Pleasant, gracious and relaxed Emily Rauh Pulitzer chimed in about her late husband, Joseph Pulitzer, Jr.,’s

Post-Dispatch: “The quality has clearly deteriorated.  Lee Enterprises has faced a really difficult economic situation.  What Lee did with the Post-Dispatch is not different from what has happened in other cities.  Nobody has figured out how to deal with the Internet.  Journalism is very important and without journalists with good education you don’t have a democracy.  Not-for-profit journalism is very important. That’s where KWMU, NPR, The Beacon and the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting comes in.”   The latter is headed by former P-D scribe Jon Sawyer and subsidized by Emily and Joe’s first cousin, David Moore. The mention  that  a former P-D editor blamed Emily for the current situation of the Post by selling it, got a quick response.  She said, “How simplistic. My vote was one of three. We saw the handwriting on the wall.”

EMILY FIRST ARRIVED  in our town from her native Cincinnati in 1964.  The daughter of reform Jewish parents – Harriet, a travel agent, and Frederick, an insurance executive – she had worked at the Fogg Museum at Harvard and later at the St. Louis Art Museum.The columnist met Emily in the kitchen of her Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts, where she had just finished lunch with her colleagues.  She burns enough energy to light up Grand Center, where the foundation building is located. The sleek structure, where an auto factory and showroom once stood, is no place where pigeons roost and will undoubtedly leave an indelible trademark of quality on Washington Avenue. Then, it was onward to her spacious office, where she chatted about St. Louis.  Her vision?  “It has great potential, but mixed leadership. It has a bad government system and no one really has power.  Ironically, the first Joseph Pulitzer was instrumental in separating the city from the county for which we now suffer. He wanted the separation, because the city council was so corrupt.” She then proudly touted the upcoming biography of the first Joseph Pulitzer by James McGrath Morris, “Pulitzer: A Life in Politics, Print & Power.”  The author is due for a book signing on March 23 at Left Bank Books.

Emily Rauh Pulitzer

Q & A: On the current state of the Art Museum in Forest Park, Emily turned to the construction.  “The focus on the building has reduced parking and gallery space and they will be further reduced in the future.”

On President Obama? “We had great hopes, but he’s inherited a horrible mess.”

On Health Care Reform. “The system needs a major overhaul. It’s clearly a compromise.”
On same-sex marriage? “Why shouldn’t everyone have the same rights?”
One of her  favorite reminiscences of Joseph Pulitzer, Jr.? “A group of us were in the kitchen in Richard Gaddes’ lake house preparing dinner. Joe walked in and asked, ‘Anything I can do to help?’ There was a roar of laughter.”
FINALLY, asked if she’s an artist, Emily shook her head and admitted, “I’m a terrible artist. I’m an art historian and art critic.”

August A. Busch, IV, is currently in an out-of-state treatment center, confirmed a family source.  The 46 year-old was the fifth member of the Busch dynasty to lead Anheuser-Busch.  He signed-off on the sale of the company in 2008 to InBev and remains on the board of directors of AB InBev.

Sports broadcaster  Joe Buck, 42, and his wife,  Ann,  are separated “They’re taking a break,” said Joe’s mom, Carol Buck.  Buck, the son of the late legendary sportscaster Jack Buck, helms “Joe Buck Live” on HBO and continues his chores on FOX.

Missourians for Haiti held their first fundraiser in the Forest Park Vistors Center.  Those who attended the Radio One pouring learned how “Peanut Butter Medicine” has helped to prevent malnutrition forf thousands of Haiti children.  Mo. Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder and FOX2’s Shirley Washington co-hosted the event and informational segment.  Dr. Patricia B.Wolff, ;prof of clinical pediatrics at WashU School oif Med., was lauded for her brainchild, Meds & Food For Kids.  Kinder hailed that he had previously arranged a Sabreliner corporate jet for Dr. Wolff and her colleagues to go to Haiti.  Guests later learned that Kinder’s pop, the late Dr. Jim Kinder, practiced pediatrics for 52 years in Cape Girardeau. On hand were:  Charles Bryson; Steve Taviner; Creston Waters; Paul Kindl; Daraisha Cosby; Dr. Tim Rice; Janae of HOT 104.1 and DeAmon White.

Do not invite  St. Louis  county spokesman Mac Scott and KMOX news honcho John Butler to the same soiree.  Scott and Butler have been exchanging angry calls over the radio station’s use of unnamed sources to assert that federal authorities are investigating contract irregularities in involving current senior employees of county government.  Scott denies  it, noting that a former employee’s records were subpoenaed in an income tax investigation involving a home in another state.  Butler insists he has first hand sources. Somebody is wrong.

After a several day session in Judge Robert Dierker’s courtroom, St. Louis county developer Paul McKee’s massive NorthSide project is facing one of its first deadlines: an agreement between McKee’s companies and the city set April 1 as the date that McKee will propose more exact plans and request additional city assistance.  Most City Hall observers expect McKee and his partners will let the date slip by while the McEagle team continues to acquire properties and wait for answers to his requests for federal and state assistance.

Kacie Starr Triplett, the excruciatingly self-promoting St. Louis alderman, has sent out an e-mail to her supporters (and pretty much everyone else) asking us to “Join President Obama and Me at an Event for Senator Claire McCaskill.”  The columnist is less surprised at the hint of hostess than at the fact that Triplett managed to mention McCaskill at all. Meanwhile, McCaskill  has tapped hometowner Neal E. Boyd, winner of America’s Got Talent, as a “special musical guest” for her March 10 dinner here with the Prez.

Although it is still months away from the November election between County Exec Dooley and his Republican challenger, lawyer Bill Corrigan, the two campaigns have already made some “important” decisions.  Dooley has selected blue and gold, while Corrigan has opted for red, white and blue on parchment.

Aaron Teitelbaum, chef and partner at Herbie’s, was mum the other night about rumors, that he and his group will convert their successful Monarch Restaurant ’s menu into all-creole fare.  As for Herbie’s, the staff is now boasting about its all gluten-free menu
as well as the blue plate special offered between 5-6 p.m. . .St. Charles High alum Ryan Coyne will be on the card Saturday on HBO.  Coyne is the three-time Golden Glove  winner and undefeated  in 14  fights.  He played football at Mizzou for two years under Gary Pinkel and then turned to boxing.  He graduated from Lindenwood University with a 3.5 GPA in political science and public management. . .There they were, dropping charisma all over the place.  I mean “the birthday group,” who have been celebrating each other’s natal day for 30 years.  This time it was at Frank & Helen’s Pizzeria.  Through the years they have been supportive of each other and their families through illnesses, deaths and their newbies.  The group is comprised of Joanne Campbell, Mary DeLong, Joanne Fehling, Sue Reid, Maggie Ryan, Mary Kaye Sullivan and Gina Murphey.  Class?  You bet. They always reserve a side table or booth to avoid annoying other diners. . . Plaudits for Sinatra song-stylist Mark Richman, who currently fills the bill at The Sands (nee Frailey’s sports bar) in Kenrick Plaza.  The guy is getting standing ovations at a number of casinos where he performs. He does it his way and does it well.