Brian Wahby, the Mother of all Candidates

“I’m going to win this race on my merits,” stated Brian Wahby for an article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He was speaking of his run for the post of Treasurer of the City of St. Louis. Written by David Hunn and printed on 2/2/2012, the article was headlined “Treasurer candidates call for Wahby to step down as chair of St. Louis Democrats.”




It seems that rival Democratic candidates for the Treasurers position wanted access to the Voter Action Network (VAN), the party’s database of Democratic voters, and the State Democratic Party said they had to get it by going through Brian Wahby, the chair of the City Democratic Committee.. His rivals feared he might “futz with the data” before handing over the lists.



Absolute silliness! After all, if you can’t trust your local Democratic Party chairman, what politician can you trust?



Anyway, everybody knows Brian - the spawn of the Seventh Ward - is a shoe-in for the post. His victory will be unanimous, as it should be. His merits speak for themselves. Let’s review some of them.



For one, Brian enjoys a national reputation. As a favor, Brian’s election pamphlet carries a picture of President Obama posing with Brian and Brian’s wife and two children. Brian says that President Obama was the one requesting the photo-op, to boost his re-election chances by showing that he associates with the best and the brightest. Brian and his family went out of their way to help President Obama, and they probably didn’t make him beg, either. It shows Brian’s generous nature, his loyalty to his party and his national standing.



The election pamphlet also notes that Brian already has extensive experience as a top official in the Treasurers Office. To quote the pamphlet: “As an assistant in the Treasurer’s Office in the 1990's, he was instrumental in building the Kiel Center Parking Facility downtown and the Schlafly Library and Argyle Parking Garage in the Central West End. After these successes, Wahby left the Treasurer’s Office in 1999 for the private sector.”



He worked tirelessly on many successful projects, of course. One not mentioned in his pamphlet was covered in glowing terms in a Post-Dispatch article dated December 2, 1995 and headlined “Treasurer’s Office Linked to Vote Ploy” and subtitled “Penny Alcott Testifies at Federal Trial.” The article by Tim Bryant follows:



“Penny Alcott said Friday that a top official in the St. Louis treasurer’s office was among those who urged her to become a last-minute spoiler candidate in the 1993 comptroller’s race.



“Alcott told a jury in U.S. District Court that Brian Wahby, executive assistant to Treasurer Larry Williams, provided her the $725 filing fee to become a candidate. She said he later gave her money for personal expenses, such as clothing and health insurance.



“In addition, Wahby was part of the group that pledged to help her after the Democratic primary election in March 1993, Alcott said. ‘They would try to help find me a job and help me out financially,’ she said.



“Alcott testified at the federal trial of Craig Walker, an investment banker from Los Angeles who was a longtime associate of Virvus Jones and a contributor to his campaigns. Jones won the comptroller’s race by a small margin in 1993.



“Wahby, Leslie Bond Jr. and Mark Magas, who became Alcott’s campaign manager, urged her in December 1992 to enter the comptroller’s race, she said. Alcott became a candidate less than two hours before the filing deadline on Dec. 31, 1992.



“‘My intent was to take away votes from James Shrewsbury,’ she said.



“Shrewsbury, D-16 Ward, has claimed that he would have won the election had Alcott not entered the race. Alcott and Shrewsbury are both white. Alcott was expected to siphon off some of Shrewsbury’s white voters.



“Jones got 44,670 votes in 1993; Shrewsbury got 42,661; and Alcott got 3,268.



“Wahby, who was scheduled to get married this weekend, was unavailable for comment. Bond, an executive in the comptroller’s office, has denied doing anything wrong in the 1993 race. He also has said he has cooperated with federal investigators in the case.



“U.S. Attorney Edward L. Dowd Jr declined to say whether charges had been considered against Wahby.



“Alcott and Jones are among five people indicted in June. The federal indictment alleged that the defendants conspired to defraud voters by putting Alcott in the race because Jones was worried that he would lose the election to Shrewsbury. Jones resigned in September after pleading guilty of tax fraud. Alcott pleaded guilty Tuesday of conspiracy to commit mail fraud in the filing of false campaign disclosure reports. Also pleading guilty to a tax charge was Kerry Alexander, a former police officer accused of helping launder money from Jones’ campaign to Alcott.



“Under cross-examination by defense lawyer C. John Pleban, Alcott said Walker, 33, had no role in persuading her to enter the comptroller’s race, nor did he help run her campaign. She said that, if elected, she would have served.”



Wow, that story illustrates Brian’s meritorious work ethic and displays his willingness to build bridges across racial divides and to work with women. In newspaper circles, the article is known as a puff piece, because it throws the spotlight on Brian’s best side. A friend asked Brian about the story, and Brian replied: “It’s not true.” His modesty and willingness to share credit are widely recognized. Those are the personality traits of a dynamic St. Louis leader.



Brian is loyal to Democratic Party candidates, and he works tirelessly to promote them. An example was his endorsement of Rodney Hubbard for State of Missouri senator. The flier we all received in the mail, and which we treasure, was “From the Desk of the Chairman of the St. Louis City Democratic Party Brian Wahby.” Brian wrote: “Rodney is the only candidate that has a real record of legislative accomplishments. He is absolutely committed to improving the lives of people in Saint Louis and throughout Missouri.”



It continued: “His commitment to the Democratic Party and its principle of putting the interests of people over special interests is exceptional. Democrats have a clear choice - Rodney is the progressive candidate for Senator with the experience, vision and courage to effectively represent us in the Missouri Senate.”



Brian was spot on. After Rodney lost the election, Brian’s insight was proven in a December 14, 2010 story in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch headlined “Ethics Commission fines Rodney Hubbard $322,000 for violations.”



Datelined Jefferson City, the lead read: “Former state Senate candidate Rodney Hubbard and his treasurer used various campaign accounts as virtual ATMs, withdrawing thousands of dollars in cash that was not properly recorded, according to orders in three cases made public Tuesday by the Missouri Ethics Commission.”



To quote further: “Two of the cash withdrawals were at Las Vegas casinos, the Flamingo and the Golden Nugget.”



There was a ready explanation. Brian’s protégée pleaded incompetence, claiming that he did not understand accounting. Apparently this explanation had legs, since Rodney’s fine was drastically reduced, and now he is the state director of Democrats for Education Reform - Missouri (DFER - Missouri), serving his party and the rest of us to the best of his abilities, doing to education in Missouri what he formerly did to Missouri election laws.



In his flier endorsing Rodney, modest Brian stated: “As someone who has spent the better part of my life getting Democrats elected to office, I am proud to support”...etc., etc. It is not just empty boasting from Brian that he has played a strong hand in the growth and revival of St. Louis.



Those sterling leaders nudged into power with the help of Brian have brought us Ballpark Village, the Bottle District, the Ice House District, tax breaks for the Cardinals, our declining population and loss of businesses, McGee (“to save St. Louis, first we have to destroy it”), and a spectrum of other triumphs, all benefitting family, cronies, contributors, and what have you, all road markers on the path to a booming St. Louis, to the prosperity we all enjoy today. .



Another of Brian’s merits is that he can be counted on to get the job done. Everybody in the Seventh Ward nodded knowingly in the summer of 2010 when it was revealed that Brian Wahby, chairman of the City Democratic Committee, was to spearhead the local bid to get the Democratic National Convention to come to St. Louis.



According to the St. Louis Post Dispatch (June 30, 2010 story headlined “St. Louis one of four finalists to hold 2012 Democratic Convention” by Jake Wagman), “St. Louis officials say hosting the 2012 Democratic Convention would bring 50,000 delegates, journalists and other visitors to St. Louis - and an economic benefit of $266 million.”



City leadership displayed wisdom and a keen understanding of their people assets by anointing Brian to bring home the bacon. We all knew the convention was as good as in the bag, under his able generalship.



And when something goes awry, Brian isn’t afraid to tell the truth about the reason for the debacle. After the whole national convention pipe dream fell apart, Brian had an insightful explanation: Claire McCaskill ruined everything. Brian went out of his way to mentor Claire, teaching her that there may be copperheads in out state Missouri, but the reptilian city politicians are far more venomous.



Brian is highly intelligent. In fact, he displays traits of a genius. As his campaign pamphlet notes, Brian earned his BS in Public Administration at UM-St. Louis and his MBA at Washington University. Education makes for a well-rounded man. For example, Brian once related that, during his bachelor days and when he was the committeeman of the Seventh Ward Democrats, he signed a lease and moved into a new apartment, only to realize that he had moved outside the boundaries of the Seventh Ward. After a year of enjoying another ward, he re-assumed his post as committeeman after moving back into the ward at the conclusion of his lease.



We should not skip over the biggest 7th Ward contribution by Brian, who has long been involved in the greatest growth engine in St. Louis: the Soulard Mardi Gras.



Everybody has heard Brian remarking that he engineered the morphing of Mardi Gras from a neighborhood event to an industrial money maker for the booze industry and politicians. To monitor all that loose money rolling around, he took control from the Soulard bars and presented it to politicians and Dean Martin wannabes. If you can’t trust that crowd, who can you trust? Word has it that 7th Ward Alderperson Phyllis Young resigned from the MGI board because she did not want to be involved in the mg money which found its way into miscellaneous pockets. But we are sure this is just here say.



Brian, ever generous, shares this Mardi Gras bonanza with others. Before the 2012 Mardi Gras, Brian offered to and provided a number of ward committee persons with free tickets to one of the $100 “all you can drink and eat” tents on Grand Parade day. Residents of city wards who endorsed Brian’s candidacy should ask their committee persons how they enjoyed the drunk. If they did not participate, then they must not be much fun or important. And Brian has keys to the new Mardi Gras offices on Dolman Street in Soulard. He holds his political meetings there. He sure knows how to earn the respect of those who bring so much to Soulard and St. Louis.



It goes without saying that if you believe that the Soulard Mardi Gras is the second biggest mg festival in the nation and a credit to St. Louis, then you believe that Brian Wahby should be our next Treasurer. It is fair to say that if you vote for Brian and if he wins, you are going to get what you deserve.



Of course, not everybody has climbed on Brian’s unstoppable bandwagon. Those pouters on the St. Louis American staff are an example. They say Brian carries a carpetbag full of demerits.



In the May 31 - June 6, 2012 issue of the American, the “Political Eye” writers refer to a television story: “KMOV-TV news reported that Wahby was issued a ticket on June 25, 2011 by the Missouri Highway Patrol for not having a valid driver’s license. Wahby did not have a valid license because of the unpaid parking tickets issued to him when he was working in the Treasurer’s Office. As the headline on the online story read, ‘Candidate for parking meter boss has registration suspended for unpaid parking ticket.’”



Big deal. Who among us hasn’t put a bunch of miles on our vehicles without a driver’s license? Similarly meaningless was a reference in the”Political Eye” column in the May 24 - 30 issue to “Brian ‘my wife works for the mayor and I [have] been snagging consulting contracts from Larry Williams since before Jim Shrewsbury was aldermanic president’ Wahby.” Well, isn’t that the St. Louis way? If you are in charge of grading the playing field, then grade it to suit yourself. After all, everybody knows taxpayer money is for lining politicians pockets.



And in a display of posturing, the “Political Eye” writers in the Dec. 15 - 21 issue comment: “[T]he eye is frankly amazed to hear that Brian Wahby is willing to have his personal and family finances and actions thrown open to the public domain by filing for meaningful elective office...As chairman of the woefully mismanaged city Democratic organization, Wahby permitted all manners of dubious pass-throughs for campaign funds in the era of campaign funding limits...Indeed, one of the contracts awarded by Williams that raised eyebrows in the most recent state audit of the Treasurer’s Office was awarded to Wahby.”



Well, nobody has heard anything from anybody about Wahby demerits, except from the St. Louis American. We doubt if we ever will. Besides, Brian has been criticized by all sorts of people, and all of it just runs off his back. He has a smirk for everybody. All need to get on Brian’s bandwagon, for a better, more honest St. Louis.

Thanks a Bunch, Phyllis

Owners of Soulard bars with 3 a.m. closing licenses are the happiest of people these days, thanks to a gift from Seventh Ward Alderman Phyllis Young. Phyllis eliminated future competition for these late night bars by introduced legislation which would prevent additional 3 a.m. licenses from being granted. The legislation passed the B of A and is sitting on the Mayor’s desk, awaiting his signature, according to Phyllis.

"The alderwoman Phyllis Young, who represents Soulard, says crime has spiked around some of the Soulard bars with 3 a.m. licenses. Her proposal would not allow any new 3 a.m. bars south of Chouteau in Soulard. She says areas around 3 a.m. bars have more smash and grab thefts from cars," reports Lakisha Jackson, whose story titled "New Proposal would limit 3 a.m. bars in Soulard" was posted on the Fox2Now website on March 9, 2012.

Smash and grab? How about a couple of late night murders, stemming from the 3 a.m. license owned by the Social House of Soulard?

The story continues: "Young says most bar patrons in Soulard don’t cause problems but that crime seems to be greater around some clubs with three a-m licenses."

Bob Kraiberg, the Liquor License Commissioner, played this same game a number of years ago. At a Soulard Restoration Group meeting he stood up and rambled about this and that, and then said something to the effect that there are enough bars in Soulard, and he implied that he was not going to permit any more. Those attending were pleased and thanked him. The bar owners were pleased and thanked him, too, because it meant no new competition.

Of course, Bob was just playing to the audience, and more bars settled into the neighborhood.

Like Bob’s self-serving words, Phyllis’ meaningless piece of legislation does nothing to solve Soulard’s crime and bar problems. Her’s is a pretend solution. Just like she is a pretend alderperson. It reveals the bankruptcy of St. Louis leadership.

After the murder of Social House patron James Clavin in January, a Post-Dispatch story dated Jan. 26, 2012 ("St. Louis officials and Soulard nightclub meet after deadly shooting") contained the quote: "‘We’ve had it [Social House of Soulard] on the radar for awhile now," said City Operations Director Sam Dotson." One can only wonder: Did you salvage your radar from the Titanic? Does it need a tune up? Hello? Is anybody there?

The basic question is: Why are these places allowed to open in the first place? After the two murders of Social House customers (Clavin and Gary Patch), this bar/nightclub held a forum to "clear the air." Their lawyer got up on their stage and said, among other things, that because the bar was open late night, the area around the bar was safer, because people were out and about, thereby preventing crime.

What a whopper! Violent criminals don’t hang around the Holly Hills neighborhood, for example, at 2:30 in the morning, because pickings would be slim to nothing. But they sure do love Soulard, where there are always victims - and drunk, too - on the streets in the middle of the night. In fact, we have enough problems with the bars without 3 a.m. licenses.

Thanks to leadership’s inability to understand their job and a lack of any decisive plans - or even a clue, the only thing threatening the prosperity of our Soulard bars is more crime. Phyllis is taking care of new competition.

City Hall and our Alderperson don’t want to rock any boats. Instead, they give criminals a license to do their thing. This approach has backfired before, undermining residential and commercial assets and crushing real estate values. St. Louis should know all about that, but they have forgotten..

Welcoming Oktoberfest

We heard that the Oktoberfest drunk is no longer welcome in Lyon Park, located between A-B and the Defense Mapping Agency south of Soulard. Apparently the Map Factory considered the Oktoberfest to be a "national security" problem, so they cartographed it off their front porch.

This was confirmed by Ninth Ward Alderman Kenneth Ortmann, who said that 2011 was the last year the Oktoberfest event would be allowed to use Lyon Park, and that Organizer/Owner John McKinstry would have to find another location.

One suggestion was that the festival move across the highway and find a new home in Cherokee Park, located in the Benton Park neighborhood. Commented Alderman Ortmann: "Over my dead body."

We sure wish Seventh Ward Alderman Phyllis Young was as forceful in giving the bum’s rush to those whose only intent is to exploit the neighborhood, make a mess and undermine any sense of community. Soulard Farmers Market put up with this pay-for-drunk and its turmoil for many years before Oktoberfest got the boot to Lyon Park two years ago, and Soulard residents have put up with Oktoberfest profiteer John McKinstry and his b.s. ("The only reason we put on Oktoberfest is to help the neighborhood") for the duration of this debacle with its associated trash and violence.

Read the SRG General Membership Meeting minutes for Feb. 1, 2012, under Old Business: "Soulard Oktoberfest has not paid SRG and that group does not currently have funds to pay us. John M invited to March 7 meeting to explain his plans for payment. Board to decide how to move forward."

In other words, McKinstry has not yet paid the SRG their cut for operating a booze booth at the 2011 Oktoberfest. We understand the cut amounts to around $7200. Could McKinstry be claiming that "I can’t pay you because a dingo ate my proceeds?" SRG gets no respect, and they don’t deserve any for being so stupid as to associate with that greedy clown, John M., as they call him. A ship of fools, gladly accepting the mooky end of the stick.

Meanwhile, where is this miserable event going to land? Back to the future at Soulard Farmers Market? In Forest Park? In Mayor Slay’s neighborhood? In the middle of the Mississippi River? Soulard gadfly Paul Kjorlie describes Oktoberfest as "the party that nobody wants," and he seems to have hit the nail on the head.

Addendum: The March 7 SRG meeting was a no show for John McKinstry and his money. Information is that he stiffed other non-profits ("thanks for the free labor, fools") who manned booths. If only we could remember what month Oktoberfest was held, we could calculate how many months have gone by without his paying his bills. Well, we are sure that things will be rectified by the next Oktoberfest. Actually, we plan to attend that one. For the frauleins!

Everything is Okay after Soulard Murder

Well, its back to business as usual here on Happy Island, after the murder of James M. Clavin was put in perspective and to bed, thanks to a Neighborhood Forum on Monday, January 30, sponsored and held at the Social House of Soulard, 1551 S. 7th St.

Inquiring readers may remember that Mr. Clavin ("beloved husband of Lisa Clavin (nee Bentrup), loving father of Henry and Nathan Clavin, dear son of Randy Clavin and Deborah Lietz, dear son-in-law of Robert and JoAnne Bentrup," etc., etc., as per the Kutis Funeral Home) was shot to death around 2:40 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012 in the 1500 block of S. 8th Street, in back of the Social House, which has a closing time of 3 a.m..

There were some calls for reining in the Social House after the murder. It seems that Gary Patch, 40, had been killed in September by a speeding vehicle driven by suspect Emmanuel Sanchez, 27, the result of some parking lot argument, possibly involving Social Club patrons. In addition, the police blotter reveals that there have been dozens of police complaints, responses, etc., stemming from patrons, nearby residents and others at this late closing nightclub. Also, there was extensive reporting of similar troubles at another nightclub, previously known as Lure and now appropriately named Amnesia, apparently owned by the same people but located in downtown St. Louis.

Not to worry, though. In lieu of displaying any leadership or showing any official resolve from City leaders, Soulard was granted this forum, a fulfilling event which settled all the dust.

The forum, scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m., opened with a very fine presentation by a fat faced lawyer representing the club. His basic message was: "shithappens." He went on the explain that the Social House benefits Soulard (and the City of St. Louis and its leadership) and that the objective of the owners was to make an evening at the Social House a pleasant experience. We certainly thank him for that, and we thank the owners for spending their money on a high-priced mouthpiece to present this message. Very impressive. The lawyer’s words were in no way condescending or self-serving. It should be noted that the owners, Aprille Trupiano and Josh Sample (according to the Post-Dispatch), showed their respect for neighborhood residents by not showing up at the forum.

The attorney explained that the Social House had nothing to do with the entire tragedy, taking a load off our minds. Some wag thought: with the record of Social House and Lure, why should we believe anything that comes out of your mouth, but that thought was quickly shelved. We were listening to people who display St. Louis integrity.

Next was a presentation from a friend of the deceased. This friend apparently had been out "partying" with Mr. Clavin that night. He actually got up on the Social House stage and detailed the evening from his perspective. He related that Mr. Clavin was on the street talking with a couple of ladies who had missed their ride home when some other gentlemen wearing masks or what-have-you came around a corner, had a brief conversation with Mr. Clavin, shot him and then scurried off into the night. Thus, the Social House was absolved of any involvement, was the message.

We cherish his words with all our heart, testimony from a close friend who was with Mr. Clavin at the end. If I lost a friend in these circumstances, I wouldn’t be returning to the scene to testify that, well, "except for that, we had a good time" and implying that "sure, I would come back to the Social House with some of my other friends." Thus, we offer our congratulations to this friend, and, as they say, "who needs enemies when you have friends like this?" I think that the Soulard Restoration Group and the City of St. Louis should name this individual an "honorary citizen of Soulard" and give him a bronzed, symbolic key to the neighborhood.

Then there was the testimony of a U.S. Army man, who had medical training. A Social House customer, he said that when he arrived at the side of Mr. Clavin, he recognized that there was nothing he could do. It was told to all that the U.S. Army man had served a couple of tours in Iraq. I think the intended message was that everything was done to help the dying and in a patriotic way, too. Missing was somebody waving the American flag on behalf of the Social House and a rousing rendition of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" to support the Constitutional right of the Social House to run a raucous establishment, and the community be damned.

So we left, secure in the knowledge that the Social House was up and coming and that the City of St. Louis blessed this fine charade instead of doing anything substantive.

Post Script: It should be recorded that placid-faced Bob Kraiberg, City of St. Louis Liquor License Commissioner, was there, as was cherubic Brian Wahby, head of the City Democratic Committee, who worked the crowd and passed out cards advertising himself and his run for Treasurer of the City of St. Louis. Alderperson Phyllis Young was out of town, conveniently. End of adventure. Problem solved.
　
　

Our Fab Pub Crawl Scene

Imagine our surprise when we received an e-mail titled "First Annual Gleaming Toothfairies Pub Crawl to benefit Give Kids a Smile taking place July 16 in Soulard."

From Pamela Powell, The Hauser Group, Inc., 515 Olive Street, Ste. 1204, St. Louis, MO 63101, the e-mail stated: "I just wanted to send this to you as an FYI. Thanks so much."

The accompanying press release stated in part: "This new event represents another unique way for us to spread the word about Give Kids a Smile and raise critical funds to help the organization continue its work to provide quality dental care to area children that need it most," said Joan Allen, executive Director of Give Kids a Smile. "We encourage area residents to take advantage of this opportunity to have lots of fun for a good cause."

This drinking event will begin at the Great Grizzly Bear and it will "send participants on a day-long tour of six Soulard-area bars." T-shirts, appetizers, prizes, etc., are all part of this enticing deal. Apparently, Give Kids a Smile is headquartered in St. Charles.

Our first reaction was: why don’t these ass holes hold this event in their own neighborhood ("Oh, I wouldn’t live in a neighborhood with so many bars. Bars attract the lowest common denominator of people.")? What did the residents of Soulard ever do to these organizations that they inflict us with another damn institutionally sponsored drunk?

It looks pretty hollow to us. We recall the story told to us by a friend. One of her female relatives owned and ran a bar in Illinois. She had a crew of regulars, who expressed undying love for her and her bar. In contemplation of selling the bar and retiring, she asked her regulars if they would visit her at her home. They all said yes, of course, so she installed a number of concrete benches and tables in her yard to provide seating for these friends. Well, she finally retired, and - guess what - her friends from the bar never, ever paid her a visit. She failed to recognize that it was not about socializing or friendship. It was about booze.

This "new event" is sort of like in those old Mickey Rooney movies, where Mickey stands up and says: "Let’s put on a show for the gang," followed by singing and dancing. In this case, GKAS and their pr outfit stand up and say: "Let’s put on a cheap drunk, and maybe we can make some bucks out of it." followed by another group of slobs further undermining the residential assets of Soulard, making noise, littering and carrying on. It is all about the booze.

Is this what GKAS is about? Offer them an excuse to drink, and they will come. Is The Hauser Group hankering after some kind of public relations award for creativity? Do these people think that a bunch of drunks care about their objectives?

Our city politicians obviously do not care about the residential assets of Soulard. They boost Mardi Gras and every other noisy, destructive, dangerous and drinking-oriented festival that wants to exploit the neighborhood, all in the name of making the City of St. Louis more cosmopolitan and prosperous (that’ll be the day). The bars in Soulard could care less about the neighborhood, focusing on attracting every boorish, disrespectful person for miles around. The Soulard Restoration Group, the neighborhood organization, cannot stand on its own two feet, although it pretends that it speaks for neighborhood residents and their best interests. Now we have charitable organizations hopping on the bandwagon.

Our question: are GKAS and The Hauser Group, Inc. as hollow as their fund raiser?
　
　

We Lost our Precious Oktoberfest

Among the sacrifices Soulard residents made in 2010 was suffering the relocation of Soulard Oktoberfest to Lyons Park, down the landscape from the A-B campus. After years of having this "event" in the Soulard Market Park, complete with trash, noise, overcrowding, shopping disruptions, etc., it was moved elsewhere.

Our hard working alderperson, Phyllis Young, did this. Thank you, Phyllis. Now they can call it Lyons Park Oktoberfest or A-B Oktoberfest or whatever.

If they change the name, then maybe we will not have to listen to McKinstry carping about how much money he loses each year by putting on Oktoberfest and how he only does it to benefit Soulard, not his own pocketbook.

Meanwhile, hey, A-B, how do you like people urinating your product (and your competitors products) on your fence and trashing the perimeter of your campus on their way out? Inquiring readers want to know. How does it feel to play second fiddle to some erzatz "neighborhood" festival? Remember, if there is something you don’t like, just talk to McKinstry. He is always full of promises.

Pictured is what appears to be a partially eaten turkey leg and a dead man on the A-B perimeter fence, compliments of the Oktoberfest crowd, shot the morning after. It took years for Phyllis to get that mess out of Soulard. Good luck, A-B. You get what you deserve.

After Action Report: Soulard Mardi Gras 2011

Well, we survived the March 5, 2011 Soulard Mardi Gras Grand Parade day. A miracle! Remember, the parade (dominated by truck floats) doesn’t celebrate some ethnic or religious tradition. Instead, it is the kicking off point for what mg organizers wait for, the harvesting of money from the drunks.

This is the festival that celebrates how much people are willing to spend to self-medicate, how much people will pour into Soulard businesses, which pretend to be part of a neighborhood supported event. Why would we support this debacle? All it does is trash the neighborhood and teach people to disrespect our residential assets.

Reports are that attendance was down this year, a key element contributing to our survival.
We would like to think that any decline is from people recognizing that Soulard mg is just a money grab. Look at the prices for booze. The prices certainly didn’t go down.

Unfortunately, the real reason for any decline was the weather, which did not cooperate. The temps never got over 39, and there was a wicked wind and an overcast sky.

But give us some good weather, and mg will come roaring back. After all, the City of St. Louis is completely behind this destructive, imitation celebration.

Witness the Mayor’s Mardi Gras Ball, held Friday, March 4 at City Hall. As a warmup for Grand Parade day, we were treated to pictures of our delusional mayor, prancing about in his blue batman cape as the head of the Krewe of Inept and Clueless Weasels. He can posture for Mardi Gras, but he can’t grow St. Louis out of its dwindling population. He can promote Mardi Gras to drunks, but he can’t sell St. Louis to the Democratic National Committee as a convention site. Etcetera and so forth. The easier path beckons to those challenged by a mental hernia.

Other than watching City Hall antics, another amusing facet of the Soulard mg are the follow-up postings on Craigslist - Lost and Found. "I lost my set of keys at Soulard Mardi Gras," says one. "I just want my Mardi Gras pictures. You can have my camera!! I just want my memories," whines another. Must have been blind drunk.

"I lost my phone at Mardi Gras...And to be honest...since you were asking people on my contact list what they were wearing at midnight...I don’t want your creepy ass to have my pictures...," cryptically remarks another bird brain. You can be sure whoever now possesses the phone will return it.

"Lost a set of keys at Mardi Gras...I’m a student and need to get back to Chicago today. Call Patrick," yada, yada. We sure hope all these revoltoes make it back to mg next year, after they are reunited with their missing stuff. They are so welcome.