2005

December 15, 2005 -- Congressman William Lacy Clay (D-MO) joined his collegue Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) to introduce legislation to abolish the federal death penalty yesterday.Kucinich's bill, The Federal Death Penalty Abolition Act of 2005, is…

According to campaign finance reports electronically filed by Amber Boykins' campaign for state senate, the four-term state representative (D-60) made a $15,000 no-interest loan to her campaign.It's not uncommon for candidates to do this to…

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

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 Associated Press is reporting that Missouri Senate Minority Leader Maida Coleman has said that she is running to replace incumbent Claire McCaskill as state auditor.“I’ve decided that I am running,” Coleman said in an…

October 24, 2005 -- The Washington Post reports that Phoenix-based New Times Media, the nation's largest publisher of alternative weekly newspapers (including the Riverfront Times), is buying the owner of the Village Voice and its…

Future of Gifted Education, Magnet Schools in DoubtBy Peter DownsNovember 22, 2005 –– Last Friday, David Welch, director of gifted education programs for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, gave representatives from metropolitan…

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…

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,…

October 24, 2005 -- Looks like The Smith Campaign is the first out of the gate -- with a little help from some young friends.Instead of having their regular Monday meeting, Washington University Young Democrats…