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Missouri Governor Matt Blunt was on the campus of the University of Missouri in St. Louis this morning to sign into law Senate Bill 389, which includes his controversial plan to take $350 million from the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority (MoHELA), which makes loans for college tuition, to pay for new construction projects on campuses around the state.
In addition to the funding of construction projects, SB 389 also included several other provisions, including State Sen. Jeff Smith's "Teach for Missouri Act".
Modeled after the national Teach for America program, Smith's plan (renamed "Missouri Teaching Fellows Program Fund") would allow certain graduates of Missouri colleges who are hired to teach in unaccredited or partially accredited school districts can have some of their student loans forgiven for each of their first five years teaching.
There is a rumor that Riverview Gardens has been notified that the state is about to step in. Last week we asked Gov. Matt Blunt if state involvement in troubled districts was going to end with St. Louis Public Schools.
UPDATE: Today DESE released the agenda for the State Board of Education's April meeting. It specifically noted that neither the St. Louis City schools nor the Riverview Gardens School Districts will be discussed this month.
Sources tell Pub Def that Ken Franklin will be named Executive Director of the Missouri Democratic Party later today.
Franklin is currently an aide to St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay and a former state party staffer. He will be the first African-American to ever hold the influential position.
Check back later for more...
UPDATE: Over the course of several months, a field of 32 potential candidates for the E.D. job was cut down to 16, then 5, then just 3. Of those three candidates, according to Missouri Democratic Party Chairman John Temporiti, Franklin was the unanimous choice of state party officials.
Readers will recall that there was speculation that the sudden resignation of Democratic Party Chairman Roger Wilson back in January was the result of a clash between him, the Legislative Black Caucus, U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, and Attorney General and Gubernatorial candidate Jay Nixon over who should be the next E.D.
According to sources, all sides agreed that it was time for an African-American director, but who?
Brandon Davis, McCaskill's former political director, interviewed for the job and actively lobbied officials for weeks. But Wilson told Black Caucus members "no way" on Davis.
But it was the manner and tone in which Wilson told the Caucus "no" that some speculate quickly led to his resignation.
In February, Davis accepted a job as political director for the SEIU MO/KS State Council, taking his name out of the running for E.D. (and saving Wilson from embarrassment should Davis had been appointed despite his stern objections).
Today's appointment of Franklin both satisfies one promise to the strongest part of the Democrats' base and places the Party in the hands of a capable, well-liked director who may be able to build bridges across the state to help the Democrats retake the Governor's office next year.
UPDATE 2: It's official. At 12:45 p.m. the Missouri Democratic Party sent out the following press release.
The Missouri Democratic Party today announced that Ken Franklin from St. Louis will be the party's new Executive Director. The selection was made by Party Chairman John Temporiti and approved by the Missouri Democratic Party's Executive Committee at the quarterly state party meeting today in Jefferson City. Franklin has served since May 2005 as St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay's Deputy Legislative Director and formerly ran Gov. Bob Holden's St. Louis office. Along with his experience in government, Franklin has also served as Political Director for Mayor Slay's successful 2005 re-election, Base Vote Director for Sen. Jean Carnahan's 2002 campaign, and Press Aid for Freeman Bosley, Jr.'s 2001 mayoral campaign. He has also participated in the St. Louis RCGA's Public Policy Council and the St. Louis Downtown Partnership's Legislative Affairs Committee. Franklin previously worked at the Missouri Democratic Party from 2001-2002 as the Director of Voter Outreach. "Ken's experience both in government and politics in Missouri make him the ideal choice to continue the momentum the Missouri Democratic Party has built over the last election," said John Temporiti, Missouri Democratic Party Chairman. "Ken brings both the background and enthusiasm to help Missouri Democrats win up and down the ticket in 2008 and beyond." Ken graduated from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia with a degree in political science. Before entering government and politics, Franklin taught social studies and language arts for two years at Holy Cross School in St. Louis. Ken lives with his wife and one-year-old daughter in St. Louis, where his father, Robert, is a pastor. He replaces Corey Dillon who left in February to join the U.S. Senate office of Claire McCaskill. Franklin will be the first ever African-American Executive Director of the Missouri Democratic Party when he starts work the week of May 14.
The St. Louis Board of Education met Tuesday for the first time since last week's election shifted its balance of power once again.
There was no action taken Tuesday to replace Veronica O'Brien as president. Board VP Bill Purdy announced a special meeting of the board for Thursday at 10:00 a.m. At that time, the board may select new officers and vote to authorize the district's legal team to fight a state takeover.
Democrats young and old, incumbents and challengers, watchers and winners crammed into the southside hip spot, The Royale, Tuesday night to watch (and jeer) the President as he delivered his next-to-last State of the Union address.
A representative from the Missouri School Boards Association conducted a workshop this evening for members of the St. Louis Board of Education to discuss successful practices of functioning school boards. All but one school board member attended tonight's session. Board President Veronica O'Brien left before Dr. David Lineberry began his presentation.
State Reps. Robin Wright Jones and Jeanette Mott Oxford, Teachers Union President Mary Armstrong, and Rev. James T. Morris, a parent of children in SLPS, were among the speakers at this morning's event.
Check back later for videos of two school board members defending the district from takeover.
Board Hears Report on Sodexho, O'Brien Refuses to Hear Public Comments
By Antonio D. French
Filed
Tuesday, November 21, 2006 at 11:59 PM
A PUB DEF VIDEO REPORT
The St. Louis City School Board heard a report tonight by Chief Operating Officer Deanna Anderson on the costs and benefits of ending the district's contract with Sodexho and bringing back in-house many of the maintenance operations that the contractor oversees.
Congressman Says He'll Take Wal-Mart's Money and Still Vote Against Them
By Antonio D. French
EXCLUSIVE PUB DEF VIDEO
At a press conference today meant to call attention to the working conditions of employees of Wal-Mart, America's largest private employer, Congressman Lacy Clay was asked about contributions he has accepted from the retailer.
At the conclusion of Clay's speech, which slammed Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott for his company's huge profits in the face of persistent poverty among his roughly 1.4 million employees, reporter Matt Sepic of local NPR affiliate KWMU asked Clay whether he would return nearly $7,000 in campaign donations from Wal-Mart's political action committee.
"Not at all," said Clay. "That's the name of the game is raising money. I have dues to pay to my Democratic Party, about $150,000 a year. So wherever I can get that money to pay those dues, I will take it."
Clay said even though he has accepted money from Wal-Mart, he has not voted how the company would have wanted him to on many issues in Congress.
"You have to have money to run effectively," said Clay. "I'm going to take all the money I can get."
Check back later for more exclusive video from today's press conference...
More than two dozen black elected officials from the City of St. Louis met this morning at the Gateway Classic Foundation to discuss plans for greater organization and cooperation.
The meeting, organized by Congressman Lacy Clay, Alderman Greg Carter and Committeeman Arthur "Chink" Washington, was an attempt to revive the defunct Council of Black Elected Officials which hasn't met in years.
Sources say the meeting lasted nearly two hours and ended with a pledge to meet again soon -- perhaps in early December -- and possibly elect officers for the organization at a later time.
The first votes have arrived at the St. Louis City Board of Elections. Election judges arrived at in police cars around 12:30 carrying white boxes filled with optical scan ballots.
Election officials said no vote totals will be released until after the polls close.
Actor Michael J. Fox, whose commercial for U.S. Senate candidate Claire McCaskill has been the subject of much discussion the past few days, discussed with Katie Couric the recent allegations made by radio host Rush Limbaugh and his ongoing battle with Parkinson's disease.
Yesterday we took our camera over to the East Side, near Brooklyn, Illinois. No, it's not what you're thinking. It was for a project. No, not that kind of project... Look, can we just get back to the story?
Anyway, not far past all the strip clubs and prostitutes, in a town called Lovejoy (oh boy), is a school appropriately named Lovejoy School. Six decades ago, a boy named Hamiet Bluiett attended that school. That boy grew up to become one of the most respected saxophonists on the planet. Yesterday, he returned to Lovejoy and he brought along three of his friends. Together, they call themselves the World Saxophone Quartet.
The World Saxophone Quartet -- comprised of founding members Bluiett and Oliver Lake, and master saxophonists James Carter and St. Louis native Greg Osby -- are currently celebrating their 30th Anniversary. They will be performing tonight and Saturday at the Bistro, 3536 Washington Ave., across from the Fox Theatre.
SPECIAL REPORT: ACORN Workers Claim Minimum Wage Funds Helping McCaskill
By Antonio D. French
Filed
Wednesday, October 04, 2006 at 9:01 PM
PUB DEF EXCLUSIVE VIDEO REPORT
Several former and current workers demonstrated today in front of the St. Louis office of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) demanding to be paid for work they had performed and alleging that they were instructed to tell people to vote for U.S. Senate candidate Claire McCaskill while registering voters in support of the proposed minimum wage increase.
Ten-year ACORN veteran Josephine Perkins claims she was fired last week, in part because she informed the teams she supervised that it was inappropriate and illegal for them to campaign for McCaskill while being paid by ACORN and Give Missourians a Raise, the political action committee which supports Proposition B and, according to campaign finance reports, has given money to ACORN to circulate its literature.
Several other ACORN workers also told PUB DEF that they were told to ask voters to vote for McCaskill. But Johanna Sharrard, the political field director for ACORN, denies that is the case.
"That's not going on in this office," she said. "It's not been the case at all."
She declined to say on-camera why Perkins was fired. But Perkins told us the reason Sharrard, who has been at the St. Louis office only four weeks, gave for her termination was theft, a charge she vehemently denies.
Another ACORN worker, Joseph Weick, said he has not been paid for work he did with the organization last month. He also said that he and others were told last week that they needed to re-apply for their positions, which he took as a termination.
"They refuse to give me my check," said Weick. "I guess there's at least about a half a dozen of us that have worked for these people and aren't getting paid."
Weick said he too was told to ask people to vote for McCaskill while registering voters and passing out literature supporting the minimum wage increase, which if true could be a violation of federal election laws.
"These are very serious allegations and we are reviewing our options as they relate to the McCaskill campaign and the potential exploitation of a tax-exempt organization that is supposed to help those who need help the most," said Rich Chrismer, a spokesman for McCaskill's opponent, Sen. Jim Talent.
The McCaskill campaign declined to comment for this story.
The Police Board voted this morning to lift the residency requirement for civilian employees who have been with the department for seven continuous years.
Mayor Francis Slay had made a motion to table the vote until after the Nov. 7 non-binding referendum in which voters would let their preference be known in the matter, but the mayor's motion was not seconded by any other board member.
Video later...
UPDATE: Here are some clips from today's meeting. BTW, the final vote was 3-2 with Slay and JoAnn Freeman Murrow voting against -- though interestingly, Murrow did not second Slay's motion to table the vote.
So say you're downtown paying your property taxes when all of a sudden Bin Laden's boys decide to attack City Hall with VX nerve gas (it could happen). What are you going to do? You have no idea, do you? Well, fear not, you simple-minded civilian. Lucky for you, you're being protected by the elite fighting force known as the St. Louis City Marshals.
Three such marshals -- "martial artists" are more like it. We hear they can kill you with a single blow, a move known only as the "shiny badge of death" -- anyway, three marshalls recently gave us an exclusive tour of their secret lair buried deep under City Hall in abandoned caves once used by Harriet Tubman. But when we later checked our videotape, only snow and static had recorded (surely the result of some superior Marshal technology designed to keep their secrets -- and St. Louis -- safe).
Well, we've got some technology too. And we were able to salvage a couple of minutes of footage of Marshals Robert Howard, Antron Lavington, and Christopher Fischer telling us about some Homeland Security training they recently completed at a secret facility in Anniston, Alabama.
Cleaning out the ol' PUB DEF video vault, we recently came across this jewel. It's a video we shot almost exactly two years ago -- back in August 2004 before we had any outlet to share such videos. It's from the St. Louis stop of the Hip-Hip Summit which sought to increase youth participation in the 2004 Presidential Election.
The video features Summit founder Russell Simmons; his brother, Reverend Run from Run-DMC; rappers Jadakiss; Loon; Remy Martin; Biz from D-12; soul singer Anthony Hamilton; hip-hop legend Doug E. Fresh; and HSAN President/CEO Dr. Benjamin Chavis. Oh, and Nelly.
Look for cameos by State Rep. Rodney Hubbard, 5th Ward Committeewoman Cheryl Nelson, and a certain St. Louis American reporter that doesn't mind rudely getting next to celebrities while they're talking to other people just so he can get his picture taken with them.
School Board president Veronica O'Brien was denied a restraining order today against fired Vashon basketball coach Floyd Irons and his friend and supporter, Demetrius Johnson.
O'Brien had alleged that the two -- along with several other protestors -- threatened her and her 11 year-old child at one of many recent protests at her home in the Central West End.
But Judge Michael Stelzer, son of 8th Ward Committeeman Jack Stelzer, today denied O'Brien's petition after hearing testimony from witnesses including city police officers and even former Superintendent Creg Williams, who came back to town to testify on behalf of his friend, Irons.
During this final week before the August 8 primary election, PUB DEF will be pounding the pavement everyday with different candidates. We were in south St. Louis yesterday with Derio Gambaro, a candidate for state senate.
Gambaro was out with his family knocking on doors and meeting potential voters in the 17th Ward. That ward, much like the 4th District which Gambaro is hoping to represent in the senate, is racially and economically diverse.
Gambaro didn't get the official endorsement of the ward's political organization ("Because of the demographics of the ward [Ald. Joe Roddy] felt more comfortable going with Kenny Jones," he explained to a caller on his cell phone.), but he felt comfortable telling many voters to call their alderman, who he said would vouch for his character.
The former state representative shook hands and explained his positions on senior services, the need for better jobs in St. Louis, and the need to improve educational opportunities for children.
"That's my interest!" said one woman who is a parent volunteer at Vashon High School. "My interest is in the St. Louis Public Schools."
Gambaro told her about his plan to allow state and private money to be reserved for scholarships to help parents with the cost of sending their kids to other schools -- either a private school or a better public school in a fully accredited district.
The key to his plan, said Gambaro, is that for every dollar set aside for his program another dollar would go to St. Louis Public Schools -- allowing them to spend more on less children -- raising the dollar per student average.
As we've seen several times since we've been following candidates, for some voters, the smallest things make a difference.
One man told Gambaro that after just five minutes he can tell if a politician is "blowing smoke up my ass." He told Gambaro he seemed like an honest guy, but to make sure he asked him his astrological sign.
"I'm a Sagittarius," said Gambaro.
"Just like my brother," the man said. "You're cool."
During this final week before the August 8 primary election, PUB DEF will be pounding the pavement everyday with different candidates.
We tagged along with State Rep. Yaphett El-Amin yesterday as she and two supporters from ACORN went door-to-door in the same north St. Louis neighborhood that we followed one of her opponents, Jeff Smith, the day before.
El-Amin, who has represented that area in the state house for four years, was recognized by many of the people that answered her door knock. One lady, Ms. Dorothy Preston, a familiar face at many neighborhood meetings, teased El-Amin for not remembering her name.
"Do you know my name -- No! But everybody knows your name," she ribbed.
Like deja vu all over again, as Yogi Berra used to say, Ms. Preston bragged about her nephew who graduated from Cardinal Ritter High School and now attends Dartmouth College. Those who watched yesterday's video of Smith will recall that nearly the exact conversation happened between Smith and another woman just a few blocks away.
El-Amin was teased again about names later in the video -- this time her own. "What kind of name is this?" asked one older woman. "You not African."
El-Amin respectfully explained the meaning of her name ("beautiful in character") and joked that it was her mother's idea. She was a fan of the actor Yaphet Kotto.
"My father told her 'I'll let you give her his first name, but you're not getting ready to name my baby after this old man,'" she said.
As El-Amin was leaving the woman's porch, she asked her name so she could count her as a vote and give her a reminder call on Election Day.
"Loretha," she said.
"And what kind of name is that?" asked one of the ACORN guys to a burst of laughter from all.
During this final week before the August 8 primary election, PUB DEF will be pounding the pavement everyday with different candidates.
We were again in north St. Louis yesterday, this time we followed two candidates: State Rep. Yaphett El-Amin, who's running for the state senate, and Joe Palm, who's running for her seat in the House. Here's the video from our outing with Palm:
During this final week before the August 8 primary election, PUB DEF will be pounding the pavement everyday with different candidates. Yesterday we were in north St. Louis with Jeff Smith, a candidate for state senate.
As Smith and his aide, Quinton Lucas, hopped out of the car and head towards the streets of the Visitation Park neighborhood in the 26th Ward, almost on queue (and wouldn't you know it, before our camera was rolling), a couple of young guys shouted from across the street "Yo, Jeff Smith!" apparently recognizing the energetic Democrat from a campaign poster, or mailer, or maybe his work as a basketball coach at a northside community center.
Not long into our door-to-dooring, we got a call from another candidate's campaign who we were scheduled to tag along with later. They were down the street. Soon they and their "secret weapon" were on the same street as Smith.
The loud voice of a female announcer could be heard saying, "it's time to send a proven leader to the state senate." Soon the large truck bearing photos of one of Smith's opponents, Yaphett El-Amin, could be seen coming down the street. The 6-foot tall video screen on its side could be seen clearly in the evening light with shots of El-Amin in schools, in hospitals, and in the State Capitol.
"I think that is so funny that came with their little toy," said Smith. "I wonder how much that cost them. She's only done one piece of mail."
Despite the extreme heat yesterday, according to organizers, more than 2,500 people attended the 6th Annual Community Empowerment Festival of the Jeff Vanderlou, Blumeyer, Vandeventer, Tiffany Park, Shaw, Midtown and Grand Center Neighborhoods.
Fire Chief Sherman George, Marlene Davis and Ida Goodwin Woolfolk joined 19th Ward Alderman Mike McMillan at the annual event at which people were treated to health screenings, a job fair, senior services, college recruitment info, and giveaways of school supplies and grocery certificates. Kids enjoyed slides, rock climbing, horse rides, and sitting in a real race car.
Sponsors included the City of St. Louis, Metropolitan St. Louis City Police and Fire Departments, SLATE, SLAAA, CDA, Enterprise Leasing, Anheuser Busch, Pepsi Cola, President Casino, SLU, Grand Center, Major Brands, Hardee's, the Vashon/JVL Initiative, Scottish Rite Cathedral, Sam's Club, National City Bank, Commerce Bank, the Human Development Corpration, CAMCO, and McCormack Baron Salazar.
Members of the State Board of Education yesterday discussed the loss of focus on the students of St. Louis Public Schools by both sides in the ongoing political battles affecting the district.
"I can remember six, seven, eight years ago when we had a great deal of concern about Kansas City and actually St. Louis was improving every year and things were looking like it might turn out to be one of the better urban districts in the country," said board member Thomas Davis of Kansas City.
"And here we sit these number of years later and St. Louis' trend line has clearly been down and decelerating faster than almost any district than we have data on," said Davis. He said that in all the discussion he has read about the current situation in the district, he has not seen a focus on student achievement.
Vanetta Rogers, the St. Louis regional board member, shared in her colleague's assessment. She said she also saw a loss of focus by the players in the ongoing soap opera that SLPS has become.
"You hear the adults -- with their factions and their views and their PACs and their whatever -- talking about who failed to agree with whom about what," she said. "But you don't hear enough about efforts to come together and try to create a single voice."
Mike McMillan is now old enough to be President of the United States. That's just one of the dreams and possibilities that was spoken aloud yesterday in the ballroom of the beautifully refurbished Coronado in Central West End.
The official occasion was the 19th Ward alderman's 35th birthday, but the feeling in the room and the weight of all the heavies in it was indicative of a much bigger event: the much anticipated arrival of the city's next political force.
McMillan will soon become St. Louis' third black citywide elected official (yes, don't let the light skin and the almost blue eyes fool you -- he's black). But no citywide elected official, not even the Mayor or the Comptroller, has the mix of cross-racial appeal, fundraising ability, and smell-it-in-the-air potential as this guy.
But then, everyone already knows that. That's why nearly everyone who is anyone in St. Louis politics came out last night to welcome his arrival.
Eating slices from a cake shaped like City Hall (why not just pass out Mayor McMillan buttons?), politicos mingled with each other and spoke of things to come.
"Someone wrote you a birthday check and, without thinking, made it out to Senator Mike McMillan," said Ida Woolfolk in her introduction of the city's next License Collector.
We could try to make a list of everyone we spotted in the crowd, but that just sounds like too much bold print. Instead, watch this music video:
Now bear witness to the charm of your future something-or-other. Here is McMillan's "thank you" speech from last night:
For the third day in a row, people protested the school board's decision to force the resignation of Superintendent Creg Williams.
Yesterday evening, in front of City Hall, two dozen people carried signs bearing messages critical of the school board majority and shouting, "We're mad as hell and we're not going to take it!" They also gathered signatures on a petition of "no confidence" which they plan to turn over to the school board and the media later.
Among the protesters once again were ousted Vashon basketball coach Floyd Irons and local sports personality Demetrius Johnson, whose sister's job with SLPS was eliminated the same day as Irons'.
State senate candidate Jeff Smith also joined the picketers Wednesday. In an interview with PUB DEF, he said he joined in their disappointment in the board's decision to force out Williams.
"I didn't think he had a fair shot to see his plan through," said Smith.
Hundreds of people were unable to get into last night's school board meeting, the first since the board forced out Superintendent Creg Williams and popular Vashon basketball coach Floyd Irons.
Reporters from PUB DEF, KMOX, The Arch City Chronicle, a photographer from The Post-Dispatch, members of the Clergy Coalition, and several elected officials stood in the summer heat, waiting to be allowed in. Even after a few of us were allowed into the building, we still could not enter the auditorium until dozens of people had left the meeting.
"By order of the fire marshal," we were told.
Inside, the crowd let the school board know that they were not happy with the events of the past week.
Chants of "Hey, hey, ho, ho! Veronica's got to go!" could be heard loudly in the hallways. Board members were booed and comments, some vulgar, could be heard after nearly every board move.
"Back to the bad old days," said one parent.
Among the business the board was able to complete was the passage of an almost $400 million budget for the next fiscal year. That budget, prepared by Williams and his team over several months, was questioned for the first time by board members Bob Archibald and Ron Jackson, both of whom are rarely critical of such things in public meetings.
After voting in favor of a budget last month that overspent by $4 million, Archibald asked the new superintendent, Dr. Diana Bourisaw, if $10 million could be further cut from this balanced budget in anticipation of the predicted financial crisis facing the district in 2007.
After little debate, the budget was passed by a 4-3 vote.
A crowd of more than 50 people picketed outside the home of School Board President Veronica O'Brien tonight calling for her removal from the board and the rehiring of basketball coach Floyd Irons.
The crowd, led by local sports personality Demetrius Johnson, shouted chants of "Veronica must go!" and "recall, recall" while O'Brien sat on her front steps protected by nearly a dozen City police officers.
The protesters promised to come out in force at tomorrow's school board meeting. They also said they would return to picket O'Brien's home again.
Lost in all the talk about the downsizing that left Floyd Irons unemployed (if only temporarily) is the fact that this week the St. Louis School Board got a balanced budget out of a reluctant and increasingly insubordinate superintendent.
Last month, Superintendent Creg Williams submitted a 2006-2007 budget to the Board which was unbalanced and dug the district $4 million deeper into financial uncertainty. Against the recommendation of Williams and the votes of board members Bob Archibald, Ron Jackson and Flint Fowler, the four-person majority rejected that budget and instructed Williams to find more cuts.
A month later, at Tuesday's Administrative meeting, Williams came back with a General Operating Budget in which expenses did not exceed projected revenues and, perhaps most importantly, actually pays down nearly $3.5 million in debt.
Board Vice President Bill Purdy commended Williams not just for submitting a balanced budget, but also for supplying board members with much more supporting documentation than he did last month.
But board member Robert Archibald downplayed the significance of the $7.5 million swing from creating more debt to eliminating debt. He said that it represented only a small percentage of the total budget and was only a drop in the bucket compared to the $30-50 million debt projection for November 2007.
VIDEO: Northside pols rally in park, Hubbard gets candid about critics
By Antonio D. French
Filed
Saturday, July 08, 2006 at 8:36 PM
Several hundred people went to Fairground Park today to get information about the upcoming August election, hear music from local artists, and enjoy the day with family and friends.
The "Turn Up The Mic… Turn Up The Vote!" event was sponsored by St. Louis Argus publisher Eddie Hasan (father to state senate candidate Yaphett El-Amin) and Boss Entertainment (owned by a brother of state rep candidate Talib El-Amin). Several candidates and elected officials attended the event, including Aldermen Mike McMillan, Frank Williamson, and Jeffrey Boyd; State Reps Rodney Hubbard and Ted Hoskins; and candidates Jamilah Nasheed and Mr. and Mrs. El-Amin.
Some people representing an organization opposing eminent domain abuse by the city and state handed Hubbard a flier that showed him earning an F grade for his voting record on the issue. "Thanks for the F," Hubbard told the activists. "I'm glad it don't mean nothing."
Hubbard then made some rather candid remarks to PUB DEF's camera about what he called "so-called activists" who he said are more concerned about getting consulting contracts than representing the interests of people.
At last Thursday's contentious townhall meeting in the 3rd Ward, one of embattled Alderman Freeman Bosley, Sr.'s old political enemies showed up to pour salt on his wounds and rally the small army of residents calling for his recall.
Former 19th Ward Ald. Velma Bailey addressed the crowd in manner befitting a marathon tent revival. She told the residents of Bosley's ward, more than 2,000 of whom apparently signed a petition to remove him from office, that none of them are safe from his irresponsible usage of eminent domain powers.
She said they should rally behind Maxine Johnson, the woman whose home is being taken by legislation introduced by Bosley and whose character was publicly attacked by the alderman earlier that same night.
The Bailey-Bosley beef dates back more than ten years, to before Bosley and his son, then-Mayor Freeman Bosley, Jr., supported Francis G. Slay's campaign for Aldermanic Board President -- Slay would later defeat Bosley in 2001 in what was basically a three-man race against Mayor Clarence Harmon (Bill Haas also ran, receiving just 424 votes) -- over Bailey.
Three representatives of Barnes-Jewish Hospital made their case Friday for why it is in the best interests of both the City and the hospital expand a current lease on a section of Forest Park.
June Fowler, BJC's Vice-President of Communications, Michael DeHaven, BJC’s general counsel, and Linda Martinez, a partner with the Bryan Cave law firm, told members of the Forest Park Lease Committee that, while BJC would prefer to outright purchase the land, the hospital would be willing to commit to the following as part of a 90-year lease:
(1) building a health care facility on the land, (2) including a price escalator in the annual lease payment, (3) ensure all of their lease payments went to maintaining the rest of the park, and (4) pay for moving the Hudlin tennis courts and playground wherever the city decides.
In this video, Fowler gives a brief history of the different appraisal amounts of the land. Clearing up one source of concern, she says that the public parking meters near Euclid are not part of this land.
In this video, Fowler outlines the things that BJC is willing to commit to in the agreement.
In this video, Alderman Freeman Bosley, Sr. (3rd Ward) questions Fowler and DeHaven about BJC's intentions with the land. One of the things to come out of his questioning is that BJC has future plans to tear down Barnes-Jewish West Plaza and Queeny Tower, which was just built in 1965. DeHaven pointed to the buildings' inability to withstand a major earthquake.
In this video, Fowler outlines what she sees as the benefits to the city and hospital from this proposed deal. She said that the proposed lease payment is the highest per square foot rate in the city.
In this video, Fowler says it does matter who is asking for this lease. She says BJC is a good and committed corporate citizen and deserves consideration for the services it provides to the area.
Editor's Note: These video postings include our 100th YouTube video. It is also our 570th blog posting since PUB DEF returned in October 2005.
A group of seven to ten residents of the 17th Ward have organized an effort to recall their longtime alderman, Joe Roddy.
Kim Jayne, a longtime ward resident and one of the organizers of the recall effort, sat down with PUB DEF yesterday afternoon to explain why she and other are ready to see Roddy go.
Sitting at her living room table, with a large map of the ward hanging on the wall behind her, Jayne said Roddy is unresponsive to the needs and wishes of the ward's residents and instead focuses on its corporate citizens, like BJC Hospital and Washington University, which owns lots of property in the ward.
On Wednesday the St. Louis City Board of Adjustment heard testimony from people for and against a proposed new McDonalds drive-thru restaurant on South Grand Ave. In a closed session after their public meeting, the members of the board voted to deny the opponent's appeal to an earlier ruling granting the hamburger chain a conditional use permit.
This controversial development has been the spark of an on-going effort to recall Ald. Jennifer Florida, in whose ward the new McDonalds would be built. Florida, who has expressed her support for the plan, was not at this week's meeting.
Alderman Craig Schmid was at the meeting. He continues to break with the longstanding tradition known as "aldermanic courtesy" -- when aldermen usually bow to the wishes of other aldermen as it relates to issues in their wards -- and again testified against the development.
Also testifying against the McDonalds was blogger and "urbanist" Steve Patterson. Patterson has been a vocal critic of this plan for months on his Urban Review blog.
No private citizens spoke in favor of the development, but two representatives from McDonalds did. Attorney Gary H. Feder told the board the development plan for that area (which forbids drive-thru restaurants) does not preempt city zoning ordinances which do allow for conditional use permits to be issued.
All five of the candidates running for the open 4th District State Senate seat showed up early this morning for a debate sponsored by The St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association (RCGA).
Before an audience of people who don't have to be at work on a Tuesday morning, Kenny Jones, Amber Boykins, Jeff Smith, Derio Gambaro, and Yaphett El-Amin answered questions on topics ranging from the upcoming Stem Cell ballot initiative and a possible toll bridge crossing the Mississippi River to education funding and whether St. Louis' business community pays its fair share in taxes.
In one of the most spirited parts of the debate, former State Rep. Derio Gambaro attacked the record of professional educator Jeff Smith's Confluence Academy charter schools.
Gambaro pointed to the fact that 3rd grade students from the schools scored far below most students from St. Louis Public Schools on the state's reading tests [67.5 % of Confluence's 3rd graders tested "Unsatisfactory" in 2005 versus 24.7 % for SLPS].
Gambaro said he prefers a voucher (or tax credit-funded scholarship) system that would allow parents the choice of taking their kids out of SLPS and sending them to a school that is fully accredited.
Smith said it is unfortunate that people "who have just talked about doing things for the city schools are attacking people who have done things to improve the city schools."
He said that majority of the parents at Confluence gave the school an A or B grade last year and that there is currently a list of hundreds of families on a waiting list to send their kids to the charter school.
Trouble viewing this video on YouTube? Click here to download it to your computer.
Check back later for more videos from today's debate...
VIDEO: CRB Flap Again Shows Police Should Be Under Local Control
By Antonio D. French
Filed
Monday, June 19, 2006 at 9:55 AM
Alderman Terry Kennedy (18th Ward) was the original sponsor of the bill that was passed earlier this year by the Board of Aldermen to create a civilian review board to investigate reports of abuses of power by city cops. Mayor Francis Slay vetoed that bill and proposed a weaker version, which the state-controlled police board approved.
Last week, we reported that supporters of Kennedy's bill noticed significant changes between the version the police board approved in public and what actually became policy with the signature of police board president Chris Goodson.
Kennedy sat down with PUB DEF to again express his belief that the citizens of St. Louis deserve the same right to control their police department just as citizens of most other American cities.
VIDEO: Conway says Forest Park deal is going to be a tough sell for BJC, Slay
By Antonio D. French
Filed
Saturday, June 17, 2006 at 7:26 PM
A PUB DEF VIDEO REPORT
Alderman Steve Conway is one of five members of a special committee charged with looking at the financial details surrounding a controversial proposal to hand over a portion of Forest Park to Barnes Hospital for the next 90 years.
In an interview with PUB DEF yesterday, he told us the status of the those committee hearings. He also said he thinks it's going to be tough for BJC and Mayor Francis Slay to get this deal pass the Board of Aldermen and the Board of Estimate and Apportionment.
Conway said he thinks a bill to approve the proposal won't be introduced in the Board of Aldermen any time soon. Because of that, the money expected from the deal was taken out of next year's budget.
VIDEO: Percy Green says Board should not renew Superintendent's contract
By Antonio D. French
Filed
Friday, June 16, 2006 at 6:00 AM
Legendary activist Percy Green has for decades been at the forefront of the struggle for civil rights and equality for African-Americans, a goal that over the years has found Green dangling from the Gateway Arch, sitting in numerous jail cells, standing before the Supreme Court, and all points in between.
In November 2003, Green found himself again in handcuffs. This time after being dragged from a meeting of the St. Louis Board of Education after a member of the school district's security team claimed he was trying to incite a riot. Green denied that charge and after hearing testimony from three witnesses, including school board member Bill Purdy, and judge agreed, finding Green not guilty Wednesday of all charges.
Green sat down with PUB DEF the day after his acquittal at a southside café to talk about the incident that led to his arrest and his recent open letter to the members of the school board asking them not to renew the contract of Superintendent Creg Williams.
Click here to download the video "Percy Green on his Arrest" (8MB). Click here to download the video "Percy Green on Creg Williams and SLPS" (12MB).
Members of the Coalition Against Police Crimes and Repression (CAPCAR) held a press conference in front of City Hall yesterday to call attention what they claim are serious violations to the state's Sunshine Law by the St. Louis Police Board.
Jamala Rogers and John Chasnoff said that the version of a Civilian Review Board reflected in a General Order signed in May by Police Board President Chris Goodson is different from the one presented and approved at the board's April meeting.
The Coalition said these changes are significant, and that they were not made in an open meeting is a violation of Missouri's laws on open government.
"You can talk in detail about whether the changes improve the bill or weaken the bill," said Chasnoff. "But the fact that these are unauthorized changes is a slap in the face to open government."
CAPCAR noted 13 differences between the order signed by Goodson and what was agreed to at the April meeting. Among the most significant are changes to how the CRB can interact with witnesses to allegations of police misconduct and how board members can be removed.
The latter document inexplicably removes a clause that would allow the CRB, by a majority vote, to request the Chief of Police to allow one of its members to be present at an Internal Affairs interview of a witness to police brutality.
Also absent in the second document is the phrase "for good cause" in reference to how and why CRB members can be dismissed by the police board.
Richard Wilkes, spokesman for the police department, said these issues will be readdressed at the next police board meeting. He said that there was confusion in the department over what objections to the CRB that Chief Joe Mokwa raised in the public meeting and what changes he requested to the police board members in writing.
Chasnoff said that if that's true, it is possibly another violation of the Sunshine Law since that document was not made available to the public at the time of the meeting.
What is clear is that the differences between what was presented in public and what was ordered by the police board would likely have simply become law if not for the watchful eye of citizen activists like Chasnoff and Rogers.
Several candidates and elected officials were in the audience at yesterday's OBS Candidate Forum for the 4th District State Senate candidates.
State Representative Connie Johnson, Alderman Jeffrey Boyd, State Rep. Candidates Jamilah Nasheed, Joe Palm, Talib El-Amin, and Karla May all watched as Derio Gambaro, Jeff Smith, Kenny Jones, Amber Boykins, and Yaphett El-Amin answered questions on different issues facing the residents of the district they each want to represent in the state senate.
May, who is running against Committeemen Palm and El-Amin to replace Yaphett in the state house, rose to ask a question that was directly pointed at the wife of one of her opponents.
She asked where the candidates stood on the issue of Missouri becoming a "right to work" state. There are currently 22 states with laws that discourage collective bargaining by prohibiting trade unions from making membership a condition of employment, either before or after hire. There is an ongoing effort to make Missouri such a state.
Four of the candidates voiced their strong support for labor, but El-Amin, who along with her father, Eddie Hasan of MOKAN, has sometimes been critical of local labor unions, said that unions do no have an excellent record for being inclusive of blacks and other minorities.
"In order for us to all come together and for us to really see the benefit of labor, we have to be at the table benefiting from the good-paying jobs," said El-Amin.
The candidates seeking to replace the term-limited State Sen. Pat Dougherty answered a wide range of questions tonight at a forum hosted by the Organization for Black Struggle.
Derio Gambaro, Jeff Smith, Yaphett El-Amin, and Kenny Jones were asked whether they support the City of St. Louis regaining control of its police department and where they stood on the issue of requiring cops to live in the city like other city employees.
Gambaro said that the issue should be handled like the Home Rule issue a few years back, with voters across the entire state asked whether St. Louisans should have the same right as most of them. Co-moderator Irene J. Smith, former 1st Ward alderman, quickly reminded Gambaro that this is a statutory issue, not a constitutional one, and that the legislature can decide it at any time.
El-Amin said that Gambaro has spoken at the same hearings as she has on police residency, but on opposite sides of the issue. She said she firmly believes that police -- and firefighters -- should be required to live in the city, something which Gambaro has testified against.
Smith and Jones also spoke in favor of requiring police to live in the city. The fifth candidate, Amber Boykins, was not present when this question was asked. She arrived to the forum nearly 90 minutes late.
Yes, things can get worse for St. Louis Public Schools. And according to Superintendent Creg Williams, they may get a lot worse by the end of next year.
Williams told the school board Tuesday night that the district will be facing a $50 million deficit in November 2007. He said the district must be aware of its financial situation in future decision-making and that he and the board should develop a plan of how they will pay their bills 18 months from now.
But some board members, including Ron Jackson and Robert Archibald, questioned whether the district should be spending so much money this year, knowing what awaits next year.
The district's chief financial officer told the board that many of Williams' proposals, parts of his "strategic plan," are still unfunded and the district is already looking at being $4 million over budget for the 2006-2007 fiscal year.
See a special video report on this at STLSchools.org, home of the St. Louis Schools Watch.
VIDEO: Documentary May Give Candidate a Boost Days Before Election
By Antonio D. French
Filed
Tuesday, June 06, 2006 at 6:06 AM
A PUB DEF VIDEO REPORT
In a close campaign with nearly half a dozen candidates, any little thing can push one of them to victory. Less than two weeks before the August 8 primary election, one state senate candidate may get that push from a local silver screen.
Washington University professor Jeff Smith is the subject of a documentary film about his 2004 Congressional campaign in which he nearly pulled off one of the biggest political upsets in recent St. Louis history.
The film, titled "Can Mr. Smith Get to Washington Anymore?," will be seen at the Silverdocs Film Festival in Washington D.C. later this month. But on July 27, St. Louis audiences will get a chance to relive the grassroots campaign which ended with a narrow defeat by the highly-favored heir to one of the state's most powerful political dynasties, Russ Carnahan.
The film will open at the Tivoli theater just days before Smith's name will again appear on the ballot.
On August 8, Smith will face four other much more seasoned politicos. This time though, he is arguably the frontrunner, with a comfortable lead in fundraising and now a film credit on his resume. But will it lead to victory or another disappointment for Mr. Smith's fans?
VIDEO: New Alliance Says Cleveland High School Can (and Should) be Fixed
By Antonio D. French
Filed
Monday, June 05, 2006 at 1:08 PM
Members of a new group dedicated to stopping any attempt to permanently close Cleveland NJROTC High School gathered this morning at the school to present their position to the public and the press.
Debbie Irwin, of the Dutchtown South Community Corporation and the new Alliance to Save Cleveland High, said the mission of the Alliance is to assist the school district in creating a modern, safe, state-of-the-art Cleveland High School with academic excellence for its students.
Irwin said that would include helping to raise the needed funds to renovate the school. But she said the alliance would first like to get a better estimate of how much it will actually cost to make Cleveland a healthy place for students.
"We do not believe that it will cost $20 million," said Irwin referencing an estimate given by Superintendent Creg Williams. She said that figure includes $10 million to air condition the building, $9 million of which has already been funded through a bond issue.
Aldermen Dorothy Kirner (25th Ward), Craig Schmid (20th Ward) and Fred Wessels (13th Ward) attended today's event. As well as school board members Veronica O'Brien and Bill Purdy.
In an exclusive video interview with PUB DEF, Purdy gave a bit of the history of how Cleveland got in its present state of disrepair.
Very off-topic, but we came across this little treasure a few days ago. It's a video of the late, great Sammy Davis, Jr. performing here in St. Louis at the The Kiel Opera House on June 20, 1965. He gives the city a little shout-out at the end. Enjoy.
Clear Channel Communications and developer Don Breckenridge are working on bringing new life to the old Kiel Opera House, which became vacant when Kiel Auditorium was replaced by the Savvis Center
According to the City's website, the new Kiel will have a 3,500-seat auditorium, accompanied by four smaller theaters. Clear Channel Communications will provide theater, music, dance, and other entertainment, while Fox LLC will present Broadway shows.
The project's estimated cost, as of last year, was $42 million supported by a TIF. There! How's that for bringing it back on-topic?
Related Stories:
"Carving Up Kiel" by Stefene Russell from the premiere issue of Public Defender
(Thanks to Dorota1981, from Hamburg, Germany, for the video.)
At a press conference this morning, 1st Ward Committeeman Talibdin El-Amin said he will be staying in his 57th District State Representative race until the end.
"After having conversations with my family, friends, and many people in the community, I am convinced more than ever today that I will not waiver in my pursuit to become the next state representative in the 57th District," said El-Amin with his wife, Yaphett El-Amin (the current representative of the district), by his side.
Some wondered if El-Amin would withdraw from the race after reports in The Evening Whirl and on KSDK Channel 5 earlier this week called him a "deadbeat dad." El-Amin once again said these allegations are false. He told the room of supporters and just two members of the media that these were "trivial matters disguised as news."
Meanwhile, someone identifying themself as Antonnia Washington, El-Amin's "baby's mama," posted a lengthy comment to one of our earlier stories on this subject. "I don't know how Mr. El-Amin could even begin to think that Yaphett takes better care of my children that I do," she wrote.
"I have never taken a hit at the way she raises her children and I feel that I should be given that same respect because I am a good, hard-working mother. The St. Louis Family Court thought so too, that is why they are with me," the person wrote.
Editor's Note: Unless something big happens, this will be our last story on this subject.
Several people who addressed the St. Louis Board of Education last night at a special meeting in the auditorium of Cleveland High School asked why the public was told about the meeting less than 24 hours before.
Alderman Ken Ortmann (9th Ward) told the board, "I don't know whose idea it was... If there was a week's notice, you wouldn't be able to park around here."
After the meeting, we asked Board President Veronica O'Brien whose idea it was. She said it was not her decision, but rather a "collective decision." She would not elaborate.
See more videos and keep up with the latest news on St. Louis Public Schools at our sister site, www.stlschools.org.
At the first meeting of the Forest Park Lease Review Committee on Wednesday, two committee members leveled some pointed criticisms at Comptroller Darlene Green.
Alderman Freeman Bosley, Sr. (3rd Ward) said Green "has really gotten personal in this matter and has some opinions that are not based upon all of the information that should be available."
The Comptroller has said that she would like to see an up-to-date appraisal of 12 acres of park land before the city moves forward with renegotiating a lease agreement with Barnes Hospital that would last until almost the next century.
Alderman Fred Wessels (13th Ward) questioned Gary Bess, the director of the Parks Department, about the Comptroller's involvement when negotiations of this deal began. Bess said that Jim Garavaglia, from Green's office, was involved in the discussions. He said that Green's office even selected the firm which conducted the last appraisal.
Garavaglia told the City Planning Commission two weeks ago that the year-old appraisal was out of date. He also said that Green felt that details of Barnes' plans for the land are still unknown.
"Their intentions are unclear, unspoken and should be revealed to both the City and the community," he said.
The Forest Park Lease Review Committee is made up of five members selected by Mayor Francis Slay to review, as Ald. Steve Conway put it, whether the city is getting a fair price for the land, "not whether or not it's a good deal."
Members are Wessels, Bosley, Conway, Chairperson Lyda Krewson, and Tom Reeves, former head of Downtown Now and the new president of Pulaski Bank. They are scheduled to meet again on Friday.
Stephen Colbert, host of Comedy Central's "Colbert Report," was the featured speaker at last night's annual White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner. Here is video from Colbert's roast of the Bush Administration and the press corps. The third video is a "What If" of Colbert as the new White House press secretary.
