Omni Majestic Hotel Protects Pedestrian Route

In February I posted about a problem I had observed, see Bollards Needed to Protect Pedestrian Route Into Omni Majestic Hotel on Pine Street. I contacted the manager of the hotel about the problem, along with a link to my post. 

I’m happy to report the hotel has corrected the situation in a very simple manner: two planters.

Thank you to the Omni Majestic for taking action to protect the pedestrian route to your hotel.

— Steve Patterson

Missouri Needs A Better Jury System

Today is Law Day and part of Juror Appreciation Week.

I was called in last month for jury service and I was looking forward to it. For the first time I was to start on a Wednesday rather than a Monday. We were all dismissed for lunch at 11:30am and told to return by 1:15pm. At this point no numbers had been called for the first jury pool. Finally at 2pm the first group was called and my number was among those.

We get to the courtroom and the staff take care of details. The judge comes out and explains the importance of jurors but the case wasn’t ready to be heard that day after all, we were dismissed. I wanted to serve on a jury like I did last time. I wasn’t losing money by being there.

States like Illinois & California have systems available for each circuit to use where jurors can call in the day before to see if they are needed or not. Alternatively, prospective jurors can login online to see if they are needed. This lets people go about there lives. For my Wednesday service I would’ve checked on Tuesday. It likely would’ve told me I was needed since the judge thought he’d need a jury. But others might have been told to call in on Wednesday to see if they were needed on Thursday. A friend I saw on jury duty was losing money sitting there, he could’ve been working on Wednesday instead.  Missouri needs such a system so people don’t spend days just sitting there!

Here are the poll results from the poll last week:

Q: How do you feel about jury duty?

1. I go and want to serve 58 [50.43%]
2. I show up (if called) but don’t want to be called 29 [25.22%]
3. Other: 14 [12.17%]
4. If called, I try to get out of it. 5 4.35% 4.35%
5. Unsure/no opinion 4 [3.48%]
6. I don’t care 3 [2.61%]
7. I don’t vote, so I don’t get called. 2 [1.74%]

The 14 “other” answers from readers were:

1. would love to go but never get called
2. I have no problem serving. But saying “want to serve” is a bit of a stretch.
3. Love it! After voting, it’s the most important way we act as a democracy.
4. never been called
5. I’ve lived in the city for 4 years and still haven’t been called. I want to go!
6. Dont vote, get called anyway
7. I’ve never been called, but would go.
8. I have never been called for it.
9. Considering who I’ve seen picked, I hope I never face a jury trial in stl city
10. I go – depends on the case
11. Reform. Current system has too many uneducated people making critical decisions.
12. I do vote, but haven’t been called.
13. Never been called!
14. It’s my civic duty.

I like serving and I think others would too if we only have to show up when we are needed for a jury pool.

— Steve Patterson