>> DONNYBROOK IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE SUPPORT OF THE BETSY AND THOMAS PATTERSON FOUNDATION AND THE MEMBERS OF NINE PBS.

>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR DONNYBROOK AS WE BEGIN OUR 39th YEAR HERE AT PBS.

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

.. WEEK.

BUT FIRST LET'S MEET.. PANELISTS.

WEND.. OFF AND WE THANK JOE HOLLEMAN FROM THE POST.

AND ALSO BILL MCCLELLAN.

FROM ST. LOUIS MAGAZINE WE WELCOME SARAH FENSKE AND ALVIN REID FROM THE ST. LOUIS AMERICAN.

THAT.. YEARS.

CONGRATULATIONS, BIL.. ONE OF THE LONGEST SERVING BROADCASTERS IN U.S. HISTORY.

THAT'S COOL.

ALVIN, LATE BREAKING NEWS TODAY.

LOOKS LIKE GOVERNOR PARSON PREVAILED IN COURT BECAUSE A MISSOURI COURT OF APPEALS RULED UNANIMOUSLY THAT HE CAN CHOOSE THE NEXT PROSECUTING ATTORNEY FOR ST. LOUIS COUNTY.

AS YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE SAM PAGE, DR. SAM PAGE THOUGHT HE HAD THAT PRIVILEGE BUT THE COURTS NOW TWICE TWIES HAVE RULED IN THE GOVERNOR'S FAVOR.

SMITH IS GOING TO BE THE NEXT PROSECUTING ATTORNEY.

IF YOU ARE A MEM.. COUNTY COUNCIL AREN'T YOU KIND OF A LOSER IN THIS CASE, BECAUSE THEY HAD THAT POWER TO DECIDE, ALSO WHETHER THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S PICK WAS GOING TO GO THROUGH.

NO.. >> EVERY CITIZEN IN ST. LOUIS COUNTY SHOULD BE A LITTLE BIT UPSET ABOUT THIS.

THEIR RIGHT HAS BEEN STRIPPED BY THE GOVERNOR.

IT'S AN ACTION THAT HE TOOK THAT HE DECIDED NOT TO DO IN ST. CHARLES.

HE'S PLA..

THEY DIDN'T VOTE FOR HIM IN ST. LOUIS COUNTY.

TAKE ALL THE NAMES AND FACES OTHER THAN GOVERNOR PARSON, BECAUSE THERE'S GOING TO BE A COUNTY EXECUTIVE ONE DAY AND COUNTY COUNSEL ONE DAY.

AND ANYBODY CELEBRATING THIS IS CELEBRATING A LOSS OF YOUR RIGHTS.

.. AS WE ARE SPEAKING RIGHT NOW IS TAKING SOME ACTION.

IF THEY RULE IN FAVOR OF THE GOVERNOR, SO BE IT.

>> YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE BIG PICTURE, ALVIN.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE SMALLER PICTURE, MELISSA PRICE SMITH IS A GREAT CHOICE.

YOU HAVE GOT TO GIVE PARSON CREDIT.

.. DID WITH GABE GORE IN THE CITY.

>> RIGHTS BEING STRIPPED.

WE'VE HAD TWO COURTS SAYING THIS IS WHAT THE LAW SAYS.

WHEN YOU ARE SAYING THE RIGHTS OF BEING STRIPPED YOU ARE SAYING TWO LEVELS OF JUDGESHIPS HAVE MISINTERPRETED THE LAW.

YOU HAVE HAD JUDGES SAY, NO THIS IS THE WAY IT SHOULD BE.

AS FAR AS THE COUNTY COUNCIL, THE LOSER IS SAM PAGE.

IN FACT, SAM PAGE WAS GOING TO ARGUE WHEN HE SAID CORT VANOSTRAN THAT HE DIDN'T NEED THE APPROVAL.

I THINK THE PERSON WHO LOST HERE WAS SAM PAGE, AND THE PERSON WHO WON WAS MIKE PARSON.

I DON'T THINK YOU CAN TAKE THE NAME AND THE FACES OUT OF IT.

THE WHOLE LIST HAD THREE PEOPLE WHO WERE VETERAN PROSECUTORS OF THE ST. LOUIS COUNTY PROSECUTING OFFICE.

AND .. ADDED, AND THAT'S THE ONE SAM PAGE PICKED.

THE PERSON WITH THE LEAST EXPERIENCE, LEASE FAMILIARITY WITH THE PROSECUTING OFFICE IS THE ONE THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE PICKED.

..

IT WORKED OUT OKAY.

>> I'M GOING TO AGREE WITH JOE ON ONE THING AND ONE THING ONLY JOE.

COUNCIL IS VERY MUCH CELEBRATING THIS DECISION.

THEY DON'T FEEL THAT THEIR RIGHTS WERE STRIPPED.

HOWEVER, I THINK ALLEN MAD ALVIN MADE A GREAT POINT.

HISTORICALLY ANY TIME THEY HAVE TO BE CHOSE THAN IN THE STATE OF MISSOURI, EVERY TIME IT'S HAPPENED AT THIS POINT IT'S UP TO THE EXECUTIVE OF THAT COUNTY.

THAT HAS NOT CHANGED.

THE RIGHT THAT THE CITIZENS HAD TO HAVE THE CHOICE BE MADE CLOSER TO HOME, THAT HAS GONE AWAY.

AN..

CELEBRATING NOW, THE PRECEDENT HERE ISN'T GREAT.

MIKE PARSON HAS SHOWN HE'S GOOD AT MAKING THESE APPOINTMENTS.

IF THIS WAS ERIC GREITENS WOULD WE BE AS HAPPY HOW THIS IS TURNING OUT.

WE COULD GET ANOTHER GOVERNOR IN SHORT ORDER.

>> THE PROBLEM STARTED WHEN ANDREW BAILEY SUED, AND MAYBE HE, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS ACTUALLY TO READ THE LAW.

>> I DON'T KNOW.

CHARLIE, I INTERVIEW LAWYERS FOR A MONTHLY SHOW ON ST. LOUIS PUBLIC RADIO.

>> TRYIN..

CREDIBILITY?

>> I TALKED TO 12 DIFFERENT LAWYERS IN THE COURSE OF COVERING THAT FOR THE JOE.

SIX FELL ON ONE SITE.

SIX FELL ON THE OTHER.

THE LAW WAS VERY UNCLEAR.

>> I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.

>> I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE CLARIFICATION.

THE STATE NEVER DID GIVE UP ITS RIGHT TO APPOINT PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS THROUGHOUT MISSOURI.

THE ONLY EXCEPTION WAS FOR COUNTIES THAT HAD THEIR OWN CHARTER.

.. MISSOURI.

>&g.. WE HAVE A LOT OF TOPICS FOR THIS SHOW.

WE.. SARAH FENSKE, THERE'S NOW A SECURE PLATFORM PROGRAM THAT'S BEING IMPLEMENTED ON METROLINK, WHICH FIRST STARTED RUNNING IN OUR REGION IN 1924.

HERE WE ARE IN 2025 AND THEY HAVE PUT TURNSTILES UP ON THE CORTEX STATION ON THE MISSOURI SIDE.

REPORTED, FOUR STATIONS ON THE ILLINOIS SIDE BUT THE TURNSTILES AREN'T UP TO PAR YET, SO THERE'S GOING TO BE HUMAN BEINGS STANDING THERE LOOKING AT TICKETS FOR ABOUT A YEAR OR SO.

LEADERS HAD BEEN TELLING US FOR 30 YEARS THAT THESE TURNSTILES, THESE GATES WEREN'T NECESSARY.

THEN THEY CHANGED COURSE, PROBABLY IN RESPONSE TO CRIME.

ARE THE TURNSTILES REALLY GOING TO REDUCE CRIME, OR ARE THEY WINDOW DRESSING?

>> TO ME THIS IS WINDOW DRESSING.

I WO..

SAME IMPACT, IF THEY WOULD HAVE THE PERSON THAT'S GOING TO BE STANDING THERE IN EACH OF THE STATIONS HAVING TO SWAY SOMEONE THROUGH.

IF THEY ..

STANDING THERE, BEING THE EYES AND EARS AND NOT BEING ON THE PHONE PAYING ATTENTION, WE MIGHT HAVE THE SAME IMPACT.

PUTTING UP THE GATES WE HAVE THE COSTLY MEASURE, INSTEAD OF MOVING PEOPLE AROUND TO THE HOT SPOTS, WE PUT SOMETHING IN THAT MIGHT MAKE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO TAKE THE METROLINK IN FOR A CARDINALS GAME, THEY MIGHT FEEL BETTER ABOUT IT.

BUT PEOPLE RIDING THIS DAY IN AND DAY OUT, THIS ISN'T WHAT WE NEED.

>> WASHI..

IN THE MID-'90s.

THAT WAS PART OF IT.

YOU HAD TO HAVE THE CARD.

YOU HAD TO PUT IT IN THERE FOR THE THING TO OPEN.

THERE WAS NEVER ANY MAYHEM.

THIS IS A MAJOR METROPOLITAN CITY.

WHY ON EARTH WOULD IT TAKE 30 YEARS TO WISE UP AND DO WHAT THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE FROM DAY 1.

THE FIRS.. RUN WITH YOU ABLE TO WALK OUT ON THE STREET AND GET ON THE TRAIN.

>> I AGREE THE D.C. SYSTEM IS INCREDIBLE.

BUT ..

THE TURNSTILE THAT'S VERY HARD TO GET THROUGH, AND THEY HAVE HAD SEVERAL INCIDENTS IN THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS, PEOPLE BEING THROWN IN SOME OF THESE THINGS, PEOPLE BEING SET ON FIRE.

>> I LIKE THE TURNSTILE IDEA.

BUT THE VERY SAFEST WAY, THE BEST PLACE OF SAFETY IS IF YOU HAVE AN OFFICER AND EVERY TRAIN GOING FROM CAR TO CAR LOOKING AROUND, LOOKING AROUND.

THAT MAKES PEOPLE FEEL SAFER.

>> LET'S DO THAT, TOO.

>> OKAY.

..

THE VIOLENCE FROM GETTING ON THE TRAIN, AND THAT WILL REDUCE SOME OF THAT.

THEN WHAT'S LEFT THAT GOT ON THE TRAIN TO HAVE THE PEOPLE THERE TOO.

IT TAKE 30 YEARS, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S EVER TOO LATE TO HAVE A GOOD IDEA.

THIS WAS A.. AGO.

>> LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT DRIVERS WHO DRIVE THEIR AUTOMOBILES AND TEXT AT THE SAME TIME.

AS OF THE FIRST OF THIS YEAR, YOU CAN GET A 150-DOLLAR FINE IN MISSOURI IF YOU ARE TEXTING OR ACTUALLY TALKING ON THE PHONE WHILE DRIVING.

THE LAW SAYS THAT YOU CAN ..

IN AN EMERGENCY.

SAY YOU ARE CALLING 911 OR IF YOU ARE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT.

POLICE OFFICERS RIGHT NOW ARE NOT REALLY PULLING PEOPLE OVER FOR SPEEDING, AS FAR AS I CAN SEE, OR DRIVING WITHOUT LICENSE PLATES OR WHEN PEOPLE LITTER OR JAY WALK, I DON'T SEE THOSE LAWS BEING ENFORCED.

DO YOU SEE THIS LAW BEING ENFORCED?

>> NO, I DON'T SEE HOW IT CAN BE.

THEORETICALLY.

EVERY STATISTI.. STUDY I'VE SEEN, THE MORE TEXTING THAT GOES ON, THE MORE ACCIDENTS THERE ARE.

WE CAN TALK ABOUT WE WANT TO BE SAFE ON ROADS.

THAT MEANS YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.

HOW .. IS WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT.

BUT I THINK ALL THOSE THINGS ARE GOOD IDEAS.

YOU ..

SIGNALS, ALL THOSE THINGS YOU LEARNED IN DRIVERS EDUCATION TO MAKE DRIVING SAFER.

WE ALL FORGET ABOUT THEM, AND WE DRIVE TOO FAST.

I THINK THOSE LITTLE LAWS .. LAST 10 YEARS, LET'S SAY, JUST TO TAKE AN ARBITRARY NUMBER, HAS BEEN IGNORED, AND I THINK MUCH TO OUR DETRIMENT A LOT OF THESE LITTLE THINGS GOT IGNORED AND THEY CREATED ACCIDENTS, PERIOD.

>> I LIKE THE EDUCATION CAMPAIGN.

EVERY TI.. SEE A SIGN SAYING AS OF YESTERDAY, IT'S ILLEGAL TO BE TEXTING WHILE I'M DRIVING.

I WILL BE HONEST HERE.

THAT IS A REMINDER THAT I NEEDED.

I .. OF CORRECT SOME BAD HABITS IN MY 10 LAWLESS YEARS OF LIVING IN ST. LOUIS.

I HOPE THEY WILL HAVE THE SAME IMPACT FOR OTHER PEOPLE.

>> MAYBE IT'S DANGEROUS, AS WELL, SARAH, TO BE LOOKING AT THE BILLBOARDS.

YOUR ATTENTION OF COURSE SHOULD BE ON THE ROAD.

JOE, I CAN'T IMAGINE THIS BEING ENFORCED.

WHEN YOU DRIVE DOWN .. SKINKER AND GO ON 65, THEY ARE GOING TOO FAST FOR POLICEMAN TO KNOW THEY ARE TEXTING.

>> THERE'S SOME REASON, I THINK, THAT THIS WAS ENACTED AND THUS THAT I GUESS THERE ARE A LOT MORE REPORTS OF PEOPLE TEXTING AND BEING IN ACCIDENTS.

I DON'T KNOW IF THEY GO BACK AND SAY -- GO BACK TO THE TIMELINE TO AT&T OR WHOEVER YOUR CARRIER IS AND SAY YOU WERE TEXTING WHEN YOU CRASHED INTO THE BACK OF THAT CAR OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

IF THE IMPETUS IS -- LIKE YOU SAID WE KNOW FOR A FACT THIS IS CAUSING A LOT OF ACTIONS, YOU HAVE TO TAKE SOME STEPS.

SO I APPLAUD IT.

KIRKWOOD DID IT SOME YEARS AGO.

I HAVE NO IDEA IF ANYBODY GOT A REAL TICKET OR NOT.

THERE ARE SIGNS, AND I THINK IT PROBABLY DID REDUCE THE PEOPLE WHO WERE TEXTING WHILE THEY WERE DRIVING.

MY DAUGHTER WENT OFF ON ME, NOT TEXTING BUT IN THE CAR, AND I TAUGHT THEM HOW TO DRIVE.

I'M HOLDING ON.

BOY, WHEN I WOULD DO SOMETHING ON THE PHONE, DAD, STOP!

THEY KIND OF TAUGHT ME.

>> MY WIFE BETH CORRECTS ME IF I'M USING THE PHONE WHILE DRIVING.

.. THAT I HAVE THEM, I DON'T KNOW HOW ANY POLICE OFFICER IS GOING TO SEE IN 2 25 OR 30% OF AUTOMOBILES.

AND TH..

THEM OVER FOR TEXTING AND DRIVING.

AND IF T.. THAT DANGEROUS WHY CAN'T THE POLICE OFFICER PULL SOMEONE OVER IF THEY SEE SOMEONE.

>> THEY DID THE SAME WITH SEAT BELTS.

NOT HAVING A SEAT BELT, BUT IF YOU GOT PULLED OVER FOR SOME OTHER REASON, THAT COULD BE AN ADDITIONAL TICKET TO IT.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT SOLUTION, AND THERE WILL NEVER BE ANY HIGHWAY I FATALITIES, AND THAT'S NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN.

LIKE THE OLD SPEED TRAPS.

EVERY TIME I GOT CAUGHT IN A SPEED TRAP, IT SLOWED ME DOWN FOR A FEW WEEKS.

I WATCHED MY SPEED LIMIT AND PROBABLY SO DID EVERYBODY ELSE.

I KNEW WHICH HIGHWAYS HAD SPEED TRAPS ON THEM.

AND I WOULD GO SLOWER.

IF IT KNOCKS OFF 10, 15% OF ACCIDENTS AND SAFES 10 LIVES, 20 LIVES, SEEMS LIKE IT'S WELL WORTH IT.

>> I'M NOT NOSTALGIC ABOUT THE OLD SPEED TRAPS, AND NOW WHEN I SEE PEOPLE ZIPPING AROUND, I I THINK THE OLD SPEED TRAPS.

>> AND THE GPS LADY, SHE COMES UP AND SAID THERE'S A SPEED TRAP AHEAD AND I THOUGHT YOU REALLY SHOULDN'T BE TELLING ME THAT.

THANK YOU.

>> IT SLOWED YOU DOWN.

>> IT SEEMS TO ME IT'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER LAW ON THE BOOKS, SOUNDS GOOD, AND MIGHT MAKE SOME POLITICIAN FEEL GOOD.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING..

ENFORCED.

BILL, I FEEL T.. A LAW IN ILLINOIS, WHICH I THINK -- YOU THINK, IN ILLINOIS RIGHT NOW WE HAVE BUSINESSES MOVING OUT ACTUALLY LAST YEAR FOR THE FRGS TIME IN 11 YEARS THE POPULATION INCREASED IN ILLINOIS IN SOME MEASURE BECAUSE THE TEXAS GOVERNOR AND THE FLORIDA GOVERNOR WERE SENDING BOATS AND BUSES FULL OF MIGRANTS TO PLACES LIKE CHICAGO.

>> BOATS?

>> BUSES.

BUSES.

>> BUT, YES, ACTUALLY ILLINOIS'S POPULATION WENT UP 125 IN 2024 WHICH IS A PRETTY BIG JUMP CONSIDERING IT'S GOING DOWN, DOWN, DOWN.

BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN LEAVING.

THE STATE HAS HUGE PROBLEMS, $144 BILLION UNFUNDED PENSION LIABILITY, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.

NOW THE LAWMAKERS THERE HAVE DECIDED TO DO A COUPLE OF THINGS, INCLUDING THEY SAY IF YOU ARE GETTING A SUBSCRIPTION WITH AN INTRODUCTORY RATE, IT COULD BE TO NETFLIX OR THE NEWSPAPER, THE COMPANY SELLING YOU THAT SUBSCRIPTION HAS TO NOTIFY YOU A COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE BY.

MAIL THAT YOUR INTRODUCTORY RATE IS GOING TO EXPIRE.

DO YOU THINK THAT THIS STATE SHOULD BE PUTTING MORE REGULATIONS LIKE THAT ON ILLINOIS BUSINESSES?

>> I MIGHT MOVE TO ILLINOIS AGAIN JUST FOR THAT.

I WILL TELL YOU WHAT.

I TRY TO WATCH NETFLIX OR HULU OR SOME OF THOSE THINGS, AND THAT LOOKS LIKE A GOOD ONE BUT WE DON'T SUBSCRIBE TO THAT SERVICE.

1.99 A MONTH FOR THE FIRST THREE MONTHS, AND THEN 12.99.

AND I'M AFRAID TO DO IT, BECAUSE ONCE I GET ON, I DON'T THINK I KNOW I WILL KNOW HOW TO GET OFF.

IF THE GOVERNMENT WAS LOOKING OUT FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME AND SAY MR. MCCLELLAN, AFTER YOUR TWO MONTHS OF 1.99, THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO NOTIFY YOU AND A WAY TO GET OUT OF IT.

BY THEN I WILL BE DONE WITH THE SERIES THAT I WANTED TO WATCH.

I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA.

>> 100%.

COULDN'T HAVE SAID..

FINALLY A GOVERNMENT ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING THAT HELPS THE CITIZENS GO OH, YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.

I CAN RENEW IT AT THE REGULATE RATE.

>> IF PEOPLE.. PAPER, THEY MIGHT THINK I LIKE THIS.

I THINK WHAT ILLINOIS IS DOING IS SMART, CHARLIE.

>> YOU COULD GET OUT THE MONTHLY PLANNER AND SAY I HAVE A 6 MONTH SUBSCRIPTION AT 99 CENTS A MONTH AND THEN I HAVE TO NOTIFY THAT THE SUBSCRIPTION IS ENDING.

THE LAWMAKERS IN SPRINGFIELD LIKE ANOTHER ONE THEY DECIDED THIS YEAR TO BAN SHAMPOO IN SMALL PLASTIC BOTTLES IN HOTELS AS IF ILLINOIS KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT BUSINESS.

THEY DECIDE TO TELL BUSINESS OPERATORS HOW TO OPERATE THEIR BUSINESSES.

NOW, T..

PLASTIC BOTTLES FOR COCA-COLA OR PEPSI OR ANY OTHER PRODUCTS.

BUT THE LITTLE SHAMPOO BOTTLES AT THE HIG HYATT OR FOUR SEASONS, THEY WILL BE BANNED.

>> THAT'S THE THING I DON'T TRAVEL A LOT.

MOST HOTELS HAVE ALREADY DONE THAT.

BECAUS..

THEM.

&g.. CAN REMOVE EVERY BOTTLE OF SHAMPOO.

>> THESE.. CAN'T RUN THEIR OWN STATE.

AS A RESULT, THEY ARE TELLING BUSINESSES WHO ARE FLEEING TO FLORIDA AND TEXAS.

>> THEY ARE NOT FLEEING.

>> CATERPILLAR, BOEING.

>> IT ADDS UP, ALVIN.

DO YOU WANT TO BE A STATE THAT'S FRIENDLY TO BUSINESS, OR DO YOU WANT TO ONE BY ONE GIVE THEM REASONS TO LEAVE?

>> DIDN'T YOU SAY MORE PEOPLE WERE LIVING IN ILLINOIS.

>> BECAUSE OF MIGRATION.

>> BECAUSE THE PEOPLE OF ST. LOUIS PROBABLY GETTING OUT OF HERE.

&g..

I DON'T THINK THAT'S TRUE.

>> I WANT TO SAY I THINK THIS IS A VERY LONELY CRUSADE ON YOUR PART.

FOR .. TO WRITE THINGS DOWN, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT ILLINOIS IS UP TO THAT YOU CAN BE HOSTILE ABOUT.

GET VERY MANY VOTES ON THIS ONE.

>> I APPLAUD YOUR REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF GOVERNMENT REALINGS REGULATIONS.

>> BILL, LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT YOUR PAST.

YOU ..

EARLIER.

.. ST. CHARLES, WHICH MIGHT SPEND $10 MILLION OR SO TO BRING THE ARAIBIOUS STEAMBOAT AND CONTENTS TO ST. LOUIS, ACTUALLY ST. CHARLES DOWNTOWN.

ARABIA WAS A STEAMBOAT THAT SUNK IN SEPTEMBER OF 1856.

AND IT HAD 200,000 POUNDS OF CAR CARGO.

FOR 30 YEARS IT'S BE..

IN KANSAS CITY.

SOME TALK ABOUT MAYBE IN 2026 BRINGING THAT AS A TOURIST ATTRACTION.

DO Y.. LINE UP TO SEE A STEAMBOAT.

>> YOU ARE NECESSARILY THINKING THAT EACH ONE IS GOING TO BE A SPECTACULAR THING.

AND THE BO.. ST. LOUIS IS TRANSFORMATION.

THESE ARE INCREMENTAL.

SOMETHING LIKE THIS COULD BE SOMETHING THAT IF PEOPLE ARE ON THE RIVERFRONT IN ST. CHARLES, LET'S GO SEE THE STEAMBOAT EXHIBIT.

TH.. FLOCKING HERE FROM AROUND THE NATION TO SEE IT, BUT IT'S JUST AN ADDED LITTLE ATTRACTION IN ST. CHARLES.

AND IF.. FOR THEM.

IT'S A NICE IDEA.

>> ANOTHER ONE SANK SOMEWHERE CLOSE TO THERE.

AND WE MIGHT BE LIKE THE STEAMBOAT CAPITAL OF THE MIDWEST.

AT.. DON'T KNOW.

WOUL..

ALONG THOSE LINES AND COULD YOU GET IT FROM THERE TO HERE WITHOUT SUFFERING IN SOME WAY?

>> I THINK THEY PASSED ON THE 10 MILLION, BECAUSE THEY HAD TRIED TO GET THIS BEFORE.

AND THE ASKING PRICE WAS 10 MILLION, AND THE PEOPLE FROM ST. CHARLES SAYS THAT'S TOO MUCH.

WITH HOW MUCH DO THEY END UP PAYING FOR IT.

I AGREE WITH BILL AGAIN.

NO WONDER HE'S BEEN ON FOR 39 YEARS.

THE OTHE.. >> ARE YOU FORGETTING WE HAD THE DOG MUSEUM, THE SANTA MARIA, >> WE WENT IN.RIA.

>> YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE ONLY ONE, ALVIN.

IT WAS CONSIDERED -- WHAT'S THE WORD?

WHITE ELEPHANT BACK IN THE DAY.

I MEAN, AT LEAST YOU ARE TRYING.

>> IF YOU ARE TRYING WITH YOUR OWN MONEY, BUT IF YOU ARE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL USING TAXPAYER DOLLARS, SHOULDN'T YOU ASK YOURSELF IF THIS IS SUCH A GOOD DEAL.

.. TAXPAYERS OF ST. CHARLES WILL NOT HAVE ANY HESITATION TO LET FOLKS OUT THERE KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THEY SHOULD SPEND THAT MONEY.

FI.. ON IT.

>> LET ME ASK YOU THE INVESTMENT.

WHEE..

DOWNTOWN ST. LOUIS AND IT WAS THE SHOOTING AT 3:00 A.M. ON THE FIRST OF THIS MONTH OF AN OFF-DUTY POLICE OFFICERS WORKING EXTRA DETAIL AS A SECURITY GUARD ON SPRUCE, SHOT AND KILLED A FELLA WHO PULLED OUT A FIREARM AFTER THERE WAS A BIG FIGHT OUTSIDE.

IMMEDIATELY THE CITIZENS FOR GREATER DOWNTOWN ST. LOUIS, CITIZENS GROUP, SAID WE SHOULD NOT HAVE THESE LATE NIGHTCLUBS IN DOWNTOWN ST. LOUIS.

DO YOU AGREE WITH HIM?

>> I DISAGREE.

I RESPECT THAT GROUP.

I LIKE LESTERMAN WHO IS RUNNING IT.

GOOD VOICE ON A LOT OF ISSUES.

DOWNTOWN IS THE PERFECT KIND OF PLACE FOR NIGHT LIFE.

PEOPLE COME DOWNTOWN BECAUSE THEY WANT THAT EXCITEMENT.

THEY WANT THE VIBRANCY AND CLOSE AT 10:00 P.M. AND WHEELHOUSE HAS DONE A GOOD JOB OF POST PANDEMIC LANDSCAPE.

THEY ARE ALSO IN A LOCATION.

THEY ARE FLUSH ALMOST UP AGAINST THE HIGHWAY AND A BASEBALL STADIUM.

..

NIGHTCLUB, I DON'T KNOW WHERE IS.

THE HOURS.

I AGREE WITH SARAH ON THIS.

I'M ALL FOR NEIGHBORHOODS BEING ABLE TO CONTROL WHAT'S AROUND THEM AND HOW LATE THEY GET TO STAY OPEN.

DOWNTO.. DOWNTOWNS WERE NOT CREATED TO BE RESIDENTS FIRST AND THEN BUSINESSES.

THEY H.. CENTER.

.. BUSINESS CENTER AS OPPOSED TO HAVING IT IN A SUBBESH.

IT'S A DIFFERENT ANIMAL.

>> THE WHOLE GOAL OF CIVIC LEADERS IS TO INCREASE THE RESIDENTS IN DOWNTOWN ST. LOUIS.

IF THERE WAS A NIGHTCLUB OPERATING UNTIL 3:00 IN THE MORNING WITH GUNSHOTS OUTSIDE OF IT, YOU MIGHT BE AMONG THE VERY FIRST.

>> NOBODY WANTS GU..

IT.

BU.. PLACE FOR LATE NIGHT.

PART OF THE JOY OF LIVING DOWNTOWN, IF YOU WANT TO LIVE DOWNTOWN, IS THINGS GOING ON ALL THE TIME.

THE IDEA WE ARE GOING TO MAKE THIS A QUIET LITTLE NEIGHBORHOOD, THAT ISN'T GOING TO WORK.

>> NASHVILLE IS SAFE.

BUT WE HAVE VERY LOOSE GUN LAWS AND PEOPLE PULLING OUT GUNS AT THE DROP OF A HAT IN DOWNTOWN ST. LOUIS.

>> NASHVILLE HAS ITS ACT TOGETHER.

>..

THERE THE OTHER NIGHT?

>> I WOULDN'T SAY NEW ORLEANS HAS ITS ACT TOGETHER.

>> YOU CANNOT MOVE NEXT TO THE AIRPORT AND COMPLAIN ABOUT THE NOISE.

>>.. A MINUTE TO GO KSDK IS MOVING OUT.

RESIDENTS ARE GOING TO MOVE OUT BEFORE THE FOUR OF YOU REALIZE.

>> I DON'T THINK KSDK MOVED OUT BECAUSE THERE HAPPENED TO BE A SHOOTING IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS.

I ..

HAPPENED IN NASHVILLE, IT HAPPENED IN RECENT WEEKS.

>> CITIZENS FOR GREATER DOWNTOWN ST. LOUIS HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR NO LATE NIGHTCLUBS.

>> WHAT DO YOU WANT DOWNTOWN?

YOU WANT AFFLUENT PEOPLE SITTING AROUND SAYING I'M AN AFFLUENT PERSON.

CARDINAL GAMES STARTING AT 3:00 IN THE LIKE IN THE OLD DAYS DAYS.

>> IT'S NOT BARS 3:00 A.M. THAT CAUSES THE CRIME.

>> JOE, LET'S GO TO THE OLD MAILBAG.

I WAS SURPRISE..

REGARDING PRESIDENT BIDEN'S DECISION TO COMMUTE THE FEDERAL DEATH PENALTY SENTENCES.

THOSE SAYING EITHER COMMUTE ALL OF THEM OR NONE OF THEM, I THINK YOU ARE LETTING THE PERFECT BE THE ENEMY OF THE GOOD.

WE ALSO HEARD FROM HOLLY WRIGHT WHO WROTE PLEASE STOP TALKING OVER ONE ANOTHER.

NO ONE CAN HEAR OR UNDERSTAND WHEN ALL OF YOU ARE TALKING AT THE SAME TIME.

THANK YOU, HOLLY.

WRITE US IN CARE OF NINE PBS OL VIF STREET.

E-MAILS AT DONNYBROOK PBS.ORG.

AND CALL THE NINE LINE (314)512-9094 AND LISTEN TO US ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST SOURCE.

DON'T FORGET ON THE NINE PBS YOUTUBE CHANNEL WE HAVE LAST CALL AND THIS WEEK WE GIVE OUT AWARDS FOR THE ST. LOUIS PERSON OF THE YEAR.

WE WILL GO AROUND THE HORN AND SEE WHAT OUR PANELIST HAVE TO SAY.

THAT..

PROGRAM, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THE FIRST OF 52 OR SO SHOWS IN OUR 39th SEASON.

SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

>> DONNYBROOK IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE SUPPORT OF THE BETSY AND THOMAS PATTERSON FOUNDATION AND THE MEMBERS OF NINE PBS.