52nd City: Miscellaneous & Eclectic

Time Out Chicago, Giving STL Props

Wow. So we see that Chicago is STILL sore about losing the 1904 Olympics to us, yet is still willing to give us some nice ink? It's so. See it for yourself on Time Out Chicago's website.

We're STILL 52

Today, a headline in the St. Louis Post Dispatch claims, "We're 52".

Um, here at 52nd City, we've known this for a while.

From the article, "The latest estimates for municipalities released today by the U.S. Census Bureau show that St. Louis is sandwiched between Wichita, Kan., and Santa Ana, Calif., holding a rank of 52."

I'd rather be sandwiched between Austin, TX and Madison, WI...but that's just me.

Interesting: U. News in the News

The long-simmering battle over the University News at SLU has been given an interesting treatment in the Post-Dispatch. It's here.

Some recommendations for today

Baby, you don't have to be a picture in a magazine: Comedienne Amy Sedaris, best known for her role as 46-year-old former "user, boozer and loser" Jerri Blank on Comedy Central's Strangers With Candy, graces the cover of Bust magazine's June/July issue. The issue, which marks Bust's 15th year of publication, also features an interview with Juno screenwriter Diablo Cody, a peek into the studios of sewn art seamstresses, a brief history of women in magic and summer fashion tips.

Viva Zapata!: In the early '90s, Seattle punk band The Gits was starting to attract mainstream attention when its singer Mia Zapata was raped and murdered on her way home from a friend's house. The band dissolved, and Zapata's murder remained unsolved until 2004. Director Kerri O' Kane's 2008 documentary, aptly titled The Gits, follows the band's formation, rise to stardom and tragic ending, even capturing the conviction of Jesus Mezquia, Zapata's killer. For more information on The Gits, a documentary worth watching, visit www.thegitsmovie.com or www.myspace.com/thegitsmovie. To read a review of The Gits documentary, visit http://www.seattleweekly.com/2008-06-25/news/getting-the-gits.php/full.

Revisiting Green Gables: I'm re-reading the books I loved growing up, particularly the 'Alice' series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, the 'Weetzie Bat' series by Francesca Lia Block, the 'Ramona Quimby' series by Beverly Cleary, Anne of Green Gable by L.M. Montgomery, Nothing's Fair in Fifth Grade by Barthe DeClements and Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh. I'm, like, 11 years old, but at least, I haven't started writing Babysitters' Club fan fiction or dreaming up alternate endings to Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret.

"Stick a fork in it": For unique barbecue recipes (Ever think to grill a peach? How about a banana leaf burrito?), visit the best food blog on the Internet, Girl on Grill Action.

"Ghetto Palms"

I love actually learning things when online.

Ghetto palms. Classic.

James Weber: Stylin'

Why had no one sent me this?

Oh no, a UFO!

This picture was taken from the window of an Amtrak train, the least reliable mode of mass transit ever ridden. Note the giant, black UFO flying through the Arch! Unlike Amtrak, spacecrafts are probably always punctual.

Jammin' on the one

Forget Baton Bob, Beetle Bob and Ponytail Bob. My favorite St. Louis micro-celebrity is Raynard Nebbitt, the guy who rides a ten-speed bicycle with a model of the Rock Hill overpass mounted on its handlebars. I'm sure you've seen him pedaling furiously down Arsenal or Lansdowne. My friends and I used to compare sightings, wondering if Raynard had a miniature replica of the whole town of St. Louis. At lunch with my friend Breanna, I asked her if she'd ever had a Raynard sighting. Being the kind of girl who knows about everything, Breanna had not only seen Raynard, she informed me there is a grassroots campaign to rename the Rock Hill overpass after him. We then shared the regret that everytime we see Raynard we're either in our cars or on foot. "He's an original. I wish more people could be like that," Breanna observed wistfully.

Ghost Riders

Ghost Bike installations, bikes painted white and installed at the locations of bicycle accidents, was the topic of an article in Sunday’s New York Magazine. These installations were started in St. Louis by cycling advocate Patrick Van Der Tuin, a board member of Bike Works. Bike Works received a Kick Ass Award in 2006. There are some really stunning photographs that accompany the article. Check out the slideshow too. Great to see these projects getting mentioned.

My landlord says I jam too loud

When I tell people I just moved to Maplewood, their response is always the same: "Maplewood's an up and coming area." I'm not sure what they mean by "up and coming." All I know is that, since trading my South City apartment for what Craig's List described as a "darling domicile," I live closer to Mr. Wizard's than Ted Drewes and can get a citation for neglecting to mow my lawn. Bummer.
Still, these are sacrifices I'm willing to make to enjoy the luxury of living in a house, where I can play music as loud as I want without incurring the wrath of, well, anyone. In fact, I actually like my new residence. The only real downside to ditching my apartment was painting over the giant glow-in-the-dark Crimson Ghost that adorned one of the dining room walls. Last fall, fueled by Steak 'n' Shake milkshakes and an ESG album, my friend Michelle and I spent an entire evening painting the ghost, our home and garden-style tribute to the Misfits. What took us hours to complete took my boyfriend a whopping 15 minutes to paint over. Though it was painful to see the ghost disappear under multiple coats of KILZ primer, the paint job was for the best. My landlord, a man who may well have inspired the saying "If it's too loud, you're too old," would have killed me had he ever laid eyes on the ghost. Miss you, glow-in-the-dark ghoul! You were a good roommate.

Wente Out @ KWMU

So says... KWMU.

Missed Connection

6/4/08
My friend Michelle and I were trolling through Tower Grove Park, scarfing sun-softened Whatchamacallits when you and a car full of your friends sped by. You were at the wheel, dressed in full clown regalia -- a neon orange wig, polka dot suit with ruffle around the neck and painted-on smile. I couldn't see them, but I bet your feet were encased in some oversized rubber tuxedo shoes. Your friends were similarly attired. As you passed us, you leaned out of the window and yipped. You startled Michelle, but I screeched after you, "I'm not impressed, carnival cretin!" I really wasn't.
I wanted to stop you and trade clown stories, tell you about the time my boyfriend and I swallowed tabs of ecstasy, dressed up as the Insane Clown Posse (If memory serves, he was Violent J, and I was Shaggy 2 Dope.) and hit every grocery store in the metropolitan area in search of Faygo, America's favorite off-brand soda. Sure, we later realized that the only stores that carry Faygo are the ones we failed to visit: Family Dollar and the Dollar Tree, but I'm willing to bet our corpse paint-smeared faces and drug-induced thirst for cheap soda were received with more alacrity than any of the balloon animals you've proffered. Jus' sayin'.

Poetry Scores Experiential Auction: Postponed

For those of you (bless you) who purchased a copy of our newest issue, SEXY, you may have noted that in the back - yes, with the ads - there was a notice for something called the "Experiential Auction," a fundraiser for Poetry Scores (who I also work with, FYI). Due to all kinds of factors, we're now bumping that event from June 1 to September, hard date TBA soon - always good to spend a breezy Sunday on the patio at Atomic Cowboy, but you won't have a chance to bid on experiences until the fall. So if you have June 1 in your Month-at-glance naugahyde calendar, scratch that out for Sunday. We'll keep you posted on the date in September. Namaste!

Also want to take this chance to note: it's only been a week or so with DSL after moving (and houseguests mixed up in there somewhere) so more poetry posts coming soon from yours truly.

Wente/KWMU in Current

At least one writer here at the ol' 52nd City office is fascinated by the continuing discussions about the role of station topper Patty Wente of KWMU. A national publication covering public TV and radio stations - did you know such an animal existed? - has weighed in on the subject. And we have a link to that "Current" piece right here.

Blogger Roundtable on Topic A Tonight

From 7:30 - 8:00 p.m., Topic A is dedicated to a local blogger roundtable. This is notable not only for the content, but for the fact that we found enough people to take time out from the BBQ rounds to take part. In the mix is yours truly, special guest co-host Maddie Earnest of the Local Harvest Dish, Bill Streeter of the Lofisessions and Lofistl and Michael R. Allen of the Ecology of Absence. Tune in, or find yourself a podcast in coming days.

Passings

Steve Smith and I put heads together at the Royale last night and decided to drop into the Black Thorn, to toast the recently-departed Miko Fleming. Upon entering, though, we were struck by the fact that there weren't any regulars on-hand, per se. A softball team in one corner. A couple of random drinkers in another. A modest house, all-in-all.

Behind the bar: an employee working her first shift. And: Dave Difani, the landmark's longtime owner. We ordered a round, clinked glasses, then found ourselves unsure of what to say, or do. We heard a few details, random scraps of info gleaned from conversations and phone-calls. Nothing to pass along, really, nothing that would add good thoughts to the memory of a good guy.

Miko and I ran in some of the same circles, though we weren't friends-friends, if you know what I mean. We both worked the door at the old Frederick's and laughed when we had to card one another, per management's orders. A few weeks ago, I waived that formality when he walked into the Royale, smiling. He sold me many shirts and ties during his Vintage Hab days and I recall talking about softball with him for a period; I guess we played against one another in Tower Grove Park, and it was a reference point for a bit. If there wasn't any new thing to say, we always could chat about bands or the people in those bands.

For whatever reason, I didn't go to the Thorn much over the last year, though I was in on Tuesday night. Saw Miko. Ordered a round. Exchanged a warm greeting. Ordered another round. Paid the tab and put the receipt in my wallet. Didn't think that the moment was anything but a random moment.

My sympathies go out to those who knew him so-much-better.

And my hopes are that this every-other-year-or-so storyline doesn't visit us again anytime soon.

(Link to STLtoday.com update. Link to Riverfront Times update.)

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It might not compare with the passing of a man, but there's been word that the Alternative Music Pub, almost universally-known as AMP, has departed our Grove rounds. After the experience at Black Thorn, we decided to head over for a peek, maybe ask the bartenders what was in the club's future. Too late? Drove up, ten-ish on a Wednesday. No lights were on. No chairs were on the floor. No people to ask anything.

If true, this'd be a bit of a shot to the Grove, as AMP predated the rush of businesses to the area, a solitary magnet at the corner of Manchester and Boyle, drawing on the coolest set of people you could imagine. Though owned by a gay male couple, the bar drew every kind of person and that was a credit to the owners' personalities, to their musical tastes and to the dark, dark interior which always seemed to exude a certain ever-so-slightly-dangerous cool.

If I were to put together a personal list of the 10 best clubs I've known in St. Louis, the old AMP would make the list. I can't recall a time there when I didn't enjoy the stay. And though the new AMP never grabbed me in quite the same way, the staff was still excellent and the clientele was the best mix of St. Louis: young, old, black, white, hip, square. A club like AMP brings diverse people together. Hopefully, it'll do so again.

Maybe this departure's just a fleeting hiatus, not a permanent one. I do hope so.

Brewer; Wrestlers

If you just walk around and talk to enough people, blog entries write themselves. In what we'll call "people news"...

* Lori White, St. Louis reigning Queen of Omnipresence, will be given a run for the title of Most There St. Louisan with the re-arrival of Ray Brewer, who's back in the STL, after some time in Indiana. The improv comic, commercial actor and world-class roustabout was spied at both Soulard Market and the garden patio of Hammerstone's this morning; in the former case, clinging to a bag of alligator-on-a-stick. Of course. Hail, Ray.

* Little birdy tells us that... Broadway is now the block for professional underground wrestling. And we're not talking about the long-running, monthly show at the SBAC. Nope, we're talking some type of wildcat, women's only bouts at the Iron Horse (way down on South Broadway) on Tuesday nights; and at the On Broadway Bistro (way up on North Broadway) on Thursdays. Don't know the promoters, the staging, the plotlines - don't know nothin'! - but we aim to find out for you, the reader. That is our commitment to you!

An Unreasonable Woman

Author, Activist and Shrimp Boat Captain, Diane Wilson, to Speak at Webster University

What/Who:
A shrimp boat captain by trade, Diane Wilson turned to activism to fight devastating pollution from plastics and chemical manufacturers that she witnessed firsthand on the Texas Gulf Coast. Wilson's talk is based on her 2005 book, "An Unreasonable Woman: A True Story of Shrimpers, Politicos, Polluters and the Fight for Seadrift, Texas."

When:
Friday, April 25,2008, 6 p.m.

Where:
Sverdrup Business and Technology Complex, Webster University
Room 101
8300 Big Bend

Cost:
Free and open to the public- Seating available first come/first serve basis

More Info:
Paul Moriarty
paulmoriarty88@webster.edu

Sponsors:
College of Arts & Sciences, the Human Rights Education Project and the Environmental Studies Program

--
Maybe I am stereotyping shrimp boat captains. I think of Bubba, Lt. Dan or Forrest Gump when I think Boats + Shrimp.

I'm going because after googling her name and reading a few interviews, she sounds like an interesting person. I'd like to say that I think every speaker that Webster hosts is interesting, however...

I'll expand the little knowledge of environmental activists I know and maybe pick up her book if she has it with her. This interview from 2006 is the one that confirmed my seat at the talk. http://www.truthout.org/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/58/18695

Bernie Hayes Understands: April 4, 1968

Reprinted with the permission of author:

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April 4, 1968 - A Peaceful Night in St. Louis!
By Bernie Hayes

April 4, 2008, marked the fortieth anniversary of the assignation of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. There were thousands of ceremonies around the nation memorializing the event. On 4 April 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. was gunned down in Memphis, Tennessee. He was undoubtedly the most famous and influential leader of the Peace and Civil Rights Movement in the United States.

In the wake of the assassination of Dr. King, riots raged in 85 cities and continued into the next week, ending with more than 40 people killed, mostly African Americans, as well as 2,500 injured and 21,000 arrested.

While elsewhere in the nation, the violent reaction to King's killing was spreading, St. Louis was relatively peaceful and calm during the four nights of sporadic arson, looting and vandalism in the largely African-American communities. Why? When the defender and supporter of peace had fallen, where were the militants and other who were torn apart by bitterness and a desire for revenge?

St. Louis today is considered by many a racially polarized and sometimes violent city, by way of its many protests and demonstrations, but why was it so quiet when Dr. King was killed? How and why did we somehow remain peaceful and nonviolent? There were many public gatherings and solemn observances, and although crowds gathered, they remained and dispersed peacefully. Why?

Civil rights activists Norman Seay said "the threat of violence led to an increase in tension, and as the riots in Newark, Chicago and the other cities burned, some how we remained solemn but vigilant, for we knew what could have happened in St. Louis throughout that riotous and turbulent night. While the attention of the state and region and possibly the nation were on us, the tolerance of smaller-scale violence and illegality by those who wanted to start trouble were convinced by the greater majority that such acts would not be tolerated. Therefore the evening passed without many serious incidents."

Percy Green in 1968 was considered one of the major Black nationalists and civil rights activist of the area, and he contends the only reason is that St. Louis was lucky because "we had every for rioting but the area did not have the proper chemistry." Green said "although St. Louis had more than its fair share of police brutality incidents," not one of those incidents occurred at a time to provide a 'perfect storm' to ignite a riot.

"High unemployment, under employment, employment racial discrimination against African American men was the stagnant agent that made the city ready to explode."

Johnny Scott, president of the E. St. Louis chapter of the NAACP believed his city in 1968 had never been a disruptive place because of racial divisions. He asserted their problems were with St. Clair and Madison County officials. He said "our city didn’t have much to burn, because most of the businesses were owned by African Americans and the rebel rousers were not ready to burn down their own." Scott stressed the towns’ faith and understanding of the Martin Luther King 'I Have a Dream' speech was their guide and the reason the city remained peaceful.

Former KATZ radio personality Doug Eason was on the air when the King murder was announced and he claims he was not allowed to play the recording "Burn Baby Burn." Eason said "management was afraid the recording would cause an escalation of vandalism and violence, and episodes of civil disobedience. They feared acts of wrongdoing would lead to more serious crime, and acts of lawlessness would cause more serious problems."

As violent as the city is today it should make us wonder why some of our children are killing themselves are. In 1965, only a few weeks before he was killed, Malcolm X said about self hatred "We didn't want anybody to tell us anything about Africa, and much less call us an African. And in hating Africa and hating the Africans, we end up hating ourselves, without even realizing it because you can't hate the roots of a tree and not hate the tree. You can't hate Africa and not hate yourself."

Our children, the elderly, along with poor and homeless people, must join with the clergy and the community-at-large to show that we are appalled at the killing that is taking place in our village and the depth of depravity of which some are capable. It must stop and we must stop it.

Dr. King left an immense void in our community so we must remain vigilant and we must be inclusive by affirming but respecting our cultural differences, especially with appreciation to color, class, sexual orientation, faith, age and ethnicity.

Where Did Ambre Lake Go To High School?

I am class prepping.

And watching the finale of "Rock of Love 2."

Both are going well, thanks.

While searching Google for, well, "Rock of Love 2" tidbits (and class prep!), I noticed that finalist Ambre Lake is a St. Louis native.

I did not know this, but want to hear some stories.

Politics sure can be a dangerous business

On this date in 1893 John Buttermore, 26th Ward Committeeman, died of complications from a bite on the ear. The biter was a former Committeeman named Gus Vogel. Here is how the whole thing went down according to The New York Times...

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9A0CE3D61731E033A25757C1A9629C94629ED7CF

J.U.

Last night, I was lucky enough to spin records at The Halo Bar, doing a split shift with the inimitable Jim Utz. After tossing on some Hoodoo Gurus after midnight, Mr. Utz tagged in and took the night home, first informing me that (what was now) Thursday was, in fact, his birthday.

To the Vintage Vinyl promotions man, DJ and 2006 Kick-Ass Award winner... happy 31st birthday from 52nd City!

How are you going to celebrate Ronald Reagan Day?

Maybe I am just feeling grumpy, but during the session today the Missouri House of Representatives approved (98-44) the establishment of February 6th as Ronald Reagan Day in the State of Missouri and I am completely bugged by it.

Setting aside that I come from a long line of Reagan dislikers, it frustrates me when a legislative body wastes time on something so unnecessary, and so subjective. I would imagine a number of the legislators who had to sit through the debate feel the same way. There is no general consensus that Ronald Reagan was a hero so why push such a thing? Why even bring it up at all? In 1980 Reagan garnered 50.7% of the popular vote, and in 1984, 58.8%. Healthy percentages to be sure, but those numbers still mean that half to almost half of the voters voted AGAINST him. We already have a President's Day on the calendar. Doesn't that cover it? He already has an airport named after him – something else that bugs me. Isn't that enough?

Ok, end of rant. Thank you for indulging me.

When listening to the House floor debate (Yes, I often listen to the floor debate live via the computer -- and yes, everyone makes fun of me.) I usually focus on things of greater significance, but sometimes the little things really irritate - and Ronald Reagan Day sure got under my skin today. Here is the Resolution language:

SECOND REGULAR SESSION
House Concurrent Resolution No. 23
94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
4832L.01I
 
AN ACT
Relating to the observance of Ronald Reagan Day in Missouri.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:

           Whereas, President Ronald Wilson Reagan, a man of humble background, worked throughout his life serving freedom and advancing the public good, having been employed as an entertainer, Union leader, corporate spokesman, Governor of California, and President of the United States; and

             Whereas, Ronald Reagan served with honor and distinction for two terms as the 40th President of the United States of America, the second of which he earned the confidence of 60% of the electorate and was victorious in 49 of the 50 states in the general election - a record unsurpassed in the history of American presidential elections; and

             Whereas, in 1981, when Ronald Reagan was inaugurated President, he inherited a disillusioned nation shackled by rampant inflation and high unemployment; and

             Whereas, during Mr. Reagan's presidency, he worked in a bipartisan manner to enact his bold agenda of restoring accountability and common sense to government which led to an unprecedented economic expansion and opportunity for millions of Americans; and

             Whereas, Mr Reagan's commitment to an active social policy agenda for the nation's children helped lower crime and drug use in our neighborhoods; and

             Whereas, President Reagan's commitment to our armed forces contributed to the restoration of pride in America, her values and those cherished by the free world, and prepared America's Armed Forces to meet 21st Century challenges; and

             Whereas, President Reagan's vision of "peace through strength" led to the end of the Cold War and the ultimate demise of the Soviet Union, guaranteeing basic human rights for millions of people; and

             Whereas, February 6, 2008, will be the 97th anniversary of Ronald Reagan's birth, and the third since his passing:

             Now, therefore, be it resolved that the members of the House of Representatives of the Ninety-fourth General Assembly, Second Regular Session, the Senate concurring therein, hereby declare February 6th of each year to be "Ronald Reagan Day" in Missouri and urge all citizens of Missouri to recognize this event and participate fittingly in its observance; and

             Be it further resolved that this resolution be sent to the Governor for his approval or rejection pursuant to the Missouri Constitution.

Miss Rockaway Update

A few months back, I became vaguely obsessed with following the travails of the Miss Rockaway crew. If you recall, they were grounded by waterlogged crafts in a rough Mississippi River incident, just north of Downtown. Though I never actually saw the boats, I do remember sliding down a hill of coal residue in the attempt, a memorable recollection, indeed.

The update of the Miss Rockaway, comes via another interested observer, who noted some news on the crew's blog. Clickey here.

Patterson as Ombudsman

In a move that's caused eyebrows to raise among our town's civic-minded set, local blogger and urban activist Steve Patterson will reportedly join Room 200 as a Mayoral staffer in coming months, in a role tentatively being titled as Civic Ombudsman.

Currently recovering from a stroke at the Missouri Rehabilitation Center in Mount Vernon, MO, Patterson has bounced back to his prolific blogging rate in the past week, with a recent post – "A Changed Man" – signaling his continued resolve to affect positive change in local development practices. Perhaps hinting at the new role, Patterson wrote on March 28th that his recent brush with mortality only hardened his resolve.

"Simply breathing everyday just isn't enough. I am going to be far more demanding of a quality environment than before," he keystroked into his trusted Apple, before asking, "Every year in our region we spend hundreds of millions if not billions on new infrastructure and buildings — are we getting our money's worth?"

Apparently, that brand of questioning will now be taking place on City Hall's second floor, where Mayor Slay's Chief of Staff, Jeff Rainford, admits in a bit of characteristic understatement that, "It's a… unique fit. Steve's been an ardent critic of regional leaders in the past few years and he's shot a few arrows in the general direction of Tucker and Clark."

But alluding to those past disagreements, while continuing the analogy, Rainford says that "we're going to leave those arrows where they are, scaling them, if you will, scaling them to new heights."

Patterson's quiver, the popular urbanreviewstl.com weblog, will be stored in a new home, within a drop-down menu of nascent features on the MayorSlay.com site.

While the Post's Jake Wagman was initially disbelieving of the move (opting to not blog on the then-rumor, while calling the presumed hire "a little too fanciful of a scenario for my tastes") the paper's newest editorial writer, Eddie Roth, has already prepped an early essay on the topic. Writing his initial piece as a staffer with a bylined "Commentary" article in this coming Friday's P-D, Roth elegantly indicates that the unexpected move is "symbolic of a wider trend of civic connectiveness in our region, borne through synergies both mysterious and evocative of a new faith in divergent decision-making.

"I felt the pull of home, all the way in western Ohio, which is not inconsiderably far," Roth continues. "I sensed the deep current of our wedded waterways and that of hearts which beat with the rhythm of the Three to the One to the Four. I heard the voices of change ringing from the region's varied haunts, echoing from down-at-the-heel alleyway to tony suburban curb cut. I heeded the call of a bi-state area that prides itself on a block-by-block sense of bootstrap municipal independence. And I felt that any City that would hire its own most active dissenters would be a City bold enough to accept all types of change, both mercurial and lasting. That all adds up to: a new City, if you will; a City of considerable power, yet surprising suppleness; a City, in short, for the rest of us."

Patterson's first day on the job will depend upon his continued, steady progress in Mount Vernon, though it's expected that he could see his name on the City's payroll around July 1, roughly a month after fellow civic activist Doug Duckworth's supervisory debut with the Land Reutilization Authority. (See Pubdef.net for video on that story.)

Roth Joins P-D Editorial Page

Former St. Louis attorney and community activist Eddie Roth, who made much news as a member of the Board of Police Commissioners, will be dropping that "former" tag soon, returning to St. Louis this spring. Originally leaving here to take a job on the editorial page of the Dayton Daily News, he'll be back for the same purpose: a job in journalism, this time on the op/ed page of the Post-Dispatch.

We welcome him back.

East Saint: Pillbugs!

East Saint: Pillbugs!
Originally uploaded by AkitaSan.

Don't let pillbugs get you down. Snakes, neither.

Young Beano on The NEW St. Louis

In this clip, St. Louis born Hip-Hop artist Young Beano and his friend from East Saint talk about unity in The NEW St. Louis. I'm not exactly sure what it all means, but I like this clip.

Young Beano (a.k.a. Joe Vence) grew up in Cochran Gardens, and of his home neighborhood he writes on his My Space page that it was “...a place filled with gangs, drugs, alchohol, and many other negative influences” but that “did not stop Young Beano from progressing.”

Here he is...

Wow: Deb Peterson on Apop Records

I don't believe it, but I must.

Webbies!

I... can't believe... I almost forgot. The Webbies!

And The Journal just did a story on the Webbies Production class being canceled. I hate to perpetuate stereotypes, but I think my hair color is accurate.

The Webbies is an award show for the School of Communication students. The category range covers, fairly well, all the media classes offered at Webster. Even the PR people! Who do some pretty neat work.

The website says it better:
About the Webbies
The Webbies Awards Ceremony provides students with a chance to earn recognition for their work at Webster. Webster University School of Communications students have the opportunity to have their work judged by professionals in the field. This is a great way for students to get feedback from professionals working in the field they wish to work in.

Webster Webbies

When: Monday, April 7th @ 7PM
Where: Loretto-Hilton Center
Hosts: Larry Baden & Bernie Hayes

Anyone is welcome!
It's in the main stage theatre, so there's plenty of room.

This is the first I've heard of Larry being the host. He is my academic advisor, the one who made sure I took all the right classes. He is also one of my favorite professors and people. (I'm not currently enrolled in one of his classes, this will not get me extra credit. Sadface.)

Late Word: Mayor Slay on KDHX

Like, tonight: Topic A with Amanda Doyle and Thomas Crone, 7:30 - 8:00 p.m. Or you can listen to the stream or podcast, after midnight tonight via kdhx.org. Don't get much more last-minute than this announcement, nope!

Chicago vs. St. Louis

A topic that never fully runs a course.

Two recent variations, for your discussion, debate and digression. Though I paraphrase the messages of each...

Chicago is for winners, St. Louis is for suckers.

St. Louisans, throw off the yoke of northern oppression!

Enjoy.

Bernie Hayes Understands

Always pleased to see another installment of "Bernie Hayes Understands" in my in-box and always pleased to reprint one, with the BH stamp of approval.

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Bernie Hayes Understands
March 6, 2008
BH 363

Without change there is no hope!

This is a follow-up to my last column 'If ignorance is bliss, we should be very happy!'

I don't want to constantly criticize and complain about local or national media, but the way things are, I find it necessary to devote much more time to the topic, because the radio industry paints a bleak picture as these new so called 'shock jocks,' and conservative talk show hosts infuse and saturate local markets, eroding audiences and alienating listeners. How sad and disappointing it is.

People seem to have had their fill of stupidity on the airwaves. Falling listenership among adults should be a particular concern for the industry, but conventional radio stations are losing their grip on the older generations, particularly African American who yearns for something of substance.

Systematic efforts to control media in the African American community and the community at large have intensified, indicating further erosion of civil liberties and the flow of information. One of the troubling developments I notice is the emergence of so called 'Shock Jocks,' and a number of bigoted, so-called 'conservative talk show hosts,' such as, in my personal opinion, the likes of Bill Cunningham, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Michael Savage, Michael Reagan, Glenn Beck and 'The O'Reilly Factor with Bill O’Reilly,' to name a few.

Don Imus, who was fired from a national syndicated talk show for remarks he made about the athletes of Rutgers University's women's basketball team, is back on the air, thanks to the Citadel Broadcasting Corporation. The self-styled "I-Man" has returned to the airwaves and is as accepted and as admired as he was by his listeners in the past.

Hal Turner of Kalamazoo, Michigan, has a history of extremely violent statements in which he calls on his supporters and members of the racist right to consider violent attacks against people of color.

James Edwards is the host of "The Political Cesspool," a blatantly white nationalist radio talk show that broadcast for two hours every weeknight from a studio near Memphis, Tenn.

Local radio host J.C. Corcoran was recently suspended by Emmis Communications for comments he made on his radio show on KHITS 96.3, after he made negative statements toward Ameren UE because he lost his power during the Super Bowl. Corcoran allegedly said, "I swear, I'm gonna get on top of your building with an AK-47 and just start picking people off."

In 1993, Steve and DC were fired by WKBQ (104.1 FM) in St. Louis after they told a black woman caller that she was "acting like a n----r" when she complained about their on-air comments. The jocks told listeners they opposed museums or TV shows devoted to blacks unless there were museums "about exclusive white contributions" or an hour on television devoted to white history. They were eventually returned to the airways a few months later.

Clear Channel Communications’ 100.3-The Beat, fired DJ Kaos and DJ Sylli Asz, for damaging remarks made about law enforcement after the shooting in July, 2005 of Kirkwood Sgt. William McEntee. The deejays later apologized for their comments, but were not rehired.

We should remember that culture affects both the substance and style of communication. People often view conflicts from very different perspectives depending upon such things as cultural background, economic position, and religious beliefs. In order for the parties to communicate effectively, they need to understand the point of view or perception of other parties.

We no longer live and work in a restricted market. For this reason we need every bit of diversity that will make us more creative and open to change. Cultural diversity brings fresh ideas and differing insights to everyone.

With this in mind, I must repeat what I wrote in my previous column, "In 2008, there are no local stations, except for a few hours on Sunday mornings, providing vital news and information directed to African Americans. This is shameful, especially when you realize that Black talk and information radio was responsible for the election of the city's first black mayor, the city's first black police chief, the city’s first black superintendent of public schools and the city's first black fire chief.

I rest my case. Hotep!

Please listen to my radio Internet broadcasts on LouRadio.com.

Oof

I suppose it was a matter of time for a local rock band to attach themselves somehow, someway to this name:

Devilins Kids (sic)

Would link to a Myspace page for Devilins Kids (sic), but they don't appear to have one.

The band's playing at Lemmons on Friday, March 7 with Celebrity Autopsy and The Hot Atomics. Should we take bets on either: a) protesters outside the classic South City bar'n'pub; or b) Channel 4's Mike O'Connell reporting from outside the club.

Devilins Kids (sic). Man.

Tickets

We're all walking around with our own sets of accumulated knowledge, yes? That's why trivia nights are such fun, when the right combination sits together. Someone might know Rod Carew's career batting average. Another might be able to recite the entire Star-Spangled Banner. A third may have uncanny abilities to memorize the national capitols of South America. Bravo to all three!

My own gaps in knowledge are great. Occasionally, they're filled, through any variety of means. For instance, today, Office K. Hudson of the St. Louis City Metropolitan Police Department taught me that parking within 10-feet of a US mailbox will draw a city fine of $25. I did not know that.

The spot was just outside of Hartford Coffee Company. Over the past four or five years, I've seen dozens, if not hundreds, of cars parked there, never noticing a ticket hitting a windshield. My creeping sense is that I'm not the only person that doesn't know about the 10-foot rule and that enforcement's a selective, day-to-day endeavor. The lack of signage or striping reinforces that theory.

Honestly, I'm okay with most indignities that befall me as a City resident. Every so often, someone will mess with myself or my property. I'll hear car horns blaring and I'll see trash deposited in the street. I'll scratch my head over civic decisions, brought on by either knucklehead voters or elected officials. I'm willing to deal with all that. I love the City, warts and all.

But these tickets! Ayie! I'd just as soon pay the City, say, $40 a month for a ticket tax, which would eliminate the ticket-to-ticket stress that's brought to my life, thanks to forgetting the street-sweeping day or parking too far away from the curb or getting dangerously close to a mailbox.

Today's transgression, that one. Today's ticket. Today's $25.

City folks, esp. those of you working in the 15th Ward, please allow me this request: I have a lot on my mind and I forget things. Some things I simply don't know. Painting a thick f'ing yellow line along the f'ing curb next to the f'ing mailbox at Roger and Hartford would go a LONG, LONG way in making sure that I remember to be at least 11-feet from said mailbox.

Unless, of course, the idea all along was to bleed one more sucker another $25, while they're spending time and money inside a nearby, independent City business.

Thanks. I feel better, already.

Gay on Chop Suey

Earlier today, we were sent a long list of events taking place at Saint Louis University in relation to Black History Month. Maybe the quirkiest - and most interesting of the lot - is one featuring Malcolm Gay, a freelancer writer and former staffer at the Riverfront Times:

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Diversity Noon Series: "St. Louie Chop Suey"

(Mr. Malcolm Gay, a former writer at the Riverfront Times, will present a video presentation and speak about Chinese immigration to St. Louis and the unique relationship in St. Louis with the African-American community. He will discuss how the relationship began and has evolved.)

Noon
Wednesday, Feb. 13
Cross Cultural Center

Vital Voice Relaunches

There's been a fair bit of behind-the-scenes work going on the The Vital Voice in recent months and the efforts will be seen shortly. Following's some info from the Voice on a happy-hour and unveiling on the new concept for the paper:

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New Format! New Content! New Attitude!

On January 11, 2008, the Vital VOICE will start the year anew and re-launch with a redesigned front page, improved content, new sections and guest columnists through out the year. The first themed issue (January 11) will coincide with the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday and focuses on civil rights, racism, diversity and the upcoming elections.

At 5:30 p.m., publisher, Pam Schneider will host a RE-LAUNCH PARTY at Atomic Cowboy located at 4140 Manchester Ave., in the Grove. There will be complimentary drinks provided by Bombora Vodka and snacks provided by Atomic Cowboy.

THIS EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Times: 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM
Date: Friday, January 11, 2008
Location: 4140 Manchester Ave., In the Grove
Info: 314-289-2999

Saturday Mix

Mix? A different option than the ACC's "Stew," but is it better? We continue to fool with the concept, yes. But so many odds/ends to report that we've got to sum 'em up in a neat, little compendium. Here we go.

********

Perhaps it's a matter of not reading the right blogs, but I hadn't seen anything on this around town: Lucas Hudson is the new editor of the Vital Voice. Ran into the former ACC editor last night and he confirmed the news, which coincides with the publication's retooling of editorial content in early 2008.

********

Ordinarily, the Observable Readings are held the first Thursday of the month at the Schlafly Bottleworks, but in January, they're staggered by a week. Here's the announcement of the next event, compliments of series curator Aaron Belz:

Thursday, January 10, 8-10 PM
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Observable Readings Presents
Poets Dana Goodyear and Aliki Barnstone

Dana Goodyear is a staff writer at The New Yorker and the author of Honey and Junk (Norton, 2005), of which Publishers Weekly writes: “All the poems are short and well-calibrated … her poems perfectly reproduce the claustrophobic atmosphere of love among the ruins of plenty." Goodyear, a native St. Louisan, now lives in Los Angeles.

Aliki Barnstone's most recent books are The Collected Poems of C.P. Cavafy: A New Translation (W.W. Norton, 2006), Blue Earth (Iris Press, 2004), Wild With It (Sheep Meadow Press 2002), and Changing Rapture: Emily Dickinson's Poetic Development (University Press of New England, 2007). A new book of poems, Pique, is forthcoming with Sheep Meadow. She is Professor of English and Creative Writing at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Now in its fifth season, Observable Readings was recently named BEST READING SERIES 2007 by the Riverfront Times. It is supported by grants from Missouri Arts Council and Regional Arts Commission.

********

This might be the longest link I've ever come across, but it'll yield interesting results. Reader Patrick Landewe's, expat and lighthouse keeper, was kind enough to send along word of a site that allows you to zoom in-and-out of an 1875 map of St. Louis, by neighborhood. Interesting stuff:

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/addItemLink.pl?tourl=/gmd/gmd416m/g4164m/g4164sm/gpm00001/gpm00001.html&style=gmd&itemLink=r?ammem/gmd:@field(NUMBER+@band(g4164sm+gpm00001))

Christmas Creepin' II: Venice & Brooklyn

So, let's say you've explored the tunnels under Tucker and you've still got some Xmas time to kill before the familial needs kick in. What to do? What to do? Well, one option: to keep creepin'.

Let's say, though, that your first target winds up buttoned-down by security. The Venice High School demolition is well underway, but whatever agency is in charge of this effort is leaving nothing to chance. On a quick visit, a security vehicle is parked directly behind the school on Xmas and a Venice police cruiser's not far away. Man! What gives? What's in that joint that's in need of such protection? Or is the threat of arson just to high? In any event, that one's a no-go.

So, let's say you're heading back down Route 3 and what catches your eye is that the entire parking lot for Brooklyn's sin bins is... empty. One car, with a flat tire, but not another vehicle (or human being) around. And the you notice that the Fantasyland complex, burned into non-business a few years back, is wide open and ready for some quick photos. Whatcha gonna do when there's nobody, nowhere in sight? Well, you gotta go in. Then you duck when the local gendarmes show up. And you wash your darned clothes, that's for sure.

A couple minutes, a couple pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/51252573@N00/?saved=1.

Christmas Creepin' I: Subterranean Tucker

Tipped off by a blog posting at urbanreviewstl.com and irritated by the sudden loss of the Venice High School as a travel spot - more on that tomorrow - a couple of us headed to the subterranean neighborhood under Tucker Boulevard for Christmas. Now closed to through traffic, the above-ground section of Tucker, near St. Patrick's Center and the Post-Dispatch, offers not a lot to look at: a McDonald's, the City's vermin control facility and the Greyhound bus station. An area not exactly in the tourist manuals.

Under Tucker, though... that's a different story. Also not part of the RCGA guides, we're certain, the tunnels under Tucker offer a bizarre group of odd sights - and, occasionally, sounds.

Directly under the Post-Dispatch, for example, is a Hooverville. If you were to scale a 20-foot wall of dirt, you'd find a homeless encampment of some size. Though, truth be told, there's a wide variety of smaller shanties, mattresses and box houses. So the next time the P-D editorializes about homelessness, remember that they have the community living six floors under the computer used for the piece. How about that?

Down there, former entry points into the P-D building are found lit by quirky, orange lights.

Also there: a huge pile of books, including a nearly a dozen copies of the STL classic "Hoodlum's Priest."

Maybe you'd be surprised to find a noose, hanging about seven-feet above the ground?

Or a wall of graffiti dedicated to the 2006 World Series champion Cardinals?

All along the walking route, easily accessible via Cass, or several, other, less-hospitable point-of-entry (which we took, initially), you'd come across the usual run of debris left by the homeless, along with the accompanying spate of graffiti, frequently found in such places. And you'd understand why the City needed to shut this area down, with generations of different attempts at stabilization running the gamut from complete to half-assed.

What struck us most of all, though, was the notion that if the P-D wanted to do an interesting piece on the homeless crisis or the underground STL that many of find fairly interesting, the staff photographers just need to go into the basement in crack the sliding doors. It's right there.

In the meantime, check stlstreets.com in the near future.

Or punch up some pics here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/51252573@N00/.

Capote for Christmas

Ann Haubrich of Literature for the Halibut sends along word that this week's show has a special, seasonal tilt. One of the truly one-of-a-kind shows on KDHX, we're always happy to note their programming twists:

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Happy Holidays,

Hope you are swell and that the smell of Christmas cookies permeates your homes.

Wanted to give you a holiday tip:

Tune into KDHX this coming Thursday, December 20 from 7-8 pm and you'll hear Janie and me doing our annual reading of Truman Capote's "A Christmas Memory" – if you've never heard it, you'll be dancing around the Christmas tree… if you have heard it, catch it again... it's better than that Jimmy Stewart movie at putting one in a proper holiday mood.

KDHX FM 88.1
December 20
7 to 8 o'clock in the evening
Literature for the Halibut
www.kdhx.org

Fishbone's Angelo Moore: City Museum Residency

Let's just say this intriguing note was passed along by the ultimate City Museum insider. We is busting the news:

---

Just wanted to let you know that Angelo Moore will be running around the Museum with his sax on January 4, 5, 6 performing his "Dr. Madd Vibe" and will more than likely be playing the cave organ all weekend.

Mmmelt this Saturday

Can it be December already? Really? It can?

Wow.

In that case, I am so going to this event:

----------------------------------

CD release party for MOMBASA by mmmelt on Saturday, December, 1 from 6 p.m. until midnight at Jackson Pianos, 3138 Cherokee St. The first two hours will be a sociable party. The next four hours will be a meditative chill zone.

Don't expect new-age white-light bliss. We'll visit the brightest and the darkest corners of sonic splendour, and a full video explosion of projectile lumens striking like weapons and rendering solid witnesses into gelatinous liquids pools of awe. The performance will feature ambient electronic soundscapes broadcast on a micro-transmitter to a receiver planted inside a full grand piano with video mixed live and projected onto the piano. Tea will be served throughout the
performance, and visitors are encouraged to bring a prayer rug, meditation mat, sleeping bag, pillow, or whatever other deep listening enhancing technologies they see fit.

MOMBASA is a mmmelt first, a full-length solo album. It is a theatrical A/V explosion of dark ambience, glistening noise, rolling thunderous basslines, bouncy beats, electronic mandalas, digital noir cinema, and video feeds from the Free City of Mombasa, where cyborgs are not slaves. It features the poetry of Stefene Russell and Brett Lars Underwood on three tracks. Available in stores and online Dec. 1.

http://mmmelt.us/
http://myspace.com/mmmeltus

Nader @ SLU

A couple of election cycles back I saw Ralph Nader speak at SLU and the thing that still stands out is the fact that the man talked.... for no small amount of time. It was a packed room and his candidacy was taking on a certain flourish at that point, but I've seldom seen a speaker less attuned to an audience than he, the man going well-and-far beyond the point at which could process what he was saying. The applause was dying, the feet were shifting and watches were being checked. Man had a lot to say.

All that aside, it was a fascinating address, at points, and certainly gave pause to some of the students who were certainly there for "class purposes" only, as well as for the diehards who thought he could spearhead an effective, third-party launch after that race.

Well, Nader's back at SLU next week. My over/under on his lecture and Q/A? Mmm, let's go two-hours and fifty.

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Great Issues Committee Hosts Consumer Advocate, Former Presidential Candidate Ralph Nader

Event Details: 7:00 p.m., November 14, Busch Student Center Multipurpose Room, 20 N Grand Blvd., Room 200, Lower Level, St. Louis, MO, 63103-2051

Saint Louis University 's Great Issues Committee will host a special event with political activist, consumer advocate and former presidential candidate Ralph Nader at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14, in the multipurpose room of Busch Student Center . The event is free and open to the public.

Nader's topic for the evening is "Don't Waste Your 20s! Take on the Little Things and the Big Things."

About Ralph Nader: An attorney and political activist in the areas of consumer rights, humanitarianism, environmentalism and democratic government, Nader also has been a staunch critic of corporations, which he believes wield too much power and are undermining the fundamental American values of democracy and human rights. Nader helped found many governmental and non-governmental organizations, including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Public Citizen, and several Public Interest Research Groups. Nader was the Green Party presidential nominee in 1996 and 2000, and ran as an independent candidate in 2004.

About the Great Issues Committee: A component of the Student Government Association (SGA) at Saint Louis University , the Great Issues Committee is a student-initiated group that strives to stimulate insightful, provocative debate on current issues. Recently, the committee has brought many notable speakers to campus, including Watergate journalist Bob Woodward, famed filmmaker Spike Lee, and former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak.

CM's 10 on 88.1

City Museum's upcoming 10th anniversary will be the topic of conversation on The Wire this Monday evening, as we're joined by Rick Erwin, the CM Director and their promotional chief Kara Wall. This blogger and Amanda Doyle will be on with them on: KDHX, 88.1 fm, Monday, 7:30 - 8:00 p.m.

Granite Vintage (-1), Cabin Inn (+1)

Granite City Vintage Vinyl

I always liked the Granite City Vintage Vinyl, though I liked it much more in theory than in practice, as I seldom actually went to the store. But I enjoyed the notion that when in Granite City, I could enjoy the same quality record buying-experience that I enjoyed on my more frequent trips to University City. More importantly, the store gave countless Ill-Side kids a chance to buy quality music at a real record store, instead of whatever chain was nearest.

On October 1, though, the store shuttered quietly. No sale. No hoopla. A shame, in that my video collection is compiled from the bones of dying video stores and I never felt bad enough about taking advantage of a retailer's woes to not buy from their going-out-of-business stock. Alas. In a node to the late Granite's employees and long life, I bought $56 of very-needed music in U. City yesterday. (And might I say, Vintage is radically altering the price of many used CDs. Yesterday, I picked up various bits for $3.99 and $5.99.) In short, support your local record retailer.

The Cabin Inn

Little birdy say: The Cabin Inn will be reborn (yay!) on October 26, during the 10th anniversary celebration of the City Museum. The club will apparently be booked and managed by Peter Venezia (yay!), founder of the Atomic Cowboy's original location, and a partner in the Grove venue. Don't know much beyond this, but City Museum types are known readers of this site, so we're hopeful for some added insight/corrections/additions.

Cannot wait.

Soccer on the Radio

Just got this note about a new soccer show on the radio, which will air weekends on KSLG, better known as ESPN 1380 on the AM dial.

Here's the intercepted note, from co-host/producer Tony Hubert, a longtime fixture on local sports radio and a true, dyed-in-the-wool soccer fan:

------------------------------------

Tomorrow I am beginning a new radio show called the Saturday Soccer Report on 1380 ESPN. It will air at 1:00 this Saturday, and we have a special 2-hour show next Saturday the 20th from 4 until 6. I will be hosting along with my partner Joe Pelusi. We definitely would like to get some phone calls so tell people not to be shy.

Everything soccer is what the show is. Tomorrow's guests will include Lori Chalupny and Jeff Cooper. Lori is scheduled for 1:15. The show is sponsored by St. Louis Soccer United.

Illinois

Yesterday morning, I enjoyed Illinois.

Given a tip by a friend that a last-second trip to the Spivey Building was coming together, I drove over to the deserted ESL landmark. That meant jumping on the PSB, exiting at 4th Street in East Saint and then driving about two more blocks onto the Spivey's sunken parking lot. Simple. Direct. Easy.

Yesterday evening, I didn't enjoy Illinois.

Intending to get directions to Liederkranz Park in Millstadt, IL, via Mapquest, I was told that such directions existed. Uh-oh. I tried the superior ("true dat, double true") Google Maps and it did offer some thoughts, but my trip to see Fragile Porcelain Mice's outdoor set was snuffed where so many dreams die: Route 3 in Sauget. There, I couldn't located Tudor Avenue and no combination of map consultations, questions at QT's and educated (if bad) guesses righted me. I saw cornfields and subdivisions and Our Lady of the Snows, but never sniffed Millstadt.

I found myself on every type of road: city street, rural route and highway, none of them given over to especially good signage. I was stopped by a train. And I eventually wound up passing the Spivey again, at about 11:30, a half-hour after FPM's set was scheduled to start; amazingly, in the civic planning disaster that is downtown ESL, hundreds of partiers were clogging the streets, on the way to clubs. People out having fun, great.

On October 12, the relatively-reclusive Mice will play a show in Columbia, IL, at a club called Topshooters. I give myself a 50/50 shot of making it.

Big Read, Small Press, Great Guns!

As members of the small press ourselves, we'd be remiss in not noting these upcoming events, which came through my box via the Star Clipper newsletter. Not only does Star Clipper carry books and mags you won't find elsewhere (I'd also be remiss in not thanking them for carrying our little mag) they're constantly organizing events that help expand audiences for little magazines and comics. Not to make it sound medicinal or something you "should" do; au contraire, things like their annual Munny Show are exciting and just plain fun.

STAR CLIPPER AT BIG READ IN CLAYTON
Comics Discussion Panel and Booth

The Big Read, presented by Centene Corporation, is Saturday, October 6, 2007, 9 AM to 5 PM! The Big Read festival features publishers,book-sellers, national authors, readings, book signings, panel discussions, workshops, demonstrations and an interactive children's area with readings, costumed characters and projects that engage the young reader. It is free and open to the public.

Star Clipper will be a Big Exhibitor at the Big Read in Clayton's Central Business District. Additionally, owner A.J. Trujillo will join local comics creators Dan Zettwoch (Ironclad), and Ted May (Ted May's Injury) on a panel discussion about comics moderated by Cliff Froehlich, current director of Cinema St. Louis and former executive editor of the Riverfront Times and arts-and-entertainment editor of
the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The panel and demonstration will run from 4:15-5 p.m. Saturday, October 6, at the McCarthy Building Companies Big Bee Stage.

JOHN PORCELLINO AND ST. LOUIS INDIES
Small Press Heavyweights October 17

John Porcellino, Kevin Huizenga, Ted May and Dan Zettwoch are coming to Star Clipper Wednesday, October 17! These four trailblazers of independent comics will be available from 5 to 8 PM to sign their work and original art in this extraordinary gathering of young talent. Small-press icon John Porcellino (King-Cat Comics and Stories) will be giving a formal presentation in the Star Clipper Gallery at 6 PM.

John Porcellino was born in Chicago, in 1968. He began writing and drawing at an early age, compiling his work into small, handmade booklets. His first photocopied "zine" was produced in 1982 at age 14, and he began his current series, King-Cat Comics and Stories, in 1989. Since then, King-Cat has been his predominant means of expression. Porcellino's most recent book collection King-Cat Classix ("A comprehensive introduction to the work of a great living artist as well as a tribute to the foundational efforts of an icon." - Library Journal) is a splendid overview of his zine's first fifty issues.

Rockaway Sunken?

Getting some interesting calls and text messages, basically indicating that the Rockaway Armada may've suffered some extensive damage near the eastside's riverfront this afternoon, with at least one boat capsized according to a phoned-in, eyewitness report from one of our 52nd City subscribers. Another texted with notes of being at the "wreckage."

Went down late in the afternoon and saw a Coast Guard cruiser leaving the area, but couldn't find the Rockaway. I probably zigged instead of zagged, par for my weekend's drowsy course. Alas.

If anyone has word, we'll keep this the last and the official thread on the subject here. I've actually called into a source at the P-D to see if they'd find and post some multimedia coverage of this on STLtoday.com. If anyone has links from other outlets, post them below.

Ayie. Really wanted to see this self-created armada.

(Update: just home on Sunday night, 'round 11:20. The ships, according to Jim Utz, are between the close McKinley Bridge and north city's rail bridge, on the Venice, IL, side of things. Went by tonight, but it's not exactly a lit and welcoming spot, so hopefully tomorrow will yield results. Did run across Moore's Lounge, the most-intimidating bar in St. Louis. Another post for another evening.)

Miss Rockaway: Any Spottings?

A reader sent a note to us this morning, noting that the Miss Rockaway Armada was set to arrive in St. Louis shortly. A week, or so, back, the Post-Dispatch ran a piece on the anarchist ship, which is charting a crazy path down the Mississippi River, with stops of varying lengths in towns all along the way. If anyone has more info on the Rockaway's arrival, please let us know.

Here's a link to the ship's site.

Bernie Hayes Understands

Every so often, I get an e-mail from Bernie Hayes, the longtime local broadcaster, columnist and Webster U. college prof. They're titled something that's going to make me open them each and every time: "Bernie Hayes Understands." How can you not read a piece labeled that way?

Today, I got one. And within minutes of getting it, reading it, and wondering if Bernie would let us reproduce it here, I got a note back saying to go right ahead. So, here's "Bernie Hayes Understands," no. 357.

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The Dedicated Widows - Lest we forget!

We are all familiar with the phrase 'behind every great man is a great woman.' Some men often owe their success to women. Over the past few years, St. Louis has lost a number of male celebrities and personalities and I thought it would be interesting to revisit the loved ones they left behind. The purpose of this column is to shed light on the role of the widows of some public figure who recently passed. These women are too often ignored.

We should remember the love and support their mates provided to them in assisting and developing their careers. It is important, and it should be deeply appreciated. Most spent many years helping their husbands, giving him love, support and basic care. Their urging was the inspiration for many songs, arrangements and other works of art. Here are just a few of the soul mates who are continuing to carry on their loved ones work.

Oliver Sain passed 28th October 2003, yet his wife Ruby is continuing to promote the Oliver Sain Band and Revue, and is planning the Oliver Sain Soul Reunion for October. She is also making plans to maintain Sain's Archway Recording Studio and convert it to a museum.

Guitarist Eddie Fisher, one of the most proficient musicians in the world of R&B, jazz and jazz fusion passed away on Monday, July 9, 2007. His widow, Christina continues to teach music and drama at their workshop and theater in Centreville, Illinois and she is collecting her late husband's musical instruments, original compositions and other items to donate to the Arkansas Jazz Museum in Little Rock. She said "I am still recuperating from his death day by day."

Luther Ingram, R&B singer and songwriter joined our ancestors on March 20, 1997. His wife and soul mate Jacqui said she is still grieving but is working to preserve her husband's music and author’s rights. She remains in O'Fallon, Illinois but is very much involved in administering Ingram's catalog.

Johnnie Johnson left us on April 13, 2005. His wife Frances is working with KSDK –TV anchor Art Holliday on a documentary of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member. Mrs. Johnson is also making public appearances and doing charity work in memory of her husband.

Veteran broadcaster Leo Chears, known to his fans and audiences as 'The Man in the Red Vest,' passed away Jan. 2, 2006 in Barnes-Jewish Hospital of congestive heart failure. His widow Betty is preserving the Chears' music archives and is continuing to teach young people the history and value of jazz and swing music.

Roderick Gerald (Dr. Jockenstein) King expired at the St. Anthony's Medical Center in Saint Louis during the early morning hours of Monday, May 1, 2007. His wife Idella is hoping to help develop a scholarship for young aspiring radio announcers. She said 'Jock left a void in the business that will be hard to fill, and I hope to be an instrument in filling that empty space.'

We also lost Bennie Smith and Henry Townsend, and Barbara Carr lost her husband Charles.

Theses women were a most important and essential part of their husbands lives and we should extend the hand of fellowship and guidance to the widows of these departed public figures that brought us so many hours and years of enjoyment. We should let them know that they are remembered, not forgotten. They all were united by common experiences and shared commitments.

Happy Birthday (September 16) to Attorney Harold Whitfield, Hammett Bluiett and to me. I can be reached by fax at (314) 837-3369 or by e-mail at: berhay@swbell.net.

Soccer!

I really do try to curb my personal enthusiasm for the world's game, but it's hard to do so. My posting here figures on a couple things: the arrival of (a hobbled) David Beckham has energized a certain, casual fanbase of sports fans towards the game; and the possible (even probable) granting of an MLS franchise to St. Louis has added to the soccer discussion locally. (Seems that there's been more soccer coverage in the P-D in the last week than in the last year.)

I fairly regularly head up to OB Clark's in Brentwood to see games, in a communal setting, extra necessary as I lack cable. Here's the rundown of some games upcoming. Because the I-40 construction is going to be running hot this weekend, find your way there through the backdoor:

Sat Aug 18 08:25AM Central
Length: 2 hr 5 min LIVE
GolTV (US)
German Bundesliga
Werder Bremen vs Bayern Munich

Sat Aug 18 08:55AM Central
Length: 2 hr 5 min LIVE
Setanta Sports USA
English Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur vs Derby County

Sat Aug 18 11:00AM Central
Length: 2 hr 30 min LIVE
Setanta Sports USA
English Football League "Championship"
Stoke City vs Charlton Athletic

Sat Aug 18 06:30PM Central
Length: 2 hr LIVE
FOX Soccer Channel (FSC) - US
Major League Soccer (MLS)
New York vs Los Angeles Galaxy

Sun Aug 19 07:25AM Central
Length: 2 hr 5 min LIVE
Setanta Sports USA
English Premier League
Manchester City vs Manchester United

Sun Aug 19 10:00AM Central
Length: 2 hr LIVE
FOX Soccer Channel (FSC) - US
English Premier League
Liverpool vs Chelsea

Wed Aug 22 01:30PM Central
Length: 2 hr 30 min LIVE
FOX Soccer Channel (FSC) - US
International Friendly/Amistoso - UEFA/CONCACAF
Sweden vs United States

Wed Aug 22 04:00PM Central
Length: 2 hr SDD
FOX Soccer Channel (FSC) - US
International Friendly - UEFA
England vs Germany

Thu Aug 23 02:45AM Central
Length: 2 hr 15 min LIVE
ESPN2 (US)
FIFA Under-17 World Cup
United States vs Tunisia

Tom Lampe Addresses Vinyl

Weeks ago, now, we hosted a spirited competition for some Y-98 vinyl, the 45s capturing the morning show of the station covering a version of "I Love LA" called, well, "I Love St. Lou." We promised two winners a 45 apiece and we had... two contestants! So, thanks to Gabe Bullard and Tom Lampe, the latter a co-conspirator on the STL Syndicate.

I liked Tom's piece and asked if we could run it. Tom said, "yes," and then I... misfiled his post to us, twice. Yikes. But it's been found and it reads like this:

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It was the summer of 1981 and my grandfather had just died. My grandma, who had been the firecracker of the family, was coping the best she could. She was trying to keep herself busy, and that involved taking me and my brother shopping.

Backing up just a bit, my grandma had fallen in love with a song that had been in heavy rotation on the radio. She did not know the name of the song, nor the artist. And she couldn't remember any of the lyrics. All that she knew was that it said exactly what she wanted to say if she had been given one more day with my grandpa.

For the past few weeks, she had been trying to hear it again... trying to see if one of us knew the song, so she could buy the record and make it hers. But the song had fallen off the charts, therefore radio had all but forgotten it. The only hint she could give us was that it was what she'd say to my grandpa if they had another day together.

So there we were at South County Mall. As was always the case, she gave each of us a dollar to go buy a 45 at the record store. When we got to the store, we stealthily browsed to make sure we each made the perfect selection. The choice for me was easy... Rick James, bitch. While I bagged up the Superfreak single, my brother grabbed Bette Davis Eyes. We got to the counter, and my brother emptied his pockets with no sign of cash. Somehow, between Pope's cafeteria, and the record store, he had lost his dollar bill.

When we caught up with grandma, she wanted to know what we'd bought. I spoke up for my bro and told her of the lost bill. As he waited to be scolded, she promptly grabbed another dollar from her pocket book and gave it to him, and he knew he wouldn't lose this one.

When we got back to the store, he went to find Kim Carnes ode to the eyes of the starlet, but it was not there. He approached the wrap stand, and was crushed to learn that, in the short time we were away, they had sold the last copy. Reluctantly, he picked up his second choice.

Back at grandma's house, she asked us if we wanted to play our records while she made us a snack. I declined knowing she probably wouldn't appreciate the art of Rick James, bitch. My brother put his record on. Emerging from the tinny speakers came the warbling words, "Now the night has gone away... Doesn't seem that long, we hardly had two words to say... Hold me in your arms for just another day... I promise this one will go slow..." And as we turned around we saw our grandma enter the room with tears streaming down her cheeks, we knew "The One That I Love" by Air Supply was the song she wished, if she had one more day with him, that she would sing to Grandpa.

Target : Rats

Target : Rats
Originally uploaded by AkitaSan.

The Weekend Starts … Now

I have a couple of bottle rockets that I did not light. I don’t have any sparklers. I’ve seen a couple of fireworks displays from afar, sparkling on the horizon. I did not go down to the Levee to see Cyndi Lauper or eat kettle corn. I have been very lame as far as celebrating Independence Day (though if my righteous indignation over Scooter Libby’s sentence were transformed into pyrotechnics, it might burn down the block). Holidays in the middle of the week always throw me—mentally, I can’t help but regress into a weekend state of mind. I stayed up late (for a school night) on Tuesday for White Thrash at White Flag, and though I have been pretty useless today, I have crayoned this stuff into my Daily Minder for the rest of the week:

Rob Player: Ten Memories in Every Pack
Maps Contemporary Art Space
225 N.Illinois St., Belleville, Ill.
July 5, 7-10 p.m.

I like Maps. It’s teeny-tiny. At the two exhibits I’ve seen here so far, most of the folks are spilled out onto the street in front of the space, smoking and socializing, but once you go into the gallery, you end up literally rubbing shoulders with other people, which is an interesting experience. And you’re sort of forced to contemplate the art on a slower timetable because the space is so small. To get there, you drive through miles of sparkly strip malls … through Swansea and Fairview Heights … to a weird little corner of old Belleville, a fairly quiet little street, and there’s this little gem. It’s an experience for sure. This month’s exhibit is an “interactive photography exhibition featuring images regarding friendship, social interaction, and the ‘rock star aesthetic.’ How does a camera affect the demeanor of the people on which it is focused? If removed from a group situation, how would a singular close friend interact with a white room, a camera, and me? These are just a few of the questions Mr. Playter posed while creating the work for his exhibition. WE WILL HAVE FREE BEER AT THIS EVENT AS PART OF THE EXHIBITION. (All ages welcome, 21 and over to drink). Also, feel free to document this event with your digital camera, we ask that you forward pics to maps_contemporary_art_space@yahoo.com . They will be placed on our blog; click on the blog to view a digital diary of images from the event. Please stay tuned for announcements of future "events" in coordination with this exhibition!”

Get Born Poetry Collective
C.A.M.P (Community Arts and Media Project)
3022A Cherokee
July 6, 8 p.m.
$2

Okay, I went to college to study poetry, and I will be the first to admit that the reason it’s tough to charge for poetry readings is that most of them are boring as hell. As heard on Literature for the Halibut earlier this summer, Get Born aim to take the must and dust out of poetry readings, keeping the rigor of traditional poetry while upping the performance aspect. I’d like to make clear right now, though, that this is NOT Slam poetry, and unlike the art show, there will NOT be free beer at this event. In fact, it’s a dry, all-ages show. They are also charging a modest fee to get in, but since you won’t hear a whisper of the clichéd Iowa Flat-style recitation, I say: right on! The show features Larva, Mathieu Paul, Joe Wetteroth, Matthew Freeman and Get Born founder, Joseph Sulier', a crew that comes with the glowing recommendation of folks I greatly respect, including Brett Underwood and Phil Gounis.

Exploring Power through Cinema: Abel Gance’s Napoleon
Saint Louis Art Museum Auditorium
July 7, 1 p.m.
$5 ($3 Members)

You probably know you can go see the Napoleon exhibit for free on Friday. You probably don’t know that for the wee sum of $5, you can go see Abel Gance’s Napoleon, (1927, 235 minutes) “arguably the most important film of the silent era,” on Saturday. When this film premiered at the Paris Opera house, it was shown on three screens and accompanied by a full orchestra. This screening will be impressive in its own way: it’s a restored 35 mm print with a new soundtrack commissioned by Francis Ford Coppola. From the IMBD description, Napoleon sounds like a beautifully excessive movie, with scenes such as the one where “the child Bonaparte keeps a pet eagle and wins a snow fight while at school in Brienne... In this sequence, the frame splits into nine subliminal images; as Napoleon watches his men entering Italy, the screen expands on each side to form a breathtaking panorama, then changes into three coordinated views.” If 235 minutes sounds like a lot, it is, but how can you tell an epic story in less than two hours? Actually, the version that showed at the Paris Opera ran four! Realizing that squiggly, low-attention-span Americans require an intermission, the museum has scheduled one, complete with complimentary sweets and coffee (hopefully with European rocket-fuel java to help with focus during the second half of the film)!

Rabbits

Meant to post this a couple days back, but... didn't.

While enjoying some cocktails on the patio of the Square One Brewery in Lafayette Square - one of the best in town, I'd say - our party noticed something extra and entertaining on the street: rabbits. A real Sunday night festival of critters, this was.

One or two running across Park might be amusing and oh-so-cute, but dozens of them?

Any Lafayette Square readers here? Is this is a common occurence on the business strip? Something lunar at work? Or were we just treated to a random bit of natural amusement?

Say It Ain't So

An all around nice guy and all around nice gal are saying buh-bye to St. Louis. The arts and culture scene will miss them both.

Randall Roberts, longtime writer for the RFT, contributor to our magazine, and DJ at KDHX (and all over town really), is moving to L.A. at the end of this month. He’ll be DJing at the Contemporary this Thursday, June 7th. This will be one of his last spins in St. Louis so if you get a chance, do stop by. 6-10pm. Free admission.

Tracy Varley, former co-director of Mad Art Gallery has relocated to Chicago. Tracy worked behind the scenes at Mad Art since the beginning. She was the heart of that operation and played a huge part in the success of Stray Rescue’s Mad Arf, the Glass Art Society 2006 Conference in St. Louis, and countless charity and art events, including helping 52nd City out a time or two.

We at 52nd City wish both the best.

RIP: James Deakin

I was reading the P-D's obituary of former, longtime reporter James Deakin today, thinking that the name was familiar. When I ran across this paragraph in Aisha Sultan's piece, it clicked:

Mr. Deakin also wrote several books, including "The Lobbyists," "Lyndon Johnson's Credibility Gap," "Straight Stuff: The Reporters, The White House and the Truth," and "A Grave for Bobby," a heavily researched look at the 1953 kidnapping and murder of 6-year-old Bobby Greenlease of Kansas City.

If you've not had the chance, seek out "A Grave for Bobby." About a year back, Christian Saller handed me a copy and I jumped right in, reading the book in just a couple nights. Colorfully describing the infamous Greenlease case, Deakin struck a perfect noir-ish, mid-century feel in describing the bumbling, ill-fated rogues surrounding the story. In doing so, he wrote about the working class St. Louis of that time, putting you right into the barrooms, four-family flats and taxi cabs of that moment, with even a few, memorable sidetrips to the late, lamented Coral Court Motel.

Obvisouly, James Deakin wrote about a lot more than just that celebrated case, but if he'd only done that book, I'd still have to say "thanks."

Skate Battle - Who's In?

So DJ G-Wiz was kind enough to give Amanda Doyle and I invitations to the Midwest Skate Battle Championships, on Saturday, June 16 at Skate King, 2700 Kienlen, Pine Lawn. The event runs from the family-friendly time of 11 p.m. until 2 in the a.m., which says to me that a "boisterous affair" can be expected. G-Wiz and and his KDHX co-host DJ Needles will provide the soundtrack to the event, which will crown (or belt) male, female and couples champions. Though I have a previous engagement that evening, I am sorely, sorely tempted to bust up to Pine Lawn prior to close for this one.

Anyone?

Barack Obama and the Man Who Carves Cranes

Compliments of frequent 52nd City contributor Chris King and his myspace page:

Barack Obama and The Man Who Carves Canes

By Chris King

When I climbed into Frank DiPiazza's vehicle, really cool music was spinning out of his stereo. Warbly pulses of melody played on the musical saw. Frank is cool, I thought. Not for the first time.

"Have you heard this, the 52nd City CD?" Frank asked. "'Sound'?"

Of course, I had heard "Sound." It's a homegrown, St. Louis thing. Good friends of mine run the operation at 52nd City. I had produced a track on the CD and received a contributor's copy of it. It's an ambitious journey in sound that goes everywhere, sometimes within a single track, and for some reason this musical saw piece – Track 11 on the CD, a collaboration between Derrick Mosley and Eric Hall situated deep within a suite of collaborations by Eric and friends – wasn't yet printed on my memory. But it certainly was an evocative and haunting piece of music. St. Louis is cool, I thought. Not for the first time.

"I've got a song on the CD," Frank said, jumping ahead to his track, "A Simple Song." Though it is an aching solo acoustic track, just Frank strumming a guitar and singing, he used a band name, Cold War, for the artist credit.

"That's funny," I said. "I started to write a review of this CD, just to send to my friends, one of my fake praise releases, but it was too self-absorbed. It's like I know every single person on this record, and that's all I could write about, how I know all these talented people and how lucky I am to know them. Before I gave up on finishing the piece, I actually wrote that there were probably even more friends on the CD, lurking under band names I didn't recognize. And there you are!"

Frank's song is raw and powerful. I asked him to turn it up.

I had known Frank since he was a very young man, an impetuous kid from New York who fronted a band called The Imps that my old friend and colleague Adam Long had produced. Adam has keen, picky ears and no taste whatsoever for rock music, but the year he produced The Imps he ran around giving a copy of their record to everybody he knew, he was so excited by it. I still have the record in my collection, and once in a blue moon I pull it out and still enjoy listening to it. It's one of those local records which, given the right push, shown the right outside interest, taken on the road for the right unexpected industry hand-off, maybe could have done something. Oh, well.

Now Frank was, among other things, a photojournalist, which explained what I was doing in his vehicle today. He had drawn the assignment to shoot pictures of a guy I had profiled for St. Louis Magazine. The subject of my story, David Goodwin, apparently had switched cell phones, leaving no forwarding phone number, so we were driving to his house in the States Streets neighborhood down by the river, hoping to catch him at home.

"So, how is the movie going?" Frank asked me, to keep the conversation rolling as we drove down to the river.

I explained that the movie, actually, was why I knew David Goodwin existed and that he carved these meticulous canes. The guy who had set out to shoot "Blind Cat Black" with me, who goes by the artist name Chizmo, dropped in on David one day when we were in his neighborhood scouting locations for the movie. David is the father of Chizmo's girlfriend. He lives in a spooky 18th century stone house on far south Minnesota, which we seized upon as the location for the hotel where our hero, played by Toyy Davis, turns a trick with The Dirty Old Man, played by Don Erickson. While we were shooting that scene at David's house, I saw all these hand-carved canes lying around. Given that he also needed a cane to walk, I figured there was a story in him. I was right. Now he magazine needed a picture to go with that story.

David was, in fact, home, though not for long. He had sold the old stone house nd was packing up to move away. But, today, he was still there and his canes were still there, and Frank set about photographing the carver and his canes in a way that would look evocative in a full-color mainstream magazine.

Frank first thought to use a battered and dirty U.S. flag as a backdrop for the hot, until I suggested it might offend some readers, since the flag had not been properly maintained, and some people get touchy about that. It was fitting that e had focussed on the flag for a minute, though. As Frank and David moved outside onto a balcony, to take advantage of the natural light and a neighbor's gritty brick wall, I went down to Frank's vehicle to sit in the quiet and wait for a call from a man who is running for president of the United States.

"Did Barack call yet?" Frank asked, when he returned to the vehicle after wrapping up the shoot.

"No," I said. "His press agent called to say he's running late."

I really was waiting for a call from Barack Obama. When I can, I do quirky features for St. Louis Magazine, to earn some spending money and to write about the interesting non-black people I know. I earn my living editing an African-American newspaper, The St. Louis American, and Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay's people had patched me together with Obama for an exclusive interview to preview his appearance in St. Louis the following day. I had been surprised to learn from Obama's press secretary that I was the senator's only St. Louis interview today, which in the competitive news business could be considered a big deal. It meant, for one day, at least, we would be ahead of the daily paper, the big radio stations and the local network news stations.

Obama finally did call, and he gave me ten minutes which I used to ask all of the questions you would expect from a black newspaper in St. Louis reporting on a black senator from Illinois running for U.S. president and coming to St. Louis to raise funds. His responses, also, were what you would expect if you know anything about the guy and his platform. I liked his answers enough that I found myself volunteering the information that he had earned my vote. Universal health care, early childhood education, energy efficiency and alternate fuels, a serious approach to climate change and let's get out of Iraq? Obama is cool, I thought. Not for the first time. Where do I sign up?

Frank pulled over and parked near our newspaper offices, so I could finish the interview before getting out of his vehicle. I had asked if Frank would take pictures of me on the phone with Obama, and indeed as the candidate talked about health disparities and the academic achievement gap, Frank was a flurry of activity, running around and shooting from all sides an unremarkable-looking person hunched around a cell phone, scribbling cryptic notes on a pad of paper, with "Sound" by 52nd City faintly playing along as the soundtrack.

SPJ Statement on U. News; Action Planned

In what's becoming a fascinating story to watch from the outside-looking-in, the St. Louis Society of Professional Journalists has weighed in with another statement on the Saint Louis University (near-)decision to change the charter of its student newspaper. An action is planned at SLU tomorrow morning around this topic, which is garnering considerable online and print media play in town.

Having read some comments in the comments sections of various blogs, I'm well aware that the "general public" is not coming in full-square against the SLU administration's stand. That's an odd, but somewhat predictable, thing, as St. Louisans do have a tendency to side with the power sources. The current edition of the U. News is rife with letters to the editor, many from current and former students, which add some necessary, passionate voices to the debate. You can read them at the Unewsonline.com.

Below is the latest statement from STL's SPJ:

Dear fellow journalists,

The Saint Louis University board of trustees will vote Saturday morning on whether to eliminate the existing charter for the University News, the student news at SLU. If approved, the university will then rewrite a new charter. After much public uproar, the administration now says it will solicit input from the newspaper staff, but it will only give them a week to provide opinions, according to Editor in Chief Diana L.Benanti. And the students still have no clear idea what the charter will actually look like once the administration acts.

Basically, the university is giving these students an ultimatum. Thus the students continue to defend their editorial independence and remain opposed to changing the charter for this 86-year-old publication.

Though not allowed to present their ideas to the board of trustees, the students are still hoping the board might be convinced to take no action on the charter. To sway the board, the students will pass out flyers and demonstrate at SLU's DuBourg Hall, 221 N. Grand Avenue, starting at 8:30 a.m. Saturday (May 5).

They're asking all other journalists worried about campus free speech to attend and participate.

Greg Cancelada
President, St. Louis Chapter of SPJ

SLU's "U. News" in the News

Saint Louis University's student paper, the University News, is one that I often pick up at Hartford Coffee Company, as the paper's distributed not only on campus, but around town. Over the past semester, I've gotten to know a couple of the staffers on the U. News masthead and had the opportunity to host a one-hour workshop with them earlier this semester.

Right now, there are some serious concerns about the way the paper will be organized in coming terms. Just as the paper isn't exclusively found at the Frost Campus, the lessons of this situation extend beyond SLU (many) gates.

Rather than punching in some press alerts already posted elsewhere, in the spirit of blogs noting other blogs, I'll send you out to a couple sites that have already weighed in on the subject: Frank Absher has touched on this in his new Media Watch column at ArchCityChronicle.com; while Steve Patterson, a SLU gard student, has added more at UrbanReviewSTL.com.

Please read up and, if you feel the need, write a letter.