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

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

Correction.(Correction notice)
November 1, 2007... A story on Tuesday about the American Bar Association's call for a moratorium on executions incorrectly identified the location of the Potosi Correctional Center. The facility is in Washington County.

Warren Welliver, ex-Missouri Supreme Court judge, dies at 87.(Obituary)
November 1, 2007... Byline: Allison Retka Warren Welliver, a former Missouri Supreme Court judge from Columbia, died Monday, the high court announced on Wednesday. He was 87. An appointee of Democratic Gov. Joe Teasdale, Welliver served on the court for 10...

Former MIssouri state lawyer claims discrimination by AG.
November 1, 2007... Byline: Kelly Wiese An attorney who once worked for the state's social services agency claims Attorney General Jay Nixon's office discriminated against her in not offering a job because she is a quadriplegic. Marla Grothoff, of Columbia,...

Child support law in Missouri changes for children in college.
November 2, 2007... Byline: Kelly Wiese Missouri lawmakers this year slightly lowered the age to which noncustodial parents must pay for their children's college education, but the political compromise has angered people on both sides of the issue. Some...

Wentzville student sues over school suspension.
November 2, 2007... Byline: Allison Retka The Wentzville School District made its final arguments Wednesday defending in federal court its disciplinary actions against a 10th grade student accused of forcible sodomy. The student, identified in court records...

Companies find St. Charles County to their liking.
November 5, 2007... Byline: Mike Trask St. Charles County has garnered much attention during the past decade for attracting major employers such as MasterCard International, Citigroup and Ameristar Casinos Inc. But a number of companies already doing business...

Lake Saint Louis P&Z Commission approves overlay district along lake.
November 5, 2007... Byline: Kathleen T. Brady Tall buildings are a rarity in St. Charles County, but that may be changing. Lake Saint Louis' Planning and Zoning Commission recently approved a new overlay district that would allow buildings to be built up to...

Internet use to expand exponentially, says AT&T Missouri chief.
November 5, 2007... Byline: Kathleen T. Brady Demand for the Internet is growing at an exponential rate, according professionals in the telecommunications industry. And AT&T is ready to roll out new products to meet that demand, said Cindy Brinkley, president...

Q&A with Jason Rauschelbach of Wentzville's The Mortgage Store.
November 5, 2007... Byline: Wm. Stage We've heard his reassuring baritone on the radio touting the joys and benefits of home ownership and exhorting us to visit The Mortgage Store for the best deal possible to realize that dream. Jason Rauschelbach is perhaps...

St. Charles County executive notes tax revenue lost to city TIFs.
November 5, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff St. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann presented his proposed 2008 budget to the County Council on Oct. 31, noting that the $215 million 2008 budget was down about $1.4 million from the 2007 budget....

Public Water Supply District No. 2 of St. Charles County receives excellence award.
November 5, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff Public Water Supply District No. 2 of St. Charles County has been awarded the certificate of achievement for excellence in financial reporting. The award came from the Government Finance Officers Association...

The Boeing Co. approves $7 billion share repurchase, declares dividend.
November 5, 2007... Byline: Staff report The Boeing Co. board of directors has approved a new repurchase plan for up to $7 billion of common stock and declared a regular quarterly dividend of 35 cents a share. Boeing has bought approximately $8 billion of its...

Industrial, office vacancy rates in St. Charles County edging downward.
November 5, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff Vacancy rates in St. Charles County's industrial and office space are edging downward, according to a third-quarter report from Colliers Turley Martin Tucker. Low vacancy rates indicate buildings are filling...

St. Louis-area health departments share grant from state.
November 5, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff St. Charles County Department of Community Health and the Environment was one of seven St. Louis-area health departments to receive part of a $4.6 million grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health. The...

SBA invests in job-creating small businesses.
November 5, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff The U.S. Small Business Administration posted record-breaking loan numbers in 2007 and released a profile showing small businesses created 1.9 million net new jobs in the latest year studied, which was 2004....

Commentary: Motivation to start business impacts exit strategy.
November 5, 2007... Byline: Chuck Leuck More and more people are starting businesses today. Some say the American dream now has changed from owning your own home to owning your own business. Even in large corporate settings, performance-based bonuses and...

Home Builders Assn. of Greater St. Louis installs Executive Committee for 2007-2008.
November 5, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff The following members of the 2007-2008 Executive Committee of the Home Builders Association of Greater St. Louis and Eastern Missouri were installed on Oct. 6: Sean Flower, American Heritage Homes; Harry...

Steve Thomas appointed to St. Charles Home Builders Assn. board.
November 5, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff Steve Thomas, president of T.R. Hughes Inc., was appointed to the board of trustees of the St. Charles County division of the Home Builders Association of Greater St. Louis and Eastern Missouri. The board is...

Lucy LaFontaine joins St. Louis Staffing.
November 5, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff St. Charles resident Lucy LaFontaine has joined St. Louis Staffing as a bilingual customer service representative. She has seven years of experience in customer service.

Dr. Shobha Dixit joins SSM St. Charles clinic.
November 5, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff Dr. Shobha Dixit has joined the SSM St. Charles Clinic Medical Group's adult primary care/internal medicine department. Dixit is board-certified and joins Drs. Daniel Kramer, Richard Murray, David Peter and...

Ashley Gaddy joins Ameristar Casino St. Charles as executive sales manager.
November 5, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff Ashley Gaddy was named executive sales manager for Ameristar Casino St. Charles. She will oversee corporate market sales for Ameristar's 400-room, all-suite hotel and conference center. The hotel is scheduled...

St. Louis County Circuit Court Judge O'Brien to retire.
November 6, 2007... Byline: Allison Retka Judge Emmett M. O'Brien, who has sat on the St. Louis County Circuit Court bench for 20 years, is stepping down at the end of the year. His last day will be Dec. 11, his 70th birthday, the court announced Monday....

Missouri judge considers overtime pay for police, firefighters.
November 6, 2007... Byline: Kelly Wiese Missouri's larger cities and counties will have to wait to hear whether the new state minimum wage law applies to their officials, including police and firefighters. Several local governments filed a lawsuit challenging...

Ban on sex offender newsletter challenged by two Missouri detainees.
November 6, 2007... Byline: Donna Walter Two detainees at the Missouri Sexual Offender Treatment Center have been denied the right to publish and distribute a newsletter, but officials at the Farmington facility say their First Amendment rights were not...

Missouri Supreme Court considers law allowing nonprofits to claim abandoned homes.
November 7, 2007... Byline: Chris Blank A state law allowing organizations to seize abandoned homes for renovation has renewed concerns about the taking of private property without the owner's consent. A Missouri land company on Tuesday urged the state...

Cole County judge arrested on suspicion of drunken driving.
November 7, 2007... Byline: Kelly Wiese A judge in the seat of state government may soon find himself on the other side of the bench, after being arrested over the weekend on suspicion of drunken driving. Cole County Senior Judge Byron Kinder was arrested...

St. Louis-based charity founder blames downfall on mistakes.
November 7, 2007... Byline: Donna Walter A nice man who got in over his head and consulted a priest instead of a lawyer -- that's the impression Carl L. "Lou" Sengheiser tried to convey Tuesday as he testified in his defense against federal mail fraud...

Four families file suit against school district in St. Louis County Circuit Court.
November 8, 2007... Byline: Allison Retka A legal battle that began last week could determine if the St. Louis Public School District should foot the tuition bills of city students who enroll in accredited St. Louis County schools. Four St. Louis families...

Federal jury considers fate of charity founder.
November 8, 2007... Byline: Donna Walter The lawyer prosecuting the federal fraud case against the founder of Gateway to a Cure told the jury Wednesday the defendant doesn't deserve to be believed. "This man is not believable on anything past his name," Mike...

Missouri Supreme Court names new state courts adminstrator.
November 8, 2007... Byline: Allison Retka An Army reserve captain with significant legislative experience is the Missouri judiciary's new state courts administrator. Greg Linhares will begin his job next year once the U.S. Army releases him from reserve duty...

St. Louis Circuit Judge Burger plans to retire.
November 9, 2007... Byline: Kelly Wiese After about 13 years on the bench, St. Louis Circuit Judge Joan M. Burger is retiring early next year. Burger said Thursday that she became eligible for retirement at the beginning of this year, and now is ready to step...

Mo. Ethics Commission votes to begin refund process for contributions.
November 9, 2007... Byline: Kelly Wiese Gov. Matt Blunt and Attorney General Jay Nixon may be forced to give back millions of dollars they raised in the first half of 2007, the Missouri Ethics Commission decided Thursday. After months of delay, the commission...

St. Louis police searches defended in chief's federal appeal.
November 9, 2007... Byline: Allison Retka Attorneys for St. Louis Police Chief Joe Mokwa argued to a federal appeals court this week that police were well within their rights to search two south St. Louis residences in 2003 and arrest several occupants who...

St. Louis-based Gateway to a Cure founder dead of apparent suicide.
November 9, 2007... Byline: Donna Walter Federal prosecutors will dismiss fraud charges against the founder of Gateway to a Cure after he was discovered dead Thursday morning at the charity's office. Police began searching for Lou Sengheiser after he failed...

St. Louis, St. Charles meet to discuss regional Wi-Fi.
November 12, 2007... Byline: Kathleen T. Brady St. Louis County wants to partner with St. Charles County to bring wireless technology to the larger metropolitan region. The two county councils plan to meet on Wednesday to discuss the possibility of forming a...

Housing slowdown so far has little impact on St. Charles County job levels.
November 12, 2007... Byline: Mike Trask The housing slowdown doesn't appear to have had much impact on the area's unemployment level -- at least not yet. The St. Charles County Department of Workforce Development reports there has been a slight increase in job...

Is another riverboat in St. Charles' future?
November 12, 2007... Byline: Mike Trask Despite the fact that boat operators in St. Charles haven't fared very well in recent history (excepting Ameristar Casino's boat in a moat), that doesn't seem to be stopping entrepreneurs from eyeing the city's...

Novus International builds headquarters in Missouri Research Park.
November 12, 2007... Byline: Amy Armour High-tech capabilities and a safe community helped St. Charles County attract the international headquarters of a local high-tech company. Over the summer, Novus International, a global animal health and nutrition...

Missouri-based LMI Aerospace 3Q net income, sales up from last year.(Financial report)
November 12, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff LMI Aerospace Inc. reported a 56 percent increase in both net sales and net income in its third quarter of 2007 report. In the 2007 third quarter, LMI reported $4.2 million in net income, compared to $2.7...

Lindenwood University raises tuition and board.
November 12, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff Lindenwood University announced it will increase its tuition and room and board next fall to cover costs of additional faculty and staff, new technology, utilities and renovation. Yearly tuition will increase...

St. Charles-based Goellner Printing named official printer for convention center.
November 12, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff Global Spectrum, the operating management company for the St. Charles Convention Center, named St. Charles-based Goellner Printing the "official printing partner" for the St. Charles Convention Center....

St. Charles Chamber of Commerce holds ribbon cutting ceremonies.
November 12, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff The St. Charles Chamber of Commerce held ribbon-cutting ceremonies in September and October for the following businesses: Main Street Bread Co. Cafe, 143 N. Main Street, 636-947-1830 - Michael and Jeffrey...

St. Peters Chamber of Commerce holds ribbon-cutting ceremonies.
November 12, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff The St. Peters Chamber of Commerce held ribbon-cutting ceremonies in September and October for the following businesses: Sakura Japanese Steakhouse, 269 Salt Lick Road, 636-278-6688 - Scott Chen is the owner....

O'Fallon Chamber of Commerce holds ribbon cutting ceremonies.
November 12, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff The O'Fallon Chamber of Commerce held ribbon-cutting ceremonies in September and October for the following businesses: Residence Inn by Marriott, 101 Progress Point Court, 636-300-3535 - Jon Mehlmann is the...

TRH Commercial completes Lindell Bank branch in Ellisville, Mo.
November 12, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff TRH Commercial Group, the newest entity of T.R. Hughes Inc., provided general contracting services for the development of the newest retail branch for Lindell Bank. TRH Commercial provided site development,...

St. Louis-based Tarlton Corp. works on Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital.
November 12, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff St. Louis-based Tarlton Corp. is serving as construction manager for the 67,000-square-foot expansion project at Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital. The three-story addition is scheduled for completion in 2009....

St. Peters-based Cissell Mueller begins two construction projects.
November 12, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff St. Peters-based Cissell Mueller Construction began construction of two projects, recently: a 1,250-square-foot addition to City Trucks Inc. in St. Louis and a 1,557-square-foot Sonic restaurant in Ferguson....

Contegra Construction completes retail component at Seven Oaks in St. Louis.
November 12, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff Contegra Construction Co. has completed the retail component of the 130,000-square-foot, mixed use The Shoppes at Seven Oaks development in Valley Park, Mo. The $20 million project was developed by TB Realty...

St. Louis-based Furniture Brands International to close two O'Fallon stores.
November 12, 2007... Byline: Mike Trask Two of the eight stores that St. Louis-based Furniture Brands International said it would close are located in O'Fallon. Plans call for the Lane and Broyhill stores in that city to close by the end of the year. A total...

St. Charles County restaurant scene changing rapidly.
November 12, 2007... Byline: Mike Trask The restaurant scene in St. Charles County is changing rapidly. Two decades ago, there were only a few authentic ethnic dining establishments in the county. During the past few years, the landscape has changed. Now there...

Does the State Public Defender System in Wisconsin have an obligation to defend?
November 13, 2007... Byline: Allison Retka The State Public Defender System shrugged off the claims of a St. Peters man who sued the agency for refusing to represent him against a misdemeanor. Because the charges Brian Hodak faced were municipal offenses,...

U.S. District Court allows St. Louis attorney to be jailed away from former clients.
November 13, 2007... Byline: Allison Retka St. Louis attorney Frank Febbri is less likely to spend his 18-month federal prison with former clients, thanks to a recent ruling by a federal judge in East St. Louis. U.S. District Judge William D. Stiehl granted...

Correction to: Four families file suit against school district in St. Louis County Circuit Court.(Correction notice)
November 13, 2007... A Nov. 8 story about a lawsuit against the St. Louis and Clayton school districts should have said approximately 18 students have transferred from Wellston to Clayton public schools since the Wellston district lost its accreditation in 2003.

Missouri COA, Eastern District judges affirm -- and criticize -- Vinson divorce.
November 14, 2007... Byline: Donna Walter Mortgage broker Ray Vinson -- whose famed ads have annoyed multiple TV viewers -- seemed to draw the same reaction Tuesday from a state appeals panel that affirmed Vinson's divorce from his wife, Deanna. Judge Roy L....

Muslim woman says she was fired by St. Charles firm over head scarf.
November 14, 2007... Byline: Donna Walter A Muslim woman says she was fired for refusing to remove her head scarf while working, but her former employer, St. Charles-based Client Services Inc., says Mariam Soultan refused the company's efforts to accommodate...

St. Louis law firms announce staffing changes: November 14, 2007.
November 14, 2007... Byline: St. Louis Daily Record Staff Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal has expanded its life sciences and intellectual property groups, adding Christopher Marion as scientific adviser, and Marcellus Chase, Elisabeth Koral and Sarah Carlson as...

Mo. Attorney General Nixon gets outsiders to investigate e-mail handling.
November 16, 2007... Byline: Kelly Wiese After months of controversy over e-mail policy in the Blunt administration, Attorney General Jay Nixon said Thursday he has appointed outside experts to investigate allegations that the governor's office has mishandled...

U.S. District Court rejects mural owner's free speech claims.
November 16, 2007... Byline: Allison Retka Jim Roos doesn't think it's the prominence of his 30-foot mural that's drawn the ire of city redevelopment officials. It's the message, he says: "End Eminent Domain Abuse." "I think if it said 'Go Cardinals' we...

Adoptions in Missouri on the rise, thanks in part to federal law.
November 16, 2007... Byline: Donna Walter Adoptions in Missouri have nearly doubled since 1997. Unfortunately, there still are kids without permanent homes. To raise awareness about adopting children from the state foster care system, the St. Louis County...

O'Fallon resident Theodore Mills recognized as operator of the month.
November 19, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff O'Fallon resident Theodore Mills of Dodge Moving & Storage Co. in Earth City was recently honored by Mayflower Transit as a Van Operator of the Month for September. The recognition acknowledges exceptional...

St. Louis-based Lawrence Group featured in Healthcare Design.
November 19, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff Two projects by St. Louis-based architectural firm The Lawrence Group were featured in the September issue of "Health Design." The SSM DePaul Health Center and Herrin Hospital projects designed by the Lawrence...

Glantz & Associates Architects designed five award-winning homes in St. Louis area.
November 19, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff Glantz & Associates Architects Inc. provided the architectural design for five homes that were recently honored with the 2007 Home Awards by the Home Builders Association of Greater St. Louis. The winning...

St. Louis-based Boa Construction ranks in Top 500 list.
November 19, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff Home builder/remodeler Boa Construction has been ranked 244th on the 2007 Top 500 Remodelers list compiled by the national trade journal "Qualified Remodeler." In the period surveyed, the St. Louis-based Boa...

Mark Eckhardt of St. Louis-based firm finishes logistics certification.
November 19, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff Mark Eckhardt of the St. Louis-based real estate brokerage company of Grubb & Ellis Co. has completed the company's logistic certification program, which is designed to equip brokerage professionals with the...

Real estate professionals gather in St. Louis County to hear about local, national trends.
November 19, 2007... Byline: Mike Trask "This is a terrific time to buy a house." Normally that statement from Pat Sullivan, executive vice president of the Home Builders Association of St. Louis and Eastern Missouri, wouldn't draw any laughter. But because...

Heartland Bank's next-day credit-card funds may have some benefit.
November 19, 2007... Byline: Amy Armour Credit cards are an easy and quick way to shop. But changing credit into cash is not always easy or quick for shop owners. That's why Heartland Bank created a new program to help small businesses obtain funds from...

St. Charles WWII warbirds share history of aviation.
November 19, 2007... Byline: Wm. Stage Little is known about the Commemorative Air Force, a dedicated group of WWII aviation enthusiasts whose collective passion is restoring and displaying vintage military aircraft. Based in an airfield nestled in the...

Challenges of work-force shortage to face employers in St. Charles area.
November 19, 2007... Byline: Amy Armour Employers will face new challenges in recruiting and retaining skilled employees in the near future, according to Gina D'Arcangelis, branch manager at Kelly Services, a staffing solutions company. More people are...

Westplex Enews launches V.I.P. Enews St. Louis.
November 19, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff Westplex Enews, a Web-based publication started by St. Charles County promotions professional Ed Watkins, announced it will launch V.I.P. Enews St. Louis which will cover Very Influential People and Places,...

St. Peters-based Cissell Mueller works on two local projects.
November 19, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff St. Peters-based Cissell Mueller Construction Inc. began the renovation of a 4,800-square-foot LMI Aerospace's facility at 3030 Highway 94 N., and the construction of an 11,270-square-foot fire station in the...

St. Charles Community College gets L&C Discovery grant.
November 19, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff The St. Charles Community College received a $2 million Lewis & Clark Discovery Initiative grant on Oct. 19. In a news release, President John McGuire said SCC will use the money to fund academic and...

Home Builders Assn. of St. Louis and Eastern Missouri offers reward signs to deter crime.
November 19, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff The Home Builders Association of St. Louis and Eastern Missouri is offering free reward signs to members to post at their jobsites. The signs provide information to residents who witness suspicious activity...

Datotel fast tracks to O'Fallon.
November 19, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff Datotel has earned a 2007 Fast Track Award from the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry for being one of the fastest-growing businesses in Missouri. St. Louis-based Datotel began with a team of six...

Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate celebrates one year in Wentzville.
November 19, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Co. recently celebrated its one-year anniversary at its Wentzville location, 1828 Wentzville Parkway in the new Dierbergs Plaza. The company's Wentzville location is the 12th...

SSM St. Joseph hospitals in St. Charles County elect separate medical staff.
November 19, 2007... Byline: Business Record Staff For the first time in its history, the SSM St. Joseph hospitals in St. Charles County elected separate medical staff. At St. Joseph Health Center in St. Charles, Dr. Joseph Attewell will become chief of staff....

St. Louis area attorney receives 12 years in prison.
November 20, 2007... Byline: Donna Walter Metro East attorney Gary Peel was sentenced Monday to 12 years in prison for bankruptcy fraud and possession of child pornography -- the latter charge stemming from photos he took of his teenage sister-in-law in 1974....

Valley Park ordinance fuels further disagreement.
November 20, 2007... Byline: Allison Retka Plaintiffs in the Valley Park immigration dispute fought Monday to keep their case alive, arguing against the city's motion to dismiss their lawsuit. Lawyers for Jacqueline Gray, a business owner in Valley Park, told...

Commentary: Men in tights: Another memorable night of Gridiron.
November 20, 2007... Byline: Will Connaghan Well, the dancing tights and pink boas are put away and another Gridiron Show is already a fading memory. The group of talented performers now must return to the normal hectic pace of a lawyer's life. About 500...

Agreement close in drunken mother's case in St. Charles County.
November 20, 2007... Byline: Kelly Wiese Attorneys are close to an agreement in the case against a woman accused of drinking so much she caused her newborn's death. Sherri Lohnstein's attorney, public defender Richard Scheibe, said outside a St. Charles...

Missouri Supreme Court upholds rape conviction despite venue question.
November 21, 2007... Byline: Kelly Wiese The Missouri Supreme Court upheld a man's rape conviction Tuesday, finding that the state is not required to prove where the crime occurred beyond a reasonable doubt. The court, in a unanimous opinion written by Judge...

Fabbri disbarred; Althoffer suspended by Missouri Supreme Court.
November 21, 2007... Byline: Allison Retka The Missouri Supreme Court has suspended the law license of St. Louis public defender Eric Affholter and disbarred local criminal defense attorney Frank Fabbri. Each were sentenced on federal criminal charges last...

Missouri governor's chief of staff leaves amid e-mail controversy.
November 21, 2007... Byline: Allison Retka and Kelly Wiese Gov. Matt Blunt announced Tuesday the departure of his chief of staff Ed Martin, an attorney from St. Louis. Martin will be replaced by Patricia E. Vincent, the director of revenue in the governor's...

Children's Home Society of Missouri leans on judge, attorney to help children in need.
November 22, 2007... Byline: Dan Schreiber Attorney Gregg Lepper and Judge Doug Beach are considered instrumental to the success of the Children's Home Society of Missouri, using their professional experience and connections to help the social services agency...

As year ends, lawyers look to new options.
November 22, 2007... Byline: Charles Emerick Partners with one foot out the door will soon take that final step after firms across the state start doling out year-end bonuses. Much like baseball's free agent market, many partners at Missouri firms will find...