EDITOR'S NOTE: The following interview with St. Louis native Annie Wersching was originally published in 2012. Wersching appeared on numerous television shows, including "The Vampire Diaries," "The Rookie," Marvel's "Runaways" and "Star Trek: Picard." Wersching passed away January 29, 2023, after a battle with cancer. She was 45. In addition to being down-to-earth and gracious, Wersching was deeply proud of her hometown. She will be missed.
St. Louis native Annie Wersching will return to her hometown next month to lead fundraising efforts for an endowment in her parents’ names that will benefit St. Louis students studying theater at Southeast Missouri State University. A graduate of Crossroads College Preparatory School and Millikin University, Wersching has a long list of television and film credits, including “Bruce Almighty,” “General Hospital,” “CSI,” “NCIS,” “Rizzolli and Isles” and “24,” as well as live touring productions of "Anything Goes" and "A Christmas Carol." We had the opportunity to visit with Wersching about the scholarship, her latest project (hint: it involves oil barons), and how she entertained Kiefer Sutherland on set.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to COVID-19, some public events may be canceled and some destinations may have new requirements, including use of face masks and proof of vaccination. Be sure to check your destination's website and social media accounts for updates, follow social distancing guidelines and wear a mask.
The Endangered Wolf Center in June appointed former “Wild Kingdom” host Stephanie Arne as the center’s director of education. Sprout & About caught up with Arne about a month into her new role, where she talked about how she initially entered the conservationist space, the center’s mission to preserve and protect various canid species and her future goals. The Endangered Wolf Center, located in Eureka, is a research center and educational space open to the public.
While much of our community is in lockdown mode to help stop the spread of COVID-19, those charged with protecting animals and rehabilitating injured wildlife are continuing to ensure their patients receive the care they need to survive. Rhea Bridges is a member of the animal care staff at the Wildlife Rescue Center in Ballwin, a local organization that helps rehabilitate sick, injured and orphaned native wildlife and release healthy animals to their natural habitat. We talked to Bridges about the types of animals the center sees this time of year, how operations have been impacted by COVID-19 and what families can do to learn more about Missouri wildlife.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The Saint Louis Zoo is temporarily closed to the public until further notice as a precautionary measure against the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). All public and private events as well as educational programs are canceled through at least April 22, 2020. The zoo will determine plans to reopen at a later date. Families can stay connected to the zoo through #BringTheStlZooToYou. Visit the Saint Louis Zoo's website for more information.
It’s no secret that the Saint Louis Zoo is one of the top attractions in the United States, but did you know it’s also a leader in protecting animal habitats around the world? To learn more about the zoo’s conservation efforts, I stopped in for a behind-the-scenes visit at the Penguin and Puffin Coast and chatted with Sydney Oliveira, zoological manager of birds.