You’ll be able to see craters, valleys, mountains, and the seas (lava flows that have hardened and turned blackish).”

“Things to really highlight to me is that it’s a great chance for people to learn about telescopes, about astronomy, what dark skies mean,” said Ladwig. “We’re going to have people out there from Dark Skies Missouri and Dark Skies International Group. We’re going to have a few tables specifically for kids to do events. We also have what we call Friday night Open House events at the same park.”

Ladwig also added that the park’s 32” reflecting telescope is the largest public telescope in the state of Missouri. They purchased it from another club, and rebuilt it six or seven years ago using the existing mirror and eyepiece holder unit. They assembled the other units with their own parts.

“We also have a 14” Celestron telescope, a Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, and a 16” one that is called a Jones-Bird design telescope. Those three are permanent out there, and club members from four astronomy clubs will be bringing their telescopes for the public to view through, and if anyone in the public wants to bring their own telescopes, they’re more than welcome to do that.”

There will be yet another incentive to stay longer. Although people can bring their own food and beverages, there will be a Juan Taco food truck there for dinner.

Regarding the possibility of any inclement weather, Simms added, “Unless the weather is really bad, we’ll have the event. We don’t have a backup date at this time, but if the weather looks iffy the week before we’ll talk with the St. Charles County Parks department about moving it if needed. So far, no DobsonFest has been moved, so keep your fingers crossed.”

Olivia Pieknik starts Ballwin meeting with moving patriotic revelation

 

Less than a minute after the Pledge of Allegiance, Olivia Pieknik, who has served the city of Ballwin for more than two decades, took patriotism to another level at its July 13 Board of Aldermen meeting.

This came at the very outset of the Citizen Comments segment of the meeting.

“I just want to compliment the city and the Department of Parks and Recreation for all the events to celebrate America’s 250^th birthday. I loved the yard decorating contest and especially at The Pointe.   I also loved the display of the flags along Manchester Road. I get emotional still whenever I see the flag; still the same emotion when I saw the flag 46 years ago when my family and I arrived in America.”

They arrived at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York City following a lengthy time in a refugee camp waiting for their application to be approved to come to America.

“I just want to tell you how grateful I am to be in America. After the fall (to North Vietnam) of Saigon (currently Ho Chi Minh City) in April of 1975, we lived in hell under the Vietnamese Communists regime, and we finally made our way to escape in May of 1979. So, after four years under the Communist regime, I knew I would never take my freedom for granted.  And I know, thanks to our veterans and all those who defend our country, freedom is not free. It’s never free. It’s paid by the sacrifice of the veterans and all those who protect and defend the freedom that I enjoy right now.”

Pieknik’s family came to New York City, but had to wait six years to become U.S. citizens.

“I know it’s a privilege to be a citizen of this great country. I would never forget the kindness and the generosity that America has offered to me and my family. We started to learn the English language two weeks after we came, we learned the culture, and we promised ourselves that we would be productive citizens. We would work hard, obey the law, and also, most of all, that America was going to be our home.

“We pledged allegiance to America, and became citizens in 1986. We knew that our best days would be when we were able to vote in the presidential elections in 1988. We were so proud, and we will always be proud to be a citizen of this great nation.

“So today, I just wanted to again compliment the city for all the events we celebrated for America’s 250^th birthday and to speak out as a reminder for myself that I would never take for granted what this country has offered me and what I have right now, and I’m so proud to be an American, and G-d bless America, my home sweet home.”

Ballwin in particular has been the home of 65-year-old Pieknik since 1994. While residing there, Pieknik has served as secretary for the Planning & Zoning Commission, on the Board of Adjustment, and other city-wide offices.

Shortly after Pieknik’s speech, alderwoman Janet Rodrigues Judd (Ward 1) sang her praises for Pieknik.

“I just want to say, thank you, Olivia! You gave me goose bumps, and I wanted to say thank you for your fortitude and your attitude and gratitude. It’s just so inspiring. Thanks!”

Finally, alderman Michael Finley (Ward 1) showed his appreciation for Pieknik in the Aldermanic Comments segment of the meeting.

“Commissioner Pieknik, thank you for your remarks. It was wonderful to learn your life story like that…and nice shirt.”

Yes, Olivia Pieknik entered the Ballwin Government Center displaying a patriotic shirt as well!

Ballwin to prepare legislation regarding e-bike usage

 (This was the #1 most read article online at WestNewsmagazine.com every single day from June 13-19!)

A topic quickly becoming prominent in the St. Louis region came before the Ballwin Board of Aldermen at its June 8 meeting – regulation of electronic bikes and electric motorcycles. 

Ballwin Police Chief John Bergfeld had submitted a staff report prior to the meeting, which stated the department is responding to near-daily calls regarding the operation of these vehicles on city roadways and sidewalks. 

                                  Adobe stock image

“Since January 2026, the city has experienced five crashes involving motor vehicles and e-bikes or electric motorcycles,” the report states. “In each case, the e-bike or e-motorcycle operator failed to follow the rules of the road and entered a roadway, intersection or crosswalk without first ensuring it was safe to do so. Fortunately, most of the resulting injuries have been relatively minor.”

Current Ballwin ordinances do not adequately address such vehicles, the report states, and police are requesting the board authorize drafting of legislation to properly govern their use. 

The staff report requests an updated ordinance consider the following points: 

• Define and classify electric bicycles, electric scooters, motorized bicycles, electric motorcycles and other alternative transportation devices. 

• Restrict class 3 e-bikes (pedal-assist and throttle-equipped bicycles with a maximum pedal-assist speed of 28 mph and throttle speed of 20 mph) to operators age 16 or older. 

• Require class 3 e-bikes to be operated on roadways and prohibit their use on sidewalks, multi-use trails and within city parks. 

• Prohibit electric motorcycles and Razor-style minibikes from operating on public roadways and within city parks. 

• Prohibit the operation of gas-powered minibikes and go-carts on roadways, sidewalks and in city parks. 

• Require helmets for all operators and passengers under 17 years of age. 

• Establish age, registration and licensing requirements as required by state law. 

• Prohibit reckless operation, towing behind vehicles and unauthorized operation on private property. 

• Establish enforcement authority and penalties for ordinance violations. 

“As we’ve discussed at previous meetings, we have a problem with the motor bikes, e-bikes, scooters and all things that are happening with the kids and adults,” Ballwin Public Information Officer Shannon Schaper said. “After reviewing our ordinance, it was pretty broad. So, we did some investigation into Manchester’s ordinance and Town & Country – cities that are similar to ours, so we could see what they’re doing. We also have Ellisville. So, if someone is riding down Manchester Road, we don’t want to have an ordinance that is against the law here but they can do it there. We all feel like we need to be on the same page.”

Schaper said the city also needs to have strong ordinances regarding helmets.

City Administrator Eric Sterman said neighboring communities are still addressing the topic at varying speeds. 

“It’s a common discussion point in recent weeks among my colleagues and the police as well, and every city has had to look at this issue because so many of these devices didn’t exist when the original ordinances were written, and there’s really a lot of confusion about what’s what, as in what’s an e-bike,” Sterman said. “There’s class 1 e-bikes, class 2 and class 3. Some of them have pedals, some don’t, some have motors. There’s just a lot of different types of devices that have come recently; sooner than our ordinances.”

Schaper said one of the major dangers of e-bikes is that most of the youngsters on them are not very familiar with traffic laws, including stop signs and yield signs.

Police Captain Curt Saitta said if someone is operating one of these vehicles on an actual road, perhaps that person should be required to have a driver’s license. That would likely also lead to the need for insurance somewhat similar to people driving automobiles and trucks.

“There’s also all types of caveats with these things,” Saitta said. “I’ve stopped people out here who were going more than 30 miles an hour, they have their little paper plates on the back. A good majority of them were revoked for DWI. Also, these vehicles are getting to be a problem with kids because they’re supposed to have a pedal to classify them as e-bikes. It’s also up to the parents. They buy their kids these things, and they don’t know how to ride them. They don’t know how to stop them.”

Alderman Jim Lehmkuhl (Ward 4) said the Parks Board addressed the subject at a recent meeting. He mentioned that kids were also riding in the park and onto the golf course, which can lead to very expensive damage.  

Several aldermen agreed any legislation drafted has to include some type of legal response for children or their parents involved in violations.

Saying he was playing devil’s advocate, Alderman David Siegel (Ward 4) took a different viewpoint.

“We don’t want to discourage kids from being outside. I think as we move forward with something … we need to make sure there’s positive interaction while teaching the children and the parents,” Siegel said. “I understand about safety and everything, but we don’t want to get in the habit of discouraging children from being outside. I think we have had enough of that over the last few years.”

A motion passed for City Attorney Kyle Cronin to draft legislation on the topic.

Venable Park grand re-opening celebrated and park’s namesake honored

 (Loved volunteering to go in person to cover this event after taking a dozen photos several days prior to that for a West Newsmagazine story with only my photos used!)

A double dose of celebratory dedication filled the eastern confines of Creve Coeur on the morning of Saturday, May 16.

At 11 a.m., relatives of Dr. H. Phillip Venable were met by members of the Creve Coeur Council, city staff and other visitors to dedicate the park’s new memorial in Venable’s name.

Relatives of Dr. H. Phillip Venable, city staff and officials and guests celebrate the grand reopening of Venable Park on May 16.

According to the Creve Coeur website, Venable was a Black ophthalmologist whose home had been taken via eminent domain between 1956-1960 out of racial animus to prevent Venable and his wife, Katie, from living in the area. 

Beirne Park, named after a mayor at that time, arrived on a portion of that land in 1961. In late 2019, Creve Coeur passed a resolution to rename it Dr. H. Phillip Venable Memorial Park. 

The park's new memorial is titled "Home in Sight," created by Oletha DeVane and Christopher Kojzar. According to the Creve Coeur website, the artwork honors Venable's life, legacy and lasting influence. It is constructed of interwoven steel and glass elements as reference to an ophthalmological tool known as the adaptive lens flipper.

Mayor Bob Hoffman began with a welcoming speech, acknowledging the donors who contributed to the memorial. 

Venable’s great niece Erin Fletcher Slayton said the May 16 event was “a positive take on recreating history by telling the whole story.”

A new bridge constructed in Venable Park. 

Victoria Venable Fletcher spoke of both truth and reconciliation efforts to address injustices.

“As soon as I walked into the park yesterday, I could feel the presence of my uncle,” Fletcher said. “But we gather today, not to dwell on the past, but the opportunity to look forward. The Black man just wanted some of the same options as the white man. With that attitude, he was referred to as a rabble-rouser, but it all led to the inclusion of Blacks in the medical field.”

HDR, based in Omaha, Nebraska, contributed a $400,000  grant for the Venable Park project. Jeff Fahs of HDR quoted Venable from a 1987 historical society interview: “Don’t be bitter because once you’re bitter, you lose everything.”

Also showcased May 16 were other updated park amenities, which include a new pavilion, a younger children’s playground, a lower-elevation walkway surrounding the park, major tennis court improvements, a wheelchair ramp, a new and larger parking lot layout and the new bridge that connects the park with a nearby neighborhood.

                                         New playground equipment. 

Experience the sensations of Scotland at the annual St. Louis Scottish Games

 (Here is how I turned in my West Newsmagazine preview for The St. Louis Scottish Games a few weeks ago.)

How ironic that this year’s St. Louis Scottish Games and Cultural Festival will sport the theme ‘The Games are Calling.’ After all, Alexander Graham Bell, who invented the telephone and also worked on developments in hearing, was born in 1847 in Edinburgh, Scotland.

But the event, held from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Manchester’s Schroeder Park for the fourth consecutive year, will illicit far more senses than mere hearing aspects. The Games’ marketing guru, Board member and former participant, Bob Macauley, was adamant about driving home that point.

“You get every sense—wonderful visuals whether it be men and women doing great feats of strength, beautiful audio signs of pipes playing, and the wonderful smells of Scottish food,” he said. “It’s a festival!  It’s energetic! There’s always something going on that will pique your interest. Primarily, it’s a day of fun and frivolity.”

                    An athlete competes in the Caber toss. (Elaine Collins photo)

One of the main attractions is what’s referred to as Heavy Athletics. That’s where big, brawny guys and some strong women come out and do various strength events like the hammer throw and the caber toss, which is a wooden beam roughly the length of a telephone pole!

There will also be a big-time tug of war that features first responders such as the firefighters of Manchester.

“Speaking of strength, we also do something that is called the Stone Carry.  The bottom line is, the men and women pick up two 250-pound stones with their hands. Each stone is connected by a ring. Then they walk as far as they can. It’s amazing to watch! Last year, there was a guy who I think carried these two stones—a total of 500 pounds—about 93 feet! It is, another amazing display of strength, power, and balance! And some of the women do it, too. One of the women I think carried it 13 feet, beating some of the men. It just boggles the mind when you watch them do it! They have one hanging down toward the right leg and one down the left leg.” 

Those events are in line with a famous Gaelic saying: ‘Failin means yer playin.’ The translation is ‘It’s better to be doing badly than not taking part at all.’

West County EMS & Fire's tug-of-war team won out over Manchester Police in the annual tug-of-war competition. The team earned a trophy, and $1,000 was donated to The Backstoppers Inc. (Elaine Collins photo)

Another fan favorite is called The Legion of Honor. That’s where men come out in full armor with swords and axes, and partake in full, live combating.

Although specific musicians were not fully lined up as of press time, this year’s gala will be focused around local Scottish music entertainers. There will also be both individual and team (bag)piping competitions.

“We will have a children’s area where they get a chance to go into a cordoned off space, and pretend like they’re playing heavy athletics. Instead of throwing a 70- or 80-pound telephone pole, they just throw a Nerf item, and they have the most fun! Also, when the Legion of Honor is done with their act, they will pose for photographs with the kids, and families can come up so they can be part of the Legion of Honor, too.

“The kids will also get what’s called a passport. It is a printed piece that has squares where individual kids go to the roughly 20 clan tents based on our own Scottish last names. Each of the clan tent members usually have a stamp that features the clan shield. The kids get to walk around and collect those imprints. It’s a way to make sure the kids visit clan tents, and when they go there, many of the tents will be giving the kids candy or something memorable so they have something to go home with.”

That brings to mind another Gaelic saying, ‘Guid gear comes in sma’ bulk.’ That translates into the common saying, ‘Good things come in small packages.’

The St. Louis Legion of Honor combat arena at the Scottish Games. (Elaine Collins photo)

There’s Scottish food offered like meat pies and other traditional Scottish fare. Schlafly is the beer sponsor, and they typically make a Scottish ale available for event attendees. Meanwhile, the only activity still not finalized at the time was sheep herding.

“Our goal is to celebrate the history, the heritage, and the traditions of Scotland. By hosting the games, it allows us to bring in food, athletics, piping, music, and traditional Highland dancing, which is mostly young women but sometimes a young man will come out. Overall, it’s bringing Scottish culture out to the citizens of St. Louis and the surrounding area. It gives them an opportunity to spend the day in Scotland without traveling to Scotland.”

For ticket purchasing and other details, those interested can go to https://stlouis-scottishgames.com/. 

Pathfinder Church to perform 175 Acts of Service for major anniversary year

 (Being big-time into history as I am, this was another fun recent story I did for West Newsmagazine!)

                  A horse and buggy pass before the church in 1871. (Photo courtesy of Pathfinder Church)

In 1851, St. Louis was the fourth largest city in the U.S. Nearly all of its 77,000 residents, with large populations of German and Irish immigrants, lived just west of the Mississippi River which helped the city serve as a crucial transportation and trading hub.

At that same time, far west from downtown St. Louis, what was then known as St. John Church was in its infancy.

“We’ve been established in this community since 1851,” Pathfinder Church Marketing and Brand Manager Kaitlyn Schmidt said. “We started out as an immigrant community of Saxon Germans who started this church on Ries Road. Our first service with baptisms and service was in June of 1851. We changed from a German community to an English-speaking one and we just kind of stood the test of time. But we’ve also not neglected to change with how we need to serve our West County as we still do today.”

                    Sunday school in 1926. (Photo by Francis Scheidegger/Pathfinder Church)

The church’s inception out west was aided by ground being broken on the St. Louis on the Pacific Railroad, the predecessor of the Missouri Pacific Railroad, which aided both connectivity and commerce in the region and helped lead to the church’s growth.

The original Ries Road location subsequently evolved into the modern-day Pathfinder Church at 15800 Manchester Road in Ellisville, with roughly 3,000-members.

The church is celebrating its 175 years of existence by giving back to its community with a 175 Acts of Service endeavor.

                                 The church in 1943. (Photo courtesy of Pathfinder Church)

“Part of that is having our congregation members serve at the local non-profit partners we work with already,” Schmidt said. “But we’re also really encouraging our members to get a group of family and friends together to serve anything from cleaning up a local park to cooking meals for a neighbor who is injured or can’t leave their home. It’s also anything from mowing someone’s lawn or taking out their trash. There’s no limitations. We’re just encouraging our members to be thoughtful and take the initiative to help in our community to make it better.”

The start date of the initiative was April 6.

“Then we’re going through July 4 and really want to blitz our community with active service in those 90 days,” Schmidt said.

The 175 Acts of Service idea was formulated by its church committees, which include staff and members of the congregation.

“But in addition to our meeting discussions, we also want our community to submit their own areas of requests that we can have our people fulfill,” Schmidt said. “There’s a request form or submission form on our website for that. We have a Serve 175 webpage where we encourage our members to submit their activities like a blogpost.”

                               A 1964 Easter sunrise service. (Photo courtesy of Pathfinder Church)

Not directly affiliated with the 175th anniversary, the Church’s annual Summer Blast will be held June 15-19.  Last year, Pathfinder had around 600 kids on campus for that event. It’s a major event they host that fills up every year.

Pathfinder is also hoping to do another community event this fall to again celebrate its 175 years with the community. 

                          A modern view of Pathfinder Church. (Photo courtesy of Pathfinder Church)

“We are part of the LCMS – the Lutheran Church of the Missouri Synod,” Schmidt said. “But we have modern, contemporary services. We are a biblically bound, but culturally relevant church. We are also outwardly focused; always looking to serve the community, and to just serve people as they are and as they enter our doors. A lot of people come in with different degrees and journeys of faith. We like to meet them where they are, and they are welcome here no matter what.”

Castlewood State Park: From vacation spot to a hiker’s paradise

 (Here's another wonderful hiking spot for a recent West Newsmagazine article.  All photos are courtesy of Missouri State Parks.)

Back in the early 20th century, there was a bustling resort town named Castlewood in what is now West St. Louis County. On hot days, hundreds of people would flock to nearby Lincoln Beach along the Meramec River.

Castlewood State Park, officially named with its 1974 introduction, preserves those exhilarating views which drew tourists to the area in droves. Beyond the scenery, the area itself has an interesting history.

“The (Missouri Pacific) railroads were built out this way in the mid-19th century,” said Superintendent David Meeker. “We have a neat photo in our office showing the Castlewood Depot. It was not what you think of when you think of the Kirkwood Depot. It was basically a spot where you could step up on or off the train. That depot on the tracks was near what was called The Grand Staircase, which is a concrete staircase that went from the track level, up the bluffs, and headed to the cabins, hotels.”

Meeker said the train had a custom car to transport people’s canoes to the area. People would get off work on Friday, haul their canoe to the train depot, put it on the train and come out to the park for the weekend. That train still comes through on a regular basis while Amtrak’s Missouri River Runner Line comes through four times a day.

“Back then, Castlewood was far away from the developed city of St. Louis, and out here, there were many cabins, recreation areas and business areas built up to serve more like a summer vacation type of community,” Meeker said. “You could come out with the family and rent a cabin for the weekend, hit a couple trails here and there, swim in the river, canoe … things like that.”

The area’s popularity diminished a great deal as the introduction of the automobile led to people driving greater distances to sites in all directions just after World War II. Through that time, the area fell into disarray due to building abandonments and natural deterioration.

Fast forward to the early 1970s and the Open Space Council for the St. Louis Region and other citizen activists began working together to advocate for more green spaces in what became expanded urban areas.

“What I find significant about Castlewood is that it’s 1,818 acres of primarily undeveloped forests, river bottoms and ecosystems that you rarely see in West St. Louis County,” Meeker said. “As a large point of significance, the park exists to serve as a very large greenspace.

“You could be driving down Big Bend Road and see nothing but housing, businesses and you’re near the highway. Then when you take a left heading south on Ries Road and once you hit our border, it can be overwhelming for some people because it’s nothing but forest. Then, there’s a winding road that leads into the park entrance.”

The park’s hiking opportunities featuring ruralness and scenic views spread across Castlewood’s eight trails that cover some 30 total miles.

Most first-time Castlewood visitors are totally unaware of what roughly two-thirds of the park could offer to them.

“The day-use area is where most people come to visit,” Meeker said. “But we have trails on the south side of the Meramec River as well. There’s the Castlewood Loop Trail and the Chubb Trail. Those are managed in cooperation with St. Louis County Parks. But on the north side of the Meramec River to the west of the day-use area, we have other properties as well. We have the Al Foster Trail which stretches out to Wildwood, the Cedar Bluff Loop, and the Stinging Nettle Trail.” 

Castlewood is a busy location on nice days for hiking, mountain biking and other activities. In addition, the park plays host to third party and special events regularly, and features several major volunteer events throughout the year as well. 

“Starting in April, we are beginning a series of Trail Maintenance Volunteer Days that are on the second and fourth Tuesdays every month from April-October,” Meeker said. 

Meeker said a recently improved park feature is the Lone Wolf Trailhead gazebo. 

“The structure was in need of a lot of help,” Meeker said. “We replaced all the posts on it, poured concrete sidewalks all around it, and it’s ADA accessible as well.”

Castlewood’s park gates and grounds are open year-round daily from 7 a.m. to one-half hour after sunset.