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Police review, graffiti on committee's agenda tomorrow
By Antonio D. French
The Public Safety Committee of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen will be meeting tomorrow to discuss Board Bill #69. The controversial bill, sponsored by Ald. Terry Kennedy, would create a Civilian Review Board to review reports of abuse by the city's police.
The committee will also be discussing a bill introduced by Aldermen Greg Carter, Ken Ortmann, Lewis Reed, and Craig Schmid that would make it a crime to "allow graffiti to remain upon any surface within that person's control, possession or ownership when the graffiti is visible from a public street."
The bill, Board Bill #314, states that the Board of Aldermen finds that graffiti is "obnoxious and constitutes a public nuisance."
The bill's authors define graffiti as "any unauthorized inscription, word, figure, picture, or design that is sprayed, marked, posted, pasted or otherwise affixed, drawn, or painted on any surface of public or private property."
The meeting is from 1 - 3:00pm in the Leisure Room (Room 230) at City Hall.
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School board member says she was denied access to records
By Antonio D. French
St. Louis Board of Education member Veronica O'Brien says she was denied access to district records per instructions from district lawyers.
In an email to Board President Darnetta Clinkscale, which was forwarded to the media by ex-board member Bill Haas, O'Brien says she was offended by the denial.
She was later allowed access. "I told them I was coming over with TV cameras and then Ken called and said I could be allowed in," she wrote to Haas. "Are they out thier [sic] minds?"
Here is the content of that email to Clinkscale:
From: TSVMO
To: Darnetta.Clinkscale@slps.org
Sent: Mon, 28 Nov 2005 16:53:18 -0500
Subject: Request to View Records In Archives
Darnetta,
Please note that I have been denied access to review records in our Archive location. Your assistance in this matter is appreciated. Apparently, your lawyers instructed the archive office to deny my entry into the building. Please note that my goal was to review records not steal anything. I am offended at this attempt on the part of your office.
A prompt response is appreciated.
Thank you,
Veronica O'Brien
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Saxophonist Bluiett comes home Saturday and brings a trifecta for us all
By Antonio D. French
Our town is in for a treat this weekend as Brooklyn, Illinois native and world-renowned baritone saxophonist Hamiet Bluiett performs on Saturday, November 26, in Soulard.
 Bluiett, a founding member of the World Saxophone Quartet who frequently plays high-profile gigs in New York, all across Europe and even in Asia, will be joined by violinist Billy Bang and
percussionist Kahil El'Zabar for a show called Trifactor.
For a town like St. Louis, which is known the world over for its rich jazz and blues heritage, a show like this, with such quality practitioners of improvisational and "avant-garde" jazz, is unfortunately rare and should therefore not be missed. Do not miss this opportunity.
Tickets are only $20 at the door. Shows start at 8 and 10:30 p.m. at the Mad Art Gallery, 2727 S. 12th Street. Seating is limited so come early. This show is sponsored by Gallery Urbis Orbis.
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Schools Watch reports on threat to city's gifted program
By Antonio D. French
Future of Gifted Education, Magnet Schools in Doubt
By Peter Downs
November 22, 2005 –– Last Friday, David Welch, director of gifted education programs for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, gave representatives from metropolitan area school districts the news they had been fearing. Starting next year, there will be no more state funding for gifted education or English as a second language instruction.
Currently, state funding for gifted education and English as a second language is added on to the funding school districts get from the state foundation formula, and it is specifically marked for those uses. After this year it stops. Under the new school funding system recently signed into law by Gov. Blunt, school districts will get state funding only from...
Continue reading here. Visit the SLS Watch blog here.
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Schoemehl cuts and runs
By Antonio D. French
 According to the AP, Vince Schoemehl said in his letter of resignation that he always had intended to serve just one year on the school board. If that is true, that was probably information he should have shared with the voters before they elected him.
And why leave now?
Maybe Vince thinks that his work is done. Let's review his record.
Points needed for full accreditation - 66
SLPS points in 2005 - 39
SLPS points in 2004 - 48
SLPS points in 2003 - 64
Graduation Rate in 2005 - 58.6%
Number of Black Graduates - 1,229
Number of Black Dropouts - 1,337
Avg. teacher salary in 2002 - $38,627
Avg. teacher salary in 2004 - $39,870
Percent increase - 3.2%
Avg. admin. salary in 2002 - $65,451
Avg. admin. salary in 2004 - $75,096
Percent increase - 14.7%
How's that for a legacy?
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Schoemehl out, Buford in
By Antonio D. French
 November 21, 2005 -- Vince Schoemehl resigned today from the St. Louis Board of Education. Mayor Francis Slay has appointed Urban League president James Buford to replace him.
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Prosecutors want to know more about Roy Blunt's ties to DeLay
By Antonio D. French
The New York Times is reporting that prosecutors in Texas have subpoenaed records of transactions between Tom DeLay's national political action committee and a political committee run by Roy Blunt (R-MO).
The Times reports: The subpoena, issued in Austin, the Texas capital, asked for all records from Mr. DeLay's committee, Americans for a Republican Majority, about its contributions from 2000 to 2002 to Mr. Blunt's committee, Rely on Your Own Beliefs Fund, and to the state Republican Party in Missouri, where Mr. Blunt's son is governor.
The subpoena offered no explanation of why prosecutors wanted the records, although news reports have recently questioned why thousands of dollars raised by Mr. DeLay and his committee to entertain delegates at the 2000 Republican convention were shifted to Mr. Blunt's committee.
Mr. Blunt's committee made a $10,000 contribution at about the same time to a charity controlled by Mr. DeLay.
"There's nothing that any of these committees did that was improper," said Stefan Passantino, a lawyer for Mr. Blunt.
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Public can speak about Civilian Review Board TONIGHT
By Antonio D. French
The Public Safety Committee of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen will be hearing public testimony regarding the need (or lack thereof) for establishing a civilian board to review allegations of misconduct against police officers tonight at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall in the Kennedy Room (Room 208).
 Board bill #69, sponsored by 18th Ward Alderman Terry Kennedy, would establish a civilian review board in the City of St. Louis, similar to those that exist in other cities, including Kansas City. But it would still be up to the St. Louis Police Board to give this body any teeth. That's because, unlike every other city in the state (except KC), the people of St. Louis have absolutely no influence over their own police force.
The police chief is selected by the police board and board members are selected by the governor.
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Gambaro joins the race to replace Dougherty
By Antonio D. French
November 16, 2005 -- Derio Gambaro has formed a campaign committee to run for the state senate seat being vacated by the term-limited Sen. Pat Dougherty.
 The former state representative and St. Louis Board of Elections official joins a field of three other candidates, including southsider and former congressional candidate Jeff Smith, and the two northside state representatives Amber Boykins and Yaphett El-Amin.
Gambaro finds himself with some catching up to do. Smith will likely break the $100,000 mark by January. And while their fundraising efforts have not been nearly as strong, Boykins ($35,000) and El-Amin ($15,000) do have some cash on hand, thanks largely to personal loans to their campaigns.
Gambaro will likely find plenty of funds from the so-called Old Machine, the established political organizations that still hold some ill feelings to the young Smith who nearly defeated Congressman Russ Carnahan in 2004.
With four candidates now in the race, is this anybody's ballgame? Not quite.
Past history suggests southside turn-out trumps northside turn-out. If Smith and Gambaro have a larger pool of voters to split than Boykins and El-Amin, it is still unlikely that either northside candidate would win.
But if the southside vote was indeed split, a unified northside vote could defeat it and reclaim the 4th District for an African-American candidate.
Another scenario involves any of the four candidates reaching across Delmar and winning a significant number of opposite race votes. Unlikely, but possible.
The window to formally file to run for the seat doesn't open a few more months. And the deadline is still weeks later. Maybe a half-dozen more candidates will enter the race and then it really would be anybody's ballgame.
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Also... State Sen. Maida Coleman finally made up her mind and filed her campaign committee this week to run for state auditor.
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Protester strips downtown to bring attention to animal mistreatment
By Antonio D. French
November 16, 2005 -- At noon today on the corner of Olive and 7th streets downtown, Amy Jeannette stripped down to her panties and sat on the cold concrete to protest the treatment of circus animals.
The protest was organized by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and coincides with the opening of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus tonight at Savvis Center.
 Matt Rice, campaign coordinator for PETA, and Colleen Ilford, president of the St. Louis Animal Rights Team, held a sign behind Jeannette as she sat for more than half an hour in the freezing 30-degree wind. The sign read, "shackled, lonely, beaten," referring to the conditions of Ringling Bros.' animals.
Fearing the negative publicity, Megan Little, a Savvis Center spokesperson, showed up and passed out packets to members of the press defending Ringling Bros. practices and touting the company's animal preservation program.
 But it's hard to argue with videos like those seen on PETA's website which were filmed using hidden cameras at the circus' animal training centers.
To symbolize the treatment that PETA says circus animals are often forced to suffer, Jeannette sat on the cold concrete wearing only underwear, pasties to cover her nipples, and chains on her wrists and ankles. She also had fake bruises and scratches across her back.
Rice said that PETA members would be in front of Savvis Center tonight, passing out literature and DVD's to the circus-goers.
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Clay says Hwy 40 must stay open
By Antonio D. French
The following rather long statement comes from Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay:
Many, if not all St. Louis area residents, will feel the effect of the upcoming highway construction project planned for Interstate 64-Highway 40. The important decision whether to close Highway 40 between I-270 and Kingshighway should not be left to MODOT and a design build team; we need input from all public and private stakeholders. Before we agree and concede to the resulting massive disruption and displacement that is sure to follow, I think it is important to consider all of the implications of this unprecedented choice, as well as other alternatives and possible solutions.
 There are many important issues to consider when looking at a massive highway construction project such as rebuilding Highway 40. What I hope to do here is to raise some issues and ask some questions that other elected officials and constituents have brought to my attention concerning this undertaking. Hopefully, a full, active and inclusive discussion can lead to areawide consensus on the subject.
1. What is the real economic cost of closing down Highway 40? According to some rough calculations by members of my staff, if we triple the travel time of 150,000 daily travelers on Highway 40, the value of time spent in travel delay will be more than $8 billion lost over a two-year period. This presumes a volume of 150,000 travelers per day on the highway and a conservative value of the traveler’s time at $50 an hour. Transportation planners use the gross delay calculation to measure economic loss to the traveler. It does not begin to presume or calculate the secondary or other indirect economic losses to the business community.
There are many economic and quality of life issues to consider in any proposal to close Highway 40. On a personal level, residents who have pre-programmed a 1½ hour (45 minutes each direction) commute everyday, will have to adjust to spending 4 ½ hours (nearly 1/3 of their day) in travel. They face the new and unhappy challenge of compressing the rest of the day’s activities (children’s needs, shopping, cleaners, etc…) in an already tight and challenging schedule.
What is the effect on the business community? There are businesses and citizens directly impacted in St. Louis, Richmond Heights, Ladue, Clayton and Brentwood. Many trips along this corridor are linked trips with multiple destinations. What do these cities have to say jointly and individually? The overall impact in these communities and around the metropolitan area should be examined.
2. How are these highway projects completed in other cities around the United States? Do other cities close major interstate highways when they undergo repairs? My office surveyed 10 major metropolitan areas. None of them have closed a major interstate highway for construction. Should crews work 24 hours a day when possible to shorten construction time? Do we need to have two lanes in each direction open at all times? Should one lane in each direction be restricted to car pool and high occupancy vehicles? Should we make the firms that bid for this project come up with alternatives as part of the selection process, or will MODOT issue a request for proposal without these competitive considerations?
3. If traffic is redirected to local streets, how will the neighborhood residents get access to these thoroughfares for their daily local trips? Are we going to give MODOT total control for the right of way for these arterial roads passing traffic through residential communities? There are several municipalities that would have to synchronize their traffic signals to insure smooth movement through their city. How would these cities respond to local pressure to make conditions better for their residents at the expense of the overall traffic flow? If you redistribute traffic, what is the effect on parents who are late picking up their children from school or the babysitter everyday? Many foresee vast arterial traffic jams that will alter daily routine in various ways. What about school schedules? Increases in local traffic bring more accidents, increased air pollution, increased fuel costs and a myriad of other considerations that require input from more entities than just MODOT and the design build team.
4. There are some institutions that deserve special consideration in this discussion. Life and safety issues come to mind immediately. Emergency vehicles use this corridor continually for the Barnes-Jewish Hospital, SSM Hospital and St. John’s Hospital complexes. Twenty or 30 extra minutes could make the difference in many life and death ambulance trips in a two- or three-year period. Many other important medical, governmental and cultural facilities (Forest Park for instance) line the Highway 40 corridor and could be negatively impacted by a highway closure.
To paraphrase famous St. Louis native Yogi Berra, we don’t want people to say, “No one goes to the central part of the St. Louis area anymore. It’s always too crowded.”
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Palm to form committee Monday
By Antonio D. French
Via The St. Louis Observer:
26th Ward Committeeman Joe Palm plans to form a campaign committee tomorrow with intentions on running for Yaphett El-Amin's seat -- possibly against her husband.
Developing...
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National Review says don't underestimate McCaskill
By Antonio D. French
Here's the right-leaning National Review's John J. Miller's assessment of the Talent/McCaskill Senate race:
The Democrats didn’t recruit their best candidate to challenge GOP senator Jim Talent -- that probably would have been secretary of state Robin Carnahan -- but they may have gotten the next best thing in Claire McCaskill. Republicans may suggest that McCaskill is a lousy candidate because she lost the election for governor in 2004. But the last pol to lose a gubernatorial race and then run for the Senate successfully was Talent. The incumbent always enjoys an advantage, but this looks like a potential nail biter. LEANING REPUBLICAN RETENTION
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Florida busted on 'You Paid For It'
By Antonio D. French
November 9, 2005 -- Alderman Jennifer Florida (15th Ward) was the target of Elliot Davis' "You Paid For It" segment on Channel 2 Monday night.
The southside alderman spent 58,000 taxpayer dollars to install some pretty unpopular cobblestones in front of stop signs on Gustine street. After receiving complaints about the rough road, Florida had the streets department pull the cobblestones up. According to Davis, the alderman soon had them put back in, this time a bit more flush with the road. After the second installation, the total cost came to $71,000.
 Davis and his cameraman ambushed Florida at City Hall and asked her about the situation. After claiming that the Streets Department recommended the cobblestones be installed, Florida's game was busted when James Suelmann, director of the Streets Department, told Davis that they do not make recommendations on cobblestones. In fact, Suelmann said he doesn't think they work.
"The people that are following the law will stop at the stop sign," said Suelmann. "The violators that go through the stop signs, it doesn't faze them. They just let their car shake."
After Davis' previous report on her, Florida said she only received six calls. Just three were from her ward and two just called to say that she "looked fabulous."
Alderman Florida can be reached at (314) 622-3287. Her fax number is (314) 622-4273.
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SLS Watch gets updated site
By Antonio D. French
November 9, 2005 -- St. Louis Schools Watch has a redesigned blog. Stories from the newsletter published by Peter Downs, parent and former school board candidate, can now be seen online at www.SLSWatch.PUBDEF.net
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KC Chiefs courting St. Louis legislators
By Antonio D. French
November 7, 2005 -- According to a report in yesterday's Kansas City Star, several St. Louis legislators are among those being wined and dined by the Chiefs football organization.
Senator Pat Dougherty and State Rep. Amber Boykins, both members of the Joint Committee on Capital Improvements and Leases Oversight, as well as Sen. Maida Coleman, took the team's owners and managers up on an offer of game tickets and entertainment in an exclusive suite on the 35-yard line of Arrowhead stadium.
 The team is looking to persuade Missouri legislators to boost state funding for upgrades to Arrowhead and Kauffman stadiums.
According to the Star, the Chiefs are also giving legislators special passes that allow up to five legislators to roam the sidelines before the game, plus tours of Arrowhead during games.
The article states, "Earlier this year, Chiefs officials were dismayed when the Missouri General Assembly failed to redirect to the stadium overhaul part of an income tax already collected on out-of-town athletes and entertainers who perform in Missouri. Under the proposal, as much as $10 million of the $24 million the tax generates would have gone toward the Kansas City sports complex, with additional funds going to arts programs, including the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, and smaller sports complexes statewide."
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Superintendent outlines plan, calls for more parental involvement
By Antonio D. French
November 4, 2005 -- St. Louis Public Schools Superintendent Creg Williams has only been on the job for seven months, but he told a room of more than 300 parents and community leaders last night that he feels like he's been beaten on by the system just like them.
"I have heard you," Williams told a crowded auditorium at Vashon High School Thursday evening. "You are preaching to the choir."
 He said that he has been frustrated by what he sees as people using SLPS students like pawns. He took exception to the kind of reporting often seen in the local media on issues involving the city's young people.
"These issues are not new. They are not news," he said. He said that the constant tarnishing of the image of city youth is not good. "We are no longer going to tolerate that kind of treatment of our children," said Williams, pounding his fist in the air.
Williams also acknowledged the many long-standing failures of the district, saying "these problems are inherited and they are real." He said the problems facing students -- health issues like asthma and obesity, issues of nicotine addiction, poverty, and teen-pregnancy -- are not unique to students in St. Louis, and are being faced by students all over America.
Williams added that one of the main problems facing SLPS students is the quality of education being offered. "I'm the superintendent so it's tough to say that." He said that of the 1700 students that graduated last year, only 700 even took the ACT test. And of that number, only 150 scored at the national average, and many of them came from the same high school, Metro.
The superintendent outlined what he called "Part A" of a plan to turn around the district.
The first part of Williams' plan is to get administrators to spend less time in their downtown offices and more at schools. He said that administrators are now to start their days at a school, helping teachers and student get off to a good start. They can then report district headquarters. At the end of the day, they should again report to school to help teachers and parents.
Part two is to deal with security issues in schools. A much publicized fight last week at Vashon High School that led to the arrest of eight students has highlighted the need for attention to this issue.
Williams said he is creating a rapid response team, led by John Windom, executive director of SLPS Community Education, to deal with fighting and violence. The team of 40 - 50 staff and community members will be deployed to help defuse potential conflicts as they arise.
Williams also said that there may be a need to move around some security guards. "I am not going to have security playing with kids," he said to an applauding crowd.
He also called upon greater involvement of school personnel in this area. "I need my principles and teachers to step up," said Williams. He said that just like it is often two or three students that disrupt a class, it is often two or three teachers that are not doing all they can do to keep order and properly instruct and motivate students.
 Parts three, four and five of Williams' plan is an effort to expand community and parental involvement. He said he wants to see much greater involvement in and by the Parent Teacher Organizations (PTO). He said he is also creating a "parent patrol" to allow parents to volunteer in the mornings, at lunchtime, and after school. Williams said that "parent patrol" jackets are already on order and that even parents whose children have already graduated are welcome to volunteer.
Lastly, Williams appealed to members of the community, who do not necessarily have children in the district, to get involved, especially if you have special skills. SLPS is looking to create a citywide Crisis Team made up of volunteer nurses, psychologists, and clergy members that would be available to counsel students following a traumatic event.
Williams told the crowded auditorium that many of these things do not represent increases in the district's budget. He said, "This is asking people to go beyond the call of duty."
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Community Mtg at Vashon High tonight
By Antonio D. French
 November 3, 2005 -- Superintendent Creg E. Williams has called a meeting at Vashon High School TONIGHT at 6:30 p.m. to discuss recent events within the St. Louis Public Schools.
“There have been a number of events that I am displeased with recently in our district concerning student behavior,” said Williams. “I need to address these events before they get out of control. I am inviting community leaders, politicians, parents, teachers, and, most importantly, students to attend this meeting; it is time for the community to help restore pride and dignity back into our schools.”
SLPS has also come up with an "education covenant" for parents and other members of the community to pledge to help turn around the city schools. View it here.
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Bill to be introduced to make it harder to recall aldermen
By Antonio D. French
November 3, 2005 -- Jake Wagman is reporting that Alderman Jennifer Florida (15th Ward) is planning on introducing a bill at Friday's Board of Aldermen meeting that would make it harder to recall city aldermen. The bill will likely pass, but still requires 60% of voters to agree to change the city charter and become law.
Developing...
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Another Smith fundraiser at The Royale
By Antonio D. French
November 3, 2005 -- State Senate candidate Jeff Smith will be holding another fundraiser at The Royale, 3132 S. Kingshighway, on Thursday, Nov. 10. This is the second time the Smith Campaign has chosen this hip southside location for a 'raiser. Unfortunately, the first time, candidate Smith was a no-show, which left some disappointed.
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