2005

For a few minutes, Friday's Board of Aldermen meeting was turned into a forum by backers of a proposed civilian review board. Members of the Coalition Against Police Crimes and Repression, who are pressing for…

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…

By Peter DownsSt. Louis Mayor Francis Slay yesterday unveiled his first major moves to retain control of the school board. He announced the resignation of Vincent Schoemehl from the board a mere four and a…

Richard Callow is not very callow at all. He is quite experienced in many areas, including website design apparently. On July 27, Callow's firm (and web-posting moniker) Public Eye was paid $4,000 by Mayor Francis…

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…

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…

In the days before Christmas, some voters in the 60th District received phone calls from Jamilah Nasheed, candidate for state rep. In the recorded message, Nasheed wished a "happy holiday and a prosperous new year"…

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…

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

[The following editorial, published in last week's print edition of PUB DEF Weekly, was the focus of some discussion on 'Collateral Damage' on KDHX Monday night. In the interest of public discourse, we are making…