Barton County Circuit Court Judge Charles Curless is among 29 applicants for the vacant position on the Missouri Supreme Court, according to a post on The Source, the blog written by political operative Jeff Roe.
Others on the list include Brenda Talent, wife of former U. S. Senator Jim Talent, Samuel Hais, the big-time lawyer and Blunt contributor, who was appointed to the Missouri Gaming Commission, lawyer Lynn Ewing of Nevada, Judge Patricia Breckinridge, Kansas City (formerly of Nevada)and Missouri Senate Pro Tem Michael Gibbons.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Sale rumor sends Macy's stock soaring
The stock of the parent company of Macy's, one of the anchor stores at Joplin's Northpark Mall, is soaring after Women's Wear Daily reported Wednesday that the company was about to be sold to buyout specialists Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co:
Buyout king Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. is close to reaching a deal to buy Macy's Inc. for $24 billion, Women's Wear Daily reported Wednesday. Both sides declined to comment on the report, but investors greeted the news by bidding up Macy's shares $3.06, or 8%, to $43.09.
Retail industry analysts said the company's tepid performance of late has made it vulnerable to an acquisition. Revenue fell 0.2%, to $5.9 billion, for its fiscal first quarter that ended May 5. Sales at stores open at least a year have slipped for the last three months.
The giant chain, with more than 820 stores nationwide, was forged by Federated Department Stores' 2005 acquisition of May Department Stores. The combined company then converted regional chains — including Robinsons-May in Southern California and Marshall Field's in Chicago — to the Macy's name, with mixed results.
"They wanted to build a national brand, and it wasn't working," said Eli Portnoy, founder of Portnoy Group Inc., a brand marketing consulting firm.
Prayer vigil held for Memorial MIddle School shooter
Organizers of a prayer vigil for Memorial Middle School shooter Thomas Gregory White and his family appeared pleased with the turnout for the event, according to postings on the Juveniles for Justice message board.
Thirty more letters were signed to send to Jasper County Circuit Court Judge David Mouton, who will decide whether the 14-year-old's case will be removed from the adult system and remanded to juvenile court. Eighteen letters had already arrived at the court earlier Wednesday, according to court records.
In a posting on the message board, Rosana Ladik, Joplin said:
White's hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Friday at the Joplin Courts Building. White is charged with two counts of assault and one count each of unlawful use of a weapon, armed criminal action, and attempted escape. He was 13 and a seventh grader at Memorial at the time of the incident. Authorities say White took an assault rifle into the school, fired a shot into the ceiling, then aimed the gun at Principal Steve Gilbreth and pulled the trigger, but the weapon jammed.
Thirty more letters were signed to send to Jasper County Circuit Court Judge David Mouton, who will decide whether the 14-year-old's case will be removed from the adult system and remanded to juvenile court. Eighteen letters had already arrived at the court earlier Wednesday, according to court records.
In a posting on the message board, Rosana Ladik, Joplin said:
Just wanted to let you know the Candlelight Vigil for Thomas was beautiful. I can't say for sure how many were there, because I was in the audience, but, unfortunately, we didn't make 100. Michelle (Pippin, former Joplin Daily reporter who is handling publicity) probably did a head count, but we did get about 30 signed letters and some folks took some saying they knew they could get them signed, so we're hoping for at least 50 signed letters to Judge Mouton by tomorrow afternoon. The water and ice arrived as promised and the music was perfect. The buttons were proudly displayed by everyone there - we did run a little short, but that's good! Everyone there also wore a white "Justice for Thomas White" ribbon.
Michelle did a fabulous job pulling this thing together and getting the details and facts out to the crowd and everyone left with information sheets, resource data and a Timeline Sheet. Hopefully, we now have a base group who actually know the facts and can put some rumors to bed.
White's hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Friday at the Joplin Courts Building. White is charged with two counts of assault and one count each of unlawful use of a weapon, armed criminal action, and attempted escape. He was 13 and a seventh grader at Memorial at the time of the incident. Authorities say White took an assault rifle into the school, fired a shot into the ceiling, then aimed the gun at Principal Steve Gilbreth and pulled the trigger, but the weapon jammed.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Voucher proponents preparing for major push
Over a two-day period in April, lobbyist Travis Brown spent $2,872 entertaining and wining and dining some of the top pro-voucher politicians in the state of Missouri, including Governor Matt Blunt's chief of staff Ed Martin, Speaker Pro Tem (at the time) Carl Bearden, and St. Louis Democrats Theodore Hoskins and Rodney Hubbard.
Though the MIssouri Ethics Commission reports are not specific, they do indicate that Brown treated those politicians, as well as Rep. Kenny Jones, R-California, Rep. Dwight D. Scharnhorst, R-Manchester, Robert Knodell, an aide to Bearden, and Lucy LePage, an aide to Rep. Jane Cunningham, R-Chesterfield, to baseball games on Saturday, April 14, and Sunday, April 15.
The St. Louis Cardinals played the National League Central Division-leading Milwaukee Brewers that weekend, according to the information provided on Brown's April disclosure report filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission.
Cardinal party suites cost $82 per ticket, according to the baseball team's website. On Sunday, April 15, all of the politicians received $164 in entertainment from Brown- the price of two tickets to the Cardinals' party suites.
In those suites, according to the team's website, Budweiser and Bud Light are served starting at 30 minutes before the ballgame and ending in the middle of the eighth inning, meals are catered, and the social area is "climate-controlled."
According to Brown's disclosure report, the only ones who did not receive $164 for entertainment, and $150 for "meals, food, and beverage," were the two assistants and Hubbard. Knodell received $82 for entertainment, apparently, the price of a game ticket, while Ms. LePage received $75 for meals, food and beverage. Hubbard was the top recipient of Brown's gifts, on April 15, receiving $328 for entertainment, and $300 for meals, food, and beverage.
While all of those listed above received Sunday, April 15, contributions, Brown's disclosure form indicates Bearden, Kenny Jones, and the two assistants were the only ones who attended Saturday's game.
All of the gifts came courtesy of the recently-created Missourians for a Better Economy. As I noted in the July 13 Turner Report, despite a lengthy list of clients, during March, April, and May, Brown appeared to be doing most of his lobbying for Missourians for a Better Economy and the Brown Lobby Firm, and from all appearances, both are operated by Brown.
Things became a bit more clear last week when it was announced that Bearden was leaving the House to work with Brown at Pelopidas LLC, a firm which will advocate for issues, with the issue at the top of the list being educational vouchers. On the same day that Brown filed paperwork with the Missouri Ethics Commission to represent Pelopidas, he also officially became the lobbyist for retired billionaire Rex Sinquefield, the principal force behind the Show-Me Institute, which has made vouchers its top priority.
In addition to Brown and Bearden, Pelopidas will be led by Brown's wife, lobbyist Rachel Keller Brown, whose sole client is Advocates for School Choice, a Phoenix, Ariz., organization that does exactly what its name says. Advocates for School Choice is the lobbying arm of the Alliance for School Choice, also based in Phoenix. Before becoming Governor Blunt's chief of staff, Ed Martin was Missouri coordinator for the Alliance for School Choice, as well as being treasurer for the voucher-supporting All Children Matter.
The odd combination of Democrats and Republicans that Brown has been wining and dining over the past few months, has almost exclusively been politicians who have favored educational vouchers and efforts to fund scholarships for students to attend private schools. Many of those politicians have also been the beneficiaries of Sinquefield's generosity, according to Ethics Commission records, including:
-Governor Matt Blunt, $100,000
-Rep. Talibdin El-Amin, D-St. Louis, $40,000
-Sen. Luann Ridgeway, R-Smithville, $40,000
-Rep. Rodney Hubbard, D-St. Louis, $30,000
-Rep. Ted Hoskins, D-St. Louis $10,000
-Sen. Rob Mayer, R-Dexter, $7,500
-Rep. Tim Jones, R-Eureka, $500
-Rep. Jane Cunningham, R-Chesterfield, $5,000 (only her aide received gifts from Brown, according to the Ethics Commission documents)
With the forming of Pelopidas, the growing effort by people such as David Humphreys and Ethelmae Humphreys of TAMKO, Charles Norval Sharpe of CNS Corporation, All Children Matter, and Sinquefield, who appear willing to pay whatever amount it takes to make educational vouchers a reality in Missouri, public schools are in for a battle in 2008.
Though the MIssouri Ethics Commission reports are not specific, they do indicate that Brown treated those politicians, as well as Rep. Kenny Jones, R-California, Rep. Dwight D. Scharnhorst, R-Manchester, Robert Knodell, an aide to Bearden, and Lucy LePage, an aide to Rep. Jane Cunningham, R-Chesterfield, to baseball games on Saturday, April 14, and Sunday, April 15.
The St. Louis Cardinals played the National League Central Division-leading Milwaukee Brewers that weekend, according to the information provided on Brown's April disclosure report filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission.
Cardinal party suites cost $82 per ticket, according to the baseball team's website. On Sunday, April 15, all of the politicians received $164 in entertainment from Brown- the price of two tickets to the Cardinals' party suites.
In those suites, according to the team's website, Budweiser and Bud Light are served starting at 30 minutes before the ballgame and ending in the middle of the eighth inning, meals are catered, and the social area is "climate-controlled."
According to Brown's disclosure report, the only ones who did not receive $164 for entertainment, and $150 for "meals, food, and beverage," were the two assistants and Hubbard. Knodell received $82 for entertainment, apparently, the price of a game ticket, while Ms. LePage received $75 for meals, food and beverage. Hubbard was the top recipient of Brown's gifts, on April 15, receiving $328 for entertainment, and $300 for meals, food, and beverage.
While all of those listed above received Sunday, April 15, contributions, Brown's disclosure form indicates Bearden, Kenny Jones, and the two assistants were the only ones who attended Saturday's game.
All of the gifts came courtesy of the recently-created Missourians for a Better Economy. As I noted in the July 13 Turner Report, despite a lengthy list of clients, during March, April, and May, Brown appeared to be doing most of his lobbying for Missourians for a Better Economy and the Brown Lobby Firm, and from all appearances, both are operated by Brown.
Things became a bit more clear last week when it was announced that Bearden was leaving the House to work with Brown at Pelopidas LLC, a firm which will advocate for issues, with the issue at the top of the list being educational vouchers. On the same day that Brown filed paperwork with the Missouri Ethics Commission to represent Pelopidas, he also officially became the lobbyist for retired billionaire Rex Sinquefield, the principal force behind the Show-Me Institute, which has made vouchers its top priority.
In addition to Brown and Bearden, Pelopidas will be led by Brown's wife, lobbyist Rachel Keller Brown, whose sole client is Advocates for School Choice, a Phoenix, Ariz., organization that does exactly what its name says. Advocates for School Choice is the lobbying arm of the Alliance for School Choice, also based in Phoenix. Before becoming Governor Blunt's chief of staff, Ed Martin was Missouri coordinator for the Alliance for School Choice, as well as being treasurer for the voucher-supporting All Children Matter.
The odd combination of Democrats and Republicans that Brown has been wining and dining over the past few months, has almost exclusively been politicians who have favored educational vouchers and efforts to fund scholarships for students to attend private schools. Many of those politicians have also been the beneficiaries of Sinquefield's generosity, according to Ethics Commission records, including:
-Governor Matt Blunt, $100,000
-Rep. Talibdin El-Amin, D-St. Louis, $40,000
-Sen. Luann Ridgeway, R-Smithville, $40,000
-Rep. Rodney Hubbard, D-St. Louis, $30,000
-Rep. Ted Hoskins, D-St. Louis $10,000
-Sen. Rob Mayer, R-Dexter, $7,500
-Rep. Tim Jones, R-Eureka, $500
-Rep. Jane Cunningham, R-Chesterfield, $5,000 (only her aide received gifts from Brown, according to the Ethics Commission documents)
With the forming of Pelopidas, the growing effort by people such as David Humphreys and Ethelmae Humphreys of TAMKO, Charles Norval Sharpe of CNS Corporation, All Children Matter, and Sinquefield, who appear willing to pay whatever amount it takes to make educational vouchers a reality in Missouri, public schools are in for a battle in 2008.
Turnpike killer freed from Oklahoma prison
Paul Murray, the Turnpike Killer, was freed from an Oklahoma State prison July 4, according to Department of Corrections records.
Murray, 29, and Benji Trammel were responsible for the January 10, 1994, murder of Sheila Mayfield, Jasper. Murray was originally scheduled to be released Oct. 21. No reason for the change in plans was provided on the department website. Murray had been in the Oklahoma State Reformatory in Granite since Sept. 11, 2003.
Mrs. Mayfield, her sister, Shelly Wells, and her grandmother, Velta Ball, were returning from a Miami, Okla., hospital where Sheila and Shelly's mother, Peggy Gordon, was recovering from surgery. They were less than one mile from the Missouri state line when a rock was thrown from the overpass, crashing through the windshield and killing Sheila instantly.
As mentioned in the June 8 2005, Turner Report, two teens were arrested for the murder. One, 15-year-old Benji Trammel, pleaded guilty, was sent to a juvenile correctional facility, was released when he turned 18, and the crime was removed from his record.
More than five years passed before Paul Murray, who was 16 at the time of the murder, finally pleaded guilty to murder in the second degree. He was initially charged with first degree murder after Oklahoma officers found a notebook in his school locker which depicted the same scenario which had claimed Sheila Mayfield's life. Later, the charge was downgraded to second degree murder, to get Murray to enter his plea and to finally bring the case to a close.
Murray entered an Alford plea, meaning he conceded there was enough evidence to convict him, but he was not saying he was actually guilty. As a part of the plea agreement, as The Carthage Press reported in John Hacker's story in the Feb. 2, 1999, issue, Murray's sentence was to be reviewed in 120 days and if he maintained good behavior during that time, his sentence would be reduced from 15 to only five years in prison. He was freed after that four-month period. No five-year sentence, just the four months. Murray was released after four months despite a pre-sentence investigation which said he remained a "danger and a threat to the community and himself."
As of mid-summer 1999, Paul Murray was a free man. His brushes with the law did not end. On March 12, 2002, he pleaded guilty to a public intoxication charge. Four months later, he was stopped and charged with not wearing a seat belt. On March 10, 2003, it was failure to pay child support.Finally, and no information is available from court records as to what ended up sending Murray to prison, it was determined that he had violated the terms of his parole and he was sent to prison.
Murray will remain on probation through May 7, 2013.
SBJ: Mid-Missouri to close mortgage company
Springfield Business Journal just reported that Mid-Missouri Bank has decided to shut down its secondary lending operation, Mid-Missouri Mortgage and shift its operations to the main company.
Officials told the Business Journal that the decision had nothing to do with the investigation into action taken by five former officers at the bank's Joplin branch, Bank President Scott Rosenthal, and Joplin loan officers Chris Couch, Frank McReynolds, Tim Langston and Kayla Muskrat.
Officials told the Business Journal that the decision had nothing to do with the investigation into action taken by five former officers at the bank's Joplin branch, Bank President Scott Rosenthal, and Joplin loan officers Chris Couch, Frank McReynolds, Tim Langston and Kayla Muskrat.
Murder victim's mother hopeful her daughter's killer has been caught
Jo Ann Zywicki, mother of murder victim Tammy Zywicki, is hopeful that her daughter's killer will finally be brought to justice.
In an interview with the LaSalle, Ill. News Tribune, Mrs. Zywicki said that the FBI has been in touch with the police in Nashville, Tenn. where suspected serial killer Bruce Mendenhall was arrested. Mendenhall has already confessed to six murders:
Tammy Zywicki's body was found in Lawrence County about halfway between Joplin and Springfield in 1992.
In an interview with the LaSalle, Ill. News Tribune, Mrs. Zywicki said that the FBI has been in touch with the police in Nashville, Tenn. where suspected serial killer Bruce Mendenhall was arrested. Mendenhall has already confessed to six murders:
"We live with it every day and we’d certainly like to have closure with it," said Zywicki, adding she checks Internet sites, blogs and other media frequently in search of information. She said she keeps track of interstate and truck stop murder cases, and she also continues to study about murderers.
Several times she has had some reason to suspect accused killers in other cases may have had a hand in her daughter’s death, but often they have had alibis or could not have been driving a truck at the time of the killing or they had log books that did not indicate they were in the Illinois Valley at the time of the Aug. 23, 1992, Zywicki kidnapping.
Tammy Zywicki's body was found in Lawrence County about halfway between Joplin and Springfield in 1992.
Gannett's bottom line helped by sale of newspapers to GateHouse Media
Gannett Co. second quarter profits increased 18 percent, thanks in large part to its sale of four newspapers to GateHouse Media.
Gannett's net income was $365.7 million, up from $310.5 million a year earlier. Sales were down 3.4 percent.
GateHouse bought the four newspapers in May for $410 million.
Gannett's net income was $365.7 million, up from $310.5 million a year earlier. Sales were down 3.4 percent.
GateHouse bought the four newspapers in May for $410 million.
CFI purchase triggers increase for Con-way stock
Con-Way Inc.'s stock increased $3 per share Tuesday following its purchase of Joplin-based trucking company CFI.
Con-Way closed at $56 per share.
Con-Way closed at $56 per share.
GateHouse Media stock offering opens today
GateHouse media's public offering of 17 million shares of common stock began today and will last through July 23, according to documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The stock is being offered at $18.45 per share.
The company could make more than $332 million from the sale, which is being underwritten by Goldman, Sachs & Co., Wachovia Capitol Markets, LLC, Morgan Stanley and Co. Inc., Bear, Stearns, and Co. Inc., BMO Capital Markets Corp., Allen and Company, LLC, and Lazard Capital Markets, LLC.
GateHouse Media owns The Carthage Press, Neosho Daily News, Big Nickel, Neosho Post, and Greenfield Vedette in southwest Missouri.
The company could make more than $332 million from the sale, which is being underwritten by Goldman, Sachs & Co., Wachovia Capitol Markets, LLC, Morgan Stanley and Co. Inc., Bear, Stearns, and Co. Inc., BMO Capital Markets Corp., Allen and Company, LLC, and Lazard Capital Markets, LLC.
GateHouse Media owns The Carthage Press, Neosho Daily News, Big Nickel, Neosho Post, and Greenfield Vedette in southwest Missouri.
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