St. Louis Regional Bike Federation’s 4th Annual Bike Swap Meet

If you’ve got an extra bike around the basement or you are looking for an affordable bicycle the event for you is the St. Louis Regional Bike Federation’s 4th Annual Bike Swap Meeting and Classic Bike Show held Sunday February 13th from noon to 3:30pm

More information including a picture from a previous year and online registration can be seen here. You can also print off a PDF version of the flyer here. If you have a bike to sell or would like to rent a booth you can print off the registration form here.

You’ll see great bikes as well as some great bargains. Admission is only $5 for adults (free for children 12 and under). Admission is also free to members of the St. Louis Regional Bike Federation ($25/individual).

$10 will get you in the door at 10:30am for our early bird special. This allows you first crack at the best deals. The location is the old K-Mart store in Deer Creek Center in Maplewood. See the flyer for more details and a map.

I look forward to seeing you there!

– Steve

Patterson for Alderman Campaign Accepting Contributions via PayPal

I am pleased to announce volunteers have been working hard to make it easier to contribute to my campaign for change. With PayPal you can contribute with all major credit cards or your checking account:

Unlike the recent Presidential race where a modest contribution doesn’t mean much I can tell you every contribution is greatly appreciated and needed. Your contribution will help pay for mailings to registered voters in the ward and yard signs. Our goal by the end of February is to raise $5,000.

Click here to contribute!

If you are able to volunteer with neighborhood canvassing, hosting a fundraiser, or working the polls, please send us an email.

Thank you for supporting my campaign!

– Steve

Sometimes Boarded Windows are a Good Thing

Most often when you see boarded up windows it is a sign a building is no longer viable. It needs major rehab and the owner doesn’t think it is safe to leave the windows vulnerable to breakage.

The picture at right it not one of those cases. Instead these windows are boarded because the entire building as well as some neighboring buildings are getting complete renovations. This and many other indicators tell you that South Broadway is coming back and quickly!

In an act of shameless promotion, I want to plug a new listing of mine just up the street from the above project at 7317 S. Broadway (pictured at left).

The list price is $169,900 (MLS ID# 504457). Click here to see more detail.

If you have an existing REALTOR® that you work with please contact them if you wish to view the property.

– Steve

Ward Endorsements

Tonight was the monthly meeting of the 25th Ward Regular Democratic Club – the ward club that I have been a member of since last summer. Tonight wasn’t our ward endorsement meeting – that will be next month on February 24th.

Tonight we heard from various elected officials including state reps Jeanette Mott Oxford, Mike Daus and Tom Villa. Comptroller Darlene Green paid us a visit campaigning even though she is unopposed and we also had Mayor Francis Slay,

My opponent Dorothy Kirner spoke and she was gracious enough to introduce me so I could say a few words. We will both get a chance to speak next month immediately prior to the endorsement vote. But from the looks of things on the street you’d think the ward committee has already voted to endorse the incumbent:

Ward-owned signs supporting Dorothy Kirner, used last year when challenging Republican Francis Wildhaber, can be spotted within the ward. To me this gives the false impression the ward has endorsed her in this coming election cycle. 25th Ward Committeeman Norman Sutterer disagrees – arguing the signs do not constitute an endorsement by the ward. Of course, he is also the Treasurer of her election committee so I really didn’t expect him to agree with me.

[Updated 2/10/2005: Note – as of a filing postmarked 1/26/2005 and received by the Missouri Ethics Commission on 1/28/2005 Norman Sutterer was replaced as Kirner’s campaign Treasurer by Martin Kirner. This posting was dated 1/27/2005 so I was still correct and they made their change prior to me posting my comments. – Steve]

If having ward signs out doesn’t constitute endorsement then I’m not sure what they’ll do once we actually have the endorsement vote on February 24th. A parade?

I had hoped we’d go into the election on a level playing field – operating by the same rules. But I’m OK with the way things are because I know my message of fresh ideas, youthful energy and a revitalized ward will triumph in the end. Also, my signs are on order – here is a sneak peak:

Remember the dates, register to vote by February 9th, Ward “endorsement” meeting on February 24th and primary election on March 8, 2005.

– Steve

Loving the Lustron Houses

Back in December I alerted my readers to a proposed development in Dogtown which would replace a lovely Lustron house with four, well, not so lovely houses. Hopefully someone will step up and rescue this house.

Help may come from Angie Boesch, a Lustron owner in Webster Groves. Angie is taking on the task of trying to track down all 2,498 original Lustron houses with her web site “The Lustron Locator – Tracking Lustrons Across the United States.”

How cool is that? Keep up the good work Angie! These homes are an important part of American history and a nifty bit of engineering.

– Steve