The Sound of a Suitcase Being Dragged

While I was waiting at 16th & Olive for the #10 bus the other day, I heard someone dragging something in the street behind me. Eventually a man passes by me and then makes his way up onto the sidewalk. The suitcase had no wheels, the bottom was in shreds.

My assumption is he is homeless. I say it that way because he may not be, but if not, he is probably close. Most likely everything he owns is in that ragged suitcase.

This post has no point, the sound of that suitcase on the asphalt stuck with me.

– Steve Patterson

Readers: Find Another Way to Stop Meth

In the poll last week readers made it clear they don’t want to need a prescription to buy common cold & allergy medication:

Q: Should St. Louis County & City Require Prescriptions for Cold & Allergy Medicines to Stop the Production of Meth?

1. No, don’t punish innocents in an effort to stop the illegal activities of a few 52 [48.6%]
2. Yes, meth is a regional problem 26 [24.3%]
3. Only if the other four counties agree to fund homeless services in the city 12 [11.21%]
4. No, rural counties don’t care about our problems, why should we help them? 8 [7.48%]
5. Other answer… 7 [6.54%]
6. Unsure/no opinion 2 [1.87%]

So much for regional cooperation. Here are the seven other answers:

1. no, current laws are strict enough (and just shifting production to Mexico)
2. Put it behind the counter
3. These choices are ridicules. Yes, by prescription, to protect the innocent.
4. Why isn’t the electronic tracking system, in place now, doing the job?
5. Could write the law to expire in a few years?
6. What do homeless services have to do with cold
7. No. This will drive up the cost of the medicine by forcing everyone to see docs

The answer with the most votes was not originally one I provided.  The poll software allows me to convert a reader submitted answer into an official poll answer, which I did early on the first day of this poll.

– Steve Patterson

Gettin’ Downtown With Ozzie Monday April 25th

Monday (4/25/2011) from 5pm-9pm is your chance to meet former St. Louis Cardinal Ozzie Smith and raise money to assist an organization providing needed meals & services for the homeless and at-risk persons, proceeds benefit The Bridge.

Both Ozzie’s and The Bridge are neighbors of mine, I can even see the latter from my balcony.

– Steve Patterson

Economic Development & Job Creation Tops List For Aldermen

Last week readers selected. from a long list, the issues they’d like to see our 28 aldermen work on in 2011.

Q: What are three issues you’d like the St. Louis Board of Aldermen to address in 2011? (Pick 3)

1. Economic development/job creation 80 [18.31%]
2. Reducing the number of city elected offices, including aldermen 73 [16.7%]
3. Rejoinging/merging with St. Louis County 63 [14.42%]
4. The budget – reducing expenses and/or increasing revenue 46 [10.53%]
5. New form-based zoning 41 [9.38%]
6. Defeating the April ballot measure to repeal the earnings tax. 39 [8.92%]
7. Local control of the St. Louis Police 36 [8.24%]
8. Ballpark Village 18 [4.12%]
9. Homelessness 15 [3.43%]
10. Other answer… 11 [2.52%]
11. A comprehensive valet ordinance. 8 [1.83%]
12. Attracting a pro basketball team to the city 6 [1.37%]
13. Create boundaries of one ward so we might see an Asian or Hispanic elected in the future 1 [0.23%]

Not surprising that “Economic development/job creation” topped the list.  But what does that look like from a body that can pass ordinances? Tax abatement? TIFs?

The 11 other answers were:

1. Cannabis reform
2. Citywide demolition review
3. Making ward boundaries so that neighborhoods are not split among multiple wards
4. Cracking down on brick/copper thieves
5. taking a long hard look at City education, i.e. investigating admin. corruption
6. crime
7. Work to pass the earnings tax and wring the difference out of the budget
8. pension reform
9. Get real on balancing pension obligations and funding!
10. None. Violence is no way to organize a society.
11. establishment of checks and balances

Pensions are certainly a topic I should have included on my list.  Not sure how a legislative body can impact crime, other than toughen our ordinances. Similarly, I don’t see how the aldermen can improve education.  More economic development & jobs, however, would indirectly reduce crime and improve education.

Your thoughts?

– Steve Patterson

St. Louis Alderwoman Triplett Wants Chain Restaurant To Donate Unused Food, Poll

Last week St. Louis alderwoman Kacie Starr Triplett (D-6) sent a letter to the corporate headquarters of the Little Caesars pizza chain encouraging them to donate pizzas rather than toss them out if not purchased within 30 minutes.   Here is the full text of her letter:

August 9, 2010

Little Caesars World Headquarters
2211 Woodward Avenue
Detroit, MI 48201

To Whom It May Concern:
It is well known the Little Caesars Pizza brand has sponsored a variety of charitable endeavors, most specifically the Little Caesars Love Kitchen. The mobile kitchen has proved to be an innovative and successful tool to feed communities devastated by disaster. The program brought a hot meal to rescue workers at the World Trade Center site as well as Hurricane Katrina victims along the Gulf Coast and continues to contribute to various disaster relief efforts across the country.

While the Love Kitchen is a great way for Little Caesars’ corporate body to help feed the hungry and the homeless in this country, it seems every restaurant bearing the Little Caesars name can play a better role in fighting hunger in America. It has been brought to my attention Little Caesars employs a policy of discarding unclaimed pizzas 30 minutes after they are made rather than donating them to local charitable organizations. Given the Little Caesars public commitment to “give back to the communities in which it serves”, (see; http://www.littlecaesars.com/news/community.asp) this policy is both surprising and disappointing.

With only a few mobile units, the Love Kitchen is not able to reach more than a small portion of the country at any given time. If this policy was to be reversed and the excess pizzas donated to local homeless services organizations, each Little Caesars restaurant would help to make a greater impact in reducing food waste and hunger across America.
Operation Food Search, a food bank operating here in the Saint Louis area, receives donations from several local restaurants, caterers and food manufactures, including your competitor Pizza Hut (see; http://www.operationfoodsearch.org/). Given the thousands of hungry individuals in the city of Saint Louis alone, it is unfathomable Little Caesars has chosen to discard their excess pizzas rather than committing to donate them to a local food bank or homeless care provider.

If it is a question of liability, the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act protects all food donations made by Little Caesars Pizza (see; http://www.operationfoodsearch.org/donate-today/food/business-food-donations.php). Additionally, if someone from your office would like to know more about the donation process or would like an introduction to local food banks or homeless services providers in the Saint Louis area, I would be happy to make the introduction myself.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. Sincerely,

Kacie Starr Triplett

Alderwoman, City of Saint Louis, Missouri

Cc: Saint Louis Local Franchises of Little Caesars

The poll this week is your reaction? Should we pressure private businesses to donate rather than waste or should it be up to them to waste or donate?  The poll is in the upper right hand corner.

– Steve Patterson