amy mccarthy

HIGH NOTES: The occasionally overlooked Blues right-winger Dan Hinote won't be so easy to overlook anymore. Hinote, 30, has become engaged to Amy McCarthy, January 2005's "cyber girl of the month" for Playboy.com and younger sister of actress and comedian Jenny McCarthy. Plans are for a marriage next year in Colorado, where Hinote played and lived before coming to St. Louis. McCarthy, 31, is a native of Chicago and a U. of Illinois at Chicago grad with a bachelor's degree in exercise physiology. The couple have dated for about three years and live in St. Louis with their dogs Chester, a golden retriever, and Archie, an English bulldog. McCarthy is reportedly working at St. Louis Children's Hospital. For more on McCarthy, you can check out her website. (Be warned, the site could politely be referred to as a preview of Hinote's honeymoon. It is not family friendly.)

COMP TIME: Veteran city mouthpiece Gail Compton settles into new digs starting this week as communications director for St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay. Local newshounds have known Compton for the past 14 years as the go-to person for all things parks-related. She also handled PR for the city's TV station, STL TV. Compton might feel a bit of déjà vu in her new job: She worked in the mayor's press office under Vince Schoemehl from 1988 to '93.

WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS: As a bank president, First National Bank of St. Louis' Rick Bagy Jr. couldn't possibly think of going to Las Vegas to break the bank. But he and Tom Johnson Construction co-owner Roy Yust did go to the Strip to watch Colliers Turley Martin's Rick Bagy III and his bachelor party entourage try to do just that. Also tagging along were Andrew Bagy, and out-of-town friends Clayton Burnett, Bob Hettinger, Andy Bohl, Jerrod Fuchs, Josh Peterman, Josh Gremillion, Craig Caspari, Jake Wasser, Aaron Adams and Bill Dickens.

FIRED UP: State Rep. Margaret Donnelly's campaign for attorney general got off to an alarming start on Wednesday. Donnelly was hosting an overflow crowd on the 18th floor of Maryland Walk in Clayton. The event was interrupted with evacuation orders and stuck elevators, which left a proliferation of admirers waiting in the lobby, outside and on other floors. Spotted behind fire lines looking up were County Executive Charlie A. Dooley, County Councilwoman Barbara Fraser, Rep. Clint Zweifel, Marcia Mellitz, Susan Block, Milly Cohn and others, including Wendy Timm of Conrad Properties, the building's developer. Rabbi Susan Talve, Max Starkloff and Helen Weiss were among those who faithfully stayed on the rooftop, while Robert Millstone, Barbara Eagleton, Sheila Greenbaum, Sen. Joan Bray and Rose-Lynn and Dan Sokol were seen running down the 18 flights, some with shoes, some without. Kitty Keefe and Lenny Frankel spent 45 minutes chatting in the elevator. The problem apparently was a false alarm.Advertisement

SPARKLING: Some 240 music fans were at the Ritz on Monday for "A Symphony Prelude," the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra's annual fundraising dinner. Des and Mary Ann Lee were honorary chairs of the event, which celebrated the opening of the Symphony's 128th season. Conducting batons were given as favors, and new dad David Robertson gave a brief lesson on how to use them to those in attendance. David Halen, the Symphony's concertmaster, organized the evening's entertainment, with performances by 15 of the Symphony's finest. Among those waving their batons: Symphony chair Cindy Brinkley, Noemi and Michael Neidorff, Donna Wilkinson, Emily Pulitzer, Mary Strauss, Susie and Gordon Philpott, Betty and David Farrell, Karen and Bert Condie, Lee Bohm, Carolyn and Kevin Farrell, Yakko and Dick Meyers, Hope and Julian Edison, Bettie Gershman, Peggy and Jerry Ritter, Jenny and Walter Shifrin, Judy and Rich Beumer and Sally and Ned Lemkemeier.

BOSS SISTER: Sister Mary Jean Ryan, prez and CEO of SSM Health Care, will be the guest speaker for the AT&T Coro Connected Women Speaker Series on Oct. 16 beginning at 7:30 a.m. Her theme, "Making A Difference," will be about SSM Health Care's pursuit of excellence and the way the organization measures success by making a difference and translating personal values into something meaningful to others. Sister Mary Jean is one of a few Catholic sisters who still head a major health care system in this country. She has been named one of the most powerful people in health care by Modern Healthcare Magazine for the last five years. She will be at the Knight Center at Washington U.


Gary Antilla of Green Bay ?counselor, educator, and has "A Recipe for Living."


After 37 years in teaching and counseling students, the retiree is using his knowledge and experience in a more recent role as motivational speaker.


He has taken his message involving the three "L's" ?Living, Loving and Laughing ? throughout the state and to Michigan and Minnesota addressing high school students, adult groups, business and industry.


"My job is to make each person a better worker, a better spouse and a better person," Antilla says.


The married father of two believes that to get his message across to audiences, it is important to know something about him, including the fact that he received a Heart Saver Award from the American Heart Association and had three near-death experiences by the time he was 20. Those, he says, helped him put life into perspective.


Also an author and illustrator, Antilla is wrapping up his second book titled, "Picker's Shares Life Lessons," due for publication next year. It has 10 chapters and includes 20 illustrations. His first book "Picker's Is a Thief, A Story About Shoplifting," is still in publication. It tells the story of child whose habit of taking things leads to shoplifting and the consequences. It is an At-Risk Stories Series Book for ages 9 to 12 and sells for $5.95. To get it, call MARCO, (800) 448-2197.


Antilla earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education and a master's degree in guidance and counseling from Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Mich.


During his career, he taught in Green Bay at the elementary and middle school levels and served as guidance counselor at Lombardi Middle School and Southwest and Preble high schools.





The 2007 Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin Community Awards will be presented tonight at the 19th annual Green & Gold Gala at the Lambeau Field Atrium.

The Karma group, a marketing communications firm in Green Bay, will receive the Leadership Award. Group president Mike McKenna and his team of employees will be honored for their support, volunteerism and in-kind work for Family Services and other local nonprofits.


The second annual Cherish the Child Award will be given to the Green Bay Area Exchange Club. Their fund-raising efforts have helped hundreds of local families each year.


Volunteers for this year's planning are Kay Kapp, chair, assisted by Aimee Dempsey, Amy DeBois, Robin Heugel, Mary Lessuise, Janet Lieb, Cyndie Shepard and Sandy Ward.


Honorary host for the gala is Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy. Mayor's Hispanic Heritage Gala

Spanish fans for the ladies and Arturo Fuente cigars for the gents reminded guests at the Mayor's Hispanic Heritage Gala why they were there: to celebrate the many cultural and economic contributions Latinos make to our multicultural society.

Saturday night, for the fifth year, city staffers organized the black-tie dinner to mark National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.

Guests roamed the silent auction and casino and danced to Gaby Gabriel and his Miami Extravaganza. Longtime fans know his real name is Gabriel Castillo and that his aunt is Hortensia Sotomayor, who ran the elevator in Old City Hall for many years before retiring this year.

Former Mayor Dick Greco and his wife, Linda McClintock, (now practicing medicine in the West Shore area),former council member Bob Buckhorn and his doctor wife, Cathy Lynch, and City Council member Charlie Miranda and his wife, Shirley, were among the partygoers at the Hyatt Regency Tampa.

Bonus question: When did the United States declare Latinos an ethnic group? Answer: Not until the 1980 census.


Tune-Up party

The buzz at the Florida Orchestra Guild of Tampa's annual Tune-Up party was how to celebrate its 60th anniversary next spring. "Not sure what it will be, but it will be very special," promised Gege Kreischer.

Guild president Jan McCarthy was pleased to welcome 60 women, including about 10 new and prospective members, to the annual brunch Sept. 17 at Debbie Porter's Beach Park home.

Guitarist Michael Florio and flutist Vera Ginsberg played as the group chatted about summer trips and caught up with orchestra news.

Guild fundraisers in the works range from intimate orchestra soirees at private homes to the Heart Strings raffle of painted violins like the one seen here by Gainesville artist Gary Borse to a Symphony of Christmas trees auction.

Darling Dan Hinote has bowed out of the singles scene. The former Avalanche winger - who, sadly, is now with the St. Louis Blues - called me while I was on vacation to give me the news that will leave unattached Colorado women weeping (at least that's what I told him).
"I'm getting married," he told me.

"I want your home address so I can send you an invitation to the wedding." What a doll. "We're getting married next year somewhere in Colorado."

He was driving to St. Louis for training camp, and I was walking into a restaurant, so I didn't get deets. But, meanwhile, his sister, Missy Christensen, who works in the oncology department at Children's Hospital here, sent me the 4-1-1 on Dan's future bride.

She's Amy McCarthy, a drop- dead gorgeous 31-year-old Chicagoan and graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago with a bachelor's degree in exercise physiology.

She was also the "cyber girl of the month" for Playboy.com in January 2005.

"Dan and Amy met three years ago through a mutual friend," Missy said. "A year later after they met, they saw each other a few times, one (time) being in Las Vegas, and also a weekend in Boston to celebrate a friend's birthday. From that weekend that was it . . . it was love."

Amy, the younger sister of celeb Jenny McCarthy, was living in Los Angeles pursuing an acting and modeling career, but opted to move to St. Louis to be with Dan."Soon after, they got two dogs - Chester, a Golden retriever, and Archie, an English bulldog," Missy said. "Amy is also currently working with obese children at the St. Louis Children's Hospital."

I'll update you, dear readers, when I get more info. Hmmmm, you think I'll meet Jenny McCarthy's beau, Jim Carrey, at the wedding? I should be so lucky.

SIGN OF THE TIMES: Bumper sticker spotted on a Chevy van in Fort Collins said, "Life's too short to hunt with an ugly dog."

THE SEEN: Former Broncos bruiser Bill Romanowski dining at Del Frisco's Saturday. "He stopped and talked to us for over 20 minutes," my spy said. "He is a very nice guy."

Romo and his lovely wife, Julie, also were spotted dining at Elway's after the (yucky) game Sunday; also seen at separate tables: Bubby Brister, Terrell Davis (in the bar), Brandon Marshall and Rockies main man Dan O'Dowd.

Former beer boss Mayor John Hickenlooper at the Northstar Restaurant and Brewery, 32nd and Tejon, on Friday. According to my spy, "He stopped in to see owner Kyle Carstens, longtime former head brewer for the Wynkoop, and to congratulate him on opening his own place."

Five foursomes from The Oceanaire Seafood Room doing a team-building exercise while golfing at Green Valley Ranch. No, Top Chef contender Brian Malarkey (exec chef at Oceanaire in San Diego) wasn't there. He was supposed to be, according to Oceanaire Big Fish Terry Ryan, but he didn't make it. Malarkey and three other finalists will compete on Top Chef during two rounds in Aspen, starting at 8 tonight (Wednesday) on Bravo.

EAVESDROPPING on a group of senior citizen women at a Village Inn: "I divorced my husband after 20 years of infidelity. He always thought the grass was greener on the other side of the fence only to discover it was Astroturf once he was truly single."

Penny Parker's column appears Tuesday through Saturday. Listen to her on the Caplis and Silverman radio show between 4 and 5 p.m. Fridays on KHOW-AM (630). Call her

HARC Festival of Fashions

Of the seven hunky men on the runway at the fourth annual Festival of Fashions, former Tampa Bay Lightning captain Dave Andreychuk scored the most applause from the 500 guests at the Hyatt Regency Tampa on Sept. 19. Georgette and Tashia Diaz packed the house and stacked the show with celebrity models who hammed and glammed in fashions from Georgette's of Old Hyde Park. WTVT-Ch. 13 reporter Charley Belcher was another crowd favorite.

WFLA-Ch. 8 anchor Gayle Sierens emceed and auctioned five sports and travel packages at the benefit for Hillsborough Achievement and Resource Centers, helping the agency net about $20,000 to enable those with disabilities "build everyday lives."

Marcy Rodriguez and Jackie Loto choreographed dancers to introduce style segments with flashy Broadway numbers. The jail scene from Chicago segued into dramatic black evening gowns. Music from Wicked had models twirling in emerald green gowns, plus a couple of teal dresses. The Dreamgirls formal finale had the audience singing along.

Friends congratulated Smith & Associates Realtor Mitzi Gill, who along with Dina Smith, made the largest sale in Hillsborough county so far this year when they sold a $4.5-million house on Lake Keystone to ex-Buc Vinny Testaverde. Gill says it's the second largest sale in county history, after Blake Casper's $5.175-million purchase on Davis Islands.



Datebook

Saturday:Brunch con Brio featuring Richard Kaufman benefits Florida Orchestra Guild/Tampa; 11 a.m.; Emerald Greens Country Club, 13903 Clubhouse Drive; $50 and up; 839-0279.

Oct. 5: Stratton's Endless Summer cocktail party to benefit Cystic Fibrosis Foundation; music by Full Circle; 7:30 p.m.; Tampa Yacht Club; $150; 249-2111.

Oct. 6: 20th anniversary gala with Liza Minnelli benefits the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center; 5 p.m.; dinner on the Ferguson Hall stage followed by performance; $750 and up; 222-1037.