Sunday Poll: Are Disasters Part of God’s Plan?

There have been quite a few recent disasters: multiple hurricanes and the earthquake in Mexico. Some reactions differed from the rest. For example, actor Kirk Cameron.

The former child actor posted a video on Facebook saying that Hurricane Harvey and Irma were all a part of God’s plan and sent by Him so we can repent.
“How should we look at two giant hurricanes coming back to back like this?” Cameron said in a Facebook video posted from the airport in Orlando Thursday. “Do we write them off as coincidence? Do we write it off as a statistical anomaly? Wow! Who would’ve thought? Is it just Mother Nature in a bad mood?” (Miami Herald)

You can watch Cameron’s video here. A well-known member of clergy, Joel Osteen had a more positive message for those dealing withHarvey:

During his televised sermon today, Osteen seemed to reference the storm that devastated huge swaths of Texas and Louisiana. And the way the preacher told it, hurricanes like Harvey are just God’s way of saying you can take a great and life-altering tragedy.

Bringing up a biblical story involving Jesus and his apostles sailing across a lake during a hurricane-like storm, Osteen said that Jesus didn’t wake up during the squall because he knew they could handle it. “If they were all going to die, he would have gotten up without them having to wake him up,” he exclaimed.

Osteen then went on to tell his congregation that sometimes they may call on God to “fix this right now” as they panic during a storm, but that God apparently has a plan.

“The reason it may seem like God is not waking up is not because he’s ignoring you, not because he’s uninterested, it’s because he knows you can handle it,” he stated.

Osteen added, “Take it as a compliment.” (Mediaite)

You can see Osteen’s sermon here.

Which brings us to today’s poll.

This poll will close at 8pm tonight, though any attempt to skew the results will prompt me to close it early.

— Steve Patterson

St. Louis Board of Aldermen: Board Bills #122-127

Last week the St. Louis Board of Aldermen had just one bill on their agenda, #122, but it wasn’t introduced. It’s back today with five more.

ON AGENDA* FOR INTRODUCTION TODAY 9/22/17:

*Note that just because a bill is on the agenda doesn’t mean it’ll be introduced, similarly, bills not on the agenda might be introduced if they suspend the rules to do so. This information is based on the published agenda as of yesterday @ 8am:

B.B.#124 – Bosley – An ordinance repealing Ordinance 6900 pertaining to the issuance of any package or drink liquor licenses for premises within the boundaries of the Third Ward Liquor Control District and in lieu thereof containing the following supplementary exemptions: renewal of an existing license and the establishment of an Entertainment District; and containing an emergency clause.

B.B.#125 – P. Boyd ?An ordinance repealing Ordinance 70573 and in lieu thereof enacting a new ordinance prohibiting the issuance of any package or drink liquor licenses for any currently non?licensed premises within the boundaries of the Twenty?Seventh Ward Liquor Control District; and containing an emergency clause.

B.B.#126 – Ingrassia – An ordinance adopted pursuant to the Intergovernmental Agreement Act, Sections 70.210 to 70.325, inclusive, of the Revised Statutes of Missouri, and authorizing the City to enter into an Intergovernmental Cooperation Agreement with the Metropolitan Sewer District for the purpose of sharing certain water data in the possession of the City with the Metropolitan Sewer District, for fair and substantial compensation received by the Metropolitan Sewer District, containing a severability clause and a governance clause.

The meeting begins at 10am, it can be watched online here. See list of all board bills for the 2017-2018 session.

— Steve Patterson

Opinion: Things Shouldn’t Go Back The Way They Were Before The Stockley Verdict

Since Friday’s not-guilty verdict in the murder trial of former police officer Jason Stockley our lives have been disrupted — roads blocked, events postponed or cancelled, and yes…minor property damage.  .Many of you just want things to “normal” Normal means block men are shot and killed by white police. Yes, some may have committed a crime, but that’s for a jury to determine.

And why are they committing crimes? Partly it’s because the cards are stacked against them at birth. Who you know matters a lot in this world, at times more than what you know. If you’re raised in a poor predominately minority neighborhood then you mostly know other poor minorities. Those of us who grew up white in middle-class white suburbs have a much wider sphere — one that’s easy to multiply.

Since the Civil War African-Americans haven’t had a level playing field. Not then and not today.  For-profit prisons have lobbied politicians to stiffen penalties to improve their profit margins.

We have the left example…somewhat. Theoretically we all have the same opportunity to participate. In the left example, the one with their view blocked by the fence doesn’t have a great experience as the other two. The example o the right, though not equal, gives all three the same view. That’s fair.

In the recent non-scientific Sunday Poll a majority didn’t think justice was done but many did and others are unsure.

Q:  Agree or disagree: Justice was served in the Stockley verdict.

• Strongly agree 9 [13.43%]
• Agree 12 [17.91%]
• Somewhat agree 3 [4.48%]
• Neither agree or disagree 0 [0%]
• Somewhat disagree 5 [7.46%]
• Disagree 8 [11.94%]
• Strongly disagree 24 [35.82%]
• Unsure/No Answer 6 [8.96%]

We have a lot of work to do. Going back to the way things were isn’t going to make this a better region. So stop bitching about protestors, help all of us have an opportunity to participate in society.

— Steve Patterson

STL Downtown Multimodal Study Engagement Week Begins Today

Today kicks off a week of events, from the Facebook Event page:

You’re invited to join the City of St. Louis as we talk about the future of our Downtown transportation system. Join any of these half-day workshops. We hope you are able to attend and take part in the discussion!

The week includes 8 half-day workshops scheduled around various topics. Please review the engagement week flyer pictured for more information about the schedule breakdown. Each workshop consists of different activities to gain feedback important to the study.

Walkabouts in Downtown will take place periodically throughout the engagement week. If you have an interest in participating in this portion, please contact Jacque at JLumsden@cbbtraffic.com.

For more information contact Jacqueline Ann (Jacque Lumsden) at JLumsden@cbbtraffic.com (CBB Transportation Engineers + Planners) or at (314) 449 – 9565.

City of St. Louis Project Manager: Dan Buschmeyer, Board of Public Service.

The schedule is as follows:

• Monday 9/18
  • Morning: bike
  • Afternoon: pedestrian
  • Evening: general session
• Tuesday 9/19
  • Morning: event traffic management/traffic
  • Afternoon:parking
• Wednesday 9/20
  • Morning: transit
  • Afternoon: technology
• Thursday 0/21
  • Morning: hot spot locations
  • Afternoon: policy issues (freight/travel demand/curbside issues)

All will take place in the 1st floor boardroom at 1520 Market. Foe more specifics see the Facebook Event page.

— Steve Patterson

Sunday Poll: Was Justice Served In The Stockley Verdict?

On Friday a judge finally issued his ruling on the murder trial of a former St. Louis police officer.

Stockley, then a St. Louis officer, fatally shot Smith, 24, after a police chase in December 2011 over a suspected drug deal. After he pleaded not guilty to a murder charge, he waived his right to a jury trial, meaning the ruling was left to the judge.
On Friday, a judge found him not guilty. (CNN)

Here’s a little more detail:

What happened: In December 2011, Stockley, a 31-year-old officer, shot and killed Smith following a suspected drug transaction and high-speed chase, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Stockley first shot at Smith’s car in a Church’s Chicken parking lot at Thekla Avenue and Riverview Boulevard after, police said, Smith reached for something in his car and drove toward the officers. Smith sped away and the chase began, ending in a crash about a mile away. Stockley then shot Smith five times after, Stockley contends, he again saw Smith reach for something. Police said they found heroin and a gun in Smith’s vehicle. Smith was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Why now: When Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce charged Stockley with first-degree murder, in May 2016, it had been more than five years since the shooting. In the interim, the Board of Police Commissioners settled a federal wrongful death lawsuit filed on behalf of Smith’s daughter for $900,000, according to the Post. Stockley resigned and moved to Houston. The case again captured public attention in April 2016, when activists gathered in front of City Hall and claimed that the police had covered up the truth in the shooting and demanded charges against Stockley. Activist Anthony Shahid told the Post that Smith’s mother, who was at the gathering, had thought Stockley was in jail. (St. Louis Magazine)

This case is the subject of today’s poll:

This poll closes at 8pm tonight.

— Steve Patterson