2015 News Items

Below are news items from 2015. For more current and breaking news items, see the main news page.

12-31-2015: Why Small Debts Matter So Much To Black Lives

12-31-2015: How Black Lives Matter saved higher education

12-31-2015: Texas to become largest state to allow 'open carry' of guns

12-31-2015: EPA proceeds with long-delayed barrier between burning landfill and radioactive waste

12-31-2015: List of area roads closed due to high water

12-31-2015: 911 service to portions of Jefferson County is down

12-31-2015: Floods shutting Midwest pipelines and terminals expected to worsen record oil glut

12-31-2015: Gas tax hike to come up again in Missouri Legislature

12-31-2015: State finally accepting applications for program for low income pregnant women

12-30-2015: NAACP calls for civil disobedience in Cleveland after Tamir Rice ruling

12-30-2015: St. Louis County audit flags possible duplicate payments to vendors, other concerns

12-30-2015: St. Louis stadium plan arrives at NFL offices; San Diego, Oakland, follow suit

12-30-2015: Levee near Portage des Sioux in danger of failing; roads closed in St. Charles County

12-30-2015: Bill Cosby charged with sexual assault in Pennsylvania

Note: See our earlier post; "Is Bill Cosby a Rapist?"

12-30-2015: Chicago mayor plots changes to police policy after deadly shootings

12-29-2015: 31,000 Louisianans set to lose food stamp benefits on Jan. 1

Note: Missouri is one of 28 states with food stamp waivers intact; which may be a crucial resource for some recently affected by flooding.


12-29-2015: Missouri National Guard activated to help with flood response

12-29-2015: Big River threatens drinking water for Jefferson County residents

12-29-2015: Missouri officials vow to take up drivers license dispute

12-29-2015: Untreated sewage flowing into Meramec River after flood causes MSD plant shutdown

12-29-2015: Chicago officer pleads not guilty to murder in 2014 death of black teenager

12-28-2015: Prosecutor: 'Perfect storm of human error" killed Cleveland boy

12-28-2015: How to Grab a Key Social Security Benefit Before It Disappears

12-28-2015: Messenger: As cities circle the wagons, they repeat history of a divided St. Louis

12-28-2015: Chicago mayor orders review of police training following officer shooting

12-28-2015: Chicago police shooting of grandmother, teen draws criticism

12-28-2015: Minimum wage, marijuana, taxes, ethics among crowded Missouri ballot proposals

12-28-2015: Plan to open homeless shelter near City Hall on hold for now

12-27-2015: Missouri homicide, suicide rates jumped after repeal of background checks, researcher says

12-26-2015: Missouri lawmaker proposes tax holiday on gun purchases

12-26-2015: Chicago Police: Woman accidentally killed by officer fire

Note: A black male college student and black 55 year old mother of five killed by police.

12-24-2015: Committee supports removing Confederate Monument from Forest Park

12-24-2015: Witness: Officer shoots gunman inside busy North Carolina mall

12-24-2015: Chicago protestors stage ‘Black Christmas’ among last-minute shoppers

12-23-2015: Less Money Fewer Cops: Slay, Dotson Struggle For Funds

Editorial note: More crime fewer cops, non functioning street lights and other issues, but, at least we got stadium financing approved.

12-23-2015: More security measures coming to downtown St. Louis

12-23-2015: US blocks UK Muslim family from boarding plane to Disneyland

12-23-2015: Missouri drivers licenses will no longer be acceptable to enter federal facilities

NoteREAL ID Frequently Asked Questions

12-23-2015: Arrests made as protest blocks roads to Minneapolis airport

12-23-2015: Feds stop sharing asset forfeitures with local police after $1.2 billion in spending cuts

12-22-2015: Union retirees: Don't cut my pension

Editorial note: More than a million retirees could see their pensions cut in half or more come July 2016. Retired persons on pensions should start familiarizing themselves with the law.

12-22-2015: St. Ann and Foristell collected thousands in 'questionable' municipal court fees, audit says

12-22-2015: Judge bars Black Lives Matter organizers from Mall of America protest

12-22-2015: MSD proposes to spend $13.5 million to demolish vacant St. Louis structures

12-22-2015: MSD board tries to smooth minority hiring dispute

12-22-2015: Missouri man says he robbed bank so he could get health care behind bars

12-21-2016: Prosecutor: No indictment in Sandra Bland's jail death

12-21-2015: University City council meeting to discuss 'disciplinary action' canceled

12-21-2015: ACLU plans to challenge ruling that allows Missouri technical school to drug test incoming students

12-20-2015: Officer in VonDerrit Myers Jr. fatal shooting resigns after crashing car; Drunk driving probe opened

12-19-2015: Who’s responsible for poisoning Flint’s water supply?

12-19-2015: Velda City to take over policing in Flordell Hills

12-19-2015: Missouri trooper charged in the drowning of handcuffed boater at Lake of the Ozarks

12-18-2015: UN: Over 60 million people displaced worldwide this year

12-18-2015: Lawmakers introduce bans on texting and driving

12-18-2015: Study: Many St. Louis Co. cities spend a lot of money on administrative costs

12-18-2015: St. Louis aldermen approve $150 million in city financing for stadium as Rams mull move to LA

12-18-2015: McCaskill only area Senate 'no' vote on $1.1 trillion tax-and-spend bill

12-18-2015: Congress OKs compromise budget deal to keep government open

12-18-2015: Goodell: $300 million for St. Louis stadium 'fundamentally inconsistent' with NFL policy

12-17-2015: New Orleans council votes to remove Confederate monuments

12-17-2015: Dozen municipalities file formal challenge to St. Louis County police standards ordinance

12-17-2015: LifeLock to pay $100 million in largest FTC order enforcement case ever

Note: LifeLock, the identity-theft protection company,failed to properly secure its customers’ information and misrepresented the strength of its security.

12-17-2015: Fourth lawmaker wants to eliminate St. Louis, Kansas City earnings tax

12-16-2015: The arts raising awareness of human rights atrocities

12-16-2015: This Could Be the Next Chicago Police Shooting Video to Roil the City

12-16-2015: Officer in Laquan McDonald shooting indicted

12-16-2015: Report: Ferguson Close to Agreement with DOJ

12-16-2015: Sponsor withdraws Mizzou athlete strike proposal

12-16-2015: More cities join lawsuit in opposition to St. Louis County policing standards

12-16-2015: Ferguson protesters challenge validity of 'interfering with police' law

12-16-2015: Slay, Reed approve stadium financing; Green opposes

12-16-2015: McKee and city have deal on NorthSide property

12-16-2015: Judge declares mistrial in case of officer charged in Freddie Gray’s death

12-15-2015: Cosby sues his accusers: Does that make sense?

Editorial note: In an earlier post, we posed the question, "Is Bill Cosby a Rapist?". So far only seven women are part of the lawsuit, but hopefully the majority of the 40 plus women will be called as witnesses so the world can finally get their story under oath, subject to cross examination, so their credibility can be better determined.

12-15-2015: Slay and French, political foes, reach accord on St. Louis crime 'plan'

12-15-2015: MSD says critics of diversity initiative waste ratepayer money

12-15-2015: Bill would shorten wait time for expungement of some crimes in Missouri

12-15-2015: State board approves line of credit for stadium agency

12-15-2015: St. Louis aldermen push forward riverfront stadium deal after last minute changes

12-15-2015: St. Louis aldermen debate riverfront stadium deal after last minute changes

12-15-2015: Another bill ending St. Louis, KC earnings taxes filed

12-15-2015: Lewis Reed considering reprimand of St. Louis alderman over stadium flap

12-14-2015: FAA to require most drones to be registered and marked

12-14-2015: St. Louis municipal court will now take partial payments online

Editorial note: I never understood why the City made people take off work just a make a payment! It always seemed to me to be a form of unnecessary coercion. This is a much needed and welcome change. However, why did it take a protest movement that gained international attention and scrutiny of the Missouri Municipal Court system before the City of St. Louis made a common sense change that had negatively impacted many people; this should have happened years ago.

12-13-2015: Video shows L.A. cops pumping bullets into crawling man

12-12-2015: Civil rights, religious groups upset over police union Trump endorsement

SeeDangerous Racist and Religious Propaganda

12-12-2015: Mother of black man killed by San Francisco police sues

12-12-2015: Racial bias in everything: Airbnb edition

12-12-2015: Minister-led team walks north St. Louis streets at night, reaching out to residents

12-11-2015: Convicted officer chose rape victims carefully, attorney says

Editorial note: Holtzclaw, who is white and Asian, was found guilty Thursday on 18 counts, including four counts of first-degree rape, by an all white jury. All of his victims were African American. He had been charged with 36 counts, with 13 women testifying at the trial that Holtzclaw sexually victimized them.

12-11-2015: Citadel suspends students for KKK-type photos

12-11-2015: List of cities unhappy with St. Louis County's new standards for police grows

12-11-2015: Residents launch legal challenge to pending sale of St. Louis County park land to Jefferson Barracks

12-11-2015: St. Louis Public School teachers ratify contract offer

12-11-2015: St. Louis aldermen to return Tuesday for stadium debate

12-11-2015: St. Louis alderman alleges 'bribery' and 'corruption' in stadium vote

12-10-2015: Public school funding has declined in most states since 2008, report says

12-10-2015: Charter schools are a ‘gravy train,’ say researchers

12-10-2015: Ferguson protester who set fire at Berkeley QuikTrip sentenced to 8 years in prison

12-10-2015: St. Louis stadium proposal gets crucial backing from aldermanic committee

12-10-2015: St. Louis stadium proposal gets crucial backing from aldermanic committee

12-10-2015: Owe hundreds in fines to St. Louis Public Library? Here's a fix

Editorial Note: As a frequent library patron, I will certainly be taking advantage of this. Thank you St. Louis Public Library!

12-10-2015: St. Louis targets vacant properties through special tax auctions

Editorial note: Beware of the "good intentions" of certain laws. This could also be a tool to force low income people, or those suffering a temporary financial crisis out of their home when they can't afford to do cosmetic or minor repairs and accumulate housing code violations. "The road to hell is paved with good intentions".

12-10-2015: Justice Scalia under fire for race comments during affirmative action argument

12-09-2015: St. Louis police seek video recorders after dispute over in-custody death

12-09-2015: Medical examiner says evidence supports St. Louis police account of in-custody death

12-09-2015: Man who tried to hang himself in St. Louis holdover cell dies after struggle with police

Editorial note: Evidently there's no video evidence to refute or confirm the official story. Six to eight officer tried to subdue him. Too bad not one of them had a body cam.

12-08-2015: Judge calls St. Louis bankruptcy company "a massive rip-off operation"

Editorial note: The judge called the lawyer “dishonest and dangerously incompetent” and ordered him to stop “ripping off clients by abandoning them” abusing the bankruptcy process and allowing staffers to practice law without a license. This is why YOU need to increase what you know about the law!

12-08-2015: St. Louis comptroller proposes no-tax $25M bond issue to equip firefighters

Editorial note: As long as the City can give hundred of millions of dollars to help build a private stadium, they can certainly find $25 million to fund equipment. I  VOTE  NO!

12-08-2015: St. Louis County Council OKs $3 million for Loop Trolley

12-08-2015: FBI to sharply expand system for tracking police shootings

12-08-2015: Nixon receives list of 120 Missouri House members opposed to stadium proposal

12-8-2015: St. Louis police to begin body camera pilot program

12-08-2015: Woman sues Ferguson police officer, alleges unreasonable arrest at accident scene

12-08-2015: Chicago releases video of police using Taser on man in cell who later died

12-07-2015: Rift between Metro, police deepens

12-05-2015: St. Louis struggles to maintain $17 million Washington Avenue streetscape

Editorial note: The City of St. Louis can't afford to do basic maintenance, however, it wants to give hundreds of millions of dollars to a billionaire, Stan Kroenke, for his private stadium.

The City gave tax abatements for Busch Stadium, to the Cardinal owners, estimated to be worth at least $143 million.

Tens of millions were spent on millionaire, Paul McKee's failed 8.1 billion redevelopment of North St. Louis, and now the city is planning on spending at least another $20 million, partly to acquire land previously sold to McKee at bargain basement prices, and up to $130 million in total city cost, to stay a viable choice for NGA's 1.6 billion relocation project.

Those are just a few projects that received media attention and scrutiny. How many other projects involving public money for millionaires and billionaire go unnoticed? No wonder the rich just keep getting richer!

12-4-2015: Foundation is being laid for St. Louis 'Promise Zone'

12-04-2015: ACLU: Springfield's Panhandling Ordinance "Unconstitutional"

Editorial Note: St. Louis City Revised Code Chapter 15.44 Division IV Aggressive Begging and St. Louis Ordinance 67918. For any governmental entity to tell individuals it is not okay to communicate their need to the public goes against the First Amendment. "There but for the grace of god go I".

12-03-2015: St. Louis public defender claims police chief, prosecutor unfairly influence gun crime bail

Note: See Federal Prosecution of Gun Crime, the New Mass Incarceration Tool?

12-03-2015: St. Louis earnings tax on chopping block if Columbia lawmaker has his way

Editorial note: St. Louis voters in 2011 approved the continuation of the earnings tax, but the city faces a renewal vote next year. If the measure doesn’t pass, the tax would be phased out over 10 years. This source of income is no longer guaranteed, which is why we shouldn't even consider partially funding stadiums with tax dollars for billionaire business owners.

12-03-2015: Missouri attorney general seeks to stop abusive debt collection

Advertorial note: I was targeted by predatory debt collectors, but I fought them when they tried to sue me. Even if you can't afford a lawyer, you can fight back.  In my ebook, I reveal the strategy I used to beat multiple credit card lawsuits. The first 200 can receive a 75% discount! To get your copy for only $4.99, use discount code, holiday2015 at checkout . Expires when limit is reach or on 12-31-2015, whichever comes first.

12-2-2015: St. Louis aldermanic committee rejects plan for public vote on new NFL stadium

12-2-2015: St. Louis stadium naming rights proceeds now to go to NFL

Note: The previous headline for this story was: "NFL owner advises St. Louis stadium planners: Firm up financing "

12-2-2015: In one week, police shootings across Missouri have left 4 people dead, 1 critically hurt

12-2-2015: Judge dismisses St. Louis taxi commission's suit against Lyft

12-1-2015: Training in recognizing bias added for Missouri officers

12-1-2015: Still waiting for a refund from a St. Louis red-light camera ticket? You're not alone

11-27-2015: Study: Fewer ‘Affordable’ Homes Near ‘Good’ Elementary Schools

11-27-2015: Removed St. Louis County grand juror disputes circumstances, decries secrecy

Note: See Missouri Revised Statutes Chapter 540 for information about grand juries and their proceedings.

11-27-2015: Protest over Chicago teen's shooting tie up retail district

Editorial note: Kudos to Chicago protesters. Without economic consequences, most protest will fail. The officer that executed that 17 year old kid, should have been charged with murder immediately.

11-27-2015: St. Louis cancels contract over failure to produce downtown concerts

11-25-2015: Highway Patrol Sergeant: ‘We killed Brandon Ellingson.’

11-24-2015: St. Louis County Municipal League backs sales tax if policing measure is dropped

11-24-2015: St. Louis Treasurer: 'City has 99 problems; Financing a new stadium is not one'

11-24-2015: St. Louis County Council advances policing measure

11-24-2015: Hundreds protest as Chicago releases video of cop shooting teen 16 times

Laquan McDonald, the murder victim, appears on the dash cam video about 5 minutes and 15 seconds in the video.

11-24-2015: Five Black Lives Matter protesters shot in Minneapolis; police searching for white suspects

11-24-2015: Chicago cop charged with murder in killing of black teen

Editorial note: It seems disingenuous that now, on the eve of a judge ordered release of the shooting video and more than a year after the killing, the police officer is finally being charged with murder. What took so long? It makes you wonder if this video had not been ordered released, would murder charges have been brought.

11-24-2015: Protesters take to street in Ferguson one year after non-indictment announcement

11-24-2015: Jennings council votes to impeach mayor, have a department head removed by police

11-24-2015: Minority police group expected to announce no confidence in St. Louis police chief

11-24-2015: 30 purported 'White Student Unions' pop up at campuses across the country

11-23-2015: St. Louis Zoo tax plan for Grant's Farm has long been in the works

11-21-2015: Hate crime under review at University of Central Missouri

11-20-2015: 'White Student Union' challenges Black Lives Matter at University of Illinois

Editorial Note: Although, I don't agree with what the article says those students expressed, they had a constitutional right to express their opinion. I applaud the University for denouncing the message. If the university's logo use was unauthorized, I can understand a request for the removal of the logo, but trying to suppress the message by asking Facebook to take it down went too far. Most  likely those students have not been exposed to any black history, and the only images of black people they've seen come from media. Historians in this county have distorted the facts of history, excluded non-white voices and opinion and made heroes out of villains.

11-20-2015: Both Kansas Cities raise age to buy tobacco products to 21

11-19-2015: Judge orders video of fatal police shooting released; city forgoes appeal

11-19-2015: Special prosecutor to review St. Louis police shooting

11-19-2015: Frontenac aldermen oppose plan for splitting county sales tax

11-19-2015: North County cities sue to block law that limits revenue from traffic cases

11-19-2015: Police release body camera video from encounter with man they say shot himself in Normandy last month

11-18-2015: St. Louis teachers reject district pay offer

Note: See your child's teacher salary, scroll to 2014-2015 Missouri Educator Salaries.

11-18-2015: St. Louis County will refund overcharges on tax bills

11-18-2015: St. Louis City Counselor Winston Calvert resigns

11-17-2015: When Terrorism Strikes, Black Lives Don’t Seem to Matter as Much

11-17-2015: Ferguson chooses city manager

11-17-2015: Demands for 10 percent black faculty at Mizzou would put it above norm for peer universities

11-17-2015: TV reporter arrested covering Black Lives Matter protest in Minneapolis

11-17-2015: Nixon won't bar Syrian refugees from Missouri, despite Republican calls for a ban

11-17-2015: The #FuckParis hashtag sends the Internet into a fury

11-16-2015: Why Missouri Has Become The Heart Of Racial Tension In America

11-16-2015: Metro High sophomore named 'Youth of the Year'

Note: For additional details, see Boys & Girls Club of Greater St. Louis.

11-16-2015: Judge gives St. Louis deadline to provide old hospital records on babies

11-16-2015: St. Charles County judge upholds countywide ban on red-light cameras

11-15-2015: The video that might rip Chicago apart

11-15-2015: Minneapolis police shooting of black man sparks protests

11-15-2015: Racial strife hits the University of Kansas too

11-15-2015: St. Louis Community College chancellor condemns racist graffiti found on Meramec campus

11-15-2015: In news interview, Obama praises Mizzou protesters, asked activists

11-14-2015: Black Americans twice as likely as whites to face use of non-fatal police force, US study says

11-14-2015: St. Louis city buys developer McKee's debt for leverage

11-14-2015: From LA to NY, Mizzou's protests prompt solidarity from students

11-13-2015: Mizzou's Pinkel to retire at season's end

11-13-2015: Guns at the St. Louis Zoo? Judge hears arguments today

11-13-2015: Black students around US complain of casual, everyday racism

11-12-2015: Are Cops In Chicago Behind Many Of The Shootings That Are Blamed On Gang Violence?

Editorial note: Serious food for thought, especially since the FBI reported that white supremacist organizations have infiltrated law enforcement organizations. Also see: Whistleblower Cop: Fellow Officers Getting “Gang Tattoos” To Celebrate Their Shooting Victims

1-12-2015: This City Is Fining Black Residents For Having Weeds In Their Gardens

11-11-2015: St. Louis is next stop for Missouri Supreme Court's municipal court group

Note: Meeting is open to the public, see official court announcement.

11-10-2015: New county police standards may be challenged in court

11-10-2015: Mizzou hunger striker says Ferguson protests were ‘monumental’ for him

11-9-2015: Mizzou black players change college athletics forever

11-9-2015: Appeals court: State can try 'Angola 3' inmate a 3rd time

11-9-2015: University of Missouri president and chancellor step down amid race row

11-9-2015: Thousands gather on Mizzou quad after UM system president resigns

11-8-2015: ‘Gentler War on Drugs’ For Whites Is a ‘Smack’ in Black America’s Face

See related post: "Crime Won't Decrease until Oppression Decreases".

11-7-2015: New state traffic ticket cap a factor in 2 villages' switch to city status

11-7-2015: Complicated and expensive: What recent NFL stadium deals can teach St. Louis

11-7-2015: Louisiana police arrest 2 officers in autistic boy's death

11-7-2015: Mizzou football players protest racism, say they won't play until president is ousted

11-7-2015: A letter to Jonathan Butler, the University of Missouri hunger striker

11-6-2015: Mizzou president meets with student staging hunger strike

11-6-2015: Black Police Officers In St. Louis Say They've Been Targeted By White Cops While Off-Duty

11-6-2015: What’s causing the tap water in St. Louis City to taste strange?

Editorial note: News story didn't really answer the question, find more information here. Also see: "Why your tap water tastes, smells odd" and "St. Louis water develops foul taste and smell". Should I have my water tested (pdf)? If you use a private laboratory to conduct the testing, nitrate and bacteria samples will typically cost between $10 and $20 to complete. Testing for other contaminants will be more expensive.

11-5-2015: Panelists cite racial disparities, urging reforms in personal-debt collection

11-5-2015: Ferguson to hold meetings on community policing, starting Saturday

11-4-2015: Groups ask MSD board to examine minority hiring program

11-4-2015: Survey: Half of black millennials know of police violence

11-4-2015: Lawsuit filed against Pagedale for ticketing high grass and other code violations

Editorial note: Just because municipalities can't use traffic tickets anymore as a reliable sources of revenue doesn't mean they can't abuse other areas of enforcement. Use the free information on this site to learn at least the basics, otherwise be prepared to pay!

11-4-2015: Special task force meeting in St. Louis to crackdown on predatory towing

11-3-2015: St. Louis alderman still struggles after witnessing fatal police shooting

11-3-2015: Prosecutor: No charges against St. Louis officers in 2014 fatal shooting of Kajieme Powell

11-2-2015: Why your tap water tastes, smells odd

11-2-2015: Free St. Louis Legal Information Site Marks 1 Year Anniversary

11-2-2015: Updated: Does your legislator accept lobbyist gifts?

11-2-2015: Judge: A lot of things were wrong with municipal courts

11-2-2015: Layoffs looming? UMSL facing an $8 million budget shortfall

11-2-2015: Jury says Harris-Stowe discriminated, awards dismissed white instructor nearly $5 million

11-1-2015: Hundreds Of Cops Kicked Off Force For Committing Sex Crimes

10-31-2015: Concerns About Law on Municipal Courts Alleviated

10-31-2015: Police Brutality Against Black Women Comes Into National Spotlight

10-31-2015: Along for the Ride: Local transportation planning adapts to conservative times

Editorial note: When I was growing up, my family did not own a car, so we relied on buses, there was no Metrolink then. After I lost my job, I considered using public transportation to save costs. However, I realized public transportation would be almost as expensive as using my car. When I graduated from high school, bus fare with a transfer was 60 cents. Minimum wage then was $3.35, so a person with a minimum wage job could take almost six trips for one hour of wages. That same bus fare is now $3.00, so only two trips could be purchased by a minimum wage earner making $7.25 per hour. There are four people in my household, so even if we purchased four $78 monthly passes, the monthly cost would be $312. My older car was paid for, so gas and insurance some months is lower than the cost of using public transportation. The months that my vehicle requires repairs is when my cost may exceed public transportation. Kansas City is lowering many of their bus fares to $1.50, and believes the loss in fare income will be made up with increased ridership.

10-30-2015: Appeals court orders disputed St. Louis County grand jury disbanded

10-30-2015: St. Louis circuit attorney fires prosecutor running to replace her

10-30-2015: U.S. reaches settlement with 457 hospitals over cardiac device

10-30-2015: New reports in West Lake Landfill case show the site is safe

10-30-2015: Missouri power players join forces in effort to keep spy agency within St. Louis' borders

10-30-2015: In Heroin Crisis, White Families Seek Gentler War on Drugs

10-29-2015: Zoo-Museum District OKs new ethics policy

10-29-2015: 50 years after his courageous protest, Percy Green revisits the Arch

10-29-2015: Murder victim's mother injured when St. Louis officer fires gunshot at her dog, sources say

Editorial note: Woman's son is murdered, she is caring for her grandson, the division of family services comes to take away the grandson, the officer tries to shot the dog protecting the home from a perceived intruder but shots the woman, the dog is then taken to animal control and the chief of police makes a point to say the woman's injuries are minor and non life threatening. Only in St. Louis!

10-29-2015: Officer sues St. Louis police, supervisors, alleging he was sexually harassed

Editorial note: You know it's bad when even police officers aren't safe from police harassment?

10-29-2015: Stopping gun violence likely unconstitutional

10-29-2015: Missouri gets ‘A’ for financial literacy

10-29-2015: Missouri’s Unclaimed Property program is a success story

10-29-2015: Kansas City transit agency lowers fares and considers as-needed ‘microtransit’ routes

10-28-2015: Anonymous Vows To Unhood 1,000 Ku Klux Klan Members

Note -See: Ku Klux Klan: Invisible Empire

10-28-2015: Columbia, MO – Local groups asking for signatures on marijuana legislation

10-28-2015: Bar Association panel discusses consolidation and conflict of municipal courts

10-28-2015: Court rules Missouri law denies gays employment protection

10-28-2015: North County Police Cooperative Fighting St. Louis County Exec's Standards

10-27-2015: Ex-Warren County deputy charged with shooting own patrol car, claiming he was ambushed

10-27-2015: Uniform law enforcement standards legislation presented to St. Louis County Council

10-27-2015: MSD: Sewage spill near Bridgeton Landfill 'contained'

10-27-2015: Missouri Supreme Court hears St. Louis gun rights cases

10-27-2015: Former St. Louis prosecutor admits covering up officer's assault on handcuffed suspect

10-26-2015: Kathryn Stout Arrested in Black Lives Matter Vandalism Spree in Columbia, Illinois

10-26-2015: $150 million for stadium too much to 'shoulder,' says city comptroller

10-26-2015: Former St. Louis prosecutor admits covering up officer's assault on handcuffed suspect

10-26-2015: A cooperative effort: Small police departments band together in north St. Louis County

10-25-2015: Missouri attorney general calls on EPA to remedy landfill issue 'without delay'

10-25-2015: Emergency plans for West Lake Landfill stoke fears

Editorial Note: Governments officials often lie, which is one of the reasons this site exists. Most people, especially the homeowners in Bridgeton, did not know radioactive waste was buried in their community. Much of our country's atomic material was generated during World War II and the Cold War, waste material was often secretly buried in what was then remote unpopulated areas. Many of those areas are now populated. If you currently live in an area that was vast undeveloped land during World War II; the potential exist that companies secretly or illegally buried atomic waste. The Wall Street Journal article, "Waste Lands – Americas' forgotten nuclear legacy", lists hundreds of sites, including ten St. Louis area locations. Keep in mind, those are just the known or revealed sites.

10-25-2015: Christie: Black Lives Matter 'creating' atmosphere for killing police officers 

10-23-2015: President Obama defended ‘Black Lives Matter.’ But why did he have to?

10-23-2015: Stadium financing revealed: City to pay $70 million, plus rebate some taxes

10-22-2015: Restoring trust in municipal courts

10-22-2015: FCC votes to further cut cost of calls for inmates

10-22-2015: FBI director says agency used aerial surveillance above Ferguson

10-22-2015: Activists march in downtown St. Louis to protest of police brutality

10-22-2015: Covering unrest turned Flo Valley student into award-winning photojournalist

10-22-2015: Aldermen tired of waiting for details on St. Louis stadium financing

10-22-2015: St. Louis aldermen to call for public vote on stadium funding

10-21-2015: Legal challenge to controversial St. Louis County rental housing bill ordinance imminent

10-21-2015: Controversial Bill Targeting Problem Tenants Passes St. Louis County Council

10-21-2015: St. Louis giving back money from red-light camera violations

10-21-2015: St. Louis Woman Sues Ferguson After Being Arrested, Detained for Videotaping Cops

10-21-2015: St. Louis aldermen push forward eminent domain list for proposed spy agency headquarters

10-20-2015: St. Louis County grand jury on hold due to former foreman's lawsuit

10-19-2015: Debt collection lawsuits squeeze St. Louis area's black neighborhoods

Note: "Beating Credit Card Lawsuits", describes how I beat multiple creditor lawsuits after I lost my job. If you've lost your job or experiencing some other financial crisis, use the discount code: hardship at checkout to receive a 75% discount. Expires on 10-31-2015 or after 1,000 redemptions.

10-19-2015: Mississippi lawmaker apologizes over 'black judge' comment

10-19-2015: In Missouri, public defenders describe mountains of work, low pay

10-17-2015: Missouri, with many juvenile lifers, lags in response to Supreme Court action

10-16-2015: St. Louis City health inspector accused of bribery

10-16-2015: Ex-ACLU staff attorney kicked off grand jury in St. Louis County

10-16-2015: St. Louis police should take crisis intervention training seriously

10-15-2015: Why home buying was a bust for many African Americans even during the boom

10-15-2015: How MSD repairs aging pipes across St. Louis

10-15-2015: Residents demand answers about radioactive Bridgeton landfill

10-15-2015: Missouri to enact jobless benefit cuts in January; lawsuit seeks halt

Editorial Note: Need money to help finance a new stadium? Cut unemployment benefits. In 2011 Missouri reduced benefit to 20 weeks from a previous 26 weeks. Unemployment benefits will be reduced to 13 weeks when the new law takes effect. Considering that artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics could eliminate half  of existing jobs, benefit cuts will negatively affect many in the upcoming years.

10-14-2015: 'The Rink Rebooted'

Note: Last year, we addressed how black people were excluded from Steinberg in Forest Park.

10-14-2015: Mississippi River Basin Gets A Grade Of D+

10-14-2015: Charlack police on verge of disbanding

10-14-2015: Judge strikes down St. Louis' minimum wage increase

10-13-2015: St. Louis County rental licensing bill back on track and headed toward passage

10-13-2015: Public expresses mixed views on nominees to St. Louis police oversight board

10-13-2015: Missouri Supreme Court committee will study racial issues in the state's justice system

10-12-2015: Statistics show St. Louis crime starting modest decline

Editorial Note: Crime usually increases during the summer months, so the fact that crime has declined since the summer is no surprise. However, crime will rise again during the holidays. Don't be fooled by meaningless statistics.

10-11-2015: Traffic cases increase in some communities

Note: Sunset Hills and Eureka had the highest percentage increases.

10-10-2015: Tamir Rice shooting was 'reasonable,' two experts conclude

Editorial Note: if it's reasonable to shot a twelve year old kid on a playground with a toy gun that's not even pulled out; when exactly is it unreasonable for the police to kill?

10-10-2015: Amid reforms, municipal court traffic cases and revenue plummet

10-10-2015: FCC to consider further cutting cost of calls for inmates

10-10-2015: 9 cities abolish Columbus Day in favor Indigenous Peoples’ Day

See: Columbus Day: Celebrating Slavery & Genocide

10-9-2015: National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency releases study of St. Louis sites for new campus

Note: Three public meetings are scheduled including on at: St. Louis Gateway Classic Sports Foundation, 2012 Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, St. Louis, Oct. 29, 4-7 p.m.

10-8-2015: St. Louis to create 'crime commission' to recommend public safety initiatives

10-7-2015: Report: St. Louis stadium would cost taxpayers $215 million more than previously believed

10-7-2015: St. Louis taxi commission files suit to block Uber from operating

10-7-2015: St. Louis mayor, police chief join other city leaders in crime summit with Justice Department

10-7-2015: St. Louis County Council in a surprise vote rejects controversial rental housing bill

10-6-2015: St. Louis Has the Lowest Population Growth of Any Big City in the U.S.

10-6-2015: St. Louis develops disaster plan for nuclear waste dump

10-6-2015: Thousands of federal drug inmates set for early release

10-6-2015: St. John braces for revenue loss from municipal court reform law

10-6-2015: Mayor: St. Louis police will expedite hiring of about 80 officers

10-5-2015: Revised St. Louis County rental bill will prohibit evictions for domestic violence incidents

10-2-2015: Antonio French vows to block stadium funding in absence of ‘comprehensive’ crime plan

10-2-2015: St. Louis jury awards disabled former judge $7 million

Editorial Note: “He felt like he was heard and somebody listened to him and believed him and saw him for the first time on these issues.” If this is how a judge feels, imagine how bad it must be for others with no legal knowledge.

10-2-2015: Final Ferguson-related federal report dissects St. Louis County police

10-1-2015: St. Louis Has the Highest Murder Rate in the Nation

9-30-2015: St. Louis County Could Force Eviction of Tenants With Misdemeanors Under New Plan 

Editorial note: Yet another reason why everyone needs to learn how to protect their rights and defend themselves. I haven't done the research, but this doesn't sound constitutional!

9-29-2015: Southeast Missouri woman claims she's been harassed since she began flipping off town's mayor

9-29-2015: Mentally impaired East St. Louis teen gets $900,000 settlement in false confession lawsuit

9-29-2015: Survey finds St. Louis near bottom among cities ranked by growth

9-29-2015: FBI to collect better data on police shootings, use of force

9-28-2015: City, county attorneys OK new Zoo-Museum ethics policy

9-28-2015: Harvard students look for ways to improve MLK Drive in St. Louis as model for rest of nation

9-27-2015: More crime leads to crowded court docket

9-27-2015: Some St. Louis County cities fear new police requirements are meant to put them out of business

9-26-2015: State Supreme Court asks muni court work group for sharper focus

9-26-2015: St. Louis area police reaching out to colleagues with fragile mental health

9-26-2015: Eminent domain resolution filed for proposed St. Louis spy agency site

9-26-2015: Wash U conference looks at ways to reverse mass incarceration in the U.S.

9-25-2015: Civil service commissioner resigns after Slay request

9-25-2015: St. Louis area citizens: Quality, not quantity, should be focus of police training

9-25-2015: Eminent domain resolution filed for proposed St. Louis spy agency site

9-23-2015: St. Louis to begin using eminent domain in effort to lure National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

See our library article: Eminent Domain

9-22-2015: Walgreens continues deceptive pricing practices, Missouri attorney general says

9-21-2015: Federal money will pay for 15 more police officers in St. Louis

9-19-2015: Berkeley police begin wearing body cameras

9-19-2015: Missouri legislators serve hors d'oeuvres, lobbyists pass the envelopes

9-18-2015: Two St. Louis police commanders disciplined over breach of rule on outside pay

9-18-2015: Kinloch mayor impeached by Board of Aldermen

9-18-2015: First hearing planned for MO Supreme Court's municipal court working group

9-18-2015: Uber sues St. Louis Taxicab Commission, launches service without approval

9-18-2015: Moody's cuts Ferguson credit rating to 'junk' status

9-17-2015: St. Louis police discipline central issue as Slay tries to oust civil service commissioner

9-17-2015: St. Louis County Police bars use of dogs in crowd control

9-17-2015: Local Foreclosure Numbers Buck National Trend, Skyrocket

9-16-2015: Is new crime-solving effort between St. Louis police and prosecutors working?

9-16-2015: Why does St. Louis care more about Syrian refugees than its black population?

9-15-2015: St. Louis woman wants dangerous house torn down

9-14-2015: Ferguson Commission Shines Light On Racially Divided St. Louis

9-14-2015: St. Louis Comptroller to give up city take home car by the end of September

9-14-2015: City of St. Louis Gives $60,000 to Better Family Life

9-11-2015: North County homeowner faces $900 trash fee for vacant home

Editorial note: Mr. Warren Jeffries has already paid $100 in attorney fees and would have to pay an additional $450 fee for that attorney to appear in court next week. This is one of the reasons this site exist. I wonder if Mr. Jeffries will request a trial by jury.

9-11-2015: Locking in federal money means MoDOT can repair, replace 40 bridges

Editorial note: The Hancock Amendment prevented unnecessary taxation from the state.

9-11-2015: St. Louis will get Syrian refugees — but how many and when still unknown

9-10-2015: NYPD Cops Slam Black Tennis Star To The Concrete On Way To US Open Because He ‘Fit The Description’

9-10-2015: French court confirms Monsanto guilty of chemical poisoning

Editorial note: The food supply of everyone reading this may be affected by this court decision. See the documentary, "The World According to Monsanto".

9-10-2015: U.S. court finds EPA was wrong to approve Dow pesticide harmful to bees

9-10-2015: How much money did St. Louis lose on free parking?

9-9-2015: Jennings mayor, councilwoman raise concerns about contract with St. Louis County police

9-9-2015: St. Louis prosecutor to review World Series ticket scandal documents

Editorial Note: Did the St. Louis City Prosecutor actually not realized in 2007 that it was illegal for police officers to use tickets they seized as evidence of a crime?

9-9-2015: Kinloch Police arrest attorney after she tries to record video of the city's prosecutor

9-9-2015: Cops Enter ‘Wrong House’ Without Warrant, Shoot Homeowner and Dog, Then Ask ‘Are We Perfect?’

Editorial note: Propaganda is discussed on the Racial Media Bias page. Notice the CNN headline, "Police: Friendly fire likely wounded officer in wrong-house encounter" and the NBC headline, "Atlanta-Area Cop Critical, Dog Killed When Police Go to Wrong Home" for this event.

9-8-2015: Judge Pushes for Settlement in Homeless Shelter’s Lawsuit Against St. Louis

9-8-2015: St. Louis Launches “From Prison To Prosperty” Initiative

9-8-2015: Two former St. Louis corrections officers arrested on drug and sex charges

9-7-2015: Program helps St. Louis' first-generation college students overcome roadblocks

9-6-2015: Cash bail and jail fees penalize the poor in municipal court

9-6-2015: Editorial: Build a New St. Louis: Start over to make city great again

9-3-2015: Nothing to sneeze at: STL woman starts $5 million pepper lawsuit

Editorial note: A good example of someone with legal knowledge putting it to good use. I have always thought it a little deceptive when companies change the volumn of a substance but use the same container. Usually, once a person becomes accustomed to purchasing a particular brand, they grab the item almost on reflect and don't bother reading the small print. I was unaware of the term "Slack Filling" and law related to it until this lawsuit. Some people may believe this is frivolous, but it will most likely result in companies marking much more clearly when they change the volumn of product contained in it's standard containers.

9-3-2015: ACLU: Documents show St. Louis officers who misued '06 World Series tickets committed crimes

9-3-2015: St. Louis voted one of the world's most unfriendly cities to visit

Editorial note: St. Louis has a history of racism, exclusion and denial. Exclusion by it's very nature is unfriendly and that nature is apparent to visitors. The St. Louis question, "Where'd you go to high school?", provides clues about a person's religion, family wealth, and class and is used to make snap decisions about others.St. Louis has aspirations of being a world class city, but world class cities embrace diveristy. Diversity matters because it helps perpetuate different thoughts, ideas and creativity. If you want a city to be exciting, it needs the variety that only diversity can provide.

9-2-2015: To Save Black Lives, Protester Bruce Franks Will Do the Unthinkable: Work with Cops

9-2-2015: 10 criticisms and lessons from the DOJ report on Ferguson response

9-2-2015: Missouri auditor will review municipal court practices to look for abuses

9-1-2015: Pine Lawn in talks with St. Louis County about turning over policing

9-1-2015: St. Louis parking enforcement officer suspended amid investigation

8-31-2015: Top 10 most dangerous U.S. cities

Note: St. Louis #4, Kansas City #10

8-31-2015: Wells Fargo to give $15,000 home downpayment grants in St. Louis city

8-30-2015: City treasurer brings free financial counseling, college savings accounts to St. Louis

8-29-2015 North County tax assessments are challenged

Note: Areas with high concentration of black residents seem to be the ones targeted for over taxation. See our Library page for links about how to dispute your Missouri property tax assessment.

8-28-2015: St. Louis aldermen approve $11 minimum wage

8-27-2015: Police body camera issue returns to St. Louis City Hall

8-27-2015: City of Jennings settles with civil rights lawyers on major reforms

8-26-2015: Friend of Mansur Ball-Bey gives statement to police, circuit attorney

8-26-2015: Post-Dispatch responds to Riverfront Times article

8-26-2015: Man shot by St. Louis police had severed spine, raising questions about his movements

8-25-2015: Post-Dispatch Deletes Mention of Fingerprints, DNA Evidence from Coverage of Police Shooting

8-25-2015: St. Louis man freed after three years behind bars sues prosecutors, police

Note: This is why everyone should learn how to exercise their rights.

8-24-2015: Ahead of new law, Ferguson municipal court announces major changes

8-24-2015: Attorney’s for Ball-Bey family dispute police version of shooting

8-24-2015: A decade after Katrina

Note: See Katrine Video and racial biased images

8-24-2015: Tension escalates in a St. Charles subdivision after a new neighbor moves in

Note: Black family moved into previously all white neighborhood.

8-23-2015: Unemployment Benefits Override Looks Set

8-23-2015: Local Hiring More St. Louis Police Officers Could Still Be a Distant Dream

8-23-2015: St. Louis aldermen to debate minimum wage increase

8-23-2015: Dotson says he welcomes Joyce's probe into shooting death

8-23-2015: Muni court reform law takes effect Friday; many warrants, fines are being canceled early

8-23-2015: Missouri unemployment benefits bill looks set for override

8-22-2015: Police union slams circuit attorney over investigation into officer-involved fatal shooting

8-22-2015: Alderman calls for change in St. Louis city leadership, following vigil for Mansur Ball-Bey

8-21-2015: Circuit Attorney's Office launches investigation into death of Mansur Ball-Bey

8-20-2015: SLU law professor urges protesters to get lawyers, file claims against St. Louis police

Note: See – Protester's rights

8-20-2015: St. Louis Officials Meet With Clergy to Defuse Tensions After Shooting

8-19-2015: St. Louis to refund motorists for $5.6 million in red-light camera tickets

8-18-2015: Missouri Supreme Court strikes down red-light ordinances

8-18-2015: ACLU blasts St. Louis County for belatedly charging Ferguson demonstrators

8-18-2015: St. Louis County tax board denies holding 'secret meetings'

8-18-2015: Court ruling could prompt return of KC's red-light cameras

8-17-2015: Washington University professor wants Missouri juvenile court reforms

8-17-2015: Editorial: Fake committee makes real muni court reform more likely

8-17-2015: Missouri attorney general drops lawsuit against Hillsdale over municipal fines

8-17-2015: Results on new Common Core standards are in for school districts in Missouri

8-17-2015: Moody's downgrades St. Louis city's credit rating

8-15-2015: St. Louis cop jokes about spending 'annual Michael Brown bonus' in Facebook post: report

8-15-2015: Lawsuit seeks emails from St. Louis County prosecutor in Michael Brown case

8-14-2015: Municipal court officials prepare in secret for major reforms

8-11-2015: Pentagon asks Ferguson to surrender 2 Humvees

8-10-2015: Protesters demand Enterprise use profits from prison commissaries for communities in need

Note: Also see related PD article – Prison services are profitable niche for Bridgeton company

8-10-2015: On Brown anniversary, St. Louis housing segregation gets attention

8-10-2015: Ferguson Demonstrations: Authorities Declare State of Emergency in St. Louis County

8-10-2015: Missouri Public Defender System director wants $10 million more

8-10-2015: After code violation crackdown, Pagedale officials now threaten to demolish homes

Note: Pagedale City Ordinances; Stl. County Property Maintenance CodeBuilding Code, and 2009 International Property Maintenance Code. Pagedale's number of violation citations increase almost 500% during a five year period.

8-10-2015: Free rides on MetroLink, buses for St. Louis Community College students

8-10-2015: Police organization's 'Darren Wilson Day' in Columbia, Mo., sparks protest, criticism

8-8-2015: Missouri lawmakers to reconsider court fees for repairs

Note: When you fight your case and win, there are no court fees to pay on people who lose their cases pay court fees.

8-8-2015: Ferguson court clerk fired over racist email is now working in another nearby court

8-8-2015: Judge orders police department to pay $100,000 legal tab in World Series ticket scandal

8-7-2015: NAACP to provide representation to youths in St. Louis County Family Court

8-8-2015: Some St. Louis elected officials to return car keys

8-6-2015: New push in St. Louis City to fight crime by identifying criminals using their social media activity

8-6-2015: Feds: Cities shouldn't make sleeping in the streets a crime

Note: The Justice Department says it's unconstitutional to punish people for being homeless.

8-6-2015: Civilian Review Board Nominees Unveiled – also see; Slay nominates first members of Civilian Oversight Board of Police

8-6-2015: Slay: Stadium is a good deal for the city

Editorial noteStan Kroenke, owns the Rams and several other teams and is worth about six billion dollars. The National Football League earned more than 11 billion dollars during the 2014 season. The proposed new stadium will cost about one billion dollars including: $250 million from team ownership, a $200 million National Football League loan to the owners, $187 million in tax incentives, $201 million in state and city bond proceeds and $160 million in seat license sales. If the City was part owners of the Rams, I could see participating in the financing, but certainly Kroenke can afford to build his own stadium, he is afterall a real estate developer. Sincer neither Kroenke or the NFL have made any commitments in return for the proposed $388 million state and city tax incentives and bonds,even if I agreed with the financing it should come with some guarantees. Since both the City and State are having problems funding needed services and infrastructure, it is a particularly bad time to be financing the whims of billionaires. Remember, the existing football stadium is not in disrepair, it simply isn't as nice as some other stadiums.

8-6-2015: 'Coffee with a Cop' Aug. 6 in St. Louis

8-6-2015: Coverage of the Ferguson shooting, protests as the anniversary approaches

8-6-2015: Things to know about the Voting Rights Act of 1965

8-5-2015: Dorian Johnson: A Year After Mike Brown's Death, He's Still Grappling With the Fallout

8-5-2015: Special Report: Local authorities soak Illinois homeowners in taxes

8-5-2015: St. Louis bond issue failure creates financial question for spy agency site

8-5-2015: Proposed $180 million St. Louis bond issue fails

8-5-2015: St. Louis sues own Civil Service Commission over reinstatement of police officer

8-3-2015: St. Louis County Police agree to court settlements with 2 journalists arrested in Ferguson

Editorial note: Perfect example of why it's important to know your rights and how to exercise them.

8-3-2015: No vote needed on St. Louis stadium funding, judge rules; Peacock calls on region to 'rally'

Editorial note: Instead of giving hundreds of millions of dollars in public money for private owners to build a new stadium, maybe that money can be used instead to improve roads, hire police and other truly public uses. I'm voting no on proposition one.

8-1-2015: Amnesty program launched to aid those with misdemeanor & traffic warrants

8-1-2015: Ferguson, one year later: From a city to a symbol

7-31-2015: St. Louis County Biased Against Black Juveniles, Justice Department Finds; also see: Feds accuse St. Louis County Family Court of rights violations and racial bias

7-31-2015: Obama to restore college grants for some prison inmates

7-30-2015: St. Louis police unveil new bike police unit

7-30-2015: MSD rate commission backs $900M bond issue, property tax hike

7-30-2015: St. Louis city employees announced as winners of $70 million Powerball jackpot

7-29-2015: Report: Racial inequality in metro St. Louis continues to outrank most of the country

7-29-2015: St. Louis voters to decide fate of $180 million bond issue on Tuesday

Editorial Note: Until they stop giving tax dollars and breaks to real estate developers such as Paul McKee and to fund stadiums for billionaires; I'm voting no. The proposed amount for a new football stadium is a larger sum than the bond being voted on.

7-25-2015: Jay Z and Will Smith Are Producing an Emmett Till Miniseries

Note: Learn about Emmett Till.

7-25-2015: MoDOT gets reprieve from loss of federal money, for now

7-24-2015: Finding a way to pay for public-transit expansion

7-23-2015: White victim is key indicator for receiving death penalty in Missouri

7-22-2015: Social Security Disability Fund Could Run Dry in 2016

7-22-2015: Ferguson names new interim police chief

7-21-2015: Major Welfare Reform Effort Flying Under the Radar

7-21-2015: St. Louis comptroller has "fiscal concern" with proposed $180 million bond issue

7-17-2015: Dozens of the area's municipal courts to put records online

7-16-2015: Court upholds public's right to know pharmacy used to supply Missouri execution drugs

7-16-2015: Missouri Court Of Appeals Finds Juror Research Into Who Receives Punitive Damages Awards Non-Prejudicial

7-15-2015: St. Louis County Seeks Approval for Veterans’ Court

7-15-2015: City of St. Louis Joins Mo. Supreme Court Case on Guns

7-14-2015: Business groups to Slay: Minimum wage proposal not legal

7-13-2015: States Battle Cities Over Minimum Wage

7-11-2015: Springfield Homeless Court program's first success stories graduate

7-10-2015: Local municipality being audited by the Missouri Auditor

7-9-2015: 'Sweeping' court reform comes as Nixon signs bill to cap cities' revenue, end predatory habits

7-8-2015: News 4 Investigates: Municipalities finding way around proposed traffic ticket revenue limit

7-8-2015: Nixon to 'take action' on municipal court reform bill

7-8-2015: As homicides soar, St. Louis police complain about judges, prosecutors

7-7-2015: Study finds that Missouri and Kansas prosecutors are overwhelmingly white

Note: Moniteau County is the only jurisdiction in Missouri where the prosecutor isn’t white.

7-7-205: St. Louis on track to become fastest growing metropolitan area for immigration by 2020

7-7-2015: Police leaders, DOJ officials have marathon meeting regarding review of Ferguson response

7-7-2015: Stats show crime continues to rise in St. Louis

7-6-2015: St. Louis County judge tosses out bid to oust prosecutor McCulloch

7-6-2015: Civilian Oversight Board to go into effect in City of St. Louis Monday

7-6-2015: Former Pine Lawn mayor sentenced to 33 months in prison for extortion

7-5-2015: Fair St. Louis concerts close out on a high with Kool & the Gang, Morris Day and the Time

Editorial note: I must give credit to Fair Organizers. I criticized last year the Fair's as I cited examples of subtle racial bias in St. Louis. Although I did not personally attend the Fair, my son attended on July 4th, and I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered that fair organizers had booked four black acts.

7-3-2015: St. Louis assistant circuit attorney donates $140,000 to her campaign to replace Jennifer Joyce

7-2-2015: St. Louis Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce won't seek another term

7-1-2015: St. Louis muni court cancels 56,000 warrants issued for failure to pay

7-1-2015: Half-million retirement cash payout given to St. Louis firefighters pension employee

6-30-2015: Protesters targeting 'good old boys' network they say runs the St. Louis region

6-30-2015: Justice Department faults Ferguson protest response

6-30-2015: Football tax revenues don't cover existing debt on Dome, says city budget director

6-30-2015: Missouri Supreme Court upholds gun rights amendment to state Constitution

6-29-2015: Parking Rates Increase in St. Louis This Week — But Here Are 3 Reasons That Doesn't Suck

6-28-2015: St. Louis police taking more homicide, gun cases to feds

6-26-2015: St. Louis moves to mortgage city buildings to buy back land from McKee for spy agency

6-24-2015: St. Louis to consider mortgaging city buildings to lure National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

6-24-2015: Off-duty St. Louis officer dragged blind woman and dog out of bar, suit says

6-24-2015: The Circuit Attorney's Sentencing Memos Are Going Online — Facebook Photos and Al

6-24-2015: St. Louis police officer charged with gun crimes and dealing heroin

6-22-2015: Group with St. Louis ties cited in manifesto that may have been written by Charleston killer

Note: Founder of group was a St. Louis attorney and the current leader of the group is a graduate of John Burroughs and Washington University and a former St. Louis City Public School Board member.

6-22-2015: Supreme Court strikes down Los Angeles motel registry law

6-21-2015: Municipal courts: A progress report on reforms

6-19-2015: Think you know St. Louis County? Take this test

6-17-2015: Man feels threatened after Calverton Park officer cleans his gun in booking area

6-16-2015: St. Louis police officer resigns amid allegations of inappropriate sexual contact on duty

6-14-2015: Stress not an excuse for police brutality

6-14-2015: Free MetroLink for a month – now that's an incentive to ride

6-13-2015: St. Louis' largest outdoor public pool reopens and highlights diversity

6-13-2015: St. Louis officeholders enjoy generous car perk

6-12-2015: Court: Iowa residents have right to be drunk on front porch

Note: Per RSMO 574.075 the only places in Missouri where public intoxicated is illegal is in churches, schools and court houses.

6-12-2015: St. Louis recorder pay bonus bill filed by alderman whose wife works in office

6-12-2015: St. Louis Recorder of Deeds withdraws request for new city car

6-11-2015: Lawsuit: Barstow police used excessive force on pregnant woman

6-11-2015: FIRED! Texas teacher let go after saying McKinney pool party ‘almost’ shows need for racial segregation

6-11-2015: Citizens deserve professional policing

Editorial: St. Louis City had argued for decades that local citizens have the right to control their police force and gained control of its police after more than a century of state control. Certain policing practices should be standardized and others made illegal (for both small and large communities). However, telling citizens who live in smaller communities that they don't have the right to determine who polices them is suspect. The ability to hire police was never questioned when many of these same communities had majority white populations. If the residents of certain communities want to get rid of their police force, they can attend council meetings, speak to their representatives and even petition for a ballot measure. Police using excessive force, abusing civil rights and participating in illegal activities is not unique to small communities. Events in Baltimore, North Charleston, Tulsa, New York, Cleveland and most recently McKinney, TX demonstrate that our entire nation has unresolved issues, I lived in North St. Louis County for nearly twenty years before moving back into St. Louis City. I've encountered more abuse and corruption within the first six years of moving back into the City of St. Louis than I ever encountered in North St. Louis County. St. Louis City and County Police have both fired a number of police officers for illegal and questionable practices. Instead of acknowledging that we have a regional problem, blame is being shifted to only certain communities, mostly with majority black populations.

6-10-2015: Judge upholds firing of Chicago cop for racially charged photo; See: 'Disgraceful' photograph and additional information.

6-10-2015: St. Louis plans massive overhaul of city business code

6-10-2015: Messenger: McKinney pool incident reminds us Fairground Park wasn't that long ago

6-10-2015: Man kicked by Orlando police files excessive force complaint

6-9-2015: Clay says Ferguson revealed 'staggering divisions' in America

6-9-2015: Louisiana Inmate to Be Freed After Four Decades in Solitary

6-9-2015: Assault Suspect Sustains ‘Horrific’ Beating by Salinas Police in Videotaped Arrest

6-9-2015: Our Segregated Summers: The police misconduct in McKinney, Texas, is part of America’s long, fraught history of race and swimming.

6-9-2015: A simple cure for municipal courts’ ills

6-8-2015: Indiana law will move slowpokes out of passing lane

6-8-2015: Cleveland Leaders Bypass Prosecutors to Seek Charge in Tamir Rice Case

6-8-2015: New stadium costs surpass $3 million

6-8-2015: Bystanders accuse Austin police of excessive force

6-7-2015: Texas officer on leave after video shows him pushing teen

Teens at the pool party told BuzzFeed News the police were called after a fight broke out between adults and youths at the pool after the adults made racist comments telling the black children to leave the area and return to “Section 8 [public] housing.” Brooks, the 15-year-old who shot the YouTube video, told BuzzFeed News many students had arrived at the end-of-school celebration at the pool on guest passes.“I think a bunch of white parents were angry that a bunch of black kids who don’t live in the neighborhood were in the pool,” said Brooks, who is white. “Everyone who was getting put on the ground was black, Mexican, Arabic,” he said. “[The cop] didn’t even look at me. It was kind of like I was invisible.”

The video above underscores the need to learn and understand your rights and how to exercise them. Download the ACLU mobile app, and record questionable actions, especially teens.

6-6-2015: Lawsuit against police over south St. Louis County raid tells only part of the story, neighbors say

SWAT was used to enforce a municipal ordinance violation.

6-5-2015: Bill Establishing Civilian Oversight Board Effective Today

6-5-2015: St. Louis recorder's previous city car involved in two accidents

6-4-2015: St. Louis assistant prosecutor under investigation

6-4-2015: Grand juror in Ferguson killing case fights gag order anew

6-4-2015: Settlement in federal lawsuit abolishes cash bail for Velda City offenses

6-4-2015: Lawsuit: St. Louis County sent SWAT team, killed a dog over code violations

6-1-2015: St. Louis police investigating use of Taser on two downtown protesters

PROTESTERS ARRESTED WASHINGTON AVE ST. LOUIS 5/30

6-1-2015: Traffic enforcement report: Black drivers in Missouri still stopped at higher rate

5-29-2015: SLPOA President: St. Louis Police are Hesitant from Lack of Support

5-29-2015: Judge will hear critic of grand jury process in Michael Brown shooting case

5-29-2015: St. Louis County towns continue to treat residents like ATMs

5-28-2015: Municipal courts must be constitutional

5-27-2015: Legislators sue Nixon, calling stadium cash 'illegal'

5-27-2015: St. Ann municipal court violates rights of poor, class-action lawsuit says

5-27-2015: St. Louis County Admits It Has A Jail Problem, Is Finally Getting Help

5-27-2015: St. Louis aldermen approve $180 million bond issue ballot measure

Editorial note: Until the funding for stadiums and other private projects funded with public money stops, I'm voting no on any new taxes.

5-27-2015: Municipal court reform efforts get financial boost from MacArthur Foundation

5-26-2015: Municipal court bill's reach will extend well beyond Ferguson's streets

5-26-2015: Cleveland, US Justice Department announce police settlement

5-26-2015: Judge sets St. Louis stadium funding suit hearing for Thursday

5-25-2015: What happens to the riverfront if the stadium proposal fails? 'Plan B'

5-25-2015: St. Louis police: We track cell phones, but won't tell you how

5-24-2015: Gas-tax hike is dead. What's next for MoDOT?

Editorial note: Stop funding stadiums and other private development projects and use public money for public purposes.

5-24-2015: Municipalities ticket for trees and toys, as traffic revenue declines

5-23-2015: Cleveland officer not guilty in killing unarmed pair

Michael Brelo, a white Cleveland police Officer, shot and killed two unarmed black men, Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams was acquitted of voluntary manslaughter and felonious assault charges. This incident occurred two years before the shooting death of 12 year old Tamir Rice by a Cleveland police officer.

5-22-2015: A simple cure for municipal courts’ ills

5-21-2012: Municipal judge criticizes 'media attacks,' but concedes some problems with courts

5-21-2015: Freddie Gray death: Grand jury indicts police officers

5-21-2015: Fredbird photographed holding ‘Police Lives Matter’ sign

5-21-2015: St. Louis recorder of deeds to get new city car, lays off one person

5-20-2015: St. Louis Police Have Used StingRay Technology for Years — They Just Won't Talk About It

5-20-2015: St. Louis alderman seeks special committee to investigate police shootings

5-20-2015: What role does race play in reactions to biker gunfight?

5-20-2015: Protesters cited for noisy clash with police outside St. Louis prosecutor's home

5-19-2015: St. Louis cop who killed 18-year-old avoids charges

5-19-2015: Should Pagedale be allowed to continue No Fare Metro Citations?

5-18-2015: Former St. Louis police HR Director accused of sex crimes

5-18-2015: Supreme Court says convicted felons can sell their guns

5-15-2015: Missouri Supreme Court to review municipal courts across state

5-15-2015: Seven corrections officers fired after allegedly beating inmate in retaliation

5-15-2015: Ken Burns tells Wash U grads that 'black lives matter'

5-14-2015: St. Louis aldermen push forward $180 million real estate tax increase bill

5-13-2015: Stl Youth Jobs Summer Employment Program Kicks Off With Job Fair for Youth

5-13-2015: Tax increases proposed to hire new officers

5-13-2015: Police Insisted Cornell McKay Was to Blame for a Robbery — It Cost Him Nearly Three Years

5-13-2015: St. Louis aldermen consider funding options for adding 160 police officers

5-12-2015: Controversial developer Paul McKee may have another local project at risk

5-12-2015: Cities face tough choices if bill limiting ticket revenue becomes law

5-12-2015: Muni court improperly holds woman's drivers license hostage — and she's not alone

5-12-2015: Ferguson municipal court has improved, report finds

5-11-2015: Paul McKee’s Hazelwood development to be auctioned

5-11-2015: Woman disputes account of sister's shooting by St. Louis police

5-7-2015: City crime up in most categories; police focus on crime prevention moving forward

5-7-2015: 60 homicides reported so far in 2015 throughout St. Louis City

5-7-2015: Bellefontaine Neighbors police officer uses racial slur

5-7-2015: Keep St. Louis' convention bids secret? Bill could bar public access

5-7-2015: There's a big privacy fight brewing over cops' storage of your license plate data

5-7-2015: Prosecutors around the US are relying on shady science — and it's a 'mass disaster'

5-6-2015: Woman says St. Ann court threatened jail if she were to miss first court date

5-6-2015: Unarmed homeless man shot and killed in confrontation with police in Venice, LAPD says

5-6-2015: Alderman, residents complain about tall grass in city-owned property

5-6-2015: PNC Bank sues McKee, alleging default on $8.3 million loan

5-5-2015: News 4 does ride along with local PD accused of racial profiling

5-5-2015: Report calling for consolidation of some St. Louis County police departments draws angry reaction

5-4-2015: St. Louis among worst for income mobility of poor children

5-4-2015: Voters Could Decide on Tax Raise for More St. Louis Police

5-4-2015: Former Ladue Police Chief alleges he was ordered to profile black motorists

5-4-2015: Fired St. Louis County police commander wants open appeal hearing; board says no

"Former St. Louis County Police Chief Tim Fitch fired Hayes in May 2013, after a six-month internal investigation found multiple officers who said that the lieutenant, who is white, ordered them to target black people in and around shopping centers in South County."

5-4-2015: Residents to deliver petition telling spy agency to stay away from north St. Louis

5-3-2015: Research group proposes reforms to St. Louis-area policing

5-1-2015: Six officers charged in death of Freddie Gray

Maryland State Attorney for the city of Baltimore Marilyn Mosby announced on Friday morning that Freddie Gray‘s death in police custody was ruled a homicide by the medical examiner, and that there is sufficient probable cause to file criminal charges against the six officers involved.

The six Baltimore police officers involved in the arrest of Freddie Gray will now face criminal charges ranging from murder to manslaughter to assault. The driver of the police van was charged with second-degree murder, while three officers were charged with involuntary manslaughter. Other officers were also charged with assault in connection with the murder.

4-29-2015: Barack Obama: Baltimore rioting 'hurts communities that are already suffering'

4-29-2015: Supreme Court upholds limits on judges' appeals for campaign cash

4-28-2015: 'Promise Zone' designation puts St. Louis in line for federal aid

St. Louis has been named as one of eight new "Promise Zones," a federal designation that effectively moves parts of the city and county the front of the line in obtaining federal assistance aimed at tackling poverty.

4-28-2015: Nixon announces $5 million grant for St. Louis city, county

4-27-2015: Freddie Gray’s Death Reveals A Dark History Of “Nickel Rides” And Police Van Torture

4-27-2015: MetroLink Passengers Stuck on Train with Belligerent Drunk (UPDATED)

4-25-2015: White supremacists hold downtown rally; counter-protesters gather

Editorial: This story reminded me about something I saw in the when I was much younger. I can't remember whether it was a documentary, news broadcast or movie, but paraphrasing a white supremacists, "You can't stop us, we're your teachers, policemen, doctors and lawyers and we will win".  The hidden white supremacists, the ones with badges, sitting on the judicial bench and in hospital emergency rooms are the ones that worry me. Danny Kaye's scene  from the movie Skokie also comes to mind.

4-25-2015: A former Baptist minister shakes up St. Louis' troubled jail division

4-24-2015: Activists sue over prosecutor's role in Ferguson grand jury

4-24-2015: Mo. House OKs changes to municipal court practices

4-23-2015: Missouri House OKs plan to limit traffic ticket revenue to St. Louis County cities

4-23-2015: STL City Justice Center employee admits to smuggling drugs to inmates

4-22-2015: New "Racist Tourism Commercial" Lambasts Missouri

4-21-2015: St. Louis City Hall evacuated after suspicious packages found

4-21-2015: Former Pine Lawn mayor sues city and successor for false arrests, harassment

4-21-2015: RESIGNATIONS IN TINY PARMA, MO., BAFFLE TOWN'S FIRST BLACK MAYOR

4-21-2015: Meet the 79-Year-Old Fighting to Save Her St. Louis Home, Neighborhood From Possible Bulldozing

4-20-2015: Steven Harmon, former St. Louis mayor and police chief's son, explores run for circuit attorney

4-20-2015: DOJ talks end abruptly in Bellefontaine Neighbors

4-20-2015: Civilian oversight board coming to St. Louis police after aldermen approve it

4-20-2015: St. Louis County police losing officers at increasing rate

4-20-2015: Dotson: St. Louis City Can’t Afford Body Cameras

4-20-2015: FBI, Justice pledge review after flawed hair analysis

4-20-2015: Developer McKee Owes St. Louis City for Unpaid Taxes

4-20-2015: Clay: African Americans need more economic opportunities

4-20-2015: New program offers job and life skills to minorities and women

4-19-2015: Controversial secret phone tracker figured in dropped St. Louis case

4-18-2015: STL County Tactical unit kills armed man in Jennings after 3 hours of negotiation

4-17-2015: St. Louis Parking Ticket Policy Is a Racket, Class-Action Suit Alleges

4:16-2015: St. Louis police networking cameras, other technology in new effort to fight crime

4-16-2015: Most St. Louis Area Police Departments Aren’t Accredited

4-16-2015: Former St. Louis Cop: "Police Don't Care What Your Rights Are" During Protests

4-14-2015: Public has a right to records from St. Louis police World Series ticket scandal, appellate court rules

4-13-2015: Video released of deadly shooting in Tulsa after police chase

4-12-2015: With court revenue facing limits, budgets look tenuous in many St. Louis County cities

4-12-2015: Atlanta newspaper calls St. Louis a region that's 'lost its way'

4-10-2015: ‘It’s Racist As Hell': Inside St. Louis County’s Predatory Night Courts

4-9-2015: Pine Lawn mayor took bribes and so did other area officials, his lawyer tells federal jury

4-9-2015: Meet the newest Ferguson protestor: Bob McCulloch

4-9-2015: St. Louis County municipal courts agree to uniform fines, court costs

UNIFORM FINES, COSTS • Fines are $70.50 plus court costs for most routine moving violations • Fines are $50.50 for non-moving violations. • Speeding fines range from $6 to $8 per mph over the limit. • Court costs are standardized at $24.50.

4-9-2015: Following Lawsuit, Tiny St. Louis Suburb Ends Its 'Illegal' Bail System That Jailed The Poor

4-8-2015: Velda City sued in federal court over bail amounts

4-8-2015: Municipal court revenue limits debated in Jefferson City

4-08-2015: St. Louis crime, especially violence, up significantly in 2015

4-08-2015: Lawsuit threatened if St. Louis helps pay for new NFL stadium

4-07-2015: Former St. Louis police officer admits giving shotgun to drug dealer

4-6-2015: Judge In Tiny City Facing Lawsuit Over Its 'Illegal' Bail System Is Running For Ferguson City Council

4-3-2015: Municipal court judge steps down in Normandy, Wellston after discipline

4-2-2015: Missouri Supreme Court seeks public input on municipal court practices

4-2-2015: Municipal court reforms include no new charges for missing court date, Missouri speaker says

3-29-2015: A web of lawyers play different roles in different courts

3-28-2015: Law firm that specializes in municipality now coming under increased scrutiny

3-26-2015: Fleece Force: How Police And Courts Around Ferguson Bully Residents And Collect Millions

3-23-2015: Overlapping judges, prosecutors weave tangled web in St. Louis County municipal courts

3-22-2015: Editorial: Municipal court officials play hide the records

3-20-2015: New judge takes over in Ferguson

3-17-2015: Municipal Court judge disciplined for 'pattern of misconduct' as an attorney, owes taxes

3-16-2015: Municipal courts operate in secret as they generate revenue

3-15-2015: Municipal courts are well-oiled money machine

3-15-2015: Legislature, Supreme Court should dismantle municipal court system

3-6-2015: Ferguson judge behind aggressive fines policy owes $170,000 in unpaid taxes

2-20-2015: White-on-white murder in America is out of control

2-5-2015: Employee at St. Louis City Jail caught having sex with inmate

2-2-2015: Employee says St. Louis city jail is dangerous place for inmates and officers

 

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