So many of our historic landmarks have gone by the wayside over the past forty years.
Why does this happen, and what is it about CITY LEADERS who seemingly complicate things more than they help?
Recently, the operators of the Bevo Mill restaurant stopped paying their bills.
It got a lot of publicity. The city of St. Louis owns the Bevo Mill and was soliciting restauranteurs to run the facility --- get it reopened as quickly as possible. Very few were chomping at the bit to run what has historically been a German food restaurant. Pleasing German food lovers in the United States is said to be more difficult than pleasing the many French food eaters. Both kinds of food are difficult to find in the metropolitan St. Louis area. But, see...there are many more Germans - and German-speaking residents - in St. Louis than those with French heritage, even though the city was founded by the famous French men with streets and neighborhoods named after them (Laclede's Landing, anyone?).
What I'm pasting/posting is from Facebook. It's a telltale sign of the times in the city of St. Louis.
______________________
City of St. Louis: "The Bevo Mill Deal - Another White Elephant In the Making?"
Last night, veteran TV reporter John Auble of Fox2 produced and aired a story about an apparent deal between the owners of the Bevo Mill (the CITY OF ST. LOUIS) and the owners of Dreamland Palace German Restaurant (in Foster Pond IL), in which the historic old "mill" restaurant at Gravois and Morganford would reopen under the management of a couple (Mike and Joan Lang) who not only fully understands the business of owning and operating a German Restaurant for 20 years, but who came from the Bevo neighborhood before they opened Dreamland Palace in 1989. The Langs used to be involved in a local association along Gravois, and they haven't stayed away from the city --- they are regular customers of city businesses on their days off.
Meanwhile, most of us had read the sad and aggrivating stories which came out last week. The former operators who had been running Bevo Mill [allegedly] skipped out on paying bills to the city and other business interests and employees, and worse --- left SEVERAL people holding onto unfulfilled promises that they could have banquets or wedding receptions at Bevo Mill. Mayor Slay even blogged about this disappointing series of events, so it's not likely he was uninformed about a possible deal between parties to reopen Bevo Mill under a better management group.
The almost embarrassing news reports of the Bevo Mill closure were numerous. But the story that ran on Fox2 was a scoop, and was also posted on their website. And after a positive story --- operators who KNOW what they are doing, all was seemingly going to be good in the world of German food-eating St. Louisans with regard to Bevo Mill, and despite what had happened with the former operators --- with the city having gone to someone with a stellar reputation --- we were going to see BEVO MILL RESTAURANT operational, probably before summer, and run WELL...right?
Well...according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch online --- no.
Here is the story published by the Post-Dispatch online just after noon today:http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/the-savvy-consumer-blog/2009/03/24/want-to-run-the-bevo-mill-city-hall-wants-to-hear-from-you/
++++++++++++++
I have to give credit to one of my co-workers, a city resident, who told me today...and I quote:
"Don't worry, the city'll find a way to screw it up."
That co-worker was apparently onto something. I don't know if it really is going to quash the deal, but if the city SLDC has decided to wait until March 31st to post the RFP, they should have told the group they were soliciting. Someone at city hall didn't talk with someone else at city hall, and all it takes is one slip-up from a talking head to make things look like it will all fall apart before it gets going --- and it really falls apart.
I hope Mike and Joan Lang hold on and get a good deal, and eventually operate the Bevo Mill. They know what they're doing, but I'm sure there are others who will claim they know how to run a German restaurant at Bevo Mill. Frankly, I can only think of one other restauranteur who has enough history and may be able to roll the dice and win at Bevo Mill: the owner of the Feasting Fox.
If the city doesn't reach an agreement with one of these two restaurant operators to reopen Bevo Mill with German food, they will surely have another WHITE ELEPHANT.
+++++++++++++++
What next??? A softball field instead of Ballpark Village for this summer's Baseball All-Star Game?
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Maybe It's Not Just Me
So, here is the "scandal" that's rocking America - this week. AIG executives received bonuses after the U.S. taxpayers were forced by the "idiots in charge" - Congress - to "give" about $170-Billion to keep them afloat as part of the ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY BAILOUT everyone was supposed to believe would ease the "crisis" that financial institutions were in because of their inability to watch themselves --- you know, be accountable for their own lending practices and expenditures.
Well...I don't know if it's just me --- but are the Democrats overblowing this scandalous self-pay because the first bailout money came during a Republican presidential administration, or are the Republicans overblowing this scandal because the Democratic Congress and subsequent presidential administration didn't see the fine print in AIG's "bonus program" --- something which neither side either asked about or cared to view until the money had already been passed onto AIG without such scrutiny OR "carefully worded restrictions" placed upon the bailout money???
Somehow, I'm thinking that it's not just me who sees it this way. Not that everyone even CARES to hear it and think it through, but most people who have paid any mind to this situation is feeling very weary about the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives, and both the G.W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations.
Voting for congressional representation won't be easy this next round for almost anyone in the nation with the most freedom because we won't feel like freely trusting the candidates. In local primary elections and in the final elections to Congress it will be evident that both Democrats and Republicans need to be held accountable. This latest group called Congress surely didn't figure out financial oversight because they rushed through what must truly have been an unnecessary bailout package.
If the bailout was necessary, then - most, if not all, of us would believe - AIG wouldn't be giving out bonuses. If it really WAS necessary, then the congressional representatives and those in two presidential administrations surely WOULD HAVE KNOWN about the stipulations in the AIG executives' contracts and made legally binding stipulations in the bailout legislation which would have prevented the executives from receiving bonuses if the company received taxpayer money.
Since we are looking at a flawed system which needs a fix, I'm thinking the only way to vote next time around is to vote ANTI-TWO-PARTY-SYSTEM. State laws will prevent independent candidates from receiving an "instant pass" onto a ballot. This seems wrong, considering the "instant pass" system of giving taxpayer money to companies who cry out "we're hurting and going down...and if we don't get a bailout, the economy will FAIL miserably", or the TIFs which come to an area where jobs do not follow as promised by the companies who benefit from the tax-free years. No --- we'll have to change some state and local laws in order to get independent candidates onto the ballots for the primaries, then the elections to Congress. That, in this two-party system is not likely. But it's necessary to stem the pending collapse of our national integrity.
I would maintain that as a person who has a view that there has to be balance to "profit taking" - I am someone who doesn't believe in free passes for the rich or the poor --- we need to be electing people who are neither too liberal or too conservative, but with a clear moral compass that both left-leaners and right-leaners can see has a true Christian background which can be shown to be even-handed in giving liberties and justice for all. I believe that this kind of candidate will have their Christian principals in hand, and be unwilling to give up the liberties which are in jeopardy by the workings of "the liberal left" who are willing to claim "even handedness" but are showing propensity to be unwilling to allow continued freedom/liberty of Christians with a true moral compass. This candidate would also be unwilling to bow to "the conservative right wing" who believe that it is okay to eliminate all oversight and protections so that we can just hand over our money to big business or eliminate healthcare because they see the world as "survival of the fittest" instead of "helping out your neighbor as you would have them help you in times of need".
I would like to see hundreds of independent candidates elected - en masse - to the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives over the next four election cycles, to see if we can show that most of us are "common goal, middle of the road" citizens, and not simply partisan citizens bowing to those who found a powerful platform for their own agenda, as opposed to the "agenda" set out by our forefathers --- which was set up so Congress would fairly represent the people.
Maybe it's not just me.
Well...I don't know if it's just me --- but are the Democrats overblowing this scandalous self-pay because the first bailout money came during a Republican presidential administration, or are the Republicans overblowing this scandal because the Democratic Congress and subsequent presidential administration didn't see the fine print in AIG's "bonus program" --- something which neither side either asked about or cared to view until the money had already been passed onto AIG without such scrutiny OR "carefully worded restrictions" placed upon the bailout money???
Somehow, I'm thinking that it's not just me who sees it this way. Not that everyone even CARES to hear it and think it through, but most people who have paid any mind to this situation is feeling very weary about the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives, and both the G.W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations.
Voting for congressional representation won't be easy this next round for almost anyone in the nation with the most freedom because we won't feel like freely trusting the candidates. In local primary elections and in the final elections to Congress it will be evident that both Democrats and Republicans need to be held accountable. This latest group called Congress surely didn't figure out financial oversight because they rushed through what must truly have been an unnecessary bailout package.
If the bailout was necessary, then - most, if not all, of us would believe - AIG wouldn't be giving out bonuses. If it really WAS necessary, then the congressional representatives and those in two presidential administrations surely WOULD HAVE KNOWN about the stipulations in the AIG executives' contracts and made legally binding stipulations in the bailout legislation which would have prevented the executives from receiving bonuses if the company received taxpayer money.
Since we are looking at a flawed system which needs a fix, I'm thinking the only way to vote next time around is to vote ANTI-TWO-PARTY-SYSTEM. State laws will prevent independent candidates from receiving an "instant pass" onto a ballot. This seems wrong, considering the "instant pass" system of giving taxpayer money to companies who cry out "we're hurting and going down...and if we don't get a bailout, the economy will FAIL miserably", or the TIFs which come to an area where jobs do not follow as promised by the companies who benefit from the tax-free years. No --- we'll have to change some state and local laws in order to get independent candidates onto the ballots for the primaries, then the elections to Congress. That, in this two-party system is not likely. But it's necessary to stem the pending collapse of our national integrity.
I would maintain that as a person who has a view that there has to be balance to "profit taking" - I am someone who doesn't believe in free passes for the rich or the poor --- we need to be electing people who are neither too liberal or too conservative, but with a clear moral compass that both left-leaners and right-leaners can see has a true Christian background which can be shown to be even-handed in giving liberties and justice for all. I believe that this kind of candidate will have their Christian principals in hand, and be unwilling to give up the liberties which are in jeopardy by the workings of "the liberal left" who are willing to claim "even handedness" but are showing propensity to be unwilling to allow continued freedom/liberty of Christians with a true moral compass. This candidate would also be unwilling to bow to "the conservative right wing" who believe that it is okay to eliminate all oversight and protections so that we can just hand over our money to big business or eliminate healthcare because they see the world as "survival of the fittest" instead of "helping out your neighbor as you would have them help you in times of need".
I would like to see hundreds of independent candidates elected - en masse - to the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives over the next four election cycles, to see if we can show that most of us are "common goal, middle of the road" citizens, and not simply partisan citizens bowing to those who found a powerful platform for their own agenda, as opposed to the "agenda" set out by our forefathers --- which was set up so Congress would fairly represent the people.
Maybe it's not just me.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Brutal Days Ahead Could Awaken New Jobless
Last November, residents in St. Louis County overwhelmingly ignored pleas from government officials, private entities, local clergy leaders, as well as those in the media who reported facts regarding the statistics handed over by the region's mass transit system, Metro, and cast their votes against a measure which would have funded buses and lightrail through the next fiscal year and beyond.
The derailing of this ballot issue, Proposition M, came at a key time when the overall economy was in worse shape than the federal government had claimed for months.
It's five months later and the economic picture in St. Louis is believed to be mediocre, with vast portions of DIM and few areas of "light and breezy". The national economic picture is "iffy" at best. As you've no doubt heard before, "It's brutal out there!"
But we all face reality together --- St. Louis really should not be about the pseudo-rich vs the quite-poor, the county versus the city, the automobile owner versus the person without even one car. Proposition-M failed when it least made sense to stop helping the lifeblood coarsing through our region. Now with large cuts casting large shadows of doubt, the pseudo-rich are finding out how close to the quite-poor they can become in a very short time.
But, what do I mean by this? Residents of St. Louis County who have lost their jobs over the past four months will be among those who suddenly have a new perspective on the impact the "loss" of "Proposition M" truly means to the regional economy. One part of this is going to remain obvious: it came with a portion of "Highway 40/I-64" closed. This still hampers travelers who go from Ballwin or Wildwood or Chesterfield or St. Albans to downtown St. Louis. And it is also true that some commuters have found Metro bus service more convenient than driving through and around the closed highway. But there remains more to this picture that is just starting to come into focus.
Many of those recently "laid off indefinitely" are among the voters in the county who failed to heed warnings about the deep cuts in service to MetroLink and Metro Bus service which would occur if the referendum did not pass. SOOOOOOOOOOO ---- there goes the drive from Manchester and 109 over to the Shrewsbury MetroLink station and that subsequent ride to Busch Stadium with the spouse and kids to save 20 bucks. Along with that ride, maybe 40 times per year because someone already spent their money at Christmas on "season tickets" to see the Cards, here is another missed opportunity: savings on the same trip in the early morning hours from a rapid transit stop outside the "270 loop" to the MetroLink station downtown and subsequent short ride around downtown on another bus close to the new employer. This ride would replace the short drive to a business in, for example, Maryland Heights, to their $95K job. Yes, in tough economic times, when dad's lost his job, now it's mom going back to work at a more menial job just to keep food on the table. And these bus cuts are going to hurt the bottom line. There will be no rapid bus stop, no bus to downtown --- but let's just say she got a ride to Union Station because her driving friend works there. Well, that's nice --- until she finds that once she is east of 14th street she'd better have good walking shoes because she's not getting a bus east of 14th Street to the corner of Washington and 8th Street. She can take MetroLink to the Convention Center station, but mom doesn't want to pay the new higher fare for the monthly bus pass. It sounds like she'll be in much better shape, but her feet will hurt at the day's end.
These telltale signs were ignored by the pseudo-rich. But, suddenly, without these "possible routes" --- they exist now but are gone after March 30th --- here comes the fun for those county voters who are now jobless.
"Where can I go to find work and not have to drive 35 minutes into downtown?"
I'm sure there is someone thinking that. After all, this is the Show-Me attitude, right?
You know this thought on economics: "Show me how to save money and I'll do it!"
Do these people outside the I-270 loop who are suddenly wishing they could take a bus to downtown St. Louis from their West County homes want a "take back" vote? Can they NOW see the error of their ways?
I'm rather betting that it is THESE TYPES of county residents who are to feel the pinch as much as ANY city dwellers who face losing their bus ride and job in west county. Possibly moreso because the city dwellers who seek work will still have options of using the transit system within the I-270 loop. And there are jobs to be had within the 270 loop, and likely more on the way as soon as some of those who look at statistics realize where those who want to work are situated... And, um, "Joe Countyvoter", the answer to your question "And where would THAT be, joker?" is simple: near a bus stop. And, with the price of a gallon of gasoline again EXPECTED to rise over $2.00/gallon by July, many of these former "no" voters will be looking "as far away as downtown St. Louis."
I, for one, am glad I never moved to far-out west county from my inside-the-loop dwellings. But, after a ten-year stay in the city of St. Louis, last year I moved just far enough into St. Louis County (you can be assured I voted IN FAVOR of Proposition M) that I have a mere four block walk to a bus depot. See, I know the value of being near a route. My favorite routes are actually being eliminated, but I still have three nearby so I can get to work on a snowy day next December.
One thing is for certain --- the economy of St. Louis COUNTY will lag behind other similar-sized counties across the country as a result of the service cuts to the buses and lightrail system. The economy in the county cannot improve rapidly without such service. The deep cuts will take effect, and EVERYONE who uses the system will soon find out the difficulties that those short-sighted county voters have thrust upon our metropolitan area.
And EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT USE THE TRANSIT SYSTEM will find additional traffic delays mounting quickly because MORE CARS AND TRUCKS WILL BE ON THE ROAD at the same time each morning. Oh yeah...the highway shut down continues until fall, too.
AND FINALLY:
There's not one SHRED of doubt in my mind: It will SUCK for tens of thousands of commuters come April 1st: it won't be a FUNNY April Fools' Day on the roads or on the transit system in St. Louis.
Q: Is there anyone who will be in disagreement with that statement come August 1st?
A: No!!!
Eventually, I think others will see that I've been correct all along, and the fools who voted no on Proposition M - by November 2009 - will know how foolish they were by being spendthrifts at their polling places in November 2008.
The derailing of this ballot issue, Proposition M, came at a key time when the overall economy was in worse shape than the federal government had claimed for months.
It's five months later and the economic picture in St. Louis is believed to be mediocre, with vast portions of DIM and few areas of "light and breezy". The national economic picture is "iffy" at best. As you've no doubt heard before, "It's brutal out there!"
But we all face reality together --- St. Louis really should not be about the pseudo-rich vs the quite-poor, the county versus the city, the automobile owner versus the person without even one car. Proposition-M failed when it least made sense to stop helping the lifeblood coarsing through our region. Now with large cuts casting large shadows of doubt, the pseudo-rich are finding out how close to the quite-poor they can become in a very short time.
But, what do I mean by this? Residents of St. Louis County who have lost their jobs over the past four months will be among those who suddenly have a new perspective on the impact the "loss" of "Proposition M" truly means to the regional economy. One part of this is going to remain obvious: it came with a portion of "Highway 40/I-64" closed. This still hampers travelers who go from Ballwin or Wildwood or Chesterfield or St. Albans to downtown St. Louis. And it is also true that some commuters have found Metro bus service more convenient than driving through and around the closed highway. But there remains more to this picture that is just starting to come into focus.
Many of those recently "laid off indefinitely" are among the voters in the county who failed to heed warnings about the deep cuts in service to MetroLink and Metro Bus service which would occur if the referendum did not pass. SOOOOOOOOOOO ---- there goes the drive from Manchester and 109 over to the Shrewsbury MetroLink station and that subsequent ride to Busch Stadium with the spouse and kids to save 20 bucks. Along with that ride, maybe 40 times per year because someone already spent their money at Christmas on "season tickets" to see the Cards, here is another missed opportunity: savings on the same trip in the early morning hours from a rapid transit stop outside the "270 loop" to the MetroLink station downtown and subsequent short ride around downtown on another bus close to the new employer. This ride would replace the short drive to a business in, for example, Maryland Heights, to their $95K job. Yes, in tough economic times, when dad's lost his job, now it's mom going back to work at a more menial job just to keep food on the table. And these bus cuts are going to hurt the bottom line. There will be no rapid bus stop, no bus to downtown --- but let's just say she got a ride to Union Station because her driving friend works there. Well, that's nice --- until she finds that once she is east of 14th street she'd better have good walking shoes because she's not getting a bus east of 14th Street to the corner of Washington and 8th Street. She can take MetroLink to the Convention Center station, but mom doesn't want to pay the new higher fare for the monthly bus pass. It sounds like she'll be in much better shape, but her feet will hurt at the day's end.
These telltale signs were ignored by the pseudo-rich. But, suddenly, without these "possible routes" --- they exist now but are gone after March 30th --- here comes the fun for those county voters who are now jobless.
"Where can I go to find work and not have to drive 35 minutes into downtown?"
I'm sure there is someone thinking that. After all, this is the Show-Me attitude, right?
You know this thought on economics: "Show me how to save money and I'll do it!"
Do these people outside the I-270 loop who are suddenly wishing they could take a bus to downtown St. Louis from their West County homes want a "take back" vote? Can they NOW see the error of their ways?
I'm rather betting that it is THESE TYPES of county residents who are to feel the pinch as much as ANY city dwellers who face losing their bus ride and job in west county. Possibly moreso because the city dwellers who seek work will still have options of using the transit system within the I-270 loop. And there are jobs to be had within the 270 loop, and likely more on the way as soon as some of those who look at statistics realize where those who want to work are situated... And, um, "Joe Countyvoter", the answer to your question "And where would THAT be, joker?" is simple: near a bus stop. And, with the price of a gallon of gasoline again EXPECTED to rise over $2.00/gallon by July, many of these former "no" voters will be looking "as far away as downtown St. Louis."
I, for one, am glad I never moved to far-out west county from my inside-the-loop dwellings. But, after a ten-year stay in the city of St. Louis, last year I moved just far enough into St. Louis County (you can be assured I voted IN FAVOR of Proposition M) that I have a mere four block walk to a bus depot. See, I know the value of being near a route. My favorite routes are actually being eliminated, but I still have three nearby so I can get to work on a snowy day next December.
One thing is for certain --- the economy of St. Louis COUNTY will lag behind other similar-sized counties across the country as a result of the service cuts to the buses and lightrail system. The economy in the county cannot improve rapidly without such service. The deep cuts will take effect, and EVERYONE who uses the system will soon find out the difficulties that those short-sighted county voters have thrust upon our metropolitan area.
And EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT USE THE TRANSIT SYSTEM will find additional traffic delays mounting quickly because MORE CARS AND TRUCKS WILL BE ON THE ROAD at the same time each morning. Oh yeah...the highway shut down continues until fall, too.
AND FINALLY:
There's not one SHRED of doubt in my mind: It will SUCK for tens of thousands of commuters come April 1st: it won't be a FUNNY April Fools' Day on the roads or on the transit system in St. Louis.
Q: Is there anyone who will be in disagreement with that statement come August 1st?
A: No!!!
Eventually, I think others will see that I've been correct all along, and the fools who voted no on Proposition M - by November 2009 - will know how foolish they were by being spendthrifts at their polling places in November 2008.
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