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May 2009
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January 2009 ArchivesUPDATES Child's Improved Condition SOUTH ST. LOUIS COUNTY - Lori Stelling is asking for help from anyone who saw the crash that took the life of her only child Friday. Jason Wadlow, 29, was driving an SUV south on Interstate 55, when he went airborne and landed on Butler Hill Rd., she said. It appears he struck thick ice and snow that was plowed to the side of the highway, and the ice served as a ramp to send the car in... I want to make it as easy as possible for those who are looking for the list of recalled food items so I've put them here in my blog. These are the items recalled as of January 31 @ 5:20 pm. The list is provided by the Associated Press. If you have any questions about your food items please check out the list on the Food & Drug Administration's website as well. The list is rather long (more than 430 items have been recalled s...
EUREKA, Mo. - This Six Flags amusement park near St. Louis is seeing a 50 percent increase in job applications and a significant number of adults applying for positions normally taken by high school and college students, said Elizabeth Gotway of the Six Flags marketing department. The company is holding job fairs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Saturday through March 21 to fill about 2300 positions. You can apply online in advance... The line of people waiting to get into this special sale in Richmond Heights at 5:30 stretched for a block and it seems there was always a line outside at least until about 8:00. The Pine Lawn Police Chief says some of the suspects his officers have taken off the steets are "animals." They prey upon the elderly. Some are suspects in home-invasion burglaries. He calls them "terrible." They've been linked to drugs, shootings and homicides. Many of them are young. Just teenagers. Police held a news conference today to show us some of the weapons they'd recovered and update us on a gang task force... One of the Rams most popular players ever, is still popular around here even though he's starring in the Super Bowl for the team that left town a while back... Area charities he got involved in are rooting for him big-time Sunday. Angela Brunette who started Basket of Hope (www.basketofhope.org) in 1995 was keeping a little t... Expanded coverage on Blagojevich impeachment Now that the flurry of activity around the impeachment and conviction of former Governor Rod Blagojevich is dying down, it's time for lawmakers to move on with the business of the state. And there's a lot of work to be done - primarily a budget shortfall (at least two billion dolla... Extra: Senior Energy & Utilities Analyst's outlook on gas prices DES PERES, Mo. - Gas is heading for two dollars a gallon and possibly higher. It's not close to the painful four and five dollar prices we saw last year, but it is still painful for many drive... ST. LOUIS - Three pit bulls, survivors of a dog fighting ring on the city's south side, are good natured enough to become loving pets, and one has already been placed in a foster home, said Randy Grim of Stray Rescue of St. Louis. ( www.StrayRescue.org ) Grim said authorities seized more than a dozen dogs during a raid, and most did not survive. I found Grim at the group's 18th Street headquarters, playing with one of t... I always get a little suspicious of many of these studies and surveys that put out lists of cities and try to rank them. After all, may of us probably would rather have been in San Diego instead of shoveling snow this week. Stll, Pew Research found that only 18 percent of people living in St. Louis actually want to stay here. So here's an interesting business model, open a bar in St. Louis, but don't rely on AB products to bring customers in - it's happening in Chesterfield. Brad Lobdell is opening the International Tap House on Sunday. Lobdell has five hundred beers from around the globe, forty beers are on tap. He will sell Bud Light and Bud Select in a bottle, but he won't have them on draft. He has nothing against the King of Beers, in fact he has great respect... Okay, I didn't really meet the man. With throngs of media from all over, there weren't really opportunities to have a one-on-one conversation with him. But I was less than 10 feet from him as Pat Quinn gave his first news conference as the Governor of Illinois. He was straight-forward about what he knows and doesn't know. Most Governors know what their state's budget deficit is. Quinn doesn't. But then again, most new Governors ha... The senate is still voting, but they've already reached 40 yes votes needed to indict the governor. All 59 senators have voted to remove the governor from office. The governor is immediately removed from office. The senate has also voted to ban the governor from ever holding public office in the state of Illinois ever again. ...Now that the senate is voting on Blagojevich's fate we wanted to what the people who live in Illinois think about the trial. Overwhelming, everyone I've talked to so far today is ready for his to leave office. As for Pat Quinn taking his place, that looks like it also something that the people of Illinois are looking forward to. I'll be live in Alton tonight with reaction to this major story.
Watch extended interview with one of the alleged tazing victim BELLEVILLE, Ill. - Accused repeatedly of using excessive force, police officer Jeff Vernatti will be fired when he returns from military leave next month, this city's poli... I'm in the senate chambers, watching the deliberations. So far, several senators have spoken and all are saying they're going to vote to remove the governor from office. It's a little after 3pm and from our vantage point: photojournalist Bill McCormac and I can see 15 senators who've indicated that they would like to speak. (There are buttons the senators can push at their desks to indicate they wish to speak and the buttons flash as... It's 2:20pm and the senate is now beginning to deliberate. The chief justice of the state supreme court has just left chambers. The senate president is now presiding over the deliberations. Each senator has five minutes to speak. There are 59 members of the senate, I am not sure yet if each one will speak and if they'll speak for the full five minutes. It is up to each senator if they want to address the rest of the jury. >> Continue reading: Senate Begins Deliberations The governor finished his closing arguments by thanking the senate for letting him speak. As he gathered his papers at the podium, the entire room was silent. You really could hear a pin drop. From my vantage point, I think I could make out the cheif justice of the state supreme court telling the governor that he was free to stay for the rest of the day. The governor said something I couldn't hear and walked out. The governo... The governor says (I'm paraphrasing here) that perhaps he has pushed too hard sometimes, but "charge it to my heart and my desire to help people." The governor says that removing him will set a dangerous precedent. It is dangerous to remove a governor that has been elected by the people. The governor is also asking the senate to walk a mile in his shoes. He refers to his arrest in December saying that his word was turned upsi... As the governor talks about his healthcare record and his decision to seek out prescription drugs from Canada - against the advice of the FDA. The governor said that it was Rahm Emanuel's idea (when Emanuel was an Illinois Congressman) and that if the senate would impeach the governor for it, then impeach other governors who have done it and fire Emanuel (as chief of staff) because it was his idea. Governor Blagojevich says there is, ... So, here are the governors main points so far: He says he's hoping the senate will reconsider a couple of points, including letting him call witnesses to defend himself. (Not likely - the prosecution has already rested.) The governor started by pointing out that he's done nothing criminally wrong. Right now, he's going through some of the articles of impeachment. He says that he ordered flu vaccines for the sta... It's just after 11 am and the governor has walked into the chamber and he is beginning his closing arguement. As I reported yesterday, he is speaking on his own behalf - not through an attorney. The governor says it's his hope today that the senate will reconsider allowing him to call his own witnesses. He is saying this *after the prosecution has rested and after the governor has refused to present his defense. Senators right now o... 10:40 am and the prosecution is done with closing arguments. At this point he is very directly criticizing the governor's tv interviews this week, specifically the governor's statements that the trial is not fair and that the "fix is in." The prosecutor says that is not true and that the governor would have had an opportunity to challenge the evidence. You'll remember the governor said he wasn't allowed to call witnesses he ... The prosecution is going back over the key pieces of evidence for the jury (senators) to consider. He begins with the criminal charges the governor faces, asking senators to consider the 31 conversations gathered in the federal investigation that show the governor's decision making process when he though no one was listening. Prosecution is focusing right now on the pay-to-play accusations. He is playing audio tapes of the secret FBI... It's 10 am and the trial is starting... looks like all senators are present. I have not seen the governor yet. I'm told by a state police officers that the governor is already in the building and took the back way in - so the governor has not made a show of coming in. CHARLESTON, S.C., Jan. 28 - Sitting here in Terminal B of this international airport, I'm thinking that I'm among the lucky ones. My flight is delayed by less than one hour. My scheduled departure time is 5:05 p.m., but severe weather has pushed the time back to 5:50 p.m. The flight departure board tells a much sadder story. A jet that was supposed to depart at Noon for Philadelphia is still sitting here, with a... Turns out, Governor Rod Blagojevich will defend himself at his impeachment trial. This morning, closing arguments begin. First, we'll hear from the prosecution, then the governor. He has 90 minutes to speak. After that, the prosecution gets another 30 for rebuttal. The governor boycotted the trial until now. He never offered a defense, never gave testimony or took questions. What will he say? What do you think? <...Yes, that's what I said, talk about a deal. With the economy taking a toll on pretty much everything our local boutique owners are fighting back and you can benefit from it. On Friday (1-30-09) 15 of St. Louis' boutique owners will come together under one roof to have a gigantic sale. And I mean gigantic. They are calling it Cash and Carry. So far I know you'll be able to find deals like: Citizens, 7's, Hudson's, Rockin Republic's etc. al... You might have heard the story of Stacey Lannert. It is not disputed that she killed her father as he dozed on the couch in 1990. But one of the investigating officers took the time to discover the motive he believes is the real one... her father had been sexually abusing her since she was 9 years old. That officer, Lt. Tom Schulte believed Stacey should be punished for her crime, but not to the extent she was. So he (and others) petitione... My wife and I each had a hard time getting out of our snow-covered street today. So did some neighbors I talked to. There's a slight incline as you approach the main road. That road IS plowed, but you've got to get to it first. The city streets folks explained to me the city doesn't plow the narrow side streets because with cars parked on both sides, it's too easy to damage vehicles with the big plow. There are some exceptio... Senate President John Cullerton just said that he's gotten word the Governor does now plan to come to Springfield to give his own closing argument. The governor, according to the senate president, will not testify or face cross-examination. He will just give a closing argument on his behalf. Some senators seemed stunned by the news. During the entire trial so far, the proceedings were very quiet, very subdued. However, when the ann... Some homeowners want to know how they can get their side streets plowed. This question varies depending on what Metro East Municipalities you live in. For example, in O'ffallon, IL, crews will plow your side street if your street sees a lot of traffic. However, if your street doesn't than you have to wait until the temperature warms up and melts your snow away. It is interesting, many of the people I came in contact with today don't seem to mi... No secret FBI tapes played today, instead the senate is turning its focus to the governor's management of state issues. Here's who we've heard from (in the order they appeared) since the trial began on Monday: 1. Former US Attorney John Scully wasn't involved in the Blagojevich criminal investigation, but as a retired federal prosecutor, told senators what it takes to authorize federal wiretaps and conduct this type of investi... What a difference a day makes! Wow, we had an interesting morning. My photographer, Oscar Rayford, and I spent the morning caught in the middle of a second wave of snow that just kept falling overnight, right up until our first live shot at 4:30 a.m. ...At the third day of the impeachment trial, republicans in the senate are asking: what's the rush? On tap today? Testimony from lawmakers and state officials, but republican leader Christine Radogno is asking why the witness list has dwindled from 13 planned witnesses at the start of the trial to 7 and possibly 6 by day three.
Today we used a great piece of technology to help us bring news to you as it's happening. It's called a skype, a small camera that allows us to broadcast anywhere we can get a wireless signal. In the past live shots meant setting up a live truck, raising the mast, establishing a signal, etc. Although we will still be using that technology in the future, the skype allows us to bring you live news from places we haven't before. Today we used the... It's just about 8 o'clock and my photographer and I are on the hunt to gather the some more video of the snowy conditions in the metro east. Right now we are in Fairview Heights sitting at the corner of Route 159 and Ashland, and boy is it coming down. In this part of our viewing area the second band of snow showed up at about 6:30, since then it has not stopped. Like many of you I was listening when our meteorologists forecasted t... I'm posting links where you can find transcripts for each of the wiretaps released today. In all, four short edited portions of conversations were released. It's no surprise, the winter weather is causing major headaches around the St. Louis area. It's now almost three o'clock and we've switched gears and are now zig zaging across the metro east via side streets. Right now we are travelling along 161 in Fairview Heights and this street is covered in slush. ...
So far we've seen one accident, on Interstate 64 n...
It's ten minutes after two and we are driving down Interstate 44 approaching Linbergh - and we are moving about 25 miles per hour. It seems like this might be an early rush hour, lots of folks are ... It's just before noon on this snowy, January 27th morning and my photographer and I are in the middle of the ongoing winter storm. We're in Belleville, where right now, a steady freezing rain and steady sleet are falling on top of three inches of snow that's already covering sidewalks, streets and overpasses in this area. We started out around 4am trekking along in the wintry mix of pretty much the same: light snow, freeing rain and so... I'm watching traffic moving along I-270 from the Kelley overpass in West County. We're being pelted by freezing rain. Feels quite unpleasant. Traffic is moving very smoothly. I can tell people are taking extra care, driving under the speed limit and leaving quite a bit of space between them and the car in front of them. When people drive like this, we don't have accidents to report on. I like that. Keep it up or better y...
We're about to wrap things up out here. Pleased to say we did not see any major problems or really any minor problems for that matter. The biggest issue this morning was very early when snow covered the lane lines, but by the time rush hour rolled around, the highway was just about clear.' There's more snow on the passing cars than there is on the interstate. I did not feel one snow flake the entire time we were out he... Just talked to MODOT Maintenance Superintendent Larry Doelling. He says roads are in pretty good shape throughout the area but don't let the fact roads are fine in one area make you think they're easy to navigate everywhere. Throughout the morning I-44's been a slushy mess, but just in time for rush hour the road has cleared. The snow plows have been dumping salt as well and they've done a nice job. Now you can see the lane lines. ... Traffic is picking up out here but still no real problems. Some cars seem to be going normal speed which to me seems a little fast considering the large amount of sloshy snow on the interstate. I've seen plows go by twice in the west-bound lane and once in the east-bound lane in the last 90 minutes or so. Despite that, it's still hard to see the lane lines. Cars are doing a good job at this point keeping a good 100 feet or ... 5:45 AM Just saw a convoy of snow plows going west on I-44. The interstate is still a snowy, sloshy mess. You can't see the lane lines and cars are traveling at a variety of different speeds. Still a ways away from rush hour so traffic is not a problem at all at this point. Will keep you posted. ...It's seven o clock, and the snow is falling across St. Charles County. I'm at Interstate 70 and 5th street watching traffic slow down. Snow plows are working to move snow off the roads, however side streets are getting slick. I just spoke with a woman who was brushing snow off her windshield, she says road conditions in the city were not bad on the way home, but things went downhill as she approached Lambert Airport heading west. Accumulations... Just before five o'clock tonight, day one of the governor's impeachment trial came to a close. Here's the nuts and bolts of what happened today: rulings on motions, an opening statement from the prosecuting attorney and testimony from one witness - former U.S. Attorney John Scully. The former federal prosecutor testified to the care investigators take when using wire taps. Scully was not involved in the Blagojevich invest...
Since there is no one to speak on behalf of Gov. Blagojevich, the senate is now starting to hear from the prosecution's first witness: Former U.S. Attorney John Scully. Scully did not have any involvement in the Blagojevich investigation, but he is here to testify about procedures investigators would use to authoritize wiretaps. Scully is explaining the oversight used to conduct these kinds of investigations. If you'd l... It's now 3pm and the special prosecutor in the Blagojevich impeachment trial is just starting his opening statement. He has 30 minutes to outline his case for impeachment. The house prosecutor said that evidence will show that the governor abused his power to personally enrich himself. He also said that the case will show the "governor put his office up for sale." The prosecution is outlining the evidence: including snipets o... As expected this afternoon, the senate began their impeachment trial without Governor Blagojevich or his laywer at noon today. The governor said that the trial is so unfair, he's just going to boycott. It's about 2pm now and the senate is continuing the trial. A couple of things to keep in mind: the senate will continue as if the governor entered a not-guilty plea. Also: things are expected to wrap up much faster. Originally, two ... I am heading back up to Springfield this morning where, in about an hour, the state senate will begin Governor Rod Blagojevich's impeachment trial. By now, you've probably heard the governor doesn't plan to make an appearance. Instead, he's taking questions on live tv and in taped interviews, making his case to the public - rather than lawmakers. Gov. Blagojevich is known for saying some pretty far-out things. Most notably ... Sometimes it's hard to make any sense of what happens in our world. That's what residents of Harrisonville, Mo., are facing now. A man, 47, is facing criminal charges including murder, statutory rape and incest. He allegedly admits fathering two of his daughter's four children. Two, possibly three, of the children have died. You have to feel for the children and other relatives who knew nothing about what was h... I covered a fundraiser today for Chris Hantak. He's one of the former St. Louis police officers involved in that shooting at the bar in Pontoon Beach last November. Hantak was wounded. He was shot twice, in the shoulder and the head. He spent a month in a coma. He died in the hospital and was brought back to life. His medical bills are climbing. They're up to $750,000. Yes, insurance takes care of most of that but he still owes ...
Analysis ALTON, Ill. - As the former top prosecutor in Madison County, State Sen. Bill Haine knows a thing or two about judges, juries and trials. When you're about to go on trial, it's a good idea to show up for court. Flying to New York to criticize the judge and jury on a variety of national TV shows can do a lot more harm than good. Gov. Rod Blagojevich goes on trial Monday at high noon in the Illin... From the They Should Have Done That Years Ago department comes President Obama's weekly address to the nation. For the first time, the old Saturday morning radio address has added video. The speech is posted on the White House web site, so any media organization can use it. The radio folks can still grab the audio. And now, the TV people don't have to run a silly graphic with "Radio Address" written on ... I covered the story today of a 17-year-old who was shot and killed in the parking lot of Cahokia High School. A fight broke out and it ended with a shooting. LaShane Whitley was struck in the upper body. His friends were on the scene and put him in a car and rushed him to the hospital. He died shortly after arriving in the ER. We interviewed the superintendent of the school district and she lamented the fact that young people...
SOULARD - Carl Roberts sells bread and pasta at this famous market on the near south side of St. Louis, and he says business is down about 30 percent compared with last year. I met Roberts shortly after interviewing Rep. Russ Carnahan about President Obama's new economic stimulus package. Carnahan said the plan, once approved by Congress, should create thousands of jobs in Missouri and improve our out-dated infrastructure. ...
A person has to be pretty low to rob somebody to begin with but how low do you have to be to be rob an elderly man who's on oxygen, alone in his home in his hospital-style bed and shoot him as well? That's what happened to Robert Bunn, Sr. Earlier this month someone walked into the backdoor of his home and robbed him. He was as... ALTON, Ill. - An investigator with the Illinois Fire Marshal's office is taking pictures and inspecting damage at the city-owned marina, where fire destroyed two boats and damaged a third. It was not immediately clear what caused the fire. The fire began on a houseboat and then spread to other boats. The deputy fire chief said about 30 witnesses called the fire department, when they saw thick, black smoke rising from th... What a mess. I just spent two hours in Venice, Illinois literally chasing down answers and hopefully a solution for the 12 police officers who did not get paid today. The comptroller sent out a memo last week telling every city employee, including the cops, to turn in their time sheets Friday instead of Monday since Monday was a fede... Alton, Ill. - Fire destroyed a houseboat and a cabin cruiser at this city's marina today, and rapidly spreading flames damaged a second cabin cruiser. The houseboat, a 1989 model, was insured, the owner said. The fire department called in help from Wood River, because marina fires can spread quickly. We're planning a live report from the scene at 5. ...WHO: CHRIS HANTAK AND HERES THE WHY: This is a story some of you might remember. Chris Hantak was a police officer for the city of St. Louis, he was dismissed in early December. He was a rookie cop, caught in the middle of a bad situation. Hantak was with friends at a club in Pontoon Beach, a fight broke out, police were ... Since 4:45 am news 4 has been live on the scene of a manhunt in an Arnold neighborhood in Jefferson County. News 4's Robert Townsend and photographer Oscar Rayford are following the manhunt-standoff now more than 10 hours old. ...Governor Rod Blagojevich told the media his upcoming impeachment trial is a sham. Blagojevich says he is not getting the right to call witnesses that may help his defense against accusations that he tried to sell a senate seat. On Thursday night I traveled to Highland, IL and I found many people who firmly believe that Blagojevich should resign. However, I found that those same residents believe he should have the chance to call witnesses that... I got an e-mail from Brad Steppig of Centerline Technologies this week. I've gone to Brad for computer help on a story in the past. This time, he told me that he's been hearing a lot about the Antivirus 2009 virus. Her... I visited some concerned residents at the Sunswept Apartment Complex in Florissant. Both had their doors damage this morning by someone they saw was trying to kick their way in and steal from them. Traveon Johnson wasn't home at the time. He showed me how some of his stuff was tossed around, but his television wasn't... Developers seeking more than three million dollars in tax increment financing to erect a large ferris wheel along the Laclede's Landing riverfront received approval today from the Board of Aldermen's Housing, Urban Development and Zoning committee. ...My parents always told me to tell the truth. I can hear my dad now, "No matter how hard it is son, it is better to tell the truth now rather to suffer the consequences later." I tell you that story because I think about how many lies start off small, and then turn into something much bigger. Police say Lori Jefferis told a lie by writing a false police report. Investigators say she told police that a gunman grabbed her and shot her in the foot...
I was in a roomful of about 150 men and women at DePaul Health Center in Bridgeton who've had weight loss surgery... a get together for people who know what each other has gone through... life as an ... Has anyone else noticed this problem? We were out on a story Monday afternoon driving on 70 through the city, there was trash all over the place. I noticed piles of garbage in the landscaping, on the road, it was even hanging from the trees. I called MODOT, and they were not surprised. In fact MODOT has some strong opinions a... The salmonella outbreak continues to sicken Americans... around 500.... at least 5 in the St. Louis area. 6 people have died. About 125 products are on the recall list, and a power bar was added to the recall list just today. Schnucks let us photograph inside a store today to see the posted recall signs. (Thank you, ... Gas retailers and people who work in the fuel business probably hate these stories. People complain when the price is high, people complain when its low, but not low enough, etc... This, however, is a question that I think many drivers want an answer to. If high crude oil prices were a major factor in prices at ... It was amazing to watch as MILLIONS of people packed the National Mall yesterday. This morning as I scanned the papers and rewatched all the news coverage I began to wonder how President Obama will live up to the all the hype. I believe he has much to offer this country. But like a great Olympic athlete there is amazing pressure to perform. People are expecting miracles from a man. Our expectations in this time of crisis are on the brink of ... I covered St. Louis' Inaugural Ball at City Hall tonight. The only time I've been around this many people this happy is when their team wins a world championship. It had that feeling Tuesday night (minus the drunks with their shirts off). Everyone I went up to with the microphone wanted to stop and talk to me. In fact, one guy came ... Some in the City of St. Louis may have a sinking feeling after hearing that on Monday the water department found two sinkholes. One showed up at the corner of Memorial Drive and Washington Avenue after a motorist hit a fire hydrant. The Director of Public Utilities for St. Louis, Curtis Skouby, tells me that accident caused the water main t... Late last year, you may remember controversy over the then president-elect's pick to deliver the invocation at his inauguration. Barack Obama asked best-selling author and pastor Rick Warren to say a prayer just before taking the oath of office. Gay rights groups were livid, in part, because Warren apparently supported a ban on same-sex marriage in California (Prop 8). There were worries Warren could not be inclusive... I heard it all morning as I got ready for work and watched the Inaugural coverage. (Multi-tasking as every morning with newspaper, tv, internet, and phone. Oh yeah... makeup, too.) This is an historic event, and I felt it. There's no doubt there's a buzz, there's an excitement when any new administration takes office. No matter what your politics you probably have a hope that things will get better. Nearly every president has pushed for more of us to volunteer. The new administration is no different. There is definitely a need arou... Watch surveillance video of car ramming through pawn shop Its been less than three months since University City Police Sgt. Michael King was gunned down in the loop, and talks are ongoing about security. Business owners there say the Loop is safe, and it is. But it isn't immune to the crime that plagues our community, and the latest pro-active suggestion is for more security cameras. They're ... Watch News 4 coverage If you've watched any TV over the last couple of months, you've probably seen the commercials for President Obama coins. There are a handful of companies that are making the coins and sell... Today, a woman saying she's a long-time KMOV-TV viewer called to ask about the change from analog to digital television, and she was worried. Her question: What should she do on rescanning day? "Do you have a digital converter box that you purchased with the government coupons?" I asked. "No," she said. "We let the coupons expire." I'll bet a lot of people did that. I received two coupons to get an alle... I grew up in St. Louis. Like many young men around here the St. Louis Cardinals were my team. Both baseball and football. Uncle Buddy worked for Falstaff and he would get company tickets to the football games. On Sunday morning the phone would ring at our house and my uncle would be telling us he had some extra tickets and wondered if we would like to go. My Dad and I would join him at the game. I spent some wonderful Sunda... Too often a reporter has to cover tragedies. Today I reported on a situation that could have turned tragic but was instead an act of heroism. Two girls were walking over an ice-covered pond. The ice broke. One fell in, the other was close to the edge of the hole in the ice and wet from the ice-cold water. Hypothermia can set in in a matter of seconds say fire officials. A man driving by with his daughter saw this and snapp... Extra: Interview with inauguration trip organizer (Part I) EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. -- Fulton Allen and Ray Coleman are planning the trip of their lives - and bringing about 220 family members and friends with them. "We hav... The funeral for "Big T" was held today. Terry Darris was 41-years-old. He was head of the "Ghost Doggs Motorcycle Club" and friends called him "Big T." He was a long-time postal employee at the Chouteau Station where they called him Terry. Either way, the friends that I spoke with today say he was a great guy. A big guy with a big heart. The gentle-giant type. Unfortunately, Darris has the sad distinction of being the firs... You've heard about a "buyer's market" or a "seller's market" so I guess if you're a company that isn't laying off these days and is, instead, hiring it is an "employer's market." I say this because on tonight's newscast we reported on a company that's actually hiring, not firing. Scottrade is looking to fill 100 positons in the St. Louis area and another 200 around the country. So the company held a job fair and 1444 people showed ... Scottrade's job fair at the Doubletree in Westport exceeded everyone's expectations and opened some eyes as to just how bad the economy is for many people. I'm sitting in the News 4 Live-Truck as I write these words. I've been on a shooting scene for most of the day. A man wanted by police for questioning in a shooting as well as two homicides opened fire on two undercover officers (I say "undercover" but let me clarify that a bit. They were not in uniform but they did have the blue windbreakers that say "Police" on them.) The suspect (a 26-year-old St. Louis man) ran from police but t... You have heard of texting, but what about sexting? It's a growing problem among young teens. Prosecutors across the country are dealing with teens who send explicit photos of themselves to their friends. In some cases teens are being charged with child pornography. The St. Charles County prosecutor is aware of the issue, and the ramifications. Today while talking to AAA I got a few good tips for drivers who may find themselves stranded in cold weather. These tips force you to be proactive. On cold days drivers should keep an extra pair of boots, hats, gloves, and a blanket in their vehicle. The second tip is vital, always keep your cell phone on you and charged. The quicker you can make a call the quicker you can get help. I know these tips may seem like the obvious but many don't k... I started out looking into this story after our tip-line got a call from a man collecting unemployement. He said he was frustrated over pre-paid debit card fees he was being charged under the state's new program. He was specifically concerned about fees he was charged for calling the automated voice response line (the phone n... It's a problem police across the metro would like to eliminate. Despite the falling price of scrap, thieves continue to target catalytic converters. In St. Charles 110 converters were stolen in 2008, and 2009 isn't off to a great start. I interviewed an employee at TSI network cabling off 370 in St. Charles, they have been hit four times. The company is now setting up security measures to prevent it from happening again. We are going to hear f... Looking at the number of people that are unemployed I know that when someone gets a job it's time to celebrate. But inaugurations are interesting in that one minute candidates are tearing into each other, the next there's a winner a few weeks later -- a party on day one then on day two -- the fighting starts all over again. No one has ever thrown me a party when I got a job. My parents certainly celebrated when I left Washington U and tuiti... When the temperature gets below 60 I pull out the long underwear and turtlenecks. I can't stand the cold. Hate isn't too strong a word. I'm a Fall person myself. As humans we do everything possible to make sure we're comfortable in these brutal and even deadly temperatures. When I was reporting the other morning I had on long underwear, pants and ski pants, snow boots, a turtleneck, sweater and a down coat.... gloves and hat are a given. ...
Did you see the story tonight at... Seems like whenever we see extreme weather, a few people die because of it. The fact is, no one has to. Even in the bad economy, community agencies are seeking out people to help "warm up." There are warming shelters (libraries, community centers) open throughout the area and throughout the day. Homeless shelters open at night. No one has to be freezing and no one should be. If we pay attention to our own bodi... Think back to the hotel's opening just a few years ago. The Renaissance Grand Hotel and Suites was built to be a premier destination for tourists and convention-goers, but it's now heading into foreclosure. The Renaissance Suites tower opened in 2002 and the Grand Tower (located across the street) opened in 2003 within steps of the Co... Well, I guess we're learning. Travel times on Forest Park Parkway from 170 to Kingshighway are about the same as they are on Manchester and Page. The great fear was that the parkway would be packed while the other roads were lightly traveled. The parkway is crowded (60% greater volume than before the closure, compared to about 30-35% greater for Page and Manchester) but travel time along that stretch is about 18 to 20 minutes. The STL Stre... We are learning more about the attempted abduction in the 11 thousand block of Warwickhall Drive in Bridgeton. Police are actually patrolling the neighborhood this afternoon to make sure children are safe when they get off the bus. This morning a twelve year old girl told investigators a woman tried to pull her into an SUV as she was walking down Warwickhall Drive. A detective tells me they are taking the case seriously, and they don't think t... This afternoon I am working on a story about thieves stealing construction equipment. Yeah I know, people are stealing whatever they can these days. However, these thieves are getting items that are big ticket items that cost anywhere from 500 to 1200 bucks. I asked an investigator what people can do to protect their equipment. I am told you must lock your items up. I know you have heard that before, but I was also told several tips you can us... We all know that you should never mess with an angry grandmother or grandfather. However, one grandfather took things to the extreme. Police say David Ward wanted to see his granddaughter so bad that he was willing to hire a hit-man to see her. The problem with that is that he did hire a hit-man, and he order a hit against his daughter. Police say Ward's daughter would not let him see his grandchild because for one reason. According to the pol... I've talked to a couple of ER doctors recently about the frigid cold we're experiencing and about to experience. Beyond the typically blah, blah your mother told you about bundling up, layering and not staying out too long here's some help from medical experts. 1) Drink lots of water. I realize, that's what they say in the heat of the summer, but in the winter people get dehydrated, too. And coffee is not the way to go. Caff... Today I talked to the first female Lt. Col. in the St. Louis Police Department. A great conversation. At one point when we were talking about the early days back in '73 and '74, she said some of the other officers thought she should be "barefoot and pregnant". Someone in the department who heard that and worried that if I used that statement, it might be insulting to stay at home mothers. I knew that was far from Col. Filla's mind.... aft... The pendulum has swung the other way. From drinks made to energize us, there are now new products aiming to help us relax and slow down. You already know about energy drinks like Red Bull, RockStar, Monster, etc... but have you heard of "anti-energy" drinks? If you look closely, you'll find them in some convenience stores in the area. There are several products that fall under the "relaxation drink" category includ... I am working on a story in O'Fallon, Illinois about property taxes, and it's certainly turned into a controversial issue. There is a grass roots campaign to lower taxes in the city of O'Fallon, organizers tell me property taxes have doubled in the last five years. Kyle McCarter tells me he wants property taxes to be capped at a maximum five percent per year, and he wants residents to sign a petition to put the issue on the November ba... Two hours ago I posted a blog about the latest traffic woes associated with the second phase of the 64 project. The latest area that is giving Mo-DOT headaches is Berthold in South St. Louis. The major problem is that the St. Louis Street Department recently made the popular street one way... and for some reason drivers are ignoring signs and driving in the wrong direction. I just finished talking to some residents who live along this stree...
I checked the American Red Cross' website and this is the time of the year they want to pass along a number of safety tips including: keeping blankets in your car in case you get st... I earned my graduate degree in journalism but my undergrad is in history. I've always loved studying history. I think the most interesting parts of studying the past are the "quirky" tidbits that--for the most part--fall under history's radar. That's why I liked this following story from the Associated Press concerning Jay Nixon's inauguration. Apparently, he'll have five more minutes in office than previous governors. Check... Belleville Police are frustrated over a lack of information regarding a hit and run in front of an elementary school on Thursday. A student from Douglas Elementary was injured when a pickup hit her as she was crossing the street. The driver of the truck kept going. Tonight we are told the female student is in stable condition. If you have any information about the hit and run driver you are urged to call Belleville Police, they are offering a ... Scottrade wants to add 500 people nationwide, however, they want to fill 200 positions here in the St. Louis Area. The company will hold a job fair on Friday Jan. 16th, at the St. Louis Double Tree in Westport from 1pm to 7pm. The company is looking to fill "IT" and service positions. Groupcast is an automated instant messaging service. The company can notify people about school closings, and it can also relay automated messages to b...
Take a look for yourself: Overall Lottery Sales: Missouri, up .17 % I was able to get more hard numbe... It's a new administration for Jefferson City, but an old wish list for the City of St. Louis. Times are tough, and it seems as if no one is hiring. Well during my travels today I found out there are people hiring in the St. Louis area. Scottrade, an online brokerage company, plans on adding more than 250 jobs to the St. Louis area in about a year. The company has more than 50 IT positions open as I am writing this blog. One interesting point I found out is that Scottrade will be hiring a number of other positions including service jobs... This is the second time I've covered an inauguration. Third time if you count my time as an intern for a TV station in Austin when Governor Ann Richards was sworn in in January 1991. I remember the T-shirts. "A woman's place is in the Dome" they said. Clever. My first inauguration to cover as an actual journalist was four years later again in Texas. He became one of the more popular Governors in the state. Republicans and Democra... Governor Matt Blunt is on his way out of office but before he gives up his desk in Jefferson City to Jay Nixon he pardoned a couple of Missouri women who were in prison because they had killed men who abused them. One of the women is Charity Sue Carey. She's from a small town in southeast Missouri. The other woman you might have heard of. Stacey Lannert from St. John in north St. Louis county shot and killed her father, Tom, ... The "Census Folks" were in town today. By that I mean several bigwigs with the U.S. Census Bureau were here to talk about kicking off the census and setting up an office here. The good news--they'll be hiring about a thousand workers. Across the state of Missouri they'll be hiring about 3,000 workers. In these tough economic times that's a good thing. A very good thi... When you think of motorcycle clubs you probably think of the stereotypical motorcycle "gang." I know their reputation. I know of the terrible things some have done over the years. But look beyond the stereotype. That's what you should have done in the case of Terry Darris. Friends called him "Big T." If you saw his picture you'd understand why. He was a big man. But friends I talked with say he was a man with a big heart as well... Five weeks ago my reporter colleague Laurie Waters did a story on a South City couple facing foreclosure. Last night my reporter colleague Julian Grace did a follow up story on some good news for the couple but he did't get to put it together for air because of breaking news he had to go to... a fire. With both Laurie and Julian off tonight, it was my turn. I watched the video and the interviews Julian and our photographer c... I just talked to Captain Ed Nestor with the Chesterfield Police Department. He tells me there are 8 to 10 detectives working the investigation. While the active search for a suspect ended around 3pm Thursday, efforts to find him are ongoing. There were apparently no witnesses, no surveillence video of the shooting and the victim who's still recovering from her gun shot wound says she didn't get a good look at her assailant. I... It's 7pm Thursday night and I'm camped in a live van outside St. John's Mercy Medical Center. I've been here since around 3:30pm. Why? Because around noon today a woman doing contract work at Pfizer was shot in the foot and was rushed here. She's going to be okay and we would love to talk to her about what happened. However neither the police or hospital will give us her name. Why?... This woman who suffered quite ... Testimony from burris ended just before 5pm. The committee took a short break and had begun to vote to recommend impeachment. Each committee member is giving a statement as they vote. I will let you know when the vote is complete. ...An hour into testimony and Burris has been asked about his past ties to the governor and past financial contributions to Blagojevich. It was a shocking announcement in Jefferson City. Senator Kit Bond told the general assembly he will not seek reelection in 2010. Today we are working on reaction to the Senators announcment. Republican strategist John Hancock told us the news caught him by surprise, we are going to hear from Hancock tonight at six o clock. We are also speaking with Boeing executives, including a vice president who has traveled to foreign countries with Missou... The hearing has begun. Burris is beginning testimony. Rep. Durkin is the first to ask Burris what he thought of the Governor's arrest. ...2:35 p.m. Roland Burris just arrived ... a huge crowd of reporters and photographers crowded around Burris as he walked through the door and through the capitol building hallways. 1:20 p.m. ... I'm on the road again, heading back to the state capitol in Springfield to cover today's impeachment hearing. It is clear that impeachment of Governor Blagojevich is imminent. I met the St. Peters family burned out of their apartment Monday. Nice, hard-working folks trying to make a good life for their kids. Unfortunately it was their youngest daughter who caused the disaster. She'd put something on the stove and went upstairs with her brother to listen to music. When they noticed the fire, they got out. No one was hurt. The 11-year old feels bad, but her parents say they feel blessed. Blessed t... There is an interesting story developing in Dardenne Prairie. Right now the city is at odds with the Great Rivers Greenway District (GRGD). Here's the deal, the city wants to expand a bridge that sit along Henning Road. The only problem is that the city does not own the land they will need to use to expand the bridge, the GRGD does and they do not just want to give it away the land. Instead they want the city to buy it from them for 78 tho... Leland Beasley a south county business owner was charged with first degree child molestation. Beasley owns a video game store where teens pay a couple of bucks and are allowed to play for long periods of times. The accusations about Beasley left parents who know Beasley with mixed reactions. One parent I talked to says he's doesn't believe the accusations are true, and that Beasley runs a clean establishment free of profanity. However, I talke... Today I sat down with the (relatively) new St. Louis Police Chief. There's a lot on his plate right now, none of which happened on his watch. Police in Glendale and Rock Hill are relieved, so are residents following the arrest of a suspect in four high profile crimes. It all started on Thursday when a female employee at Hacienda Restaurant in Rock Hill was robbed at gunpoint in the parking lot. On Friday a woman was robbed at gunpoint inside her Glendale home, it happened again on Monday afternoon. On Tuesday a man walked into the Boulevard Bank on Manchester Road and demanded cash.... Waiting 'til the last minute is nothing new for me. Blame it on years of working right up until deadline.... or blame it on simple procrastination. At any rate, it is not unusual for me to put things off until I HAVE to do them. So it is kind of hypocritical for me to tell anyone who hasn't readied his or her television for the digital transition to get busy and do so because the deadline is only 6 weeks away. But I'm doing it anyway. T... Winter is here! On Monday the finished portion of the New I-64 got a big test from old man winter. MODOT crews were forced to shut down the new 170 flyover ramps due to icy conditions. However, don't worry MODOT wasn't the only one shutting down ramps. St. Louis County, and City had to shut down various flyover ramps due to the weather on Tuesday as well. A MODOT spokesperson told me over the phone that there is nothing wrong with the new ramp...
OVERNIGHT, A LIGHT RAIN-SLEET MIX FELL OVER THE BI-STATE AREA, CREATING A NASTY MESS ON THE MAJOR HIGHWAYS, INTERSTATES, OVERPASSES AND SIDE STREETS.. "Traffic times on Brentwood have more than doubled," said Tom Blair MODOT Engineer on Monday. Since the Hanley overpass demolition drivers in that area have flocked to Brentwood Blvd as an escape route. However MODOT is warning drivers to stay away from the area if you want to get home at a reasonable hour. So my photographer and I took a look for ourselves to see just how jammed this popular street has become. We started traveling south on B... The Illinois Act prohibits smoking in all public places, workplaces, and restaurants. The ban has been in place for more than a year. Some bar owners say the ban has resulted in a loss of business. While some restaurant owners say the ban has increased business. However, I both the bar and the restaurant owners say it should be there decision to chose if they should allow smoking in their buildings. I can agree with that to a point. I believe ... Hopefully, you found this blog because you were looking for the information on how to make a donation to the Manning family. On New Year's Day a fire in Victoria, Missouri, took the lives of James Manning and two of his children, 11-year-old Austin & 7-year-old Caralyn. But one thing we can count on in the St. Louis area is that people will open their hearts and open their wallets. Donations are already coming in to the Dairy Queen... No one is accusing President-elect Obama of any wrongdoing, but some of his friends and fellow Illinois residents sure aren't helping. First, Gov. Rod Blagojevich (who says he did nothing wrong) is caught on tape talking about selling Obama's senate seat and other improper activites, federal prosecutors claim. And now, Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico (who says he did nothing wrong) is caught up in a grand jury investigation ... Long-time State Representative Wyvetter Younge was laid to rest today. During the funeral service it was said that in politics there are no long-time enemies. And there are also no long-time friends. But Younge was a person who apparently made many friends during her career. Several hundred showed up today to pay their respects. But what struck me most about Younge was her promise. When she was young she made a pact with ... A gunman broke into a house in the 3600-block of Bamberger last night, shooting a man in the arm, St. Louis police said Saturday afternoon. The victim managed to call police from a nearby store, police said. Tower Grove South had 5,586 calls for police service in 2008, according to preliminary numbers from the city police department. The incidents included 36 robberies, 110 burglaries, 204 thefts, 13 serious assaults, 7... I've met Andrew Akin a couple of times. He's cute, funny, happy - the kind of baby who makes people love babies. Andrew has HLH, a rare disorder of the immune system. HLH stands for Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. (I've done a couple of TV reports about him.) Born in 2007, Andrew fights every day to live - surviving numerous hospital stays, even a bone marrow transplant. His mother, Kristin Akin, ha... Wow! A new year. There are so many things I am personally grateful for... for starters I am grateful for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I am thankful for my family, and I am thankful for my job. There are so many people hurting in this world. Times are only expected to get tougher. The economic picture is expected to get worse, and more companies are expected to shut down in 09. Hearing this, makes me stop and just think about all the thing... The New Year is supposed to be a clean slate. A time of renewal. The outgoing year is symbolized by "the old man". The new year is the babe in the sash. But in the new year the old ways are still with us. On my first day of work in the new year of 2009 I covered an extreme act of violence. A stabbing at a New Year's Eve party that left one man dead and another man (a 45-year-old married man and fa... Coming back from covering a tragic story in Jefferson County my colleague and I stopped for lunch at the Arby's in Mehlville off Lemay Ferry Road. It was straight up noon and as it turns out that's what time the restaurant opened on New Year's Day. As Stan and I waited outside a few seconds along with one other man, the manager came over, unlocked the door and walked away without looking at us while shouting something at an employee.<... Starting today, it costs a little extra to ride Metro. Bus fares increased from $1.75 to $2.00. The cost of basic Metrolink tickets went up from $2.00 to $2.25. The price of a monthly pass jumps from $60 to $68. So, how do Saint Louis prices compare to other cities? Today, Chicago's Transit Authority also raised fares by 15%. If you want to buy a regular bus ticket, it'll cost you $2.00. Want to ride the rail? A ticket no... |
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