ST. LOUIS – As middle-class African Americans left the city for a better life elsewhere, young whites moved in for the urban lifestyle. The two factors combined to bring an…
Author: Jim Merkel
southsidemerkel@gmail.com
Born and raised in St. Louis, Jim Merkel covered communities throughout the area from 1991 to 2013 for the old Suburban Journals of Greater St. Louis. He is the author of four books about the Gateway City published by Reedy Press. He and his wife, Lorraine, live in the Bevo Mill neighborhood of south St. Louis. For more about Jim, visit www.jimmerkelthewriter.com.
Demands for mayor's resignation draw worldwide attention
ST. LOUIS – Mayor Lyda Krewson has succeeded in bringing nationwide and worldwide attention to St. Louis, but not the kind she might want. Since she disclosed the names and…
1,000 federal jobs will boost Downtown activity, energy
CITY HALL – A deal with the federal government will enable about 1,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture workers to stay within St. Louis, city officials announced this week. The workers…
Summer movie series first step to opening post-COVID-19 microcinema
BEVO MILL – Keith Watson and Sarah Baraba were busy preparing for opening night in a new bar-minicinema on Gravois Avenue when COVID-19 shut them down. Now they’re trying again,…
'No-knock' warrants bill sparks clashing opinions
CITY HALL – A proposal to ban “no knock” warrants for drug cases brought sharply different opinions at a Board of Aldermen committee meeting this week. A city police officer…
Missouri Democrats blast Haas for Facebook spat with woman
ST. LOUIS – Bill Haas says he was just carrying on a late-night conversation on Facebook Messenger with a woman on Saturday. But the Missouri Democratic Party contends it was…
Democratic nominees win vacant aldermen positions in two wards
ST. LOUIS – Democratic nominees were victorious in two special elections for aldermen Tuesday. In the north side’s Fourth Ward, Democrat Dwinderlin (Dwin) Evans of the 4500 block of Elmbank…
Juneteenth likely to be city holiday starting next year
CITY HALL – Riding on the current momentum toward racial equity, the Board of Aldermen and Mayor Lyda Krewson have taken steps to establish a paid city holiday on June…
Estimate Board takes steps for racial equity
CITY HALL – The city’s chief financial body moved ahead Wednesday on three measures meant to ensure greater racial equity in city police and government. Six years after the Ferguson…
Parking enforcement contract award disputed
CITY HALL – In a sharp rebuke, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch editorialized that St. Louis Treasurer Tishaura Jones gave out a $7 million three-year parking enforcement contract to a major…
Circuit attorney defends her methods to aldermen
CITY HALL – Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner gave a spirited defense of her controversial approach to running her office, in a Board of Aldermen committee meeting last week. “I hear…
Bill would toughen city policy on police use of force
CITY HALL – Board of Aldermen President Lewis Reed wants to make sure that city police can’t use the kind of force that brought on the death of George Floyd.…