Archive for November, 2009

A record 200 area volunteers, consisting of firefighters, civic and media celebrities joined Kim Slay, Robin Smith, Michelle and Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson and Mandy Murphey, and Charlie Dooley in hawking dough for energy assistance charity, Heat-Up St. Louis from both Rams and New Orlean Saints fans outside of the Edward Jones Domes, two hours before the game. They raised about $20,000 to help area needy with their heating bills. Allan Cohen, Donna and Dr. James Knight, Melanie DiLeo, Evening Whirl’s editor-in-chief Anthony Sanders and his lovely side-kick Nancy Sides were seen chatting up with the volunteers during a chilly mid-morning…

“We call it The Cure,” offered do-gooder Dr. Matt German, who commandeered the Food Outreach fund-raiser at Soulard Preservation Hall.  “It consists of wine, fruit and grain alcohol. It’s full of antioxidants and it’s my own formula.  After all, drinking should be healthy.”  German expected to raise $50,000 at the party in the hall, built in 1893 and lovingly remodeled by Aaron Novack and his team as a party place. Clear Channel’s Beth Davis, surrounded by pals, tipped that her partner, Suzy Stone, is coming here from Houston “to run Macy’s downtown.”  The ever-charming volunteer Norma Stern howled, when she described two rings interior designer Jack Brandt contributed for an upcoming auction.  “They are worthless,” lamented Stern. “But he also contributed a week’s stay in one of his condos.” With Stern was Rolph Komlos, who heralded an early December opening of Leon Birnbaum’s Chez Leon in the Clayton spot, where Bistro Alexander once stood at 7927 Forsyth. Both Stern and Komlos are presently working on Mental Health Association of America’s Snow Ball on Dec. 4 at the Ballpark Hilton at which Sen. Kit Bond and the United Way will be presented Silver Awards.  Food Outreach provides nutritional support for people with AIDS and cancer  -  a cause dear to Dr. Darren Wethers of St. Mary’s Health Center, who said, “There’s been a 10 percent rise here of HIV among women and Hispanics.” Here ‘n there were: fashion scribe Debra Bass with Victor Guallar; Kim Miller; Mary Nardoni; Diana and Bob Jackson (she owns Brinkman Security and he owns Courion Mfg. Co.); Paul Holst, Tracy Johnson and Jenny Consolino, who surrounded Mark Erney, owner of The Loading Zone and Ernie’s 32. Victuals were provided by Bar Italia, Moxy’s and caterer extraordinaire Bryan Young, to name a few.

Another way to thank our police and firefighter heroes is to support the 23rd Budweiser Guns ‘N Hoses on Thanksgiving eve (Nov. 25) at Scottrade Center.  There will be 17 bouts between members of area police and fire departments and boxing’s traditional 10-count to honor those who have died on duty in the last year.  Jerry Clinton, exec director of the Guns ‘N Hoses Association, said the event has raised more than $2.6 million since 1987 for The Backstoppers, which assists families of first responders who’ve lost their lives in the line of duty.  At a recent board meeting of The Backstoppers Association, its prez Anne Gagen and exec director Ron Battelle presented Budweiser hats to thank Clinton and others for their ongoing support. Board members include Clinton and David Stokes, prez and CEO of Grey Eagle Distributors.  (Stokes purchased Grey Eagle, St. Louis county distrib for the brewery, from Clinton in 2005.  For tix to the event from $20 to $30, call 713-6031, 444-5795 or $618-633-1507 or via ticketmaster.com.

ONE OF THE NATION’S longest-running Gridiron shows, given by The Lawyers Association of St. Louis, will present at its annual gambol, “It’s Gridiron Night” at 7 p.m., Nov. 20 in the Khorassan Room at the Chase-Park Plaza. Matt DeVoti, prez of the LASL, is at the helm and under the direction of Bill Thomas, assisted by Peter Dunne and Tom Germeroth. The evening of song, dance, jibes and pokes at the expense of members of the local bench and bar is noted by Dunne as “an equal opportunity to lambast at both the pomposity and inflated self-regard and the show spares no one in carrying out its mission to skewer all the deserving members of the legal profession.” Here are a few lyrics extrapolated from songs, including, “Last Name” to the tune of Carrie Underwood‘s “Last Name” about the unfortunate law partners who find their names omitted from the names of their firms. Then, there’s “Sue People” to the tune of “Show People” fom the musical, “Curtains.” And, there’ll be “Jury Jury” to the tune of Neil Diamond‘s “Cherry Cherry.” about the little understood aspect of jury trials.
“Last Name”:
“Now, they don’t even use my last name,
It’s just too damned long they all say,
Sandberg, Phoenix, von Gontard,
Or Williams, Venker, Sanders – it’s not that hard,
But, they don’t even use my last name.
Two names,  the limit, Lewis Rice Fingerishook Hardy Bacon. I’m not sure,
Why they let them use goofy names anyway sometimes,
Baker Sterchi, Moser, Gray, Ritter told Graham to hit the road,
Parteners’ names that’s in the rear it may as well disappear.”
“Sue People”:
“You’re a special kind of people who can sue people,
You carry the world in your palm,
Your neighbor’s fence is ugly, his yard looks like crap
Don’t let it stand, subpoena his ass.”
“Did you know you rank behind used car salespersons,
For occupations folks most love to hate
But hey, what’s with second place,
Guess you just don’t rate,
Next vote, try a little more hard.”
“Why do doctors and physicians dislike you people?,
They can’t tolerate you, until,
A disappointed person files a board complaint,
They seem to believe,
That now, you’re just a saint.”
“You’re a special kind of people known as trial lawyers,
You spin like a washing machine,
Sucking up to judges,
Should be your degree,
They’re telling you no,
You’re on bended knee.”

“Jury, Jury” (or “You Got to Wait to Feed the Jury”)
“We finally closed this morning,
Should be done by 11:40,
Judge says he’s contemplating,
Sending out for lunch, will just keep us waiting.”
“Don’t bring the menus,
No, no you don’t,
They don’t need any feeding,
Tell them just to vote one more time,
A verdict’s is just what we’re needing.”
“Please don’t stop deliberating,
They won’t vote while they’re masticating,
Let them hit the point of starvation,
That will end this litigation.”
(Hey, guys.  Just like a columnist. Without enemies, he has no friends.)

Judy

Former St. Louis city copper, Bryan Pour, is fighting a Class X felony charge in Pontoon Beach, Ill, arising out of the 2008 “shoot out at the OK Corral” at the now-shuttered eastside haunt, Mick and Macks. One of a bevy of city gendarme, celebrating the birthday of one of its ranks, Pour insists he was fighting for his life while being attacked by three locals.  The “victim,” Jeffrey Bladdick, has filed a civil suit against Pour in U.S. Dist. Court in East St. Louis, alleging that he was only trying to assist Pour to his feet in the parking lot of Mick and Mack, when he was shot by Pour.  Despite asserting he was sober and just returning to the bar after driving friends home, Pour’s attorney, Albert Watkins, has procured medical records reflecting Bladdick’s blood alcohol level, which was almost twice the legal limit at the time his blood was drawn a few hours after the incident.  Blood tests also reflect the presence of cannabinoids (marijuana) at the time, says Watkins.  “There are scores of witnesses, and not one statement consistent with any other,” said Watkins. ” In fact, one of the witnesses involved in the fight was so intoxicated at the time police tried to question him, they had to wait a day and-a-half to permit him to sober up.”… Mary Baer Fischer is much too ill. She’s the heiress of J. Arthur Baer of Stix, Baer & Fuller fame… Bob Hermann, Jr., is presenting his bride Signa a soiree this week to toast her 48th. Meanwhile, his daughter, Lilly Busch Hermann, whose wedding took place last May at Grant’s Farm, has decided to get separate mail from her hub. Her wedding was captured in a summer edition of Seasons, penned by her cyber grandmother, Judy Crowell…

“The Barnes-Jewish College of Nursing will be demolished and we will replace it with 12 more intensive care rooms and another operating room for Children’s Hospital within the next five years,” said Lee Fetter, prez of St. Louis Children’s Hospital, at its Carousel Gala 2009 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel.  “Through the pipeline of BJC we’ll get $80 million for construction projects.”  With his wife, Barbara, Fetter was surrounded with the likes of Drs. Sessions Cole and Patricia Cole, who’s in my heart (via a stent). Also there were John Capps, Chris and Lisa Imbs, Valerie Bell and Kelvin Westbrook, Sally and Bob Harrison, Kristie and Dr. Don Skor and Betty and David Farrell, the retired chief of Famous-Barr and in past years – a consultant to the Getty Museum on the left coast. Incidentally, Fetter reminisced of how he was recruited at Children’s Hospital by Dr. Virginia Weldon.  Fetter said, “Anne Liberman and I sponsored her in baptism in the Catholic church.”  Getting kudos was Francine Katz, who has filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against Anheuser-Busch, et al, with her husband, Simon Katz, the famed jeweler. Lenny Klinger’s Galaxy Band provided its usual masterful entertainment.

For those old enough to remember “Parade of Magic” on the old KSD-TV, Channel 5, you might remember the hosts, Ernie and Arlene Heldman.  It seems all the old kinescopes of the show are missing and their daughter Cindy Piper would like to recover some memories. Any stories to share? Write Cindypiper@sbcglobal.net.

Lester Miller, owner of Lester’s restaurants and other business interests, bought the first item at the auction of Ponzi schemer Bernard L Madoff’s ill-gotten spoils at the New York Sheraton Hotel.  Miller reportedly spent $100,000 on items and $3,500 for a bracelet. Money raised at the auction will go to the victims’ fund, according to federal marshals.  Miller told The New York Times he spent the money to help victims – some of whom are his friends in Palm Beach, Fla. Miller told the Times, “I think it’s a nice thing, the more you can bid, the better off you are.”. The newspaper further reported, “On a cruise from Los Angeles to Mexico this week, he said he plans to give his daughters and granddaughters (14 in all) the bracelets he bought and present them with a lesson: “If it’s too good to be true, it’s not right”… More than 100 employees  have been pink-slipped at Plaza Motors in the last year and 50 more will be laid off after Thanksgiving,” said, Rick Keeler, with his wife Cathy at Il Bel Lago.  Keeler retired from Plaza after having been one of the original salespersons in 1974.  Nearby, Susan and attorney John Kilo said that his brother, Dr. Charles Kilo, will conduct a symposium over the weekend at the downtown Hyatt Hotel before 400 doctors, nurses and dieticians. Dr. Kilo, an endocrinologist, and will present updates on diabetes and the newest discoveries, according to John Kilo…