News Of Neighbors

Summer 2005

Baby Madeline. Photographer not credited.

Historical Summer 2005 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.

Knee surgery has kept the intrepid Lana Stein on the sidelines for the past few weeks. Visitors to Pershing have included a parade of neighborhood, political, and academic cohorts, including Evan Jacobs, who watched heavy-duty construction vehicles with his grandfather Neville, escorted by a woman construction worker who apparently understands three-year-old boys to see the ‘big hole’ there.

From her window on Pershing, our recuperating co-Editor has been watching MetroLink construction daily. Lana reports that numerous uncovered dump trucks continue to roar down Des Peres, activity that was supposed to have been completed in December of 2004. We’re glad to know Lana is doing so well at the job of healing and will be back in the thick of things soon! Babies in the Loop: Matt and Rachel (Bender) Box-dorfer of the 6000 of McPherson welcomed their third child, Maddalyn Evans on December 3rd. Maddalyn shares that birthday with her big sister Gretchen!

The proud brother is Christian and grandparents include Joan and Rick Bender of the 6100 block of Kingsbury. Maddalyn’s arrival gave the family something special to celebrate at Wintermarkt where Matt handed out many cigars. More baby news from the 6000 block of McPherson includes word from Jon and Lynne Tiede, who welcomed their first child, Colton Russell Tiede on October 23! Angelica and Paul Michaelson of the 5800 block of Pershing are ready to celebrate their baby Gabriella’s first birthday on July 27, 2005.

Also on Pershing, Irina and Aaron Runcle welcomed baby Alexandra in October, 2004. Jennifer Olmstead and Brady Baybeck of the 6100 block of Washington welcomed their second child, Madeline McLin Baybeck, who joined the family, including big sister Sarah, on 5/5/05. Great to hear of so many young families enjoying life in the neighborhood! Up, Up and Away: frequent TIMES contributor Nicole Blumner, husband Warren Rosenblum and baby Eve have flown off to Germany for a yearlong adventure there. Nicole will be doing some planning intern-ships and learning German, as will their young daughter, who will celebrate her first birthday in July by having the opportunity to learn to talk in two languages. Nicole was given a fine sendoff at St. Louis Development Corporation, where her hard work on the North Riverfront Plan was lauded, along with her many other contributions in her three-year stint at SLDC. Congrat-ulations to Warren, who has recently earned the status of tenure at Webster University.

While they’re in Germany, their house will be home for a family from Pamplona, Spain, coming to spend a year. Hopefully, we’ll get a chance to meet the exchange family while they’re enjoying their Skinker-DeBaliviere – St. Louis adventure! And Nicole promises an article for the TIMES on their stay in Germany. Other departures include Rosedale President and lifelong neighborhood resident Tim Schoemehl, who has become a homeowner, unfortunately (for us) in the Bevo Neighborhood of south St. Louis.

We wish Tim all the best and hope to see him often around the old homestead. Tim had been a renter in the Rosedale Square Apartments, where redevelopment will apparently begin later this year.

Also departing Rosedale Square for greener pastures in south St. Louis is Lynn Weir, whose mom and dad, Marj and Brad, are enjoying a new kitchen in their longtime home on the 6100 block of Westminster.

Also departing the neighborhood are Chris Simon and Jessica Forsyth and baby Pablo of the 5900 block of Pershing, who are moving to Colorado. Best wishes to all! Rachelle L’Ecuyer, of the 6100 block of Washington, has accepted an exciting new job as Director of Community Devel-opment for Maplewood. Rachelle has been a mainstay of the Regional Housing and Community Development Alliance. Among her achievements is the now-booming Old North St. Louis housing development. Sean McWilliams received his PhD in History at the recent ceremonies at Washington University. Sean and wife Karin Hageman live on the 6000 block of McPherson, where baby Meredith has many baby playmates! Parkview neighbor and retired Washington University neurologist Larry Coben has recently published a new and intriguing book of poems called Beastly Rhymes and Reasons. It’s a “bestiary,” a form of writing used since the middle ages. It’s humorous and informa-tive at the same time and features c h a r m i n g drawings by local artist Nicole Maschmeier.

The book is pocket-sized and is being sold at Left Bank Books, Bittersweet Botanicals on Delmar, the university’s book-store, and other locations. Dr. Coben is currently working on a new book called Anna’s Shtetl, a true story of childhood in the Ukraine in the early years of the 20th century. Many neighborhood residents and nearby Central West Enders attended a fundraiser in February at the Washington Terrace home of Pina and Dr. Morin Hanson. Meds and Food for Kids, a nonprofit organization, supports the work of St. Louis pediatrician and CWE resident Dr. Pat Wolff and other volunteers in two villages in Haiti. Their work includes an innovative program for treating malnourished Haitian children with the use of ‘supercharged’ peanut butter. More information is available at www.medsandfoodforkids.org. Beginning and ending with news of illness, we send our best wishes to Laure Porterfield, SDCC Executive Director, who had major surgery and has suffered recurring infections for many weeks.

Her dedicated assistant Juanita Wood has kept the office humming, working with housing staff director Gary Boehnke.

We all hope to see Laure back in her Four Corners Office this summer.

To everyone, have a great summer and send us your news for the September TIMES, to jvatcha@peoplepc. com or vatchaj@stlouiscity.com. Love to hear from you!