2005

State senate candidate Jeff Smith reported a contribution of $2,400 from Marcus and Amber Raichle on his Oct. 15 campaign finance report. The limit for contributions in a state senate race is $1,200. In an…

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…

October 24, 2005 -- Approximately 40 people showed up to hear from Mayor Francis Slay and Alderman Jennifer Florida tonight at the Carpenter Branch Library for a town hall meeting in the 15th Ward.Questions primarily…

Peter Downs, publisher of St. Louis Schools Watch and a parent of SLPS students, will be announcing his candidacy for a seat on the St. Louis School Board on Saturday, Dec. 10.Downs' supporters hope the…

December 1, 2005 -- At today's meeting of the Public Safety Committee of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, there was debate on the selection of members to a possible Civilian Review Board that would…

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…

"This indictment is the result of a larger pattern of deception and abuse of power that this administration used to lead us into an unnecessary war."

Rest in peace, brother.

by Peter DownsNovember 9, 2005 -- The regular monthly meeting of the St. Louis Board of Education, originally scheduled for Wednesday, was moved to Tuesday on a day's notice. Here are the highlights:>> In-School Suspension:…

October 31, 2005 -- State Senators Rita Days and Pat Dougherty and State Reps. Yaphett El-Amin and Margaret Donnelly will be at the St. John's Heart Institute in Springfield on Wednesday for the next in…