Click on image to enlarge. Scroll down to read entire edition.
Due to time necessary for Computer Assisted Investigative Reporting training our next edition will be on March 25, 2006.
Saturday, March 11, 2006
FIRST CAPITOL NEWS - FRONT PAGE March 11, 2006
Click on image to enlarge. Scroll down to read entire edition.
Due to time necessary for Computer Assisted Investigative Reporting training our next edition will be on March 25, 2006.
Carjacking On North Fifth Suspect Apprehended
By Phyllis Schaltenbrand
At 11 am Tuesday, a black male in his late 20’s approached a woman who was getting in her vehicle in the rear of a building in the 600 block of north 5th Street. The suspect, later identified as Mark Stokes, threatened the woman and physically removed her from the vehicle. The suspect then entered the vehicle and fled the area.
A dispatch of the description was put out and a St. Charles Detective located the vehicle at Hwy 70 and 270 only to lose it moments later.
Agencies in St. Louis County located the vehicle and after a brief pursuit were able to stop the vehicle and the subject was taken into custody in the area of St. Charles Rock Road and Lackland by officers of the St. Johns Police Department..
St. Charles Police have charged Stokes with Robbery 2nd Degree: Stokes, 6’ 2”, 215 pounds, resides in the 2000 block of Nemnich, in north St. Louis County.
St. Johns police estimated that Stokes was traveling in excess of 100 miles per hour on St. Charles Rock Road just prior to his apprehension.
Stokes is being held on $100,000 bond.
At 11 am Tuesday, a black male in his late 20’s approached a woman who was getting in her vehicle in the rear of a building in the 600 block of north 5th Street. The suspect, later identified as Mark Stokes, threatened the woman and physically removed her from the vehicle. The suspect then entered the vehicle and fled the area.
A dispatch of the description was put out and a St. Charles Detective located the vehicle at Hwy 70 and 270 only to lose it moments later.
Agencies in St. Louis County located the vehicle and after a brief pursuit were able to stop the vehicle and the subject was taken into custody in the area of St. Charles Rock Road and Lackland by officers of the St. Johns Police Department..
St. Charles Police have charged Stokes with Robbery 2nd Degree: Stokes, 6’ 2”, 215 pounds, resides in the 2000 block of Nemnich, in north St. Louis County.
St. Johns police estimated that Stokes was traveling in excess of 100 miles per hour on St. Charles Rock Road just prior to his apprehension.
Stokes is being held on $100,000 bond.
Special Interest Legislation Cause For Concern
By Phyllis Schaltenbrand
The First Capitol News has learned that a local developer looking to build within the City limits was at one point told by City staff there was not enough sewer capacity to allow his project to proceed. This matter first arose after Planning and Zoning approved the site plans. The bill introducing the development's approval was, for a short time, pulled from first reading of the March 8 Council meeting. Councilman Gieseke who serves as liaison to Planning and Zoning called city hall concerned with such a late opinion after the developer had spent several months and as much as $40,000, believing he was doing everything asked of him by the City.
The development which is located at the former SSM doctors building on West Clay is in ward 9 represented by Councilman Joe Koester. Koester stated that, "While there are still some concerns from a few property owners, the developer plans to locate his own office at this site and has promised to be a good neighbor, clean up the site, handle water run-off issues, retain as many mature trees as possible, move trash receptacles from their current location to a spot farther from homes that back up to the development, offer several quality-of-life features such as a community room, as well as offer affordable senior housing in some of the existing buildings which have about 1,100 square feet of living space with no stairs to contend with."
Koester also stated that the St. Charles City School District will benefit from the new development of about 79 owner-occupied condominiums as well as retain commercial space towards the front of the property. Koester stated, "The development prohibits any rental units yet offers new construction that is affordable with home prices from about $130,000 to $150,000. This is also a defensive measure because I don't think anyone wants a giant apartment building complex at this site. I'm happy the developer is a local businessman who plans to make this location home to his new headquarters."
More of a pressing issue for Councilman Koester was the fact that the local state representative, Tom Dempsey, passed special-interest legislation that forces the City to take the sewage of new development outside the City limits to the detriment of growth within the City. This allowed TR Hughes to hook up his St. Andrews development into the City sewer system even though the development is located outside the City. "You have to stop and ask yourself who your state representative is working for -- the people of his district or wealthy donors and friends. In this case, it's pretty clear that stripping local control and handing it to Jefferson City was cronyism at its worst. It's interesting that the folks in Jefferson City claim they want less government and more local control until it affects a campaign contributor. I hope future laws coming down from the state do not single out our City. I think everyone would be happy if St. Charles could be treated fairly for once, but it's particularly frustrating when the special laws that only apply to our town come from your own representative and state senator. It was made very obvious that the law forcing our hand in taking the sewage from newly developed county sites while potentially turning development in our own town away was bad legislation and the state needs to remove itself from such local issues. How more local can you get than municipal sewage treatment" Koester said.
Councilman John Gieseke said, “This is why this Council needs to be careful when we are granting sewer tap ons to those outside the City. Development in the County takes up much needed sewer capacity and limits our abiliity to develop our City and our tax base. I would uge the people of the City to pay attention to those Council people who continually want to help County residents and County developer forsaking the residents of the City.
Unanimous support was given at the March 8th council meeting with all ten council members co-sponsoring the development that will be called, Collinbrook.
The First Capitol News has learned that a local developer looking to build within the City limits was at one point told by City staff there was not enough sewer capacity to allow his project to proceed. This matter first arose after Planning and Zoning approved the site plans. The bill introducing the development's approval was, for a short time, pulled from first reading of the March 8 Council meeting. Councilman Gieseke who serves as liaison to Planning and Zoning called city hall concerned with such a late opinion after the developer had spent several months and as much as $40,000, believing he was doing everything asked of him by the City.
The development which is located at the former SSM doctors building on West Clay is in ward 9 represented by Councilman Joe Koester. Koester stated that, "While there are still some concerns from a few property owners, the developer plans to locate his own office at this site and has promised to be a good neighbor, clean up the site, handle water run-off issues, retain as many mature trees as possible, move trash receptacles from their current location to a spot farther from homes that back up to the development, offer several quality-of-life features such as a community room, as well as offer affordable senior housing in some of the existing buildings which have about 1,100 square feet of living space with no stairs to contend with."
Koester also stated that the St. Charles City School District will benefit from the new development of about 79 owner-occupied condominiums as well as retain commercial space towards the front of the property. Koester stated, "The development prohibits any rental units yet offers new construction that is affordable with home prices from about $130,000 to $150,000. This is also a defensive measure because I don't think anyone wants a giant apartment building complex at this site. I'm happy the developer is a local businessman who plans to make this location home to his new headquarters."
More of a pressing issue for Councilman Koester was the fact that the local state representative, Tom Dempsey, passed special-interest legislation that forces the City to take the sewage of new development outside the City limits to the detriment of growth within the City. This allowed TR Hughes to hook up his St. Andrews development into the City sewer system even though the development is located outside the City. "You have to stop and ask yourself who your state representative is working for -- the people of his district or wealthy donors and friends. In this case, it's pretty clear that stripping local control and handing it to Jefferson City was cronyism at its worst. It's interesting that the folks in Jefferson City claim they want less government and more local control until it affects a campaign contributor. I hope future laws coming down from the state do not single out our City. I think everyone would be happy if St. Charles could be treated fairly for once, but it's particularly frustrating when the special laws that only apply to our town come from your own representative and state senator. It was made very obvious that the law forcing our hand in taking the sewage from newly developed county sites while potentially turning development in our own town away was bad legislation and the state needs to remove itself from such local issues. How more local can you get than municipal sewage treatment" Koester said.
Councilman John Gieseke said, “This is why this Council needs to be careful when we are granting sewer tap ons to those outside the City. Development in the County takes up much needed sewer capacity and limits our abiliity to develop our City and our tax base. I would uge the people of the City to pay attention to those Council people who continually want to help County residents and County developer forsaking the residents of the City.
Unanimous support was given at the March 8th council meeting with all ten council members co-sponsoring the development that will be called, Collinbrook.
RAMBLING WITH THE EDITOR - Tony Brockmeyer
OUR NEXT EDITION MARCH 25.
The next edition of the First Capitol News will be on March 25, 2006. We will be training next week on Computer Assisted Investigative Reporting. We believe this training will help us bring an even more exciting and interesting newspaper to our readers. Even though there will not be a printed edition you will be able to receive daily updates from our web log; firstcapitolnews-today.blogspot.com.
PROSECUTOR SHOULD CALL A GRAND JURY ON ELECTION RECALL PETITION CHARGES
The St. Charles Police Department has turned over their investigation on the recall petition drive of Councilwoman Dottie Greer to the office of St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney Jack Banas. Chief of Police Tim Swope, in a letter to residents whose signatures were on the petitions told the residents; Through the course of the investigation we have uncovered several criminal violations, including widespread forgeries of signatures on the petitions turned in for the recall election. That is coming from the law enforcement leader of our City who has many years of experience in criminal investigations. The evidence was developed by experienced detectives of his department who also have many years of experience in criminal investigation.
Attempts have been made to derail or halt the police investigation by people who claim to be community and civic leaders but who are actually trying to force their agenda on the residents of St. Charles for their monetary gain. Rumors abound that our Police Chief was threatened with the loss of his job if he allowed this investigation to move forward.
Now that the police report is in the office of the St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney just imagine the political demands that are probably being made upon the prosecutor to not prosecute the criminal violations and widespread forgeries the police have uncovered.
We believe it is time for the prosecutor to impanel a Grand Jury. He would not have to be besieged by political demands and the voters of St. Charles City would know an impartial panel would be making the decision on whether to prosecute or not.
A Grand Jury was recently impaneled to determine if charges would be filed on the removal of World Trade Center debris in O’Fallon. This incident heavily outweighs that. It is time for a Grand Jury to review the recall petition criminal charges.
WAS THAT A THREAT WE HEARD?
After the City Council meeting Tuesday evening a lot of people were getting dizzy due to the spin the recall committees tried to bring forward. Was that another threat to the FCN we heard from a member of the Kielty family?
During his diatribe to the City Council on why the First Capitol News should be silenced, Ken Kielty in quoting Thomas Jefferson said, “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of tyrants and patriots alike.” At the time it sounded like a veiled threat to me. We received several phone calls and e-mails from residents who also considered it to be a threat. We are reprinting an e-mail that was sent to members of the City Council by a resident…
The speakers at last night’s Council meeting were the biggest spectacles we’ve seen appear before the Council since we’ve been watching the Council. Are these the people who are trying to take over the County? Their ranting and raving was just nonsense.
What did Ken Kielty want you to do about the FCN? Change the U.S. Constitution to read freedom of the press EXCEPT for FCN? And what did he mean quoting Jefferson about the Tree of Liberty must sometimes be watered with the blood of patriots...is he going to shoot Tony? And that lady that began to rail about lack of health care in this country and then switched to ranting about FCN...does she want Tony to provide health care for her friend? What was she talking about? And T.R. who was shaking hands and patting Chief Swope on the back before the meeting and then tore into him and called him a Nazi. Would you want a backstabber like that to build your house? These people are nuts. The only good thing they did was to hold up FCN so many times, FCN got a whole bunch of free publicity. They also made the Council appear calm and collected!
If you recall, Kielty’s son the attorney, threatened us some time ago on the telephone but we recognized his voice. He later admitted he had made the threatening call to our office. Recently a telephone call threatening bodily harm was made to Bob Bredensteiner, which put him in fear of his life, because of a letter he had written and was published in the First Capitol News. The threatening telephone call was traced back to a telephone registered to Ken Kielty. When asked to come into police headquarters to answer questions, his son the attorney, told the police his father would not come in and would not cooperate in the investigation. The prosecutor’s office refused to issue charges because it could not be proven beyond a doubt that Kielty was the one who made the call.
Kielty, TR Hughes, Linda Meyer and Kevin Kast were there not to address the City Council as they would have you believe, they were there because the police had discovered fraud and forgeries in their recall petitions and this group was trying desperately to pull the wool over the eyes of the public and put their spin on these illegal actions. They were performing for the television cameras hoping the residents of St. Charles would believe their lies and vicious attacks. They put so much spin on their efforts it made a lot of people dizzy. But my award for the quote of the evening goes to Kevin Kast, ‘I might remind you however, a few forged signatures, unacceptable as they are, might be expected.”
Hughes sent out an e-mail requesting members of the Do The Right Thing Committee, Citizens Empowerment Committee, and friends and admirers to TR Hughes attend the City Council meeting to support their efforts to intimidate the Councilmembers. They have been spouting their Do The Right Thing organization now has over 1,000 members. I would challenge that. With all their efforts to bring out the crowd they could only account for about 10 members of the audience being with them. I guess they had the same people sign up members for Do The Right Thing as they had collect the recall petition signatures. And by the way, “Do The Right Thing” is a registered trademark for a program of KMOV TV and Schnucks Market. I wonder if they would be doing the right thing by using a registered trademark without permission?
The next edition of the First Capitol News will be on March 25, 2006. We will be training next week on Computer Assisted Investigative Reporting. We believe this training will help us bring an even more exciting and interesting newspaper to our readers. Even though there will not be a printed edition you will be able to receive daily updates from our web log; firstcapitolnews-today.blogspot.com.
PROSECUTOR SHOULD CALL A GRAND JURY ON ELECTION RECALL PETITION CHARGES
The St. Charles Police Department has turned over their investigation on the recall petition drive of Councilwoman Dottie Greer to the office of St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney Jack Banas. Chief of Police Tim Swope, in a letter to residents whose signatures were on the petitions told the residents; Through the course of the investigation we have uncovered several criminal violations, including widespread forgeries of signatures on the petitions turned in for the recall election. That is coming from the law enforcement leader of our City who has many years of experience in criminal investigations. The evidence was developed by experienced detectives of his department who also have many years of experience in criminal investigation.
Attempts have been made to derail or halt the police investigation by people who claim to be community and civic leaders but who are actually trying to force their agenda on the residents of St. Charles for their monetary gain. Rumors abound that our Police Chief was threatened with the loss of his job if he allowed this investigation to move forward.
Now that the police report is in the office of the St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney just imagine the political demands that are probably being made upon the prosecutor to not prosecute the criminal violations and widespread forgeries the police have uncovered.
We believe it is time for the prosecutor to impanel a Grand Jury. He would not have to be besieged by political demands and the voters of St. Charles City would know an impartial panel would be making the decision on whether to prosecute or not.
A Grand Jury was recently impaneled to determine if charges would be filed on the removal of World Trade Center debris in O’Fallon. This incident heavily outweighs that. It is time for a Grand Jury to review the recall petition criminal charges.
WAS THAT A THREAT WE HEARD?
After the City Council meeting Tuesday evening a lot of people were getting dizzy due to the spin the recall committees tried to bring forward. Was that another threat to the FCN we heard from a member of the Kielty family?
During his diatribe to the City Council on why the First Capitol News should be silenced, Ken Kielty in quoting Thomas Jefferson said, “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of tyrants and patriots alike.” At the time it sounded like a veiled threat to me. We received several phone calls and e-mails from residents who also considered it to be a threat. We are reprinting an e-mail that was sent to members of the City Council by a resident…
The speakers at last night’s Council meeting were the biggest spectacles we’ve seen appear before the Council since we’ve been watching the Council. Are these the people who are trying to take over the County? Their ranting and raving was just nonsense.
What did Ken Kielty want you to do about the FCN? Change the U.S. Constitution to read freedom of the press EXCEPT for FCN? And what did he mean quoting Jefferson about the Tree of Liberty must sometimes be watered with the blood of patriots...is he going to shoot Tony? And that lady that began to rail about lack of health care in this country and then switched to ranting about FCN...does she want Tony to provide health care for her friend? What was she talking about? And T.R. who was shaking hands and patting Chief Swope on the back before the meeting and then tore into him and called him a Nazi. Would you want a backstabber like that to build your house? These people are nuts. The only good thing they did was to hold up FCN so many times, FCN got a whole bunch of free publicity. They also made the Council appear calm and collected!
If you recall, Kielty’s son the attorney, threatened us some time ago on the telephone but we recognized his voice. He later admitted he had made the threatening call to our office. Recently a telephone call threatening bodily harm was made to Bob Bredensteiner, which put him in fear of his life, because of a letter he had written and was published in the First Capitol News. The threatening telephone call was traced back to a telephone registered to Ken Kielty. When asked to come into police headquarters to answer questions, his son the attorney, told the police his father would not come in and would not cooperate in the investigation. The prosecutor’s office refused to issue charges because it could not be proven beyond a doubt that Kielty was the one who made the call.
Kielty, TR Hughes, Linda Meyer and Kevin Kast were there not to address the City Council as they would have you believe, they were there because the police had discovered fraud and forgeries in their recall petitions and this group was trying desperately to pull the wool over the eyes of the public and put their spin on these illegal actions. They were performing for the television cameras hoping the residents of St. Charles would believe their lies and vicious attacks. They put so much spin on their efforts it made a lot of people dizzy. But my award for the quote of the evening goes to Kevin Kast, ‘I might remind you however, a few forged signatures, unacceptable as they are, might be expected.”
Hughes sent out an e-mail requesting members of the Do The Right Thing Committee, Citizens Empowerment Committee, and friends and admirers to TR Hughes attend the City Council meeting to support their efforts to intimidate the Councilmembers. They have been spouting their Do The Right Thing organization now has over 1,000 members. I would challenge that. With all their efforts to bring out the crowd they could only account for about 10 members of the audience being with them. I guess they had the same people sign up members for Do The Right Thing as they had collect the recall petition signatures. And by the way, “Do The Right Thing” is a registered trademark for a program of KMOV TV and Schnucks Market. I wonder if they would be doing the right thing by using a registered trademark without permission?
CITIZEN'S POLICE ACADEMY GRADUATION
St. Charles Police Chief Tim Swope congratulating Council
woman Dottie Greer on her graduation from the St. Charles Citizens Police Academy
Citizen’s Police Academy Graduation
Members of the first St. Charles Police Citizen’s Police Academy graduating class pictured while receiving congratulations from St. Charles Police Chief Tim Swope.
Standing is St. Charles Council woman Dottie Greer who attended the academy along with her husband Rich who is seated on her right.
First Capitol News Photos By BOB BARTON
CASE IN POINT By Joe Koester, Councilman Ward 9
A lie can travel halfway round the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.
Mark Twain
Tuesday night was pretty eventful, but after all, we had a couple of weeks without meeting so there was a good deal of pent up orneriness from the regular characters who have made it their mission in life to attack five on city council. “Nazi Germany” and the KKK both were used regarding Council. Both analogies were over the top. Council did well to bite its tongue and take the lumps as graciously as we could. In closed session we were encouraged not to respond to the political attacks that were coming...I will admit, that’s not easy to do.
Since I have this outlet, I wanted to respond to some things said that night without using names. It was mentioned that every election involves fraud (see Florida and Ohio in the past two presidential elections for really swell examples) and this may sadly be true. There is an important difference between fraud committed during an election that is called for by law and happens at set intervals and fraud that is committed by a sole group that is calling for a special election to undo the votes of others.
Imagine if you will, you go to the polls on election day, you do your civic duty and participate in government. You are happy with some results and not so happy with others. A few months later, a corporation funds the recalls of those members of government who they oppose. They then install their chosen “representatives” and nullify your vote. Is this the path we want to take as a city, state or nation? With this action we hand yet more power to the powerful and disenfranchise the everyday citizens who have done their duty and have expressed their limited authority — an authority that appears to be of less and less value in a nation that seems to equate wealth with virtue and special privilege. The book, “The Best Democracy Money Can Buy” just keeps coming to mind over and over again. Let us not roll over and surrender to moneyed interests but stand up and state that we are tired of ‘for sale’ signs on the doors of city hall, our state houses, and on the doors of our Congressmen and women.
About once a week I take time to write down some thoughts to put into the First Capitol News. A friend of mine on central committee and I still laugh at my rambling the first couple of times I wrote. It wasn’t my intention to write every week and I tried to say everything in one article with the result of maybe ranting, just a little. Anyhow, I will admit that sometimes I don’t have a lot of time to get this little article better articulated and I have never claimed to be a journalist of any sort. As anyone who has written anything knows, some days ideas are there and other days it’s like fishing in a rain puddle — nothings biting and nothing much will. Sometimes a council meeting or news article will give me something to write about too.
So was the case last week with, I’m sorry to say, an awful story written in the Journal. Not from the writing standpoint but from content. A front page news story about a little bit of fighting going on at city hall. If you missed the story, it will be played again many more times, so don’t worry. Well, the night of Council I was scolded for writing a parody involving local journalist, Jason Lee. I like Jason and I don’t think the tongue-in-cheek story phased him in the least. I thought it was rich irony though that I was scolded for writing a jab at a journalist. Lord knows I have taken my lumps from the publications of Lee Enterprises (no relations to Jason). I was called Barney Fife, and many others on Council have had a sophomoric sobriquet manufactured for them as well. Anyone worried about the press, don’t be — they do just fine getting their message out.
Here are a few things I have learned these past two years, mostly from fellow council members, Lee Enterprise, and the Recall Gang:
Not using the police department to do a background check on their potential boss — bad!
Using the police to investigate an alleged local crime — bad!
Doing work for someone and then voting on any future issues that they have before the city council — bad!
Having a home builder do you a personal favor - OK!
Name calling on the part of Sonderegger - Good!
Criticism of *local press - Bad! *Local Press does not include the First Capitol News.
Putting legal notices in the First Capitol News to the tune of around $45,000 - Bad!
Putting legal notices in the Post and Journal to the tune of $200,000 - Good!
All actions of the ‘Fab Five’ - Bad!
All actions of the ‘Other Fab Five’ - Good!
Elliot Davis doing a “You Paid For It” story where nothing was paid for - Good!
First Capitol News doing a story of things taxpayers have really paid for - Scandalous!
Voting with Riddler, ever - Automaton, lockstep and Bad!
Voting with Kneemiller - free thinking, enlightened, and very Good!
Eric Tolen working without a contract - Bad!
Alan Williams working without a contract - Good!
Council putting a vote before the people regarding a stalemate between Council and Mayor — power grab!
Local state representative grabbing power from the city and giving it to special interests with no vote of the people — shhh, it’s OK!
A paid PR firm and two or three local papers writing in concert one-sided stories - News!
A local independent paper writing stories - Bad!
Flying an airplane over councilman Brown’s house during a block party with a political message - Freedom of speech!
Questioning anything done by developers - Police State!
A little bit of fraud - OK!
Repeating your message of “fighting at city hall” - OK!
Repeating your message that frivolous recall tainted with questionable activities - Police State!
Threatening residents with bodily harm - OK!
Standing up and saying that that is wrong - Police State!
Appearance that everyone is happy and in agreement - Good!
Disagreement and questioning others on Council - Bad!
Paying $11 per signature to a staff of mainly people from outside of the ward and City they are working in - Grassroots!
Administrative Branch of City government - Good!
Legislative Branch of City government - Bad!
10 people = 1,000 people
Sorry if I rambled on here this week. You know, I really wanted to write about Hannibal Days and Max Cleland. That will have to wait.
THE CITY DESK - City Council President Rory Riddler
Office Of Mayor Can Command Respect
Without Ludicrous 450% Salary Increase
In late February the Federal Reserve issued a report that, when adjusted for inflation, average incomes fell from 2001 to 2004. Median family income, the point where half the population made more and half less, rose only 1.6% in that time to just $43,200 in 2004.
Most of us know our family buying power has declined the last few years. That’s reality.
But there is still a land of fantasy and make believe. Get the bag of fairy dust you’ve been saving for a special occasion, sprinkle it on your head and repeat after me. “I believe I can fly. I believe I can fly.” Now open your eyes, get in the elevator and push the button to the fourth floor of City Hall.
There you will find a copy of a bill introduced by Councilman Bob Hoepfner to raise the salary of Mayor to $150,000 per year. That’s approximately a 450% increase from the $27,000 the Mayor now receives.
No one doubts the salary needs raised because starting in 2007 (unless overturned by voters) the position becomes full-time and assumes some greater responsibilities. I’m sponsoring a bill myself to raise the salary to a more reasonable $60,000. Both bills will be debated at the Council’s Work Session this Tuesday.
I wanted to share with you some of the facts I will be presenting to support the lesser amount. First, as late as the 2004 State Manual, we only pay the Governor of the State of Missouri $120,000. I don’t see the compensation package of a Mayor needing to be greater than what we pay the Governor to run the whole State.
Speaking of our State, the median income for Missourians in 2000 was just $37,500. In the City of St. Charles the median income was $47,000. I think we too often get out of touch with what most families have to try to make ends meet. Adjusting that local number for the 1.6% average increase from 2001 to 2004 and you still have one half of our population earning less than $50,000 per year.
That doesn’t leave a lot of room for vacations, a new car or making those improvements to your home you’ve always dreamed about. But God forbid our next Mayor should have to want for anything with a $150,000 annual income. Did I mention we already give whoever is Mayor fully paid health insurance, dental and a retirement plan? The health insurance alone is worth $10,000, the cost per employee, and there is no co-pay to have to worry about.
Proponents of the high salary level include County Councilman and former Mayoral candidate Dan Foust, who was quoted by a Post-Dispatch columnist as saying the salary of Mayor needs to be $1 higher than the highest paid employee at City Hall. In other words, he feels it needs to be around the $150,000 proposed by Councilman Hoepfner. Councilman Foust didn’t respond in the article if he were going to be a candidate for the office again.
I remember when Dan Foust was terribly upset a few years back about firefighters and paramedics getting a raise he felt was too large. It was a central theme of his race for Mayor as I recall. In fact there was a graph in one of his mailings showing the comparative salaries of firefighters, teachers and certain union trades.
The irony now is those very professions he cited don’t make half of what Dan thinks he should be paid if he chooses to run again for Mayor. He was quoted in this same column as saying “…you can’t expect people to work for peanuts and get qualified people.” What a conversion. It’s a miracle!
Both Dan Foust and Bob Hoepfner hold to the theory that you have to pay the Mayor more than the highest paid employee in order for them to be more effective leaders and command the respect of their subordinates. Ask yourself how many jobs you’ve had where on the first day they show you the salary of your boss in order for you to understand that person is your boss?
It is the ability to hire, fire, discipline, direct and control the compensation of an individual that determines you are their boss. It is the ability of the individual to show respect to others, to communicate clearly, to be fair, to establish goals, to inspire others, to show real leadership that “earns” the respect of employees.
The argument has also been made that we need a high salary for Mayor in order to attract a “higher caliber” of candidate. The people who have made this argument to me are well meaning, but I don’t think they realize how insulting this is to the many men and women who have served our community as Mayor heretofore.
Despite the prodding several past Mayors got to critique the current Mayor and Council, I still have tremendous respect for people like our late Mayor Frank Brockgreitens and former Mayors Doug Boschert, Grace Nichols and Mel Wetter.
The “so-called” higher caliber of candidate some people are looking for I’m told is a former CEO or captain of industry. The argument goes that such men (and I hope they mean women as well) would only sully their hands with government if they are paid enough. That reasoning seems to stand in stark contrast to statements I’ve heard that certain persons might allow themselves to be “drafted” for the good of the community, but that they aren’t seeking personal enrichment or political power for themselves. Give me a break. That speech hasn’t gotten any better since Julius Caesar gave it.
The fact is that the qualifications for being Mayor haven’t gotten any tougher. You don’t even need a high school diploma. There are no guarantees that a higher salary means a more qualified person gets elected.
While the office of Mayor may be going full-time in April of 2007, it has already voluntarily been the full-time job of several of our last Mayors. Most have put in more than 40 hours per week for the current salary. That’s because the duties of the office have grown with our population.
Those duties fall into eight categories. First, the Mayor is the ambassador of our City. His or her presence is sought at numerous functions from the proverbial ribbon cuttings to every organizations annual fundraising gala.
Second, the Mayor is the chief proponent for economic development. We may have an Economic Development Director, but every person with a development on the drawing boards believes they need to talk with the Mayor. Third, the Mayor serves on many boards and commissions, including being a voting member on the Planning & Zoning Commission and Tourism Commission. The Mayor must also recruit members to serve and appoint over a hundred board and commission members.
Fourth, the Mayor has to work with the City Council, which means discussing proposed legislation, reading bills, debating issues that come before the Council and vetoing bills. Fifth, the Mayor has a formal legal role to play in reviewing and executing (signing) all contracts on behalf of the City. Sixth, the Mayor has fiscal duties, which include receiving the proposed Annual Budget and Capital Improvement Plan from the City Administrator which the Mayor may change before presenting to the Council. The Mayor also must approve line-item transfers within departments or funds and propose budget amendments to the Council for transfers between departments or funds.
Seventh, the Mayor has to deal with constituents the same as Councilmen. We get calls about bad streets or alleys and so does the Mayor’s Office. Finally, the Mayor can review and discuss policy matters with the City Administrator, but is currently prohibited from interfering in the day-to-day operations of the City.
The City Administrator is a full time job as well. I won’t go into all the duties of this position, but amid the glitz and glamour, it also includes such mundane work as sitting in a disciplinary hearing all day on an appeal by an employee.
My reasoning for setting the salary of Mayor at a more reasonable level is that we are primarily compensating the position for the full-time nature of the work already being performed. It would be impossible for a new Mayor in April of 2007 to do both the full-time duties of a Mayor and the full-time duties of a City Administrator.
The City Administrator will get a name change, but I believe almost all of the real “work” being done by that individual will remain the same. There simply isn’t enough time for the Mayor to assume those duties and do all of the things we expect from a Mayor.
That means we have to keep a highly paid professional on the job to administer the day-to-day operations of a City with over 450 employees. We can require that person to have experience and credentials. We can’t require that of a Mayor.
I see no reason to have two people each paid $150,000 a year, when the real day-to-day duties and qualifications for the jobs of Mayor and City Administrator (Director of Administration) are so widely different.
Finally, the two bills before the City Council also address the compensation for Councilmen. My bill would increase the salary from $6,000 to $7,200. Councilman Hoepfner wants the salary for Councilmen raised to $15,000 per year, with full medical and dental insurance as well.
No one should be running for public office to get rich. Councilman Hoepfner needs to shed the green tights, lose Tinker Bell and come down to earth.
Without Ludicrous 450% Salary Increase
In late February the Federal Reserve issued a report that, when adjusted for inflation, average incomes fell from 2001 to 2004. Median family income, the point where half the population made more and half less, rose only 1.6% in that time to just $43,200 in 2004.
Most of us know our family buying power has declined the last few years. That’s reality.
But there is still a land of fantasy and make believe. Get the bag of fairy dust you’ve been saving for a special occasion, sprinkle it on your head and repeat after me. “I believe I can fly. I believe I can fly.” Now open your eyes, get in the elevator and push the button to the fourth floor of City Hall.
There you will find a copy of a bill introduced by Councilman Bob Hoepfner to raise the salary of Mayor to $150,000 per year. That’s approximately a 450% increase from the $27,000 the Mayor now receives.
No one doubts the salary needs raised because starting in 2007 (unless overturned by voters) the position becomes full-time and assumes some greater responsibilities. I’m sponsoring a bill myself to raise the salary to a more reasonable $60,000. Both bills will be debated at the Council’s Work Session this Tuesday.
I wanted to share with you some of the facts I will be presenting to support the lesser amount. First, as late as the 2004 State Manual, we only pay the Governor of the State of Missouri $120,000. I don’t see the compensation package of a Mayor needing to be greater than what we pay the Governor to run the whole State.
Speaking of our State, the median income for Missourians in 2000 was just $37,500. In the City of St. Charles the median income was $47,000. I think we too often get out of touch with what most families have to try to make ends meet. Adjusting that local number for the 1.6% average increase from 2001 to 2004 and you still have one half of our population earning less than $50,000 per year.
That doesn’t leave a lot of room for vacations, a new car or making those improvements to your home you’ve always dreamed about. But God forbid our next Mayor should have to want for anything with a $150,000 annual income. Did I mention we already give whoever is Mayor fully paid health insurance, dental and a retirement plan? The health insurance alone is worth $10,000, the cost per employee, and there is no co-pay to have to worry about.
Proponents of the high salary level include County Councilman and former Mayoral candidate Dan Foust, who was quoted by a Post-Dispatch columnist as saying the salary of Mayor needs to be $1 higher than the highest paid employee at City Hall. In other words, he feels it needs to be around the $150,000 proposed by Councilman Hoepfner. Councilman Foust didn’t respond in the article if he were going to be a candidate for the office again.
I remember when Dan Foust was terribly upset a few years back about firefighters and paramedics getting a raise he felt was too large. It was a central theme of his race for Mayor as I recall. In fact there was a graph in one of his mailings showing the comparative salaries of firefighters, teachers and certain union trades.
The irony now is those very professions he cited don’t make half of what Dan thinks he should be paid if he chooses to run again for Mayor. He was quoted in this same column as saying “…you can’t expect people to work for peanuts and get qualified people.” What a conversion. It’s a miracle!
Both Dan Foust and Bob Hoepfner hold to the theory that you have to pay the Mayor more than the highest paid employee in order for them to be more effective leaders and command the respect of their subordinates. Ask yourself how many jobs you’ve had where on the first day they show you the salary of your boss in order for you to understand that person is your boss?
It is the ability to hire, fire, discipline, direct and control the compensation of an individual that determines you are their boss. It is the ability of the individual to show respect to others, to communicate clearly, to be fair, to establish goals, to inspire others, to show real leadership that “earns” the respect of employees.
The argument has also been made that we need a high salary for Mayor in order to attract a “higher caliber” of candidate. The people who have made this argument to me are well meaning, but I don’t think they realize how insulting this is to the many men and women who have served our community as Mayor heretofore.
Despite the prodding several past Mayors got to critique the current Mayor and Council, I still have tremendous respect for people like our late Mayor Frank Brockgreitens and former Mayors Doug Boschert, Grace Nichols and Mel Wetter.
The “so-called” higher caliber of candidate some people are looking for I’m told is a former CEO or captain of industry. The argument goes that such men (and I hope they mean women as well) would only sully their hands with government if they are paid enough. That reasoning seems to stand in stark contrast to statements I’ve heard that certain persons might allow themselves to be “drafted” for the good of the community, but that they aren’t seeking personal enrichment or political power for themselves. Give me a break. That speech hasn’t gotten any better since Julius Caesar gave it.
The fact is that the qualifications for being Mayor haven’t gotten any tougher. You don’t even need a high school diploma. There are no guarantees that a higher salary means a more qualified person gets elected.
While the office of Mayor may be going full-time in April of 2007, it has already voluntarily been the full-time job of several of our last Mayors. Most have put in more than 40 hours per week for the current salary. That’s because the duties of the office have grown with our population.
Those duties fall into eight categories. First, the Mayor is the ambassador of our City. His or her presence is sought at numerous functions from the proverbial ribbon cuttings to every organizations annual fundraising gala.
Second, the Mayor is the chief proponent for economic development. We may have an Economic Development Director, but every person with a development on the drawing boards believes they need to talk with the Mayor. Third, the Mayor serves on many boards and commissions, including being a voting member on the Planning & Zoning Commission and Tourism Commission. The Mayor must also recruit members to serve and appoint over a hundred board and commission members.
Fourth, the Mayor has to work with the City Council, which means discussing proposed legislation, reading bills, debating issues that come before the Council and vetoing bills. Fifth, the Mayor has a formal legal role to play in reviewing and executing (signing) all contracts on behalf of the City. Sixth, the Mayor has fiscal duties, which include receiving the proposed Annual Budget and Capital Improvement Plan from the City Administrator which the Mayor may change before presenting to the Council. The Mayor also must approve line-item transfers within departments or funds and propose budget amendments to the Council for transfers between departments or funds.
Seventh, the Mayor has to deal with constituents the same as Councilmen. We get calls about bad streets or alleys and so does the Mayor’s Office. Finally, the Mayor can review and discuss policy matters with the City Administrator, but is currently prohibited from interfering in the day-to-day operations of the City.
The City Administrator is a full time job as well. I won’t go into all the duties of this position, but amid the glitz and glamour, it also includes such mundane work as sitting in a disciplinary hearing all day on an appeal by an employee.
My reasoning for setting the salary of Mayor at a more reasonable level is that we are primarily compensating the position for the full-time nature of the work already being performed. It would be impossible for a new Mayor in April of 2007 to do both the full-time duties of a Mayor and the full-time duties of a City Administrator.
The City Administrator will get a name change, but I believe almost all of the real “work” being done by that individual will remain the same. There simply isn’t enough time for the Mayor to assume those duties and do all of the things we expect from a Mayor.
That means we have to keep a highly paid professional on the job to administer the day-to-day operations of a City with over 450 employees. We can require that person to have experience and credentials. We can’t require that of a Mayor.
I see no reason to have two people each paid $150,000 a year, when the real day-to-day duties and qualifications for the jobs of Mayor and City Administrator (Director of Administration) are so widely different.
Finally, the two bills before the City Council also address the compensation for Councilmen. My bill would increase the salary from $6,000 to $7,200. Councilman Hoepfner wants the salary for Councilmen raised to $15,000 per year, with full medical and dental insurance as well.
No one should be running for public office to get rich. Councilman Hoepfner needs to shed the green tights, lose Tinker Bell and come down to earth.
THE View From The Cheap Seats BY Jerry Haferkamp
The View From The Cheap Seats
By Jerry Haferkamp
I’m going to start off the column today by disagreeing with a comment in last issues “The People Speak” section. Mr. Morice from O’Fallon wrote of the “conservatives” illegal recall efforts. Don’t blame it on “conservatives”.
Anyone who knows me knows that I am as conservative as anyone can be and am a Republican. They also know I detest this assault on our electoral system. There are many conservatives who don’t want to see this misguided recall effort succeed.
The group pushing this assault is not all conservatives. At least one is a liberal Democrat who has fed at the public trough for years. The only thing bonding these individuals together is greed and future benefits derived from a council they can count on to vote in accordance with the Golden Rule…He who has the gold makes the rules.
The recall of council member Greer started innocently enough. The wife of a police officer didn’t want to see the control of the police department taken from the unions and put back in the hands of a qualified Chief of Police. She tried several issues to get support, but none gained traction until she spun the good ordinance controlling fireworks into a negative thing. It wasn’t enough to warrant recall, but it piqued the interest of the power hungry that desperately needed to get a majority back on the council so they could continue to rule the city by proxy. They managed to get a 50/50 council when Bob Hoepfner did his Darth Vader act and went over to the “Dark Side”. Now they knew that if they poured enough money into it, they could once again own the council. All they needed is one more seat. Therein lies the unholy alliance.
I’m not much of a public speaker, but I put in my two cents worth at Tuesday’s council meeting. After the S.C. West Band was recognized at a prior meeting, the band director confided in me that he hoped to get the band members out before they were subjected to the real council meeting. The real meeting being the one where council members attacked each other or were attacked by speakers at the podium. The real meeting is where verbal attacks from the podium are thrown at our mayor. The real meeting where audience members with no self respect and no sense of decorum heckle and cajole any council member who doesn’t agree with them. The band director stresses good citizenship and didn’t want to expose the students to this circus. Out of respect for him, I decided to say something at this past meeting.
My time at the podium was used to challenge the council to do whatever is necessary to bring about an atmosphere where the students and citizens could witness city business being conducted as it should be. Council meetings are not the time or the place where speakers can verbally assault the mayor or the council and certainly not where they should make personal attacks on each other.
There are outlets for people to voice their opinions. The council meetings are not the proper place for political speeches or non-city issues. For the average resident of St. Charles there is always an outlet to voice concerns in the First Capitol News. For anyone with ambition to gain financially from our city coffers, there will always be a home for you in the “Non-Citizen” and the St. Peters news(?)paper.
Since I was facing the council, my remarks either didn’t carry to the audience, or they just turned a deaf ear. I had hardly returned to my seat when a speaker likened some council members to the K.K.K. Only minutes later one of the financiers of the assault on our election process refused to stop his political speech after his time was up. Apparently he, like councilman Weller, wanted someone like Roscoe P. Coltrane to do the fraud investigation. Somewhere in the circus a former councilman unleashed a tirade against this newspaper. This was hardly classified as city business. Later the head…yes, the HEAD of the ill named group “Do The Right Thing” had to be gaveled down for doing the wrong thing and comparing our police department’s investigation into fraud to the Nazis going door to door hunting down Jews in Germany. It appears that “Do The Right Thing” feels that fraud laws don’t apply to those who support their agenda. Given their connections, I doubt that Jack Banas will do what is really the “right thing” and prosecute. The investigation reveals there are apparently fraud, forgery and conspiracy to commit fraud by telling someone to commit an act of fraud. Don’t count on getting what you pay for from the prosecutor. Friends are friends.
There are rumors flying that there is even a move to “get” Chief Swope for doing his sworn duty. The residents need to wake up to the power of this mob trying to control every aspect of this city. Shutting them down means voting to keep the council you elected. They want to overturn elections. They want fraud swept under the rug. They want freedom of the press, but only their press. They feel they have enough money be immune from our laws. Get mad! Tell them NOT ON YOUR WATCH! Vote to keep your council.Of course this is just a view from the cheap seats.
By Jerry Haferkamp
I’m going to start off the column today by disagreeing with a comment in last issues “The People Speak” section. Mr. Morice from O’Fallon wrote of the “conservatives” illegal recall efforts. Don’t blame it on “conservatives”.
Anyone who knows me knows that I am as conservative as anyone can be and am a Republican. They also know I detest this assault on our electoral system. There are many conservatives who don’t want to see this misguided recall effort succeed.
The group pushing this assault is not all conservatives. At least one is a liberal Democrat who has fed at the public trough for years. The only thing bonding these individuals together is greed and future benefits derived from a council they can count on to vote in accordance with the Golden Rule…He who has the gold makes the rules.
The recall of council member Greer started innocently enough. The wife of a police officer didn’t want to see the control of the police department taken from the unions and put back in the hands of a qualified Chief of Police. She tried several issues to get support, but none gained traction until she spun the good ordinance controlling fireworks into a negative thing. It wasn’t enough to warrant recall, but it piqued the interest of the power hungry that desperately needed to get a majority back on the council so they could continue to rule the city by proxy. They managed to get a 50/50 council when Bob Hoepfner did his Darth Vader act and went over to the “Dark Side”. Now they knew that if they poured enough money into it, they could once again own the council. All they needed is one more seat. Therein lies the unholy alliance.
I’m not much of a public speaker, but I put in my two cents worth at Tuesday’s council meeting. After the S.C. West Band was recognized at a prior meeting, the band director confided in me that he hoped to get the band members out before they were subjected to the real council meeting. The real meeting being the one where council members attacked each other or were attacked by speakers at the podium. The real meeting is where verbal attacks from the podium are thrown at our mayor. The real meeting where audience members with no self respect and no sense of decorum heckle and cajole any council member who doesn’t agree with them. The band director stresses good citizenship and didn’t want to expose the students to this circus. Out of respect for him, I decided to say something at this past meeting.
My time at the podium was used to challenge the council to do whatever is necessary to bring about an atmosphere where the students and citizens could witness city business being conducted as it should be. Council meetings are not the time or the place where speakers can verbally assault the mayor or the council and certainly not where they should make personal attacks on each other.
There are outlets for people to voice their opinions. The council meetings are not the proper place for political speeches or non-city issues. For the average resident of St. Charles there is always an outlet to voice concerns in the First Capitol News. For anyone with ambition to gain financially from our city coffers, there will always be a home for you in the “Non-Citizen” and the St. Peters news(?)paper.
Since I was facing the council, my remarks either didn’t carry to the audience, or they just turned a deaf ear. I had hardly returned to my seat when a speaker likened some council members to the K.K.K. Only minutes later one of the financiers of the assault on our election process refused to stop his political speech after his time was up. Apparently he, like councilman Weller, wanted someone like Roscoe P. Coltrane to do the fraud investigation. Somewhere in the circus a former councilman unleashed a tirade against this newspaper. This was hardly classified as city business. Later the head…yes, the HEAD of the ill named group “Do The Right Thing” had to be gaveled down for doing the wrong thing and comparing our police department’s investigation into fraud to the Nazis going door to door hunting down Jews in Germany. It appears that “Do The Right Thing” feels that fraud laws don’t apply to those who support their agenda. Given their connections, I doubt that Jack Banas will do what is really the “right thing” and prosecute. The investigation reveals there are apparently fraud, forgery and conspiracy to commit fraud by telling someone to commit an act of fraud. Don’t count on getting what you pay for from the prosecutor. Friends are friends.
There are rumors flying that there is even a move to “get” Chief Swope for doing his sworn duty. The residents need to wake up to the power of this mob trying to control every aspect of this city. Shutting them down means voting to keep the council you elected. They want to overturn elections. They want fraud swept under the rug. They want freedom of the press, but only their press. They feel they have enough money be immune from our laws. Get mad! Tell them NOT ON YOUR WATCH! Vote to keep your council.Of course this is just a view from the cheap seats.
THE PEOPLE SPEAK - Letters to the editor
Dear First Capitol News
Below is a copy of an e-mail I just sent to the publication staff at St. Charles Journal. (A. Stein, Publisher, M. Pugh, Managing editor, and J. Lee, St. Charles editor). Keep up the good work of informing our community on what’s happening in St. Charles, MO.
Richard W Funderburg
From: Richard Funderburg
To: astein@yourjournal.com ; mpugh@yourjournal.com ; jasonlee@yourjournal.com
Sent: Monday, March 06, 2006 4:54 PM
Subject: news!!!!!
I find it hard to believe your paper feels I need to know more about how a Sikh’s marriage is arranged than the fact that there were forgeries on the two recall petitions being investigated by our Police Department. Whoever decides what is news at your paper needs to have a reality check.
Richard W Funderburg
Dear Editor
I am outraged at the City for footing the lawyer bills for the infamous four. What do we have here? We have the defamation an esteemed member of the Missouri Bar Association. He has suffered through racial slurs, nasty comments, and ridicule. The infamous four deserve their law suit and they should pay their own lawyers. Is it not illegal to stop paying a man with a legal and binding contract? How many times does the city have to suffer through another of Patti’s ploys to have her way.
Speaking of Patti and her subterfuges. She and the other three have decided that our Chief of Police must go. He is the best police chief we have ever had. We had to wait a year and a half to get him and we are not letting go of him! He is running the police department with all the expertise necessary. I’m sure Patty is piqued with him for the petition work by the police department. The police did exemplary and diligent work on going over the petitions.They went so far as to call the City of St. Louis Police to get information on how they went through the petitions. They used the same protocol that the City used. If TR and his group didn’t want the police in on it they should have been more diligent in how they ran the petition drive. How they could think the forgeries and fraud would not be found is beyond me. I went through the petitions and found more wrong than TR mentioned. His numbers were slightly off. Actually more than off. He must have decided to divide the actual number by 4.
I seem to recall hearing about a meeting the empowerment committee had about the forgeries and fraud before they handed in the petitions. TR left early so he wouldn’t have to hear about the nasty stuff.
If you want to voice your option about Patti’s plans Chief Swope you may call—Mayor York 949-3268
Mr. Williams 949-3262
Bob Kneemiller 925-1354
Mike Weller 322-7686
Tell them what you think.
THE EDMUND AWARD GOES TO
THE INFAMOUS FOUR
BETRAYAL OF OUR CHIEF SWOPE,
ENJOY YOUR TURKISH DELIGHT
Name withheld by request
Below is a copy of an e-mail I just sent to the publication staff at St. Charles Journal. (A. Stein, Publisher, M. Pugh, Managing editor, and J. Lee, St. Charles editor). Keep up the good work of informing our community on what’s happening in St. Charles, MO.
Richard W Funderburg
From: Richard Funderburg
To: astein@yourjournal.com ; mpugh@yourjournal.com ; jasonlee@yourjournal.com
Sent: Monday, March 06, 2006 4:54 PM
Subject: news!!!!!
I find it hard to believe your paper feels I need to know more about how a Sikh’s marriage is arranged than the fact that there were forgeries on the two recall petitions being investigated by our Police Department. Whoever decides what is news at your paper needs to have a reality check.
Richard W Funderburg
Dear Editor
I am outraged at the City for footing the lawyer bills for the infamous four. What do we have here? We have the defamation an esteemed member of the Missouri Bar Association. He has suffered through racial slurs, nasty comments, and ridicule. The infamous four deserve their law suit and they should pay their own lawyers. Is it not illegal to stop paying a man with a legal and binding contract? How many times does the city have to suffer through another of Patti’s ploys to have her way.
Speaking of Patti and her subterfuges. She and the other three have decided that our Chief of Police must go. He is the best police chief we have ever had. We had to wait a year and a half to get him and we are not letting go of him! He is running the police department with all the expertise necessary. I’m sure Patty is piqued with him for the petition work by the police department. The police did exemplary and diligent work on going over the petitions.They went so far as to call the City of St. Louis Police to get information on how they went through the petitions. They used the same protocol that the City used. If TR and his group didn’t want the police in on it they should have been more diligent in how they ran the petition drive. How they could think the forgeries and fraud would not be found is beyond me. I went through the petitions and found more wrong than TR mentioned. His numbers were slightly off. Actually more than off. He must have decided to divide the actual number by 4.
I seem to recall hearing about a meeting the empowerment committee had about the forgeries and fraud before they handed in the petitions. TR left early so he wouldn’t have to hear about the nasty stuff.
If you want to voice your option about Patti’s plans Chief Swope you may call—Mayor York 949-3268
Mr. Williams 949-3262
Bob Kneemiller 925-1354
Mike Weller 322-7686
Tell them what you think.
THE EDMUND AWARD GOES TO
THE INFAMOUS FOUR
BETRAYAL OF OUR CHIEF SWOPE,
ENJOY YOUR TURKISH DELIGHT
Name withheld by request
CITY ISSUES
CITY ISSUES
by R. L. Greer
Well, here we are into the third month of 2006 already and interesting things are happening in St Charles. There is a request for redevelopment of an area in Frenchtown between French St and Tecumseh. If you haven’t been in that area you really should drive down Second Street. I did one Sunday and counted the number of vacancies from Morgan St. to French St. then from French St. to Tecumseh St. There are 6 building vacancies in the area CPR is requesting redevelopment verses 15 in the southern section of Second Street The individual making the presentation in February to the Council stressed a requirement for designating an area blighted was vacancies and another was dilapidated buildings. Look closely at the appearance of the buildings in each area and you will readily see the area between Morgan and French should be the redevelopment area as it meets those requirements entirely.
Councilman Greer was asked by public works staff to sponsor an ordinance concerning the issuance of stop work orders at work sites. I believe this request originated from the Community Development to help Public Works Department employees. The Mayor with her veto apparently doesn’t think the Director, who the taxpayers pay a large sum in salary, can designate authority to only those employees who have the qualifications and certified training to exercise their expert judgement with common sense. If the Director does not have the authority to perform the responsibilities that go with the position we might as well hire a clerk at a lesser salary. Everyone knows the real reason for the veto was Mrs. Greer sponsored the bill.
Bob Hoepfner has sponsored a bill to pay the Mayor after April 2007 a salary of $150,000. The Council had already passed a bill establishing the salary at $60,000 with an increase after two years to $63,000, which sounds very reasonable to this writer resident taxpayer. What do you think? The daily operations of the City are to be handled by another individual who hopefully will be trained in Municipal Government and should be compensated accordingly and after signing his contract will stand by his promise. The Mayor will be selected based on a popularity contest not administrative or management skills. Because of the voter approved changes to the Charter, after April 2007 the City of St Charles will have a dictatorial form of government because decisions will be made by one individual who has total power to exercise it as he/she deems fit.
Another bill that came up for first reading Tuesday regards spending $100,000 to do a Land Use Plan and Feasibility Study regarding a proposed Living History/Working Farm. Can you think of a better use of the money? How about creek bank stabilization?
Another issue that is amongst us is the meetings taking place between Rory Riddler and Bob Kneemiller concerning proposed changes to the Charter without the average citizens being asked for their input or other Council members requested to join them. I’m not saying the Charter doesn’t need some more changes. In my opinion there are numerous changes that need to be made. A novel idea is eliminate the Charter all together and let the State Legislature run the City. Rep. Tom Dempsey apparently thinks they can do a better job and has already stepped in and successfully got legislation passed that is harmful to the City resident/taxpayers.
The March 7th Council Meeting was the most disgraceful meeting yet and attempts were made to confuse you the residents of St Charles. A closed session was called at 7:30pm so attorney costs would not be excessive then the agenda was changed and became a mesh mash with Hoepfner trying to delay the process by asking for a roll call vote on every bill up for final passage. The mob five didn’t want to work past 10:00pm to dispose of important city business. The change in the agenda is what Riddler and Kneemiller are proposing for all future meetings. Let your thoughts be known regarding this important issue. Contact your Council Representative. The disrupters from the recall effort said they expected a few forged signatures in the gathering of signatures, then they had the goal to ask for honesty and integrity from the Council. When you buy a house do you expect a door to fall off its hinges or a cabinet door to fall on the counter or a water line to leak? When you go into the hospital do you expect the wrong medication to be given to you by a staff member? Even they have responsibility and accountability for their actions or lack there of. Their group stayed only long enough to cause disruption and show their lack of respect for everyone else in the room. Mike Weller is acting just as hateful as his cohorts who are leaders in the recall effort. I say grow up people and display respect to all persons. Get rid of your grade school antics and start practicing what you preach.
Honesty and integrity is meaningless if TRUTH is left out.
Again the recall effort is attempting to mislead you the voters of Ward 7 by implying a yes vote will help Dottie Greer. Vote NO to retain her as your representative of Ward 7.
“The Liberty Bell of Truth has Rung.” Dottie Greer
by R. L. Greer
Well, here we are into the third month of 2006 already and interesting things are happening in St Charles. There is a request for redevelopment of an area in Frenchtown between French St and Tecumseh. If you haven’t been in that area you really should drive down Second Street. I did one Sunday and counted the number of vacancies from Morgan St. to French St. then from French St. to Tecumseh St. There are 6 building vacancies in the area CPR is requesting redevelopment verses 15 in the southern section of Second Street The individual making the presentation in February to the Council stressed a requirement for designating an area blighted was vacancies and another was dilapidated buildings. Look closely at the appearance of the buildings in each area and you will readily see the area between Morgan and French should be the redevelopment area as it meets those requirements entirely.
Councilman Greer was asked by public works staff to sponsor an ordinance concerning the issuance of stop work orders at work sites. I believe this request originated from the Community Development to help Public Works Department employees. The Mayor with her veto apparently doesn’t think the Director, who the taxpayers pay a large sum in salary, can designate authority to only those employees who have the qualifications and certified training to exercise their expert judgement with common sense. If the Director does not have the authority to perform the responsibilities that go with the position we might as well hire a clerk at a lesser salary. Everyone knows the real reason for the veto was Mrs. Greer sponsored the bill.
Bob Hoepfner has sponsored a bill to pay the Mayor after April 2007 a salary of $150,000. The Council had already passed a bill establishing the salary at $60,000 with an increase after two years to $63,000, which sounds very reasonable to this writer resident taxpayer. What do you think? The daily operations of the City are to be handled by another individual who hopefully will be trained in Municipal Government and should be compensated accordingly and after signing his contract will stand by his promise. The Mayor will be selected based on a popularity contest not administrative or management skills. Because of the voter approved changes to the Charter, after April 2007 the City of St Charles will have a dictatorial form of government because decisions will be made by one individual who has total power to exercise it as he/she deems fit.
Another bill that came up for first reading Tuesday regards spending $100,000 to do a Land Use Plan and Feasibility Study regarding a proposed Living History/Working Farm. Can you think of a better use of the money? How about creek bank stabilization?
Another issue that is amongst us is the meetings taking place between Rory Riddler and Bob Kneemiller concerning proposed changes to the Charter without the average citizens being asked for their input or other Council members requested to join them. I’m not saying the Charter doesn’t need some more changes. In my opinion there are numerous changes that need to be made. A novel idea is eliminate the Charter all together and let the State Legislature run the City. Rep. Tom Dempsey apparently thinks they can do a better job and has already stepped in and successfully got legislation passed that is harmful to the City resident/taxpayers.
The March 7th Council Meeting was the most disgraceful meeting yet and attempts were made to confuse you the residents of St Charles. A closed session was called at 7:30pm so attorney costs would not be excessive then the agenda was changed and became a mesh mash with Hoepfner trying to delay the process by asking for a roll call vote on every bill up for final passage. The mob five didn’t want to work past 10:00pm to dispose of important city business. The change in the agenda is what Riddler and Kneemiller are proposing for all future meetings. Let your thoughts be known regarding this important issue. Contact your Council Representative. The disrupters from the recall effort said they expected a few forged signatures in the gathering of signatures, then they had the goal to ask for honesty and integrity from the Council. When you buy a house do you expect a door to fall off its hinges or a cabinet door to fall on the counter or a water line to leak? When you go into the hospital do you expect the wrong medication to be given to you by a staff member? Even they have responsibility and accountability for their actions or lack there of. Their group stayed only long enough to cause disruption and show their lack of respect for everyone else in the room. Mike Weller is acting just as hateful as his cohorts who are leaders in the recall effort. I say grow up people and display respect to all persons. Get rid of your grade school antics and start practicing what you preach.
Honesty and integrity is meaningless if TRUTH is left out.
Again the recall effort is attempting to mislead you the voters of Ward 7 by implying a yes vote will help Dottie Greer. Vote NO to retain her as your representative of Ward 7.
“The Liberty Bell of Truth has Rung.” Dottie Greer
THE CONSERVATIVE FACTOR - Alex Spencer
Let’s take a trip down Memory Lane. Think back to the political climate in 2003. Congress overwhelmingly passed the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 and President George W. Bush signed it into law. The Democrats were placed in an untenable position. Democrats traditionally enjoy the support of women. They decided they should object to any limitations on a woman’s right to choose, after all it is a matter of principle. Unfortunately for the democrats, they ignored the opinions of mainstream Americans who spilt evenly on abortion rights, but clearly draw the line at the partial birth abortion. These mythical lines are often troublesome in politics. Where should the line be drawn? Should you let your opponents draw the line for you?
In 2003, Republicans drew the line for Democrats. Democrats were for partial birth abortion and Republicans were pro-life (heck, isn’t everyone pro-life). Democrats let Republicans draw this line because the far-left liberal wing of the party (let’s call them the liberal elites) and the folks from Hollywood (we’ll call them Hollywood liberals) thought that any limitation on a woman’s right to choose was merely a step away from overturning Roe v. Wade. Clearly an overreaction, especially when you consider the sentiment of a majority of the relatively conservative card-carrying union members in the Midwest who have traditionally supported Democrats in the past. They didn’t care for the Democratic position on this issue. The Democrats had a tough time. They lost elections.
A person far smarter than me once said that those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
Fast Forward to February of 2004. The Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled that a ban on gay marriage passed by that state’s legislature was unconstitutional. It was also a presidential election year. The Democrats found themselves in another untenable position. Democrats traditionally enjoy the support of homosexuals. Opposing a ban on gay marriage seemed to be the appropriately liberal thing to do. After all, why should the government proscribe that marriage is between a man and a woman; that’s so big brother and those right wing whackos have clearly overstepped their bounds, right? Wrong. Unfortunately for Democrats, they ignored the opinions of mainstream Americans who think gay marriage crosses a line.
In 2004, Republicans drew the line for Democrats. Democrats were for gay marriage and Republicans were for family values (isn’t everybody for family values). Democrats let Republicans draw this line because the liberal elites and the Hollywood liberals thought that the government should stay out of the business of defining marriage. Clearly an overreaction, especially when you consider the sentiment of a majority of the relatively conservative card-carrying union members in the Midwest and African-Americans who have traditionally supported Democrats in the past. They didn’t care for the Democratic position on this issue. The Democrats had a tough time, they lost elections. How did that old saying go? Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
The year is 2006. The issue is stem cell research. Substitute Republicans for Democrats. We’re in trouble now. The issue involves stem cell technology called somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). The Republican money folks led by former Senator Danforth support SCNT and so does Governor Blunt. The published research suggests that this type of research could possibly lead to cures for a number of debilitating illnesses. This type of research could have a significant and positive economic impact on the state as well. The pro-life movement leaves no room for compromise. They were willing to torpedo anti-abortion legislation in Missouri last year in an unsuccessful effort to enact a ban on stem cell research. They see these issues as consistent. It’s pretty clear that Republicans are divided on this issue. Division is bad. People stay home from the polls. We could lose elections.
In 2006, the Democrats want to draw the line for Republicans. Democrats favor life saving research (doesn’t everybody favor life saving research) and Republicans are out-of-touch. This debate will likely take center stage in the re-election bid of Senator Jim Talent. Senator Talent is a conservative, albeit relatively boring and undistinguished, lawmaker who fancies himself a legislator and not a politician. He is being challenged by State Auditor Claire McCaskill, who narrowly lost to Governor Blunt in 2004. The polls have shown this race to be extremely competitive since McCaskill entered the race. As Election Day approaches, Senator Talent finds himself in an untenable position. The Republican money people are funding the movement to place stem cell research on the ballot. They are for stem cell research. The pro-life movement (including many of Senator Talent’s grass roots supporters) is uncompromisingly against stem cell research. Senator Talent was in lock step with his supporters and co-sponsored federal legislation that would effectively limit stem cell research. Then, he withdrew his support for that bill during an academic floor speech that attempted to draw a distinction between certain types of research. In a nutshell, he flip-flopped (a dangerous game in politics) while trying to appear thoughtful and well studied on the issue. It seems that he might have made a mistake. Democrats and Republicans alike seized on his indecisiveness. He has yet to take a position on the potential ballot issue in Missouri. This potential ballot issue may ultimately cost him his seat in the U.S. Senate.
Senator Talent should carefully consider his next move. At this point, no one is particularly happy with him. He has alienated his grassroots supporters by opening the door to support of some types of stem cell research and he has not really garnered the favor of the money folks with his lukewarm support of some types of stem cell research. Not to mention the fact that most of us found his explanation to be extremely complicated and confusing. Indecisiveness has ended many political careers. Republicans need to unite behind Senator Talent, even if he is indecisive. Senator Talent should remember his consistent roots and unapologetically take a position. Otherwise, a much more liberal voice will begin to represent Missouri in the U. S. Senate.
What’s the moral of the story? Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Let’s not allow Democrats to draw the line. Let’s unite behind Senator Talent. Let’s not lose this election.
In 2003, Republicans drew the line for Democrats. Democrats were for partial birth abortion and Republicans were pro-life (heck, isn’t everyone pro-life). Democrats let Republicans draw this line because the far-left liberal wing of the party (let’s call them the liberal elites) and the folks from Hollywood (we’ll call them Hollywood liberals) thought that any limitation on a woman’s right to choose was merely a step away from overturning Roe v. Wade. Clearly an overreaction, especially when you consider the sentiment of a majority of the relatively conservative card-carrying union members in the Midwest who have traditionally supported Democrats in the past. They didn’t care for the Democratic position on this issue. The Democrats had a tough time. They lost elections.
A person far smarter than me once said that those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
Fast Forward to February of 2004. The Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled that a ban on gay marriage passed by that state’s legislature was unconstitutional. It was also a presidential election year. The Democrats found themselves in another untenable position. Democrats traditionally enjoy the support of homosexuals. Opposing a ban on gay marriage seemed to be the appropriately liberal thing to do. After all, why should the government proscribe that marriage is between a man and a woman; that’s so big brother and those right wing whackos have clearly overstepped their bounds, right? Wrong. Unfortunately for Democrats, they ignored the opinions of mainstream Americans who think gay marriage crosses a line.
In 2004, Republicans drew the line for Democrats. Democrats were for gay marriage and Republicans were for family values (isn’t everybody for family values). Democrats let Republicans draw this line because the liberal elites and the Hollywood liberals thought that the government should stay out of the business of defining marriage. Clearly an overreaction, especially when you consider the sentiment of a majority of the relatively conservative card-carrying union members in the Midwest and African-Americans who have traditionally supported Democrats in the past. They didn’t care for the Democratic position on this issue. The Democrats had a tough time, they lost elections. How did that old saying go? Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
The year is 2006. The issue is stem cell research. Substitute Republicans for Democrats. We’re in trouble now. The issue involves stem cell technology called somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). The Republican money folks led by former Senator Danforth support SCNT and so does Governor Blunt. The published research suggests that this type of research could possibly lead to cures for a number of debilitating illnesses. This type of research could have a significant and positive economic impact on the state as well. The pro-life movement leaves no room for compromise. They were willing to torpedo anti-abortion legislation in Missouri last year in an unsuccessful effort to enact a ban on stem cell research. They see these issues as consistent. It’s pretty clear that Republicans are divided on this issue. Division is bad. People stay home from the polls. We could lose elections.
In 2006, the Democrats want to draw the line for Republicans. Democrats favor life saving research (doesn’t everybody favor life saving research) and Republicans are out-of-touch. This debate will likely take center stage in the re-election bid of Senator Jim Talent. Senator Talent is a conservative, albeit relatively boring and undistinguished, lawmaker who fancies himself a legislator and not a politician. He is being challenged by State Auditor Claire McCaskill, who narrowly lost to Governor Blunt in 2004. The polls have shown this race to be extremely competitive since McCaskill entered the race. As Election Day approaches, Senator Talent finds himself in an untenable position. The Republican money people are funding the movement to place stem cell research on the ballot. They are for stem cell research. The pro-life movement (including many of Senator Talent’s grass roots supporters) is uncompromisingly against stem cell research. Senator Talent was in lock step with his supporters and co-sponsored federal legislation that would effectively limit stem cell research. Then, he withdrew his support for that bill during an academic floor speech that attempted to draw a distinction between certain types of research. In a nutshell, he flip-flopped (a dangerous game in politics) while trying to appear thoughtful and well studied on the issue. It seems that he might have made a mistake. Democrats and Republicans alike seized on his indecisiveness. He has yet to take a position on the potential ballot issue in Missouri. This potential ballot issue may ultimately cost him his seat in the U.S. Senate.
Senator Talent should carefully consider his next move. At this point, no one is particularly happy with him. He has alienated his grassroots supporters by opening the door to support of some types of stem cell research and he has not really garnered the favor of the money folks with his lukewarm support of some types of stem cell research. Not to mention the fact that most of us found his explanation to be extremely complicated and confusing. Indecisiveness has ended many political careers. Republicans need to unite behind Senator Talent, even if he is indecisive. Senator Talent should remember his consistent roots and unapologetically take a position. Otherwise, a much more liberal voice will begin to represent Missouri in the U. S. Senate.
What’s the moral of the story? Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Let’s not allow Democrats to draw the line. Let’s unite behind Senator Talent. Let’s not lose this election.
LOCAL NEWS OF ST. CHARLES
Pet Adoption Day at Westinn Kennels
Dozens of animals from the St. Charles County Pet Adoption Center will be available for adoption
St. Charles County 3⁄4 The St. Charles County Division of Humane Services will be holding a Pet Adoption Day at Westinn Kennels in Wentzville on Saturday, March 11 from 10am to 3pm. Westinn Kennels is located at 1522 Swantnerville Drive in Wentzville, Missouri.
Dozens of animals from the St. Charles County Pet Adoption Center will be available for immediate adoption. Citizens can also bring their existing pets and have them permanently identified with a microchip for just $10 (cash or check only). Those who adopt a new pet at the event will receive a discount on training classes offered by Westinn Kennels. Sharon West, owner of Westinn Kennels and professional trainer, will be on hand to give advice and practice agility with her dogs.
“Sharon has taken several of our dogs from the shelter and worked with them on obedience training and helped find them homes. With the cooperation of Sharon and Westin Kennels, this event is a way for us to showcase dogs in St. Charles County that are currently available for adoption,” stated Theresa Williams, director of St. Charles County’s Division of Humane Services.
Westinn Kennels is located at 1522 Swantnerville Drive in Wentzville, Missouri. Travel Hwy 70 west to exit 208, left over Hwy 70 to the South Outer Road, right on the South Outer Road, left onto Swantnerville Drive (between Wentzville Auto Plaza and First Bank).
The St. Charles County Pet Adoption Center serves St. Charles County through sheltering and adopting animals, providing pet owner education, animal control services, and investigation of incidents involving animal cruelty and neglect. Visit the Pet Adoption Center at 4850 Mid Rivers Mall Drive. For additional details on the Pet Adoption Day, call 636-949-PETS (7387) or online at www.scchealth.org
O’Fallon Police Department to present class on protecting children from sexual predators
Parents and guardians will have an opportunity to learn more about protecting their children from sexual predators at a class presented by the O’Fallon Police Department on Wednesday, April 19, 2006, at 7 p.m. in the Multi-Purpose Room at O’Fallon Municipal Centre, 100 North Main Street, O’Fallon, Missouri 63366.
The session is free of charge and will last about an hour. Detective James Klingler will conduct the class, focusing especially on Internet safety. Statistically on average, Klingler says, 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 10 boys will be victims of sexual abuse. “The internet allows sexual predators into our homes and gives them access to our children like never before,” he says. “It’s important to know how to impede that access and protect our kids.”
For more information, contact Detective Klingler at jklingler@ofallon.mo.us or (636) 240-3200 ext. 670.
An Evening of Style and Elegance Lindenwood University Presents the...9th Annual Fashion Show 2006 April 30th
Come experience an exciting journey on the “Fashion Freeway” with attractions presented by aspiring junior and senior couturiers of Lindenwood University’s Fashion Design program. At the 9th annual show, students will showcase their designs in sportswear, tailored suits, swimwear, evening wear and bridal gowns. The evening will also include submissions for the “The way to express The Body & Mind” Arts of Fashion design competition which culminates in a showing in the couture capital of Paris, France.
The event takes place in the Lord & Taylor Court at the Westfield West County Mall on Sunday, April 30, 2006. The pre-show Champagne Reception begins at 7:30 p.m. The Westfield West County Mall is conveniently located at I-270 and Manchester Road in Des Peres, Missouri.
Tickets are $25 per person and can be purchased at the Lindenwood University Box Office (Roemer Hall) on the Main campus or at the door the evening of the event. Reservations can be made by calling the box office at 636-949-4878.
If you love fashion and want to view the designs of the couturiers of tomorrow, please join us in April. Proceeds from the fashion show benefit the Lindenwood University Fashion Design program. The event is presented by the Lindenwood University Fashion Design Department and hosted by Westfield West County.
For more information about the University or the program, call Florence Dewan at 636-949-4866 or visit the web at www.lindenwood.edu.
Explore History and Culture in New Harmony
You can be part of a one-of-a-kind trip to New Harmony, IN, to learn more about an historic religious commune and utopian experiment. Journey to this unique, historic village on the Wabash River with a St. Peters Rex-Plex motorcoach on Friday, April 21.
Learn more about the self-sufficient Harmonie Society of the 1820s and the social experiment known as “Community of Equality,” a utopian vision that may not have endured, but significantly contributed to the American scientific and educational study.
The tour will also visit the Atheneum, the spectacular building that serves as the Visitors Center for New Harmony and has received many design awards over the years. Participants also will experience the magic of the Sacred Garden and the elaborate Cathedral Labyrinth. The tour also will stop at the famous Red Geranium Restaurant and make time for local antique and specialty shops.
The tour fee is $72 and includes motorcoach transportation, a tour guide, lunch, admissions, and gratuities. Participants will meet at the west parking lot at City Hall, One St. Peters Centre Blvd. The motorcoach leaves at 7 a.m. and will return to the same location at 7 p.m.
For more information, visit stpetersmo.net online and click on Rec-Connect, or call 636.939.2FUN, ext. 400.
The Foundry Art Centre in Historic St. Charles will offer “Creating with Legos ,” a week-long camp during children’s spring breaks, from Monday, March 20 through Friday, March 24. Two sessions will be held, from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The camp is for students nine years and older who will learn aspects of composition, elements of design, patterns and mosaics by building works of art with Legos. Cost of each five-day session is $68 for Foundry members and $75 for non-members. An additional $10 charge will be added for lunchtime supervision for students who attend both sessions. Students should bring a bucket of Legos and a sack lunch. For more information,
Foundry Art Centre to Host Third Annual Gala Fundraiser
The Foundry Art Centre will hold its third annual gala fundraiser, “Pirates of the Caribbean Ball,” on Saturday, March 25 at 6:30 p.m. The black-tie and masquerade event will raise money to fund the Foundry Art Centre in Historic St. Charles. Honored as one of AAA Midwest Traveler’s Travel Treasures in 2005, the Foundry attracts thousands of visitors each month to its art exhibitions, classes and artist workshops. Nearly 300 people attended last year’s gala event, raising over $59,000.
The “Pirates of the Caribbean Ball” includes a cocktail hour, dinner and dancing. Those attending the event are encouraged to dress as their favorite swashbuckler. The dinner will feature Caribbean specialties.
“The Spectrum” with Tim Callihan, voted one of the best bands in Missouri, will provide the music for the night. Guests also may participate in a silent auction during the cocktail hour and a live auction after dinner. A five-night trip to the Marigot Beach Club Hotel in Marigot Bay on St. Lucia Island in the Caribbean is one of the items to be offered at the live auction.
“This year’s gala promises to be extraordinary with great music, delicious food and exciting auction items,” said Joyce Rosen, executive director of the Foundry.
Tickets are $150 per person, tables of 10 are $1,500 and a corporate sponsorship, including a table of ten is $3,000. Single seating is available. For more information, call (636) 255-0270.
Zips Little League Parents Sponsor St. Patrick’s Day Celebration
The Zips Little League baseball team parents will sponsor a St. Patrick’s Day celebration from 7 p.m.-midnight March 18 at the VFW Hall, 2201 Old Highway 94 South, St. Charles. The $15 ticket will include music by Serapis plus beer, snacks and sodas. For tickets, call Chris Ricks at 636-949-7863.
Bittersweet Inn
B & B in Frenchtown
Story & Photos By R Greer
A few weeks ago my wife and I attended an open house of the most recently opened Bed and Breakfast, Bittersweet Inn, located in Frenchtown at 1101 N. Third Street in St Charles, Missouri. It’s a beautiful remodeled home that the proprietor, Sandy Snyder, said she purchased and closed in September of 2005. Within five weeks, she completely renovated the inside first and second floors. Her first guests had reservations for the first of November 2005. Ms. Snyder said the walls in one room had five layers of wallpaper which had to be removed and the color of the remaining walls were bright colors that reminded a person of the ‘50-60’s. Her current choices of paint combinations were superbly coordinated and relaxing to the eye. Ms. Snyder said without all the help she received from family and friends she would never have met her first guest obligations. The furniture choices appeared to be comfortable, allowing your mind and body to relax and unwind after a hectic day. The warm personality of the proprietor was reflected in the atmosphere radiating from the interior of each room. There were two bedrooms on the first floor and two on the second floor containing queen beds in each room. The interior was acoustically quiet and quite cozy throughout the home, which also added to the relaxing feeling one has while sitting, standing or walking anywhere in the home. Once again the name is Bittersweet Inn and phone number is 636-724-7778. If you are looking for a place to spend a night or two away from home and don’t wish to drive far away I recommend you give the Bittersweet Inn an opportunity to accommodate you and yours and select one of the fine restaurants around St Charles City for dinner.
Dozens of animals from the St. Charles County Pet Adoption Center will be available for adoption
St. Charles County 3⁄4 The St. Charles County Division of Humane Services will be holding a Pet Adoption Day at Westinn Kennels in Wentzville on Saturday, March 11 from 10am to 3pm. Westinn Kennels is located at 1522 Swantnerville Drive in Wentzville, Missouri.
Dozens of animals from the St. Charles County Pet Adoption Center will be available for immediate adoption. Citizens can also bring their existing pets and have them permanently identified with a microchip for just $10 (cash or check only). Those who adopt a new pet at the event will receive a discount on training classes offered by Westinn Kennels. Sharon West, owner of Westinn Kennels and professional trainer, will be on hand to give advice and practice agility with her dogs.
“Sharon has taken several of our dogs from the shelter and worked with them on obedience training and helped find them homes. With the cooperation of Sharon and Westin Kennels, this event is a way for us to showcase dogs in St. Charles County that are currently available for adoption,” stated Theresa Williams, director of St. Charles County’s Division of Humane Services.
Westinn Kennels is located at 1522 Swantnerville Drive in Wentzville, Missouri. Travel Hwy 70 west to exit 208, left over Hwy 70 to the South Outer Road, right on the South Outer Road, left onto Swantnerville Drive (between Wentzville Auto Plaza and First Bank).
The St. Charles County Pet Adoption Center serves St. Charles County through sheltering and adopting animals, providing pet owner education, animal control services, and investigation of incidents involving animal cruelty and neglect. Visit the Pet Adoption Center at 4850 Mid Rivers Mall Drive. For additional details on the Pet Adoption Day, call 636-949-PETS (7387) or online at www.scchealth.org
O’Fallon Police Department to present class on protecting children from sexual predators
Parents and guardians will have an opportunity to learn more about protecting their children from sexual predators at a class presented by the O’Fallon Police Department on Wednesday, April 19, 2006, at 7 p.m. in the Multi-Purpose Room at O’Fallon Municipal Centre, 100 North Main Street, O’Fallon, Missouri 63366.
The session is free of charge and will last about an hour. Detective James Klingler will conduct the class, focusing especially on Internet safety. Statistically on average, Klingler says, 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 10 boys will be victims of sexual abuse. “The internet allows sexual predators into our homes and gives them access to our children like never before,” he says. “It’s important to know how to impede that access and protect our kids.”
For more information, contact Detective Klingler at jklingler@ofallon.mo.us or (636) 240-3200 ext. 670.
An Evening of Style and Elegance Lindenwood University Presents the...9th Annual Fashion Show 2006 April 30th
Come experience an exciting journey on the “Fashion Freeway” with attractions presented by aspiring junior and senior couturiers of Lindenwood University’s Fashion Design program. At the 9th annual show, students will showcase their designs in sportswear, tailored suits, swimwear, evening wear and bridal gowns. The evening will also include submissions for the “The way to express The Body & Mind” Arts of Fashion design competition which culminates in a showing in the couture capital of Paris, France.
The event takes place in the Lord & Taylor Court at the Westfield West County Mall on Sunday, April 30, 2006. The pre-show Champagne Reception begins at 7:30 p.m. The Westfield West County Mall is conveniently located at I-270 and Manchester Road in Des Peres, Missouri.
Tickets are $25 per person and can be purchased at the Lindenwood University Box Office (Roemer Hall) on the Main campus or at the door the evening of the event. Reservations can be made by calling the box office at 636-949-4878.
If you love fashion and want to view the designs of the couturiers of tomorrow, please join us in April. Proceeds from the fashion show benefit the Lindenwood University Fashion Design program. The event is presented by the Lindenwood University Fashion Design Department and hosted by Westfield West County.
For more information about the University or the program, call Florence Dewan at 636-949-4866 or visit the web at www.lindenwood.edu.
Explore History and Culture in New Harmony
You can be part of a one-of-a-kind trip to New Harmony, IN, to learn more about an historic religious commune and utopian experiment. Journey to this unique, historic village on the Wabash River with a St. Peters Rex-Plex motorcoach on Friday, April 21.
Learn more about the self-sufficient Harmonie Society of the 1820s and the social experiment known as “Community of Equality,” a utopian vision that may not have endured, but significantly contributed to the American scientific and educational study.
The tour will also visit the Atheneum, the spectacular building that serves as the Visitors Center for New Harmony and has received many design awards over the years. Participants also will experience the magic of the Sacred Garden and the elaborate Cathedral Labyrinth. The tour also will stop at the famous Red Geranium Restaurant and make time for local antique and specialty shops.
The tour fee is $72 and includes motorcoach transportation, a tour guide, lunch, admissions, and gratuities. Participants will meet at the west parking lot at City Hall, One St. Peters Centre Blvd. The motorcoach leaves at 7 a.m. and will return to the same location at 7 p.m.
For more information, visit stpetersmo.net online and click on Rec-Connect, or call 636.939.2FUN, ext. 400.
The Foundry Art Centre in Historic St. Charles will offer “Creating with Legos ,” a week-long camp during children’s spring breaks, from Monday, March 20 through Friday, March 24. Two sessions will be held, from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The camp is for students nine years and older who will learn aspects of composition, elements of design, patterns and mosaics by building works of art with Legos. Cost of each five-day session is $68 for Foundry members and $75 for non-members. An additional $10 charge will be added for lunchtime supervision for students who attend both sessions. Students should bring a bucket of Legos and a sack lunch. For more information,
Foundry Art Centre to Host Third Annual Gala Fundraiser
The Foundry Art Centre will hold its third annual gala fundraiser, “Pirates of the Caribbean Ball,” on Saturday, March 25 at 6:30 p.m. The black-tie and masquerade event will raise money to fund the Foundry Art Centre in Historic St. Charles. Honored as one of AAA Midwest Traveler’s Travel Treasures in 2005, the Foundry attracts thousands of visitors each month to its art exhibitions, classes and artist workshops. Nearly 300 people attended last year’s gala event, raising over $59,000.
The “Pirates of the Caribbean Ball” includes a cocktail hour, dinner and dancing. Those attending the event are encouraged to dress as their favorite swashbuckler. The dinner will feature Caribbean specialties.
“The Spectrum” with Tim Callihan, voted one of the best bands in Missouri, will provide the music for the night. Guests also may participate in a silent auction during the cocktail hour and a live auction after dinner. A five-night trip to the Marigot Beach Club Hotel in Marigot Bay on St. Lucia Island in the Caribbean is one of the items to be offered at the live auction.
“This year’s gala promises to be extraordinary with great music, delicious food and exciting auction items,” said Joyce Rosen, executive director of the Foundry.
Tickets are $150 per person, tables of 10 are $1,500 and a corporate sponsorship, including a table of ten is $3,000. Single seating is available. For more information, call (636) 255-0270.
Zips Little League Parents Sponsor St. Patrick’s Day Celebration
The Zips Little League baseball team parents will sponsor a St. Patrick’s Day celebration from 7 p.m.-midnight March 18 at the VFW Hall, 2201 Old Highway 94 South, St. Charles. The $15 ticket will include music by Serapis plus beer, snacks and sodas. For tickets, call Chris Ricks at 636-949-7863.
Bittersweet Inn
B & B in Frenchtown
Story & Photos By R Greer
A few weeks ago my wife and I attended an open house of the most recently opened Bed and Breakfast, Bittersweet Inn, located in Frenchtown at 1101 N. Third Street in St Charles, Missouri. It’s a beautiful remodeled home that the proprietor, Sandy Snyder, said she purchased and closed in September of 2005. Within five weeks, she completely renovated the inside first and second floors. Her first guests had reservations for the first of November 2005. Ms. Snyder said the walls in one room had five layers of wallpaper which had to be removed and the color of the remaining walls were bright colors that reminded a person of the ‘50-60’s. Her current choices of paint combinations were superbly coordinated and relaxing to the eye. Ms. Snyder said without all the help she received from family and friends she would never have met her first guest obligations. The furniture choices appeared to be comfortable, allowing your mind and body to relax and unwind after a hectic day. The warm personality of the proprietor was reflected in the atmosphere radiating from the interior of each room. There were two bedrooms on the first floor and two on the second floor containing queen beds in each room. The interior was acoustically quiet and quite cozy throughout the home, which also added to the relaxing feeling one has while sitting, standing or walking anywhere in the home. Once again the name is Bittersweet Inn and phone number is 636-724-7778. If you are looking for a place to spend a night or two away from home and don’t wish to drive far away I recommend you give the Bittersweet Inn an opportunity to accommodate you and yours and select one of the fine restaurants around St Charles City for dinner.
CRESCENDO CONCERT SERIES PRESENTS CHANSON
CRESCENDO CONCERT SERIES
PRESENTS CHANSON
CRESCENDO CONCERT SERIES will present CHANSON, a six-voice male vocal ensemble formed in 1997 at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota. Featuring a wide variety of musical styles from creative folk song arrangements, Renaissance motets, passionate Russian anthems, energetic spirituals, and even newly commissioned works, the group has earned a reputation for its seamless blend, precise intonation, and warm, resonant sound.
Chanson combines three tenors (Matthew T. Kneefe, J. Aaron McDermid, and Micah Lamb), two baritones (Aaron M. Zinter and Peter A. Lovett), and Bass Brett McDermid. Four of the members are natives of Minnesota, one of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and one from Louisville, Kentucky. Even though their careers in choral performance, conducting, composing, and the arts are practiced in cities across the U.S. and Montreal, they continue to tour widely and to delight audiences with their uniquely rich and expressive style. They have released two compact disc recordings “Come Sing to Me of Heaven” and “There is Sweet Music.”
The Shrine of Ste. Philippine Duchesne at the Academy of Sacred Heart in St. Charles is an ideal location for such a concert, and this is the first Crescendo Concert Series presentation on this historic site. Many of Chanson’s selections will take advantage of the acoustical properties particular to the Shrine.
A non-profit organization, the Crescendo Concert Series was a joint project initiated in 1999 by St. John United Church of Christ, St. Charles Presbyterian Church, and First United Methodist Church. It has been supported for the past six years through generous grants by the Arts and Culture Commission of the City of St. Charles, by corporate sponsors such as Target Stores and Parkside Meadows Retirement Community, by individual donors, and by advertising purchased by local businesses and merchants.
Said George Morris, president of the Crescendo Concert Series Board of Directors, “People of St. Charles City and County have shown growing interest and appreciation over this past season by coming in greater numbers to hear fine music. Our final spring concert on May 21 will feature renowned cellist Andres Diaz who lives in the Philadelphia area.” All concerts are on Sundays at 3:00 p.m. at various venues in St. Charles city. A pre-concert talk begins at 2:30 p.m. conducted by Nancy Rubenstein, Ph.D, who has taught music history and appreciation at local universities and now serves on the Crescendo Concert Series Board of Directors.
“Ticket revenue is only a small part of the income needed to present a concert series, even when conducted entirely by volunteers. We are also grateful for generous gifts from individuals and from our advertisers and co-sponsors of some concerts. We encourage lovers of fine music to support our efforts,”
Morris concluded. Tax-deductible donations can be made by sending checks to the Crescendo Concert Series.
The concert will be held at the Shrine of Ste. Philippine Duchesne at the Academy of Sacred Heart, 619 North Second Street, St. Charles, Missouri. (Enter from North Fourth Street and follow the Crescendo Concert signs.)
It will be held at 3 p.m., Sunday, March 19, 2006
Individual adult tickets for $12 and student tickets for $5 can be purchased by sending a check or money order and a self-addressed stamped envelope to the Crescendo Concert Series, P.O. Box 1613, St. Charles, MO, 63302-1613 or at the door. Group rates are available by calling (636) 724-2507. For additional information consult
SPORTS - First Capitol News Sports Section - MIKE MCMURRAN Sports Editor
Duchesne Girls Celebrate Their Victory over University City. Scroll for story. First Capitol News Photo by BOB BARTONMY COLUMN MIKE MCMURRAN - First Capitol News Sports Editor
Sometimes it’s the little things in life that make a difference. As many of you probably know, writing for this fine weekly is not my main source of income. As a matter of fact, when I first began writing for the paper, it was costing me money, with travel and all. On more than one occasion, my lovely wife Lynn asked me why I was committing so much time to the paper. She probably still wonders, but pretty much allows me to do my own thing. Ditto for Bob Barton – except I am quite sure it still costs him money. I on the other hand probably break even – which is fine with me.
Allow me to try and answer the “why do you do it?” Primarily, I believe the point-of-view of this publication is very much needed in St. Charles City. I began reading this paper about 3 years ago. I anxiously awaited my Saturday delivery, and pretty much read it from cover to cover. Still do.
As time went on, more and more people were asking Tony to add a Sports Section – as indicated by the Letters to the Editor. With my background in high school sports, over 20 coaching or administrating, I knew I was just the guy to do it. We, I mean to say, I, started slowly, covering maybe a game or two a week. When readers nominated worthy student-athletes, we would have an athlete of the week. Slowly it took off. My photography background was poor, at best, and so I recruited Barton to help me out. Bob is what really made this thing take off. I truly think that some day Bob will make a living with his camera. He has already been published in a national publication, as well a regular contributor to The St. Louis American. The truth is Bob and I very much enjoy working together, and hope to continue doing so for some time. Again I will present the question: Why do we do it?
This past Sunday was one of the “perks,” if you will. Sunday, at the championship game of the Missouri Valley Tournament, sitting on the court, in the very front row, at the base line, was Bob Barton and camera. Sitting immediately behind the Southern Illinois University’s bench, close enough to hear Coach Lowery yell instructions to his players, was yours’ truly. The first row of seats to the general public were behind me – now those are truly some Bob Uecker specials.
Now, I wouldn’t be doing the Missouri Valley Conference justice if I didn’t write a word or two about the tournament. By the time this week’s edition comes out, the fact that SIU topped Bradley 59-46 to earn their fifth consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament will be old news. Allow me to shed some light upon a couple of other incidents that went relatively unreported.
Most everyone read about SIU cheerleader Kristi Yamaoka, and her spill to the Savvis Center floor during a gymnastic routine. I am here to say that I was one of the few who was watching the routine closely – very closely. Ms. Yamaoka hit the back of her head on the floor after falling at least 15 feet. She was clearly knocked out (remember, I was in the front row). It took all of about 3 seconds to summon the stretcher to the court. Remember now, this game was on national television, CBS none the less, so time is at a premium. The game was stopped for at least 8-10 minutes, with all eyes on the emergency medical personal attending Yamaoka. It was quiet, very, very quiet. After Yamaoka came to, and was placed on the stretcher, she waved to the crowd to let them know she was o.k.
Knowing that she was at least alive and conscious, the Saluki band began playing the SIU fight song. As Yamaoka was being wheeled off the court, in front of a crowd of over 13,000 spectators, she began to wave her arms to the fight song, in perfect precision. All this while having her head taped to an emergency backboard and loaded onto a stretcher. It was a very moving, and at the beginning, frightening turn of events.
Another incident you will read about only in the FCN, was the family celebration assistant coach Rodney Watson had minutes after the conclusion of the game. Watson gave his wife Blake a big kiss and hug, along with a lady I am assuming was his mother. Then Watson gave his 9 year-old daughter, Olivia Watson a big kiss and hug. Remember now, I was right there soaking all this in. Watson’s daughter hugged her daddy back, and said, “Daddy, I love you and am so proud of you,” as he picked her up over the Savvis Center wall and brought her down to court level. I think Barton was crying.
United Hockey League
Molly McMaster to become
First Female River Otter
Part of a Colon Cancer Awareness Project
By Louis J. Launer
As a part of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, the United Hockey League and The Colon Club are allowing Molly McMaster to participate in one game in every UHL city. McMaster will make her appearance as a Missouri River Otter on March 15 against the Flint Generals.
McMaster was diagnosed with stage II colon cancer on February 19, 1999, her 23rd birthday. Since her battle with cancer, McMaster founded The Colon Club a national nonprofit organization dedicated to education and awareness of the disease.
“Colorectal cancer can happen to anyone at any time and I am determined to prove that to everyone who will listen,” stated McMaster. “I’m definitely looking forward to playing hockey and getting my message out to a whole new crowd.”
McMaster did appear in St. Charles last month during the all-star break. That was when final preparations and clearances were made for her to participate as a UHL player. Originally, she wanted to do this for her hometown of Glens Falls, New York, home of the Adirondack Frostbite. But UHL Commissioner Richard Brosal felt that there needed to be a wider exposure and awareness than just one team.
“This is an opportunity for the UHL to make a huge difference in educating people about this disease,” Brosal said. “We want to fill the arenas when Molly plays, but more importantly, our goal is to send a life-saving message to as many fans as possible.”
McMaster has already seen the River Otters in action. This past Friday, she played one game in a Flint Generals uniform and the River Otters was the visiting team in Flint. McMaster impressed a crowd of 2,684 at Perani Sports Arena in Flint.
Wearing a Generals jersey with No. 06 on it, McMaster lined at right wing to start the game along with Flint forwards Dave Stewart, Terry Marchant, Brent Currie and J.P. Morin. Her shift lasted 27 seconds and took her to both ends of the ice before she went to the bench.
McMaster stayed on the Flint bench the entire game. Because the Generals were playing one man short, coach Bobby Reynolds kept her around in case he needed someone to serve a penalty. In her two previous appearance at Adirondack and Danbury, she stayed on the bench for the first period and left to talk to fans for the rest of the game.
McMaster spent five minutes in the penalty box after Flint rookie L.P. Martin received a boarding major and a game misconduct midway through the first period of a penalty-riddled game.
Blake Stewart of the River Otters dumped the puck into the Flint end and it bounced off the boards toward Flint goaltender Jason Saal. He attempted to fire the puck in, but it took a bounce in a weird fashion off his stick and deflected off the goal post into the net to give the River Otters a 1-0 lead. Mark Odut also scored for Missouri with 54.3 seconds left in the first period.
Jim Duhart, who played in Flint a good part of his career made it 3-0 when he scored what eventually became the game-winner at 3:34 into the second.
“It was a big character, win,” said Duhart to the Flint Journal. “We lost a couple of guys to injuries in the first period. But our team showed composure and we worked hard.”
Flint has still a chance for the UHL Playoffs. The River Otters are very doubtful to make the playoffs. But Duhart knows about Missouri’s other role during this season’s stretch run.
“I don’t know if we’ll make the playoffs,” he said, “but we want to be spoilers.”
THE CURSE OF MARK REEDS LIVES: The Kalamazoo Wings are back in first place in the UHL’s Central Division with their 7-1 win over the River Otters on Saturday in Kalamazoo. Reeds, who used to coach the River Otters before going to Kalamazoo, has had a stellar year for the K-Wings. They have been battling defending Colonial Cup champion Muskegon Fury for the top spot in the Central Division all season. It looks like the K-Wings will have an interesting and exciting stretch run for playoff position. With the win over the River Otters, the K-Wings remained undefeated in regulation in their last eight games and touted a five-game winning streak to end the week. Unnessary penalties by the River Otters allowed the lopsided loss. The next afternoon, the Quad City Mallards defeated the River Otters, 3-1. Jeff Brown was the only River Otter to score the only goals in both games.
Girls Class 4
Duchesne returns to Final Four
50-47 win over University City
By: Mike McMurran
Sports Editor
Trips to Columbia and the final four of the Missouri State High School Activity Association’s girls basketball tournament are becoming old stuff for Duchesne’s head coach Charlie Elmendorf, “But this year is extra special,” Elmendorf said, just minutes after his Pioneers had topped the Lions of University City 50-47 in quarterfinal action at Hazelwood Central High School. “In years past we have always had a ‘go to’ player, someone who we looked to when we needed a big basket,” he offered, “we also entered district play as a number one seed.”
Such is not the case this season, on both fronts. The Lady Pioneers entered quarterfinal play against the Lions with a meager, yet identical record of 16-12. The Lion’s line-up featured LaShayla Bell, who was averaging over 15 points per contest. In the district title game with Jennings, Bell scored 35 points. Duchesne hasn’t a player averaging in double figures. “This was a team effort,” said Elmendorf, “this win is the direct result of the schedule we play, both conference and non-conference.”
To get out of district the Pioneers had to take on St. Dominic, a team they lost to earlier in the season, and then battle St. Charles High, the number one seed. “Our conference this year was tough, real tough,” he said, “battles with St. Charles and Holt prepared us for games like today. Today’s game was physical, very physical.”
So physical that U. City’s Bell fouled out with 1:34 remaining in the game – with U. City up 45-42. At one point in the 4th quarter, the Pioneers could only muster free throws. “We would drive the basket and they would foul. We would go for a rebound and they would foul. We would miss a lay-up and they would foul,” Elmendorf explained.
It game came down to the final 34 seconds and U. City holding a 45-44 lead. Liz Boschert, who was doubled teamed, managed to get off a perfect pass to sophomore Erica Sams who nailed a 9-foot jumper. The play gave Duchesne the lead, but it was the free throw shooting of Sarah Sullivan that doomed the Lions. “Like I said, we don’t really have any stars on this team, we play a team concept game,” Elmendorf concluded.
Duchesne, who won the state title in 2004, were led by Boschert’s 13 points.
The Pioneers will put their 17-12 record on the line Friday morning when they take on Lee’s Summit West (21-8) in a 10:35 a.m. tip off. The other semifinal contest will feature Lutheran South (24-5) against Ozark (23-6). The winners will meet Saturday at 12:10 p.m. in the title game.
THE BULL IS READY TO RIDE
By Mike Thompson
It was like we had never really left….the players showed up in great shape, the drills were sharp and precise, or as well as could be expected for the first practice of 2006…Rage Head Football Coach Mike Wyatt was in midseason form, for certain, as time after time his voice bellowed throughout the indoor facility the Rage will employ in the coming year:
“Way too deep on that cover seven route”
“Watch the man coming across the middle”
“Let’s go…let’s go…next group”
“Don’t stop until that whistle is blown, not if you want to make this football team”
And at one point, seeing something he didn’t like, Wyatt jumped up from his seat on the sidelines, and belted out the message loud and clear:
“The championship begins TODAY”
Loud…clear…and to all 36 players looking for a spot on the Rage 22 man game day roster this year…understood!!
The National Indoor Football League enters its sixth season of play next weekend, and the RiverCity Rage is primed and ready. This enraged bull, snorting and pent-up since the unexpected opening round playoff defeat last July to the Cincinnati Marshals, has practiced now for the last 2 weeks with the spirit and focus that has Wyatt enthused about his team’s chances in 2006. “I’ve treated every one of these practices like a mid-season practice. I’ve got to instill a work ethic in this team that will carry over into the season and all year, for that matter. We lost our drive, our focus, towards the end of last year and we ended up getting the door to the title slammed in our face. So, I’ve established from the get-go that we’re here to work. On the depth chart, every practice counts towards where a player will be when the next practice comes around.” Pausing briefly, Wyatt smiled and said, “I’ll say this…they’ve responded well. Whoever we play in 2006 is gonna run into a buzz saw.”
One speaks for the offense, the other from the defensive side of the line, but both sum up the feeling that has festered the wound of this football team since that opening round loss last summer at Savvis Center. Rage quarterback Clay Groefsemsa: “I spent all summer working on my Dad’s farm in California, and not one day went by that I didn’t reflect on that loss. I’d be out in the fields, replaying that game over and over in my mind, reliving every play, especially in the second overtime. Maybe I was a bit hard on myself, but throwing that interception that ended our chances, well, let’s just say I had the chance to play football locally for Fresno in the AF2 this year, a bit closer to my home, but I just couldn’t leave this organization behind. I couldn’t let my career in St. Louis end that way. I had to be back.”
Asked about how that would translate on the football field this season, Grofsema couldn’t hold back. “This entire program is a win-win situation this year. We’re playing at Savvis, the coaching staff is pumped-up, and that’s filtered its way down to the players. I’m ready, the team’s ready, and the way it ended last year, well, it’s just another reason to be motivated to take it all.”
Rage Linebacker Terrell Washington thinks this Rage team has the ability to go all the way. An NIFL leader last season in tackles, fumbles forced and recovered, Washington says the loss to Cincinnati was tough to accept. “We had their number twice during the regular season, and then to have them come in and take it away, it was hard to handle. Like a lot of guys on this team, I’ve had to zero in on why that happened and dedicate myself to making sure I don’t spend another off season like this past one. I started my off-season training program the day after that game. I came to camp ready.”
Washington says the move to Savvis will only help this football team in 2006. “We’ll be center stage at one of the best venues in the Midwest, downtown playing our games in the best sports city in America. There’s nothing like a crowd to pump up a team, and we saw that last year at playoff time. It’ll be great to have all seven home games at Savvis Center, and trust me, from the look of this team, we’ll have our share of playoff games there, too.”
Rage Team Physician Eugene ‘Doc’ Bell couldn’t agree more. When asked to evaluate the condition of the returning players and newcomers, Bell said “they came to camp in Ram’s shape. I’ve noticed from the charts that a number of players lost or gained weight according to their individual needs, and everyone has been working out on a regular basis since the end of last year. Hey, this is pro football; these guys know the importance of finding the edge that allows them to keep their jobs. They look great and it’s reflected this early in practice on the field.”
For those who have followed the amazing career of Rage All-Star receiver Scott Pingel, the news may come as a bit of a shock, but Scott has decided to retire from the indoor game. Citing family responsibilities and the demands of his career as a teacher and football coach at CBC High School, Pingel can look back on a career as one of the most prolific receivers in the history of the NIFL. Rage Head Football Coach Mike Wyatt says his absence will be felt. “You don’t lose a player of Scott’s talent without feeling the loss, and we will feel it, on the field, in the locker room and on the practice field.” Wyatt explains, saying “I’ve seldom, if ever, seen a player of Scott’s calibre work so hard on the practice field. It was an inspiration to me and to the other guys on the team to see a player who could have mailed it in, so to speak, from time to time, but he never did it. Every route, every play was run with the same dedication and precision he used in the games. He never had a bad practice in all the years we were together. One of the NIFL’s greatest players was also one of its hardest workers. You know the message that sends to the other players on this team…that’s what I’ll miss most of all.”
The RiverCity Rage will open the chase for the title on Saturday, March 18th when the team travels to Houston to take on the Katy Copperheads. The home debut at Savvis Center will give Rage players, coaches, and fans the chance to make up for a summer’s worth of restlessness. Sunday, March 26th…3pm…Savvis Center….The RiverCity Rage meet the Cincinnati Marshals.
The championship begins today
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