In 2021 I fell in love with gardening, but at that time, it did not love me back! In those days I was living in a second floor apartment with only a balcony to use as a growing space. I purchased a few containers, some herbs, and a couple plant starts (tomatoes and one cucumber plant) and was confused and discouraged when everything died.
In the late winter of 2022, I went to my local library and borrowed as many books on gardening as I could get my hands on. I figured out what I did wrong with my first container garden. The long story is that basically it was hot and sunny on my balcony, which I thought was a good thing, but since I was growing stuff in plastic containers, that just made the plants overheat and wilt. Combine that with how I knew nothing about the important role that pollinators play in a garden, and well, before everything died, I had a whole lot of leafy plants and not much fruit.
Later in 2022 when we moved to Franklin County and into a house with a yard, I was determined to successfully grow my own food. While I’ve had ups and downs thanks to pests (squash bugs are the devil’s minions, you won’t convince me otherwise!), and crazy weather patterns (I’m looking at you summer of 2025), I’ve mostly been successful. One year I had so much success with pickling cucumbers that I ended up with over four dozen jars of refrigerator pickles 😀 I gave a lot of those away!
Tomatoes, zucchini, and watermelon plant starts I was gifted from a fellow gardener I met at the community garden. Photo credit: The Socialite_Amanda Bretz
Even though I have a yard now, I still take advantage of the free garden beds at the community garden in St. Clair. If you didn’t know, the Scenic Regional Library St. Clair Branch has a community garden with around 20 or so garden beds that are able to be “checked out” from the library, the same way you’d check out a book, DVD, or other library materials using your library card. I like gardening at the library because it’s a slightly different environment than my home garden in that the area gets sun throughout the entire day, and it has other gardeners there, which is something I don’t get at home.
For me, that’s such a bonus because when I’m tending to my community garden bed in the middle of the brutal summer heat, battling weeds and pests, it’s reassuring to see a fellow gardener doing the same to their garden bed. Conversations naturally occur over commiserating about things like squash bugs or pesky squirrels and birds taking nibbles out of your tomatoes.
There are a couple drawbacks to having a garden space that isn’t at your own home, mainly that you have to remember to make a trip to the library to check up on your growing space, as well as water and maintain it. If checking out a garden bed isn’t something you’re interested in, there’s also a seed library inside the library that you may get a few seeds from for your home or community garden bed.
If you’re not familiar, a seed library means that there’s a variety of seed packets – everything from heirloom tomato varieties to lettuce and other greens, and flower seeds – and this can also be accessed with your library card.
Visit the Scenic Regional Library St. Clair Branch at 515 E. Springfield Road in St. Clair to find out more, or just to take a stroll through the community garden to take a peek at what’s growing.
This week there’s crafting opportunities, spring markets, the Route 66 Centennial celebrations kick off this week, plus there’s local Kentucky Derby parties, and a lot more.
Remember to double check with event venues before heading out just in case an event gets canceled or rescheduled.
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Wednesday, April 29 Get a jump start on your gift for mom at the Mother’s Day Crafting event at The Washington Public Library at 4 p.m. Get more details.
Friday, May 1 The Washington Public Library is having a Gilmore Girls Coffee, Art, and Watch Party from 1-4 p.m. The library will provide supplies to make a “coffee art” print while watching a few episodes of the iconic TV series. Feel free to bring snacks! Find out more.
Friday, May 1 Grab your bestie and join for a fun, feel-good night at the HoM Healing Center in Pacific from 6–8 p.m. at the Sips, Shopping, and Self-Care event. Spend the evening enjoying sips, shopping with amazing local vendors, having self-care + wellness experiences, and all the good vibes. Get more info.
Friday, May 1 Union’s first Concert in the Park of the season is happening from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at the large pavilion located at 575 Christina Ave. in Union. Bring lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy the evening of free music. Learn more.
Saturday, May 2 Eight Nine Eight Cigar Lounge & Bar in Washington is celebrating “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports!” Spend the evening in your finest garb – hats, fascinators, seer suckers, pastels. The race will be on at 5:57pm, but the entire evening will be filled with proper ladies and gentleman sipping on mint juleps…and Eight Nine Eight’s other incredible cocktails. Check out the details.
Saturday, May 2 Franklin County Foster Closet’s Run for Love 5k is a fun way to kick off Foster Care Awareness Month! Join as a runner, walker, couch supporter or sponsor. Get more info.
Saturday, May 2 First Baptist Church in St. Clair is having a Family Feud night. The event is free, and childcare will be provided. Dinner, including gluten-free options, will also be provided. Get more info.
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Saturday, May 2 Attend the Kentucky Derby Party at Mangia Bella’s at Elijah McLeans in Washington. The event is from 4-10 and will feature games live music, and more. Get more details.
Saturday, May 2 The Labaddie Spring Outdoor Market is happening from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Shop from local makers and food vendors. Find out more.
Saturday, May 2 Head to the Washington Riverfront for a morning of riverfront yoga by Present Moment Yoga. The sunrise practice begins at 7 a.m. Learn more.
Saturday, May 2 Celebrate Kentucky Derby Day at McKelvey Vineyards, there will be live music all day with three bands, drink specials, and a party full of people in their finest Derby wear. $5 cover at the door. Get more info.
Saturday, May 2 Union Community Center’s First Annual Spring Market is happening from 8-3 p.m. This fun, family-friendly event will feature a variety of local crafters and vendors offering handmade goods, unique finds, and small-business favorites. Enjoy concessions and drinks while you shop and support our community. This Spring Market is a fundraiser event, with proceeds benefiting programs and activities at the Union Community Center. Find out more.
Saturday, May 2 Celebrate the grand opening of an equine therapy organization in St. Clair. Hoof to Heart Healing offers a one of a kind, hands-on experience with horses that supports emotional growth, nervous system balance, and meaningful connection…all in a calm, guided environment that complements licensed mental health care. Get all the details.
Sunday, May 3 Get crafty at R&R Ace Hardware in Sullivan the Plant, Paint & Sip event from 2–4 p.m. For $30 per person, you’ll get everything you need to create your own custom potted plant. Pick out your pot, paint it your way, and plant your greenery—all materials included. While you work, enjoy your choice of two flavors of boozy slushies. Seats are limited and are paid via Venmo. Reserve your spot.
Road Trippin’
Take a little road trip to some of these events happening within a short drive of Franklin County.
Wednesday, April 29 The Route 66 Centennial Car Show and Cruise-In is happening in Rolla from 3-7 p.m. See classic rides and enjoy food, drinks, and desserts available for purchase from local vendors. Find out more.
Saturday, May 2 & Sunday, May 3 Explore a unique selection of handmade goods and crafts from local vendors while enjoying award-winning wines and live music at this free event on Blumenhof Winery’s patio. Get more details.
Saturday, May 2 Maramec Spring Park in St. James is having a Bugs, Birds, and Blooms Pollinator festival from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Learn about Missouri’s natural resources, buy native plants, purchase from food and craft vendors, and enjoy live entertainment. Learn more.
Saturday, May 2 Step back in time and experience pioneer life at the Pioneer Day celebration in Warrenton. From 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., the Warrenton branch of Scenic Regional Library will have fun activities, demonstrations, crafters, food, live music and more! More info.
Saturday, May 2 Enjoy an afternoon of sipping, savoring, and celebrating local pours and flavors at Noboleis Vineyards in Augusta. Celebrate a special “Farm to Table” edition of the vineyard’s Wine with Friends Market! This event will be extra special with the appearance of some furry friends from Meyer Mini Farms from 1-4 p.m. Learn more.
Saturday, May 2 The Route 66 Centennial celebration in Rolla is happening from 2-7 p.m. and will feature live music, a cruise-in, food trucks, and family activities. Get more info.
Saturday, May 2 & Sunday, May 3 Back for its second weekend, Heartland Farms in Bourbon is having Baby Animal Days at the farm. This family-friendly outdoor event will feature 4H groups showing off their baby animals. The animals will vary by day, but should include chicks, goats, bunnies, bottle calf, and ponies. Other attractions will be open as well as a concession stand. Find out more.
Sunday, May 3 Celebrating the rich legacy of the Mother Road, America’s Main Street, the Route 66 Centennial Traveling Exhibit will be on view in Cuba beginning May 3 and running until September 14. The exhibit marks two major milestones: the 100th anniversary of Route 66 and the 250th anniversary of the United States. The exhibit is free and will be open to the public. Find all the celebratory details.
Have a public event coming up? Submit your event details like time, location, and cost to attend. Be sure to include your website and social media details so I can help spread the word about your event!
Started by Alex Moraes, Franklin County Sports Club provides a high-quality, competitive soccer experience to the youth of Franklin County, ensuring that every player reaches their full potential both on and off the field. The organization provides elite training and coaching opportunities for players of all backgrounds.
Its focus is on youth athletes ages four to 18 in Franklin County and the surrounding areas, it has been well received by families in the area, and its programs are growing. FCSC has partnered with local organizations, schools, and soccer professionals to provide an environment where young athletes can grow their skills, build character, and compete at the highest levels.
Players in the FCSC programs come from schools across the county, with athletes playing alongside each other although they may not attend the same school. Photo via Franklin County Sports Club on Facebook.
“The goal is to elevate Franklin County athletes and to be more competitive,” Alex shares.
Currently Franklin County Sports Club has a number of programs, including competitive soccer, a high-level training and game environment for dedicated players looking to challenge themselves and grow in the game, MLS Go Rec Soccer, which is a program that prepares players to go from recreational play to the pros. There are also programs built around specific skillsets like ball mastery and goalkeeping, as well as improving overall athletic performance, and soccer camps.
The club operates under the guidance of four core values – community, integrity, excellence, and respect.
“Our four values reflect the organization’s leadership,” he says.
Alex is the current president, executive director, and head coach at FCSC. There are three other board members – Scott Alberson, vice president and treasurer, David Pope, secretary, goalkeeping coach, and assistant coach, and Jason Schmelz, advisor, goalkeeping trainer, and head coach.
Getting the organization started
Organizations with a big vision and strong leadership like FCSC’s don’t just form overnight, but Alex shares that once he had the idea for the club, things came together quickly – in about one year. Taking a leap of faith and encouraged by his wife Maria to do something for the youth of Franklin County, Alex created a business plan and marketing strategy to ensure the organization’s success.
“We knew we wanted to do a nonprofit because we didn’t want anybody to own Franklin County Sports Club,” he explains.
Another area of importance was to integrate elements of Franklin County history and the value of community into every aspect of the organization, right down to its badge. The three curved lines at the bottom represent the three rivers present in Franklin County, the Meramec, Missouri, and Bourbeuse, and the badge itself features a minimalist design that is reminiscent of historic German soccer badges, to honor the German settlers in Franklin County.
Elements from Franklin County are represented in the FCSC badge, such as the three rivers represented at the bottom. Photo via Franklin County Sports Club on Facebook.
Once the plans were in place on paper, the organization gained momentum quickly, and received the necessary licensing needed, as well as recruiting board members and sponsors. Franklin County Sports Club obtained its 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in 2024 and launched its first spring league in 2025.
Alex points to numerous people and organizations within the Franklin County community with helping FCSC gain its footing so quickly – from Brenda Kleinheider, original developer and former owner of N-Sports Rec Center in Washington, to gaining sponsors like Bank of Washington.
Educational and sports background
Alex was born and raised in Honduras, and soccer was a major part of the culture he grew up in. He is a former semi-professional goalkeeper as well as a former member of the Honduras U-17 Youth Men’s National Team. Prior to launching FCSC, he coached with St. Louis Scott Gallagher SC and Lou Fusz Athletic, leading teams to regional playoffs and tournament titles.
Alex Moraes poses with youth athletes at the club’s Golden Goal Night event. Photo via Franklin County Sports Club on Facebook.
Alex attended Lindenwood University and was a triple undergraduate major in political science and government, public administration, and economics. He also holds an MBA in international business from Lindenwood.
In February 2025, after nearly a decade and a half of living in the U.S. under a student visa and later an H-1B visa, Alex became an official American citizen.
“I always wanted to study abroad and I came here to change my family tree,” he shares.
With his drive to help others succeed, his commitment to building a sports club that will change the lives of the youth in Franklin County, and leading an organization that’s fostering community, Alex is a living embodiment of what it means to chase the American Dream in today’s world.
To find out more about Franklin County Sports Club, follow them on Facebook, Instagram, or visit its website.
With the goal of helping people in Pacific and beyond get the proper upper cervical care, Gateway Upper Cervical Institute led by Dr. Max Orris focuses on providing care in several practice areas, including treating vertigo and dizziness.
While many people may be familiar with the sensation of vertigo or dizziness, it’s a condition that can cause major disruptions to daily life since it can impact a person’s ability to drive, and how they see and sense the world around them. Although the experience of vertigo and dizziness may be used interchangeably, they typically have different causes and varying symptoms.
A person with vertigo often feels like the room is spinning and this condition has different causes, terminology, and diagnoses associated with it, while dizziness tends to be more of a balance issue and is best described as feeling as if you’re on a boat. Vertigo can also impact a person’s vision causing blurry sight or seeing double. Other visual impairments associated with vertigo can include feeling like objects are bouncing, having sensitivity to light, having problems with spatial orientation, and difficulty focusing on an object.
While anyone can have vertigo or dizziness, Dr. Max shares that women experience the issue more than men. Photo credit: Gateway Upper Cervical Institute.
Since vertigo can affect vision and dizziness impacts balance, a common focus area for both health practitioners and people experiencing vertigo and dizziness is to first rule out that the problem isn’t being caused by an inner ear or vision issue. Since there are three main areas of the body that create a vertigo or dizziness response, the ears and eyes are often the areas people tend to have checked out as possible causes first.
“People find our office most often after they’ve seen their primary doctor, they’ve been to physical therapy, they’ve been to an ENT, or have tried different treatments without results or they’ve not gotten answers,” Dr. Max explains.
Because about 70% of the input into the vestibular nuclei, which is the area of the brain that integrates from the eyes, ears and neck, comes from the muscles in your upper neck, upper cervical care practitioners can often get results where traditional medicine hasn’t produced an outcome. Since these muscles have such a high sensory input into the brain, when there’s a misalignment in the upper neck muscles, the body can receive incorrect information causing a person to experience a sensation like they’re on a boat or the room is spinning.
Common types of vertigo
While more traditional medical treatments from primary doctors and ENTs along with certain therapeutic methods performed by PTs have their place when treating vertigo or dizziness, often they’re meant for specific conditions, and vertigo can take on a few different forms.
For instance, Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is a positional form of vertigo meaning that a person will feel a sudden spinning sensation with certain head movements, such as after rolling over in bed.
Another type of vertigo is caused by a Vestibular Migraine which is dizziness or motion sensitivity that can be accompanied by a headache, but not always. Sometimes dizziness can stem from experiencing head or neck trauma, such as after a concussion, and in the case of Cervicogenic Dizziness, a person may experience an unsteady, floating, or off-balance sensation that is linked to neck tension or posture.
Dr. Max shares that when clients come to the Institute for treatment of dizziness and vertigo, they’ll often see results within the first few visits since he utilizes various tools and equipment not used elsewhere in the region, like a specialized chiropractic instrument called a stylus that uses high-frequency sound wave technology.
By utilizing sound wave technology through the stylus tool pictured here, Dr. Max can achieve a high success rate for patients struggling with vertigo and dizziness. Photo credit: Gateway Upper Cervical Institute.
“We have around an 85% success rate,” he shares.
Another the reason for the high success rate is due to a screening tool that dials into what is causing the symptoms. There’s a short quiz available on the Institute’s website that potential patients can take prior to visiting the office. After filling it out, the office will reach out and set up a time to be seen. Or, if the in-office screening results indicate that a different form of treatment is better for an individual’s conditions, the Institute has a number of referral partners that they can refer a patient to, and those referral partners also have high success rates treating vertigo and dizziness.
If you or someone you know experiences vertigo or dizziness, take Gateway Upper Cervical Institute’s online quiz. Or contact the business by phone at 636-271-2960, or visit Gateway Upper Cervical Institute online to find out more. Gateway Upper Cervical Institute is located at 409 West Osage in Pacific.
