This Week In Gardening & Nature

Have you sown seeds yet for Black-Eyed Susan, Catmint, Coneflower, False Indigo, Helianthus, Larkspur, Lavendar, Lupine, Milkweed, Primrose, Ratibida, Rudbeckia, Scabiosa, Soapwort, St John’s Wort? They need winter seed stratification.

Kids might like this: old t-shirt garden tote craft project

Did you ever plant seeds and they didn’t germinate? Some seeds need exposed to light, others need covered with soil. Know the difference.

Start planning your 2023 Garden with Seed St. Louis Seed Starting/Planting Calendar

1:30 pm Tuesday Leaf Walk at Bellefontaine Cemetery. Master Guide led walking tour. Register

9 am Wednesday Missouri Conservation Department’s 2.2 mile hike with MDC Naturalist. Discover Dogwood Ridge, Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood. 9 tickets remaining. Register

10 am Wednesday Trolley Tour @ Bellefontaine Cemetery. Two-hour trolley tour led by a Master Guide sharing horticulture and arboretum highlights. Tickets $5. Register

4 pm Wednesday Missouri Prairie Foundation Online Master Class Wasps: The Astonishing Diversity of a Misunderstood Insect. Free to Mo Prairie Foundation members & Grow Native Missouri professional members. $15 for non-members. Register

1 pm Friday Missouri Conservation Department’s Walk off the Turkey and Pumpkin Pie Hike at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area. 4 Tickets remaining. Register

Friday thru Dec 30th Sachs Butterfly House special event, Chesterfield Winter Jewels: An Enchanted Celebration. Tickets
6:30 pm Dec 2nd Missouri Conservation Department in-person event at Rockwoods Reservation, Wildwood: Owl Prowl. 12 Tickets remaining. Register

8 am Dec 3rd St. Louis Audubon Society’s Beginner Bird Walk at Forest Park. Register
11 am Dec 4th Missouri Conservation Department’s In Person event at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area: Dutch Oven Cooking Class. 4 Tickets remaining. Register
12:30 pm Dec 4th Missouri Prairie Foundation Friends of Cuivre River State Park Grasslands Work Day, Troy, Lincoln County. Volunteers Wanted. Register
4 pm Dec 7th Missouri Prairie Foundation Webinar. Winter’s Feathered Friends: The Christmas Bird Count & Grassland Bird. Register

6 pm Dec 8th Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: Enjoying Winter & Preparing for Spring. Register
6:30 pm Dec 8th Missouri Conservation Department’s Nature Board Game Night at Stupp Center, Tower Grove Park. Ages 8 and up. Register
Noon Dec 15th Deep Roots Kansas City online event: Native Plants at Noon on the Road with Missouri Conservation Department. Register

City Election Candidate Filing Opens Nov 28

Candidates for Board of Alder President and all 14 Ward Alder seats begin filing 8 am Monday, November 28. Filing ends 5 pm January 6. The Primary is March 7 and General Election is April 4.

For those of you interested in running and not part of a slate, or running on your own, and already collecting nominating signatures, here are the qualifications and requirements.

A candidate for Board of Alder President must be at least 30 years of age, a U.S. citizen for at least 5 years, St. Louis City resident for at least 5 years, an assessed City taxpayer for at least 2 years, and must not have been convicted of malfeasance in office, bribery or other corrupt practice or crime.

A candidate for Alder must be at least 25 years of age, a U.S. citizen for at least 5 years, St. Louis City resident for at least 3  years, a resident of the ward from which elected for at least one year, an assessed City taxpayer for at least 2 years, and must not have been convicted of malfeasance in office, bribery or other corrupt practice or crime.

✔️ All candidates for City office will need petition signatures for Certificate of Nomination.

✔️ All candidates must obtain a receipt from City Treasurer for payment of a filing fee  equal to 1% of the salary of the office sought.

✔️ All candidates must obtain a Statement of Tax Clearance– confirmation the candidate  is not delinquent in the payment of city taxes and water and refuse bills- from City Collector of Revenue.

Candidates must take their Certificate of Nomination, receipt for payment of filing fee, and Statement of Tax Clearance to the Board of Election to file by the deadline.

✔️ Candidates must also file campaign finance reports with Missouri Ethics Commission.

Also see Board of Election Candidate Filing Information.

 

 

This Week In Gardening & Nature

Start planning your 2023 Garden with Seed St. Louis Seed Starting/Planting Calendar

9 am Wednesday Missouri Conservation Department’s Birdwatching Hike at Rockwoods Reservation, Wildwood. Register

6 pm Thursday Missouri Conservation Department’s Conservation Kids @ Tower Grove Park, Stupp Center. You and Me under the Canopy: Fall Fun for 3-6 year olds. Register

10 am Saturday Seed St. Louis In Person Workshop: Utilizing the School Garden in Winter. At Carriage House, Bell Community Garden, 3815 Bell. Register

5 pm Sunday Missouri Conservation Department’s Super Owl Prowl at Emmenegger Nature Park, Sunset Hills. 5 Tickets remaining. Register

9 am Nov 23rd Missouri Conservation Department’s 2.2 mile hike with MDC Naturalist. Discover Dogwood Ridge, Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood. 9 tickets remaining. Register

4 pm Nov 23rd Missouri Prairie Foundation Online Master Class Wasps: The Astonishing Diversity of a Misunderstood Insect Free to Mo Prairie Foundation members & Grow Native Missouri professional members. $15 for non-members. Register

2 pm Nov 20 Guided Forest Bathing & Nature Therapy Walk at Forest Park, Kennedy Forest. Tickets

Nov 25 to Dec 30th Sachs Butterfly House special event, Chesterfield Winter Jewels: An Enchanted Celebration. Tickets

8 am Dec 3rd St. Louis Audubon Society’s Beginner Bird Walk at Forest Park. Register

6 pm Dec 8th Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: Enjoying Winter & Preparing for Spring. Register

Ward Consolidation Wars

The Bosley Family’s matriarch has laid political claim to St. Louis City’s new 14th Ward, the combined 3rd Ward and 5th Ward under ward reduction and redistricting. This month, 3rd Ward Committeewoman Lucinda Frazier and three others incorporated 14th Ward Regular Democratic Organization as a nonprofit.

The club has not yet filed as a political action committee (all ward committees are pacs not party committees under Missouri law). No one residing in the current 5th Ward is an incorporator. It does not look like 5th Ward Committeeman and State Representative Rasheen Aldridge and 5th Ward Committeewoman and former State Representative Penny Hubbard are involved.

Frazier is the wife of former 3rd Ward Alder Freeman Bosley, mother to current 3rd Ward Alder Brandon Bosley and State Representative LaKeysha Bosley, and Chief of Staff for part-time Recorder of Deeds, bar owner, and Missouri State Party Chair Michael Butler.

Registered agent for the new 14th Ward registration is Limda Primer, who is also Treasurer for MEC registered 3rd Ward Regular Democratic Organization and Civil PAC, and Deputy Treasurer for Citizens for Brandon Bosley (3rd Ward Alder) and Citizens for LaKeysha Bosley (State Representative and sometimes employee of the Recorder of Deed’s bar).

Then there’s the new 4th Ward, the combined 23rd and 24th Wards.

In March of this year, Kate Lovelady filed a Fictitious Name Registration for 24WPD to own 4th Ward Democrats. Lovelady is Treasurer for 4th Ward Democrats registered (previously known as 24th Ward Progressive Democrats) with MEC.

In September, Greg Meyer incorporated 4th Ward Regular Democratic Organization as a non profit with the help of attorney Ted Dearing. Meyer is also Treasurer for MEC registered 23rd Ward Regular Democratic Organization (aligned with 23rd Ward Alder Joe Vaccaro) and St. Louis Labor Legislature Club. The October 2022 Report for 23rd Ward Regular Democratic Organization shows the club paid Ted Dearing $300 in August for legal services.

In St. Louis County, you can visit the St. Louis County Democratic Central Committee website to find your township political club.

There are two online sources for anyone (a lot of us do not have book of faces) to look for St. Louis City ward organization information and neither are the St. Louis Democratic City Central Committee website. Instead, you have to search Missouri Ethics Commission and/or Missouri Secretary of State’s Business Entity database for ward committees.

St. Louis City political clubs often incorporate as nonprofits or file fictious name registrations (d.b.a.). It was thought that by incorporating, the name was owned and could not be used by a rival. They’ve been doing it for over a century. Some of the earliest ones were recorded in the Corporation Books of the City’s Recorder of Deeds. Campaign finance records began in St. Louis City in the late 20th Century via Missouri’s Corrupt Practices Act and were also recorded with the Recorder of Deeds. I did a lot of research and preservation work with these records when I worked as an archivist under the two previous Recorder of Deeds.

It’s been a long tradition for status quo ward clubs to use “Regular Democratic” or “Original” in the name to distinguish themselves from rump organizations who use “Independent.” The Independent organizations were often started by a noncommitteeperson, election competitor, or a committeeperson who did not see eye to eye with their ward colleague. Unfortunately, I was overruled by ward members when I was a committeewoman and had to file 7th Ward Independent Democrats instead of 7th Ward Irregular Democrats with MEC.

St. Louis City Alders to Become $72,000 Part-Time Jobs

This week, Alder Carol Howard introduces Board Bill 119 to increase Board of Alders salaries to $72,000 and increase expense accounts to $5,000. Howard has terminated her candidate committee and does not plan on running in 2023 for the new 2nd Ward that she was redistricted into with 16th Ward Alder Tom Oldenburg.

The proposed ordinance does not require Alders to serve full-time. Among the current Alders, there are five attorneys- including one at a firm involved in developments, two bankers involved in developments, two business owners, numerous landlords, other occupations, and conflicts of interest galore easily remedied with requiring the position to be full-time. Conflicts of interest from Alder Jack Coatar’s employment with Spencer Fane were an issue in Tuesday’s Board President election.

The City Charter requires the Mayor to be full time: “The mayor shall devote his entire time to the duties of his office.” Similar language needs to be added for the Board President and Alders. But that requires a Charter Amendment and public vote. That takes time.

The Board of Alders is about to have a monumental transformation next year: 28 wards reduced to 14 wards. Voters will elect alders to serve a double number of constituents and double the geography in March-April. The potential increase in workload- and I say potential because I have had personal experience with lazy Alders- without commensurate pay could be a deterrent to running for office and reducing choices for voters. The time to increase salaries and require full time service is now.

Inserting “devote their entire time to the duties of their office” should be inserted into Board Bill 119. Alders cannot require the job to be full time except by Charter Amendment, but they can create a two tier salary system. Higher salary for those who make it full time and the lower, current salary for those who wish to be part-time. Stands to reason that it would make a good election issue- full-time v. part-time.

I am not saying that all Alders with jobs and businesses right now (or in the past) are not working hard for constituents. I am saying that making the job full-time with a decent salary reduces some opportunities for conflicts of interest at the same time it may increase the pool of potential candidates by making it more affordable to do so.

Results of my quick searches for occupations other than Alder for current Board of Alders. Let me know of any additions or corrections.

New 1st Ward
Current 12th Ward Alder William ‘Bill’ Stephens: former librarian
Current 13th Ward Alder Anne Schweitzer: political campaign consultant

New 2nd Ward
Current 14th Ward Alder Carol Howard- former school principal
Current 16th Ward Alder Tom Oldenburg: Vice President for Community Development |at US Bancorp Community Development Corp

New 3rd Ward
Current 11th Ward Alder Jimmy Lappe: Director of Data & Research at Missouri Jobs With Justice
Current 25th Ward Alder Shane Cohn:

New 4th Ward
Current 23rd Ward Alder Joe Vaccaro: former car wash owner
Current 24th Ward Alder Bret Narayan: attorney, private practice

New 5th Ward
Current 10th Ward Alder & Acting Board President Joseph Vollmer: owner of Milo’s, landlord

New 6th Ward
Current 8th Ward Alder Annie Rice: attorney at Khazaeli Wyrsch Stock until 2021
Current 15th Ward Alder Megan Ellyia Green: Adjunct Professor at Washington University

New 7th Ward
Current 6th Ward Alder Christine Ingrassia: paddle guide for Big Muddy Adventures (obviously not a full time gig)

New 8th Ward
Current 7th Ward Alder Jack Coatar: attorney at Spencer Fane’s Litigation, Governmental Affairs, and Real Estate Practice 
Current 9th Ward Alder Dan Guenther: former Monarch Community Liaison at Office of Sustainability
Current 20th Ward Alder Cara Spencer: Senior Vice President for Community and Economic Development at St. Louis Bank

New 9th Ward
Current 17th Ward Alder Tina Pihl: landlord
Current 28th Ward Alder Michael Gras: attorney at Davis & Gras

New 10th Ward
Current 26th Ward Alder Shameem Clark Hubbard:

New 11th Ward
Current 19th Ward Alder Marlene Davis:
Current 21st Ward Alder Laura Keys: landlord Clinical Data Coordinator at Biomedical Systems

New 12th Ward
Current 1st Ward Alder Sharon Tyus: attorney, landlord
Current 4th Ward Alder Dwinderlin Evans: landlord
Current 18th Ward Alder Jesse Todd:

New 13th Ward
Current 2nd Ward Alder Lisa Middlebrook: home healthcare
Current 22nd Ward Alder Norma Walker: owner of Belt Loop Trucking, landlord
Current 27th Ward Alder Pam Boyd: Certified Dietary Manager at The Valley Stonebridge Community skilled nursing facility

New 14th Ward
Current 3rd Ward Alder Brandon Bosley:
Current 5th Ward Alder James Page:

This Week in Gardening & Nature

Gardening by Month from Missouri Botanical Garden: November Tips & Tasks, Pests & Problems

November Garden To Do List from P. Allen Smith

Woodpeckers: The Hole Story, narrated by Paul Giamatti, is airing on PBS. Check you local PBS station for when in you area.

6 pm Wednesday Old North’s Northside Workshop Support the Bee Sanctuary fundraiser at Turn Restaurant, Midtown. Tickets: $50

5-7 pm Thursday Seed St. Louis Urban Ag Happy Hour at Schlafly Tap Room, 2100 Locust No program. No agenda. Just fun and making connections.

2 pm Friday Seed St. Louis and St. Louis County Library In Person Class at Mid-County Library, Clayton: Container Gardening. Register

9 am Saturday ForestReLeaf North Riverfront Mississippi Greenway Tree Planting. Volunteers Wanted. Register

11 am Saturday Missouri Conservation Department’s Harvest Feast for the Birds at Rockwoods Reservation, Wildwood. 4 Tickets remaining. Register

1:30 pm Nov 14th Leaf Walk at Bellefontaine Cemetery. Master Guide led walking tour. Register

3 pm Nov 14th Seed St. Louis and St. Louis County Library In Person Class at Bridgeton Trails Library: Container Gardening. Register

9 am Nov 16th Missouri Conservation Department’s Birdwatching Hike at Rockwoods Reservation, Wildwood. Register

6 pm Nov 17th Missouri Conservation Department’s Conservation Kids @ Tower Grove Park, Stupp Center. You and Me under the Canopy: Fall Fun for 3-6 year olds. Register

10 am Nov 19th Seed St. Louis In Person Workshop: Utilizing the School Garden in Winter. At Carriage House, Bell Community Garden, 3815 Bell. Register

4 pm Nov 23rd Missouri Prairie Foundation Online Master Class Wasps: The Astonishing Diversity of a Misunderstood Insect Free to Mo Prairie Foundation members & Grow Native Missouri professional members. $15 for non-members. Register

Join us Sundays on Twitter for #GardenSunday with host @stl7thward to interact with other outdoor and indoor gardeners and nature enthusiasts, ask questions, give answers, share photos.

Support the Cora Faith Walker Foundation

The Foundation will provide free legal, physical, and mental health services through health and wellness advocacy and outreach to individuals in our community.

Support the work of the Cora Faith Walker Foundation: social justice, women’s reproductive rights, sexual violence prevention, and health equity access advocacy.

Follow the work on Twitter @corasfoundation

Donate to the Cora Faith Walker Foundation.

This Week in Gardening & Nature

Gardening by Month from Missouri Botanical Garden: November Tips & Tasks, Pests & Problems

Now thru Next Sunday, final week to see Seedfolks at Grandel Theater. A 9-year-old Vietnamese girl plants bean seeds in a trash-filled, vacant lot and starts a series of changes. Tickets

Peak color right now in a lot of places. Missouri Fall Color Report and Illinois Fall Color Report

For Grade School Teachers: Pumpkin Graveyard lesson plan

Someone asked me about plant dyes awhile back. Have deleted the DM or text. Apologies. Anyways, this is the recommended book: The Handbook of Natural Plant Dyes: Personalize Your Craft with Organic Colors from Acorns, Blackberries, Coffee, and Other Everyday Ingredients by Sasha Duerr

1:30 pm Thursday Leaf Walk at Bellefontaine Cemetery. Master Guide led walking tour. Register

8 am Saturday St. Louis Audubon Society Beginner Bird Walk at Forest Park

10 am Saturday Horticulture Trolley Tour @ Bellefontaine Cemetery. Two-hour trolley tour led by a Master Guide sharing horticulture and arboretum highlights, historical figures. Tickets $5. Register

3:30-5 pm Sunday Missouri Conservation Department’s Beaver Moon Stroll at the Confluence, Columbia Bottom Conservation Area. 5 Tickets remaining. Register

6:30 pm Saturday rescheduled Astronomy Festival activities at Tower Grove Park: Telescope Viewings + Night Hike with Naturalists, Missouri Conservation Department

6 pm Nov 9th Old North’s Northside Workshop Support the Bee Sanctuary fundraiser at Turn Restaurant, Midtown. Tickets: $50

5-7 pm Nov 10th Seed St. Louis Urban Ag Happy Hour at Schlafly Tap Room, 2100 Locust No program. No agenda. Just fun and making connections.

November Seed St. Louis and St. Louis County Library In Person Container Gardening Classes: 2 pm Nov 11th @ Mid-County Library and 3 pm Nov 14th @ Bridgeton Trails Library. Register

9 am Nov 12th ForestReLeaf North Riverfront Mississippi Greenway Tree Planting. Volunteers Wanted. Register

10 am Nov 19th Seed St. Louis In Person Workshop: Utilizing the School Garden in Winter. At Carriage House, Bell Community Garden, 3815 Bell. Register

4 pm Nov 23rd Missouri Prairie Foundation Online Master Class Wasps: The Astonishing Diversity of a Misunderstood Insect Free to Mo Prairie Foundation members & Grow Native Missouri professional members. $15 for non-members. Register

Join us Sundays on Twitter for #GardenSunday with host @stl7thward to interact with other outdoor and indoor gardeners and nature enthusiasts, ask questions, give answers, share photos.