Sunday, January 20, 2013
The 2012 report represents the fourth year in a row of overall crime reduction, according to police data. See which crime categories decreased and which increased.
Serious crime in areas protected by St. Louis County Police Department officers has decreased in 2012, dropping to its lowest level since 1969. The total population served directly by county police is more than 410,000. Index crime statistics comparing 2012 to 2011 in the municipalities served by county officers, as well as unincorporated St. Louis County, show an overall reduction of 8.7 percent. The county police team stated in a news release the following update: These crime numbers include offenses reported in a community more recently contracted with the county police department last March—the City of Dellwood. In Missouri, a St. Louis County police spokesperson said only the Kansas City Police Department is responsible for more …
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Pay increases are being discussed by officials during St. Louis County's budgeting process this year. It would mark the first time in four years that employees were given raises.
Raises for St. Louis County employees are being discussed by officials during this year's budgeting process. It would be the first raise county employees received in four years. “We’re in the first third of the budget process and talking about all of the different options here,” said Mac Scott, spokesperson for County Executive Charlie Dooley. He added that a raise is not certain yet. “We got some things (last year) that were better than we thought they’d be,” he said. Councilman Steve Stenger (D-South County) reinforced the possibility during a South County Chamber of Commerce meeting on Thursday. “The St. Louis County police are the best in the area, but we sure haven’t been paying them like it,” he said. “Crime is going down and their …
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
A committee of parks supporters studied the St. Louis County Parks system and endorsed a tax increase proposal. The measure must pass through the county council, where Councilman Steve Stenger said there is not a funding problem with the parks.
A sales tax increase that might be on the ballot in April would free St. Louis County parks from further cuts or closures. That’s according to a committee of parks supporters who filed an interim report with county officials in July. The Green Ribbon Committee, which is comprised of former and current parks directors, city officials and trail agencies, was tasked with analyzing the county parks system after a tumultuous year of layoffs and threats to close parks. Councilman Steve Stenger, who represents South County, said the committee was a “rubber stamp operation” for County Executive Charlie Dooley to get a tax increase passed in St. Louis County. Stenger has been a vocal opponent of Dooley, and has hinted at running for county …
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Councilman Steve Stenger disagrees with the allocation for St. Louis County Parks as County Executive Charlie Dooley’s budget office reduces funding for the department.
The St. Louis County Parks Department is still $500,000 in the red despite laying off 20 employees and increasing revenue by $193,780. Those numbers were presented to the St. Louis County Council Tuesday in a plan meant to make the parks department more efficient. Acting Parks Director Tom Ott created a business plan that outlined a strategy to keep parks providing the basic services while reducing costs. The plan comes seven months after County Executive Charlie Dooley proposed closing 23 parks and laying off more than 100 employees because of a budget crisis. Early budget projections showed a $10 million deficit, according to the county executive. *At the end of the year, the county received unexpected revenues, leaving the parks open. …
Monday, July 23, 2012
The Parks Department will present a business plan to the St. Louis County Council after being the center of the 2012 budget discussion.
St. Louis County officials will hear a business plan for the Parks Department seven months after County Executive Charlie Dooley first threatened to close 23 county parks and lay off more than 170 employees, citing a budget crisis. The meeting will take place Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. in the St. Louis County Council conference room at 41 South Central Avenue in Clayton. Members of the county council—led by then-chairman Steve Stenger (D-Affton)—vehemently opposed Dooley’s initial 2012 budget proposal and questioned his office’s claim of a $10 million deficit. Parks activists also protested the closures, leading to several petitions and a rally outside county headquarters in Clayton. After forming a special budget committee, the council and …
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Families and dogs, runners, bicyclists, rollerbladers and proud government and traffic officials all enjoyed the completion of this major road project.
Thousands of walkers, runners, bicyclists and rollerbladers came out on a hot, sunny Saturday morning to celebrate the opening of the Route 141 and Page-Olive Connector with traffic-free access to the road. The day, 30-plus years in the making, started with a “Run to Get It Done” 10-kilometer run and walk at 7:30 a.m., followed by open access to approximately three miles of north and south Missouri Route 141 between Parkway Central High School to the south and Interstate 364 to the north. “We’ve been watching it for years,” Kathleen Hall of Chesterfield said as she and her husband Steve Hall took a break from bicycling 141. “We couldn’t wait, couldn’t wait, couldn’t wait. We’re excited about it.” There was also a grand opening ceremony …
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Charlie Dooley urges residents to follow health department doctor tips.
St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley has authorized the Director of the St. Louis County Parks to add three more cooling centers to help residents get some relief from the soaring temperatures. St. Vincent Park, Greensfelder/Queeny Recreation Complex, and Kennedy Recreation Complex will be added to the United Way’s database of area cooling centers If you, or someone you know, is unable to keep his or her residence cool and needs to find a cooling center they should call the United Way of Greater Saint Louis: Temperatures in the St. Louis area are expected to reach 100 degrees or higher over the next several days prompting the County Executive to act. “I know there is an official National Weather Service process for issuing heat …
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Prop "S" supporters want tax dollars for courthouses, opponents—not so much.
Proposition S is the one and only issue on the ballot countywide on April 3. It requires a super-majority to pass, 57 percent. It's about spending $90 million to replace what was called the Juvenile Courts building when it was built 40 years ago. The politically-correct renamed it the Family Courts Building. Perspective The building is on the former grounds of the County Hospital on Brentwood Boulevard. The County Hospital is long gone, replaced by an impressive office park, but the old Juvenile Courts building remains. If the Prop "S" bond issue passed, the plan is to build a new Family Court facility in downtown Clayton near the current courts building and new jail. Back when it was first built, the progressive thinking county leaders …
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
St. Louis County Parks loses maintenance workers, and MoDOT bumps experienced people. Is there a better way?
When St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley announced there would be layoffs to help balance the budget, he included 21 positions from the Parks Department. That was in January. I think most of us residents and voters in St. Louis County were hoping Dooley was going to eliminate the three patronage jobs he created and filled with workers from his re-election campaign. I had estimated conservatively those three jobs with salary and benefits cost the County at least $380,000—probably more like $400,000-plus. But the cronies kept their jobs. And I didn’t have to go to Dooley’s office to find out who was being cut. I asked a longtime County Parks supervisor. He shook his head and told me that of the 21 positions eliminated, 11 were going to…
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Some tunes fit better than others, on this holiday.
Love For Sale: The Cole Porter classic is a perfect love song for St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley. In November Dooley threatened closing 20 parks and selling off the Elk and other wildlife at Lone Elk Park. I Can See Clearly Now…an excellent song for the folks at Smoke Free St. Louis, sung by Johnny Nash with Bob Marley's band backing him up. It is even a better song for the optometrists that keep campaign contributions flowing to members of the state legislature to ensure that a law stays on the books. And it's a law that is unique to Missouri and requires parents to obtain three eye exams for children between grades kindergarten and fifth grade. Checking Chesterfield’s current senator’s campaign finance records for November and…
FedUpVet
1:35 pm on Sunday, January 20, 2013
Crime has steadily been dropping here in Missouri and especially in St. Louis County since both the Carried Concealed Bill was passed and Chief Fitch was appointed. We should credit it to smart police work and less potential victims on the streets. more ›