Posts Tagged ‘Rush Limbaugh’
J.C. CORCORAN’S QUOTEM
July 24th, 2010 | Author: Jerry Berger
Erstwhile radio personality J.C. Corcoran picked up on the recent story bout conservative commentator Glenn Beck’s apology of having referred to Chi Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher as a neo-Nazi. J.C. said, “Now that Glenn Beck has indicated he might be going blind, it sets up the possibility he’ll team up with Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin for the deaf, dumb and blind tour.”
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MR. NITELIFE
February 14th, 2010 | Author: Jerry Berger
Somewhere in her family, Alexis Tucci had to have inherited the genes of Cecil B. DeMille or David O. Selznick. Only they and Tucci could produce a spectacular such as the Mayor’s Ball in City Hall t’other eve, crafted by Tucci. Usually the corridors are as empty as an Elaine Viets book signing, but Friday night they were wall-to-wall, costumed party-goers as well as those in formal attire. Why not? It was the eve of Mardi Gras festivities around town and the guests partied and jammed beyond belief. The aforementioned Dooley and Hizzoner Francis Slay were hugging and recalling how earlier in the day, Dooley pulled off his best joke yet. While Slay and others were at a Hardee’s launching of Heat Up St. Louis, they looked in vain for Dooley, whose presence was expected. Finally, someone caught a side-splitting Dooley at a drive-up window.
Speaking of attending functions, Guv. Jay Nixon was invited to the ball, but was a no-show much to the anger of some power brokers. “He doesn’t even care about St. Louis”, said one of them. Another Dem chimed in about county exec hopeful Bill Corrigan and pointed out, “He’s been elected to Pulaski Bank’s board. You know, the bank that has not yet paid back the TARP funds?”
With his wife, Gienne, at his side, Parks & Rec. chief Gary Best tipped that a conservancy is being formed to raise money for the Gateway Mall park. Nearby, St. Louis Sheriff Jim Murphy lamented about his nephew, Judge Joe Murphy, another victim of lung cancer. “It’s treatable – he’s now on chemotherapy,” said Murphy. Affable 25th Ward Alderman Shane Cohen enthused over having gotten a grant from the Justice Dept. for his district to cover police and prosecutorial services as well as the neighborhood watch program. Taking it all in were Deb and Cong. Russ Carnahan, who admitted he enjoys listening to Rush Limbaugh whenever possible. Getting admirable stares were the stunning duo of Teresa and broadcaster John Brown, while nearby were Michelle and St. Louis Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson, who expressed comfort about what he described as a “coming together of all factions in the department, but several forces don’t want that.” A few toasts were raised to Brian Wahby, chairman of the city Democratic Central committee for having pioneered the Mayor’s Ball way back then.
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SNOBS, SLOBS, DEADBEATS & DRUNKS
January 26th, 2010 | Author: Jerry Berger
Where was I to go in this town on a weekday night? In the long nights of the old days, I used to make the rounds until 2 a.m. (Imitate Walter Winchell – earn big money!) Ah, that’s when I began plugging away through blurry eyes on the newly-installed computer at the old Globe-Democrat. Most of them are gone now – publisher G. Duncan Bauman, editors Paul Tredway and Ed
Presberg – to name a few. Some are still around such as the talented Sue Ann Wood Poor and octogenarian Martin Duggan, whose last stand there was as editor of the editorial page. Duggan, as most of us know, retired and became a television star on KETC, Channel 9’s “Donnybrook.” Before he was to be honored Wednesday night at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, we chatted about his 45-year career at the newspaper and oh, the stories he could tell – and did. Most of all, he said he enjoyed being a news editor, but being editor of the editorial page “was more prestigious.”
“When I was with the feature page, my mentor was (the late columnist) Bob Goddard,” he recalled. “In those days, we had great friends at the Post-Dispatch. We had fun and there was a great deal of rivalry. Every day it was Super Bowl time.” Then, he reminisced about his early stint on “Donnybrook” and the bashing by then Post-Dispatch television critic
Eric Mink. Duggan pointed out, “Mink wrote we’re all an embarrassment to the city of St. Louis and he likened me to (zany appliance pitchman) Steve Mizerany. And, yet, we did win two Emmys.” (I later asked Mink about his critique and he said, “I take it as a compliment that Duggan remembers what I wrote a thousand years ago; I certainly don’t. That said, I love the Mizerany comparison. Didn’t Martin do ‘Donnybrook’ on roller skates a couple of times?”) In his retirement, Duggan won’t be sitting back and listening to Rush Limbaugh on KMOX. “I’m not a fan of his,” said Duggan. Asked if he’ll write his memoirs, Duggan insisted,”Memoirs are pretty boring. But, I might write about snobs, slobs, deadbeats and drunks.”
COLUMNIST BIDS A FOND FAREWELL TO 2009!
December 31st, 2009 | Author: Jerry Berger
The columnist has made hundreds of New Year’s resolutions over the years – for himself and on behalf of many of you. Some have taken: some have not. For himself, the columnist vows better attention to health; more acceptance of the limits of medicine; greater patience with the pace of healing; and a more heartfelt gratitude to doctors, nurses, billing clerks, insurance companies, and (especially) to well-wishers. He also vows greater attention to correct spelling, accurate timing, complete quoting, standard punctuation, organized note-taking, credible attribution, flattering photography, and graceful corrections. Of course, that is an annual resolution, made with little real intention of doing anything about the habits of a lifetime gossipist. On your behalf, the columnist attributes (with no foundation and with relatively little malice) the following fantasy resolutions:
- From President Barack Obama: I’ll do my Christmas vacation next year with Claire, Joe, and their family in St. Louis, as long as Claire promises not to Tweet about it and Joe pays for the Pi.
- From Governor Jay Nixon: I’ll ask Peter Kinder, who practically lives there, to tell Georganne the best places to eat, shop, and stay in St. Louis.
- From Archbishop Robert Carlson: I’ll make more good news with Catholic Charities than bad.
- From SLU president the Rev. Larry Biondi: I’ll commission a statue of a naked Rick Majerus for Bannister House if the Billikens make the NCAA Tournament.
- From Sen. Kit Bond: I’ll use my final year to find jobs for all my staff.
- From County Executive Charlie Dooley: I’ll ask the nice Greg Boyce for a couple of lumps of clean coal to put into a certain former staffer’s Christmas stocking.
- From Mayor Francis Slay: I’ll give a Key to the City to Lady GaGa.
- From KMOV GM Alan Cohen: I’ll do infomercials 24/7.
- From “Donnybrook” founder Martin Duggan: I’ll start a blog. What’s a blog?
- From Emerson CEO David Farr and celebrated attorney Linda Martinez: We had no idea we were named “man and woman of the year” by the Variety Club until we read it in Berger’s column. We hope he’ll be seated with us at the April 24th dinner.
- From Congressman Lacy Clay: I’ll check “finally single” on my Census form next year.
- From former GOP consultant Rod Jetton: I’ll use the hot air
- From the Robin Carnahan campaign to fill a bouquet of green balloons.
- From Gateway Foundation donor M. Peter Fischer: I think I’ll do another two blocks.
- From Build-A-Bear boss Maxine Clark: I’ll stuff the first marketing person who suggests a children’s video on national health care reform, immigration, or gun control.
- From former Engineered Air’s Mike Shanahan: Since that fancy country club in Naples, Fla., has blackballed me and sent me a check that bounced, I think I’ll remain at Old Warson.
- From the St. Louis Beacon’s Bob Duffy: We now have our own space in the KETC-TV offices and hope we’ll open an Illinois bureau in Pontoon Beach.
- From television reporter Alex Fees: Maybe I can get Donna Wilkinson to follow Steve Schankman on my “Conversations with. . .” in January on HEC-TV – if her stockings aren’t falling.
- From Congressman Russ Carnahan: I’ll use my frequent flier miles to send mouthy Ed Martin on a long trip to country without the Internet.
- From Blues owner Dave Checketts: I’ll play Ed Goltermann in goal for home games.
- From Gerard Craft: I’ll open a Niche on every corner.
- From WashU chancellor Mark Wrighton: I’ll get that Top 10 ranking back.
- From Chief Tim Fitch: I’ll find a new badge for Floyd Warmann.
- From KSDK GM Lynn Beall: I’ll retire or replace any face viewers might conceivably recognize.
- From Rams owner Chip Rosenbloom: I’ll fire the coach if he blows our number one draft choice by actually winning another game.
- From Bob Baer: I’ll ride the last Metro bus to Chesterfield if the County tax campaign fails in April.
- From would-be Rams owner Rush Limbaugh: I’ll buy the Arch Rival Roller Girls instead.
- From north St. Louis developer Paul McKee: I’ll mow all my yards and rake yours too.
- From entrepreneurs Mike and Steve Roberts: We’ll suggest changing the name of St. Louis City to Roberts St. Louis City.
- From Symphony music director David Robertson: I’ll buy KFUO and program it with hip-hop, uh. . .classical music.
- From Cardinals president Bill DeWitt III: I’ll change the name of Ballpark Village to Holliday Haven.
- From the Loop’s Joe Edwards: I’ll open a successful venue on the actual Moon.
- From Lee CEO Mary Junck: I’ll improve morale by signing a good contract with the Newspaper Guild.
- From AmerenUe officials: I’ll use the phrase “a warm holiday glow” in our next filing with the Public Service Commission to soften them up on a nuclear power rate increase.
- From Art Museum honcho Brent Benjamin: I’ll expand.
- From AB Inbev boss Carlos Britto: I’ll find out if Clydesdales go better with a little lime.
- From grocer Greg Dierberg: I’ll open the most popular grocery in a decade and call it. . .Culinaria Too.
- From the Caseyville and Collinsville police: Next time we hope we’ll get it right. (At Teezers Bar in Collinsville, a guy walked in with a silver handgun over the holidays and fired off a few rounds and marched out. Police began looking for a 70 year-old man known to them and after much searching, they decided that the gunman they really needed to look for had the same name but was just 52. Then, the Caseyville police gave their Collinsville counterparts an entirely different suspect’s name. The guy, who allegedly committed the explosive act, was none of the above: he had been hiding out all that time at Jessi’s Hideout in Collinsville.)
- From restaurateur Sam Kacar: I hope to open a third Trattoria Branica in Chesterfield Valley by mid-January and then focus on a fourth in the CWE or Webster Groves.
- From former airport director Dick Hrabko: I’m going to get those slots installed at the Spirit of St. Louis Airport.
- From Wind Capital exec Tom Carnahan: I’ll use the hot air
- From the Roy Blunt campaign to generate electricity.
- From uber-flack Joan Quicksilver: I’ll nominate Jerry Berger as Media Person of the Year.
- From affable CVC’s Kitty Ratcliffe: I resolve I’ll ask for another convention center. (The woman has garnered kudos for signing such major confabs as the Church of God in Christ, that brought 40,000 here and has inked its convention for St. Louis in 2011 and 2012 – away From Memphis.
- From all of this column’s many sources: We’ll not turn a blind eye to any item that might amuse St. Louis in Jerry Berger’s website.
Caveat lector and Happy New Year!
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AT THE BAR
November 6th, 2009 | Author: Jerry Berger
“He (Rush Limbaugh) is sort of a yo-yo,” mugged the popular
Limbaugh
broadcaster’s uncle, retired Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Sr. “But, had he been here (with the Rams), the team would stay here.” Limbaugh, who was nominated for federal judge for the U.S. Dist. of eastern and western Missouri by President Reagan, is now with the law firm of Armstrong Teasdale. The columnist cornered him and his wife Anne at the Fellows of the St. Louis Bar Foundation gala at the Chase-Park Plaza. Among the familiar faces in the
Mavis
crowd was Mavis Thompson, prez of the National Bar Association, whose spotlight is on diversity programs and resources in the legal profession. “The numbers are dismal among partners in law firms, associates, court staffs, law clerks and throughout the judiciary,” she said. “We’ve made no headway with managing partners of those firms. We now have turned to corporations to tell their law firms ‘we will withdraw our business until you have a diverse team of lawyers.” Thompson mentioned WalMart and AmerenUE as examples of her targets. Kent D. Syverud, dean of the Law School at WashU
Syverud
was there with his wife, Dr. Ruth Chen, a prof at the university. Judge Richard Teitelman joined our conversation and
Teitelman
gushed about Syverud, ”He has a passion for teaching and the students come first.” Syverud, former dean of the law school at Vanderbilt, addressed the trashing of lawyers by some media, “That’s because lawyers speak for the unpopular views. It’s easier to attack the spokespersons than the clients.” Applications for law school are up 20 percent nationally and Syverud said there are about 1,000 students in the WashU law school. “I teach a full load of 350 students this year.” Retired Circuit Judge Anna C. Forder got kudos on the 30th anniversary of her appointment. The 2009 Spirit of Justice Awards were presented for “dedication to the community” to: John R. Barsanti, Jr. Dan Buck; Ruth Ezell; Ryan Hummert; John G. Simon; Mayor Slay; Charles A. Weiss; Ronda F. Williams and Samuel Sung H. You
Buck
.
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BACK IN TOWN
October 28th, 2009 | Author: Jerry Berger
Herbie’s on Euclid Avenue threw off a wow $4 million in revenue last year, confided bon vivant Aaron Teitelbaum, who is creating an empire of restaurants, beginning with the former Balaban’s and Monarch in Maplewood. “Next, will be a space in Clayton with 80 seats,” he said. Teitelbaum also tipped that he and Joanna Dettmann, founder of the search engine optimization firm Tsunela, just celebrated their one-year anniversary of bliss. Across the street, on Maryland Avenue, entrepreneur Rex Sinquefield has bought the building at 4652, where it’s
Rex
rumored to become an art gallery and a generous
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space for the World Chess Hall of Fame and Museum. A perfect fit for Rex, who owns the St. Louis Chess Club and Scholastic Center. While sipping coffee, he chatted about how he grew up at St. Vincent’s Orphanage and went on to become successful in co-founding Dimensional Fund Advisors and a think-tank with Crosby Kemper, III,. He said, “Our biggest issue is replacing the city earnings tax and the Missouri sales tax.” But, chess was uppermost in Rex’s mind, when he enthused the U.S. Championship will be held here in late April. He extolled the advantages of chess and how it contributes to mental activity – memorizing, planning and patience. Turning to world issues, Sinquefield opined, ” Iran will get a nuke unless Israel takes out the installations. They have no choice. I don’t see Obama standing up against them.” A graduate of St. Louis University and the University of Chicago, Singuefield joshed, “I told my youngest son, Luke, if you don’t finish college, you’ll become a failure like Bill Gates, Rush Limbaugh and Bobby Fisher.”
LET’S GO BERGERING
October 19th, 2009 | Author: Jerry Berger
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The Railway Exchange Building, home to downtown Macy’s, has reportedly been sold. Macy’s will lease space from the new owners. As part of the deal, Macy’s is “refreshing” (and re-thinking) its offerings in the historic structure. One possible new department:: fashions by local designers. The concept has been a successful one at Macy’s State Street store in ChiTown. . . .A search committee is scouring the nation’s parks and trails to find a successor to departing Dave Fischer at the Metropolitan Parks and Recreation District. Fischer, who took over the new district after holding a similar gig in Minneapolis, will be tough to replace, say his pals. . . Bob Cassilly’s City Museum will shutter its popular new rooftop attractions for the winter on Nov. 1 with a performance by the band, Harry and the Potters. Co-founders Paul and Joe DeGeorge front the Boston group, which an alternative newspaper there described it as “the Pink Floyd of Potterdam. The concert is free, but access to the roof is $5, plus regular museum admission. (Crash the party on your flying broom!). . .With the columnist now firmly esconced in the cyber era, it was inevitable that others should follow. Mayor Francis Slay has announced via Twitter that from now on, all Room 200’s news will be sent out via email and Social Media. (Administering this new policy will be incoming mayoral press secretary Kara E. Bowlin, a new media pro, who will be working at the desk occupied until last month by media fave Ed Rhode, who has hung out his own shingle.) Meanwhile, Slay used his blog - www.mayorslay.com – this week to weigh in on the burgeoning controversy regarding Rush Limbaugh’s interest in purchasing the St. Louis Rams. “If it were up to me, I would choose someone who wanted to keep the team in St. Louis without demanding a new, publicly-funded football stadium,” penned Slay.
MEMO to RUSH LIMBAUGH
October 5th, 2009 | Author: Jerry Berger
If you and Dave Checketts are successful in purchasing the toothless St. Louis Rams, you will probably have to change at least one policy (currently enforced by a brunette sheep in lamb’s clothing) for the owner’s suite. Currently, all members of the media (like me – and, uh, you) – even as guests — are excluded from the very private confines of the Box That Georgia Built.
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Fred Weber, Inc., has closed on the purchase of Richland, Tex.,based Lone Star Aggregates
September 10th, 2009 | Author: Jerry Berger
William and Chris Haughey
EXIT: Stephanie Riven, executive director of the Center of Creative Arts, will retire from that august theater and dance organization on June 30, 2010, she said. “I wanted to do something on a national level and will be working with David Bury & Associates of New York, which represents the Merce Cunningham Legacy Project. I really don’t have to be in New York what with the internet, but I will commute occasionally.” Riven has helmed COCA for 23 years and over that time, she has been credited with raising more than $30 million. Insiders say that the board of directors had asked for her retirement several times.
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Thom and Jane Sehnert
GALA:
“I’m dating Bob Tucker, an attorney with a Jewish firm on Clayton Road,” exclaimed Deb Kersting, Missouri executive director of the March of Dimes. Kersting orchestrated the Signature Chefs Auction and Dinner Wednesday night at the Ritz-Carlton ballroom. Kersting also fielded some questions about criticism of MOD for animal experiments in research funded by MOD. She explained, “PETA was upset because of a rogue researcher on cats. But we go by federal guidelines.” Unfortunately, the MOD has received two out of four stars by the Charity Navigator. Kersting also noted, that “the Catholic church wants us to be pro-life, but our mission is to make every baby happy.”The MOD focuses on serving mothers and prevent premature birth defects and infant mortaliy. Among the faces in the crowd was Annie Harman, who boasted her son “Doc” is an assistant editor on “Glee”, and assistant editor on the movie “Eat, Pray and Love,” produced by Brad Pitt. The evening featured an auction by J. Kim Tucci, a spread of signature dishes by our town’s leading restaurateurs and a rousing toast to its stalwart, Thom Sehnert. At the podium, Sehnert hailed fellow-eatery owner Vince Bommarito and praised his wife, Jane, and son, Liam. “Thom tells everyone he’s Irish, but there’s Scandinavian in him,” joked Joe Buck on tape. Jerry Clinton said, “Why he’s an outstanding guy? He drinks a lot. “His nickname, “Smokey” and it freaks him out,” said Dan Dierdorf. More than 700 guests showed up, bringing to more than $240,000 to benefit MOD. The usual clashing of dishes and silverware raised a question. Do they count silverware? “We don’t count silverware, however some accidentally goes in the garbage and some are taken by guests,” informed server Kristin Dodson.
Drs. Phillip E. Korenblat and Jeffrey P. Tillinghast, both Certified Physician Investigators who head The Clinical Research Center
DEM BONES:
St. Louis City Dems will gather at Carpenters Hall on Saturday afternoon to attempt to select their nominee to fill the 4th Senate District seat from which Jeff Smith recently ejected. Reading the tea leaves, local politicos point out that only Joe Keaveany – a Central West End committeeman who can vote for himself – was spotted working the VIP crowd at the start of Monday’s Labor Day parade. He was accompanied by labor princess Mary Ellen Ponder, now chief lobbyist for St. Louis mayor Francis G. Slay, Jr.…
Members of Gina Galati's New Opera St. Louis troupe, who will present a performance, "Deceptions and Disguise in Venice."
THIS & THATTA: A close reading of the names of the students who passed the most recent iteration of the Missouri Bar exam reveals the name of Michael Owens, the KSDK (Channel 5) reporter. Owens, if memory serves, graduated from Saint Louis University Law School ten years ago … Roger Dierberg has temporarily laid down his golf clubs while he recovers from a triple-bypass under the eagle eye of his ever-lovin’ Barbara … Spotted at Bartolino’s South were Terry Scarfino with wife, Michelle Mantia-Scarfino, heiress to Toni and Dick Mantia, a founder of PRIDE (the labor group, not the parade committee) … The former Mary Thele and her hub Art Lottes are back in Clayton for a visit from their home in Naples, FL … Eleanor Willibrand, with husband Jim, was all smiles at Paul Manno’s. Credit the smile to son, William, the celebrated tooth-puller … Skip Joseph is training to be a divorce mediator – though he and happy spouse Rachelle L’Ecuyer, the town crier of Maplewood, seem unlikely to need one soon. The pair are collecting a menagerie of pets, big and small … Over at Pumpernickel’s, Maury and Nicki Zimring were welcomed to our town from their Palm Springs digs by Geri and Mel Rich … Erstwhile Boatman’s Bank drumbeater Larry Bayliss exchanged “I do’s” with the former Peggy Hudson – ceremony at 9th Street Abbey, followed by a pouring at Greenbriar CC … David Kay — yesteryear chief of 9-0-5 Liquors and current partner in Blue Agave — and partner El Viejito — a classic Mexican tequila company (Patron Silver) — have intro’d “another lousy sunset in paradise” … If the Bonneville International team in town recently recommends the purchase of KMOX (1120 AM), will that mean a strong local signal to broadcast the Mormon Tabernacle Choir? (And did you know that KMOX daytime stalwart Rush Limbaugh once worked for Bonneville?) … Meanwhile, that station’s John Carney has been dubbed “octo-pop” with word that his wife is expecting another boyby in a couple of weeks, bringing the couple’s count to half-an-octave … Post-Dispatch op-ed columnist (and Donnybrook regular) Colleen Carroll Cambell is infanticipaing twins … St.Louis City Disability commish David Newburger is not impressed with the durability of the City’s new ADA-compliant signals. Expect angry letters… Dominic Galati and his daughter, Gina, are teaming up on Sept. 23 to offer a special evening of food and song, titled, “Opera Nights on the Hill.” Guests at Dominic’s on the Hill will enjoy a four-course dinner and be entertained by members of Gina’s New Opera St. Louis troupe, who will present a performance, “Deceptions and Disguise in Venice.” The reservation-only event begins at 7 p.m.
***
Maury and Nicki Zimring were welcomed to our town from their Palm Springs digs by Geri and Mel Rich
SPORTS NOTES OF A SORT: The late wrestling promoter Sam Muchnick’s protégé and former announcer for “Wrestling at the Chase” Larry Matysik has scribed his third page-turner, “Drawing Heat the Hard Way: How Wrestling Really Works ” due to hit the stalls this week. There’s a 7 pm book-signing on Oct. 16 at the Sunset Hills Borders store. The tome, says its publicist, reveals comparisons between Muchnick and current WWE boss Vince McMahon …The St. Louis Browns Fan Club (www.thestlbrowns.com) is alive and well, celebrating its 25th anni with a dinner Oct. 8 at the Missouri Athletic Club. “We’re working hard to re-introduce the Knot Hole Gang,”‘ said William Rogers. Players expected to attend are: Roy Sievers; Ned Garver; Ed Mickelson; Bud Thomas, Bill Jennings and J.W. Porter. Mike Veeck, son of legendary Bill Veeck, the last owner of the team, is expected to appear as a special guest … Our Town’s mixed martial arts fighter Tyron Woodly, who was the undercard at the recent Scottrade Center event, has signed a six-bout contract with Showtime …
***
LOOKING BACK: It was in the shadow of the Gateway Arch, where a limo passed the Old Cathedral and the late CBS’er Walter Cronkite read the Latin emboldened on the facade of the treasure, winked at me, and asked them, “Hmm, do you know the translation of Sancti Ludovici.” Others in the limo struggled for an answer and had no idea. Nearby, in the bowels of One Memorial Drive, I showed an outdoor billboard campaign to the late Robert Hyland at KMOX. He stood back with hands on hips and sternly asked, “But, Jerry, will the little people understand it?” A few steps away in the old days at the Rock House on the levee there was Rock House Annie, whose claim to fame was emulating Josephine Baker and picking up silver dollars from the bar with her unmentionable body part. There was jazz on a paddlewheeler. Across the river in East St. Louis, one couldn’t miss the prostitutes leaning out windows of the tenements in “the valley,” out-shouting each to pitch their talents at bargain prices, (“Great for convention business,” enthused a manager at the long-gone Jefferson Hotel.) East St. Louis was wide open: gambling joints like Hyde Park, Buster Wortman’s Paddock Lounge (where people swooned over meeting a real-life gangster), Bush’s Steakhouse and Johnny Perkins’ Paladium was where smooth music by big bands was a house specialty. From the old Broadview Hotel, Marty Alpern broadcast interviews with “big names.” Ever onward, across the Eads Bridge to St. Louis. Then, the beautiful morning was ruined, when alongside was a sheriff’s van filled with prisoners on their way to a penitentiary. Further along the Great Divide – the Express Highway (now I-64) – we popped into Forest Park Highlands amusement park for a few dips on the dance floor to the music of Harry James, Jimmy Dorsey or Orin Tucker. A quick stop at Medart’s on Skinker Boulevard for a pick-me-upper and perhaps a few cups of coffee at Town Hall. The St. Louis phone book is now minus some of our town’s true leaders: David Calhoun, Buck Persons, Gussie Busch, Jim Hickok, Harry Harrington, Buster May, Howard Baer, Leif Sverdrup – all urbane and worldly, never giving up their vows to build a bigger and better city—and maybe they did. Nevertheless, they were the people upon whom we rested our hopes and half-aspirations.
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