TL;DR
This week in St. Louis: the police board gave Chief Robert Tracy a $110,000 raise to $295,000, a man who escaped from the City Justice Center early Sunday was recaptured hours later in Affton, a Berkeley man admitted to a fraudulent-deed scheme targeting 14 properties, and MetroLink finished its $192 million extension to MidAmerica St. Louis Airport. Also: a competitive St. Louis County Council race in the southwest, tenants pleading for help at the county council, and Chao Baan’s owners refocusing on their family markets. Coming up: the Great Pumpkin Glow in Maplewood (Oct. 22), the Halloween Barnyard Boo Bash at Suson Park (Oct. 23–24), Pirates and Pumpkins at the St. Louis Aquarium (Oct. 24), Boo at the Zoo (through Oct. 30) and Jack’s Lighted Trail at Eckert’s.
St. Louis News This Week
1. Police board gives Chief Robert Tracy a $110,000 raise
The St. Louis police board raised Chief Robert Tracy’s salary by $110,000, bringing it to $295,000 — higher than the chiefs in Chicago, New York or Kansas City. The four-year contract also includes annual 4% raises and a $24,000 yearly pension contribution. Tracy said he was being actively recruited by other cities, and the board called it “a time-sensitive investment in our city’s future.” Mayor Cara Spencer criticized the raise and the way it was negotiated, and the city’s police union called it a disappointment to civilian employees.
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch
2. Jail escapee recaptured in Affton hours after fleeing the City Justice Center
Maurio Thomas, 29, escaped from the St. Louis City Justice Center early Sunday, Oct. 18. He was arrested without incident shortly before 2:30 p.m. near Tesson Ferry Road and Heritage Drive in Affton, about 12 miles from the jail, after a search using drones and license plate reader cameras. Thomas is charged with two counts of burglary and two counts of sodomy in connection with alleged break-ins and assaults at a Carondelet home; those are charges, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch
3. Berkeley man admits fraudulent-deed scheme targeting 14 properties
James Townes Jr., 51, of Berkeley pleaded guilty Thursday to filing forged deeds in an attempt to steal 14 properties across St. Louis, St. Louis County, Spanish Lake, Old Jamestown, Bellefontaine Neighbors, Florissant, Ferguson and Hazelwood. Prosecutors say he and co-defendant Charnay Bartlett used fraudulent notary seals, with intended losses exceeding $1.5 million; some owners had to spend time and money to reclaim their titles. Bartlett pleaded guilty in April and is set to be sentenced in December; Townes faces sentencing in January.
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch
4. Koenig and Osmack vie for an open St. Louis County Council seat
Republican Andrew Koenig, an insurance adjuster from Manchester and a former state lawmaker, and Democrat Mark Osmack, a lobbyist from Valley Park, are competing for the county council seat representing southwestern St. Louis County. The seat is being vacated by GOP Councilman Dennis Hancock, who is running for county executive in the Nov. 3 election, and it has been held by the GOP for decades.
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch
5. MetroLink finishes $192 million extension to MidAmerica St. Louis Airport
Construction is complete on the 5.2-mile MetroLink extension from the Shiloh-Scott Transit Center to MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Mascoutah, Illinois — the system’s first full expansion in about 20 years. The three-part project also included $32 million in roadway improvements and a $6 million, 4.5-mile extension of the MetroBikeLink Trail. Gov. JB Pritzker joined a ribbon-cutting Oct. 5; the new station becomes MetroLink’s 39th, and passenger service is expected to begin in the coming months.
Source: Railway Gazette International
6. Chesterfield family that fled war in Ukraine fears losing medical care for daughter
A Chesterfield family that fled the war in Ukraine — and was severely injured by a drunk driver — is losing work permits and Medicaid coverage amid the federal immigration crackdown, according to the Post-Dispatch. The family fears losing medical care for their daughter.
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch
7. Cardinals’ Masyn Winn, JJ Wetherholt and Michael McGreevy named Gold Glove finalists
Masyn Winn is seeking his second Gold Glove, while JJ Wetherholt and Michael McGreevy were named Gold Glove finalists for the first time in their careers.
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch
8. Second St. Charles official placed on administrative leave
The top human resources official in St. Charles was placed on administrative leave this week — the second such move by the city in recent months. The city has not said why.
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch
9. Tenants plead for help from St. Louis County Council
Renters told the St. Louis County Council about mice, leaks and snakes in their buildings. “No heat all through the winter. Water goes out every two weeks. Electricity goes out every two or three weeks,” one tenant said.
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch
10. After Chao Baan’s closure, Shayn Prapaisilp turns to the family markets
Chao Baan, the Grove restaurant run by Shayn Prapaisilp, closed in late September after six years, citing tariffs and rising fuel, product and insurance costs. Prapaisilp is now focusing on his family’s international grocery stores: Global Foods Market in Kirkwood, founded by his parents in 1999, and United Provisions in the Delmar Loop.
Source: St. Louis Public Radio / NextGen Radio
11. St. Louis food service workers launch a 10-point Bill of Rights campaign
Missouri food service workers launched a statewide campaign for a “Food Service Workers’ Bill of Rights,” calling for standards such as a $25 inflation-adjusted minimum wage, employer-matched retirement plans and paid healthcare. The campaign kicked off with a rally Tuesday, Oct. 13, at Chouteau Park, following a unionization win at Alamo Drafthouse.
Source: News USA (summarizing St. Louis Public Radio)
Events Around Town (Oct. 22–30)
- The Great Pumpkin Glow in Downtown Maplewood, Thu., Oct. 22: trick-or-treating, Halloween music, a pumpkin carving contest and luminary-lit streets downtown. Source: St. Louis Parent
- Halloween Barnyard Boo Bash at Suson Park, Fri.–Sat., Oct. 23–24: hay rides, a bonfire, candy, food trucks and costumed farm animals. Source: St. Louis Parent
- Pirates and Pumpkins Trick or Treat Nights at the St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station, Sat., Oct. 24 and Fri., Oct. 30: walk the plank, dig for buried treasure and make pirate hats. Source: St. Louis Parent
- Boo at the Zoo, select nights through Oct. 30, 5–8:30 p.m.: the Saint Louis Zoo’s non-scary nighttime Halloween experience, with fall decorations, entertainers and several exhibits open. Tickets $16 general, $13 members. Source: Saint Louis Zoo
- Jack’s Lighted Trail at Eckert’s in Belleville: a half-mile illuminated walking trail through the orchards with light displays, themed zones and glowing jack-o-lanterns. Source: St. Louis Parent
- Kirkwood Spooktacular, Wed., Oct. 28: a free costume candy stroll at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center — bring your own bag. Source: St. Louis Parent
Looking for more? Browse our Top 10 St. Louis lists. Event details can change, so confirm with organizers before you go.
