Police: Parents Left Children Unattended at Bar While Drinking 'Large Amounts of Alcohol'

A St. Charles County couple acted with "criminal negligence" by leaving their children unattended at Lehmann's Landing Bar and Grill in Bridgeton as they drank "large amounts of alcohol," police say.

Two parents face charges for leaving their children unsupervised as they drank in a bar, police said. Jessica Allen, 28, and Daniel R. Allen, 28, both of the 1300 block of Park Ashwood Drive in St. Charles County, were charged Aug. 2 with two counts of endangering a child. A witness called police Jan. 14 believing the children had been abandoned at Lehmann’s Landing Bar and Grill in Bridgeton, the police said in a report. Bridgeton Police said in the report the parents were drinking in an area where they could not see the 3- and 4-year-old children. Police said in the report the parents acted with “criminal negligence” by leaving the children unattended as they drank “large amounts of alcohol.” Jessica Allen told police she drank a few …

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Un-Trivial Cause: Saturday Trivia Night Benefits Camp for Children

Organizers are hosting a trivia night at the Maryland Heights Centre to benefit Camp Hickory Hill.

Up for a night of trivia? You can head to the Maryland Heights Centre on March 3 for a trivia night, which will raise funds for Camp Hickory Hill. Camp Hickory Hill lies outside Columbia, MO, according to its website, and serves children with diabetes. While attendees hoping for advanced tickets needed to have their order postmarked by Feb. 24, trivia fans can still buy tickets at the door. Organizers are charging $15 per person, or $100 for a table of eight the night of the event. Send an email to chhtrivianight@att.net if you have questions, according to a flyer for the event.

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Jean Whitney

6:19 pm on Saturday, March 3, 2012

I very much like this headline, and the cause!   more ›

Greatest Person of the Day

Batting a Thousand: Carol Mittler Devotes Volunteer Hours at Local Hospital

The Maryland Heights resident has volunteered at Ranken Jordan for the last seven years.

Carol Mittler may not be a physician, nurse or other medical professional — but she’s ready to lend a hand at Ranken Jordan—A Pediatric Specialty Hospital in Maryland Heights. In fact, she's been doing so for the last seven years. All told, Mittler has logged more than 1,300 hours of volunteer time. Mittler said she loves the idea of being around children. Before lending a hand at Ranken Jordan, she was a Sunday School and Vacation Bible School teacher for many years. “Once you see a little smile on their face, and then get to see them go home, you are blessed,” she said. The children at Ranken Jordan need someone to love them if their parents aren’t there, Mittler said, and to tell them “Mommy and Daddy will be here when they can.” Ranken…

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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 …

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Mom's the Word

Switch Gadgets Off, Summer On in Maryland Heights

Gadgets are great, but there's no app for summer.

With Father’s Day just behind us and Fourth of July on its way, I am reminded of the many Missouri summers I spent camping, fishing and just being a kid during that beloved break from school. My children are lucky to live in Maryland Heights and share that same abundant Missouri sunshine—but things are a little different these days. Admittedly, like a lot of families, mine is addicted to the Internet and techno-gadgets. They often enhance our lives, but they could also cause my kids to miss out on making great summer memories. As one of my friends—on Facebook, no less!—put it recently: “I had social networking when I was a kid. It was called ‘outside.’” In my childhood, there were no iPhones, iPods, or “i” anythings to entertain, distract …

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Whiz Kid

Whiz Kid: Computer Ace and Honors Student Zac Hays

Freshman Zachary Hays marches, sings and takes honors classes at Pattonville High School.

Name: Zachary Hays Age: He is 15 years old. School: He is a Pattonville High School freshman. Key to Awesomeness: Zac has the ability to laugh at himself, he pays attention in class, and he makes a point to be social and make new friends. When Zac isn't playing in the marching band, singing in the concert choir, or sitting in an honors class, odds are you will find him at a computer. He loves playing multilevel computer games just like his dad, who is a computer system administrator. Zac likes designing strategies and figuring out his opponents' moves in advance, staying one step ahead of them. He enjoys role playing, too, and always looks forward to his biweekly meetings with a Dungeons and Dragons group. When he was in the seventh-grade …

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Whiz Kid

Pint-Sized Pujols Excels On and Off the Field

One kindergartner doesn't let his small size stop him from being a big success.

This week, Patch Contributor Amanda Holtom writes about her own Whiz Kid, but we want reader nominations. Check out how to submit a child to be next week's "Whiz Kid" after the story! Name: T. Holtom Age: He is 5 years old.  School: He is a kindergartner at Rose Acres. Key to Awesomeness: He eats well, gets plenty of sleep and doesn't let his small size stop him from doing big things. Last summer, right before his fifth birthday, my son begged his dad and me to let him play baseball at Vago Park. Due to low enrollment, team classifications were merged, making the age range bigger. He would be the youngest—and smallest—kid in the league. "Don't you think you might not be able to keep up, or even get hurt?" I had asked. After all, he was …

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About Town

Take A Walk Down Memory Lane in Maryland Heights

In just six short years, Maryland Heights has changed rapidly.

When we first moved to Maryland Heights in 2005, my son was in the fifth grade at Bellerive Elementary, and my daughter was 1 year old. We instantly fell in love with the area that became our home—the convenient shops and close location to Interstate 270 made it an easy sell for my family. We quickly found our rhythmn in the community and fell into our familial routine. It took a little while to get used to the area, but we were embraced by our neighbors and made to feel like a part of the city. In little to no time, we found our groove and never stopped rocking! But over what feels like a short period of time of six years, so much has changed about our beloved city. Some for the good and some for the bad. Here's the good: Here's the bad:

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PatchCast

Daily PatchCast: Wentzville Council Approves Preliminary Tax Levy, Clayton Aldermen Approve Using Funds for Wydown Work and More

A roundup of St. Louis news headlines for Thursday.

Here are the top stories from Patch sites in your area:  

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