St. Louis Metro Community News and Information

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Spotlight on St. Louis Area Neighborhood Activities - Updated March 17, 2010

Aldermen to Hold Final Public Hearing for Input on Potential Elimination of Earnings Tax
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), March 17, 2010 - The City of St. Louis Board of Aldermen Ways and Means Committee will hold the final public hearing regarding the potential elimination of the City's Earnings Tax, Thursday, March 18, from 6:00 p.m - 8:0 p.m., at Grbic's Restaurant, located at 4071 Keokuk Avenue in south St. Louis.

The City's Earnings Tax provides the largest portion of the City of St. Louis' operating budget. This hearing will allow City residents to testify and hear testimony from City officials regarding the impact on the services the City provides if the Earnings Tax is eliminated.

For more information regarding this meeting, contact Alderman Shane Cohn, 26th Ward, 314-622-3758 or Alderman Jeffrey Boyd, 22nd Ward, 314-622-3777.

Through the cooperation of the City's Health, Human Services, and Parks departments, the City will help homeless people tag their property and retrieve it from storage.

St. Louis City Announces New Procedure to Protect Unattended Property, Keep Parks Clean
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), March 12, 2010 - Mayor Francis G. Slay announced today that the City of St. Louis is implementing a better way to help homeless people get back unattended property that is removed during the cleanup of parks. Through the cooperation of the City's Health, Human Services, and Parks departments, the City will help homeless people tag their property and retrieve it from storage.

Under the new plan, which was implemented with input from homeless providers under the Continuum of Care, the Human Services Department is providing storage bags and identification tags to homeless individuals. Bags and I.D. tags are available and being distributed by several downtown homeless providers including The Bridge, 1610 Olive St., the Horizon Club, 202 N. 23rd St., and the Housing Resource Center (HRC), 800 N. Tucker.

The plan will also give the City a chance to inform homeless people about the housing and services available to them. "We have one of the best plans in the country to reduce chronic homelessness," said Human Services Director Bill Siedhoff. "This will give us more chances to help people move into supportive housing."

Signs have been put up in all downtown parks and flyers have been distributed notifying people of how to retrieve any items that they left unattended. The Department of Human Services has also been working with the City's homeless providers to ensure that people who are homeless are notified of the new procedure.

Personal belongings picked up during routine park cleaning such as storage bags, backpacks, or other items with proper ID tags will be taken to a Department of Health storage facility. Items can be retrieved by calling 314-612-5900 or by coming to the office of the Department of Human Services at 1520 Market Street, Room 4065. For more information, contact the Department of Human Services at 314-657-1704.

Concordia Publishing Helps Haiti with Needed Books
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), March 10, 2010 - Leading companies want to be involved with the ongoing response in Haiti. That value for care and contribution has led local St. Louis publisher, Concordia Publishing House (CPH) to announce a unique program to connect customers with new ways to help.

Partnering with The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS) World Relief and Human Care, the non-profit publisher announced today the launch of its Help for Haiti campaign, which will be coordinated out of CPH's Concordia Gospel Outreach unit (CGO).

"With school suspended indefinitely in Haiti, we've heard reports [from those serving in congregations] of parents asking for printed materials for their children, in addition to continued needs for food, water, and basic necessities," said Gretchen M. Jameson, who directs corporate communications at CPH. "The CGO Help for Haiti plan is going to meet a real need, and that matters to us."

Interested individuals can donate now through Easter Week, (April 11, 2010). Every $10 donation received provides 6 books from the company's leading children's brand, Arch Books translated into French for distribution along with material aid. $4 of every ten dollar donation will be given directly to help fund relief efforts. The company is producing the book with a heavy duty, coated paper that will be better suited to last through the rainy season. The goal is to send 20,000 books.

To donate, visit www.concordiaoutreach.org or call 800.325.3040. Contributions can also be mailed to Concordia Gospel Outreach/Help for Haiti at 3558 S. Jefferson Ave., Saint Louis, MO 63118.

City Asks Citizens for Help Addressing its Budget
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), March 10, 2010 - President of the Board of Aldermen, Lewis Reed will host a series of Public Involvement Meetings throughout the City of St. Louis. These meetings will allow the public to hear information from City officials and ask questions or give comments on the budget of the City of St. Louis.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010 - Co-sponsored with Alderman Jeffrey Boyd
Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church
5544 Dr. Martin Luther King Drive
St. Louis, MO 63112
7:00 - 8:00 pm

Wednesday, March 24, 2010 - Co-sponsored with Alderman Matt Villa
Saint Stephen Protomartyr Catholic Church
3949 Wilmington Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63116
7:00 - 8:00 pm

Thursday, March, 25, 2010 - Co-sponsored with Alderwoman Kacie Starr Triplett
Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church
1444 South Compton
St. Louis, MO 63104
7:00 - 8:00 pm

The "Free Beer" billboard in front of City Hall is one several billboards that will be erected throughout the City as part of the "Park Smart" campaign to urge drivers to remember to keep their valuables out of unattended cars.

Don't Be a Partner in Car Break-Ins
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), March 3, 2010 - The City of St. Louis has begun a concentrated strategy to reduce the number of car break-ins through its "Park Smart" program.

Mayor Francis G. Slay, joined Police Chief Dan Isom, Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce, and Maggie Campbell of the Downtown Partnership on Tuesday to unveil the City's two-part plan to reduce car break-ins.

In a statment, Mayor Slay said, "Working with the Police Department, the City Counselor, the Circuit Attorney, business districts, and the Board of Aldermen, we created a plan to focus on reducing car break-ins. Our strategy is two-pronged and focuses on aggressive law enforcement and education. Because car break-ins are generally a crime of opportunity, the best way to avoid being a victim of a car break-in is to park smart."

Billboards will be erected and posters will be available for distribution throughout the City to urge drivers to remember to keep their valuables out of unattended cars. These vibrant images read "Free Beer," "Free Smokes," and "Free Food," reminding drivers that even leaving seemingly insignificant items in cars can make them vulnerable to a break-in. The "Common Sense" educational campaign was created at no charge by Left Field Creative.

"This public awareness campaign was first launched in the 3rd police district and it resulted in a 40% decrease in car break-ins in that area. Expanding the campaign city-wide will help us to reach all St. Louisans," Chief Isom said. "However, we are also partnering this campaign with an aggressive enforcement policy. We've been dispatching increased officers in areas most affected by car break-ins, deploying decoy cars, and conducting constant follow-up on known and repeat offenders."

To make sure even first time offenders face consequences, Alderwoman Phyllis Young has introduced legislation that will allow the Municipal Courts to prosecute first-time offenders with up to 90 days in jail and up to a $500 fine.

"In order to effectively prosecute car burglars, it's important for citizens to testify against them in court," said Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce. "Without witnesses, it is very difficult to charge and convict these criminals."

Businesses, community groups, and attractions can obtain posters by calling the Police Department at 444-5603 to be directed to the correct area station and community outreach officer.

Aviation Mural to Be Relocated to Saint Louis University
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), March 3, 2010 - An aviation mural, "Flight...An American Triumph," by Siegfried Reinhardt, has been transferred from Lambert-St. Louis International Airport to Saint Louis University.

The 142-ft long mural, memorializing the history of flight, had been on display in Lambert's Terminal 1 baggage carousel area for 27 years.

"There are upcoming airport improvements near the mural's location which raised concerns that they could cause harm to the mural," said Lambert Director, Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge. "The airport never owned the mural. However, as longtime caretakers, we felt it was very important to keep this treasured art piece in the community and we helped the Reinhardt Mural Foundation board members connect with Saint Louis University to make that happen."

The University accepted the offer to preserve the mural because of the role the University has played in aviation history. SLU's Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology was the first federally certified flight school in the country and remains a leader in educating new generations of pilots. The mural will be installed on SLU's campus in the near future.

Archived St. Louis Community News and Information:

Hardee's 10th Annual Rise and Shine for Heat Raises More Than $85,000

Life Skills Receives $20,000 Grant from Verizon

Gateway to College National Network Expands Programs

41st St. Louis Observation Honors Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

City of St. Louis and County Donors Give Big Boost to Heat-Up St. Louis

Anheuser-Busch Employees Donate $225,000 to Three Local Charities

St. Louis Receives Award for Municipal Excellence from the National League of Cities

H1N1 Flu Vaccine Now Available to Everyone

AmerenUE Launches '$100 for 100' Program in Missouri

"Hope Is Moving In" Program Opens at Clay Elementary School

AmerenUE Helps Police See Crime from a Different Point of View

Carondelet Park Rec Plex Opens with Parade and Ribbon Cutting

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