Wentzville Parks and Recreation Offers Pee Wee Soccer

Wentzville Parks and Recreation is offering a six week micro soccer league for four and five year olds.

Two Men Broke Into Wentzville House With Children Home

Wentzville Police said the two men live near the home; they kicked in a door to enter the house.

Two men kicked in a door to burglarize a house in the first block of Warsen Avenue near Wentzville on Wednesday and found two children at home, police said. Robert Mohrmann, 54, of the first block of Warsen Avenue, and Matthew Burnett, of the 200 block of Shade Tree Court in Lake Saint Louis, were both charged Thursday with first-degree burglary. A St. Charles County Sheriff’s deputy said that after kicking in the door, Burnett searched the house even after he saw that a girl was home. Two children were in the home, a 13-year-old and a 6-year-old girl. Mohrmann, who lives down the street from the house, told the deputy he left after he saw the girl in the home. He also told the deputy they broke into the home intending to steal items from …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (2)

Wentzville Woman Charged With Violating Order Against Seeing Her Children

Her husband told police she uses synthetic drugs, hallucinates and becomes violent.

A Wentzville woman was charged Monday with violating an order of protection against her children. Wentzville Police said in a report that Teresa Rice, 35, of Wentzville, violated the protection order by entering the home in the 900 block of Indian Rock Court on May 24 while the children were home. Rice’s husband told police he got the restraining order because Rice abuses “bath salts,” or synthetic drugs, and when she is under the influence she hallucinates and becomes violent. For more crime information on Wentzville Patch, see the following articles:

• Photos (1)

Young Accident Victim's Account: 'It's Bad to Breathe on a Bridge'

Ten-year-old accident victim Isabella Burzio-Roca recounts the details of the crash and the events that followed.

On July 6, Wentzville Patch posted a short account of an accident on the Blanchette Bridge in St. Charles. On July 8, Paula Roca, one of the victims identified the the story emailed Patch. Roca said that each member of her family has coped with the event in a different way, and she had something to share. "I was shocked and proud to find out that my 10 year old Bella kept a diary of the happenings on her iPod, typing every 'fact' through her own eyes," Roca said. Perhaps someday, Roca said, Isabella might become a journalist. Here is Isabella's story, as told by her.  The Accident It all started on the trip to Michigan. My friend Caitlyne told me it was bad luck to breathe on a bridge. Then this car in front of us got out of control and …

•  16 Comments
• Photos (2)

The Next Generation

Proud to be 'Jenna's Dad'

Our columnist pours his heart into a letter to his daughter.

Several years ago Randy Pausch, a professor at Carnegie Mellon, wrote a book called The Last Lecture. And in that book he describes what life was like dying.  He wrote the book for his family and his young children to have long after he was gone. He describes videos and notes made for his children’s milestones: birthdays, proms, graduations, weddings, all the events in their lives that he would miss. He wanted to leave them a piece of himself; he wanted his influence to outlive his life. Last week, after the birth of my niece, I have been on the same thought path. I’m not dying that I know of, but life isn’t guaranteed. My next breath could be my last.  So with that in mind I would like to say something to you, my baby girl. From the …

• Photos (1)

The Next Generation

Hey Parents! Celebrate Your Child Every Chance You Can

Think back to how this little bundle of joy rocked your world with a step or word. Take yourself to a place when you wondered how you could have been so blessed with such an amazing child.

This morning, my daughter wanted to wear some longer shorts or capris. Unfortunately for her, she’s had several growth spurts over the winter and is wearing clothing a full size above where she should be. And unfortunately for me, I got hit with the blunt end of the whiny stick today. She began to deconstruct why said capris were actually not big enough to be worn to school and how I should be on top of situations like this with emergency clothing provisions.  Actually what she said was more like this: “Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaddy!” (When you imagine the voice make sure it’s high and nasally.) As almost any parent in the world would, I became frustrated and walked away from the conversation to continue what I was doing previous to this …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

Joe Smith

10:08 am on Saturday, March 10, 2012

Thanks Nan!   more ›

Be There Now

Big Brothers Big Sisters Lets The Good Times Roll at Annual Bowl For Kids' Sake Fundraiser

At the agency’s signature event, donors get together to have fun for a cause.

For more than 27 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has gathered support for the agency through its signature fundraiser, Bowl for Kids’ Sake. Bowl for Kids' Sake has raised more than $5 million in the course of its 27-year history, making it the largest and most successful bowling fundraiser in the state of Missouri. One hundred percent of the funds raised remain in the Eastern Missouri region and are used to help Big Brothers Big Sisters surround children with trusting and enduring relationships. Big Brothers Big Sisters has always valued those who support the agency through their generous donations. BBBS supports a relationship model known as 4:1+1sm. This model engages the four most significant adults in a Little’s life—parent, teacher, …

• Photos (2)

The Next Generation

The Over-Sexing of Our Youth

One father laments the hyper-sexual nature of society.

It was a typical night in the Smith household. Everyone was fed, we had cleaned up the kitchen and we were outside playing. As the evening came to a close we rounded up all the toys and playthings all over our yard and headed in to wind down a great day. We sat down laughing at something one of the kids had done and turned on the TV. Less than one minute into the program we heard a character use the word penis four times in one sentence. I’m not a prude. My children are not overly sheltered. But I grabbed the remote and changed it as fast as my fingers would move. My daughter was sitting there and had heard all of it as well. She didn’t ask anything but the image was still there. We’ve had part of “The Talk” that is appropriate for her age…

• Photos (1)

Be There Now

Big Brothers Big Sisters Named No. 1 Nonprofit for At-Risk Youth by Philanthropedia

Local agency renews call for more volunteer Bigs.

The nation’s continuing economic uncertainty is challenging for most, but it is especially challenging for the nation’s at-risk youth. These youth - many of whom live in our St Louis community- are already facing multiple obstacles. But there is good news – some programs are making a difference. According to Philanthropedia, Big Brothers Big Sisters is not just making a difference but has been ranked best of the best on a list of most recommended, high-impact national nonprofits serving at-risk youth.  The nation's leader in quality, youth mentoring, Big Brothers Big Sisters received praise for its effective mentoring model that leads to positive and measurable youth outcomes for children who face adversity, as well as for its …

• Photos (1)

The Next Generation

It's Time to Fight for the Family

Divorce and its impact on children.

She slept around looking for the love and acceptance that she longed for. He self-medicated with certain drugs and alcohol to escape pain he couldn’t cope with. She desperately desired that her parents hadn’t made such a mess out of her life. He hated his parents for what they had done. These are two separate teens dealing with the fallout of their parent’s divorce. I can’t speak for every child out there but I do know that many kids run through the scenario in their minds. “What would I do?” “Who would I go with?” “What happens if one of them starts dating?” All examples of questions that even went through my mind from time to time growing up and my parents were very much in love! Divorce is an issue that’s very touchy. It’s touchy …

• Photos (1)