Daily Record (St. Louis, MO/St. Louis Countian) articles from July 2003

Daily Record (St. Louis, MO/St. Louis Countian) archives from July 2003

Commentary: Reader responds to article on $4.1 million railroad verdict.
July 1, 2003... Byline: staff To the editor: I have a few comments regarding the article written by Donna Walter in a mid-May issue entitled "St. Louis Jury Awards $4.1 Million to Railroad Man for Ruptured Disc." Although our firm did not defend that...

Federal Court rules that failure to remove racist graffiti created hostile work environment.
July 1, 2003... Byline: staff An employer's failure to remove graffiti that threatened African-Americans and one of the corporation's employees in particular constituted a hostile work environment for that employee, ruled the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of...

Legalvote.com offers measurement tool for lawyer's case building.
July 2, 2003... Byline: Mike Nixon A common area of frustration for trial lawyers and their clients is the time and expense involved in building a case before it ever gets to the courtroom. Untold man-hours and dollars are spent every year on groundwork...

ABA commission recommends all judges be appointed.
July 2, 2003... Byline: Deborah Fauver The following is a summation of the ABA's 115-page report; all quotations are from the report, which can be found at www.abanet.org. State court judicial systems may be "unparalleled in their capacity to deliver...

Byrne & Jones Construction completes conservation project in northeast St. Louis County.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Erin Piel There are obvious reasons construction companies don't flock to flood plains, but Byrne & Jones Construction Co. recently completed the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area, a more than 4,000-acre project built along a flood...

Poplar Street bridgework expected to cause gridlock in downtown St. Louis.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Mike Nixon The Missouri Department of Transportation has issued a warning that when work begins Monday on the Poplar Street Bridge, commuters crossing the Mississippi River into and from downtown St. Louis, as well as cross...

Master plan for future development controversial topic in Jefferson County.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Erin Piel Most people do not consider county master plans exciting. Their purpose is to provide a broad blueprint for the future development of a county while considering the effects of that development on taxes, education,...

Historic Eads Bridge reopening ties St. Louis's historic past to its anticipated future.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Mike Nixon It is really no surprise that this Independence Day marks the reopening of the Eads Bridge to pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Organizers and construction contractors planned it that way to mark the 129th anniversary...

Stuart Davis remembered as honest, committed Realtor.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Erin Piel Stuart Alan Davis Sr., founder of Blake & Davis Realtors, passed away June 24 at his home in Warren County. Davis was 73 years old. Affectionately known as "Stu" to his friends, Davis was well respected within his...

Missouri Court of Appeals rules child support continues despite National Guard enlistment.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Rebecca Weisser The father of a student whose enrollment in the National Guard delayed his college attendance must continue to pay child support, ruled the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, on Monday. The ruling relied...

Missouri Supreme Court rules bowling shoe rental fees considered taxable.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Donna Walter Fees paid for the rental of bowling shoes are taxable even though bowling alley owners pay sales tax on the shoes at the initial purchase, a divided Missouri Supreme Court said Tuesday. The four-judge majority, in...

The managerial postmortem of the 2003 County Bar softball game.
July 8, 2003... Byline: staff St. Louis County Judges Robert Cohen and Michael Jamison faced off once again as the managers in the annual softball game at the St. Louis County Bar Association's annual picnic in Shaw Park on June 27. Judge Cohen's team won...

Missouri appellate judge retires.
July 10, 2003... Byline: Donna Walter The best word to describe Judge Paul J. Simon is a word he uses often: blessed. He is blessed in his personal life and in his professional life. And even though Simon wouldn't leave the Missouri Court of Appeals...

Musician's suit against union allowed to proceed.
July 10, 2003... Byline: Rebecca Weisser ***** CORRECTION: An article about a lawsuit between a musician and his employers published on the front page of the Thursday July 10 edition carried an erroneous headline. The lawsuit did not involve the...

Paric Corp. completes library project at Webster University.
July 11, 2003... Byline: Erin Piel Paric Corp. recently completed one of the most technologically advanced libraries to emerge on a college campus in the Midwest. The $21 million Emerson Library at Webster University, which is expected to open later this...

McRee Town development begins with relocation of some residents.
July 11, 2003... Byline: Erin Piel Development can be a blessing or a nuisance, depending upon which side of the fence one happens to be on. A major redevelopment project is in the works in McRee Town -- a neighborhood in south St. Louis -- that some...

Fair credit receives mixed levels of support.
July 11, 2003... Byline: Mike Nixon Generally speaking, newly proposed consumer protection additions to the Fair Credit Reporting Act have been well-received among real estate professionals. However, that support comes with varying opinions on what -- if...

Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act reform could promote clarity and competition.
July 11, 2003... Byline: Mike Nixon Experts contend that the common condition of complexity and consternation experienced with home financing and refinancing could be eased in a matter of weeks if Congress makes federal regulatory changes to the Real...

St. Louis City Drug Court has new commissioner.
July 11, 2003... Byline: Erin Piel Beginning next month, the St. Louis City Drug Court will have a new face on the bench -- James E. Sullivan. Sullivan will serve a four-year term as drug court commissioner, and many believe he will be a valuable asset to...

Commentary: Medicare set-aside arrangement to become routine.
July 12, 2003... Byline: Deborah Schaible The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (formally known as Health Care Financing Administration) recently began aggressively enforcing the Medicare Secondary Payer Act when the Government Accounting Office...

KIDS' CHANCE of Missouri elects new officers.
July 12, 2003... Byline: staff KIDS' CHANCE Inc. of Missouri has announced the election of the following officers: president-Robert J. Keefe, Keefe & Griffiths P.C.; president elect-Truman E. Allen, Truman E. Allen P.C.; secretary-Christopher Archer,...

Cole & Associates adds survey crew chief to staff.
July 12, 2003... Byline: staff Roy Vann has joined Cole & Associates as a survey crew chief. Vann will supervise various topographic, construction and land surveying projects. He previously worked as a survey crew chief for Sherrill Associates.

Edward Jones investment rep. designated field trainer.
July 12, 2003... Byline: staff Dave Quayle, an investment representative in the South County office of Edward Jones, has been designated a field trainer. The newly created designation is an unpaid one, in which employees voluntarily train new brokers in...

Rubin, Brown, Gornstein & Co. names new manager in litigation support.
July 12, 2003... Byline: staff Christina M. Solomon, CPA, has been promoted to manager in litigation support and business valuation services at Rubin, Brown, Gornstein & Co. L.L.P. Solomon provides financial consulting to businesses and their legal counsel...

St. Louis office of Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum names new associate.
July 12, 2003... Byline: staff Brandi Tuggle has been promoted to associate in the St. Louis office of Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum Inc. Tuggle is a member of HOK's accounting group and serves as a project accountant for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential...

Helfrey, Simon & Jones P.C. adds associate to staff.
July 12, 2003... Byline: staff Eric R. Coulson has joined Helfrey, Simon & Jones P.C. as an associate attorney in the firm's business litigation practice. His practice will focus on general business or litigation, real estate and construction. Coulson...

Husch & Eppenberger adds associate to staff.
July 12, 2003... Byline: staff Frans J. von Kaenel has joined Husch & Eppenberger L.L.C. as an associate in the firm's land use development and financing practice group. Von Kaenel specializes in real estate transactions and is a member of the American Bar...

Helfrey, Simon & Jones P.C. names director of biz relations--China.
July 12, 2003... Byline: staff Ruby Chen Helfrey has been appointed director of business relations -- China by Helfrey, Simon & Jones P.C. Helfrey, a native of Shanghai, will work to expand the firm's capabilities in China's business community. She has...

St. Louis man appointed to MO Board for Architects.
July 12, 2003... Byline: staff Randall Bay Miltenberger, AIA, was appointed by Gov. Holden to serve a four-year term on the Missouri Board for Architects, Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Landscape Architects. Miltenberger is principal of...

New member appointed to Clayton's City Plan Commission.
July 12, 2003... Byline: staff Gary H. Feder has been appointed to three-year terms to Clayton's City Plan Commission and Architectural Review Board. Feder is past-chair of the Board of Zoning Adjustment for the City of Clayton. He is a past member of the...

St. Louis-based Murphy Co. announces promotion to senior vice pres.
July 14, 2003... Byline: staff Tim Pederson, P.E., has been promoted to senior vice president of sales and estimating at Murphy Co. Pederson will lead Murphy's sales and estimating work and serve as the company's project sponsor primarily on commercial and...

Change of assessment notice for St. Louis County will be published on July 15.
July 14, 2003... Byline: staff On Tuesday, July 15, The Countian will publish a list of 7,528 properties located in St. Louis County that have had their assessments changed by the county assessor, and the recorded owner of the property could not be found....

Evan & Dixon L.L.C. adds associate to workers comp practice.
July 14, 2003... Byline: staff Jason L. Moehlman has joined Evans & Dixon L.L.C. as an associate in its workers compensation practice. Moehlman holds a doctorate of law from Saint Louis University School of Law and a bachelor's degree in criminal justice...

Chief Justice White to focus on expanding nonpartisan court plan.
July 15, 2003... Byline: Donna Walter The new chief justice of the Missouri Supreme Court is excited about the next couple of years. Judge Ronnie L. White, who became chief justice on July 1, has decided to focus on promoting the nonpartisan court plan in...

Change of assessment notice published today.
July 15, 2003... Byline: staff Today The Countian is publishing a list of 7,528 properties located in St. Louis County that have had their assessments changed by the county assessor, and the recorded owner of the property could not be found. This...

Lawsuit over tuition at University of Missouri sent to Supreme Court.
July 16, 2003... Byline: Donna Walter The Missouri Supreme Court will decide whether the University of Missouri violated state law by charging tuition to undergraduate students and whether the law itself violates the Missouri Constitution. The Missouri...

Notification of insurance cancellation not valid due to 30-day grace period.
July 17, 2003... Byline: Donna Walter Oral notification of an insured's intent to cancel an accidental death and dismemberment policy turned out not to have been worth the paper it was written on -- at least not for the insurance company. When J.B....

Sen. Bond receives National Association of Manufacturers award.
July 18, 2003... Byline: Erin Piel Interest groups and trade associations are ever watchful of a legislator's work and voting record, sometimes even more than constituents, and they keep score -- literally. The National Association of Manufacturers is no...

Nonpartisan plan will be tough sell in Jefferson County, Missouri.
July 18, 2003... Byline: Donna Walter Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronnie L. White has a tough job ahead of him if he wants to try to convince lawyers and judges in Jefferson County to adopt the nonpartisan court plan. Of those contacted, most...

Matrix Commons to open this fall in Fenton.
July 18, 2003... Byline: Erin Piel After a busy summer of construction projects, fall is a natural time that many of them open as functional buildings. And Kadean Construction Co. is targeting this fall for the opening of the first of three buildings at...

Nine apply for the position of drug court commissioner, Jefferson County, Mo.
July 18, 2003... Byline: Donna Walter The Jefferson County Circuit Court en banc will interview applicants for the newly created position of drug court commissioner next Friday. The judges also discussed interviewing some of the applicants on Saturday...

Nondisclosure does not negate liability.
July 18, 2003... Byline: Erin Piel Absent disclosure of a corporate principal's agency identity, a third party dealing with the agent may consider the transaction to be with the agent and the agent deemed to have intended to pledge his personal...

Drone & Mueller Interactive adds senior Web designer to staff.
July 19, 2003... Byline: staff Michelle Orr has joined Drone & Mueller Interactive as a senior Web designer. Orr will lead the DMi Web design team in creating business-to-business and corporate Web sites for a variety of clients. She is certified in HTML...

Evans & Dixon announces promotion to senior associate.
July 19, 2003... Byline: staff David P. Mosh has been promoted to senior associate at the Kansas City firm of Evans & Dixon L.L.C. Mosh specializes in representing major insurance carriers and self-insured employers from a variety of industries in workers'...

Rubin, Brown, Gornstein & Co. names new partner-in-charge of IT Group.
July 19, 2003... Byline: staff Diana Rasmussen has been promoted to partner-in-charge of the Information Technology Group at Rubin, Brown, Gornstein & Co. Rasmussen joined RBG&Co. in 1996 and served as director of the IT group for the past three years. She...

Ascent Corp. hires systems engineer.
July 19, 2003... Byline: staff Nathan Kimpel has joined Ascent Corp. as a systems engineer. He will assist in meeting the needs of new clients and providing continued support for existing clients. Prior to joining Ascent, Kimpel worked as director of...

Mathis, Marifian, Richer & Grandy adds principal to firm.
July 19, 2003... Byline: staff Teresa A. Generous has joined the firm of Mathis, Marifian, Richer & Grandy Ltd. as a principal. Gernerous concentrates her practice in the areas of business and commercial law, workouts, bankruptcy reorganization, creditors'...

Behr, McCarter & Potter adds one to staff.
July 19, 2003... Byline: staff Joseph C. Blanner has joined the Clayton law firm of Behr, McCarter & Potter P.C. His practice is concentrated in the areas of civil litigation and municipal law. Blanner graduated from the University of Missouri-St. Louis...

Gov. Holden appoints one to MO Minority Biz Advocacy Commission.
July 19, 2003... Byline: staff Nancy D. Anderson Tayborn has been appointed by Gov. Bob Holden to the Missouri Minority Business Advocacy Commission. She will identify and assess the needs of minority businesses throughout the state, initiate aggressive...

McEagle Development names new vice president.
July 19, 2003... Byline: staff Christopher McKee has joined McEagle Development as vice president. His responsibilities will be to generate new leasing and development opportunities. Prior to joining McEagle, McKee was vice president of sales for...

Lower court's sanctions against bank were overbroad.
July 19, 2003... Byline: Donna Walter Sanctions imposed by the federal trial court in St. Louis against an area bank for untimely and misleading disclosure were overbroad and prevented the bank from having its case heard on the merits, the 8th U.S. Circuit...

Busy schedule ahead for Chief Judge Sullivan.
July 22, 2003... Byline: Erin Piel Three weeks into her term as chief judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, Judge Sherri Sullivan says things so far are going well, despite being kept busy with moving the court to the Old Post Office...

New ABA report stresses consumers' need for improved access to lawyers.
July 23, 2003... Byline: staff The American Bar Association Standing Committee on the Delivery of Legal Services recently released its Report on the Public Hearing on Access to Justice, which suggests that the legal profession change the way it provides...

Transplant association immune from liability in negligence suit.
July 23, 2003... Byline: Donna Walter Organ transplant associations are immune from liability under the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act if they abide by the donor consent forms and their internal policies and procedures, according to the Missouri Court of...

W. Dudley McCarter named best city attorney in Missouri.
July 24, 2003... Byline: staff W. Dudley McCarter a partner of the Clayton law firm of Behr, McCarter & Potter recently received the Lou Czech Award from the Missouri Municipal Attorney's Association, in recognition of his competence, contributions to...

Paralegal course at SCC addresses need.
July 24, 2003... Byline: Erin Piel In the wake of layoffs, corporate buyouts and bankruptcies, many displaced workers are turning to alternative careers and job training as a way to stay ahead of the game. And it's this trend that has the paralegal...

Commentary: Law firm administrators fulfill variety of duties.
July 24, 2003... Byline: Kris Oliveri A law firm consists of many things in addition to having a group of lawyers representing clients, creating documents and being involved in the community. A law firm is computers, secretaries, furniture, toner...

Paralegal demographics for 2003.
July 24, 2003... Byline: Constance Anderson Since 1969, paralegals have added to law firm and corporate profits and client satisfaction. And, in 2003, those benefits continue, only better. Paralegals are well educated, dedicated individuals, who, if...

Commentary: How to do it: Hiring legal assistants pays big dividends.
July 24, 2003... Byline: Vicki Kunz Legal assistants in law firms and corporations are a great business advantage because they are an effective way to get the job done professionally at costs appreciably less than comparable work done by licensed...

Commentary: Difference between paralegal, legal assistant.
July 24, 2003... Byline: Kerry Barnett Job titles do not make a difference, or do they? There is much confusion on what, if any, is the difference between paralegal and legal assistant. Until the confusion is resolved by some official standard, the...

Man who shot hand files third lawsuit against Festus shop that sold firearm.
July 25, 2003... Byline: Cathy Kingsley James Theodoro thinks that the lawsuit filed against One Stop Boat & Motor in Festus lacks ammunition.Ricky Rulo Sr. and Jo Ann Rulo of Cadet filed the lawsuit at the Circuit Court in Jefferson County against the...

Junior Achievement breaks ground for new headquarters in Chesterfield.
July 25, 2003... Byline: Erin Piel Business and community leaders braved the high temperatures and hot sun Monday for the groundbreaking ceremony of Junior Achievement's Dennis and Judy Jones Free Enterprise Center in Chesterfield. When completed, the...

Office space vacancy rate here drops.
July 25, 2003... Byline: Erin Piel While the homebuilding industry may be riding high due to a slow economy that has generated interest rates previously unseen since "I like Ike" was a national slogan, the office and industrial markets have not seen the...

Housing, mortgage outlook offers overall growth indications.
July 25, 2003... Byline: Mike Nixon Economists had their predictions justified last week as long-term interest rates and 30-year fixed mortgages both posted increases. This activity marked what some have called a turn in the domestic financial landscape,...

Refinancing boosts title insurance profits, economic hopes.
July 25, 2003... Byline: Mike Nixon While many businesses continue to work their way through commercial slowdowns, beyond job cuts and out of a recessionary mind-set, examples that money is still moving continues to be seen in the real estate industry. An...

Hearing required to determine if filing of workers' compensation appeal was timely.
July 25, 2003... Byline: Erin Piel An illegible postmark date on an envelope to the Labor and Industrial Relations Commission containing an appeal for workers' compensation benefits requires an evidentiary hearing to determine when the envelope was placed...

Tarlton Corp. designates two as certified professional constructor.
July 26, 2003... Byline: staff Steve Cronin, Lee Burford and Joseph Scarfino of Tarlton Corp. were recently designated certified professional constructor (CPC). Constructor certification is a rigorous two-step qualification process based on experience,...

Evans & Dixon atty. recognized by St. Louis Business Journal.
July 26, 2003... Byline: staff Dana C. Hibbs, an associate at Evans & Dixon L.L.C., was recognized by the St. Louis Business Journal in its annual 30 Under 30 program. The program recognizes young professionals who are making a mark in the St. Louis...

American Equity Mortgage employees raise money in Race for the Cure.
July 26, 2003... Byline: staff Employees of American Equity Mortgage raised $5,656 in the St. Louis and Detroit Race for the Cure events. Pictured are 12 of the 29 participants in the June 14 St. Louis event: Kortney Gonzales, Dorothy Tolish, Becca...

Husch & Eppenberger adds associate attorney to staff.
July 26, 2003... Byline: staff Timothy F. McCurdy has joined Husch & Eppenberger L.L.C. as an associate attorney in the firm's general business litigation practice group. McCurdy concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial litigation, intellectual...

Downtown St. Louis Community Improvement District Board names chairman.
July 26, 2003... Byline: staff John S. Sandberg, of the law firm of Sandberg, Phoenix & von Gontard P.C., has been named chairman of the Downtown St. Louis Community Improvement District Board.

Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum names new associate.
July 26, 2003... Byline: staff Laura E. Linn has been promoted to associate in the St. Louis office of HOK (Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum Inc). She is a member of HOK's architecture group and recently worked as a senior illustrator on the U.S. Department of...

Murphy Co. names new senior VP of sales and marketing.
July 26, 2003... Byline: staff Patrick Murphy Jr. has been promoted to senior vice president of sales and marketing at Murphy Co., the St. Louis area's largest mechanical contractor. Murphy joined the company in 1995 and leads the firm's business...

Citizens National Bank appoints assistant VP.
July 26, 2003... Byline: staff Lynne M. Dicarlo has been appointed to assistant vice president of the mortgage banking department with Citizens National Bank. She joined the bank in 1991 and worked as a mortgage loan processor and assistant manager....

State may use warrant to get blood test.
July 26, 2003... Byline: Donna Walter The state may search the bodily fluids, through blood and urine tests, of individuals suspected of driving while intoxicated if a court issues a search warrant, the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, said...

Merger between Greensfelder and Rosenblum firms called off.
July 26, 2003... Byline: Erin Piel The proposed combination of two prominent St. Louis law firms has been called off. Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale P.C. and Rosenblum, Goldenhersh, Silverstein & Zafft P.C. have discontinued their discussions about the...

Summary judgment not appropriate in stock sale dispute.
July 29, 2003... Byline: Donna Walter A woman who claims she owned 109,000 shares of stock in Kupper Parker Communications Inc. before its 2000 merger with Greenstone Roberts Advertising Inc. will have another opportunity to seek a trial court ruling...

St. Charles County Bar wins annual softball game.
July 30, 2003... Byline: Erin Piel The annual Wrong Side of the River softball game between the St. Charles and St. Louis County bar associations was played Friday evening at C&H Park in St. Peters, after having been delayed a week due to rainy weather....

Bankruptcy case filings go totally electronic this fall.
July 31, 2003... Byline: Emily Umbright Beginning this fall, cases submitted to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Missouri on paper will be rejected. In response to high case volume and accessibility of the Internet, all pleadings must...

LSC delays consolidation of statewide legal services.
July 31, 2003... Byline: Donna Walter Missouri legal aid programs have another year to put in place a statewide legal services program. The Missouri Legal Services Commission was informed last Thursday by Legal Services Corp. that the national corporation...