A Frenchtown Business & Property Owner Asks For Help Fighting Emiment Domain
My name is Douglas W Medley. I am the owner of Frenchtown Transmission Inc. I own property in the Frenchtown Historic district of St. Charles Missouri. The area is in the Northeast corner of the city just adjacent to the downtown historic district.
A group led by Tim Griffey of Griffey Homes has a plan for redeveloping the area with a mix of residential and retail properties. The St. Charles City Council had already begun the process to declare the area blighted before the business owners in this area were ever informed there was a redevelopment plan.
The representative for the developer has been in contact with us and has discussed our moving to another location. They are very nice people. The problem is that they have made no offers to buy any of us who are against the redevelopment. They have discussed our moving to another location in the same conversation in which they have inferred that the process to take the property through eminent domain is going quite well for them.
We the business owners in the area are discovering that the city council and the developer have had discussions for several years already and are taking the necessary steps to take our properties by eminent domain. They have done much already behind our backs. They intend to get the land for the least amount of money possible and it is painfully obvious the city council is helping.
We can pass laws to prevent eminent domain but if the process for what is taking place here in downtown St. Charles isn’t stopped soon they will be grandfathered in.
I have attached a copy of a letter I mailed to each Council member and the Mayor Of St. Charles
We need help.
St. Charles City Council
My name is Douglas W. Medley. I am the owner of Frenchtown Transmission Inc., located at 1718 North Second Street since 1987. My home address is #7 Huntington Forest Court, West, also in St. Charles City. My children attend Academy of the Sacred Heart.
In recent weeks I have learned of a plan being proposed by Tim Griffey for the redevelopment of an area of the Frenchtown Historic District. My business, which is the sole source of income for my family and myself, is in the area Mr. Griffey wants for his redevelopment.
There is talk he is pursuing acquiring the property through eminent domain for economic development. His own representative has expressed to me that his company, Griffey Homes, and the St. Charles City Counsel have already begun the process for declaring my property blighted.
I wish to inform you that I understand the blighting process and the reasons it is used to acquire property through eminent domain, but Mr. Griffey has not made a single offer to purchase this property. His representative has made several inferences that the progress of their efforts to acquire my property through the aid of the St. Charles City Council and eminent domain is going quite well.
I feel that the St. Charles City Council, which is supposed to be government by the people, for the people is acting more as if government is for the developer.
Declaring my property blighted for the purpose of lessening the value would be a good strategy if negotiations were not going well for Mr. Griffey and his group. However, so far there has been no offer and no negotiations. I feel the process of eminent domain should be stopped or Mr. Griffey should approach me with a firm offer and a negotiating process begun.
You are a member of the government, which represents me, and your help in this matter would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Douglas W Medley
Sunday, February 12, 2006
FIRST CAPITOL NEWS SPORTS = Mike McMurran Sports Editor
Hats off to whomever scheduled the Gateway Athletic Conference – North Division boys’ basketball schedule. This Friday at St. Charles High the Pirates will host cross-town rival Duchesne in a key GAC contest. High (18-5, 3-1), led by 6’8” junior forward Josh Harrellson who is averaging 19 points per game, hope to hand Duchesne (17-2, 3-0) their first conference defeat. Duchesne pounds opponents with a one-two punch called Plackemeier and Lada. Junior Zach Plackemeier leads the conference in scoring with a 23.4 clip. Teammate Mike Lada is right behind him with a 18.6 average.
Should Duchesne topple the Pirates, and I am not for a second saying they will, it will set up a Friday night rumble between two (conference) undefeated squads: Duchesne and St. Charles West. On Friday, February 17, the Warriors of St. Charles West (16-6, 4-0), led by sophomore phenom Kramer Soderberg (22.8 points per game) will travel to Duchesne for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off. Depending upon who beats whom, one team will walk away: conference champion, conference co-champions, or conference tri-champions. I wonder if Duchesne a.d. Dave Thurmer is selling advance tickets?
Ah, Super Bowl Sunday, it doesn’t get much better than that. For years Lynn and I attended a Super Bowl party “for adults only.” Since we didn’t have any kids it really didn’t matter – but then the latter half of the nineties presented itself; as Lynn likes to say: “I was pregnant for most of the second half of the 90’s.” She has a tendency to exaggerate. She was only pregnant 27 out of 60 months, clearly less than half. But back to the Super Bowl.
Once we started having children I felt uncomfortable leaving them behind on one of the holiest days of the year. I know this will sound sexist, and I suspect it is, but I remember holding both Joe (9 months old) and Dee (2 months old) during the introduction of players and playing of the national anthem for their first Super Bowls. It just seemed like the right thing to do. You see, I am a football guy. Football is directly responsible for the quality of my life. If you can understand that, then you too might be a football guy. If you can’t, well, we can’t all be football guys. Football guys want their sons to be exposed to football so that they too might become football guys. Notice I say, “exposed,” as opposed to “brain-washed,” as suggested by my good friend Robin Carroll. Both Joe and Dee were “exposed” to high school football locker rooms before they could walk. Both Joe and Dee attend one Rams’ game per year, at least one. Joe was at the NFC Title game when the Rams beat Philadelphia, so you can see, they both have been exposed to the game.
The exposure is beginning to reap benefits, as this past Sunday Joe sat on my one side and Dee on the other as the teams were introduced and the national anthem performed. Joe was cheering for the Steelers and Dee the Seahawks. Neither left the room during the first half unless it was to gather some of the “appetizers” their mom and sister had prepared. I suspect this would be the best time to interject that both Lynn and Maggie rushed into the room every time there was a break in the action and a commercial was on. Me, as a football guy, having one of my sons on either side of me and the Super Bowl on the tube, a fire burning in the fire place, plenty of snacks and cold Ultra, all I could think was “life doesn’t get much better than this.” Thank you God.
The Jeff Brown Era Begins. Will it Last
Beyond 2006?
By Louis J. Launer
On February 1, the Missouri River Otters made the uneventful announcement that former St. Louis Blues defenseman Jeff Brown was named the team’s head coach for the rest of the season. Brown was filling in as the interim coach after head coach Kevin Kaminski was fired during the all-star break. Kaminski was a fan favorite. But Brown was given a cool reception in his debut against both Adirondack and Port Huron. Brown is still looking toward the future to keep the faith and save some of the season, even though the chances of the River Otters making the playoffs are very dim.
“I’m extremely excited to be a part of professional hockey again,” said Brown. “I look forward to working with this group of players and believe we can have a lot of success over the second half of the season.”
The 39-year-old Brown spent 13 seasons in the National Hockey League with seven different teams, including the Blues. He played five seasons from 1989-1994 with the Blues, enjoying the most productive stretch of his career.
Before the game against Fort Wayne, the River Otters acquired defenseman Steve Makway as the second half of the deal that sent forward Dave Stewart to the Flint Generals.
“Steve will provide a physical presence for us on defense,” River Otters General Manager Frank Buonomo said. “He is a talented young player who will be a strong contributor on our blueline.”
The 22-year-old Makway played the first half of this season with Flint. His statistics include no goals, seven assists and 98 penalty minutes out of 27 games he played. Makway played last season with the Central Hockey League’s Laredo Bucks. Makway comes from British Columbia.
Makway was a scratch in both games last week against Fort Wayne and Motor City. In Friday’s game, Five different Fort Wayne Komet players scored in a 5-2 victory against the River Otters last Friday at the Family Arena. The Komets continue to extend their third place position by two more points ahead of last place Missouri.
After two Fort Wayne goals, the River Otters came back on a power play as Tim O’Connell fired a shot from the left point behind Komets goaltender Kevin St. Pierre. The Komets scored the lone two goals in the second period and extended their lead to 5-1 early in the third period. Mark Odut scored a too-little, too late goal on a Paul Falco assist.
Reed Low, who was assigned to the River Otters from the AHL Peoria Rivermen, fought once in the game, but it didn’t last long. The linesmen quickly intervened and broke it up. Low has been making his presence known with the Otters. It’s also evident from last week’s Fort Wayne Komet game that Low will be the target of many AA-level players who want the opportunity to take a shot at a former NHL player. Sources tell the First Capitol News that Low refused to be sent to the regular Rivermen’s AA affiliate in Anchorage, Alaska. Low is coming off a hand injury and most likely will remain a River Otter for the rest of the season.
Also acquired after the all-star break was right-winger Tim Kruekel from the Kalamazoo Wings. It was the completion of a deal that took place in December. Kruekel did get an assist in last Saturday’s game against Motor City. The Otters still lost, 6-2.
FINGER POINTING OR SOUR GRAPES: Success does have its downfalls. Successful teams attract fans. Die-hard loyal fans of teams after a few winning seasons will step it up a notch just to prolong the moment in the spotlight. But that spotlight can become rather mean. A few years ago, the Quad City Mallards were enjoying the success of a team that won 50 games in each of the five seasons from 1998 through 2002, including two Colonial Cups. Everyone said that the Mallards were favored by the officials during those years and allowed a few players to get rough and tough. This season, the Muskegon Fury, who have won three of the last four Colonial Cups is being accused by other teams, their fans and other newspapers, of cheating. Several teams became suspicious because the Fury has talent this season, the league’s best record so far and the fewest call-ups.
There has been no concrete evidence according to UHL Commissioner Richard Brosal. Brosal claims that other teams and their fans have been envious on Muskegon’s successes in the last four seasons.
This leads to some of the stuff going on here in Missouri. It’s turned out to be a lean season. Most fans are beginning to accept that. Even during the All-Star break, River Otters majority owner Mike Shanahan, Jr. admitted that his team was not good this year. But he’s not ashamed.
“My team is in last place,” he said. “Someone has to be there. It just happens to be us this year.”
While many fans are upset over the firing of Kevin Kaminski and equally upset with General Manager Frank Buonomo, some fans are realizing that some tough decisions had to be made. Some die-hard hockey fans who really enjoy the sport and attend the games to root for the team during the lean years realize that the Otters are looking toward the future. Jeff Brown might not be next year’s coach, but he is the coach for the remainder of the season, according to River Otters management.
Several fans also heard rumors that a few of the River Otter players have asked to be traded. The team refused to comment or identify those players. But management and some fans do agree that it’s not unusual for some players after a coaching change to want out of a team facing the worst record in the league.
Even owners of other teams who come to St. Charles appreciate what Missouri is trying to do. Michael Franke, majority owner of the Fort Wayne Komets believes that the River Otters will be around for a long time and fans should not worry about the record this season.
“Missouri appears to have some great fans,” Franke said. “They’ve had their troubles on the ice. They got some players further into the season and this team could turn around and be quite good in the second half of the season.”
IT’S OFFICIAL! RAGE READY TO BULL THROUGH 2006 AT SAVVIS CENTER
By Mike Thompson
I’ll borrow the phrase made famous by the late Cardinal broadcaster Jack Buck. “Pardon me while I stand and applaud.”
I couldn’t help but feel just that way as I watched the Savvis Center staff setting up the podium, tables, and seating chart for our press conference this past Tuesday, getting the Rage primed to greet media and sponsors for our big step into the big time. I thought about how this franchise had grown, the hard work that was the forte’ of every member of the staff, from front office to coaches, players, cheerleaders, interns, you name it…everyone associated with the RiverCity Rage had a big hand in making this very special day come about. My mind hit the rewind button as I reflected on the very first such gathering of Rage and media, the one in December of 2004 that announced the formation of GST Sports, Inc. and introduced Majority Owners Tye Elliott and Scott Wilson to a skeptical array of TV sports anchors, scribes, and radio reporters who may have wondered about the wisdom of spending time hearing yet another story of promise from new owners of a so-called minor league team. As the newly appointed Director of Media Relations, I held my breath that day as I studied the entrance of the Locker Room Restaurant at Family Arena, hoping the media I had pounded the pavement to personally contact would be marching through the door one by one, microphones and cameras in hand, pens poised and ready, to get the news out to all that the Rage was up and running, this brand new bull was out of the chute and ready to ride to an NIFL title.
I remember that day well….KMOV-TV was there, as was KSDK-TV, News channel 20 and our friend Randy Gardner, Joe Lyons from the Post and Russell Korondo of the Journal….my friend and co-worker at KLOU, Michelle Holiday came by for moral support and to get a quote or two…and this newspaper was on hand to get word out to it’s readers about the new shift in power.
All in all, not bad that day, not bad for a start, but from that point on I knew the real work was all waiting ahead, and I wondered if we, if I…would be up to the challenge that lie ahead. The challenge to get fans in the seats, to get the media’s attention in a city that boasts of the Cardinals, the Rams, the Blues and a dozen other majors and minors sandwiched in between. Would the team be a winner?
Would the owners see the wisdom in involving themselves and their new upstart team with charitable causes and other worthy concerns? The ‘would-a’ I understood….all this was new…my apprehension involved the ‘could-a’ or even worse…the ‘should-a’…a new team could wither and die on that one! As I walked to my car on that cold winter’s day following that initial foray into the world of professional sports, I silently vowed to myself that I, for one, would not fall prey to that mode of thinking and would do everything in my power to ensure success for this new ownership group rolling the dice on everything from financial stability to personal sanity.
Well, everyone else associated with this team must have walked away that afternoon with many of the same thoughts in mind, because if you followed this football team in 2005, you know full well the impact it has had on the sports fan, the media and the metro area as a whole.
First of all, the team was a winner. Entering the playoffs with a record of 10-5 on the regular season, the Rage lost in double overtime in the opening round of the playoffs, but even that brutal slap in the face had some positive results. In the thrilling, nerve wracking, heart stopping loss, the crowd at Savvis Center and the welcome extended to us by the Savvis management was enough to prompt Tye and Scott to explore ways to make that venue our permanent home. The wheels were soon in motion to make it the reality being played out in front of me on Tuesday afternoon. Our owners threw themselves wholeheartedly into charities and found new, inspiring ways to use the football team and it’s sponsors to add joy and hope to the lives of those in need. We grew from a front office staff of three to a full time staff of six in less than a year, with individuals now available to lend their talents to promotions, sales and community involvement. The Rage became to ‘go-to’ franchise for the entire NIFL. Morris Groves our Director of Operations months ago was given the title of Director of Media Relations for the entire league, and handles all the website duties. I was recently selected as the new Information Director for the NIFL. Coach Mike Wyatt has been the Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year two years in a row, and last November added General Manager of the Year to his impressive resume. We have a full time mascot…Ragie the Bull…making appearances all over the metro area…we’ve added the Ragie Kids Club and a reading and educational program to our list of community activities…we instigated a program that honored high school players and teams with engraved plagues that were sent out every week…we grew, we built, we added…and hopped right under the radar gun of major league status with our latest move to Savvis Center. The next step, perhaps an NIFL Title, will put this team over the top!
So as I watched all the major television stations, radio outlets and news scribes come parading into the Savvis Club on Tuesday for our big announcement, as I saw the room begin to fill up with corporate sponsors, league officials, friends of the team, and even one wildly dressed super-fan, I remembered that similar, yet so vastly different day some 14 months ago. My gosh, how far we had all come….as I listened to Savvis Center VP and General Manager Dennis Petrullo make his opening remarks to get this magical day underway, I looked around the room and thought of how proud I was of my team, my owners, my coach, the players, and everyone who had given his or her heart and soul to this cause calling itself RiverCity Rage football.
“The Rage is a great addition to the sports scene in downtown St. Louis,” Petrullo began, “let’s welcome them to Savvis Center.”
The crowd began to applaud. I was kneeling down, off to the side of the podium taking notes for this article…when I did the only thing I could do…I stood up and began to join in.
Like that first step into the spotlight some 14 months prior, I mentally made note that the real work for this team was waiting ahead. That feeling, I couldn’t shake. The knowledge that this time around our team, this franchise, was ready for that challenge made it a lot easier to accept!
Lindenwood scores second consecutive stellar recruiting class
List of someday stars includes some of Missouri’s leading rushers, super sleepers and record breakers, All-Staters and future All-Americans
By: Mike McMurran
Sports Editor
Kelan Bannecke St. Louis, (Mo.) Lindbergh 6’3 195 WR
Big-framed receiver was two-time 1st team All-Suburban West selection; can make tough catches in traffic
Donnie Bridges St. Charles, (Mo.) St. Charles West 6’2 180 DB
One of the top players in the GAC North as a junior, sleeper missed entire senior year after preseason knee injury
Morgan Campbell Harrison, (Ark.) Wentworth Military 6’0 188 CB
Speedy 1st team All-MRVC pick at running back, after rushing for over 1200 yards and averaged 9.8 yds. per carry
Nathan Crossett St. Charles, (Mo.) Francis Howell 6’0 245 DE
1st team All-State Class 5 selection is one of the state’s top heavyweight wrestlers and a future D-Line star for LU
Taylor Dalby Lee’s Summit, (Mo.) West 5’10 175 WR
Fast-rising program at Lee’s Summit West sends 2nd team All-Suburban Mid Six pick to the Lions
Ryan Dalton Blue Springs, (Mo.) Blue Springs South 6’5 200 LB
Long and rangy with big upside, 2nd team All-Suburban Big Seven selection will play outside linebacker for LU
Josh Davis Dexter, (Mo.) Dexter 6’3 245 TE
Monster TE prospect was 1st team All-SEMO Central on both sides of the ball, with 75 tackles at LB and 20 receptions
Brandon Ellis Brentwood, (Mo.) Brentwood 5’11 185 RB
2nd team All-Metro pick ran for 1,798 yards in ten games to lead metro area; named 1st team All-State in Class 2
Tony Hall Shelbina, (Mo.) South Shelby 6’0 200 RB
Two-time 1st team All-State pick rushed for 2,652 yards and 35 TD’s as senior; ninth all-time single season in Missouri
Dan Harris Desloge, (Mo.) North County 6’1 195 RB
Fast and physical two-way player for one of the state’s top Class 4 programs scored 19 TD’s as a senior
Trevan Hombs Blue Springs, (Mo.) Blue Springs South 6’2 195 WR
Senior injuries limited Jaguar star to five games, but he still earned 1st team All-Suburban Big Seven honors at WR
Dwayne Glaspy Farmington, (Mo.) Farmington 6’3 225 TE
1st team All-Mississippi Area Red honoree has the look and athletic ability of a big-time TE/LB prospect
Austin Hulett Fenton, (Mo.) Rockwood Summit 6’0 180 WR
Versatile two-way performer earned All-Suburban South honors for solid Rockwood Summit program
Jeff Julian Blue Springs, (Mo.) Blue Springs South 6’2 190 OLB
One of state’s very best: two-time 1st team All-State Class 6, 2005 Buchanan Award winner in KC, intimidating hitter
Josh Kimrey Farmington, (Mo.) Farmington 6’0 185 DB
3rd team All-State Class 4 selection at QB, with 1287 passing yards and 500 on the ground, will play safety at LU
Lucas Kirkendoll Kansas City, (Mo.) Park Hill South 5’11 180 DB
1st team All-Suburban Big Six at LB and at RB, earned rep as huge hitter and sideline-to-sideline competitor for PHS
Oscar Mafuli Hazelwood, (Mo.) Hazelwood Central 6’2 220 ILB
One of the state’s top LB’s: 1st team All-State Class 6, 1st team All-Suburban North, 106 tackles, fast and intense
Drew Mannen Independence, (Mo.) William Chrisman 6’2 180 WR
Followed LU freshman Ben Kisner at QB for Chrisman, and had a huge year: 1439 passing, 1012 rushing, 29 TD’s
Will Meury Wentzville, (Mo.) Holt 5’11 200 RB
LU coaches are ecstatic about landing Meury, a rare package of size, speed and power - best kept secret in the state?
Nick Neeley Bonne Terre, (Mo.) North County 6’1 185 ATH
Great 4.5 speed athlete with huge star potential, four kickoff returns for TD’s the last two years - an impact player soon
Zach Palme Edwardsville, (Ill.) Edwardsville 6’3 225 DE
Big-framed, hand-on-the-ground player with toughness, 2nd team All-Metro DE, outstanding wrestler at 215 this winter
Jay Pope Ste. Genevieve, (Mo.) Valle Catholic 6’0 180 WR
Athletic two-time 2nd team All-State Class 1A selection, 1st team All-Mississippi Area Blue pick at DB and at WR
Tony Porto Port Orange, (Fla.) Father Lopez 6’1 190 OLB
2nd team All-State Class 2A, District Player of the Year, tremendous intensity and always around the football
Mike Redpath Carol Stream, (Ill.) Driscoll Catholic 6’1 185 DB
Conference and Team MVP for team which has won five straight state titles - explosive return specialist and hitter
William Royston Manchester, (Mo.) Parkway South 6’0 180 OLB
Suburban West Defensive Player of the Year earned 2nd team All-Metro and 1st team All-Conference honors at LB
Aaron Shepard Blue Springs, (Mo.) Blue Springs 6’0 255 C
Worked with Lion coaches at MU Camp during the summer, making an impression with his toughness and strength
Ronnell Simpson Hazelwood, (Mo.) Hazelwood West 6’1 270 OL
1st team All-Suburban North, 2nd team All-Metro, top heavyweight wrestler with good quicks and toughness
Nick Stemmler St. Louis, (Mo.) Bishop DuBourg 6’2 190 DE
Long and lean with a great motor, was named 1st team All-AAA League on both sides of the ball the last two years
Adam Stipanovich St. Charles, (Mo.) Orchard Farm 5’10 225 ILB
School’s all-time record holder in career tackles (330), single season tackles (150) and single game tackles (19)
Tory Thompson Palm Coast, (Fla.) Flagler Palm Coast 6’2
195 QB
3rd team All-State selection in Florida’s largest class threw for over 3,400 yards and 24 TD’s the last two seasons
Ryan Zimmerman St. Peters, (Mo.) Francis Howell Central 6’1 205 ILB
1st team All-GAC North selection is one of area’s top wrestlers at 215, and has the mean streak Lion coaches love at LB
Saint Louis Lions set tryouts for Premier Development League
By Mike McMurran
Sports Editor
The St. Louis Lions Soccer Club, St. Charles County’s contribution to the Premier Development League, will hold open tryouts February 18 and 19 at St. Dominic High School in O’Fallon.
A $25 tryout fee is required and players must be 17 or older to participate. Registration will begin each day at noon; tryouts will run from 1 to 4 p.m. Players interested in trying out are asked to contact the St. Louis Lions at 636.939.5151 or e-mail at tglavin@stlouislions.com prior to February 17.
The Lions are the newest members of the Premier Development League, which provides top players the opportunity to compete in a “professional setting” while maintaining their collegiate eligibility. The league allows for seven foreign players and for eight players over the age of 23. The core of each team’s 26-man roster will feature local players 23 and younger.
The Lions will play their home contests at the Tony Glavin Complex in Cotteville. The Lions will be coached by Tony Glavin.
Should Duchesne topple the Pirates, and I am not for a second saying they will, it will set up a Friday night rumble between two (conference) undefeated squads: Duchesne and St. Charles West. On Friday, February 17, the Warriors of St. Charles West (16-6, 4-0), led by sophomore phenom Kramer Soderberg (22.8 points per game) will travel to Duchesne for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off. Depending upon who beats whom, one team will walk away: conference champion, conference co-champions, or conference tri-champions. I wonder if Duchesne a.d. Dave Thurmer is selling advance tickets?
Ah, Super Bowl Sunday, it doesn’t get much better than that. For years Lynn and I attended a Super Bowl party “for adults only.” Since we didn’t have any kids it really didn’t matter – but then the latter half of the nineties presented itself; as Lynn likes to say: “I was pregnant for most of the second half of the 90’s.” She has a tendency to exaggerate. She was only pregnant 27 out of 60 months, clearly less than half. But back to the Super Bowl.
Once we started having children I felt uncomfortable leaving them behind on one of the holiest days of the year. I know this will sound sexist, and I suspect it is, but I remember holding both Joe (9 months old) and Dee (2 months old) during the introduction of players and playing of the national anthem for their first Super Bowls. It just seemed like the right thing to do. You see, I am a football guy. Football is directly responsible for the quality of my life. If you can understand that, then you too might be a football guy. If you can’t, well, we can’t all be football guys. Football guys want their sons to be exposed to football so that they too might become football guys. Notice I say, “exposed,” as opposed to “brain-washed,” as suggested by my good friend Robin Carroll. Both Joe and Dee were “exposed” to high school football locker rooms before they could walk. Both Joe and Dee attend one Rams’ game per year, at least one. Joe was at the NFC Title game when the Rams beat Philadelphia, so you can see, they both have been exposed to the game.
The exposure is beginning to reap benefits, as this past Sunday Joe sat on my one side and Dee on the other as the teams were introduced and the national anthem performed. Joe was cheering for the Steelers and Dee the Seahawks. Neither left the room during the first half unless it was to gather some of the “appetizers” their mom and sister had prepared. I suspect this would be the best time to interject that both Lynn and Maggie rushed into the room every time there was a break in the action and a commercial was on. Me, as a football guy, having one of my sons on either side of me and the Super Bowl on the tube, a fire burning in the fire place, plenty of snacks and cold Ultra, all I could think was “life doesn’t get much better than this.” Thank you God.
The Jeff Brown Era Begins. Will it Last
Beyond 2006?
By Louis J. Launer
On February 1, the Missouri River Otters made the uneventful announcement that former St. Louis Blues defenseman Jeff Brown was named the team’s head coach for the rest of the season. Brown was filling in as the interim coach after head coach Kevin Kaminski was fired during the all-star break. Kaminski was a fan favorite. But Brown was given a cool reception in his debut against both Adirondack and Port Huron. Brown is still looking toward the future to keep the faith and save some of the season, even though the chances of the River Otters making the playoffs are very dim.
“I’m extremely excited to be a part of professional hockey again,” said Brown. “I look forward to working with this group of players and believe we can have a lot of success over the second half of the season.”
The 39-year-old Brown spent 13 seasons in the National Hockey League with seven different teams, including the Blues. He played five seasons from 1989-1994 with the Blues, enjoying the most productive stretch of his career.
Before the game against Fort Wayne, the River Otters acquired defenseman Steve Makway as the second half of the deal that sent forward Dave Stewart to the Flint Generals.
“Steve will provide a physical presence for us on defense,” River Otters General Manager Frank Buonomo said. “He is a talented young player who will be a strong contributor on our blueline.”
The 22-year-old Makway played the first half of this season with Flint. His statistics include no goals, seven assists and 98 penalty minutes out of 27 games he played. Makway played last season with the Central Hockey League’s Laredo Bucks. Makway comes from British Columbia.
Makway was a scratch in both games last week against Fort Wayne and Motor City. In Friday’s game, Five different Fort Wayne Komet players scored in a 5-2 victory against the River Otters last Friday at the Family Arena. The Komets continue to extend their third place position by two more points ahead of last place Missouri.
After two Fort Wayne goals, the River Otters came back on a power play as Tim O’Connell fired a shot from the left point behind Komets goaltender Kevin St. Pierre. The Komets scored the lone two goals in the second period and extended their lead to 5-1 early in the third period. Mark Odut scored a too-little, too late goal on a Paul Falco assist.
Reed Low, who was assigned to the River Otters from the AHL Peoria Rivermen, fought once in the game, but it didn’t last long. The linesmen quickly intervened and broke it up. Low has been making his presence known with the Otters. It’s also evident from last week’s Fort Wayne Komet game that Low will be the target of many AA-level players who want the opportunity to take a shot at a former NHL player. Sources tell the First Capitol News that Low refused to be sent to the regular Rivermen’s AA affiliate in Anchorage, Alaska. Low is coming off a hand injury and most likely will remain a River Otter for the rest of the season.
Also acquired after the all-star break was right-winger Tim Kruekel from the Kalamazoo Wings. It was the completion of a deal that took place in December. Kruekel did get an assist in last Saturday’s game against Motor City. The Otters still lost, 6-2.
FINGER POINTING OR SOUR GRAPES: Success does have its downfalls. Successful teams attract fans. Die-hard loyal fans of teams after a few winning seasons will step it up a notch just to prolong the moment in the spotlight. But that spotlight can become rather mean. A few years ago, the Quad City Mallards were enjoying the success of a team that won 50 games in each of the five seasons from 1998 through 2002, including two Colonial Cups. Everyone said that the Mallards were favored by the officials during those years and allowed a few players to get rough and tough. This season, the Muskegon Fury, who have won three of the last four Colonial Cups is being accused by other teams, their fans and other newspapers, of cheating. Several teams became suspicious because the Fury has talent this season, the league’s best record so far and the fewest call-ups.
There has been no concrete evidence according to UHL Commissioner Richard Brosal. Brosal claims that other teams and their fans have been envious on Muskegon’s successes in the last four seasons.
This leads to some of the stuff going on here in Missouri. It’s turned out to be a lean season. Most fans are beginning to accept that. Even during the All-Star break, River Otters majority owner Mike Shanahan, Jr. admitted that his team was not good this year. But he’s not ashamed.
“My team is in last place,” he said. “Someone has to be there. It just happens to be us this year.”
While many fans are upset over the firing of Kevin Kaminski and equally upset with General Manager Frank Buonomo, some fans are realizing that some tough decisions had to be made. Some die-hard hockey fans who really enjoy the sport and attend the games to root for the team during the lean years realize that the Otters are looking toward the future. Jeff Brown might not be next year’s coach, but he is the coach for the remainder of the season, according to River Otters management.
Several fans also heard rumors that a few of the River Otter players have asked to be traded. The team refused to comment or identify those players. But management and some fans do agree that it’s not unusual for some players after a coaching change to want out of a team facing the worst record in the league.
Even owners of other teams who come to St. Charles appreciate what Missouri is trying to do. Michael Franke, majority owner of the Fort Wayne Komets believes that the River Otters will be around for a long time and fans should not worry about the record this season.
“Missouri appears to have some great fans,” Franke said. “They’ve had their troubles on the ice. They got some players further into the season and this team could turn around and be quite good in the second half of the season.”
IT’S OFFICIAL! RAGE READY TO BULL THROUGH 2006 AT SAVVIS CENTER
By Mike Thompson
I’ll borrow the phrase made famous by the late Cardinal broadcaster Jack Buck. “Pardon me while I stand and applaud.”
I couldn’t help but feel just that way as I watched the Savvis Center staff setting up the podium, tables, and seating chart for our press conference this past Tuesday, getting the Rage primed to greet media and sponsors for our big step into the big time. I thought about how this franchise had grown, the hard work that was the forte’ of every member of the staff, from front office to coaches, players, cheerleaders, interns, you name it…everyone associated with the RiverCity Rage had a big hand in making this very special day come about. My mind hit the rewind button as I reflected on the very first such gathering of Rage and media, the one in December of 2004 that announced the formation of GST Sports, Inc. and introduced Majority Owners Tye Elliott and Scott Wilson to a skeptical array of TV sports anchors, scribes, and radio reporters who may have wondered about the wisdom of spending time hearing yet another story of promise from new owners of a so-called minor league team. As the newly appointed Director of Media Relations, I held my breath that day as I studied the entrance of the Locker Room Restaurant at Family Arena, hoping the media I had pounded the pavement to personally contact would be marching through the door one by one, microphones and cameras in hand, pens poised and ready, to get the news out to all that the Rage was up and running, this brand new bull was out of the chute and ready to ride to an NIFL title.
I remember that day well….KMOV-TV was there, as was KSDK-TV, News channel 20 and our friend Randy Gardner, Joe Lyons from the Post and Russell Korondo of the Journal….my friend and co-worker at KLOU, Michelle Holiday came by for moral support and to get a quote or two…and this newspaper was on hand to get word out to it’s readers about the new shift in power.
All in all, not bad that day, not bad for a start, but from that point on I knew the real work was all waiting ahead, and I wondered if we, if I…would be up to the challenge that lie ahead. The challenge to get fans in the seats, to get the media’s attention in a city that boasts of the Cardinals, the Rams, the Blues and a dozen other majors and minors sandwiched in between. Would the team be a winner?
Would the owners see the wisdom in involving themselves and their new upstart team with charitable causes and other worthy concerns? The ‘would-a’ I understood….all this was new…my apprehension involved the ‘could-a’ or even worse…the ‘should-a’…a new team could wither and die on that one! As I walked to my car on that cold winter’s day following that initial foray into the world of professional sports, I silently vowed to myself that I, for one, would not fall prey to that mode of thinking and would do everything in my power to ensure success for this new ownership group rolling the dice on everything from financial stability to personal sanity.
Well, everyone else associated with this team must have walked away that afternoon with many of the same thoughts in mind, because if you followed this football team in 2005, you know full well the impact it has had on the sports fan, the media and the metro area as a whole.
First of all, the team was a winner. Entering the playoffs with a record of 10-5 on the regular season, the Rage lost in double overtime in the opening round of the playoffs, but even that brutal slap in the face had some positive results. In the thrilling, nerve wracking, heart stopping loss, the crowd at Savvis Center and the welcome extended to us by the Savvis management was enough to prompt Tye and Scott to explore ways to make that venue our permanent home. The wheels were soon in motion to make it the reality being played out in front of me on Tuesday afternoon. Our owners threw themselves wholeheartedly into charities and found new, inspiring ways to use the football team and it’s sponsors to add joy and hope to the lives of those in need. We grew from a front office staff of three to a full time staff of six in less than a year, with individuals now available to lend their talents to promotions, sales and community involvement. The Rage became to ‘go-to’ franchise for the entire NIFL. Morris Groves our Director of Operations months ago was given the title of Director of Media Relations for the entire league, and handles all the website duties. I was recently selected as the new Information Director for the NIFL. Coach Mike Wyatt has been the Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year two years in a row, and last November added General Manager of the Year to his impressive resume. We have a full time mascot…Ragie the Bull…making appearances all over the metro area…we’ve added the Ragie Kids Club and a reading and educational program to our list of community activities…we instigated a program that honored high school players and teams with engraved plagues that were sent out every week…we grew, we built, we added…and hopped right under the radar gun of major league status with our latest move to Savvis Center. The next step, perhaps an NIFL Title, will put this team over the top!
So as I watched all the major television stations, radio outlets and news scribes come parading into the Savvis Club on Tuesday for our big announcement, as I saw the room begin to fill up with corporate sponsors, league officials, friends of the team, and even one wildly dressed super-fan, I remembered that similar, yet so vastly different day some 14 months ago. My gosh, how far we had all come….as I listened to Savvis Center VP and General Manager Dennis Petrullo make his opening remarks to get this magical day underway, I looked around the room and thought of how proud I was of my team, my owners, my coach, the players, and everyone who had given his or her heart and soul to this cause calling itself RiverCity Rage football.
“The Rage is a great addition to the sports scene in downtown St. Louis,” Petrullo began, “let’s welcome them to Savvis Center.”
The crowd began to applaud. I was kneeling down, off to the side of the podium taking notes for this article…when I did the only thing I could do…I stood up and began to join in.
Like that first step into the spotlight some 14 months prior, I mentally made note that the real work for this team was waiting ahead. That feeling, I couldn’t shake. The knowledge that this time around our team, this franchise, was ready for that challenge made it a lot easier to accept!
Lindenwood scores second consecutive stellar recruiting class
List of someday stars includes some of Missouri’s leading rushers, super sleepers and record breakers, All-Staters and future All-Americans
By: Mike McMurran
Sports Editor
Kelan Bannecke St. Louis, (Mo.) Lindbergh 6’3 195 WR
Big-framed receiver was two-time 1st team All-Suburban West selection; can make tough catches in traffic
Donnie Bridges St. Charles, (Mo.) St. Charles West 6’2 180 DB
One of the top players in the GAC North as a junior, sleeper missed entire senior year after preseason knee injury
Morgan Campbell Harrison, (Ark.) Wentworth Military 6’0 188 CB
Speedy 1st team All-MRVC pick at running back, after rushing for over 1200 yards and averaged 9.8 yds. per carry
Nathan Crossett St. Charles, (Mo.) Francis Howell 6’0 245 DE
1st team All-State Class 5 selection is one of the state’s top heavyweight wrestlers and a future D-Line star for LU
Taylor Dalby Lee’s Summit, (Mo.) West 5’10 175 WR
Fast-rising program at Lee’s Summit West sends 2nd team All-Suburban Mid Six pick to the Lions
Ryan Dalton Blue Springs, (Mo.) Blue Springs South 6’5 200 LB
Long and rangy with big upside, 2nd team All-Suburban Big Seven selection will play outside linebacker for LU
Josh Davis Dexter, (Mo.) Dexter 6’3 245 TE
Monster TE prospect was 1st team All-SEMO Central on both sides of the ball, with 75 tackles at LB and 20 receptions
Brandon Ellis Brentwood, (Mo.) Brentwood 5’11 185 RB
2nd team All-Metro pick ran for 1,798 yards in ten games to lead metro area; named 1st team All-State in Class 2
Tony Hall Shelbina, (Mo.) South Shelby 6’0 200 RB
Two-time 1st team All-State pick rushed for 2,652 yards and 35 TD’s as senior; ninth all-time single season in Missouri
Dan Harris Desloge, (Mo.) North County 6’1 195 RB
Fast and physical two-way player for one of the state’s top Class 4 programs scored 19 TD’s as a senior
Trevan Hombs Blue Springs, (Mo.) Blue Springs South 6’2 195 WR
Senior injuries limited Jaguar star to five games, but he still earned 1st team All-Suburban Big Seven honors at WR
Dwayne Glaspy Farmington, (Mo.) Farmington 6’3 225 TE
1st team All-Mississippi Area Red honoree has the look and athletic ability of a big-time TE/LB prospect
Austin Hulett Fenton, (Mo.) Rockwood Summit 6’0 180 WR
Versatile two-way performer earned All-Suburban South honors for solid Rockwood Summit program
Jeff Julian Blue Springs, (Mo.) Blue Springs South 6’2 190 OLB
One of state’s very best: two-time 1st team All-State Class 6, 2005 Buchanan Award winner in KC, intimidating hitter
Josh Kimrey Farmington, (Mo.) Farmington 6’0 185 DB
3rd team All-State Class 4 selection at QB, with 1287 passing yards and 500 on the ground, will play safety at LU
Lucas Kirkendoll Kansas City, (Mo.) Park Hill South 5’11 180 DB
1st team All-Suburban Big Six at LB and at RB, earned rep as huge hitter and sideline-to-sideline competitor for PHS
Oscar Mafuli Hazelwood, (Mo.) Hazelwood Central 6’2 220 ILB
One of the state’s top LB’s: 1st team All-State Class 6, 1st team All-Suburban North, 106 tackles, fast and intense
Drew Mannen Independence, (Mo.) William Chrisman 6’2 180 WR
Followed LU freshman Ben Kisner at QB for Chrisman, and had a huge year: 1439 passing, 1012 rushing, 29 TD’s
Will Meury Wentzville, (Mo.) Holt 5’11 200 RB
LU coaches are ecstatic about landing Meury, a rare package of size, speed and power - best kept secret in the state?
Nick Neeley Bonne Terre, (Mo.) North County 6’1 185 ATH
Great 4.5 speed athlete with huge star potential, four kickoff returns for TD’s the last two years - an impact player soon
Zach Palme Edwardsville, (Ill.) Edwardsville 6’3 225 DE
Big-framed, hand-on-the-ground player with toughness, 2nd team All-Metro DE, outstanding wrestler at 215 this winter
Jay Pope Ste. Genevieve, (Mo.) Valle Catholic 6’0 180 WR
Athletic two-time 2nd team All-State Class 1A selection, 1st team All-Mississippi Area Blue pick at DB and at WR
Tony Porto Port Orange, (Fla.) Father Lopez 6’1 190 OLB
2nd team All-State Class 2A, District Player of the Year, tremendous intensity and always around the football
Mike Redpath Carol Stream, (Ill.) Driscoll Catholic 6’1 185 DB
Conference and Team MVP for team which has won five straight state titles - explosive return specialist and hitter
William Royston Manchester, (Mo.) Parkway South 6’0 180 OLB
Suburban West Defensive Player of the Year earned 2nd team All-Metro and 1st team All-Conference honors at LB
Aaron Shepard Blue Springs, (Mo.) Blue Springs 6’0 255 C
Worked with Lion coaches at MU Camp during the summer, making an impression with his toughness and strength
Ronnell Simpson Hazelwood, (Mo.) Hazelwood West 6’1 270 OL
1st team All-Suburban North, 2nd team All-Metro, top heavyweight wrestler with good quicks and toughness
Nick Stemmler St. Louis, (Mo.) Bishop DuBourg 6’2 190 DE
Long and lean with a great motor, was named 1st team All-AAA League on both sides of the ball the last two years
Adam Stipanovich St. Charles, (Mo.) Orchard Farm 5’10 225 ILB
School’s all-time record holder in career tackles (330), single season tackles (150) and single game tackles (19)
Tory Thompson Palm Coast, (Fla.) Flagler Palm Coast 6’2
195 QB
3rd team All-State selection in Florida’s largest class threw for over 3,400 yards and 24 TD’s the last two seasons
Ryan Zimmerman St. Peters, (Mo.) Francis Howell Central 6’1 205 ILB
1st team All-GAC North selection is one of area’s top wrestlers at 215, and has the mean streak Lion coaches love at LB
Saint Louis Lions set tryouts for Premier Development League
By Mike McMurran
Sports Editor
The St. Louis Lions Soccer Club, St. Charles County’s contribution to the Premier Development League, will hold open tryouts February 18 and 19 at St. Dominic High School in O’Fallon.
A $25 tryout fee is required and players must be 17 or older to participate. Registration will begin each day at noon; tryouts will run from 1 to 4 p.m. Players interested in trying out are asked to contact the St. Louis Lions at 636.939.5151 or e-mail at tglavin@stlouislions.com prior to February 17.
The Lions are the newest members of the Premier Development League, which provides top players the opportunity to compete in a “professional setting” while maintaining their collegiate eligibility. The league allows for seven foreign players and for eight players over the age of 23. The core of each team’s 26-man roster will feature local players 23 and younger.
The Lions will play their home contests at the Tony Glavin Complex in Cotteville. The Lions will be coached by Tony Glavin.
FIRST CAPITOL NEWS SPORTS = Mike McMurran Sports Editor
Hats off to whomever scheduled the Gateway Athletic Conference – North Division boys’ basketball schedule. This Friday at St. Charles High the Pirates will host cross-town rival Duchesne in a key GAC contest. High (18-5, 3-1), led by 6’8” junior forward Josh Harrellson who is averaging 19 points per game, hope to hand Duchesne (17-2, 3-0) their first conference defeat. Duchesne pounds opponents with a one-two punch called Plackemeier and Lada. Junior Zach Plackemeier leads the conference in scoring with a 23.4 clip. Teammate Mike Lada is right behind him with a 18.6 average.
Should Duchesne topple the Pirates, and I am not for a second saying they will, it will set up a Friday night rumble between two (conference) undefeated squads: Duchesne and St. Charles West. On Friday, February 17, the Warriors of St. Charles West (16-6, 4-0), led by sophomore phenom Kramer Soderberg (22.8 points per game) will travel to Duchesne for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off. Depending upon who beats whom, one team will walk away: conference champion, conference co-champions, or conference tri-champions. I wonder if Duchesne a.d. Dave Thurmer is selling advance tickets?
Ah, Super Bowl Sunday, it doesn’t get much better than that. For years Lynn and I attended a Super Bowl party “for adults only.” Since we didn’t have any kids it really didn’t matter – but then the latter half of the nineties presented itself; as Lynn likes to say: “I was pregnant for most of the second half of the 90’s.” She has a tendency to exaggerate. She was only pregnant 27 out of 60 months, clearly less than half. But back to the Super Bowl.
Once we started having children I felt uncomfortable leaving them behind on one of the holiest days of the year. I know this will sound sexist, and I suspect it is, but I remember holding both Joe (9 months old) and Dee (2 months old) during the introduction of players and playing of the national anthem for their first Super Bowls. It just seemed like the right thing to do. You see, I am a football guy. Football is directly responsible for the quality of my life. If you can understand that, then you too might be a football guy. If you can’t, well, we can’t all be football guys. Football guys want their sons to be exposed to football so that they too might become football guys. Notice I say, “exposed,” as opposed to “brain-washed,” as suggested by my good friend Robin Carroll. Both Joe and Dee were “exposed” to high school football locker rooms before they could walk. Both Joe and Dee attend one Rams’ game per year, at least one. Joe was at the NFC Title game when the Rams beat Philadelphia, so you can see, they both have been exposed to the game.
The exposure is beginning to reap benefits, as this past Sunday Joe sat on my one side and Dee on the other as the teams were introduced and the national anthem performed. Joe was cheering for the Steelers and Dee the Seahawks. Neither left the room during the first half unless it was to gather some of the “appetizers” their mom and sister had prepared. I suspect this would be the best time to interject that both Lynn and Maggie rushed into the room every time there was a break in the action and a commercial was on. Me, as a football guy, having one of my sons on either side of me and the Super Bowl on the tube, a fire burning in the fire place, plenty of snacks and cold Ultra, all I could think was “life doesn’t get much better than this.” Thank you God.
The Jeff Brown Era Begins. Will it Last
Beyond 2006?
By Louis J. Launer
On February 1, the Missouri River Otters made the uneventful announcement that former St. Louis Blues defenseman Jeff Brown was named the team’s head coach for the rest of the season. Brown was filling in as the interim coach after head coach Kevin Kaminski was fired during the all-star break. Kaminski was a fan favorite. But Brown was given a cool reception in his debut against both Adirondack and Port Huron. Brown is still looking toward the future to keep the faith and save some of the season, even though the chances of the River Otters making the playoffs are very dim.
“I’m extremely excited to be a part of professional hockey again,” said Brown. “I look forward to working with this group of players and believe we can have a lot of success over the second half of the season.”
The 39-year-old Brown spent 13 seasons in the National Hockey League with seven different teams, including the Blues. He played five seasons from 1989-1994 with the Blues, enjoying the most productive stretch of his career.
Before the game against Fort Wayne, the River Otters acquired defenseman Steve Makway as the second half of the deal that sent forward Dave Stewart to the Flint Generals.
“Steve will provide a physical presence for us on defense,” River Otters General Manager Frank Buonomo said. “He is a talented young player who will be a strong contributor on our blueline.”
The 22-year-old Makway played the first half of this season with Flint. His statistics include no goals, seven assists and 98 penalty minutes out of 27 games he played. Makway played last season with the Central Hockey League’s Laredo Bucks. Makway comes from British Columbia.
Makway was a scratch in both games last week against Fort Wayne and Motor City. In Friday’s game, Five different Fort Wayne Komet players scored in a 5-2 victory against the River Otters last Friday at the Family Arena. The Komets continue to extend their third place position by two more points ahead of last place Missouri.
After two Fort Wayne goals, the River Otters came back on a power play as Tim O’Connell fired a shot from the left point behind Komets goaltender Kevin St. Pierre. The Komets scored the lone two goals in the second period and extended their lead to 5-1 early in the third period. Mark Odut scored a too-little, too late goal on a Paul Falco assist.
Reed Low, who was assigned to the River Otters from the AHL Peoria Rivermen, fought once in the game, but it didn’t last long. The linesmen quickly intervened and broke it up. Low has been making his presence known with the Otters. It’s also evident from last week’s Fort Wayne Komet game that Low will be the target of many AA-level players who want the opportunity to take a shot at a former NHL player. Sources tell the First Capitol News that Low refused to be sent to the regular Rivermen’s AA affiliate in Anchorage, Alaska. Low is coming off a hand injury and most likely will remain a River Otter for the rest of the season.
Also acquired after the all-star break was right-winger Tim Kruekel from the Kalamazoo Wings. It was the completion of a deal that took place in December. Kruekel did get an assist in last Saturday’s game against Motor City. The Otters still lost, 6-2.
FINGER POINTING OR SOUR GRAPES: Success does have its downfalls. Successful teams attract fans. Die-hard loyal fans of teams after a few winning seasons will step it up a notch just to prolong the moment in the spotlight. But that spotlight can become rather mean. A few years ago, the Quad City Mallards were enjoying the success of a team that won 50 games in each of the five seasons from 1998 through 2002, including two Colonial Cups. Everyone said that the Mallards were favored by the officials during those years and allowed a few players to get rough and tough. This season, the Muskegon Fury, who have won three of the last four Colonial Cups is being accused by other teams, their fans and other newspapers, of cheating. Several teams became suspicious because the Fury has talent this season, the league’s best record so far and the fewest call-ups.
There has been no concrete evidence according to UHL Commissioner Richard Brosal. Brosal claims that other teams and their fans have been envious on Muskegon’s successes in the last four seasons.
This leads to some of the stuff going on here in Missouri. It’s turned out to be a lean season. Most fans are beginning to accept that. Even during the All-Star break, River Otters majority owner Mike Shanahan, Jr. admitted that his team was not good this year. But he’s not ashamed.
“My team is in last place,” he said. “Someone has to be there. It just happens to be us this year.”
While many fans are upset over the firing of Kevin Kaminski and equally upset with General Manager Frank Buonomo, some fans are realizing that some tough decisions had to be made. Some die-hard hockey fans who really enjoy the sport and attend the games to root for the team during the lean years realize that the Otters are looking toward the future. Jeff Brown might not be next year’s coach, but he is the coach for the remainder of the season, according to River Otters management.
Several fans also heard rumors that a few of the River Otter players have asked to be traded. The team refused to comment or identify those players. But management and some fans do agree that it’s not unusual for some players after a coaching change to want out of a team facing the worst record in the league.
Even owners of other teams who come to St. Charles appreciate what Missouri is trying to do. Michael Franke, majority owner of the Fort Wayne Komets believes that the River Otters will be around for a long time and fans should not worry about the record this season.
“Missouri appears to have some great fans,” Franke said. “They’ve had their troubles on the ice. They got some players further into the season and this team could turn around and be quite good in the second half of the season.”
IT’S OFFICIAL! RAGE READY TO BULL THROUGH 2006 AT SAVVIS CENTER
By Mike Thompson
I’ll borrow the phrase made famous by the late Cardinal broadcaster Jack Buck. “Pardon me while I stand and applaud.”
I couldn’t help but feel just that way as I watched the Savvis Center staff setting up the podium, tables, and seating chart for our press conference this past Tuesday, getting the Rage primed to greet media and sponsors for our big step into the big time. I thought about how this franchise had grown, the hard work that was the forte’ of every member of the staff, from front office to coaches, players, cheerleaders, interns, you name it…everyone associated with the RiverCity Rage had a big hand in making this very special day come about. My mind hit the rewind button as I reflected on the very first such gathering of Rage and media, the one in December of 2004 that announced the formation of GST Sports, Inc. and introduced Majority Owners Tye Elliott and Scott Wilson to a skeptical array of TV sports anchors, scribes, and radio reporters who may have wondered about the wisdom of spending time hearing yet another story of promise from new owners of a so-called minor league team. As the newly appointed Director of Media Relations, I held my breath that day as I studied the entrance of the Locker Room Restaurant at Family Arena, hoping the media I had pounded the pavement to personally contact would be marching through the door one by one, microphones and cameras in hand, pens poised and ready, to get the news out to all that the Rage was up and running, this brand new bull was out of the chute and ready to ride to an NIFL title.
I remember that day well….KMOV-TV was there, as was KSDK-TV, News channel 20 and our friend Randy Gardner, Joe Lyons from the Post and Russell Korondo of the Journal….my friend and co-worker at KLOU, Michelle Holiday came by for moral support and to get a quote or two…and this newspaper was on hand to get word out to it’s readers about the new shift in power.
All in all, not bad that day, not bad for a start, but from that point on I knew the real work was all waiting ahead, and I wondered if we, if I…would be up to the challenge that lie ahead. The challenge to get fans in the seats, to get the media’s attention in a city that boasts of the Cardinals, the Rams, the Blues and a dozen other majors and minors sandwiched in between. Would the team be a winner?
Would the owners see the wisdom in involving themselves and their new upstart team with charitable causes and other worthy concerns? The ‘would-a’ I understood….all this was new…my apprehension involved the ‘could-a’ or even worse…the ‘should-a’…a new team could wither and die on that one! As I walked to my car on that cold winter’s day following that initial foray into the world of professional sports, I silently vowed to myself that I, for one, would not fall prey to that mode of thinking and would do everything in my power to ensure success for this new ownership group rolling the dice on everything from financial stability to personal sanity.
Well, everyone else associated with this team must have walked away that afternoon with many of the same thoughts in mind, because if you followed this football team in 2005, you know full well the impact it has had on the sports fan, the media and the metro area as a whole.
First of all, the team was a winner. Entering the playoffs with a record of 10-5 on the regular season, the Rage lost in double overtime in the opening round of the playoffs, but even that brutal slap in the face had some positive results. In the thrilling, nerve wracking, heart stopping loss, the crowd at Savvis Center and the welcome extended to us by the Savvis management was enough to prompt Tye and Scott to explore ways to make that venue our permanent home. The wheels were soon in motion to make it the reality being played out in front of me on Tuesday afternoon. Our owners threw themselves wholeheartedly into charities and found new, inspiring ways to use the football team and it’s sponsors to add joy and hope to the lives of those in need. We grew from a front office staff of three to a full time staff of six in less than a year, with individuals now available to lend their talents to promotions, sales and community involvement. The Rage became to ‘go-to’ franchise for the entire NIFL. Morris Groves our Director of Operations months ago was given the title of Director of Media Relations for the entire league, and handles all the website duties. I was recently selected as the new Information Director for the NIFL. Coach Mike Wyatt has been the Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year two years in a row, and last November added General Manager of the Year to his impressive resume. We have a full time mascot…Ragie the Bull…making appearances all over the metro area…we’ve added the Ragie Kids Club and a reading and educational program to our list of community activities…we instigated a program that honored high school players and teams with engraved plagues that were sent out every week…we grew, we built, we added…and hopped right under the radar gun of major league status with our latest move to Savvis Center. The next step, perhaps an NIFL Title, will put this team over the top!
So as I watched all the major television stations, radio outlets and news scribes come parading into the Savvis Club on Tuesday for our big announcement, as I saw the room begin to fill up with corporate sponsors, league officials, friends of the team, and even one wildly dressed super-fan, I remembered that similar, yet so vastly different day some 14 months ago. My gosh, how far we had all come….as I listened to Savvis Center VP and General Manager Dennis Petrullo make his opening remarks to get this magical day underway, I looked around the room and thought of how proud I was of my team, my owners, my coach, the players, and everyone who had given his or her heart and soul to this cause calling itself RiverCity Rage football.
“The Rage is a great addition to the sports scene in downtown St. Louis,” Petrullo began, “let’s welcome them to Savvis Center.”
The crowd began to applaud. I was kneeling down, off to the side of the podium taking notes for this article…when I did the only thing I could do…I stood up and began to join in.
Like that first step into the spotlight some 14 months prior, I mentally made note that the real work for this team was waiting ahead. That feeling, I couldn’t shake. The knowledge that this time around our team, this franchise, was ready for that challenge made it a lot easier to accept!
Lindenwood scores second consecutive stellar recruiting class
List of someday stars includes some of Missouri’s leading rushers, super sleepers and record breakers, All-Staters and future All-Americans
By: Mike McMurran
Sports Editor
Kelan Bannecke St. Louis, (Mo.) Lindbergh 6’3 195 WR
Big-framed receiver was two-time 1st team All-Suburban West selection; can make tough catches in traffic
Donnie Bridges St. Charles, (Mo.) St. Charles West 6’2 180 DB
One of the top players in the GAC North as a junior, sleeper missed entire senior year after preseason knee injury
Morgan Campbell Harrison, (Ark.) Wentworth Military 6’0 188 CB
Speedy 1st team All-MRVC pick at running back, after rushing for over 1200 yards and averaged 9.8 yds. per carry
Nathan Crossett St. Charles, (Mo.) Francis Howell 6’0 245 DE
1st team All-State Class 5 selection is one of the state’s top heavyweight wrestlers and a future D-Line star for LU
Taylor Dalby Lee’s Summit, (Mo.) West 5’10 175 WR
Fast-rising program at Lee’s Summit West sends 2nd team All-Suburban Mid Six pick to the Lions
Ryan Dalton Blue Springs, (Mo.) Blue Springs South 6’5 200 LB
Long and rangy with big upside, 2nd team All-Suburban Big Seven selection will play outside linebacker for LU
Josh Davis Dexter, (Mo.) Dexter 6’3 245 TE
Monster TE prospect was 1st team All-SEMO Central on both sides of the ball, with 75 tackles at LB and 20 receptions
Brandon Ellis Brentwood, (Mo.) Brentwood 5’11 185 RB
2nd team All-Metro pick ran for 1,798 yards in ten games to lead metro area; named 1st team All-State in Class 2
Tony Hall Shelbina, (Mo.) South Shelby 6’0 200 RB
Two-time 1st team All-State pick rushed for 2,652 yards and 35 TD’s as senior; ninth all-time single season in Missouri
Dan Harris Desloge, (Mo.) North County 6’1 195 RB
Fast and physical two-way player for one of the state’s top Class 4 programs scored 19 TD’s as a senior
Trevan Hombs Blue Springs, (Mo.) Blue Springs South 6’2 195 WR
Senior injuries limited Jaguar star to five games, but he still earned 1st team All-Suburban Big Seven honors at WR
Dwayne Glaspy Farmington, (Mo.) Farmington 6’3 225 TE
1st team All-Mississippi Area Red honoree has the look and athletic ability of a big-time TE/LB prospect
Austin Hulett Fenton, (Mo.) Rockwood Summit 6’0 180 WR
Versatile two-way performer earned All-Suburban South honors for solid Rockwood Summit program
Jeff Julian Blue Springs, (Mo.) Blue Springs South 6’2 190 OLB
One of state’s very best: two-time 1st team All-State Class 6, 2005 Buchanan Award winner in KC, intimidating hitter
Josh Kimrey Farmington, (Mo.) Farmington 6’0 185 DB
3rd team All-State Class 4 selection at QB, with 1287 passing yards and 500 on the ground, will play safety at LU
Lucas Kirkendoll Kansas City, (Mo.) Park Hill South 5’11 180 DB
1st team All-Suburban Big Six at LB and at RB, earned rep as huge hitter and sideline-to-sideline competitor for PHS
Oscar Mafuli Hazelwood, (Mo.) Hazelwood Central 6’2 220 ILB
One of the state’s top LB’s: 1st team All-State Class 6, 1st team All-Suburban North, 106 tackles, fast and intense
Drew Mannen Independence, (Mo.) William Chrisman 6’2 180 WR
Followed LU freshman Ben Kisner at QB for Chrisman, and had a huge year: 1439 passing, 1012 rushing, 29 TD’s
Will Meury Wentzville, (Mo.) Holt 5’11 200 RB
LU coaches are ecstatic about landing Meury, a rare package of size, speed and power - best kept secret in the state?
Nick Neeley Bonne Terre, (Mo.) North County 6’1 185 ATH
Great 4.5 speed athlete with huge star potential, four kickoff returns for TD’s the last two years - an impact player soon
Zach Palme Edwardsville, (Ill.) Edwardsville 6’3 225 DE
Big-framed, hand-on-the-ground player with toughness, 2nd team All-Metro DE, outstanding wrestler at 215 this winter
Jay Pope Ste. Genevieve, (Mo.) Valle Catholic 6’0 180 WR
Athletic two-time 2nd team All-State Class 1A selection, 1st team All-Mississippi Area Blue pick at DB and at WR
Tony Porto Port Orange, (Fla.) Father Lopez 6’1 190 OLB
2nd team All-State Class 2A, District Player of the Year, tremendous intensity and always around the football
Mike Redpath Carol Stream, (Ill.) Driscoll Catholic 6’1 185 DB
Conference and Team MVP for team which has won five straight state titles - explosive return specialist and hitter
William Royston Manchester, (Mo.) Parkway South 6’0 180 OLB
Suburban West Defensive Player of the Year earned 2nd team All-Metro and 1st team All-Conference honors at LB
Aaron Shepard Blue Springs, (Mo.) Blue Springs 6’0 255 C
Worked with Lion coaches at MU Camp during the summer, making an impression with his toughness and strength
Ronnell Simpson Hazelwood, (Mo.) Hazelwood West 6’1 270 OL
1st team All-Suburban North, 2nd team All-Metro, top heavyweight wrestler with good quicks and toughness
Nick Stemmler St. Louis, (Mo.) Bishop DuBourg 6’2 190 DE
Long and lean with a great motor, was named 1st team All-AAA League on both sides of the ball the last two years
Adam Stipanovich St. Charles, (Mo.) Orchard Farm 5’10 225 ILB
School’s all-time record holder in career tackles (330), single season tackles (150) and single game tackles (19)
Tory Thompson Palm Coast, (Fla.) Flagler Palm Coast 6’2
195 QB
3rd team All-State selection in Florida’s largest class threw for over 3,400 yards and 24 TD’s the last two seasons
Ryan Zimmerman St. Peters, (Mo.) Francis Howell Central 6’1 205 ILB
1st team All-GAC North selection is one of area’s top wrestlers at 215, and has the mean streak Lion coaches love at LB
Saint Louis Lions set tryouts for Premier Development League
By Mike McMurran
Sports Editor
The St. Louis Lions Soccer Club, St. Charles County’s contribution to the Premier Development League, will hold open tryouts February 18 and 19 at St. Dominic High School in O’Fallon.
A $25 tryout fee is required and players must be 17 or older to participate. Registration will begin each day at noon; tryouts will run from 1 to 4 p.m. Players interested in trying out are asked to contact the St. Louis Lions at 636.939.5151 or e-mail at tglavin@stlouislions.com prior to February 17.
The Lions are the newest members of the Premier Development League, which provides top players the opportunity to compete in a “professional setting” while maintaining their collegiate eligibility. The league allows for seven foreign players and for eight players over the age of 23. The core of each team’s 26-man roster will feature local players 23 and younger.
The Lions will play their home contests at the Tony Glavin Complex in Cotteville. The Lions will be coached by Tony Glavin.
Should Duchesne topple the Pirates, and I am not for a second saying they will, it will set up a Friday night rumble between two (conference) undefeated squads: Duchesne and St. Charles West. On Friday, February 17, the Warriors of St. Charles West (16-6, 4-0), led by sophomore phenom Kramer Soderberg (22.8 points per game) will travel to Duchesne for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off. Depending upon who beats whom, one team will walk away: conference champion, conference co-champions, or conference tri-champions. I wonder if Duchesne a.d. Dave Thurmer is selling advance tickets?
Ah, Super Bowl Sunday, it doesn’t get much better than that. For years Lynn and I attended a Super Bowl party “for adults only.” Since we didn’t have any kids it really didn’t matter – but then the latter half of the nineties presented itself; as Lynn likes to say: “I was pregnant for most of the second half of the 90’s.” She has a tendency to exaggerate. She was only pregnant 27 out of 60 months, clearly less than half. But back to the Super Bowl.
Once we started having children I felt uncomfortable leaving them behind on one of the holiest days of the year. I know this will sound sexist, and I suspect it is, but I remember holding both Joe (9 months old) and Dee (2 months old) during the introduction of players and playing of the national anthem for their first Super Bowls. It just seemed like the right thing to do. You see, I am a football guy. Football is directly responsible for the quality of my life. If you can understand that, then you too might be a football guy. If you can’t, well, we can’t all be football guys. Football guys want their sons to be exposed to football so that they too might become football guys. Notice I say, “exposed,” as opposed to “brain-washed,” as suggested by my good friend Robin Carroll. Both Joe and Dee were “exposed” to high school football locker rooms before they could walk. Both Joe and Dee attend one Rams’ game per year, at least one. Joe was at the NFC Title game when the Rams beat Philadelphia, so you can see, they both have been exposed to the game.
The exposure is beginning to reap benefits, as this past Sunday Joe sat on my one side and Dee on the other as the teams were introduced and the national anthem performed. Joe was cheering for the Steelers and Dee the Seahawks. Neither left the room during the first half unless it was to gather some of the “appetizers” their mom and sister had prepared. I suspect this would be the best time to interject that both Lynn and Maggie rushed into the room every time there was a break in the action and a commercial was on. Me, as a football guy, having one of my sons on either side of me and the Super Bowl on the tube, a fire burning in the fire place, plenty of snacks and cold Ultra, all I could think was “life doesn’t get much better than this.” Thank you God.
The Jeff Brown Era Begins. Will it Last
Beyond 2006?
By Louis J. Launer
On February 1, the Missouri River Otters made the uneventful announcement that former St. Louis Blues defenseman Jeff Brown was named the team’s head coach for the rest of the season. Brown was filling in as the interim coach after head coach Kevin Kaminski was fired during the all-star break. Kaminski was a fan favorite. But Brown was given a cool reception in his debut against both Adirondack and Port Huron. Brown is still looking toward the future to keep the faith and save some of the season, even though the chances of the River Otters making the playoffs are very dim.
“I’m extremely excited to be a part of professional hockey again,” said Brown. “I look forward to working with this group of players and believe we can have a lot of success over the second half of the season.”
The 39-year-old Brown spent 13 seasons in the National Hockey League with seven different teams, including the Blues. He played five seasons from 1989-1994 with the Blues, enjoying the most productive stretch of his career.
Before the game against Fort Wayne, the River Otters acquired defenseman Steve Makway as the second half of the deal that sent forward Dave Stewart to the Flint Generals.
“Steve will provide a physical presence for us on defense,” River Otters General Manager Frank Buonomo said. “He is a talented young player who will be a strong contributor on our blueline.”
The 22-year-old Makway played the first half of this season with Flint. His statistics include no goals, seven assists and 98 penalty minutes out of 27 games he played. Makway played last season with the Central Hockey League’s Laredo Bucks. Makway comes from British Columbia.
Makway was a scratch in both games last week against Fort Wayne and Motor City. In Friday’s game, Five different Fort Wayne Komet players scored in a 5-2 victory against the River Otters last Friday at the Family Arena. The Komets continue to extend their third place position by two more points ahead of last place Missouri.
After two Fort Wayne goals, the River Otters came back on a power play as Tim O’Connell fired a shot from the left point behind Komets goaltender Kevin St. Pierre. The Komets scored the lone two goals in the second period and extended their lead to 5-1 early in the third period. Mark Odut scored a too-little, too late goal on a Paul Falco assist.
Reed Low, who was assigned to the River Otters from the AHL Peoria Rivermen, fought once in the game, but it didn’t last long. The linesmen quickly intervened and broke it up. Low has been making his presence known with the Otters. It’s also evident from last week’s Fort Wayne Komet game that Low will be the target of many AA-level players who want the opportunity to take a shot at a former NHL player. Sources tell the First Capitol News that Low refused to be sent to the regular Rivermen’s AA affiliate in Anchorage, Alaska. Low is coming off a hand injury and most likely will remain a River Otter for the rest of the season.
Also acquired after the all-star break was right-winger Tim Kruekel from the Kalamazoo Wings. It was the completion of a deal that took place in December. Kruekel did get an assist in last Saturday’s game against Motor City. The Otters still lost, 6-2.
FINGER POINTING OR SOUR GRAPES: Success does have its downfalls. Successful teams attract fans. Die-hard loyal fans of teams after a few winning seasons will step it up a notch just to prolong the moment in the spotlight. But that spotlight can become rather mean. A few years ago, the Quad City Mallards were enjoying the success of a team that won 50 games in each of the five seasons from 1998 through 2002, including two Colonial Cups. Everyone said that the Mallards were favored by the officials during those years and allowed a few players to get rough and tough. This season, the Muskegon Fury, who have won three of the last four Colonial Cups is being accused by other teams, their fans and other newspapers, of cheating. Several teams became suspicious because the Fury has talent this season, the league’s best record so far and the fewest call-ups.
There has been no concrete evidence according to UHL Commissioner Richard Brosal. Brosal claims that other teams and their fans have been envious on Muskegon’s successes in the last four seasons.
This leads to some of the stuff going on here in Missouri. It’s turned out to be a lean season. Most fans are beginning to accept that. Even during the All-Star break, River Otters majority owner Mike Shanahan, Jr. admitted that his team was not good this year. But he’s not ashamed.
“My team is in last place,” he said. “Someone has to be there. It just happens to be us this year.”
While many fans are upset over the firing of Kevin Kaminski and equally upset with General Manager Frank Buonomo, some fans are realizing that some tough decisions had to be made. Some die-hard hockey fans who really enjoy the sport and attend the games to root for the team during the lean years realize that the Otters are looking toward the future. Jeff Brown might not be next year’s coach, but he is the coach for the remainder of the season, according to River Otters management.
Several fans also heard rumors that a few of the River Otter players have asked to be traded. The team refused to comment or identify those players. But management and some fans do agree that it’s not unusual for some players after a coaching change to want out of a team facing the worst record in the league.
Even owners of other teams who come to St. Charles appreciate what Missouri is trying to do. Michael Franke, majority owner of the Fort Wayne Komets believes that the River Otters will be around for a long time and fans should not worry about the record this season.
“Missouri appears to have some great fans,” Franke said. “They’ve had their troubles on the ice. They got some players further into the season and this team could turn around and be quite good in the second half of the season.”
IT’S OFFICIAL! RAGE READY TO BULL THROUGH 2006 AT SAVVIS CENTER
By Mike Thompson
I’ll borrow the phrase made famous by the late Cardinal broadcaster Jack Buck. “Pardon me while I stand and applaud.”
I couldn’t help but feel just that way as I watched the Savvis Center staff setting up the podium, tables, and seating chart for our press conference this past Tuesday, getting the Rage primed to greet media and sponsors for our big step into the big time. I thought about how this franchise had grown, the hard work that was the forte’ of every member of the staff, from front office to coaches, players, cheerleaders, interns, you name it…everyone associated with the RiverCity Rage had a big hand in making this very special day come about. My mind hit the rewind button as I reflected on the very first such gathering of Rage and media, the one in December of 2004 that announced the formation of GST Sports, Inc. and introduced Majority Owners Tye Elliott and Scott Wilson to a skeptical array of TV sports anchors, scribes, and radio reporters who may have wondered about the wisdom of spending time hearing yet another story of promise from new owners of a so-called minor league team. As the newly appointed Director of Media Relations, I held my breath that day as I studied the entrance of the Locker Room Restaurant at Family Arena, hoping the media I had pounded the pavement to personally contact would be marching through the door one by one, microphones and cameras in hand, pens poised and ready, to get the news out to all that the Rage was up and running, this brand new bull was out of the chute and ready to ride to an NIFL title.
I remember that day well….KMOV-TV was there, as was KSDK-TV, News channel 20 and our friend Randy Gardner, Joe Lyons from the Post and Russell Korondo of the Journal….my friend and co-worker at KLOU, Michelle Holiday came by for moral support and to get a quote or two…and this newspaper was on hand to get word out to it’s readers about the new shift in power.
All in all, not bad that day, not bad for a start, but from that point on I knew the real work was all waiting ahead, and I wondered if we, if I…would be up to the challenge that lie ahead. The challenge to get fans in the seats, to get the media’s attention in a city that boasts of the Cardinals, the Rams, the Blues and a dozen other majors and minors sandwiched in between. Would the team be a winner?
Would the owners see the wisdom in involving themselves and their new upstart team with charitable causes and other worthy concerns? The ‘would-a’ I understood….all this was new…my apprehension involved the ‘could-a’ or even worse…the ‘should-a’…a new team could wither and die on that one! As I walked to my car on that cold winter’s day following that initial foray into the world of professional sports, I silently vowed to myself that I, for one, would not fall prey to that mode of thinking and would do everything in my power to ensure success for this new ownership group rolling the dice on everything from financial stability to personal sanity.
Well, everyone else associated with this team must have walked away that afternoon with many of the same thoughts in mind, because if you followed this football team in 2005, you know full well the impact it has had on the sports fan, the media and the metro area as a whole.
First of all, the team was a winner. Entering the playoffs with a record of 10-5 on the regular season, the Rage lost in double overtime in the opening round of the playoffs, but even that brutal slap in the face had some positive results. In the thrilling, nerve wracking, heart stopping loss, the crowd at Savvis Center and the welcome extended to us by the Savvis management was enough to prompt Tye and Scott to explore ways to make that venue our permanent home. The wheels were soon in motion to make it the reality being played out in front of me on Tuesday afternoon. Our owners threw themselves wholeheartedly into charities and found new, inspiring ways to use the football team and it’s sponsors to add joy and hope to the lives of those in need. We grew from a front office staff of three to a full time staff of six in less than a year, with individuals now available to lend their talents to promotions, sales and community involvement. The Rage became to ‘go-to’ franchise for the entire NIFL. Morris Groves our Director of Operations months ago was given the title of Director of Media Relations for the entire league, and handles all the website duties. I was recently selected as the new Information Director for the NIFL. Coach Mike Wyatt has been the Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year two years in a row, and last November added General Manager of the Year to his impressive resume. We have a full time mascot…Ragie the Bull…making appearances all over the metro area…we’ve added the Ragie Kids Club and a reading and educational program to our list of community activities…we instigated a program that honored high school players and teams with engraved plagues that were sent out every week…we grew, we built, we added…and hopped right under the radar gun of major league status with our latest move to Savvis Center. The next step, perhaps an NIFL Title, will put this team over the top!
So as I watched all the major television stations, radio outlets and news scribes come parading into the Savvis Club on Tuesday for our big announcement, as I saw the room begin to fill up with corporate sponsors, league officials, friends of the team, and even one wildly dressed super-fan, I remembered that similar, yet so vastly different day some 14 months ago. My gosh, how far we had all come….as I listened to Savvis Center VP and General Manager Dennis Petrullo make his opening remarks to get this magical day underway, I looked around the room and thought of how proud I was of my team, my owners, my coach, the players, and everyone who had given his or her heart and soul to this cause calling itself RiverCity Rage football.
“The Rage is a great addition to the sports scene in downtown St. Louis,” Petrullo began, “let’s welcome them to Savvis Center.”
The crowd began to applaud. I was kneeling down, off to the side of the podium taking notes for this article…when I did the only thing I could do…I stood up and began to join in.
Like that first step into the spotlight some 14 months prior, I mentally made note that the real work for this team was waiting ahead. That feeling, I couldn’t shake. The knowledge that this time around our team, this franchise, was ready for that challenge made it a lot easier to accept!
Lindenwood scores second consecutive stellar recruiting class
List of someday stars includes some of Missouri’s leading rushers, super sleepers and record breakers, All-Staters and future All-Americans
By: Mike McMurran
Sports Editor
Kelan Bannecke St. Louis, (Mo.) Lindbergh 6’3 195 WR
Big-framed receiver was two-time 1st team All-Suburban West selection; can make tough catches in traffic
Donnie Bridges St. Charles, (Mo.) St. Charles West 6’2 180 DB
One of the top players in the GAC North as a junior, sleeper missed entire senior year after preseason knee injury
Morgan Campbell Harrison, (Ark.) Wentworth Military 6’0 188 CB
Speedy 1st team All-MRVC pick at running back, after rushing for over 1200 yards and averaged 9.8 yds. per carry
Nathan Crossett St. Charles, (Mo.) Francis Howell 6’0 245 DE
1st team All-State Class 5 selection is one of the state’s top heavyweight wrestlers and a future D-Line star for LU
Taylor Dalby Lee’s Summit, (Mo.) West 5’10 175 WR
Fast-rising program at Lee’s Summit West sends 2nd team All-Suburban Mid Six pick to the Lions
Ryan Dalton Blue Springs, (Mo.) Blue Springs South 6’5 200 LB
Long and rangy with big upside, 2nd team All-Suburban Big Seven selection will play outside linebacker for LU
Josh Davis Dexter, (Mo.) Dexter 6’3 245 TE
Monster TE prospect was 1st team All-SEMO Central on both sides of the ball, with 75 tackles at LB and 20 receptions
Brandon Ellis Brentwood, (Mo.) Brentwood 5’11 185 RB
2nd team All-Metro pick ran for 1,798 yards in ten games to lead metro area; named 1st team All-State in Class 2
Tony Hall Shelbina, (Mo.) South Shelby 6’0 200 RB
Two-time 1st team All-State pick rushed for 2,652 yards and 35 TD’s as senior; ninth all-time single season in Missouri
Dan Harris Desloge, (Mo.) North County 6’1 195 RB
Fast and physical two-way player for one of the state’s top Class 4 programs scored 19 TD’s as a senior
Trevan Hombs Blue Springs, (Mo.) Blue Springs South 6’2 195 WR
Senior injuries limited Jaguar star to five games, but he still earned 1st team All-Suburban Big Seven honors at WR
Dwayne Glaspy Farmington, (Mo.) Farmington 6’3 225 TE
1st team All-Mississippi Area Red honoree has the look and athletic ability of a big-time TE/LB prospect
Austin Hulett Fenton, (Mo.) Rockwood Summit 6’0 180 WR
Versatile two-way performer earned All-Suburban South honors for solid Rockwood Summit program
Jeff Julian Blue Springs, (Mo.) Blue Springs South 6’2 190 OLB
One of state’s very best: two-time 1st team All-State Class 6, 2005 Buchanan Award winner in KC, intimidating hitter
Josh Kimrey Farmington, (Mo.) Farmington 6’0 185 DB
3rd team All-State Class 4 selection at QB, with 1287 passing yards and 500 on the ground, will play safety at LU
Lucas Kirkendoll Kansas City, (Mo.) Park Hill South 5’11 180 DB
1st team All-Suburban Big Six at LB and at RB, earned rep as huge hitter and sideline-to-sideline competitor for PHS
Oscar Mafuli Hazelwood, (Mo.) Hazelwood Central 6’2 220 ILB
One of the state’s top LB’s: 1st team All-State Class 6, 1st team All-Suburban North, 106 tackles, fast and intense
Drew Mannen Independence, (Mo.) William Chrisman 6’2 180 WR
Followed LU freshman Ben Kisner at QB for Chrisman, and had a huge year: 1439 passing, 1012 rushing, 29 TD’s
Will Meury Wentzville, (Mo.) Holt 5’11 200 RB
LU coaches are ecstatic about landing Meury, a rare package of size, speed and power - best kept secret in the state?
Nick Neeley Bonne Terre, (Mo.) North County 6’1 185 ATH
Great 4.5 speed athlete with huge star potential, four kickoff returns for TD’s the last two years - an impact player soon
Zach Palme Edwardsville, (Ill.) Edwardsville 6’3 225 DE
Big-framed, hand-on-the-ground player with toughness, 2nd team All-Metro DE, outstanding wrestler at 215 this winter
Jay Pope Ste. Genevieve, (Mo.) Valle Catholic 6’0 180 WR
Athletic two-time 2nd team All-State Class 1A selection, 1st team All-Mississippi Area Blue pick at DB and at WR
Tony Porto Port Orange, (Fla.) Father Lopez 6’1 190 OLB
2nd team All-State Class 2A, District Player of the Year, tremendous intensity and always around the football
Mike Redpath Carol Stream, (Ill.) Driscoll Catholic 6’1 185 DB
Conference and Team MVP for team which has won five straight state titles - explosive return specialist and hitter
William Royston Manchester, (Mo.) Parkway South 6’0 180 OLB
Suburban West Defensive Player of the Year earned 2nd team All-Metro and 1st team All-Conference honors at LB
Aaron Shepard Blue Springs, (Mo.) Blue Springs 6’0 255 C
Worked with Lion coaches at MU Camp during the summer, making an impression with his toughness and strength
Ronnell Simpson Hazelwood, (Mo.) Hazelwood West 6’1 270 OL
1st team All-Suburban North, 2nd team All-Metro, top heavyweight wrestler with good quicks and toughness
Nick Stemmler St. Louis, (Mo.) Bishop DuBourg 6’2 190 DE
Long and lean with a great motor, was named 1st team All-AAA League on both sides of the ball the last two years
Adam Stipanovich St. Charles, (Mo.) Orchard Farm 5’10 225 ILB
School’s all-time record holder in career tackles (330), single season tackles (150) and single game tackles (19)
Tory Thompson Palm Coast, (Fla.) Flagler Palm Coast 6’2
195 QB
3rd team All-State selection in Florida’s largest class threw for over 3,400 yards and 24 TD’s the last two seasons
Ryan Zimmerman St. Peters, (Mo.) Francis Howell Central 6’1 205 ILB
1st team All-GAC North selection is one of area’s top wrestlers at 215, and has the mean streak Lion coaches love at LB
Saint Louis Lions set tryouts for Premier Development League
By Mike McMurran
Sports Editor
The St. Louis Lions Soccer Club, St. Charles County’s contribution to the Premier Development League, will hold open tryouts February 18 and 19 at St. Dominic High School in O’Fallon.
A $25 tryout fee is required and players must be 17 or older to participate. Registration will begin each day at noon; tryouts will run from 1 to 4 p.m. Players interested in trying out are asked to contact the St. Louis Lions at 636.939.5151 or e-mail at tglavin@stlouislions.com prior to February 17.
The Lions are the newest members of the Premier Development League, which provides top players the opportunity to compete in a “professional setting” while maintaining their collegiate eligibility. The league allows for seven foreign players and for eight players over the age of 23. The core of each team’s 26-man roster will feature local players 23 and younger.
The Lions will play their home contests at the Tony Glavin Complex in Cotteville. The Lions will be coached by Tony Glavin.
NEWS NOTES
..St. Charles Barber College Now Open
Leo Price and his family celebrated the grand opening of the St. Charles Barber College with a ribbon cutting on Monday, February 6th. Joining Leo were Ambassadors with the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce. St. Charles Barber College is located at 1022 S. Benton, in the lower level of the 5th Street Plaza. For more information on the training and services offered by St. Charles Barber College, call 636-724-7670.
St. Charles Kiwanis Club All You Can Eat Pancake and Sausage Day on Tuesday Feb. 28th
The St. Charles Kiwanis Club will hold their annual “All You Can Eat” Pancake and Sausage Day on Tuesday, the 28th of February. The Kiwanis have been holding this event for over 50 years. The event runs from 6 am to 7 pm at Blanchette Park in Memorial Hall.
This is the main fundraiser of the year for the St. Charles Kiwanis Club.
The Lindenwood Circle K. Club, the Key Clubs from St. Charles West and Duchesne High Schools as well as the Aktion Club also help out.
For tickets call, Ron Reiling at 949-5990 or Sue Gamache at 946-9399 or John Pallardy at 922-9090.
Lindenwood Student Going To Japan
The international division of the Boy Scouts of America has selected Lindenwood student Paul Lee to attend the International Youth Forum in Japan March 1-13.
The international event is bi-annual and draws 200 scouts from 26 countries. Various topics will be discussed regarding different cultures and lifestyles within and outside of scouting. This year’s theme is “New Century, New Beginning.”
In addition, Lee will participate in the SAJ-BSA exchange program, which will allow him to tour historic sites and ancient cities in Japan, enjoy hospitality with a Japanese family and fellowship with scouts and leaders from across Japan. Lee has also been selected to make courtesy calls to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
Lee, an Eagle Scout, is majoring in Human Service Agency Management at Lindenwood. He is president of the presidential honor service society, president of American Humanics and vice president of Circle K International.
Saint Charles Humane Society Seeks Counselors for Critter Camp
Counselors are needed for the Saint Charles Humane Society’s Critter Camp. The camp will be held this summer from June 19th until the 30th. The camp is held Monday thru Friday with a one-day training session on Saturday, June 17th. Counselors 16 years- of-age and older are encouraged to apply. For more information contact Alicia at 636/949-9918 or alicia.eurich@stcharleshumanesociety.org. The Saint Charles Humane Society is located at 1099 Pralle Lane.
The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary’s Boating skills and Seamanship (BS&S) course is a comprehensive course designed for both the experienced and the novice boater. The course consists of 8 core classes, providing up-to-date knowledge for handling boats in all conditions. Course satisfies state certification required for boating operation for anyone 14 or older. Many insurance companies will offer discounts on boat insurance to individuals who successfully complete this course.
Classes are held at Lewis and Clark Tech School, St. Charles Classes begin on Thursday, February 23rd, 2006 7:pm - 9 pm. It is an 8 week course.
* Which Boat Is For You?
* Equipment For Your Boat
* Trailering Your Boat
* Handling Your Boat
* Your “Highway” Signs
* The Rules You Must Follow
* Inland Boating
* The Rest of Our Story
* Introduction to Navigation
* Powering Your Boat
* Lines & Knots For Your Boat
* Weather & Boating
* Your Boat’s Radio
For information or registration call: 314-837-8483 or 636-947-1637.
Friday, February 03, 2006
FIRST CAPITOL NEWS FRONT PAGE - February 4, 2006
This is a large image and make take time to open. To enlarge image click twice on it. TO READ ENTIRE EDITION JUST SCROLL DOWN.
First Capitol News Goes Daily On The Internet
Daily News will be available in our e-edition
Effective, Monday, February 6th, the First Capitol News will be providing daily local news on the Internet. Readers will be able to obtain the latest local news that occurs in and around St. Charles by logging onto the newspaper’s e-edition daily news web log at firstcapitolnews-today.blogspot.com.
First Capitol News publisher, Phyllis Schaltenbrand said, “We are entering our six year of weekly publication and there have been tremendous changes in our industry. One of the most prevalent is the use of the Internet to reach our readers. Since November of 2004 we have provided the full edition of the weekly First Capitol News on our web log, firstcapitolnews.blogspot.com. We will still be offering the full weekly edition on that web log but now we are adding a daily news update on firstcapitolnews-today.blogspot.com. St. Charles is an exciting community and we are proud to be a part of it and hope our readers continue to enjoy our newspaper either in the print edition on our e-edition.”
Previous editions of the newspaper are archived on the web log, firstcapitolnews.blogspot.com back to November of 2004. A reader can read a complete edition of the net just by scrolling down the page.
“Some of the files for the photos and graphics on our web logs are large and may take a few moments to open,” said Phyllis. “We are continually trying to improve our newspaper and are open to suggestions and recommendations from our readers.”
The First Capitol News welcomes any suggestions on how we can improve our product.
Read the First Capitol News weekly edition on the Internet........archived to November 2004
firstcapitolnews.blogspot.com
Read daily breaking news in St. Charles, Missouri as provided by the FIRST CAPITOL NEWS
firstcapitolnews-today.blogspot.com
Effective, Monday, February 6th, the First Capitol News will be providing daily local news on the Internet. Readers will be able to obtain the latest local news that occurs in and around St. Charles by logging onto the newspaper’s e-edition daily news web log at firstcapitolnews-today.blogspot.com.
First Capitol News publisher, Phyllis Schaltenbrand said, “We are entering our six year of weekly publication and there have been tremendous changes in our industry. One of the most prevalent is the use of the Internet to reach our readers. Since November of 2004 we have provided the full edition of the weekly First Capitol News on our web log, firstcapitolnews.blogspot.com. We will still be offering the full weekly edition on that web log but now we are adding a daily news update on firstcapitolnews-today.blogspot.com. St. Charles is an exciting community and we are proud to be a part of it and hope our readers continue to enjoy our newspaper either in the print edition on our e-edition.”
Previous editions of the newspaper are archived on the web log, firstcapitolnews.blogspot.com back to November of 2004. A reader can read a complete edition of the net just by scrolling down the page.
“Some of the files for the photos and graphics on our web logs are large and may take a few moments to open,” said Phyllis. “We are continually trying to improve our newspaper and are open to suggestions and recommendations from our readers.”
The First Capitol News welcomes any suggestions on how we can improve our product.
Read the First Capitol News weekly edition on the Internet........archived to November 2004
firstcapitolnews.blogspot.com
Read daily breaking news in St. Charles, Missouri as provided by the FIRST CAPITOL NEWS
firstcapitolnews-today.blogspot.com
City Council Addresses Eminent Domain
“This is the opposite of Robin Hood, with Eminent Domain its taking from the poor and giving to the rich.”, John Gieseke
By Phyllis Schaltenbrand
The St. Charles City Council has a bill for final passage on the agenda that limits the ability to use Eminent Domain for Economic Development. Eminent Domain has become a hot topic across the nation since the Supreme Court ruled the local municipalities could take private property and give it to developers for economic development. Councilman John Gieseke sponsored the original bill and brought it forward after the local owner of the Dairy Queen spoke at a council meeting. The owner voiced concerns that he as well as any other business owners could lose their business at the whim of the local officials and developers.
Gieseke said, “If you have a viable business then eminent domain should not be an option.” Gieseke told the FCN, “I think it is important to let the small business owners know that we value them as much as the big developers. In the past we have seen numerous benefits given to large companies but when it comes to the businesses owned and operated by local small businessmen we fall short. In fact we penalize them because we see them as dispensable when large developers come to town wanting to build.”
Councilman Joe Koester, Ward 9, and Councilman Bob Kneemiller, Ward 4, made amendments to the bill. Eminent Domain has been on the agenda for over 3 months waiting for discussion at the January work session. “The bill is designed to protect the little guy when these big money developers come in and want to take their business,” said Councilman Mark Brown, Ward 3. The bill will limit the use of eminent domain for economic development. The use of eminent domain when buildings are in disrepair for a period of time, when it will take over 50 percent of appraised value to repair or when the building is rental property will still be available.
Councilman Joe Koester, says “This bill will allow for the use of eminent domain in cases where we have blight. It is important not to take the positives of this tool away but it shouldn’t be used at the detriment of our small business owners.”
Councilman Gieseke stated, “This is the opposite of Robin Hood, its taking from the poor and giving to the rich. The big developers have deep pockets and they have numerous lawyers and the little guy just has to give up. That’s not what America is about.” According to those in favor of the bill, they feel that this memorializes the resolution that prevents the taking of someone's home as well as protecting the businesses that have helped make St. Charles what it is today.
By Phyllis Schaltenbrand
The St. Charles City Council has a bill for final passage on the agenda that limits the ability to use Eminent Domain for Economic Development. Eminent Domain has become a hot topic across the nation since the Supreme Court ruled the local municipalities could take private property and give it to developers for economic development. Councilman John Gieseke sponsored the original bill and brought it forward after the local owner of the Dairy Queen spoke at a council meeting. The owner voiced concerns that he as well as any other business owners could lose their business at the whim of the local officials and developers.
Gieseke said, “If you have a viable business then eminent domain should not be an option.” Gieseke told the FCN, “I think it is important to let the small business owners know that we value them as much as the big developers. In the past we have seen numerous benefits given to large companies but when it comes to the businesses owned and operated by local small businessmen we fall short. In fact we penalize them because we see them as dispensable when large developers come to town wanting to build.”
Councilman Joe Koester, Ward 9, and Councilman Bob Kneemiller, Ward 4, made amendments to the bill. Eminent Domain has been on the agenda for over 3 months waiting for discussion at the January work session. “The bill is designed to protect the little guy when these big money developers come in and want to take their business,” said Councilman Mark Brown, Ward 3. The bill will limit the use of eminent domain for economic development. The use of eminent domain when buildings are in disrepair for a period of time, when it will take over 50 percent of appraised value to repair or when the building is rental property will still be available.
Councilman Joe Koester, says “This bill will allow for the use of eminent domain in cases where we have blight. It is important not to take the positives of this tool away but it shouldn’t be used at the detriment of our small business owners.”
Councilman Gieseke stated, “This is the opposite of Robin Hood, its taking from the poor and giving to the rich. The big developers have deep pockets and they have numerous lawyers and the little guy just has to give up. That’s not what America is about.” According to those in favor of the bill, they feel that this memorializes the resolution that prevents the taking of someone's home as well as protecting the businesses that have helped make St. Charles what it is today.
Their Goal- Complete Control Of City Government & $100 Million of Taxpayer Funds
The Secret Society
Citizens For Responsible Community
St. Charles Citizens For Responsible Government
Citizens Empowerment Committee
Do The Right Thing
My Opinion
By Tony Brockmeyer
In April of 2004 a City Council election was held in St. Charles. A number of St. Louis Developers spent $107,000 in an apparent effort to buy City Council Seats (see FCN April 5, 2004). The Mayor of St. Charles Patti York helped fund a Mudslinging Campaign against candidates she opposed and she gave $2,300 to a group who sent out negative mailers (see FCN April 5, 2004) A Secret Society That Selects Council Candidates interviewed candidates to select those they felt worthy (see FCN April 5, 2004).
It appears that for several years a group of select individuals had maintained control of City Government and the $100 million City budget. Many of these individuals belonged to a loose knit group that we (FCN) referred to as the Secret Society. We don’t know who all the members of the Secret Society are but members included, John Deal, Hyatt Bangert, Ed Pundmann, Tom Hughes, Bill Weber, Nancy Matheny, Don Boehmer, Ernie Dempsey, Kevin Kast, and Ray Harmon (deceased).
The Secret Society apparently liked to meet in member’s basements and worked diligently to stay out of the public eye and keep their group closeted. In the April 2004 election several of their candidates were defeated and their control slipped away. This was evidently more than they could handle. They apparently had to do something about it. We will probably never know the full extent of their activities but we have been able to piece together some of them. Their evident goal, regain control of the City Council and with that the $100 million in taxpayer funds.
Then along came Citizens for Responsible Community with Carl Maus, Raymond Stone, Richard Blalock and others. They started a petition drive, started attending St. Charles City Council meetings, tried to berate Council members, became friendly with Mayor York and her husband, used her private office in City Hall while Council Meetings were being conducted, attended functions with the Mayor and generally got involved in City business and became a nuisance to City Council members who they opposed. This was the group that the Mayor gave $2,300 to and who sent out vicious mailings against City Council candidates during the election. And they don’t and didn’t even live in St. Charles.
These political hit men evidently caught the attention of several wealthy developers from St. Louis County who provided them with a great deal of money. They became attached to the Great Rivers Habitat Alliance headed by Adolphus Busch, Don Musick and Glennon Jamboretz. Jamboretz brought Ken Kielty along as his gofer.
They then became involved in elections in St. Peters were they were successful in defeating Mayor Tom Brown in favor of their candidate Shawn Brown. Thousands of dollars were spent in a court challenge to keep Shawn’s name on the ballot.
They jumped into O’Fallon with both feet and got the pipe lady, Donna Morrow, elected Mayor and were also successful in electing several aldermen.
Along came St. Chuck Watch, a vicious web log that was used to defile everyone who dared speak out against the Mayor or any of her favorite Councilmen, Kneemiller, Muench, Weller and Reese. Tom Hayden, a confidant of the Mayor and the campaign manager for City Councilman Mike Weller, allegedly headed St. Chuck Watch. Several meetings were held in the public meeting room in police headquarters and Hayden reserved the rooms in his name for St. Chuck Watch. City Council Special Counsel. Eric Tolen, recently filed suit against Hayden for remarks about Tolen that were published on St. Chuck Watch. A motion to dismiss the suit claiming Hayden was not responsible for the web log was filed by high priced lawyers who were representing Hayden. The Judge presiding over the suit denied their motion to dismiss and the suit is moving forward.
The next voice heard was Linda Meyer, the wife of a St. Charles Police Officer who had been the president of the St. Charles Police Officers Association. Paula Eberhardt joined with her along with former Councilman Richard Baum, former Councilman Dan Gould, former Council candidate Gary Robinson (who was defeated by Mark Brown) and they called their group, Citizens Empowerment Committee. They immediately started recall efforts against Councilwoman Dottie Greer and later against Councilman Mark Brown.
Citizens Empowerment Committee began spending money like they had an endless supply. They hired people to go out and collect voter signatures on recall petitions. Money was seemingly funneled to them from the City in what amounted to the Mayor paying City funds to Lafayette Partnership, a fictitious name company, as per a contract to Sarah Collins and Associates, both evidently owned by Jamboretz who then passed the funds to his and Kielty’s group the St. Charles Citizens for Responsible Government, who then passed it onto Linda Meyer and the Citizens Empowerment Committee. It appeared that the recall efforts were being funded with taxpayer funds.
Because of what appeared to be discrepancies in the recall signature collection and petitions Council President Rory Riddler requested a police investigation. The investigation into Council woman Greer’s recall is about to be wrapped up and according to our sources will be presented to St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney Jack Banas.
People have been taken into custody and allegedly forgeries have been discovered. Others, whose names were on the petitions claim they never signed them. Petition solicitors have been paid as much as $3,750 on a per signature basis. Meyer and Eberhardt have been paid for soliciting signatures as well as Meyer paying herself $1,000 for signature collecting and $1,100 for bookkeeping for the group (FCN January 28, 2005)
As soon as the investigation on Dottie Greer’s recall is completed, one will begin involving the recall of Councilman Mark Brown. Additional information and verification of this information can be found in the last several issues available on the Internet at firstcapitolnews.blogspot.com
It has also been reported that Meyer is planning on running for Greer’s Council seat in the event she (Meyer) is successful in having Greer recalled.
It wasn’t long after the birth of the Citizens Empowerment Committee before Glennon Jamboretz and Ken Kielty started St. Charles Citizens For Responsible Government. It’s stated purpose was for the recall of St. Charles officials. The money they reportedly received to date came from Jamboretz and could have been the City money Lafayette Partnership received from the Mayor (FCN October 8, 2005). Tom Hughes also provided this group with funds. Kielty is a former Councilman and owned the St. Charles State License Office. He also deals in the adoption of babies from Russia. According to St. Charles police, a threatening call to Bob Bredensteiner after a letter from Bredensteiner was published in the First Capitol News came from a telephone registered to Kielty (FCN November 5, 2005). During the police investigation Kielty refused to answer any questions or meet with the police on the advice of his attorney, Mike Kielty. Probably fearing the possible damage to the Citizens Empowerment Committee that could result from the police investigation and expected arrests, another committee was formed. They chose to call this one, Do The Right Thing. Headed by Tom Hughes, Tom Hayden and Kevin Kast, the former head of St. Joseph Health Center in St. Charles, Do The Right Thing members began in earnest attempts to bully and embarrass Council members who have steadfastly refused them access to the City Treasury or have denied them special favors. Do The Right Thing members attended recent council meetings, they were loud and obnoxious, shouting and trying to interrupt the Council and acted worse than spoiled children.
The members of this group, along with the Mayor and our current City Administrator Allan Williams, who refuses to leave office after his contract was not renewed, need to be investigated and made to answer for their actions and sweet heart deals.
The members of these associated groups have apparently attempted to harass and embarrass and according to one Councilman, even bribe members of the City Council who do not agree with their wishes.
They have a goal. That goal is complete control of St. Charles City Government and the $100 million of taxpayer money. They want to be able to return St. Charles to the way it was before the City had Council members who were truly watching out for the interests of the taxpayers. These associated and intermingled members of these groups, along with the Mayor, believe they can achieve their goal by recalling members of the Council and replacing them with their puppets who will follow in lockstep.
In April of 2007, if the City Charter is not changed, it appears they plan to elect Kevin Kast to the office of Mayor. In order to succeed they have to have the Mayor’s salary raised to more than $125,000 so their candidate will feel worthy of the office.
There is only one thing standing in their way. The voters of St. Charles. What will you do?
Please read “The Secret Society” a reprint of the Conservative Factor by Alex Spencer from the April 6, 2004 edition of the First Capitol News. Starts on Page 12.
Citizens For Responsible Community
St. Charles Citizens For Responsible Government
Citizens Empowerment Committee
Do The Right Thing
My Opinion
By Tony Brockmeyer
In April of 2004 a City Council election was held in St. Charles. A number of St. Louis Developers spent $107,000 in an apparent effort to buy City Council Seats (see FCN April 5, 2004). The Mayor of St. Charles Patti York helped fund a Mudslinging Campaign against candidates she opposed and she gave $2,300 to a group who sent out negative mailers (see FCN April 5, 2004) A Secret Society That Selects Council Candidates interviewed candidates to select those they felt worthy (see FCN April 5, 2004).
It appears that for several years a group of select individuals had maintained control of City Government and the $100 million City budget. Many of these individuals belonged to a loose knit group that we (FCN) referred to as the Secret Society. We don’t know who all the members of the Secret Society are but members included, John Deal, Hyatt Bangert, Ed Pundmann, Tom Hughes, Bill Weber, Nancy Matheny, Don Boehmer, Ernie Dempsey, Kevin Kast, and Ray Harmon (deceased).
The Secret Society apparently liked to meet in member’s basements and worked diligently to stay out of the public eye and keep their group closeted. In the April 2004 election several of their candidates were defeated and their control slipped away. This was evidently more than they could handle. They apparently had to do something about it. We will probably never know the full extent of their activities but we have been able to piece together some of them. Their evident goal, regain control of the City Council and with that the $100 million in taxpayer funds.
Then along came Citizens for Responsible Community with Carl Maus, Raymond Stone, Richard Blalock and others. They started a petition drive, started attending St. Charles City Council meetings, tried to berate Council members, became friendly with Mayor York and her husband, used her private office in City Hall while Council Meetings were being conducted, attended functions with the Mayor and generally got involved in City business and became a nuisance to City Council members who they opposed. This was the group that the Mayor gave $2,300 to and who sent out vicious mailings against City Council candidates during the election. And they don’t and didn’t even live in St. Charles.
These political hit men evidently caught the attention of several wealthy developers from St. Louis County who provided them with a great deal of money. They became attached to the Great Rivers Habitat Alliance headed by Adolphus Busch, Don Musick and Glennon Jamboretz. Jamboretz brought Ken Kielty along as his gofer.
They then became involved in elections in St. Peters were they were successful in defeating Mayor Tom Brown in favor of their candidate Shawn Brown. Thousands of dollars were spent in a court challenge to keep Shawn’s name on the ballot.
They jumped into O’Fallon with both feet and got the pipe lady, Donna Morrow, elected Mayor and were also successful in electing several aldermen.
Along came St. Chuck Watch, a vicious web log that was used to defile everyone who dared speak out against the Mayor or any of her favorite Councilmen, Kneemiller, Muench, Weller and Reese. Tom Hayden, a confidant of the Mayor and the campaign manager for City Councilman Mike Weller, allegedly headed St. Chuck Watch. Several meetings were held in the public meeting room in police headquarters and Hayden reserved the rooms in his name for St. Chuck Watch. City Council Special Counsel. Eric Tolen, recently filed suit against Hayden for remarks about Tolen that were published on St. Chuck Watch. A motion to dismiss the suit claiming Hayden was not responsible for the web log was filed by high priced lawyers who were representing Hayden. The Judge presiding over the suit denied their motion to dismiss and the suit is moving forward.
The next voice heard was Linda Meyer, the wife of a St. Charles Police Officer who had been the president of the St. Charles Police Officers Association. Paula Eberhardt joined with her along with former Councilman Richard Baum, former Councilman Dan Gould, former Council candidate Gary Robinson (who was defeated by Mark Brown) and they called their group, Citizens Empowerment Committee. They immediately started recall efforts against Councilwoman Dottie Greer and later against Councilman Mark Brown.
Citizens Empowerment Committee began spending money like they had an endless supply. They hired people to go out and collect voter signatures on recall petitions. Money was seemingly funneled to them from the City in what amounted to the Mayor paying City funds to Lafayette Partnership, a fictitious name company, as per a contract to Sarah Collins and Associates, both evidently owned by Jamboretz who then passed the funds to his and Kielty’s group the St. Charles Citizens for Responsible Government, who then passed it onto Linda Meyer and the Citizens Empowerment Committee. It appeared that the recall efforts were being funded with taxpayer funds.
Because of what appeared to be discrepancies in the recall signature collection and petitions Council President Rory Riddler requested a police investigation. The investigation into Council woman Greer’s recall is about to be wrapped up and according to our sources will be presented to St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney Jack Banas.
People have been taken into custody and allegedly forgeries have been discovered. Others, whose names were on the petitions claim they never signed them. Petition solicitors have been paid as much as $3,750 on a per signature basis. Meyer and Eberhardt have been paid for soliciting signatures as well as Meyer paying herself $1,000 for signature collecting and $1,100 for bookkeeping for the group (FCN January 28, 2005)
As soon as the investigation on Dottie Greer’s recall is completed, one will begin involving the recall of Councilman Mark Brown. Additional information and verification of this information can be found in the last several issues available on the Internet at firstcapitolnews.blogspot.com
It has also been reported that Meyer is planning on running for Greer’s Council seat in the event she (Meyer) is successful in having Greer recalled.
It wasn’t long after the birth of the Citizens Empowerment Committee before Glennon Jamboretz and Ken Kielty started St. Charles Citizens For Responsible Government. It’s stated purpose was for the recall of St. Charles officials. The money they reportedly received to date came from Jamboretz and could have been the City money Lafayette Partnership received from the Mayor (FCN October 8, 2005). Tom Hughes also provided this group with funds. Kielty is a former Councilman and owned the St. Charles State License Office. He also deals in the adoption of babies from Russia. According to St. Charles police, a threatening call to Bob Bredensteiner after a letter from Bredensteiner was published in the First Capitol News came from a telephone registered to Kielty (FCN November 5, 2005). During the police investigation Kielty refused to answer any questions or meet with the police on the advice of his attorney, Mike Kielty. Probably fearing the possible damage to the Citizens Empowerment Committee that could result from the police investigation and expected arrests, another committee was formed. They chose to call this one, Do The Right Thing. Headed by Tom Hughes, Tom Hayden and Kevin Kast, the former head of St. Joseph Health Center in St. Charles, Do The Right Thing members began in earnest attempts to bully and embarrass Council members who have steadfastly refused them access to the City Treasury or have denied them special favors. Do The Right Thing members attended recent council meetings, they were loud and obnoxious, shouting and trying to interrupt the Council and acted worse than spoiled children.
The members of this group, along with the Mayor and our current City Administrator Allan Williams, who refuses to leave office after his contract was not renewed, need to be investigated and made to answer for their actions and sweet heart deals.
The members of these associated groups have apparently attempted to harass and embarrass and according to one Councilman, even bribe members of the City Council who do not agree with their wishes.
They have a goal. That goal is complete control of St. Charles City Government and the $100 million of taxpayer money. They want to be able to return St. Charles to the way it was before the City had Council members who were truly watching out for the interests of the taxpayers. These associated and intermingled members of these groups, along with the Mayor, believe they can achieve their goal by recalling members of the Council and replacing them with their puppets who will follow in lockstep.
In April of 2007, if the City Charter is not changed, it appears they plan to elect Kevin Kast to the office of Mayor. In order to succeed they have to have the Mayor’s salary raised to more than $125,000 so their candidate will feel worthy of the office.
There is only one thing standing in their way. The voters of St. Charles. What will you do?
Please read “The Secret Society” a reprint of the Conservative Factor by Alex Spencer from the April 6, 2004 edition of the First Capitol News. Starts on Page 12.
St. Charles Police Pursue Stolen Vehicle Into St. Louis And Apprehend Two Subjects
At approximately 2:40 am on February 1st, a St. Charles Police Sergeant observed a blue mini van leaving the Time Centre Apartments in St. Charles with its headlights off.
The Sergeant attempted to stop the vehicle for investigation. However the driver of the vehicle refused to stop and entered Interstate 70 traveling east. The St. Charles Police communications division was able to run the license plate of the vehicle and then contact the owner who confirmed the mini van had been stolen from St. Louis City.
The St. Charles police pursuit of the stolen vehicle continued east on Hwy 70 until the suspects hit a sign with the vehicle at Kingshighway and Martin Luther King Blvd. causing it to come to a stop.
Both suspects fled from the vehicle on foot and were apprehended minutes later by the St. Charles police sergeant with assistance from the St. Louis City Metropolitan Police Department. The two subjects, who were the occupants of the stolen vehicle, are in custody at the St. Louis Police Department. After their arrest it was learned they were wanted on a variety of charges.
The Sergeant attempted to stop the vehicle for investigation. However the driver of the vehicle refused to stop and entered Interstate 70 traveling east. The St. Charles Police communications division was able to run the license plate of the vehicle and then contact the owner who confirmed the mini van had been stolen from St. Louis City.
The St. Charles police pursuit of the stolen vehicle continued east on Hwy 70 until the suspects hit a sign with the vehicle at Kingshighway and Martin Luther King Blvd. causing it to come to a stop.
Both suspects fled from the vehicle on foot and were apprehended minutes later by the St. Charles police sergeant with assistance from the St. Louis City Metropolitan Police Department. The two subjects, who were the occupants of the stolen vehicle, are in custody at the St. Louis Police Department. After their arrest it was learned they were wanted on a variety of charges.
RAMBLING WITH THE EDITOR - Tony Brockmeyer
MAHESH SHARMA APPOINTED DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
At a special meeting of the City Council called by the Mayor on Saturday evening at 6pm, Mahesh Sharma was given a contract as the new Director of Public Works. The vote was 9-0 with Councilman Hoepfner absent. A starting date has not been set.
COUNCIL BALKS AS MAYOR SCHEDULES A SATURDAY ST. CHARLES CITY COUNCIL MEETING IN ST. LOUIS COUNTY
The Mayor had called a special City Council meeting for 10 am Saturday morning, January 28th to be held in Councilman Hoepfner’s hospital room in Missouri Baptist Hospital in St. Louis County. It was to be for the appointment of Mahesh Sharma as director of public works. That was promptly changed when several members of the Council balked and refused to hold a St. Charles City Council meeting in St. Louis County. Apparently the Mayor thought she did not have enough votes for the appointment and would need Councilman Hoepfner’s vote. I believe that determining the number of votes prior to a meeting is a violation of the sunshine law.
WILL KIELTY BE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY IN ST. PETERS?
A rumor running rampant throughout the County Courthouse is that Mayor Shawn Brown of St. Peters is planning on appointing Attorney Mike Kielty as the city’s prosecuting attorney. St. Peters is without a permanent prosecuting attorney since former St. Charles County Councilman and St. Peters prosecuting attorney Jeff Morrison resigned about a month ago. The appointment of Kielty will have to be approved by the St. Peters Board of Aldermen. Kielty is representing Citizens Empowerment Committee and the paid petition gatherers who solicited signatures on recall petitions in attempts to have St. Charles Councilwoman Dottie Greer and Councilman Mark Brown recalled. His father, Ken Kielty, a confidant of Mayor York, is a former St. Charles Councilman, former head of the St. Charles License Bureau until Governor Blount replaced him. He was the chairman of the St. Charles County Convention and Sports Facilities Commission until Blunt replaced him there. According to St. Charles police, a threatening phone call made to St. Charles resident Bob Bredensteiner was traced to a telephone belonging to Ken Kielty (FCN Volume 5 of 35 November 5, 2005). Ken Kielty along with St. Louis PR guru Glennon Jamboretz, also a confidant of Mayor York, started the St. Charles Citizens for Betterment Government Committee with a stated purpose of recalling St. Charles City Council persons. It is also believed that the Mayor diverted funds to several fictitious named companies under the control of Jamboretz, that was used in the recall efforts against Brown and Greer (see FCN Volume 5 Number 32, October 8, 2005). Jamborez and Kielty are also involved with the Great Rivers Habitat Alliance headed by Adolphus Busch IV who is fighting with the City of St. Peters over the 370 project.
FIRST CAPITOL NEWS-TODAY
Effective immediately the First Capitol News will be providing our readers with a daily dose of local news on the internet. We suggest you check our new web log frequently for updates on a daily basis. The internet address of our web log is firstcapitolnews-today.blogspot.com.
Our weekly edition can still be found each week at our other web log which is firstcapitolnews.blogspot.com. Our weekly newspapers are archived at that address from November 2004.
We hope you enjoy reading the daily First Capitol News-Today with news of St. Charles and St. Charles County. Special offers will be made to our readers from time to time and will only be available on the First Capitol News-Today web log.
At a special meeting of the City Council called by the Mayor on Saturday evening at 6pm, Mahesh Sharma was given a contract as the new Director of Public Works. The vote was 9-0 with Councilman Hoepfner absent. A starting date has not been set.
COUNCIL BALKS AS MAYOR SCHEDULES A SATURDAY ST. CHARLES CITY COUNCIL MEETING IN ST. LOUIS COUNTY
The Mayor had called a special City Council meeting for 10 am Saturday morning, January 28th to be held in Councilman Hoepfner’s hospital room in Missouri Baptist Hospital in St. Louis County. It was to be for the appointment of Mahesh Sharma as director of public works. That was promptly changed when several members of the Council balked and refused to hold a St. Charles City Council meeting in St. Louis County. Apparently the Mayor thought she did not have enough votes for the appointment and would need Councilman Hoepfner’s vote. I believe that determining the number of votes prior to a meeting is a violation of the sunshine law.
WILL KIELTY BE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY IN ST. PETERS?
A rumor running rampant throughout the County Courthouse is that Mayor Shawn Brown of St. Peters is planning on appointing Attorney Mike Kielty as the city’s prosecuting attorney. St. Peters is without a permanent prosecuting attorney since former St. Charles County Councilman and St. Peters prosecuting attorney Jeff Morrison resigned about a month ago. The appointment of Kielty will have to be approved by the St. Peters Board of Aldermen. Kielty is representing Citizens Empowerment Committee and the paid petition gatherers who solicited signatures on recall petitions in attempts to have St. Charles Councilwoman Dottie Greer and Councilman Mark Brown recalled. His father, Ken Kielty, a confidant of Mayor York, is a former St. Charles Councilman, former head of the St. Charles License Bureau until Governor Blount replaced him. He was the chairman of the St. Charles County Convention and Sports Facilities Commission until Blunt replaced him there. According to St. Charles police, a threatening phone call made to St. Charles resident Bob Bredensteiner was traced to a telephone belonging to Ken Kielty (FCN Volume 5 of 35 November 5, 2005). Ken Kielty along with St. Louis PR guru Glennon Jamboretz, also a confidant of Mayor York, started the St. Charles Citizens for Betterment Government Committee with a stated purpose of recalling St. Charles City Council persons. It is also believed that the Mayor diverted funds to several fictitious named companies under the control of Jamboretz, that was used in the recall efforts against Brown and Greer (see FCN Volume 5 Number 32, October 8, 2005). Jamborez and Kielty are also involved with the Great Rivers Habitat Alliance headed by Adolphus Busch IV who is fighting with the City of St. Peters over the 370 project.
FIRST CAPITOL NEWS-TODAY
Effective immediately the First Capitol News will be providing our readers with a daily dose of local news on the internet. We suggest you check our new web log frequently for updates on a daily basis. The internet address of our web log is firstcapitolnews-today.blogspot.com.
Our weekly edition can still be found each week at our other web log which is firstcapitolnews.blogspot.com. Our weekly newspapers are archived at that address from November 2004.
We hope you enjoy reading the daily First Capitol News-Today with news of St. Charles and St. Charles County. Special offers will be made to our readers from time to time and will only be available on the First Capitol News-Today web log.
THE CITY DESK - City Council President Rory Riddler
Will Professionals Survive Switch
To Patronage Based Appointees?
With few exceptions through the years, St. Charles has enjoyed having professional, experienced and dedicated Department Directors and city employees. We have been able to attract and retain some of the best in their respective fields. That job is getting harder, however, as the deadline for transition to a patronage based system in April of 2007 nears.
That date marks the change to a full-time Mayor and one with the sole power to fire and direct on a day-to-day basis Department Directors without the approval of a City Administrator or the consent of the Council. A new Mayor could literally replace all Department Directors with those they considered political supporters…in other words the very definition of a political patronage system.
There is a distinct line between those who consider themselves professionals in their field and seek advancement with communities where there is a minimum of politics and those who seek appointment based on their political affiliations, fundraising abilities and ongoing political loyalty. Our current system insulates Department Directors by restricting the Mayor from “interfering in the day to day operations” of the City and by restricting individual Councilmembers from giving direction to city employees, except through the City Administrator.
But in April of 2007, the Office of City Administrator ceases to exist and the Mayor assumes most of those powers and duties directly. The unintended consequence of that change, however, is to trade the professional “arms length” administration we have known since the original passage of the Charter for a political patronage system not unlike the City of St. Louis.
When the Police Chief, Fire Chief, Public Works Director, Finance Director, Community Development Director and entire Department of Administration owe their jobs directly to one elected public official, expect to see those individuals under tremendous pressure to raise campaign funds for and do political favors for that one individual. It is a fact of life that this occurs in the City of St. Louis, so we shouldn’t say it simply couldn’t happen here. Once the checks and balances that prevented it are gone, a political patronage system comes into play no matter how it may be camouflaged or disguised from public view.
This past weekend, the City Council had to meet on a Saturday for the first time I can remember. The Special City Council meeting was called by the Mayor to approve the appointment of a new Public Works Director. The need to move quickly on this appointment was due to competition from other communities who were also making offers to the person we ultimately hired.
Based on his outstanding credentials, the City Council unanimously (a rare, but not impossible feat) agreed with the Mayor, City Administrator and acting City Administrator that he was the best for the job. But it was complicated by the applicant’s concerns for what would happen to his position after the change in government. Part of the negotiated contract had to be a six months golden parachute if he were to be terminated by a new Mayor after the April 2007 election.
Hiring Department Directors is not an easy task. I was recently part of the screening process for a new Director of Tourism as liaison to the Tourism Commission. Commission members, the Mayor and I were asked by the City Administrator to be part of the screening and interview process.
We began by reading through 144 resumes. We then short-listed these to twenty-one who were given phone interviews. From there the list was narrowed to seven who were brought in for face-to-face interviews, each lasting about ninety minutes. Altogether I spent about seventeen hours participating in this process. This weekend, our number one choice is being further interviewed by my fellow members of the City Council. I believe we have presented them with an outstanding applicant and hopefully they will agree.
After all that work to build consensus, the thought that the next Mayor could summarily dismiss them without cause, perhaps to try to appoint their second cousin’s brother’s roommate, doesn’t seem like such a good idea. True, the Council will continue to have to approve appointments, but those appointments will be made directly by the Mayor and not the City Administrator. However, it is the power to fire and to direct those Department Directors that will ultimately dictate where their loyalties lie.
Another concern is would such political appointees fairly serve all the residents? If you backed the wrong candidate for Mayor would you get the same treatment from someone who owed his or her job directly to that one individual?
Let me also stress that these observations are in no way a slight to the current administration, but the changes that will occur in April of 2007, will do so irrespective of who is elected Mayor. It is one thing to have faith your particular choice for Mayor wouldn’t fire someone for political reasons and quite another to have faith that no one else elected to the position ever would.
The Council recently agreed to do a review of the City Charter and a sub-committee made up of myself and Councilmembers Joe Koester and Bob Kneemiller, will be drawing up a list of areas to be considered by the full Council and that may need voter attention. High on my list will be looking for ways to retain professionalism in the selection and retention of Department Directors.
Surrounding oneself with a political cronies and yes men, may boost the ego of some future Mayor, but it won’t serve the needs of the people. We’ve known better and deserve better.
THE CONSERVATIVE FACTOR by Alex Spencer
With the only “regularly scheduled” elections on the books, I wanted to venture out west this week to peruse the political landscape. My wife wanted to check out the new drive-thru St. Louis Bread Company in Wentzville, so we headed westward to Wentzville.
Wow. There is a lot to see in Wentzville. I am ashamed to admit that I rarely make it “out west” – an affliction shared by many of us in St. Chuck. Wentzville is a city that has embraced growth and all of its exciting consequences, not least of which is sales tax income.
The Wentzville Mayoral contest is a re-run of sorts reminiscent of some of the old St. Charles City grudge matches. Immediate Past Mayor Vickie Boedeker wants a rematch against the current Mayor, Paul Lambi, who defeated her by the slimmest of margins (17 votes to be exact) in 2004. This should prove to be a fairly spirited contest among two pro-growth candidates and may go either way. Although, it is worth noting that Mayor Lambi’s (he prefers to be called Mr. Mayor as opposed to Paul) shameless self-promoting (the radio show, the press releases, traveling with the Governor, etc.) have likely raised his name i.d. dramatically, and he is a much more formidable opponent for Vickie than he was two years ago. In addition, the people will also be electing three aldermen. The “musical chairs” among the Board of Aldermen and Darrel Lackey leaving his seat to run for County Council may prove interesting as well. The only real question that remains is whether Adolphus and gang will decide that that they want to add some Wentzville politicians to their ever-growing “flock” of duck politicians.
Writer’s note: In an effort to stave off the corrections on their way in from crossword puzzle aficionados, I know that it’s actually a “brace” of ducks, but “flock” is the correct term when the ducks are in flight, which is when they usually get shot down by the Great White Duck Hunters, so that seemed more appropriate.
As we migrate back toward St. Charles, we enter O’Fallon. My goodness, what can you say about O’Fallon? What a mess. The puppet regime installed by the Great White Duck Hunters is on the verge of collapse. Just last week, an Alderman was caught taping meetings with a hidden tape recorder because he felt the need to protect himself. Ironically, Alderman Hudson is (or maybe was?) part of the ruling “brace” of anti-growth ducks in O’Fallon. After the debacle in St. Peters (and thousands of dollars in legal fees to get Shawn Brown back on the ballot because he neglected to pay his property taxes), Adolphus and his band of merry idiots realized that in order to control a city, what they really needed was a Board of Aldermen for their flock. Oh, a mayor would be nice too, but as the duckboys learned with Shawn Brown, an idiot mayor is not all that useful. So, they started pouring their money into the O’Fallon aldermanic races and emerged from the 2005 race with a majority of the Board of Aldermen, and an idiot mayor for good measure. Chaos, craziness and conspiracy theories followed and that brings us to where we are today…the O’Fallon Board President, Alderman Lynn Schipper, is engaged in quite a power struggle with Mayor Donna Morrow and her hand-picked City Administrator (the infamous Robert Lowery). The city staff is completely demoralized and considerably leaner as Morrow and the ducks have littered the landscape with city employees terminated for reasons ranging from petty to stupid. The people are treated to the Board’s crazy antics and seem to regret their electoral decision, and O’Fallon has been effectively “closed for business” since last Spring.
The 2006 election landscape in O’Fallon changes daily. Apparently there is dissention among the ducks, and this could spell trouble for Adolphus and his cronies who have pledged to stop growth at all costs. Kuehn withdrew from the race, and the duckboys will have to defend Patek and Schipper in head-to-head races against a single candidate, Mark Powell (Donna Morrow’s ex who seems to know where some of the skeletons are buried) is mounting a viable write-in campaign, and the wealthy home builders have had enough of the wild and unsubstantiated allegations of wrongdoing which have become a hallmark of the Morrow administration. Adolphus can’t be all that happy with how things are going in O’Fallon. Maybe he should send Glenn Jamboretz out there to see what can be salvaged for the Great White Duck Hunters.
There are also two special elections on the April ballot that impact our neighbors out west. Wentzville Alderman Darrel Lackey (the Republican candidate) is running for the open District 1 County Council seat. He is being challenged by former O’Fallon Alderman Cheryl Hibbeler (the Democratic candidate) and St. Paul “pain-in-the-you know where” Joe Cronin (the duckboy-sponsored anti-growth candidate). Cronin claims to be a Republican and vied for the Republican nomination, but he did not receive even a single vote and filed a thoroughly stupid lawsuit (at the urging of the Democrats’ best friend in St. Charles County – Brandy Pedersen) against Rich Chrismer to try and change the outcome. The more likely reason for his legal action was good old-fashioned politics. He keeps getting press attention and increasing his name i.d. I fear I am guilty of increasing his name i.d. as well, oops. Depending on how much money Adolphus and the Great White Duck Hunters want to sink into the race, Cronin may be a spoiler and the end result may be that the Democrats win a second County Council seat. I certainly hope not, but since Adolphus prefers to give his money to Democrats anyway, I don’t think he’ll be all that broken up.
Last but not least, State Representative Scott Rupp (the Republican candidate) is running for former State Senator Jon Dolan’s vacant seat. His partisan opposition is in the form of State Representative Wayne Henke (the Democratic candidate from Troy). So far (as of my deadline), this will be a heads-up race, but we will not know for sure until filing closes. Duckboy favorite son, Councilman Joe Brazil, has already declared his intention to run against Scott Rupp in the August Republican primary. It remains to be seen what Adolphus and gang will want to do with the State Senate race. Apparently, they desperately need an advocate in Jefferson City to push their anti-development agenda. Adolphus and his cronies
were recently handed a crushing blow in Cole County Circuit Court when Judge Tom Brown (now that’s karma) ruled in favor of the City of St. Peters on ten of eleven counts (the eleventh was dismissed as moot) in the “hail mary” attempt by the duckboys to stop the 370 project.
As the April elections grow closer, one thing is for certain: Adolphus and his cronies will be looking to purchase additional politicians for their “flock.” It remains to be seen how many they will find out west.
Wow. There is a lot to see in Wentzville. I am ashamed to admit that I rarely make it “out west” – an affliction shared by many of us in St. Chuck. Wentzville is a city that has embraced growth and all of its exciting consequences, not least of which is sales tax income.
The Wentzville Mayoral contest is a re-run of sorts reminiscent of some of the old St. Charles City grudge matches. Immediate Past Mayor Vickie Boedeker wants a rematch against the current Mayor, Paul Lambi, who defeated her by the slimmest of margins (17 votes to be exact) in 2004. This should prove to be a fairly spirited contest among two pro-growth candidates and may go either way. Although, it is worth noting that Mayor Lambi’s (he prefers to be called Mr. Mayor as opposed to Paul) shameless self-promoting (the radio show, the press releases, traveling with the Governor, etc.) have likely raised his name i.d. dramatically, and he is a much more formidable opponent for Vickie than he was two years ago. In addition, the people will also be electing three aldermen. The “musical chairs” among the Board of Aldermen and Darrel Lackey leaving his seat to run for County Council may prove interesting as well. The only real question that remains is whether Adolphus and gang will decide that that they want to add some Wentzville politicians to their ever-growing “flock” of duck politicians.
Writer’s note: In an effort to stave off the corrections on their way in from crossword puzzle aficionados, I know that it’s actually a “brace” of ducks, but “flock” is the correct term when the ducks are in flight, which is when they usually get shot down by the Great White Duck Hunters, so that seemed more appropriate.
As we migrate back toward St. Charles, we enter O’Fallon. My goodness, what can you say about O’Fallon? What a mess. The puppet regime installed by the Great White Duck Hunters is on the verge of collapse. Just last week, an Alderman was caught taping meetings with a hidden tape recorder because he felt the need to protect himself. Ironically, Alderman Hudson is (or maybe was?) part of the ruling “brace” of anti-growth ducks in O’Fallon. After the debacle in St. Peters (and thousands of dollars in legal fees to get Shawn Brown back on the ballot because he neglected to pay his property taxes), Adolphus and his band of merry idiots realized that in order to control a city, what they really needed was a Board of Aldermen for their flock. Oh, a mayor would be nice too, but as the duckboys learned with Shawn Brown, an idiot mayor is not all that useful. So, they started pouring their money into the O’Fallon aldermanic races and emerged from the 2005 race with a majority of the Board of Aldermen, and an idiot mayor for good measure. Chaos, craziness and conspiracy theories followed and that brings us to where we are today…the O’Fallon Board President, Alderman Lynn Schipper, is engaged in quite a power struggle with Mayor Donna Morrow and her hand-picked City Administrator (the infamous Robert Lowery). The city staff is completely demoralized and considerably leaner as Morrow and the ducks have littered the landscape with city employees terminated for reasons ranging from petty to stupid. The people are treated to the Board’s crazy antics and seem to regret their electoral decision, and O’Fallon has been effectively “closed for business” since last Spring.
The 2006 election landscape in O’Fallon changes daily. Apparently there is dissention among the ducks, and this could spell trouble for Adolphus and his cronies who have pledged to stop growth at all costs. Kuehn withdrew from the race, and the duckboys will have to defend Patek and Schipper in head-to-head races against a single candidate, Mark Powell (Donna Morrow’s ex who seems to know where some of the skeletons are buried) is mounting a viable write-in campaign, and the wealthy home builders have had enough of the wild and unsubstantiated allegations of wrongdoing which have become a hallmark of the Morrow administration. Adolphus can’t be all that happy with how things are going in O’Fallon. Maybe he should send Glenn Jamboretz out there to see what can be salvaged for the Great White Duck Hunters.
There are also two special elections on the April ballot that impact our neighbors out west. Wentzville Alderman Darrel Lackey (the Republican candidate) is running for the open District 1 County Council seat. He is being challenged by former O’Fallon Alderman Cheryl Hibbeler (the Democratic candidate) and St. Paul “pain-in-the-you know where” Joe Cronin (the duckboy-sponsored anti-growth candidate). Cronin claims to be a Republican and vied for the Republican nomination, but he did not receive even a single vote and filed a thoroughly stupid lawsuit (at the urging of the Democrats’ best friend in St. Charles County – Brandy Pedersen) against Rich Chrismer to try and change the outcome. The more likely reason for his legal action was good old-fashioned politics. He keeps getting press attention and increasing his name i.d. I fear I am guilty of increasing his name i.d. as well, oops. Depending on how much money Adolphus and the Great White Duck Hunters want to sink into the race, Cronin may be a spoiler and the end result may be that the Democrats win a second County Council seat. I certainly hope not, but since Adolphus prefers to give his money to Democrats anyway, I don’t think he’ll be all that broken up.
Last but not least, State Representative Scott Rupp (the Republican candidate) is running for former State Senator Jon Dolan’s vacant seat. His partisan opposition is in the form of State Representative Wayne Henke (the Democratic candidate from Troy). So far (as of my deadline), this will be a heads-up race, but we will not know for sure until filing closes. Duckboy favorite son, Councilman Joe Brazil, has already declared his intention to run against Scott Rupp in the August Republican primary. It remains to be seen what Adolphus and gang will want to do with the State Senate race. Apparently, they desperately need an advocate in Jefferson City to push their anti-development agenda. Adolphus and his cronies
were recently handed a crushing blow in Cole County Circuit Court when Judge Tom Brown (now that’s karma) ruled in favor of the City of St. Peters on ten of eleven counts (the eleventh was dismissed as moot) in the “hail mary” attempt by the duckboys to stop the 370 project.
As the April elections grow closer, one thing is for certain: Adolphus and his cronies will be looking to purchase additional politicians for their “flock.” It remains to be seen how many they will find out west.
CASE IN POINT By Joe Koester, Councilman Ward 9
There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action.
Johann von Goethe
Goethe never read the Journal or Post!
Once a week a paper comes out in town and brings in its pages news from our town. Two other papers are printed and thrown in town - one daily, and one about four times a week. Lee Enterprises owns the latter two.
Combined, the papers of Lee have a huge staff and still the First Capitol News scoops them again and again! Sometimes the big guys will go ahead and print a little story after the First Capitol News has scooped them and other times they simply ignore the story that FCN beats them to — so, you can figure that that means most of the time!
Papers certainly do have a bias, no doubt about it and this has been made clear time and again by the editorials of the Suburban Journal. An advertisement publication by nature, rarely these guys have much to say about local politics with the exception of the occasional attack on some of the Council in St. Charles. I hope that the FCN has a bias of working for better local government! Many people in town put their trust in this paper for stories that mean something to our residents.
Take a look out onto the horizon. Do you see it? Right there in front of you! It’s our friends of the local ad sheets preparing to do battle with the “bad guys” on the Council. You can already read the editorials - “Clean House at City Hall”; “Recall ‘em All”; or “Support our advertisers - fight the ‘Fab Five.” You probably won’t see that last one, but it would be a lot more accurate than some of the lousy editorials we have seen from these folks the past two years.
I cannot blame Lee Enterprises for standing up for their advertisers and as far as advertisers go, our City isn’t small peanuts! We spend enough money each year with these guys to build a pretty decent house for someone up in Iowa...or maybe even someone out in O’Fallon! I just wish they’d figure out that the Council is part of the City and maybe give us a fair shake once in a while. I’m not sure if other gargantuan advertisers would actually allow that though!
Did you read the story in one of the big papers (chances are you didn’t) that claimed that Mr. Banas (St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney) said that Brown should be on the ballot come April since the City Clerk certified the recall petitions? If the papers had bothered to print both sides of the story, they would have had to include that Mr. Banas also asserted that neither Brown nor Greer should have been placed on the ballot with so many serious questions at hand and the petitions should not have been certified. First, the apparent conflicts should have been investigated instead of rushing to certify them. If you watched the meetings many months back, you will remember several Council members making this very argument! We asked in vain, “If neither the County Clerk (now the ELECTION AUTHORITY) nor the city clerk have any obligation to oversee questions of election fraud, then who does?”
We all know the importance of a watchdog press and when government fails to do its duty, it’s the role of the press to call them on it. If you were standing in one of the Lee Enterprise publications you would probably hear the chirping of crickets right about now. In a little office on Main Street a tiny staff at First Capitol News has picked up the banner and become the watchdog press that Saint Charles had been without for many, many years before FCN came onto the scene!
Just remember, when the fully expected litany of editorials come our way in a few months from our friends at Lee, don’t blame them - they are just printing what they have to in order to keep favor with the folks paying their bills!
Election Equipment Demonstrations Scheduled
Election Equipment Demonstrations Scheduled
Saint Charles County Director of Elections Rich Chrismer will conduct demonstrations on the new optical scan voting machines and will be available for questions at 15 different locations throughout the county in February and March.
The optical scan voting systems will replace punch card voting; and will be used for the first time in St. Charles County during the April 4, 2006 municipal election. During the demonstration, sample ballots will be available for anyone wishing to cast a sample ballot on the new machines.
“The Election Authority has already trained the majority of Election Day judges and believes that, as we transition to a new way of voting, voters should have an opportunity to see and use the new equipment, even just for demonstration purposes. They will feel more comfortable at the polls on Election Day in early April,” said Mr. Chrismer.
Ten senior and community centers and five city halls have agreed to participate in these hands-on demonstrations. The demonstrations will be conducted on the following dates, times, and locations:
February 2nd St. Peters Senior Center, 108 McMenamy Rd. 10:00 A.M.
February 7th Wentzville Green Lantern Senior Center, 506 S. Linn Av. 9:00 A.M.
February 9th Brentmoor Oak Tree Village, 363 Jungermann Rd. 2:30 P.M.
February 10th St. Peters City Hall 10:00 A.M. till 2:00 P.M.
February 17th Lake St. Louis City Hall 10:00 A.M. till 2:00 P.M.
February 22nd Twin Oaks Estates, 707 Emge Rd. O’Fallon, 1:30 P.M.
February 23rd O’Fallon City Hall 10:00 A.M. till 2:00 P.M.
February 24th Wentzville City Hall 10:00 A.M. till 2:00 P.M.
February 28th Rivers Edge Senior Living, 600 Rivers Edge Dr., 10:00 A.M.
March 3rd St. Charles O’Dell Center, 1455 Fairgrounds Rd., 9:45 A.M.
March 6th O’Fallon Senior Center, 106 N. Main, 10:00 A.M.
March 8th Parkside Meadows Senior Center, 2150 Randolph 2:00 P.M.
March 9th Lake St. Charles Senior Center, 45 Honey Locust Ln. 2:30 P.M.
March 10th St. Charles City Hall 10:00 A.M. till 2:00 P.M.
March13th Breeze Park Senior Living Community, 600 Breeze Park Dr. 3:30 P.M.
For more information contact the St. Charles Election Authority at 949-7550
Saint Charles County Director of Elections Rich Chrismer will conduct demonstrations on the new optical scan voting machines and will be available for questions at 15 different locations throughout the county in February and March.
The optical scan voting systems will replace punch card voting; and will be used for the first time in St. Charles County during the April 4, 2006 municipal election. During the demonstration, sample ballots will be available for anyone wishing to cast a sample ballot on the new machines.
“The Election Authority has already trained the majority of Election Day judges and believes that, as we transition to a new way of voting, voters should have an opportunity to see and use the new equipment, even just for demonstration purposes. They will feel more comfortable at the polls on Election Day in early April,” said Mr. Chrismer.
Ten senior and community centers and five city halls have agreed to participate in these hands-on demonstrations. The demonstrations will be conducted on the following dates, times, and locations:
February 2nd St. Peters Senior Center, 108 McMenamy Rd. 10:00 A.M.
February 7th Wentzville Green Lantern Senior Center, 506 S. Linn Av. 9:00 A.M.
February 9th Brentmoor Oak Tree Village, 363 Jungermann Rd. 2:30 P.M.
February 10th St. Peters City Hall 10:00 A.M. till 2:00 P.M.
February 17th Lake St. Louis City Hall 10:00 A.M. till 2:00 P.M.
February 22nd Twin Oaks Estates, 707 Emge Rd. O’Fallon, 1:30 P.M.
February 23rd O’Fallon City Hall 10:00 A.M. till 2:00 P.M.
February 24th Wentzville City Hall 10:00 A.M. till 2:00 P.M.
February 28th Rivers Edge Senior Living, 600 Rivers Edge Dr., 10:00 A.M.
March 3rd St. Charles O’Dell Center, 1455 Fairgrounds Rd., 9:45 A.M.
March 6th O’Fallon Senior Center, 106 N. Main, 10:00 A.M.
March 8th Parkside Meadows Senior Center, 2150 Randolph 2:00 P.M.
March 9th Lake St. Charles Senior Center, 45 Honey Locust Ln. 2:30 P.M.
March 10th St. Charles City Hall 10:00 A.M. till 2:00 P.M.
March13th Breeze Park Senior Living Community, 600 Breeze Park Dr. 3:30 P.M.
For more information contact the St. Charles Election Authority at 949-7550
THE CONSERVATIVE FACTOR - Alex Spencer
With the only “regularly scheduled” elections on the books, I wanted to venture out west this week to peruse the political landscape. My wife wanted to check out the new drive-thru St. Louis Bread Company in Wentzville, so we headed westward to Wentzville.
Wow. There is a lot to see in Wentzville. I am ashamed to admit that I rarely make it “out west” – an affliction shared by many of us in St. Chuck. Wentzville is a city that has embraced growth and all of its exciting consequences, not least of which is sales tax income.
The Wentzville Mayoral contest is a re-run of sorts reminiscent of some of the old St. Charles City grudge matches. Immediate Past Mayor Vickie Boedeker wants a rematch against the current Mayor, Paul Lambi, who defeated her by the slimmest of margins (17 votes to be exact) in 2004. This should prove to be a fairly spirited contest among two pro-growth candidates and may go either way. Although, it is worth noting that Mayor Lambi’s (he prefers to be called Mr. Mayor as opposed to Paul) shameless self-promoting (the radio show, the press releases, traveling with the Governor, etc.) have likely raised his name i.d. dramatically, and he is a much more formidable opponent for Vickie than he was two years ago. In addition, the people will also be electing three aldermen. The “musical chairs” among the Board of Aldermen and Darrel Lackey leaving his seat to run for County Council may prove interesting as well. The only real question that remains is whether Adolphus and gang will decide that that they want to add some Wentzville politicians to their ever-growing “flock” of duck politicians.
Writer’s note: In an effort to stave off the corrections on their way in from crossword puzzle aficionados, I know that it’s actually a “brace” of ducks, but “flock” is the correct term when the ducks are in flight, which is when they usually get shot down by the Great White Duck Hunters, so that seemed more appropriate.
As we migrate back toward St. Charles, we enter O’Fallon. My goodness, what can you say about O’Fallon? What a mess. The puppet regime installed by the Great White Duck Hunters is on the verge of collapse. Just last week, an Alderman was caught taping meetings with a hidden tape recorder because he felt the need to protect himself. Ironically, Alderman Hudson is (or maybe was?) part of the ruling “brace” of anti-growth ducks in O’Fallon. After the debacle in St. Peters (and thousands of dollars in legal fees to get Shawn Brown back on the ballot because he neglected to pay his property taxes), Adolphus and his band of merry idiots realized that in order to control a city, what they really needed was a Board of Aldermen for their flock. Oh, a mayor would be nice too, but as the duckboys learned with Shawn Brown, an idiot mayor is not all that useful. So, they started pouring their money into the O’Fallon aldermanic races and emerged from the 2005 race with a majority of the Board of Aldermen, and an idiot mayor for good measure. Chaos, craziness and conspiracy theories followed and that brings us to where we are today…the O’Fallon Board President, Alderman Lynn Schipper, is engaged in quite a power struggle with Mayor Donna Morrow and her hand-picked City Administrator (the infamous Robert Lowery). The city staff is completely demoralized and considerably leaner as Morrow and the ducks have littered the landscape with city employees terminated for reasons ranging from petty to stupid. The people are treated to the Board’s crazy antics and seem to regret their electoral decision, and O’Fallon has been effectively “closed for business” since last Spring.
The 2006 election landscape in O’Fallon changes daily. Apparently there is dissention among the ducks, and this could spell trouble for Adolphus and his cronies who have pledged to stop growth at all costs. Kuehn withdrew from the race, and the duckboys will have to defend Patek and Schipper in head-to-head races against a single candidate, Mark Powell (Donna Morrow’s ex who seems to know where some of the skeletons are buried) is mounting a viable write-in campaign, and the wealthy home builders have had enough of the wild and unsubstantiated allegations of wrongdoing which have become a hallmark of the Morrow administration. Adolphus can’t be all that happy with how things are going in O’Fallon. Maybe he should send Glenn Jamboretz out there to see what can be salvaged for the Great White Duck Hunters.
There are also two special elections on the April ballot that impact our neighbors out west. Wentzville Alderman Darrel Lackey (the Republican candidate) is running for the open District 1 County Council seat. He is being challenged by former O’Fallon Alderman Cheryl Hibbeler (the Democratic candidate) and St. Paul “pain-in-the-you know where” Joe Cronin (the duckboy-sponsored anti-growth candidate). Cronin claims to be a Republican and vied for the Republican nomination, but he did not receive even a single vote and filed a thoroughly stupid lawsuit (at the urging of the Democrats’ best friend in St. Charles County – Brandy Pedersen) against Rich Chrismer to try and change the outcome. The more likely reason for his legal action was good old-fashioned politics. He keeps getting press attention and increasing his name i.d. I fear I am guilty of increasing his name i.d. as well, oops. Depending on how much money Adolphus and the Great White Duck Hunters want to sink into the race, Cronin may be a spoiler and the end result may be that the Democrats win a second County Council seat. I certainly hope not, but since Adolphus prefers to give his money to Democrats anyway, I don’t think he’ll be all that broken up.
Last but not least, State Representative Scott Rupp (the Republican candidate) is running for former State Senator Jon Dolan’s vacant seat. His partisan opposition is in the form of State Representative Wayne Henke (the Democratic candidate from Troy). So far (as of my deadline), this will be a heads-up race, but we will not know for sure until filing closes. Duckboy favorite son, Councilman Joe Brazil, has already declared his intention to run against Scott Rupp in the August Republican primary. It remains to be seen what Adolphus and gang will want to do with the State Senate race. Apparently, they desperately need an advocate in Jefferson City to push their anti-development agenda. Adolphus and his cronies
were recently handed a crushing blow in Cole County Circuit Court when Judge Tom Brown (now that’s karma) ruled in favor of the City of St. Peters on ten of eleven counts (the eleventh was dismissed as moot) in the “hail mary” attempt by the duckboys to stop the 370 project.
As the April elections grow closer, one thing is for certain: Adolphus and his cronies will be looking to purchase additional politicians for their “flock.” It remains to be seen how many they will find out west.
Wow. There is a lot to see in Wentzville. I am ashamed to admit that I rarely make it “out west” – an affliction shared by many of us in St. Chuck. Wentzville is a city that has embraced growth and all of its exciting consequences, not least of which is sales tax income.
The Wentzville Mayoral contest is a re-run of sorts reminiscent of some of the old St. Charles City grudge matches. Immediate Past Mayor Vickie Boedeker wants a rematch against the current Mayor, Paul Lambi, who defeated her by the slimmest of margins (17 votes to be exact) in 2004. This should prove to be a fairly spirited contest among two pro-growth candidates and may go either way. Although, it is worth noting that Mayor Lambi’s (he prefers to be called Mr. Mayor as opposed to Paul) shameless self-promoting (the radio show, the press releases, traveling with the Governor, etc.) have likely raised his name i.d. dramatically, and he is a much more formidable opponent for Vickie than he was two years ago. In addition, the people will also be electing three aldermen. The “musical chairs” among the Board of Aldermen and Darrel Lackey leaving his seat to run for County Council may prove interesting as well. The only real question that remains is whether Adolphus and gang will decide that that they want to add some Wentzville politicians to their ever-growing “flock” of duck politicians.
Writer’s note: In an effort to stave off the corrections on their way in from crossword puzzle aficionados, I know that it’s actually a “brace” of ducks, but “flock” is the correct term when the ducks are in flight, which is when they usually get shot down by the Great White Duck Hunters, so that seemed more appropriate.
As we migrate back toward St. Charles, we enter O’Fallon. My goodness, what can you say about O’Fallon? What a mess. The puppet regime installed by the Great White Duck Hunters is on the verge of collapse. Just last week, an Alderman was caught taping meetings with a hidden tape recorder because he felt the need to protect himself. Ironically, Alderman Hudson is (or maybe was?) part of the ruling “brace” of anti-growth ducks in O’Fallon. After the debacle in St. Peters (and thousands of dollars in legal fees to get Shawn Brown back on the ballot because he neglected to pay his property taxes), Adolphus and his band of merry idiots realized that in order to control a city, what they really needed was a Board of Aldermen for their flock. Oh, a mayor would be nice too, but as the duckboys learned with Shawn Brown, an idiot mayor is not all that useful. So, they started pouring their money into the O’Fallon aldermanic races and emerged from the 2005 race with a majority of the Board of Aldermen, and an idiot mayor for good measure. Chaos, craziness and conspiracy theories followed and that brings us to where we are today…the O’Fallon Board President, Alderman Lynn Schipper, is engaged in quite a power struggle with Mayor Donna Morrow and her hand-picked City Administrator (the infamous Robert Lowery). The city staff is completely demoralized and considerably leaner as Morrow and the ducks have littered the landscape with city employees terminated for reasons ranging from petty to stupid. The people are treated to the Board’s crazy antics and seem to regret their electoral decision, and O’Fallon has been effectively “closed for business” since last Spring.
The 2006 election landscape in O’Fallon changes daily. Apparently there is dissention among the ducks, and this could spell trouble for Adolphus and his cronies who have pledged to stop growth at all costs. Kuehn withdrew from the race, and the duckboys will have to defend Patek and Schipper in head-to-head races against a single candidate, Mark Powell (Donna Morrow’s ex who seems to know where some of the skeletons are buried) is mounting a viable write-in campaign, and the wealthy home builders have had enough of the wild and unsubstantiated allegations of wrongdoing which have become a hallmark of the Morrow administration. Adolphus can’t be all that happy with how things are going in O’Fallon. Maybe he should send Glenn Jamboretz out there to see what can be salvaged for the Great White Duck Hunters.
There are also two special elections on the April ballot that impact our neighbors out west. Wentzville Alderman Darrel Lackey (the Republican candidate) is running for the open District 1 County Council seat. He is being challenged by former O’Fallon Alderman Cheryl Hibbeler (the Democratic candidate) and St. Paul “pain-in-the-you know where” Joe Cronin (the duckboy-sponsored anti-growth candidate). Cronin claims to be a Republican and vied for the Republican nomination, but he did not receive even a single vote and filed a thoroughly stupid lawsuit (at the urging of the Democrats’ best friend in St. Charles County – Brandy Pedersen) against Rich Chrismer to try and change the outcome. The more likely reason for his legal action was good old-fashioned politics. He keeps getting press attention and increasing his name i.d. I fear I am guilty of increasing his name i.d. as well, oops. Depending on how much money Adolphus and the Great White Duck Hunters want to sink into the race, Cronin may be a spoiler and the end result may be that the Democrats win a second County Council seat. I certainly hope not, but since Adolphus prefers to give his money to Democrats anyway, I don’t think he’ll be all that broken up.
Last but not least, State Representative Scott Rupp (the Republican candidate) is running for former State Senator Jon Dolan’s vacant seat. His partisan opposition is in the form of State Representative Wayne Henke (the Democratic candidate from Troy). So far (as of my deadline), this will be a heads-up race, but we will not know for sure until filing closes. Duckboy favorite son, Councilman Joe Brazil, has already declared his intention to run against Scott Rupp in the August Republican primary. It remains to be seen what Adolphus and gang will want to do with the State Senate race. Apparently, they desperately need an advocate in Jefferson City to push their anti-development agenda. Adolphus and his cronies
were recently handed a crushing blow in Cole County Circuit Court when Judge Tom Brown (now that’s karma) ruled in favor of the City of St. Peters on ten of eleven counts (the eleventh was dismissed as moot) in the “hail mary” attempt by the duckboys to stop the 370 project.
As the April elections grow closer, one thing is for certain: Adolphus and his cronies will be looking to purchase additional politicians for their “flock.” It remains to be seen how many they will find out west.
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