While the head of the Milwaukee archdiocese, New York Archbishop (and St. Louis native) Tim Dolan moved $55 million in “a shell game” to keep the funds from clergy sex abuse victims. That’s the expert opinion of Dr. Jack Ruhl, a Western Michigan University accounting professor “who has done extensive research” on Catholic church finances. Dolan’s move and Ruhl’s critique are laid out in a new 2,700 word piece in the Kansas City-based National Catholic Reporter by award-winning Catholic writer Jason Berry,  who has his own book on how the church handles its funds:  “The Secret Life of Money in the Catholic Church.”

Residential segregation is down in St. Louis says the conservative Manhattan Institute in a new study.  But the declines  in New York and St. Louis “were not very profound,” according to the study’s authors, Prof. Jacob Vigdor of Duke.  “Among cities with the largest black population, Chicago, Cleveland and St. Louis ranked highest in the dissimilarity index.  Among metropolitan areas, Chicago, New York and Philadelphia did.”

No less than 32 wannabes have applied to replace former St. Louis County Circuit Judge John Ross.

Just as Lee Enterprises technically emerged from bankruptcy, its own rank-and-file newsroom jobs still shaky, pilfered from the pages of its flagship Gray Old Lady in a June, 2011 Post-Dispatch headline that opens Missouri Gov. candidate Dave Spence’s just unveiled TV ad: “Missouri ‘falling behind in the recovery’.” Spence, who is personally worth millions, will be spending millions over time to build positive name ID against the formidable fund-raising lead and public profile of incumbent Dem. Guv. Jay Nixon. Spence’s TV ad calls him “Job Creator” and “Businessman.” But no mention of Spence’s political party: “Republican.”

Ronda Williams, Shelby Watson, Erica Freeman

John “Jack” Thorwegen, who amped up a 2-person ad agency to a multimillion-dollar marketing agency (Zipatoni) and sold it, has now turned his expertise to creating Boomers Strategic Marketing Group concentrating on consumer products directed toward Baby Boomers “in denial of senior citizenship,” he stated. “This demographic believes they are  in the prime of their 30s-40s but trapped in the bodies of the boomer generation and will fight gravity to the end. . .WIL’s “Polar Plunge” will take place at 12 noon, Saturday at Lake St. Louise in Lake St. Louis.  Personalities Bo Matthews and Derrick Keith

Tanya and Eric Kestler

will join others (you?) to brave the elements and support vital athletic programs of Special Olympics Missouri organization.  A minimum of $75 donation per plunger. . .Tino Trova, heir to the late Teddie and artist Ernie Trova, is now at his post seating guests in the Zodiac Room of Neiman Marcus and spotting VIPs to other guests.  At lunch  the other day, he pointed to a group and whispered, “That’s Billy Busch!”  At Guido’s on The Hill, Tanya and Eric Kestler were canoodling, while over at Napoli2 Patty Darrah, an Irish dance teacher at Clarkson School, smooched with hub, Matthew, while toasting their wedding anniversary with boniface

Andy Pietoso, Matthew and Patty Darrah, Brandon Cornell

Andy Pietoso and skilled server Brandon Cornell. Over at the Hilton at the Ballpark, three scholarly barristers celebrated the Missouri Lawyers Weekly awards: Ronda Willilams, Shelby Watson and Erica Freeman.

Hours after the Gray Old Lady’s book editor posted an item noting the Missouri Poet Laureate David Clewell would like to be reappointed to a consecutive two-year term in that post, Gov. Jay Nixon’s campaign effectively sent its reply: “Missouri looking for its next poet laureate,” went the Twitter posting just after lunch Tuesday from @Nixon4Missouri. It linked to an AP story about the unpaid honor, which is filled by appointment from Nxon on advice – or maybe not – from a panel of bookish types.

Beginning mid-March the library will undergo an extensive facelift tageted for a June completion. The irony is that the person who headed the fund drive to create the library was Jewish: the late Morton D. May, onetime chief of Famous-Barr/May Company.

State Representative Paul Wieland of Jefferson County operates Wieland Insurance Group, LLC. It’s good for his insurance business when premium rates for car insurance coverage go up. That’s what would happen under a bill Wieland is sponsoring in Jefferson City to add points to driving records when a motorist is caught on camera running a red light. It’s double punishment for the driver – points on the record and a higher insurance bill in the mailbox. Wieland, a Republican, probably was too distracted by other issues to pause and recognize the potential for conflict of interest on this one. For instance, Wieland is planning on running for re-election from a House district where he doesn’t even live. And he would subject taxpayers in Arnold – which he doesn’t represent – to paying costs of a special state audit he requested for the city by fellow Republican Tom Schweich, the State Auditor. This even though Arnold taxpayers already paid for a state audit a couple of years ago.