St. Louis Beacon

A new career in paper folding

newstip@stlbeacon.org (Mary Delach Leonard, Beacon staff) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:45:22 +0000

Posted 3:59 p.m. Tues., Nov. 10 - While it may sound fantastic to some, artists and scientists have left their previous life's work to forge unconventional lives as modern-day paper-folders. The allure and beauty of origami is presented in "Between the Folds" -- part of the Community Cinema Series

From gold badges to free baseball tickets to unearned overtime, audit faults city police department

newstip@stlbeacon.org (Dale Singer, Beacon staff) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:55:31 +0000

Posted 3:02 p.m. Tues., Nov. 10 - But the report by state Auditor Susan Montee says that many of the shortcomings her office found have been corrected since Chief Dan Isom (left) took office more than a year ago. Many of the problems detailed in the audit were made public in the past and were tied to former Chief Joe Mokwa, who resigned last year in the wake of revelations about the department's relationship with a towing company.

Keaveny renews longstanding mayoral call for city control of police department

newstip@stlbeacon.org (Jo Mannies, Beacon Political Reporter) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:46:37 +0000

Posted 12:45 p.m. Tues., Nov. 10: The region's soon-to-be-newest member of the state Senate, Sen.-elect Joe Keaveny, D-St. Louis, says his first bill will be "to return control of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department back to the City of St. Louis." Keaveny was citing today's less-than-favorable audit of the department by state Auditor Susan Montee. But returning control of the police to the city has been a quest of St. Louis mayors for decades.

Luetkemeyer takes aim at pending congressional vote to raise national debt ceiling

newstip@stlbeacon.org (Jo Mannies, Beacon Political Reporter) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:11:53 +0000

Posted 12:15 p.m. Tues., Nov. 10: With last weekend's House health care vote now settled, U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-St. Elizabeth, is now focusing on what could be the next controversial issue before area members of Congress: Increasing the national debt. Luetkemeyer is among the Republicans seeking a separate vote. Some Democrats are planning to attach the increase to a broader appropriations bill, an approach often used for debt-ceiling increases. Critics say it's done that way to skirt controversy.

SWAT teams respond to reported situation at Governor Office Building in Jefferson City

newstip@stlbeacon.org (Jason Rosenbaum, special to the Beacon) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:47:56 +0000

Updated 2:44 p.m. Tues., Nov. 10 - Police in Jefferson City have announced a press conference for 4 p.m. this afternoon to discuss the situation in the Governor's Office Building. While they are declining comment for now, the call might have been a false alarm. No injuries were reported, and no one was taken from the building. In addition, the scene is returning to normal: The police tape is down, the street is open and the police cars are gone.

As schools resegregate, this area needs to talk about race

newstip@stlbeacon.org (Terry Jones, Special to the Beacon) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Posted 6 a.m. Tues. Nov. 10 - The St. Louis area has never really come together to counter the extraordinary racial educational disparity rooted in Missouri’s constitution and statutes. The interdistrict plan was created through the courts and now that it is winding down, Professor Terry Jones calls for frank and candid discussions about what its racial goals should be and what policies are required to achieve them.

Missouri's ban on insurance coverage for abortion is more restrictive than ban in House health bill

newstip@stlbeacon.org (Jo Mannies, Beacon political reporter) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:26:30 +0000

Posted 6 p.m. Mon., Nov. 9 - The anti-abortion provision included in the health-care bill that passed the U.S. House on Saturday is similar to the private insurance restriction that has been in place in Missouri for 26 years. Still, some leaders on both sides of the state's longstanding battle over abortion rights foresee possible changes if the federal provision becomes law.

By just doing his job, Dr. Whittico helped make sure other blacks could enter medicine

newstip@stlbeacon.org (Robert Joiner, Beacon staff) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:47:00 +0000

Posted 11:44 a.m. Tues., Nov. 10 - Dr. James M. Whittico Jr., has had a pioneering career in medicine. Besides his practice, he found time to lead the National Medical Association, which represents black doctors, and he worked to integrate Missouri's local and state medical groups. Along the way, he also headed up a national program to boost the number of blacks going into medicine. At almost 94, he's still going strong.

Many remember Gateway Bank as milestone in local civil rights history

newstip@stlbeacon.org (Dale Singer, Beacon staff) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:51:38 +0000

Posted 4:04 p.m. Mon., Nov. 9 - Last week, the FDIC seized, and then sold, Gateway Bank, the 119th FDIC-insured institution to fail in the nation this year. The closure was a bittersweet moment for some St. Louisans who recalled Gateway Bank as the first black-owned bank in north St. Louis. "It was a milestone," remembered one.

Supporters of organic agriculture question Beachy's appointment to research institute

newstip@stlbeacon.org (Repps Hudson, Special to the Beacon) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:45:27 +0000

Posted 12:07 p.m. Tues., Nov. 10 - When Roger Beachy (right) took over in October as the first director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, supporters of organic agriculture were not pleased. They fear that organic agriculture will continue to get short shrift when it comes to funding for agricultural research. For his part, Beachy says he'll be a fair broker.

eBay buy equals film treasure

newstip@stlbeacon.org (Robert Hunt) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:37:48 +0000

Posted 11:46 a.m. Mon., Nov. 9 - A canister sold as containing "old film" turned out to hold a previously unknown short film by Charlie Chaplin called "Zepped."

Eleven opens its doors for dialogue going on 11/11

newstip@stlbeacon.org (Thomas Crone, Special to the Beacon) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:09:44 +0000

Posted 12:43 p.m. Mon., Nov. 9 - The editors of Eleven, a monthly music magazine written by area college students, are adding face-to-face discussion to their print and online world. Their Nov. 11 party -- on Cherokee Street, where else? -- is designed to get people “excited about everything that’s going on, in interesting new material. Even getting people to collaborate."

More time for first-time home buyers to cash in on tax credit

newstip@stlbeacon.org (Elia Powers, Beacon staff) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:12:23 +0000

Posted 9:33 a.m. Mon., Nov. 9 - Perhaps lost in last week's political news is that Congress passed and President Obama signed an extension of the $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers. The home buyers’ credit was set to expire Dec. 1 and now will run through the end of June. People with higher incomes and some existing homeowners are now eligible for the tax credit, as well. (Illustration from sxc.hu)

St. Louis Film Festival includes several movies with 'buzz'

newstip@stlbeacon.org (Harper Barnes, Special to the Beacon) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:00:52 +0000

Posted 12:30 p.m. Mon., Nov. 9 - The 18th Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival opens Thursday night with one of the more talked about movies in the 11-day event. But SLIFF is about much more than "An Education," "Precious" and "Up in the Air." It's a chance to see a huge variety of different, perhaps quirky, movies that may be otherwise hard to find.

Odds are, 2010 could see a repeat

newstip@stlbeacon.org (Alvin A. Reid, Special to the Beacon) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:00:01 +0000

Posted 6 a.m. Mon., Nov. 9 - People who hate the Yankees because of all the money spent to assemble the team have to admit that dollars don't make a player perform. And perform these guys did. So, a tip of the cap to the New Yorkers. And what's on tap for next year? Cubs over Cardinals?

What to do about health care? Fix how people get insurance

newstip@stlbeacon.org (Dennis Matheis, Special to the Beacon) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Posted 6 a.m. Mon., Nov. 9 - Among the reforms supported by Dennis Matheis, president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Missouri, is that every person should be required to have health insurance. And that requirement should include a guarantee that everyone, including people with pre-existing conditions, will get coverage and not be excluded. (This is the fifth in a series of articles addrrssing health-care reform.)

Fun and Fundraising

newstip@stlbeacon.org (Donna Korando, Features and commentary editor) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:00:00 +0000

Updated 12:39 p.m. Mon., Nov. 9 - Check in for a list of some parties, promotions and events designed to help nonprofit organizations in the area. Also find chances to donate time, talent or treasure.

Early Illinois primary gives incumbents a big advantage

newstip@stlbeacon.org (Mike Lawrence, Special to the Beacon) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Posted 6 a.m. Sun., Nov. 8 - As Christmas decorations appear too early in the stores, so too are political yard signs in Illinois. But the challengers have no choice. Mike Lawrence says a Feb. 2 primary makes sense only to the gang that helped steer the ship of state government to the shores of bankruptcy.

Missouri, Illinois see mostly party-line vote on health care, but Skelton is the exception

newstip@stlbeacon.org (Jo Mannies, Beacon Political Reporter) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 08:25:48 +0000

Updated 2 p.m. Mon., Nov. 9: Missouri's nine members of Congress split along partisan lines -- with one exception -- in Saturday's late-night vote that saw the U.S. House pass a health care bill that includes a public option. Three Missouri Democrats voted for the bill, and the state's five GOP members of the U.S. House voted against it. The exception to the party-line split was U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton (left) , D-Lexington, who was among 39 Democratic defectors who opposed the measure.

Obama presses Senate to pass its health-care bill

newstip@stlbeacon.org (News organizations) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:53:07 +0000

Updated 7:35 a.m. Mon., Nov. 9 - The votes had barely been counted from the House's narrow approval of its legislation Saturday night when the White House began turning its attention to an even bigger hurdle: getting a bill passed in the Senate. The two proposals differ substantially on issues like a government-run plan and how to pay for coverage. | New York Times

How House members voted. | Washington Post