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…

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…

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…

Ald. Jeffrey Boyd got a belated Christmas gift from the St. Louis Election Board today when Board Chairman Ed Martin, a Republican, announced that the recall petition submitted against Boyd fell short of the required…

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,…

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,…

I understand there is a controversy regarding Cleveland's Naval policy. Is that true? I want to go on record that after living through Larry Myers last year and the horrible condition he left the school,…

Former Missouri Lt. Governor Harriett Woods will be discussing the process of elections and candidate-selection Wednesday, December 7.Woods will be discussing ongoing Democratic recruitment efforts for challengers for both state House and Senate seats.The former…

By 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 area school districts the news they had…