Author Archive

Some members of the National Organization for Women (NOW) shlepped 500 rolls of bath tissue up to the third floor office of Mo. House Speaker Steven Tilley, R-Perryville in an effort to reverse his decision to induct Rush Limbaugh into the state’s Hall of Famous Missourians. . .In a nod to the influence of Archbishop Wilton Gregory, former head of the Belleville diocese, hundreds of America’s bishops will hold their annual summer meeting in Atlanta in mid-June.  That’s where Gregory now leads a rapidly growing flock which just celebrated its 50th anniversary as an archdiocese. . .Meantime, peripatatic Cardinal Tim Dolan is in the headlines again, today.  Results of a Vatican investigation (that he helped spearhead) into Ireland’s abuse crisis have just been released. . .Sightems at the St. Louis County government building:  People paying delinquent tax bills, children riding the escalator after their parents have made good to the county and now can get cars properly licensed.  Then, there’s the guy who walked in wearing a black tee shirt with the lettering, “Dirty Whore Productions.”  However, that may fall short of the person on a cell phone in a closed stall in the rest room:  “Before I make a commitment to you,  I need to be with you a couple of months!”

Queen Latifah has been tapped for the telefilm, “Steel Magnolias.”  Kathy Bates will portray the ghost of Charlie Sheen’s character in the April 30 entry of “Two and a Half Men.”  The “We Are Young” hit by the group, Fun, hyping Chevy Sonic.  Seth Rogen will star in an original buddy-cop comedy feature.  Nicki Minaq has sealed an endorsement pact with Pepsi.  New York Knicks’ basketball star Jeremy Lin has inked an endorsement for automaker Volvo that will focus on the Chinese and U.S. markets. CBS has settled the lawsuit over the use of a photo of John Edwards’ mistress.

Dr. Ofilia Gallardo and David Dondzik

Bentleys, Rolls Royces, Jags and a few Mercedes drove past the Clayton high-rises, whose walls are already beginning to crack, through the cunning curve of the Ritz Carlton Hotel Saturday night under the eagle eyes of security.  Most of the drivers were physicians who specialize in cardiovascular issues.  With poise, wit, charm and chic, they streamed into the hotel to attend the 2012 Heart Ball to benefit the local chapter of the American Heart Association.  During the cocktail reception, an auction by cellular was held in which bidding was done by using cell phone text messaging.  Valued at $15k was a custom built girl’s themed outdoor playhouse complete with flower boxes and gingerbread detail.

Ida Wolfolk and David Steward

My heart skipped a beat as the docs discussed superhuman achievements such as pacemaker implementation, stress tests, catheterization, angioplasty and a few other subjects of life-saving techniques. More than 500 guests – not all docs – streamed into the ballroom for a feast for the aristocracy that included tenderloin, mahi mahi and molten chocolate tart. They cheered SLU’s Dr. Henrich Barner, who was presented the Hugh D. McCulloch Award.  He spoke earlier to the columnist of the catheterization that requires no surgeon.  Mercy’s  Dr. George Kichura , prez of the association, and World Wide Technology’s David Stewarddiligently worked the room to ensure

Dina and Donald Suggs

enjoyment among the glitterati that included:  Doctors Susan and Ari Cedhrs; Doctors Diana Westerfield, Kim Perry, Martin Schwarze and his wife, Janet; Bryan Lindman and his spouse Jenny Lark Lindman; Graybar’s Bill Mansfield and wife, Kathy; Peabody Energy CFO Mike Crews and wife, Laurie; Donna Wilkinson huddling in one knot with Carol and Tom Voss; St. Louis American publisher Don Suggs with his daughter, Dina, a public diplomacy expert at the U.S. State Dept. and Ida Wolfolk with the celebrated Martin Matthews.  Steward, chairman of the gala, offered, “So many in the black community suffer

Ida Wolfolk and Martin Matthews

with strokes and heart attacks. . .My dad Harold died of a heart attack. . .We are promoting research, awareness, training and education and I’m doing it in honor of my father.”  As for the upcoming presidential election: “I have supported President Obama in the past and will because he believes in good government.” The highlight of the evening was a performance by Smokey Robinsonand his entourage. The r&b singer, songwriter, record producer and former Motown exec brought down the house with a medley of songs dedicated to the Temptations.  Crowd-pleasers: “Tracks of My Tears”; “Being With You”; “Oh, Baby Baby”; “I Second That Motion”

Laurie and Mike Crews

- all among his top 10 hit singles.  In the Ritz Grill, his keyboardist Savan Ringo said, “Smokey took it hard on the road following Whitney Houston’s death.”  Nearby, Dr. Ofelia Gallardo was toasted on her 90th birthday by her best friend, David Dondzik, her daughter Lina and a gaggle of pals. Gallardo, a native of Cuba, is a retired psychiatrist who once worked for state hospitals. “I worked with people who were declared guilty by insanity,” she pointed out.

Drs. Diana Westfield, Martin and Janet Schwrze, Kim Perry

Dr. Bill and Kathy Mansfield

Keith Williamson and Stephanie Winus

Drs. Ari Cedhrs and Susan Joseph

Drs. Jenny Lark and Brian Lindman

Donna Wilkinson, Tom and Carol Voss

Cardinal Timothy Dolan’s getting ready to lead a meeting in D.C. next week of about 40 leading U.S. bishops to plot strategy for the continuing contraception fight with President Obama.  The prelates are in a pickle, figures leading Catholic blogger David Gibson.  “The bishops can’t count on even a majority of the nation’s 67 million Catholics to support their position,” he writes.  So “a victory may be hard to come by. . . and the bishops may not have the firepower for a war.”

In an incendiary and sarcastic recent letter to a South County newspaper, Mehlville Board of Ed member Richard Franz blasted Lindbergh school board members Vic Lenz, Don Bee, Vicki Englund and Lindbergh LNEA prez Scott Fleming for helping to pass a bond measure that boosts teachers’ salaries.  Now, Franz’ colleagues on the Mehlville School Board -  Venki Palamand, Larry Felton and Elaine Powers – are distancing themselves from Franz, noting that “these are his personal comments” and they do not in any way represent the board.  And Lindbergh patrons Lin Heater, John Martin and others are firing back in “letters to the editor,” blasting Franz and defending their schools.

Under the headline, “Democrats are Warming to Obama Connection,” New York Times writer Jennifer Steinhauer notes that with an improving economy, Republicans pushing social issues, Democrats increasingly on the more popular side of fights (like the payroll tax holiday), and the president better “highlighting his policies affecting the middle class,” more Congressional candidates are “openly embracing the inevitable yoking of their campaigns to Mr. Obama’s.”  Still, Republicans believe Obama “remains a liability in Missouri.”  Sen. Claire McCaskill says, “In many ways the president can be an asset, in some ways he is definitely not an asset in my state.  It’s a mixed bag.”

The digertati are blogging, tweeting, tumbling and even writing letters about the March 29 fundraiser for Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder’s reelection campaign at the uppitty Log Cabin Club.  The event is helmed by Doug Albrecht and is “co-hosted” by Ginny and August Busch, III, Bucky and Patty Bush, Cindy and Tim Drury,  Jane and Dave Peacock, Birch Mullins, Chris McKee and a cast of about 24 others.

The owners of Scape American Bistro in the CWE are eyeing a sports bar in Clayton’s Crowne Plaza Hotel.  Across from Araka, Luciano’s Michael del Pietro is flirting with the opening of another eatery in Metro East. Meantme, del Pietro is in heated discussions with his landlord over a recent flood.  Zoya’s Cafe, the crown jewel in west county of European restaurants, has begun opening on evenings ’til 8, Monday-Friday. The cafe gets five stars from the columnist for its “skinny” and regular hero sandwiches, beet borscht Greek salads and most popular, homemade matzo ball and kreplach soups as well as Zoya’s cabbage rolls. Over at Tucci & Fresta’s Trattoria and Bar, Tony’sVince and Martha Bommarito supped on lamb chops Sicilian style and veal chop Milanese. Enjoying the good life at another table were Laverne and Paul Lorenzini with Margie and John Carlson.  Both Paul and John are retired toppers of Bunzl USA. If the name Julius “Speedy” Hofstetter registers with you then you knew him or frequented his Speedy Sandwich Shops on Natural Bridge or on South 14th St.  Informed his great-nephew, Joe Schaefer, “It has been hinted that the sandwich shops may have initially been fronts for speakeasies and/or gambling parlors during the Prohibition period.”