St. Charles County Business Record, MO articles from August 2007

St. Charles County Business Record, MO archives from August 2007

St. Louis boasts seven top labor management attorneys.
August 1, 2007... Byline: James Goodwin Seven local lawyers were recently named among the top U.S. attorneys in labor law, a shrinking specialty because of the diminished power of unions nationwide. Labor Relations Institute Inc., an anti-union consulting...

St. Louis-based A.G. Edwards & Sons Inc. loses dismissal in fraud case.
August 1, 2007... Byline: Allison Retka A class-action fraud case against St. Louis-based A.G. Edwards & Sons Inc. will move forward in state court after a judge denied the company's motion to dismiss last Friday. The investment company faces a potential...

Commentary: Blunt's choice sets up possibilities for judicial battle.
August 1, 2007... Byline: Will Connaghan Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt stands at a crossroads in his term as governor. The Appellate Judicial Commission delivered a three-person panel to him last week for the opening on the Missouri Supreme Court created by the...

Missouri Sen. Chris Koster switches from Republican to Democratic Party.
August 2, 2007... Byline: Scott Lauck Denouncing the "extremist agenda" of state Republicans, state Sen. Chris Koster announced Wednesday that he had switched to the Democratic Party. Koster, an attorney and former prosecutor from Harrisonville, south of...

Study gives Missouri's Second Injury Fund slight breathing room.
August 2, 2007... Byline: Scott Lauck An independent actuarial review of the state's Second Injury Fund found that the fund will go insolvent in 2009 -- about a year later than previously projected but still too close for policymakers' comfort. According to...

Estate representatives given some discretion.
August 2, 2007... Byline: Donna Walter When Josh Hancock's father filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Mike Shannon's Steak and Seafood and others in May, he said he was obliged to do so as administrator of the Cardinal pitcher's estate. Dean Hancock...

St. Louis-based Enterprise Rent-A-Car wraps up Vanguard purchase.
August 2, 2007... Byline: Heather Cole St. Louis-based Enterprise Rent-A-Car completed its purchase of Vanguard Car Rental on Wednesday, a deal that includes the National and Alamo car rental brands and raises Enterprise's revenue to $11.7 billion per year....

Ann Covington returns to Bryan Cave St. Louis office.
August 2, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff Former Missouri Supreme Court Justice Ann Covington has un-retired, going back to work at Bryan Cave as of counsel a year after she left the firm. Covington was a partner at Bryan Cave for five years, starting...

State administering tickets for St. Louis County.
August 2, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff Drivers who pick up traffic tickets in St. Louis County now will send their guilty pleas and fees to the Missouri Fine Collection Center. The state-run collection center also will process tickets that drivers...

Commentary: Judges and voters deserve better than Web site offering.
August 3, 2007... Byline: Will Connaghan Judges in Missouri have been under the gun the past few years. What with political attacks and poor compensation, the position of judge has lost some of its shine. Well, you can now add a national judicial survey Web...

Mo.-based Armstrong Teasdale hires Jeanne Roberts.
August 3, 2007... Byline: St. Louis Daily Record Staff Armstrong Teasdale has hired real estate and entertainment attorney Jeanne Roberts, formerly with Gallop Johnson & Neuman. Roberts' practice includes the representation of various public and private...

Talmage E. Newton IV joins St. Louis-based Evans & Dixon.
August 3, 2007... Byline: St. Louis Daily Record Staff Talmage E. Newton IV has joined the civil defense practice group of Evans & Dixon as an associate. Newton is licensed to practice in Missouri, the U.S. District Court Eastern District of Missouri and the...

Patrick Murphy graduates from Clayton Chamber of Commerce's leadership program.
August 3, 2007... Byline: St. Louis Daily Record Staff Danna McKitrick attorney Patrick Murphy is one of 17 people in the graduating class of the Clayton Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Clayton 2007 program. He is the fifth attorney in the firm to...

St. Louis Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale hires diversity director.
August 3, 2007... Byline: St. Louis Daily Record Staff J. Danielle Carr has joined the law firm of Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale as director of professional development and inclusion. In the newly created position, Carr will be responsible for all activities...

Cole County judge considers midwife challenge.
August 3, 2007... Byline: Scott Lauck A Cole County judge heard arguments Thursday in a case that could overturn a state law allowing the practice of midwifery. Attorneys on behalf of the Missouri State Medical Association and other doctors' groups said...

Missouri Supreme Court finalists under the microscope.
August 3, 2007... Byline: Donna Walter Besides her presumed political leanings, Missouri Court of Appeals Judge Nannette Baker might face another hurdle in her attempt to join the Missouri Supreme Court - her status as a personal injury plaintiff. On...

Erika Labelle joins St. Louis office of Bryan Cave.
August 3, 2007... Byline: St. Louis Daily Record Staff Erika Labelle has joined the international law firm Bryan Cave as an associate in the St. Louis office. Labelle will join the firm's tax advice and controversy client service group. Last month, she...

St. Charles County home builders, suppliers shouldering weight of housing slow down.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Kathleen T. Brady The weight of the housing slow down in St. Charles County is being shouldered by home builders and suppliers alike. Many home builders in the county have been making layoffs and land inventory reductions to cut...

Legal struggle with city of O'Fallon keeps Davis Street Land project in limbo.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Kathleen T. Brady Attorney Jess Ullom was hoping he wouldn't have to go to court on Thursday to argue for summary judgment for his case. He expected the city of O'Fallon would work out a deal with his client, Davis Street Land Co....

Question remains: Should developers police illegal workers in St. Louis area.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Mike Trask The same question is always asked whenever there are allegations that a developer has employed illegal immigrant workers. Who is responsible for policing this situation? News surfaced last week that local and state...

Q&A with Debra Alessi, partner at St. Charles law firm.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Wm. Stage She didn't think she needed entrepreneurial skills when she dreamt of becoming an attorney one day, however, Debra Alessi, partner at the St. Charles law firm of Shea, Kohl, Alessi & O'Donnell, can appreciate the business...

St. Charles-based LMI Aerospace completes D3 Technologies acquisition.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff St. Charles-based LMI Aerospace Inc. has completed its acquisition of San Diego-based D3 Technologies Inc., a design and engineering services firm. The purchase price of $65 million in cash was funded with...

St. Charles-based Westar Aerospace gets Army contract.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff The U.S. Army has awarded to St. Charles County-based Westar Aerospace & Defense Group Inc. a five-year contract to continue supporting the upgrade and fielding of the Apache Block III Attack Helicopter....

Mid Rivers attracts Dick's Sporting Goods.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff Westfield Mid Rivers said construction of a 50,000-square-foot Dick's Sporting Goods store is scheduled to start soon and should be completed by summer 2008. The store will be built on the upper level of the...

O'Fallon-based Blue Ribbon develops Winfield Plaza.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff O'Fallon-based Blue Ribbon Development recently completed Winfield Plaza, a 43,636-square-foot retail and business center located at the corner of Highway 47 and Old Troy Road in Winfield. Hickman's IGA is the...

St. Charles Steak-Out honored.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff The Steak-Out Char-Broiled Delivery franchise has presented its St. Charles store's owners with its Silver Service Award. The store is owned by Rich and Kim Hollingsworth and located at 1456 Bass Pro Drive in...

St. Charles lists business applications.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff The St. Charles Economic Development Department says the following businesses applied in July for licenses to operate in the city: * Bonnidell's Ice Cream, 3242 Rue Royale (314-852-7337); * CC Auto Sales Inc.,...

Commerce Bancshares declares 25 cent dividend.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff Commerce Bancshares Inc. has approved a quarterly dividend of 25 cents per common share. The bank also recently announced the election of Dan Simons to its board of directors. Simons is president of the...

St. Charles-area ribbon-cutting ceremonies held.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff Cardinal Ritter Senior Services, in cooperation with the parish of St. Robert Bellarmine, last month celebrated the opening of a senior adult day program with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The program is held in...

QuikTrip Corp. donates to Youth In Need of St. Charles.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff QuikTrip Corp. recently donated $13,600 to Youth In Need's Project Safe Place, a crisis prevention program for children and teens. When a child is in need of immediate assistance, Safe Place sites act as a...

Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources sets meeting at Cuivre River.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff The Missouri Department of Natural Resources will hold an informational meeting and open house to discuss issues related to Cuivre River State Park near Troy. The Aug. 11 meeting will start at 2 p.m. and last...

SSM St. Charles Clinic adds to staff.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff SSM St. Charles Clinic Medical Group recently announced the addition of two medical professionals. Dr. Tysen J. Petre, whose office is located at 1101 Highway K in O'Fallon, joined the group's family medicine...

Scott Kerns joins St. Charles home builder Manlin Homes.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff St. Charles home builder Manlin Homes has hired Scott Kerns as project manager. Kerns will supervise the development of five Manlin communities currently under construction. Manlin said Kerns has previous...

Terry Praechter joins Premier Bank in St. Peters.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff Premier Bank has hired Terry Praechter as senior residential mortgage lender. Praechter will work the bank's branch in St. Peters where she will originate conventional and government real estate loans, Premier...

Jodi Baldwin named V.P. at Midwest Bankcentre's WingHaven branch.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff Jodi Baldwin has joined Midwest BankCentre as assistant vice president of commercial lending at the bank's WingHaven branch. The bank said Baldwin, of St. Charles, is responsible for developing new business...

St. Charles Community College's John M. McGuire joins Great Rivers' board.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff Great Rivers Greenway District has appointed St. Charles Community College President John M McGuire to its board of directors. The board is comprised of 10 members: three from St. Louis City, five from St....

St. Charles County's BCI Foundation elects new officers.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff The BCI Foundation recently elected new officers for its board of directors. Matt Fairless, an attorney with St. Charles-based Hazelwood & Weber LLC., was elected president; Mike Weeks, an attorney with Rudy...

Wayne Houk, Cathy Stuetzer join St. Charles office of Brown Smith Wallace.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff Wayne Houk has joined the St. Charles office of Brown Smith Wallace as a staff accountant. Houk, of St. Charles, will complete tax returns and financial statements for clients. He began at the company last fall...

Suit challenges designation of illiteracy in St. Louis as a disability.
August 7, 2007... Byline: Donna Walter Illiteracy is not a disability under the Americans With Disabilities Act, so a former Normandy School District groundskeeper fired for not being able to read should not be allowed to pursue his disability...

Allstate must pay $1M to insured St. Charles man in defamation case.
August 7, 2007... Byline: Allison Retka To earn the hefty $1 million verdict he received Friday from a St. Louis jury, a St. Charles man had to prove his homeowner's insurance company ruined his reputation in a letter denying his claim. John Johnson, a...

Payday lender sued in Cole County Circuit Court.
August 7, 2007... Byline: James Goodwin A St. Louis County resident sued payday lender Advance America, Cash Advance Centers Inc. on Monday in Cole County Circuit Court. Cynthia Williams claims in her class-action suit that the Spartanburg, S.C.-based...

Missouri Supreme Court rules suit may proceed against Westin.
August 8, 2007... Byline: Donna Walter A Westin Hotel employee involved in a car accident with another hotel employee may pursue his personal injury lawsuit against the hotel and his co-worker, the Missouri Supreme Court said Tuesday. The ruling disagrees...

St. Louis woman admits to embezzlement.
August 8, 2007... Byline: St. Charles County Business Record Staff A former employee of Cardinal Ritter Senior Services has pleaded guilty to embezzling $169,000 from the nonprofit group - money intended for seniors and disabled adults. Marie Allen, 54, of...

'Hellhole' in Missouri changes its rules and its image.
August 8, 2007... Byline: Tom Herrmann A little more than two years ago, President Bush chose Illinois' Madison County Courthouse as a place so desperately in need of tort reform that he came to the St. Louis suburb to sign the federal Class Action Fairness...

Mo. Supreme Court rules fired police captain will get trial.
August 8, 2007... Byline: Allison Retka A tape-recorded conversation with a supervisor about his firing earned a former Maryland Heights police captain his day in court on an age-discrimination claim. The Missouri Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that Douglas...

Lembke demands openness from Mo. Appellate Judicial Commission.
August 8, 2007... Byline: Scott Lauck A state representative who largely controls the judiciary's budget on Tuesday accused the Appellate Judicial Commission of violating the state's Sunshine Law and vowed to file a bill next year to make the body's...

Candidates sought for vacancy on Mo. Court of Appeals Eastern District.
August 8, 2007... Byline: St. Charles County Business Record Staff The Appellate Judicial Commission is accepting applications for the position of judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals Eastern District to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge...

Hepler Broom adds three partners to St. Louis office.
August 9, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff Hepler Broom has added John McCollough, Michael Becker and David Kowert as partners in the firm's St. Louis office. McCollough's practice area is litigation, where he focuses on the defense of trucking and...

Commentary: ABA hits home run with award.
August 9, 2007... Byline: Will Connaghan A real American hero will be honored today in San Francisco and it doesn't involve anyone breaking the major league home run record. The American Bar Association Standing Committee on Governmental Affairs will honor...

8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denies killer's retrial request.
August 9, 2007... Byline: Donna Walter Convicted killer Michael Taylor was denied Wednesday his request for another hearing by either the full 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals or the three-judge panel that ruled against him in June. The court rejected the...

Ann Covington returns to Bryan Cave's Jefferson City office.
August 9, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff Ann Covington has returned to the international law firm Bryan Cave in the firm's Jefferson City office. Covington joins Bryan Cave's appellate and commercial litigation client service groups as of counsel....

Cole County judge tosses law allowing midwives.
August 9, 2007... Byline: Kelly Wiese A Cole County judge has thrown out a law that would have allowed lay midwives to practice in Missouri. The Missouri State Medical Association and other medical groups filed suit challenging the law in late June,...

Greensfelder, Hemker adds two associates to health care practice group.
August 9, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff The law firm of Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale has added two associates to its health care practice group. Michael W. Strahan represents hospitals, health systems, physician groups, and individual and ancillary...

Appeals court denies killer's retrial request.
August 9, 2007... Byline: Donna Walter Convicted killer Michael Taylor was denied Wednesday his request for another hearing by either the full 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals or the three-judge panel that ruled against him in June. The court rejected the...

Cole County judge tosses law allowing midwives.
August 9, 2007... Byline: Kelly Wiese A Cole County judge has thrown out a law that would have allowed lay midwives to practice in Missouri. The Missouri State Medical Association and other medical groups filed suit challenging the law in late June,...

SLU sues former director over theft of trade secrets.
August 9, 2007... Byline: Donna Walter Saint Louis University is accusing the former director of cardiac anesthesiology of its medical center with stealing trade secrets. Dr. Dharmender Chandhok, who worked at the center for four years, took with him, when...

Appellate Commission offers its side.
August 9, 2007... Byline: Richard E. McLeod To the Citizens of Missouri: The Appellate Judicial Commission understands that certain politicians and others have made public statements raising questions about the commission's recent process of nominating...

Missouri state lawmaker pleads guilty to visa fraud.
August 10, 2007... Byline: Kelly Wiese A state representative who is an immigration attorney pleaded guilty Thursday to felony fraud charges stemming from a scheme to get work visas for some clients. The U.S. attorney's office in St. Louis announced that...

American Bar Association tweaking records proposal.
August 10, 2007... Byline: Allison Retka and Kelly Wiese An American Bar Association committee is fine-tuning a proposal that would urge government authorities to seal certain criminal records from the public eye. The measure tries to expand opportunities...

Seven IP lawyers join St. Louis-based Armstrong Teasdale.
August 10, 2007... Byline: Heather Cole In the latest round of intellectual property attorney musical chairs, seven patent lawyers have landed seats at Armstrong Teasdale. The group, led by partner Christopher Goff, exited St. Louis boutique firm Senniger...

Commentary: Adequacy lawsuits emphasize money rather than better education.
August 10, 2007... Byline: Kathleen Navin As part of a growing trend seen across the United States, several school districts in Missouri continue to perform poorly, failing to prepare students for higher education. Following the St. Louis Public Schools'...

Commentary: Students deserve equal quality school system, no matter their location.
August 10, 2007... Byline: Tyler W. Laney Maybe I was a poor English and social studies student. Article IX, Section 1(a) of Missouri's Constitution states: "A general diffusion of knowledge and intelligence being essential to the preservation of the rights...

Maurices donates $500 to Crisis Nursery St. Charles.
August 11, 2007... Byline: St. Charles County Business Record Staff Maurices, a specialty retail store, wanted to celebrate its anniversary by awarding $500 to a local nonprofit organization. Customers were allowed to vote which charity the check should be...

Patrick Shallow golf tournament benefits Siteman Center at Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital.(Obituary)
August 11, 2007... Byline: St. Charles County Business Record Staff A check for $8,300 was presented to the Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital in July in memory of Patrick Shallow, a St. Charles native who died at age 27 in 2001 of...

YMCA project in Wentzville progresses with Demien donation.
August 13, 2007... Byline: Mike Trask There are many ways to measure a community's growth. Some residents may think their community has finally arrived when a Wal-Mart or other big-box retailer locates there. Others may count the number of new homes. But one...

St. Charles Business Briefs: August 13, 2007.
August 13, 2007... Byline: Mike Trask Ameristar Casinos Inc. is appealing portions of its tax assessment, most of it regarding the gambling operator's new construction including the new hotel, conference center and parking garage, according to St. Charles...

St. Charles-based LMI Aerospace's profit dips.
August 13, 2007... Byline: St. Charles County Business Record Staff St. Charles-based LMI Aerospace Inc. saw its net income fall for the second quarter of this year, in large part because of LMI's investment in capital items and employees needed to support...

Missouri's Augusta and Montelle Wineries receive awards.
August 13, 2007... Byline: St. Charles County Business Record Staff The Augusta and Montelle Wineries walked away with trophies and bragging rights from the 2007 Governor's Cup Award. Augusta's 2004 Estate Bottled Chambourcin won for best dry red and its...

St. Charles County gets finance award for budget.
August 13, 2007... Byline: St. Charles County Business Record Staff The St. Charles County government recently announced it received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association for meeting "the highest...

St. Charles County ribbon-cuttings held.
August 13, 2007... Byline: St. Charles County Business Record Staff St. Charles Patsy and Rob Bruner opened their new beauty school, Academy of Beauty, with help from the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce in July. The school is located at 5065 Highway N in...

St. Charles-based BCI gets new officers.
August 13, 2007... Byline: St. Charles County Business Record Staff BCI, a St. Charles County-based nonprofit that provides employment opportunities for people with mental and physical disabilities, has new officers for its board of directors. The new...

Dr. Mike Matschiner joins SSM Clinic in O'Fallon.
August 13, 2007... Byline: St. Charles County Business Record Staff The SSM St. Charles Clinic Medical Group has hired certified nurse practitioner Dawn Matschiner to work under the supervision of Dr. Mike Hammersmeier and his partners in the Medical Group's...

Exec. director of St. Charles Community College Foundation gets fundraising recertification.
August 13, 2007... Byline: St. Charles County Business Record Staff Edie P. Kirk, executive director of the St. Charles Community College Foundation, has been recertified as a Certified Fund Raising Executive. More than 5,000 professionals hold the CFRE...

More hotels planned for St. Charles County.
August 13, 2007... Byline: Mike Trask Aside from widely fluctuating stock markets, the current slump in the housing market has dominated business headlines in recent days. However, there appears to be no slowdown as regards the development of hotels -- at...

Police consider attempted robbery in deadly shooting in St. Louis.
August 14, 2007... Byline: Donna Walter Police suspect that a man who represented immigrants through Legal Services of Eastern Missouri was shot and killed Saturday in an attempted robbery. Dan Horkheimer, 29, was working in front of his north St. Louis...

Senator asks Missouri's attorney general to review judicial commission.
August 14, 2007... Byline: Allison Retka The No. 2 Republican in the state Senate wants Missouri's attorney general to investigate the closed-meeting practices of the commission picking the next state Supreme Court judge. Sen. Charlie Shields, R-St. Joseph,...

Kansas City hopes grant will reduce recidivism.
August 14, 2007... Byline: Trish Mehaffey A Kansas City municipal jail official says a $75,000 grant will help provide referral services for female inmates and reduce the 70 percent recidivism rate. Nancy Leazer, superintendent of the Municipal Correctional...

Missouri-based Bryan Cave loses attorneys to Ogletree Deakins.
August 14, 2007... Byline: St. Louis Daily Record Staff Three former attorneys at Bryan Cave have opened a St. Louis office for Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart PC. Gregg M. Lemley and Tim A. Garnett opened the office as shareholders of Ogletree...

Commentary: The con artists and thieves among us.
August 14, 2007... Byline: Charles Kramer They look like your parents, your grandparents or perhaps even your brother, sister or spouse. They do not look criminal. They do not seem to act contrary to law or reason. They blend so well into the fabric of life...

The con artists and thieves among us.
August 14, 2007... Byline: Charles Kramer They look like your parents, your grandparents or perhaps even your brother, sister or spouse. They do not look criminal. They do not seem to act contrary to law or reason. They blend so well into the fabric of life...

Commentary: Lawyering brings out the poker face in all of us.
August 14, 2007... Byline: Craig Napier You have to use your poker face now and then. Court does not always go as you or your client expects, and your clients don't always do what you expect. Bottom line: Letting yourself appear flustered and upset will not...

Environmentalists ask to join suit against Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District.
August 15, 2007... Byline: Donna Walter A University City-based environmental group wants to be part of a federal lawsuit that accuses the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District of dumping raw sewage into local waterways. On Monday, the Missouri Coalition for...

Working Mother magazine names Missouri law firms among best for women.
August 15, 2007... Byline: St. Charles County Business Record Staff Three Missouri-based law firms are among the nation's 50 best for female attorneys, according to a study published in Working Mother magazine. Making the cut were Blackwell Sanders, Armstrong...

St. Louis-based Build-A-Bear Workshop suing California company.
August 16, 2007... Byline: Donna Walter St. Louis-based Build-A-Bear Workshop is suing a California company for trademark infringement and unfair competition. Build-A-Bear Workshop, which offers customers young and old the experience of making their own...