St. Louis Post-Dispatch (St. Louis, MO) articles from October 2007

St. Louis Post-Dispatch (St. Louis, MO) archives from October 2007

Winds of change are blowing in northwest Missouri.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Kim McGuire KING CITY, Mo. _ The "Big Pump" was always this town's main roadside attraction, perhaps rivaling only Branson's giant ball of twine or the hair museum in Independence, Mo. Built in 1937 by a gas station owner...

Holes in the virtual fence.
October 1, 2007... The following editorial appeared in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Friday, Sept. 28: X X X The Department of Homeland Security is sending inspectors to figure out why there are so many holes in Boeing's "virtual fence" on the Mexican...

Dualism and disease.
October 1, 2007... The following editorial appeared in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Friday, Sept. 28: X X X In 1633, about the time Galileo was in hot water for writing that the Earth revolves around the sun, French philosopher Rene Descartes made a...

`Miracle' foods may add years to life.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Carolyn Olson "The Bonus Years Diet" by Dr. Ralph Felder and Carol Colman with Oscar H. Franco, scientific adviser (G.P. Putnam's Sons, $25.95) Would you like to snack on chocolate, drink red wine and enjoy almonds while...

St. Louis Post-Dispatch Along for the Ride column.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Elisa Crouch and Ken Leiser Oct. 1--Hyperventilating headlines tell you that Americans are spending countless hours stuck in traffic jams. The Texas Transportation Institute reported in September that traffic congestion is...

Light-rail line could share city streets.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Ken Leiser Oct. 1--ST. LOUIS -- Regional planners see a future where trains could share the road with cars through St. Louis neighborhoods and the downtown business district. They have drawn plans for a nearly 17-mile path...

EDITORIAL: One nation, impermeable.(Editorial)
October 1, 2007... Oct. 1--Fun facts to know and tell: The first law of ecology is that everything has to go somewhere. One inch of rainfall falling on a roof of 1,000 square feet produces 623 gallons of rainwater running off into the sewers -- assuming the...

St. Louis Post-Dispatch Talk of Charleytown column: My early retirement from paper ends today.
October 1, 2007... Byline: John Sonderegger Oct. 1--Editor's note: Due to a production error, John Sonderegger's column did not run in its entirety in some editions of Sunday's newspaper. It is reprinted here in full. Charleytown decided to take an early...

BRIEF: Sentence delayed in porn, fraud case.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Robert Patrick Oct. 1--The sentencing hearing for Gary Peel, a former attorney for the village of Glen Carbon and former member of the Lakin Law Firm, was delayed for the third time Monday, this time for procedural issues. ...

Judge delays Devlin case again.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Tim O'Neil Oct. 1--POTOSI -- A judge granted another delay today on the issue of picking a jury for Michael J. Devlin so lawyers can have more time to work out an overall plea agreement in the multi-jurisdictional case. Devlin,...

BRIEF: St. Louis pawn shop manager shot in robbery.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Jeremy Kohler Oct. 1--The manager of a pawn shop was shot during a robbbery late this morning. Around 11 a.m. today, a robber entered First Cash Pawn, located at 3608 N. Grand Ave. The manager was shot in the left shoulder and...

BRIEF: Man charged with firebombing home.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Susan Weich and Joel Currier Oct. 1--Police have arrested a 22-year-old O'Fallon man in connection with an alleged arson at a mobile home park late Saturday night. Police said Cody Hale threw Molotov cocktails at the home in...

Critic's TV picks for Monday: 'Everybody Hates Chris'.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Gail Pennington Oct. 1--SPOTLIGHT 'Everybody Hates Chris' 7 p.m. on the CW (Channel 11) Chris Rock based "Everybody Hates Chris" in part on his childhood, as humorously recounted in his stand-up act. For two seasons,...

Crime statistics may not tell true story.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Jeremy Kohler Oct. 1--Different ways of counting incidents make the metro area's ranking for violent crime hard to pin down. Almost 20 years after its inception, barely one-fifth of U.S. police departments use it. Illinois...

Is St. Louis building blocks or back breakers?
October 1, 2007... Byline: Jake Wagman Oct. 1--ST. LOUIS -- Fresh off cinching a blockbuster downtown deal that relies heavily on taxpayer support, developer John Steffen said he hoped there would come a time when projects like his wouldn't need tax breaks....

Angela Hausler's husband says their family is in crisis.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Joel Currier Oct. 1--The poison that Angela Hausler ingested last year may be crippling her entire family. Brian Hausler, whose wife was poisoned last year by a woman accused of trying to build a future with him, says the...

Blowing the whistle on hallway affection.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Nancy Cambria Oct. 1--TROY, Mo. -- Math teacher Colin Nelson is no prude. But the daily makeout sessions just feet from his classroom at Troy Buchanan High School were really grossing him out. "Every morning these girls...

Corrections:.
October 1, 2007... Oct. 1---- Because of a production error, John Sonderegger's column did not run in its entirety in some editions of Sunday's paper. It appears in full today on Page B1. Copyright (c) 2007, St. Louis Post-Dispatch Distributed by...

What do you fear?
October 1, 2007... Byline: Harry Jackson Jr. Oct. 1--Linda Robbins, 49, of Fulton, Mo., plans to visit her daughter in Tennessee, but she fears crossing bridges. The collapse of an Interstate 35 bridge in Minnesota in August didn't help. "This terrible...

Weight Loss, Fitness and Nutrition Guide.
October 1, 2007... Byline: BY CAROLYN OLSON Oct. 1--St. Louisan Tim Chudy is part of a team that compiled fitness essays from 147 fitness experts (including himself) into a two-volume, 740-page fitness bible of sorts. The experts -- from North Carolina...

Chinese company buys stake in Furniture Brands.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Jeremiah McWilliams Oct. 1--A Chinese furniture company has taken a 14.9 percent stake in Clayton-based Furniture Brands International Inc. The nearly $72 million buy-in comes about three months after Hong Kong-based Samson...

Drunk mom case may be dropped.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Shane Anthony Oct. 1--The chief public defender in St. Charles County filed a motion this morning to dismiss involuntary manslaughter charges against a woman who is accused of drinking so much that her baby died shortly after being...

When you should go to the doctor and when you shouldn't.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Harry Jackson Jr. Oct. 1--Your doctor prescribes a medicine for your condition. But it doesn't help. Neither does the second. After a month of trying, the third works fine and you feel better. While you're thinking you got a...

St. Louis Post-Dispatch Amy Gets the Answers column: Sweat is the key to why mosquitoes find you so tasty.(Column)
October 1, 2007... Byline: Amy Bertrand Oct. 1--Q: Why do mosquitoes feast on me when they leave other people alone? And how do I stop the itching? -- N.M., Chesterfield A: We've all seen this happen. You are a five-course dinner for a group of hungry...

Punchless, winless.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Jim Thomas Oct. 1--IRVING, Texas -- There is oh so much to choose from, but if you had to pick a single play to summarize the disaster that is Rams football 2007, look no further than: Third-and-3 for Dallas, ball at the...

All natural.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Harry Jackson Jr. Oct. 1--The legacy of lifestyle diseases among black men -- heart disease, stroke, obesity and diabetes -- is widely known: Black men have the shortest lifespan among all people. What's less known is what...

Dance of the Kama Sutra with Hemalayaa.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Sharon Fuller Oct. 1--The title of this DVD might lead some to think this 'dance' is about one of the more well-known chapters from the Sanskrit text known as the Kama Sutra, a nearly 2,000-year-old treatise about desire and love....

Two St. Louis County cities race the clock to approve TIF projects.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Phil Sutin Oct. 1--At least two local cities have raced to complete development projects before the creation of a new county commission to review some tax breaks to developers. Sunset Hills officials plan to complete work on...

St. Louis Post-Dispatch Jeff Gordon column: Colorado win makes case for demands of coaches.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Jeff Gordon Oct. 1--Upon further review, Colorado football coach Dan Hawkins was vindicated for pushing the Buffaloes harder than they were used to working. The former Boise State coach shortened their break in offseason...

St. Louis Post-Dispatch Bernie Miklasz column: Cards can only prosper if DeWitt opens DeWallet.(Column)
October 1, 2007... Byline: Bernie Miklasz Oct. 1--The Cardinals went on the road for the final time and won five in a row to close out the schedule. They played hard until the end, salvaging a measure of pride and honor in a lost season. What a vicious...

St. Louis Post-Dispatch Bryan Burwell column: Rams are paying a stiff price now for sins of past.(Column)
October 1, 2007... Byline: Bryan Burwell Oct. 1--IRVING, Texas -- This used to be the sort of nationally televised showcase that glorified every spectacular thing about the St. Louis Rams. Yet now all we can see are these glaring failures. This embarrassing...

Spiezio: Playing is therapeutic.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Derrick Goold Oct. 1--PITTSBURGH -- When he returned from a month without baseball, Scott Spiezio told his teammates he'd "probably be ready to play by the last game of the season." He was. Now he's ready to move on. ...

Cards Notebook: No bonus for Wells.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Derrick Goold Oct. 1--PITTSBURGH -- With three shutout innings in relief Sunday, Kip Wells got the victory but fell seven outs shy of triggering a $500,000 bonus. The one-year, $4 million contract the righthander signed with the...

Cards' tough season ends with a high five.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Joe Strauss Oct. 1--PITTSBURGH -- A season seemingly without end reached its conclusion Sunday afternoon for the Cardinals in a 6-5 win at PNC Park over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Where there were once games, only a 78-84 record, a...

Rams cave in 3rd quarter.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Bill Coats Oct. 1--IRVING, Texas -- Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett apparently sensed trouble brewing. Although his unit was seventh in the NFL in total defense heading into Week 4, he expressed concern about its lack of...

BRIEF: Rams Report Card: Only one failing mark from Sunday.
October 1, 2007... Oct. 1--QUARTERBACK Bulger looked tentative in the pocket, lacked accuracy and played like a quarterback who is hurt. GRADE: D ****** RUNNING BACKS Leonard was solid but unspectacular; Minor didn't get much done; why not...

Rams Outtakes: Wilkins' FG struggles continue.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Bill Coats Oct. 1--IRVING, Texas -- Only three times in 106 attempts over 14 NFL seasons had Rams kicker Jeff Wilkins missed a field-goal attempt from inside 30 yards. Make that four times now. Wilkins sent a 28-yard kick wide...

Notebook: Injuries 'R' Us.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Jim Thomas Oct. 1--Right tackle Adam Goldberg suffered ligament damage as well as other injuries in his left knee early in the third quarter, which combined could be season-ending. The Rams will know for sure once he has additional...

St. Louis Post-Dispatch Along for the Ride column: Growth in number of miles we drive is slowing.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Elisa Crouch and Ken Leiser Oct. 1--Hyperventilating headlines tell you that Americans are spending countless hours stuck in traffic jams. The Texas Transportation Institute reported in September that traffic congestion is...

BRIEF: St. Louis man killed by hit-run driver.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Joel Currier Oct. 1--MARION COUNTY -- A St. Louis man was killed Saturday night by a hit-and-run driver in Marion County, the Missouri Highway Patrol said. Chip C. Wyrde, 39, was walking along Highway 24 about 8:20 p.m....

BRIEF: St. Louis cops book suspect in boy's killing.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Jeremy Kohler Oct. 1--St. Louis police have arrested a suspect in the June 5 killing of a 15-year-old boy. Prosecutors today charged Charles Freeman, 22, with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. Authorities said he...

City police make arrest in deli killing.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Jeremy Kohler Oct. 1--ST. LOUIS -- A hat found under the body of a St. Louis deli manager fatally shot on Sept. 17 provided investigators with a clue that led to an arrest Monday, police said. DNA collected from the hat matched...

BRIEF: Bella Villa woman shot in her home.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Jeremy Kohler Oct. 1--A woman was shot in the back inside her home on the 600 block of Sandra Court in Bella Villa and has been taken to an area hospital where she is in critical condition, police said. Police said a man inside...

Attorney seeks dismissal of charge in baby's death.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Shane Anthony Oct. 2--ST. CHARLES -- The chief public defender in St. Charles County asked a judge Monday to dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against a woman who is accused of drinking so much that her baby died shortly...

Mitt Romney in town to raise money, praise Blunt.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Jo Mannies Oct. 2--Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney says that "100 percent of the credit" for his money-raising success in Missouri goes to a few key fellow Republicans -- notably Gov. Matt Blunt and state House Speaker Rod...

Cardinals payroll experiencing growing pains?
October 2, 2007... Byline: Joe Strauss Oct. 2--The Cardinals learned this season that $101 million mixed with rampant injuries is worth only third place. In the upcoming weeks they must decide what a return to first place will cost. With nearly $84...

What will Tony do?
October 2, 2007... Byline: Derrick Goold Oct. 2--Cardinals manager Tony La Russa will leave St. Louis today for his home in California and can make no guarantees when, or if, he'll return. In his talk with the media the day after the season ended, La...

Brown, back from suspension, will start.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Bill Coats Oct. 2--His third-quarter implosion was barely 24 hours old, and Lenny Walls already had lost his first-team job. When the Rams (0-4) host the Arizona Cardinals (2-2) on Sunday, Ron Bartell and Fakhir Brown will be...

Romo's Rumble is an epic.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Jim Thomas Oct. 2--In Dallas, quarterback Tony Romo is being called the Magic Man and the second coming of Roger Staubach. Cowboys linebacker Greg Ellis called it the greatest play in NFL history. Cowboys coach Wade Phillips...

BRIEF: Injury update.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Bill Coats Oct. 2--Offensive lineman Adam Goldberg has a torn ligament in his left knee. The injury, suffered early in the third quarter, won't require surgery but will keep him sidelined for about a month. Newcomer Brandon...

Linehan vows to stick with struggling Bulger.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Jim Thomas Oct. 2--Something's not right with Rams quarterback Marc Bulger. And logic suggests that a prudent course of action might be sitting him for a week or two to help his broken ribs heal. But coach Scott Linehan isn't...

Perron will find out today if he makes Blues roster.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Jeremy Rutherford Oct. 2--The deadline for turning in a 23-man NHL roster is today at 2 p.m., and the Blues figure to be posting theirs at the buzzer. The club made several moves Monday, sending forward Martin Kariya to the...

Ramsey to play for Mizzou next season.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Graham Watson Oct. 2--COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Keith Ramsey, rated as one of the top junior college players in the nation, will play basketball at Missouri next season. The 6-foot-8, 205-pound power forward gave his commitment to...

Chase Daniel leads the way for Mizzou.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Vahe Gregorian Oct. 2--COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Shortly before he leaves the house he shares with two teammates and heads for a 9 a.m. biology lab last Thursday, Chase Daniel roams to his room for a backpack. His tidy lair is adorned...

MU Notes: Tigers put in extra study periods for Nebraska.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Graham Watson Oct. 2--COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Missouri might not have played a game this weekend, but that doesn't mean the team took the week off. From the Sunday after the Illinois State game, each player was given a DVD of Nebraska...

News Quiz: Who did Bush predict the Democratic nominee would be?
October 2, 2007... Byline: Dale Singer 1. President George W. Bush predicted that the Democratic presidential nominee would be: A. Hillary Clinton B. Joseph R. Biden C. Barack Obama D. Robert A. Eilerman 2. Iranian President Mahmoud...

St. Louis Post-Dispatch Dan O'Neill column.(Column)
October 2, 2007... Byline: Dan O'Neill Oct. 2--You could say the Rams are off to a rocky start. No really, you could say that. Universally picked as a team to watch this season, the Lambs are winless in four attempts. The Arizona Cardinals come to town...

Fate of Belleville police sergeant to be decided.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Denise Hollinshed Oct. 2--BELLEVILLE -- The fate of a veteran Belleville police sergeant is expected to be decided soon for his handling of a possible DUI case involving an East St. Louis police detective. The unnamed 17-year...

Corrections.
October 2, 2007... Oct. 2---- A photograph in Monday's Metro section misidentified St. Louis Boxer Rescue, a rescue group for dogs. -- Due to a production error, the top paragraphs of a Metro section report on regional crime statistics were missing in some of...

St. Louis Post-Dispatch Deb Peterson column: All-Star gymnast got her start flipping over couches.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Deb Peterson Oct. 2--Where are you from natively? I grew up in Birmingham, Ala., and we moved here when I was 10. My grandmother lived here. My grandfather on my mother's side was in the Air Force, and they moved here to be at...

St. Louis Post-Dispatch Sylvester Brown Jr. column: With chief's demotion, tension kicks up a notch.(Column)
October 2, 2007... Byline: Sylvester Brown Jr. Oct. 2--Like Tabasco dumped into a vat of jalapeno jambalaya, the demotion of the first black fire chief in St. Louis will add more heat that will be hard to swallow in this racially divided city. Sherman...

EDITORIAL: A test for the rest?(Editorial)
October 2, 2007... Oct. 2--Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a case challenging Indiana's voter identification law. Two days later, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that it had revamped the test that immigrants have to pass...

EDITORIAL: Back to "The Jungle"?(Editorial)
October 2, 2007... Oct. 2--In theory, allowing state workers to supplement federal meat and poultry inspectors would save taxpayers money and open new markets for small companies. In practice, it could easily become a step back into "The Jungle." That was...

Taiwanese couple eyes Furniture Brands for possible takeover.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Jeremiah McWilliams Oct. 2--A Taiwanese businessman and his wife now own the largest stake in Clayton-based Furniture Brands International Inc. Their goal may be even bigger: a merger or an acquisition. On Monday, Shan Huei Kuo...

BRIEF: Brian Leonard gets modest review.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Bill Coats Oct. 2--A 16-carry, 58-yard outing vs. the Cowboys earned running Brian Leonard a modest review from offensive coordinator Greg Olson. "He missed a couple of cuts, and on a couple of checkdowns (as a receiver) he...

Judge grants defense more time for talks in Devlin case.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Tim O'Neil Oct. 2--POTOSI -- A judge granted another delay Monday in one of the cases against Michael J. Devlin after a defense lawyer sought more time for discussions with prosecutors. But lawyers on both sides won't offer...

Critic's TV picks for Tuesday: 'Cavemen'.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Gail Pennington Oct. 2--SPOTLIGHT 'Cavemen' 7 p.m. 'Carpoolers' 7:30 p.m. ABC (Channel 30) When the light bulb went on at ABC, it must have been like discovering fire. Sitcoms are struggling but, hey, those...

Suspect in police shooting ID'd.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Joel Currier Oct. 2--An 18-year-old man who died Monday night after a St. Louis police officer shot and wounded him earlier that afternoon has been identified by police as Kendrick Alexander. A plain-clothes detective with the...

BRIEF: Hat leads to arrest in shooting death, police say.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Jeremy Kohler Oct. 2--ST. LOUIS -- A hat found under the body of a St. Louis deli manager fatally shot on Sept. 17 provided investigators with a clue that led to an arrest Monday, police said. DNA collected from the hat matched...

Judges cited in drunken driving crash.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Nicholas J.C. Pistor Oct. 2--The Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board has filed a complaint against two local judges following a drunken driving accident after a Rams football game last year. The complaint alleges that 20th Circuit...

St. Louis Post-Dispatch Mandy St. Amand column: Through work at shelter, woman helps to save lives.(Column)
October 2, 2007... Byline: Amanda St. Amand Oct. 2--As a girl growing up in rural Kentucky, Mary Lou Shepherd watched her parents open their home to the woman who lived two doors down. The neighbor had dropped out of high school and was raising two small...

Glitches vex shop owners as new emission tests begin.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Kim McGuire Oct. 2--FLORISSANT -- For several frustrating minutes, Ken Brandt was a man without an identity. The scanner couldn't read his fingerprint. If it could, the computer would have detected that he was a technician at...

Wife of Civil War hero stirs interest of historical society.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Tim O'Neil Oct. 2--St. Louis On a shaded hilltop in Bellefontaine Cemetery is the long-forgotten resting place of a society belle whose soldier-husband became a hero of Gettysburg and a candidate for U.S. president. Almira...

THE LAPTOP DEBATE.
October 2, 2007... Byline: David Hunn Oct. 2--FRONTENAC -- The girls walk into class in plaid skirts and matching tennis shoes. They pull out computers, pop out stylus pens. The precalculus students at Villa Duchesne begin graphing math functions in...

Former dropout unveils program to get today's dropouts back in school.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Steve Giegerich Oct. 2--ST. LOUIS -- It wasn't being forced from Vashon High School for disciplinary reasons that nagged at Renota Jones. It was her decision not to return. "I got tired of being a log in the water," said Jones....

Years late, work on Illinois power plant begins.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Jeffrey Tomich Oct. 2--LIVELY GROVE, Ill. -- After years of delays and hundreds of millions of dollars in cost increases, Peabody Energy Corp. and its partners officially began construction of the Prairie State Energy Campus -- a...

BRIEF: Knock, knock: Your house is on fire.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Susan Weich Oct. 2--A passing motorist woke a St. Charles man about 8:30 a.m. today with an unusual greeting: 'Your house in on fire!' The motorist may have saved Matthew Pottery's life. Fire authorities speculated that the...

Blues keep rookie Perron on roster.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Jeremy Rutherford Oct. 2--Noon update: Nineteen-year-old rookie forward David Perron will be on the Blues' 23-man roster when the team opens the season Thursday in Phoenix. Perron was drafted No. 26 overall by the Blues in...

Dierbergs making trans fat-free doughnuts.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Gail Appleson Oct. 2--Dierbergs Markets Inc. has a new product that it thinks will take the cake. The Chesterfield-based company says it is the first area supermarket to make doughnuts with zero grams of trans fat. The...

St. Louis Post-Dispatch Bryan Burwell column: Rams' errors off the field haunt team on the field.(Column)
October 2, 2007... Byline: Bryan Burwell Oct. 2--On the day after the latest Sunday afternoon disaster, Scott Linehan wasn't all that interested in rehashing the hideous details or sorting through the glaring reasons why his football team officially is the...

BRIEF: Ram-blings.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Bill Coats Oct. 2--Veteran center Andy McCollum is working at guard in practice. McCollum started all 16 games at left guard in 2003.... Hill will work out Wednesday but probably is a week away from returning to practice.... The...

BRIEF: 6 students hurt in Jeff Co bus crash.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Christine Byers Oct. 2--Six middle school students and their bus driver suffered minor injuries this morning after the driver drove into a ditch to avoid hitting a car that was stopped in traffic, said Jefferson County Sheriff's...

BRIEF: Former St. Peters alderman jailed on burglary charge.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Shane Anthony Oct. 2--A former St. Peters alderman is back in jail on felony stealing and burglary charges after an ex-boyfriend accused her of stealing tools and clothes from him. Michelle Lee Stiens, 38, was arrested after a...

New fire chief promotes five.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Jake Wagman Oct. 2--The city's new top firefighter wasted no time in making the promotions that cost his predeccessor his job. Acting fire chief Steve Kotraba promoted five firefighters to battalion chief a day after Kotraba...