Posts Tagged ‘Robert Lowery’

Some political observers wonder if the recent collapse of a planned big box retail development in Florissant signals the end of one-person rule in St. Louis County’s largest municipality. For decades, as police chief and mayor, savvy Robert Lowery, Sr. has had the final word in most issues. Yet, with the county tax increment financing commission likely to recommend against the use of TIF, Lowery opted to back-pedal rather than try to muster a super-majority on his increasingly fractious City Council. Combined with the specter of a charter review commission and the release of state auditor Susan Montee’s report, Lowery’s decision seems like an acknowledgment that the second 50 years of public service might be harder than the first.

Over at The Cedars, Florissant mayor Robert Lowery, Sr., for whom I had tremendous empathy, told the columnist, “People are beating the shit out of me! (Post-Dispatch reporter) Paul Hampel told me he followed me for five days. The proposal to change our charter is a smoke screen – a Trojan horse.  Just because 30-40 people don’t like me, they got Paul sold on it (an investigation).”  Also there was  Bob O’Loughlin, chief of LHM, who said that he will close in a month on the purchase of the Cheshire Inn and  Lodge.  He added, “We’ll tear down the restaurant and build a new one, that will connect with the hotel.” Other tidbits gathered there were:  HBO is lensing a documentary on the Pulitzer legacy and began by shooting in the offices of the daily newspaper; Lombardo’s restaurants is opening a fourth eatery in Arnold, Mo. The columnist’s coverage took place during the 30th anniversary of the St. Louis Port Council where Michael Sacco was front ‘n center. The labor leader, prez of the Seafarers International Union of North America, AFL-CIO, repping 4.5 million members, said, “We’re still recruiting young people for apprentice programs. There’s almost full employment. Ship owners are replacing old tonnage and building new.”  And the health care bill?  “It will help a lot of our people, but there’s so much missing.  People are confused and get nervous, because they don’t  understand it.”  With Sacco were his daughter and son-in-law, Angela and Dave Baker, principal of South Tech High School in Sunset Hills. Oddskins-bodkins! St. Louis Sheriff James W. Murphy bought a full-page ad in the program to heap kudos on the honorees – Patrick Kellett, James Murphy, Cong. Lacy Clay and Richard Kellett.

“Not just mass graves, but some corpses are being tossed with garbage in landfills,” sighed former cop Robert Lowery, Jr., who has just returned from Haiti. Lowery, son of Florissant Mayor Robert Lowery, serves as exec director of the Alexandria,Va.,-based National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. He continued, “It’s horrific.  So many missing children have been abandoned by their parents.  Some children are taken in trucks by foreign, sexual predators.”  Lowery said he worked there with John Walsh of “America’s Most Wanted” fame, whom Lowery said “is a true champ.”  “Our strength is unifying the kids with their parents – they must be cared for first.” Lowery calls O’Fallon, Mo., his home, where his wife, Heidi, and their three children have lived.