Nineteen year ago I started this blog as a distraction from my father’s heart attack and slow recovery. It was late 2004 and social media & video streaming apps didn’t exist yet — or at least not widely available to the general public. Blogs were the newest means of …
The new NGA West campus , Jefferson & Cass, has been under construction for a few years now. Next NGA West is a large-scale construction project that will build a new facility for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency in St. Louis, Missouri.This $1.7B project is managed by the U.S. Army …
Book publisher Island Press always impresses me with thoughtful new books written by people working to solve current problems — the subjects are important ones for urbanists and policy makers to be familiar and actively discussing. These four books are presented in the order I received them. ‘Justice and …
This post is about two indirectly related topics: the new Siteman Cancer Center building under construction on the Washington University School of Medicine/BJC campus and an update on my stage 4 kidney cancer. Let’s deal with the latter first. You may have noticed I’ve not posted in three months, …
When I was trying to think of a question about 9/11 I did some digging online for examples and came across something interesting from Pew:
Opinions about terrorists’ capabilities to attack the U.S. have long been divided along partisan lines: During George W. Bush’s presidency, Democrats were often more likely than Republicans to say the ability to terrorists to launch a major strike was greater than at the time of 9/11, while the reverse has been true during Barack Obama’s administration. But this marks the first time in the past 14 years that a majority in either party has expressed this view.
The widening partisan gap in these attitudes is consistent with other recent measures of opinions on the government’s ability to deal with terrorism. In April, for instance, 75% of Democrats said the U.S. government was doing very or fairly well in reducing the threat of terrorism; just 29% of Republicans said the same.
Another reason to have more than two political parties.
During my 19-day vacation, planned just prior to 9/11, we visited DC (twice), rural Pennsylvania, and New York City. I took roughly 2,300 photos, including of the damage to the Pentagon and around Ground Zero in Manhattan. But I want to share a different image, something beautiful.
View from Kentuck Knob by Frank Lloyd Wright in rural Pennsylvania, about an hour from Flight 93 crash site. October 25, 2001.
We were closer to the Flight 93 crash site when we drove to Philly. Here are some links:
Last Friday, September 9th, the St. Louis Board of Aldermen returned from their summer break. Nine new board bills were introduced per the agenda, the BB’s primary sponsor is shown in parenthesis after the bill number.
An ordinance authorizing and directing the Mayor and Comptroller of the City of St. Louis to execute a Quit Claim Deed to Mr. Michael F. Daniels and Ms. Ursula L. Thatch for certain City-owned property located in City Block 5427, which property is known as 6001-7 Pershing Avenue, upon receipt of and in consideration of the sum of Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($15,000.00), and containing an emergency clause.
An ordinance to repeal Ordinance No. 69926 and enacting in lieu thereof an ordinance authorizing the sale of certain real property owned by the City of St. Louis and located in City Block 661E in the City of St. Louis and containing a severability clause. This ordinance authorizing and directing the Mayor and Comptroller of the City of St. Louis to execute, upon receipt of and in consideration of the sum of One Hundred Eighty Thousand One Hundred Thirty Nine Dollars ($180,139.00) and other good and valuable consideration, a Quit Claim Deed to remise, release and forever quit-claim unto GSC, LLC certain City-owned property located in City Block 661E.
An Ordinance establishing a stop site for all northbound and southbound traffic traveling on Sulphur Avenue at Potomac Street and all eastbound traffic traveling on Potomac Street (a one-way street) at Sulphur Avenue, causing it to be a three-way stop site at the intersection of Potomac Street and Sulphur Avenue, and containing an emergency clause.
An ordinance pertaining to the Airport Authority of The City of St. Louis (“City”) repealing Ordinance 56014, approved November 2, 1971, which pertained to renaming that certain public airport and fields owned by City and located in St. Louis County, Missouri to “Lambert-St. Louis International Airport”; amending Section 18.04.010 of the Revised Code, City of St. Louis, 1994, Anno., in order to change the name of the public airport and landing field to “St. Louis Lambert International Airport”; and containing a severability clause.
An Ordinance naming the real property at the south-southwest intersection of Gravois and Morganford Road, as described herein, Bosnian Sebilj Park in Bevo, and containing an emergency clause.
An Ordinance recommended by the Board of Estimate and Apportionment authorizing and directing The City of St. Louis, Missouri (as further defined herein, the “City”) to issue and sell its General Obligation Bonds, Series 2016A, in one or more series, in an aggregate principal amount of $25,000,000 (as further defined herein, the “Bonds”), for the purposes of paying the costs of the Project (herein defined) and the costs of issuance of the Bonds, all for the general welfare, safety, and benefit of the citizens of the City; authorizing the preparation, execution and distribution of the Preliminary Official Statement and the Official Statement (herein defined) and the preparation, execution and delivery of the Bond Purchase Agreement, the Continuing Disclosure Agreement and the Tax Compliance Certificate (all as herein defined), and other matters with respect thereto; authorizing the negotiation and purchase of bond insurance, if any, and the approval and execution of documents necessary to comply with the duties of the City under any agreement for bond insurance, if any; authorizing and directing the taking of other actions and approval and execution of other documents as necessary or desirable to carry out and comply with the intent hereof; superseding provisions of prior ordinances of the City to the extent inconsistent with the terms hereof; containing a severability clause; and containing an emergency clause.
AN ORDINANCE FINDING AND DECLARING THAT THERE EXISTS IN THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS, A CERTAIN BLIGHTED AREA AS DEFINED IN SECTION 353.020, REVISED STATUTES OF MISSOURI, 2000, AND SECTION 11.06.010 AND 11.06.020 OF THE REVISED CODE OF THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI; THAT THE REDEVELOPMENT OF SUCH AREA IS NECESSARY AND IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST UNDER CHAPTER 353 OF THE REVISED STATUTES OF MISSOURI, 2000, AND UNDER CHAPTER 11.06 OF THE REVISED CODE OF THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, AND IS IN THE INTEREST OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY, MORALS AND GENERAL WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS, SAID BLIGHTED AREA BEING MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED IN THE LEGAL DESCRIPTION ATTACHED HERETO AS EXHIBIT A (“Blighted Area”).
AN ORDINANCE RECOMMENDED BY THE PARKING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS AND AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE CITY, ACTING THROUGH THE TREASURER OF THE CITY IN HER CAPACITY AS SUPERVISOR OF PARKING METERS, TO ISSUE PARKING REVENUE BONDS, SERIES 2016 (TAX-EXEMPT), IN AN AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $16,000,000; SETTING FORTH CERTAIN TERMS AND CONDITIONS RELATIVE TO SUCH BONDS; APPOINTING A TRUSTEE, BOND REGISTRAR AND PAYING AGENT IN CONNECTION WITH THE BONDS; APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A SUPPLEMENTAL TRUST INDENTURE NO. 6, A CONTINUING DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT AND A TAX COMPLIANCE AGREEMENT; AUTHORIZING THE NEGOTIATED SALE OF THE BONDS AND THE EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF A BOND PURCHASE AGREEMENT; AUTHORIZING THE PREPARATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE PRELIMINARY OFFICIAL STATEMENT AND THE PREPARATION, EXECUTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE OFFICIAL STATEMENT RESPECTING THE BONDS AND THE TAKING OF FURTHER ACTIONS WITH RESPECT THERETO; THE TAKING OF OTHER ACTIONS, AND THE EXECUTION AND APPROVAL OF OTHER DOCUMENTS, AS ARE NECESSARY OR DESIRABLE TO CARRY OUT AND COMPLY WITH THE INTENT HEREOF AND TO COMPLY WITH THE DUTIES OF THE CITY UNDER ANY AGREEMENT FOR BOND INSURANCE; AUTHORIZING THE REIMBURSEMENT OF CERTAIN AMOUNTS PREVIOUSLY EXPENDED ON THE ISSUANCE OF THE SERIES 2016 BONDS AND THE REFUNDING OF THE REFUNDED BONDS AND CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE.
An Ordinance enabling the City of St. Louis, Missouri to join the Missouri Clean Energy District pursuant to the Property Assessment Clean Energy Act, Sections 67.280 to 67.2835, inclusive, RSMo, in order to provide an additional authorized entity through which owners of property within the City may obtain financings for energy efficiency improvements or renewable energy improvements to their property; stating the terms under which the City will conduct activities as a member of such District; prescribing the form and details thereof; authorizing certain actions by City officials; and containing a severability clause.
Friday’s meeting was brief, under 30 minutes long:
The weather was so beautiful Saturday September 3rd we decided to go out to lunch — in Washington, Missouri. Since my husband hadn’t tried Sugarfire Smoke House, we decided to go to the riverfront location. Granted, we could’ve gone to the one downtown just 11 blocks away from our loft, but we wanted to go for a drive in the country with the windows & sunroof open.
The fastest way was out via I-44, 55 min – 1 h 10 min (51.6 miles) per Google. A little slower was out I-64 to MO-94, 1 h 10 min – 1 h 20 min (55.5 miles) per Google. Because it was a nice day and we weren’t in a hurry we drove to Washington MO without using an interstate highway. Though it added an hour, we took MO-100 W/Historic U.S. 66 W — 1 h 30 min – 2 h 20 min (52.6 miles) per Google.
Just a short drive South on 18th from Locust and I turned right onto Missouri 100 — aka Chouteau. I stayed on 100, mostly Manchester, until in Washington, MO. At one point we were behind a #57 MetroBus dropping off workers to various retail jobs. Wow, mile after mile of super ugly suburban sprawl.
There was a brief break in the ugliness before we crossed over I-44, but we quickly got into Washington’s ugly suburban ring.
Auto-centric sprawl just like you’d find anywhere in the suburbia of large metro regions. Click image to view location in Google Maps
After turning off MO-100 onto MO-47 we began to enter the charming part of Washington and we made our way to Front Street along the Missouri River.
We could see the river gap, our table on their patio.
After lunch we took MO-47 North over the river to reach MO-94. We went through Dutzow, Augusta, and Defiance before reaching I-64 to return downtown. We saw great scenery/views before and after lunch, but it was the drive there that reminded me how truly awful most of America’s built environment is.
September 11, 2016Featured, Politics/Policy, Sunday PollComments Off on Sunday Poll: Ability of terrorists to launch major attack in the U.S. is less, greater, or same as on 9/11?
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All of us who were adults 15 years ago remember what we were doing as the events unfolded. I was driving to a client’s home in West St. Louis County when I head the start on my car radio. Upon arrival, the three of us watched the 2nd plane on their television.
Life for all of us changed as a result.
Here’s today’s non-scientific poll:
The poll will close at 8pm tonight, the choices are in random order.
Click image to view Judge Burlison’s August 2nd decision
A week ago results in one race in the August 2nd primary were tossed out:
Judge Rex Burlison set the new Democratic primary in the 78th House District for Sept. 16, the earliest date allowed by state law. The 78th covers a swath of eastern St. Louis, from just north of downtown to near the Anheuser-Busch brewery.
Though Burlison found no evidence that any of the 4,300 votes cast in the Aug. 2 primary between incumbent Penny Hubbard and challenger Bruce Franks were fraudulent, he ruled that the St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners violated state law when it allowed 142 people to cast absentee ballots in person at the elections board headquarters without using the required envelopes.
That more than wipes out Hubbard’s 90-vote margin of victory, which came solely on absentee ballots. (St. Louis Public Radio)
Franks got more votes on election day, but came up short due to absentee votes.
Franks lost to Hubbard in the August 2 Democratic primary by just 90 votes, but he maintained — and Judge Burlison agreed — that problems surrounding the election board’s acceptance of absentee ballots was enough to throw the election’s outcome into question.
“The Court is firmly convinced that these irregularities affected the outcome of the election,” the judge wrote. “These irregularities were more than ‘petty procedural infirmities, but abuses of the law that cannot be ignored.'”
Franks won 52.7 percent of ballots cast on election day, but just 21 percent of absentee ballots. That was enough to tip the election to Hubbard. (Riverfront Times). See the ruling here.
The numbers alone show two 5th Ward precincts had a far greater use of absentee ballots the the rest of the city. Overall 2.14% of registered voters did so via absentee ballot.
Here’s a breakdown of turnout via absentee:
0%: 9 precincts
<1%: 29 precincts
1%-1.99%: 97 precincts
2%-2.99%: 41 precincts
3%-3.99%: 27 precincts
4%-4.99%: 8 precincts
5%-5.99%: 5 precincts
6%-6.99%: 1 precinct, in 5th ward
7%-7.99%: 1 precinct
8%-8.99%: 2 precincts, 1 in 5th ward
9%-9.99%: 0 precincts
10%-10.99%: 0 precincts
11%-11.99%: 1 precinct
12%-12.99%: 0 precincts
13%-13.99%: 0 precincts
14%-14.99%: 1 precinct
More than 60% (135) of precincts had less than 2% vote absentee. Ninety-five percent (211) of precincts had less than 5% vote absentee. So, 211 out of 222 precincts each had less 5% turnout via absentee ballot. Another 9 (4%) had between 5-9% turnout via absentee. Two precincts, both in the 5th Ward & House Dist 78, had 11.15% & 14.78% turnout via absentee ballot!
What motivates so many people in a few 5th ward precincts, where the housing is run by Rodney Hubbard Sr, to go down to the Board of Elections rather than vote closer by on election day?
The 78th district is made up of 25 precincts in parts of the following wards: 2-9, 20, & 25.
On Monday, Gov. Jay Nixon, a Democrat, replaced Chairwoman Joan M. Burger and Board Secretary Andrew L. Schwartz, citing a prominent sentence in St. Louis Circuit Judge Rex Burlison’s 22-page Friday ruling. Burlison said that election irregularities in the contest between Bruce Franks Jr. and Penny Hubbard for the 78th District Missouri House seat were “solely the responsibility of the City of St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners,” not of voters.
“In other words, the board was not doing its job,” Nixon said.
Erwin “Erv” Switzer, a Democrat and partner of the law firm Greensfelder Attorneys at Law, is the new chairman. Al W. Johnson, a Republican and founder of New Covenant Legal Services, which provides legal services to low-income people in St. Louis, is the new secretary.
Whether Burger and Schwarz were actually “fired,” may come down to semantics. (Post-Dispatch).
If you live in the 78th House District please plan to vote for Bruce Franks Jr one week from today. Absentee balloting began yesterday, and yes — I hear they have envelopes required by state law!
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