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Saturday, February 03, 2007
FRONT PAGE - FIRST CAPITOL NEWS - February 3, 2007
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An Editorial Endorsement - Gieseke Is Only Real Choice For Positive Change
An Editorial Opinion
Tuesday Crucial To Future
Of Our City Government
Tuesday is the primary election for Mayor of St. Charles. While the concept of a non-partisan primary may be silly, especially when it is the only thing on the ballot, the impact of this election will be far reaching. Voters will narrow the field of candidates for Mayor from three to two. Whether or not voters have a real choice in April will depend on those willing to go to the polls in February.
As near as we can tell, the entire Grace Nichols campaign will collapse the minute someone asks her “how” she intends to accomplish any of the things she is promising. Affordable housing sounds good till you find out it’s low income housing going into your neighborhood. Keeping schools open sounds good, when you don’t have the authority to do anything about it. Making decisions in the backroom to avoid debating issues in public sounds good, till you realize that means violating the sunshine law and keeping “you” in the dark.
The one breath of fresh air voters have is in the candidacy of John Gieseke. A race between incumbent Mayor Patti York and John Gieseke would be a true contrast, a real choice for voters. A race between Grace Nichols and Patti York would be like watching two shades of tan paint dry.
As few as 20% of the voters may go the polls Tuesday. That would be a travesty. How anyone can watch what’s going on overseas and not understand how precious our freedoms are is beyond me. Let’s not take that freedom for granted this Tuesday.
On Tuesday, give yourself, and all voters, the gift of a spirited race and diverse candidates for the April election. Give John Gieseke, the only candidate who hasn’t had the opportunity to serve as Mayor already, his chance to serve our community.
Tuesday Crucial To Future
Of Our City Government
Tuesday is the primary election for Mayor of St. Charles. While the concept of a non-partisan primary may be silly, especially when it is the only thing on the ballot, the impact of this election will be far reaching. Voters will narrow the field of candidates for Mayor from three to two. Whether or not voters have a real choice in April will depend on those willing to go to the polls in February.
As near as we can tell, the entire Grace Nichols campaign will collapse the minute someone asks her “how” she intends to accomplish any of the things she is promising. Affordable housing sounds good till you find out it’s low income housing going into your neighborhood. Keeping schools open sounds good, when you don’t have the authority to do anything about it. Making decisions in the backroom to avoid debating issues in public sounds good, till you realize that means violating the sunshine law and keeping “you” in the dark.
The one breath of fresh air voters have is in the candidacy of John Gieseke. A race between incumbent Mayor Patti York and John Gieseke would be a true contrast, a real choice for voters. A race between Grace Nichols and Patti York would be like watching two shades of tan paint dry.
As few as 20% of the voters may go the polls Tuesday. That would be a travesty. How anyone can watch what’s going on overseas and not understand how precious our freedoms are is beyond me. Let’s not take that freedom for granted this Tuesday.
On Tuesday, give yourself, and all voters, the gift of a spirited race and diverse candidates for the April election. Give John Gieseke, the only candidate who hasn’t had the opportunity to serve as Mayor already, his chance to serve our community.
Police Raids Yield Large Amounts Of Drugs, Illegal Aliens
By Phyllis Schaltenbrand
During the early morning hours last Saturday morning police served search warrants on residences in the 700 block of Cunningham and the 800 block of Tompkins. St. Charles Police Chief Tim Swope told the First Capitol News, “These search warrants resulted in the confiscation of a large amount of cocaine and a large amount of marijuana. Four individuals were arrested including three illegal aliens believed to be Mexican nationals.”
According to Chief Swope, “When we arrest illegal aliens and charge them with a felony we notify Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). They respond and take the illegal aliens into custody. If we don’t have a felony charge against the individual they do not respond.”
Chief Swope stated that the St. Charles Police arrested approximately 100 illegal aliens last year. “Most of these illegals were arrested for other crimes and during our investigation we learned of their illegal status,” said Chief Swope.
“When we detain or arrest an illegal alien we notify ICE. If the illegal has been arrested for a felony ICE will come out and pick them up. If the charge is a misdemeanor they do not respond. They advise us they have limited resources and to let them go. It is very frustrating as a law enforcement officer to arrest an illegal and bring them in the front door and then have to let them walk out the back door free.”
ICE does not have the resources to take into custody and deport every illegal alien taken into detained by local police departments. According to Chief Swope, “We work very hard combating crime in St. Charles and it takes the officers time to arrest, investigate and book these illegal aliens. Then we have to let them go if they are not charged with a felony or have a outstanding warrant against them. It doesn’t make it easy.”
One St. Charles police officer who usually patrols the highways came into contact with over 200 illegal aliens last year. They were not charged with any crimes but he discovered they were illegal. After detaining them and notify ICE he was told by ICE to release them.
Another illegal alien arrested by St. Charles Police last year was wanted for murder in Chile.
Councilman John Gieseke told the First Capitol News, “ This problem is what I was speaking about at the recent Mayoral debate. This is a prime example of our hard earned tax dollars being spent on illegal aliens. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. We have had over 250 arrests in the past year or so. These illegal aliens are costing the City hundreds of thousands of dollars that could be used for our residents.
We need to work with our U.S. Representatives to allow cities to recoup the cost involved with these arrests and then require ICE to take responsibility for those arrested. The federal government has a responsibility to enforce our immigration laws and protect our citizens.
Chief Swope told us the American citizen arrested during the raids will face charges in St. Charles County Circuit Court. The disposition of the illegal aliens is up to ICE.
During the early morning hours last Saturday morning police served search warrants on residences in the 700 block of Cunningham and the 800 block of Tompkins. St. Charles Police Chief Tim Swope told the First Capitol News, “These search warrants resulted in the confiscation of a large amount of cocaine and a large amount of marijuana. Four individuals were arrested including three illegal aliens believed to be Mexican nationals.”
According to Chief Swope, “When we arrest illegal aliens and charge them with a felony we notify Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). They respond and take the illegal aliens into custody. If we don’t have a felony charge against the individual they do not respond.”
Chief Swope stated that the St. Charles Police arrested approximately 100 illegal aliens last year. “Most of these illegals were arrested for other crimes and during our investigation we learned of their illegal status,” said Chief Swope.
“When we detain or arrest an illegal alien we notify ICE. If the illegal has been arrested for a felony ICE will come out and pick them up. If the charge is a misdemeanor they do not respond. They advise us they have limited resources and to let them go. It is very frustrating as a law enforcement officer to arrest an illegal and bring them in the front door and then have to let them walk out the back door free.”
ICE does not have the resources to take into custody and deport every illegal alien taken into detained by local police departments. According to Chief Swope, “We work very hard combating crime in St. Charles and it takes the officers time to arrest, investigate and book these illegal aliens. Then we have to let them go if they are not charged with a felony or have a outstanding warrant against them. It doesn’t make it easy.”
One St. Charles police officer who usually patrols the highways came into contact with over 200 illegal aliens last year. They were not charged with any crimes but he discovered they were illegal. After detaining them and notify ICE he was told by ICE to release them.
Another illegal alien arrested by St. Charles Police last year was wanted for murder in Chile.
Councilman John Gieseke told the First Capitol News, “ This problem is what I was speaking about at the recent Mayoral debate. This is a prime example of our hard earned tax dollars being spent on illegal aliens. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. We have had over 250 arrests in the past year or so. These illegal aliens are costing the City hundreds of thousands of dollars that could be used for our residents.
We need to work with our U.S. Representatives to allow cities to recoup the cost involved with these arrests and then require ICE to take responsibility for those arrested. The federal government has a responsibility to enforce our immigration laws and protect our citizens.
Chief Swope told us the American citizen arrested during the raids will face charges in St. Charles County Circuit Court. The disposition of the illegal aliens is up to ICE.
Nichols Wants Closed Door, Back Room, Hidden From The Public, Government
At the Chamber of Commerce’s Candidate night, and in a recent story in the Post written by Mark Schlinkman, former Mayor Grace Nichols, who is a candidate for Mayo,r makes the statement, “What is needed is a strong mayor who can sit down with council members and work out the differences behind closed doors without having this public acrimony going on,” she (Nichols) said.
This statement made by Nichols, who is an attorney and former Circuit judge, and served two previous terms as Mayor, is in direct violation of the Sunshine Law.
Backroom, closed doors politics often lead to shady deals and special favors for special interests. Keeping things out of the view of the public is not a healthy government and often leads to wide spread corruption.
Councilman John Gieseke Ward 8, who is also a candidate for Mayor, told the First Capitol News, “While often times it may appear we argue a lot, that is what makes good government. Each side gets to make their story known and efforts are made to get the others to agree with your opinion. We felt it was so important for the public to know all the opinions in City government we even had the City Council work sessions televised. While our Council meetings sometimes have an appearance of confrontation within the council, every government has it. If there were not a difference of opinion with each member trying to convince the others you would just have a bunch of yes people. Then we would have a dictatorship with one person making all the decisions. That also leads to corruption with only the rich getting richer and with the average residents not having a chance.”
Gieseke also said, “It is wrong for government to have the attitude of ‘Keep it quiet and don’t let anybody know. Just keep it our secret. What public don’t know wont hurt them’.”
The legislature passed the Sunshine Law just to prevent this type of government. Any time you have backroom, closed door government you run the risk of having special favors for special interests at the expense of the tax paying residents.
Prior Council members who served on the City Council during Nichol’s tenure as Mayor said when Nichols was Mayor she did have a lot of back room meetings. The problem was they were never with the Council and the Council never knew what she was doing. One Councilman stated that was the main reason when she ran for reelection 12 years ago not one Council member supported her.
The First Capitol News could not reach Mayor York for comment but we are aware that she has never attempted to stop the televising of any of the meetings.
This statement made by Nichols, who is an attorney and former Circuit judge, and served two previous terms as Mayor, is in direct violation of the Sunshine Law.
Backroom, closed doors politics often lead to shady deals and special favors for special interests. Keeping things out of the view of the public is not a healthy government and often leads to wide spread corruption.
Councilman John Gieseke Ward 8, who is also a candidate for Mayor, told the First Capitol News, “While often times it may appear we argue a lot, that is what makes good government. Each side gets to make their story known and efforts are made to get the others to agree with your opinion. We felt it was so important for the public to know all the opinions in City government we even had the City Council work sessions televised. While our Council meetings sometimes have an appearance of confrontation within the council, every government has it. If there were not a difference of opinion with each member trying to convince the others you would just have a bunch of yes people. Then we would have a dictatorship with one person making all the decisions. That also leads to corruption with only the rich getting richer and with the average residents not having a chance.”
Gieseke also said, “It is wrong for government to have the attitude of ‘Keep it quiet and don’t let anybody know. Just keep it our secret. What public don’t know wont hurt them’.”
The legislature passed the Sunshine Law just to prevent this type of government. Any time you have backroom, closed door government you run the risk of having special favors for special interests at the expense of the tax paying residents.
Prior Council members who served on the City Council during Nichol’s tenure as Mayor said when Nichols was Mayor she did have a lot of back room meetings. The problem was they were never with the Council and the Council never knew what she was doing. One Councilman stated that was the main reason when she ran for reelection 12 years ago not one Council member supported her.
The First Capitol News could not reach Mayor York for comment but we are aware that she has never attempted to stop the televising of any of the meetings.
RAMBLING WITH THE EDITOR - Tony Brockmeyer
To the supporters and readers of the First Capitol News:
For the last seven years we have been reporting the news and pointing out problems in the City of St. Charles. This Tuesday you have an opportunity to do something about it. If you have been a loyal reader and supporter of our paper we are now asking you to go to the poles and make a difference. Remember, normal primaries have less than a fifteen percent turn out of voters. If all the readers and supporters of the First Capitol News would just go to the polls, what a difference we could make.
You would think I would have learned by now not to be surprised by anything that happens in politics, but I continue to be taken aback.
A lot of the movers and shakers who have been staunch supporters of Mayor York have dropped her and have moved over to Nichols. I don’t know if they think Patti carries too much baggage or if they believe they have a better chance of having their special interests taken care of by Nichols should she be elected. Probably a little of both.
FOP’s, (friends of Patti) have taken to having secret fireside chats with Grace. it appears the members of the Secret Society want Nichols as Mayor. You remember the Secret Society, we wrote about them during the last City Council elections. They brought the candidates in to dictate to them what they would have to do for their support and if the candidate did not wish to be bought and paid for, they told them to leave by the back door.
Some of the people on Historic Main Street have also turned their backs on Patti. Even after all the special favors she gave them in deference to the resident taxpayers. These people had a fireside chat with Nichols the other night. The Mydlers, Haddocks, Archie Scott, Venetia McEntire, Steve Powell and others gathered to plan what they want to be Grace’s triumph over Patti. I was told that Archie Scott and Paul Mydler spoke about how devastating it would be if Nichols were not voted into office. I guess this ruins Steve Powell’s chance to be re-hired as the Director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau by Patti if she would win. Perhaps Grace has made him an offer. They say bring back Grace; maybe Grace will bring back Steve.
Former City Councilwoman Mary West is also sponsoring fireside chats with Grace. She was an ardent supporter of Patti, I wonder what made her desert? Too bad she did not jump on the John Gieseke bandwagon.
Tuesday, February 6th is a very important day for the voters of St. Charles. Please vote. Each and every vote counts.
You have to decide if you want a professional, efficient, progressive government that John Gieseke will give you or do you want to go backwards. John is completing his second term as City Councilman for Ward 8. He has shown by his actions that he is concerned about the residents and has demonstrated he works for them.
Or do you want more of Patti? You can read a lot about Patti and her record as Mayor on our web log; firstcapitolnews.blogspot.com. In the search area you can type in York or Mayor or Recall plus many others to read about her adventures as the leader of this City. You can read about how she called a special meeting to sell the old police headquarters for less than the appraised value with an offer of over $100,000 more on the table. How she maneuvered City funds into the recalls against Councilman Mark Brown and Dottie Greer. Recall efforts that were fraught with fraud, forgeries and arrests. You can read how she signed a contract illegally, without City Council authorization, which brought a $200,000 demand and then a lawsuit against the City. You can read how she wrote a letter of recommendation for a fired police sergeant who put the City Administrator on the ground at gunpoint. You can read how that same sergeant, at the time she wrote the letter, had a multi million law suit against the City and how she wrote in the letter she believed his lawsuit would be successful. I could go on, however, I suggest you just go to our web log and see for yourself.
Or, you could bring back Grace Nichols. I do have a correction to make about Grace Nichols. She did not serve as a state representative. She ran for the office of state representative twice and lost both times.
Grace served two terms as Mayor and was defeated when she tried for a third term and 78 percent of the voters refused her. She would like you to forget about her dismal record while she was in office. She evidently believes it was so long ago you will not remember. You don’t have to take my word for it. Just go to the library and pull up the archives of the Post Dispatch and type in Grace Nichols and you can see for yourself. Or talk to a member of the City Council who was in office during her term in office and you will learn that when she tried for a third term not one sitting Council member would support her. You really don’t want to go backwards with Grace do you?
Vote for John Gieseke for a professional, efficient, progressive St. Charles.
For the last seven years we have been reporting the news and pointing out problems in the City of St. Charles. This Tuesday you have an opportunity to do something about it. If you have been a loyal reader and supporter of our paper we are now asking you to go to the poles and make a difference. Remember, normal primaries have less than a fifteen percent turn out of voters. If all the readers and supporters of the First Capitol News would just go to the polls, what a difference we could make.
You would think I would have learned by now not to be surprised by anything that happens in politics, but I continue to be taken aback.
A lot of the movers and shakers who have been staunch supporters of Mayor York have dropped her and have moved over to Nichols. I don’t know if they think Patti carries too much baggage or if they believe they have a better chance of having their special interests taken care of by Nichols should she be elected. Probably a little of both.
FOP’s, (friends of Patti) have taken to having secret fireside chats with Grace. it appears the members of the Secret Society want Nichols as Mayor. You remember the Secret Society, we wrote about them during the last City Council elections. They brought the candidates in to dictate to them what they would have to do for their support and if the candidate did not wish to be bought and paid for, they told them to leave by the back door.
Some of the people on Historic Main Street have also turned their backs on Patti. Even after all the special favors she gave them in deference to the resident taxpayers. These people had a fireside chat with Nichols the other night. The Mydlers, Haddocks, Archie Scott, Venetia McEntire, Steve Powell and others gathered to plan what they want to be Grace’s triumph over Patti. I was told that Archie Scott and Paul Mydler spoke about how devastating it would be if Nichols were not voted into office. I guess this ruins Steve Powell’s chance to be re-hired as the Director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau by Patti if she would win. Perhaps Grace has made him an offer. They say bring back Grace; maybe Grace will bring back Steve.
Former City Councilwoman Mary West is also sponsoring fireside chats with Grace. She was an ardent supporter of Patti, I wonder what made her desert? Too bad she did not jump on the John Gieseke bandwagon.
Tuesday, February 6th is a very important day for the voters of St. Charles. Please vote. Each and every vote counts.
You have to decide if you want a professional, efficient, progressive government that John Gieseke will give you or do you want to go backwards. John is completing his second term as City Councilman for Ward 8. He has shown by his actions that he is concerned about the residents and has demonstrated he works for them.
Or do you want more of Patti? You can read a lot about Patti and her record as Mayor on our web log; firstcapitolnews.blogspot.com. In the search area you can type in York or Mayor or Recall plus many others to read about her adventures as the leader of this City. You can read about how she called a special meeting to sell the old police headquarters for less than the appraised value with an offer of over $100,000 more on the table. How she maneuvered City funds into the recalls against Councilman Mark Brown and Dottie Greer. Recall efforts that were fraught with fraud, forgeries and arrests. You can read how she signed a contract illegally, without City Council authorization, which brought a $200,000 demand and then a lawsuit against the City. You can read how she wrote a letter of recommendation for a fired police sergeant who put the City Administrator on the ground at gunpoint. You can read how that same sergeant, at the time she wrote the letter, had a multi million law suit against the City and how she wrote in the letter she believed his lawsuit would be successful. I could go on, however, I suggest you just go to our web log and see for yourself.
Or, you could bring back Grace Nichols. I do have a correction to make about Grace Nichols. She did not serve as a state representative. She ran for the office of state representative twice and lost both times.
Grace served two terms as Mayor and was defeated when she tried for a third term and 78 percent of the voters refused her. She would like you to forget about her dismal record while she was in office. She evidently believes it was so long ago you will not remember. You don’t have to take my word for it. Just go to the library and pull up the archives of the Post Dispatch and type in Grace Nichols and you can see for yourself. Or talk to a member of the City Council who was in office during her term in office and you will learn that when she tried for a third term not one sitting Council member would support her. You really don’t want to go backwards with Grace do you?
Vote for John Gieseke for a professional, efficient, progressive St. Charles.
THE PEOPLE SPEAK - Letters To The Editor
Dear Editor,
Thanks for the endorsement of John Gieseke. Many of my friends are saying anyone but Patty. This is a dangerous path to take and I hope your historical perspective of the other two helps my friends realize that Mr. Gieseke is the best fit for the job. I remember the Goldenrod and the millions it cost the taxpayers. As our streets where cracking money was spent fixing the Goldenrod. It took John to get the city to “rid itself of the albatross”. Grace was the Mayor who made the decision to purchase the Goldenrod. I hope that people remember this when voting and know that Nichols isn’t frugal when it comes to their tax dollars.
Pamela Wilson
Thanks for the endorsement of John Gieseke. Many of my friends are saying anyone but Patty. This is a dangerous path to take and I hope your historical perspective of the other two helps my friends realize that Mr. Gieseke is the best fit for the job. I remember the Goldenrod and the millions it cost the taxpayers. As our streets where cracking money was spent fixing the Goldenrod. It took John to get the city to “rid itself of the albatross”. Grace was the Mayor who made the decision to purchase the Goldenrod. I hope that people remember this when voting and know that Nichols isn’t frugal when it comes to their tax dollars.
Pamela Wilson
THE CITY DESK - Rory Riddler, Councilman Ward 1
That’s Five….Six…
Pick Up Sticks
Here’s a good bar bet you can win. How much debris from the big ice storm of 2007 is the City faced with hauling off? Give up?
The answer is 35,000 cubic yards.
Since it’s Super Bowl Weekend, I thought I would try to relate that number to something we could all visualize. First I needed accurate dimensions of a football field. So I turned to www.sportsknowhow.com. Here you can download the “official” dimensions and specifications for a regulation NFL football field. I never knew why I would need this information in the past, but it’s nice to know you can get plans to anything on line.
Now let’s see, that’s length 360 feet or 120 yards and width at 160 feet or 53 and 1/3rd yards. Now here’s the part where I have to sharpen my pencil. The surface area of a regulation NFL football field is 6,396 square yards. So you divide 35,000 cubic yards by the surface area of the field and you get 5.5 yards or 16 ½ feet.
So when you sit down Sunday and turn on the big game, take a second to imagine the entire field to the height of 16 ½ feet covered with logs and branches. If it helps, the goal posts are ten feet high…regulation of course.
So far, the Public Works Department says they have removed approximately 20,000 cubic yards. Depending on where you live in town, that rates them either an A or an F. Overall, I would have to say they have done a fairly good job given the size of the disaster.
They did miss their own self-imposed deadline of having all the debris picked up in two weeks. That allows people like me to say I told you so, but it’s more important to know what the City is doing to fix the problem. In this case, I have to applaud the decision of the Public Works Department which acted quickly to double the number of contracted debris removal crews. On Wednesday of this week they were up to eighteen trucks under contract and our own street crews began to pick up the debris from the alleys.
All of this material is getting hauled to land the city owns that was once the Princess Jodi trailer park off North 94. Here they are creating a wall of wood to rival the Great Wall of China. The two stories of material on each side of the road now dwarves the trucks bringing new material to the site.
We are also learning the hard way that FEMA regulations are helping do for us what they did to the people of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. Nineteen city employees, who otherwise could be out collecting debris themselves, are being required by FEMA to monitor and check every truck and crew of the private contractors. A city employee has to be present to make sure no debris is picked up from private property…only city right of way.
Now it is okay for you to haul the limbs off your private property for us to pick up off the public rights of way, but FEMA is so afraid of having to pay 75% of the cost of picking up a tree limb just inside your yard, that they are wasting the time of valuable city employees to over monitor what should be a relatively minor disaster to them.
If the hurricanes and ice storms don’t get you, the FEMA red tape will.
Knowing how picky FEMA is about not touching private property helps me understand why communities on the Gulf Coast are still devastated with mounds of debris. They have clean streets though…the better to drive through town and admire the mounds of garbage.
The distinction FEMA makes between public and private property is particularly bad for Seniors and those of limited means. Next Tuesday the Council will be discussing using city funds and resources to help these individuals on a case by case basis.
I don’t mind when mistakes are made, so long as we learn from those mistakes. FEMA doesn’t seem to learn. But I think the City of St. Charles has learned a lot just from the storm last summer. This time we hired private contractors to help right away. We didn’t try to haul chippers around in the field behind the trucks, but concentrated on hauling the debris to a centralized location where it can be ground down later.
We are also going to look at ways to make our community better prepared to deal with future disasters. We need fixed permanent generators at warming centers. We need generators on gasoline supplies, because when the electricity goes out you can’t pump gas to run other generators and emergency vehicles. We also need to keep getting the word out (as Fire Chief Ernie Rhodes reminds us) that residents need to have an emergency kit and to be prepared to live without outside help for at least three days in the event of a major disaster.
To be better prepared myself, I’m honing my skills with a chain saw. My wife observed that for a guy who won’t go near a circular or bench saw around the house, I seem to be having way too much fun with a chain saw. She can go into a rather funny skit of my waving a chain saw over my head while standing on a ladder in the dark if you ask her.
Confidentially, it’s a lot more fun than playing pick up sticks.
Pick Up Sticks
Here’s a good bar bet you can win. How much debris from the big ice storm of 2007 is the City faced with hauling off? Give up?
The answer is 35,000 cubic yards.
Since it’s Super Bowl Weekend, I thought I would try to relate that number to something we could all visualize. First I needed accurate dimensions of a football field. So I turned to www.sportsknowhow.com. Here you can download the “official” dimensions and specifications for a regulation NFL football field. I never knew why I would need this information in the past, but it’s nice to know you can get plans to anything on line.
Now let’s see, that’s length 360 feet or 120 yards and width at 160 feet or 53 and 1/3rd yards. Now here’s the part where I have to sharpen my pencil. The surface area of a regulation NFL football field is 6,396 square yards. So you divide 35,000 cubic yards by the surface area of the field and you get 5.5 yards or 16 ½ feet.
So when you sit down Sunday and turn on the big game, take a second to imagine the entire field to the height of 16 ½ feet covered with logs and branches. If it helps, the goal posts are ten feet high…regulation of course.
So far, the Public Works Department says they have removed approximately 20,000 cubic yards. Depending on where you live in town, that rates them either an A or an F. Overall, I would have to say they have done a fairly good job given the size of the disaster.
They did miss their own self-imposed deadline of having all the debris picked up in two weeks. That allows people like me to say I told you so, but it’s more important to know what the City is doing to fix the problem. In this case, I have to applaud the decision of the Public Works Department which acted quickly to double the number of contracted debris removal crews. On Wednesday of this week they were up to eighteen trucks under contract and our own street crews began to pick up the debris from the alleys.
All of this material is getting hauled to land the city owns that was once the Princess Jodi trailer park off North 94. Here they are creating a wall of wood to rival the Great Wall of China. The two stories of material on each side of the road now dwarves the trucks bringing new material to the site.
We are also learning the hard way that FEMA regulations are helping do for us what they did to the people of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. Nineteen city employees, who otherwise could be out collecting debris themselves, are being required by FEMA to monitor and check every truck and crew of the private contractors. A city employee has to be present to make sure no debris is picked up from private property…only city right of way.
Now it is okay for you to haul the limbs off your private property for us to pick up off the public rights of way, but FEMA is so afraid of having to pay 75% of the cost of picking up a tree limb just inside your yard, that they are wasting the time of valuable city employees to over monitor what should be a relatively minor disaster to them.
If the hurricanes and ice storms don’t get you, the FEMA red tape will.
Knowing how picky FEMA is about not touching private property helps me understand why communities on the Gulf Coast are still devastated with mounds of debris. They have clean streets though…the better to drive through town and admire the mounds of garbage.
The distinction FEMA makes between public and private property is particularly bad for Seniors and those of limited means. Next Tuesday the Council will be discussing using city funds and resources to help these individuals on a case by case basis.
I don’t mind when mistakes are made, so long as we learn from those mistakes. FEMA doesn’t seem to learn. But I think the City of St. Charles has learned a lot just from the storm last summer. This time we hired private contractors to help right away. We didn’t try to haul chippers around in the field behind the trucks, but concentrated on hauling the debris to a centralized location where it can be ground down later.
We are also going to look at ways to make our community better prepared to deal with future disasters. We need fixed permanent generators at warming centers. We need generators on gasoline supplies, because when the electricity goes out you can’t pump gas to run other generators and emergency vehicles. We also need to keep getting the word out (as Fire Chief Ernie Rhodes reminds us) that residents need to have an emergency kit and to be prepared to live without outside help for at least three days in the event of a major disaster.
To be better prepared myself, I’m honing my skills with a chain saw. My wife observed that for a guy who won’t go near a circular or bench saw around the house, I seem to be having way too much fun with a chain saw. She can go into a rather funny skit of my waving a chain saw over my head while standing on a ladder in the dark if you ask her.
Confidentially, it’s a lot more fun than playing pick up sticks.
Case In Point By Joe Koester, Councilman Ward 9
There can’t be good living where there is not good drinking.
—Benjamin Franklin
On Tuesday about twenty percent of us will head out to the polls to cast our vote in the mayoral primary. I suppose if there had only been two candidates running, there would be no need for the primary election. The election does have a price tag and some find it a waste of money while others believe that possibly electing a mayor to office who has not received a majority of the vote bad enough that they like the current process. If you remember back a few years, a mayor simply needed a plurality and could win the election with much less than fifty percent. In fact, we had mayors elected who had received about twenty percent of the vote. Sadly, since a tiny portion of eligible voters actually bother to cast votes in municipal elections, the chief administrator of the City can be put into office literally by garnering a couple thousand votes.
Some citizens have experienced the process long enough that they have become cynical about the whole affair. I have to admit, I can understand the sentiment. However, there is something more important than our personal feelings about elections and government – namely, our role as active participants in our democratic-republic. It isn’t much to ask of us to head to the polls up to four times a year and do our duty. Too many Americans like to beat the drum of patriotism by sticking a yellow, “Support our Troops” sticker on our car and listen to “God Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood but fail to vote in election after election. It reminds me of a quote by Mark Twain who said, “The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them.” It seems to fit that, the patriot who has the right to vote but does not do so has no advantage over the man who cannot vote. I completely understand not voting on every issue every time because there are times when one feels less than well-informed on an issue and therefore, just makes a decision not to vote (think of all of those state judges who show up from time to time on the ballot). On Tuesday, and in April, and in August, and again in November, remember to thank a Veteran but do more than that; honor the sacrifices made by our soldiers by partaking in America at the most basic level – inform yourself as best you can and go to the polls.
I would like to segue into two areas from this point. The first area is simply this: some states lawmakers and governors have begun to recognize the importance of a paper trail at the polls. It is absolutely necessary that our elections can be verified and that we do not depend on trust in a private company to safeguard this fundamental part of our system. Continue to write all of your elected officials on state and federal levels to demand a voting system that can be verified and trusted. One good resource to check out in this matter would be: blackboxvoting.org
Next, if you have never listened to “Story Corps” (a traveling oral history project) from National Public Radio which is played every Friday morning around 7:30am, I would encourage you to do so and if you have internet access, go to npr.org and simply type “Story Corps” into the search bar for the site. You will get a list of the latest recordings played on NPR. Listen to the story titled, “The Little Brother who made the World Bigger” from January 26, 2007. Lt. Travis John Fuller who was killed in a helicopter accident in Iraq is eulogized by his two sisters. Their story one of personal loss and a solemn way to contemplate the full measure the American soldier gives when called to duty.
—Benjamin Franklin
On Tuesday about twenty percent of us will head out to the polls to cast our vote in the mayoral primary. I suppose if there had only been two candidates running, there would be no need for the primary election. The election does have a price tag and some find it a waste of money while others believe that possibly electing a mayor to office who has not received a majority of the vote bad enough that they like the current process. If you remember back a few years, a mayor simply needed a plurality and could win the election with much less than fifty percent. In fact, we had mayors elected who had received about twenty percent of the vote. Sadly, since a tiny portion of eligible voters actually bother to cast votes in municipal elections, the chief administrator of the City can be put into office literally by garnering a couple thousand votes.
Some citizens have experienced the process long enough that they have become cynical about the whole affair. I have to admit, I can understand the sentiment. However, there is something more important than our personal feelings about elections and government – namely, our role as active participants in our democratic-republic. It isn’t much to ask of us to head to the polls up to four times a year and do our duty. Too many Americans like to beat the drum of patriotism by sticking a yellow, “Support our Troops” sticker on our car and listen to “God Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood but fail to vote in election after election. It reminds me of a quote by Mark Twain who said, “The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them.” It seems to fit that, the patriot who has the right to vote but does not do so has no advantage over the man who cannot vote. I completely understand not voting on every issue every time because there are times when one feels less than well-informed on an issue and therefore, just makes a decision not to vote (think of all of those state judges who show up from time to time on the ballot). On Tuesday, and in April, and in August, and again in November, remember to thank a Veteran but do more than that; honor the sacrifices made by our soldiers by partaking in America at the most basic level – inform yourself as best you can and go to the polls.
I would like to segue into two areas from this point. The first area is simply this: some states lawmakers and governors have begun to recognize the importance of a paper trail at the polls. It is absolutely necessary that our elections can be verified and that we do not depend on trust in a private company to safeguard this fundamental part of our system. Continue to write all of your elected officials on state and federal levels to demand a voting system that can be verified and trusted. One good resource to check out in this matter would be: blackboxvoting.org
Next, if you have never listened to “Story Corps” (a traveling oral history project) from National Public Radio which is played every Friday morning around 7:30am, I would encourage you to do so and if you have internet access, go to npr.org and simply type “Story Corps” into the search bar for the site. You will get a list of the latest recordings played on NPR. Listen to the story titled, “The Little Brother who made the World Bigger” from January 26, 2007. Lt. Travis John Fuller who was killed in a helicopter accident in Iraq is eulogized by his two sisters. Their story one of personal loss and a solemn way to contemplate the full measure the American soldier gives when called to duty.
Child Abduction: Speaking Out On The Stockholm Syndrome
Dr. Howard Rosenthal
In August 1973 a strange incident in Stockholm Sweden shocked the social science community. Bank robbers held a group of bank employees hostage for six days. Ironically, when the culprits were caught the victims defended their captors! This phenomenon has been dubbed “The Stockholm Syndrome” and it often seems to be evident in cases of child abduction.
Why does it occur? Nobody knows for sure and most experts agree that there are a number of plausible explanations. One notion is that bonding with the enemy is a survival tactic. Simply put: it keeps the victim alive. Another theory is that the person or persons responsible for the abduction sometimes show their victims kindness and this leads to warm feelings.
Recently local and national attention has focused on the cases of Ben Owenby and Shawn Hornbeck with the latter being investigated as a possible example of the Stockholm Syndrome since it is possible that Shawn had chances to escape, but did not. Let me be as forthright as possible and mention that I have virtually no knowledge regarding the specifics of either case. All I know is what I have assimilated from the media. In fact, if you are a media junkie then you have my word you know more than I do.
I can, nevertheless, share some helpful general information with you about child abductions. First, approximately 2/3 of the children who are abducted are Caucasian females from middle-class families. Most are likely to be in their teen years and you’ll sleep easier knowing that most abductions do not occur on the grounds of the child’s school.
Statistically speaking, most kids are taken by somebody they are familiar with such as a parent. Only 25% of the cases involve a stranger.
Overprotective parents wrongly assume that keeping the child close to home ensures safety. Not so! Nearly 1/3 of all abducted children were snatched within 200 feet of their own home. If we pump the distance up just a hairline to a quarter mile, then we cover over 50% of all situations of this nature!
Believe it or not (and contrary to what we see at the movies) studies seem to indicate that the children are not picked for their physical characteristics in the majority of cases. Physical traits enter into the equation in just 15% of all cases. Instead, the children are chosen based on the opportunity to abduct them.
Statisticians believe that only one child dies for every 10,000 reports of a missing child. The key to stopping these tragedies is lightning fast reporting. According to a major study about 75% of the children who died were dead within three hours of the abduction.
So just what are these abductors like when they are not members of the family? Generally, they are males (except for infant abductors who are female) in the 25 to 27 year old range. They live alone or with their parents. In most cases they are single. Most are unemployed are in semi-skilled occupations.
Unfortunately, child kidnapping — or keeping a child as if he or she is your own child — is not a new phenomenon. You might recall the Lindbergh Baby (toddler of the world legendary pilot Charles Lindbergh) was one of the top news stories of the 20th Century. Sadly, the child was found dead in 1932.
Again, the key – when it exists – is to take action and contact your local law enforcement as fast as possible.
Dr. Howard Rosenthal is a multi-book author in the field of counseling. His website is www.howardrosenthal.com
In August 1973 a strange incident in Stockholm Sweden shocked the social science community. Bank robbers held a group of bank employees hostage for six days. Ironically, when the culprits were caught the victims defended their captors! This phenomenon has been dubbed “The Stockholm Syndrome” and it often seems to be evident in cases of child abduction.
Why does it occur? Nobody knows for sure and most experts agree that there are a number of plausible explanations. One notion is that bonding with the enemy is a survival tactic. Simply put: it keeps the victim alive. Another theory is that the person or persons responsible for the abduction sometimes show their victims kindness and this leads to warm feelings.
Recently local and national attention has focused on the cases of Ben Owenby and Shawn Hornbeck with the latter being investigated as a possible example of the Stockholm Syndrome since it is possible that Shawn had chances to escape, but did not. Let me be as forthright as possible and mention that I have virtually no knowledge regarding the specifics of either case. All I know is what I have assimilated from the media. In fact, if you are a media junkie then you have my word you know more than I do.
I can, nevertheless, share some helpful general information with you about child abductions. First, approximately 2/3 of the children who are abducted are Caucasian females from middle-class families. Most are likely to be in their teen years and you’ll sleep easier knowing that most abductions do not occur on the grounds of the child’s school.
Statistically speaking, most kids are taken by somebody they are familiar with such as a parent. Only 25% of the cases involve a stranger.
Overprotective parents wrongly assume that keeping the child close to home ensures safety. Not so! Nearly 1/3 of all abducted children were snatched within 200 feet of their own home. If we pump the distance up just a hairline to a quarter mile, then we cover over 50% of all situations of this nature!
Believe it or not (and contrary to what we see at the movies) studies seem to indicate that the children are not picked for their physical characteristics in the majority of cases. Physical traits enter into the equation in just 15% of all cases. Instead, the children are chosen based on the opportunity to abduct them.
Statisticians believe that only one child dies for every 10,000 reports of a missing child. The key to stopping these tragedies is lightning fast reporting. According to a major study about 75% of the children who died were dead within three hours of the abduction.
So just what are these abductors like when they are not members of the family? Generally, they are males (except for infant abductors who are female) in the 25 to 27 year old range. They live alone or with their parents. In most cases they are single. Most are unemployed are in semi-skilled occupations.
Unfortunately, child kidnapping — or keeping a child as if he or she is your own child — is not a new phenomenon. You might recall the Lindbergh Baby (toddler of the world legendary pilot Charles Lindbergh) was one of the top news stories of the 20th Century. Sadly, the child was found dead in 1932.
Again, the key – when it exists – is to take action and contact your local law enforcement as fast as possible.
Dr. Howard Rosenthal is a multi-book author in the field of counseling. His website is www.howardrosenthal.com
THE VIEW FROM THE CHEAP SEATS By Jerry Haferkamp
The View From
The Cheap Seats
By Jerry Haferkamp
Although I make sure these columns are factual, this week’s column may be based on erroneous assumptions. I ask any member of the St. Charles Board of Education to please respond with corrections or explanations as necessary. I called a member for clarification, but she didn’t respond.
The Board has unilaterally taken a benefit from our teachers that reside outside the district. They will no longer allow their children to attend our schools. The Board claims this will save $224,000, or $5,700 per student. The action affects about 40 students.
If these students were in two classrooms of 20 students each, the classes could be cancelled and two teachers jobs eliminated. Yes, there would be savings. But these students are dispersed throughout the system, so there would be no cancelled classes or jobs eliminated. There would be no difference in operating expenses. Costs for heating/cooling, janitorial and maintenance, teacher salaries and administration would remain unchanged. They don’t ride the buses, so there would be no savings there. These students do not place a burden on our district.
The fact is that not only would this move not save money, it would actually result in less per-pupil funding received from the State of Missouri.
This action also may cause us to lose valued teachers and keep teachers that live just across a street from our boundaries from applying for positions here.
Moreover, these teachers were told their children could attend our schools prior to many of them accepting positions here. I was raised when a person stood by their word. We, as a community through the school board, gave these teachers our word. We, as a community, should stick by it.
There is a School Board meeting on Thursday, February 8th. It opens to the public at 7:30p.m.
I would like to address the Board, but unfortunately I can’t attend. I would like to have them explain exactly how this is advantageous to us. I hope some of you do attend and speak up to ask the Board to reverse this action.
Since you are reading this paper, I will assume you care about your city. That means you will have to get to the polls for the mayoral primary. You know that the Dark Side will, and we can’t afford a continuation of this administration.
That’s the view from the cheap seats.
The Cheap Seats
By Jerry Haferkamp
Although I make sure these columns are factual, this week’s column may be based on erroneous assumptions. I ask any member of the St. Charles Board of Education to please respond with corrections or explanations as necessary. I called a member for clarification, but she didn’t respond.
The Board has unilaterally taken a benefit from our teachers that reside outside the district. They will no longer allow their children to attend our schools. The Board claims this will save $224,000, or $5,700 per student. The action affects about 40 students.
If these students were in two classrooms of 20 students each, the classes could be cancelled and two teachers jobs eliminated. Yes, there would be savings. But these students are dispersed throughout the system, so there would be no cancelled classes or jobs eliminated. There would be no difference in operating expenses. Costs for heating/cooling, janitorial and maintenance, teacher salaries and administration would remain unchanged. They don’t ride the buses, so there would be no savings there. These students do not place a burden on our district.
The fact is that not only would this move not save money, it would actually result in less per-pupil funding received from the State of Missouri.
This action also may cause us to lose valued teachers and keep teachers that live just across a street from our boundaries from applying for positions here.
Moreover, these teachers were told their children could attend our schools prior to many of them accepting positions here. I was raised when a person stood by their word. We, as a community through the school board, gave these teachers our word. We, as a community, should stick by it.
There is a School Board meeting on Thursday, February 8th. It opens to the public at 7:30p.m.
I would like to address the Board, but unfortunately I can’t attend. I would like to have them explain exactly how this is advantageous to us. I hope some of you do attend and speak up to ask the Board to reverse this action.
Since you are reading this paper, I will assume you care about your city. That means you will have to get to the polls for the mayoral primary. You know that the Dark Side will, and we can’t afford a continuation of this administration.
That’s the view from the cheap seats.
CONSERVATIVE FACTOR Alex Spencer
Mayor Brown’s Indictment: Is 18 months enough?
Shawn Brown was indicted Monday on Federal bribery charges. He will be heading to prison for 18 months in accordance with the minimum guidelines for a Federal bribery case. The judge was good to him, considering he could have faced up to two years in prison. He relayed this sentencing along with a good dose of reprimand. He basically told Brown that his campaign promises were lies and that he has disgraced the office of the Mayor. He did NOT honor the home confinement request as Brown and his attorneys had the nerve to ask for. Why ask for home confinement? A few reasons have been speculated amongst his critics in Saint Peters.
Maybe he was waiting on a “delivery” from another company he was bribing? Or, he possibly thought since Martha Stewart could do it on a much higher level and get away with it, he could do it as well? All joking aside, having a wife and young children was the main reason I’m sure for asking for home confinement. What will they tell their kids? That daddy is going to jail over a measly $2750? How do you explain that he put the family at risk just to get a few extra bucks? You have to feel sorry for the family and relief that justice has been done.
Then there are his main supporters. The “big money” support such as daddy Warbucks Busch and the Great Alliance. I have to wonder if he’s feeling like he wasted a big amount of money on a whole lot of nothing. And the “ground soldiers” who thought this guy was the answer to St. Peters prayers, while blasting Former Mayor Tom Brown whenever they could. Well, guess what? When you don’t have any experience at anything relating to public office, you can honestly campaign and say that “he’ll make a great, honest Mayor. St. Peters gave the guy a chance, he got a little power and went crazy with it. Hey, if you’re going to throw your whole three year career away, go for it and ask for a little more, will you? These same “soldiers” are the ones who blasted State Representative Scott Rupp for just about everything they could to campaign for “their candidate”, Joe Brazil, who by the way lost by a large margin. Now they are saying that although Shawn Brown was wrong, he wasn’t as wrong as some of the public officials. These people are never wrong, are they? So the hard lesson St. Peters might learn this next time around is don’t support any candidate who is connected with the one issue group; which is basically anti-growth. If you do support them and decide that maybe you would like to think for yourself the next time around and vote for someone else, you will be considered a traitor and all ties will be cut off. They will try to disguise themselves in e-mails and websites, but I think by most of us know who they are by now.
Speaking of the upcoming election this spring, voters are heading once again back to the polls after a disappointing past November for us conservatives. The confirmed candidates as of Tuesday for the non-partisan position as Mayor are Alderman Jerry Hollingsworth, Terry Hawkins and Len Pagano, along with local businessman, Rick Nault. Many have been buzzing about Former Mayor Tom Brown taking another shot at it, as he did call it correctly about Shawn being a crook, but I think the final decision has been made and we will be choosing between the aforementioned men. The winner will go on to serve out former Mayor Shawn Brown’s final year of his four year term with another fun election in 2008.
All the candidates seem to have one thing in common: they all want to restore the integrity of the office and restore the public’s trust that the former Mayor took away.
February is a great time for conservatives. With the upcoming “Lincoln Days” events, candidates from all over the state for all levels of Government will be gathering to mingle and gather support. Things are going to get interesting.
Shawn Brown was indicted Monday on Federal bribery charges. He will be heading to prison for 18 months in accordance with the minimum guidelines for a Federal bribery case. The judge was good to him, considering he could have faced up to two years in prison. He relayed this sentencing along with a good dose of reprimand. He basically told Brown that his campaign promises were lies and that he has disgraced the office of the Mayor. He did NOT honor the home confinement request as Brown and his attorneys had the nerve to ask for. Why ask for home confinement? A few reasons have been speculated amongst his critics in Saint Peters.
Maybe he was waiting on a “delivery” from another company he was bribing? Or, he possibly thought since Martha Stewart could do it on a much higher level and get away with it, he could do it as well? All joking aside, having a wife and young children was the main reason I’m sure for asking for home confinement. What will they tell their kids? That daddy is going to jail over a measly $2750? How do you explain that he put the family at risk just to get a few extra bucks? You have to feel sorry for the family and relief that justice has been done.
Then there are his main supporters. The “big money” support such as daddy Warbucks Busch and the Great Alliance. I have to wonder if he’s feeling like he wasted a big amount of money on a whole lot of nothing. And the “ground soldiers” who thought this guy was the answer to St. Peters prayers, while blasting Former Mayor Tom Brown whenever they could. Well, guess what? When you don’t have any experience at anything relating to public office, you can honestly campaign and say that “he’ll make a great, honest Mayor. St. Peters gave the guy a chance, he got a little power and went crazy with it. Hey, if you’re going to throw your whole three year career away, go for it and ask for a little more, will you? These same “soldiers” are the ones who blasted State Representative Scott Rupp for just about everything they could to campaign for “their candidate”, Joe Brazil, who by the way lost by a large margin. Now they are saying that although Shawn Brown was wrong, he wasn’t as wrong as some of the public officials. These people are never wrong, are they? So the hard lesson St. Peters might learn this next time around is don’t support any candidate who is connected with the one issue group; which is basically anti-growth. If you do support them and decide that maybe you would like to think for yourself the next time around and vote for someone else, you will be considered a traitor and all ties will be cut off. They will try to disguise themselves in e-mails and websites, but I think by most of us know who they are by now.
Speaking of the upcoming election this spring, voters are heading once again back to the polls after a disappointing past November for us conservatives. The confirmed candidates as of Tuesday for the non-partisan position as Mayor are Alderman Jerry Hollingsworth, Terry Hawkins and Len Pagano, along with local businessman, Rick Nault. Many have been buzzing about Former Mayor Tom Brown taking another shot at it, as he did call it correctly about Shawn being a crook, but I think the final decision has been made and we will be choosing between the aforementioned men. The winner will go on to serve out former Mayor Shawn Brown’s final year of his four year term with another fun election in 2008.
All the candidates seem to have one thing in common: they all want to restore the integrity of the office and restore the public’s trust that the former Mayor took away.
February is a great time for conservatives. With the upcoming “Lincoln Days” events, candidates from all over the state for all levels of Government will be gathering to mingle and gather support. Things are going to get interesting.
FIRST CAPITOL NEWS SPORTS - Mike McMurran Editor
I’m not certain if the times have changed or if it is just within my family. I remember as a kid growing up, pretty much being on my own for entertainment and “things to do.” A typical Saturday might meant walking to the local bowling alley, some 2 miles away. If we really wanted to do something special we would jump on Bi-State and travel all the way to River Roads. There we could not only hang out at a bowling alley (Spencer’s), but could walk the mall as well. Those of us, who were really cool, would make sure to spend some time at the pool hall. Funny how no one every questioned our smoking – even at the tender age of 11 or so.
My daughter is 11 – and far, far, far beyond my level of maturity at the same age. Fact is, I don’t think she would want to spend the day at the mall – at least not without her mother. Not that she is especially close to her mother (well, yes she is), but her mom would have the resources for Maggie to purchase “stuff.” I really don’t think I have to worry about her smoking. She recently graduated the D.A.R.E. program at ASH and makes no bones about how she feels about tobacco and alcohol use. She has little tolerance for fools.
I sometimes wonder if I am doing my kids justice with all the “planned activities,” Lynn and I involve them. This past week Maggie had Patt Holt rehearsal on Thursday evening. While Maggie is rehearsing, Dee is practicing his soccer skills at Tony Glavin. While I’m at it, could there be two more influential adults on the youngsters of St. Charles County than Patt Holt and Tony Glavin. Tony has been training soccer players for over 15 years and Patt has been working with youngsters even longer. I guess I am a pretty lucky guy to have my kids working with such knowledgeable and dedicated adults. But I digress.
Friday, Maggie had basketball practice from 3 – 5; then turned around and had a game at 8 p.m. at St. Cletus. I could write an entire column on how the team got “homered” by the officials, but that would be rather negative. Maggie’s team last year went 2-8 in conference play. So far this season they are sitting 3-0 in their conference; in the Cletus Tournament they went 1-2. I still don’t understand how I provoked the official by counting out loud to 16. “If you count out loud I’m never gonna call it,” commenting on the 3 second rule. The young lady standing in the paint began to grow roots – but never was anything said. We lost the contest, in overtime by a single point. It was the first time I ever saw a 5th grade girls’ team almost reach double bonus in fouls. Fact of the matter is, it was the first time I ever saw a team reach 1 + 1. We never once stepped to the charity stripe.
Friday morning Maggie had another basketball game; this one was scheduled at 10 a.m. on the ASH campus. As soon as her game was over, family McMurran hurried home, had lunch, and proceeded to Tony Glavin’s in Cottleville. We knew we had games at 1 and 3; you see both of my sons play there. We thought Dee was scheduled at 1, but it was Joe. We watched his game, then sat around and watched another game involving players none of us knew. You see Dee then played at 3, and we never would have made it home and back again in time. For that matter, why would we even try? Dee’s game was over at 4 and the family made it home by 4:30. We had pretty much been on the road since 9 a.m. but things had finally calmed down.
Sunday morning in the McMurran household is just plain nuts! Every Sunday we go through the same routine on our way to 10 o’clock Mass at St. Elizabeth’s. My wife is from the school that as long as you make it to your seat before the Gospel, everything is fine. I, on the other hand, like to get there at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the service. Just like every other endeavor in our relationship, somewhere in the middle is usually when we get there. Sunday mornings mean five showers or baths in less than an hour. That means whomever is last, which is almost always me, ends up with a very quick 2 minute shower, or else! Or else the water turns ice cold. No problem, I was in the Navy and trained in just such matters.
This Sunday is Super Bowl Sunday, a day that really should be declared a holiday. For years I attended Lynn’s brother-in-law’s party (child free). Once I started having children I thought to myself, “what a wonderful family tradition, watching the Super Bowl with your kids,” or at least your sons! And so it has been; every Super Bowl you will find me with my two sons, Joe (8) and Dee (7) watching the Super Bowl together. My reasons are somewhat selfish. I figure if they get used to watching the Super Bowl with their old man, when they grow into adults they will continue the tradition. As the guys watch the game, the girls pop in from time to time to catch the commercials. Both boys want the Bears to win this year. Personally, I don’t care. I just sit there, watching the excitement on Joe and Dee’s faces, and think to myself: “There really must be a God.”
Mike can be reached at 314.280.9189 or mcmurran@charter.net
High School Basketball
Soderberg vs. Harrellson
Will they play each other in February?
By Louis J. Launer
With St. Charles High’s victory over Duchesne, the Pirates are in the drivers seat to take the district. Duchesne has become the dark horse in the district, losing key games and the only way they could get a bid to the state tournament would be to beat St. Charles High and St. Charles West in the districts as they get underway in the first week of February.
The February Madness will begin and there’s a rivalry of sorts between two star players, Kramer Soderberg at St. Charles West and Josh Harrellson at St. Charles High. Soderberg and his troops have made headline news, ranging from appearances on KMOV and KSDK’s sportscasts. St. Charles West at one time had one of the best groups of three-point shooters and they still have the potential to score big.
But Harrellson has been busy keeping the Pirates on top. His height is one of the advantages to the Pirates’ game plan. The Pirates for three-fourths of the season has been shadowed by the Warriors’ “celebrity” status. It has only been this past week, after High’s victory over Duchesne that St. Charles High School could be the team making the state tournament.
In the history of multiple high school sports in the city of St. Charles, there has never been a rivalry so intense as this year’s public high school rivalry between St. Charles High and St. Charles West. Having stars on both teams and their performances throughout the season have shown lots of excitement. Even with St. Charles High School not having school a few weeks ago because of the ice storm, they still were able to fill their gym with fans as they took on Fort Zumwalt West in a game that really had no meaning, except that the Pirates needed the win to keep pace with St. Charles West.
The 2006-07 school year will go down in history as the year of basketball. Kramer Soderberg averages 30 points a game for St. Charles West. Josh Harrellson averages 25 points for St. Charles High. Both teams have gone head-to-head three times this season. Could they meet in districts for a fourth time? It’s still a possibility. Local high school fans would want that.
St. Charles High won a state title in basketball in 1957, thanks to a then up-and-coming coach named Gene Bartow, who later coached at UCLA and later, UAB (many remember the rivalries between UAB and SLU). St. Charles West won a state title in 1995, thanks to two brothers named Robertson. Could this be the year that one of our local high schools get a second title for their school? It’s possible.
ST. CHARLES WEST 66, FORT ZUMWALT SOUTH 58. Kramer Soderberg had 37 points in a big victory for St. Charles West over Fort Zumwalt South. St. Charles West led throughout most of the game that was dominated by West’s Soderberg. The win keeps St. Charles West in the hunt for a top district seed.
DUCHESNE HOCKEY CHEERLEADER TO RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIP
“Cheer not only means showing encouragement and congratulations, but it also means having pride, responsibility, dedication and the love of a sport,” said Duchesne High School senior Lisa Haley.
Haley was recently awarded the Mid States Hockey Cheerleader Scholarship. The $1,000 scholarship will be applied to her tuition at Maryville University, where she plans to study secondary education.
Haley has been a DHS hockey cheerleader for three years. “I chose hockey cheerleading because it is my favorite sport to watch and I have been around it all my life,” said Haley.
The application process required Haley to submit a 500-word essay on how cheerleading has changed her life. In her essay, she explains how cheerleading has given her more confidence, improved her time management skills and has taught her to relax and be herself. “I owe all of this to the other members of my squad,” said Haley. “They have taught me to never give up because you will be proud of yourself when you know you finished and did your best.”
My daughter is 11 – and far, far, far beyond my level of maturity at the same age. Fact is, I don’t think she would want to spend the day at the mall – at least not without her mother. Not that she is especially close to her mother (well, yes she is), but her mom would have the resources for Maggie to purchase “stuff.” I really don’t think I have to worry about her smoking. She recently graduated the D.A.R.E. program at ASH and makes no bones about how she feels about tobacco and alcohol use. She has little tolerance for fools.
I sometimes wonder if I am doing my kids justice with all the “planned activities,” Lynn and I involve them. This past week Maggie had Patt Holt rehearsal on Thursday evening. While Maggie is rehearsing, Dee is practicing his soccer skills at Tony Glavin. While I’m at it, could there be two more influential adults on the youngsters of St. Charles County than Patt Holt and Tony Glavin. Tony has been training soccer players for over 15 years and Patt has been working with youngsters even longer. I guess I am a pretty lucky guy to have my kids working with such knowledgeable and dedicated adults. But I digress.
Friday, Maggie had basketball practice from 3 – 5; then turned around and had a game at 8 p.m. at St. Cletus. I could write an entire column on how the team got “homered” by the officials, but that would be rather negative. Maggie’s team last year went 2-8 in conference play. So far this season they are sitting 3-0 in their conference; in the Cletus Tournament they went 1-2. I still don’t understand how I provoked the official by counting out loud to 16. “If you count out loud I’m never gonna call it,” commenting on the 3 second rule. The young lady standing in the paint began to grow roots – but never was anything said. We lost the contest, in overtime by a single point. It was the first time I ever saw a 5th grade girls’ team almost reach double bonus in fouls. Fact of the matter is, it was the first time I ever saw a team reach 1 + 1. We never once stepped to the charity stripe.
Friday morning Maggie had another basketball game; this one was scheduled at 10 a.m. on the ASH campus. As soon as her game was over, family McMurran hurried home, had lunch, and proceeded to Tony Glavin’s in Cottleville. We knew we had games at 1 and 3; you see both of my sons play there. We thought Dee was scheduled at 1, but it was Joe. We watched his game, then sat around and watched another game involving players none of us knew. You see Dee then played at 3, and we never would have made it home and back again in time. For that matter, why would we even try? Dee’s game was over at 4 and the family made it home by 4:30. We had pretty much been on the road since 9 a.m. but things had finally calmed down.
Sunday morning in the McMurran household is just plain nuts! Every Sunday we go through the same routine on our way to 10 o’clock Mass at St. Elizabeth’s. My wife is from the school that as long as you make it to your seat before the Gospel, everything is fine. I, on the other hand, like to get there at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the service. Just like every other endeavor in our relationship, somewhere in the middle is usually when we get there. Sunday mornings mean five showers or baths in less than an hour. That means whomever is last, which is almost always me, ends up with a very quick 2 minute shower, or else! Or else the water turns ice cold. No problem, I was in the Navy and trained in just such matters.
This Sunday is Super Bowl Sunday, a day that really should be declared a holiday. For years I attended Lynn’s brother-in-law’s party (child free). Once I started having children I thought to myself, “what a wonderful family tradition, watching the Super Bowl with your kids,” or at least your sons! And so it has been; every Super Bowl you will find me with my two sons, Joe (8) and Dee (7) watching the Super Bowl together. My reasons are somewhat selfish. I figure if they get used to watching the Super Bowl with their old man, when they grow into adults they will continue the tradition. As the guys watch the game, the girls pop in from time to time to catch the commercials. Both boys want the Bears to win this year. Personally, I don’t care. I just sit there, watching the excitement on Joe and Dee’s faces, and think to myself: “There really must be a God.”
Mike can be reached at 314.280.9189 or mcmurran@charter.net
High School Basketball
Soderberg vs. Harrellson
Will they play each other in February?
By Louis J. Launer
With St. Charles High’s victory over Duchesne, the Pirates are in the drivers seat to take the district. Duchesne has become the dark horse in the district, losing key games and the only way they could get a bid to the state tournament would be to beat St. Charles High and St. Charles West in the districts as they get underway in the first week of February.
The February Madness will begin and there’s a rivalry of sorts between two star players, Kramer Soderberg at St. Charles West and Josh Harrellson at St. Charles High. Soderberg and his troops have made headline news, ranging from appearances on KMOV and KSDK’s sportscasts. St. Charles West at one time had one of the best groups of three-point shooters and they still have the potential to score big.
But Harrellson has been busy keeping the Pirates on top. His height is one of the advantages to the Pirates’ game plan. The Pirates for three-fourths of the season has been shadowed by the Warriors’ “celebrity” status. It has only been this past week, after High’s victory over Duchesne that St. Charles High School could be the team making the state tournament.
In the history of multiple high school sports in the city of St. Charles, there has never been a rivalry so intense as this year’s public high school rivalry between St. Charles High and St. Charles West. Having stars on both teams and their performances throughout the season have shown lots of excitement. Even with St. Charles High School not having school a few weeks ago because of the ice storm, they still were able to fill their gym with fans as they took on Fort Zumwalt West in a game that really had no meaning, except that the Pirates needed the win to keep pace with St. Charles West.
The 2006-07 school year will go down in history as the year of basketball. Kramer Soderberg averages 30 points a game for St. Charles West. Josh Harrellson averages 25 points for St. Charles High. Both teams have gone head-to-head three times this season. Could they meet in districts for a fourth time? It’s still a possibility. Local high school fans would want that.
St. Charles High won a state title in basketball in 1957, thanks to a then up-and-coming coach named Gene Bartow, who later coached at UCLA and later, UAB (many remember the rivalries between UAB and SLU). St. Charles West won a state title in 1995, thanks to two brothers named Robertson. Could this be the year that one of our local high schools get a second title for their school? It’s possible.
ST. CHARLES WEST 66, FORT ZUMWALT SOUTH 58. Kramer Soderberg had 37 points in a big victory for St. Charles West over Fort Zumwalt South. St. Charles West led throughout most of the game that was dominated by West’s Soderberg. The win keeps St. Charles West in the hunt for a top district seed.
DUCHESNE HOCKEY CHEERLEADER TO RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIP
“Cheer not only means showing encouragement and congratulations, but it also means having pride, responsibility, dedication and the love of a sport,” said Duchesne High School senior Lisa Haley.
Haley was recently awarded the Mid States Hockey Cheerleader Scholarship. The $1,000 scholarship will be applied to her tuition at Maryville University, where she plans to study secondary education.
Haley has been a DHS hockey cheerleader for three years. “I chose hockey cheerleading because it is my favorite sport to watch and I have been around it all my life,” said Haley.
The application process required Haley to submit a 500-word essay on how cheerleading has changed her life. In her essay, she explains how cheerleading has given her more confidence, improved her time management skills and has taught her to relax and be herself. “I owe all of this to the other members of my squad,” said Haley. “They have taught me to never give up because you will be proud of yourself when you know you finished and did your best.”
Saturday, January 27, 2007
FIRST CAPITOL NEWS FRONT PAGE - January 20, 2007
(Click on image to enlarge) Scroll down to read this issue.
Candidate Wants Clarification
Dear Editor:
I’d like the opportunity to clarify a few points in your Jan 20-26 issue.
1. The Miniature Museum was not purchased during my tenure as Mayor. If it had been presented, I would have vetoed it.
2. During my term as Mayor, the Goldenrod was a successful family entertainment venue. Later it was allowed to deteriorate and was mismanaged. The City spent $1.4 million after my term as mayor to build a dock area and then gave away a national treasure.
3. I don’t recall fighting hard to defeat a bill that would have prevented people living outside of St. Charles from serving on St. Charles boards and commissions but if Rory says I did, I’ll take his word for it.
Thanks!
Grace Nichols
Editor’s Response,
Grace thank you for being a loyal reader of the First Capitol News
1. In regards to the Miniature Museum, we will re-check our information and if there has been an error we will be happy to correct it.
2. Concerning the Goldenrod Showboat, records we obtained from the City revealed the Goldenrod was a white elephant and financial drain on the taxpayers from the day the City took ownership. Those records reflected the boat never made a profit for the City. In fact, the cost to St. Charles taxpayers was more than $5 million dollars that the City spent on the Goldenrod Showboat and the dock that sits vacant in Frontier Park.
When the boat was purchased in 1990, your administration estimated the showboat would make the city over $5 million. As demonstrated in this paper, using City records, this was never to be and as of March 2002, the Goldenrod had cost the city taxpayers over $5 million.
In 1992 an editorial in a local publication pleaded with St. Charles residents to “attend shows and support the Goldenrod.” In another publication you are quoted, “Then Mayor Grace Nichols explained, “ It (Goldenrod Showboat) dovetailed well with our plans to develop the Missouri Riverfront with historic boats.” (Sue Schneider, Business Network, “Broadway Style” May 1991, p.10).
In a story in the Journal by Dennis Miller on January 31, 1990 titled, City has eyed Goldenrod for several months; Councilman Kenneth Keilty (who is now running for election in Ward 8) was quoted as saying the Goldenrod will provide “An opportunity for very wholesome, nationally known entertainment to come to our community”.
Then, after you were voted out of office by 80 percent of the voters, it was discovered it would take another million or so dollars to bring the Goldenrod up to Coast Guard safety standards. The Coast Guard, for safety reasons, would not allow the city to simply shut the boat down and remain derelict sitting at the dock. Councilman John Gieseke led the charge to rid the taxpayers of this financial drain. “It’s (The Goldenrod) an albatross around our neck,” Gieseke said. “We were told only $100,000 now the estimate to fix the vessel is much more. When is enough, enough?” Proposals were received for the boat and when there were no monetary offers it was given to a local businessman who moved it from St. Charles.
3. Your remark about Rory confuses me. Rory (I assume you are talking about Councilman Rory Riddler) did not provide us with any information. Despite what your friend and political ally Ken Kielty would like people to believe, Rory has no connection with this publication other than he writes a regular column. An opportunity we extended to all members of the council and the mayor. We are experienced investigators and quite capable of acquiring information on our own.
On June 28, 1994 Councilman Bill Conrey introduced a bill that would require all appointed board members to live in the City of St. Charles. He said it was only fair that the commissions making decisions about life in St. Charles should include only people who live in the City.
On July 14, 1994 an article titled “COUNCILMAN’S BILL REQUIRING RESIDENCY DRAWS MAYOR’S FIRE, appeared in the Post and was written by Tommy Robertson. Portions of the article state, ‘But Mayor Grace M. Nichols said the bill would make it even harder for her to make appointments. Nichols was a strong opponent of the bill when Conrey introduced it two weeks ago. “She (Nichols) said the bill was an unnecessary and restrictive intrusion into her appointive powers.
You were evidently successful in the defeat of that bill. Recently the City Council passed such an ordinance.
Once again, thank you for reading the First Capitol News.
I’d like the opportunity to clarify a few points in your Jan 20-26 issue.
1. The Miniature Museum was not purchased during my tenure as Mayor. If it had been presented, I would have vetoed it.
2. During my term as Mayor, the Goldenrod was a successful family entertainment venue. Later it was allowed to deteriorate and was mismanaged. The City spent $1.4 million after my term as mayor to build a dock area and then gave away a national treasure.
3. I don’t recall fighting hard to defeat a bill that would have prevented people living outside of St. Charles from serving on St. Charles boards and commissions but if Rory says I did, I’ll take his word for it.
Thanks!
Grace Nichols
Editor’s Response,
Grace thank you for being a loyal reader of the First Capitol News
1. In regards to the Miniature Museum, we will re-check our information and if there has been an error we will be happy to correct it.
2. Concerning the Goldenrod Showboat, records we obtained from the City revealed the Goldenrod was a white elephant and financial drain on the taxpayers from the day the City took ownership. Those records reflected the boat never made a profit for the City. In fact, the cost to St. Charles taxpayers was more than $5 million dollars that the City spent on the Goldenrod Showboat and the dock that sits vacant in Frontier Park.
When the boat was purchased in 1990, your administration estimated the showboat would make the city over $5 million. As demonstrated in this paper, using City records, this was never to be and as of March 2002, the Goldenrod had cost the city taxpayers over $5 million.
In 1992 an editorial in a local publication pleaded with St. Charles residents to “attend shows and support the Goldenrod.” In another publication you are quoted, “Then Mayor Grace Nichols explained, “ It (Goldenrod Showboat) dovetailed well with our plans to develop the Missouri Riverfront with historic boats.” (Sue Schneider, Business Network, “Broadway Style” May 1991, p.10).
In a story in the Journal by Dennis Miller on January 31, 1990 titled, City has eyed Goldenrod for several months; Councilman Kenneth Keilty (who is now running for election in Ward 8) was quoted as saying the Goldenrod will provide “An opportunity for very wholesome, nationally known entertainment to come to our community”.
Then, after you were voted out of office by 80 percent of the voters, it was discovered it would take another million or so dollars to bring the Goldenrod up to Coast Guard safety standards. The Coast Guard, for safety reasons, would not allow the city to simply shut the boat down and remain derelict sitting at the dock. Councilman John Gieseke led the charge to rid the taxpayers of this financial drain. “It’s (The Goldenrod) an albatross around our neck,” Gieseke said. “We were told only $100,000 now the estimate to fix the vessel is much more. When is enough, enough?” Proposals were received for the boat and when there were no monetary offers it was given to a local businessman who moved it from St. Charles.
3. Your remark about Rory confuses me. Rory (I assume you are talking about Councilman Rory Riddler) did not provide us with any information. Despite what your friend and political ally Ken Kielty would like people to believe, Rory has no connection with this publication other than he writes a regular column. An opportunity we extended to all members of the council and the mayor. We are experienced investigators and quite capable of acquiring information on our own.
On June 28, 1994 Councilman Bill Conrey introduced a bill that would require all appointed board members to live in the City of St. Charles. He said it was only fair that the commissions making decisions about life in St. Charles should include only people who live in the City.
On July 14, 1994 an article titled “COUNCILMAN’S BILL REQUIRING RESIDENCY DRAWS MAYOR’S FIRE, appeared in the Post and was written by Tommy Robertson. Portions of the article state, ‘But Mayor Grace M. Nichols said the bill would make it even harder for her to make appointments. Nichols was a strong opponent of the bill when Conrey introduced it two weeks ago. “She (Nichols) said the bill was an unnecessary and restrictive intrusion into her appointive powers.
You were evidently successful in the defeat of that bill. Recently the City Council passed such an ordinance.
Once again, thank you for reading the First Capitol News.
Supreme Court Reverses Robbery Convictions
Robert Davis and Paul Bainter were tried for eight counts of armed criminal action, seven counts of felonious restraint, first-degree robbery, first-degree burglary and resisting arrest for the January 2004 robbery of Frontier IGA grocery store on North Highway 94 in St. Charles.
At trial, the court permitted the state to introduce evidence identifying Davis and Bainter as the perpetrators of another robbery at a Hazelwood bar four days before the Frontier IGA grocery store robbery, although they were not charged with this crime, and to make repeated references to this evidence during the trial.
Defense counsel objected to the admission of the evidence of this uncharged crime. The trial court overruled the objection and allowed the state to adduce and to reference repeatedly extensive evidence regarding the McDonald’s robbery.
The State presented its case as follows. Police obtained a surveillance tape from a convenience store located a quarter mile from McDonald’s. On the tape four hours before the McDonald’s robbery were two men matching the robbers’ descriptions. The store clerk picked the photos of Davis and Bainter from a lineup and testified that they were in the store on the day of the McDonald’s robbery. The McDonald’s bartender viewed the surveillance tape and photos created from the tape. She testified that the men in the video looked similar to the robbers. She also identified Davis as someone who frequented the bar and Bainter as someone who lived nearby. When apprehended, the defendants were in possession of handwritten directions to the street where McDonald’s is located and several cash bills bearing staple holes. The bartender had testified that customer receipts were often stapled to cash payments. In both robberies, the perpetrators were two stocky white men carrying similar guns and wearing dark ski masks and gloves. In both incidents, one man was taller than the other, and one man called the other “Ed.”
The jury convicted Davis and Bainter on all eighteen counts. The appeal followed.
A criminal defendant has a right to be tried only for the crimes with which he is charged. As a general rule, “evidence of prior misconduct is inadmissible for the purpose of showing the propensity of the defendant to commit such crimes.” As an exception, evidence of prior misconduct may be admitted if it is logically and legally relevant. Such evidence is logically relevant if it has “some legitimate tendency to establish directly the accused’s guilt of the charges for which he is on trial.” Specifically, evidence of uncharged misconduct can be used to establish motive, intent, the absence of mistake or accident, a common scheme or plan, or the identity of the alleged perpetrator. Such evidence is legally relevant if its probative value outweighs its prejudicial effect. Its probative value also must outweigh the dangers of confusing issues, misleading the jury, wasting time, or presenting cumulative evidence. There is a possibility of prejudice “whenever the evidence amounts to an attack on the defendant’s character” or “when the evidence is used to show the defendant is a bad or evil man to support the further inference that he therefore committed the crime with which he is charged. Prejudice also may result if there is a possibility that the “bad-guy evidence,” even if probative, will be overused. Generally, “the balancing of the effect and value of evidence rests within the sound discretion of the trial court. But courts “should require that the admission of evidence of other crimes be subjected to rigid scrutiny” because such evidence “could raise a legally spurious presumption of guilt in the minds of the jurors.”
The State sought to admit evidence regarding the McDonald’s robbery to prove the identity of the defendants. The State contends that the time, place, and method of the McDonald’s and IGA robberies were sufficiently similar such that the trial court properly allowed evidence implicating the defendants in the former to prove their guilt of the latter. Both robberies were perpetrated by two stocky white men carrying similar guns and wearing dark ski masks and gloves. One man was taller than the other. One man called the other “Ed.” The two robberies occurred within 5 miles and within 4 days. In both cases, the robbers took cash and rolled coins. However, the robberies were different in several respects. At the IGA, the shorter robber did the talking and called the taller one “Paul” and then “Ed.” At McDonald’s, the taller robber spoke - with a “country” accent - and called the short one “Ed.” The IGA robbers told the victims that no one would get hurt, while the McDonald’s robbers threatened to shoot a customer. Both the IGA robbers collected money, while at McDonald’s one robber took the money while the other watched the door.
When they were arrested, Davis and Bainter had in their possession handwritten directions to the street where the bar is located and several cash bills bearing staple holes. The bartender, who identified the men from a convenience store surveillance tape and photos created from the tape, testified that customer receipts at the bar often were stapled to cash payments. The jury convicted Davis and Bainter on all 18 counts, and the court sentenced each of them as a prior and persistent offender to a total of two life terms plus 512 years in prison. Davis and Bainter appealed.
The Missouri Supreme Court reversed the convictions and remanded the case back for a new trial.
In it’s opinion the Court en banc holds: The trial court erred and abused its discretion in admitting the state’s detailed presentation of voluminous evidence of the bar robbery, which was excessive and prejudicial. A criminal defendant has a right to be tried only for the crimes with which he is charged. Generally, evidence of prior, uncharged conduct is not admissible to show a defendant’s propensity to commit such crimes, to attack the defendant’s character, or to show the defendant is a bad or evil man and, therefore, must have committed the charged crime. Such evidence may be admissible, however, to establish motive, intent, the absence of mistake or accident, a common scheme or plan, or the identity of an alleged perpetrator, so long as its probative value outweighs its prejudicial effect and outweighs the danger of confusing issues, misleading the jury, wasting time or presenting cumulative evidence. To fall under the identity exception, this Court has held that the charged and uncharged crimes must be nearly “identical” and their methodology “so unusual and distinctive” that they resemble a “signature” of the defendant’s involvement in both crimes. State v. Bernard, 849 S.W.2d 10, 17 (Mo. 1993). Here, the robberies of the bar and the grocery store were neither identical nor sufficiently unusual and distinctive. Because a Davis’s and Bainter’s challenge to the admission of the uncharged crime is dispositive, their remaining grounds for appeal need not be addressed.
In State v. Bernard, this Court explained:
In order for prior conduct to fall under the identity exception, there must be more than mere similarity between the crime charged and the uncharged crime. The charged and uncharged crimes must be nearly “identical” and their methodology “so unusual and distinctive” that they resemble a “signature” of defendant’s involvement in both crimes.Here, the IGA and McDonald’s robberies were neither identical nor sufficiently unusual and distinctive. The State’s detailed presentation of voluminous evidence from the McDonald’s robbery was excessive and prejudicial. The trial court’s admission of evidence of the McDonald’s robbery was erroneous and an abuse of discretion. The judgment is reversed, and the case is remanded.
At trial, the court permitted the state to introduce evidence identifying Davis and Bainter as the perpetrators of another robbery at a Hazelwood bar four days before the Frontier IGA grocery store robbery, although they were not charged with this crime, and to make repeated references to this evidence during the trial.
Defense counsel objected to the admission of the evidence of this uncharged crime. The trial court overruled the objection and allowed the state to adduce and to reference repeatedly extensive evidence regarding the McDonald’s robbery.
The State presented its case as follows. Police obtained a surveillance tape from a convenience store located a quarter mile from McDonald’s. On the tape four hours before the McDonald’s robbery were two men matching the robbers’ descriptions. The store clerk picked the photos of Davis and Bainter from a lineup and testified that they were in the store on the day of the McDonald’s robbery. The McDonald’s bartender viewed the surveillance tape and photos created from the tape. She testified that the men in the video looked similar to the robbers. She also identified Davis as someone who frequented the bar and Bainter as someone who lived nearby. When apprehended, the defendants were in possession of handwritten directions to the street where McDonald’s is located and several cash bills bearing staple holes. The bartender had testified that customer receipts were often stapled to cash payments. In both robberies, the perpetrators were two stocky white men carrying similar guns and wearing dark ski masks and gloves. In both incidents, one man was taller than the other, and one man called the other “Ed.”
The jury convicted Davis and Bainter on all eighteen counts. The appeal followed.
A criminal defendant has a right to be tried only for the crimes with which he is charged. As a general rule, “evidence of prior misconduct is inadmissible for the purpose of showing the propensity of the defendant to commit such crimes.” As an exception, evidence of prior misconduct may be admitted if it is logically and legally relevant. Such evidence is logically relevant if it has “some legitimate tendency to establish directly the accused’s guilt of the charges for which he is on trial.” Specifically, evidence of uncharged misconduct can be used to establish motive, intent, the absence of mistake or accident, a common scheme or plan, or the identity of the alleged perpetrator. Such evidence is legally relevant if its probative value outweighs its prejudicial effect. Its probative value also must outweigh the dangers of confusing issues, misleading the jury, wasting time, or presenting cumulative evidence. There is a possibility of prejudice “whenever the evidence amounts to an attack on the defendant’s character” or “when the evidence is used to show the defendant is a bad or evil man to support the further inference that he therefore committed the crime with which he is charged. Prejudice also may result if there is a possibility that the “bad-guy evidence,” even if probative, will be overused. Generally, “the balancing of the effect and value of evidence rests within the sound discretion of the trial court. But courts “should require that the admission of evidence of other crimes be subjected to rigid scrutiny” because such evidence “could raise a legally spurious presumption of guilt in the minds of the jurors.”
The State sought to admit evidence regarding the McDonald’s robbery to prove the identity of the defendants. The State contends that the time, place, and method of the McDonald’s and IGA robberies were sufficiently similar such that the trial court properly allowed evidence implicating the defendants in the former to prove their guilt of the latter. Both robberies were perpetrated by two stocky white men carrying similar guns and wearing dark ski masks and gloves. One man was taller than the other. One man called the other “Ed.” The two robberies occurred within 5 miles and within 4 days. In both cases, the robbers took cash and rolled coins. However, the robberies were different in several respects. At the IGA, the shorter robber did the talking and called the taller one “Paul” and then “Ed.” At McDonald’s, the taller robber spoke - with a “country” accent - and called the short one “Ed.” The IGA robbers told the victims that no one would get hurt, while the McDonald’s robbers threatened to shoot a customer. Both the IGA robbers collected money, while at McDonald’s one robber took the money while the other watched the door.
When they were arrested, Davis and Bainter had in their possession handwritten directions to the street where the bar is located and several cash bills bearing staple holes. The bartender, who identified the men from a convenience store surveillance tape and photos created from the tape, testified that customer receipts at the bar often were stapled to cash payments. The jury convicted Davis and Bainter on all 18 counts, and the court sentenced each of them as a prior and persistent offender to a total of two life terms plus 512 years in prison. Davis and Bainter appealed.
The Missouri Supreme Court reversed the convictions and remanded the case back for a new trial.
In it’s opinion the Court en banc holds: The trial court erred and abused its discretion in admitting the state’s detailed presentation of voluminous evidence of the bar robbery, which was excessive and prejudicial. A criminal defendant has a right to be tried only for the crimes with which he is charged. Generally, evidence of prior, uncharged conduct is not admissible to show a defendant’s propensity to commit such crimes, to attack the defendant’s character, or to show the defendant is a bad or evil man and, therefore, must have committed the charged crime. Such evidence may be admissible, however, to establish motive, intent, the absence of mistake or accident, a common scheme or plan, or the identity of an alleged perpetrator, so long as its probative value outweighs its prejudicial effect and outweighs the danger of confusing issues, misleading the jury, wasting time or presenting cumulative evidence. To fall under the identity exception, this Court has held that the charged and uncharged crimes must be nearly “identical” and their methodology “so unusual and distinctive” that they resemble a “signature” of the defendant’s involvement in both crimes. State v. Bernard, 849 S.W.2d 10, 17 (Mo. 1993). Here, the robberies of the bar and the grocery store were neither identical nor sufficiently unusual and distinctive. Because a Davis’s and Bainter’s challenge to the admission of the uncharged crime is dispositive, their remaining grounds for appeal need not be addressed.
In State v. Bernard, this Court explained:
In order for prior conduct to fall under the identity exception, there must be more than mere similarity between the crime charged and the uncharged crime. The charged and uncharged crimes must be nearly “identical” and their methodology “so unusual and distinctive” that they resemble a “signature” of defendant’s involvement in both crimes.Here, the IGA and McDonald’s robberies were neither identical nor sufficiently unusual and distinctive. The State’s detailed presentation of voluminous evidence from the McDonald’s robbery was excessive and prejudicial. The trial court’s admission of evidence of the McDonald’s robbery was erroneous and an abuse of discretion. The judgment is reversed, and the case is remanded.
Sherborn Lane Road Closed To Thru Traffic
Sherborn Lane Road Closed To Thru Traffic
Sherborn Lane was closed to thru traffic approximately 120 feet west of Landau Court/Westerland Court on Thursday, January 18, 2007.
Sherborn Lane was selected several years ago to have a speed hump installed on it. City staff was unable to find a location where the residents were agreeable to have it placed. The problems noted on Sherborn Lane were a direct result of the connection to the St. Charles Hills Subdivision. These problems included excessive traffic speeds and traffic volumes. It was determined that both problems could be reduced with the street closure.
The recommendation for the temporary closure of Sherborn Lane was discussed and approved by the City Council at their December 5, 2006 meeting at the request of City engineers who studied the issue and determined closure as the best alternative.
Letters were sent to City residents at 2965 Landau Court, 2961 Westerland Court, the police and fire departments, the post office, City street division, Councilman John Gieseke of Ward 8 as well as placed on the City’s website.
A message board was also placed on City right-of-way on January 11, 2007 advising of the closure.
Within the letter it was stated that the closure would remain in place for a trial period of six months. If after the trial period it was determined that the desired results were being achieved, the City would enact a permanent closure by removing a portion of the pavement and added aesthetic improvements.
Councilman John Gieseke told the First Capitol News, “This was in response to the neighborhood association’s request. The city staff studied the area and determined this was the best action to take. I met with members of the board over a year and half ago and stood and watched cars speeding by and kids playing in yards and knew this had to be fixed. I am happy the City staff came up with a solution. This is temporary for six months and we will see if it is accepted in the neighborhood. In six months a decision will be made to either remove the barricades completely or make them permanent depending on the will of the neighborhood. Anyone wanting to lodge an opinion for or against the closure are asked to call our public works department at 636 949-3200 or me at 636 9460-877
Residents along Pembroke have also contacted me to ask for a study of what the city can do to help control speeding along that street as well. It will be discussed at the next city traffic commission meeting in February.”
Sherborn Lane was closed to thru traffic approximately 120 feet west of Landau Court/Westerland Court on Thursday, January 18, 2007.
Sherborn Lane was selected several years ago to have a speed hump installed on it. City staff was unable to find a location where the residents were agreeable to have it placed. The problems noted on Sherborn Lane were a direct result of the connection to the St. Charles Hills Subdivision. These problems included excessive traffic speeds and traffic volumes. It was determined that both problems could be reduced with the street closure.
The recommendation for the temporary closure of Sherborn Lane was discussed and approved by the City Council at their December 5, 2006 meeting at the request of City engineers who studied the issue and determined closure as the best alternative.
Letters were sent to City residents at 2965 Landau Court, 2961 Westerland Court, the police and fire departments, the post office, City street division, Councilman John Gieseke of Ward 8 as well as placed on the City’s website.
A message board was also placed on City right-of-way on January 11, 2007 advising of the closure.
Within the letter it was stated that the closure would remain in place for a trial period of six months. If after the trial period it was determined that the desired results were being achieved, the City would enact a permanent closure by removing a portion of the pavement and added aesthetic improvements.
Councilman John Gieseke told the First Capitol News, “This was in response to the neighborhood association’s request. The city staff studied the area and determined this was the best action to take. I met with members of the board over a year and half ago and stood and watched cars speeding by and kids playing in yards and knew this had to be fixed. I am happy the City staff came up with a solution. This is temporary for six months and we will see if it is accepted in the neighborhood. In six months a decision will be made to either remove the barricades completely or make them permanent depending on the will of the neighborhood. Anyone wanting to lodge an opinion for or against the closure are asked to call our public works department at 636 949-3200 or me at 636 9460-877
Residents along Pembroke have also contacted me to ask for a study of what the city can do to help control speeding along that street as well. It will be discussed at the next city traffic commission meeting in February.”
RAMBLING WITH THE EDITOR - Tony Brockmeyer
Poor Performance Causes
Mayoral Candidate
To Be Ousted
From Office By Over 78 percent of the Voters
Now She Wants Another Chance
Former Mayor Grace Nichols is a candidate in the February 6th Mayoral primary election. In the early 70’s she served as a state representative. Grace served on the City Council from 1975 to 1981. Grace was elected Mayor of St. Charles in April of 1987 and re-elected to a second term in April of 1991. In 1995 she attempted a third term in office and was defeated by Robert L. Moeller, a retired construction manager and political unknown, who had never held a public office.
What Grace is hoping the voters forget is, that after she served eight years as Mayor, the voters sent a loud and clear message when over 78 percent of the voters voted her out of office. Of the 10,105 votes cast she could only muster 2,244 votes. In fact, she ran third in that race.
Bring Back Grace has been the slogan coined by her campaign. I guess they are counting on very short memories of her tenure and her last election. Nichols had a tumultuous second term with the City Council. Taxes were raised during her tenure. Her efforts to cover up a mistake made when moving the train depot, the purchase of the Goldenrod Showboat, fighting against a bill that would have required members of boards and commissions to be St. Charles residents, fighting against the construction of the Trail Head Brewery on South Main, were just a few of the reasons 78 percent of the votes cast were against Grace.
Now we are being asked to bring back a mayor who didn’t carry a single ward in her last election who couldn’t win a judicial race. Governor Carnahan appointed Grace to a judicial seat when it was vacated. She was the alternate candidate when two fighting Democratic groups could not come together on a single candidate. She served as St. Charles County Circuit Judge from October of 1997 to December 31, 1998. Grace stood for election to the seat and was soundly defeated. She retired and now serves as a senior judge.
Any retired judge receiving retirement benefits, who is willing to serve as a senior judge, may make application for such service with the clerk of the Supreme Court. An application is then submitted to the Supreme Court for approval or disapproval and shall be valid for a period of one year from the date of approval. Upon the request of the presiding judge of any circuit, the Supreme Court may appoint a senior judge or senior commissioner from the file of approved applications. Appointments to serve shall be based on caseload and need, as determined by the Supreme Court. The appointment may be made for a specific case or cases or for a specified period of time not to exceed one year.
I have never met Grace, but, we have been told she is a nice lady. However, she would be in over her head trying to run a major corporation with a $100 million budget business like the City of St. Charles. Just because you can rule from the judicial bench does not mean you can run a business. Nichols has limited business experience and is a liberal when it comes to taxes. She raised taxes last time in office because she and her city administrator couldn’t balance the budget, fix the streets and pay salaries. She didn’t know what to do, so she fought to raise taxes on the residents. So it is easy to say she left with a balanced budget. She balanced it with your tax dollars.
THE FIRST CAPITOL NEWS CONTINUES TO IMPROVE TO SERVE OUR LOYAL READERS AND ADVERTISERS
As we have mentioned in previous editions, the First Capitol News will soon be available for home delivery by subscription only. It will still be free when distributed through local merchants and at our familiar red newspaper distribution boxes. We will soon be adding additional red newspaper distribution boxes throughout the City. The home delivery charge is very nominal; $20 for six months and $35 for a year.
You can read or download the First Capitol News for free, in .pdf format, at firstcapitolnews.com. You will need Adobe reader on your computer and it is available for free, also. The entire edition of each paper including all stories, photos and ads is available at firstcapitolnews.com. Our archives, dating to November of 2004, are available at firstcapitolnews.blogspot.com.
We will be increasing the content on our daily news web log; firstcapitolnews-today.blogspot.com, Be sure to check it for updates. If you would like to be notified by e-mail when there are additional stories or updates placed on our web pages just send your e-mail address to; firstcapitolnews@aol.com. There is no charge for this service.
Mayoral Candidate
To Be Ousted
From Office By Over 78 percent of the Voters
Now She Wants Another Chance
Former Mayor Grace Nichols is a candidate in the February 6th Mayoral primary election. In the early 70’s she served as a state representative. Grace served on the City Council from 1975 to 1981. Grace was elected Mayor of St. Charles in April of 1987 and re-elected to a second term in April of 1991. In 1995 she attempted a third term in office and was defeated by Robert L. Moeller, a retired construction manager and political unknown, who had never held a public office.
What Grace is hoping the voters forget is, that after she served eight years as Mayor, the voters sent a loud and clear message when over 78 percent of the voters voted her out of office. Of the 10,105 votes cast she could only muster 2,244 votes. In fact, she ran third in that race.
Bring Back Grace has been the slogan coined by her campaign. I guess they are counting on very short memories of her tenure and her last election. Nichols had a tumultuous second term with the City Council. Taxes were raised during her tenure. Her efforts to cover up a mistake made when moving the train depot, the purchase of the Goldenrod Showboat, fighting against a bill that would have required members of boards and commissions to be St. Charles residents, fighting against the construction of the Trail Head Brewery on South Main, were just a few of the reasons 78 percent of the votes cast were against Grace.
Now we are being asked to bring back a mayor who didn’t carry a single ward in her last election who couldn’t win a judicial race. Governor Carnahan appointed Grace to a judicial seat when it was vacated. She was the alternate candidate when two fighting Democratic groups could not come together on a single candidate. She served as St. Charles County Circuit Judge from October of 1997 to December 31, 1998. Grace stood for election to the seat and was soundly defeated. She retired and now serves as a senior judge.
Any retired judge receiving retirement benefits, who is willing to serve as a senior judge, may make application for such service with the clerk of the Supreme Court. An application is then submitted to the Supreme Court for approval or disapproval and shall be valid for a period of one year from the date of approval. Upon the request of the presiding judge of any circuit, the Supreme Court may appoint a senior judge or senior commissioner from the file of approved applications. Appointments to serve shall be based on caseload and need, as determined by the Supreme Court. The appointment may be made for a specific case or cases or for a specified period of time not to exceed one year.
I have never met Grace, but, we have been told she is a nice lady. However, she would be in over her head trying to run a major corporation with a $100 million budget business like the City of St. Charles. Just because you can rule from the judicial bench does not mean you can run a business. Nichols has limited business experience and is a liberal when it comes to taxes. She raised taxes last time in office because she and her city administrator couldn’t balance the budget, fix the streets and pay salaries. She didn’t know what to do, so she fought to raise taxes on the residents. So it is easy to say she left with a balanced budget. She balanced it with your tax dollars.
THE FIRST CAPITOL NEWS CONTINUES TO IMPROVE TO SERVE OUR LOYAL READERS AND ADVERTISERS
As we have mentioned in previous editions, the First Capitol News will soon be available for home delivery by subscription only. It will still be free when distributed through local merchants and at our familiar red newspaper distribution boxes. We will soon be adding additional red newspaper distribution boxes throughout the City. The home delivery charge is very nominal; $20 for six months and $35 for a year.
You can read or download the First Capitol News for free, in .pdf format, at firstcapitolnews.com. You will need Adobe reader on your computer and it is available for free, also. The entire edition of each paper including all stories, photos and ads is available at firstcapitolnews.com. Our archives, dating to November of 2004, are available at firstcapitolnews.blogspot.com.
We will be increasing the content on our daily news web log; firstcapitolnews-today.blogspot.com, Be sure to check it for updates. If you would like to be notified by e-mail when there are additional stories or updates placed on our web pages just send your e-mail address to; firstcapitolnews@aol.com. There is no charge for this service.
THE CITY DESK - Rory Riddler, Councilman Ward 1
Groundhogs Vs. Politicians…
Who Can We Trust?
On February 2nd, whether we want to know or not, the news media will inform us if a groundhog in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania saw his shadow or not. Based on such conclusive scientific evidence, we will know if winter is to last another six weeks or not.
A few days later, on February 6th, a few hardy voters will emerge from their dens to vote in the non-partisan primary for Mayor. Based on their decision, we will know which campaigns for Mayor will last another nine weeks.
The name of the town which hosts Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney, derives from a Native American name which means ”town of the sandflies”. Which explains why they prefer to be known as the groundhog capital of the world.
Groundhog Day is rooted in ancient Northern European folklore. Of course they didn’t use groundhogs. That’s a strictly American twist. In Germany they used a badger and in other areas bears. I recently uncovered an even more obscure version involving a very unlikely animal that I promise to share with you later in this story.
Of course, just like Groundhog Day is a strictly American tradition, having a non-partisan Mayoral Primary is a strictly St. Charles innovation. We are the only community I’ve found that makes candidates for Mayor run two back-to-back campaigns. For candidates, it means raising twice the money. For voters it means living with political signs and mailers twice as long.
Having an election and campaign in the middle of winter doesn’t make a lot of sense. I’m sure it’s fine for Eskimos and Canadians, but not a lot of people around here will trudge through snow to whittle their choice for Mayor from three candidates to two.
Given the proximity of a February 6th election to the past Christmas Season, the respective candidates for Mayor don’t get a lot of time to campaign. Which means voters don’t get a lot of time to know them.
A candidate forum, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, was a worthy attempt at voter education, but the format didn’t allow much time for follow up questions or deeper discussion of the issues. It needed to be more of a real debate. Instead, candidates were politely provided the five controlled questions well in advance.
Voters weren’t seeing the candidates for Mayor in their natural habitat…in the wild so to speak. Come to think of it, they use a fake tree stump to simulate a groundhog burrow in Punxsutawney as well.
Here is one example of where voters would be better off with more information. Sorry to pick on a particular candidate, but her comments on this topic got repeated in the press a few times and need to be cleared up. Former Mayor Grace Nichols said that the Mayor and Council were too wrapped up in squabbles to respond to the St. Charles School District closing two schools.
Painting things with a broad brush is helpful when say painting the broadside of a barn. It is not very helpful to understanding an issue such as this.
The City Council passed not one, but two resolutions calling on the School District not to close grade schools. I know, because I co-sponsored them, along with City Councilman Larry Muench. I personally met with the late Superintendent Jim Cale to argue against school closures. The entire Council met face-to-face with the School Board and this topic was a major part of those discussions.
We pointed out new sources of revenue for the schools including the hundreds of thousands a year the new Casino hotel will provide. We argued that closing schools was counter productive to neighborhood stabilization and helping property values.
While gracious and polite, a majority of the School Board simply felt that declining enrollment left them little choice, but to close schools. I disagree with their conclusions, but they are their own independently elected political body. The City of St. Charles has no legal authority over their decisions.
Had this been a proper debate, perhaps someone could have asked Grace Nichols a simple follow-up question. What would you have done to keep these schools open? Or, if you had a plan for keeping them open, why as a private citizen didn’t you come forward and share your plan? Or, why didn’t you just file for School Board?
There are no doubt questions people have for all three candidates, but in the short Municipal Primary season, there are few forums where they can be asked. Which begs the question, why do we have a non-partisan Primary for Mayor when no other community does?
This change to the Charter was proposed by former Councilman Richard Baum because he felt that former Mayor Bob Moeller had less of a “mandate” to govern since he had won with a plurality. Of course we can and have elected Presidents with a plurality of the popular vote.
I think voters should revisit the idea and I have placed discussion of the Primary on the next Council Work Session. Because we are the only political subdivision holding a February election, the bill from the County Election Authority is over $100,000! That’s how much City taxpayers are being stuck with for the privilege of say 20% of the voters going to the polls on February 6th to narrow the field from three to two candidates. If it snows, or God forbid we have an ice storm or power outages on that day, turnout could be far less. Not even a groundhog might show up to vote.
As I mentioned earlier, Groundhog Day is an ancient tradition. Even without the intervention of a weather forecasting mammal, people looked to the skies (not the ground) on Candlemas Day (February 2nd). An old English saying went:
If Candlemas be fair and bright,
Winter has another flight.
If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,
Winter will not come again.
In Scotland there was a shortened version:
If Candlemas Day is bright and clear,
There’ll be two winters in the year.
For the peoples of Germany it went:
For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day,
So far will the snow swirl until May.
For as the snow blows on Candlemas Day,
So far will the sun shine before May.
For the Pennsylvania Dutch settlers from Germany it evolved into:
If the sun shines on Groundhog Day,
Half the fuel and half the hay.
I promised you an even more obscure reference to the weather prognostication skills of a particular animal. This one so far had escaped the attention of the various references I checked for the history of Groundhog and Candlemas Day.
A few nights ago I was reading a play by English writer John Webster (1570 – 1625). In it was this curious reference:
Let all that belong to great men, remember th’ old wives’ tradition, to be like the lions i’th’ Tower on Candlemasday; to mourn the sun shine for fear of the pitiful remainder of winter to come.
I knew that the English monarchy kept a menagerie of exotic animals, including lions, at the Tower of London. That practice dates back to King John who reigned from 1199 to 1216. The last animals were removed in 1825.
Apparently it was already an “old wives tradition” by 1612 (the date John Webster’s play The White Devil was published) to note the long-range weather forecasting skills of lions in the Tower of London the same way we do the groundhog today.
Perhaps the knowledge that they’re carrying on a noble and ancient tradition, walking in the pawprints as it were of the King of Beasts, will add some “spring” to the step of the lowly groundhog this Candlemas Day.
“Those who denounce state intervention are the ones who most frequently and successfully invoke it. The cry of laissez faire mainly goes up from the ones who, if really ‘let alone’ would instantly lose their wealth-absorbing power.”
Lester Ward
Merriam-Webster - ad nauseam: to a sickening or excessive degree.
The question arose Tuesday night why certain members of council support Whittaker Homes but have been less receptive towards T. R. Hughes, especially. Almost certainly, quite possible, just maybe this will be the last time that the clear difference has to be drawn for those at the Post and for some on council who don’t get it. While Whittaker Homes has presented plans, laid out their goals, never attacked city officials nor paid for recall efforts of duly elected officials for no other reason than to have a stacked council – this still isn’t the crux of the difference. The sole meaningful difference is that Whittaker Homes opted to become a part of the St. Charles community and chose to work with our City rather than withhold its development from our town and simply ask for our sewer and water. Nor did they run to the state for a special law that applied only to St. Charles after they didn’t get their way, then in turn raise a couple hundred thousand dollars for the boys up in Jefferson City as a, “Thank You.” Also, to clear up something that the St. Peters newspapers got quite wrong, the council never, not once, considered cutting off the residents of St. Charles Hills sewer service. What the council did say was that new development sent to our treatment plants via a private company (ECM) would need city approval due to the fact that our treatment plants are reaching capacity and need millions of dollars worth of upgrading and it wasn’t clear if we would have capacity for our own city growth. That said, I am very glad that the council gave a green light for redevelopment of one of the greatest eyesores in our county – Noah’s Ark. This passed six to three and the sponsor, Councilman Brown, was in support, however, couldn’t make the meeting to vote due to a computer crash at his business. The School Board was divided; the TIF Commission was divided – and yes, the Council was divided. In the end our Schools got more than $1.2 million in a single payment and will only realize more revenue each year from the redevelopment of this site. Only Councilman Weller voted not to give the schools this money while Councilman Reese, who served for many years on the St. Charles City School Board, voted in favor of the payment. I do listen to comments and read emails from residents and take the input serious. If someone is concerned enough to write, then they have thought about the issues and they are thinking about their hometown, after all. Even if my vote had been cast based upon this input, the result would have had to be a “Yea” vote because more residents called or wrote to support the blighting of Noah’s Ark.
Next, I would like to thank those of you who have taken the time to write regarding a campaign letter illegally sent to your house regarding the TIF matter. Unfortunately, those who feel they have an inherent right to run the City do not believe they have to follow campaign finance disclosure laws. These folks would have you believe that 1) the ends justify the means, and 2) they want to end acrimony at City Hall by creating acrimony and running campaigns that don’t follow campaign rules and regulations.
For those of you who follow City Hall, things immediately calmed down once the hired guns removed themselves from City Hall and allowed the elected officials a chance to work without threat of recall and lawsuits brought on by certain developers and hired citizens both inside and outside our City. You should expect to hear in the next months how the fighting has to end and how embarrassing it is. Again, the true fighting stopped when big money bowed out of the day-to-day dealings of council. Furthermore, St. Charles, lest you forget, didn’t have its mayor removed from office for taking a bribe. In the same time, O’Fallon was having just as many issues as our town. Fact of the matter is, this council and mayor worked together more often than not but it has been a few major issues of serious disagreement that has kept many of us at odds. These issues are now mostly history. The real sore spot regarding a chief of police has been settled. The recall was rebuffed. The council has saved on employee health insurance; reduced city dependence on gaming funds for on-going expenses; cut utility taxes as pledged, and seen some unexpected growth just south of and north of highway 370. For the past few years we lead in housing permits – a feat that is pretty impressive considering the relative age and remaining potential growth areas of our town. To continue, Mark Twain Mall has grown and improved more and more over the past couple of years and now we have a first-rate development planned at the entrance to our town where currently a blighted site rests. This site that has been vacant for fifteen years now has plans that go beyond a K-Mart or Wal-Mart surrounded by a sea of asphalt. The Noah’s Ark site is an investment reaching over $400 Million with Show-Me Aquatics figured into the figure. This investment amount for such a development is unique to the entire county. I am truly excited about the direction our city is going. Certainly there is much more to do, but the cooperation of the current council set aside differences to support our City as we usually do in spite of what certain circles would have you believe.
Some people have asked what is planned for the animals at Noah’s Ark. I thought maybe it would be fun to consider what some at City Hall would want to do with them. I only had time to think about a few before bedtime. Bob Kneemiller and Mayor York will want the elephant for Party reasons. Rory might want them all for the Children’s museum. John Gieseke will want to take the elephant, paint it white, and then blow it up to signify the end of such white elephants as the Goldenrod Showboat or toy museum.
I don’t know what the plans for the animals will be... maybe they can be donated to, “Art Around The Town.” Maybe you can write to the First Capitol News with your ideas for those indelible creatures.
Regardless, if you think about it, please consider having a big bowl of clam chowder for dinner one night this week in honor of the passing of a St. Charles landmark. A few of you may even still have one of those long, orange-plastic, giraffe drink mixers hidden away. You could get that out and mix yourself a drink. I’d recommend you do that even if you don’t have the giraffe mixer still.
Let’s conclude with an appropriate poem - Recipe for a Hippopotamus by Shel Silverstein:
A hippo sandwich is easy to make.
All you do is simply take
One slice of bread,
One slice of cake,
Some mayonnaise,
One onion ring,
One hippopotamus,
One piece of string,
A dash of pepper--
That ought to do it.
And now comes the problem...
Biting into it!
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