Friday Stew
Ben Abell to retire.
Today Mayor Francis Slay will be making an appearance at Meskerem Ethiopian Restaurant for the ribbon cutting around 5:30 p.m. It's a new Ethiopian restaurant that's joining the South Grand International District.
The first Meskerem Ethiopian Restaurant was established in 1994 in the Times Square district of New York City as a family business. Soon afterwards they opened a second restaurant in the West Village, New York City. Having a success in these two locations, Meskerem expanded and opened an additional restaurant in Charlotte, NC. Meskerem is the first Ethiopian restaurant on South Grand.
Slight change to SLACO Conference tomorrow - Lunch speaker will be Michelle Sherod, Regional Director for Senator Claire McCaskill. Senator McCaskill will be speaking at the memorial Mass for Senator Thomas Eagleton. And Lewis Reed, president-elect of the Board of Alderman has also been invited to speak at lunch. UPDATE: Reed confirmed.
City Garden Montessori School has been operating as a preschool for 13 years and is currently expanding to create a Montessori elementary school that will serve the "near south side" of St. Louis City. It will have a focus on peace, social justice, ecology and mutual respect.
It is seeking K-2nd graders for a "foundational class" for the 2007-2008 school year. We are also seeking the support of community members as we proceed with this endeavor.
City Garden is holding an open house this Sunday, March 11th between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. for prospective families and for people who are interested in hearing more about our plans. It will take place at Gibson Heights Presbyterian Church, where City Garden's kindergarten annex is located.
STOP MoDOT FROM CLOSING HIGHWAY 40 - State Rep. Scott Muschany will be holding a Town Hall meeting to discuss ideas, options and concerns about the closing of Highway 40. Saturday March 17, 10am, at the Brentwood High School Auditorium, 2221 High School Drive.
The overall apathy towards the Highway 40 shutdown is pretty amazing. Maybe it's a direct reflection of the oodles of independent municipalities? Since there is no unified regional voice, MoDOT is running rough shod over us? (no pun intended).
Imagine four years of hell, with our region's main artery completely closed. And when they're done, they're not even adding lanes in the city?
Will the increased capacity make up for the four years of regional chaos? Imagine wrecks on Highway 44 and Highway 70 once 40 is closed.
Highway 40 through Frontenac, Ladue, and Town and Country is a tree-lined, scenic highway, with occasional art deco bridges. It adds to the aesthetic beauty of our region. What will it look like when its done?
Is this four years of pain really worth the gain?
Posted by wonder on Fri., Mar 9, 2007 at 8:52 AMThe expansion is unnecessary. I drove down Highway Farty eastbound yesterday at 8 am and got from Hanley to downtown in 15 minutes.
Its just a boondoggle for the construction industry.
Posted by gas & sip on Fri., Mar 9, 2007 at 9:30 AMMuschany is so behind the curve. He can't stop anything, especially now. Storch was holding meetings a year ago.
Posted by fluff & fold on Fri., Mar 9, 2007 at 9:45 AMCan it be stopped?
Posted by TF on Fri., Mar 9, 2007 at 11:11 AMIt's three years of pain, not four, since all lanes will be open by 2010, west of 170 even opening a year earlier. And only two of those three years will see complete shutdown, one section per year at a time, west of 170 in 2008 and east of 170 in 2009.
Ultimately, the complete shutdown of sections for only one year each is much faster than six years of partial closures. Besides, shut down only one through-lane of 40 at rush hour, and you might as well close all lanes.
Even during section closures, we'll still have other options for travel. 44 and 70 will be restriped for added lanes. Added traffic lights on Clayton and Ladue Roads will handle more traffic. And those living north, south or east of Clayton can take new MetroLink service to that impacted destination. All in all, we'll survive.
Posted by Brian on Fri., Mar 9, 2007 at 11:28 AMOk but how to I go from Lindbergh and Ladue to Broadway then home? I have 2 years of closures. Follow the moneey and see if the MODOT chairman or someone else is getting rich off this.
Posted by TF on Fri., Mar 9, 2007 at 1:13 PMBrian, are you willing to take bets on how long the closures will be? After the Forest Park Parkway closing that was not completed on time, I don't trust anyone on that front.
Like most government contracts, come in with the low bid and make the money on cost over-runs. We are being sold a bill of goods, a three year closure, with no penalties, to my knowledge, for non-completion within the time frame.
If there are penalties, I would love to know what they are.
Posted by Butler Miller on Fri., Mar 9, 2007 at 2:05 PMDave, dare I hope that the Meskerem family of restaurants you mention includes the restaurant of the same name in DC's famed Adams-Morgan district? DC's Meskerem has long been my favorite Ethiopian restaurant in the nation, going back to my capitol hill internship days.
It is almost too much, to think that an outpost of this near-canonical food temple would be opening in our fair burgh. I refuse to let myself believe. It's too good to be true. Particularly since the DC incarnation has existed since well before 1994.
And yet... well, as Emily Dickenson said, "Hope is the thing with feathers."
But, go ahead. Crush me. I can take it.
Posted by Jake Zimmerman on Sat., Mar 10, 2007 at 12:15 AM
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