Sunday Poll: Tomorrow is Memorial Day, have the day off work?

Tomorrow is a national holiday — Memorial Day. This holiday has a long history, but not everyone gets the day off.

Today’s poll seeks to see if readers have to work tomorrow or have the day off. All options should be covered, but if not, you can add your answer to the poll (upper right sidebar). The poll closes at 8pm.

— Steve Patterson

Four Years Since Joplin Tornado, New Hospital Opened in March

Last Sunday St. Louis’ new Shriner’s Hospital for Children was dedicated, it’ll open for patients on June 1st. In March another hospital opened in Missouri. I didn’t get a tour but I did drive by the day after it opened.

Almost four years after the Joplin tornado destroyed St. Johns Medical Center, Mercy Hospital Joplin is opening its doors.
Early Sunday morning, personnel began transferring dozens of patients from its temporary facilities. 

Mercy Hospital moved dozens of patients more than two miles, from the old temporary facility to the new facility. They say it was an incredible undertaking, but one that means so much to this Joplin community”
For the last three years, Mercy has operated out of a smaller temporary hospital after St. John’s Medical Center was destroyed by the Joplin Tornado in 2011.
Dozens of volunteers, doctors and nurses who had the day off, and the Joplin Police Department all pitched in to help get the hospital ready and move all of the patients. (Source)

The tornado was on May 22, 2011 — four years ago today. Here are a few photos I took on November 8, 2011.

In the years since I didn’t have to even exit I-44 to see the new hospital being built — they picked a new site on the opposite side of the highway. I think this was an unfortunate decision — it’ll make Joplin sprawl out even more — making public transit, walking, & bicycling more difficult.

I’m glad Joplin has a new hospital, I just feel for the low-wage workers who need a car to get to their jobs.

— Steve Patterson

‘Bridge Bash’ To Start Removal Of St. Louis Centre Bridge Was 5 Years Ago Today

Five years ago today work began on reversing a mistake that had been in place for 25 years. The “Bridge Bash” event started with comments from numerous white men, followed by Mayor Slay operation the wrecking ball, pyrotechnics made breaking glass a little more exciting.  Here’s the video I uploaded from the scene — the action starts at 8:45.

St. Louis Centre was part of the ‘bring the suburbs to the city’ movement. The inwardly focused mall was a killer to the sidewalks downtown — especially under the Washington & Locust wide bridges connecting to Dillard’s & Famous-Barr, respectively.

Removal of this oppressive bridge and facing the ground level retail of the MX (formerly St. Louis Centre) has done wonders for this part of downtown. If only we hadn’t wasted decades trying to be like the burbs.

— Steve Patterson

Readers on Crowded 2016 GOP Race

Sunday’s poll was a bust — too many choices, national political topic. Fewer than usual responses, here are the results:

Q: 12+ months prior to the convention, who do you THINK will be the five (5) final candidates for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination? (PICK UP TO 5)

1. Jeb Bush 7 [18.42%]
2. TIE 5 [13.16%]
   1. Rand Paul
   2. Marco Rubio
3. TIE  3 [7.89%]
   1. Dr. Ben Carson
   2. Chris Christy
   3. Rick Perry
   4. Mike Huckabee 2 5.26% 5.26%
   5. TIE  1 [2.63%]
   6. Herman Cain
   7. Lindsey Graham
   8. Bobby Jindal
   9. John Kasich
   10. Ron Paul
   11. Mitt Romney
   12. Rick Santorum
   13. Donald Trump
   14. Scott Walker
   15. Unsure/no answer
4. TIE   0 [0%]
   1. Skip Andrews
   2. Kelly Ayotte
   3. Haley Barbour
   4. John Bolton
   5. Kerry Bowers
   6. Dale Christensen
   7. Mitch Daniels
   8. John Dummit Jr.
   9. Bob Ehrlich
   10. Mark Everson
   11. Carly Fiorina
   12. Newt Gingrich
   13. Nikki Haley
   14. Chris Hill
   15. Peter King
   16. Michael Kinlaw
   17. Dennis Michael Lynch
   18. Susana Martinez
   19. Sarah Palin
   20. George Pataki
   21. Tim Pawlenty
   22. Mike Pence
   23. Michael Petyo
   24. Condoleezza Rice
   25. Brian Russell
   26. Brian Sandoval
   27. Tim Scott
   28. Rick Snyder
   29. John Thune
   30. Allen West
   31. Someone not listed here

Still, it’ll be interesting to look back at this list 12-15 months from now.

— Steve Patterson

First Time All 28 Aldermen Are Democrats

History was made last month — for the first time in the history of St. Louis every alderman is a Democrat.  Yes, we all know the City of St. Louis is a Democrat city — to get elected you need to be a Democrat — at least a DINO. But up until last month at least one member wasn’t a Democrat.

In 1949 Democrats took majority control of the Board of Aldermen but Republicans continued to have multiple members, dropping to one in 1977 but up again to two in 1979 when Fred Heitert was sworn in. The number was back to one after Jim Shrewsbury defeated the GOP incumbent in the 16th Ward.  Republican Fred Heitert was an alderman from April 17, 1979 t0 April 19, 2011 — when his successor Larry Arnowitz, a Democrat, was sworn in. But that same day in 2011 an Independent, Scott Ogilvie, was sworn in representing the 24th Ward. Last month Ogilvie was sworn in to a 2nd term — this time as a Democrat.

So last month, on April 21, 2015, became the first time in St. Louis’ history that every Alderman was a Democrat. UPDATE 5/19 7:45am: Current seniority list.

How long will this last? If this is broken will it be by a Republican, an Independent, or a Green?

— Steve Patterson