People

March 26, 2007

Byrne Wins Playwriting Festival

Washington University alum and former media/music editor and writer for the Riverfront Times Richard Byrne won the innagural Prague Post playwriting contest.

Byrne's one-act play Burn Your Bookes peeks at a world of intrigue and alchemy in the court of the Holy Roman Emporer, Rudolph II. A ruler perhaps infamously known (or unknown) for likely sparking the 30 Years War after the Prodestant Bohemian demanded that his brother Matthias (who snatched the throne) provide the liberties Rudolph promised them.

Byrne currently lives in Washington, D.C. where he is editor of The Chronicle of Higher Education and the American editor of the Belgrade publisher, Alexandria House.

March 22, 2007

Mennonites Leaving MO

Photo law conflicts with their reading of the Bible.

Citizenship Backlog Hurting Immigrants

This is from the Seattle Times, but I've heard similar stories here in St. Louis.

March 10, 2007

Rep. El-Amin biking to Jeff City

Representative T.D. El-Amin is taking the long way to work on March 16-18th. He and his brother Larry Bastain, Jr., are riding their bikes the 130 miles to Jeff City next week to raise awareness and funds for the National Kidney Foundation of Eastern Missouri and Metro East. (via the Columbia Tribune's Politics Blog.)

March 05, 2007

Thomas Eagleton dies.

Jo's article.

February 18, 2007

Talent on Bush's Iraq Increase

Former Missouri Senator Jim Talent spoke at an event convened by the conservative Heritage Foundation Friday. Talent's address focused on the President Bush's proposed troop increase for Iraq, expansion of the active-duty military and increased defense spending.

Click here to watch.

Talent signed on with the Heritage Foundation in January as a distinguished fellow focusing on defense issues.

February 13, 2007

Woods Memorial This Saturday

A service will be held in honor of former Lt. Gov. Harriett Woods Saturday morning at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 N. Grand Blvd. from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

The trailblazing Woods, 79, died last Thursday of leukemia. Woods is survived by three sons, a sister, nine grandchildren and countless women who credit Woods as an inspiration and mentor.

Among them is the first woman elected Senator from the state of Missouri, Claire McCaskill [Note: Thanks to Antonio for the correction. Sen. Jean Carnahan was the first woman Senator, but she was appointed to finish the late Mel Carnahan's term after his posthumous victory in 2000 before being defeated by Jim Talent in 2002]. McCaskill is rescheduling a Congressional trip to Iraq to accept an invitation by Woods' family to speak at Saturday's service.

“Harriet Woods was an amazing woman who taught me lessons that I use each and every day. I am honored and humbled to be able to talk about what her wisdom and leadership meant to Missourians,” said McCaskill in a press release.

February 01, 2007

Molly Ivins

Molly Ivins-columnist, satirist, political firebrand, unabashed liberal and all-around excellent writer with a personality large enough to match her home state of texas-died yesterday at the age of 62.

The Star-Telegram, one of her early homes, remembers her.

January 27, 2007

Around the Town

Newly-minted License Collector Michael McMillan and political consultant Dave Chilenski took in the scene at last night's opening of I Remember Heaven: Jim Hodges and Andy Warhol at the St. Louis Contemporary Art Museum.

The Contemporary Art Museum moved into its new Grand Center home in 2003 and is as much an attraction as the art contained within.

The museum lies in McMillan's home ward, the 19th, where, as the democratic alderman for the past decade, he oversaw nearly $1 billion in investment including construction of the Contemporary. McMillan took office as License Collector this month after defeating Republican Pat Herod for the office in November.

Chilenski is working with McMillan as well as keeping up with other projects including running 6th ward aldermanic candidate Kacie Starr Triplett's campaign.

January 08, 2007

Blunt in Boston

In a move likely to add fuel to the speculation about Blunt's plans for the future, the Governor is spending the day in Boston visiting Gov. Mitt Romney at the presidential-hopeful's day-long, milllion-dollar fundraiser.

Poised on the top floor of Boston's convention center, Romney's fundapalooza brought together friends and supporters from around the nation in an effort, "to form a bond with each other, and chat with the governor." Romney's team hopes to pull in $1 million from around the country, the first step in an ambitious drive to raise $50 million by June.

Some of the current speculation surrounding Gov. Blunt's future (driven mostly by his non-committal comments regarding re-election) has Blunt as a possible V.P. nominee in a Romney Presidential run.

Post-Dispatch columnist Bill McClellan lays out how Blunt could skip second-chair 2008 and go right for the center ring in 2012. Governors have had a great deal of success in rising to the land's highest office, but how does the speculation jive with Blunt's consistent–and unshakeable–low polling numbers.

McClellan is dead-on in that any potential future for the Governor will likely hinge on his handling of the Medicaid transition. President Bush made his mark in education reform, which he brought to the national level in the form of No Child Left Behind, which has received mixed-marks from educators (The NCLB's fifth anniversary was Sunday, January 8).

January 05, 2007

Former Post Editor Campbell Dies

Former editor-in-chief of the Post-Dispatch, Cole Campbell, died in an single-car accident in Reno, Nevada this morning. Campbell was editor of the St. Louis daily from 1996 to 2000. He was working as dean of the journalism school at the University of Nevada, Reno.

From the AP.

Tim Ogle joins Carnahan's Staff

He'll be doing community outreach for Congressman Russ Carnahan.

January 03, 2007

Happy Belated Birthday

Bill Siedhoff on January 2, 2007.

January 02, 2007

Smith's Next Decision

Will he support or block the appointment of Carol Wilson to the Board of Elections?

You may recall it wasn't long ago that Wilson was exhorting her fellow Republicans to take a Democratic ballot in the 4th SD primary in order to aid conservative Derio Gambaro.

December 28, 2006

Willis hires Fred Johnson to do Field

Signals that Willis is serious in the 26th.

Fred Johnson previously worked for the McCaskill campaign and Smith campaign, as well as for Lee Willis' opponent, Frank Williamson, four years ago.

December 12, 2006

Elizabeth Edwards Weighs In

Elizabeth Edwards responded to ArchPundit's early analysis of the 2008 Presidential field. Edwards addressed his characterization of her role in her husband, Sen. John Edwards', campaign.

Weighing into blogs' comments sections is not standard practice for political figures (barring their own sites, of course). Though it must be intensely tempting for many, the politician in them often steers them clear.

Continue reading "Elizabeth Edwards Weighs In"

December 08, 2006

Pics up

from Nixon fundraiser in the photo gallery.

Nixon Fundraiser

ACC dropped by the Jay Nixon fundraiser last night. We'll have photos in our gallery later today.

Here's a recap: The event, organized by Democratic stalwart Tom Green, was a packed ballroom - approximately 350-375 people in attendance.

Senator Eagleton introduced Nixon touting his credentials as Attorney General. Nixon didn't speak very long, but he thanked the crowd for their support and noted that current polls show him with a ten point lead over Blunt. He said he expected Blunt to run a negative, smear campaign, but he was ready for the fight.

The crowd was a good cross-section of Democrats: County Executive Charlie Dooley and his right-hand man, Mike Jones; State Senators Joan Bray and Jeff Smith, plus former State Senator Wayne Goode; House minority leader Jeff Harris; Black Caucus Chair John Bowman; State Reps Rachel Storch, Clint Zwiefel, and Margaret Donnelly; Judge Marvin Teer; City Committeemen Chuck Miller and Joe Palm; Grand Center's Peg Weathers; College Dem Stephany Copeland; Developer Steven Stogel; and Joyce Aboussie.

Check back later today for photos.

December 06, 2006

New Candidates

In the 12th, there's now a Democratic candidate, James Pree.

And we hear that Lee Willis, the expected challenger to Frank Williamson in the 26th, will be filing this week, perhaps as early as tomorrow.

Hires

Bob Rice will be managing Lewis Reed's campaign (hat-tip to Mr. French).
Michelle Clay, sister to the congressman, is on-board as well, doing fundraising.

Over in the 26th ward, Dave Zucker is running Lee Willis' campaign. Zucker previously worked on Jeff Smith's state senate campaign.

UPDATE: Gregg Christian is managing Patrick Cacchione's 6th ward race. (Cacchione was quoted in a USAToday story about power outage.)

November 29, 2006

Post election role for Tod Martin

Tod Martin has been appointed McCaskill's Deputy Chief of Staff.

November 22, 2006

Rothschild helping Saller

Sandy Rothschild has been enlisted in Christian Saller's campaign for 6th ward alderman.

November 19, 2006

Now That's Constituent Service

From Joe Frank's blog.

The highlight of my day was when alderman Craig Schmid played the trumpet and Democratic committeewoman Lorraine Ura along with some others sang Happy Birthday to me! Now THAT was fun! They kept their distance from the voters; although it happens that was their polling place anyway so both of them got in line at various times.

It was hilarious, because my wife Kelly saw Craig over at our regular polling place (Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer) and mentioned it was my birthday ... then only a half-hour later he showed up with trumpet in hand!

November 15, 2006

Saller in

Last night at the Lafayette Square Neighborhood meeting, Christian Saller announced he would join the field and run for 6th ward alderman.

Saller, 43, has been active in the Tower Grove East neighborhood association as well as various historic preservation causes. He works at SLDC.

November 10, 2006

Congratulations

To Will and Laura Winter on the birth of a baby boy, Monday night. (And passage of Amendment 2, Tuesday night.)

November 08, 2006

More Election Night Photos

Up in the gallery.
These are by Brian Werner; and these are by Gena Miller and Lucas Hudson.

November 01, 2006

November Birthdays

2 - Barbara Potts, Neighborhood Stabilization Officer
3 - Darlene Green, Comptroller
4 - Kevin Copeland, Republican Committeeman
4 - Thomas Crone, 52nd City
6 - Ed Rhode, Mayoral Spokesperson
7 - Joe Frank, Urbanist blogger
7 - Christian Saller, possible 6th ward alderman candidate
8 - Ken Teasdale, Armstrong Teasdale
8 - Ed Bushmeyer, City Assessor
9 - Bob Cassilly, Artist
9 - Jack Garvey, Judge
9 - Amy Hilgeman, former school board member
13 - James Sondermann, Mayoral Aide
15 - John Burse, Mackey Mitchell
15 - Tricia Roland, Civic volunteer
16 - Meridith McKinley, Via Partnership
16 - John Bachman, Edward Jones
25 - Stephanie Noecker, SMHC board member
30 - Lara Granich, Jobs with Justice

UPDATE: 16 - Travis Reems, blogger.

October 23, 2006

Happy Birthdays

ACC Editor Lucas Hudson is 32 today!
Tomorrow, Dem City Chair Brian Wahby turns 41.

October 17, 2006

Happy Birthdays

Jamilah Nasheed is 34 today.

Senator Talent turns 50 tomorrow.

October 12, 2006

Pictures from last night's gathering

at the Royale in the gallery. Including incredible cake from Reine Bayoc.

Triplett lands Chilenski

Dave Chilenski will be helping Kacie Triplett in her 6th ward aldermanic campaign.

October 10, 2006

Triplett in

Hat-tip to Antonio who got it first.

In the past week, I'd heard from two 6th ward watchers who related efforts to "talk her down," ask her to "wait her turn." But if there were plans for a hand-off, it failed.

We did speak with Kacie who confirmed that she has resigned from her position with Congressman Carnahan and is fully committed to her bid to become Alderperson of the 6th ward.

Other names being mentioned as interested in the job: Patrick Cacchione, Christian Saller and James Bell.

October 04, 2006

Report from the 28th

Last night's fundraiser for 28th Ward Alderman Lyda Krewson was a capacity crowd at Joe Edwards' Pin Up Bowl in the Delmar Loop, raising an estimated $30,000 for her spring 2007 re-election campaign.

The event marked an early burial for potential challengers. In her brief remarks, Krewson highlighted the projects and improvements in the 28th Ward over the past few years, and to big cheers, reported that the owners of the Chase Park Plaza had announced more than $140 million additional investment into the Park Plaza scheduled to begin in the next few months.

Greeting guests at the door was Mayor Francis Slay, assisted by Krewson's kids, Taylor and Jack, and UMSL political science professor Lana Stein.

The crowd included a veritable who's who of the 28th Ward's Skinker DeBaliviere and CWE neighborhoods including stalwarts Marge and Brad Weir, Pete Littlefield (whose wife once ran against Krewson) with Daughter Susan; Lu Green, Art Perry, Marv Nodiff, Nancy Rice, Dr. Fred Couts; Committeewoman Betul Ozmat with husband Billy Handmaker; Chief Joe Mokwa;Tom & Karleen Hoerr, Bob Dolgin, former First Lady Lois Schoemehl and Mayor Vince, former Mayor Jim Conway, Regional Arts ED Jill McGuire with former Alderman Dan; Gregory Smith; Richard and Jill Claybour; Vince Bennett; Tricia & Lou Hamilton; Patrick McCarthy, Committeeman Joe Kaveny, Harvey Citerman, AL and Shirley Polk; Eugene Wallace; former committee people George and Rose Storey and scores of other neighborhood activists.

Among the other movers and shakers were Tom Reeves, whose Pulaski Bank recently acquired Central West End Bank; Developers Pete Rothschild and Mark Jaffe; Aldermen Lewis Reed, Steve Gregali, Jennifer Florida and Steve Conway; Brandon Jones, aide to Pres. Jim Shrewsbury; Patrick Deaton, lawyer-husband of Shrewsbury aide Pam Ross; Attorney Mark Levison, Muny Chief Denny Regan; Impresario David Zeiser; Bob and Recorder of Deeds Sharon Carpenter; Collector of Revenue-in-Waiting Gregg Daly; Russ Carnahan aide, and 6th Ward Alderman hopeful Kacie Triplett with her dad "BIG JOHN" Triplett, political director for the Pipe fitters Union Local 562; Building and Construction Trades Council President Jerry Feldhaus; Taxi Commission Director Mike Tully and his wife Nancy; and of course blogger and valet vigilante Steve Patterson.

September 28, 2006

Taste of the 6th Ward

Yesterday evening at the home of Pam and Patrick Cacchione.

August 27, 2006

Saturday Socials

Metropolis founder Chad Cooper was in town over the weekend, and had drinks with some old Metropolites at the home of barge boss, Butler Miller. Among the attendees: Jennifer Olmstead and Brady Baybeck, Lynn Josse, Cheryl and Eric Armbrecht.

Then Stephen Gregali and Lou Hamilton jointly celebrated their 50th birthday.
Overheard: LRA's Laura Costello argued with ACC over who owed who a phone-call; The Eleven's William Roth insisted he was not a political player ("I'm Lou's neighbor"); McCaskill's main brain, Richard Martin, explained how Claire will win despite Talent's money advantage; Kathy and Tom Reeves talked about thrills and ills of sending a child off to college; County Exec Charles Dooley pretended to be unable to remember his Republican opponent's name;

Others among the many at the Cat's Meow patio: Barb Geisman and Richard Callow; Ed Martin; Alderpersons Lyda Krewson(with husband Mike Owens), Jennifer Florida, Dorothy Kirner, Steve Conway, Donna Baringer and Mike McMillan; 15th ward Boss Jan Clinite; Recorder Sharon Carpenter; Vigilant majors Nancy Rice and Fred Steffens; Lesser Vigilantes Lori Becker, Bob Rice and Gregg Christian; Fleishman's Allison Bruns; Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce; RCGA's Tom Irwin; Collector FX Daly; Sheriff Jim Murphy; New City's Tom Hoerr; City Dem Chair Brian Wahby; developer Pete Rothschild; State Rep. Barbara Fraser.

August 25, 2006

Martin Send-off

The room was packed for Martin's farewell.

Well-wishers included:
Soon-to-be State Rep. Talib El-Amin joking good-naturedly with ACC about how much Team El-Amin paid poll-workers on Election Day.
Police Board president Chris Goodson who reported that the FBI is on the case in the rash of arsons that have hit the near southside lately.
Sheriff Murphy, Treasurer Williams, Collector Daly, CA Joyce and Clerk Favazza (sporting a Gore 2001 look) represented the County Offices.
Scott Leiendecker taking a victory lap for the smooth primary and fast results.
Also on hand was mayoral liaison Robbyn Wahby. And Lutheran Family Service's Megan Payne and husband Mike, who's working on the Voter ID lawsuit for the BOE.
Out-going Senator Pat Dougherty staked out valuable real estate at the bar, but gave it up early as he headed to neighborhood meetings. ("I don't leave office until January.")
And Lieut. Gov. Peter Kinder. Rumors earlier in the day had him talking up a gubernatorial run. But those seem to be an outgrowth of Matt Blunt's recent remarks. Kinder told ACC that he couldn't rule out an 08 run, but that he definitely wouldn't primary Blunt.

July 27, 2006

McMillian's 35th Birthday Party

Past, Present and Future Mayors cut City Hall cake.

May 23, 2006

Bill Waterhouse is Blogging

Over at the 24th ward Regulars website.

May 09, 2006

James Beard Award

Congrat's to Kristen Hinman of the Riverfront Times.

Hinman was awarded the James Beard Journalism Award in the Newspaper Feature Writing Without Recipes category at Sunday's awards dinner. Hinman was nominated for her article, "Something Fishy" in the March 16, 2005 issue.

James Beard is considered the father of American gastronomy. The foundation named in his honor holds regular dinners featuring world-class chefs and burgeoning American talent that leave foodies in tears. If they can get a seat at the table, that is.

May 02, 2006

New duties for French

Antonio French, of Public Defender, has taken over as the editor of St. Louis Schools Watch. Newly-elected School Board member Peter Downs had run the watchdog newsletter for several years. French and Downs had been working together on the newsletter's blog.

April 24, 2006

Congrats to Godwin

Laurna Godwin was elected Board Chair of the Girl Scout Council of Greater St. Louis, the largest Girl Scout Council in the US serving 63,000 girls.

April 18, 2006

Happy birthdays

Lori Becker, veteran of innumerable campaigns.
& FX Daly, to whom we'll all soon be writing checks.

March 27, 2006

Filing Update

From SOS:

In 59th, Mark Rice has filed against Oxford.

In the 92nd, Portwood got a primary opponent, Rob Pennell, and a Democrat, William Pinkston.

And in the 96th, Pat Yeager got an opponent, Ronald Levy running as a Republican.

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