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Friday, October 07, 2005
FRONT PAGE - First Capitol News of October 8, 2005
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Investigation Uncovers Mayor Funneling Money To Political Hit Man
Payments Involving Several Fictitious Names Come Back To Glennon Jamboretz
© 2005 First Capitol News
By Tony Brockmeyer
An investigation by the First Capitol News has uncovered what appears to be an attempt by Mayor York to hide payments of taxpayer dollars to her political consultant, Glennon Jamboretz of the Glennon Company. More than $15,000 in City checks have been issued to a fictitious named company owned by Jamboretz.
Our investigation also discovered that Jamboretz had applied for a City business license on September 17, 2004 issued to the Glennon Company on November 9, 2004 for 338 S. Main Street. According to records at the office of the St. Charles County Assessor, Mayor York and her husband Lionel own the building at 338 S. Main Street, the address being used by Jamboretz.
On the second page of the license application the City asks for the name of the corporate office manager. Bryan Vonderhe was listed and then scratched through and Glennon Jamboretz name was written in.
After several attempts, using the Freedom of Information Act, the First Capitol News was able to obtain a copy of the current City check register. In reviewing the register we saw a suspicious entry on August 15, 2005. A check for $13,175 paid to Lafayette Partnership for paper. It appeared to be an excessive amount for the purchase of paper. In looking further, we found another check for $2,300 for paper to Lafayette Partnership on February 15, 2005. We were unable to determine if Lafayette Partnership was a registered vendor with the City.
We could find no City business license for Lafayette Partnership nor could we find a telephone listing for them.
We checked the records of the Missouri Secretary of State and found Glennon Jamboretz of the Glennon Company, Inc. filed a registration of a fictitious name for Lafayette Partnership on February 1, 2005. It gave an address for Lafayette Partnership of 716 Geyer Ave – Suite 300, St. Louis, MO 63014. The same address given for the Glennon Company.
The City of St. Louis was contacted and they could not find a business license for Lafayette Partnership. We were unable to find a telephone listing for Lafayette Partnership.
The First Capitol News then contacted the President of the City Council, Rory Riddler, and we asked why the City was purchasing $15,475 in paper from a fictitious name company registered to Glennon Jamboretz. President Riddler said he was unaware of the City using Jamboretz and said he would look into it.
The City assigned vendor number on the checks is 4945. Council President Riddler learned that City vender number was issued on August 16, 2005 to Sarah Collins and Associates at 716 Geyer, Suite 300 in St. Louis. The registration gave a telephone number and a Federal tax Id # 430813448. Council President Riddler said he was at a loss to explain why the check was issued to a different company than the vendor ID and would ask City Administrator Allan Williams to look into the matter.
The First Capitol News called the phone number on the form for Sarah Collins and Associates and Glennon Jamboretz answered the phone. The Federal tax ID number given for Sarah Collins and Associates is assigned to the Glennon Company. We were unable to find a telephone listing or a business license for Sarah Collins and Associates. Nor could the First Capitol News find any type of registration with the Missouri Secretary of State for Sarah Collins and Associates.
On July 27, 2005 the Mayor sent through a Contract Routing sheet requesting the City Attorney, the City Finance Director and Allan Williams the City Administrator to sign off on her request for a contract to be issued to Sarah Collins and Associates. They all signed the Contract Routing sheet on July 27, 2005.
On August 15th the City issued a check for $13,175 to Lafayette Partnership but vendor number 4945 for Sarah Collins and Associates was assigned and it was indicated the purchase was for paper.
Records at City Hall show that on August 16, 2005 a contract was signed by the Mayor with Sarah Collins and Associates to provide professional consulting services related to the development, writing and design of State of the City report for an amount not to exceed Seventeen Thousand Dollars ($17,000).
Bryan Vonderhe, CFO, signed the contract for Sarah Collins and Associates. Bryan Vonderhe is the name that is on the application for a City business license at the building on South Main owned by the Mayor and her husband and then scratched through by Glennon Jamboretz.
WHO IS GLENNON JAMBORETZ?
Glennon Jamboretz lives in St. Louis County. He owns the Glennon Company, a public relations firm with offices at 716 Geyer in the City of St. Louis. He also signed for the fictitious name registration for Lafayette Partnership and appears to also be in control of Sarah Collins and Associates.
Jamboretz has contributed more than $30,000 to Citizens for a Responsible Community headed by Raymond Stone and Carl Maus. A group that put out hate literature in an attempt to defeat City Councilmen during the last election. He has also handled public relations for the St. Charles Police Association and for the FOP State president, Tommy Mayer, when he filed his multi-million dollar lawsuit against the City of St. Charles, the City Attorney and members of the City Council.
In June of 2005 Jamboretz along with Ken Kielty filed papers forming the St. Charles Citizens for Responsible Government with a stated purpose, recall of elected offices. The local group working on the recalls is headed by the wife of a police officer and FOP member.
Kietly is a former City Councilman, political consultant and confidant of the Mayor. He is the former Chairman of the County Convention and Sports Facilities Commission and was recently replaced by Governor Blunt. The fund for the recall of officials, headed by Jamboretz and Kielty, is listed on state records as Premiere Bank in Jefferson City. Mayor York has voted as a member of the Convention Center Oversight Committee to try to move millions of dollars of deposits to Premiere Bank.
Jamboretz has been described as a political hit man for the Mayor. He is also a member of the Great Rivers Habitat Alliance board of directors, which has been doing battle with officials in the City of St. Peters on behalf of Adolphus Busch.
NOT THE FIRST TIME
This is not the first time that taxpayer funds have gone to a fictitious name company with an address belonging to Mayor York and her husband.
In our May 4, 2002 edition the First Capitol News reported Steve Powell, the Director of the Greater St. Charles Convention and Tourism Bureau (he has since left that position and hold a similar position in Peoria, Illinois) authorized payments totaling over $17,000 to a company called Legacy Dimensions, a company owned by his wife. (They have since divorced in Cole County, Missouri).
At that time we could find no such company listed in any publications or telephone directories. There was also no city business license issued for such a company. Legacy Dimensions was registered with the state by Powell’s wife, Donna Cordell, with an address of 10 Hastings Court in St. Charles on May 28, 1998. Records at the St. Charles County Court house show that 10 Hastings Court is the home of Lionel and Mayor Patti York. The Yorks were living there at the time of the fictitious name registration and still reside there.
At that time the Mayor told the First Capitol News, “I have no knowledge of this company.” Even though she denied any knowledge of the company we discovered that Legacy Dimensions had been a contributor to the Mayor’s 1999 election campaign.
Former City Administrator, Jim O’Connor, when asked at the time about Legacy Dimensions said, “I have never heard of Legacy Dimensions. I am going to have to check this out because I was not aware of this.”
None of the Council members in office at the time were aware of the payments made to Powell’s wife.
Attempts to reach Mayor York and City Administrator Allan Williams for their comments regarding this matter were unsuccessful up to press time.
Councilman Mark Brown told the First Capitol News, “If they are doing this how do we know if the same thing isn’t being done with the City payroll and other City Accounts?”
© 2005 First Capitol News
By Tony Brockmeyer
An investigation by the First Capitol News has uncovered what appears to be an attempt by Mayor York to hide payments of taxpayer dollars to her political consultant, Glennon Jamboretz of the Glennon Company. More than $15,000 in City checks have been issued to a fictitious named company owned by Jamboretz.
Our investigation also discovered that Jamboretz had applied for a City business license on September 17, 2004 issued to the Glennon Company on November 9, 2004 for 338 S. Main Street. According to records at the office of the St. Charles County Assessor, Mayor York and her husband Lionel own the building at 338 S. Main Street, the address being used by Jamboretz.
On the second page of the license application the City asks for the name of the corporate office manager. Bryan Vonderhe was listed and then scratched through and Glennon Jamboretz name was written in.
After several attempts, using the Freedom of Information Act, the First Capitol News was able to obtain a copy of the current City check register. In reviewing the register we saw a suspicious entry on August 15, 2005. A check for $13,175 paid to Lafayette Partnership for paper. It appeared to be an excessive amount for the purchase of paper. In looking further, we found another check for $2,300 for paper to Lafayette Partnership on February 15, 2005. We were unable to determine if Lafayette Partnership was a registered vendor with the City.
We could find no City business license for Lafayette Partnership nor could we find a telephone listing for them.
We checked the records of the Missouri Secretary of State and found Glennon Jamboretz of the Glennon Company, Inc. filed a registration of a fictitious name for Lafayette Partnership on February 1, 2005. It gave an address for Lafayette Partnership of 716 Geyer Ave – Suite 300, St. Louis, MO 63014. The same address given for the Glennon Company.
The City of St. Louis was contacted and they could not find a business license for Lafayette Partnership. We were unable to find a telephone listing for Lafayette Partnership.
The First Capitol News then contacted the President of the City Council, Rory Riddler, and we asked why the City was purchasing $15,475 in paper from a fictitious name company registered to Glennon Jamboretz. President Riddler said he was unaware of the City using Jamboretz and said he would look into it.
The City assigned vendor number on the checks is 4945. Council President Riddler learned that City vender number was issued on August 16, 2005 to Sarah Collins and Associates at 716 Geyer, Suite 300 in St. Louis. The registration gave a telephone number and a Federal tax Id # 430813448. Council President Riddler said he was at a loss to explain why the check was issued to a different company than the vendor ID and would ask City Administrator Allan Williams to look into the matter.
The First Capitol News called the phone number on the form for Sarah Collins and Associates and Glennon Jamboretz answered the phone. The Federal tax ID number given for Sarah Collins and Associates is assigned to the Glennon Company. We were unable to find a telephone listing or a business license for Sarah Collins and Associates. Nor could the First Capitol News find any type of registration with the Missouri Secretary of State for Sarah Collins and Associates.
On July 27, 2005 the Mayor sent through a Contract Routing sheet requesting the City Attorney, the City Finance Director and Allan Williams the City Administrator to sign off on her request for a contract to be issued to Sarah Collins and Associates. They all signed the Contract Routing sheet on July 27, 2005.
On August 15th the City issued a check for $13,175 to Lafayette Partnership but vendor number 4945 for Sarah Collins and Associates was assigned and it was indicated the purchase was for paper.
Records at City Hall show that on August 16, 2005 a contract was signed by the Mayor with Sarah Collins and Associates to provide professional consulting services related to the development, writing and design of State of the City report for an amount not to exceed Seventeen Thousand Dollars ($17,000).
Bryan Vonderhe, CFO, signed the contract for Sarah Collins and Associates. Bryan Vonderhe is the name that is on the application for a City business license at the building on South Main owned by the Mayor and her husband and then scratched through by Glennon Jamboretz.
WHO IS GLENNON JAMBORETZ?
Glennon Jamboretz lives in St. Louis County. He owns the Glennon Company, a public relations firm with offices at 716 Geyer in the City of St. Louis. He also signed for the fictitious name registration for Lafayette Partnership and appears to also be in control of Sarah Collins and Associates.
Jamboretz has contributed more than $30,000 to Citizens for a Responsible Community headed by Raymond Stone and Carl Maus. A group that put out hate literature in an attempt to defeat City Councilmen during the last election. He has also handled public relations for the St. Charles Police Association and for the FOP State president, Tommy Mayer, when he filed his multi-million dollar lawsuit against the City of St. Charles, the City Attorney and members of the City Council.
In June of 2005 Jamboretz along with Ken Kielty filed papers forming the St. Charles Citizens for Responsible Government with a stated purpose, recall of elected offices. The local group working on the recalls is headed by the wife of a police officer and FOP member.
Kietly is a former City Councilman, political consultant and confidant of the Mayor. He is the former Chairman of the County Convention and Sports Facilities Commission and was recently replaced by Governor Blunt. The fund for the recall of officials, headed by Jamboretz and Kielty, is listed on state records as Premiere Bank in Jefferson City. Mayor York has voted as a member of the Convention Center Oversight Committee to try to move millions of dollars of deposits to Premiere Bank.
Jamboretz has been described as a political hit man for the Mayor. He is also a member of the Great Rivers Habitat Alliance board of directors, which has been doing battle with officials in the City of St. Peters on behalf of Adolphus Busch.
NOT THE FIRST TIME
This is not the first time that taxpayer funds have gone to a fictitious name company with an address belonging to Mayor York and her husband.
In our May 4, 2002 edition the First Capitol News reported Steve Powell, the Director of the Greater St. Charles Convention and Tourism Bureau (he has since left that position and hold a similar position in Peoria, Illinois) authorized payments totaling over $17,000 to a company called Legacy Dimensions, a company owned by his wife. (They have since divorced in Cole County, Missouri).
At that time we could find no such company listed in any publications or telephone directories. There was also no city business license issued for such a company. Legacy Dimensions was registered with the state by Powell’s wife, Donna Cordell, with an address of 10 Hastings Court in St. Charles on May 28, 1998. Records at the St. Charles County Court house show that 10 Hastings Court is the home of Lionel and Mayor Patti York. The Yorks were living there at the time of the fictitious name registration and still reside there.
At that time the Mayor told the First Capitol News, “I have no knowledge of this company.” Even though she denied any knowledge of the company we discovered that Legacy Dimensions had been a contributor to the Mayor’s 1999 election campaign.
Former City Administrator, Jim O’Connor, when asked at the time about Legacy Dimensions said, “I have never heard of Legacy Dimensions. I am going to have to check this out because I was not aware of this.”
None of the Council members in office at the time were aware of the payments made to Powell’s wife.
Attempts to reach Mayor York and City Administrator Allan Williams for their comments regarding this matter were unsuccessful up to press time.
Councilman Mark Brown told the First Capitol News, “If they are doing this how do we know if the same thing isn’t being done with the City payroll and other City Accounts?”
FICTITIOUS NAMES USED TO PAY MAYOR'S POLITICAL HIT MAN - Paper Trail Leads Back To jamboretz
This is a large file and may take time to open
City Abandons Flooded Homeowners Residents Caught In Political Tug Of War
By Phyllis Schaltenbrand
Five members of the City Council derailed efforts to solve a long standing flooding problem for the Pearl Ridge subdivision. Despite pleas from residents about the flooding which occurs in their homes and the dangers posed to children at a nearby school by the high flood waters, Councilmembers, Larry Muench (Ward1), Bob Kneemiller (Ward 4), Mike Weller (Ward 5), Jerry Reese (Ward 6) and Bob Hoepfner (Ward 10) voted down fixing the problem.
Earlier Mayor York had threatened to veto the project. Councilman Hoepfner, who had originally championed the project, reversed his earlier support. Since joining the Mayor’s allies on the Council, in a move to bolster his own political power, Hoepfner has seldom strayed from the path charted by the Mayor.
After the vote, Councilman Larry Muench was quoted as saying he thought the project cost too much, but Councilman Bob Kneemiller told Mark Brown, who lives in the effected neighborhood, “This is payback for the last year and a half..”
Councilman Mark Brown said, “I have never voted against any issue in the City involving the health, safety or welfare of St. Charles residents. I have also backed Councilman Kneemiller on issues that would be beneficial to the taxpayers of his ward.”
During the debate the opponents said nothing, though Councilmembers Weller and Reese were talking with each other through most of the presentation by residents and could be heard chuckling and laughing at their own quips by members of the audience.
One resident complained bitterly after the vote, “They didn’t even listen to the facts. It was all about politics and political payback. I don’t know how they can sleep at night.” Another resident complained that the Mayor didn’t even have enough respect to stay and listen to the resident’s appeal for help. She left during the resident;s comments to go to a party at a local restaurant.
Council President Rory Riddler (Ward 1), who sponsored the bill to fix the flooding problem, pleaded with his fellow members to “Put politics aside and do the right thing.” During his remarks, Riddler cited the tremendous risk to public health and safety from the flood waters that come to the tops of mailboxes in the neighborhood.
Councilman John Gieseke (Ward 8) led a scathing attack on the developer, producing photos that document the area flooded before lots were sold and homes built.
Residents of the area provided the City Council with signed documents from the City of St. Charles “accepting responsibility” for the storm water and streets of their subdivision. One resident asked the Council to please consider the 700 students of the Harvest Ridge Elementary School. Flood waters encroach on the schools field and some fear a child will someday drown.
Other parents of small children in the subdivision say they fear children may get electrocuted if they play in the water that surrounds ground level electrical transformers and underground electric lines.
Design of the improvements was done by Cole and Associates, a firm headed by former St. Charles Councilman Kevin Riggs. In rejecting those cost estimates, some of Rigg’s former allies on the Council were put in the position of questioning his professional opinion.
The Pearl Ridge Project also met the criteria for being one of the highest rated storm water projects because it involves the flooding of homes. Council President Riddler said it would be impossible for him to support storm water projects on the drawing board to fix backyards in other wards, when a worse flooding problem exists. “We had a professional rating system, developed by our own Public Works staff, and they just threw it out the window.”
Two weeks ago, Councilman Riddler had answered a laundry list of concerns raised by staff when the bill was first introduced. “It took ten minutes for the contractor to provide answers to all of the questions raised by staff,” Riddler said, adding, “After the bill was amended, not one opponent raised one objection prior to the vote. They knew we could answer any question they raised and they didn’t want the facts to get in the way. I had even found money in the budget, left over from a project in that same ward, to cover the contract amount.”
Councilman Brown said, “You could tell they were embarrassed by their vote. It was meant to hurt me, but all it did was open up the eyes of a lot of residents who live South of Interstate 70, that we are a stepchild of the City. All I can say is God help them if a child is injured and they refused to help, Just recently I attended a conference at the Missouri Municipal League where the attorneys said in a situation such as Pearl Ridge, if someone gets hurt, those who voted against it can be held personally liable. Those who voted against it when the money existed to fix the project. The Council members lose their immunity when they act in bad faith. The five members who voted no, voted in bad faith.” said Councilman Mark Brown (Ward 3).
Council President Riddler also warned his fellow Councilmembers that the City took on more risk and greater liability if they know a serious safety problem exists and they do nothing to address the problem. That plea fell on deaf ears as well.
Even though Councilmen Kneemiller, Hoepfner, Reese, Muench and Weller voted against helping residents of St. Charles with their flooding and health problems they voted to help St. Charles County residents. Four of them voted to allow a County developer to hook up County residents to City water and sewers. Councilman Muench left the chambers rather than vote on the bill. Councilmen Brown, Riddler, Gieseke, Greer and Koester voted against allowing the County residents to hook up to the City. The bill failed.
ttt
Editorial Comment:
The First Capitol News would like to applaud those Councilmembers, Mark Brown, Joe Koester, Dottie Greer, John Gieseke and Rory Riddler who obviously ran for office to help people. We are left scratching our heads, like the residents of Pearl Ridge, as to the actions of the other City Councilmembers.
We are especially sorry to see Councilman Hoepfner turn on a project he first proposed because of his shifting political allegiances. He stands to end up the biggest looser as millions of dollars slated for creek stabilization in his ward will now likely evaporate.
Councilman Reese, Bob Hoepfner’s mentor, who talked him into switching allegiances to support the Mayor, stands to loose a considerable amount of stormwater funding as well. He also leaves residents wondering what happened to his vaulted concern for kids as a former School Board member.
Councilman Kneemiller was at least honest in telling Mark Brown to his face it was a political payback. It doesn’t excuse Councilman Kneemiller’s actions, but at least it is a reason.
Perhaps hardest to understand was the vote cast against the project by Councilman Larry Muench. Muench had never turned his back on residents who needed help before. We are afraid he is allowing himself to be intimidated into voting with one faction, whereas in years prior he was seen as an independent voice who voted his own conscious rather than what others told him to do.
It was a sad day for people who counted on local government putting politics aside to do what’s right.
Five members of the City Council derailed efforts to solve a long standing flooding problem for the Pearl Ridge subdivision. Despite pleas from residents about the flooding which occurs in their homes and the dangers posed to children at a nearby school by the high flood waters, Councilmembers, Larry Muench (Ward1), Bob Kneemiller (Ward 4), Mike Weller (Ward 5), Jerry Reese (Ward 6) and Bob Hoepfner (Ward 10) voted down fixing the problem.
Earlier Mayor York had threatened to veto the project. Councilman Hoepfner, who had originally championed the project, reversed his earlier support. Since joining the Mayor’s allies on the Council, in a move to bolster his own political power, Hoepfner has seldom strayed from the path charted by the Mayor.
After the vote, Councilman Larry Muench was quoted as saying he thought the project cost too much, but Councilman Bob Kneemiller told Mark Brown, who lives in the effected neighborhood, “This is payback for the last year and a half..”
Councilman Mark Brown said, “I have never voted against any issue in the City involving the health, safety or welfare of St. Charles residents. I have also backed Councilman Kneemiller on issues that would be beneficial to the taxpayers of his ward.”
During the debate the opponents said nothing, though Councilmembers Weller and Reese were talking with each other through most of the presentation by residents and could be heard chuckling and laughing at their own quips by members of the audience.
One resident complained bitterly after the vote, “They didn’t even listen to the facts. It was all about politics and political payback. I don’t know how they can sleep at night.” Another resident complained that the Mayor didn’t even have enough respect to stay and listen to the resident’s appeal for help. She left during the resident;s comments to go to a party at a local restaurant.
Council President Rory Riddler (Ward 1), who sponsored the bill to fix the flooding problem, pleaded with his fellow members to “Put politics aside and do the right thing.” During his remarks, Riddler cited the tremendous risk to public health and safety from the flood waters that come to the tops of mailboxes in the neighborhood.
Councilman John Gieseke (Ward 8) led a scathing attack on the developer, producing photos that document the area flooded before lots were sold and homes built.
Residents of the area provided the City Council with signed documents from the City of St. Charles “accepting responsibility” for the storm water and streets of their subdivision. One resident asked the Council to please consider the 700 students of the Harvest Ridge Elementary School. Flood waters encroach on the schools field and some fear a child will someday drown.
Other parents of small children in the subdivision say they fear children may get electrocuted if they play in the water that surrounds ground level electrical transformers and underground electric lines.
Design of the improvements was done by Cole and Associates, a firm headed by former St. Charles Councilman Kevin Riggs. In rejecting those cost estimates, some of Rigg’s former allies on the Council were put in the position of questioning his professional opinion.
The Pearl Ridge Project also met the criteria for being one of the highest rated storm water projects because it involves the flooding of homes. Council President Riddler said it would be impossible for him to support storm water projects on the drawing board to fix backyards in other wards, when a worse flooding problem exists. “We had a professional rating system, developed by our own Public Works staff, and they just threw it out the window.”
Two weeks ago, Councilman Riddler had answered a laundry list of concerns raised by staff when the bill was first introduced. “It took ten minutes for the contractor to provide answers to all of the questions raised by staff,” Riddler said, adding, “After the bill was amended, not one opponent raised one objection prior to the vote. They knew we could answer any question they raised and they didn’t want the facts to get in the way. I had even found money in the budget, left over from a project in that same ward, to cover the contract amount.”
Councilman Brown said, “You could tell they were embarrassed by their vote. It was meant to hurt me, but all it did was open up the eyes of a lot of residents who live South of Interstate 70, that we are a stepchild of the City. All I can say is God help them if a child is injured and they refused to help, Just recently I attended a conference at the Missouri Municipal League where the attorneys said in a situation such as Pearl Ridge, if someone gets hurt, those who voted against it can be held personally liable. Those who voted against it when the money existed to fix the project. The Council members lose their immunity when they act in bad faith. The five members who voted no, voted in bad faith.” said Councilman Mark Brown (Ward 3).
Council President Riddler also warned his fellow Councilmembers that the City took on more risk and greater liability if they know a serious safety problem exists and they do nothing to address the problem. That plea fell on deaf ears as well.
Even though Councilmen Kneemiller, Hoepfner, Reese, Muench and Weller voted against helping residents of St. Charles with their flooding and health problems they voted to help St. Charles County residents. Four of them voted to allow a County developer to hook up County residents to City water and sewers. Councilman Muench left the chambers rather than vote on the bill. Councilmen Brown, Riddler, Gieseke, Greer and Koester voted against allowing the County residents to hook up to the City. The bill failed.
ttt
Editorial Comment:
The First Capitol News would like to applaud those Councilmembers, Mark Brown, Joe Koester, Dottie Greer, John Gieseke and Rory Riddler who obviously ran for office to help people. We are left scratching our heads, like the residents of Pearl Ridge, as to the actions of the other City Councilmembers.
We are especially sorry to see Councilman Hoepfner turn on a project he first proposed because of his shifting political allegiances. He stands to end up the biggest looser as millions of dollars slated for creek stabilization in his ward will now likely evaporate.
Councilman Reese, Bob Hoepfner’s mentor, who talked him into switching allegiances to support the Mayor, stands to loose a considerable amount of stormwater funding as well. He also leaves residents wondering what happened to his vaulted concern for kids as a former School Board member.
Councilman Kneemiller was at least honest in telling Mark Brown to his face it was a political payback. It doesn’t excuse Councilman Kneemiller’s actions, but at least it is a reason.
Perhaps hardest to understand was the vote cast against the project by Councilman Larry Muench. Muench had never turned his back on residents who needed help before. We are afraid he is allowing himself to be intimidated into voting with one faction, whereas in years prior he was seen as an independent voice who voted his own conscious rather than what others told him to do.
It was a sad day for people who counted on local government putting politics aside to do what’s right.
THE CITY DESK - City Council President Rory Riddler
Special Interest Money
Dive Bombs Block Party
Think you’ve heard it all?
Councilman Mark Brown and his family joined their neighbors last weekend for what promised be an enjoyable and relaxing block party. It was a time to kick back, share some potato salad and catch up with what the other families on the block had been up to. It seemed like a perfect way for the residents of Pearl Ridge to say so long to Summer and usher in the Fall.
But, as anyone who has ever been to a picnic knows, there is always the threat of unwanted pests. Usually we’d be talking about the relatively minor annoyance of ants or mosquitos. The kind of pests you can go to the store and buy a repellent for. But what do you spray when the peace and serenity of a neighborhood block party is invaded by the drone of a private plane? Especially one circling your picnic with a banner that reads, “Recall Mark Brown”.
Now not just every group of private citizens, trying to claim they’re a simple “grass roots” organization, have their own air force. It’s the first time in local politics that I recall of a group using a weapon of mass annoyance.
A legitimate grassroots organization wouldn’t have the excessive cash it takes to hire planes to fly around and buzz their opponent’s social functions.
Most professional campaigns, would have the common sense not to make such an ostentatious display of the special interest money being poured into their coffers. And almost anyone would have the common decency not to target someone’s home, family or neighborhood block party.
I was never much of a poker player, but I know when someone has overplayed their hand. For months paid workers have been going door-to-door trying to collect signatures to force a recall of 7th Ward Councilwoman Dottie Greer. They are paying a temporary employment agency to send people out collecting signatures. Most of the people collecting the signatures don’t even live in the City of St. Charles!
The reaction I’ve heard from many residents of that ward is they think it’s a joke. People who didn’t even vote for Dottie Greer think it’s silly.
After the first three mailings attacking Councilwoman Greer landed in mailboxes, the annoying phone calls started. A recorded voice, that doesn’t identify themselves, makes some attacks on Councilwoman Greer and asks for you to call a number. If you call the number, you don’t get a live person to question or complain to about the call...just another recorded voice telling you to leave your name and number.
I believe these types of unsolicited electronic phone messages should be added to Missouri’s NO CALL LIST law. People relaxing at home, eating dinner or trying to watch their favorite television show, should not be subjected to front groups like this, trying to force you to listen to long winded political commercial.
Not surprisingly, the same group responsible for these annoying electronic phone calls also came up with the strategy of dive bombing block parties.
The group hasn’t had much success in Dottie Greer’s ward. After six months of paid workers going door-to-door, they still haven’t been able to get enough people to sign the recall petitions to get on the ballot. So the same group shifted gears and started a recall against Mark Brown. In Mark Brown’s 3rd Ward, the same electronic calls, with the same phone number, have been playing for weeks. They have also sent out six separate mailings against him.
So just who is bankrolling these costly recall efforts? Campaign spending reports show that most of their money is coming from millionaire homebuilder Tom Hughes.
Of course Tom Hughes doesn’t live in the 7th Ward where he wants to recall Dottie Greer. And he doesn’t live in the 3rd Ward where he wants to recall Mark Brown. But he thinks he knows better than the voters of those wards who should represent them. In fact, in the last Council race, Howard Hughes, sorry, I mean Tom Hughes, spent thousands of dollars trying to elect his own slate of candidates in every ward. He failed, but decided to try to take over City Hall again through the abuse of the recall process.
Of course, being a good sport about it would have been another option. Without gracious losers, the ones who shake hands and get on with their lives, our political system suffers. With no end to elections, voters could become further disillusioned with voting at all.
Recall is an important right the voters have under our City Charter. But every right brings with it responsibility. Recall efforts should be home grown, not imposed by big monied special interests hiring people to collect signatures from outside of a ward. Recall should be reserved for elected public officials who break the law or demonstrate clear disregard for their oath of office.
Of course, in a fair world we would all have the home phone numbers of the political groups that call us and get to call them during dinner and play our own electronic messages. Or hire people to knock on their doors with petitions, stuff their mailboxes with hate literature or hire a plane to buzz their next picnic.
Maybe someday they’ll invent a repellent for such annoying political front organizations and the excessive amounts of special interest money they are spending. Until then, at least we can swat at them with the First Capitol News.
Dive Bombs Block Party
Think you’ve heard it all?
Councilman Mark Brown and his family joined their neighbors last weekend for what promised be an enjoyable and relaxing block party. It was a time to kick back, share some potato salad and catch up with what the other families on the block had been up to. It seemed like a perfect way for the residents of Pearl Ridge to say so long to Summer and usher in the Fall.
But, as anyone who has ever been to a picnic knows, there is always the threat of unwanted pests. Usually we’d be talking about the relatively minor annoyance of ants or mosquitos. The kind of pests you can go to the store and buy a repellent for. But what do you spray when the peace and serenity of a neighborhood block party is invaded by the drone of a private plane? Especially one circling your picnic with a banner that reads, “Recall Mark Brown”.
Now not just every group of private citizens, trying to claim they’re a simple “grass roots” organization, have their own air force. It’s the first time in local politics that I recall of a group using a weapon of mass annoyance.
A legitimate grassroots organization wouldn’t have the excessive cash it takes to hire planes to fly around and buzz their opponent’s social functions.
Most professional campaigns, would have the common sense not to make such an ostentatious display of the special interest money being poured into their coffers. And almost anyone would have the common decency not to target someone’s home, family or neighborhood block party.
I was never much of a poker player, but I know when someone has overplayed their hand. For months paid workers have been going door-to-door trying to collect signatures to force a recall of 7th Ward Councilwoman Dottie Greer. They are paying a temporary employment agency to send people out collecting signatures. Most of the people collecting the signatures don’t even live in the City of St. Charles!
The reaction I’ve heard from many residents of that ward is they think it’s a joke. People who didn’t even vote for Dottie Greer think it’s silly.
After the first three mailings attacking Councilwoman Greer landed in mailboxes, the annoying phone calls started. A recorded voice, that doesn’t identify themselves, makes some attacks on Councilwoman Greer and asks for you to call a number. If you call the number, you don’t get a live person to question or complain to about the call...just another recorded voice telling you to leave your name and number.
I believe these types of unsolicited electronic phone messages should be added to Missouri’s NO CALL LIST law. People relaxing at home, eating dinner or trying to watch their favorite television show, should not be subjected to front groups like this, trying to force you to listen to long winded political commercial.
Not surprisingly, the same group responsible for these annoying electronic phone calls also came up with the strategy of dive bombing block parties.
The group hasn’t had much success in Dottie Greer’s ward. After six months of paid workers going door-to-door, they still haven’t been able to get enough people to sign the recall petitions to get on the ballot. So the same group shifted gears and started a recall against Mark Brown. In Mark Brown’s 3rd Ward, the same electronic calls, with the same phone number, have been playing for weeks. They have also sent out six separate mailings against him.
So just who is bankrolling these costly recall efforts? Campaign spending reports show that most of their money is coming from millionaire homebuilder Tom Hughes.
Of course Tom Hughes doesn’t live in the 7th Ward where he wants to recall Dottie Greer. And he doesn’t live in the 3rd Ward where he wants to recall Mark Brown. But he thinks he knows better than the voters of those wards who should represent them. In fact, in the last Council race, Howard Hughes, sorry, I mean Tom Hughes, spent thousands of dollars trying to elect his own slate of candidates in every ward. He failed, but decided to try to take over City Hall again through the abuse of the recall process.
Of course, being a good sport about it would have been another option. Without gracious losers, the ones who shake hands and get on with their lives, our political system suffers. With no end to elections, voters could become further disillusioned with voting at all.
Recall is an important right the voters have under our City Charter. But every right brings with it responsibility. Recall efforts should be home grown, not imposed by big monied special interests hiring people to collect signatures from outside of a ward. Recall should be reserved for elected public officials who break the law or demonstrate clear disregard for their oath of office.
Of course, in a fair world we would all have the home phone numbers of the political groups that call us and get to call them during dinner and play our own electronic messages. Or hire people to knock on their doors with petitions, stuff their mailboxes with hate literature or hire a plane to buzz their next picnic.
Maybe someday they’ll invent a repellent for such annoying political front organizations and the excessive amounts of special interest money they are spending. Until then, at least we can swat at them with the First Capitol News.
RAMBLING WITH THE EDITOR - Tony Brockmeyer
The Mayor, Hoepfner and Tom Delay
What does St. Charles have in common with Tom Delay and Texas? At first, I would have said nothing, but after this weeks discovery of the Mayor’s special deal with Glennon Jamboretz and Bob Hoepfners special deal with developer Mike Sellenschuetter my mind has changed. York and Hoepfner both have used their positions to help themselves. York paid a person, who is allegedly renting from her and who has used her address on two City business license applications and who is allegedly helping in the recall of two Council members, even though there is no work product on file at City Hall. The contract was paid from a budget line item that is for paper. The name on the check differs from the registered vendor. There are three separate names yet the money evidently goes to the same person. The payments to Jamboretz coincide with him apparently renting from the Mayor and her husband.
Glennon Jamboretz is working on the recall of Dottie Greer and Mark Brown both political foes of the Mayor. This is also the same person who works for Thomas Mayer the police officer who was fired after a slow speed chase of our City Administrator where he reportedly ordered Williams to the ground at gun point.. Mayer is suing the City for $104 million and York found it appropriate to write a letter of recommendation for him. As you can see there are a number of reasons for her to pay Jamboretz. The problem is the taxpayers shouldn’t have to foot the bill. This is a violation of the people’s trust much like that of Tom Delay. These things happen when people believe they are invincible.
The First Capitol News began to notice a change in Councilman Bob Hoepfner over the past several months. We received reports that Hoepfner had been making unreasonable demands from those who had legislation pending in front of the City Council but assumed these to be just the typical politics of personal destruction that the Mayor and her political hit men employee. A sudden change came over Hoepfner after his return from a trip to Germany with the Mayor and Councilman Jerry Reese. It appeared that he no longer had the interest of the “citizen taxpayers” at heart. It appears that the reports of questionable activities might be true.
When we noticed this sudden change in Hoepfner the FCN immediately took action and no longer printed his column in this paper. The FCN was not going to allow him to use these pages to coerce others who had legislation before the council.
Hoepfner was accused of a conflict of interest this past Tuesday night at the City Council meeting and refused to recuse himself from voting. The recent debate on the Council floor and his statements of fact lead me to two conclusions. First, he admits to doing something that is illegal in selling his plumbing permit for use by someone who was not licensed. I believe anyone who lives in the new development that has him listed as the licensed master plumber has a claim if anything goes wrong. Second, the fact that there was apparently an intermediary in a payment to Hoepfner does not relieve him from ethical problems. This is what Delay did in Texas, have someone else collect the money, then pay it to the person it was truly intended to be for.
A very reliable source, as well as one of those who was contacted by Councilman Hoepfner, told us Hoepfner told a major developer’s attorney he would allow the development to tap on to the City sewer system at a reduced rate if they would donate $50,000 to “Show-me Aquatics”. They refused and Hoepfner has been attacking them ever since. Another said Hoepfner asked for two round trip tickets to Germany, and asked that the vendor purchase a piece of property he owned at what appeared to be an inflated price. These incidents plus the plumbing permit should be thoroughly investigated by the proper authorities.
What does St. Charles have in common with Tom Delay and Texas? At first, I would have said nothing, but after this weeks discovery of the Mayor’s special deal with Glennon Jamboretz and Bob Hoepfners special deal with developer Mike Sellenschuetter my mind has changed. York and Hoepfner both have used their positions to help themselves. York paid a person, who is allegedly renting from her and who has used her address on two City business license applications and who is allegedly helping in the recall of two Council members, even though there is no work product on file at City Hall. The contract was paid from a budget line item that is for paper. The name on the check differs from the registered vendor. There are three separate names yet the money evidently goes to the same person. The payments to Jamboretz coincide with him apparently renting from the Mayor and her husband.
Glennon Jamboretz is working on the recall of Dottie Greer and Mark Brown both political foes of the Mayor. This is also the same person who works for Thomas Mayer the police officer who was fired after a slow speed chase of our City Administrator where he reportedly ordered Williams to the ground at gun point.. Mayer is suing the City for $104 million and York found it appropriate to write a letter of recommendation for him. As you can see there are a number of reasons for her to pay Jamboretz. The problem is the taxpayers shouldn’t have to foot the bill. This is a violation of the people’s trust much like that of Tom Delay. These things happen when people believe they are invincible.
The First Capitol News began to notice a change in Councilman Bob Hoepfner over the past several months. We received reports that Hoepfner had been making unreasonable demands from those who had legislation pending in front of the City Council but assumed these to be just the typical politics of personal destruction that the Mayor and her political hit men employee. A sudden change came over Hoepfner after his return from a trip to Germany with the Mayor and Councilman Jerry Reese. It appeared that he no longer had the interest of the “citizen taxpayers” at heart. It appears that the reports of questionable activities might be true.
When we noticed this sudden change in Hoepfner the FCN immediately took action and no longer printed his column in this paper. The FCN was not going to allow him to use these pages to coerce others who had legislation before the council.
Hoepfner was accused of a conflict of interest this past Tuesday night at the City Council meeting and refused to recuse himself from voting. The recent debate on the Council floor and his statements of fact lead me to two conclusions. First, he admits to doing something that is illegal in selling his plumbing permit for use by someone who was not licensed. I believe anyone who lives in the new development that has him listed as the licensed master plumber has a claim if anything goes wrong. Second, the fact that there was apparently an intermediary in a payment to Hoepfner does not relieve him from ethical problems. This is what Delay did in Texas, have someone else collect the money, then pay it to the person it was truly intended to be for.
A very reliable source, as well as one of those who was contacted by Councilman Hoepfner, told us Hoepfner told a major developer’s attorney he would allow the development to tap on to the City sewer system at a reduced rate if they would donate $50,000 to “Show-me Aquatics”. They refused and Hoepfner has been attacking them ever since. Another said Hoepfner asked for two round trip tickets to Germany, and asked that the vendor purchase a piece of property he owned at what appeared to be an inflated price. These incidents plus the plumbing permit should be thoroughly investigated by the proper authorities.
CASE IN POINT By Joe Koester, Councilman Ward 9
The First Capitol News goes postal!
Those from St. Charles might remember the Banner News. It was a local paper covering local issues. When it left, ad sheets became our source for local news. That which has happened to the newspaper industry has happened to many different areas of American business — consolidation.
There are counter movements to such consolidation in many areas of business and retail, from independent book publishers and music recording studios to things as simple as independent coffee joints and bakeries. It is tough to compete against the big dogs, but many try and it was in this spirit that a few years ago the First Capitol News was founded.
It’s hard to believe that the audacious duo of Schaltenbrand and Brockmeyer has been able to create a newspaper that has scooped time and again the competition papers in town even though they have far more resources at their disposal, including a brigade of staff. It’s hard to believe that so many people leap from their vehicles at a red light just to snatch up a copy of the FCN from a newspaper box, and to hear people regularly say, “If I subscribe, I have to wait a day or two longer for my First Capitol News to arrive!” It is with absolute excitement and anticipation that the FCN readers look to their lawns to see whether the big-little paper has arrived in its usual red dress (on occasion she has worn blue and even see-through a time or two)! Readers suffer too when there is a printing holiday and look forward with double anticipation to the following edition!
This paper really has been built from the ground up and the reason its readership is so strong is due to the paper’s willingness to look into all of those mundane things that reporters used to look at: check registers, minutes of meetings, contracts, licenses and the like from whence dubious things come to light. Sometimes these things can be called corruption, sometimes they are improprieties. Abuse that arises from money and purchased influence has at least one outlet to the public. Maybe you don’t agree with all the stories or headlines printed, (most people don’t agree with any news source all the time) but most of the stories read in the pages of the FCN are the stuff that news papers are made of! Forget the dangling participles and any other grammar flaws you might see here, the essence presented is of interest to us all because the stories matter! Their efforts are fighting consolidation of the most important thing in a democracy — Information!
A couple of independent pens have become the eyes and ears of Saint Charles, Missouri, and their big-little paper is now coming to a mailbox near you!
Those from St. Charles might remember the Banner News. It was a local paper covering local issues. When it left, ad sheets became our source for local news. That which has happened to the newspaper industry has happened to many different areas of American business — consolidation.
There are counter movements to such consolidation in many areas of business and retail, from independent book publishers and music recording studios to things as simple as independent coffee joints and bakeries. It is tough to compete against the big dogs, but many try and it was in this spirit that a few years ago the First Capitol News was founded.
It’s hard to believe that the audacious duo of Schaltenbrand and Brockmeyer has been able to create a newspaper that has scooped time and again the competition papers in town even though they have far more resources at their disposal, including a brigade of staff. It’s hard to believe that so many people leap from their vehicles at a red light just to snatch up a copy of the FCN from a newspaper box, and to hear people regularly say, “If I subscribe, I have to wait a day or two longer for my First Capitol News to arrive!” It is with absolute excitement and anticipation that the FCN readers look to their lawns to see whether the big-little paper has arrived in its usual red dress (on occasion she has worn blue and even see-through a time or two)! Readers suffer too when there is a printing holiday and look forward with double anticipation to the following edition!
This paper really has been built from the ground up and the reason its readership is so strong is due to the paper’s willingness to look into all of those mundane things that reporters used to look at: check registers, minutes of meetings, contracts, licenses and the like from whence dubious things come to light. Sometimes these things can be called corruption, sometimes they are improprieties. Abuse that arises from money and purchased influence has at least one outlet to the public. Maybe you don’t agree with all the stories or headlines printed, (most people don’t agree with any news source all the time) but most of the stories read in the pages of the FCN are the stuff that news papers are made of! Forget the dangling participles and any other grammar flaws you might see here, the essence presented is of interest to us all because the stories matter! Their efforts are fighting consolidation of the most important thing in a democracy — Information!
A couple of independent pens have become the eyes and ears of Saint Charles, Missouri, and their big-little paper is now coming to a mailbox near you!
THE CONSERVATIVE FACTOR - Alex Spencer
Being a conservative columnist for a Democrat leaning, pro-labor paper doesn’t lead down the road to popularity. And I suspect that things are about to get worse as I am now going to admit something in my past that many people, even conservatives, are having a problem admitting these days:
Last year, in November, I voted for Matt Blunt. In fact, I not only voted for him, I put up a yard sign… I had a bumper sticker... I even cajoled others to support him with bumper stickers, yard signs and votes. I was a virtual Matt Blunt groupie.
I did it because I wanted someone to sign those tort reform bills and worker’s compensation bills that the legislature previously passed, but couldn’t get past a veto.
And out of the gate, Governor Matt Blunt did exactly what I wanted. He knew how to sign his name. And with his signature, the liberal road blocks to a host of long needed legal reforms of Missouri’s anti-business laws were lifted.
But I also wanted a great conservative leader to stand up and lead the new Republican-controlled legislature. I wanted a smart, articulate, unafraid giant of a man who could boldly argue for the conservative agenda without cow-towing to the critics in the liberal media. I wanted John Ashcroft.
Now I know many of this paper’s Democratic readers hated John Ashcroft with a passion. But you have to admit, you hated him for the same reason that conservatives hated the late Mel Carnahan: each was an extraordinarily effective leader for their respective side’s agenda.
In 2004, young Matt Blunt showed a great deal of promise to be that kind of leader.
After all, he came from good stock: his father was Congressman Roy Blunt, our newly minted number two guy in Congress. Roy Blunt has proven himself to be the Achilles of the Republican Majority on the Congressional battlefield… as cunning at pushing conservative legislation as Former Majority Leader DeLay, but charming enough to be as well liked as Speaker Hastert among the rank and file. Arguably, Roy Blunt is the real power in Congress.
So we fought for Matt Blunt. Frankly, we started with a great advantage. And his name was Bob Holden.
Governor Holden was so vulnerable that he got wiped out in his own party primary. The vulnerability was not because he pushed a Democratic agenda: rather it was because he was not effective at pushing any agenda. He waffled. He flipped. He flopped. In the end, his own base hated him.
We also had the perfect issue in gay marriage. The mere thought of two men living in wedded bliss fractured the Democratic Party. And it’s hard for a divided house to stand.
With that issue, Republicans had the support of many traditional Democrats, including African-American Church leaders from St. Louis City. I took that as a good sign for Republican chances in November.
The planets aligned and the people of Missouri happily crowned Roy Blunt’s son.
But this first year has not gone well. From his first misstep in cutting First Steps, one of the more successful government sponsored educational programs for autistic children, to his latest “plane” old mistake in attempting to acquire a new jet for the state fleet, Matt Blunt has engaged in a pattern: he takes a bold position, the Democrats (usually through Roy Temple’s blog site—firedupmissouri.com) attack his position, the Post-Dispatch jumps on the issue, and the Blunt administration overreaches or runs away looking foolish.
Lately, the Administration has been spending its time sending letters to the editor, some signed by the Governor himself, responding to Democratic attacks. And rumor has it that Governor Blunt speaks to his father less often than any other member of the Missouri Congressional Delegation, even the Democrats. Apparently, he only had a lukewarm reaction to Roy Blunt’s recent promotion, sure to be fruitful for the good people of Missouri. Recent polling shows that Matt Blunt’s public approval ratings are extremely low. Like I said, things have not gone well.
A little unsolicited advice: the Governor needs to stop his clipping service (or at least stop trying to answer it), call his very capable father (and start listening to him), and decide what he stands for (while never backing down). When Ashcroft was Governor, I didn’t always agree with him, but I always felt like he knew who he was and what he wanted to do. Matt Blunt needs to grow into being a similarly decisive leader. And he needs to do it by mid-terms next year.
Otherwise, his gubernatorial re-election campaign in 2008 may mirror the image of Holden’s efforts in 2004. Stem-cell research may fracture the Republican party’s solidarity in the same way that gay marriage reeked havoc among the Democrats. And just like Claire McCaskill before her, an ambitious woman hearing her political biological clock ticking, State Treasurer Sarah Steelman, may decide that she doesn’t have anymore time to wait her turn. The Republican Steelman looks to be positioning for a primary challenge against Matt Blunt in the same way McCaskill unseated Holden in 2004. If Governor Blunt’s approval ratings again dip below forty percent, the Republican freight train will come off the rails in 2008 (if it hasn’t already left the tracks in 2006).
Hello. My name is Alex. I voted for Matt Blunt for Governor in 2004. I don’t know who I am voting for in 2008…
Last year, in November, I voted for Matt Blunt. In fact, I not only voted for him, I put up a yard sign… I had a bumper sticker... I even cajoled others to support him with bumper stickers, yard signs and votes. I was a virtual Matt Blunt groupie.
I did it because I wanted someone to sign those tort reform bills and worker’s compensation bills that the legislature previously passed, but couldn’t get past a veto.
And out of the gate, Governor Matt Blunt did exactly what I wanted. He knew how to sign his name. And with his signature, the liberal road blocks to a host of long needed legal reforms of Missouri’s anti-business laws were lifted.
But I also wanted a great conservative leader to stand up and lead the new Republican-controlled legislature. I wanted a smart, articulate, unafraid giant of a man who could boldly argue for the conservative agenda without cow-towing to the critics in the liberal media. I wanted John Ashcroft.
Now I know many of this paper’s Democratic readers hated John Ashcroft with a passion. But you have to admit, you hated him for the same reason that conservatives hated the late Mel Carnahan: each was an extraordinarily effective leader for their respective side’s agenda.
In 2004, young Matt Blunt showed a great deal of promise to be that kind of leader.
After all, he came from good stock: his father was Congressman Roy Blunt, our newly minted number two guy in Congress. Roy Blunt has proven himself to be the Achilles of the Republican Majority on the Congressional battlefield… as cunning at pushing conservative legislation as Former Majority Leader DeLay, but charming enough to be as well liked as Speaker Hastert among the rank and file. Arguably, Roy Blunt is the real power in Congress.
So we fought for Matt Blunt. Frankly, we started with a great advantage. And his name was Bob Holden.
Governor Holden was so vulnerable that he got wiped out in his own party primary. The vulnerability was not because he pushed a Democratic agenda: rather it was because he was not effective at pushing any agenda. He waffled. He flipped. He flopped. In the end, his own base hated him.
We also had the perfect issue in gay marriage. The mere thought of two men living in wedded bliss fractured the Democratic Party. And it’s hard for a divided house to stand.
With that issue, Republicans had the support of many traditional Democrats, including African-American Church leaders from St. Louis City. I took that as a good sign for Republican chances in November.
The planets aligned and the people of Missouri happily crowned Roy Blunt’s son.
But this first year has not gone well. From his first misstep in cutting First Steps, one of the more successful government sponsored educational programs for autistic children, to his latest “plane” old mistake in attempting to acquire a new jet for the state fleet, Matt Blunt has engaged in a pattern: he takes a bold position, the Democrats (usually through Roy Temple’s blog site—firedupmissouri.com) attack his position, the Post-Dispatch jumps on the issue, and the Blunt administration overreaches or runs away looking foolish.
Lately, the Administration has been spending its time sending letters to the editor, some signed by the Governor himself, responding to Democratic attacks. And rumor has it that Governor Blunt speaks to his father less often than any other member of the Missouri Congressional Delegation, even the Democrats. Apparently, he only had a lukewarm reaction to Roy Blunt’s recent promotion, sure to be fruitful for the good people of Missouri. Recent polling shows that Matt Blunt’s public approval ratings are extremely low. Like I said, things have not gone well.
A little unsolicited advice: the Governor needs to stop his clipping service (or at least stop trying to answer it), call his very capable father (and start listening to him), and decide what he stands for (while never backing down). When Ashcroft was Governor, I didn’t always agree with him, but I always felt like he knew who he was and what he wanted to do. Matt Blunt needs to grow into being a similarly decisive leader. And he needs to do it by mid-terms next year.
Otherwise, his gubernatorial re-election campaign in 2008 may mirror the image of Holden’s efforts in 2004. Stem-cell research may fracture the Republican party’s solidarity in the same way that gay marriage reeked havoc among the Democrats. And just like Claire McCaskill before her, an ambitious woman hearing her political biological clock ticking, State Treasurer Sarah Steelman, may decide that she doesn’t have anymore time to wait her turn. The Republican Steelman looks to be positioning for a primary challenge against Matt Blunt in the same way McCaskill unseated Holden in 2004. If Governor Blunt’s approval ratings again dip below forty percent, the Republican freight train will come off the rails in 2008 (if it hasn’t already left the tracks in 2006).
Hello. My name is Alex. I voted for Matt Blunt for Governor in 2004. I don’t know who I am voting for in 2008…
TE PEOPLE SPEAK - Letters To The Editor
Dear Editor,
I would like to inform the readers of the First Capitol News that the Petition to Recall Mayor York is alive and well and still ongoing. You may sign the Mayor recall petition at the Kathyrn Linnemann Library at Elm and Duchesne any Saturday between the hours of 10:00 A.M. and 2:00 P.M.
The library does not endorse, nor is it involved in, our group or its activites. The Library merely provides a “petition table” just inside the door across from the checkout desk for the (prearranged) use of any group circulating a format duly authorized petition.
If you feel so inclined drop by the library some Saturday and add your name to our growing list of signatures.
Glen Dashner
First Capitol News
Attn: Mr. Alex Spencer
THANK YOU!
For the first time, through thousands and thousands of words this is the first article that related the facts of the collision course between myself, St. Peters and Adolphus Busch.
From my first meeting with Mr. Busch it was about his way of life and what this development could do to the migration of water fowl. After our second meeting, as I was getting into my car, Adolphus Busch came over to me and told me he would run my name and political career.
Mr. Spencer, I don’t know about your sources but congratulations. Your articls is factual and entertaining.
Tom Brown
To The Editor
I am writing to express my complete opposition to blighting any area in the city for the benefit of Lindenwood or any other special interest. One only needs to dive down Duchesne Street or to look to the west from Auto Zone to see that Lindenwood has plenty of room to expand without taking any other property. I would like a larger lot myself, but I can’t blight my neighbors to get more ground can I? I suppose their next targets will be Plaza Bowl and Alfredo grill. Then it will be the remaining houses in the area, which they don’t already own. How many long time residents of Charbo Drive and neighboring streets moved after the school bought nearby homes and moved five or six residents into each house when the promised only three per house. Residents who didn’t sell out at first saw their property values drop.
How many people lost their business or homes for the First Capitol Re-alignment? Who has that benefited except the students who now park on the old street? Who’s home will be next to be swallowed up by the university. If this blight were going to occur on Hastings or Adams Street or any other of your neighborhoods, it would be a dead issue. Lindenwood has got special treatment by this city at the expense of the residents for too many years.
As council members who are standing up to the developers and other special interests, I urge you to stand up to Mr. Spellmann and his tactics to keep swallowing up our neighborhoods. All citizens deserve the same respect of their property rights as someone who has more money. Enough is enough. Someday a future council may vote to raze your neighborhood.
Thank you,
Mike Femmer
Dear Mr. Brown,
I too am in opposition to the selling/giving away of St. Charles to Lindenwood, or anyone else. Only one fact is necessary-running families out of their homes is wrong. I find it inconceivable that a city would force residents to move rather than encourage them to stay. I understand that we have no shortage of residents, but there’s a lot of homes that are now student housing that could easily be affordable homes for the less than wealthy. With home prices skyrocketing many of the Lindenwood-swallowed neighborhoods consist of smaller frame homes perfect for starter homes, and young families. I’m fearful that someday I’ll get that Lindenwood knock on my door telling me to take the money and get out or be swallowed and watch my investment disappear.
I live next door to Rory Riddler in a great section of Midtown, and often wonder if the council, and the mayor are completely void of sense. I’m not being disparaging, I’m just wondering how replacing a brick sidewalk on Main St (when the old one was okay), is more important than protecting our city from Lindenwood’s insatiable land hunger. Obviously, money and greed dictate our city’s business.
I have no idea how many students attend Lindenwood, but I do know that there are more residents in this city than students, yet somehow this city would rather cater to the few (um, one-Spellmann). It’s a private university, and while the level of academics is very high and a quality education can be had, it is a private enterprise that makes a few people a lot of money. The students increase traffic, road wear, accidents, etc. Sure, some revenue is brought in by them, but wouldn’t more revenue be brought to the city by taxpaying, employed, home-owning residents? These students don’t pay for our schools and roads, yet we give our city to them. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not opposed to education, and I’m very fond of my college memories, but I don’t recall the college running the town.
We allow the school to consume the city, and run over whole neighborhoods. But why doesn’t the city try to clean itself up? Why does it limit its potential? We are filled with gracious old homes, charming arts and crafts cottages and bungalows, and myriad more styles of architecture, but we (you, the council) would rather bulldoze it in favor of streets and student services. What exactly does the city get from Lindenwood in return for selling itself off? It’s not like we, the residents, get anything out this university being here. I don’t get a reduced rate on advanced education; I don’t have access to their facilities. But they have access to destroy my home.
Does the health department ever inspect all those homes that are “student housing?”
I grew up in rural Warren County, so when I moved here, closer to work, I had great expectations of living in this cool old town, in a real old house. I was disillusioned. I live now in the fear that I’ll lose my house, my investment. I couldn’t understand re-routing a whole street to give the school more parking. Did it improve traffic? Not really. I couldn’t understand how they could be allowed to buy up house after house. Build a dorm! Students in mobile homes? The whole thing infuriates me. Does anyone know how much land Lindenwood owns in this city and county? I want to know. I’m surprised no one has tried to answer that question. I think that would be a good starting point. I think the answer will be astounding. Exactly why does this school need to constantly be buying up land? What’s worse, not just buying up land and homes, but also running families out? Does this make the city better? How about building better systems for pedestrian traffic, clean up trashy lots and homes, supply aid to make old buildings great again, make people want to come to St. Charles, not run away from it. I want to see a map that illustrates all Lindenwood, et al, owned lots. Let’s get a visual aid for this. Let’s be frightened.
I’m getting mad, mad enough that I think my name will be on my ward’s ballot next election. I don’t know a thing about politics, I’m not gonna try to understand those machinations, but I know waste and greed when I see it, and I know the best way to fight it, is to spread the word.
Thanks for your time, and pardon my infuriated soapboxing,
Don Cwiklowski, Jr.
Mike McMurran,
The cross-country schedule for the area high schools is not included in the Prep Sports Calendar. Why? As an FYI, St Charles High has participated in four major meets this season. Each of these meets have included the majority of the high schools in the St Charles area plus dozens of schools from the surrounding area. Between 500 - 800 athletes have competed in each meet. Doesn’t this deserve a listing in the Prep Sports Calendar?
Gary Shelton
Dear Mike,
I enjoy your sports section, but (there’s always a but) I have one complaint about the Prep Sports Calendar. Cross Country is a prep sport also. Join us for the GAC meet at McNair Park if you have any doubts. See you there.
J. S.
Mike Responds
I couldn’t agree more, however...it seems the coaches of local cross county teams have failed to submit their schedules to STLNET, which is the resource I use to gather schedules. In the defense of St. Charles head coach, neither has West or Duchesne's coaches. Now that I know you are out there, I suspect I can get the Conference, District and State schedule. You do that, and I will get them some ink. Thank you for your attention, and thank you for reading the First Capitol News.
Editor,
What an excellent editorial written by Glen Dashner in the last issue of the FCN regarding responsible citizenship. Teachers at the middle school level and beyond would do well to incorporate it in their civics class to encourage students to research the issues and candidates before they vote for anything or anyone. Dashner’s article was thoughtful and well researched and was not critical to any faction in our community. He supported the recall drives of the Mayor and the two Council people as a right under our constitution. His article would appear to encourage us to base our position on careful research and not be swayed by innuendo and distorted accusations.
Carol Diller
I would like to inform the readers of the First Capitol News that the Petition to Recall Mayor York is alive and well and still ongoing. You may sign the Mayor recall petition at the Kathyrn Linnemann Library at Elm and Duchesne any Saturday between the hours of 10:00 A.M. and 2:00 P.M.
The library does not endorse, nor is it involved in, our group or its activites. The Library merely provides a “petition table” just inside the door across from the checkout desk for the (prearranged) use of any group circulating a format duly authorized petition.
If you feel so inclined drop by the library some Saturday and add your name to our growing list of signatures.
Glen Dashner
First Capitol News
Attn: Mr. Alex Spencer
THANK YOU!
For the first time, through thousands and thousands of words this is the first article that related the facts of the collision course between myself, St. Peters and Adolphus Busch.
From my first meeting with Mr. Busch it was about his way of life and what this development could do to the migration of water fowl. After our second meeting, as I was getting into my car, Adolphus Busch came over to me and told me he would run my name and political career.
Mr. Spencer, I don’t know about your sources but congratulations. Your articls is factual and entertaining.
Tom Brown
To The Editor
I am writing to express my complete opposition to blighting any area in the city for the benefit of Lindenwood or any other special interest. One only needs to dive down Duchesne Street or to look to the west from Auto Zone to see that Lindenwood has plenty of room to expand without taking any other property. I would like a larger lot myself, but I can’t blight my neighbors to get more ground can I? I suppose their next targets will be Plaza Bowl and Alfredo grill. Then it will be the remaining houses in the area, which they don’t already own. How many long time residents of Charbo Drive and neighboring streets moved after the school bought nearby homes and moved five or six residents into each house when the promised only three per house. Residents who didn’t sell out at first saw their property values drop.
How many people lost their business or homes for the First Capitol Re-alignment? Who has that benefited except the students who now park on the old street? Who’s home will be next to be swallowed up by the university. If this blight were going to occur on Hastings or Adams Street or any other of your neighborhoods, it would be a dead issue. Lindenwood has got special treatment by this city at the expense of the residents for too many years.
As council members who are standing up to the developers and other special interests, I urge you to stand up to Mr. Spellmann and his tactics to keep swallowing up our neighborhoods. All citizens deserve the same respect of their property rights as someone who has more money. Enough is enough. Someday a future council may vote to raze your neighborhood.
Thank you,
Mike Femmer
Dear Mr. Brown,
I too am in opposition to the selling/giving away of St. Charles to Lindenwood, or anyone else. Only one fact is necessary-running families out of their homes is wrong. I find it inconceivable that a city would force residents to move rather than encourage them to stay. I understand that we have no shortage of residents, but there’s a lot of homes that are now student housing that could easily be affordable homes for the less than wealthy. With home prices skyrocketing many of the Lindenwood-swallowed neighborhoods consist of smaller frame homes perfect for starter homes, and young families. I’m fearful that someday I’ll get that Lindenwood knock on my door telling me to take the money and get out or be swallowed and watch my investment disappear.
I live next door to Rory Riddler in a great section of Midtown, and often wonder if the council, and the mayor are completely void of sense. I’m not being disparaging, I’m just wondering how replacing a brick sidewalk on Main St (when the old one was okay), is more important than protecting our city from Lindenwood’s insatiable land hunger. Obviously, money and greed dictate our city’s business.
I have no idea how many students attend Lindenwood, but I do know that there are more residents in this city than students, yet somehow this city would rather cater to the few (um, one-Spellmann). It’s a private university, and while the level of academics is very high and a quality education can be had, it is a private enterprise that makes a few people a lot of money. The students increase traffic, road wear, accidents, etc. Sure, some revenue is brought in by them, but wouldn’t more revenue be brought to the city by taxpaying, employed, home-owning residents? These students don’t pay for our schools and roads, yet we give our city to them. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not opposed to education, and I’m very fond of my college memories, but I don’t recall the college running the town.
We allow the school to consume the city, and run over whole neighborhoods. But why doesn’t the city try to clean itself up? Why does it limit its potential? We are filled with gracious old homes, charming arts and crafts cottages and bungalows, and myriad more styles of architecture, but we (you, the council) would rather bulldoze it in favor of streets and student services. What exactly does the city get from Lindenwood in return for selling itself off? It’s not like we, the residents, get anything out this university being here. I don’t get a reduced rate on advanced education; I don’t have access to their facilities. But they have access to destroy my home.
Does the health department ever inspect all those homes that are “student housing?”
I grew up in rural Warren County, so when I moved here, closer to work, I had great expectations of living in this cool old town, in a real old house. I was disillusioned. I live now in the fear that I’ll lose my house, my investment. I couldn’t understand re-routing a whole street to give the school more parking. Did it improve traffic? Not really. I couldn’t understand how they could be allowed to buy up house after house. Build a dorm! Students in mobile homes? The whole thing infuriates me. Does anyone know how much land Lindenwood owns in this city and county? I want to know. I’m surprised no one has tried to answer that question. I think that would be a good starting point. I think the answer will be astounding. Exactly why does this school need to constantly be buying up land? What’s worse, not just buying up land and homes, but also running families out? Does this make the city better? How about building better systems for pedestrian traffic, clean up trashy lots and homes, supply aid to make old buildings great again, make people want to come to St. Charles, not run away from it. I want to see a map that illustrates all Lindenwood, et al, owned lots. Let’s get a visual aid for this. Let’s be frightened.
I’m getting mad, mad enough that I think my name will be on my ward’s ballot next election. I don’t know a thing about politics, I’m not gonna try to understand those machinations, but I know waste and greed when I see it, and I know the best way to fight it, is to spread the word.
Thanks for your time, and pardon my infuriated soapboxing,
Don Cwiklowski, Jr.
Mike McMurran,
The cross-country schedule for the area high schools is not included in the Prep Sports Calendar. Why? As an FYI, St Charles High has participated in four major meets this season. Each of these meets have included the majority of the high schools in the St Charles area plus dozens of schools from the surrounding area. Between 500 - 800 athletes have competed in each meet. Doesn’t this deserve a listing in the Prep Sports Calendar?
Gary Shelton
Dear Mike,
I enjoy your sports section, but (there’s always a but) I have one complaint about the Prep Sports Calendar. Cross Country is a prep sport also. Join us for the GAC meet at McNair Park if you have any doubts. See you there.
J. S.
Mike Responds
I couldn’t agree more, however...it seems the coaches of local cross county teams have failed to submit their schedules to STLNET, which is the resource I use to gather schedules. In the defense of St. Charles head coach, neither has West or Duchesne's coaches. Now that I know you are out there, I suspect I can get the Conference, District and State schedule. You do that, and I will get them some ink. Thank you for your attention, and thank you for reading the First Capitol News.
Editor,
What an excellent editorial written by Glen Dashner in the last issue of the FCN regarding responsible citizenship. Teachers at the middle school level and beyond would do well to incorporate it in their civics class to encourage students to research the issues and candidates before they vote for anything or anyone. Dashner’s article was thoughtful and well researched and was not critical to any faction in our community. He supported the recall drives of the Mayor and the two Council people as a right under our constitution. His article would appear to encourage us to base our position on careful research and not be swayed by innuendo and distorted accusations.
Carol Diller
Charges Expected Against Police Officers Released Subject’s Criminal Record
By Tony Brockmeyer
The First Capitol News has learned that Criminal Charges are expected to be filed against two O’Fallon Police Officers.
The unnamed Officers are accused of obtaining the criminal record of a subject and then releasing that information to another party.
We were told an investigation is being conducted by the office of St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney, Jack Banas and that information may have been presented to the St. Charles County Grand Jury.
We were unable to obtain any comments from the Prosecutor’s office but our source told us to expect charges to be filed against the Officers.
The Grand Jury consists of 15 residents of the County selected by the presiding Judge. They meet every other Friday and their meetings are secret. Only twelve members vote on indictments and only nine votes are needed to indict.
The term of the current Grand Jury expires on October 21st.
The First Capitol News has learned that Criminal Charges are expected to be filed against two O’Fallon Police Officers.
The unnamed Officers are accused of obtaining the criminal record of a subject and then releasing that information to another party.
We were told an investigation is being conducted by the office of St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney, Jack Banas and that information may have been presented to the St. Charles County Grand Jury.
We were unable to obtain any comments from the Prosecutor’s office but our source told us to expect charges to be filed against the Officers.
The Grand Jury consists of 15 residents of the County selected by the presiding Judge. They meet every other Friday and their meetings are secret. Only twelve members vote on indictments and only nine votes are needed to indict.
The term of the current Grand Jury expires on October 21st.
BROWN WINS FIRST COURT BATTLE WITH DEVELOPERS
In St. Charles County Circuit Court Wednesday morning a request for a Restraining Order against St. Charles City Councilman Mark Brown was dismissed by the Judge within a few minutes after being called ..
Easton Wade, III, the developer of the Pearl Ridge Subdivision, where Brown lives, had filed for the X-Parte order claiming Brown had committed adult abuse. Wade said that Brown was stalking him and that he was in fear of Brown.
Two weeks ago Brown received a complaint from a resident that Wade had a illegal vehicle parked in his driveway in violation of City ordinances. Brown stopped in front of the home and took a photograph of the violation. As Brown was taking the photo, Wade exited from his home and took a photo of Brown taking a photo. Brown then went to his home which is just down the street.
Wade called St. Charles police and requested a report be written of the incident.
Several days later developer Wade filed for the X-Parte order. During the hearing Wade told the Judge, Brown pulled up in front of his house and jumped out of his vehicle and reached back into and pulled out a camera at which time he was in fear of Brown. Brown then started taking pictures of a commercial truck which he had parked at his residence iv violation of the law.” Wade told the judge he had several lawsuits filed against Brown regarding a subdivision he had built that is currently flooding. Wade said he felt Brown should not be allowed to take pictures of his violations and Wade alleged that to be an abuse of power by Brown.
Since Brown has taken office, he has demanded that developers be held accountable to the residents. The developers have started a recall petition, spending thousands of dollars on mailings and telephone solicitation. They have paid petitioners to collect signatures for the recall who do not even live in the City but who are employed by a temporary labor agency.
Brown said, “These developers will go to no end to damage my character, upset my family and they even targeted my wife to discourage me in my efforts to hold them accountable.” Brown further said, “I appreciate the several hundred people who have contacted me by phone, e-mail and in person who have told me to keep up the good work and that they appreciate what I am doing. Their intent is to make me look like a bad guy and a bully. The only people who need to worry about me being a bully are the people who abusing taxpayers of the City of St. Charles.”
Easton Wade, III, the developer of the Pearl Ridge Subdivision, where Brown lives, had filed for the X-Parte order claiming Brown had committed adult abuse. Wade said that Brown was stalking him and that he was in fear of Brown.
Two weeks ago Brown received a complaint from a resident that Wade had a illegal vehicle parked in his driveway in violation of City ordinances. Brown stopped in front of the home and took a photograph of the violation. As Brown was taking the photo, Wade exited from his home and took a photo of Brown taking a photo. Brown then went to his home which is just down the street.
Wade called St. Charles police and requested a report be written of the incident.
Several days later developer Wade filed for the X-Parte order. During the hearing Wade told the Judge, Brown pulled up in front of his house and jumped out of his vehicle and reached back into and pulled out a camera at which time he was in fear of Brown. Brown then started taking pictures of a commercial truck which he had parked at his residence iv violation of the law.” Wade told the judge he had several lawsuits filed against Brown regarding a subdivision he had built that is currently flooding. Wade said he felt Brown should not be allowed to take pictures of his violations and Wade alleged that to be an abuse of power by Brown.
Since Brown has taken office, he has demanded that developers be held accountable to the residents. The developers have started a recall petition, spending thousands of dollars on mailings and telephone solicitation. They have paid petitioners to collect signatures for the recall who do not even live in the City but who are employed by a temporary labor agency.
Brown said, “These developers will go to no end to damage my character, upset my family and they even targeted my wife to discourage me in my efforts to hold them accountable.” Brown further said, “I appreciate the several hundred people who have contacted me by phone, e-mail and in person who have told me to keep up the good work and that they appreciate what I am doing. Their intent is to make me look like a bad guy and a bully. The only people who need to worry about me being a bully are the people who abusing taxpayers of the City of St. Charles.”
SPORTS - First Capitol News Sports Section
M COLUMN - MIKE MCMURRAN Sports Editor
Sitting here listening to KWMU radio field callers favorite memories of Busch Memorial Stadium I thought I might offer my own. I am not sure, maybe many people have spent as much time downtown as I, but is doubt it.
I can recall my grandmother taking me to games as a youngster, but my first memory of going on my own is noteworthy. I was an 8th grader at St. Aloysius grade school in Spanish Lake, and for some reason there was no school the next day (it was a weekday). Me and a bunch of my buddies were spending the night camping out, as we often did, when one of my buddies’ big brother announced he was going down to Busch Stadium to spend the night and purchase World Series tickets. It turned out to be game six of the 1968 World Series against the Detroit Tigers. I cannot remember the final score, but the Cardinals were beaten badly (more on World Series memories later).
From 1969 on, I would attend as many games as possible. One tradition would be Opening Day, where for years you could camp out at the Stadium and purchase bleacher seats for Opening Day. I suspect from 1980 till the early 1990’s I attended every Opening Day; often times sitting in the front row of the bleachers.
Personal highlights include: Lou Brock’s 3000th hit, Bob Forsch’s first no-hitter, Lou Brock’s final game (remember that huge boat coming out of the wagon gate) and Mark McGwire’s grand slam home run on opening day.
I cannot begin to tell you how many times I have camped out at Busch Stadium to get tickets, but I do know it all paid off on October 20, 1982 as I sat in the bleachers as the Cardinals won their only World Championship at Busch. Sure, they were the World Champions in 1967, but the deciding game was won at Fenway Park in Boston.
My wife Lynn and I began dating in 1985, just in time to attend a playoff game and game five of the World Series together. During the course of the next 20 years we would attend numerous playoff games together – along with Opening Days.
Not all of my memories of Busch Stadium have to do with baseball. Remember the Super Jams of the 70’s? For some reason my memory of the concerts are somewhat cloudy – I cannot imagine why – but do recall seeing Styx and REO Speedwagon.
1995 brought football back to St. Louis, and I was sitting in the front row of the center field bleachers as the Rams defeated the New Orleans Saints. Not only was I sitting in the front row, my buddy, Rob Harper, who was sitting right next to me, went home that day with a real NFL football. Ticket stub I do not have, but I have the testimonial of life long St. Charles residents Don and Mary Ann Oelklaus . They were sitting next to Harper as he ran into the bushes and retrieved the first extra-point kicked at the south end of the Stadium (by the way Don, I hope this week’s column is “more about sports than the McMurran family,” as you requested). All four of them had their picture, a big picture, in the next day’s Post Dispatch. There they stood, Mary Ann, Don, Rob and a space where I should have been sitting. Where was I? It was almost the end of the third quarter and I was on a beer run – my luck hasn’t changed over the years.
On June 20th, 1992, the day Lynn and I were married, we had the entire wedding party pose for wedding pictures at the statue of Stan Musial.
Lots and lots of memories. From grade school into my 50’s – but the best was saved for last.
On October 2, 2005, I attended the very last regular season game played at Busch Memorial Stadium with my ten year old daughter, Maggie. My dear friend Mike Lemke secured two tickets for me. Now, I should have been coaching Dee’s soccer game, but to pass up the chance to attend Sunday’s game, well, those who know me know there wasn’t a snowball chance I would pass.
Why was the last the best? (Sorry Don, back to family again) Both Margo and I received certificates acknowledging our attendance. We have framed the ticket stubs, certificates and score card, which she and I kept. The memory has been saved by a photo (or ten), which also will be framed. I can just imagine Margo, on her 59th birthday, sharing our experience together with her children and grandchildren. She will be telling the story of how her and her daddy went to the final regular season baseball game ever played at the “old” Busch Stadium. How we took Metro Link to the game, kept score together, and decided we wouldn’t boo, but likewise not cheer when Mark McGwire was introduced. She’ll probably even show the framed certificates, ticket stubs and pictures. Me? I’ll be dead and gone, for you see on Margo’s 59th birthday, I would have turned 100. And that my friends, ain’t gonna happen.
THE RAGE
By Mike Thompson
RAGE SPIRIT REIGNED SUPREME ON SUNDAY
By Mike Thompson
September 28, 2005
I got the first ‘heads-up’ from Coach Wyatt, I believe, late Wednesday afternoon just as I was leaving the Rage office. “You know it’s suppose to rain on Sunday,” he said, “they’re forecasting showers all day, it’s suppose to roll in right around the time we’d be getting set up.” Then with a grin, he regaled me with his favorite line, the one he uses anytime he’s telling me something that he knows I NEED to know to keep in the good grace of our owners. “I’m just telling you for your own good,” he said laughingly, as I headed out the door.
Before I could even get to my car, a top ten list of worst-case scenarios was already swirling around in my head. What if this, what if that, what if the promotion I had put together for the entire Rams season got off to a horrific start? I’ve talked about it in a previous article, all the info is on our website, but here goes.....coupled with my duties as Media Relations Director and play-by-play broadcaster for the Rage, I also have, for the past seven years, worked three or more shifts on-air for KLOU radio. That’s KLOU, Oldies Radio 103.3, RAMS RADIO during the NFL football season. Get the picture? With the blessing of KLOU Promotions Director John Helmkamp, I arranged for the Rage to have a promotional tent set up near Baer Park in front of the Edwards Jones Dome. A perfect location, with a built in football crowd! A crowd of tailgaters, crazy football lovin’, Rams lovin’ and soon to be, if I have my way, RAGE LOVIN’ fanatics just poised for Rams football and then, with our info, our bumper stickers, our promotional material passed out by players, coaches, and Rage personnel, poised and ready for the River City Rage in the spring of 2006 at our brand new home at the Savvis Center. Rain?? It wouldn’t dare....and besides, I work in radio, remember? I’ve seen ‘those guys’ coach was speaking of be wrong before.
But not this time!! Sunday brought the remnants of Hurricane Rita, or so I presumed, to the Gateway City with a vengeance I still can feel while sitting here warm and dry writing this article. A steady, driving series of showers, most shooting down at a 45 degree angle that slapped into the side of one’s face like blinding pellets of salt water. The Hurricane, I thought, as I waited at the corner of Broadway and Cole Street in front of the main entrance to the Dome. Oh noooo...we hadn’t called it off. It was my call to make, and admittedly, I had just an hour or so before, contacted both Scott and Tye, wondering out loud to their respective cell phone voice mails the wisdom of setting up in such adverse conditions. I called Morris Groves, our Ops Manager. He had the tent, the pass out material, everything we’d need to make a go of it. I’ll let him decide, I figured, as I dialed up his cell phone. “Your call,” he said, “I’m ready to go if you are.”
An executive decision!! I wanted to say something profound like, “let’s roll” but the most I could mumble into the cell phone I had cradled on my shoulder (while holding an umbrella, papers, field glasses, etc) was probably something like, “yeah fine” or “great, great just bring the stuff down and HUSTLE.”
It’s 9:15am.....I’ve sloshed through the mud of Baer Park to meet Morris and help him bring the 7 foot long tent and all the other promotional material to our location about 3 blocks away. I had arranged to meet Coaches Hunt, Edmunds and Montgomery at our site, along with our team doctor, Gene Bell, who was also bringing along one of his sons. Rage wide receiver Chris Williams had also stepped up to brave the weather and help out, so we were more than covered in regards to having enough people to get the word out. The traffic along Broadway was beginning to pick up and every car that went by us as we trooped along brought a set of tires sloshing through curbside puddles of water that threatened to shower us like a sideline Gatorade celebration. Some found the target! “I hope this is worth it,” I said more than once out loud to anyone willing to hear me. “I’ve never seen weather like this in the ten years I’ve been going to these games (I’m also the Press Box Announcer for the Rams, I’ve been to every game since the day the team came to St. Louis) “Believe me, this is the worst I’ve ever seen” Yeah, yeah, yeah!!
But hey, now it’s 9:30 and after fighting the wind and rain to set up the tent, pin our vinyl signs that proclaim the River City Rage the Atlantic East Champions of 2005 to the side of the structure, set up our table and get our material organized, I saw something that re-charged and re-set my attitude a complete 180!
I saw our guys come alive with a bunker mentality that you can sometimes look back on and say, hey that’s the day we kinda came together. Players on the field can often point to a moment when things turned around and the tide began to turn, and a game or even an entire season began to change for the better. I began to sense that feeling as I watched Coach Hunt stand on the corner in a semi-steady rain and hand out bumper stickers and season ticket information, as I watched Chris and Coach Montgomery be more than willing to talk to football fans, answering questions about our team, our season and our future. I remember Coach Edmunds coming up not once, not twice, but THREE times to get more material to take out to the huge crowd at Baer Park. I watched him come back each time more water logged than the time before to tell us how great the fans were, how many people knew about the Rage and wanted our material to be able to plan for next season. “This is great,” he yelled out at one point, and ya know, I had to agree he was absolutely right! I wandered over to Doc Bell and kinda whispered under my breath “Ya know, this wouldn’t have been able to happen before the new ownership took over this past year, man, just look at this, look at these guys mixing it up with all these fans in all this mess.” The good doctor just smiled and said, “Like they say, my friend, it’s a whole new ballgame.”
It’s now 11:20am.....I’ve got to go.....the Rams job is waiting.....I ask everybody to stick around till the noon kickoff, but by now I know that’s a moot point...these guys are having too much fun and too many potential Rage fans for 2006 still need to get material in their hands.
True, we’ll be down there 7 more times, maybe more...GO RAMS!!....and if I said it once, I probably said it 20 times on Sunday....”It’s never been this bad, guys, really, this is the worst.”
But heading into the Dome just before 11:30, I had the very real feeling that it had never, ever been this good!
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
First Capitol News High School Athlete of the Week
BOBBY GOEBEL –
SAINT CHARLES HIGH SCHOOL
FULL NAME: Robert Goebel
AGE, HT. WT.: 18, 6’4”, 280
HOME: Saint Charles
FAMILY: Lives with mom and step dad – Cindy and Dave Edwards
NICKNAME: Bobby
PEOPLE WHO INFLUENCED YOU THE MOST/WHY? My father, Greg Goebel, he got me started in football at the Pee Wee level when I was just 9 years old.
BEST ADVICE ANYONE EVER GAVE YOU: Coach Sinks (offensive line coach at SCH), stay low!
PLAYERS - PAST OR PRESENT - YOU WOULD PAY TO SEE PLAY FOOTBALL: Warren Sapp is my favorite defensive lineman, and Orlando Pace is easily my favorite offensive linemen; I watch them whenever I can on T.V., to see them play in person would be awesome.
HOBBIES: Cars, fishing and hunting.
TYPE OF CAR: Pontiac Grand Am
FAVORITE ACTOR: Adam Saddler
FAVORITE MOVIE: Friday Night Lights
FAVORITE TV SHOW: ESPN Sports Center
FAVORITE MUSIC: Country
FAVORITE FOOD: Steak
FAVORITE PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAM: Dallas Cowboys
BEST TIME OF YOUR LIFE/WHY? Right now, I’m living it!
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: Never playing more than 10 football games in one season; we’re going to change that real quick!
PLAYERS YOU LEARNED THE MOST FROM: I watch Orlando Pace every snap of the ball – his technique is practically perfect. Once again, my dad, he gave me the love of the sport at a very young age.
SPORTS HERO: Orlando Pace
THE CHARACTERISTIC YOU MOST ADMIRE IN A PERSON: Honesty, if your not honest, with both yourself and others, you have nothing.
THE TRUEST SIGN OF SUCCESS: The ability to accept and understand the true concept of “team work.” Coach Nesslage makes sure we know exactly what it means.
MOST MEMORABLE GAME: Beating Warrenton at Lindenwood University; we started the season out with a loss against Jennings and have turned it around with 3 straight wins.
River Otter Goaltender In Chicago Wolves Training Camp
By Louis J. Launer
The United Hockey League season hasn’t started yet, neither has any training camps with any of the teams. But one Missouri River Otter is getting some experience this season at a higher level in the minor leagues - in the Chicago Wolves training camp. Goaltender Kevin Reiter signed with the River Otters in August and fans hope that Reiter would be the team’s number one goaltender.
News of Reiter’s apparent “call up” to the Chicago Wolves organization (an American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL’s Atlanta Thrashers) spread among Missouri River Otter fans last Friday with some mixed emotions. Many were happy to see Reiter playing on the AAA level. Some wondered if
the River Otters needed to shop for another goaltender if the Wolves decided to keep him.
By the end of the weekend, fans became confident that Kevin Reiter will be back for the River Otters when training camp opens on October 10.
“Reiter has a try-out with the Chicago Wolves,” explained Dan Silver of the River Otters media relations department. “He is under contract with us, but if he impresses at the Wolves camp they could offer him a contract. Last year he tried out with Springfield [Massachusetts]. It is not uncommon for UHL players to have uncontracted try-outs with AHL teams.”
This past weekend, Reiter and the Chicago Wolves traveled to Peoria to play the new Blues AHL affiliate, the Peoria Rivermen. Although the Rivermen lost to the Wolves, 6-5 in a shootout, Reiter saw no action. But was on the bench as a third-string, or “emergency” goaltender. The Wolves played Monday night in Des Moines, Iowa, the AHL affiliate of the Dallas Stars. Reiter saw playing time, but allowed three Iowa goals and was benched after half a period.
Entering his second professional season with the River Otters, Reiter’s biggest moment last season was his record-setting 65 saves for the River Otters in a 3-2 double-overtime victory against Fort Wayne in game 5 of the 2005 Colonial Cup Playoffs. Although he was the team’s backup goaltender last season, Reiter tied the River Otters regular-season franchise record with 52 saves in a game late last season against Kalamazoo. He also finished third in the UHL among all goaltenders in 2004-05 with five shutouts.
Reiter remains the only signed goaltender currently on the River Otters’ pre-season roster. Other goaltenders will be trying out with the team when training camp gets underway at St. Louis Mills’ Ice Zone.
The River Otters have two exhibition games that will take place on October 14 and 16. They will play the Quad City Mallards on October 14 in Davenport, Iowa. They will return on October 16 and host the Rockford IceHogs at the St. Louis Mills’ Ice Zone at 6:30 p.m.
Single game tickets for the River Otters began to be sold at the Family Arena on Friday and will continue throughout the weekend. Opening night for the River Otters will be Friday, October 21 against the Motor City (Detroit) Mechanics at the Family Arena.
RIVER OTTERS ADD TWO ROOKIE GOALTENDERS
Ryan Senft and Corey Wogtech Expected to Compete For Roster Spot
The Missouri River Otters of the United Hockey League agreed to terms with Ryan Senft and Corey Wogtech, two young goaltenders looking to earn a spot on the team.
“We’re excited to see both of these goaltenders in our training camp,” River Otters Head Coach Kevin Kaminski said. “We expect a fierce competition for our second goalie spot with Ryan and Corey both competing with Brenden Cuthbert.”
Senft, 21, spent last season with the Amherst Ramblers of the Maritime Junior ‘A’ Hockey League (MJAHL). In 53 games, the 6’3’’, 210-lb netminder went 22-22-6 with a 3.39 goals-against-average, a .910 save percentage and 3 shutouts. He was awarded MVP of his team and won MJAHL Player-of-the-Week twice during the season. He’s had stints in the Canadian Major Juniors with the Saskatoon Blades, trip-City Americans, and Prince Albert Raiders.
Wogtech, 23, is a St. Peters, MO native. He played in seven games with St. Scholastica (NCAA) last season, going 1-5-0 with a 4.08 goals-against-average and a .906 save percentage. In 2004 he was named St. Scholastica Freshman-of-the-Year and Team MVP.
Senft and Wogtech join a growing roster of River Otters that includes: Goaltenders Kevin Reiter and Brenden Cuthbert; Defensemen Tim O’Connell, Tyler Butler, Jared Newman, Roman Vasut, Brian Heckendorn, Mark Lindsay, and Leif Thorkelson; Forwards Brad Church, Frank Littlejohn, Lars Pettersen, Damian Surma, Mark Odut, Brad MacMillan, Dmitri Toupikov, Ryan Scapinello, and Richard Paul.
The Rivers Otters first exhibition game is scheduled for Friday, October 14 against the Mallards at the Quad City Sports Center with a face-off at 7 PM CDT. On Sunday, October 16, the River Otters will host the IceHogs at the St. Louis Mills IceZone in an exhibition game. The game is scheduled to start at 6:30 PM CDT. General admission tickets will cost $6 and will be available at the IceZone starting at 10 AM the day of the game.
The River Otters start their 2005-06 Colonial Cup quest Friday, October 21 at the Family Arena against the Motor City Mechanics. The River Otters are proud hosts of the 2006 UHL All-Star Classic on Wednesday, January 25. Tickets for the UHL All-Star Classic are scheduled to go on sale Friday, October 21. To order 2005-06 Missouri River Otters season or group tickets, please call the River Otters front office at (636) 896-4200, or visit the River Otters online at www.riverotters.com.
Sitting here listening to KWMU radio field callers favorite memories of Busch Memorial Stadium I thought I might offer my own. I am not sure, maybe many people have spent as much time downtown as I, but is doubt it.
I can recall my grandmother taking me to games as a youngster, but my first memory of going on my own is noteworthy. I was an 8th grader at St. Aloysius grade school in Spanish Lake, and for some reason there was no school the next day (it was a weekday). Me and a bunch of my buddies were spending the night camping out, as we often did, when one of my buddies’ big brother announced he was going down to Busch Stadium to spend the night and purchase World Series tickets. It turned out to be game six of the 1968 World Series against the Detroit Tigers. I cannot remember the final score, but the Cardinals were beaten badly (more on World Series memories later).
From 1969 on, I would attend as many games as possible. One tradition would be Opening Day, where for years you could camp out at the Stadium and purchase bleacher seats for Opening Day. I suspect from 1980 till the early 1990’s I attended every Opening Day; often times sitting in the front row of the bleachers.
Personal highlights include: Lou Brock’s 3000th hit, Bob Forsch’s first no-hitter, Lou Brock’s final game (remember that huge boat coming out of the wagon gate) and Mark McGwire’s grand slam home run on opening day.
I cannot begin to tell you how many times I have camped out at Busch Stadium to get tickets, but I do know it all paid off on October 20, 1982 as I sat in the bleachers as the Cardinals won their only World Championship at Busch. Sure, they were the World Champions in 1967, but the deciding game was won at Fenway Park in Boston.
My wife Lynn and I began dating in 1985, just in time to attend a playoff game and game five of the World Series together. During the course of the next 20 years we would attend numerous playoff games together – along with Opening Days.
Not all of my memories of Busch Stadium have to do with baseball. Remember the Super Jams of the 70’s? For some reason my memory of the concerts are somewhat cloudy – I cannot imagine why – but do recall seeing Styx and REO Speedwagon.
1995 brought football back to St. Louis, and I was sitting in the front row of the center field bleachers as the Rams defeated the New Orleans Saints. Not only was I sitting in the front row, my buddy, Rob Harper, who was sitting right next to me, went home that day with a real NFL football. Ticket stub I do not have, but I have the testimonial of life long St. Charles residents Don and Mary Ann Oelklaus . They were sitting next to Harper as he ran into the bushes and retrieved the first extra-point kicked at the south end of the Stadium (by the way Don, I hope this week’s column is “more about sports than the McMurran family,” as you requested). All four of them had their picture, a big picture, in the next day’s Post Dispatch. There they stood, Mary Ann, Don, Rob and a space where I should have been sitting. Where was I? It was almost the end of the third quarter and I was on a beer run – my luck hasn’t changed over the years.
On June 20th, 1992, the day Lynn and I were married, we had the entire wedding party pose for wedding pictures at the statue of Stan Musial.
Lots and lots of memories. From grade school into my 50’s – but the best was saved for last.
On October 2, 2005, I attended the very last regular season game played at Busch Memorial Stadium with my ten year old daughter, Maggie. My dear friend Mike Lemke secured two tickets for me. Now, I should have been coaching Dee’s soccer game, but to pass up the chance to attend Sunday’s game, well, those who know me know there wasn’t a snowball chance I would pass.
Why was the last the best? (Sorry Don, back to family again) Both Margo and I received certificates acknowledging our attendance. We have framed the ticket stubs, certificates and score card, which she and I kept. The memory has been saved by a photo (or ten), which also will be framed. I can just imagine Margo, on her 59th birthday, sharing our experience together with her children and grandchildren. She will be telling the story of how her and her daddy went to the final regular season baseball game ever played at the “old” Busch Stadium. How we took Metro Link to the game, kept score together, and decided we wouldn’t boo, but likewise not cheer when Mark McGwire was introduced. She’ll probably even show the framed certificates, ticket stubs and pictures. Me? I’ll be dead and gone, for you see on Margo’s 59th birthday, I would have turned 100. And that my friends, ain’t gonna happen.
THE RAGE
By Mike Thompson
RAGE SPIRIT REIGNED SUPREME ON SUNDAY
By Mike Thompson
September 28, 2005
I got the first ‘heads-up’ from Coach Wyatt, I believe, late Wednesday afternoon just as I was leaving the Rage office. “You know it’s suppose to rain on Sunday,” he said, “they’re forecasting showers all day, it’s suppose to roll in right around the time we’d be getting set up.” Then with a grin, he regaled me with his favorite line, the one he uses anytime he’s telling me something that he knows I NEED to know to keep in the good grace of our owners. “I’m just telling you for your own good,” he said laughingly, as I headed out the door.
Before I could even get to my car, a top ten list of worst-case scenarios was already swirling around in my head. What if this, what if that, what if the promotion I had put together for the entire Rams season got off to a horrific start? I’ve talked about it in a previous article, all the info is on our website, but here goes.....coupled with my duties as Media Relations Director and play-by-play broadcaster for the Rage, I also have, for the past seven years, worked three or more shifts on-air for KLOU radio. That’s KLOU, Oldies Radio 103.3, RAMS RADIO during the NFL football season. Get the picture? With the blessing of KLOU Promotions Director John Helmkamp, I arranged for the Rage to have a promotional tent set up near Baer Park in front of the Edwards Jones Dome. A perfect location, with a built in football crowd! A crowd of tailgaters, crazy football lovin’, Rams lovin’ and soon to be, if I have my way, RAGE LOVIN’ fanatics just poised for Rams football and then, with our info, our bumper stickers, our promotional material passed out by players, coaches, and Rage personnel, poised and ready for the River City Rage in the spring of 2006 at our brand new home at the Savvis Center. Rain?? It wouldn’t dare....and besides, I work in radio, remember? I’ve seen ‘those guys’ coach was speaking of be wrong before.
But not this time!! Sunday brought the remnants of Hurricane Rita, or so I presumed, to the Gateway City with a vengeance I still can feel while sitting here warm and dry writing this article. A steady, driving series of showers, most shooting down at a 45 degree angle that slapped into the side of one’s face like blinding pellets of salt water. The Hurricane, I thought, as I waited at the corner of Broadway and Cole Street in front of the main entrance to the Dome. Oh noooo...we hadn’t called it off. It was my call to make, and admittedly, I had just an hour or so before, contacted both Scott and Tye, wondering out loud to their respective cell phone voice mails the wisdom of setting up in such adverse conditions. I called Morris Groves, our Ops Manager. He had the tent, the pass out material, everything we’d need to make a go of it. I’ll let him decide, I figured, as I dialed up his cell phone. “Your call,” he said, “I’m ready to go if you are.”
An executive decision!! I wanted to say something profound like, “let’s roll” but the most I could mumble into the cell phone I had cradled on my shoulder (while holding an umbrella, papers, field glasses, etc) was probably something like, “yeah fine” or “great, great just bring the stuff down and HUSTLE.”
It’s 9:15am.....I’ve sloshed through the mud of Baer Park to meet Morris and help him bring the 7 foot long tent and all the other promotional material to our location about 3 blocks away. I had arranged to meet Coaches Hunt, Edmunds and Montgomery at our site, along with our team doctor, Gene Bell, who was also bringing along one of his sons. Rage wide receiver Chris Williams had also stepped up to brave the weather and help out, so we were more than covered in regards to having enough people to get the word out. The traffic along Broadway was beginning to pick up and every car that went by us as we trooped along brought a set of tires sloshing through curbside puddles of water that threatened to shower us like a sideline Gatorade celebration. Some found the target! “I hope this is worth it,” I said more than once out loud to anyone willing to hear me. “I’ve never seen weather like this in the ten years I’ve been going to these games (I’m also the Press Box Announcer for the Rams, I’ve been to every game since the day the team came to St. Louis) “Believe me, this is the worst I’ve ever seen” Yeah, yeah, yeah!!
But hey, now it’s 9:30 and after fighting the wind and rain to set up the tent, pin our vinyl signs that proclaim the River City Rage the Atlantic East Champions of 2005 to the side of the structure, set up our table and get our material organized, I saw something that re-charged and re-set my attitude a complete 180!
I saw our guys come alive with a bunker mentality that you can sometimes look back on and say, hey that’s the day we kinda came together. Players on the field can often point to a moment when things turned around and the tide began to turn, and a game or even an entire season began to change for the better. I began to sense that feeling as I watched Coach Hunt stand on the corner in a semi-steady rain and hand out bumper stickers and season ticket information, as I watched Chris and Coach Montgomery be more than willing to talk to football fans, answering questions about our team, our season and our future. I remember Coach Edmunds coming up not once, not twice, but THREE times to get more material to take out to the huge crowd at Baer Park. I watched him come back each time more water logged than the time before to tell us how great the fans were, how many people knew about the Rage and wanted our material to be able to plan for next season. “This is great,” he yelled out at one point, and ya know, I had to agree he was absolutely right! I wandered over to Doc Bell and kinda whispered under my breath “Ya know, this wouldn’t have been able to happen before the new ownership took over this past year, man, just look at this, look at these guys mixing it up with all these fans in all this mess.” The good doctor just smiled and said, “Like they say, my friend, it’s a whole new ballgame.”
It’s now 11:20am.....I’ve got to go.....the Rams job is waiting.....I ask everybody to stick around till the noon kickoff, but by now I know that’s a moot point...these guys are having too much fun and too many potential Rage fans for 2006 still need to get material in their hands.
True, we’ll be down there 7 more times, maybe more...GO RAMS!!....and if I said it once, I probably said it 20 times on Sunday....”It’s never been this bad, guys, really, this is the worst.”
But heading into the Dome just before 11:30, I had the very real feeling that it had never, ever been this good!
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
First Capitol News High School Athlete of the Week
BOBBY GOEBEL –
SAINT CHARLES HIGH SCHOOL
FULL NAME: Robert Goebel
AGE, HT. WT.: 18, 6’4”, 280
HOME: Saint Charles
FAMILY: Lives with mom and step dad – Cindy and Dave Edwards
NICKNAME: Bobby
PEOPLE WHO INFLUENCED YOU THE MOST/WHY? My father, Greg Goebel, he got me started in football at the Pee Wee level when I was just 9 years old.
BEST ADVICE ANYONE EVER GAVE YOU: Coach Sinks (offensive line coach at SCH), stay low!
PLAYERS - PAST OR PRESENT - YOU WOULD PAY TO SEE PLAY FOOTBALL: Warren Sapp is my favorite defensive lineman, and Orlando Pace is easily my favorite offensive linemen; I watch them whenever I can on T.V., to see them play in person would be awesome.
HOBBIES: Cars, fishing and hunting.
TYPE OF CAR: Pontiac Grand Am
FAVORITE ACTOR: Adam Saddler
FAVORITE MOVIE: Friday Night Lights
FAVORITE TV SHOW: ESPN Sports Center
FAVORITE MUSIC: Country
FAVORITE FOOD: Steak
FAVORITE PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAM: Dallas Cowboys
BEST TIME OF YOUR LIFE/WHY? Right now, I’m living it!
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: Never playing more than 10 football games in one season; we’re going to change that real quick!
PLAYERS YOU LEARNED THE MOST FROM: I watch Orlando Pace every snap of the ball – his technique is practically perfect. Once again, my dad, he gave me the love of the sport at a very young age.
SPORTS HERO: Orlando Pace
THE CHARACTERISTIC YOU MOST ADMIRE IN A PERSON: Honesty, if your not honest, with both yourself and others, you have nothing.
THE TRUEST SIGN OF SUCCESS: The ability to accept and understand the true concept of “team work.” Coach Nesslage makes sure we know exactly what it means.
MOST MEMORABLE GAME: Beating Warrenton at Lindenwood University; we started the season out with a loss against Jennings and have turned it around with 3 straight wins.
River Otter Goaltender In Chicago Wolves Training Camp
By Louis J. Launer
The United Hockey League season hasn’t started yet, neither has any training camps with any of the teams. But one Missouri River Otter is getting some experience this season at a higher level in the minor leagues - in the Chicago Wolves training camp. Goaltender Kevin Reiter signed with the River Otters in August and fans hope that Reiter would be the team’s number one goaltender.
News of Reiter’s apparent “call up” to the Chicago Wolves organization (an American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL’s Atlanta Thrashers) spread among Missouri River Otter fans last Friday with some mixed emotions. Many were happy to see Reiter playing on the AAA level. Some wondered if
the River Otters needed to shop for another goaltender if the Wolves decided to keep him.
By the end of the weekend, fans became confident that Kevin Reiter will be back for the River Otters when training camp opens on October 10.
“Reiter has a try-out with the Chicago Wolves,” explained Dan Silver of the River Otters media relations department. “He is under contract with us, but if he impresses at the Wolves camp they could offer him a contract. Last year he tried out with Springfield [Massachusetts]. It is not uncommon for UHL players to have uncontracted try-outs with AHL teams.”
This past weekend, Reiter and the Chicago Wolves traveled to Peoria to play the new Blues AHL affiliate, the Peoria Rivermen. Although the Rivermen lost to the Wolves, 6-5 in a shootout, Reiter saw no action. But was on the bench as a third-string, or “emergency” goaltender. The Wolves played Monday night in Des Moines, Iowa, the AHL affiliate of the Dallas Stars. Reiter saw playing time, but allowed three Iowa goals and was benched after half a period.
Entering his second professional season with the River Otters, Reiter’s biggest moment last season was his record-setting 65 saves for the River Otters in a 3-2 double-overtime victory against Fort Wayne in game 5 of the 2005 Colonial Cup Playoffs. Although he was the team’s backup goaltender last season, Reiter tied the River Otters regular-season franchise record with 52 saves in a game late last season against Kalamazoo. He also finished third in the UHL among all goaltenders in 2004-05 with five shutouts.
Reiter remains the only signed goaltender currently on the River Otters’ pre-season roster. Other goaltenders will be trying out with the team when training camp gets underway at St. Louis Mills’ Ice Zone.
The River Otters have two exhibition games that will take place on October 14 and 16. They will play the Quad City Mallards on October 14 in Davenport, Iowa. They will return on October 16 and host the Rockford IceHogs at the St. Louis Mills’ Ice Zone at 6:30 p.m.
Single game tickets for the River Otters began to be sold at the Family Arena on Friday and will continue throughout the weekend. Opening night for the River Otters will be Friday, October 21 against the Motor City (Detroit) Mechanics at the Family Arena.
RIVER OTTERS ADD TWO ROOKIE GOALTENDERS
Ryan Senft and Corey Wogtech Expected to Compete For Roster Spot
The Missouri River Otters of the United Hockey League agreed to terms with Ryan Senft and Corey Wogtech, two young goaltenders looking to earn a spot on the team.
“We’re excited to see both of these goaltenders in our training camp,” River Otters Head Coach Kevin Kaminski said. “We expect a fierce competition for our second goalie spot with Ryan and Corey both competing with Brenden Cuthbert.”
Senft, 21, spent last season with the Amherst Ramblers of the Maritime Junior ‘A’ Hockey League (MJAHL). In 53 games, the 6’3’’, 210-lb netminder went 22-22-6 with a 3.39 goals-against-average, a .910 save percentage and 3 shutouts. He was awarded MVP of his team and won MJAHL Player-of-the-Week twice during the season. He’s had stints in the Canadian Major Juniors with the Saskatoon Blades, trip-City Americans, and Prince Albert Raiders.
Wogtech, 23, is a St. Peters, MO native. He played in seven games with St. Scholastica (NCAA) last season, going 1-5-0 with a 4.08 goals-against-average and a .906 save percentage. In 2004 he was named St. Scholastica Freshman-of-the-Year and Team MVP.
Senft and Wogtech join a growing roster of River Otters that includes: Goaltenders Kevin Reiter and Brenden Cuthbert; Defensemen Tim O’Connell, Tyler Butler, Jared Newman, Roman Vasut, Brian Heckendorn, Mark Lindsay, and Leif Thorkelson; Forwards Brad Church, Frank Littlejohn, Lars Pettersen, Damian Surma, Mark Odut, Brad MacMillan, Dmitri Toupikov, Ryan Scapinello, and Richard Paul.
The Rivers Otters first exhibition game is scheduled for Friday, October 14 against the Mallards at the Quad City Sports Center with a face-off at 7 PM CDT. On Sunday, October 16, the River Otters will host the IceHogs at the St. Louis Mills IceZone in an exhibition game. The game is scheduled to start at 6:30 PM CDT. General admission tickets will cost $6 and will be available at the IceZone starting at 10 AM the day of the game.
The River Otters start their 2005-06 Colonial Cup quest Friday, October 21 at the Family Arena against the Motor City Mechanics. The River Otters are proud hosts of the 2006 UHL All-Star Classic on Wednesday, January 25. Tickets for the UHL All-Star Classic are scheduled to go on sale Friday, October 21. To order 2005-06 Missouri River Otters season or group tickets, please call the River Otters front office at (636) 896-4200, or visit the River Otters online at www.riverotters.com.
A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY by Clara Scott
A Little Bit of History
By Clara E. Scott
The article appearing today is from Historical Series – Mr. Corn Cob Pipe by Edna McElhiney Olson with permission of The St. Charles County Historical Society.
Have you ever wondered about the old fashioned corncob pipe? I will attempt to relay the information obtained from an article by Mrs. Olson that appeared in a newspaper of February 28, 1963.
Tradition of old “Doc” Carr of St. Charles, Missouri is very interesting. We know he lived in St. Charles in 1850, at 520 South Main Street and was an editor on the Clarion Newspaper here “in his younger days” in 1838. He is listed as an Indian fighter, editor, baggageman, and hunter.
His fame was that he is supposed to have invented the corncob pipe. He liked to whittle and he smoked a pipe, and enjoyed a “sweet smoke,” Pipes were hard to buy and he is thought to have dreamed of a pipe made of a corncob. We are told he spent hours whittling on the corncob until he perfected a fine pipe. He sold a pipe as soon as he finished making one for five cents. He failed to take out a patent, but at his age, he kept whittling away and made his money with his pipes.
A photo of “Doc” Carr at the historical society taken by R. Goebel is truly a fine picture dated 1856. The photo shows a kind face – under his whiskers, and he is proudly holding his corn cob pipe in his toothless mouth.
Off and on small corncob pipes were made here in St. Charles in small factories or shops; one was listed at the corner of Clark and Second Street. Another one is listed at Second and Jefferson Street in 1890.
During the year of 1895 the Missouri Corncob Pipe Company was formed here in St. Charles. Stock of $10,000 was sold. William Zlock was elected president, F.M. Patterson, Vice-President, Henry Kriechnaum secretary and A.A. Musoagel listed as treasurer. The Old Mill located on South Main and Booneslick was converted into a pipe factory. When the charter was secured, a popular new market was developed.
The farmers sold to the factories suitable cobs for pipes. Up to that time, farmers only regarded corncobs fit for fuel. Records show the first year, 2,256.929 cobs were worked up and forty-eight men employed six days a week the year round. New machinery was purchased and did the work of making and polishing these pipes. They installed their own lighting system of incandescent lamps of 12 and 16 candlepower. Due to the great danger of fire from the thousands of corncobs, automatic fire extinguishers were installed “all over the factory.” Records show these pipes were shipped to jobbers from Maine to the Pacific Coast and from the Gulf to the Great Lakes.
These pipes were usually sold for ten cents each. They were highly polished, substantially made and they became very popular and as the advertisements read “these pipes made a superior, delightful sweet smoke.”
Records show that by 1897, the demand for these pipes was so great capacity was increased to 125 gross per day. Steam power was installed and more men were hired.
Next this lowly cheap pipe was called Missouri Meerschaum Pipe. This factory furnished seed of a type of corn that grew on large cobs to the farmers with the understanding they could keep the corn but must being the cobs to the factory
Children in the neighborhood made “candy money” by filling their play express wagons with cobs, pulling their wagons to the factory. Mr. Ralph Dieker in an interview laughingly told of this. He said, “I am sure the cobs we brought to the factory were too small for them to use, but we were never turned down. We were paid five cents for a wagon full and the money spent for candy. It was my first experience in selling and children were treated so kindly we thought we were “big shots.”
St. Charles gained a reputation for making these corncob pipes but competition soon developed from a factory in Washington, Missouri that made a better pipe. This factory called Hirschl and Bendheim was established in 1871 and in 1872 another corncob factory was established in Washington called Missouri Meerschaum. Our record show when the pipe factory closed all their equipment was sold to Missouri Meerschaum Company. A third factory opened in Washington in 1941 called Buescher’s Cob Pipes.
Today, Washington is the only place in the world where the corncob pipe is made. The three factories manufacture over ten million pipes a year, employing approximately 175 people and range in price from 25 cents to $1.25 and the factories ship their product to almost every country in the world. Today, Washington Missouri is called Corn Pipe Capitol of the World.
It is the old story “of what could have been.” Our loss of this great factory was the gain of Washington, Missouri.
(As you read this article, remember the information was dated 1963)
By Clara E. Scott
The article appearing today is from Historical Series – Mr. Corn Cob Pipe by Edna McElhiney Olson with permission of The St. Charles County Historical Society.
Have you ever wondered about the old fashioned corncob pipe? I will attempt to relay the information obtained from an article by Mrs. Olson that appeared in a newspaper of February 28, 1963.
Tradition of old “Doc” Carr of St. Charles, Missouri is very interesting. We know he lived in St. Charles in 1850, at 520 South Main Street and was an editor on the Clarion Newspaper here “in his younger days” in 1838. He is listed as an Indian fighter, editor, baggageman, and hunter.
His fame was that he is supposed to have invented the corncob pipe. He liked to whittle and he smoked a pipe, and enjoyed a “sweet smoke,” Pipes were hard to buy and he is thought to have dreamed of a pipe made of a corncob. We are told he spent hours whittling on the corncob until he perfected a fine pipe. He sold a pipe as soon as he finished making one for five cents. He failed to take out a patent, but at his age, he kept whittling away and made his money with his pipes.
A photo of “Doc” Carr at the historical society taken by R. Goebel is truly a fine picture dated 1856. The photo shows a kind face – under his whiskers, and he is proudly holding his corn cob pipe in his toothless mouth.
Off and on small corncob pipes were made here in St. Charles in small factories or shops; one was listed at the corner of Clark and Second Street. Another one is listed at Second and Jefferson Street in 1890.
During the year of 1895 the Missouri Corncob Pipe Company was formed here in St. Charles. Stock of $10,000 was sold. William Zlock was elected president, F.M. Patterson, Vice-President, Henry Kriechnaum secretary and A.A. Musoagel listed as treasurer. The Old Mill located on South Main and Booneslick was converted into a pipe factory. When the charter was secured, a popular new market was developed.
The farmers sold to the factories suitable cobs for pipes. Up to that time, farmers only regarded corncobs fit for fuel. Records show the first year, 2,256.929 cobs were worked up and forty-eight men employed six days a week the year round. New machinery was purchased and did the work of making and polishing these pipes. They installed their own lighting system of incandescent lamps of 12 and 16 candlepower. Due to the great danger of fire from the thousands of corncobs, automatic fire extinguishers were installed “all over the factory.” Records show these pipes were shipped to jobbers from Maine to the Pacific Coast and from the Gulf to the Great Lakes.
These pipes were usually sold for ten cents each. They were highly polished, substantially made and they became very popular and as the advertisements read “these pipes made a superior, delightful sweet smoke.”
Records show that by 1897, the demand for these pipes was so great capacity was increased to 125 gross per day. Steam power was installed and more men were hired.
Next this lowly cheap pipe was called Missouri Meerschaum Pipe. This factory furnished seed of a type of corn that grew on large cobs to the farmers with the understanding they could keep the corn but must being the cobs to the factory
Children in the neighborhood made “candy money” by filling their play express wagons with cobs, pulling their wagons to the factory. Mr. Ralph Dieker in an interview laughingly told of this. He said, “I am sure the cobs we brought to the factory were too small for them to use, but we were never turned down. We were paid five cents for a wagon full and the money spent for candy. It was my first experience in selling and children were treated so kindly we thought we were “big shots.”
St. Charles gained a reputation for making these corncob pipes but competition soon developed from a factory in Washington, Missouri that made a better pipe. This factory called Hirschl and Bendheim was established in 1871 and in 1872 another corncob factory was established in Washington called Missouri Meerschaum. Our record show when the pipe factory closed all their equipment was sold to Missouri Meerschaum Company. A third factory opened in Washington in 1941 called Buescher’s Cob Pipes.
Today, Washington is the only place in the world where the corncob pipe is made. The three factories manufacture over ten million pipes a year, employing approximately 175 people and range in price from 25 cents to $1.25 and the factories ship their product to almost every country in the world. Today, Washington Missouri is called Corn Pipe Capitol of the World.
It is the old story “of what could have been.” Our loss of this great factory was the gain of Washington, Missouri.
(As you read this article, remember the information was dated 1963)
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