Last Updated: 9:57 pm, July 28, 2010

Author Archives: Zachary Praiss

Published:

3/7
2010

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Possible Dog Park in Clayton

By Zachary Praiss

Clayton residents continue to fight for dog park

By Zachary Praiss

It’s a tail-wagging idea – to have a dog park in Clayton. Dogs and owners alike are excited and hopeful to soon see a dog park in Clayton as a renewed initiative is gaining support and making progress in turning the idea of a dog park in Clayton into a reality.

However, they face several significant challenges and a history of unsuccessful attempts to have a dog park in Clayton.

“If you want to abide by the laws, then there is really no place in Clayton for you to safely run your pets and let them get out their energy,” said Clayton resident Deb Dubin, who is helping lead the initiative for a dog park in Clayton. “So, that something a bunch of people would talk about as we walked our dogs…People would sort of say, ‘gosh wouldn’t it be great if we had a dog park.’”

Recently, Dubin along with Ben Uchitelle, the former mayor of Clayton, have begun pursuing the idea of having a dog park in Clayton.

“We decided to reinvigorate that group and to try and make it actually happen in the next little bit of time if we can,” Dubin said.

However, the idea of a dog park in Clayton is over 10 years old and it has been unsuccessful several times in the past. In 1998, there was a significant interest in officially turning Wydown Park, near the corner of Wydown Blvd. and Hanley Rd., into a dog park as residents were already taking their dogs to the small park.

Clayton Mayor Linda Goldstein, who was an alderman at the time, recognized the benefits of having a dog park in Clayton.

“It was wonderful to watch people after work go and socialize with other people,” Goldstein said. “It is a great way to bring the community together.” In the end, the dog park idea at Wydown Park was unsuccessful after neighbors disapproved the idea.

However, Uchitelle still feels it would be a great addition to the City of Clayton. “It’s a socializing event that brings people together from all walks of life,” Uchitelle said. “You could say ‘heck, there is a dog park in University City, there is a dog park in Maplewood, but those are used by the residents of those communities…it would be nicer and better to have a dog park here in Clayton, for the people of Clayton.”

Today, Dubin and Uchitelle have organized an initiative to once again push for a dog park. They have confirmed that over 130 families in Clayton would enjoy and benefit from a dog park.

Patty DeForrest, the Director of the Clayton Parks and Recreation, is excited and hopeful that the idea of a dog park turns into a reality as she realizes that “all the elected officials and the parks and recreation commission staff are very aware that is a large group of people who are interested in [a dog park].”

Despite the growing support, Alderman Judy Goodman explained that the City must be cautious in making sure that a dog park would be financially appropriate. “I would very much enjoy it personally, but I think we have to think broadly about the community and what’s best for the community at large and how to fit it into our budget,” Goodman said. A dog park with the appropriate fencing, water fountains, benches, and landscaping could cost from $50,000 – $80,000.

However, DeForrest explained that these expenses could be recovered through park memberships. “People would pay to belong to the dog park,” DeForrest said. “They would pay a yearly fee usually somewhere around $20 to $30, and those fees help maintain [the dog park]. So, it is not a drain on city resources.”

Yet, Goldstein thinks that the City must be cautious in how money is invested in comparison with what are the priorities of the city. “There is always a balance between the needs of the city and the priorities,” Goldstein said. “We have all kinds of great services, and great public safety, and great parks, but they all take money. So, it’s really a balance of where do you invest your money and what is top priority for the city overall.”

Another issue for the dog park is finding a suitable location in the City of Clayton. “The issue then and the issue now, is where to put it,” Goodman said. “I think that continues to be the stumbling block is where would be the best place to put a dog park.” With previous unsuccessful attempts at having dog parks in parks with neighbors nearby, the new initiative is focusing on finding a location that has no adjacent neighbors.

However, with little green space in Clayton, the initiative is looking for alternatives where they could possibly receive additional land for the dog park instead of using park space.

“I would encourage us to take a look at things that have not been considered,” said Dubin. “If you only look at existing park lands, you would come up short in terms of what is needed for dogs.”

Dubin and Uchitelle have recently been approached by Concordia Seminary, which is interested is discussing the possibility of having a dog park somewhere on its property.

“[Concordia] is interested in discussing the possibility with us, but we are nowhere near what you would call a done deal,” Dubin said. “We’re very preliminary in discussions and there are a lot of approvals that would have to happen but some people are very enthusiastic.”

For the past several years, the City of Clayton has been leasing the long stretch of park space near Captain Elementary School from Concordia. If an agreement can be reached with Concordia and the City of Clayton, the

dog park would likely be located in that area.

“I am optimistic that the Concordia space will work out,” Uchitelle said. “If it does, if we get the green light, then there are all the activities and work to put that together: the fencing, the rules, the regulations, the maintenance…Our group is fully prepared to assist in meaningful ways in making this happen.”

However, Goldstein is still cautious of being too optimistic for the dog park in Clayton.

Many St Louis residents enjoy having a place to let their dogs run loose, Clayton residents hope to install a park similar to the Creve Coeur Dog Park.
Many St Louis residents enjoy having a place to let their dogs run loose, Clayton residents hope to install a park similar to the Creve Coeur Dog Park.

“I’ve been down the dog park path a couple of time,” Goldstein said. “So, I’m hoping that it works out, but we have to take it one step at a time.” 

Published:

2/26
2010

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CHS librarians monitor student use of library computers

By Zachary Praiss
Librarians monitor student use of computers

(Ali Sehizadeh)

Big Brother is watching you.

Throughout the school day at CHS, librarians monitor the use of computers by students in Lab B of the library.  For over 10 years, this monitoring of students computers has been taking place not only at CHS but also throughout the Clayton School District, with little notice from Clayton students.

“The thing we’re trying to do is help the students,” Head Librarian Lauran DeRigne, the Head Librarian at CHS, said.  “It’s a benefit to [the students] that we keep that lab for student use for school work and that is really what it’s needed for.”

DeRigne explained how throughout the school day, students use the computer lab as a place to do their homework.   However, when the labs are full, she explained that students who are unable to work on the computers become frustrated, especially when they see kids on the computers playing games and not being productive.

“When the labs are really full, we would like to make sure that there are enough computers for kids who want to do school work,” technology specialist David Hoffman said.  “So, that’s when we are more likely to monitor and kick off kids who are listening to music, watching movies, or downloading things.”

Hoffman also emphasized how some students rely on working in the computer lab because they do not have access to a computer at home.

“There are some students who need that time here because they don’t have technology at home,” Hoffman said.  “We don’t want kids wasting time on computers while other kids need to get work done before they go home.”

With more and more students playing games in the labs and the library continuing to become a louder more social environment, Principal Louise Losos also feels the library struggles between being a place for studying or socializing.

“The library always walks that fine line between being a place where kids can gather and be social and a place where students go to do research and work,” Losos said.  “And it needs to err on the side of research and work but not so much as to make it unwelcome to everyone else…I think [computer monitoring] is just another way they try to maintain this balance.”

In addition to monitoring computers, librarians can also check a student’s schedule to see if he or she is skipping class at that moment.

“Sometimes if there has been an issue with a student, we can look to see [his or her] schedule, but we don’t use remote desktop, so that’s really not monitoring computers,” DeRigne said.  “It’s more of, we know the student and where should they be because they are not doing any work right now.”

If the librarians see that a student is skipping class in the lab, they will immediately email the teacher of the class that the student is skipping and inform them that their student is in the library.

“I think teachers appreciate that fact the librarians are letting them know [that a student] is in here, [when] he’s supposed to be in your class right now,” Losos said.

However, some students have expressed concern for their privacy since the librarians are monitoring their computer screens in Lab B.

“It feels like they are standing over your shoulder,” Sophomore Stephanie Avery said.

Likewise, Sophomore Georgina Kluser feels invaded by the monitoring as she explained that the monitoring made her feel uncomfortable when she is trying to work in the lab.

Despite these concerns, DeRigne said that all students were required to sign the School District of Clayton’s Acceptable Use Policy, which states, “The district may monitor employee and student technology usage.  Electronic communications, all data stored on the district’s technology resources, and downloaded material, including files deleted from a student’s account, may be intercepted, accessed or searched by district’s administrators or designees at any time.”

Yet, Hoffman believes that very few students are actually monitored in Lab B.

“Percentage wise, there’s very little monitoring that is going on,” Hoffman said.  “I would say out of 100 students in the lab maybe one or two, percentage wise would be monitored…We don’t sit there just to monitor to try to catch people…It’s just not that widely used.”

However, the librarians are always on the lookout for any illegal electronic activity in the student computer lab whether it is a student illegally downloading a new hit song or a popular movie.

“If we do see kids downloading movies or music, that is highly illegal and we’ll stop them from doing that,” Hoffman said.  “That could be big trouble for the district.”

In the end, Losos agreed that monitoring computers in Lab B is necessary for sustaining a productive work environment in the labs; however, for a high school with an open campus, students should know that they could be monitored when using a computer in Lab B.

“I would hope that there would be a transparency,” Losos said.  “You ought to know when you go on the computers that this is a possibility.”

Published:

1/31
2010

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Apparel brand North Face sues imitation brand South Butt

By Zachary Praiss

The North Face has sued the South Butt.  On Dec. 10, 2009, the North Face Inc. filed a complaint against the South Butt, in Federal Court in St. Louis.

Almost three years ago, Jimmy Winkelmann, who was at the time a high school student at Chaminade College Preparatory School, came up with the idea of the South Butt (see article from the Nov. Globe).  His idea was simple: to create a parody of the popular North Face brand of clothing.

In 2007, Winkelmann created the South Butt LLC and began selling South Butt clothing online and at Ladue Pharmacy, hoping to raise some money for college tuition while highlighting the teenage obsession with name-brand clothing.

“In parodying the North Face, the South Butt is basically for those who don’t want to buy the North Face, for those who don’t want to be one sheep in a flock of many,” said Albert Watkins, an attorney from Kodner Watkins Muchnick & Weigley, who is representing Winkelmann in the lawsuit.  Watkins explained how the South Butt is really an “anti-North Face” with the “anti-logo” and “anti-slogan.”

Similar to the North Face, the South Butt logo features two downward curves, in comparison to the three upward curves of the North Face logo.  Furthermore, the South Butt plays on the North Face’s slogan of “Never Stop Exploring” with the slogan, “Never Stop Relaxing.”

However, now the North Face has sued for the South Butt for trademark infringement.  The North Face’s complaint states that the South Butt’s “use of the Infringing Trademarks is likely to cause and is causing confusion, mistake and deception among the general purchasing public…all to the damage and detriment of The North Face’s reputation, goodwill, and sales.”

The South Butt’s attorney believes this claim to be frivolous.

“It seems kind of insulting on the part of the North Face, to believe that it’s customer base is so dumb as to not know the difference between a face and a butt,” Watkins said.

In fact, in response to the lawsuit, the South Butt recently posted a disclaimer on its website, which states, “We are not in any fashion related to nor do we want to be confused with The North Face Apparel Corp. or its products sold under “The North Face” brand. If you are unable to discern the difference between a face and a butt, we encourage you to buy North Face products.”

In addition, Watkins believes the complaint lacks merit because the South Butt is protected by the freedom of speech stated in the First Amendment.

“This is a parody product,” said Watkins.  “In other words, it is designed to make people laugh…There is something called the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.  It talks about freedom of speech…Just because you are a product with a trademark doesn’t mean you are exempt from another company making fun of you.”

Ironically, due to the lawsuit, the South Butt has received media coverage and interest from people around the country, which has significantly boosted sales and increased the popularity of the South Butt.  As a result, Watkins feels that the lawsuit has significantly lowered the reputation of the North Face.

“If [the North Face] wanted to do it to look bad, they’ve accomplished their goal,” Watkins said. “If they want to do it to appear like a bully in the playground, they’ve accomplished their goal…even if the North Face wins, they’ve lost.”

Published:

1/27
2010

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Local Clayton teacher awarded national honor

By Zachary Praiss

One of Clayton’s own teachers recently had the honor of receiving the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

Earlier in January, Susan Carter, a kindergarten teacher at Glenridge Elementary, was selected as one of the top 100 teachers in the nation and traveled to Washington, D.C., to receive the esteemed award.

In 2001, Carter began her career in teaching at Jackson Park Elementary School, in University City.

“I always wanted to be a teacher,” Carter said.  “It was never a question.” In 2008, Carter came to the Clayton School District, where she began teaching kindergarten at Glenridge Elementary.

Carter applied for the award several years ago, with hopes of meeting President Barack Obama, who had not yet announced his candidacy for President.  Nevertheless, she was hopeful.

However, she described applying as a competitive and long process, yet she felt there were benefits to the completing the process.

Susan Carter was selected as one of the top 100 teachers in the nation, pictured above in Washington, D.C. Carter, who teaches kindergarten at Glenridge Elementary, applied for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching in hopes of meeting Obama, who is also pictured.

Susan Carter was selected as one of the top 100 teachers in the nation, pictured above in Washington, D.C. Carter, who teaches kindergarten at Glenridge Elementary, applied for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching in hopes of meeting Obama, who is also pictured.

“It was a great professional development process for me,” Carter said. “It improved my teaching going through the process.  It improved how I thought about [teaching] mathematics in elementary school.”

The Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching specifically honors high standards of math and science teaching.  Likewise, Carter believes that math and science education is of the utmost importance, especially in elementary school.

“[Today] people don’t understand basic science if they didn’t have the basic science they needed in school,” Carter said.  “So, now, they can’t make informed decisions in life, and that is a huge problem, not just for education but the world.”

To accept the award, Carter had the opportunity to spend a week in Washington, D.C.  For her, the most memorable moment was seeing Obama.

“It was cool,” Carter said. “When he walked in the door…everybody was clapping. Everyone was happy.  Everyone was excited to see him, because you just knew that he was excited that we were there.”

The President took the time to take a picture with the group of teachers and give a short speech concerning his goals for education in the United States.

“He could not have been nicer,” Carter said.  “I mean, he was everything you would think he would be, smart and articulate, and he clearly cared about education and teaching.” Carter explained how the President said that he was really committed to education and that it would be on his radar not just this year, but as long as he is in the oval office.

Other events during the week included a night visit to the National Museum of Natural History in the Smithsonian and a congressional breakfast at the Rayburn Building.  Carter described the week as a “whirlwind adventure.”

In addition, the teachers had a meeting with Arne Duncan, the Secretary of Education for the United States, concerning the problems and issues with education in the United States.

“[Duncan] literally took off his jacket, took off his tie, rolled up his sleeves and said…‘what is it that you need or want as teachers?’” Carter said. “And then he listened to what people said.”

Some of the issues brought up included the need for more professional development, more equality between urban and rural schools, and a consistent national standard for training programs for teachers.  In addition, Carter emphasized the importance of teachers having good salaries.

“It’s hard to get people to stay in the teaching field when you could make much more money in a private sector,” Carter said.  Yet, it was never a question for Carter, who loves teaching her bright, little kindergartners.

“Children know so much,” Carter said. “They come to [school] with an enormous amount of knowledge about technology and science, and they observe how their world works and they deserve an excellent place in math and science education.”

Published:

12/15
2009

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Plans drafted for public library move to CHS campus

By Zachary Praiss

Imagine the potential synergy of three different entities coming together to create something greater than their sum.
That is the vision behind the Mid-County Library Joint Use Facility conceptual study, which would connect Clayton High School, the Center of Clayton and the Mid-County Library in collaboration between the School District of Clayton, the City of Clayton and the St. Louis County Library (SLCL) to greater serve the members of the community and CHS.

Picture 3The idea of a joint use library connected to both CHS and the Center was inspired by the success of the Center.  Today, CHS students and members of the community are often found working out next to one another in the Center, since they share the joint use facility.  Following the completion of the Center, some discussion began between the School District, the City of Clayton, and the SLCL concerning the benefits of adding the Mid-County Library to this unique connected facility in the future.
“The same synergy that happened when the school district and the city put together a community center, something that neither governmental entity could have done alone,” said Don Senti, Clayton School District Superintendent.  “And we actually proved through that, that governments can work together.”
Consequently, Senti believes that a similar synergy and collaboration to that of the Center would be necessary for the Mid-County Library Joint Use Facility, but furthermore, the benefits of such a synergy would be tremendous.
Craig Owens, the City Manager for the City of Clayton, explained how the library is an important aspect of the community where people can read, learn and gather together.  Owens said the joint use library would be a national model library that would have multigenerational use between members of the community and CHS, in addition to a high level of service and resources for Clayton residents and students.
“[The library] would be situated in a geographic position in the community center combination high school plan, so that it would be very convenient to the community center, and the Center of Clayton, and it would also be very accessible to the high school classrooms,” said Ted Christner, the Chairman Emeritus of Christner Inc., the architectural firm which presented the designs of the conceptual study. “[Our] goal was to allow all of the resources in that library to be available to all generations but to have it configured and managed in a way that the individual generations could kind of have a place of their own.”
The proposed three-story library would be located on the northwestern corner of the CHS campus at the southern end of the Center of Clayton.  It would be connected to the Center on the second floor near the running track and there would be a bridge on the third floor connecting it to the future addition of CHS.  The third floor of the library would be specifically for CHS students both before and during the school day.
“Pretty much everyone thinks it is a good idea… it seems like it would be in everybody’s best interest,” Senti said.  “It would give us a better library, a bigger library, and a library that is accessible for our [students’] expanded hours.”
The third floor of the library would accommodate the high school collection and include tables and study rooms for the use of the students.  In addition, the CHS floor of the library would have a few classrooms and computer labs as well as a video production studio.
“[CHS] would get a world class library, a library that is light-years ahead of other libraries,” said Tim Wadham, the Assistant Director of Youth and Community Services for the SLCL.
In addition, students would have free access to the materials of the Mid-County Library, including their general collection, located on the second floor.
“I think our program would improve because we would have more access to resources….  I think they have a really wonderful collection that we could certainly benefit from… and also they have a huge number of databases compared to us,” said Victoria Jones, the Head Librarian of the School District of Clayton.
Unlike the CHS library today, the joint use library would also be open to students during all of its regular operating hours.
“I think it sounds fantastic in a lot of ways because it would just open up the doors to more resources for our students,” said Lauran DeRigne, the Head Librarian of the library at CHS.  “It would allow access for students after school, which would be fantastic. Basically kids could stay until 9 p.m. a lot of nights to work on their schoolwork.”
The library would benefit not only students but also many members of the community through its connection with the Center, who could utilize both facilities.
“I think it would be nice for people to be able to combine what they do,” said Patty DeForrest, the Director of Clayton Parks and Recreation.  “[The library] could draw people to a library who might only come here to see the fitness center, so they may use both because they are at one place, and that’s kind of convenient and nice for them.”
DeForrest explained how she would love to walk on over to the library and pick up a book during her breaks.
“Community Center is really the [term] that comes to mind when you think of this combination, that it becomes a center of the city,” Christner said.  “The athletic facilities, art and music, theatre [and] the library: all of those things really create a synergy…. So, if you look at all of those things and the benefits, it becomes in our opinion a really positive kind of philosophy to bring all of these facilities together.”
Christner, who helped design the Center of Clayton, believes that the joint use library would further develop this community center, as it would attract more members of the community from every different age group, from CHS students to both young and old members of the community.
The proposed library would include a café, computer classrooms, a gallery space and an auditorium, in addition to the general collection and a children’s library.  The auditorium would give the Mid-County Library the opportunity to host authors and other speakers with a large audience.  Also, the auditorium could host other venues including CHS plays along with other productions of the Metro Theatre Company.  In addition, the gallery space could host collections of local artists or CHS students.
“It just seemed a really cool thing to have a space for the arts as well as a library,” Wadham said.  “I’ve always felt that libraries are art institutions, combining literature with all the other arts.”
With its unique connections to other facilities, countless resources and new facilities, Wadham hopes the library would become a regional center.
“The perfect vision would be for this to become a regional arts destination,” Wadham said.
The proposed library would be built and paid for by SLCL through a future bond issue, probably in 2011. However, Wadham said there are still some obstacles that must be resolved before they go to voters in a little more than a year.
Under the proposition, the library would be built on the CHS campus, with the School District agreeing to practically donate the land to the Mid-County Library in exchange for the CHS student floor of the library.
“Since we own the land, they would build the library and then for a nominal, maybe nothing, exchange for the land, we would get a free floor of the library for the high school’s use,” Senti said.
However, with CHS, the Center and the library all on the same site, there is concern over whether there would be too much activity at the location.
“For people to be able to come here to this site, work out and go check out a book or go online over at the library, I think that was kind of always the vision that there would be a lot of activity over here,” DeForrest said.  “I think the challenge is figuring how to fit all that activity on the site.  Some things will have to be adapted.”
DeForrest explained how there has also been parking issues around CHS and the Center as students and Center members struggle to find parking spots.
As a result, if the new library were built, there would be a significant lack in parking spaces.  However, the conceptual study presented the idea of possibly expanding the parking lot west, parallel to the Center’s competition pool, to make room for approximately 80 more spaces, where the mulch pile is currently located.  According to the study, if the City contributed the mulch pile for parking, then they would not have to pay for any portion of the construction costs of the library.
“If they need parking, that is obviously the most convenient place to park,” Owens said.
However, Owens said that finding a replacement location for the mulch pile in Clayton would be difficult.
“The biggest obstacle in my mind is the mulch pile,” said Wadham, who believes that those additional parking spaces would be vital for the success of the library.
Despite this and other obstacles, Owens emphasized that he has “every confidence” that three different public entities will be able to overcome and make this vision into a reality.

Published:

12/2
2009

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‘South Butt’ an alternative for teens tired of fitting the mold

By Zachary Praiss
The South Butt logo marks the tongue-in-cheek attitude of this clothing line. (Izzy Fratt)

The South Butt logo marks the tongue-in-cheek attitude of this clothing line. (Izzy Fratt)

Teens are obsessed.
Teenagers today are obsessed with brand name clothing covered from head to toe: Uggs, designer sunglasses, Nikes, polos and more.  One high school student went against the grain, hoping to end the obsession with brand name clothing.
Jimmy Winkelmann, a graduate of Chaminade College Preparatory School, went through high school observing his classmates’ obsession in their name-brand clothing, especially the North Face fleeces.  As a result, Winkelmann decided to create a spoof of the North Face, the South Butt, to send a clear message to his peers, and moreover, all teenagers, about the absurd obsession with name-brand clothing.
“In high school, I started to notice the big explosion of popularity in the North Face fleece,” said Winkelmann.  “I just thought it was stupid how everyone was becoming so obsessed with these brand name clothing.  So, I decided to make a parody of the North Face called the South Butt.”
Winkelmann suggested the idea to his family and friends and before he knew it, he had the support to start a company.  With financial support from his parents, Winkelmann created a website and produced T-shirts.  In addition, other merchandise including long sleeve shirts, fleeces, track shorts, and baseball caps were made.  Winkelmann was also able to arrange to have some South Butt merchandise sold at Ladue Pharmacy.
“Our goal is to provide people an alternative to the North Face and just try to get clothing out there at a cheaper price than the brand name stuff,” Winkelmann said. “And have it be just as good of quality.”
Over the past month, the company’s sales have significantly increased as word of the South Butt has spread quickly, due to media coverage and word of mouth.
“I think it is gaining popularity just because the whole idea behind it is funny,” Winkelmann said.  However, he believes the South Butt still sends a strong message to teenagers and their obsession with name-brand clothing.
As Winkelmann explained, the South Butt teaches teenagers that name-brand clothing is not going to make you look cooler and, as a result, teenagers should not be obsessed with wearing certain brand name clothing.
Winkelmann hopes to spread his message further as he pushes to have South Butt merchandise available in stores nationwide by the spring season.  In addition, the company is looking to advertise on Facebook.  The North Face company may present an obstacle for him.
Recently, North Face threatened to sue South Butt on the basis of trademark infringement.  The South Butt logo features two downward curves on the left of the logo while in comparison, the North Face logo has three upward curves on the right side.  In addition, the South Butt’s slogan is “Never Stop Relaxing,” and the North Face company believes is too similar to their slogan “Never Stop Exploring.”
Despite the possibility of a lawsuit, Winkelmann continues to sell South Butt merchandise and spread his message, hoping to end the teenage obsession with name-brand clothing.

Published:

11/30
2009

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Genesis: Obama’s First Seven Months in Office

By Zachary Praiss

Month No. 1:

In the beginning, there was darkness.  Chaos and desperation covered the world. War and violence threatened everyone.  People were scared, tired, and starving for change.  But President Obama said, “Yes we can,” and the people believed that a new beginning was possible.  And Obama said, “Let there be light,” and a bright ray of hope swept across the world and Obama saw that it was good.

Month No. 2:

In the second month, President Obama looked out across the land and saw that the land was dry.  So, he called for cash to flow throughout the land like a raging river of water.  Obama said, “Let liquidity pour over the land,” and the gates of the Treasury broke open, pouring out billions upon billions of dollars.  Tidal waves crashed down upon Wall Street and the auto companies, bailing out big banks, insurance giants, and the auto industry, while soaking them up in government control and ownership.  Obama opened up the heavens for these corporations, showering them in billions of bailout dollars.  At the same time, many other corporations and people on Main Street did not receive any cash, and were left helpless, bankrupt, and unemployed with a dire future in a living hell.

Month No. 3:

In the third month, President Obama saw that the Earth and plants were choking in a shroud of smog.  So, Obama called for an end of pollution.  He said that everyone must conserve energy, water, and other natural resources, to sustain our Earth’s precious environment.  Obama called for a green revolution: the creation of new green jobs, the development of renewable energy, and the reduction of our dependency on foreign oil.  He supported renewable energies such as wind turbines and solar panels.  However, nothing new really happened, and people continued on with their daily lives.

Month No. 4:

In the fourth month, President Obama looked out across all boundaries and saw that the sun, moon, and stars were moving further away.  Although no one had reached out to these foreign lands in many years, Obama stretched out an open hand in an effort to communicate with them.  Obama reached out to leaders from these foreign lands such as Cuba, North Korea, and Iran.  He asked them to talk; however, they did not want to talk to him.  He commanded them to end their secret activities; however, they ignored him.  He said he would make their lives hell if they continued their production of weapons of mass destruction; however, they continued to ignore him and Obama saw that it was not good.

Month No. 5:

In the fifth month, President Obama presided over the animals of the sea and the air.  In the war on terrorism, Obama shifted the war effort from Iraq to Afghanistan.  He used massive navy ships, monsters of the sea, and stealth unmanned aerial vehicles, birds of the sky, to help in the war effort.  The ships transported thousands of troops to Afghanistan, while the unmanned aircraft targeted Taliban hiding spots.  Obama launched a full-scale effort, by sea and by air, to hunt down the Taliban and bring an end to terrorism.

Month No. 6:

In the sixth month, President Obama created a healthcare plan for all humans.  He called for universal healthcare.  Obama promised that every single individual would have access to a healthcare service.  He breathed life into the idea of a public option, calling for a government run healthcare service that would generate a competitive market for other healthcare providers.  However, many people disagreed.  The President’s Congress debated and argued over the issue endlessly.  As a result, a good solution or compromise seemed unlikely, if not impossible, Obama saw that it was not good.

Month No. 7:

In the seventh month, President Obama realized that he could not rest.  Indeed, there was still a great deal that he had not accomplished.  The task that he undertook was too complicated to be completed in only seven months.  With all the issues on his table and new conflicts and problems arising, the President needed far more time to achieve his goals.  Obama realized that he would need to lead the people for at least another forty months through the harsh desert to finally reach the Promised Land.

Published:

10/20
2009

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Community, News

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Centene headquaters now located in Clayton

By Zachary Praiss

 

Clayton’s skyline is changing.  The new headquarters of the Centene Corporation is under construction after years of challenges the corporation has had to overcome.  The center hosting two commercial towers, retail stores, and restaurants, will have a significant impact on Clayton for many years to come.

Founded in 1984, the Centene Corporation is a national health care provider.  Since 2004, the corporation has been searching for a new location for their new headquarters.  Originally, Centene sought to build the new headquarters at a former bookstore at Forsyth Blvd.  Centene also looked into other locations around the country without success, one of which was Ballpark Village in downtown St. Louis.

Ultimately, Centene chose to remain in Clayton and to build the new headquarters between Forsyth Blvd. and Carondelet Ave. on Hanley Rd.  To encourage Centene to remain in Clayton, the city offered tax abatement to the corporation totaling about $18.9 million.

“We want corporate headquarters like Centene because they bring in jobs to the area, and if you bring in jobs, you bring in people, and those people support our restaurants and our retailers,” said Linda Goldstein, the Mayor of Clayton.

In 2007, the city of Clayton called for proposals to redevelop the block of Forsyth.  Centene submitted the only proposal, and thus, with permission from the city, sought to acquire the entire block of Forsyth to help expand the new headquarters.

However, Centene faced opposition from some companies, and ultimately, the dispute took itself to the Missouri Supreme Court in Centene v. Mint Properties.  The court ruled in Centene’s favor, and as a result, Centene acquired all of the retail shops on Forsyth Blvd.

Centene’s new headquarters will incorporate those businesses into the center’s new line of retail shops and restaurants on Forsyth Blvd. and the corner of Hanley Rd.

“It’s fabulous,” Goldstein said.  She described the large open sidewalk with outdoor dining.  In addition, the spacious plaza like an urban garden nestled between the two towers with a fire pit and peaceful water feature.

The center will feature two towers that will be mainly offices for Centene employees.  The first tower is already under construction and when completed, will be 17 stories tall.  The second will be located just south of the first tower on Hanley Rd. near Carondelet Ave.

The new headquarters will attract hundreds of new jobs to Clayton and generate a new tax revenue for both the city of Clayton and Clayton School District.

Goldstein explained how Clayton will definitely benefit through our tax base, the property taxes on the development, the people who are brought here and will spend their money here, and the presence of a major corporate headquarters

“Another corporate headquarters in Clayton will attract others,” Goldstein said.

Despite the tax abatement, the city is very pleased with the development of the corporation’s headquarters.  In addition, the school district supports the development despite its nearly 50 percent loss in its future revenue from Centene due to the tax abatement.  Instead of receiving $2 million a year from Centene, the school district will only receive about $1 million for the next 20 years.

“The psychology of [tax abatement] you could look at that as a glass half full or half empty, you could say we lost a million dollars or you can say we have a million more dollars in revenue that we would not have had without the development,” said Don Senti, Superintendent for the Clayton School District.  “I think it’s a positive thing…It’s a million more dollars in revenue.”

This new revenue Senti feels will take some pressure off the residential tax base.

However, overall, both Goldstein and Senti respect and admire the Centene Corporation for its continued involvement and support for the arts and education in the community.

“Centene has a history of getting involved in the community,” said Goldstein.

The corporation played a major role in the contributions for the redevelopment of Gay Field.  Also, Centene sponsors events in the community such as the Big Read.

Both Goldstein and Senti look forward to the completion of the center.

Published:

9/30
2009

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Features

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Japanese Festival offers unique cultural experience

By Zachary Praiss

Japanese wartime drumming, sumo wrestling, aikido martial arts, and traditional puppetry were all featured at the Japanese Festival, at the Missouri Botanical Gardens this Labor Day weekend.  Ever since its start in 1977, the Japanese Festival has significantly grown over the years to now offer a wide selection of authentic Japanese food, art, music, and cultural entertainment.

Missouri Botanical Gardens featured the Japanese Festival on Labor Day weekend.

Missouri Botanical Gardens featured the Japanese Festival on Labor Day weekend. (Emily Wack)

“It’s one of the largest festivals celebrating Japanese cultures in the nation,” said Karen Hagenow, the Public Information Officer for the Botanical Gardens.  “It brings Japanese culture and traditions to the Botanical Gardens and links them to our Japanese Garden.”

This year, in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Botanical Gardens, the festival had several new special additions.

For instance, Bunraku, the traditional form of Japanese puppetry, was presented for the first time at the festival.  Unlike most puppetry, this form of puppetry involves three puppeteers for each puppet, who stand on stage and carefully control the movement of their puppet through an intricate system of levers and rods.  Silently and gracefully, the beautiful ornate puppets tell a story through their movements.

Also, this year marks the fifth year of sumo wrestling for the festival.  As a result, a third sumo wrestler participated in the popular sumo wrestling demonstrations.  The sumo wrestlers, weighing around 300 pounds, explained their experiences and told stories about the nearly 2,000-year-old sport.  They show the technique to their fight, wrestle each other, and then, take on a volunteer from the audience.

The festival also continued to host many of its other popular attractions.  For its sixth year, aikido was presented at the festival.

“Aikido represents Japanese martial arts,” said Howard Tweet, an Aikido instructor.  “It’s a good fit for the Japanese Festival as it reminds us of the ancient Japanese tradition of martial arts.”

Other forms of Japanese martial arts including Judo, Karate, and Kendo were also present at the festival.

Thunderous drums are heard every night at the festival, as the Taiko, Japanese drums, took the stage.  Although once used to scare off approaching armies, the drums are now used to entertain visitors at the festival in a booming presentation.

Many other Japanese activities were at the festival including Japanese cooking demonstrations, ice sculpting, and the Candyman, a Japanese street entertaining who magically makes sweet creations.

In addition, this year the festival had a greater selection of Japanese cuisine ranging from sushi to beef kabobs to green tea ice cream.

The festival attracted people of all ages to come and enjoy these great Japanese traditions and cultures.

Published:

9/11
2009

Posted In:

Sports

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Boys’ Swim team hopeful despite early loss

By Zachary Praiss

Despite losing its first meet to St. Louis University High School (SLUH), the Boys’ varsity swim team remains in very high spirits.  For the first time in over 30 years, the team has 14 swimmers, which brings  excitement and hope for this season and those to come.

The boys’ swim team is almost always moderately small, usually with around 10 swimmers.  However, in boys’ swimming, regardless of the number of students that attend the high school, all teams are placed in one division.  As a result, the team has to compete with large schools with big teams.

“It’s hard to win meets especially against many of the large schools, when we don’t stand a chance,” Coach Wally Lundt said.  “But it will be nice to have enough people this year to fill all the events.”

This year six new freshmen joined the team, many of whom have significant prior swimming experience, some with the Clayton Shaw Park swim team.

“We’ve still have a long way to go,” Lundt said.  “But with lots of new young swimmers, I’m hopeful for this season and future seasons.”

The team will compete at Ladue High School this Saturday, Sept. 12, and at home Tuesday, Sept. 15.