May Days Festival on WingHaven Boardwalk Rescheduled for Saturday

The event runs from noon to 3:30 p.m.

After a rainy weekend canceled plans to celebrate May Days in O'Fallon, the event is rescheduled for this coming Saturday, May 11.  May Days Festival is a family event held at the Boardwalk at Marketplace in WingHaven.  Parents can get to know local business owners by stopping by booths for free giveaways and children can enjoy bounce houses, face painting, games, clowns and live-music.  Also in the entertainment line up:

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10 Books for Kids Under 10

Books make great holiday gifts for young kids.

Toy catalogs and commercials have children begging for the latest new toys, but a bounty of books also appeal to kids’ varied interests while honing early reading skills.  As Dr. Seuss wrote “The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” Open a new world of understanding while pushing your kids to the top of the class with these literary picks. Head to Rose's Bookhouse to find these great books that fit your children’s interests. For the budding artist: The Wall Street Journal recommends What is Contemporary Art? A Guide for Kids from New York’s Museum of Modern Art. A great book to prompt further discussion, kids and parents can share their impressions of the contemporary artwork …

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Holiday Gift Guide: Children's Books for Gift Giving

Vicki Erwin, owner of Main Street Books, has 10 books for children in your life.

SAFARI, Created by Dan Kainen, Written by Carol Kaufmann, Workman, $24.95 This spectacular picture book gives us color photos of animals in their natural habitat movingacross the page. Informational essays accompany each photo making the book entertaining forall ages. I WANT MY HAT BACK by Jon Klassen, Candlewick, $15.99 This picture book has become a classic. Klassen’s bear has lost his red, pointy hat and searchesthe forest asking each animal he meets. Finally, he gives up but in mourning the hat he realizeshe HAS seen it and goes back looking for the culprit who has stolen it. There is subtle humor andeach animal character is imbued with personality. THIS IS NOT MY HAT by Jon Klassen, Candlewick, 15.99 In the follow-up to I WANT MY HAT …

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O'Fallon Man Attacked Wife Saturday, Police Say

O'Fallon Police said the woman blacked out during the assault, and the man held her against her will after taking her cell phone.

An O’Fallon man faces several criminal charges for attacking his wife Saturday. Gunther Russbacher, 35, of the 300 block of Falcon Hill in O’Fallon, was charged Monday with second-degree domestic assault, two counts of third-degree domestic assault and felonious restraint. O’Fallon Police said Russbacher attended Substance Abuse Traffic Offender Program classes Saturday and then went to a bar. When he returned home he began arguing with his wife, police said. The woman left and went into the infant’s bedroom, gave the child a bottle and sat on the floor. O’Fallon Police reported the following: Russbacher came in, grabbed her by the throat and lifted her up, slamming her into the railing over the infant’s crib. He then punched her in the …

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O'Fallon Man Choked Pregnant Wife, Police Say

After choking his wife, police say Roger Worley II left the house, returned a short time later to retrieve a rifle and left again.

An O’Fallon man faces criminal charges after police said he struck and choked his pregnant wife. Roger Worley II, of the first block of Concord Trail Drive in O’Fallon, was charged Sunday with second-degree domestic assault. O’Fallon Police said Worley and his wife argued in their bedroom Sunday and his spouse left the room. Police said Worley became enraged and began kicking and damaging the bedroom doors. He then followed his wife and continued arguing, punching her in the leg according to a police report. He left the room and continued damaging the house, returned and began to choke the woman, who is seven weeks pregnant, police said in the report. The victim told police she doesn’t remember what happened next, but Worley left the house…

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Keepalowprofile

5:20 am on Saturday, January 19, 2013

Sounds sketchy that she can't remember. She needs to dump his ass, It only gets worse from here.   more ›

Tee Kay Babysitters Charged with Molesting Children

A woman and two men are charged with having sex with 7-month-old, and 3 and 5-year-old children.

In a crime St Charles County Sheriff’s Department investigators say is among the worst they’ve seen, three people were charged Thursday with statutory sodomy for having sex with children as young as 7 months old. St. Charles County Sheriff’s detectives said that three people who babysat for neighbors in Tee Kay Manor are accused of having sex with at least three children ages 5, 3 and 7 months old. John Scott Thomas III, 27, and his girlfriend Rebbecca Sue Russell, 30, both of the first block of Tee Kay each are charged with three counts of statutory sodomy for having sex with children less than 12 years old. In one instance, detectives described in court documents that Russell restrained the 7-month-old baby as Thomas had sex with the …

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Real Mom of O'Fallon

Christmas is a Time to Give

Real Mom of O'Fallon shares ways to teach your children to give back this holiday season.

Christmas is coming and coming quick! With less than two weeks until jolly St. Nick arrives bearing gifts galore, it’s time to get busy.  Most of us have shopping, wrapping, baking and cleaning on our “to-do” lists.  Well, I’m going to suggest that we all add another item to that list: Give back.  This time of year makes me realize just how fortunate my family is. We have a house, food on the table and the ability to provide a nice Christmas for our children.  I know there are many families struggling this year and I want my children to understand that not every child will have the same kind of Christmas that they will have. I also want my children to understand that Christmas isn’t just about getting presents, but it is also a time to …

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Thomas J. Stein

3:20 pm on Friday, December 16, 2011

Now, that's an excellent idea of helping families that are less fortunate. They could use all the help in the world. Great article, Trish.   more ›

Real Mom of O'Fallon

Baby, Its Hot Outside!

Real Mom of O’Fallon offers ideas on ways to entertain the kids during the heat wave.

Holy heat Batman!  O’Fallon has been under an Excessive Heat Warning for days now.  The temperatures are hot and the heat index has been anywhere from 100-115.  To say that this heat wave is dangerous is an understatement. As parents, we want to have fun with our children during the summer, but their health and safety is most important. Many outdoor activities need to be restricted in heat like this because a child can overheat and dehydrate very quickly.  Trying to entertain your children in weather like this can be a real challenge, especially if you are anything like me and find yourself down right crabby because of the heat.   I’ve put together a few suggestions on ways to beat the heat and still have fun until fall arrives.   

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Real Mom of O'Fallon

Can’t We All Just Get Along?

Real Mom of O’Fallon seeks advice on dealing with children’s arguments.

The other day I experienced a rare but sentimental mom moment, my boys were playing with each other and actually getting along!  They were in their playroom playing “Star Wars” with action figures and Legos.    There was laughter, as well as sounds of excitement and happiness coming from the boys.  I listened to these delightful noises from the kitchen with a big smile and soft heart.  However, like all good things, they came to an end.  Within 10 minutes, the boys were yelling at one another and fighting over some silly toy.  Apparently, Joey took one of Andrew’s Lego pieces.  We have about 100,000 Lego pieces in our home.  For the boys to fight over one particular Lego piece makes absolutely no sense to me, but they think it is worth …

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Jordan Lanham

9:15 pm on Thursday, July 21, 2011

Thanks Darin! We love hearing from "Dads of O'Fallon!"   more ›

New Preschool Brings Montessori Method to O'Fallon

Owners have 16 students enrolled this session.

Last month’s ribbon-cutting at Bella Montessori Preschool may have seemed a long time coming, given that the enterprise opened its doors in September. “We waited for the warmer weather actually,” said Leslie McGhee. McGhee, 29, along with co-owner Shawna Benne, 41, run Bella Montessori. The school takes its name from Maria Montessori, who founded an educational concept now followed by a string of institutions across the country. “It’s a ‘follow-the-child’ philosophy, which basically means that we have a prepared environment for the children, and we follow when they are ready,” McGhee said. “We do not sit down, and everybody does the same thing as in a traditional setting.” That means the school does a lot of individual and small group …

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