St. Charles County, Missouri and Area News

Friday, November 30, 2012

Holocaust survivor shares story with students



On Thursday, November 29th, Holocaust survivor Ben Fainer shared his moving story with eighth grade students from Wentzville Middle School. In communication arts class these students are reading "Night" by Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel, based upon his story of survival while in the concentration camps. WMS teachers Marcus Hirsch and Scott Kiehl arranged for Mr Fainer to visit with the students and share his own story.

"My message is my experience," said Mr. Fainer with a shrug. "I had the greatest mother in the world, and she was taken away from me when I was 9 1/2 years old by the Nazis, and she perished in Auschwitz. So I remind these children that they should listen to their mother."

Born Bendet Fajner in Poland in 1930, Mr. Fainer was separated from his mother and his siblings and sent to the Buchenwald concentration camp by the Nazis in 1939. He still bears the tattoo ID number 178873 on his left forearm. "To survive the camps you had to be able to walk and to work in the factory. If you couldn't do either, you would soon be dead."


After more than six years spent in several different camps, he was finally liberated by the U.S.Army's 26th Infantry Division in April of 1945. After the war, he lived in Ireland and Canada before settling in St. Louis. "The children in America, what they have is greater than any other children anywhere in the world. They have the world on a string."

"I have done a lot of research on the Holocaust, but this was the first time I had heard a survivor speak," said eighth grader Amy Smith. "It was really eye opening, and I thought he was very strong to talk about it after all he has been through, I was impressed. It's something my kids won't be able to experience, so I was very lucky today."


As students lined up to hug Mr. Fainer and have their picture taken with him after the assembly, student Hunter Mize said he had been moved by his presentation. "It's a once in a lifetime opportunity to listen to someone who survived, and is brave enough to tell us about his experiences. I think everyone should know what happened in WWII, how these people suffered, because what Hitler did was so evil and filled with such hatred. People need to know what the Jewish people went through in the Holocaust, so nothing like this could ever happen again."

From the Wentzville School District

O'Fallon Police Department Crime Log


Following is the O’Fallon Police Department Crime Log of reported incidents for the period of November 15, 2012 through November 28, 2012:

11/15/2012

Medicine and a vacuum were shoplifted in the 1300 block of Highway K. A 29-year-old O’Fallon male was issued a summons.

Clothing, perfume, makeup and a charger were shoplifted in the 1300 block of Highway K. Two 17-year-old Foley females were arrested.

11/16/2012

Clothing and jewelry were shoplifted in the 1300 block of Highway K. A 47-year-old Winfield female was arrested.

Sunglasses and gum were stolen from an unlocked vehicle on St. Dymphna Court.

A vehicle window was damaged in the 300 block of Wood Street.

11/17/2012

Tires were damaged in the 800 block of Summersong Drive.

Cash was stolen from an unattended wallet in the 2600 block of Tri Sports Drive.

A vehicle mirror was damaged in the 1400 block of Great Warrior Drive.

Food was stolen from the 8600 block of Veterans Memorial Parkway. A 55-year-old O’Fallon female was issued a summons.

Windows were damaged to gain entry and two stereos were stolen in the 100 block of Waterford Crossing Drive.

11/18/2012

A burglary occurred in the 400 block of St. Matthew Avenue.

Dog food and dishes were shoplifted in the 200 block of O’Fallon Plaza.

11/19/2012

A wallet was stolen from an unlocked vehicle in the 200 block of Birmingham Drive.

A lock was damaged to gain entry into a vehicle and jewelry, tools and electronics were stolen in the 200 block of Countryshire Court.

Gas drive offs occurred in the 1300 block of North Main Street and in the 700 block of Highway K.

Hair dye was shoplifted in the 1300 block of Highway K. An 18-year-old St. Peters female was arrested.

11/20/2012

A computer and money were stolen from an unlocked vehicle in Montauk Court.

Food was shoplifted in the 2000 block of Highway K.

A subwoofer was stolen from an unlocked vehicle in the 400 block of St. Marys Place.

A wiring kit and amplifier were shoplifted in the 1300 block of Highway K. A 26-year-old St. Charles man was arrested.

A gas drive off occurred in the 800 block of Bryan Road.

11/21/2012

A wallet, GPS, iPods, flashlight, cash and camera were stolen from five unlocked vehicles on Roxbury Drive.

A tire and rim were stolen from a vehicle in the 2300 block of Oaktimber Drive.

Change, CDs, cigarettes, lighter and a purse were stolen from two vehicles in the 1100 block of Pinewood Place Drive.

Cigarettes, GPS, coins and a music storage device were stolen from an unlocked vehicle in the 100 block of Abington Drive.

A gas drive off occurred in the 800 block of Bryan Road.

A plow and some metal were stolen off of farm equipment from a pole barn in the 100 block of Firma Road.

CDs were stolen from an unlocked vehicle in the 800 block of Whispering Windsong Drive.

A burglary occurred in the 8100 block of O’Fallon Lakes Drive. Entry was made through an unlocked door. An iPod was stolen.

11/22/2012

A burglary occurred in the 400 block of Bellingham Court. Electronics were stolen.

A sidewalk was damaged in the 700 block of Falcon Hill Trail.

11/23/2012

A Play Station controller was shoplifted from the 1300 block of Highway K.

Wallets and a laptop were stolen from three unlocked vehicles in the 1200 block of Rivercity Crossing.

A Wii game system and games were shoplifted in the 300 block of Winding Woods Drive.

A burglary occurred in the 1600 block of Foggy Meadow Drive. A purse and camera were stolen from an unlocked vehicle in an open garage.

An air compressor and gas can were stolen from an open unattached garage in the 500 block of Woodlawn Avenue.

11/24/2012

A vehicle was damaged in the 1300 block of Shallow Lake Drive. A 17-year-old O’Fallon male was arrested.

A license plate was stolen in the 2200 block of Bursting Bouquet Drive.

A burglary occurred in the 2500 block of Highway K (non-residence). A door was damaged to gain entry. Cash and a DVD player were stolen.

A burglary occurred in the 4600 block of Highway K (non-residence). A door was damaged to gain entry. Cash and a computer were stolen.

A wallet, curling iron, shoes, and a cell phone were stolen from an unlocked vehicle in the 200 block of Jacobs Way.

A driveway was damaged in the 200 block of Fox Haven court.

A CD player was stolen in the 200 block of North Main Street.

11/25/2012

Mailboxes were damaged in the 300 block of St. Gemma Drive.

A female struck another female with a bottle in the 300 block of San Jose Drive. The victim was transported with non life threatening injuries. An arrest was made but there were no charges made.

A door was damaged to gain entry into a vehicle and a cell phone was stolen in the 8500 block of Veterans Memorial Parkway.

11/26/2012

An iPad, cash and a sander were stolen on Lonestar Court.

A mailbox was damaged on Pieper Glen Court.

Credit cards were stolen from an unattended purse in the 7000 block of South Outer Road (364). An arrest was made.

A gas drive off occurred in the 8600 block of Veterans Memorial Parkway.

11/27/2012

A ring was left on a counter in a bathroom at a business in the 1600 block of Mexico Loop Road West. The ring was gone on the victim’s return.

A ring was stolen from a residence in the 300 block of Copper Tree Court.

Food was stolen in the 8600 block of Veterans Memorial Parkway.

Food and SD card were shoplifted in the 1300 block of Highway K.

A gas drive off occurred in the 700 block of Highway K.

11/28/2012

A purse was stolen which was left unattended in the 200 block of Knaust Road.

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Jingle Bell Lunch


Celebrate the season with friends old and new at a traditional sit-down meal of slow-roasted turkey with all the trimmings served to the tune of a light-hearted holiday show. Jingle Bell Lunch will be held from noon–2 p.m. on Monday, December 10, at the Renaud Spirit Center (RSC), 2650 Tri Sports Circle, O’Fallon, Missouri 63368. The cost is $15 for O’Fallon residents and $18 for non-residents. The registration deadline is Wednesday, December 5.

To register:
1.      Call 636-474-2732
2.      Come to the Renaud Spirit Center (RSC), or the O’Fallon Parks and Recreation Administration Offices, 400 Civic Park Drive (63366)
3.      Visit www.ofallon.mo.us/ParksandRec; select “Special Events” and look for the program, “Jingle Bell Lunch.”

For more information, contact Recreation Specialist Stacey Ostmann, 636-474-8105, sostmann@ofallon.mo.us

From the City of O'Fallon, Missouri