This Week in Gardening & Nature

Nature, Gardening, Horticulture, Ecology: 2023 St. Louis Community College Continuing Education Classes, some online, some in person. Fees apply

Fun Valentine’s Day project for kids of all ages. Herb & Flower Lollipops (YouTube) via P. Allen Smith

Thru February 26 Orchid Show at Missouri Botanical Garden. Tickets

Start boy choy and mustard greens indoors this week. Plan your 2023 Garden with Seed St. Louis Seed Starting/Planting Calendar

Blog post on Mushrooms: buying spores from Seed St. Louis, growing info, mushroom hunting in MO and IL, online class, psychedelics legislation, more

1 pm Tuesday Missouri Conservation Dept Online Class- Native Plants: Plant Romance. “All registrants for this event must be between 14 and 120 years of age by 2/14/2023.” Register

Noon Wednesday University of Missouri Extension’s Garden Hour on YouTube

4 pm Wednesday Grow Native Zoom Master Class: Practical Magic for Pondscapes. Free to Missouri Prairie Foundation members and Grow Native! professional m embers. $15 for non-members. Register

Hey, teachers & parents 6 pm Wednesday Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: School Garden Design. Start planning now for September-May 2023-2024 school gardens. Register

6 pm Thursday Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: Dormant Fruit Tree Pruning. Register

6:30 pm Thursday Missouri Conservation Dept. Virtual Class: Birding in Winter. Register

6 pm Friday Missouri Conservation Dept. Virtual Class: Common Raptors of Missouri. Register

4:30 pm Saturday St. Louis Audubon Society Owl Prowl at Forest Park. Register

10 am Feb 23rd Missouri Conservation Dept. Virtual Class: Becoming a Bluebird Landlord. Register

6 pm Feb 23rd Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: Who is Pollinating Your Food? Register

9:30 am Feb 24th Missouri Conservation Dept event at Victoria Glades Conservation Area, Hillsboro, Jefferson County: Winter Glade Hike @ Victoria Glades. Only 3 Tickets remaining. Register

Volunteers Wanted 9 am Feb 25th for Forest ReLeaf Pruning at Penrose Park. Register

10 am Feb 25th Missouri Conservation Dept Virtual Class: DIY Native Landscape Design. 12 Seats remaining. Register

4:30 pm Feb 25th St. Louis Audubon Society Owl Prowl at Forest Park. Register

10 am March 1st Bellefontaine in Bloom at Bellefontaine Cemetery. 2 Hour Walking Tour with Master Guide. Register

Noon March 1st Missouri Conservation Dept Virtual Class: Mushrooms- Meet the Morels. Register

4 pm March 1st Missouri Prairie Foundation Zoom Class: Deciphering Botanical Latin. Register

3:30 pm March 3rd Missouri Conservation Dept Virtual Class: Native Plants- Creating a Butterfly Garden. Register

10 am March 4th Missouri Conservation Dept event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Area: Family Invasive Species Day. Ages 12 and older. Register

2 pm March 8th St. Louis County Library Virtual Class: Homegrown National Park is Growing Here! Register

7:30 am to Noon March 10th Grow Native’s Native By Design: Community Conservation Conference at Lewis & Clark Community College, Edwardsville IL. Register

3:30 pm March 10th Missouri Conservation Dept Virtual Class: Planting an Edible Native Garden. Register

9 am to Noon March 11th Seed St. Louis Spring Sale @ Carriage House, 3815 Bell. Arrive early for best selection. Bring a box lid to carry your plants. Available at this Sale: Sweet Potato slips, Onion bulbs, Asparagus crowns, bare root Strawberries, Leek starts, Mushroom spawn, all with instructions

10 am March 11th Missouri Conservation Dept event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center: Native Plants- Tasty Tree-ts. Learn how to make Shagbark Hickory bark syrup. 8 Tickets remaining. Register

Noon March 14th Missouri Conservation Dept Virtual Class: Native Plants- Caring for Pollinators. Register

9 am March 25th Forest ReLeaf event. Volunteers wanted. Tree Planting at Ruth Porter Mall Spring Tree Planting, St. Vincent Greenway. Register

9 am to Noon April 1st Seed St. Louis Spring Plant Sale @ Carriage House, 3815 Bell. Arrive early for best selection. Bring a box lid to carry your plants. $4 seedling 6-packs. Available at this Sale: Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Bok Choy, Collards, Dinosaur Kale, Lettuce

Native Plant Sales Return: 8 am to 4 pm April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 and May 20, 27 Missouri Wildflower Nursery @ Kirkwood Farmer’s Market. Order in advance– by Tuesday prior to market day- or buy what they bring to Market

9 am to Noon May 13th Seed St. Louis Summer Plant Sale @ Carriage House, 3815 Bell. Arrive early for best selection. Bring a box lid to carry your plants. $4 seedling 6-packs. Available at this Sale: Basil, Eggplant, Sweet & Hot Peppers, Tomatoes, Mint, Lavender, Rhubarb, Sorrel, more

Join us Sundays on Spoutible or Twitter for #GardenSunday to interact with other outdoor and indoor gardeners and nature enthusiasts, ask questions, give answers, share photos.

2023 School Board Candidate Profiles

St. Louis City School Board candidates needed their own page in addition to inclusion in New Ward Profiles.

You can now find Profiles for the three School Board candidates here.

The School Board is elected at-large in citywide elections, not by district/ward. The next School Board election is April 4th. In this election, the top two of three candidates will join the Board.

Information on the current School Board here.

This Week in Gardening & Nature

Thru February 26 Orchid Show at Missouri Botanical Garden. Tickets

February Gardening Tips & Tasks, Pests & Problems from Missouri Botanical Garden. Now is the time to sow larkspur, sweet pea, snapdragon, Shirley poppy seeds!

Seed St. Louis Seed Starting Class on YouTube

Start cauliflower, chard, collards, kale, kohlrabi, parsley seeds indoors this week. Plan your 2023 Garden with Seed St. Louis Seed Starting/Planting Calendar

Missouri and Illinois Endangered Species- Animals and Plants

6 pm Monday Missouri Department of Conservation Virtual Class: Invasive Species- Identify and Manage Exotic Invasive Plants. Learn how to identify and manage exotic invasive plants. 33 Tickets remaining. Register

Saturday is Eagle Days at Audubon Center at Riverlands, West Alton (Not Chain of Rocks Bridge). Register

11 am Feb 14th For Kids, 3-6 Year Olds. Missouri Conservation Dept program at Tower Grove Park, Stupp Center. Conservation Kids: You and Me under the Canopy- Making Tracks. Register

1 pm Feb 14th Missouri Conservation Dept Online Class- Native Plants: Plant Romance. “All registrants for this event must be between 14 and 120 years of age by 2/14/2023.” Register

4 pm Feb 15th Grow Native Zoom Master Class: Practical Magic for Pondscapes. Free to Missouri Prairie Foundation members and Grow Native! professional members. $15 for non-members. Register

Hey, teachers & parents 6 pm February 15th Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: School Garden Design. Start planning now for September-May 2023-2024 school gardens. Register

6 pm Feb 16th Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: Dormant Fruit Tree Pruning. Register

6:30 pm Feb 16th Missouri Conservation Dept. Virtual Class: Birding in Winter. Register

6 pm Feb 17th Missouri Conservation Dept. Virtual Class: Common Raptors of Missouri. Register

4:30 pm Feb 18th St. Louis Audubon Society Owl Prowl at Forest Park. Register

10 am Feb 23rd Missouri Conservation Dept. Virtual Class: Becoming a Bluebird Landlord. Register

6 pm Feb 23rd Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: Who is Pollinating Your Food? Register

Volunteers Wanted 9 am Feb 25th for Forest ReLeaf Pruning at Penrose Park. Register

4:30 pm Feb 25th St. Louis Audubon Society Owl Prowl at Forest Park. Register

10 am March 1st Bellefontaine in Bloom at Bellefontaine Cemetery. 2 Hour Walking Tour with Master Guide. Register

7:30 am to Noon March 10th Grow Native’s Native By Design: Community Conservation Conference at Lewis & Clark Community College, Edwardsville IL. Register

Join us Sundays on Spoutible or Twitter for #GardenSunday to interact with other outdoor and indoor gardeners and nature enthusiasts, ask questions, give answers, share photos.

New Ward Profiles Updated

40 Days Before Election campaign finance report information and other committee changes have been added to the New Ward Profiles.

Mostly, these are updates to candidate for Alder and changes to ward committees.

Next up are 8 Days Before Election Reports: Due February 27th. Required only if committee 1) had expenses (paid or incurred) or 2) donated to another committee. The closing date for this report is February 23rd.

The New Ward Profiles WILL NOT be updated with:

48 Hour Report of Contribution over $5,000: Due within 48 Hours after receipt.
24 Hour Notice of Late Contribution Over $250 Received Less Than 12 Days Before Election: Due within 24 Hours after receipt.
24 Hour Late Expenditure Report by Continuing Committees (PACs including ward committees): Due within 24 Hours after paid or incurred.

Contributions and expenditures reported in these filings are included in the next report filed by the committee. There are too many candidates in this election cycle for one person (me) to keep up with these kinds of filings.

This Week in Gardening & Nature

February Gardening Tips & Tasks, Pests & Problems from Missouri Botanical Garden. Now is the time to sow larkspur, sweet pea, snapdragon, Shirley poppy seeds!

February Garden To Do List from P. Allen Smith

Thru February 26 Orchid Show at Missouri Botanical Garden. Tickets

Thru Sunday- Audubon Society Bows for Birds Challenge. Where: Missouri Botanical Garden, Forest Park, Lafayette Park, Bellerive Park, Powder Valley Conservation… Prizes include Tickets for Big Muddy Adventures, Alpine Shop, Cardinals Baseball…

Seed St. Louis Seed Starting Class on YouTube

Start cauliflower, chard, collards, kale, kohlrabi, parsley seeds indoors this week. Plan your 2023 Garden with Seed St. Louis Seed Starting/Planting Calendar

4 pm Wednesday Grow Native! Webinar: Meaningful Design and Stewardship of Native Landscapes With Missouri Conservation Department Native Landscape Specialists. Register

6 pm Thursday Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: Jump Starting the Growing Season. Register

10 am Saturday Missouri Conservation Dept Nature Hike: Ellis Island has Eagles and Swans and Geese, Oh My. Columbia Bottom Conservation Area, meet at Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary, East of Hwy 67, West Alton. 12 Tickets remaining. Register

6 pm Feb 6th Missouri Department of Conservation Virtual Class: Invasive Species- Identify and Manage Exotic Invasive Plants. Learn how to identify and manage exotic invasive plants. 33 Tickets remaining. Register

Register for 8 am to 3 pm Feb 11th Seed St. Louis Community Agriculture Conference, In Person and Virtual. $15 but scholarships available. Keynote Presentation: Soul Farmer, Tyrean “Heru” Lewis. Sessions: Growing Mushrooms at Home, Help Pollinators & Increase Your Harvest, Wild Edibles of Missouri, Growing Microgreens 101, Schoolyard Animal Husbandry, Free Plants in the Kitchen Garden, Lacto Ferment Your Garden Produce for Better Gut Health, What is Therapeutic Horticulture?, Land Trust Garden Update

Feb 11th Eagle Days at Audubon Center at Riverlands, West Alton (Not Chain of Rocks Bridge). Register

11 am Feb 14th For Kids, 3-6 Year Olds. Missouri Conservation Dept program at Tower Grove Park, Stupp Center. Conservation Kids: You and Me under the Canopy- Making Tracks. Register

1 pm Feb 14th Missouri Conservation Dept Online Class- Native Plants: Plant Romance. “All registrants for this event must be between 14 and 120 years of age by 2/14/2023.” Register

4 pm Feb 15th Grow Native Zoom Master Class: Practical Magic for Pondscapes. Free to Missouri Prairie Foundation members and Grow Native! professional members. $15 for non-members. Register

Hey, teachers & parents 6 pm February 15th Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: School Garden Design. Start planning now for September-May 2023-2024 school gardens. Register

Volunteers Wanted 9 am Feb 25th for Forest ReLeaf Pruning at Penrose Park. Register

10 am March 1st Bellefontaine in Bloom at Bellefontaine Cemetery. 2 Hour Walking Tour with Master Guide. Register

7:30 am to Noon March 10th Grow Native’s Native By Design: Community Conservation Conference at Lewis & Clark Community College, Edwardsville IL. Register

9 am to Noon April 1st Seed St. Louis Spring Plant Sale @ Carriage House, 3815 Bell. Arrive early for best selection. Bring a box lid to carry your plants. $4 seedling 6-packs: Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Bok Choy, Collards, Dinosaur Kale, Lettuce. More Info

Native Plant Sales Return: 8 am to 4 pm April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 and May 20, 27 Missouri Wildflower Nursery @ Kirkwood Farmer’s Market. Order in advance– by Tuesday prior to market day- or buy what they bring to Market

Join us Sundays on Twitter for #GardenSunday with host @stl7thward to interact with other outdoor and indoor gardeners and nature enthusiasts, ask questions, give answers, share photos.

Where’s Bosley’s Money?

UPDATED

Found the money. Alder Brandon Bosley’s campaign is using a political action committee not yet filed with Missouri Ethics Commission.

Literature and yard signs promoting his candidacy have been printed and are in use with a “Paid for by the 14th Ward Democratic Organization.”

But the only 14th Ward organization active in MEC database is the one serving pre-ward reduction 14th Ward in Bevo, Princeton Heights, and Southampton neighborhoods.

Money has been spent or debt created on Bosley’s behalf without reporting it to MEC in a timely fashion. The Treasurer is Linda Primer, who is also the Deputy Treasurer for Citizens for Brandon Bosley. There is no arms length between the two entities. Definitely collaboration between the two.

Lots more details below.

Original Post

New 14th Ward Profile is updated with 40 Days Before Alder Election reports.

3rd Ward Alder Brandon Bosley did not make a January Report or a 40 Days Out Report. His October 2022 Report was Limited Activity. His last report with any activity was April 2021 when he had $100 on hand. It’s not the sign of someone running a legit campaign.

January Reports were optional and 40 Days Out Reports were due only if committee 1) accepted contributions (money or in-kind) or 2) had expenses (paid or incurred).

The Bosley Family political action committee- 3rd Ward Regular Democratic Organization- hasn’t reported activity since April 2021 when it had $20.21 on hand.

Alder Bosley’s mother and Treasurer- 3rd Ward Committeewoman Lucinda Frazier- registered a new 14th Ward Democratic Organization as a nonprofit with Missouri Secretary of State, but not MEC. Very curious.

Alder Bosley’s Deputy Treasurer- Linda Primer- is also Treasurer for 3rd Ward Regular Democratic Organization and Civil PAC, as well as Deputy Treasurer for Bosley’s sister- State Rep. LaKeySha Bosley

Civil PAC hasn’t reported any activity since July 2022. It paid the 3rd Ward organization $2,500 for a lit drop in 2020. State Rep. Bosley last reported activity in December 2022, including $800 to political consultant Tim Person.

Some of Person’s previous clients include Jack Coatar’s disastrous run for Board President, former Mayor Lyda Krewson, former Board President Lewis Reed, former County Executive candidate Mark Montovani, former State Rep. Wiley Price, Heartland Action PAC, and Civil PAC.

Tim Person isn’t just a political consultant. He is Human Resources Director for St. Louis City Recorder of Deeds Michael Butler. Person replaced a Recorder employee of many years who was fired by Butler without cause the day he was sworn into office. She and other employees, also fired for not working for his election, sued and taxpayers paid out a six figure settlement.

We’re also talking about the same Michael Butler who chairs the Missouri Democratic Party (also sued by former employee and Party donors had to pay a settlement) and hired Person to do fundraising. Same Michael Butler who owns an all you can drink for one price bar, same bar State Rep. Bosley has worked at or still does. Same bar she held a re-election fundraiser at last year.

Butler also serves on the Board for Communities First, a nonprofit founded by Lucinda Frazier (Alder Bosley’s mother), who is also Butler’s Chief of Staff. The nonprofit’s address is used by State Rep. Bosley on her campaign finance reports and her last candidate filing at Secretary of State. It’s also been used as a default address for 3rd Ward/Bosley Family related campaign workers.

It’s a good guess that Person will be trying to help elect Alder Bosley to the new 14th Ward seat, if Bosley is actively running. It’s also a good guess that money to help that effort might come via Civil PAC.

More intrigue- State Rep. Rasheen Aldridge, one of four candidates for the 14th Ward seat, is a former employee of Michael Butler’s Recorder of Deeds office and he donated $2,600 last year to Communities First.

St. Louis, biggest small town in America.

This Week In Gardening & Nature

Photo of white Amaryllis bloom growing as houseplant in Missouri

Sunday thru February 26 Orchid Show at Missouri Botanical Garden. Tickets

Thru Feb 5th- Audubon Society Bows for Birds Challenge. Where: Missouri Botanical Garden, Forest Park, Lafayette Park, Bellerive Park, Powder Valley Conservation… Prizes include Tickets for Big Muddy Adventures, Alpine Shop, Cardinals Baseball…

Start broccoli, brussels sprout, cabbage, leek, onion seeds indoors this week. Plan your 2023 Garden with Seed St. Louis Seed Starting/Planting Calendar

6 pm Thursday Seed St. Louis Webinar: Tree Saps & Syrups. Register

10 am Saturday Missouri Conservation Dept Online Class- Native Plants: Winter Beauty. Register

10 am Saturday Seed Swap at Old Six Mile Historical Society, Granite City, Illinois

7 pm Saturday Missouri Conservation Dept event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: An Evening with Raptors. Register

4 pm Feb 1st Grow Native! Webinar: Meaningful Design and Stewardship of Native Landscapes With Missouri Conservation Department Native Landscape Specialists. Register

6 pm Feb 2nd Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: Jump Starting the Growing Season. Register

10 am Feb 4th Missouri Conservation Dept Nature Hike: Ellis Island has Eagles and Swans and Geese, Oh My. Columbia Bottom Conservation Area, meet at Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary, East of Hwy 67, West Alton. 20 Tickets remaining. Register

6 pm Feb 6th Missouri Department of Conservation Virtual Class: Invasive Species- Identify and Manage Exotic Invasive Plants. Learn how to identify and manage exotic invasive plants. Register

Feb 11th Eagle Days at Audubon Center at Riverlands, West Alton (Not Chain of Rocks Bridge). Register

11 am Feb 14th For Kids, 3-6 Year Olds. Missouri Conservation Dept program at Tower Grove Park, Stupp Center. Conservation Kids: You and Me under the Canopy- Making Tracks. Register

4 pm Feb 15th Grow Native Zoom Master Class: Practical Magic for Pondscapes. Free to Missouri Prairie Foundation members and Grow Native! professional members. $15 for non-members. Register

Register for 8 am to 3 pm Feb 11th Seed St. Louis Community Agriculture Conference, In Person and Virtual. $15 but scholarships available. Keynote Presentation: Soul Farmer, Tyrean “Heru” Lewis. Sessions: Growing Mushrooms at Home, Help Pollinators & Increase Your Harvest, Wild Edibles of Missouri, Growing Microgreens 101, Schoolyard Animal Husbandry, Free Plants in the Kitchen Garden, Lacto Ferment Your Garden Produce for Better Gut Health, What is Therapeutic Horticulture?, Land Trust Garden Update

Volunteers Wanted 9 am Feb 25th for Forest ReLeaf Pruning at Penrose Park. Register

10 am March 1st Bellefontaine in Bloom at Bellefontaine Cemetery. 2 Hour Walking Tour with Master Guide. Register

Join us Sundays on Twitter for #GardenSunday with host @stl7thward to interact with other outdoor and indoor gardeners and nature enthusiasts, ask questions, give answers, share photos.

New Ward Profiles Updated

New Ward Profiles have been updated for any candidate for Alder, elected officials and former elected officials (state legislature, City citywide and Alders, citywide County officers, School Board), ward organizations, party committeepeople, who filed January Reports with Missouri Ethics Commission. January Reports were optional.

The next filing are Or 40 Days Before Election Reports, due January 26th. They are required only if committee 1) accepted contributions (money or in-kind), 2) had expenses (paid or incurred), or 3) donated to another committee. The closing date for this report is January 21st.

4 Day Workweek Comes to St. Louis City Hall

Updated with Board of Alders Vote.

Some St. Louis City employees are about to get a very cushy gig- $72,000 a year for 32 hours of work (counting lunch and breaks), plus a $5,000 expense account (you can donate to your church or ward nonprofit if you want), health insurance, pension, paid holidays. You can mostly work remotely and it’s OK to also work at as a bank vice president, a public relations consultant, an attorney, or own a business. Unlike other City employees, no timesheet will be required for the hours worked, the honor system will be in use.

What position do you apply for to get this great deal? Alder. Sorry. No applications will be taken for another two years.

The full Board of Alders voted Friday (January 20th) to increase their salaries and enshrine their elected office as a position requiring some of their time but not all of their time. The vote was 17 Yes, 8 No, 1 Abstention, 2 Absent.

Board Bill 119, as amended by BOA Personnel Committee, was on the Perfection Calendar, the first of two votes toward making it law. It will likely be approved- Third Reading vote- nest Friday (January 27th).

The ordinance will take affect after the April 4th General Election when City voters will elect fourteen Alders to new redistricted wards under ward reduction.

The ballot for March 7th Primary includes 11 of 14 wards with one or more current Alders running for the office. To be clear, Alders are voting for their own pay raise.

Under City Charter, “The mayor shall devote his entire time to the duties of his office.”

Voters should add similar language City Charter by amendment for both Board President and Alders.

Friday’s vote by New Ward

New 1st Ward
Yes: 12th Ward Alder Bill Stephens (not running), former librarian
No: 13th Ward Alder Anne Schweitzer (running), campaign consultant at Public Eye

New 2nd Ward
Yes: 14th Ward Alder Carol Howard (not running), former St. Louis Public Schools principal
No: 16th Ward Alder Tom Oldenburg (running), vice president for US Bancorp Community Development Corp

New 3rd Ward
No: 11th Ward Alder Jimmy Lappe (not running), Director of Data & Research, Missouri Jobs With Justice
Abstain: 25th Ward Alder Shane Cohn (running), owner of 4664 Tennessee LLC

New 4th Ward
No: 23rd Ward Alder Joe Vaccaro (running), former car wash owner; 24th Ward Alder Bret Narayan (running), attorney

New 5th Ward
No: 10th Ward Alder Joe Vollmer (running), owner of Milo’s Bocce Garden, co-owner TLJ Investments (funeral home), owner of TLSJ (commercial real estate), landlord

New 6th Ward
Yes: Board President/former 15th Ward Alder Megan Green (running), Adjunct Professor at Washington University and owner of MEG Consulting; 8th Ward Alder Annie Rice (not running), attorney

New 7th Ward
Yes: 6th Ward Alder Christine Ingrassia (not running), paddle guide for Big Muddy Adventures

New 8th Ward
Yes: 7th Ward Alder Jack Coatar (not running), attorney at Spencer Fane’s Litigation, Governmental Affairs, and Real Estate Practice; 20th Ward Alder Cara Spencer (running), senior vice president for Community and Economic Development at St. Louis Bank
No: 9th Ward Alder Dan Guenther (not running),

New 9th Ward
Yes: 28th Ward Alder Michael Gras (running), attorney and assistant prosecutor for Florissant Mo
Absent: 17th Ward Alder Tina Pihl (running), landlord

New 10th Ward
Yes: 26th Ward Alder Shameem Clark Hubbard (running), stylist and former salon owner

New 11th Ward
Yes: 21st Ward Alder Laura Keys (running), clinical data coordinator for Biomedical Systems and landlord
Absent: 19th Ward Alder Marlene Davis (not running)

New 12th Ward
Yes: 1st Ward Alder Sharon Tyus (running), attorney; 4th Ward Alder Dwinderlin Evans (not running), landlord
No: 18th Ward Alder Jesse Todd (not running), retired

New 13th Ward
Yes: 2nd Ward Alder Lisa Middlebrook (running), manager of Hope Home Healthy Care; 22nd Ward Alder Norma Walker (running), owner of Belt Loop Trucking and landlord; Pam Boyd (running), dietary manager at The Valley Stonebridge Community

New 14th Ward
Yes: 3rd Ward Alder Brandon Bosley (running), owner/developer of New Black Wall Street 314, hip hop/rap artist/producer at Bawsomemusic, owner of Focused on Family Entertainment; 5th Ward Alder James Page (running), executive director for Downtown St. Louis Neighborhood Association, retired from U.S. Post Office

Further reading: St. Louis aldermen tee up a 100% pay increase for next session by Rachel Lippmann, St. Louis Public Radio

This Week in Gardening & Nature

Photo of lemon balm coming back from winter pruning

Start broccoli, brussels sprout seeds indoors this week. Plan your 2023 Garden with Seed St. Louis Seed Starting/Planting Calendar

Some of you received orchid plants as gifts recently or picked one up from the discount stand/table at a big box. Here’s some tips from P. Allen Smith on caring for orchid plants.

A cool Berries of North America video

6 pm Tuesday Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Class: Glade Ecology and Restoration. Register. More info on Glades

Noon Wednesday Missouri Conservation Dept Virtual Event: Wonderful Woodpeckers. Register

4 pm Wednesday Grow Native! Online Master Class: Gardening on the Shady Side. Free to Missouri Prairie Foundation ie members and Grow Native! professional members. $15 for non-members. Register

Noon Thursday Deep Roots Kansas City’s Virtual Event: Native Plants at Noon. Register

4 pm Jan 23rd Missouri Conservation Dept Virtual Event: Homemade Suet Bird Feeders. Register

6 pm Jan 26th Seed St. Louis Webinar: Tree Saps & Syrups. Register

5 pm Jan 24th Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Class: Introduction to the Great Backyard Bird Count (Feb 17-20) 27 Tickets remaining. Register. More on GBBC

7 pm Jan 27th Missouri Conservation Dept event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: An Evening with Raptors. Register

January 28–February 26 Orchid Show at Missouri Botanical Garden. Tickets

4 pm Feb 1st Grow Native! Webinar: Meaningful Design and Stewardship of Native Landscapes With Missouri Conservation Department Native Landscape Specialists. Register

6 pm Feb 2nd Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: Jump Starting the Growing Season. Register

6 pm Feb 6th Missouri Department of Conservation Virtual Class: Invasive Species- Identify and Manage Exotic Invasive Plants. Learn how to identify and manage exotic invasive plants. Register

Feb 11th Eagle Days at Audubon Center at Riverlands, West Alton (Not Chain of Rocks Bridge). Register

Register for 8 am to 3 pm Feb 11th Seed St. Louis Community Agriculture Conference, In Person and Virtual. $15 but scholarships available. Keynote Presentation: Soul Farmer, Tyrean “Heru” Lewis. Sessions: Growing Mushrooms at Home, Help Pollinators & Increase Your Harvest, Wild Edibles of Missouri, Growing Microgreens 101, Schoolyard Animal Husbandry, Free Plants in the Kitchen Garden, Lacto Ferment Your Garden Produce for Better Gut Health, What is Therapeutic Horticulture?, Land Trust Garden Update

10 am March 1st Bellefontaine in Bloom at Bellefontaine Cemetery. 2 Hour Walking Tour with Master Guide. Register

Join us Sundays on Twitter for #GardenSunday with host @stl7thward to interact with other outdoor and indoor gardeners and nature enthusiasts, ask questions, give answers, share photos.