2005

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…

The Washington Post today reported that the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee dropped $500 million in proposed food stamp cuts, thanks in part to the protests of Jim Talent (R-MO) and Rick Santorum (R-PA). According to…

St. Louis School Board member Bill Purdy called the program "a national scandal" and "a travesty" and refused to vote for it at the school board meeting on October 11. Fellow school board member Ron…

October 17, 2005 -- Kudos to the staff at Shaw Visual and Performing Arts Elementary School for moving away from group punishments, and for trying new techniques for maintaining order in the lunchroom, and kudos…

PUB DEF Weekly is pleased to announce it is now hosting a blog for Peter Down's informative St. Louis Schools Watch.The URL is http://slswatch.pubdef.net and it will be updated often, so check it regularly.This continues…

A common rap against St. Louis Public School parents is that they don't get involved. Somebody forgot to tell the parents at Dewey International Studies Elementary School.On the weekends of October 8 and October 15,…

Senator Kit Bond was one of only 6 senators to vote against an agreement to give up annual pay raises for U.S. senators. The agreement came out of the need to control the growing budget…

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.

Rest in peace, brother.

October 24, 2005 -- Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay today urged Missouri Governor Matt Blunt to halt the execution of Marlin Gray, which is scheduled to be carried out on Wednesday.In his letter to the Governor,…