Archive for October, 2009

Fingerprinting employees at stock brokerage offices? “We fingerprint them and then send results to the FBI,” said Tricia Lindley, assistant for 28 years to soothsayer

Goldman

Al Goldman of Wells Fargo. “In fact, as a result of the procedure, three employees in another office had been, in the past, arrested for indecent exposure.” Goldman, veteran chief market strategist at the firm, who has been vaulted into national recognition as an authority on the stock market, gave his take over a few Bud Lights. “Since the market is at the magical number of 10,000 (on Thursday), it is due for a pause to refresh in the face of more damned problems both internationally and domestically,” he said. “In over the long term, the biggest problem is Iran. As for the rising price of gold, he explained, “While gold did nothing for the last 25 years and is now dynamite, I still prefer good common stocks. Get your buy-list together. I recommend technology, energy and pharmaceuticals. In a letter I sent out, I suggested not to buy right now.” Proudly proclaiming he’s been with the firm for 48 years beginning with A.G. Edwards, Goldman admitted, “You can’t learn about the market in a book, because everything changes every hour.” I asked Goldman, a living person, what about President Obama? The 75 year-old confessed he is not a fan of the President. “(George W.) Bush put America on top; not so with Obama,” with his words trailing off

The reconstruction of Highway I-64 and US-40, between I-170 and Kingshighway Boulevard, is expected to be completed just before Thanksgiving, according to a reliable source with the project.  The work had been slowed down by two weeks of rain.  Initially,  the opening was to take place on Dec. 31, but “We worked at a fast  pace as a bow to businesses for holiday shopping,” said our tipster.

STILL A PLAYER: While seeking protection from creditors through bankruptcy (reported here first), Whittaker Homes, Inc., has hardly spiked plans for its future. Though snubbed by First Bank for an extension of a $90 million loan, veep Tim Busse said, “We are focusing on construction in or close to St. Louis. Our numbers are good and a number of banks are interested.” He added, “The big trend is leading people back to the city.” Construction in the city is a far departure from Whittaker, which in the past, built thousands of homes in St. Charles county, including the community of New Town in St. Charles.

Bommarito

At the hot spot, Lester’s, Martha and Vince Bommarito confided to boniface Lester Miller t’other day, that their Tony’s Restaurant’s customers are ordering 40 percent seafood. It was eatery day at Lester’s. Nearby were Chris Dorr, bosssman of Paddy O’s, and at another table, Mary and Al Baker of yesteryore’s Al Baker’s… Look for Leon Birnbaum, who has sold his CWE Chez Leon, to move his talents to the 7900 block of Forsyth in Clayton. . .The recession has hit at the 84 year-old Sam Light Loans (and pawn shop), on Jefferson at

Light

Olive. “Some customers are pawning stuff and can’t get the items out, because of unemployment,” offered Ron Light. . . Sam Kacar will bow a third Trattoria Branica restaurant in January at 138 Chesterfield Town Center (off Long Road) with Peppe Prosecar as GM…

The saga that won’t end. Since Lisa Zigman‘s story about illegally parked cop cars at headquarters, the the police officers got wind of it and began ticketing ticketing the illegal KSDK, Chanel 5 vans. The station got tons of them. Then, it seemed the station was stiffing the penalties. It now appears that Channel 5 has had registrations revoked on four vehicles due to unpaid tickets. The vehicles have sat unused in the parking garage because management refuses to pay the fines that the news crews received. It appears the station is so short of vehicles, that one news crew has to wait for another to return before they could use the wheels to get a story. Zigman? Nice going!. ..And, what changes will local viewers notice after style consultant Patti Shayne‘s meeting with the Channel 5 reportage staffl? Well, for one thing, most female anchors there are now wearing a lot more purple . . . The investigative team at the Post-Dispatch has been wiped out as the last few investigative journalists are ankling the paper. At its height, the Post had five full-time investigative reporters. After four years there, Joe Mahr is leaving to join an investigative slot at the bankrupt Chicago Tribune. Data guru Kevin Crowe, who handled databases for the newsroom, is headed for greener pastures at the Watchdog Institute, a data-driven investigative reporting agency in San Diego. Jaimi Dowdell,  the computer assisted-reporting editor, went to work for Investigative Reporters and Editors, as a training director for computer-assisted reporting. Meanwhile, a columnist is currently grieving a one-day suspension for allegedly not attributing information she used in her column. The staff had to be reminded about the rules of attribution in the paper’s rule book. The editors wrote, “We recently had a violation of our sourcing and attribution policy in a blog post by a staff member, that included information (including direct quotes) that was previously published in an article elsewhere and not credited.” But, some things are looking up at 900 N. Tucker Blvd. The newsroom – after unloading more than one-third of its staff in buyouts and layoffs – is now hiring: a feature writer; a healthcare reporter and a data specialist to fill Crowe’s slot. . . And, metals guru Ben Fixman says his autobiography will hit the bookstalls any day. Titled “From the Ghetto to Gold,” the book to be turned out by Artful Tale, LLC, includes his landmark, $105 million judgement against AT&T.

Former congressman-turned-l$bbyist Dick Gephardt got a drubbing in The Nation publication. Written by uber scribe Sebastian Jones, the article calls attention to the unprecedented $85 billion to mega insurance firm, AIG. Goldman Sachs got $12.9 billion “despite having claimed in September to be insulated from AIG.” As part of an investigation by Congressman Elijah Cummings and his staff, a draft was drawn up and was circulated to House members calling for a meeting with Goldman execs. They trotted in former congressman Dick Gephardt. In the early 2000′s, the article continued that Gephardt “harshly condemned corporate crime, which he said ‘ruined people’s lives for selfishness and greed’. So why, six years later, was he on Capitol Hill representing one of the biggest players in the largest economic crisis since the Great Depression?. . .And further, why was he recently working for Visa to kill credit card reform, helping Peabody Energy stymie climate change legislation and consulting for United Health Group alongside Tom Daschle to block meaningful healthcare reform?” Furthermore, author Jones recalled mentioning the Gephardt Group’s having a new contract with the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations, to which “one prominent labor lawyer paused before saying, ‘Oh, God. That’s kind of creepy.’”

In our town, the baseball playoffs are taken with commendable seriousness, as befits an excursion in a successful moon landing. Everyone seems to go to Busch Stadium with great good nature. It is an excursion in creating a St. Louis, that never was, except in the dreams of children and journalists, a possible redundancy. While the computer jockeys were banging the keys, one season ticket-holder opined, “The excitement here is just like football, but you won’t see this tomorrow at the Rams’

Lorenz

game.” UMB Banks’ Nick Lorenz and wife, Abby, were the objects of the paparazzi as they had just gotten married; Reggie Harwell, a 27-year vet on disability, replete in his version of Cardinal Nation duds, was also posing for pics and Ald. Freeman Bosley, Sr., told all within earshot just how he feels about Paul McKee‘s Paric’s proposal to

Harwell

rebuild a chunk of the north side. “He doesn’t

Richardson

give a shit about the neighborhood,” exclaimed Boz. “Just the money he’ll make. What happens to the neighborhood after he leaves?” A competitor to Irl Engelhardt’s Patriot Coal, of which he is non-exec chairman, said Irl has bought beaucoups property in southern Illinois for coal and he has even built a house there.” Chicago-based Levy restaurants gave Scottrade Center a $10 million advance and a percentage of sales there, averred a Scottrade exec. St. Louis Police Sft. Latricia “Queen Thunder” Allen wagged about the creativity of the Ronald Jones Mortuary and how Jones used to prepare remains. “In those days, at the request of families, some bodies were dressed and stood upright for viewing. Ron arranged horse-drawn carriages to lead a funeral processions.” A disappointed crowd slowly left the stadium in a turtle’s pace and looked on as Bill Richardson played his sax version of “Misty.”

Police

St. Louis Police Chief Dan Isom said, ” I just might go as Michael Jackson to a masquerade party (on Halloween.)” Over lunch with his trusted chief of staff, Lt. Col. Tim Reagan, whom the chief credited for developing a strategy study with him. Isom said the results are yet to come. What does Isom think of the gay police officers associations in Los Angeles and New York City? “Tim and I have put in place a diversity council,” he said. “The women are comfortable with gay (police officers), but the men are skittish.”. Then, the conversation turned to some of the late police chiefs – Gene Camp and Bob Sheetz – who have left a gap in the skyline as their monuments. At a nearby table, Alexander Eisenbeis and Kamila Kowal hyped their boss, Jeff Stern, and their

Eisenbels

International Sports Marketing firm. They spoke of how their company analyzes and evaluates sponsorship output on television. Studies have been done for Deutshe Bank, NASCAR, U.S. football, the city of St. Louis, Indianapolis 500 and Tour of Missouri – to name a few clients. “The best marketeer in the world is Red Bull and we inform the company of its return on investment,” said Eisenbeis. The company is headquartered in our town.