Today I continue my detailed look at the proposed Major League Soccer (MLS) stadium site plan and surroundings. In part 1 I looked at the stadium and practice fields to the south of Market Street. In part 2 I looked at the need for a pedestrian crossing at 21st & Olive, plus ...

Missouri’s Presidential Preference Primary is less than 100 days away, on Tuesday March 10, 2020. We don’t yet know who the Democrats will nominate at the end of their convention in July 2020, in Milwaukee, WI. A number of states aren’t even holding a GOP primary, but Missouri’s GOP primary ...

The St. Louis Board of Aldermen meet at 10am today, their 25th meeting of the 2019-2020 session. As previously noted, they have the first two meetings labeled as Week #1, so they list this as week/meeting 24. Today’s agenda includes eight (8) new bills. B.B.#174 – Muhammad – An ordinance establishing a ...

As a kid in the 70s smoking was everywhere. My parents smoked in our home (though not much) and in the car, patrons smoked in restaurants where we ate, and on television people smoked. It just was. My wake up alarm each morning was my dad’s cough. Born in 1929 ...

Finding decent housing when you’re low income isn’t easy. Recent news reports on conditions at various apartment complexes, all owned by T.E. H. Realty, throughout the region is proof. If people could live elsewhere, they would. One is called Southwest Crossing Apartments, located in the Carondelet neighborhood in South St. ...

We’ve had an indoor smoking ban for a number of years now. For the most part everyone has adjusted. I’m now spending quite a bit of time visiting Siteman Cancer Center, part of the Washington University School of Medicine. Their campuses have been smoke-free since July 2010. The university strictly prohibits all ...

At the end of last month, which happened to be this blog’s 15th anniversary, I also shared that I have kidney cancer.  See 15th Anniversary of UrbanReviewSTL.com; Future Uncertain Due To Cancer Diagnosis.  Since then I’ve met with my cancer team (Oncologist, nurse coordinator, research coordinator, and social worker) twice. ...

In 2015 the Missouri Supreme Court ruled against three municipal traffic camera ordinances — in St. Louis, St. Peter’s, and Moline Acres. The latter two dealt with assessing points or not. St. Louis had been sending red-light tickets to the registered owner of the vehicles that went through a red ...

Local publisher Reedy Press comes out with many great books every year, usually on a specific subject.  For example 2015’s ‘Downtown St. Louis’ by NiNi Harris (a 2nd edition was just released). Today’s book is different, the subjects are varied. The only common element is they’re oddities. Quirky, provocative, awe-inspiring, ...

Last week we heard the city is interested in bringing back red-light cameras: We haven’t seen red-light cameras in St. Louis for a few years, but now the city is considering bringing them back — and the tickets that come with them. “We’re looking for a tool that can help ...

The St. Louis Board of Aldermen meet at 10am today, their 15th meeting of the 2019-2020 session. As previously noted, they have the first two meetings labeled as Week #1, so they list this as week/meeting 23. Today’s agenda includes three (12) new bills. B.B.#171 – Ingrassia – An ordinance prohibiting the ...

Unsurprisingly, the majority of those who voted in the recent non-scientific Sunday Poll prefer to keep the planned cut from 28 to 14 Aldermen. Q: Agree or disagree: St. Louis voters should vote to keep the Board of Aldermen at 28, rather than be reduced to 14 by 2022. Strongly ...

Two weeks ago I began a critical look at the site plan for the proposed Major League Soccer (MLS) stadium with a look at the area to the south of Market Street(see Part 1). This area includes practice fields with parking below, new streets, and development sites that have been ...

St. Louis voters have made some  notoriously bad decisions at the polls — the 1876 “divorce” from St. Louis County topping the list, the 1916 pro-segregation vote a close second. Back in 2012, city voters passed a measure cutting the Wards and Aldermen in half to 14. The measure takes ...

The St. Louis Board of Aldermen meet at 10am today, their 15th meeting of the 2019-2020 session. As previously noted, they have the first two meetings labeled as Week #1, so they list this as week/meeting 22. Today’s agenda includes thirteen (13) new bills. B.B.#155 – Guenther – An Ordinance recommended by ...

During part of my undergraduate days, mid-late 1980s, I worked part-time at Toys “R” Us — I was paid $5.90/hour at the end. I also had a small 401k plan. Not the worst college job. For the top college athletes their sport is their college job. Their scholarship may cover ...

Today is a day to honor veterans of the U.S. armed forces. I never served, but my oldest brother spent 24 years in the Navy (1969-1993). Veterans Day (originally known as Armistice Day) is a federal holiday in the United States observed annually on November 11, for honoring military veterans, ...

No, this blog isn’t becoming a sports blog — but for 15+ years I’ve posted about politics & public policy.  College athletes being compensated, especially those attending state schools, is a part of the public policy dialogue. Recently the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) voted for a major change of policy: ...

The St. Louis Board of Aldermen meet at 10am today, their 15th meeting of the 2019-2020 session. As previously noted, they have the first two meetings labeled as Week #1, so they list this as week/meeting 21. Board Bill 11 is on the perfection calendar — final approval.  If signed by Mayor ...

I thought the recent non-scientific Sunday Poll would at least get the usual number of responses, but it got way less. Q: Agree or disagree: St. Louis’ new background check bill (#106) is a waste of time & money. Strongly agree: 2 [15.38%] Agree: 2 [15.38%] Somewhat agree: 1 [7.69%] Neither agree or disagree: 0 ...