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Raging Rivers Opens May 26 With Several Upgrades

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May 4, 2012 -- When Raging Rivers opens on Saturday, May 26, it will feature upgraded waterslides, a new pavilion for special events and several other amenities. The attraction spent $250,000 in capital improvements during the waterpark's off-season.

The Cascade Body Flumes, which speed, twist and turn down the natural hills and contours of the park, are now seamless, making for a smoother and faster ride, according to a Raging Rivers news release. An almost 2,000-square-foot pavilion has also been constructed on the property. The pavilion can accommodate large events, including wedding receptions, and is located on the south end of the park. Improvements have also been made to the concession areas, and park guests now have more shade options as canopies and shade structures have gone in at the food service area and the Riverside Grill.

"We have been very busy prepping for our 2012 season, and we are excited to once again provide a place where area residents can either relax and soak up the sun or have fun experiencing any of our attractions," said Donna Smith, who has taken over the role of president and general manager of the waterpark following the death of her husband and former president, Larry Smith. "The upgrades we've made will allow kids and adults alike to have an even more enjoyable experience when they visit Raging Rivers this summer."

Aside from the newly improved Cascade Body Flumes, the park also features Runaway Rafts, a 600-foot-long adventure through swift water and wild rapids to three pools; the Shark Slide flume, which floats riders down a 45-foot tunnel flume into a catch pool; and the one-of-a-kind Swirlpool. The two-bowl attraction takes riders down a tunnel flume, then swiftly into a giant vortex and ends by dropping the guest into a deep pool of water.

For guests looking for a more relaxing experience, the park also features a 700-foot-long Endless River of cool, clear water that lets riders float along at a tranquil pace in a continuous loop; the 18,000-square-foot Breaker Beach Wavepool, which allows swimmers to relax when the waves are "off" and "ride the tide" when the four-foot waves start to roll; and the "just for kids" Itty Bitty Surf City that features a pint-sized waterslide, splash pool, rain tree and tunnel area. Tree House Harbor features a crawl tunnel, overhead rope pulls, tunnel slides and a bucket that randomly spills 1,000 gallons of water.

Admission is $17.95 for children under 48 inches and those 60 and older, $20.95 for adults over 48 inches, and free for children under the age of 2. Guests arriving after 3 p.m. save $5 on the price of each ticket. Individual season passes are available for $70 each, and family passes are $65 each when buying three or more.

Raging Rivers is located at 100 Palisades Parkway, Grafton, Ill., 62037. Call 618-786-2345 for more information.

Photo courtesy of Raging Rivers.

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Cahokia Mounds Museum Society Program Receives International Award

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ProjectArchaeo
MAY 3, 2012 -- The Cahokia Mounds Museum Society received a 2012 Gold MUSE Award in education for its online education program, "Project Arch-ae-o, Investigating the City of the Sun."

Now in its 23rd year, the MUSE awards competition sponsored by the American Association of Museums recognizes outstanding achievement in museum media and received applications from museums in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia.

“Our goal is to bring to schools the story of ancient America and what life was like before Columbus ‘discovered’ America,” said Lori Belknap, executive director of Cahokia Mounds Museum Society. “Little information is available in history books. Kids are amazed to learn that around 1050 AD, Cahokia was once a city of 10,000 to 20,000 people, larger than London at the time.”

Project Arch-ae-o is a multi-platform program designed for classroom use and geared towards students ages 8 through 12. The web components include six online investigations, simulated digs, streaming video, interactive quizzes with virtual awards, and ongoing participatory projects. A specially designed online management system enables teachers to design individual pathways through the program for each student. The program is free to all who register.

Classrooms participating in the investigations will come away with a better understanding of pre-Columbian civilizations that existed in what is now the United States, as well as the role and process of archaeology. Age-appropriate iPod tours are available for those who visit the Cahokia Mounds site, including an audio tour of the museum and three outdoor trail tours with video movies at each stop depicting life as it was 1,000 years ago.

“We are particularly excited about the Project Arch-ae-o Video Contest,” said Elizabeth Schwartz, executive producer of the project. “Schools across the country are invited to enter and share what they’ve learned with others -- and we hope to get a lot of submissions. Winners will be announced at the end of 2012-2013 school year.”

A map of mound sites in 30 states has been posted together with contest rules. Students are encouraged to create their own video about a pre-Columbian site that they visit over the summer or during the school year and upload it to the Project Arch-ae-o website. To retain educational integrity, student submissions must be authorized by the teacher/parent and are screened prior to public posting.

Project Arch-ae-o is the result of a two-year collaborative effort between the Cahokia Mounds Museum Society, a number of noted archaeologists, and Schwartz & Associates Creative in St. Louis.

Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, administered by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, is at 30 Ramey Street, Collinsville, Ill., 62234, just eight miles from downtown St. Louis. There is no admission fee but a donation of $7 for adults, $5 for seniors, $2 for students, and $15 for families is suggested. For more information call 618-346-5160 or visit www.cahokiamounds.org.

Pictured: Screenshot of the Project Arch-ae-o website.

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Pick-Your-Own Strawberries Begin Early This Year

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MAY 1, 2012 -- At Thies Farm and Greenhouses, customers started picking their own strawberries on Saturday, April 28, and staff started picking the berries even earlier. Normally, pick-your-own strawberry season begins in mid-May.

"We've been picking now for about a week," said Dave Thies with Thies Farm and Greenhouses. "This is the earliest we've ever picked strawberries. The good news is the quality is very good. The warm March and a little bit cooler April has almost been ideal for them."

The hail storm that hit Maryland Heights on Saturday did result in the loss of some strawberries, but Thies said they should have a large enough supply to be picking strawberries for the next three weeks.

Thies Farm and Greenhouses is located at 3120 Maryland Heights Expressway, Maryland Heights, Mo., 63146, and at 4215 North Hanley Road, St. Louis, Mo., 63121. For the latest on strawberry picking information, visit their website or call 314-469-7559.

Pick-your-own strawberries are also available at Eckert's Belleville Farm, 951 S. Green Mount Road, Belleville, Ill., 62220. Lakeview Farms (8265 Mexico Road, St. Peters, Mo., 63376) will begin picking the first week of May. For the latest information, call 636-978-8830 or visit their website.

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Zip Line to Open May 5 in Grafton

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APRIL 29, 2012 -- A new high-flying attraction is opening in Grafton, Ill., next month. Grafton Zipline Adventures will take its guests on a 1.75-mile zip-line trek through the Mississippi River bluffs.

Grafton Zipline Adventures, located at 600 Timber Ridge Drive, Grafton, Ill., 62037, will open for business on Saturday, May 5, said Jason Martin, director of operations at Aerie's Riverview Winery and Cottages, which owns the new zip lines.

Jeff Lorton, the owner of Aerie's and Grafton Zipline Adventures was encouraged to build the zip lines by winery guests who continued to remark that the bluffs would make a great location for such an attraction, Martin said. Lorton did some research and hired Universal Zipline Technologies to build the facility.

When it opens, Grafton Zipline Adventures will be the largest in Illinois and the second largest in the Midwest, Martin said. Eight zip lines will carry riders a total of 1.75 miles over ravines between the bluffs. At the highest point from the ground, riders are 255 feet above ground.

Grafton Zipline Adventures plans to open two more zip lines on the property in the next few years, Martin said.

Zipping is $89 per person, and those between 60 and 265 pounds can ride the zip lines, Martin said, and riding tandem with a guide is an option for younger riders and those on the lighter side of the weight range. Transversing all of the lines will take between an hour and a half and two hours. For more information, visit www.graftonzipline.com or call 618-786-8439.

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Five Below Opens Four Stores in St. Louis Metro

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APRIL 24, 2012 -- Specialty value retailer Five Below is opening its doors at four new stores in Chesterfield, Ballwin, Brentwood and Fairview Heights on Friday, April 27.

According to a company press release: "Five Below offers a dynamic assortment of trend-right, high-quality merchandise to teens, pre-teens, and beyond." All of the items the retailer sells -- fashion accessories, nail polish, cell phone and tablet accessories, video games, toys and games, arts and crafts, and fitness equipment, for example -- are priced at or below $5.

"We're excited to extend our presence into the greater St. Louis market," said David Schlessinger, co-founder and executive chairman of Five Below. "Our retail model of quality, must-have merchandise at affordable prices complements the family-oriented and value-conscious culture of many St. Louis communities."

The new stores are located in:

Chesterfield Commons, 54 THF Blvd., Chesterfield, Mo., 63005
Central Plaza at 15341 Manchester Road, Ballwin, Mo., 63011
The Promenade at Brentwood, 83 Brentwood Promenade Court, Brentwood, Mo., 63144
Lincoln Place Centre, 5927 N. Illinois St., Fairview Heights, Ill., 62208

Five Below also plans to open a fifth St. Louis store in Florissant.

To celebrate the grand openings, each store will be giving away prizes, including free Five Below T-shirts to the first 300 customers to make a purchase and a $100 Five Below shopping spree. Five-cent hot dogs and other giveaways will also be available. The stores open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.