Sunset Hills Woman Takes Gold and Bronze

Suzanne Corbett of Sunset Hills has just won the Gold award from the North American Travel Journalists Association for her writing in the category of Historical or Hobby Travel on the Internet. She also won Bronze for her writing in the Culinary Travel category on the Internet. Corbett, a Patch contributor,  is also a food historian.

Snow is still on the ground, but spring is around the corner, not because the groundhog says it is, but because baseball's spring training is about to start. Cardinals' pitchers and catchers report Feb. 13. Position players report Feb. 18, with the first practice starting Feb. 19 in Jupiter, FL. . .

St. Louis area baseball standout pitcher Josh Outman will be in Phoenix, hoping to make the starting rotation for the Oakland Athletics after coming back from injuries in 2008. There is also talk that he might fit in as a reliever. . .

Local rocker Michael "Supe" Granda of Ozark Mountain Daredevils said he just finished writing five Christmas songs, so be looking out for a Christmas album later this year. His latest CDs are I Married a Cubs Fan and Fall Down, Go Boom. (www.supeline.com) 

Jane Haeger, wife of the late, great Herman Haeger, one of the first teachers at Lindbergh High School, had a stroke this past week. Her son, former star basketball player Henry Haeger (not the fellow of the same name married to Jenna Bush) reports his mother is recovering nicely.

Make reservations for the Bargain Shoppers Bus Tour Sat., March 12, 10 a.m.-3:30 pm. You will be chauffeured to the hottest resale shops in St. Louis. Leave from the Women’s Closet Exchange, 11576 Gravois, Sappington. For more information or to reserve a spot call 314-537-0963 or email dford@theshoppingcompany.net

Now that Arianna Huffington is the soon-to-be editorial director of Patch through parent company AOL, take note that The HuffingtonPost.com had an article about President Obama's beer choices for the White House Super Bowl party--Yuengling brewed in Pennsylvania and Hinterland ales from Wisconsin. Because we are an Anheuser-Busch InBev kind of town now, we're guessing there was some Bud Light in the fridge. . .

In this day of throwaways, you don’t need to toss out a toaster that’s on the fritz. Instead, take it to Crestwood Appliance on Watson. The store repairs small appliances.

LHS grad B.J. Rains of FOX Sports Midwest will join his dad sportswriter Rob Rains for new radio show The Sports Zone Mon-Fri 1-3 p.m. on Sportsradio 1380 AM. The show debuts Monday. Details at www.RobRains.com. The duo is family for Patch contributor Sally Tippett Rains.