Public Safety Director's Spotlight - 2015 Mother's Day Safety Tips

2015 Mother's Day Safety Tips

On Mother's Day, many children prepare and serve breakfast in bed for Mom.  According to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, this is a wonderful opportunity not just to celebrate mothers, but also to help kids learn the basic lessons of food safety.  Here are some tips to ensure that Mom is served a safe, delicious breakfast in bed on her special day:

• Be sure to keep everything clean.  Bacteria and viruses can be hiding just about anywhere so always wash your hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds before and after preparing food.  Put food on clean surfaces only.  Always use clean utensils and plates.
• Keep raw and cooked foods separated.  Bacteria can spread from one food to another.  To prevent this, always keep raw meat, poultry, eggs and seafood away from ready-to-eat foods.  Never place cooked food on a plate or surface that previously held raw food items.
• Cook food to safe temperatures to prevent foodborne illness.  To ensure that food has reached a safe internal temperature, use a food thermometer.
• Keep perishable foods cold.  Some foods that need to stay cold include sandwiches or salads made with meat and poultry, tuna and egg salad, milk, cheese, and yogurt, and peeled or cut fruits and vegetables.  Refrigerate any leftovers from Mom's special meal within two hours.  Throw out perishable food left out for more than two hours, and don't feed it to your pets.  Even pets are susceptible to foodborne bacteria.

Upcoming Events

Every Friday, May – September – Lunchtime Live, Old Post Office Plaza, 801 Locust, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Lunchtime Live is Downtown's premier outdoor lunchtime party that features live bands, food trucks and great networking opportunities.  Invite your co-workers to join you at this fun way to spend your lunch hour.  For more information, visit the downtownstl.org web site.

May 8 – 2015 Food Truck Friday, Tower Grove Park, 4 to 8 p.m.

The first Food Truck Friday of 2015 will take place this Friday in Tower Grove Park  .More than 20 trucks will park it every second Friday of the month from now through October for one of the best outdoor food events in St. Louis.  Invite your family and friends to join you for great food, live music and some of the best brews in town. Need more information?  Visit the foodtruckfriday.saucemagazine.com web site.

Every Friday, All Year Long – STL Live on Wash Ave, 5 p.m.

What's better than great food, drinks and music?  Not much.  Stop by STL Live on Washington Avenue in exciting Downtown St. Louis every Friday, all year long.  For more information, visit the STLiveMusic Facebook page.

May 8 -- Heal-the-Divide Concert, Second Presbyterian Church, 4501 Westminster Place, 7 to 8 p.m.

Choirs from Chicago's Fourth Presbyterian Church and Trinity United Church of Christ will present a "Heal-the-Divide" free concert this Friday.  The concert will be followed by a reception.  Grab some friends and enjoy this evening of uplifting music.  Questions? Call (314) 367-0367.

May 8 -- Shadows of St. Louis, Soulard Art Market & Contemporary Gallery, 2028 S. 12th Street, 7 to 10 p.m.

The new exhibit entitled "Shadows of St. Louis" will open this Friday.  Enjoy a fabulous reception with complimentary hors d'oeuvres, music and silent auction. The display will run through June 12. For more information, visit the soulardartmarket.org web site.

May 9 -- Letter Carriers' Food Drive, place your non-perishable donation in a bag by our mailbox

The annual National Association of Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive will take place this Saturday.  If you wish to participate in the food drive, place your non-perishable donation in a bag by your mailbox. Your local carrier will deliver it to a local food bank. Your generosity will be greatly appreciated.

May 9 – Spring Sing!,  Grand Basin in Forest Park, 12:30 pm. to 1:30 p.m.

For the second year, Opera Theatre of St. Louis (OTSL) is bringing music out of the theater and into the community by bringing together professional singers from OTSL with hundreds of community volunteers from diverse backgrounds for an annual "spontaneous" concert at an iconic St. Louis location.  Invite your family and friends to join you to enjoy this free Spring Sing! program showcasing members of our community singing in harmony as one voice.  To learn more about this program, visit the opera-stl.org/springsing web site.

May 9 -- Annual Old North House &Community Tour, starts at corner of North 14th Street and St. Louis Avenue, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Every year in May, Old North St. Louis Restoration Group hosts a neighborhood-wide house &community tour to show off the warmth of the community, the richness and character of the architecture, the beauty of the community gardens and greenspaces, and the dynamic revitalization in progress.  The big day is this Saturday.  The self-guided tour will provide visitors, friends of the community, and residents of Old North with up-close views of the award-winning revitalization in progress. Tickets on the day of the tour will be sold at $15 each at the registration tent at the Crown Square Plaza on the southwest corner of N. 14^th and St. Louis Avenue (right across from Crown Candy).  Go to the onsl.org web site for more information about the 2015 Old North House & Community Tour.

May 9 – Free Landlord Training, 4601 Pope, 10 a.m. to Noon

The North Newstead Association will be providing Free Landlord Training this Saturday.  The training will cover topics related to understanding loan applications and how to prepare for a loan/financing for rental renovations.  If you would like further information about this free training or any other program offered by the North Newstead Association, please visit www.northnewstead.org or call the office at (314) 385-4343 and ask for Keith.

May 9 -- Girls on the Run 5K, Soldiers' Memorial, 1315 Chestnut, 8 to 10 a.m.

The annual Girls on the Run Spring 5K will take place this Saturday in beautiful Downtown St. Louis.  Your help to support the Girls on the Run scholarship fund is greatly appreciated.  To learn more, visit the girlsontherunstlouis.org web site.

May 9 -- Electronic Recycling Drive, Hope Lutheran Church parking lot, 5218 Neosho, 9 a.m. to Noon

All are welcome to the Southampton Neighborhood Association Annual Electronic Recycling Drive this Saturday.  Bring your unwanted computer, networking, and office equipment, personal and home electrics such as PDAs, radios, remote controls, media and telephone equipment to the drive.  One TV per car; fee for additional TVs.  For questions on what you may bring, call (314) 428-0777.

May 9 -- The Great Jubilation, Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing site, on the Mississippi River Greenway, just north of Merchant's Bridge (100 E. Prairie), 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

You're invited to watch local history come alive at the historic Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing, Missouri's first nationally-recognized Underground Railroad site.  This year's Great Jubilation event will not only commemorate the bravery of Mary Meachum, but will also celebrate the 150^th anniversary of the abolition of slavery and the end of the Civil War in 1865  .In addition to live music, games, and historical reenactments, the event will feature a free five-mile bike ride along the Mississippi River Greenway, courtesy of Great Rivers Greenway and Trailnet.  For more information, visit the MaryMeachum.org web site.

May 9 -- Plant Sale, St. Louis City Greenhouse, 5600 Clayton Avenue in Forest Park, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Flora Conservancy of Forest Park will hold a Plant Sale this Saturday at the St. Louis City Greenhouse in Forest Park.  All proceeds from the plant sale will benefit the Flora Conservancy, a not for profit volunteer organization that, in partnership with the City of St. Louis Parks Department, landscapes and maintains plantings throughout Forest Park.  For more information, visit the TheFloraConservancy.org web site.  To become a Flora Conservancy volunteer, call (314) 289-5323.

May 9 -- Metro St. Louis Heart Walk, Busch Stadium, 700 Clark Avenue, 7:30 a.m. to Noon

The annual Metro St. Louis Heart Walk will take place this Saturday at Busch Stadium.  The Heart Walk is the American Heart Association's mission in action, promoting physical activity and heart-healthy living in a fun, family environment.  It is a time of celebration for those who have made lifestyle changes and encourages many more to take the pledge to live healthier lifestyles while raising funds needed for life-saving research and education. To sign up for the walk, visit the heartwalk.kintera.org web site.

May 9 -- May Puppet Festival, Regional Arts Commission Studio Theatre, 6128 Delmar Blvd., 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The Puppet Guild of Greater Saint Louis will present two Mexican folktales –"The Rabbit in the Moon" and "The Musical Ant" -- this Saturday at the Regional Arts Commission Studio Theatre.  The 10:30 Puppet Show will be followed by Mexican songs and games.  The repeat show will be held at 1:30 p.m.  The production uses hand puppets, rod puppets, masked characters, and music and incorporates both Spanish and English.  Tickets are only $3 per person and discounted for groups of 10 or more.  For reservations or more information, call (314) 252-0051.You may also email RSVP@PuppetGuild.org.

May 12 –Twilight Tuesdays, Missouri History Museum in Forest Park, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The Twilight Tuesdays Spring 2015 Concert Series is underway.  Skeet Rodgers, the Lovely Ms. Hi-C, and the Inner City Blues Band will provide the fabulous free concert on the History Museum's front lawn on Tuesday, May 12.  Pre-Concert activities will begin at 4:30 p.m. and in the event of a weather cancellation, these activities are rain or shine and will resume as normal each Tuesday.  For all the details, visit the mohistory.org web site.

Save the Date

May 15 – Bike to Work Day, area-wide, 6:30 to 9 a.m.

May 16 – Plant Flowers with Brightside, City Hall/Poelker Park, 13^th & Market Streets, 9 a.m. to Noon

May 16 – Community Women Against Hardship's 11^th Annual Walk A-thon & Health Fair, Tower Grove Park –Son of Rest Shelter, Arsenal & South Grand, 8 a.m.

May 16 – Grand Center Architecture and History Tours, KDHX, 3524 Washington Boulevard, 10 a.m.

May 16 – Barbecue, Watson Terrace Christian Church, 4205 Watson Road at Winnebago Street, Noon to 7 p.m.

May 16 – Bark in the Park, Cricket Field in Forest Park, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

May 16 – Connect with a Purpose, Tower Grove Park, 4256 Magnolia, 9 a.m.to 1:30 p.m.

May 16 – Afternoon Tea Soiree, Rosebud Café next door to Scott Joplin House State Historic Site, 2658 Delmar, 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.

May 17 – A Celebration of Japanese Culture, Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Boulevard in Forest Park, 2 p.m.

Promoting Your Neighborhood Activities

Is there a neighborhood event on the schedule that you would like noted in the Spotlight?  If so, you may email the information about it to me at GrayR@stlouis-mo.gov or to Cathy Smentkowski at smentkowskic@stlouis-mo.gov for consideration.  You may also post it on the City's Calendar of Events on the City's web site:  http://stlouis-mo.gov.  The link to submit an event is at the very bottom of the home page.  The listing is free.  I encourage you to take advantage of this free way to promote your event.

Milkweeds for Monarchs

In closing, I want to pass along a reminder from Catherine Werner, the City's Sustainability Director  .If you registered a Milkweeds for Monarchs Garden, you may arrange to pick up a garden sign at City Hall, Room 200.  Reserve your garden sign by sending wernerc@stlouis-mo.gov the registered garden address.  For more information, call (314) 622-3201.

Col. Richard Gray

Director of Public Safety

City of St. Louis