Posts Tagged ‘Lewis Reed’

The jury is not in, if Aldermanic Prez Lewis Reed, who sailed to victory with more than 85 percent of the votes against a Green Party candidate, got caught with his political pants down.  In one of the meetings of the Board of A&E, Reed, Comptroller Darlene Green and Mayor Slay made some serious cuts in the firefighters’ budget.  On the chopping block was the position of captain.  Reed vocally pushed for the threesome to keep an unfilled captain’s position in the budget.  When asked by Slay who’s up for bootstrap promotion, Reed was mum, but a quick-thinking staffer shouted, “Charles Moliter? ” The mayor deadpanned, “I don’t think so.”  Then, they voted to eliminate the position to save taxpayers thousands of bucks. BTW: Moliter is prez of Firefighters Local 73, which is negotiating with the city. Sorry, Lewis.

The jury is not in, if Aldermanic Prez Lewis Reed, who sailed to victory with more than 85 percent of the votes against a Green Party candidate, got caught with his political pants down.  In one of the meetings of the Board of E&A, Reed, Comptroller Darlene Green and Mayor Slay made some serious cuts in the firefighters’ budget.  On the chopping block was the position of captain.  Reed vocally pushed for the threesome to keep an unfilled captain’s position in the budget.  When asked by Slay who’s up for bootstrap promotion, Reed was mum, but a quick-thinking staffer shouted, “Chris Moliter? ” The mayor deadpanned, “I don’t think so.”  Then, they voted to eliminate the position to save taxpayers thousands of bucks. BTW: Moliter is prez of Firefighters Local 73, which endorsed Reed and is negotiating with the city. Sorry, Lewis.

On the heels of the Missouri Earnings Tax Initiative (Prop. A) which he heavily supported, conservative millionaire Rex Sinquefeld said he is poised to launch a petition in April to abolish the Missouri income tax.  With his wife, Dr. Jeanne Sinquefeld, he greeted 500 guests at the St. Vincent Christmas benefit at the Chase Hotel.  (Rex was raised at the St. Vincent orphanage.)  Within earshot were Maggie and Ron Holtman, Rex’s basketball coach, as well as Brenda Talent of the Show Me Institute, where she said a new study “shows how the economy can grow by eliminating the taxes.”  Asked about her husband, Jim, and his reputed run for U.S. Senate, she demurred and then said she told him, “You run in one election and then run in another?” Attorney and advisor to County Exec Charlie Dooley, John Temporiti, had a take on that, when he said, “If Ann Wagner takes the RNC chair post, Talent will probably run for U.S. Senate.”  With Temporiti was his and wife Karen’s son/barrister Michael, who has begun working at the firm where dad works. After they met and greeted, the Temporitis were off and running to the Log Cabin Club to hear Karl Rove, hosted by The Roundtable group. “Hold your enemies close,” chuckled John. St. Louis Aldermanic prez Lewis Reed was joined by state rep Rodney Hubbard, Sr., and Jr., after which Reed speculated on License Collector Michael McMillan‘s possible run for St.Louis mayor.  “Mike’s a hard worker. But, I’m not going to pit him against Francis Slay,” insisted Reed. Meanwhile, McMillan is off to Malaysia for three weeks on a State Department exchange program.

 Unless you’ve fallen into the arms of Ambien or Valium, you’d know that our town swings pretty hard during election campaigning.  At fundraisers, food is cooked with delicate precision and with plenty of ingredients to make the blood course through one’s arteriosclerotic veins. If there were any previous question about the loyalty of the St. Louis City political establishment to the candidacy of U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan, it was put to the test at a pouring at Amsterdam Tavern.  Organized by the Board of Aldermen prez (and long-time Carnahan neighbor) Lewis Reed, the event packed the hipster lounge with politics’ most precious commodity: actual voters.  Carnahan was introduced by Mayor Francis Slay, who stressed the importance of holding the 3rd Congressional District for Dems, and feted by a quorum of aldermen, including former Carnahan staffer Kacie Starr Triplett and veteran Freeman Bosley, Sr.

U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan will flex his political muscles with a fundraiser on Sept. 13 at Amsterdam Tavern.  Mayor Francis Slay, Ald. President Lewis Reed, Comptroller Darlene Green, and two former city mayors, all but two city aldermen (two aldermen named Fred – Heitert and Wessels – are MIA), an entire royal of labor officials, the city’s Democratic legislative delegation and enough lawyers to staff a midsized law firm anchor the host committee.

After a week of being battered by his Republican opponent about a yacht allegedly being anchored in Illinois to avoid taxes, U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan answered his persistent critic – and three an old friend out of the lifeboat. According to Carnahan’s camp, the boat (a 40 year-old cruiser) is moored in Alton (instead of, say, the River Des Peres Yacht Club) because that is the marina closest to Carnahan’s home.  And, it isn’t licensed, because it isn’t seaworthy.  Interestingly, claim the Carnahans (via Jo Mannies of the St. Louis
Beacon), the boat is co-owned by Russ and St. Louis Aldermanic prez Lewis Reed, who would probably rather have had his share in an Illinois pleasure boat pass unnoticed and unremarked.

Il Bel Lago was where Bonneville St. Louis Radio Group entertained clients and partners by introing radio show hosts Annie Henson of The Cornbread Morning Show and Bo Matthews of 92.3 WIL, along with The Fast Lane’s D’Marco Farr, Randy Karraker and Bob Ramsey of 101 ESPN.  Bonneville was repped by chief John Kijowski, Kevin Robinson, Keith Kraus, Ben Granger, Kim Grant and Charlie Hartung. . .Pi in the CWE was where a barefooted 25th Ward Alderwoman Lyda Krewson jumped upon a table to tub-thump her legislative achievements at her fundraiser.  Faces in the crowd, who knocked off a total of 45, 16-inch pies such as those named “Lincoln Park,” “North Beach Classico,” “The Hill,” “Bucktown,” “East Loop” and “South Side Classico” were: Pete Rothschild; Annette and Alan Mandel; aldermanic prez Lewis Reed; Vince and Lois Schoemehl; Lance LeComb; Chester Himes; John and Anna Roach; Todd Epstein; Marvin and Linda Nodiff; Jim and Nicki Dwyer and Ald. Steve Gregali.

Slay Park

The re-christening of the once Arsenal/Ellendale Park – now, the Francis R. Slay Park – took place over the weekend with a crowd of hundreds looking on. For about 40 years, area residents used the park, at the corner of Arsenal street and McCausland avenue to play soccer and softball.  The bill, for the conversion, was signed Saturday by Mayor Francis Slay, who said to his dad, “You know, Pa, while the park is in your name, you can’t try to run it or even sell it.”  Elder Slay shot back, “Well, what’s the use of having it?”  State Rep. Michelle Kratky presented Slay, Sr., with a state resolution for his outstanding contributions to the region. Also on display were the architectural drawings showing eventual improvements, that will include footpaths, a baseball field with a dugout, a water garden and a gazebo. The older Slay, who will turn 82 later this year, retired after 40 years ih public service as committeeman, Mo. state rep, recorder of deeds and later became a businessman.  On hand for the doin’s were: aldermanic prez Lewis Reed; Ald, Steve Gregali -14th Ward, ald. Craig Schmid -20th ward, akd, Marlene Davis -19th ward and Jennifer Florida.  Others there were: Tom Shephard; Collector of Revenue Greg Daly; Director of Parks & Rec.Gary Bess; retired judge Paul Simon; Jim Sonderman; Cathy Ruggeri-Rea; Brian Wahby and Slay siblings Gerard Slay, Monietta Slay, Sharon Bourne, Tom Slay and City Hall’s Mary Ellen Ponder, Sherry Wibbenmeyer, Patrick Brown; Robyn Wahbe and Angela Thompson.